The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne
TekstCortez caused all his Shippes to be
sunke, and broken vpon the shore, a most worthy facte
A famous facte
Cortez
purposed to goe vnto
Mexico
, and would not gyue his Souldyers to vnderstand it, bycause they shoulde not refuse the iourney, through the talke of
Teudilli
, 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,
Cortez
commaunded 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 of
Cortez
, and beganne openly to saye, that
Cortes
meant 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 to
Cuba
in 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 to
Cuba
, 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.
Cortez
knowing 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 y
t
time, exalting and praysing the noble minde of
Cortes
shewed 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 was
Omiez Barbaroza
with the cut arme, who a few yeares past brake seauen Galleys and Foystes, to winne thereby
Bugia
, as largely I do write thereof in battayles of y
e
sea in our dayes.
Hovv the inhabitants of Zempoallan
brake downe their Idolles
Nevves for Cortez
Euery day séemed long to
Cortes
, with the desire to sée
Mutezuma
. 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 appoynted
Pedro de Hircio
their Captaine, leauing with them two Horses, and two small péeces of Ordinance, wyth many
Indians
to 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 towarde
Zempoallan
, whyche mighte be foure leagues from thence, and was scarcely come to the Towne, when newes was broughte hym that foure Shippes of
Francisco Garray
sayled along hys coast, and were in sight of
Vera Crux
. With this newes he returned incontinent with a hundred of his men, suspecting euill of those Shippes. At his comming to
Vera 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.
Cortes
beyng informed how they roade at anker, toke Captaine
Hircio
and 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.
Cortes
hauing 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 require
Cortes
by vertue of the same, to come and make repartitiō of that countrey with captayne
Garay
their generall, for theyr sayd Captaine pretended that conquest (as first discouerer of the same,) certifying moreouer that hée was determined to inhabite twentie leagues distāt from that place Westwarde neare vnto
Nahutlan
, whiche nowe is called
Armeria
.
Cortes
answered, that they should returne vnto their shippes, and to will theyr Captayne to come to
Vera Crux
with his nauie, and there they woulde commune togither aboute his comming, and if he stoode in néede of any thing it shoulde be prouided. And if it were (as they reported) that he was comen on the Kings affaires, he woulde gladly fauour his procéedings, considering that he and all his were there in seruice of his highnesse, how muche more beyng all of one nation.
They answered, that in no wise their captaine nor none of his army would come ashore, nor yet come where as
Cortes
was. With this answere
Cortes
vnderstood the matter, and layde holde of them, and went and placed himself in ambushe behinde a little hill of sande, whiche stoode right ouer agaynst the shippes, beyng neare sunne sette, & slepte there that night till daye approched, and the mornyng farre spent, hopyng that
Garay
his Pilote or some of his company woulde come ashore, meanyng likewise to apprehende them for to be certified what course they had made, and what hurte they had done, and findyng them guiltie, to sende them prysoners into Spayne, likewise he desired to knowe whether they had spoken with any vassals of
Mutezuma
, and seyng they came not a lande his suspition was the greater.
A vvise practise
Cortes
commaunded thrée of his men to chaunge apparell with the thrée messengers that came from
Garay
, and this done, caused them to goe to the Sea side, wauyng with theyr clokes, and callyng for the shippe boate, 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. Then
Cortes
his men whiche were clothed in other mens garments hidde themselues among bushes, as who woulde say, they were gone into the shadowe, for to flée from the great heate of the Sunne, being at that time highe noone, and bicause they should not be knowen.
The Mariners of the skiffe set a lande twoo men with Hargabushes, and other two mē with Crossebowes, and and
Indian
who went straight way to the bushes, thinkyng to finde their fellowes. Then stept forth
Cortes
and caught them before they coulde gette aborde the skiffe, although they meant to haue defended themselues, so that one of them who was a Pilote, hauing his Hargabushe ready charged, & would haue shot at captaine
Hircio
, & assuredly if his match and pouder had bene good he had slayne him. When the general aborde the ships perceiued this deceit, would abide no longer, & cōmaunded to make saile, not tarying for his skiffe. By these seuen mē taken at two times
Cortes
was satisfied, & also certified how captain
Garay
had sayled along the coast séeking
Florida
, and arriued in a riuer, the King of that prouince was called
Panuco
, where they founde little golde, barteryng aborde their shippes, all theyr golde passed not thrée thousande Castelins, but in exchaunge of things of small value, nothing contented
Garay
on that voyage, bycause the quantitie of golde was small and not fine.
With this newes
Cortes
returned to
Zempoallan
with his men which he brought in his company: and there concluded and fully agreed with those
Indians
to pull downe theyr Idols & sepulchres of their
Cassikz
, whiche they did reuerence as Gods, perswading them to worship the God of heauen. And after this doctrine their league of friendship was effectually established, and with other townes adioyning against
Mutezuma
. Those
Indians
gaue vnto him gagues to be alwayes faithfull of worde & promisse, and offered vnto him as many men fitte for warre & seruice as he would require.
Cortes
receiued the gagues which were of the principallest persons of the townes, as
Mamexi Teuch
, and
Tamalli
, he tooke also a thousand
Tamemes
, that is to say, men that are 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.
Hovv Olintlec exalted the mightie
power of Mutezuma
Cortes
departed frō
Zempoallan
, leauing that towne named
Siuillia
, towarde
Mexico
the sixtene day of August of the same yéere, with 400. Spaniardes and fiftene horses, & sixe péeces of ordinance, and 1300.
Indians
w
t
the carriers & mē of
Cuba
. And whē
Cortes
departed frō
Zempoallan
he had not one vassall of
Mutezuma
in his campe to leade them the way towarde
Mexico
, for al were fledde, seing the new league, or else by commaundement of their Lord, and the
Indians
of
Zempoallan
knew not well the way.
The first thrée dayes iourney the army passed through countrey of their friendes, and were louingly receyued and lodged, especially in
Xalapan
. The fourth day they came to
Sicuchimatl
, 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 by
Mutezuma
to lodge them and also to honour them. The rulers of that towne sayde to
Cortes
, that for as muche as he wente to visite their Prince
Mutezuma
, he should assure himselfe that they were and would be his friendes. This towne hath many villages and farmes beneath in the playne, for
Mutezuma
was alwayes prouided there of .5000. men of warre.
Cortes
gaue great thankes to the Lorde for his curtesie and good entertaynement, muche estéeming the good will of his Lorde
Mutezuma
, and so departed from thence, and wente to passe ouer a mountayne very high, the passage whereof he named
Nombre 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 called
Theuhixuacan
, whiche is a forte and friende to
Mutezuma
, 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 the
Indians
of their company thought there to ende theyr liues, & some of the
Indians
of
Cuba
died there through nakednesse, not being accustomed to so cold a countrey. After the fourth iourney of euill way they ascended vp an other hil, and vpon the toppe therof, (to their iudgement) they founde a thousande carte loade of wood ready cut, neare to a little tower of idolles: they named that place the porte of wood: & hauing passed twoo leagues from the porte of wood, they founde the countrey barren and poore, but soone after the army came to a place whiche they named white Castell, bicause the Lordes house was of stone very white and newe, and the beste that they had séene in all that countrey, and so curiously wrought, that they meruayled thereat: that towne in their language is called
Zaclotan
, and the valley neare vnto it is name
Zacatami
, and the Lordes name is
Olintlec
, who receyued
Cortes
honorably, and prouided for him and his company abundantly, being so commaunded by
Mutezuma
, as hée reported afterwarde.
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.
Cortes
enformed them (by his enterpreters) of the cause of his comming into that countrey, as he had vsed in other places, & demaunded whether he the Lorde of this towne were tributary to
Mutezuma
. This
Cazike
being amazed at his question, answered, saying: What is he that is not eyther slaue or vassall to the great
Mutezuma
. Then
Cortes
certified him, who and what the Emperour king of Spayne was, willing him to be his friend and seruitour, & further enquired if he had any golde to sende him some. This
Cazike
answered that he would do nothing without the commaundement of his Lorde, nor yet send his king any golde although he had inough.
Cortes
dissimuled the matter, and helde his peace, yet by and by he desired to knowe the Maiestie and mightie power of
Mutezuma
, the
Cazike
answered, that
Mutezuma
was Lorde of the whole worlde, and that he had thirtie Vassals who were able to make a .100000. men of warre: eche one of them he also certified that he sacrificed .20000. men yerely to his Goddes: And also his dwellyng was in the most beautyfullest and strongest cittie of al that euer was enhabited, likewise (quoth he) his house and courte is moste greate, noble, and replenished with Gentlemen, his riches incredible, and his charges excessiue. And truely therein he sayde the very troth, excepte in the sacrifice wherein he something enlarged, although the slaughter of men for sacrifice in euery temple was very great, yea and some hold opinion, that some yéeres were sacrificed aboue .50000. men. Being in this conuersation, came two Gentilmen of that valley to sée the Spanyardes, and eche of them presented vnto
Cortes
foure women slaues, & certayne collers of golde of small price.
Olintlec
although he was vassall to
Mutezuma
, was a greate Lorde, and had .20000. vassals, and thirtie wiues altogither in his house, beside a 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 w
t
perfumes & great veneratiō. In this place and territorie,
Mutezuma
had .5000. souldiers in garrison, and ordinarie postes from thence to
Mexico
. Vntill this time,
Cortez
had not so amply vnderstoode the mighte and power of
Mutezuma
, yea and though many inconueniences, difficulties, feare, and such like, did represent it selfe vnto him in his iourney to
Mexico
, 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 through
Taxcallon
to goe to
Mexico
, being
Taxcallon
a greate & strong Citie, and warlike people, he dispatched four
Zeampoallanezes
to the Lordes and Captaynes of that Citie, on the behalfe of
Zempoallan
and his owne, offering vnto them his friendship and fauour, giuing them to vnderstande, that those few Christians woulde come vnto their Citie to serue thē, desiring thē to accept the same, thinking assuredly that those of
Taxcallon
would haue done with him as the
Zempoallanezes
had 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 the
Tlaxcaltecas
were their friendes, and so would be his, considering that they were vtter enimies to
Mutezuma
, and willingly would goe with him to the siege of
Mexico
, with desire of libertie, and to reuenge olde iniuries and griefes, whiche they had susteyned many yeares before of the people of
Culhua
.
Cortez
refreshed himselfe in
Zaclotan
fiue dayes, where is a fresh riuer and quiet folke, pulling downe the Idolles, and placed a remembrance of Christ crucifyed, as he hadde done in all the Townes that he had passed.
He toke his leaue of
Olintlec
, leauing him wel pleased, & went to a town two leagues frō thēce along y
e
riuer side, whereof was Lorde
Iztacmixtlitan
, 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. There
Cortes
rested himselfe thrée dayes, abiding the foure messengers whiche he sent from
Zacloton
, to knowe the answere that should be brought.
The first encounter that Cortez had
with the men of Tlaxcallan
A straunge vvall
Cortes
seyng the long tarying of the messengers he departed from
Zaclotan
without any intelligence from
Tlaxcallan
. 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.
Cortes
demaunded the cause of that circuite, and who had buylte it,
Iztacmixtlitan
that wente to beare him company, tolde him that it was but a deuision from their countrey and
Tlaxcallan
, and that their antecessors had made the same to disturbe the entrance of the
Tlaxcaltecas
in time of warre, who came to robbe and murther them, bycause of the friendship betwixte them and
Mutezuma
, whose vassals they were.
That strange and costly wall, séemed a thing of greate maiestie to our Spanyardes, and more superfluous than profitable, yet they suspected that the
Tlaxcaltecas
were valiant warriers, who had suche defense made agaynst them. And as
Cortes
and his army stoode beholding thys worke,
Iztacmixtlitan
thought he had bin afrayde to procéede forward, and prayed him (for so much as he was his Lordes friend) not to passe that way, nor yet through the Countrey of
Tlaxcallan
, for so muche as he wente to visite his maister, for (quoth he) if they knowe you to be my Lordes friende, they will séeke youre displeasure, as they haue done to others, and I will prouide you of guides to leade you continually through the dominion of
Mutezuma
, where you shall be well receyued and prouided, vntil you come to
Mexico
.
But
Mamexi
and the others of
Zempoallan
willed hym to refuse that offer and counsell in any wise, alleadgyng that it was an onely pretence to separate them from the friendship of that prouince, whose people were good, honorable, and valiant, and that
Iztacmixtlitans
perswasion was to prohibite theyr helpe and succoure agaynst
Mutezuma
, willing hym earnestly to giue no credite vnto hys sayings, for he and his allyes are false Traytors, and meante to bryng hym into some snare, where they myghte kill both him and his company, and féede vppon theyr fleshe.
Cortes
for a space was amazed at y
e
talke of y
e
one and the other, but in conclusion he accepted the councell of
Mamexi
, for that he hadde conceyued a better opinion of the
Zeampoallanezes
his allyed friendes, than of the others. And setting all feare asyde, he tooke the way to
Tlaxcallon
, byddyng
Iztacmixtlitā
farewell, and with thrée hundred Souldyers on a ranke, he entred the way in the wall, and procéeded in good order all the way forwardes, carrying the Ordinance ready charged, and he himselfe the leader of all his army, yea and sometimes he woulde be halfe a league before them, to discouer and make the way playne.
And hauing gone the space of thrée leagues from that circuite, 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 fiftéene
Indians
armed with swordes and Targets and tuffes of feathers, whiche they vse to weare in the warres. These fiftéene were spyes, and when they sawe the Horsemen, they beganne to flye with feare, or else to gyue aduise.
Then approched
Cortez
with other thrée horsemen, calling to them to stay, but by no meanes they woulde abyde: then syxe Horsemen ranne after them, an