The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne: atchieued by the vvorthy Prince Hernando Cortes, marques of the Valley of Huaxacac, most delectable to readeLópez de Gómara, Francisco
History
The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne: atchieued by the vvorthy Prince Hernando Cortes, marques of the Valley of Huaxacac, most delectable to reade
López de Gómara, Francisco
Cortés, Hernán, 1485-1547; Mexico -- History -- Conquest, 1519-1540; Nahuatl language -- Glossaries, vocabularies, etc.
The Citizens hauing their generall slayne, chose an other with licence
of _Cortes_.
The Sanctuary or holy place among
_the Indians was Chololla_.
_Chololla_ is a city as _Tlaxcallan_, and hathe but one person who
is gouernour and general Captayne, chosen by the consente of all the
Citizens. It is a Citie of twentie thousande householdes within the
walles, and in the suburbes as muche more. It sheweth outwardes verye
beautifull, and full of towers, for there are as manye temples as dayes
in y^e yeare, & euery temple hath his tower. Our men counted foure
hundred towers. The men and womë are of good disposition well fauoured,
and very wittie.
The women are Goldsmithes and also Caruers, the men are warriers, and
light fellowes, and good maisters for any purpose: they goe better
apparelled than anye other _Indiäs_ yet séene. They weare for their
vtter garmët clokes like vnto Moriscos, but after an other sort. Al
the Countrey rounde aboute them is fruitefull and eareable grounde,
well watered, and so full of people, that there is no wast grounde, in
respect whereof, there are some poore, whiche begge from dore to dore.
The _Spanyardes_ hadde not seene any beggers in that Coütrey before
they came thither.
_Chololla_ is a Citie of most deuotion and Religion in all _India_, it
is called y^e Sanctuary or holy place among y^e _Indians_, and thither
they trauelled from many places farre distante on pilgrimage, and for
this cause there were so many temples.
Their Cathedrall Temple was the best and hyghest of all the new
_Spayne_, with a hundred and twenty steppes vppe vnto it.
The greatest Idoll of all their Gods was called _Quezalcouately_, God
of the ayre, who was (say they) the founder of their Citie, being a
Virgin of holy lyfe, and great penance. He instituted fasting and
drawing of bloud out of their eares and tongs, and lefte a precepte,
that they shoulde sacrifice but onely Quayles, Doues, and other foule.
He neuer ware but one garmente of Cotten, whyche was white, narrow, and
long, and vpon that a mantle besette with certayne redde crosses.
They haue certayne gréene stones whiche were hys, and those they kéepe
for relikes. One of them is lyke an Apes head. Héere they abode twentye
dayes, and in thys meane whyle there came so manye to buy and sell,
that it was a wonder to sée. And one of the things that was to bée
séene in those fayres, was the earthen vessell, which was excéeding
curious and fine.
The hill called Popocatepec.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account