ps apart for the crown, he would have done much
better. Then he would have had one fifth and a half for the churches and
cloisters, and for those cavaliers who had served in his majesty's
armies in the campaigns of Italy, and those against the Moors and Turks;
and the other two fifths and a half ought to have been distributed among
the Conquistadores in perpetuity. This division would certainly have met
with his majesty's approbation, particularly as the whole conquest never
put the crown to any expense.

In the first times, moreover, we did not know before what tribunal we
were to lay our complaints and petitions, and we accordingly put our
whole trust in Cortes, as our general. It was not until we found that
Montejo, by applying personally to his majesty in Spain, procured for
himself the appointment of governor and chief justice of Yucatan,
besides other rewards; and that Ordas, in a similar manner, obtained
honours and lucrative commendaries for himself; and that Alvarado, after
throwing himself at his majesty's feet, obtained the appointment of
governor and chief justice of Guatimala and Chiapa, besides a gift of
extensive lands; and that, lastly, Cortes was created a marquis, with
the appointment of captain-general of New Spain and of the South Sea: it
was not, I say, until we were taught experience by these facts, that we,
the large body of the Conquistadores, likewise despatched agents to
Spain, to obtain for us in perpetuity the commendaries that should
become vacant. Our claims were then gone into, and pronounced to be
just, and his majesty instructed the royal auditors, whom he despatched
to Mexico, to consider the whole of the Indians of New Spain as if they
had not yet been distributed, and they were to deprive all those of
their possessions whom Cortes had so richly remunerated; that the most
lucrative commendaries were to be distributed among the veteran
Conquistadores, and all the remainder to be retained in the patronage of
the crown. But all this ended in smoke, as the very men whom his majesty
intrusted to carry out his commands either died too soon, or were averse
to the distribution of the commendaries in perpetuity; for they readily
perceived how soon their power and influence in the country would be at
an end if they carried out this measure. I must, however, do Nuno de
Guzman and the other auditors the justice to say, that whenever there
were any commendaries vacant, they always first remembered t