A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 4 | Page 9

religion, and to put an end to human sacrifices, by
command from God and our emperor. These men were spies, who had
been sent by Xicotencatl to gain information of the strength and
disposition of our quarters; and we were informed of this by our
Chempoallan allies, who had learnt from the people of Zumpacingo
that Xicotencatl intended to attack us. On this information, Cortes
seized four of the messengers, whom he forced by threats to confess,
that their general only waited for their report to attack us that night in
our quarters. He then caused seventeen of the Tlascalan messengers to
be arrested, cutting off the hands of some and the thumbs of others, and
sent them back in that condition to Xicotencatl with a message, that he
would wait his attack for two days, after which, if he heard nothing
farther from him, he would march with his Spaniards to seek him in his
post. On the return of his spies in a mutilated state, Xicotencatl, who
was prepared to march against us, lost all his haughtiness and
resolution, and we were informed that the chief with whom he had
quarrelled, now quitted the army with his division.
The approach of a numerous train of Indians by the road from Tlascala
was announced by one of our videts, from which we all conceived
hopes of an embassy of peace, which it actually was. Cortes ordered us
all immediately under arms, and on the arrival of the embassy, four old
men advanced to our general, and after making three several reverences,

touching the ground with their hands and kissing them, they offered
incense, and said: That they were sent by the chiefs of Tlascala to put
themselves henceforwards under our protection, and declared that they
would on no account have made war upon us, if they had not believed
we were allies of Montezuma, their ancient and inveterate enemy. They
assured him that the first attack had been made upon us by the Otomies
without their approbation, who believed they might easily have brought
our small number as prisoners to their lords of Tlascala. They
concluded by soliciting pardon for what had passed, assuring us that
their general and the other chiefs of Tlascala would soon wait upon us
to conclude a durable peace. Cortes in his answer, assumed a severe
countenance, reproaching them for the violence they had been guilty of,
yet, in consideration of their repentance, he accepted their presents, and
was willing to receive them to favour, as he wished for peace; but
desired them to inform their chiefs, if they delayed waiting upon him,
he would continue his hostilities till be had ruined their whole country.
The four ambassadors returned with this message to their employers,
leaving their attendants with the provisions in our quarters. We now
began to entertain hopes of their sincerity, to our great satisfaction, as
we were heartily tired of the severe and hopeless war in which we had
been so long engaged.
The news of the great victories which we had gained over the
Tlascalans soon spread over the whole country, and came to the
knowledge of Montezuma, who sent five principal nobles of his court
to congratulate us on our success. These men brought a present of
various articles of gold, to the value of 1000 crowns, with twenty loads
of rich mantles, and a message, declaring his desire to become a vassal
of our sovereign, to whom he was willing to pay an yearly tribute. He
added a wish to see our general in Mexico, but, owing to the poverty of
the country and the badness of the roads, he found himself under the
necessity to deprive himself of that great pleasure. Cortes expressed his
gratitude for the present, and his satisfaction at the offer of their
sovereign to become tributary to our emperor; but requested the
Mexican ambassadors to remain with him till he had concluded his
arrangements with the Tlascalans, after which he would give them a
definitive answer to the message of Montezuma. While conversing with
the Mexican ambassadors, Xicotencatl, with fifty of his principal

warriors all in uniform habits of white and red, came to wait upon
Cortes with great respect, who received them very courteously, causing
the Tlascalan general to sit down beside him. Xicotencatl then said,
That he came in the name of his father and the other chiefs of the
Tlascalan nation, to solicit peace and friendship, to submit themselves
to our sovereign, and to ask pardon for having taken up arms against us,
which had proceeded from their dread of the machinations of
Montezuma, who was always desirous of reducing their nation to
slavery. Their country, he said, was very poor, as it possessed neither
gold, jewels, cotton, nor salt; the two