The ten tribes of Israel historically identified with the aborigines of the western hemisphere / By Mrs. Simon.

  • Simon, Barbara Allan.
Date:
1836
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The ten tribes of Israel historically identified with the aborigines of the western hemisphere / By Mrs. Simon. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    fore he come forth to dinner or supper, out of the privy chambers, into the great hall, whose equal in greatness, Cortez saith, he knows not any. When he is set, four1 hundred young men, appareled after the Palatine manner, come unto him, and every one of them brings several dishes of divers dainty meats with chafing dishes under them, that the meats freeze not in the winter time, but they come not near the table, for it is compassed about with a rail ; only one standeth within the rail who taketh the several dishes from their hands, and setteth them before the Prince, being ready to dine. Montezuma giveth with his own hands of the dishes, to six ancient men of great authority, standing at his right hand; who after the ancient manner, while he dineth, stand all harefooted. The pavements are covered with mats. If it so happen that he call any, he that is called goeth unto him bowing his body with his face to the ground, and lifteth not up his head at all before he be gone far from him, going backward ; for he may not turn his back towards him. No man useth directly to look upon the king ; his familiars and friends, and also the princes, casting down their eyes, and turning their faces to the left or right hand, hearken what the king answers, and hereupon they blamed Cortez, because he suffered the Spanish, whom he called unto him, to behold him with a direct countenance,1’&c. “ Every dinner and supper he washeth his hands on both sides, and wipeth them with a very white linen, and the 1 “ The emperor,” says Gomara, “ had a pleasant countenance and good eyes; gravity and goodness were blended when he spoke : he was neat and fine in his attire—bathed four times a day—he always ate alone, and with solemnity . his table was either a pillow, or a couple of coloured skins. His table-cloth, nap¬ kins, and towels were of the whitest cotton, and never used more than once. Tour hundred pages, the sons of nobles, brought in his dinner, and placed it on the table in the great hall: when Montezuma pointed out the viands he would eat. Twenty fair women presented thebasin and ewer—he then seated himself, and trellis work being drawn before him, the steward serving him alone, barefoot, and in profound silence, &c. At a distance were six ancient nobles, to whom the king gave such dishes as he knew they liked,” &c.