[Endorsed: “+ Fray Francisco de Ortega, of the order of St. Augustine.”]

Advice on Fourteen Points of Great Import for the Service of God and His Majesty, and the Increase of His Royal Estate

Sire: 

Fray Francisco de Ortega, of the order of St. Augustine, visitador-general of his order in the Philipinas Islands, by apostolic authority, and by the royal authority of your Majesty, and the authority of his general, declares that he has spent thirty-eight years in the Yndias—­sixteen of them in Nueva Espana and the rest in the Philipinas Islands—­preaching the word of God, and administering the holy sacraments to Spaniards and Indians.  In this period is reckoned the time spent in voyaging to and fro between this kingdom and those districts twice (and with this last time, thrice) to your Majesty as a suppliant, and voyaging twenty-two thousand leguas and undergoing many dangers and hardships to inform your Majesty of the condition of those islands, and of what, in his opinion, by reason of his long experience in that country, was fitting for the service of God our Lord, and that of your Majesty.  His purpose was that, with your royal clemency and magnanimity and most Christian zeal, you might decree a reform, and provide what should be most convenient for the aforesaid objects—­which reform your Majesty decreed, and it has been placed in execution.  He has conducted the religious whom your Majesty bade him take for the conversion of those natives—­forty in number, except for those who died on the voyage; he has founded twelve monasteries beside the ones already there—­in all, forty-three; he has visited the province and executed your Majesty’s commands.  And now lastly, in the service of God and your Majesty, by the advice and consent of the governor of those islands, under the persuasion and with the sanction of the religious of that province, he comes again the third time, bowed down with years and labors, and with thought for the future, but disdaining the perils of this long and dangerous voyage, to inform your Majesty of what is advisable for your royal service, and for the welfare, increase, and conservation of that country.  His declaration follows: 

1.  That it will be very advisable for the service of God our Lord, the merit of your Majesty, the welfare and relief of the natives of those islands, the establishment and increase of the country, and the relief of your Majesty’s royal conscience that you have a large number of religious provided for the conversion of those to be baptized, and the maintenance in the faith of those already Christians; for, because of lack of ministers, many fail to receive baptism, and to acquire a knowledge of God our Lord.  Further, for temporal welfare and increase, they [the religious] are those who are of most importance; for, wherever they are, the people are orderly and quiet, even if not all converted, and there is a constant tendency for wealth to increase.  But where there are none, things tend toward waste and the dissipation of wealth, which fact ample experience attests in all parts of the Yndias.  It is quite sure and certain that a hundred ministers of the gospel effect more temporal and spiritual good than a thousand soldiers.