REFORMS UNDER A NEW VICEROY. 



165 



Don Pedro Moya de Contreras, 

 Archbishop of Mexico, First Inquisitor and Visitador, and 

 VI. Viceroy of New Spain. 

 1583 — 1585. 



Upon the death of Xuares, the Audiencia immediately assumed 

 the direction of the state ; but the members of this august tribunal 

 were altogether ignorant of the demand made by the late vice- 

 roy for a Visitador, until Don Pedro de Contreras, placed in 

 their hands the despatch from Philip, naming him for this impor- 

 tant service. 



The archbishop was a man well known in Mexico. Cold, aus- 

 tere, rigid in his demeanor and principles, he was the very man to 

 be chosen for the dangerous duty of contending with a band of 

 rich, proud and unscrupulous officials. His sacred character as 

 arch-prelate of Mexico, was of no little use in such an exigency, 

 for it gave him spiritual as well as temporal power over masses 

 which might sometimes be swayed by their conscientious dread of 

 the church, even when they could not be controled by the arm of 

 law. Besides this, he was the first Inquisitor of Mexico, and in 

 the dreaded mysteries of the holy office, there was an overwhelm- 

 ing power before which the most daring offenders would not ven- 

 ture to rebel or intrigue. 



It may be well imagined that the unexpected appearance of so 

 formidable an ecclesiastic upon the state, armed with the sword 

 as well as the cross, was well calculated to awe the profligate offi- 

 cials. The members of the Audiencia trembled when they read 

 the royal order, for the archbishop knew them well, and had been 

 long cognizant, not only of their own maladministration but of the 

 irregularities they countenanced in others. 



Don Pedro immediately undertook the discharge of his office, 

 and in a few days, heard a great number of complaints against 

 various individuals, but as he did not design proceeding with re- 

 vengeful severity against even the most culpable, he resolved to 

 report his proceedings to the king, and, in the meanwhile, to 

 retain in office all persons who performed their duties faithfully 

 whilst he put an end to the most flagrant abuses. 



As soon as Philip II. heard, in 1584, of the death of Mendoza, he 

 added the title and powers of viceroy to those already possessed by 

 the archbishop, and, with his commission as royal representative, 

 he sent him additional authority which had never been enjoyed by 



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