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Show BOOK VII. ~ SEcT. XIII. The nobility and right of fucceffion, , H I s T 0 R y 0 F M E X I C 0. zuma II• fir om tl 1e gu of Mexico ' which is at leaft • upwards of two hundred miles difiant from the capital. Th?fe couners were ex- erc1·1r.e d m· runm' ng· fii·o1n their childhood; and m. or. de.r to encourage h · th·s exercife the priefl:s, under whofe d1fctplme they were t em m I ' , h . . tram· e d , f requ en tly befiowed rewards on thofe w o were VICtors m a race. f 1 h I . With refpeCl: to the nobility of ~exico and o t 1e w o e emp1re, it was divided into feveral claffes, wluch were confoundt:d together by the s1 aniards under the general n~me of caziques (q). Eac.h clafs had its particular privileges and wore 1ts own badges, by wluch means, although their drefs was extremely fimple, the charaCl:er of every perfan was immediately undedl:ood. The nobles alone were allowed to wear ornaments of gold and gems upon their cloaths, and to th~m exclufivcly belonged, from the reign of Montezuma II. all ~he h1gh offices at court, in the magiftracy, and the moil: confiderable. m the arm~. The highefi rank of nobility in Tlafcala,. in Hu~xotzmco, and m Cholula, was that of Tt!uB!i. To obtain th1s rank It wa.; neceffary to be of noble birth, to have given proofs in feveral battles of the ut.mofr courage, to be arrived at a certain age, and to command great nches. for the enormous expences which were neceffary to be fupported by the poifeifor of fuch a dignity. The candidate was obli~e~ befides to undergo a year of regular penance, confiil:ing in perpetual fitihng ai1d fre~ quent effuiions of blood, and an abfiinence from all commerce whatfoever with women, and patiently enduring the infults, the reproaches,. and ill-treatment, by which fortitude and conil:ancy are put to t~e teil:. They bored the cartilage of his nofe, in order to fufpend fro~ 1.t c.er~ tain grains of gold, which were the principal badge of th.Is d1gm~y ~ On the day on which he came to the po!fe£rion of it, th:y il:nppe~ him of the difmal habit which he had worn during the time of his pe• nance, and dreffed him in moft magnificent attire: they tied his ha.ir with a leathern ribband, died of a red colour, at which hung beautiful feathers, and fixed alfo the grains of gold at his nofe. This ceremony was performed, i~ the upper area of · the greater temple, by a ( q) The name ci'IZique, which lignifies lord or pl'illcc, is derived from .the H.aititt ~ong~~· which was fpoke iu the ifl:md of Hifpaniola. The Mexicans called ~lord '.Tiatoam, and a no e Pi/li and <J'eu.'lli. 8 prieil:, • H I 8 T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. prieft, who, after having confen·ed the dign , made him a congratulatory harangue. From thence he defcended to the lower area, where he joined with the nobility in a grand dance that was made there, and which was fucceeded by a magnificent entertainment, which was given at his expence to all the lords of the il:ate, for whom befides the innumerable drefies which were made in prefents to them, fuch an abundance of meats were prepared, there were confumed upon the occafion, agreeable to the accounts of fame authors, from one thoufand to fixteen hundred turkies, a vafi number of rabbits, deer, and other animals. and an incredible quantity, of cocoas in different forts of beveridge, and of the moft choice and delicate fruits ' of that country. The title :feuB/i was added in the manner of a furname to the proper name of · 'perfons advanced to this dignity, as Chechemeca-teutlli, Pil-teuBli, and others. The TeuB/i took precedency of all others in the fenate, both in the order of fitting and voting, and were permitted to have a fervant behind them with a feat, which was eil:eemed a privilege of the higheil: honour. The titles of nobility amongll: the Mexicans were for the mofl: part hereditary. Even until the downfal of the empire many families that were defcended of thofe illufirious Aztecas who founded Mexico, preferved themfelves in great fplendour, and feveral branches of thofe moil: ancient houfes at·e il:ill exiil:ing, though reduced by misfortunes, and obfcured and confufed amongil: the vulgar (r). It is not to be doubted that it would have been more wife policy in the Spaniards, if, inftead of conduCting women from Europe, and llaves from Africa, to Mexico, they had endeavoured to form by marriages, between the Mexicans and themfelves, one fingJe individual nation. If the nature of this hif- , tory would permit, we could here give a dcmonftration of .the advantages whieh would have been derived to both nations from fuch an (r) It is impoffible to behold without regret, the ilatc of ucgradntion to which lome illufiri· ous familie~ of th 11 t kingdom hn,·c been reduced. Not very long ngo was eJ: ccutcd n locklinith, who was a J ct(·endant of the :tncicnt kings of Michuacan : we knew a poor taylor in Mcxioo, who was dcfc endcd of a very noble houfe of Coyoacan, but had been deprived of the po!fef. lions which he inherited from his illufirious :m cc ao r~. Examples of this kind arc not infre· qucnt even among the royal families of Mexico, Acolhuacan, nnd Tacuba; tlu~ repeated orders, which the juOicc and clcnJency of the C:ltholic kings caufcd to be made in their fi1vour, ha ve 11ot bocn fuindcnt to prot~Ci: them from the general c:1l.1mity of their nation. y y ,. . umon, 347 BOOK VJI. |