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Show H1STOR.Y OF MEXICO\ t62 BOOK IH. " th~m again,. and tell them, that there is another ftep to be taken ~ " before we fo weakly and di(honourably put ourfelves into the hand-s " of our enemies." The king, who wi!hcd for nothing more ardently, addr6!feli the po-puhcc, recommending the counfcl of Montezuma,, which was at latt favourably received. The king, then· addrefiing t·he nobility, L'1id, " Which of ye,. who are the flo we~ of the nation, will be f e:-trlefs· " enough to carry an embalfy to the lord of the 'fepanecas ?" They all looked at each other, bLtt no one duril: offer to encounter the dan-· ger; until Montezuma, whom youthful intrepidity infpired, prefented himfelf, faying, " I will carry the embafry; as death muff one time· " or other be met with, it is of little moment whether to -day or to" morrow;. no better opportunity can prefent itfelf of dying with ho" nour than the facrificing my life for the welfare of my nation ? Be_. " hold me, ·fir, ready to execute your commands: order, and I obey:·· The king, much pleafed with his courage, ordered him to go and propofe peace to the tyrant, but to accept of no dilhonourable conditions. The valiant youth fet out in!l:antly, and meeting with the Tepanecan guards, perfuaded them to let him pafs wjth an embaffy of the utmoH impottance to their lord. Having prefented himfelf before the tyrant,. in the name of his king aHd his nation, he demanded peace on honourable terms. The tyrant anfwered, that it was necefiary to deli-· berate with his counfellors, but on the day following he would return~ a decifive anfwer. Montezuma having afk.ed him for proteCtion and fecurity during his fray, could obtain no other than his 0wn caution might. procure him; upon wh1ch he went back immediately to Mexico, promifing to nturn the day after. The little confidence he had. in that court, and the ihortnefs of the journey, which did not exceed four miles, mull: unqueO:ionably have been his motive for not flaying. for the final anfwer of the tyrant. He returned, therefore, to Azcapozalco the next day as he had promifed, and 'having heard from the mouth of Maxtlaton his refolution for war, he performed the ceremonies commonly praetifed by two lords who challenge each other1 namely, prefenting certain defenfive arms to him, anointing his head, .and fixing feathers upon it in the fame manner as is d~me with dead perfons; and lafily, protefiing in the name of his king, that as he • would HISTORY OF• ME X I C 0. would not accept the peace which was ofFered to him, he, and all the !cpaneca~ would inevitably be ruined. The tyrant, without manifcftmg any d1fpleafure at fuch ceremonies, or at the threats ufed to him. gave M~ntczuma alfo arms to pr efent to the king of Mexico, and direCted h1m, for the f~ curity of his perfon, to return in difguife tl rough a fm~ll ~utlet fro~n h1s palac~. H.e would not have obferved fo Hrietly at this. tune the n ghts of na.t10ns, 1f he could have forefecn that this amballador, o~ w110fe life he was fo carefLtl, was to prove the chief in ilrument of h1s ~ownt1l. Montezuma profited by his advice i b,ut as foor~ as l~e lltw lumfelf o.ut of ~anger be began to infult the guards, r_e~wachmg th~m for therr negligence, and threatening them with their fpeedy defiruchon. The guards ruil1ed violently upon him to kill him; but he fo bravely deft:nded .himfelf, that he killed one or two of them, und ?n the approach of others he retreated precipitately to Mexico, beanng the news that war was declared, and that the chiefs of the two nations had challenged each other. ~ith this int~lligence the populace were again thrown into con!l:ernat~ on~ and repaired to the king to requeH his permifiion to abandon then· c1ty; believin~ their ruin was certain. The king comforted and e1~coun1ged them w1th hopes of victory. " But if we are conquered," fa1d the populace, " what will become of us ?" " If that happens/' anfwered the king, (l we are th~t moment bound to deliver ourfelves H'1 ~to your h ands to be made facrifices at your pleafure." H So be it," rephed the ,populace, " if we are conquered: bl:lt if we obtain the vic:.: tory: we, and our defcendants are bound. to be tributary to you, t() cultivate your lands, and thofe of the nobles, to build your houfes " an d to carry 1t:0 r you, when you go to war, your arms and your bag-' '" ga'Ob 'e • " Th'1 s contral,.Ln. b e·m g ma?e between the nobles and the peo- , p1e, and the comm~nd of the Mex1Can troops being given to the brave Mo~tez~ma) .the Jon? coo~~yed fpeedy advi c to Nezahualcojotl, to repair With h1s army 1mmed1ate~y to Mexico, which he did a day before the battle. It cannot ·be doubted, that the Mexicans had before this time con~ ruCl:e~ the ·roads which ferved for a more eafy communication to the CJty With the continent; as otherwife the movement and fkirmii1.1cs of the two armies are not to be comprehended : we kno\v from hifl:ory, y 2 .. th, t • 1~3 B._O.O,K_ .I.l.f,. SECT. XXI. War againfl the tyrant. |
