8o 
The Expedition of H 
Renunciation of Cortes being publifhed, with the Refo- 
lution of the Council, they received fuch A pplaufe as 
was concerted. 
Some congratulated the Council on their good Elec- 
tion ; others demanded Cortes^ as if he had been denied, 
and if any were of a contrary Opinion they diffembled, 
and took care not to be remarkable by their Silence. 
This Work being over, the Alcaldes and Regid ores went 
with the greateit part of thofe Soldiers to the Quarters 
of Cortes^ and acquainted him that the Town of Villa 
Rica de la Vera Ctmz had, in the Name of the King 
Don Carlos^ with the Confent and Approbation of the 
Inhabitants in full Council, chofen and appointed him 
General of the Army of New Spain ; and, in cafe it 
Vv^ere neceffary, did require and command him to take 
upon him that Poll, it being convenient for the public 
Good of the Town and his Majelfy. 
Cortes accepted of the new Command with great Re- 
fpedfc, and now began to govern the Troops with another 
kind of Authority, which had its Effeft in the Obedience 
of the Soldiers. The Dependants upon Velafquez re- 
iented this A Iteration in a very indifcreetManner, for they 
could not difguife their Vexation, nor would they give 
way to the Current which they were not able to ftcm. 
They endeavoured to invalidate the Authority of the 
Council, and call Refiedtions on Cortes^ blaming his 
Ambition, and talking with Contempt of thofe that were 
deceived: And, as Scandal has its hidden Poifon, and 
an unknown Power over thofe that hear it, it fpread in 
their Converfation, where there wanted not fome who 
hearkened to, and endeavoured to foment it. 
Cortes did all in his Power to remedy this Inconve- 
nience, apprehending it might draw away thofe who 
were already difquieted, or put thofe into a Commotion 
who were eafily ftirred up. He had already found by 
Experience how little his Patience availed, and gentle 
Means made the Evil worfe, and therefore refolved to 
make ufe of Severity, which generally has the belt Effe6l 
upon the Infolent. He ordered Diego de Ordaz^ Pedro 
Efcuderc^ and Juan Velafquez de Leon^ to be feized, 
carried aboard the Fleet, and put in Irons. This Adlion 
ftruck a great Terror into the Troops, and it was his 
Deiign to improve it, declaring in a very politive and 
refolute manner, that he feized them as feditious Perfons, 
and Difturbers of the public Peace *, and, that he would 
proceed againfi: them, and make them pay for their Ob- 
ftinacy with the Lofs of their Heads. 
In which Difpofition he continued fome Days, with- 
out proceeding to the Rigour of Juftice ; for he rather 
defired to reform, than punifli them. At firft he fuffer- 
ed none to go near them, but afterwards permitted it, 
artfully making ufe of this Permiffion for fome of his 
Confidents to endeavour to reduce and bring them to 
Reafon, which in time they compaffed, he fuffering 
himfelf to be pacified fo effectually, that he made them 
his Pkiends ; and they faithfully ftood by him in all the 
Accidents which afterwards befel him ; believing that 
they owed their Lives to his Clemency only. 
5. The Perfons before-mentioned were no fooner im- 
prifoned than Pedro de Alverado marched with a hundred 
Men to view the Country, and bring in Provifions ; for 
they began to be fenfible of the Want of thofe Indians 
who ufed to provide for the Army. He was ordered to 
commit no Hoftility, and he had the good Fortune to 
perform his Commiffion with little Trouble. At a fmall 
Diftance he came to fome Villages, the Inhabitants 
whereof had fled into the Woods, but had left their 
Houfes well provided, a‘nd without doing any Damage 
either to them or their Furniture. The Soldiers took 
what they had Occafion for, and returned to their 
Qiiartefs thoroughly loaded, and very well pleafed. Cortes 
immediately difpofed his March as he had refolved, and 
the Ships accordingly failed for the Bay of ^iabijlan-, 
he followed by Land, taking the Road of Zempoalla, 
keeping the Coaft on his Right, and fending a Party 
before to difcover the Country, providing againft all 
Accidents which might happen in Circumftances where 
Security might be juffly accounted Negleft. 
They reached in a few Hours the River of Zempoalla^ 
and" finding it deep, they v/ere obliged to make ufe of 
I 
i R N A N Cortes, Book I, 
fome Canoes, and other Veffels of Fifliermen, which 
they found on the Shore ; in which the Soldiers paffed 
over, making their Horfes fwim. Having overcome 
this Difficulty, they arrived at fome Houfes in the Di- 
ftrid of Zempoalla \ and they took it for no good Sign, 
not only finding them forfaken by the Indians^ but alfo 
without either Furniture or Provifions, only they left in 
their Temples feveral Idols, with various Inftruments, 
or Knives made of Flint, and fome miferable Remains 
of human Vidtims fcattered upon the Ground, v/hich 
at the fame time moved Compaffion, and ftruck them 
with Horror. Here they firft faw the Mexican Books, 
which have been already mentioned : There were three 
or four of them in the Temples, which was thought 
contained the Rites of their Religion, each made of a 
long thin varnifhed Cloth, which they folded in equal 
Foldings, fo that every Fold made a I.,eaf, and all to- 
gether made up the Volume like ours to Appearance, 
and were written or painted with that kind of Cyphers 
ufed by the Painters of T eutile. 
TheArmiy were prefently quartered in the beft Houfes, 
and paffed the Night fomewhat uneafily, their Arms in 
Readinefs, with Sentinels at a convenient Diftance. The 
next Day they continued their March, in the fame Order 
along the, great Road, which turned off to the Weft- 
ward, leading farther from the Shore, and during the 
Morning, they faw no Perfon of whom to gain Intelli- 
gence 5 which gave them Uneafinefs, till, entering into 
fome very pleafant Meadows, they difcovered tv/elve 
Indians, who were coming in fearch of Cortes vrith a 
Prefent of Hens and Bread, fent him by the Cazique of 
Zempoalla ; very earneftly entreating him not to fail of 
coming to his Town, where he had provided Quarters 
for his Men, and where he fnould be more plentifully 
entertained. By thefe Indians he underftood, that the 
Cazique’s Refidence was at a Town one Sun’s Diftance 
from that Place, which, in their Language, fignifies the 
fame as one Day’s March ; for they underftood not the 
Divifion of Leagues, but meafured Diftance by Suns, 
counting Time, and not the Way. Cortes difmiffed fix 
of xht Indians, with many Thanks for the Prefent, keep- 
ing the other fix to (hew him the Way, and to afle them 
fome Queftions ; for he was not entirely fatisfied with 
this kind Treatment, which being fo much unlooked for 
feemed the lefs to be depended on. That Night they 
halted in a fmall Village, thin of Inhabitants ; but very 
defirous to entertain the Spaniards well : And by the 
Behaviour of thofe People to tht Spaniards, judged that 
their Nation was inclined to Peace j nor were they de- 
ceived in their Conjedlures. 
In the Morning the Army moved towards Zempoalla^ 
following the Guides with all neceffary Caution, and to- 
wards Evening there came twenty Indians forth, to re- 
ceive Cortes, well drefled after their Fafhion, who, after 
having paid their Refpedls, faid. That their Cazique 
did not come with them, by reafon of fome Impedi- 
ment, but had fent them to pay that Refpeft on his 
Part, being very defirous to be acquainted with fuch 
valiant Guefts, and to receive them into his Friendfhip 
and his Efteem. The Town was large and beautiful, 
fituated between two Rivers, which fertilized the Coun- 
try, defeending from fome Mountains at a fmall Diftance, 
which were covered with Trees, and eafy of Afcent. The 
Buildings were of Stone, covered and adorned with a 
fort of Lime very white and ffiining, and afforded a 
pleafant and noble Shew -at a Diftance, infomuch that 
one of the Scouts, who was fent before, returned in 
hafte, crying aloud, That the Walls were of Silver ; 
which Miftake made much Mirth in the Army, where- 
many at firft perhaps believed it, who afterwards made 
a Jeft of his Credulity. 
The Squares and Streets were filled with People, who 
came to fee the Entry without any Arms that, could 
give Sulpicion, or any other Noife than that whicn ufually 
proceeds from a Multitude. The Cazique came out to 
the Gates of his Palace, and his Diftemper appeared to 
be a monftrous Fatnefs, which oppreffed and disfigured 
him : He drev/ near with fome Difficulty, fupported by 
the Arms of fome noble Indians, by whom he feemed to 
direft his Motion. His Habit was a Mantle of fine 
Cotton, 
e 
