them by force or by artifice to the mines of Hispaniola. They survived but a few years under the dominion of their oppressors."-Clavegero, Irving's Life of Col.

The instructions given to Ojida were of the most extraordinary character, and as they contain a formal exposition of the Spanish right to the possession of the Islands and Continent of America, certainly merit our attention.

'The commander was required as servant of the kings of Castile and Leon, the conquerors of barbarous nations, to declare to the Indians, that God one and eternal had created the heavens and the earth, and one man and woman from whom they all were descended. But as during the long period of more than five thousand years, the human race had, because one country could not contain them, scattered over the face of the globe, God had given absolute authority over the whole to one man named Saint Peter, and to bear the name of Pope, which signifies Great Father: and that his power had been continued to his successors, and would be continued to the end of the world: and that one of those Popes had granted to the catholic king Ferdinand and his queen Isabella, and their successors, all the Islands and Continents of the ocean sea; as was fully expressed in certain deeds, which he would exhibit if requested that most of the Islands where his title had been declared, had recognized it; and had obeyed the religious men sent by the king to instruct the inhabitants in this holy faith; who having become Christians, were received under his most gracious protection, and were treated as his other subjects and vassals. The commissioners were also instructed to proclaim to the nation of Terra firma, that they were bound to like obedience, and that if after due reflection they acknowledged the supremacy of the Church-the Pope in his own right, and his majesty by his appointment, as the sovereign lord of all

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these countries; and consent to receive the holy doctrines of the Church, his majesty would extend to them his love, and would leave their wives and children free from servitude, and themselves in the enjoyment of all they possessed, in the same manner as he had done to the inhabitants of the Islands," &c. "But that in case of refusal or malicious delay to obey these injunctions, he would enter their country with the horrors of war; subject the inhabitants to the yoke of the Church and the crown, carrying them and their wives. and children into slavery, and do them all possible mischief as rebellious subjects. And that all the bloodshed and calamities which might follow, should be imputed, not to his majesty or his agents, but to their own disobedience." Herrera, dec. 1, lib. 7, c, 14, in Gordon's Hist.

The terms of the Papal bull are Out of our mere libe

1 'Some of the first European settlers,' observes Clavegero, not less powerful than avaricious, desirous of enriching themselves to the detriment of the Indians, made use of them as slaves; and in order to avoid the reproaches which were made them by the bishops, &c. alleged that the Indians were by nature slaves, and incapable of being instructed; and many other falsehoods, which the chronicler Herrera, mentions against them. Those zealous bishops being unable, either by their authority or preaching, to rescue those unhappy converts from the tyranny of such misers, had recourse to the catholic kings. Garcea, bishop of Tlascala, knowing that those Spaniards bore, notwithstanding their perverseness, a great respect to the decisions of the vicar of Jesus Christ, made application in the year 1586 to Pope Paul 111. representing to him the evils which the Indians suffered from the wicked Christians, and praying him to interpose his authority in their behalf. The Pope moved by such heavy remonstrances, dispatched the original bull, &c. which was not made, as is manifest, to declare the Americans free men; for such a piece of weakness was very distant from that or any other Pope; but solely to support the natural rights of the native Americans against the attempts of their oppressors, and to condemn the injustice and inhumanity of those who under the pretence of supposing the people idolatrous, or incapable of being instructed in the Christian faith, took from them their property and liberty, and treated them as slaves and beasts.' See Clavegero, Dissert. 5, b. 546.

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Pope Alex. VI. was the Pontiff who was in the chair of St. Peter and as in modern times secret articles are sometimes found to have been inserted in treaties, what secret stipulations might not the Court of Rome have made with Spain, when, in the plenitude of long recognized and revered power, she granted to her nearly the whole new world? And what return could have been too great to have shewed the gratitude of an obedient daughter of the church for such a gift? It would appear that whether she wished or no to conceal from Europe a fact which she feared might shake its institutions, shock and confound the prejudices

rality and certain science, and from the fulness of our apostolic power; by the authority of Almighty God, to us given through Saint Peter, we give, grant, and assign," &c. &c. "Shall we admire most the justice of this manifesto, the strength of the title which it sets forth, or the grave adherence to municipal form which attended its proclamation? Had they understood the nature of the subjection demanded of them, they must have considered the church and prince most gracious and worthy of obedience, who mercifully and disinterestedly proffered to them-the unburdened denizens of the forest-the enjoyment of liberty, and full participation in the blessings showered on the inhabitants of Hispaniola!" Gordon's Hist. vol. ii. p. 64.

of ages, &c. she took all the precautions which she could have done, had she really entertained such a fear."

"But the secret (the consequences of which if openly divulged could not have been calculated) that the Spaniards did discover on their first arrival on the continent of America, Judaism, &c. the policy of the age, and of the Spanish court, (where the highest dignitaries of the church occupied, likewise the chief places of the cabinet) firmly resolved to consign to everlasting oblivion." Antiq. of Mexico, vol. iv. p. 111.

1 De nostra merâ liberalitate, et ex certá sciencâ ae de apostolicæ potestatis plenitudine. Autoritate omnipotentis Dei nobis in beato Petro concessa donamus, concedimus et assignamus, &c. &c. 2 See Appendix.

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THE MEXICAN EMPIRE.

1

THE Mexican Empire,' according to Clavegero, was comprehended between the 14th and 21st degrees of north latitude; and between 271 and 283 degrees west longitude, from the meridian of Ferro. The vale of Mexico was magnificently crowned with verdant mountains whose circumference at their base exceeded 120 miles,' and environed by about forty eminent cities, while innumerable villages and hamlets were scattered throughout this delightful valley, great part of which was occupied by two lakes; one of sweet and pure water, the other impregnated with salt.

The Toltics,' observes Clavegero, vol. i. p. 84, are the oldest nation of which we have any knowledge; and that is very imperfect. They affirmed that they had been banished from their mother country, Hue-hue-Tlapallan (ancient land of the Red Sea.) The seven lineages who afterwards inhabited that country, and called it Mexico, affirmed that they had originally come from Aztlan or TEOAcolhuacan (land of God) and declared it to be near Amequemacan.' Garcia, p. 182, in Antiq. Mex.

The city of Mexico was at first called Tenoch-titlan, after one of the ten chiefs of their lineage.' Gage observes, ' that this name was probably derived from Tenoch, the first chief.'

As the jubilee of the Mexicans occurred every fifty-two

1 For a late statistical notice of the Mexican empire, see Appendix.

years, when the reign of each monarch terminated, and as it was customary to elect the new king or viceroy, on the arrival of that period, it is highly probable that the city of Mexico received that name at the first jubilee after their settlement, in honour of the Messiah, whom they so devoutly expected, when Acampitzen the first king was anointed and crowned. In the reign of Itzcoatl, grandson of this monarch, academies were instituted for the study of astronomy,1 music, painting, history, and poetry.2

The city Tescuco, was divided into thirty districts, and each of these was assigned to the arts of sculpture, jewelmaking, weaving, &c. Temples, edifices, and gardens were constructed by Nezahualcozotl.

"Nezahualcozotl made eighty laws which have been recorded in MS. He ordered that law-suits and trials for crimes should only last eight days, &c.; he was very charitable to the destitute, to old people, and to widows. To prevent bribery, he ordered that the judges should be maintained and clothed, at the expense of government, according

1 See Appendix.

In the cultivation of poetry and dramatic composition, the Mexicans were not deficient. Many of their expressions,' observes Clavegero, 'are so strong, that they cannot be heightened, especially on the subject of love. In short, all those who have heard and learned this language, and can judge of its copiousness, regularity, and beautiful modes of speech, are of opinion that such a language could not have been spoken by a barbarous nation. A people possessed of so powerful a language could neither want orators nor poets. Even at present, (1750) reduced as they aae to a state of great humiliation, and retaining not their ancient institutions, they make orations in their assembles which are so replete with good sense and propriety, as to excite the admiration of all who hear them. The number of their orators was exceeded by that of their poets, in their verses they were attentive to cadence and measure. Their subjects were various; they composed sacred songs in praise of their God, or to obtain what they stood in need of, &c. Orazio Carroci, a Milanese Jesuit, published some eloquent verses of the ancient Mexicans about the middle of the last century; these were sung in the temples at their sacred dances. It is related that one of the poets who was imprisoned for some misdemeanour, composed a dirge in prison, in which he took leave of the world, in so tender and touching a style, that the musicians of the palace, who were his friends, advised him to sing it to the king, who was himself a celebrated poet and lover of music, was so much affected, that (his crime not having been of the first degree) he granted him pardon.