This was occasioned, no
doubt, by our father provincial, who was oppressed with ill-health,
not visiting it, although he was a son of the said province. Although
this province is less desired, as it is so far from Manila, yet the
Lord seems to care more for it, sending to it the most illustrious of
our religious; and taking therefrom the most devout of the province--as
at that time our father Fray Alonso de Mentrida--for its credit and
reputation. He was very zealous, and obtained an increase of income
for the house at Manila, so that it was able to attend better to
its many obligations of choir, study, and infirmary, and those of
so important a community. Our father had the good fortune also to
receive a very distinguished contingent of religious in the second
year of his term. They were brought by father Fray Juan de Tapia,
who, as we have said above, was sent by our father Fray Juan Enriquez
as procurator of the province. The religious were received with open
arms; for the province was now in need of laborers, as the country
was but little suitable to sustain life--especially among young men,
who, as the blood boils in so warm a land, fall sick easily and die.
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