A madde reckenyng.
The Indians gaue credite to his talke seyng so many bearded men and horses, and therevpon began to attende and serue him, leauyng their olde friendes in Vera Crux. Also Naruaez began to flatter Mutezuma, and sente him worde that Cortes aboade in that countrey against the will of his Prince, & that he was a couetous rebell, who robbed his countrey, and that he pretended to kill Mutezuma, and to make himself king. Also that his comming was to set him at libertie, and to restore vnto him all that those wicked fellowes had taken from him. And bicause that others should take example of their factes, he would commaunde them all to be slaine, willing him to take no care, for in short space they would sée ech other. And that when he had set him at libertie with restitution of his goodes, he would incontinent departe his countrey. These treaties were so foule & abhominable, with the iniurious wordes which Pamfilo de Naruaez spake openly against Cortes and his men, yea they séemed odious vnto all his owne hoste & army, and some of his own mē checked him for the same, especially Barnardino de Santa Clara, who seyng the countrey so peaceable and so well pleased with Cortes, he could not let but reprehende Naruaez in his wordes. Also the licenciat Aillon required him diuers times to cease frō his slanderous talke, vpon paine of death & losse of his goodes, & also not to procéede towarde Mexico, for the great hurte that might ensue, with slander among the Indians, disquietnesse among the Spaniardes, and offence to the Emperour his Maiestie. Pamfilo de Naruaez being moued with his talke layde hand vpon Aillon, being a chiefe iudge for the King, and apprehended also his Secretary & an other officer, and forthwith shipped them, and sente thē to Iames Velasques gouernour of Cuba. But when Aillon saw himselfe at sea, and frée from Naruaez, he began to threaten ye Mariners, cōmanding thē not to presume to carrie him to Cuba to Velasquez his power, but onely to Santo Domingo, where he was one of ye kings coūsell in chancery: the Mariners fearing the Kings iustice, obeyed his cōmandemēt and when he was aported at Santo Domingo, he wholly enformed the Counsell there, of Naruaez and his wicked dealyng, whose testimonie and information did much blemishe the credite of Velasques, & exalt the trauels of Cortes. After that Naruaez had shipped away Aillon, he proclaymed warre with fire and sworde agaynst Cortes, and promised certayne markes of Golde to him that shoulde apprehende or kill him, or Pedro de Aluarado, and Gonsalo de Sandoual, with other principall persons of his company. Also he made diuision of his goodes among his mē before they came to possesse it. Surely these thrée poyntes were of a man without wisedome or discretion.
Many of Naruaez his company did amotiue themselues, through the commaundement of the Licenciat Aillon, and through the fame and liberalitie of Cortes. Wherevpon incontinent one Pedro de Villalobos a Portingal, and sixe or seuen more fledde vnto Cortes, yea and others wrote vnto him, offeryng themselues to his seruice, if by chauce they should encounter.
A good captayne and a vvise.
Cortes receyued the letters, but kept in silence from his company the firmes of those whiche had written to hym. Some doe thinke that Cortes had suborned them with letters, fayre promises, yea and a horse loade of chaynes and planches of golde, which he sente secretely to Naruaez his campe with a seruaunt of his, publishing likewise, that he had an army of twoo hundreth Spaniardes in Zempoallan, where he had none at all: these policies mought well be, for he was prudent, carefull and quicke in his businesse, and Pamfilo de Naruaez was slouthfull and carelesse.
Naruaez made answere to Cortes his letter by seignior Bartholome de Olmedo, the substaunce of his message was, that forthwith he shoulde repayre to the place where he was abiding, and there he should sée the Emperours commission & order, wherein was auctoritie giuen to hym to take and kéepe that countrey for Iames Velasques, yea and that already he had made a towne of men onely, with all officers therevnto appertayning.
After this letter and message sent, he dispatched likewise one Barnaldino de Quesada, and Alonso de Mata, to requyre Cortes to depart and leaue the countrey vpon paine of death, and to notifie vnto him these actes by order of law. Cortes layde hande vpon Alonso de Mata, bicause he named himselfe the kings Notary, and shewed no title or authoritie for the same.
The talke that Cortes had vvith his owne Souldiers.
