is, ordinarily—­they exercise over the newly converted.  This occasioned a great contention, and even scandal; for as the country was new, and there was no other learning than that of his Lordship—­which doubtless was very great, and authorized by his dignity and person—­and that of our fathers, some said “yes,” and others “no,” some that they could, others that they could not.  Thus everything was in confusion, not only among Ours, but throughout the islands.

The father provincial was like a drowning man in this matter, and was obliged to give attention to so grave a necessity as the present.  As he could devise no remedy here, he resolved to go to Espana, in order to settle the whole matter.  The bishop, who wished only to do the proper thing, was glad of the voyage.  He wrote some letters to religious of the province of Mejico, whom he thoroughly trusted and believed in.  He set his doubts before them, and the arguments on which he grounded his position, in order that the controversy might be settled amicably; and that the province of Mejico, as the mother of this province, might correct what his Lordship considered as excesses.

The father provincial left Manila and reached Nueva Espana.  He left his vicar in the Filipinas, namely father Fray Francisco Manrique.  He pursued his voyage, and reached Espana in safety, where he despatched his business very favorably—­both in the Roman court, where Gregory XIII was governing the Church of God; and in the court of Espana, where he obtained very favorable decrees from his Majesty, Felipe II, our king and sovereign.  The latter approved everything that our religious had done in the churches of those kingdoms and seigniories of his.  He granted many other favors and gifts, so that they might prosecute the undertaking with greater resolution, and by the self-same methods that had been used theretofore.  While these matters were being negotiated at court, the religious of this province, [121] conferring upon the articles upon which the bishop and Ours disagreed, wrote to the bishop letters of complete submission, in which they begged him to moderate his anger, and await the decision that would soon arrive from Espana with other decisions approving what had until then been done by the religious, and encouraging them to go forward in the defense of truth.  The most learned Master Veracruz, as the father and protector of the ministry, and defense of the privileges held by the religious, wrote so learned a letter to the bishop, that it proved sufficient to calm him.  Later, that letter served as a primer for the ministers, and a protection against the difficulties that arose.  Of so much value has been the opinion of this great man, and of all his writings. [122] In conclusion, I will say that father Fray Andres de Aguirre returned from Espana, whereupon those hurricanes which had been aroused were laid.  But he reached Mejico so broken from the journey that he did not dare to go immediately