Hi/tone of the Indies, lib. ^ 



Schoolcs, and as it were, Colledgcs or Seminaries 

 where the Auncients taught children thefe Orations, 

 and many other things, which they prefervedamongft 

 them by tradition from one to another, as perfeftly, as 

 if they had beene written; efpecially the- oioft famous 

 Nations had a care to have their children (which had 

 any inclination to be Rhctoritians, and to pradife the 

 office of Orators) to learne thefe Orations by heart: So 

 as when the Spaniardes came into their Country, and 

 had taught them readeand write our letters, many of 

 the Indians then wrote thefe Orations^, as fbme grave 

 men doe witncs that had read them . Which I fay, for 

 that fome which (hall happly reade thefe long and elo 

 quent difcourfesiiUhe Mcxicaine Hiftorie, willeafilic 

 belceve they havebccne invented by the Spaniardes, 

 and not really taken and reported from the Indians.Buc 

 having knownc the ccrtainc trueth, they will give cre- 

 dite (as reafonis) to their Hifto ties. They did alfb 

 write thefe Difcourfes after their manner, by Charac 

 ters and Images: and I have fecne for my better fttis- 

 fa&ion, thtPtt&tit/ltr, AveMaria,zndSMtl/, orge- 

 ncrall confcfGon of our faith ,written in this manner by 

 the Indians. 



And in trueth whofbever fhall fee them, will won. 

 dcr thereat . For, to fignific th efe wordes, I a finncr do 

 confeiTcmy felfc, they painted an Indian vppon his 

 knees, at a religious mans feete, asonethatconfefleth 

 himfelfe : and for this,T<? Godmoft mighty $\zy painted 

 three faces with their Crowncs,like to the Trini tie,and 

 To the gkriout Virgme tMwie, they painted the face of 

 our' v Lady,and halfe the body of a little childe : and for 

 S.Peter and S. Paid, heads with crowns^ and a key with 

 afword : and whereas images failed , they did fet char 



G g rafters, 



