144 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



malajari) and other places in the country of the Otomies, 

 which laft were obliged to fend the king every year forty 

 live eagles. Concerning the Matlatzincas we know that 

 when they were brought under fubj edition to the crown 

 of Mexico by king Axajacatl, befides the tribute which 

 they are reprefented to have paid, in the twenty-feventh 

 painting of the collection of Mendo.za, the further bur- 

 then was impofed on them of cultivating a field about 

 feven hundred perches long and half as broad, for the 

 purpofe of furnifliing the royal army with provifions. 

 To conclude, a part of every thing ufeful, which was 

 found in the kingdom, either amongft the productions 

 of nature or art, was paid in tribute to the king of 

 Mexico. 



Thefe large contributions, the great prefents which 

 the governors of provinces, and the feudatory lords made 

 to the king, together with the fpoils of war, formed the 

 great riches of his court which excited fo much admira- 

 tion in the Spanifh conquerors, and occafioned fo much 

 mifery to his unfortunate fubje&s. The tributes which 

 were at firft moderate and eafy, became at laft exceffive 

 and enormous ; for the pride and pomp of the kings kept 

 pace with their conquefls. It is true, that a great part, 

 and perhaps the greateft part of thefe revenues was ex- 

 pended for the benefit of the fame fubje&s in the fup- 

 port of a great number of minifters and magiftrates for 

 the adminiftration of juftice, in the reward of thofe who 

 had done fervices to the flate, in the relief of the indi- 

 gent, particularly widows and orphans, and men grown 

 feeble with age, which were the three claries of people 

 moft compaflionated by the Mexicans, and alfo by open- 

 ing the royal granaries in times of great fcarcity to the 

 nation ; but how many of thofe unhappy people who 



were 



