It was, however, altogether false that he ordered the wood and
stone to be brought to Mexico from distant parts, for the wood grew near
to the city, and was conveyed thither by water; and as for the stones,
they had, in all truth, a sufficient supply in the place itself, from
the numerous temples which had been pulled down. Velasquez's agents had
altogether misrepresented things, with regard to the system of building
in Mexico. Cortes had certainly one great advantage with regard to
labourers, for he had only to say the word, and Quauhtemoctzin readily
furnished him with the necessary workmen from the surrounding townships;
but this was quite in accordance with the custom of the country, where
the subjects are always obliged to build the houses for their chiefs.

Narvaez's accusation, said our agents, is equally unfounded, when he
says that Alonso de Avila took the papers from him containing his
appointment, and had refused to return them, or that he had said these
papers were nothing but bonds. Cortes never saw Narvaez's appointment,
or gave any one orders to demand it of him; though it is a fact that all
the papers which were found upon Narvaez were three bonds or securities
for some horses which he had sold upon trust.

The complaints of the pilot Umbria and of the soldier Cardenas were mere
fabrications, continued our agents. The first had not had his feet cut
off without cause, but conformably to a just sentence, for having, with
two of his companions, who had suffered death for it, deserted his
general, and seized one of the vessels, with the intention of running
off with her to Cuba.

Cardenas, who complains that he had no share of the first gold we
collected, which was sent to his majesty, had himself, with several
others, signed his name to a certain document, by which he yielded up
all claim to his share, in order that the whole of the gold might be
forwarded as a present to the emperor. Nevertheless, Cortes had given
him 300 pesos from his own private purse, in order to induce him to
return with his wife and family to New Spain. With this sum of money he
had been richly renumerated, for he was quite unfit for military
service, and besides this was not altogether right in his head.

Our agents further continued to say, that they were quite surprised
accusations should be preferred against Cortes and his troops for having
marched against Narvaez, defeated his army, taken his officers
prisoners, and burnt hi