A convent and religious were established in Lipa, which is located on this lake, four leguas from the convent of Tanauan, of which I have just spoken.  This convent has at present about four hundred Indians.  It has one religious, and the place formerly was densely populated.  But already I have mentioned how this lake region has retrograded.  Many Indians have been taken thence to Cavite, and but very few return; for they remain in that neighborhood, fleeing from work.  There are a very fine new house and church there, which are built of wood and better than those of Tanauan.

Religious were established in San Pablo in the mountains, [136] which is fourteen leguas from Manila by way of Laguna de Bay—­ten to the Bay, and four to this convent.  It was nothing until father Fray Hernando Cabrera [137]—­of the province of Andalucia, and a son of the house at Cordova—­went there, who was prior in that convent for many years.  Although neither its house nor its churches of stone, yet they are of wood, and the best and finest in the province—­particularly the church, with its reredoses and paintings of the saints of the order, so handsomely made that there is nothing finer in the islands.  It is feared, and with good reason, that since it is built of wood, it will last but a short time, and that all that expense and beauty will be wasted.  The Indians were settled as if they were Spaniards, and their village was laid out with its squares and so excellent houses that it was good only to behold it.  But as soon as the father left there, all that order vanished; for all which does not tend to keep the Indians in their fields and in the mountains makes them dissatisfied.  The father established so good a stock farm that the Manila convent had to go there, and obtain from it five hundred head of cattle; these were placed on the old stock farm, which no longer had any cattle.  He adorned the sacristy of the said village with so much silver that no cathedral in Espana had an equal amount, for it had abundance of every kind.  As soon as this religious left there, the convent of Manila took a notable ornament from it, which cost it more than eight hundred granos.  With this the house at Manila is adorned during the most solemn feasts, both within and without the house.  The father did many things in other places, until his death at sea, during a voyage to Espana in 1629.  The province will always mourn the death of this religious, for, besides his having done most to increase it, he was the best Tagal interpreter.  This, together with his exceeding great renown in secular affairs, and his not less observance in matters affecting his order, was a quality that would make him esteemed in any community.  He left this province to go to take shelter in Espana.  There was no provincial who would restrain him; for of these religious there are some who had to be restrained, since out of many crews not many men excel.  He died at sea; and it was well understood that God did not choose to leave