Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/527

Vetancurt, also a Franciscan who covered the same field, though in a less diffuse manner, and carried his observations onward. He wrote under orders as chronicler of the central Franciscan provincia Santo Evangelio, a position assigned to him for his high attainments, his eloquence as a preacher, and his association with Mexico as a curate for 40 years of the ancient Indian parish of St Joseph. He was born in that city in 1620, and claimed descent from the famous Frenchman, Juan de Bethencourt, conqueror and so-called king of the Canaries, whose 'posteridad se estableció en España.' Moreri, ii. 271. On p. 38 of his Trat. Mex., he mentions his relationship to Vetancurt, the founder of the Bethlehemite order in New Spain. After joining the Franciscans at Puebla he rose to become member of the provincial chapter and comisario general of the Indies, dying in 1700, after 60 years of zealous labors, not the least of which were in connection with his numerous works. The earliest of these according to his own list is Arte de Lengua Mexicana, Mex. 1673, one worthy of the pen of so profound an Aztec scholar. There are several manuals, sermons, lives of martyrs and apostles, and theologic treatises, enumerated in his Menologio, 144, and in Pinelo, Epitome, ii. 732, 761, 797, 854, 860, etc., most of which were published, some in several editions; but the leading work is undoubtedly Teatro Alexicano, Descripcion Breve de los Svcessos Exemplare-, Historicos. Politicos, Militares, y Religiosos, Mex. 1697-98, in four parts and two volumes folio. The Teatro proper in the first volume contains the first three parts, Svcessos Naturales, relating to physicial geography and natural resources; Svcessos Politicos, to ancient history and rites, and Svcessos Militares to discovery of America and conquest of Mexico. The fourth part forms a distinct section, published in 1697 as Chronica de la Provincia del Santo Evangelio de Mexico, and gives the history of the Franciscans in New Spain, notably of the mother provincia, interspersed with much matter on military expeditions, founding of towns, and so forth. To this is appended Menologio Franciscano, a series of biographies of prominent members of the order, monks and nuns, prelates, officers, and writers, a few in list form, but mostly arranged in the chronologic order indicated by the title, under the date of their death. A smaller appendix of 56 pages, Tratado de la Ciudad de Mexico, gives an acceptable account of the civil, political, and religious institutions of the city, with brief biographies of its noted men, and outlines of the rule of each viceroy and archbishop. The last 7 pages relate in a similar manner to Puebla. A reprint of the Teatro, Chronica, and Menologio was issued at Mexico 1870-1, as volumes vii.-x. of Biblioteca Iberia, in modern orthography and with a brief notice of the author. His name appears in different form; he himself signs Vetancurt in Prov. Sto Evang., pt. i. 71.

He gives quite a respectable list of authorities, printed and in manuscript, as the sources for the Teatro, but it is only too apparent that he has copied or condensed Torquemada's versions for a great part of it. 'Le epitoma. . . Betancur, en su Menologia,' observes Pinelo, Epitome, ii. 761. Clavigero also criticises him for this, while acknowledging that he 'scrisse sulle memorie d'Alba' and others. Storia Aless., iii. 75. It must also be confessed that he inclines to hasty assumption of facts, without duly weighing probabilities, or caring for accuracy; 'con muy muchas inconsecuencias,' as a writer expresses it in Papeles Franciscanos, MS., i. pt. i. 24. On the other hand he