76 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



doval, many efcaped and among others, the one which 

 carried the royal perfonages. This active commander hav- 

 ing difcovered it, ordered Garcia de Holguin, the captain 

 of the fwifteft brigantine, to give chafe; he made fuch 

 fpeed that in a fhort time he came up with it, and the 

 Spaniards were preparing to fire into it, when they 

 ceafed their oars and threw down their arms in token of 

 furrender. In that large veffel, or piragua, were the 

 king of Mexico Quauhtemotzin, the queen Tecuichpot- 

 zin his wife, Coanacotzin the king of Acolhuacan, Tetle- 

 panquetzaltzin the king of Tlacopan, and other perfons 

 of rank* The brigantine boarded them, and the king 

 of Mexico advancing towards the Spaniards, faid to the 

 captain, " I am your prifoner : I have no favour to a(k, 

 cc but that you will fhew the queen my wife and her at- 

 " tendants the refpecl: due to their fex and rank." And, 

 taking hold of the queen by the hand, he paffed with 

 her into the brigantine. Obferving afterwards, that 

 the Spanifh captain looked anxioufly after the other 

 velTels, he told him that he needed not doubt, that as 

 foon as they all knew that their fovereign was prifoner 

 they would come to die with him. 



The captain Holguin conducted thofe illuftrious per- 

 fons to Cortes, who was then upon the terrace of a 

 houfe in Tlatelolco. He received them with every mark of 

 refpe<fr and humanity, and made them fit down. Quauh- 

 temotzin, with much greatnefs of mind, told him, " I 

 " have done, brave general ! in defence of myfelf and my 

 " fubje&s, every thing which the honour of my crown and 

 " regard for my people demanded ; but as my gods have 

 cc been againft me, I fee myfelf now deprived of my 

 tc crown and my liberty: I am now your prifoner; at your 

 <€ pleafure difpofe of my perfon and putting his hand 



upon 



