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was then there quitted his litter, and was borne in the arms of the 

 princes of TezcLico, Iztapalapa,Tacuba, and Cuyoacan^ under a canopy of 

 the richeft materials, ornamented with green feathers, gold, and precious 

 ftones that hung in the manner of fringe ; he was moft richly drelTed 

 and adorned, and wore bulkins of pure gold ornamented with jewels. 

 The princes who fupported him were drelTed in rich habits, different 

 from thofe in which they came to meet us, and others who preceded 

 the monarch fpread mantles on the ground, left his feet fhould touch it. 

 All who attended him, except the four princes, kept their eyes fixed 

 upon the earth, not daring to look him in the face. 



When Cortes was told that the great Montezuma approached, he 

 difmounted from his horfe, and advanced towards him with much re- 

 fpe(fl ; Montezuma bid him welcome, and Cortes replied with a com- 

 pliment, and it appeared to me, that he offered to yield the right hand 

 to Montezuma, who declined it, and put Cortes on his right. Our 

 general then produced a collar of thofe artificial jewels called margajitas, 

 which are of various colours, fet in gold, and threw it upon the neck 

 of Montezuma; after which, he advanced to embrace him, but the 

 lords who furrounded the monarch, taking him by the arm, prevented 

 him, it appearing to them not fufficiently refpedfuL Cortes then 

 faid, that he rejoiced in having feen fo great a monarch, and that he 

 was highly honored by his coming out to meet him, as well as by the 

 many other marks of his favor. To this Montezuma made a gracious 

 reply, and gave orders to the princes of Tezcuco and Cuyoacan to attend 

 us to our quarters. Attended by his nobility, he then returned to the 

 city, all the people ftanding clofe to the walls, without daring to lift up 

 their eyes, and thus we paffed, without obftrud:ion from the crowd. 

 Who could count the multitude of men, women, and children, which 

 thronged the ftreets, the canals, and terraces on the tops of the houfes, 

 on that day ! The whole of what I faw on this occafion is fo ftrongly 

 imprinted in my memory, that it appears to me as if it had happened 

 only yefterday : glory to our Lord Jefus Chrift, who gave us courage 

 to venture upon fuch dangers, and brought us fafely through them ! 



And 



