Hernando Cortez and his companye, were sixe dayes in beholding and perusing the scituation of the Citie, and secretes of the same, with the notable thinges before rehearsed: they were often visited by Mutezuma, & the Gentlemen of hys Courte, and abundantly prouided of things necessarye for his vse, and the Indians of his company.
A svveete bedde.
Determination of Cortez.
Likewise his Horses were cherished and serued with gréene barley and grasse, whereof there is plentie all the yeare: Likewise of corne, meale, roses, and of all thynges that their owners would request, in so much that beddes of floures were made for them in place of litter. But yet notwithstanding, although they were in this sorte cherished, and also lodged in so riche a Countrey, where they mighte fyll their purses, they were not yet all contente and merrie, but rather with great feare and care, especially Cortes, who hadde the onely care as head and chiefe Captayne for the defence of hys fellowes, hée (I saye) was pensiue, noting the scituation of the Citie, the infinite number of people, the state and maiestie of Mexico, yea and some disquietnesse of hys owne companye, who woulde come and laye vnto hys charge the snare and nette that they were in, thynkyng it a thyng vnpossible that anye of them coulde escape, if Mutezuma were therevnto determined, or else with the least muteny in the worlde, that mought be raysed in the Citie, although that euery inhabitant shoulde throw but one stone at them, or else to breake vp the drawbridges, or withdrawing their victuals, things verye easie to bée done. With this greate care that he had of the preseruation of his fellowes, and to remedie the perill and daunger that he stoode in, he determined to apprehēd Mutezuma, and to builde foure Foystes to haue the lake in subiection, which he hadde tofore ymagined, and without the apprehension of the King, he coulde not come by the Kingdome: he would very gladly haue buylt the Foystes out of hand, but he left off that pretence, only bycause he would not delay the emprisonment of Mutezuma, wherein consisted the effect of all his businesse, so that forthwith he minded to put in execution his intent, without gyuing any of his company to vnderstand thereof.
Treasory of Mutezuma.
The quarrell wherewith he had armed himselfe for that purpose, was, that the Lorde Qualpopoca hadde slayne nine Spanyardes: likewise encouraged him the greate presumption of his letters written to the Emperour Charles his king, wherein he wrote that he would take Mutezuma prisoner, and dispossesse him of his Empyre. These causes considered, he tooke the letters of Pedro Hircio, wherein was written, how Qualpopoca was the cause of the death of nine Spanyardes, and put those letters into his pocket, and walking vp and downe his lodging, tossyng too and fro these ymaginations in his brayne, full of care of the great enterprise that he had in hande, yea he hymselfe iudging the matter doubtfull, and his head béeyng in this sort occupyed, he chanced to espye one wall more whiter than the rest, and beholding the same, he sawe that it was a dore lately dammed vp, & callyng vnto him two of his seruaunts (for all the residue were asléepe) bycause it was late in the nighte, he opened that dore, and went in, and there found sundry halles, some with Idols, some with gallant feathers, Iewels, precious stones, plate, yea and such an infinite quantitie of golde, that the sight thereof amazed him, and other gallant things that made him to maruell. He shutte thys dore agayne as well as he moughte, withoute touching any part of that treasure, bycause he woulde not make any vprore therabout, nor yet to delay the emprisonment of Mutezuma, for that treasure was alwayes there to be had.
The nexte daye in the morning came certayne Spanyardes vnto hym, and manye Indians of Tlaxcallon, saying that the Citizens did goe about to conspire their deathe, and to breake downe the bridges of the calseys, to bryng their purpose the better to passe. So that with this newes, béeyng true or false, Cortes left the one halfe of his men to defende and kéepe his lodging, and at euery crosse stréete he planted mē, and the residue he sent to the Court by two and two, and thrée and thrée, and he hymselfe came to the pallaice, saying that he must talke wyth Mutezuma of matters that did emport their liues. Cortes was secretely armed. Mutezuma hearyng howe Cortez attended for hym, came forth and receyued him, taking him by the hand, and placed him in his seate. Thirtie Spanyardes wayted vpon Cortez, and the residue abode without at the dore.
Cortez saluted Mutezuma according to his accustomed manner, and began to rest and talke merily as hée was wont to do. Mutezuma béeyng carelesse of the thing that Fortune hadde prepared agaynste hym, was also very merrie, and pleased with that conuersation. He gaue vnto Cortes Iewels of golde, and one of his daughters, and other noble mens daughters to others of his company. Cortes receyued the gift, for otherwise it hadde bin a frent vnto Mutezuma. But yet he enformed him, that he was a married man, and that he coulde not marrie with his daughter, for the Christian law did not permitte the same, nor yet that any Christian mought haue more than one wife, vppon payne of infamy, and to be marked in the forehead.
After all this talke ended, Cortez tooke the letters of Pedro Hircio, and caused them to be interpreted vnto Mutezuma, makyng hys grieuous complaynte agaynste Qualpopoca, who hadde slayne so many Spanyardes through hys commaundement, yea and that his subiectes had published, that they woulde kill the Spanyardes, and breake downe the bridges.
Mutezuma excused himselfe earnestly, as well of the one as of the other, saying, the report giuen out agaynste hys subiectes was false and vntrue, and as for Qualpopoca who had slayne the Spanyardes, he was innocent thereof: and bycause that he shoulde sée the troth, he called incontinent certayne of his seruauntes, commaunding thē to goe for Qualpopoca, and gaue vnto them his seale, whiche was a stone that he ware at his wrest, engraued with the figure of the God Vitzilopuchtli, and the messengers departed therewith incontinent.