1XTKKV1EW WITU MONTEZUMA. 519 



his authentic. Montecuma lodged Cortes and his com- LlB - VI1 

 panions in his royall pallace, the which was very stately, 

 and he hirnselfe lodged in other private houses. This night 

 the souldiers for ioy discharged their artillery, wherewith 

 the Indians were much troubled, being vnaccustomed to 

 heare such musickc. The day following Cortes caused 

 Montecuma and all the Nobles of his Court to assemble 

 in a great hall, where, being set in a high chaire, he 

 said vnto them that lice was servant to a great prince, 

 who had sent them into these countries to doe good 

 workes, and that having found them of Tlascala to be his 

 friendes (who complained of wrongs and greevances done 

 vnto them daily by them of Mexico), he would vnderstand 

 which of them was in the blame, and reconcile them, that 

 heereafter they might no more afflict and warre one against 

 another : and in the meane time he and his bretheren 

 (which were the Spaniards) would remaine still there with 

 out hurting them : but contrariwise, they would helpe them 

 all they could, lie laboured to make them all vnderstand 

 this discourse, vsing his interpreters and truchmen. The 

 which being vnderstoode by the King and the other Mexi- 

 cane Lords, they were wonderfully well satisfied, and shewed 

 great signes of love to Cortes and his company. Many 

 hold opinion that if they had continued the course they 

 began that day, they might ea&amp;gt;ily have disposed of the king 

 and his kingdome, and given them the law of Christ with 

 out any great effusion uf blond. Uut the iudgements of, 

 God are great, and the sins of both parties were infinite: 

 so as not having followed this course, the busines was de 

 ferred : yet in the end God shewed mercy to this nation, 

 imparting vnto them the light of his holy Gospel, after he 

 had shewed his Judgement, and punished them that had 

 deserved it, and odiously offended his divine reverence. 

 So it is that by some occasions many complaints, griefs, 

 and iealosies grew on either side. The which Cortes find- 



