_hidalgos_ of the best families in the province, though poor,
and had acquired a considerable property in the island of Cuba, where he
had been twice raised to the office of alcalde. He had lately married
Donna Catalina Suarez de Pacheco, the daughter of Diego Suares de Pacheco
of Merida, by Maria de Mercaida of Biscay; through which marriage he had
experienced much trouble, having been frequently confined by order of
Velasquez. The two officers before mentioned, who enjoyed the intimate
confidence of the governor, made an agreement with Cortes to procure the
appointment for him, for which they were to receive an equal division of
the treasure procured from the expedition out of his share, as the
commission was intended to extend no farther than the procurement of gold
by barter, without any power of settlement or colonization. For this
purpose they took every opportunity of praising Cortes to Velasquez, and
vouching for his fidelity, so that they at length succeeded in procuring
the appointment for him; and as it belonged to the secretary to draw it
out in due form, we may be sure that its conditions were sufficiently
favourable.

On this appointment being communicated to the public, it gave satisfaction
to some, but greatly displeased others, who used every endeavour to
communicate their dissatisfaction to the governor, particularly by the
following device: When the governor was going on a Sunday to mass,
accompanied by the most respectable people of the town and neighbourhood,
he placed Cortes on his right hand, on purpose to shew respect to the
person he had chosen for an expedition of such high importance. There was
at this time one Cervantes at St Jago, a kind of buffoon, generally called
mad Cervantes, who used to assume great liberty of speech under pretence
of idiocy. This man ran before the governor all the road to church,
shouting out many absurdities, saying among others, "Huzza for my master
Don Diego, who will soon lose his fleet, and huzza for his new captain;"
besides many similar expressions, all having a tendency to awaken
suspicion in Velasquez. Andrew de Duero, who was present, beat him and
ordered him to be silent, but he persisted so much the more, saying, "I
will dismiss my old master, and follow the fortune of Cortes." This man
was certainly hired by the relations of Velasquez, who wished the
appointment for some of themselves, that they might instil jealousy into
the mind of the governor, but al