malice and stubbornesse and to treate of peace and friendship warning and aduising them that if they came not wythin the time appointed hee woulde enter into his countrey burning and spoyling with slaughter both great smal armed and vnarmed with which message the messengers departed and Cortez returned to the towne to cure his wounded men The next day came fiftie anncient Indians to craue pardon for their offence and also licence to bury the dead with likewise safeconduct that their rulers and principal persons myght safely come vnto the towne Cortez graunted their request warning them to make any lyes or yet to conspire againe and also if their lords came not personally he would not heare any more embassadors with this rigorous coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t protestation they departed These Indians feeling their strength woulde not preuaile thinking the christians to be inuincible their Lords and chiefest persons did determine to goe and visite the christians and their captaine And according to the time appointed the Lorde of that town and other foure Lords his neyghbours came vnto Cortez with a good trayne of their vessals and seruitours and presented vnto him bread turkie hennes fruites with other like prouision for his host with four hundred pieces of gold of the value of 400. double duckets with other small iewels and crrtaine turkie stones of small value And twentie women slaues to serue to make breade and dresse meate for the whole army He craued and beseeched Cortez to pardon his former offence And to accept and receiue them into hys friendshippe And in token of his obedience hee and his fellowes dyd willinglye deliuer their bodies landes and goods into his handes and power Cortez did louingly receiue them and gaue vnto them certaine trifles of his wares whiche they estéemed much And those Indians hearing the horses and mares ney they maruelled at their neying thinking that the horses could speake demaunded of the Christians what they sayd mary quoth they these horses are sore offended with you bycause ye foâ—â—ht with them wold haue you corrected and chastened for your so doing The simple IndiaÌ„s hearing this presented roses and Gynea Hens vnto the horses desiring them to eate and to pardon theÌ„ Certaine questions that Cortez demaunded of the Cacike Tauasco MAny things passed betweene our men the Indians for where the Indians vnderstood theÌ„ not their behauiour was much to laugh at And vsing conuersation with our men seeing they receiued no hurts of them they brought to the towne their wiues and children which were no smal number And among many matters that Cortez communed with Tauasco by the mouth of Ieronimo de Aguila his enterpreter The first question was Whether there wer mynes of gold or siluer in that countrey and from wheÌ„ce they had that small quantitye that they hadde broughte vnto them The secoÌ„d question was Why they denyed him their friendshippe more than the other captaine that had bin there the yeare before The third was Why they being so many in nuÌ„ber fled from them being so fewe The fourth was To giue theÌ„ to vnderstaÌ„d the mightie power of the king of Castill And last of all to giue them knowledge of the faith of Iesu Christ As touching Sir quoth he the Mynes of gold and siluer in our country we séeke for none for we séeke not after treasure and riches but we procure and desire a quiet life And that golde whiche we haue was founde by chaunce for we know not what Mynes do mean. Yet notwithstanding further within the lande whereas the sunne doth hide himselfe ther the people do finde muche gold and are giuen to séeke the same And as touching the captaine that was here of late we seeing the men and shippes to be such as we had neuer before seene spake vnto them and demaunded what they would haue they sayde that their comming was to chaunge their merchandice for gold and nothyng else wherefore we graunted to their request But now séeing greater vessels and moe in number wee feared least ye came to take our substance And I knowing my selfe nothing inferiour to any of my neyghbours would not permit any iniurie to be offered me and that he and his subiectes did estéeme themselues the most valiant of men of warre in all these parties and that none durste take away their goods women and children to be sacrificed by force wherevpon he thought to withstande those fewe Christians but quoth he I founde my selfe deceiued seeyng we could not kill any of your companye And likewise the brightnesse of youre weapons dyd blynde vs and the woundes you made were incurable But the noyse and lightning of your ordinance dyd more amase vs than either thunder-clappes or tempest and also the great spoyle that you made among vs therwith likewise your straunge horses made vs greatly to wonder to behold their open mouthes wee feared to be swallowed And then to consider their swiftnesse in running we knew no creature could escape them But the first horse that fought with vs put vs in marueylous feare being but one but when we espyed many then all oure helpe was past for we belieued that the horse and man was al one incorporate Hovv the Indians of Potonchan brake downe their Idols and worshipped Christ crucified WIth the relation of Tauasco Cortez sawe that the countrey was not for Spaniardes nor yet he toke it a thing conueniente to settle themselues where no golde nor siluer was or other riches And so pretended to passe forwardes to discouer westward the lande endewed with golde But before his departure he declared to those new conquered Indians that the Lord in whose name he and hys company had taken that iourney was king of Spayne and Emperour of Christians and the greatest Prince in the worlde vnto whom many kings and Princes dyd homage and obey And that hys rule and gouernemente in iustice proceeded from God beeing iust holy peaceable and sweete and also the Monarchie of the vniuersall did appertaine vnto him And for these causes he required them to yelde themselues as his subiectes And it they would doe so there shoulde ensue vnto them great profite lawes and pollicie And as touching their religion he declared their blindnesse greate abuses which they vsed in worshipping many Gods and in making sacrifice vnto them with mans blood yea thinking that those images and Idols did or coulde doe good or euill vnto them being duÌ„be without life or soule yea and the worke of their owne hands He certifyed them of one god maker of heauen and earth and all creatures whom the Christians did worshippe and serue and that all creatures ought to doe the same In conclusion with thys doctryne they brake downe their Idols and receyued the crosse Cortez hauing first declared vnto them the great miseries that the son of God suffered on the Crosse for mankynde And in the greatest temple of Potonchan set vp a Crosse in remeÌ„brance of the death of Christ
And commaunded that none of his men shoulde goe out of the house without his expresse licence vp◠payne of death The officers of the Lorte prepared a plenteous supper for them and beddyng according to their vse The talke that the Lorde of Zempoallan had with Cortez THe nexte day in the mornyng came the Lorde to visite Cortez with an honorable company and presented vnto him many garmēts wrought of Cottē wolle according to their fashion with a knot on the shoulder like vnto the Egiptian garments and certaine iewels of golde that might be worth two thousande Ducates besechyng both him and his cōpany to recreate themselues and take their reste and at that present he meante not to trouble him with any matters And so tooke his leaue for that time as he had done the day before willing him to demaunde and call for any thing that he should néede Cortez gaue him hartie thāks and so departed Then came moe Indians in number then were there Spaniardes with their courses seruice of meate ready dressed and many boughes of daintie fruits In this sorte they were feasted bāketed fiftene daies must plētuously The next day folowyng Cortez sent vnto the Spaniardes certaine olde garments of the Spanishe fashion and many other trifles besechyng him to appoynt a day of conserence at his owne pallayce worde was sent agayne that be was ready and very well contented Where vpon Cortez tooke with him fiftie of his men all armed and left the residue at his lodgyng in a good readinesse and appoynted an vnder Captayne to gouerne them The Lorde hearing of his comming came out of his Course into the streate to receyue him And hande in hand they entred togither into a lowe hall whiche they vse for the extremitie of heate in that countrey the plotte that they buylde vpon is raysed a fadome from the grounde so that they ascende vpon steppes and the walles plaistered with very white lime their tile is eyther of straw or leaues of trées very beautifull and straungely wrought and a good defence against the rayne The Lorde and Cortes satte them downe vpon thrée footed stooles made all of one péece the Lorde commaunded his seruitours to stande aside and by their interpreters they began to common of their affayres a great space in demaundes and answeres bicause Cortes desired to be well instructed of the affayres of that countrey and lykewise of that mightie kyng of Mutezuma This Cacike or Lord although he were huge and laden with fleshe yet in his demaundes and questions séemed very wise The summe of all Cortes his talke was to shewe the cause of his comming thither and who had sente him euen as he had done in Tabasco to Teudilli and others This Cacike after he had heard Cortes attentiuely he began a long communication makyng his complaynt and opening his griefe in this sorte MIghtie Sir my Antecessors liued a long tyme in great peace libertie and quietnesse but of late yéeres my countrey and Cittie was destroyed by tiranny bycause the Lordes of Mexico Tenuchtitlan with their men of Culhua did not only vsurpe my Citie but also my lands by force of armes in suche sorte that my power coulde not resiste them And in the beginnyng those Princes beganne theyr vsurpation by way and colour of religion and holinesse and afterwardes with force of armes and with this title became Lordes ouer vs. And nowe we seyng our errour haue thought it to late to preuayle agaynst them to take away our yoke of seruitude and bondage although we haue attempted it And as often as we haue so done still the victorie was theyrs and the ouerthrowe ours Nowe all suche as doe submitte themselues vnto them are taxed with certayne trioutes and reknowlegyng them for Lordes are defended by them and estéemed as friendes But if after such submission made any chaunce to speake agaynst them or rebell then they are terribly corrected yea murdered and after Sacrifice made to the Goddes of warre called Tezcatlipuca and Vitzilepuchtli of theyr carkasses then is theyr fleshe eaten in banquet and those who remayne alyue doe serue for slaues yea and the Fathers Mothers and Children are compelled to labour and toyle from the Sunne rising to the Sunne settyng with confiscation of all theyr goodes and landes And besides all this crueltie and vituperie they sende theyr officers and Serieantes to execute the premisses who without eyther pittie or mercie many tymes suffereth them to sterue with hunger And beyng thus cruelly punished of Mutezuma who nowe raigneth in Mexico who woulde not suffer to bée Vassall willingly to so good a Prince as you enformed me of the Emperour although it were but onely to bée frée from suche vexation and robbery whiche suche a mighty King coulde doe And with these wordes the teares gusshed out of his eyes and pawsing a whyle he beganne to extoll the strength magnificence and situation of Mexico planted in a greate lake of water also he exalted the riches courte Maiestie and mightie power of Mutezuma Hée sayde also howe Tlaxcallan Huexocinco and other prouinces thereaboute as also the people called Totonaquez of the Mountaynes were of contrary opinion to the Mexicans yea enimies vnto them who had intelligence what had happened in Tauasco Yea sir quoth hée if it please you I will treate suche a compact with this people that Mutezuma with al his power shall not preuayle agaynst vs. Cortes reioyced in harte to heare this newes and sayde vnto him It grieueth mée to heare of the euill vsage of Mutezuma towarde his countrey and subiectes But I assure you with Gods helpe I will deliuer you yea and reuenge all your iniuries for my commyng hither is to take away all euill customes and to helpe the oppressed to fauour the prysoner and comforte the afflicted and chiefly to abolishe tyrannie And for the good entertaynement that I haue receyued at your handes I doe remayne yours to doe you any pleasure and to defende you agaynst your enimies and the lyke will I doe for your friendes wherefore I pray you aduertise them thereof as many as are of our confederacie Cortes then tooke hys leaue saying that he had bene many dayes there and that he had greate néede to goe visite his shippes and menne who muche desired his returne and abode in Aquiahuiztlan where hée meante to soiourne for a certayne season and from thence dayly they mighte conferre of their affayres The Lorde of Zempoallan sayde that if it pleased hym to abyde with him hée woulde gladly accept it and if his businesse were suche that he might not that then he besought him to remember him Then the Lorde commaunded eyght maydens to be called who were very well apparelled after theyr maner theyr attyre was muche lyke the Morisca fashion the one of them was more costely apparelled than the others and sayde vnto Cortes all these maydens whiche you here sée are Gentlewomen noble and riche and this mayden whiche is beste
he espyed aboute foure leagues distant in the Mountaynes among rockes and procéeding out of a wodde dyuers smokes whereby he ymagined people to be there he opened not his minde to anye man but commaunded two hundred of his men to followe hym and some Indians hys friendes and within thrée or foure houres of the nyghte he toke hys iourney towarde the Mountaynes béeing very darke He had not fully gone a league when suddaynely appeared the lykenesse of a great Bull whiche ouerthrewe them that they could not stirre The firste Horseman béeing fallen they aduysed Cortez thereof who aunswered that he shoulde returne wyth hys Horse to the Campe and incontinente fell another Cortez commaunded hym the lyke and when thrée or foure were fallen his company retyred saying it was an euill token desiring him to returne and abyde the morning that they myghte sée whether they wente He aunswered saying yée oughte to gyue no credite to witchcraftes or fantasies for God whose cause we take in hande is aboue all nature wherefore I will not leaue my pretended iourney for I doe ymagine that of thys nyghtes trauell shall come greate ease and pleasure saying that the Deuill hathe in this forme of a Bull appeared to disturbe vs He hadde no sooner ended his talke when hys Horse fell likewise then counsell was taken what was best to be done It was determined that the Horses which were fallē should be returned to the Campe and that of the residue eache Horseman shoulde leade hys Horse by the bridle and so procéede on theyr way and shortly after the Horses were well agayne but they neuer knewe of what motion they hadde fallen wyth the darkenesse of the nyghte they lost theyr way to the Mountaynes and chanced into a cragged rockie waye that they thoughte neuer to haue come out thereof And after a whyle that they had gone this euill waye wyth their heare standing with very feare they espyed a little lyghte and tooke the way thyther where they founde a little house wherein were two Women and those Women with other two women that afterwards they mette conducted them to the Wildernesse where they had espyed the smoke and before day they sette vppon certayne Villages and slewe many yet they burned not those Villages bycause they should not be perceyued through the lyght thereof They receyued there aduyse that néere at hand were great populations and soone after he came to Zimpanzinco a towne of twenty thousand houses as after dyd appeare by the visitation of Cortes These inhabitantes béeyng vnaduised of this suddayne happe were taken in their beddes and came out all naked through the stréetes to knowe what the great mourning and lamentation meante at the first entrance many were slayne but bycause they made no resistance Cortez commaunded to ceasse from killyng nor yet to take any of theyr goodes or women The feare of these poore inhabitantes was so greate that they fledde without respect of the father to the child or husbande to the Wyfe or yet eyther of house or goodes Cortes commaunded sygnes of peace to be made vnto them and with that they stayed and before the Sunne rising the Towne was pacifyed Cortez went vp into a Tower to descry the Countrey and there espyed a moste greate population he then demaunded what it was aunswere was made that it was called Tlaxcallan and the Townes therevnto apperteynyng Then he called hys Spanyardes and sayd vnto them beholde what woulde it haue preuayled vs to kyll these poore soules hauyng yonder so manye enimies and wythoute doyng anye more hurte in that Towne hée wente to a fayre Fountayne there at hande and thyther came the Rulers of that Towne and other foure hundred menne withoute weapon and broughte wyth them muche victuall most humbly they besought Cortes to doe them no more hurte gyuing hym likewise greate thankes that hée hadde so fauourablye vsed them offering both to serue and obey hym and from that daye forwarde they woulde not onely kéepe hys friendshippe but also trauell wyth the Lordes of Tlaxcallan and others that they shoulde doe the same Cortez replyed that sure he was howe they had foughte agaynste hym before that time although that nowe they broughte hym meate yet notwithstandyng hée pardoned them and also receyued them into hys seruice and friendshippe to the vse of the Emperoure Wyth thys communication he departed from them and returned to the Campe verye ioyfull wyth so good successe hauyng suche a daungerous beginning wyth the suddayne fall of theyr Horses wherein the Prouerbe is fulfylled whyche sayeth Speake not euill of the daye till it be at an ende They hadde also a greate hope that those newe friendes woulde bée a meane to cause the Tlaxcaltecas to leaue from Warre and to become theyr friendes From that day forward he commaunded that none of hys Campe shoulde doe any hurte to any Indian and certifyed his men that the same daye his warres were at an ende with that prouince The desire that some of the Spanyardes had to leaue the warres WHen Cortez was returned so ioyfull to his Camp he founde some of his men discouraged with the suddayne mishappe of the Horses fearing that likewise some misfortune hadde happened to Cortes but when they sawe him come well and with victorie their ioy was great although true it is that manye of his men were not well pleased but desired muche to leaue the warres and to returne to the coast as they had often requested but nowe chiefly séeyng such a great Countrey and full of people who woulde not permitte theyr abiding there and they béeyng so fewe in number in the middest among them withoute hope of succoure certaynely things to be feared With this murmuration they thought it good to talke with Cortes also to require him to procéede no further but returne backe agayne to Vera Crux from whence by little and little they mighte haue intelligence with the Indians and therevppon procéede according to tyme and that he mighte prouide more Horses and men whiche was the chiefest prouision of the warre And although some secretely enformed Cortes of thy◠matter yet he gaue no eare to their talke but an a night as hée came out of hys Tower to ouerlooke the watche hée hearde a loude talke out of one of the Cotages and beganne to hearken what theyr communication was and the matter was that certaine souldiers sayde these wordes If our Captayne be madde and go where he may be slayne let him goe alone what néede we to follow him Cortez hearyng this talke called twoo of his friendes for witnesse willyng them to harken his souldiers talke for he that durst speake suche wordes would be ready to doe it Also he hearde others say what shall our iourney be as Pedro Carbonerotes was who went into Barbaria to take Mores and he and all his were there slayne wherefore sayde they let vs not follow him but turne in time It grieued Cortez muche to heare this talke
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
wounde it so festereth that it is almost incurable Theyr swordes are of woodde and the edge thereof is flint stone inclosed or ioyned into a staffe with a certaine kynde of glew whiche is made of a roote called Zacolt and Teuxalli whiche is a kinde of strong sande whereof they make a mixture and after kneade it with bloud of Battes or Rearemice and other foule which doth glewe maruelous strong and lightly neuer vncleaueth of this stuffe they make nayles pearcers ogars wherwith they bore timber stone with theyr swordes they cut speares yea and a horse necke at a blowe and make dentes into iron whiche séemeth a thing vnpossible and incredible In the Citie no man may weare weapon but onely in warres huntyng and among the kings Guarde The Gardens of Mutezuma BEsides the foresayde houses hée had many others for hys onely recreation and passetyme with excellent fayre gardens of medicinall hearbes swéete floures and trées of delectable sauour whiche were many and a thing to gyue prayse to God the maker and creator of all In that Garden were a thousande personages made and wrought artificially of leaues and flowers Mutezuma woulde not permitte that in this Garden shoulde be any kynde of potte Hearbes or thyngs to be solde saying that it dyd not appertayne to Kings to haue thyngs of profite among theyr delytes and pleasures for suche thyngs sayde hée dyd appertayne to Merchants Yet notwithstanding he had Orchards with many and sundry fruites but they stoode farre from the Cittie and whyther seldome times hee wente he had likewise out of Mexico pleasaunte houses in wooddes and forrestes of greate compasse enuyroned with water in the which he hadde fountaynes riuers pondes with fishe warrantes of Conneys rockes couert where were Harts Buckes Hares Foxes Wolues and such like with wildernesse for euery sort To these places the Lords of Mexico vsed to goe and sporte themselues suche and so manye were the houses of Mutezuma wherein fewe Kings were equall with him The court and Guarde of Mutezuma HE had dayly attending vppon hym in hys priuye garde sixe hundred noble men and gentlemen and eche of them thrée or foure seruants and some hadde twenty seruaunts or moe according to his estate and in this maner he had thrée thousand men attendant in his court and some affirm more al the which were fed in his house of the meate that came from his table The seruing men alwayes abode belowe in the court all the daye and wente not from thence tyll after Supper It is to be thought that his Guard was the greater bycause the straungers were there although in effecte of troth it is most certayne that all the Lords that are vnder the Mexicall Empire as they say are thirtie persons of high estate who are able to make each of them a hundred thousand men There are thrée thousand Lordes of Townes who haue many vassals These noble menne did abide in Mexico certayne tyme of the yeare in the Court of Mutezuma and could not departe from thence without especiall licence of the Emperoure leauing each of them a sonne or brother behinde them for securitie of Rebellion and for this cause they had generally houses in the Citie such and so great was the court of Mutezuma The great subiection of the Indians to their King. THere is not in all the dominions of Mutezuma any subiect that payeth not tribute vnto him The noblemen paye theyr tribute in personall seruice The husbādmen called Maceualtin with body goodes In this sort they are eyther tenauntes or else heyres to their possessions Those which are heyres do pay one third part of all their fruite and commoditie that they doe reape or bring vp as Dogges Hennes Foule Conyes Gold Siluer Stones Salt Waxe Honey Mantels Feathers Cotten and a certayne fruite called Cacao that serueth for money and also to eate Also all kinde of grayne and garden Herbes and fruites whereof they do maynteyne themselues The Tenantes doe paye monethly or yearely as they can agrée and bycause their tribute is greate they are called slaues for when they maye haue licence to eate egges they thinke it a greate fauour It was reported that they were taxed what they shoulde eate and all the residue was taken from them They went very poorely clothed yea and the most of their treasure was an earthē potte wherein they boyled theyr herbes a couple of Milstones to grinde their Corne and a matte to lye vppon They did not onely pay this rente and tribute but also serued with their bodyes at all times when the great King should commaunde They were in such great subiectiō to their prince that they durst not speake one word although their daughters shoulde be taken from them to be vsed at their pleasure It was reported that of euerye thrée sonnes they deliuered one to be sacrifised but the report was false for if it had bin true the Townes had not bin so replenishēd with people as they were and also the noble men did not eate mans flesh but only of those whiche were sacrifised and they were slaues or prisoners taken in the warres Assuredly they were cruell butchers and slewe yearely for that bloudy sacrifice many menne and some children but not so many as was reported All the aforesayde rentes they brought to Mexico vpon theyr backes and in boates I meane so much as was necessary for the prouision of the house and Courte of Mutezuma all the residue was spente among souldyers and bartred for golde plate precious stones and other riche Iewels estéemed of Princes all the whiche was broughte to the treasory In Mexico was large and greate barnes and houses to receyue and keepe the Corne for prouision of the Citie with officers and vnderofficers who did receyue the same and kepte accompte thereof in bookes of paynted figures Also in euerye Towne was a receyuer who bare in his hand a rodde or a bushe of feathers and those gaue vp their accomptes in Mexico If any such had bin taken with deceypt and falsehoode death was his reward yea and his kinred punished with penalties as of a lignage of a Traytor to his Prince The Husbandmenne if they payd not well their tribute were apprehended for the same and if they were founde to bée poore through sicknesse and infirmitie then they were borne withall but if they were found to be lazie and slouthfull they should be vsed accordingly but in conclusion if they payde it not at a daye appoynted then they shoulde bée solde for slaues to pay their dette or else be sacrificed There were many other prouinces whiche paid a certayne portion and reknowledged seruice but this tribute was more of honor than profite In this sort Mutezuma had more than sufficiente to prouide his house warres and to heape vp great store in his treasory Moreouer he spente nothing in the buildings of his houses for of long time he had certayne townes that payd no other tribute but only to worke and
certayne number of his mē to goe a land to a Towne which was néere the place where they were arriued and they foūd the towne wrought with Masons worke and good building but they founde no creature therein yet in some houses they foūd cloth made of cottē woll and certaine Iewels of gold Also they entred into a high tower made of stoneworke néere the sea side and there they founde nothing but Idols of earth and stone With this newes they returned to Cortez and enformed him what they had séene and also many faire sowē fields of Maiz and great store of hiues of Bées and many trées of fruites and also presented vnto him the gold and other things that they had foūd Cortez reioyced with the newes but yet maruelled that the people were fledde considering that when Grijalua was there they had not so done wherby he iudged that his nauie béeyng greater caused them to feare and flie and likewise he feared least a snare were prepared for him Then he cōmanded to vnship his Horses for thrée causes the one to discouer the Countrey and the other to fight if néede were and also to grase thē hauing there abūdance Also he vnshipped his mē of warre and sent them to discouer the land And in the thickest of the Mountaynes they found four women and thrée childrē whome they brought to Cortez so that not vnderstanding their language by signes tokens they ymagined that one of thē was the mother to the children mistresse to the other women The pore creatures bewayled theyr captiuitie Cortez made muche of them apparrelled the mistresse as wel as he might with Spanish attire and to hir scruants he gaue loking glasses and sissers and to the little children other toyes to play withall vsing no dishonestie towards thē And thē he determined to send one of the wenches to call hir maister and to enforme him how well they were intreated In this meane season came certaine spies lurking a farre off by the cōmandement of their Lord who was called Calachuni to bring newes of his wife what else passed Cortez receyued them gētly gaue vnto them certayne trifles and sent others to their Lord and returned thē with embassage on his behalfe his wiues to desire hym to come vnto him and to sée those folke from whome he had fledde promising that neyther his person nor none of his countrey should receyue anye molestation of him nor of any of his company Calachuni vnderstāding this friendshippe and also with the loue hée bare to his wife and childrē came the next day following with all the Townesmen in whose houses the Spanyards were lodged who woulde not permitte that their guestes should giue place And the Lorde commaunded that they should be wel entertayned and frō that day forward prouided them of bread fishe honey fruite Calachuni spake and saluted Cortez with greate humilitie and ceremonie and euen so was he louingly receyued wel entertained Cortez did then declare vnto him the commoditie that would ensue vnto him by that nation And also presented vnto him his cōpany many toyes which were vnto thē of small valewe but muche estéemed among them yea more than golde And moreouer Cortez cōmaunded that all the golde and other things that his men had taken in the Towne shoulde be broughte before him and placed it so that euery Indian knewe his owne and was restored vnto them whereat they were not a little ioyfull wondering at the liberalitie of the straungers and departed both merrie and riche with their straunge giftes and went throughout al the Iland shewing to their fellowes their presentes commaunding them in the name of Calachuni their Lord to returne euery man to his house with their wiues and children commending highly the honest and gentle nature of the straungers With this newes and commaundemente euery man returned to his house and Towne from whence he had fledde And after thys sort their feare was past and they prouided the Camp abundantly of honey bread waxe fishe and frute all the time that they abode in that Iland The Indians of Acusamil gaue nevves to Cortez of certaine bearded men NOw Cortez seeing these Indians quiet and wel pleased and also very seruiceable he did determyne to take away theyr Idols and to giue them a remembraunce of Iesu Christ borne of the Virgin Mary by one Melchior a fisherman and very rustical who had bin ther before with Francisco Hernandez de Cordoua who declared vnto them that Cortez his Lord and captaine would enforme them of a better god and better lawes than those which they maintained The Indians answered that they were contented therewith and went with them vnto their temples and there brake downe their Idols and celebrated diuine seruice teaching them to adore and worshippe Christ crucifyed so that they were verye attentiue to the doctrine and ceased sacrifise of men which they were wōt to vse These Indians did wonder much at the shippes and horses yea and marueyled as muche at our colour and beardes so that many times they would come and féele them and signifyed vnto them by signes and tokens towardes Yucatan that there were fiue or sixe bearded men Then Cortez considering how profitable it wold be to haue an interpreter to vnderstand and to be vnderstood he besought Calachuni that he would appoint a messenger to carrye a letter to the bearded men who were in the power of a great Lord and Tyrant and Calachuni found none that durst take that iourney in hand fearing that they should be slaine and eaten Cortez seing this entreated with faire words thrée of the Indians that serued him to accept the iourney and gaue thē rewards for theyr labour yet the Indians excused them saying that they should be slayne notwithstanding with faire promises and rewardes they accepted the voyage so that Cortez wrote with them this letter following WOrshipful sirs I departed from Cuba with cleuen saile in my fléete furnished with fiue hundred and fiftie Spaniardes and I arriued here at Acusamil from whence I write you this letter The people of this Ilād haue certifyed me that there is in that countrey fiue or sixe bearded men and in al pointes like vnto vs they can not here enforme me of anye other signes or tokens but hereby I do coniecture and certainely beleue that ye be Spaniards Both I and these gentlemen of my company do come to discouer and inhabit this land we hartily pray you that within sixe days after the receite hereof ye come vnto vs without any excuse or delay and if ye so doe al we of this nauie wil gratifye your gentlenesse good seruice that ye shal do vnto vs I do send you a Vergantyn wherin you may come two shippes for your safeconduct Hernando Cortez THis letter being written there was found an inconuenience which was they knew not how to carrye the letter so secretly that it might not be séene they taken
Company entred the Towne at ease without contradiction so that hée and the other Companye of his Souldyers mette togither at the Markette place and expulsed all the Indians out of the Towne excepte those that were taken prisoners and the carkases of the deade Then the Chrystians soughte the spoyle and founde nothyng but Turkie Hennes and some thyngs wrought of Cotten wooll but verye little Golde There was that daye aboue foure thousande Indians in fyghte and defence of the Towne There was much Indian bloud shedde bycause they fought naked manye were wounded and fewe Captiue Cortez lodged himselfe wyth hys armie in the chiefest Temple of the Idolles where was roome sufficiente They kepte that nyghte good watche as in a house of enimies but the poore Indians durst not once interrupte them After thys sorte was Potonchan taken béeyng the fyrste Cytie that Cortez wanne by force in all hys Conquest The Battell of Cintla AL the nighte Cortez slept not but rather occupyed himselfe in carrying the wounded men other stuffe aboord the Shyps also to disenbarke thirtéene Horses the residue of his mē that he had left aboord that which he brought to passe before the sunne rising although the Tauascans had notice therof Whē the sunne was risen he had with his company made vnto God their prayers and mustered his men where were at that time in Campe néere fiue hundred Spanyardes thirtéene Horses and sixe péeces of ordinance These Horses were the fyrste that euer came into that Countrey whych now is called new Spayne He planted his men and munition in good order and thus marched forwardes toward Cintla The Indians séeyng this preparation began also to make readie and to place in good order fortie thousand men in fyue cōpanies their méeting was in ploughed lande among manye déepe lakes and pondes very daungerous to passe so that our men by reason thereof were brought out of order And Hernando Cortez with his horsemen wente to séeke a better passage and to enclose himselfe among certayne trées on their left hand for to set vpon the enimies when time should serue The footemen procéeded on and passed many marishe groundes vntill they came to the tilled land The Indians were expert in those places wher they beganne the battayle shooting with their bowes and slings and throwing of dartes And although our mē did some hurt among them with their Crossebowes hādgunnes and Ordinance whē they were in place to shoote yet the Indians pursued our men so thicke that they could not put them off for by pollicie the Indians of Potonchan hadde soughte out that place and it is to bée thoughte that they were not barbarous nor of small vnderstanding in warres yet notwithstandyng wyth muche payne oure men gate out of that place and obtayned another somewhat better and more playner grounde whereas they myghte vse their Ordinance and fyghte with their weapons bodye to body But the Indians béeyng so greate a number draue our men to so narrowe a place that they were fayne to ioyne backe to backe for theyr owne defence yea for all that were in maruellous greate daunger for they hadde no roome to vse their Ordinance nor yet Horsemen to make them waye They béeyng in thys perplexitie and readie to flye suddaynely appeared a Horseman with a speckled Horse whome they iudged to be Captayne Morla whych Horsemanne sette vppon the Indians and made them retyre and hauyng more space than before they sette afreshe vppon the enimies and slewe some of them In thys meane tyme the Horsemanne vaded away and was not séene and wyth hys absence the Indians beganne afreshe and enclosed the Chrystians in the same daunger that they were in before then the Horsemanne appeared agayne néere oure menne and made maruellous way among the enimies wherevpon our menne séeyng this succoure gaue the onset agayne with great courage and slewe and hurt many Indians but at the best season the Horseman vanished away cleane out of sighte and when the Indians sawe not the Horseman with feare of whome they fledde thinkyng that he hadde bin a Centaure and that the Horse and man was all one incorporate they returned agayne with liuely courage and vsed our Christians worse than they hadde done before Then the Horseman returned the third time and putte the Indians to flight with great hurte whom our footemē pursued with great slaughter Now at this instant came Cortez with al his company of horsemen being wearied with the trauaile in passing such strange lakes and wildernesse wherof the countrey is replenished Our men being ioyful of his comming they began to enforme him what wonders they had sene a horseman do which came to succour them demanding of him which of their company it was Cortez answered and faithfully assured them that it was none of their cōpany bicause it was not possible for any of them to come any sooner Then they al gaue God praise belieuing that it was a helpe sent from heauen Cortez said my deare fellows forwards for god is with vs Then the horsemē set vpon the Indians and with force of lance droue them out of the marish ground and brake their mayne battel The Indians incontinent left the fielde and fled into the thicke woodden the footemen followed them and slue aboue thrée hundred Indians besides many other that were hurt There wer aboue seauenty Spaniardes wounded with arrowes and stones And whether it were with labour of the battel or with excessiue heate or with drinking the water of that place there fel such a stitch in their loynes that about a hūdred of them fel flat vpon the groūd not able to go nor stand their fellowes being forced to carry thē on their backes But it pleased god that the same night the payne wente frō them being in the morning wel againe Who séeyng themselues deliuered from so manye perils gaue moste humble thankes to the almightye god that had miraculously deliuered them They all agréed that thrée times they had séene the straunge horseman with the speckled horse fight in their fauour as is aforesaid beléeuing generally it was a miracle as certainely it did appeare for the Christians did not alone sée this thing but also the Indians dyd muche note it for the maruelous flercenesse wherwith he came vppon them with such great murder that they were amased and almoste blynde with hys bryghtnesse being so trodden vnder hys féete The captiue Indians after the battayle declared the circumstance therof The Lord Tauasco submitteth himselfe to the Christians COrtez released some of hys prisoners and sent them to their Lorde saying that it grieued him the hurt done on both parties but the fault was theirs And that god was witnesse of hys innocencie and also of hys curtesie offered vnto thē But notwithstanding all that was paste he pardoned their errour with sucke condition That if in continent or within two dayes theyr Lorde woulde come vnto him to yéelde satisfaction of their
and celebrated the feast vpon their knees and the multitude of Indians likewise and departed to their meate Cortez desired them within two dayes to come agayne to theyr diuine seruice And that day was Palme sunday And so they did and brought an infinite number of men women and children of other villages with them whych was straunge to behold And there generally gaue theyr vassalship to the king of Spaine into the handes of Hernando Cortez with protestation of perpetuall friendship with the Spanish nation So that these were the fyrste vassals that the Emperour had in the new Spayne And this feast and ceremony ended our men toke shipping with the palme boughes in their handes In this doyng Cortez deserued no lesse prayse than in his victorie for he vsed wisedome with manhoode in all his doings he lefte those Indians with a newe faith and the towne frée and without hurt he toke none for slaues nor yet any spoyle nor exchaÌ„ged his merchaundice for any thing although he aboade there twentye dayes The towne is called in the Indian tongue Potonchan that is to saye a place that stincketh and our menne named it the victorie The Lord as ye haue heard was called Tauasco and therefore the firste Spaniardes that came thyther named the riuer Tauasco but Grijalua called it after hys owne name whose name and remembraunce will not so soone be forgotten And truely all those that do discouer newe countreys ought to make perpetuall their owne names This town doth containe neare fiue and twentye thousand houses as some say but as euery house staÌ„deth by himselfe like an Iland it seemeth much bigger than it is in déede The houses are great made of lime stone bricke others there are made of mood wal and rafters couered with straw or bordes Their dwelling is in the vpper part of the house for the greate moystnesse of the riuers and lakes and for feare of fier they haue theyr houses separated the one from the other Without the towne they haue more fairer houses than wythin for their recreation and pleasure They are browne people and go almost naked and eat mans flesh sacrificed Their weapons are bowes and arrowes slyngs darts and lances The armour wherwith they defend themselues are Targets and skulles made of woodde or barke of trées and some of gold very thinne They haue also a certayne kinde of harneis made of cotten wooll wrapped aboute their stomacke The good entertainement that Cortez had in Saint Iohn de Vlhua CAptaine Cortez and his company beeyng embarked sayled weast wards as nye the shoar as thei might And this coast hauing no harbors they founde no place where they might Anker safely with their greater vessels vntil they arriued vpon Mandie thursday at Saint Iohn de Vlhua whiche séemed a good harbor for them The Indians of this place call this harbour Chalchicoeca there the fleete came to Anker They were not so soone at Roade but incontinente came two little boates named Acalles enquiring for the Generall of the Fléete who when they came to hys presence dyd humble reuerence vnto him and sayde vnto hym that Teudilli the Gouernoure of that Prouince sente to knowe what people they were and what they woulde haue and whether they meante to stay there or procéede farther Aguillar dyd not well vnderstande that language Cortez caused them to come aboorde hys Shyppe gyuyng them thankes for theyr paynes and visitation Hée made vnto them a banket of Wyne and Conserua and sayde vnto them that the nexte day followyng hée woulde come alande and talke with the Gouernoure whome hée besoughte not to alter him not hys people wyth hys commyng a shore for he meant not to molest hym but rather to pleasure and profyte hym To that these messengers were rewarded wyth certayne gyftes they eate and dranke but yet suspected euill although they lyked the Wyne well wherefore they desired to haue thereof and also of the Conserua to presente vnto theyr Lorde whyche was giuen them and so departed The nexte daye béeyng good Friday Cortez came alande wyth hys Boates full of menne and broughte hys Horses and artillerie a shore by little and little wyth all hys menne of warre and two hundred Indians of Cuba whyche serued to toyle and laboure Hée planted hymselfe in the best scituation that hée coulde fynde among the Sandy bankes on the Sea syde and there pytched hys Campe and hauyng néere that place manye trées they builte them Cotages with boughes From a little Village that was at hand came many Indians to gaze at things so straunge and the like neuer séene vnto them and brought with theÌ„ gold to barter for suche toyes as the two little Boates had broughte from them before They brought also bread and meate readie dressed after their vse likewise to sell Oure men chaunged wyth them beadestones of glasse looking glasses sissers kniues pinnes and suche other wares whereof the Indians were not a little glad returning home to their houses shewing their neighbours The ioy and pleasure that these simple soules tooke with these trifles was so greate that the next day they came agayne wyth other Indians ladeÌ„ with Iewels of gold Turkie Hennes bread meate and fruite that suffised for all the Campe and for the same they receyued nedels and beadestones of glasse but the poore soules thought themselues therewith so riche that they knewe not where they were with ioy and pleasure yea and they thoughte that they hadde deceyued the Straungers Nowe Cortez séeyng the greate quantitie of golde broughte and bartered so foolishly for trifles of no valewe proclaymed throughout all hys host that no Christian shoulde take any golde vppon greate penaltie and that they shoulde all shewe as though they knewe not to what purpose the golde serued and that they passed not for it bycause they shoulde not thynke that the desire thereof had broughte them thyther and so they did dissemble that great demonstration of golde to sée what was meante thereby and whether the Indians hadde brought that golde to proue whether theyr commyng was for that or no. On Easter day in the morning came Teudilli the Gouernour to the Campe from Câ—tosta hys dwellyng place whyche was eyght leagues from thence He brought attendyng vpon his person foure thousande men without weapon and the most part well clothed some of them with garments of Cotton riche after their manner And others naked laden with victuals in great abundance whiche was straunge to sée Teudilli according to their vsance did his reuerence to the Captaine burning frankinsence and little strawes touched in bloud of his owne bodye he presented vnto him the victuals and certayne Iewels of golde very riche and well wrought and other things made of feathers very curious straunge and artificiall Cortez embraced him in his armes and receyued hym ioyfully saluting all hys company He gaue to Teudillâ— a coate of silke a brooche and a coller of glasse with many other péeces of
also if he could finde any thing in that countrey to his contentment to present to the Emperour of Christians he would willingly prouide it And as touching the desire that Cortez had to come to visite to haue coÌ„munication with him he thought it vnpossible bycause that he was sickly and could not come vnto the sea coast and likewise for Cortez to come where he did abide it was harde troublesome and difficill as well for the many and cragged mountaynes as also the countrey wilde desert without habitation and shoulde be constrayned to suffer hunger thirst and other necessitie and moreouer the enhabitaunts of much part of the way that he should passe were his enimies both cruell cursed people and knowing theÌ„ to be his friendes they should not escape with life All these excuses did Mutezuma by the mouth of Teudilli declare vnto Cortez thinkyng to driue him froÌ„ his purpose preteÌ„ded iourney alleaging the foresayd difficulties and perils the Indians did also hope that with some coÌ„trary weather they should be forced to leaue that coast couÌ„trey NotwithstaÌ„ding this coÌ„tradiction so much the more desire had Cortez to visite Mutezuma who was so great a prince in that parties throughly to discouer the treasure which he imagined to be there And hauing receiued the present also the answer he gaue vnto Teudilli a garmeÌ„t of his owne wearyng and many other trifles of his Haberdash to be sente vnto Mutezuma saying that if it were for no other purpose but onely to sée so mightie and vertuous a Prince it should be requisite and iuste to trauayle vnto his Court how much the more he was of duetie coÌ„strayned to doe the Embassage which the Emperour of Christians had willed and commaunded him to doe for otherwyse he shoulde incurre the displeasure of the King his mayster wherefore he besought Teudilli yet once agayne to aduertise Mutezuma of his constant determination bycause hée shoulde vnderstande that he would not leaue off hys pretended purpose for any inconuenience that was obiected vnto him Alleagyng moreouer that he who had coÌ„men 2000. leagues by sea mought well goe 70. leagues by lande and consideryng that he had many at his charge with small prouision and likewise his shippes in daunger he required that with all expedition the messengers should be dispatched Teudilli desired him to recreate himself not to take any grief for as much as he himself did dayly aduertise Mutezuma of his procéedings euen so with all expedition the full resolution should come from Mexico although it were somewhat farre off And as for his victuals he shoulde take no care for abundantly he should be prouided And also desired him for so much as he was not well placed among those sandy bankes that it might please him to goe with him to certayne townes aboute sire or seuen leagues froÌ„ thence Cortez refused that offer wherevpon Teudilli departed and he abode there ten dayes looking for answere from Mutezuma Hovv Cortez knevv of discorde and dissention to be in the Countrey IN this meane season certayne Indians were espâ—ed that went lurkyng a farre of among the sandy hilles And those came not neare the Indians that serued the Spainarde Cortez demaunded what people they were for what cause they went lurkyng so farre off and came no néerer vnto them The twoo Captaynes answered that they were husbandmen that went aboute theyr husbandry Certez lyked not theyr answere but suspected that they had tolde hym a lye for it séemed vnto hym that those people desired to come among the Christians and that they durste not with feare the Indians of Teudilli and so it was in very déede For all that coaste and mayne lande within as farre as Mexico was full of the newes and straunge things that our men had done in Potonchan Wherefore they all desired to sée them and to talke with them but they durste not for feare of the Indians of Culhua who are subiectes vnto Mutezuma wherevpon Cortez sente fiue Spaniardes to call them with signes and tokens of peace This company of Indians were in number twentie and were gladde to beholde those fiue men commyng towardes them and were desirous to sée suche straunge people and shippes wherefore they came willingly altogither vnto Cortez his Tente These Indians dyd differ muche from all the other Indians yet séene for they were hygher of person and had the grystels of theyr noses flitte hangyng ouer their mouths and rings of Gette and Amber hanging thereat They had also theyr neither lippes bored and in the holes rings of golde and turky stones whiche wayde so muche that their lippes hanged downe ouer theyr chinnes and their téeth remayned bare The whiche custome although they vsed for a brauery it séemed a foule and vgly sighte in the Spanyardes eyes and very lothsome The other Indians of Mutezuma had theyr lippes and eares bored with rounde stones hangyng at the iagges thereof yet they had not suche foule flittes in their noses but they had suche bored holes that a manne myght put any singer of his hande through them with rings of golde and stone hanging thereat the euill fauoured sighte of theyr faces made our men to muse Cortez communed with them by hys interpreter Marina to knowe from whence they were they answered that they were dwellers in Zempoallan a Cittie distant from thence one dayes iourney situated vpon a riuer side and bordered vpon the Countrey of Mutezumazin and that their Cazique or Lorde had sente them to sée what Goddes were comen in those Teucallis that is to say Temple saying also that they durste not come sooner not knowyng what people they were Cortez made muche of them and shewed a chéerefull countenaunce vnto them for they séemed very bestiall he declared vnto them that he was gladde of theyr commyng and to knowe the good will that theyr Lorde bare vnto him and gaue them Haberdashe toyes and shewed them the Horses and Armour a straunge sighte for them And so they wente through the army lookyng and gasing here and there as menne amazed And in all the tyme they abode there they vsed no conuersation with the other Indians Cortez enquired of Maryna the cause thereof and shée sayde that those menne did not onely speake an other languague but also did appertayne to another Lorde who was not vassall to Mutezuma but by force and extortion Cortez was very gladde of that newes for hée conâ—ectured by the talke of Teudilli that Mutezuma had warres and enimies wherevppon hée tooke aside three of those Indians whiche séemed moste wysest and demaunded of them by Maryna what Lordes there were in that Countrey they answered that Mutezuma was Lorde ouer all although in euery Cittie and Prouince was a Lorde yet neuerthelesse all in generall dyd paye tribute and serue him as vassals nay rather lyke slaues But yet many of them of late dayes did reknowledge hym by force of armes and payde vnto him suche tolle and tribute that
pitched ful of stakes very sharpe to spoyle and lame both horse and man these engines were finely couered with sande and coulde not be espied although the skoute had gone before on foote to discouer The matter also was very suspitious for these Citizens of Chololla had not at any time come to visite hym or sente any presente vnto him as others had done Wherevpon Cortez consulted with the Tlaxcaltecas to sende certayne messengers to Chololla to request their Captaynes and rulers to come vnto him who did their message accordingly and the Cholollans woulde not come but yet they sent thrée or foure persons to excuse them saying that they were not well at ease praying him to signifie vnto them what he woulde haue the Tlaxcaltecas enformed Cortes that those messengers were menne of small credite and of lowe degrée wishyng hym not to departe till theyr Captayne came In this forte Cortes returned theyr messengers backé agayne with commaundement written declaring that if they came not within thrée dayes hée woulde proclayme them rebelles and his vtter enimies and as suche would he chasten them with all rigour When this commaundement came vnto them the next day followyng came many Lordes and Captaynes to make their excuse saying that the Tlaxcaltecas were their enimies and that through them they coulde not liue in safetie lykewise they knewe of the euill reporte whiche they had made agaynst them wherefore they besought him to giue no credite vnto them for why they were both false and cruell menne beséechyng him also to goe with them to their Citie and then he shoulde sée that all was but a mockery that had bene tolde him and they his good and faythfull friends and laste of all they offered to serue him as tributary subiectes Cortes commaunded that all this talke should be sette downe in wryting before the Notary and his interpreters and so tooke his leaue of the Citizens of Tlaxcallan Maxixca wepte at his departure but there wente in his pany a hundreth thousande men of warre there were among them many Marchantes that wente to barter for Salte and Mantels Cortes commaunded that those hundreth thousande men should go alwayes by theÌ„selues that day he reached not to Chololla but abode by a broke side and thither came many of the citie to desire him that the Tlaxcalâ—ecas should not doe any hurte in their countrey wherevpon Cortes coÌ„maunded them to returne backe againe all sauing 5000. or there aboute much against their willes But they stil required him to take good héede of those euill folke who be not quoth they men of warre but â—edlers and men of double harte and they of their partes would be very loth to leaue him in any peril or daunger hauing giuen themselues to be his true and faithfull friendes The nexte day in the morning the Spaniardes came to Chololla and there came out néere 10000 Indians to receyue him with their Captaynes in good order many of them presented vnto him bread foule roses and euery Captayne as he approched welcomed Cortes and then stoode aside that the reste in order mighte come vnto him And when he came entring into the Citie all the other CitizeÌ„s receyued him marueling to sée such men horses After all this came out all the religious menne as Priests and Ministers to the idols who were many and straunge to beholde and all were clothed in white lyke vnto surplices and hemmed with Cotten thréede some brought instrumentes of musicke like vnto Cornettes other brought instrumeÌ„ts made of bones other an instrumeÌ„t like a ketel couered with skin some brought chafing dishes of coales with perfumes others brought idols couered and finally they al came singing in their language which was a terrible noyse and drew néere Cortes and his coÌ„pany sensing them with swéete smelles in their sensers With this pompe and solemnitie whiche truely was great they brought him into the Cittie and lodged him in a house where was roume inough for him and his and gaue vnto eche of them a Gynnea cocke and his Indians of Tlaxcallan Zempoallan and Iztacmixtlitan were prouided by themselues The conspiracie of the Cholollans to kill Cortes and his men AL that night followyng Cortes was vigilant with all his company for bothe in the way and in the towne they had found some of the things wherof they had bene aduised before in Tlaxcallan and although their firste present was a Gynnea cocke to eche mans allowance other thrée dayes followyng they gaue them nothing almost to eate and very seldome the Captaynes came to visite them whereof Cortes had great suspition And in this meane while the Embassadours of Mutezuma entreated him to leaue of his iourney to Mexico alleaging that their great King woulde die in beholdyng their beardes gesture other times they sayde that there was no passage other times they woulde say that they wanted wherewith to sustayne them And seyng them fully and in euery respecte answered to all these poyntes they caused the Townes menne to enforme them that where Mutezuma his abiding was were monstrous Lysardes Tigers Lions and many other flerce heastes the whiche when Mutezuma commaunded to be losed were sufficient to plucke in péeces and to destroy those fewe straungers and seyng that all these pollicies auayled not they consulted with the Captaynes and chiefe Citizens to murder the Christians And bycause they shoulde so bryng it to passe the Embassadours promysed the Citizens greate rewardes on the behalfe of Mutezuma and presented to theyr generall a drumme of Golde and promised to bryng the thirtie thousande souldiers whiche lay aboute twoo leagues from thence the Cholollans promysed to deliuer them bounde hande and foote But yet they woulde not consente that those Soldiers of Culhua should come into their Cittie fearyng that they vnder colour of friendshippe woulde remayne with the towne for why the Mexicans had vsed the lyke sleyght And in this forte they with one bolte meante to kill twoo byrdes at a shote for they thought to take the Spaniardes sléepyng and then to remayne with the Towne of Chololla Also it was determined that if all these pretences coulde not be brought to passe that then they should be conducted a contrary way to Mexico vpon the left hande in the whiche were many daungerous places bycause the way was all sandy with many sluces diches and holes of thrée fadome déepe meanyng there to méete them and to carry them bounde to Mutezuma this matter being fully agreed they beganne to take away theyr householde stuffe and to carry it with their wiues and chyldren vp into the mountaynes And our men beyng also ready to departe from thence for theyr small chéere with euill countenaunce it happened an Indian woman beyng wife to one of the principalest Cittizens hauing some affection to the bearded men sayde vnto Marina that shée shoulde abide there with hyr for that she loued hir well and that it woulde grieue hir that she should be slayne with hir mayster Marina
themselues yea and also if it chanced theÌ„ to finde in the night season any that were not of their company they slew them out of haÌ„d desiring him to aduise his men thereof least any of them should happen to fall into that daunger which would much grieue him and with this talke they went all to take their reste The next day in the morning he proceded forward and came to Amaquemecan which is two leagues froÌ„ thence standeth in the prouince of Chalco a towne that coÌ„tayneth 20000. householders The Lorde of that towns presented to Cortes fourtie women slaues and. 3000. Ducats in gold with meate abuÌ„dantly for two dayes and secretely made complaynt vnto him of Mutezuma And from thence he went to another towne foure leagues from theÌ„ce the one half therof was builte vpon the lake and the other halfe vpon the lande at the foote of a ragged hill There went in his company many subiectes of Mutezuma for purueyers but yet both they and the townes men would fayne haue layde hand vpon the Spaniardes and euery night would sende their spies to sée what the Christians did but the watch slew about twentie of them whervpon the matter stayed and their pretence tooke no effect sure it is a thing to laugh at for at euery fancie they woulde proue to kill them and yet they were not for the purpose The nexte day in the mornyng came twelue Lordes from Mexico among whome was Cacama Neuew to Mutezuma who was Lorde of Tezcuco a yong man of xxv yeares of age whom the Indians did much honour he was carried vpon their shoulders when they set him downe one went before with a brome to swéep the dust out of his way These Gentlemen came to accoÌ„pany Cortes excusing Mutezuma saying that he was not well at ease therfore he came not personally to receiue him And yet they entreated Cortes to returne backe againe not to come vnto Mexico gyuing him to vnderstand by signes that they would there displease him yea also defend the passage entrance a thing easie to be done but they were either blinded or else they durst not breake the Calsey Cortes entertayned theÌ„ like noble meÌ„ gaue vnto theÌ„ of his haberdashe departed from the towne with many graue personages who carried with theÌ„ a great trayne whiche filled vp the way well nigh as they should passe woÌ„dring at their beardes harneys apparell horses ordinaunce saying to themselues these be Gods. Cortes gaue them warning not to come among the horses nor among his men for feare they would kil them This he made them beléeue bicause he would not haue his way stopped for that the number of the was so great They then came to a towne buylte vpon the water of two thousand houses and before they came thither they had gone more than halfe a league vppon a fayre Calsey whiche was twentie foote brode the towne had fayre houses and many towers the Lord of the towne did receyue them worshipfully and prouided all things plentifully desiryng him to abide there that night and secretly made complayntes against Mutezuma of many wrongs and exactions done by him and certified him that from thence the way was very fayre to Mexico and al the like â—alsey as he had passed With this newes Cortes was very glad for he meant to haue stayed there for to haue buylte barkes and foystes yet he feared least they woulde breake the calsey wherfore he had alwayes a care ouer Cacama who with the other Lordes desired him not to abide there but to procéede forward to Iztacpalapan which was but twoo leagues off and that the Lorde thereof was another Neuew to Mutezuma To admit their request he weÌ„t with them to that towne and from thence to Meâ—ico was but twoo leagues the which the next day he might goe at pleasure and come timely into the Citie in this order came to Iztacpalapâ—n Euery two houres came messengers betwixte Cortes and Mutezuma then came Cuetlauac Lorde of that towne with the Lorde Culhuacan his hinsman 〈…〉 him who presented vnto him slaues gaâ—â—ments and feathers and to the value of foure thousande Ducates in golde Cuetlanac receyued al the Spaniards into his own house whiche hath very fayre sodâ—ings all of stone and Carpenters worke excéeding well wrought with 〈◊〉 lowâ— roumes with all kinde of seruice The chambers were hanged with cloth of Cotten very rich after their maner There were fayre gardeÌ„s replenished with many swéete floures and swéete trées garnished with networke made of Canes and couered with roses and other fine hearbes with sundry pondes of swéete water There was an other garden very beautifull of all sortes of fruytes and hearbes with a great ponde walled with lyme and stone and was foure hundreth paces square made with fayre steppes to discende vnto the bottome in many places and was full of diuers kindes of fishes and many kinde of water birds which somtimes couered the pond as Gulles Mewes and such like Iztacpallapan is a towne of .10000 households is plaÌ„ted in a lake of salt water the one half of the towne buylt on the water the other on the lande The Solemne pompe vvherevvith Cortez was receyued into Mexico FRom Iztacpalapan to Mexico is twoo leagues all vpon a fayre calsey vpon the which eight horsemeÌ„ may passe on raÌ„ke and so directly straight as though it had bene made by line And who soeuer hath good eiesight might discerne the gates of Mexico from thence Coyoacan is a towne of sixe thousande dwellers Vizilopuchtli is of fiue thousand These townes are planted in the lake and are adorned with many temples whiche haue many fayre towers that doe beautifie excédingly the lake There is great contractatioÌ„ of Salte which is made there and from thence is carried abrode to fayres and markets whiche thing was a greate rente to Mutezuma Vpon this Calsey are many drawe bridges buylt vpon fayre arches that the water passeth through Cortes passed this calsey with 400. Spaniardes 6000. Indians his friends theyr passage was with much ado by reason of the great multitude of Indians which came to sée him coÌ„ming neare the citie there adioyned another calsey with a broder passage where standeth a strong bulwark of stone of the heigth of .ij. fadom with two towers on eche side and two gates very strong Here at this forte came thrée thousande Courtiers and Citizens to receyue him euery of them touched the grounde with his right hand and kissed it and passed forwards in the order as they came These salutatioÌ„s endured an houre more From the bulwark the calsey lieth directly and before the eutraunce into the streate there is an other drawebridge made of timber ten paces broade vnder the which the water passeth too and fro At this bridge came Mutezuma to receyue Cortes vnder a Canapie of gréene feathers golde with much argentery hangyng thereat whiche Canapie foure noble men did carry And the
to set vp a Crosse for remembrance of the death and passion of Iesu Christe borne of the virgin Marie The whiche their promisse was well fulfilled for after that day the Spanyardes coulde neuer heare nor finde of any moe sacrifice But yet there abode in their hartes a mortall rancor the whiche coulde not long be dissimuled Truely in this worthy facte Cortes gotte more honour than though he had ouercomen them in battayle The burning of the Lorde Qualpopoca and other Gentlemen AFter twentie dayes that Mutezuma had bene prysoner returned the messengers who had gone with the seale for Qualpopoca and brought him his Sonne and other fiftene principall persons with them the whiche by inquirie made were culpable and partakers in the counsell and death of the nine Spaniardes Qualpopoca entred into Mexico accompanied like a greate Lorde as he was beyng borne vpon his seruaunts shoulders in rich furniture As sone as he had saluted Mutezuma he his Sonne were deliuered vnto Cortes with the other fiftene Gentlemen Cortes placed them asunder and commaunded them to be put in Irons and theyr examinations taken they confessed that they had slayne those Spaniardes in battayle Cortes demaunded of Qualpopoca if he were subiect to Mutezuma why quoth he is there any other Prince to whome I might be in subiection giuing almost to vnderstand that he was a Lorde absolute Cortes answered that a farre greater Prince was the King of Spayne whose subiects vnder colour of friendship and salfeconduct he had slayne But quoth he nowe shalte thou make payment thereof And beyng agayne more straighter examined they confessed that they had slaine two Spaniards by the aduice and inducement of the greate prince Mutezuma and the residue were slayne in the warres and had assaulted their houses and entred their countrey wherefore they helde it lawfull to kill them Through the confession pronounced by their owne mouthes sentence was giuen against them and they condēned to be burned whiche sentence was openly executed in the market place in sight of all the people without any mutine or slaunder and with great silence terrour feare of the newe maner of iustice which they sawe there executed vpon so noble a man in the chiefe seate and kyngdome of Mutezuma beyng gestes and straungers The cause of the burnyng of Qualpopoca AT the time that Cortes departed from Vera Crux he left in cōmission to Pedro Hircio to procure to inhabite in that place which is called Almeria not to permit Francisco de Garray to soiourne there for so much as once he was driuen frō that coast Now Hircio to fulfill his cōmission sente to requyre those Indians with peace and friēdship and to yéeld themselues for vassals of the Emperour Qualpopoca Lorde of Nahutlan which is now called as aforesaid Almeria sent to aduertise Pedro Hircio that he could not come to yéelde his obedience for the enimies that were in the way but if it would please him to sende some of his men for the securitie of the way he would willyngly come vnto him Hircio hearing this answere sent foure of his men giuing credite to his message and for the desire he hadde to inhabite there When the soure Spanyardes came into the prouince of Nahutlan there mette with them many armed men who slew two of them and made thereof a great triumph the other two escaped sore wounded and returned with that newes to the Towne of Vera Crux Pedro Hircio beleeuing that Qualpopoca had done that iniurie armed out agaynst hym fiftie Spanyardes and ten thousand Indians of Zempoallan with two horses and two péeces of Ordinance Qualpopoca hearing this newes came with a mightie power to driue them out of his Countrey and in that encounter seauen Spanyardes were slayne and many Zempoallanezes but at the ende he was ouercome his Countrey spoyled and Towne sacked and many of his army slaine and taken captiues The prisoners declared that by the commaundement of the greate Lorde Mutezuma all this vprore was attempted by Qualpopoca it mighte well be for at the houre of death they confessed the same But some affirme they sayde so but to excuse themselues and to lay the fault to the Mexicans Hircio wrote these newes to Cortez béeyng in Chololla and through these letters Cortez apprehended Mutezuma as is afore declared Hovv Cortez put a payre of giues on Mutezuma his legges BEfore the execution of Qualpopoca and hys fellowes Cortes declared vnto Mutezuma that Qualpopoca and his company had confessed that by hys aduice and commaundemente the nine Spanyardes were slayne wherein he had done very euill they being his friendes and guestes but quoth he if it were not in respect of the loue I beare vnto you this matter shoulde not in this sort be shut vp and then knocked a payre of giues on his legges saying he that killeth ought to be killed according to the lawes of god These things did Cortes bycause he shoulde occupye himselfe in his owne griefe and sorrow and to let other mens passe Mutezuma waxed pale with countenāce of death through the great feare that he was in séeyng himselfe in Irons a new and strange thing for suche a great King excusing himselfe that he was innocent of the facte And as soone as the execution of burning was done Cortez commaunded to put away the Irons that Mutezuma ware offering him libertie and willing him to goe vnto his owne pallace who reioyced much to sée himselfe out of the Irons and gaue Cortes most hartie thankes and refused to goe home to his owne pallace surmising that the offer was but wordes or else fearing least his subiects woulde kyll him séeing him out of the Spanyardes power for permitting himselfe to be taken prisoner and so to be kept Hée sayd also that if he went from them his subiectes woulde rebell and compell him to kill the Spanyardes Truly the poore simple soule was of small hearte and courage to suffer himselfe to be taken prisoner and after his imprisonment woulde neuer procure libertie Cortes offering it vnto him and many of his noble men desired him And remayning in that order there was none in Mexico durst offende any Spanyard for feare of displeasing him for Qualpopoca came 70. leagues with only warning him that the great Lorde had sent for him shewing hym the figure of his seale yea and al the péeres of his realme that dwelte farthest off were ready to obey hys commaundementes Hovv Cortez sent to seeke for Mines of golde into diuers places COrtez had a greate desire to know howe farre the Empire of Mutezuma dyd extende and what friendship was betwixte him and other Kings and Princes Comarcans and also to gather togither a good summe of gold to send to Spayne to the Emperoure for his custome or firste parte with full relation of the Countrey people and things happened vntill that day Wherefore he prayed Mutezuma to shew him where the mynes were from whence he and his subiectes had the golde and plate Mutezuma
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
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
morning he ascended vpwarâ—â— on this hill and sente hys scoute of foure footemen and foure horsemen to discouer who found the way stopped wish great trées newly cutte downe and placed crossâ—wise in the way but they thynking that yet for war 〈◊〉 was not so procéeded forthe as well as they â—â—ght liâ— at length the let with great hugiâ— trées was such that they could passe no further and with this neweâ— were forced to returne certifying Cortes that the Horsemenne coulde not passe that way in any wyse Cortes demaunded of them whether they hadde séene anye people they aunswered 〈◊〉 wherevppon he procéeded forwarde with all the Marsenâ—◠〈…〉 thousande footemen commaundyng all the residue of hys armye to followe hym wyth as muche 〈…〉 myghte hée so that wyth that companye whyche he carried with him he made waye takyng away the trées that were cutte downe to disturbe his passage and in this order in short time passed his host without any hurt or daunger but with great payne and trauell for certaynely if the enimies had bin there to defende that passage oure menne hadde not passed for it was a verye euill way and the enimies also thoughte the same to be sure with the trées whiche were crossed the way wherevppon they were carelesse of that place and attended their comming in playne grounde for from Tlaxcallan to Mexico are thrée wayes of the whiche Cortes chose the worst ymagining the thing that afterwards fell out or else some hadde aduised him howe that way was cléere from the enimies And béeing past this crooked passage they espyed the lake of Mexico and gaue vnto God moste hartie thankes for the same and there made a solemne vowe and promise not to returne vntill they had wonne Mexico or lost their liues They abode there and rested themselues till all the whole armyâ— were come togither to descende downe into the playne for nowe they myghte descrye the fires and beacons of theyr enimies in sundrye places and all those whyche hadde attended theyr commyng by the other two wayes were now gathered togyther thynkyng to sette vppon them betwixte certayne bridges where a greate company aboade exspecting theyr commyng but Cortes sente twenty Horsemen who made way among them and then followed the whole armye who slewe manye of them wythoute receyuyng anye hurte And in thys order they came to Quahutipec whiche is of the iurisdiction of Tezcuco where they abode that nyghte and in that place founde neyther manne nor Woman but not farre off was pytched the Caâ—â—e of the Indians of Culhua which myght be néere a hundred thousand men of warre who were sent by the Seniors of Mexico and Tezcuco to encounter oure armye in consideration whereof Cortes kept good watch with tenne Horsemen and all his Souldyers were warned to be in readynesse at a call if néede should happen The next day in the morning he departed from thence towarde Tezcuco whiche standeth thrée leagues distante and procéeding on their iourney foure principal persons inhabitantes of Tezcuco mette with them bearing a rod of golde with a little flagge in token of peace saying that Coacuacoyozin their Lord had sent them to desire him not to make any spoyle in his Countrey and likewise to offer his friendship praying also that it might please him with his whole army to take his lodging in the Towne of Tezcuco where he shoulde be well receyued Cortes reioyced with this message although he suspected that it was a fayned matter but one of them he knewe verye well whome he saluted saying My comming is not to offend any but rather to do you good I will also receyue and hold your Lord for a friende with condition that hée doe make vnto me restitution of the treasure whyche hée tooke from fiue and fortie Spanyards and thrée hundred Tlaxcaltecas all the which were by his commaundemente also slayne of late dayes They aunswered that Mutezuma caused them to be murthered who had likewise taken the spoyle and that the Citizens of Tezcuco were not culpable in that fact and with this aunswere they returned Cortes went forward on his way and came to Quahutichan and Huaxuta which are suburbes of Tezcuco where he and all his host were plentedâ—â—â—y prouided of al things necessary and threw downe the Idolles This done hée entred into the Citie where his lodging was prepared in a great house sufficient for him and all the Spanyardes with many other the Indian friends And bycause that at his first entry he sawe neyther women nor children hee suspected some treason and forthwith proclaymed vpon payne of death that none of his men should go out The Spaniards began to triumph in their lodgings and chaÌ„bers placing euery thing in good order In the euening they went vp into the Zâ—â—ies and galleries to beholde the Citie which is as bigge as Mexico and there they sawe the greate number of Citizens that fledde from thence with their stuffe some towardes the mountaines and others to the water side to take boate a thing straunge to sée the great hast and stirre to prouide for themselues at the least ther were twentie thousand litle boates called Conoas occupyed in carying houshold stuffe and passengers Cortes would fayne haue remedied it but that night was so nygh at hand that he coulde not He would gladly also haue apprehended the Lord but he was one of the first that fledde vnto Mexico Cortes caused many of the Citizens to be called before him and hauing in hys company a yong gentleman of a noble house in that couÌ„trey who was also last christened had to name HernaÌ„do Cortes being his godfather who loued him well sayde vnto the citizens that this new Christian lord Don HernaÌ„do was sonne vnto Nezaualpincintli their louing Lord wherfore he required them to make him their king considering that Goacnacoyocin was fled vnto the enimies laying also before them his wicked fact in killing of Cacuza his own brother only to put him from his inheritance kingdome through the enticemente of Quahutimoccin a mortal enimie to the Spaniards In this sort was Don Hernando elected king and the fame therof being blowen abroade manye citizens repayred home againe to visite their newe Prince so that in short space the citie was as wel replenished with people as it was before and being also well vsed at the Spaniardes handes they serued them dilygentlye in all thyngs that they were commaunded And Don Hernando aboade euer after a faithfull friende vnto the Spaniardes and in short tyme learned the Spanishe tongue and soone after came the inhabitants of Quahutichan Huaxuta and Auntenco to submytte them selues crauing pardon if in any thyng they had offended Cortez pardoned them and gaue them licence to departe home vnto their houses Quahutimoc Coacnacoijo and other magistrates of Culhua sente to rayle vppon those townes for yéeldyng themselues to the Christians but they layde hold vpon the messengers and brought them vnto Cortes of whome he enformed himselfe of the state of Mexico and
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
vpon their Goddes with loude voyces Cortes answered what he thought good but yet could not perswade them to yéelde truely it was a pitefull sight to beholde The imprisonment of Quahutemoc COrtes seing the great extremitie that these poore wretched people were in thinkyng nowe that they woulde yéelde vnto him therevppon hée spake to an vncle of Don Hernando de Tezcuco who was taken prisoner thrée dayes before whom he desired to go to the king treate of peace this Gentleman refused the message knowyng the determinate will of Quahutimoc but through muche entreatie he graunted to his request So the next day followyng Cortes entred into the Cittie sent that Gentleman certaine Spaniardes before him The Indian guarde of that streate receyued him with the honour which vnto such a noble man did appertayne He procéeded forward toward the king being come where he was he declared vnto him his embassage When Quahutimoc had hearde his tale he was so moued with yre choller that forthwith he commauÌ„ded him to be sacrificed and gaue the Spaniardes for theyr answere blowes with stones staues and arrowes saying also that they desired death and no peace and sought so stoutly that day that they slewe many of our menne and one horse Lykewise on their side many were slayne The nexte day Cortes entred the cittie agayne but he fought not hoping then that they woulde submitte themselues but yet the Citizens had no such thought He came néere vnto a certayne bulwarke on horsebacke and spake vnto certaine Gentlemen with whome he was acquaynted saying that now within a shorte space he could make an ende of their finall destruction but yet of meare compassion he wished it not for the loue whiche he bare vnto them so that they would in time reÌ„der themselues wherfore quoth he entreate yée the king to doe the same and in so doyng ye shal be well vsed and haue victuals sufficient The GeÌ„tlemen hearing these wordes fell on weping and answered that now they knew well their errour and felte their losse and destruction notwithstaÌ„ding they were bounde to obey their king and Goddes But yet quoth they abide a while and we will certifie Quahutimoc what you haue sayde and in shorte space they went and returned againe saying that the next day without fayle their Lord woulde come and talke with him in the markette place With this answere Cortes returned to his campe and thought at their méeting to conclude an honorable peace So against the next day he caused a Canapie and chayre of estate to be sette in the markette place accordyng to the Mexican vse and also a dinner to be prepared The day followyng came Cortes at the houre appoynted with many of his men armed but the king came not neuerthelesse he sente fiue noble men to treate of the matter excusing the kyng saying he was not well at ease Cortes welcomed those Gentlemen and was gladde of their coÌ„ming hoping thereby to conclude and make some good ende And when they had dined and well refresshed their hungry bodies Cortes gaue them victuals and desired them to returne agayne to the King and to declare vnto him that without his presence the conclusion coulde not be certayne They wente and returned againe within twoo houres and brought vnto Cortes certaine mantels made of cotten woll very good well wrought with answere that the king would not come in any wise both for shame and feare And the next day these messengers came agayn saying that the king would come to the place appointed But yet he came not although Cortes attended his commyng more than foure houres who seing the mockerie he forthwith sente Sandoual with his Vergantines one way and he himself went an other combatting the houses fortes that yet remayned where he founde small resistaunce so that he might doe what he pleased There was that day slayne and taken prysoners aboue .40000 persons then he retired to his campe The lamentable crie and mourning of the women and children woulde haue made a stony hart relent the stench also of the dead bodies was woÌ„derfull noysome That night Cortes purposed to make an end the next day of the warres and Quahutimoc pretended to flie and for that purpose had enbarked hymselfe in a Canoa of tweÌ„tie ores When the day appeared Cortes with his men and foure péeces of ordinance came to the corner where those that yet remayned were shut vp as cattell in a pounde He gaue order to Sandoual and Aluarado what they shold do which was to be ready with their VergaÌ„tines and to watche the comyng out of the Canoas whiche were hidden betwixte certayne houses and especially to haue regard vnto the kings person and not to hurte him but to take him a liue He commaunded the residue of hys men to force the Mexican boates to goe out and he himselfe wente vp into a tower inquiryng for the King and there founde Xihuacâ—a gouernour and Captayne generall of the Cittie who woulde in no wise yéelde himselfe Then came out of the Cittie a greate multitude of olde folkes men women and childreÌ„ to take boate The throng was so great with hast to enter the Canoas that many by that means were drowned in the lake Cortes required his meÌ„ not to kil those miserable creatures But yet he could not stay the Indians his friends who slewe and sacrificed aboue fiftene thousand After this there was a great rumour among the coÌ„mon people that the king would flie making a piteous mone and saying that they sorowfull creatures knew not whither to goe But yet procuryng to goe into the Conoas whiche were so full that there was no roume for theÌ„ by reason thereof many were drowned The men of warre stoode in the house toppes and zoties beholding their perdition All the nobilitie of Mexico were enbarked with the kyng Then Cortes gaue signe with the shotte of a handgunne that his captaines should be in a readinesse so that in shorte space they wanne fully and wholy the great Cittie of Mexico The Vergantines likewise brake in among the fléete of boates without any resistaunce and euery one sought where hâ— might beste succour himselfe the Royall Standarte was beaten downe Garcia Holguin who was captayne of a Vergantine had espied a great Canoa of .xx. ores déepe laden with men And one of his prysoners sayde vnto him that the king wente in that greate Canoa Holguin beyng gladde of the newes gaue chase to that Canoa and ouertooke him In his foreship he had thrée crossebowe men And when Quahutimoc who stoode on the puppe of the Canoa ready to fighte sawe those bowes ready bente and many drawen swordes he yéelded himselfe declaryng that he was the king Garcia Holguin being a gladde man of his prysoner tooke and carried him vnto Cortes who receiued him reuerently When Quahutimoc came neare vnto him he layde his hande vpon Cortes his dagger saying I haue done all my possibility to defende me and mine accordyng to my
Coautli An Egle Cozcaquahutl A Bussard Olin A Temple Tepatlh A Knife Quiauitl Rayne Xuchirl A Rose Althoughe these twentie names ferue for the whole yere and are but the dayes of euery moneth yet therfore euery moneth beginneth not with Cipactli which is the first name but as they followe in order and the fiue odde dayes is the cause thereof And also bycause theyr wéeke is of thirtéene dayes which changeth the names as by example Cecipactli can go no further thā vnto Matlactlomeiacatl which is thirtéene and then beginneth an other wéeke and we do not say Matlactlinaui Ocelotl whiche is the fourtéenth day but we say Ceocelotl whiche is one and then recken the other sixe names vnto twenty And when al the twentie dayes are ended begin againe to recken from the first name of the twentie but not frō one but from viij And bicause ye may better vnderstand the matter here is the example Cecipactli Omehecatl Ei Calli. Naui Cuezpali Macuilcouatl Chicoacen Mizquinth Chicome Macatl Chicuei Tochtli Chiconauiatl Matlaciz Cuintli Mailactlioce Ocumatli Matlactliome Malinalli Matlactlomei Acatlh The next wéeke following doth begin his dayes from one And that one is the fouretéenth name of the moneth and of the dayes and saith Ceocelotl Macuil Tecpatl Omecoautli Chicoacen Quiauitl Eicozcaquahutli Chicome Xuchitl Naui Olui Chicoei Cipactti In this second wéeke Cipactli came to fal on the eighte day being in the first wéeke the first day Cemacatl Ometochtli Eiatl Nauiizeuintli Macuil Ocumatli And so proceede on to the thirde wéeke in the which this name Cipactli entreth not but Macatl which was the seuenth day in the first wéeke had no place in the second and is the first in the third This reconing is no darker than ours which we haue in a.b.c.d.e.f.g. For they also change with time and runne in such sort that a. whiche was the firste letter of this moneth commeth to be the fift daye of the nexte moneth and the thirde moneth he counteth to be the third day and so orderly doth the other sixe letters The accounting of yeares THese Mexicans had another order to recken theyr yeares which exceded not aboue foure in number as one two thrée foure wherewith they accounte a hundred fiue hundred a thousand and as many moe as they lust Those foure figures or names are Tochtli Acatlh Tecpatlh Calli and do signifye a Conny a Caue a Knife and a House saying Ce Totchtli One yeare Ome Acatlh Two yeares Ei Tecpatlh Thrée yeares Naui Calli Foure yeares Macuil Tochtli Fiue yeares Cicoacen Acatlh Sixe yeares Cicome Tecpatlh Seauen yeares Chicuei Calh Eight yeares Chiconaui Tochtli Nine yeares Matlactli Acatlh Tenne yeares Matlactlioce Tecpatlh Eleuen yeares Matlactliome Calli Twelue yeares Matlactliomei Tochtli Thirtéene yeares So that the reconing passeth not aboue thirtéeue whiche is one wéeke of the yeare and endeth where he began Another Weeke Ce A catlh One yeare Ome Tlepatlh Two yeares Ei Calli Thrée yeares Naui-Tochtli Foure yeares Macuil Acatlh Fiue yeares Chicoacen Tecpatlh Sixe yeares Chicome Calli Seuen yeares Chicuei Tochtli Eight yeares Chiconaui Acatlh Nine yeares Matlactli Tecpatlh Tenne yeares Matlactlioce Calli Eleuen yeares Matlactliome Tochtli Twelue yeares Matlactliomei Acatlh Thirtéene yeares The third vveeke of yeares Ce Tecpatlh One yeare Ome Calli Two yeres Ei Tochtli Thrée yeres Naui Acatlh Foure yeres Macuil Tecpatlh Fiue yeres Chicoacan Calli Sixe yeares Chicome Tochtli Seauen yeares Chicuei Acatlh Eight yeares Chiconaui Tecpatlh Nine yeares Matlactli Calli Tenne yeares Matlactliome Tochtli Eleuen yeares Matlactliome Acatlh Twelue yeares Matlactliomei Tecpatlh Thirtéene yeares The fourth Weeke Ce Calli One yeare Ome Tochtli Two yeares Ei Acatlh Thrée yeares Naui Tecpatlh Foure yeares Macuil Calli Fiue yeares Chicoacen Tochtli Sixe yeares Chicome Acatlh Seauen yeares Chicuei Tecpatlh Eight yeares Chiconaui Calli Nine yeares Matlactli Tochtli Tenne yeares Matlactlioce Acatlh Eleuen yeares Matlactliome Tecpatlh Twelue yeares Matlactliomei Calli Thirtéene yeares Ech of these wéekes which our men cal Indition doth conteyne thirtéene yeares so that all the foure wéekes make two and fiftie yeares which is a perfit number in the reconing and is called the yeare of grace for from fiftie two yeres to fiftie two yeares they vsed to make solemne feastes with strange Ceremonies as hereafter shall be declared And when fiftie two yeares are ended then they beginne againe by the same order before declared vntil they come to as many moe beginning at Ce Tochtli and so forwarde But alwayes they begin at the Conny figure So that in the forme of reconing they kepe haue inmemorye things of 850. yeares and by this Cronicle they know in what yere euerye thing hapned and how long euery King raygned howe many children they had and all things else that importerd to the estate of the gouernement of the lande The Indians beleeued that fiue ages were past which they called Sunnes THe Indians of Cullua did beléeue that the Gods had made the world but they knew not how yet they beléeued that since the creation of the world four Sunnes were past and that the fift and last is the Sunne that now giueth light to the world They helde opinion that the firste Sunne perished by water and at the same time all liuing creatures perished likewise The second Sunne say they sell from the heauēs with whose fall all liuing creatures were slayne and then said they were manye Giantes in that Countrey and certayne monstrous bones which our men found in opening of graues by proportion whereof some shoulde séeme to be men of twenty spannes high The third Sunne was consumed by fire whiche burned day and night so that then all liuing crealures were burned The fourth Sunne finished by tempest of ayre or winde which blew downe houses trées yea and the mountaynes and Rockes were blowē asunder but the lignage of mankinde perished not sauing that they were conuerted into Apes And touching the fift Sunne which now raigneth they know not how it shall consume But they say that when the fourth Sunne perished all the worlde fell into darkenesse and so remained for the space of fiue and twenty yeares continually and at the fiftenth yeare of that fearefull darkenesse the Gods did forme one man and a woman who brought forth children and at the end of the other tenne yeares appeared the Sunne whiche was newly borne vppon the figure of the Conny day and therfore they begin their account of yéeres at the day reckoning from the yeare of oure Lorde 1552 their age or Sunne is 858. so that it appeareth that they haue vsed many yeares their writing in figures and they had not onely this vse from Cetochtli whiche is the beginning of their yeare moneth and day of their fifth Sunne but also they hadde the same order and vse in the other foure Sunnes which were past but they let many things slippe out of memorie saying that with the newe Sunne all other things should be likewise new They held also opinion that thrée
they were not accustomed to pay of whiche number their Lorde of Zempoallan was one of them and other his neyghbours who many tymes helde him warre to be frée from his tiranny and bondage but yet sayde they it preuayled not for his hoste was greate and his warriers valiant Cortez receyued greate pleasure to finde in that countrey dissention and discorde among some Noble menne and at deuision among themselues thynking thereby the better to bryng his purpose to passe He gaue thanks vnto those Indians for their aduise offeryng vnto them his fauour helpe and friendshippe praying them to come often to his campe and so tooke his leaue of them with his commendations to their Lorde and sente him certayne presents with aduertisement that shortly he would come and sée him yea and also serue him Hovv Cortez vvent to suruey the Countrey with foure hundreth men AT the ende of tenne dayes came Teudilli backe againe and brought certaine cloth of Cotton and other things made of feathers well wrought for recompence of the thyng sente vnto Mexico And warned Cortez to departe for at that tyme there was no remedie to sée Mutezuma and to looke what was necessary for his prouision and furniture and it shoulde be prouided offeryng the same seruice at any time that hée shoulde happen to come that way Cortez would not accept the offer saying That he would not departe from that countrey vntill he had bothe séene and talked with Mutezuma The gouernour Teudilli yet agayne replied that he shoulde not contende therein and with those wordes departed from hym The nexte night followyng be with all those Indians as well men as women whiche attended to serue and prouide the Spanishe campe wente from thence so that in the mornyng all the cotages were emptie where those seruitors had bene Cortez suspecting this alteratiō prouided himselfe with preparation for battayle finding the matter contrary to his expectation he deliberated to séeke a sure roade or harbor for his nauie also a good plotte or situation to buylde vpon for then he fully meant to obtayne perpetuitie to conquere the lande considering that he had found such great tokens of gold plate other riches there aboute within a whole league cōpasse was no fit place for the purpose for why all was sandy ground such as tossed too fro with the winde with other morish groūd not méete for habitation In consideration wherof he sent Francisco de Monteio with two vergantines and fiftie men to runne along the coast vntill they should finde some reasonable poart and good scituation to build vpon Monteio procéeded on his voyage and sayled in sighte of lande vntill he came to Panuco withoute finding anye port or harbor sauing the shadowe of a Rocke whyche stoode somewhat distant from the land a sea boord so that at thrée wéekes ende he returned backe agayne with the foresayde newes Hauing runne so little a way he fell into suche terrible currants that although he made waye wyth oares and sayles yet the sayde Currant forced hym backe agayne Also he broughte newes that the Indians of that coast did let themselues bloud offering the same vnto them vpon little strawes in token of friendship or deitie The relation of Monteio contented not Cortez yet notwithstandyng he pretended to goe to the shade or succoure of the Rocke bycause hée was enformed that néere that place was two fayre Riuers wyth store of wooddes necessarye for tymber and fyre woodde greate quantitie of stones to builde with fayre pastures and ground for tyllage although the harbour was not sufficiente for hys Nauie and contratation bycause that roade was without defence and open vppon the Northe which is the winde that most ruleth with greatest hurte vpon that coast And also considering that Teudilli and hys menne were departed fearing also the want of victuals and likewise that hys Shyppes myghte perishe vppon the shore he commaunded to lade aboorde all theyr stuffe and hée wyth foure hundred menne and all his Horses followed on the hygh way that the Indians hadde gone After hée hadde iourneyed thrée leagues hée came to a fayre vadeable Riuer and passing ouer the Riuer hée found a towne not inhabited for the inhabitantes thereof were fledde with feare he entred into a great house which séemed the place of the Lorde of the Towne built with timber and earthen walles the foundation whereof was raysed with handie worke about a fadome high the roofe was couered with strawe but of a fayre strange workemanshippe inwardes with many greate pertitions some full of pottes of honey and Maiz with other grayne whiche they kéepe in store all the yeare other roomes had cloth of Cotten wool wrought with feathers golde and siluer Cortez commaunded Proclamation to be made that none of his company shoulde take any thyng away vppon payne of deathe onely victuals excepted to the intente to obtayne the good will and friendship among the Indians There was in that Village a Temple whiche hadde a little Tower with a Chappell on the toppe and twentie steppes to come vnto the Chappell where they found some Idolles and many bloudy papers and much mans bloud of those which hadde bin sacrificed as Marina dyd certifie They found also the blocke where vppon they vsed to cutte open the menne sacrificed and the razors made of Flint wherewyth they opened their breastes and plucked out their heartes béeyng aliue throwing them vppe toward Heauen as an offering and after this done they annoynted their Idolles and the papers they offered and then burned them This sight put a great compassion yea and a feare among our Spanyards who did beholde these things From this Village they went to other thrée or foure and found none aboue two hundred houses and all without people yet well prouided with victuall as the firste towne was Cortez returned from thence to discharge his Shippes and to take order to sende for moe men and with desire to beginne habitation in these affaires he occupyed hymselfe tenne dayes Hovv Cortez rendred vp his charge and office with pollicie WHen Cortes was come where his Ships were and the residue of his company hée began this talke saying Now my louing friends and fellowes ye doe sée what greate mercy God hathe shewed vnto vs in bringing vs safe and in health to so good and riche a Countrey as by manifest signes and tokens we haue alreadye séene yea and howe plentifull of meate inhabited of people better clothed and of more iudgement and reason than the others whiche ye haue séene since your firste comming also better buildings fieldes of grayne and corne yea and it is to be thought that the things not yet séene doe surmount all that hithervnto ye haue playnely séene Wherefore wée ought to giue most hartie thankes vnto God and to beginne oure habitation héere whereas we shall enioy the grace and mercy of god And to bryng this matter to passe me thinke best that we abide héere vntill we may finde