ROBERT TOMSON a.d. 



1558. 



at the one ende of the street, may see at the least a 

 good mile forward, and in all the one part of the streets 

 of the North part of their Citie, there runneth a pretie 

 lake of very cleare water, that every man may put into 

 his house as much as he will, without the cost of any 

 thing, but of the letting in. Also there is a great cave 

 or ditch of water, that commeth through the Citie, even 

 unto the high place, where come every morning at the 

 break of the day twentie or thirtie Canoas, or troughes 

 of the Indians, which bring in them all maner of pro- 

 vision for the citie, which is made, and groweth in 

 the Countrey, which is a very good commoditie for 

 the inhabitants of that place. And as for victuals in 

 the said Citie, of beefe, mutton, and hennes, capons, 

 quailes, Guiny-cockes, and such like, all are very good 

 cheape : To say, the whole quarter of an oxe, as much 

 as a slave can carry away from the Butchers, for five 

 Tomynes, that is, five Royals of plate, which is just two 

 shillings and sixe pence, and a fat sheepe at the Butchers 

 for three Royals, which is 18. pence and no more. Bread 

 is as good cheape as in Spaine, and all other kinde of 

 fruites, as apples, peares, pomegranats, and quinces, at 

 a reasonable rate. The Citie goeth wonderfully forwards 

 in building of Frieries and Nunneries, and Chappels, 

 and is like in time to come, to be the most populous 

 Citie in the world, as it may be supposed. The weather 

 is there alwayes very temperate, the day differeth but one 

 houre of length all the yere long. The fields and the 

 woods are alwayes greene. The woods full of popinjayes, 

 and many other kinde of birdes, that make such an har- 

 monie of singing, and crying, that any man will rejoyce 

 to heare it. In the fields are such odoriferous smels of 

 flowers and hearbs, that it giveth great content to the 

 senses. About the Citie of Mexico two, three, or foure 

 leagues off, are divers townes of Indians, some of 4000. 

 or 6000. housholds, which doe stand in such a goodly 

 soyle, that if Christians had the inhabitation thereof, it 

 would be put to a further benefite. In my time were 



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