BENEVOLENT ESTABLISHMENTS. 



189 



monastery named the brotherhood of charity, which had been 

 founded in 1552*, and the constitutions of which were di- 

 rected to the same obje6t. The union of these two bodies was 

 denominated the fellowship of charity and compassion. 



The virtuous Parades was soon joined by two associates, 

 Don Gonzalo Lopez, and Don Diego De Guzman, both of 

 them of noble descent, and, which is still more, animated by 

 the same spirit of humanity and religion. This pious trium- 

 virate, impelled by the ardent desire of succouring their fellow 

 creatures, and not by the infuriate ambition of governing 

 them, drew up their code of constitutions, which having re- 

 ceived the royal approbation, and that of the Sovereign Pon- 

 tiiF, the brotherhood took possession of the cathedral church, 

 which became their monastery. 



The obje6ls of the primitive institution were multiplied, and 

 extended to the relief of such indigent families as were ashamed 

 to ask charity, to the healing of the sick, to the burial of the 

 dead, to the education of orphans until a provision should be 

 made for them, and to the necessity of accompanying crimi- 

 nals to the place of execution, and providing for the inter- 

 ment of their bodies. These precepts were faithfully complied 

 with, to the full extent of their meaning and purport. The 



* It may be observed, in a cursory way, tluit although, at tlie above time, the 

 spirit of conquest was still very fervent among our ancestors, they already diredted 

 iheir attention to pious foundations, which they planted, not only with their money, 

 but with their personal co-operation. The nations which are the most vehement in 

 reproaching the conquest of the Americas, on the specious pretext of the cruelties 

 by which it was accompanied, have scarcely done so much in times of profound 

 tranquillity, and of their greatest splendour^ 



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