WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 429 



Viejo de Canete had erected in his time ; it was reconstructed by 

 authority of the Marques de Montesclaros, Viceroy and Governor 

 General of those Kingdoms. 



1229. At the first corner of the plaza, to the E., are the Palace 

 and the Royal Apartments, where the Viceroy lives. These are 

 adorned with elaborate fenestration in cut brick and with splendid 

 galleries ; here are the halls of the Chancery, two for the Judges and 

 one for the Alcaldes dealing with crime, the Tribunal Hall (Sala de 

 Acuerdo), another for the Chief Auditor's Office (Contaduria 

 Mayor), the Royal Treasury, the Death Record Chamber (Sala de 

 Difuntos), and that of the Indian Tax Office (Censos de los Indios) ; 

 the Paymaster's Office, Factor's Office, and Treasurer's Office, and 

 the Consulate Hall ; all these apartments are elaborately and expen- 

 sively decorated. 



1230. This Chancery exercises great authority ; the Viceroy pre- 

 sides over it, and in his absence its President administers the govern- 

 ment himself for the whole Kingdom and attends to the carrying out 

 of individual royal warrants. This post of Viceroy is so exalted and 

 majestic that it might be held by an Infante of Spain, were it a life 

 position ; for every year he appoints to over 70 Corregimientos, 

 plus an infinite number of offices, the administrations of Indian 

 communal afifairs, the Royal Treasury, naval and military judges, 

 mill inspectors, with authority equal to the King's. He has a guard 

 of halberdiers and is accompanied by the city's nobility whenever 

 he goes out. In church his eminent position is indicated by his bro- 

 caded seat of honor on a great rug in the center of the main chapel ; 

 at its sides are seated the members of the Chancery in high-backed 

 chairs, the City Council on benches, the chief functionaries of the 

 Palace, and the Chaplain Major of the Royal Chapel, who comes 

 to hear his confession ; and the Deacon comes down from the altar 

 accompanied by the Verger and his ministers, to give him the Gospels 

 to kiss, to incense him as one does the King, and give him the kiss 

 of peace. And the whole Kingdom flocks to see him as they would 

 for the King he represents, and thus the city grows in numbers and 

 extent. 



1231. At the other corner, opposite the Iglesia Mayor (Cathedral), 

 which is to the N., rise the apartments of the Council with the 

 Secretaries' offices. This building has handsome corridors and gal- 

 leries. This side and the third, which is on the W., opposite the 

 Palace, are built up with porticos with stone columns and Doric 

 capitals and brick arches, with elaborate brickwork fenestration above 



