of the
government during the administration of D. Severino de Manzaneda y
Salines. This new governor entered upon the functions of his office on
the thirtieth of October, 1689, and remained until the second of
October, 1695. According to the decision which the court rendered after
endless discussion the inhabitants of El Cayo were to move to Santa
Clara. From the oldest Alcaldes and Magistrates of both towns two men
were chosen with orders to superintend the removal: the Cabilde Captain
Luis Perez de Morales and Ensign Gaspar Rodriguez. They proceeded to el
Cayo and issued a proclamation which ordered the residents to move
within a fortnight. When the term expired, and the order had not been
complied with, they went to the church, accompanied by forty men armed
with machetes, lances, battle-axes and guns, and began to harangue the
people. When this had no immediate visible effect, they started to
destroy house upon house, applying either the torch or the sword. They
spared only the church and the residence of the prefect of the new town.

After committing these unwarranted ruthless outrages they forbade any
one under severe penalty to attempt to rebuilt his house; nor was any
one allowed to admit a homeless neighbor to his hacienda or offer him a
roof. Exposed to the inclemency of the weather, left without shelter or
provisions, the temper of the inhabitants was roused, but they were too
bewildered by the cruel injustice to see their way to demand redress of
their wrongs. A man from the pueblo San Jacinto de Royas, deeply
resenting the heinous crime, resolved not to remain passive. He made his
way to the bishop and the governor, gave them a vivid account of what
had occurred, and lodged a complaint in the name of the poor victims.
Both Bishop Compostela and Governor Manzanedas readily yielded to his
arguments, but it does not appear from the records of the time that the
men who had so flagrantly abused their power were punished. The
governor, probably from fear of stirring up dissatisfaction with his
administration and ultimately losing his position, contented himself by
adjusting the differences between the two parties. He ordered the people
of both towns to live together until the king had handed down his
decision. When His Majesty finally approved of the action taken, the
feelings of both parties were pacified and the new town thus founded
became known as Villa Clara.

During the administration of Governor Manzaned