82
Peter Martyr mentions a vulgar rumor of the day, that the admiral, not knowing what might happen, wrote a letter in cipher to the Adelantado, urging him to come with arms in his hands to prevent any violence that might be contrived against him; that the Adelantado advanced, in effect, with his armed force, but having the imprudence to proceed some distance ahead of it, was surprised by the governor, before his men could come to his succor, and that the letter in cipher had been sent to Spain. This must have been one of the groundless rumors of the day, circulated to prejudice the public mind. Nothing of the kind appears among the charges in the inquest made by Bobadilla, and which was seen, and extracts made from it, by Las Casas, for his history. It is, in fact, in total contradiction to the statements of Las Casas, Herrera, and Fernando Columbus.
83
Charlevoix, in his History of San Domingo (lib. iii. p. 199), states that the suit against Columbus was conducted in writing; that written charges were sent to him, to which he replied in the same way. This is contrary to the statements of Las Casas, Herrera, and Fernando Columbus. The admiral himself, in his letter to the nurse of Prince Juan, after relating the manner in which he and his brothers had been thrown into irons, and confined separately, without being visited by Bobadilla, or permitted to see any other persons, expressly adds, "I make oath that I do not know for what I am imprisoned." Again, in a letter written some time afterwards from Jamaica, he says, "I was taken and thrown with two of my brothers in a ship, loaded with irons, with little clothing and much ill-treatment, without being summoned or convicted by justice."
84
Herrera, decad. i. lib. iv. cap. 10. Oviedo, Cronica. lib. iii. cap. 6.
85
Muñoz, Hist. N. Mundo, part unpublished.
86
Hist. del Almirante, cap. 86.
87
Las Casas, Hist. Ind., lib. i. cap. 180, MS.
88
Las Casas, Hist. Ind., lib. i. cap. 180, MS.
89
Hist. del Almirante, cap. 86.
90
Las Casas, Hist. Ind., lib. i. cap. 182.
91
Oviedo, Cronica, lib. iii. cap. 6.
92
Las Casas, lib. i. cap. 182. Two thousand ducats, or two thousand eight hundred and forty-six dollars, equivalent to eight thousand five hundred and thirty-eight dollars of the present day.
93
Herrera, decad. i. lib. iv. cap. 10.
94
Peter Martyr, decad. i. lib. ix.
95
Herrera, decad. i. lib. iv. cap. 12. Muñoz, Hist. N. Mundo, part unpublished.
96
Las Casas, Hist. Ind., lib. ii. cap. 2. Muñoz, part unpublished.
97
Las Casas, Hist. Ind., lib. ii. cap. 2 Muñoz, part unpublished.
98
Hakluyt's Collection of Voyages, vol. iii. p. 7. Vol. II. -9
99
Lafiteau, Conquetes des Portugais, lib. ii.
100
Robertson, Hist. America, book ii.
101
Las Casas, Hist. Ind., lib. ii. cap. 3.
102
Las Casas, Hist. Ind., lib. ii. cap. 1, MS.
103
Las Casas, Hist. Ind. lib. ii. cap. 3, MS.
104
Herrera, Hist. Ind., decad. i. lib. iv. cap. 12.
105
Muñoz, part inedit. Las Casas says the fleet consisted of thirty-two sail. He states from memory, however; Muñoz from documents.
106
Muñoz, H. N. Mundo, part inedit.
107
Las Casas, Hist. Ind., lib. ii. cap. 3, MS.