HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



305 



We are far from thinking that all which has been writ- 

 ten on this fubjeft is deferving of credit ; but neither 

 can we doubt of the tradition which prevailed among the 

 Americans, that a new people totally different from the 

 native inhabitants, were to arrive at that kingdom and 

 make themfelves mafters of that country. There has 

 not been in the country of Anahuac any nation more or 

 lefs poliflied which has not confirmed this tradition either 

 by verbal teftimony or their own hiftories. 



It is impofiible to guefs at the origin of a tradition fo 

 univerfal as this ; but the event which 1 am going to re- 

 late, is faid to have been public, and to have made a con- 

 fiderable noife ; to have happened alfo in the prefence 

 of the two kings and the Mexican nobility. It is repre- 

 fented in fome of the paintings of thofe nations, and a 

 legal atteftation of it even was fent to the court of Ma- 

 drid (Jj), Though in compliance with the duty of a hif- 

 torian, we give a place to many of the memorable tradi- 

 tions of thofe nations ; on thefe, however, we leave our 

 readers to form their own judgment and comments. 



Papantzin^ a Mexican princefs, andfifter of Montezu- 

 ma, was married to the governor of Tlatelolco, and after 

 his death lived in his palace until the year 1509, when 

 flie likewife died of old age. Her funeral was celebrated 

 with magnificence fuitable to her exalted birth, the king 

 her brother, and all the nobility of Mexico and Tlate- 

 lolco being prefent. Her body was buried in a fubterra- 

 neous cavern, in the garden of the fame palace, near to 

 a fountain where flie had ufed to bathe, and the mouth 

 of the cave was fliut with a ftone. The day following, 

 a child of five or fix years of age happened to pafs from 

 Vol. I. Q^q her 



{h) Sec Torqu.emada, lib. ii. cap. 91, and Betencourt, Part iii. Trat. u 

 cap. 8. 



