U.S. History

How Cortez Took Montezuma Prisoner (1519)

BY FRANCISCO LOPEZ DE GÓMARA (1552)

(TRANSLATED BY THOMAS NICHOLAS, 1578)

HERNANDO CORTEZ and his company, were five daies in beholding and perusing the scituation of the Citie and secrets of the same, with y^e notable thinges before rehearsed: they were often ??isited by Mutezuma, and the Gentlemen of his Court, and abundantly ??rovided of things necessary for his vse, and the Indians of his company.

Likewise his Horses were cherished and serued with greene barley ??nd grasse, whereof there is plentie all the yeare: likewise of corne, ??eale, roses, and of all thinges that their owners would request, in so much that beddes of floures were made for them in place of litter. But yet notwithstanding, although they were in this sorte cherished, and also lodged in so fiche a Countrey, where they mighte fill their purses, they were not yet all contente and merrie, but rather with great feare and care, especially Cortez, who hadde the onely care as head and chief Captaine for the defence of his fellowes, hee (I say) was pensiue, noting the scituation of the Citie, the infinite number of people, the state and maiestie of Mexico, yea and some disquietnesse of his owne companye, who woulde come and laye vnto his charge the snare and nette that they were in, in thinking it a thing vnpossible that anye of them coulde escape, if Mutezuma, were thervnto determined, or else with the least muteny in the worlde, that mought be raised in the Citie, although that euery inhabitant shoulde throw but one stone at them, or else to breake vp the drawbridges, or withdrawing their victuals, things very easie to bee done. With this greate care that he had of the preseruation of his fellowes, and to remedie the perill and daunger that he stoode in, he determined to [figure table]

Mutezuma, and to builde route Foystes [forts] to haue the lake in subiection, which he hadde before imagined, and without the apprehension of the King, he coulde not come by the Kingdome: he would very gladly haue built the Foystes out of hand, but he left off that pretence, only because bee would not delay the imprisonment of Mutezuma, wherein consisted the effect of all his businesse, so that forthwith he minded to put in execution his intent, without giuing any of his company to vnderstand thereof.

The quarrell wherewith he had armed himselfe for that purpose, was, that the Lord Qualpopoca hadde slaine nine Spaniardes: likewise encouraged him the great presumption of his letters written to the Emperour Charles his king, wherein he wrote that he would take Mutezuma prisoner, and dispossesse him of his Empyre. These causes considered, he tooke the letters of Pedro Hircio, wherin was written, howe Qualpopoca was the cause of the death of nine Spaniardes, put those letters into his pocket, and walking vp and downe his lodging, tossing too and fro these imaginations in his brayne, full of care of the greate enterprise that he had in hande, yea he himselfe Judging the matter doubtfull, and his head beeing in this sort occupied, he chanced to espie one wall more whiter than the rest, and beholding the same, he sawe that it was adore lately dammed vp, and calling vnto him two of his seruaunts (for all the residue were a sleepe) because it was late in the nighte, he opened that dore, and went in, and there found sundry halles, some with Idols, some with gallant feathers, Jewels, precious stones, plate, yea and such an infinite quantitie of golde, that the sight thereof amazed him, and other gallant things that made him to maruell. He shutte this doore againe as well as he moughte, without touching any part of that treasure, because he would e not make any uprore thereaboute, nor yet to delaye the imprsonment of Mutezuma, for that treasure was alwaies there to be had.

The next daye in the morning came certpine Spaniards vnto him, and manye Indians of Tlaxcallon saying that the Citizens did goe about to conspire their deathe, and to breake downe the bridges of the calseyes, [causeways] to bring their purpose the better to passe. So that with this newes, beeing true or false, Cortes left the one halfe of his men to defende and keep e his lodging, and at euery crosse streete he planted mê[n], and the residue he sent to the Court by two and two, and three and three, and he himselfe came to the pallaice, saying that hee must talke with Mutezuma of matters that did emport their liues. Cortez was secretly armed. Mutezuma hearing howe Cortez attended for him, came foorth and receiued him, taking him by the hande, and placed him in his scare thirtie Spaniards waited vpon Cortes, and the residue abode without at the doore.

Cortes saluted Mutezuma according to his accustomed manner, and began to iest and talke merrily as hee was wont to doe. Mutezuma being carelesse of the thing that Fortune hadde prepared againste him, was also very merrie, and pleased with that conuersation. he gaue vnto Cortez Jewels of golde, and one of his daughters, and other noble mens daughters to others of his company. Cortez receiued the gift, for otherwise it had beene a frent vnto Mutezuma. But yet he enformed him, that he was a married man, and that he coulde not marrie with his daughter, for the Christian law did not permitte the same, nor yet that any Christian mought haue more then one wife, vppon paine of infamy, and to be marked in the forehead.

After all this talke ended, Cortes tooke the letters of Pedro Hircio, and caused them to be interpreted vnto Mutezuma, making his grieuous complainte againste Qualpopoca, who hadde slaine so many Spaniardes through his commaundement, yea and that his subjects had published, that they would kill the Spaniardes, and breake downe the bridges.

Mutezuma excused himselfe earnestly, as well of the one as of the other, saying, the report giuen out againste his subiectes was false and vntrue, and as for Qualpopoca who had slaine the Spaniardes, he was innocent therof: and because that he shoulde see the troth, he called incontinent certaine of his seruauntes, commaunding them to goe for Qualpopoca, and gaue vnto them his seale, which was a stone that he ware at his wrest, engraued with the figure of the God Vitzilopuchtli, and the [figure table]

departed therewith incontinent [forthwith].

Cortez replied and said, My Lord, your highnesse must goe with me to my lodging, and there abide, vntill your messengers returne with Qualpopoca, and the certaintie of the deathe of my men: In my lodging youre highnesse shall rule and commaund as you doe heere in Court, your person shall bee well vsed, wherefore take you no care, for I will haue respecte vnto youre honor, as to mine owne proper, or the honor of my King, beseeching you to pardon me in this my request, for if I should do otherwise, and dissemble with you, mine own company would be offended with me, saying that I doe not defende them according to dutie. Wherefore commaund your householde seruantes to repose themselues without alteration, for be you assured that if any hurt come vnto mee, or vnto anye of mine, youre person shall pay the same with life, considering that it lieth in youre hande to goe quietly with me.

Mutezuma was sore amazed, saying, Sir, my person is not fitte to be a prisoner, yea, and though I woulde permitte the same, my subiectes would not suffer.

They abode arguing the matter neere foure houres, and at length Mutezuma was content to goe, hauing promise that he shoulde rule and gouerne as he was wont to do. Cortez commaunded a place in his lodging to be trimmed for him, and he went forthwith thither with Cortes. There came many noble men bare footed, weeping and lamenting the case, carrying their best garments vnder their armes, and brought a rich seate, wheron Mutezuma was placed, they carried him vppon their shoulders.

When it was blowen abroade in the Citie that Mutezuma was carried prisoner to the Spaniardes lodging, all the Citie was on an vprore: but yet Mutezuma did cõfort the Gentlemen that carried and followed him weeping, praying them to cease their lamentation, saying that he was not prisoner, nor yet went with the Christians againste his will, but for his onely pleasure. Cortes appointed a Spanish garde for him, with a Captaine, the which he chãged, and had Spaniards alwaies in his cõpany to make him pastime. Also poore Mutezuma was cõtented with their conuersation, gaue [figure table]

stil rewards. He was serued with his owne seruãts Indians, as at home in his pallace. Cortes, alwaies intreated him to put of sadnes, to be merrie, permitting him to dispatch suters, to deale in all affaires of his estate, and to comune and talke openly or secretly with his noble men as he was wont to do, and that was but onely a baite to bring them to the hooke. There was neuer Greeke nor Romaine, nor any other nation since the name of kings was ordeined, did glue y^e like interprise as Hernando Cortez did, in taking Mutezuma prisoner in his owne house, beeing a most mightie King, in a most strong fort among infinite people, he hauing but only 450. companions.

Francisco Lopez de Gómara, The Pleasant Historie of the Conquest of the West India, now called New Spaine (London, 1596), pp. 207–212.