The herald., 1895-05-19
CHRONICLES
OF THE
CONQUEST OF MEXICO
Being the Diary
OF BERNAL DIAZ DEL CASTILLO
Translated Literally b.
JOHN T. GAFFEY
Copyright. All Rights Reserved
Translated Literally b.
JOHN T. GAFFEY
Copyright. All Rights Reserved
CHAPTER LXIV
How Cortes Sent to Guatemoc Urging Him to
Accept Terms of Peace, but the Reply Of
the Council Led Him to Say I'VE Will All
Die Fighting"

How Cortes Sent to Guatemoc Urging Him to
Accept Terms of Peace, but the Reply of
the Council Led Him to Say 1--WE Will All
Die Fighting"
AS we were now daily gaining ground
Cortes sent for three of the chief men of
Guatemoc, whom he had taken prisoners,
and told them to go to their lord and ad-
wise him to make peace with us; they re-
piled that they would not dare to suggest
such thing to him, as he would instant
ly order them slain. but after much per-
suasion and many presents he finally pre-
vailed on them to tell Guatemoc that be-
cause ne was such near relative of Mon
tezuma (who had been his friend and
was married to his daughter, and because
be pitied that great city and did not wish
to see it destroyed, and to avoid the
great slaughter that was daily oc-
curing. he begged him to make
peace and put an end to the war.
and that in the name of his majesty he
would pardon him all the harm he had
done u.s. And to remember that he had
already three times offered him peace,
which because he was young and hot
headed or by reason OF the ba advice OF
his CounsellorS or of his cursed idols and
their ministers, the Papas, he had refused.
and Instead had made war on us. And
to tell him we knew that he had but little
water and no food III the city, and to have
pity on his subjects.
When those messengers came before
Guatemoc and his Captains they wept
and sobbing repeated to him the message
OF Cortes, and it seems that Guatemoc at
first received the message with passion,
and was inclined to punish them for their
boldness in bringing it. but AS he was not
naturally OF a bad disposition and was in
cined to be Just. and when not IN battle
was a man of very gentle heart, and after
he had considered the message, he decid-
ed to call council of all his chief
men and the Papas and lay it be-
fore them. When the council met
AZ called to their minds the des-
perate defense he had made of the city
and how when he had thought tire men
OF Malinche beaten, they had returned
to the attack stronger than before, and
how ali their allies had fallen away from
them and joined Malinche. and how their
water supply had been cut off and that
now their suppy of food had given out.
and he begged that each one would fully
and freely state his opinion as to what
should be done and that he would be gov
crned by the opinion of the majority.
And when they had consulted one of
the council speaking for all the others,
said to him: Lord, our lord, great
l1rd. the gods selected You to reign over
us. aud you have done so wisely and in
everything you have shown yourself
brave and good King and the peace you
have spoken CT would be blessing; but
consider that ever since these Teules have
entered our country things have gone
>rom bad to worse. Remember tho SER
vices done them and the gifts given them
by our late lord. your uncle. the great
Montezuma. and what was the end of it?
How was it with your cousin Cacamat-
Sin. the King of Tezcuco, and your rela-