Majesty, and thus crowning the great
services which the latter had rendered to his king in the lofty posts
that he has occupied in these islands. This was the opening act of the
parade, which commenced at the palace, encircled the entire plaza of
arms under the galleries, and ended at the royal chapel--the theater,
as we have already remarked, destined for the magnificence of that
funeral celebration. That act was arranged by the care and foresight
of the royal assembly, and carried out by means of the managers with
so great brilliancy, gravity, and propriety that it corresponded in
all things with the majesty of the [dead] person. The orphan boys
of the college of San Juan de Letran--who number more than one
hundred and fifty, and are reared at the expense of his Majesty,
in charge of the fathers of St. Dominic--marched first of all, two
by two (the universal order that was observed in that act by all the
tribunals and communities) holding their candles of pure white wax,
which were distributed, that day and the following, with magnificence
and liberality by this illustrious city. The alguacils followed, and
then the ministers of justice, the attorneys, the judges' secretaries,
the notaries, public and royal, with their gowns and cloaks trailing
behind. Next to them came the confraternities with their pennants and
banners, and after these the parishes from the suburbs of this city,
with their crosses, and their curas clad in black cloaks. Next in the
line was the college of Santo Thomas, and following it that of San
Joseph, with their badges [becas] turned back at the collar as a sign
and token of grief. Then followed the bureau of the Santa Misericordia
(which is composed of the most noble persons of this city) all clad
in their black surtouts and hats, with heads covered, bearing their
small bells, and the standard with their insignia in front. The holy
families also marched: the brethren of St. John of God, the Recollects
of St. Augustine, the Society of Jesus, the hermits of St. Augustine,
the seraphic family of St. Francis, and that of the Preachers. These
were not so splendid by reason of the candles which they carried in
their hands as by the gravity and modesty of their manner, showing in
the seriousness and composure of their faces the religious sorrow and
pious grief that oppressed their hearts. The ecclesiastical cabildo
followed with their black choir-cloaks, with the skirts extended
and their heads covered;