ree of the above-mentioned month and year,
your Majesty orders that this Audiencia endeavor to maintain great
peace and harmony with the bishop of these islands, and manifests
your displeasure at some differences between us and him concerning
precedence in seats, and in regard to the mode of settling Indian
lawsuits. The whole trouble was this: the bishop claimed a seat on
the same side of the church where the Audiencia sits; and, the latter
being six or seven steps below the main altar, the bishop would have
been higher than and directly in front of the Audiencia, with his
back toward them. This being something unusual in other countries,
it was suggested to the bishop that, until your Majesty could be
consulted, he should not overstep the usual practice hitherto in
vogue throughout the Yndias, and which had until then been observed
with this Audiencia; and that he should not meddle with the decision
of the Indian suits, in matters under the jurisdiction of the royal
crown, as he had done. Since that time, as this seat was yielded to
the bishop, there has been, and is, between him and the Audiencia,
the agreement and peace and good understanding which should always
exist, and affairs are managed in great friendliness and harmony, so
that the people have always understood how much the Audiencia esteems,
honors, respects, and reverences the bishop. We beg that your Majesty
will appreciate the spirit in which this matter was settled. The aim
of this Audiencia was to maintain its own preeminence, in the desire
that your Majesty be thus better served, since it is through this
that the Audiencia keeps up the authority and respect which are its
due, especially in so new a country as this, where respect for these
offices is of so great importance.

In the letter that we wrote to your Majesty via Malaca, notice was
given of the arrival in these islands of the Dominican fathers,
informing you that it was not expedient to send any more religious
orders to this country. Of those orders already here--namely, the
Franciscans, the Augustinians, the Dominicans, and the Society--it is
very desirable that your Majesty send many religious, because there is
a great lack of instruction; and unless many of each order are sent,
the natives cannot be instructed as befits the duties imposed upon your
Majesty's and the bishop's consciences, under whose charge they are,
as the bishop will inform you in the letter that he is writing to your
Maje