Don Joan Esquerra; Captain Christoval Guiral; General Don Joan Manuel
de la Vega; Don Joan Sarmiento, chancellor of the royal Audiencia;
Don Francisco Gomez de Arellano, dean of the cathedral there, and
commissary-general of the crusade; Don Joan de Aguilar, archdean of
the same church; Captain Hernando de Avalos y Vargas; Licentiate
Rodrigo Guiral, secular priest; Admiral Don Joan de Valmaseda;
Don Luis Enrriquez de Guzman; Don Diego de Leon, school-master of
the said church; Captain and sargento-mayor Don Francisco de Ayala;
Don Luis de Herrera Sandoval, treasurer also of the same church; Luis
de Barrasa, regidor of the city; Captain Melchor de Ayllon; and Don
Antonio de Arze, also regidor of Manila. All those so illustrious
persons deposed that the discalced Augustinian religious who were
living and who had lived there, were serious, learned, spiritual,
beloved men, and that they were gladly seen and heard by those who
lived and dwelt in the Philippinas Islands; and that, by their good
life and example, they had gathered and were gathering much fruit in
the community, and among the natives of the province of Zambales. Those
people had been most fierce enemies of the Spaniards and other nations
before Ours had taken charge of their reduction. By the excellent
instruction of our religious, they had become so tamed and gentle that
now one could pass through their coast; while before one could not
even approach them without evident risk of those people killing him,
with great gusto, as they were so barbarous. Consequently, it would
be well to keep and increase those religious in that archipelago,
for the salvation and profit of souls.

The second testimony is that of the royal Chancilleria of Manila, in a
letter to the Catholic king of the Espanas, and affirms the following:

"The discalced religious of the Order of St. Augustine, who are
employed in these islands in preaching the holy gospel, are held
in great esteem in this city of Manila because of their virtue
and good example. They have three or four provinces of Indians in
their charge, and, moved by holy and pious zeal for the welfare of
souls, they continue daily to establish new convents among the most
unconquerable people of the islands. Thus have they been seen to gather
most considerable fruit for the service of God and of your Majesty."

In another letter are also noted these words, which affirm the above:

"The discalced religious of St. Augustine are v