The History of Mexico. Collected from Spanish and Mexican historians, from manuscripts, and ancient paintings of the Indians. Illustrated by charts, and other copper plates ... Translated ... by Charles Cullen, etc

Front matter

/ , , ii/uyn,; lot. I 7 /•//./ r \, ■„//■' THE HISTORY OF MEXICO. COLLECTED FROM SPANISH AND MEXICAN HISTORIANS, FROM MANUSCRIPTS AND ANCIENT PAINTINGS OF THE INDIANS. ILLUSTRATED BY CHARTS, AND OTHER COPPER PLATES. TO WHICH ARE ADDED, CRITICAL DISSERTATIONS ON THE LAND, THE ANIMALS, AND INHABITANTS OF MEXICO. BY ABBE D. FRANCESCO SA VERIO CLAVIGERO. TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL ITALIAN, Bv CHARLES CULLEN, Esq. THE SECOND EDITION. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. ILomion: WUNTED FOR J. JOHNSON, ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD, ET JOYCE GOLD, SHOE LANE. 1807. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF BUTE. MY LORD, I HAVE the Honour to present to your Lordship a Translation of the History of Mexico, written by a Native of that Country. The Obligation I am under to your Lordship for an Acquaintance with the Original, and the Relation which every effort to disseminate pleasing and instructive Knowledge, bears to your Lordship's Life and Manners, have dictated this Address.

I cheerfully lent my Industry to assist an Advocate in the Cause of Truth, who saw her Interests abandoned, and felt for her Oppression. a DEDICATION. IV Though the Task might easily have fallen into abler Hands, I dare freely appeal to your Lordship for the Fidelity of my Labours. I have the Honour to be, with the utmost Respect, My Lord, Your Lordship's much obliged, And most obedient humble Servants CHARLES CULLEN. TRANSLATOR'S

Preface

. rip JL HE discovery of America constitutes one of the most re markable æras of the world ; and the history of it a subject not only curious, but universally interesting, from its various connections with almost every other part of the globe. The Spanish historians of the two preceding centuries have done little toAvards elucidating this point. Partiality, prejudice, ignorance, and credulity, have occasioned them all to blend so many absurdities and improbabilities with their accounts, that it has not been merely difficult, but altogether impossible, to ascertain the truth. To collect from their scattered materials Avhatever wore the face of probability, that was naturally curious, or politically interesting, so as to form one uniform consistent relation of the Avhole, avus a task in Avhich, for a long time, no modern Avriter dared to engage.

Dr. Robertson at last under took, and executed it with the applause due to his beauty of style, his industry, and his judgment. » Bat notwithstanding the assiduity of his researches, and the pains he has taken to extricate facts from the confusion of different authors, as what is true does not always appear possible, and what appears probable is not always true, he has not entirely succeeded, though he has done all that could be expected. The TRANSLATOR'S

PREFACE.

. VI want of many essential documents, which are preserved in archives of the neAV world, and other disadvantages attending the situation of a writer at a distance from that continent, unacquainted Avith its languages, productions, or people, perhaps have made him diffident of entering into very minute details, or of dAvelling upon grounds Avhere he Avas uncertain of being accurate, and induced him, rather than offer conjectures which might not have reached the truth respecting that country and its inhabitants, to adhere to records more authentic concerning the discoverers of it. This conduct, however prudent, has left the American side of the picture still greatly in the dark. The Abbe Raynal and M. de Paw have not contributed much to remedy this defect. The history of Mexico, by the Abbe Clavigero, a native of Vera Cruz, who resided near forty years in the provinces of New Spain, examined its natural produce, acquired the language of the Mexicans and other nations, gathered many of their traditions, studied their historical paintings, and other monuments of antiquity, it is presumed, has supplied their deficiencies.

The transla tor, therefore, hopes the present work, which contains all the valuable matter of other authors, besides many important particu lars never before published, will prove acceptable to the public.

PREFACE.

. J. H E History of Mexico, undertaken in order to aA7oid the pain and reproach of idleness to Avhich I found my life condemned, to serve to the utmost of my poAver my native country, and to restore to their full light truths obscured by an incredible number of modern writers on America, has been a task equally laborious, difficult, and expensive. ExclusiA-e of the great expences occasioned by procuring from Cadiz, Madrid, and other cities of Europe, the books Avhich Avere necessary to my purpose, I have read and examined every publication which has appeared hitherto on the subject ; I have compared the accounts of authors, and critically weighed their authority ; I have studied many historical paintings of the Mexicans ; I have profited from their manuscripts, which I read formerly in Mexico ; and consulted with many persons well acquainted with these countries.

In addition to such diligence I might add, to give credit to my labours, that I resided thirty-six years in that extensive kingdom ; acquired the Mexican language, and for several years conversed with the Mexicans, whose history I write; I do not, however, flatter myself Avith having been able to give a perfect work ; since, besides finding myself unpossessed of those endowments of genius, judgment, and eloquence, which are the requisites of a good his torian, the loss of the greatest part of the Mexican paintings, and the want of many valuable manuscripts which are preserved in different libraries of Mexico, and required repeated consultation, are insuper able obstacles to any one who undertakes such a history, particularly at a considerable distance from these countries. Nevertheless^ I hope my work will be acceptable ; not on account of the elegance of vm

PREFACE.

. the style, the beauty of the descriptions, the magnitude of the events, or the weight of the opinionsdelivered in it; but from the diligence of my researches, the integrity of my relation, and the service done to the learned, who are desirous of being made acquainted with the history of Mexico. At the persuasion of some persons of learning, I wrote the Essay on the Natural History of Mexico, contained in the first book, which I had not before judged necessary; and it may, in the opinion of many, be considered as foreign to the purpose : but not to deviate from my sub ject, I have connected the account of natural productions with the general history, by mentioning the use which the Mexicans made of them. On the other hand, to those Avho are attached to the study of Natural History, this Essay will appear, what in truth it is, too con fined and superficial ; but to satisfy the curious on that subject, it would be necessary to Avrite a Avork very different from that AA7hich I have undertaken.

At the same time, I should have spared myself a great deal of trouble, if I had not been obliged to comply Avith the solicitations of my friends ; as in Avriting that sketch of Natural History, I found it necessary to study the Avorks of Pliny, Diosco rides, Laet, Hernandez, Ulloa, Buffon, Bomare, and other naturalists ; not content Avith Avhat I had seen myself, or the information I had receiA-ed from intelligent people to whom those countries Avere well known. In this history, nothing has been more anxiously studied than fide lity ; I might have abridged my labours, and, perhaps, rendered my work more acceptable to many, if all the diligence which I used to inves tigate facts, had been employed to streAV the relation with philosophical and political reflections, or fictions of capricious invention, after the ex ample of many authors in this boasted age; but to me, as to those who are the sworn enemies of deceit, falsehood, or affectation, truth ap pears a beauty whose charms increase in proportion to her simpli city of dress. In recounting the events of the conquest made by the Spaniards, I have equally abstained from the panegyric of Solis, or the

PREFACE.

IX invectives of Las Casas («) ; being unwilling either to flatter or calum niate my countrymen. I have left facts in the same degree of certainty, or probability, in which I found them ; Avherever I could not ascertain an event on account of the disagreement among authors, as, for example, the death of Montezuma, I have faithfully reported their different opinions, Avithout having omitted, hoAvever, such additional conjectures as reflection on the subject has suggested. In short, I have always had before my eyes the two sacred laAvs of history ; not to dare to speak what is false ; nor to fear to speak what is true : and I flatter myself I have violated neither. I do not doubt there may be readers too nice and refined to bear with the harshness of so many Mexican names as are scattered through this history ; but it is an evil AA7hich I have not been able to remedy, without hazarding another defect less tolerable, though sufficiently common in almost all the Europeans Avho have Avritten on America; that is, the altering of names, for the purpose of softening them, until they are rendered unintelligible.

Who would be capable of divining that De Solis speaks of Quauhnahuac, when he says Quatlabaca ; of Huejotlipan, Avhere he substitutes Gualipar ; or of Cuitlalpitoc, where he Avrites Pilpatoc ? I have therefore thought it most safe to imitate the example of those modern Avriters, Avho, whenever they in troduce into their works the names of persons, places, or rivers, of any particular country of Europe, Avrite them in the language of its respective nation ; and in the writings of these authors there are names taken from the German, and other tongues, fully harsher to the ear, from the greater concourse of rough consonants, than any of the Avoids I have made use of. I do not, however, reject names that haAre been for merly altered, by which there is no danger of being deceiA'ed, as they are generally known.

With respect to the geography of Anahuac, I haAre used every en deavour to render it correct; availing myself of the knoAvledge which I (a) I do not mean to charge Solis with flattery, nor Las Casas wilh calumny : all I wish to b.T understood is, that I could not adopt the sentiments of Solis, who was ambitious of aggrandizing hihero : nor of Las Casas, who was sirsd with pious zeal in behalf of the Indians, without accusing myself of both. VOL. I.

PREFACE.

X gained in many excursions through that country, as well as the information and writings of others : after all, I have not entirely suc ceeded ; for, in spite of my most earnest attempts, I have not been able to procure the few incomplete astronomical observations Avhich have been made on these places. The situation, therefore, and distances men tioned in the body of the history, as Avell as in the chart, are not to be considered as being ascertained with that precision and accuracy Which are required from a geographer; but according to such computation as could be made by an attentive surveyor avIio judged by the eye. I have in my hands innumerable ancient and modern charts of Mexico, of which it would have been easy to have copied the most correct j but among these I have not found even one that is not full of errors, as Avell in regard to the latitude and longitude of places, as in respect to the division of proA'inces, the course of rivers, and the direction of the coasts.

To make knoAvn Avhat dependence may be placed on any of the charts hitherto published, it will be sufficient to mention the difference between them concerning the longitude of the capita!, notwithstanding it ought to haA7e been better ascertained than any other city of Mexico. This difference is not less than fourteen degrees, as by some geographers the city of Mexico is placed in tAvo hundred and sixty-four decrees of longitude from the island of Ferro ; by others in two hundred and sixty five; by others, in tAvo hundred and sixty-six, and even in tAvo hundred and seventy-eight, or rather more. To give some ornament, hoAvever, to any history, as Avell as to facili tate the understanding of many things described in it, I haA7e added twenty plates. The Mexican characters, the representations of the cities, of the kings, of the armour, of the dresses, of the shields, of the century, of the year, and of the deluge, have been copied from different Mexican paintings.

The figure of the greater temple was taken from that of the Anonymous Conqueror ; his dimensions of it, however, being corrected, and additions made to it according to the description of other ancient authors. The figure of the other temple is a copy of that which Valades published in his Christian Rhetoric. The portrait of Montezuma was taken from a copy which Gemelli pub-

PREFACE.

XI lished of the original, in the possession of Siguenza. The portraits of the conquerors are copies of those Avhich are found in the Decades of Herrera. All the other figures are designs from what we have seen ourselves, and the descriptions of ancient historians. Besides these, I have thought proper to prefix to my narration a short account of the writers on the ancient history of Mexico, to shew the ground-work of my labours; also to do honour to the memory of some illustrious Americans, whose Avritings are entirely unknown in Europe. It will serve likeAvise to point out the sources from whence others may obtain the history of Mexico, Avho may be hereafter inclined to complete this imperfect Avork. H • AN ACCOUNT OF THE WRITERS ON THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF MEXICO. In the Sixteenth Century.

FERDINAND CORTES. The four very long letters written by this famous conqueror to his sovereign, Charles the Fifth, containing an account of the Conquest, and many valuable particulars respecting Mexico, and the Mexicans, were published in Spanish, in Latin, in the Tuscan, and other languages ; the first of these letters was printed in Seville in 1522; they are all Avell written, and discover both modesty and sincerity in the relation ; as he has neither made a boast of his own actions, nor thrown obscurity on those of others. If he had had the rashness to deceiATe his king, his enemies Avho presented so many com plaints at court against him, Avould not have failed to reproach him with such a crime. Bernal Diaz del Castillo, a soldier and conqueror ; A True History of the Conquest of New Spain, written by him, Avas printed in Madrid in 1632, in one volume, folio.

NotAvithstanding the miscarriage of his undertaking, and the coarseness of the style, this history has been much esteemed for the simplicity and sincerity of its author, which is every Avhere discoverable. He was an eye-Avitness of all that he relates ; but, from being illiterate, he Avas unqualified for the task he undertook ; and frequently shows himself forgetful of facts, by having written many years after the conquest Alfonso de Mata, and Alfonso d'Ojeda, both conquerors, and wri ters of commentaries on the conquest of Mexico, which Herrer* and Torquemada have made use of. Those of Ojeda are the fullest and the most esteemed. He Avas more acquainted Avith the Indians, being the person appointed to attend to the auxiliary troops of the Spaniards. The Anonymous Conqueror. This is the name given to the author of a short, but very curious, and esteemed relation, Avhich is found in the collection of Ramusio, under the title of The Relation of a Gentleman who attended Ferdinand Cortes.

I have not been able to conjecture who this gentleman may have been, as no author makes mention of him ; but, Avhoever he Avas, he is candid, accurate, and curious. Without troubling himself with the eArents of the conquest, he relates Avhat he observed in Mexico concerning the houses, the sepulchres, the arms, the dresses, the manner of eating and drinking, &c. of the Mexicans, and describes the form of their temples. If his Avork had not been so much confined, there Avould have been no one comparable to it respecting the antiquities of Mexico. Francisco Lopez de Gomara. The history of Ntav Spain, written by this learned Spaniard, agreeable to information received from the mouths of the conquerors, and the writings of the first religious missionaries Avho Avere employed in the conversion of the Mexicans, and printed in Sara gossa in 1554, is curious and well drawn up.

He Avas the first who pub lished 4he festivals, rites, laAvs, and the method by which the Mexicans computed time : but there are many inaccuracies in it, on account of these first informations which he obtained, not having been altoo-ether exact. The translation of this Avork in the Tuscan language, printed at Venice in 1599, is so full of errors, it cannot be read without diso-ust. Toribio de Benavente. A most celebrated Spaniard of the order of St. Francis, and one of the tAvelve first preachers Avho announced the gospel to the Mexicans, knoAvn commonly, from his evangelical po verty, by the Mexican name of Motolinia, wrote, among his aposto lical works, The History of the Indians of New Spain, divided into three parts. In the first, he explains the rites of their ancient religion;" in the second, their conversion to the Christian faith, and their life when Christians ; and, in the third, he discourses of their gftfius, their arts, and their customs.

Of this history, which is completed in one vo lume, folio, there are some copies to be found in Spain. He wrote also a Avork on the Mexican Calendar (the original of Avhich is pre served in Mexico), and others not less useful to the Spaniards than the Indians. Andrea d'Olmos. A Franciscan Spaniard, of holy memory. This indefatigable preacher acquired the Mexican, Totonacan, and Huex tecan languages, and composed a Grammar and Dictionary of all three. Besides other Avorks AA7ritten by him for the use of the Spaniards and the Indians, he Avrote in Spanish a Treatise on Mexican Antiquities ; and in the Mexican language, the exhortations Avhich the ancient Mexicans used to their children, of which there is a specimen in the seAreuth book of this history. Bernardo Sahagun, a laborious Franciscan Spaniard.

Having been more than sixty years employed in instructing the Mexicans, he made great proficiency in their language, and the knoAvledge of their history. Besides several works written by him, both in Mexican and in Spanish, he composed in twelve great volumes in folio, a UniA7ersal Dictionary of the Mexican Language, containing all that belonged to the geography, the religion, and the political and natural history of the Mexicans. This work, of immense erudition and labour, Avas sent to the royal historiographer of America, resident at Madrid, by the marquis of Villaman rique, viceroy of Mexico ; and Ave do not doubt, but it is still preserved in some library of Spain. He Avrote also the General History of NeAV Spain, in four \rolumes, Avhich were preserved in manuscript in the library of the convent of Franciscans, in Tolosa de Navarra, according to the affirmation of Juan de S. Antonio, in his Bibliotheca Franciscana.

Alfonso Zurita, a Spanish laAvyer, and judge of Mexico. After having, by order of king Philip II. made diligent researches into the civil government of the Mexicans, he Avrote, in Spanish, A compendious Relation of the Lords there were in Mexico, and their Difference : of the Laws, Usages, and Customs of the Mexicans : of the Tributes which they paid, &c. The original manuscript in folio, is preserved in the library of the college of St. Peter and St. Paul, of the Jesuits of Mexico. From this work, which is well Avritten, some considerable part of Avhat Ave have said on the same subject is extracted. Juan de Tobar, a most noble Jesuit of Mexico. He wrote on the ancient history of the kingdoms of Mexico, of Acolhuacan, and of Tlacopan, after having made diligent enquiries, by order of the viceroy of Mexico, D. Martino Enriquez.

By these manuscripts, P. Accosta was principally directed in Avhat he Avrote concerning Mexican antiquities, as he himself acknowledges. Joseph dAcosta, a most celebrated Spanish Jesuit, well known in the literary world by his Avritings. This great man, after having resided some years in both the Americas, and informed himself, from experienced people, of the customs of those nations, wrote in Spanish the Natural and Moral History of the Indians, Avhich Avas printed first in Seville, in 1589, reprinted afterwards in Barcelona in 1591, and from thence circu lated into various languages of Europe. This Work is well Avritten, particularly in regard to the physical observations on the climate of America; but, it is too confined, defective in many articles, and there are some mistakes concerning ancient history.

Fernando Pimentel Ixtlilxochitl, son of Coanacotzin, last king of Acolhuacan, and Antonio de Tobar Cano Motezuma Ixtlilxochitl a descendant of the two royal houses of Mexico and Acolhuacan. These tAvo nobles, at the request of the Count of Benavente, and the viceroy of Mexico, D. Luis de Velasco, AATote letters on the genealooy of the kings of Acolhuacan, and other points relative to the ancient history of that kingdom, Avhich are preserved in the above-mentioned college of the Jesuits. Antonio Pimentel Ixtlilxochitl, son of D. Fernando Pimentel. He wrote Historical Memoirs of the Kingdom of Acolhuacan, by Avhich Torquemada was assisted ; and from it Ave have taken the calculation mentioned in the fourth book of our history, of the annual expences incurred in the palace of the famous king Nezahualcojotl, great-greatgrandfather of that author.

Taddeo de Niza, a noble Indian of Tlascala. He Avrote in the year 1548, by order of the viceroy of Mexico, the History of the Conquest, which was subscribed by thirty other nobles of Tlascala. Gabriel d'Ayala, a noble Indian of Tezcuco. He Avrote iu the Mexican language Historical Commentaries ; containing an account of all the affairs of the Mexicans from the year 1243 of the vulgar æra, unto 1562. Juan Ventura Zapata e Mendoza, a noble of Tlascala. He Avrote in the Mexican language the Chronicle of Tlascala ; containing all the events of that nation, from their arrival in the country of Anahuac, to the year 1589- Pedro Ponce, a noble Indian, rector of Tzompahuacan. He Avrote in Spanish, An Account of the Gods and the Rites of Mexican Paganism. The chiefs of Colhuacan. They wrote the Annals of the Kingdom of Comuacan.

A copy of this Avork Avas in the above-mentioned library of the Jesuits. Christoval del Castillo, a Mexican Mestee. He wrote the History of the TraA7els of the Aztecas, or Mexicans, to the country of Anahuac ; which manuscript Avas preserved in the library of the college of Jesuits of Tepozotlan. Diego Mugnoz Camargo, a noble Mestee of Tlascala. He wrote in Spanish the History of the City and Republic of Tlascala. Torque mada made use of this Avork, and there are copies of it both in Spain and Mexico. Fernando d'Alba Ixtlilxochitl, a Tezcucan, and descendant, in a right line, from the kings of Acolhuacan. This noble Indian, ex- VOL. I. c tremely conversant with the antiquities of his nation, wrote, at the request of the viceroy of Mexico, several very learned and valuable works: 1. The History of New Spain. 2.

The History of the Che chemecan Lords. 3. An Epitome of the History of the Kingdom of Tezcuco. 4. Historical Memoirs of the Tojtecas, and other nations of Anahuac. All these Avorks, written in Spanish, Avere preserved in the library of St. Peter and St. Paul of the Jesuits of Mexico, and from them Ave have extracted some materials for this history. The author was so cautious in Avriting, that, in order to remove any grounds for suspicion of fiction, he made his accounts conform exactly with the historical paintings, which he inherited from his illustrious ancestors. Juan Batista Pomar, of Tezcuco, or Cholula, a descendant from a bastard of the royal house of Tezcuco. He wrote Historical Memoi is of that Kingdom, Avhich Torquemada has made use of. Domingo de San Anton Munon Chimalpain, a noble Indian of Mexico.

He Avrote in the Mexican language four Avorks, much esteemed by the intelligent: 1. American Chronicle, containing all the Events of that Nation, from the year 1068, to the year 1597 of the vulgar æra. 2. The History of the Conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards. 3. Original Accounts of the Kingdoms of Acolhuacan, of Mexico, and of other Provinces. 4. Historical Commentaries from the year 1064 to 1521. These works, Avhich I most ardently Avished for, were preserved in the library of the college of St. Peter and St. Paul of Mexico. Boturini had copies of them, as well as of almost all the Avorks of the Indians, Avhich I have mentioned; there was a copy of the Chronicle also in the library of the college of St. Gregory of the Jesuits of Mexico. Fernando d'Alvarado Tezozomoc, an Indian of Mexico.

He Avrote in Spanish a Mexican Chronicle, about the year 1598, winch was preserved in the above-mentioned library of St. Peter and St. Paul. Bartolome de Las Casas, a famous Dominican Spaniard, first bishop of Chiapa, and highly Avorthy of memory among the Indians. The bitter memorials presented by this A7enerable prelate to king Charles V. and Philip II., in faA-our of the Indians, and against the Spanish conquerors, printed in Seville, and aftenvards translated and reprinted, in odium to the Spaniards, in various languages of Europe ; contains some particulars of the ancient history of the Mexicans, but so altered and exaggerated, we cannot rely on the authority of the author, however othenvise respectable. The excessive fire of his zeal sent forth light and smoke together; that is, he mixed truth Avith falsehood, not because he studied an opportunity of deceiving his king and the Avorld, as a suspicion of such guilt in him would be offering wrong to that virtue which his enemies acknowledged and revered ; but because, not having been present at Avhat he relates concerning Mexico, he trusted too much to information from others, which will be made to appear in some parts of this history.

We should have, probably, been much more assisted by tAvo great Avorks of the same prelate never published ; the one, A History of the Climate and Soil of the Countries of America; and the Genius and Manners, &c. of the Americans under subjection to the Catholic ' King. This manuscript, consisting of 830 pages, Avas preserved in the library of the Dominicans of Valladolid, in Spain, where it Avas put by Remesal, as he makes us credit in his Chronicle of the Dominicans of Chiapa and Guatemala. The other, A General History of America, in three volumes, folio; a copy of which Avas in the library of the count of Villaumbrosa, in Madrid, Avhere Pinelo saw it, as he affirms, in his Bibliothcca Occidentali : tAvo volumes of this history the aboAe-mentioned author saAV in the celebrated archives of Simancas, Avhich have been the sepulchre of many precious manu scripts on America.

Two volumes also Avere in the library of J. Kricio, at Amsterdam, Agustino Davila, and Padillo, a noble and ingenious Dominican of Mexico, preacher to king Philip III., royal historiographer of America, and archbishop of the island of St. Domingo. Besides the Chronicle of the Dominicans of Mexico, printed in Madrid in 1596, and the His torv of New Spain and Florida, printed in Valladolid in 163C, he wrote the Ancient History of the Mexicans, employing materials already col lected by Fernando Duran, a Dominican of Tezcuco ; but this work has not been found. c XX Doctor Cervantes, dean of the metropolitan church of Mexico. Herrera, the Chronicle-Avriter, praises "the Historical Memoirs of Mexico, Avritten by this author ; but we have no other intelligence of him. Antonio de Saavedra Guzman, a noble Mexican, during his voyage to Spain, Avrote, in twenty cantos, the History of the Conquest of Mexico, and printed it in Madrid, under the Spanish title of El Pere grino Indiana, in 1599.

This Avork ought to be reckoned amongst the histories of Mexico, for it has nothing of poetry but the measure. Pedro Guterrez de S. Chiara. Betancourt made use of the manuscripts of this author in his History of Mexico; but Ave knoAV nothing of the title or quality of the Avork, nor of the country of the author, although Ave suspect he Avas an Indian. In the Seventeenth Century. Antonio de Herrera, royal historiographer for the Indies. This candid and judicious author Avrote in four volumes in folio, Eight Decades of the History of America, beginning from the year 1492, together Avith a Geographical Description of the Spanish Colonies ; which work avjs printed for the first time in Madrid, at the beginning of the last century, and aftenvards reprinted in 1730; also translated and published in other languages of Europe.

Although the principal design of the author Avas to relate the actions of the Spaniards, he does not, hoAvever, omit the Ancient History of the Americans ; but in Avhat relates to the Mexicans, he copies for the most part the accounts of Acosta and Gomara. His method, however, like that of all rigid annalists, is disagreeable to the lovers of history, because at every step the narration of facts is interrupted Avith the account of other uncon nected occurrences. Arigo Martinez, a foreign author, although a Spanish surname. After having travelled through the greatest part of Europe, and resided many years in Mexico, AA7here he made himself most useful by his great skill in mathematics, he Avrote the History of New Spain, Which was printed in Mexico in I606. In the Ancient History, he treads for the most part in the footsteps of Acosta; but there are astro nomical and physical observations in it of importance to the geography and natural history of these countries.