And after a whyle that they had gone this euill waye, wyth their heare standing with very feare, they espyed a little lyghte, and tooke the way thyther, where they founde a little house, wherein were two Women, and those Women, with other two women that afterwards they mette, conducted them to the Wildernesse, where they had espyed the smoke, and before day they sette vpon certayne Villages, and slewe many, yet they burned not those Villages, bycause they should not be perceyued through the lyght thereof. They receyued there aduyse, that néere at hand were great populations and soone after he came to Zimpanzinco, a towne of twenty thousand houses, as after dyd appeare by the visitation of Cortes. These inhabitantes béeyng vnaduised of this suddayne happe, were taken in their beddes, and came out all naked through the stréetes to knowe what the great mourning and lamentation meante: at the first entrance many were slayne, but bycause they made no resistance, Cortez commaunded to ceasse from killyng, nor yet to take any of theyr goodes, or women.
The feare of these poore inhabitantes was so greate, that they fledde without respect of the father to the child, or husbande to the Wyfe, or yet eyther of house or goodes.
Cortes commaunded sygnes of peace to be made vnto them, and with that they stayed, and before the Sunne rising, the Towne was pacifyed.
Cortez went vp into a Tower to descry the Countrey, and there espyed a moste greate population: he then demaunded what it was: aunswere was made that it was called Tlaxcallan, and the Townes therevnto apperteynyng. Then he called hys Spanyardes, and sayd vnto them: beholde, what woulde it haue preuayled vs to kyll these poore soules, hauyng yonder so manye enimies? and wythoute doyng anye more hurte in that Towne, hée wente to a fayre Fountayne there at hande, and thyther came the Rulers of that Towne, and other foure hundred menne withoute weapon, and broughte wyth them muche victuall, most humbly they besought Cortes to doe them no more hurte, gyuing hym likewise greate thankes, that hée hadde so fauourablye vsed them, offering both to serue and obey hym, and from that daye forwarde they woulde not onely kéepe hys friendshippe, but also trauell wyth the Lordes of Tlaxcallan and others, that they should doe the same. Cortez replyed, that sure he was, howe they had foughte agaynste hym before that time, although that nowe they broughte hym meate, yet notwithstandyng hée pardoned them, and also receyued them into hys seruice and friendshippe, to the vse of the Emperoure.
Wyth thys communication he departed from them, and returned to the Campe verye ioyfull wyth so good successe, hauyng such a daungerous beginning, wyth the suddayne fall of theyr Horses, wherein the Prouerbe is fulfylled, whyche sayeth, Speake not euill of the daye, till it be at an ende.
They hadde also a greate hope, that those newe friendes woulde bée a meane, to cause the Tlaxcaltecas to leaue from Warre, and to become theyr friendes.
From that day forward he commaunded that none of hys Campe shoulde doe any hurte to any Indian, and certifyed his men that the same daye his warres were at an ende with that prouince.
The desire that some of the Spanyardes had to leaue the warres.
Murmuration.