2 HISTOR? OF MEXICO. 



zincas, Cholulans, Tepejachefe, and other allies, to pre- 

 pare their troops and collect a large (lore of provifions of 

 every kind for a numerous array, which was to be em- 

 ployed in befieging Mexico. When it appeared to him 

 to be time to march, he made a review of his troops,, 

 which confifted of forty horfe and five hundred and fifty 

 infantry. He divided this fmall body of cavalry into 

 four troops and the infantry into nine companies, fome 

 of them armed with guns, fome with crofs-bows, fome 

 with fwords and fhields, and others with pikes. From 

 the horfe on which he was mounted, while he was re- 

 viewing his troops and ordering the ranks, he made them 

 this fpeech : " My friends and brave companions ! any 

 66 difcourfe which I might make to animate your zeal 

 " would be altogether fuperfluous, as we all acknow- 

 " ledge ourfelves bound to repair the honour of our 

 " arms, and to revenge the death of the Spaniards and 

 <c our allies : let us go to the conquefl of Mexico, the 

 " moft glorious enterprife which can prefent itfelf to us 

 " through life; let us go, to punifh, with one llroke, 

 " the perfidy, the pride, and the cruelty of our enemies; 

 " to extend the dominions of our fovereign, by adding 

 cc this large and rich domain to them ; to pave the way 

 ce to religion, and open the gates of heaven to many 

 " millions of fouls; to gain with the labour of a few days 

 61 a competence for our families, and to render all our 

 " names immortal ; motives all capable of encouraging 

 " even the mod daftardly minds, as well as your gene- 

 <c rous and noble hearts: I fee no difficulty before us, 

 " which your bravery may not overcome: our enemies 

 cc are indeed numerous, but we are fuperior to them in 

 tc courage, in discipline, and in arms ; befides, we have 

 " fuch a number of auxiliaries under our command, 



" thaE 



DGi 



