as we have often prayed your Majesty, that there may come here from
that province of Castilla a religious to inspect this province and set
its affairs in order. If need be, he should have plenary authority to
govern it, without allowing other elections; and he whom your Majesty
shall send should come accompanied by religious fit to restore and
preserve this province. Like a young vine, it is in need of such
laborers, and not of such as dry up its moisture and pluck its fruit,
like the friars who come here from Mexico. They have no other care,
imitating in this their head; for it is evident that the said father
Fray Lorenso de Leon has always acted in this way, since for his
own private claims he has taken almost ten thousand pesos in past
years and at present he has begun to collect the same a second time,
in order to satisfy these claims entirely. We are eye-witnesses that
in his behavior, desires, possessions, and unlawful wealth [40] he
lays claim to great things. According to rumor and his beginnings,
he aims at a bishopric; and this is made certain by the saying that
he brought back here, when he complained that he would have received
the bishopric of Manila if some persons had not written against him,
and declared that he brought letters with him which would cause him to
be feared, and that he would be provincial, by fair means or foul. May
your Majesty be pleased to abate this evil by causing him to leave this
province, and by granting us this boon and redress for which we pray,
and which will conduce so greatly to the restoring of this province. Be
assured that we make this truthful representation without any sort
of malice or evil purpose, but only with wholesome and well-founded
zeal. Your Majesty will have satisfactory proof of this in the letters
and advices which will be sent from the government, the community,
and the religious orders here, all of which will furnish information
in the case. The cause is that of God and of your Majesty, and this
will give us calmness and courage, in certain hope of receiving this
great grace and protection. We remain your Majesty's humble chaplains
and faithful servants, praying our God to grant your Majesty many
years of happy life with all spiritual gifts, to the increase of your
royal estates and Christian seigniories. Dated after the session of
our chapter in our convent of San Augustin in Manila, on the fourth
day of the month of May, one thousand six hundred and five.