688 / 1070
Royal
Commentaries.
BooK
111.
CH A P. XXII.
Perfons are appointed to petition againfl t/,e New Lar,s;
1
the [ame are puhlic/Jy proclaimed.
Of the Trouble and
Mutiny which was caufed thereoy
;
and how
it
1Pas
ap–
peafed.
And how matters flourifhed in
aU
the Empire
of
Mexico
hy
the prudence and good condull of thi,s
v¡..:.
fitor or Super-lntendent.
'
·
B
U
'f
to recurn again to che courfe of our Hiílory from whence we are di–
greíled ; we are here to declare , chac che nexc day afcer che arrival of chis
Vificór , there was a general muciny and diícontent in ali che Cicy of
Mexico
;
faying , Thac chis new Gueíl was come to puc che new Laws in execution , and
every one deícanted on matters according ro his own humour and fancy, fo thac
there were feveral publick Cabals and Confulcacions held in what manner ro over–
throw, and prevent chis general agrievance, che refult of which was with general
confent , that they íhould petition againíl: thefe Ordinances , and lay before che
V.ificor cheir Objeétions againfl: chem ;
to
confider and perfeét which che Corpo–
r~tion of che Ciry and Oflícers of his Majeíl:ies Exchequer ípent chat whole nighc
and che Sunday following; and upon Munday rnorning, fo foon as it was light,
diey
convened cogether, namely, che chief of che Cabal with rheir Clerk wno atten–
cfed wich a rnulcirude of People, went to che Monaílery of
St,
Domingo,
where
they delivered cheir Pecicion and Reafons againfl: che new Regulations : and
though rhe Monafl:ery was very ípatious , yet che Croud of People was fo great,
thar che place was not capable
to
comain chem. And chough che Vifüor was
fomeching fearfull and apprehenfive of che rudenets and infolence of the.rabble, yec
he puc a good face upon che matter , and wich rnuch franknefs declared unto chem
the Reafons ofhis corning. Howfoever he gemly reproved them wirh fair words,
wondering chat befare he had opened his Commiffion, or declared che caufes and
rnatters upon which he was employed, chat they íliould
fo
eagerly offer their
Complaincs ¡¡gainíl: agrievances which never couched rhem . Wherefore he defi–
red rhern ro depare in peace with their rnulrirude, and out of them to depute two
or chree of cheir principal Officers
to
reprefent their Complainrs before hirn ;
and that they íliould return to him in che afrernoon , when he would crear vvith
rhem, and give AnCwers to cheir Demands: wirh chis Anfo
1
er rhey all retired, and
upon confulrarion rogerher, rhey appoimed che Arrurney General and two Jufüces
of che Peace , and che Clerk of the Cabal, named
Lope:t. de Lega/pi
,
to be rbeir
Depuries ; who accordingly ac two a dock in che afrernoon wenc ro che Mona–
fl:ery
to
offer their agrievances.
The Vificor to oucward appearance íeemed
to
receive rhem wirh much cheer–
fulnets; and .having admitted rhem incoan inward room, began íliarply co reprove
them for che Turnulc which chey bad raiíed in che morning, aggravariog their
Faqlr hy che daagerous coníequences which might have happened thereupon, to
ch~ diíhonour of God, and che breach of che publick Peace. Moreover he aífu–
red chem, rhat he came not co defüoy or prejudice the Coumrey, but to advance
and improve it
to
che ucmoíl: of his power: he likewiíe promifed
to
intercede
wirh bis Majefl:y on their behalf, and reprefem che Inconvenience of che rnoíl: ri–
gorous Sran,ues, and that unrill an Aníwer chereof were remrned, he would
íu-
lpend che execution of chern.
,
In fine, he
fo
managed his difcourfe, and fo overcame them wirh good words
and forcible Perfuafions , that w.ichour enforcing che parciculars on which chey
w(;'re depuced, they rerurned wirh
foil
fatisfaétion, and appea(ed che unquietnefs
and rage of che Tumulc ; and
fo
che Murinies of che People l;,eing abaced for che
[pace