The Mexicans did beléeue that the Soule was immortal, and that they receyued eyther ioy or payne according to theyr desertes & liuyng in this worlde, vnto which opinion all their religion did attayne, and chiefly appeare at their burials. They helde for an assured faith, that there were nine places appointed for soules, & the chiefest place of glory to be neare vnto the Sunne, where the soules of those whiche were good men slaine in the warres, & those which were sacrifised were placed, and that all other sortes of euill persons their soules abode on the earth, & were deuided after this sorte, children that were dead borne went to one place, those which died of age or other disease went to another, those which died of sodden death to another, those whiche died of woundes or contagious diseases went to an other place, those which were drowned went to another, those which were put to death for offence by order of iustice, as for robbery and adultery to another: Those which slewe their fathers, mothers, wiues or childrē, to another place by themselues, also those who slew their maysters or any religious person went to another place. The common sorte of people were buried, but Lordes and rich men had their bodies burned & their ashes buried. In their shreudes they had a greate difference, for many dead bodies were buried better apparelled than when they were on liue. Women were shrewded after another sorte. And he that suffered death for adulterie was shrewded like vnto the God of leachery, called Tlazoulteutl, he that was drowned like vnto the God of water named Tlacoc, and he that died with drunkennesse was shrewded like vnto the God of wyne called Ometochtli. But the Souldier had an honorable shrewde like vnto the attyre of Vitzilopuchtli, and the lyke order in all other sortes of deathes.
The buriall of Kings in Mexico.
When any Kyng of Mexico happened to fall sicke, they vsed forth-with to put a visor vppon the face of Tezcatlipuca, or Vitzilopuchtli, or some other Idoll, whiche Visor was not taken awaye, vntill they sawe whether the kyng did amend, or else die: But if he chaunsed to die, then worde was sent throughout all his dominions to bewaile his death, and also other postes were sent to call the Noble menne that were his nighest kinsmen, and to warne them within foure dayes to come vnto his buriall.
The dead body was layde vpon a fayre matte, & was watched foure nightes, with great lamētation and mournyng: then the body was washed, and a locke of heare cut from the crowne of his head, whiche was preserued as a great relicke, saying that therein remayned the remembrance of his soule. This done, a fine Emerald was put into his mouth, and his body shrewded in seuentene riche mantles, of colours, both riche and costly wrought. Vpon the vpper mantle was sette the deuise or armes of Vitzilopuchtli or Tezcalipuca, or of some other idoll, in whome the kyng had greate confidence in his lyfe tyme, and in his temple should the body be buried. Vpō his face they put a visor, paynted with foule and Diuelish gestures, besette with many iewelles, precious stones, and pearles. Then they killed his slaue, whose office was to light the Lampes and make fire vnto the Goddes of his pallayce. These things done, they carried the dead body vnto the Temple: some followed him with dolefull tune, others song the death of the kyng by note, for so was the custome.
The Noble men and Gentlemen of his housholde carried Targets, Arrowes, Maces, and Ensignes to throwe into the fire where the body should be buried in the Temple. The high Priest and all the Clergie receyued him at the Temple gate, with a sorrowfull song, and after he had sayde certayne wordes, the body was throwen into a great fire made for the purpose, with all the iewels that he had aboute him, and all the other things whiche was brought to honour the burial: also a dogge newly strangled with an arrowe, whiche was to guyde him his way. In the meane whyle that the King and dogge were burnyng, the Priests sacrificed twoo hūdred persons, howbeit in this Ceremonie there was no ordinary taxe, for sometymes they sacrificed many moe: they were opened with a rasour of flinte in the breastes, and theyr hartes taken out and throwen into the fire where the Kings body was. There miserable persons beyng sacrificed, and their bodies throwen into a hole, they beléeued assuredly that those shoulde serue for his slaues in another worlde: some of them were dwarffes, monstrous and deformed persons, with some women. They placed about the dead body of the King before his buriall, Roses, Floures and sundry dishes of meate and drinke, and no creature durste touche the same, but onely ye Priests, for it séemed to be an offeryng.
The nexte day followyng, all the ashes were gathered togither, and the téeth with the Emerald that was in his mouth, the whiche things were put into a chest, paynted on the inside with horrible figures of diuels, and the locke of heare whiche was cut from his crowne, and another locke of heare which was preserued from the tyme of his birth. Then the chest was lockte, and an image of wood made and clothed like vnto the Kings person, which was set on the toppe of the chest. The obsequies endured foure dayes, in the whiche the wiues and daughters of the king offered great offerings at the place where his body was buried, and before the chest and his image.