Page:Vol 2 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/501

Rh was to enjoy the full income of the inheritance, though his majority was fixed at twenty-five. All the other children, legitimate and natural, were well provided with an adequate income, and appropriate dowries for the daughters. None of the many male and female relatives seem to have been forgotten, and all the servants, even the lady's-maids to the marchioness, were liberally remembered. Endowments for the erection and support of religious, charitable, and educational institutions were made with princely generosity. A college for theology and canon law, and a convent, the latter to serve as the Cortés family sepulchre, were to be founded at Coyuhuacan; neither of these institutions were built, however, for want of funds. A third, the celebrated hospital de la Concepcion, afterward known as Jesus, was erected. The manner in which the testator dwells upon the Indian question forms a striking feature of the will, and reveals the fact that he entertained great scruples concerning the legality of holding Indian slaves, and of exacting tributes. Concerning the Indian vassals of Cortés, he enjoined his successor to ascertain whether these had paid him more tribute than the amount formerly paid to their native chiefs; if so, the full sum so overpaid should be returned, including also all tributes collected unjustly; the same was to be done with all lands unjustly seized from the natives. Should the question of slavery be decided in the future, the successor must act accordingly, and pay particular attention to the instruction and education of the natives. Besides ordering his mother's remains to be transferred to his own future burial-place, Cortés further signified his filial love by founding certain services at the sepulchre of his father, at Medellin. To his wife he gave 10,000 ducats, being the dower received from her; the dower of his daughter Maria he fixed at 100,000 ducats, 20,000 already paid, and the balance to be paid over to conclude the marriage with Osorio. This, as mentioned in the text, never took place. The dowry of the other legitimate daughters, Catalina and Juana, was 50,000 ducats each. The natural sons, Martin and Luis, received a life-rent of 1,000 ducats, and were enjoined to acknowledge and obey their brother, Don Martin, as the head of the family. The natural daughter, Catalina Pizarro, whose mother was Leonor Pizarro, afterward married to Juan de Salcedo, was to enjoy all the rents, tributes, and other income from the village of Chinantla, besides receiving other grants of lands and cattle. Leonor and Maria had a dowry of 10,000 ducats bestowed. Those who had served under Cortés were to be paid according to their contracts; all he had expended in the service of the crown should be computed and collected from the royal treasury, and all his debts, of whatever nature, should be paid. Cortés, Testamento, in ''Col. Doc. Inéd.,'' iv. 239-77. The provisions of the will are very minute and concise, showing that great care was bestowed by the testator in its preparation.