Señor Cuesta, who did not wish to have an unavailing dispute, consulted the two universities upon the point, and they unanimously gave it as their opinion, that Señor Torralba could neither give due authority to royal orders, nor could the archbishop direct the royal jurisdiction, even if duly authenticated, to be exercised within the church. He forwarded to the Governor these opinions, with a view to justify himself in declining obedience to the order which had been issued by Señor Torralba. This reply was forwarded by the Governor to the Royal Audience, and it occasioned the issue of another order still more severe, in which the archbishop was treated with little ceremony, and threatened to be compelled, by force, to obey, and no longer shelter himself behind a consultation with the two universities. The archbishop, convinced that Señor Torralba was the principal instigator of these unhappy disputes, with less prudence than the circumstances of the times required, issued a process against this violator of ecclesiastical sanctuary, and excommunicated him. This was the grand error he committed, and from which melancholy consequences resulted; for having sent two of the clergy to intimate to him the sentence of excommunication, Torralba, on observing them approach, went to meet them, and snatched from them the paper containing it. Immediately afterwards appeared a publication from him, accusing the clergy of an intention to take away his life, and suborned witnesses: having, on examination, confirmed this charge, the Governor was induced to commit to prison the Archbishop, and several of the clergy and religious orders, with such other persons as had taken refuge in the churches. Before, however, this order was put in force, a proclamation was issued, requiring all the inhabitants in the vicinity to assemble in the office of the royal auditor, in aid of the civil power; and that on the signal of the discharge of a cannon, with ball, they should all repair to the palace. When the time arrived to put the scheme in execution, the artillery was levelled against the city, and the gates leading into the square, and the fort of Santiago being secured, and ammunition distributed to the guards appointed there, the signal gun agreed on was fired, and all in the vicinity repairing to the palace, they were detained there.