HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



177 



except the directors own children, who had learnt the art 

 for that purpofe. The entertainer of amballadors had 

 many Colhuan officers under him ; the major-domo had 

 a certain number of Chechemecas ; and the fuperintend- 

 ant of the cleaning of the houfes, an equal number of 

 Tepanecas. By fuch regulations he increafed the fplen- 

 dor of his court, and ftrengthened the throne of Acol- 

 huacan ; although he could not hinder thofe revolutions 

 which we ftiall foon have occafion to mention. Thefe 

 and other fuch inftances of wife policy, which will ap- 

 pear in the fequel of this hiflory, evidently fhew the in- 

 juftice done to the Americans by thofe who have conli- 

 dered them as animals of a different fpecies, or as inca- 

 pable of civilization or improvement. 



The new alliance formed by the king of Mexico with 

 the king of Azcapozalco, and the glory acquired by his 

 fubjeds in the war of Xaltocan, ferved both to ftrength- 

 en their little ftate and to make themfelves more refpe^t- 

 able in the eyes of their neighbours. Being enabled, 

 therefore, to extend their trade and carry it on with 

 greater freedom, they began, now, to wear clothes made 

 of cotton, which they had been entirely without, in their 

 former flate of indigence, when they had nothing but 

 coarfe fluffs made of the threads of the wild palm. But 

 they had fcarcely time to breathe, when a new enemy 

 and bloody perfecutor flarted up, in the fame royal family 

 of Azcapozalco. 



Maxtlaton prince of Coyoacan, and fon of the king of 

 Azcapozalco, a cruel, turbulent, ambitious man, and 

 who was feared even by his father upon that account, 

 had be^n difpleafed at the marriage of his filler Ayauh- 

 cihuatl with the king of Mexico. He concealed his dif- 

 pleafure, for fome time, out of refpecft to his father j but 

 , Vol. L Z . in 



