72 HISTORY OF MEXICO, 



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and the nobility who might accompany him. The day 

 being arrived, he fent notice to the king that he waited 

 for him at that place; but the king returned five re- 

 fpe&able perfons, to apologize for his not coming in per- 

 fon, on account of an indifpofition he had, and becaufe 

 he could not place confidence in the Spaniards. Cortes 

 received them with 'the greateft benignity, gave them an 

 elegant banquej:, and fent them back to the king, to re- 

 queft him in Cortes's name to come to that interview 

 without fear; as he pledged his faith to pay due refpect 

 to his royal perfon, that his prefence was abfolutely ne- 

 ceffary, and nothing could be concluded without him ; 

 and accompanied this embafly with a prefent of provi- 

 fions, which at this juncture was the more valuable. 

 The ambalfadors, after difcovering in the courfe of the 

 entertainment the great necefiities they fuffered, retired, 

 and about two hours after returned, bearing Cortes a 

 prefent of the fined garments, which were fent him by 

 the king, and a repetition of his former excufes. Three 

 days were fpent in thofe negociations to no effect. 



Cortes had given orders to the allies to remain with- 

 out the city, as the Mexicans had requeued him not to 

 allow them to be prefent when he held a conference 

 with the king; but having now loft every hope of an ac- 

 commodation, he recalled all the troops of his camp, in 

 which there were upwards of one hundred and fifty thou- 

 fand men, and thofe alfo of the camp of Alvarado ; and 

 with all thofe forces collected he began to ftorm fome 

 ditches and intrenchments, -which were the ftrongeft 

 fortifications remaining to the Mexicans, and at the fame 

 time Sandoval with his army attacked the city in the 

 quarter of the north. Of all days this was the mo ft 

 unfortunate for that city, as on it the Mexican blood was 



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