HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



153 



other half was paid to the purchafer that he might fet 

 the child at liberty. Whatever number of perfons were 

 concerned in the crime, all of them were liable to the 

 fame punifhment. 



To the fame punifhment of fervitude, and to the lofs 

 of his goods, was every perfon liable who fold the poffef- 

 fions of another, which he only had in farm. 



Tutors who did not give a good account of the eftates 

 of their pupils, were hanged without pardon. 



The fame punifhment was inflicted on fons who 

 fquandered their patrimony in vices ; for they faid it 

 was a great crime not to fet a higher value on the la- 

 bours of their fathers. 



He who practifed forcery was facrificed to the gods. 



Drunkennefs in youth was a capital offence ; young 

 men were put to death by the baftinado in prifon, and 

 young women were ftoned to death. In men advanced 

 in years, although it was not made capital, it was pu- 

 nched with feverity. If he was a nobleman, he was 

 ftripped of his office and his rank, and rendered infa- 

 mous ; if a plebeian, they fhaved him (a punifliment 

 very fenfibly felt by them), and demolifhed his houfe, 

 faying, that he who could voluntarily bereave himfelf 

 of his fenfes, was not worthy of a habitation amongft 

 men. This law did not forbid conviviality at nuptials, 

 or at any other times of feftivity : on fuch occafions it 

 being lawful, in private houfes, to drink more than 

 ufual ; nor did the law affect old men of feventy years, 

 who, on account of their age, were allowed to drink 

 as much as they pleafed ; which appears reprefented in 

 the forty-third painting of the collection made by Men- 

 doza. 



Vol. II. U He 



