Chap. III. for the Redu^ion o/'New SpaIN* 
the Sicknefs of theHorfes; but when they faw him return 
with a pleafant CountenancCj and all Men fafe, with fome 
of the Natives of the Country, they crouded to welcome 
him he told them all that had happened, but when they . 
were informed of the Greatnefs of Tlafcala, and the Mul- 
titude of thofe martial People, reflefting how many Ac- 
cidents might happen, how little Hopes there were of 
Supplies, when they had run themfelves into a Country 
they knew nothing of ; they began to hold Cabalsj re- 
folving to perfuade and to require Cortes not to carry 
them where they could not ealily retreat^ iince the Dan- 
ger was fo evident, offering to follow him through great- 
er Fatigues, provided it was with a fuitable Power, that 
which they then had being too inconfiderable for fo exteh- 
five a Country. 
His Friends advifed him to take order about it be- 
fore the Men mutinied ; he anfwered, that the Danger 
Was not fo great, for he did not believe that Spaniards 
could be fo faint-hearted, efpecially having till then 
met with fo much Succefs. One Night, going the 
Rounds, he heard loud talking, and fonie Soldiers fay- 
ing, if our Commander is mad, let us be wife and tell 
him in plain Terms, that he muft confider what is fit to 
be done, or we will leave him by himfelf. He told fortie 
who were with him, that thofe who durfl: fay fo were 
likely enough to do it, and going on heard the like in 
other Places, which troubled him very much ; he would 
willingly have punifhed them, but thought it betteP to 
take no Notice, till hearing that the Murmers increafed, 
he caufed all the Men to be drawn together, and fpoke 
to them fo effeftually, that they all readily fubmitted to 
follow and obey him. 
Very foon afteiwards fix Meccan Noblemen arrived, 
attended by about two hundred Perfons ; being brought 
before Cortes^ they made him profound Obeifance, and 
it appeared that they had Notice, at Mexico^ of the Vic- 
tories he had gained over the Tlafcalans-, before they 
fpoke they delivered him a Prefent from their Monarch, 
mz. one thoufand Cotton Garments, various curious 
Pieces of Feather- work, and the Value of looo Cafle- 
lanos in very fine Gold Dull, as it is taken out of the 
Mines : Then the Eldefl of them faid. That their Matter, 
Motezuma^ faluted him, fent the Prefent by them, wifh- 
ing him all Profperity, much rejoiced at the News he had 
received of the Vidlories he had obtained over the Tlaf- 
cdans^ that, wifhing him well, he defired he would not 
go to Mexico^ becaufe the Way was very bad and dan- 
gerous, and he ttiould be forry that any Mifchance 
ihould befal Men of fo much Valour, whom he fo en- 
tirely loved ; that he was willing to acknowledge the 
King of Spain his Friend and Sovereign, whom he would 
ferve in all he fhould command. Cortes^ by his Interpre- 
ters, anfwered they were welcome, and he would con- 
fider of their Mettage. Corteses Defign was, that thofe 
Embafladors fhould fee how he behaved towards the 
Tlafcalans in cafe the War was carried on, and if Peace 
was concluded, that they fhould hear how he reproved 
them for having begun it. 
He theri gave Orders that they fhould be well treated ; 
at that time he was indifpofed, and therefore had not for 
fbme Days marched into the Country, fb that nothing 
more was done than fecuring the Quarters, and fkirmifh- 
ing with Parties Tlafcalans. The Enemy fancying this 
proceeded from Weaknefs, or a Lofs they were not ac- 
quainted with, prepared to attack them. Cortes, notwith- 
■ftanding his having taken Phyfic, mounted on Horfe-back, 
fought a long time in Perfon,, and omitted nothing that 
was to be done, till the Enemy were routed and fled j 
the Mexicans being prefent, and obferving every Cir- 
Cumttance of the Adtion. The 1‘lafcalans admiring that 
all their Power had not been able to compafs their De- 
fign, and moft of them concluding that the Spaniards 
were alTitted by fome Deity, which rendered them invin- 
cible, and being informed that the Mexican Embafladors 
were arrived at the Spanijh Army ; having ferioufly con- 
flilted what was to be done, after many Debates and 
Contetts, concluded that Peace ought to be made, and 
Endeavours ufed to divert them from entering into any 
4.11iance with the Mexicans^ becaufe that would be the 
91 
greatett Mlsfortlifie that could befal them. Young M- 
cotencatl was appointed to go on this Embafly, though 
he endeavoured to excufe himfelf, but having received 
pofitiVe Command, he made ready with fifty of thO 
principal Men in the City, and fome Youths to be left as 
Hottages. 
He carried a Prefent of Cotton Cloth, and Feathet- 
Works with fome Gold, according to the Ability of that 
City, which had Very little of thofe things, fortes, be- 
ing adVertifed of this EmbaflTy that was coming from the 
Republic of 'Tlafcala, and that Xicotencatl was the Per- 
fon employed, went out to receive and conduft him 
to his Quarters, with much Honour and vatt Attend-^ 
ancCi They two fat down, all the rett ttanding, aS 
well Spaniards as Tlafcalans , the Prefent and the Hofta-^ 
ges were brought in, and Xicotencatl, in a very courteous 
Manner, begged Pardon for what was patt, for himfelf 
and his Republic, making many Excufe's, and offering 
to enter into a ttrid; Alliance with the Spaniards, and to 
ferve them faithfully for the future. 
^ Cortes, having confidered the ‘Tlafcalan^s> Speech, told 
him that notwithttanding what was patt, they might de- 
pend on his Friendfliip, and on his coming among them^ 
immediately after the Departure of the Mexican Embaf- 
fadors : Upon which Xtcoteyicatl rofe up very well pleaf- 
ed. Cortes went with him out of his Tent, the other 
Commanders attended him oilt of the Quarters, all being 
well pleafed, hoping that fince the War was concluded 
with flafcala^ they Ihould reap great Advantages front 
the Alliance, for at that time confidering that fome were 
dead, many wounded, and the rett fpent with Fatigues, 
their Number fo fmall, and the many Difficulties they 
had to furmount, they concluded _ that if the War had 
latted, they mutt all have perifhed, and therefore they 
aferibed the concluding of this Peace, at that time, to be 
efpecial Goodnefs of God *, and for confirming them ii% 
this religious Opinion, Cortes ordered Mafs to be faid^, 
and a folemn Thankfgiving •, after which, F. John Diaz 
called the Tower of the Temple there. The ’Tonper of 
Vidiory, in memory of thofe Battles which the Troops had 
gained whilft they had their Quarters clofe by it, during 
almott forty Days they continued in that Place. 
8. On the Return of this great Man, who had adled 
as EmbaflTador, the Senate affembled, and heatd, at 
leifure, a full Report of the Manner in which this Ne- 
gotiation had been managed, and judging from what he 
delivered, that it imported them highly to fecure the 
Friendfliip of Cortes, in order to have his Protedlion 
againtt Motezuma-, they refolved to leave no Means un- 
tried to bring him into their City as foon as poffible, to 
prevent his concluding an Alliance with their Enemy. 
The Peace was proclaimed, and they made a Mitole^ 
that is, a public Dance of above twenty thouland Men 
richly adorned. 
They offered extraordinary Sacrifices to their Gods, 
burning abundance of Perfumes, and garniffied the Doors 
of their Houfes, with Boughs and Variety of Flowers ; the 
Mexican Embafladors were much concerned at that Alli- 
ance with the Flafcalans, and bid Cortes take care not to 
tiutt thefe People who were fo falfe that they would en- 
deavour to compafs, by Treachery, what they had not 
b^n able to perform by Force ; and that he might be 
affured, if they once went into Flafcala, that they would 
murder them every Man. Though Cortes, who was a 
cautious Man, did not, as yet, repofe much Confidence 
m the Tlafcalans ; he anfwered, that if they were eVer fo 
treacherous, he was refolved to go into the City, for he 
feared them lefs there than in the Field. Having 
heard his Refolution, they defired he would give Leave 
for one of them to go firtt to Mexico , he Was pleafed with 
their Propofal, becaufe it gave time to fee if the Friend- 
fhip the Tlafcalans offered was fmcere, and how it was 
taken at Mexico ; whiltt thefe things were in Agitation, 
many Tlafcalans reforted to the Army with Provifions, 
others went out only to fee and become acquainted with 
the Spaniards, entreating them to come to their City* 
They gave them good Words, till the Meflenger, re- 
turning from Mexico the fixth Day, brought ten cottly 
Yeffels of Gold, well wrought^ and one thoufand five 
hundred 
