THE NAVATLACAS. 4-)\ 



Cliicliimecas and Otomies, which were the first inhabitants 

 of New Spaine, for that they did neyther till nor so\vo the 

 land, they left the best and most fertile of the country 

 vnpeopled, which Nations that came from farre did possess, 

 whome they called Navatlacas, for that it was a more civill 

 and pollitiko Nation ; this word signifies a people that 

 speakes well, in respect of other barbarous nations without 

 reason. These second pcoplers, Navatlacas, came from other 

 farre countries, which lie toward tho north, where now they 

 have discovered a kingdome they call New Mexico. 



There are two provinces in this countrey, tho one called 

 Aztlan, which is to say a place of Herons: the other 

 Tuculhuacan, which signifies a land of such, whose grand 

 fathers were divine. Tho Inhabitants of these provinces 

 havo their houses, their lands tilled, gods, customes, and 

 ceremonies, with like order and governement to tho Navat 

 lacas, and are divided into seven Tribes or Nations : and 

 for that they have a custome in this province, that every 

 one of these lineages hath his place and private territory. 

 Tho Navatlacas paint their beginning and first territory in 

 figure of a cave, and say that they came forth of seven 

 caves to come and people the land of Mexico, whereof thoy 

 make mention in their Historic, where they paint seven 

 caves and men comming forth of them. By the computa 

 tion of their bookes, it is above eight hundred yeeres since 

 these Navatlacas came foorth of their country, reducing 

 which to our accompt, was about the yeere of our Lord 720, 

 when they left their country to come to Mexico, they stayed 

 fouro score years vpon tho way ; and the cause of this their ^ 

 long stay in their voyage, was, that their gods (which with 

 out doubt were divells, and spake visibly vnto them) had 

 perswaded them to seeke new lands that had certaine signes. 

 And therefore they came discovering the whole land, to 

 search for these tokens which their Idolls had given them ; 

 and in places where they found any good dwellings, they 



C 4LIFO 



