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Show HISTORY OF ME X 1 C 0. 138 BOOK m. refiftance as the grcateft part of the Tezcucan· force was colleetcd at ~ Q?auhtitlan. Among the v~rious difafl:~rs which .they ~ccafione?, the 'lord of Iztapallocan ~auhx1lotl was !lam, who dted w1th .glory m dc' fcnce of his city after his return from the:: field of .~au~tltlan. The king of Acolhuacan faw himfdf obliged, now, to dtv1de h1s forces, :u~d appointed a confiderable part of the people, who ca~.e from many dtfiant places to his afliftance, for the garrifon of the ctt1es. ~ezo~omoc , · · · rcrCC1Vll1g place of the advantages which he had prom1ied htmfelf, 111 ' • • that his troops daily dimini (hed, and th:J.t hts people were becom~ Im- S E CT· 1X. Chimalropoca thira kmg of Mexico. patient of the fatigues and dangers of war after three years of contmued aCtion, demanded peace, defigning to finifh, by fecret treachery, what he had begun by open violence. The king of Aco:huacan, although he could not rely on the faith of the Tepanecan ?nnce~ neve~theh:.fs·, confented without infifting on any conditions wh1ch mtght gtve hun Jecurity for the future, as his troops were as much broken with fatigue ai thofe of his enemy. J uft as the war was concluded, or a .lit~l7 b~for~ its ter~inarion, after a reign of twenty years, in 1409, Hmtz.thhtutl d1e~, .ha~mg publiJbed {orne laws ufeful to the fl:ate, and leavmg the nobthty 11l poffef' fion of their right to chufe a fucceffor. Chimalpopoca, who was h~9 brother, was accordingly chofen, and by what appears, from thence 1t became the eftabliilied law to make the election of one of the brothers of the deceafed king, and on failure of brothers, of one of his grandfons. This Jaw was conftantly obferved until the fall of the Mexican empire. While Chimalpopoca found means to fix himfelf fecurely on the throne of Mexico, Ixtlixochitl begun to totter on that of Acolhuacan. The peace which Tezozomoc had demanded was a mere artifice to lull fufpicion while he wa:s more effeCtually purfuing his negociations. The number of his party was daily obferved to increafe, while that of the Tezcucan diminiJbed. This unfortunate king found himfelf reduced to fuch extremity, that thinking himfelf infecure in his own court, he went wandering through the neighbouring mountains efcorted by a fmall army, and accompanied by the lords of Huexotla and Coatlichan, who were always faithful to him. The Tepane~as, that they m'ight difirefs him to the utmoft, intercepted the provifions which were carrying to his camp; by which his neceffities became fo great that he was compelled . H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. compcHcd at lail: to beg provifions of his enemies. So eafy is it to fall from the height of human felicity to the loweft ftate of mifery. He fent one of his grandfo.r.s named Cebuacuecumotzin, to Otompan, one of the rebel il:atcs, to requefl: the citizens of it to fupply their king with the provifions he il:ood in need of, and to admoni.fh them to abandon the party of the rebels, and to call to their minds the loyalty they had [worn. Ceh uacuecuenotzin, well knew the danger 0f th undertaking; but fear being overcome by tl~e generofity of his fenti·mcnts, his fortitude of mind, and fidelity to his fovereign, he fhewed himfeif ready to obey: " I go my lord," he [aid, " to execute your " commands, and to facri fice my life to the obedience which I owe ' ~ you. You cannot be infenflble how much the Otompanefe are alien" ated from you by efpoufing the part of your enemy. The whole " country is occupied by the T epanecas, and every where dangerous; " my return is uncertain. But fhould I peri{h in your fervice, and if " the facri.fice which I make you of my life is worthy of any recom" pence, I pray you to protect the two young children 1 leave behind." ~h efe words, which were accompanied with fl:rong marks of feeling, touched the king' s heart, who, in t ..1 king leave of him, faid, " May . " our God accompany and return you fafe. Alas ! perhaps at your rc" turn, you may find what you fear for yourfelf, will have happened to " me> the enemies being fo numerous who confpire againft my life." CjhuacuecueJlotzin proceeded · without delay to Otompan, but before he entered he knew that there were, at that time, Tepanecas in the city, who wcr.e fent by Tczozomoc, to publifh a proclamation; he was not, howcve,t:, difcouraged, but went intrepidly to the public place where the T epanecas had affembled the people to hear the proclamation, and :1fter having faluted them all gracioufly, he freely communicated his embafiy. The Otompanefe made a jeD: of him and his demand, but non.c of them dared to proceed farther, until a mean per[on among them threw a Jlone at him, exciting others at the fame time to put him t..o death . T he Tepanecas, who continued frill and filent, to obferve what refolution the Otompanefe would take:, perceiving now that they openly declared againft the king of Acolhuacan, and his ambaffador, cried out, 1\ill., kill, the traitor l accompanying their cries with throwing of fi:on e!'. T 2 Cihuacue- IJ9 BOOK liT. ~ |