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

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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… again by the white robe of his order, though the formerwas become considerably the worse for wear. As soon as they foundthat it was Cortes himself who stood in their presence, the whole ofthem crowded up to pay their respects to him and to congratulate himon his safe arrival. Among those present there were several of the veteran Conquistadores, whom Cortes immediately addressed by name, and embraced them under the most flattering assurances of his friendship. Upon this, mass was read, and after it was finished the magistratesconducted our general to his quarters, which were in one of themost beautiful houses of the town. Here he stayed eight days, duringwhich time several festivities took place in his honour, and notice ofhis arrival was instantly sent off to Mexico. He himself wrote lettersto the treasurer Estrada and to the accountant Albornoz, although hewas well aware that this person was very ill inclined towards him. If the news of his arrival was hailed with joy in the metropolis, it was noless so by the Indians of the country surrounding Vera Cruz, who senthim numerous presents of gold, cotton stuffs, fruits, and of fowls.They likewise cleared the roads for him all the way to Mexico, builthuts for his accommodation at different stages along his route, and furnishedprovisions in abundance. Every one who could followed in his suite, and his whole march to Mexico appeared like a triumphal procession. Presents and refreshments came pouring in from all sides,ambassadors arrived from the different townships to assure him that ifthe notice of his approach had not been so short, they would havemade more suitable arrangements for his reception, begging of him atthe same time to take his route through their towns, when it would bein their power to give him a more honorable reception. The Tlascallans, above all, were most zealous to evince their attachment to him;the whole of the principal caziques came out to meet him, and receivedhim with dances, songs, and all manner of rejoicings. When he had arrived within twelve miles of Tezcuco, a town almostequal in magnitude to Mexico, he was met by the accountant Albornoz,who stood ready there to receive him, and, if possible, to regain his friendship, for he greatly feared the resentment of our general. BesidesAlbornoz, there were numbers of other Spaniards from this neighbourhood who came out to meet him, and the caziques of thetown had marched out to the distance of eight miles, and performed various dances and games in his honour, all of which pleased our general very much. In Tezcuco itself other rejoicings took place, and here he passed the night, though he might easily have reached Mexico on the same day, but he had been requested by the treasurer, all the otherchief authorities, and the Conquistadores to defer his arrival thitheruntil the morrow, in order that they might make preparations to receivehim in the most splendid manner possible. The following morning accordingly, the treasurer, accompanied byall the city authorities, the officers of the crown, the Conquistadores,and all Cortes' best friends came out to meet him, clothed in their full uniform, and preceded by a large band of music. The Mexican caziques then followed with their several devices, decked out in theirfull war costume in which they had fought against us under their latemonarch Quauhtemoctzin; they celebrated all manner of games aftertheir fashion, while at the same time the lake was covered with canoes full of armed Indians, just in the same manner as when they fought with us who were stationed on the causeways. In short, the rejoicingsin the city were so manifold and great that a description can give noidea of them. During the whole day there was dancing and music inevery street, and in the evening every house was illuminated. Butwhat was better than all this, the Franciscan monks, on the followingday, formed a solemn procession to the church, and public thanksgivings were offered up to the Almighty for Cortes' safe return. Cortes himself, immediately on his entering the city, had repaired totheir cloister to attend mass, and to offer up his thanks to God forhaving preserved his life in all the dangers of the late campaign. Notuntil he had performed this duty did our general repair to his dwelling, which had been finished during his absence, and had indeed every appearance of a magnificent palace, in which he was really courtedand feared as though he had been a king. [Pg 302] https://www.gutenberg.org/files/32475/32475-h/32475-h.htm 200/282
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… From every province the Indians sent ambassadors to him with presents, and even the caziquesof Coatlan came to pay their respects to him, and bring him presents. Cortes' entry into Mexico took place in the month of June, 1524 or1525, I forget which. [49] He remained quiet for several days to restfrom his fatigues before he ordered the turbulent personages to be seized,and an inquiry to be made into the late conduct of the veedor and factor. In the same way Diego de Ocampo, or Gonzalo de Ocampo, I really cannot remember which of the two it was on whom those libellous papers were found against Cortes, was also thrown into chains.The scribe Ocaña, an old man, who was commonly called the life andsoul of the factor, shared a similar fate. Criminal suits, as they aretermed, were certainly instituted against these personages, and Cortes might have inflicted due punishment upon them without any furtherceremony, and his just retribution would have met with every approbationin Spain; but he neglected to do so, though his majesty himself had fully expected he would have adopted such a course. This I canassure the reader to be a fact, for I was told it by the members of thecouncil of the Indies themselves, when I was in Spain in the year 1540on account of some lawsuits which were pending between myself andothers. The bishop Bartolomé de las Casas was present at the time.It was the opinion of all that Cortes had been remarkably negligent in this matter, and that he had shown very little of his wonted spiriton the occasion. [Pg 303] CHAPTER CXCI. How the licentiate Luis Ponce de Leon, who was commissioned to make inquiries into Cortes' government of New Spain, arrives in the harbourof San Juan de Ulua. I have already mentioned in a former chapter that the emperor,during his stay at Toledo, had commissioned Luis Ponce de Leon torepair to Mexico, and there to institute a formal inquiry against Cortes;and if he found him guilty, to punish him so severely, that the whole world might know it. He had been previously furnished with all the particulars of the several accusations which had been brought againstCortes. It was not for a length of time that this man received the necessarydespatches, which had greatly retarded his departure. At length, however, he arrived, after a favorable passage, with three or four vessels, in the harbour of San Juan de Ulua, where he immediately landed, andrepaired to the town of Medellin. As he made no secret of the purportof his arrival, one of the officers of Cortes' household immediately senthis master intelligence of the nature of this gentleman's visit, so thatCortes was apprized of it four days after Leon's arrival. When our general received these letters from Villalobos, the officer above mentioned,he happened to be in the Franciscan cloister, making the holycommunion, and humbly supplicating the Almighty to bless his endeavours. This news was the more disagreeable to him, as Ponce deLeon seemed to hasten his journey to Mexico in such a manner as if hedid not wish to allow him time to make the necessary arrangements forhis reception. In the meantime, however, he despatched some of hismost confidential friends to learn something more of the newly arrived,and whether they were really provided with a proper commission fromhis majesty; but a couple of days after he had received the first news,three couriers arrived from Leon with letters for Cortes; among othersthere was one from the emperor, in which his majesty acquainted him that an investigation would be instituted against him on various accounts.Our general perused the emperor's letter with the deepestveneration, and declared that it was a proof of great mercy on the partof his majesty to have despatched a proper judge, that justice might be done him against his enemies. Cortes returned an answer to Leon by the same couriers, expressing himself in the most [Pg 304] https://www.gutenberg.org/files/32475/32475-h/32475-h.htm 201/282
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The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo Vol. 2

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