9 8 The Expedition ^ H e r n a N Cortes, Book I. 
vfith them only two fmall Field-Pieces ^ but being joined 
by two thoufand of the Confederate Indians^ he ventured 
to engage the Mexicans^ though double his Number , 
that is to fay, between four and five thoufand Men. 
If the Confederate Indians had behaved as they ought, 
he would probably have obtained an eafy Viftory ; but 
they fled as foon as the Battle began, having loft a few 
Men : .The Spaniards^ being forfaken by their Allies, 
ftood their Ground, and routed the Mexicans-^ who, 
having never felt them before, could not ftand the 
Edges of the Spanijh Sv/ords. They purfued them as 
far as the Town, which was afterwards called Almeria^ 
and burnt it. John de Efculante was dangeroufly 
wounded in this Fight and his Horfe killed, and fix of 
the Men were greatly hurt : Efculante died of his 
Wounds as foon as he came to Villa Rica. The Indians 
carried off one Soldier alive, whofe Name was Arguillo., a 
Native of Leon •, a Man of a large Head, black Beard, 
very lufty and ftrong, who being fent to Motexuma (for 
this happened before Cortes entred Mexico ) died by 
the Way of his Wounds j and becaufe he ftunk, they 
carried the Head, which, being of a lufty Man, put 
him into a Confternation : He would not have it offered 
at any of the Temples in Mexico., but in fome one with- 
out ; and faid, he wondered how it fell out that his Men, 
being fo numerous, did not vanquifh that fmall Num- 
ber j and, that he was convinced that thofe Men were 
not immortal, though they appeared to be very brave. 
The Confternation he was put into by the Sight of Ar- 
Head, fome fay, proceeded from the Predidtions 
he had. That fuch Men Ilioula conquer his Monarchy, 
and change the Religion of his People. It is to be 
obferved, however, that this laft Circumftance was not 
known to Cortes at that time •, fo that he was in doubt, 
whether this Adfion was performed by Order of the 
Emperor, or even whether he knew or approved it. 
However, as the' Situation he was in made him very 
imeafy, he fent privately to the moft fenfible and beft 
affedled Indians of his Army, of whom he demanded, 
“ If they had obferved any Alterations in the Minds of 
“ the Mexicans., and in what Efteem the Spaniards were 
at that time among them ? ” They anfwered, “ That 
“ the common People were taken up with their Feftivals 
made for the Diverfion of the Spaniards., whom they 
“ reverenced becaufe they faw them honoured by their 
‘‘ Emperor : But that the Nobility feemed penfive and 
myfterious : That they had fecret Conferences, the 
“ Refult of which they kept very private. They faid, 
they had obferved fome Expreffions which admitted 
“ a finifter Interpretation, one of which was, that it 
would be no difficult Matter to break down the Bridges 
“ of the Caufway, with others of the fame kind ; which 
‘‘ all together gave fufficient Caufe of Sufpicion. ” 
Two or three of thofe Indians heard it whifpered. That 
fome few Days before 2. Spaniard’ % Head was brought 
as a YxtitvittoMotexuma, and that he commanded it to be 
taken away and concealed, after he had viewed it with 
fome Aftoniffiment, it being of a very large Size, and the 
Face of a fierce Afpedt ; Marks which agreed very well 
with that of Juan de Arguillo'^. This added to the Un- 
eafinefs of Cortes ; for hence it appeared that Motezuma 
was privy to the Proceedings of his General. 
7. A^sthefe Informations left him no longer any room 
to doubt, that notwithftanding all the Kindnefs fhewn 
him, Motezuma was actually contriving his Deftrudtion, 
he faw it v/as ncceffary fome quick Meafures fhould be 
taken to deliver himfelf and the Spaniards out of thofe 
Dangers with which they were at prefent furrounded ; 
but Sie Difficulty was, to fix upon that which might beft 
anfwer theEnd, and, v/hen fixed upon, to carry it into 
Execution. Fie meditated upon this Subjed a whole 
Night by himfelf ; and, having fettled in his own Mind 
what was to be done, he then called a Council of War, 
in order to hear the Opinion of his Officers ; in which 
they differed extremely, moft of them, however, in- 
clined to make a Retreat -, and fome of them fug- 
o-cfted, that as Motezuma had made them fuch large 
Offers to prevent their coming to Mexico, he would pro- 
bably be willing to give them as much Gold as they 
could reafonably aflc, in order to get them out of his 
Capital j hot Cortes difapproved this ; And having, in a 
let Speech fhewed the Impoffibility of their putting any 
fuch thing in pradice, concluded, that the only Method 
they had left to fecure themfelves, and put a fpeedy 
Iffue to this Bufinefs, was , fo feize the Perfon of the 
Emperor ; and theReafonshe gave for it were fo ftrong, 
and the Method he propofed for executing it liable to lo 
few Objedions, that at laft it vcas unanimoufly agreed 
upon, and a Refolution taken to do it v/ithout Delay. 
A moft furprifmg Scheme furely, confidering the 
Force that Cortes had, and the many thoufands that 
were in daily waiting about Motezuma’ % Perfon. Yet 
this Defign, as it was contrived with great Wifdom, was 
executed with no lefs Spirit and Succefs. The Hour 
which the Spaniards were accuftomed to wait upon 
Motezuma was chofen for the Execution of their Defign, 
that no Alarm might be given by their making him an 
unfeafonable Vifit. Cortes gave Orders to his Men to arm 
themfelves in their Quarters, to faddle their Florfes and 
to hold themfelves in Readinefs without making any 
Noife, until they received freffi Inftrudions. He pof- 
feffed himfelf of all the Avenues of the Streets leading 
to Motezuma’ '=> Ralace, witha fmall fcattered Detachment 
of Soldiers, and went to the Palace accompanied by the 
Captains Redmo de Alverado, Gonzala de Sandoval, Juan 
Velafques de Leon, Francifeo de Lugo, and Alotifo Davila 
having ordered thirty private Men to follow at a 
Diftance. 
It was no furprizing Sight to fee them enter with their 
Arms, which they ufually carried as a military Orna- 
ment. Motezuma, as ufual, came out of his Apartment to, 
receive the Vifit, and they all took their Seats : His Ser- 
vants, as by his Order they were, always accuftomed fo 
do, retired to another Part of the Palace, and when 
Donna Marina and Geronimo Aguilar were come up, 
Cortes began his Complaint with becoming Refentment : 
Firft, he laid before Motezuma the Adtion of his Gene- 
ral who had the Infolence to form an Army, and attack 
his Confederates, in Violation of the Peace, under 
which they thought themfelves fecure : Then he urged 
as a Crime, for which he ought to make Satisfadfion to 
God and Man, the fpilling the Blood of a Spaniard by 
the Mexicans, after they had made him Prifoner, to re- 
venge upon him in cold Blood the Ignominy of their own 
Defeat : And laftly, he expofed in proper Colours, as a 
Point of ftill greater Confideration the Excufe made by 
^alpopoca and his Captains, who declared they had 
undertaken that unjuftifiable War by the Emperor’s ex- 
prefs Order ; concluding, that he thought he owed fo 
much to his Majefty, as not to give Credit to any 
Adtion fo unworthy of his Greatnefs, as that of favour- 
ing the Spaniards in one Place, while he was endeavour- 
ing to deftroy them in another. But Motezuma denied it. 
• Cortes interpofed upon this, telling him, he believed 
what he faid to be true, and that he could never enter- 
tain any Notion that fo great a Man as he, could be guilty 
of fo bafe an Adi •, but that what convinced him, did 
not feem to have the fame weight with his People, and 
that, for their Satisfadlion, it would be very proper he 
fliould remove from his own Palace, and go and live 
with the Spaniards in that he had affigned him, till 
fuch time as ^alpopoca, whom he immediately fent for, 
arrived. Motezuma was extremely furprized at fo ftrange 
a Propofition, and for fome time refufed to hear of 
it; neither could all the Eloquence of Cortes have brought 
him to confent if Donna Marina had not interpofed ; who 
told him, ffie was his Subjedl, and had therefore nothing 
fo much as his Intereft at Heart : That his Life was in 
the utmoft Danger, and that nothing but his yielding to 
thisNeceffity could fave him ; and that it was in vain to 
difpute where the only Queftion was, Whether he would 
chufeThe I.ofs of Life, or temporary Liberty ? This de- 
termined Motezuma. Let us go, faid he, to your 
Quarters, fince I find it can be no otherwife. 
When he had faid this, he left the Palace, without any 
more Delay, taking with him all his ufual Attendants, the 
Spaniards, marching on Foot clofe by his Chair, fur- 
rounded it, under pretence of waiting on him. A Report 
was 
« 
