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Show ,. 34° nooK vn. ~ H 1 s T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. of their dignity and offices ; the two allied kings f<Hlowed next, and behind them the king eleCt, ll:ript naked, without any covering except the maxt/atl, the girdle, or large bandage, about his middle. He af€ ended the temple,. reil:ing on the arms of two nobles of the court, where one of the h~gh -p1·ieil:s, accompanied by the moil: reipeetablc officers of the temple, received him. He worlhipped the idol of Huitzilopochtli, touching the earlh with his hand, and then carrying it to his mouth. The high-prieft dyed his body with a certain kind of ink,. and fprinkled him four times with water which had been blelfed, according to their rite~ at the grand feftival of Huitzilopochtli,. making ufe for this purpofe of branches of cedar and willow, and the. leaves. of maize. He was clothed in a mantle, on which were painted flwlls and bones of the dead, and his head was covered with two other cloaks, one black, and the other blue,. on whiah fimilar figun.:s were J:eprefented. They tied a fmall gourd to his neck,. containing a certain powder, which they eil:eemed a frrong prefervative againft difeafes, foreery, and treaion. Happy would that people be whofe king could carry «bou.t him fuch a prefervative. They pnt afterwards a cenfer, and a bag of copal in· his hands, that he might give incenfe to the idol with them~ \'Vhen this act of religii!>n· was perf~rmed, during which the. king remained on his knees-, th.e high.-prieft fat down and. delivered a difcourfe to him, in which after congratulating him. on his adYancement,.. he informed him of the obligation he owed his fubjeds for having raifed him to. the throne,. and warmly recommended to him zeal fa~ religion and juil:ice. the pvotection of the poor, and the defence C>f his native country and kingdom. The allied kings and. the nobles next addreffed him to the fame purpofe; to w.hich the king anfwered with 1hanks and prom.ifes to exert himfelf to the utmofi: of his power for the happinefs of the fiate. Gomara, and other authors who have copied him, afiirm,. that the high-prieil: made him :Cwear to maintain their ancient relizian, to obferv.e the laws of his anceil:ors, and to make the fun go his courfe, to make the clouds pour down rain, to make the rivers run, and all fruits to. ripen. If it is true, that they made the king take fo extravagant an oath, it is probable, that they only me:lnt to ·oblige him to maintaip a conduct worthy of the.fe favours from heaven. 9 , Aft,e.r . . H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C O. After hearing thefe addre.ifes, the king defcended with all his attend- BOOK vu. ants to the lower area, where the reft of the nobility waited to make ~ their obedience, and pay hin1 homage in jewels and apparel. He was thence conduCted to a chamber within the inclofure of the temple. called 7'/actJtecco, where he was left by himfelf four days, during which . time he was allowed to eat but once a day; but he might eat fie!h or any. Qther kind of food. He bathed twice every day, and after bathing he . drew blood from his ears, v;hich he offered together with fome burnt €opal to Huitzilopochtli, making all the while cohftant and earneft prayers to obtain that enlightenment of underftanding which.was requi-· fite in. ordet to gov~rn his monarchy with prudence; On the fifth · day, the nobility returned to the temple, conducting the new king. to his palacei:, where the feudatory lords came to renew the inveil:iture. o£ their fiefs. Then followed the rejoicings of the people,. entertainments, . dances, and illuminations. To prepare for the coronation ic wag neceffury; according·to the· law SEcT. vrrr. of the kingdom, or the cufiom intronuced. by Montezuma l. that the ·~l~e· corona. tJO .. , cro wn, . new elected king fhould go out. to wa1', to procure the victims which were- ~n: fs ;_ :and neceun·a ry t:. tl r. 'fi 1'. h r. T] . h 1nhg n1 a of 101' 1e 1acn ces on 1U an occa11on. 1ey he''er were WJt - royalty . . Qut enfinies on whom war might be made; cither from· fame province ef the kingdorh hnving rebelled,. or from fame Mexican merchantS · having been . unjuil:lY. put. to death, or on account of fome .infult having Deen offered to the royal ambalfadors, of which cafes hifl:ory 1J1ews many examples. The arms and enfig1is which the king wore up- · ~h going to war, the parade wjth which his priionets were conduCted to;. the court, and the circumftances: which attended the tlcrifice of them, {hall be explained when we come to · treat of the mil-itary el1abli{}1ment of the lVIexicans i bHt we arc entirely ignot: ant of the particular ceremonies which were nfcd a.t his coronation . . The king of Acolhuaoan was the ·pet·fon who pm the crown upon his · head.. The crown which Was (Za.Jled by the Mexicans copillt', was a, fort of fmall mitre, the fore-part of which was raifed up.\ and tenninated in a point, and the part behind was lowered . down, and hung . over the neck. in the · fume mannctr as is reprcfen ted .in the figures of. the ki1igs given ih this hifiory'. It was compofed of different· materials, according t~ the. pleafure 0f the kings ; . fometimes made of thin . plates · ' • |