is nothing to hope, but rather the reverse.  For anything that the religious do not wish cannot be done, by any means or method; for no one has any influence without them, except themselves.  In my opinion, and that of many, they are lords in the temporal and spiritual affairs of the Indians, both men and women, and even of the Spaniards.  There is no one who can oppose or who does oppose them, for there is no one from whom to obtain redress, not only in such things, but in regard to the complaints of Indians.  For the provincials and superiors have before their eyes the end of their offices, and the necessity of their returning to be inferiors.  Consequently, so long as your Majesty furnishes no remedy—­either by your order that some superior should be sent who would not have to remain here afterward without acting as superior; or by giving authority to the bishops of those districts over the ministers of the missions—­it must continue forever as hitherto.  Well might Maestro Don Fray Diego de Guevara tell the little rigor that the provincial of St. Francis displayed toward certain friars who lost respect for him—­among whom was one who went for the bishop with a sword and dagger, as if the right of each one was to lie in such armor.  I have heard that he drew up a testimony in order to give your Majesty an account of it, and also of what little need there is for a bishop in his bishopric.

I can also tell what happened to me with this same provincial, when, on the arrival of the morning of holy Thursday, I freed Pedro Alvarez, government notary—­who is said to be some relative of his, and who was arrested on the charge of that desertion of which I have already written your Majesty in the present letters, telling you that I would have recourse to the judge who tried his cause.  He succeeded in making the provincial resolve, and decide obstinately as to what he had to do for him, or had to preach of me, just as he pleased.  He fulfilled it, as a man of his word.  Although it was not much, it was so uncertain, that his conscience obliged him, according to what the other religious say, to retract it publicly in another sermon.  This is Fray Pedro de Sant Pablo, one of those considered here as a most holy man.  I think that he must be one.

As appears, by his protection and by that of Fray Joan Baptista of the same Order of St. Francis, Pedro Alvarez resolved to have me told that, unless I determined to give to his office the distribution of the Sangley licenses, he would write [information] against me.  That threat did not give me any anxiety, but such audacity made me angry, as did the fact that those fathers had given hospitality in their house for it, if not for my being a magistrate, at least for what I represent, and since this is the royal patronage.  But the latter is here regarded by them as nothing.  Then they draw copies of what my predecessors in this government thought.