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I 
' ^he Expedition ^HerHan Cortes^ ^Book.l 
SECTION XIIL 
^hBCoTicluJion of Herman Cortes s E xpedition^ including theHifory of the remaining 
Part of the ar , to the ReduEHon of the City and Empire of Mexico j hy which 
Spaniards accpuired their ext enfve Dominions on the Continent of North America* 
I, continue their Retreat under jrejh Difficulties^ 'while the Indians labour to intercept and 
bring them to a general Engagement. 2. Phe whole Force of the Mexican Empire defeated in the famous 
Battle of Otumba, and the imperial Standard taken. 3. Fhe Precautions taken by Cortes to improve this 
Vidiory^ and to prevent the bad Efedls of a Mutiny that had like to have broken out among his People . 
Fhe Mexicans fend an Embafjy to Tlafcala, in hopes of gaining that Republic j in which they are di [ap- 
pointed by the Interpoftion ofjuch Lords as were Friends to the Spaniards. 5. Lhe War renewed with great 
Succefs^ and a new Colony founded by the Spaniards on the Frontiers. 6. Lhe Mea fares ta.ken by Cortes 
for the Profecution oj the W xr , the bad Difpoftion of the Army., and the Difficuties which he found in 
keeping the Proops from running^ into a general Mutiny, y. He receives, very- unexpediedly, very conf- 
derable Succours from Spain, which encourages him to think of recovering Mexico. 8. He is fo fortu- 
nate as to obtain fill larger Reinforcements, but is obliged to dif charge a Part of bis Army, on Account of 
their feditious Behaviour, g. While Preparations were making for" a new Expedition, QoxtGs i^efolves fo 
fend over frefh Agents to Spain, in order to procure aCommiffion from the Emperor. 10. An Account 
of^ what happened at Court upon the former Application, by the Father 0/' Cortes and his frf Agents, and 
off the timely Arrival of the fecond. ii. d.he Hifory of this Matter farther continued, to the obtaining 
a Declarfion of Council in favour of Cortes, againf Velafqiiez. 12. An Account of his memorable Ex^ 
pedition into the Province off Tezcuco, which fubmits without a Stroke. 13. Phe War with Mexico re- 
newed by Cortes, with great Danger to his Army and to hi mf elf. 14. Upon a Fore fight of the Difficulties 
that might attend the War, he makes Propofals of Peace to the Mexican Emperor, which are haughtily re- 
ffeSted. 15. Phe War breakt out afrejh, and Qort.t's gains feveral Viciories over Mexicans. 16. Phe 
Indians are def eated in a general Engagement, in which, however, Cortes run a great Hazard of being 
killed or taken, ly. AConfpiracy f ormed among the Spaniards to murder him, and a Sedition among fl the 
Allies. 18. Cott&s ventures to attack three Caufways of the City off' Mexico at once, and at the fame 
Pime carries on the War upon the Lake. 19. Phe Progrefs off' the War, and the unexpected Difficulties 
the Spaniards met with therein. 20. Cortes makes a general Attack, in which, after ad obftinate En- 
gagement, he is defeated. 21. Phe Spanifli Prifoners are facrifeed to the Indian Idols, and all their Af- 
fairs furprizingly decline. 22. Cortes renews the Attack, and forces the Indian Emperor to retire to the 
ff'arthef Part off the City. 23. Phe Emperor, Guatimozin, fucceffor to Motezuma, is taken Prifoner, 
after which the City immediately furrenders, 24. A fuccinCt Account off' the ReduSiion off' the whole 
Mexican Empire, and of the Rewards befowed upon Hernan Cortes. 25. Obff'ervations and Remarks 
upon this and fome of the foregoing Sections. 
I. \ Little before the appointed Hour, the Troops 
±f\^ were aflembled : The Order to march, and 
the Reafon for fo doing, was given at the fame time, 
upon which they prepared for fetting out, applauding the 
Refolution. ordered to conceal their Motion, that 
they fhould leave all their Fires burning, and, giving to 
Diego de Ordaz the Charge of the Van-Guard, with fome 
intelligent Guides, he placed his chief Strength in the 
Rear, where he remained, that he might be the nearer 
Danger, and be a Security to thofe who palled before. 
They fet forward with all neCeffary Caution ; and, the 
Guides being ordered to keep at fome convenientDiflrance 
from the high Road till the Morning, they marched, 
little more than half a League, without the Silence of the 
Night being interrupted by the leaft Noife : But, upon 
their entering into a broken and hilly Ground, the Scouts 
fell into an Ambulh j divers Troops of Indians came 
pouring down from the Eminences, and rulhing from 
among the Bulhes, , without Order, attacked the Flank ; 
and though not fo numerous as to oblige the Army to 
halt, yet the Spaniards were obliged to beat off fuch of 
the Enemy as ventured nearell, to break through feveral 
Ambufeades, and to difpute many narrow Palfes. 
The Spaniards were apprehenfive, at firft, that it was 
the whole Army which they had left on the other Side of 
the Temple, and fome report this Adlion as a Purfuit 
made by thofe Mexicans ; but they Were the Militia of 
the neighbouring Towns; who, by Orders received from 
Court, endeavoured to difturb the March, poking them- 
felves in the broken Parts of the Road. With this kind 
of Oppofition the Army advanced two Leagues, and be- 
fore Day halted in another Temple, lituate upon an 
Eminence, not altogether fo high as the former, but of 
Eifficient Height to view the Country round about ; that 
by the Number of Enemies they ihould difeover, they 
might judge whatMeafures were fitteft to be taken for their 
Security. The Indian Peafants continued tlieir Shouts^ 
following at a Diftance, till, having advanced about two 
Leagues farther, they difeovered a Village advantageoufly 
fituated, and as they believed well peopled. Cortes 
pitched upon this Place for his Qiiarters, and gave Or- 
ders for his Troops to poffefs themfelves of it^, and they 
found it wholly forfaken by the Inhabitants, together 
with fome Provifions, which they could not carry off; 
and which, at that Junfture, were very welcome. Here 
the Army flayed a Day or two ; the Condition of the 
Wounded being fuch, that they could not proceed. 
They made two Marches more, through a Country more 
rocky and barren, always out of the great Road, and 
fomewhat doubtful whether their Guides were right. 
They had no Cover in the Night, nor did the Perfecution 
of Indians ceafe, who continually kept 'in Sight; 
or, perhaps, they might be others who came out after 
the firfl, in order to follow them through their refpedlive 
Diflrifts. But the greatefl of all Inconveniencies was, 
they fuffqred Plunger and Thirft to that Degree,, that 
they wanted little of being quite difpirited. The Officers 
and Soldiers, hovvever, animating each other to move on. 
, They were forced to have recourfe to the Herbs and 
Roots of the Field for Suflenance, without examining 
whether they were venemous •, though fuch as were the 
mofl prudent governed themfelves by the Knowledge 
and Example of the Flafcalans. One of the wounded 
Plorfes died, and the Want they had of that Creature’s 
Service in the Army, was forgot with Joy ; for it was 
divided as a Regale among thofe who v/ere in the great- 
eft Extremity, who celebrated the Feaft by inviting their 
beft Friends to partake or that dainty Food : A reliffiing 
Banquet at that time, at which all Scruples of Stomach 
gave way to Neceffity. The laft of thefe two Marches 
terminated 
V 
