Chao. III. for the ReducUon of N e v/ S P A 1 
Men, and having given him a Prefent of his Toys, 
which was much valued, began to conhik which Way he 
fhould travel to Mevilco •, Olintel laid, the befi: and plain- 
eft Way would be through a Town called Colula. The 
Zem-poallans oppofed it, alledging that thofe People were 
very treacherous, and had always Garrifonsj whereas 
the riafcdans were his Enemies, and good People, for 
which Reafon that would be the better Way. Cortes 
demanded of the Lord twenty Soldiers to be his Guides, 
as being well acquainted with the Country, which were 
given, and with them he fet out toward riafcala\ as foon 
as he came to a Town called Xaca 2 .ingo^ he fent four 
Zempoallans to riafcala^ with a Letter and a red Hat, 
and though he was fenfible that they underftood not the 
Letter, he thought they would, at leaft, conclude it to 
be a Meflage, that they might not do any harm to 
the Meffengers*, for it was known that the riafcalans 
were informed that the Spaniards were marching towards 
them, and that they brought with them fome Indians 
that were Tributaries to Motezuma^ as the Zempoallans 
and thofe of Olintel had taken up Arms. Cortes or- 
dered the Meffengers to tell the Gentlemen of tlafcala^ 
that he had been informed, by the Lord of Zempoalla, 
and the neighbouring Tov/ns, his Friends and Confe- 
derates, of the bloody Wars they had fo juftly waged 
\iixh Motezuma^ who had done them fo many Wrongs-, 
that he was fent by a mighty Prince, in the firft Place, 
to bring them to the Knowledge of the true God, and 
at the fame time to deliver them from the Oppreffion of 
the Mexican Culuas ; that he fent them that Hat, and 
with it a Sword and a Crofs-bow, that they might fee 
with what powerful Weapons he defigned to affift them. 
This he did, becaufe he had heard how much a 
Crofs-bow and Spanijh Weapons had been admired at 
Mexico. Cortes fent this Embaffy by the Advice of the 
Zempoallans^ who faid the riafcalans were numerous and 
warlike. Enemies to Motezuma, and would eafily be 
brought into the Confederacy of the Hotanaques. Cortes 
was more inclined to this Meffage, lince he hazarded 
nothing in fo doing, and had always found the Zem- 
poallans fincere : And at this Place he began to be more 
fully informed of the Affairs of Hlafcala. The Meffen- 
gers coming, were received there, and condudted to the 
ft own-Houfe, where Provifions were given them. The 
Council met, the Zempoallans were called in, and deliver- 
ed diftindly the Meffage given them by Cortes in the 
beft Terms they were able. On the other hand, the 
1‘lafcalans having received the Hat, the Letter, and 
Arms, Maxifcatzin^ one of the Lords of the Republic, 
bade them fit dovvn, faid they were welcome, that they 
thanked the T otanaques for their Advice, and were glad 
of their Liberty; that they were alfo thankful to the 
great Stranger for his Prefent, and that they might reft 
themfelves, becaufe it required time for them to come 
to a Refolution. Hereupon the Zempoallans withdrew, 
abundance of People flocking thither to enquire what 
they came about, and they recounting what they had 
feen of the Valour of the Spaniards., of their Behaviour, 
and their V/eapons, defcribing the Horfes, and all the 
reft, and magnifying every thing. 
The Lords of the Commonwealth, being by them- 
felves, Maxifcatzin, a Man of much Wifdom and well 
beloved, made a Speech, advifing them to receive the Spa- 
niards in a friendly Manner, but Xicotencatl, who was Ge- 
neral of the Army, was for oppofing them. This Diver- 
fity of Opinions occafioned high Debates, the Traders 
and peaceable People being of Maxifcatzids Mind, and 
the Soldiers fiding with Xicotencatl. Whereupon Temi- 
lotecatl, another of the four principal Lords, was of 
Opinion, that Embaffadors fhould be fent to the Com- 
mander of thefe new Peopicj to tell him they fhould 
be well received, and in the mean Time, Xicotencatl 
fhould advance v/ith the Otomies, and try what thofe 
were whom fome called Gods, and if he vanquifhed them 
Sllafcala would gain eternal Honour, but if not, the 
Blame might be thrown upon the Otomies, as a barba- 
rous and rafh People: This Advice being approved, 
was put in Execution. The Zempoallan Meffengers 
were then called in, and told, that they were refolved 
to receive thofe Strangers in a friendly Manner, but, at 
the fame time, they retained them under Colour of a 
Feftival, to gain Time for their General to march j 
and to anfwer finally according to the Event. Eight 
Days paffed fince Cortes fent the Zempoallans to Tlafca-^ 
la, and they were not returned ; he afked thofe that went 
with him v/hat made them fcay fo long ^ They anfwer- 
ed, it was likely they did not difpatch them for Often- 
tation; for v/hich Reafon, and becaufe they gave him 
great A ffu ranees of the Friendfhip of the Tlafcalans, h@ 
refolved to advance wdth his Forces. At the end of ■ 
the Valley, he found a great Wall of dry Stone, a Fathom 
and an half high, twenty Foot broad, with a Parapet. 
This W^ll reached crofs the Valley, having only one En- 
trance, ten Paces wide, and there was a double Enclo- 
fure in the Nature of a Ravelin, about forty Paces iq 
length, fo ftrong, that had there been any to defend it, 
the Spaniards would have had enough to do to force 
their Way through. Cortes halted to view it, and exa- 
mine every Part, to fee v/hether there were any Am- 
bulb. , 
By this Cortes wqs convinced there were good Grounds 
for the Notion conceived of the Valour of the I'lafcalans.^ 
fince fo great a Work had been eretfted to qppofe them. 
TheWorkmanfliip of this Wail was much admired, be- 
caufe it was very artificially done, without any Mixture 
of Plaifter. He entered the Enciofure towards ria[cala„ 
his Men marching in good Order, and the Artillery rea- 
dy, ftill fending Parties before to prevent Surprize. 
When they had advanced a League they came to a 
thick Wood of Pine-trees, with abundance of Thread and 
Papers tangled about the Trees, and, croffing the Way, 
which the Spaniards laughed at, being informed that the 
Sorcerers had promifed the Tlafcalans that they would 
difabie them with thofe Threads and Papers. When 
they had advanced three Leagues from the Wall, Cortes 
fent Orders to his Men to haften their March becaufe it 
was late; and, going forward with the Horfe-men, as 
foon as they came to the top of a Hill, two that went 
foremoft, fell in with fifteen or fixteen Indians, armed 
with Swords and Targets, who had been pofted there 
to give Intelligence ; and as foon as they difeovered the 
Spaniards ran away, tho’ the Spaniards endeavoured to 
treat with them ; but finding that the Horfes would over- 
take them, they drew up ail together, and, defending 
themfelves, fought fo defperateiy, that they killed two 
Horfes, having almoft cut off their Heads ; their Swords 
being edged with Flints, fo fattened to the Wood, that 
they cut like Razors; the Indians retired brandilhing 
their Swords, without ftiewing the leaft Fear. But Cor ^ 
tes difeovering above five thoufand in a Body, that 
were moving to relieve the others, ordered them to be 
ftruck through with Spears, which he had forbid before, 
and fent to the Infantry to haften forward : Before the 
Infantry could come up, the Body of the Indians, before 
mentioned, \ had reached the Horfe-men, and, having 
fhot their Arrows, began the Fight. 
The Horfe-men killed many with their Spears, efpeci- 
ally thofe that preffed upon them. As foon as the Indians 
faw the Spantjh Infantry, they retired, being much 
frighted at the Horfes, faying thofe Stags were bigger 
than theirs, fwifter, and, that it was by Inchantment, 
that the Spaniards' rode on them. When the Indians 
were thus withdrawn, two of the Meffengers that Cortes 
had fent to Tlafcala, returned, with fome Prefents from 
the Republic, who faid they were forry for the Rude- 
nefs of thofe barbarous People, who were fome Towns 
of Otomies, that had committed fuch a Diforder without 
liCave, though they were glad they had been chaftized 
as they deferved ; that the Republic was defirous to fee, 
know, and ferve him in their Town ; and if they would 
have them pay for the Florfes thefe Otomies had killed, 
they would immediately fend Gold and Jewels ; though 
Cortes was fenfible of the Falfhood of the Meffengers, he 
thanked them for their Offer, adding, he would fooa 
be with them, and, fuppreffing his Concern that the In- 
dians had found the Horfes to be mortal, faid he 
would take no Pay for them, becaufe he fhould foorx 
have many more brought him from the fame Place 
where thefe had been bred. Thofe Otomies^ though Sa- 
vages, were fiabjed to the Republic of Hlafcaldi having 
their 
