[X‑3] Herrera and Oviedo both state that after the death of Pedrarias 'quedó en el cargo de la gobernaçion el licenciado Françisco de Castañeda,' whereas Andagoya, Nar., 39, says that 'the Bishop Diego Alvarez Osorio succeeded Pedrarias as governor, but died a short time after he had assumed office, leaving Castañeda as his successor.' This is undoubtedly an error. The editors of Datos Biog., in Cartas de Indias, 710, give as the date of Osorio's death the year 1534, which is also erroneous. His decease occurred in 1536. See Las Casas, Informacion, in Pacheco and Cárdenas, Col. Doc., vii. 127.
[X‑4] In a few days Castañeda had appropriated eight of them. Herrera, dec. iv. lib. ix. cap. xv.
[X‑5] 'No podia dexar de auer fraude, pues los auia dado a menosprecio, por contemplaciones, y por cõseguir sus fines.' Herrera, dec. iv. lib. ix. cap. xv.
[X‑6] 'El qual se dió todo el recabdo quél pudo á enriquesçerse; é púdolo bien hacer, pues no le quedó quien le fuesse á la mano.' Oviedo, iv. 112.
[X‑7] Among those who left the province were Sebastian de Benalcázar and Juan Fernandez, who joined Pizarro on the Isthmus in March 1531. In their company went Francisco Bobadilla, Juan de las Varillas, and Gerónimo Pontevedra, friars of the order of Mercy, who figured in the conquest of Guatemala and Nicaragua. Navarro, Relacion, in Col. Doc. Inéd., xxvi. 238.
[X‑8] During the brief rule of Salcedo in Nicaragua, one Maestro Rojas, a patron of the church, imprisoned the ex-treasurer Castillo on a charge of heresy, but the former held no jurisdiction in the case, and Rojas remained in confinement until the arrival of Pedrarias, accompanied by Fray Francisco de Bobadilla, who was vested with the requisite authority by the bishop of Panamá. His power was transferred to the bachiller Pedro Bravo, and from him to Pedrarias, who tried the case, acquitted Castillo, and restored him to office. Squier's MSS., iv.
[X‑9] Hist. Chyapa, 105. It appears that he was not a friar, being spoken of as 'muy magnífico é muy reverendo señor D. Diego Alvarez Osorio.' Pacheco and Cárdenas, Col. Doc., vii. 116; see also Alcedo, iii. 322, who adds that he was a native of America, though of what place is unknown; and Gonzalez Dávila, Teatro Ecles., i. 235; Juarros, Hist. Guat., i. 49.
[X‑10] New tithes were to be levied on cocoa, honey, wax, and flax, to provide for the salary of the bishop, which was 500,000 maravedís, and the limits of the new diocese were to be determined 'y estavan bien servidas las iglesias.' Squier's MSS., xxii. 109.
[X‑11] For previous mention of Las Casas see [Hist. Cent. Am., i. 277-9], [284], [309].
[X‑12] 'En tanto, desde que Rodrigo de Contreras fué á aquella tierra estuvo exerçitando su offiçio, como buen gobernador, é tuvo en paz é buena justiçia aquellas tierras é provinçias, que por Su Majestad le fueron encomendadas, é procurando la conversion é buen tractamiento de los indios para que viniessen á conosçer á Dios.' Oviedo, iv. 113.