At This Time, One Villanueva Happened
To Quit His Rank, On Which His Captain Alonso De Avilla, A Harsh Tempered
Officer, Gave Him A Thrust Of His Lance In The Arm, Which Lamed Him Ever
After.
We advanced to the middle of this city, not only without any
resistance, but even without meeting a single
Individual; but on
approaching the temples in the great square, fifteen persons in rich
dresses came to meet Cortes, carrying pans of incense, who excused the
absence of the people from fear, requesting us to stop and refresh
ourselves in their city, and promising that the inhabitants should return
before night. Cortes gave a similar account of the object of our mission,
with that already given to the cacique of Chempoalla, and made them a
present of some trifles, desiring them to supply us with provisions, which
was immediately complied with. Soon after our arrival, Cortes received
notice of the approach of the fat cacique of Chempoalla in a litter, in
which he was carried by his principal nobles. On his arrival, he and the
chiefs of Chiahuitztla, made bitter complaints of the tyranny of Montezuma
over the whole district of the Totonacas, which contained above thirty
towns, having engrossed all the gold, and oppressed them by heavy tributes,
but particularly by taking away their sons for sacrifices to the idols,
and their daughters as slaves. Cortes consoled them as well as he could,
promising the redress of all their grievances; and while they were thus
conferring, notice was brought that five Mexican collectors of the tribute
had just arrived.
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