ion of the King, and that
for some time was withheld. But at last his increasingly importunate
appeals had their effect. In October, 1535, the King accepted his
resignation, and, it is pleasant to record, paid him a tribute which was
unique and which must have been peculiarly gratifying to Rojas. That
was, that the examination of his accounts should be of an altogether
perfunctory and formal character. There was to be no such inquest as all
other governors had been compelled to endure. There was really no need
of any, but in order to maintain the custom one must be held. But there
were no charges, no investigations, no trials. This was the more
noteworthy because of the hostility of so many of the people, and above
all of Rojas's successor.

But this exemption from inquest was his sole reward. He had asked to be
relieved not merely of the governorship of Cuba but also of all public
duties, in order that he might give his undivided attention to his own
personal and private interests. But this was denied him. The King
accepted his resignation of the governorship, but refused to grant him
permission to join his brother in Peru, where he had hoped to recoup his
fortunes. Instead, he sent him to Jamaica, as a royal auditor of
accounts, an arduous and somewhat invidious duty, which Rojas accepted
doubtless with much reluctance. Still more distasteful was the task
which followed it, which was to return to Cuba to conduct a judicial
investigation into the conduct of the royal officials there, including
the governor himself, and to try those who seemed deserving of
prosecution. To some this would have been a welcome undertaking, since
it involved the prosecution for serious misdemeanors of those
politicians who had been most hostile to him and had given him the
greatest annoyance; and even bringing his arch-enemy, the governor,
Guzman, under scrutiny. But it was a repugnant task to Rojas, who had no
vindictiveness in his nature, and who wished above all to get away and
remain away from the scenes of his unsuccessful labors and agonizing
ordeals. He bore himself, however, with the same firmness, integrity and
high spirit that had marked his former services, and at the end
departed, with the royal permission, from Cuba, not to visit it again.

CHAPTER XII

The successor of Rojas was Gonzalo de Guzman, who thus returned for a
second term of the governorship. That adroit, masterful and often
unscrupulous politician had sp