The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne
TekstThe battayle of Otumpan, a notable victory
The Inhabitants of Tlacopan, knewe not how our men came spoyled, hurte, and ouerthrowen, and againe our men stoode in a maze, and knew not what to doe nor whither to goe. Cortes came vnto them, & cōforted them & placed them in order before him, requyring them to make hast, vntill they might come into the broade field, before such tyme as the men of Tlacopan should heare of the newes passed, & so to arme thēselues and to ioyne with fourtie thousande Mexicans, who after the mournyng for their friends, came marchyng after them. He placed in the vantgard the Indians his friēds, and passed through certayne tilled grounde, and continually fought as they went, vntill they came to a high hill, where was a tower and a Temple, whiche is called our Lady churche at this day.
A vvery iourney
The Indians slewe some of the Spaniardes whiche came in the reregard, and many of their Indian friends, before they could get vp to the toppe of the hill. They loste muche of the golde, that had remayned, and with greate hazarde escaped through the multitude of Indians with life, their horses whiche remayned aliue, were foure and twentie, who were tyred both with trauell and hunger, & the Spaniardes their maisters, with the residue coulde scarsely stirre hande or foote with wearinesse of fightyng, and penurie of hunger, for al that day and night they ceassed not from fight, eating nothing at all.
A payneful man
In this Temple were reasonable lodgings, where they fortified themselues as well as they myght, and dranke one to an other, but theyr supper was very slēder. After their simple feast was ended, they went and beheld an infinite number of Indians, whiche had beset them almost round about, makyng a maruellous shoute and crie, knowyng that they were without victuals, whiche onely is a warre worser than to fight with the enimie. They made many fires with the woodde of sacrifice, rounde about the tower and Temple, & with this pollicie, at midnight departed secretely. It happened that they had Tlaxcalteca to be their guide, who knew well the way, assuring to bring them into the iurisdiction of Tlaxcallan: with this guide they began to iourney. Cortes placed his wounded men and fardage in the middest of his company, the souldiours that were whole and in health, he deuided into the vantgarde & reregarde: he could not passe so secretly, but yt they were espied by the Indian scoute, whiche was neare at hand, who gaue aduise therof incōtinent. Fiue horsemē which went before to discouer, fell among certayne cōpanies of Indians, which attended their cōming to robbe thē, & seing the horsemen, they suspected that the whole army was at hand, whervpon they fled, but yet seing them few in number stāde and ioyned with the other Mexicans that followed & pursued our men thrée leagues vntil they came to a hill where was an other temple with a good tower & lodgyng, where they lodged that night without supper. They departed in the mornyng from thence, and wente through a cragged & naughty way, to a great towne the enhabitantes whereof were fledde for feare, so that they abode there two daies to rest thēselues, to cure their mē, & horses: also they somewhat eased their hūgery stomakes and carried frō thence prouision, although not muche, for they had none to carrie it. And being departed frō thence, many enimies pursued them & persecuted them very sore. Likewise ye guide erred out of his way, & at lēgth came to a little village of few houses, where they reposed ye night. In the morning they procéeded vpon their way, and the enimies still pursuyng and troubled them sore all the day.
Cortes vvounded vvith a slyng
Oh noble Cortez
Cortes was woūded with the stripe of a sling, and therewith was in greate daunger of life, for his head so rancbled, that of necessitie they were forced to take out certaine péeces of his skull, whervpon he was driuen to séeke a solitarie place in the wildernesse to cure him, and in goyng thitherwardes, the enimies wounded fiue Spaniardes and foure horses, whereof one died, and that was eaten among them for a sumptuous supper, and yet not sufficient for them all, for there was none of them whiche were not vexed with hunger. I speake not of their woundes and wearinesse, things sufficient to haue made an ende of lyfe. But certainely the Spanishe nation can abide more hunger than any other, and especially these with Cortes dyd shewe the proofe. The nexte day in the mornyng departing from a litle Village, and fearyng the multitude of enimies, Cortes commaunded eche horseman to take a sicke manne behinde him, and those that were somewhat stronger, to holde by the horse tayles and stirroppes: he likewise made cruches for other some to ease them, and woulde not leaue one of his men behinde him to be a pray and supper for the Indian enimies. This aduise was very profitable as things fell out, yea also there were some of them that carried vpon their backe their fellowes, & thereby were saued. They had not iourneyed a full league into a playne fielde, when there mette them an infinite number of Indians who compassed them round aboute, and assaulted our men in such sorte, that they verily beléeued that day to ende generally their liues, for there were many Indians that durst wrastell with our men, man to man, yea and layd some of them in the duste, and drewe them by the héeles, whether it were with the great courage whiche they had, or whether it were with the trauayle, hunger and hurtes of our men I know not, but great pittie it was to sée, how they were drawen by the Indian enimies, and what grieuous mone they made.
Oh valiant Cortez
200000. Indians
Cortes that wente with vigilant care comfortyng his men, as muche as was possible to doe, and well perusing the great daunger that they were in, commendyng himselfe to God, sette spurres to his horse and made way thorow the greatest troupe of Indians, and came vnto the captayne generall who bare the Royall standart of Mexico, and passed him through with his Lance, whereof he incontinent died. But when the Indians sawe the standart fallen, they threw their auncient on the grounde and fled, scattering them here and there like men amazed, knowing not whither to fly, for such is their custome in warre, that when they sée the generall slayne, they forthwith leaue the fielde. Then our wery soules began to recouer hart and strength, and the horsemen followed thē to their great anoyance and slaughter. It was credibly reported, that there were that day in fielde .200000. Indians. And the fielde where this battayle was fought is called Otumpan: there was neuer a more notable facte done in India, nor greater victorie since the first discouery of the same. And as manye Spaniardes as sawe Hernando Cortes fighte that day, did holde opinion, that neuer one man did more greater feates in armes, and that he only was the meane in his owne person to saue and deliuer them all.
The entertaynement vvhiche the Spaniardes had in Tlaxcallan
After this victory obtayned, Cortes with his company went to lodge in a house planted alone, in a playne grounde, from whence appeared the Mountaynes of Tlaxcallan, whereof our menne muche reioyced: yet on the other side they stoode in doubt whether they should finde them their friendes in such a daungerous season, for bycause the vnfortunate man that flieth, findeth nothing in his fauour, for all thing that he pretendeth, happeneth cleane contrary. That night Cortes himselfe was scoute, not bycause he was more whole than his fellowes, but like a good Captayne, he deuided the trauayle & paynes equally, euen as their hurte and damage was come.
50000. mē
Faythfull friendes
Being day, they iourneyed in plaine and straight way, directly to the Mountaynes and Prouince of Tlaxcallan, they passed by a swéete foūtaine of water, where they wel refreshed themselues, and after they came to Huazilipan, a towne of Tlaxcallan, of .4000. housholdes, where they were louingly receiued & abundantly prouided for thrée dayes, whiche they abode there refreshing & curing their weary bodies. Some of the townes men would giue thē nothing without payment, but the moste parte did vse them very gently: Vnto this Towne came Maxixca, Xicotencatlh, Axotecalth, and many other principall persons of Tlaxcallan, and Huexozinca with .50000. men of warre, who were going to Mexico to succour the Spaniardes, knowyng of their troubles, but not of their hurte and spoyle, yet some holde opinion that they hauyng certayne knowledge of all theyr mishappes and flight from Mexico, came only to comforte them, and in the name of all theyr communaltie and state, to offer them their Towne, in conclusion, they séemed sorrowfull for their misfortunes, and agayne ioyfull to sée them there: Yea some of them with anguishe of harte wepte, and sayde, wée did aduise and warne yée, that the Mexicans were Traytours and wicked persons, and yet yée woulde not beléeue vs: wée doe pyttie and bewayle your troubles, but if it please you, lette vs goe thither to reuenge your iniuries, and the death of your Christians, and our Citizens: and if now ye will not, that then it may please you to goe with vs home to our houses, for to recreate youre persons, and to cure your woundes.
Cortes did cordially reioyce, to heare and finde such succour and friendship, in such good men of warre, whereof he stoode in doubt as he came thitherward. He gaue them most hartie thankes for their louing offer, curtesie, and good will. He gaue vnto them of such Iewels as remayned, and sayd vnto them, the time will come, that I shall desire your helpe against the Mexicans, but now presently it is néedefull, to cure my sicke and wounded men.
The noble men that were there present, besought him to giue them leaue to skirmish with the Indians of Culhua, for as yet many of them wandered there aboute. Cortes graunted their request, and sente with them some of hys men, which were lustie, and in good health, who procéeded forth all togither, and in that iourney slewe many Indian enimies, so that after this time, the enimies appeared no more. Then with triumph, pleasure, and victory, they departed toward the Citie, and oure men followed. It is credibly reported, that twenty thousande men and women met them by the way with sundry kindes of meates: I do beléeue that the most of them came to sée them, for the great loue whiche they bare vnto them, and likewise to enquire of their friends which had gone with them to Mexico, of whome few returned. In Tlaxcallan they were honorable receyued, and well vsed. Maxixca gaue hys house to Cortes, and the residue of hys company were hosted at Gentlemens houses, who cherished them excéedingly, whereby they forgate the paynes, sorrowes, and trauels past, for in fiftéene dayes before, they lay on the bare ground.
Certaynely the Spanyardes were muche indebted to the Tlaxcaltecas, for their loyaltie and faithfull friendship, especially vnto that good and vertuous Gentleman Maxixca, who threwe Xicotencatl downe the stayres and steppes of the chiefe Temple, for giuing his counsell to kyll the Spanyardes, meaning to reconcile hymselfe with the Mexicans.
He also made two Orations, the one to the men, and the other to the women, in the greate fauoure and prayse of the Spanyardes, putting them in remembrance, howe that they hadde not eaten salt, nor worne cloth of cotten wooll in many yeares before, vntil now that their friends were come: and to this day these Indians doe muche presume of their fidelitie, and likewise of the resistance and battayle they made with Cortes in Teoacazinco, so that now when they celebrate any great feast, or receyue any Christian vizeking, there commeth of them out into the field sixtie or seauentie thousande men, to skirmishe and fight in the same order as they did with Cortes.
The protestation and request of the Souldyers to Cortes
When Cortes departed firste from Tlaxcallon towardes Mexico to visit Mutezuma, hée lefte there twentie thousande Castlins of golde and moe, besides the Kings portion which was sent with Monteio and Portocarrero. He lefte there also manye other things if néede should haue happened in Mexico of money, or other things to prouide his men in Vera Crux, and this he lefte there also, to proue the fidelitie of his friendes in Tlaxcallon. And after he had obteyned the victory against Naruaez, he wrote vnto the Captayne that he shoulde sende for the same, for reason required that in all things they should haue their partes.
Exclamation
The Captaine of Vera Crux sente fiftie Spanyardes and fiue Horsemen for the same, who at their returne, were slayne and taken prisoners with all that treasure, by ye men of Culhua who had rebelled through the comming of Pamfilo de Naruaez, robbing and spoyling sundrye dayes. But when Cortez vnderstoode this newes, his ioy was turned to sorrowe, not onely for the golde and treasure so muche, as for the losse of his menne, fearyng also some other warre or vprore to haue bin in the riche Towne of Vera Crux, wherevpon hée sente a messenger thyther, who returned in shorte time, certifying that all the inhabitantes there were in good health, and also all the Comarcans quiet, and without any token of alteration. This newes and answere pleased Cortes and all his company, whiche desired to goe thither, but he woulde not permitte them, wherefore they began to murmure and to exclayme, saying, what thinketh Cortes, what meaneth he to doe with vs? why, will he kéepe vs héere to dye an euill death? what haue we offended him, that he will not let vs goe? we are alreadye full of wearinesse, our bodyes are yet ful of fresh woundes, we haue spente our bloude, and are nowe withoute strength and apparell: wée sée oure selues in a straunge Countrey, and full of miserye, enuironed with enimies, yea and without hope to come to that hygh place from whence we fell, yea then mighte wée bée accompted for worse than madde men, to come into the perils from whence wée escaped: wée meane not nowe to ende oure lyues so desperately, as he would haue vs, for wyth the insatiable thirste of honoure and glorye, hée estéemeth not hys life, neyther oures. He doth not lykewyse consider, that he wanteth menne, horses, artillerie, and armoure, things so necessarye for the warres, yea he also wanteth victuall, whyche is a thyng moste principall: what shall wée saye, but that, he erreth, and is deceyued, in giuing credite to these Tlaxcaltecas, who are, like vnto the other nations of India, which are light, changeable, and louers of newe things, yea and rather, in effecte of troth, they better loue the Culhuacans, than the Spanishe nation, yea and although they nowe dissemble, yet when they shall sée a greate army of Mexicans come vpon them, they will then deliuer vs aliue, to be eaten, and sacrificed, for it is an olde rule, that friendship dothe not long endure betwixte them that are of sundry religion, apparell, and spéech.
After all these complayntes and murmurations amōg themselues, they made a protestation and request, in forme as it were in the name of the King and all the company, praying him incontinent to departe frō thence, and to goe with them to the Towne of Vera Crux, before the enimies mighte disturbe their way and passage, and then they to remayne both bought and solde, and shutte vp as it were in a prison: also they declared, that in Vera Crux they should haue better opportunitie to make themselues strong, if that he meante to returne agayne vpon Mexico, or else to take shipping, if so it shoulde séeme conuenient.
Cortes hearing this request, and determination of hys Souldyers, was at his wits ende, ymagining that theyr pretence was, onely to procure him to goe from thence, and afterwardes to rule him at their pleasures, and béeing a thing cleane contray to his pretended purpose, hée aunswered them as followeth.
The Oration made by Cortez in answere to his Souldyers demaunde
My maisters, I would do and fulfill youre request, if it were a thing méete and conueniente for you, for there is not one alone of you, how much more all in generall, for whome I shoulde not willingly aduenture my goodes and life, if he shuld néede the same: for why? your deedes haue bin such, that I stand bound neuer to forget thē, or else to shewe my selfe an ingratefull man. And thinke you not good friendes, although I do not fulfill the thing whiche you so earnestly desire, that therefore I estéeme not youre authoritie: but in not graunting to the same, I do exalt and estéeme you in greater reputation: for why? in oure departing nowe from hence, oure honor is blotted and stayned for euermore, and in abiding héere, we shall like valiant menne preserue the same. What nation is there, that had rule, dominon, and Empire in this world, that hath not bin ouercome at some time? What famous Captayne returned home to his house, for the losse of one battayle? none truly, for he that dothe not perseuer, shall neuer triumph with Lady Victory: he that retyreth, sheweth that he flyeth, and remayneth a mockingstocke for all men: but hée that sheweth nobly his face, dothe vtter the courage of his heart, yea and is both feared, and also beloued.
If we now should depart from hence, these our friēds would accept and iudge vs for cowardes, and refuse perpetually our friendship. Likewise oure enimies woulde iudge the same, and neuer héereafter stande in feare of vs, which shoulde be a greate shame vnto oure estimation. Is there any amōg vs, that would not holde himselfe affrented, if it shoulde be sayde, that he turned his backe and fledde, how much more would it be a dishonor for vs all to haue the same report?
I doe much maruell at the greatenesse of your inuincible heartes in battell: you were wont to be desirous of warres, and nowe that suche iust and laudable warre doth offer it selfe, you doe feare and refuse the same: sure it is a thing cleane contrary to oure nature. What is hée that will prate of harnes, and neuer ware none? It was neuer yet séene in all this India and new world, that any of our nation retired with feare. And woulde you nowe that 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 for phisick 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 Coūtrey, you should not haue the like, nor yet be 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 Ionathas did, yea and many 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 opportunitie 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 speeche, 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.