( 468 ) 



did not game deeply, playing only at triumpho and primero for paftime. 

 His propenfity being however well known, fome friend of Guzman's 

 took advantage of it, to mortify and turn him into ridicule, and the 

 method which was taken to do it was as follows. The civilians at 

 that time wore gowns with loofe hanging fleeves, into one of which 

 fomebody malicioully put a pack of cards, and contrived it in fuch a 

 manner, that as Torre was walking acrofs the crouded fquare of Mexico, 

 in company with feveral perfons of quality, a dexterous twitch being 

 given, the cards began to drop from his fleeve, leaving a long trail of 

 them after him as he went on. Thofe who faw it laughed and called 

 the attention of others to the cards coming out of the licentiate's fleeve j 

 but when he found out what the joke was, and that he was the fubjedt 

 of it, being naturally choleric, it enraged him exceedingly, and he 

 went off faying he faw clearly it 'was their intention to prevent his do- 

 ing juftice, but he would, though he died for it; and that his Majefty 

 fliould know the indignity that had been offered to his officer. Either 

 from vexation, or a calenture natural to the climate, with which he was 

 feizedjufl after this, he died in the courfe of a few days, whereby 

 the affair of Guzman, luckily for him, was refpited for the prefent. 



Cortes having now been a long time in Caflille, married to the 

 niece of the Duke of Bejar, advanced to the rank of marquis, captain ge- 

 neral of New Spain, and admiral of the South Seas, became anxious to 

 return to his eflates in this country. He now embarked from Old Spain 

 with his family and twelve reverend fathers of the order of mercy, and 

 after a profperous voyage arrived at the port of Vera Cruz, where he 

 did not experience the kind of reception he formerly met with. From 

 thence he proceeded to Mexico, to prefent his patents to the Viceroy, 

 and enter upon his offices. He alfo at this time made application upon 

 a particular point relative to his Majefly's grant of lands and towns. 

 This point, which I do not well underfland, I mufl leave to better 

 judges. The grant ran thus; mentioning the diftrid:, it enumerated 

 the inhabitants, by the word ♦•vecinos," or neighbours, confidered to 



belong 



'3 



