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HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



thelefs fome of them, either lefs timid and cowardly, or 

 more jealous of the honour of their deities, difpofed 

 themfelves to take revenge of the Spaniards, and would 

 certainly have engaged with them, if the Spaniards, by 

 feizing the lord of Chempoalla and four principal priefts, 

 had not compelled them to reftrain the fury of their 

 people. 



After this daring act, where prudence was blinded by 

 enthufiafm, Cortes commanded the priefts to bring the 

 fragments of the idols before him, and throw them into 

 a fire. He was immediately obeyed ; upon which, be- 

 ing full of joy and triumph, as if by breaking the idols, 

 he had entirely banifhed idolatry and fuperftition from 

 thofe people, he told their chief he was now willing to 

 accept the eight virgins which had been offered him ; 

 that from that time he would confider the Totonacas as 

 his friends and brothers, and in all their exigencies would 

 afTift them againft their enemies ; that as they could never 

 more adore thofe deteftable images of the demon their 

 enemy, he would place in the fame temple an image of 

 the true mother of God, that they might worfhip and 

 implore her protection in all their neceflities. He then 

 expatiated, in a long difcourfe, upon the fan<ftity of the 

 Chriftian religion ; after which he ordered the Chem- 

 poallefe mafons to cleanfe the walls of the temples of thofe 

 difguftful ftains of human blood, which they preferved 

 there as trophies of their religion, and to polifh and 

 whiten them. He caufed an altar to be made after the 

 mode of Chriftians, and placed the image of the molt 

 holy Mary there. He committed the care of this fanc- 

 tuary to four Chempoallefe priefts, provided theyfhould 

 go always drefifed in white, inftead of that black melan- 

 choly habit which they wore in virtue of their former 



office. 



