t the father reflected that he had no
permission from your Majesty to marry his children, it appeared to
me that, if she were to marry without the knowledge of her father,
he would be free from the penalty of the law. I wrote to the said
maiden a note, in which I desired to learn her wishes, without there
being anything else in it which could offend anyone.

I gave her an account of the many good qualities and characteristics
of the young man, and addressed her in these words: "And neither
do I wish that you should attempt this without the permission and
knowledge of your father, because I am not setting about to steal
away or ruin the respect which I have for him, and have had all my
life." She answered me by writing that she was pleased at the choice
that was made of her person, and that it should be considered with
her father. I responded with a second note in which I thanked her
for her good wishes and said that I would speak with her father. At
the same time I summoned the auditor Almazan and told him how much
I desired that that marriage should be consummated. He told me that
he would accept it at once, if he dared dispense with the permission
of your Majesty. The truth is, that I did not tell him that I had
written to his daughter, and accordingly when someone told him, it
appears that he resented it somewhat; but when the letters came to his
hand, and he saw their terms, which were so unworthy of suspicion,
he was appeased. All this came to the knowledge of the governor,
after we landed; and, as he does nothing good, he made poison of
the whole matter. Without seeing a letter or complaint against me,
it appeared to him expedient to have a meeting of religious prelates
for my case, and he did so accordingly. He called them together in
one of our convents, named [San] Francisco del Monte, [14] where
he placed before them the letters without having examined them, and
without displaying them; and, with the utmost ill-feeling and evil
intention he asked their opinion as to whether it was expedient to
write a letter against me to your Majesty. The religious took it ill,
as they should so bad a speech, and did not answer his proposition,
considering that he was so causelessly throwing suspicion upon the
purity and integrity of their prelate, who had not even been twenty
days in the country. All this came to my knowledge within two hours,
and, as the matter was so serious, and so great an injustice had been
done, I con