Don Fray Pedro Arce, bishop
of the city of Santissimo Nombre de Jesus and its bishopric, and
governor of this archbishopric, and the dean and cabildo Don Francisco
Gomez Arellano, dean, and Commissary-subdelegate Gabriel de la Santa
Crucada, Archdeacon Don Juan de Aguilar, Precentor Santiago de Castro,
School-master Don Rodrigo Diaz Giralthe, and Keeper of Relics Don Luis
de Herrera Sandoval; Canons Tomas de Gimarano, Don Miguel Garcetas,
Juan de la Cruz, and Alonso Garcia de Leon: Racionero Don Francisco
de Baldes, and Medios Racioneros [57] Tomas de Vega and Pedro Flores
Benegas--the said bishop proposed with conclusive and sufficient
arguments the great hindrances that, as the proved experience of all
has shown, follow to all this kingdom from admitting to dignidades,
canonries, and benefices professed religious who have been expelled
from the holy religious orders as a penalty and punishment for their
offenses, inasmuch as the abovesaid was prohibited by law and sacred
canons established in a most Christianlike manner by the provincial
Mexican Council. That council enacted a special decree expressly
forbidding such appointments, and mentioning the many just reasons
for their action, and the state of affairs in the Yndias demanding
it, inasmuch as the prelates and venerable fathers who attended the
council were very well acquainted with the Yndias. It is not the
least consideration that the said expelled religious cannot reap a
harvest in a century. Nor can they derive any advantages which will
result in a real adjustment of their difficulties, so that thus with
greater ease they, returning to their senses, may aspire to regain
their habit and order which they before professed. [Such proceeding
by the ecclesiastical authorities] will restrain the diligence and
effort that other religious might employ in deserting their orders
if they saw the said expelled religious given posts as dignidades. As
they saw, and considered as assured, the great service they would be
doing to God our Lord and to his Catholic Majesty who is incurring
so heavy expenses to his royal patrimony in bringing each of the said
religious to the Yndias--and these are the greatest consolations that
he sends to these so remote islands, a plant which, because of its
tenderness and newness in the faith, is shocked at the change that
is seen in the habits [i.e., robes] of the expelled religious. This
furnished a reason to his Majesty, Carlos Fifth, our so