The opinion of the Mexicans concerning the Soule.

TOC

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.