The treasure which Cortes took over
with him consisted of 1500 marks of wrought plate, 200,000 pesos of
fine gold, and 10,000 of inferior standard; besides many rich jewels,
one in particular being worth 40,000 pesos. The value of this
enumerated treasure amounts to L.104,250 Sterling numerical value;
but estimating its efficient value in those days, with Robertson, as
equal to six times the present amount, it exceeds L.600,000. - E.
[6] Those who had worn the _san benito_, or penal dress, in _an auto de
fe_. In the original translation the _descendants of Indians_ are
included in this proscription, which certainly must be an error. - E.
[7] New Gallicia, to the north-west of Mexico and upon the Pacific Ocean,
is now included in the _Intendencia_ of Guadalaxara, and appears to
have been named Colima by the Mexicans. - E.
[8] Mechoacan, to the west of Mexico and reaching to the south sea forms
now the Intendency of Valladolid. - E.
[9] For the information of some readers, it may be proper to observe, that
the order of St John of Jerusalem, lately known by the name of the
order of Malta, then resided at Rhodes. - E.
[10] Santa Cruz is a small island in the Vermilion sea, on the eastern
coast of California, in lat. 25º 23' N. lon. 110º 47' W. from
Greenwich. - .E
[11] This appears to be the country now called Cinaloa, or Culiacan. The
strange appellation of the _seven cities_ seems to have reference to
that fancied ancient Spanish colony which has been formerly spoken of
in the introduction to the discovery of Columbus. - E.
[12] This name, which is not to be found in any map, is probably a mistake
for Zacatula, in lat. 18º N. on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, W.S.W.
from Mexico. - E.
[13] The expedition of Alvarado to Peru will be related in the subsequent
chapter. Diaz merely gives this slight hint on the subject. - E.
[14] In the _sixth_ section of this chapter, it has been already mentioned
that Don Pedro Alvarado was married to _Donna Luisa_ the daughter of
Xicotencatl, one of the princes or chiefs of Tlascala, through whom he
acquired a great inheritance, and by whom he had a son Don Pedro, and
a daughter Donna Leonora, married to Don Francisco de la Cueva, cousin
to the Duke of Albuquerque, by whom she had four or five sons. The
widow of Don Pedro destroyed in Guatimala, seems to have been a second
wife - E.
[15] This extended account of the descendants of Cortes, is adopted from
Clavigero, I. 442. The first paragraph, which enumerates the younger
children of the marquis, and his natural children, are from Diaz.
There is a difference between these authors in the name of the
marchioness, whom Diaz names Donna _Juanna_, and Clavigero _Jeroma_:
The former likewise names the eldest son of Cortes _Martin_, and the
latter _Martinez_. - E.
[16] This refers to the period when Clavigero composed his History of
Mexico, about the year 1780; according to Humboldt, the dukes of
Montelione retained the vast estates of Cortes in Mexico within the
present century. - E.
[17] This genealogical deduction has been somewhat abridged, as to the
multiplicity of high sounding titles, and minute particulars of
marriages and noble connections, altogether uninteresting to the
English reader. - E.
SECTION XXIV.
_Concluding Observations by the Author_[1].
Having enumerated the soldiers who passed from Cuba along with Cortes, to
the conquest of New Spain, I have to observe that we were for the most
part _hidalgos_, or gentlemen, though some were not of such clear lineage
as others; but, whatever may have been the dignity of our birth, we made
ourselves much more illustrious by our heroic actions in the conquest of
this country, at our own sole cost, without any aid or support, save that
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In the ancient history of our own
country, many cavaliers rose to dignity and honours by valiant and
faithful services to their kings; and though they did not go into the
field as we did, without pay, they were rewarded with lands, houses,
castles, dignities, and privileges, to them and their heirs in perpetuity.
Also, when his majesty Don Jayme, won certain parts of his kingdom from
the Moors, he made grants of these to the cavaliers who assisted him in
the conquest, from which period their descendants derive their estates,
honours, and blazons. Those also who served under the Great Captain and
the Prince of Orange were rewarded in like manner. I have recalled the
recollection of these things, that the world may consider and determine
whether we, who gained this great country by our valour, even without the
knowledge of his majesty, are not as worthy of such rewards and honours as
those cavaliers above-mentioned, by our good, notable, and loyal services
to God, the king, and all Christendom.
I have placed myself last in the list, having been twice in this country
before the coming of Cortes, and the third time along with him; and, as
among those whom I have enumerated, there were many valiant captains, so I
was held in no inconsiderable estimation in my day as a soldier. Besides
the many battles and dangers in which I participated since I came into
this country, and the distresses, by hunger, thirst, fatigue and wounds,
incident to all who undertake discoveries and wars in unknown countries, I
was twice in the hands of the enemy, who were carrying me off for
sacrifice: But thanks and praise to God and his holy Virgin Mother, who
gave me force to escape from their grasp, that I might now relate and make
manifest our heroic deeds in the conquest of this _new world_, and thereby
to prevent all the honour and merit from being unjustly ascribed to our
general alone. It is now proper that I should make some observations on
the good effects produced by our exertions and illustrious conquests, to
the service of God and our king, in which many of our companions lost
their lives, being sacrificed to the gods or idols of the Mexicans,
Huitzilopochtli and Tezcatlipoca.
