[32] Spanish, _Recoletos_: the barefooted branch of the Augustinians, known also as _Descalzos_ in Spain and its former colonial possessions. The origin of this brotherhood is due to a reform movement in Spain in the sixteenth century, started by the Venerable Thomas de Jesus, who was for many years a captive among the Moors in Africa. He, with other lovers of primitive observance of the Augustinian rule, essayed to reintroduce divers customs no longer common among the brotherhood, as frequent fasts, midnight prayers, wearing beards, and going with uncovered heads. In 1588. at a chapter of these brethren held at Toledo (the general of the order presiding), Luis de Leon, the famed scholar and poet, was commissioned to draw up constitutions for the observants, and these were approved by Rome. In 1614, the new branch known now (as then) as "discalced" were freed from dependence on the general of the order; and in 1622 Pope Gregory XV approved their constitutions. In 1589, the reform movement (as above) spread to some of our nunneries; these sisters were, like their brethren, established as _Descalzas_, with their first house at Madrid under Madre Maria de Jesus (or Covarubias) as Superioress--the first house of the Recoletos being at Tatavera de la Reyna. In 1606, the Recoletos entered the Philippines, where their first house was at Bagungbayan, with the title of S. Juan. In 1602, by decree of November 16, the general of the Augustinians, Fulvius of Ascoli, sanctioned the division of the Philippine fathers of the order into two provinces--those who held with the old rule to be known as Augustinians of the province of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus; the Discalced, or Recoletos, as those of the province of San Nicolas de Tolentino; so when the Recoletos went to the Philippines they bore the name of their home province with them to Malaysia. In Manila the famous Puente de Espana ("Bridge of Spain") was projected and built under the superintendence of a Recoleto father. (Thus Zamora, in _Las Corporaciones en Filipinas_, p, 358.) In 1726, the Discalced were dispensed from wearing beards; in 1746, from going barefooted. Their earliest form of dress resembled the Capuchin habit, except that its color was black. In 1736, the _beaterio_ of S. Sebastian at Calumpang, in Luzon--which seventeen years previous had been established by four Indian maidens, who were devout to Nuestra Senora de Carmel--was handed over to the care of Recoleta sisters; it is not known when these first came to the islands. The province of the Recoletos in the Philippines bears the title of San Nicolas de Tolentino. In Spain the Recoleto study-houses of their Philippine missionaries are (or were in 1897), at Alfaro, Monteagudo, Marcilla, and San Millan de la Cogolla.--_Rev. T.C. Middleton, O.S.A._ [33] Cf. the document in _Vol_. XI, "Grant to Jesuit school in Cebu," dated December 11, 1601. See note thereon regarding translation of _colegio_.