80 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



of Mexico, in fpite of the magnificent promifes of the 

 Spanifli general, was in a few days put ignominioufly to 

 the torture, which he bore with unfhaken firmnefs, that 

 he might declare where the immenfe riches of the court 

 and temples were depofited (u) ; and in three years 

 after, was hanged, together with the kings of Tezcuco 

 and Tlacopan, on account of fome fufpicious circum- 

 ftances in their conduct (x). The Mexicans, and all 

 the nations that contributed to their ruin, notwithftand- 

 ing the humane and benevolent difpofitions of the Ca- 

 tholic kings, remained abandoned to mifery and oppref- 

 fion, and the contempt not only of the Spaniards, but 

 even of the loweft African Haves and their infamous 

 defcendants. 



Thus, 



(u) The torture given to king Quauhtemotzin, was burning his feet flowly 

 after they were anointed with oil. An intimate friend of the king voluntarily 

 fhared his fufferings, and died under the torment. Bernal Diaz alfo adds, that 

 the king of Tlacopan was tortured along with him. Cortes, in fpite of his 

 abhorrence of this a<St, was driven to it by the fuggeftions and infinuations of 

 fome avaricious Spaniards, who fufpecled that he had intended not to put the 

 king to the torture in order to poffefs himfelf fecretly of all the royal trea- 

 fure. 



(sc) Quauhtemotzin king of Mexico, Coanacotzin king of Acolhuacan, 

 and Tetlepanquetzaltzin king of Tlacopan, were hanged upon a tree in Izan- 

 canac, the capital of the province of Acallan, on one of the three days pre- 

 ceding Lent of the year 1525. The occafion of their death was, fome dif- 

 courfe they had among themfelves relative to their misfortunes, in which they 

 infinuated how eafy it would be for them if they inclined to kill Cortes and 

 the Spaniards and to recover their liberty and their crowns. A Mexican trai- 

 tor, in order to gain the favour of the Spanifh general, communicated what 

 had been faid, but altered the fenfe of the words, and reprefented the cafual 

 remarks of converfation as a formed confpiracy againft him. Cortes, who was 

 then on his journey towards the province of Comajahua, with a few Spaniards 

 almoft exhaufted by fatigue, and upwards of three thoufand Mexicans whom 

 he carried along with him, was perfuaded there was no way of fhunning the 

 danger which threatened him, but putting the three kings to death- " This 

 " fentence," fays Bernal Diaz, " was extremely unjuft, and much blamed by 

 " all who were travelling with him that day." It occafioned fome watchings 

 and melancholy to Cortes. 



