The last day of the first moneth is called Tlacaxipeualiztli, on the which day were slaine a hundred slaues, which were taken in the warres, and after the sacrifise, their flesh was eaten in this order. Al the Citizens, gathered themselues togither in the high Temple, and thē the Ministers or Priestes came and vsed certaine ceremonies, the which being ended, they toke those whyche were to be sacrifised, by one and one, and layd them vpon their backes vpon a large stone, and then the slaue being on liue, they opened him in the breast, with a knife made of flinte stone, and toke out his hart, whiche they threw immediately at the foote of the Aulter, as an offering, and anoynted with the fresh bloude, the face of the God Vitzilopuchtli, or any other Idol. This done, they pluckt of the skinnes of a certaine number of them, the which skinnes so many auntient persons put incontinēt vppon their naked bodies, al fresh & bloudy, as they wer fleane from the deade carcasses. And being open in the backe part and shoulders, they vsed to lace them, in such sorte that they came fitte vppon the bodies of those that ware them, and being in this order attired, they came to daunce among many others. In Mexico the king him selfe did put on one of these skinnes, being of a principall captiue, and daunced among the other disguised persons, to exalte and honor the feast, and an infinite number followed him to behold his terrible gesture, although some hold opinion that they followed him to cōtemplate his greate deuotion. After the sacrifise ended, the owner of the slaues did carry their bodies home to their houses, to make of their fleshe a solemne feaste to all their friendes, leauing their heades and hartes to the Priests, as their dutie and offering. And the skinnes were filled with cotten wool, or strawe, to be hong in the temple, and kings pallayce, for a memorie.
The slaues when they went to their sacrifice, were apparelled in the habite or deuise of the Idol vnto whom ech of them did commende himselfe: and moreouer they decked them with feathers, garlands and floures. Many of these sort of people, do go to the slaughter with ioyfull countenannce, dauncing, demaunding almes through the Citie for their sacrifice, all the whiche almes is due vnto the priestes. When the gréene corne was a foote aboue the ground, they vsed to go vnto a certain hil whiche was appointed for such deuotion, and there sacrifised two children, a boy, and a girle of thrée yeares of age, to the honor of Tlaloc god of water, beséeching him therefore deuoutlye, to haue alwayes a care to prouide them water: these children were frée borne, and therfore theyr hartes were not taken out of their bodies, but after that their throtes were cut, their bodies were wrapped in a new mantel, and then buried in a graue of stone.
The feaste of Tozoztli was, when the fields of Maiz were growen two foote high, then a certaine summe of merchandise was gathered among the dwellers in the towne, wherewith were bought foure little slaues betwixt the age of fiue and seuen, and they were likewise sacrificed to the god Tlaloc, for continuall shoures of rayne. And those dead bodies were shut vp in a caue appointed for the same purpose. The beginning of this sacrifice of foure children was, at the time when in foure yeres space it rayned not, in the whiche season ye springs were dryed vp, and al gréene things perished: wherfore they were forced to leaue the countrey, and went to inhabite at Nicaragua. In the moneth and feast of Hueitozotli, when the corne fields of Maiz waxed ripe, then euery one in generall gathered his handful of Maiz, and brought it vnto the temple for an offering, with a certaine drinke called Atuli, whiche is made of the same Maiz. They brought also the swéete gum Copalli to sense the gods which do cause the corne to growe: and all that night they ceassed not dauncing without drunkennesse. At the beginning of summer they celebrate an other feast called Tlaxuchimcaco, with all kinde of Roses and swéete floures that might be gotten, and thereof they vsed to make garlands to set vpon the Idols heades, and so spente all that day in dauncing. And to celebrate the feast called Tecuilhuitli, al the gentlemen, and principall persons of ech prouince, do come vnto the Citie, on the euening of the feast, and then they apparell a woman with the attire of the Gods of salt, who daunced among a great company of hir neighboures. But on the nexte day she was sacrificed with all the Ceremonies and solemnitie accustomed, and al that day was spent in gret deuotion, burning of incense in the fire pannes of the temple.
The merchants who had a temple by themselues dedicated to the god of gaines, made their feast vppon the day called Miccailhuitl, wherein they slewe many slaues in sacrifice, which they had bought, and banqueted that feast with mans flesh, dauncing al the day. The feast of Vchpaniztli they sacrificed a woman, and afterward hyr bodye was slayne, and hir skinne put vppon an Indians backe, who daunced two days a row with al the townsmen, which were apparelled in their best attire to celebrate ye feaste. The day of Hatamutztli ye feast is kept in Mexico, where they enter into ye lake wt a great nūber of Canoas, & there they drown a boy & a girle in a litle boat, which they cause to be sonke, in such sorte, that neuer after that boat appeareth again: and they hold opinion yt those children were in company with the Goddes of the lake. So that, that daye was spente in feasting in the temples, and annoynting the Idols chéekes, with gum called Vlli. There were some Images that had their faces two ynches thicke with that gum.
The order of certaine religious women.
On the backe side of euerye greate Temple, in euerye Cittie was made a greate Hall or lodgyng, standing alone, where as manye women did eate, drincke, lodge, & leade their liues. And although suche houses had no orders, they aboad there sure ynough. These women which lay in the houses of the Goddes, were of sundry intentions. But none of them came to abide there al their life time, although among them wer some olde women. Some entered into those religious houses being sicke and disseased, hoping there to recouer theyr health: others came thither through pure néede, and necessitie, to be there relieued: other some came thither to be good and vertuous: and some entered into the religion, hoping that the Goddes woulde giue vnto them riches, and long life. But generallye their comming thyther was, to haue good husbandes, and manye chyldren: eche of them vowed the time that shee woulde or ment to abide in that order, and after that time expired they marryed.
The first thing that they did comming into the religion, was to polle their heads, to be knowen frō others. Their offices were to spinne cotton wool and feathers, and to weaue cloth, for to apparel the Goddes and themselues, to swepe the yarde and lodgings of the temple (for the stayres and high chappels, the ministers themselues did make cleane) they vsed also to let them bloud in certaine partes of the body, to offer to the Diuellish Idols. On euery festiual day they went on procession with the priestes, but it was not lawful for them to presume to go vppe the stayres of the temple, nor yet to sing. They liued on almes, for their kinsefolke being rich, did mayntaine them with almes as a charitable seruice done vnto the Goddes: their foode was boyled flesh, and hote bread, to the intent that they should offer therof to the Goddes, that they might tast of the smoke of that victual: they vsed to eate in communitie, and lay altogither in one dormitorye, as a flocke of shéepe: they lay alwayes in theyr clothes, for honestie sake, and also to be the sooner ready in the morning to serue the Gods, & to go to their worke. And yet I know not why they shold put off their clothes, for they went almost naked. On the holy dayes they vsed to daunce before the Gods, and she that either talked or laughed with any religious or secular person, was reprehended for the same. And if any of them committed whoredome, then both the man & the woman were slain, yea they belieued that all suche offenders fleshe woulde rotte and consume away, and especially those which had lost their Virginity in the time of their religion. So that with feare of punishmente and infamie, they were good women al the while that they aboade there.