The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne
TekstThe order of Matrimony among the Indians
In Tlaxcallan and many other Cities, was vsed as a principall Ceremonie and token of marriage, that the Bridegrome and his Bride, against the day of marriage, had their heads polled, whiche was to signifie, that from that day forward, al childishe orders should be laide aside, and from that tyme new heare myght grow, to declare another kind of lyfe. The chiefest knotte of marriage vsed in Michuacan was, that the Bride doe looke directly vppon hir spouse, for otherwise the Matrimony was not perfite nor auaylable.
In Mixteoapan which is a greate prouince, they vse to carrie the Bridgrome to be married vpon their backes, which is to be vnderstoode, that he goeth against his wil, but yet they take hands, in token that the one shall helpe the other, and then they knitte both their mantels togyther with a great knotte, signifying that they ought continually, while life lasteth, to dwell togither.
The Indians called Macatecas, consūme not their Matrimony in twenty dayes after their marriage, but abide in fasting and prayer all that while, sacrificing their bodyes, and annoynting the mouthes of the Idolles wyth their owne proper bloud.
In Panuco the husbandes buy their wiues for a bowe, two arrowes, and a nette, and afterwarde the father in lawe speaketh not one worde to his sonne in law for the space of a whole yeare. And when the husbande hapneth to haue any child, he lyeth not any more with his wife in two yeares after, for feare least she might be with childe againe before the former childe were out of daunger, although some doe sucke vntyll twelue yeares of age, and for this consideration they haue many wiues. Likewise there is an order among them, that no woman may touch or dresse any thing being with theyr menstruall ordinarie.
Diuorcement was not permitted without a iust cause and authoritie of Iustice, among those who were openly married, but the other sort might be as easily forsaken as taken.
In Mechuacan was not permitted any diuorcemente, excepte the partie made a solemne othe, that they loked not the one on the other stedfastly and directly at the time of their marriage. But in Mexico they must proue how the wife is barraine, foule, & of a naughty cōdition: but if they put away their wiues without order and commaundemente of the Iudge, then the heare of the offenders head is burned in the market place, as a shame or punishment of a man without reason or witte.
The payne of adultery was death, as well for the mā as the woman: but if the adulterer were a Gentleman, his head was decked with feathers after that he was hāged, and his body burned, and for this offence was no pardon, eyther for man or woman, but for the auoyding of adultery they do permitte other common women, but no ordinary stewes.
Of the Iudges and order of Iustice
In Mexico were twelue Iudges, who were all noble men, graue, and well learned in the Mexican lawes. These men liued only by the rentes that properly apperteyne to the maintenance of Iustice, and in anye cause iudged by thē, it was lawfull for the parties to appeale vnto other twelue Iudges, who were of the princes bloud, and alwayes abode in the Court, and were mainteyned at the Kings owne cost and charge. The inferior Iudges came ordinarily once euery moneth to cōsult with the higher. And in euery fourescore dayes came the Iudges of euery prouince within the Mexican Empire, to consult with the Iudges of Mexico, but all doubtfull causes were reserued to the King, onely to passe by his order and determination. The Painters serued for notaries, to paint al the cases which were to be resolued, but no sute passed aboue fourescore dayes without finall ende and determination. There were in that citie twelue Sergeants, whose office was to arrest, and to cal parties before the Iudges. Their garments were painted mantels, wherby they were knowen a farre off. The prisons were vnder ground, moyst and darke, the cause whereof, was to put the people in feare to offend. If anye witnesse were called to take an oth, the order was, that he shoulde touche the grounde with one of his fingers, and then to touch his tong with the same, whiche signifyed that hée had sworne and promised to speake the troth wyth hys tōg, taking witnes therof, of ye earth which did mainteine him. But some do interprete the oth, yt if the partie sware not true, that then he mighte come to such extremitie, as to eate earthe. Sometime they name and call vppon the God of the crime, whose cause the matter touched.
The Iudge that taketh bribes or giftes, is forthwith put out of his office, whiche was accounted a most vyle and shamefull reproch. The Indians did affirme, that Necaualpincintli did hang a Iudge in Tezcuco, for giuing an vniust sentence, he himselfe knowing the contrary. The murther is executed without exception.
The woman with child that wilfully casteth hir creature, suffereth deathe for the same, bycause many women did voluntary vse that fact, knowing their children could not inherite. The punishment of adultery was death.
The Théefe for the firste offence was made a slaue, and hanged for the second. The traytor to the King and cōmon weale, was put to death with extreame tormēts.
The woman taken in mans apparel dyed for the same, and likewise the man taken in womans attire. Euerye one that challēged another to fight except in the warres, was cōdemned to die. In Tezcuco the sinne of Zodomy was punished with death, & that law was instituted by Necaualpincintli, & Necaualcoio, who were Iudges, which abhorred ye filthy sinne, & therfore they deserued great praise, for in other prouinces ye abhominable sin was not punished, although they haue in those places cōmon stewes, as in Panuco.
The order of cruell Sacrifice vsed among the Indians
At the ende of euery twenty dayes, is celebrated a festiuall feast called Tonalli, which falleth continually the last daye of euerye moneth, but the chiefest feast in the yeare, when most men are sacrificed & eaten, is at the ende of euerye fiftye two yeares. But the Tlaxcaltecas and other common weales, do celebrate this feast euery fourth yeare.
The last day of the first moneth is called Tlacaxipeualiztli, on the which day were slaine a hundred slaues, which were taken in the warres, and after the sacrifise, their flesh was eaten in this order. Al the Citizens, gathered themselues togither in the high Temple, and thē the Ministers or Priestes came and vsed certaine ceremonies, the which being ended, they toke those whyche were to be sacrifised, by one and one, and layd them vpon their backes vpon a large stone, and then the slaue being on liue, they opened him in the breast, with a knife made of flinte stone, and toke out his hart, whiche they threw immediately at the foote of the Aulter, as an offering, and anoynted with the fresh bloude, the face of the God Vitzilopuchtli, or any other Idol. This done, they pluckt of the skinnes of a certaine number of them, the which skinnes so many auntient persons put incontinēt vppon their naked bodies, al fresh & bloudy, as they wer fleane from the deade carcasses. And being open in the backe part and shoulders, they vsed to lace them, in such sorte that they came fitte vppon the bodies of those that ware them, and being in this order attired, they came to daunce among many others. In Mexico the king him selfe did put on one of these skinnes, being of a principall captiue, and daunced among the other disguised persons, to exalte and honor the feast, and an infinite number followed him to behold his terrible gesture, although some hold opinion that they followed him to cōtemplate his greate deuotion. After the sacrifise ended, the owner of the slaues did carry their bodies home to their houses, to make of their fleshe a solemne feaste to all their friendes, leauing their heades and hartes to the Priests, as their dutie and offering. And the skinnes were filled with cotten wool, or strawe, to be hong in the temple, and kings pallayce, for a memorie.
The slaues when they went to their sacrifice, were apparelled in the habite or deuise of the Idol vnto whom ech of them did commende himselfe: and moreouer they decked them with feathers, garlands and floures. Many of these sort of people, do go to the slaughter with ioyfull countenannce, dauncing, demaunding almes through the Citie for their sacrifice, all the whiche almes is due vnto the priestes. When the gréene corne was a foote aboue the ground, they vsed to go vnto a certain hil whiche was appointed for such deuotion, and there sacrifised two children, a boy, and a girle of thrée yeares of age, to the honor of Tlaloc god of water, beséeching him therefore deuoutlye, to haue alwayes a care to prouide them water: these children were frée borne, and therfore theyr hartes were not taken out of their bodies, but after that their throtes were cut, their bodies were wrapped in a new mantel, and then buried in a graue of stone.
The feaste of Tozoztli was, when the fields of Maiz were growen two foote high, then a certaine summe of merchandise was gathered among the dwellers in the towne, wherewith were bought foure little slaues betwixt the age of fiue and seuen, and they were likewise sacrificed to the god Tlaloc, for continuall shoures of rayne. And those dead bodies were shut vp in a caue appointed for the same purpose. The beginning of this sacrifice of foure children was, at the time when in foure yeres space it rayned not, in the whiche season ye springs were dryed vp, and al gréene things perished: wherfore they were forced to leaue the countrey, and went to inhabite at Nicaragua. In the moneth and feast of Hueitozotli, when the corne fields of Maiz waxed ripe, then euery one in generall gathered his handful of Maiz, and brought it vnto the temple for an offering, with a certaine drinke called Atuli, whiche is made of the same Maiz. They brought also the swéete gum Copalli to sense the gods which do cause the corne to growe: and all that night they ceassed not dauncing without drunkennesse. At the beginning of summer they celebrate an other feast called Tlaxuchimcaco, with all kinde of Roses and swéete floures that might be gotten, and thereof they vsed to make garlands to set vpon the Idols heades, and so spente all that day in dauncing. And to celebrate the feast called Tecuilhuitli, al the gentlemen, and principall persons of ech prouince, do come vnto the Citie, on the euening of the feast, and then they apparell a woman with the attire of the Gods of salt, who daunced among a great company of hir neighboures. But on the nexte day she was sacrificed with all the Ceremonies and solemnitie accustomed, and al that day was spent in gret deuotion, burning of incense in the fire pannes of the temple.
The merchants who had a temple by themselues dedicated to the god of gaines, made their feast vppon the day called Miccailhuitl, wherein they slewe many slaues in sacrifice, which they had bought, and banqueted that feast with mans flesh, dauncing al the day. The feast of Vchpaniztli they sacrificed a woman, and afterward hyr bodye was slayne, and hir skinne put vppon an Indians backe, who daunced two days a row with al the townsmen, which were apparelled in their best attire to celebrate ye feaste. The day of Hatamutztli ye feast is kept in Mexico, where they enter into ye lake wt a great nūber of Canoas, & there they drown a boy & a girle in a litle boat, which they cause to be sonke, in such sorte, that neuer after that boat appeareth again: and they hold opinion yt those children were in company with the Goddes of the lake. So that, that daye was spente in feasting in the temples, and annoynting the Idols chéekes, with gum called Vlli. There were some Images that had their faces two ynches thicke with that gum.
The order of certaine religious women
On the backe side of euerye greate Temple, in euerye Cittie was made a greate Hall or lodgyng, standing alone, where as manye women did eate, drincke, lodge, & leade their liues. And although suche houses had no orders, they aboad there sure ynough. These women which lay in the houses of the Goddes, were of sundry intentions. But none of them came to abide there al their life time, although among them wer some olde women. Some entered into those religious houses being sicke and disseased, hoping there to recouer theyr health: others came thither through pure néede, and necessitie, to be there relieued: other some came thither to be good and vertuous: and some entered into the religion, hoping that the Goddes woulde giue vnto them riches, and long life. But generallye their comming thyther was, to haue good husbandes, and manye chyldren: eche of them vowed the time that shee woulde or ment to abide in that order, and after that time expired they marryed.
The first thing that they did comming into the religion, was to polle their heads, to be knowen frō others. Their offices were to spinne cotton wool and feathers, and to weaue cloth, for to apparel the Goddes and themselues, to swepe the yarde and lodgings of the temple (for the stayres and high chappels, the ministers themselues did make cleane) they vsed also to let them bloud in certaine partes of the body, to offer to the Diuellish Idols. On euery festiual day they went on procession with the priestes, but it was not lawful for them to presume to go vppe the stayres of the temple, nor yet to sing. They liued on almes, for their kinsefolke being rich, did mayntaine them with almes as a charitable seruice done vnto the Goddes: their foode was boyled flesh, and hote bread, to the intent that they should offer therof to the Goddes, that they might tast of the smoke of that victual: they vsed to eate in communitie, and lay altogither in one dormitorye, as a flocke of shéepe: they lay alwayes in theyr clothes, for honestie sake, and also to be the sooner ready in the morning to serue the Gods, & to go to their worke. And yet I know not why they shold put off their clothes, for they went almost naked. On the holy dayes they vsed to daunce before the Gods, and she that either talked or laughed with any religious or secular person, was reprehended for the same. And if any of them committed whoredome, then both the man & the woman were slain, yea they belieued that all suche offenders fleshe woulde rotte and consume away, and especially those which had lost their Virginity in the time of their religion. So that with feare of punishmente and infamie, they were good women al the while that they aboade there.
Hovv the Diuell appeared to the Indians
The Diuell did many times talke wyth the priestes, and with other rulers and perticular persons, but not with al sorts of men. And vnto him to whom the Diuel had appeared, was offered & presented great giftes. The wicked spirit appeared vnto thē in a thousand shapes, and fashions, & finally he was conuersant and familiar among them very often. And the fooles thought it a greate wonder, that Gods would be so familiar with mortal men. Yea they not knowing that they were Diuels, and hearing of them many things before the had hapned, gaue great credite and beliefe to their illusions and deceites. And bycause he commaunded them, they sacrificed suche an infinite number of creatures. Likewise he, vnto whom he had apeared, carried about him painted, the likenesse wherin he shewed himself the first time. And they painted his image vpon their dores, benches, and euery corner of the house. And as he appeared in sundry figures & shapes, euen so they painted him, of infinite fashions, yea and some foule, grieslye, & feareful to beholde, but yet vnto them, it semed a thing delectable. So this ignorant people giuing credite to ye condēned spirite, were growen euen to ye highest hil of crueltie, vnder the coulour of deuout & religious persons, yea they had suche a custome, that before they would eat or drink, they wold take therof a little quantitie, & offer it vnto the sun and to the earth. And if they gathered corne, fruite, or roses, they would take a leafe before they would smel it, & offer the same. And he that did not obserue these & such other ceremonies, was iudged one yt had not god in his hart, yea & (as they say) a man out of the gods fauour.
The Viceroys of Mexico
The greatnesse of the newe Spayne, the Maiestie of Mexico, and the qualitie of the cōquerers, required a man of noble bloude to gouerne, wherevpon the Emperour sente thither Don Antonio de Mendosa, brother vnto the Marques de Moniar, for viceroy, at whose ariual there returned from thence Sebastian Camires, who had gouerned that countrey with great discretion and worthy commendation. In recompēce wherof the Emperour made him president of the chancery of Valladolid, and bishop of Culuca. Don Antonio de Mendosa was appointed viceroy in the yeare .1534. who carried with him many artificers verye experte in their sciences, likewise through his intercession, a money house was erected in Mexico: he also caused silke to be made and wrought in that countrey, and planted many Mulbery trées for the same, although the Indians little care for suche things through their slouthfulnesse and gret liberty. This viceroy Don Antonio, called all the Bishoppes, cleargy, and learned men togither, to consult vpō ecclesiastical matters, which tended to the doctrine of the Indians. At that instant was decreed, that the Indians shoulde be instructed only in the latin tong, which they learned verye wel and also the Spanishe tong. They learne the Musicke with good wil, especially the flaute: their voyces are not good for the pricke song. At that season was also decréed, that no Indian should take order of Priesthood. The viceroy Don Antonio built certaine townes with Romaine pillers, in honor of the Emperour, and caused his name to be grauen in Marble. He also began the Kay or wharfe in the porte of Medellin, a costly and necessarie worke: he also reduced the Chichimecas to ciuel liuing: he spente muche money in the entraunce of Sibola, without any profit, and also thereby remayned an enemy to Cortes. He likewise discouered much land on the south coast near Xalixco: he sente also shippes to Molluca, for spices, which were lost: he behaued himself very prudētly in the rebellion time of the Indians of Piru.
The Emperour commaunded him afterwarde to goe vnto the Piru for viceroy, considering the licenciat Gasca, who gouerned there, was returned into Spain, and likewise hauing vnderstood his good gouernement in the new Spaine, although some complaintes were made of hym. It grieued Don Antonio de Mendosa, to departe from the newe Spaine, where he founde himselfe wel beloued among the Indians, who had cured him of sundry disseases with bathes of Hearbes, where before he was starke lame, and also possessed of lands, Cattel, and other riche things, whiche he was loth to leaue. Likewise he desired not to haue to deale with other newe men, whose conditions he knewe not, although he knewe that the Piruleros were stubborne and vnruely felowes. But of necessitie he was compelled to take that iourney by lande from Mexico to Panama, which standeth fiue hundred leagues distant, in the yeare a 1851. And that yere came Don Luys de Valasco for viceroie to Mexico, who was a Gentleman wise and discrete in his gouernement. The office of viceroy in the newe Spaine, is a charge of great honor and profite.
The conuersion of the Indians
Oh how greately are those Indians bound to prayse God, who being seruants of Satan, and lost Shéepe, yet it pleased the goodnesse of the Almighty to haue compassion of thē, who hath giuen them light to come out of darkenesse, and brought them to the knowledge of theyr cruell and abhominable life, and hath nowe giuen vnto them the holy Ghost in baptisme: oh most happie Cortes, thy paynes was well employed, oh valiant Conquerors, your names shall liue for euer. I am now bolde to saye, that all the lande which is conquered in the new Spaine, the people thereof are generally conuerted vnto the faith of Iesus Chryste: oh what a greate felicitie is it vnto those blessed Kyngs who were the beginners thereof.
Some doe saye, that in the newe Spayne onely are conuerted Christians sixe Millions. Others hold opinion of eyghte Millions. And othersome doe assuredly affirme, that aboue tenne Millions are Christened. But in conclusion, I am assured, that within the limittes of four hundred leagues, there are none vnchristened.
The conuersion began with the Conquest, but wyth the diligence in prosecuting the warres, little good was done, vntyll the yeare 1524. and then the matter wente forwarde effectuallye, by reason that certayne learned menne wente thyther for the same purpose.
At the begynnyng it was a troublesome thyng to teach them, for wante of vnderstandyng the one of the other, wherefore they procured to teache the chyldren of Gentlemen whiche were most aptest, the Spanishe tong, and they likewise learned the Mexican spéeche, in the whiche language they dayly preached. It was at the firste a paynefull thing to make them leaue those Idols in whome they hadde euer beléeued, yea and the Diuell gaue them cruell warres in spirite, and manye times, in appearing in diuers formes vnto them, threatning, that if they dyd call vpon the name of Iesus Christ, it should not rayne, and that all their delight and pleasure shoulde be taken from them, prouoking them still to Rebellion against the Christians, but his wicked counsell woulde not preuayle.
Through greate punishmente they haue left off the horrible sinne of Sodomy, although it was a greate griefe to put away their number of wiues.
There are nowe in the newe Spayne eyght Byshoprikes, whereof one is an Archbishoprike.