"He (Cortes) felt a great affection for Quauhtemoctzin, as he
was so near a relative, and son-in-law to his late friend, the powerful
Motecusuma. He should indeed feel sorely grieved if he compelled him to
destroy the great city of Mexico. He was also grieved to see so many of
its inhabitants, with his subjects of the surrounding country, daily
becoming victims to these continued battles. He now therefore, in the
name of our emperor, offered him terms of peace, with forgiveness for
all the injury he had done us. He advised him to take this offer, which
had now been made four several times to him, into his serious
consideration, and no longer allow himself to be deceived by the
inexperience of youth, and the bad advice of his evil-minded papas and
cursed idols. He ought to reflect on the vast number of men he had
already lost; that we were in possession of all the cities and towns of
the surrounding neighbourhood; that the number of his enemies daily
increased; and that, at least, he should have some compassion for his
subjects. He (Cortes) was also well aware that provisions began to fail
in Mexico, and that the inhabitants had no means of obtaining water."

By means of our interpreters these three distinguished personages
perfectly comprehended what Cortes said to them, yet they begged of him
to give them some written document which they might present to
Quauhtemoctzin, for they well knew we were accustomed to accompany every
message of this nature with a letter, or amatl, as they termed any
written order.

When these three personages arrived in the presence of Quauhtemoctzin
they fulfilled their commission with many tears and sighs. The Mexican
monarch on this occasion was surrounded by his chief officers, and at
first appeared inclined to be angry with those who thus presumed to come
with such a message. But as he was a young man of a kind and affable
disposition,[25] he assembled all his great officers, and the most
distinguished of his papas, and told them that he felt inclined to put
an end to the war with Malinche and his troops. The Mexicans, he
continued, had already tried every mode of attack, and put every species
of defence into practice, and had continually altered their plans of
operation; yet, when they thought the Spaniards vanquished, they each
time returned with renewed vigour. They were aware that a considerable
body of auxiliaries had recently joined their enemies; that every town
had declared again