HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



65 



without expofing himfelf to fuch an evil, or ruining the 

 beautiful edifices of the capital, he would be able to 

 make himfelf matter of it, merely by hindering the intro- 

 duction of any fupplies ; for the more numerous the be- 

 fieged were, the fooner they would confume the few 

 provifions they had left. Cortes was not inattentive to 

 the acutenefs of this advice, and valued it the more, as 

 it came from a perfon, who from youth and intrepidity 

 of temper, might rather have defired an occafion of dis- 

 playing his bravery : but he could only adhere to it for 

 a few days. Becoming foon weary of the tedioufnefs of 

 the fiege, he re-commenced former hoftilities, though 

 not without firfl: making propofitions of peace to the 

 Mexicans, drawing a comparifon to them between his 

 and their forces, and repeating the reafons which he had 

 formerly urged. The Mexicans anfwered, that they 

 would never lay down their arms until the Spaniards fet 

 off to their own country. 



Cortes now feeing the refolution of the Mexicans, 

 after forty-five days of fiege, and that the more he made 

 overtures of peace the more obftinately they rejected 

 them, determined not to make another flep into the 

 city, without deftroying every building on either fide of 

 the road, not only to prevent the mifchief which the 

 troops fuffered from the terraces, but likewife to force 

 the befieged, by conftant hoftilities, to accept of his pro- 

 pofitions. He applied, therefore, and obtained from his 

 allies, fome thoufands of their villagers and peafants, 

 furnifhed with infiruments fit for demolifhing buildings 

 and filling up ditches. For fome days following he 

 made feveral entries into the city, with his Spaniards 

 and brigantines, and upwards of a hundred and fifty 

 thoufand allies, demolifhing every houfe, filling up all 

 Vol. III. K the 



