fire, to keep them warm. Three hundred dishes of various kinds were
served up for him alone, and above 1000 for the persons in waiting. He
sometimes, but very seldom, accompanied by the chief officers of his
household, ordered the dinner himself, and desired that the best dishes
and various kinds of birds should be called over to him. We were told
that the flesh of young children, as a very dainty bit, was also set
before him sometimes by way of a relish. Whether there was any truth in
this we could not possibly discover; on account of the great variety of
dishes, consisting in fowls, turkeys, pheasants, partridges, quails,
tame and wild geese, venison, musk swine, pigeons, hares, rabbits, and
of numerous other birds and beasts; besides which there were various
other kinds of provisions, indeed it would have been no easy task to
call them all over by name. This I know, however, for certain, that
after Cortes had reproached him for the human sacrifices and the eating
of human flesh, he issued orders that no dishes of that nature should
again be brought to his table. I will, however, drop this subject, and
rather relate how the monarch was waited on while he sat at dinner. If
the weather was cold a large fire was made with a kind of charcoal made
of the bark of trees, which emitted no smoke, but threw out a delicious
perfume; and that his majesty might not feel any inconvenience from too
great a heat, a screen was placed between his person and the fire, made
of gold, and adorned with all manner of figures of their gods. The chair
on which he sat was rather low, but supplied with soft cushions, and was
beautifully carved; the table was very little higher than this, but
perfectly corresponded with his seat. It was covered with white cloths,
and one of a larger size. Four very neat and pretty young women held
before the monarch a species of round pitcher, called by them Xicales,
filled with water to wash his hands in. The water was caught in other
vessels, and then the young women presented him with towels to dry his
hands. Two other women brought him maise-bread baked with eggs. Before,
however, Motecusuma began his dinner, a kind of wooden screen, strongly
gilt, was placed before him, that no one might see him while eating, and
the young women stood at a distance. Next four elderly men, of high
rank, were admitted to his table; whom he addressed from time to time,
or put some questions to them. Sometimes he would offer them a