_This chapter doth prosecute in the things of the
kingdom of Mexico._
[Sidenote: Properties of the Indians.]
[Sidenote: Pictures made of fethers.]
The Indians of this kingdome are maruellous ingenious, and doo see
nothing but they imitate the same, whereof commeth that they are very
good singers and plaiers vpon all sorts of instruments, yet their voices
doo heale[57] them nothing. They are very much affectioned vnto matters
touching ceremonies of the Church, and giuen vnto the diuine culto, and
therein they doo very much exceede the Spaniardes. In euery towne there
are singers appointed, which repaire euery day vnto the church to
celebrate the offices vnto our Lady, the which they do with great
consort and deuotion. Touching the dressing and adorning of a church
with flowers and other curiosities, they are maruellous politike: they
are reasonable good painters in some places: they make images of the
feathers of small birdes, which they call in their language Cinsones,[58]
which haue no feete, and feede of nothing else but of the dewe that
falleth from heauen, and is a thing greatly to be seene, and was wont in
Spaine to cause great admiration; but in especiall vnto such as were
famous painters, to see with what curiositie and subtiltie they did make
their pictures, in applying euery colour of the feathers in his place.
They are people of great charitie, but in especiall vnto the
ecclesiasticals, which is the occasion that one of them may trauell from
sea to sea (which is more then fiue hundred leagues) without the
spending of one riall of plate in victuals, or in any other thing, for
that the naturals doo giue it them with great good will and affection:
for the which in all their common places of resort, which is an inne for
strangers, they haue men appointed for to prouide for all
ecclesiasticall men that doo trauel, of all that they haue neede, and
likewise vnto the common people, for their money. They doo not onely
receiue great content with them, but they themselues doo go and request
them to come vnto their townes, at the entrie whereof they make them
great entertainement: they go all foorth of the towne both small and
great in procession, and manie times more than halfe a league, with the
sounde of trumpets, flutes, and hoybuckes. The principallest amongst
them go forth with bowes and nosegayes in their hands, of the which they
doo make a present vnto such religious as they doo receiue: and
sometimes they cast them more flowers then they woulde willingly they
shoulde. Generally, they doo reuerence all ecclesiasticals, but in
particular those of such religious houses, which in that kingdome were
the first that did conuert them and baptise them; and they do it in such
sort, that if the religious man will for any offence punish or whippe
any of them, they do it with such facilitie, as a master of a schoole
doth beate his schollers that he doth learne.
[57] Misprinted for "help".
[58] Probably humming-birds are meant.
[Sidenote: Hernando Cortes.]
This great reuerence and subjection was planted amongst them by the
worthy captaine Hernando Cortes, marques Del Valle, hee who in the name
of the Emperor Charles the fift of famous memorie, did get and made
conquest of that mightie kingdome. He who amongst other vertues that be
spoken of him (and doo indure vnto this day in the memory of the
naturall people of that countrie, and as I do beleeue his soule is
mounted many degrees in glory for the same), hee had one that surmounted
the other in excellency, which was, that he had great reuerence and
respect vnto priestes, but in especial vnto religious men, and his will
was that the same should bee vsed amongst the Indians: at all times when
hee did talke with any religious person, he did it with so great
humilitie and respect, as the seruant vnto his master. If he did at any
time meete with any of them in the streete, he being on foote, a good
space before hee came vnto them, hee woulde put off his cappe, and when
hee came vnto them he would kisse their handes: and if hee were on
horsebacke, he had the like prevention, and woulde alight and doo the
like. By whose example, the naturall people of that countrie doo remains
with the same custome, and is obserued and kept in all that countrie
vnto this day, and with so great devotion, that in what towne so euer
that any ecclesiasticall or religious man doth enter, the first that
doth see them before they enter therein, doo runne vnto the church and
ring the bell, which is a token knowne amongst them all that a religious
man is comming, so that foorthwith all the women go foorth in the
streete whereas they do passe, with their children in their armes, and
bringe them before the religious men, that they should blesse them,
although he be on horseback, and do passe a long thorow the towne.
[Sidenote: Medicinall hearbes.]
[Sidenote: They vse no compounds.]
In all this countrie there is great aboundance of victuals and fruit,
that the mony being of so small estimation (by reason they haue so
much), a ryall of plate is no more woorth there then a quartillo in
Spain: you shall buy there a verie faire heafor for twelue rials of
plate, and fiftie thousand if you will at the same price, and a calfe
for sixe or eight rials of plate, a whole sheepe for foure rials, and
two hennes, such as you haue in Spaine for one riall, and of Guiny
hennes, otherwise called Turkey cockes,[59] and in Spanish Pavos, you
shall haue an hundred thousande (if you please) for a riall and a halfe
of plate a peece, and after this rate all other sortes of victuals
whatsoeuer you will buy, although they be neuer so good: wine and oyl is
very deare, for that it is brought out of Spaine, not for that the
countrie will not yeeld thereof, and that in great aboundance (as hath
beene seene by experience), but they wil not consent to it for diuers
respectes. There be thorough out all the whole kingdome many hearbes
that are medicinall, and the Indians very much experimented in them, and
do always cure with them, in such sort that almost there is no
infirmitie but they haue a remedy for the same, and do minister it, by
reason whereof they do liue very healthfull, and do die verie seldome,
but of leanenes, or when the radicall moistnesse is consumed. They vse
little lettings of bloode, and lesse of compounded purgations, for that
they haue amongst them other simples which they bring out of the fielde,
wherewith they do euacuate their humors, applying them vnto the pacient.
They bee for little trauell, and doo passe with little meate, and verie
seldome sleepe but on a matte vpon the ground, but the most part in the
fields in the open aire, which as wee haue saide hurteth not, neither
themselues nor yet the Spaniards.
[59] The word "Guiny" has been inserted here by the translator; the
expression in Spanish is, "hens from the Indies, which in Spain are
called Pavos," meaning Turkeys.
But now to speake in few words that which requireth a great discourse
and many words, and yet notwithstanding not expresse well that which
might be said of this mightie kingdome: I will conclude in comparing it
vnto the most greatest and richest of all that is now knowne in all the
world, except that of China, of the which in this historie hath beene
mentioned so many thinges, and shall be more spoken off, when as we
shall come to intreate of it; for that wee will intreate of the New
Mexico, as I haue promised in the fifth chapter, and because it is a new
thing, I do beleeue it wil be of great content.