Page:Vol 2 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/724

704 city of Mexico an ecclesiastic college under the name of San Pedro y San Pablo, for which the viceroy had granted a site, and a number of persons subscribed the necessary funds to meet expenses and to support the scholars, of whom there were eight in the beginning. This institution soon became very flourishing, and was followed by the founding of others.

The society had a casa profesa, or house of novices, in the city of Mexico, which was built with borrowed money. In 1585 the house was free from debt, and in 1592 the viceroy granted permission for founding the profesa. Juan Luis Rivero and his wife built the church. Four members of the order were assigned to the institute on the day of its foundation. Hardly had the Jesuits begun work on the building, when the three mendicant orders instituted opposition, on the ground that the work would be injurious to them. The case went to the audiencia, who ordered the suspension of the work. The matter was referred to the council of the Indies, whose decision was against the Jesuits, who appealed to Rome. The case was finally