Some of them aunswered, that they woulde gladly do it, onely to pleasure him, but they feared that the commons would arise and stone them. Others sayde, that it was an hard matter to vnbeléeue that which their forefathers had so long beléeued, and that it shoulde be a cause to condemne their forefathers and themselues.
Others sayde, that it mighte be in time they woulde conuert, séeing the order of the Christian Religion, and vnderstanding the reasons and causes to turne Christians, and likewise perceyuing thoroughly the manner and life of the Christiās, with their lawes and customs: and as for warlike feates, they were satisfyed, & had séene suche tryall, that they helde them for men inuincible in that poynte, and that their God did help them.
Cortes promised them, that shortlye he woulde bring them suche men, as shoulde instruct and teache them, and then they should sée which way was best, with the greate ioy and fruite that they shoulde féele. They accepting that councell which he like a friende had giuen them, and for as much as presently it could not be brought to passe by reason of his iourney to Mexico.
He desired them, that the Temple wherein he was lodged, shoulde be made a Churche for him and his company, and if it pleased them, they mighte also come to sée and heare their diuine seruice.
The Indians graunted to his request, and dayly came among them all the time of their abode there, and some came and dwelte with the Spanyardes, but the chiefest friende was Captayne Maxixca, who neuer went from Cortez.
The discord betvveene the Mexicans and Tlaxcaltecas.
Cortez being throughly satisfyed of theyr hartie good wylles, he demaunded of them the estate and riches of Mutezuma. They exalted him greately, as men that had proued his force. And as they affyrmed, it was néere a hundred yeares that they mainteyned warre with him and his father Axaiaca, and others his Vnckles and Grandfathers. And saide also, that the golde and treasure of Mutezuma, was without number, and his power and dominion ouer all the lande, and hys people innumerable: for (quoth they) he ioyneth sometime two hundreth thousand men, yea and thrée hundred thousande for one battayle. And if it pleased hym, he woulde make as manye men double, and thereof they were good witnesse, bycause they had manye times fought with thē.
Maxixca desired that Cortes should not aduenture themselues into the power of the men of Culhua, whereat some of the Spanyardes feared and suspected euill of the matter.