Montezuma Made A Gracious Reply, And Giving Orders To The
Princes Of Tezcuco And Cojohuacan To Conduct Cortes And The
Rest of us to
the quarters assigned to us, he returned to the city in the same state in
which
He had come to meet us, all the people standing close to the walls,
not daring to look up; and as we followed the royal attendants, we passed
on without any obstruction from the multitudes in the streets. It were
impossible to reckon the innumerable multitudes of men, women, and
children which thronged everywhere in the streets, on the canals, and the
terraces on the house tops, during the whole of our passage through the
city of Mexico. So strongly is every thing I saw on this memorable day
imprinted on my memory, that it appears to me only as yesterday. Glory to
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave us courage to venture on so
hazardous an enterprize, and preserved us amid so many dangers: And
praised be his holy name, who hath permitted me to write this true history;
though not so full and satisfactory as the subject merits. Amen!
Lodgings were provided for us in the palace which had formerly been
occupied by Azayacatl, not far from the western gate of the great temple.
Here Montezuma had a secret treasury of gold and valuables, which he had
inherited from his father Azayacatl, and we were placed here, because
being considered as _teules_, they thought we were properly lodged in the
neighbourhood of their idols. The entry to this palace was through a large
walled court, and the whole was very light, airy, clean, and pleasant,
with large and lofty apartments. That allotted for our general was
situated on a raised platform; and for each of us mats were provided to
sleep upon, having little canopies over them, after the fashion of this
country. On our arrival at the gate of this palace, Montezuma, who had
preceded us, took Cortes by the hand and led him to the apartment destined
to his particular use, and having placed a rich collar of gold round the
generals neck, he said on taking leave of him, "Malinatzin, you and your
friends are now in your own house, refresh and repose yourselves." We were
distributed to our several apartments by companies, having our artillery
posted in a convenient situation, and every thing was arranged in such a
manner as to be prepared for any emergency. A plentiful and even sumptuous
entertainment was provided for us, to which we sat down with much
satisfaction. This is a full and true account of our adventurous and
magnanimous entry into the city of Mexico, on the 8th of November 1519.
After Montezuma had taken a repast in his own palace, and was informed we
had done the same, he returned to our quarters attended by a great retinue
of nobles. Cortes received him in the middle of the hall, where Montezuma
took him cordially by the hand, and they sat down together on
magnificently ornamented seats. Montezuma made a very pertinent speech, in
which he observed, "That he rejoiced at the arrival of such valiant
captains and warriors in his dominions. He had before heard of a Spanish
captain who had arrived at Pontonchan, and of another who came upon the
coast in the preceding year with four ships, and had wished to see these
men, but was disappointed. Now that we were actually arrived in his
dominions, he was happy to offer every favour in his power to grant, being
convinced we were those men predicted by the gods to his ancestors, who,
coming from that part of the world in which the sun rises, were to acquire
the government of this country, as we had fought with such astonishing
valour ever since our arrival, representations of all our battles having
been sent him in painting." Cortes replied, "That he and all his brethren
could never sufficiently repay the many favours we had received from his
bounty; that we certainly were those men to whom the Mexican prophecies
related, being the vassals of the great and powerful emperor Don Carlos,
to whom many great princes were subject; and who, hearing of the fame and
magnificence of the great Montezuma, had sent us to request that he and
his subjects would embrace the Holy Christian religion, abandoning their
false gods and senseless idols, and abolishing their barbarous human
sacrifices, by which means he would preserve the souls of himself, his
family, and subjects from perdition." Cortes enlarged on this and other
topics in a most edifying manner, promising to communicate more
particulars hereafter. Montezuma then presented a quantity of valuable
ornaments of gold to our general, with a present of some gold, and three
loads of mantles to each of our captains, and two loads of mantles to each
of the soldiers. After this he asked Cortes if all his soldiers were
brothers and vassals to our emperor. To this Cortes answered that they
were all brothers in love and friendship, men of rank in our own country,
and servants of our great sovereign. Montezuma then departed, with mutual
compliments, after giving orders that we should be amply provided with
every thing we needed; particularly fowls, fruit, and corn, stone mills
for grinding our corn, and women to make bread, and to supply us daily
with plenty of grass for our horses.
Next day being appointed for making a visit to Montezuma, Cortes went to
the royal palace accompanied by captains Alvarado, De Leon, Ordas, and
Sandoval, with five soldiers. Montezuma met him in the middle of the great
hall, attended by his relations, all others being excluded from the
apartment in which he happened to be, except on certain occasions of
importance. After mutual compliments of ceremony, Montezuma took Cortes by
the hand, and led him to a seat on his own right hand, placed on an
elevated platform in the saloon. Cortes then said, "That he came to him in
the name and for the service of the only true God, who was adored by the
Christians, the Lord Christ Jesus, who had died to save us and all men.
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