Chap. HI. for the Redu&ion 
fible to be done that Cortes thought pradlicable. ^But 
alas ! all thefe fine Notions were but Dreams, and this great 
Commander found, to his Coft, that a Civil War 
amongft the Spaniards mufi: firft begone through, before 
«/N Ew SpAiisr. 153 
all the Pains he had taken, and all the Arts he had prac- 
tifed, would open a PafiTage, for compleating what he 
apprehended was at hand, the entire Conquefl: of the 
Empire of Mexico. 
SECTION XII. 
The Hiftory of CortesV Expedition continued to the Death of Motezuma/ and the 
Spaniards being forced to abahtdon the City of Mexico. 
I. f he firft Intelligence oj a con fider able Squadron and a new Army oft Spaniards, landing in the Dominions ofi 
Motezuma, communicated by him to Cortes, and the Confiequences oft that fiurprizing Piece oft Intelligence'. 
2. PhePifie and Occafton oft this fiecond Expedition formed by James Velafquez for the DeftruStion of 
Cortes, and the gaming to himfielfi the Province ofi New Spain. 3. Phe Pains taken by the Royal Audi- 
ence at Santo Domingo, to prevent YdeSoyiQz from executing fio rafto a Dejign^ and fio prejudicial to the 
public Service. 4. Phe Fleet Jails under the Command of Pamphilo de Narvaez, arrives at Vera Cruz, 
and the bold Stand jnade in that Fortrefis by Sandoval in favour fi Cortes. 5. Phe Meafiures taken by that 
great Commander for fiecuring Mexico, and for marching with the reft of his Forces againft Narvaez^ 
6. He executes this Deftgn, and endeavours to come to Perms of Accommodation with the other Army^ 
which are abfolutely rejeked. 7. He attacks Narvaez in the Hight, and after a fteort Djfpute defeats his^ 
Forces entirely, and takes him Prifoner. 8. Phe Co?ifeque?2ces of this ViSlory, a?id the wife Meafiures taken ^ 
by Cortes to improve it, till be is i? formed of the Proubles at Mexico. 9. A ftoort Account of the Occafton 
of this Sedition at Mexico, and of the Methods taken by Peter Alverado to quell it, and to reduce the 
Indians to their Duty. 10. Phe Arrival of Coitts, and the fever al Engage?nents that afterwards hap- 
pened between his P fops and the People of Mexico, who notwithftanding his Arrival perfifted in eaf'rymg 
on the F/ar. 1 1. Motezuma endeavours to pacify his SubjeBs, and while he is fpeaking to them receives a 
JVound on the Pemples by a Stone, of which he dies. 12. Phe Condutl of Covtts after this unfortunate 
Accident, and the Pams he took to reconcile himfelf to the InPmns, though to no Purpofe. 13. Phe Reafons 
which Induced him to refolve upon quitting Mexico, and to make the heft Retreat from thence he couldi 
14. Phe manner in which he executed this Retreat, and the many Difficidties and Dangers with which it 
was attended. 1 5. Obfervations and Remarks upon the principal Occurrences ?nentio 72 ed in this Sediion. 
1. H E Satisfa£lion that the Emperor received 
from the Hopes he entertained of being Ihort- 
ly rid of the Spaniards, and the Expedbations of Cor- 
tes, that he fiiould be for fome time quiet, from the 
Meafures he had taken, were entirely delfroyed by a very 
tmforefeen Accident, equally inconfiftent with both their 
Intentions. In fliort, Motezuma had Intelligence brought 
him that eighteen Sail of Ships were feen off the Coaft of 
Ulua ; and his Officers, who commanded in that Part of 
the Country, had fent the Figures of all thefe Ships 
painted upon Cloths, which ferved inftead of Letters, 
with a Defeription of the People they had feen in them j 
and fome Charaffers, which fignified what they fufped- 
ed of their Intentions, being Spaniards in Appearance, 
and arriving at a time when he treated of difpatching 
thofe who were already at his Court. Whatever Impref- 
fion thefe Reprefentations iiad on the Mind of Motezuma, 
the Refult was, that he immediately fent for Cortes, laid 
the Pidture before him •, and told him, “ That now the 
“ Provifion he was making for his journey was unne- 
“ ceffary, fince fome Ships of his Nation v/ere arrived 
upon the Coaft, in which he might embark.” 
Cortes viewed the Painting with Attention rather than 
Surprize ; and though he did not underftand the Cha- 
radlers, which deferibed them, he knew enough by the 
Habit of the People and the Mark of the Veflels, not to 
doubt their being Spaniards : The firi|; Motion of his 
Heart inclined him to Joy, fince he believed that his 
Commiffaries were arrived, and flattered himfelf that 
they had brought him very confiderable Supplies, in 
fuch a Number of Veflels. The Imagination is eafily 
carried away, to that which one defires j and he could not 
fuppofe, at that time, that fo powerful an Armada was 
defigned againft him, for he formed his Judgment by his 
own fmcere and noble Manner of adling, and the Welhin- 
tentioned are with Difficulty brought to believe that 
which' is againft Juftice and Reafon. 
His Anfwer to Motezuma was, “ That lie would de- 
part immediately if thefe Ships were bound back for 
any of the King of Spain’^ Dominions.” And, without 
being furprized that the Emperor fiiould have the 
firft News' df thefe Particulars, becaufe he was nd 
Stranger to the indefatigable Diligence of his Couriers^ 
he added, “ That it would not be long before he Ihotild 
“ have an Account of this Accident from the Spaniards 
“ who were at Zempoalla, and that then he fiiould know 
“ with Certainty whither thofe Ships were bound, and 
“ the Defigns of their Owners, and whether it would be 
“ neceffary to proceed in the building of thofe Veffels.” 
Motezuma approved this Anfwer, being well pleafed 
with his Readinefs. But in a fiiort time, a Letter came 
from Vera Cruz, in which Gonfalo de Sandoval fent Cortes 
Word, “ That thofe Ships belonged to James Velafquez^, 
“ and brought eight hundred Spaniards to oppofe and 
“ deprive him of his Conquefl.” This uhexpedled 
Stroke he received in the Prefence of Motezuma, and 
flood in Need of ail his Courage and Refolution to con- 
ceal his Perturbation of Mind ; for he found himfelf irt 
Danger from the very Qiiarter from whence he expeded 
Succour. . 
In order to underftand however this Point of Fad 
clearly, and to judge perfedly of the Danger in which 
Cortes ftood from his Countrymen, it will be requi- 
fite to caft our Eyes over to Cuba, and confider what 
paffed there after the Departure of the Fleet tinder the 
Command of this great Man. 
2. James Velafquez was at firft equally angry and tin- 
eafy at the Step which Cortes had taken ; but after he 
had received Advice from his Agent in Spaing that he 
had obtained for him the Title of the King’s Lieutenant,’ 
not only in Cuba, but alfo in all the Countries which fiiould 
be difeovered by him, or by his Means, he became pof- 
feffed with a kind of Fury, and conceiving this Difrefped 
to him, even before he became the King’s Lieutenant, to 
be a kind of Treafon, he refolved to punifh if as fuch, 
and to exert the whole Strength of the Colony for that 
Purpofe. 
What contributed to heighten his Choler extrefnely, 
was the Subftance of certain Letters he received from his 
Agent, in which he was told, that the Bifhop of Burgos^ 
Prefident of the Indies, was his beft Friend , but that the 
King was highly pleafed with the Conduct of 
and 
