ned to
death by decapitation. Another was reduced to extreme poverty. All
were persuaded that the heavy hand was entering there. Finally the
governor committed the examination of the causes to Licentiate Manuel
Suarez de Olivera, auditor-general of war and assessor of the governor
of Manila. He declared in favor of the Indian slaves, and freed them
all. The wretched Indians were overjoyed at the decree, but they were
troubled because they had no one to solicit their freedom for them
by attending to the necessary expenses of the court; consequently,
they regarded the day of their redemption as a thing impossible to
attain. They did not dare to ask the aid of the Recollect fathers,
as they thought that the latter were angry at them, as they had
murdered a religious in that insurrection. But since the Recollect
fathers regarded that as [the vicissitude of] fortune, they took the
part of the Indians and did considerable in their defense.

267. Father Fray Agustin de San Pedro was secretary of that province,
who was known by the name of Padre Capitan because of his military
feats which will be explained in part in recording his life. He had
illumined those Indians with the light of the gospel, for which they
held him in great affection. Therefore, he made a list of the slaves
who were in Manila, and its environs, giving the name and surname of
each, and the village where he lived. In the list he included many
others who were not contained in the processes. He presented that
list to the governor and asked him to order the slaves to be set at
liberty. Such a writ was despatched very promptly, and the father
went with the notary through all the houses in order to place the
order in execution. That was a work that caused him great fatigue,
and produced violent contentions. For since those who had paid their
money for slaves were deprived of them, scarcely did he arrive at a
house where some insult was not heard. The expenses were increased,
but he obtained his purpose; for he secured all the slaves, and the
[Recollect] order took care of them, providing them with all the
necessities of life until they were taken to their own native places. A
religious accompanied them, as it was considered necessary to have
a person to defend them in case that any one attempted to injure them.

268. That race is not so rude that it cannot be conquered by kind
acts. Therefore, those Indians talked over among themselves what
the Recollect father