_How all the slaves we had taken in Tepeaca, Quauhquechola, Tecalco,
and Castilblanco, were brought together in our head-quarters, and
branded with an iron, in his majesty's name._
After peace had thus been restored to the whole province, and the
inhabitants had submitted to the sceptre of his majesty, Cortes, finding
there was nothing further to be done at present, determined, with the
crown officers, to mark all the slaves with the iron, and set apart the
fifth of them for his majesty. Notice was, therefore, given that every
person was to come with his slaves to a certain house appointed for the
purpose, that they might be marked with the red-hot iron. Every man,
accordingly, brought the females and young men he had taken prisoners;
for grown-up men were of no use to us, as they were so difficult to
watch, and we cared not to admit them into our service, as we were well
satisfied with the Tlascallans. After all the slaves had been brought
together and severally marked with the letter G, the emperor's fifths
and then Cortes' were deducted before we were aware of it; and, besides
this, on the night preceding, the finest of the Indian females had been
secretly set apart, so that when it came to a division among us
soldiers, we found none left but old and ugly women. This occasioned
excessive murmuring against Cortes and all those who had thus picked and
chosen before us; and some of Narvaez's men told Cortes to his face that
they were not aware, up to the present moment, there were two kings in
the Spanish dominions, and that two royal fifths could be demanded. A
certain Juan Bono, who was also loud in his complaints, added, that such
proceedings should not be permitted in New Spain, and that he would send
information of it to his majesty and the council of India. Another
soldier asked Cortes if the division he had made of the gold in Mexico
was not a sufficient imposition? for, at first, he had merely spoken of
300,000 pesos, but when we were obliged to retreat from the city, it was
estimated at 700,000 pesos. And now he was going to deprive the poor
soldier, who had undergone so many hardships, and suffered from
innumerable wounds, of this small remuneration, and not even allow him a
pretty Indian female for a companion! When notice was given, continued
he, that each person was to produce his prisoners, in order that they
might be marked, it was thought they would have been valued, and that
the emperor's fifths would have been deducted therefrom in money, and
that no mention would have been made of fifths for Cortes.
Similar and even severer speeches were in every one's mouth respecting
Cortes' fifths, until the latter began to consider it high time to
pacify these daring spirits. He stated, therefore, and swore upon his
conscience, (for this was his usual oath,) that it should not happen in
future, but that all the prisoners should be valued, and sold at their
valuation, which would put a stop to all further discontent on that
head. This resolution was subsequently adhered to, particularly after
the conquest of Tezcuco, where we took a vast number of prisoners.
If this circumstance had occasioned ill blood, another of a different
nature occasioned worse. The reader will remember that, on the night of
sorrows, after as much of the gold had been stowed away as could be,
Cortes had given what remained as prize-money to the soldiers. Many of
Narvaez's men and several of ours had dived deep into the gold, and most
of those who had overloaded themselves with it lost their lives in the
retreat. Several, however, had had the good fortune to escape with their
treasures, but had paid dearly for it with severe wounds and the risk of
their lives.
When Cortes learnt that there were still a great many bars of gold among
the men, and heavy gambling in consequence, (for, according to the old
saying, gold and love cannot lie long concealed,) he made known, under
threats of severe punishment, that every one should produce the gold he
had obtained on the night of our retreat from Mexico, of which one third
was to be returned to him; but that any one who refused to pay this,
should have the whole taken from him. Many of our men refused downright
to comply with this; yet Cortes managed to extort a good deal of it
under the pretence of a loan: but, as most of the officers and crown
officials had also well stocked themselves with gold on that occasion,
Cortes suddenly dropped the question, and nothing further was heard of
it. It is certain, however, that this circumstance injured him vastly in
every one's opinion.