It has also been understood that the religious orders resident in those islands live and comport themselves with more freedom and liberty than is proper, conformably to their profession and regulations, and particularly so the Augustinians.  It is also stated that occasional fees and dues that they levy for masses, burials, and suffrages [for departed souls] are excessive; and likewise that they erect buildings and church edifices and their own houses, although they have no authority to do so except with my express permission, or by asking it from the governor of those islands, and then only in case of urgent necessity.  Under this pretense and others, they make allotments [of service] and new imposts, on merely their own authority, upon the Indians, who are distressed and overburdened.  For the remedy of this, it has seemed best to charge you to maintain all the authority that you can, to prevent this from being done.  For this purpose you will join with the archbishop, and both will summon the provincials; and, telling them the information that I have of this matter, you will charge them to make the reformation which is in every way obligatory upon them, since it is so greatly to the service of God our Lord and the public good, as may be seen.  Madrid, December 19, 1618.

I The King

By the command of the king our lord: 
Juan Ruiz De Contreras
Signed by the members of the Council.

The King:  To Don Alonso Faxardo de Tenza, my governor and captain-general of the Philipinas Islands, and president of my royal Audiencia there.  You were advised by a letter of mine, of the same date as this, of the arrival of your letters written at the port of Acapulco; and we answer this separately because the matter is a more serious one than can be treated of in connection with your government.  It has seemed best to advise you of the state of affairs, and of what, as now appears, will be the only possible remedy for the preservation of all those regions.

You are well aware, through the information that you carried from Espana, of the embarrassed condition of my royal inheritance, wasted in the defense of our holy faith, and unavoidable expenditures to oppose its enemy and others who have attempted to cause its decline—­whom it has been necessary to oppose, in order to preserve the faith, thus causing enormous expenses.  As aid for the conservation of my kingdoms, it has been necessary and unavoidable to use the wealth brought by the people of Nueva Espana; but the supplies and expenditures drawn from my royal exchequer for those islands are so consuming and reducing that account and fund, to such an extent, and with so injurious effect, that it hardly comes in but it must be paid out.  Considering that what is carried in exchange for the quicksilver [35] is revenue derived from the same merchandise that was sent, while the receipts from the bulls for the crusade are (as you know) but moderately successful, you are accordingly informed