nd attempt to usurp the dominion of South America, which, with
great industry and many foul arts, he propagated all over Europe. The
insurrection of the Paraguay Indians is usually called the first cause of
Pombal's hatred of the Jesuits. In his ambitious views of engrossing all
authority and power, he dreaded opposition from the king's brother, don
Pedro, who was greatly attached to the order. A dispensation had been
obtained from Rome to allow don Pedro to marry his niece, and Pombal, with
confidence of success, endeavoured to prevent the marriage. He strove to
inspire the king with jealousy of his brother, suggested various reasons
why the princess ought to be given to some foreign prince, and recommended
William duke of Cumberland in preference to all others. The king consulting
his confessor, F. Moreira, that {232} Jesuit prevailed upon his master to
reject the proposal. On that occasion, the marquis vowed vengeance, not
only against the prince and F. Moreira, but against the whole order of
Jesuits. Another grand cause of his rage against the society was but too
well known to the missionaries. The greatest obstacle to the success of
their missions among the Indians had always been the prevalence and
violence of the rich European settlers, and more frequently still of the
royal governors. They had often succeeded, by their credit at Madrid and
Lisbon, to protect the poor Indians from personal outrage and slavery, yet
it was always a difficult struggle. Pombal had made his brother, who was
called Xavier Mendoza, governor general of Maragnon, in the Brazils, and
never had the country before known a tyrant so despotic and outrageous. The
pious queen dowager, Mariana of Austria, greatly favoured the missions.
When any Jesuits sailed for Brazil, she regularly exhorted them to attend
seriously to the propagation of religion, and directed them to inform {233}
her exactly of whatever obstacles they might experience from the king's
officers, and the Portuguese settlers, promising redress for their injuries
and concealment of their names. In full confidence of her protection the
missionaries often preferred serious complaints against Xavier Mendoza, and
the wrongs of the poor Indians were frequently redressed. The minister's
anger at these accusations of his brother, of which he could not discover
the authors, almost drove him mad: but the queen dying, he contrived to get
possession of her private papers, and discovered the chann