Read Ebook: The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo Vol 2 (of 2) Written by Himself Containing a True and Full Account of the Discovery and Conquest of Mexico and New Spain. by D Az Del Castillo Bernal Lockhart John Ingram Translator

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The factor and the veedor, in the end, gained the upper hand, and cast their two opponents, with several of their adherents, into prison. But the opposite party was not put down by this, and not a day passed without a conflict between the two, while the inhabitants became continually more embittered against the new governors, who distributed the Indians among their creatures and other worthless fellows. Nor was it long before the triumphant party fell out among themselves. The licentiate Zuazo was obstructed, in every way, in the exercise of his office, and Rodrigo de Paz was even thrown into prison for siding with him. The latter had done all in his power to bring about a reconciliation between the four claimants to the governorship, in which he had fortunately succeeded; but this harmony was of no longer duration than eight days, when hostilities again burst out between them.

About this time, also, the provinces of the Zapotecs and Minxes, besides the extensive and well-fortified township of Coatlan, again revolted, and the veedor Chirinos marched against them in person, at the head of some Spanish soldiers, all of whom had but recently arrived from Spain, and were, consequently, little accustomed to Indian warfare. This campaign put the royal treasury to vast expense, although nothing but debauchery and gambling went on in the camp; while the veedor put the money into his own pocket which he ought to have given the Indians, in exchange for their provisions. The inhabitants of Coatlan, finding the Spaniards little upon their guard, fell suddenly upon their encampment one night, killed a number of the men, and wounded a great many more. The factor, upon this, despatched one of Cortes' officers, Andreas de Monjaraz, who was a close adherent of his, to the assistance of his associate in office; but Monjaraz's aid was of very little use, as he was suffering severely from virulent swellings in his groins, so that he was scarcely able to move about. The Indians were each time victorious, and it was greatly feared the Mexicans themselves would rise up in arms. Notwithstanding all these unfavorable circumstances, the factor was very diligent in accomplishing his main object, which was, to forward his majesty, and the comendador-mayor of Leon, Don Francisco de las Cobas, as much gold as he could possibly scrape together, to gain their good wishes, particularly as about that time the rumour was fast spreading that Cortes and the whole of us had been cut off by the Indians in a township called Xicalango.

During these troubles, Diego de Ordas, whom Cortes had despatched to Spain, returned to Mexico, and had been, as I have above related, highly honoured by his majesty. When he saw the party-spirit which was raging, and that a total anarchy must soon follow, he united himself closely to the factor, and declared that he would repair in person to the coast of Honduras, to gain some certain information with regard to the fate of Cortes. He actually fitted out a large vessel and a brigantine, and sailed along the coast until he arrived at Xicalango, where, as I have mentioned in a former chapter, Simon de Cuenca and Francisco de Medina perished, with all their men. The accounts which Ordas could gather here went to confirm all that had been rumoured respecting our total destruction. He therefore returned to New Spain, and wrote word to the factor, without going on shore, that there was now no doubt of Cortes having perished, with all who accompanied him on the expedition. After despatching this letter to Mexico, he immediately set sail for Cuba, in order to purchase cows and horses there.

The factor, on receiving this intelligence from de Ordas, made it known to every one, and subsequently the whole of Cortes' old soldiers and friends put on mourning, and even a tomb was erected to his memory in the chief church of Mexico. The factor then, under sound of trumpet and drum, had himself proclaimed governor and captain-general of New Spain. His next step was, to order the wives of those who were supposed to have perished with Cortes to pray for their late husbands' souls, and to form new marriages, all of which was likewise made known in Guacasualco and other townships. He even went so far as to order the wife of a certain Alonso Valiente to be publicly scourged for a witch through the streets of Mexico, for having declared her determination not to marry again, as she was sure that Cortes and the whole of us were still alive, and that we should shortly make our appearance, for we, the veteran Conquistadores, said she, were a very different kind of soldiers to those who marched out under the veedor to Coatlan, against whom the Indians made war, not they against the Indians. The veedor was soon surrounded by a vile set of flatterers, who supported him in all his measures; and one Spaniard, whom we had always considered to be a man of honour, but whose name I will refrain from mentioning, had the shamelessness to assure the factor, in presence of several persons, that as he was one night passing over the Tlatelulco, near the church of Santiago, where the great temple of Huitzilopochtli once stood, he had seen the souls of Cortes, Do?a Marina, and Sandoval burning in livid flames in a courtyard near this church. This had frightened him to such a degree, he added, that he fell ill in consequence.

There was also another Spaniard, whose name I will suppress, because we had always greatly esteemed him, who related a similar circumstance, telling the factor that evil spirits were seen flitting up and down the great squares of Tezcuco, which the Indians said, were the departed souls of Cortes and Do?a Marina. But all these were of course infamous lies, merely invented to flatter the factor, or most likely he had promulgated them himself.

About this time Francisco de las Casas and Gil Gonsalez de Avila arrived in Mexico, the officers who, we saw in a former chapter, ordered Christobal de Oli to be decapitated at Naco. Las Casas, seeing the disordered state of the government, and that the factor had proclaimed himself governor of New Spain, publicly declared that the conduct which had been pursued was bad, and that nothing of all this ought to have been permitted, as Cortes was still alive. But even if he had perished, which God forbid, the government ought to have devolved upon a person of higher rank than the factor, a cavalier of distinction and merit; for instance, on Pedro de Alvarado, whom, he maintained, ought to be called to take the government into his hands. The latter's brother, indeed, and even the treasurer, besides several other of the inhabitants of Mexico, actually wrote to that officer, requesting him to march, without delay, to this town, at the head of as large a body of troops as he could possibly get together, and they would assist him in getting him proclaimed governor, until some certainty was obtained respecting the fate of Cortes, and his majesty's pleasure was known as to whom his successor should be. In consequence of this letter, Alvarado set out on his march to Mexico, but on the road he changed his mind and returned to his province, when he heard that the factor threatened to put him to death, and had already hung Rodrigo de Paz, and cast the licentiate Zuazo into prison.

The factor had, shortly beforehand, scraped together as much gold as he possibly could, which he intended forwarding, with secret despatches, to his majesty in Spain, through his most confidential friend, a certain Pennas. This was opposed by Las Casas, the licentiate Zuazo, Rodrigo de Paz, the treasurer, and the accountant, who maintained that it was wrong to announce Cortes' death to his majesty before they had gained some certainty as to his fate; but they had no objection to forward the emperor all the gold arising from the royal fifths; only this should be done in common, and with the consent of the treasurer and of the accountant, and not in the factor's name alone. As this gold was put on board a vessel which was about to set sail for Spain, Las Casas, by authority of the alcalde-mayor Zuazo, and in understanding with Rodrigo de Paz and the other crown officers, repaired to the sea coast, in order to detain the vessel until they should all have drawn up a faithful account of the state of affairs in New Spain, and to despatch it to his majesty by this same opportunity. As it was of the first importance to the factor to prevent this if he wished to further his own ends, he ordered Las Casas and the licentiate Zuazo to be imprisoned. He then instituted a criminal suit against Las Casas and Gonsalez de Avila for the execution of Christobal de Oli, when both were found guilty, and sentenced to decapitation, which was very nigh being put into execution; but they succeeded, by the utmost of their exertions, in obtaining an appeal to his majesty. The factor, consequently, sent them prisoners to Spain, and, to rid himself of Zuazo, he sent him on a mule to Vera Cruz, where he ordered him to be put on board a vessel bound for Cuba, which the factor maintained was his proper place of abode, as he had previously filled the office of judge in that island. But the unfortunate Rodrigo de Paz fared worse than all; him he cast into irons, and wished to extort from him where Cortes' gold and silver lay hid, which he must know, as he was the latter's major-domo. This treasure, he said, he was desirous of forwarding to his majesty, whom Cortes had secretly robbed of it; but as Rodrigo de Paz declared he knew nothing of any such treasure, the factor put him to the torture by pouring boiling oil over the soles of his feet; and after he had exhausted his strength by this, as well as by keeping him in close confinement, he at length hung him for a rebel, in order to put it out of his power of ever bringing any accusations against him for so much ill-treatment. The factor at the same time issued orders for the apprehension of the greater part of the soldiers and inhabitants of Mexico who had remained true to Cortes. These persons, seeing the storm that was brooding over them, retired with Jorge de Alvarado and Andreas de Tapia into the cloister of the Franciscans, as their party was too weak to bid defiance to the factor, and most of the veteran Conquistadores were with Cortes in the Honduras, and a great number had closely allied themselves to the factor, who had gained them over to his side by bestowing lucrative commendaries on them. But as the factor still feared the inhabitants of Mexico might each moment rise up in arms against him, and a desperate conflict ensue, he ordered all the arms to be taken out of the arsenal, and had them brought into his palace, in front of which he mounted all the cannon of the fortress, and those which served for the protection of the harbour. The chief command of this park of artillery he gave to Don Luis de Guzman, a relative of the duke of Medina Sidonia. In the same way he formed a body guard, in which were found the names of Gines Nortes, Pedro Gonsalez Sabiote, and others of Cortes' soldiers. A certain Artiaga he appointed captain of this guard.

Zuazo advised our general to use the utmost circumspection, in case he should repair in person to New Spain, as other things had happened even of a worse nature; for instance, the factor had written to acquaint his majesty that a stamp had been found in Cortes' bureau, with which he was accustomed to mark the gold that was secretly brought to him by the Indians, thereby to avoid paying the royal fifth.

In order that Cortes might form some notion as to how matters stood in Mexico, he would give him the following instance: One of the Spanish inhabitants of Guacasualco had come to Mexico, to apply for some property, which had become vacant by the death of one of the settlers there. In Mexico he happened to lodge with a Spanish woman, who had married a second time, on the supposition that her former husband had perished with Cortes; he reproached her for having married again, and assured her that Cortes and the whole of us were still alive. All this was reported to the factor, who instantly despatched four alguacils to bind him hand and foot, in which way he was dragged to prison. He would even have hung him for creating sedition, but the poor fellow, whose name was Gonsalo Hernandez, swore that he had only said it to console the woman, for she still bitterly mourned the loss of her husband. He further said, that he was quite sure we were all cut off to a man by the Indians, for he had received positive information of it. This confession of Hernandez made all right again; he obtained the property for which he had petitioned, but was ordered to quit Mexico forthwith, and assured that, if he ever again mentioned a word about Cortes being alive, he would, undoubtedly, be put to death.

Zuazo also communicated the mournful death of the excellent father Olmedo, who died shortly after Cortes' departure from Mexico; the whole of the inhabitants of which city had shed tears for the loss of this holy man. He was buried in the church of Santiago, and the Indians fasted from the day of his decease up to the moment of his funeral. The Franciscan monks held a beautiful funeral oration over his body, in which they enumerated all his great virtues, and said that the emperor was as much indebted to him as to us, the veteran Conquistadores, for the conquest of New Spain; but the still greater praise was due to him for giving the Indians a knowledge of God, and for having opened to them the gates of heaven. They knew, these Franciscans said, that he alone had baptized above 2500 Indians; that the good he had done by his advice and kindness was endless; and that he had been a father to the poor. In short, concluded Zuazo, all is lost in Mexico; and thus matters stood, when I was thrown on the back of a mule, and sent in chains to the place whence I date my letter.

When Cortes had finished reading this letter to us, our grief and vexation were without bounds; nor did we spare our abuse of him who, in addition to the many hardships and fatigues we suffered, had also brought this calamity upon us. We vented a thousand curses upon Cortes, as well as upon the factor, and every one expressed his sentiments aloud, without any reserve. But Cortes himself could not refrain from shedding tears. He again shut himself up for half a day with the letter, and would not allow any one to come near him. When he made his reappearance, we unanimously proposed to him immediately to embark with the three vessels which lay in the harbour for New Spain. To this he replied, in the most affectionate manner, as follows: "O! my sons and companions, with so worthless a character as the factor a person must be particularly on his guard. This man has at present the government in his own hands, and is villain enough, if he should get us into his power, to put us all to death. Wherefore I intend, with God's assistance, to embark with no more than four or five of you gentlemen, and to land in some harbour where my arrival will not be immediately known in Mexico; not, until we are enabled to march with a considerable force into this metropolis: besides which, Sandoval is with too small a body of troops in Naco for you all to leave him; wherefore you, Luis Marin, must again join him with your small detachment, and desire him to commence his march as speedily as possible through the province of Guatimala to Mexico."

Our general then wrote to the captain Francisco Hernandez, who was staying at Nicaragua, offering to promote his interests to the utmost of his power, and sent him two mules laden with horseshoes, of which he knew he was in great want; a quantity of agricultural implements, several splendid articles of dress, and four pieces of beautiful plate, besides several golden ornaments. With these things a certain Cabrera, one of the five men of Garro's troops, who had accompanied us to Truxillo, was despatched to the camp of Hernandez. This Cabrera was a hidalgo by birth, and a native of Old Castile, an officer of great courage and muscular power, who subsequently gained so much renown as captain under Benalcazar. He became quartermaster-general of Blasco Nu?ez Vela, and fell in the same battle with the viceroy.

When I found that Cortes was determined to proceed to New Spain by water, I earnestly begged he would allow me to accompany him, and desired him to remember that, in all the dangers he had undergone, and in the battles he had fought, I never had flinched from his side; how faithfully I had always cooperated with him to accomplish his objects; and that now he had an opportunity of showing me he valued the services I had rendered to him. When I had done speaking, Cortes gave me a hearty embrace, and said, "If I take you along with me, my son, who will be with Sandoval? I therefore beg of you to remain with your friend, and I swear to you by my beard that I will reward you for it, and believe me I shall never forget the services you have rendered me." In short, all I might say was to no purpose; he would not allow me to accompany him.

While we were still lying in Truxillo, a cavalier, named Rodrigo Mannueca, wished by some means or other to enliven Cortes, who was exceedingly downcast, and certainly required something to rouse his spirits; for which purpose he, with several other cavaliers, clambered suddenly, in full armour, to the top of a house, which the Indians had recently built; but this bit of fun terminated fatally for Mannueca. The house stood upon a hill of considerable height, and poor Mannueca fell through the roof, broke his ribs, and died shortly after of the consequences.

Another circumstance likewise caused our general much grief, which was, that several of the cavaliers of the town, being dissatisfied with the appointments he had given them, boldly refused to obey him, and he could only succeed in quieting them by promising that they should accompany him to Mexico, when he would bestow honorable appointments on them all.

He then desired Diego de Godoy, whom he had appointed commandant of Puerto de Caballos, to repair to Naco with those of the inhabitants, who were suffering from ill health, and unable to live any longer in the former place, on account of the innumerable swarms of moschitoes and flies. The rest of us, under command of Luis Marin, were to take our route overland to Mexico, and, if possible, to march through the province of Nicaragua, the government of which our general meant to petition his majesty to join to that of New Spain.

We then took leave of Cortes, just as he was about embarking for Mexico, and we marched in a direct line for Naco, in the best spirits, because we were now on our return to New Spain. After suffering a great deal of fatigue and hunger, we arrived safely in Naco, to the great joy of Sandoval. Pedro de Garro had already left, with the whole of his men for Nicaragua, to inform his captain, Francisco Hernandez, of the arrangements he had made with Sandoval; neither did we lose a moment's time, but broke up our quarters for Mexico the morning after we arrived in Naco.

I will not tire the reader by relating to him what happened to us on this long march, but rather acquaint him with the unfortunate end of Francisco Hernandez.

Among the troops under Francisco Hernandez there were two soldiers, named Garavita and Zamorano, who were close adherents to Pedro Arias, the governor of Terra Firma. When these men saw the presents which Cortes had sent to Hernandez, and observed how the latter held secret conferences with Garro and other of his officers, they suspected that Hernandez designed giving Cortes possession of the province of Nicaragua. They consequently hastened off to communicate their suspicions to Arias. Garavita, in particular, evinced a considerable degree of zeal in this matter, for he had an old spite against our general; namely, when they were both young men, and living at St. Domingo, they came to blows about some woman, and Garavita came off worst, with a thorough good drubbing.

On receiving this information, Arias marched out in person, at the head of a large body of troops, and soon arrived in Nicaragua, where he instantly seized Hernandez. Pedro de Garro had been wise enough not to await his arrival, and sought refuge in our camp. The former had had sufficient time to have done the same, but, unfortunately for him, he put his trust in the previous friendship which existed between himself and Pedro Arias, and felt quite confident the latter would behave leniently towards him. Arias, however, paid no respect to former friendship, but immediately put him upon his trial, and as it was proved that he intended to declare his independence of his commander-in-chief, Arias sentenced him to decapitation, which was put into execution in the town which he had himself founded shortly beforehand. This was all the unfortunate Hernandez gained by the treaty of Pedro Garro with Cortes, and the fine presents which the latter had sent him!

When these commands were made known to us, we were ready to burst with rage; we poured out a thousand maledictions upon the man who seemed entirely deserted by his previous good fortune, and who was now working out our total ruin. We boldly told Sandoval to his face he might remain in this country if he liked, but we were determined not to be completely ruined, and would continue our march to Mexico. Sandoval acknowledged that we were in the right, and said he would only request of us to halt until he had informed Cortes of the resolution we had come to, and we had received his answer in return.

We then drew up a letter, which was signed by every one of us, and we despatched it to our general by the same couriers who had brought us his commands. His answer speedily arrived, in which vast promises were made to all those who would consent to remain in this country for the present; but at the very top of the letter was put: "I have only to tell those who do not choose to obey my commands, that there are plenty of soldiers in Spain."

When we received this answer, we were determined to give ourselves no further trouble about him, and forthwith to continue our march to Mexico; but Sandoval entreated us so earnestly, and with so much kindness, to have patience for a few days longer, as he would repair in person to Truxillo, to persuade Cortes to embark, that we consented to write an answer to his last letter, in which we requested him to take our present position into his consideration, and to remember that all our misfortunes were owing to this expedition. It was in supporting his cause, we said, that our possessions had been sold by public auction, and our Indians given away to other persons. Those among us who had left wives and children in New Spain were up to this time without any tidings of them. We therefore urgently begged of him to embark for Mexico without delay. With respect to the taunt which he threw out against us, of there being plenty of soldiers in Spain, we, in our turn, could remind him that there were also numbers of governors and celebrated captains in Mexico at present, who would be too happy to receive us, and to return our Indians to us; wherefore we were not exactly dependent on his kind considerations.

With this letter Sandoval set out for Truxillo, accompanied by Pedro de Sauzedo the snub-nose, and Francisco Donaire the blacksmith. When Sandoval was mounting his motilla, he made a solemn oath that he would do all in his power to persuade Cortes to embark for Mexico.

Since I have mentioned Sandoval's motilla, I may as well take the opportunity of saying a few words of this splendid horse. This animal was remarkably well trained for the field of battle, was of a dark chesnut colour, and so exquisitely beautiful in its proportions, that there was nothing to equal it in New Spain. The fame of this horse was so great, that it even reached the ears of the emperor, which induced Sandoval to present it to his majesty. While I am speaking about horses, I remember that Sandoval once offered to exchange one of his horses for mine, which was likewise a powerful and well-trained animal; indeed I had paid Avalos, the brother of Saavedra, 600 pesos for it, after I had lost a former one in our attack upon the township of Zulaco, for which I had paid a similar sum. I took Sandoval's offer, and we made an exchange; but I had scarcely done so, when it was killed in an engagement. I had now only a miserable young colt left, which I purchased from the merchants who had put into Truxillo with the two vessels above mentioned.

Sandoval, before his departure, addressed us in the most affectionate terms, and appointed Luis Marin chief in command during his absence. We quartered ourselves in the Marayani townships, and afterwards in the large township of Acalteca, where we were to await Sandoval's return. When Cortes had read our letter, he appeared greatly perplexed, particularly as he had sent out all his troops under his cousin Saavedra against the Indians, who had risen up in arms, and refused all further obedience to him. Sandoval, with Pedro Sauzedo, and father Juan, who likewise longed to return to Mexico, might say what they liked; it was all to no purpose; our general obstinately refused to embark.

As Cortes could not be persuaded to embark in person for New Spain, but was determined to continue the colonization of the country about Truxillo, although he could do no more than he had done, Sandoval and he at length agreed to despatch to Mexico one of the officers of his household, named Martin de Orantes, a remarkably shrewd and clever man, who might have been intrusted with business of the greatest importance. This Orantes was furnished with papers by Cortes, in which he gave Pedro de Alvarado and Francisco de las Casas, if they were in Mexico, full power to take upon themselves the chief government of New Spain until Cortes' return thither. If, however, they were not staying there, then he conferred this power on the treasurer Alonso de Estrada, and the accountant Albornoz. Cortes, at the same time, deprived the factor and veedor of any share in the government, and wrote very friendly letters both to Estrada and Albornoz, although he was well aware how the latter had calumniated him to his majesty. He likewise sent letters to all those of the Conquistadores whom he knew favoured his party. Orantes himself took the chief command of the vessel which was to convey him, and he was instructed to run into a certain bay which lay between Vera Cruz and Panuco. No one was to go on shore but Orantes, and the vessel was instantly to return when he had landed, to which the pilot and sailors were bound down by a solemn oath, and richly remunerated, that they might not be induced to break it.

The inhabitants, hearing this sudden alarm so early in the morning, flew as usual to arms, imagining their aid was required in the name of his majesty; and scarcely had they recognized Orantes, and heard that Cortes was alive, when they joined Estrada in great numbers. The accountant Albornoz, however, though Cortes had appointed him joint governor with the former, evinced very little zeal in this matter; the steps which had been taken did not seem to meet with his approbation, and he expressed himself in so dubious a manner that Estrada was obliged to put him in mind of a few circumstances which soon brought him to his proper senses.

When they approached the dwelling of the factor, they found him quite on his guard, for he had been secretly informed by the accountant Albornoz of what was going to happen. The park of artillery, under the command of Don Luis de Guzman, a nephew of the duke of Medina Sidonia, was ready loaded, and the factor's body-guard, commanded by the captain Artiaga, Gines Nortes, and Pedro Gonsalez, stood ready drawn out to defend any attack upon the palace. But Jorge de Alvarado and the confederates were not to be daunted by this, and forced their way into the palace, from different sides, some even clambered to the top of the roof and forced an entrance that way. The cannons were certainly fired off against them, but the captain of the artillery, Guzman, fired in one direction and the artillerymen in another; Artiaga, captain of the guards, concealed himself, and Gines Nortes took to his heels. At last the factor had no one about his person but Pedro Sabiote, and four of his servants. Finding his men had thus deserted him, he seized a match in order to fire the cannon himself; but the confederates rushed so suddenly upon him that he was obliged to surrender himself prisoner. For the moment a strong guard was put over him, until a cage was constructed of heavy beams, in which he was then securely fastened.

Upon this, couriers were sent to Guatimala, to inform Alvarado of the fall of the factor and veedor. As the province he was then staying in was not very distant from Truxillo, the confederates also conveyed to him their letters to Cortes, containing an account as to how the whole affair had been managed, and that it was necessary for him to repair to Mexico in all haste. With these letters Alvarado was requested to set off in person for Truxillo, and when there he was to urge Cortes to leave without any further delay. The first thing which Estrada did was to restore Juana de Mansilla to honour, whom, it will be remembered, the factor had whipped for a witch through the streets of Mexico. The following was the method which Estrada adopted to honour this injured woman; the whole of the cavaliers were ordered to mount their horses, he himself placing Juana Mansilla on his saddle behind him, and in this way, at the head of the cavalcade, he paraded every street of the city. "This woman," he said, "had behaved like the Roman matrons of old, wherefore the insult which had been offered to her person by the factor, should now be made to exalt her in the estimation of all honest men." And, indeed, she could not be too highly honoured for the praiseworthy conduct she had pursued, and ever after she was addressed as Do?a Juana de Mansilla. The factor could not induce her to form a second marriage, and, notwithstanding all his persecution, she had steadfastly maintained that her husband and all of us were still alive.

The treasurer and other cavaliers of Cortes' party soon saw how necessary it was that our general should lose no time in repairing to New Spain, for a strong party was already forming against him, which might become the more formidable, as no reliance was to be placed on Albornoz. This man had, from the very commencement, greatly disapproved of the imprisonment of the factor and veedor: his principal reason for which was, that he feared Cortes might have received intelligence of the infamous manner in which he had calumniated him in secret letters to the emperor. Cortes' party, therefore, considered there was not a moment to be lost, and begged of the Franciscan monks to despatch father Diego de Altamirano to Truxillo, for which purpose they had already fitted out a vessel, manned with the best sailors. They had purposely made choice of father Diego, from his being related to Cortes, and because he had formerly been a soldier, and was altogether a man of business-like habits. Altamirano readily undertook to fulfil this commission, and the other brothers gave their immediate consent to his departure.

Matters were now daily gaining a more unfavorable aspect in Mexico. The accountant Albornoz, as I have already stated, bore a dubious character, and was very adverse to the recent change; besides which, the factor himself had still a number of adherents among the more turbulent spirits, whose friendship he had gained with gold and lucrative commendaries. These personages, therefore, secretly conspired with several other men of distinction, to murder the treasurer, with the whole of his party, and to liberate the factor and veedor from their cages. When the accountant was let into this secret, it is said, he was excessively delighted.

The conspirators commenced their operations by enlisting among their number a locksmith, named Guzman, a very poor fellow, but much addicted to low wit. They first made him take an oath of secrecy, and then commissioned him to construct a key to open the cages in which the factor and veedor were imprisoned, and to ensure his fidelity they gave him a large piece of gold. This man declared he was ready to serve them as much as lay in his power, and appeared the more eager to do so the more they assured him of the importance of his services, and the more he became acquainted with the extent of the conspiracy. He made every appearance as if he wished nothing more sincerely than the liberation of the factor and veedor, and inquired the names and number of the conspirators, with the day and hour they intended to rise up in arms. After he had gained sufficient information of every circumstance he commenced making a key according to the impression they had given him, but purposely constructed it in such a manner as not to open the lock, that the conspirators might return with it to him. As in this way they came several times backwards and forwards to his shop, he continually gained further information respecting their plans. When the whole of the conspirators stood ready armed, merely awaiting his key to commence the murderous attack, the locksmith hastened to Estrada and discovered the whole plot to him.

The treasurer, without saying a word to Albornoz, instantly assembled the whole of Cortes' party, and repaired at their head to the house where the conspirators had met for the purpose of sallying out in a body at a preconcerted signal. Twenty of their number were soon seized, but the rest saved themselves by a precipitate flight. The prisoners were instantly put upon their trial, when it was clearly proved that they contemplated murdering the treasurer and liberating the factor and veedor. It was also discovered that Albornoz was cognisant of the conspiracy, and that three or four very dangerous and rebellious fellows were concerned in it, who had performed a conspicuous part in all the disorders that had taken place in Mexico during Cortes' absence, one of whom had even insulted a Spanish lady in the grossest manner. A criminal suit was soon after instituted against these latter personages by the bachelor Ortega, alcalde-mayor of Mexico. The whole of them were found guilty of sedition, three were sentenced to be hung, and several of the other conspirators to be scourged. Those sentenced to the gallows were Pastrana, Valverde, and Escobar; the names of the others I have forgotten.

As for the locksmith, he durst not venture out of doors for several days; fearing the partisans of the factor would assassinate him in revenge for having betrayed the secret.

Although it may be thought rather out of place here, I must observe that the factor had indeed despatched to Spain the vessel, mentioned in a former chapter, with the gold which he had collected for his majesty. In his despatches he stated Cortes' death as a fact of which there was not the slightest doubt; he then went on to magnify the great confidence which all parties placed in him ; and he concluded by petitioning his majesty to confer the appointment of governor on him. However, by this same vessel, other letters were secretly forwarded to his majesty, in which his majesty was duly apprized of every circumstance that had transpired in New Spain, with a full account of the tyrannical and cruel government of the factor. His majesty was also at the same time informed by the royal court of audience at St. Domingo and the Hieronymite brotherhood that Cortes was alive and busily occupied in subduing and colonizing the country along the coast of the Honduras. When, therefore, the council of the Indies and the comendador-mayor of Leon communicated with his majesty on the affairs of New Spain, it is said that the emperor expressed himself as follows: "The people of New Spain have done very wrong indeed in rising up against Cortes, and have greatly injured the true interests of the crown; but as Cortes is still alive, I trust that, on his return to Mexico, he will severely punish the villains who have caused so much disorder."

I must now return to father Altamirano, who set sail from Vera Cruz, and arrived, after a most favorable passage of two days, in Truxillo. As soon as the inhabitants of this town observed a large vessel in the horizon, they immediately concluded it came from New Spain to convey our general thither. Altamirano, the instant he arrived in the harbour, stepped on shore, with several others, and repaired to Cortes' abode, who gave them all a most hearty welcome, and again recognized several of them whom he had previously known in Mexico. The whole of them then went to church to offer up their prayers to God.

The Indians of Olancho had journeyed all the way to Truxillo to make bitter complaints to Cortes of the Spaniards at Nicaragua, who, they said, had fallen hostilely into their country, plundering them with impunity, and carrying off their wives and daughters.

Sandoval, on this expedition, was only accompanied by sixty men, and, on arriving in Olancho, at first was going to imprison Rojas, but several cavaliers stepping in as mediators between the two captains, they came to more amicable terms, and parted the best of friends, after Rojas had presented Sandoval with one of his Indian pages. While the latter was yet here, he received Cortes' letter, in which, after giving him a short account of what had taken place in Mexico, he was desired immediately to repair with his troops to Truxillo. No intelligence could have been more welcome to Sandoval; and, after arranging matters with Rojas, he marched with the utmost expedition towards the coast.

Cortes conferred upon Saavedra the chief command of the provinces about Truxillo, and gave him particular instructions as to what he was to do. He also wrote to Luis Marin and we others who were under his command, informing us of the arrival of father Altamirano, and desiring us to march forward to Guatimala. The captain Diego de Godoy, who had previously commanded in Puerto de Caballos, was ordered to march with his men into the province of Naco. The letters which were destined for us, Cortes gave in charge to Saavedra, with instructions that they were to be forwarded to us immediately; but, from sheer malice, he neglected to do so, and they never came to hand. To return to my narrative; I must not forget to mention that Cortes, previous to embarking, fell so dangerously ill again that his life was actually despaired of, and the last sacrament was administered to him; yet he had the good fortune to recover this time also, and he set sail from Truxillo with a considerable suite. He had the most beautiful weather all the way to the Havannah, where he put in to await a more favorable wind for his passage to New Spain. The inhabitants of the last-mentioned town were exceedingly rejoiced at seeing him again, and he greatly recruited his strength in this place. While here, he even received very satisfactory accounts from Mexico, where the news of his speedy return had produced this good effect, that the Indians of Coatlan called of their own account upon the treasurer Estrada, and again submitted, on certain conditions, as vassals of our emperor.

After Cortes had been five days at the Havannah, he began to grow very impatient for the hour of his departure, so greatly did he long to be once more in Mexico. He therefore gave orders for embarking without any further delay, and arrived, after a very favorable passage of twelve days, in the harbour of Medellin, opposite the island of Sacrificios, where he dropped anchor for the night. He himself disembarked, with twenty of his most trustworthy soldiers, intending to march to San Juan de Ulua, which was only a couple of miles distant; but it fortunately happened he should come up with a party of travellers who had a number of horses with them, and were on their way to the harbour he had just left to embark for Spain. Cortes took possession of the horses, and then proceeded direct to Vera Cruz, which was distant about twenty miles.

When he stepped on shore, he had given strict orders that no one should hasten to the last-mentioned town to announce his arrival. It was about two o'clock in the morning when he entered Vera Cruz, and he immediately repaired with his suite to the church, the door of which was open. After they had been a short time in the church, the sacristan, who had but recently arrived from Spain, walked in, and he was not a little astonished to find the seats filled with strangers, of whom not a single person was known to him. Quite alarmed, he instantly hurried out into the streets, called out to the watch, and hastened to call up the chief authorities to inform them that there were a great number of strangers in the church. The alcalde-mayor soon made his appearance with the other magistrates, three alguacils, and several of the inhabitants. The whole of them marched armed into the church, and peremptorily commanded the strangers to leave the church without delay. As Cortes was very much fatigued with the journey, and scarcely looked himself, he was not recognized by the inhabitants until they heard his voice. They then at the same moment knew father Juan again by the white robe of his order, though the former was become considerably the worse for wear. As soon as they found that it was Cortes himself who stood in their presence, the whole of them crowded up to pay their respects to him and to congratulate him on his safe arrival. Among those present there were several of the veteran Conquistadores, whom Cortes immediately addressed by name, and embraced them under the most flattering assurances of his friendship. Upon this, mass was read, and after it was finished the magistrates conducted our general to his quarters, which were in one of the most beautiful houses of the town. Here he stayed eight days, during which time several festivities took place in his honour, and notice of his arrival was instantly sent off to Mexico. He himself wrote letters to the treasurer Estrada and to the accountant Albornoz, although he was well aware that this person was very ill inclined towards him. If the news of his arrival was hailed with joy in the metropolis, it was no less so by the Indians of the country surrounding Vera Cruz, who sent him numerous presents of gold, cotton stuffs, fruits, and of fowls. They likewise cleared the roads for him all the way to Mexico, built huts for his accommodation at different stages along his route, and furnished provisions in abundance. Every one who could followed in his suite, and his whole march to Mexico appeared like a triumphal procession. Presents and refreshments came pouring in from all sides, ambassadors arrived from the different townships to assure him that if the notice of his approach had not been so short, they would have made more suitable arrangements for his reception, begging of him at the same time to take his route through their towns, when it would be in their power to give him a more honorable reception. The Tlascallans, above all, were most zealous to evince their attachment to him; the whole of the principal caziques came out to meet him, and received him with dances, songs, and all manner of rejoicings.

When he had arrived within twelve miles of Tezcuco, a town almost equal in magnitude to Mexico, he was met by the accountant Albornoz, who stood ready there to receive him, and, if possible, to regain his friendship, for he greatly feared the resentment of our general. Besides Albornoz, there were numbers of other Spaniards from this neighbourhood who came out to meet him, and the caziques of the town had marched out to the distance of eight miles, and performed various dances and games in his honour, all of which pleased our general very much. In Tezcuco itself other rejoicings took place, and here he passed the night, though he might easily have reached Mexico on the same day, but he had been requested by the treasurer, all the other chief authorities, and the Conquistadores to defer his arrival thither until the morrow, in order that they might make preparations to receive him in the most splendid manner possible.

The following morning accordingly, the treasurer, accompanied by all the city authorities, the officers of the crown, the Conquistadores, and all Cortes' best friends came out to meet him, clothed in their full uniform, and preceded by a large band of music. The Mexican caziques then followed with their several devices, decked out in their full war costume in which they had fought against us under their late monarch Quauhtemoctzin; they celebrated all manner of games after their fashion, while at the same time the lake was covered with canoes full of armed Indians, just in the same manner as when they fought with us who were stationed on the causeways. In short, the rejoicings in the city were so manifold and great that a description can give no idea of them. During the whole day there was dancing and music in every street, and in the evening every house was illuminated. But what was better than all this, the Franciscan monks, on the following day, formed a solemn procession to the church, and public thanksgivings were offered up to the Almighty for Cortes' safe return.

Cortes himself, immediately on his entering the city, had repaired to their cloister to attend mass, and to offer up his thanks to God for having preserved his life in all the dangers of the late campaign. Not until he had performed this duty did our general repair to his dwelling, which had been finished during his absence, and had indeed every appearance of a magnificent palace, in which he was really courted and feared as though he had been a king. From every province the Indians sent ambassadors to him with presents, and even the caziques of Coatlan came to pay their respects to him, and bring him presents.

Cortes' entry into Mexico took place in the month of June, 1524 or 1525, I forget which. He remained quiet for several days to rest from his fatigues before he ordered the turbulent personages to be seized, and an inquiry to be made into the late conduct of the veedor and factor. In the same way Diego de Ocampo, or Gonzalo de Ocampo, I really cannot remember which of the two it was on whom those libellous papers were found against Cortes, was also thrown into chains. The scribe Oca?a, an old man, who was commonly called the life and soul of the factor, shared a similar fate. Criminal suits, as they are termed, were certainly instituted against these personages, and Cortes might have inflicted due punishment upon them without any further ceremony, and his just retribution would have met with every approbation in Spain; but he neglected to do so, though his majesty himself had fully expected he would have adopted such a course. This I can assure the reader to be a fact, for I was told it by the members of the council of the Indies themselves, when I was in Spain in the year 1540 on account of some lawsuits which were pending between myself and others. The bishop Bartolom? de las Casas was present at the time. It was the opinion of all that Cortes had been remarkably negligent in this matter, and that he had shown very little of his wonted spirit on the occasion.

I have already mentioned in a former chapter that the emperor, during his stay at Toledo, had commissioned Luis Ponce de Leon to repair to Mexico, and there to institute a formal inquiry against Cortes; and if he found him guilty, to punish him so severely, that the whole world might know it. He had been previously furnished with all the particulars of the several accusations which had been brought against Cortes.

It was not for a length of time that this man received the necessary despatches, which had greatly retarded his departure. At length, however, he arrived, after a favorable passage, with three or four vessels, in the harbour of San Juan de Ulua, where he immediately landed, and repaired to the town of Medellin. As he made no secret of the purport of his arrival, one of the officers of Cortes' household immediately sent his master intelligence of the nature of this gentleman's visit, so that Cortes was apprized of it four days after Leon's arrival. When our general received these letters from Villalobos, the officer above mentioned, he happened to be in the Franciscan cloister, making the holy communion, and humbly supplicating the Almighty to bless his endeavours. This news was the more disagreeable to him, as Ponce de Leon seemed to hasten his journey to Mexico in such a manner as if he did not wish to allow him time to make the necessary arrangements for his reception. In the meantime, however, he despatched some of his most confidential friends to learn something more of the newly arrived, and whether they were really provided with a proper commission from his majesty; but a couple of days after he had received the first news, three couriers arrived from Leon with letters for Cortes; among others there was one from the emperor, in which his majesty acquainted him that an investigation would be instituted against him on various accounts. Our general perused the emperor's letter with the deepest veneration, and declared that it was a proof of great mercy on the part of his majesty to have despatched a proper judge, that justice might be done him against his enemies. Cortes returned an answer to Leon by the same couriers, expressing himself in the most obliging and friendly terms, requesting of him at the same time to state along which road he intended journeying to Mexico, in order that he might make the necessary preparations for his reception at the different stages along his route.

The licentiate, in reply to this letter, returned Cortes the most sincere thanks for his kind wishes, saying he was desirous of staying a few days where he was, to rest from the fatigues of the sea voyage.

While staying at Medellin, various accusations were brought against Cortes, both by letter and word of mouth, as the latter had many enemies at Medellin, composed partly of those who had accompanied him on the expedition to the Honduras, partly of those who had been previously banished from Panuco; besides which, there were several discontented persons in Mexico, who would gladly have worked out our general's ruin. Here, it was said, Cortes was hastening to bring the trial of the factor and the veedor to a close, before the licentiate Leon should arrive. The latter had better be upon his guard; for Cortes, with his courteous and flattering sentences, only wished to learn from him by which road he intended journeying to Mexico, in order to put him to death by some means or other. The same artifice he had employed against Narvaez and Garay. Further, they assured Leon that Cortes had sacrificed the lives of a considerable number of Spanish troops, and of above 3000 Mexicans, in the expedition to the Honduras; that he had left there Diego de Godoy, one of his officers, with thirty Spaniards, all suffering from ill health; the whole of whom had since perished. This we found indeed to be a fact. They then begged of the licentiate Leon to leave all other considerations, to hasten to Mexico, and to remember what had befallen Narvaez, Garay, and Tapia, to whom Cortes likewise made every show of respect and affection, but had, some how or other, obliged them to return home again without accomplishing their object. In short, they calumniated our general in every possible manner, and actually succeeded in persuading Leon that Cortes would not listen to his commission.

The licentiate was accompanied by several cavaliers, among whom were the alguacil-mayor Proa?o of Cordoba and his brother, Salazar de Petraza, who came with the appointment of alcalde of the fortifications of Mexico, but he died shortly after of pleurisy; further, the bachelor or licentiate Marcos de Aguilar, a soldier of the name of Bocanegra of Cordoba, and several monks of the order of the Dominicians, with their provincial father Thomas Ortiz, who had been for several years prior of some cloister, but I forgot where; however, every one was of opinion that he was better suited for business than for a religious life. With these personages Leon held a consultation as to whether he should proceed immediately to Mexico or not; and they were unanimously of opinion that he should repair thither without delay.

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