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."] This church is also in great need of ornaments and of a sacristy. That which it now uses is borrowed; but with the sum of three or four thousand pesos the one that was commenced more than ten years ago could be finished. It has been impossible to finish it, because we had not the means to do so. In order that your Majesty need not spend anything from your royal treasury (which we most earnestly desire), this could be done by your Majesty ordering that vacant encomiendas, or pensions on those to which appointments are being made, be given to the church, in accordance with the condition of the encomienda, at the will of the governor--as has been done with the house of the Society of Jesus in this city, to which your Majesty made a grant of ten thousand pesos, as an aid to the edifice that they are at present erecting, [_In the margin_: "See what has been ordered in this." "The concession was made."]