HISTORY OF MEXICO. 355 



* c preffed by the flattery of my vaflals or the adulation 

 " of my enemies : fome of them may have told you that 

 <c I am one of the gods, and that I put on at pleafure the 

 * c form of a lion, a tyger, or any other animal ; but now 

 " you fee (taking hold with his fingers of the ikin of his 

 " arm) that I am of flefh and bone like other mortals, 

 H although more noble by birth and more powerful 

 " from the elevation of my rank. The Chempoallefe, 

 H who, under your protection, have renounced obedi- 

 " ence to me (although their rebellion fhall not pafs 

 " unpunifhed) will have made you believe, that the walls 

 " and roofs of my palaces are of gold, but your own 

 " eyes have now undeceived you : this is one of my 

 " palaces, and you here fee that the walls are made of 

 " flone and lime, and the roofs of wood. I will not 

 " deny that my riches are great, but they are exag- 

 " gerated by my fubjecls: fome of them will have com- 

 " plained to you of my cruelty and tyranny; but they 

 " term the lawful exercife of the fupreme authority 

 " tyranny, and call that cruelty which is but the necef- 

 w f arv rigour of juflice. 



" Abandoning therefore all falfe conceptions occafion- 

 ¥ ed to either of us by unjuft reprefentations, I accept 

 " the embaiTy of your king who fends you ; I refpe.fi 

 <c his friendfliip, and offer all my kingdom to his obe- 

 16 dience ; fince from the figns we have obferved in the 

 " heavens, and what we have feen in you, the period 

 " feems to be arrived when the predictions of our an- 

 " ceftors are to be fulfilled, that is, that there were to 

 €C come from the quarter of the Eaft, certain men differ- 

 " ent in habit and in cuftoms from us, who were to 

 " become lords of all this country; for we are not the 

 " original people of this land. It is not many years 



" fince 



f 



