HISTORY OF THE SPANISH CONQUEST OF YUCATAN AND OF THE ITZAS

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either that what the sixty Indians said was false, or that they had
killed us,--especially as he saw them come painted red and in warlike
array and had entered impudently into the camp? Spare me from such an
act, for in this case (although I do not understand military laws)
reason dictates that he ought to have imprisoned them and disarmed them
until he had satisfied himself whether what they said was true, taking
two of them as guides, and sending an officer with the necessary people
behind them, to investigate the truth of what had happened, and
according to the result, to act in the following way,--if it was true
that I sent them without a letter or sure token, he should have laid
the blame on me and should have honored the prisoners by accompanying
them with all his people to take possession of their lands in the name
of the King our Lord, since then he would know that this was the sign
which I gave him when I took my leave of him, that the said Ytzaes
wished to become Christians and accepted the friendship of the
Spaniards; and if it was not true, he should then have made use of
severity and the military laws. For, if the story that I sent them was