neere to the instruments wherein the Auntients and Noblemen did sing and daunce with a softe and slowe motion and the other was of the rest of the people round about them but a good distance from the first wherein they daunced two and two more lightly making diverse kindes of pases with certaine leapes to the measure All which together made a very great circle They attired themselves for these dances with their most pretious apparrell and iewelles every one according to his abilitie holding it for a very honorable thing for this cause they learned these daunces from their infancie And although the greatest parte of them were doone in honor of their Idolles yet was it not so instituted as hath bin said but only as a recreation and pastime for the people Therefore it is not convenient to take them quite from the Indians but they must take good heed they mingle not their superstitions amongest them I have seene this Mittotte in the court of the Church of Topetzotlan a village seaven leagues from Mexico and in my opinion it was a good thing to busie the Indians vpon festivall dayes seeing they have neede of some recreation and because it is publike and without the preiudice of any other there is lesse inconvenience than in others which may be done privately by themselves if they tooke away these We must therfore conclude folowing the counsel of pope Gregory that it was very convenient to leave vnto the Indians that which they have had vsually of custom so as they be not mingled nor corrupt with their antient errors that their feasts and pastimes may be to the honor of God and of the Saints whose feasts they celebrate This may suffice in generall of the maners and politike customes of the Mexicaines And as for their beginning increase and Empire for that it is an ample matter and will be pleasant to vnderstand from the beginning we will intreate thereof in the Booke following THE SEVENTH BOOKE of the Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies That it is profitable to vnderstand the actes and geasts of the Indians especially of the Mexicaines CHAP. 1. EVery History wel written is profitable to the reader For as the Wise man saith That which hath bin is and that which shall be is that which hath beene Humane things have much resemblance in themselves and some growe wiâ—e by that which happneth to others There is no Nation how barbarous soever that have not something in them good and woorthy of commendation nor Commonweale so well ordered that hath not something blame-worthy and to be â—â—nâ—rollâ—d If therefore there were no other fruite in the Historic and Narration of the deedes and gests of the Indians but this common vtilitie to be a Relation or Historiâ— of things the which in the effect of truth have happened it deserveth to be received as a profitable thing neither ought it to be reiected for that it concernes the Indians As we see that those Authors that treate of naturall things write not onely of generous beasts notable and rare plants and of pretious stones but also of wilde beasts common hearbs and base and vulgar stones for that there is alwayes in them some properties worthy observation If therefore there were nothing else in this Discourse but that it is a Historie and no fables nor fictions it were no unwoorthy subiect to be written or read There is yet an other more particular reason which is that wee ought heerein to esteeme that which is woorthy of memorie both for that it is a Nation little esteemed and also a subiect different from that of our Europe as these Nations be wherein wee should take most pleasure and content to vnderstand the ground of their beginning their maner of life with their happy and vnhappy adventures And this subiect is not onely pleasant and agreeable but also profitable especially to such as have the charge to rule and governe them for the knowledge of their acts invites vs to give credite and dooth partely teach howe they ought to be intreated yea it takes away much of that common and foolish contempt wherein they of Europe holde them supposing that those Nations have no feeling of reason For in trueth wee can not cleere this errour better than by the true report of the actes and deedes of this people I will therefore as briefely as I can intreate of the beginning proceedings and notable deedes of the Mexicaines whereby wee may know the time and the disposition that the high God woulde choose to send vnto these Nations the light of the Gospel of Iesus Christ his only sonne our Lord whome I beseech to second our small labour that it may be to the glory of his Divine greatnes and some profite to these people to whome hee hath imparted the lawe of his holy gospel Of the antient Inhabitants of New Spaine and how the Navatlacas came thither CHAP. 2. THe antient and first Inhabitants of those provinces which wee call New Spaine were men very barbarous and savage which lived onely by hunting for this reason they were called Chichimecas They did neither sowe nor till the ground neither lived they together for all their exercise was to hunt wherein they were very expert They lived in the roughest partes of the mountaines beastlike without any pollicie and they went all naked They hunted wilde beasts hares connies weezles mowles wilde cattes and birdes yea vncleane beasts as snakes lizards locusts and wormes whereon they fed with some hearbs and rootes They slept in the mountaines in caves and in bushes and the wives likewise went a hunting with their husbandes leaving their yoong children in a little panier of reeds tied to the boughs of a tree which desired not to suck â—ntill they were returned from hunting They had no superiors nor did acknowledge or worship any gods neyther hadde any manner of ceremonies or religion There is yet to this day in New Spaine of this kinde of people which live by their bowes and arrowes the which are very hurtfull for that they gather together in troupes to doe mischiefe and to robbe neither can the Spaniards by force or cunning reduce them to any policie or obedience for having no townes nor places of residence to sight with them were properly to hunt after savage beasts which scatter and hide themselves in the most rough and covered places of the mountaines Such is their maner of living eveâ— to this day in many Provinces of the Indies In the Bookes De procuranda Indiorum salute they discourse chiefly of this sort of Indians where it is saide that they are to be constrained and subiected by some honest force and that it is necessary first to teach them that they are men and then to be Christians Some will say that those in New Spaine which they call Ottomies were of this sort being commonly poore Indians inhabiting a rough and barren land and yet they are in good numbers and live
of water which they of Cuyoacan vsed For this cause he called the chiefe man of the cittie vnto him being a famous sorcerer having propounded his meaning vnto him the sorcerer wished him to be well advised what hee did being a matter of great difficulty and that hee vnderstoode if he drew the river out of her ordinary course making it passe to Mexico hee would drowne the citty The king supposed these excuses were but to frustrate the effect of his desseigne being therefore in choler he dismissed him home and a few dayes after hee sent a provost to Cuyoacan to take this Sorcerer who having vnderstanding for what intent the kings officers came hee caused them to enter his house and then he presented himself vnto them in the forme of a terrible Eagle wherewith the provost and his companions being terrified they returned without taking him AutZol incensed herewith sent others to whome hee presented himselfe in forme of a furious tygre so as they durst not touch him The third came and they found him in the forme of a horrible serpent whereat they were much afraide The king mooved the more with these dooings sent to tell them of Cuyoacan that if they brought not the sorcerer bound vnto him he would raze their citty For feare whereof or whether it were of his owne free will or being forced by the people he suffered himselfe to be led to the king who presently caused him to be strangled and then did he put his resolution in practise forcing a chanell whereby the water might passe to Mexico whereby hee brought a great current of water into the Lake which they brought with great ceremonies and superstitions having priests casting incense along the banks others sacrificed quailes and with the bloud of them sprinckled the channell bankes others sounding of cornets accompanied the water with their musicke One of the chiefe went attired in a habite like to their goddesse of the water and all saluted her saying that shee was welcome All which things are painted in the Annales of Mexico which booke is now at Rome in the holy Library or Vaticane where a father of our company that was come from Mexico did see it and other histories the which he did expound to the keeper of his Holinesse Library taking great delight to vnderstand this booke which before hee could never comprehend Finally the water was brought to Mexico but it came in such aboundaunce that it had welneere drowned the cittie as was foretold and in effect it did ruine a great parte thereof but it was presently prevented by the industry of Autzol who caused an issue to be made to draw foorth the water by meanes whereof hee repaired the buildings that were fallen with an exquisite worke being before but poore cotages Thus he left the citty invironed with water like another Venice and very well built hee raigned eleaven yeares and ended with the last and greatest successor of all the Mexicans Of the election of great Moteçuma the last king of Mexico CHAP. 20. WHen the Spaniards entred new Spaine being in the yeare of our Lorde one thousand five hundred and eighteen Moteçuma second of that name was the last king of the Mexicaines I say the last although they of Mexico after his death chose another king yea in the life of the same Moteçuma whome they declared an enemy to his country as we shall see heereafter But hee that succeeded him and hee that fell into the hands of the Marquise de Valle had but the names and titles of Kings for that the kingdome was in a maner al yeelded to the Spaniards so as with reason we account Moteçuma for the last king and so hee came to the periode of the Mexicaines power and greatnesse which is admirable being happened among Barbarians for this cause and for that this was the season that God had chosen to reveale vnto them the knowledge of his Gospel and the kingdome of Iesus Christ I will r◠late more at large the actes of Moteçuma then of the rest Before he came to be king he was by disposition ve◠ry grave and stayed and spake little so as when he◠gave his opinion in the privy counsell whereas he assisted his speeches and discourses made every one to admire him so as even then he was feared and respected He retired himselfe vsually into a Chappell appointed for him in the Temple of Vitziliputzli where they said their Idoll spake vnto him and for this cause hee was helde very religious and devout For these perfections then being most noble and of great courage his election was short and easie as a man vpon whom al mens eyes were fixed as woorthy of such a charge Having intelligence of this election hee hidde himselfe in this chappell of the Temple whether it were by iudgement apprehending so heavy and hard a burthen as to governe such a people or rather as I beleeve throgh hypocrisie to shew that he desired not Empery In the end they found him leading him to the place of councell whither they accompanied him with all possible ioy hee marched with such a gravitie as they all sayd the name of Moteçuma agreed very wel with his nature which is as much to say as an angry Lord. The electors did him great reverence giving him notice that hee was chosen king from thence he was ledde before the harth of their gods to give incense where he offered sacrifices in drawing bloud from his eares the calves of his legges according to their custome They attired him with the royall ornaments and pierced the gristle of his nosthrils hanging thereat a rich emerald a barbarous troublous custome but the desire of rule made all paine light and easie Being seated in his throne he gave andience to the Orations and Speeches that were made vnto him which according vnto their custome were eloquent and artificiall The first was pronounced by the king of Tescuco which being preserved for that it was lately delivered very worthy to be heard I will set it downe word by word and thus hee sayde The concordance and vnitie of voyces vpon thy election is a sufficient testimonie most noble yong man of the happines the realme shall receive as well deserving to be commaunded by thee as also for the generall applause which all doe shew by meanes thereof Wherein they have great reason for the Empire of Mexico doth alreadie so farre extend it selfe that to governe a world as it is and to beare so heavie a burthen it requires no lesse dexteritie and courage than that which is resident in thy firme and valiant heart nor of lesse wisedome and iudgement than thine I see and know plainely that the mightie God loveth this Cittie seeing he hath given vnderstanding to choose what was fit For who will not beleeve that a Prince who before his raigne had pierced the nine vaultes of heaven should not likewise nowe obtaine those things that are earthlie to releeve his people
he was with him hee tolde him that the pulses of his feete and hands failed him Moteçuma troubled with these news commanded all those sorcerers to be apprehended but they vanished presently in the prison wherewith hee grewe into such a rage that hee might not kill them as hee putte their wives and children to death destroying their houses and families Seeing himselfe importuned and troubled with these advertisements he sought to appease the anger of his gods and for that cause hee laboured to bring a huge stone thereon to make great sacrifices For the effecting whereof hee sent a great number of people with engins and instruments to bring it which they could by no meanes moove although being obstinate they had broken many instruments But as they strove still to raise it they heard a voyce ioyning to the stone which said they laboured in vaine and that they should not raise it for that the Lorde of things created would no more suffer those things to be doone there Moteçuma vnderstanding this ommaunded the sacrifice to be perfourmed in that â—lace and they say the voyce spake againe Have I not told you that it is not the pleasure of the Lord of things created that it should be done and that you may well know that it is so I will suffer myselfe to be transported alittle then after you shall not moove mee Which happened so indeede for presently they carried it a small distance with great facility then afterwards they could not moove it till that after many prayers it suffered itselfe to be transported to the entry of the citty of Mexico where sodainly it fel into the Lake where seeking for it they could not finde it but it was afterwards found in the same place from whence they had remooved it wherewith they remayned amazed and confounded At the same time there appeared in the element a great flame of fire very bright in the forme of a Pyramide which beganne to appeare at midnight and went still mounting vntill the Sunne rising in the morning where it stayed at the South and then vanished away It shewed itselfe in this sort the space of a whole yeare and ever as it appeared the people cast foorth great cries as they were accustomed beleeving it was a presage of great misfortune It happened also that firâ— tooke the Temple whenas no body was within it nor neare vnto it neither did there fall any lightning or thunder wherevpon the guardes crying out a number of people ran with water but nothing could helpe so as it was all consumed and they say the fire seemed to come forth of peeces of timber which kindled more by the water that was cast vpon it There was a Comet seene in the day time running from the west to the east casting an infinite number of sparkles and they say the forme was like to a long taile having three heads The great lake betwixt Mexico and Tescuco without any wind earthquake or any other apparant signe beganne sodainely to swell and the waves grewe in such sort as all the buildings neare vnto it fell downe to the ground They say at that time they heard many voices as of a woman in paine which sayde sometimes O my children the time of your destruction is come and otherwhiles it sayde O my children whither shall I carry you that you perish not vtterly There appeared likewise many monsters with two heads which being carried before the king sodainely vanished There were two that exceeded all other monsters being very strange the one was the fishers of the lake tooke a bird as bigge as a Crane and of the same colour but of a strange and vnseene form They caried it to Moteçuma who at that time was in the pallace of teares and mourning which was all hanged with blacke for as he had many palaces for his recreation so had he also others for times of affliction where with hee was then heavily charged and tormented by reason of the threatnings his gods had given him by these sorrowfull advertisements The fishers came about noone setting this bird before him which had on the toppe of his head a thing bright and transparent in forme of a looking glasse wherein he did behold a warrelike nation comming from the east armed fighting and killing He called his Divines and Astronomers whereof there was a great number who having seene these things and not able to yeelde any reason of what was demaunded of them the bird vanished away so as it was never more seene wherevpon Moteçuma remained very heavy and sorrowfull The other which happened was a laborer who had the report of a very honest man came vnto him telling him that being the day before at his worke a great Eagle flew towardes him and tooke him vppe in his talants without hurting him carying him into a certaine cave where it left him the Eagle pronouncing these words Most mightie Lorde I have brought him whome thou hast commaunded me This Indian laborer looked about on every side to whome hee spake but hee sawe no man Then he heard a voyce which sayde vnto him Doost thou not knowe this man whome thou seest lying vpon the ground and looking thereon he perceived â— man lie very heavy asleepe with royall ensignes floures in his hand and a staffe of perfumes burning as they are accustomed to vse in that countrey whome the labourer beholding knew it was the great king Moteçuma and answered presently Great Lord this resembles our King Moteçuma The voyce saide againe Thou saiest true behold what he is and how he lies asleepe carelesse of the great miseries and afflictions prepared for him It is nowe time that hee pay the great number of offences hee hath doone to God and that he receive the punishment of his tyrannies and great pride and yet thou seest how carelesse hee lies blinde in his owne miseries and without any feling But to the end thou maiest the better see him take the staffe of perfumes hee holdes burning in his hand and put it to his face thou shalt then find him without feeling The poore laborer durstnot approach neere him nor doe as he was commaunded for the great feare they all hadde of this king But the voyce saide Have no fâ—are for I am without comparison greater than this King I can destroy him and defend him doe therefore what I commaund thee Wherevpon the laborer took the staffe of perfumes out of the kings hand and put it burning to his nose but he mooved not nor shewed any feeling This done the voice said vnto him that seeing hee had found the king so sleepy he should go awake him and tell him what he had seene Then the Eagle by the same commandement tooke the man in his tallents and set him in the same place where he found him and for accomplishment of that which it had spoken hee came to advertise him They say that Moteçuma looking on his face found that he was burnt the which he had not
lovers of silver these make no care of it the Iewes if they were not circumcised held not themselves for Iewes and contrariwise the Indians are not at all neyther did they ever vse any ceremonie neere it as many in the East have done But what reason of coniecture is there in this seeing the Iewes are so careful to preserve their language and Antiquities so as in all parts of the world they differ and are known from others and yet at the Indies alone they have forgotten their Linage their Law their Ceremonies their Messias and finally their whole Iudaisme And whereas they say the Indians are feareful cowards superstitious and subtill in lying for the first it is not common to all there are some nations among the Barbarians free from these vices there are some valiant and hardy there are some blunt and dull of vnderstanding As for ceremonies and superstitions the Heathen have alwayes vsed them much the manner of habites described which they vse being the plainest and most simple in the world without Arte the which hath been common not onely to the Hebrewes but to all other Nations seeing that the very History of Esdras if wee shall beleeve the Scriptures that bee Apocrypha make more against them then for their purpose for hee saith in that place that the ten tribes went from the multitude of the Heathen to keepe their faith and ceremonies and we see the Indians given to all the Idolatries in the world And those which holde this opinion see well if the entries of the River Euphrates stretch to the Indies and whether it be necessary for the Indies to repasse that way as it is written Besides I know not how you can name them peaceable seeing they be alwaies in warre amongst themselves To conclude I cannot see how that Euphrates in Esdras Apocrypha should be a more convenient passage to goe to the new world then the inchanted fabulous Atlantike Iland of Plato The reason why we can find no beginning of the Indians CHAP. 24. IT is easier to refute and contradict the false opinions conceyved of the Originall of the Indians then to set downe a true and certaine resolution for that there is no writing among the Indians nor any certaine remembrances of their founders neyther is there any mention made of this new world in their bookes that have knowledge of letters our Ancients held that in those parts there were neyther men land nor heaven So as hee should seeme rash and presumptuous that should thinke to discover the first beginning of the Indians But we may iudge a farre off by the former discourse that these Indians came by little and little to this newe world and that by the helpe and meanes of the neerenesse of lands or by some navigation the which seemes to mee the meanes whereby they came and not that they prepared any armie to goe thither of purpose neyther that they have been caried thither by any ship-wracke or tempest although some of these things may chance in some part of the Indies for these Regions beeing so great as they containe Nations without number we may beleeve that some came to inhabite after one sort and some after an other But in the ende I resolve vpon this point that the true and principall cause to people the Indies was that the lands and limits thereof are ioyned and continued in some extremities of the world or at the least were very neere And I beleeve it is not many thousand yeeres past since men first inhabited this new world and West Indies and that the first men that entred were rather savage men and hunters then bredde vp in civill and well governed Common-weales and that they came to this new world having lost their owne land or being in too great numbers they were forced of necessitie to seeke some other habitations the which having found they beganne by little and little to plant having no other law but some instinct of nature and that very darke and some customes remayning of their first Countries And although they came from Countries well governed yet is it not incredible to thinke that they had forgotten all through the tract of time and want of vse seeing that in Spaine and Italie we find companies of men which have nothing but the shape and countenance onely whereby we may coniecture in what sort this new world grew so barbarous and vncivill What the Indians report of their beginning CHAP. 25. IT is no matter of any great importance to know what the Indians themselves report of their beginning being more like vnto dreames then to true Hiries â—hey make great mention of a deluge happened in their Countrie but we cannot well iudge if this deluge were vniversall whereof the scripture makes mention or some particular inundation of those regions where they are Some expert men say that in those Countries are many notable signes of some great inundation and I am of their opinion which thinke that these markes and shewes of a deluge was not that of Noe but some other particular as that which Plato speakes of or Deucalions floud which the Poets sing of whatsoever it be the Indians say that al men were drowned in this deluge and they report that out of the great Lake Titicaca came one Viracocha which staied in Tiaguanaco where at this day there is to bee seene the ruines of ancient and very strange buildings and from thence came to Cusco and so began mankinde to multiply They shew in the same Iland a small Lake where they faine that the sunne hid himselfe and so was preserved and for this reason they make great sacrifices vnto him in that place both of sheepe and men Others report that sixe or I know not what number of men came out of a certaine cave by a window by whome men first began to multiplie and for this reason they call them Pacaritampo And therefore they are of opinion that the Tambos is the most ancient race of men They say also that Mango Capa whom they acknowledge for the founder and chiefe of their Inguas was issued of that race and that from him sprang two families or linages the one of Havan Cusco the other of Vrni Cusco They say moreover that when the Kings Inguas attempted warre and conquered sundrie Provinces they gave a colour and made a pretext of their enterprise saying that all the world ought to acknowledge them for that all the world was renued by their race and Countrie and also that the true religion had been reveiled to them from heaven But what availeth it to speake more seeing that all is full of lies and vanitie and farre from reason Some learned men write that all which the Indians make mention of is not above 400. yeeres old and whatsoever they speake of former ages is but a confusion full of obscuritie wherein we find no truth The which may not seeme strange they having no vse of bookes or writing in
doth teach vs. But whether it be so or otherwise for I will not contradict Aristotle but in that which is most certaine in the end they agree all that the middle region of the ayre is colder than the lowest next to the earth as experience dooth shew vs seeing that in this middle region are congealed snowe haile frosts and other signes of extreame colde The middle region then which they call the burning Zone having on the one side the sea and on the other the mountaines we must hold them for sufficient causes to temper and coole the heate That the colde windes be the principall cause to make the burning Zone temperate CHAH. 13. THe temperature of this region ought chiefly to be attributed to the property of the wind that blows in that country the which is pleasant and fresh The providence of the great God Creator of al things hath bin such as he hath ordained fresh and coole windes in that region where the sunne makes his course which seemes should be burnt vp that by their coolenes the excessive heate of the sunne might be qualified And they are not farre from apparance of reason which held that the earthly Paradise was vnder the Equinoctiall If they had not deceived themselves in the cause of their opinion saying that the equalitie of the dayes and nights was sufficient of it selfe to make that Zone temperate to which opinion many others have beene opposite of which number was that renowmed Poet saying That coast incessantly by hotte beames tyred Of Phoebus who from thence never retyred The coolenesse of the night then is not sufficient to moderate and to correct the violent heate of the Sunne but rather this burning Zone receives so sweet a temperature by the benefite of the fresh and pleasant aire as notwithstanding it were held by the Ancients to be more hotte then a burning furnace yet those which inhabite there take it for a delightfull spring It appeares by arguments and very apparant reasons that the cause heereof consistes principally in the qualitie of the winde We see in one climate some regions and Citties hotter then others onely for that they feele lesse winde to refresh them The like is in other Countries where no winde blowes the which are all on fire like vnto a furnace There are many of these Villages and Townes in Bresill Ethiopia and Paraguen as every one knoweth and that which is more considerable wee see these differences not only on the Land but also on the Sea there are some seas where they feele great heat as they report of that of Mozambigus and Ormus in the East and of the Sea of Panama in the West the which for this reason engenders and brings forth great Lizards called Cayamans as also in the sea of Bresill There are other seas in the same degree of height very colde as that of Peru in the which wee were a cold as I have said before when we first sailed it which was in March when the Sunne was directly over vs. In truth on this continent where the land and sea are of one sort wee cannot imagine any other cause of this so great a difference but the qualitie of the winde which doth refresh them If wee shall neerely looke into the consideration of the winde whereof we have spoken wee may resolve many doubts which some obiect and which seeme strange and wonderfull wherefore the Sunne casting his beames vppon the burning Zone and particularly at Peru and that more violently then in Spaine in the Canicular daies yet they defend the heat with a light covering so as with a slender covering of mats or straw they are better preserved from the heate then in Spaine vnder a roofe of wood or a vault of stone Moreover why are not the nightes in summer at Peru as hotte and troublesome as in Spaine Wherefore on the highest tops of mountaines even amongst the heaps of snow you shall sometimes feele great and insupportable heat Wherefore in all the Province of Colao when ye come into the shade how little soever you feele cold But comming into the Sunne beames you presently finde the heate excessive Why is all the coast of Peru being ful of sands very temperate And why is Potozi distant from the silver Citie but eighteene leagues and in the same degree of so divers a temperature that the Countrie being extreamely colde it is wonderfully barren and drie And contrariwise the silver Citie is temperate inclining vnto heat and hath a pleasant and fertil soile It is more certaine that the winde is the principall cause of these strange diversities for without the benefite of these coole windes the heate of the Sunne is such as although it bee in the midst of the snow it burnes and sets all on fire but when the coolenes of the aire returnes suddenly the heat is qualified how great soever it be and whereas this coole winde raines ordinarie it keepes the grosse vapours and exhalations of the earth from gathering together which cause a heavie and troublesome heat whereof we see the contrarie in Europe for by the exhalation of these vapours the earth is almost burnt vp with the Sunne by day which makes the nights so hotte and troublesome as the aire doth often seeme like vnto a furnace for this reason at Peru this freshnes of the winde is the cause by the meanes of some small shade at the Sunnesetting that they remaine coole But contrariwise in Europe the most agreeable and pleasing time in summer is the morning and the evening is the most hotte and troublesome But at Peru and vnder all the Equinoctiall it is not so for every morning the winde from the sea doth cease and the Sunne beginnes to cast his beames and for this reason they feele the greatest heat in the morning vntill the returne of the same windes which otherwise they call the tide or winde of the sea which makes them first to feele cold We have tried al this whilst we were at the Ilands of Barlovante where in the mornings we did sweat for heat and at noone we felt a fresh aire for that then a North-easterly wind which is fresh and coole doth commonly blow That they which inhabite vnder the Equinoctiall live a sweete and pleasant life CHAP. 14. IF those which have held opinion that the earthly Paradise was vnder the Equinoctiall had beene guided by this discourse they had not seemed altogether deceived not that I will conclude that the delightfull Paradice whereof the Scripture speakes was in that place which were too great a temeritie to affirme it for certaine But I may well say if there be any Paradice on earth it ought to bee placed whereas they inioy a sweete and quiet temperature for there is nothing more troublesome or repugnant to mans life then to live vnder a heaven or aire that is contrarie troublesome or sicklie as there is nothing more agreeable then to inioy a heaven that is sound sweet
what is in the other life but if hell as Divines holde be in the centre of the earth the which containes in diameter above two thousand leagues we can not iudge that this fire is from the centre for that hell fire as saint Basil and others teach is very different from this which wee see for that it is without light and burneth without comparison much more then ours And therefore I conclude that what I have saide seemes to me more reasonable Of Earthquakes CHAP. 26. SOme have held that from these Volcans which are at the Indies the earthquakes proceed being very common there but for that they ordinarily chance in places farre from those Volcans it can not be the totall cause It is true they have a certaine simpathy one with another for that the hote exhalations which engender in the inner concavities of the earth seeme to be the materiall substance of fire in the Volcans whereby there kindleth an other more grosse matter and makes these shewes of flame and smoke that come forth And these exhalations finding no easie issue in the earth move it to issue forth with great violence wherby we heare that horrible noise vnder the earth and likewise the shaking of the earth being stirred with this burning exhalation Even as gunpowlder in mines having fire put to it breakes rockes and walles and as the chesnut laid into the fire leapes and breakes with a noyse whenas it casts forth the aire which is contained within the huske by the force of the fire Even so these Earthquakes do most commonly happen in places neere the water or sea As we see in Europe and at the Indies that townes and citties farthest from the sea and waters are least afflicted therewith and contrariwise those that are seated vpon portes of the sea vpon rivers the sea coast and places neere vnto them feele most this calamitie There hath happened in Peru the which is wonderfull and worthy to be noted Earthquakes which have runne from Chille vnto Quitto and that is above hundred leagues I say the greatest that ever I heard speake of for lesser be more common there Vpon the coast of Chille I remember not well in what yeare there was so terrible an Earthquake as it overturned whole mountains and thereby stopped the course of rivers which it converted into lakes it beat downe townes and flew a great number of people causing the sea to leave her place some leagues so as the shippes remained on drie ground farre from the ordinary roade with many other heavie and horrible things And as I well remember they say this trouble and motion caused by the Earthquake ranne three hundred leagues alongest the coast Soone after which was in the yeere eighty two happened that Earthquake of Arequipa which in a maner overthrew the whole citie Since in the yeere eightie sixe the ninth of Iulie fell an other Earthquake in the cittie of Kings the which as the Viceroy did write hadde runne a hundred three score and tenne leagues alongest the coast and overthwart in the Sierre fiftie leagues The mercy of the Lord was great in this earth quake to forewarne the people by a great noyse which they heard alittle before the Earthquake who taught by former experiences presently put themselves in safetie leaving their houses streets and gardins to go into the fieldes so as although it ruined a great parte of the Cittie and of the chiefest buildings yet there died not above fifteene or twenty persons of all the Inhabitants It caused the like trouble and motion at sea as it had done at Chille which happened presently after the Earthquake so as they might see the sea furiously to flie out of her boundes and to runne neere two leagues into the land rising above foureteene fadome it covered all that plaine so as the ditches and peeces of wood that were there swamme in the water There was yet an other earthquake in the Realme and Cittie of Quitto and it seemes all these notable Earthquakes vppon that coast have succeeded one an other by order as in trueth it is subiect to these inconveniences And therefore although vpon the coast of Peru there be no torments from heaven as thunder and lightning yet are they not without feare vppon the land and so everie one hath before his eies the Heraults of divine Iustice to moove him to feare God For as the Scripture saith Fecit haec vt timeatur Returning then to our purpose I say the sea coast is most subiect to these earthquakes the reason is in my iudgement for that the water dooth stop the conduites and passages of the earth by which the hote exhalations should passe which are engendered there And also the humiditie thickning the superficies of the earth dooth cause the fumes and hot exhalations to goe close together and incounter violently in the bowells of the earth which doe afterwards breake forth Some have observed that such Earthquakes have vsually hapned whenas a rainie season falles after some drie yeâ—res Wherevpon they say that the Earthquakes are most rare where are most welles the which is approoved by experience Those of the Cittie of Mexico holde opinion that the Lake whereon it is seated is the cause of the Earthquakes that happen there although they be not very violent and it is most certaine that the Townes and Provinces farre within the land and farthest from the sea receive sometimes great losses by these Earthquakes as the Cittie of Chachapoyas at the Indies and in Italie that of Ferrara although vpon this subiect It seemes this latter being neere to a river and not farre from the Adriatic sea should rather be numbred among the sea-Townes In the yeere of our Lord one thousand five hundred eightie and one in Cugiano a Cittie of Peru otherwise called the Peace there hapned a strange accident touching this subiect A village called Angoango where many Indians dwelt that were sorcerers and idolatrers fell sodainely to ruine so as a great parte thereof was raised vp and carried away and many of the Indians smothered and that which seems incredible yet testified by men of credit the earth that was ruined and so beaten downe did runne and slide vpon the land for the space of a league and a halfe as it had beene water or wax molten so as it stopt and filled vppe a Lake and remayned so spread over the whole countrey How the land and sea imbrace one an other CHAP. 27. I Wil end with this Element of earth vniting it to the precedent of water whose order and embracing is truely of it selfe admirable These two elements have one spheare divided betweene them and entertaine and embrace one another in a thousand sortes and maners In some places the water encounters the land furiously as an enemy and in other places it invirons it after a sweete and amiable manner There are partes whereas the sea enters far within the land as comming to visite it and in other partes the
The first of his Campe that advanced himselfe to the combate was the King himselfe defying his ennemies from whome hee made shewe to fly when they charged him vntill he had drawne them into an ambuscadoe where many souldiers lay hidden vnder straw who suddenly issued forth and they which fled turned head so as they of Tiquantepec remained in the midst of them whom they charged furiously making a great slaughter of them and following their victory they razed their citty and temple punishing all their neighbours rigorously Then went they on farther and without any stay conquered to Guatulco the which is a port at this day well knowne in the South sea Axayaca returned to Mexico with great and rich spoiles where he was honourably crowned with sumptuous and stately preparation of sacrifices tributes and other things whither many came to see his coronation The Kings of Mexico received the crowne from the hands of the King of Tescuco who had the preheminence He made many other enterprises where he obtained great victories being alwaies the first to leade the army and to charge the enemy by the which hee purchased the name of a most valiant captaine not content to subdue strangers he also suppressed his subiects which had rebelled which never any of his predecessours ever could doe or durst attempt We have already shewed how some seditious of Mexico had divided themselves from that common-weale and built a cittie neare vnto them which they called Tlatelulco whereas now saint Iaques is These being revolted held a faction aparte and encreased and multiplied much refusing to acknowledge the kings of Mexico nor to yeeld them obedience The king Axayaca sent to advise them not to live divided but being of one bloud and one people to ioyne together and acknowledge the king of Mexico wherevpon the Lorde of Tlatelulco made an aunswere full of pride and disdaine defieng the king of Mexico to single combate with himselfe and presently mustred his men commaunding some of them to hide themselves in the weeds of the Lake and the better to deceive the Mexicans he commaunded them to take the shapes of ravens geese and other beasts as frogs and such like supposing by this meanes to surprise the Mexicans as they should passe by the waies and cawsies of the Lake Having knowledge of this defie and of his adversaries policie he divided his army giving a part to his generall the sonne of Tlacaellec commaunding him to charge this ambuscadoe in the Lake and he with the rest of his people by an vnfrequented way went and incamped before Tlatelulco Presently hee called him who had defied him to performe his promise and as the two Lordes of Mexico and Tlatelulco advaunced they commaunded their subiects not to moove vntill they had seene who should be conquerour which was done and presently the two Lordes incountered valiantly where having fought long in the end the Lorde of Tlatelulco was forced to turne his backe being vnable to indure the furious charge of the king of Mexico Those of Tlatelulco seeing their captaine flie fainted fled likewise but the Mexicans following them at the heeles charged them furiously yet the Lord of Tlatelulco escaped not the hands of Axayaca for thinking to save himselfe he fled to the toppe of the Temple but Axayaca folowed him so neere as he seised on him with great force and threw him from the toppe to the bottome and after set fire on the Temple and the cittie Whilest this passed at Tlatelulco the Mexicane generall was very hote in the revenge of those that pretended to defeate him by pollicie after he had forced them to yeelde and to crie for mercy the Generall sayde he would not pardon them vntil they had first performed the offices of those figures they represented and therfore he would have them crie like frogges and ravens every one according to the figure which he had vndertaken else they had no composition which thing he did to mocke them with their owne policie Feare and necessitie be perfect teachers so as they did sing and crie with all the differences of voyces that were commaunded them to save their lives although they were much grieved at the sport their enimies made at them They say that vnto this day the Mexicans vse to ieast at the Tlatelulcans which they beare impatiently when they putte them in minde of this singing and crying of beasts King Axayaca tooke pleasure at this scorne and disgrace and presently after they retourned to Mexico with great ioy This King was esteemed for one of the best that had commaunded in Mexico Hee raigned eleaven yeares and one succeeded that was much inferiour vnto him in valour and vertue Of the deedes of Autzol the eight King of Mexico CHAP. 19. AMong the foure Electors that had power to chuse whome they pleased to be king there was one indued with many perfections named Autzol This man was chosen by the rest and this election was very pleasing to all the people for besides that he was valiant all held him curteous and affable to every man which is one of the chiefe qualities required in them that commaund to purchase love and respect To celebrate the feast of his coronation hee resolved to make a voyage and to punish the pride of those of Quaxulatlan a very rich and plentifull province and at this day the chiefe of new Spaine They had robbed his officers and stewards that carried the tribute to Mexico and therwithall were rebelled There was great difficulty to reduce this Nation to obedience lying in such sort as an arme of the sea stopt the Mexicans passage to passe the which AutZol with a strange device and industry caused an Iland to be made in the water of faggots earth and other matter by meanes whereof both hee and his men might passe to the enemy where giving them battell he conquered them and punished them at his pleasure Then returned hee vnto Mexico in triumph and with great riches to bee crowned King according to their custome Autzol extended the limites of his kingdome farre by many conquests even vnto Guatimalla which is three hundred leagues from Mexico He was no lesse liberall than valiant for whenas the tributes arrived which as I have saide came in great aboundaunce hee went foorth of his pallace gathering together all the people into one place then commaunded he to bring all the tributes which hee divided to those that had neede To the poore hee gave stuffes to make apparrell and meate and whatsoever they had neede of in great aboundaunce and things of value as golde silver iewels and feathers were divided amongest the Captaines souldiers and servants of his house according to every mans merite This AutZol was likewise a great polititian hee pulled downe the houses ill built and built others very sumptuous It seemed vnto him that the city of Mexico had too litle water and that the Lake was very muddy and therefore hee resolved to let in a great course