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REPORT CONCERNING THE FILIPINAS ISLANDS, AND OTHER PAPERS

A REPORT CONCERNING THE FILIPINAS ISLANDS, WHICH IT IS ADVISABLE TO SETTLE AND PACIFY; AND OTHER MATTERS

Most potent Sire:

Fray Francisco de Ortega^[1] of the order of St. Augustine, visitor-general of the province of the Philipinas, and prior of the convent of the city of Manila, with desire and zeal for the service of God our Lord, and of your Highness, in order to inform you concerning the nature of the Philipinas Islands, which have rendered obedience to your Highness, and of what is advisable for their welfare and increase, and for the relief of your Highness's royal conscience, makes the following declaration.

That it will be of much import for your Highness to order the island of Mindanao, which is four

↑ Francisco Ortega (thus Pérez; but de Ortega in the MSS. which we follow) made profession in the Augustinian order, at Toledo—in 1564, according to Pérez, but various allusions in this document render 1554 a more satisfactory date. Two years later he went to Mexico, and thence (about 1570) to the Philippines. In 1575, when he was a missionary in Mindoro, he barely escaped death at the hands of the natives, and was then appointed prior of the convent of Manila. In 1580 he went to Spain as commissary for the Philippine province of the order; and ten years afterward returned to the Philippines with a considerable body of missionaries. In 1597 Ortega was transferred to Mexico, where he died in 1601.

[1] Francisco Ortega (thus Pérez; but de Ortega in the MSS. which we follow) made profession in the Augustinian order, at Toledo—in 1564, according to Pérez, but various allusions in this document render 1554 a more satisfactory date. Two years later he went to Mexico, and thence (about 1570) to the Philippines. In 1575, when he was a missionary in Mindoro, he barely escaped death at the hands of the natives, and was then appointed prior of the convent of Manila. In 1580 he went to Spain as commissary for the Philippine province of the order; and ten years afterward returned to the Philippines with a considerable body of missionaries. In 1597 Ortega was transferred to Mexico, where he died in 1601.

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