The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne

The vvarres of Tepeacac

Cortez

 found himselfe at hearts ease with this answere, for it was a thing y

t

 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 perilous 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 greate 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 y

e

 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 eaters of mans flesh, and chiefly for exāple of all others. And in conclusion, they were condemned for slaues, and within twenty daies that these 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 these 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

 cōmaunded & gaue licence to al the

Indian

 friēds, to returne home vnto their houses, except his assured friends of

Tlaxcallan

, whō 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 y

e

 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

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

Maxixca

 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 there 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 greate 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

Quahutimoccin

, Neuew also, as some doe say, of

Mutezuma

, raygned at that tyme, who was a valiant man and a good warrier, as hereafter shalbe 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 crossebow 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 shalbe 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 beying 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 cōing: it should also be a blot vnto our honour that

Quahutimoc

 should inherite y

e

 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 eatying 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 priuiledges 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, fearing 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 side 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 vpwards on this hill, and sente hys scoute of foure footemen and foure horsemen to discouer, who found the way stopped with great trées newly cutte downe, and placed crossewise in the way: but they thynking that yet forwards it was not so, procéeded forthe as well as they might, till at length the let with great hugie trées was such, that they could passe no further, and with this newes 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 no, wherevppon he procéeded forwarde with all the Horsemen, and a thousande footemen, commaundyng all the residue of hys armye to followe hym wyth as muche spéede as myghte bée, 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 armye 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 commying: 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 Campe 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 commaundements 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 plenteously prouided of al things necessary, and threw downe the Idolles. This done, hée entred into the Citie, where his l