n at this time, through the devotion of Canon
Diego de Leon (who was then attending the lectures in our schools),
the practice of assembling in our church many men of all ranks to take
the discipline, [72] three days in the week, especially during Lent--a
practice which lasts to this very day. This same canon stimulated
their piety on these occasions by a half hour's reading from some
devout book. At the conclusion of the reading, the penance began,
during which they repeated devoutly the _Miserere_. This holy exercise
was a source of great edification to the Indians; and, in imitation
of it, a great number of them took the discipline on those nights,
in turn with the Spaniards.

Further proceedings at this time in Manila by the Indians and
Spaniards. Chapter XIX.

At this time the Indians were very numerous, both within the city of
Manila (where there are more than six thousand, scattered through
the houses of the Spanish inhabitants) and in all the outlying
districts. These people repair to our church for confession not only
in Lent but on all other days of the year; consequently, there were
not fathers enough acquainted with their language to care for them
spiritually from morning to evening. I know of some who had waited for
more than ten or even twelve days, without being able, for the press
of people, to reach the feet of the confessor. Others remained a whole
day in the church, waiting for their turn. This gives evidence of the
ardor and perseverance with which they attended to the welfare of their
souls. On Sundays and the afternoons of feast-days, when the sermons
were preached in their own language, the church was crowded--above,
below, in the choir and galleries, all which, although very spacious,
were filled; and, besides, there were many of those people outside
the doors (which are five in number).

In two ways they were equally enthusiastic in celebrating the deposit
of the holy relics: first, in the great devotion that they displayed
during the whole eight days while the festival lasted and the relics
were exposed--men, women, and children attending it in such numbers,
both morning and afternoon, that they could not enter the church. The
Spaniards, astonished at this, said that those holy relics must have
come to Manila for the Indians, judging from the way in which the
latter attended and venerated them. To show appreciation of their
great devotion, and to inspire them with more, a short discourse