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