ative of Mexico, castellan of the fort,
and regidor of the city--together with his very virtuous wife, Dona
Maria Enriquez de Cespedes, through the devotion that they bore to our
institute and to the holy neo-thaumaturgus Nicolas de Tolentino (at
whose intercession a son was born to him, who died shortly afterward,
the same lady having petitioned our glorious father to negotiate
with God so that that son might not live if he were to grow up bad
and a sinner), assumed the patronage of the church and convent. He
immediately erected a fine building of cut stone, the cost of which
exceeded one hundred thousand pesos. In addition to that, he assigned
it a suitable income--not for the support of the religious, for at
that time it was not the custom for Ours to accept such; but for the
necessary repairs that had to be made later.

At the conclusion of the work, it was our Lord's pleasure to grant
him a very pious death, prepared, among his many alms, by actions
and customs more resembling those of a perfect religious man of an
arrogant and merry soldier. The religious buried him as if in his
own house, displaying on his honorable tomb the memory of his deeds;
and erecting monuments afterward to him and to his consort in a very
fitting niche, as well as suitable proclamations of thankfulness that
Ours published. He left the devotion of the great titular saint,
whom he greatly loved, well established; consequently, by means of
his authority, the city chose the saint as patron, and decreed that
his day should be celebrated, and that the city should attend in the
form of its cabildo, which has always been done. Governor Don Alonso
Faxardo, governor of the islands, our illustrious benefactor--who gave
us permission, as far as the royal patronage is concerned, to preach
the gospel in the provinces of Butuan and Caragha, together with
the islands of Cuyo and Calamianes--was also buried there. From that
permission have resulted so great increase in numbers to the Church,
and great honors to our Recollect order. Likewise the governor's wife,
Dona Catalina Zambrano, and others--auditors and officials of the
Chancilleria, and many noble gentlemen--keep him company there. A
notable confraternity has been founded in that church, called the
Nazarenos [_i.e._, the Nazarines"], so that on the night of Holy
Thursday they march through the streets in a most devout procession,
just as they are accustomed to do in the kingdoms of Castilla.

Amo