150 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



accufed of adultery was fummoned before the judges, 

 and if the proofs of her crime were fatisfa£tory, (he re- 

 ceived punifliment there immediately ; fhe was torn in 

 pieces, and her limbs divided amongfl: the witnefles. In 

 Itz tepee infidelity in a woman was punifhed according to 

 the fentence of the magiftrates by her hufband, who cut 

 off her nofe and her ears. In fome parts of the empire 

 the punifliment of death was inflicted on the hufband, 

 who cohabited with his wife, after it was proved that 

 fhe had violated her fidelity. 



No divorce was lawful without the permiflion of the 

 judges. He who defired to divorce his wife, prefented 

 himfelf before the tribunal and explained his reafons for 

 it. The judges exhorted him to concord, and endea- 

 voured to difluade him from a feparation ; but if he per- 

 fifted in his claim, and his reafons appeared juft, they told 

 him that he might do that which he fliould judge moft 

 proper, without giving their authority for a divorce by a 

 formal fentence. If after all he divorced her, he never 

 could recover her nor be united to her again. 



Thofe who were guilty of inceft with their nearefl: of 

 blood, or relations, were hanged, and all marriages be- 

 tween perfons fo nearly connected were ftrictly forbid by 

 law, excepting marriages between brothers and fifters-in- 

 law ; for amongfl: the Mexicans, as well as amongfl: the 

 Hebrews, it was the cuflom that the brothers of the de- 

 ceafed hufband might marry with their widowed fifters- 

 in-law ; but there was great difference in this practice 

 of thefe two nations ; for amongfl: the Hebrews fuch a 

 marriage could only happen in one cafe, that was where 

 the hufband died without ifTue ; amongfl the Mexicans 

 on the contrary, it was neceflary that the deceafed fliould 

 leave children, of whofe education the brother was to 



take 



