New Spain, the chiefest part of the Northern America, reckons in length from the East-Point of Yucatan, to the place where Mechoacon juts against Guadalajara three hundred and sixty Leagues; and in breadth from the Northern parts of Panucos, to the Southern Ocean, a hundred and eighty Leagues; besides a great part which lies to the Northward, behind inaccessable Mountains and Wildernesses; inhabited by the Tepecuaenes, Guachucules, Cacatequas, Tecaxquines, and others; and was, before the Spaniards Conquer’d and Dismember’d it, much larger than now it is; for as much as it comprehended the whole Province of New-Gallicia, and reach’d from the furthest Point of the Peninsula of Jucatan Southward as far as New-Biscay, and the Confines of California Northward; containing in length seven hundred Leagues and more, and about half as much in breadth: But since the Conquest by Hernando Cortez and his Followers, the whole Countrey of New-Gallicia is taken from it, and made a distinct Government or Audiencia, as the Spaniards call it, of it self.
The Original.
The Natives of the Countrey are of the Race of the Chichimecæ, a Salvage and Wilde sort of People, of the Province of New-Gallicia, especially in the Parts of New-Biscay, living in Forests and in deep Caves under Ground; whose Posterity do still at this day much trouble and annoy the Countrey thereabouts; notwithstanding all the endeavors of the Spaniards, and the Garrisons which they keep in those parts on purpose to destroy them. About five hundred years ago, or more, according to the account of the Mexican Annals, divers Hoards, as they are call’d, of these Chichimecæ, weary, it seems, of their Woods and subterraneous dwellings, issu’d out into the more open Air, and fell down in huge multitudes into these Southerly parts of America, which are now call’d Mexico and New-Spain; not all at once, but at several times, and under several names, viz. of the Suchimilci, Chalcæ, Tepanecæ, Tlascaltecæ, and others, who subduing or driving out the People they found in those parts, Seated themselves in their room: And though at first every Nation or Company of them, as they came, seiz’d upon some Province apart by themselves, and held it, as it were, in Soveraignty to themselves, without acknowledgement of any dependance or subjection to their Neighbors, or those that were there before them; yet in Tract of time, and by fortune of the Wars, which they made one upon another, they fell under the Government of one King, viz. the King of Mexico, which was the chief City of the Province.
The state of the Mexican Kingdom before the Spaniards arrival.
This Kingdom, at the time that the Spaniards first Discover’d the Countrey, was Govern’d by a Prince, nam’d Motezuma; one, who by his Valor and good success in the Wars, had in a few years of his Reign, before the Spaniards came thither, subdu’d the better part of a hundred Cities and great Towns to his Dominion; and held in actual submission to his Government, and Tributary to him, no less than thirty several Casiques or petty Princes; every one of which paid him Tribute, and were able upon occasion to bring into the Field an hundred thousand Men: He is said to have been, for his Person, a wise and good Prince, just, affable, and tender of his Subjects good: but by reason of some heavy exactions, which his own power, and the Practise of his Ancestors before him, gave him the confidence to Impose upon the Conquer’d People, a great part of his Subjects liv’d but unwillingly under his Obedience, and rather by constraint than otherwise: being also further exasperated against him by one barbarous Custom, which the Mexicans frequently us’d, viz. the Sacrificing of Men. Their manner was, whensoever they had any solemn occasion of doing Honor to their Devil-god Vitzilopuchtli, as they call him, to send out an Army of Men from Mexico, into some of the subdu’d Provinces, (in case they had no Enemies nearer Hand) and to fetch in as many Men as they thought good, to be Sacrific’d; whose flesh likewise afterwards they did eat in a solemn Banquet. This being a business of their Satanical Religion, and Motezuma a Prince extremely Superstitious and Devoted to the Service of his gods, it is said, that he Sacrific’d commonly, one year with another, twenty thousand Men, and some years, upon extraordinary occasions, not less than fifty thousand: So great and grievous a Tyranny, by the just Judgement and Permission of Almighty God, for their great and unnatural sins, did the Enemy of Mankind exercise upon them. He was likewise much given to Women, but it was onely to such as were counted his Wives; of which he is said to have had no less than a hundred and fifty with Child by him at one time.
The bounds of the Mexican Kingdom.
Riches of Mexico.
The Bounds of this Kingdom at present are thus; on the East it hath a large Arm of the Sea, which they call The Bay of New-Spain, or The Gulf of Mexico; On the West, it hath some parts of New-Gallicia, and Mare del Zur; on the North, the rest of New-Gallicia, and part of Florida; and on the South, Mare del Zur again, and part of Guatimala. It extendeth it self in length from Jucatan South-East, to the Borders of New Gallicia Northward, above eight hundred Italian Miles, and in breadth, from Panuco to the South Sea, about half so much. It lieth wholly under the Torrid Zone: nor is it a Countrey generally so mountainous or high seated, as some others of America are but for the most part level or low; yet is it so fann’d, (for three parts at least of four, by the cooling Blasts of the Sea, and the Heats otherwise so moderated with frequent Rains, which it hath constantly three Moneths in the Year, viz. June, July, and August) that the Air is rendred thereby exceeding temperate, and the Climate not unhealthful, especially to temperate Bodies, and such as are never so little us’d to it. A goodly Countrey it is, of inexhaustible Wealth and Riches, whether we regard the Mynes of Gold, Silver, Brass, Iron, &c. of all which it hath many, and very good; or the Fruits of the Earth, abundance of Cattel, plenty of Corn and Grain, of which they have two Harvests; or any other Commodities and Endowments of Nature, which serve for the enriching of the World. Amongst other things, it affords Cassia, the Fruit whereof is a thing well known, and much commended by the Apothecaries for its use in Physick, especially in Purgations, and removing of all Obstructions of Phlegm, Choler, &c. Such store of Balm, Amber, all sorts of Gums and precious Liquors, as no Countrey in the World is better furnish’d with excellent Perfumes and Physick, than the Kingdom of New Spain.
Tunas-Tree.