nt that his illness was of a dangerous nature, and they advised him
to confess and make the holy communion. For this Leon was quite
prepared, and he received the holy sacrament with the greatest humility,
and then made his last will, in which he appointed the licentiate Marcos
de Aguilar, who had accompanied him from Hispaniola, to succeed him in
the government.

There were many persons who maintained that this Aguilar was not a
licentiate, but that he had only the degree of bachelor; and that,
properly speaking, he was not qualified to fill an appointment of this
nature. Ponce de Leon, however, seems to have been of a different
opinion, and he had his commission drawn out in such a manner that all
the actions and inquiries, including the criminal suits against the
factor and veedor, should remain as they then were, until his majesty
had been informed how far he himself had progressed in these matters;
for which purpose a vessel was immediately to be despatched to Spain.

After he had thus arranged his earthly affairs, and had performed the
last duties for the salvation of his soul, he died on the ninth day
after he had fallen ill, and delivered up his immortal soul into the
hands of his Maker. Great, indeed, was the grief and despondency which
his sudden death occasioned to all the Conquistadores. They mourned his
loss as if he had been their common father, because they were convinced
that it had been his real intention to reward and honour all those who
had proved themselves faithful servants to his majesty; for which
purpose his majesty had given him the necessary powers and instructions.
The Conquistadores, therefore, sincerely lamented the untimely end of
this gentleman; and even Cortes himself and the greater part of the
cavaliers in Mexico put on mourning for him. His interment took place in
the Franciscan cloisters with every pomp and ceremony.

Luis Ponce was very fond of music, and several cavaliers who attended on
him told me that, in the last days of his illness, he desired some one
to play on the guitar at his bedside, in order to cheer him up. In his
last moments even he desired the musician to play a dance, but as he was
not able to move his legs from excessive weakness, he at least
accompanied the movements with his lips, and this he continued to do
until he breathed his last.

The enemies of Cortes and Sandoval, on this occasion, again began to
whisper their calumnies abroad, and asserted that they h