HISTORY OF MEXICO. 357 



The next day Cortes being defirous to pay his vifit to 

 the king, fent to demand an audience, and obtained it fo 

 fpeedily, that thofe who brought him the anfwer of the 

 king were the perfons themfelves appointed to introduce 

 ambaffadors, and were to conduct him and inftru& him 

 in the ceremonials of that court. Cortes dreffed himfelf 

 in his mofl fplendid habit, and took along with him the 

 captains Alvavarado, Sandoval, Velafquez, and Ordaz, 

 and alio five foldiers. They proceeded to the royal pa- 

 lace, amidft an immenfe multitude of people, and as foon 

 as they reached the firft gate, the perfons who accom- 

 panied them ranged themfelves in two files, one on each 

 fide of them, as it was deemed a want of refpec*r. to ma- 

 jefly to enter in a crowded manner. After paffing 

 through three courts, and fome halls, to the lad anti- 

 chamber in order to come at the hall of audience, they 

 were politely received by feveral lords who kept guard, 

 and were forced to put off their fhoes, and to cover their 

 pompous dreffes with fome coarfe garments. When they 

 entered the hall of audience, the king made fome fleps 

 towards Cortes and took him by the hand, and giving 

 a look of kindnefs to all the reft, he made them all fit 

 down. Their conference was long on different fubje&s. 

 The king alked feveral queftions concerning the govern- 

 ment and natural productions of Spain ; and Cortes, 

 after having fatisfied him in every thing, artfully led the 

 difcourfe upon matters of religion. He explained to 

 him the unity of God, the creation of the world, the feve- 

 rity of the judgments of God, the glory with which he re- 

 wards the juft, and the eternal punilhments to which he 

 condemns the wicked. Then he fpoke of the rites of 

 Chriflianity, and in particular of the pure and unbloody 

 facrifice of the mafs; to draw a comparifon between it 



and 



