nt another mission; and as I say, they are rarely
willing to live alone. Their prelates foster such ideas by saying that
the lax conduct of one is avoided by giving him an associate. Happy
would I count myself, Sire, if I could see myself at your Majesty's
feet, informing you of part of what takes place here, since I could
not do so entirely. [_Decreed in the margin_: "In regard to this
section and the following ones, let the governor be answered not to
consent to the erection of new missions that are not according to the
royal patronage; and let him try, with the consent of the archbishop,
to unite some with others. In those which shall be newly established,
he shall also endeavor to introduce secular clergy, if he find them
capable and sufficient. And whenever anyone shall again discuss the
question whether it is advisable to deprive the religious of the
missions and appoint seculars to them, reference shall be made to
this section."]

[_In the margin_: "That the orders can obtain religious from those
in Mexico, or creoles, without going to so great expense as to convey
them from Espana."]

It also appears that these orders can obtain religious from Mexico,
without causing so great expense to your Majesty's treasury--creoles,
or at least those who have gone thither from Espana, who are more
habituated to a hot climate, and will not enter suddenly so great a
change of climate as that of these islands; and even were there none
of this change, it would be well for them. Your Majesty ought also,
in justice, to favor the ecclesiastical estate, so that, if there are
benefices and missions, these may be given to it. For almost all such
are in the possession of the religious; and the seculars who are now
studying in the colleges, from whose number some very good candidates
graduate, have nothing to which to aspire. It is a shame that there
is nothing in which to occupy them. They do not cause any expense to
your Majesty in a journey hither, nor in their studies, and are more
easily reduced to reason; while the friar is one with his community,
and no one denies that the religious outside his convent would die as
a fish out of water. I entreat your Majesty to be pleased to believe
me that I do not inform you of all these things from hate, passion,
or ill-will; but only from my desire that your Majesty's service may be
uppermost. Your Majesty will never have a true report concerning these
islands, if your disinterested governo