hers (who governed that
district) not to allow her respite from them, and that she could [not]
live wholly for herself. They built a hospital for the poor and sent
her to care for them. She sought the needy, whom she often carried on
her shoulders, so great was her charity. She cared for their souls,
causing the sacraments to be administered to them; and for their
bodies, applying to them the needful medicines. She solicited presents
and alms, and she had set hours for going out to beg for the sick
poor. She did all that with a cheerful and calm countenance, which
indicated the love of God which burned in her breast. Her hour came
during those occupations and she fell grievously ill. She knew that
God was summoning her and begged for the sacraments of the Catholic
Church; and, having received them with joy, she surrendered her soul
to her Lord--leaving, with sorrow for her loss, sure pledges that
she has eternal rest.

CHAPTER SEVENTH

A hospice is established in the City of Mexico for the accommodation
of the religious who go to the Filipinas.

Only section: (Year 1647)

As the province of San Nicolas de Tolentino had been founded in the
Filipinas Islands by our religious, and since they had many missions
in various districts to which to attend--not only converting infidels,
but comforting and sustaining those converted--they thought that it
would be necessary for them to send repeated missions of religious
and to conduct them from Espana to those districts. The usual route is
by way of Mexico, a most famous city; and since our Recollects had no
house there where the religious could await in comfort the opportunity
to embark for the said islands, they determined to take a house or
hospice in which they could live and where those who fell sick from the
long and troublesome journey could be treated. The Order petitioned
it from the king our sovereign, Felipe Fourth, who, exercising his
wonted charity, issued his royal decree in this year of 1647 for the
founding of the said hospice; and it was actually founded. It does
not belong to this history to relate the conditions that were then
accepted; we have only thought it best to give this notice of it here.

[The remainder of this book does not concern Philippine affairs].

[The following is translated and condensed from Diego de Santa
Theresa's Historia general de los religiosos descalzos, being vol. iii
in the general history of the Recollect order.] [2