Conquest of Mexico
with spoil and satisfying their avarice, and taking vengeance upon their enemies (for until that time they had had no chance for wreaking their hatred, Cortés refusing to give them licence and declining to listen to their suggestions, for he always acted In a correct manner), brought this invented story to Captain Pedro de Alvarado, who took the place of Cortés in the latter's absence; the Captain readily hastened to the tale of the Tlascaltecas, for his sword was always ready and he was of the same warlike inclination as they, and moreover seeing all the Lords and Chiefs of the Empire gathered together he reasoned that when they were dead he would be spared the trouble of subduing them."—Hist. Chich, MS., cap. 88.
Page 52 (4).—Martyr well recapitulates these grievances, showing that they seemed such in the eyes of the Spaniards themselves—of those, at least, whose judgment was not warped by a share in the transactions. "They decided that it was better to die than to endure such guests any longer, guests who held their king in captivity under the pretence of protection, who occupied their realm, who at their hosts' expense cherished the Tlascaltecs their ancient foes and others as well, Insultingly before their eyes. . . who further had shattered the images of their gods and had abolished their ancient rites and ceremonies."—De Orbe Novo, dec. 5, cap. 5.
Page 53 (1).—Camargo, Hist, de Tlascala, MS.—Oviedo, Hist, de las Ind., MS., lib. 33, cap. 13, 47.—Gomara, Crónica, cap. 105.
Page 54 (1).—He left in garrison, on his departure from Mexico, 140 Spaniards and about 6500 Tlascalans, including a few Cempoallan warriors.—Supposing five hundred of these—a liberal allowance—to have perished In battle and otherwise, it would still leave a number, which, with the reinforcement now brought, would raise the amount to that stated in the text.
Page 56 (1).—The scene Is reported by Diaz, who was present. (Hist, de la Conquista, cap. 126.) See, also, the Chronicle of Gomara, the chaplain of Cortés. (Cap. 106.) It is further confirmed by Don Thoan Cano, an eye-witness, in his conversation with Oviedo.
Page 56 (2).—Herrera, Hist. General, dec. 2, lib. 10, cap. 8.
Page 66 (1).—No wonder that they should have found some difficulty in wading through the arrows, if Herrera's account be correct, that forty cart-loads of them were gathered up and burnt by the besieged every day!—Hist. General, dec. 2, lib. 10, cap. 9.
Page 66 (2).—The enemy presented so easy a mark, says Gomara, that the gunners loaded and fired with hardly the trouble of pointing their pieces. "So bold were they, that to shoot them down it was not necessary for the gunners to take aim."—Crónica, cap. 106.
Page 66 (3).—"Slings, the most powerful weapons that the Mexicans possessed."—Camargo, Hist, de Tlascala, MS.
Page 71 (1).—Carta del Exército, MS.
Page 72 (1).—"The Mexicans fought with such ferocity," says Diaz, " that, If we had had the assistance on that day of ten thousand Hectors, and as many Orlandos, we should have made no impression on them! There were several of our troops," he adds, "who had served In the Italian wars, but neither there nor in the battles with the Turk had they ever seen anything like the desperation shown by these Indians."—Hist, de la Conquista, cap. 126.—See, also, for the last pages, Rel. Seg. de Cortés, ap. Lorenzana, p. 135.—Ixtlilxochitl, Relaciones, MS.—Brobanza á pedimento de Juan de Lexalde, MS.—Oviedo, Hist, de las Ind., MS., lib. 33, cap. 13.—Gomara, Cronica, cap. 196.
Page 72 (2).—Herrera, Hist. General, dec. 2, lib. 10, cap. 9.—Torquemada, Monarch. Ind., lib. 4, cap. 69.420
