ous baths of hot water,
one legua from Bay, which are a remedy for many ills. An excellent
hospital is established there, with a house adequate for the religious
who administer it. These religious are Franciscans, and they administer
this hospital, as they do others in the islands, with the charity and
love which might be expected from so holy religious. And although
brothers of St. John of God came to administer the hospitals, and
remained in Manila many days, and even years, the Franciscan fathers
were not willing to give up their infirmaries and hospitals, nor were
the former able to deprive them of these. Therefore, they returned to
Nueva Espana. And indeed, even if they who have the care of hospitals
as a duty [i.e., the brothers of St. John of God] had charge of these,
I do not see how they could have done it with greater charity, or
more to the universal satisfaction [than have the Franciscans]. This
lake empties by two arms of rivers: one goes to Pasig, our convent;
and the other to Taguig, likewise our convent. Lower down the two
rivers unite. Further increased by the San Mateo, which comes from the
uplands, and has very clear water, they make a very beautiful river
which empties into the sea, after flowing past the walls of Manila. It
is called the Pasig River from the chief village. But in order to drink
of the good water, one must ascend even to the very convent of Pasig,
where the water is found clear. There are many things to see along this
river. For both sides are lined with gardens and summer-houses, more
lived in than even those of Manila, for there is enjoyed the coolness
and freedom which the city does not possess. There are churches up
the river, some with seculars, some with fathers of the Society,
some of St. Francis, and some ours. For two leguas up the river [61]
is our convent of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, which is built of
stone. It is the most frequented house of devotion in the islands,
both by Spaniards and by natives. And it is enough that it has not
ceased to exist, because of the changeableness and fickleness of the
country. We may talk more at length of this holy house.

Religious were established in the convent of Pasig, of which we
have said somewhat already. It is about three leguas from Manila,
and from Guadalupe one legua farther on. Now it has less than one
thousand Indians in charge, and three religious; for it has a most
fatiguing visita, namely, San Mateo, where ordinarily is