he arrived in the capital, but published a scathing dismissal on religious grounds of Sigüenza's scientific views on the comet of 1680. Sigüenza's publication was dedicated to the wife of the viceroy, the Marchioness of La Laguna. Kino's rejection of Sigüenza's views were dedicated to the viceroy himself. Kino had come to New Spain as a missionary. Like the previous expeditions, this one was unsuccessful. It lasted three years and cost 225,000 pesos. Capture of Veracruz On 17 May 1683 the pirate Lorencillo with 800 men attacked Veracruz. Insufficiently garrisoned, the port fell. The inhabitants were shut up in the churches while the pirates sacked the city. They held it from 17 May to 23 May 1683. When Spanish forces arrived at Veracruz to do battle, the pirates quickly took to the sea. They left with enormous quantities of merchandise and 1,500 hostages. The booty was subsequently estimated at 7 million pesos. After leaving Veracruz, the pirates went on to attack Campeche and Yucatán. El tapado On 22 May 1683, Antonio Benavides, marques de San Vicente disembarked at Veracruz. Better known subsequently as the impostor El Tapado, he claimed to be visitador general (royal inspector) and governor of New Spain appointed by Queen Regent Mariana of Austria. He was arrested at Cuetlaxcoapa (Puebla), accused of being one of Lorencillo's pirates. From there he was taken to Mexico City in chains. On 12 July 1684 he was conducted to the scaffold, but when he appeared there was an eclipse of the sun. Although the people viewed this as Heaven's displeasure at the execution of an innocent, he was executed anyway. Later life Viceroy's de la Cerda's term was extended three years by king Charles II. On 16 November 1686 he turned over authority to his successor, Melchor Portocarrero, 3rd Count of Monclova. The viceroy and his wife, María Luisa Manrique de Lara y Gonzaga, had a friendly relationship with the great Mexican poet Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. In 1689 in Spain he became a member of the Council of the Indies and a Grandee of Spain. Later he was majordomo to queen Mariana of Austria. He died on 22 April 1692 in Madrid. Additional information Sources References 1638 births 1692 deaths Viceroys of New Spain Tomas 03 Spanish colonial governors and administrators Tomas 03 Knights of the Order of Alcántara Grandees of Spain