492 ELECTION OF THE SIXTH KING. 



LIB. vn. were king. It is a rare thing to refuse principalitie and 

 commaund, and to indure the paine and the care, and not 

 to reape the honour. There are few that will yeeld vp the 

 power and authority which they may hold, were it profitable 

 to the common-weale. This Barbarian did heerein exceed 

 the wisest amongst the Greekes and Romans, and it may be 

 a lesson to Alexander and lulius Coesar, whereof the one 

 held it little to command the whole world, putting his most 

 deere and faithfull servants to death vpon some small 

 iealosies of rule and empire : and the other declared hiin- 

 selfe enemy to his country, saying, that if it were lawfull to 

 do anything against law and reason, it was for a kingdome : 

 such is the thirst and desire of comrnaund. Although this 

 acte of Tlacaellels might well proceede from too great a 

 confidence of himselfe, seeming to him, though he were not 

 king, yet in a maner that he commanded kings, suffering 

 him to carry certaine markes, as a tiara or ornament 

 for the head, which belonged onely to themselves. Yet this 

 act deserves greater commendation, and to be well con 

 sidered of, in that he held opinion to be better able to serve 

 his common-weale as a subiect, then being a soveraigne 

 Lord. And as in a cornedie he deserves most commend 

 ation that represents the personage that imports most, bee 

 it of a sheepheard or a peasant, and leave the King or Cap- 

 taine to him that can performe it : so in good Philosophy, 

 men ought to have a special regard to the common good, 

 and apply themselves to that office and place which they 

 best vnderstand. But this philosophic is farre from that 

 which is practised at this day. But let vs return to our 

 discourse, and say, that in recompense of his modestie, and 

 for the respect which the Mexicaine Electors bare him, they 

 demanded of Tlacaellel (that seeing he would not raigne) 

 whom he thought most fit : wherevpon he gave his voice to 

 a sonne of the deceased king, who was then very yong, 

 called Ticocic : but they replied that his shoulders were 



