Page:Letters of Cortes to Emperor Charles V - Vol 2.djvu/40

 and they were very glad at our coming and our victory. The day after we arrived a Spaniard, who had been wounded, died, and he was the first white man the Indians had killed in this campaign. The next day, certain messengers, from the city of Otumba and four other cities near to it, which are four or five leagues from Tesaico, arrived in this city. They came to beg me to pardon them for any fault of theirs in the past war, because all the power of Mexico and Temixtitan gathered in Otumba when we retreated routed, believing they could finish us. The people of Otumba saw plainly that they could not clear themselves from blame, although they excused themselves, saying they had been commanded; but, to incline me the more towards leniency, they told me that the lords of Temixtitan had sent other messengers, asking them to adhere to their party and not to conclude any friendship with us, otherwise they would fall upon them and destroy them. They declared, however, that they would rather be vassals of Your Majesty, and obey my commands. I answered that they knew very well how blameworthy they were for what had happened, and, to secure my pardon and belief in their professions, they would first have to bring me, as prisoners, those messengers of whom they spoke, and all the natives of Mexico and Temixtitan who remained in their country; and that I would not otherwise pardon them; and that they should return to their homes with their people, and then prove by their deeds that they were good vassals of Your Majesty. Although we exchanged many other arguments, they were unable to get anything else out of me, and returned to their country assuring me they would always do what I wished, and from henceforward they have always been, and are, loyal and obedient in Your Majesty's service.

In the other account, Very Fortunate and Most Excellent Prince, I told Your Majesty that, when they