212 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



Having fafely delivered his embaffy, he took leave of 

 the prince to return to Mexico, but in the u'ay fell into an 

 ambufcade laid by his enemies, was taken prifoner with 

 all his attendants, conducted to Chalco, and prefented 

 to Toteofzin, lord of that city, and an inveterate enemy of 

 the Mexicans. Here he was immediately fliut up in a 

 clofe prifon, under the care of ^ateotzin^ a very refpeft- 

 able perfon, who was ordered to provide no fuftenance 

 for the prifoners but what his lord prefcribed, until the 

 mode of death was determined, by which their days were 

 to be concluded, (^lateotzin revolting at the inhuma- 

 nity of fuch orders, fupplied them liberally at his own 

 expenfe. But the cruel Toteotzin, thinking to pay a 

 piece of flattering homage to the Huexotzincas, fent his 

 prifoners to them, that, if they judged proper, they might 

 be facrificed in Huexotzinco with the afliftance of the 

 Chalchefe, or in Chalco with the afliflance of the Huex- 

 otzincas. The Huexotzincas, who were always more 

 humane than the Chalchefe, rejected the propofal with 

 difdain. Why fliould we deprive men of their lives 



who have committed no crime, unlefs that of ailing as 

 " faithful melTengers to their lord ; and if they merited 



to die, we can derive no honour from putting prifoners 

 " to death which do not belong to us. Return in peace^ 



and inform your lord that the nobility of Huexot- 



zinco will not render themfelves infamous by acls fo 

 " unworthy of them.'* 



The Chalchefe returned with the prifoners and this 

 anfwer to Toteotzin, who being determined to procure 

 himfelf friends by means of his prifoners, gave informa- 

 tion of them to Maxtlaton ; leaving it to him to decide 

 their fate, and trufling, by this refpe6tful adulation, to 

 cajm the anger and indignation which his treachery and 



inconflancy 



