virtually acquitted him, though scandal-mongers continued to hint that Cortés was not above accomplishing the death he so desired.
In his ordinances Cortés further provided for the appointment of local authorities, to consist at first of two alcaldes, four regidores, a procurador, and a notary, with a person appointed to collect the revenue. The municipality must meet once or twice a week in the town-hall, or its temporary substitute, to discuss the affairs of the town. The alguacil mayor had a vote in this council, which could not be held without the presence of the lieutenant or deputy governor. The municipal officers were all appointed annually by Cortés, who selected those recommended to his friendship or interest. This absolutism caused many complaints from disappointed office-seekers, and resulted in a royal decree which placed with the people the nomination of three candidates for each office of regidor, the governor jointly with two royal officials appointing one of them. The regidores were besides increased to six, and some were appointed by the king in perpetuity.[1] Cortés objected to this
- ↑ Pacheco and Cárdenas, Col. Doc., xxiii. 364, xxvi. 184, etc.;Mex., Extractos de Cédulas, MS., 2, 3; Cortés, Residencia, 1. 89 et seq., ii. 172 et seq. The jurisdiction of the municipality had at first been limited to 3,000 maravedís, but the sovereign extended the limit to 100 pesos de oro, and authorized the governor and his lieutenant, or jueces de residencia, to decide in cases not exceeding 1,000 pesos de oro. From these authorities the appeals went to the audiencia and the India council. Herrera, dec. iii. lib. v. cap. i. iii. The small limit was placed by decree of December 24, 1523, hence the extension belongs to a later date, say 1525 or 1526. Mex., Exctractos de Cédulas, MS., 4, 5. See also Hist. Cent. Am., i. 297, 330, this series.
acquired during matrimony. The judges were the hostile Guzman and his two fellow-members of the first audiencia. Francisco Muñoz Maldonado represented Cortés. For account of the trial, see Acusacion, in Id., xxvi. 298 et seq.; Cortés, Residencia, 1. 161, ii. 358, 370, 372, etc.; Alaman, Disert., i. 30, etc. 'Murio de asma,' says Bernal Diaz, Hist. Verdad., 166; but the death was too sudden for that. Peralta, a descendant of Suarez, attributes the charge to malice, and maintains that she died a natural death, in a manner similar to that of her two sisters. 'Y no tuvo culpa el marqués, y dió satisfaçion dello con el sentimiento que hizo, porque la queria muy en estremo.' He erroneously styles Catalina 'Marquesa.' Not. Hist., 133-4. It is added that two sisters of Catalina lived many years in Mexico. One was married to a prominent man, Andrés de Barrios, and her three daughters became by marriage related to some of the oldest and noblest houses of Castile. Of a third sister, who died unmarried, nothing is said.
