XViii ACCOUNT OF THE WRITERS OF THE 



Bernardo Sahagun, a laborious Francifcan Spaniard, 

 Having been more than fixty years employed in inftru£l- 

 ing the Mexicans, he made great proficiency in their 

 language and the knowledge of their hiftory. Befides 

 feveral works written by him, both in Mexican and in 

 Spanifh, he compofed in twelve great volumes in folio, 

 a Univerfal Didlionary of the Mexican Language, con- 

 taining all that belonged to the geography, the religion, 

 and the political and natural hiftory of the Mexicans, 

 This work, of immenfe erudition and labour, was fent 

 to the royal hiftoriographer of America, refident at 

 Madrid, by the marquis of Viilamanrique, viceroy of 

 Mexico J and we do not doubt, but it is ftill preferved 

 in fome library of Spain. He wrote alfo the General 

 Hiftory of New Spain, in four volumes, which were pre- 

 ferved in manufcript in the library of the convent of 

 Francifcans in Tolofa de Navarra, according to the 

 affirmation of Juan de S. Antonio, in his Bibliotheca 

 Francif carta. 



Alfonfo Zurita, a Spanifti lawyer and judge of Mexico. 

 After having, by order of king Philip II. made diligent 

 refearches into the civil government of the Mexicans, he 

 wrote in Spanifti A compendious Relation of the Lords there 

 were in Mexico^ and their Difference : of the Laws^ Ufa^ 

 ges, and Customs of the Mexicans : of the Tributes which 

 they paid^ &c. The original manufcript in folio, is pre- 

 ferved in the library of the college of St. Peter and St. 

 Paul, of the Jefuits of Mexico. From this work, which 

 is well written, fome confiderable part of what we have 

 faid on the fame fubje<^^ is extradled. 



Juan de Tobar, a moft noble Jefuit of Mexico. He 

 wrote on the ancient hiftory of the kingdoms of Mexico, 

 of Acolhuacan, and of Tlacopan, after having made dili- 

 gent 



