Mexico, Captain Diego Obregon was despatched to Puebla to maintain order, accompanied by the jueces conservadores, and soon after the Jesuit provincial, Pedro de Velasco, arrived. They were received with ringing of bells and demonstrations of joy on the part of the people, who were somewhat disgusted with the conduct of Palafox. The Jesuits had now the victory, and knew how to use it. Only two of the appointed provisors were there, and it was not very difficult to oblige them to resign, and to appease the faint protests of the other members of the chapter.[1]
The see of Puebla was declared vacant and its control assumed by the cabildo, the members of which submitted, or at least a majority of them, to the judges. The decrees of excommunication published by the bishop were removed,[2] and the Jesuits again placed in possession of their former functions, the farce of an examination of their licenses having previously taken place.[3] All the former prohibitions and excommunications pronounced by Palafox were revoked and the inhabitants of Puebla admonished to visit the churches of the Jesuits. Having thus complied with their mission and, as they regarded it, restored peace in the turbulent diocese, the judges returned to Mexico.
Soon after these incidents news arrived that Salvatierra had been promoted to the viceroyalty of Peru and would be succeeded in New Spain by the bishop of Yucatan, Márcos de Torres y Rueda. Supposing that the new viceroy would favor his cause, Palafox left his place of retirement, and in November 1647 returned to Puebla, where he found a cédula remov-
- ↑ Alegre attempts to prove that no forcible means were used to that effect. Hist. Comp. Jesus, ii. 312.
- ↑ The dean of the cathedral, Juan de Vega, removed with his own hand from the church doors the censures issued by Palafox, which he himself had approved. Vega and another prebendary had been most diligent in declaring the see as vacant, owing to a bribe received from the Jesuits, as was proved in later years. Guijo, Diario, in Doc. Hist. Mex., 1st ser. i. 91.
- ↑ An edict of the chapter dated July 19th declared the bulls and privileges of the society to be sufficient to prove their rights and that they were in accordance with the instructions of the tridentine council. Alegre, ii. 311-17.
