Part 10

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.]

These _Indians_ were great braggers, and sayde among themselues, what madde people are these that threatneth vs and yet knoweth vs not. But if they will be so bolde to inuade our countrey without our licence, let vs not sette vpon them so soone, it is méete they haue a litle reste, for we haue tyme inough to take & binde them, let vs also sende them meate for they are commen with empty stomackes: And againe they shall not say that we do apprehende them with wearinesse and hunger. Wherevpon they sent vnto the Christians thrée hundreth Gynnea cockes, and two hundreth baskets of bread called _Centli_. The whiche present was a great sucker for the néede that they stoode in. And soone after (quoth they) nowe let vs goe and sette vpon them, for by this time they haue eaten their meate, and nowe wée will eate them, and so shall they pay vs the victuals that we sent: likewise we wil know if _Mutezuma_ commaunded them to come into our countrey, or who else. And if he sente them, then let him come and deliuer them: and if it be their owne enterpryse, they shall receyue theyr reward accordingly. These and such like bragges they vsed, seing so fewe Spaniardes before them, and not knowyng their strength. Then the foure Captaynes sente twoo thousande of their valiantest men of warre and olde Souldiers, to take the Spanyardes quietly, with commaundement that if they did resist, either to binde them or else to kill them, meanyng not to sette their whole army vpon them, saying that they shoulde gette but small honour for so great a multitude, to fight agaynst so fewe. The twoo thousande Souldiers passed the trench that was betwixt the twoo campes, and came boldely to the Tower where the Christians were. Then came foorth the Horsemen, and after them the footemen, and at the first encounter they made the _Indians_ féele howe the yron swordes woulde cutte: and at the seconde, they shewed of what force those fewe in number were, of whome a little before they had so iested: But at the thirde brunte they made those lusty Souldiers fly, who were come to apprehende them, for none of them escaped, but onely suche as knewe the passage of the trenches or ditche.

Then the mayne battell and whole army sette foorth with a terrible and maruellous noyse, and came so fierce vppon our menne, till they entred into our campe without any resistaunce, and there were at handye strokes and wrastlyng with the Spanyardes, and in a good space coulde not gette them out, killyng many of them whiche were so bolde to enter: and in this sorte they fought foure howers, before they coulde make way among their enimies. And then the _Indians_ began to faynt, seyng so many dead on theyr side, and the greate woundes they had, and that they coulde kill none of the Christians: yet the battayle ceased not till it drewe neare night and then they retyred. Whereof _Cortes_ and his Souldiers were excéedyng gladde, for they were fully weried with killyng of _Indians_, so that all that nighte our men triumphed with more ioy than feare, consideryng that the _Indians_ fought not by night, they slepte and tooke their reste at pleasure, whiche they had not done til that tyme, but alwayes kept bothe watche and warde.

The _Indians_ finding many of their hoste missyng, yet they would not yéelde themselues as ouercome, as after did appeare. They coulde not well tell howe many were slayne, nor yet our men had leasure to count them.

[Sidenote: Cortes vvas a painfull man.]