[Footnote 22:  Cedulas de vecindad.]

[Footnote 23:  First-fruits.]

CHAPTER IX

THE RETURN OF CERON AND DIAZ—­PONCE’S FIRST EXPEDITION TO FLORIDA

1511-1515

Ceron and Diaz returned to San Juan in November, 1511.

Before their departure from Seville they received sundry marks of royal favor.  Among these was permission to Diaz and his wife to wear silken garments, and to transfer to San Juan the 40 Indians they possessed in la Espanola.

We have seen that the first article of the king’s instructions to them enjoins the maintenance of friendly relations with Ponce, and in the distribution of Indians to favor those who had distinguished themselves in the suppression of the revolt.

They did nothing of the kind.

Their first proceeding was to show their resentment at the summary treatment they had received at the captain’s hands by depriving him of the administration of the royal granges, the profits of which he shared with King Ferdinand, because, as his Highness explained to Pasamente in June, 1511, “Ponce received no salary as captain of the island.”

They next sent a lengthy exposition to Madrid, accusing the captain of maladministration of the royal domain, and, to judge by the tenor of the king’s letter to Ponce, dated in Burgos on the 23d of February, 1512, they succeeded in influencing him to some extent against his favorite, though not enough to deprive him of the royal patronage.  “I am surprised,” wrote the king, “at the small number of Indians and the small quantity of gold from our mines.  The fiscal will audit your accounts, that you may be at liberty for the expedition to Bemini, which some one else has already proposed to me; but I prefer you, as I wish to recompense your services and because I believe that you will serve us better there than in our grange in San Juan, in which you have proceeded with some negligence.”

In the redistribution of Indians which followed, Ceron and Diaz ignored the orders of the sovereign and openly favored their own followers to the neglect of the conquerors’, whose claims were prior, and whose wounds and scars certainly entitled them to consideration.  This caused such a storm of protest and complaint against the doings of his proteges that Diego Columbus was forced to suspend them and appoint Commander Moscoso in their place.

This personage only made matters worse.  The first thing he did was to practise another redistribution of Indians.  This exasperated everybody to such an extent that the Admiral found it necessary to come to San Juan himself.  He came, accompanied by a numerous suite of aspirants to different positions, among them Christopher Mendoza, the successor of Moscoso (1514).  After the restoration of Ceron and Diaz in their offices, Ponce quietly retired to his residence in Caparra.  He was wealthy and could afford to