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came with Narvaez, and with Garrayj to which I reply, that the 

 number of the foldiers who came with the former was one thoufand 

 three hundred exclufive of the mariners, of whom not more than ten 

 or eleven furvive, the reft having fallen in the wars, and being facri- 

 ficed and devoured. Thofe who came with Garray, according to my 

 account, including the three companies which landed at St. Juan de 

 Ulua previous to the arrival of Garray himfelf, were in all one thoufand 

 two hundred foldiers, moft of whom were facrificed and devoured in 

 the province of Panuco. Fame alfo alks for the fifteen foldiers who 

 accompanied Lucas Vafquez de Aillon who loft his life on the coaft of 

 Florida ; to which I reply that they are all dead. I alfo inform you Oh 

 excellent Fame ! that there only remain alive at this moment five of the 

 . companions of Cortes, and we are very old, and bowed down with 

 infirmities, and very poor, and with a heavy charge of fons to provide 

 for, and of daughters to marry off, and grandchildren to maintain, and 

 little rent to do it withall ! and thus we pafs our lives, in pain, ia 

 labour, and in forrow. 



Having now anfwered your queftions illuftrious Fame relative to 

 our monuments, blazons, and palaces, I rcqueft of you that hencefor- 

 ward you exalt to more effed: your moft virtuous and excellent voice, in ' 

 order that our high prowefles may be inade known to the univerfe, and 

 not be obfcured as they are by theflanders of the malignant. To this my 

 requeft moft virtuous Fame replies, that fhe will do fo moft willingly j 

 and alfo, that fhe is aftoniftied to find that we have not the beft proper- 

 ties allotted to us in that country which we conquered, and which it 

 was his Majefty's orders fhould be given to us, in like manner as the 

 Marquis Cortes was rewarded, not indeed to the fame extent, but mo- 

 derately. The goddefs alio fays that the adions of the valiant and 

 magnanimous Cortes are always to be moft highly cftimated, and con- 

 fidered amongft thofe moft celebrated in hiftory. She alfo at the fame 

 time obferves, that in the hiftories of Gomara and the Dodtor Illefcas 

 and others, no mention is made of any of us, but they only fay, "Cortes 



*• difcovered," 



