HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



155 



pofe ; but owners could not fell their flaves without their 

 confent, unlefs they were flaves with a collar. Run- 

 away, rebellious, or vicious flaves, had two or three 

 warnings given them by their owners, which warnings 

 they gave for their better juftiiication in prefence of 

 fome witnefles. If, in fpite of thefe admonitions the 

 flaves did not mend their behaviour, a wooden collar 

 was put about their necks, and then it was lawful to 

 fell them at market. If, after having been owned by 

 two or three matters, they ftill continued intractable, 

 they were fold for the facrifices ; but that happened 

 very rarely. If a Have, who was collared in this man- 

 ner, happened to efcape from the prifon where his own- 

 er confined him, and took refuge in the royal-palace, 

 he remained free ; and the perfon who attempted to 

 prevent his gaining this afylum, forfeited his liberty for 

 the attempt, except it was the owner, or one of his 

 children, who had a right to feize him. 



The perfons who fold themfelves were generally 

 gamefters, who did fo in order to game with the price 

 of their liberty ; or thofe who by lazinefs, or fome mif- 

 fortune, found themfelves reduced to mifery, and pro- 

 flitutes, who wanted clothes to make their appearance 

 in public ; for women of that clafs among the Mexicans 

 had no interefl in general in their profeffion, but the 

 gratification of their paffions. Slavery amongft the 

 Mexicans was not fo hard to be borne, as it was among 

 other people ; for the condition of a flave among them 

 was by no means opprefllve. Their labour was mode- 

 rate, and their treatment humane ; when their mafters 

 died, they generally became free. The common price 

 x)f a flave was a load of cotton garments. 



There 



