tion of
the mountains in its center, has been gradually subdued by the zeal
of the regular missionaries. The calced Augustinian fathers began to
diffuse the teaching of the gospel in this island, and founded the
village of Baco, from whose convent the religious went forth to the
spiritual ministry of the converted Indians, who were then very few.

By cession of the Augustinians, the Franciscan fathers entered
this island. The said fathers were not satisfied with preserving
that already reduced, but extended the light of the faith through
the districts of Pola and Calavite, until they were transferred to
Camarines and Ilocos by the orders of their superiors.

The fathers of the Society of Jesus came in to fill the breach left by
the Franciscans. They founded the village of Naujan, which was governed
to the great gain of those Christians by Father Luis de San Vitores,
who left behind in that point a reputation for virtue and holiness
which was retained for many years among the Indians. That father
was withdrawn, to begin the conversion of the Marianas Islands. His
associates followed him, and the Christian souls of Mindoro remained
under the direction of the secular priests who were placed there by
the archbishop for their direction.

When the Recollect fathers had to leave the ministries of Zambales
which they had conquered and established at the cost of their blood
and by heroic labors, an order came at that same time from the court
of Espana, decreeing that the island of Mindoro be entrusted to a
religious family chosen from those existing in this country. The
governor of Filipinas, by the advice of the archbishop, thought to
compensate the Recollects for the loss of their primitive religious
conquests in the province of Zambales, by conferring on them the
parishes of Mindoro.

The Recollects resigned themselves to this disproportionate change,
since the exertions made to avoid it availed nothing. By virtue of
the order issued by his Excellency, the captain-general, Don Juan de
Vargas, directed to the province of San Nicolas (decreeing that it
should take charge of the missions of Mindoro), the then provincial,
Fray Jose de San Nicolas, assigning laborers for that new acquisition.

Father Diego de la Madre de Dios was assigned to the district of
Baco, which belonged to the bachelor Don Jose de Rojas; Father Diego
de la Resureccion, to the curacy of Calavite, taking the place of
Licentiate Don Juan Pedrosa; Father