Of the words that Lançarote spake.
On the next day, when all the principal men were met together by order
of the chief captain, as you have heard already, as well as all the
others who wished to come, Lançarote said:--"Friends and gentlemen,--In
that it was the grace of the Infant, our lord, to make me your captain,
and your pleasure and will consented that it should be so, and because I
here represent his person, I now in his name thank you all for your
great toil and good will, which I have found in one and all of you in
this action, whereto you came in his service: the which I will myself
recount to him when it please God that we stand again before him, in
such wise that for the deserts of your toil you may obtain that guerdon
which you so justly merit.
"Now you know how we set out from our town with the main object of
coming to the conquest of this island, and as God hath willed to
despatch and guide us to it, we owe Him for this much thanks; for even
though we did not take so many Moors as formerly, yet our victory was
adequate, since in half a day we surrounded and attacked them as you
have seen, and great as was their number, they left the field to our
triumph, and we entered into their country and took their property
without any hindrance; thus securing for ourselves honour and praise
among all those who shall have a true understanding of the matter. And
as for our coming here, according to the plan we brought with us, the
matter has been performed, so that I cease to be your captain: for,
according to the directions that I have from the lord Infant,[N135]
after the capture of this island each one of you may do what he
pleaseth, so as to go wherever he may perceive his advantage or profit
to lie. And so it seemeth good to me that these few prisoners we have
taken should be divided in such wise that each one may have his own
rightful share and go wherever he think best. And for my part, I assure
you that I am ready for whatever toil or peril may come to me in the
service of God and of the Infant, my lord, for with so small a booty I
do not intend to go back to his presence." All the rest replied that
what Lançarote had said was very well considered, and they began
forthwith to divide the booty[AK] into equal parts, according to which
each one received what his lot gave him. And after that, Lançarote
required of all the other captains what they were wishful to do. Sueiro
da Costa and Vicente Diaz, the owner of a ship, and Gil Eannes and
Martin Vicente, pilot, and John Diaz, also owner of a ship, replied that
forasmuch as their caravels were small and winter was very near, they
held it as perilous to remain and proceed any further, wherefore they
intended to return home to Portugal. But of the manner of their return
we will speak fully later on in this history.
[Footnote AK: Of captives.]