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Show BOOK IV. • • H I S T 0 R y 0 F M E X I C 0. of life, refolved to fend an embaff"y to the Mexican nobility, (probably in the tu· ne of k't ng .-A~ x.• 1ynca tl) complainingofthewr.o ngdone them. tbh ro.t ~gh the f:a hr.e m• fim uatw· ns of ' t}1ei 1• riva' ls' · The Me.x tcans who .w ete ecol m·de m. folent f rom pr.o 1r pen' ty ' rern lied ' that the kmg of Mex1 o was ot of· all h ld d "11 mortals were his vaffi1.ls ; and that as fu c1 1 , t e wor , an "' . the Tlafcalans {hould render him due obedience, an~ acknowledge hun by tn·b ute, af it er· J mple of other nations· but tf they refufed fub- t 1e cxa '. . ld b r. k , 1 J•C I.o...L· ton, 1 fl: pcrifh without remedy, thetr ctty wou e 1ac <.:t . t 1ey mu f 1 T and their country given to be inhabited by a?other race o peop e .. : o [co arrogan t an d Weak a< n a' nfwer ' the ambafiador' returned .(ti ho•f e . fputted words: " Moil: powerful lords, Tlafcala owes y.ou no :ub ct:Jptwn, nor " have the Tlafcalans ever acknowledged any pnnce ';1th t~tbut~s fioce " their ance.llors left the countries in the North, to mhabtt thts land. '' They h..we always preferved their liberty'. and being unaccuftomed to " the {lavery to which you pretend to fubjeet them, rather ~han fub" mit to your power, they will fhed more blood than thc1r fathers ".lhcd in the famous battle of Pojauhtlan." The Tbfcalans nlarmed at the arrogant and ambitious pretcnfions ~f the Mexicans, and defpairing of being able to bring them to any amlcable agree1nent, refolved at laft to fortify their frontiers to .prev.ent.an invafion. They had already.inclofed the lands of the :epubhc. w1th mtrenchments, and eftablilhed good garrifons on thetr frontiers : the threats of the Mexicans made them increa1e their fortifications, and ftrengthen their garrifons, and conftrutl: that famous wall fix miles in length, which prevented the enemy from entering in the quarter of the weft, where danger was chiefly to be apprehended. They were frequently attacked by the Huexotzincas, the Cholulans, the Itzocanefe, the :recamachalchefe, and other ftates which were neighbouring, or but httle difiant from Mexico; but they never could wrefi: a foot of land from the republic, owing to the watchful attention of the Tlafcalans, and the bravery with which they refified their invaders. . A great many -fubjeets of the crown of Mexico l1ad taken refuge m the country of Tlafcala, particularly fome of the Chalchefe nation, and the Otomies of Xaltocan who fled from the ruin. of their native countries, in the wars above-mentioned. They bore an inveterate hatred to the Mexicans, from the evils which they had fuffe~ed, and appeared, there- H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X- I C 0. ther~fore, to the Tlafcalans, to be the .fittefl: people to give vigorous oppofition to their enemies ; in this they were not deceived; for the Mexicans found no refifl:ance more powerful than that which they ~net with f~·om thcfe ~xiles, efpecially the Otomies compoiing the frontier garnfons, who ferved the republic with great fidelity, and were rewarded with the highefl: honours and employments. All the time that Axayacatl and his fucce!fors reigned, the Tlafcalans continu ... d to be obil:rutl:ed in their commerce with the maritime provin. ces, by which means the common people were fo much in want of fait, that they grew accuftomed to eat their food without that feafoning, and did not return to the ufe of it for many years after the conqueil:; but the nobles, or at leaft fome of them, had fecret correfponder: ce with fome Mexican lords, and got a fupply of what was neceiliry, W.Lthout the populace of either COUl~try having any knowledge of it. Every perfon knows that in all general calamities, the poor are thofe who fuffer the greateil: hardfhips, while thofe of better circumllances efcape, or at leafi find means by their wealth to foften and relieve them. Montezuma being unable to endure a refufal ofobedience and homage from the little republic of Tlafcala, while fo ~any nations, even the moll: dift~nt, were tributary to him, ordered in the beginning of his reign, the ftates in its neighbourhood to mufier their troops, and attack the republic on every 1ide. The Huexotzincas, in confederacy with the Cholulans, quickly raifed their forces, under command of Tecajahuatzin, the chief of the llate of Huexotzinco . ~ but confiding more in their arts than their ftrength, they tried to draw over to their party, by bribes and promifes, the inhabitants of · Huejotlipan, a city of the republic, fituated on the fi·ontiers of the kingdom o~ Acolhuacan, and the Otomies, who guarded the other frontiers; but nettlier would be prevailed upon: on the contrary, they declared they were refolved to die in defence of the republic. Upon which the Huexotzincas, being obliged to make ufe of theil· firength, entered with fuch fury into the boundaries of Tlaicala, that the frontier garri[on was not able to withftand them: they committed greatflaughter, and advanced as f.1r as Xi!oxochitla, which was only three miles diftant from the capital. There .they met with a ftout refiftance from 'l'ezatlccatzin, a celebrated TlafcaJan captain, who fell at lafi however, being F f 2 over- |