ought to occupy their time and attention, provided this does
not oppose my royal jurisdiction. This latter it is proper that you
and they preserve and respect, as well as what concerns the right of
my patronage, which you shall cause to be observed according to the
concession granted to the Castilian sovereigns by apostolic authority,
and declared in the instruction which you will find there, which I
am writing in like terms to the said prelates. Once more I charge
you to maintain thoroughly good relations with the latter.

The bishop petitioned also that, in the appraisement of the revenues
that were to be given to the curates of Indian villages, it should
be considered that the said Indians were not accustomed to pay fees
for burials, marriages, or other ecclesiastical ministrations; and
that it should be ordered that all the religious, in charge of and
entrusted with instruction, should not collect the said fees, and
that this extend also to the secular ecclesiastics. Inasmuch as he
had ordered the same, under penalty of spiritual censure, and as it
seemed quite proper to me, I declared and ordered that this custom
be kept inviolate by both the seculars and regulars throughout that
entire district, as you will see by the decree that was despatched
in accordance with this. You shall cause this to be observed and
fulfilled. You shall advise me specifically of the fulfilment of this
decree and its results.

It seems an inhuman thing, and contrary to all Christian charity, to
have left the Indians of the Ladrone Islands without instruction, since
all who go to the Philipinas make port in their lands; and since after
receiving help from them, and no resistance or injuries, the governors
and prelates have passed by those people without furnishing them any
instruction. This is a great cause of grief, and a bad example. In
order that it may be rectified, since you and the archbishop are
going together, you shall examine the disposition of the land,
and you shall leave there, from the religious who are sailing now,
those who seem suitable for the conversion and instruction of those
natives. If it seems advisable, you shall also leave with them some
soldiers for their protection, and as a defense from the dangers
of those barbarians, in accordance with the ordinance regarding new
discoveries. You shall advise me of what is done in this.

The bishop and some of the religious were of opinion that tributes
could not be collect