oyal Audiencia of Manila by Sargento-mayor Don Sebastian de
Villa-Real in October, 78. His Majesty's fiscal offered no objection
to its observance, and prompt obedience was rendered to it. It was
directed to his Excellency the archbishop, then Don Fray Phelipe
Pardo. That most illustrious gentleman, during the two times when
he was provincial of his order or province, urged as a thing greatly
to be desired and demanded by his brethren the Dominicans, that the
Augustinian Recollects yield them the province of Zambales, as it was
very fitting for communication with their province of Pangasinan, and
of the latter with Manila, and of those religious among themselves,
who could thus make their visits more comfortably, by always crossing
through their own ministries, thus avoiding the voyage through the
territory of others, which they regretted. Notwithstanding that those
matters were discussed with great courtesy (as is the case at present)
yet that was a demand that offended greatly the discalced Augustinians,
who regarded the Zambals as the true sons of their spirit, and the
land as watered with the blood and sweat of many of their members,
and a land which, being their firstborn, was most tenderly loved. The
Dominicans could never obtain their demand, although softened by
exchanges, for ministries were offered in which there was even more
than enough room for zeal.

3. By reason of the said royal despatch, his Excellency formed the
idea of completely removing the Recollects from Zambales and giving
them in exchange the island of Mindoro. He set about that with great
zest. The Recollect provincial resisted, alleging that it was contrary
to their constitutions to abandon thus the province of Zambales. That
would mean treating it as their own possession. It would be better
to recognize it as a territory distributed by the universal patron;
and, admitting that it was impossible to surrender it without his
royal consent, individual laws communicate no right, especially when
such mission fields are ad interim. He also pleaded that the Indians
of Mindoro, both infidels and Christians, had as soon as they heard
that regular ministers were to be given them, urgently requested
Jesuits. On the contrary, the Zambals, when they were notified that
it was the intention to withdraw the Recollects from their midst
in order to introduce Dominicans, almost declared their opinion in
a terrible tumult. The Recollects preferred, therefore, tha