194 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



crown, neverthelefs his brother Maxtlaton, being more 

 forward and active, arrogated the right to himfelf, and 

 began to command with as much authority as if he had 

 been already in poffellion of the kingdom at which he 

 afpired, imagining it would be eafy to opprefs his bro- 

 ther, who was a man of no abilities, and unflcilled in the 

 art of government. He fent information to the kings 

 of Mexko and Tlatelolco, and other lords, that they 

 might honour with their prefence and their tears the 

 funeral of their common lord. Nezahualcojotl, though 

 ndt fummoned, was willing to be prefent, as may eaiily 

 be imagined, to obferve with his own eyes the difpofition 

 of the court. He was accompanied by a confidential 

 friend and a fmall retinue j having entered the hall of the 

 royal palace where the corpfe lay expofed, he found the 

 kings of Mexico and Tlatelolco, the three princes, fons 

 of the late tyrant, and fome other lords. He faluted 

 them all one after another, according to the order in 

 which they fat, beginning with the king of Mexico, and 

 prefented them bunches of flowers, according to the cuf- 

 tom of that country. Having paid his compliments he 

 fat down by the fide of king Chimalpopoca, his brother- 

 in-law, to accompany him in condolence. Teudzintli, 

 one of the fons of Tezozomoc, who inherited his cruelty, 

 conceiving this a good occafion to execute the iniquitous 

 charge of his father on Nezahualcojotl, propofed it to 

 his brother Maxtlaton. He, however, though of no 

 lefs inhuman a heart, had more underftanding and judg- 

 rnent, " Banifii,'* he replied, banifh from your mind 

 fuch,a thought. What would men fay of us if they 

 " fiiould fee us plotting againfl: the life of another while 

 " we ought to be employed in mourning for our father ? 

 They would fay, that the grief was not deep which 



gave 



