324 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



bufmefs. The fame conqueror attefts, that having ob- 

 tained an order of the fenafe to make the houfes and 

 inhabitants be numbered which were in the city, the vil- 

 lages, and hamlets of the republic, there were found up- 

 wards of fifty thoufand houfes, and more than five hun- 

 dred thoufand inhabitants. 



The Tlafcalans had prepared, for the Spaniards and 

 all their allies, a handfome and commodious dwelling, 

 Cortes defired that the Mexican ambaifadors might be 

 lodged in apartments near to his own, not only in refpecl: 

 to them, but alfo to banifti from their minds any diftruft 

 of the Tlafcalans. The chiefs of the republic, in order 

 to give the Spaniards a new proof of the fincerity of 

 their friendfhip, prefented to Cortes thirty beautiful 

 young women. Cortes refufed them at firft, alleging, 

 that the Ch.rifi.ian law forbid polygamy; but afterwards, 

 to avoid giving offence, he accepted fome of them as 

 companions to Marina. In fpite of this refufal, they 

 prefented him foon after five virgins of the firft nobility, 

 whom Cortes accepted for the fake of ftrengthening his 

 friendship with the republic. 



Encouraged by this fuccefsful beginning, Cortes be- 

 came defirous of perfuading the chiefs of the republic 

 and the nobles, to abandon their fuperftitious rites, and 

 acknowledge the only true divinity; but although his 

 reafons were perfuafive, and they confefTed the power 

 of that God whom the Spaniards adored, they could 

 not, however, be induced to renounce their abfurd dei- 

 ties, becaufe them believed them difpenfers of human 

 felicity. 66 Our god Camaxtle," they faid, " grants 

 <c us victory over our enemies; our goddefs Matlalcueje 

 " fends rain to our fields, and defends us from the inun- 



" dation 



