Bernal Diaz assumes that more than one captain-general was to be appointed.
‘Para boluerse a Cuba, y deshazer a Cortes,’ is all the explanation
given by Gomara, Hist. Mex., 178.
Such are in substance the words used by Cortés in his relation to the
emperor. ‘E cómo yo vi que se me habia revelado tan gran traicion, dí
gracias á nuestro Señor, porque en aquello consistia el remedio.’ Cartas, 269.
So Cortés intimates, while Herrera states that Villafañe hastened to devour
the paper. His throat being pressed, about half of it was rescued. dec.
iii. lib. i. cap. i. He further says that Sandoval was sent to make the arrest;
but Bernal Diaz asserts that Cortés went in person, which is likely under the
circumstances, and took from Villafañe’s breast the paper. Finding thereon
so many names of quality he caused it to be rumored that the man had eaten
it, or part of it. Hist. Verdad., 136-7. Clavigero assumes that the culprit
revealed the names, and that Cortés preferred not to believe him. Storia
Mess., iii. 191. Torture failed to extort any names from him, writes Torquemada,
i. 528, and those on the list he declared to be merely of men whom he
intended to sound.