Pilgrimage, Book 8 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Of New Spaine, and the conquest thereof by Hernando Cortes.
NOw are wee safely arriued out of the South aThe Spaniards call all that the South sea, which is on the otherside of America.Sea, and North vnknowne Lands, where we hauehave wildered our selues, and wearied the Reader, in this great and spacious Countrey of New Spaine. New Spaine is all that which lieth betweene Florida and California, and confines on the South, with Guatimala and Iucatan; how it came to be so called, asketh a long discourse, concerning the conquest thereof by Cortes, whose history is thus related.
Hernando bGomara: the first part of the Conquest of the West Indies, translated into English by T. Nicolas.Cortes was borne at Medellin in Andulozia, a Prouince of Spaine, An. 1485. When he was nineteene yeares old he sailed to the Iland of S. Domingo, where Ouando the Gouernour kindly entertained him. He went to the conquest of Cuba in the yeare 1511. as Clerke to the Treasurer, vnderunder the conduct of Iames Velasques, who gaue vntounto him the Indians of Manicorao, where he was the first that brought vp kine, sheepe and mares, and had heards and flockes of them: and with his Indians he gathered great quantitie of gold, so that in short time he was able to put in two thousand cA Castlin is seuen shillings and six pence, as The. Nicolas the Translator saith.Castlins for his stocke, with Andres de Duero a Merchant. At this time Christopher Morante had sent (Anno 1517.) Francis Hernandes de Cordona, who first discouered Xucatan, whence hee brought nothing (except the relation of the Countrey) but stripes: whereupon Iames Velasques in the yeare 1518. sent his kinsman Iohn de Girialna, with two hundred Spaniards dOf this Voyage, Reade P. Martyrs fourth Decade: and Gomara part. I. and of all which followes in this Chapter.in foure shippes: he traded in the Riuer of Tauasco, and for trifles returned much gold, and curious workes of feathers, Idols of gold, a whole harnesse or furniture for an armed man, of gold thinne beaten, Eagles, Lions, and other portaitures found in gold, &c. But while Girialua deferred his returne, Velasques agreed with Cortes to be his partner in the Discouery, which he gladly accepted, and procured licence from the Gouernours in Domingo, and prepared for the Voyage.
Velasques afterwards vsed all meanes to breake off, in so much that Cortes was forced to enlarge all his owne stocke, and credit, with his friends in the expedition, and with fiue hundred and fiftie Spaniards in eleuen shippes, set saile the tenth of February 1519. and arriued at the Iland of Acusamil. P. Mart. Dec. 5. Gom. ubisupra, and Cortes his owne letters to the Emperour.The Inhabitants at first fled, but by the kinde entertainment of some that were taken, they returned, and receiued him and his with all kinde offices.
They told him of certaine bearded men in Yucatan, whither Cortes sent; and one of them, Geronimo de Aguilar came vntounto him, who told him, that by shipwracke at Iamaia, their Caruell being lost, twentie of them wandered in the boat without saile, water, or bread, thirteen or fourteen daies, in which space the violence of the current had cast them on shore in a Prouince called Maija, where, as they trauelled, seuen died with famine; and their Captaine Valdinia and other foure were sacrificed to the Idols by the Cacike, or Lord of the Countrey, and eaten in a solemne banquet, and he with six other were put into a coupe or cage, to be fatned for another Sacrifice. But breaking prison, they escaped to another Cacike, enemy to the former, where all the rest died, but himselfe, and Gonsalo Guerrer a Marriner.
He had transformed himselfe into the Indian Cut, boring his nose full of holes, his eares iagged, his face and hands painted, married a wife, and became a Captaine of name amongst the Indians, and would not returne with this Aguilar.
Cortes with this new Interpreter passed vp the Riuer Tauasco, called of the former Discouerer, Grijalua, where the Towne that stood thereon, refusing to victuall him, was taken and sacked.
The Indians here with enraged, assembled an armie of fortie thousand, but Cortes by his horse and Ordnance preuailed: the Indians thinking the Horse and Rider had beene but one Creature, whose gaping and swiftnesse was terrible vntounto them, wherevpon they submitted themselues.
When they heard the Horses ney, they had thought the horses could speake, and demanded what they said: the Spaniards answered, these Horses are sore offended with you, for fighting with them, and would hauehave you corrected: the simple Indians presented Roses and Hennes to the beasts, desiring them to eate and to pardon them.
Cortes purposed to discouer further Westward, because hee heard that there were mines of gold, hauing first receiued their vassallage to the King his Master, to whom (he said) the Monarchie of the Vniuersall did appertaine.
These were the first Vassals the Emperour had in New-Spaine. They named the Towne, where these things were done, Victorie, before called Potonchan, containing neere fiue and twentie thousand houses, which are great, made of lime, and stone, and bricke, and some of mud-walls and rafters, couered with straw; their dwelling is in the vpper part of the house, for the moistnesse of the soile. They did eate mans flesh sacrificed.
The Spaniards sayled Westward, and came to Saint Iohn de Vlhna, where Teudelli, the Gouernour of the Countrey, came to him with foure thousand Indians. He did his reuerence to the Captaine, burning Frankincense (after their custome) and little Strawes, touched in the bloud of his owne bodie: and then presented vntounto him Victualls, and Iewells of Gold, and other curious workes of Feathers; which Cortes requited with a Collar of Glasse, and other things of small value. A woman slaue, giuen him at Potonchan, vnderstood their Language, and shee, with Aguilar, were his interpreters.
Cortes professed himselfe the seruant of a great Emperour, which had sent him thither, whose power he so highly extolled, that Teudilli maruelled, thinking there had beene no such Prince in the world as his Master and Soucraigne, the King of Mexico, whose Vassall he was, named Mutezuma. To him he sent the representations of these bearded men, and their Horses, Apparrell, Weapons, Ordinance, and other rarities, painted in Cotton Clothes, their Shippes, and Numbers.
These painted Cottons he sent by Posts, which deliuered them from one to another with such celeritie, that in a day and night the message came to Mexico, which was two hundred and tenne myles distant. Cortes had demaunded, whether Mutezuma had Gold? Tendelli affirmed, and Cortes replyed, That he and his fellowes had a disease of the heart, whereunto Gold was the best remedie.
Mutezuma sent him many Cotton cloathes of diuers colours, many tuffes of feathers, two wheeles, the one of siluer, with the signe of the Moone, and the other of gold, made like the Sunne, which they hold for Gods, and giuegive vntounto them the colours of the mettalls most like them. EueryEvery wheele was two yards and a halfe broad. These with other parts, of the present were esteemed worth twentie thousand Ducats.
Mutezuma also professed ioy, to heare of so great a Prince, and so strange people, and promised prouision of all necessaries; but was very vnwilling that Cortes should come to see him, as he pretended. Yet Cortes persisted in that his desire of seeing Mutezuma, that he might further acquaint himselfe with the knowledge of those parts.
The silly Indians hauing neuer seene such strange sights, came daily to the Camp to see them: and when they heard the Ordnance discharged, they fell downe flat, thinking the heauens had fallen: the shippes they thought were the god of the aire, called Quezalcouolt, which came with the Temples on his backe, for they daily looked for him.
Amongst the rest, or rather aloofe off from the rest, were certaine Indians of differing habite, higher then the other, and had the gristles of their noses slit, hanging ouer their mouthes, and rings of Iet and Amber hanging thereat: their nether lippes also bored, and in the holes rings of gold and Turkesle-stones, which weighed so much, that their lippes hung ouer their chinnes, leauing their teeth bare. This vglinesse they accounted gallantrie, and such vncouth deformitie to be the onelyonly brauery. And thou Gallant that readest and deridest this madnesse of Fashion, if thine eyes were not dazeled with lightnesse (light I cannot call it) of selfe-reflected Vanitie, mightest see as Monster-like fashions at home, and more fashionly monster of thy selfe; thy cloathes and oathes, thy gestures and vestures, make thy naked Deformitie worse then their thus deformed nakednesse: both indeed seeme to hauehave receiued some hellish character (if there may be bodily representation) of that old Serpent in thse new fashions, striuing who shall shape himselfe neerest to that mishapen vglinesse, wherein the Indian iagges himselfe out of humane lineaments, the other swaggers himselfe further out of all ciuill and Christian ornaments. But these fashion-mongers hauehave made me almost out of my fashion, and to forget my selfe, in remembring their forgetfulnesse.
These Indians of this new Cut, Cortes caused to come to him, and learned that they were of Zempoallan, a Citie distant thence a dayes iourney, whom their Lord had sent to see what Gods were come in those Teucallis, that is, Temples (so, it seemeth, they called the shippes:) which held no conuersation with the other Indians, as being not subiect to Mutezuma, but onelyonly as they were holden in by force. Hee gaue them certaine toyes, and was glad to heare that the Indians of Zempoallan, and other their neighbours were not well affected to Mutezuma, but readie, as farre as they durst, to entertaine all occasions of warre with him.
He sailed from thence to Panuco, and passed the riuer farther, till he came to a little Towne, where was a Temple, with a little Tower, and Chappell on the toppe, ascended by twentie steppes, in which they found some Idols, many bloudie papers, and much mans bloud, of those which had beene sacrificed; he blocke also whereon they cut open those Sacrifices, and the razors made of flint, wherewith they opened their breasts, which strucke the Spaniards with some horrour and feare. They passed a little further, and there hauing taken possession, in the Emperours name, of the whole Countrey, they founded the Towne Delavera Crux, Cort… resigning his authoritie, and Officers being elected; and lastly, all with generall consent appointing Cortez their Captaine.
Cortez went forward to Zempoallan, where he was solemnely receiued and lodged in a great house of lime and stone, whited with plaister, that shined in the Sunne, as if it had beene siluer; so did the siluer conceits of the Spaniards imagine, the desire of that mettall hauing made such an impression in their imagination, that they told Cortes before hee came at it, they had seene a house with walls of siluer.
Heere, and at Chiauiztlan, Cortes incited them to rebell against Mutezuma, and to become seruants to the Spaniards, which they did; and he vnderunder-hand so wrought, that Mutezuma tooke him for his friend.
All his intent was to fish in troubled waters, and to set them both by the ears, that he might watch opportunity to benefit himselfe. His own people rebelled, some of whom he chastised with the halter and the whippe for example to the rest: and after caused all his shippes to bee sunke closely, that they should not minde any returne. Hee left an hundred and fiftie men for the guard of the new Towne, vnderunder Pedro de Henrico, and with foure hundred Spaniards, fifteene horses, and six peeces of Artillery, and thirteene hundred Indians, they went from Zempoallan, and came to Zaclotan, the Lord whereof was Olintler the subiect of Mutezuma, who to testifie his ioy, and to honour Cortes, commanded fiftie men to be sacrificed, whose bloud they saw new and fresh.
They carried the Spaniards on their shoulders, sitting on beeres, such as vse to carrie dead men. He bragged as much of the power of Mutezuma, as the Spaniards of their Emperour. Hee said he had thirtie vassals, each of which was able to bring into the field an hundred thousand men of warre, and sacrificed twentie thousand men yearely to the gods: in this he somewhat exceeded; the other was true, although some yeares the sacrifices also were thought to amount to fiftie thousand.
This Towne was great, and had thirteene Temples, in each of which were many Idols of stone of diuers fashions, before whom they sacrificed men, Doues, Quailes, and other things with great perfumes and veneration.
Heere Mutezuma had fiue thousand souldiers in garrison. Cortes passed from thence to Mexico by the frontiers of Tlaxcallon, which were enemies to Mutezuma, whom he might easily hauehave ouercome, but reserued partly for the exercise of his subiects to the warre, and partly for the sacrifices to his gods.
These ioyned an hundred and fiftie thousand men against Cortes, taking him for Mutezuma's friend: and yet eueryevery day sent him Guinney-cockes and bread, partly to espie his strength, and partly in a brauery, lest their glory should be obseured in the conquest of men already steruen.
But when in many skirmishes and fights they could not preuaile against that handfull of Spaniards, they thought they were preserued from harme by inchantments: and sent him three presents with this message; That if he were that rigorous god which eateth mans flesh, he should eat those fiue slaues which they brought him, and they would bring him more: if he were the meeke and gentle god, behold frankinsence, and feathers: if he were a mortall man, take heere fowle, bread, and cherries. At last they made peace with him, and submitted their Citie to him.
Their Citie Tlaxcallan was great, planted by a Riuers side, which issued into the South-sea. It had foure streets, each of which had their Captaine in the time of warre. The gouernment was an Aristocratie, hating Monarchie no lesse then tyranny. It had eight and twentie Villages, and in them an hundred and fiftie thousand housholds, very poore, but good warriours. They had one market-place so spacious, that thirtie thousand persons in a day came thither to buy and sell by exchange: for money they had none.
Mutezuma had sent before to Cortes, and promised tribute to the Emperour, whatsoeuer should be imposed; onelyonly he would not hauehave him come to Mexico. And now he sent againe, that he should not trust that new friendship with the beggerly Nation of Tlaxcallan, and they againe counselled him not to aduenture himselfe to Mutezuma.
Cortes held his determination for Mexico, and being accompanied with many of the Tlaxcantlexas he went to Chololla, a little from whence Mutezuma had prepared an armie to entrappe him in the way; but he finding the trechery, it redounded vponupon Cholollois, the same day they had thought to hauehave executed the same vponupon him. For this end they had sacrificed ten children, fiue males, and as many females, three yeares old, to Quezalcouatl their god, which was their custome when they began their warres. He out-going them in their owne art of subtiltie, entrapped their Captaines in Counsell, and sent his armie to spoile the Citie, where were slaine many thousands. There were twentie Gentle-men, and many Priests which ascended vp to the high Tower of their Temple, which had an hundred and twenty steppes, where they were burned, together with their gods and Sanctuary.
This Citie had twentie thousand housholds within the walls, and as many in the Suburbs. It shewed outward very faire and full of Towers, for there were as many Temples as dayes in the yeare, and eueryevery one had his Tower. The Spaniards counted foure hundred Towers. It was the Citie of most deuotion in all India, whither they trauelled from many places farre distant in Pilgrimage. Their Cathedrall Temple was the best and highest in all New Spaine, with an hundred and twentie steppes vp to it. Their chiefe god was Quezalcouatl, god of the Aire, who was (they say) founder of their Citie, being a Virgin, of holy life and great penance. Hee instituted fasting, and drawing of bloud out of their eares and tongues, and left precepts of Sacrifices. He neuer ware but one garment of Cotton, white, narrow, and long, and vponupon that a mantle, beset with certaine red crosses. They hauehave certaine greene stones which were his, and are kept for great reliques: one of them is like an Apes head. Eight leagues from Chololla is the hill Popocatepec, or smoake-hill, which the Earth seemeth to hauehave erected as a Fort to encounter and assault the aire: now with smoakie mists endeuouring to choake his purer breath, another while with violent flames, and naturall fire-workes threatening to ioyne league with his elder and superiour brother to disinherit him: sometimes with showers of ashes and imbers, as it were, putting out the eyes, and sometimes with terrible and dreadfull thunders, rending the eares of that Airy Element; alwayes (such is the euent of warre) hurting and wasting it selfe, to endamage the enemy.
The Indians thought it a place of Purgatorie, whereby tyrannicall and wicked officers were punished after their death, and after that purgation passed into glorie.
The Spaniards aduentured to see it, but two onelyonly held on their iourney, and had there beene consumed, had they not by a rocke beene shadowed from the violent eruption of the fire which then happened.
It chanced that the Earth, weary it seemeth of the warre, as hauing spent her store and munition, agreed on a truce which continued ten yeares: but in the yeare 1540. it brake forth into more violent hostilitie then before, quaking and renting it selfe with vnbridled passion: and whereas the Aire had alwayes a snowie garrison about her high tops, and frontires to coole and quench her fiery showers, yet these did but kindle a greater flame, the ashes whereof came to Huexozinco, Quelaxcopan, Tepiacac, Chololla and Tlaxcallan, and other places, ten, or as some say, fifteene leagues distant, and burned their herbes in their gardens, their fieldes of corne, trees, and clothes that they laid a drying. The Vulean, Crater, or mouth whence the fire issued, is about halfe a league in compasse. The Indians kissed their garments (an honour done vntounto their gods) which had aduentured themselues to this dreadfull spectacle.
Cortes drawing neere to Mexico, Mutezuma feared, saying, These are the people which our gods said should come and inherit this Land. He went to his Oratorie, and there shut vp himselfe alone, abiding eight dayes in prayer and fasting, with Sacrifice of many men, to aslake the furie of his offended deities. The Diuell biddes him not to feare, and that he should continue those bloudy Rites, assuring him that hee should hauehave the gods Vitziliputzli and Tescatlipuca to preserue him, saying, That Quezalcouatle permitted the destruction at Chololla, for want of that bloudie sacrifice. Cortes pasted a hill six miles in height, where by the difficultie of the passage, and of the cold (being alway couered with snow) the Mexicans might easily hauehave preuented his passing further. Hence he espied the lake, whereon Mexico and many other great Townes did stand, Iztacpallapan a Towne of ten thousand housholds, Coyoacan of six thousand, Vizilopuchtli of fiue thousand.
These Townes are adorned with many Temples and Towers, that beautifie the Lake. From Iztacpalapan to Mexico is two leagues, all on a faire causey, with many draw-bridges, thorow which the water passeth, Mutezuma receiued Cortes with all solemnitie on the eight of Nouember 1519. into this great Citie, excusing himselfe of former vnkindnesses the best hee could. Of his house, and Maiestie, and the diuine conceit the people had of him, we shall speake after more fully, as also of the Temples, Priests, Sacrifices and other remarkeable things of Mexico.
Mutezuma prouided all things necessary for the Spaniards and Indians that attended them: euen beddes of flowers were made, in place of litter for their horses. But Cortes disquieted with those thoughts which commonly attend Ambition, discontent in the present, hopes and feares of the future, vsed the matter so, that he tooke Mutezuma prisoner, and detained him in the place appointed for the Spaniards lodging; with a Spanish guard about him, permitting him otherwise to deale in all priuate or publike affaires, as before. Hereupon Cacama, Lord of Tezcuco, nephew to Mutezuma, rebelled, but by trechery of his owne people was presented prironer to Mutezuma. He, after this, summoned a Parliament, where he made an Oration vntounto his subiects, saying, That he and his predecessours were not naturalls of the Countrey, but his fore-fathers came from a farre Countrey; and their King returned againe, and said, he would send such as should rule them. And he hath now sent these Spaniards, saith he. Hereupon he counselled them to yeeld themselues vassals to the Emperour, which they did at his command, though with many teares on his part and theirs, at this farewell of their libertie. Mutezuma presently gaue to Cortes, in the name of tribute, great quantitie of gold and other iewels, which amounted to sixteene hundred thousand Castlins of gold, besides siluer.
Cortes had hitherto a Continuall victorie in Mexico without any fight: but newes was brought him of Pamphilo de Naruais, who was sent with eightie horse, and some hundreths of Spaniards by Velasques, to interrupt the proceedings of Cortes: who leauing two hundred men in Mexico, with two hundred and fiftie other came suddenly in the night, and tooke Naruaes Prisoner, and returned to Mexico with Naruaes his company, now his followers also, where he found his men exceedingly distressed by the Citizens, for a murther committed in the great Temple at a solemne Feast, where in a religious daunce, they were slaine, for the rich garments and iewels they ware, by the Spaniards.
Cortes came in good time for the reliefe of his men: and Mutezuma caused the Mexicans to bridle their rage, which presently was renued, and when Mutezuma was againe by his guardians, the Spaniards, caused to speake to the people: a blow of a stone on his temples wounded him, whereof three daies after he died.
Cortes had some thousands of the Tlaxoltecas to helpe him, but was driuen to flee from Mexico with all his Spaniards and Indians, which he did closely in the night, but yet an alarme was raised, and the bridges being broken, much slaughter of his people was made by the Mexicans, and all his treasure in manner lost. They pursued after him also, and had two hundred thousand in the field: when it was Cortes his good happe to slay the Standard-bearer, whereupon the Indians forsooke the field. This battell was fought at Otumpan.
At Tlazcallan, hee and his were kindly entertained; they had prepared before fiftie thousand men to goe to Mexico for his helpe, and now they promised him all offices of loyaltie and seruices. With their helpe he subdued Tepeacac: and built certaine Brigandines, or Frigats, which were carried many leagues on the backes of those Indians, and there fastened and finished, without which hee could neuer hauehave wonne Mexico.
In Tezcuco certaine Spaniards had beene taken, sacrificed and eaten, which Cortes now reuenged on them. Eight thousand men had carried the loose peeces and timber of this Nauy, guarded with twentie thousand Tlaxcallans, and a thousand Tamemez or Porters, which carried victualls attending. They caiked them with Tow, and for want of Tallow. …-Oyle, they vsed mans grease, of such as had beene slaine in the warres. Fo… the Indians vsed to take out the grease of their sacrifices. Cortes had heere nine hundred Spaniards, of which fourescore and six were horsemen, three cast peeces of iron, fifteene small peeces of brasse, and a thousand weight of powder, and 100000. Indian souldiers on his side. He made a sluce or trench aboue twelue foot broad, and two fathome deep, halfe a league long, in which 40000 men wrought fiftie dayes. Hee launched his Vessells, and soone ouercame all the Canoas of the Lake, of which were reckoned in all fiue thousand. The Spaniards brake the Conduits of sweet water, wherewith the Citie was wont to bee serued. Quahutimoc, now the new King of Mexico, receiuing encouragement from the diuellish Oracle, caused to breake downe the Bridges, and to exercise whatsoeuer wit or strength could doe in defence of his Citie, sometimes conquering, sometimes (as is the doubtfull chaunce of warre) conquered. Cortes had in Tezcuco ordained a new King, a Christian Indian, of the royall bloud, who much assisted him in this siege. The Spaniards being Lords of the Lake, and of the Causeyes, by helpe of their Galliots and Ordinance, they fired a great part of the Citie. One day the Mexicans had gotten some aduantage, and thereupon celebrated a Feast of Victorie. The Priests went vp into the Towers of Tlatelulco, their chiefe Temple, and made their perfumes of sweet Gummes, in token of victorie, and sacrificed fortie Spaniards, which they had taken captiues, opening their breasts, and plucking out their hearts for offerings to their Idols, sprinkling their bloud in the Ayre, their fellowes looking on, and not able to reuenge it. They slew likewise many Indians, and foure Spaniards of Alvarado's companie, whome they ate in the open sight of the Armie. The Mexicans daunced, dranke themselues drunke, made bone-fires, strucke vp their Drummes, and made all solemne expressings of ioy. Dread, Disdaine, and all the Furies that passion or compassion could coniure vp, had now filled the Spaniards hearts and their Indian partakers: and Cortes, that hitherto had hoped to reserue some part of the Citie, now did the vtmost that Rage and Reuenge could effect, helped no lesse within with Famine and Pestilence, then with Sword and Fire without. At last Mexico is rased, the Earth and Water sharing betwixt them what the Fire had left, and all which had sometime chalenged a loftie inheritance in the Ayre. Their King also was taken; all that mightie State subuerted: and as the Mexicans before had prophecied, That the Tlaxantleca's should againe build the Citie, if conquered, for them; if conquerors, for the Spaniards. It was re-builded with a hundred thousand houses, fairer and stronger then before. The Siege lasted three moneths, and had therein two hundred thousand Indians, nine hundred Spaniards, fourescore Horses, seuenteene Peeces of Ordinance, thirteene Galliots, and six thousand Cannons. Fiftie Spaniards were slaine, and six Horses: of the Mexicans a hundred thousand, besides those which died of Hunger and Pestilence. This was effected Anno 1521, on the thirteenth of August, which for that cause is kept festiuall euerie yeare.