Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/395

Rh commanded the prelates of America and the Philippines to attend such a council. The other, called the tomo regio, specified as many as twenty points to be considered. The partisans of the expelled Jesuits, among whom is the writer Cárlos M. Bustamante, would have the world believe that the ministers who had influenced the king to adopt that measure, now impressed upon his mind a conviction that the convocation of a provincial council, after the old fashion, was needed to eradicate the erroneous doctrines taught by the society of Jesus, which had taken deep root in America; that the king's flatterers represented morals in Mexico to be at a low ebb, owing to those teachings; and one of the orators at the council affirmed that the period was worthy of comparison with that of the conquest of America.

On the 13th of January, 1770, Archbishop Lorenzana laid the royal cédulas before his chapter, and on the 21st it was announced at high mass that the council would be inaugurated on the 13th of January proximo. Some differences between the archbishop and his chapter on matters of ceremonial occurred toward the end of 1770, and new discussions arose one week before the installation of the council. They were not, however, an obstacle to the swearing-in, on the 11th of January 1771, before the archbishop, of the theologians and canonists who had been chosen to act as advisers of the council.

The preliminary ceremonies took place, part in the church, and part in the chapter's hall, which was the room selected for the sittings. The viceroy made a short address; and after the tomo regio and the archbishop's decree had been read, he retired.