confiding in the greatness of God, and relying on the power of Your Highness's Royal name, I had decided to go and see him, wherever he might be. I even remember that I offered, so far as this lord was concerned, to accomplish the impossible, for I vowed to Your Royal Highness, that I would have him prisoner, or dead, or subject to the Royal Crown of Your Majesty.
With this purpose and determination, I left the city of Cempoal,[1] which I had named Seville, on the sixteenth
Cortes Be-
gins his
March to
Mexico
of August, with fifteen horsemen, and three hundred foot soldiers, all equipped for war, as to best I was able, and as time permitted. I left in the town of Vera Cruz, two horsemen, and one hundred and fifty men, engaged in building a fort, which I have now almost finished, and I left all that province of Cempoal, and all the neighbouring mountain regions near the said town, which contained some fifty thousand warriors, and fifty towns and forts, all well pacified, and secure, and very devoted as loyal vassals of Your Majesty, such as they have been, and are, until now. According to my information, they were subjects of that lord, Montezuma, by force, and since a short time only, and, when they learned from me of Your Highness's great and royal power, they declared they wished to become vassals of Your Royal Majesty, and my friends, and they prayed me to protect them against that great lord, who held them subject by force and tyranny, and took away their sons, to kill and sacrifice them to their idols; and making many other complaints against him. Thus, they are, and have continued, very, firm and loyal in the service of Your Highness, and I believe they will
- ↑ Cempoal. Found with many variations of spelling such as Cenipoal, Cempoalla, Zempoala, etc. The town was situated between the two rivers Chatcalacac and Actopan, a little more than a league from the sea. It was a well built town in the midst of a fertile country, four leagues from Vera Cruz; and still preserves its Indian name. A Spanish lad of twelve was left at Cempoal to learn the language.
