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. On receiving these duplicates of our letters, the emperor was
pleased to say, That he would soon return to Spain, when he would attend
to our memorials, and would reward our faithful services.
Four days after the departure of our agents, a plot was discovered which
had been concerted among the enemies of Cortes, for seizing a vessel to
carry over intelligence to Velasquez of the departure of our agents, and
of the measures which had been taken by us against the authority of the
adelantado. Among the conspirators were, Escudero, Cermeno, Umbria a
pilot, Bernardino de Coria, a clergyman named Juan Diaz, and some sailors
who had been whipped at the island of Cozumel; but the plan had been
suggested by some persons of consequence, who were enraged at Cortes for
preventing their return to Cuba, and for having been deprived of their
shares of the treasure which was sent to the emperor. This plot was
revealed only a few hours before the vessel was to have sailed, by the
repentance of de Coria. All the before-mentioned conspirators were
immediately seized, and having confessed the whole plot, they were all
condemned to die except the priest, who was in a terrible fright. Escudero
and Cermeno were hanged; Umbria had his feet cut off, and each of the
sailors received 200 lashes. When Cortes signed the ratification of this
sentence, he exclaimed with a sigh: "Happy is he who cannot write, that he
may not have occasion to sign the death-warrants of other men." In my
opinion, this sentiment is often affected by judges, in imitation of Nero,
at the time he counterfeited the appearance of clemency. As soon as the
sentence was put in execution, Cortes set off full speed for Chempoalla,
ordering 200 soldiers and all the cavalry to follow him to that place,
where likewise he sent orders for a detachment that was then out under
Alvarado to march.
In a consultation respecting our intended expedition to Mexico, Cortes was
advised by his friends to destroy the fleet, in order to prevent all
possibility of the adherents of Velasquez deserting to Cuba, and likewise
to procure a considerable augmentation to our force, as there were above
an hundred sailors. In my opinion, Cortes had already determined on this
measure, but wished the proposal to originate with us, that we might all
become equally responsible for the loss.
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