ing that was bad of Cortes and all of us; nor did he mention one
single word about our letters.

Upon this Puertocarrero, Montejo, Martin Cortes, the father of our
general, the licentiate Nunez, who was reporter to the royal council,
and a near relation to Cortes, determined to despatch a courier of their
own to the emperor in Flanders. They fortunately possessed duplicates of
all our despatches and letters, as also a list of all the presents we
had destined for his majesty.

With these papers they likewise sent a separate letter to the emperor
with complaints against the archbishop and the whole of his doings with
Diego Velasquez. In this resolution they were backed by other cavaliers
who were at variance with the archbishop, who, upon the whole, had many
enemies on account of his haughty behaviour and the abuse he made of the
important offices he filled. And as the great services we had rendered
to God and his majesty, in whom we had alone reposed our trust, were
looked upon in a favorable light, it also happened that his majesty made
the strictest inquiries into the whole affair. His majesty was so highly
pleased with what we had done, that the dukes, marquisses, earls, and
other cavaliers, for days together spoke of nothing but Cortes, our
courageous behaviour, our conquests, and of the riches we had sent over.
It was owing to this as well as to the unfaithful and distorted account
which the archbishop had drawn up respecting these matters, and
particularly because he had not sent all the presents, but kept the
major part to himself, that he fell from that moment into his majesty's
displeasure. In the meantime the archbishop's agents in Flanders had
sent him information of all that had passed, which vexed him in no small
degree, and if previously he had blackened Cortes and all of us to his
majesty, he now boldly accused us of high treason. But the Lord very
soon bridled his rage; for two years after he received his dismissal,
and then in his turn experienced the curse of malice and contempt. We,
on the contrary, were looked upon as loyal men who had rendered services
to the crown, as shall be mentioned in the proper place. For the present
the emperor informed our agents, that he would himself shortly visit
Spain to investigate the matter more closely and reward us. Our agents,
therefore, awaited his majesty's arrival in Spain.

Before I proceed any further with my narrative, I must answer one
question, which seve