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180 ," he said, "I have a son and two daughters. Take them as hostages. Do not put such a disgrace upon me as to demand my person. What will my caciques say if they see me led off prisoner?" But Cortes answered that the monarch's own person was the only guarantee of our safety, and there was no other way of easing our minds. Finally, at the end of much more discussion, the ruler determined to go quietly with us, and as soon as he had declared his purpose, our captain and officers showed him every civility, begging him to pardon their insistence and to tell his guards and warriors that he had advised with Huitzilopochtli and his attendant papas and finally had of his own free will taken up residence in our quarters. His splendid litter which he used when he left his palace with all his suite was then brought, and he went with us to our quarters. There we placed guards over him.

The messengers through whom Montezuma summoned the warriors by the seal of Huitzilopochtli, brought the warring caciques from the coast as prisoners. What the monarch said to them when they stood before him I do not know, but in the end he sent them to Cortes for judgment. Then these unfortunate men confessed that Montezuma had commanded them to levy tribute by force of arms, and if any teules should protect those rebelling against the levy, to put them also to the sword.