Note 16 — Chapter XX

Payo Enriquez de Rivera was a native of Sevilla, and son of the Duke de Alcalá, viceroy of Naples. In 1628 he made profession in the Augustinian order, and after obtaining his degrees in theology and philosophy held various important offices in Spain. In 1657 he was presented to the see of Guatemala, and ten years later to that of Michoacan; soon afterward he was made archbishop of Mexico, which office he assumed in June 1668. The viceroyalty of Mexico becoming vacant by the death of Pedro Nuño Colon, Duke de Veraguas, a few days after taking possession of that government (December, 1673), he was immediately succeeded, by a royal order anticipating this event, by Fray Payo de Rivera, who ruled Nueva España for seven years. Rivera was distinguished by his ability as a ruler, not only in matters ecclesiastical, but in civil and military affairs—to all of which he attended with zeal and prudence; and he was beloved by the people. In July, 1681, he set out for Spain, where he had two important appointments from the government; but he declined these, and retired to the convent of Santa María del Risco. He died on April 8, 1684, honored in both life and death by the government and by his people. (Bancroft’s Mexico, iii, pp. 182–187.)