326 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



offended at this, and complained bitterly of his diffidence, 

 after fo many manifeft proofs of their good faith; but 

 Cortes excufed it, by protefting, that he did not fo from 

 any diffidence of the Tlafcalans, but becaufe it was the 

 pradtice of the Spaniards: this anfvver fatisfied the fenate, 

 and the difcipline of his foldiers pleafed them fo much, 

 that Maxixcatzin propofed to introduce it among the 

 troops of the republic. 



At length Cortes having procured, during the time 

 he flayed in TJafcala, a'diftinft information of the city of 

 Mexico, of the forces of that kingdom, and every other 

 particular which could farther his projects, determined to 

 continue his journey ; but before he fet out, he prefent- 

 ed a great number of the mod beautiful habits which he 

 had received from Montezuma, to the Tlafcalans. He 

 was doubtful of the route he mould purfue to that city. 

 The Mexican ambaffadors propofed that he mould go by 

 Cholula, where there was good accommodation prepared 

 for all his people. The Tlafcalans oppofed that intention, 

 by reprefenting the perfidy of the Cholulans, and advifed 

 him to proceed by Huexotzinco, a ftate confederated 

 equally with them and the Spaniards, but Cortes refolv- 

 ed to go by Cholula, not only to pleafe the ambaffadors, 

 but alfo to mew the Tlafcalans the little regard he paid 

 to the force of his enemies. 



The Cholulans had been formerly the allies of the 

 Tlafcalans; but upon the arrival of the Spaniards were 

 confederated with the Mexicans, and the fworn enemies 

 of that republic. The caufe of fo great an enmity had 

 been the perfidy of the Cholulans. In a battle with 

 the Mexicans, while they were yet the allies of the Tla- 

 fcalans, being in the vanguard of the army, by a fudden 

 evolution they put themfelves in the rear, and, attacking 



the 



