The aunsvvere of the Tlaxcaltecas touching the leauing of their Idolles.

TOC

A godly persvvasiō.

When Cortez saw that these people executed Iustice, and liued in Religion after theyr manner, although abhominable and diuelish: and alwayes when he desired them to leaue off from their Idolatrie and that cruell vanitie, in killing and eating men sacrifised, considering that none among them how holly soeuer he were, would willingly be slayne & eaten, required them to beléeue in the most true God of the Chrystians, who was the maker of Heauen and earth, the giuer of rayne, and creator of all things that the earthe produceth only for the vse and profite of mortall man.

Some of them aunswered, that they woulde gladly do it, onely to pleasure him, but they feared that the commons would arise and stone them. Others sayde, that it was an hard matter to vnbeléeue that which their forefathers had so long beléeued, and that it shoulde be a cause to condemne their forefathers and themselues.

Others sayde, that it mighte be in time they woulde conuert, séeing the order of the Christian Religion, and vnderstanding the reasons and causes to turne Christians, and likewise perceyuing thoroughly the manner and life of the Christiās, with their lawes and customs: and as for warlike feates, they were satisfyed, & had séene suche tryall, that they helde them for men inuincible in that poynte, and that their God did help them.

Cortes promised them, that shortlye he woulde bring them suche men, as shoulde instruct and teache them, and then they should sée which way was best, with the greate ioy and fruite that they shoulde féele. They accepting that councell which he like a friende had giuen them, and for as much as presently it could not be brought to passe by reason of his iourney to Mexico.

He desired them, that the Temple wherein he was lodged, shoulde be made a Churche for him and his company, and if it pleased them, they mighte also come to sée and heare their diuine seruice.

The Indians graunted to his request, and dayly came among them all the time of their abode there, and some came and dwelte with the Spanyardes, but the chiefest friende was Captayne Maxixca, who neuer went from Cortez.