HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



3 



Tlaxcallan ; on the fouth, by the province of Chalco, 

 belonging to the kingdom of Mexico ; on the north, 

 by the country of the Huaxtecas ; and in the weft, it 

 was alfo bounded by different ftates of Mexico, and ter- 

 minated in the lake of Tezcuco. Its length from fouth 

 to north was little more than two hundred miles, and 

 its greateft breadth did not exceed fixty ; but in this 

 fmall diftri6l there were large cities, and a numerous 

 population. The court of Tezcuco, fituated upon the 

 eaftern bank of the lake of the fame name, fifteen miles 

 to the eaftward of that of Mexico, was juftly celebrated 

 not lefs for its antiquity and grandeur than for the polifli 

 and civilization of its inhabitants. The three cities of 

 Huexotla^ Coatlichan^ and AtencOj were fo near adjacent, 

 they appeared like its fuburbs. Otompan was alfo a con- 

 fiderable city, and likewife Acolman and Tepepolco. 



The celebrated republic of Tlaxcallan or Tlafcala, was 

 bounded on the weft by the kingdom of Acolhuacan, on 

 the fouth by the republics of Cholollan and Huexotzinco, 

 and by the ftatc of Tepejacac^ belonging to the crown of 

 Mexico, on the north by the ftate of Zacatlan^ and on 

 the eaft by other ftates under fubjeclion to the fame 

 crown. Its length did not reach iifty miles, nor its 

 breadth more than thirty. Tlafcala, from whence the 

 republic took its name, was fituated on the fide of the 

 great mountain Mattalcueye^ towards the north-weft', 

 and about feventy miles to the eaftward of the court of 

 Mexico. 



The kingdom of Mexico, although the moft modern, 

 was far more extenfive than all the other mentioned 

 kingdoms and republics, taken together. It extended 

 towards the fouth-weft and fouth, as far as the Pacific 

 Ocean j towards the fouth-eaft, as far as the neighbour- 

 hood 



