have supplied
those which have not been furnished to me (which I have solicited
by various means) from the clergy of these islands, with the number
mentioned, which is placed by the very reverend father Pedro Murillo on
his map. [68] This, together with the account of the royal officials
for the year 1735, are the citations that I offer for the proof of my
account, if there should be any discrepancy between it and others. I
reflect that no one can give a better account of the treasury than
he who has continual care of it. It is doubtless true that all or any
of them may have unavoidable errors; for the Indians are continually
removing, dying, or absenting themselves. Consequently, I judge that
the number of souls, of those who are at this time reputed to be
natives of these Islands, exceeds one million. The temples [of God]
where the instruction is given in villages and visitas are in excess
of seven hundred, as was represented to his Catholic Majesty by the
royal officials in a report in the year 1720. As for the number of
Spaniards and foreigners, the computation is extremely difficult and
uncertain; and therefore it is not safe to make a decisive statement.

688. After very painstaking efforts, at the time when this book is
in press I receive information about the curacies of the seculars
of Zebu, in the following form. The curacy of the sacristy of the
holy church, and that of the Parian of the Sangleys, in the city of
Zebu; in the island of Zebu, that of Bantayan and Barili; in the
island of Negros, in Dumaguete, Binalbagan, Tucauan, and Tanghay;
in the island of Panay, in the city of Arebalo, Ahuy, Aclang, Banga,
Ybahay, and Culasi. Nearly all those curacies are very large and
need assistants. Throughout that jurisdiction and in the Marianas
there are various outside vicars, who are generally the religious of
those regions. Such is the information which I have obtained from
the provisor of that bishopric; but he does not give the number of
parishioners, as it is very difficult to ascertain it.

RELIGIOUS CONDITION OF THE ISLANDS

[The following is from _Historia general_, by Juan J. Delgado,
S.J. (written in 1751-54), pp. 141-158. The chapters here presented
are from part i, book ii.]

Chapter II

Of the ministries of souls that pertain to the clerics in these
Filipinas Islands

In the assumption, so certain and evident, that the clerics, both
seculars and regulars, had been the primitive