166 



HIS POWER AS VICEROY AND INQUISITOR. 



any of his predecessors. He was, thus, empowered to remove, at 

 will, all persons from public employment, and even to expel minis- 

 ters and oidores, as well as to visit with severe punishments all 

 who deserved them. Under this ample discretion the viceroy 

 removed some of the oidores, suspended others, hanged certain 

 royal officers who had disgraced their trusts, and brought the tribu- 

 nals of justice into perfect order. The king had proposed to bring 

 the dispersed Indians into towns and villages so as to control them 

 more effectually, but the viceroy, after consulting the priests who 

 were best acquainted with that population, deemed it best to defer 

 the execution of the royal order until he laid the objections to it 

 before Philip. 1 In 1585, a seminary for the Indians was estab- 

 lished, in which they were taught to read, write and comprehend 

 the rudiments of the Catholic faith. This institution was under 

 the charge of the Jesuits, whose zeal for education has been cele- 

 brated in the history of all countries into which this powerful and 

 enlightened order of the priesthood has penetrated. A provincial 

 council of American bishops, was, moreover, convened this year 

 in Mexico under the auspices of Contreras. 



Nor was the viceroy eager only to correct the civil and religious 

 abuses of the country without attending to the fiscal advantages 

 which he knew the king was always eager to secure from his 

 colonies. In testimony of his zeal he despatched, at this period, a 

 rich fleet for Spain. It bore three millions three hundred thou- 

 sand ducats in coined silver, and one thousand one hundred marks 

 in gold, together with a variety of other valuable products, all of 

 which arrived safely in port. 



The power of this vigorous ruler, as viceroy, continued, how- 

 ever, but for a single year. He was the scourge of officials in all 

 classes, while the good men of the colony prayed heartily for the 

 continuance of his authority ; but it is probable that his rigor had 

 excited against him the talents for intrigue which we have hereto- 

 fore seen were sometimes so actively and successfully employed 

 both in Mexico and Spain. In October of 1585, his successor 

 arrived in the capital. 



1 The Indians alluded to in this passage were vaguely designated as Chichimecas, 

 Otomies, and Mexican. They probably inhabited a tract of country lying north 

 west of the kingdom of Michoacan. — See 1st. vol. Trans. Amn. Ethnl. Soc. p 2. 



