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.
This place is wide and large, compassed round about with dores, and is
so great, that a hundered thousand persons come thither to choppe and
change, as a Cittie most principall in all that region. Wherefore the
resort is frö farre parties vnto that place. Euery occupatiö and kinde
of Marchädise hath his proper place appointed, which no other may by
any means occupy or disturbe. Likewise pesterous wares haue their place
accordinglye, (that is to say) stone, timber, lyme, bricke, and all
kinde of stuffe vnwrought, being necessarie to buylde withall. Also
mattes both fine and course of sundry workemanship, also coles, woodde,
and all sorts of Earthen vessell glazed and painted very curiously:
Deare skinnes both rawe and tanned in haire and without haire, of many
colours, for shoomakers, for bucklers, Targets, Ierkins, and lyning of
woodden Corselets: also skinnes of other beastes and foule in feathers
ready dressed of all sortes, the colours and straungnesse thereof was
a thing to behold. The richest Marchandise was salte, and mantels of
Cotten wolle of diuers colours, both great and small, some for beddes,
others for garments and clothing, other for Tapissarie to hang houses,
other cotten clothe for linnen breaches, shirtes, table clothes,
towels, napkins, and suche like things.
There were also Mantels made of the leaues of the trée called _Metl_,
and of Palme trée, & Connie heare, which are wel estéemed, being very
warm, but y^e couerlets made of feathers are the best: they sell
thréede made of Connie heare, péeces of linnen clothe made of cotten
wolle, also skaynes of thréede of all colours: also it is straunge to
sée the great store of poultrie that is brought to that market, and
although they eate the fleshe of the foule, yet the feathers serue
for clothing, mixyng one sorte with another. There are of these foule
so many sortes and seuerall colours, that I can not number them: some
wilde, some tame, some water foule, and other some of rapine. All the
brauery of the market, is the place where golde and feathers ioyntly
wrought is solde, for any thyng that is in request is there liuely
wrought in golde and feathers and gallant colours. The _Indians_ are
so expert and perfite in this science, that they will worke or make a
Butterflie, any wilde beaste, trées, roses, floures, hearbes, rootes
or any other thyng so liuely, that it is a thyng maruelous to behold.
It hapneth many tymes that one of these workemen in a whole day will
eate nothyng, onely to place one feather in his dew perfection, turnyng
and tossing the feather to the lighte of the Sunne, into the shade
or darke place, to sée where is his moste naturall perfection, and
till his worke be finished he will neyther eate nor drinke. There are
few nations of so muche fleame or sufferance. The Arte or Science of
Goldsmiths among them is the moste curious, and very good workemanship
engrauen with toles made of flinte, or in moulde. They will caste a
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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