My Passport

My Name is Gonzalo de Sandoval I was born in 1497 AD, in Medellín, Spain. I am the youngest Lieutenant under the command of Hernan Cortes. I am going to the New World in pursuit of Gold, Glory, and God. I can wait to see what this New World has for me.

TO:    Fr. Diego de Sandoval

The Monastery of St. John of the Rock

Santa Cruz de la Seros, Jaca

Province of Huesca, Aragon

Kingdom of Spain

My dear brother,                                                          23 April, Anno Domini 1519

Let us give thanks to the Virgin Mary that our ship, the San Lazaro, has come safely to shore on the peninsula that is called Yucatan. Oh, mi hermano, if only you could see this New World for yourself, then you and the other monks would no longer doubt the extraordinary tales you have heard; rather, you would read them as pale reflections of a land stranger than any fantasy.  If only you were here by my side, you would no longer regret that our older brother Bernal – arrogant drunk that he is – inherited all the old hidalgo’s lands and our family home. Here there is opportunity for us, too, to become wealthy.

Yours,

Gonzalo de Sandoval

TO:    Fr. Diego de Sandoval

The Monastery of St. John of the Rock

Santa Cruz de la Seros, Jaca

Province of Huesca, Aragon

Kingdom of Spain

16 November, Anno Domini 1521

My dear brother,

I pray this letter finds you in the best health. This expedition has exceeded all of hopes for it. Stout Cortez has brought me, a humble country lad but a true Spaniard, to a land filled with potential. I have become a rich man, and taken a village for myself. It is along the Coatzacoalcos River, which the savages call Guaspaltepque. At the same time as I send this this letter, I shall have delivered a chest containing two hundred pesos to our mother, so you need not worry about her. My only sorrow is not to have you here, too, sharing in this splendor.

Yours,

Gonzalo de Sandoval

TO:    Fr. Diego de Sandoval

The Monastery of St. John of the Rock

Santa Cruz de la Seros, Jaca

Province of Huesca, Aragon

Kingdom of Spain

My dear brother,                             20 November, Anno Domini 1519

I pray your studies of St. Augustine are going well. I, for my part, have found both my patron saint and my adoptive father in Hernan Cortez. The men all call him “stout,” and this is an accurate description of the good soldier. The way he deals with the savages is most admirable. As soon as we saw the heathens massed together worshipping one of their grotesque idols, without a moment’s hesitation the great man turned to me and said, ‘my son, can you build a fire?’ Together, he and I led the men forward and set about their temple-fortress with burning brands. In a day we razed it to the ground, gods and all.

Hail Mary,

Gonzalo de Sandoval