So low had the emperor of the Aztecs fallen, that he must bear chains like a common felon.

After this insult he swore allegiance to the King of Spain, and even contrived to capture Cacama, the lord of Tezcuco, by treachery and to deliver him into the hands of the Spaniards on whom he would have made war.

To them also he gave up all the hoarded gold and treasure of the empire, to the value of hundreds of thousands of English pounds.

All this the nation bore, for it was stupefied and still obeyed the commands of its captive king.

But when he suffered the Spaniards to worship the true God in one of the sanctuaries of the great temple, a murmur of discontent and sullen fury rose among the thousands of the Aztecs.