The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne: atchieued by the vvorthy Prince Hernando Cortes, marques of the Valley of Huaxacac, most delectable to readeLópez de Gómara, Francisco
History
The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne: atchieued by the vvorthy Prince Hernando Cortes, marques of the Valley of Huaxacac, most delectable to reade
López de Gómara, Francisco
Cortés, Hernán, 1485-1547; Mexico -- History -- Conquest, 1519-1540; Nahuatl language -- Glossaries, vocabularies, etc.
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 childrë,
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_.
VVhen 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.
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