HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



377 



multitude, who made no commotion becanfe they were 

 perfuaded, as is probable, that this puniftiment was 

 executed by order of the king: and it is to be imagined 

 that the fentence had been publiflied in his name. 



This conduct of Cortes is by no means to be juftified, 

 iince befides arrogating to himfelf an authority which 

 did not belong to him, if he believed the king had 

 been the author of the revolutions at Vera Cruz, why 

 condemn to death, and to fo cruel a death, men who had 

 no other guilt than that of executing punctually the 

 orders of their fovereign? If he did not believe the king 

 guilty, why fubject him to fo much ignominy, in contra- 

 diction to therefpect due to his character, the gratitude 

 which might naturally have been felc for his bounty, 

 and the juftice claimed by his innocence? It is probable, 

 that Qiiauhpopoca had an exprefs order from the king 

 to bring the Totonacas again under obedience to his 

 crown, and that being unable to execute that order with- 

 out embroiling himfelf with the Spaniards, who pro- 

 tected the rebels, he carried things to the extremity 

 which we have feen. 



As foon as the criminals were punifhed, Cortes went 

 to the apartment of the king, and faluting him with ex- 

 preffions of affection, and boafting the favour which he 

 had done him in granting him his life, he made his fet- 

 ters be taken off. The joy which Montezuma then 

 felt, was proportioned to the anguifli the ignominy had 

 excited; he loft all his fears of having his life taken from 

 him, and received this phantom of liberty as an incom- 

 Vol. II. 3 B parable 



which is requifite from an hiftorian. Heftudiedto diffemble whatever did not 

 conform with the panegyric of his hero; hut his diflimulation is of but little 

 confequence, while not only other hiftorians, but even Cortes himfelf affirms it 

 openly, in his letter to Charles V. Sec in particular Herrera, in his Decad II. 

 book viii. chap. 9, 



