Note 390 — Chapter III
Reading edition
Diaz gives the opening redondillas of the romance, which I have not been able to find in any of the printed collections:
“En Tacuba está Cortés, cō su esquadron esforçado, triste estaua, y muy penoso, triste, y con gran cuidado, la vna mano en la mexilla, y la otra en el costado,” etc.
It may be thus done into pretty literal doggerel:
In Tacuba stood Cortés, With many a care opprest, Thoughts of the past came o’er him, And he bowed his haughty crest. One hand upon his cheek he laid, The other on his breast, While his valiant squadrons round him, etc.