ANNO DOM. 1684.
The Administration of Don Gabriel de Curuzalegui.
Don Gabriel de Curuzalegui took possession of his government the
24th of August, 1684, and by his judgment and prudence, put an end
to these disgraceful dissensions.
On the 27th of April, 1689, the Governor died, and was interred in
the church of St. Augustine. He was a quiet and inoffensive man,
and although he leaned too much to the side of the Archbishop in the
ecclesiastical disputes which had occurred for some years previous,
yet the court approved his conduct. On the 22d of December, the same
year, the Archbishop died. Senor Abella succeeded to the Government
ad interim, and during his Administration the Marquis of Villasierra,
Don Fernando Valenzuela, terminated a political life as remarkable
as any on record for the versatility of fortune which distinguished
it. This nobleman was known by the name of Sylph, because he took the
opportunity of one night entering the palace at Madrid, in a private
manner, and relating to the Queen mother what was passing at court,
by which means he gained her confidence, and became prime minister and
grandee of Spain. Don Juan of Austria having persuaded his natural
brother, Charles the Second, to send the Queen mother from Court,
he ordered her to retire to Toledo; and by this fall of the Queen,
Villasierra lost his popularity, was imprisoned, stripped of all his
honours, and banished to the Philippines, 1679, where he was imprisoned
in the fort of Cavite, and remained there till 1688, in which Don
Juan of Austria died, and the Queen was restored to the favour of
her son. On this occasion Villasierra was liberated; and after living
some little time on charity near Manila, he embarked for New Spain,
where (in Mexico) he died by the kick of a horse. Strange reverse of
fortune this man had suffered! From the highest station in the court of
Madrid, he was sunk to that of nearly absolute want. At Madrid he had
filled the highest dignities, and most important political situations:
he was banished to the Philippines, confined many years in a dungeon,
restored again to his rank, and died as above related.