HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



297 



which he fent to TIaximalojan, the frontier as we have 

 already mentioned of Michuacan, to Tlahuicol. Tlahui- 

 col correfponded faithfully with the trufl repofed in him; 

 for although he could not diflodge the enemy from the 

 place where they were fortified, yet he made many pri- 

 foners, and brought off a great quantity of gold and fil- 

 ver. Montezuma was fenfible of his ferviccs, and again 

 made him offers of liberty ; but this being refufcd as for- 

 merly, he was offered the honourable poft of Tlacaiecatl, 

 general of the Mexican arms. To this the Tlafcalan 

 nobly anfwered, that he would never be a traitor to his 

 country, that he defired pofitively to die, provided it 

 might be in the gladiatorian facrifice, which as it was re- 

 ferved for the mod refpe£lable prifoners, would there- 

 fore be more honourable to him. This celebrated general 

 paffed three years in Mexico with one of his wives, who 

 came there from Tlafcala to live with him. It is pro- 

 bable, that the Mexicans brought her to him that he 

 might leave them fome poflerity, to ennoble with his vir- 

 tues the court and kingdom of Mexico. The king per- 

 ceiving at laft the obflinacy with which he refufed every 

 offer which was made him, yielded to his barbarous in- 

 clination, and appointed the day of the facrifice. Eight 

 days before the arrival of that day, they began to cele- 

 brate the occafion with entertainments of dancing ; after 

 which, they, in prefence of the king, the nobility, and 

 an immenfe croud of people, put the Tlafcalan prifoner, 

 tied by one foot, upon the Temalacatl^ or the large 

 round (tone on which fuch facrifices were made. Several 

 brave men came on, one at a time, to fight with him, of 

 whom, according to report, he killed eight and wounded 

 twenty, until at laft falling almofl dead from a feverc 

 blow which he received on the head, they carried him 

 Vol. I. P p before 



