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farther inftrudlions. This Cortes acceded to j for which he had two mo- 

 tives, firft, his ftate of health, fecondly, becaufc the obfervations of 

 the Mexican ambafladors afforded grounds for ferious reflecfbions. He 

 now alfo fent to Juan de Efcalante, informing him of what had hap- 

 pened, and requiring fome vefTcIs of facramental wine, which had 

 been buried in a certain place, and alfo fome confecrated bread, that 

 which we had brought with us being ufed. We at this time erected 

 a fumptuous and lofty crofs in our quarters, and Cortes ordered the 

 people of Zumpacingo to purify and whitewafli a temple, which they 

 accordingly did. 



Our friends of Tlafcala brought us continually ample fupplies of 

 provifions, fuch as fowls, and tunas or Indian figs, and they repeated 

 their invitations, which we could not as yet accede to, confiftently with 

 tlie engagement which we had made to the Mexican ambaffadors. At 

 the expiration of the time which Cortes had given, fix noblemen fent 

 by the great Montezuma arrived,^ with a prefent of various articles in 

 gold to the value of three tht)ufand crowns, and two hundred rich 

 mantles. They alfo brought a meffage of a congratulatory nature, and 

 containing the moft earneft requeft and advice, by no means to go to, 

 or truft the people of Tlafcala. Cortes received the prefent with every 

 cxpreflion of gratitude, affuring them that he would repay it in good 

 works to their monarch, adding, that, as to the Tlafcalans, he was 

 thankful for the warning, and if they attempted any treachery, would 

 make them pay for it with their lives. At this moment he received in- 

 telligence of the arrival of the Tlafcalan chiefs ; he therefore requefted 

 of the ambaffadors a delay of three days, before he gave his anfwer to 

 them. 



The ancient chiefs of Tlafcala, named Maxicatzin, and Xicotenga 

 the elder, a blind man, together with Guaxolacima, Chichimecatecle, 

 and Tecapaneca of Topeyanco, now arrived at our ftation, borne on 

 hammocks, in litters, and on men's backs, attended by a great train. 

 Saluting Cortes with great refpedl, Xicotenga the blind chief addreffed 



him 



