HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



293 



and attack the republic on every fide. The Huexotzin- 

 eas, in confederacy with the Cholulans, quickly raifed 

 their forces, under command of Tecajahuatzin, the chief 

 of the (late of Huexotzinco ; but confiding more in their 

 arts than their flrength, they tried to draw over to their 

 party, by bribes and promifes, the inhabitants of Hue- 

 jotlipan, a city of the republic, fituated on the frontiers 

 of the kingdom of Acolhuacan, and the Otomies, who 

 guarded the other frontiers ; but neither would be pre- 

 vailed upon : on the contrary, they declared they were 

 refolved to die in defence of the republic. Upon which 

 the Huexotzincas, being obliged to make ufe of their 

 ftrength, entered with fuch fury into the boundaries of 

 Tlafcala, that the frontier garrifon was not able to with- 

 ftand them : they committed great llaughter, and ad- 

 vanced as far as Xiloxochitla^ which was only three miles 

 diflant from the capital. There they met with a flout 

 refiflance from Tezatlacatzin^ a celebrated Tlafcalan cap- 

 tain, who fell at lafl however, being overcome by the 

 multitude of his enemies. Finding themfelves fo near 

 the capital, they conceived fuch a dread of the venge- 

 ance of the Tlafcalans, that they retreated precipitately 

 to their ovv^n territories. Such was the commencement 

 of the continual battles and the hoftilities which fubfift- 

 ed between the two ftates until the arrival of the Spa- 

 niards. We are uninformed by hiftory whether the 

 other ftates in the neighbourhood of Tlafcala were en- 

 gaged in the war : perhaps, the Huexotzincas and Cho- 

 lulans were unwilling to let any other have a fliare in 

 their glory. 



The Tlafcalans were now fo enraged againft the Huex- 

 otzincas, that they did not confine themfelves any longer 

 to*the defence of iheir ftate, but frequently fallied out up- 

 on 



