The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne. López de Gómara Francisco
should perish, their Lord would be very sorowfull that his olde, faithful and trustie seruaunts shoulde haue such a reward for their good seruice.
Cortez aunswered that it grieued him much, that Mutesuma his friend should be misvsed wher he was, no nor yet his seruauntes euill entreated, and that hee woulde haue as muche care ouer them as of his owne, willing them to prayse the god of heauen, and to be thankful vnto him that had commaunded them to be set at liberty, in the grace and friendshippe of Mutesuma: he certifyed that in all haste they shoulde be dispatched, for Mexico with certaine busynesse therefore (quoth he) get you to meate, and make you strōg to take in hand that iourney, trusting to your féete least ye should be taken againe to your greate perill and daunger, Iwis their meate was soone eaten with the great hast they had to be gone.
Cortez brought them out of the towne and gaue them victuall to carry with them. And charged for the liberty and curtesie shewed vnto them, that they should signifye to Mutesuma their Lorde, howe that he was his assured friend, and that after he had vnderstanding of his fame, goodnes and mighty power, he much desired to serue him yea and that he helde himselfe happy, to fynde himselfe at such a time & season to loose those his seruaunts, and to shew therin his good wil, likewyse he woulde do all that lay in him to preserue the honour and auctority of so gret a Prince as hee was, & also to defende his subiectes and to loke to his affaires as his owne proper, although his highnesse dyd little estéeme hys friendshippe as appeared by Teudilli, who departed from him without bidding him farewell, and likewise absenting all the people of the sea coaste: yet thys notwithstanding he would not let to do him seruice at all times when occasion shoulde serue, and to procure by all meanes possible his grace, fauour, and friendship, and that he was fully perswaded, that his hyghnesse woulde not refuse his good will and friendship, considering that with his acquaintance, God had done much for him, to méete with a seruaunte of the Emperoures, for thereby he might know great secretes of holy things, and also receyue greate benefytes, if then he would refuse the same, the fault shoulde be his: but yet notwithstanding he trusted in his wisedome, that considering the thing well, he woulde be glad both to sée hym, and talke with him, and also to be friende and brother with the King of Spayne, in whose most happie name, both he and his company were come thither. And as touching his seruauntes that remayned in prison, hée woulde so vse the matter, that they should escape all perill, promising also to set them at libertie to pleasure him, and that incontinente he woulde haue done it, but onely bycause he woulde not offende the Lorde of the Towne, who had friendly entertayned him with greate curtesie, for which cause he would not presume to controll him in his owne house, nor yet to shewe himselfe vnthankefull. The messengers departed with this message very glad and ioyfull, promising to accomplishe faithfully ye charge committed vnto them.
The confederacy and rebellion done by the industrie of Cortez
When the Cazike founde missing the two prisoners, he blamed muche the guarde or watch, and pretended forthwith to murther those that remayned. Then came Cortez, and requested that their deathe shoulde be pardoned, for so muche as they were but officers obediente to their Lorde and maister, and according to iustice they had committed no offence, nor yet deserued anye correction in the facte, whiche was seruice to their King: but for so muche as they shall not flée as the other two haue done, deliuer them vnto mee, and I will take them to my custody and charge.
Vpon this request the eyghtéene prisoners were delyuered vnto Cortez, who sent them aboorde his Shyppes, and there commaunded them to be put in yrons. The Lorde and his counsellors fearing what mighte followe, entred into councell what was best to doe, consideryng that they certaynely beléeued that the two prisoners whiche were escaped, would certifie in Mexico the shame and cruell entertaynemente done vnto them. Some replyed that it was iust and requisite to sende vnto Mutezuma hys tribute, with other presentes, to mitigate hys anger, and to excuse them, and accuse the Christians, who were the causes of the apprehension of his officers, and to craue pardon of their erroure and ouersighte whyche they hadde committed as madde men, in dishonor of the maiestie of Mexico. Others aunswered agayne, that it were muche better to cast off that yoke of bondage and slauery, and to giue no longer obedience to the Mexicans, who were both cruell and wicked tyrants, and also considering that now they had on their side those halfe Gods, and inuincible horsemen, saying likewise that they should not wante many others their neyghbours and borderers to help and succour them.
In this sorte they resolued themselues fully to rebell, and not to lose so good an occasion, wherevppon they besoughte Hernando Cortes to bée their defendor and Captayne, considering that for his sake they had begun that enterprise, and whether Mutezuma shoulde prepare hys army againste them or no, yet they on their parte were fully pretended to hold hym warre, and to desist from seruitude.
God knoweth how glad Cortes was to heare this matter, for he well wayed that it was the high way to hys iourneys ende: yet dissimuling the cause, he aunswered that they should well looke to the thing which they meant to take in hande, bycause (quoth he) I vnderstande that Mutezuma is a mightie Prince, but if ye will valiantly procéede, I will be youre Captayne, and safely defende you, for I do more estéeme your friendship, than the good will of Mutezuma, whyche I nothing care for: therefore lette me knowe what number of men of warre yée are able to make. Sir (quoth they) among all our friends wée are able to make a hundred thousande menne of warre. I lyke that well quoth Cortez, wherefore incontinente sende youre postes, with aduise vnto all your friendes in league againste Mutezuma, and certifie them of this agréemente and succoure of the Christians, not (quoth he) that I stande in néede of your help, for I alone with my company are able to stande againste those of Culhua, although they were as manye more, but reason required that they shoulde be warned of your pretence, and to be in readinesse for the same, fearing least Mutezuma mighte sende his army vpon a suddayne, and finde you vnprouided.
With this aduise and encouragement of Cortez, & also they themselues being a people heady and of small consideratiō, they dispatched incōtinent their messēgers to all the Townes and Villages of neyghbours and friendes, aduertising them what they hadde determined, exalting the strangers aboue the cloudes.
And by this meanes rebelled many Cazikes & townes, and all the whole Mountaynes, so yt there was not left any collector or other officer of Mexico in al those borders, with open proclamation of warres againste Mutezuma, and all his adherentes.
Cortez his intēt was on the other side, to stirre vp these Indians, to get both their goodes, willes, and landes, for otherwise, he could not well bring his matter to passe: he only caused the officers of Mutezuma, to be taken prisoners, and to be loused agayne, he fayned a greate loue to Mutezuma, and stirred his subiectes agaynste him, he offered to be their defendor, and lefte them rebelled, to the intent that they should stand in néede of him.
The foundation of the riche Towne called Vera Crux
At this instant the Fléete was arriued at the port, then wente Cortez to visit them, and carried with him many Indians of the Rebels, both of that Towne, and also of Zempoallan, who did good seruice to cutte downe timber, and to carrie stones to the place appoynted, for the building of the Citie, named the riche towne of Vera Crux, accordyng to the determination, when the officers were appoynted for the same, and chosen in S. Iohn de Vlhua, and in good order made repertition to the inhabitants of the ground, and plottes to builde vpon.
They appoynted also a place for the high Churche, a Market place, a Towne house, a Gayle, store houses, a kay or Wharfe, to lade or vnlade, a butcher row, & other places necessary to the good gouernement and pollicie of a Towne. They also drew out a plot to build the Castel or Fort on, néere the roade in a place conueniente, and in this sort began theyr worke, and their houses made with mudwall, for the earth there is good for that purpose. And euery man being this occupyed in this new worke, came from Mexico two kinsmen of Mutezuma, with other four graue learned menne for Councellors, and many seruing men that attended vppon them, as Ambassadors from Mutezuma, they presented vnto Cortez certayne cloth of Cotten well wouen, and feathers curiously and fynely wroughte,