Part 3

In this meane time arriued at _Cuba_, _Iohn de Grijalua_, vpon whose arriuall, the gouernour chaunged his purpose and pretence, for hee refused to disburse any more money, nor yet would consent that _Cortez_ should furnish his Nauie. For the onely cause was, that he ment to dispatch backe againe his kinseman and his army. But to behold the stoute courage of _Cortez_, his charges, and liberalitie in expences, it was straunge, and to sée how hee was deceiued. And also to cösider, the flatterie and deceite of his aduersarie, yea what complaints were made to the Lord Admiral, saying that _Cortez_ was subtil, high minded, and a louer of honor, which were tokës that he wold rebel, being in place conuenient, and that he woulde reuenge olde griefes. Also it grieued _Vermudez_ that he had not accepted y^t voyage, vnto whö it was once offered, seing the great treasure that _Grijalua_ had brought, & what a rich land the countrey newely discouered was. Also he pretended that y^e gouernor would be chieftain of y^e fléet, although his kinesman were not fit for y^e roome. The gouernor also thought y^t he being slacke, _Cortez_ would also be slacke. But yet he séeing _Cortez_ earnestly procéed, he sent one _Amador de Larez_ a principal mä, to intreate him to leaue off y^e voyage (cösidering y^t _Grijalua_ was returned) and y^t he would pay him al y^e costs & charges y^t he had layd out. _Cortez_ vnderstäding the gouernors minde, made answere vnto _Larez_, y^t he wold not leaue of the Iorney, for very shame, nor yet breake the agréement made. And also if _Valasques_ would send a Nauy for his owne account, he woulde be contente, for (quoth he) I haue alreadie my licence and dispatch of the fathers & gouernours. And thë he conferred with his friendes, to knowe their mindes if that they would fauour and beare him cöpany, at whose handes he found both ready helpe and friendshippe. Hee sought then for money, and toke vp vpon his credit foure M. Castlyns in gold, of his friend _Andreas de Duero_, & of _Pedro de Xerez_ & others. With y^e which money he bought two ships, 6. horses, & much apparel, & began to furnish a house & kepe a good table for cömers & goers: he went also armed like a captaine, & many wayting & attëding vpon him, whereat diuerse murmured, saying that hee was a Lord without rente. In thys meane whyle came _Grijalua_ to the Cittie of Sainte _Iames de Cuba_: but hys kinseman the gouernour woulde not loke vppon hym bycause he had lefte and forsaken so riche a lande. Also it grieued him inwardlye that _Cortez_ procéeded thitherward so strong and mightye, and coulde by no meanes disturbe or lette hym, and to sée the greate traine that wayted vppon hym wyth manye of them that had byn the other voyage with _Grijalua_: yea if that he should disturbe him, bloud shedde would follow in the Citie. So that he was forced to dissemble his sorow. Yet (as many affyrme) hee commaunded that hee shoulde haue no victuals solde vnto hym. Nowe _Cortez_ departed from thence, proclayming himselfe for General, and that the gouernour _Valasques_ had nothing to doe wyth hys Nauie, requesting his soldiers to enbarke themselues wyth such victuals as they had. He also bargayned wyth one _Fernando Alfonso_ for certaine Hogges and Shéepe that were prepared for the shambles, and gaue vnto hym a chayne of golde and brouches for payment, and also moneye, to pay the penaltie that the butcher fel into for not prouiding the Cittie. And so he departed frö Saint _Iames de Baracoa_ the eightéenth of Nouember, with about thrée hundred Spaniardes in sixe shippes.

The nauie and men that Cortez caried _with him to the Conquest_.

_Cortez_ departed from Saint _Iames de Barocoa_ with small prouision of victuals for suche a number of men, and also for the nauigation whyche as yet was vncertaine. And beeyng out of that parte, he sent _Pedro Xuarez Gallinato_ with a Caruell to _Iaymaica_ for vittailes, commaunding him, that those things which he should there buy, to goe therwith to _Cape de Corrientes_, or to _S. Anthonies_ point, which is the farthest part of that Iland Westward. And he himselfe wente with his companye to _Macaca_, and boughte there greate quantitie of bread, and some Hogges, of one _Taymaio_. Then he procéeded to the Trinitie Ilande, and there boughte an other Shippe of one _Alonso Guillen_. And of perticulare persons he bought thrée Horses, and fiue hundred bushels of Corne. And being there at roade, he had aduice, that _Iohn Nonez Sedenio_ passed that way with a Shippe laden with victuals, for to make sale thereof at the Mynes. Wherevppon he sente _Iames de Ordas_, with a Caruel well armed, for to take him, and to bring him vnto _S. Anthonies_ point. _Ordas_ went and tooke him at the Channell _de Iardines_, and brought him to the place appointed. _Sedenio_ broughte the register of his marchandise, whiche was greate store of bread, Bacon, and Hennes: _Cortez_ gaue him chaynes of golde, and other pieces for payment, and a bil for the rest. In consideration whereof, _Sedenio_ wente with him to the Conquest. In the Trinitie Ilande _Cortez_ gathered togyther two hundred men more, who had bin in _Grijalua_ hys company, and were dwellers in that Iland, and in _Matancas_, _Carenias_, and other Villages, and sending his ships forward, he went with his men by land to _Hauana_, which was then inhabited on the South side in the mouth of the riuer called _Onicaxinall_, but there they would sell him no prouision, for feare of the Gouernour _Velasques_. But yet one _Christopher Galsada_ rentgatherer to the Byshoppe, and receyuer for the Popes Bulles, solde to him great store of Bacon and bread of that Countrey called _Maiz_, and other prouision, whereby his fléete was reasonably prouided .&c. And then he beganne to distribute his men and vittayles aboorde eache vessell in good order. Then came _Aluarado_ with his caruell, with his other friendes _Christopher de Olid_, _Alonso de Auila_, _Francisco de Monteio_, & manye others of _Grijalua_ hys company, who had bin to talke with the Gouernoure _Velasques_. And among them came one _Garnica_ so called, with letters for _Cortez_ from _Velasques_, wherein he wrote, desiring him to abide there, for that he meant to come himselfe, or else to send vnto hym, to treate of matters profitable for them both.

[Sidenote: A snare layde for Cortez.]

Also, the sayd Gouernour sente other secret letters to _Iames de Ordas_ and others, requiring them to apprehende and take prisoner _Cortez_. Nowe _Ordas_ did inuite _Cortez_ to a banket aboorde his Caruel, thinking by that meanes to catche _Cortez_ in a snare, and so to carrie him prisoner to the Citie of _Saint Iames de Barocoa_, but _Cortez_ vnderstood the matter, and fayned hymselfe to be very sicke, and also fearing some vprore, he went aboorde his Shippe Admirall, and shot off a péece of Ordinance, giuing warning to his Nauie to be in a readinesse to make sayle, and to follow him to _Saint Anthonies_ poynte, whiche was done with expedition, and there in the Towne of _Guani Guaniga_ he mustered his men, and found fiue hundred and fiftie Spanyardes, whereof fiftie were Marriners. He deuided them into eleuen companies, and appointed these persons following for Captaynes, that is to say, _Alonso de Auila_, _Alonso Fernandez Porto Carrero_, _Iaimes de Ordas_, _Francisco de Monteio_, _Francisco de Morla_, _Francisco de Salzeda_, _Iohn de Escalante_, _Iohn Velasques de Leon_, _Christopher de Olid_, and one _Escouar_, and he himselfe as Generall tooke one Company. He made these many Captaynes, bycause his whole fléete was eleuen sayle, and that eache of them shoulde seuerally be Captayne, both of Shippe and men. He also appoynted for chiefe Pilote _Antonio de Alamines_, who had taken charge before with _Francisco de Hernandez de Cordoua_, and _Grijalua_, &c. He carried also 200 _Indians_, borne in y^e Ile of _Cuba_, to serue and to carrie baggage, & also certayne _Negros_ with some _Indian_ womë, and sixtéene Horses & Mares, with great prouision of Bacon, corne, bisket, hennes, wine, oyle, pease, and other fruites, w^t great store of Haberdash, as Belles, necklaces, beades of glasse, collers, points, pinnes, purses, nedels, girdels, thredde, kniues, sissers, pinsars, hämers, hatchets, Shirts, Coyfes, headkerchiefes, handkerchiefs, bréeches, coates, clokes, cappes, Marriners bréeches, all y^e which Merchädise be deuided amög his nauie. The Ship Admiral was of the burthen of a hüdred Tunnes. Other thrée Shippes of the burthen of eightie Tunnes the péece. All the residue were small withoute ouerloppe, and vergantines. The deuice of his ensigne or aunciente, was flames of fire in white and blewe, with a redde crosse in the middest, and bordred round with letters, in the Lattine and Spanishe tongs, which signified this in effect: friends, let vs follow the Crosse, and with liuely faith with this standerde we shall obteyne victorie. The premisses (as ye haue hearde) was the furniture that _Cortez_ prouided for his iourney, and with so small a thing he conquered so greate and mightie an Empire, & strange Countreys, vnknowen at that time. There was neuer Captayne that did with like army ouercome so infinite a people, & bring both thë and their coütrey vnder subiectiö. He caried no money to pay his souldiers, but was rather much indebted to others at his departure. And to say the truth, there néeded any money to make pay to those souldiers that went to the Cöquest, for if they shuld haue serued for wages, they would haue gone to other places néere hand. But in _India_, euery one pretëdeth y^e state of a noble man, or else great riches. Now all y^e fléete being in readinesse (as ye haue hearde,) _Cortez_ began an exhortation to his cöpany as followeth.

The Oration that Cortez made _to his Souldiers_.

My louing fellowes and déere friendes, it is certayne that euery valiant manne of stoute courage, doth procure by déedes to make him selfe equall with the excellente men of his time, yea and with those that were before his time. So it is, that I do now take in häd such an enterprise, as godwilling shall be héereafter of greate fame, for myne heart doth pronosticate vnto mée, that we shall winne greate and rich Countreys, and manye people, as yet neuer séene to anye of oure nation, yea and (I beléeue) greater Kingdomes than those of oure Kinges. And I assure you, that the desire of glory dothe further extend, than treasure, the whiche in sorte, mortall life doth obtayne. I haue now prepared Shippes, Armor, Horses, and other furniture for the warres, with victuall sufficient, and all things that are vsed as necessary in Conquestes. I haue bin at greate costes and charges, wherein I haue not onely employed myne owne goodes, but also the goodes of my friendes, yet me thinketh that the employmente thereof dothe encrease my treasure and honor. We ought (louing fellowes) to leaue off small things, when great matters doe offer themselues. And euen as my trust is in God, euen so greater profite shall come to our kings, and a nation of this oure enterprise, than hath héeretofore of any other. I doe not speake how acceptable it will be to God our sauiour, for whose loue I do chiefly and willingly hazard my goods and trauel. I will not nowe treat of the perils and danger of life that I haue passed since I began this voyage. This I say, that good men doe rather expect renoune, than treasure. We doe now attempt and begin warre that is both good and iust, and the almighty God in whose name and holy faith this voyage is begonne, will assuredly graunte vnto vs victory, and the time will shew the end of things well begonne. Therefore we will now haue an other manner in our procéedings, than eyther _Cordoua_ or _Grijalua_ hadde, whereof I meane not nowe to dispute, for the presente time doth hasten vs away, but at our arriuall, we will do what shall séeme vnto vs conuenient. Héere déere friends do I lay before you great gaynes, but wrapped in greate trauell, yet _Vertue_ is an enimie to idlenesse .&c. Therefore if you will accept hope for _Vertue_, or _Vertue_ for hope, and also if ye forsake me not, as I will not forsake you, I will with Gods help make you in shorte time the richest men that euer passed this way. I doe sée you are but fewe in number, but yet such men of haughtie courage, that no force or strength of _Indians_ can offende. Likewise wée haue experience, that Christ our sauiour hathe alwayes fauoured our nation in these parties. Therfore my déere friendes, let vs now in Gods name depart ioyfull, exspecting good successe, according to our beginning .&c.

The entrance of Cortez into the _Iland of Acusamill_.

[Sidenote: The feare of the Indians of Acusamil.]

[Sidenote: Hovv the people vver found]

[Sidenote: A facte vvorthy of prayse.]

VVith the aforesayd communication, _Cortez_ gaue great hope to his cöpany of waightie matters, yea and great admiration of his person, so that all his company had an earnest desire to procéede on that iorney. And _Cortez_ likewise reioyced, to sée his men so willing: and incontinente, they embarqued themselues, and after their prayers made vnto God, hoysed vp their sayles, and with faire winde departed the eighttenth day of Februarie Anno 1519. And beyng at Sea, he willed all his nauie (as the vse is) to haue S. Peter for their patrone, warning them alwayes to follow the Admirall (wherin he went) bycause he carried a light for the night season to guide them the way, whiche was almost East and West from _S. Anthonies_ point, being the nerest part of _Cuba_ to _Cape de Cotoche_, which is the first läd point of _Yucatan_, whither they were bounde, so y^t being there, they might run alög the coast, betwene the North point and the West. The firste night y^t _Hernando Cortez_ begä to passe ouer the gulfe betweene _Cuba_ & _Yucatan_, being little aboue lx. leagues, the winde rose vp at Northeast with much force, so y^t all the Fléete were separated without sight y^e one of the other: yet by the accompt that their Pilots kept, they arriued all sauing one at the Ilande of _Acusamil_, although not at one time, and those that last ariued, wer the Admirall, and Captayne _Morla_ his Ship, who had lost his Ruther, but by shoting off a pece, _Cortez_ vnderstood his necessitie, and came vering to him, and amayned his sailes to succour him, being in y^e night season. Yet when the day appeared, it pleased God y^t the rage of the tempest ceassed, & being cléere day, they found agayne their Ruther, and trimmed the Ship, and made sayle, and sayled that day and the next following, without sighte of land, or any of the Fléete. But the third day they arriued at a cape or point of land, called Womens cape. _Cortez_ cömanded _Morla_ to follow him, directing his course to séeke the residue of his Fléete, and arriued in this sorte at the Iland of _Acusamil_, and there found all his nauie excepte one, whereof they hearde no newes in many dayes after. The people of that Ilande beholding suche a straunge sight, were in great feare and admiratiö, so that they gathered their stuffe and wente vp into the Mountaynes. _Cortez_ caused a certayne number of his më to goe a land to a Towne which was néere the place where they were arriued, and they foüd the towne wrought with Masons worke, and good building, but they founde no creature therein, yet in some houses they foüd cloth made of cottë woll, and certaine Iewels of gold. Also they entred into a high tower made of stoneworke, néere the sea side, and there they founde nothing but Idols of earth and stone. With this newes they returned to _Cortez_, and enformed him what they had séene, and also many faire sowë fields of _Maiz_, and great store of hiues of Bées, and many trées of fruites, and also presented vnto him the gold and other things that they had foüd. _Cortez_ reioyced with y^e newes but yet maruelled that the people were fledde, considering that when _Grijalua_ was there, they had not so done, wherby he iudged, that his nauie béeyng greater, caused them to feare and flie, and likewise he feared least a snare were prepared for him. Then he cömanded to vnship his Horses for thrée causes: the one to discouer the Countrey: and the other to fight if néede were: and also to grase thë, hauing there abüdance. Also he vnshipped his më of warre, and sent them to discouer the land. And in the thickest of the Mountaynes, they found four women, and thrée childrë, whome they brought to _Cortez_, so that not vnderstanding their language, by signes & tokens they ymagined that one of thë was the mother to the children, & mistresse to the other women. The pore creatures bewayled theyr captiuitie. _Cortez_ made muche of them, & apparrelled the mistresse as wel as he might with Spanish attire: and to hir seruants he gaue loking glasses and sissers: and to the little children other toyes to play withall, vsing no dishonestie towards thë. And thë he determined to send one of the wenches to call hir maister, and to enforme him how well they were intreated. In this meane season came certaine spies lurking a farre off, by the cömandement of their Lord, who was called _Calachuni_, to bring newes of his wife, & what else passed. _Cortez_ receyued them gëtly, & gaue vnto them certayne trifles, and sent others to their Lord, and returned thë w^t embassage on his behalfe & his wiues, to desire hym to come vnto him, and to sée those folke from whome he had fledde, promising, that neyther his person, nor none of his countrey should receyue anye molestation of him, nor of any of his company. _Calachuni_ vnderstäding this friendshippe, and also with the loue hée bare to his wife and childrë, came the next day following with all the Townesmen, in whose houses y^e Spanyards were lodged, who woulde not permitte that their guestes should giue place. And the Lorde commaunded, that they should be wel entertayned, and frö that day forward prouided them of bread, fishe, honey, & fruite. _Calachuni_ spake and saluted _Cortez_ with greate humilitie and ceremonie, and euen so was he louingly receyued, & wel entertained. _Cortez_ did then declare vnto him the commoditie that would ensue vnto him by that nation. And also presented vnto him & his cöpany many toyes, which were vnto thë of small valewe, but muche estéemed among them, yea more than golde. And moreouer _Cortez_ cömaunded, that all the golde and other things that his men had taken in the Towne, shoulde be broughte before him, and placed it so, that euery _Indian_ knewe his owne, and was restored vnto them, whereat they were not a little ioyfull, wondering at the liberalitie of the straungers, and departed both merrie and riche with their straunge giftes, and went throughout al the Iland, shewing to their fellowes their presentes, commaunding them in the name of _Calachuni_ their Lord, to returne euery man to his house, with ther wiues and children, commending highly the honest and gentle nature of the straungers. With this newes and commaundemente, euery man returned to his house and Towne from whence he had fledde. And after thys sort their feare was past, and they prouided the Camp abundantly of honey, bread, waxe, fishe, and frute, all the time that they abode in that Iland.

The Indians of Acusamil gaue nevves _to Cortez of certaine bearded men_.

[Sidenote: Nevves of bearded men.]

Now _Cortez_ seeing these _Indians_ quiet and wel pleased, and also very seruiceable, he did determyne to take away theyr Idols, and to giue them a remembraunce of Iesu Christ borne of the Virgin Mary, by one _Melchior_ a fisher man and very rustical, who had bin ther before with _Francisco Hernandez de Cordoua_, who declared vnto them, that _Cortez_ his Lord and captaine would enforme them of a better god, and better lawes, than those which they maintained. The _Indians_ answered, that they were contented therewith, and went with them vnto their temples, and there brake downe their Idols, and celebrated diuine seruice, teaching them to adore and worshippe Christ crucifyed, so that they were verye attentiue to the doctrine, and ceased sacrifise of men which they were wöt to vse. These _Indians_ did wonder much at the shippes and horses, yea and marueyled as muche at our colour and beardes, so that many times they would come and féele them, and signifyed vnto them by signes and tokens towardes _Yucatan_, that there were fiue or sixe bearded men. Then _Cortez_ considering how profitable it wold be to haue an interpreter to vnderstand and to be vnderstood, he besought _Calachuni_ that he would appoint a messenger to carrye a letter to the bearded men, who were in the power of a great Lord and Tyrant, and _Calachuni_ found none that durst take that iourney in hand, fearing that they should be slaine and eaten. _Cortez_ seing this, entreated with faire words, thrée of the _Indians_ that serued him to accept the iourney, and gaue thë rewards for theyr labour: yet the _Indians_ excused them, saying that they should be slayne, notwithstanding with faire promises and rewardes, they accepted the voyage, so that _Cortez_ wrote with them this letter following.

Worshipful sirs, I departed from _Cuba_ with eleuen saile in my fléete, furnished with fiue hundred and fiftie Spaniardes, and I arriued here at _Acusamil_ from whence I write you this letter. The people of this Iläd haue certifyed me, that there is in that countrey fiue or sixe bearded men, and in al pointes like vnto vs: they can not here enforme me of anye other signes or tokens, but hereby I do coniecture, and certainely beleue that ye be Spaniards. Both I and these gentlemen of my company do come to discouer and inhabit this land, we hartily pray you y^t within sixe days after the receite hereof, ye come vnto vs, w^tout any excuse or delay, and if ye so doe, al we of this nauie wil gratifye your gentlenesse & good seruice y^t ye shal do vnto vs. I do send you a Vergantyn wherin you may come, & two shippes for your safeconduct.

_Hernando Cortez._

This letter being written, there was found an inconuenience, which was, they knew not how to carrye the letter so secretly y^t it might not be séene, & they taken for espies, wherof the saide _Indians_ stoode in great feare. Thë _Cortez_ bethought him, y^t the letter wold passe wrapped in y^e haire of the head of one of thë, for ordinarily the _Indians_ wear lög heare, & on their solemn feasts & in wars they vse their haire platted & boüd about their forheads. And he appointed captaine of the Vergantine wherin y^e messëgers wët, _Iohn de Escalante_, & _Iames de Ordas_ for captaine of the other two ships, with fiftie men if any nede should happen. So shortly after the ships arriued at the place appointed, _Escalante_ set a land his messengers, and abode there eight days they returne, although he promised thë to abide there but sixe dayes. And thë séeing that they came not, he surmysed y^t they were either slaine or taken captiues: & so returned backe againe to _Acusamill_ without his messëgers, wherof al the army were sorowful, & chiefly _Cortez_, thinking that the _Indians_ had wrög enformed him. Nowe in this meane season they trymmed their shippes of the hurte receiued by the late tempest, & at the returne of the two ships and Vergantyne, they hoysed vp sailes and departed.

A miraculous chaunce hovv Geronimo de _Aguilao came to Cortez_.