( 2.5 ) 



Cortes perceiving how defperate our fituation was, determined 

 that Montezuma fhould addrefs his fubjed:s from a terrace, and defire 

 them to defift from their attacks, with an offer from us to evacuate; 

 Mexico. He accordingly fent to the King to defire him to do fo. 

 When this was made known to Montezuma, he burfl: out into violent 

 expreflions of grief faying, " What does he want of me now ? I neither 

 *' defire to hear him, nor to live any longer, fince my unhappy fate 

 has reduced me to this fituation on his account.** He therefore dif- 

 mifled thofe fent to him with a refufal, adding as it is faid, that he 

 wifhed not to be troubled any more with the falfe words and promifes 

 of Cortes. Upon this the Reverend Father Fray Bartholome and Chrif- 

 toval de Oli went to him, and addreffed him with the mofl affedlionate 

 and perfuafive language, to induce him to appear, to which he repli- 

 ed, that he did not believe that his doing fo would be of any avail, that 

 the people had already eledted another fovereign, and were determined 

 never to permit one of us to quit the city alive. The enemy continued 

 their attacks, and Montezuma was at length perfuaded. He accord- 

 ingly came, and flood at the railing of a terraced roof, attended by many 

 of our foldiers, and addreffed the people below him, requefting, in very 

 affed:ionate language, a ceffation of hoftilities, in order that we might 

 quit the city. The chiefs and nobility, as foon as they perceived him 

 coming forward, called to their troops to defifl and be filent, and four 

 of them approached, fo as to be heard and fpoken to by Montezuma. 

 They then addrefled him, lamenting the misfortunes of him, his chil- 

 dren, and family, and alfo told him that they had raifed Coadlavaca 

 Prince of Iztapalapa to the throne, adding, that the war was drawing to 

 a conclufion, and that they had promifed to their gods never to defifl 

 but with the total deftrud:ion of the Spaniards ; that they every day 

 offered up prayers for his perfonal fafety, and as foon as they had refcu- 

 ed him out of our hands, they would venerate him as before, and truft- 

 ed that he would pardon them. 



As they concluded their addrefs, a Hiower of arrows and ilones fell 

 about the fpot where Montezuma flood, from which the Spaniards, in- 



terpofing 



