Part 26
The night of _Cortes_ his abiding there, was perillous, for he had not aboue a hundreth men in his cöpany, and aboute midnight set vpö him many _Mexicans_ both by water and lande, although they accustomed not to fight in the night, but the Vergantines made them soone to retire.
In the morning came vnto _Cortes_ from _Cristoual de Olid_, eight horsemen, and foure score footemen. The _Mexicans_ combated the towers, where _Cortes_ was lodged, who incontinent came forth & draue them along the calsey, vntil he had wonne an other bridge and a bulwarke, and made a great spoyle among them, with the ordinaunce & horse men, pursuyng them to the vtmoste houses of the Cittie: and bycause many of the _Canoas_ whiche were on the other side of the calsey galled _Cortes_ and his menne, he brake downe so muche of the calsey, that he mighte well passe some of his Vergantines to the otherside, the which with few encounters shutte vp the _Canoas_ on that side, within the succour of _Mexico_: and in this wise he remayned Lord ouer bothe the lakes.
The next day _Sandoual_ departed from _Iztacpalapan_ toward _Culhuacan_, and in his way he tooke and spoyled a little Citie that standeth in the lake, bycause they came out to resist him. _Cortes_ sente vnto him two Vergantines to passe his men where the calsey was broken. _Sandoual_ left his company with _Cristoual de Olid_, and wët to _Cortes_ with tenne horsemen, and when he came he found him in fight with the enimies, and he alightyng from his horse, an _Indian_ persed him through the foote with a dart. Many Spaniardes were hurte that day, but theyr griefe was well reuenged, for from that day forwarde the _Indians_ courage was muche abated. With the paynes, labour and victory already obtayned, _Cortes_ might now at ease pitche his campe at his owne pleasure where he woulde, and also prouide his army of victuals: sixe dayes he ceassed not skirmishyng, and the Vergantines likewise founde out channels that they mighte goe rounde aboute the Cittie, yea and wente spoylyng and burning many houses within the Suburbes.
_Mexico_ was besieged in foure places, although at the first they determined but thrée. _Cortes_ was placed betwixt the twoo towers of the calsey: _Pedro de Aluarado_ in _Tlacopan_: _Cristoual de Olid_ in _Culhuacan_: _Gonsalo de Sandoual_ in _Xaltoca_: for they had aduise that the same way they would flée out of the Citie, seyng themselues in any daunger. It would not haue grieued _Cortes_ to haue lefte a passage for the enimy, but only bycause they should not profite themselues vpon the lande, and prouide the Cittie that way of armour & victuall, yea, he also thought to preuaile against his enimies better vpon the lande than vpon the water. And againe according to the olde prouerbe, When thine enimy flieth make him a bridge of siluer.
The first skirmishe vvithin the _cittie of Mexico_.
_Cortes_ pretended to enter the Citie, and to gette what he could, & also to sée what stomacke the enimy had: he sent to aduise his captaines, that eche of them should do the like, requiring them to sende vnto him some of their horsemen and footemë. He gaue speciall commaundement to _Cristoual de Olid_ to haue regard to the kéeping of his calsey, and to forsée that the inhabitants of _Xochmilco_, _Culhuacan_, _Iztacpalapan_, _Vitzilopuchtli_, _Mexicalcinco_, _Cuetlauac_, & other cities thereaboutes come not that way behinde them and vnwares. He commaunded that the Vergantines should goe along the calsey on bothe the sides, if any néede shoulde happen. _Cortes_ early in the morning came out of his campe with .200. Spaniardes and .80000. _Indian_ friends: they had gone but a small space, when they met with their enimies well armed, keping the gappe where the calsey was brokë, which broken place mought be a speares length, and as much in depth. They fought with them, who for a great space defended themselues behinde a bulwarke, but in fine he wanne the passage, and followed them vnto the entrance of the citie, where was a Tower, and at the foote thereof a bridge drawen, where a good streame of water passed. This place was very strong to combat, yea and fearefull to behold the passage where the draw bridge was. They ceased not shotyng of arrowes and hurlyng of stones, so that our men coulde not come neare, vntill the Vergantines came, and by meanes of them they wanne that fort with lesser paynes than they imagined: for without the Vergantines it had not bene possible to haue entred the Cittie.
The enimies being now fled from that holde, our men alanded there, with the Indian friendes, who incontinent dammed vp the broken place with stones and earth. The Spaniardes of the vantgarde, tooke another bulwarke, which was planted in the largest and fayrest streate of the Citie, and pursued the enemy to another draw bridge, which remayned, but with one poste or beame, vppon the which many of the Indians passed ouer, and then toke y^e beame awaye and aboue to defende the place: but when our men approched & sawe how the matter went, _Cortez_ commaunded two pieces of Ordinaunce to be broughte, with the whiche, and with their Harquebushes, they did great hurt among the _Mexicans_, who began to fainte, and lose their courage, the which being vnderstoode, certayne Spaniards swä ouer where the draw bridge was, w^t their weapons in their mouthes. But when the enimy sawe them passe ouer, they began, as well from that place as from the house toppes, zoties and bulwarke, whiche they had defended for the space of two houres, to flie. _Cortes_ and his whole army beyng passed ouer, he commaunded to damme vp that broken place of the drawe brydge, with earth, rubbishe and stones, and procéedyng forwarde they came to an other bridge whiche had no bulwarke, but was neare one of the chiefest places of the cittie, and there placed a péece of ordinaunce wherewith they dyd greate hurte, and seyng them now past all the bridges, they determined to enter into the harte of the Citie. When the _Mexicans_ perceyued their determination, they beganne to prouide euery one for himselfe, for some fledde one way and some another, but the moste wente to the great temple of Idols. The Spaniardes and theyr friends pursued after them, and among the throng gotte into the Temple, where they slewe many, and at length they wente vp into the high tower, and there threwe downe the idols, among whome they made a great spoyle.
_Quahutimoc_ beganne to reprehende his men for their cowardie and flight, who gathered themselues togither, and considering theyr ouersight, and that there were no horses, began a freshe to sette vppon the Spanyardes, and with force and strength draue them out of all the circuite of the Temple, and made them truste to their féete. But when _Cortes_ sawe his menne come flying, he caused them to returne and to shewe face vnto the enimy, declaryng vnto them how shamefull a thyng it was to flie: But seing the strength and multitude of their enimies, they had no other remedie but onely to retire to the greate market place, yea & from thence also they were expelled, and lost a péece of their ordinaunce. But beyng nowe in this extremitie, there came thrée horsemen who played the valiant men and made way through the troupe of enimies, who at the sight of the horses began to flie, and our men to follow with suche harte and courage, that in short time they wan the great temple agayne: then came other sixe horsemen who ioyned with the other thrée, and lay in ambushe, where they slew .30. _Mexicans_. The day being now farre spent, and the nighte at hande, _Cortes_ commaunded his army to retire, and they obeying his commandemët, hadde not so soone turned their backes, but an infinite number of enimies were at their héeles, who if it hadde not bin for the Horsemen, had slayne many Spanyardes, for they came vpon them like rauening dogges without any feare, yet with the succoure of the Horsemen, the enimie was putte agayne to flighte, and our men burned many houses, to auoyde at their next comming the daunger of stones whiche were throwen from their toppes. The other Captaynes, who were _Sandoual_ and _Aluarado_, fought valiantly on the other side of the Citie.
The great hurt and dammage in the _houses of Mexico with fire_.
In this meane while, _Don Hernando_ of _Tezcuco_, wente throughout his Lordship, to allure his vassall to the seruice and friendship of _Cortes_, according to his former promise: and whether it were seyng the Spanyards prosperitie in the séege of _Mexico_, or otherwise, he broughte almost the whole prouince of _Culhuacan_, whiche is vnder the gouernemente of _Tezcuco_, with sixe or seauen of his owne bréethren, for more he could not, although he had more than a hundred bréethren, as héereafter shall be declared. One of them named _Iztlixuchilh_ béeyng a valiant yong man, of the age of foure and twenty yeares, he appoynted generall Captayne ouer fiftie thousande men of warre, well armed and trimmed according to their fashion. _Cortes_ dyd friendly receyue and welcome them, giuing them greate thankes for their ayde and good willes. Of these newcome men, he tooke into his owne host thirtie thousande, and deuided the residue equally among the other Captaynes.
This was a sorrowfull newes to the _Mexicans_, to heare of the succoure which _Don Hernando_ hadde sente to serue _Cortes_, and with holden the same from them, yea and also among them were come kinsmen, bréethren, and fathers to many of them which were in _Mexico_ in the seruice of _Quahutimoc_.
Two dayes after that these menne were come, there came also men of _Xochmilco_, and certayne husbandmen of the Moütaines, who spake the _Otomitlh_ spéech, beséeching _Cortes_ to pardon their long tarrying, offering also both men and vittayles for the séege. _Cortes_ was pleased wyth their cöming and gentle offer, for they being his friëds, he was assured of them of _Culhuacan_, and sayd vnto them, within these thrée daies (God willing) I wil combate the Citie, therefore againste that time I praye you prepare your selues accordingly, and therein shall I knowe whether you are my friendes or no: and with this aunswere they departed, promising to fulfill his request, as they did in déede. This done, he sente thrée _Vergätines_ to _Sandoual_, and other thrée to _Aluarado_, for to disturbe anye succoure that mighte come from the land to the Citie, and likewise to defende and ayde the Spanyardes at all times, when they would land vpon the calsey, to combate the Citie, for he well vnderstoode howe profitable those vessels would be néere vnto the bridges.
The Captaines of the _Vergantines_ ceased not night and day to runne the coast and Townes of the lake, where they tooke manye boates from the enimies, laden with men and victuall, and permitted none to come into the Citie, nor yet any to come out.
The daye appointed to the enimies for the combate, _Cortes_ made his prayers vnto God, & then enformed each Captayne what he should do, and came foorth with twëtie horsemen, thrée hundred Spanyardes, and a great number of _Indians_, with their péeces of Ordinance, and where in thrée or foure dayes before they had not skirmished, time serued the _Mexicans_ at will to open al those places which were dammed vp before, and also to builde better bulwarkes thä those which were throwen downe, attending with that horrible noyse accustomed. But whë they sawe the _Vergantines_ on eache side, theyr ioy was turned into sorrowe, and beganne to fainte, the whiche oure men vnderstood well, and therewith alanded themselues vpon the calsey, and wanne the bulwarke and the bridge. Our army procéedyng forward, set vppon the enimies, vntill they came to another bridge, the whyche was likewise wonne in shorte time, and this pursued from bridge to bridge, alwayes fighting, vntill they had driuen them from the Calsey and stréetes.
_Cortes_ for his part lost no time, for he with tenne thousande _Indians_ laboured to damme vp againe the sluses and broken places of the bridges, making the way plaine both for Horsemen and footemen: it was so much to doe, that all those ten thousand _Indians_ were occupyed therein from the morning vntill the euening.
The other Spanyards and _Indian_ friends skirmished continually, and slew many of their enimies. Likewyse the Horsemen so scoured the stréetes, that the enimies were forced to locke them vp in their houses & Temples. It was a notable thing to sée how our _Indians_ played the menne that daye againste the Citizens: sometimes they would chalenge them the fielde: other times they would conuite them to supper, and shewe vnto them legges, armes, and other péeces of mäs flesh, saying behold your owne flesh which shal serue for our supper and brekefast, and to morrow we wil come for more, therefore flye not, you are valiant fellowes, yet it were better for you to dye fighting than with hunger. And after all this spéech, euery one of them called vppon the name of his owne Towne with a loude voyce, setting fire vppon their houses. The _Mexicans_ were replenished with sorrow, to sée themselues so afflicted with Spanyardes, but yet theyr sorrowe was the greater, to heare their owne vassals so raile againste them, saying and crying at their owne dores, victory, victory, _Tlaxcallan_, _Chalcho_, _Tezcuco_, _Xochmilco_, and other Townes: the eating of the fleshe gréeued them not, for they did the like.
_Cortes_ séeing the _Mexicans_ so stoute and hard harted, with full determination eyther to defend themselues or else to dye, therevpon he bethought himselfe vppon two things, the one was, that he shoulde not obteyne the treasure whiche he had séene in the time of _Mutezuma_: the other was, that they gaue him occasion totally to destroy the Citie. Both these things gréeued him much, but especially the destructiö of the citie. He ymagined with himselfe what he mighte doe, to bring them to acknowledge their error, and the hurt that mighte fall vpon them, and for these considerations he pluckt downe their Towers, and brake their idolles. He burned also the greate house wherein he was lodged before, and the house of foule which was néere at häd. There was not one Spanyard who had séene that magnificall building before, but lamented sore the sight: but to agréeue the Citizens, it was commaunded to be burned. There was neuer _Mexican_, that thought any humaine force, how much lesse so fewe Spanyards, shoulde haue entred into _Mexico_ in despite of them all, and to sette fire vpon their principallest edifices within the Citie. While this house was a burning, _Cortes_ gathered his men, and retired to his Campe. The _Mexicans_ would fayne haue remedyed the fire, but it was too late, and séeing our men retire, they followed wyth their noyse accustomed, and slue some of our men, who were laden with the spoyle, and came behinde the reste. The horsmen relieued our men, and caused the enimy to retire, in such wise, that before night al our men were in safetie and the enimies in their houses, the one sorte full of sorowe, and the others wearied with fighte and trauel. The slaughter was great that day, but the burning, and spoyle of houses was greater, for besides those whiche wee haue spoken of, the Vergantines did the like where they wente, and the other Captaines also were not idle where they were appointed.
Things that happened to Pedro de _Aluarado through his bolde attempt_.
_Pedro de Aluarado_, would passe his army to y^e market place of _Tlalulco_, for he toke much payn & stoode in perill in susteyning y^e bridges which he had gotten, hauing hys forte almost a league frö thence. And again, he being a man of a haughtie stomacke, thinking as wel to get honor as his general, and likewise being procured by his company, who sayde, that it were a shame for them if _Cortez_ should winne that market place, being more nearer vnto them, than vnto him: wherevpon he determined to winne those bridges which as yet wer vnwonne, and to place himselfe in the market place. He procéeded with all his army vntill they came to another brokë bridge, which was sixtie paces of length, and two fadome depe, the whiche with the helpe of the Vergantines, he wan in short space, and gaue order to certaine of his men to damme it vppe substancially, and he himselfe pursued his enimies, with fiftie Spaniardes. But when the Citizens sawe so few in number, and al footemen, (for the horses coulde not passe the sluce so soone,) they came vpon them so sodainely & fiercely, that they made our men to turne their backes, and trust to theyr legges, yea and our men fel into the water, they knewe not which way. They slew many of our _Indias[=a?]_, and four Spaniards, who forthwith they sacrifised, and eate their fleshe in the open sight of al the army.
_Aluarado_ saw his owne folly, in not beleauing _Cortes_, who had always forewarned him, not to procede foreward, vntil he had made the way sure behinde him: but _Aluarado_ his counsellers payde their counsel with life _Cortes_ sorrowed for the same, for the like had happened vnto him, if he had giuen credite to their counsel. But as a prudent captain, he considered the matter better, for euery house was then an Ilande, the calsey broken in many places, and the zoties or house toppes beset with stones, for these and suche like places vsed _Quahutimoc_. _Cortes_ went to see where _Aluarado_ had pitched hys campe, and also to rebuke him for that which was past, and to aduise him what he shold do: But when he came and found him so farre within the libertie of the Citie, and the daungerous places which hadde passed, he dyd highly cömend his valiaunt and good seruice: he also cömuned with him of manye things concerning the siege, and then returned to his owne campe.
The tryumph and sacrifice vvhich the _Mexicans made for their victorie_.
_Cortez_ delayed the time to pitche his campe in the market place of _Mexico_, although daily his menn entrede and skirmished with in the Citie, for the causes before alleaged, and likewise to sée if _Quahutimoc_ would yéeld himself. And also the entrie could not be but very daungerous, for the great multitude of enimies that filled vp the streates.
Al his company Spaniardes ioyntly, with the kings Treasurer, séeing the determination of _Cortes_, and the hurt already receyued, besought and also required him to passe his campe vnto the market place: who aunswered them, that they had spoken like valiaunt men, but as yet (quoth he) it is not time conuenient, & we oughte to consider better of the matter: for why? the enimies are fully determined to ende their liues in defence of that place. But his men replyed so muche, that hee was compelled to graunte to theyr requeste, and proclaymed the entraunce for the nexte daye following. Hee wrote also in his letters to _Gonsalo de Sandoual_, & to _Pedro de Aluarado_, the instructions of the things that they should doe, whiche was in effect, to _Sandoual_, that hee shoulde remoue hys campe wyth all hys fardage, as thoughe he woulde retire and flye, and that vppon the calsey he shoulde haue tenne horsemen in ambushe, behinde certaine houses to the intent that when the Citizens should espie thë flie, and would pursue after, thë to passe betwixt them and home with the said horsemen, & after the hurt done among them, in this sort, that then he with al his army shoulde come where _Pedro de Aluarado_ aboade, with other tenne horsemen, a hundered footemen, and the Nauye of Vergantines, and leauing with hym his men, should then take thrée of the Vergantines, and to procure to winne that broken bridge, where _Aluarado_ of late receiued the foyle: and if he fortuned to wynne that place, that then he should damme it vp, and make it sure, before he passed anye further: and the like order he gaue vnto him for al other broken places that he should passe.
Vnto _Aluarado_ he gaue commission, that he shoulde passe as farre into the Citie as he myght possible, requyring him also to send vnto him eightie Spaniardes. Hée also appointed the other seauen Vergantines, to passe into both y^e lakes, with thrée thousand _Canoas_. He deuided likewise all his army into thrée companies, bycause they had thre ways to enter into the citie. By the one of these wayes or streates, entred the Treasurer and Auditor, with seauentye Spaniardes, twentie thousande _Indians_, eight horsemen, twelue labourers with pickeaxes and Shouels, and many other ydle felowes, to cary earth and stones, and to fill vp the broken places, and to make the way plaine.
[Sidenote: A kinde harted captaine.]