Note 1 — Letter from Fajardo to the King

[In accordance with] what your Majesty has commanded that the archbishop and I should do, calling together the provincials of the orders resident in these islands, notice has been given them concerning the things which your Majesty mentions concerning their methods of procedure, and the incidental exactions and excessive fees which some of them levy upon the Indians—for masses, burials, and suffrages;1 for the building of vessels, and of churches and their houses; and for repartimientos and new impositions with which they were loading down and [69] harassing the natives; and charging them with the reformation of this. It did not seem necessary to the archbishop, but for my part I shall nevertheless carry it out, informing each one of the provincials separately, and trying to further the royal will of your Majesty, without allowing scandal to result by making this public, and difficulties from such things becoming known. I would already have done so if I were not waiting for an opportune occasion when I should be free from the occupations that I have had—encounters with enemies, the equipment of vessels, procuring supplies, and the many other things for the service of your Majesty. These can be attended to only with great difficulty, lacking the favor of the religious orders, [which much be considered] in order not to annoy them; for most of them are very easily irritated, especially those of the Order of St. Dominic. For, even when they have no cause for displeasure, there is no one who can bring them to reason, since it appears that they regard it as their vocation to be opposed to the government and to the governors, as they have done since their establishment in these islands, without a single exception—unless only it be Don Luis Perez Dasmariñas, whom, with the asperity on which they pride themselves, and their tyrannical ways they subjected in such manner that they ruled him. In order that those who succeed me may continue attending to the service of your Majesty without the difficulties and quarrels which we, the former governors and I, have experienced, it will be expedient that your Majesty order them not to interfere so much in the government, and that they must restrain their audacious and insolent mode [of speech]. For this [70] is so uncurbed and terrible that any honorable man would fear it on account of what the friars cast at him, to the prejudice of anyone who acts contrary to their wishes; and this they do not only through the pulpits, but by various other means, as I have said they did with the past governors—and particularly with Don Juan de Silva, my predecessor—and which I also have sufficiently experienced and suffered. [In the margin: “Let him exercise care to do what is ordered in this matter, and have it done at the first opportunity.” In another hand: “Write a letter to the provincial of St. Dominic, telling him that the insolence which his friars display is known, and what Don Alonso says here, and accordingly the provincial must convene and reprimand them, obliging them to look after the affairs of their order alone, and the conversion of souls, as is their duty (which is the principal reason why they went there); and let them not mix in government affairs, or any others not concerning their order; and have him advise us of what he shall do.” In another hand: “Write to Don Alonso that such a letter has been sent to the provincial of St. Dominic, that he may be aware of it.”]