OCR Text |
Show 156 ]OOK III. ~ SF CT . XVIII lt7. '03t l fomth king of Mcxi.:u. H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M It X I C 0. While. Nezahunlcojotl continued roufing the hations to war, the Mexicans finding themfelves without a king, and harra.ifed by the Tepanecas refolvcd to appoint a chief to their nation, who would be capable of ch~cking the infolcncc of the tyrant, and revenging the many wro.ngs they had fuffered. Having aficmblcd, therefore, to dec't a new kmg, a refpcc:table veteran thus addreifed the other .eleCtors. " By the d~ath " of your laft king, 0 noble Mexicans, the ltght of your eyes has f,u!ed "you; but you have ftill thofe of reafon left to chufc a fit fu~ceflor. " The nobilitv of Mexico is not extinCt with Chimalpopoca; Ius bro" thers are ftill remaiqing, who are mofl: excellent princes, among " whom you may chufc a lord to govcm you, and a father to protect " you. Imagine that for a little time the fun is eclipfed, and that the " earth is darkened, but that light will return again with the new king. " It is of the greateft importance that, without long conferences, we " eleCt a prince who may rc-eftabliih the honour of our nation, may cc vindicate the wrongs done to it, and reftore to it its ancient liberty." They proceeded quickly to the eleCtion, and chofe by unanimous confent prince Itzcoat1, brother, by the £1ther's fide, to the two preceding kings, and natural fon of Acamapitzin by a flave. Whatever the low condition of his mother took from his claim, the nobility and reputa~ tion of his father, and, ftill more, his own virtues, fu pplied; of thcf~ he gave many proofs in the poft of general of the Mexican armies, which he had filled for more than thirty years. He was allowed to be the ~noll: prudent, juft, and brave perfon of all the Mexican nation. Being placed '6n the T!atocaicpal!i, or royal feat, he was faluted as kirig by an the nobles, with loud acclamations. One of their orators then held a difcourfe on the duties of a fovereign, in which, among other things, he faid, " All, 0 great king and lord, all now feel themfdves dependent " on you. On your 1houlders muft the orphans, the widows, and the " aged be fupported. · Will you be capable of laying down and aban" cloning this burden? Will you permit the infants who are yet walking H on their four feet, to perifh by the hands of our enemies'? Courage, H great lord, begin and fpread your mantle that you may carry the poor " Mexicans on your back, who flatter themfelves they will live fecure " under the frefh {hade of your benignity." The ceremony being concluded, they celebrated the acceffion of the new monarch, with balls and ' H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X l C 0. and public diverfions·. Nezahualcojotl and all his party did not give lefs applaufe, as no one doubted of the new king being the f<lithful ally of the prince hi8 relation; and hoped to rea.p great advantages from his fuperior military ikill and bravery; but the eleCtion was not a little difplcafi. ng to the Tepanecas and their allies, and efpecially to the tyrant. . Itzcoatl, who was zealoufly bent on relieving the difheifes which · his nation fuftered from the oppreffive dominion of the Tepanecas, fent an ambaftador to the prin e Nezahualcojotl, to acquaint him of his exaltation to the throne, and to give him aifurances of his dctcrminatior.1 to unite all his forces with the prince againft the tyrant Maxtlaton . This embafiy, which was can·1cd by a grandfon of the king, was received by Nez~hualcojotl, after he had departed from Capollalpan; upon which he returned congratulations to his coufin, and gratefully accepted the aid which he promifed . The whole time which the prince remained in Capollalpan was em ployed in preparations for war. When it appeared to him to be time to put a1l his deligns in ex cution, he fet out with his people and the auxiliary troops of Tlafcala and Huexotzinco, having refolved to take the city of Tezcuco by affault, and punifh its inhabitants for their infidelity to him during his adverfity. He made a halt with his whole army in fight of the city, at a place called Oztopolco. There he paifed ~he night ordering his troops, and making the ncceffary difpofitions for the attack, and in the morning marched towards the city; but before he reached it, th inhabitants, from apprehenfions of the fcvere hafti(ement which threatened them, came fubmiffive1y to meet him; to foften h · reCentmen~ they prefented their aged fick, their pregnant women, and mothers with infants in their arms, who, in the midfl: of tears and other tokens of diftre[c;, thus addreficd him: . " Have pity, 0 moft merciful prince, " on thefe your aftlieted iervants, who tremble for their fate. In what " have they offended, who are feeble with age, or thefe poor women " and thefe helplcfs children? Do not mix in ruin with the guilty " thofe who had no part in the offences which you would revenge." The prince, who was moved at the fight of fo many objeCts of compaffion, immediately granted a pardon to the city; but at the fame time detached a party of troops, and commanded their officers to enter it and put the governor and other fervants who had been cftabli£hed there t>y I / 57 DOOK III. '---v---1 , |