Chao. in. for the Redu&ion of N EW Spain. 99 
was prefently fpread about the City, that the Strangers 
had carried off the Emperor, and the Streets were croud- 
ed, fome in Defpair, and fome difcovered theTendernefs 
of their Concern by their Tears. But Motezuma^ with an 
Air of Gaiety and Compofure, appeafed the Tumult, and 
fatisfied them in fome Meafure. He commanded them 
to ceafe their Cries, and, at the firft Motion of his Hand, 
a profound Silence enfued : He then told them, “ That 
“ he was not going to Prifon, but for his own Diverfion 
to pafs a few Days with his Friends, the Strangers. ” 
As foon as he was fettled in his new Lodging, many No- 
blemen reforced to Motezuma^ expreffing their Sorrow for 
that Innovation, and offered to do any Service that 
fhould be enjoined them. 
Cortes being fenfible of the Boldnefs of his Enterprize, 
and the Danger he was in, to provide for the worft, or- 
dered two Brigantines to be built, that would carry two 
hundred Men, to come into, and go out, of the City, as 
there fhould be Occalion. 
They were foon finiflied, and he kept them under a 
ftrong Guard near his Quarters, to the no fmall Amaze- ■ 
ment of the Indians. Motezuma fearing left any harm 
that might be done to the Spaniards.^ by his People, might 
affeft him, put on a chearful Countenance to conceal the 
Griefs that perplexed him, telling the Men of Quality 
that ferved and vifited him, there was no Occafion to be 
fo much concerned, fince he was well, lived in that 
Apartment at his Eafe, and no Injury or Affront was 
offered him *, that he had chofen to go thither to con- 
vince the Spaniards that what had been faid of him, in 
relation to ^alpopoca., was not true *, that he defigned to 
punifh him, that no other fliould be guilty of the like ; 
that he would ftay there iiW Cortes was fatisfied, and that 
fince he might depart from thence whenfoever he fhould 
think fit, they ought to fet their Hearts at reft, and as 
they had always loved him, they fhould fhew it at that 
Time. 
As foon as he was brought into the Apartment, Cortes 
fet a Guard over him, and gave the Command thereof to 
Joht Velafq^uez de Leon ; and if particular Care had not 
been taken, he would have been conveyed away ; for 
Walls were broke through, and other Methods ufed ; 
and one Day he attempted to throw himfelf off from the 
fiat Roof of a Houfe, that was ten Fathoms high, for 
his People that were underneath to catch him, had not a 
Spaniard that was upon the Guard, and near his Perfon, 
held him. Cortes vifited him every Day, and for his Di- 
verfion, ordered the Soldiers to exercife their Weapons, 
at which he was very much pleafed, and generoufly re- 
warded them. His ov/n Servants waited on him, as they 
were wont to do in his Palace, and fo did the Spaniards., 
who, by Cortes's, Command, honoured and refpedted him 
as a King. 
There he decided Law-fuits, difpatched all Bufmefs, 
and adminiftred the Government of his Kingdoms, fpeak-^ 
ing, either in private or public, to any Perfon whomfoevcr ; 
and yet the Indians were fo reftlefs and uneafy, that they 
never ceafed by Day or Night to attempt refcuing him : 
For this Reafon Cortes ordered Roderigo Alvarez Chico., a 
brave and watchful Man, to guard the backfide of the 
Houfe, with fixty Men, twenty mounting at a time •, and 
Andrew de Monjarraz to do the fame before the Palace, 
with the fame Number. 
Motezuma was ferved like a great Prince, the Diet that 
was brought him by four and four Men holding up the 
Difhes, v/ith much Refpeff, made a long Train,'’ and 
when he had done, all the Meat was divided among the 
Gentlemen that ferved, and the Spaniards that guarded 
him. His Bed confifted in many coftly Cotton Blankets, 
fome of them very fine, fome quilted, and covered with 
others of great Value, made of Feathers and Wool, of 
various and natural Colours. The Bed was laid on Matts, 
and a wooden Beadftead, all fuited either for the Pleat or 
the Cold. It was this Confinement of the Emperor which 
afforded Cortes all the Opportunities he could wifh, of 
enquiring narrowly into the Situation of his Affairs, and 
of penetrating into all the Secrets of his Government ^ he 
likewifp found Ways and Means to draw out of the In- 
dian Monarch, in this Confinement, very large Sums of 
I 
Money, or, which was the fame thing. Gold and Jewels 
to an immenfe Value. 
8. In all outward Appearance Motezuma was very 
eafy and well fatisfied, the Spanijh Soldiers behaved to 
him with the greateft Civility and Refpeft imaginable, 
and as for the Officers, they were his conftant Compani- 
ons, with whom he converfed continually, and ftiewed a 
great deal of Pleafure, as alfo in playing at certain Spa- 
nijh particularly at Skittles, in which he became, 
very foon, a great Proficient. In the midft, however, of 
all thefe Condefcentions, he flievv^ed himfelf a great Poll-’ 
tician; for, obferving how fond the Spaniard's were of 
Gold, he took care to lofe, that he might have an Op- 
portunity of giving, and of obtaining, by this Means, 
an Intereft amongft them. 
While things were in this Situation, ^alpopoca arrived 
with his Son and fifteen Men of Qiiality, who had been con-^ 
cerned with him in killing the Spaniards., in twenty Days 
after the Confinement of Motezuma , he was conduiffed to 
Mexico by many great Men that v/ent out to meet him, 
and he was brought in upon their Shoulders and thofe of 
his Vaffals : When come to the Place he alighted, put 
on Garments of lefs Value than he had before, and took 
off Jiis Shoes, waited fome Time till he had Leave to go 
in, drew near allone, all that went with him, flaying 
behind ; and having made many Bows, and perform- 
ed the ufual Ceremonies, with his Head hanging down, 
and his Eyes fixed on the Ground, he faid, “ Moft high 
“ and mighty Sovereign, here is your Slave ^alpopo-^ 
“ ca^ whom you have commanded to come,; what will 
“ you have done, for I am your Slave, and muft of Ne- 
“ ceffity obey you ^ ” Motezuma fternly anfwered, “ He 
“ had done very ill in killing the Spaniards without any 
“ Provocation, and faying he had done it by his Order, 
“ and therefore he fhould be puniffied as a Traitor to the 
“ Strangers, and to his King.” ^alpopoca going to 
excufe himfelf, he would not hear him, ordering that he, 
his Son, and the reft, fhould be delivered tip to Cortes^ 
who, having fettered, caufed them to be examined, and 
they confeffed the killing of the Spaniards ; being afked 
whether he was Motezuma's, Subject, he anfwered, “ Is 
“ there any other I,.ord that I could be fubjeft to ? ” 
They were examined a fecond time more ftriflly, and 
threatened with the Rack, and unanimoufly averred that 
they had killed the two firft Spamiards by Motezuma' % Or- 
der, as they had likewife thofe in the Field, 
When they had made this Confeffion, and confirmed 
it, Cortes condemned ^alpopoca and the reft to be 
burnt. The Sentence being made known to him, he 
faid. That though he was to fuffer Death for having kil- 
led thofe two Spaniards., his great Lord, Motezuma, had 
commanded him, and that he fliould not have prefumed 
to have done it, unlefs he had thought it for his Service. 
He, with his Son, and the reft, were conducted under a 
ftrong Guard of Spaniards, to a large Square, and being 
fet on a large Pile of broken Bows and Arrows that were 
dry, with their Hands and Feet bound, Fire was fet to 
it, they again confeffmg the fame as they had before : He 
prayed as the reft did, and the Fire blazed, and they 
were foon burnt, without Difturbance ; the Mexicans ad- 
miring the Execution done by the Spaniards in fuch a 
great City and Kingdom, and in the Prejence of their 
Monarch. Before and after this Execution, that the Spa- 
niards might be always in readinefs, Cortes made Pro- 
clamation that none of them fhould go naked to Bed, 
and that the Horfes fhould ftand all Night faddled, 
with their Bridles at the Pommels of their Saddles, becaufe 
it was fufpedled there would be an Infurredlion, and that 
they would attack the Spaniards when afieep ; but the 
Vigilance of Cortes was thought to have difappointed that 
Defign ; and he caufed the firft Soldier that was found to 
have lain in Bed naked, to be expofed to public Shame, 
keeping him two Days in Fetters in the Air, induring the 
Dew in the Night, and the Sun in the Day, and a Clog 
at his Foot ; no Intreaties prevailing to relieve him, al- 
ledging that Severity was requifite in fuch Cafes. 
After the Confeffion was made, whilft they were carry- 
ing Ljualpopoca to Execution, Cortes, attended by his 
Commanders, went to Motezuma, and laid to him, You 
know 
