The herald., 1895-04-07
CHAPTER xxx
Of How We All Enjoyed Ourselves While
the Great rlontezuna Was a Prisoner,
and of How Tie Even Gave Us Permission
to Visit the Temples of His Idols

~ .N~-N
As our Captain was thoughtful in every
thing, and fearing that Montezuma, being
prisoner. he might erieve over his con-
dition, he was accustomed to go to see
him each day after praying, and he used
10 take with him Pedro de Alvarade. Juan
velasquez de Leon and Diego dc Ordas,
and to ask him if he wanted for anything
or if he had any commands and that
everything would be done as he desired 1T.
To which he would say that he was con-
tented with his imprisonment, for that
either our gods gave us power TO Keep
him there or that his own god, Hultzii-
opotzli, permitted it, and so little by lit
tie in conversation with him they ex-
planned to him our holy faith and the
great power of our lord, the King of Spain.
/ also remember that he often played
totoloque with Cortes; this is game
played with small round balls very
smooth. and in this case made of gold.
Those little balls they threw at certain
marks at some distance, and five points
won or lost certain wagers, usually OF so
many pieces of gold or some rich orna-
ments of the same.
| recolect that Pedro de Alvarado al
ways counted for Cortes. and for Monte
yuma one of his nephews, a great lord;
and Pedro de Alvarado would always
count for Cortes one point more than he
made and when Montezuma saw 1T he
smiled and said jestingly that he did not
like to have the Tonatin (Alvarado)
count for Cortes because he made so many
mistakes, and Cortes and all OF us present
could not help laughing at what Monte
yuma said but to return to the game.
If Cortes won he gave the winnings to
the attendants of Montezuma and II Mon
tezuma won he gave his winnings to those
of us who composed his guard, and not
content with this he each day gave us
besides presents Of mantles and gold, both
to us and the Captain OF his guard, who
at this time was Juan Velasquez de Leon,
and in everything Juan Velasquez showed
himself good friend to Montezuma.
It happened at this time that certain
soldier a crossbowman named PEDRO
Lopez, very well meaning but Ignorant
man, had dispute with the Corporal OF
the guard as to whether it was his turn
to act as sentry over Montezuma or not,
and during the dispute Pedro Lopez
waxed angry and exclaimed: IA pest
on this dog, for watching of him my very
stomach is sick" And Montezuma heard
these words and it hurt him to the soul
and when Cortes came to see him he told
him of it and Cortes was exceedingly
angry ard Notwithstanding that Pedro
Lopez was a good crossbowman, he caused
him to be lashed within our quarters, and
thereafter all the soldiers who were on
guard over Montezuma, watched in
silence and acted with good breeding.
With myself and other soldiers it was not
necessary to command us as to how to
act toward such great and generous
king, and he well knew us all and he
even knew our names and rank, Tor
Orteguilla, his page, had informed him,
and he was kind and generous to all OF US
and gave us ornaments and rich clothing
and pretty Indian girls.
was always on his guard and l ever
treated him with great respect and always
took off my helmet in his presence and
Orteguilla had told him that had come
to his coasts on two expeditions before
Cortes did. At this time | was young and
one day / told Orteguilla to ask the en-
peror to give me pretty Indian girl.
And when Orteguilla told him he sent for
me and said: ''Bernal Diaz del Castillo,
l am told that you have neither gold nor
mantles; now I will give you pretty
young woman; treat her well for she is
the daughter of a noble. will give you
also gold and mantles."
| replied with great respect and kissed
his hands for his great generosity and
hoped that God, our Lord, would prosper
him.
He asked the page what had said and
when he was told he said: ''It appears to
me that Bernal Diaz has a noble DISPOSE
tion," and be ordered that L should be
given three square pieces of gold and two
cargoes of mantles.
But we will leave this and tell how in
the morning, when he offered sacrifices
and prayed to his idols, he ate very little
and no meat. And afterwards he gave
one hour to receiving those who had suits
or complaints.
And while he was in our quarters we
learned that of the number of women
whom he had, he married many to his
Captains and mobiles, and even gave some
of them to our soldiers, and the one he
gave to me was one of them, and she was
called Dona Francisco; SO he passed his
time sometimes smiling and at others
weighed down with grief at his imprison-
ment.