Book V 



Of the District of the Circuit Court of Guatemala. 



[In which a description is given of all its provinces with their 

 characteristics and the fruits grown there and in particular] An 

 account is given of cacao and indigo and how they are prepared ; 

 of balsam and other medicinal drugs ; and of the active volcanoes 

 [to be found there ; the cities and towns with Spanish residents ; the 

 Governorships and Alcaldias Mayores filled by His Majesty in con- 

 sultation with the Supreme Council of the Indies ; the Corregidores 

 appointed by the President of the Circuit Court ; the ecclesiastical 

 posts, and the other remarkable features of this country.] 



569. Capt. Pedro de Solorzano had come over to New Spain in 

 the year 1518 with Pamphilo de Narvaez when he opposed Fernando 

 Cortes ; and after his commanding officer had been defeated by the 

 valor and good fortune of Fernando Cortes, and the victor had 

 shown them courteous treatment, he followed Cortes and helped 

 him capture the city of Mexico, taking part in all the attacks. After 

 the conquest, his general sent him out to subdue Guatemala and 

 Chiapas ; in this task he proved himself a valiant and energetic 

 officer on every possible occasion. Having helped to conquer Guate- 

 mala and its provinces and those of Honduras, he came back from 

 there to those of Chiapas ; in conjunction with Captain Mazariegos, 

 he subdued and settled them, and was assigned their Indian allot- 

 ments. This gentleman had children, and among them Capt. Melchior 

 de Solorzano, whose son is Don Frutos de Solorzano. 



Chapter I 



Of the Royal City of Chiapa and the District of Its Diocese. 



570. The Province of Chiapas was subdued and pacified by Cap- 

 tains Diego de Mazariegos and Pedro de Solorzano in the year 1524: 

 they had been sent down by Fernando Cortes, Marques del Valle. 

 They had had some battles with the Chapanecas Indians, whose 

 subjugation was a terrible task, for they had withdrawn to a strong- 

 hold on a cliff where they held out a long time ; but they could not 

 withstand the valor of our Spaniards, and many threw themselves 

 down from the height. On this occasion Don Pedro Portocarrero 

 arrived on the same errand, having come from Guatemala under 

 orders from Commander Don Pedro de Alvarado ; but when he 



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