at the bishop is not their prelate. Without his consent
they confess and marry, although they are not curas. In short, they
live as they please, and there is no further law than their own
wills. They are more notorious traders than those who are traders
by profession. Their only efforts are to increase their convents,
taking away from the bishops the benefices and patrimonies which
your Majesty has given them. In such condition do they keep these
islands that I have considered it advisable to come to this city and
to leave my bishopric of Caceres. I am resolved not to return to it,
while there should be any discalced Recollect Franciscan friars, for
their life is not that of religious. Those sheep are at my account;
and I can but poorly instruct them, if whatever I build for them in
one part is destroyed for them in another. They [_i.e._, the friars]
are a mischief-making folk; and although I know that Don Fray Hernando
Guerrero does not possess the talent that he ought to have for the
position which he occupies, I consider it beyond doubt that if the
friars had not perverted him by their ambition and haughtiness, he
would not have committed so many blunders, nor would he have given
cause that through them the royal Audiencia of your Majesty would
pronounce him an exile from your kingdoms, banishing him for some
days to an island six leguas from Manila. But as the governor has
learned that his sin was one of ignorance, and that he was carried
away so greatly by the prejudices of the orders, who have advised him
to what has not been for his good, the governor has contrived to have
the said royal Audiencia, in the exercise of kindness and clemency,
return the archbishop to his church--as, in fact, has been done. It
was the act of a Christian gentleman; for not only has he not paid
any attention to the annoyances that they have caused him, but, just
as if he had received many acts of kindness from the said archbishop,
he has given him prudent counsels, directed to his peace and to the
service of God and of your Majesty. I fear lest they will prove of
no use to him, for the religious are disturbing and disquieting him.

In order to visit the friars of my bishopric, which the religious
there would not permit, it was needful to seek the aid of your Majesty
from your governor. He gave me a dozen soldiers with a corporal, so
that they might guard my person; and yet the friars refused to let me
visit them _de moribus et vita_ [8