( 374 ) 



and thefe captains had there collcd:ed twenty thoufand crowns, the 

 principal part of which went to Velafquez. Farther, that Vtlafquez 

 gave the Bifliop of Burgos Indians in the Ifland of Cuba to procure 

 gold, negledting his duty to his Majefty. Alfo, that admitting .r was 

 he who fent Cortes, it was by the approbation of his Majefty, and by 

 the providence of God; for that any other commander would have fail- 

 ed in an undertaking of fuch danger, and that Cortes was .not fent by 

 him to colonize, but to barter ; and that his eflablifliment in the coun- 

 try was owing, not to the inftrudlions of Velafquez, but the inllances 

 of his companions, for the fervice of God, and his Majefty. Alfo 

 that it was well known, that Cortes reported the whole of his proceed- 

 ings to his Majefty, fending therewith all the .gold he had been able to 

 procure, he, and his companions, awaiting his Majefty's further orders, 

 proftrate on the earth. It was alfo reprefented, how the Bifhop of Bur- 

 gos fuppreffed the faid letters, and feized the prefents, concealing from 

 his Majefty our meritorious fervice ; and when our agents wanted to 

 obtain permifTion to wait on his Majefty, he threw one of them, Puer- 

 tocarrero, into prifon, where he died; and that he forbid the officers of 

 his Majefty at Seville, to furnifli us with what we required. All which 

 was done by the faid biftiop, from a corrupt motive, as he wanted to 

 procure a marriage between either Velafquez or Tapia, and his niece 

 named Donna Petronila de Fonfeca, as he had promifed that his fon-in- 

 law fhould be governor of Mexico. In fupport of all which accufations 

 they were ready to produce proofs. As to the expedition of Narvaez, 

 our agents replied, that in the firft place Velafquez defer ved to fuffer 

 death for difobedience of his Majcfty's orders ; and alfo, that he applied 

 himfelf folely to the bifliop, neglecting his Majefty, which was a high 

 difrefped:; in confequence therefore of the above mifdemeanors and 

 crimes, our agents, prayed that the court would be pleafed to award 

 puniftiraentj to which the court replied that they would take it into 

 confideration. 



In reply to the charges brought againft Cortes by Narvaez it was 

 reprefented, that on his coming to New Spain he fent word to the great 



