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Tlafcalans in fecurity, and having fent the letters with which he was 

 iritrufted to the commandant of Villa Rica, in which Cortes ordered 

 him to fend what reinforcements he could to Tlafcala, there to wait un- 

 til it fliould be afcertained that the route from thence to Tezcuco was 

 clear, he difmiffed the allies to their province, and returned to Chalco, 

 which diftrid: he had reafon to apprehend was filled with the troops of 

 the Mexicans. 



On his road he was attacked in a plain covered with maize and 

 maguey, by a body of the enemy who wounded feveral of his party; 

 the cavalry drove them to a diftance, after which he purfued his route 

 to Chalco. Having informed the principal people of this place of his 

 intention to march to Tezcuco on the enfuing day, they informed him 

 of their determination to go with him, and for the following reafon. 

 Their lord was lately dead of the fmall pox. He had on his death- 

 bed recommended his fons to the proted;ion of Cortes, being convinced 

 that we were thofe of whom their anceftors had prophefied, when they 

 faid that men with beards fliould come to govern them ; and he there- 

 fore enjoined his fons to receive their dominions from the hands of our 

 chief. Sandoval accordingly marched for our head quarters, bringing 

 with him the young lords of Chalco, who experienced a moft gracious 

 reception from Cortes, and they prefented him with ornaments of gold 

 amounting in value to about two hundred thoufand crowns. Cortes 

 divided the diftrid: between them, giving Chalco and the larger part 

 to the elder brother, and Talmalanco, Ayocingo, and Chimalcan, with 

 other places, to the younger. By fome Mexican prifoners Cortes fent 

 a meifage to the reigning prince in that city, couched in the mofl in- 

 viting and amicable terms, in order to induce him to come to an accom- 

 modation; but Guatimotzin wsuld not hear them, and perfifted in the 

 moft adive hoflility againft us. Frequent complaints came to us at 

 this time of the incurfions made by the enemy upon our allies of Gua- 

 tinchan and Huaxutlan, in the neighbourhood of the lake, upon the 

 old caufe of the fields fown for the fervice of the Mexican temples ; in 

 confequence of which, Cortes being determined to put a flop to thefe 



inroads 



