d information as to whether the present income
of the Confraternity is sufficient for its purposes, and whether some
grant may properly be made to it; and, if so, the amount and form of
grant that would be suitable--so that your Majesty may be furnished
with full information on the whole matter. Since, as has been stated,
the departure of these vessels is so near at hand, a copy of the
constitutions of the Confraternity is not sent, but a summary of them,
which is enclosed. Your Majesty will see by this abstract that the
works to which this Confraternity is dedicated are those of great
charity and of service to God our Lord. To all such works it attends
with great fervor, using the charitable gifts which are bestowed
for this purpose. Although this Audiencia asked the brethren of the
Confraternity to make a statement of the manner in which your Majesty
might make them a grant, and as to the amount thereof, they were unable
to discover any way in which the grant could be made; nor could this
Audiencia perceive any, so much exhausted and indebted is the treasury
of your Majesty. Accordingly, your Majesty may make such grant as
shall please your Majesty, which will be well employed by them, and
much to the service of God and your Majesty. [_In the margin_: "There
is no answer. Let a copy of this section be given to the secretary,
Senor Contreras, that he may know the deliberations and decree."]

The activity of the Confraternity of La Misericordia in this city
began fourteen years ago. At that time the governor associated with
himself some twelve of the chief persons here, and they gave every
week from their own households what was necessary for the support
of widows, the poor, persons in secret distress, and others in
pressing need. This they continued to do until they received the
rules governing the Confraternity in the city of Lisboa, where it was
first established. By these rules they have been governed ever since,
the number of brethren being now a hundred and fifty.

1. In the first place, knowing that women, both Spanish and mestizas,
suffered greatly in case of sickness, for lack of a hospital in which
to be treated, the Confraternity determined to establish one, which
is still called the hospital of La Misericordia. They bought land
and erected a building with the money given in alms; and they pay the
expense of keeping a physician and a surgeon, of medicines, and of the
maintenance of two Franciscan religious,