The newe Kyng Quahutimoc hauing intelligence how Cortes hadde launched hys Vergantines and so mightie a power to beséege Mexico, entred into counsell wyth the chiefest péeres of hys Realme. Some were of opinion, and dyd prouoke hym to the warres, considering theyr greate multitude of people, and fortitude of the Citie.
Others were of opinion, who tendred muche the common weale, that no Spanyarde that shoulde happen to be taken prysoner shoulde be sacrificed, but rather to be preserued for conclusion of peace if néede shoulde so requyre. And finally some sayde, that they should demaunde of their Goddes what was best to doe.
The King that inclined himselfe more to peace than to warre, sayde that he woulde remitte the matter to the iudgement of the idolles, and that he would aduise them what answere should be made vnto him but: in harte he desired to come to some honest order and agréement with Cortes, fearing the thyng that after did ensue. But seyng his Counsell and subiectes so determined to warre, he cōmaunded foure Spaniardes whiche he had prysoners in a cage, to be sacrificed vnto the Goddes of warre, with a greate number more of Indians.
A Diuelish sentence.
He spake to the Diuell in the image of Vitzilopuchtli, who answered him that he shoulde not feare the Spaniardes being but fewe, nor yet those whiche were comen to helpe them, for that they shoulde not long abide in the siege, commaunding him to goe forth and to encounter them without feare, for he would helpe them and kill his enimies. With this answere of the diuel, Quahutimoc commaunded forthwith to breake downe the bridges, watche the Cittie, make bulwarkes, and to arme fiue thousande boates, and sayde vnto the Spaniardes, that the Goddes woulde be pleased with the sacrifice of their bodies, the Snakes filled with their bloud, and the Tigres relieued with their flesh, they sayde also to the Indians of Tlaxcallan, ah yée Cuckold knaues, slaues and traytors to your gods and kyng, will you not repent the wickednesse whiche yée haue committed agaynst your maisters, therefore shall you nowe die an euill death, for either you shall die with hunger, or else vpon the knife: and then wil we eate your fleshe, and make thereof solemne a banket as the like hath heretofore neuer bene séene, and in token therof hold take these armes and legges whiche we throwe vnto you of your owne men, which we haue now sacrificed for the obtayning of victory. And after these warres we will goe vnto your countrey and spoyle your Towne, & leaue no memory of your bloud or generation. The Tlaxcaltecas laughed at their madde talke, and sayd, that it should be better for them to yéelde and submitte themselues to Cortes his mercy, and if not, yet it were more honorable to fight than to bragge, willyng them to come out into the field. And bad them assuredly beléeue, that the ende of all their knauery was at hande: it was a world to heare and sée the bragges and crakes on both sides. Cortes hearyng of all these matters, sent Sandoual to take Iztacpalapan, and he enbarked himselfe to méete him at that place.
Sandoual combated the towne on the one side, and the townes menne and people with feare fledde vnto Mexico, on the otherside by water: he burned the towne. Cortes came at yt time to a strōg rocke lyke a tower, situated in the water, where many men of Culhua were, who seyng them approche with their Vergantines, sette theyr beacons on fire, and threwe downe vpon them stones and shotte of theyr arrowes. Cortes wente ashore with a hundreth and fiftie menne, and combatted the forte, till at length he wanne the battlement, whiche was the Indians beste defence, and with muche adoe hée came to the toppe, and there fought vntill he had not lefte one aliue, sauyng women and chyldren. It was a fayre victorie, although fiue and twentie Spanyardes were hurte and wounded, yet the forte was strong, and the ourethrowe a great discouragyng of the enimie.
At this instant were so many beacons and other fires made rounde aboute the lake and vpon the hilles, that all séemed a lighte fire. And also the Mexicans hearyng that the Vergantynes were comyng, they came out in their boates, with fiue hundreth Gentlemen whiche came to sée suche newe kinde of vesselles, and to proue what they were, beyng a thyng of so greate a fame. Cortes embarked himselfe with the spoyle of the forte, and commaunded his men to abide all togither for the better resistance, and bycause the enimies shoulde thynke that they feared, wherevpon they mighte without any good order gyue the onsette vpon the Christians, and so to fall suddenly into the snare. But it followed, that when they came within shotte of the Spaniardes ordinaunce: they stayed abydyng more company, but in shorte space there came so many Canoas, that it séemed a wonder to beholde: They made suche a terrible noyse with theyr voyces, drummes, Snayle shelles, and other like instruments of warre, that they could not heare one an other, with such great crakes and bragges, as they had done in time paste.
And beyng bothe parties in readinesse to fight, there happened suche a poupewinde to the Vergantines which came from the shore, that it séemed meruellous. Cortes thē praysing God, commaunded al his Captaines to giue the onset altogithers, & not to ceasse vntill the enimies should be dryuen to retire into Mexico, for that it was the pleasure of God to sende vnto them that prosperous winde in token of victory. This talke ended, they beganne to sette vpon the enimy, who seyng the Vergantines come with such lucky winde, yea & such a sight as the like vnto them had not bene séene, they began to flie with suche greate haste, that they spoyled, brake, and sunke many of them, and suche as stoode to defende themselues were slayne, so that this battayle was soone ended. They pursued them twoo leagues, vntill they had locked them vp in the water streates of Mexico, and tooke many Lordes and Gentlemen prisoners. And the key of al these warres cōsisted in this victory, for our mē remayned for Lords of the whole lake, and the enimie with great feare and losse: they had not bene so soone spoyled, but that there were so many of them, who disturbed one an other. But when Aluarado, and Cristoual de Olid saw the fortunate successe of Cortes by water, they entered the calsey with their army, and tooke certaine bridges and bulwarkes, and draue the Indians from them, with all their force and strength. But with the helpe of the Vergantines which came vnto them, the Indians were dryuen to runne a whole league vpon the calsey, and where they founde the calsey broken, they procured to leape ouer, and so fel into the middest.
Cortes procéeded forwards, and findyng no Canoas, he landed vpon the calsey that commeth from Iztacpalapan, with thirtie men, and combatted two towers of idolles whiche were walled with wall of lyme and stone: it was the same place where Mutezuma receyued Cortes. He wan those towers in shorte time, although they were defended with all possibilitie: he vnshipped thrée péeces of ordināce to scoure the calsey, which was full of enimies: at first shotte he did greate hurte among thē, and beyng the night at hande, they seased on bothe sides for that day. And although Cortes had determined otherwise with his Captaynes, yet he aboade there that night, and sente to the campe of Gonsalo de Sandoual for pouder and fiftie mē, with halfe the company of Indians of Culhuacan.