New Spain

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

NEW Spaine is the greatest Province of America, being more inhabited, more populous, and more pleasant than the rest. It is a great tract of Land reaching from Tavascus or the River Grialvus Westward, to the Land of Saint Michael, and the Culiacans Country. On the North it is bounderd with new Granada, and other Countries of the Kingdome of new Mexico. The South shoare is washed with the Pacif{que} Sea. It lyeth betweene the Aequinoctiall Linē and the Tropick of Cancer, so that there is little difference betweene the length of the dayes and nights, and it is almost alwaies Spring. In the moneths of June, July, August, and September, the daily raine, and the gentle breeses of winde that come from the Sea, doe temper and mittigate the heate of the day, which is the true reason, why it is convenient living under the Summer Tropick, contrary to the opinion of ancient Philosophers. Therefore it hath a temperate ayre, although it lye under the Torrid Zone. This Country hath abundance of rich Mines of Gold, Silver, Iron, and Brasse: it hath also Cassia, and a certaine kind of fruit, which the Inhabitants call Cacao which is like Almonds, of which they make a drinke which is very much desired. It hath abundance of Cotton, and all other kindes of fruits which we have in Europe: as Wheate, Barley, and all kinde of Pulse, also Sallets, Lettice, Colworts, Cabbages, Radishes, Onions, Leekes, wilde Alexander, Rape Rootes, Parsnips, and Carrets, Turnips, Beete, Spinnage, Pease, Beanes, Lentills, and the like. There are also great store of Oranges, Lemmons, Citrons, Pomegranats. Here are also Apples and Peares, but not very bigge, Prunes are rare, but there are abundance of Figs. But there are great store of Cotton, Apples, but Cherries doe not yet thrive there. There are Vines also that beare Grapes, but no Wine is made of them. Moreover it hath Oyle, Sugar, and Mulberries. And it hath many other fruits which are unknowne to us: especially a kinde of Graine call'd Maiz, which is like Pepper, of which they make Bread. It yeeldeth also divers living Creatures, as Sheep, Kine, Goates, Hogges, Horses, Asses, Dogs, Cats, and other Beasts, all which are found in the West-Indies: Also Lions, Beares, Tigers, Boares, Foxes, and other wilde Beasts: also Harts, Hares, and Connies. Besides these there is a kinde of Beast called Sainos, which is like a little Hogge•, which have their Navells on the top of their back. There are great store of them in the Woods, and also of other Beasts, which for brevity sake I omit. There is also great variety of Fowle, as Geese, Ducks, Starlings, and Hens which are bigger than ours, and divers other. The Spaniards first tooke possession of this Country, under the conduct of their Captaine Ferdinando Cortes, with a great losse and slaughter of their own men, and of the Inhabitants, in consideration whereof, the Emperour Charles the fifth gave them New Spaine is situate by Mare del Nort, or the Northerne Sea. The Spaniards have here two Colonies, namely Panuca, and S. Iames of the Valleyes Colonie. Lastly, there is in new Spaine the Citty Tlascalan, which is second to Mexico, which is very populous and rich, and hath a fruitfull soyle round about it, it is governd like a Common-wealth, but it is under the possession of the King of Spaine. There are in new Spaine many Lakes, which are for the most part so salt, that Salt is made out of them. The chiefe Lake is that, which in regard of the bignesse thereof is call'd the Chapalican Sea. There is also the Lake of the Citty Mexico. There are also many Rivers in it full of Fish, some of which have golden Sands. There are also Crocodiles in them which the Inhabitants doe eate. The Country also is full of Mountaines and rugged Rocks. In the Province of Mexico there is a flaming Mountaine, which the Inhabitants call Popocampeche. There is also a Mountaine in the Country Guastecan, in which there are two Fountaines, the one of black Pitch, the other of hot red Pitch. Moreover this Country is full of Woods, and generally it hath great store of Trees, especially of that Tree of which they make Boates or Canoas of one bough. It hath also Cedars which are so tall and thicke, that they cut square timber out of them, which is 120. foote long, and 12. broad, and such great store of it, that you may say that Ceders doe grow as commonly on their Mountaines, as Oakes doe on ours. I come to the publike workes. There were in these parts of the Indies many faire and magnificent Temples consecrated to Idols, and ordained for the worship of the Divell, which the Spaniards heretofore called Cu. First there was in the Citty Mexico the famous Temple Vitziliputzli, being very large within. But the care which the Mexicans shew in educating and bringing up their children is very strange, for they know assuredly that there is nothing, which availeth more to the right ordering of publike or private matters, than the instruction of children. The Indians are cunning Artificers in Mechanick Arts, especially in weaving of divers sorts of Birds feathers, and Beasts skins: and they are so painefull and laborious, that oftentimes they doe not eate in a whole day, untill they have coyned and neately filled some one feather, and then they view it on every side, both in the Sunne and in the shade, that they may see whether it will become them to weare it with their haire standing on end, or lying on either side. So that they will presently make any kinde of Beast, or Flower, or Hearbe, and set it forth to the life. The Goldsmiths are the chiefe Artificers, and are more cunning than the rest, so that they will expresse a thing to the life: and they are excellent casters of mettall, so that they will cast either any Hearbe or the smallest thing so lively, that you shall thinke it to be naturall. The Citty of Mexico hath the best government and policy of all new Spaine. For it being the Metropolis of the whole Empire, divers Nations of the same Country did flock thither to trade and traffique, so that severall Nations kept their severall places, and every 5. dayes they kept markets, which were well furnished with all commodities. So that severall Manufactures and kindes of Merchandise, had a severall place appointed them, which none could forestall or take up, which was a great point of Policy. Neither as Zenophon witnesseth in his Oeconomicks, can any Citty or House bee governd more conveniently, then by assigning every thing a certaine place which the Indians did observe.

1695. A New Body of Geography by A. Sewall & T. Child.

MEXICO, or NEW SPAIN: Mexicanum, Regnum.

This Country bears the name of the chief City of it, and hath been called New Spain only since the Spaniards settl'd there. It lyes between the Mexican-Sea and the South-Sea, called commonly Mare Del Zur. The extent of it from South-west to Northwest, is about 600 Leagues from the River Chiagrini the Isthmus of Panama, to the Mouth of the River North, or S. Francis in the Sea of Vermio, between the 7th. Degree 30 Minutes, and 33 of Northern Latitude, and between the 254 and 293 of Longitude: The breadth of it is very irregular, and comes nothing near the length of it. It is bounded on the Nor•h with New Mexico, Florida, and the Gulph of Mexico: on th• West and South by the South-Sea, on the East with the Sea of Mexico and the Streight of Panama, which parts it from the Continent. The Air is very temperate and sound, the Soil is very fruitful in Wheat, Maze, Pastures, excellent Fruits, tame Beasts, as Cows, Horses, and Sheep, which bring forth Lambs twice a Year. They have an admirable Tree, called Maquey, or Mayguey, which yields them Wine, Vinegar, Hony, Thread, Needles, S•uffs, and Wood for Building: They have also Cotton, Wool, Silk, Furs, Balm, Sugar, Salt, Coco-nuts, which is kind of Almond, used to make Chocolet of; also fine Horses, whose Breed was brought out of Spain, and such an abundance of Beasts, that they are forced to kill them for their Skins only. Birds of several sorts are very plentiful among them. There is a Bird called Cincon, which is no bigger than a Beetle, which hath a wonderful sort of Feathers, and lives upon the Dew and the smell of Flowers, it gets into the hollow of a Tree, and sleeps there to the Month of April. Gold and Silver are common in abundance of Mines, and in the bottoms of the Rivers.

The Inhabitants are Civil, Teachable and Courteous to S•rangers, very sincere and good Friends, but will not Pardon those that deceive them or use them ill: They are a little Lazy, but very Disinterested: They have a very great inclination to Musick, Painting and making Pictures with the Feathers of certain little Birds call'd Cincons. They make excellent Works in Gold and Silver, where the Gold is so excellently set upon the Silver, and the Silver upon the Gold, that nothing can be more ingeniously and artificially done.

The Spaniards that Inhabit this Province are very proud in their Habit and Ornaments. Diamonds and Pearls are common to them all. They use continually Chocolat.

As to the Governm•nt, this rich Country was anciently Govern'd by Kings of their own, who were able to send out 30 or 4•0000 lighting Men. The last Kings were Motecuma II. and Quicurtemoc. Ferdinand Cortez Conquer'd this Kingdom in the name of the King of Spain, in less than four years, notwithstanding their great Armies, viz. From 1518, to 1521. Their Oracles had foretold this Conquest of their Country, sometime before telling them that a Strange Nation should Conquer their Country, which accordingly came to pass at this time. This Kingdom is still under the Government of the Spaniard, who hath his Vice-Roy in the City of Mexico, who presides over all the rest of the Governments of those Provinces which his Catholick Majesty possesses in Northern America.

The Chatholick Religion is professed throughout all this Kingdom almost, the Natives themselves in appearance conforming to it. Notwithstanding it is true, that Thomas Gage a Dominican reports, that most of the Spanish Priests are abominable Hypocrites and extreamly Covetous: And as a demonstration of their want of Charity, we may take notice of two sorts of Religious Persons of the same Order and in the same House, the natural Spaniards which are sent from Spain from time to time in the quality of Missionaries to fill the Benefices and strengthen the Spanish Faction, and the Circles or religious Persons descended of the Spanish Race, which seldom come to any Preferment or are trusted with any Office, because the former keep them under, and give them nothing but the most inconsiderable Employments, because they think that they will make the Natives revolt from the Spanish Government, which their Tyranny renders so odious.

The Mexicans divided their Country heretofore into 1. The Hot. 2. The cold Countries, according to their dwellings either in the Mountains or Plains: But now Mexico is divided into 3 principal Praefectures or Audiences. 1. Mexico Propria in the middle of the Country, which contains 7 small Provinces. 2. Of Guadalajara, which also contains 7 small Provinces. And 3 of Guitimala, which contains 8 small Provinces, which are set down more distinctly in the following Table, with the chief Cities.

Mexico divided into 3 Audiences or Parliaments, and into 22 Provinces Geographically.

• 1. The Audience of Guadalajara, in 7 Provinces.
  • 1. Guadalajara, or New Gallicea,
    • ...Guadalajara.
  • 2. Zacatecai,
    • ...S. Lewis.
  • 3. Nuova-biscaya.
  • 4. Cinaloa,
    • ...S. Philip, S. Jago.
  • 5. Culiacan,
    • ...Culiacan.
  • 6. Chiametlan,
    • ...S. Sebastian.
  • 7. Kalisco,
    • ...The Purification.
• 2. The Audience of Mexico in 7 Provinces.
  • 8. Mexico Propria,
    • ...Mexico.
  • 9. Mechoacan,
    • ...Mechoacan.
  • 10. Panuco,
    • ...Panuco.
  • 11. Tlascala,
    • ...Angelos.
  • 12. Guaxaca,
    • ...Antequern.
  • 13. Tabasco,
    • ...N. S. Delavitaria.
  • 14. Jucatan,
    • ...Merida.
• 3. The Audience of Guatimala in 8 Provinces.
  • 15. Guatimala,
    • ...S. John of Guatimala.
  • 16. Soconusco,
    • Gnevetlan. So much of Virginia, Florida and New Mexico, as bel•ng to the Spaniard.
  • 17. Chiapa,
    • ...Cindadreale.
  • 18. Honduras,
    • ...Vallodolid,
  • 19. Verapaz,
    • ...Verapaz.
  • 20. Nicaragua,
    • ...Leon.
  • 21. Costa-rica,
    • ...Carthago.
  • 22. Veragua,
    • ...The Conception.

• Mountains,
  • ...Vulcano.
    • ...Papacate-Pec.
  • ...Mount Quantimala.
  • ...Mount Nicaraqua.
• Rivers,
  • ...York.
    • ...Salt.
      • ...S. Paul.
        • ...S. Peter.
  • ...Panino.
    • ...Los Yopes.
• Lakes of
  • ...Mexico.
  • ...Nicaragna.

This Countty enjoys a perpetual Spring, not only because of the goodness of the Air and fruitfulness of the Soil, but because 'tis in the Torrid Zone, which gives the name of Mexicana to all the Northern America. They are not at so much pains to get at their Gold in the Mines, as in Peru, and the Silver they find is accounted the best in the World. The Magpies at Guadalajara are not bigger than Sparrows, who make a great distruction of their Grains, and the Bees have no sting. The City of Mexico hath more than 4000 Spaniards, and about 30000 Indians. It stands by a Salt Lake about 25 or 30 leagues in compass. Chussala, before the arrival of the Spaniards had 20000 Inhabitants, and 365 Temples, in which they sacrificed every year 5 or 6000 of their Children to their Idols. Queretario hath a Fountain that runs 4 years together, and then ceases for 4 years more. Arapulco is an admirable Bay, with a Fort of 5 Bastions. Near Tabasco, Ferdinando Cortez obtain'd a great Victory over Motekuma II. the last King of Mexico, with the loss of 300000 Mexicans. Micaragua is call'd the Paradise of Mahomet, because of its fruitfulness and plenty of Gold; near it is a Lake 120 leagues in length, which ebbs and flows and empties it self into the North Sea.