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Show H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. Bd OK Vf. warm him and guard him in her bofom, and JoalteuCl:li, god of tho • ... ' njght, to make him fleep . ~ Ti C To XXXVIII. Nuptial rite s. The name which was given to boys, was generally taken from the :fign of the day on wbich they were born (a rule p,trticular1y pracliJed among the Mixtccas ), as Na!Juixod11'tl, or IV ]<'lower, Macuikoat!, . or V Serpent, and Omecalli; or II Houle. i\t other times the name was taken from circ.:umCl:anccs att · nding tlw birth i as for inil:ancc, one of the four chiefs who goverm:J the r public of Tlilfcala, at the time ·of the arrival of the Sp:miards, rcLcived tbe llat 1e of Citl11popoca, fmoking il:ar; bccaufe he was born at the time of a comet's appearance in the heavens. The child born on the d,1y of the renewal of the fire, had the name of Mo!pilli, if it was a male; if a female (be was called Xiuhnenetl, alluding in both names to circumfi:ances attending the fcfi:ival. Men had in general the names of ani tllals; women thofc of flowers • giving which, it is probable, they paid regard both to the dream o the parents, and the coun[el of diviners. For the moil: part they gave but one name to boys; nfterwards it was ufual for them to acquire a furname from their aCl:ions, as Montezuma I. on account of his bravery was given the furnames of Ilhuacamina and 'flacadi. When the religious ceremony of bathing was over~ an entertainment was given, the quality and honours of which correfponded with the rank of the giver. At fuch feafons of rejoicino-~ a little exccfs in drinking was permitted, as the diforderlinefs of drunk:n perfons extended not beyond private houfes. The torches were kept burning till they were totally on[umed, and particular care was taken to 1 eep up the fire all the four days, which intervened between the fi.rfr and fecond ceremony of bathing, as they were perfuaded that an omi(]lon of Ii1ch a nature would ruin the fortune of the child. Thefe rejoicings were .repeated when they weaned the child, which they commonly did at .three years of age (I). With re.fpeCl: to the marriages of the Mexicans, although in them, as well as m all their cuil:oms, fuperftition had a great {hare, nothing, however, .attended them which was repugnant to decency or honour. Any marnage between perfons related in the fi.rfi: degree of confi.m- ,; ~!) 'In Guatemala it w~s \tfual to make rejoicings as foon as the child bega11 to walk, and Ot fcvcn years they contmucd to celebrate the annivcl'fary of its birth~ · ' .guinity H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. guinity or alliance, was firictly forbid, not only by the laws of Mexico, but alfo by the laws of Michuacan, unlefs it was between coufins (m). The parents were the perfons who fettled all marriages, and none were ever executed without their confent. When a fon arrived at an age Gapablc of bearing the charges of that fiate, which in men was from the age of twenty to twenty-two years, and in women from fixteen to eighteen, a fuitable and proper wife was fingled out for him ; but before the union was concluded on, the diviners were confulted, who,. after having confidered the birth-day of the youth, and of the young · girl intended for his bride, decided on the happinefs or unhappinefs of the match. If from the combination of figns attending their b~rths, . the.y pronounced the alliance unpropitious, that young maid was abandoned, and another fought. If, on the contrary, they predicted hnp- . pinefs to the couple, the young girl was demanded of her parents by· certain women amongft them called 9ibuatlanque, or folicitors, who . were the moD: elderly and refpetl:able amongfi the kindred of the youth. There· women went the fi.rfi: time at midnight to the houfe of the dam .• fel, carried a prefent to l1er parents, and demanded her of them in ot humble and refpeCl:ful fi:yle. The fidl: demand, was, according to tho cuftom of th:1t nation, infallibly refufed, however advantageous and eligible the marriage might appear to the parents, who gave iome· piau .. fible reafons for their refulal. After a few days were pail:~ thofe· women returned to repeat their demand, ufing prayers and arguments alfo,. in order to obtain trieir r-..queil:, giving an. account of the rank and fortune of the youth, . and of what he. would · make the dQwry of his wife, and alfo .gaining information . of that. which . 01c could bring to the match on .her part. The. parents replied to this fecond requefi:,: (111) In the irtb book, tit. z. of tho third provinct.ll coun cil of Mexico, it is fupp(> rcd that , the Gentiles of that new world 'marricd with their litlers ; but it Octght to he undc.rltood, that· the 7.e:tl of tbofe fathers was not coutincd in its exertions to the nations of. the Mexican c:u .. pirc, among- tr whom fuch marriages were .not fufl'crcd, but cxtcndco t•> the barbarous Chech ~ m~ cas, the Panuchefc, and to other nations, which were extremely uncivilized in th eir cui: toms. There is not a doubt, that the council alluded to thofe .b:u·barians, who were then (in• 1 s!l5), in the progrefs of their con vcrfion to Chritli<l1l ity, and not to the Mcxic;ms and the ua~ ti<>ns under fubje£lion trJ them, who many yeat·s before the council were already converted. llefidcs, in the interval of four y<"are, hctwecn ·thc conquefl uf the Spani~rds and he pr•>IIIUI...: g·ntio11 of the gofpcl, many abufive praelic~s bad been introdu ced among thofc 111ations never befnr~ tolerated qn~lc1· their kings, as the l'Cligi!JUS miffionmies employed in tbcir. coll\'oriiou A~tQ(t, • that BOOK Vl •. ~ .. |