qualitie of the cöquerers, required a man of noble bloude to gouerne,
wherevpon the Emperour sente thither _Don Antonio de Mendosa_,
brother vnto the Marques _de Moniar_, for viceroy, at whose ariual
there returned from thence _Sebastian Camires_, who had gouerned that
countrey with great discretion and worthy commendation. In recompëce
wherof the Emperour made him president of the chancery of _Valladolid_,
and bishop of _Culuca_. _Don Antonio de Mendosa_ was appointed viceroy
in the yeare .1534. who carried with him many artificers verye experte
in their sciences, likewise through his intercession, a money house was
erected in _Mexico_: he also caused silke to be made and wrought in
that countrey, and planted many Mulbery trées for the same, although
the _Indians_ little care for suche things through their slouthfulnesse
and gret liberty. This viceroy _Don Antonio_, called all the Bishoppes,
cleargy, and learned men togither, to consult vpö ecclesiastical
matters, which tended to the doctrine of the _Indians_. At that instant
was decreed, that the _Indians_ shoulde be instructed only in the latin
tong, which they learned verye wel and also the Spanishe tong. They
learne the Musicke with good wil, especially the flaute: their voyces
are not good for the pricke song. At that season was also decréed,
that no _Indian_ should take order of Priesthood. The viceroy _Don
Antonio_ built certaine townes with Romaine pillers, in honor of the
Emperour, and caused his name to be grauen in Marble. He also began
the Kay or wharfe in the porte of _Medellin_, a costly and necessarie
worke: he also reduced the _Chichimecas_ to ciuel liuing: he spente
muche money in the entraunce of _Sibola_, without any profit, and also
thereby remayned an enemy to _Cortes_. He likewise discouered much land
on the south coast near _Xalixco_: he sente also shippes to _Molluca_,
for spices, which were lost: he behaued himself very prudëtly in the
rebellion time of the _Indians_ of _Piru_.
The Emperour commaunded him afterwarde to goe vnto the _Piru_ for
viceroy, considering the licenciat _Gasca_, who gouerned there,
was returned into Spain, and likewise hauing vnderstood his good
gouernement in the new Spaine, although some complaintes were made of
hym. It grieued _Don Antonio de Mendosa_, to departe from the newe
Spaine, where he founde himselfe wel beloued among the _Indians_,
who had cured him of sundry disseases with bathes of Hearbes, where
before he was starke lame, and also possessed of lands, Cattel, and
other riche things, whiche he was loth to leaue. Likewise he desired
not to haue to deale with other newe men, whose conditions he knewe
not, although he knewe that the _Piruleros_ were stubborne and vnruely
felowes. But of necessitie he was compelled to take that iourney by
lande from _Mexico_ to _Panama_, which standeth fiue hundred leagues
distant, in the yeare a 1851. And that yere came _Don Luys de Valasco_
for viceroie to _Mexico_, who was a Gentleman wise and discrete in his
gouernement. The office of viceroy in the newe Spaine, is a charge of
great honor and profite.
The conuersion of the Indians.
Oh how greately are those _Indians_ bound to prayse God, who being
seruants of Satan, and lost Shéepe, yet it pleased the goodnesse of the
Almighty to haue compassion of thë, who hath giuen them light to come
out of darkenesse, and brought them to the knowledge of theyr cruell
and abhominable life, and hath nowe giuen vnto them the holy Ghost in
baptisme: oh most happie _Cortes_, thy paynes was well employed, oh
valiant Conquerors, your names shall liue for euer. I am now bolde to
saye, that all the lande which is conquered in the new _Spaine_, the
people thereof are generally conuerted vnto the faith of Iesus Chryste:
oh what a greate felicitie is it vnto those blessed Kyngs who were the
beginners thereof.
Some doe saye, that in the newe Spayne onely are conuerted Christians
sixe Millions. Others hold opinion of eyghte Millions. And othersome
doe assuredly affirme, that aboue tenne Millions are Christened. But
in conclusion, I am assured, that within the limittes of four hundred
leagues, there are none vnchristened.
The conuersion began with the Conquest, but wyth the diligence in
prosecuting the warres, little good was done, vntyll the yeare 1524.
and then the matter wente forwarde effectuallye, by reason that
certayne learned menne wente thyther for the same purpose.
At the begynnyng it was a troublesome thyng to teach them, for wante
of vnderstandyng the one of the other, wherefore they procured to
teache the chyldren of Gentlemen whiche were most aptest, the Spanishe
tong, and they likewise learned the _Mexican_ spéeche, in the whiche
language they dayly preached. It was at the firste a paynefull thing
to make them leaue those Idols in whome they hadde euer beléeued, yea
and the Diuell gaue them cruell warres in spirite, and manye times, in
appearing in diuers formes vnto them, threatning, that if they dyd call
vpon the name of Iesus Christ, it should not rayne, and that all their
delight and pleasure shoulde be taken from them, prouoking them still
to Rebellion against the Christians, but his wicked counsell woulde not
preuayle.
Through greate punishmente they haue left off the horrible sinne of
Sodomy, although it was a greate griefe to put away their number of
wiues.
There are nowe in the newe Spayne eyght Byshoprikes, whereof one is an
Archbishoprike.
The death of Hernando
_Cortes_.
There was a greate contention betwéene _Hernando Cortes_, and _Don
Antonio de Mendosa_, the Vizeroy, as concerning the prouince of
_Sibola_, for each of them pretended a title vnto the same through the
Emperoures gift, the one by meanes of his office of Vizeroy, and the
other by his office of Captayne Generall, vpon the whyche matter they
grewe into such hatred, that perfyte friendshippe coulde neuer after
take place betwéene them, although at the beginning they were familiar
and louing friendes: but malice grewe to such extremitie, that eache of
them wrote vndecently agaynste other, to the Emperoure theyr maister,
the whyche theyr doyngs blemished both theyr credites.
_Cortes_ wente to lawe with the Licenciat _Villa Lobos_ the Kings
Attourney, aboute certayne of his vassals, and also the Vizeroy
assisted agaynste him as muche as hée myghte. Vpon consideration
whereof, he was enforced to come into Spayne in Anno 1540. and broughte
_Don Martin_ his sonne and heyre, béeyng a childe of eyghte yeares of
age, and hys sonne _Don Luys_, to serue the Prince: he came very riche,
but not so riche as the fyrste time. He entred into great friendship
with the Cardinal _Loaisa_, and the Secretarie _Cobos_, but it
preuayled not, for the Emperoure was gone into Flanders about matters
of Gant.
In the yeare 1541. the Emperoure personally wente to the séege of
Argell with a mightie armye, and _Cortez_ with his two sonnes went also
thither to serue him with a good companye of men and Horses, but it
pleased God to raise vp suche a tempest, wherewith the most parte of
the fléete perished. _Cortes_ then being in the Galley of _Don Henrike
Enrikes_, called the _Esperanca_, and fearing to lose his rich emraldes
and other Iewels at the time that the Galley was driuen by violence of
weather vpon the shore, he then bound about him the sayde fyue rich
emraldes, estéemed in a hundred thousande Duckates, yet notwithstanding
through the throng of people, and hast to escape out of oese and mire,
the Iewels fell from him, who could neuer heare more of them, so that
the present warres cost hym more than any other, except the Emperoures
maiestie, although _Andrea de Oria_ lost eleuen Galleys.
But the losse of treasure gréeued hym not so much, as the excluding
hym out of the Counsell of the warres, whereas other yong Gentlemen
of lesse knowledge and abilitie were accepted, which was a cause of
greate murmuryng among the host. And where in the counsell of warre
it was determined to leaue the séege and to depart, it gréeued manye,
whereupon _Cortes_ made an open offer, that he alone with the Spanishe
nation would presume to take _Argell_, hauyng but the one halfe of the
_Tudescos_ and _Italians_, if it woulde please the Emperoure to graunte
vnto hym the enterprise. The Souldyers on the lande dyd hyghly commende
hys courage, but the Sea menne woulde giue no eare vnto him, so that
it is thoughte that the offer came not to the Emperoures knowledge.
_Cortes_ wente vp and downe in the Courte a long season, being sore
afflicted in a certaine sute aboute hys vassals, and also the processe
and allegations of _Nunio de Guzman_, layde vnto hys charge in hys
residence. The whole processe was séene in the counsell of _Indias_,
but iudgemente was neuer pronounced, whyche was a greate hartes ease
for _Cortes_. And then hée departed from the Courte towarde Siuill,
with determinate wyll to passe vnto the newe Spayne, and to ende his
lyfe in _Mexico_, and also to receyue the Lady Mary, _Cortes_ hys
daughter, who was come from _India_, and promised in marriage vnto _Don
Aluar Perez Osorio_, with a hundred thousande Duckates in dowry, and
hyr apparell, but the marriage tooke no effecte, through the faulte of
_Don Aluar_ and hys father.
He then fell sicke of a flixe and indisgestion, whiche endured long,
so that on hys iourney towarde the Citie of Siuill, he departed thys
transitory lyfe, in a little Village called _Castilleia de La Cuesta_,
whyche standeth a myle from the Citie of Siuill, on the seconde of
December Anno 1547. béeyng thréescore and thrée yeares of age.
His body was deposited w^t y^e dukes of _Medina Sidonia_.
He left a Sonne and thrée Daughters begotten of the Lady _Iane de
Zuniga_ his wife, his Sonne was called _Don Martin Cortes_, who did
inherite his fathers estate, and was married vnto the Lady _Ana de
Arellano_, his cousine, daughter to the Countie _De Aguilar_, by order
of his father.
The doughters vnto _Cortes_ were named as foloweth, the lady _Donea
Maria_, _Donea Catalina_, and _Donea Iuana_ who was the yongest. He
had another Sonne by an _Indian_ woman, and he was called _Don Martin
Cortez_. He had also another base sonne by a Spanish woman, who was
named _Don Luys Cortez_, and thrée daughters by thrée seuerall _Indian_
women.
_Cortez_ buylt an hospitall in _Mexico_, and gaue order for a Colledge
to be also erected there. He builte also a Temple in _Coioacan_, where
he willed in his Testament that his bones shoulde be buried at the
charges of his Sonne and heyre. He situated foure thousand Ducates of
rent, whiche yéeldeth yéerely his houses in _Mexico_ for the purpose
aforesayd, of the which foure thousande Ducates, two thousand should be
to maynteyne the Studients in the Colledge.
...
FINIS.
A Table expressyng the Chapiters
vvhiche are conteyned in this
_Historie_.
The birth and lynage of Hernando Cortez. Fol. 1.
The age of Cortes vvhen he passed into India. 2
The time that Cortes abode in Santo Domingo. 5
Things that happened to Cortes in the lande of Cula. 6
The discouery of the nevv Spayne. 10.
The inuentory of the treasure that Griialua brought. 12
The determinatiö of Cortes to prepare a fleete for discouery. 16
The nauy and men that Cortes caried to the Conquest. 20
The oration made by Cortes to his Souldiers. 24
The entraunce of Cortes into the Iland of Acusamil. 25
The Indiäs of Acusamil gaue nevves of bearded men. 29
A miraculous chaunce hovv Aguillar came to Cortes. 31
The Iland of Acusamil. 35
The religion of the people of Acusamil. 40
The battell of Potonchan. 41
The battell of Cintla. 43
The Lord Tauasco yeeldeth to the Christians. 46
Questions demaunded by Cortes of the Cacike Tauasco. 48
Hovve the Indians of Potonchan brake dovvne their Idols. 50
The good entertaynement that Cortes had in Saint Iohn de Vlhua. 51
The talke of Cortes vvith Teudilli. 55
The presente by Mutezuma vnto Cortes. 58
Hovve Cortes knevv of discorde in the countrey. 61
Hovve Cortes vvent to suruey the countrey vvith .400. men. 64
Hovve Cortes rendred vp his office by pollicie. 67
Hovve the Souldiers chose Cortes for their Captayne generall. 69
The receeuing of Cortes into Zempoallan. 72
The talke of the Lorde of Zempoallan vvith Cortes. 76
Things that happened vnto Cortes in Chiauiztlan. 80
The message sent by Cortes to Mutezuma. 83
The rebellion done by the industry of Cortes. 85
The fundation of the riche tovvne of Vera Crux. 88
The taking of Tizapanfinca. 90
The presente that Cortes sente to the Emperour Charles for his
fifth parte. 92
Letters in generall from the Magistrates of Vera Crux to the
Emperour. 97
An vprore among the Souldiers agaynst Cortes, and the correction
for the same. 100
Cortes caused all his shippes to bee sunke, a vvorthy fact. 102
Hovv the inhabitantes of Zempoallan brake dovvne their Idolles.
104.
Hovv Olintlec exalted the mightie povver of Mutezuma. 107
The first encounter that Cortes had vvith the men of Tlaxcallan.
112
Hovve there ioyned a hundreth and fiftie thousande men agaynst
Cortes. 116
The threatenings of the Indian campe agaynst the Spaniardes. 120
Hovve Cortes cut off the handes of fiftie espies. 124
The Embassage that Mutezuma sent vnto Cortes. 126
Hovve Cortes vvanne the Cittie of Zimpanzinco. 129
The desire that some of the Spanierdes had to leaue the vvarres.
132
The oration made by Cortes to his Souldiers. 133
Hovv Xicotencatl came for Embassadour to Cortes his campe. 136
The receiuing of Cortes into Tlaxcallan. 136
The description of Tlaxcallan. 141
The ansvvere of the Tlaxcaltecas touchyng the leauyng of their
Idolles. 145
The discorde betvvene the Mexicans and the Tlaxcaltecas. 147
The solemne receyuing of the Spaniardes into Chololla. 148
The conspiracie of the Cholollans against the Spaniardes. 152
The punishment for conspiracy. 155
The sanctuary among the Indians vvas Chololla. 158
The hill called Popocatepec. 160
The consultation of Mutezuma cöcerning the cöming of Cortes into
Mexico. 162
Things that happened to Cortes in his iourney tovvarde Mexico. 164.
The solemne pompe vvherevvith Cortes vvas receyued into Mexico. 169
The Oration of Mutezuma to the Spaniardes. 172
The Maiestie and order vvhervvith Mutezuma vvas serued at his
table. 175
The foote players that played before Mutezuma. 178
The tennys play in Mexico. 179
The number of vviues that Mutezuma had. 181
A house of foule vvhiche vvere only preserued for the feathers. 183
A house of fovvle for havvking. 184
The armory of Mutezuma. 186
The gardens of Mutezuma. 187
The court and guarde of Mutez. 188
The greate subiection of the people to their King. 189
The situation of Mexico. 192
The market place of Mexico. 196
The great temple of Mexico. 201
The Idols of Mexico. 204
The charnell house of Mexico. 206
Hovv Cortes tooke Mutezuma prisoner. 207
The recreation of hunting vvhiche Mutezuma vsed. 212
Hovve Cortes beganne to plucke dovvne the Idols of Mexico. 214
The exhortation made by Cortes to Mutezuma and the Citizens for
the abolishing of Idolles. 215
The burning of the Lorde Qualpopoca and other Gentlemen. 219
The cause of the burnyng of Qualpopoca. 220
Hovv Cortes put a paire of gyues on Mutezuma his legges. 221
Hovve Cortes sente to seeke for the mynes of golde in diuers
places. 223
The imprisonment of Cacama king of Tezcuco. 227
The sorovvfull oration that Mutezuma made vnto his noble men, to
yeeld them to the Emperour. 230
The golde and Ievvels that Mutezuma gaue vnto Cortes for his first
tribute. 233
Hovve Mutezuma required Cortes to depart from Mexico. 235
The feare that our men stande in to be sacrificed. 239
Hovv Iames Velasques sente Pamfilo de Naruaez agaynst Cortes. 241.
The substaunce of a letter that Cortes vvrote vnto Naruaez. 244
The talke of Naruaiz to the Indians, and his ansvvere to Cortes.
246.
The talke that Cortes had vvith his ovvne Souldiers. 249
The requestes of Cortes to Mutezuma. 251
The imprisonment of Pamfilo de Naruaiz. 252
The rebellion of Mexico. 256
The cause of the rebellion. 259
The threatnings of the Mexicans against the Spaniardes. 261
The great daüger that our më vvere put in by the straungers. 263
The death of Mutezuma. 266
The combat betvveene the Spaniardes and the Indians. 268
Hovve the Mexicans refused the offer of peace and amitie. 271
Hovv Cortes fledde from Mexico. 274.
The battell of Otumpan. 280
The entertaynement of the Spaniardes at their returne to
Tlaxcallan. fol. 283
The protestation and request of the Souldiers to Cortes. 286
The oration made by Cortes in ansvvere to his Souldiers demaunde.
289
The vvarres of Tepcacac. 292
The great auctoritie that Cortes had among the Indians. 294
The Vergätines that Cortes caused to be buylte, and the Spanyerdes
vvhiche he had to besiege Mexico. 296
The exhortation of Cortes to his Souldiers. 298
The exhortation made to the Indians of Tlaxcallan. 301
Hovv Cortes tooke Tezcuco. 302
The Spaniardes vvhich vvere sacrifised in Tezcuco. 307
Hovv the Vergätines vvere brought from Tlaxcallan to Tezcuco. 310.
Of the docke or trenche vvhiche vvas made to lanche the
Vergantines. 311
The order of the hoste and army to besiege Mexico. 314
The battell and victory of the Vergantines agaynst the Canoas. 316
Hovve Cortes besieged Mexico. 320.
The firste skirmishe vvithin the Citie of Mexico. 322
The great hurte and damage in the house of Mexico by fire. 327
Things that happened to Pedro de Aluarado through his bolde
attempt. 329
The triumph & sacrifice vvhich the Mexicans made for victory. 331
The determination of Cortes to destroy Mexico. 336
The hungar and infirmitie vvhiche the Mexicans suffered vvith
great courage. 340
The imprisonment of Quahutimoc. 343.
The taking of Mexico. 347
Maruelous signes and tokens of the destruction of Mexico. 349
The buylding vp agayne of the Citie of Mexico. 352
Hovv the Emperour sent to take account of Cortes his gouernment.
354.
The death of the Licenciat Luys Ponce. 358
Hovv Cortes came into Spaine. 359
The honour vvhiche the Emperour shevved vnto Cortes vvith
revvarde. 361
The mariage of Cortes. 362
Hovv the Chancery vvas firste placed in Mexico. 364
The returne of Cortes to Mexico. 367.
The letters vvhich the Indians vsed in Mexico. 369
The Mexican yeare. 371
The Indians beleeued that fiue ages vvere paste, &c. 377
The nation of the Indians called Chichimecas. 378
The Coronation of the Kings of Mexico. 379
The opinion of the Mexicans concerning the soule. 382
The buriall of kings in Mexico. 383
The order of the burial of the kings of Michuacan. 386
The order of Matrimony among the Indians. 389
Of the iudges and order of Iustice. 391.
The order of cruell sacrifice vsed among the Indians. 392
The order of certayne religions vvomen. 396
Hovv the Diuell appeared to the Indians in a strange forme. 398
The viceroys of Mexico. 399
The conuersion of the Indians. 401
The death of Hernädo Cortes. 402
FINIS.
TRANSCRIBER'S ENDNOTE.
Inconsistent and strange spelling and grammar has been retained,
with a few exceptions noted below. Sidenotes have been moved from
beside paragraphs to the heads of the associated paragraphs. In some
cases this may result in several sidenotes appearing together, between
paragraphs. Italic type was used freely in the printed book. In this
text version, _italic phrases_ are surrounded by underscores.
This book was printed in a kind of blackletter textura or fraktur
typeface which contained three ligatures now uncommon, and which may
be described as: SMALL E OVER SMALL Y, SMALL T OVER SMALL Y, and SMALL
T OVER SMALL W. These have been rendered herein with superscript
notation: y^e, y^t, and w^t. These are abbreviations for "ye", "that",
and "with".
The letters "a", "e", "o", and "u" originally printed with macrons are
rendered in this Latin-1 text version with diaeresis. This notation
signifies that the following sound should be "n" or "m", as in "amög",
meaning "among".
Certain names such as "Mutezuma" or "Vitzilopuchtli" were generally
printed in italic type, and were sometimes printed with what
appears to the transcriber to be an interior capital Z, like this:
"VitZilopuchtli". These have all been rendered with small z.
Occasionally commas were printed where full stops were wanted, and vice
versa. These have sometimes been fixed without comment.
This book was originally printed with some incorrect page numbers. For
one example, starting at page 32, the sequence of printed numbers was
32, 37, 34, 35, 40, 41, 38, 39, 37, 41, 42, 43. . . . The printed page
numbers have been discarded in this ebook. In the following notes, the
page numbers referenced are the printed ones.
P. 23: "vergan ines" changed to "vergantines".
P. 47: "crrtaine" changed to "certaine".
P. 50: "_Tauasco_ _Cortez_" changed to "_Tauasco_, _Cortez_".
P. 58: In "of siluer whiche wayde .25. markes", the text between
"wayde" and "markes" was somewhat unclear.
P. 100: The word after "Ierome Friers" was unclear, but a different
edition had "dame", which is adopted herein.
P. 170: In "as i paynted of the Antikes", changed "i" to "is",
supported by a different edition of the book.
P. 179: "butttocke" changed to "buttocke".
P. 209: "crosse stéete" changed to "crosse stréete", supported by a
different edition.
P. 218: "officers made a solëpne vowe" changed to "officers made a
solëne vowe".
P. 309: "deblared" to "declared".
P. 312: "entefrayned" to "entertayned".
P. 375: "Chicoei Cipactti" to "Chicoei Cipactli".
P. 390: "Diuoremcent" to "Diuorcement".
P. 395: "solempnitie" to "solemnitie".
P. 400: "prudëtdently" to "prudëtly".