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At this time, it appears, the great Montezuma received intelli- 

 gence of the manner in which his officers had been treated, and of the 

 rebellion of the provinces. He was much enraged with Cortes, and 

 had ordered two armies to march, one to punilh his refractory fubjects, 

 the other againft us, but when they were ready to fet out, the arrival of 

 the two officers whom Cortes had releafed, and the account of the man- 

 ner in which they had been treated while in our power, afTuaged his 

 anger, and induced him to fend us a peaceable meffiige. For this pur- 

 pofe he felecfled two of his nephews, whom he {ent to us under the 

 care of four old noblemen of the firfl: rank about his court, with a pre- 

 fent of gold, and mantles, worth two thoufand^ crowns, and alfo to re- 

 turn his thanks to Cortes, for the civility (hewn to his officers ; but 

 adding a complaint of his having inftigated thefe people to throw off 

 their allegiance, for which he would at a future opportunity punifli 

 them, though he refrained from doing fo at the prefent, on account of 

 our being amongft them ; becaufe he was convinced that we were thofe 

 of whom the ancient prophecies had fpoken, and that we were of the 

 fame anceftors with himfelf. Cortes informed the ambalTadors, that 

 he and all of us were the moft humble fervants of the great Montezuma, 

 for whom we had taken care of thofe officers, three of whom were now 

 on board of our fhips, and thefe he ordered to be immediately brought 

 and delivered to their friends. 



Cortes then complained of Montezuma, and the uncivil flight of 

 his officer the governor, laying, that was the reafon of his now coming 

 to this country, where he had received much kindnefs ; hoping what 

 had pafled would be pardoned, and that as to tribute, it was not pof- 

 fible to ferve two mafters, and the people of thefe provinces were now 

 the vaflals of our lord the emperor ; but that he expeded foon to wait 

 on the great Montezuma, and then every thing fliould be done to his 

 fatisfacSlion by us. He prefented the young princes with glafs diamonds 

 and heads y and treated them with much honor, ordering the cavalry 

 out to exercife in their prefence, a fight wdiich afforded them great fa- 



L tisfadion; 



