say: "If we owe anything
to the Spaniards, we are straightway thrown into prison until we pay;
and if the Spaniards owe us anything, we cannot collect it."

By my other letter and accompanying documents, as well as the
letters of others, your Majesty will see how necessary it is that
this country should always be in a state of defense. For not only
do we fear the Japanese, but the Chinese also seek to disturb our
peace. Don Pedro de Acuna is a good soldier, and God will aid him;
may your Majesty be pleased to command the viceroy of Nueva Espana
to aid with troops, powder, munitions, etc. In case of the removal
of Don Pedro, and always, it is necessary that a good soldier should
come here as governor; and if he were that, and supported, not by many
powerful persons in Hespana, but by his own valor and virtue alone,
it would be a great advantage.

The great church of this city is without ornaments, and greatly needs
to be repaired, lest it fall to the ground. The services of worship
there may cease, for there are only four salaried prebends who are
obliged to come to the services of the said church, for the offices
of the canonical hours, and to be vested at the altar, and to say
the high masses and those for your Majesty. Even these four possess
very little; and, if one of them should become sick, services could
not be properly carried on. Your Majesty has already been advised
of all this by way of the cabildo, and, I believe, through the royal
Audiencia. I beseech your Majesty to have it remedied.

At the first founding of this city, a site was set apart for the
episcopal residence. The place was very convenient, as it is close
to the church; but it is very cramped, not containing in all more
than about thirty-seven paces in width, and about seventy-four in
length, which is not sufficient for an ordinary citizen's house,
which should have a small court. With greater reason there is not
room for a prelate, who cannot go out on the plazas for his health
and recreation, to take a little air, but who must find some relief
within his own house (especially in so hot a climate as this); and
who must have apartments for servants, a prison, audience-chamber,
and other rooms. I beg your Majesty to send an order that at any rate
the archbishop should be assigned a site on which to build a suitable
house. As for the building, your Majesty knows well that I have not
enough for it unless I be aided; nor have I, either, sufficient