The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne. López de Gómara Francisco
The Indians séeyng their enimies so nigh vnto them, beganne to fighte with courage, shooting arrowes, throwing of dartes and stones, wherewith they hurte about twenty Spanyardes: yea, and though the fearefull noyse of the Ordinance did many times so annoy them, being things so straunge, and neuer before séene of them, yet they fledde not from the walles, but resisted the Christians valiantlye, and suffered them not to enter the Towne that way, if they had not bin assaulted in another place. But when the Company that lay in ambush hearde the shooting of their fellowes, they began likewyse theyr onsette. The Indians knowyng nothyng what was prepared behynde theyr backes, and hauing also theyr handes full in defending the entrance by the Riuer: and the Christians fyndyng that parte of the Towne without resistance, entred in wyth a terrible noyse, killing as many as they mette. Then the Townesmen vnderstoode theyr oversyghte, and woulde haue remedyed it, and fledde from the place where Cortez was gyuing combat, whereby Cortez and hys Company entred the Towne at ease, without contradiction, so that hée and the other Companye of his Souldyers mette togither at the Markette place, and expulsed all the Indians out of the Towne, excepte those that were taken prisoners, and the carkases of the deade. Then the Chrystians soughte the spoyle, and founde nothyng but Turkie Hennes, and some thyngs wrought of Cotten wooll, but verye little Golde.
There was that daye aboue foure thousande Indians in fyghte and defence of the Towne: There was much Indian bloud shedde, bycause they fought naked, manye were wounded, and fewe Captiue. Cortez lodged himselfe wyth hys armie in the chiefest Temple of the Idolles, where was roome sufficiente. They kepte that nyghte good watche, as in a house of enimies, but the poore Indians durst not once interrupte them. After thys forte was Potonchan taken, béeyng the fyrste Cytie that Cortez wanne by force in all hys Conquest.
The Battell of Cintla
Al yt nighte Cortez slept not, but rather occupyed himselfe in carrying the wounded men, & other stuffe aboord ye Shyps, & also to disenbarke thirtéene Horses, & the residue of his mē yt he had left aboord, yt which he brought to passe before the sunne rising, although the Tauascans had notice thereof. Whē the sunne was risen, he had with his company made vnto God their prayers, and mustered his men, where were at that time in Campe néere fiue hundred Spanyardes, thirtéene Horses, and sixe péeces of ordinance: These Horses were the fyrste that euer came into that Countrey, whych now is called new Spayne. He planted his men and munition in good order, and thus marched forwardes toward Cintla. The Indians séeyng this preparation, began also to make readie, and to place in good order fortie thousand men in fyue cōpanies: their méeting was in ploughed lande among manye déepe lakes and pondes, very daungerous to passe, so that our men by reason thereof were brought out of order. And Hernando Cortez with his horsemen wente to séeke a better passage, and to enclose himselfe among certayne trées on their left hand, for to set vpon the enimies when time should serue. The footemen procéeded on, and passed many marishe groundes, vntill they came to the tilled land. The Indians were expert in those places wher they beganne the battayle, shooting with their bowes and slings, and throwing of dartes. And although our mē did some hurt among them with their Crossebowes, hādgunnes, and Ordinance, whē they were in place to shoote, yet the Indians pursued our men so thicke, that they could not put them off, for by pollicie, the Indians of Potonchan hadde soughte out that place: and it is to bée thoughte that they were not barbarous, nor of small vnderstanding in warres, yet notwithstanding wyth muche payne, oure men gate out of that place, and obtayned another somewhat better, and more playner grounde, whereas they myghte vse their Ordinance, and fyghte with their weapons bodye to body. But the Indians béeyng so greate a number, draue our men to so narrowe a place, that they were fayne to ioyne backe to backe for theyr owne defence, yea & for all that were in maruellous greate daunger, for they hadde no roome to vse their Ordinance, nor yet Horsemen to make them waye. They béeyng in thys perplexitie, and readie to flye, suddaynely appeared a Horseman with a speckled Horse, whome they iudged to be Captayne Morla, whych Horsemanne sette vppon the Indians, and made them retyre: and hauyng more space than before, they sette afreshe vppon the enimies, and slewe some of them. In thys meane tyme the Horsemanne vaded away, and was not séene, and wyth hys absence the Indians beganne afreshe, and enclosed the Chrystians in the same daunger that they were in before: then the Horsemanne appeared agayne néere oure menne, and made maruellous way among the enimies, wherevpon our menne séeyng this succoure, gaue the onset agayne with great courage, and slewe and hurt many Indians, but at the best season, the Horseman vanished away cleane out of sighte, and when the Indians sawe not the Horseman, with feare of whome they fledde, thinkyng that he hadde bin a Centaure, and that the Horse and man was all one incorporate, they returned agayne with liueley courage, and vsed our Christians worse than they hadde done before. Then the Horseman returned the third time, and putte the Indians to flight with great hurte, whom our footemē pursued with great slaughter.
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.
The Lord Tauasco submitteth himselfe to the Christians
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