As for sending friars to the said custodia, I have information that a religious of the same descalced order, who comes from that country to discuss this matter, went direct to Monzon without going to Madrid to report the needs of his custodia to his Majesty.  Therefore it appears to me that the sending of religious, and other matters, might be suspended until his arrival.

Fray Geronimo de Guzman

That which the order of our glorious father St. Augustine, resident in the Philipinas and the lands of China, humbly asks from his Majesty and from his royal Council of the Indias is the following: 

First, that his Majesty cause to be sent to those realms the greatest number of religious who can possibly go, in response to the very pressing need (which is felt now more than ever) for preachers of the gospel of God.  They ask this not only for the lands held by his Majesty which are now at peace (where there is much need), but also for the great kingdom of Cochin China, for that of Sian, and for other foreign lands—­to which those who lack so great a blessing, since they have no one to show them the way, beseech and call us.  Herein the religious of that province beg of his Majesty that he reward the hardships which they have suffered, and are now suffering, in his service and that of God.

Item:  that the said religious shall not go [from Spain], as heretofore, by way of Nueva Espana, inasmuch as the majority remain there, and not a third part of those who have departed for those regions, at the expense of his Majesty, have ever arrived there.  Nor even of those who have come from there [the Philippines] has a single religious returned; because all have remained in Espana, or in the province of Mexico.  This has occasioned no little trouble to those of us who reside there.  From this it follows that the intention of his Majesty is defeated, and the result which is attempted is not attained.  On this account our order there begs his Majesty to command that the said religious shall make the voyage by way of India to Malaca, and from Malaca to Macan, [18] where friars of our order have gone to settle.  The vicar-general has my instructions as to what the religious should do if they go thither, as I hope they will.

There are better opportunities for the friars to distribute themselves from Macan, for the preaching of the gospel, than from any other place—­especially too, as the said journey is no less short and safe by this route than by Nueba Espana; for it is quite certain that the religious may not remain in any place where they are not greatly needed, or where they may not produce much fruit among infidel heathen.  Herein there is need of a decree to the effect that neither the viceroy nor the archbishop of India, nor any other authorities whatsoever, ecclesiastical or secular, shall hinder the said religious from making any journey or from asking alms; but that they shall give the