"The Recollect fathers of the Order of our father St. Augustine in these Philippinas Islands are laboring faithfully in the vineyard of the Lord, with good example and prodigious danger, as the people whom they instruct are harsh and fierce. In some districts, they are making much gain in the conversion of souls; in Japon they have made a very great gain, and have converted many, both men and women, who have given their lives for the confession of our holy faith, as will be seen there by the authentic report that is being sent to his Holiness. Consequently, they deserve that your most illustrious Lordships show them every grace and protection, and that you encourage them to proceed in a work so holy by writing to the king of España to protect and aid them, for that their example and good life deserve it." The third letter is of the tenor that is set down here: "The Recollect fathers of the Order of our father St. Augustine in these Philippinas Islands are faithfully cultivating, in most exemplary manner, the vineyard of the Lord, and are preaching His holy gospel with great hardship and danger to their lives; for those people whom they have in charge are so harsh and fierce that they killed four religious the past year. But the others did not fear on that account to send new ministers to preserve the fruit that they were gathering among those souls, through their hope that, by their teaching, they will convert all of those people to the true knowledge. They have also made much gain in Japon, as has been seen; since a great number of pagans, abandoning their errors, have embraced our holy faith through the preaching of the religious of this order who are in those kingdoms. For their confession, six religious of that institute, accompanied by many, suffered martyrdom, after they had taken the habits of Mantellatos, or tertiaries of the same order, with other confriars, and others who wear the girdle." This prelate confirmed the same in two other letters to the Catholic monarch, in the following manner: "The Recollect fathers of the Order of our father St. Augustine, from their first arrival in these islands, have gathered a plentiful harvest in souls by their good example. They have many convents and many missions in their charge. In their care are the islands of Calamiànes, and they have charge of a great part of the island of Mindanao, where they have convents and labor with great zeal for the salvation of souls." In the second letter he wrote these words: