HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



9 



the Mexicans and the Spaniards. Cortes affe&ed to be- 

 lieve what they told him, fet them at liberty and charged 

 them to tell their fovereign, that he did not wilh for war, 

 neither would wage it, if he was not compelled by hoftili- 

 ties from the Mexicans ; that therefore the king (hould 

 attend, and guard againfl offering any injury to the Spa- 

 niards, otherwife they would become his enemies, and 

 infallibly ruin his capital. 



The alliance of thofe cities was of no fmall importance 

 to Cortes, but of all things it was mod neceffary to bring 

 that court in his favour, both on account of the numerous 

 nobility which it contained, and their influence on the 

 other cities of the kingdom. From the firft moment he 

 entered that city he fludied to gain their minds by every 

 civility and courtefy, and enjoined the fame thing to 

 his people, forbidding mod feverely all kinds of hoftili- 

 ty towards the citizens. He difcovered, from the be- 

 ginning, a party of the nobility favourable to the prince 

 Ixtlilxochitl, whom he flill kept confined for fome pur- 

 pofe in Tlafcala. He made him be brought to court by 

 a ftrong party of Spaniards and Tlafcalans, prefented 

 him to the nobility, and got them to acknowledge him 

 king, and crown him with the fame ceremonies and re- 

 joicings ufually made for their lawful fovereign. Cortes 

 promoted his advancement as much to revenge himfelf 

 of the lawful king Coanacotzin, as becaufe the kingdom 

 was dependent upon him. The people accepted him, 

 either becaufe they durft not oppofe the Spaniards, or 

 becaufe they were tired of the government of Coana- 

 cotzin. Ixtlilxochitl was a youth of about twenty-three 

 years; from the time of the firfl entry of the Spaniards 

 into Tlafcala he had declared himfelf openly for the 

 Spaniards, had prefented himfelf to Cortes with offers 

 Vol. III. C of 



