ondemned, and that we had altogether no demand whatever of that nature
against him, as we were perfectly satisfied that the gold, with the
other valuable matters in question, had been duly forwarded to his
majesty, and that this was done with unanimous consent to prove our
fidelity and loyalty to the emperor. When the auditors were informed of
what we had done, they were going to have us all seized, on the ground
that we were not authorized to call any meeting or sign any document of
such a nature without their sanction; but we showed them the permission
we had received from the alcaldes, yet the auditors again sentenced us
to be banished twenty miles from Mexico. This sentence was soon after
indeed withdrawn as on the former occasion, but it nevertheless caused
us a great deal of vexation and sorrow.

The next thing the auditors did was to announce to the public that all
those persons who either descended from the Moors or the Indians, whose
relations or forefathers in the fourth degree had been burnt by the holy
inquisition, or had even been dismissed with the San Benito, should
leave New Spain within the space of six months, or forfeit the half of
their property. Many persons were accordingly called up to vindicate
themselves on this point, and several found their respectability sadly
impugned; yet there were only two persons who were obliged to leave New
Spain on this account.

With regard to the distribution of commendaries, the auditors fully
acted up to his majesty's commands, and they richly remunerated the true
Conquistadores; but the real cause of their downfall was the
immoderateness with which they allowed the Spaniards to mark slaves.
This was carried to so great a length in the province of Panuco, that
the whole of this territory became at length quite depopulated. Nuno de
Guzman had, altogether, something noble and frank about him, and when he
gave, it was with an unsparing hand. For instance, by way of a
new-year's gift he presented the accountant Albornoz with the township
of Guazpaltepec. Albornoz had just returned from Spain, with his wife
Dona Catalina de Loaisa, whom he had recently married, having also
obtained permission from his majesty to erect a sugar refinery at
Sempoalla, which a few years after was completely destroyed. If the
president Guzman pursued a ruthless course in the marking of slaves, and
tried all he could to injure Cortes, the auditor Delgadillo was
certainly no better. It was e