Hiflorie of the Indies Jib.tf. 



Ofthcfdfbion of Utters and writings which the Mex- 



CHAP. 7, 



WEfinde amongeft the Nations of New Spainc 

 a great knowledge and memorie of antiquitic- 

 and therefore fearching by what meancs the Indians 

 had prcfervcd their Hiftorics , and fo many particulari 

 ties,! learned, that although they were not fb fubtill 

 and curious as the Chinois,and thofe oflapp^yct had 

 they fomekindeof letters and bookes amongeft them, 

 whereby they prefcrved (after their manner) the deeds 

 of their predeccffbrs.In the province of Tu-Utw, where 

 the Bifhoprickc is , which they call de Honduras , there 

 were bookes of the leaves of trees, folded and fquared, 

 after their manner, in the which the wife Indians con 

 tained the distribution of their times , the knowledge 

 of the planets, of beafls and other naturall things 3 with 

 their antiquities, a thing full of great curiofitie and dili- 

 gence.lt feemed to fomc Pedant that all this was an in- 

 chantment & magicke arte,who did obflinately main* 

 tainc,that they ought to be burnt/oas they were com 

 mitted to the fire. Which fince, not oncly the Indians 

 found to be ill done , but alfo the curious Spaniards, 

 who defired to know the fccrets of thecountrey . The 

 like hath happened in other things : for our men thin 

 king that all was but fuperftition , have loft many me- 

 rporialls of ancient and holy things, which might have 

 profited much. This proceedeth of a foolifh and igno 

 rant zeale, who not knowing, nor feeking to knowc 

 what concerned the Indians , fay preiudicately , that 

 they are all but witchcrafts, and that all the Indians arc 

 but drunkards , incapable to know or karne any thing. 



For 



