HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



385 



after the conqueft, from the countries fubjecl: to the 

 king of Mexico, and the republic of Tlafcala, to people 

 other lands, namely, Zacatecas, Suis, Potofi, Saltillo, 

 &c. &c. 



But let us fee what thofe ancient writers fay in par- 

 ticular of the population of Mexico. We do not know 

 that any of them has had the boldnefs to exprefs the 

 number of the inhabitants of Mexico ; whether it did 

 or did not contain thirty millions, could have been known 

 from the kings of Mexico and their minifters ; and al- 

 though the Spaniards might have informed themfelves 

 from them of this particular, we do not find that any 

 one of them has done fo. That which feveral of them 

 affirm is, that among the feudatories of the king of Mex- 

 ico were thirty who had each about an hundred thoufand 

 fubje&s, and other three thoufand lords who had a fmall- 

 €r number of valTals. Laurentius Surius affirms (/) 

 that this is certain from records which were in the royal 

 archives of the emperor Charles V. Cortes, in his firft 

 letter to that emperor, fpeaks thus : " The multitude 

 " of inhabitants in thofe countries is fo great, that there 

 c f is not a foot of foil left uncultivated : but notwith- 

 <c (landing there are many who, for want of bread, go 

 6C begging through the ftreets and markets." B. Diaz, 

 the anonymous conqueror, Motolinia, and other eye- 

 witneffes, give us fimilar ideas of the population of 

 Mexico. To come to the particular countries of Ana- 

 huac, we are certain, from the depofitions of the above 

 mentioned, and almoft all the ancient authors, of the 

 great population of the Mexican vale, of the countries 

 of the Otomies, of the Matlatzincas, Tlahuicas, Co- 

 Vol. III. 3 D huixcas, 



(/) Surius in Commentario brevi rerum in orbe geftarum ab anno 1500 ad 

 1568. 



