and depart therein for India, or some other place,
and that I should immediately leave these lands with
all my men; and accusing me of many losses and damages
which I did not inflict. These offers, made under
such hard conditions, appear more like those of an
enemy than of a friend; for I do not see that the
terms proposed could have been any harsher if I and
all those with me had been Turks. For the first
injunction, namely, that I should go to India, is contrary
to what his majesty expressly orders me to do; so
that, if I did it, I might then indeed be accused
of violating his will. It would be, moreover,
a violation of the treaty between the kings, our sovereigns,
which was presented me by his grace, inasmuch as a
clause thereof says that the vassals of the king of
Castilla may navigate the seas of the king of Portugal
as much as necessary, in order to reach the South
Sea of his majesty toward the strait of Magallanes,
and no more; and that if any other navigation than
this through the seas of his highness occurs, it will
be done by any persons in violation of the said treaty.
Wherefore we are bound not to do this thing under any
consideration, for our intention has been and is to
adhere to the said treaty. And as for the second
injunction, that we should depart and leave the land
immediately with all our men and munitions of war,
such a thing is impossible without ships, as is clear
and evident, and as such I declare the same.
And, therefore, from the offers aforesaid results,
and may be clearly inferred, the intention with which
the said offers were made—which is tantamount
to using force upon us and injuring us, as if we were
men isolated in this island, and without respect for
the will of God or of our sovereigns and lords, or
for peace and friendship, or for the relationship that
exists between them. And that the truth of my
justification may stand out more clearly, I declare
myself ready to show the instructions and orders which
I bear—as I have previously said I would
do, on the condition that the said captain-general
show me his own: and I do promise that if he
will sell me ships in which to go away, that I will
immediately depart, and leave these lands free to the
rightful owners thereof. And in the event that
I do not obtain them from this source, but that ships
or message shall come from his majesty, I will do the
same, without my stay in this island causing any damage
or injury to any district of the kings our lords.
And, to carry out the same, I am ready, if necessary,
to make any instrument or instruments whatsoever;
and to pay for any and all damage which may result
from my stay in this island. And since God, the
omnipotent and true who resides in the heaven, is
cognizant of the hearts intentions, and wills of men
I do appoint him judge of this dispute between us.
O show the truth, and protect and aid the same in
all respects. And, not admitting the protests
of the captain-general’s reply, I beg and require
him—once, twice, and thrice, and as many