The vvarres of Tepeacac.

Cortez found himselfe at hearts ease with this answere, for it was a thing y^t had much troubled him: & vndoubtedly if he had followed his fellowes demand, he shoulde neuer haue recouered Mexico agayne, & they likewise had bin slayne in the way towards Vera Crux, for they hadde manye perilous places to passe. Eache one of them waxed whole of his wounds, sauing some which dyed for wāt of loking to in time, leauing their wounds filthy & vnbound, as Surgiōs doe affirme, with also their great trauell & weakenesse. And likewise other some remayned lame and halt, which was no small griefe and losse: but the most parte recouered healthe, as I haue declared. After twenty dayes fully past, whiche they had abode in Tlaxcallan, Cortes determined to make warre with the Indians of Tepeacac, which is a greate Towne, and not farre from thence, for they hadde slayne twelue Spanyards, whiche came from Vera Crux towardes Mexico. Likewise they were of the league of Culhua, and therfore were holpen by the Mexicans, and did many times great hurt to the inhabitantes of Tlaxcallan, as Xicotencatl did testifye. Cortes desired hys louing friende Maxixca, and diuers other Gentlemen, to goe with him, who forthwith entred into counsell wyth the states and comunaltie of the Citie, and there determined with generall consente to gyue vnto him fortie thousand fighting men, besides many Tamemoz, who are foote carriers, to beare the baggage, victuall, and other things. With this number of Tlaxcaltecas, his owne men and horses, he wente to Tepeacac, requiring them in satisfaction of the death of y^e twelue Christiās that they shuld now yéelde themselues to the obedience of the Emperor, and that héereafter neuer more to receiue any Mexican into theyr towne or houses, neyther yet any of the prouince of Culhua.

The Tepeacacs answered, that they had slaine the Spaniardes for good and iuste cause, whiche was, that being tyme of warre they presumed to passe through their countrey by force, without their will and licence. And also that the Mexicans and Culhuacans were their friendes and Lordes, whom alwayes they would friendly entertayne within their towne and houses, refusing vtterly their offer and request, protesting to giue no obedience to whom they knew not, wishyng them therefore, to returne incontinent to Tlaxcallan, excepte they had desire to ende their werie dayes.

Cortes innuited them diuers times with peace, and seing it preuailed not, he begā his warres in earnest. Their enimies lykewise with the fauour of the Culhuacans were braue and lustie, and began to stoppe and defend their pretended entraunce. And they beyng many in number, with diuers valiant men among them, began to skirmishe sundry times, but at the end, they were ouerthrowen, and many slayne, without killing any Spaniarde, although many Tlaxcaltecas were killed that day.

The Lordes and principall persons of Tepeacac seyng theyr ouerthrow, and that their strength coulde not preuayle, yéelded themselues vnto Cortes for vassalles of the Emperour, with condition to banish for euer their allied friendes of Culhua. And that he should punishe and correct at his will and pleasure, all those whiche were occasion of the death of the twelue Spaniardes. For which causes and obstinacie, at the firste Cortes iudged by his sentence, that all the townes whiche had bene priuie to the murder, should for euer remaine captiues and slaues: others affirme that he ouercame them without any condition, and corrected them for their disobedience, being Sodomites, idolaters and eaters of mans flesh, and chiefly for exāple of all others. And in conclusion, they were condemned for slaues, and within twenty daies that these warres lasted, he pacified all that prouince, which is very great: he draue from thēce the Culhuacans: he threw downe the idols, and the chiefest persons obeyed him. And for more assuraunce he builte there a towne, naming it Segura de la Frontera: he appoynted all officers for the purpose, being a towne situated in the high way from Vera Crux to Mexico, whereby the Christians and straungers mighte passe without daunger. In these warres serued lyke faithfull friendes the Indians of Tlaxcallan, Huexocinco and Cholalla, promysing the lyke seruice and succour agaynst Mexico, yea and rather better than worse. With this victory the Spaniardes recouered great fame, for they were thought to haue bene slayne.

The great auctoritie that Cortez had among the Indians.

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After all these things were finished, Cortes cōmaunded & gaue licence to al the Indian friēds, to returne home vnto their houses, except his assured friends of Tlaxcallan, whō he kept in his company for the warres of Mexico: he nowe dispatched a poste to Vera Crux, commaundyng that foure of the shippes which Naruaez had brought, should be sent with al spéede to y^e Iland of Santo Domingo, for men, horses, armour, pouder & other munition, also for wollen cloth, linnen, shooes, and many other things: and wrote his letters for the same to the licenciat Rodrigo de Figueroa, and to the whole magistrates of Chancery, certifying them of all their procéedings in that countrey; beséechyng them of helpe and succour, and that forthwith to be sent by the messenger.

This done, he sente twentie horsemen, twoo hundred Spaniardes, and many Indians vnto Zacatami and Xalaxinco, whiche were townes subiect to the Mexicans, and placed in the high way to Vera Crux, who had slayne certaine Spaniardes passyng that way. This company wente thither, with their accustomed protestations, whiche preuayled not, wherevpon followed fire and spoyle: many Gentlemen and other principall persons came to yéelde themselues to Cortes, more for feare than for good will, crauyng pardon for theyr offence, promising also not to offende agayne, nor yet at any tyme to take armour agaynst the Spaniardes. Cortes pardoned them, & then hys armie returned, with determination to kéepe his Christmasse in Tlaxcallan, whiche was within twelue dayes followyng. He left a Captaine with thrée score Spaniards in the newe towne of Segura, to kéepe that passage, and also to put in feare the Comarcans that dwelled thereabout: he sente before him his whole armie, and he himself went with twentie horsemen from thence to Coliman to lodge there that night, being a cittie of his allied friendes, and there to ordaine and make by hys auctoritie, bothe Noble men and Captaynes in lue of them whiche died with the disease of small pockes. He aboade there thrée dayes, in the whiche the newe Lordes were ordeyned, who afterwardes remayned his especiall friendes. The nexte day hée came Tlaxcallan, beyng sixe leagues distant from thence, where he was triumphantly receyued. And truely at that time he made a iourney most worthie of renowne and glory.

At this season his déere friende Maxixca was departed this transitorie lyfe, for whome he mourned clothed in blacke, after the Spanishe fashion: he lefte behinde him certaine sonnes, of whom the eldest was .xij. yéeres of age, whome Cortes named and appoynted for Lorde of his fathers estate, and the commons did certifie it to appertaine vnto him. This was no small glory for Cortes to giue estates, and also to take them away at his pleasure, yea and that those Indians should haue him in suche feare and respect, that none durste doe any thyng in acceptyng the inheritaunce of their fathers without his good will and licence.

Now Cortes procured that euery man shoulde make his harneys, weapons and prouision readie and in good order: he made also great haste in building Vergantines, for his timber was already cutte and seasoned: he sente vnto Vera Crux for sayles, tacle, nayles, roapes and other necessarie things, whereof there was store remaynyng of the furniture of the shippes that were sunke. And hauyng wante of pitche, for in that countrey the Indians knewe not what it meant, he commaunded certayne of his Mariners to make the same in the highe Mountaynes where was store of Pine trées, and not farre from the cittie.

The Vergantines that Cortez commaunded to be built, and the Spaniardes which he had ioyned togither to besiege Mexico.

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The fame of prosperitie whiche Cortes enioyed, was wonderfully blowen abroade with the newes of the imprisonment of Mutezuma, and the victory against Pamfilo de Naruaez, wherevppon there came many Spaniardes by twenty and twentie in a company from Cuba, Santo Domingo, and other Ilandes. Although that iourney coste some their liues, for in the way they were murdered by those of Tepeacac and Xalacinco, as is before declared, yet notwithstanding there came many to Tlaxcallan, whereby his hoste was muche encreased, beséechyng him to make haste towarde the warres.

It was not possible for Cortes to haue espies in Mexico, for the Tlaxcaltecas were knowen by their lippes, eares, and other tokens, and also they had in Mexico garde and greate enquirie for that purpose, by reason wherof he could not certainely knowe what passed in those parties, accordyng as he desired, for to haue prouided himself of things néedefull: yet a Captayne whiche was taken prysoner in Huacacholla, certified that Cuetlauac Lorde of Iztacpalapan, Neuewe to Mutezuma, was elected Emperour after his Vncles death, who was a wise and valiant man, and hée it was that had dryuen Cortes out of Mexico, who now had fortified Mexico with many bulworkes and caues, and with many and sundry sortes of weapon, but chiefly very long Lances, yea and planted them in the grounde to resiste and molest the horsemen. He proclaymed pardon and frée libertie, without paying any tribute for the space of one whole yéere, yea and further as long as the warres should laste, he promysed also great rewardes to all them that shoulde kill any Christian, or expulse them from that countrey. This was a policie whereby he gatte muche credite among his vassals, yea and gaue them greate courage to play the valiant men. All this newes was founde to be true, sauyng onely Cuetlauac was dead. And that Quahutimoccin, Neuew also, as some doe say, of Mutezuma, raygned at that tyme, who was a valiant man and a good warrier, as hereafter shalbe declared, who sente his messengers through out his Empyre, proclaymyng as great rewardes as Cuetlauac had done before, declaryng vnto them that it was more reason to serue him than straungers, and also to defende theyr olde auncient Religion, and not to credite suche Christians as woulde make themselues Lordes of other mens goodes, yea and make them slaues and captiues as they had done in other places. Quahutimoc encouraged muche his subiectes, and kindled with his talke their wrath agaynst the Spaniards: yet there were some prouinces that gaue no eare to his information, but rather leaned to our side, or else medled with neyther side. Cortes seyng the effect of the matter, determined forthwith to beginne the warres: he mustered his men on Sainct Steuens day, and founde fourtie horsemen, and fiue hundreth & fourtie footemen, wherof foure score were Hargabushiers, and crossebow men, niene péeces of ordinaunce, and little powder: his horsemen he diuided into foure squares, and his footemen into nine: he named & appointed captaynes, and other officers for the host, vnto whom in general he spake as followeth.

The exhortation of Cortez to his Souldiers.

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My louyng brethren, I gyue moste hartie thankes vnto Iesu Christ, to sée you now whole of your woundes and frée from diseases: likewise I muche reioyce to sée you in good order trimly armed, yea and with suche desire to sette agayne vpon Mexico, to reuenge the death of our fellowes, and to winne that greate Citie, the whiche I truste in God shalbe brought to passe in shorte time, hauing the friendship of Tlaxcallan and other prouinces, who haue as great desire to sée the ouerthrowe of the Mexicans, as we our selues, for therein they gette both honour, libertie & safegarde of life. Also it is to be considered, that if the victory should not be ours, they poore soules should be destroyed and remaine in perpetuall captiuitie. Also the Culhuacans do abhorre them worse than vs, for receyuing vs into their houses and countrey: therefore sure I am that they will sticke vnto vs vnfaynedly. I muste néedes confesse their vnfayned friendship, for presente workes doe testifie the same. They will not onely be a meane to bryng others their neyghbours to our seruice, but also haue now in readinesse .100000. mē of warre, to sende with vs, besides a great nūber of Tamemez or carriers to carrie al our prouision. Ye also, are now the same which alwaies heretofore ye haue bene, for I as witnesse beying your captayne, haue had the victory of many battayles fighting with a .100. yea & 200000. enimies: we got also by strength of arme many strōg cities, yea & brought in subiection many prouinces, not beyng so many in number as we are nowe, for when we came firste into this countrey we were not so many as now presently we are. Agayne in Mexico they feare our cōing: it should also be a blot vnto our honour that Quahutimoc should inherite y^e kingdome that cost our friēd Mutezuma his life. Likewise I esteme al that we haue done is nothing, if we winne not Mexico, our victories shoulde also be sorowfull if we reuenge not the death of our déere fellowes. The chiefe and principall cause of our cōming into this countrey, was to set forth the faith of Iesu Christ, & therwithal doth folow honour & profite which seldome times do dwell togither. In those fewe dayes that we were in Mexico, we put downe the idols, we caused sacrifice and eatying of mans fleshe to bée layde aside, and also in those dayes wée beganne to conuerte some to the fayth. It is not therefore nowe reason to leaue of so laudable an enterpryse, so well begonne. Lette vs now goe whither holy fayth doth call vs, and where the sinnes of our enimies deserueth so great a punishment, and if yée well remember, the Citizens of that citie were not cōtent to murder such an infinite number of men, women & children before the idols, in their filthy sacrifice, for honour of their Diuelishe Goddes, but also to eate their fleshe, a thyng inhumayne, and much abhorred of God, and al good men doth procure, and especially Christians, to defende and punishe suche odious customes.

Besides all this, they committe that horrible sinne for the whiche the fiue cities with Sodom were burned by fire from heauen: Why then what greater occasion should any man wishe for in earth, than to abolish such wickednesse, and to plant among these bloudy tirants the fayth of Iesu Christ, publishing his holy gospel? Therfore now, with ioyfull hartes lette vs procéede to serue God, honour our nation, to enlarge our Princes dominions, and to enriche our selues with the goodly pray of Mexico, to morrow God willyng we will beginne the same.

All his men answeared with chéerefull countenaunce, that they were ready to departe when it pleased him, promising their faithful seruice vnto him. It should séeme the rather with the desire of that pleasure and greate treasure whiche they had eyght moneths enioyed before.

Cortes commaunded to proclayme throughout his army, certaine ordinaunces of warre for the good gouernement of his hoste, whiche he had written among others: and were these that followeth:

That none should blaspheme the holy name of Iesus.
That no Souldier should fight with his fellowe.
That none shoulde play at any game, his horse nor armour.
That none should force any woman.
That none should robbe or take any Indian captiue without his speciall licence and counsellers.
That none should wrōg or iniurie any Indian their friēds: he also taxed yron worke and apparell, for cause of the excessiue prices that they were there solde for.

The exhortation made by Cortez to the Indians of Tlaxcallan.

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The nexte daye following, Cortes called before him all the Lordes, Captaynes, and principall persons of Tlaxcallan, Huexocinco, Chololla, Chalco, and of other townes, who were there presente at that time, saying as followeth. My Lords and friendes, you know the iourney which I haue nowe in hande, to morrowe God willing I will departe to the warre and siege of Mexico, and enter into the land of youre enimies and mine: And the thing that now I do require, and also pray, is, that you remayne faithfull and constant in your promise made, as hithervnto you haue done, and so I trust you will continue. And bycause I can not bring so soone my purpose to passe according to youre desire and mine, without the Vergantines which are now a making, and to be placed in the lake of Mexico, therefore I praye you to fauoure these workemen whiche I leaue héere, with suche loue and friendship, as héeretofore you haue done and to giue them all things necessary for their prouision, and I do faithfully promise to take away the yoke of bondage, which the inhabitantes of Culhua haue layde vpon you, and also will obteyne of the Emperoure great libertie and priuiledges for you.

All the Indians shewed countenance of obedience, and the chiefest Gentlemen aunswered in few words, saying, we will not onely fulfyll youre request, but also when your vessels are finished, we will bring them to Mexico, and we all in generall will goe with you, and truly serue you in your warres.