re
and more difficulties arise.

A case has been considered in the Audiencia, between the bishop and
the order of St. Augustine, as to whether the said order and the
religious thereof are to administer instruction to the Chinese living
in the village of Tondo. Ever since the settlement of this town,
they have had a convent there, ministering to the natives in their
own language. They say that they have also instructed the Chinese,
who understand what they say. The bishop placed in this town friars
of his own order, the Dominican, so that they could minister to the
Chinese in a chapel there. The Augustinians complained, saying that
by a brief of his Holiness, and a royal decree which they presented,
two monasteries of different orders should not be situated in the same
town, or in its vicinity. The Audiencia passed an ordinance requiring
that within thirty days the bishop should appoint ministers of one
order, to administer instruction to the natives and the Chinese. As
this ordinance concerned a matter already adjudicated, the bishop
asked for a declaration of their position; and it was thereupon
declared that by that ordinance the Dominicans were not excluded
from the administration of instruction to the Chinese. An appeal was
then made on the part of the order of St. Augustine; and they said
that some of their religious would in a short time know the Chinese
language. They were commanded by ordinance to observe the past decree,
until your Majesty should have been consulted and should provide
otherwise. Afterward, when the Augustinians saw that they were not
by the said ordinances excluded from administering instruction to
the Chinese, they commenced to undertake this work. The bishop, as he
desired a religious of the said order who was said to know the Chinese
language to preach to the Chinese on the afternoon of St John's day,
went to the town of Tondo, which is opposite this city, on the other
side of the river. He had trouble with the Augustinian friars, and
the abovementioned religious would not consent to preach. Thereby was
caused much severe comment and scandal, both among the natives and
Chinese, and among the Spaniards. The Augustinian friars complain that
the bishop, being a Dominican, favors his own order and persecutes
them; and that before the coming of the Dominicans to these islands
they did not have this persecution, but peace and concord.

There is great need of religious to administer instruction t