Francisco Verdugo, long connected with the inquisition, and since 1623 bishop of Guamanga in Peru, was appointed his successor at Mexico, but died in August 1636, before the bulls reached him.[1] Meanwhile the archdiocese was administered by Doctor Fernandez de Ipenza, an intimate of Zúñiga, who probably assisted in procuring for him the bishopric of Yucatan; but death overtook Ipenza before consecration.[2] The next appointee to the prelacy of Mexico was a creole, Feliciano de la Vega, born at Lima and there educated. His great learning and brilliant talents procured prompt recognition, and he became successively governor of the Lima archdiocese and bishop of Popayan and of La Paz. The latter appointment was conferred in 1639 and in the same year came his promotion to Mexico. On arriving at Acapulco early in December 1640 he was seized with fever from which he died within a few days,[3] to the regret of the creole population at least, who were naturally eager to see installed as leading prelate one of their own class, though born in a distant land.
- ↑ At the age of 75, it seems, though Gonzalez Dávila says 80. He had been professor at Seville, inquisidor at Lima from 1601-23, and had repeatedly declined promotion to Spanish sees. Ho dispensed all his income in alms and died deeply regretted. Teatro Ecles., i. 62.
- ↑ The appointment was dated October 6, 1643.
- ↑ The body was afterward removed from Mazatlan to Mexico cathedral. He left a fortune of 800,000 pesos, but no will whereby to embalm his memory in charities, observes Gonzalez Dávila, yet he adds: 'Fue vno de los mas felizes ingenios que tuuo el Reyno de Pirú.' Teatro, i. 63-5. Of 4,000 decisions made by him as ruler of the Lima see none was revoked. The fortune above referred to gave rise to strange complications as will be seen.
Herewith I give broader references to some authorities consulted for the preceding chapters: Torquemada, i. 306-11, 572, 618-19, 671, 690-3, 726-68; iii. 269-77, 380-1; Calle, Mem. y Not., 43 et seq.; Dávila, Continuacion, MS., 120, passim; Alegre, Hist. Comp. Jesus, i. 36, 393-442; ii. 10-42, 115, 136, 178-9; Cepeda, Relacion, i. 4, passim; Gonzalez Dávila, Teatro Ecles., i. 2, 18, 42-61, 92-6, 122-31, 182-97, 206-39; Medina, Chrón. S. Diego, 11, 33-4, 44-9, 113-53, 234, 240; Cogollvdo, Hist. Yucathan, 232-9, 409, passim; Herrera, dec. i. lib. ix. cap. viii.; Tumultos de Mex., MS., 15 et seq.; Vetanevrt, Chron. San Evang., 13-23, 120-7; Id., Trat. Mex., 11-14, 30-9; Grambila, Tumultos, MS., 1-19; Burgoa, Geog. Descrip. Oajaca, ii. 305-6, 340-2; Id., Palestra Hist., 139-48, 193-200; Fernandez, Hist. Ecles., 35-6, 56, 116; Carriedo, Estudios Hist., 114; Vazquez, Chron. de Gvat, 255; Certificacion de las Mercedes, MS., 124; Col. Doc. Inéd., xxi. 447-60; Concilios Prov., MS., 1555 y 65, 216-17; Ordenes, de la Corona, MS., ii. 145-89; vii. 1-7; Remesal,
