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HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



SECT. IV. 



Concerning the Epochs of the Events of the Conquest. 



IT is not very difficult to trace the epochs of the events 

 of the conqueft, becaufe we find them in general men- 

 tioned by the conqueror Cortes, in his letters to Charles 

 y. but many anachronifms being committed by the Spa- 

 nish hiftorians, either becaufe they did not confult thofe 

 letters, or becaufe they were indifferent about knowing 

 on what days the moveable feflivals happened in thofe 

 years of which Cortes fometimes made mention, it is 

 neceffary to fix fome points of chronology, omitting 

 others of fmaller importance, to avoid proving tedious 

 to our readers. 



The arrival of Cortes's armament on the coaft of 

 Chalchiuhcuecan happened, as every one knows, on 

 Holy Thurfday, 15 19. This was on the 21ft of April, 

 for Eafter was that year on the 24th. 



The entry of the Spaniards into the city of TJafcala 

 did not happen, as Herrera and Gomara fay, on the 

 23d of September, but on the 1 8th, as Bernal Diaz, 

 Betancourt, and Solis write. This is eafily demonftrat- 

 ed.by making a calculation according to the account 

 given by Cortes of the days which the Spaniards ftaid 

 in Tlafcala and Cholula, and thofe which they employ- 

 ed in their journey to Mexico. Bernal Diaz fays, that 

 before they entered Tlafcala they were twenty-four days 

 in the territories of that republic, and afterwards twenty 

 in that city; as is alfo confirmed by the letters of Cor- 

 tes. They entered Cholula on the 14th of October, 

 and into Mexico on the 8th of November. Six days 

 after Montezuma was made prifoner, as Cortes himfelf 



affirms. 



