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o)ie for us, and entirely fupprefled all mention of our letters, orprefents, 

 of which he appropriated a great part to his own ufe. Our agents then^ 

 in concert with Martin Cortes father to the general, and the licentiate 

 Nunez, relator of his Majefty's royal council and a near relation to 

 Cortes, with the countenance of fome aoblcmen their friends, and 

 others whb were jealous of the haughty manners of thebifliop, refolved 

 to fend the duplicates of our letters to his Majefty, and alfo others, 

 complaining of the partiality of this prelate. It was the will of God 

 that the faid accounts fhould reach his Majefty's hands, and that he 

 fhould be well pleafed with them, infomuch that, for many days, no- 

 thing was talked of but the fervices of Cortes, and us his foldiers. 

 The Emperor was ever after diffatisfied with the Bifhop of Burgos for 

 the part he had a6ted. When he heard the turn our affairs had taken 

 at court he was more furious againft Cortes and the reft of us than ever, 

 but it was the will of God that by the time two years more had elapfed, 

 his courage fhould be cooled, for he was cenfured, while we, continued 

 to be held in eflimation as loyal fubje6ts to his Majefly, and the Em-, 

 peror was pleafed to fay, that he would fhortly come to Caflille, and; 

 there attend to our memorials, and reward our fervices. 



In four days after the departure of our agents, a plot was formed i 

 by certain perfons who were enemies to Cortes on various accounts, fuch^ 

 as the return to Cuba being precluded to them, and their being deprived 

 of a fhare of the gold. Amongfl thefe confpirators were one Efcudero, 

 and one Cermeno, Gonzalo de Umbria a pilot, Bernaldino de Coria, a 

 clergyman named Juan Diaz, and certain failors who had been whipped, 

 in Cozumel. It was determined amongft them to feize a vefTel and fail' 

 for Cuba, there to give information to Velafquez of the departure of 

 our agents, and this plan was fuggefled by fome perfons of confequence. 

 Their fcheme was fruflrated a few hours before they were to have failed, 

 by the repentance and difcovery of De Coria, who revealed it to Cortes. 

 They were in confequence feized, and being examined confefTed the 

 whole, and accufed feveral others ; but of thefe no farther notice was 

 taken. The prifoners were all condemned except the priefl, whofe 



orders 



