Cortez replyed and sayd: My Lord, your highnesse must goe with me to my lodging, and there abide, vntill youre messengers returne with Qualpopoca, and the certaynetie of the deathe of my men: In my lodging youre highnesse shall rule and commaund as you do héere in Court, your person shall bée well vsed, wherefore take you no care, for I will haue respecte vnto youre honor, as to myne owne proper, or the honor of my Kyng, beséeching you to pardon me in this my request, for if I shoulde doe otherwise, and dissemble with you, mine own company would be offended with me, saying that I doe not defende them, according to duetie. Wherefore commaund your householde seruauntes to repose themselues without alteration, for be you assured, that if any hurte come vnto me, or vnto anye of mine, youre person shall pay the same with life, considering that it lyeth in youre hand to goe quietly with me.
Mutezuma was sore amazed, saying, Sir, my person is not fytte to be a prisoner, yea, and though I woulde permitte the same, my subiectes would not suffer.
They abode arguing the matter néere foure houres, and at length Mutezuma was content to goe, hauing promise that he should rule and gouerne as he was wont to do. Cortes cōmaunded a place in his lodging to be trimmed for him, and he went forthwith thither with Cortes. There came many noble men barefooted, wéeping and lamenting the case, carrying their best garmentes vnder their armes, and brought a rich seate, whereon Mutezuma was placed, & they carried hym vpon their shoulders.
A sorovvful pastime.
When it was blowen abroade in the Citie that Mutezuma was carried prisoner to the Spanyards lodging, all the Citie was on an vprore: but yet Mutezuma did comfort the Gentlemen that carried and followed him wéeping, praying them to ceasse their lamentation, saying that he was not prisoner, nor yet went with the Chrystians againste his will, but for his onely pleasure. Cortes appointed a Spanish garde for him, with a Captayne, the which he dayly changed, and had Spanyards always in his cōpany to make him pastime. Also poore Mutezuma was cōtented with their conuersation, & gaue thē stil rewards. He was serued with his owne seruāts Indiās, as at home in his pallace. Cortes always intreated him to put off sadnes, & to be merrie, permitting him to dispatch suters, & to deale in all affayres of his estate, & to comune and talke openly or secretely with his noble mē as he was wont to do, and that was but onely a bayte to bring them to the hooke. There was neuer Greeke nor Romayne, nor any other nation since the name of Kings was ordeyned, dyd gyue ye lyke enterprise, as Hernando Cortez did, in taking Mutezuma prisoner in his owne house, béeing a most mighty King, & in a most strong fort among infinite people, he hauyng but only 450. companions.
The recreation of Hunting, vvhiche Mutezuma vsed.
Mvtezuma had not only al the libertie that he desired in the Citie, béeyng prisoner among the Spanyardes, but also Cortes permitted him to hunt and hauke, or to go to the temple, for he was very deuoute, and a great hunter.
When he went a hunting, he was carried vpon mens shoulders with eyght or ten Spanyards in his guard, and thrée thousande Mexicans, who were Gentlemen, his seruants, and hunters, of whome he hadde a great number, some to séeke the game, others to beate the couertes, and others to marke. Some of those Hunters were only for hares and connyes, other for all sorts of Déere, Wolues, foxes, and such like. They were very perfite with theyr bowes, and good markemē, for he that missed his marke at fourescore pases distant was punished. It was strange to sée the number of people that wente with him on hunting, and to sée the slaughter of beasts killed, with hande, staues, nettes, and bowes, some of those beastes were tame, and other braue and fearefull, as Lyons, Tigers, and Ounces. It is a harde thing to take a fierce Lion in hunting as they do, being in manner a naked people, and the beast couragious and strong, but yet the Prouerbe saith, slight and cunning is better than strength.