These ambassadors on the behalfe of _Mutezuma_, declared, that their Lord would be friende with the Emperoure, and also with him, and his company, requestyng to knowe what tribute he woulde yearely demaunde, in golde, plate, pearles, slaues, or garments, or of any other thing that was within his kingdome, and the same tribute he woulde well and truly pay withoute delay, wyth such condition, that neyther he nor his company shoulde come vnto _Mexico_. And this request (quoth they) is not only bycause you should bée disturbed to come into hys countrey, but chiefly bycause the waye is euill, barren, and full of euill rockes, whyche lette dothe gréeue _Mutezuma_, that suche valiant menne as ye be shoulde suffer in his Countrey, lying not in hys power to remedie it. _Cortez_ dyd thankefully receyue the present and gentle offer for the Emperoure King of _Castile_, but (quoth hée) my earnest desire is, that you depart not til ye sée the end of these warres whyche I haue nowe in hande, bycause yée shall carrie newes thereof to _Mexico_, what I pretende to doe againste these mortall enimies of _Mutezuma_. Then _Cortez_ fel into an ague, for which cause he went not out to skyrmish as he was wonte to do, but only prouided to make his Camp strong against certaine flockes of _Indians_, whiche came dayly to skirmishe, for that was as ordinarie, as the meate that was wont to be broughte to thë: but yet these skirmishes nor furie of y^e _Indiäs_ were not like to their fierce beginning. _Cortez_ now meaneth to take a purgation for his ague: and tooke certayne pilles whiche he broughte with him from _Cuba_, at suche houre of the nighte as is vsed for purgations. It happened that the nexte daye following, before hys purge had wrought, came thrée great companies of _Indians_ to besiege his Camp. It should séeme that those _Indians_ had some intelligence of his sicknesse, or else thinking with feare that he durst not come abroade as he was wont to doe. [Sidenote: A valiant Captayne.] _Cortes_ being aduertised of this newes, withoute anye more respect to his purgation taken, tooke his horse, and with his menne came to the encounter, and foughte with his enimies all day till it was nighte, and draue them a good way off, to their great hurt, and then returned to his Camp, and the next day following, he purged as fresh, as though it had bin newly taken. I doe not rehearse thys for a miracle but to declare what he passed: for _Hernando Cortez_ was a greate sufferer of trauell and paynes, and one of y^e firste that alway was at any assay or brunt of enimies, and he was not onely a good man of his handes, but also graue in counsell. And hauing thus purged hym selfe, and taken rest those dayes, he watched euery night that fell to his lotte, as well as any other souldier, and so continually he vsed to do. He was not for this the lesse estéemed, but rather muche the more beloued among hys men. Hovv Cortez vvan a great Citie _called Zimpanzinco_.