354 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



" general, and you his companions, all my domeftics and 

 " courtiers are witneffes of the pleafure I have received 

 " from your happy arrival at this court ; and if, hither- 

 " to, there has been any appearance of a wifh to oppofe 

 " it, fo much has only been done w humour my fubjecls. 

 " Your fame has enlarged objects and alarmed minds, 

 (i It was reported that you were immortal gods; that 

 " you came mounted on wild beafts of tremendous fize 

 " and flercenefs; and, that you darted thunder with 

 " which the earth trembled : fome related that you were 

 " monfters thrown up by the fea; that the infatiable 

 u thirfh of gold made you abandon your native country; 

 " that you were greatly addicted topleafures; and fuch 

 " gluttons, that one of you eat as much as ten of us: 

 " but all thefe errors are diffipated by the experience 

 " which my fubjecls have had of you ; now it is known 

 " that you are mortal men like us, although differing 

 " in complexion and beard; we have now feen with our 

 " own eyes that thofe wild beads fo renowned, are only 

 " flags more corpulent than ours ; and that your pre- 

 " tended thunder and lightning are only a more artifi- 

 " cial fpecies of fhooting tubes, whofe balls are pufhed 

 • c with more force, and do more hurt than ours: with 

 " regard to your perfonal qualifications, we are weli 

 " informed by thofe who have had communication with 

 <c you, that you are kind and generous, that you pa- 

 " tiently endure misfortunes, that you are not difpofed 

 " to feverity, onlefs againft thofe who provoke your 

 " anger by hoftiiities, nor make ufe of your arms but in 

 <c defence of your perfons. 



" I do not doubt that you will in like manner have 

 " banifhed from your minds, or that you foon will banifh, 

 * c thofe faife ideas with which you may have been im- 



" p relied 



