has anchored in the
province of Ylocos, eighty leguas from here, as the weather does not
permit it to come to this port. Your Majesty's letters have not yet
reached this port, and, as the vessels which are being despatched are
on the point of sailing, it will not be possible to answer them, as
the governor will more fully inform your Majesty--whose Catholic and
royal person may our Lord preserve for many years, as is necessary
to Christendom, etc. Manila, August first, 1621. Your Majesty's
humble servant,

_Don Hieronimo de Silva_

Affairs in the Franciscan Province

Sire:

I, Fray Pedro de Sant Pablo, [13] preacher and minister provincial of
this province of Sant Gregorio of the Philipinas Islands of the order
of the discalced religious of our seraphic father St. Francis, and son
of the province of Sant Joseph of the same order, who minister in the
convent of La Purissima Concepcion [_i.e._, "the most pure conception"]
in the town of Barajas, and the least vassal of your Majesty, and
your humble and unworthy chaplain, give your Majesty in the present
an account of the unhappy condition of the province, in my own behalf
and in the name of all this province. I declare that for the last few
years the province has become restless, factional, and divided into
parties, which it is a pity to see. It is one thing to see it, and
another to bear it. On account of its condition, I have often resolved
to resign my office as its head, as I was unable to remedy these ills;
but I have refrained from doing so, as I think that I am doing some
service to God our Lord therein, from whom I await the remedy. The
cause of all these troubles is the coming to this province of your
Majesty--which was established in so great discalcedness, [14] strict
observance, and poverty--of religious not discalced, or reared on that
good milk, but belonging to the cloth in those [Spanish] kingdoms,
of religious reared (although under a rule) with different principles
and mode of life. So different are these that under no consideration
can there be the remedy that they will accommodate their way to ours,
or we conform to theirs. Some of us appeal to Paul and others to Zefas
[_i.e._, Cephas] [15]--a most lamentable and injurious condition of
affairs, and the destruction of this conversion, and of our own peace
within and without. In order not to weary your Majesty, I shall not
dwell longer upon this, or spend time setting forth our losses. But