ks to God
our Lord for having brought me to that place for the great good of so
many souls. Certain persons assured me that they had never before seen
the like. We continued to hear the confessions, so that they might be
better prepared for Easter. Certainly, had I to purchase by dint of
toil those moments of consolation, when I was administering to each
one the sacrament of communion and seemed to read his very heart,
a thousand journeys from Espana were little to give for that. I was
to go on the fourth day of Easter, but that was impossible, for with
earnest solicitations they entreated me to remain--and some, moreover,
had not finished their confessions; it was therefore necessary to
wait until Sunday. On that day we effected a reconciliation between
the murderer and the adulteress, who embraced and pardoned each other
and made their confession with much devotion. On Monday morning I was
obliged, on account of my departure, to say mass shortly after two
o'clock; and yet the service was not so secret as to prevent them from
attending it, all being present, and manifesting great devotion. With
tears and words they expressed their great regret at my departure,
and made me promise that I would soon return to console them; and
with this I came away, glorifying the Lord. I left, in process of
erection, a little hospital for the sick and poor, which all aided
with charitable offerings and personal attendance. Glory be to our
Lord Jesus Christ, from whom proceed all things."

The death of Father Francisco Almerique, and other events in
Manila. Chapter LXXVII.

At the end of that year, one thousand six hundred and one, Father
Francisco Almerique ceased his labors, death claiming him while he
was busily occupied, and full of joy and consolation therein. He
had no illness save that occasioned by his very excessive labors,
which for a period of almost twenty years had been so wasting and
reducing his energies that the coming of hot weather carried him off,
without strength to resist, in five days. At the time of his death
he was engaged in forming villages, some of Indians and others of
blacks. These latter are in Manila called Itas; he had lured them from
a rugged mountain region, and persuaded them to settle in a lovely,
peaceful spot, fertile and pleasant, about two or three leguas from
Antipolo, giving to the new settlement the name of Santiago. First
in Manila, and afterward in the mission of Taitai, he busied hims