V. 1520. annexing that empire to the crown of Caftile. BOOK They unadvifedly made their attempt on the northern provinces, where the country was poor, and the people fierce and warlike; and, after a cruel fucceffion of difafters, famine compelled them to venture into Vera Cruz, and caft themfelves upon the mercy of their countrymen. Their fidelity was not proof against the splendid October 28. hopes and promises which had feduced other adventurers, and as if the fpirit of revolt had been contagious in New Spain, they likewise abandoned the mafter whom they were bound to serve, and inlifted under Cortes. Nor was it America alone that furnished fuch unexpected aid. A fhip arrived from Spain, freighted by fome private merchants with military ftores, in hopes of a profitable market in a country, the fame of whofe opulence began to spread over Europe. Cortes eagerly purchased a cargo which to him was invaluable, and the crew, following the general example, joined him at Tlafcala P. FROM thofe various quarters, the army of Cortes was augmented with an hundred and eighty men, and twenty horfes, a reinforcement • Cortes Relat. 253. F. B. Diaz. c. 133. P Ibid. c. 136. too V. 1520. BOOK. too inconfiderable to produce any confequence which would entitle it to have been mentioned in the history of other parts of the globe. But in that of America, where great revolutions were brought about by causes which feemed to bear no proportion to their effects, fuch small events rife into importance, because they were fufficient to decide with refpect to the fate of kingdoms. Nor is it the leaft remarkable inftance of the fingular felicity confpicuous in many paffages of Cortes's ftory, that the two perfons chiefly inftrumental in furnishing him with those seasonable fupplies, fhould be an avowed enemy who aimed at his deftruction, and an envious rival who wished to fupplant him. Number of his forces. THE first effect of the junction with his new followers was to enable him to dismiss fuch of Narvaez's foldiers as remained with reluctance in his fervice. After their departure, he ftill muftered five hundred and fifty infantry, of which fourfcore were armed with muskets or crofs-bows, forty horfemen, and a train of nine. field-pieces. At the head of thefe, accompanied by ten thousand Tlafcalans and other friendly Indians, Cortes began his march towards Mexico, on the twenty-eighth of December, fix 1 Cortes Relat. 255. E. months months after his difaftrous retreat from that BOOK city'. V. 1520. Mexicans for their defence. Nor did he advance to attack an enemy un- Prepara prepared to receive him. Upon the death of tions of the Montezuma, the Mexican chiefs, in whom the right of electing the emperor was vefted, had instantly raised his brother Quetlavaca to the throne. His avowed and inveterate enmity to the Spaniards would have been fufficient to gain their fuffrages, although he had been lefs diftinguished for courage and capacity. He had an immediate opportunity of fhewing that he was worthy of their choice, by conducting, in person, those fierce attacks which compelled the Spaniards to abandon his capital; and as foon as their retreat afforded him any respite from action, he took measures for preventing their return to Mexico, with prudence equal to the fpirit which he had displayed in driving them out of it. As from the vicinity of Tlascala, he could not be unacquainted with the motions and intentions of Cortes, he obferved the ftorm that was gathering, and began early to provide against it. He repaired what the Spaniards had ruined in the city, and strengthened it with such new fortifications as the skill of his fubjects was Relat. 256. A. B. Diaz. c. 137. capable V. 1520. BOOK capable of erecting. Befide filling his magazines with the ufual weapons of war, he gave directions to make long fpears headed with the fwords and daggers taken from the Spaniards, in order to annoy the cavalry. He fummoned the people in every province of the empire to take arms. against their oppreffors, and as an encouragement to exert themselves with vigour, he promised them exemption from all the taxes which his predeceffors had impofed. But what he laboured with the greatest earnestnefs was, to deprive the Spaniards of the advantages which they derived from the friendship of the Tlafcalans, by endeavouring to perfuade that people to renounce all connection with men, who were not only avowed enemies of the gods whom they worshipped, but who would not fail to fubject them at last to the fame yoke, which they were now inconfiderately lending their aid to impofe upon others. These reprefentations, no lefs ftriking than well founded, were urged fo forcibly by his ambaffadors, that it required all the addrefs of Cortes to prevent their making a dangerous impreffion'. BUT while Quetlavaca was arranging his plan of defence, with a degree of forefight uncommon s Cortes Relat. p. 253. E. 254. A. B. Diaz. c. 140. B. Diaz. c. 129. Herrera, dec. 2. lib. x. c. 14. 19. y. 1520. in an American, his days were cut fhort by the BOOK fmall-pox. This diftemper, which raged at that time in New Spain with fatal malignity, was unknown in that quarter of the globe, until it was introduced by the Europeans, and may be reckoned among the greateft calamities brought upon them by their invaders. In his ftead the Mexicans raised to the throne Guatimozin, nephew and fon-in-law of Montezuma, a young man of fuch high reputation for abilities and valour, that in this dangerous crifis, his countrymen, with one voice, called him to the fupreme command ". 1521. Cortes ad wards Mex ico. As foon as Cortes entered the enemy's territories, he difcovered various preparations to vances toobftru&t his progrefs. But his troops forced their way with little difficulty, and took poffeffion of Tezeuco, the fecond city of the empire, fituated on the banks of the lake about twenty miles from Mexico w. Here he determined to establish his head-quarters, as the most proper ftation for launching his brigantines, as well as for making his approaches to the capital. In order to render his refidence there more fecure, he depofed the cazique or chief, who was at the u B. Diaz. c. 130, Villa Senor Theatro Americano, i. 156. head |