ons that are despatched.

The father vicar-provincial had already chosen his workers, men like
himself. They were among the choicest and best men that the Reform then
had in their convents. They were as follows: Fathers Fray Andres de
San Nicolas, who was called de Canovas, an apostolic man, and a great
preacher in word and deed; Fray Miguel de Santa Maria, a most exemplary
man, and devoted to the rigorous life; Fray Geronimo de Christo, [27]
very austere and observant; Fray Pedro de San Fulgencio, a capable
and very clever man for all things; Fray Diego de la Anunciacion,
[28] adorned with very singular virtues, and regarded as a saint;
Fray Rodrigo de San Miguel, [29] most keen-witted and erudite in
all learning; Fray Francisco Baptista, a penitent to excess, and
regulated by conscience; Fray Francisco de la Madre de Dios, most
zealous for the discalced, and for the welfare of his brethren; Fray
Andres del Espiritu Santo, a religious, although very young, very
modest and retiring. [30] The father superintendent also chose four
other religious, lay brethren, who were of use and a great credit to
the Reform, on the voyage, and at the time when they came, whose names
are as follows: Fray Simon de San Joseph; Fray Joan de San Geronimo;
Fray Geronimo de la Madre de Dios; and Fray Joan de San Guillermo. They
all assembled in Madrid on the fifteenth or sixteenth of May. Thence
they left for Sevilla, and from there went later to San Lucar. They
were detained there until they could embark in one of the ships of the
Nueva Espana trading-fleet, which set sail from the great bay of Cadiz,
July twelve, and commenced its voyage happily. The zealous missionaries
were going, very full of God, and consequently did not abate one point
of their observance, fulfilling their religious obligations as if they
were in the most retired house of those which they had left behind in
their province, notwithstanding that they were going in the midst of
the traffic and excitement that seem to be inevitable in sea-voyages,
and more so in so long ones as are those of the Indias. They did not
discontinue the two hours' mental prayer or the choral divine office,
at their proper times, and the silence, fastings, and discipline. If
they were given any moment from those holy exercises, they employed
it in preaching, and in caring for the sick. They cared for and served
the latter with what they needed, and as well as they could. They did
not content thems