nion, which was contrary to the auditors, summoned
Doctor Don Juan de Renteria, bishop of Nueva Segovia (who was then
in Manila), and various religious, prebendaries, and lawyers, and
assembled or formed a council to discuss what ought to be done in such
a case. The opinion of all was that the auditors were legitimately
excommunicated, and the interdict rightly imposed; and that the
ecclesiastical immunity ought to be sustained, and satisfaction
demanded for the scandal by returning the fugitive to the church.

While that meeting was being held, the auditors despatched a royal
mandate, which they said was given by Don Felipe, to the archbishop,
ordering him not to retain Don Pedro de Monrroy as provisor, as he
was exiled from the kingdoms, to absolve the excommunicated, and lift
the interdict--under penalty, if he did not do so, of banishment
and a fine of 2,000 ducados. The archbishop replied, demanding a
testimony of the cause and the corresponding acts [of the Audiencia],
in order to determine what he should do. But the auditors sent him
another royal decree, warning him that he would be considered to have
incurred the said penalties if he did not immediately lift the censures
and interdict. Since the archbishop held firm, the auditors sent the
chief court constable, together with the actuary of the Audiencia and
thirty pikemen under command of an adjutant, at four in the afternoon
on that same day, in order to take charge of the episcopal residence,
with orders not to permit any one to leave it or anything to be taken
from it.

At this juncture, the rector of the Jesuit college and others advised
the archbishop to raise the censures _ad reincidentiam_ [_i.e._,
"until a repetition of the offense"], and the interdict for one week,
since they thought that the auditors would return the prisoner. That
was done, and the archbishop requested the opinion in writing of the
orders and learned persons, which they gave him--with the exception
of the Dominicans, who excused themselves. The archbishop, seeing
that the auditors not only did not do what was promised, but even
issued another decree to arrest and expel the provisor, called another
meeting, at which the Dominicans had no part. In that meeting it was
decided to defend the ecclesiastical immunity, and that two individuals
of the assembly should go to talk with the auditors in the name of
the assembly, and notify them that the prisoner must be returned, or
else the arc