Part 18
_Mutezuma_ replied to his demaüd, saying: It may please you to leaue of your determination, least that in so doing all the Citie fall into an vprore and rebellion to defende their good Gods, and auncient Religion, the which Gods had alwayes prouided them of water, bread, health, light, and all other things néedefull. This notwithstanding, the first time that _Mutezuma_ wente to the temple after his imprisonment, _Cortes_ and his company wente with him, and euery of them layde handes vpon the idols, & threwe them downe headlong from their seates, and Altars, and other Chapels. _Mutezuma_ with this sight was in great agonie, yea and his subiects ready to take weapon to slay them there present, but yet _Mutezuma_ commaunded his subiectes to stay from their pretence: beséechyng _Cortes_ to stay from his procéedings, at whose request _Cortes_ ceased, for he thought, as yet time serued not for the purpose and pretence: but he declared vnto them by his interpreters as followeth.
The exhortation that Cortez made _to Mutezuma and to the Citizens of Mexico, concerning their Idols_.
All creatures in the world (mightie prince, and yée Gentlemen and religious persons whether it be yée here or we in Spayne, or whatsoeuer other nation that it may be) haue I say, all one begynnyng and ending of mortall lyfe, whiche is had from God: we are al formed and made of one mettall, and haue all soules and senses, euen so doubtlesse as we are like in proportion of body and soule, yea and kinsfolke in bloud, although that by the prouidence of the same our God, some are borne fayre and beautifull, and other some fowle and disfigured: some of one colour, and some of another: some prudent and wise, and other some fonde and foolishe, without eyther iudgement or vertue: in the which his maruellous works God sheweth himselfe iuste, holy and almightie, giuyng those seuerall giftes, to the entent that the wise and learned mought teache the rude and ignorant, and to guyde the blinde into the right way of saluation, by the steppes of true and vnfayned religion.
Therfore I and my fellowes, as your gestes and kinsmen, according to equitie doe procure and wish the same vnto you. A man and his life consisteth in thrée things as yée shal vnderstande, that is body, soule, and goodes: as for your goodes and ritches, whiche is the least that wée desire, for yée know well that we haue taken nothing forcible from you, but onely those things whiche yée haue fréely and liberally giuen vs. Likewise we haue not hurt, misused or molested your persons, wiues or chyldren, nor yet do meane any such thing, your soules health onely is the thing we séeke, for your saluation, and that we nowe pretende to shewe, and to giue vnto you perfite notice of the true and euerlasting God. There is none of naturall iudgement can denie, but that there is one God, but yet through ignoraunce and deceyte of the Diuell, will also thinke that there are many Goddes, and not acerte vnto the true God. But I doe say and moste assuredly certifie you, that there is no other true God, but onely he whome we Christians doe serue, adore, and worshippe, the which is one eternall, without beginnyng and without ende, the onely creator & gouernour of things created: he alone made the Heauens, the Sunne, the Moone, and Starres, the whiche his creatures ye doe worship: he (I say) founded and made the Sea, and the sundry and maruelous fishes therein: he planted and made the lande with all the monstrous beastes therein, foules likewise in the ayre, Plantes, Hearbes, Stones and suche like. Al the whiche creatures ye as blinde and ignorant do hold for Goddes.
[Sidenote: It vvas maruel that Cortes vvas not taken for an heretike.]
Our almighty God after he had finished and made all the former workes with his own blessed hands, made one man & one woman, and being so formed and wrought, he put a soule and breath into each body, and then deliuered the worlde vnto them, shewyng them Paradise and glory. So that of that manne and woman, we all mortall menne procéeded in generation, and in this sorte are the handy worke of God, kinsmen and brethren. Nowe if we will come vnto God our father, it is néedefull and necessary that we be good, vertuous, pitifull, innocent and vnder obedience, the whiche yée can not be if you worshippe statues, images, idols, and vse bloudy sacrifice of mans fleshe. Is there any of you that woulde willingly be slayne? no truely: why then doe you slea other so cruelly, and where you can put no soules, why doe you take them from thence? there is none of you, nor your false Gods, that can make soules, nor can forge mens bodies of fleshe and bone, for if yée coulde, there is none of you woulde be without children, accordyng to your owne appetite and desire, in fashion, beautie and workemanship. But where our God of heauen dothe make al creatures, he vseth therein his owne discretion, and giueth chyldren to whome hée pleaseth: and therefore is he GOD alone, and for these causes shoulde yée haue, estéeme, and worshippe him for suche a mightie God, desiryng of him by prayers to giue rayne and temperature, that the earth may bryng foorth Corne, Fruite, Hearbes, Fleshe, Foule, and all other necessaries for the sustentation of lyfe. All these thyngs the harde stones giueth not vnto you, no nor yet your dry woodden images & colde mettall, neyther yet the small séedes wherewith your seruaunts and slaues, with theyr filthy handes doe make these images and foule statues, the whiche yée doe worshippe. O what fonde people and madde religious persons, who worship theyr owne workemanshippe, doe ye thynke that they are Gods that rotte and moldre away, and haue no lyfe, and can neyther helpe nor kill: Therefore I say vnto you, that nowe and hereafter there is no cause that yée shoulde haue any moe idolles, nor yet any moe slaughters for sacrifice, no nor yet to make any moe prayers or supplications vnto them, beyng bothe Blinde, Deafe, and Dumme.
Will yée knowe who is God, and where he is: lifte vp your eyes vnto Heauen, and then shall you vnderstande that aboue is a Godhead or Deitie that moueth the heauens, and gouerneth the course of the Sunne, ruleth the Lande and replenisheth the Sea, who prouideth for Man and Beast bothe Corne and Water. This God whome yée nowe imagine in your hartes, him (I say) serue and worshippe, not with death of menne or blouddy sacrifice abominable, but with deuotion and humble prayer as we Christians doe. And consider well, that to teach and instruct you these things, was the cause of our commyng hither.
With this exhortation, _Cortes_ aplaked the yre of the Priestes and Citizens: theyr idols beyng throwen downe, _Mutezuma_ tooke order that no moe shoulde be sette vp, commaundyng to swéepe and make cleane the Chappels of the stinking bloud that was in thë, forbidding sacrifice of mans flesh. _Mutezuma_ and his officers made a solëpne vowe and promise to permitte no more slaughter of men, and to set vp a Crosse for remembrance of the death and passion of Iesu Christe borne of the virgin Marie. The whiche their promisse was well fulfilled, for after that day the Spanyardes coulde neuer heare nor finde of any moe sacrifice: But yet there abode in their hartes a mortall rancor, the whiche coulde not long be dissimuled.
Truely in this worthy facte _Cortes_ gotte more honour than though he had ouercomen them in battayle.
The burning of the Lorde Qualpopoca _and other Gentlemen_.
After twentie dayes that _Mutezuma_ had bene prysoner, returned the messengers who had gone with the seale for _Qualpopoca_, and brought him, his Sonne, and other fiftene principall persons, with them, the whiche by inquirie made, were culpable and partakers in the counsell and death of the nine Spaniardes. _Qualpopoca_ entred into _Mexico_ accompanied like a greate Lorde as he was, beyng borne vpon his seruaunts shoulders in rich furniture. As sone as he had saluted _Mutezuma_, he & his Sonne were deliuered vnto _Cortes_, with the other fiftene Gentlemen. _Cortes_ placed them asunder, and commaunded them to be put in Irons, and theyr examinations taken, they confessed that they had slayne those Spaniardes in battayle.
_Cortes_ demaunded of _Qualpopoca_ if he were subiect to _Mutezuma_, why (quoth he) is there any other Prince to whome I might be in subiection? giuing almost to vnderstand that he was a Lorde absolute. _Cortes_ answered, that a farre greater Prince was the King of Spayne, whose subiects vnder colour of friendship and salfeconduct he had slayne. But (quoth he) nowe shalte thou make payment thereof. And beyng agayne more straighter examined, they confessed that they had slaine two Spaniards by the aduice and inducement of the greate prince _Mutezuma_, and the residue were slayne in the warres, and had assaulted their houses, and entred their countrey, wherefore they helde it lawfull to kill them.
Through the confession pronounced by their owne mouthes, sentence was giuen against them, and they condëned to be burned, whiche sentence was openly executed in the market place in sight of all the people, without any mutine or slaunder, and with great silence, terrour & feare of the newe maner of iustice which they sawe there executed vpon so noble a man, in the chiefe seate and kyngdome of _Mutezuma_, beyng gestes and straungers.
The cause of the burnyng of _Qualpopoca_.
At the time that Cortes departed from _Vera Crux_, he left in cömission to _Pedro Hircio_, to procure to inhabite in that place which is called _Almeria_, & not to permit _Francisco de Garray_ to soiourne there, for so much as once he was driuen frö that coast. Now _Hircio_ to fulfill his cömission, sente to requyre those _Indians_ with peace and friëdship, and to yéeld themselues for vassals of the Emperour. _Qualpopoca_ Lorde of _Nahutlan_, which is now called as aforesaid _Almeria_, sent to aduertise _Pedro Hircio_, that he could not come to yéelde his obedience, for the enimies that were in the way: but if it would please him to sende some of his men, for the securitie of the way, he would willyngly come vnto him.
_Hircio_ hearing this answere, sent foure of his men, giuing credite to his message, and for the desire he hadde to inhabite there.
When the foure _Spanyardes_ came into the prouince of _Nahutlan_, there mette with them many armed men, who slew two of them, and made thereof a great triumph: the other two escaped sore wounded, and returned with that newes to the Towne of _Vera Crux_. _Pedro Hircio_ beléeuing that _Qualpopoca_ had done that iniurie, armed out agaynst hym fiftie _Spanyardes_, and ten thousand _Indians_ of _Zempoallan_, with two horses, and two péeces of Ordinance.
_Qualpopoca_ hearing this newes, came with a mightie power to driue them out of his Countrey, and in that encounter, seauen _Spanyardes_ were slayne, and many _Zempoallanezes_, but at the ende he was ouercome, his Countrey spoyled, and Towne sacked, and many of his army slaine and taken captiues. The prisoners declared, that by the commaundement of the greate Lorde _Mutezuma_, all this vprore was attempted by _Qualpopoca_: it mighte well be, for at the houre of death they confessed the same. But some affirme, they sayde so, but to excuse themselues, and to lay the fault to the _Mexicans_. _Hircio_ wrote these newes to _Cortez_ béeyng in _Chololla_, and through these letters _Cortez_ apprehended _Mutezuma_ (as is afore declared.)
Hovv Cortez put a payre of giues _on Mutezuma his legges_.
Before the execution of _Qualpopoca_ and hys fellowes, _Cortes_ declared vnto _Mutezuma_, that _Qualpopoca_ and his company had confessed, that by hys aduice and commaundemente, the nine _Spanyardes_ were slayne, wherein he had done very euill, they being his friendes and guestes: but (quoth he) if it were not in respect of the loue I beare vnto you, this matter shoulde not in this sort be shut vp, and then knocked a payre of giues on his legges, saying, he that killeth ought to be killed, according to the lawes of God. These things did _Cortes_, bycause he shoulde occupye himselfe in his owne griefe and sorrow, and to let other mens passe.
_Mutezuma_ waxed pale w^t countenäce of death, through the great feare that he was in, séeyng himselfe in Irons, a new and strange thing for suche a great King, excusing himselfe that he was innocent of the facte. And as soone as the execution of burning was done, _Cortez_ commaunded to put away the Irons that _Mutezuma_ ware, offering him libertie, and willing him to goe vnto his owne pallace, who reioyced much to sée himselfe out of the Irons, and gaue _Cortes_ most hartie thankes, and refused to goe home to his owne pallace, surmising that the offer was but wordes, or else fearing least his subiects woulde kyll him, séeing him out of the _Spanyardes_ power, for permitting himselfe to be taken prisoner, and so to be kept. Hée sayd also, that if he went from them, his subiectes woulde rebell, and compell him to kill the _Spanyardes_.
Truly the poore simple soule was of small hearte and courage, to suffer himselfe to be taken prisoner, and after his imprisonment woulde neuer procure libertie, _Cortes_ offering it vnto him, and many of his noble men desiring him. And remayning in that order, there was none in _Mexico_ durst offende any _Spanyard_ for feare of displeasing him, for _Qualpopoca_ came 70. leagues with only warning him that the great Lorde had sent for him, shewing hym the figure of his seale: yea and al the péeres of his realme that dwelte farthest off, were ready to obey hys commaundementes.
Hovv Cortez sent to seeke for Mines _of golde into diuers places_.
_Cortez_ had a greate desire to know howe farre the Empire of _Mutezuma_ dyd extende, and what friendship was betwixte him and other Kings and Princes Comarcans, and also to gather togither a good summe of gold, to send to _Spayne_ to the Emperoure for his custome or fifte parte, with full relation of the Countrey people, and things happened untill that day. Wherefore he prayed _Mutezuma_ to shew him where the mynes were, from whence he and his subiectes had the golde and plate. _Mutezuma_ graunted to his request, and incontinent appoynted eyght _Indians_, of the which four were Goldsmythes, who had knowledge and vnderstanding of Mynes, and the other foure were guydes for the iourney. He commaunded them that by two and two they shoulde goe into foure prouinces, that is to say _Zucolla_, _Malinaltepec_, _Tenich_, and _Tutepec_, with other eyghte _Spanyardes_ whiche _Cortez_ appoynted, to haue knowledge of the riuers and mynes of gold, and to bring a moster of the same. The eyght _Spanyardes_ departed on their iourney, with the other eyghte _Indians_, with tokens from _Mutezuma_. _Zucolla_ is 80. leagues from _Mexico_, and the Lord thereof is subiect to _Mutezuma_, who shewed vnto the _Spanyardes_ thrée riuers with golde, and gaue of each riuer a moster thereof, although it were but little, for with want of knowledge they knew not wel the mäner how to get it out of the riuer. These messengers in their iourney too and fro, passed through thrée prouinces full of people and habitatiö, with good buildings & frutefull ground, and the people of the one of them called _Tlamacolapan_, are of good reason and iudgemente, and better apparelled than the _Mexicans_.
_Malinaltepec_ is 70. leagues from _Mexico_, from whence also they brought mosters of golde, the which is had out of a great riuer, by the naturals of that Countrey.
_Tenich_ standeth vp towarde the head of the same riuer of _Malinaltepec_, who are people of another language, and would not permitte our men to haue relation of the thing that they sought. The Lorde of that place is called _Coatelicamatl_, who is not subiecte to _Mutezuma_, nor yet is his friende, thinking that his men hadde bin espyes: but when he was enformed who they were, he gaue the _Spanyardes_ licence to be resolued of their affayres, but straitly commaunded, that the _Indians_ of _Mexico_ should not presume to come into his dominion. When the _Mexicans_ hearde these newes, they required the _Spanyardes_ not to credite that _Cazike_, saying, that he was an euill and a cruell man, and would surely kill them. Our men were somewhat amazed, fearing to talke with _Coatelicamatl_, although they hadde his licence, séeyng the people of the countrey armed with Launces of fiue and twenty foote lög: but yet at lëgth leauing cowardise aside, they procéeded forwards. _Coatelicamatl_ receyued thë curteously, and shewed them sixe or seauen riuers with golde, out of the which graynes of golde were taken in his presence, who gaue the same moster vnto them, and sente also his Embassadors to _Cortez_, offering his lande and person vnto him, with certayne mantels, and Iewels of golde.
_Cortez_ more reioyced of the Embassage, than of the gold and presents, knowing thereby that _Mutezuma_ hys enimies desired his friendshippe: but _Mutezuma_ and hys counsell liked not the matter, for although _Coatelicamatl_ is no great Lord, yet his people are good souldyers, and his countrey full of wildernesse, of Rockes and Mountaynes. The other that wente to _Tutepec_, which standeth néere the sea coast, and twelue leagues frö _Malinaltepec_, returned likewise with moster of golde of two Riuers, and brought newes that the Countrey was fit to buylde vppon, with hope to reape muche golde, finding once an arte to get it out of the riuer.
_Cortez_ hearing these news, prayed _Mutezuma_ to build a house there in the name of the Emperoure _Charles_, who incontinente sente thither workemen and labourers, whyche within two monethes hadde built a greate house, and other thrée little houses round aboute it, with a ponde of water full of fishe, and fiue hundred Duckes, and a thousand fiue hundred Turkie cockes and hennes, and muche housholde stuffe, so that the gifte was worth twentie thousand Castlins of golde. He gaue vnto hym also twenty bushels of the grayne called _Centli_, readye sowen, and two thousand stockes of trées called _Cacauatl_, whiche bringeth forthe the fruite _Cacao_, that serueth for money and meate. _Cortes_ began this husbandrye, but yet made not an ende thereof, with the comming of _Pamfilo de Naruaiz_, and the vprore in _Mexico_, whiche shortly followed. He also besoughte _Mutezuma_ to certifie him if there were any sure porte or harbor on the Sea coast, where the Spanish nauie mought ride in safetie: he aunswered that he knew of none, but that he woulde sende to make enquirie thereof. And forthwith he commaunded all that coast to be painted in a cloath made of cotten woll, with all the riuers, bayes, créekes and capes that were within his dominion. In all the same portrayture did not appeare anye porte, skale, or sure roade, sauyng a gulfe that falleth out of the Mountaynes, which place is now called the harbor of _Saint Martine_, and _Saint Anthonie_ in the prouince of _Coazacoalco_. The _Spanyards_ thought the same to be a straight or passage into the South sea, to passe vnto the _Maluccos_ and spicerie, but they were deceiued although they beléeued the thing that they desired. _Cortes_ for this purpose sent tenne Spanyardes, all good marriners and Pylots, in companye of the _Indians_ that _Mutezuma_ sent on that voyage at his owne cost.
They departed, and came to _Chalohicoeca_, where firste they came aland, the which place is now called _S. Iohn de Vlhua_.
They wente 70. leagues along the coast, without finding any Riuer, although they mette with many brookes of shallowe water, not fytte for a roade for Shyppes.
They aported at _Coazacoalco_, the Lorde whereof was enimie to _Mutezuma_, hys name was _Tuchintlec_, who friendly receyued the Spanyardes, for he hadde intelligence of them, at their lying at _Potonchan_. He gaue vnto them boates, to sounde and séeke the Riuer, where they found sixe fadome in deapth, and wente vppe that Riuer twelue leagues, wher they descryed many great townes, and it séemed a fruitefull soyle. This _Cazike Tuchnitlec_, sente vnto _Cortes_ with the Spanyards certayne gold, precious stones, and cloth of cotten, with apparrell made of skynnes, and tygers, requesting his friendship, and to admitte him tributarie to the Emperour, paying yéerely a certayne portion of his riches, with suche condition, that the _Indians_ of _Culhua_ should not enter into his iurisdictiö.
_Cortes_ muche reioysed with these messages, and was glad of the finding of the faire riuer, for the Marriners hadde enformed him, that from the riuer of _Grijalua_ vnto _Panuco_, was no riuer to be found, but I beléeue they were deceyued. _Cortes_ returned backe agayne some of those messengers, with a present of Spanish ware for _Tuchnitlec_, and to be better enformed of all his meaning, with a special charge to knowe the cömoditie of that porte and Countrey, who went, and in shorte time returned wel satisfyed of their demaund: wherevpon _Cortes_ sente thyther _Iohn Velasques de Leon_, for Captayne of a hundred and fifty Spanyardes, with commission to build a fort.
The imprisonment of Cacama, King _of Tezcuco_.
The weake courage and stomake of _Mutezuma_, caused his subiectes not onely to murmure, but also to seeke meanes of rebellion, especially his nephew _Cacamazin_, Lorde of _Tezcuco_, who was a stoute yong man and an honorable, and one y^t receiued greate griefe of his Vncles imprisonment: and seeing that y^e matter séemed long, he besought his Vncle to procure his libertie, and to shew himselfe a Lorde, and not a slaue: but séeing at length that he could not accepte and follow his councell, he began to stirre in the matter, threatning the death and destruction of the Spanyardes. Some said, that _Cacama_ did begin that matter, to reuenge the iniurie and dishonor done vnto his Vncle. Others saide, that his meaning was to make himselfe Kyng of _Mexico_. Others held opinion, that his pretence was only to make an ende of y^e Spanyards. But let it be for whatsoeuer purpose. Once he gathered a great army, which he coulde not want, although _Mutezuma_ was prisoner, especially against y^e Spanyards. He published that he would redéeme his Vncle out of Captiuitie, and expulse the Straungers, or else kill and eate them.
This was a terrible newes for the Christians, but yet for all those bragges _Cortes_ dismayde not, rather hée determined forthwith to prepare himselfe for the warres, and to besiege him in his owne house and Towne, sauing that _Mutezuma_ disturbed him, saying that _Tezcuco_ was a place very strong, and scituated in water, and that _Cacama_ was a man of bolde and stoute courage, and had at commaundemente of the _Indians_ of _Culhua_, and was also Lorde of _Culhuacan_ and _Otumpa_, whiche were fortes of great strength, thinking to bring the matter to a better passe another way: so that _Cortez_ ruled himselfe by the counsell of _Mutezuma_, and sent vnto _Cacama_, praying him to haue in remembrance the friendshippe that hadde bin betwixt them two, from the time that he came and broughte hym into _Mexico_, and that alwayes peace was better than warre, and especially for a noble man of vassals, for the begynnyng of warres was pleasant to hym that knewe not what warres meante: and in so doyng, he shoulde do both pleasure and seruice to the Kyng of _Spayne_.
[Sidenote: Cacama vvas vvise.]
_Cacama_ aunswered, that he had no friendship with him that woulde take away hys honor and kingdome, and that the warres whych he pretended, was profitable for his vassals, and in defence of their Countrey and Religion, yea and before he determined peace, he meante to reuenge hys Vncles wrongs and his goddes.
Also (quoth he) what haue I to doe wyth the Kyng of _Spayne_, who is a man that I know not, no nor yet would gladly heare of hym.
_Cortez_ turned agayne to admonishe and require hym diuers tymes to leaue off his determination, and wylled _Mutezuma_ to commaunde hym to accepte hys offer.