Note 1 — Despatch of Missionaries to the Philippines

In the month of July of 1605 I sailed from Spaña, with thirty-eight religious of my order, whom I was empowered by his Majesty’s decrees to convey thither; and none were lacking. Among these there were only four lay brethren; and of the rest, who were priests (they being the majority), all except one were preachers and confessors; and those who were not [331] such had studied sufficiently to be ordained as priests for mass—as all of them now are, and actual ministers, who preach and hear confessions in various languages which they have learned, much to the service of God and the increase of His church. I arrived in this country of Nueva Spaña with all the said thirty-eight religious, where two of my priests died. One of them was named Fray Dionisio de Rueda, who had come from Valencia, of which he was a native; the other, Fray Pablo Colmenero, who came from Salamanca, and was a native of Galicia.1 Both of them were religious of excellent abilities. I embarked at the port of Acapulco for the Philipinas, with only twenty-eight. Although it is true that at the time of embarkation some nine were absent, who had not yet arrived at the port, yet even if they had arrived they could in no wise have been embarked; for the ship which was given me was very small, and had accommodations for no more than twelve friars at the most. So true is this, that the treasurer of his Majesty of this City Of Mexico, one Birbiesca, who was then at the port to despatch the ships by command of the Marques de Montesclaros, told me not to embark more than twelve. This I swear to be true in verbo sacerdotis. I left in that very port several religious, with permission and order to return to Mexico until they could go to the Philipinas; and I was many times sorry for those whom I had embarked, on account of the poor accommodations that [332] we had. Four of them died at sea, between here and the Philipinas (three of these being priests, and the other not), all of them being friars from whom much was hoped. I have made information of all this before the notary of the ship itself (who was called Francisco de Vidaurre), with witnesses who were aboard—which, with the favor of God, I myself shall take to España, as I am now on the way there. This was in the year of 1606.