I Am Uncertain Whether Juan De Ribera, Who Had Been Secretary To
Cortes Went Over At The Same Time With
Soto; but I know that he carried
over a sum of money for the generals father, which he appropriated to
His
own use; and, unmindful of the many obligations he had received, he
reported much evil of Cortes, combining with the bishop of Burgos and
others to injure him. I always thought him a bad man, from what I had
observed of him when engaged in gaming, and many other circumstances: But,
as he was of a fluent speech, and had been secretary to Cortes, he did him
much harm, and would have injured him much more, if it had not been for
the interest of the Duke of Bejar, who protected Cortes, who was then
engaged in a treaty of marriage with the dukes niece, Donna Juana de
Zuniga[2]. By this interest, and combined with the magnificent present
brought over by Soto, the affairs of Cortes at the court of Spain took a
favourable turn. The golden Phoenix with its motto, gave great offence to
many, who thought it presumptuous in Cortes to insinuate that he had no
equal in his services: But his friends justly defended him, observing that
no one had so far extended the fame and power of his majesty, or had
brought so many thousand souls under the dominion of the holy catholic
church as he had done. Neither did they forget the merits of us his
associates, truly declaring that we were entitled to honours and
emoluments, which we had as justly earned as the original nobles of
Castille, whose estates and honours were now enjoyed by their descendents.
The culverin went no farther than Seville, as his majesty was graciously
pleased to give it to Don Francisco de los Cobos, commendator-major of
Leon, who melted it down.
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