50 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



individual had his own home. In every diftrift of the 

 city they had a fuperior, who governed them, and a 

 houfe where they afTembled at fun-fet to dance and fing 

 the praifes of their god. Both fexes met at this dance, 

 but without committing the fmalled diforder, owing to 

 the vigilance of the fuperiors, and the rigour with 

 which all mifdemeanours were puniflied. 



Among the Totonacas was an order of monks de- 

 voted to their goddefs Centeotl. They lived in great 

 retirement and auderity, and their life, excepting their 

 fuperdition and vanity, was perfectly unimpeachable. 

 None but men above fixty years of age who were wi- 

 dowers, edranged from aft commerce with women, and 

 of virtuous life, were admitted into this monadery. 

 Their number was fixed, and when any one died ano- 

 ther was received in his (lead. Thefe monks were fo 

 much edeemed, that they were not only confulted by 

 the common people, but likewife by the firft nobility 

 and the high-pried. They liftened to confutations fit- 

 ting upon their heels, with their eyes fixed upon the 

 ground, and their anfwers were received like oracles 

 even by the kings of Mexico. They were employed in 

 making hidorical paintings, which they gave to the 

 high-pried that he might exhibit them to the people. 



But the mod important duty of the priedhood, and 

 the chief ceremony of the religion of the Mexicans, con- 

 fided in the facrifices which they made occafionally to 

 obtain any favour from heaven, or in gratitude for thofe 

 favours which they had already received. This is a fub- 

 je& which we would willingly pafs over, if the laws of 

 hidory permitted, to prevent the difguft which the 

 defcription of fuch abominable acte of cruelty mud caufe 

 to our readers ; for although there has hardly been a 



nation 



