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