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Show BOOK. VI. '--v---' SECT. XXXIX. Funeral rites. II I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. Among the Miztecas, befides the ceremony of tying the married p:.~ir together by the end of their garments, they cut off a part of their hair, and the hufbancl carried his wife for a little time upon his b:.tck. They permitted polygamy in the Mexican empire. The kings and 1ords bad numerous wives; but it is probable, that they obferved al l the ceremonies with their principal wives only, and that with the reft the cifential rite of tying their garments together was fufficient. The Spanifh theologifi:s and canonifis, who went to Mexico immediately after the conqueft, being unacquaint d with the cufl:oms of thofc people, raifed doubts about their marriages ; but when tilcy had learnt the language, and properly examined that and other points of importance, they a knowledged fuch marriages to he j ufl: and lawful. Pope Paul Ill. and the provincial council of Mexico.. ordered, in conformity to the facred canons, and the ufage of the church, th at aU thofe who were willing to embrace Chrifl:ianity, fi1ould keep no other wife but the one whom they had firfl: married. However fuperfl.itious the Mexicans were in other matters, in the rites which they obferved at funerals they exceeded themfel ves. As foon as any perfon died, certain maftcrs of funer, 1 ceremonies were called., who were generally men advanced in years. They cut a number of pieces of paper, with which they dreffed the dead body, and took a glafs of water with which they fprinkle·d the head, faying, that that was the water ufed in the time of tl1eir life. They then drdled it in a habit fuitable to the rank, the wealth, and the circumftance attending the death of the party. If the deceafed had b en a warrior, they clothed him in the habit of HLlitzilopochtli; if a merchant, in th:lt of Jacatuctli; if an artifi:, in that of the proteCl:iug god of his art or trade: one who had been drowned was dreffed in the habit of T laloc; or.e who had been executed for adultery, in that of Tla~olteot1; and a drunkard in the habit of Tczcatzoncatl, god of wine. In {hort, as Gomara has ':ell obferve8, they wore more garments after they were dead than whde they were living. With the .habit they gave the dead a jug of water, which was to fcrve on the JOurney to the other world, and alfo at fuccefiive diftcrcnt tim~s, different pi.eces of paper, mentioning the ufe of each. On confignmg the firft pl<..'CC to the dead, they faid :· By means if tbis you 1/Ji!J jJaft II I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X. I C 0. pctfs 'lvithou.t dcmger I.Jt't'leJI!i!IZ thi! two mountains which fight agm'nfl each otl.~er . VVtth t.1c Ct· ond they .C1·d: By mecrns qf this you 'Will 'walk 'WI~bout o~flr:-itltoll t 1IOJ:g .tbe road wiJJch is dtjrmded by the great ji:rpent. Vv 1th .the thud : :11Y tbzs you will go ficurely through the place, where thcrr! .tJ t'bt' c~·~x('d1Z • ocl~itona l. The foLlrth was a (lfi pnffport throLJgh the ll!' ht dekrts ; the fi fth through the eight hills ; and the fixth was giv n in order to p.afs without hurt through the fharp wind; for they prctel~ued that 1t w.as neccffi1ry to pafs a place c.11led l tzuhewjan, :Vh<.:r · ~ wmd ~lew fo viOlently as to tear up rocks, and fo fharp that 1t cut ltkc a kn1fc; on which account they burned all the habits which tbt.: deceafcd had worn chu·ing life, their arms, and fome houfhold goods, in order that the heat of this fire mi1rht defend them from the c.:old of that terrible. wind. :;, 0 nc of the chief and moll: ridiculous ceremonies at fune rals was the · J~illing a tcchic~i, a d?mefl:ic quadruped, which we have already mcn. t10ned, reicmblmg a httle dog, to accompany the deccafed in their j omncy to the other world. They fixed a fl:ring about its neck, believing that necefiary to enable it to pafs the deep r.i ver of Cbiul.mabuaprm, or New Waters . They buried the tcchichi, or bllrned it along with the body of its maf!:er, according to the kind of death of which he died. While the mafl:crs of the ceremon'ies were lighting up the fire in which the body W<lS to be burned, . the other priefl:s kept fin ging in a mchn- choly ftrain. After burning the body, they gathered the afi1 m . au earthen pot, amongfl: which, according to the ircull!ftances of the de ceafed, they pnt a gem of more or leis value; which they .fitid wolll [ ferve him in place of a heart in the other world . They buried thi.'i earthen pot in a deep ditch , and fourfcorc days after made oblations of .br ad and wine over it. Such were the ftmcntl rites of the common people; but at the de· lh of kings, and that of lords, or perfons of high rank, fome peculi:1r forms we~·c obfcrved th at arc worthy to be mentioned. When the king fell fick, fc.1ys Gomara, they put a mafk on the idol of II ui tz il po htli, and alfo one on the idol of Tc:tcatlipoca, which they never took oif .until the king was either dead or recovered; but it is ccrtai11, that the idol of Huitzilopochtli had always two maiks, 110t one. i\s foon :1 a king of Mexico happened to die, his death was pnblifi1ed in great T t 2 form, 323 BOOK. VI. "--"¥--~ |