terregnum of nearly five years had elapsed since
the death of his predecessor, Santibanez.

[22] Referring to a ceremony performed at mass, also known as the
"kiss of peace." This was given at mass from the earliest times, in
the various Catholic branches of the Church. In the Western churches,
"it was only at the end of the thirteenth century that it gave way
to the use of the 'osculatorium'--called also 'instrumentum' or
'tabella pacis,' 'pax,' etc.--a plate with a figure of Christ on
the cross stamped upon it, kissed first by the priest, then by the
clerics and congregation. Usually now the pax is not given at all in
low masses, and in high mass an embrace is substituted for the old
kiss, and given only to those in the sanctuary" (Addis and Arnold's
_Catholic Dictionary_, p. 497).

[23] Perez (p. 63) gives but little information regarding this
friar. He seems to have been in the islands as early as 1591, and from
1594 to 1603, engaged in various official duties. In the last-named
year he went to Spain and Rome, afterward going to Mexico, where he
acted as procurator in 1608.

[24] In this paragraph, as in one in the preceding letter of Benavides,
the official transcription of the text has _teatinos_, where "Jesuits"
occurs in the translation; but the mention of Chirinos shows that
the latter reading is correct. See note 20, _ante_, on p. 109.

[25] Spanish _hermita_ (sometimes meaning "hermitage"); a reference
to what is now a suburb of Manila, situated on the shore of the bay,
and called Hermita or Ermita. "In its parish church is venerated,
with great devotion, the image of its tutelar saint, Our Lady of
Guidance--to which holy image were especially commended, in former
days, the ships from Nueva Espana" (Buzeta and Bravo's _Diccionario_,
ii, p. 77).

[26] This was the eldest daughter of Felipe III--Anna Maria, generally
known as Anne of Austria. Born in 1601, she was married at the age of
fourteen to Louis XIII of France; and after his death was regent during
the minority of her son, Louis XIV. She died on January 20, 1666.

[27] Diego de Guevara, belonging to a noble family in Spain, entered
in early youth the Augustinian order, at Salamanca. In 1593 he came to
the Philippines with a company of twenty-four missionaries, and held
various official positions in his order. In 1602 he founded a convent
in Bungo, in Japan. Sent to Spain in 1603, with news of the Chinese
insurrection, he did not reach the court