hating another just man and good officer. Which it was Mendoza's policy to outwardly remain on a good footing with the visitador, aware of the great authority with which that official was clothed, he hurled bitter epithets against him in his letters to the court.[1] And being aware that the interests of the clergy were identical with his own, he took care to insure their support, knowing that against the two Tello could accomplish little. A representation to Prince Philip made in 1545 by Bishop Zumárraga and Father Domingo de Betanzos, then prior of the Dominican convent, in favor of the viceroy, certainly has all the appearance of having been dictated by Mendoza himself. There may have been fears of removal, as they took occasion to say that it would be a serious loss to the country. His services "to which are due the peace, security, and advancement, both spiritual and temporal, of the country," were not what they might have been had not his powers been curtailed.[2]
During the nine years of his government before the arrival of Tello, Mendoza had doubled the royal revenue, established justice and a stable government, and the progress of the country on every hand was marked. His appreciation of himself, however, seemed to have kept pace with progress.[3] While the procuradores of the encomenderos sojourned in Spain, the members of the audiencia and other royal officials
- ↑ Mendoza manifested his jealousy by complaining that Tello would virtually be governor of New Spain during the time he should take the residendencia of himself and the oidores. He was also embittered because of the disrespect shown him by the visitador after his arrival at Vera Cruz. Tello there made known that he had superior authority over the whole country, and being asked, 'What of the viceroy?' he answered: 'Ship him to Spain when I deem it proper.' Arriving in Mexico he published the viceroy's residencia twice throughout the land, as if he were the lowest corregidor or alcalde in the country. Mendoza, Carta, in Col. Doc. Inéd., xxvi. 326, and Id., in Pacheco and Cárdenas, Col. Doc., iii. 509.
- ↑ The natives looked upon him as a father, and all the people had felt painful anxiety during the serious illness from which he had lately recovered. Carta, in Pacheco and Cárdenas, Col. Doc., xiii. 5834-6. The Indians mentioned were certainly not of New Galicia!
- ↑ His letter of June 20, 1544, in Col. Doc. Inéd., xxvi. 325-7. He also reminds the emperor not to believe any reports against him, by his enemies, as he had been promised before coming out to New Spain.
