Bernal Díaz begins chapter xlii of his version of these heady days as someone personally included in the motions of the Cortes camp. A list of people - with Francisco de Montejo specifically singled out as someone who knew what was going on - according to Diaz's recollection was carefully lain out, and shows the people included early on in discussion.
Then, "... one night after midnight," a group of companions including one relation, came to his hut and invited him to go on the rounds with Cortes. But then, after drawing him away,
"Look here, sir, keep secret for awhile what we're going to tell you. It's a serious matter, and the companions in your shelter who are of Diego Velázquez's party don't know about it." [p. 70]They spoke to him asking if it seemed right that Cortes had been deceiving them all along. In Cuba he said they would do one thing, and now that they were here and saw the riches to be found, Cortes said, they can only trade. But, if we return, they explained to Díaz, to Cuba, now, like some want to, then all the gotten gold will just be given to Velázquez and won't be a help at all.
"Look, sir, you've now come here three times, including this one, using your own assets, going into debt, risking your life so many times with so many wounds. Let's explain to you, sir, why things can't continue this way. There are many of us gentlemen who believe that we are your friends and that this land should be settled in the name of His Majesty and Hernando Cortes in his royal name, while we await the possibility of making this fact known in Castile to our king and lord. Make sure, sir, to cast your vote so that we unanimously elect Cortes as captain, because doing so will serve God and our lord the king." [p. 71]Díaz could agree that returning to Cuba was a bad idea. And this is pretty remarkable remembering their circumstance. But it is easy to undrestand, since they were in this together and Díaz could agree easily, as one of the group. He trusted his companions as looking out for him. He also agrees with them when he said that "... it would be good to settle the land and that we should elect Cortes as general and justicia mayor until His Majesty ordered otherwise."
Our translator and editor for Díaz's text explains in a footnote that, ".... justicia mayor was the chief administrator of justice in the domain of his jurisdiction with broad responsibility and authority for appointing other administrators of justice and judges." [p.71]
Of course, the partisans and allies of Velázquez did find out and reacted "... with somewhat insolent words..." and complaining of Cortes "planning tricks". That Velázquez would not approve what he was doing and that they should return to Cuba and desist with the "going around in secret with the soldiers, for we had no provisions, no people, no possibility of settling."
Cortes was not bothered by this and even agreed they should return to Cuba, and the next day they should all go to the ships they had come in and return. Díaz says that those "...in on the agreement ..." then said to Cortes,
"... that it was not good to keep us deceived in this way, that in Cuba he had proclaimed he was coming to settle, but now he is coming to trade. We challenged him on behalf of Our Lord God and His Majesty to settle immediately and do nothing else, because settling was a very great good and service to God and His Majesty. We said many other well-expressed things...." [pp. 71-2]In the end, according to Díaz, Cortes accepted this,
"... although he made it look as if he took much convincing. As the saying goes, you are begging me but I want it." [p. 72]
There was a vote. Cortes was made captain-general, justicia mayor and was to be granted a fifth of everything found, after the royal fifth to be set aside. The power was granted before a notary named Diego de Godoy. Then they granted the creation of a new town named Villa Rica de la Veracruz. With Díaz mentioning that the Rica was named after what Puertocarrero had said to Cortes about seeing the rich lands and knowing how to conduct himself. Leaders for the new town were elected, though not Gonzalo de Sandoval, as he was too young and had not yet distinguished himself. And also, that Gomara told things backwards.
In the next chapter, Díaz explains the exasperated response by the loyalists to Velázquez. The permutations of these discussions are the ones carefully drawn out and given a different framework in what is called The First Letter of Cortes. A letter that did indeed make it back to the King, after leaving for home July 26, 1519, whose arguments will be soon detailed here.
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All quotes from Bernal Díaz de Castillo: The True History of the Conquest of New Spain translated with an introduction and notes by Janet Burke and Ted Humphrey, Indianapolis, Hackett Publishing Co, Inc. 2012
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