sty entrusts this could, if he did not proceed
with great exactness, very legitimately excuse himself by saying that
what was ordered to be given him for the despatch is not enough,
by far, and so he is spending on a few what is given him for the
many; since it is hardly enough for even the few--having recourse,
for the external forum, to equivocal answers. It is actually true,
that the provision that his Majesty orders to be given, in Sevilla
and in Mexico, for supplies on the two seas, and for the support of
the religious in these two cities, is extremely scanty; and if his
Majesty does not increase it he can have no just complaint against
the religious who may act thus. In Sevilla he orders that two reals
be given for each religious, every day; but three are necessary, at
the least. In Mexico, he orders that four be given; but it is certain
that six to each man would be little for their food, clothing, and
shoes, and for the ordinary expenses of a house. In Sevilla there
is assigned, for the supplies of each religious on the voyage, 22
ducats; whereas 40 at least are necessary, and, if it be a year of
high prices, 50. In Mexico, for supplies on the other sea, and to pay
the charges to the muleteers who transport the goods to Acapulco,
and the expenses of the journey to that point with the religious,
there is given for each one 150 pesos; but 200 are needed, and even
that does not suffice. The reason for all this is, that these rates
were set a long time ago, when things were much cheaper than at
present; for goods could be bought for these sums to a much greater
amount. This would be cause for the religious to plead that the
[actual] expenses incurred for him should be allowed; and there is
no other way [in which this difficulty can be settled].

Of both things we have illustration enough in this journey which
was begun by father Fray Gabriel de San Antonio (whom may God keep
in heaven), for, on account of the scanty aid that was given him at
Sevilla, he left there a debt of one thousand two hundred ducados;
and if his Majesty does not pay this, I know not whence his creditors
will procure it. Then, as he had not the necessary freedom to dispose
of his friars, seeing that there was no fleet that year, which is a
second instance, he did what he should not have done--namely, among
twenty-four religious whom he embarked with him, he took seven laymen,
and, of the rest, one was insufficiently educated, and others were
i