The first skirmishe vvithin the cittie of Mexico.

TOC

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 footemē. 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 brokē, 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.

The enimies being now fled from that holde, our men alanded there, with the Indian friendes, who incontinent dammed vp the broken place with stones and earth. The Spaniardes of the vantgarde, tooke another bulwarke, which was planted in the largest and fayrest streate of the Citie, and pursued the enemy to another draw bridge, which remayned, but with one poste or beame, vppon the which many of the Indians passed ouer, and then toke y^e beame awaye and aboue to defende the place: but when our men approched & sawe how the matter went, Cortez commaunded two pieces of Ordinaunce to be broughte, with the whiche, and with their Harquebushes, they did great hurt among the Mexicans, who began to fainte, and lose their courage, the which being vnderstoode, certayne Spaniards swā ouer where the draw bridge was, w^t their weapons in their mouthes. But when the enimy sawe them passe ouer, they began, as well from that place as from the house toppes, zoties and bulwarke, whiche they had defended for the space of two houres, to flie. Cortes and his whole army beyng passed ouer, he commaunded to damme vp that broken place of the drawe brydge, with earth, rubbishe and stones, and procéedyng forwarde they came to an other bridge whiche had no bulwarke, but was neare one of the chiefest places of the cittie, and there placed a péece of ordinaunce wherewith they dyd greate hurte, and seyng them now past all the bridges, they determined to enter into the harte of the Citie. When the Mexicans perceyued their determination, they beganne to prouide euery one for himselfe, for some fledde one way and some another, but the moste wente to the great temple of Idols. The Spaniardes and theyr friends pursued after them, and among the throng gotte into the Temple, where they slewe many, and at length they wente vp into the high tower, and there threwe downe the idols, among whome they made a great spoyle.

Quahutimoc beganne to reprehende his men for their cowardie and flight, who gathered themselues togither, and considering theyr ouersight, and that there were no horses, began a freshe to sette vppon the Spanyardes, and with force and strength draue them out of all the circuite of the Temple, and made them truste to their féete. But when Cortes sawe his menne come flying, he caused them to returne and to shewe face vnto the enimy, declaryng vnto them how shamefull a thyng it was to flie: But seing the strength and multitude of their enimies, they had no other remedie but onely to retire to the greate market place, yea & from thence also they were expelled, and lost a péece of their ordinaunce. But beyng nowe in this extremitie, there came thrée horsemen who played the valiant men and made way through the troupe of enimies, who at the sight of the horses began to flie, and our men to follow with suche harte and courage, that in short time they wan the great temple agayne: then came other sixe horsemen who ioyned with the other thrée, and lay in ambushe, where they slew .30. Mexicans. The day being now farre spent, and the nighte at hande, Cortes commaunded his army to retire, and they obeying his commandemēt, hadde not so soone turned their backes, but an infinite number of enimies were at their héeles, who if it hadde not bin for the Horsemen, had slayne many Spanyardes, for they came vpon them like rauening dogges without any feare, yet with the succoure of the Horsemen, the enimie was putte agayne to flighte, and our men burned many houses, to auoyde at their next comming the daunger of stones whiche were throwen from their toppes. The other Captaynes, who were Sandoual and Aluarado, fought valiantly on the other side of the Citie.