After the English siege of Saint Augustine in 1702, the friars enlisted the aid of their commissary general in Spain, Lucas Alvarez de Toledo, to present their case to the crown. Not only did he request an increase in the annual stipend for the Franciscans and funds for rebuilding the convent, but he also asked for a revival of two royal cedulas, one of 1641 and another of 1663. These had awarded the regular clergy in Florida annual supplies of flour, wine, oil, vinegar, salt, blankets, robes, dishes, candles, paper, and other commodities. At first these articles had arrived regularly, then sporadically, and finally by the end of the 17th century there was no delivery at all. Alvarez insisted that the bishop of Puebla, charged with remitting the military situado to Saint Augustine, enforce the provisions of these royal orders and aid the friars. [Note 90: comisario general to king 9/4/1705] The commissary’s pleas seemed to get immediate results. After a conference with Alvarez, two members of the Council of the Indies, the Duke of Atrisco and Manuel Garcia Bustamante, returned to their compatriots stating that it was impossible to maintain the friars in Florida on 158 pesos in a province “so poor and full of dangers.” Moreover, Jesuits in some areas of the Indies received as much as 500 pesos a year. The Florida Franciscans, stated the two Councilors, deserved equal treatment. The full Council, however, was not like-minded and refused to grant the increases requested by the commissary. Its only action was to revive the cedulas of 1641 and 1663, and even then the king and Council limited the amount of supplies allocated to each friar to 200 pesos annually. [Note 91: Consejo 1/29/1706; Cedula Madrid 2/20/1706] (Tepaske GSF)