For fuch as would be curioufly informed of thcm,have 

 found many things worthy of consideration . One of 

 our company of lefuites, a man very witty and wel ex 

 perienced, did affemble in the province of Mexico > the 

 Antients oiTcfcuco, ofTaf/a, and of Jtfm^conferring 

 at large with them , who fhcwed vnto him their books 3 

 hiftorics and kalenders, things very woorthy the fighr, 

 bicaufe they had their figures and hierogliphicks,wher- 

 by they reprcfented things in this mancr : Such as had 

 forme or figure, were reprefentcd by their proper him- 

 gcs, and fuch as had not any, were reprefented by cha* 

 raders that fignified them, and by this meanes they fi r 

 gured and writ what they would . And to obferve the 

 time when any thing did happen, they had thofe pain 

 ted wheeles, for every one of them contained an age, 

 which was two and fifty yeares, as hath beene (aid and 

 of the fide of thofe wheeles,they did paint with figures 

 and. characters righ t again ft they eare, the memorable 

 things that happened therein. As they noted the yeare 

 whenas the Spaniards entred their Countrey , they 

 painted a man with a hatte and a red ierkin , vpon the 

 Cgnc of the reede v which did rule thcn,and fo of other 

 accidents . But for that their writings and characters 

 were not fufficient as our letters and writings be , they 

 could not fo plainly exprefle the words, but onely the 

 fubflanccof their conceptions. And forafmuch as they 

 were accuftomed to rehcrfe Difcourfes and Dialogues 

 by heart, compounded by their Oratours and auntienr 

 Rhethoritians, and many Chapas made by their Poets 

 (which were impoflible to learne by their Hicrogli- 

 phickes and Charaders) the Mexicaines were very cu 

 rious to have their children learne thofe dialogues and 

 compositions by heart. For the which caufe they had 



Schoolcs, 



