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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A22928	The naturall and morall historie of the East and West Indies Intreating of the remarkable things of heaven, of the elements, mettalls, plants and beasts which are proper to that country: together with the manners, ceremonies, lawes, governments, and warres of the Indians. Written in Spanish by the R.F. Ioseph Acosta, and translated into English by E.G.; Historia natural y moral de las Indias. English	Acosta, José de, 1540-1600.; Grimeston, Edward, attributed name.	1604 (1604)	STC 94; ESTC S100394	372,047	616

heaven without doubt she will answere vs as Lactantius doth That if the heaven were round the Sun starres should fall when as they move and change their places rising towards the South Even so if the earth did hang in the ayre those which inhabite the other part should go with their feete vpwards and their heades downward and the raine which falles from above should mount vpward with many other ridiculous deformities But if we consult with the force of reason she will make small accoumpt of all these vaine imaginations nor suffer vs to beleeve them no more than a foolish dreame But Reason will answer with this her integritie and gravitie that it were a very grosse error to imagine the whole world to be like vnto a house placing the earth for the foundation and the heaven for the covering Moreover she will say that as in all creatures the head is the highest part and most elevated although all creatures have not heades placed in one and the same sctuation some being in the highest part as man some athwart as sheepe others in the middest as spiders even so the heaven in what part soeuer it be remaines above and the earth likewise in what part soever remaines vnderneath Our imagination therefore is grounded vpon time and place the which she cannot comprehend nor conceive in generall but in particular It followeth that when wee shall raise it to the consideration of things which exceede the time and place which are knowne vnto her then presently she shrinkes and cannot subsist if reason doth not support her In like sort we see vpon the discourse of the creation of the worlde our imagination straies to seeeke out a time before the creation thereof and to build the world she discribes a place but shee comes not to consider that the worlde might bee made after another fashion Notwithstanding reason doth teach vs that there was no time before there was a motion whereof time is the measure neyther was there any place before the vniversall which comprehendes within it all place Wherein the excellent Philosopher Aristotle doth plainely satisfie and in few wordes that argument made against the place of the earth helping himselfe with our vse of imagination when hee sa●eth and with trueth That in the world the same place of the earth is in the midst and beneath and the more a thing is in the middest the more it is vnderneath The which answer being produced by Lactantius Firmian yet hee doth passe it over without confutation by reason saying that he cannot stay thereon and omitte the handling of other matters The reason why S. Augustine denied the Antipodes CHAP. 8. THe reason which moved S. Augustine to deny the Antipodes was other then that formerly alleadged being of a higher iudgement for the reson before mentioned that the Antipodes should go vpwards is confuted by the same Doctor in his booke of sermons in these words The ancients hold that the earth of all parts is beneath and the heaven above by reason whereof the Antipodes which they say go opposite vnto vs have like vnto vs the heaven above their heads Seeing then S. Augustine hath confessed this to bee conformable to good Philosophie what reason shall we say did move so learned and excellent a man to follow the contrary opinion Doubtlesse he drew the motive and cause from the bowels of divinitie whereby the holie Writ doth teach vs that all mankinde doth come from the first man Adam and to say that men could passe to that new world crossing the great Ocean were vncredible and a meere lye And in truth if the successe an experience of what we have seene in these ages had not satisfied vs in this point we had yet held this reason to bee good And although we know this reason neither to be pertinent nor true yet will we make answere therevnto shewing in what sort and by what meanes the first linage of men might passe thither and howe and by what meanes they came to people and inhabite the Indies And for that wee meane heereafter to intreat briefly of this subiect it shall be fit now to vnderstand what the holy Doctor Augustine disputes vppon this matter in his bookes of the cittie of God It is no point that we ought to beleeve as some affirme that there are Antipodes that is to say men which inhabite that other part of the earth in whose region the Sunne riseth when it sets with vs and that their steppes be opposite and contrarie to ours seeing they affirme not this by any certaine revelation which they have but onely by a Philosophicall discourse they make whereby they conclude that the earth being in the middest of the world invironed of all parts and covered equallie with the heaven of necestitie that must be in the lowest place which is in the midst of the world Afterwardes hee continues in these words The holie Scripture doth not erre neither is deceived in anie sort the truth whereof is well approved in that which it propoundeth of things which are passed for as much as that which hath benefore-told hath succeded in every point as we see And it is a thing voide of all sense to say that men could passe from this continent to the new found world cut through the Vast Ocean seeing it were impossible for men to passe into those parts any other way being most certain that almen descēd from the first man Wherein we see that all the difficultie S. Augustine hath found was nothing else but the incomparable greatnes of this vast Ocean Gregorie Nazianzene was of the same opinion assuring as a matter without any doubt that it was not possible to saile beyond the Straights of Gibraltar and vpon this subiect he writes in an Epistle of his I agree well with the saying of Pindarus That past Cadiz that Sea is not nauigable And hee himselfe in the funerall Sermon he made for saint Basil saith It was not tollerable for anie one sailing on the Sea to passe the Straight of Gibraltar And it is true that this place of Pindarus where he saith That it is not lawfull neyther for wise men nor fooles to know what is beyond the Straight of Gibraltar hath beene taken for a Proverbe Thus we see by the beginning of this Proverbe how the Ancients were obstinately setled in this opinion as also by the bookes of Poets Historiographers and ancient Cosmographers that the end and bounds of the earth were set at Cadiz in Spaine where they plant the pillars of Hercules there they set the limits of the Romane Empire and there they describe the boundes of the world And not onely prophane writers speake in this sort but also the holy Scripture to apply it selfe to our phrase saith That the edict of Augustus Caesa● was published to the end that all the world should be taxed and of Alexander the great that he stretched forth his Empire even to the end and

Spaine and Italie we have seene admirable effects of this stone against the T●verdette which is a kinde of plague but not so much●s in Peru. They do apply it beaten and put into some liquor which may make it fit for the cure of melancholy the falling sickenes pestilent feavers many other diseases Some take it in wine others in vineger with water Dezahac of League de beufe borrage and other sortes as the Phisitians and Apoticaries can tell The Bezaar stone hath no proper savour as Rasis the Arabian doth testifie Wee have seene notable trialls and there is no doubt but the Author of this vniversall world hath given great vertues to this stone The Bezaar stones which comes from the East Indies have the first place of account they are of an olive colour the second are those of Peru and the third those of New Spaine Since that these stones were in request they say the Indians have made artificiall ones and many when they see these stones greater then the ordinarie they take them to be false and counterfait triall and experience is the best mistres to know them One thing is worthy admiration that they grow and are fashioned vpon very strange things as vpon the tagge of a point vpon a pinne or a peece of wood which they finde in the centre of this stone and yet do they not hold it false for that the beast might swallow it and the stone thicken vpon it and growes one vpon another and so it increaseth I did see in Peru two stones fashioned vpon Pignons of Castille which made vs to wonder much for that in all Peru we had not seene any pines or Pignons of Castille if they were not brought from Spaine which seemes to me very extraordinary This little may suffice touching the Bezaars stone They bring other phisicall stones from the Indies as the stone of Hyiada or of Rate the bloud stone the stones of milke and of the sea Those which they call Cornerina● for the heart whereof there is no neede to speake having nothing common with the subiect of beastes whereof we have intreated which gives vs to vnderstand how the great Master and Author of all hath imparted his benefites and wonderfull secrets to all partes of the world for the which he is to be glorified for ever * ⁎ * A Prologue to the Bookes following HAving intreated of the Natural Historie of the Indies I wil hereafter discourse of the Morall History that is to say of the deeds and customes of the Indies For after the heaven the temperature the scituation the qualities of the new world after the elements mixtures I mean mettals plants beasts whereof we have spoken in the former Bookes as occasion did serve both Order Reason doth invite vs to continue and vndertake the discourse of those men which inhabite the new world And therefore I pretend in the following bookes to speake what I thinke worthie of this subiect And for that the intention of this Historie is not onely to give knowledge of what hath passed at the Indies but also to continue this knowledge to the fruite we may gather by it which is to helpe this people for their soules health and to glorifie the Creator and Redeemer who hath drawne them from the obscure darkenes of their infidelitie and imparted vnto them the admirable light of his Gospel And therefore I will first speake in these bookes following what concernes their religion or superstition their customes their idolatries and their sacrifices and after what concernes their policie and government their lawes customes and their deedes And for that the memorie is preserved amongst the Mexicaine Nation of their beginnings successions warres and other things worthie the relation besides that which shall be handled in the sixt booke I will make a peculiar Discourse in the seventh sh●wing the disposition and forewarnings this Nation had of the new Kingdome of Christ our Lord which should be ext●nded in these Countries and should conquer them to himself as he hath do●e in all the rest of the world The which in truth is a thing worthie of great consideration to see how the divine providence hath appointe● that the light of his word should finde a passage in the furthest boundes of the world It is not my proiect at this time to write what the Span●ardes have done in those partes for there are bookes enow written vpon this subiect nor yet how the Lordes servants have laboured and profited for that requires a new labour I will onely content my selfe to plant this Historie and relation at the doores of the Gospel seeing it is alreadie entered and to make knowne the Naturall and Morall things of the Indies to the end that Christianitie may be planted and augmented as it is expounded at large in the bookes we have written De procuranda Indiorum salute And if any one wonder at some fashions customes of the Indies wil scorne them as fooles or abhorre them as divelish and inhumane people let him remember that the same things yea worse have beene seene amongst the Greekes and Romans who have commanded the whole world as we may easily vnderstand not onely of our Authors as Eusebius of Cesarea Clement Alexandrine and others but also of their owne as Plinie Denis Halicarnassis and Plutarke for the Prince of darkenes being the head of all Infidelitie it is no new thing to finde among Infidells cruelties filthines and follies fit for such a Master And although the ancient Gentiles have farre surpassed these of the new world in valour and naturall knowledge yet may wee observe many things in them worthie the remembrance But to conclude they shew to be barbarous people who being deprived of the supernaturall light want likewise philosophie and naturall knowledge THE FIFT BOOKE of the Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies That the Pride and Malice of the Divell hath beene the cause of Idolatrie CHAP. 1. THE Pride and Presumption of the Divell is so great obstinate that alwaies hee seekes and strives to be honoured as God and doth arrogate to himselfe all hee can whatsoever doth appertaine to the most high God hee ceaseth not to abuse the blinde Nations of the world vpon whom the cleere light of the holy Gospel hath not yet shone Wee reade in Iob of this prowd tyrant who settes his eyes aloft and amongst all the sonnes of pride he is the King The holy Scripture instructes vs plainely of his vile intentions and his overweening treason whereby he hath pretended to make his Throne equall vnto Gods saying in Esay Thou diddest say within thy selfe I will mount vp to heaven and set my chaire vpon all the starres of heaven and I will sit vpon the toppe of the Firmament and in the sides of the North I will ascend above the height of the cloudes and will be like to the most High And in Ezechiel Thy heart was lifted vp and thou

Discourse vpon the discoverie of Magellan by Sarmiento 154 Division of Peru into Lanos Sierres Andes 184 Division of the people 456 Division of the Cittie of M●xico into foure quarters made by the commaundement of their God 512 Divinations practis●d by the Indians and how 406 Divorces practised amongst the Mexicaines and how 409 Death the punishment of Virgins that were incontinent 367 Death of Chimalpopoca the yoong king of Mexico sl●ine treacherously by the Tapanecan● 526 Death of Mo●esuma the l●st king of Mexico 576 Doctors of the holy church not to be reprooved differing in opinion of Philosophie 2 Dogges as dangerous as wolves 301 Dogges daungerous in the Ilands of Cuba Hispaniola and others 70 Drake an Englishman didde passe the straight of Magellan in our time others since 154 Duckes in great aboundaunce in the Lake of Titicaca and how they doe hunt them 171 Drought followes not the neerenesse of the Sunne 85 E. EAgle vppon a Tunall the Armes of Mexico and why 513 Earthquakes very strange and the cause 197 Earth how it is sustained 10 The Earth vnder the pole Antartike is not all covered with waters 18 The Earth in longitude is all of one temperature but not in latitude 29 The Earth with the water make one globe ibid. Eclipse of the Moone a certain proofe of the roundnesse of the heavens 6 Effectes naturall proceede from contrary causes 96 Elements participate with the motion of the first moover 138 Electours of the king of Mexico were commonly his kinsmen 485 Election of the kings of Mexico the feastes at their instalment ibid. Election of the first K● of Mexico 515 Entry of the Spaniards into new Spain in the yeere 1518. 558 Entrie of Cortez into Mexico 574 Errour of imagination 23 Esaies passage expounded by the exemplification of the Gospel 208 Emerauldes more esteemed in former time then now 249 Exercises wherin they instructed their youth 487 Explication of a passage of saint Paule against the roundnes of the earth 14 Explication of the 110 Psalme vppon the same subiect 15 F. FAmiliar reasons to teach an Indian that the Sunne is no god ●42 Fasting of the Indians before the fea●● of Ita not accompanying with their wives 374 A Father loosing his children was held for a great sinner h● would kil his childrē to save his own life 399 Fert●litie vnfruitefull in the Ilandes of new Spain● 187 Feasts of Merchants made with many sportes 424 Feast of the Idoll of Tlascalla 355 Feasts for to have raine 411 Feasts for every moneth 412 F●re drawne out of two stickes rubbd one against another by the Indians 119 Fire in hell different from ours 195 Fire from heaven consumed for their sinnes 63 Fish flying 165 Fountaine casting vp hote water the which turnes into a rocke 173 Figge tree whereof the one halfe carries fruite at one season the other at another 297 ●loures of Europe grow best at the Indies 283 ●loridians had no knowledge of golde 207 Flowing and ebbing of the sea is no local motion but an alteration and ferv●● of the waters 162 Flowing and ebbing of the seas divers ibid. Fountaine of salt in Cusc● 174 Forrests wonderfull thicke at the Indies 291 Forrests of orange trees at the Indies 294 Forme of that which is discovered at Peru. 201 Fr●●ci● H●●nandes the Author of a rar● booke of plants roote● and physicall hearbes at the I●dies ●90 Fruites of Europe much incr●ased a● the Indies 294 G. GArlicke much esteemed a● th● Indie● 261 Gardin● vppon the water in the midst of a Lake 172 Gardins artificially made vppon the water t● remove where they please 519 Giant● came in an●ient time to Peru. 62 Golde found in three sortes 212 Gold of Caravana most famous at P●ru 214 Gold and silver esteemed throughout the whole world 206 Golde silver served the Indians but for ornament 209 Gold why esteemd above other mettalles 212 Golde how refined into powlder 214 Goomes with physicall and odo●if●rous oyles with their names 287 Gonzales Pziarre vanquished and defeated his crueltie against the Indians 475 Governors of provinces how est●bl●shed by the Inguas 455 Guacas or Sanctuaries very well maintained 463 Guancos and Vicuna● wilde goates 70 Guayaquil an Indian oake and verie sweete 292 Guayavos an Indian fruite 277 Guaynacapa the great and valiant Ingua and his life he was worshipped as a god in his life 479 Guayras furnaces to refine gold 233 Gospel preached to the Indians when their Empire was at the h●ghest even a● to the Romans 583 H. HAtun●●squi Ay●●r●y the six● m●neth of the Indians which answereth vnto Maie 413 Harts of men pulld out and sacrificed how that ceremony beganne 509 Haire of the prie●●s horribly long and annoynted with rozen 403 Heaven is round and turn●● vppon two Poles prooved more by experience than demonstration 5 Heaven no farther from the earth of the one side than of the other 18 Hennes found at the Indies at the f●●st discovery which they called Gualpa and their egges Ponto 306 Hercules Pillers the limites of the Roman Empire of the old world 27 Hipocrisie of M●tesuma last King of M●xico 554 Historie of the Indies not to bee contemned and why 495 Historie of M●xico kept in the Librarie of Vatican 550 Historie of Mexico how framed 446 Horses goodly and strong at the Indies 301 Horse-shooes of silver for want of y●on 212 House admirably filled with all sortes of beasts like to another Noes Arke 484 Humor of the Iewes contrary to that of the Indians 76 I. IEalousie of the Indies one against an other for renowme of valour 472 Idlenesse bannished by the Inguas as dangerous for the subiects 457 Idoll carried by foure Priestes for a guide whenas the Mexicaines did seek a new land like to the children of Israel 504 Idolls of the kings Inguas reverenced as themselves 356 Iland of Su●atra now called Taproba●a 37 Iland ●tl●n●ik● of Pla●● a meere fab●e 72 Iland of fagots made with exceeding labour to passe an army vppon the sea 550 Iland●s very farre from the firme land no● inhabi●ed ●9 I●nmortalitie of the soule beleeved by the Indies 347 Indies what it signifieth and what we vnderstand by that word 47 Weast Indies most popular governements in the which there were but two kingdomes 453 Indians not greatly desirous of silver 76 Indians have lived in troups as those doe of Florida Br●sill and other places 80 Indians good swimmers 168 Indians had no proper word to signifie God 334 The Indians know all Artes necessarie for mans life without any need one of another 466 Infants sacrificed to the Sunne 336 Inguas kings of Peru worshipped after their deaths 344 The Inguas empery continued above 300. yeares 471 Inguas married their sisters 455 Inundation of Nile a naturall thing though it seeme supernaturall 88 Iustice by whome executed in Mexico 486 Indian bookes how they can be made without letters 440 Iustice severely executed by Motesuma the last king of Mexico

Tropicks as Aristotle and Plinie have maintained and before them the Philosopher Parmenides the contrarie whereof is before sufficiently prooved both for the one and the other But many through curiositie may demaund if the Ancients had no knowledge of this trueth which to vs is now so apparent seeing that in trueth it seemeth very strange that this newe worlde which is so spacious as we doe visibly see it should be hidden from the Ancients by so many ages But some at this day seeking to obscure the felicitie of this age and the glory of our Nation strive to proove that the new found world was knowne to the Ancients And in trueth wee cannot deny but there was some apparency S. Ierome writing vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians sayth We seeke with reason what the Apostle meaneth in these wordes where he saith you have walked for a season according to the course of this world whether he would have vs to vnderstand that there is an other world which neither is nor depends of this world but other worldes whereof Clement writes in his Epistle the Ocean and the worldes which are beyond the Ocean These are the wordes of S. Ierome but in trueth I cannot finde this Epistle of S. Clement cited by S. Ierome yet I beleeve vndoubtedly that S. Clement hath written it seeing S. Ierome maketh mention thereof And with reason saint Clement saith that beyond the Ocean there is an other worlde yea many worldes as in trueth there is seeing there is so great distance from one newe worlde to an other new world I meane from Peru and the West Indies to China and the East Indies Moreover Plinie who hath beene so curious a searcher out of strange things reportes in his naturall Historie that Hannon a Captaine of the Carthaginians sayled through the Ocean from the Straight of Gibraltar coasting alongst the land even vnto the confines of Arabia and that hee left this his Navigation in writing If it bee as Plinie writes it followes that Hannon sayled as farre as the Portugals do at this day passing twice vnder the Equinoctiall which is a fearefull thing And the same Plinie reports of Cornelius Nepos a very grave Authour who saith that the same course hath beene sayled by an other man called Eudaxius but by contrary wayes for this Eudaxius following the King of Latyres passed by the redde sea into the Ocean and turning backe came to the Straight of Gibraltar the which Cornelius Nepos affirmes to have happened in his time And also other grave Authors do write that a ship of Carthage driven by force of winde into the Ocean came to a Land which vntill then was vnknowne and returning to Carthage kindled a great desire in the Citizens to discover and people this land the which the Senate perceyving did forbid this navigation by a rigorous decree fearing that with the desire of new lands they should leave to love their owne Countrie By all this wee may gather that the Ancients had some knowledge of the new world yet shall you hardly finde in the bookes of ancient Writers any thing written of our America and all the West Indies but of the East Indies I say there is sufficient testimonie not only of that on the other side but also of that on this side which then was farthest off going thither by a contrary way to that at this day Is it not easie to find Molaco in ancient bookes which they called the golden Chersonese the Cape of Comori which was called the Promontorie of Coci that great famous Iland of Sumatra so well knowne by the ancient name of Taprobana What shall wee say of the two Ethiopiaes the Brachmanes and that great Land of the Chinaes Who doubtes but there was often mention made thereof in ancient bookes But of the West Indies we find not in Plinie that in this navigation they passed the Ilands of the Canaries which he calleth Fortunate the principall whereof is sayd to be called Canarie for the multitude of dogs which are in it But there is scarce any mention in ancient books of the voyages which are made at this day beyond the Canaries by the Gulph which with reason they call great Yet many hold opinion that Seneca the Tragedian did prophecie of the West Indies in his Tragedie of Medea which translated saith thus An age shall come ere ages ende Blessedly strange and strangely blest When our Sea farre and neere or'prest His shoare shall farther yet extend Descryed then shall a large Land be By this profound Seas navigation An other World an other Nation All men shall then discovered see Thule accounted heretofore The worldes extreme the Northerne bound Shall be when Southwest parts be found A neerer Isle a neighbour shoare This Seneca reports in these verses we cannot wel deny but vnderstanding it litterally it is very true for if we reckon the many yeeres he speakes of beginning from the time of the Tragedian it is above a thousand and foure hundred yeeres past and if it were from the time of Medea it is above two thousand yeeres the which we see plainely now accomplished seeing the passage of the Ocean so long time hidden hath beene found out and that they have discovered a great land and a new world inhabited more spatious then all the Continent of Europe and Asia But therein may a question with reason be made whether Seneca spake this by divination or poetically and by chance And to speake my opinion I beleeve hee did divine after the manner of wise men and well advised for that in his time they vndertooke newe voyages and navigations by sea hee knew well like a Philosopher that there was an other land contrary and opposite vnto vs which they call Antichthon And by this ground he might conceyve that the industrie and courage of man might in the ende passe the Ocean and discover new lands and another world for that in Senecaes time they had knowledge of the Voyage which Plinie speaketh of whereby they passed the great Ocean The which seemes to bee the motive of Senecaes prophecie as he giveth vs to vnderstand by these former verses after the which having described the carefull life of the Ancients free from malice he followeth thus Now is it not as earst it was For whether the Ocean will or nill He traverst is by hardy will Which pastime makes time so to passe And a little after he saith thus Now every boat dares swimme and sport On surging Seas fearing no wracke Passengers seeking what they lacke So long a voyage thinke but short Nothing is nowe more to discover No place is now left to surprise Townes now that for defence devise With new fortifications cover All in the world turn'd round about No thing in place as t' was enured Nothing vnseene nothing assured This Circle vniverse throughout The Indian whom at home heate fries Drinkes of Araxis waters cold The Persian rich in

or dish above once all must be new giving to his attendants that which had once served him so as commonly they were rich and sumptuous He was very carefull to have his lawes observed And when he returned victor from any wa●●e he fained sometimes to go and take his pleasure then would he disguise himselfe to see if his people supposing if he weare absent would omitte any thing of the feast or reception If there were any excesse or defect he then did punish it rigorously And also to discerne how his ministers did execute their offices he often disguised himselfe offering guistes and presents to the iudges provoking them to do in iustice If they offended they were presently punished with death without remission or respect were they Noblemen or his kinsmen yea his owne bretheren He was little conversant with his people and seldome seene retyring himselfe most commonly to care for the government of his realme Besides that hee was a great iusticier and very noble hee was very valiant and happy by meanes whereof hee obtained great victories and came to this greatnes as is written in the Spanish histories whereon it seemes needelesse to write more I will onely have a care heereafter to write what the bookes and histories of the Indies make mention of the which the Spanish writers have not observed having not sufficiently vnderstood the secrets of this country the which are things very worthy to be knowne as we shall see heereafter Of the presages and strange prodigies which happened in Mexico before the fall of their Empire CHAP. 23. ALthough the holy Scripture forbids vs to give credite to signes and vaine prognostications and that S. Ierome doth admonish vs not to feare tokens from heaven as the Gentiles do Yet the same Scripture teacheth vs that monstrous and prodigious signes are not altogether to bee contemned and that often they are fore-runners of some generall changes and chasticements which God will take as Eusebius notes well of Cesarea For that the same Lord of heaven and earth sendes such prodiges and new things in heaven in the elements in beasts and in his other creatures that this might partly serve as an advertisement to men and to be the beginning of the paine and chastisement by the feare and amazement they bring It is written in the second booke of Macabees that before that great change and persecution of the people of Israel which was caused by the tyranny of Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes whome the holy Scriptures call the roote of sinne there were seene for forty dayes together thorowout all Ierusalem great squadrons of horsemen in the ayre who with their armour guilt their lances and targets and vppon furious horses with their swordes drawne did strike skirmish and incounter one against the other and they say that the Inhabitants of Ierusalem seeing this they prayed to our Lord to appease his wrath and that these prodegies might turne to good It is likewise written in the booke of Wisedome That when God would drawe his people out of Egypt and punish the Egyptians some terrible fearefull visions appeared vnto them as fires seene out of time in horrible formes Ioseph in his booke of the Iewishwarres sheweth many and great wonders going before the destruction of Ierusalem and the last captivitie of his wicked people whome God iustly abhorred and Eusebius of Cesarea with others alleadge the same texts authorizing prognostications The Histories are full of like observations in great changes of states and common-weales as Paulus Orosius witnesseth of many and without doubt this observation is not vaine nor vnprofitable for although it be vanitie yea superstition defended by the lawe of our God lightly to beleeve these signes and tokens yet in matters of great moment as in the changes of nations kingdoms and notable laws It is no vaine thing but rather certaine and assured to beleeve that the wisedome of the most High dooth dispose and suffer these things fo retelling what shoulde happen to serve as I have saide for an advertisement to some and a chasticement to others and as a witnes to all that the king of heaven hath a care of man who as he hath appointed great and fearefull tokens of that great change of the world which shall bee the day of iudgement so doth it please him to send wonderful signes to demonstrate lesser changes in divers partes of the world the which are remarkeable whereof he disposeth according to his eternall wisedome Wee must also vnderstand that although the divell be the father of lies yet the King of Glorie makes him often to confesse the trueth against his will which hee hath often declared for very feare as hee did in the desart by the mouth of the possessed crying that Iesus was the Saviour come to destroy him as he did by the Pythonisse who saide that Paul preached the true God as when he appeared and troubled Pilates wife whom he made to mediate for Iesus a iust man And as many other histories besides the holy Scripture gave diverse testimonies of idols in approbation of christian religion wherof Lactantius Prosperus and others make mention Let them reade Eusebius in his bookes of the preparation of the Gospel and those of his demonstrations where he doth amply treate of this matter I have purposely spoken this that no man should contemne what is written in the Histories and Annales of the Indies touching Presages and strange signes of the approching end and ruine of their kingdome and of the Divelles tyranny whom they worshipped altogether Which in my opinion is worthy of credite and beliefe both for that it chanced late and the memory is yet fresh as also for that it is likely that the Divell lamented at so great a change and that God by the same meanes beganne to chastice their cruell and abhominable idolatries I will therefore set them downe heere as true things It chanced that Moteçuma having raigned many yeers in great prosperity and so pufft vp in his conceit as hee caused himselfe to be served and feared yea to be worshipped as a god that the Almighty Lord beganne to chastice him and also to admonish him suffering even the very Divelles whome he worshipped to tell him these heavy tidings of the ruine of his kingdome and to torment him by visions which had never bin seen wherewith hee remained so melancholy and troubled as hee was voyde of iudgement The idoll of those of Cholola which they called Quetzacoalt declared that a strange people came to possesse his kingdomes The king of Tescuco who was a great Magitian and had conference with the Divell came one day at an extraordinarie house to visite Moteçuma assuring him that his gods had tolde him that there were great losses preparing for him and for his whole realme many witches and sorcerers went and declared as much amongst which there was one did very particularly foretell him what should happen and as