Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/411

Rh that ruler's death, the audiencia held a meeting to ascertain on whom the government should devolve, and there being no pliego de providencia, or mortaja, it became ex officio the governor and captain-general of the kingdom of New Spain. This fact was duly announced, and the regente, Vicente de Herrera y Rivero, formally took possession of the baton, and presented himself with it in public. There is no record that during the rule of that body of about eight and a half months it did anything worthy of notice, save that under apprehensions of certain designs of the British on the port of Trujillo it adopted precautions to defeat them.

The succeeding and forty-ninth viceroy was Bernardo de Galvez, Madrid, Cabrera, Ramirez, y Marquez, conde de Galvez, a pensioned knight of the royal order of Cárlos III., commander of Bolaños in the order of Calatrava, and a lieutenent-general of the king's armies. The conde de Galvez, a son of his predecessor in office, was now about thirty-seven years of age, of noble mien, gentlemanly deportment, frank and affable. He possessed, in short, the requisite qualifications to make him popular with all classes. The reputation had preceded him that in every act of his government elsewhere he had shown mildness, united with a just and enlightened spirit; and his course in Mexico confirmed repute. His young wife,