HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



145 



beginning of the liege on the firfl day of January, and 

 count not ninety-three days, but feven months to it. 

 Cortes, who in this point merits more faith than any 

 other hiflorian, fays exprefsly, that the liege commenced 

 on the 30th of May, and laded feventy-flve days. It 

 is true, that the letter itfelf of Cortes might occafion an 

 error, for there it is given to be underftood, that on the 

 14th of May the divifions of Alvarado and Olid were in 

 Tacuba, from whence the liege began ; but this is a 

 manifefl: error in the cyphers, for it is certain that thofe 

 two officers did not go to Tacuba till after the review 

 of the troops ; and we know from Cortes, and other 

 hiflorians, that this happened on Monday of Pentecofl, 

 the 20th of May. 



Torquemada fays, in book IV. cap. 46, that the Spa- 

 niards entered into Mexico, for the firfl time, on the 

 8th of November; but in chap. 14. of the fame book 

 he affirms, that this entry happened on the 2 2d of July; 

 that they remained there one hundred and fifty days, 

 ninety-five days in friendlhip with the Mexicans, and 

 forty at war with them, which was occafioned by the 

 flaughter made there by Alvarado, on the fefHval of the 

 month Toxcatl, correfponding, as he believes, to our 

 April, &c. The feries of anachronifms, errors, and 

 contradictions, contained in the chapter above cited of 

 this author, is fufficient to give us an idea of his pre- 

 pofterous chronology. 



Vol. III. 



U 



DISSERTATION 



