s quarters to the ground! They had sufficiently
explained above what Narvaez's conduct had been in New Spain, and no
person could deny that he had compelled Cortes to take up arms against
him: and it appeared like a judgment from heaven that Cortes, with only
266 men, without cavalry, or cannon, or muskets, should have overthrown
Narvaez, with a body of 1300 men, who were fully equipped for war,
besides having a fine park of artillery. New Spain would undoubtedly
have been lost again to the Spanish crown, if Narvaez had entered upon
the government of that vast territory. It would have been the same case
if Christobal de Tapia had been allowed to assume that dignity, who,
however, had had sufficient common sense to see the difficulty of his
position, and had considered himself very fortunate in selling off to
Cortes the horses and negroes which he brought over with him for a good
price, and to return from whence he came. However, if he had repaired to
Mexico, and had shown his appointment to Cortes, the latter would
certainly have obeyed him; but the cavaliers and the authorities of the
different towns would never have consented to the chief command of New
Spain passing from the hands of Cortes into those of an individual, whom
every one at the first sight could see had not the requisite talents to
fill an office of so much importance. Those cavaliers and distinguished
personages had even drawn up petitions to his majesty, in which they
humbly supplicated him to withdraw the appointment of Tapia.

Here our agents closed the defence; and as the complainants had nothing
further to say, and the pleadings of both parties had lasted five days,
the commission closed the court, and retired to deliberate on their
verdict, which ran as follows:

The commissioners were of opinion that Cortes and the other true and
only Conquistadores of New Spain had on every occasion proved themselves
loyal and faithful servants of his majesty. Great good fortune had
certainly attended all their undertakings, but the courage and
intrepidity which they had displayed in the terrible and bloody battles
with the Indians, the victory which they gained over the large body of
troops under Narvaez with a handful of men, fully merited this good
fortune. The commissioners declared that Velasquez was not justified in
commencing his suit respecting the government of New Spain; but that he
was at liberty to sue Cortes in the proper law courts for the monies h