Chap. III. for the Rcduciiofi of N E w S P A i N. ^ i op 
to gather them up every Day, burnt forty Cart-Loads 
of them. Provifion was become fo fcarce, that the In- 
dian Allies had but a little Cake, every Day, each Man, for 
their Allowance, and every Spaniard fifty Grams of Indi- 
an Wheat •, nor was there lefs Want of Water, fo that 
they endured much Drought. They dug jn their Quar- 
ters, and, though the Earth was full of Sait-petre, they 
found frefh Vfater, which was wonderful ; a Tlafcalan 
looking ovet fome of their Works, to fee what was doing, 
the Mexicans cried to him, “ You Dog, you and thole 
“ Chriftian Dogs lliall now perilh with Hunger and 
“ Thirft.” Heanfwered, “You irifamous falfe Scoundrels, 
“ who know not how to fight, but in Crowds, take that 
“ Cake which I had to fpare this Day, out of my Al- 
“ lowance, for you fhall all be deftroyed by degrees.” 
The next Morning the Battle revived, and the Indians 
fet Fire to the Houfe •, it was put out by throwing down 
a V/ail, and that Breach made good with Cannon, and 
a Work raifed •, and becaufe fome Mifchief was done 
from, a Tower of Motezurna^ Eloufe, Cortes refolved to 
make himfelf Mafter of it. He attacked it with two 
hundred Men, and it was wonderful that long Pieces of 
Timber being rowied down the Stairs at Length, wTich 
might have overthrown ten or twelve Men, they all 
fumed end Ways, and did no hann. He gained the 
Tower ; killed thofe that defended it ; advanced into the 
City ; burnt above one thoufand Houfes *, gained feven 
Bridges ; killed a prodigious Number ; and here a Horfe- 
man came to tell him, that the great Men of Mexico 
would treat with him of Peace : He was glad of it, fent 
Aherado and Sandoval^ with fixty Horfe, and ordered 
John Velafquez to flay there with four hundred Foot, to 
fecure the Bridges *, then he went to the Mexicans^ whom 
he fainted very courteoufly. They alked him why he 
did not go av/ay .as he had promifed, fince he had Ships, 
and reftore them their Lord Motezuma .? Whilft he was 
in Difcourfe about this Affair, Advice was brought him 
that the Bridges were loft ; he haftened away thither, and 
found John de Soria, and another Soldier, dead, and five 
Horfes fallen down ^ he recovered them, and fought fo 
refolutely, that his Prefence alone v/as the faving of many 
Lives. 
I I. Cortes returned to his Quarters, with two Contu- 
fions on his Knee, made by Stones, where he found the 
Men in Confufion, believing he had been killed, becaufe 
he ftayed fo long. They rejoiced at the Sight of him ; the 
Battle continued ; the Indians broke the Bridges, and 
fought from the Tops of their Houfes ; Cortes feeing one 
of them very fine, and obeyed by all the reft, fent Ma- 
rina to aflc Motezuma, whether he thought they had put 
the Government into his Hands. He anfwered, that 
they would not prefume to chufe a King in Mexico, while 
he was living. He looked at them, and faid they were 
his Kindred, and that, among them, were the Lords of 
Hezcuco and Tztapalapa-, the Engagement ftill grew 
warmer ; Cortes was in Confufion, and Motezuma in no 
lefs, apprehending, as is likely, that they would kill him j 
he bid Marina acquaint the General that he would go up 
to a Parapet on the Houfe, to fpeak to his Subje6ls, 
which mnght perhaps induce them to come to an Accom- 
modation. Cortes was 'pleafed with it, he went up with 
a Guard of two hundred Spaniards, in Royal Apparel, 
and Marina with them, to know what was faid. 
The Noblemen that went up with him made a Sign, 
and he was prefently known, and raifmg his Voice faid, 
“ He fliould be pleafed if they wmuld behave themfelves 
“ gratefully, for the Good he had done them ; That he 
“ had been informed they had chofen , another King, 
“ becaufe he was confined, and loved the Chriftians, 
“ but could not believe they would forfake their natural 
“ Sovereign, for another which God would punifh ; 
“ that if they had fought fo long to fet him at Liberty, 
“ he thanked them, but they were miftaken, for he was 
“ there by his own Confent •, that being his own Floufe, 
in order to entertain his Guefts, and therefore he de- 
“ fired them to lay down their Arm.s ; fince every Man 
“ they killed, coft them above two thoufand •, efpecial- 
ly confidering that they offered Peace, and had not 
“ taken their Goods, raviflied their Wives or Daughters, 
VoL. II. Numb. 76. 
“ and were willing to be gone ; that he could go out 
“ from thence whenfoever it pleafed him, having always 
“ had the Liberty fo to do j and therefore, if they loved 
“ him, they fliould give over, and lay afide all Prejii'- 
“ dice, which never permitted Men to aft indifcreetly. ” 
The Mexicans liftened to him with much Attention : But, 
as foon as he had done, cried out, “ Hold your Peace, 
“ you effeminate Scoundrel, born to weave and fpin j 
“ thofe Dogs keep you a Prifoner, you have no Heart, 
“ you are a Coward, ” Then they fell on again, call- 
ing abundance of Stones, and fliooting their Arrows^ and, 
though a Spaniard took care to cover Motezuma with a 
Target, yet, as ill Luck would have it, a Stone hit him 
on the Temple. 
Fie went down to his Chamber, laid him on his Bed, 
and was fo much afliamed, and out of Countenance, that, 
though the- Wound was not dangerous, he died in four 
Days with Grief, forbearing to eat, and refufing to be 
dreffed. The Fight continued, without Intermifllon, all 
the while that Motezuma kept his Bed ; who, finding his 
Strength fail him, fent for Cortes in great hafte, and, fit- 
ting up, leaning on the Pillows -^ith Tears in his Eyes, 
taking hold of his Eland, faid, “ That he knew not 
“ where to begin, that he was the fame Motezuma, 
“ whom he had fo pofitively infifted to vifit, v/hom 
“ the World had fo much refpefted, that he knew not 
“ what ill Fate attended him •, for he had not ufurped 
“ another’s Kingdom, had done Juftice, conquered many 
“ Nations, beftowed many Favours, and yet thofe, who' 
“ before durft not look him in the Face, had infulted 
“ their King, giving him fuch Language as v/as not fit 
“ for a Slave, and throwing Stones at his Royal Perfon ; 
“ that his Heart was ready to burft, and he died in great 
“ Rage, wifliing he could fee thofe Villains piinifhed ^ 
“ but it was now too late, and his End v/as rather oc- 
“ cafioned by Vexation, than by the Wound *, he there- 
“ fore begged, that fince he died for his Sake, he would 
“ take care of his Children, and punifli thofe that had 
“ infulted him, and the Perfon that had ufurped the 
“ Crown.” Cortes could not help being moved at thefe 
Words, and holding him by the Elands, begged that he 
would not caft himfelf down, for he would perform all 
his Commands, as if they were, the King his Mafter’s^ 
adding, that he had been in the Wrong in not fuffering 
himfelf to be dreffed ; that he gave him his Word to take 
care of his Children, and revenge his Wrongs to the full % 
thefe and other Words, uttered by Cortes, very much 
comforted him ; but Cortes was forced to take his leave, 
to go and fee what was doing abroad. 
The next Day, being told he was very ill, he came 
back to fee him, found him in a great Agony, and faid, 
“ That fince he had agreed to be baptized, he fliould 
“ do it then to fave his Soul, {ox Francis Olmedo was there 
“ ready to do it.” Ele anfwered, “ That having but 
“ half an Hour longer to live, he would not forfake the 
“ Religion of his Anceftors. ” And foon after he died, 
fome of the great Men that were Prifoners with him being 
prefent, to whom he recommended his C liildren •, and the 
Revenge he defired to his 4ft Gafp. He never would 
fuffer any Cloth or other thing on the Wound, but if 
any was laid on, he pulled it off, wifliing for Death. 
Four Hours after he was dead, Cortes looked out at the 
Top of the Houfe, made a Signal for a Ceffation, de- 
firing to fpeak to the Commanders, and told them, 
“ That they ill requited their Sovereign, having killed 
“ him with a Stone ; but, that he had died rather of 
“ Vexation,, than of the Wound ; That he would deliver 
“ them his Body, to be buried according to their Man- 
“ ner ; bidding them not contend any longer, for that 
“ God, who was juft, would deftroy that City by his 
“ Hands.” They anfwered, “ They had a Command- 
“ er, and would have no more to do with Motezuma, 
“ dead or alive, ” with other fuch infolent Expreflions. 
Cortes turned his Back upon them, and ordered thofe 
great Men that had attended him to carry out the Body, 
that they might fee he died by the Blow of the Stone-. 
As foon as it was out of the Houfe, an Indian richly 
clad, ran up to him, making ugly Faces, without fpeak- 
ing, as if he had afleed whofe Body that was, and being 
F f told 
