ve years before
the conquest of Manila, it is not proved to my satisfaction that he
was ever in Manila; and it is more probable that he remained in Zebu,
the first land that was conquered. Another cleric was the licentiate
Don Juan de Villanueva, of whom the only thing known is that he was
a priest, and that he lived but a little time--and that after the
erection of the church. Another cleric who came earlier [than the
latter] was Don Luis Barruelo, who had been sent to Philipinas by the
archbishop of Mexico, as associate of the above-mentioned Don Juan de
Vivero, so that they might be the judge-provisors and vicars-general
of all the islands; for the archbishop thought that this provision
belonged to his care and jurisdiction, as he was the prelate nearest
to these islands. But Don Luis Barruelo arrived at the islands in
the year 1577, six years after the foundation of Manila. Therefore it
appears that the Augustinian fathers were the only ones who exercised
the entire government _in utroque foro_, [50] and the parochial
administration of Manila and all the islands. To them succeeded,
in the said government, the discalced Franciscan religious, until
the arrival of the most illustrious Salazar, first bishop of Manila.

514. This church, when first erected, was poor. Although with the lapse
of time it had sufficient incomes, yet, with the fires and continual
earthquakes, the church buildings were ruined. Thus, because of the
earthquakes of the year 1645, the church of La Misericordia was used
as the cathedral church from November 26, 1652, until June 7, 1662,
when possession was taken of the new church. The latter is still
standing, and was built by the zealous and costly efforts of the
holy archbishop, Don Miguel de Poblete, albeit he did not leave it
entirely finished. His Excellency placed the first stone April 20,
1654. It was a square slab, and bore the following inscription: "The
Church being under the government of Innocent X; the Espanas, under
King Phelipe IV the Great; and these islands, under Don Sabiniano
Manrique de Lara, knight of the Order of Calatrava: Don Miguel de
Poblete, its metropolitan archbishop, placed this stone, April 20,
1654, for the building of this holy cathedral--its titular being the
Conception of our Lady, and its patron, St. Andrew the apostle." It
was completed later (on August 30, 1671), by the dean his nephew,
the master Don Joseph Millan de Poblete, who was afterward bishop of
Nueva