Cortes perceyuing the small fruyte that his letters (presentes) and messengers, obtayned at the handes of Naruaez, and that in no case, he woulde shewe his commission whiche came from the kyng, he determined to goe vnto him, and according to the olde Prouerbe, Face to face doth get respect, and likewise if it were possible, to agrée vpon some good order and quietnesse: wherevpon he sent Rodrigo Aluarez his surueyor, with Iohn Velasques, and Iohn del Rio, to treate with Naruaez of many matters, whereof thrée things were the principalest. The first was, that they two might méete alone, or else so many, for so many, and that Naruaez should permit Cortes to abyde in Mexico, and he withall his company shoulde cōquere Panuco or other kingdomes, also that Cortes would pay the charges, and haue consideration to gratifie his souldiers, or else that Naruaez should abide in Mexico, and deliuer vnto Cortes .400. of his men, to the intent that with them, and his owne men he myght procéede to séeke other countreys to conquere. Laste of all, he required to sée the kings commission, for that he would obey the same. Naruaez liked none of these offers, only he accepted that they should méete togither with ech of them ten Gentlemē for securtie, bound with solemne othe, and firmed this agréement with their names. But it tooke no effect, for Rodrigo Aluarez aduised Cortes that Naruaez had made a snare to apprehend him, or to kill him at their méeting. Cortes vnderstoode the matter, or else he had some other intelligence by some that loued him wel. And this former agrement taking no place, Cortes determined to goe vnto him.
But before his departing, he declared vnto his cōpany, saying, I trust ye haue in remembrāce what & how much I haue done for you, since ye beginning of this enterprise, yea & also how louingly & friendly yée haue dealt for me: Yée shall now vnderstand that Iames Velasques, in stéede of thankes giuing vs, hath sent to murder vs, Pamfilo de Naruaez, who is a stubborne & an vnreasonable man, one readie to execute our good desertes done in the seruice of God & our Prince, with an euill reward. And the cause is only, for doyng our duetie in the sending of the Kings parte & portiō to his Roiall person & not vnto him. Also this Naruaez hath already confiscated our goodes, and giuen them to other men, and our bodies condemned to the Gallows, yea and our fame and honour plaide at tables, with great iniurious & slanderous wordes proclaymed agaynst vs, which things truly are not of a Christian, no nor yet we with Gods helpe will let the matter so to slippe: yea and though we ought to leaue the reuengment vnto God, yet we will not suffer them to enioy our trauayles & paynes, who are now comen white fingered to spoile the bloud of their neighbours, yea & like madde men to striue against their owne nation, sowing slander among those Indians which serued vs as our friēds, yea & procuring more cruel warres, than the ciuill warre betwene Mario & Sila, or of Cesar & Pompeio, who turned vpsidowne the Romaine Empire. Wherfore I do determine to méete him by ye way, & not to suffer him to come vnto Mexico, for it is better to say, God saue you, than they to come & say who is there? yea & though they are many, a good hart doth breake euil fortune, as it hath appered by vs, who haue passed thorow the pikes since our cōming hither: moreouer, I doubte not but that many of Naruaez his cōpany will come vnto vs. Therfore my déere friends doe I giue you aduise of my pretence, to the entent yt those which wil go with me, may them prepare thēselues, & those that will not, let them remaine to kéepe Mexico & Mutezuma, whiche is as much in effect. At the end of this talke he promised great rewards if yt with victory he returned. His mē answered al wt one voyce, yt they were al at his cōmandemēt, & ready to fulfil his wil, yet some feared the pride & blindnesse of Pamfilo de Naruaez: on the other side the Indians began to be lusty, to sée dissention among the Spanyardes, & that the Indians of the coast were ioyned in league with the new come mē.
The requests of Cortez to Mutezuma.
Oh vvise Cortes.
After al his talk & answer of his souldiers, he wēt to visite & to comune wt Mutezuma for to departe on his iourney, wt somewhat ye lesser care, & also to proue the minde & wil of Mutezuma, vnto whome he vttered his mind as foloweth. Sir, you know ye loue yt I haue, & desire to serue you, & chiefly the trust againe, that you will haue to my cōpanions whē I am gone frō this citie. Therfore I pray you, that it may please you to remaine here in this lodgyng, & to haue regard vnto these strangers, which I leaue with you: also I cōmend vnto you, the gold & iewels whiche is in their custodie, and gyuen vnto vs of your owne liberalitie. For I doe now goe to signifie vnto those which of late are comen in the new fléete, how your highnesse doth commaunde that I departe from this land, and that they doe not agrauate or molest your subiectes, nor yet presume to enter into your countrey, but that they remayne on your coast, vntill we be ready to departe with them, according to your will and pleasure. And if in the meane season, any of your subiects be so vnaduised, as to molest my men, whiche now remayne in your power and Guarde, that then it may please you to be their shielde, succour, and onely defence. Mutezuma promised to fulfill his request, wishing him moreouer, that if any in his iourney shoulde offende him, then immediatly to aduise him, and that he would sende his men of warre to chasten thē, yea and also (if it pleased him,) he woulde giue vnto hym guydes to salfe conduct him through his owne dominion to the Sea coast, who should prouide him of all necessaries by the way. Cortes kissed his handes for his curtesie, with moste hartie thankes for the same, and gaue vnto him certayne Spanishe apparell, and other glasen Iewels, and also other like treasure to his Noble men, which stoode by at all the talke. But in effect he tolde him not what he pretended to doe, nor yet the newes of Pamfilo de Naruaez his procedings was not come to his eare, or else, it may be that Mutezuma dissumuled the matter with inwarde pleasure, that one Christian should kill the other, thinkyng thereby to haue most sure his libertie, and the Goddes pleased.
The imprisonment of Pamfilo de Naruaez.
