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…
We have also introduced among them good police and justice. Inevery township the Indians
annually choose their alcaldes, regidors,accountants, alguacils, and other authorities; and
they have a courthouse where the authorities hear causes twice a week, and pronounce
judgment in actions for debt and minor offences. Criminal cases and heavy offences are
always referred to the governor or the royal courtof audience, according to circumstances. I
have been assured by crediblepersons that when the town councils of Tlascalla, Tezcuco,
Cholulla, Huexotzinco, and of other great towns meet, the mace-bearersprecede the civic
authorities with golden staffs, the same as arecarried before a viceroy; also that these Indian
judges are as correct inthe judgments they pronounce, and look quite as dignified as the
judges in Spain, and that they assiduously study our laws and set ahigh value on them. All
the caziques keep good establishments, they have their horses with beautiful saddles and
trappings, and wheneverthey travel through the country are attended by numerous pages. In
some townships even tilts, tournaments, and bull-fights take placeamong them, particularly
on Corpus Christi day, the feast of St. John,St. Jacob, and of the Virgin Mary, in the month
of August. Many Indians have even the courage to combat with the bulls, though these
animals are so uncommonly fierce. Some of the most expert horsemen are to be found
among them, particularly among the inhabitants of Chiapa de los Indios. Most of the
caziques breed their own horsesand mules, which they employ in carrying goods for sale to
the differentmarkets, [62] and gain a livelihood as carriers to different partsof the country, in
the same way as we do in Spain. In short they areuncommonly expert in all handicrafts,
even to the making of tapestry.I must now close this, and relate what further advantages the
Indiansderived in the following chapter.
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CHAPTER CCX.
Of other advantages which arose from our glorious conquests.
Having shown how many advantages the Indians derived from our glorious conquests, I
must now speak about the gold, silver, precious stones, and other valuable matters, as
cochineal, wool, sarsaparilla andcow-hides, which are annually exported to Spain; also of
the moniesarising from the royal fifths, and of the valuable presents which weforwarded to
his majesty during the course of the conquest; in which, of course, are not included the
quantity of valuable goods which merchantsand travellers take with them. Certainly, since
the time thatthe wise king Solomon built the holy temple of Jerusalem with thegold and
silver of the islands of Tarshis, of Ophir and Saba, we find no mention made in any old
histories of so much gold, silver, andof other riches, as are continually being exported from
this country to Spain. Many thousands of pounds weight of gold and silver have indeed
been also sent from Peru; but at the time we conquered NewSpain the name of Peru was
not even known, nor was it discovered till ten years after. We forwarded to his majesty
presents of immense value from the very beginning, for which and other reasons I place
New Spain at the head; for we very well know with regard tothe affairs of Peru, that the
captains, governors, and soldiers continuallycarried on civil wars with each other, in which
the lives of manySpaniards were sacrificed. We, in New Spain, on the contrary, werenever
for a moment forgetful of the profound respect which was dueto our emperor and master;
nor will our fidelity ever be questioned,and whenever his majesty requires our services we
are ready with ourproperty and our lives to obey his commands.
Let the kind reader reflect but for one moment on the towns and villages which the
Spaniards have already founded in these countries.Their number is so extensive, that I must
pass them by in silence.Seven bishoprics have already been erected in New Spain; the very
celebrated city of Mexico is the see of an archbishop, and there arethree royal courts of
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