Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/388



Francis, summoning together all the friends of Cortes who had taken refuge there. The latter did not dare to disobey Your Majesty's principal officers, who ordered them to follow them. They assembled all the alcaldes and regidors in a house and made them deliver to them the staff of justice as lieutenants of the governor, although they had no powers to show. Then they adjourned uproariously to the house of Cortes, where Salazar was installed. The latter had intrenched himself, and had with him many of his friends, well armed, though many had already deserted him. The assailants broke down the doors of the house by means of artillery and captured Salazar amidst such disorder that it is really a miracle that everything was not lost on that day, for the Indians had resolved to profit by that occasion to fall upon the Spaniards, massacre them to the last man, and liberate their country.

Estrada and Albornoz, masters of the person of Salazar and liberators of Chirino who had fled, began to govern in such wise as to fill their pockets. They took a large number of Indians for themselves, distributed others amongst their friends, and began legal proceedings against those who had sided with their enemies. Several of these latter were decapitated or hanged, and the others took refuge in convents, though some were even dragged out from them to be executed. All were deprived of their Indians and persecuted in every possible manner.

While Mexico was being devoured by this conflagration, Cortes came back. When it was known that he had left the port and was approaching the capital, an incredible dismay spread through the city. Everybody wanted to file complaints of the executions, robberies, and vexations which had taken place. Some accused Salazar and Chirino who were prisoners, while others accused Estrada and Albornoz who were governing.

When Cortes beheld the skein he had to untangle, he retired to the convent of St. Francis, where he confessed, received the communion, and afterwards consulted the Superior, and the wisest religious men concerning all that had happened, and the attitude he should adopt. But just at that time, the licenciate Luis de Leon, whom Your Majesty sent as judge of residencia, arrived in New Spain. As soon as he had exhibited his powers all the officers of justice consigned their wands of office to him. But a few days later God called him hence. Judging from the good report I have had of him from those who knew him, his death was beyond doubt a punishment which it pleased Providence to inflict on this country. He had designated the licenciate Marcos de Aguilar as his successor, but as the latter was very old, his infirmities prevented him from accomplishing anything. He died within a short time, after having named the treasurer, Estrada, to succeed him.

During the government of Alonso de Estrada and Gonzalo de Sandoval, Nuño de Guzman arrived in the province of Panuco, where Your Majesty sent him as governor. He had been to the island Hispaniola