258 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



with them. The Quaupanchefe alfo, the Huexotzincas,. 

 and Matlatzlncas, whcfe aid had been requefted, were to 

 join their troops with thofe of Tlatelolco in defence of the 

 city. The queen knew of thefe negociations, and either 

 from the hatred flie bore to her hufband, or from her 

 love to her brother and her native country, fhe revealed 

 them to Axayacatl, that he might ward off a blow which 

 would have fliaken his throne. 



Moquihuix being affured of the aid of his confederates 

 alTembled the nobles of his court to encourage them to 

 the undertaking. An old and venerable pried raifed his 

 voice in the afTembly, and in the name of them all de- 

 clared himfelf willing to fight to the lad againft the ene- 

 mies of his country , then to animate them ftill more he 

 wafhed the altar of the facrifices, and prefented the water 

 purple with human blood to the king to drink, and after- 

 wards to all his officers ^ by which they imagined their 

 courage would be increafed, and doubtlefs it hardened 

 them to the exercife of cruelty upon their foes. In the 

 mean while the queen grew impatient of the ill treatment 

 flie fufFered, and being alarmed at the dangers of war, 

 forfook her hufband and came to Mexico with four fons, 

 to throw herfelf under the protediion of her brother. 

 This it was eafy for her to do from the very clofe neigh- 

 bourhood of the two cities. An incident of this uncom- 

 mon nature increafed the mutual enmity and difguH: of 

 the Mexicans and Tlatelolcos to fuch a degree, that 

 whenever they met, they abufed, fought, and murdered 

 each other. 



The time of commencing the war drawing near, Mo- 

 quihuix with his officers and many of his confederates, 

 made a folemn facrificc on the mountain which was the 

 nearefl to the city, to obtain the protection of their gods ; 



and 



