| Résumé: | In 1767, an ex-Jesuit and an Italian adventurer met in the Episcopal jail in Puebla. The grievances of the former, a staunch critic of Bishop Francisco Fabián y Fuero, found a means of expression in the illusions of the latter, who pretended to be the Pope’s nephew. The result was a strange plan that took on a “seditious” character as it combined with the gossip surrounding the expulsion of the Jesuits. This article uses a variety of legal documents and secret investigations to reconstruct this history of lies, intrigue and the desire for critical expression, providing an opportunity to reflect on the dissent of the American clergy during a time in which royalty and censorship were being redefined.
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