-with the liability,
if what they have alleged and proved is false, of living throughout
life in the sin that they have committed to the wrong of marriage;
and if true, as they say, of having been unscrupulous in not having
declared the obstacle. In order to avoid these troubles, it would be
of great importance for your Majesty to be pleased to obtain from his
Holiness power for the ministers in these islands to give absolution
for all the secret obstacles of these neophytes when they come to be
married, in order to contract the said marriage. In this way it will
be managed with less offense and with more ease to the conscience
than now. [_Marginal note_: "Have the ambassador at Roma notified to
propose this matter to his Holiness; and if it be not unadvisable,
to petition him to concede it. After doing this, advise and notify
the archbishop that the matter has been sent to Roma, and that he
will be notified of the result."]

Your Majesty ordered by a decree, twice issued (the second dated
at San Lorenco, November, 603), that the bishops should inspect
the religious who give instruction, in regard to their duty of the
care of souls. It would be very advisable for so holy a decree to
be executed now, without more delay; for although the orders contain
many who attend most earnestly to the service of our Lord, there are
certain persons who allow themselves to be too easily led by their
inclinations, and who do not labor in their ministry with the devotion
and fidelity requisite. Besides the bad example thus furnished to
these natives, the latter are wronged, and without any remedy, because
there is no superior to whom they can go for vindication--for the
provincials, sometimes for private reasons, generally sustain such
subordinates. That would cease with the visit of the bishops, and
the provincials would find themselves obliged, or the bishops would
oblige them, always to station in the missions ministers of learning,
virtue, and exemplary life. That would bring a cessation of such
troubles. The friars then could not assert that they would leave the
ministries, as they did when there were no secular clergy, since that
is clearly impossible; for there are now so many seculars that they
are sufficient to administer what the orders would abandon. [_Marginal
note_: "Have the decree in regard to this sent to him, and have him
observe the order, as declared in the said decree. Despatch decrees
to the archbishop and his suffr