46 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



ferve, that when they met a woman, they fixed their 

 eyes on the ground that they might not fee her. Any 

 incontinence amongfr. the priefls was feverely punifhed. 

 The pried who, at Teohuacan, was convicted of having 

 violated his chaflity, was delivered up by the priefls to 

 the people, who at night killed him by the baflinado, 

 In Ichcatlan, the high-prieft was obliged to live conflantly 

 within the temple, and to abflain from commerce with 

 any woman whatfoever ; and if he unluckily failed in 

 any of his duties, he was certain of being torn in pieces, 

 and his bloody limbs were prefented as an example to 

 his fucceffor. They poured boiling water on the head 

 of thofe who, from lazinefs, did not rife to the noctur- 

 nal duties of the temple, or bored their lips and ears, 

 and if they did not correct that, or any other fuch fault, 

 they were ducked in the lake and banifhed from the tem- 

 ple during the feflival, which was made to the god of 

 water in the fixth month. The priefts in general lived 

 together in communities, fubject to fuperiors who watch- 

 ed over their conduct 



The office and character of a prieft among the Mexi- 

 cans was not in its nature perpetual. There were cer- 

 tainly fome who dedicated their whole lives to the fer- 

 vice of the altars ; but others engaged in it only for a 

 certain time, to fulfil fome vow made by their fathers, 

 or as a particular aft of devotion. Nor was the prieft- 

 hood confined to the male fex, fome women being em- 

 ployed in the immediate fervice of the temples. They 

 offered incenfe to the idols, tended the facred fire, fwept 

 the area, prepared the daily offering of provifions, and 

 prefented it with their hands to the idols ; but they were 

 entirely excluded from the office of facrificing, and the 

 higher dignities of the prieflhood. Among the priefl- 



efles, 



