monafeh our pirifonei'; as we could not know at what moment we 

 might be perhaps poifoned in our food, and as no gift of his, nor all 

 his father's treafure, could make compenfation to us for the alarms, 

 and diftreffing thoughts, which filled the minds of thofe of any reflec- 

 tion. For thcfe reafons it was therefore agreed to adopt the meafure 

 without delay. The captains who were prefent propofed, that Mon- 

 tezuma fhould be induced by a plaufible pretext to come into our quar- 

 ters, and when there, to feize him, and if he refifted, to make his 

 perfon anfwer it : and they urged, that of the two great dangers, this 

 was much the leaft. It was then obferved by fome of our foldiers, that 

 Montezuma's officers did not provide us fo plentifully as at the firft, 

 and two of our Hafcalan allies had told our interpreter, Aguilar, in 

 confidence, that they obferved a bad difpofition on the part of the 

 Mexicans towards us, for the two laft days. This debate lafted a full 

 hour; at length it was agreed to adjourn until the next day, and in the 

 n\ea:n tirrle we confuked our reverend father of the order of mercy, 

 praying to God to guide us in this difficulty. On the day after this 

 debate, arrived two Indians of Tlafcala very fecretly, with letters from 

 Villa Rica, whereby we were informed, that Juan de Efcalante had 

 fallen, together with fix loldiers, in a battle with the Mexicans,* and 

 that the inhabitants of the mountains and of Cempoal were in commo- 

 tion, and refufedto fupply provifions, or to work, fo that the garrifon 

 k^ew not what to do. Thefe letters added, that the opinion of the In- 

 dians were much altered fince they found that the Spaniards could be 

 killed like other men. God knows this intelligence afflided us ; it was 

 the firft defeat that we had experienced fince we landed on that conti- 

 nfent; and bere let the refleding reader ponder upon the changes which 

 fate makes in the affairs of men. We who yeflerday were honored by 

 Montezuma, in pofifeffion of wealth, and confidered invulnerable like 

 demigods, to day found ourfelves lowered in the confideration, of the 

 natives to a level with them in whofe power w€ were. We now 



therefore 



* Cortes received the intelligence of this event ip Cholula, 



