368 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



<c lar an event. All confider you the principal author of 

 " thofe revolutions ; but I am far from thinking fo great 

 " a monarch capable of fuch perfidy as to perfecute me 

 " as an enemy in that province, while at the fame time 

 " you are heaping favours upon me in your court." " I 

 " do not doubt (replied the king) but thofe who accufe 

 " me of the war of Nauhtlan are the Tlafcalans, my 

 " fworn enemies ; but I proteft I had no influence in it. 

 " Quauhpopoca has proceeded to do fo without my or- 

 " ders, and rather againfl my inclination ; and that you 

 " may be allured of the truth, I will make him immedi- 

 " ately come to court, and put him into your hands." 

 He immediately called two of his courtiers, and deliver- 

 ing to them a certain gem, which he always wore hang- 

 ing at his arm, and ferved in place of a feal as a figa of 

 his commands, he ordered them to go with all polTible 

 fpeed to Nauhtlan to bring Quauhpopoca from thence to 

 court, and the other principal perfons who were con- 

 cerned in the death of the Spaniards, and gave them au- 

 thority to raife troops, and take them by force if they 

 fhould refufe to obey. 



The two courtiers departed immediately to execute 

 their commiflion, and the king faid ro Cortes, " What 

 c< can I do more to affure you of my fincerity ?" " I 

 " have no doubt of it (anfwered Cortes) ; but in order 

 " to clear up the error into which your vaffals have like- 

 cc wife fallen, that the affair of Nauhtlan had been ex- 

 <c ecuted by your orders, we wifh for a flrong proof of 

 " it, which will manifefl your benevolence towards us ; 

 " and no one feems more adapted for this purpofe than 

 " that of your condefcending to live with us until the 

 " guilty perfons appear, and manifefl your innocence by 

 " their confeffion. That will be fuxFicient to falisfy my 



" fovereign, 



