not meete to set vpon so fewe people.  On the other side the Indians perceiuing that wee stirred not, tooke great stomacke and courage vnto them:  insomuch that they came hard to our horses heeles to shoote at vs with their arrowes.  Whereupon seeing that it was now time to stay no longer, and that the friers also were of the same opinion, I set vpon them without any danger:  for suddenly they fled part to the citie which was neere and well fortified, and other into the field, which way they could shift:  and some of the Indians were slaine, and more had beene if I would haue suffered them to haue bene pursued.

But considering that hereof we might reape but small profite, because the Indians that were without were fewe, and those which were retired into the cities, with them which stayed within at the first were many, where the victuals were whereof wee had so great neede, I assembled my people, and deuided them as I thought best to assault the citie, and I compassed it about:  and because the famine which wee sustained suffered no delay, my selfe with certaine of these gentlemen and souldiers put our selues on foote, and commaunded that the crosse-bowes and harquebusiers shoulde giue the assault, and shoulde beate the enemies from the walles, that they might not hurt vs, and I assaulted the walles on one side, where they tolde me there was a scaling ladder set vp, and that there was one gate:  but the crossebowmen suddenly brake the strings of their bowes, and the harquebusiers did nothing at all:  for they came thither so weake and feeble, that scarcely they coulde stand on their feete.

And by this meanes the people that were aloft on the wals to defend the towne were no way hindered from doing vs all the mischiefe they could:  so that twise they stroke mee to the ground with infinite number of great stones, which they cast downe:  and if I had not beene defended with an excellent good headpiece which I ware, I thinke it had gone hardly with me:  neuerthelesse my companie tooke mee vp with two small wounds in the face, and an arrowe sticking in my foote, and many blowes with stones on my armes and legges, and thus I went out of the battell very weake.  I thinke that if Don Garcias Lopez de Cardenas the second time that they strooke mee to the ground had not succoured mee with striding ouer mee like a good knight, I had beene in farre greater danger then I was.  But it pleased God that the Indians yeelded themselues vnto vs, and that this citie was taken:  and such store of Maiz was found therein, as our necessitie required....

It remaineth now to certifie your Honour of the seuen cities, and of the kingdomes and prouinces whereof the Father prouinciall[2] made report vnto your Lordship.  And to bee briefe, I can assure your honour, he sayd the trueth in nothing that he reported, but all was quite contrary, sauing onely the names of the cities, and great houses of stone:  for although they bee not wrought with Turqueses, nor with lyme, nor