HISTORY OF MEXICO. 317 



difclofed his fears, and demanded their advice. The 

 king of Tezcuco adhered to his former opinion ; which 

 was, that thofe ftrangers fliould be courteoufly treated 

 in every place through which they paffed; that they 

 fliould he kindly welcomed at court, and their propor- 

 tions heard, as well as thofe of any other vaflal, the 

 king ftill preferving his fupreme authority, and exacting 

 the decorum and refpect due to the majefty of the 

 throne ; that if they fliould defign any thing againft the 

 perfon of the king, or the ftate, force and feverity fliould 

 then be employed againft them. The prince Cuitla- 

 huatzin repeated what he had faid in the firft confer- 

 ence, which was, that it did not feem expedient to ad- 

 mit thofe ftrangers into the court; that a valuable pre- 

 fent fliould be fent to their chief, that he fliould be 

 alked what things of that country he demanded for the 

 great lord in whofe name he came, and that he fliould be 

 offered the friendfliip and correfpondence of the Mexi- 

 cans; but, at the fame time, he fliould again be importun- 

 ed to return to his native country. Among the reft of 

 the counfellors, fome adopted the opinion of the king of 

 Tezcuco, fome that of the lord of Iztapalapan, while 

 others fided with Montezuma. This unfortunate king 

 faw every where objects and motives of terror. The 

 confederacy which he dreaded of the Tlafcalans with 

 the Spaniards kept him in the utmoft uneafinefs. On 

 the other hand, he was apprehenflve of the alliance of 

 Cortes with the prince Ixtlilxochitl, his nephew and 

 fworn enemy, who from the time that he had confpired 

 againft the king of Tezcuco his brother, had never laid 

 down his arms, and was at this very juncture at the 

 head of a formidable army at Otompan. Tnoie caufes 



of 



