Chap. V. AMERICA. t ±y 



but onely one Street in Mexico, nigh to the Vice-Roy's Palace, in Jefs than half aft 

 hours fpace : with the turn of an Eye, you may fee Millions of Wealth in Gold, 

 Silver, and Precious Stones, in the Goldfmiths and Jewellers Shops thereabouts. * 

 In a word, there is nothing hinders Mexico .from being the moft abfolute City in 

 the World for delight and bravery, but onely two Inconveniences to which it is 

 fubjecT: : The one is the danger of the Lake, with the Infalls whereof it may feem 

 to be almoft continually threatned, and in the Year 1620. did actually fuffer a very 

 great calamity, the Waters breaking through the Banks, and drowning a great 

 part of the City, with the deftru&ion of much People, and the lofs of all their 

 Goods intirely, through the avarice (as isfuppos'd) of the Vice-Roy that then was, 

 and fome other of the King's Officers, who diverted the Money that fliould have 

 been employ 'd for the fortifying and repairing of the Banks, to their own proper 

 ufes : The other is from the nature of the Soil and Ground it felf on which it 

 itandeth; which is found to have a tincture of Sal Nitre ink, fomewhat ftrong • 

 and the Winds partly from the Lake it felf, and partly from the Hills about it, raw 

 ling the Duft of this Earth conftantly every Evening, for many Moneths of the 

 Year together, fo violently, that the Air is even darkned therewith for fome time : 

 The Inhabitants are much annoy 'd by it, and made fubjectto divers Hypocondria* 

 cal Pains and Infirmities, and fometimes kill'd with it, efpecially fuch as either 

 cannot,or care not much to avoid it. 



The City lieth about fixty Leagues, or a hundred and fifty Miles diftant from 

 the Jtlantick or North S^a, from whence by the Port of St. John d' Uttua, or Vera 

 Crux, (which are the ufual Landing-places^ there is a fair and eafie March to Mexico, 

 by the Cities of Xalabar y Terotta, Tuebla de los Jngelos, and Ttafcalla, all of them open 

 and unfortifi'd Places, (as likewife Mexico it felf) and the Countrey round about 

 very rich and well accommodated with all things. 



The next City of note in ancient times was Qhulula, which being built in a fruit- city <*«/*/.*. 

 ful Plain, had above twenty thoufand Dwelling-houfes, and as many more Ban- 

 quetting-houfes. The number of the Temples and Turrets were equal with that 

 of the days in the Year : The Government thereof belong'd to a Mayor and fix 

 Aldermen, and one chief Prieftj for they never went upon the lead Dcfign before 

 they had been at their Devotion 5 in which the PrieiVs Office was onely to 

 perfume the Idols four times in twenty four hours, W^. in the Morning, at Noon, 

 after Sun*fet, and at Midnight ; at which times none durft be abfent, but they us'd 

 alio a cruel Exercife on themfeives, and one much more cruel on others, for on 

 ufual Feaft-daysthcy abftain'd from Meat, Drink, and Sleep, fcourg'd their Bodies 

 with knotted Cords after a miferable manner, evacuated their Seed, that fo they 

 might curb all fleflily Defires, and met every Night in a fpacious place, where fit- 

 ting down they wounded themfeives with Lances in their Legs and Arms, fo long 

 till the Blood guftfd out of the fame • which gathering in a Cup, they anointed 

 their Temples therewith, and dipt the Lances in the fame, and then hung them up 

 before the Temple in Bundles of Straw. Of thefc were a great number, and the 

 more, becaufe they never us'd their Lances but once. But onthefe Days, which 

 were Confecrated to the Idol Te%catlij>uca, every one befides the Priefts wore a new 

 Rope made of the Hemp Mangey y of a Fathom long, and a thick Knot at the end, 

 with which they beat themfeives fo mifcrably on their Back.s> as if they intended to 

 have broken them : After which the Priefts ftay'd five days in the Temple, in 

 which they us'd the like cruelty, eating fcarce once in twenty four hours. 



Their Prifoners they us'd after a moft horrid manner, vi^,. in their Temples 

 ftood a round Stage of Stone • to the top of which they afcended by a Square Scaf- 

 fold, 



