and deacon and treasurer of the cathedral of Mexico, he became in 1657 bishop of Oajaca, whence he was promoted to the see of the capital. He wore the mitre but for a short time, dying the following year.[1]
The twenty-fifth viceroy, Antonio Sebastian de Toledo, Molina y Salazar, marqués de Mancera,[2] arrived at Vera Cruz in July 1664, but his entrance into Mexico was delayed for several months, when, notwithstanding an order of the crown, it was made on the 15th of October with the usual ceremonies.[3] On the same day he took possession of the government.[4] His previous career had already given him an opportunity to exhibit his abilities, and he now showed that his election was fully justified.
Immediately after his arrival the drainage of Lake Zumpango was recommenced. The undertaking had been begun nearly a century before, but was still in a backward condition. Under Mancera a friar of the
- ↑ His appointment was chiefly caused by the valuable services rendered in suppressing the revolt of the Indians of Tehuantepec. Florencia, Hist. Prov. Comp. Jesus, 232, says erroneously that from his see of Oajaca he was promoted to that of Puebla. In August 1665 he fell sick, and on September 2d he died. Five days afterward his bulls arrived from Spain. His biography was written by Antonio Robles, the author of the Diario de sucesos notables, under the title Resguardo contra el olvido. . .de la vida. . .del Illmo Sr Dr D. Alonso de Cuevas Dávalos, Mexico, 1757, pp. xliv. 208, 38. It contains minute details of the bishop's life, and the miracles he wrought, but little historical material. The work is less bigoted than others of that character and epoch—the beginning of the eighteenth century. See also Vetancvrt, Trat. Mex., 25; Concilios Prov., 1555-65, 221, 308-9; Robles, Diario, i. 4-5, 12; Medina, Chrón. S. Diego, 240.
- ↑ Señor del Marmol y de las cinco Villas, tesorero general de la Orden de Alcántara, were his other titles according to Miravel y Casaderante, El gran Dicc., vii. 132. He was also comendador de Puerto-llano in the order of Calatrava and belonged to the council of war. Palafox, Estatutos Dedicaloria. Later Mancera was made a grandee of Spain. When he came to Mexico he had already a splendid record as an able official, having been embassador of the crown at Venice and in Germany.
- ↑ A cédula of July 1663 forbade public demonstrations or receptions to all new viceroys, for the reason that they entailed too much expense on the respective towns and villages. Ordenes de. la Corona, MS., i. 11. Rivera, Gobernantes, i. 214, asserts that no public reception took place, and that Mancera presented to the king the money appropriated by the city to cover the expenses. A contemporary, Guijo, gives, however, a minute description of the festivities held in honor of his arrival, and one which differs little, if at all, from those celebrated on similar occasions. Diario, 553-5.
- ↑ Lorenzana, Hist. N. Esp., 25, followed by Panes, Vireyes, MS., 103, erroneously places his succession to the government in the year 1665.
