The Second Volume

Vol. II London J. Hatchard and Son, 187, Piccadilly

MDCCCXLIV.

C. And J. Adlard, Printers, Bartholomew Close.

Chap. CXXXVII. How the whole of us marched towards Tezcuco, and what happened to us on our way there 1

Chap. CXXXVIII. How we marched against Iztapalapan; Cortes taking along with him Alvarado and Oli; while Sandoval was left behind to protect Tezcuco 6

Chap. CXXXIX. How ambassadors arrive in Tezcuco from three neighbouring townships, to sue for peace, and to beg forgiveness for the murder of several Spaniards who had fallen into their hands; and how Sandoval marched to Chalco and Tlalmanalco, to assist the inhabitants there against the Mexicans 8

Chap. CXL. How Sandoval marches to Tlascalla in order to fetch the woodwork for building the brigantines, and what happened to him in a place which we termed the Moorish town 15

Chap. CXLI. How Cortes marches against the town of Xaltocan, which lay in the midst of the lake, about twenty-four miles from Mexico, and from thence proceeds to other townships 18

Chap. CXLII. How the captain Sandoval marches to Chalco and Tlalmanalco, and what he did there 26

Chap. CXLIII. How we marked our slaves at Tezcuco with a red-hot iron, and received intelligence that a vessel had run into Vera Cruz 31

Chap. CXLIV. How Cortes made a hostile excursion to all the cities and larger townships which lay round about the lake, and what happened on that occasion 34

Chap. CXLV. The terrible thirst we suffered on our further march; our dangerous position at Xochimilco, and the many battles we fought there with the Mexicans, until our return to Tezcuco 42

Chap. CXLVI. How we discover, on our return to Tezcuco, that a conspiracy had been set on foot by the men of Narvaez's troops to murder Cortes, and all who were of his party; of the author of this conspiracy; his punishment; and of other matters 53

Chap. CXLVII. How Cortes issues orders to the inhabitants of all the townships in the neighbourhood of Tezcuco which were allied with us, to furnish us with arrows and copper points for the same, and what further took place at our head-quarters 55

Chap. CXLVIII. How Cortes reviews the whole of his troops at Tezcuco; and of his further dispositions for conducting the siege of Mexico 57

Chap. CXLIX. The manner in which Cortes selects the men who were to row the brigantines; of the commanders who were appointed to each; and of other matters 58

Chap. CL. Of Cortes' further dispositions for the siege 60

Chap. CLI. How Cortes assigns particular stations to the twelve brigantines, the thirteenth being considered unfit for service 68

Chap. CLII. How the Mexicans defeated Cortes, and took sixty-two of his men prisoners, who were sacrificed to their idols; our general himself being wounded in the leg 81

Chap. CLIII. The new plan of operation which we adopt in the siege, and how all our allies return to their several homes 91

Chap. CLIV. How Cortes offers terms of peace to Quauhtemoctzin 97

Chap. CLV. How Gonzalo de Sandoval marches against the provinces which had sent their troops to cooperate with Quauhtemoctzin 100

Chap. CLVI. How Quauhtemoctzin was taken prisoner 107

Chap. CLVII. How Cortes orders the aqueduct of Chapultepec to be restored; and of various other matters 116

Chap. CLVIII. How a certain Christobal de Tapia arrived in Vera Cruz, with the appointment of governor of New Spain 122

Chap. CLIX. How Cortes and the officers of the crown forward to Spain the wardrobe of Motecusuma, and the emperor's share of the booty; and what further happened 131

Chap. CLX. How Sandoval arrives in the town of Tustepec; what he did there; his march to the river Guacasualco, and what further happened 137

Chap. CLXI. How Alvarado marches to the province of Tutepec to build a town there; and how far he succeeded in subduing the country, and in founding a colony 145

Chap. CLXII. How Francisco de Garay arrives with an extensive armament in the river Panuco; how far he was successful; and of many other circumstances 148

Chap. CLXIII. How the licentiate Zuazo set sail for New Spain in a small vessel, accompanied by two monks of the order of Charity; and their remarkable adventures on this voyage 163

Chap. CLXIV. How Cortes despatched Alvarado to subdue the province of Guatimala, and to found a colony there 165

Chap. CLXV. How Cortes despatched an armament, under Christobal de Oli, to the Higueras and Honduras, to subject these provinces; and what further took place during this expedition 173

Chap. CLXVI. How we who were left behind in Guacasualco were constantly occupied in tranquillising the rebellious provinces; how Luis Marin, by command of Cortes, marches into Chiapa, to subject that province; myself and father Juan de las Varillas being particularly desired by Cortes to join him in this campaign 177

Chap. CLXVII. How our agents in Spain brought certain accusations against the bishop of Burgos, and what further happened 195

Chap. CLXVIII. How Narvaez, Christobal de Tapia, the pilot Umbria, and the soldier Cardenas bring heavy accusations against Cortes, at the instigation of the bishop of Burgos, and what judgment his majesty pronounced 198

Chap. CLXIX. Of Cortes' plans after he had obtained the appointment of governor of New Spain; the way in which he distributes the Indians; and of other matters 210

Chap. CLXX. How Cortes sends a present to his majesty; 80,000 pesos in gold and silver, besides a magnificent field-piece made of silver and gold, covered with various beautiful figures; also how he sends his father Martin Cortes above 5000 pesos 219

Chap. CLXXI. How twelve monks of the order of St. Francis, with the vicar-general and father-superior Martin de Valencia, arrive at Vera Cruz, and how they are received by Cortes 221

Chap. CLXXII. How Cortes sends his majesty 30,000 pesos worth of gold, with an account of the conversion of the Indians, the rebuilding of the city of Mexico, and of the expedition of Christobal de Oli to the Honduras; also how the vessel which conveyed this gold at the same time carried secret letters to Spain, written by the royal accountant Rodrigo de Albornoz, in which Cortes and the whole of the veteran Conquistadores were calumniated in the vilest manner 224

Chap. CLXXIII. How Cortes sent out a captain named Francisco de las Casas against Christobal de Oli, on receiving intelligence that this officer had made common cause with Diego Velasquez, and had renounced all further obedience to him 228

Chap. CLXXIV. How Cortes himself marches at the head of his troops to the Honduras in search of Christobal de Oli; of the officers and men he selected on this occasion, and of other matters 233

Chap. CLXXV. How we commence our march from Guacasualco, and the terrible fatigues and hardship we had to undergo for the space of two years and three months 238

Chap. CLXXVI. How Cortes, on our arrival at Ciguatepec, despatches Francisco de Medina in search of Simon de Cuenca, with orders for the latter to repair with the two vessels to Triunfo de la Cruz; and what further happened 245

Chap. CLXXVII. Cortes' further plans after his arrival among the Acallan townships; how he orders the powerful cazique of Mexico Quauhtemoctzin and the king of Tlacupa to be hung; his reasons for doing this; and of other matters 250

Chap. CLXXVIII. We continue our march, and what further happened to us 255

Chap. CLXXIX. How Cortes entered the town founded by Gil Gonsalez de Avila; the great joy of the inhabitants at his arrival, and what he further did there 265

Chap. CLXXX. How eighty of us, on the second day after our arrival in Buena Vista, marched out under the command of Luis Marin to explore the country and to search for provisions 266

Chap. CLXXXI. How Cortes embarks, with the soldiers who accompanied him on this expedition, and with all the inhabitants of Buena Vista, for Puerto de Caballos, where he founds a colony, to which he gives the name of Natividad 269

Chap. CLXXXII. Sandoval commences to subdue the province of Naco, and the opposition he meets with from the natives 272

Chap. CLXXXIII. How Cortes disembarks in the harbour of Truxillo, and the inhabitants rejoice at his arrival 273

Chap. CLXXXIV. How Sandoval, during our stay at Naco, takes forty Spanish soldiers with their captain prisoners, who, on their march from the province of Nicaragua, had everywhere plundered and otherwise ill-used the inhabitants 277

Chap. CLXXXV. How Cortes receives a letter from the licentiate Zuazo out of the Havannah, and of its contents 281

Chap. CLXXXVI. How Pedro Arias de Avila is apprized by two of his confidants that Francisco Hernandez was in close correspondence with Cortes, and about to declare his independence of him; the steps which Arias took upon this 289

Chap. CLXXXVII. How Cortes, after setting sail, was twice obliged to put back into the harbour of Truxillo; and what further happened 290

Chap. CLXXXVIII. How Cortes despatches one of his servants, named Martin de Orantes, to Mexico, with letters to Francisco de las Casas and Pedro de Alvarado, in which he empowers them to take upon themselves the chief government of New Spain; but in case they were absent he conferred the same power on Estrada and Albornoz 292

Chap. CLXXXIX. How the treasurer, with several other cavaliers, requested the Franciscan monks to despatch father Diego de Altamirano, a relation of Cortes, to Truxillo, to desire our general to hasten his departure for Mexico 296

Chap. CXC. Cortes sets sail from the Havannah, and has a favorable passage to Vera Cruz, where he is received with the greatest rejoicings 300

Chap. CXCI. How the licentiate Luis Ponce de Leon, who was commissioned to make inquiries into Cortes' government of New Spain, arrives in the harbour of San Juan de Ulua 303

Chap. CXCII. How the licentiate commences the investigation against Cortes, and all those persons who had filled judicial offices; and how he fell ill shortly after, and died 309

Chap. CXCIII. How, after the death of Ponce de Leon, Marcos de Aguilar assumes the government; the disputes which arose in consequence, and of other matters 311

Chap. CXCIV. Marcos de Aguilar dies, and in his will appoints the treasurer Alonso de Estrada governor; and of other matters 318

Chap. CXCV. How Cortes receives letters from the Cardinal de Siguenza, then president of the council of the Indies, and from several other cavaliers, advising him to repair to Spain without delay; the death of his father Martin Cortes; and of other matters 326

Chap. CXCVI. How the royal court of audience arrive in Mexico during Cortes' stay in Spain, and what their first occupations were 336

Chap. CXCVII. How Nuño de Guzman, on the intelligence that the emperor had cashiered the royal court of audience, determines to subdue the province of Xalisco, at present called New Galicia 343

Chap. CXCVIII. The arrival of the new members of the royal court of audience in Mexico 344

Chap. CXCIX. Cortes returns to New Spain as marquis del Valle Oaxaca, and captain-general of New Spain and of the South Sea, accompanied by his wife Doña Maria de Zuniga, and father Leguizamo and other monks 348

Chap. CC. Of the vast expenses to which the marquis Hernando Cortes put himself in fitting out the expeditions to the South Sea, and of their unfortunate termination 349

Chap. CCI. Of the great festivities which took place in Mexico on account of the peace which was concluded between our emperor and the king of France; and of Cortes' second journey to Spain 355

Chap. CCII. How the viceroy sends out a squadron of three vessels into the South Sea to the assistance of Francisco Vasquez Coronado, in the conquest of Cibola 357

Chap. CCIII. Of a very extensive armament which was fitted out by Alvarado in the year 1537 ib.

Chap. CCIV. What befel the marquis del Valle on his second visit to Spain 363

Chap. CCV. Of the brave officers and soldiers who sailed from the island of Cuba with the fortunate and spirited captain Hernando Cortes, afterwards marquis del Valle 370

Chap. CCVI. Of the stature and outward person of several brave officers and soldiers, and of their age when they first joined Cortes 383

Chap. CCVII. Of the great merit which is due to us, the true Conquistadores 387

Chap. CCVIII. Of the human sacrifices and abominations practised by the inhabitants of New Spain; how we abolished these, and introduced the holy Christian faith into the country 388

Chap. CCIX. How we introduced the Christian religion among the Indians; of their conversion and baptism; and of the different trades we taught them 390

Chap. CCX. Of other advantages which arose from our glorious conquests 393

Chap. CCXI. The deliberations which took place at Valladolid in the year 1550, in the royal council of the Indies, respecting the distribution of Indians in perpetuity 398

Chap. CCXII. Of various remarks which were made respecting my history, which the reader will be pleased to hear 401

Chap. CCXIII. Of the planets and signs in the heavens which prognosticated reted by the Mexicans; and of other matters 406

Notes 411

Errata.

P. 141, l. 32, for then, read there.
165, 19, for Guanaca, read Guaxaca.
199, 15, for with, read and.
345, 38, omit to be.
354, 22, for forgot, read forget.
366, 6, for enbonpoint, read embonpoint.