New difficulties met by the expedition, and the result
[The common enemy of souls strove with all his might to keep the
religious in Mexico. He represented that Mexico was in need of
religious, and that the voyage from Mexico to the Philippinas is
longer than that from Espana to Mexico. He employed a religious
person who had returned from the Philippinas [27] to assure them that
they would not be admitted to the kingdom of China; while, as for the
Philippinas, he declared that the country was small, thinly populated,
and sufficiently provided with religious. The viceroy [28] strove to
retain them. Some remained; but the most valiant and virtuous, like
the army of Gideon against the Midianites, pushed on. The names of
the eighteen who founded the province are: father Fray Juan de Castro,
vicar-general; father Fray Alonso Ximenez, Fray Miguel de Benavides,
Fray Pedro Bolanos, Fray Bernardo Navarro, Fray Diego de Soria, Fray
Juan de Castro (who had the same name as the vicar-general, and was
his nephew), [29] Fray Marcos de San Antonio, Fray Juan Maldonado,
Fray Juan de Ormaca, Fray Pedro de Soto, Fray Juan de la Cruz, Fray
Gregorio de Ochoa, Fray Domingo de Nieva (deacon), and Fray Pedro
Rodriguez, a lay brother. Fifteen of these took their way to Manila;
for father Fray Juan Chrisostomo was unable to go because of illness,
and father Fray Juan Cobo left the company, on business of importance
which could not be finished before the embarcation. By way of Macan
there went to China father Fray Antonio de Arcediano, father Fray
Alonso Delgado, and father Fray Bartholome Lopez, as members of the
same province and subjects of the father vicar-general Fray Juan de
Castro. "Though there went eighteen, there should have gone a thousand;
from which may appear how far from the truth in his information was
he who disturbed this holy company with what he said in Mexico. His
intention was good, but in fact he greatly aided the Devil, and kept
from these islands many and very good subjects. I trust that the Lord
has already pardoned him."]