which they have issued threats of excommunication,
so stringent that no one can be absolved except by
them. He suffers many men belonging to this camp
to have carnal intercourse in public with native women,
without punishing them therefor, although making a
pretense of being rigorous in other matters of less
importance. He takes other people’s property,
acting in all respects just as if he were ourselves,
and thus takes our property against our will.
As concerns his majesty, he reduces and renders null
and void, in so many respects, his solemn compact
(which deserves all the good faith and truth that should
belong to so Christion a prince), and thus wrongs
his blood relatives to whom he owes so many obligations.
He takes from his highness by force these lands conquered
by him; and he is awaiting more forces and a fleet
to terminate completely the task of capturing them
all. For this he is taking measures, with much
preparation of war, in his hostility to the captains
and people of his highness’s fleet—among
whom there is no hostile feeling, and who even offer
amicably to serve, with much love and pleasure in
so doing, both him and all his company. With
regard to the two galleys which his grace asks from
me, out of the three which I possess, it would not
be right to give them to him, even though I found
him doing many services to God and to the king our
lord in this land. But when I find him wronging
them, and intending to wrong them still more, I can
but be startled at his grace’s asking me for
the sinews of this fleet and the sword with which
to cut off my own head, as I would be doing if I should
give him ships in order that he may carry out the
more successfully his purpose—especially
as no clause existed in the treaty which would oblige
the king our lord to order ships and a fleet to be
given to the Spaniards who might pass this way with
the intention of doing him injury, in order that they
might depart hence and continue on their way.
As far as his grace’s awaiting a reply from his
majesty is concerned, I consider it even more unreasonable
to ask for galleys; for, just as one who is committing
some deadly sin displeases God all the more the longer
he continues therein, so likewise, the longer his
grace continues to transgress the good faith and truth
of the contract made by his very Christian king and
lord, the greater displeasure he will cause to God;
but, if he would depart hence, upon our waters, in
all peace and amity, God would be pleased and the princes
satisfied, since they are so good Catholics and so
close and intimate relatives. And his grace would
thus be atoning for the past to the king our lord,
and to me on his behalf; and would not, considering
his age, be obliged, in this last quarter of his life,
to oppose God in a matter so contrary to precedent
and justice, by trying to remain forcibly in this
our land and sea, at the cost of shedding innocent
blood in the matter, or of its being wiped out at the
same cost—when without any trouble or expense