292 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



A great many fubje£ls of the crown of Mexico had 

 taken refuge in the country of Tlafcala, particularly fome 

 of the Chalchefe nation, and the Otomies of Xaltocan 

 who fled from the ruin of their native countries, in the 

 wars above-mentioned. They bore an inveterate hatred 

 to the Mexicans, from the evils which they had fuffered, 

 and appeared, therefore, to the Tlafcalans, to be the 

 fitted people to give vigorous oppofition to their enemies; 

 in this they were not deceived ; for the Mexicans found 

 no refiftance more powerful than that which they met 

 with from thefe exiles, efpecially the Otomies compofmg 

 the frontier garrifons, who ferved the republic with great 

 fidelity, and were rewarded with the higheil honours 

 and employments. 



All the time that Axayacatl and his fucceffors reigned, 

 the Tlafcalans continued to be obftrufted in their com- 

 merce with the maritime provinces, by which means the 

 common people were fo much in want of fait, that they 

 grew accuftomed to eat their food without that feafon- 

 ing, and did not return to the ufe of it for many years 

 after the conqueft ; but the nobles, or at leaft fome of 

 them, had fecret correfpondence with fome Mexican 

 lords, and got a fupply of what was neceflary, without 

 the populace of either country having any knowledge of 

 it. Every perfon knows that in all general calamities, 

 the poor are thofe who fufFer the greateft hardfhips, 

 while thofe of better circumftances efcape, or at leaft 

 find means by their wealth to foften and relieve them. 



Montezuma being unable to endure a refufal of obe- 

 dience and homage from the little republic of Tlafcala, 

 while fo many nations, even the mod diftant, were tri- 

 butary to him, ordered in the beginning of his reign, 

 the ftates in its neighbourhood to mufter their troops, 



and 



