MEXICAN HUMAN SACRIFICES. 347 



Mexico, lest they should fall into idlenes and delight : the _ 

 other and the chiefe cause why he had reserved this Pro 

 vince was to have Captives for the sacrifices of their gods. 

 The maner they vsed in these sacrifices was, they assem 

 bled within the palisado of dead mcns sculles (as hath 

 beene said), such as should be sacrificed, vsing a certaine 

 ceremony at the foot of the palisado, placing a great guard 

 about them. Presently there stept foorth a Priest, attyred 

 with a shorto surplise full of tasselles beneath, who came 

 from the top of the temple w r ith an idoll made of paste, of 

 wheato and mays mingled with hony, which had the eyes 

 made of the graines of greene glasse, and the teeth of the 

 graines of mays ; heo descended the steppes of the temple 

 with all the speedo he could, and mounted on a great stone 

 planted vpon a high terrasso in the midst of the court. This 

 stone was called Quauxicalli, which is to say the stone of 

 Eagle, whereon he mounted by a little ladder, which was 

 in the fore part of the terrase, and descended by an other 

 stairc on the other side, still embracing his idoll. Then 

 did he mount to the place where those were that should bo 

 sacrificed, shewing this idoll to every one in particular, 

 saying vnto them this is your god. And having ended his 

 shew, he descended by the other side of the staires, and all 

 such as should die went in procession vnto the place where 

 they should be sacrificed, w r here they found the Ministers 

 ready for that office. The ordinary manner of sacrificing 

 was to open the stomake of him that was sacrificed, and 

 having pulled out his heart halfe alive, they tumbled the 

 man downe the staires of the Temple, which were all i in- 

 brewed and defiled with blood. And to make it the more 

 plaiue, sixe sacrificers beeing appoynted to this dignitie, 

 came into the place of sacrifice, foure to hokle the hands 

 and feete of him that should be sacrificed, the fift to holde 

 his head, and the sixt to open his stomackc, and to pull out 

 the heart of the sacrificed. They culled them Chuchalmiu, 



