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I will now propofe a few queftions by way of dialogue, with the 

 immortal and illuftrious goddefs of Fame, who has feen, and proclaims 

 through the world, our manifold, great, and remarkable fervices, to 

 God, his Majefty and all Chriflendom, and cries with a loud voice, 

 faying, that it is in juftice and in reafon, that we (hould have better 

 eflates and fituations than others who have not ferved his Majefty here 

 or elfewhere. The goddefs alfo enquires where are our palaces, and 

 manfions, adorned with diftinguifhing blazons, with fculptures of our 

 coats of arms, and monumental trophies of our heroic adtions, in the 

 fame manner as thofe cavaliers have who ferved their king in Spain, 

 our atchievements being no way inferior to theirs^ but on the contrary 

 of moft eminent merit, and not exceeded by any. The goddefs of 

 Fame alfo enquires for thofe conquerors who efcaped from cruel deaths, 

 and for the tombs and monuments of thofe who fell. 



To thefe queftions I reply as follows, with much brevity. Oh 

 excellent and illuftrious Fame ! defired and fought for by the good and 

 virtuous, but fhunned and hated by the malicious, why do you not 

 exalt us as our merits deferve? know, goddefs, that of five hundred 

 and fifty foldiers who left the Ifland of Cuba with Cortes, at the mo- 

 ment that I am writing this hiftory in the year one thoufand five hun- 

 dred and fixty eight no more than five are living, the refl having been 

 killed in the wars, facrificed to idols, or died naturally. In anfwer to 

 your queflion concerning their tombs and monuments, I tell you that 

 their tombs are the maws of cannibal Indians, who devoured their 

 limbs, and of tigers, ferpents, and birds of prey, which feafted on 

 their mangled bodies. Such were their fepulchres, and fuch their mo-, 

 numents ! but to me it appears that the names of thofe ought to be 

 written in letters of gold, who died fo cruel a death, for the fervice of 

 God and his Majefty, to give light to thofe who were in darknefs, and 

 to procure wealth which all men defire. 



The illuflrious goddefs next afks me for an account of thofe who 



came 



