INTRIGUES AGAINST VELASCO PHILIPINE ISLES. 151 



creating enemies ; and these, unfortunately, were not only found 

 among the rich oppressors whose shameless conduct he strove to 

 punish, but even among the members of the Audiencia itself. 

 These men combined secretly to undermine the influence of the 

 viceroy, and despatched commissioners to Spain, who represented 

 to the king that the health of his representative was in a failing 

 state, and that it was extremely needful he should be sustained by 

 a council whose duty it was to direct him upon all questions of 

 public interest. The intriguers were successful in their appeal, 

 and a decree soon arrived in New Spain announcing that the 

 viceroy should thenceforth do nothing without the previous sanction 

 of the Audiencia. This order of the king immediately put the 

 power into the hands of individuals whose object was rather to 

 acquire sudden wealth than to govern a new and semi-civilized 

 nation justly, or to enact laws which would develope the resources 

 of the country. The viceroy had been impartial. He held the 

 balance between the Indian laborer and the Spanish extortioner. 

 His office and emoluments placed him, at that period, high above 

 the ordinary temptations of avarice. But the Audiencia, composed 

 of several persons, whose position was far inferior to the viceroy's, 

 was accessible to intrigue and corruption, and the unfortunate 

 Indians soon found to their cost, that the royal limitation on 

 Velasco's power had lost them a friend and staunch supporter. 

 The Audiencia and the viceroy were soon surrounded by parties 

 who advocated their different causes with zeal; but the loyal 

 viceroy did not murmur in the discharge of his duty and faithfully 

 followed the order of the king to submit his judgment to the 

 council. Nevertheless all were not so patient as Velasco. Coun- 

 ter statements were sent, by skilful advocates, to Spain ; and 

 Velasco himself required an examination to be made into his 

 official conduct. 



Accordingly, Philip II. appointed a certain licenciado Valder- 

 rama, as visitador of New Spain, who arrived in 1563, and 

 immediately began the discharge of his functions by a course of 

 exaction, especially from the Indians, which neither the appeals 

 nor the arguments of the viceroy could induce him to abandon. 

 The arrival of this harsh and cruel personage, was, indeed, sad for 

 Mexico, and, in the country's history, he still retains the name of 

 " El Molestador de los Indios." 



Fortunately for Velasco an escape from the double tyranny of 

 the Audiencia and of Valderrama was opened to him in an expedi- 

 tion to the Philipine islands which the king had ordered him to 



