Page:Vol 2 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/635

Rh and he even accused Aguilar of having turned informer, which the latter stoutly denied. However, he made the matter known to his kinsman and to the marquis. Ávila called on Villalobos to assure him of his innocence, which he offered to prove with a sworn statement by Aguilar. The oidor went through the form of taking the affidavit, and pretended to be satisfied. This was the beginning of a long line of dissimulation by the authorities on the one hand, and the conspirators on the other.

The marquis found himself in a disagreeable position; indeed, he now began to realize that his situation was critical. Threatened by the loss of his father's estate at the hand of the sovereign power which was deriving vast benefits from the results of his father's life, he could not but sympathize with the encomenderos. Further than that, the conspirators were his friends and sought to do him honor: he would save himself; he would save them at any cost; and yet if he appeared too warmly their defender they might drag him into the pit. Above all, he must appear vigilant in the royal interests. The sky was threatening; over the house of Ávila it was dark indeed. To escape the coming storm he wrote his former tutor, Diego Ferrer, then in Spain, to propose to the crown an exchange of his marquisate and estates for others in Castile, even if he thereby sustained heavy loss.

On the 5th of April, 1566, a formal charge was preferred by the audiencia in writing, Luis de Velasco, Alonso de Villanueva, and Agustin de Villanueva Cervantes being the chief movers in the matter. This was not acted on at once, as the oidores well knew that they had not strength to carry it through. The arrest of the leaders of the faction, whoever they might be, would probably cost them their lives. They would wait and watch their opportunity, still