208 count de banoz viceroy attempt to colonize. 



Don Juan de Leyva y de la Cerda, 

 Marques de Leyva y de la Cerda, Count de Banos. 

 XXIII. Viceroy of New Spain. 

 1660 — 1664. 



The successor of the Duke of Alburquerque entered Mexico on 

 the 16th of September, 1660. Don Juan de Leyva y de la Cerda 

 approached the colony with the best wishes and resolutions to ad- 

 vance its prosperity and glory. His earliest efforts were directed 

 to the pacification of the Tarahumares, whose insurrection was 

 still entirely unquelled, and whose successes were alarmingly dis- 

 astrous in New Mexico, whither they advanced in the course of 

 their savage warfare. With the same liberal spirit that character- 

 ized his predecessor, he continued to be the zealous friend of those 

 remote, frontier colonists, and, in a short time, formed twenty-four 

 villages. It was, doubtless, his plan to subdue and pacify the 

 north by an armed occupation. 



In 1661 and 1662, the despotic conduct of the Spaniards to the 

 Indians stirred up sedition in the south as well as at the north. 

 The natives of Tehuantepec were, at this period, moved to rebel- 

 lion, with the hope of securing their personal liberty, even if they 

 could not reconquer their national independence. Spanish forces 

 were immediately marched to crush the insurrection ; but the soft 

 children of the south were not as firmly pertinacious in resistance 

 as their sturdier brothers of the northern frontier. More accessible 

 to the gentle voices of an insinuating clergy, they yielded to the 

 persuasive eloquence of the bishop Ildefonzo Davalos, who, ani- 

 mated by honest and humane zeal for the children of the forest, 

 went among the incensed tribes, and, by kindness, secured the 

 submission which arms could not compel at the north. For this 

 voluntary and valuable service the sovereign conferred on him the 

 mitre of Mexico, which, in the year 1664, was renounced by 

 Osorio Escobar. 



The only other event of note, during this viceroyalty, was an 

 attempt at colonization and pearl fishing on the coasts of California 

 by Bernal Pinaredo, who seems rather to have disturbed than to 

 have benefitted the sparse settlers on those distant shores. He was 

 coldly received on his return by the viceroy, who formally accused 

 him to the court for misconduct during the expedition. 



Don Juan de Leyva sailed for Spain in 1664, and soon after 

 died, afflicted by severe family distresses, and, especially by the 

 misconduct of his son and heir. 



