After twentie dayes that Mutezuma had bene prysoner, returned the messengers who had gone with the seale for Qualpopoca, and brought him, his Sonne, and other fiftene principall persons, with them, the whiche by inquirie made, were culpable and partakers in the counsell and death of the nine Spaniardes. Qualpopoca entred into Mexico accompanied like a greate Lorde as he was, beyng borne vpon his seruaunts shoulders in rich furniture. As sone as he had saluted Mutezuma, he & his Sonne were deliuered vnto Cortes, with the other fiftene Gentlemen. Cortes placed them asunder, and commaunded them to be put in Irons, and theyr examinations taken, they confessed that they had slayne those Spaniardes in battayle.
Cortes demaunded of Qualpopoca if he were subiect to Mutezuma, why (quoth he) is there any other Prince to whome I might be in subiection? giuing almost to vnderstand that he was a Lorde absolute. Cortes answered, that a farre greater Prince was the King of Spayne, whose subiects vnder colour of friendship and salfeconduct he had slayne. But (quoth he) nowe shalte thou make payment thereof. And beyng agayne more straighter examined, they confessed that they had slaine two Spaniards by the aduice and inducement of the greate prince Mutezuma, and the residue were slayne in the warres, and had assaulted their houses, and entred their countrey, wherefore they helde it lawfull to kill them.
Through the confession pronounced by their owne mouthes, sentence was giuen against them, and they condēned to be burned, whiche sentence was openly executed in the market place in sight of all the people, without any mutine or slaunder, and with great silence, terrour & feare of the newe maner of iustice which they sawe there executed vpon so noble a man, in the chiefe seate and kyngdome of Mutezuma, beyng gestes and straungers.
The cause of the burnyng of Qualpopoca.
At the time that Cortes departed from Vera Crux, he left in cōmission to Pedro Hircio, to procure to inhabite in that place which is called Almeria, & not to permit Francisco de Garray to soiourne there, for so much as once he was driuen frō that coast. Now Hircio to fulfill his cōmission, sente to requyre those Indians with peace and friēdship, and to yéeld themselues for vassals of the Emperour. Qualpopoca Lorde of Nahutlan, which is now called as aforesaid Almeria, sent to aduertise Pedro Hircio, that he could not come to yéelde his obedience, for the enimies that were in the way: but if it would please him to sende some of his men, for the securitie of the way, he would willyngly come vnto him.
Hircio hearing this answere, sent foure of his men, giuing credite to his message, and for the desire he hadde to inhabite there.
When the foure Spanyardes came into the prouince of Nahutlan, there mette with them many armed men, who slew two of them, and made thereof a great triumph: the other two escaped sore wounded, and returned with that newes to the Towne of Vera Crux. Pedro Hircio beléeuing that Qualpopoca had done that iniurie, armed out agaynst hym fiftie Spanyardes, and ten thousand Indians of Zempoallan, with two horses, and two péeces of Ordinance.