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Show H I S T 0 R y 0 F M E X I c. 0.. ' d .db d'es of thei citi ~ens, vented their angui{h. :BooK X. foort upon, except thed en dOd! d th as the only ~ure for their pirch • , . h . I r'es and em:m e ea Jj _· l .. m orm c 1 • 1 11: d Cortes to treat w1t 1 ' of mifery Some of the common pe,op e reque e d . who defended an intrenchment about an accon:mo a- f~:~ J~:::s went to them, but with little hopes of fuccefs to hts prot ·. cncd to be fome of thoLe perfons who could no pofi nons : theyhh~:P it of the liege. When they faw Cortes advaJ~cing, longer endure t e 1ever y d r.. . " If tow.1rds tl 1 em, t h ey ca lied out with the accents of 1e lperatiOnf:, tl ·ys ofuo " are the child of the fun, as [orne ~o imagi~e , w l~n ~our a 1er J ~~ fwift that in the fuort fpace of a day he fimlhes hrs at:~ co~rfe, why~. r: t d' 'n detivering us fi·om all our calamines oy. death.?' H an: you 10 c lOUS I . ' . ' • . ·r "w'e·would die, that we may pafs to heave?, where o~r god HUltZ~ o-. " pochtli' waits to give us the repofe and reward our .fungues-and ferv.tces (l and facrifices to him nave earned." . q ortes made u~ of V4r10~s arguments to move them to a furrender ,· , bur. , as they ap.f w.. eredr thka't It was not ih their power, nor had tlley any I:ape. of per~ua8mg t le mg to 't ~:. w'thdrew in order to make a folicitat10n to the fame p,urpofe 1 , ue 1 • . b .f; d by means of an illuftrious perfon whom he had three d~ys e or~ ,rna e:. . ·r. 1er. he was an uncle of the king of Tezcuco,; him he. cnargydi,.. a prno1 ~ 11 {1 If a; · th tl tnough wounded, to go to '!latelolco to-~onfer. on, t e u> ~e w1 1e:. k. ., b the [?w no otlier ftuit.s of liis emoaff'y than tlie clamours of thme gp ·e· opule repe"a' ted·,. with wl'iic~ they demanded. t h e1· r de at h s. So rne: Mexican troops· made a d~fper..ate· ail'ault on t.l1e Spam~rds, . ~~t th~y were fo enfeebled by die want of comm~n t~~enance~ that theu efforts·. made little impreffion,.. and' the re.eulfe of tlie1r enemies was too ihong; . ' . to oe withfrooJ~ S R~T.XXXI'.. Cortes returnec:f"the d'ay following to tne city, e~pcB:Ing eve~y ~O +-· Fll rt her fr uit. rh.ent that the Mexicans would furrender; and, wtthout al1 o wu~ 1• a~y: · lher~l9llait:'t c1hmep tto · hurt to be·,d o ne t h em, ~u e du'·. e L.n..le· d . h1's wa• y• to fame r" 'erfons .o f t:ffi). - ~xic.nns to .ft tioned:in an intrenchment' who were k'nown to hun fro.m the · a !unendcr. nence- a ' f h 1· 1 firft' time he had Been at tbat court, and dctnanded · o t em w 1y t 1ey would' defend' them{ eves fu ·obftinatdy, . being um. le for more refi fl:an<.:e, and· fi nding themfH\res in fuch a ftnte that with one blq 1t.: could take · away every life among, them. They anf'Wered, th.tt.they.iaw mo{t cle:~. r- 1]" that Lheir ru in was inev.italJJe, and they Wou }~ wdh.ngly . have wevented it but it d1d not lie with them to· deterrmne die ,epu1t •. They· , · · offc.::red' H I S T 0 R · Y 0 F M ·E X I C '0 . offered however to pctit!on the king to I;!l:en to propo 1ti.ons of peace. They accorqingly went immediately to the palace, auJ in a fhort time after returned, £tying that it w.1s fo late in the day, the king could not come, bllt that they did not doubt he would meet with Cortes in. tho fame pl ace to-morrow. 'There was in the center of this place a large {quare terrace, where the Mexicans made their theatrical reprcft!nta tions, as we have already mentioned. Cortes ordered tapdhies and l1ttle frools or chairs to be placed on this theatre, on pnrpofe to hold the delired conference, and a good entertainment to ue provided for the king and the nobility who mig-ht accompany him. The day being arrived, he fent notice to the king that he waited' for him at that place; but the king returneJ five refpeCl:able perfons-, to npologife for his not coming in perfon, on account of an indifpofition he had, and becaufe he could not place confidence in the Spaniards. Cortes received them• with the greatefl: benignity, gave them an elegant banquet, and fent them back to the king, to requefi him in Cortes ~s name to come tb that'interview withollt ·fear; as he pleJged his faith to pay due refpeCt: to his royal perfon, that his prefence was abfolutely n~;;ceflary, and nothing could be concluded without him'; and accompanied this, embaffy with a prefent of provifions, which at this jut1 Cl: urc was the more valuable. The ambalfadors, after difcovering in the courfe of the entertai!lment the great necellities they fuffered, retired, and about two hours after returned, bearing Cortes a preil:nt of the fin efl: gar- - ments, which were fent him by the king, and a repetition of his former excufes. Three days were fpent in thofe neg >ciation s, to no efFeCt:. Cortes had given orders ro the allies to rem ain wifhout the city, as the Mexicans had requefiec.l him not to allow them to be prefent when he held a conference with the king ; but having now loft every hope of ~l accommodation, he recalled all the troops of his camp, in which there were upwards of one hundred and fifty tboufand men, and thofe ,alto of the ca.mp of Alvarado; and with all thofe forces .collected he · rbegan ,to il:orm fo.rue ditches and intrenchments, which were ~he · firongcft' fortification.s remaining to the Mexicans, and at the £1rne J ill)s;: . Sa~1doval w!th his army attacked the city in the quarter of the A.OJ.'t/1. Of all d~ys this 'was the mo1t unfortunate for that city, as on i~ th~, ¥>~.lfican .blood was moil: lavi{hly fpilt .; thl: wretched citi .. I ' u ->.JJ l B b 2 ~en s, BOOK X. ~ S FCT. XXXII. Terrible COil• tli ,' l, and horrid tlaug l, er of the M<:ti· cans. |