^ ( 388 ) 



of Burgos, who laid them before the whole junto of the enemies of Cor- 

 tes, and this new matter was immediately brought before his Majefty. 

 They complained of the partiality which they alledged was (hewn to- 

 wards him on former occadons, and his Majefty, deceived by thefe 

 mifreprcfentations, which were enforced by the bold and lofty tone of 

 Narvaez, now ilTued an order for the admiral of St. Domingo to go with 

 fix hundred foldiers to arreft Cortes, and make him anfwer if he found 

 him culpable, with his head. Alfo to puniOi all thofe of us who had 

 been concerned in the attack upon Narvaez. As an encouragement, 

 thir officer was promifed the admiralty of New Spain, the right of which 

 was now under litigation in the courts. 



The admiral, either from want of money, or being apprehenfive 

 of ferious confequences from committing himfelf againft fo able and fo 

 fuccefsful a leader as Cortes, delayed fetting out upon his expedition fo 

 long, that it gave time to the friends and agents of Cortes to make a 

 full explanation of the circumftances, and alfo of the conduct of Albor- 

 nos, to the Duke of Bejar, who immediately went to wait upon the 

 Emperor , to reprefent the true ftate of the cafe, and to offer his life as 

 a fecurity for the loyalty and good condudt of Coites. 



His Majefty being upon due confideration convinced of the juftice 

 of our caufe, determined to fend a perfon of high quality and found 

 judgment, and one who feared the Lord, to hold a fupreme court of 

 juftice in New Spain. Such a perfon he found in the licentiate Luis 

 Ponce de Leon, coufin to the count Don Martin de Cordova. To him 

 his Majefty intrufted the bufinefs of enquiry into the condudt of Cortes, 

 with full power to inflid: the greattft puniftiment, in cafe he fhould 

 find him guilty. It was however iwo years and an half before this 

 gentleman arrived in New Spain. 



I have now gone beyond the date of my narrative two years in ad- 

 vance, to inform the reader of this circumftance; and I may now alfo 

 mention, that daiing the viceroyalty of Don Aathoiiio de Mendoza, 



that 



