Then Fifty Of Us Went Up To The Summit Of The Temple,
Whence We Threw Down And Dashed In Pieces All The Abominable Idols We
Could Find, Some Like Dragons, Others Having Half Human Figures, And
Others Again Like Dogs.
At this sight, the chiefs and priests wept and
prayed us to desist, but the warriors seemed ready to
Attack us; on which
we immediately seized the fat cacique and six other chiefs and priests,
exclaiming that we would put them all instantly to death, if any
resistance or outrage was attempted. The cacique then ordered his warriors
to desist, and the tumult being appeased, Cortes made them a long harangue
on the subject of religion. He then gave orders that the fragments of the
broken idols should be burnt; on which eight priests, who were accustomed
to take care of them, brought all their fragments into the temple, where
they were consumed to ashes. These priests were dressed in long black
mantles like sheets, hanging down to the ground, with hoods hanging on
their shoulders like our cannons, and other smaller hoods resembling those
of our Dominican friars. Their long hair was matted together with clotted
blood, some of them having it so long as to hang down to their feet, and
others only to the waist. Their ears were all torn and cut, and they smelt
horribly of putrid flesh. These priests were said to be all of noble
families.
When all this was ended, Cortes made a harangue to the people, saying,
That we were now really brothers, and that Montezuma should not oppress
them any more, for he would place them under the protection of the Mother
of God, whom we adored; and he added many good and holy arguments
exceedingly well expressed, to all of which the people listened most
attentively. He then had the walls of the temple cleared of blood and new
plastered, employing a number of Indian masons for this purpose, using
lime which the place afforded in plenty. After having thus cleaned and
purified the temple, he ordered a new altar to be erected, which he hung
all round with rich mantles, and adorned it with wreaths of odoriferous
flowers; and ordering four native priests to cut off their hair and to put
on white garments, he committed the altar to their care, on which he
planted the holy cross, before which our chaplain Olmedo celebrated the
mass. He also instructed the natives to make wax candles, and enjoined the
four priests to keep some of these always burning before the altar. All
these things being arranged, he placed a lame old soldier named Juan de
Torres, to reside in the temple as a hermit, and to keep the native
priests to their new duty. In this first Christian church of New Spain,
the principal persons of the surrounding districts attended divine service,
and the eight native ladies, already mentioned, having been previously
instucted in our holy faith, were solemnly baptized. The niece of the fat
cacique of Chempoalla, who was as ugly as possible, was named Donna
Catalina; yet the general took her by the hand very affectionately.
Puertocarrero was more fortunate, as his lady, who was called Donna
Francisco, was very handsome for an Indian, and her father, named Cuesco,
was a cacique of considerable power. Having thus cemented a firm
friendship with the Totonacas, we returned to our new settlement of Villa
rica. We found there a vessel newly arrived from Cuba, under the command
of Francisco Sauceda, called el pulido or the beau, from his affectation
of finery and high manners. In this vessel there had arrived an able
officer named Luis Marin, accompanied by ten soldiers and two horses. He
brought intelligence that Velasquez had received the appointment of
adelantado of Cuba, with authority to barter and colonize in New Spain.
This news gave much satisfaction to the friends of Velasquez in our army,
but made no change in the plans of Cortes.
As the works of Villa Rica were nearly completed, many of us became eager
for the proposed visit to Montezuma, and expressed our wishes to Cortes
that we might try our fortune in that expedition. It was resolved in the
first place in a grand consultation, to send a deputation to Old Spain, to
give an account to his majesty of all our proceedings, together with all
the gold and other articles of value which we had hitherto obtained. For
this purpose Ordas and Montejo went through among all the officers and
soldiers, and persuaded them to allow of the whole treasure being sent to
the king, as it was for the general interest to renounce our claim for a
partition. Puertocarrera and Montejo were appointed agents for Cortes and
the army, our general having gained Montejo to his party by a present of
2000 crowns. By these gentlemen Cortes sent a letter to his majesty, the
contents of which we were not made acquainted with. The cabilda or council
of the new settlement wrote also a letter to the king, in conjunction with
those soldiers who were most solicitous for the settlement of the colony,
and had voted in the election of Cortes as captain-general. Nothing was
omitted in this letter which seemed calculated to establish our cause at
court, and my name was signed to it along with the rest.
Beginning with expressions of our most profound respect, we related all
the events which had occurred from our setting out on the expedition, down
to the election of Cortes as our captain-general, till the pleasure of his
majesty might be made known on the subject, together with our engagement
to allow Cortes a fifth part of the treasure, after deducting the kings
part. We gave an account of our having discovered two Spaniards in the
country; of our having procured two excellent interpreters; of our war in
Tabasco; of the interviews with the messengers of Montezuma; our march
into the country, and our alliance with the natives, who had renounced
their allegiance to Montezuma and submitted themselves and their country
to his majesty; of our expedition to Cincapacinga; the abolition of
idolatry at Chiahuitztla, and the establishment of Christianity; the
construction of our fortress of Villa Rica; and of our present
determination to march to the court of Montezuma, the great sovereign of
Mexico.
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