442 MEXICAN SCHOOLS. 



LIB. vi. w hicli is a grosse stuffe. Every order of these Knightes 

 had his lodging in the pallace noted with their markes ; the 

 first was called the Princes lodging, the second of Eagles, the 

 third of Lions and Tigres, and the fourth of the grey 

 Knightes. The other common officers were lodged vnder- 

 neath in meaner lodgings : if any one lodged out of his 

 place, he suffered death. 



CHAP. xxvu. Of the great order and diligence the Mexi- 

 caines vsed to instruct their youth. 



There is nothing that gives me more cause to admire, 

 nor that I finde more worthy of commendations and me 

 mory, then the order and care the Mexicaines had to nou 

 rish their youth; for they knew well that all the good hope 

 of a common weale consisted in the nurture aud institution 

 of youth, whereof Plato treates amply in his bookes Do 

 Leyibus; and for this reason they laboured and tooke paines 

 to sequester their children from delights and liberties, which 

 are the two plagues of this age, imploying them in honest 

 and profitable exercises. For this cause there was in their 

 Temples a private house for childeren, as schooles, or col- 

 ledges, which was seperate from that of the yong men and 

 m aides of the Temple, whereof we have discoursed at large. 

 There were in these schooles a great number of children, 

 whom their fathers did willingly bring thither, and which 

 had teachers and masters to instruct them in all commend 

 able exercises, to be of good behaviour, to respect their 

 superiors, to serve and obey them, giving them to this end 

 certain precepts and instructions. And to the end they 

 might be pleasing to Noblemen, they taught them to sing 

 and dance, and did practise thorn in the exercise of warre, 

 some to shoote an arrow, to cast a dart or a staffe burnt at 

 the end, and to handle well a target and a sword. They 



