HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



535 



of fuccour by the republic of Tlafcala, under the com- 

 mand of general Xicotencatl. It was probable that this 

 was owing to fome defpatch having been fent the night 

 before to the fenate, by the chiefs of the Tlafcalan 

 troops, encamped without the city. Cortes returned 

 thanks for the fupply, prefented to Xicotencatl and his 

 officers a part of the booty, and requeued him to return 

 with his army to Tlafcala, as it was not now neceffary ; 

 but he retained the fix thoufand men who had affifted 

 him in the punifliment of Cholula, that they might ac- 

 company him in his journey to Mexico. Thus did the 

 alliance of the Spaniards with the Tlafcalans become 

 gradually more firm and eftablifhed. 



Cortes having returned to his dwelling, where forty 

 of the Cholulan nobility remained in a manner prifoners, 

 he was requefted by them to give way to mercy, after 

 fo much rigour, and to permit one or two of them to go 

 and recall the women, children, and other fugitives, who 

 were wandering in terror and difmay through the moun- 

 tains. Cortes, being now moved to pity, commanded a 

 ceffation of arms, and publifhed a general pardon. Up- 

 on the report of this proclamation, fuddenly fome were 

 feen to rife from among the dead who had counterfeited 

 death in order to efcape it, and troops of fugitives com- 

 ing from the mountains to the city, fome bewailing the 

 lofs of a ion, fome a brother, and fome their hufbands. 

 Cortes ordered the dead bodies to be carried off from 

 the temples and the ftreets, and fct the nobles who were 

 prifoners at liberty. A few days after, that city was 

 again fo well peopled it appeared to want none of its in- 

 habitants. Here Cortes received the compliments of 

 the Huexotzincas and the Tlafcalans, and an oath of al- 

 legiance to the crown of Spain from the Cholulans them- 



felves, 



