d, at
least, in some measure acted up to his majesty's commands, by bestowing
commendaries upon us; whereas Cortes, at the time when he had full power
to reward us according to our deserts, totally neglected us. But as
Spaniards are ever loyal, and we could not forget that he had been our
captain, we still felt a great affection for him, more indeed than he
had shown us when it was in his power to have remembered us, according
to his majesty's express desire.

After we had thus selected our two procuradores, a lengthened discussion
took place as to the particular points that were to be impressed on his
majesty's mind. The president and his colleagues, on their part,
maintained that it was imperative on all the procuradores to declare
that it would be both injurious to the cause of religion and the true
interests of the crown if Cortes returned to New Spain, for his presence
would only create factions and disturbances among the inhabitants, and
a good government would be totally impracticable; that moreover it was
not unlikely he would seize the first opportunity of taking forcible
possession of the country, and declare his independence of the Spanish
crown. These assertions most of us Conquistadores positively denied, and
we maintained that his majesty had not a more devoted and faithful
servant than Cortes.

About this time also Alvarado returned from Spain, as governor and chief
justice of Guatimala, and comendador of Santiago. He was accompanied by
his newly-married wife, Dona Francisca de la Cueva, who, however, died
soon after her arrival at Vera Cruz, so that Alvarado and his suite
arrived in Mexico clad in the deepest mourning. As soon as he learnt the
nature of the petition which the auditors were going to despatch to his
majesty, he managed that we should draw up a joint address to the
emperor, in which we fully explained to his majesty the real object the
president and his colleagues had in view. When therefore the two
above-mentioned procuradores laid their papers before the council of the
Indies, the members of this body readily perceived that they contained
nothing but a rancorous feeling against Cortes. Not the slightest notice
therefore was taken of these representations, and the imperial decree
for the cashiering of the auditors was confirmed. Cortes was at that
time still in Spain, and it may naturally be supposed that all these
attempts to injure him turned out to his advantage, and added to his
hono