HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



137 



feffion of it, they dripped him of the difmal habit which 

 he had worn during the time of his penance, and drelfed 

 him in mod magnificent attire : they tied his hair with a 

 leathern riband, dyed of a red colour, at which hung 

 beautiful feathers, and fixed alfo the grains of gold at 

 his nofe. This ceremony was performed, in the upper 

 area of the greater temple, by a pried, who, after hav- 

 ing conferred the dignity, made him a congratulatory 

 harangue. From thence he defcended to the lower area, 

 where he joined with the nobility in a grand dance that 

 was made there, and which was fucceeded by a magnifi- 

 cent entertainment, which was given at his expenfe to 

 all the lords of the date, for whom befides the innume- 

 rable drefies which were made in prefents to them, fuch 

 an abundance of meats were prepared, there were con- 

 fumed upon the occafion, agreeably to the accounts of 

 fome authors, from one thoufand to fixteen hundred 

 turkies, a vad number of rabbits, deer, and other ani- 

 mals, and an incredible quantity of cocoas in different 

 forts of beverage, and of the raoft choice and delicate 

 fruits of that country. The title Teudll was added in 

 the manner of a furname to the proper name of perfons 

 advanced to this dignity, as Chechemeca4eu6lli^ Pil-teu£lli 9 

 and others. The TeuElli took precedency of all others 

 in the fenate, both in the order of fitting and voting, 

 and were permitted to have a fervant behind them with 

 a feat, which was edeemed a privilege of the higheft 

 honour. 



The titles of nobility amongd the Mexicans were for 

 the mod part hereditary. Even until the downfal of the 

 empire many families that were defcended of thofe il- 

 ludrious Aztecas who founded Mexico, preferved them- 

 felves in great fplendour, and feveral branches of thofe 



Vol. II. S mod 



