Book IV 



Of the District of the Circuit Court of New Galicia, [in Which 

 Is Presented a Description of Its Provinces, with Those of New 

 Mexico ; the Territories, Their Characteristics and Climates, the 

 Costumes and Customs of the Indians, the Silver-mining Towns and 

 Smelters, the Cities and Towns with Spanish Settlers in This Area, 

 the Official Appointments Made by His Majesty, the Viceroy, the 

 President and Governors, with Many Other Things Worthy of 

 Mention.] 



Chapter I 



Of the City of Guadalajara, Capital of the Kingdom of New 

 Galicia, and of Other Features of Its District. 



519. The city of Guadalajara, capital and court city of the Kingdom 

 of New Galicia, lies 90 leagues NW. of Mexico City, at 20°2o'. It 

 was founded by Nuiio de Guzman, [a noble knight], native of 

 Guadalajara in Spain, in the year 1531, on a pleasant plain with 

 fertile meadows and fields beside a river which irrigates and fertilizes 

 its banks ; and he gave it the name of his native town. Three leagues 

 away is the [large] Rio [called] Grande, which is rich in [delicious] 

 fish. 



520. This city has a marvelous climate, hot rather than cold, with 

 bright skies and bracing, healthful air. It will contain 600 Spanish 

 residents, not counting many of the servant class and Negro and 

 mulatto slaves ; there are many native villages in the neighborhood. 

 It is abundantly supplied with wheat, corn, and other cereals of 

 excellent quality and cheap ; there are in its district many cattle, 

 sheep, hog, mule, and horse ranches, and plenty of fish in its rivers ; 

 many kinds of native and Spanish fruit ; and sugar mills, with whose 

 product they make delicious preserves ; and it has everything else 

 necessary for human life. 



521. This city is the seat of the Circuit Court for the Kingdoms 

 of New Galicia and New Vizcaya ; this has a President, four Asso- 

 ciate Judges, and an Attorney with all the other dignitaries and 

 officials necessary. It has very wide jurisdiction — to the N. about 

 500 leagues up to New Mexico — over many extensive provinces of 

 Indians and more than 150 Spanish settlements, mainly silver-mining 

 towns, in which the President of this Court appoints to 90 judicial 



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