l my hopes on this world[5]."

From the Conception, the admiral meant to set out on the third of February
1500 for St Domingo, to prepare for returning into Spain to give their
Catholic majesties an account of the affairs of the colony. While these
disorders were going forwards of which mention has been made, many of the
rebels, by letters which they sent from Hispaniola, and by some of their
adherents who returned into Spain, continually conveyed false information
to their majesties and the council against the admiral and his brothers;
alleging that they were cruel and tyrannical and unfit for the government
of the colony, both because they were strangers and aliens, and because
they had not formerly been in a condition to learn by experience how to
govern and command over gentlemen. They affirmed, if their highnesses did
not apply some remedy, those countries would be utterly ruined and
destroyed; or that the admiral would revolt and join in league with some
prince who would support him, for he pretended that the whole belonged to
himself, as having been discovered by his industry and labour: That the
better to compass his designs, the admiral concealed the wealth of the
country, and would not permit that the Indians should serve the Christians,
or that they should be converted to the holy faith; because by
conciliating them he hoped to draw them to his side, that he might fortify
himself against the authority of their highnesses. They proceeded in these
and such like slanders, continually importuning their majesties and
perpetually speaking ill of the admiral, and complaining that there were
several years pay due to the men, which gave occasion to all that were
about the court to rail against the admiral. At one time about fifty of
those shameless wretches brought a load of grapes and sat down in the
court of the castle and palace of the Alhambra at Granada, crying out that
their majesties and the admiral caused them to live in misery by
withholding their pay, and using many other scandalous expressions; and if
the king went out they all flocked round him, calling _pay! pay!_

My brother and I were then at Granada as pages to the queen; and when we
chanced to pass by these people they would cry out in a hideous manner,
making the sign of the cross, "There go the sons of the admiral of the
Morescoes; he that has found out false and deceitful countries to be the
ruin and burial place of the Spanish gentry." Adding many