HISTORY OF MEXICO. 197 



The morning of the enfuing day he aflembled the peo- 

 ple of Azcapozalco, and told them, that having no right 

 to remain any longer in his father's palace, as it belong- 

 ed to prince Tajatzin, and having befides occafion for a 

 houfe at that court where he might be lodged v^^hen ever 

 any bufinefs required him to come from his ftate of Cojo- 

 huacan, he defired they would ftiew the love they bore 

 him by the mod fpeedy conftru6i:ion of fuch a refidence. 

 Such was the diligence of the Azcapozalchefe, and fo 

 great the multitude of workmen who w^re collected, that 

 Tajatzin, who only continued three days in Mexico, found 

 on his return the edifice already begun. He was ftruck 

 with wonder at this novelty, and enquiring the caufe at 

 Maxtlaton, was anfvvered by him, that finding it his duty 

 to IcdYZ the royal manfion, in juftice to Tajatzin's rights, 

 he was ere£i:ing another where he might refide when he 

 ihould come to court. The good Tajatzin remained fa* 

 tisfied with this anfwer, and eafily perfuaded himfelf that 

 Maxtlaton thought no more of ufurping the crown. A 

 little time after, the building being finiflied, Maxtlaton 

 invited his brothers the kings of Mexico and Tlatelolco, 

 and other lords to an entertainment. Tajatzin being to- 

 tally ignorant of the treachery of his fervant, did not fuf- 

 pe£i: the fnare which was laid for him : but Chimalpo- 

 poca, who was more difcerning and cautious, certainly 

 was fufpicious of fome treachery, and politely excufed 

 himfelf from attendance. The day appointed for the 

 feftival being arrived, the guefts reforted to the new 

 manfion, and at the time they were mofl: engaged in jollity 

 and mirth, and probably alfo heated with wine, which is 

 the moft favourable time for deeds of this nature, fud> 

 denly people in arms entered, and poured with fuch vio- 

 lence on the unfortunate Tajatzin, that he had fcarcely 



lifted 



