Spanish crown.[1] This added rumor served to fan the smouldering embers of suspicion against Cortés and to whet the eager envy of his foes. Narvaez and his friends presented a lengthy memorial to the emperor, insisting that he should be punished;[2] the sudden taking-off of so many persons who having thwarted his interests gave color to the charge, now renewed by Albornoz, that he had poisoned them; his agents defrauded the crown in Spain, while across the Atlantic he himself plotted treason. Even the puissant nobles who ever stood steadfast for the absent one were powerless now. Such an effect did this combined attack have upon the emperor and council that, shortly after orders had been despatched for Aguilar to rule alone, the matter of providing a president for the new audiencia was held in abeyance, while preparations were making to send Pedro de la Cueva to Mexico with power to deal summarily with Cortés and his confederates, if guilty, bestowing his pueblos upon deserving conquerors.[3]
But these measures were of no effect, for while they were still unperfected there came a letter from Cortés,[4] together with the certificates of the physicians who attended Ponce, and the project was abandoned. Orders were given, however, that any relations sent by Cortés should not be published, and that all ships about to sail for the Indies should be detained,
- ↑ Landing in Portugal, for the purpose of evading compliance with the registry laws, was growing common. About this time two vessels from New Spain arrived at Lisbon. Mafra, the master of one, brought all his treasure to Seville. In the other vessel came Hernan Lopez Dávila, late administrator of decedents' estates; he and other passengers were allowed by the captain to land, and some of them took their gold home unregistered. Orders were issued to proceed against them. Herrera, dec. iv. lib. ii. cap. ii.
- ↑ That envy was at the bottom of Narvaez' action is apparent from one of the many charges contained in the document; it was said that Cortés 'tenia tantas varras de oro y plata como Vizcaia de fierro.' Gomara, Hist. Mex., 285.
- ↑ 'Si le hallasse culpado, le cortasse la cabeça.' Cueva, a very severe man, was brother to the count of Siruela, and himself comendador mayor of Alcántara. At the time he was the emperor's majordomo, and later he became a general of artillery. He was to take with him 300 soldiers, and the whole cost of the commission was to be met by Cortés, whether guilty or not. These two afterward met at court and macle merry over the matter, agreeing that 'a lenguas vivas, lenguas mentiras.' Bernal Diaz, Hist. Verdad., 222; Herrera, dec. iv. lib. ii. cap. i
- ↑ That of September 3, 1527.
