In Mexico were twelue Iudges, who were all noble men, graue, and well learned in the Mexican lawes. These men liued only by the rentes that properly apperteyne to the maintenance of Iustice, and in anye cause iudged by thē, it was lawfull for the parties to appeale vnto other twelue Iudges, who were of the princes bloud, and alwayes abode in the Court, and were mainteyned at the Kings owne cost and charge. The inferior Iudges came ordinarily once euery moneth to cōsult with the higher. And in euery fourescore dayes came the Iudges of euery prouince within the Mexican Empire, to consult with the Iudges of Mexico, but all doubtfull causes were reserued to the King, onely to passe by his order and determination. The Painters serued for notaries, to paint al the cases which were to be resolued, but no sute passed aboue fourescore dayes without finall ende and determination. There were in that citie twelue Sergeants, whose office was to arrest, and to cal parties before the Iudges. Their garments were painted mantels, wherby they were knowen a farre off. The prisons were vnder ground, moyst and darke, the cause whereof, was to put the people in feare to offend. If anye witnesse were called to take an oth, the order was, that he shoulde touche the grounde with one of his fingers, and then to touch his tong with the same, whiche signifyed that hée had sworne and promised to speake the troth wyth hys tōg, taking witnes therof, of ye earth which did mainteine him. But some do interprete the oth, yt if the partie sware not true, that then he mighte come to such extremitie, as to eate earthe. Sometime they name and call vppon the God of the crime, whose cause the matter touched.
The Iudge that taketh bribes or giftes, is forthwith put out of his office, whiche was accounted a most vyle and shamefull reproch. The Indians did affirme, that Necaualpincintli did hang a Iudge in Tezcuco, for giuing an vniust sentence, he himselfe knowing the contrary. The murther is executed without exception.
The woman with child that wilfully casteth hir creature, suffereth deathe for the same, bycause many women did voluntary vse that fact, knowing their children could not inherite. The punishment of adultery was death.
The Théefe for the firste offence was made a slaue, and hanged for the second. The traytor to the King and cōmon weale, was put to death with extreame tormēts.
The woman taken in mans apparel dyed for the same, and likewise the man taken in womans attire. Euerye one that challēged another to fight except in the warres, was cōdemned to die. In Tezcuco the sinne of Zodomy was punished with death, & that law was instituted by Necaualpincintli, & Necaualcoio, who were Iudges, which abhorred ye filthy sinne, & therfore they deserued great praise, for in other prouinces ye abhominable sin was not punished, although they haue in those places cōmon stewes, as in Panuco.
The order of cruell Sacrifice vsed among the Indians.
At the ende of euery twenty dayes, is celebrated a festiuall feast called Tonalli, which falleth continually the last daye of euerye moneth, but the chiefest feast in the yeare, when most men are sacrificed & eaten, is at the ende of euerye fiftye two yeares. But the Tlaxcaltecas and other common weales, do celebrate this feast euery fourth yeare.