HISTORY OF MEXICO. 103 



he could not afterwards abandon her. The contract 

 being thus ratified, the pair retired to do penance for 

 paft offences twenty or thirty days, during which pe- 

 riod they abftained from mod of the pleafures of the 

 fenfes, drew blood from themfelves, and frequently 

 bathed. 



Among the Mixtecas, befides the ceremony of tying 

 the married pair together by the end of their garments, 

 they cut off a part of their hair, and the hufband car- 

 ried his wife for a little time upon his back. 



They permitted polygamy in the Mexican empire. 

 The kings and lords had numerous wives ; but it is 

 probable, that they obferved all the ceremonies with 

 their principal wives only, and that with the reft the 

 efTential rite of tying their garments together was fuffi- 

 cient. 



The Spanifli theologifts and canonifts, who went to 

 Mexico immediately after the conqueft, being unac- 

 quainted with the cuftoms of thofe people, raifed 

 doubts about their marriages ; but when they had 

 learnt the language, and properly examined that and 

 other points of importance, they acknowledged fuch 

 marriages to be juft and lawful. Pope Paul III. and 

 the provincial council of Mexico, ordered, in conformity 

 to the facred canons, and the ufage of the church, that 

 all thofe who were willing to embrace Chriftianity y 

 mould keep no other wife but the one whom they had 

 firft married. 



However fuperftitious the Mexicans were in other 

 matters, in the rites which they obferved at funerals 

 they exceeded themfelves. As foon as any perfon died, 

 certain mafters of funeral ceremonies were called, who 

 were generally men advanced in years. They cut a 



number 



