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
Fourthly. Cortes had demanded in the name of his majesty large
quantities of gold from all the townships throughout New Spain, which
the inhabitants accordingly had brought him, but he had put the whole of
it in his private purse.
Fifthly. Cortes had taken an equal fifth with his majesty of the booty
found in Mexico, which had created great discontent among the men.
Sixthly. He had tortured Quauhtemoctzin and other caziques, in order to
extort more gold from them.
Seventhly. Cortes never divided any of the gold among his troops, but
kept all to himself.
Eighthly. Cortes was building himself palaces and houses with
fortifications, which had the extent of whole townships; the inhabitants
of the surrounding districts were compelled to labour in the
construction of the edifices, and were obliged to fetch large cedar
trees and enormous blocks of stone from the most distant parts.
Ninethly. He had poisoned Francisco de Garay in order that he might get
possession of his vessels and of his troops.
Besides these they brought many similar charges against Cortes, so that
his majesty was excessively annoyed, imagining that all they said was
true, and he would not listen to any more, telling them that these
accusations were quite sufficient.
During this audience, Narvaez, with his stentorian voice, was heard to
express himself as follows: "Your majesty can easily imagine how matters
went with me on the night that Cortes attacked and defeated me; for when
his men thrust out one of my eyes, and I found my quarters all in
flames, I quickly secreted the deed by which I held my appointment from
your majesty, between my cuirass; but one of Cortes' officers took these
papers forcibly from me, nor could I obtain possession of them again.
They even spread the rumour that I had no appointment at all, but that
the papers they took from me were bonds of some kind or other."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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