396 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



commanders who were to head them, and the people 

 who were to be under their orders, when unlucky news 

 arrived from Mexico, which obliged him to repair in 

 hafte to that capital. 



During the time Cortes was abfent from Mexico, the 

 feftival of the incenfing of Huitzilopochtli happened, 

 which was held in the month ToxcatI, which that year 

 began on the 13th of May. This feflival, the mod 

 folemn of all which yearly occurred, was ufually cele- 

 brated with dances by the king, the nobles, the priefls, 

 and the people. The nobility requeued captain Alva- 

 rado to confent that the king might go to the temple on 

 this occafion to perform his devotion. Alvarado excuf- 

 ed himfelf from granting the requeil, on account of the 

 orders given him by Cortes, or becaufe he fufpedted 

 the Mexicans would meditate fome revolution when they 

 had the king with them, well knowing how eafily pub- 

 lic rejoicings are changed into tumults and diforder. 

 They adopted the defign, therefore, of making that re- 

 ligious dance in the court of the palace (#), or quarters 

 of the Spaniards, either by the direction of that captain, 

 or by the order of the king himfelf, that he might be 

 prefent according to cuftom. When the day of the fefti- 

 val arrived, many men of the firft nobility alTembled 



in 



(a) The hiftorians of the conqueft fay in general, that the dance was made 

 in the lower area of the greater temple, but it is not probable, that the im- 

 menfe crowd of people which muft have alTembled there, would have permit- 

 ed fo horrid a flaughter to have been made of the nobility, efpecially, as the 

 armories were there, from whence they could have taken out as many arms as 

 they required to oppofe the attempt of thofe few ftrangers; nor is it credible, 

 that the Spaniards would run fuch an evident rifk of their own deftrudtion. 

 Cortes and Bernal Diaz make no mention of the place of the dance. Acofta 

 fays, that it was made in the palace, nor could it have been in any other than 

 that which the king was then inhabiting. 



