Manuscript/Mixed Material Hans Peter Kraus Collection: Royal cedula to Antonio de Mendoza, Viceroy of New Spain
About this Item
Title
- Hans Peter Kraus Collection: Royal cedula to Antonio de Mendoza, Viceroy of New Spain
Created / Published
- Talavera, March 14, 1541
Headings
- - Latin America--History
- - New Spain--Politics and government
- - Catholic Church--Finance
- - Manuscripts
Genre
- Manuscripts
Notes
- - The Crown had been informed by Bishop Zumárraga that the Augustinian friars were building a very sumptuous church in the town of Ocuytuco, which had been granted to the bishop, and that the audiencia had taken from him a third of the tribute of the town to support the construction project. Before the church was completed, the friars had started construction of a friary, even though he had told them that they should not start the friary until after the completion of the church but rather should live in the house which had formerly belonged to the encomenderos and corregidor. After agreeing to the cut in his tribute, he had also given 100 pesos a year for the construction. But the friars, insisting on building their friary against his will, had overworked the Indians, harassing, whipping, and imprisoning them. When the Indians complained to him, he had their two prisons torn down and sent a secular pastor to the town. At this the friars deserted the church, taking the bell, vestments, locks, and even the orange trees and other plants to the town of Totolapa, two leagues away, where they had a friary. Then the bishop diverted nearly all of the tribute of the town to completing the church, with Indian and Spanish artisans.
Source Collection
- Hans Peter Kraus collection of Spanish American documents, 1433-1877
Repository
- Manuscript Division
Digital Id
Online Format
- image