CHAPTER XCI.

_Of Motecusuma's person, disposition, habits, and of his great

power._

The mighty Motecusuma may have been about this time in the fortieth year

of his age. He was tall of stature, of slender make, and rather thin,

but the symmetry of his body was beautiful. His complexion was not very

brown, merely approaching to that of the inhabitants in general. The

hair of his head was not very long, excepting where it hung thickly down

over his ears, which were quite hidden by it. His black beard, though

thin, looked handsome. His countenance was rather of an elongated form,

but cheerful; and his fine eyes had the expression of love or severity,

at the proper moments. He was particularly clean in his person, and took

a bath every evening. Besides a number of concubines, who were all

daughters of persons of rank and quality, he had two lawful wives of

royal extraction, whom, however, he visited secretly without any one

daring to observe it, save his most confidential servants. He was

perfectly innocent of any unnatural crimes. The dress he had on one day

was not worn again until four days had elapsed. In the halls adjoining

his own private apartments there was always a guard of 2000 men of

quality, in waiting: with whom, however, he never held any conversation

unless to give them orders or to receive some intelligence from them.

Whenever for this purpose they entered his apartment, they had first to

take off their rich costumes and put on meaner garments, though these

were always neat and clean; and were only allowed to enter into his

presence barefooted, with eyes cast down. No person durst look at him

full in the face, and during the three prostrations which they were

obliged to make before they could approach him, they pronounced these

words: "Lord! my Lord! sublime Lord!" Everything that was communicated

to him was to be said in few words, the eyes of the speaker being

constantly cast down, and on leaving the monarch's presence he walked

backwards out of the room. I also remarked that even princes and other

great personages who come to Mexico respecting lawsuits, or on other

business from the interior of the country, always took off their shoes

and changed their whole dress for one of a meaner appearance when they

entered his palace. Neither were they allowed to enter the palace

straightway, but had to show themselves for a considerable time outside

the doors; as it would have been considered want of respect to the

monarch if this had been omitted.

Above 300 kinds of dishes were served up for Motecusuma's dinner from

his kitchen, underneath which were placed pans of porcelain filled with

fire, to keep them warm. Three hundred dishes of various kinds were

served up for him alone, and above 1000 for the persons in waiting. He

sometimes, but very seldom, accompanied by the chief officers of his

household, ordered the dinner himself, and desired that the best dishes

and various kinds of birds should be called over to him. We were told

that the flesh of young children, as a very dainty bit, was also set

before him sometimes by way of a relish. Whether there was any truth in

this we could not possibly discover; on account of the great variety of

dishes, consisting in fowls, turkeys, pheasants, partridges, quails,

tame and wild geese, venison, musk swine, pigeons, hares, rabbits, and

of numerous other birds and beasts; besides which there were various

other kinds of provisions, indeed it would have been no easy task to

call them all over by name. This I know, however, for certain, that

after Cortes had reproached him for the human sacrifices and the eating

of human flesh, he issued orders that no dishes of that nature should

again be brought to his table. I will, however, drop this subject, and

rather relate how the monarch was waited on while he sat at dinner. If

the weather was cold a large fire was made with a kind of charcoal made

of the bark of trees, which emitted no smoke, but threw out a delicious

perfume; and that his majesty might not feel any inconvenience from too

great a heat, a screen was placed between his person and the fire, made

of gold, and adorned with all manner of figures of their gods. The chair

on which he sat was rather low, but supplied with soft cushions, and was

beautifully carved; the table was very little higher than this, but

perfectly corresponded with his seat. It was covered with white cloths,

and one of a larger size. Four very neat and pretty young women held

before the monarch a species of round pitcher, called by them Xicales,

filled with water to wash his hands in. The water was caught in other

vessels, and then the young women presented him with towels to dry his

hands. Two other women brought him maise-bread baked with eggs. Before,

however, Motecusuma began his dinner, a kind of wooden screen, strongly

gilt, was placed before him, that no one might see him while eating, and

the young women stood at a distance. Next four elderly men, of high

rank, were admitted to his table; whom he addressed from time to time,

or put some questions to them. Sometimes he would offer them a plate of

some of his viands, which was considered a mark of great favour. These

grey-headed old men, who were so highly honoured, were, as we

subsequently learnt, his nearest relations, most trustworthy counsellors

and chief justices. Whenever he ordered any victuals to be presented

them, they ate it standing, in the deepest veneration, though without

daring to look at him full in the face. The dishes in which the dinner

was served up were of variegated and black porcelain, made at Cholulla.

While the monarch was at table, his courtiers, and those who were in

waiting in the halls adjoining, had to maintain strict silence.

After the hot dishes had been removed, every kind of fruit which the

country produced was set on the table; of which, however, Motecusuma ate

very little. Every now and then was handed to him a golden pitcher

filled with a kind of liquor made from the cacao, which is of a very

exciting nature.[52] Though we did not pay any particular attention to

the circumstance at the time, yet I saw about fifty large pitchers

filled with the same liquor brought in all frothy. This beverage was

also presented to the monarch by women, but all with the profoundest

veneration.

Sometimes during dinner time, he would have ugly Indian humpbacked

dwarfs, who acted as buffoons and performed antics for his amusement. At

another time he would have jesters to enliven him with their witticisms.

Others again danced and sung before him. Motecusuma took great delight

in these entertainments, and ordered the broken victuals and pitchers of

cacao liquor to be distributed among these performers. As soon as he had

finished his dinner the four women cleared the cloths and brought him

water to wash his hands. During this interval he discoursed a little

with the four old men, and then left table to enjoy his afternoon's nap.

After the monarch had dined, dinner was served up for the men on duty

and the other officers of his household, and I have often counted more

than 1000 dishes on the table, of the kinds above mentioned. These were

then followed, according to the Mexican custom, by the frothing jugs of

cacao liquor; certainly 2000 of them, after which came different kinds

of fruit in great abundance.

Next the women dined, who superintended the baking department; and those

who made the cacao liquor, with the young women who waited upon the

monarch. Indeed, the daily expense of these dinners alone must have been

very great!

Besides these servants there were numerous butlers, house-stewards,

treasurers, cooks, and superintendents of maise-magazines. Indeed there

is so much to be said about these that I scarcely knew where to

commence, and we could not help wondering that everything was done with

such perfect order. I had almost forgotten to mention, that during

dinner-time, two other young women of great beauty brought the monarch

small cakes, as white as snow, made of eggs and other very nourishing

ingredients, on plates covered with clean napkins; also a kind of

long-shaped bread, likewise made of very substantial things, and some

pachol, which is a kind of wafer-cake. They then presented him with

three beautifully painted and gilt tubes, which were filled with liquid

amber, and a herb called by the Indians tabaco. After the dinner had

been cleared away and the singing and dancing done, one of these tubes

was lighted, and the monarch took the smoke into his mouth, and after he

had done this a short time, he fell asleep.[53]

About this time a celebrated cazique, whom we called Tapia, was

Motecusuma's chief steward: he kept an account of the whole of

Motecusuma's revenue, in large books of paper which the Mexicans call

_Amatl_. A whole house was filled with such large books of accounts.[54]

Motecusuma had also two arsenals filled with arms of every description,

of which many were ornamented with gold and precious stones. These arms

consisted in shields of different sizes, sabres, and a species of

broadsword, which is wielded with both hands, the edge furnished with

flint stones, so extremely sharp that they cut much better than our

Spanish swords:[55] further, lances of greater length than ours, with

spikes at their end, full one fathom in length, likewise furnished with

several sharp flint stones. The pikes are so very sharp and hard that

they will pierce the strongest shield, and cut like a razor; so that the

Mexicans even shave themselves with these stones. Then there were

excellent bows and arrows, pikes with single and double points, and the

proper thongs to throw them with; slings with round stones purposely

made for them; also a species of large shield, so ingeniously

constructed that it could be rolled up when not wanted: they are only

unrolled on the field of battle, and completely cover the whole body

from the head to the feet. Further, we saw here a great variety of

cuirasses made of quilted cotton, which were outwardly adorned with soft

feathers of different colours, and looked like uniforms; morions and

helmets constructed of wood and bones, likewise adorned with feathers.

There were always artificers at work, who continually augmented this

store of arms; and the arsenals were under the care of particular

personages, who also superintended the works.

Motecusuma had likewise a variety of aviaries, and it is indeed with

difficulty that I constrain myself from going into too minute a detail

respecting these. I will confine myself by stating that we saw here

every kind of eagle, from the king's eagle to the smallest kind

included, and every species of bird, from the largest known to the

little colibris, in their full splendour of plumage. Here were also to

be seen those birds from which the Mexicans take the green-coloured

feathers of which they manufacture their beautiful feathered stuffs.

These last-mentioned birds very much resemble our Spanish jays, and are

called by the Indians quezales. The species of sparrows were

particularly curious, having five distinct colours in their

plumage--green, red, white, yellow, and blue; I have, however, forgotten

their Mexican name. There were such vast numbers of parrots, and such a

variety of species, that I cannot remember all their names; and geese of

the richest plumage, and other large birds. These were, at stated

periods, stripped of their feathers, in order that new ones might grow

in their place. All these birds had appropriate places to breed in, and

were under the care of several Indians of both sexes, who had to keep

the nests clean, give to each kind its proper food, and set the birds

for breeding. In the courtyard belonging to this building, there was a

large basin of sweet water, in which, besides other water fowls, there

was a particularly beautiful bird, with long legs, its body, wings, and

tail variously coloured, and is called at Cuba, where it is also found,

the ipiris.

In another large building, numbers of idols were erected, and these, it

is said, were the most terrible of all their gods. Near these were kept

all manner of beautiful animals, tigers, lions of two different kinds,

of which one had the shape of a wolf, and was called a jackal; there

were also foxes, and other small beasts of prey. Most of these animals

had been bred here, and were fed with wild deers' flesh, turkeys, dogs,

and sometimes, as I have been assured, with the offal of human beings.

Respecting the abominable human sacrifices of these people, the

following was communicated to us: The breast of the unhappy victim

destined to be sacrificed was ripped open with a knife made of sharp

flint; the throbbing heart was then torn out, and immediately offered to

the idol-god in whose honour the sacrifice had been instituted. After

this, the head, arms, and legs were cut off and eaten at their banquets,

with the exception of the head, which was saved, and hung to a beam

appropriated for that purpose. No other part of the body was eaten, but

the remainder was thrown to the beasts which were kept in those

abominable dens, in which there were also vipers and other poisonous

serpents, and, among the latter in particular, a species at the end of

whose tail there was a kind of rattle. This last-mentioned serpent,

which is the most dangerous, was kept in a cabin of a diversified form,

in which a quantity of feathers had been strewed: here it laid its eggs,

and it was fed with the flesh of dogs and of human beings who had been

sacrificed. We were positively told that, after we had been beaten out

of the city of Mexico, and had lost 850 of our men, these horrible

beasts were fed for many successive days with the bodies of our

unfortunate countrymen. Indeed, when all the tigers and lions roared

together, with the howlings of the jackals and foxes, and hissing of the

serpents, it was quite fearful, and you could not suppose otherwise than

that you were in hell.

I will now, however, turn to another subject, and rather acquaint my

readers with the skilful arts practised among the Mexicans: among which

I will first mention the sculptors, and the gold and silversmiths, who

were clever in working and smelting gold, and would have astonished the

most celebrated of our Spanish goldsmiths: the number of these was very

great, and the most skilful lived at a place called Escapuzalco, about

four miles from Mexico. After these came the very skilful masters in

cutting and polishing precious stones, and the chalchihuis, which

resemble the emerald. Then follow the great masters in painting, and

decorators in feathers, and the wonderful sculptors. Even at this day

there are living in Mexico three Indian artists, named Marcos de Aguino,

Juan de la Cruz, and El Crespello, who have severally reached to such

great proficiency in the art of painting and sculpture, that they may be

compared to an Apelles, or our contemporaries Michael Angelo and

Berruguete.[56]

The women were particularly skilful in weaving and embroidery, and they

manufactured quantities of the finest stuffs, interwoven with feathers.

The commoner stuffs, for daily use, came from some townships in the

province of Costatlan, which lay on the north coast, not far from Vera

Cruz, where we first landed with Cortes.

The concubines in the palace of Motecusuma, who were all daughters of

distinguished men, were employed in manufacturing the most beautiful

stuffs, interwoven with feathers. Similar manufactures were made by

certain kind of women who dwelt secluded in cloisters, as our nuns do.

Of these nuns there were great numbers, and they lived in the

neighbourhood of the great temple of Huitzilopochtli. Fathers sometimes

brought their daughters from a pious feeling, or in honour of some

female idol, the protectress of marriage, into these habitations, where

they remained until they were married.

The powerful Motecusuma had also a number of dancers and clowns: some

danced in stilts, tumbled, and performed a variety of other antics for

the monarch's entertainment: a whole quarter of the city was inhabited

by these performers, and their only occupation consisted in such like

performances. Lastly, Motecusuma had in his service great numbers of

stone-cutters, masons, and carpenters, who were solely employed in the

royal palaces.[57] Above all, I must not forget to mention here his

gardens for the culture of flowers, trees, and vegetables, of which

there were various kinds. In these gardens were also numerous baths,

wells, basins, and ponds full of limpid water, which regularly ebbed and

flowed. All this was enlivened by endless varieties of small birds,

which sang among the trees. Also the plantations of medical plants and

vegetables are well worthy of our notice: these were kept in proper

order by a large body of gardeners. All the baths, wells, ponds, and

buildings were substantially constructed of stonework, as also the

theatres where the singers and dancers performed. There were upon the

whole so many remarkable things for my observation in these gardens and

throughout the whole town, that I can scarcely find words to express the

astonishment I felt at the pomp and splendour of the Mexican monarch.

In the meantime, I am become as tired in noting down these things as the

kind reader will be in perusing them: I will, therefore, close this

chapter, and acquaint the reader how our general, accompanied by many of

his officers, went to view the Tlatelulco, or great square of Mexico; on

which occasion we also ascended the great temple, where stood the idols

Tetzcatlipuca and Huitzilopochtli. This was the first time Cortes left

his head-quarters to perambulate the city.

[52] This was something like our chocolate, and prepared in the same

way, but with this difference, that it was mixed with the boiled dough

of maise, and was drunk cold. (p. 230.)

[53] Respecting the custom of smoking among the Mexicans, Humboldt gives

the following, in his work on New Spain: "The Mexicans called tobacco

_yetl_, which they not only considered a remedy against toothach, cold

in the head, and bowel complaints, but they likewise used it as a

luxury, by smoking and snuffing it. At Motecusuma's court it was used as

a narcotic, not only after dinner, but also after breakfast, to produce

a comfortable nap, as is still the custom in many districts of America.

The leaves were rolled together like cigars, and then stuck in tubes

made of silver, wood, or of shell." (p. 231.)

[54] The revenue of Motecusuma we know consisted of the natural products

of the country, and what was produced by the industry of his subjects.

Respecting the payment of tribute, we find the following story in

Torquemada: "During the abode of Motecusuma among the Spaniards, in the

palace of his father, Alonso de Ojeda one day espied in a certain

apartment of the building a number of small bags tied up. He imagined at

first that they were filled with gold dust, but on opening one of them,

what was his astonishment to find it quite full of lice? Ojeda, greatly

surprised at the discovery he had made, immediately communicated what he

had seen to Cortes, who then asked Marina and Aguilar for some

explanation. They informed him that the Mexicans had such a sense of

their duty to pay tribute to their monarch, that the poorest and meanest

of the inhabitants, if they possessed nothing better to present to their

king, daily cleaned their persons, and saved all the lice they caught,

and that when they had a good store of these, they laid them in bags at

the feet of their monarch. Torquemada further remarks, that his reader

might think these bags were filled with small worms (gasanillos), and

not with lice; but appeals to Alonso de Ojeda, and another of Cortes'

soldiers, named Alonso de Mata, who were eyewitnesses of the fact."

This story, no doubt, is founded on something like truth, and most

probably these bags were filled with the coccus cacti, the famous

cochineal insect, then unknown to the Spaniards, who might easily have

mistaken them in a dried state for lice. (p. 231.)

[55] This weapon, called by the Mexicans maquahuitl, was much dreaded by

the Spaniards; and the historian Acosta relates that the Mexicans would

cut off the head of a horse with it at one blow. (p. 231.)

[56] Alonso Berruguete, a Spanish artist, who rose to great eminence in

painting, architecture, and sculpture. He received great protection from

Charles the Fifth, who employed him in considerable works in the

Alhambra of Granada and elsewhere. (p. 233.)

[57] Bernal Diaz, unfortunately, gives no description of Motecusuma's

palace; we will therefore give Torquemada's account of this remarkable

building. He himself, however, never saw it, but chiefly gained his

information from the Mexicans themselves, who may have exaggerated a

little: Motecusuma's palace had twenty doors, which either opened into

the large square or into the principal streets of the city; it had three

large courts, and in one of them was a tank, supplied with water by the

aqueduct of Chapultepec. The palace contained a number of halls, and a

hundred rooms twenty-five feet long and as many broad, each provided

with a bath. Everything was built of stone and lime. The walls were

covered with beautiful stones, marble, jasper, porphyry, and a block

stone, which is so highly polished that you might use it for a

looking-glass; besides these, there was a white stone, almost

transparent. All the woodwork was made of white cedar, palm, cypress,

pine, and other fine woods, adorned with beautiful carved-work. In one

of the apartments, which was one hundred and fifty feet long and fifty

broad, was Motecusuma's chapel, which was covered with plates of gold

and silver almost the thickness of a finger, besides that it was

decorated with innumerable emeralds, rubies, topaz, and other precious

stones. (p. 235.)