OF PAINTINGS. 



E do not pretend here to give a regifter of all 



the Mexican pi<5]:ures faved from the burning of 

 the firft miffionaries, or executed afterwards by the Indian 

 hiflorians of the fixteenth century, of which fome Spanifli 

 writers have availed themfelves, as fuch an enumeration 

 would not be lefs ufelefs than tedious to our readers j 

 but will only mention fome colle£l:ions, the knowledge 

 of which may be of fervice to any one inclined to write 

 the hiftory of that kingdom. 



I. The collection of Mendoza. Thus we call the col- 

 lection of fixty-three Mexican paintings made by the firft 

 biftiop of Mexico, D. Antonio Mendoza, to which he 

 caufed to be added ikilful interpretations in the Mexican 

 and Spanifli languages, for the purpofe of fending them 

 to the emperor Charles V. The vefTel in which they 

 were fent was taken by a French corfair, and carried into 

 France. The paintings fell into the hands of Thevenot, 

 geographer to his moft Chriftian majefly, of whofe heirs 

 they were purchafed at a high price by Hakluit, then 

 chaplain to the Englifli ambalTador at the court of France. 

 Being from thence carried into England, the Spanifli in- 

 terpretations were tranflated into Englifli by Locke, but 

 not the famous metaphyfician, by order of fir Walter 

 Raleigh ; and laftly, at the requeft of the learned fir 

 Henry Spelman, publiflied by Samuel Purchas in the 



third 



A- 



