ate of Manila, has for its origin
a royal decree of Phelipe II, dated June 8, 1585, wherein the governor
of these islands--who was to confer with the bishop of the islands
as to the means--was ordered to institute a college, and support
religious who were to teach Latin, the sciences, and good morals to
those who should attend. In obedience to that decree, the said college
of San Joseph was founded in the year 1595. Twelve fellowships were
created, and one thousand pesos assigned from the royal treasury. A
deed of it was given on condition that the college was to be called
a royal college, and that the arms of his Majesty were to be placed
on it. A few years afterward, by the will left by Estevan Rodriguez
de Figueroa, governor and captain-general of the island of Mindanao,
this college was established from the foundations in his name. It had
a sufficient number of students, and a continually brilliant exercise
in the branches of learning, which is flourishing in these times. Its
antiquity, and its precedence to that of Santo Tomas, is defined by
the royal Council of the Indias, in a contradictory judgment, which
appears from a royal decree or writ of execution dated March 12,
1653. The title _Real ad honorem_, with authority to place it on all
its acts and despatches, and to place the royal arms on its gates,
as we now see them, is a concession of our Catholic king, by his
royal order of May 3, 1722. Therefore this college is held in esteem
and has a remarkable popularity.

573. In the province of Tongdo [the Society has] [_marginal note_:
residences or missions] in the villages of Santa Cruz, outside the
Manila walls, and in San Miguel on the river of Manila; up the river
toward Laguna de Bai, in the villages of San Pedro Macati, San Matheo
(with the missions of San Isidro, and Paynaan in the mountains),
Antipolo, Taytay, Cainta, Mariquina, Silan, and Indang.

In the jurisdiction of Cavite, in the village of Cavite el Viejo
[_i.e._, old Cavite], and in the port of Cavite, a college without
administration.

In that of Marivelez, in the village of Marigondong.

In the jurisdiction of Mindoro, in the island of Marinduque, in the
villages of Boac, Santa Cruz de Napo, and Gasang.

574. There is a beaterio, in the city of Manila, of respectable
Indian women with their mistress, who have withdrawn from the world,
and are employed in holy living and exercises. Although the fathers
of the Society do not have charge of it