"The Expedition H E R N A N Cortes, Book I. . 
for any thing that appears, was made fo rather by the 
-Strength of his natural Abilities, than from any Helps 
which he received from Difcipline, or Experience ^ for it 
is certain that he had feen little of War before he under- 
took this Expedition, and had never afted as a Command- 
er in chief, till fuch time as he put himfelf at the Head 
of it, which is another Circumftance full of wonder,, or 
rather more furprizing than all the reft taken together. 
But it may be fuggefted, that fuch as have written his 
Hiftory, may be partial in this Refpeft, and attribute 
more to Cortes^ and lefs to thofe who attended him, than 
they defervel which, however, the very Circumftances 
of the Hiftory demonftrate to be falfe, fince it very 
plainly appears that there were always in his Army a con- 
fiderable Number of Malcontents, who, if they durft, 
would have declared againft his Authority, and in favour 
of that of James Velafquez^ which muft have ended in 
overturning the Expedition , fo that from hence it very 
plainly appears, he was fo far from having much Aflift- 
ance from thofe about him, that, in reality, a great Part 
of his Care was necefiarily employed in preventing thofe 
Seditions, which they were continually labouring to ftir 
up, and which, as we fhall fee hereafter, no Succefles 
could induce them to leave off. 
SECTION XL 
"The March of the Spaniards to Mexico, the Reception given to Cortes hy Motezuma, 
his Imprifomnent and other ^TranfaEtions to the T’wie oj his ordering the Spaniards to 
quit his Dominions, 
i. ^he Manner in which Cortes fnarched from towards Mexico, and the Niimher of 
that accompanied him in his W"ay Chulula. 2. His Reception in that City^ the Methods ^ ufed by Mo- 
tezuma to bring the Inhabitants to confpire againji the Spaniards, and the Mifchiefs that enj'ued. 3. Upon 
Peace being reftored at Chulula, Cortes continues his March towards Mexico, and is complimented on the 
Road by many of the Mexican Nobility. 4. His folemn Entry into Mexico, the Manner^ of his frji Inter- 
view with Motezuma, the prodigious Splendor of that Monarch's Equipage^ and his Civility to the Spa- 
' niards. 5. Ehe Manner in which the Spaniards were difpofed of and fettled, in the Palace oJ Motezu- 
ma’ j Father, and the Provifon made for them by the Orders of that Emperor. 6. The firf Caujes^ of 
Qualpopoca’j Irruption into the Country of the confederate Indians ; John de Efculante ajjifs them, ana is 
lulled, the News of which alarms Cortes excefively. 7. He refolves to feize the Perjon of Motezuma, 
executes that Refolution, and carries away the Emperor from his own P alace to the head garters Spa- 
niards. 8. Qualpopoca, who oc caponed this Rupture between the Spaniards and Mexicans, is fent jor by 
Motezuma, and to Jdtisfy the Spaniards is burned alive. 9. A Confpiracy formed againft the Strangers by 
Cacamazin the Emperor's Nephew, difeovered and defeated by the Diligence and dijereet Behaviour oJ Mo- 
tezuma. 10. At tbe Perfuafion of Hernan Cortes the Indian Monarch declares the King^ of opam his 
Succellor and does Homage to Cortes as his Reprefentative. ii. The tnie Motives ^ Motezuma 5 
Condua in this Affair, and his Demand that Cortes and his Soldiers frould quit his Dominions. 
I. he Embaffadors from Motezuma, taking great 
,§ Pains to infufe Jealoufies into the Mind of Cor- 
tes, of the People of Tlafcala, and preffing him daily to 
depart, at laft, to content them, and being willing to 
eafe the Tlafcalans of the ftrange Dread they had conceiv- 
ed of the Gods of Chulula, he refolved to remove ; after he 
had refided twenty Days in Tlafcala, and been informed 
of all that related to the City of Mexico, its Situation and 
the Power of Motezuma, and his Empire, and having 
concluded a Peace between Guacozingo and Tlafcala, ob- . 
' iiging both Parties to reftore all that had been taken 
during the W^ar. He was attended by a hundred thou- 
fand Men ; many were much concerned at his going upon 
that Enterprize, believing he would be loft ; but others 
concluded that his Valour would extricate him from all 
Difficulties. Merchants went along with them to trade' 
for Cotton and Salt *, the Chidulans, to whom the Inter- 
preter, Aguilar, had protefted that Cortes would make 
War with them, unlefs they went to fubmit themfelves 
to the King of Spain, being informed that he was upon 
his March, fent feveral great Men, who faid they cant^ 
not before, becaufe the Tlafcalans, their mortal Enemies, 
were falfe, whereas they themfelves were fmcere, and 
then they, in a folemn Manner, declared themfelves Sub- 
jefts of the Crown of Spain : They reached not the C ity 
that Day, to avoid entering by Night, though the Dif- 
tance was but five or fix Leagues, but encamped, where 
the Chululans prayed Cortes not. to permit the Tlafcalans to 
do them any harm. He, feeing no fign of War, ordered 
them to return home, taking his Leave of the Officers 
with much Courtefy and Affedion, and prefenting them 
with fuch things as he had. He retained with him only 
three thoufand Tlafcalans, or, as other Authors fay, fix 
thoufand, and would not take a greater Number to avoid 
putting himfelf into the Hands of a barbarous People, of 
whofeTidelity he hitherto had had but little Tryal. 
The Tlafcalans faid thofe People where he was going 
were faithlefs, that he muft be upon his Guard ; and, as 
an Inftance, mentioned how they had betrayed them. 
They offered to go to Mexico whenfoever they fhould be 
called, and declared they would moft willingly have pro- 
ceeded with their whole Army, to fee the Event of the 
Affair ; but Cortes told them he was fatisfied with thofe 
he had, being for their Valour worth four times as many. 
The next Day above ten thoufand Chululans came out to 
meet him, bringing Rofes, Flowers, Bread, Fowl, and 
Mufic : One great Body came to welcome Cortes, and then 
drew off in good Order, to make Way for another •, which 
was done, becaufe that City, being divided into fix large 
Wards, three of them were for Motezuma, and three were 
not. When they came to the City, all the reft of the 
People came out much furprized at the Shape, Mien, 
and Weapons of the Spaniards Their Priefts advancing 
in white Garments, like Surplices, their Arms naked, 
and Cotton Fringes about the Edges of their Robes . 
Some of them carried Idols in their Hands, and others 
burned Perfumes, others founded Horns, beat Kettle Drums, 
and played on feveral Sorts of Mufic, all of tnem fing- 
ing, and fome perfuming the Spaniards. In this pom- 
pous Manner they entered Chulula, and went where they 
lodged all together, and their with them always 
upon their Guard, being plentifully fupplied with all kinds 
of Provifions. r r ■ ■ 
A few Days after, Cortes, obferved very fufpicious Cir- 
cumftances that fome of the Streets were barricaded, and 
abundance of Stones laid on the tops of Houfes, to throw 
down i the Supplies of Provifions grew fliorter, the great 
Men and Commanders of the City feldom vilited him, 
and Motezuma ' Embaffadors ftarted Objections againft 
his going to Mlexico, with more Boldnefs tnan before ; nor 
was this all, for the Chululans, by order or tne Embaffa- 
dors, had prefumed to tell him that there were Alliga- 
tors, Tygers, and other fierce Creatures, where Motezu- 
ma was, which, if he ordered them to be turned loofe, 
would 
