These ordinances are dated from the convent of Sancto Domingo at Mexico, December 17, 1586. Twenty religious vowed to keep them, and to go on to the newly-founded province.] CHAPTER VIII The voyage of the fathers from Mexico to the Philippines [The three brethren destined for China set sail from the port of Acapulco for Macan, in a vessel called the "San Martin." The other fifteen religious began their voyage on the Sunday called Quasimodo, the Sunday after Easter, April 6, in the year 1587. It was very late in the year, so that there was danger of storms; for the time of the vendabals had come--stormy and contrary winds, which are feared greatly by the best pilots. They had the misfortune to lose their ship-stores by fire, and were obliged to live on beans and chick-peas (garbanzos) for all the rest of the voyage, which lasted three months and a half. But a much more severe affliction was the narrowness of their quarters in the ship; for two factions broke out among the crew, one party fortifying itself in the forecastle, the other in the poop; and they were about to give battle to each other, as if the one party had been Moors and the other Christians. Fortunately, the fathers succeeded in reconciling them. The carelessness of the navigators almost caused the ship to be lost on one occasion; on another, the vessel was almost lost on some islands inhabited by cannibals. On the eve of St. Magdalen's day they reached port; and they took this saint to be patron of that province.] CHAPTER IX The voyage and experience of the brethren who went to Macau [As it was the principal intention, in establishing this new province, to promulgate the holy gospel in the great kingdom of China, the fathers who were sent thither were distinguished for sanctity and learning. Of the voyage we know only that the vessel was wrecked on the coast of China, and that they escaped to land as if by miracle. They were not treated with the severity usually shown to foreigners who come to or are lost on the coast of China; but were kindly received by one of the chief men, who had observed their devotion. They did not obtain permission to carry on the work of evangelization in China, but went on to Macan and were thence carried to India. Father Antonio Arcediano taught theology, and was highly regarded in Goa. At different times he sent his two companions to España and to Roma to plead the cause of Macan, and to do what they could to establish the preaching of the gospel in China. At the end of six years, seeing no hope of what he desired, he returned to España, and there became a teacher of theology in the University of Salamanca. He afterwards went to Avila, and died there. The order did not succeed at this time in entering China by way of Macan; but finally, the desired entry to China was obtained by way of Hermosa.] CHAPTER X