of this country be given to those who have served and labored in it.  From that three blessings of high importance will follow.  The first, that your Majesty will have fulfilled your obligation in accordance with the excellent principle of distributive justice.  Thus have our sovereigns Kings Philipo Second and Third, of glorious memory, your Majesty’s grand-father and father, ruled, ordered, and commanded in their royal patronage.  And most certain can your Majesty be that there have always been and there are now men worthy, capable, and of great talents, from whom much may be expected, both in this cabildo and in the orders—­especially that of St. Dominic and that of St. Francis; but, since they do not try to obtain the prebendaries of this church, never will their affairs be known, nor will any of them ever be seen in that royal court, for neither can they go, nor do they possess the wherewithal to send.  These arguments will have greater force and power in the future, because of the two universities which your Majesty has permitted in this city—­one in the residence of the Society of Jesus, and the other in that of Santo Tomas of the Dominican friars, where students are being trained and many graduated.  Thus this city is today full of poverty-stricken seculars, and one must fear that there will be so many within a few years that they will die of hunger, because we have not any benefices to give them in this archbishopric or throughout the islands; for these are held by friars, who cost your Majesty so dearly.  It is very desirable to refrain from sending many of the religious who come from Espana, which is an argument worthy of much consideration. [In the margin:  “That great care will be given to this point when vacancies occur in those churches.”]

The need and poverty of this metropolitan church is known and notorious, for it has no income or revenue other than the concessions of your Majesty, especially the four hundred pesos that have been given thus far, by means of which the church is kept in wine, wax, and oil.  For none of those things are given from the royal warehouses, as they are to the other convents of this city.  Consequently, we petition your Majesty to continue that concession, for it is not a perpetual concession, but was only for four or six years; and, when that time expired, it was conceded for another term of four or six years.  If it were made perpetual, your Majesty would be making it a more valuable concession; for at each prolongation of the time it is necessary to spend at least one hundred pesos with the agent who is sent from here to that court.  Thus that amount would be saved, and that is a matter of consideration and importance to so poor a church. [In the margin:  “See what is provided in regard to this.”  “The concession was made.”]