52 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



fidy, fell upon them with fuch mercilefs fury, that al- 

 moft every one of them atoned for his treachery with 

 his life. A great many of them were killed in the con- 

 teft, and the others, who were made prifoners, were im- 

 mediately facrificed by order of the king. This treafon 

 appears to have been both defigned and executed by the 

 very lowefl: of the populace of thofe cities, who are 

 always guilty of fuch meannefles. 



Twenty days were now pad in which the Spaniards 

 had made continual entries into the city. Some captains 

 and foldiers weary of fo many repeated engagements* 

 the fruits of which appeared ftill very diftant to them, 

 complained to the general, and earneftly conjured him, 

 to exert all the forces he had in one decifive blow, which 

 would end all his dangers and fatigues. The defign 

 formed by them was to advance as far as the centre of 

 Tlatelolco, where the Mexicans had affembled all their 

 forces, and attempt to ruin them in one night, or at leaft 

 bring them to a furrender. Cortes, who well knew the 

 imminent danger of this enterprife, ftrove to divert them 

 from it with all his arguments ; but thofe being of no 

 avail, nor being able to reject a meafure which had been 

 almofl: generally adopted, yielded at laft to their impor- 

 tunities. He ordered Sandoval to join Alvarado with 

 one hundred and fifteen Spaniards and ten horfes, to put 

 the cavalry in ambufcade, and carry off the baggage un- 

 der pretence of making a departure, and abandoning 

 the fiege of the city, in order that the Mexicans, by 

 being induced to purfue them, might be attacked by the 

 cavalry in their rear; to aim at gaining pofTeflion, by 

 the afliftance of fix brigantines, of that great ditch where 

 Alvarado was defeated, making it be filled up and le- 

 velled; to advance not a flep without leaving the road 



well 



