At the foote and head of this Theatre, were two Towers, made only of lime and skulles, the téeth outwarde, and this wall hauing no other stuffe, séemed a straunge sight. At and vppon the toppe of the Theatre, were 70. polles, standing the one from the other foure or fiue foote distant, and eache of them was full of staues from the foote to the toppe. Each of these staues had others made fast vnto them, so that euery of them had fiue skulles broched through the temples. _Andrewe de Tapia_ did certifie me, that he and _Gonsalo de Vmbria_ dyd recken them in one daye, and founde a hundred thirtie and sixe thousande skulles on the polles, staues, and steppes. The other Towers were replenished out of number, a most cruell custome, being only mens heads slaine in sacrifice, although it hath a shewe of humanitie for the remembrance there placed of death. There are also men appoynted, that when one skull falleth, to set vp another in his place, so that the number may neuer want. Hovv Cortez tooke Mutezuma _prisoner_. _Hernando Cortez_ and his companye, were sixe dayes in beholding and perusing the scituation of the Citie, and secretes of the same, with the notable thinges before rehearsed: they were often visited by _Mutezuma_, & the Gentlemen of hys Courte, and abundantly prouided of things necessarye for his vse, and the _Indians_ of his company. [Sidenote: A svveete bedde.] [Sidenote: Determination of Cortez.] Likewise his Horses were cherished and serued with gréene barley and grasse, whereof there is plentie all the yeare: Likewise of corne, meale, roses, and of all thynges that their owners would request, in so much that beddes of floures were made for them in place of litter. But yet notwithstanding, although they were in this sorte cherished, and also lodged in so riche a Countrey, where they mighte fyll their purses, they were not yet all contente and merrie, but rather with great feare and care, especially _Cortes_, who hadde the onely care as head and chiefe Captayne for the defence of hys fellowes, hée (I saye) was pensiue, noting the scituation of the Citie, the infinite number of people, the state and maiestie of _Mexico_, yea and some disquietnesse of hys owne companye, who woulde come and laye vnto hys charge the snare and nette that they were in, thynkyng it a thyng vnpossible that anye of them coulde escape, if _Mutezuma_ were therevnto determined, or else with the least muteny in the worlde, that mought be raysed in the Citie, although that euery inhabitant shoulde throw but one stone at them, or else to breake vp the drawbridges, or withdrawing their victuals, things verye easie to bée done. With this greate care that he had of the preseruation of his fellowes, and to remedie the perill and daunger that he stoode in, he determined to apprehëd _Mutezuma_, and to builde foure Foystes to haue the lake in subiection, which he hadde tofore ymagined, and without the apprehension of the King, he coulde