But much better was the fortune of Ferdinando Cortez, Sailing from Spain to America, in the Year 1519. who having the Command given him over ten stout Ships, and three Frigats with five hundred Foot, and an additional Force of sixteen Horse, rais’d by the new Spanish Inhabitants on Cuba; with which Forces Landing on the Island Cozumella, he prohibited Humane Sacrifice to their Idols, and Erected a Cross with the Image of the Virgin Mary, in one of their Temples, and releas’d Hieronimus Aquilaris, after a seven years Slavery, having suffer’d Shipwrack with Valdivia; at which time some that sav’d themselves in the Boat, were by the Current in thirty days driven to Jucatan, in which time seven dy’d of Hunger; the rest going ashore, were no sooner Landed, but Sacrific’d by the Natives to their Gods or Zemes. Among the six that remain’d, yet left alive, and to be offer’d after the same manner the next day, was this Aquilaris, who with his Companions, breaking Prison, in the following night fled to a Neighboring Prince their Enemy, and one that maintain’d a continual War against these Cannibals.
Strange Battel.
Potanchanum, a City.
Colvacan Books, of what fashion, as also their Temples.
Here Cortez sent Articles of Peace to Taxmarus the King of the Countrey, but he sleighting his proffer, came down upon him into the Field with forty thousand Men, drawn from the City Potanchanum, which contain’d above twenty thousand Houses, all built of Stone: And indeed the Spaniards had here seen their last day, had not Cortez drawn by a seeming advantage the Enemies under his Canon, and sent his small Party of Horse to attend the motion of the Rear; when so soon as they had fir’d their Canon, making great Execution, the Front routed, and the Rear terrifi’d with the noise and smoke of the Guns, they also broke, being at the same instant Charg’d with the Horse, which were so terrible to them that never saw Horses, nor such Service on Horseback before, that in a short time the whole Body of so great an Army was utterly dissipated, and the triumphing Conquerors took possession of the empty City Potanchanum, where Solacing, they staid a whole Moneth. Then from hence they Sail’d to Colvaca, where, upon the request of the Natives, they settled a Colony. Amongst the Presents which were there given to the Spaniards, were some of their own Volumes, Books, whose Leaves were made of the innermost Rind of a Tree, and a kind of Paste, made of their Meal, glew’d together; the Characters stood at some distance one after another, rang’d like our Christ-Cross Row, or A, B, C.
Here Cortez was amaz’d to behold their stately Temples, the Floors whereof were cover’d with Embroyder’d Tapestry, beset with Precious Stones, to which great multitudes flock’d, being very zealous to perform their Devotions.
When their Seed is put into the Ground, or come to its full growth, they offer young Children to their Zemez, richly Cloth’d, having been fatten’d some Weeks before: When they want Children they kill their Slaves, and in default of them, they pacifie them with Dogs.
Strange Sacrifices.
The Victims that go to be Sacrific’d, they Worship with all Adoration, Bowing and Congying before them.
Strange Idol-Worship.