Hifiorie of the Indies li!*,?. 38? 



macke , itopened very eafily in the middeft. When 

 the ficrificers were thus in order, they drew forth fuch 

 as had beenetaken in warrc , which were to be iacrifi- 

 ccdat thatfeaft, and being accompanied ! with a guard 

 of men all naked , they caufecfthem to mount vp thefe 

 large ftaires in ranke , to the place where the Minifters 

 were prepared: and as every one of them came in their 

 order,thc fix facrificers tookc the prifoner, one by one 

 foote,anothcrby theother,and one by onehand,ano- 

 ther by the other, caftinghim onhisbacke vponthis 

 pointed ftone, where the fift of thefe Minifters put the 

 coller of wood about his necke, and the high prieft o- 

 pencd his ftomackc with the knife, with a ftrangc dcx- 

 teritieand nimblenes, pullingout his heart with his 

 hands,the which he (hewed fmoaking vnto the Sunne, 

 to whom he did offer this hcate and fume of the heart, 

 and prefently he turned towardes the idoll,and did caft 

 the heart at his face,, then did they caft away the body 

 of the facrificed , tumbling it downc the ftaires of the 

 Temple, the ftone being fet fo ncerc the ftaires,as there \ L 

 Were not twofoote fpace betwixt the ftone and the jvti, 

 firft fteppe,(b as with one (purne with their fbote,they j / 

 caft the body from the toppeto thebottome. In this 

 fort one after onethey did lacrifice allthoft that were 

 appointed. Being thus flaine, and their bodies caft 

 downe, their matters, or fuch as had taken them, went 

 to take them vp, and carried them away : then having 

 divided them amongeft them, they did eate them, ce 

 lebrating their feaft and folemnitic. There were ever 

 forty or fifty at the leaft thus facrificed, forthat they 

 had men very expert in taking them . The neighbour 

 Nations did the like, imitating the Mexicaines in the 

 cuftomcs and ceremonies of the fervice of their gods. 



Cca of 



