ncle as degraded
and a captive, intended to seize the reins of empire. Under these
circumstances, Cortez and Montezuma acted in perfect harmony against
their common foe. After several unsuccessful stratagems to get
possession of the person of the bold chieftain, Montezuma sent some of
his nobles, who secretly seized him, and brought him a prisoner to the
capital, where he was thrust into prison. A partisan of Cortez was
sent to take the place of Cacamatzin as governor of the province of
Tezcuco. Thus this danger was averted.

Cortez still felt much solicitude concerning the judgment of the King
of Spain respecting his bold assumption of authority. He well knew
that Velasquez, the governor of Cuba, whose dominion he had so
recklessly renounced, would report the proceedings to the court at
Madrid, sustained by all the influence he could command. To conciliate
his sovereign, and to bribe him to indulgence, he extorted from the
weeping, spirit-crushed sovereign of Mexico an acknowledgment of
vassalage to the King of Spain. This humiliating deed was invested
with much imposing pomp. All the nobles and lords were assembled in a
large hall in the Spanish quarters. The poor monarch wept bitterly,
and his voice often broke with emotion as he tremblingly said,

"I speak as the gods direct. Our prophets have told us that a new race
is to come to supplant our own. The hour has arrived. The sceptre
passes from my hands by the decrees of fate which no one can resist. I
now surrender to the King of the East my power and allegiance, and
promise to pay to him an annual tribute."

A general outburst of amazement and indignation from the nobles
followed this address. Cortez, apprehensive that he might have
proceeded a little too far, endeavored to appease the rising agitation
by the assurance that his master had no intention to deprive Montezuma
of his regal power, or to make any innovations upon the manners and
the laws of the Mexicans. The act of submission and homage was,
however, executed with all the formalities which Cortez saw fit to
prescribe. The nobles retired, exasperated to the highest degree, and
burning with desires for vengeance.

Encouraged by these wonderful successes, and by the tame submission of
the monarch, Cortez resolved upon the entire overthrow, by violence if
necessary, of the whole system of idolatry, and to introduce Catholic
Christianity in its stead. He had often, with the most importunate
zeal, urged Mo