The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo Vol. 2

1/25/22, 8:50 PM The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo written by himself, containing a true an…
Secondly. When Diego Velasquez upon this despatched Narvaez with eighteen vessels,
1300 foot, a considerable body of horse, musketeers, and crossbow-men to New Spain,
Cortes not only refused toacknowledge the papers in which the president of the council of
theIndies conferred the government of the country on Narvaez, but hehad even attacked
the latter with his troops, killed several of hisofficers, and then, after Narvaez had lost an
eye in the battle, took himand the whole of his men prisoners.
Thirdly. When upon this the bishop of Burgos conferred the appointment of governor of
New Spain upon Christobal de Tapia, and thelatter repaired in person thither to enter upon
the government in thename of his majesty, Cortes again refused all obedience and forced
Tapia to leave the country.
Fourthly. Cortes had demanded in the name of his majesty largequantities of gold from all
the townships throughout New Spain,which the inhabitants accordingly had brought him,
but he had putthe whole of it in his private purse.
Fifthly. Cortes had taken an equal fifth with his majesty of the booty found in Mexico,
which had created great discontent amongthe men.
Sixthly. He had tortured Quauhtemoctzin and other caziques, inorder to extort more gold
from them.
Seventhly. Cortes never divided any of the gold among his troops,but kept all to himself.
Eighthly. Cortes was building himself palaces and houses withfortifications, which had the
extent of whole townships; the inhabitantsof the surrounding districts were compelled to
labour in the constructionof the edifices, and were obliged to fetch large cedar trees and
enormous blocks of stone from the most distant parts.
Ninethly. He had poisoned Francisco de Garay in order that hemight get possession of his
vessels and of his troops.
Besides these they brought many similar charges against Cortes, so that his majesty was
excessively annoyed, imagining that all they saidwas true, and he would not listen to any
more, telling them that theseaccusations were quite sufficient.
[Pg 200]
During this audience, Narvaez, with his stentorian voice, was heardto express himself as
follows: "Your majesty can easily imagine how matters went with me on the night that
Cortes attacked and defeated me;for when his men thrust out one of my eyes, and I found
my quartersall in flames, I quickly secreted the deed by which I held my appointmentfrom
your majesty, between my cuirass; but one of Cortes' officers took these papers forcibly
from me, nor could I obtain possessionof them again. They even spread the rumour that I
had noappointment at all, but that the papers they took from me were bondsof some kind
or other."
The emperor could not help laughing at what Narvaez said, butpromised that he and the
others should have justice done them. Hismajesty then appointed a commission from the
gentlemen of his courtand of his privy council, in whose honesty he could place the most
implicitconfidence to make inquiries into the several charges, and to pronouncejudgment
upon them. The names of the gentlemen who composedthis commission were: Mercurio
Catarinario, [39] high chancellorof Italy; señor la Chau; the doctor de la Rocha; Hernando de
Vega, who was lord of Grajales and comendador-mayor of Castile; the doctor Lorenzo
Galindez de Caravajal, and the licentiate Vargas, whowas treasurer-general of Castile. His
majesty desired these gentlemen to make the most minute investigation respecting the
dispute between Velasquez and Cortes, and also into the present charges which were
preferred against the latter; and particularly recommended them to have no regard to
persons, but to give their decision in conformitywith strict justice. These gentlemen then
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