298 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



ninety-five, Vafco de Quiroga, founder and firft bifhop 

 of that church, who, after the example of St. Ambrofe, 

 was tranflated from the fecular jurifdi&ion to the epifco- 

 cal dignity. This celebrated prelate, worthy of compa- 

 rifon with the firft fathers of Chriftianity, laboured in- 

 defatigably in favour of the people of Michuacan, in- 

 ftru&ing them as an apoftle, and loving them as a father \ 

 he erected temples, founded hofpitals, and afligned to 

 each fettlement of the Indians a branch of commerce, 

 that the mutual dependance upon each other might keep 

 them in ftronger bonds of union, perfect the arts, and 

 provide a manner of life for every one. The memory 

 of fuch benefits is, after more than two ages, preferved 

 as frefti in the minds of the Americans, as if their bene- 

 factor was yet living. The firft care of the Indian wo- 

 men, as foon as their children begin to have any judg- 

 ment, is to give them an account of their Tata Bon Vaf- 

 co : for fo they ftill call him on account of the pious re- 

 fpe£r. they bear to his memory. They communicate a 

 knowledge of him by means of pictures of him, explain- 

 ing all that he did in favour of their nation, and never 

 pafs before his image without kneeling. This prelate 

 alfo founded, in 1540, a feminary in the city of Pazcua- 

 ro for the inftru&ion of youth ; and enjoined the Indi- 

 ans of Santa Fe, a place fettled by him on the bank of the 

 lake Pazcuaro, to fend every week a man to ferve in the 

 feminary. He was obeyed, and for two hundred and 

 thirty years paft an Indian has never been wanted to at- 

 tend upon the feminary without any neceflity to force or 

 even call them, from their zeal to make a return by fuch 

 fervice for the benefits which that worthy prelate con- 

 ferred on them. They preferve his bones with fuch ve- 

 neration in the city of Pazcuaro, that once as the chap- 

 ter 



