ial appointments in New Spain: but he never gave
this a thought; and on both occasions, the one when he obtained the
appointment of governor, and the other when he went to Spain himself and
became Marquis of Oaxaca, he only strove to further his own ends, and he
forgot his brave companions in arms. Indeed, the most sensible and
intelligent of the Conquistadores were quite of opinion that nothing
would have been juster on the part of Cortes, and nothing more
practicable at that time, than to have divided the whole of New Spain
into five equal parts: one fifth, containing the best townships, to have
been set apart for the crown; a second fifth for the churches,
hospitals, and cloisters, and for gifts which his majesty might think
proper of bestowing on those men who had distinguished themselves in the
Italian campaigns or elsewhere; the three remaining fifths to have been
divided among the whole of the true Conquistadores, according to their
respective stations and merits, and this in perpetuity. At that time his
majesty would have consented to such a division, as the whole of the
conquest of New Spain never cost the crown anything, and his majesty
himself had altogether a very imperfect notion of the country. Besides
which, his majesty was then still in Flanders, and would have been
pleased to know the country was in the hands of such faithful and
courageous subjects.

But nothing of all this ever entered Cortes' mind, while our condition
was daily growing worse; and at present there are even many of us
veteran Conquistadores who have not the common necessaries of life! What
will become of our children which we shall leave behind? But enough of
all this; let us now see to whom Cortes distributed the townships.

The first persons who were rewarded by the governor were Francisco de
las Casas and Rodrigo de Paz, with the royal factor, the inspector, and
treasurer, who had come from Spain with those gentlemen. Then came a
certain Avalos, and one Saavedra, both relatives of Cortes. Next follow
Barrios, who was married to his sister-in-law Dona Xuarez; a certain
Alonso Lucas, Juan and Luis de la Torre, Alonso Valiente, and the
squinting Ribera. But these are only a few instances; for a person had
only to come from Medellin,[41] or to stand in favour with some great
personage, and flatter Cortes a little, and he was presented with some
of the best lands in New Spain. I am not going to reproach Cortes for
having remembered all