on everything; so that there are but few or no matters whose execution they do not oppose and obstruct—­saying that such and such cannot be done or ordered, under penalty of going to hell; and, in conjunction with the bishop, they immediately excommunicate and terrorize, so that the secular arm and hand of your Majesty has not here the strength and freedom that it should have for the execution of affairs.  One of the things most needing reform is that, as the bishop, according to his caprice—­and often in cases outside of his jurisdiction—­excommunicates and proceeds unjustly, doing violence to the law; and as there is no royal Audiencia here to remove the excommunications:  justice and the despatch of business may suffer greatly, unless your Majesty entrusts the governor here with power to try such cases, and to lift and remove the ban, since other recourse is so distant, and so many wrongs might be perpetrated.  For it is certain that, both in this and in all other matters, the conduct of the bishop and of the religious with so great power and license is one of the most severe trials of this government; because the bishop has a title as a saint (so that some persons imitate him), and a man of upright life.  That I do not take it upon myself either to praise or to censure.  I have never seen a man more peculiar or so inconsiderate and obstinate in his opinions, who even does not hesitate to oppose the right of patronage, the jurisdiction, and the royal exchequer of your Majesty.  All this he judges and discusses as injuriously as the most utter foreigner, and even enemy, would do.  I say this with truth, on account of what I owe to your Majesty’s service; and although I warn him of the harm that he is doing, as it appears to me, and although I am restraining myself in regard to him with the moderation suitable in a land so slippery and uncertain, he is wont to answer with monkish liberty, what the king must do for him; and that, inasmuch as neither pope nor king can do him good or ill, he is not at all concerned.  He says that your Majesty has no authority here; that to him is due the conquest and conservation of this land; and that he is not bishop for your Majesty, but for the pope.  What royal patronage he must observe, the pope declares in his bulls, and not he who praying kept to his bed.  He talks with the same liberty in his theology and judgments, since in order to prove his opinions, he says that the universities of Salamanca and Alcala (who do the contrary) are in error, and he right.  He declared also that those who should follow the instruction of the Theatins here would go to hell; and that the doctrine of Father Acosta was heretical—­beside innumerable other things.  And it is quite certain that, since my arrival here, I have had in him a continual opposition and obstacle to whatever is ordered and done.  If things are not quite to his taste, he says that he will go into retirement, and abandon everything.  And the friars say the same thing—­namely,