ough
his informants did not know this for certain, "these tribes must have come
from Chiapas, many words and the conjugation of some verbs being the same
in Yucatan as in Chiapas where there existed great signs showing that
ancient capitals had been devastated and abandoned," possibly by
earthquakes, famine, disease or warfare. It has been surmised that the
venerable Bishop alluded, in this sentence, to the ruins of Palenque in
Chiapas.

Although not mentioned by Cogolludo or Lizana it is accepted that the
new-comers were the Tutul-xius. According to an ancient Maya chronicle,
"at a date corresponding to 401 A.D., the four Tutul-xius had fled from
the house of Nonoual, to the west of Zuiva and came from the land of
Tulapan. Four eras passed before they reached the peninsula of Yucatan
named Chac-noui-tan under their chieftain, Holon-Chan-Tepeuh," a name
which is equally intelligible in Maya, Tzendal and Nahuatl and means
Head-Serpent and "lord of the mountain," according to Brasseur de
Bourbourg, who states that the latter was a sovereign title amongst the
Quiches.

Landa relates that, after wandering about Yucatan for forty years
(possibly in search of the stable centre) these tribes settled near
Mayapan, subjected themselves to its laws and lived in peaceful friendship
with the Cocomes. The new-comers brought with them the atlatl or
spear-thrower which is minutely described but is evidently regarded as a
weapon of the chase.(57) The chronicle goes on to narrate that the Cocom
governor, having become ambitious for riches, entered into a treaty with
Mexican warriors who were garrisoned at Tabasco and Xicalango by the
Mexican ruler and induced them to come to Mayapan and to aid him in
oppressing the native lords. The latter and the Tutul-xius rebelled
against this action and, having observed the Mexicans and become experts
in the art of using their bow and arrow, lance, hatchet, shield and other
defensive armor, they "ceased to admire and fear the Mexicans and began to
make little of them, and in this condition they remained for some years."

A lapse of years passed and another Cocom chief formed a fresh league with
the Tabasco people. More Mexican warriors came to Mayapan and supported
him in tyrannizing and making slaves of the lower class. Then the Tutulxiu
lords assembled and decided to murder the Cocom ruler. Having done so they
also killed all his sons with the exception of one who was absent; burnt
their houses