had lost a parent. Even father Olmedo himself, who never
for a moment left his side, and who, notwithstanding all his efforts,
had not been able to convert him to Christianity, could not refrain from
shedding tears. And no one will feel surprised at this who knew what a
very kind-hearted person Motecusuma was.

He was said to have reigned seventeen years up to the day of his death.
Mexico never had a better monarch; and, with regard to his personal
courage, he had fought three several duels respecting some disputed
territory, and had each time come off victorious.

CHAPTER CXXVII.

_Cortes determines to announce Motecusuma's death to the Mexican
generals and chiefs who are at war with us._

After various deliberations on our present critical position, Cortes
determined that one of the distinguished Mexicans and one of the papas
whom we had taken prisoners should be despatched to the cazique of
Cuitlahuatzin, whom the Mexicans had raised to the throne, to announce
to him and his officers the death of Motecusuma, and explain to them the
manner in which it had taken place; they were to assure them that they
themselves had not only witnessed his death, but that his own subjects
were guilty of it, and that we were deeply distressed at the melancholy
circumstance. We also desired they would take charge of his body, to pay
it the last honours, and to place the crown on the head of that cousin
of Motecusuma who was staying with us, and who was entitled to it by
right of inheritance; or to elect one of his sons, as the prince they
had raised to the throne had no real claim to it. For the rest, we were
ready to make a treaty of peace with them, and quit Mexico; they should
not allow this opportunity of concluding peace with us to pass by, for,
up to the present moment, we had refrained from destroying the city
merely from our love and respect of the deceased monarch. If, however,
they compelled us to the combat, we would burn down all their houses and
cause no end of destruction. Upon this we handed over the corpse of
Motecusuma to six other Mexican chiefs and a large body of papas whom we
had taken prisoners. All these men had been present when the monarch
expired, and they informed Cuitlahuatzin faithfully of every
circumstance connected with it; how the Mexicans themselves had caused
his death by the shot of an arrow and three stones from a sling.

As soon as the Mexicans espied the dead body of their mona