HISTORY OF MEXICO. 205 



tired to his innermoft apartment. Being informed, af- 

 terwards, by his porter, that the Tepanecas enquired for 

 him, he ordered Ocelotl to receive them, and to acquaint 

 them that he would attend them as foon as they had re- 

 pofed and refreflied themfelves. The Tepanecas did not 

 imagine that by delaying they would lofe the opportu- 

 nity of ftriking their blow, and polTibly alfo durfi: not 

 execute their commiffion, as they were uncertain whe- 

 ther there were not attendants in the houfe fufficient to 

 oppofe them j after fome repofe, therefore, they fat down 

 to table, and while they were refrefliing, the prince fled 

 by a fecret door, and travelled fomething more than a 

 mile to Coatitlan, a fmall fettlement of weavers, the peo- 

 ple of which were all faithful and aiFediionate to him, and 

 there concealed himfelf (y). The Tepanecas having 

 waited a coniiderable time without the prince or his do- 

 meftic making their appearance, they fearched over the 

 whole houfe, but no perfon could give any account of him. 

 At length being perfuaded of his flight, they fet out in- 

 ftantly in fearch of him, and being informed by a coun- 

 tryman, in the road to Coatitlan, that he had taken re- 

 fuge in that place, they entered there with their arms in 

 their hands, threatening the inhabitants with death if 

 they did not difcover the fugitive prince ; but no per- 

 fon was found who would make this difcovery ; and fo 

 uncommon was their example of fidelity, fome were put 

 death for the refufal. Amongft thofe who made facri- 

 fices of their lives to preferve their prince, were T ich- 



mantzin 



(y) Torquemada fays the prince went out of his houfe by a kind of laby- 

 rinth, through which no perfon unacquainted with it could find his way. The 

 prince and fome of his moft particular confidants only knev/ the fecret of it. 

 It is not at all incredible that he ftiould have defigned fuch a maze, as his ge- 

 nius was fuperior and himfelf diftinguiflied above all his countrymen, in talente 

 and penetration. 



