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Show BOOK IX. ~ .. , H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. the gods would pour down all the vengea~ce of t~eir anger u;pon t'hern for confederating with the enemies of thetr wodlup. If, on: the contrary, they would as he prayed, declare themfelves the enemies of thofc men who were abhorred by heaven and earth, the court of Mexico would form a perpetual alliance with them, and from that time fot:ward have a free commerce with the republic, by which they woulrl efcape the mifery to which they had been hithertq fubjeCl:ed: all the nations of Anahuac would acknowledge their obligation to them for fo important a fervice, and the gods, appeafed with the blood of thofe vic,.. tims, would {bower down the necc!f.1ry rain upon their fields, fiamp fucccfs upon their arms, and celebrate the name of Tlafcala through all that land. The fenate, after having 1i1l:ened to the embaiTy, and difmi!fed the ambaff.1dors from the hall of audience, according to their cufiom, entered into confultation upon that important quefiion. To ferne among them the propufals of the court of Mexico appeared jufi and confifient with the fccurityof the republic; they exaggerated the advantages which, were offered to them;. and on the other hand, the unlucky ii1ue of the: \tndertaking of the Spaniards in Mexico, and the fiaughter made of the. Tb.fcalan troops which had been under their command. Among!l: the refi the young Xicotcnciltl, ·who had always been the. bitter. enemy. of the Spaniards, raifed his voice, and endeav.ourcd), with all the reafOlilS· he · could urge, to. perfuade the fenate tQ the Mexican alliance; adding, that it would be much better to preferve. the ancient cufioms of their fathers than to fubmit to the new and extravagant policy of that proud and. imperious nation; . that it would be impoffibie to find a fitter ei>pportunity to r,id themfelv.es of the Spaniards than then, when they were reduced in number, feeble in fi:rength, and deje&ed in mind.. Maxixcatzin, who, on the contrary, was· rinccrcly at.taahed to the Spaniards, and poffeffed of more difcernment. of the laws of nations, alfo of a dif .. pofition more inclined to obferve them, arraigned the fentiments of Xicotencatl,. ~barging him with abominable pedid¥ in comfelling the fer nate to facnfice to the r-evenge of the Mexicans, men who had jufi felt the r~d of adverfity, and fought an afylum in .Tlafcala, trufting in the promtfes and proteftations of the fenate and the nation. He. continued, that if they flattered themfelve.s with. receiving the . advantages whid1 the ' .. H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. the Mexicans offered, he on the contrary hoped for greater from the bravery of the Spaniards; that if there was no motive to place confidence in them, they ought fiill lcfs to confide in the Mexicans, of whofe perfidy they had .fo many examples; lafily, that no crime would be capable of provoktng Co fi:rongly the anger of the gods, and obfcuring the glory of the nation, as fuch impious treachery to their innocent guefi:s. Xicotenc: atl pre!fcd his counfel upon the fenate, prefenting to them an odious . picture of the genius an~ cufiorns of the Spaniards. So great an altercation. enfued, and their minds became fo much heated, that Max.ixcat: tin, tranfported with paffion, gave a violent pufh to Xicotencat1, , and' threw him down fome fieps of the audience chamber, calling him . a feditious traitor to his country. Such an accufation made by a perfen fo circumfpefr, !o refpetted and loved by the nation,. obliged the fenatc to imprifon Xicotencatl. The refoluti~n which they came to was, to anfwer to the ·embaffy that the republtc was r.eady to .accept the peace and friendfhip of the · court of Mexico, when it did not req~ire fo unworthy an aa:, and . a crime fo enormous, as the. facrificc of their guefis and frienels .; but when the ambaiTadors,were fought for,. to .have the anfwer of the fenate · delivered. to them, it was found . they had. already dcp:u-ted ~ in fecret . fro~ Tl~fcala: for having obferved the people a little unquiet upon ; thetr. arnval, they were afraid th·~t. feme attempt might have been made againft. the refpeet due to their charaCter. . It is therefore probable that. the fenate fent. Tlafcalan meiTengers with their, anfwer. to the court. T.he fenators endeavoured to conceal from the Spaniards the p,urport.of the emba{[y, . and all that had happened in . the fenate ;. but, in fpite of their iecrecy, . Cortes knew it, and with jufi:ice thanked Maxixcatzin for his good offices, and engaged to confirm him in the f~vourable idea he entertained of the bravery and friendfhip of the Spamards. The fenate, not content. with thofe proofs of its great fidelity, acknowledged frefh obedience to the Catholic king; and what was fiill: more flattering to their guefi:s, the four chiefs of the republic renounced. idolatry, and were baptized, while Cortes and his officers . .fi:ood their godf: thers, and the funCtion was celebrated by Olmedo :withe g~eat . rej_oicing_ and jubilee through all Tlaf~ala •. <rarte!'.. ' .. 125 BOOK IX: ... , I |