Cortes vvounded vvith a slyng.
Oh noble Cortez.
Cortes was woūded with the stripe of a sling, and therewith was in greate daunger of life, for his head so rancbled, that of necessitie they were forced to take out certaine péeces of his skull, whervpon he was driuen to séeke a solitarie place in the wildernesse to cure him, and in goyng thitherwardes, the enimies wounded fiue Spaniardes and foure horses, whereof one died, and that was eaten among them for a sumptuous supper, and yet not sufficient for them all, for there was none of them whiche were not vexed with hunger. I speake not of their woundes and wearinesse, things sufficient to haue made an ende of lyfe. But certainely the Spanishe nation can abide more hunger than any other, and especially these with Cortes dyd shewe the proofe. The nexte day in the mornyng departing from a litle Village, and fearyng the multitude of enimies, Cortes commaunded eche horseman to take a sicke manne behinde him, and those that were somewhat stronger, to holde by the horse tayles and stirroppes: he likewise made cruches for other some to ease them, and woulde not leaue one of his men behinde him to be a pray and supper for the Indian enimies. This aduise was very profitable as things fell out, yea also there were some of them that carried vpon their backe their fellowes, & thereby were saued. They had not iourneyed a full league into a playne fielde, when there mette them an infinite number of Indians who compassed them round aboute, and assaulted our men in such sorte, that they verily beléeued that day to ende generally their liues, for there were many Indians that durst wrastell with our men, man to man, yea and layd some of them in the duste, and drewe them by the héeles, whether it were with the great courage whiche they had, or whether it were with the trauayle, hunger and hurtes of our men I know not, but great pittie it was to sée, how they were drawen by the Indian enimies, and what grieuous mone they made.
Oh valiant Cortez.
200000. Indians.
Cortes that wente with vigilant care comfortyng his men, as muche as was possible to doe, and well perusing the great daunger that they were in, commendyng himselfe to God, sette spurres to his horse and made way thorow the greatest troupe of Indians, and came vnto the captayne generall who bare the Royall standart of Mexico, and passed him through with his Lance, whereof he incontinent died. But when the Indians sawe the standart fallen, they threw their auncient on the grounde and fled, scattering them here and there like men amazed, knowing not whither to fly, for such is their custome in warre, that when they sée the generall slayne, they forthwith leaue the fielde. Then our wery soules began to recouer hart and strength, and the horsemen followed thē to their great anoyance and slaughter. It was credibly reported, that there were that day in fielde .200000. Indians. And the fielde where this battayle was fought is called Otumpan: there was neuer a more notable facte done in India, nor greater victorie since the first discouery of the same. And as manye Spaniardes as sawe Hernando Cortes fighte that day, did holde opinion, that neuer one man did more greater feates in armes, and that he only was the meane in his owne person to saue and deliuer them all.
The entertaynement vvhiche the Spaniardes had in Tlaxcallan.
After this victory obtayned, Cortes with his company went to lodge in a house planted alone, in a playne grounde, from whence appeared the Mountaynes of Tlaxcallan, whereof our menne muche reioyced: yet on the other side they stoode in doubt whether they should finde them their friendes in such a daungerous season, for bycause the vnfortunate man that flieth, findeth nothing in his fauour, for all thing that he pretendeth, happeneth cleane contrary. That night Cortes himselfe was scoute, not bycause he was more whole than his fellowes, but like a good Captayne, he deuided the trauayle & paynes equally, euen as their hurte and damage was come.