Situation and Description of Tlascalla.
The Bishoprick of Tlascalla, formerly call’d Tlascalteca, Tlaxcala, and Tlascalan, is a Province of New Spain, which extendeth it self entirely from one Sea to another, viz. from the Atlantick to Mare del Zur, with which it is bounded on the East and West Parts, lying otherwise, and for the most part betwixt the Provinces of Mexicana, last spoken of, and that of Guaxata, which followeth, containing in length from one Sea to the other, not much less than an hundred Leagues, and in some places fourscore in breadth; but towards the South Sea growing much narrower. It is a Countrey exceedingly plentiful both in Corn and Cattel, full of rich Pasturage, and so plentifully stor’d with Maiz, Wheat, and other Grain, that it is accounted as it were the Granary of America; besides Deer, all manner of Venison, and great store of Fowl. There is likewise Copperess, Allom, Silver-Mynes, Manna, Anime, and Liquid Amber, with a sweet smelling Gum which drops out of a Tree. The Rivers feed no Fish, because they fall with exceeding force from the Mountains; onely near Topoyanco, is a deep Lake of fresh Water, inhabited round about by Indians, enjoying the pleasure and profit of the many Cumbeba-Trees, which yield Cochinele, producing yearly above two hundred thousand Duckets worth of that Commodity. In this Lake swim black Hedge-hogs, whose Flesh is good and wholsom to eat.
The ancient State of the Tlascallans.
The People of this Countrey, when the Spaniards came first amongst them, liv’d in the form of a Common-wealth, or Free-State, refusing to be subject to the King of Mexico, with whom they had almost continual War; and upon that account, as hath been said, assisted Cortesius in the Conquest of the Kingdom, without whose help ’tis most certain he had never been able to do any thing. They enjoy therefore many special Priviledges and Immunities more than other Americans do. They pay no Tribute, but onely a handful of Wheat yearly for every Person, by way of acknowledgment, otherwise living, under the Protection of the Spaniards, wholly in the Form of their ancient Government. In former times they were great Man-eaters, and not onely eat the Flesh of their Enemies, but also of one another, insomuch that Man’s-flesh hung in publick to be sold.
River Zahuatl.
The River Zahuatl, which rushes out of the Mountain Xicoleucalt, oftentimes overflows all the Countrey near it, and washes away divers Houses. Zahuatl signifies Scabby Water, because all those, especially Children, that wash in the same, are sure to be Scabby. On its Banks the Spaniards have built many Houses, the fashion whereof is now also imitated by the Indians of this Province, who formerly built quite after another manner; for they made low Houses of Earth, Wood and Stone, with large and strange Chambers; some a Stones-cast one from another, others close together, had narrow crooked Streets that ran betwixt them.
Tlascallans Language.
In this Province are two sorts of Languages spoken, viz. the Mexican, and that of the Ottomons, who formerly deserting Mexico, chose the Tlascallans for their Protectors: They are a toilsom and painful People.
To the Northward of Tlascalla are Mountains, which all the year long, except three Moneths, are cover’d with Mist; and the Woods on the tops of them are a great shelter to Lyons, Tygers, Wolves, and wild Dogs, call’d Adives, and other wild Beasts, which do much hurt to the small Cattel. Here are also many Serpents and Adders.
The whole Province is said to contain two hundred good Towns and Burroughs, and more than one thousand Villages, all of them exceedingly populous, and suppos’d to contain in the whole above a Million and half of Natives, besides Spaniards, who have some few Colonies in the Countrey for securing of it.