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At the appointed time^, on the day of the feafl of the refurredlion, 

 a nobleman named Tendile who was the governor fpoken of, accom- 

 panied by Pitalpitoque afterwards called Ovandillo, and attended by a 

 great train of followers bearing various articles of provifion, with ipuch 

 refpedt and ceremony, advanced, and made three reverences to Cortes 

 and the foldiers who were about him. Cortes went to meet and bid the 

 two chiefs welcome : he then caufed mafs to be faid, after which the 

 tables were placed, and he together with certain of his captains and the 

 two Mexican lords, fat down to dinner. Their repaft ended, and hav- 

 ihg withdrawn together he informed them, that he was the vafTal of the 

 greateft prince in the world, who had fent us thither, to wait upon the 

 king of thofe countries, whofe fame had reached him, in order to con- 

 tra<5t a treaty of peace and amity, and to tell many things to him of the 

 greateft import to be known. To this Tendile fomewhat haughtily 

 replied, faying, *' How is this ? You are but juft arrived, and you talk 

 ** of feeing our monarch : receive this prefent which he fends you, and 

 " it is time enough to think of other things afterwards." He then 

 took out of a cheft many pieces of gold well wrought, which he pre- 

 fented to Cortes, together with ten loads of fine mantles of white cotton 

 adorned with plumage j and many other things, which, it being fo 

 long ago, I do not recoiled:. After thefe followed an abundant fupply 

 of provifions, fuch as fowls, fruit, and roafted fifh. Cortes in return 

 prefented them with artificial diamonds, and requefted that they would 

 encourage the natives to come and barter with us, which they promifed 

 to do. We afterwards learned that thefe noble Mexicans were the jro- 

 Vernors of the provinces named Cotaftian, Tuftepeque, Guazpaltepeque, 

 Tlatalteclo, and other diftridls which had been lately reduced to fub- 

 jedion under their monarch. Cortes then produced as a- prefent for the 

 great Montezuma, an arm-chair elegantly carved and painted, fome arti- 

 ficial jewels called margajitas cnvelloped in perfumed cotton, a ftring of 

 artificial diamonds, and a crimfon cap with a gold medal whereon was 

 reprefented St. George killing the dragon. Thefe be defired Tendile to 

 prefent to his mafter in the name of our fovereign , and to fignify to him 

 at the fame time, his requefl to know when he might he permitted to 



wait 



