History of Mexico, Volume 1, 1516-1521Bancroft, Hubert Howe
History
History of Mexico, Volume 1, 1516-1521
Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Mexico -- History
[89] _Testimonio de Montejo_, in _Col. Doc. Inéd._, i.
437. ‘No le pudo estoruar la yda porq̄ todos le siguian:
los q̄ alli estauã, como los q̄ venian con Grijalua. Ca
si lo tentara con rigor vuiera rebuelta en la ciudad, y
aun muertes. Y como no era párte dissimulo.’ Cortés even
announced that he was going on his own account, and that the
soldiers had nothing to do with Velazquez. _Gomara_, _Hist.
Mex._, 13. But this is highly improbable. According to _De
Rebus Gestis Ferdinandi Cortesii_, Cortés spread insinuations
against Velazquez’ greed and selfishness, commented upon his
own liberality and upon the rich prospects before them, and
thus gained the voice of his followers, so that the former
dared not attempt any overt acts. ‘Loricâ ab eo tempore
sub veste munitus, stipatusque armatis militibus, quos spe
sibi fidos amicos fecerat.’ _Icazbalceta_, _Col. Doc._, i.
346-9; _Cortés_, _Memorial_, 1542, in _Cortés_, _Escritos
Sueltos_, 310. Las Casas repeats his condemnation of Gomara,
as a man who wrote only what he was told by his master. He
scouts the idea of the powerful Velazquez either needing
Cortés’ pecuniary aid or not being able to dispose of his
fleet as he wished. A humble squire, indeed, to raise his
voice against the great Velazquez, who could have taken
his bread and life at any moment! _Hist. Ind._, iv. 448-9.
[90] In his memorial to the emperor in 1542, Cortés relates
this enforced transaction quite at length. Learning that
his stock of the week had been seized, Hernan Dalonso seeks
Cortés and complains, with tears in his eyes, whereupon
he receives the gold chain, ‘de unos abrojos.’ _Cortés_,
_Escritos Sueltos_, 310-11; _Col. Doc. Inéd._, iv. 221.
[91] Bernal Diaz asserts that Duero and Láres were present
at the parting, and that Velazquez and Cortés several times
embraced each other and vowed eternal friendship. ‘Habuit
Cortesius cùm e Sancti Jacobi urbe et portu solvit, naves
sex; aliâ, nam septem habuit, in portu, ut sarciretur
reficereturque, relictâ.’ _De Rebus Gestis Ferdinandi
Cortesii_, in _Icazbalceta_, _Col. Doc._, i. 348. This
authority believes that one of the reasons for Cortés’
hurried departure was a fear that Grijalva’s vessels might
turn up; but they had already arrived, as we have seen.
The seventh vessel, a caravel, joined Cortés at Trinidad,
with nine horses and eighty volunteers, under Francisco de
Salcedo. _Id._, 354. ‘Partiose de Santiago Barucoa ... en
seys nauios.’ _Gomara_, _Hist. Mex._, 13.
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