CHAP. CLXXXVIII. How Cortes despatches one of his servants, named Martin de Orantes, to Mexico, with letters to Francisco de las Casas and Pedro de Alvarado, in which he empowers them to take upon themselves the chief government of New Spain; but in case they were absent he conferred the same power on Estrada and Albornoz 292 CHAP. CLXXXIX. How the treasurer, with several other cavaliers, requested the Franciscan monks to despatch father Diego de Altamirano, a relation of Cortes, to Truxillo, to desire our general to hasten his departure for Mexico 296 CHAP. CXC. Cortes sets sail from the Havannah, and has a favorable passage to Vera Cruz, where he is received with the greatest rejoicings 300 CHAP. CXCI. How the licentiate Luis Ponce de Leon, who was commissioned to make inquiries into Cortes' government of New Spain, arrives in the harbour of San Juan de Ulua 303 CHAP. CXCII. How the licentiate commences the investigation against Cortes, and all those persons who had filled judicial offices; and how he fell ill shortly after, and died 309 CHAP. CXCIII. How, after the death of Ponce de Leon, Marcos de Aguilar assumes the government; the disputes which arose in consequence, and of other matters 311 CHAP. CXCIV. Marcos de Aguilar dies, and in his will appoints the treasurer Alonso de Estrada governor; and of other matters 318 CHAP. CXCV. How Cortes receives letters from the Cardinal de Siguenza, then president of the council of the Indies, and from several other cavaliers, advising him to repair to Spain without delay; the death of his father Martin Cortes; and of other matters 326 CHAP. CXCVI. How the royal court of audience arrive in Mexico during Cortes' stay in Spain, and what their first occupations were 336 CHAP. CXCVII. How Nuño de Guzman, on the intelligence that the emperor had cashiered the royal court of audience, determines to subdue the province of Xalisco, at present called New Galicia 343 CHAP. CXCVIII. The arrival of the new members of the royal court of audience in Mexico 344 CHAP. CXCIX. Cortes returns to New Spain as marquis del Valle Oaxaca, and captain-general of New Spain and of the South Sea, accompanied by his wife Doña Maria de Zuniga, and father Leguizamo and other monks 348 CHAP. CC. Of the vast expenses to which the marquis Hernando Cortes put himself in fitting out the expeditions to the South Sea, and of their unfortunate termination 349