126 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



created fome time after four electors, in whofe judgment 

 and decifion all the Suffrages of the nation were com- 

 prehended. Thefe were four lords of the firft rank of 

 nobility, and generally of the royal blood, poffefled 

 likewife of prudence and probity adequate to the dis- 

 charge of fo important a function. Their office was not 

 perpetual ; their electoral power terminated with the 

 firft election, and new electors were immediately nomi- 

 nated, or the firfl: were re-chofen by the votes of the no- 

 bility. If a deficiency happened in their number before 

 the king died, it was fupplied by a new appointment. 

 In the time of king Itzcoatl, two other electors were 

 added, which were the kings of Acolhuacan and Ta- 

 cuba ; but their title was merely honorary. They ufu- 

 ally ratified the choice which was made by the four real 

 electors ; but we do not know that they ever interfered 

 otherwife with the election. 



That the electors might not be left too much at li- 

 berty, and in order to prevent the inconveniences arif- 

 ing from parties and factions, they fixed the crown in 

 the family of Acamapitzin ; and afterwards eftabliflied 

 a law, that when the king died he fliould be fucceeded 

 by one of his brothers, and on failure of brothers by 

 one of his nephews ; or on failure of them by one of 

 his coufins, leaving it in the option of the electors to 

 choofe among the brothers, or nephews of the deceafed 

 king, the perfon whom they fhould think beft qualified 

 to govern ; by means of which law they avoided nu- 

 merous inconveniences that we have already mentioned. 

 This law was obferved from the time of their fecond, 

 until the time of their laft king. Huitzilihuid, the fon 

 of Acamapitzin, was fucceeded by his two brothers 

 Chimalpopoca and Itzcoatl ; Itzcoatl by his nephew 



Montezuma 



