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.
[Sidenote: 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.
[Sidenote: A straunge ioy.]
And in token that he had receyued that cömission 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
fashiös, before whom they sacrificed men, doues, quayles, & other
things w^t perfumes & great veneratiö. 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 valiät 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 thë, desiring thë 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, euë 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 frö thëce 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_.
[Sidenote: A straunge vvall.]
_Cortes_ seyng the long tarying of the messengers he departed from
_Zaclotan_ without any intelligence from _Tlaxcallan_. Our cäp 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 _Iztacmixtlitä_ 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, 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 the _Indians_ slewe two of theyr Horses, and
as the _Spanyardes_ doe 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 thousande _Indians_
in 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.
[Sidenote: A subtill message.]
Thys done, the _Indians_ sente vnto _Cortes_ two of the foure
messengers whiche hadde bin sente thither before wyth other _Indians_,
saying, that the _Tlaxcaltecas_ knewe 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.
Yet _Cortes_ beléeued 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 thë, as that the _Indians_ shoulde
thinke that Horses could dye, or be slayne.
_Cortez_ procéeded 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.
Hovv there ioyned a hundred and fiftie
_thousand men against Cortez_.
The next morning at Sunne rising, _Cortez_ departed 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
of _Zempoallan_, who departed from them at _Zaclotan_: they came
with pitifull chéere, exclayming of the Captaynes of the power of
_Tlaxcallan_, 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 thousande _Indians_, 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.
[Sidenote: First battayle.]
[Sidenote: 80000. më.]
[Sidenote: Seconde battayle.]
_Cortes_ made 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 entët 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 vpö 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 valiät, and also pitched
in a better place for fight. This battell endured certaine houres, and
at the ende the _Indians_ being 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 of _Indians_ armed, 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 the _Indian_ friends. Likewise the courage of _Cortes_ did 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 many _Indians_ slayne 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
of _Indians_ their enimies with muche ioye and pleasure of the
victory. Then they wente to pitche their campe in a village called
_Teoacazinco_, where was a little Tower and a Temple, and there
fortified themselues, and buylte cotages of bowes and strawe. The
_Indians_ of _Zeampoallan_, and those of _Iztacmixtlitan_ did play
the valiant men that day, wherfore _Cortes_ honoured them with harty
thankes.
[Sidenote: The care of good souldiers.]
This day was the first of September. The night followyng our men slepte
not quietly with feare of inuasion of their enimies, but they came
not, for they neuer vse to fighte in the nighte season. And as soone
as it was day _Cortes_ sente to the Captaynes of _Tlaxcallan_, to
requyre them of peace and friendshippe, willyng them quietly to suffer
the passage through their countrey to _Mexico_, for that they meant
them no hurte but rather good will. This done, hée lefte twoo hundreth
Spanyardes and the Carreirs in the campe. And tooke with him other twoo
hundreth, with seuen hundreth _Indians_, and wente with them abrode to
skirmishe in the face of their enimies, and at that tyme burned fiue
or sixe villages, and returned with foure hundreth prysoners, without
receyuyng any hurte, although they followed him to his campe. At his
returne he founde the answere of the Captaynes his enimies, whiche was,
that the next day they would come and talke with him and declare theyr
mindes.
[Sidenote: 150000. men.]
_Cortes_ was well preuented that night, for the answere liked him not,
but rather séemed braue, and a matter determined to be done as they had
sayde: lykewise those whiche were taken prysoners, certified that his
enimies were ioyned togither to the nüber of a .150000. më to giue him
battaile the next day folowing, & to swallow thë aliue whom so mortally
they did hate, thinking thë to be friëds to _Mutezuma_, vnto whom they
wished all euil & mischief.
[Sidenote: Indian armour.]
It was moste true that the _Tlaxcaltecas_ had gathered all their whole
power to apprehende the bearded menne, and to make of them a more
solemne sacrifice vnto their Goddes, than at any time heretofore they
had done, with a generall banquet of their flesh, which they called
Celestial. The Captaines of _Tlaxcallan_ deuided their souldiers into
foure battayles, the one to _Tepeticpac_, another to _Ocotelulco_,
the third to _Tizatlan_, and the fourth to _Quiahuiztlan_, that is to
say, the men of the Mountaynes, the men of the Lymepittes, the men of
the Pinetrées, and the water men, euery of these had their Lardes and
Captaynes whome they shoulde repayre vnto and obey, and all these foure
sortes of men dothe make the body of the common weale and cittie, and
also commaunde both in tyme of warre and peace. So that euery of these
Captaynes had his iust portion or number of warriers, but the general
of al the whole army was called _Xicotencatl_, who was of the Limepits:
and he had the standart of the cittie, which is a Crane of gold with
his wings spred, adorned with Emeralds & siluerworke, which standart
is according to their vse, either caried before the whole host or else
behinde thë all. The second Captaine or Lieuetenant was _Maxixcazin_,
& the number of the whole army was .150000. men. Such a great number
they had ready against .400. Spaniardes & yet at length ouercome:
neuerthelesse after all this broyle, they were most greatest friends.
These foure captains came w^t their cöpany that the fields where they
were séemed a forest. They were trimme felowes & well armed according
to their vse, although they were paynted so that their faces shewed
like diuels with great tuffes of feathers and triumphed gallantly.
They had also slinges, staues, speares, swordes, bowes and arrowes,
skulles, splintes, gantlettes all of wood, gilte or else couered with
feathers or leather, their corselets were made of cotten woolle, their
targettes and bucklers gallant and strong, made of woodde couered with
leather, and trimmed with laton and feathers, theyr swordes were staues
with an edge of flint stone cunningly ioyned into the staffe, which
woulde cutte very well and make a sore wounde.
The host (as is declared) was deuided into foure parts, their
instrumentes of warre were hunters hornes, and drummes called attabals
made like a caldron and couered with vellam. So that the Spanyardes in
all the discouery of _India_ did neuer sée a better army togither nor
better ordered.
The threatning of the Indian campe
_agaynst the Spanyardes_.
[Sidenote: A present.]
[Sidenote: A reckning made before the hoste.]
[Sidenote: Battayle.]