HISTORY OF MEXICO, 



329 



principal lords and priefts, with cenfers in their hands 

 and mufical inftruments, came out to meet him, and af- 

 ter having paid the ufual ceremonies of refpect, they told 

 the general, that he might enter with all his people and 

 the Totonacas; but they could not admit their enemies 

 the Tlafcalans. To this Cortes confented through com- 

 plaifance,and the Tlafcalans remained encamped without 

 the city, imitating in the difpofition of their camp, the 

 order of their centinels, and other things, the military 

 difcipline of the Spaniards. At the entry of the Spa- 

 niih army into Cholula, a fimilar crowd of people was 

 collected, and the fame ceremonies, acclamations, and 

 refpeft, were obferved, though not with the fame fince- 

 rity, as in Tlafcala. 



Cholula was then a populous city, eighteen miles dif- 

 tant from Tlafcala towards the fouth, and about fixty 

 from Mexico towards the eaft, and not lefs celebrated 

 for the commerce of its inhabitants than its religion. It 

 was lituated, as it is at prefent, in a beautiful plain, and 

 at a fmall diftance from that group of mountains which 

 furround the valley of Mexico towards the eaft. Its po- 

 pulation at that time, as Cortes affirms, occupied about 

 forty thoufand houfes, and there were as many in the 

 circumjacent villages which were in the nature of fuburbs 

 to it. Its commerce confided in manufactures of cotton, 

 gems, and plates of clay, and it was much famed for its 

 jewellers and potters. With refpecT: to religion, it may 

 be faid, that Cholula was the Rome of Anahuac. The 

 celebrated Quetzalcoatl having pafTed fo many years in 

 that city, and {hewn fo much affection to his fubje&s, 

 was the caufe that after his apotheofis, it was confecrat- 

 ed by the moft particular worfhip. The furprifing mul- 

 titude of temples which were there, and in particular the 



Vol. II. T t greater 



