their duties without any lack or neglect, or any possibility of the like. And in order that it may be known that no such lack or neglect occurs during your term of office, you shall advise me immediately of the condition in which you find the buildings of the said hospitals; the arrangements made in them in respect to administration, hospitality, treatment, and reception of the poor; and the new ordinances that you shall enact.
As I was informed that those islands were in great need of ministers of instruction, and that some Indians were dying without baptism; that, because of the same need, other islands were not being conquered and converted; and that to cause this condition to cease, it would be advisable to send religious of the orders established there—I designated and ordered one hundred and fifty-four religious to go there last year, one thousand five hundred and ninety-four, and they actually went. Although one hundred and ten others, chosen from all the said orders are going this year, nevertheless, in order that religious may be sent continually, until there is no lack of them, but a sufficient force to attend to the ministry of the preaching of the gospel, and the conversion of those heathen (which I so much desire), and so that those recently converted may be taught and instructed, I charge you to confer over this matter with the archbishop and Audiencia. You shall advise me of the number of religious, their convents, and their orders, their manner of living, and the number whom it would be advisable to send now, the districts to which they should especially be sent, and the orders to which they should belong. In the meantime, you shall come to an understanding with all the superiors, so that all the religious
