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I will now relate fome more particulars of his courfe of life. In 

 the morning, having paid his devotions, he eat a flight breakfaft, not 

 of meats but vegetables, fuch as agi or pepper, and then remained a 

 full hour hearing bufinefs, in the manner I have already defcribed. 

 The number of j udges or counfellors who attended upon him at thofe 

 times amounted to twenty. His numerous miftreflfes he ufed to marry 

 to his officers and particular friends ; fome of them fell to our lot ; 

 mine was called Donna Francifca ; a lady of high birth, as flie (hewed 

 by her manners. Thus fometimes amufing himfelf, and fometimes 

 meditating on his fituation, the great Montezuma palTed the days of his 

 confinement amongft us. 



The materials being arrived, Cortes requefted that the king would 

 give him permiffion to conftru6t two veffels, for the purpofe of amufing 

 himfelf upon the water, and alfo that he would order his carpenters to 

 affift. The oak timber was only at the diftance of about four leagues, 

 and Montezuma having given his confent, the work went on fo expe- 

 ditioufly, by the number of Indian carpenters, and was fo ably con- 

 duced by our principal builder Martin Lopez, that in a very (hort fpace 

 of time, they were built, launched, and rigged, with an awning over 

 each. * 



Montezuma at this time requefted permiffion from Cortes to pay 

 his devotions, and perform facrifices, in order that his friends and fub- 

 jedts might fee that he lived among us by the order of his gods, and his 

 own choice. Cortes returned for anfwer, that in fo doing, it was his 

 bufinefs to beware how he did any thing whereby to lofe his life ; for 

 that he would fend a guard of officers and foldiers with him, giving 

 them ftridt orders to kill him inftantly in cafe there appeared any thing 

 like a commotion. With this caution he gave him his permiffion to 

 vifit his temple. It was alfo at the fame time fignified to him, that no 

 human facrifice would be pemiitted ; to which Montezuma having 

 agreed, he fet out in his ufual pomp, and accompanied by four of our 

 captains, Velafquez de Leon, Alvarado, Avila, and De Lugo, with a 



hundred 



