446 DANCES AND MUSIC. 



LIB. vi. o f (J a - ailC e they held so brave and so honorable, that the 

 king hirnselfe daunced, but not ordinarily, as the king Don 

 Pedro of Aragon with the Barber of Valencia. This daunce 

 or Mitote was commonly made in the Courts of the Tem 

 ple, and in those of the kings houses, which were more 

 spatious. They did place in the midst of the Court two 

 instruments, one like to a drumme, and the other like a 

 barrell made of one peece, and hollow within, which they 

 set vppon the forme of a man, a beast, or vpon a piller. 



These two instruments were so well accorded together, 

 that they made a good harmony : and with these instru 

 ments they made many kinds of aires and songs. They 

 did all sing and dance to the sound and measure of these 

 instruments, with so goodly an order and accord, both of 

 their feete and voices, as it was a pleasant thing to beholde. 

 In these daunces they made two circles or wheeles, the 

 one was in the middest neere to the instruments, wherein 

 the Auntients and Noblemen did sing and daunce with a 

 softe and slowe motion ; and the other was of the rest of 

 the people round about them, but a good distance from the 

 first, wherein they daunced two and two more lightly, 

 making diverse kindes of pases, with certaine leapes to the 

 measure. All which together made a very great circle. 

 They attired themselves for these dances with their most 

 pretious apparrell and iewelles, every one according to his 

 abilitie, holding it for a very honorable thing : for this 

 cause they learned these daunces from their infancie. And 

 although the greatest parte of them were doone in honor of 

 their Idolles, yet was it not so instituted, as hath bin said, 

 but only as a recreation and pastime for the people. There 

 fore it is not convenient to take them quite from the 

 Indians, but they must take good heed they mingle not 

 their superstitions amongest them. I have seene this Mi- 

 tote, in the court of the Church of Tepotzotlan, a village 

 seven leagues from Mexico : and, in my opinion, it was a 



