Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/85

Rh degrees. All the provinces were notified and ordered to obey the new rulers. The demand for maintaining order appeared to call for a standing force, and since this would strengthen their position, they hastened to mass arms and enroll men, and formed several companies, including a corps of cavalry from among the encomenderos under Captain Legaspi. Contador Juan de Cervantes Casaus was created maestre de campo. Three companies of one hundred men each were regularly assigned for guard duty, their pay being taken from the drainage fund.

A number of these were detailed to protect the government house and enforce the behests of the audiencia, and another body attended Gaviria as escort. He and his associates moved about with great pomp; banners were lowered as they passed, and besides carrying staffs and other insignia they adopted the broad frilled collar hitherto restricted to the higher nobles. The royal seal was brought from the palace to their hall, and the papers of the viceroy were seized, many of them being freely ventilated, notably his secret report on the character of the officials. It contained reflections far from flattering, and served to increase the animosity against him, and to encourage hostility. Indeed a number of his most excellent measures were annulled, wherever the oidores thought it for their interest to do so. The restriction on bearing arms was removed, persons exiled for crimes were recalled, prisoners released, and apostates restored to their orders. Further than this, many worthy officials had to yield their posts to adherents of the new party, and among them Pedro Velez de Guevara, governor of San Juan de Ulúa, who was replaced by Francisco Bravo de la Serna, a nephew of the archbishop. Pedro de la Gorreta, governor