_How we determined once more to despatch father Olmedo to Narvaez's
head-quarters, and what we commissioned him to say._
As soon as all our troops had arrived at Tampanicita, we determined to
despatch father Olmedo, who was a remarkably shrewd man, to Narvaez with
a letter, which, after expressing the usual courtesies, ran nearly as
follows:
We all rejoiced at his arrival in this country, as we were confident
that, in conjunction with such a valiant captain as he was, we should be
able to render important services to God and to our emperor. It was true
he had not only neglected to answer our previous letter, but had even
branded us, his majesty's faithful subjects, with the name of traitors;
and, by means of the message he had conveyed to Motecusuma, the whole
country was about to burst out into open insurrection. We hereby begged
of him to select that province which he fancied most for himself and
troops; we were very willing to make room for him, and to act in every
respect as beseemed faithful servants of the emperor. We had likewise
requested him to forward us the original papers of his appointment, if
he possessed any such, that we might convince ourselves they were signed
by his majesty. However, he had not even listened to this request, but
had thrown out abusive language against us, and incited the inhabitants
of the country to revolt. We now again begged of him, in the name of
God, and the emperor our master, to forward us his papers within the
space of three days by a royal secretary, that he might read them to us;
as we were ready, and also promised to act up strictly to his majesty's
commands, if his documents were correct. For this purpose we had
expressly come to Tampanicita, to be near his person. If he was unable
to produce any such appointment direct from his majesty, and he was
again desirous of returning to Cuba, he was at liberty to do so; we
merely desired him to desist from stirring up the inhabitants into open
insurrection, or we should consider ourselves bound to treat him as an
enemy, take him prisoner, and send him in chains to the emperor, without
whose authority he had commenced war upon us, and revolutionised all the
towns of the country. Every drop of blood that was spilt, all
destruction of property which would ensue from fire or otherwise, he
would himself have to answer for.
Our reason for communicating these things to him by letter only was,
because no royal secretary durst venture to convey them in person,
fearing he might share a similar fate with the auditor Aillon; and we
were astonished how he durst presume to act so daringly. Cortes
considered himself bound in honour and justice to his majesty not to
allow such a heavy offence to pass by unpunished; and he hereby summoned
him, by virtue of his office as captain-general and chief-justice of New
Spain, to appear before him and answer the charge preferred against him
of _criminis laesae majestatis_. Lastly, he earnestly begged of him to
return the cotton stuffs and gold trinkets he had forcibly taken away
from the fat cazique; to deliver up to their parents again the Indian
females who had been presented to us; and to command his men in no way
to touch the property of the inhabitants.
This letter, which closed with the usual courteous expressions, was
signed by Cortes, the officers, and other soldiers, among whom was
myself. With this letter father Olmedo, accompanied by one of our men,
named Bartolome de Usagre, who had a brother serving in Narvaez's
artillery, went off to the latter's head-quarters. What kind of
reception they met with will be found in the chapter following.