s may be satisfied. Therefore a most important means
will be the care that you and the prelates are to observe in having
divine worship celebrated with the greatest devotion and solemnity
possible, at least on Easter and the holy days that the church is
accustomed to solemnize and observe. You shall have especial care that
the places of worship are kept in order and well served, and all this
with due propriety, especially the cathedral church, inasmuch as it is
the principal and archiepiscopal church, whose example must induce the
same results in the other churches. Inasmuch as I was informed that
things were quite to the contrary; and that the said church, besides
being poorly roofed with wood and straw, was not properly served; and
that it needed and lacked what it should have--a thing to which the
former governors should not have consented--I charged your predecessor,
Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, strictly that, immediately upon his arrival
at the islands, he should have the said church rebuilt. I assigned
for this work the sum of twelve thousand ducados in three parts: one
from my royal exchequer, another from the encomenderos, and the third
from the Indians. These said twelve thousand ducados were to be spent
on the said building within four years, at the rate of three thousand
ducados annually. In order that it might be done more easily, I gave
an anticipatory order for two thousand ducados on the account of my
third, on the treasury of Nueva Espana, whence the said Gomez Perez
took them. Notwithstanding that he wrote to me in his last letters
that the work was nearing completion, and although I think it ought to
be finished now, yet, because it is in the gaze of so many enemies,
idolaters, and Mahometans, it is advisable that they should see, not
only that there is no lack in this matter, but also that the church
shall be an example of the solemnity of the divine ecclesiastical
ceremonies, that should arouse and persuade them to enter the fold of
the church. As soon as you shall have arrived at that country, you
shall inspect the said church, and find out whether the building is
finished. If there is anything wanting, you shall finish it. Likewise
you shall see that it is provided with ornaments, chalices, crosses,
and other things pertaining to its service, so that it may be fully
provided with the articles for the celebration of divine worship,
with the authority, pomp, and propriety suitable to the edification
of the