in, Las Casas, by
authority of the alcalde-mayor Zuazo, and in understanding with Rodrigo
de Paz and the other crown officers, repaired to the sea coast, in order
to detain the vessel until they should all have drawn up a faithful
account of the state of affairs in New Spain, and to despatch it to his
majesty by this same opportunity. As it was of the first importance to
the factor to prevent this if he wished to further his own ends, he
ordered Las Casas and the licentiate Zuazo to be imprisoned. He then
instituted a criminal suit against Las Casas and Gonsalez de Avila for
the execution of Christobal de Oli, when both were found guilty, and
sentenced to decapitation, which was very nigh being put into execution;
but they succeeded, by the utmost of their exertions, in obtaining an
appeal to his majesty. The factor, consequently, sent them prisoners to
Spain, and, to rid himself of Zuazo, he sent him on a mule to Vera Cruz,
where he ordered him to be put on board a vessel bound for Cuba, which
the factor maintained was his proper place of abode, as he had
previously filled the office of judge in that island. But the
unfortunate Rodrigo de Paz fared worse than all; him he cast into irons,
and wished to extort from him where Cortes' gold and silver lay hid,
which he must know, as he was the latter's major-domo. This treasure, he
said, he was desirous of forwarding to his majesty, whom Cortes had
secretly robbed of it; but as Rodrigo de Paz (against all probability
however) declared he knew nothing of any such treasure, the factor put
him to the torture by pouring boiling oil over the soles of his feet;
and after he had exhausted his strength by this, as well as by keeping
him in close confinement, he at length hung him for a rebel, in order to
put it out of his power of ever bringing any accusations against him for
so much ill-treatment. The factor at the same time issued orders for
the apprehension of the greater part of the soldiers and inhabitants of
Mexico who had remained true to Cortes. These persons, seeing the storm
that was brooding over them, retired with Jorge de Alvarado and Andreas
de Tapia into the cloister of the Franciscans, as their party was too
weak to bid defiance to the factor, and most of the veteran
Conquistadores were with Cortes in the Honduras, and a great number had
closely allied themselves to the factor, who had gained them over to his
side by bestowing lucrative commendaries on them. But as th