f gold and moon of
silver, and the casque of gold dust, as it is found in the mines, as
also the other articles of solid and manufactured gold, were small
proofs.

After this we spoke about the extent of the country, its population, the
arts, customs, and religion of the inhabitants, of whom we sent four as
a sample, whom we had liberated from a wooden cage at Sempoalla, where
they were being fattened for a sacrificial feast. We then mentioned
something about ourselves; how we were in all 450 armed men in the midst
of so many warlike tribes; how our expedition had merely for its object
to serve God and his majesty; and, in the position we were now placed,
how much depended upon a man being at our head who was acquainted with
the country, and in whom we could repose all trust. We most humbly
begged of his majesty not to confer the command of this country upon any
one of his officers; from its extent and vast riches, it was worthy of
being ruled by a royal prince or some other great personage. We all
feared that the archbishop Don Rodriguez de Fonseca, whom his majesty
had intrusted with the government of Indian affairs, had destined the
command to one of his own creatures, namely, a certain Diego Velasquez,
who was then viceroy of Cuba; this favour, however, was entirely owing
to the presents which the bishop received from Velasquez, consisting in
the most valuable townships of his imperial domains wherever any gold
was to be found. As his majesty's most humble and faithful servants, we
could not neglect to bring this under his imperial notice, and we had
resolved to wait until our agents had thrown themselves at his majesty's
feet to hand over our letters, and his majesty should have acquainted
them with his imperial wishes, which we, whatever they might be, would
honour in the very dust. If the archbishop Fonseca in the meantime sent
any one to take the command, we should not obey him until we had
informed his majesty of it, wherever he might be. We begged of his
majesty, for the present, to confer the command on Cortes. This prayer
we accompanied by such high-flown praise of Cortes,--how faithful and
devoted he was to his majesty; that we elevated him to the very skies.
This closed the letter, which was drawn up with great discernment, and
divided into chapters. This letter was signed by all the officers and
soldiers who belonged to Cortes' party. We also took the precaution of
keeping other copies.

After the lette