is sufficiently accurate; but that which he gives of the
war of Tlascala is exceedingly erroneous. He treats the war in Mexico as a
matter of little importance, though we there lost above 870 of our
soldiers. He makes no mention of our loss during the memorable siege of
that city, but treats of it as of a festival or a marriage pageant.

It is needless to enlarge on his numerous errors in this place. I shall
therefore proceed to my own narrative, ever mindful that the beauty of
historical composition is _truth_, and shall carefully relate the conquest
of New Spain, recording the heroic services of us the true conquerors; who,
though few in number, gained this rich country to his majesty through many
dangers and infinite hardships, under the guidance of the brave and
adventurous captain, HERNANDO CORTES; using in my work such ornament and
embellishment of language as may seem proper to the occasion. For these
great services, his majesty has often issued orders that we should be
amply rewarded, but his orders have not hitherto been obeyed. My narrative
will afford sufficient materials for future historians to celebrate the
fame of our general, Cortes, and the merits of those brave conquerors by
whom this great and holy enterprise was achieved. This is not a history of
ancient nations, made up of vain reveries, and idle hearsays, but contains
a true relation of events of which I was an actor and an eye-witness.
Gomara received and wrote such accounts of these events as tended to
enhance the fame and merit of Cortes exclusively, neglecting to make
mention of our valiant captains and brave soldiers; and the whole tenor of
his work shews his partiality to that family, by which he is patronized.
By him also the doctor Illescas, and the bishop Paulus Jovius have been
misled in the works which they have published. But in the course of this
history, as a vigilant pilot proceeds cautiously among shoals and
quicksands by the help of the line, so I, in my progress to the haven of
truth, shall expose the errors and misrepresentations of Gomara: Yet if I
were to point out every error he has committed, the chaff would much
exceed the grain.

I have brought this history to a conclusion, in the loyal city of
Guatimala, the residence of the royal audience, this 26th of February 1572.

SECTION I.

_Expedition of Hernandez de Cordova, in 1517_.

I left Castille in the year 1514, along with Pedro Arias de Avila, then
appointed t