Note 27 — Chapter XIV

As time passed, it appears that we continued to attain more and more favorable results in enlarging the Spanish dominion and empire among the islands, and in extending likewise the name of Christ our Lord, for the adoration and reverence of those barbarous nations. This year the return of the father provincial, Fray Diego de Herrera, who had gone the year before to Nueva España, as above related, and returned the following year, was made most prosperously, and with incredible rapidity. It seems that he had put his hand carefully to the work, which he had already commenced, and desired to see it assume a wider extent, and to have those fields full of workers. He was exceedingly well received in Nueva España, and so much caressed, that all were importunate to embrace him again and again, not being satisfied with simply embracing him whom they saw visibly as the apostle of China—the name by which they designated these islands. They promised him munificent help in advancing the undertaking. On that account was his return so prompt. He was accompanied [191] by two religious, namely, father Fray Diego Ordonez27 and father Fray Diego de Espinar.28 He bore the despatches that Father Urdaneta had negotiated. In them, his Majesty ordered the Filipinas Islands to be colonized, so that, by that means, the conversion of those races might be advanced better, which the Augustinian order had already begun, with so much labor, to secure. And besides the service that was being rendered to our Lord therein, his Majesty was pleased, and thanked them for the same.