uently all the charges which Albornoz
had made against Cortes became known to this excellent viceroy, but he
contented himself by merely ordering Albornoz into his presence, and
laying before him the slanderous letters which he had written; he said
to him with his usual mildness and composure of countenance: "Since you
are so accustomed to write to his majesty, do not write falsehood, and
thereby wantonly precipitate others into ruin!" Albornoz, as may easily
be imagined, stood quite confounded and abashed.

I must now relate how Cortes, ignorant at that time of the secret
machinations of his enemies at the imperial court, sent out an armament
against Christobal de Oli.

CHAPTER CLXXIII.

_How Cortes sent out a captain, named Francisco de las Casas against
Christobal de Oli, on receiving intelligence that this officer had
made common cause with Diego Velasquez, and had renounced all
further obedience to him._

In order to render this chapter quite intelligible to the reader I must
recur to prior events. I mentioned above that Cortes fitted out an
armament for the Honduras and Higueras, the command of which he
intrusted to Christobal de Oli. It was not long before our general
received intelligence of the unfortunate termination of this expedition,
as far as regarded himself. When, therefore, he learnt that Oli had made
common cause with Diego Velasquez, and had determined to act independent
of him, he became very pensive. But, as he was remarkably spirited, and
not accustomed to joke in matters of this kind, he at once determined
either to march against Oli in person, or to send out an officer against
him on whom he could place implicit reliance, as he had previously
declared to his majesty.

About this time there had arrived in Mexico a cavalier, named Francisco
de las Casas. As he was a man in whom he could confide, being also
related to him, he resolved to send him against Oli. For this purpose he
fitted out a small armament, consisting of five vessels, well provided
with cannon and other ammunition. On board of this fleet he embarked one
hundred men, among whom were several of the veteran Conquistadores, as
for instance, Pedro Moreno Medrano, Juan Nunez de Mercado, Juan Vello,
and many others, whose names I will not mention, as they died on their
way thither.

Francisco de las Casas received full powers from Cortes to seize Oli and
throw him into chains. He set sail from Vera Cruz with