HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



127 



Montezuma Ilhuicamina ; Montezuma by his coulin 

 Axajacatl ; Axajacatl by his two brothers Tizoc and 

 Ahuitzotl ; Ahuitzotl by his nephew Montezuma II ; 

 Montezuma II. by his brother Cuitlahuatzin, to whom 

 Jaftly his nephew Quauhtemotzin fucceeded. This fe- 

 ries of kings will appear more diftinclly in the table of 

 genealogy which we have already given. 



In the election of a king no regard was paid to the 

 right of primogeniture. At the death of Montezuma I. 

 Axajacatl was elected in preference to his elder brothers 

 Tizoc and Ahuitzotl. 



No new king was elected until the funeral of his pre- 

 deceffor was celebrated with due pomp and magnificence. 



As foon as the election was made, advice was fent to 

 the kings of Acolhuacan and Tacuba, in order that they 

 might confirm it, and alfo to the feudatory lords who 

 had been prefent at the funeral. Thefe two kings led 

 the new-chofen fovereign to the greater temple. The 

 feudatory lords went firft, with the enfigns of their 

 dates; then the nobles of the court with the badges of 

 their dignity and offices \ the two allied kings followed 

 next, and behind them the king elect, (tripped naked, 

 without any covering except the maxtlatl, the girdle, 

 or large bandage, about his middle. He afcended the 

 temple, refting on the arms of two nobles of the court, 

 where one of the high-priefts, accompanied by the mofl 

 refpe&able officers of the temple, received him. He 

 worftiipped the idol of Huitzilopochtli, touching the 

 earth with his hand, and then carrying it to his mouth. 

 The high-priefl dyed his body with a certain kind of 

 ink, and fprinkled him four times with water which had 

 been bleffed, according to their rite, at the grand fefti- 

 val of Huitzilopochtli, making ufe for this purpofe of 



branches 



