Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/188

 that they should not fear his threats as the greatest service to Your Majesty, and for which they would receive greater favours, was to resent the meddling of the Bishop and of any of his creatures in those parts; because his intention was to conceal the truth from Your Majesty, obtaining favours the while without your knowing what was given in exchange. I had much trouble to pacify them, especially as I was informed — although I dissembled at the time — that some murmured amongst themselves, saying that since thus far they had received nothing but threats in payment for their services they might better form themselves into comunidades as had been done in Castile until Your Majesty should be informed of the truth; for the Bishop had so many fingers in this business and thus prevented their accounts from reaching Your Highness, as he held the office of the Casa de la Contratacion at Seville in his hands, where their messengers were ill-treated, and their letters and monies were seized, and reinforcements, supplies, arms, and provisions were withheld from them. When I spoke to them as I have explained above, and told them that Your Majesty was not in any wise cognisant of this, and they might rest assured that, when Your Highness came