. The history of America, : from its discovery by Columbus to the conclusion of the late war. : With an appendix, containing an account of the rise and progress of the present unhappy contest between Great Britain and her colonies. . him with much warmth, he faid, he could fee nocruelty in offering to the gods prilbners taken in battle, and who by the laws ofwar were already condemned to die : nor did he by any means approve of themaxim laid down in Scripture, to extend neighbourly affection towards anenemy. In a word, though he feemed to approve of the benevolence and huma-nity of the Chrifli
. The history of America, : from its discovery by Columbus to the conclusion of the late war. : With an appendix, containing an account of the rise and progress of the present unhappy contest between Great Britain and her colonies. . him with much warmth, he faid, he could fee nocruelty in offering to the gods prilbners taken in battle, and who by the laws ofwar were already condemned to die : nor did he by any means approve of themaxim laid down in Scripture, to extend neighbourly affection towards anenemy. In a word, though he feemed to approve of the benevolence and huma-nity of the Chriflian fyftem, in certain particulars, he conftantly returned to hisold alTcrrion, That his gods were good in Mexico, as the Chriftian God mightbe in the Eaft. Montezuma, in adhering fo ffrenuoufly to the religion of his country, was notinfluenced merely by motives of piety. He looked upon the bafis of the royalauthority to be laid in the abfurd fuperftition of the people, and their reverencefor the priefls, with whom it would be dangerous to have any altercation on atopic in which their intereft, influence, and character, were fo deeply dreaded their difpleafure, and the contempt of his vaffals, fhould he relax his. THE HISTORY OF AMERICA. i43 tea! for the worfhip of his gods, out of complaifance to the ftrangers : and he had C HAP. a vanity, it appears, in the magnificence of his temples, which led him, foon a~DV~^—after this converfation, to difplay them to Cortez, accompanied by father * ? Olmedo, and fome principal officers and favourite foldiers. When the Spaniards came to the entrance of the great temple, Montezumadefired them to halt, and went forward in perfon to confult the priefts, Whetherit was lawful for him to bring into the prefence of his gods, men who refufed toworfhip them. The queftion was anfwered in the affirmative, provided they wouldbehave with proper refpect. Immediately all the gates of this fuperb edificewere fetopen, and Montezuma to
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