The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Vol 2 (of 2): Written by Himself Containing a True and Full Account of the Discovery and Conquest of Mexico and New Spain.Díaz del Castillo, Bernal
History
The Memoirs of the Conquistador Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Vol 2 (of 2): Written by Himself Containing a True and Full Account of the Discovery and Conquest of Mexico and New Spain.
Díaz del Castillo, Bernal
Mexico -- History -- Conquest, 1519-1540
When the bishop of Burgos was informed of the decision to which his
holiness and his majesty had come, he fell ill from excessive vexation,
quitted the court and retired to his country seat at Toro. His brother,
Don Antonio de Fonseca,[38] lord of Coca and Alaexos, tried all in his
power to get him reinstated into his late office, but all his endeavours
proved fruitless with the emperor.
Thus, all in a moment, everything terminated favorably for Cortes, but
the instability of good fortune soon began to show itself, for now
Narvaez, Christobal de Tapia, and the soldier Cardenas brought heavy
accusations against him. To all of which was added the charges preferred
against our general by the pilot Umbria, whom Cortes had sentenced to
have his legs cut off on the occasion when Cermenno and Escudero were
hung for a conspiracy they had formed against his life.
CHAPTER CLXVIII.
_How Narvaez, Christobal de Tapia, the pilot Umbria, and the soldier
Cardenas, bring heavy accusations against Cortes, at the instigation
of the bishop of Burgos, and what judgment his majesty pronounced._
After the pope and the emperor, as I have just related, had pronounced
judgment in favour of Cortes, Pamfilo de Narvaez and Christobal de Tapia
arrived in Spain. They were accompanied by the soldier Cardenas and the
pilot Umbria, and immediately repaired to the bishop of Burgos at Toro,
and begged of him to aid in the accusations which they had determined to
bring against Cortes before his majesty. As nothing could be more
welcome to the bishop than this, he promised to lend them every support,
and upon his advice they joined Velasquez's agents, named Bernardino
Velasquez, Benito Martin, and Manuel de Rojas, and presented themselves
to his majesty, before whom they preferred the following charges against
Cortes:
Firstly. Diego Velasquez had sent out three several armaments for the
discovery and colonization of New Spain, in which he had expended large
sums of money. Of one of these expeditions he had appointed Cortes
commander-in-chief, but the latter had deserted with the whole armament
and had refused all further obedience to him.
Secondly. When Diego Velasquez upon this despatched Narvaez with
eighteen vessels, 1300 foot, a considerable body of horse, musketeers,
and crossbow-men to New Spain, Cortes not only refused to acknowledge
the papers in which the president of the council of the Indies conferred
the government of the country on Narvaez, but he had even attacked the
latter with his troops, killed several of his officers, and then, after
Narvaez had lost an eye in the battle, took him and the whole of his men
prisoners.
Thirdly. When upon this the bishop of Burgos conferred the appointment
of governor of New Spain upon Christobal de Tapia, and the latter
repaired in person thither to enter upon the government in the name of
his majesty, Cortes again refused all obedience and forced Tapia to
leave the country.
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