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fommoned a council compofed of cerfain -officers ^md foldiers, men of 

 equal valour and wifdom, and his particular friends, for without our 

 advice he entered upon no meafure of eonfequence, and it was thereby 

 determined, to fend a rcfpedlful mefTage to the great Montezuma, and 

 to inform him that in compliance with the orders of our king we were 

 on our way to pay our refpedts to him in perfon. We then related the 

 tranfadion of Cholula, where the treafon which was meditated againfl: 

 us had come in fufficient time to our knowledge, from which nothing 

 that concerned us could be concealed, adding, that if we had not 

 puniflied it to the full extent, it was only out of refpecft to him, whofe 

 vafTals the people of that city were ; that the chiefs and priefts had in- 

 formed us, that what they did was at his inftigation, which we could 

 not believe of fo great a prince, after the proffers of friendfhip which 

 he had made to us, for that had he been inclined to hoftility, he would 

 have met us in the field, but that in the cale of a battle, field Or town, 

 day or night, was alike to us. 



The Mexican monarch was very doubtful and penfive, when he 

 confidered the events which had paffed. After a variety of determina- 

 tions he at length fent to us fix of his firft nobility, with a prefent of 

 gold to the value of two thoufand crowns, and feveral bales of fine 

 mantles. When the ambaffadors came into the prefence of Cortes,' 

 fainting him with profound rcfpe<5t, they delivered a meffage from their 

 monarch, wherein he laboured to exculpate himfelf in regard to what 

 had happened in Cholula, and concluded by inviting us to his court. 

 Cortes entertained thefe perfons with his ufual politenefs, and retaining 

 three of them to go with us as guides, fent the others back to inform 

 their monarch that he was fetting out upon his march. When the 

 Tlafcalan chiefs heard our determination, they renewed to Cortes their 

 warnings to beware of Mexican treachery, but added, that if he was 

 deteiTnined to proceed, they would fend with him ten thoufand of their 

 warriors. Cortes thanking them obferved, that fuch a body would 

 not accord well with an amicable vifit, but requeftcd one thoufand men 

 for the baggage and artillery, which number was inflantly-providcd. 



Our 



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