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

All these excuses did Mutezuma by the mouth of Teudilli declare vnto Cortez , thinkyng to driue him frō his purpose & pretēded iourney, alleaging the foresayd difficulties and perils, the Indians did also hope that with some cōtrary weather they should be forced to leaue that coast & coūtrey. Notwithstāding this cōtradiction, so much the more desire had Cortez to visite Mutezuma , who was so great a prince in that parties, & throughly to discouer the treasure which he imagined to be there. And hauing receiued y epresent, & also y eanswer, he gaue vnto Teudilli a garmēt of his owne wearyng, and many other trifles of his Haberdash, to be sente vnto Mutezuma , saying that if it were for no other purpose but onely to sée so mightie and vertuous a Prince, it should be requisite and iuste to trauayle vnto his Court, how much the more, he was of duetie cōstrayned to doe the Embassage which the Emperour of Christians had willed and commaunded him to doe, for otherwyse he shoulde incurre the displeasure of the King his mayster, wherefore he besought Teudilli yet once agayne to aduertise Mutezuma of his constant determination, bycause hée shoulde vnderstande that he would not leaue off hys pretended purpose for any inconuenience that was obiected vnto him. Alleagying moreouer, that he who had cōmen 2000. leagues by sea, mought well goe 70. leagues by lande, and consideryng that he had many at his charge with small prouision, and likewise his shippes in daunger, he required that with all expedition the messengers should be dispatched. Teudilli desired him to recreate himself, & not to take any grief, for as much as he himself did dayly aduertise Mutezuma of his procéedings, euen so with all expedition the full resolution should come from Mexico , although it were somewhat farre off. And as for his victuals, he shoulde take no care, for abundantly he should be prouided. And also desired him for so much as he was not well placed among those sandy bankes, that it might please him to goe with him to certayne townes aboute sixe or seuen leagues frō thence. Cortez refused that offer, wherevpon Teudilli departed, and he abode there ten dayes looking for answere from Mutezuma .

In this meane season certayne Indians were espied, that went lurkyng a farre of among the sandy hilles. And those came not neare the Indians , that serued the Spaniarde, Cortez demaunded what people they were, & for what cause they went lurkyng so farre off, and came no néerer vnto them.

The twoo Captaynes answered, that they were husbandmen, that went aboute theyr husbandry. Cortez lyked not theyr answere, but suspected that they had tolde hym a lye: for it séemed vnto hym that those people desired to come among the Christians, and that they durste not with feare of the Indians of Teudilli , and so it was in very déede. For all that coaste and mayne lande within, as farre as Mexico , was full of the newes and straunge things that our men had done in Potonchan . Wherefore they all desired to sée them and to talke with them, but they durste not for feare of the Indians of Culhua , who are subiectes vnto Mutezuma , wherevpon Cortez sente fiue Spaniardes to call them with signes and tokens of peace. This company of Indians were in number twentie, and were gladde to beholde those fiue men commyng towardes them, and were desirous to sée suche straunge people and shippes, wherefore they came willingly altogither vnto Cortez his Tente.

These Indians dyd differ muche from all the other Indians yet séene, for they were hygher of person, and had the grystels of theyr noses slitte, hangyng ouer their mouths, and rings of Iette and Amber hanging thereat. They had also theyr neither lippes bored, and in the holes rings of golde and turky stones, whiche wayed so muche, that their lippes hanged downe ouer theyr chinnes, and their téeth remayned bare: The whiche custome although they vsed for a brauery, it séemed a foule and vgly sighte in the Spanyardes eyes, and very lothsome.

The other Indians of Mutezuma , had theyr lippes and eares bored, with rounde stones hangyng at the iagges thereof, yet they had not suche foule slittes in their noses, but they had suche bored holes that a manne myght put any finger of his hande through them, with rings of golde and stone hanging thereat, the euill fauoured sighte of their faces made our men to muse.

Cortez communed with them by hys interpreter Marina , to knowe from whence they were, they answered, that they were dwellers in Zempoallan , a Cittie distant from thence one dayes iourney, situated vpon a riuer side, and bordered vpon the Countrey of Mutezumazin , and that their Cazique or Lorde had sente them, to sée what Goddes were comen in those Teucallis , that is to say, Temple, saying, also that they durste not come sooner, not knowyng what people they were.

Cortez made muche of them and shewed a chéerefull countenaunce vnto them, for they séemed very bestiall, he declared vnto them that he was gladde of theyr commyng, and to knowe the good will that theyr Lorde bare vnto him, and gaue them Haberdashe toyes, and shewed them the Horses and Armour, a straunge sighte for them. And so they wente through the army lookyng and gasing here and there as menne amazed. And in all the tyme they abode there, they vsed no conuersation with the other Indians . Cortez enquired of Maryna the cause thereof, and shée sayde that those menne did not onely speake an other languague, but also did appertayne to another Lorde, who was not vassall to Mutezuma , but by force and extortion.

Cortez was very gladde of that newes, for hée coniectured by the talke of Teudilli that Mutezuma had warres and enimies, wherevppon hée tooke aside thrée of those Indians whiche séemed moste wysest, and demaunded of them by Maryna what Lordes there were in that Countrey: they answered that Mutezuma was Lorde ouer all, although in euery Cittie and Prouince was a Lorde, yet neuerthelesse all in generall dyd paye tribute and serue him as vassals, nay rather lyke slaues. But yet many of them of late dayes did reknowledge hym by force of armes, and payde vnto him suche tolle and tribute that they were not accustomed to pay, of whiche number their Lorde of Zempoallan was one of them, and other his neyghbours, who many tymes helde him warre to be frée from his tiranny and bondage, but yet sayde they, it preuayled not, for his hoste was greate and his warriers valiant.

Cortez receyued greate pleasure to finde in that countrey dissention and discorde among some Noble menne, and at deuision among themselues, thynking thereby the better to bryng his purpose to passe. He gaue thanks vnto those Indians for their aduise, offeryng vnto them his fauour, helpe and friendshippe, praying them to come often to his campe, and so tooke his leaue of them, with his commendations to their Lorde, and sente him certayne presents, with aduertisement, that shortly he would come and sée him, yea and also serue him.

At the ende of tenne dayes came Teudilli backe againe, and brought certaine cloth of Cotten, and other things made of feathers well wrought for recompence of the thyng sente vnto Mexico , and warned Cortez to departe, for at that tyme there was no remedie to sée Mutezuma , and to looke what was necessary for his prouision and furniture, and it shoulde be prouided, offeryng the same seruice at any time that hée shoulde happen to come that way. Cortez would not accept the offer, saying: That he would not departe from that countrey, vntill he had bothe séene and talked with Mutezuma . The gouernour Teudilli yet agayne replied, that he shoulde not contende therein, and with those wordes departed from hym. The nexte night followyng he with all those Indians as well men as women whiche attended to serue and prouide the Spanishe campe, wente from thence: so that in the mornyng all the cotages were emptie, where those seruitors had bene.