6 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



and were obliged to employ a thoufand Tlafcalans to 

 clear it. As foon as they reached the plain, they were 

 attacked by fome flying troops of the enemy ; but upon 

 fome of them being killed by the Spaniards, the reft fled. 

 That night they quartered in Coatepec, a place about 

 eight miles diftant from Tezcuco; and the day following, 

 as they were marching towards that capital, in fome 

 doubt and anxiety concerning the difpolition of the Tez- 

 cucans, but at the fame time refolved not to return with- 

 out having taken fome revenge of their enemies, they 

 faw coming to them four refpe&able perfons unarmed, 

 one of them with a little golden flag in his hand; and 

 Cortes recollecting that this was an enfign of peace, he 

 advanced to confer with them. Thefe four meffengers 

 were fent by king Coanacotzin to compliment the Spanifli 

 general, to invite him to the court, and to requeft him 

 not to commit any hoftilities in his ftates, which prefent- 

 ed him the flag, containing thirty-two ounces of gold. 

 Cortes, notwithftanding this mew of friendfhip, re- 

 proached them for the death they had a few months be- 

 fore been the caufe of to forty-five Spaniards, five horfes, 

 and three hundred Tlafcalans, who accompanied them 

 loaded with gold, filver, and arms for the Spaniards 

 who were then in Mexico, and executed with fuch inhu- 

 manity, that they had hung up the ikins of the Spa- 

 niards, with their arms and habits, and thofe of the horfes 

 with their armour, as trophies in the temples of Tezcu- 

 co. He added, that although it was impoflible to com- 

 penfate the lofs of his people, they mud at leaft pay the 

 gold and filver which they had robbed from them ; that 

 if they did not make the due fatisfaclion, he would, for 

 every Spaniard they had killed, flay a thoufand Tezcu- 

 cans. The meflengers anfwered, that the Mexicans, and 



not 



