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Show x6o :.B...O__O_K.._ I..l..l.. H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. an d un d et. cu1n1.o dy of t11e fame f~"'lu atcotzin. lie com. paffionati.n g the defiiny of a youth fo illufirious and brave, in the evemng precedwg tbe d<\Y 011 which the anfwcr from Azcapoz,llco was expected, called o.ne of his fcrvants to him, whofe fidelity he could truft, ::u.1d ordered h1111 to fct the prifoncrs at liberty that ev.cning, a~1d to acqu~mt ~on:czuma f rom 1u ·m , that }1c 11a' d come to the rcfolutLon of .. l.i \vmg Ius ltfc., al-though at the viliblc riO' of lofing his own ; that If he fhould d1e for it, which he had rcafon to feat· would be his fate, :"1 ntczu~a, he hoped, would not fuil to (hew his gratitude, by proteC.hng the ch1ldr 'n whom he left behind him; lafily, he advifcd him not to return b~ Lmd to Mexico, otherwife he would again be taken by the gnards .wh1ch were poficd in the way, but to go tht:ough lz~apallocan to Clmnalhuacan, and fr m thence to embark for h1s own ctty. The faithful fervant executed the order, and Montezuma followed the advice of ~atcotzin. They went out of prifon that night, and cantiouOy took the road to him<llhuacan, where they remained concealed all the next day, living on raw vegetables for want o~ other food~ at Night they ambarked, and tranfported themfelves .fwJftly to Mex1co, where, as it wa fuppofed, they had already met w~th .death from the enemy, they were r~ceived with fingular \Y~lcomc and JOy. . . As foon as the barbarous Totcotzin was mfonncd that the pnioncrs were efcaped, he wa'l tranfportc:d with p~1£Eon, and as he did not in the leal\: doubt that QE_ateotz~n had bce11 the author of their liberty, he order •d infl:;mt death to him, and his body to be quartered; f})aring neither his wife nor even his children; only one ion and one thugh·· ter were !iwed. She took ihelter in Mexico, whei'C fhe was greatly ref} eCl:ed on account of her father, who, by the generous forfeiture of his life, had r.:!ndered fo imJ>Ortant a fcrvicc to the Mexican nallon. TQteot7.in experienced another galling difappointment from the anfwer of Maxtlaton. lie being enraged againft the Chalchcfc for the ,affiftance they gave to Ne~ahu~lcojotl, aml the fiaqght r they committed in Coatlichan, fcnt a fevere reprimand to Toteotzin, calling him a .double .. minded traitor, and ordering him to fct the priionc rs ::lt li berty :witho t delay. Such returns mufi perfidious flatterers expeCt. Maxtlaton <lid n.ot adopt this refolution wi~h intent to f.wou.r the Mexican,s whom. .. H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. whom he hated in the utmoft degree, but folely to iliew his contempt for the homage of Tot otzin, and to thwart hi inclination. So far was he from a wia1 to fitvour the Mexican nation, that he was never fo much bent on effecting their ruin as at this time, and had alr.eady colleCted troops to pour a decifive blow on Mexico, that from thence he might proceed to regain all that N ezahualcojotl had taken from him. This prince knowing fuch defigns of Maxtlaton, went to Mexico to confult with its prudent king on the conduct of the war, and the meafurcs that il10uld be taken to baffle the intentions of the tyrant. and agreed to unite the Tezcucan troops, with thofe of Mexico, in defence of that city, on the fortune of which the fuccefs of the war feemed to depend. The rumour of the approaching war fpread infinite confternation among the Mexican populace; conceiving themfelves incapable of refi~ ing the power of the Tepanccas, whom they had till now acknowledged their fuperiors, they went in crouds to the king, difluading him with tears and intreaties from undertaking fo dangerous a war, which would infallibly occafion the downfal of their city a11d r1ation. " What " can be done then," £.1id the king, " to free us from thefe impending · " calamities." " Demand peace," replied the populace, " from the " king of Azcapozalco, and make offi rs of ferv ice to him ; and to H move him tO clemency, let OUr god be b0rn.e 011 the a10ulde!'S Of the "yriefts into his prefence." So great was their clamour, accompanied With threats, that the prudent king who feared a (edition amongfl: the people which might prove more fatal in its confequenccs than the war with the enemy, was obliged , contrary to his win1es, to yield to the~r requeft. Montezuma who was prcfcn t, and could not bear that a nation, which boat1:ed fo much of its honour, fl10uld purfuc fo igJ. 10blc a courfe, fjJoke thus to the pcopl . " 0 ye Mexicans, wlut " would ye do ? Have ye lot1: all judgment? How has fuch cowardice ·" .ftole into your hearts ? IIave you forgot pof.Tibly that you arc Mexicans, ·" and dcfcendants of .thofe heroes who founded this city, and of thofe " brave men who have protctl:cd it in fpite of all our enemies? Change " your opinions then, or renounce the glory you inherit from your an- ·" cefiors~" Turning afterwards to the king; " How, fir, will you per~ .s' mit .fuch ignomiJ:)y to {bjn the ch~raCier of your people ? Speak to V.o L. I. Y " them 161 BOOK liT. '-""""V'--1 |
