He answered, with a great deal of candour and ingenuousness, that their condition was so miserable, and that they were so sensible of it, that he believed they would abhor the thought of using any man unkindly that should contribute to their deliverance; and that, if I pleased, he would go to them with the old man, and discourse with them about it, and return again and bring me their answer; that he would make conditions with them upon their solemn oath, that they should be absolutely under my direction as their commander and captain; and they should swear upon the holy sacraments and gospel to be true to me, and go to such Christian country as I should agree to, and no other; and to be directed wholly and absolutely by my orders till they were landed safely in such country as I intended, and that he would bring a contract from them, under their hands, for that purpose.
Me contestó con mucha honradez y sinceridad que su situación era tan miserable como la mía y que habían sufrido tanto, que no podrían menos que aborrecer la mera idea de perjudicar a nadie que les ayudara a escapar. Si me parecía bien, él iría con el viejo a hablar con ellos sobre el asunto y regresaría con una respuesta; que obtendría su compromiso solemne de ponerse bajo mis órdenes como capitán y comandante y les haría jurar sobre los Santos Sacramentos y el Evangelio, que serían leales, que iríamos al país cristiano que yo quisiera y a ningún otro; que se someterían total y absolutamente a mis órdenes hasta que hubiésemos desembarcado sanos y salvos en el país que yo quisiera; y que me darían un contrato firmado a estos efectos.