HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



129 



After hearing thefe addreffes, the king defcended 

 with all his attendants to the lower area, where the 

 reft of the nobility waited to make their obedience, 

 and pay him homage in jewels and apparel. He was 

 thence conducted to a chamber within the inclofure of 

 the temple called Tlacatecco, where he was left by him- 

 felf four days, during which time he was allowed to eat 

 but once a day ; but he might eat flefti or any other 

 kind of food. He bathed twice every day, and after 

 bathing he drew blood from his ears, which he offered 

 together with fome burnt copal to Huitzilopochtli, 

 making all the while conftant and earned prayers to 

 obtain that enlightenment of underftanding which was 

 requifite in order to govern his monarchy with prudence. 

 On the fifth day, the nobility returned to the temple, 

 conducting the new king to his palace, where the feu- 

 datory lords came to renew the inveftiture of their fiefs. 

 Then followed the rejoicings of the people, entertain- 

 ments, dances, and illuminations. 



To prepare for the coronation it was neceflary, ac- 

 cording to the law of the kingdom, or the cuftom in- 

 troduced by Montezuma I. that the new-elected king 

 fliould go out to war, to procure the victims which were 

 neceiTary for the facrifices on fuch an occafion. They 

 never were without enemies on whom war might be 

 made ; either from fome province of the kingdom having 

 rebelled, or from fome Mexican merchants having been 

 unjuftly put to death, or on account of fome infult hav- 

 ing been offered to the royal ambaffadors, of which 

 cafes hiftory (hews many examples. The arms and en- 

 figns which the king wore upon going to war, the pa- 

 rade with which his prifoners were conducted to the 

 court, and the circumftances which attended the fa- 



Vol. II, R orifice 



