of the Order of our father St. Augustine have
worked hard as long as they have been in these islands (which is many
years), and with good example, in the preaching of the holy gospel;
and they have gathered a great harvest of souls. They have established
many convents in the islands, for which they should receive honor
from your Excellencies, and receive protection, so that his Holiness,
as master and father, may concede them rewards and favors, so that
they may be encouraged to complete what they have begun."

The second letter contains the following points:

"The Recollect fathers of the Order of our father St. Augustine in
these Philippinas Islands are laboring faithfully in the vineyard
of the Lord, with good example and prodigious danger, as the people
whom they instruct are harsh and fierce. In some districts, they
are making much gain in the conversion of souls; in Japon they have
made a very great gain, and have converted many, both men and women,
who have given their lives for the confession of our holy faith,
as will be seen there by the authentic report that is being sent to
his Holiness. Consequently, they deserve that your most illustrious
Lordships show them every grace and protection, and that you encourage
them to proceed in a work so holy by writing to the king of Espana to
protect and aid them, for that their example and good life deserve it."

The third letter is of the tenor that is set down here:

"The Recollect fathers of the Order of our father St. Augustine
in these Philippinas Islands are faithfully cultivating, in most
exemplary manner, the vineyard of the Lord, and are preaching His
holy gospel with great hardship and danger to their lives; for those
people whom they have in charge are so harsh and fierce that they
killed four religious the past year. But the others did not fear
on that account to send new ministers to preserve the fruit that
they were gathering among those souls, through their hope that, by
their teaching, they will convert all of those people to the true
knowledge. They have also made much gain in Japon, as has been seen;
since a great number of pagans, abandoning their errors, have embraced
our holy faith through the preaching of the religious of this order
who are in those kingdoms. For their confession, six religious of
that institute, accompanied by many, suffered martyrdom, after they
had taken the habits of Mantellatos, or tertiaries of the same order,
with other