374 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



woods, he was accompanied by two thoufand Tlafca- 

 lans, befides a numerous retinue of Mexicans, who al- 

 ways were in attendance to ferve him ; but he never paff- 

 ed a night out of the quarters. 



Upwards of fifteen days had elapfed fince the impri- 

 fonment of the king, when the two meffengers returned 

 from Nauhtlan, conducting Quauhpopoca, his fon, and 

 fifteen other nobles, accomplices in the death of the go- 

 vernor Efcalante. Quauhpopoca came richly dreffed, in 

 a litter : when he arrived at the quarters he pulled off 

 his (hoes, according to the ceremony of the palace, and 

 covered himfelf with a coarfe habit ; he was introduced 

 to the audience of the king, and, having obferved the 

 ufual forms of refpecT - , he faid, " Behold, moll great 

 " and powerful prince, your fervant obedient to your 

 " commands, and ready to comply in every thing with 

 " your defire." " You have conducted yourfelf not a 

 " little amifs in this point/' returned the king, with dif- 

 dain, " by treating thofe Grangers, whom I have receiv- 

 <c ed like friends into my court, as enemies ; and your 

 " temerity has been exceffive, in blaming me as the au- 

 " thor of fuch proceedings ; you (hall therefore be pu- 

 " nifhed as a traitor to your fovereign." Quauhpopoca 

 endeavoured to exeufe himfelf, but the king would not 

 liften to him, and made him be immediately delivered up 

 to Cortes, with his accomplices, that, after the crime 

 was examined into, he might punifh them as he mould 

 think proper. Cortes put the neceffary queftions, and 

 they openly confelfed the fact, without at firfr. blaming 

 the king ; until being threatened with the torture, and 

 believing their puniftiment inevitable, they declared that 

 what they had done was enjoined by the king, without 



whofe 



