there nothing else than the great danger of
many persons dying without holy baptism, and others without confession,
that was sufficient. But there were many other reasons, which,
although not so serious, aided not a little. The expenses that would
be saved were many; and this reason, that the priorates would have
such persons, for the best ones would always be chosen for them. This
was opposed very strongly, and the opposition alleged what, in their
opinion, were not a few reasons. They asserted that this was a kind of
tyranny, and that their opponents were trying to reduce the province
to fewer votes in order to perpetuate themselves in the government;
and that it was less easy to make sixty votes agree than twenty. The
province had commenced thus and should continue thus, and it was a
manifest grievance to deprive those elected by the intermediary (or
rather, the full) chapter of their votes. They said that that matter
was very serious, and should be carried over to the _ipso pleno_
[_i.e._, the full chapter], in which, after being considered by so
many, it could be determined. The whole question was put to vote by
our father provincial, Fray Miguel Garcia, who held the affirmative
side. With his Paternity were our father Fray Diego de Guevara (who
presided as visitor-general), the father definitor, Fray Vicente de
Sepulveda, and the father definitor Fray Francisco Bonifacio. On the
other or negative side were father Fray Estacio Ortiz, the father
definitor Fray Juan de Tapia, the father visitor Fray Juan Enriquez,
[27] and the father visitor Fray Juan Villalobos. [28]

They were equally opposed. One _adito_, father Fray Antonio de
Porras, was not there. Each side put forth its efforts, working
for our Lord's service, at which all aimed, doubtless, but by
different paths. The father commissary took sides with the party
of our father master, Fray Diego de Guevara, as he thought that
the better and more justifiable. And thus this chapter disposed
of all that it had proposed. Five houses in Bisayas were left with
votes, namely, Santisimo Nombre do Jesus, Panay, Barbaran, Passi,
and Octong. Another five votes were left in Ilocos, namely, Bantay,
Ilagua, Batac, Nalbacan, and Bauang. Thus twelve votes were taken
away from the province of Bisayas, which has sixteen large convents,
leaving the vicars, immediate to the chapter, with the authority and
power in temporal and spiritual matters, as if they were priors. Only
their