Ambassadors Came To Him From All The Provinces Of His Empire; Some To Deliver The Accustomed Tribute, And Others To Transact Various Affairs Of Importance, All Of Which Was Dispatched In The Usual Manner.

I perfectly remember that however great might be the princes or chiefs who had to wait upon him, they

Always took off their rich dresses and put on plain and coarse _nequen_ clothes, and came into the royal apartments in this habit, barefooted, not entering directly, but making a circuit by the wall. On entering the presence they kept their eyes cast down on the ground, and after three profound reverences, always began their addresses in these words, _lord! my lord! great lord!_ They then displayed certain cloths before him, on which the business they came upon was represented by painting, the particulars of which they explained pointing out the figures by means of nicely polished rods or wands. While this was going on, two old nobles always stood beside the king, who attentively considered every circumstance, on which they gave him their opinions, and he then dispatched the affair in few words. The person who had the business with the king then withdrew without reply, making three profound reverences as before, always keeping his eyes on the ground, and his face to the throne till out of sight. On leaving the royal apartments, they reassumed their rich dresses, in which they walked about the city.

The messengers who had been dispatched with the royal signet to arrest the officers against whom Cortes had complained for the attack on Escalente, soon returned with them to Mexico.

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