Htflorie of the Indies 



other matter 5 by meanes whereof, both hee and his 

 men might paffe to the enemy, where giving them bat- 

 tell,he conquered them,and puriifhed them at his plea. 

 fure.Then returned hee vnto ^Mexico in triumph, and 

 with great riches, to bee crowned King, according to 

 their cuftome.^toz.0/ extended the limites of his king- 

 dome farre, by many conquefts, even vnto Gmtimdla^ 

 which is three hundred leagues from ^Mexico JHe was ^ / 

 niolefle liberallthan valiant : for whenas the tributes 

 arrived, (which as I have faide) came in great aboun- 

 daunce , hee went foorth of his pallace, gathering to 

 gether all the people into one place,thcn commaunded 

 he to bring all the tributes, which hee divided to thofe 

 that had neede. To the poore hee gave ftuffes to make 

 apparrell, andmeate, and whatsoever they had neede 

 of in great aboundaunce, and things of valutas golde, 

 filver,iewels ? and feathers, were divided amongeft the 

 Captaines,fouldiers,and fervants of his houle, accord 

 ing to every mans merite .{This ^///(^/waslikewifea 

 great polititian, hee pulled downe the houfes ill built, 

 and built others very fumptuous. Itfeemed vnto him j 

 that the city of Mexico had too litle water, and that the I 

 Lake was very muddy , and therefore hee refblved to 

 let in a great courfe of water , which they of City wean 

 vfed . For this caufe he called the chiefe man of the 

 cittie vnto him, being a famous forcerer, havingpro- 

 pounded his meaning vnto him, theforcererwiflied 

 him to be well ad vifed what hee did, being a matter of 

 great difficulty, and that hee vnderftoode, if he drew 

 the river out of her ordinary courfe , making it pafle to 

 Mexico, hee would drowne the citty . The king fuppo- 

 fed thefeexcufeswere but to fruftrate the effe&of his 

 defleigne ? being therefore in choler, he difmiffed him 



home, 



