The history of Mexico : Collected from Spanish and Mexican historians, from manuscripts and ancient paintings of the Indians. Illustrated by Charts and other copper plates. To which are added, critical dissertations on the land, the animals, and inhabitants of Mexico: Volume 1

Page 208

B\IDOK. VI'J, S K C To XI. A(nbaffitdors. • HISTORY OF MEXICO zuma II. and of the government of the kings of Acolhuaca~. Te­chotlala, and Nezahualcojotl. For the office ofambafiadors, they always employed perfons who were both noble and eloquent. Three, four, or- more perfons were ufually joined in this ofticc, and, to procure refpeB:, .they wore certain ba.dges by whi<.:h they were every where known, parttcularly a green hab1t made like the fcapulary, or little cloak, which fome religious people wear, from which hung [orne locks of cotton. Their hair was ·twifi:ed with beau­tiful feathers, from which alfo hung fimilar locks of different colours. ·In their right hands they carried an arrow with the point downwards; in the left a !hield, and hanging at the fame arm ·a net, in which they carried their provifion. In all the places through which they paffcd, they were welheceived, and treated with that difi:inB:ion which their cha­raCter demanded, provided they did not leave the great road which led to the place of their defi:ination; but if they ever deviated from it, they loft their rights and privileges as :unbaffadors. When they arrived at the place where they were to deliver their embalfy, they fi:opped before they made entrance, and waited until the nobility of the city carne out to meet them, and conduCt them to the Houfc of the Public, where they were lodged and well entertained. The nobles burnt incenfc to .them, and prefented nofegays of flowers, and after they h.tcl rcpofed, led them to the palace of the lord of that fi:ate, and introduc ·d then into the hall of audience, where they were received by the lord himfe lt: and his counfellors, who were all feated in their places. After having made a profound reverence ·to the lord, they fat down upon their heels in 'the middle of the hall, and without faying a word, or lifting up their eyes~ they waited until n fign was made for them to fpeak. \Nhen the fignal w!lS given, the moil: refpeclable amongfi: the ambaOadors, after having made another bow to the lord, delivered his embafiy with a low voice, in a fl:udied addrefs, which was attentively heard by the lord and his counfellors, who kept their heads fo much inclined, that they appeared alrnoft to touch their knees. When the ambafiadors .had finilhed their interview, they returned to the houfe where they were lodged. In the mean while, the lord entered i.nto confultation with l1is counfellors, and communicated his anfwer to the ambafiadors by means of his minifters; provided them abundantly with provi!ions for their H I S T 0 R Y 0 F lVI E X I C 0. tl1eir journey, made them alfo fome prefents, nd caufed them to be cfcorted out of the city by the fame perfons who had received them upon their arrival. If the lord, to whom the emb:1fiy was icnt, was a: friend to the Mexicans, it was con!ic.lercd as a great diilionour not to ac~ept his prefcnts ; but if he was an enemy, the ambat1adors could not receive them without the cxprefs order of their mafl:er. All thefe ceremonies were not invariably ob!erved in embai1ies, nor were all em­baffies fent to the lords of cities or fl:<ltcs ; for fame of them, as we lhall mention hereafter, were fent to the body of the nobility, or to the .people. The couriers whom the M~::xic.ms frequ ently employed, made ufe of different enfigns accorJing to the nature of the intelligence, or affair with which they Were charged. If it was the news of the Mexicans having loft a battle, the courier wort! his h air lo fe and difordered, and, without [peaking a word to any perfon, went fi:raight to the palace, where, kneeling before the king, he related what had happened. If it was llhe news of a viCtory which had been obt~'ined by the arms of Mexico, ·he had his hair tied with a coloured frring, and his body girt with a , white cotton cloth ; in his left hand a lhield, and in his right a fword, which he brandi{]Jed as if he had been in the act of engagement ; exprening by fuch gefl:ures his glad tidings, and finging the glorious atl:ions of the ancient Mexicans, while the people, overjoyed at feeing him, led him with many congratulations to the royal palace. In order that news might be more fpeedily conveyed, there were upon :lll the hjghways of the kingdom certain little towers, about fix miles diftant from each other, where couriers were always waiting in readine[s tC? fet out with di(patchcs. As foon as the .fidl: courier was fent off, he ran as fwiftly as he could to the firfi: fi:age, or little .tower, where he communicated to anothcr his intelligence, and delivered to him the paintings which reprefented the news, or the altair which was the fub­j. eCl: of his embafly. The fecond courier .pofted without delay to the uext fiage, Qr little tower; and thus by a continuecl and uninterrupt­ed fpeed of conveyance, intelligence was carried fo rapidly from place to place, .that fc>rnetimes, according to the affirnutions made by fevc­ral authors, it reached the difl:a.ncc of three hundred miles in one day. It was •by this mecUIS that frefh fifh wc~c daily brought to Monte- VaL. I. Y y zum:1 345 SF.CT.Xll. Couri ers and pulls.