40 



HISTORY OF MEXICO* 



The priefts that were the ftewards of the temples fre- 

 quently vifited their poffeflions, and thofe who cultivated 

 them, thought themfelves happy in contributing by iheir 

 labour to the worfhip of the gods and the fupport of 

 their minifters. In the kingdom of Acolhuacan, thofe 

 nine and twenty cities which provided neceffaries for 

 the royal palace, were likewife obliged to provide f r 

 the temples. There is reafon to believe that that tracl: 

 of country, which went under the name of Teotlalpaa 

 (land of the gods), was fo named from being among th 

 poffeffions of the temples. There were befides great 

 numbers daily of free-offerings, from the devout of every 

 kind, of provifions and firft fruits, which were prefented 

 in returning thanks for feafonable rains and other blefT- 

 ings of heaven. Near the temples were the granaries 

 where all the grain and other provifions, necefTary for 

 the maintenance of the priefts, were kept ; and the 

 overplus was annually diftributed to the poor, for whom 

 alfo there were hofpitals in the larger towns. 



The number of the priefts among the Mexicans cor- 

 refponded with the multitude of gods and temples ; nor 

 was the homage which they paid to the deities them- 

 felves much greater than the veneration in which they 

 held their minifters. We may form fome conjecture of 

 the immenfe number of priefts in the Mexican empire, 

 from the number within the area of the great temple, 

 which fome ancient hiftorians tell us, amounted to five 

 thoufand. Nor will that calculation appear furprifing, 

 when we confider that in that place there were four hun- 

 dred priefts confecrated to the fervice of the god Tez- 

 catzoncatl alone. Every temple, indeed, had a confider- 

 able number, fo that I fhould not think it rafti to affirm, 

 that there could not be lefs than a million of priefts 



throughout 



