378 MEXICAN FEASTS. 



LIB. v. 



CHAP. xxix. Of the feast of lubilee which the Mexicaines 



celebrated. 



The Mexicaines have beene no less curious in their feasts 

 and solemnities, which were of small charge, but of great 

 effusion of man s blood. Wee have before spoken of the 

 principall feast of Vitzilipuztli, after the which the feast of 

 Tezcatlipuca was most solempnized. This feast fell in 

 Maie, and in their Kalendar they called it Tozcoalt ; it fell 

 every foure yeeres with the feast of Penaunce, where there 

 was given full indulgence and remission of sinnes. In 

 this day they did sacrifice a captive which resembled the 

 idoll Tezcatlipuca, it was the nineteenth day of Maie ; upon 

 the even of this feast the Noblemen came to the temple, 

 bringing a new garment like vnto that of the idoll, the 

 which the priest put vpon him, having first taken off his other 

 garments, which they kept with as much or more reverence 

 than we doe our ornaments. There were in the coffers of 

 the idoll many ornaments, iewelles, eareings, and other 

 riches, as bracelets and pretious feathers, which served to 

 no other vse but to be there, and was worshipped as their 

 god it selfe. Besides the garment wherewith they wor 

 shipped the idoll that day, they put vpon him certaine 

 ensignes of feathers, with fannes, shadowes, and other 

 things; being thus attired and furnished, they drew the 

 curtaine or vaile from before the doore, to the ende he 

 might be seene of all men ; then came forth one of the 

 chiefe of the temple, attired like to the idoll, carrying 

 flowers in his hand, and a flute of earth, having a very 

 sharpe sound, and turning towards the east, he sounded 

 it, and then looking to the west, north, and south, he did 

 the like. And after he had thus sounded towards the foure 

 parts of the world (showing that both they that were pre 

 sent and absent did heare him) hee put his finger into the 



