The letters that the Indians vsed in Mexican.

TOC

There hath not bin found letters at any time in the Weast India, onely in the newe Spain were vsed certain figures which serued for letters, with the which they kept in memorie, and preserued their antiquities. The figures y^t the Mexicans vsed for letters are great, by reason whereof they occupy gret volumes: they ingraue them in stone or timber, and paint them vpon walles, and also vpon a paper made of cotten wool, and leaues of the tree Metl. Their bookes are great and folden vp like vnto our broade clothes, and written vpon both sides. There are some bokes rolled vp like a piece of flannel. They pronoūce not .b.g.e.f. Therfore they vse much .p.e.l.x. This is the Mexical spéech, and Nahual, which is the best, playnest, and moste eloquent, in al newe Spayne. There are some in Mexico that do vnderstand ech other, by whistling, whiche is ordinarily vsed among louers, & théeues, a spéeche truely to wonder at, & none of our men could come to the knowledge therof.

The order hovv to recken.

Ce One

Ome Two

Ei Thrée

Naui Foure

Macuil Fiue

Chicoace Sixe

Chicome Seauen

Chicuei Eight

Chiconaui Nine

Matlac Tenne

Matlactlioce Eleuen

Matlactliome Twelue

Matlactlomei Thirtéene

Matlactlinaui Fourtéene

Matlactlinacui Fiftéene

Matlactlichicoace Sixtéene

Matlactlichicome Seuentéene

Matlactlichicuei Eightéene

Matlactlichiconaui Ninetéene

Cempoalli Twentie

Euery number is simple, vntil you come to sixe, and then they count, six and one, sixe and two, sixe and thrée. Ten is a number by himselfe, then you must counte ten and one, tenne and two, tenne and thrée, tenne and foure, tenne and fiue.

Then you count ten fiue and one, tenne fiue and two, ten fiue and thrée. Twenty goeth by himselfe, and al the greater numbers.