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 to the natives, since of the few who were here a large number have died, this year and last.  There are many places without instruction, and in still others there are ecclesiastics who do not know the language, from which it results that the natives cannot be well instructed.  It is of much importance for the welfare and pacification of this land that religious should come here, because in those places where they are now stationed the Indians live more peaceably and with less license.  I beseech your Majesty to be pleased to give orders for their prompt despatch, since their coming is so necessary for the service of God and the good of souls.  They should be of the three orders already here.