AMERICA. 221 



garrison in his absence, and that a Spaniard was killed in the action } 

 that Montezuma himself was privy to this violence, and had issued 

 orders that the head of the slain Spaniard should be carried through 

 his provinces, to destroy a belief, which then prevailed among them, 

 that the Europeans were immortal. Upon receiving this intelligence, 

 Cortez went in person to the emperor, attended by a few of his mos*; 

 experienced officers. Montezuma pleaded innocence, in which Cor- 

 tez seemed extremely ready to believe him, though, at the same time, 

 he alledged that the Spaniards in general would never be persuaded, 

 of it, unless he returned along with them to their residence, which 

 would remove all jealousy between the two nations. The success oi 

 this interview showed the superiority of European address. A pow- 

 erful monarch, in his own palace, and surrounded by his guards, gave 

 himself up a prisoner, to be disposed of according to the inclination 

 of a few strangers who came to demand him. Cortez had now got; 

 into his hands an engine by which every thing might be accomplish- 

 ed. The Americans had the highest respect, or rather superstitious 

 veneration, for their emperor. Cortez, thei-efore, by keeping him in 

 his power, allowing him to enjoy every mark of royalty but his free- 

 dom, and, at the same time, from a thorough knowledge of his cha~ 

 racter, being able to flatter all his tastes and passions, maintained the 

 easy sovereignty of Mexico by governing its prince. Did the Mexi- 

 cans, grow familiar with the Spaniards, begin to abate of their respect, 

 Montezuma was the first to teach them more politeness. Was there 

 a tumult excited through the cruelty or avarice of the Spaniards, 

 Montezuma ascended the battlements of his prison, and harangued 

 his Mexicans into order and submission. This farce continued a 

 long time ; but on one of these occasions, when Montezuma was 

 shamefully disgracing his character, by justifying the enemies of his 

 country, a stone, from an unknown hand, struck him on the temple, 

 which, in a few days, occasioned his death. The Mexicans, now 

 delivered from this emperor, who, from timidity and feebleness of 

 character, co-operated with the Spaniards, elected a new prince, the 

 famous Guatimozin, who, from the beginning, discovered an implac- 

 able animosity against the Spanish name. Under his conduct, the un- 

 happy Mexicans rushed against those very men, whom a little before 

 they had offered to worship. The Spaniards, however, by the dex- 

 terous management of Cortez, were too firmly established to be ex- 

 pelled from Mexico. 



The immense tribute which the grandees of this country had agreed 

 to pay to the crown of Spain, amounted to 600,000 marks of pure gold, 

 besides an amazing quantity of precious stones, a fifth part of which, 

 distributed among his soldiers, stimulated their avarice and their cou- 

 rage, and made them willing to perish rather than part with so pre- 

 cious a booty. The Mexicans, however, made no .small efforts for 

 independence; but all their valour and despair itself, gave way be* 

 fore what they called the Spanish thunder. Guatirnozen and the em- 

 press were taken prisoners. This was the prince, who, when he lay 

 r.tretched on burning coals, by order of one of the receivers of the 

 king of Spain's exchequer, who inflicted the torture to make him dis- 

 cover into what part of the lake he had thrown his riches, said to his 

 high-priest condemned to the same punishment, and who loudly ex- 

 pressed his sense of the pain's that he endured, "Do you imagine I 

 lie on a bed of roses V* The high-priest remained silent, and died in 

 • n act of obedience to his sovereign. Cortez, by getting a second 



