HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



159 



They had two forts of prifons : one fimilar to modern 

 prifons, called Teilpilojan, which was appropriated for 

 debtors who refufed to pay their debts, and for fuch 

 perfons as were guilty of crimes not deferving death; 

 the other called Quauhcalli^ refembling a cage, was ufed 

 to confine prifoners who were to be facrificed, and per- 

 fons guilty of capital offences. Both of them were 

 well watched and flrongly guarded. Thofe who were 

 to be capitally puniflied were fed very fparingly, in or- 

 der that they might tafle by anticipation the bitternefs 

 of death. The prifoners on the contrary were well 

 nouriflied, in order that they might appear in good 

 flefh at the facrifice. If through the negligence of the 

 guard, any prifoner efcaped from the cage, the com- 

 munity of the diftrict, whofe duty it was to fupply the 

 prifons with guards, was obliged to pay to the owner 

 of the fugitive, a female Have, a load of cotton gar- 

 ments, and a fliield. 



Having treated thus far of the civil, it is now be- 

 come neceffary to fay fomething of the military govern- 

 ment of the Mexicans. No profeffion was held in 

 more efteem amongft them than the profeffion of arms. 

 The deity of war was the mofh revered by them, and re- 

 garded as the chief protector of the nation. No prince 

 was elected king, until he had, in feveral battles, dif- 

 played proofs of his courage and military ikill, and me- 

 rited the fplendid pofl of general of the army ; and no 

 king was crowned, until he had taken, with his own 

 hands, the victims which were to be facrificed at the fes- 

 tival of his coronation. 



All the Mexican kings, from Itzcoatl the firft, down 

 to Chiauhtemotzin, who was their laft, rofe from the 

 command of the army to the government of the king- 

 dom. 



