Читать книгу The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne - López de Gómara Francisco - Страница 22

A maruellous happe

Al the former talke was had without an Interpreter, bycause Ieronimo de Aguillar vnderstoode not thys language, bycause it differed muche from the spéeche of the other Indians, whereas hée hadde bin captiue: for whyche cause Cortez was somewhat carefull, bicause he would largely haue discoursed with Teudilli. It chanced that among those twentie women giuen hym in Potonchan, one of them stoode talking with a seruaunte of Teudilli, bycause she vnderstoode them as menne of hir owne language. Cortez espying this, called hir aside, and promised hir more than libertie, so that she woulde bée a trustie and faithfull interpreter betwixte hym and those Indians, and that hée woulde estéeme hir as his Secretarie. And further demanded of hir of what lignage she was, then she aunswered, that she was naturall of the Countrey that bordered vpō Xalixco, and of a towne called Viluto, daughter vnto riche parentes, and of the kinrede of the Lorde of that lande. And béeyng a little girle, certayne Merchantes dyd steale hir away in tyme of warre, and brought hir to be solde at the fayre of Xicalanco, whyche is a greate Towne néere Coasaqualco, not farre distant from Tauasco: and after this sorte shée came to the power of the Lord of Potonchan. This woman was Christened Marina. She and hir fellowes were the firste Christians baptised in all the newe Spayne, and she onely with Aguilar, were Interpreters betwixt the Indiās and our men.

The aunsvvere of Teudilli

The disease of the Spaniardes

Nowe Cortez béeyng assured of hys true Interpreters, hée celebrated hys accustomed deuine seruice, and Teudilli wyth hym, and after they hadde dyned in Cortez hys Tente in presence of many Spanyardes and Indians, Cortez enformed Teudilli howe that hée was vassall to the Lord Charles of Austria Emperour of the Christiās, and King of Spayne, and Lorde ouer a greate parte of the worlde, whome great Kings and Princes dyd serue and obey: and that all Princes were glad to bée hys friendes for his Vertue and myghte. And hée hauyng aduertisemente of that Countrey and Lorde thereof, had sente him thyther to visite hym on hys behalfe, and to enforme hym of certayne secrete matters, the effecte whereof he hadde in wrytyng. Sir (quoth Teudilli,) I am very glad to heare the Maiestie and Vertue of the Emperoure youre maister, but you shall vnderstande, that my Lorde the Emperoure Melzuma is as greate and as good a Prince as he. And I doe muche maruell, that there shoulde bée anye so greate a Prince in the whole worlde, but yet according to youre request, I wyll certifye hym, and knowe hys pleasure, for I trust (quoth he) in the clemencie of my Prince, that youre newes and message shall bée acceptable vnto him, and you well recompensed for your paynes. Cortez then commaunded al his men to set themselues in order of battayle with fife and drumme, and to skirmishe before Teudilli. And that the horsemen shoulde runne, and the ordinaunce shotte of, to the entent that Mutezuma shoulde be aduertised thereof. The Indians did much beholde the gesture, apparell and beardes of our men, they wondered to sée the horses runne, they feared the brightnesse of the swordes, and at the noyse of the ordinaunce they fell flatte to the ground, thinking that the heauens did fall. And the shippes, they held opinion was the God of the ayre called Quezalcoualt, whiche came with the temples on his backe, for they dayly looked for him. Teudilli dispatched the poste to Mexico, to Mutezuma, aduising him of all that he had séene, and demaunded golde of him for to giue vnto the Captayne of that newe people. Bicause Cortez had inquired of him, whether Mutezuma had gold or no, he answered (yes) mary quoth Cortez, I and my fellowes haue a certayne disease of the harte, and golde helpeth vs. This message wente from the campe to Mexico in one day and a night, whiche is 210. myle, and the poste caried paynted the horses and horsemen vpon them, the maner of theyr armour, and howe many péeces of ordinaunce they had, & what number of bearded men there were: and as for the shippes he had giuē aduise as soone as they arriued, shewing the greatnesse and quantitie of them. All these things aforesayde, Teudilli caused to be paynted in cloth of Cotten very liuely, that Mutezuma mought sée it. The cause that this message wente so farre in so shorte a space, was, they had certayne places that postes attended, as we may say horsepostes which gaue alwayes from hand to hande the paynted cloth: they doe runne on foote faster in this sorte, than by horsepost, and is more of antiquitie than horsepost: Also Teudilli sent to Mutezuma the garments & many other things whiche Cortez had giuen him, whiche things were after wardes founde in the treasorie of Mutezuma.