to infer, dissents from
the others. See the attempt at refutation (!) which the above father,
with more good will than success, has tried to make of the so well
known letter of Father Gaspar de San Agustin--a letter which in my
opinion should never have been published (as in fact it was published
in the first volume of this "Biblioteca," p. 273, _et seq._). No
Spaniard or foreigner who has lived for some time in the islands
and has had intercourse with the natives will agree with what Father
Delgado asserts, but which is so opposed to the facts. To speak truly
is not to offend, but to depart from the truth is injustice; and in the
present case, he who writes thus would merit another epithet.--_Coco_.

The letter mentioned in the preceding paragraph will be published
later in this series.

[121] That is, the vicar-provincial and definitors, who governed
the province.--_Coco_.

[122] This letter is given in full by Gaspar de San Agustin in his
_Conquistas_, pp. 395-409.--_Coco_.

This was the father master, Fray Alonso de la Vera-Cruz, one of those
in Mexico to whom the bishop wrote. See San Agustin, _ut supra_,
p. 395.

[123] Fray Diego Alvarez was master of novices in the Manila convent
in 1580, and minister at Taal in 1581, and at Bulacan in 1582. He
was elected prior provincial in 1584, and definitor and minister at
Taguig in the provincial chapter of 1587. In 1590 he took charge of
the Manila priorate and was elected provincial for the second time
in 1593. He died in the convent of San Pablo in Manila, in 1601. See
Perez's _Catalogo_, p. 20.

[124] Ecclesiasticus xix, 1.

[125] The city of Vigan is not now [1893] in so poor a state as Father
Medina says. It is well inhabited, and presents a good appearance,
having many stone edifices.--_Coco_.

It is the capital of the province of Ilocos Sur, and has a civilized
population of 14,945 (See _U.S. Gazetteer of the Philippine Islands_
and Bulletin No. 1, _ut supra_); and from its position on the railroad
from Manila it is a town of importance.

[126] Now [1893] called Balaoang, and with 8,260 inhabitants.--_Coco_.

Balaoang is now in the province of La Union, and has a civilized
population of 10,008. See _ut supra._

[127] In 1893 the three provinces of La Union and South and North
Ilocos had, in the lowlands, forty-two villages with a total population
of 349,205; and in the mountains fifteen missions in Abra, Lepanto,
and Benguet, with a population of 43,0