Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 01).djvu/62

 {| making a total of 569 parishes and 904,116 souls.
 * Villages.||Souls.
 * Augustinians,||115||252,963
 * Franciscans,||63||141,193
 * Jesuits,||93||209,527
 * Dominicans,||51||99,780
 * Recollects,||105||53,384
 * }
 * Jesuits,||93||209,527
 * Dominicans,||51||99,780
 * Recollects,||105||53,384
 * }
 * Recollects,||105||53,384
 * }

These proportions, however, fail to give a correct idea of the enormous preponderance of the religious orders; for the secular priests were mostly Indians and could exercise nothing like the influence of the Friars upon their cures.

In these hundreds of villages the friars bore sway with the mild despotism of the shepherd of the flock. Spanish officials entered these precincts only on occasion. Soldiers were not to be seen save to suppress disorders. Spaniards were not allowed to live in these communities, and visitors were carefully watched. As Spanish was little known in the provinces, the curate was the natural intermediary in all communications between the natives and the officials or outsiders. In some provinces there were no white persons besides the alcalde mayor and the