86 



A M E%1 C J. 



Chap. Ill; 



Towns, Vi*? Mefiqualiftnzo, Colncana, and Vukhilalu(co, all Populous, and well. 



built. 



Lak< 



s 



obacana is fupplied by the Salt Lake, to its no fmall benefit and tnnehmgj 

 for the Water being by Pipes convey d into the City, in all the Places and Ci- 

 fterns for its reception makes a Scum, which being coagulated by the Sun, and 

 after boyl'd, becomes Salt, with which they drive a great Trade ; for no Salt 

 being to be had in any place but here, all Foreign Merchants come thither for 



C t 



Cortex being in his March within a League and a half of Tenujlitan, Monte^u* 

 ma 9 preceded with a thoufand of his Nobler! , came to meet and falute him, 

 all'of them rather like Pilgrims, barefooted, and congying, kiffing their right 

 Hands, with which they firft kifs'd the Ground : After them appeared Monte* 

 ^wa himfelf, who put a Chain of Gold, imbofs'd with Pearls, about Corte^ 

 his Neck, and immediately conduced him to the City, where having entred, 

 ftmrUfak Mage of an d being come into the Palace, Montezuma plac'd Corte^ on a Golden Throne, 

 K*j^m ^ d furrcndred up his Right to his Catholick Majefty of Spain, in the prefcnee 



of all his Peers, to their no fmall amazement. 



But whilft all things had a good face, and went on thus fairly beyond their 

 expectations, Concerns inform'd, That King Coalcopoca had a Defign on the 

 new City Vera Crux, and had treacheroufly murder'd two of the Garrifon, 

 and wounded two more : Whereupon Corte^ having fuch fair beginnings, who 

 had fwallow'd already in his.Hopes the whole Empire and Wealth belonging 

 to Montezuma, laid hold of this Occafion, pretending Treafon, and breach of 

 Contract j wherefore he put Montezuma under Cuftody, notwithftanding he 

 had clear'd himfelf of the Confpiracy, by bringing Coalcopoca, with his Sons, 

 and fifteen of his Peers, Priloners to Tenuftitan, who by the command of Cor- 

 tex fuffer'd a lingering death, being all burnt with Green Wood. But in vain 

 did Montezuma think to reconcile himfelf with Corte^ fince all he did could 

 render no manner of fatisfaftibn ; however he continued to oblige him by 

 frefh Favors, whofe Relation we will be more particular in, as meriting the 



fame. 



Montezuma's Grandees feem'd to be much difontented, becaufe he had with- 

 out the leaft refiftance or confideration fetled a handful of Strangers to domi- 

 neer over his whole Dominions, by which his weaknefs and pufillanimity,he 

 was now a Prifoncr, like a common Malefa&or, who had formerly governed 

 fo mighty Territories. Amongft feveral Princes which fecnVd thus to be 

 concern'd, was Catumazjn Governor of the Province Hacohacan, who had he 

 not been furpriz'd and attaqu'd the Night before by the information and dif- 

 covery of Montezuma himfelf, he would have hazarded the ruine of all 

 Qorte^ his SuccefTes : But now Fortune dill daily more fmil'd, giving won- 

 derful Advantages to the Spaniards ; Silver and Gold continually flow- 

 ing like Rivers from all Quarters , that their onely trouble and puzzle 

 was where and how to cjifpofe it : but yet for all this, they were not free 

 from jealoufie, that Montezuma's Forces might fwallow theirs, though he 

 was fecur'd ; of which you may judge by the vaftnefs of his Imperial City 

 Tenuftitan) feated in the Province of Mexico, where a Salt Lake mixes its Wa- 

 ters with a frefh River, both which in circumference contain, as we faid, fe- 

 venty Leagues, and diftant from the Main Land five or fix Miles ; the Water 

 about it continually cover'd with fmall Boats rowing up and down. It hath 

 four Stone , befides Draw-Bridges in feveral Places, and ftrengthned with 



Gates 



Defer iption of the Roy- 

 al City Ttnufiiwn. 



