years, had been appointed archbishop in November 1666, but died in May of the following year.
A general feeling of satisfaction prevailed when the appointment of Rivera as viceroy became known, for the fame he had acquired in Guatemala, and during his pastoral labors in the capital, had justly won for him the good opinion of the people. It had been through his influence that the Bethlehemites, established in Guatemala since 1653,[1] and the first religious order created in America, were induced to extend their labors to Mexico. The congregation of San Francisco Javier, which had not been recognized by the king, were persuaded by the archbishop to cede their house to the new-comers. The latter to the number of four, Francisco de la Misericordia, Gabriel de Santa Cruz, Juan Gilbó, and Francisco del Rosario, the superior,[2] took possession of the building, and being aided by the viceroy, and the count of Santiago, were enabled ere long to open a hospital for convalescents, and subsequently also a church, the former on the 31st of May 1675, and the latter on March 25, 1677,[3] and gradually their labors extended more and more, the example given by the viceroy Rivera, in defraying the expenses, of the hospital for every first day of the month, having been followed by other donations from prominent citizens. Later, however,
- ↑ See Hist. Cent. Am., ii. 666-7, this series, for the establishment of the order in Guatemala.
- ↑ García, Hist. Beth., ii. 110, gives the first name, probably by misprint, as Francisco de la Miseria; Vetancurt speaks only of three brothers, mentioning one as Francisco de San Miguel, in which he is followed by Cabrera. Escudo de Armas, 429; Trat. Mex., 37. Orozco y Berra, Mem. Ciud. Mex., 133, says two brothers began the foundation at Mexico.
- ↑ Robles, Diario, i. 189, 232; Vetancvrt, Trat. Mex., 37; Cavo, Tres Siglos, ii. 55; Medina, Chrón. S. Diego, 12. Orozco y Berra, Mem. Ciud. Mex., 133, differs, assigning the dates as May 29, 1675, and February 12, 1677, respectively.
eulogy is bestowed on him for his untiring zeal during an epidemic, which in 1643 swept away a great part of the population of Michoacan. Gonzalez Dávila, Teatro, i. 130-4; Romero, in Soc. Mex. Geog., Boletin, la ép. viii. 543-4. Before and after the succession of Ramirez to the archbishopric, noisy disturbances had occurred between the members of the chapters, two parties having sprung up, both of which claimed a right to the most important offices. The dissensions lasted from 1665 to 1667 and excited considerable scandal in the city. Robles, Diario, i. 7-10, 39-47.
