We Gave Likewise A Succinct Account Of The Military Establishment
And Religious Observances Of The Natives, An Enumeration Of The
Articles
of treasure we had transmitted to his majesty by our agents, and that we
had sent over four natives,
Whom we had rescued from the cages at
Chempoalla, where they were fattening for victims to the false gods of the
country. We then stated that we were only 450 soldiers, surrounded by
innumerable multitudes of enemies, yet ready to sacrifice our lives for
the glory of God and the service of his majesty; and we earnestly
entreated that he would be graciously pleased not to bestow the government
of this great and rich country upon an unworthy person, expressing our
fears of what Velasquez might attempt to our prejudice, by means of his
patron the bishop of Burgos, whom he had secured in his interest by
grants of valuable estates in Cuba which ought to have belonged to his
majesty. In conclusion, we awaited the return of his gracious answer with
the most profound reverence; yet humbly assured his majesty, if the bishop
of Burgos sent over any person to assume the command, we were resolved to
suspend our obedience till his majesty's pleasure were clearly made known
to us, remaining in the mean time, as now, under the command of his
majesties most faithful servant and our general Hernando Cortes, whose
merits we painted in glowing colours. When this was extended in due form,
Cortes asked permission to read it, and expressed his perfect satisfaction
with the whole, excepting two articles, the mention of his share of the
treasure, and the names of Cordova and Grijalva as having previously
discovered this country; as he assumed the whole merit to himself in his
private letter. He wished therefore to have these passages expunged, but
some of us roundly told him, that his majesty must not only be informed of
the truth, but of the whole truth.
When this important affair was completed, our agents set sail from Villa
Rica on the 26th July 1519[2], with strict injunctions not to touch at the
Havanna or the port of el Marien, as we wished to keep the whole from
being known to Velasquez. Yet they went directly to the Havanna, the pilot
Alaminos being over-persuaded into this measure, under pretence of
Puertocarrero being sick, and that Montejo wanted to procure provisions
from his estate of El Marien. As soon as the ship came to anchor, Montejo
sent letters on shore to Velasquez, giving an account of all that had
taken place during the expedition; and as the messenger went through the
island, he everywhere communicated the news of all that had occurred to
our army. On receiving this intelligence from Montejo, Velasquez was
highly enraged against Cortes, and heartily cursed his secretary and
contador, who had persuaded him to confide the expedition to his guidance.
He immediately dispatched two armed vessels to detain our ship, but soon
got the unwelcome news that she was considerably advanced on her voyage to
Europe. Besides writing to his patron the bishop of Burgos, he lodged a
complaint against Cortes before the royal audience at St Domingo; but the
members sent him an answer highly favourable to us, with whose good
services they were already acquainted. All these untoward circumstances
gave the adelantado infinite vexation, insomuch that from being very fat,
he became quite lean. But he used every exertion to collect a powerful
armament on purpose to overwhelm us as rebels against his legitimate
authority, going about the whole island in person to incite the settlers
to take up arms in his cause, and prepared a fleet of eighteen sail of
vessels for the expedition against us, which was confided to the command
of Pamphilo de Narvaez, of which we shall give an account hereafter.
Our agents passed through the Bahama channel, under the direction of the
pilot Alaminos, being the first ship which took that passage from the West
Indies for Europe. After touching at the island of Tercera for
refreshments, they proceeded for Seville, and arrived a few days
afterwards at Valladolid, where the court was then held. Our agents
immediately waited on the bishop of Burgos, who was president of the
council of the Indies, expecting a favourable reception, and requested him
to transmit our letters and present them with all speed to the emperor,
who was then in Flanders. The bishop gave them a haughty and repulsive
answer, saying, That he would make a proper representation of our conduct,
for having thrown off our obedience to Velasquez. The arrival of Benito
Martinez, chaplain to the governor of Cuba, contributed to place our
affairs in an unfavourable light; and as Puertocarrero made a remonstrance
to the bishop, he caused him to be thrown into prison, on a frivolous
charge of having taken away with him a woman from Medellin to the Indies.
The bishop made a represention of our affairs to his majesty, stating
every thing in the most favourable light for Velasquez, and as much as he
possibly could against us, suppressing all mention of our letters and
present, and even appropriated a great part of the latter to his own use.
But our agents concerted matters with Martin Cortes, our generals father,
and the licentiate Nunez, his near relation, who had an office in the
royal council, and by means of some noblemen who were jealous of the
bishop and disgusted with his haughty demeanour, they procured duplicates
of all our letters to be transmitted to his majesty, together with
complaints of the partiality of the bishop. These letters got safe to his
majesty, with which he was well pleased; and for a long time his court was
full of the praises of Cortes and of us his soldiers. The emperor
conceived much displeasure against the bishop of Burgos for his conduct on
this occasion; who became quite furious against Cortes and the rest of us,
when he heard of the light in which our affairs had been seen at the court;
but about two years afterwards the bishop became quite crest-fallen, as he
was censured by the emperor, while we continued to be esteemed as loyal
subjects.
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