e desires them to be saved with what they have. _Homines,
et jumenta salvabis, Domine._ [98] All of these convents are located
within the archbishopric of Manila.

The father provincial went further, and established religious in
the island of Panay. The reader may remember the description that
we gave of it, and which he will find in the next to the last place
to the convent of Tigbauan; for there the provincial established
resident religious. This convent has been in many different hands;
for at first, as appears, we had it in charge, and then the seculars
had it. The fathers of the Society followed the latter, after which
a Portuguese secular had charge of it for a considerable time. He,
in order to relieve his burden, exchanged it for another district of
the order called Ibahay, which was the first priorate given me in these
islands by the order, and in my opinion better than Tigbauan. The only
thing which made it troublesome were five islands which had visitas
that belonged to it, where it had all that was needed. The order has
held it for some time, and it is not so good as others. It is a royal
encomienda. The village of Arevalo is situated near by. Therefore,
whenever the religious are sick, there is never lack there in the
presidio of a surgeon, who, without being able to distinguish his
right hand, bleeds and purges, so that in a brief time the sick
man is laid in his grave; and a religious or a Spaniard is worth a
great deal in this country. Daily our number is lessening, for the
country furnishes but little help. It cannot be compared to Nueva
Espana, which has enough inhabitants for itself, and to spare. Nothing
increases here, or succeeds. The creoles do not reach their majority,
and death comes upon them unseasonably. [99]

Chapter XXIV

_Of the chapter held in the islands, in which was elected the fourth
provincial, our father Fray Andres de Aguirre._

When the time came, as ordained by our rules, namely, April
22, 1581, the fathers who were now in greater number, and as
as we have related, had a greater number of missionaries and
convents--assembled. Peacefully and harmoniously they cast their votes
for father Fray Andres de Aguirre--of whom one may not say little,
and, if we say much, it will grow wearisome, and we shall never fill
the measure of his deserts. Let the religious who reads this remember
the mention which we have given this servant of God, and he will find
that father to have t