its nets, and with few fishers in its number for
the support of the work, they called to their aid the individuals of
our holy province. Nothing more than a sign was necessary to make them
hasten thither, expressing their thanks for the opportunity. Although
I have been unable to ascertain the year with certainty, I have
foundation for the conjecture that in the chapter celebrated in the
year 1662, the Franciscan fathers invited our Recollect family to
take the above-mentioned missions of the Contracosta. They alleged
that they were unable to attend to so many villages, whose care
devolved upon them, because of the lack of religious. They promised
to cede those missions to the Recollects, and not to retain any right
of reversion. Those missions were not very desirable, both because
of the wretchedness of the earth, and because of the small number
of tributes that they contained. For, although they had increased
greatly with the new conversions, they only contained 4,800 Christian
souls in the year 1738, as was asserted by the historian of that
seraphic province. [15] But our Recollect order has obtained a
writ which was gained in Philipinas to occupy the least profitable
posts so far as earth is concerned, but the most meritorious in
the heavens. Consequently, those zealous fathers received that work
immediately, and forthwith assigned evangelical ministers to cultivate
the new vineyard, increasing the rational vines in it with the care
and zeal which the seraphic workers had managed to exert thitherto.

69. In consequence of this, the province chose father Fray Benito
de San Joseph, Fray Francisco de San Joseph, and Fray Clemente
de San Nicolas, with three others whose names we have been unable
to discover. They took formal charge of the districts and founded
the following convents. Near the bay and port of Lampon, somewhat
inland toward the mountain, is located the village of Binangonan,
and there the first house and church was established with the title
of San Guillermo. Two religious were left there. The Tagalog language
is spoken in that territory, although it belongs to the province of
Tayabas and to the bishopric of Camarines, or as it is called, Nueva
Caceres. The ministers assigned to that village attended to various
scattered collections of huts along the bays of Lampon and Umirey,
as well as to the reduction of the infidels which extends along
the neighboring mountains for the distance of twelve or fourteen