This Day, Likewise,
Some Ambassadors Arrived From Montezuma, Who Desired In Very Disrespectful
Terms On No Account To Approach Mexico,
And demanded an immediate answer.
Cortes gave them a mild answer, expressing his astonishment at the
alteration in the tone
Of their sovereign, but requested a short delay
before giving his definitive answer to their message. He then summoned us
together, and desired us to keep on the alert, as he suspected some great
act of treachery was in agitation against us. As the chiefs of Cholula had
refused to wait upon him, Cortes sent some soldiers to a great temple
close to our quarters, with orders to bring two of the priests to him as
quietly as possible. They succeeded in this without difficulty; and,
having made a trifling present to the priests, he inquired as to the
reason of the late extraordinary conduct of the Cholulan chiefs. One of
these who was of high rank, having authority over all the temples and
priests of the city, like one of our bishops, told Cortes that he would
persuade some of the chiefs to attend him, if allowed to speak with them;
and, being permitted to go away for that purpose, he soon brought several
of the chiefs to our quarters. Cortes reproved them sharply for the change
in their behaviour to us, and commanded them to send an immediate supply
of provisions, and likewise to provide him next day with a competent
number of people to convey our baggage and artillery, as he meant then to
resume his march to Mexico.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 42 of 796
Words from 11191 to 11452
of 221091
