expedition.  “He begged off, as he loved his quiet, ... or, because he feared for the success of the expedition....  Therefore Ruy Lopez de Villalobos was appointed in his stead; but his voyage was very unfortunate.  Afterward, tired of the world, and disillusioned of it, Urdaneta took the habit of our father St. Augustine in the famous convent of Mexico—­where he dedicated himself so thoroughly to matters of religion and virtue that one would believe that he had been reared to their observance all the days of his life, so forgetful was he of what he had seen in the world, as if he had never lived in it.  But when he seemed to be enjoying the greatest quiet and repose, God drew him from his cell, and placed him in charge of new navigations....”]

Chapters II and III

[Upon the receipt of the king’s letters, the viceroy of New Spain, “with the concurrence of the Audiencia, summoned father Fray Andres de Urdaneta, and after having delivered into his own hands the letter that had come for him from his Majesty, intimated to him the importance of the expedition and the great spiritual advantages that would accrue from it.”  When urged to accept the trust, Urdaneta responded that he must first communicate with “his superior, who stood to him in place of God.”  The consent and order of the latter was readily obtained, and Urdaneta accepted the expedition “with so great joy and gladness, that the fire that glowed in his heart was well shown by his eagerness.”  In continuation of the project, “the viceroy took measures to establish a shipyard in Puerto de la Navidad—­one hundred and twenty leguas from the city of Mexico, and situated in nineteen and one-half degrees north latitude—­so that three or four ships of different burden might be made;” for this expedition was not only to discover routes, but to colonize and take possession of the islands.  By the advice of Urdaneta, “Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, an illustrious gentleman, and one of great prudence and valor, and above all, an excellent Christian,” was chosen as commander of the expedition, the viceroy carefully consulting the friar so that a good choice might be made. [13] In discussing the voyage, Urdaneta “proposed that they should first go to discover Nueva Guinea.  He expressed the great advantages that would arise from this, the chief being that it could be the stepping-place to the whole world.  Nueva Guinea is near the equator, and stretches east three hundred leguas and north live or six degrees.  On this account it has been doubted whether it is mainland, because it extends so far toward the Salomon Islands [14] or the Straits of Magallanes.  However, now that the opposite coast of Magallanes has been navigated the doubt has been destroyed, and it has been discovered that it is not a continuation of that land, but an island surrounded by the water of the South Sea.  Father Urdaneta had discovered this island in company with Alvaro de Saavedra.  In