The imprisonment of Pamfilo de Naruaez.

TOC

Cortes was so wel beloued among hys companie, that they offered willingly to goe with him, by reason whereof he chose .250. men fitte for his iourney, & lefte other .200. in guarde of Mutezuma and the Citie, with Pedro de Aluarado for their Captayne. He lefte also with them the artillerie and foure Foystes readye made, to haue the lake in subiection, beséeching them onely to haue speciall regard that Mutezuma fled not from them to Naruaez, and not to permitte him to goe out of their fort or strong house.

With those fewe Spanyards Cortes tooke his iourney with no more but eyght or nine Horsemen, and certayne Indians for his seruice, and carriage.

A stoute man.

An vncertayne reckoning.

Passing through Chololla and Tlaxcallan, he was honorably receyued and lodged, and aboute fiftéene leagues from Zempoallan where Naruaez was abiding, he mette with two Priestes, and his old especial friend Andres de Duero, who had lente him money for the setting forthe of that voyage. These thrée persons came to require him to obey the Generall lately come as Lieutenant to the Gouernour Velasques, and to deliuer vnto him the Countrey, with all the fortes or Castels therein, aduising him, that if he would not accomplish the same, that then he woulde procéede againste him, euen as an enemie and Rebell, to the execution of death. Likewise, if he would fulfill the request made vnto him, that then he shoulde haue libertie, and conueniente shipping to depart, both for him, and as many as would goe with him. Cortes aunswered, that hée would rather suffer deathe, than to leaue the Countrey whiche he had conquered and pacifyed with his handes and industrie, without anye commaundemente from the Emperoure: and (quoth he) if againste all equitie and iustice, he will contend with me in warre, I will defend me as well as I may, and if I haue the victory (as I trust in God and the righte that I haue on my side,) I shall not stand in néede of shipping, and if I be slaine, muche lesse. Therefore I doe require him to shew vnto me his commission and authoritie had from the Emperour, for vntil I doe both sée and reade the same, I will accepte no agréemente: and if (quoth he) that he refuse the same, that then I dare warne, admonish, and require him to returne to Cuba, the place from whence he came, and if he wil not obey my precept, I will then apprehende him, and sende him prisoner in yrons to the Emperoure: and with thys aunswere dispatched the thrée messengers, sending also a notarie of his owne, to commaund him to take his shipping, and to departe without making any altercation in the Countrey, or y^t ensuing of further murders and strife, and if not, that vppon Whitsonday, whiche was within thrée dayes following, he meante to be with him at supper. Pamfilo de Naruaez made a mockery and iest at his commaundemente, and tooke Prisoner the Notarie whiche came from Cortes with that order, holding Cortes for madde, who made so manye bragges with so small a company. And before Iohn Velasques de Leon, and Iohn de Rio, Cortes his friendes, he mustered his men, who were in number fourescore Hargabushers, a hūdred and twētie Crossebowes, sixe hundred men, with other weapon, and fourescore Horsemen, saying, how will Cortes defend himselfe againste vs, nay at length he will know his dutie: he promised money to him that shoulde eyther kyll, or take Cortes prisoner. And the same offer made Cortes against Pamfilo, who made a rounde of his footemen, and skirmished with his Horsemen, shooting off his artillerie, to put in feare the pore Indians.

Naruaez signifyed againe vnto Mutezuma with the messengers who carried all the triumph and muster pointed, all his former dealings, but hearing that Cortes was néere at hande, he sente out hys lyght Horsemen to dyscrie his Campe.

All Naruaez his Horses were readye sadled and brideled, and his men armed. Cortes entred so close and secret, that no man almost hearde him, and the firste worde hée spake, hauyng all hys men within with him, was, shut the gates, and strike, downe with them. There were at that time many shining wormes, whiche with their glistering séemed matches of Hargabushe, so that if one péece at that time had bin discharged, they woulde haue bin in a great feare.

Naruaez béeing about to put on his priuie coate, came one vnto him, saying: Sir, Cortes is néere your lodgyng, let him come in (quoth he) for he commeth to talke with me. Naruaez had his men in foure Towers of his lodging, and he himselfe was in the one, with a hundred Spanyardes, and at his dore thirtéene péeces of Ordinance ready charged. Cortes commanded his chiefe Sheriffe Gōsalo de Sādoual, with fortie or fiftie of his fellowes, to goe vp into Naruaez his Chamber, and he himselfe with other twentie men abode at the dore to defende and kéepe that none might enter thereat, vntil he had finished his businesse. The residue of his men besieged the other Towers, so that they might not succoure one another.

A darke night for Naruaez.

Naruaez hearing the noyse, woulde néedes fighte, although he was required to stay his handes, and comming out at his Chamber dore, they strake out one of his eyes with a pike, and then they layde hande vpon hym, dragging and drawyng him downe the stayres by the héeles, and when he sawe hymselfe broughte before Cortes, he sayde, oh Senior Cortes, thanke your great fortune, in hauyng my person prisoner: who aunswered hym againe, oh Naruaez, the hauing of thy body prisoner, is the least thing that I haue done, sithence I came into thys lande. Cortes commaunded forthwith to lay him in yrōs, and to carrie him to the riche towne of Vera Crux, where he abode prisoner certayne yeares.

This combat endured but a while, for within one hour Pamfilo de Naruaez and the chiefest of his company were taken prisoners, and their weapōs & armour taken from all the rest. There were slayne of Naruaez his men sixetéene, and of Cortes his side were killed only two persons with a péece of Ordinance. They had no leysure to giue fire to their Ordinance, with the great diligence and hast of Cortes, sauing vnto one péece that killed the two men. The tutche holes were stopped with waxe, through the great raine that had fallen. By this meane those that were ouercome, did take occasion to ymagine that Cortes had suborned the maister gunner, and others.

Cortes vsed great sobrietie and discretion, for he would not permitte anye of the prisoners to be reuiled or misused with any iniurious wordes, no nor yet Naruaez, who hadde spoken so much euill of him, although many of hys men desired reuengement. Pedro de Maluenda seruaunt to Iames Velasques, who was chiefe Stewarde to Naruaez, fledde to the Shippes with all the stuffe that he coulde gette, without any lette of Cortes. Héere may you sée what difference and aduantage is betwixt man and man, what did eache of these Captiues say, thinke, and doe, seldome time dothe happen that so fewe of one nation dothe ouercome so many of the same nation, especially the greater number béeyng fresh, lustie, and in a strong holde.