represented that,
after the work was commenced, the church fell to the ground one
night--leaving the house in ruins, and in so great danger that they
were obliged immediately to borrow a temple for divine worship. For
their building, and in order that they might be expeditious in it,
and to build part of a house where the religious could be sheltered,
it was necessary to raise a large sum of money by an assessment,
which has rendered them very needy. It is the seminary for all
the religious of the said Society who leave these kingdoms for the
cultivation of the holy gospel in those provinces, where they equip
themselves and learn the languages of the natives, in order to go
out to teach them. It has a school where reading, writing, and Latin
are taught, and the arts and theology, to Spaniards and natives;
and six congregations--namely, of priests, laymen, students, Indians,
and blacks--with great spiritual increase. It is the refuge for all
the gospel ministers who fall sick, and who go thither for treatment,
as there are no physicians in any other part. There they are treated,
entertained, and supported with great charity, until they can return
to continue their ministries. There are entertained all those who
go by way of Eastern Yndia, when they go to Japon, China, Maluco,
and other places. The said residence is very cramped, both in its
house and its church, because of the great crowds that go there
continually. For the relief of that condition, the order begs your
Majesty that--considering the aforesaid, and that your Majesty has
twice granted to the convent of St. Augustine in the said islands a
bounty of twenty thousand ducados for their building--you will also
give the said residence as an alms another ten thousand ducados,
so that it may continue the said building, paying it to them in the
tributes of Indians who may be unassigned. The matter having been
examined in the Council, together with the letter which the royal
Audiencia of the said islands wrote to your Majesty, July twenty-nine,
six hundred and thirty--in which is mentioned the great necessity for
a church which the religious of the residence experience because of
the fall of theirs, and the evident danger in which they live, and the
great results that they obtain in those parts--the count of Castillo,
presiding officer of the said Council, Fernando de Villasenor, the
count of Umanes, and Don Bartolome Morquecho were of the opinion that,
in order to ta