Page:Vol 2 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/631

Rh concerning encomiericlas: dangerous for Cortés; exceedingly dangerous for Ávila.

Two days afterward the conspirators held a meeting at Ávila's house to perfect their plans. According to the report of the informers it was then arranged that on Friday, the audiencia's government council day, they would divide themselves into groups, each under a determined leader; and that while one band posted themselves at the door of the council-chamber to prevent ingress, another would go into the hall and seize the arms; a third rush into the chamber and slay the oidores and visitador; after which one of their number was to make a sign from the corridor to another standing by the fountain in the court-yard, who in his turn would repeat the signal to a third posted at the outlet into the square; this last person was to wave a red cloak, at the sight of which Ayala de Espinosa would strike twice one of the bells of the cathedral, this being the signal for the conspirators scattered throughout the city to massacre Francisco and Luis de Velasco, and every one known for or suspected of hostility to their plan. The bodies of the oidores were to be thrown into the square, which was to be held by the marquis with as large a force as he