Chapter I

Of the beginning of this venerable brotherhood of the city of Manila, in the year 1594

[The Santa Misericordia of Manila [1] was founded in imitation of the association of the same name which had been established in the city of Lisbon in August 1498 with the consent of the vacant see and of Queen Leonor, wife of Juan II. At the time of the foundation of the Manila branch, Clement VIII occupied the papal chair, and Luis Perez Dasmarifias was governor of Manila.]