The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne: atchieued by the vvorthy Prince Hernando Cortes, marques of the Valley of Huaxacac, most delectable to readeLópez de Gómara, Francisco
History
The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne: atchieued by the vvorthy Prince Hernando Cortes, marques of the Valley of Huaxacac, most delectable to reade
López de Gómara, Francisco
Cortés, Hernán, 1485-1547; Mexico -- History -- Conquest, 1519-1540; Nahuatl language -- Glossaries, vocabularies, etc.
Mightie Sir, my Antecessors liued a long tyme in great peace, libertie
and quietnesse, but of late yéeres my countrey and Cittie was destroyed
by tiranny, bycause the Lordes of _Mexico Tenuchtitlan_ with their men
of _Culhua_ did not only vsurpe my Citie, but also my lands by force of
armes, in suche sorte that my power coulde not resiste them. And in the
beginnyng those Princes beganne theyr vsurpation by way and colour of
religion and holinesse, and afterwardes with force of armes, and with
this title became Lordes ouer vs.
And nowe we seyng our errour, haue thought it to late to preuayle
agaynst them to take away our yoke of seruitude and bondage, although
we haue attempted it. And as often as we haue so done, still the
victorie was theyrs, and the ouerthrowe ours. Nowe all suche as doe
submitte themselues vnto them, are taxed with certayne tributes, and
reknowlegyng them for Lordes, are defended by them, and estéemed as
friendes. But if after such submission made, any chaunce to speake
agaynst them, or rebell, then they are terribly corrected, yea
murdered, and after Sacrifice made to the Goddes of warre, called
_Tezcatlipuca_ and _Vitzilopuchtli_ of theyr carkasses, then is theyr
fleshe eaten in banquet, and those who remayne alyue, doe serue for
slaues, yea and the Fathers, Mothers and Children, are compelled to
labour and toyle from the Sunne rising to the Sunne settyng, with
confiscation of all their goodes and landes. And besides all this
crueltie and vituperie, they sende theyr officers and Serieantes
to execute the premisses, who without eyther pittie or mercie many
tymes suffereth them to sterue with hunger. And beyng thus cruelly
punished of _Mutezuma_, who nowe raigneth in _Mexico_, who woulde not
suffer to bée Vassall willingly to so good a Prince as you enformed
me of the Emperour, although it were but onely to bée frée from suche
vexation and robbery whiche suche a mighty King coulde doe. And with
these wordes the teares gusshed out of his eyes, and pawsing a whyle,
he beganne to extoll the strength, magnificence and situation of
_Mexico_ planted in a greate lake of water: also he exalted the riches,
courte, Maiestie and mightie power of _Mutezuma_. Hée sayde also howe
_Tlaxcallan_, _Huexocinco_ and other prouinces thereaboute, as also the
people called _Totonaquez_ of the Mountaynes were of contrary opinion
to the _Mexicans_, yea enimies vnto them, who had intelligence what had
happened in _Tauasco_, Yea sir (quoth hée) if it please you, I will
treate suche a compact with this people that _Mutezuma_ with al his
power shall not preuayle agaynst vs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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