ed to
bring against Cortes before his majesty. As nothing could be more
welcome to the bishop than this, he promised to lend them every support,
and upon his advice they joined Velasquez's agents, named Bernardino
Velasquez, Benito Martin, and Manuel de Rojas, and presented themselves
to his majesty, before whom they preferred the following charges against
Cortes:

Firstly. Diego Velasquez had sent out three several armaments for the
discovery and colonization of New Spain, in which he had expended large
sums of money. Of one of these expeditions he had appointed Cortes
commander-in-chief, but the latter had deserted with the whole armament
and had refused all further obedience to him.

Secondly. When Diego Velasquez upon this despatched Narvaez with
eighteen vessels, 1300 foot, a considerable body of horse, musketeers,
and crossbow-men to New Spain, Cortes not only refused to acknowledge
the papers in which the president of the council of the Indies conferred
the government of the country on Narvaez, but he had even attacked the
latter with his troops, killed several of his officers, and then, after
Narvaez had lost an eye in the battle, took him and the whole of his men
prisoners.

Thirdly. When upon this the bishop of Burgos conferred the appointment
of governor of New Spain upon Christobal de Tapia, and the latter
repaired in person thither to enter upon the government in the name of
his majesty, Cortes again refused all obedience and forced Tapia to
leave the country.

Fourthly. Cortes had demanded in the name of his majesty large
quantities of gold from all the townships throughout New Spain, which
the inhabitants accordingly had brought him, but he had put the whole of
it in his private purse.

Fifthly. Cortes had taken an equal fifth with his majesty of the booty
found in Mexico, which had created great discontent among the men.

Sixthly. He had tortured Quauhtemoctzin and other caziques, in order to
extort more gold from them.

Seventhly. Cortes never divided any of the gold among his troops, but
kept all to himself.

Eighthly. Cortes was building himself palaces and houses with
fortifications, which had the extent of whole townships; the inhabitants
of the surrounding districts were compelled to labour in the
construction of the edifices, and were obliged to fetch large cedar
trees and enormous blocks of stone from the most distant parts.

Ninethly. He had poisoned Francisco de Garay in order that