HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



189 



of fuch temerity, and making him fenfible how much 

 more prudent it would be to wait till time prefented him 

 a fitter opportunity for the recovery of his crown, and 

 revenge of his enemies ; that the tyrant was already 

 worn out with age, and that his death, which could not 

 be very diftant, would entirely change the ftate of affairs ; 

 that the people themfelves would come willingly to fub- 

 mit themfelves to their lawful fovereign, from a fenfe of 

 the injuftice and cruelty of the ufurper. Upon this fame 

 occafion, a Mexican officer of refpe£l, (probably Itzcoatl, 

 the brother of the king, and general of the Mexican 

 forces), either of his own accord, or by order of the king 

 Chimalpopoca, afcended the temple, which the Toltecas 

 had at that court, and addrefTed the multitude around 

 him, " Hear, Chechemecas, hear Acolhuas, and all ye 



who are prefent. Let no one dare to offer any hurt to 

 " our fon Nezahualcojotl, nor permit others to hurt him, 

 " if he is not willing to fubject himfelf to fevere chailife- 



ment.'^ This proclamation contributed much to the 

 prince's fecurity, no body wifliing to draw upon himfelf 

 the anger of a nation which began now to make itfelf 

 refpc6ted. 



A little time after, many of thofe nobles who had 

 taken refuge in Huexotzinco and Tlafcala, to avoid the 

 fury of the Tcpanecan troops, affembled at Papalotla, a 

 place near to Tezcuco, to deliberate on the condu6l they 

 ftiould purfue in the prefent circumftances 5 and they all 

 agreed to fubmit themfelves to the new lords whom the 

 ufurper had appointed to their cities, that they might be 

 free from farther hoflilities, and attend in peace to the 

 care of their families and habitations. 



After having fatisfied his ambition with the ufurpation 

 of the kingdom of Acolhuacan, and his cruelty with the 



flaughter 



