Page:Vol 2 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/722

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702

RELIGIOUS ORDERS.

during their stay. Father Bazan^[1] died the 28th of October.

Alonso de Villaseca, already alluded to, sent Father Sanchez one hundred pesos, which was the first alms received by him in coin, and tendered his society the gift of certain lots of land near his residence, on which were several adobe buildings covered with straw. After some hesitation the father accepted the offer, and on the same night with all his companions he quietly moved from the hospital into the lowly quarters. Here they erected a humble altar.^[2]

They were soon visited by all classes. The regidor Luis Castilla presented them with a set of fine ornaments, a silver chalice, and cruses. Others followed his example, and before long the humble church was provided with every thing needed for its services, and presented a very neat appearance. Such were the beginnings in Mexico of the society of Jesus, which in after years played so conspicuous a part.^[3] Their church in Mexico was contiguous to the ground subsequently occupied by the college of San Gregorio.

↑ He was of the illustrious house of the marqués de Santa Cruz, the commander of the Spanish fleet at the famous battle of Lepanto. In order to be accepted as a humble coadjutor, he had concealed his name and birth, calling himself Arana. At his death the provincial desired to have him buried as any other indigent dying in the hospital; but persons of rank and station and the people took the matter out of his hands, and buried Bazan near the high altar of the hospital church. Florencia, Hist. Prov. Jesvs, 108-11; Alaman, Disert., ii. 97-9.
↑ Villaseca was born in Spain of noble ancestors. It is unknown when he came to America; but in 1540 he was already wealthy, and the husband of a rich heiress, named Dona Francisca Moron. He was noted for his liberality to the poor, the church, and religious bodies, much of which became public only after his death; a man of few words, every one of which could be relied on. His death occurred at the mines of Ixmiquilpan, Sept. 8, 1580. During his last illness, the chief priests and others of the Jesuit order, whose great patron he had been, were constantly in attendance. His confessor was Father Bernardino de Acosta. In his last days he sent the society in bullion 24,000 pesos, of which 18,000 were for their building, and 6,000 to be distributed among the poor. He left the Jesuit college 8,300 pesos, and for other benevolent purposes 22,100. His gifts to the Jesuits exceeded 140,000 pesos. The remains, interred first with great pomp and honors in the church of San Gregorio, were transferred to that of the Colegio Máximo. Salazar, Méx. en 1554, 251-3; Alegre, Hist. Comp. Jesvs, i. 175-7.
↑ Viceroy Enriquez remarked on their first appearance, 'Muy bien se muestra, que son hijos de su Santo Padre, y Fundador Ignacio de Loyola.' Florencia, Hist. Prov. Jesvs, 102.

[1] He was of the illustrious house of the marqués de Santa Cruz, the commander of the Spanish fleet at the famous battle of Lepanto. In order to be accepted as a humble coadjutor, he had concealed his name and birth, calling himself Arana. At his death the provincial desired to have him buried as any other indigent dying in the hospital; but persons of rank and station and the people took the matter out of his hands, and buried Bazan near the high altar of the hospital church. Florencia, Hist. Prov. Jesvs, 108-11; Alaman, Disert., ii. 97-9.

[2] Villaseca was born in Spain of noble ancestors. It is unknown when he came to America; but in 1540 he was already wealthy, and the husband of a rich heiress, named Dona Francisca Moron. He was noted for his liberality to the poor, the church, and religious bodies, much of which became public only after his death; a man of few words, every one of which could be relied on. His death occurred at the mines of Ixmiquilpan, Sept. 8, 1580. During his last illness, the chief priests and others of the Jesuit order, whose great patron he had been, were constantly in attendance. His confessor was Father Bernardino de Acosta. In his last days he sent the society in bullion 24,000 pesos, of which 18,000 were for their building, and 6,000 to be distributed among the poor. He left the Jesuit college 8,300 pesos, and for other benevolent purposes 22,100. His gifts to the Jesuits exceeded 140,000 pesos. The remains, interred first with great pomp and honors in the church of San Gregorio, were transferred to that of the Colegio Máximo. Salazar, Méx. en 1554, 251-3; Alegre, Hist. Comp. Jesvs, i. 175-7.

[3] Viceroy Enriquez remarked on their first appearance, 'Muy bien se muestra, que son hijos de su Santo Padre, y Fundador Ignacio de Loyola.' Florencia, Hist. Prov. Jesvs, 102.

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