C 64 ) 



that of his Majefly was deduced. However with all thefe aujthoriticg 

 and privileges he was formally invefted, before a royal notary, Diego de 

 Godoy. It v/as now determined to proceed immediately to the founda- 

 tion of a fettlement and town, which we named De la Vera Cruz, be- 

 caufe we arrived here on Holy Thurfday, and difembarked on Good 

 Friday, and we called it Villa Rica, from the words of a cavalier, wh^ 

 faid, Behold the rich lands." We alfo appointed civil magiftrates, 

 the two firft alcaldes being A. H. Puertocarrero, the cavalier I have 

 juft alluded to, and Francifco de Montejo; the latter was no friend td 

 Cortes, and it was for that reafon he was from policy appointed to this 

 fituation. A gallows was ered:ed in the fquarc of the town, and ano- 

 ther at fome diftance out of it. Pedro de Alvarado was appointed cap- 

 tain of the expeditions, Chriftoval de Oli maeftre de campo, Juan de 

 Efcalante Alguazil mayor, Gonzalo Mexia treafurer, Alonzo de Avila 

 contador, and one Corral ftandard bearer, for Villaroei who had held 

 that fituation was difplaced, on account of fome umbrage Cortes had 

 taken againft him about an Indian woman of Cuba. Ochoa Vifcaino, 

 and Alonzo Romero, were appointed military alguazils. If it is alked 

 now, why I do not name Gonzalo de Sandoval that valiant captain, 

 who was noticed by our great monarch the emperor, I reply, that he 

 was at this time a ftripling, and had not acquired the fame in arms he 

 afterwards obtained. 



The f!:eps which we had taken enraged the fadion of Velafquez 

 beyond all meafure; they were almoft ready to break out into ad:s of 

 violence, and uttered the moft mutinous expreffions, Juan de Efca- 

 lante now, having previoufly concerted the meafure with Cortes, de- 

 manded in the name of us all, a fight of the inftrudions given by Ve- 

 lafquez. The tenor of them was as follows; " As foon as you flaall 

 have procured the utmoft quantity of gold that is to be had, return.'* 

 We requeued this inftrument, in order that the whole of the proceed- 

 ings fhould be laid before his Majefty; a neceflary precaution as after- 

 wards appeared, from the fteps which were taken againft us by the 

 Bifhop of Burgos and Archbifhop of RofTano, Don Juan Rodriguez 



de 



