The Sanctuary or holy place among the Indians was Chololla.

TOC

Chololla is a city as Tlaxcallan, and hathe but one person who is gouernour and general Captayne, chosen by the consente of all the Citizens. It is a Citie of twentie thousande householdes within the walles, and in the suburbes as muche more. It sheweth outwardes verye beautifull, and full of towers, for there are as manye temples as dayes in y^e yeare, & euery temple hath his tower. Our men counted foure hundred towers. The men and womē are of good disposition well fauoured, and very wittie.

The women are Goldsmithes and also Caruers, the men are warriers, and light fellowes, and good maisters for any purpose: they goe better apparelled than anye other Indiās yet séene. They weare for their vtter garmēt clokes like vnto Moriscos, but after an other sort. Al the Countrey rounde aboute them is fruitefull and eareable grounde, well watered, and so full of people, that there is no wast grounde, in respect whereof, there are some poore, whiche begge from dore to dore. The Spanyardes hadde not seene any beggers in that Coūtrey before they came thither.

Chololla is a Citie of most deuotion and Religion in all India, it is called y^e Sanctuary or holy place among y^e Indians, and thither they trauelled from many places farre distante on pilgrimage, and for this cause there were so many temples.

Their Cathedrall Temple was the best and hyghest of all the new Spayne, with a hundred and twenty steppes vppe vnto it.

The greatest Idoll of all their Gods was called Quezalcouately, God of the ayre, who was (say they) the founder of their Citie, being a Virgin of holy lyfe, and great penance. He instituted fasting and drawing of bloud out of their eares and tongs, and lefte a precepte, that they shoulde sacrifice but onely Quayles, Doues, and other foule.

He neuer ware but one garmente of Cotten, whyche was white, narrow, and long, and vpon that a mantle besette with certayne redde crosses.

They haue certayne gréene stones whiche were hys, and those they kéepe for relikes. One of them is lyke an Apes head. Héere they abode twentye dayes, and in thys meane whyle there came so manye to buy and sell, that it was a wonder to sée. And one of the things that was to bée séene in those fayres, was the earthen vessell, which was excéeding curious and fine.