HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



19 



fpirit, others that he was born of a woman, but without 

 the afliftance of a man, and defcribed his birth in the 

 following manner. There lived, faid they, in Coatepec, 

 a place near to the ancient city of Tula, a woman called 

 Coatlicue, mother of the Ceutzonhuiznahuis, who was 

 extremely devoted to the worfhip of the gods. One 

 day as fhe was employed, according to her ufual cuflom, 

 in walking in the temple, flie beheld defcending in the 

 air, a ball made of various feathers. She feized it and 

 kept it in herbofom, intending afterwards to employ the 

 feathers in decoration of the altar ; but when flie wanted 

 it after her walk was at an end, flie could not find it 5 at 

 which fhe was extremely furprifed, and her wonder was 

 very greatly increafed when fhe began to perceive from 

 that moment that fhe was pregnant. Her pregnancy ad- 

 vanced till it was difcovered by her children, who, al- 

 though they could not themfelves fufpecl: their mother's 

 virtue, yet fearing the difgrace flie would fuffer upon her 

 delivery, determined to prevent it by putting her to 

 death. They could not take their refolution fo fecretly 

 as to conceal it from their mother, who while flie was in 

 deep affli&ion at the thoughts of dying by the hands of 

 Her own children, heard an unexpe&ed voice iflue from 

 her womb, faying, " Be not afraid mother, for I fliall 

 fave you with the greateft honour to yourfelf, and glory 

 to me" Her hard-hearted fons, guided and encouraged 

 by their lifter Cojolxauhqui, who had been the mod keenly 



bent 



can language, derives the name from Huitziton the leader of the Mexicans in 

 their pilgrimage, and takes this leader and the god to have been the fame per- 

 fon. Befides that fuch an etymology is over-ftrained, that pretended identity is 

 quite unknown to the Mexicans themfelves, who when they began their pil- 

 grimage under the conduct of Huitziton, had long before, from time immemo- 

 rial, worftiipped the god of war : the Spaniards being unable to pronounce the 

 word, called hina Huichikbos. 



