iged to remain in
debt for the sum which was taken for this purpose.

The president and the auditors have likewise suffered in their
salaries, which are at the present time due them for more than a
year. Although for these salaries certain specified encomiendas had
been set apart, the returns from these have been mixed with other
funds. During the term of the former Audiencia, your Majesty commanded
that for this purpose certain encomiendas should be assigned to the
crown; but no more than six thousand pesos was thus realized. Since
the number of encomiendas above referred to will have to be vacated,
your Majesty can decree that some shall be set aside for this purpose;
then the treasury will be in a somewhat easier condition.

One of the most important institutions possessed by your Majesty in
these islands and in this city is the seminary of Santa Potenciana,
in which care is taken of orphaned and poor girls, the daughters of
conquistadors; there are in it more than a hundred. The seminary
prevents many evil results. The girls leave it, when entering the
married state, respected and instructed; and the seminary also serves
as a shelter for other women during the absence of their husbands,
and for many other good purposes. Your Majesty is its patron,
and hence, ought to remember it. During Easter week the house,
which was very well built, and roofed, was burned to the ground,
and its inmates were dispersed. Since it was under the patronage of
your Majesty, and on account of the good work that it was doing, the
archdeacon of this diocese and I determined to ask for subscriptions
in order to rebuild it. The city zealously entered into the work,
and we collected about two thousand five hundred pesos, with which
we immediately began to build the structure. God was pleased that
by the feast of Pentecost we were able to have the greater part of
the inmates sheltered, within narrow quarters but under a roof. The
work has been continued ever since, and I hope that soon it will be
established in its previous condition. Still the institution is very
poor, and is in great need. I trust that your Majesty will command
that some Indians be assigned it, or that some grant be made to it;
for great service is done to God by this institution, through its good
works and by preventing the evil which would result in the community
if its inmates were left without shelter.

This city was also in need of a hospital in which care might be