About this time, the king offered to give Cortes one of the princesses his daughter in marriage.  Cortes received this offer with much gratitude, but suggested the propriety of having her in the first place instructed in the Christian religion, with which Montezuma complied, though he still continued attached to his own false worship and brutal human sacrifices.  Cortes and his captains were much scandalized by this persistence of Montezuma in idolatry, and thought it their duty as Christians, to run even the risk of occasioning a rebellion of the Mexicans by destroying the idols and planting the true cross in their place; or if that could not be now accomplished, to make a chapel for Christian worship in the temple.  On this determination, seven officers and soldiers attended Cortes and Father Olmedo to wait upon Montezuma, to whom they communicated their wish, and their resolution to employ force if necessary.  The king was much alarmed, and earnestly begged leave to consult with his priests on the subject.  Cortes seemed touched with his situation, and made a signal to the officers and soldiers to retire, leaving him and Olmedo with the king.  He then told him, that he would endeavour to prevail on the officers to be satisfied for the present, if a part of the great temple was appropriated for the reception of an altar and crucifix, by which his majesty would soon be convinced of the falsehood of his erroneous worship[10].  To this proposal Montezuma reluctantly consented, with the appearance of much agitation and deep sorrow; and, an altar and crucifix being erected, mass was solemnly celebrated in the new chapel, for the care of which a proper person was appointed.

The whole time of our stay in this city was one continued series of alarms, sufficient to have destroyed us if we had not been supported by divine interposition.  By this last measure, through the representations of the priests, acting on the prejudices of the people, our dangers were much increased.  Their gods, as the priests alleged, threatened to desert them, unless we were destroyed for this violation of the temple, and an universal determination was formed to obey this manifestation of their commands.  This resolution of the people was conveyed to Montezuma by the priests, and all his principal warriors; who, besides this subject of complaint on the score of religion, made many other representations respecting our misconduct, ever since our arrival in the empire.  The page Orguetilla communicated many alarming circumstances which he had observed, to Cortes, respecting frequent secret conferences between Montezuma and his priests and nobles, and the angry and melancholy appearances which he had frequently seen the king assume on these occasions.  Cortes was alarmed by this intelligence, and immediately waited on the king accompanied by his interpreters and five of his captains.  Montezuma seemed much distressed during this conference, and declared to Cortes that he was extremely grieved at