of Vitziliputzli his Feast, no man might eate any other meate; but this paste with Ho∣me,
whereof the Idoll was made: and this should bee eaten at the point of day, not
drinking till afternoone: The contrarie was sacrilegious: After the ceremonies ended,
it was lawfull for them to eate any thing. During the time of this ceremonie they
hid the water from their little Children, admonishing such, as had the vse of reason,
to abstaine.
The ceremonies, dances, and sacrifices ended, they went to vncloath themselues,
and the Priestes and Ancients of the Temple, tooke the Image of paste, and spoi∣led
it of all the ornaments, making many peeces of it, and of the consecrated Rolles,
which they gaue to the Communion, beginning with the greater, and continuing vn∣to
the rest both men, women, and children: who receiued it with teares, feare, re∣uerence,
and other both affects, and effects of deuotion, saying, that they did eate
the flesh and bones of their God. Such as had sicke folkes demanded thereof for
them, and carried it with great reuerence and veneration. All such as did com∣municate
were bound to giue the tenth part of this seede, whereof the Idoll was
made.
The solemnitie of the Idoll beeing ended, an olde man of great authoritie slept
vp into a high place, and with a lo••de voice preached their lawe and ceremonies.
This Historie deserueth the longer Relation, because it
so much resembleth the Po∣pish
Chimuera, and monstrous conception of Transubstantiation, and of their Corpus
Christ••, Fe•••••• with other their Rites, to which Acosta also the relater compareth it, bla∣ming
the Diuell, for vsurping the seruice, and imitating the Rites of their Church,
whereas their Church deserueth blame for imitaring the Diuell and these his idolatrous
Disciples, in their Stupendious monsters of opinion, and ridiculous, offices of supersti∣tion.
But ••ou shall yet see a further resemblance.
Next to this principall Feast of Vitzliputzli,
was that of Tezcalipuca, of chiefe esti
mation. This fell on the nineteenth day of May, and was called Tozcolt. It
fell euery foure yeares with the Feast of Penance, where there was giuen
full indul∣gence
and remission of sinnes. In this day they did sacrifice a captiue which resem∣bled
the Idoll Tezcalipuca.
Vpon the euen this solemnitie, the Noble men came to the Temple, bringing a
new garment like to that of the Idoll, which the Priest put vpon him, hauing first
taken off his other garments, which they kept with great reuerence. There were in
the Coffers of the Idoll
many ornaments, iewels, eare-rings, and other riches,
as bracelets, and precious feathers, which serued to no vse, and were worshipped as
the God himselfe. Besides that garment, they put vpon him certaine ensignes of Fea∣thers,
with ••annes, shadowes, and other things.
Beeing thus attired, they drew the Curtaine from before the doore, that all men
might see. Then came forth one of the chiefe of the Temple, attired like to the Idoll,
carrying flower in his hand, and a Flute of earth, hauing a very sharpe sound, and
turning toward the East, he sounded it, and after that to the West, North, and South,
he did the like.
This done, hee put his finger into the aire, and then gathered vp the earth
which
he put in his mouth, eating it in signe of adoration. The like did all that were pre∣sent,
weeping, and falling flat to the ground, inuocating the darknesse of the night
and the windes not to forsake them, or else to take away their liues and free them
from the labours they endured therein. Theeues, Adulterers, Murtherers, and all
other offenders had great feare and heauinesse whiles the Flute sounded, so as some
could not hide nor dissemble their offences. By this meanes they all demanded no
other thing of their God, but to haue their offences concealed: powring forth many
teares, with great repentance and sorrow, offering great store of incense to appease
their Gods. All the Martialists, and resolute spirits, addicted to the Watres, desired
with great deuotion of GOD the Creator, of the Lord, for whom we liue, of the Sunne,
and of other their Gods, that they would giue them victorie against their enemies, and