236 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



nity the tributes and prefents which were fent to him 

 from conquered places, were brought into Mexico. The 

 king's major-domos and the receivers of the royal reve- 

 nues preceded, after whom came thofe who carried the 

 prefents, who were divided into as many companies as 

 there were people who fent them, and fo regular and or- 

 derly in their proceiTion as to afford infinite pleafure to 

 the fpe£i:ators. They brought gold, filver, beautiful fea- 

 thers, wearing apparel, great variety of game, and a vafi: 

 quantity of provifions. It is more than probable, al- 

 though hiflorians do not mention it, that the other two 

 allied kings and many other ftrangers of diftin(Si:ion were 

 prefent, befides a great concourfe of people from all the 

 places in the vale of Mexico. 



As foon as Montezuma found himfelf on the throne, 

 his firfl care was to ere£l: a great temple in that part of 

 the city which they called Huitznahuac, The allied 

 kings, whom he requefted to affifl him, furniflied him 

 with fuch plenty of materials and workmen, that in a 

 fliort time the building was finiflied and confecrated. 

 During the time of its confl:ru61:ion the new war againft 

 Chalco appears to have happened. The Chalchefe be- 

 fides the injuries which they had already done to Mon- 

 tezuma, provoked his indignation afrefli by a cruel and 

 barbarous a£t, deferving the execration of all poflerity. 

 Two of the royal princes of Tezcuco having gone a hunt-^ 

 ing on the mountains which overlook the plains of Chalco, 

 while employed in the chace and feparated from their re- 

 tinue with only three Mexican lords, fell in with a troop 

 of Chalchefe foldiers, who thinking they would pleafe 

 the cruel palTions of their mafter, made them prifoners 

 and carried them to Chalco. The favage lord of that 

 city, who was probably the fam.e Toteotzin by whom 



Montezuma 



