Page:Vol 1 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/516

396 a portion of Olid's party, could not effect an entry into the building to which his pikes had driven those who still adhered to Narvaez, a number having passed over to his side before this. After watching the vain skirmishing for a while, Lopez, the ship-builder, bethought himself of setting fire to the dry palm roof of the otherwise substantial building. The besieged now had no recourse but to come out, which they did, headed by Narvaez. No sooner had they appeared on the platform than Sandovaľ's men charged them with the pikes, and the commander was the first to receive a thrust, in the left eye, which bore him down as he cried out: "Santa María, save me!" In an instant Pedro Sanchez Farfan was upon him,Solis assumes that Farfan gave also the thrust. Bernal Diaz' text leads one to suppose that Narvaez received the thrust before his followers were driven into the building, but the other authorities state clearly: 'al salir de su camara, le dieron vn picaço. . . .Echaron le luego mano.' ''Gomara, Hist. Mex., 147; Oviedo'', iii. 510. Monjaras states that Narvaez supplicated for his life: 'Hidalgos, por amor de Dios no me mateys!' Testimonio, in Cortés, Residencia, ii. 51, 83, 107; i. 365. 'Alonso Dávila le sacó las dichas provisiones reales de V. M. del seno, teniéndolo preso é abrazado el dicho Pero Sanchez Farfán.' Demanda de Ceballos, in Icazbalceta, Col. Doc., i. 442. This occurred some time after the capture. Narvaez called upon his fellow-prisoners to witness the deed, but Ávila shouted that the papers were merely letters. They were given to Cortés. "Las avian quemado.' Testimonio, in Cortes, Residencia, i. 345, 365, 250; ii. 52, 187.

and he was dragged down the steps and placed in a chapel. Awed by this mischance the rest speedily surrendered.

Alférez Fuentes fought valiantly till overthrown with two pike thrusts. "Our Lady save me!" he cried, still clutching the standard. She shall!" responded Sandoval, averting the pikes of the excited soldiers.

The cry of victory and the rumor of Narvaez' death had stayed the stream of reinforcements from the adjoining houses, wherein defence was now alone thought of. Recognizing that a charge on them might meet with more determined opposition, Cortés resolved to bring the enemy's own battery