about electing another sovereign and commander who
would lead them in their battles.
17. As the captain [Cortes] who had gone to the port, was already
returning victorious, and had announced his approach and was
bringing with him many more Christians, the fighting ceased for
three or four days, until he entered the city. When he had entered
and numberless people were assembled, from all the country, the
fighting became so general and lasted for so many days that the
Spaniards, fearing they would all perish, decided to leave the city
by night.
18. Learning their intention, the Indians killed a great number of
Christians on the bridges of the lagoon, in what was a most just and
holy war; for their cause was most just, as has been said, and will
be approved by any reasonable and fair man. After the fighting in
the city, the Christians were re-inforced and executed strange and
marvellous slaughter among the Indians, killing numberless people
and burning many alive including great lords. (91)
19. After the greatest and abominable tyranny practised by these men in
the City of Mexico, and in the towns throughout the country for ten,
fifteen and twenty leagues in those parts, during which numberless
people were killed, this, their tyrannical pestilence passed
onwards, spreading into, infecting and ruining the province of
Panuco, where there was a marvellous multitude of people: equally
marvellous were the massacres and slaughter that they performed
there.
20. Afterwards they destroyed the province of Tututepeche in the same
way; then the province of Spilcingo; then that of Colima; each of
which is larger than the kingdoms of Leon and of Castile. To
describe the massacres, slaughter, and cruelty which they practised
in each, would doubtless be a most difficult thing, impossible to
confirm and disagreeable to listen to.
21. Here it must be noted, that the pretext with which they invaded and
began to destroy all those innocent beings and to depopulate those
lands which, on account of their numberless populations should have
caused such joy and contentment to true Christians, was, that they
came to subject them to the King of Spain; otherwise, they must kill
them and make slaves of them. And those, who did not promptly yield
obe