ascending to heaven, shall this act of the first bishop of Mexico forever rise before our minds as dark and unwise. And those fires smouldered, now and then lighted afresh — ay, for centuries before church and laity began to realize what they were doing. How fared the results of Boturini's researches? how fared later the archives of Mexico and of the states to the south?[1]
Notwithstanding the grievous mistake he had committed, Zumárraga's fiery zeal could not fail to achieve also much real good. Quick to observe and of fluent speech, he succeeded in teaching, during the first years at least, a wholesome lesson to the mercenary and indolent of the clergy who formed his staff.[2] Among the settlers this address proved less effective, owing to the shock given to his influence by the audiencias. For the natives he ever appeared a champion, as must be expected from his position as missionary, bishop, and protector. His jurisdiction was rapidly extending with the formation of settlements in different. quarters, and the spread of conversion under the daily increasing band of friars,[3] who were penetrating southward into Oajaca and Guatemala, and north-westward into Michoacan and New Galicia.
- ↑ Even among sixteenth-century men, however, there were those who objected, though passively, tothe destruction at lease of the temple-buildings; and Torquemada, iii. 47-50, finds it necessary to come forth in defence of the deed. Vetancurt, Chron., 4, etc., speaks in a similar strain, The emperor wrote approval, as Gonzalez Dávila, Teatro Ecles., 1. 26, fails not to point out. Among modern writers there is but one opinion, of condemnation, although Zamacois, Hist. Mej., iv. 388-9, seeks to magnify the efforts of later missionaries to repair the injury by preserving what knowledge they could gather. Others chose to regard the loss as trifling, one writer in U. S. Cath. Mag., 1844, 142, taking this view on the ground that Aztec hieroglyphics were undecipherable!
- ↑ There was evident need for reform, as accusations were already made against friars and clergy during this first decade, and an imputation against their morality stands forth glaringly in royal cédulas for this period, wherein public mistresses of the representatives of the church and of married men are made subject to certain fines, and to banishment and lashes in extreme cases. Puga, Cedulario, 54-5. The term 'public mistresses' indicates that secret concubinage was not greatly condemned.
- ↑ In 1527 and the following years regular reénforcements of friars came, according to Vetancurt, Chron., 4, and other writers; yet Herrera states that before 1531 there were not over 100 in New Spain, of all orders combined. Beaumont, Crón. Mich., iii. 407. Friar Jacobo de Testera obtained permission to bring 120 Franciscans, who arrived after this date. Torquemada, iii. 261, 305, 310.
