HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



317 



matzin, and ufed his endeavours to put him on the 

 throne, bccaufe he trufted he would find in him a king 

 of wax, to whom he might give what form he pleafed. 

 " It is by no means reafonable, dear brother," repHed 

 Coanocotzin, " to oppofe a refolution which is fo pru- 



dent and fo jufi: ; are you not aware that if Cacamat- 

 " zin was not to be king, the crown would belong not to 

 " you but to me." " It is true," faid Ixtlilxochitl, 



if the right of fucceffion is to be determined by age 

 " only, the crown is due to Cacamatzin, and in failure of 

 " him to you ; but if regard is paid, as it ought to be, to 



courage, to me it belongs." The counfellors per- 

 ceiving that the princes were growing gradually more 

 vehement and warm in their altercation, impofed filence 

 on them both, and difmiffed the affembly. 



The two princes v/ent to their mother the queen Xo- 

 cotzin to continue their cavil, while Cacamatzin accom- 

 panied by many of the nobility, fet out immediately for 

 Mexico to inform Montezuma of what had happened, 

 and to demand his alTidance. Montezuma, who, befides 

 the attachment he had to the prince, faw the juftice of 

 his claim, and the confent of the nation to it, advifed 

 him in the firil: place to fecure the royal treafures, and 

 promifed to fettle the difpute with his brother, and to 

 employ the Mexican arms in his behalf if negociations 

 for that purpofe fliould not prove fufEcient. 



Ixtlilxochitl, as foon as he knew of the departure of 

 Cacamatzin, and forefaw the confequenccs of his appli- 

 cation to Montezuma, fet out from court with all his 

 partizans, and went to the flates which belonged to his 

 tutors in the mountains of Meztitlan. Coanocotzin fent 

 immediate advice to Cacamatzin to return without delay 

 to Tezcuco, and make ufe of that favourable opportu- 

 nity 



