( 439 ) 



thefe perfons the licentiate confulted as to his proceeding to Mexico, 

 which they all were of opinion fhould not be delayed an inftant. Ac- 

 cordingly, the laft meffengers difpatched by Cortes met him on the road 

 at Iztapalapa. A fumptuous banquet was here prepared for them, at 

 which, after feveral abundant and magnificent fervices, fome cheefe- 

 cakes and cuftards were placed upon the table, as great delicacies. They 

 were fo much approved of, and fome of the company eat of them in 

 fuch quantities, that they made them fickj but thofe who eat of them 

 in moderation were not at all affedled. However this prior, Fray Tho- 

 mas Ortiz, alTerted that they had been poifoned with arfenic, and that 

 he had not eaten of them from a fufpicion that they were fo ; but others 

 who were prefent declared, that he fluffed himfelf heartily with them, 

 and faid that they were the befl he had ever tafled. This new charge 

 was immediately feized on and circulated by the enemies of Cortes, 

 to throw an odium upon him. 



During this time Cortes remained in Mexico j report faid that he 

 had fent a good prefent of gold to the licentiate ; this I cannot warrant j 

 but as he had perfons flationed to bring him intelligence, on his quit- 

 ting Iztapalapa Cortes fet out to meet him, with a grand and numerous 

 retinue of all the officers and gentlemen of the city. When the two 

 parties met, many civilities pafTed between the great men; the licentiate 

 feemed to me to be well acquainted with the rules of politenefs. It was 

 with great difficulty that Cortes could prevail upon him to take the 

 right hand. On his entry into the city he proceeded to the monaflery 

 of St. Francifco, bufinefs being deferred till the enfuing day. Cortes 

 attended the licentiate to the palace prepared for him, where he enter- 

 tained him moft fumptuoufly, but his politenefs and grandeur of man- 

 ner was more flriking than all the refl, infomuch that the licentiate ob- 

 ferved privately to his friends, that Cortes mufl have been for a long 

 time paft exercifing himfelf in the manners of a great man. 



On the enfuing day, the council of Mexico, and all the civil and 



military 



