Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 1.djvu/302

278 beyond the city of Churultecal, I encountered that religious father (Fray Olmedo] of my company, whom I had sent to the port to learn what sort of people had come in the armada. He brought me a letter from Narvaez, in which the latter wrote me that he brought certain powers to hold this country for Diego Velasquez, and that I should immediately come to him to obey and submit to them, and that he had established a town with alcaldes and municipal officers. From the same religious, I learned that the licentiate Ayllon, as well as his notary and alguacil, had been taken, and sent away in two ships; that he himself had been approached there by parties, to win over some of my company to Narvaez; and how they had boasted before him, and certain Indians who accompanied him, of their forces, both of foot and cavalry, and had fired the artillery from the ships and on land in order to frighten them, saying to the religious, "See! how can you defend yourselves against us if you don't do as we wish you to do?" He told me also that he had seen with Narvaez one of the native lords of this country, vassal of the said Montezuma, and governor of all his country along the coast; and he learned that he had spoken to Narvaez on the part of Montezuma, giving him jewels of gold, and that Narvaez had also given him certain trifles; and that Narvaez had sent from there certain messengers to Montezuma, saying, that he would deliver him, for he had come to take me and all my company, and then leave the country, and that he wished no gold, but that, myself, and those who were with me, once prisoners, he intended to depart, and leave the country and the natives in their full liberty. Finally I learned that his intention was to possess himself of the country by his own authority, without asking recognition from anyone; and that if I and those of my company refused to accept him as captain, or justice in the name of Diego Velasquez, he would come against