Al these things wer more beautiful than rich, although the whéeles were very rich, the workmanshippe of al the rest, was more worth than the thing it selfe. The colours of the cloth of cotten wool was excéeding fine, and the fethers natural.
Straunge Paper.
The pounced worke in gold and siluer did excéed our goldsmithes, of whiche things we wil write in an other place. They ioyned with this present certaineIndianbookes of figures which serue to their vse for letters: these bookes are folden like vnto clothes, and written on both sides. Some of these bookes were made of cotten & glewe, and others were made of leaues of a certaine trée called Melt, whyche serue for theyr paper, a thyng straunge to behold.
At that time theIndiāsofZempoallanhad many prisoners to sacrifice.Cortezdemaunded them to send vnto the Emperour, but theIndiansdesired him to pardon them, for if we so do (quoth they) we shall offend our gods, who will take awaye our corne and children from vs, yea and also our liues in so doing.
Yet notwithstanding,Corteztooke foure of them, and two women which were al yong and lustie.
But it was very strange to sée those that shold be sacrificed, how they wer trimmed and deckt with feathers, and went dauncing through the Cittie, asking almes for their sacrifice & death. It was also strange to sée the offerings ytwere giuen thē. They had at their eares hanging rings of gold beset with turkie stones, & likewise other rings at their lippes, whiche shewed their téeth bare, a griesely sight to sée, but yet estéemed among them a thing beautifull.
TOC
When this present and fift part was layde aside for the king,Cortezrequired the magistrats to name and appoint two atturnyes, to carry the Emperors portion vnto Spayne. And that he for his part wold giue vnto them his full power, and letter of attourneye, with also one of his beste Shippes for that voyage.
The Counsell of the newe towne choseAlounso Fernandez Portocarero, andFrancisco de Monteiofor that iourneye: whereofCortezwas verye glad, and gaue themAntonio de Alominosfor their pilot, with golde and plate sufficiente for tourne and retourne of the voyage.Cortezgaue them instructions, what they shoulde doe particularlye for hym, in the Courte of Spaine as also in Ciuil, and the towne where he was borne. Hee sente to his Father and Mother certaine money, with newes of his prosperitye: hee sente also with them the ordinaunces and actes instituted, and wrote by them a large letter to the Emperour, in the whiche hee gaue full aduertisemente of all things whyche hadde passed from the time of his departure from the Ilande ofCubavntil that day, and of the discord betwéene hym andIames Valasques, and of their greate traueyle and paynes, with the greate good will whiche they all bare vnto hys royall seruice: hee certified likewise of the riches of that countreye, with the maiestie and power ofMutezuma. Hee offered to bring in subiection vnto his royall Crown and state of Castil, al that Empire, & to winne also the greate Citie ofMexico, and to bring that mightie kingMutezumato his handes quicke or deade.
Beséeching the Emperours maiestie to haue hym in remembraunce when offices and prouisions shoulde bee sente vnto that newe Spayne latelye discouered at hys great costes, and in recompence of hys paines and trauell.
The Counsell and magistrates ofVera Cruxwrote also two letters to the Emperour, the one was touching the successe of their procéedings in his royall seruice. In that letter, went onely the Aldermens firmes, and Iudges.
A good protestatiō.
The other letter was firmed by the generalitye and chiefest of the army, the contentes whereof was in substance, that they would holde and kepe that towne and countrey wonne, in his royall name, or ende theyr lyues in the quarrel, if his maiestie did not otherwise determyne.
They also moste humblye besought him, that the gouernement thereof, and of al that hereafter shoulde bee conquered, might be giuen toHernādo Corteztheir guide, generall captaine, and chiefe Iustice by them electe and chosen, saying, that wel he had deserued the same, for that he alone spent more than the whole army vpon that iourney. And that it might please his maiesty to confirm that, which they generally of fréewill had done for theyr owne safegard and securitye, in the name of his royall maiestie.
And if by chaunce his maiestie had already giuen the sayde office of gouernement to any other person, that it might please him to reuoke it.
For so should it be expedient for his seruice, and quietnesse of the countrey. And thereby might be excused, rumours, slanders, perils, and slaughters, that myght ensue, if any other should gouerne and rule as captaine general.
And moreouer they besoughte hys maiestie to graunte them aunswere with breuity, and good dispatch of theyr attourneys, who departed from the porte ofAguiahuistlanin a reasonable shippe the twenty sixe day of July,Anno.1519.
They touched by the way atMariena port ofCuba, declaring that they went toHauana: they passed through the chanell ofBahamawithout disturbaunce, and sayled with a prosperous winde, till they arriued in Spayne.
The cause why the generaltye had written these letters was, suspectingIames Velasques, who had frends and great fauour in the Court and counsel ofIndias, and also some secrete friendes inCortezhis campe. ForFrancisco Salzedabrought newes thatIames Velasqueshad already obteyned a graunt of the Emperor for the gouernment of that land by the meanes of oneBenito Martinezgoing into Spayne. And although they knew not the certainty thereof, yet it was most true, as shal appeare in another place.
TOC
There wer some in the host ytmurmured against the election ofCortez, for thereby was excludedIames Valasques, vnto whō they bare good wil.
Some wereValasquesfriends, and other some his kinesfolkes, who letted not to say openly, thatCortezby flattery, sutteltie and giftes had gotten and obtayned his purpose.
Mischefe.
Tvvo hanged, and tvvo whipped.
And that the dissymulation in makyng hym selfe to bee entreated and prayed to accepte that charge and office, was a thing craftily fayned, whereby suche election coulde not bee of anye value, and chieflye without any such authority of the Ierome Friers dame, who ruled and gouerned theIndiansas chiefe presidents: how muche more they hadde newes thatIames Velasqueshad already obteyned the gouernement of that land, andYucatan. ThenCortezbegan to vnderstande in those matters, and made informatiō who had raysed vp this rumoure, and béeing knowen, he apprehended the chiefest, and sent them prisoners aboorde his Ship: and to molifye their wrath, he shortly releassed them agayne, the which afterwards was cause of more mischief, for these his enimies woulde haue fledde with a Vergantine and killed the maister, pretending to flye vnto the Ilande ofCuba, for to aduertiseIames Velasquesof the great present sent vnto the Emperour, to the intent it shoulde be taken from their attorners passing néere the porte ofHauana, with all the letters and relations of their businesse, bycause the Emperoure shoulde not sée it, to conceyue well of their procéedings. ThenCortezbegan to be agréeued in earnest, and apprehended diuers of them, whose confessions being taken, the matter was manifestly knowen to be true, and therevppon according to the processe, hée condemned those that were most culpable, and caused forthwith two of them to be hanged, who wereIohn Escudero, andIames Cermeniopilot, and condemnedGonsalo de VmbriaandAlonso Penateto be whipped, and incontinent execution was done, all the rest being pardoned.
With this correctionCortezwas more feared, and also estéemed, than before he was, for certainely if he hadde vsed gentlenesse, he should neuer haue tamed them, yea and if he had not loked to them in time, he had bin spoyled: for their pretence was, to haue aduertisedIames Velasques, who would haue preuented them of their Shyps and present, and yet afterwarde he sente a Caruell after the sayd Ship, although it were too late.
TOC
A famous facte.
Cortezpurposed to goe vntoMexico, and would not gyue his Souldyers to vnderstand it, bycause they shoulde not refuse the iourney, through the talke ofTeudilli, especially hearing that the Citie of Mexico was situated vpon water, whyche they imagined to be excéeding strong, as in effect it was: and to the intent that they should all follow hym, although againste their willes, he determined to spoyle all his Shyppes, which was a strange case, perillous, and a great losse. His intent throughly weyed, he little estéemed the losse of his Shippes to withstand his men from disturbance of his enterprise, for doubtlesse they woulde haue stayed him, yea and rebelled, if they hadde knowen his minde and pretended purpose. He did secretly accord with one of the Maisters of hys Fléete in the nighte season to bore holes in them, that thereby they myghte synke, wythoute anye remedie to recouer them agayne.
Also he requested the other Maisters and Pylots to publish among the army, that the Shyppes were so rotten and wormeaten, that they were not fytte to goe to sea agayne, and that they shoulde, when they chanced to espye him and many of his Souldies togither, come and certifie him openly of the estate and force of the sayde Shippes, bycause that afterwardes they shoulde not laye any fault to his charge.
According to this instruction, the Pylots and Maisters did accomplish his commaundemente: for shortlye after they espyed him among a flocke of his companye, and then came they vnto him, saying: Sir, your nauie is not to make any moe voyages, by reason that they are all leake, and spoyled, rotten, and worme eaten, wherfore according to our duetie, we do certifie you thereof, to prouide therein as you shall see cause. All the Souldiers gaue credite to their tale, bycause the Shippes had bin there more than thrée monethes. And after long talke aboute the matter,Cortezcommaunded that they shoulde profite themselues of them the best that they myght, and as for the Hulles, let them sinke or runne a shore, fayning great sorrow for so great a losse, and want of such prouision. And in this manner they lette runne a shore fyue of the best Shyppes, sauyng theyr Ordinance, vittayles, sayles, Cables, Ankers, ropes, and all other tacle: and shortely after they spoyled other foure vessels, but that was done wyth some difficultie, bycause they beganne to surmise the intente ofCortez, and beganne openly to saye, thatCortesmeant to carrie them to the slaughter house. He then pacifyed them wyth gentle wordes, saying, what is he that will refuse the warres in so riche a Countrey? if there be any of you that wyll leaue my companye, hée or they may (if please them) returne toCubain a Shyppe that yet remayneth. And this hée spake, to knowe howe many were the cowards, meanyng in tyme of néede to haue no trust or confidence in them. Then dyuers shamelesse persons demaunded licence to returne toCuba, but they were suche as loued no warres. There wer also others that said nothing, who woulde gladly haue retourned, séeyng the greatenesse of the Countrey, and the multitude of the people, but yet they were ashamed to shewe cowardise openlye.
Cortezknowing his souldyers mindes, commanded the other Ship to be sunke, so that then they were all without hope to goe out of that Countrey at yttime, exalting and praysing the noble minde ofCortesshewed in that worthy facte. Certaynely it was a déede necessary for the present time, and done by the iudgement of a stout Captayne, although he lost much by his Shyppes, and abode without succour of the sea. There are few of these examples, which are not of valiant personages, as wasOmiez Barbarozawith the cut arme, who a few yeares past brake seauen Galleys and Foystes, to winne therebyBugia, as largely I do write thereof in battayles of yesea in our dayes.
TOC
Nevves for Cortez.
Euery day séemed long toCortes, with the desire to séeMutezuma. He nowe began to publishe openly his iourney and departure, and chose out of the body of his host a hūdred and fiftie mē, which he thought sufficient to leaue for safegard of the new towne and fort, which was almost finished, and appoyntedPedro de Hirciotheir Captaine, leauing with them two Horses, and two small péeces of Ordinance, wyth manyIndiansto serue them, and fiftie Townes round about them in faithfull friendship and league, out of the which Townes they might alwayes haue at their néede fiftie thousande men of warre: and he departed with the residue of his Spanyardes towardeZempoallan, whyche mighte be foure leagues from thence, and was scarcely come to the Towne, when newes was broughte hym that foure Shippes ofFrancisco Garraysayled along hys coast, and were in sight ofVera Crux. With this newes he returned incontinent with a hundred of his men, suspecting euill of those Shippes. At his comming toVera Crux, his Captaine there enformed him how he had gone himselfe to know what they were, and from whence they came, and what they would, but coulde speake with none of them.Cortesbeyng informed how they roade at anker, toke CaptaineHircioand certaine of his company to expect their commyng ashore, suspectyng them muche, bicause they roade so farre off, being by signes and tokens willed to come into the Harbor.Corteshauing wandered neare thrée miles, mette with thrée Spaniardes whiche came from the shippes, the one of them sayde that he was a Notary, and the other twoo were to serue for witnesses in their affayres, which was, to ascite and notifie certaine wrytings, whiche they shewed not: and also to requireCortesby vertue of the same, to come and make repartitiō of that countrey with captayneGaraytheir generall, for theyr sayd Captaine pretended that conquest (as first discouerer of the same,) certifying moreouer that hée was determined to inhabite twentie leagues distāt from that place Westwarde neare vntoNahutlan, whiche nowe is calledArmeria.Cortesanswered, that they should returne vnto their shippes, and to will theyr Captayne to come toVera Cruxwith his nauie, and there they woulde commune togither aboute his comming, and if he stoode in néede of any thing it shoulde be prouided. And if it were (as they reported) that he was comen on the Kings affaires, he woulde gladly fauour his procéedings, considering that he and all his were there in seruice of his highnesse, how muche more beyng all of one nation.
They answered, that in no wise their captaine nor none of his army would come ashore, nor yet come where asCorteswas. With this answereCortesvnderstood the matter, and layde holde of them, and went and placed himself in ambushe behinde a little hill of sande, whiche stoode right ouer agaynst the shippes, beyng neare sunne sette, & slepte there that night till daye approched, and the mornyng farre spent, hopyng thatGarayhis Pilote or some of his company woulde come ashore, meanyng likewise to apprehende them for to be certified what course they had made, and what hurte they had done, and findyng them guiltie, to sende them prysoners into Spayne, likewise he desired to knowe whether they had spoken with any vassals ofMutezuma, and seyng they came not a lande his suspition was the greater.
A vvise practise.
Cortescommaunded thrée of his men to chaunge apparell with the thrée messengers that came fromGaray, and this done, caused them to goe to the Sea side, wauyng with theyr clokes, and callyng for the shippe boate, nowe those of the shippes thought by theyr apparell that they were their owne menne, and came with a dozen persons in the skiffe with Crossebowes and Handgunnes. ThenCorteshis men whiche were clothed in other mens garments hidde themselues among bushes, as who woulde say, they were gone into the shadowe, for to flée from the great heate of the Sunne, being at that time highe noone, and bicause they should not be knowen.
The Mariners of the skiffe set a lande twoo men with Hargabushes, and other two mē with Crossebowes, and andIndianwho went straight way to the bushes, thinkyng to finde their fellowes. Then stept forthCortesand caught them before they coulde gette aborde the skiffe, although they meant to haue defended themselues, so that one of them who was a Pilote, hauing his Hargabushe ready charged, & would haue shot at captaineHircio, & assuredly if his match and pouder had bene good he had slayne him. When the general aborde the ships perceiued this deceit, would abide no longer, & cōmaunded to make saile, not tarying for his skiffe. By these seuen mē taken at two timesCorteswas satisfied, & also certified how captainGarayhad sayled along the coast séekingFlorida, and arriued in a riuer, the King of that prouince was calledPanuco, where they founde little golde, barteryng aborde their shippes, all theyr golde passed not thrée thousande Castelins, but in exchaunge of things of small value, nothing contentedGarayon that voyage, bycause the quantitie of golde was small and not fine.
With this newesCortesreturned toZempoallanwith his men which he brought in his company: and there concluded and fully agreed with thoseIndiansto pull downe theyr Idols & sepulchres of theirCassikz, whiche they did reuerence as Gods, perswading them to worship the God of heauen. And after this doctrine their league of friendship was effectually established, and with other townes adioyning againstMutezuma. ThoseIndiansgaue vnto him gagues to be alwayes faithfull of worde & promisse, and offered vnto him as many men fitte for warre & seruice as he would require.Cortesreceiued the gagues which were of the principallest persons of the townes, asMamexi Teuch, andTamalli, he tooke also a thousandTamemes, that is to say, men that are carriars, who ordinarily taketh his burden vpon his backe which is halfe a hundred waight, and those fellowes followe the campe with their bagge & bagage: These men serued for horses to draw the ordinance, and to carrie other munition and victuals.
TOC
Cortesdeparted frōZempoallan, leauing that towne namedSiuillia, towardeMexicothe sixtene day of August of the same yéere, with 400. Spaniardes and fiftene horses, & sixe péeces of ordinance, and 1300.Indianswtthe carriers & mē ofCuba. And whēCortesdeparted frōZempoallanhe had not one vassall ofMutezumain his campe to leade them the way towardeMexico, for al were fledde, seing the new league, or else by commaundement of their Lord, and theIndiansofZempoallanknew not well the way.
The first thrée dayes iourney the army passed through countrey of their friendes, and were louingly receyued and lodged, especially inXalapan. The fourth day they came toSicuchimatl, whiche is a strong place situated on a hill side very craggy, and the way to passe therevnto is made with force of mans hande as a stayre. And if the inhabitants thereof would haue resisted the entraunce, with greate difficultie bothe footemen & horsemen mought haue entred the towne, but as afterwarde appeared, they were commaunded byMutezumato lodge them and also to honour them. The rulers of that towne sayde toCortes, that for as muche as he wente to visite their PrinceMutezuma, he should assure himselfe that they were and would be his friendes. This towne hath many villages and farmes beneath in the playne, forMutezumawas alwayes prouided there of .5000. men of warre.
Cortesgaue great thankes to the Lorde for his curtesie and good entertaynement, muche estéeming the good will of his LordeMutezuma, and so departed from thence, and wente to passe ouer a mountayne very high, the passage whereof he namedNombre de dios, bycause it was the first that he had passed, beyng so asperous and highe, that there is none suche in all Spayne, for it conteyned directly vpright thrée leagues, and hath in many places grapes and trées with hony. And discendyng downe on the other side of that hill, they came to a towne calledTheuhixuacan, whiche is a forte and friende toMutezuma, where our army was receyued and entertayned as in the other towne behinde.
Troubles.
And from thence he traueled thrée dayes in a countrey inhabitable, and passed some necessitie of hunger, & much more of thirst, bicause all the water that they founde was saltishe, and many of his men for wante of other dranke thereof, whereof they fell into sickenesse: and sodainely fel a meruaylous Hayle with great colde, whiche increased their griefe, yea and theIndiansof their company thought there to ende theyr liues, & some of theIndiansofCubadied there through nakednesse, not being accustomed to so cold a countrey. After the fourth iourney of euill way they ascended vp an other hil, and vpon the toppe therof, (to their iudgement) they founde a thousande carte loade of wood ready cut, neare to a little tower of idolles: they named that place the porte of wood: & hauing passed twoo leagues from the porte of wood, they founde the countrey barren and poore, but soone after the army came to a place whiche they named white Castell, bicause the Lordes house was of stone very white and newe, and the beste that they had séene in all that countrey, and so curiously wrought, that they meruayled thereat: that towne in their language is calledZaclotan, and the valley neare vnto it is nameZacatami, and the Lordes name isOlintlec, who receyuedCorteshonorably, and prouided for him and his company abundantly, being so commaunded byMutezuma, as hée reported afterwarde.
A straunge ioy.
And in token that he had receyued that cōmission from his Lorde, he commaunded fiftie men to be sacrificed for ioy, whose bloud they sawe newe and freshe. The townes men of that towne caried the Spanyardes on their shoulders, on suche beares as we carry dead men to Churche.Cortesenformed them (by his enterpreters) of the cause of his comming into that countrey, as he had vsed in other places, & demaunded whether he the Lorde of this towne were tributary toMutezuma. ThisCazikebeing amazed at his question, answered, saying: What is he that is not eyther slaue or vassall to the greatMutezuma. ThenCortescertified him, who and what the Emperour king of Spayne was, willing him to be his friend and seruitour, & further enquired if he had any golde to sende him some. ThisCazikeanswered that he would do nothing without the commaundement of his Lorde, nor yet send his king any golde although he had inough.Cortesdissimuled the matter, and helde his peace, yet by and by he desired to knowe the Maiestie and mightie power ofMutezuma, theCazikeanswered, thatMutezumawas Lorde of the whole worlde, and that he had thirtie Vassals who were able to make a .100000. men of warre: eche one of them he also certified that he sacrificed .20000. men yerely to his Goddes: And also his dwellyng was in the most beautyfullest and strongest cittie of al that euer was enhabited, likewise (quoth he) his house and courte is moste greate, noble, and replenished with Gentlemen, his riches incredible, and his charges excessiue. And truely therein he sayde the very troth, excepte in the sacrifice wherein he something enlarged, although the slaughter of men for sacrifice in euery temple was very great, yea and some hold opinion, that some yéeres were sacrificed aboue .50000. men. Being in this conuersation, came two Gentilmen of that valley to sée the Spanyardes, and eche of them presented vntoCortesfoure women slaues, & certayne collers of golde of small price.Olintlecalthough he was vassall toMutezuma, was a greate Lorde, and had .20000. vassals, and thirtie wiues altogither in his house, beside a hundreth other women that attended vpon them. And had for his garde and houshold .2000. persons, his towne was great, & had .13. temples in it, & eche temple many idolles of stone of diuers fashiōs, before whom they sacrificed men, doues, quayles, & other things wtperfumes & great veneratiō. In this place and territorie,Mutezumahad .5000. souldiers in garrison, and ordinarie postes from thence toMexico. Vntill this time,Cortezhad not so amply vnderstoode the mighte and power ofMutezuma, yea and though many inconueniences, difficulties, feare, and such like, did represent it selfe vnto him in his iourney toMexico, whiche perhaps would haue amazed some valiāt persons, yet he shewed not one iote of cowardise, hauyng hearde suche a reporte of that mightie Prince, but rather his desire was so much the more to sée hym.
Considering now that he shoulde passe throughTaxcallonto goe toMexico, beingTaxcallona greate & strong Citie, and warlike people, he dispatched fourZeampoallanezesto the Lordes and Captaynes of that Citie, on the behalfe ofZempoallanand his owne, offering vnto them his friendship and fauour, giuing them to vnderstande, that those few Christians woulde come vnto their Citie to serue thē, desiring thē to accept the same, thinking assuredly that those ofTaxcallonwould haue done with him as theZempoallanezeshad done, which were both good and faithful, who had always vsed trouth with him, euē so he thought that now he moughte credite them, for they had enformed him, that theTlaxcaltecaswere their friendes, and so would be his, considering that they were vtter enimies toMutezuma, and willingly would goe with him to the siege ofMexico, with desire of libertie, and to reuenge olde iniuries and griefes, whiche they had susteyned many yeares before of the people ofCulhua.Cortezrefreshed himselfe inZaclotanfiue dayes, where is a fresh riuer and quiet folke, pulling downe the Idolles, and placed a remembrance of Christ crucifyed, as he hadde done in all the Townes that he had passed.
He toke his leaue ofOlintlec, leauing him wel pleased, & went to a town two leagues frō thēce along yeriuer side, whereof was LordeIztacmixtlitan, one of the Gentlemen who had giuen him the slaues and collers of golde.
This towne standeth in a playne grounde of two leagues compasse, which is replenished with so many houses as doth séeme to touche one an other, in that way that our army passed—and the towne it selfe doth contayne fiue thousande householdes, standing on a hill, and on the one side thereof is the Lordes house with a strong forte, being the beste yet séene in those parties, walled with good stone with barbucan and déepe ditche. ThereCortesrested himselfe thrée dayes, abiding the foure messengers whiche he sent fromZacloton, to knowe the answere that should be brought.
TOC
A straunge vvall.
Cortesseyng the long tarying of the messengers he departed fromZaclotanwithout any intelligence fromTlaxcallan. Our cāp had not marched much after their departure from that place, but they came to a great circuite of stone made without lyme or morter, being of a fadom and a half high, and twentie foote brode with loupe holes, to shoote at: that wall crossed ouer all the valley from one mountayne to another, and but one onely entraunce or gate, in the whiche the one wall doubled against the other, and the way there was fourtie paces brode, in such sort, that it was an euill and perilous passage, if any had bene there to defend it.Cortesdemaunded the cause of that circuite, and who had buylte it,Iztacmixtlitanthat wente to beare him company, tolde him that it was but a deuision from their countrey andTlaxcallan, and that their antecessors had made the same to disturbe the entrance of theTlaxcaltecasin time of warre, who came to robbe and murther them, bycause of the friendship betwixte them andMutezuma, whose vassals they were.
That strange and costly wall, séemed a thing of greate maiestie to our Spanyardes, and more superfluous than profitable, yet they suspected that theTlaxcaltecaswere valiant warriers, who had suche defense made agaynst them. And asCortesand his army stoode beholding thys worke,Iztacmixtlitanthought he had bin afrayde to procéede forward, and prayed him (for so much as he was his Lordes friend) not to passe that way, nor yet through the Countrey ofTlaxcallan, for so muche as he wente to visite his maister, for (quoth he) if they knowe you to be my Lordes friende, they will séeke youre displeasure, as they haue done to others, and I will prouide you of guides to leade you continually through the dominion ofMutezuma, where you shall be well receyued and prouided, vntil you come toMexico.
ButMamexiand the others ofZempoallanwilled hym to refuse that offer and counsell in any wise, alleadgyng that it was an onely pretence to separate them from the friendship of that prouince, whose people were good, honorable, and valiant, and thatIztacmixtlitansperswasion was to prohibite theyr helpe and succoure agaynstMutezuma, willing hym earnestly to giue no credite vnto hys sayings, for he and his allyes are false Traytors, and meante to bryng hym into some snare, where they myghte kill both him and his company, and féede vppon theyr fleshe.
Cortesfor a space was amazed at yetalke of yeone and the other, but in conclusion he accepted the councell ofMamexi, for that he hadde conceyued a better opinion of theZeampoallanezeshis allyed friendes, than of the others. And setting all feare asyde, he tooke the way toTlaxcallon, byddyngIztacmixtlitāfarewell, and with thrée hundred Souldyers on a ranke, he entred the way in the wall, and procéeded in good order all the way forwardes, carrying the Ordinance ready charged, and he himselfe the leader of all his army, yea and sometimes he woulde be halfe a league before them, to discouer and make the way playne.
And hauing gone the space of thrée leagues from that circuite, he commaunded his footemen to make hast, bycause it was somewhat late, and he with his Horsemen went to descrye the way forwardes, who ascendyng vp a hyll, two of the formost horsemenne mette with fiftéeneIndiansarmed with swordes and Targets and tuffes of feathers, whiche they vse to weare in the warres. These fiftéene were spyes, and when they sawe the Horsemen, they beganne to flye with feare, or else to gyue aduise.
Then approchedCortezwith other thrée horsemen, calling to them to stay, but by no meanes they woulde abyde: then syxe Horsemen ranne after them, and ouertooke them, & ioyned all togither, with determination rather to dye than to yéelde, shewing them signes to stande still: yet the Horsemen comming to lay handes on them, they prepared themselues to battayle, and foughte, defendyng themselues for a whyle. In thys fyghte theIndiansslewe two of theyr Horses, and as theSpanyardesdoe witnesse, at two blowes they cutte off a Horse head, bridle and all. Then came the rest of the Horsemenne, and the army approched, for there were in syghte néere fiue thousandeIndiansin good order, to succoure theyr fiftéene fyghting menne, but they came too late for that purpose, for they were all slayne wyth the anger that was taken for the killyng of the two Horses, and woulde not render themselues in tyme: yet notwythstandyng theyr fellowes foughte, vntyll they espyed oure armye commyng, and the Ordinance, then they returned, leauyng the fielde to oure menne, but oure Horsemenne followed them, and slewe aboute 70. persons of them, withoute receyuing anye hurte.
A subtill message.
Thys done, theIndianssente vntoCortestwo of the foure messengers whiche hadde bin sente thither before wyth otherIndians, saying, that theTlaxcaltecasknewe nothyng of the thynges that were happened, certifying lykewyse that those with whome hée hadde fought were of other comunities, and not of their iurisdiction, béeyng sorowfull for that whyche hadde passed: and for so muche as it happened in theyr Countrey, they woulde willingly pay for the two Horses whyche were slayne, praying them to come in good time to theyr Towne, who woulde gladly receyue them, and enter into theyr league of friendshippe, bycause they séemed to bée valiante menne: but all was a fayned and a false message.
YetCortesbeléeued them, and gaue them thankes for theyr curtesie and good will, and that accordyng to theyr request he woulde goe vnto theyr Towne, and accepte their friendshippe. And touchyng the deathe of his Horses, he required nothyng, for within shorte space he expected many moe: but yet God knoweth how sorowfull he was for the want of them, and not only so much for thē, as that theIndiansshoulde thinke that Horses could dye, or be slayne.
Cortezprocéeded forwardes aboute two leagues where the Horses were kylled, although it was almost Sunnesette, and his men wéeried, hauing trauelled farre that day.
His will was, to haue pitched his Camp in a strong place of water: wherefore he planted his army by a Riuer side, whereas they remayned all that night with good watche both of footemen and horsemen, fearing some assault: but there was no attempt giuen that night, whereby they might haue taken better rest, than they were aware of.
TOC
The next morning at Sunne rising,Cortezdeparted with his army in good order, and in the middest of them wente the fardage and artillerie, and as soone as they were come to a little Village there néere at hande, they mette with the other two messengers ofZempoallan, who departed from them atZaclotan: they came with pitifull chéere, exclayming of the Captaynes of the power ofTlaxcallan, who had bounde them, and deteyned them from returning: but with good fortune, that nighte they hadde broken loose, and escaped, for otherwise in the morning following, they had bin sacrificed to the God of Victory, and after the sacrifice, to be eaten, for a good beginning of their warres, protesting the like to be done with the berded men, and with as many as came with them.
They had no sooner tolde their tale, when there appeared behinde a little hill about a thousandeIndians, verye well appoynted after their fashion, and came with suche a maruellous noyse and crye, as though theyr voyces shoulde haue pearced the Heauens, hurling at oure menne stones, dartes, and shotte wyth bowes and arrowes.
First battayle.
80000. mē.
Seconde battayle.
Cortesmade many tokens of peace vnto them, and by his interpreters desired them to leaue the battell. But so much the more as he entreated for peace, the more hastie and earnest were they, thinkyng either to haue ouercomen them, or else to holde them play, to the entēt that the Spanyardes should haue folowed them to a certaine ambushe that was prepared for them, of more then .80000. men, whiche they had planted in a créeke of a riuer which abutted vpō the high way. Then our men began to cease from wordes, and to lay hande vpon their weapons, for that company of a thousande were as many, as on our side were fighting men, they were well practised in the warres, very valiāt, and also pitched in a better place for fight. This battell endured certaine houres, and at the ende theIndiansbeing eyther wearied, or else meanyng to take our men in the snare appointed, began to flie toward theyr maine battell, not as ouercome, but to ioyne with their owne folke. And our men being hote in the fight and slaughter whiche was not litle, followed them with all their fardage, and vnwares fell into the ambushe among an infinite number ofIndiansarmed, they stayde not bycause they would not put themselues out of order, and passed through their campe with great haste & feare. The enimies began to sette vpon the horsemen, thinkyng to haue taken their lances from them, their courage was so stoute: many of the Spaniardes had there perished, had it not bin for theIndianfriends. Likewise the courage ofCortesdid much animate them, for although he ledde his army making way yet, diuers times, he turned him backe to place his men in order and to comforte them, and at length came out of that daungerous way into the playne fielde, where the horses mought helpe, and the ordinaunce stande in stéede, whiche two things did greatly anoy the enimie to their great wonder and maruell, and at the sight thereof began to flie.
In bothe encounters remayned manyIndiansslayne and wounded, and of the Spaniardes some were hurt, but none killed, giuyng moste hartie thankes vnto God for their deliuery from so great a multitude ofIndianstheir enimies with muche ioye and pleasure of the victory. Then they wente to pitche their campe in a village calledTeoacazinco, where was a little Tower and a Temple, and there fortified themselues, and buylte cotages of bowes and strawe. TheIndiansofZeampoallan, and those ofIztacmixtlitandid play the valiant men that day, wherforeCorteshonoured them with harty thankes.