general fund for the public honor and welfare, its maintenance and perpetuity should be assured. The establishment entails little expense, and the work has been carried on according to your Majesty's orders, without burdening the royal exchequer; and hence the gain has been great. The opportunity is no less favorable which is now offered your Majesty to employ your liberal and royal hand in favoring and aiding this seminary with an income. Thus by its increase will God our Lord, be glorified, by the exercise of charity. Daily prayers are held there for your Majesty, that God may grant you many happy years of this life, and life everlasting. There are now about thirty persons in the seminary, and others are entering every day.
Another holy work has, by the favor of the Lord, been established in this town in these days; and I hope that His Divine Majesty is no less pleased by it, than by that which I have just described. It is very similar to that and is a confraternity of mercy in which there have entered as brethren the most illustrious and prominent persons of this city. The object thereof, in conformity with its appellation of mercy, is to exercise the latter in all the works and occasions which may arise, of which there is no lack, as this land of yours is so poor. As I say, this confraternity is occupied in feeding all the worthy poor, of whom there are many; and in arranging marriages for orphan girls, the daughters of the conquistadors and of persons who have served your Majesty and died in the royal service, leaving their children without inheritance, in poverty and bereavement. These are persons to whom your Majesty owes a recompense; and any favor to this confraternity is granted to them
