HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



139 



After the conqueft, the Spanifli magiftrates made ufe of 

 thefe inftruments to decide all difputes among the In- 

 dians concerning the property or poiTeilion of lands. 



Of the lands of the crown, which were called by the 

 Mexicans Tecpantlalli, although the property was al- 

 ways vetted in the king, certain lords called Tecpan- 

 pouhque, or Tecpantlaca, that is, people of the palace, 

 enjoyed the temporary ufe and profits. Thefe lords did 

 not pay any tribute, nor give any thing elfe to the king 

 than nofegays of flowers and different kinds of birds, 

 which they prefented to him in token of their vaffal age 

 every time that they made him a vifit ; but they were 

 obliged to repair and rebuild the royal palaces whenever 

 it was necelfary, and to cultivate the gardens of the king, 

 by affifting with their dire&ions the populace of their 

 diftricl: in that labour. They were obliged befides to 

 pay court to the king, and to attend upon him every 

 time that he appeared in public, and were therefore 

 highly efteemed by all. When any of thofe lords died, 

 his firft-born fon entered into poffeflion of the lands, 

 and into all the obligations of his father ; but if he 

 went to eftablifh himfelf in another place, he loft thefe 

 rights, and the king then granted them to another ufu- 

 fru&uary ; or left the choice of one to the judgment of 

 the community in whofe diftricl: the lands were fituated. 



The lands which they called pUhtti, that is, lands of 

 the nobles, were the ancient poffeffions of the nobles, 

 tranfmitted by inheritance from father to fon, or were 

 rewards obtained from the king in recompenfe of fer- 

 vices done to the crown. The firft and the laft could 

 for the moft part alienate their poffeflions, but they were 

 not allowed to give away or fell them to plebeians ; 

 we fay for the moft part, becaufe amongft thefe lands 



there 



