By The Same Ship, Albornos Sent Home Accusations Against Cortes; Charging Him With The Levy Of Exorbitant Contributions In Gold For His Own Use; Fortifying Castles To Defend Himself, And Marrying His Private Soldiers To The Daughters Of The Native Lords:

Insinuating that Cortes was endeavouring to set himself up as an independent king, and that it was highly necessary to send out an able officer with a great force to supersede him.

The bishop of Burgos laid these letters before the whole junto of the enemies of Cortes, who immediately produced this new accusation to the emperor, complaining of the partial favour which had been shewn him on former occasions. Deceived by these misrepresentations, which were enforced by Narvaez, his majesty issued an order to the admiral of Hispaniola, to go with six hundred soldiers to arrest Cortes, and to make him answer with his head if found guilty; as also to punish all of us who had been concerned in attacking Narvaez. As an encouragement, this officer was promised the admiralty of New Spain, the right to which was then under litigation. Either from want of money, or because he was afraid of committing himself against so able and successful a commander, the admiral delayed his expedition so long, that the friends and agents of Cortes had time to make a full explanation of all the circumstances to the Duke of Bejar, who immediately represented a true statement of the case to the emperor, and offered to pledge his own life in security for the loyalty of Cortes.

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