of this city of Sevilla,
who served him as interpreter.

_Cornelio Smout_
_Pedro Miguel_, _alias_ _Dubal_
_Henrrique Servaer_

GRANT TO SEMINARY OF SANTA POTENCIANA

In the seminary for orphan girls, which was founded in this city
by order of King Don Filippe, our sovereign and the father of your
Majesty, four classes of persons are sheltered: the daughters of old
conquerors and soldiers of these islands, who, as these have nothing
to leave them, are left unprotected; the illegitimate daughters of
Spaniards and Indian women (and they are numerous), every one of whom
is ruined if she is not sheltered here, because of the great laxity [of
morals] in the country; and all are taught and instructed until they
depart married. Some married women who quarrel with their husbands are
also sheltered there, until the trouble is smoothed over; and there are
some poor widows. It is a work of great charity, and one that prevents
great offenses to God. But it receives so little aid that the girls are
in need. They are barefoot and almost naked, have wretched food, and
live in very narrow, obscure, and damp, and consequently unhealthy,
quarters. They are treated at the hospital. They have a church,
so poor that it has no one to give it a shred as an ornament. The
rearing of the girls suffers great injury from their being mingled
with the married women, for there is no money with which to build
them separate quarters. All of these things are causes that prevent
them from living acceptably, and keep them under forcible restraint;
while from growing up amid so great poverty and destitution of all
things, they do not attract the attention of Spaniards, and lower
themselves by marrying Indians. Consequently, all the good ends
sought in their rearing are frustrated, and among those ends, the
growth of the Spanish population in these regions. I consider myself
as the chaplain of this seminary to advise your Majesty of all this
(for I think that it is contrary to your royal pleasure and purpose),
so that, as its author and only patron, you may correct that state
of affairs. It can be corrected by giving the institution some
more Indians in encomienda; by adding three more toneladas, in the
distribution of the cargo, to the three that are given annually; by
raising to thirty its twelve Indians of service, who bring it water
and wood; and by ordering that ornaments be given to its church from
the royal treasury, as is done to the o