Ingenuity of the Natives.
The Natives, since the Spaniards coming thither, have gotten their Habits and Language, learn’d all sorts of Trades; their Tables, Chests, and Cupboards made of Brasile-Wood, are no way inferior to the best that are made in Europe. Painting is also in great esteem amongst them: They make handsom Clothes, Shooes, and strange Copper Locks. They have a peculiar Art in Tilling their Ground: They teach the Spanish Dogs several tricks, but not feeding them well, they cause them to run from them, and turn wilde, whence they are call’d Cimarrones, because they do much hurt to the Cattel.
The Inhabitants, when a Feaver or Ague is upon them at the highest, leap into cold Water: against other Sicknesses they use Herbs, whose soveraign Power Experience hath long since taught them.
Since the Spaniards made Mechoacan a Bishoprick, they have built ninety four Schools, fifty Churches, several Hospitals and Cloysters, inhabited by Franciscan and Augustin Monks.
There are said to be in this Bishoprick a hundred and fifty Towns or Burroughs (besides many scatter’d Villages) most of which have Free-Schools erected in them, for the Training up of Youth in the Christian Religion, good Literature and Arts; and few of them without an Hospital for the Sick: of which Towns the principal are as followeth:
Principal Towns.
1. Zinzoutza, the Seat of the ancient Kings of Mechoacan. 2. Pascuar, a City forty seven Leagues distant from Mexico, once a Bishop’s See. 3. Valladolid, the Metropolis or chief City of the Province, since the Episcopal Chair was remov’d from Pascuar thither. It lieth upon a great Lake, equal almost for bigness to that of Mexico, and is about seven Leagues distant from Pascuar, towards the East. 4. St. Michaels, a good Town, forty Leagues Westward of Mexico, and in the Way to the Zacatecas, but lying in a Road that is somewhat dangerous, being not a little infested with Salvages on both sides of it. 5. St. Philips. 6. La Conception de Salaya, seventeen Leagues distant from Valladolid, and a convenient Stage for Travellers, being indeed, with the two last mention’d, built chiefly for the defence and securing of the Countrey against the Salvages. 7. Guaxanata, a Town on the Borders of Panuco, where there are very rich Mynes of Silver. 8. Leon, another Town likewise of very rich Mynes, twenty four Leagues distant from Valladolid, and threescore from Mexico. 9. Zamorra. 10. Villa de los Lagos, and others.
Towards the Sea there is 1. Acatlan, but two Miles distant from the Sea-Coast, and a small Town, yet by reason of a safe and very good Harbor which it hath for Shipping, a Place of no little Trading. 2. Natividad, another well known and convenient Haven upon Mare del Zur, pertaining to this Province, and from whence they usually set Sail for the Philippine Islands. 3. St. Jago de buena Speranza, so call’d by the Spaniards, perhaps from the abundance of good Pearls they found upon this Coast. 4. Colyma. 5. Zacatula, and some others.
This Province, as we said, was at first a distinct Kingdom of it self, yet subordinate and Tributary to that of Mexico; the King whereof nam’d Tamgaiva, or Bimbicha, (as Laet reporteth) at the first coming of the Spaniards thither, after the Conquest of Mexico, voluntarily submitted himself to them, and was Baptiz’d. Nevertheless afterwards, upon a pretence of I know not what Treason intended by him against them, and which the Spanish Writers themselves professedly think to have been feigned, by command of Nunnez de Gusman, President of the Chancery of Mexico, he was most inhumanely burnt alive, and his Kingdom seiz’d upon by the Spaniards.