WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES— VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 21 7 



and vigilance, as is always the case with this hallowed order ; and 

 connected with it they have a college where they teach the same 

 sciences and others. But they suffer great inconvenience and diffi- 

 culties through the fact that Mexico City is almost 300 leagues away 

 and requires many days' journey. Accordingly the city desires and 

 solicits His Majesty to grant them the favor of establishing a 

 university there ; the city offers to provide an adequate income, both 

 for the reasons stated above and because in that case the young men 

 of this city and country will have greater facilities for study there ; 

 many parents cannot afford to maintain their sons in the graduate 

 schools of Mexico City or elsewhere, on account of the great expense 

 and distance involved. 



611. Near this convent there is another plaza smaller than the 

 main square, called the Plaza de San Domingo ; in it and the neigh- 

 boring streets are the business and residential center and the chief 

 activity and traffic of the city, where the traders congregate, both 

 for the sale of clothing for the Indians and of country produce, and 

 for the purchase of such commodities for export to the provinces 

 of all that country. 



Chapter VIII 



Continuing the Description of the Convents and of the Greatness 

 of This City. 



612. The Franciscan convent of this city is remarkable for its 

 architecture and its size. The church is large and spacious and very 

 well-adorned with chapels, altars, and decorations ; divine service 

 is celebrated here with great pomp and correctness and godliness for 

 all the people. It has excellent cloisters and dormitories and many 

 friars, strict observers of their rule ; among them are many highly 

 educated. They teach Arts and Theology with great care and vigi- 

 lance, and graduate excellent candidates for teaching positions and 

 the pulpit. It has a very good infirmary and workshops and a very 

 large and spacious garden, and an extensive convent meadow which 

 is all walled in, with two gates. This is also mother convent for the 

 province and like the others, it is well supported and comfortably off. 



613. The convent of the glorious Patriarch and Doctor St. Augus- 

 tine is modern, for it has only recently been established in this city, 

 thanks to the virtue, scholarship, and preaching of Fray Gabriel 

 de Rivera, M.A., a most deserving son of the convent in Mexico 

 City ; besides his great ability, which caused his order to send him 

 as Prior and Provincial Vicar to found this convent here and such 

 additional ones as might be possible, his personal charm and his 



