the order of Preachers, in whom are found the
qualities of holiness, upright conduct, and learning requisite in that
province. He was consecrated in Madrid in the year one thousand five
hundred and seventy-nine. There are also, at present, three monasteries
of religious--one of Augustinians, who were the first to enter these
islands in obedience to his Majesty's orders, and have preached
the evangelical law to the great gain of souls, and with no little
suffering, many of them having lost their lives in this occupation;
the second, of descalced friars of the order of St. Francis, of the
province of San Joseph, who have approved themselves by their good
example, and have been very useful in those regions; and the third,
of Dominicans or Predicants, who have been of no less service. All
of these have passed a certain time in these islands. Afterward the
Jesuit fathers came to these regions; they have been of great help
to the above-mentioned religious.

On their arrival at these islands, the Spaniards at once heard
many things concerning the great kingdom of China, both through
the relations of the islanders, who told of that country's wonders;
and through what they themselves saw and heard, after a few days,
from the crews of certain vessels entering that port with merchandise
and very curious articles from that kingdom. These latter told them
in detail of the greatness and wealth of that country, and the many
things related in the first three books of this history. As soon as
the Augustinian religious (then the only religious in those islands),
and especially their provincial, Fray Martin de Herrada--a man of
great worth, and most erudite in all branches of learning--were
aware of the greater advantages possessed by the Chinese, who come
to trade among those islands, in comparison with these islanders,
and especially in the matters of civilization and ability, they
immediately conceived a great desire to go to preach the gospel
to those people, so capable of receiving it. With this object in
view, they began most carefully and studiously to learn the Chinese
language, which the above-mentioned provincial mastered in a short
time, making also of the same a grammar and dictionary. Besides this,
they gave many gifts and presents to the Chinese merchants, in order
to be conveyed to their country. They did many other things, which
are illustrative of their holy zeal--even to offering themselves as
slaves to the merchants, i