When Francis Roldan Perceived That He Had Missed The Opportunity Of
Murdering The Lieutenant, And That His Conspiracy Was Discovered, He
Resolved To Possess Himself Of The Town And Fort Of The Conception,
Thinking That From Thence He Might Be Easily Able To Subdue The Island.
It
happened conveniently for the execution of this design, that he was then
near that town, having been sent
With forty men to reduce that province to
obedience, the Indians having revolted and formed a similar design of
making themselves masters of the Conception and massacring the Christians.
So that Roldan, under pretence of preventing this evil, gathered his men
at the residence of one of the caciques named Marche, intending to put his
enterprise into execution on the first opportunity. But Ballester, who
commanded in that fort, having some jealousy of Roldans intentions, kept
himself well upon his guard, and sent intelligence to the lieutenant of
the danger he was in; and the lieutenant with all speed drew together what
force he was able to muster and threw himself into the fort for its
protection.
Roldan finding his conspiracy discovered before it was ripe for execution,
came to the Conception under a safe conduct, more to make his observations
how he might best injure the lieutenant, than through any desire of coming
to an accommodation; and with more boldness and impudence than became him,
required the lieutenant to order the caravel to be launched, or else to
give him leave to do it, which he and his friends were able and willing to
do.
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