History of the Conquest of Mexico; vol. 4/4Prescott, William Hickling
History
History of the Conquest of Mexico; vol. 4/4
Prescott, William Hickling
Cortés, Hernán, 1485-1547; Mexico -- History -- Conquest, 1519-1540
My beloved daughter, very dear little dove, you have already heard
and attended to the words which your father has told you. They are
precious words, and such as are rarely spoken or listened to, and
which have proceeded from the bowels and heart in which they were
treasured up; and your beloved father well knows that you are his
daughter, begotten of him, are his blood, and his flesh; and God
our Lord knows that it is so. Although you are a woman, and are
_the image of your father_, what more can I say to you than has
already been said? What more can you hear than what you have heard
from your lord and father? who has fully told you what it is
becoming for you to do and to avoid; nor is there anything
remaining, which concerns you, that he has not touched upon.
Nevertheless, that I may do towards you my whole duty, I will say
to you some few words.--The first thing that I earnestly charge
upon you is, that you observe and do not forget what your father
has now told you, since it is all very precious; and persons of his
condition rarely publish such things; for they are the words which
belong to the noble and wise,--valuable as rich jewels. See, then,
that you take them and lay them up in your heart, and write them in
your bowels. If God gives you life, with these same words will you
teach your sons and daughters, if God shall give you them.--The
second thing that I desire to say to you is, that I love you much,
that you are my dear daughter. Remember that nine months I bore you
in my womb, that you were born and brought up in my arms. I placed
you in your cradle, and in my lap, and with my milk I nursed you.
This I tell you, in order that you may know that I and your father
are the source of your being; it is we who now instruct you. See
that you receive our words, and treasure them in your breast.--Take
care that your garments are such as are decent and proper; and
observe that you do not adorn yourself with much finery, since this
is a mark of vanity and of folly. As little becoming is it, that
your dress should be very mean, dirty, or ragged; since rags are a
mark of the low, and of those who are held in contempt. Let your
clothes be becoming and neat, that you may neither appear fantastic
nor mean. When you speak, do not hurry your words from uneasiness,
but speak deliberately and calmly. Do not raise your voice very
high, nor speak very low, but in a moderate tone. Neither mince,
when you speak, nor when you salute, nor speak through your nose;
but let your words be proper, of a good sound, and your voice
gentle. Do not be nice in the choice of your words. In walking, my
daughter, see that you behave becomingly, neither going with
haste, nor too slowly; since it is an evidence of being puffed up,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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