importance because of the great ease and skill with which he learned
languages, whether Indian or Chinese." [99] Unfortunately Nieva was
only a deacon, and so could not hear confession, a fact which was
greatly deplored, because during that first year no other priest
mastered the language sufficiently well to do it, but in September
1588 he reached the requisite age and was ordained. About that time
the friars in Bataan--one had died and another was ailing--were joined
by Juan de la Cruz, "who, being young, succeeded very well with the
language," [100] and also succeeded in surviving the climate.

Early in 1588 Juan Cobo [101] arrived from Mexico. Shortly thereafter,
on June 12, 1588, the Dominican chapter held its first convocation. It
elected Juan de Castro the first provincial, adopted the general
ordinances [102] already made in Mexico, gave the convent at Manila
the title of priory, and designated as parts of the province four
vicariates. Of primary importance was the appointment then of Juan
Cobo to the mission for the Chinese.

From the very earliest days of the Spanish occupation of Manila,
the governors had had trouble with the Chinese and Sangleys. [103]
These people had long conducted a profitable trade between China
and the Philippines, and many had settled permanently near Manila,
while others stayed there regularly between trading voyages. The
Chinese merchants were in full control of the shops of the city, and
so monopolized retail trade that the early governors legislated [104]
against them to give the Spaniards a chance to establish themselves
in business. In 1588 there were as many as seven thousand of them in
and around Manila.

No one had objected to the Pangasinan and Bataan assignments, but when