280 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



but Montezuma having intelligence of this, with a gene- 

 rofity becoming a king, ordered them to be properly 

 lodged and entertained, and caufed feveral fcafFolds to 

 be erected where they might with eafe and conveniency 

 view the whole of the folemnity. 



The firfl: a6i: of this king was to reward a renowned 

 captain, named THlxochitl^ with the ftate of Tlachaucho, 

 for the great fervices he had rendered his anceflors du- 

 ring feveral wars : a truly happy commencement of a 

 reign, had his fucceeding condud^ been correfpondent to 

 it. But he had fcarce begun to exercife his authority 

 when he difcovered the pride which had hitherto lain 

 concealed under an exterior of feeming humility. All 

 his predecelTors had been accullomed to confer offices 

 on perfons of merit, and thofe who appeared the moft 

 able to difcharge them, honouring, without partiality, 

 the nobility or thofe of the clafs of plebeians occafionaily, 

 notwithftanding the folemn- agreement entered into by 

 the nobility and plebeians in the reign of Itzcoatl. Mon- 

 tezuma as foon as he feized the reins of government 

 fliewed quite different fentiments, and difapproved of 

 the conduct of his predecelTors, under pretence that the 

 plebeians fhould be employed according to their rank, for 

 that in all their adiions the bafenefs of their birth, and 

 the meannefs of their education 'were apparent. Being 

 biaffed by this maxim, he flripped the plebeians of thofe 

 offi>ces which they held either in his royal manfion, or 

 about the court, and declared them incapable of hold- 

 ing any fuch in future. A prudent old man, who had 

 been his tutor, reprefented to him that this refolution 

 would ahenate the minds of the people from him ; but 

 no remonftrances were fufficient to divert him from his 

 purpofe. 



All 



