336 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



felves, and the Tepejachefe nation, he adjufted the dif- 

 ferences between the two republics of Tlafcala and 

 Cholula, and re-eftablifhed their ancient friendfliip and 

 alliance, which continued firm ever after. At length, in 

 order to comply with the duties of humanity and reli- 

 gion, he made all the cages of the temples be broken, 

 and fet all the prifoners and flaves at liberty who were 

 deftined for the facrifices. He ordered the greater tem- 

 ple to be cleaned, and raifed there the ftandard of the 

 crofs, after giving the Cholulans, as he did to all the 

 other people among whom he Mopped, fome idea of the 

 Chriftian religion. 



The Spanilh general elated by his fuccefTes, or per- 

 haps defirous of intimidating Montezuma, charged the 

 Mexican ambafladors to tell their mafter, that notwith- 

 ftanding he had formerly intended to enter peaceably into 

 Mexico, on feeing and confidering what had happened 

 in Cholula, he was now determined to enter as an ene- 

 my, and to do him every evil he could. The ambaffa- 

 dors anfwered, that before he took a refolution of that 

 kind, he ought to make a more flricl: inquiry into the 

 conduct of the Cholulans, to certify himfelf of the good 

 intentions of their fovereign ; that, if he thought proper, 

 one of them would go to the court, and lay his com- 

 plaints before the king. Cortes confented to it, and 

 after fix days the ambafifador returned, bringing a large 

 prefent to the general, confuting of ten plates of gold, 

 worth five thoufand fequins; one thoufand five hundred 

 habits, and a great quantity of provifions; thanking 

 him, in the name of his fovereign, for the punifhment 

 inflicted on the perfidious Cholulans; and protefting, 

 that the army raifed to furprife the Spaniards on their 

 journey, confifted of the Acatzinchefe and Itzocanefe 



nations 



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