HISTORY OF MEXICO. 101 



They both fat down upon a new and curioufly wrought 

 mat, which was fpread in the middle of the chamber, 

 and clofe to the fire which was kept lighted. Then a 

 prieft tied a point of the huepilli, or gown of the bride, 

 with the tilmatti, or mantle of the bridegroom, and in 

 this ceremony the matrimonial contract chiefly confifted. 

 The wife now made fome turns round the fire, and then 

 returning to her mat, £he, along with her hufband, of- 

 fered copal to their gods, and exchanged prefents with 

 each other. The repaft followed next. The married 

 pair eat upon the mat, giving mouthfuls to each other 

 alternately and to the guefts in their places. When 

 thofe who had been invited were become exhilarated 

 with wine, which was freely drank on fuch occafions, 

 they went out to dance in the yard of the houfe, while 

 the married pair remained in the chamber, from which, 

 during four days, they never fiirred, except to obey 

 the calls of nature, or to go to the oratory at midnight 

 to burn incenfe to the idols, and to make oblations of 

 eatables. They paiTed thefe four days in prayer and 

 fading, dreflfed in new habits, and adorned with certain 

 enfigns of the gods of their devotion, without proceed- 

 ing to any aft of lefs decency, fearing that otherwife the 

 punifhment of heaven would fall upon them. Their 

 beds on thefe nights were two mats of rufhes, covered 

 with fm all fiieets, with certain feathers, and a gem of 

 Chalchihuitl in the middle of them. At the four cor- 

 ners of the bed green canes and fpines of the aloe were 

 laid, with which they were to ^raw blood from their 

 tongues and their ears in honour of their gods. The 

 priefls were the perfons who adjufted the bed to fanc- 

 tify the marriage ; but we know nothing of the my fiery 

 of the canes, the feathers, and the gem. Until the 



fourth 



