I 10 
told it was Motezumd he made Signs to have it carried 
back to the Spaniards, and then ran to his own Party. 
Thofe that carried him vanifhed on a fudden, and the 
Spaniards heard no more of him, but fuppofed he had 
been buried in the Wood of Chapiiltepeqne, becaufe great 
Lamentations were heard there. 
It is conceived that thefe were the greater, becaufe they 
intended, by this Ceremony, not only to pay the Funeral 
Honours due to their deceafed Sovereign, but in fome 
Meafure, alfo to expiate the Crime of which they had 
been guilty in taking away his Life-, for the new World 
afforded no Nation fo barbarous, as not to account it a 
moft infamous Wickednefs, for 'Men to embrue their 
Plands in the Blood of their lawful Prince. This Mo- 
tezuma was the fecond of his Name, and the eleventh in 
the Order of the Mexican Emperors ; he was, before his 
Acceffion to the imperial Dignity, accounted one of the 
braVeft Men,' as well as one of the bell Officers in the 
Territories of Mexico, having fought nine Battles, and 
obtained in each the Victory •, he was dreaded by his own 
People, but eifeemed and beloved by the Spaniards, for 
whom he had a fmgular and very extraordinary Af- 
feftion. 
He left feveral Children two of his Sons who accom- 
panied him in his Confinement were killed by the 
Mexicans. When Cortes made his retreat, he had two 
others, with three Daughters, which Ladies were after- 
wards converted, and married to Spaniard's. But the 
moft illuftrious of all his Children, was Don Pedro de Mo- 
tezuma, who was alfo foon after converted to the Catholic 
Religion, and had that Name given him at his Baptifm : 
He was next Heir to his Father, his Mother being 
Princefs of the Province of Tula, and one of the Queens 
who refided in the imperial Palace, with Royal Dignity 
which Princefs likewife followed her Son’s Example, and 
was baptized by the Name of Donna Maria de Niagua 
Suchil, keeping up in thefe Surnames the Nobility of her 
Anceftors. His Majefty bellowed many Favours on 
Don Pedro, giving him an Eftate, and confiderable Rents 
in New Spain, with the Title of Count de Motezima, 
whofe legitimate SuccefTion is ftill preferved in the Counts 
of that Title, with the heroic Remembrance of their 
royal Original. 
12 . Thi. Mexicans, as foon as they had finiflied the 
Funeral of their Emperor Motezuma, refolved to eledl a 
Succeffor, under whofe Command they might carry on 
the War, againft the Spg.niards, with Effefl ; and, with 
this View it was, that they defied ^etlavaca, one of 
their greateft Princes, and the Second Eleflor in virtue of 
his Principality. But he dying in a few Days, they made 
choice, in his room, of Gatimozin, a Man of great Re- 
putation in War, and who feemed the moft capable of 
anfwering their Purpofe. It was under his Condufl that 
they attacked the Spaniards again, with greater Fury than 
ever but not with greater Succefs, but rather the con- 
trary. 
' In one of their Engagements, however, they killed a 
confiderable Spaniard, and wounded feveral others, tho’ 
with great Lofs to themfelves ; the Day following, there- 
fore, they defired a Conference, to which Cortes con- 
fented, in hopes of coming to fome Accommodation ; he 
went to hear their Propofals from the Wall, and fome 
of the Nobles drawing near, on the Part of the new Em- 
peror, propofed, “ That he and his People fhould pre- 
pare to let out and direfl their March to the Sea-fide, 
afluring him. There fhould be a Ceftation for as 
much Time as was neceffary for him to make ready 
“ for his Departure ; adding, that, if he did not de- 
termine to come to that Refolution, he might depend 
upon it that both himfelf, and all who were with him, 
“ fhould perifh ; For that they were now convinced that 
the Spaniards were not immortal ; and that, tho’ the 
Death of every Spaniard fliould coft them the Lives 
of twenty thoufmd Men, there would ftill remain a 
Multitude to celebrate the conclufive Viflory.” Cortes 
'anfwered, “ That the Spaniards never pretended to be 
immortal, but valued themfelves upon being Men of 
Valour, and knew themfelves to be fo far fuperior, in 
every Refpefl, to the Mexicans, that, without any 
E Ft. N A N Cortes, Book I. 
“ gre.ater Force than what he then had with him, he had 
“ Courage enough to undertake the total Deftriiflion, 
“ not only of their City, but of the whole Empire. But 
“ that, being moved at the Calamities they had fuffered, 
“ he was determined to depart, fince the Subjedl of his 
“ EmbalTy, and all the Bufmefs he had there, was at an 
“ End, by the Death of the great Motezuma, whofe 
“ Friendfhip had detained him at Mexico and that he 
“ would put his Defign in execution without the leaft 
“ Delay, as foon as fome Articles, which were neceffary 
“ for his March, flrould be mutually agreecf on.” The 
Deputies gave Signs of being w^li fatislied j but thefe 
Overtures of Peace were made with perfidious Views. 
This new Emperor had called a Council of his Minifters 
and Grandees, in which it was refolved. That, to avoid 
the Damage they received from the Spanifi Arms, the 
Slaughter of their People, and the Ruin of their City, the 
bell Method would be, to keep them clofe blocked up, 
in order to diftrefs them by Famine, and to weaken 
them, that when they were difpirited and wanted Strengtli, 
they might attack them with more Advantage. Having 
invented this new Way of reducing an Enemy, till then 
utterly unknown amongft their Stratagems of War, it was 
refolved to make Overtures of Peace, in order to obtain 
the Sufpenfion of Arms they defired j flattering them- 
felves that they might be able to protraft the Treaty till 
the Imall Referve of Provifions, laid up in their Quarters, 
were confumed ; to which Purpofe all poflible Care fliould 
be taken to hinder the Befieged from Relief ^ to block up, 
with Works, and Bodies of Men polled at a proper Dif- 
tance, all the Ways by v/hich they might attempt to make 
their Efcape, and to break down the Bridge at the En- 
trance of the Caufway which led to the Road of Vera 
Cruz ; thinking it no longer convenient to fuffer them to 
depart the City, left at this Junflure, when the Pro- 
vinces were ill fatisfied with the prefent Government, they 
might excite the Malcontents to a Rebellion, or rein- 
force themfelves by an Army of Tlafcalans. Some of the 
Affembly called to mind feveral Perfons of great Dif- 
tinflion Prifoners in the SpaniJIo Quarters ; reflecling up- 
on what they muft fuffer, fince of necelTity they muff: 
perifli with Hunger before the Calamity could affecft the 
Enemy. But they were all fo zealous for the public 
Caufe that they unanimoufly voted, that thofe Prifoners 
would be happy, and difcharged their Duty if they fa- 
crificed their Lives for the Benefit of their Country and 
it is not unlikely that they fared the worfe on account of 
Motezuma' s three Sons, who were with them, and whofe 
Deaths would be no way unwelcome to the Affembly, 
the Eldeft being a hopeful young Prince, capable of 
wearing the Crown, highly efteemed by the People, and 
the only Perfon of whom the new Emperor had reafon to 
be jealous. Their only Concern was for the chief of their 
idolatrous Priefts, who was likewife in the fame Prifon, 
for he was univerfally reverenced as the fecond Perfon in 
the Empire ; and to produce his Liberty they made ufe 
of a very notable Stroke of Policy. 
The fame Deputies returned that Evening and pro- 
pofed, on the Part of their Sovereign, “ That, in order 
“ to prevent any Mifunderftandings which might retard 
“ the Treaty, it would be proper for the Spaniards to 
“ fend fome one of the Mexican Prifoners to the Em- 
“ peror, well inflrudled on the Subject of the Capitula- 
“ tion.” This Expedient feemed reafonable-, and the 
Deputies no fooner found it admitted but they artfully 
Jet drop, by way of Advice, that none would be fo proper 
as a certain ancient Prieft, becaufe he was an intelligent 
Perfon, able to remove all Difficulties which might be 
ftarted ; which fpecious and well managed Pretext fufficed 
for the obtaining what they propofed : Not that Cortes 
was ignorant of the Artifice of the Propofal, but, con- 
fldering of what Importance it was. to found the Minds 
of thofe People, he efteemed, it a fmall Matter to part with 
a Prifoner who was troublefome and deteftable. Soon 
after the Prieft was difmifled, fully inftrudled by the 
General in fome Demands relating to the March ; in- 
tending afterwards, in cafe he returned, to employ him 
further in other matters of greater Confequence. But it 
was to no Purpofe to wait for his Return, it being foon 
evident 
