it would rank with the fine buildings of Espana. But
the lack of light is unfortunate for it. It has a very fine stone
cloister, accompanied by its cells. There is a vault underneath
also. All of this work has proved excellent, for although it is in
a place where frequent earthquakes occur, it has suffered no damage
of consequence. [53] Rather, I think that the fathers of the Society,
upon seeing this, have planned to build their church with a vault, and
are correcting in it the faults of ours. Thus it will result in a very
fine building indeed, and just as the affairs of that so distinguished
and holy order are wont to result. The rest is yet to be built, for
now everything is very dear. Since the money is derived from outside
sources, they must be guided by the alms received; but the faithful
assist according to their means--if they have little, with little;
and, as [now] they have not anything, it is a matter of necessity
that they cannot give us even that little. I can only acknowledge
that as we were the first [to enter here], our houses ought to be,
at the end of sixty-six years very strong in this regard. But the
fact is that there is no community in Manila that does [not] excel
us in this; and we remain only with the name [of being well-to-do],
which does us no little harm. For, with the title of powerful ones, no
one remembers us, except to beg from us and take away our lands; and,
as they say in Espana: "What matters it to me if my father is called
_hogaza_ [i.e., "large loaf of bread"], if I die of hunger?" But,
finally, the little that covetousness influences us will be evident
to all, even if I am not pleased at the abandoning of what belongs
to us lawfully; as says our great father: _Et ideo quanta amplius
rem communem, quam propriam curaveritis, tanto vos amplius proficere
noveritis_. [54] Yet am I glad that in such manner are we so greedy
of the rich patrimony of poverty, and such masters in it, that we
cannot keep anything. For, after all, we are all sons of one father,
of whom it is written that, although he was a bishop, he made no
will at his death, for he had nothing. _Testamentum nullum fecit;
quia unde faceret pauper Christi non habuit_. [55] I made the above
remarks, for later an occasion so apropos may not arise.

Chapter XVI

_Of the assembly held by our religious in these islands, where they
elected a provincial; and of other events._

[With the increase of their numbers, the missi