Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/100



order to guard somewhat against the recurrence of such happenings as the Gelves outbreak, greater precautions were observed by the home government, as we have seen, in selecting the heads for political and ecclesiastical affairs; additional instructions were issued to guide them in their relation to others, and a certain limitation of power was for a time at least imposed; the king for instance taking upon himself to appoint the commandants and magistrates of leading ports, strongholds, and towns, who had hitherto been commissioned by the viceroy. Cerralvo retained for some time the enlisted troops and erected suitable barracks, while the enrolment list of volunteers was preserved for cases of need.

These volunteers really constituted a part of the general system of militia, formed already by Cortés, in connection with encomiendas, and extended over

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