Part 11
The nexte day in the mornyng _Cortes_ wente forth to runne the fieldes as he had done before, leauing halfe his menne to kéepe the campe, and bicause he shoulde not be espied he departed before day, & burned aboute .x. townes, and sacked one towne, whiche was of thrée thousande houses, in the whiche were founde but few folke of fight, bycause the moste of them were gone to their campe: After the spoyle, he set fire on the towne and came his way to his campe with a great pray by noone time. The enimies pursued thinkyng to take away their pray, and followed them into the camp, where they fought fiue houres and could not kill one Spaniarde, although many of their side were slaine: for euen as they were many and stoode on a throng togither, the ordinaunce made a wonderfull spoyle among them, so that they lefte off fighting, and the victory remayned for our men. The _Indians_ thought that the Spanyardes were inchaunted bycause their arrowes coulde not hurte them.
[Sidenote: A straunge presente.]
The nexte day followyng, the foure Captaynes sente thrée seuerall things in present to _Cortes_, and the messengers that brought them sayd: Sir behold here fiue slaues, and if thou be that rigorous God that eatest mans fleshe and bloud, eate these whiche we bring vnto thée, and we will bring thée moe. And if thou be the gentle and méeke God, beholde here Franckinsense and Feathers. And if thou be mortal man, take here foule, bread, & Cherries.
_Cortes_ answered, that both he and his were mortal men euen as they were. And bicause that alwayes he had vsed to tell them trouth, wherfore did they vse to tell him lies, and lykewise to flatter him, for he desired to bée their friende, aduising them not to be madde and stubborne in their opinion, for if they so did, assuredly they shoulde receyue great hurte and dammage. Likewise (quoth he) it is apparant vnto you how many of your side are slayne without the losse of one of mine, and with this answere sent them away. Notwithstanding the answere sent, there came aboute .30000. of them euen to _Cortes_ his campe to proue their Corselettes, as they had done the day before, but they returned with brokë pates. Here is to be noted, that although the first day the whole host of _Indians_ came to combat with our men, & finally all they came to fight, yet the next day they did not so, but euery seueral captaine by himselfe, for to deuide the better the trauayle & paynes equally amög them: & bicause that one should not disturbe another through y^e multitude, considering that they should fight but with a few, & in a narrow place, & for this consideration, their battayles were more fresher & stronger, for eche captaine did contende who should do most valiantly, for to get honour, & especially in killyng one Spaniarde, for they thought that all their hurtes shoulde be satisfied with the death of one Spaniarde, or taking one prisoner.
[Sidenote: Indian policie.]
Likewyse is to bée considered, the straungenesse of their battayle, for not withstandyng their controuersse all those fiftene dayes that they were there, whether they fought or no. The _Indians_ sente vnto the Spanyardes cakes of breade, Gynnea cockes and Cherries. But this polycie was not to giue them that meate for good will, but onely to espie and sée what hurte was done amongst them, and also to sée what feare or stomacke they had to procéede: but the Spanyardes fell not into that reckenyng, for the espies of _Tlaxcallan_ sayde, that none had fought with them but certayne outlawes and knaues called _Otomies_, who lyued as vagaboundes without a Lorde or other ruler: And that they were théeues, who had theyr abyding behinde a hill, whiche they poynted vnto with their hande.
Hovv Cortez cut off the handes _of fiftie Indian espies_.
The nexte day after these presentes were sente vnto them as Goddes, whiche was the sixte of September, there came to the Campe fiftie _Indians_ of _Tlaxcallan_, whiche séemed after theyr sorte honest menne, and gaue vnto _Cortes_ bread, cherries, & Gynnea cocks, as they ordinarily vsed to do, enquiring how all his Spaniardes did and what they meant to doe, and whether they stoode in necessitie of any thing. And after this communication they went vp and downe the camp, gasing and beholding the horses, armour and artillery, and seemed amased to sée such things. But the effect of their cöming was the office of espies.
[Sidenote: The good aduise of a friende.]
_Teuche_ of _Zempoallan_ marking these things, who being of a childe brought vp in wars, by reason wherof he was expert and wise, came vnto _Cortes_, saying, sir it semeth not well, y^t these _Tlaxcaltecas_ wander vp & downe your campe beholding the entrance and going out of the same, to beholde likewise the fortitude and weakenesse of youre power, I like it not: It may please you to make enquirie whether they be espyes or no. _Cortez_ hauing heard hys tale, gaue him hartie thankes for his good aduice, yea and maruelled, that neyther he himselfe, nor none of his Spanyardes had noted the thing, the _Indians_ hauing so many dayes come vnto them after this sort, yea and that only _Indian_ of _Zempoallan_ had considered it.
[Sidenote: Confessiö.]
Nowe the originall cause was not bycause _Teuch_ was more wise than the Christians, but by reason that hée had séene and heard those _Indians_ commune with the subiectes of _Iztacmixtlitan_ to féele their mindes, and wyth craft and subtiltie to obteyne their desire: whereby _Cortez_ vnderstoode that those fellowes came not to any good purpose: he apprehended that _Indian_ whiche stoode nexte vnto him, and hauing him alone from his fellowes, by his interpreters examined him effectually, who incontinent confessed that he was a spye, and that his comming thither was to view the way how to enter their Campe for to spoyle and burne their Tentes: and for so much as they hadde proued fortune all the houres of the day, and all happened contrary to their desire, against their auncient fame and glory which they hadde obteyned by noble exploytes in warres, they now meant to proue their successe by nighte, hoping of better fortune: and also bycause their souldiers shoulde not feare the Horses, with the darkenesse of the nighte, nor the blowes or stripes of the bright swordes, nor yet the fire and terrible noyse of the Ordinance: and that Captayne _Xicoteucatl_ was alreadye appoynted for that enterprise, with prouision of manye thousand souldiers which lay in ambush in a vale behind certayne hilles, right ouer against their Campe.
[Sidenote: A good correction.]
After this confession taken, _Cortes_ full prudently commaunded to take also the severall confessions of other foure or fyue, who likewise confessed that they were all espies, vppon whose confessions the were al fiftie taken prisoners, and iudgmente giuen, that their one hande should be cut off, which was forthwith executed, and then were returned to their Camp, signifying vnto them that the like iustice should be executed vpon as many espyes as they might take. And also they were charged to shew vnto their Generall who had sente them, that both daye and night he would be ready for them.
When the _Tlaxcaltecas_ sawe their espyes come in thys pickle, they were in a maruellous feare, and it séemed a newe world vnto them: they also beléeued that oure men hadde some familiar spirites that did instructe them of their thoughtes, and with feare of cutting off häds, there went no moe espies with victuals.
An embassage that Mutezuma sente _to Hernando Cortez_.
[Sidenote: A carefull Captayne.]
VVhen these espyes were gone, oure men espyed out of our Campe a great multitude of men goe crossing ouer a hill, and it séemed that they were those that the Captayne _Xicotencatl_ hadde in ambush: and although it was néere night, _Cortes_ determined to followe them, and not to abide their comming, fearing that at a first brunt they mighte set fire among his cotages, as was pretended among them, whiche pretence hauing taken effecte, myght haue bin the destruction of all his men, eyther by the fier or otherwise: wherefore he put all his men in good order, and commaunded the Horsemenne to decke the brest plates of hys Horses with belles, and then procéeded towarde their enimies, who durst not abide their comming, hauing intelligence of the cutting of their espyes hands, and likewise hearing the new noyse of belles: yet oure men followed them tyll two houres within night, through many sowen fieldes of _Centli_, and slew many of thë, and then returned with victorie to the Campe.
[Sidenote: Ambassage from Mutezuma.]
At that season were come sixe noble men from _Mexico_, who brought two hundred seruing men to wayt vpon them. They brought vnto _Cortes_ a present, whiche was a hundred garments of cotten, and some of feathers, and a thousand péeces of golde.
[Sidenote: Excuses.]
These ambassadors on the behalfe of _Mutezuma_, declared, that their Lord would be friende with the Emperoure, and also with him, and his company, requestyng to knowe what tribute he woulde yearely demaunde, in golde, plate, pearles, slaues, or garments, or of any other thing that was within his kingdome, and the same tribute he woulde well and truly pay withoute delay, wyth such condition, that neyther he nor his company shoulde come vnto _Mexico_. And this request (quoth they) is not only bycause you should bée disturbed to come into hys countrey, but chiefly bycause the waye is euill, barren, and full of euill rockes, whyche lette dothe gréeue _Mutezuma_, that suche valiant menne as ye be shoulde suffer in his Countrey, lying not in hys power to remedie it.
_Cortez_ dyd thankefully receyue the present and gentle offer for the Emperoure King of _Castile_, but (quoth hée) my earnest desire is, that you depart not til ye sée the end of these warres whyche I haue nowe in hande, bycause yée shall carrie newes thereof to _Mexico_, what I pretende to doe againste these mortall enimies of _Mutezuma_.
Then _Cortez_ fel into an ague, for which cause he went not out to skyrmish as he was wonte to do, but only prouided to make his Camp strong against certaine flockes of _Indians_, whiche came dayly to skirmishe, for that was as ordinarie, as the meate that was wont to be broughte to thë: but yet these skirmishes nor furie of y^e _Indiäs_ were not like to their fierce beginning.
_Cortez_ now meaneth to take a purgation for his ague: and tooke certayne pilles whiche he broughte with him from _Cuba_, at suche houre of the nighte as is vsed for purgations.
It happened that the nexte daye following, before hys purge had wrought, came thrée great companies of _Indians_ to besiege his Camp. It should séeme that those _Indians_ had some intelligence of his sicknesse, or else thinking with feare that he durst not come abroade as he was wont to doe.
[Sidenote: A valiant Captayne.]
_Cortes_ being aduertised of this newes, withoute anye more respect to his purgation taken, tooke his horse, and with his menne came to the encounter, and foughte with his enimies all day till it was nighte, and draue them a good way off, to their great hurt, and then returned to his Camp, and the next day following, he purged as fresh, as though it had bin newly taken. I doe not rehearse thys for a miracle but to declare what he passed: for _Hernando Cortez_ was a greate sufferer of trauell and paynes, and one of y^e firste that alway was at any assay or brunt of enimies, and he was not onely a good man of his handes, but also graue in counsell. And hauing thus purged hym selfe, and taken rest those dayes, he watched euery night that fell to his lotte, as well as any other souldier, and so continually he vsed to do. He was not for this the lesse estéemed, but rather muche the more beloued among hys men.
Hovv Cortez vvan a great Citie _called Zimpanzinco_.
[Sidenote: An euill Spirite appeared.]
[Sidenote: A couragious Captayne.]
In an euening _Cortes_ went vp to the toppe of his Tower, and looking rounde aboute hym, he espyed aboute foure leagues distant in the Mountaynes among rockes and procéeding out of a wodde dyuers smokes, whereby he ymagined people to be there: he opened not his minde to anye man, but commaunded two hundred of his men to followe hym, and some _Indians_ hys friendes, and within thrée or foure houres of the nyghte he toke hys iourney towarde the Mountaynes, béeing very darke. He had not fully gone a league, when suddaynely appeared the lykenesse of a great Bull whiche ouerthrewe them that they could not stirre. The firste Horseman béeing fallen, they aduysed _Cortez_ thereof, who aunswered, that he shoulde returne wyth hys Horse to the Campe: and incontinente fell another, _Cortez_ commaunded hym the lyke: and when thrée or foure were fallen, his company retyred, saying, it was an euill token, desiring him to returne and abyde the morning, that they myghte sée whether they wente. He aunswered, saying, yée oughte to gyue no credite to witchcraftes or fantasies, for God, whose cause we take in hande, is aboue all nature: wherefore I will not leaue my pretended iourney, for I doe ymagine that of thys nyghtes trauell shall come greate ease and pleasure, saying, that the Deuill hathe in this forme of a Bull appeared, to disturbe vs. He hadde no sooner ended his talke, when hys Horse fell likewise: then counsell was taken what was best to be done.
It was determined that the Horses which were fallë, should be returned to the Campe, and that of the residue, eache Horseman should leade hys Horse by the bridle, and so proceede on theyr way, and shortly after the Horses were well agayne, but they neuer knewe of what motion they hadde fallen: wyth the darkenesse of the nyghte they lost theyr way to the Mountaynes, and chanced into a cragged rockie waye, that they thoughte neuer to haue come out thereof.
[Sidenote: A famous Cortez.]
And after a whyle that they had gone this euill waye, wyth their heare standing with very feare, they espyed a little lyghte, and tooke the way thyther, where they founde a little house, wherein were two Women, and those Women, with other two women that afterwards they mette, conducted them to the Wildernesse, where they had espyed the smoke, and before day they sette vpon certayne Villages, and slewe many, yet they burned not those Villages, bycause they should not be perceyued through the lyght thereof. They receyued there aduyse, that néere at hand were great populations and soone after he came to _Zimpanzinco_, a towne of twenty thousand houses, as after dyd appeare by the visitation of _Cortes_. These inhabitantes béeyng vnaduised of this suddayne happe, were taken in their beddes, and came out all naked through the stréetes to knowe what the great mourning and lamentation meante: at the first entrance many were slayne, but bycause they made no resistance, _Cortez_ commaunded to ceasse from killyng, nor yet to take any of theyr goodes, or women.
The feare of these poore inhabitantes was so greate, that they fledde without respect of the father to the child, or husbande to the Wyfe, or yet eyther of house or goodes.
_Cortes_ commaunded sygnes of peace to be made vnto them, and with that they stayed, and before the Sunne rising, the Towne was pacifyed.
_Cortez_ went vp into a Tower to descry the Countrey, and there espyed a moste greate population: he then demaunded what it was: aunswere was made that it was called _Tlaxcallan_, and the Townes therevnto apperteynyng. Then he called hys Spanyardes, and sayd vnto them: beholde, what woulde it haue preuayled vs to kyll these poore soules, hauyng yonder so manye enimies? and wythoute doyng anye more hurte in that Towne, hée wente to a fayre Fountayne there at hande, and thyther came the Rulers of that Towne, and other foure hundred menne withoute weapon, and broughte wyth them muche victuall, most humbly they besought _Cortes_ to doe them no more hurte, gyuing hym likewise greate thankes, that hée hadde so fauourablye vsed them, offering both to serue and obey hym, and from that daye forwarde they woulde not onely kéepe hys friendshippe, but also trauell wyth the Lordes of _Tlaxcallan_ and others, that they should doe the same. _Cortez_ replyed, that sure he was, howe they had foughte agaynste hym before that time, although that nowe they broughte hym meate, yet notwithstandyng hée pardoned them, and also receyued them into hys seruice and friendshippe, to the vse of the Emperoure.
Wyth thys communication he departed from them, and returned to the Campe verye ioyfull wyth so good successe, hauyng such a daungerous beginning, wyth the suddayne fall of theyr Horses, wherein the Prouerbe is fulfylled, whyche sayeth, Speake not euill of the daye, till it be at an ende.
They hadde also a greate hope, that those newe friendes woulde bée a meane, to cause the _Tlaxcaltecas_ to leaue from Warre, and to become theyr friendes.
From that day forward he commaunded that none of hys Campe shoulde doe any hurte to any _Indian_, and certifyed his men that the same daye his warres were at an ende with that prouince.
The desire that some of the Spanyardes _had to leaue the warres_.
[Sidenote: Murmuration.]
VVhen _Cortez_ was returned so ioyfull to his Camp, he founde some of his men discouraged with the suddayne mishappe of the Horses, fearing that likewise some misfortune hadde happened to _Cortes_, but when they sawe him come well and with victorie, their ioy was great, although true it is that manye of his men were not well pleased, but desired muche to leaue the warres, and to returne to the coast, as they had often requested, but nowe chiefly séeyng such a great Countrey, and full of people, who woulde not permitte theyr abiding there, and they béeing so fewe in number in the middest among them withoute hope of succoure, certaynely things to be feared. With this murmuration they thought it good to talke with _Cortes_, & also to require him to procéede no further, but returne backe agayne to _Vera Crux_, from whence by little and little they mighte haue intelligence with the _Indians_, and therevppon procéede according to tyme, and that he mighte prouide more Horses and men, whiche was the chiefest prouision of the warre.
And although some secretely enformed _Cortes_ of thys matter, yet he gaue no eare to their talke, but on a night as hée came out of hys Tower to ouerlooke the watche, hée hearde a loude talke out of one of the Cotages, and beganne to hearken what theyr communication was: and the matter was, that certaine souldiers sayde these wordes: If our Captayne be madde, and go where he may be slayne, let him goe alone, what néede we to follow him. _Cortez_ hearyng this talke, called twoo of his friendes for witnesse, willyng them to harken his souldiers talke, for he that durst speake suche wordes would be ready to doe it. Also he hearde others say, what shall our iourney be as _Pedro Carbonerotes_ was? who went into _Barbaria_ to take Mores, and he and all his were there slayne, wherefore sayde they let vs not follow him but turne in time. It grieued _Cortez_ muche to heare this talke, who would fayne haue corrected them but it was not then tyme, wherefore he determined to leade them with sufferaunce, and spake vnto them as followeth.
The Oration made by Cortez _to his Souldiers_.
Maisters and louyng friendes, I did choose you for my fellowes, and ye chose me for your captaine, and all was for the seruice of God, and the augmenting of his holy faith, & also the seruice of our soueraigne Lord the King now Emperour: and next for our owne commoditie, I (as yée haue séene) haue not fayled nor yet displeased yée, nor yée likewise haue otherwise done to me vnto this day. But now I do féele faintnesse in some, yea and an euill will to goe forwarde in the warres whiche we haue in hande: but (God be praysed) it is now finished, at the least the ende is vnderstood, what it may be, and also the wealth that may follow, as partely you haue séene, but much without comparison of that you haue not séene, whiche is a thing that doth excéede the greatnesse of our wordes or thoughts.
Feare not my louyng fellowes to goe and abide with me, God forbidde that I should thynke, yea or that any shoulde reporte, that feare vexeth my company, or else disobedience to their Captayne, whiche is a perpetuall infamie, if wée shoulde leaue this Lande, this Warre, this way already made, and returne as some doe desire, shall wée then lyue at reste, loytring as idell and loste folke: God forbidde, that euer oure nation shoulde haue suche a name, hauyng warres of honour. And whether (I pray) shall the Oxe goe where he shall not helpe to ploughe the grounde? doe yée thinke peraduenture that yée shall finde lesse people, worse armed, and not farre from the sea? I doe assure you, that in so thynkyng yée séeke after fiue féete for a Catte, yea and you shall trauell no way, but that you shall méete some euill passage (as the Prouerbe sayth) yea and farre worser than this that we haue in hande. For why (God be thanked) since wée came into this Countrey, we neuer wanted meate, friendes, neyther money nor honour. For nowe yée sée that yée are estéemed more than menne, yea as persons immortall, and Goddes, if it mighte be spoken, for these _Indians_ beyng so many and without number, and so armed as ye your selues affirme, yet can they not kyll one of vs: and as touchyng theyr weapons, you sée that they are not poysoned, as the _Indians_ of _Cartagena_, _Veragna_, and the _Caribez_ doe vse, whiche haue killed many of our nation therewith, dying as madde menne ragyng.
And if there were no other cause than this onely, you shoulde not séeke others with whome to warre: I doe confesse that the Sea is somewhat farre from vs, and neuer Spaniarde trauelled so farre into the mayne lande of _India_, as wée haue done: for why? nowe we leaue the Sea a hundreth and fiftie myles behinde vs, nor yet euer any hath come to neare _Mexico_ where _Mutezuma_ dothe reside, from whome suche messages and Treasure wée haue receyued. It is nowe but thrée score myles thyther, and the worste is paste, as you doe sée, if we come thither, as I truste in Iesus wée shall, then shall we not onely gette and winne for the Emperoure oure naturall Lorde a riche Lande, greate Kingdomes, infinite Vassalles, but lykewyse for oure selues muche riches, as Golde, Siluer, Pretious stones, Pearles, and other commoditie, and besides thys, the greatest honour that euer any nation did obtayne. For loke howe great a King this is, howe large his countrey is, and what greate multitude of people hée hath, so muche the more is our glory.
Besides all this, wée are bounde as Christians to exalte and enlarge oure Catholyke fayth, as wée haue begonne, abolishyng Idolatrie and blasphemie agaynst our Sauiour Christe, takyng away the blouddy Sacrifice and eatyng of mannes fleshe, so horrible and agaynste nature, and many other grieuous sinnes so muche here vsed, for the foulenesse whereof I name them not.
And therefore (I saye) feare you nor yet doubte you the victorie, consideryng that the worste is paste. Of late wée ouercame the _Indians_ of _Tabasco_, and also an hundreth and fiftie thousande this other daye of the _Tlaxcaltecas_, who haue the onely name of breakers of Lyons iawes: so with Gods helpe you shal be Conquerers of the reste, if ye faynt not and folowe me.
All hys company was pleased and contente with this comfortable exhortation, and those that were faynt harted recouered strength. And hys valiaunt Souldiers recouered double courage, & those who hated him began to honour him: and in conclusion he departed from thence excéeding welbeloued of all his company. But all his former talke was very néedefull as time then requyred: for why? some of his (as you haue heard) were desirous to returne: likewise vpon dissention, rebellion mought haue growen, and he forced to returne to the sea coaste, where all his toyle and trauell taken had bene lost.