Page:Vol 2 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/86

66 grants, would be sufficient to win back to his standard the troops of Narvaez, which formed the majority of the army of Cortés. These would swell his forces to irresistible proportions, and taught by the mistakes of Narvaez, he would have no difficulty in defeating Cortés, and reaping the results of his intrigues and campaigns. While all this was alluring, the governor had too great a regard for his portly form to willingly expose it to the skill of Cortés, and yet it would be useless to intrust a lieutenant with the expedition. Whether this prudent consideration was sufficient to cause the abandonment of the project is not clear, but it certainly was abandoned.

The friends of Cortés had not failed to point out to the emperor the necessity of sustaining so energetic and able a captain in his efforts to extend the domains and revenue of the crown, and since the argument was supported by the eloquent plea of golden treasures, his Majesty felt induced to take a lenient view of the offence committed. While not exactly approving it, he left the case in the hands of his council, to be decided by future circumstances. Occupied with the affairs of his German empire, he gave comparatively little attention to discoveries in the remote west, and the India Council managed these interests according to its pleasure. While this body was controlled by the regency, Cardinal Adrian was too much distracted by nuncial affairs, particularly the comunidad troubles, to exercise fully his authority. During the varying course of Cortés' suit, therefore, Fonseca, as president of the council, managed to direct the inflowing testimony to his own advantage, identical with that of his protégé, and prevailed on his associates not to let the unscrupulous Cortés