240 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



parochial church of Quechula ( unlefs this is the fame 

 tranfported from thence to Angelopolij, which the 

 priefts keep fecured with chains of iron, as Betancourt 

 fays, that no one may carry it off. 



The potters not only made the neceffary family uten- 

 fils of clay, but alfo other things of mere curiofity, 

 which they embelliflied with various colours ; but they 

 did not underftand, by what we can difcover, the art of 

 making glafs. The moft famous potters formerly were 

 the Cholulefe, whofe veffels were much prized by the 

 Spaniards; at prefent the moft reputed are the potters 

 of CHiauhtitlan. 



Their carpenters wrought feveral kinds of wood with 

 inftruments made of copper, of which there are ftill fome 

 remains of tolerable workmanftiip. 



Manufactures of various kinds of cloth were common 

 every where ; it was one of thofe arts which almoft every 

 perfon learned. They had no wool, nor common filk, 

 nor lint, nor hemp, but they fupplied the want of wool 

 with cotton, that of filk with feathers, with the hair of 

 the rabbit and hare, and that of lint and hemp with icxotl, 

 or mountain-palm, with the quetzalichtH, the pati, and 

 other fpecies of the maguei. Of cotton they made large 

 webs, and as delicate and fine as thofe of Holland, which 

 were with much reafon highly efteemed in Europe. A 

 few years after the conqueft, a facerdotal habit of the 

 Mexicans was brought to Rome, which, as Boturini af- 

 firms, was uncommonly admired on account of its finenefs 

 and beauty. They wove thefe cloths with different 

 figures and colours, reprefenting different animals and 

 flowers. Of feathers, interwoven with cotton, they made 

 mantles and bed curtains, carpets, gowns, and other 

 things not lefs foft than beautiful. We have fcen fome 



beautiful 



