500 CHARACTER OF MONTEZUMA. 



LIE. viz. MonteQuma, second of that name, was the last king of the 

 Mexicaines ; I say the last, although they of Mexico, after 

 his death, chose another king, yea, in the life of the same 

 MonteQuma, whom they declared an enemy to his country, 

 as we shall see hereafter. But he that succeeded him, and 

 hee that fell into the hands of the Marquis del Valle, 1 had 

 but the names and titles of Kings, for that the kingdome 

 was in a maner al yeelded to the Spaniards : so as with 

 reason we account MonteQuma for the last king, and so hee 

 came to the periode of the Mexicaine s power and great- 

 nesse, which is admirable, being happened among Bar 

 barians : for this cause, and for that this was the season 

 that God had chosen to reveale vnto them the knowledge 

 of his Gospel, and the kingdome of lesus Christ, I will re 

 late more at large the actes of Montequma, then of the rest. 

 Before he came to be king, he was by disposition very 

 grave and stayed, and spake little, so as when he gave his 

 opinion in the privy counsell, whereat he assisted, his 

 speeches and discourses made every one to admire him, so 

 as even then he was feared and respected. He retired 

 himselfe usually into a Chappell, appointed for him in the 

 Temple of Vitzilipuztli, where they said their Idoll spake 

 vnto him ; and for this cause hee was helde very religious 

 and devout. For these perfections then, being most noble 

 and of great courage, his election was short and easie, as a 

 man upon whom al men s eyes were fixed, as woorthy of 

 such a charge. Having intelligence of this election, hee 

 hidde hirnselfe in this chappell of the Temple, whether it 

 were by iudgement (apprehending so heavy and hard a 

 burthen as to govern such a people), or rather, as I believe, 

 through hypocrisie, to show that he desired not Empire. In 

 the end they found him, and led him to the place of coun- 

 cell, whither they accompanied him with all possible ioy. 

 Hee inarched with such a gravitie, as they all sayd the name 

 of Montecuma agreed very wel with his nature, which is as 

 1 Ilernan Cortes. 



