sors, was
obeyed, and notice of it given to the bishops and to the superiors of
the orders. The latter oppose it stoutly, and say that in no event can
they be ruled by it without the order of their generals, and that they
will abandon their missions first. In the year of 29 I wrote to your
Majesty at length upon this matter, in regard to which no particular
answer was given to me besides the sending of this decree--which, as I
judge, is general for all the Yndias. The point is very serious, and
is one of peculiar difficulty in these islands. Although we here are
sufficiently ministers of your Majesty to be able to decide it in case
that the religious leave their missions, yet we desire to have some
clearer light on the matter from there, in order that we may better
succeed in your Majesty's service. [_In the margin_: "File it with,
the letter of the bishop of Zibu, who writes concerning this matter,
which is submitted to the fiscal."]

For many years the bishopric of Camarines has had no prelate; for,
although your Majesty has appointed many, no one comes here. That
must be because they hear how wretched a post it is. Your Majesty
could abolish that bishopric by adding the half of it to that of
Cebu, which is very conveniently located for this purpose, and the
other half to this archbishopric of Manila, which does not have too
great a district; and by that means would save that salary, and avoid
many animosities that he who shall arrive from Espana to occupy that
bishopric must surely encounter. [_In the margin_: "To be considered
by all the Council, together with what the viceroy wrote." "A bishop
has already gone to Camarines."]

The religious orders are at peace, and are attending to the welfare
of the natives and your Majesty's service. Three of them held
chapter-meetings this year, and all quietly. That of St. Francis,
and that of the Augustinian Recollects were exemplary, and they made
their elections immediately. The calced Augustinians also made their
elections--but not so quickly that we could avoid sending to them to
remind them not to allow the disturbances of other times to occur in
their chapter--by having made them beforehand through their devotion
to the outgoing provincial, who managed the succession for another
as worthy as he. [90] May God grant that the elections be canonical.

A procurator is sent to ask your Majesty for more religious. On
other occasions, your Majesty has been informed of the exi