HISTORY OF MEXICO, 353 



BOOK IX. 



Conferences of king Montezuma with the Spanijh general ; 

 imprifonment of the kings of Mexico and Acolhuacan, 

 and other lords ; cruel punijhment of Quauhpopoca ; at- 

 tempts of the governor of Cuba against Cortes , and the 

 defeat of Panfilo Narvaez; the killing of many of the 

 nobles, and infurreclion of the people against the Spa- 

 niards ; battle of Otompan, and retreat of the Spaniards 

 to Tlafcala; eleclion of king Cuitlahuatzin ; viclories 

 of the Spaniards in Tepejacac, in Xaltatzinco, in Te- 

 camachalco, and in Quauquechollan ; havoc made by the 

 fmall-pox; death of king Cuitlahautzin, and the princes 

 Maxizcatzin and Cuicuitzcatzin; eleclion in Mexico of 

 the king Quauhtemoizin. 



AFTER the Spaniards had dined and ordered every- 

 thing neceffary for their fecurity, the king re- 

 turned, accompanied by many of the nobility to vifit 

 them. Cortes came to meet him along with his officers, 

 and both parties entered together into the principal 

 hall, where they quickly placed another footftooi clofe 

 to that of the Spanifh general. The king prefented to 

 him many curious pieces of work of gold, filver, and 

 feathers, and more than five thoufand very fine dreffes of 

 cotton. Having at laft fat himfelf down, he made Cor- 

 tes fit down alfo, while every other perfon remained 

 Standing. Cortes in lofty expreffions protefted his gra- 

 titude to him, and as he was proceeding in his difcourfe 

 Montezuma interrupted him with thefe words: " Brave 

 Vol. II. Y y " general, 



