A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Marina
MARINA, a famous Mexican Lady, who was of great Service to Cortez in subjugating that Kingdom.
According to Antonio de Solis, Marina was the daughter of the cazique of Guazwalca, a province of the kingdom of Mexico, bordering on that of Tabasco. By an accident, which is variously related, she was carried away in her youth to Xicatongo, a strong place on the frontiers of Yucatan, kept by a Mexican garrison. There she was brought up in a manner ill suited to her birth, until, by a fresh accident, sale or captivity, she became the property of the cazique of Tabasco, who presented her amongst some other Indian women to Cortez. She was superior both in beauty and intelligence to her companions, and understood not only the Mexican but the Yucatan language, and thereby proved a check upon the other interpreters. Besides, she soon acquired the Spanish tongue, and indeed manifested an admirable talent for attaining languages. By her address she found out a conspiracy to destroy the Spaniards on a certain day, and discovered it to Cortez. Bernando Diaz calls her the excellent Donna Marina.