_Mexico_ was besieged in foure places, although at the first they determined but thrée. _Cortes_ was placed betwixt the twoo towers of the calsey: _Pedro de Aluarado_ in _Tlacopan_: _Cristoual de Olid_ in _Culhuacan_: _Gonsalo de Sandoual_ in _Xaltoca_: for they had aduise that the same way they would flée out of the Citie, seyng themselues in any daunger. It would not haue grieued _Cortes_ to haue lefte a passage for the enimy, but only bycause they should not profite themselues vpon the lande, and prouide the Cittie that way of armour & victuall, yea, he also thought to preuaile against his enimies better vpon the lande than vpon the water. And againe according to the olde prouerbe, When thine enimy flieth make him a bridge of siluer. The first skirmishe vvithin the _cittie of Mexico_. _Cortes_ pretended to enter the Citie, and to gette what he could, & also to sée what stomacke the enimy had: he sent to aduise his captaines, that eche of them should do the like, requiring them to sende vnto him some of their horsemen and footemë. He gaue speciall commaundement to _Cristoual de Olid_ to haue regard to the kéeping of his calsey, and to forsée that the inhabitants of _Xochmilco_, _Culhuacan_, _Iztacpalapan_, _Vitzilopuchtli_, _Mexicalcinco_, _Cuetlauac_, & other cities thereaboutes come not that way behinde them and vnwares. He commaunded that the Vergantines should goe along the calsey on bothe the sides, if any néede shoulde happen. _Cortes_ early in the morning came out of his campe with .200. Spaniardes and .80000. _Indian_ friends: they had gone but a small space, when they met with their enimies well armed, keping the gappe where the calsey was brokë, which broken place mought be a speares length, and as much in depth. They fought with them, who for a great space defended themselues behinde a bulwarke, but in fine he wanne the passage, and followed them vnto the entrance of the citie, where was a Tower, and at the foote thereof a bridge drawen, where a good streame of water passed. This place was very strong to combat, yea and fearefull to behold the passage where the draw bridge was. They ceased not shotyng of arrowes and hurlyng of stones, so that our men coulde not come neare, vntill the Vergantines came, and by meanes of them they wanne that fort with lesser paynes than they imagined: for without the Vergantines it had not bene possible to haue entred the Cittie.