lake]; now it has about one hundred tributes.  All the Indian women make hose, and they are the best that are exported.  There are generally two religious there, for that convent has its visita.  The church is of stone, and is very large, as is the house likewise.  About this lake are many convents of the religious fathers of St. Francis, which district we assigned to them—­although we could have kept it, and assigned to them a district more remote.  But in this is seen our indifference, for we shared with our guests the best, which are the districts nearer Manila.  This lake has very famous baths of hot water, one legua from Bay, which are a remedy for many ills.  An excellent hospital is established there, with a house adequate for the religious who administer it.  These religious are Franciscans, and they administer this hospital, as they do others in the islands, with the charity and love which might be expected from so holy religious.  And although brothers of St. John of God came to administer the hospitals, and remained in Manila many days, and even years, the Franciscan fathers were not willing to give up their infirmaries and hospitals, nor were the former able to deprive them of these.  Therefore, they returned to Nueva Espana.  And indeed, even if they who have the care of hospitals as a duty [i.e., the brothers of St. John of God] had charge of these, I do not see how they could have done it with greater charity, or more to the universal satisfaction [than have the Franciscans].  This lake empties by two arms of rivers:  one goes to Pasig, our convent; and the other to Taguig, likewise our convent.  Lower down the two rivers unite.  Further increased by the San Mateo, which comes from the uplands, and has very clear water, they make a very beautiful river which empties into the sea, after flowing past the walls of Manila.  It is called the Pasig River from the chief village.  But in order to drink of the good water, one must ascend even to the very convent of Pasig, where the water is found clear.  There are many things to see along this river.  For both sides are lined with gardens and summer-houses, more lived in than even those of Manila, for there is enjoyed the coolness and freedom which the city does not possess.  There are churches up the river, some with seculars, some with fathers of the Society, some of St. Francis, and some ours.  For two leguas up the river [61] is our convent of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, which is built of stone.  It is the most frequented house of devotion in the islands, both by Spaniards and by natives.  And it is enough that it has not ceased to exist, because of the changeableness and fickleness of the country.  We may talk more at length of this holy house.

Religious were established in the convent of Pasig, of which we have said somewhat already.  It is about three leguas from Manila, and from Guadalupe one legua farther on.  Now it has less than one thousand Indians in charge, and three religious; for it has a most fatiguing visita, namely, San Mateo, where ordinarily is established one religious with voting power. [62]