4 
Expedition of H 
poalla came, and afked him what he was about \ adding, 
That, when he leaft expeded it, Cortes would be there 
and kill him j for that he had fo many Spies that he 
knew every thing that was done. Tho’ they made a 
Jeft of him, the War againft Cortes was proclaimed to 
be carried on with Fire and Sword, and all Plunder to 
belong to the Taker. Narvaez marched out, with his 
Forces and Artillery, about a Quarter of a League from 
Zerapoall'a^ intending to wait for Cortes there; but, it 
happening to rain all that Day, and thofe Men not 
being inured to Hardfliips, they murmured, faying. It 
was proper to return to their Quarters. Thofe who were 
acquainted with Cortes'^ Valour thought otherwife; and 
infilled that it was ill Advice to go back. Andrew Bue- 
fo gave Cortes Notice of all thofe Particulars, by a Sol- 
dier who deferred. 
Narvaez retiring, upon the Confidence that Cortes 
durft not attack him, ordered Soldiers to be polled on 
the River he was to pafs, forty Horfenien to ftay all 
Night on the Road to Zempoalla, Twenty more to be 
in the Courts of his Quarters, and the Artillery, con- 
fifting of eighteen fmall Guns, to be planted before the 
Doors : And thus he thought himfclf fecure. He then 
proclaimed he would give two thoufand Pieces of Eight 
to any Man that fhould kill Cortes. Sandoval had or- 
dered a confiderable Number of Mufketeers, Crofs-bow- 
men, and other Soldiers, with Partifans, to lye in his 
Apartment; and the Captains Salvatierra, Gommera^ 
and others of his Confidants with them. 
Cortes., coming to the River of Canoes., found much 
Difficulty in paffing it, becaufe there was a great Flood, 
and two Soldiers were drowned feeking for the Ford. As 
foon as they got over they heard firing of Mufkets in 
NarvaeAs Army, which much frighted the Indians \ 
who fent Motezuma an Account of all, magnifyino- his 
Power, and looking upon Cortes as a loft Man, which 
was no fmall Satisfadlion to th.tMxicans. Cortes^ in that 
Place, drew his Men together ; and, in a long Speech, 
acquainted them with all the ill Pradices of Narvaez, 
extolled their Valour, and told them, they were then 
to fight for their Lives, for their Honour, and for their 
Eftates ; the Defign of their Enemies being to make 
them Prifoners, and feize all they had. John Velaftiuez, 
James de Ordaz, and other Commanders, anfwered, He 
might be aflured they would either conquer or die, and 
lliould take heed not to be enfnared by any fallacious 
Terms. was over-joyed to find his Men in this 
Difpofition, and defired them to keep their Order exad- 
ly, for many great Misfortunes happened for want of 
it ; and it was very remarkable that he never gave them 
the leaft Intimation of the Intelligence he held in the 
Enemy’s Army, that his Soldiers might believe that his 
V^hole Depend ance was upon their Valour. He further 
faid, He defigned to attack the Enemy at Midnight, or 
before break of Day, which was the beft Method for a 
few to deal with a great Number. Alonfo Bavila an- 
fwered, That they did not defire to live without him, 
fo that he might go when he pleafed, and do as he thought 
fit, for they would be fatisfied to die with him at all 
Times. 
As foon as Narvaez heard where Cortes was, he fent 
Gonfalo Carrafeo, a bold Man, and his Servant Hurtado, 
to approach as near Cortes's Forces as he could, and 
bring him Advice of his Motions. Cortes's Forerunners 
met with Carrafeo, and took him ; who fpoke aloud that 
Hurtado might make his Efcape ; and fo he did. Hur- 
tado came among Narvaez's Forces, ran thro’ their 
Quarters crying, Arm, arm ! telling them. That Cortes 
was at hand, and Carrafeo taken ; but could give no Ac- 
count of the Men or their Number. Some faid Cortes 
could not come in fuch a dark, rainy Night, and Nar- 
vaez bid Hurtado go to deep, for he had certainly fancied 
it. Cortes, to juftify his Proceedings, gave Sandoval, 
whow^as his chief Alguazil, a Warrant to fecure 
vaez for' raifmg Commotions in the Country; and, in 
cafe he refifted, to kill him, requiring all his Officers 
and Soldiers to be affifting. Then he divided his Men 
into three Parties; the Firft under Sandoval, w\\ich was 
of fixty Men ; the Second under Chriflopher Olid, a good 
Soldier, and a Man of extraordinary Strength. Cortes 
himfelf took the Third, They had^ among them all, 
ernanCortes, . Book I 
feventy Pikes made of Oak, with the Spears before- 
mentioned, being thirty-eight Spans in I.ength. The 
Word was Jhe Holy Ghofi. He appointed Sandoval's 
Pikes to attack Narvaez's Quarters, and the reft the 
Cazique’s Houfe, where he was kept under a Guard 
that he might not run away ; and fifty Men to fall up- 
on the Alcalde John Jufle ; and Olid was to attack Nar- 
vaez s Artillery, and he to fupport them. 
The three Bodies advanced within a Stone’s-throw of 
one another. Cortes halting, '\s\Xxt2xtAfCarrafe0 to tell 
him the Difpofition of Narvaez's Forces, threatning to 
hang him if he lyed ; and he, refufing, was fo near be- 
ing hanged, that his Throat was fore for fome Days : 
And one of the Horfemen faved him. Being come to 
a Place where the Road divided itfelf into two, they 
prayed, put on their Efcaupiles, or Cotton Armour, 
and marched towards the Town in good Order, obferv- 
ing ftriel Silence. John Velafquez, then feeing a Light 
on high, told Cortes that was Narvaez's Quarters, and 
he anfwered, I am glad that the Light guides us. He 
cornmanded Sandoval to move diredlly to Narvaez, 
which was a good Choice, for he was a daring Com- 
mander, and the other Parties to guard his Flanks. San- 
doval charged Canillas not to beat his Drum till he or- 
dered him, and kept him before him. When they were 
clofe by Narvaez's Quarters, Cortes, who was giving 
Diredtions, faid to Sandoval's Party, Gentlemen, flick 
clofe to the Houfes on both Sides of the Streets, that the 
Cannon-balls may pafs along without doing any execution. 
All this could not be done fo filently but that there was 
Notice given of it. Narvaez, who was putting on a 
Breaft-plate, faid to him that brought the Advice, Be 
not uneafy, and ordered to beat the Alarm ; but none 
came in from the other Towers, where the reft of his 
Men were quartered, for they could not come, being 
hindered by Cortes's Men. When Sandoval came to 
Narvaez's Quarters, the firft Sentinels, who flood at the 
Foot of the Stairs of the Court, cryed out. Sandoval, 
feeing he was difeovered, ordered Canillas to beat his 
Drum. Cortes cryed. Fall on, fall on! Holy Gho(l^ 
Holy Ghofi ! Advance. 
Sandoval going up the firft Stairs, with his Men fol- 
lowing, found in the firft Court a Room full of 
Blacks ; one of them came out with a Light in his Hand, 
and was killed with the Pikes. They paffed on towards 
Narvaez's Apartment, and going up four Steps faw 
the Artillery planted. One Gun was fired, which killed 
two of Cortes's Men ; but the reft preffed on fo faft that 
the other Pieces could not be fired. Cortes Caufed the 
Artillery to be thrown down the Steps, and went up 
five more to get into the Room where Narvaez was 
with about forty Soldiers. Sandoval, who was already 
come up v/ith Narvaez.; required him to yield, but he 
made a Jeft of it, and flood upon his defence till Mar-> 
tin Lopez, one of Cortes's Men, fet fire to the Thatch 
that was on the Tower, and the Smoke drove Narvaez 
and his Men out of the Place, and then he was run into ' 
the Eye with a Pike. James de Rojas, Enfign to Nar- 
vaez, fought bravely in Defence of his Colours, till two 
Pikes were thruft into him, when falling he cried out. 
Lady help me ! and Cortes anfwered. She fhall fave you, 
not permitting him to be killed. 
When Narvaez was wounded, Peter Sanchez came up 
and doled with him, and then Sandoval {IxA, Yield yourfeif 
Prifoner, fo they dragged him down the Steps till Fetters 
were put upon him, and carried him to Cortes ; to whom 
he faid : My Lord Cortes, value your good Fortune in 
making me Prifoner this Day. He anfwered. That the 
leaft A 6 lion he had performed in that Country was the 
taking of him ; and therefore ordered he fhould be well ' 
fecured. He was not drefied that Night, by reafon of 
the Confufion all Men were in, but the next Day was fent 
to Villa Rica. Narvaez being taken, and his Men making 
no further Oppofition, Cortes ordered himfelf to be 
proclaimed Captain-General, and Chief Juftice of both 
Armies, in the King’s Name ; commanding all Men to 
come in and take an Oath to him as fuch, upon pain of 
Death. 
They all did fo, fome voluntarily, others becaufe they 
did not know how to avoid it, except three hundred Sol- 
diers, who fortified themfelves in their Quarters ; to whom 
Carrafeo 
’I 
