238 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



tory, as hiftorians relate, was owing chiefly to the bra- 

 very of the youth Axoquentzin, a fon of Nezahualcojotl. 



This famous king, although he had in early life feveral 

 wives and many children by them, had not yet conferred 

 on any of them the dignity of queen, as they had been 

 all flaves or daughters of his fubje6ls (c). Judging it 

 now necelTary to take a wife worthy of being raifed to 

 this high rank, and who might bear a fuccelTor to him in 

 the crown of Acolhuacan, he married Matlalcihuatzin 

 daughter of the king of Tacuba, a beautiful and modefl 

 virgin, who w^as conducted to Tezcuco by her father and 

 the king of Mexico. On occafion of the nuptials there 

 were rejoicings for eighty days, and a year after a fon 

 was born of this marriage, who was named Nezahualpilli, 

 and fucceeded, as will appear hereafter, to that crown. 

 A little time after, equally great rejoicings took place on 

 occafion of the building of the Hueitecpan or great pa- 

 lace being completed, of whofe magnificence the Spa- 

 niards were witnefTes. Thefe feflivals, at which the two 

 allied kings were prefent, were concluded with a mofl 

 fumptuous entertainment to which the nobility of the 

 three courts were invited. At this entertainment Neza- 

 hualcojotl made his muficians fing to the accompaniment 

 of inftruments, an ode which he had compofed himfelf, 

 which began thus : " Xochitl mamani in ahuehuetitlan^* 

 the fubje6l of which was a comparifon of the fliortnefs of 

 life and of its pleafures, with the fleeting bloom of a 

 flower. The pathetic touches of the fong drew tears 

 from the audience j in whom, according to their love of 



life, 



(f ) Nezahualcojotl married in his youth Nezahualxochitl, as we have already 

 mentioned, who, being of the royal family of Mexico, was entitled to the honour 

 of being queen : but Ihe died before the prince recovered his crown from the 

 ufurper. 



