Page:Vol 2 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/692

672 were freely used, and several persons seriously injured. The clergymen and their defenders were defeated. The public excitement became great, and the viceroy had to exercise all his prudence.

But with regard to the sacraments, the secular clergy would not yet yield the point, and so steady a pressure was maintained, that on the 31st of March, 1583, the king issued an order commanding the friars to surrender. Archbishop Moya, to enforce the order and at the same time show proper respect for the orders, invited their prelates to meet him at his house, where he courteously reminded them of the king's benevolent intentions, and asked them to choose such houses as they would prefer for their conventual abodes; to which they answered that they wished first to hear further from the king and their superiors, and begged for time to ascertain the views of the other members of their orders. Their request was granted. On the 23d of October the three orders formally made known their purpose of appealing to the crown. The archbishop then resolved to suspend the execution of the royal cédula, except in urgent cases, till the king's pleasure was again learned on the subject. The audiencia did the same upon the petition of the three orders, who forthwith appointed proctors to present their case to the king. The result of their pleadings appeared in a royal decree of 1585, to the effect that friars acting as curates were to administer the sacraments to both Indians and Spaniards