luctant to recognize the authority of the new ruler, pretending that his papers were not in the customary form. The fact of his having been taken prisoner by the English during his voyage to New Spain created the belief that, as an officer of the royal navy, he had been obliged to promise not to take up arms against that nation during his administration, in order to secure his release. It was well known that while governor of the Mariana islands he had shown himself inimical to the audiencia of Manila, which matter came to the official knowledge of the oidores of Mexico. Hence they had reason to fear his authority, not being aware of the harmless character of the individual.[1] His interference with the right of the people to enjoy bull-fights by forbidding them from the very day of his reception, though humane and praiseworthy, increased his unpopularity. The ayuntamiento of Mexico claimed that in the festivities on this occasion they had expended a greater sum than the legal allowance for that purpose, and they must have the bull-fight customary on such occasions to cover the deficiency. Still, Marquina remained firm. "Such festivities," he tells the ayuntamiento, "contribute to the demoralization of the people, and ruin the heads of families by augmenting their expenses at a period when public misery is at its height." Then from his own means he paid seven thousand pesos to make good the difference. Nevertheless he was considered little better than a fool, for he was thought to lack ability to govern a great country,[2] and though kind of heart, his simplicity often exposed him to ridicule.[3]
- ↑ 'Se habia conducido con animosidad cuando fué Gobernador de Islas Marianas, y se tenia que obrase del mismo modo en México.' Cavo, Tres Siglos, iii. 192-3.
- ↑ This seems disproved however by the fact that subsequently Marquina was made viceroy of Buenos Aires, and then of Peru, where he obtained the title of marques de la Concordia.
- ↑ He was fond of writing his decrees himself. At one time, when on a certain measure the assessor supported one view and the fiscal another, he thought to reconcile the two extremes by ending his decree with the words: 'As the fiscal claims and the assessor-general thinks, although it does not seem so to me—Marquina.' During a trip to Vera Cruz the senior oidor in
