s due to them in their capacity
of royal auditors. In short, each person defended his property as well
as he could, and, upon the whole, so successfully, that there were only
a few persons who were obliged to relinquish their possessions. The
accountant Albornoz was of this number, and he was again deprived of the
township of Guazpaltepec, which Guzman had given him as a new-year's
gift. In the same way a certain Villa Roel was obliged to deliver up
possession of the township of Quauhnahuac. Villegas, Guzman's
mayor-domo, and other officials and relatives of the auditors, had to
quit their commendaries.

As soon as the news arrived in Mexico that the auditors were to be
cashiered, Guzman and his colleagues determined to despatch a procurador
to Spain, to testify that they had faithfully fulfilled the duties of
their office, and acted up to his majesty's commands. For this purpose,
all the procuradores of the different towns of New Spain then staying at
Mexico, and the most distinguished of the Conquistadores, were desired
to assemble in the principal church, to elect the factor Salazar, when
it would be made to appear as if this man was chosen by our unanimous
consent to repair to Spain, and there to white-wash Guzman and his
colleagues. The auditors had fully expected we should have elected
Salazar, particularly as they had been so liberal in their grants of
commendaries to the Conquistadores.

This meeting actually took place, but so many persons forced their way
into the church who had no voice at all, creating so much disturbance
and noise, that it was impossible to restore order. We therefore
declared to the auditors that it was impossible to proceed with the
business of the day, and that we would assemble in their private
dwelling on the following morning. But as we plainly saw that their main
object was that we should select some one entirely devoted to their
interests, we determined also that a second agent should be chosen in
Cortes' interest. We then proceeded to the election, and our choice fell
upon Bernardino Vazquez de Tapia, in the latter's interest, and Antonio
de Carvajal, who commanded a brigantine during the siege of Mexico, was
chosen to represent the interest of the auditors; however, both these
gentlemen were more inclined to favour the cause of Nuno de Guzman than
that of Cortes: nor could we indeed blame them for this, the royal
auditors having been more bountiful towards us than Cortes. They ha