Francisco López de Gómara - The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne

Now at this instant came Cortez with al his company of horsemen, being wearied with the trauaile in passing such strange lakes and wildernesse, wherof the countrey is replenished. Our men being ioyful of his comming, they began to enforme him what wonders they had sene a horseman do, which came to succour them, demanding of him which of their company it was. Cortez answered and faithfully assured them, that it was none of their cōpany, bicause it was not possible for any of them to come any sooner: Then they al gaue God praise, belieuing that it was a helpe sent from heauen. Cortez said (my deare fellows) forwards, for god is with vs. Then the horsemē set vpon the Indians , and with force of lance droue them out of the marish ground, and brake their mayne battel. The Indians incontinent left the fielde, and fled into the thicke wooddes, the footemen followed them, and slue aboue thrée hundred Indians , besides many other that were hurt. There wer aboue seauenty Spaniardes wounded with arrowes and stones.

And whether it were with labour of the battel, or with excessiue heate, or with drinking the water of that place, there fel such a stitch in their loynes, that about a hūdred of them fel flat vpon the groūd, not able to go nor stand, their fellowes being forced to carry thē on their backes. But it pleased god that the same night the payne wente frō them, being in the morning wel againe. Who séeyng themselues deliuered from so manye perils, gaue moste humble thankes to the almightye god that had miraculously deliuered them. They all agréed that thrée times they had séene the straunge horseman, with the speckled horse, fight in their fauour, as is aforesaid, beléeuing generally it was a miracle, as certainely it did appeare, for the Christians did not alone sée this thing, but also the Indians dyd muche note it, for the maruelous fiercenesse wherwith he came vppon them, with such great murder, that they were amased, and almoste blynde with hys bryghtnesse, being so trodden vnder hys féete. The captiue Indians after the battayle declared the circumstance therof.

Cortez released some of hys prisoners and sent them to their Lorde, saying that it grieued him the hurt done on both parties, but the fault was theirs. And that god was witnesse of hys innocencie and also of hys curtesie offered vnto thē. But notwithstanding all that was paste, he pardoned their errour with suche condition, That if in continent or within two dayes, theyr Lorde woulde come vnto him, to yéelde satisfaction of their malice and stubbornesse, and to treate of peace and friendship, warning and aduising them, that if they came not wythin the time appointed, hee woulde enter into his countrey, burning and spoyling with slaughter both great & smal, armed and vnarmed: with which message the messengers departed, and Cortez returned to the towne to cure his wounded men. The next day came fiftie auncient Indians to craue pardon for their offence, and also licence to bury the dead, with likewise safeconduct that their rulers and principal persons myght safely come vnto the towne. Cortez graunted their request, warning them to make any lyes or yet to conspire againe: and also if their lords came not personally, he would not heare any more embassadors: with this rigorous cōmaūdemēt & protestation they departed. These Indians féeling their strength woulde not preuaile, thinking the christians to be inuincible, their Lords and chiefest persons did determine to goe and visite the christians and their captaine. And according to the time appointed, the Lorde of that town and other foure Lords his neyghbours came vnto Cortez with a good trayne of their vessals and seruitours, and presented vnto him, bread, turkie hennes, & fruites, with other like prouision for his host, with four hundred pieces of gold of y evalue of 400. double duckets, w tother small iewels, and certaine turkie stones of small value. And twentie women slaues, to serue to make breade and dresse meate for y ewhole army. He craued and beseeched Cortez to pardon his former offence. And to accept and receiue them into hys friendshippe. And in token of his obedience, hee and his fellowes dyd willinglye deliuer their bodies, landes and goods into his handes and power. Cortez did louingly receiue them, and gaue vnto them certaine trifles of his wares, whiche they estéemed much. And those Indians hearing the horses and mares ney, they maruelled at their neying, thinking that the horses could speake, & demaunded of the Christians what they sayd, (mary quoth they) these horses are sore offended with you bycause ye fought with them, & wold haue you corrected and chastened for your so doing. The simple Indiās hearing this, presented roses and Gynea Hens vnto the horses, desiring them to eate and to pardon thē.

Many things passed betweene our men & the Indians : for where the Indians vnderstood thē not, their behauiour was much to laugh at. And vsing conuersation with our men, & seeing they receiued no hurte of them, they brought to the towne their wiues and children, which were no smal number. And among many matters that Cortez communed with Tauasco by the mouth of Ieronimo de Aguila his enterpreter:

The first question was: Whether there wer mynes of gold or siluer in that countrey, and from whēce they had that small quantitye that they hadde broughte vnto them?

The secōd question was: Why they denyed him their friendshippe, more than the other captaine that had bin there the yeare before?

The third was: Why they being so many in nūber, fled from them being so fewe?

The fourth was: To giue thē to vnderstād the mightie power of the king of Castill. And last of all to giue them knowledge of the faith of Iesu Christ.

As touching Sir (quoth he) the Mynes of gold and siluer in our country, we séeke for none, for we séeke not after treasure and riches, but we procure and desire a quiet life. And that golde which we haue, was founde by chaunce: for we know not what Mynes do mean. Yet notwithstanding further within the lande, whereas the sunne doth hide himselfe, ther the people do finde muche gold and are giuen to séeke the same.

And as touching the captaine that was here of late, we seeing the men and shippes to be such as we had neuer before seene, spake vnto them and demaunded what they would haue, they sayde that their comming was, to chaunge their merchandice for gold and nothyng else, wherefore we graunted to their request. But now séeing greater vessels and moe in number, wee feared least ye came to take our substance. And I knowing my selfe nothing inferiour to any of my neyghbours, would not permit any iniurie to be offered me, and that he and his subiectes did estéeme themselues the most valiant of men of warre in all these parties, and that none durste take away their goods, women, and children, to be sacrificed by force, wherevpon he thought to withstande those fewe Christians, but (quoth he) I founde my selfe deceiued, seeyng we could not kill any of your companye. And likewise the brightnesse of youre weapons dyd blynde vs, and the woundes you made were incurable.

But the noyse and lightning of your ordinance dyd more amase vs, than either thunder-clappes or tempest: and also the great spoyle that you made among vs therwith: likewise your straunge horses made vs greatly to wonder, to behold their open mouthes, wee feared to be swallowed. And then to consider their swiftnesse in running, we knew no creature could escape them. But y efirst horse that fought with vs, put vs in marueylous feare, being but one, but when we espyed many, then all oure helpe was past, for we belieued that the horse and man was al one incorporate.