336 MEXICAN MONKS. 



LlB- v * Peru there is any proper houses for men, but for the 

 Priests and Sorcerers, whereof there is an infinite number. 

 , But it seemeth, that in Mexico the devil hath set a due ob 

 servation ; for within the circuit of the great temple there 

 were two monasteries, as before hath bin sayd, one of Vir 

 gins, whereof I have spoken, the other of yoong men se 

 cluded, of eighteene or twenty yeares of age, which they 

 called religious. They weare shaved crownes, as the Friars 

 in these partes, their haire a little longer which fell to the 

 middest of their eare, except the hinder part of the head, 

 which they let growe the breadth of foure fingers downe to 

 their shoulders, and which they tied vppe in tresses. These 

 young men that served in the temple of Vitzliputzli lived 

 poorely and chastely, and did the office of Levites, mini- 

 string to the priests and chiefe of the temple their incense, 

 lights, and garments; they swept and made cleane the holy 

 places, bringing wood for a continual fire to the harth of 

 their god, which was like a lampe that stille burnt before 

 the Altar of their idoll. Besides these yong men there 

 were other little boyes, as novices, that served for manuall 

 vses, as to deck the temple with boughs, roses, and reeds, 

 give the Priests water to wash with, give them their rasors 

 to sacrifice, and goe with such as begged almes to carry it. 

 All these had their superiors, who had the governement over 

 them; they lived so honestly, as when they came in publiko 

 where there were any women, they carried their heads very 

 lowe, with their eyes to the ground, not daring to beholde 

 them ; they had linnen garments, and it was lawfull for them 

 to goe into the Citty foure or sixe together, to aske alines in 

 all quarters : and when they gave them none, it was lawful 

 to go into the corne fields and gather the eares of corne or 

 clusters of mays, which they most needed, the Maister not 

 daring to speake nor hinder them. They had this liberty 

 because they lived poorely, and had no other revenues but 

 almes. There might not be above fifty live in penance, 



