In this by-Corner are found also some Alavards, or Longobards, or Lombards, as they say. Now the Spaniards call that New Mexico because last discover’d, though indeed the old, cramm’d with People eight hundred years since: for the Mexicans of New Mexico do not lie so far Northerly, as to the North-west: for this Mexico lies in sight of California, which is believ’d to border on Tartary, or at least separated from it by a narrow Channel. But Norumbega (if ever such a Place was) must, according to the West-Indian Records, have been situate where a part of New France lies, now planted by the English: between which and New Mexico lies an almost unmeasurable vast Tract of Land. Mean while here is not the least sign of this City Norumbega to be found: neither do the Inhabitants dwell in Cities, but live in Tents, or moveable Villages, which change their Names as oft as their Governors. Moreover, the Norwegians could not get to this Norumbega by Land through Ysland and Groenland to Estotiland, because of the vast Bays, and great Midland-Sea, discover’d by the English in their North-western Discoveries; so that leaving Estotiland, it was altogether impossible for them to come to Norumbega.
Chichimecen.
Hereto may be added what the Mexicans say of themselves, who acknowledge, That travelling from the North, they did not find an un-inhabited Countrey before them, but were forc’d to make their Way by a long and bloody War with the Chichimecen, a salvage People, that knew neither Laws or Religion.
The People also dwelling opposite to California, differ from the Customs of the Mexicans, being divided into several People of contrary Constitutions, and as different Languages.
Customs and Constitutions of the Mexicans.
Grotius scrues up his Arguments from the likeness of the American Speech and Customs with the Norwegian: for (says he) there is little difference between Pagod and by-God, or like God; Guaira and Waeijer, that is, A Fan; Ilama and Lam, in English, Lamb; Peko and Beke, a Brook or Rivulet. Both Customs and Constitutions have also great resemblance. The Mexicans relate, that their Predecessors onely follow’d Hunting; that they divided and reckon’d the Time, not by Days, but by Nights, and wash’d their Children as soon as they were born in cold Water.
They are so much inclin’d to Gaming, that they venture their Liberty at it. Every one is satisfi’d with one Wife, except some of the Nobility, which oftentimes have more. They throw up high Banks in several places to damm out the Sea; believe the Immortality of the Soul; every one eats at a peculiar Table; most of them go naked, onely cover their Pudenda with a Cloth; some Sacrifice and eat Mans-flesh: all which, according to Tacitus, Pliny, Lucan, and other Roman Writers, was observ’d by the antient Germans; from whom those that inhabit between the Norwegian Mountains were extracted.
These Allegations, to make the Norwegians to be the Parents of the Northern Americans, John de Laet thus contradicts: “It no ways follows that one People take original from the other, because here and there are several words found, that have the same signification and found in divers Countreys; much less when they must either add, change, or diminish several Letters. Moreover, there is no small mistake in the compar’d words: for Pagod is not us’d all over America; the East-Indians about the River Indus, call their Idol-Temples Pagod, or Pagode, the word Guaira is no where us’d in America, but by the Peruvians, and with them not signifying a Fan, but a little Oven; neither is Ilama a Lamb, (for before the coming of the Spaniards thither, neither Sheep nor Lambs were ever seen in Peru) but a Wool-bearing Beast, thus describ’d by Joseph de Acosta:
A description of the strange Beast Ilama in Peru.