While Engaged In Preparations For Our
Departure, Four Of The Principal Nobles Of Mexico Arrived With A Rich
Present, Consisting Of Gold To The Value Of 10,000 Crowns, And Ten Bales
Of Mantles Of The Finest Feather-Work.
After saluting Cortes with profound
respect, they said that Montezuma was astonished at our long residence
among so poor and base a people as the Tlascalans, and that he requested
we would come without delay to his capital.
Cortes assured them that he
would very soon pay his respects to their sovereign, and requested they
would remain along with him during the march. He also at this time
appointed Pedro de Alvarado, and Vasquez de Tupia, to go as his
ambassadors to Montezuma, with instructions to examine the city of Mexico.
These gentlemen set out accordingly, along with the former Mexican
ambassadors, but were soon recalled, in consequence of a remonstrance from
the army. At this time I was confined by my wounds, and was ill of a fever,
and consequently incapable of attending minutely to all that passed.
In return to our message, the chiefs of Cholula sent a very dry and
uncourteous answer by four men of low degree, and without any present. As
this was obviously done in contempt, Cortes sent the messengers back to
inform the chiefs, that he would consider them as rebels if they did not
wait upon him personally in three days; but, if they complied with this
requisition, he was willing to accept them as friends and brothers, and
had much intelligence of great importance to communicate to them. They
sent back, saying, that they durst not come into the country of their
inveterate enemies the Tlascalans, who they were sure had grossly
misrepresented both them and Montezuma to us, but engaged to give us an
honourable reception in their city. When the Tlascalans found we were
determined upon taking the road of Cholula, contrary to their advice, they
proposed that we should take 10,000 of their best warriors along with us;
but our general considered this number as too many for a visit of peace,
and would only accept 3000, who were immediately made ready to attend us.
Using every proper precaution for our safety, we began our march from
Tlascala, and arrived that evening at a river about a league from Cholula,
where there is now a stone bridge, and encamped here for the night. Some
of the chiefs came to congratulate our arrival in their neighbourhood, and
gave us a courteous invitation to visit their city. We continued our march
next day, and were met near the city by the chiefs and priests, all
dressed in cassocks of cotton cloth, resembling those used by the
Zapotecans. After presenting incense to Cortes, the chiefs made an apology
for not waiting upon him at Tlascala, and requested that so large a body
of their enemies might not be permitted to enter their city. As this
request appeared reasonable, Cortes sent Alvarado and De Oli, to desire
our allies to hut themselves without the city, which they did accordingly,
imitating the military discipline of the Spaniards, in the arrangement of
their camp and the appointment of centinels. Before entering the city,
Cortes explained the purpose of his mission in a long oration, in the same
manner as he had already done at all the other places during the march. To
all this they answered that they were ready to yield obedience to our
sovereign in all things, but could not abandon the religion of their
ancestors. We then marched on in our usual compact order, attended only by
our allies from Chempoalla, and the Indians who drew our artillery, and
conveyed our baggage, and entered the city, all the streets and terraces
of which was filled with an immense concourse of people, through whom we
were conducted to our appointed quarters, in some large apartments, which
conveniently accommodated our army and all our attendants.
While we remained in this place, a plot was concerted by the Mexican
ambassadors for the introduction of 20,000 warriors belonging to Montezuma,
who were to attack us in conjunction with the people of Cholula; and
several houses were actually filled with poles and leather collars, by
means of which we were to have been bound and carried prisoners to Mexico.
But God was pleased that we should discover and confound their
machinations. During the first two days, we were perfectly well
entertained; but on the third no provisions were sent us, and none of the
chiefs or priests appeared at our quarters. Such few of the inhabitants as
we happened to see, speedily withdrew with a malicious sneer; and on
Cortes applying to the Mexican ambassadors to procure provisions for us as
usual, some wood and water only were brought to us by a few old men, as if
in derision, who said that no maize could be procured. This day, likewise,
some ambassadors arrived from Montezuma, who desired in very disrespectful
terms on no account to approach Mexico, and demanded an immediate answer.
Cortes gave them a mild answer, expressing his astonishment at the
alteration in the tone of their sovereign, but requested a short delay
before giving his definitive answer to their message. He then summoned us
together, and desired us to keep on the alert, as he suspected some great
act of treachery was in agitation against us. As the chiefs of Cholula had
refused to wait upon him, Cortes sent some soldiers to a great temple
close to our quarters, with orders to bring two of the priests to him as
quietly as possible. They succeeded in this without difficulty; and,
having made a trifling present to the priests, he inquired as to the
reason of the late extraordinary conduct of the Cholulan chiefs. One of
these who was of high rank, having authority over all the temples and
priests of the city, like one of our bishops, told Cortes that he would
persuade some of the chiefs to attend him, if allowed to speak with them;
and, being permitted to go away for that purpose, he soon brought several
of the chiefs to our quarters.
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