[Endorsed:  “Ascertain what the governor must have written in regard to the site given them.  When Fray Pedro de Solier comes, everything will be examined.”]

DOMINICANS REQUEST SUPPRESSION OF THE AUDIENCIA

Certain religious of the Order of St. Dominic declare that his Majesty’s decrees are not observed, and relate the evil behavior of the fiscal of that Audiencia.  They send a memorandum of their arguments for the suppression of the Audiencia in those islands.

Sire: 

The Order of St. Dominic has been in these districts and islands upwards of twenty-four years, and one of those who write this letter is one of the first who came to these districts to establish the order.  Here, by the grace of God, great service has been rendered to God and to your Majesty in the conversion of the provinces which have been entrusted to us—­namely, the province of Pangasinan, and that of Cagayan, and this.  The conversion has ceased to progress for want of ministers, and now is not being continued for the natives.  In all the above period of time, we have seen many things, and write as eyewitnesses.  Our first statement is that if this country were governed according to the orders and decrees despatched by your Majesty for that purpose, it would be the most prosperous of all your Majesty’s kingdoms, for your Majesty’s orders in regard to this country seem truly to have had at the time of their ordering the special help of the Holy Spirit.  But the deplorable thing is that your Majesty’s orders and decrees are not observed; and worse, some say that your decrees do not bind the conscience.  This is very grievous, and brings in its train great difficulties.  The pity is, that those who should be the agents and defenders of your decrees are the first to violate them.  All that is done is contrary to your Majesty’s orders and commands.  As this state of affairs should be punished severely for the correction of other offenders, and there is no one to attend to that punishment, the Lord, who is supreme judge, advocates the cause thus, and punishes them, avenging by His hand the little respect given to your Majesty’s just orders.  This is seen in the great number of shipwrecks, one after another.  Although there are no prophets in this land, yet all prognosticate beforehand what will surely happen, since the vessels sail with so heavy a cargo of injustices; and accordingly they say that the voyages will not end well, as we see by the outcome.  But the pity is that, as the punishment is public, and in the ships, it is necessary that the just should pay for the sinners.  Of the truth of all the above, your Majesty would rest assured if you were to visit this country.  This is daily going from bad to worse, because until now, if those debarred therefrom were trading and engaging in commerce, they did so with some show of shame, and under some cover; but last year your Majesty’s