Montezuma Was Dressed And Adorned
With Great Magnificence, His Mantle Being All Covered With Gold And Gems,
A Crown Of Thin Gold On His Head, And Gold Buskins On His Legs Ornamented
With Jewels.
The princes who supported him were all richly dressed, but in
different habits from those in which they had visited us; and several
other nobles in fine dresses, went before the monarch, spreading mantles
on the ground to prevent his feet from touching it.
Three nobles preceded
the whole, each carrying a golden rod, as a signal of the presence of
their great monarch. All the natives who attended Montezuma, except the
four princes, kept their eyes fixed on the ground, no one daring to look
him in the face. On the approach of Montezuma, Cortes dismounted and
advanced towards him with every token of profound respect, and was
welcomed by the Mexican monarch to his metropolis. Cortes then threw upon
the neck of Montezuma a collar of the artificial jewels called
_margajitas_, being glass beads of various colours, set in gold; after
which he advanced, meaning to embrace Montezuma, but the surrounding
nobles prevented him, by taking him respectfully by the arms, considering
this as too great familiarity. It appeared to me that on this occasion
Cortes offered to yield the right hand to Montezuma, who declined this
mark of respect, and placed our general on his right. Cortes then made a
complimentary discourse to Montezuma, expressing his joy in having seen so
great a monarch, and the great honour he had done him, by coming out to
meet him, as well as by the many other marks of favour he had already
received.
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