Page:Vol 2 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/633

Rh actually supported the measure from the pulpit. Ávila kept open house and encouraged games of ball, dice, and cards; by this means the conspirators could meet freely without attracting attention, and fresh adherents were thus won to the cause. Neither Cortés nor his brothers attended the games, although they were sometimes at the secret conferences; the mind of the marquis vacillated, and notwithstanding Ávila's efforts Cortés deemed it expedient to await the arrival of a new viceroy, and if he attempted to enforce the last cédula on encomiendas, then strike the blow and the people would support them. At another time he said he would wait till the authorities should attempt to ship him off to Spain; and still again he would leave the whole matter to his supporters, promising the coöperation of himself and his most intimate friends at the hour of danger; and finally, he began to manifest a fear of trusting the creoles. At the last meeting in 1565 the marquis had not thrown off his irresolution. So it was said of him. In the early part of 1566 Ávila fell seriously ill and the plot passed almost out of mind. The result of the marquis' lack of conviction, or courage, whichever it was, cooled the enthusiasm of the leading conspirators; the opportunity was lost, and the government found itself in a position to investigate, prevent, and punish.

Much was said on both sides that was false; but it is quite certain that, if the marquis did not himself divulge the plot, he spoke of it to his friend the visitador, who as we have seen was numbered among those to be assassinated. After that he endeavored to soothe the discontented, and prevent an outbreak. The visitador never really believed the affair to be of serious import, as he attributed the words uttered in public to childishness. Then the marquis went further, and charged the conspiracy, if there was a conspiracy, on his enemies, telling the vistador that in Tezcuco, on the day after the wedding of Alonso de Cervantes with a daughter of Diego de Guevara, at the house of