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this Book at Amazon.com    From Mayapán these people retained
the custom of punishing adulterers in the following manner. The
investigation having been made and the man convicted of
adultery, the leading men gathered at the chief's house and
brought the adulterer tied to a piece of wood, delivering him to
the husband  p. 52  of the woman. If he pardoned him he went
free, if not, he killed him bf dropping a large stone on his
head, from a height. For the woman a sufficient punishment was
the infamy, which was great; and commonly for this he left her.
The penalty for homicide, even when involuntary, was death at
the hands of the relatives, unless he paid himself off. A thief
had to reimburse the value, and was besides enslaved, however
small the theft, which was a reason why they had so many slaves,
especially in times of hunger. Because of this the friars made
special effort to baptise them, that they might be set at
liberty. If the thief was one