Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/385



rest as he pleased. A short time after the conquest and partition of Mexico, Your Majesty's officers, Alonso de Estrada, Rodrigo de Albornoz, Gonzalo de Salazar, and Pero Almendez Chirino, arrived. Cortes gave them the best reception, installing them in their offices and overwhelming them with favours. They all made him the greatest demonstrations of friendship, including even the factor Salazar.

At that time Cortes sent captains commanding a good number of men to explore the country in all directions and to examine which provinces would it be most suitable to colonise. Among these there was Cristobal de Olid, whom he furnished with a fleet and an army to colonise the province of Hibueras and the Cape of Honduras, which was reputed to be a very rich country. The preparations for this expedition cost Cortes a good deal of money. But Cristobal de Olid, who had served under Cortes, no sooner observed the wealth of the country than he resolved to become independent. As soon as Cortes learned this, he despatched several officials to summon him to recognise his authority, but as Olid obstinately refused to do this, Cortes decided to go in person, nothing daunted by the difficulties such a long overland journey offered.

Cortes set out therefore, leaving the licenciate Zuazo as chief justice of the entire country, and giving him power to decide all contentions. He associated the treasurer, Alonso de Estrada, and the accountant, Albornoz, with him in the government.

Hardly had Cortes left the city when Estrada and Albornoz quarrelled, abusing one another, and even drawing their swords. Informed of these disorders by letters which he received from Mexico, Cortes sent back from Guazacalco, where he then was, the factor Gonzalo de Salazar and the inspector Peralmindez Chirino, charging them to quell the disturbances. He gave them two sets of instructions. According to one they were, should they find Albornoz and Estrada reconciled, merely associated with the government, and all four were to govern in accord with the licenciate Zuazo, who, as jurisconsult, retained the exclusive administration of justice. But if the discord still continued, Salazar and Chirino were authorised by the other set of instructions to assume the reins of government alone. Urged by their ambitions, these two came to an understanding with Albornoz who so thoroughly detested Estrada that he consented to be deprived of his own power if only the other were involved in his fall and punished, as the author of all the troubles.

In agreement with Albornoz, the envoys of Cortes destroyed, the first instructions, and only produced the others which provided that since Estrada and Albornoz could not agree, the envoys were to replace them in the government. At first Estrada submitted, but becoming then reconciled with Albornoz and learning from him the history of the destroyed papers, they both went to complain to the licenciate Zuazo, and demanded to be recognised once more as members of the government. Zuazo decided in their favour, but many troubles