an other hil and vpon the toppe therof to their iudgement they founde a thousande carte loade of wood ready cut neare to a little tower of idolles they named that place the porte of wood hauing passed twoo leagues from the porte of wood they founde the countrey barren and poore but soone after the army came to a place whiche they named white Castell bicause the Lordes house was of stone very white and newe and the beste that they had séene in all that countrey and so curiously wrought that they meruayled thereat that towne in their language is called Zaclotan and the valley neare vnto it is named Zacatami and the Lordes name is Olintlec who receyued Cortes honorably and prouided for him and his company abundantly being so commaunded by Mutezuma as hée reported afterwarde And in token that he had receyued that coÌ„mission from his Lorde he commaunded fiftie men to be sacrificed for ioy whose bloud they sawe newe and freshe The townes men of that towne caried the Spanyardes on their shoulders on suche beares as we carry dead men to Churche Cortes enformed them by his enterpreters of the cause of his comming into that countrey as he had vsed in other places demaunded whether he the Lorde of this towne were tributary to Mutezuma This Cazike being amazed at his question answered saying What is he that is not eyther slaue or vassall to the great Mutezuma Then Cortes certified him who and what the Emperour king of Spayne was willing him to be his friend and seruitour further enquired if he had any golde to sende him some This Cazike answered that he would do nothing without the commaundement of his Lorde nor yet sende his king any golde although he had inough Cortes dissimuled the matter and helde his peace yet by and by he desired to knowe the Maiestie and mightie power of Mutezuma the Cazike answered that Mutezuma was Lorde of the whole worlde and that he had thirtie Vassals who were able to make a. 100000. men of warre eche one of them he also certified that he sacrificed 20000. men yerely to his Goddes And also his dwellyng was in the most beautyfullest and strongest cittie of al that euer was enhabited likewise quoth he his house and courte is moste greate noble and replenished with Gentlemen his riches incredible and his charges excessiue And truely therein he sayde the very troth excepte in the sacrifice wherein he something enlarged although the slaughter of men for sacrifice in euery temple was very great yea and some hold opinion that some yéeres were sacrificed aboue 50000. men Being in this conuersation came two Gentlemen of that valley to sée the Spanyardes and eche of them presented vnto Cortes foure women slaues certayne collers of golde of small price Olintlec although he was vassall to Mutezuma was a greate Lorde and had 20000. vassals and thirtie wiues altogither in his house beside a bundreth other women that attended vpon them And had for his garde and houshold 2000. persons his towne was great had 13. temples in it eche temple many idolles of stone of diuers fashioÌ„s before whom they sacrificed men doues quayles other things with persumes great veneratioÌ„ In this place and territorie Mutezuma had 5000. souldiers in garrison and ordinarie postes from thence to Mexico Vntill this tune Cortez had not so amply vnderstoode the mighte and power of Mutezuma yea and though many inconuemences difficulties feare and such like did represent it selfe vnto him in his â—ourney to Mexico whiche perhaps would haue amazed some valiaÌ„t persons yet he shewed not one iote of cowaroise hauâ—ng hearde suche a reporte of that mightie Prince but rather his desire was so much the more to sée hym Considering now that he shoulde passe through Taxcallan to goe to Mexico Taxcallan being a greate sirong Citie and warlike people he dispatched four Zeampoalianezes to the Lordes and Captaynes of that Citie on the behalfe of Zempoallan and his owne offering vnto them his friendship and fauour giuing them to vnderstande that those few Christians woulde come vnto their Citie to serue theÌ„ desiring theÌ„ to accept the same thinking assuredly that those of Taxcallan would haue done with him as the Zempoallanezes had done which were both good and faithful who had always vsed trouth with him cueÌ„ so he thought that now he moughte credite them for they had enformed him that the Tlaxcaltecas were their friendes and so would be his considering that they were vtter enimies to Mutezuma and willingly would goe with him to the siege of Mexico with desire of libertie and to reuenge olde iniuries and griefes whiche they had susteyned many yeares before of the people of Culhua Cortez refreshed himselfe in Zaclotan fiue dayes where is a fresh riuer and quiet folke pulling downe the Idolles and placed a remembrance of Christ crucifyed as he hadde done in all the Townes that he had passed He toke his leaue of Olintlec leauing him wel pleased went to a town two leagues froÌ„ theÌ„ce along the riuer side whereof was Lorde Iztaemixtlitan one of the Gentlemen who had giuen him the slaues and collers of golde This towne standeth in a playne grounde of two leagues compasse which is replenished with so many houses as doth séeme to touche one another in that way that our army passed and the towne it selfe doth contayne fiue thousande householdes standing on a hill and on the one side thereof is the Lordes house with a strong forte being the beste yet séene in those parties walled with good stone with barbucan and déepe ditche There Cortes rested himselfe thrée dayes abiding the foure messengers whiche he sent from Zacloton to knowe the answere that should be brought The first encounter that Cortez had with the men of Tlaxcallan COrtes seyng the long tarying of the messengers he departed from Zaclotan without any intelligence from Tlaxcallan Our caÌ„p had not marched much after their departure from that place but they came to a great circuite of stone made without lyme or morter being of a sadom and a half high and twentie foote brode with loupe holes to shoote at that wall crossed ouer all the valley from one mountayne to another and but one onely entraunce or gate in the whiche the one wall doubled against the other and the way there was fourtie paces brode in such sort that it was an euill and perilous passage if any had bene there to defend it Cortes demaunded the cause of that circuite and who had buylte it Iztacmixtlitan that wente to beare him company tolde him that it was but a deuision from their countrey and Tlaxcallan and that their antecessors had made the same to disturbe the entrance of the Tlaxcaltecas in time of warre who came to robbe and murther them bycause of the friendship betwixte them and Mutezuma whose vassals they were That strange and costly wall séemed a thing of greate maiestie to our Spanyardes and more superfluous than
THE Pleasant Historie of the Conquest of the VVeast India now called new Spayne Atchieued by the vvorthy Prince Hernando Cortes Marques of the valley of Huaxacac most delectable to Reade Translated out of the Spanishe tongue by T. N. Anno. 1578. ¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman ¶ TO THE RIGHT HOnorable Sir Francis VValsingham Knight principall Secretary to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie and one of hir highnesse most Honorable priuie Counsell WHilest I abode right Honorable in the Isle of Palma in affaires of merchandize for the vvorshipfull Thomas Locke deceased and his company time then permitted me to haue cōference vvith auncient gentlemen vvhiche had serued in the Conquest of the vvest India novve called nevve Spaine vnder the princely Captaine Hernando Cortez By vvhom as present vvitnesses at many of the actes herein contayned I vvas credibly informed that this delectable and vvorthy Historie is a most true and iust reporte of matter paste in effect vvherefore I did the more vvillingly turne ouer and peruse the same vvhiche is a Mirrour and an excellent president for all such as shall take in hande to gouerne nevve Discoueries for here they shall behold hovv Glorie Renovvne and perfite Felicitie is not gotten but vvith greate paines trauaile perill and daunger of life here shall they see the vvisedome curtesie valour and pollicie of vvorthy Captaynes yea and the faithfull hartes vvhiche they ought to beare vnto their Princes seruice here also is described hovv to vse and correct the stubbern mutinous persons in vvhat order to exalt the good stoute and vertuous Souldiers and chiefly hovv to preserue and keepe that bevvtifull Dame Lady Victorie vvhē she is obtayned And vvhere it vvas supposed that the golden mettall had his beginning and place in the East and VVeast India neare vnto the hote Zoane as moste learned vvriters helde opinion it is novve approued by the venterous trauellour and vvorthy captaine Martin Frobisher Esquire yea and also through the greate paynes procurement and firste inuention of the vvorshipfull Mychaell Locke Merchaunt that the same golden mettall dothe also lie incorporate in the bovvelles of the Norvveast parties enuironned vvith admirable Tovvers Pillers and Pynacles of Rockes Stone and I se possessed of a people bothe straunge rare in shape attire and lyuing yea suche a Countrey and people as all Europe had forsaken and made no account of excepte our moste gratious Queene and hir subiectes vvhome vndoubtedly God hath appoynted not onely to be supreme Princesse ouer them but also to be a meane that the name of Christ may be knovven vnto this Heathenish and Sauage generation Not long since right Honorable I happened to trauayle from the famous Cittie of Tolledo in Spayne tovvarde highe Castile and by fortune ouertooke an auncient Gentlemen vvorshipfully accompanied vnto vvhō I vvas so bold as to approch beseching his vvorship to aduertise me of his iourney vvho after he had beheld my white head beard ansvvered fulgentlely that his intēt vvas to trauayle vnto the king of Spaynes Court and vvelcomed me vnto his company In shorte space that vve had iourneyed togither and communed of each other his Countrey it pleased him to say as follovveth My good friende if you knevv my sute vnto the Kings maiestie you vvould iudge that I vvere a mad man and therefore to shorten oure vvay I vvill declare my attempted sute vnto you You shall vnderstande that I am a Gentleman of lxx yeares of age and sometimes I serued in the ciuill vvarres of Pirru vvhere I vvas vvounded in diuers parts of my body and am novv thereby lame in one of my legges and shoulder I haue neyther VVife nor childe and at this presente God be praised I haue in the Contractation house in the Citie of Siuill in golde and plate the summe of thirtie thousande Duckates and I haue also in Pirru in good lands and possessions the yearely rente of tvvelue thousande Duckates vvhiche rentes and readye money is sufficiente to mainteyne a poore Gentleman But al this notvvithstanding I do novv sue vnto the Kings Maiestie to haue licence and authoritie to discouer and conquere a certayne parte of India vvhyche adioyneth vvith Brazile and is part of the Empire of Pirru I pray you novve declare what you thinke of my sute By my troth sir quoth I I trust your vvorship vvill pardon a rash and suddaine iudgemēt which you now demand at my hād yea truly quoth he say vvhat you list Then quoth I my opiniō is that you are not wel in your wit for vvhat vvould you haue vvil not reason suffice you or else would you now in your old days be an Emperour considering that your Sepulchre attendeth for you Novve truly I thanke you quoth he for of youre iudgement are most men but I say vnto you considering that all flesh must finish I seeke for no quiet rest in this transitorie life yea the vvise and Christian Doctors do teach and admonish that euery true Christian is borne not for his ovvne priuate vvealth and pleasure but rather to help and succoure others his poore breethren Likevvise doe I consider the greate number of Gentlemen yonger brethren and other valiāt persons vvho through vvant of liuing do fall into many disorders VVherefore to accomplish my dutie tovvard God and my Prince and to releeue such poore Gentlemen do I novv attempte this iourney vvith the aduenture of my bodye and goodes and for that purpose I haue in readinesse foure tall Shippes vvell furnished in the porte of Saint Lucar de Barrameda hoping assuredlye that before the life depart from my body to heare these valiante yong Gentlemen vvhome novv I meane to haue in my company say oh happie day vvhen olde Zarate for so is my name broughte vs from penurie yea and from a number of perils that vve vvere like to fall into I hope also that the royall estate of my Prince shall be by my paynes and poore seruice enlarged beleeue you me this is the onely sumptuous Tumbe that I pretende to builde for my poore carkas But yet I knovv there are some vnto vvhome I may compare the Bore that lyeth vvallovvyng in his Stye vvho vvill not lette to saye vvhat neede vve any other vvorld honor or Kingdomes let vs be contented vvith that vve haue vvho may easily be aunsvvered Sir glutton your paunch is full and little care you for the glory of God honor of youre Prince neyther the neede and necessitie of youre poore neyboures VVith this conclusion the Gentleman ended his tale the iudgement vvhereof I leaue to noble Gentlemen his peeres to be determined And vvhere oure Captayne Hernando Cortez of vvhose valiant actes this historie treateth hathe deserued immortal fame euē so doubtlesse I hope that vvithin this happie Realme is novv liuing a Gentleman vvhose zeale of trauayle and valiant beginnings dothe prognosticate greate maruellous and happie successe for perfection of honor and profite is not gotten in one daye nor in one or
who would fayne haue corrected them but it was not then tyme wherefore he determined to leade them with sufferaunce and spake vnto them as followeth The Oration made by Cortez to his Souldiers MAisters and louyng friendes I did choose you for my fellowes and ye chose me for your captaine and all was for the seruice of God and the augmenting of his holy faith also the seruice of our soueraigne Lord the King now Emperour and next for our owne commoditie I as yée haue séene haue not fayled nor yet displeased yée nor yée likewise haue otherwise done to me vnto this day But now I do féele faintnesse in some yea and an euill will to goe forwarde in the warres whiche we haue in hande but God be praysed it is now finished at the least the ende is vnderstood what it may be and also the wealth that may follow as partely you haue séene but much without comparison of that you haue not séene whiche is a thing that doth excéede the greatnesse of our wordes or thoughts Feare not my louyng fellowes to goe and abide with me God forbidde that I should thynke yea or that any shoulde reporte that feare vexeth my company or else disobedience to their Captayne whiche is a perpetuall infamie if wée shoulde leaue this Lande this Warre this way already made and returne as some doe desire shall wée then lyue at reste loytring as well and loste folke God forbidde that euer oure nation shoulde haue suche a name hauyng warres of honour And whether I pray shall the Oxe goe where he shall not helpe to ploughe the grounde doe yée thinke peraduenture that yée shall finde lesse people worse armed and not farre from the sea I doe assure you that in so thynkyng yée séeke after fiue féete for a Catte yea and you shall trauell no way but that you shall méete some euill passage as the Prouerbe sayth yea and farre worser than this that we haue in hande For why God be thanked since wée came into this Countrey we neuer wanted meate friendes neyther money nor honour For nowe yée sée that yée are estéemed more than menne yea as persons immortall and Goddes if it mighte be spoken for these Indians beyng so many and without number and so armed as ye your selues affirme yet can they not kyll one of vs and as touchyng theyr weapons you sée that they are not poysoned as the Indians of Cartâ—gena Veragna and the Caribez doe vse whiche haue killed many of our nation therewith dying as madde menne ragyng And if there were no other cause than this onely you shoulde not séeke others with whome to warre I doe confesse that the Sea is somewhat farre from vs and neuer Spaniarde trauelled so farre into the mayne lande of India as wée haue done for why nowe we leaue the Sea a hundreth and fiftie myles behinde vs nor yet euer any hath come so neare Mexico where Mutezuma dothe reside from whome suche messages and Treasure wée haue receyued It is nowe but thrée score myles thyther and the worste is paste as you doe sée if we come thither as I truste in Iesus wée shall then shall we not onely gette and winne for the Emperoure oure naturall Lorde a riche Lande greate Kingdomes infinite Vassalles but lykewyse for oure selues muche riches as Golde Siluer Pretious stones Pearles and other commoditie and besides thys the greatest honour that euer any nation did obtayne For loke howe great a King this is howe large his countrey is and what greate multitude of people hée hath so muche the more is our glory Besides all this wée are bounde as Christians to exalte and enlarge oure Catholyke fayth as wée haue begonne aboâ—â—â—ng Idolatrie and blasphemie agaynst our Sauiour Christe takyng away the blouddy Sacrifice and eatyng of mannes fleshe so horrible and agaynste nature and many other grieuous sinnes so muche here vsed for the foulenesse whereof I name them not And therefore I saye feare you nor yet doubte you the victorie consideryng that the worste is paste Of late wée ouercame the Indians of Tabasco and also an hundreth and fiftie thousande this other daye of the Tlaxcaltecas who haue the onely name of breakers of Lyons iawes so with Gods helpe you shal be Conquerers of the reste if ye faynt not and folowe me All hys company was pleased and contente with this comfortable exhortation and those that were faynt harted recouered strength And hys valiaunt Souldiers recouered double courage those who hated him began to honour him and in conclusion he departed from thence excéeding welbeloued of all his company But all his former talke was very néedefull as time then requyred for why some of his as you haue heard were desirous to returne likewise vpon dissention rebellion mought haue growen and he forced to returne to the sea coaste where all his toyle and trauell taken had bene lost Hovv Xicotencatl came for Embassadour to Cortez his Campe. Cortez had not so soone made an ende of his talke when Xicotencatl came entryng into the campe who was chiefe and generall captayne in Tlaxcallan of all the warres he brought in his company fiftie persons of auctoritie to kéepe him coÌ„pany They approched neare where Cortes was and saluted eche other according to the vse of their countrey Their salutations ended and the parties setten downe Xicotencatl began the talke saying Sir I am come on mine owne behalfe and also of my fellow Captaine and Lieuetenant Maxixca and in the name of many other noble personages and finally in the name of the whole state and common weale of Tlaxcallan to beséeche and pray you to admitte vs into your friendshippe and to yéelde our selues and countrey vnto your King crauyng also at your hande pardon for our attempt in takyng armes agaynst you wée not knowyng what you were nor what you sought for in our countrey And where we presumed to resists and defende your entrance we did it as agaynst straungrrs whome we knewe not and suche menne as we had neuer heretofore séen and fearyng also that you had bene friendes to Mutezuma who is and alwayes hath bene our mortall enimy And these things wée suspected seyng Mutezuma his seruaunts in your company or else we imagined that you were comen to vsurpe our libertie the whiche of tyme without memory we haue possessed as our forefathers did with the shedyng of their bloud And of our owne naturall prouision we wante cotten woolle to clothe vs wherfore in tyme paste we wente as naked as we were borne but some of vs vsed other clothe to couer our nakednesse made of the leaues of the trée called Metl and Salte also wée wanted of which twoo things so necessarie to humayne lyfe Mutezuma had greate store and other our enimies with whome we are rounde aboute enuironed And lykewise where wée haue no golde stones of value or any riche thyng to barter with them of very pure necessitie many times we are forced to sell our owne bodies to buy
it should be said that Cortes and his company fledde being in securitie and without perill or daunger I beséech God not to permitte any suche thing The warres doe muche consist in fame why then what better thyng would you desire than to be héere in Tlaxcallan in despite of all youre enimies yea proclayming open warres againste them and they not dare to annoy vs Therefore you may well consider that héere you are more sure than if you were from hence so that héere in Tlaxcallan you are honored with securitie and strength and besides this you haue al things necessary of phisicke and medicine to cure youre woundes and obteyne your health yea and I am bolde to saye that if you were in youre owne naturall Countrey you shoulde not haue the like nor yet so much made off I do nowe meane to send for our men that are in Coazacoalco and Almeria and so we shall haue a reasonable army yea and although they come not wée are sufficient for we were fewer in number when first we entred into thys Countrey hauyng no friendes and likewise you knowe well it is not the number that doth fighte but the couragious hearte and minde I haue séene one of you discomfyte a whole army as Ionatas did yea and manye among you haue had victory against a thousand yea ten thousand Indians as King Dauid had againste the Philistines I looke dayly for Horses from the Ilandes and other armoure and artillerie we shall haue from Vera Crux And as for vittayles take you no care for I wyll prouide you abundantly for they are thinges that alwayes followe the Conqueroures and as for these Citizens of Tlaxcallan I binde my selfe that you shall finde them trustie loyall and perpetuall friendes for so they haue promised me vppon their solemne othes yea and if they had meante otherwise what better oportunitie of time could they haue wished thā these latter dayes where as we lay sicke in their owne beddes and houses yea some of vs lame wounded and in manner rotten and they like louing friendes haue not only holpen you but also serued you with diligence of seruantes for they woulde rather choose to be your slaues than subiectes to the Mexicans theyr hatred is suche to them and their loue so great to you And bycause you shall sée the troth I will now proue them and you againste these of Tepeacac who slewe of late dayes twelue Spanyardes And if this iourney happen euill then will I followe youre request and if it please God that it happen well then wyll I entreate and pray you to follow my counsell The Souldyers hearing this comfortable spéeche began to lay aside their desire to goe from thence to Vera Crux They aunswered generally that they woulde obey his commaundemente it shoulde séeme with the promise made touching the successe of the victory in Tepeacac and lightly seldome it happeneth that a Spanyard saith no when he is required to goe on warfare for it is holden for a dishonor and shame The vvarres of Tepeacac COrtez found himselfe at hearts ease with this answere for it was a thing that had much troubled him vndoubtedly if he had followed his fellowes demand he shoulde neuer haue recouered Mexico agayne they likewise had bin slayne in the way towards Vera Crux for they hadde manye perillous places to passe Eache one of them waxed whole of his wounds sauing some which dyed for wāt of loking to in time leauing their wounds filthy vnbound as Surgiōs doe affirme with also their great trauell weakenesse And likewise other some remayned lame and halt which was no small griefe and losse but the most parte recouered healthe as I haue declared After twenty dayes fully past whiche they had abode in Tlaxcallan Cortes determined to make warre with the Indians of Tepeacac which is a great Towne and not farre from thence for they hadde slayne twelue Spanyards whiche came from Vera Crux towardes Mexico Likewise they were of the league of Culhua and therfore were holpen by the Mexicans and did many times great hurt to the inhabitantes of Tlaxcallan as Xicotencatl did testifye Cortes desired hys louing friende Maxixca and diuers other Gentlemen to goe with him who forthwith entred into counsell wyth the states and comunaltie of the Citie and there determined with generall consente to gyue vnto him fortie thousand fighting men besides many Tamemoz who are foote carriers to beare the baggage victuall and other things With this number of Tlaxcaltecas his owne men and horses he wente to Tepeacac requiring them in satisfaction of the death of the twelue Christiās that they shuld now yéelde themselues to the obedience of the Emperor and that héereafter neuer more to receiue any Mexican into theyr towne or houses neyther yet any of the prouince of Culhua The Tepeacacs answered that they had slaine the Spaniardes for good and iuste cause whiche was that being tyme of warre they presumed to passe through their countrey by force without their will and licence And also that the Mexicans and Culhuacans were their friendes and Lordes whom alwayes they would friendly entertayne within their towne and houses refusing vtterly their offer and request protesting to giue no obedience to whom they knew not wishyng them therefore to returne incontinent to Tlaxcallan excepte they had desire to ende their werie dayes Cortes innuited them diuers times with peace and seing it preuailed not he begā his warres in earnest Their enimies lykewise with the fauour of the Culhuacans were braue and lustie and began to stoppe and defend their pretended entraunce And they beyng many in number with diuers valiant men among them began to skirmishe sundry times but at the end they were ouerthrowen and many slayne without killing any Spaniarde although many Tlaxcaltecas were killed that day The Lordes and principall persons of Tepeacac seyng theyr ouerthrow and that their strength coulde not preuayle yéelded themselues vnto Cortes for vassalles of the Emperour with condition to banish for euer their allied friendes of Culhua And that he should punishe and correct at his will and pleasure all those whiche were occasion of the death of the twelue Spaniardes For which causes and obstinacie at the firste Cortes iudged by his sentence that all the townes whiche had bene priuie to the murder should for euer remaine captiues and slaues others affirme that he ouercame them without any condition and corrected them for their disobedience being Sodomites idolaters and caters of mans flesh and chiefly for exāple of all others And in conclusion they were condemned for slaues and within twentie dayes that this warres lasted he pacified all that prouince which is very great he draue from thēce the Culhuacans he threw downe the idols and the chiefest persons obeyed him And for more assuraunce he builte there a towne naming it Segura de la Frontera he appoynted all officers for the purpose being a towne situated in the high way from Vera Crux to
Haberdashe wares whiche was highly estéemed of him The talke of Cortez vvith Teudilli AL the former talke was had without an Interpreter bycause Ieronimo de Aguillar vnderstoode not thys language bycause it differed muche from the spéeche of the other Indians whereas hée hadde bin captiue for whyche cause Cortez was somewhat carefull bicause he would largely haue discoursed with Teudilli It chanced that among those twentie women giuen hym in Potonchan one of them stoode talking with a seruaunte of Teudilli bycause she vnderstoode them as menne of hir owne language Cortez espying this called hir aside and promised hir more than libertie so that she woulde bée a trustie and faithfull interpreter betwixte hym and those Indians and that hée woulde estéeme hir as his Secretarie And further demanded of hir of what lignage she was then she aunswered that she was naturall of the Countrey that bordered vpō Xalixco and of a towne called Viluta daughter vnto riche parentes and of the kinrede of the Lorde of that lande And béeyng a little girle certayne Merchantes dyd steale hir away in tyme of warre and brought hir to be solde at the fayre of Xicalanco whyche is a greate Towne néere Coasaqualco not farre distant from Tauasco and after this forte shée came to the power of the Lord of Potonchan This woman was Christened Marina She and hir fellowes were the firste Christians baptised in all the newe Spayne and she onely with Aguilar were Interpreters betwixt the Indiās and our men Nowe Cortez béeyng assured of hys true Interpreters hée celebrated hys accustomed deuine seruice and Teudilli wyth hym and after they hadde dyned in Cortez hys Tente in presence of many Spanyardes and Indians Cortez enformed Teudilli howe that hée was vassall to the Lord Charles of Austria Emperour of the Christiās and Kyng of Spayne and Lorde ouer a greate parte of the worlde whome great Kings and Princes dyd serue and obey and that all Princes were glad to bée hys friendes for his Vertue and myghte And hée hauyng aduertisemente of that Countrey and Lorde thereof had sente him thyther to visite hym on hys behalfe and to enforme hym of certayne secrete matters the effecte whereof he hadde in wrytyng Sir quoth Teudilli I am very glad to heare the Maiestie and Vertue of the Emperoure youre maister but you shall vnderstande that my Lorde the Emperoure Melzuma is as greate and as good a Prince as he And I doe muche maruell that there shoulde hée anye so greate a Prince in the whole worlde but yet according to youre request I wyll certifye hym and knowe hys pleasure for I trust quoth he in the clemencie of my Prince that youre newes and message shall hée acceptable vnto him and you well recompensed for your paynes Cortez then commaunded al his men to set themselues in order of battayle with pife and drumme and to skirmishe before Teudilli And that the horsemen shoulde runne and the ordinaunce shotte of to the entent that Mutezuma shoulde be aduertised thereof The Indians did much beholde the gesture apparell and beardes of our men they wdndered to sée the horses runne they feared the brightnesse of the swordes and at the noyse of the ordinaunce they fell flatte to the ground thinking that the heauens did fall And the shippes they held opinion was the God of the ayre called Quezalcoual◠whiche came with the temples on his backe for they dayly looked for him Teudilli dispatched the poste to Mexico to Mutezuma aduising him of all that he had séene and demaunded golde of him for to giue vnto the Captayne of that newe people Bicause Cortez had inquired of him whether Mutezuma had gold or no he answered yes mary quoth Cortez I and my fellowes haue a certayne disease of the harte and golde helpeth vs This message wente from the campe to Mexico in one day and a night whiche is 210 myle and the poste caried paynted the horses and horsemen vpon them the maner of theyr armour and howe many péeces of ordinaunce they had what number of bearded men there were and as for the shippes he had giuē aduise as soone as they arriued shewing the greatnesse and quantitie of them All these things aforesayde Teudilli caused to be paynted in cloth of Cotton very liuely that Mutezuma mought sée it The cause that this message wente so farre in so shorte a space was they had certayne places that postes attended as we may say horsepostes which gaue alwayes from hand to hande the paynted cloth they doe runne on foote faster in this forte then by horsepost and is more of antiquitie than horsepost Also Teudilli sent to Mutezuma the garments many other things whiche Cortez had giuen him whiche things were afterwardes founde in the treasorie of Mutezuma The present and ansvvere that Mutezuma sente vnto Cortez AFter the message sente and the answere promised Teudilli tooke his leaue and within twoo flight shoote of Cortez his campe he caused a thousande cotages of boughes to be made lefte there twoo principall men as Captaynes ouer two thousande persons men and women and then departed for Cotosta hys dwellyng place The twoo Captaynes had charge to prouide the Christians of all things necessarie and the women serued to grynde their corne and make bread of Maiz and to dresse theyr fishe and flesh and other victuals and the men serued to carrie the dressed meate to the Christians cāpe and wood water grasse for the horses and al other necessaries and this they passed eight dayes In this meane season returned the poste with a riche and gentle present whiche was many couerlets and clothes of cotton white and of other colours wrought many tuffes of feathers very fayre and some things wrought with golde and fethers quantitie of Iewels and péeces of golde and siluer twoo thinne whéeles the one of siluer whiche wayde 25. markes with the signe of the Moone and the other whéele of golde which wayed a hundreth markes made like vnto the Sunne with many leaues and beasts a very curious péece of worke these two things they helde for Gods in that countrey giueth thē the colours of the metall that is likest thē euery whéele was two yardes a half broade and so proportionally in compasse round aboute this present was estéemed at 20900. Ducates This present shold haue bene giuen to Grijalua if he had not so soone departed as the Indians reported He also gaue vnto Cortez this answere that Mutezumas his Lorde was very gladde to know to be friend to suche a mighty Prince as the king of Spayne was and that in his time should arriue in his countrey such new people the like neuer séene before that he was readie to shew them al pleasure honour requesting him to sée what things he stoode in néede of for y time that he meant to abide there as well for himselfe as for his ships army and deceasse and it should be prouided abundantly yea
attired is a Lady of Vassals and my brothers daughter I doe presente hyr vnto you meaning that Cortes shoulde marrie with hyr and the others you may bestow vpon the Gentelmen in your company in a token of perpetuall loue and friendship Cortes receyued the presente with thankes bycause he woulde not offende the giuer thereof And so departed with their women ridyng behinde them with many Indian women to wayte vpon them and many Indian men to beare them company and to puruey all things necessarie Things that happened to Cortez in Chiauiztlan THe same day that they departed frō Zempoallan they came to Chiauiztlan and yet the shippes were not arriued Cortes marueyled at their long tarying in so shorte a iourney there was a village within shotte of a hargabushe from the rocke called Chiauiztlan standyng vpon a litle hill Cortes hauing little to do went thither with his men and the Indians of Zempoallan who certified Cortes that the village was appertayning to a Lorde oppressed by Mutezuma They came to the foote of the hill without sighte of any man of the towne excepte twoo that Marina vnderstoode not and going vp the hill the horsemen to fauour their horses would alight bicause the ascending was cragged and euill way Cortes commaunded that they shoulde not alight bycause the Indians shoulde thinke that there was no place highe nor lowe but that these horses shoulde and coulde come vnto it So by litle and litle they came into the towne and finding no creature there they feared some deceyte yet approchyng further they mette with twelue auncient men whiche brought with them an interpreter who vnderstoode the languague of Culhua and the speache of that place whiche is the language of the Totonaquez or inhabitauntes of the Mountaynes These auncient menne declared that the cause of theyr goyng out of the towne was bycause that they had neuer séene anye such men as the Spaniardes were nor yet heard that any such had passed that way wherefore with feare they had fledde from thence But quoth they when the Lord of Zempoallan aduertised vs how you did hurt no bodye but rather being a people good and peaceable then wee were well assured who ye were when we saw you come toward vs And wee are nowe comen vnto you on the behalfe of the Lorde to bring you to your lodging Cortez gaue them thankes and went with them to a certaine place where the Lord was abydyng their comming wel accompanyed he shewed vnto the Christians great good wil and maruelled to see those straungers with their long beardes The Lord toke a little chafyngdishe in his hande and cast into it a certaine gumme whych sauoured in swéet smel much like vnto frankinscence Ind with a sencer he smoked Cortez with this ceremony they vse their salutations to theyr gods and nobilitie This done they set them down and Cortez enformed him of the cause of their comming into that countrey as he had done in all other places where he had bin The Casike certifyed Cortez euen as the Lord of Zempoallan had done but he stood in great feare least Mutezuma should be offended for receyuing and lodging him within that towne without his commaundement and being in thys communication sodenly appeared twentye men entring where they sate with certain wāds like cudgels in their hāds which did signify that they were rent gatherers in ech other hand a fly flap of feathers the Cacike hys company were soare afrayde Cortez demaunded wherefore he so altered himself he answered bicause those twēty Indians were collecters of Mutezuma and that he feared that they would complayne of him hauing founde those Christians there he feared likewise cruell punishment for the same Cortes comforted him saying that Mutezuma was his friende and that he would so vse the matter that he shoulde receyue no blame at all but rather that Mutezuma shoulde giue him thankes for that whiche he had done And if Mutezuma did not or would not so accept it that then he would defend both him and his subiects for quoth he euery one of my mē is sufficient for a thousand Mexicans as Mutezuma himselfe was well enformed by the late warres at Potonchan Yet for and notwithstanding all this talke the Lorde and all his folke were in great feare and meante to arise and to lodge the receyuers Cortes woulde not suffer him and bycause quoth he thou shalte sée what and my men can doe commaund thy seruaunts to apprehend and take prysoners these receyuers of Mexico and I wil abide here with thée in such sorte that Mutezuma with all his power shall not offende thée With the courage that he receyued at these wordes he commaunded to lay hande vpon the Mexicans and bycause they defended themselues they were sore beaten and layde euery one in a seuerall prison and bounde them to a great poste whereat they were tied by the throate féete and handes and beyng in this sorte imprysoned they asked of Cortes whether they should kill them Cortes requested that they should not be slaine but that they might remayne as they were with good watch that they might not escape Then they were brought into a hall in the Spaniardes lodging and were placed rounde aboute a good fire but yet bounde hande and foote with garde of watchmen Cortes also appoynted certaine of his men to watch the hall dore and then went to his lodging to supper where he and his company was well prouided at the Caziks furniture The messages sent by Cortez vnto Mutezuma THe nighte beyng farre spent and the Indians that kepte the watch being asleepe Cortes sente vnto the Spanyardes that watched at the hall dore where the prysoners were and commaunded them to let goe twoo of the prysoners as secretly as they might and to bring them vnto him The Spaniardes handled the matter so well that they fulfilled his desire and brought twoo of them to Cortes his chamber who looked vppon them as though he had not knowen them and willed Aguillar and Maryna to demaunde who they were and what they would haue and why they had bene in pryson They answered that they were vassals of Mutezuma and that they had the charge to receyue certayne tributes that those of that towne prouince payde vnto their Lorde And also quoth they we know not for what cause we are nowe imprysoned and so euelly vsed We rather wōder to sée this new custome and madnesse for in time past these men were wont to méete vs and receiue vs with great honour curtesie shewing all seruice and pleasure Therefore we thinke that the cause of this alteration is through the fauour of you and your cōpany who beare the name of immortalitie We also feare least our felowes which are in prison shal be slaine before Mutezuma haue knowlege therof Also said they these barbarous people dwelling in the Mountaynes would be glad to rebel if they foūd any succour or ayde only to put their Prince to
cost and charges as heretofore they haue done Therefore they moste humbly besought Cortes that hée shoulde not permitte them and their fellowes to be slaine nor yet to abide in the handes of their enimies wherein he should do singular pleasure to Mutesuma their lord otherwise if they should perish their Lord would be very sorowfull that his olde faithful and trustie seruaunts shoulde haue such a reward for their good seruice Cortez aunswered that it grieued him much that Mutesuma his friend should be misvsed wher he was no nor yet his seruauntes euill entreated and that hee woulde haue as muche care ouer them as of his owne willing them to prayse the god of heauen and to be thankful vnto him that had commaunded them to be set at liberty in the grace and friendshippe of Mutesuma he certifyed that in all haste they shoulde be dispatched for Mexico with certaine busynesse therefore quoth he get you to meate and make you strōg to take in hand that iourney trusting to your féete least ye should be taken againe to your greate perill and daunger Iwis their meate was soone eaten with the great hast they had to be gone Cortez brought them out of the towne and gaue them victuall to carry with them And charged for the liberty and curtesie shewed vnto them that they should signifye to Mutesuma their Lorde howe that he was his assured friend and that after he had vnderstanding of his fame goodnes and mighty power he much desired to sexue him yea and that he helde himselfe happy to fynde himselfe at such a time season to loose those his seruaunts and to shew therin his good wil likewyse he woulde do all that lay in him to preserue the honour and auctority of so gret a Prince as hee was also to defende his subiectes and to loke to his affaires as his owne proper although his highnesse dyd little estéeme hys friendshippe as appeared by Teudilli who departed from him without bidding him farewell and likewise absenting all the people of the sea coaste yet thys notwithstanding he would not let to do him seruice at all times when occasion shoulde serue and to procure by all meanes possible his grace fauour and friendship and that he was fully perswaded that his hyghnesse woulde not refuse his good will and friendship considering that with his acquaintance God had done much for him to méete with a seruaunte of the Emperoures for thereby he might know great secretes of holy things and also receyue greate benefytes if then he would refuse the same the fault shoulde be his but yet notwithstanding he trusted in his wisedome that considering the thing well he woulde be glad both to sée hym and talke with him and also to be friende and brother with the King of Spayne in whose most happie name both he and his company were come thither And as touching his seruauntes that remayned in prison hée woulde so vse the matter that they should escape all perill promising also to set them at libertie to pleasure him and that incontinente he woulde haue done it but onely bycause he woulde not offende the Lorde of the Towne who had friendly entertayned him with greate curtesie for which cause he would not presume to controll him in his owne house nor yet to shewe himselfe vnthankefull The messengers departed with this message very glad and ioyfull promising to accomplishe faithfully that charge committed vnto them The confederacy and rebellion done by the industrie of Cortez WHen the Cazike founde missing the two prisoners he blamed muche the guarde or watch and pretended forthwith to murther those that remayned Then came Cortez and requested that their deathe shoulde be pardoned for so muche as they were but officers obediente to their Lorde and maister and according to iustice they had committed no offence nor yet deserued anye correction in the facte whiche was seruice to their King but for so muche as they shall not flée as the other two haue done deliuer them vnto mee and I will take them to my custody and charge Vpon this request the eyghtéene prisoners were delyuered vnto Cortez who sent them aboorde his Shyppes and there commaunded them to be put in prons The Lorde and his counsellors fearing what mighte followe entred into councell what was best to doe consideryng that they certaynely beléeued that the two prisoners whiche were escaped would certifie in Mexico the shame and cruell entertaynemente done vnto them Some replyed that it was iust and requisite to sende vnto Mutezuma hys tribute with other presentes to mitigate hys anger and to excuse them and accuse the Christians who were the causes of the apprehension of his officers and to craue pardon of their erroure and ouersighte whyche they hadde committed as madde men in dishonor of the maiestie of Mexico Others aunswered agayne that it were muche better to cast off that yoke of bondage and slauery and to giue no longer obedience to the Mexicans who were both cruell and wicked tyrants and also considering that now they had on their side those halfe Gods and inuincible horsemen saying likewise that they should not wante many others their neyghbours and borderers to help and succour them In this sorte they resolued themselues fully to rebell and not to lose so good an occasion wherevppon they besoughte Hernando Cortes to bée their defendor and Captayne considering that for his sake they had begun that enterprise and whether Mutezuma shoulde prepare hys army againste them or no yet they on their parte were fully pretended to hold hym warre and to desist from seruitude God knoweth how glad Cortes was to heare this matter for he well wayed that it was the high way to hys iourneys ende yet dissimuling the cause he aunswered that they should well looke to the thing which they meant to take in hande bycause quoth he I vnderstande that Mutezuma is a mightie Prince but if ye will valiantly procéede I will be youre Captayne and safely defende you for I do more estéeme your friendship than the good will of Mutezuma whyche I nothing care for therefore lette me knowe what number of men of warre yée are able to make Sir quoth they among all our friends wée are able to make a hundred thousande menne of warre I lyke that well quoth Cortez wherefore incontinente sende youre postes with aduise vnto all your friendes in league againste Mutezuma and certifie them of this agréemente and succoure of the Christians not quoth he that I stande in néede of your help for I alone with my company are able to stande againste those of Culhua although they were as manye more but reason required that they shoulde be warned of your pretence and to be in readinesse for the same fearing least Mutezuma mighte sende his army vpon a suddayne and finde you vnprouided With this aduise and encouragement of Cortez also they themselues being a people heady and of small consideratiō they dispatched incōtinent their
captayne Garay their generall for theyr sayd Captaine pretended that conquest as first discouerer of the same certifying moreouer that hée was determined to inhabite twentie leagues distaÌ„t from that place Westwarde neare vnto Nahutlan whiche nowe is called Armeria Cortes answered that they should returne vnto their shippes and to will theyr Captayne to come to Vera Crux with his nauie and there they woulde commune togither aboute his comming and if he stoode in néede of any thing it shoulde be prouided And if it were as they reported that he was comen on the Kings affaires he woulde gladly fauour his procéedings considering that he and all his were there in seruice of his highnesse how muche more beyng all of one nation They answered that in no wise their captaine nor none of his army would come ashore nor yet come where as Cortes was With this answere Cortes vnderstood the matter and layde holde of them and went and placed himself in ambushe behinde a little hill of sande whiche stoode right ouer agaynst the shippes beyng neare sunne sette slepte there that night till daye approched and the mornyng farre spent hopyng that Garay his Pilote or some of his company woulde come ashore meanyng likewise to apprehende them for to be certified what course they had made and what hurte they had done and findyng them guiltie to sende them prysoners into Spayne likewise he desired to knowe whether they had spoken with any vassals of Mutezuma and seyng they came not a lande his suspition was the greater Cortes commaunded thrée of his men to chaunge apparell with the thrée messengers that came from Garay and this done caused them to goe to the Sea side wauyng with theyr clokes and callyng for the shippe boate Now those of the shippes thought by theyr apparell that they were their owne menne and came with a dozen persons in the skiffe with Crossebowes and Handgunnes Then Cortes his men whiche were clothed in other mens garments hidde themselues among bushes as who woulde say they were gone into the shadowe for to flée from the great heate of the Sunne being at that time highe noone and bicause they should not be knowen The Mariners of the skiffe set a lande twoo men with Hargabushes and other two meÌ„ with Crossebowes and an Indian who went straight way to the bushes thinkyng to finde their fellowes Then stept forth Cortes and caught them before they coulde gette aborde the skiffe although they meant to haue defended themselues so that one of them who was a Pilote hauing his Hargabushe ready charged would haue shot at captaine Hircio assuredly if his match and pouder had bene good he had slayne him When the general aborde the ships perceiued this deceit he would abide no loÌ„ger coÌ„mauÌ„ded to make saile not tarying for his skiffe By these seuen meÌ„ taken at two times Cortes was satisfied also certified how captain Garay had sayled along the coast séeking Florida and arriued in a riuer the King of that prouince was called Panuco where they founde little golde barteryng aborde their shippes all theyr golde passed not thrée thousande Castelins but in exchaunge of things of small value nothing contented Garay on that voyage bycause the quantitie of golde was small and not fine With this newes Cortes returned to Zempoallan with his men which he brought in his company and there concluded and fully agreed with those Indians to pull downe theyr Idols sepulchres of their Cassikz whiche they did reuerence as Gods perswading them to worship the God of heauen And after this doctrine their league of friendship was effectually established and with other townes adioyning against Mutezuma Those Indians gaue vnto him gagues to be alwayes faithfull of worde promisse and offered vnto him as many men fitte for warre seruice as he woulde require Cortes receiued the gagues which were of the principallest persons of the townes as Mamexi Teuch and Tamalli he tooke also a thousand Tamemes that is to say men that are carriers who ordinarily taketh his burden vpon his backe which is halfe a hundred waight and those fellowes followe the campe with their bagge bagage These men serued for horses to draw the ordinance and to carrie other munition and victuals Hovv Olintlec exalted the mightie power of Mutezuma COrtes departed froÌ„ Zempoallan leauing that towne named Siuillia toward Mexico the sixtenth day of August of the same yéere with 400. Spaniardes and fiftene horses sixe péeces of ordinance and 1300. Indians with the carriers meÌ„ of Cuba And wheÌ„ Cortes departed froÌ„ Zempoallan he had not one vassall of Mutezuma in his campe to leade them the way towarde Mexico for al were fledde seing the new league or else by commaundement of their Lord and the Indians of Zempoallan knew not well the way The first thrée dayes iourney the army passed through the countrey of their friendes were louingly receyued and lodged especially in Xalapan The fourth day they came to Sicuchimaâ—l whiche is a strong place situated on a hill side very craggy and the way to passe there vnto is made with force of mans hande as a stayre And if the inhabitants thereof would haue resisted the entraunce with great difficultie bothe footemen horsemen mought haue entred the towne but as afterwarde appeared they were commaunded by Mutezuma to lodge them and also to honour them The rulers of that towne sayde to Cortes that for as muche as he wente to visite their Prince Mutezuma he should assure himselfe that they were and would be his friendes This towne hath many villages and farmes beneath in the playne for Mutezuma was alwayes prouided there of 5000. men of warre Cortes gaue great thankes to the Lorde for his curtesse and good entertaynement muche estéeming the good will of this Lord Mutezuma and so departed from thence and wente to passe ouer a mountayne very high the passage whereof he named Nembre de dios bycause it was the first that he had passed beyng so asperous and highe that there is none suche in all Spayne for it conteyned directly vpright thrée leagues and hath in many places grapes and trées with hony And discendyng downe on the other stâ—â— of that hill they came to a towne called Theuhixuacan whiche is a forte and friende to Mutezuma where our army was receyued and entertayned as in the other towne behinde And from thence he traueled thrée dayes in a countrey inhabitable and passed some necessitie of hunger much more of thirst bicaâ—se all the water that they founde was saltishe and many of his men for wante of other dranke thereof whereof they fell into sickenesse and sodamely fel a meruaylous Hayle with great colde whiche increased their griefe yea and the Indians of their company thought there to ende theyr liues some of the Indians of Cuba died there through nakednesse not being accustomed to so cold a countrey After the fourth iourney of euill way they ascended vp
profitable yet they suspected that the Tlaxcaltecas were valiant warriers who had suche defense made agaynst them And as Cortes and his army stoode beholding thys worke Iztaemixtlitan thought he had bin afrayde to procéede forward and prayed him for so much as he was his Lordes friend not to passe that way nor yet through the Countrey of Tlaxcallan for so muche as he wente to visite his maister for quoth he if they knowe you to be my Lordes friende they will séeke youre displeasure as they haue done to others and I will prouide you guides to leade you continually through the dominiâ—â—f Mutezuma where you shall be well receyued and prouided vntil you come to Mexico But Mamexi and the others of Zempoallan willed hym to refuse that offer and counsell in any wise alleatgyng that it was an onely pretence to separate them from the friendship of that prouince whose people were good honorable and valiant and that Iztaemixtlitans perswasion was to prohibite theyr helpe and succoure agaynst Mutezuma willing hym earnestly to giue no credite vnto hys sayings for he and his allyes are false Traytors and meante to bryng hym into some snare where they myghte kill both him and his company and féede vppon theyr fleshe Cortes for a space was amazed at the talke of the one and the other but in conclusion he accepted the councell of Mamexi for that he hadde conceyued a better opinion of the Zeampoallanezes his allyed friendes than of the others And setting all feare asyde he tooke the way to Tlaxcallon byddyng IztaemixtlitaÌ„ farewell and with thrée hundred Souldyers on a ranke he entred the way in the wall and procéeded in good order all the way forwardes carrying the Ordinance ready charged and he himselfe the leader of all his army yea and sometimes he woulde be halfe a league before them to discouer and make the way playne And hauing gone the space of thrée leagues from that circuite be commaunded his footemen to make hast bycause it was somewhat late and he with his Horsemen went to descrye the way forwardes who ascendyng vp a hyll two of the formost horsemenne mette with fiftéene Indians armed with swordes and Targets and tuffes of feathers whiche they vse to weare in the warres These fiftéene were spyes and when they sawe the Horsemen they beganne to flye with feare or else to gyue aduise Then approched Cortez with other thrée horsemen calling to them to stay but by no meanes they woulde abyde then syre Horsemen ranne after them and ouertooke theÌ„ who ioyned all togither with determinatio rather to dye than to yéelde shewing them signes to stande still yet the Horsemen comming to lay handes on them they prepared themselues to battayle and foughte desendyng themselues for a whyle In thys fyghte the Indians slewe two of theyr Horses and as the Spanyardes doe witnesse at two blowes they cutte off a Horse head bridle and all Then came the rest of the Horsemenne and the army approched for there were in syghte néere fiue thousande Indians in good order to succoure theyr fiftéene fyghting menne but they came too late for that purpose for they were all slayne wyth the anger that was taken for the killyng of the two Horses and woulde not render themselues in tyme yet notwythstandyng theyr fellowes foughte vntyll they espyed oure armye commyng and the Ordinance then they returned leauyng the fielde to oure menne but oure Horsemenne followed them and slewe aboute 70 persons of them withoute receyuing anye hurte Thys done the Indians sente vnto Cortes two of the foure messengers whiche hadde bin sente thither before wyth other Indians saying that the Tlaxcaliecas knewe nothyng of the thynges that were happened certifying lykewyse that those with whome hée hadde fought were of other comunities and not of their iurisdiction béeyng sorowfull for that whyche hadde passed and for so muche as it happened in theyr Countrey they woulde willingly pay for the two Horses whyche were slayne praying them to come in good time to theyr Towne who woulde gladly receyue them and enter into theyr league of friendshippe bycause they séemed to bée valiante menne but all was a fayned and a false message Yet Cortes beléeued them and gaue them thankeâ— for theyr curtesie and good will and that accordyng to theyr request he woulde goe vnto theyr Towne and accepte their friendshippe And touchyng the deathe of his Horses he required nothyng for within shorte space he expected many moe but yet God knoweth how sorowfull he was for the want of them and not only so muche for theÌ„ as that the Indians shoulde thinke that Horses could dye or be slayne Cortez procéeded forwardes aboute two leagues where the Horses were kylled although it was almost Sunnesette and his men wéeried hauing trauelled farre that day His will was to haue pitched his Camp in a strong place of water wherefore he planted his army by a Riuer side whereas they remayned all that night with good watche both of footemen and horsemen fearing some assault but there was no attempt giuen that night whereby they might haue taken better rest than they were aware of Hovv there ioyned a hundred and fiftie thousand men against Cortez THe next morning at Sunne rising Cortez departed with his army in good order and in the middest of them wente the fardage and artillerie and as soone as they were come to a little Village there néere at hande they mette with the other two messengers of Zempoallan who departed from them at Zaclotan they came with pitifull chéere exclayming of the Captaynes of the power of Tlaxcallan who had bounde them and deteyned them from returning but with good fortune that nighte they hadde broken loose and escaped for otherwise in the morning following they had bin sacrificed to the God of Victory and after the sacrifice to be eaten for a good beginning of their warres protesting the like to be done with the berded men and with as many as came with them They had no sooner tolde their tale when there appeared behinde a little hill about a thousande Indians verye well appoynted after their fashion and came with suche a maruellous noyse and crye as though theyr voyces shoulde haue pearced the Heauens hurling at oure menne stones dartes and shotte wyth bowes and arrowes Cortes made many tokens of peace vnto them and by his interpreters desired them to leaue the battell But so much the more as he entreated for peace the more hastio and earnest were they thinkyng either to haue ouercomen them or else to holde them play to the enteÌ„t that the Spanyardes should haue solowed them to a certaine ambushe that was prepared for them of more then 80000. men whiche they had planted in a créeke of a riuer which abutted vpoÌ„ the high way Then our men began to cease from wordes and to lay hande vpon their weapons for that company of a thousande were as many as on our side were fighting men they were well practised in the
bragges they vsed seing so fewe Spaniardes before them and not knowyng their strength Then the foure Captaynes sente twoo thousande of their valiantest men of warre and olde Souldiers to take the Spanyardes quietly with commaundement that if they did resist either to binde them or else to kill them meanyng not to sette their whole army vpon them saying that they shoulde gette but small honour for so great a multitude to fight agaynst so fewe The twoo thousande Souldiers passed the trench that was betwirt the twoo campes and came boldely to the Tower where the Christians were Then came foorth the Horsemen and after them the footemen and at the first encounter they made the Indians féele howe the yron swordes woulde cutte and at the seconde they shewed of what force those fewe in number were of whome a little before they had so iested But at the thirde brunte they made those lusty Souldiers fly who were come to apprehende them for none of them escaped but onely suche as knewe the passage of the trenches or ditche Then the mayne battell and whole army sette foorth with a terrible and maruellous noyse and came so fierce vppon our menne till they entred into our campe without any resistaunce and there were at handye strokes and wrastlyng with the Spanyardes and in a good space coulde not gette them out killyng many of them whiche were so bolde to enter and in this sorte they sought foure howers before they coulde make way among their enimies And then the Indians began to faynt seyng so many dead on theyr side and the greate woundes they had and that they coulde kill none of the Christians yet the battayle ceased not till it drewe neare night and then they retyred Whereof Cortes and his Souldiers were excéedyng gladde for they were fully weried with killyng of Indians so that all that nighte our men triumphed with more ioy than feare consideryng that the Indians fought not by night they slepte and tooke their reste at pleasure whiche they had not done til that tyme but alwayes kept bothe watche and warde The Indians finding many of their hoste missyng yet they would not yéelde themselues as ouercome as after did appeare They coulde not well tell howe many were slayne nor yet our men had leasure to count them The nexte day in the mornyng Cortes wente forth to runne the fieldes as he had done before leauing halfe his menne to kéepe the campe and bicause he shoulde not be espied he departed before day burned aboute .x. townes and sacked one towne whiche was of thrée thousande houses in the whiche were founde but few folke of fight bycause the moste of them were gone to their campe After the spoyle he set fire on the towne and came his way to his campe with a great pray by noone time The enimies pursued thinkyng to take away their pray and followed them into the camp where they fought fiue houres and could not kill one Spaniarde although many of their side were slaine for euen as they were many and stoode on a throng togither the ordinaunce made a wonderfull spoyle among them so that they lefte off fighting and the victory remayned for our men The Indians thought that the Spanyardes were inchaunted bycause their arrowes coulde not hurte them The nexte day followyng the foure Captaynes sente thrée seuerall things in present to Cortes and the messengers that brought them sayd Sir behold here fiue slaues and if thou be that rigorous God that eatest mans fleshe and bloud eate these whiche we bring vnto thée and we will bring thée moe And if thou be the gentle and méeâ—e God beholde here Franckinsense and Feathers And if thou be a mortal man take here foule bread Cherries Cortes answered that both he and his were mortal men euen as they were And bicause that alwayes he had vsed to tell them trouth wherfore did they vse to tell him lies and lykewise to flatter him for he desired to bée their friende aduising them not to be madde and stubborne in their opinion for if they so did assuredly they shoulde receyue great hurte and dammage Likewise quoth he it is apparant vnto you how many of your side are slayne without the losse of one of mine and with this answere sent them away Notwithstanding the answere sent there came aboute 30000. of them euen to Cortes his campe to proue their Corselettes as they had done the day before but they returned with brokeÌ„ pates Here is to be noted that although the first day the whole host of Indians came to combat with our men finally all they came to fight yet the next day they did not so but euery seueral captaine by himselfe for to deuide the better the trauayle paynes equally amoÌ„g them bicause that one should not disturbe another through the multitude considering that they should fight but with a few in a narrow place for this consideration their battayles were more fresher stronger for eche captaine did contende who should do most valiantly for to get honour especially in killyng one Spaniarde for they thought that all their hurtes shoulde be satisfied with the death of one Spaniarde or taking one prisoner Likewyse is to bée considered the straungenesse of their battayle for not withstandyng their controuersie all those fiftene dayes that they were there whether they fought or no. The Indians sente vnto the Spanyardes cakes of breade Gynnea cockes and Cherries But this polycie was not to giue them that meate for good will but onely to espie and sée what hurte was done amongst them and also to sée what feare or stomacke they had to procéede but the Spanyardes fell not into that reckenyng for the espies of Tlaxcallan sayde that none had fought with them but certayne outlawes and knaues called Otâ—mies who lyued as vagaboundes without a Lorde or other ruler And that they were théeues who had theyr abyding behinde a hill whiche they poynted vnto with theyr hande Hovv Cortez cut off the handes of fiftie Indian espies THe nexte day after these presentes were sente vnto them as Goddes whiche was the sixte of September there came to the Campe fiftie Indians of Tlaxcallan whiche séemed after theyr sorte honest menne and gaue vnto Cortes bread cherries Gynnea cocks as they ordinarily vsed to do enquiring how all his Spaniardes did and what they meant to doe and whether they stoode in necessitie of any thing And after this communication they went vp and downe the camp gasing and beholding the horses armour and artillery and séemed amased to sée such things But the effect of their coÌ„ming was the office of espies Teuche of Zempoallan marking these things who being of a childe brought vp in wars by reason wherof he was expert and wise came vnto Cortes saying sir it semeth not well that these Tlaxcaltecas wander vp downe your campe beholding the entrance and going out of the same to beholde likewise the
dissimulyng the matter procured to knowe what they were that had conspired the thing and hauing knowledge therof she ranne to séeke Aguillar hir fellow interpreter and both togither enformed Cortes of the whole matter Cortes hearyng this newes slepte not but incontinent examined twoo of the Citizens who confessed the thyng euen as it passed and as the Gentlewoman had declared where vpon Cortes stayed his iourney twoo dayes to mollifie the matter and to disapoynt them of that euill pretended purpose and also to correcte their offences he commaunded their rulers to be called saying that he had to talke with them and when they were comen be requyred them neyther to vse lies nor deceytes with hym but rather lyke menne to defie him to the fielde and battayle for quoth hée honest menne vse rather to fighte than to lie They all answered that they were his friendes and seruitours and no liars and that it mighte please him to shewe them when he woulde departe for they woulde goe armed to kéepe hym company He answered that he woulde departe the nexte day followyng and that he required but onely some of their slaues to carry his fardage bycause his owne Tamemez or Carriars were weried lykewise he requyred some prouision of victuall At this laste requeste they smyled saying among themselues to what purpose will these men haue victuals for shortly they themselues shal be boyled and eaten with the sause called Axi yea and if Mutezuma had not pretended their bodies for his owne dishe they had bene eaten here before this tyme. The punishment that Cortez executed for conspiracie THe nexte day in the mornyng the Cholâ—llans thinkyng that they had their determinate purpose in good readinesse they came and brought many to carry their fardage other some to carry the Spaniardes vppon their backes hopyng to appreheÌ„d them in the same order There came also many armed men of the most valiantest to kill him that should disorder himselfe Likewise that day their Priests sacrificed ten children of thrée yeaâ—es of age to their God Quezalcouail fiue of these children were menne and the other fiue wemen whiche was their custome when they began their warres the Captayne 's placed themselues at the foure dores of Cortes his house with some armed men Cortes carely in the mornyng had secretely in a readinesse the Indians of Zempoalâ—an and Tlaxcallan and other friends he coÌ„maunded his horsemen to take their horses giuing them this watche worde that when they hearde the noyse of the shotte of a handgun that then they should play the meÌ„ for it imported all their liues And he seing the townes men approch néere his lodging commaunded the captaynes chiefest of them to come vnto him saying that he would take his leaue of them there came many but be would not suffer aboue thirtie persons to come in who were the principallest and declared vnto theÌ„ that alwaies he had dealte truly with them they with him nothing but treason and lies Likewise they had vnder colour requested that his frieÌ„ds the Tlaxcaltecas shuld not come vnto their towne that he fulfilled there in their desire also coÌ„maunded his own men in no wise to be hurtful vnto theÌ„ yea although they had not prouided him of victuals as reason did require yet he would not permit any of his men to take the value of one henne from them so that in recompence of all his gentle dealings and good will they had moste wickedly procured the death of him and all his companie And bycause they coulde not performe it in their owne towne they had prepared the slaughter in the high way at those daungerous places whiche they had determined to leade them vnto pretendyng also the helpe of thirtie thousand men Souldiers of Mutezuma whiche army stoode not fully two leagues from thence And for this horrible and detestable wickednesse yée shall all die and in memory of traytors I will destroy this cittie and turne the fundations vpwardes so that there shall remayne no remembraunce of you Their offence beyng manifest coulde not be denied and lookyng one vpon an other their colours waxed pale and wanne saying this man is lyke vnto our Goddes who knoweth all things therefore lette vs not denie the truth and openly before the Embassadours of Mutezuma confesse their errour and euill facte Then sayd Cortes to the Embassadours you do sée that we should haue bene slaine by the Cholollans and through the procurement of Mutezuma but yet I beleue it not coÌ„sideryng that he is my friende and a mightie Prince saying also that Noble men vsed neyther treason nor lyes wherefore feare not you but these dissemblyng Traytors shall be punished for you are persons inuiolable and messengers of a Prince whome he meante to serue and not offende bicause he had an assured opinion in Mutezuma to be a vertuous Prince and one that woulde not committe villanie All these wordes he spake bycause he woulde not fall out with Mutezuma vntill he sawe himselfe within the Cittie of Mexico Incontinent he commaunded some of those Captaines to be slayne and kepte the residue bounde Then he shotte off hys handgun whiche was the watch vnto his armye who forthwith sette vppon the Townesmen and within two houres slewe sixe thousand persons and more Cortes commaunded that they shoulde kill neyther woman nor childe they foughte welnéere fyue houres they sette fire on all the houses and Towers that made resistance and draue all the inhabitantes out of the Towne The dead carcases lay so thicke that of force they must treade vpon them There were twentie Gentlemen and many Priestes who ascended vp to the high tower of the temple whiche hathe a hundred and twenty steppes from whence wyth arrowes and stones they did muche hurt and woulde not yéelde wherevpon oure men set fier to the Tower and burned them all Then they exclaymed on their Goddes who woulde neyther helpe them nor their Citie and holy sanctuary The Citie being sacked oure men tooke the spoyle of golde plate and feathers and the Indians their friendes tooke clothes and salte which was the treasure that they desired Cortez commaunded to ceasse the spoyle The other Captaynes that lay bounde hearing of suche a greate destruction and punishment most pitifully besought Cortez to loase some of them for to sée what was become of their Gods and coÌ„moÌ„ people Likewise they humbly besought him to pardon them who had not so muche faultâ— as Mutezuma who perswaded and entised them to that pretended treason Vpon their lamentable request he loased two of them and the next day following the Citie was as ful of people agayne that there séemed not one to be wanting At the sute of the Tlaxcaltecas who were put for mediators Cortes pardoned them all and sette his prisoners at libertie assuring them that the like correction he woulde do vppon al them that should dissemble or shewe an euil countenance or make lyes or fynally vse anye kinde of treason toward him
I purpose to breake their wings Come féele you my body I am of fleshe and bone a mortal man as others are and no God although as a King I doe estéeme my selfe of a greater dignitie and prehemineÌ„ce than others My houses you do also sée which are of tymber and earthe and the principallest of Masons worke therefore nowe you do both knowe and sée what odious lyars those talebearers were But troth it is that golde plate feathers armour iewels and other riches I haue in the treasory of my forefathers a long time prâ—serued as the vse of Kings is all the which you yours shal enioy at all times And now it may please you to take your rest for I know that you are wéery of your iourney Cortez with ioyfull countenance humbled himselfe séeyng some teares fall from Mutezuma his eyes saying vnto him vppon the trust I haue hadde in youre clemencye I insisted to come both to sée and talke wyth your highnesse and now I know that all are lyes which hath bin tolde me The like youre highnesse hath hearde reported of vs assure youre selfe that the Emperoure Kyng of Spayne is your naturall Lorde whome yée haue expected for he is the onely heyre from whence youre lynage dothe procéede and as touching the offer of youre highnesse treasure I do most hartyly thanke you After all this communication Mutezuma demaunded whether the bearded men whiche came with him were eyther his vassals or his flaues bycause he would entertayne eache one according to his estate Cortes aunswered that they were all his bréethren friendes and fellowes except some that were his seruauntes Then he departed and wente home to his Pallace and there enformed himselfe particularlye who were Gentlemen and who were not and according therevnto sent euery one particular gift or present To the Gentlemen he sente the rewarde by his Controller and to the Marriners other seruitors by a Page of his housholde The Maiestie and order vvherevvith Mutezuma was serued MVtezuma was a man of a small stature and leane his couloure tawnie as all the Indians are He hadde long heare on hys heade sixe little heares vppon him as though they hadde bin put in with a bodkin His thinne bearde was blacke Hée was a man of fayre condition and a doer of Iustice well spoken graue and wise beloued and feared among his subiectes Mutezuma doth signifie sadnesse To the proper names of Kings and Lords they do adde this sillable C. whiche is for curtesie and dignitie as we vse lord The Turke vseth Zultan The Moore or Barbarian calleth his Lorde Mulley and so the Indians say Mutezumazin His people hadde him in such reuerence that he permitted none to sit in his sight nor yet in his presence to weare shoes nor looke him in the face except very few Princes He was glad of the conuersation of the Spanyardes and would not suffer them to stande on foote for the great estimation he had of them and if he lyked any of the Spanyardes garments he woulde exchange his apparell for theirs He changed his owne apparell foure times euery day and he neuer clothed himselfe agayne with the garmentes whiche he hadde once worne but all suche were kept in his Guardrobe for to giue in presents to his seruantes and Embassadors and vnto valiante souldyers which had takeÌ„ any enimie prisoner and that was estéemed a great reward and a title of priuiledge The costly maÌ„tels wherof had bin diners sent to Cortes were of the same Guardrobe Mutezuma went alwayes very net and fine in hys attire He bathed him in his hotehouse foure times euerye day He went seldome out of his Chamber but when hée went to his meate He eate alwayes alone but solemnelye and with great abundance His table was a pillowe or else a couple of coulloured skynnes His Chayre was a fourefooted stole made of one péece and hollowe in the middest well wroughte and paynted His table clothes napkins and towels were made of Cotten woll verye white and newe for he was neuer serued but once wyth that naperie Foure hundred Pages broughte in hys meate all sonnes of greate Lordes and placed it vppon a table in his great Hall. The meate béeyng broughte in then came Mutezuma to beholde the dishes and appoynted those dishes that liked him best and chasing dishes were prepared to kéepe that moate warme and seldome would eate of any other dish except the Lord Stewarde or Controller should highly commende any other dishe Before he sate downe came twentie of his wiues of the fayrest and best estéemed or else those that serued wéekely by turne broughte in the bason and ewer wyth greate humblenesse This done he sate him downe and then came the Lord Steward and drewe a wodden nette before him bycause none shoulde come nigh his table And this noble man alone placed the dishes and also tooke them away for the Pages who broughte in the meate came not néere the table nor yet spake any word nor no man else While the Lord Mutezuma was at his meate excepte some Iester they al serued him barefooted There assisted alwayes somewhat a farre off sixe auntiente and noble men vnto whome he vsed to giue of the dish that best lyked him who receyued the same at his hande with greate reuerence and eate it incontinent without loking in his face whiche was the greatest humilitie that they coulde vse before him He had musike of Fiddle Flute and of a Snayle shell and a Caudron couered with a skinne and suche other strange instrumentes They hadde very euill voyces to sing Always at dinner time he had Dwarfes crookebackes and other deformed counterfets all for maiestie and to laugh at who hadde their meate in the Hall among the Iesters and Idyots whiche were fedde with parte of the meate that came from Mutezuma hys table all the rest of the meate was giuen to thrée thousand of the Guard who attended ordinarily in the yarde or court and therefore they say that there was broughte for his table thrée thousande dishes and as manye pottes of wine suche as they vse and that continually the buttrey and Pantrey stoode open whiche was a wonder to sée what was in them The platters dishes and cuppes were al of earth whereof the King was serued but once and so froÌ„ meale to meale new He had likewise his seruice of golde and plate verye riche but he vsed not to bée serued with it they say bycause he woulde not be serued twice therewith the whiche he thoughte a base thing Some affirme that yong children were slayne and dressed in diuers kind of dishes for Mutezuma his table but it was not so only of mans flesh sacrifised he fedde nowe and then The table being taken vp then came againe the Gentlewomen to bring water for his hands with the like reuereÌ„ce as they vsed at the first and then went they to dinner with the other wiues so that then the Gentlemen and Pages waited as their course fell The
and assist him hauing néede of their helpe his thirde pretence was to procure all the Indians to be Christened the which purpose he tooke first in hand as a thing most nedeâ— full On the other side Mutezuma repented himselfe hauyng newes that Pamfilo de Naruaiz was arriued who came as enimy to Cortes yea and after all this he was at length driuen out of Mexico These notable things shal be reâ—ersed in their order But now Mutezuma came and desired Cortes to departe out of his countrey adnising hym that otherwise bothe be and his menne were in perill of killyng saying also that thrée especiall causes moued him to this requeste the one was the dayly sute of his subiectes who enportuned him to come out of captiuitie and to murder the Spanyardes saying that it was a great shame for them to suffer theyr Prince to bée in pryson in the power of so fewe straungers whom they might vse as a footebal hauing dishonored theÌ„ and robbed them of their goodes gatheryng and heaping vp their gold for themselues for their king who as séemed by their doings was but a poore fellowe and if hée would not accept their offer and sute that then of theyr owne auctoritie they would take the thyng in hande for so much as he refusing to be theyr king they woulde also refuse to be his vassals giuyng warnyng and aduice that he should looke for no better rewarde at the Spaniardes handes than Qualpopoca and Cacama his Neuewe had receiued although they shoulde flatter him neuer so muche An other cause was that the Diuell had appeared vnto him and willed him to kill those Christians or dryue them out of the lande threatnyng him that if he did not so that then he woulde goe from him and neuer talke any more with him for quoth he with their gospels baptisme and deuotion they doe muche displease me Mutezuma answered him that there was no reason to kill theÌ„ being his friendes and honest men but he would entreate them to departe vnto this the Diuell answered that hée should do so and therein he would receyue great pleasure for eyther he woulde goe his way and leaue him or else that Christian fellowes should departe for they sow here quoth he a Christian fayth y which is much against our ReligioÌ„ and can not dwell both togither Another cause was that Mutezuma was not well pleased with the imprysonment of Cacama whoÌ„ once he loued excedyng wel so in fine secretely hee repented him of all that was past in the Spanyardes fauour and chiefly by the persuasion of the Diuell who sayde that he coulde not doe vnto him a more acceptable seruice and of greater pleasure to the Goddes than to expell the Spaniardes and abolishe the name of Christians and in so doyng the seate of Kings should not finish in the linage of Culhua but rather be enlarged his childreÌ„ should raigne after him wishing him not to beléeue in prophesâ—es sithence the eight yeare was past and was nowe in the eyghtenth yeare of his raigne For these causes or possible for other whiche we knowe not off Mutezuma prepared an army of a hundred thousand men so secretely that Cortes knew not thereof to the effecte that if the Spanyardes woulde not departe being once more required that then he meant not to leaue one of them aliue With this determination he came for the one day into the yard or courte and had long conference and consultation with his Gentlemen aboute this matter This done he sente for Cortes who liked not this newes saying to him selfe I pray God this message be to good purpose and taking twelue of his men whych were readyest at hand went to know wherefore hée had sente for him Mutezuma arose from the place where hée sate and tooke Cortez by the hande commaunding a stoole to be brought for him and so sate them downe both togither and beganne his talke as followeth Sir I beséeche you to departe from this Citie and Countrey for my Gods are sore offended with me bycause I doe and haue permitted you héere so long demaunde of me what you please and it shall be giuen you bycause I loue you well and thinke you not that I giue you this warning in iest but rather in good earnest therefore it is conuenient that you depart It séemed strange vnto Cortez this talke Also he saw by the countenance of Mutezuma that some thing was a working and before the interpreter of Mutezuma had made an end of his talke Cortes willed one of his meÌ„ to goe forthwith and to aduise all his fellowes saying that the waight of their liues was in questioÌ„ Then our meÌ„ called to remembrance what was tolde them in Tlaxcallon considering that it was néedeful of courage and help from God to bring them out of that daunger WheÌ„ Mutezuma had ended his tale I haue quoth Cortes vnderstood your meaning and doe thanke you for the same also I would know when it is your pleasure that we should depart and it shal be done Euen when it please you quoth Mutezuma take the time that you thinke meete and againste that time will I prepare a hundred waighte of gold for you and fiftie pound waight to each of your meÌ„ Cortes sayde you knowe that when I came into thys Countrey I commaunded all my Shippes to be sonke so that nowe I haue neede of â—â—ne conueniente to builde vessels to earrie vs into oure Countrey wherefore my request is that you commaund some of your CarpeÌ„ters to be called to cutte downe timber for the purpose for I haue men that can make the vessels And this done wée will departe so that you giue vs the golde whiche you haue promised and certifie you the same to youre Gods and vassals Mutezuma receyued great pleasure at this aunswere and sayd your request shall be fulfilled and incontinente he sent for many Carpenters Likewise Cortes prepared certayne of his Marriners for Shipwrightes All the which workemen went vnto great woddes of Pinetrées and there cut downe the â—â—mber necessarye for the purpose Mutezumâ— being a simple man gaue credite to all Cortez his talke Cortes likewise aduertised his men of his procéedings and sayd vnto them Mâ—â—â—zuma would haue vs departe out of his Countrey bycause his vassals and the Diuell haâ—he entised him therevnto wherefore it is néedefull that we build shipping and therefore I praye you goe with these Indians and procure to cut downe the best timber fit for oure purpose and in tho 〈…〉 God will prouide for vs whose affayres wâ— haue 〈◊〉 in hand of remedie and succour in suthe sort thâ—â—ine lose not this frutefull countrey It is also necessary that wheÌ„ you come vnto the wodde that you make all the delay possible giuing a shew that you are busse occupyed and with great desire to make an ende that those Indians may suspect nothing of oure pretence Departe in Gods name and aduise me alwayes what doth passe in your affaires The feare
Mexico whereby the Christians and straungers mighte passe without daunger In this warres serued lyke faithfull friendes the Indians of Tlaxcallan Huexocinco and Cholalla promysing the lyke seruice and succour agaynst Mexico yea and rather better than worse With this victory the Spaniardes recouered great fame for they were thought to haue bene slayne The great auctoritie that Cortez had among the Indians AFter all these things were finished Cortes coÌ„maunded gaue licence to al the Indian frieÌ„ds to returne home vnto their houses except his assured friends of Tlaxcallan whâ—Ì„ he kept in his company for the warres of Mexico he nowe dispatched a poste to Vera Crux commaundyng that foure of the shippes which Naruaez had brought should be sent with al spéede to the Iland of Santo Domingo for men horses armour pouder other munition also for wollen cloth linnen shooes and many other things and wrote his letters for the same to the licenciat Rodrigo de Figueroa and to the whole magistrates of Chancery certifying them of all their procéedings in that countrey beséechyng them of helpe and succour and that forthwith to be sent by the messenger This done he sente twentie horsemen twoo hundred Spaniardes and many Indians vnto Zacatami and Xalaxinco whiche were townes subiect to the Mexicans and placed in the high way to Vera Crux who had slayne certaine Spaniardes passyng that way This company wente thither with their accustomed protestations whiche preuayled not wherevpon followed fire and spoyle many Gentlemen and other principall persons came to yéelde themselues to Cortes more for feare than for good will crauyng pardon for theyr offence promising also not to offende agayne nor yet at any tyme to take armour agaynst the Spaniardes Cortes pardoned them then hys armie returned with determination to kéepe his Christmasse in Tlaxcallan whiche was within twelue dayes followyng He left a Captaine with thrée score Spaniards in the newe towne of Segura to kéepe that passage and also to put in feare the Comarcans that dwelled thereabout he sente before him his whole armie and he himself went with twentie horsemen from thence to Coliman to lodge there that night being a cittie of his allied friendes and there to ordaine and make by hys auctoritie bothe Noble men and Captaynes in lue of them whiche died with the disease of small pockes He aboade there thrée dayes in the whiche the newe Lordes were ordeyned who afterwardes remayned his especiall friendes The nexte day hée came to Tlaxcallan beyng sixe leagues distant from thence where he was triumphantly receyued And truely at that time he made a iourney most worthie of renowne and glory At this season his déere friende Maxixea was departed this transitorie lyfe for whome he mourned clothed in blacke after the Spanishe fashion he lefte behinde him certaine sonnes of whom the eldest was .xij. yéeres of age whome Cortes named and appoynted for Lorde of his fathers estate and the commons did certifie it to appertaine vnto him This was no small glory for Cortes to giue estates and also to take them away at his pleasure yea and that those Indians should haue him in suche feare and respect that none durste doe any thyng in acceptyng the inheritaunce of their fathers without his good will and licence Now Cortes procured that euery man shoulde make his harneys weapons and prouision readie and in good order he made also great haste in building Vergantines for his timber was already cutte and seasoned he sente vnto Vera Crux for sayles tacle nayles roapes and other necessarie things whereof theâ—e was store remaynyng of the furniture of the shippes that were sunke And hauyng wante of pitche for in that countrey the Indians knewe not what it meant he commaunded certayne of his Mariners to make the same in the highe Mountaynes where was store of Pine trées and not farre from the cittie The Vergantines that Cortez commaunded to be built and the Spaniardes which he had ioyned togither to besiege Mexico THe fame of prosperitie whiche Cortes enioyed was wonderfully blowen abroade with the newes of the imprisonment of Mutezuma and the victory against Pamfilo de Naruaez wherevppon there came many Spaniardes by twenty and twentie in a company from Cuba Santo Domingo and other Ilandes Although that iourney coste some their liues for in the way they were murdered by those of Tepeacac and Xalacinco as is before declared yet notwithstanding there came many to Tlaxcallan whereby his hoste was muche encreased beséechyng him to make haste towarde the warres It was not possible for Cortes to haue espies in Mexico for the Tlaxcaltecas were knowen by their lippes eares and other tokens and also they had in Mexico garde and great enquirie for that purpose by reason wherof he could not certainely knowe what passed in those parties accordyng as he desired for to haue prouided himself of things néedefull yet a Captayne whiche was taken prysoner in Huacacholla certified that Cuetlauac Lorde of Iztacpalapan Neuewe to Mutezuma was elected Emperour after his Vncles death who was a wise and valiant man and hée it was that had dryuen Cortes out of Mexico who now had fortified Mexico with many bulworkes and caues and with many and sundry sortes of weapon but chiefly very long Lances yea and planted them in the grounde to resiste and molest the horsemen He proclaymed pardon and frée libertie without paying any tribute for the space of one whole yéere yea and further as long as the warres should laste he promysed also great rewardes to all them that shoulde kill any Christian or expulse them from that countrey This was a policie whereby he gatte muche credite among his vassals yea and gaue them greate courage to play the valiant men All this newes was founde to be true sauyng onely Cuetlauac was dead And that Quahutimoecin Neuew also as some doe say of Mutezuma raygned at that tyme who was a valiant man and a good warrier as hereafter shal be declared who sente his messengers through out his Empyre proclaymyng as great rewardes as Cuetlauac had done before declaryng vnto them that it was more reason to serue him than straungers and also to defende theyr olde auncient Religion and not to credite suche Christians as woulde make themselues Lordes of other mens goodes yea and make them slaues and captiues as they had done in other places Quahutimoc encouraged muche his subiectes and kindled with his talke their wrath agaynst the Spaniards yet there were some prouinces that gaue no eare to his information but rather leaned to our side or else medled with neyther side Cortes seyng the effect of the matter determined forthwith to beginne the warres he mustered his men on Sainct Steuens day and founde fourtie horsemen and fiue hundreth fourtie footemen wherof foure score were Hargabushiers and crosse bow men niene péeces of ordinaunce and little powder his horsemen he diuided into foure squares and his footemen into nine he named appointed captaynes and other officers for
the host vnto whom in general he spake as followeth The exhortation of Cortez to his Souldiers MY louyng brethren I gyue moste hartie thankes vnto Iesu Christ to sée you now whole of your woundes and frée from diseases likewise I muche reioyce to sée you in good order trimly armed yea and with suche desire to sette agayne vpon Mexico to reuenge the death of our fellowes and to winne that greate Citie the whiche I truste in God shal be brought to passe in shorte time hauing the friendship of Tlaxcallan and other prouinces who haue as great desire to sée the ouerthrowe of the Mexicans as we our selues for therein they gette both honour libertie safegarde of life Also it is to be considered that if the victory should not be ours they poore soules should be destroyed and remaine in perpetuall captiuitie Also the Culhuacans do abhorre them worse than vs for receyuing vs into their houses and countrey therefore sure I am that they will sticke vnto vs vnfaynedly I muste néedes confesse their vnfayned friendship for presente workes doe testifie the same They will not onely be a meane to bryng others their neyghbours to our seruice but also haue now in readinesse .100000 mē of warre to sende with vs besides a great nūber of Tamemez or carriers to carrie al our prouision Ye also are now the same which alwaies heretofore ye haue bene for I as witnesse beyng your captayne haue had the victory of many battayles fighting with a .100 yea 200000. enimies we got also by strength of arme many strōg cities yea brought in subiection many prouinces not beyng so many in number as we are nowe for when we came firste into this countrey we were not so many as now presently we are Agayne in Mexico they feare our cōming it should also be a blot vnto our honour that Quahutimoc should inherite the kingdome that cost our friēd Mutezuma his life Likewise I esteme al that we haue done is nothing if we winne not Mexico our victories shoulde also be sorowfull if we reuenge not the death of our déere fellowes The chiefe and principall cause of our cōming into this countrey was to set forth the faith of Iesu Christ therwithal doth folow honour profite which seldome times do dwell togither In those fewe dayes that we were in Mexico we put downe the idols we caused sacrifice and eatyng of mans fleshe to bée layde aside and also in those dayes wée beganne to conuerte some to the fayth It is not therefore nowe reason to leaue of so laudable an enterpryse so well begonne Lette vs now goe whither holy fayth doth call vs and where the sinnes of our enimies deserueth so great a punishment and if yée well remember the Citizens of that citie were not cōtent to murder such an infinite number of men women children before the idols in their filthy sacrifice for honour of their Diuelishe Goddes but also to eate their fleshe a thyng inhumayne and much abhorred of God and al good men doth procure and especially Christians to defende and punishe suche odious customes Besides all this they committe that horrible sinne for the whiche the fiue cities with Sodom were burned by fire from heauen Why then what greater occasion should any man wishe for in earth than to abolish such wickednesse and to plant among these bloudy tirants the fayth of Iesu Christ publishing his holy gospel Therfore now with ioyfull hartes lette vs procéede to serue God honour our nation to enlarge our Princes dominions and to enriche our selues with the goodly pray of Mexico to morrow God willyng we will beginne the same All his men answeared with chéerefull countenaunce that they were ready to departe when it pleased him promising their faithful seruice vnto him It should séeme the rather with the desire of that pleasure and greate treasure whiche they had eyght moneths enioyed before Cortes commaunded to proclayme throughout his army certaine ordinaunces of warre for the good gouernement of his hoste whiche he had written among others and were these that followeth That none should blaspheme the holy name of Iesus That no Souldier should fight with his fellowe That none shoulde play at any game his horse nor armour That none should force any woman That none should robbe or take any Indian captiue without his speciall licence and counsellers That none should wrōg or iniurie any Indian their friēds he also taxed yron worke and apparell for cause of the excessiue prices that they were there solde for The exhortation made by Cortez to the Indians of Tlaxcallan THe nexte daye following Cortes called before him all the Lordes Captaynes and principall persons of Tlaxcallan Huexocinco Chololla Chalco and of other townes who were there presente at that time saying as followeth My Lords and friendes you know the iourney which I haue nowe in hande to morrowe God willing I will departe to the warre and siege of Mexico and enter into the land of youre enimies and mine And the thing that now I do require and also pray is that you remayne faithfull and constant in your promise made as hithervnto you haue done and so I trust you will continue And bycause I can not bring so soone my purpose to passe according to youre desire and mine without the Vergantines which are now a making and to be placed in the lake of Mexico therefore I praye you to fauoure these workemen whiche I leaue héere with suche loue and friendship as héeretofore you haue done and to giue them all things necessary for their prouision and I do faithfully promise to take away the yoke of bondage which the inhabitantes of Culhua haue layde vpon you and also will obteyne of the Emperoure great libertie and priviledges for you All the Indians shewed countenance of obedience and the chiefest Gentlemen aunswered in few words saying we will not onely fulfyll youre request but also when your vessels are finished we will bring them to Mexico and we all in generall will goe with you and truly serue you in your warres Hovv Cortez tooke Tezcuco COrtez departed from Tlaxcallan wyth hys Souldyers in good order whyche was a goodly sight to beholde for at that time he had eyghtie thousand men in his host and the most of them armed after their manner which made a gallant shew but Cortes for diuers causes would not haue them all with him vntill the Vergantines were finished and Mexico beséeged searing wante of vittayle for so greate an armye yet notwithstanding hée tooke twentie thousand of them besides the Carriers and that night came to Tezmoluca which stādeth sixe leagues from Tlaxcallan and is a Village apperteyning to Huexocinco where he was by the principall of the Towne wel receyued The next day he iourneyed foure leagues into the territorie of Mexico and there was lodged on the 〈◊〉 of a hill where many had perished with colde had it not bin for the store of woodde which they found there In the
and a hundred and eyghtéene footemen of the Spanish nation two péeces of ordinance and thirtie thousand Indians and appoynted him so pitch his camp in Culhuacan To Gonsalo de Sandoual who was the thyrde Captayne he gaue thrée and twenty Horsemen and 160. footemen two péeces of Ordinance and 40000. Indians with commission to choose a place to piâ—ch his Campe. In euery Vergantine he planted a péece of ordinaÌ„ce sixe hargabushes or crossebowes and 23. Spaniards meÌ„ most fittest for that purpose He appointed also Captaynes for eache and himselfe for general whereof some of the chiefest of his companye began to murmure that wente by lande thinking that they had bin in greater daunger wherefore they required him to goe with the mayne battell and not by water Cortes little estéemed their words for although it is more daunger in the water than in the land yet it did more importe to haue greater care in the warres by water than on the land bycause his men had bin in the one and not in the other On the tenth of May Aluarado and Cristoual de Olid departed and went that night to a Towne called A colman where was betwéene them greate discorde touchyng their lodgings yea and if Cortes had not sente to take vp the matter much mischiefe had ensued The nexte daye they lodged in Xâ—lâ—tâ—peâ— whych was not inhabited The thyrde daye they came vnto Tlacopan whyche was also as all the Townes of the lake wythout people there they were lodged in the Lordes house of the Towne The Tlaxcaltecas began to viewe Mexico by the calsey and foughte with their enimies vntill the nighte made them to ceasse On the thirtéenth of May Cristoual de Olid came to Chapultepec and brake the conduites of swéete water wherevpon Mexico was destitute of the same being the conduit that did prouide all the Citie Pedro de Aluarado wyth his company procured to amende all the broken places of the calsey that the horsemen might haue frée passage and hauing muche to do in these affaires he spente thrée dayes and fighting with many enimies some of his men were hurt and many Indian friendes slayn Aluarado abode in Tlacopan with his armye and Cristoual de Olid retired to Culhuacan with his men according to the instruction receyued from Cortes and fortifyed themselues in the Lordes houses of the Towne and euery daye skyrmished with the enimies and some went to the Townes néere at hande and brought Centli fruite and other prouision In this businesse they occupyed theÌ„selues a whole wéeke The Battaile and victory of the Vergantines against the Canoas THe newe Kyng Quahutimoc hauing intelligence how Cortes hadde launched hys Vergantines and so mightie a power to beséege Mexico entred into counsell wyth the chiefest péeres of hys Realme Some were of opinion and dyd prouoke hym to the warres considering theyr greate multitude of people and fortitude of the Citie Others were of opinion who tendred muche the common weale that no Spanyarde that shoulde happen to be taken prysoner shoulde be sacrificed but rather to be preserued for conclusion of peace if neede shoulde so requyre And finally some sayde that they should demaunde of their Goddes what was best to doe The King that inclined himselfe more to peace than to warâ—e sayde that he woulde remitte the matter to the iudgement of the idolles and that he would aduise them what answere should be made vnto him but in harte he desired to come to some honest order and agréement with Cortes fearing the thyng that after did ensue But seyng his Counsell and subiectes so determined to warre he coÌ„maunded foure Spaniardes whiche he had prysoners in a cage to be sacrificed vnto the Goddes of warre with a great number more of Indians He spake to the Diuell in the image of Vitzilopuchtli who answered him that he shoulde not feare the Spaniardes being but fewe nor yet those whiche were comen to helpe them for that they shoulde not long abide in the siege commaunding him to goe forth and to encounter them without feare for he would helpe them and kill his enimies With this answere of the diuel Quahutimoc commaunded forthwith to breake downe the bridges watche the Cittie make bulwarkes and to arme fiue thousande boates and sayde vnto the Spaniardes that the Goddes woulde be pleased with the sacrifice of their bodies the Snakes filled with their bloud and the Tigres relieued with their flesh they sayde also to the Indians of Tlaxcallan ah yée Cuckold knaues slaues and traytors to your gods and kyng will you not repent the wickednesse whiche yée haue committed agaynst your maisters therefore shall you nowe die an euill death for either you shall die with hunger or else vpon the knife and then wil we eate your fleshe and make thereof solemne a banket as the like hath heretofore neuer bene séene and in token therof hold take these armes and legges whiche we throwe vnto you of your owne men which we haue now sacrificed for the obtayning of victory And after these warres we will goe vnto your countrey and spoyle your Towne leaue no memory of your bloud or generation The Tlaxcaltecas laughed at their madde talke and sayd that it should be better for them to yéelde and submitte themselues to Cortes his mercy and if not yet it were more honorable to fight than to bragge willyng them to come out into the field And bad them assuredly beléeue that the ende of all their knauery was at hande it was a world to heare and sée the bragges and crakes on both sides Cortes hearyng of all these matters sent Sandoual to take Iztacpalapan and he enbarked himselfe to méete him at that place Sandoual combated the towne on the one side and the townes menne and people with feare fledde vnto Mexico on the otherside by water he burned the towne Cortes came at the time to a stroÌ„g rocke lyke a tower situated in the water where many men of Culhua were who seyng them approche with their Vergantines sette theyr beacons on fire and threwe downe vpon them stones and shotte of theyr arrowes Cortes wente ashore with a hundreth and fiftie menne and combatted the forte till at length he wanne the battlement whiche was the Indians beste defence and with muche adoe hée came to the toppe and there sought vntill he had not lefte one aliue sauyng women and chyldren It was a fayre victorie although fiue and twentie Spanyardes were hurte and wounded yet the forte was strong and the ouerthrowe a great discouragyng of the enimie At this instant were so many beacons and other fires made rounde aboute the lake and vpon the hilles that all séemed a lighte fire And also the Mexicans hearyng that the Vergantynes were comyng they came out in their boates with fiue hundreth Gentlemen whiche came to sée suche newe kinde of vesselles and to proue what they were beyng a thyng of so greate a fame Cortes embarked himselfe with the spoyle of the forte and commaunded his men to