on and heir, Don Balthassar
Carlos, the prince of Espana. First entered the royal Audiencia, in
company with their official, as grave in the pomp of their mourning as
adequate in the demonstrations of their grief. Don Antonio de Castro,
senior auditor and auditor-elect of Mexico, spoke in the name of all,
expressing in brief and impressive sentences the universal grief of
all the community and the special grief of that royal Audiencia. His
Lordship listened to him attentively, and answered him gravely and
concisely, with words suitable to the subject, thanking him in the
name of his Majesty for the demonstrations of grief which servants
so loyal were making on an occasion so consecrated to sorrow. Having
finished their oration, the royal Audiencia gave place successively
to the ecclesiastical cabildo, the secular cabildo, the tribunal of
the royal official judges, the superiors of the orders, the colleges,
and the bureau of the Santa Misericordia--each one taking its proper
place as regards precedence. All of them observed the courtesies
and punctilious forms due to the decorum and seriousness of that
function. After these had signified by the gravity of their words,
and by the seriousness and sadness of their countenances, the heavy
weight of the sorrow which oppressed their hearts for a loss so worthy
of immortal lament, and after his Lordship had answered with equally
apposite speech what good judgment dictated and sorrow forced out,
that act of mourning came to an end. It was no less dignified than
refined; and no accompaniment or ceremony was lacking in the decorum
of that action--the daughter of the affection with which so faithful
vassals serve their king and sovereign.

That parade was followed by another of no less gravity, namely the
accompaniment of the royal crown to the chapel of the royal camp for
the solemnity of vespers and the funeral oration which was prepared
[for this occasion]. For that purpose, after the condolences the
members of the royal Audiencia returned to the hall of the royal
assembly, where the august crown reposed with all authority and
propriety, signifying, in the somber mourning with which it was
covered, a sorrowing majesty and a monarchy grief-stricken at
beholding itself without the head from whose glorious temples it
had fallen--Cecidit corona capitis nostri. [3] His Lordship handed
the crown to General Don Pedro Mendiola y Carmona, entrusting to his
hands the honor of so great a