1 1 6 T'he Expedition of H 
who purfued their Vidtory with all the Rigour of War, 
and made a terrible Deftrudliion of the Fugitives ; it 
was fo abfolutely neceffary to ruin and difperfe them, 
that they might not return. On the Side of the Spani- 
ards fdme were wounded, of which Number two or 
three died at TSlafcala ; and Cortes^ himfelf, received a 
Blow on his Head, with a Stone, fo violent, that it bat- 
tered his Head-Piece, and made a fmall Fradlure in his 
Skull. The Spoil was given to the Soldiers, which 
was very confiderable, for the Mexicans came with coft- 
ly Jewels and Ornaments, as to triumph. The Spanijh 
Authors fay, that twenty thoufand Indians loft their Lives 
in this Battle. A round Computation indeed ! and per- 
haps, what is not uncommon in fuch Cafes, a certain 
Number put for an uncertain. 
3. The fame Spirit which Cortes fliewed in his utmoft 
Difficulties, appeared in the Precautions taken by him 
in making the moft of this Vidlory, and taking an im- 
mediate Care for fecuring ftich a Poft, as might give 
them time to concert what was to be done next. There 
appeared on the Top of a Mountain, at fome Diftance, 
a large old Indian Palace, which he -gained. There 
they ftaid that Night, and as foon as it was Day ad- 
vanced a conftderable way through the Plain •, then going 
up a fmall Hill they found a Spring of good Water, 
where they halted and refrefhed themfelves, for till then 
they had met with very little, and that not good ; they 
came to Gualipa^ a Town of two thoufand Houfes, be- 
longing to the Republic of Tlafcala : The People of that 
Place went out to receive them, ffiewing extraordinary 
Compaffion for their Sufferings j the Women wept at 
the Sight of them, and they were fupplied with Necef- 
faries, in a moft affedtionate Manner. 
Cortes bleffed God he found fuch Entertainment among 
Infidels. Thofe People asked why they womd not be- 
lieve them, when they always told them they ftiould not 
truft the Mexicans^ who were treacherous. That Day, 
in the Afternoon, came to them Maxifcatzin, and ano- 
ther Lord, who was Governor of Guaxacingo^ and, when 
chriftened, called Don John Xuarez, and many others, 
as did Xicotencatl ; but this laft only in a Compliment. 
They brought much Provifion. Cortes received them 
with Joy i but they were amazed to fee him and fo ma- 
ny others wounded. Maxifcatzin^ in that Aftoniffiment, 
delivered himfelf very elegantly, faying, that fmce his 
Valour was fufficient to withftand all the Mexican Em- 
pire, there had been, fome Treachery in the Cafe, com- 
forting him, and bidding him be eafy j for, fince he was 
alive, he might revenge that Injury, being among the 
^lafcalansy his fincere Friends, who he promifed fhould 
affift him with all their Power ; all the other Lords gave 
him the fame Affurances, and Cortes returning Thanks 
i:n a moft courteous Manner, producing the Mexican 
General’s Standard and Arms, delivered the fame to 
him, and gave the reft much of the Booty taken in the 
Battle of Oturnha. 
The other Commanders and Soldiers, following the 
fame Example of Cortes y diftributed abundance of the 
Booty they had gained in that Fight, which was very ac- 
ceptable, as being Mexican Trophies. Here Cortes was 
informed, that about twelve Days before, John Jufie and 
MorlayXfAea about thirty Spaniards y had fet put from Gua- 
lipay carrying Cortesh Equipage to Mexico 5 and that tho’ 
they fought well, they were all cutoff by ihtMexicanGzv- 
fifons, together with one of Maxifcatzin s Sons, who he 
fent along with them. This was afterwards verified, for 
they found cut on a Tree. This may pajfed the unfortunate 
John Jufte, and his unhappy CompanionSy being reduced to 
fuch Want of Foody that they gave a Wedge of Goldy weigh- 
ing eight hundred Pieces of Eighty for a few little Cakes of 
ftalian Wheat, Thence' the Spanijh Army , proceeded to 
flafcalay and the Country being populous, the Roads 
Were crowded with the Inhabitants coming out to fee 
them. The Magiftrates met Cortes y with above two 
hundred thoufand Men in good Order. The Women 
and Children v/ent foremdft, and wept as foon as they 
faw the Spaniardsy curfing the treacherous Mexicans ; 
next came the Citizens, and received them in a moft 
courteous Manner, The Lords of the four Quarters 
; R N A N Cortes, Book I. 
took Cortes into the Middle of them ; there was much 
Mufic at the Entrance into the City ; he was lodged in 
MaxifcatziF s Floufe, who m.ade him a great Entertain-* 
ment, and in this Court there was much dancing and 
rejoicing. 
At Tlafcala Cortes found Capt. PaeZy whom he had left- 
there, with eighty Spaniards y and was glad to hear that 
he had been v/ell ufed ; he aftlired him, "that Maxifcatzin- 
was his real Friend, and that Xicotencatl hated him. 
When he underftood that Maxifcatzin had offered Paez 
an hundred thoufand Men to march v/ith the Spaniards, 
to his Relief, and that Paez excufed himfelf, alledging, 
that he had obferved his Orders, confidering how much 
Service the Succour might have clone him, he gave him 
fome hard Words, calling him Coward •, for that brave 
Commanders, in fuch Perils, are not to adhere literally 
to Orders, but to a6l as Exigencies may require. Hojedcr 
was the Perfon that entertained the greateft Friendfhip 
with the TlafcalanSy and brought Provifions from the 
Country Towns \ fome reproached him, faying, why 
come you hither to devour our Subftance \ go your way, 
you come in a wretched Condition from Mexico, being 
turned out like cowardly Women. He gave them good 
Words ; but Cortes was much concerned at it, being in- 
formed that Xicotencatl was the Occafion of it : He ac- 
quainted Maxifcatzin, who faid, that whilft he lived no 
Man fliould prefume to affront him j however he kept 
himfelf upon his Guard. 
A Numbnefs feized his Head, occafioned by his Wound, 
and, it being followed by a violent -Fever, he was in much 
Danger ; but it pleafed God, as he was well taken care of, he 
recovered. Whilft his Diftemper held him, thole few Spa- 
niard's he had, hearing fome fufpicious Words from the In^ 
dianSy muttered that they would return to the Sea Coaft, al- 
ledging that Cortes‘s Contrivances to return to Mexico would 
be their Paiin, and that they were now fattening to be facri- 
ficed and eaten, as the Indians defigneef j few being of a 
contrary Opinion, the greater Number, with a Notary, 
forcibly required Cortes to go away to Vera Cruz, to 
avoid the Danger that threatened. Cortes anfwered with 
much Gravity and Calmnefs : In the firft place, he ex- 
tolled their paft Aftions, put them in mind of the Viftories 
they had obtained, and the Valour of the SpaniflolTditiony 
blamed their Faint-heartednefs, for that having made the 
World ring with the Fame of their Exploits they ftiould 
ftiew Fear, which v/ould turn to their Shame ; he pro- 
mifed them much Wealth and Profperity ; difpelled the 
Fears they had conceived of the Tlafcalans ; faid, he 
would try their Friendfhip by making War on the Tepea- 
cansy who had lately flain feveral Spaniards ; he put them 
in mind, that all he had faid to them had proved true ; 
that he had performed all he promifed, and then, in cafe 
the Affair of T epeaca did not fucceed, he would find fome 
Expedient for them to return vdth Honour to Vera 
Cruz. 
This appeafed them for the prefent, but he had feveral 
Confultations wkh the chief Commanders, as to- the Con- 
fidence that was due to the Tlafcalatis : Some affirmed, 
that there was no trufting of them, fo that if they took 
a fmall Number of them the War would not be carried 
on ', and if they had many, it was dangerous : Others 
added, that the Enmity between thefe two Nations was 
well known, as were the Advantages the Tlafcalans reaped 
by the W ar with the Culuas for v/hich Reafon their 
Fidelity was not to be called in queftion. Cortes, having 
maturely weighed this Affair, and made fome Enquiry 
into the Matter, adhered to this Advice, which made him 
believe that his good Fortune v/ould not forfake him in 
this Enterprize. 
4. The Mexicans having offered up their Sacrifices, 
returned- Thanks to their Gods, repaired their City, and, 
underftanding how well the Spaniards had been received 
in Tlafcala, refolved to fend fix Men of Note EmbaiTa- 
dors thither with a Prefent of Cloth, Feather- works, and 
Salt, which were the Things thofe People wanted moft. 
Notice being given of their coming, they were met as 
ufual, and tlie Council being affembled to hear them, 
the Eldeft delivered his Prefent and faid, That as they 
v/ere 
