Your Majesty has no need so pressing in any part of the world as that your governors should have authority to remove or promote religious missionaries to the natives from the districts where they are, because of their lawless and loose mode of life. That has come to such a pass that they have lost respect, by their deeds, for the alcaldes-mayor, and the said religious do not pay any attention to their jurisdiction or to the royal patronage. The Augustinians, who are more exorbitant than others, are very owners of the wills of the Indians, and give out that the quiet or disobedience of the latter hinges on them. For when the alcalde-mayor of Balayan tried to restrain the excesses that he saw, they entered his house armed, and bound and flogged him; that was during the government of the Audiencia. But lately another alcalde-mayor, in Bulacan, having arrested two Indians, seamen on a ship of your Majesty's fleet, so that they might serve at their posts, the religious at that place took them out of prison. Even more oppressive acts occur daily, which need a severe remedy. I petition your Majesty to have sent to me the decree which was sent to Nueba Espana this past year, with more definite restrictions, so that they may not have any ground for opposing it, and so that their generals, especially he of St. Augustine, may order them to restrain themselves, and so that his Holiness may do the same, the briefs or patents being passed by the Council and everything being sent to me. So great haste is necessary in order not to fall out with them. [_In the margin_: "Send that decree, and write to the governor and archbishop to summon the provincial of the Augustinians and tell him how advisable it is to punish that religious, and those who act so; and have them advised that no mission shall under any consideration be granted to religious against whom such accusations are made. Have them advise us of what is done." "This decree was carried out."] I am quartering the infantry, and am surprised that it has not been done in so many years. It is not causing any expense to the royal treasury. For, besides that it is impossible that the soldiers be well disciplined in any other way--three-fourths living, as they do, outside the city--I trust that by this means a much smaller number will die, and that many offenses against God will be avoided.