74 history o£ Mexico; 



ments, and allowed him all the pleafures of life. Or* 

 the day of the feftival, they led him with a numerous 

 attendance to the temple of Tezeatlipoca, but before they 

 came there they difmiffed his wives. He accompanied 

 the idol in the proceffion, and when the hour of facrifice 

 was come, they ftretched him upon the altar, and the 

 high prieft with great reverence opened his bread and 

 pulled out his heart. His body was not, like the bodies 

 of other victims, thrown down the flairs, but carried in 

 the arms of the priefts and beheaded at the bottom of 

 the temple. His head was fining up in the Tzompantlt, 

 among the reft of the ikulls of the victims which were 

 facrifrced to Tezeatlipoca, and his legs and arms were 

 drelTed and prepared for the tables of the lords. After 

 the facrifice, a grand dance took place of the collegiate 

 youths and nobles who were prefent at the feftival. At 

 fun-fet, the virgins of the temple made a new offering of 

 bread baked with honey. This bread, with fome other 

 things unknown to us, was put before the altar of Tez- 

 eatlipoca, and was deftined to be the reward of the 

 youths who fliould be the victors in the race which they 

 made down the flairs of the temple ; they were alfo re- 

 warded with a garment, and received the praife and ap- 

 plaufe of the priefts as well as the people who were fpec- 

 tators. The feftival was concluded by difmifting from 

 the feminaries all the youths and virgins who were ar- 

 rived at an age fit for marriage. The youths who re- 

 mained, mocked the others with fatirical and humorous 

 raillery, and threw at them handfuls of rufhes and other 

 things, upbraiding them with leaving the fervice of god 

 for the pleafures of matrimony ; the priefts always grant- 

 ing them indulgence in this emanation of youthful vi- 

 vacity. 



In 



