at
the same time to assure him, that day or night, field or town, fair battle
or villainous stratagem, were all the same for us, as we were always
prepared for every emergency. Montezuma had become exceedingly thoughtful
and alarmed on account of the failure of the plot in Cholula, and now sent
an embassy of six of his chief nobles to wait on Cortes, with a present to
the value of 2000 crowns in gold, and several bales of fine mantles. The
ambassadors saluted Cortes with profound respect, and delivered a message
in which Montezuma endeavoured to exculpate himself from any concern in
the affair of Cholula, and in conclusion, invited the general to his court.
Cortes treated these ambassadors with his usual politeness, and retaining
three of them to serve as guides on our march to Mexico, he sent on the
others to inform Montezuma that we were on our way to his capital. When
the Tlascalan chiefs understood our determination to proceed, they renewed
their former warnings to beware of treachery from the Mexicans, and again
offered to send 10,000 of their warriors along with us. But Cortes, after
thanking them for their friendly solicitude and proffered aid, remarked,
as he had done before, that so large a body of troops was incompatible
with an amicable visit, but requested they would furnish 1000 men for our
baggage and artillery, which they immediately provided. Our faithful
Chempoalan allies, being afraid of the resentment of the Mexicans for
their revolt, begged permission to return to their district, and Cortes
dismissed them with a handsome present, sending letters by them to
Escalente at Villa Rica, containing an account of our proceedings.

We marched from Cholula in our usual compact order, prepared for
whatsoever might befal, sending out patroles of our cavalry by threes in
front, supported by a detachment of light infantry as an advanced guard.
On our arrival at a small village called Izcalpan, in the district of
Huexotzinco, about four leagues from Cholula, we were met by the chiefs
bearing provisions, and a small present of gold. They requested our
general to consider only the good will of the givers, not the
worthlessness of the gift, as they were very poor; and, while they
endeavoured to dissuade him from attempting to proceed to Mexico, they
also informed him, that, on ascending the next mountain, he would find two
roads, the one of which leading by Chalco was broad and open, while the
other leading by Tlalmana