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Show So BOOK IX. ..__...~ Ssc r . VI. Life of the ki11g in pri· fon. • H I S T 0 R Y. 0 F M E X I C 0. . d ·u OPably ~n reading and cdnfidering all! the dir- Our rca ers Wt pr ' t r. d'{i 1 fure we feel n.. ces of this extraordinary e'Vent, fed trte lame 1 p et~ b . cumnan . d t b'ut appear to have acr-t' . . . g the relation . as the , pamar s canno d f 111 grvm . ' . , . d u ~ of to farther the en s o the 'feverefi 111firuments fate ever rna e . . l tl .. ld Providence in the difcovery and conneCtion of the nclw wtt1 lC o • • I I ~ f contment. 1 gth left his 1'1alacc never to rc t ut.t \ to it 'arrain · 6 . M0ntezuma, at en , r . u ft . o , He departed, declaring to hi courtiers, for certam roo ons, . a et c f ~1- . fultation with his gods, he was going t~ pafs fome days, ~f ht~· own ur ~J:. will, with thofe firangrrs', czommandwg them to pubh~l lt thro ~ nll the city. He went with all the pomp and magmficcnc.;e Wlth "w hich he ufually appeared in public, and.,t h e sy atll·a r d s k Cf t clofe to him, guarding him, under pretence of domg lum honour .. The news this fin gular event immediately fpread through the whole capltal, and the I peop c aatre. m bl e d m· crow ds ,. r.01nc were affeCted io as to weep, and others ll ' . . d threw themfelvcs upon the ground in dcfpair. The k1ng attempte to confole them, telling them, that it was wit~h his own _rleafure, that ~c went to be among his friend s ; but being apprehenhve of fome dr forder, he gave orders to his minificrs to chace the rabble frat~ the :fireets, and threatened death to any one who cauft:d nt~y conunot1~n or difiurbance. Having arrived at the qn::trters, he care~ed th_e Spatuar~ s, and took the apartments that pleafed him mofi, wlm:h hts domdh s quickly decorated with the fin efl: tapcil:ry of cotton and feathers, and the befl: furniture of the roynl palace. Cortes placell guar ls at the entry to thofe apartmer1ts, and doubled th~fe which w~ rc u.fual for the fcc urity of their quarters. lie intimated td all the ~panm~·ds and all the allies, that they were~ to treat him and ferve hrmt WJth all the refpeC\: which was due to majcfl:y, and pernutted. the Mexi c:1 ns to vifit him whenever they plea{ed, provided there were bu_t few at a time; [o that he wanted nothing that he had in his own p:tlace but liberty. . I Here Montezuma was allowed to give free audiehce to b.ts' vaff.'lls,, heard their petitions, pronounced fentences, and governed the king..~ dam with the affifl:ance of his mini!l:ers and counfellors . . His domeftics fcrved him with the f.ttne diligence and punctuality s ufual A band of nobles waited upoa him at table, ordered in ranks of four at a time, II I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C. 0. , tim .. , CJ. rrying the dia1::s r, ifed up in their hands for the fake· of dlcntation ; af~r having chafe what he liked, he divided tho rell: nmong the Spaniards who af1ill:cd and the Mexic:tn nobles who attended him .: .not contented with .this, his gencrofity made him dill:ribute frequent and magnificent prefcnts among the Spaniards. Cortes., on ·his part., il1ewed {o much eamcfl:nefs that his peopJo (hould pay him the rcfpetl: which was due, that he ordered a Spaniard to b ... whipped for anfwefi.ng the king rudely, and would have made him be hanged, as fame hifiori:ms aflirm, if the king himfelf had n0t interpofed in his behalf. llt1t if the fo1 dier was deferving of chaLl:ifcmcnt for infulting the maj fty of that king by a rude word, what pulliQuncnt .did he merit who had fo outrageouny depriveJ him of his lib.erty? Every time th l:\t Cortes went to vifit him he obferved the fiune ceremony, and paid him the f..tm~ co mplim~nts which he had been ufed to do when he went to the royal pab ce. In order to amufo him in prifon, he made the foldiers go th rough the military exercifr.:, or made them play at games before him ; and the king himfelf fre .. ·qucntly condefc.ended to play with Cortes and the captain Alvarado, .at a game which the Spani:.1rds called bodoqul!, and fhewed himfelf happy to lofe in order to have an opportunity of cxercifing his libe,. ra.lity: once after dinner he loil: forty pieces of unwrought gold, which, as near as we can guefs, was equal to one hundred and fixty .ounces at leail:. Cortes perceiving his liberal ity, or rather prodigality, told him one .day that fome knavi(h foldiers had fl:oLn fame pieces of gold from th~ treafury of his deceafcd father Axajacatl, but that he would make them ~mmediatdy reil:orc the whole of their theft. " Provided," .Ctid the king, " they do not touch the images of the gods, nor any thing de_, !tined for their worfi1ip, they may take as much as they plcafc." Having got this permifiion, the Spaniards took out foon after more th:m a thou C.md fine habits of cotton ; Cortes commanded them to be replaced, but Montezuma oppofcd it, ftying he never took back what he had once given away. Cortes alfo imprifoned fome fo]dicrs, bccaufe they had taken out of th ~ L1me treafure a certain quantity of liquid amber; but, at the d fire of the king, they were again fet at liberty. , Montezuma, not cot'ltcnteJ with yielding up his riches to the Spani- V,oL. II. M ards, Sr BOOK ~ X'. ~ |