Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/426

410 once consigned to his merciless justice, their fate was sealed; all three were shot on the 14th of September, in the campo del ejido.

Bravo's son Nicolás was the pride of his life. And the father was no less worshipped by the son. They were both men of a generous nature, no less lofty in their aims than self-sacrificing and brave in their methods of achieving them. Had they been anciently of Rome, they would have outdone all the Romans in deeds of true nobility. They were on the side of independence because they loved liberty, and would see their country delivered from this most hateful oppression. Gladly would the viceroy have showered on them his richest gifts had they been willing to serve Spain; but they preferred death with their country delivered, for they knew that some must die, and that thereby deliverance would come.

The viceroy desired specially to win to his side the chivalrous Nicolás, for there was no fairer specimen of youthful manhood to be found on the planet. He had already risen high as an insurgent leader, and enjoyed the fullest confidence and affection of Morelos. Venegas even offered Leonardo Bravo his life if he would prevail upon his son and brothers to abandon the revolution arid accept amnesty. But the Bravos were not the stuff slaves are made of. Leonardo spurned the offer. And so he died.

It happened at this time that Nicolás Bravo had well secured in his camp three hundred Spaniards who were his prisoners. Some of them were officers