ARCHBISHOP AND VICEROY. 103 was made, and all were in turn invited to the palace by the viceroy, who flattered them, feasted them, promoted some of them to office, and finally did them the honor of borrowing their money, the repayment of which in all probability was to be made ad Græcas calendas. To refuse or to concede was alike dangerous, and many preferred the latter. So well worked the contrivance, that within a short time several hundred thousand pesos were obtained.13 Occasionally appropriations were also made from the royal treasury and from the monopoly of quicksilver, the latter proving so injurious that the product of the mines was largely reduced.14 Cool as were the relations between Escalona and Palafox, an open rupture had always been avoided by the latter, perhaps more from policy than from any other motive. Even the viceroy's misconduct with regard to the armada de Barlovento, and the despatch of the fleet of 1641, did not produce any visible effect on the visitador, though it evidenced the breach already existing. Orders had been given to the duke to proceed with the organization of this armament for the protection of the coasts and the escort of merchant vessels. These instructions were carried out in the most careless manner; a large amount of money was drawn from the royal treasury and spent on vessels scarcely seaworthy and altogether too small.15 In addition, the despatch of the fleet was unnecessarily delayed until the end of July. In vain the visitador had remonstrated; but though his advice was disregarded the result proved how correct it had been, for a storm destroyed the whole flota, and caused the crown a loss of about eight millions of pesos. 16 13 Authorities differ as to the exact figure, stating it from 300,000 to 400,000 pesos. One Alvaro de Lorenzana alone is said to have loaned 50,000 pesos. 14 It is asserted that not one mark of silver entered the royal treasury under Escalona's rule. 15 The amount is estimated at 800,000 pesos. Palafox, El Ven. Señor, 8. 16 Palafox made of the viceroy's proceedings a charge of harboring seditious plans; but this fell to the ground; for at Habana the fleet was placed under the command of an officer quite independent of Escalona. Escalona, Defensa, in Vir. Instruc., MS., série i., no. 1, 13–14. During this same year the viceroy's covetousness was again a cause of offence to Palafox. The late archbishop elect, Feliciano de Vega, had died intestate, soon after his arrival at Acapulco, leaving property valued at eight hundred thousand pesos, and a controversy arose as to whom belonged the administration. The bishop claimed it in virtue of his office as visitador, and commissioned his vicar-general, Bartolomé de Nogales, to make an inventory. But the property, or at least the greater part, had already been seized and placed in safe-keeping by the oidor, Melchor de Torreblanca, by order of the viceroy; and when Nogales proceeded to comply with his instructions, he was strongly rebuked by Escalona, and also by Palafox, who yet strove to remain on good terms with the duke. Nogales returned in disgust to Spain; and the bishop, also annoyed, abandoned his claim and retired to Puebla.18 During the first days of April 1641 news reached Mexico that Portugal and Catalonia had risen in revolt, and were at war with Spain in defence of their proclaimed independence. The people of Mexico became alarmed, for the viceroy was a near relative to the chief of the Portuguese insurgents, the duke of Braganza, and there was a large number of that nationality in the country. Many of them were wealthy and influential, and had always been treated by Escalona with marked favor. Fears were entertained that the insurrection might spread to the New World, and the duke's behavior apparently justified this apprehension. Cédulas had been sent to the 17 Diciendo no queria estar en tierra donde tanto ataba las manos á la justicia la contemplacion de los señores vireyes.' Palafox, El Ven. Señor, 9. 18 The money disappeared mysteriously; 'murieron (the 800,000 pesos) como su dueño muy apriessa.' Gonzalez Dávila, Teatro Ecles., i. 65. Torreblanca was later suspended from office and banished to Tacuba, for the term of five years. In 1650 the council of the Indies pronounced a severe sentence against him-perpetual removal from office, exile from the New World, for ten years from the court, and a fine of 15,000 ducats. Guijo, Diario, in Doc. list. Mex., 1st ser., i. 107. All this implies that frauds were committed in the administration of the estate. WAR WITH PORTUGAL. 105 viceroy to serve as a guide for his conduct toward the Portuguese, but they were kept secret, and neither the audiencia nor the visitador learned their contents. The distinctions bestowed on the Portuguese were remembered; how one had been made castellan of San Juan de Ulúa; how another, even after the arrival of the news, had been placed in charge of a portion of the troops, and received the rank of macstre de campo; while a third was appointed comisario general. It was also asserted that, on the very day when the intelligence was received, Escalona, instead of expressing sorrow, dressed himself in gala costume and invited his friends to a banquet. One circumstance, however, although a trivial one, was brought forward as clearly proving the duke's disloyalty. It was alleged that, when offered the choice of two horses, one belonging to Pedro de Castilla, and the other to Cristóbal de Portugal, he exclaimed, after trying them: "The Portuguese is the better. "20 This remark did not escape the strained ears of his enemies; and trifling as it was, it was afterward so construed as to form one of the heaviest charges against him. The loss of one of the mailships, despatched in the beginning of the year, also caused great excitement, and without regard to inconsistency of dates was by some persons interpreted as a premeditated step of the viceroy to aid his rebel cousin in Portugal. 21 The feeling of the Spaniards against the Portu 19 It seems that the first instructions from Spain did not order the dismissal of Portuguese officials, who were considered trustworthy, but only enjoined strict vigilance. The duke retained them in office as there were no sufficient reasons for their removal. 20 Mejor es el de Portugal.' Vetancvrt, Trat. Mex., 14; Cavo, Tres Siglos, ii. 15; Bustamante in Palafox, El Ven. Señor, 79. The two last authorities say the horses had been given to the duke. Palafox, Respuesta, in Palafox, El Ven. Señor, 57, gives to the horses the names of Castilla and Portugal, and changes the viceroy's exclamation to ‘Dejo á Castilla por Portugal.' 21 Correspondence with Portuguese noblemen, observations approving the duke of Braganza's treachery, and even the project of a Portuguese invasion were also on the list of accusations against Escalona, but proofs were never furnished, and it is not at all improbable that the bishop had a good deal to do with the circulation of such rumors, if not with their creation. guese reached its climax on the 13th of August 1641, the day of St Hippolytus. When the usual procession of the banner met a body of soldiers with their Portuguese captain, the customary salute of lowering the flag was refused on the ground of the duke's absence. The Spaniards, though greatly incensed, merely changed their route, and made no attempt to punish their insolent neighbors. Palafox, who soon afterward returned to Mexico, represented to the viceroy the necessity of punishing the captain and of adopting energetic measures to prevent an outbreak of the Portuguese, who became more haughty from day to day. Escalona agreed with the bishop, but could not be induced to take any active steps, although the representations were repeated.23 While the viceroy and Palafox were yet quarrelling, information reached Mexico that the Portuguese in Brazil had rebelled, and that a mutiny had occurred in Cartagena, New Granada.24 The zealous visitador immediately held consultations with the members of the audiencia, the inquisition, and a number of prominent persons, and all urged him to reason with the duke, and call his attention to the impending danger. The dismissal of the Portuguese captain and those of his countrymen who held office under the crown, and the disbanding of the companies of Portuguese soldiers, were deemed necessary. An attempt to obtain an interview with the viceroy failed, owing to the latter's discourtesy; and when the bishop explained his views in a letter,25 the duke's answer was, 22 No reason is assigned why the viceroy failed to assist. 'El portugues dijo: que no hallándose en él (the procession), S. E. á ningun otro abatiría su bandera.' Palafox, El Ven. Señor, 10-11. 23 Palafox, in his letter to the king, mentions the disrespectful language of the viceroy, saying that the latter, on one occasion, told the bishop's chaplain: por ahí dicen que me alzo con esto, si eso fuese así, yo sería rey, y mi obispo papa.' Palafox, El Ven. Señor, 60. There is no doubt that, as well on this as on other oecasions, the viceroy made merry with the serious remarks of the bishop, who really suspected a conspiracy. Cartagena de las Indias, as it was then called, to distinguish it from that of old Spain. 25 Con maravillosas razones y profunda reverencia le proponia la reformacion del capitan portugues, y todos los demas puntas convenientes.' SUSPICIONS OF DISLOYALTY. 107 "The learned always err." Nevertheless a meeting was convoked, consisting of lawyers, friars, and other personages with little or no judgment on political affairs. Moreover disputes about etiquette prevented any definite action. Comprehending at last the danger of greater delay, the viceroy issued a proclamation, ordering the Portuguese inhabitants to deliver up their fire-arms under pain of death. The Portuguese captain was dismissed, and Palafox, in order to manifest his conciliatory disposition, went to the palace to congratulate Escalona, but was discourteously treated by the viceroy. The ill-will of the latter increased when his request to the visitador to pardon a certain prisoner was denied, and the bishop in some skilful manner contrived to secure the people's sympathy for his conduct. The duke retaliated, vexing the bishop by petty annoyances and a lack of courtesy; he persecuted his friends, and forbade him to interfere with the despatch of the Philippine vessels, a matter which belonged to the jurisdiction of the visitador. Toward the end of 1641 Palafox was desirous of returning to his diocese, but was provoked by the sneering remarks of the duke26 to remain, only to experience new offence in the following year, when the corregidor of Vera Cruz imprisoned a Carmelite friar on whose person were found letters which caused him to be suspected of being an emissary of the bishop, and the latter's efforts in his behalf seemed to confirm it. Having failed to obtain from the viceroy the punishment of the corregidor, and the residencia of Cadereita being concluded, in February 1642 the bishop retired to Puebla to attend to his duties, and to await the result of his reports to the king, whom as a loyal subject and in duty bound he had informed of the suspicious behavior of the duke. His patience was not put to a severe test. The king had always been aware of the viceroy's intimate relation with the Portuguese rebel, who had wrested 26 Escalona said publicly he had ordered the bishop to return to Puebla. |