HENRY HAWKS 



A.D. 



1572. 



Vera Cruz, they cary them to Mexico, and to Pueblo 

 de los Angeles, Sacatecas, and Saint Martin, and divers 

 other places so farre within the countrey, that some of 

 them are 700 miles off, and some more, and some lesse, 

 all upon horses, mules, and in waines drawen with oxen, 

 and in carres drawen with mules. 



In this towne of Vera Cruz within these twenty yeres, 

 when women were brought to bed, the children new 

 borne incontinently died ; which is not so now in these 

 dayes, God be thanked. 



This towne is inclined to many kinde of diseases, by 

 reason of the great heat, and a certeine gnat or flie which 

 they call a musquito, which biteth both men and women Mmquito. 

 in their sleepe ; and assoone as they are bitten, incon- 

 tinently the flesh swelleth as though they had bene 

 bitten with some venimous worme. And this musquito 

 or gnat doth most follow such as are newly come into 

 the countrey. Many there are that die of this annoy- 

 ance. 



This towne is situated upon the river aforesayd, and 

 compassed with woods of divers maners and sorts, 

 and many fruits, as orenges and limons, guiaves, and 

 divers others, and birds in them, popinjayes both small Popinjays. 

 and great, and some of them as big as a raven, and 

 their tailes as long as the taile of a fezant. There are 

 also many other kinde of birds of purple colour, and 

 small munkeys, marvellous proper. 



This bote or sicke countrey continueth five and forty 

 miles towards the city of Mexico ; and the five and forty 

 miles being passed, then there is a temperate countrey, 

 and full of tillage : but they water all their corne with 

 rivers which they turne in upon it. And they gather 

 their Wheat twise a yere. And if they should not 

 water the ground where as their corne is sowen, the 

 country is so bote it would burne all. 



Before you come to Mexico, there is a great towne 

 called Tlaxcalla, which hath in it above 16000 house- 

 holds. All the inhabitants thereof are free by the kings 



379 



Monkey. 



Wheat twise 

 in a ye ere. 



Tlaxcalla a 

 free city. 



