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Show 130 JJOOK IX. ~ H I S T 0 R y 0 F M ~ X I CO. 1 h llans and the Huexotzincas; and, accompanied by them, Q!!au 1quec o . r. d h [c he marched for Cholula, with a hundred ~panilh lOJantry an ten ores, having refolved to execute this entcrprifc m perfon. He found the Spa- . d ·n Cholula apprehenfive, but he foon encouraged them, and then mar s 1 h · h f1 ft d f marched for~~uhquechollan, with all his army, w tc con 1 ~ ~ow o three hundred Spaniards and upwards of a hundred thoufand allies. fuch was the readinefs of thofc people in taking arms to free themfelves from the yoke of the Mexicans. Before he arri.ved at Quauhquecholla~, Cortes was informed by the chief of that c1ty, that all t~e p~rpofc:d mcafures had been taken; that the Mexicans were confidmg m thctr centinels pofi.cd upon the tow~rs of the city, and on the road; but t~1~t the centinels had already been fecretly fc:izecl and confined by the cttl-zens. . The ~auhquechollans no fooner faw the army which was commg to their affiftance, than. they attacked the quarters of the Mexican officers with [uch fury, that, before Cortes entered the city, they prefented bim forty prifoners. When the general entered, three tl~oufand citizens were affaulting the principal dwelling of the Mextc:ms, who, though greatly inferior in number, defended themfelves fo bravely th~t they could not take the houfe, although they had rendered thcmfcl ve,s mall:ers of the terraces. Cortes made the afiimlt, and took it; but in f.pite of the eftorts he made to feize any one of them, fr<?m whom he might learn fome intelli~ence of the court, the Mexicans fought with fuch obftinacy, that they were all killed, and he with ditliculty obtained fome few particulars from a dying officer. The other Mexicans, who were fcattered through the city, fled out precipitately to incorporate thernfelves with the body of the army, encamped on a high ground which commanded all the environs. They immediately formed in order of battle, entered the city, and began fetting fire to the houfes. Cor. t~s affirms, that he never faw an army make a more beautiful appearance, on account of the gold and the plumes with which their armour 'was adorned. The Spaniards defended the city with their cavalry and many thoufands of allies, and forced them to retreat to a high and almofi i11acceffible ground,; but being likewife thither purfued by their en ·mies, they betook them{elvcs to the fummit of a very lofty mountain, leaving numbers dead on the field. The conquerors, after having facked the Mexican camp, returned to the dty loaded with lpoils. The H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. The army rcfted three di1ys in ~auhquechotlan, and on the fourth marchccl towards ltzocan (d), a city containing from three to four thouCwd families, fitu.m: on the fide of a mountain, about te::n miles from ~auhquecholhm, furrounded by a deep river and a fmall wall. It ilreets were well difpofed, and its tcmpks fo numerous, that Cortei illlagined them, including fmall and l.trge, to be more than a hundn:d in number. The air of it is hot, from being {ituated in a deep valley, {hut in by high mountains; and its foil, like that of~auhquechollan. ~crtile, and ihadcd by trees Gearing the moil: bc::autiful blollo!llS and excellent fruits. A prince of the royal blood of Mexico governed the {late at this time, to whom Monte:wma had given it in fief, after having put its lawful lord to death, for fome mifckmeanor of which we ue ignorant; and there w.ts now in it a garrifon of from five to fix thoufand Mexican troops. All thefc p:1rticulars having been commu~ nicated to Cortes, he was induced to make an expedition againil: ltzocan. His army was fo much incrcafed, that it amounted, according to his own aflirmation, to about the numbt.:r of a hundred and fifty thoufand men. He il:or:ucd the city on that fide where the entry was leaH dillicult. The Itzocallefe, fecondcd by the royal troops, made at fidl: lome refiibnce; but having been at laO: overcome by fuperiority of force, they went into confufion, and fled by the oppoGtc part of the city: and, having ro!fcd the river, they raifed the bridges to prevent the purfuit of the enemy. The Spaniards and the alTies, in fpite of the ditiiculty. of getting acrofs the river, chafed them fQur miles, kill;ng fomc, making others prifoncrs, and ftriking terror and difmay to the whule. Cortes, hiwing returned to the city, made all the fancluarics be fet on fire, and by means of feme prifoners recalled the citizt:ns who were fcattered through the mountains, and invited them to return without fc~lr to inhabit their houfcs. The lord of ltzoc;m hild ahfcnt ... d from the city, and fet out for Mexico, whenever the ;mny of the enemy came in fight. That w.ts furficic::nt to the nol>ility to declare the fi<\te vacant, particularly as in all probability ho .was not very acceptable to them : on which a count thoy agreed, with the authority and under the prote.:tion of ortcs, to give it to a fon of the lord of ~auhqucchollan and a daughter of that lord v.'ho was put to (J) ltzocall is called Ir.ucnr by the Sp~niards. s 2 death IJ! BJOK IX. ~ SacT. '<XIX. \ Tar of ltzG· can. |