358 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



i 



arms in the conqueft of Azcapozalco, naturally excited 

 the rivatthip and jealoufy of their neighbours, and parti- 

 cularly the king of Acolhuacan, who had been, and was 

 at that time, the greateft king of all that land ; but the 

 throne of Mexico being ftill in a tottering condition, re- 

 quired a firm prop to fupport it. The king of Acolhua- 

 can, who had recently recovered, by the aid of the Mex- 

 icans, that crown which had been ufurped by the tyrant 

 Tezozomoc, had reafon to apprehend fome powerful fub- 

 je&, following the fteps of that tyrant, might excite a re- 

 bellion in his kingdom, and deprive him, like his father, 

 of his crown and his life. The king of Tlacopan, who 

 was on a newly eftabliftied throne not very powerful, had 

 ftill more to fear. Each of thofe kings by himfelf was in 

 no ftate of fecurity, and had reafon to be diffident of the 

 other two ; but by uniting together, they could form an 

 invincible power. They therefore made a triple alliance, 

 which rendered each of them fecure with refpeft to the 

 other two, and all three fo with regard to their fubjefts. 

 This was the alliance which fortified the thrones of Acol- 

 huacan and Tacuba, and paved the way for the conquefts 

 of the Mexicans ; an alliance fo firm and well concerted, 

 that it lafted until the arrival of the Spaniards. This fin- 

 gle political arrangement is fufficient to evince the dis- 

 cernment and fagacity of thofe nations. 



The judicial forms of the Mexicans and Tezcucans af- 

 ford many ufeful political leffons. The diverfity of rank 

 in the magiftrates contributed to good order ; their atten- 

 dance in the tribunals, from the break of day until the 

 evening (hortened the procefs of caufes, and prevented ma- 

 ny clandefline practices which might have interefted their 

 decifions. The capital punifhments prefcribed againft 

 prevaricators of juftice, the punctuality of their execu- 



tion* 



