although peace--the essential thing--has fled, it has been preserved
[here] in the reform, separation from the world, poverty, and strict
mode of life which are observed among the discalced religious of those
kingdoms of Espana; and I think that, in poverty, this province even
exceeds [the practice of] that virtue in those kingdoms. To Indians
that appears a miraculous thing, beyond what is either acquired or
natural. To God be the thanks!

This province was established and has been preserved with holy
religious, sons of the provinces of the discalced in Espana;
and at present about two-thirds of these religious are from the
said provinces. But little by little, religious of the cloth have
come among them, clad as discalced religious only in order to gain
admission to these regions. So many of them have gathered here that
they are sufficient to form parties and divisions by themselves, aided
by some of our discalced religious who join their party. What most
encourages this is, that as our fathers-general, commissaries-general,
and other superiors are those who govern us, they try to favor those of
the provinces of the cloth with offices as superiors and commissaries,
and with other privileges, whereby they are advantaged and plant the
foot of superiority above others much more deserving and worthy than
they; consequently they plant their feet upon all in order to attain
their ends. In this way do they destroy the peace of one and all of
us, so that I am fain to be able to express my grief to your sacred
and royal Majesty.

This would be checked provided our said father superiors would
observe and place in execution an order and royal command, which
it is said that your Majesty gave long ago, ordering that the said
fathers of the Observance should not come to these islands, but only
the professed religious of the discalced branch. But this they do,
thinking that they comply with your Majesty's said order by clothing
those said religious of the cloth in the shabby habit of the discalced
religious, in order to pass over here--whereby your Majesty's royal
will is defrauded and your royal officials at your ports deceived.

Therefore I petition your Majesty, by the blood of Christ our Lord,
to provide the remedy. That consists in one of two alternatives:
namely, either that your Majesty order that, since there are so many
friars, no religious who has not made profession in the provinces
of the discalced religious of Espa