V. 1522. method, practifed by the Indians, of washing BOOK the earth carried down rivers and torrents from the mountains, and collecting the grains of native metal depofited there. The rich mines of New Spain, which have poured forth their treasures with fuch profufion on every quarter of the globe, were not difcovered for feveral years after the conqueft". By that time, a more 1552, &c, orderly government and police were introduced into the colony; experience, derived from former errors, had fuggefted many useful and humane regulations for the protection and' prefervation of the Indians; and though it then became neceffary to increase the number of thofe employed in the mines, and they were engaged in a fpecies of labour more pernicious to the human conftitution, they fuffered lefs hardfhip or diminution than from the ill-judged, but less extenfive, schemes of the firft conquerors. verty. WHILE it was the lot of the Indians to fuffer, Their po their new masters seemed not to have derived any confiderable wealth from their ill-conducted researches. According to the ufual fate of first fettlers in new colonies, it was their lot to encounter danger, and to ftruggle with difficulties; the fruits of their victories and toils V. 1522. BOOK were reserved for times of tranquillity, and reaped by fucceffors of greater industry, but of inferior merit. The early hiftorians of Americą abound with accounts of the fufferings and of the poverty of its conquerors'. In New Spain, their condition was rendered more grievous by a peculiar arrangement. When Charles V. advanced Cortes to the government of that country, he at the fame time appointed certain commiffioners to receive and administer the royal revenue there with independent jurifdiction. These men, chofen from inferior ftations in various departments of public bufinefs at Madrid, were fo much elevated with their promotion, that they thought they were called to act a part of the first confequence. But being accuftomed to the minute formalities of office, and having contracted the narrow ideas fuited to the sphere in which they had hitherto moved, they were astonished, on arriving in Mexico, at the high authority which Cortes exercifed, and could not conceive that the mode of administration, in a country recently fubdued and fettled, muft be different from what took place in one where tranquillity and regular government had been long established. In their letters, they repre fented Cortes as an ambitious tyrant, who having 1524. i Cortes Relat. 283. F. B. Diaz. c. 209. ufurped 1524. ufurped a jurisdiction fuperior to law, afpired at BOCOCK independence, and by his exorbitant wealth and extenfive influence might accomplish those difloyal schemes which he apparently meditated', These infinuations made fuch deep impreffion upon the Spanish minifters, most of whom had been formed to bufmefs under the jealous and rigid administration of Ferdinand, that, unmindful of all Cortes's paft fervices, and regardless of what he was then fuffering in conducting that extraordinary expedition, in which he advanced from the lake of Mexico to the western extremities of Honduras ", they infufed the fame fufpicions into the mind of their mafter, and prevailed on him to order a folemn inqueft to be made into his conduct, with powers to the licentiate Ponce de Leon, entrusted with that commiffion, to feize his perfon, if he should find that expedient, and fend him prisoner to Spain ". 1525. turns to THE fudden death of Ponce de Leon, a few Cortes redays after his arrival in New Spain, prevented, Spain. the execution of this commiffion. But as the object of his appointment was known, the mind of Cortes was deeply wounded with this unexpected return for fervices, which far exceeded V. 1525. 1528. BOOK whatever any fubject of Spain had rendered to his fovereign. He endeavoured, however, to maintain his station, and to recover the confidence of the court. But every person in office, who had arrived from Spain fince the conqueft, was a spy upon his conduct, and with malicious ingenuity gave an unfavourable representation of all his actions. The apprehenfions of Charles and his minifters increafed. A new commiffion of inquiry was iffued, with more extenfive powers, and various precautions were taken in order to prevent or to punish him, if he should be fo prefumptuous as to attempt what was inconfiftent with the fidelity of a fubject °. Cortes beheld the approaching crifis of his fortune with all the violent emotions natural to a haughty mind, confcious of high defert, and receiving unworthy treatment. But though fome of his defperate followers urged him to affert his own rights against his ungrateful country, and with a bold hand to feize that power which the courtiers meanly accused him of coveting, he retained fuch felf-command, or was actuated with such sentiments of loyalty, as to reject their dangerous counsels, and to • Herrera, dec. 3. lib. viii. c. 15. dec. 4. lib. ii. c.. 1. lib. iv. c. 9, 10. B. Diaz. c. 172. 196. Gomara Cron. c. 166. B. Diaz. c. 194. chufe V. 1528. chufe the only courfe in which he could fecure BOOK his own dignity, without departing from his duty. He refolved not to expofe himself to the ignominy of a trial, in that country which had been the scene of his triumphs; but without waiting for the arrival of his judges, to repair directly to Caftile, and commit himself and his cause to the justice and generosity of his fovereign 9. tion there. CORTES appeared in his native country with His recep the splendour that fuited the conqueror of a mighty kingdom. He brought with him a great part of his wealth, many jewels and ornaments of great value, feveral curious productions of the country', and was attended by fome Mexicans of the first rank, as well as by the most confiderable of his own officers. His arrival in Spain removed at once every fufpicion and fear that had been entertained with respect to his intentions. The emperor, having now nothing to apprehend from the defigns of Cortes, received him like a perfon whom consciousness of his own innocence had brought into the presence of his master, and who was entitled, by the eminence of his fervices, to the higheft marks of diftinction and respect. The order a Herrera, dec. 3. lib. iv. c. 8. VOL. III. H See NOTE IX. of |