VICEROY EXCOMMUNICATED — ARCHBISHOP AT GUADALUPE. 191 



church and state. Gelves could as little yield now, as De la Serna 

 could before, and of course, nothing remained for him but to lay 

 violent hands on the prelate wherever he might be found. His 

 well paid soldiers were still faithfully devoted to the viceroy, and 

 he forthwith committed the archbishop's arrest to a reckless and 

 unscrupulous officer named Tirol. As soon as he had selected a 

 band of armed men, upon whose courage and obedience he could 

 rely, this person hastened to the village of Guadalupe. In the 

 meantime the archbishop was apprised of his coming and prepared 

 to meet him. He summoned his faithful clergy to attend in the 

 sanctuary of the church, clad in their sacred vestments. For the 

 first time, after many a long and weary day, the ears of the people 

 were saluted by the sound of bells calling them to the house of 

 God. Abandoning their business, some of them immediately filled 

 the square, eagerly demanding by what blessed interposition they 

 had been relieved from the fearful interdict, — while others thronged 

 the doors and crowded the aisles of the long forsaken chapel. The 

 candles on the altar were lighted ; the choir struck up a solemn 

 hymn for the church ; and, then, advancing along the aisle in gor- 

 geous procession, De la Serna and his priestly train took up their 

 position in front of the tabernacle, where, crowned with his mitre, 

 his crozier in one hand, and the holy sacrament in the other, this 

 brave prelate awaited the forces which had been sent to seize him. 

 It is difficult to say, if De la Serna designed by so imposing a 

 spectacle to strike awe into the mind of the sacrilegious soldier, or 

 whether he thought it his duty to be arrested, if arrested he must 

 be, at that altar he had sworn to serve. It is probable, however, 

 from his exalted character and courage, that the latter was the true 

 motive of his act, and if so, he met his fate nobly in the cause of 

 justice and religion. 



Tirol was not long in traversing the distance between Mexico 

 and Guadalupe. As soon as he arrived, he entered the church 

 accompanied by his officers and seemed appalled by the gorgeous 

 and dramatic display round the shrine. Not a whisper was heard 

 in the edifice as the crowd slowly parted to make way for the 

 soldiers, who advanced along the aisle and humbly knelt, for a mo- 

 ment, at the altar in prayer. This done, Tirol approached De la 

 Serna, and with " fair and courteous words " required him to lay 

 down the sacrament, to quit the sanctuary, and to listen to the 

 orders issued in the royal name. The archbishop abruptly refused 

 to comply, and answered, that " As the viceroy was excommuni- 

 cated he regarded him as beyond the pale of the church and in no 



