( '6& ) 



monarch, and no better than a hen, for not having attacked us as he 

 advifed him at the pafs of Chalco. That for his part he was deter- 

 mined to avenge the wrongs that had been committed by us upon Mon- 

 tezuma and the countiy, and that if in fo doing the throne of Mexico 

 fell to his lot, he would liberally reward thofe who fupported him. 



Some of the chiefs who heard thefe declarations had fcruples upon 

 the fubjedt, objeding to go to war without the orders of their fov^ 

 reign. This filled the prince with rage, efpecially when they propofed 

 to fend to him for his inftrudions ; he caufed three of them to be taken 

 prifoners, and the others who were prefent intimidated thereby, de- 

 clared their determination to fupport him. He then fent a meffage to 

 Montezuma, reprefenting the difgrace in which he was fallen, by con- 

 ned;ing himfelf with wizards and magicians, and that he would come 

 and put us all to death. Montezuma was highly offended at this, and 

 taking off his feal, he entrufted it to the care of ' fix of his captains, 

 commanding them to go and fhew it to certain perfons whom he 

 named, as knowing they were not on terms of friendfliip with the 

 prince, and to fignify to them his orders, that they fliouid feize Caca- 

 matzin and fend him into his prefence. Accordingly they entered 

 where the prince was, difcourling with fome of his chiefs, relative to 

 his. expedition, and having fecured him, together with five others, 

 embarking them in a piragua, they brought them to Mexico, where 

 Cacamatzin was placed in one of the royal litters, and conducted into 

 the prefence of Montezuma. The king, after having reproached him 

 for his difobedience and treafon, delivered him to Cortes, to do what 

 he thought proper with him, releafing the other prifoners. Cortes 

 thanked the great Montezuma, and made arrangements, that the brother 

 of Cacamatzin fhould fucceed to the principality, by the name of Don 

 Carlos, and he was accordingly invefted with this dignity in the pre- 

 fence of Montezuma. The other chiefs who had joined in the meafures 

 of Cacamatzin abfented themfelves from court through fear, but were 

 fhortly made prifoners, and brought to Mexico in chains. Thus was 

 cpncluded this important bufiaefs, to our entire fatisfadiion. We con- 

 tinued 



