Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 1.djvu/227

Rh into it, rushing about, and thrusting with their swords at the Spaniards. We mustered against them, and Our Lord was pleased so to aid us, that, in about four hours, we managed that they should no more molest us in our camp, although they still kept up some attacks; thus we kept fighting until it grew to be late, when they retired.

The next day I again went out before daybreak, in another direction, without having been observed by the enemy, taking with me the horsemen, a hundred footsoldiers, and the friendly Indians. I burned more than a hundred villages, one of which had more than three thousand houses, where the villagers fought with me, though there were no other people there. As we carried the banner of the Holy Cross, and were fighting for our Faith, and in the service of Your Sacred Majesty, to Your Royal good fortune God gave us such a victory that we slew many people without our own sustaining any injury. A little after mid-day when the strong force of the people was gathered from all parts, we had returned victorious to our camp.

Messengers came from the chiefs the next day, saying that they wished to become vassals of Your Highness and my friends, beseeching me to pardon their past fault; and they brought me provisions, and certain featherwork which they use, and esteem and prize. I answered that they had behaved badly, but that I was satisfied to be their friend, and pardon them for all they had done. The next day there came about fifty Indians, who, it seemed, were men of some consequence amongst them, saying that they had brought us food, Fate of the Tlascalan Spies and they went about inspecting the entrances Tlascalan and exits of our camp, and some huts in which we were living. The Cempoalans came and