Part 17
In the middest of this Quadern standeth a mount of earth and stone square lykewise, and fiftie fadom long euery way, buylte vpward like vnto a pyramide of Egipt, sauyng the toppe is not sharpe, but playne and flatte, and tenne fadom square: vppon the weast side, were steppes vp to the toppe, in number an hundreth and fourtene, whiche beyng so many, high, and made of good stone dyd séeme a beautifull thing. It was a straunge sight to beholde the Priestes, some goyng vp, and some downe with ceremonies, or with men to be sacrificed. Vpon the toppe of this Temple are two great Alters, a good space distant the one from the other, and so nigh the edge or brimme of the wall, that scarcely a man mought go behind them at pleasure. The one Alter standeth on the right hande, & the other on the left, they were but of fiue foote highe, eche of them had the backe part made of stone, paynted with möstrous and foule figures, the Chappell was fayre & well wrought of Masons worke & timber, euery Chappell had thrée loftes one aboue another, susteyned vpon pillers, & with y^e height thereof it shewed like vnto a fayre tower, and beautified the Cittie a farre of: from thence a man mought sée all the cittie and townes rounde aboute the lake, whiche was vndoubtedly a goodly prospect. And bycause _Cortes_ & his company shoulde sée the beautie therof, _Mutezuma_ brought him thither, and shewed hym all the order of the Temple, euen from the foote to the toppe. There was a certaine plot of space for the idoll priests to celebrate their seruice without disturbance of any. Their general prayers were made toward y^e rising of the sunne. Vpon ech alter standeth a great idoll. Beside this tower that standeth vpö the pyramide, there are fourtie towers great & small belonging to other little tëples which stand in the same circuite, the which although they were of the same making, yet theyr prospect was not westwarde, but otherwayes, bicause there should be a difference betwixte the great temple & them. Some of these Temples were bigger than others, and euery one of a seuerall God, among the whiche there was one rounde temple dedicated to the God of the ayre called _Quecalcouatl_, for euen as the ayre goeth rounde aboute the heauens, euen for that consideration they made his temple rounde. The entraunce of that Temple had a dore made lyke vnto the mouth of a Serpent, and was paynted with foule and Diuelish gestures, with great téeth & gummes wrought, whiche was a thing to feare those that should enter in thereat, & especially the Christians vnto whom it represented very Hel with that ougly face and monsterous téeth.
There were other _Teucalles_ in the citie, that had the ascending vp by steps in thrée places: all these temples had houses by thëselues with all seruice & priests & particular Gods. At euery dore of the great temple standeth a large Hall & goodly lodgings, both high and lowe round about, which houses were cömon armouries for the Citie, for the force and strength of euery towne is the temple, and therfore they haue there placed their storehouse of munition. They had other darke houses full of idols, greate & small, wrought of sundry mettals, they are all bathed and washed with bloud, and do shewe very blacke through theyr dayly sprinklyng and anoynting thë with the same, when any man is sacrificed: yea & the walles are an inche thicke with bloud, and the grounde is a foote thicke of bloud, so that there is a diuelish stench. The Priests or Ministers goe daylye into those Oratories, and suffer none others but great personages to enter in. Yea and when any such goeth in, they are bounde to offer some man to be sacrificed, that those bloudy hangmen and ministers of the Diuell may washe their handes in bloud of those so sacrificed, and to sprinkle their house therewith.
For their seruice in the kitchin they haue a ponde of water that is filled once a yéere, which is brought by conduct from the pryncipal fountayne. All the residue of the foresayde circuite serueth for places to bréede foule, with gardens of hearbes and swéete trees, with Roses and floures for the Altars. Such, so great & straunge was this temple of _Mexico_, for the seruice of the Diuell who had deceiued those simple _Indians_. There dothe reside in the same temple continually fiue thousand persons, and all they are lodged and haue theyr liuing there, for that tëple is maruellous riche, & hath diuers townes onely for their maintenaunce and reparation, and are bounde to sustayne the same alwayes on foote. They doe sowe corne, and maintayne all those fiue thousande persons with bread, fruyte, flesh, fishe, and firewoodde as much as they néede, for they spende more fire woodde than is spent in the kings courte: these persons doe liue at their hartes ease, as seruauntes and vassals vnto the Goddes. _Mutezuma_ brought _Cortes_ to this temple, bicause his men shoulde sée the same, and to enforme them of his religion and holinesse, wherof I will speake in an other place, being the most straunge and cruellest that euer was heard off.
The Idols of Mexico.
The Gods of _Mexico_, were two thousand in number, as the _Indians_ reported, the chiefest were _Vitcilopuchtli_ and _Tezcatlipuca_, whose images stoode highest in the Temple vppon the Altars: they were made of stone in ful proportion as bigge as a Gyant. They were couered with a lawne called _Nacar_. These images were besette with pearles, precious stones, & péeces of gold, wrought like birds, beasts, fishes, and floures, adorned with Emeralds, Turquies, Calcedons, and other little fine stones, so that when the lawne _Nacar_ was taken away, the Images séemed very beautifull to beholde.
[Sidenote: A vvicked attire.]
The Image had for a girdle great snakes of gold, and for collors or chaynes about their neckes, ten hartes of men, made of golde, and each of those Idolles had a counterfaite visor with eies of glasse, and in their necks death painted: eache of these things hadde their considerations and meanings. These two Goddes were brethren, for _Tezcatlipuca_ was the God of Prouidence, and _Vitcilopuchtli_ God of the warres, who was worshipped and feared more than all the rest.
[Sidenote: A madde offering.]
There was another God, who hadde a greate Image placed vppon the toppe of the Chappell of Idols, and hée was estéemed for a speciall and singular God aboue all the rest. This God was made of all kinde of séedes that groweth in that Countrey, and being ground, they made a certayne past, tempered with childrens bloud, and Virgins sacrifised, who were opened with their razures in the breastes, and their heartes taken out, to offer as first fruites vnto the Idoll. The Priestes and Ministers doe consecrate this Idoll with great pomp and many Ceremonies. All the _Comarcans_ and Citizens are presente at the consecration, with great triumph and incredible deuotion. After the consecration, many devoute persons came and sticked in the dowy Image precious stones, wedges of golde, and other Iewels. After all this pomp ended, no secular man mought touche that holye Image, no nor yet come into his Chappell, nay scarcely religious persons, except they were _Tlamacaztli_, who are Priestes of order. They doe renue this Image many times wyth new dough, taking away the olde, but then blessed is hée that can get one péece of the olde ragges for relikes, and chiefly for souldyers, who thought themselues sure therwith in the warres. Also at the consecration of thys Idoll, a certayne vessell of water was blessed with manye wordes and ceremonyes, and that water was preserued very religiously at the foote of the altar, for to consecrate the King when he should be crowned, and also to blesse any Captayne generall, when he shoulde be elected for the warres, with only giuing him a draught of that water.
The Charnell house or place of dead _mens sculles for remembrance of death_.
VVithout the temple, and ouer againste the principall dore thereof, a stones cast distant, standeth the Charnell house onely of dead mens heads prisoners in warres and sacrifised with the knife.
This monument was made like vnto a Theatre, more larger than broade, wrought of lyme and stone, with ascending steppes, in the walles whereof was graffed betwixt stone and stone a skul with the téeth outwards.
At the foote and head of this Theatre, were two Towers, made only of lime and skulles, the téeth outwarde, and this wall hauing no other stuffe, séemed a straunge sight. At and vppon the toppe of the Theatre, were 70. polles, standing the one from the other foure or fiue foote distant, and eache of them was full of staues from the foote to the toppe. Each of these staues had others made fast vnto them, so that euery of them had fiue skulles broched through the temples. _Andrewe de Tapia_ did certifie me, that he and _Gonsalo de Vmbria_ dyd recken them in one daye, and founde a hundred thirtie and sixe thousande skulles on the polles, staues, and steppes. The other Towers were replenished out of number, a most cruell custome, being only mens heads slaine in sacrifice, although it hath a shewe of humanitie for the remembrance there placed of death. There are also men appoynted, that when one skull falleth, to set vp another in his place, so that the number may neuer want.
Hovv Cortez tooke Mutezuma _prisoner_.
_Hernando Cortez_ and his companye, were sixe dayes in beholding and perusing the scituation of the Citie, and secretes of the same, with the notable thinges before rehearsed: they were often visited by _Mutezuma_, & the Gentlemen of hys Courte, and abundantly prouided of things necessarye for his vse, and the _Indians_ of his company.
[Sidenote: A svveete bedde.]
[Sidenote: Determination of Cortez.]
Likewise his Horses were cherished and serued with gréene barley and grasse, whereof there is plentie all the yeare: Likewise of corne, meale, roses, and of all thynges that their owners would request, in so much that beddes of floures were made for them in place of litter. But yet notwithstanding, although they were in this sorte cherished, and also lodged in so riche a Countrey, where they mighte fyll their purses, they were not yet all contente and merrie, but rather with great feare and care, especially _Cortes_, who hadde the onely care as head and chiefe Captayne for the defence of hys fellowes, hée (I saye) was pensiue, noting the scituation of the Citie, the infinite number of people, the state and maiestie of _Mexico_, yea and some disquietnesse of hys owne companye, who woulde come and laye vnto hys charge the snare and nette that they were in, thynkyng it a thyng vnpossible that anye of them coulde escape, if _Mutezuma_ were therevnto determined, or else with the least muteny in the worlde, that mought be raysed in the Citie, although that euery inhabitant shoulde throw but one stone at them, or else to breake vp the drawbridges, or withdrawing their victuals, things verye easie to bée done. With this greate care that he had of the preseruation of his fellowes, and to remedie the perill and daunger that he stoode in, he determined to apprehëd _Mutezuma_, and to builde foure Foystes to haue the lake in subiection, which he hadde tofore ymagined, and without the apprehension of the King, he coulde not come by the Kingdome: he would very gladly haue buylt the Foystes out of hand, but he left off that pretence, only bycause he would not delay the emprisonment of _Mutezuma_, wherein consisted the effect of all his businesse, so that forthwith he minded to put in execution his intent, without gyuing any of his company to vnderstand thereof.
[Sidenote: Treasory of Mutezuma.]
The quarrell wherewith he had armed himselfe for that purpose, was, that the Lorde _Qualpopoca_ hadde slayne nine _Spanyardes_: likewise encouraged him the greate presumption of his letters written to the Emperour _Charles_ his king, wherein he wrote that he would take _Mutezuma_ prisoner, and dispossesse him of his Empyre. These causes considered, he tooke the letters of _Pedro Hircio_, wherein was written, how _Qualpopoca_ was the cause of the death of nine _Spanyardes_, and put those letters into his pocket, and walking vp and downe his lodging, tossyng too and fro these ymaginations in his brayne, full of care of the great enterprise that he had in hande, yea he hymselfe iudging the matter doubtfull, and his head béeyng in this sort occupyed, he chanced to espye one wall more whiter than the rest, and beholding the same, he sawe that it was a dore lately dammed vp, & callyng vnto him two of his seruaunts (for all the residue were asléepe) bycause it was late in the nighte, he opened that dore, and went in, and there found sundry halles, some with Idols, some with gallant feathers, Iewels, precious stones, plate, yea and such an infinite quantitie of golde, that the sight thereof amazed him, and other gallant things that made him to maruell. He shutte thys dore agayne as well as he moughte, withoute touching any part of that treasure, bycause he woulde not make any vprore therabout, nor yet to delay the emprisonment of _Mutezuma_, for that treasure was alwayes there to be had.
The nexte daye in the morning came certayne _Spanyardes_ vnto hym, and manye _Indians_ of _Tlaxcallon_, saying that the Citizens did goe about to conspire their deathe, and to breake downe the bridges of the calseys, to bryng their purpose the better to passe. So that with this newes, béeyng true or false, _Cortes_ left the one halfe of his men to defende and kéepe his lodging, and at euery crosse stréete he planted më, and the residue he sent to the Court by two and two, and thrée and thrée, and he hymselfe came to the pallaice, saying that he must talke wyth _Mutezuma_ of matters that did emport their liues. _Cortes_ was secretely armed. _Mutezuma_ hearyng howe _Cortez_ attended for hym, came forth and receyued him, taking him by the hand, and placed him in his seate. Thirtie _Spanyardes_ wayted vpon _Cortez_, and the residue abode without at the dore.
_Cortez_ saluted _Mutezuma_ according to his accustomed manner, and began to rest and talke merily as hée was wont to do. _Mutezuma_ béeyng carelesse of the thing that Fortune hadde prepared agaynste hym, was also very merrie, and pleased with that conuersation. He gaue vnto _Cortes_ Iewels of golde, and one of his daughters, and other noble mens daughters to others of his company. _Cortes_ receyued the gift, for otherwise it hadde bin a frent vnto _Mutezuma_. But yet he enformed him, that he was a married man, and that he coulde not marrie with his daughter, for the Christian law did not permitte the same, nor yet that any Christian mought haue more than one wife, vppon payne of infamy, and to be marked in the forehead.
After all this talke ended, _Cortez_ tooke the letters of _Pedro Hircio_, and caused them to be interpreted vnto _Mutezuma_, makyng hys grieuous complaynte agaynste _Qualpopoca_, who hadde slayne so many _Spanyardes_ through hys commaundement, yea and that his subiectes had published, that they woulde kill the _Spanyardes_, and breake downe the bridges.
_Mutezuma_ excused himselfe earnestly, as well of the one as of the other, saying, the report giuen out agaynste hys subiectes was false and vntrue, and as for _Qualpopoca_ who had slayne the _Spanyardes_, he was innocent thereof: and bycause that he shoulde sée the troth, he called incontinent certayne of his seruauntes, commaunding thë to goe for _Qualpopoca_, and gaue vnto them his seale, whiche was a stone that he ware at his wrest, engraued with the figure of the God _Vitzilopuchtli_, and the messengers departed therewith incontinent.
_Cortez_ replyed and sayd: My Lord, your highnesse must goe with me to my lodging, and there abide, vntill youre messengers returne with _Qualpopoca_, and the certaynetie of the deathe of my men: In my lodging youre highnesse shall rule and commaund as you do héere in Court, your person shall bée well vsed, wherefore take you no care, for I will haue respecte vnto youre honor, as to myne owne proper, or the honor of my Kyng, beséeching you to pardon me in this my request, for if I shoulde doe otherwise, and dissemble with you, mine own company would be offended with me, saying that I doe not defende them, according to duetie. Wherefore commaund your householde seruauntes to repose themselues without alteration, for be you assured, that if any hurte come vnto me, or vnto anye of mine, youre person shall pay the same with life, considering that it lyeth in youre hand to goe quietly with me.
_Mutezuma_ was sore amazed, saying, Sir, my person is not fytte to be a prisoner, yea, and though I woulde permitte the same, my subiectes would not suffer.
They abode arguing the matter néere foure houres, and at length _Mutezuma_ was content to goe, hauing promise that he should rule and gouerne as he was wont to do. _Cortes_ cömaunded a place in his lodging to be trimmed for him, and he went forthwith thither with _Cortes_. There came many noble men barefooted, wéeping and lamenting the case, carrying their best garmentes vnder their armes, and brought a rich seate, whereon _Mutezuma_ was placed, & they carried hym vpon their shoulders.
[Sidenote: A sorovvful pastime.]
When it was blowen abroade in the Citie that _Mutezuma_ was carried prisoner to the _Spanyards_ lodging, all the Citie was on an vprore: but yet _Mutezuma_ did comfort the Gentlemen that carried and followed him wéeping, praying them to ceasse their lamentation, saying that he was not prisoner, nor yet went with the Chrystians againste his will, but for his onely pleasure. _Cortes_ appointed a _Spanish_ garde for him, with a Captayne, the which he dayly changed, and had _Spanyards_ always in his cöpany to make him pastime. Also poore _Mutezuma_ was cötented with their conuersation, & gaue thë stil rewards. He was serued with his owne seruäts _Indiäs_, as at home in his pallace. _Cortes_ always intreated him to put off sadnes, & to be merrie, permitting him to dispatch suters, & to deale in all affayres of his estate, & to comune and talke openly or secretely with his noble më as he was wont to do, and that was but onely a bayte to bring them to the hooke. There was neuer Greeke nor Romayne, nor any other nation since the name of Kings was ordeyned, dyd gyue y^e lyke enterprise, as _Hernando Cortez_ did, in taking _Mutezuma_ prisoner in his owne house, béeing a most mighty King, & in a most strong fort among infinite people, he hauyng but only 450. companions.
The recreation of Hunting, vvhiche _Mutezuma vsed_.
_Mvtezuma_ had not only al the libertie that he desired in the Citie, béeyng prisoner among the _Spanyardes_, but also _Cortes_ permitted him to hunt and hauke, or to go to the temple, for he was very deuoute, and a great hunter.
When he went a hunting, he was carried vpon mens shoulders with eyght or ten _Spanyards_ in his guard, and thrée thousande _Mexicans_, who were Gentlemen, his seruants, and hunters, of whome he hadde a great number, some to séeke the game, others to beate the couertes, and others to marke. Some of those Hunters were only for hares and connyes, other for all sorts of Déere, Wolues, foxes, and such like. They were very perfite with theyr bowes, and good markemë, for he that missed his marke at fourescore pases distant was punished. It was strange to sée the number of people that wente with him on hunting, and to sée the slaughter of beasts killed, with hande, staues, nettes, and bowes, some of those beastes were tame, and other braue and fearefull, as Lyons, Tigers, and Ounces. It is a harde thing to take a fierce Lion in hunting as they do, being in manner a naked people, and the beast couragious and strong, but yet the Prouerbe saith, slight and cunning is better than strength.
It is a more straunge thyng to take any foule that flieth in the ayre as their Fauconers doe, for after they haue once marked and set eye vpon any foule, the Faulconers of _Mutezuma_ will vnder take to catch him, although the foule be neuer so swifte of wing, beyng at the least so commaunded by the King. It happened one day that _Mutezuma_ stoode in his gallerie with his Guarde of Spanyardes, who had espied a fayre Hauke soryng in the ayre, oh quoth they what a fayre Hauke flieth yonder, _Mutezuma_ hearyng their talke, called vnto him certayne of his Faulconers, commaundyng them to followe that Hauke & to bring him vnto him. The Faulconers wente to fulfill his request, and followed that foule with such diligence, that in shorte space they brought the Hauke vnto him, who presented the same vnto the Spanyards, a thing truely almoste incredible, but yet certified by worde and wrytings of the present witnesses. Their chiefest and most pleasant pastime of Hauking was, of Kightes, Rauens, Crowes, Pies, and other birdes of hardie stomake and slowe in flight, greate and small of all sortes, for the which he had Egles, Buyters, and other foule of rapyne marueylous swifte of wing, and suche as would mounte very high in the ayre, with the whiche they murdered Hares, Wolues, and (as some say) Hartes.
He had other foulers, that vsed Nettes, Snares, and sundry engins. _Mutezuma_ vsed much to shoote in a tronke, and with his bow killed many wilde beastes. His houses of pleasure as I haue before declared, stoode sixe myles from the Citie in pleasant wooddes: and alwayes when he went a huntyng after the tyme that he was prysoner, the same day he would returne agayne to _Cortes_ his lodging, although he banketed & feasted with the Spaniardes at his places of sporting and pastime, and would alwayes at his returne to his lodgyng giue some present vnto thë, that had accompanied him that day.
_Cortes_ seyng the liberalitie of _Mutezuma_, sayde vnto him: sir, my company are vnruly fellowes, and as I vnderstand, they haue founde out some of your treasure, and haue made spoyle thereof: wherfore I would know your pleasure what shal be done with thë. And in effect it was the treasure that _Cortes_ himselfe had founde out. _Mutezuma_ answered, saying, sir that treasure which they haue founde, did appertayne vnto the Goddes: But yet notwithstandyng, let them leaue the feathers, and all suche things as are neyther golde nor siluer, and all the residue take for you and them, and if you will haue more, I will prouide it for you.
Hovv Cortez began to plucke dovvne _the Idols of Mexico_.
VVhen _Mutezuma_ went vnto the temple, he went leaning vpon a noble mans arme, or else was leade betwéene two, and a noble personage wente alwayes before him with thrée small wandes in his hande, signifying thereby that the King in person was there at hand, and in token also of iustice and correction. If he had bene carried vpon mens shoulders then at his alighting downe he tooke one of those roddes into his owne hand. He was a Prince ful of ceremonies in al his doings, but the substaunce of his estate is already declared, from the time that _Cortes_ entred into _Mexico_ vntil this present. Those first dayes that the Spaniardes came to the Citie, & as often as _Mutezuma_ went to the temple, _Indian_ men were slayne in sacrifice. And to prohibite suche adhominable crueltie & sinne, cömitted in the presence of the Christians who wët in company of _Mutezuma_, _Cortes_ required _Mutezuma_ to commmaunde that no mans fleshe should be any more spoyled, or bloud shedde in sacrifice, and in not fulfilling his request, he would destroy bothe the temple and Cittie. Also he signified vnto him, that he himselfe woulde throw downe the idols, before his presence and all the Citizens.