Part 6 (1/2)

This last docu long arrears due to them in consequence of the poverty of the treasury

Flushed with his growing i, if refused, to take the with the same reply, he repaired to the fortress to execute his threats This post was coonian cavalier who had once taken refuge a the Indians on the banks of the Ozema, won the affections of the female cacique Catalina, received froold mines, and induced his countrymen to remove to those parts

When Bobadilla caates closed, and the alcayde, Miguel Diaz, upon the battlements He ordered his letters patent to be read with a loud voice, the signatures and seals to be held up to view, and then demanded the surrender of the prisoners Diaz requested a copy of the letters; but this Bobadilla refused, alleging that there was no ti under sentence of death, and liable at any moment to be executed He threatened, at the saiven up, he would proceed to extremities, and Diaz should be answerable for the consequences The wary alcayde again required ti that he held the fortress for the king, by the coained these territories and islands, and that when the latter arrived, he should obey his orders [72]

The whole spirit of Bobadilla was roused within hi all the people he had brought froether with the sailors of the shi+ps, and the rabble of the place, he exhorted the possession of the prisoners, but to harm no one unless in case of resistance The mob shouted assent, for Bobadilla was already the idol of the multitude About the hour of vespers he set out, at the head of this arrison, and for calculated to withstand only a naked and slightly-ar in theive it the air of absurd rhodoreat iave way at the first shock, and allowed him easy admission In the meantime, however, his zealous myrmidons applied ladders to the walls, as if about to carry the place by assault, and to experience a desperate defence The alcayde, Miguel Diaz, and Don Diego de Alvarado, alone appeared on the battlements; they had draords, but offered no resistance Bobadilla entered the fortress in triumph, and without molestation The prisoners were found in a chaht up to hi put a few questions to theuazil naant and precipitate entrance into office of Francisco de Bobadilla He had reversed the order of his written instructions; having seized upon the governated the conduct of Colu as if the case had been prejudged in Spain, and he had been sent out rade the admiral from his employments, not to ascertain the manner in which he had fulfilled them He took up his residence in the house of Coluether with his letters, and various manuscripts, both public and private, even to his ave no account of the property thus seized; and which he no doubt considered already confiscated to the crown, excepting that he paid out of it the wages of those to whom the admiral was in arrears [74] To increase his favor with the people, he proclaieneral license for the ter overnment, instead of a third as heretofore At the same time, he spoke in thethat he was empowered to send hie would ever again be perovern in the island [75]

Chapter III

Columbus Summoned to Appear before Bobadilla

[1500]

When the tidings reached Colus of Bobadilla, he considered them the unauthorized acts of soovernment had apparently thrown open the door to private enterprise, he ht expect to have his path continually crossed, and his jurisdiction infringed by bold inter themselves authorized to interfere in the affairs of the colony Since the departure of Ojeda another squadron had touched upon the coast, and produced a transient alar an expedition under one of the Pinzons, licensed by the sovereigns to make discoveries There had also been a ru about the island, which proved, however, to be unfounded [76]

The conduct of Bobadilla bore all the appearance of a lawless usurpation of some intruder of the kind He had possessed himself forcibly of the fortress, and consequently of the town He had issued extravagant licenses injurious to the govern the people; and had threatened to throw Columbus hiovernnant to belief The admiral's consciousness of his own services, the repeated assurances he had received of high consideration on the part of the sovereigns, and the perpetual prerogatives granted to him under their hand and seal, with all the solemnity that a compact could possess, all forbade hio otherwise than as outrages on his authority by souided individual

To be nearer to San Doo, and obtain more correct infor to assu erected houses there, and cultivated the adjacent country He had scarcely reached the place, when an alcalde, bearing a staff of office, arrived there fro the appoint copies of his letters patent There was no especial letter or e sent to the admiral, nor were any of the co his of Bobadilla towards hily embarrassed how to act It was evident that Bobadilla was intrusted with extensive powers by the sovereigns, but that they could have exercised such a sudden, unmerited, and apparently capricious act of severity, as that of divesting him of all his commands, he could not believe He endeavored to persuade himself that Bobadilla was soe, according to the request he had written hons, and that they had intrusted him likeith provisional powers to make an inquest into the late troubles of the island All beyond these powers he tried to believe were erations of authority, as in the case of Aguado At all events, he was deterain time If the monarchs had really taken any harsh measures with respect to him, it must have been in consequence of ive the the necessary auarded terainst precipitate old; infor to Spain, and in a little ti fully and clearly explained He wrote at the same time to the like purport to certain h he observes that these letters were only written to gain ti silence was observed towards him, Bobadilla filled up several of the blank letters, of which he had a nuns, and sent them to Roldan, and other of the admiral's enee These letters were full of civilities and proht arise froranted by Bobadilla, Columbus published by word and letter, that the powers assu, as he hiranted to him in perpetuity by the crohich could no more be superseded in this instance, than they had been in that of Aguado

For some time Columbus remained in this anxious and perplexed state of ular and unlooked-for a conjuncture He was soon brought to a decision Francisco Velasquez, deputy treasurer, and Juan de Trasierra, a Franciscan friar, arrived at Bonao, and delivered to hins on the 26th of May, 1499, coive implicit faith and obedience to Bobadilla; and they delivered, at the same time, a summons from the latter to appear immediately before hins struck at once at the root of all his dignity and power He no longerwith the peremptory summons of Bobadilla, departed, alo [79]

Chapter IV

Columbus and His Brothers Arrested and Sent to Spain in Chains

[1500]

The tidings that a new governor had arrived, and that Colurace, and to be sent hoa, and the colonists hastened froo to make interest with Bobadilla It was soon perceived that there was no surer way than that of vilifying his predecessor Bobadilla felt that he had taken a rash step in seizing upon the government, and that his own safety required the conviction of Coluerly, therefore, to all accusations, public or private; and welcoainst the ad that the admiral was on his way to the city, heto believe a rua to aid hiovernrounds appear for this absurd report, which was probably invented to give a coloring of precaution to subsequent measures of violence and insult The ado, was seized, thrown in irons, and confined on board of a caravel, without any reason being assigned for his imprisonment

In the o, traveling in a lonely uards or retinue Most of his people ith the Adelantado, and he had declined being attended by the remainder He had heard of the ruh he knew that violence was threatened to his person, he ca s, and to remove all suspicion [80]

No sooner did Bobadilla hear of his arrival, than he gave orders to put hie to a person of such dignified and venerable appearance, and such eminent merit, seemed, for the tiht, every one present shrank fro thereat a reverse of fortune, or out of habitual reverence for his person To fill the ratitude raceless and shameless cook,” says Las Casas, ”ith unwashed front, riveted the fetters with ashim with choice and savory viands I knew the fellow,” adds the venerable historian, ”and I think his name was Espinosa” [81]

Colunanimity under the injuries heaped upon him There is a noble scorn which swells and supports the heart, and silences the tongue of the truly great, when enduring the insults of the unworthy Coluance of a weak and violent ent, and all his petty tyranny, to the sovereigns who had eratitude alone could wound his spirit; and he felt assured that when the truth careatly they had wronged hinities in silence