The great auctoritie that Cortez had among the Indians.
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 ye 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.
