by Edmund Burke
Hardly had Cortes suppressed this conspiracy, and made the proper use of a baffled attempt against his authority, which was to strengthen and increase it, than a difficulty of something of a similar nature engaged him, and from which he extricated himself with the same courage and prudence. The general of the Tlascalans envying his glory, and perhaps fearful of the consequence of the entire destruction of the Mexicans, though enemies to his own country, persuaded a considerable body of the people to quit the Spanish camp. Cortes immediately ordered him to be pursued. This general had formerly been an enemy to Cortes, and opposed him in the councils of his nation; but when he saw the general current in his favour, he made a timely change, and came entirely into his interests. He had now relapsed, and was therefore not to be trusted any more. Cortes gave orders to those who pursued him to put him to death. The Tlascalans who revolted were easily prevailed upon to return; and so dexterously did Cortes represent this affair, that neither the Tlascalans in his army, nor the republic, nor even the father himself of the general, condemned him for what he had done.
CHAP. XIV.
THESE internal disorders being composed, he turned his fortitude and wisdom against his open enemies. Three principal causeways led to the city, which three towns or suburbs defended upon the side of the continent. Within were trenches and barricadoes one behind another the whole length of the way. Cortes ordered three attacks upon these towns, and the causeways which they defended. The brigantines acted upon the water. Through the whole length of this siege, the bravery of the Mexicans, in defence of every thing which was dear to them, was not more remarkable than the ingenuity by which they baffled the attacks of the Spaniards, and attacked them in their turn. On land, on water, by open force, by stratagem, by every method, they plied each other incessantly day and night. But the Spaniards, invincible under the command of Cortes, had the advantage so far, that with infinite slaughter they gained these posts which secured the causeways upon the side of the country, at the same time that they cleared the lake so, that a canoe of the enemy did not dare to appear upon it.
Cortes gained these advantages, but he saw how dearly he had bought them; he reflected how it would tarnish his glory to destroy so beautiful a city, and drench it in the blood of it’s unfortunate inhabitants; and considering what supernatural exertions of strength had been frequently shewn by a despairing people, in the last convulsive struggle for their religion, life, and property, he made use of the advantages he had gained to recommend the terms of accommodation, which he resolved to send unto the besieged. He required no more than the acknowledgment of the emperor of the Romans, and the confirmation of his right of succeeding ceded to him by Montezuma, and long acknowledged by the most authentic prophecies of the nation, and such a security as might settle the performance of this.
Guatimozin, who had done all that bravery and military skill could perform to save his country, finding the means most suited to his years and inclinations unsuccessful, though full of that noble pride which becomes and supports the royal character, was now as willing to save it by the milder and surer way of accommodation. But the priests, who had much influence in the council, either fearful of losing their power, or through an honest, tho’ blind zeal, denounced vengeance from their gods upon all who could think of submission, and promised a certain success to those who stood up in defence of their religion. They had great weight, and the whole council, contrary to the opinion of the emperor, became unanimous in refusing all terms. Guatimozin, who yielded to the general sentiment with regret, and saw the unhappy consequence but too clearly, resolved to fall with the same spirit that he had lived.
“Then, said he, since you are determined to hazard every thing, prepare to act in a manner worthy of that resolution. Me, you shall never find wanting to you, or to myself. These are the last good terms you are to expect. Whatever henceforward you demand through necessity, will be answered with pride and cruelty. Therefore, henceforward, let no man presume to speak of peace, be our exigencies what they will; the first that dares to do it shall certainly die; even the priests themselves; they are most concerned to support the oracles of their gods.”
When he had said this, with a stern and determined countenance, he went out of the assembly, and ordered the whole city under arms. Cortes, on the other side, as soon as he found that his proposals were rejected, laid aside all thoughts but those of violence, and commanded a general assault to be made at the three causeways all at once, and to carry fire and sword into the heart of the city. He commanded himself in the principal attack. The causeway was broke down before him, and the breach formed a ditch of sixty feet wide. On the other side appeared a fortification of earth and planks. He ordered the brigantines to the side of the causeway, to favour the attack, and directing his cannon against the fortification, made so furious a fire that it was soon demolished; and the defenders galled by the incessant shot, which made a most terrible havock, could maintain the post no longer. Cortes, under the fire of his cannon, and with the help of his brigantines, passed over the ditch, and lost no time to possess himself of the other side, leaving one of his captains with a detachment to fill it up, and secure a retreat, in case it should be found necessary. Then he advanced to attack the remaining barricadoes of the Mexicans, who made a brave defence. The battle raged furiously, and as the Spaniards gained ground, their dangers and losses grew every moment greater. They had now advanced amongst the buildings, from whence they were oppressed with a mixt storm of darts, arrows, stones, and boiling water. Before them stood a chosen body of the Mexican soldiers, who made a resolute stand. During this conflict, the captain who had been posted to fill up the ditch, thinking it an inglorious employment to be employed as a pioneer, whilst his companions were in such an hot action, advanced with all his men, and deserted the necessary work he was employed in.
No sooner had Guatimozin, whose eyes were every where, perceived this motion, than he took advantage of it. He ordered those who were in the front of the Spaniards to slacken their efforts; for as night came on fast, he thought it better to allow the enemy to gain some ground, that he might fall on them with more advantage in their retreat. Cortes as quickly perceived this slackness, and the cause which produced it. He found that the breach of the causeway was abandoned, that nigh• approached, and that there was little hope o• a lodgment in the city at that time. He therefore began to retreat in the best order he could▪ setting fire to the houses, that he might not be incommoded by them in his next attack. Bu• scarcely was the retreat begun, when thei• ears were alarmed by the dreary sound of the sacred trumpet, so called because it was permitted to the priests alone to sound it; and that only when they animated the people on the part of their gods. The sound was doleful, continued, and strong, inspiring a contempt of death, and a dark religious fury. Immediately ensued a horrid cry, which resounded from all parts, and this was followed by an attack of more than common rage upon the rear of the Spaniards, which was broke entirely, after a gallant and bloody stand. All order was now lost. The general’s commands were drowned in the cry and tumult of the fight; the Tlascalans who were in the front threw themselves precipitately into the trench; some made a fruitless opposition, others attempted to gain the brigantines, whilst the Mexicans on shore, in canoes, wading, or swimming, upon every side assaulted and slaughtered them with the most horrid cries, and rage almost inconceiveable. With difficulty Cortes and some of his troops escaped on board the brigantines, wounded and deserted. A thousand Tlascalans lay dead upon the causeway, many Spaniards, and scarce any escaped without a wound. What was the saddest circumstance of all, forty were taken prisoners, of whose destiny there was no doubt. The other attacks had no better success, though in them the loss was not so considerable. The officer, whose imprudence had occasioned this misfortune, came to Cortes, with tears acknowledging his crime, and desiring to wash it out with his blood; but Cortes, though rigid in his discipline, saw that this was no time to dispirit the army with examples of se+verity.
Night came on, but it brought no rest to the afflicted Spaniards, since it’s darkness could no• conceal from them the triumph of the Mexicans, and the fate of their friends. They saw the whole city shining with lights, and heard i• resounding with the dissonance of barbarous music, and all the marks of an horrid joy So great were the fires and illuminations, that they could see distinctly the men in motion, and all things preparing for the death of the prisoners, attended with the mortifying circumstance, that they were to be sacrificed to their false gods. Cortes, in the midst of all these calamitous cirumstances, which lay heavy about his heart, assumed an air of tranquillity, endeavouring to comfort his soldiers with the hope of a timely revenge, and taking all necessary care that they should not be attacked unawares. This care was necessary; for before morning appeared, the Mexicans, elated with their late victory, and under the auspices of those gods, whom they believed they had rendered propitious by the human blood which washed their altars, and animated by the sound of the consecrated trumpet, sallied out to attack the Spaniards in their quarters. The attack was violent, but repelled at length with an incredible slaughter of the Mexicans.
Guatimozin was not disheartened. He prepared for new assaults, and had his ruined works repaired to endure those assaults, which should be made against himself. Not relying solely on force, he spread a report amongst all the neighbouring nations that Cortes was killed; to them he sent the heads of the Spaniards who had been sacrificed, informing them, that the god of war, appeased by a sacrifice so agreeable to him, had audibly declared in favour of the Mexicans, threatened vengeance on those who resisted them, and declared that in eight days time the Spaniards should be all destroyed. The credit of this oracle amongst all the Indians, and the determinate time ascertained for it’s completion, gave it the air of truth; for falsehood delights in general terms and equivocations, whereas the precise manner of speaking truth, is one of the marks by which we guess at it. In fact, this stratagem had it’s effect, many tribes of Indians, who were upon the point of joining Cortes, embraced the Mexican interest; the more prudent suspended their resolution; but Guatimozin did not want emissaries even in the Spanish camp, who terrified the Indian allies with this prophecy. Even the Tlascalans were upon the point of deserting them, when Cortes counteracted this stratagem in the wisest manner possible. He resolved to suspend all manner of operations against, the city for these eight days, to demonstrate the falsity of this oracle, and to hinder it from being ever again used as an instrument to work upon the credulity of his confederates. He prevailed upon the Tlascalans to wait the determination. In the mean time he strongly fortified his camp.
Guatimozin was sensible that the effect of his policy must be weakened every day, and with that idea employed every hour of the day or night to assault Cortes’s camp, but always with ill success. This great commander was always on his guard; and his troops ad+vantageously posted, bid defiance to every thing of an Indian attack. At last the eight day expired, and with them the terror of the confederate Indians. The stratagem now operated as powerfully against those who contrived it insomuch that Cortes in a little time found himself at the head of two hundred thousand men. This was the last hope of the Mexi+cans. All that followed was only the depart+ing agony of that state. The city was assault+ed with redoubled vigour, and now reduced by slaughters, fatigue and famine; the Mexi+cans saw the superior star of Cortes gain th• ascendant. The town was penetrated upo• all sides, yet the besieged defended ever• street; and their incessant showers of da••… and stones from the tops of the houses, made the progress of the besiegers slow and bloody. In this extremity, Guatimozin did every thing that could justify the hopes of the Mexicans, when they called him to the throne, every thing that was worthy of one resolved to die a king. But when he found that all hopes of dislodging the enemy was utterly at an end, his troops half famished, exhausted in numbers and in strength, and no part tenable, he determined to leave the city to obtain the best terms it could from the conquerors, and to seek himself a more prosperous opportunity at a distance. For this purpose he renewed the treaty with the Spaniards, and took the opportunity of this cessation of arms to put himself and his family, with some of the bravest and most faithful of his nobility, on board some periaguas, attempting to escape to the continent; but Cortes apprehending this very thing, stationed his fleet in such a manner, that he was intercepted, and soon out of a condition of making any defence. He went on board the Spanish commander, with an air of dignity and composure, betraying neither fear nor surprise, and desired no favour, but that the honour of his wife and her attendants might be spared. The Spanish captain attended but little to him, endeavouring to prevent the escape of the nobility; but Guatimozin desired him not to be anxious about them.
“Not one of these men will fly, says he, do not fear it, they are come to die at the feet of their sovereign.”
The captain, admiring the constancy of the man, and the fidelity of his subjects, conducted him to Cortes. The ruins of the city of Mexico were now delivered up to the Spaniards. With it fell that empire, and the liberty of all the Indian nations, which filled that vast country now called New Spain, who either slid gradually from alliances to subjection, or defending themselves without success, were made, and treated as slaves.
The curiosity of the reader will doubtless be interested to know the fates of the captains of the conquering and conquered parties in this war. For some time the treatment of Guatimozin was such as fitted an unfortunate brave man, in the hands of those who could estimate virtue by other standards than it’s fortune; and such was his treatment, whilst the authority of Guatimozin was sufficent to protect him. But the internal avarice of his troops, which at once excited and disgraced their courage, not satisfied with the plunder of this opulent city, believed that there were some latent treasures within the knowledge of the emperor, which far exceeded all the rest that they had yet possessed. They often sollicited the captive emperor with promises and threats to make a discovery, to no purpose; at last a number of villains, Juan de Alderete at their head, a name deserving to be remembered to it’s everlasting infamy, seized upon him, and proceeding to the most abominable cruelty, laid him upon burning coals, to extort a discovery of his wealth. But their wickedness could neither extort a discovery of his wealth, nor the satisfaction even of a declaration that he had none to discover. His countenance did not betray the least yielding or weakness under the torture; some of his principal counsellors suffered along with him, and almost with equal constancy. One of those unhappy men, overcome by the force of torments, almost superior to human strength, turned his eyes, fainting with anguish, upon his prince, and uttered a doleful cry; but Guatimozin answered him only by saying,
“Do you think I lie upon roses?”
The sufferer, struck dumb with these words, and stifling every murmur that might dishearten the others, or disturb Guatimozin, expired in an act of obedience to his prince. This wickedness was committed without the knowledge of Cortes. He was no sooner apprised of what was doing, than he rushed in upon the villains, and rescued their prey, mangled as it was, from their farther fury. However, this was but a short respite. This prince, conscious of his own dignity, and sensible of the base usage he received, either endeavoured to stir up commotions, or was suspected of such a design, and Cortes being obliged to submit the humanity of his nature to the cruel necessity of politics, ordered him to be executed.
As for Cortes himself, neither his great success, nor the vast treasures which he sent into Spain, could secure him from his enemies; by whose unwearied zeal for his ruin, he saw himself superseded in the government of a country, conquered by himself with so much toil and danger, and which in any other hands had never been effected. He died in Spain, having received a title and some other rewards from Charles the Vth, for whom he had acquired an empire; but by his own desire he was carried to Mexico, and buried there. It was the policy of Spain at that time to give great encouragement, and extensive grants, to all adventurers; but when any great di
scovery was made, or conquest atchieved, they always sent another to reap the benefit of the first adventurer’s labours. This was a policy un+doubtedly good with regard to one object, the security of the conquered country; but like al• unjust policy, it had altogether as ill an effect another way; the new governors, hungry and rapacious, and scarce considering the Indians a•… human creatures, murdered vast numbers o• them; and exhausting them by an intolerabl• slavery, in hopes of a sudden gain, they depo+pulated the country in such a manner, as t• abate very much the advantages which Spai• might have derived from so extensive a conquest. Cortes himself was not free from the imputation of cruelty; the bishop of Chiapa, a good man, who was sent purposely to make an enquiry into complaints of this kind, gives a very unfavourable representation of his conduct. He accuses him of having destroyed four millions of people in New Spain. It is certain, whether by his connivance or not, but partly by the necessity of war, and partly by the avarice and insolence of the conquerors, vast numbers of the Indians perished; but on the other hand, it appears that the bishop of Chiapa was an enemy to Cortes, which, tho’ a good man otherwise, must detract from his credit not a little, especially as other historians differ from him in this point. Besides, I am well satisfied, that great allowance must be made for exaggerations in the number of inhabitants these countries are said to have contained. More populous, I believe, they were than the entirely uncivilized parts of North or South America; but it can hardly be thought they were so full of people as they are represented to have been, if we can trust to any of the rules by which we usually judge in this matter, nor consequently could they have suffered such losses in so short a time, without being utterly depopulated, which certainly they were not.