pofed of painted feathers, by which they made a fhift to communicate fome fimple thoughts; and in that manner was Montezuma informed of the Spanish invafion.

There was great ingenuity fhewn in regulating the calendar: the Mexican year was divided into 365 days; and into 18 months, containing 20 days each, which made 360; the remaining five intercalary days were added at the end of the year, for making it correfpond to the courfe of the fun. They religiously employ'd these five days upon diverfions, being of opinion that they were appropriated to that end by their ancestors.

Murder, theft, and corruption in officers of ftate, were capital crimes. Adultery alfo was capital; for female chastity was in high estimation. At the fame time,

confent was deemed a fufficient caufe of divorce, the law leaving it to the parties concerned, who ought to be the best judges. In cafe of a divorce, the father took care of the male children, leaving the female children with the mother. But to prevent rash separations, it was capital for them to unite again.

It may be gathered from what has been

faid, that there was a diftinction of rank among the Mexicans. So ftrictly was it obferved, as to be difplay'd even in their buildings the city of Mexico was divided into two parts, one appropriated to the Emperor and nobility, and one left to plebeians.

Education of children was an important article in the Mexican police. Public fchools were allotted for plebeian children; and colleges well endowed for the fons of the nobility, where they continued till they were fit for bufinefs. The mafters were confidered as officers of ftate; not without reafon, as their office was to qualify young men for ferving their king and country. Such of the young nobles as made choice of a military life, were fent to the army, and made to fuffer great hardships before they could be inlifted. They had indeed a powerful motive for perfeverance, the moft honourable of all employments being that of a foldier. Young women of quality were educated with no lefs care, by proper matrons chofen with the utmost circumfpection.

As hereditary nobility and an extenfive empire, lead both of them to monarchy, X 2

the

the government of Mexico was monarchical; and as the progrefs of monarchy is from being elective to be hereditary, Mexico had advanced no farther than to be an elective monarchy, of which Montezuma was the eleventh king. And it was an example of an elective monarchy that approaches the nearest to hereditary; for the power of election, as well as the privilege of being elected, were confined to the princes of the blood-royal. As a talent for war was chiefly regarded in chufing a fucceffor to the throne, the Mexican kings always commanded their own armies. The Emperor-elect, before his coronation, was obliged to make fome conqueft, or perform some warlike exploit; a cuftom that fupported the military fpirit, and enlarged the kingdom. From every king was exacted a coronation-oath, to adhere to the religion of his ancestors, to maintain the laws and cuftoms of the empire, and to be a father to his people.

Matters of government were distributed among different boards with great propriety. The management of the royal patrimony was allotted to one board; appeals from inferior tribunals, to another; the levying

levying of troops and the providing of magazines, to a third: affairs of fupreme importance were referved to a council of state, held commonly in the King's prefence. These boards, all of them, were compofed of men experienced in the arts of war and of peace: the council of state was composed of those who elected the Emperor.

Concerning the patrimony of the crown, mines of gold and filver belonged to the Emperor; and the duty on falt brought in a great revenue. But the capital duty was a third of the land-rents, the estates of the nobles excepted; upon whom no tribute was impofed, but to ferve in the army with a number of their vaffals, and to guard the Emperor's perfon. Goods manufactured and fold were fubjected to a duty; which was not prejudicial to their manufactures, because there was no rival nation within reach.

Montezuma introduced a multitude of ceremonies into his court, tending to infpire veneration for his perfon; an excellent artifice in rude times, of however little fignificancy among nations enlightened and rational. Veneration and humi

lity were fo much the tone of the court, that it was even thought indecent in the Mexican lords, to appear before the King in their richest habits. Veffels of gold and filver were appropriated to his table, and not permitted even to the princes of the blood. The table-cloths and napkins,

made of the finest cotton, with the earthen ware, never made a fecond appearance at the Emperor's table, but were diftributed among the fervants.

In war, their offenfive weapons were bows and arrows; and as iron was not known in America, their arrows were headed with bones fharpened at the point. They used alfo darts and long wooden fwords, in which were fixed fharp flints ; and men of more than ordinary strength fought with clubs. They befide had flingers, who threw ftones with great force and dexterity. Their defenfive arms, ufed only by commanders and perfons of distinction, were a coat of quilted cotton, a fort of breaft-plate, and a fhield of wood or tortoife-fhell, adorned with plates of fuch metal as they could procure. The private men fought naked; their faces and bodies being deformed with paint, in

order