Things that happened to Pedro de Aluarado through his bolde attempt.

TOC

Pedro de Aluarado, would passe his army to y^e market place of Tlalulco, for he toke much payn & stoode in perill in susteyning y^e bridges which he had gotten, hauing hys forte almost a league frō thence. And again, he being a man of a haughtie stomacke, thinking as wel to get honor as his general, and likewise being procured by his company, who sayde, that it were a shame for them if Cortez should winne that market place, being more nearer vnto them, than vnto him: wherevpon he determined to winne those bridges which as yet wer vnwonne, and to place himselfe in the market place. He procéeded with all his army vntill they came to another brokē bridge, which was sixtie paces of length, and two fadome depe, the whiche with the helpe of the Vergantines, he wan in short space, and gaue order to certaine of his men to damme it vppe substancially, and he himselfe pursued his enimies, with fiftie Spaniardes. But when the Citizens sawe so few in number, and al footemen, (for the horses coulde not passe the sluce so soone,) they came vpon them so sodainely & fiercely, that they made our men to turne their backes, and trust to theyr legges, yea and our men fel into the water, they knewe not which way. They slew many of our Indias[=a?], and four Spaniards, who forthwith they sacrifised, and eate their fleshe in the open sight of al the army.

Aluarado saw his owne folly, in not beleauing Cortes, who had always forewarned him, not to procede foreward, vntil he had made the way sure behinde him: but Aluarado his counsellers payde their counsel with life Cortes sorrowed for the same, for the like had happened vnto him, if he had giuen credite to their counsel. But as a prudent captain, he considered the matter better, for euery house was then an Ilande, the calsey broken in many places, and the zoties or house toppes beset with stones, for these and suche like places vsed Quahutimoc. Cortes went to see where Aluarado had pitched hys campe, and also to rebuke him for that which was past, and to aduise him what he shold do: But when he came and found him so farre within the libertie of the Citie, and the daungerous places which hadde passed, he dyd highly cōmend his valiaunt and good seruice: he also cōmuned with him of manye things concerning the siege, and then returned to his owne campe.