HISTORY OF THE SPANISH CONQUEST OF YUCATAN AND OF THE ITZAS

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and they went into the woods and went to their town without having
accomplished any of the many purposes for which they came; the first,
to see if they had got ahead of me and my companions (understanding
that we had passed through their territories by night) so as to carry
out their intention of killing us; the second, to see if they could
catch the three Cehaches Indians, our guides, who returned to their
homes by that road, so as to kill them; the third to see how many
Spanish people were in the camp for working on the road which they were
opening, so as to flee if they were many and to resist them if they
were few; the fourth to satisfy their greed by stealing the sacred
vessels with the rest of the wares of Castile which they thought I
brought with me. But they found it all in vain, thanks be given to God,
who thus looked after his priests and the materials for celebrating
mass; and not to the inconsiderate action of the said principal head,
by which he showed so little regard for looking after the things of God
and his ministers; but thus God has brought out all things well,
according to the purposes for which he has worked...."