1 Ixtlilxochitl, Hist. Chich., Ms., cap

832 - History of the Conquest of Mexico

4 "Que todos los que tienen alguna ciencia, y experiencia en la Navegacion de las Indias, han tenido por muy cierto, que descubriendo por estas Partes la Mar del Sur, se habian de hallar muchas Islas ricas de Oro, y Perlas, y Piedras preciosas, y Especería, y se habían de descubrir y hallar otros muchos secretos y cosas admirables." Rel. Terc. de Cortés, ap. Lorenzana, pp 302, 303.

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 833

5 "Y crea Vuestra Magestad, que cada día se irá ennobleciendo en tal manera, que como antes fué Principal, y Señora de todas estas Provincias, que lo será tambien de aquí adelante." Ibid., p. 307.

6 Ante, p. 786.

7 Herrera, Hist. General, dec. 3, lib. 4, cap. 8.-Oviedo, Hist. de las Ind., MS., lib. 33, cap. 32.­Camargo, Hist. de Tlascala, MS.-Gomara, Crónica, cap. 162.

834 - History of the Conquest of Mexico

"En la cual (la edificacion de la ciudad) los primeros años andaba mas gente que en la edi­ficacion del templo de jerusalem, porque era tanta la gente que andaba en las obras, que ape­nas podia hombre romper por algunas calles y calzadas, aunque son muy anchas." (Toribio, Hist. de los Indios, MS., Parte 1, cap. 1.) Ixtlilxochitl supplies any blank which the imagina^­tion might leave, by filling it up with 400,000, as the number of natives employed in this work by Cortés! Venida de los Esp., p. 60.

8 "Sirviéron al Emperador con muchas piedras, i entre ellas con una esmeralda fina, como la palma, pero quadrada, i que se remataba en punta como pirámide." (Comara, Crónica, cap. 146.) Martyr confirms the account of this wonderful emerald, which, he says, "was reported to the king and council to be nearly as broad as the palm of the hand, and which those, who had seen it, thought could not be procured for any sum." De Orbe Novo, dec. 8, cap. 4.

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 835

9 Ibid., ubi supra.-Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 169.

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10 The instrument also conferred similar powers in respect to an inquiry into Narvaez's treat­ment of the licentiate Ayllon. The whole document is cited in a deposition drawn up by the notary, Alonso de Vergara, setting forth the proceedings of Tapia and the municipality of Villa Rica, dated at Cempoalla, Dec. 24th, 1521. The MS. forms part of the collection of Don Vargas PonSe, in the archives of the Academy of History at Madrid.

11 Relacion de Vergara, MS.-Rel. Terc. de Cortés, ap. Lorenzana, pp. 309-314.-Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 158.

The regidores of Mexico and other places remonstrated against Cortés' leaving the valley to meet Tapia, on the ground that his presence was necessary to overawe the natives. (MS., Coyoacan, Dec. 12, 152 1.) The general acquiesced in the force of a remonstrance, which, it is not improbable, was made at his own suggestion.

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 837

12 "Como ya (loado nuestro Señor) estaba toda la Provincia muy pacífica, y segura." Rel. Quarta de Cortés, ap. Lorenzana, p. 367.

13 The Muñoz collection of MSS. contains a power of attorney given by Cortés to his father, authorizing him to manage all negotiations with the emperor, and with private persons, to conduct all lawsuits on his behalf, to pay over and receive money, &c.

838 - History of the Conquest of Mexico

14 Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 158.

15 Sayas, Annales de Aragon, (Zaragoza, 1666,) cap. 63, 78.

It is sufficient voucher for the respectability of this court, that we find in it the name of Dr. Galindez de Carbajal, an eminent Castilian jurist, grown grey in the service of Ferdinand and Isabella, whose confidence he enjoyed in the highest degree.

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 839

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16 Sayas, Annales de Aragon, cap. 78.-Herrera, Hist. General, dec. 3, lib. 4, cap. 3.-Probanza en la Villa Segura, MS.-Declaraciones de Puertocarrero y de Montejo, MSS.

17 Nombramiento de Governador y Capitan General y justicia Mayor de Nueva España, MS.-Also Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 168.

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 841

8 The character of Fonseca has been traced by the same hand which has traced that of Colum­bus. (Irving's Life and Voyages of Columbus, Appendix, No. 32.) Side by side they will go down to posterity in the beautiful page of the historian, though the characters of the two in­dividuals have been inscribed with pens as different from each other as the golden and iron pen which Poalo Giovio tells us he employed in his compositions.

~ Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 158.

CHAPTER 11 MODERN MEXICO^-SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTRY^-CONDITION OF THE NATIVES^ CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES^-CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL^-VOYAGES AND EXPEDITIONS 1522-1524

Herrera, Hist. General, dec. 3, lib. 4, cap. 8.

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2 Clavigero, Stor. del Messico, tom. 1. p. 271.-Humboldt, Essai Politique, tom. II. p. 58. 3 Herrera, Hist. General, ubi supra.

4 Humboldt, Essai Politique, tom. 11. p. 72.

5 Rel. d' un gent., ap. Ramusio, tom. III. fol. 309. 6 Ibid., ubi supra.

7 Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 177.

8 Rel. Quarta de Cortés, ap. Lorenzana, p. 376, nota.

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 845

For an account of this singular enterprise, see Ante, p. 379.

" Cortés, reckoning only the Indian population, says treinta mil vecinoi. (Rel. Quarta, ap. Loren­zana, p. 375.) Gomara, speaking of Mexico some years later, estimates the number of Span­ish householders as in the text. Crónica, cap. 162.

Toribio, Hist. de los Indios, MS., Parte 3, cap. 7.

Yet this is scarcely stronger language than that of the Anonymous Conqueror; "Cosi ben ordinato et di si belle piazze et strade, quanto d' altre cittá the siano al mondo." Rel. d' un gent., ap. Ramusio, tom. III. fol. 309.

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12 "Y tengo por cierto, que aquel Pueblo ha de ser, despues de esta Ciudad, el mejor que obiere en esta Nueva España." (Rel. Quarto, ap. Lorenzana, p. 382.) The archbishop confounds this town with the modern Vera Cruz. But the general's description of the port refutes this Sup­position, and confirms our confidence in Clavigero's statement, that the present city was founded by the Conde de Monterey, at the time mentioned in the text. See p. 252, note.

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 847

13 Ordenanzas Municipales, Tenochtitlan, Marzo, 1524, MS.

The Ordinances made by Cortés, for the government of the country during his viceroy­alty, are still preserved in Mexico; and the copy in my possession was transmitted to me from that capital. They give ample evidence of the wise and penetrating spirit which embraced every object worthy of the attention of an enlightened ruler; and I will quote, in the original, the singular provisions mentioned in the text.

"Item. Por que mas se manifieste la voluntad que los pobladores de estas partes tienen de residir y permanecer en ellas, mando que todas las personas que tuvieren Indios, que fueren casados en Castilla ó en otras partes, que traigan sus mugeres dentro de un año y medio primero siguientes de como estas ordenanzas fueren pregonadas, so pena de perder los In­dios, y todo lo con ellos adquirido é grangeado; y por que muchas personas podrían poner por achaque aunque tuviesen aparejo de decir que no tienen dineros para enviar por ellas, por hende las tales personas que tuvieran esta necesidad parescan ante el R°. P`. Fray Juan de Teto y ante Alonso de Estrada, tesorero de su Magestad, á les informar de su necesidad, para que ellos la comuniquen á mí, y su necesidad se remedie; y si algunas personas hay que casa­dos y no tienen sus mugeres en esta tierra, y quisieran traerlas, sepan que trayéndolas serán ayudadas así mismo para las traer dando fianzas.

"Item. Por quanto en esta tierra hay muchas personas que tienen Indios de encomienda y no son casados, por hende por que conviene así para la salud de sus conciencias de los tales por estar en buen estado, como por la poblacion é noblecimiento de sus tierras, mando que las tales personas se casen, traigan y tengan sus mugeres en esta tierra dentro de un año y medio, des pues que fueren pregonadas estas dichas Ordenanzas, é que no haciendo lo por el mismo caso sean privados y pierdan los tales Indios que así tienen."

14 Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 160. 15 Ante, p. 179.

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16 Of asthma, according to Bernal Diaz; (Hilt. de la Conquista, ubi supra;) but her death seems to have been too sudden to be attributed to that disease. I shall return to the subject here­after.

17 Rel. Terc., ap. Lorenzana, pp. 319, 320.

18 Herrera, Hist. General, dec. 3, lib. 5, cap. I.

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 849

Ibid., dec. 4, lib. 6, cap. 5.-Ordenanzas, MS.

The ordinances prescribe the service of the Indians, the hours they may be employed, their food, compensation, and the like. They require the encomendero to provide them with suitable means of religious instruction and places of worship.-But what avail good laws, which, in their very nature, imply the toleration of a great abuse?

The whole population of New Spain, in 1810, is estimated by Don Francisco Navarro y No­riega at about 6,000,000; of which more than half were pure Indians. The author had the best means for arriving at a correct result See Humboldt, Essai Politique, tom. I. pp. 318, 319, note.

Rel. Quarto, ap. Lorenzana, pp. 391-394.

The petition of the Conquerors was acceded to by government, which further prohibited "attorneys and men learned in the law from setting foot in the country, on the ground that experience had shown, they would be sure by their evil practices to disturb the peace of the community." (Herrera, Hist. General, dec. 3, lib. 5, cap. 2.) These enactments are but an in­different tribute to the character of the two professions in Castile.

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22 Toribio, Hist. de los Indios, MS., Parte 1, cap. 1.-Camargo, Hist. de Tlascala. MS. 23 "Cuyo hecho del rotísimo y humilde recebimiento fué uno de los heroicos hechos que este Capitan hizo, porque fué documento para que con mayor fervor los naturales desta tierra viniesen á la conversion de nuestra fee." (Camargo, Hist. de Tlascala, MS.-See also Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 171.) Archbishop Lorenzana falls nothing short of the Tlas­calan historian in his admiration of the religious zeal of the great Conquistador, which, he as­sures us, "entirely overwhelms him, as savoring so much more of the apostolic missionary than of the soldier!" Lorenzana, p. 393, nota.

Subsequent Career of Cortér - 851

Toribio, Hist. de los Indios, MS., Parte 3, cap. 1.

Father Sahagun, who has done better service in this way than any other of his order, de­scribes with simple brevity the rapid process of demolition. "We took the children of the caciques," he says, "into our schools, where we taught them to read, write, and to chant. The children of the poorer natives were brought together in the court-yard, and instructed there in the Christian faith. After our teaching, one or two brethren took the pupils to some neigh­boring teocalli, and, by working at it for a few days, they levelled it to the ground. In this way they demolished, in a short time, all the Aztec temples, great and small, so that not a vestige of them remained." (Hist. de Nueva España, tom. III. p. 77.) This passage helps to explain why so few architectural relics of the Indian era still survive in Mexico.

"De manera que á mi juicio y verdaderamente serán bautizados en este tiempo que digo, que serán quince años, mas de nueve millones de ánimas de Indios." Toribio, Hist. de los Indios, MS., Parte 2, cap. 3.

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26 Clavigero, Stor. del Messico, tom. I. p. 43.-Humboldt, I;ssai Politique, tom. 111. pp. 115, 145.-Esposicion de Don Lúcas Alaman, (México, 1828,) p. 59.

27 "Páraque cada Navío traiga cierta cantidad de Plantas, y que no pueda salir sin ellas, porque será mucha causa para la Poblacion, y perpetuation de ella." Rel. Quarta de Cortés, ap. Lorenzana, p. 397.

28 "Item, que cualquier vesino que tubiere Indios de repartimiento sea obligado á poner en ellos en cada un año con cada cien Indios de los que tuvieren de repartimiento mil sarmientos^, encogiendo la mejor que pudiese hallar." Ordenanzas Municipales, año de 1524, MS.

29 Ordenanzas Municipales, año de 1524, MS.

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 853

10 "Tengo de ser causa, que Vuestra Cesarea Magestad sea en estas partes Señor de mas Reynos, y Señoríos que los que hasta hoy en nuestra Nation se tiene noticia." Rel. Quarta de Cortés, ap. Lorenzana, p. 374.

'1 "Much as I esteem Hernando Cortés," exclaims Oviedo, "for the greatest captain and most practised in military matters of any we have known, I think such an opinion shows he was no great cosmographer." (Hist. de las Ind., MS., lib. 33, cap. 41.) Oviedo had lived to see its fal­lacy.

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32 Martyr, Opus Epist., ep. 811.

33 Rel. Quarto, ap. Lorenzana, p. 385.

34 The illusion at home was kept up, in some measure, by the dazzling display of gold and jewels remitted from time to time, wrought into fanciful and often fantastic forms. One of the articles sent home by Cortés was a piece of ordnance, made of gold and silver, of very fine workmanship, the metal of which alone cost 25,500 pesos de oro. Oviedo, who saw it in

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 855

the palace, speaks with admiration of this magnificent toy. Hist. de las Ind., MS., lib. 33, cap. 41.

35 Among these may be particularly mentioned the Letters of Alvarado and Diego de Godoy, transcribed by Oviedo in his Hist. de las Ind., MS., (lib. 33, cap. 42-44,) and translated by Ra­musio, for his rich collection, Viaggi, tom. III.

36 See, among others, his orders to his kinsman, Francis Cortés,-"Instruccion Civil y Militar por la Expedition de la Costa de Colima." The paper is dated in 1524, and forms part of the Mufioz collection of MSS.

37 Rel. Quarto, ap. Lorenzana, p. 371.

"Well may we wonder," exclaims his archiepiscopal editor, "that Cortés and his sol­diers could have overrun and subdued, in so short a time, countries, many of them so rough and difficult of access, that, even at the present day, we can hardly penetrate them!" Ibid., nota.

CHAPTER III DEFECTION OF OLID^-DREADFUL MARCH TO HONDURAS^-EXECUTION OF GUATEMOZIN^­DONA MARINA^-ARRIVAL AT HONDURAS 1524-1526

Carta Quinta de Cortés, MS.

858 - History of the Conquest of Mexico

2 Carta de Albornos, MS., Mexico, Dec. 15, 1525.-Carta Quinta de Cortés, MS.

The authorities do not precisely agree as to the numbers, which were changing, proba­bly, with every step of their march across the table-land.

3 Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 174.

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 859

4 Among these was Captain Diaz, who, however, left the pleasant farm, which he occupied in the province of Coatzacualco, with a very ill grace, to accompany the expedition. "But Cortés commanded it, and we dared not say no," says the veteran. Ibid., cap. 175.

5 This celebrated Letter, which has never been published, is usually designated as the Carta Quinta, or "Fifth Letter," of Cortés. It is nearly as long as the longest of the printed letters of the Conqueror, is written in the same clear, simple, businesslike manner, and is as full of in­terest as any of the preceding. It gives a minute account of the expedition to Honduras, to­gether with events that occurred in the year following. It bears no date, but was probably written in that year from Mexico. The original manuscript is in the Imperial Library at Vi­enna, which, as the German sceptre was swayed at that time by the same hand which held the Castilian, contains many documents of value for the illustration of Spanish history.

6 "Es tierra mui baja y de muchas sienegas, tanto que en tiempo de invierno no se puede andar, ni se sirve sino en canoas, y con pasarla yo en tiempo de seca, desde la entrada hasta la salida

860 - History of the Conquest of Mexico

de ella, que puede aver veinti leguas, se hiziéron mas de cinquenta puentes, que sin se hazer, fuera imposible pasar." Carta Quinta de Cortés, MS.

7 1 have examined some of the most ancient maps of the country, by Spanish, French, and Dutch cosmographers, in order to determine the route of Cortés. An inestimable collection of these maps, made by the learned German, Ebeling, is to be found in the library of Har­vard University. I can detect on them only four or five of the places indicated by the general. They are the places mentioned in the text, and, though few, may serve to show the general direction of the march of the army.

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 861

"Donde se ponian los pies en el suelo aria arriba la claridad del cielo no se veia, tanta era la espesura y alteza de los árboles, que aunque se subian en algunos, no podian descubrir un tiro de piedra." Carta Quinta de Cortés, MS.

"Porque lleva mas que mil bigas, que la menor es casi tan gorda como un cuerpo de un hom­bre, y de nueve y diez brazas en largo." Carta Quinta de Cortés, MS.

862 - History of the Conquest of Mexico

10 "Pasada toda la gente y cavallos de la otra parte del alcon dímos luego en una gran gienega, que durava bien tres tiros de ballesta, la cosa mas espantosa que jamas las gentes viéron, donde todos los cavallos desenc,illados se sumiéron hasta las orejas sin parecerse otra cosa, y querer forcejar á salir, sumianse mas, de manera que allí perdímos toda la esperanza de poder escapar cavallos ningunos, pero todavía comenzámos á trabajar y componerles haces de yerba y ramas grandes de bajo, sobre que se sostuviesen y no se sumiesen, remediávanse algo, y an­dando trabajando y yendo y viniendo de la una parte á la otra, abrióse por medio de un cale­ion de agua y cieno, que los cavallos comenzáron algo á nadar, y con esto plugo a nuestro Señor que saliéron todos sin peligro ninguno." Carta Quinta de Cortés, MS.

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 863

11 Carta Quinta de Cortés, MS. 12 Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 177. 13 Ibid., ubi supra.

14 According to Diaz, both Guatemozin and the prince of Tacuba had embraced the religion of their conquerors, and were confessed by a Franciscan friar before their execution. We are fur­ther assured by the same authority, that "they were, for Indians, very good Christians, and be-

864 - History of the Conquest of Mexico

lieved well and truly." (Ibid., loc. cit.) One is reminded of the last hours of Caupolican, con­verted to Christianity by the same men who tied him to the stake. See the scene, painted in the frightful coloring of a master hand, in the Araucana, Canto 34.

15 Guatemozin's beautiful wife, the princess Tecuichpo, the daughter of Montezuma, lived long enough after his death to give her hand to three Castilians, all of noble descent. (See Ante, p. 584, note 36.) She is described as having been as well instructed in the Catholic faith as any woman in Castile, as most gracious and winning in her deportment, and as having con­tributed greatly, by her example, and the deference with which she inspired the Aztecs, to the tranquillity of the conquered country.-This pleasing portrait, it may be well enough to mention, is by the hand of her husband, Don Thoan Cano.

16 The Indian chroniclers regard the pretended conspiracy of Guatemozin as an invention of Cortés. The informer himself, when afterwards put to the torture by the cacique of Tezcuco, declared that,he had made no revelation of this nature to the Spanish commander. Ixtlilxo^­

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 865

chitl vouches for the truth of this story. (Venida de los Esp., pp. 83-93.) But who will vouch for Ixtlilxochitl?

7 "Y fué esta muerte que les diéron muy injustamente dada, y pareció mal á todos los que ibamos aquella jornada." Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 177.

8 "Guatemozin, Señor que fué de esta Ciudad de Temixtitan, á quien yo despues que la gané he tenido siempre preso, teniéndole por hombre bullicioso, y le llevé conmigo." Carta Quinta, MS.

9 "Y le hacían aquella mesma reverencia, i ceremonias, que á Motecquma, i creo que por eso le llevaba siempre consigo por la Ciudad á Caballo, si cavalgaba, i sino á pie como él iba." Crónica, cap. 170.

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20 °I Cortés debiera guardarlo vivo, como Oro en paño, que era el triumpho, i gloria de sus Vic­torias." Crónica, cap. 170.

21 Hist. de la Conquista, ubi supra. 22 Ibid., cap. 178.

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 867

23 Diaz, who was present, attests the truth of this account by the most solemn adjuration. "Y todo esto que digo, se lo oí muy certificadamente y se lo juro amen." Ibid., cap. 37.

868 - History of the Conquest of Mexico

24 Life in Mexico, let. 8.

The fair author does not pretend to have been favored with a sight of the appari^­tion.

25 Villagutierre says, that the Iztacs, by which name the inhabitants of these islands were called, did not destroy their idols while the Spaniards remained there. (Historic de la Con­quista de la Provincia de el Itza, (Madrid, 1701,) pp. 49, 50.) The historian is wrong, since Cortés expressly asserts, that the images were broken and burnt in his presence. Carta Quinta, MS.

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 869

'6 The fact is recorded by Villagutierre, Conquista de el Itza, pp. 100-102, and Cojullado, Hist. de Yucathan, lib. 1, cap. 16.

-7 "Y querer dezir la aspereza y fragosidad de este Puerto y sierras, ni quien lo dixese lo sabria significar, ni quien lo oyese podria entender, sino que sepa V. M. que en ocho leguas que duró hasta este puerto estuvímos en las andar doze dias, digo los postreros en llegar al cabo de él, en que muriéron sesenta y ocho cavallos despeñados y desxaretados, y todos los demas viniéron heridos y tan lastimados que no pensámos aprovecharnos de ninguno." Carta Quinta de Cortés, MS.

870 - History of the Conquest of Mexico

28 "If any unhappy wretch had become giddy in this transit," says Cortés, "he must inevitably have been precipitated into the gulf and perished. There were upwards of twenty of these frightful passes." Carta Quinta, MS.

29 "Espantáronse en gran manera, y como supiéron que era Cortés q tan nombrado era en todas estas partes de las Indias, y en Castilla, no sabiá que se hazer de placer." Hist. de la Conquista^, cap. 179.

Subsequent Career of Cortés - 871

30 Ibid., cap. 179, et seq.-Herrera, Hist. Gen., dec. 3, lib. 8, cap. 3, 4.-Carta Quinta de Cortés, MS.

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CHAPTER IV DISTURBANCES IN MEXICO^-RETURN OF CORTÉS^-DISTRUST OF THE COURT^-CORTÉS RETURNS TO SPAIN^-DEATH OF SANDOVAL^­BRILLIAN"1' RECEPTION OF CORTÉS^-HONORS CONFERRED ON HIM 1326-1530

1 Carta Quinta de Cortés, MS.-Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 185.-Relacion del
Tesorero Strada, MS., México, 1526.

2 Carta Quinta de Cortés, MS.

3 Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 184, et seq.-Carta Quinta de Cortés, MS.

4 Carta Quinta de Cortés, MS.-Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista, cap. 189, 190-Carta de

Cortés al Emperador, MS., México, Set. 11, 1526.
5 Carta de Ocaño, MS., Agosto 31, 1526.-Carta Quinta de Cortés, MS.
6 "What Cortés suffered," says Dr. Robertson, "on this march, a distance, according to Gomara,
of 3000 miles,"-(the distance must be greatly exaggerated,)-"from famine, from the hos­
tility of the natives, from the climate, and from hardships of every species, has nothing in his­