Moctezuma's Table and the Market of Tlatelolco

En el comer, le tenian sus cozineros, sobre treynta maneras de guisados, hechos a su manera E vsança y tenianlos puestos En braseros de barro chicos debaxo porq̃ no se Enfriasen, E de aquello quel gran montezuma avia de comer, guisavan mas de trezientos platos, sin mas de mill, para la gente de guarda, y quando avia de comer, saliase El montezuma algunas vezes con sus prinçipales, E mayordomos, y le señalavan qual guisado Era mejor, E de que aves, E cosas estava guisado, y de lo que le dezian de aquello avia de comer, E quando salia a lo ver, eran pocas vezes, E como por pasatienpo. oy dezir que le solyan guisar carnes de muchachos de poca hedad, y como tenia tantas diversidades de guisados, y de tantas Cosas, no lo hechavamos de ver si hera de carne vmana o de otras cosas porque cotidianamente le guisavan gallinas, gallos de papada, faysanes, perdizes de la tierra, codornizes, patos manzos E bravos, benado, puerco de la trra, pajaritos de caña, e palomas, y liebres, y conexos, y muchas maneras de aves, E cosas que se crian En estas tierras, que son tantas, que no las acabare de nonbrar tan presto, E ansi no miramos En ello, mas se que çiertamente, desque nro capitan le rreprehendia el sacrifiçio, y comer de carne vmana, que desde Entonçes mando que no le guisasen tal manjar

At eating, his cooks had for him over thirty kinds of dishes, made in their manner and usage, and they had them set on small clay braziers underneath so that they would not get cold; and of what the great Montezuma was to eat they cooked more than three hundred plates, besides more than a thousand for the people of the guard. And when he was to eat, Montezuma sometimes went out with his principal men and stewards, and they pointed out to him which dish was best, and of what birds and things it was cooked, and of what they told him, of that he would eat; and when he went out to see it, it was few times, and as if for a pastime. I heard say that they used to cook for him flesh of boys of young age, and as he had so many varieties of dishes, and of so many things, we did not make out whether it was human flesh or other things, because daily they cooked for him hens, wattled cocks, pheasants, partridges of the land, quails, tame and wild ducks, venison, pig of the land, little reed birds, and pigeons, and hares, and rabbits, and many kinds of birds and things that are raised in these lands, which are so many that I will not finish naming them so soon; and so we did not look into it; but I know that certainly, after our captain reproached him for the sacrifice and eating of human flesh, from then on he ordered that they not cook him such food.

For his meals, his cooks made more than thirty kinds of dishes, prepared in their own way and style. They set them on small clay braziers so that they would not get cold. Of the food the great Montezuma was to eat, they cooked more than three hundred plates, besides more than a thousand for the men of his guard. When it was time to eat, Montezuma sometimes went out with his chief men and stewards. They showed him which dish was best, and what birds and other things it was made of, and he ate what they advised. But he went out to look at the food only rarely, and as a kind of pastime. I heard it said that they used to cook him the flesh of young boys. But he had so many different dishes, made of so many things, that we could not tell whether it was human flesh or something else.1 For every day they cooked him hens, turkeys,2 pheasants, native partridges, quail, tame and wild ducks, venison, wild pig, little reed birds, pigeons, hares, rabbits, and many kinds of birds and other creatures raised in these lands. There are so many that I could not finish naming them quickly. So we did not look into it. But I know for certain that after our captain rebuked him for the sacrifices and for eating human flesh, he ordered that such food no longer be cooked for him.

1. Díaz gives this only as hearsay and admits that he could not tell. Spanish writers often accused the peoples they fought of eating human flesh.
2. Gallos de papada, “cocks with wattles”: Díaz's name for turkeys, which were raised for food in Mexico.

dexemos de hablar En esto, y bolvamos a la manera que tenia En su serviçio, al tienpo del comer y es desta manera, que si hazia frio, tenianle hecho mucha lunbre de asquas de vna leña de cortezas de arboles, que no hazian humo, el olor de las cortezas de que hazian aquellos adquas, muy oloroso, y porque no le diesen mas calor de lo quel queria ponian delante, vna como tabla labrada con oro E otras figuras de ydolos, y el sentado En vn asentadero baxo, rrico E blando, y la mesa tanbien baja, fecha de la misma mañera de los sentaderos, e alli le ponian sus manteles, de mantas blancas, E vnos pañyzuelos, algo largos, de lo mismo, y quatro mugeres muy hermosas, E linpias, le davan agua a manos, En vnos como a manera de aguamaniles hondos, que llaman xicales, ponian debajo, para rrecoger el agua, otros a manera de platos y le daban sus tobajas, E otras dos mugeres le trayan el pan de tortillas E ya que Encomençava A comer hechavanle delante vna como puerta de madera muy pintada de oro porque no le viesen Comer y estavan apartadas las quatro mugeres Aparte E alli se le ponian a sus lados quatro grandes señores biejos e de edad En pie con quien el monteçuma de quando En quando praticava, E preguntava cosas y por mucho fabor dava a cada vno destos viejos vn plato de lo quel mas le sabia, E dezian que aquellos viejos heran sus debdos muy çercanos E consejeros y juezes de pleytos, y el plato y manjar que les dava el montezuma comian en pie E con mucho acato, y todo sin miralle a la cara.

Let us stop talking of this, and return to the manner he had in his service at the time of eating, and it is in this manner: that if it was cold, they had made him a great fire of embers of a wood of tree barks, which made no smoke; the smell of the barks of which they made those embers [was] very fragrant; and so that they would not give him more heat than he wanted, they put in front a sort of board worked with gold and other figures of idols; and he seated on a low seat, rich and soft, and the table also low, made in the same manner as the seats, and there they put his tablecloths of white cloths, and some napkins, rather long, of the same; and four very beautiful and clean women gave him water for his hands, in some like deep water-basins which they call xicales; they put underneath, to catch the water, others like plates, and gave him his towels; and two other women brought him the bread of tortillas; and once he began to eat they put before him a sort of wooden door, much painted with gold, so that they would not see him eat; and the four women stood apart, aside; and there placed themselves at his sides four great lords, old and of age, standing, with whom Montezuma from time to time talked and asked things; and as a great favor he gave each of these old men a plate of what tasted best to him; and they said that those old men were his very close relatives and counselors and judges of lawsuits; and the plate and food that Montezuma gave them they ate standing and with much respect, and all without looking at his face.

Let us stop talking about this and return to the way he was served at mealtimes. It was like this. If it was cold, they made him a large fire of glowing coals from a tree bark that gave off no smoke, and the bark had a very sweet smell. So that it would not give him more heat than he wanted, they set in front of it a kind of screen worked with gold and with figures of idols. He sat on a low seat, rich and soft, and the table was low too, made in the same style as the seats. On it they laid his tablecloths of white cloth and some rather long napkins of the same. Four very beautiful, clean women brought him water for his hands in deep bowls like washbasins, which they call xicales.3 Underneath they held other vessels like plates to catch the water, and they gave him his towels. Two other women brought him tortilla bread. Once he began to eat, they set before him a kind of wooden screen, painted all over with gold, so that no one would see him eating. The four women stood off to one side. Then four great lords, old men, came and stood at his sides. Montezuma talked with them now and then and asked them questions. As a great favor, he would give each of these old men a plate of whatever he liked best. They said these old men were his close relatives, his counselors, and judges of lawsuits. They ate the food Montezuma gave them standing up, with great respect, and all without looking at his face.

3. Xicales (Nahuatl xicalli), bowls made from gourds.

serviase con barro de cholula, de vno colorado, E otro prieto, mientras que comia, ni por pensamiento avian de hazer alboroto, ni hablar alto los de su guarda, questavan En las salas çerca de la del montezuma trayanle fruta de todas quantas abia en la tierra, mas no comia sino muy poca de quando En quando. trayan En vnas como a manera de copas de oro fino con çierta bevida hecha del mismo cacao dezian q̃ era para tener açeso con mugeres y entonçes no miravamos En ello, mas lo que yo vi, que trayan sobre çinquenta jarros grandes hechos de buen cacao, Con su espuma, y de aquello bevia y las mugeres le servian al bever, con gran acato y algunas vezes al tienpo de comer, estavan vnos yndios corcobados, muy feos, porque [era]n chicos de cuerpo, E quebrados por medio los cuerpos, [E]ntre Ellos heran chocarreros, y otros yndios que de[vian] ser truhanes, que le dezian graçias, E otros que le [c]antavan y baylavan, porquel montezuma hera afiçionado a plazeres y cantares, E aquellos mandava dar los rrelieves y jarros del cacao y las mismas quatro mugeres, alçavan los manteles, y le tornavan a dar aguamanos, E con mucho acato que le hazian E hablava el montezuma aq̃llos quatro prinçipales viejos, En cosas que le convenian y se despedian del con gran rreverençia que le tenian y el se quedava rreposando,

He was served with pottery of Cholula, some red and other black. While he ate, not even in thought were those of his guard, who were in the halls near that of Montezuma, to make noise or speak loudly. They brought him fruit of all there was in the land, but he ate only very little from time to time. They brought, in some like cups of fine gold, a certain drink made of the cacao itself; they said it was for having access to women, and then we did not look into it; but what I saw, that they brought over fifty large jugs made of good cacao, with its froth, and of that he drank, and the women served him at drinking with great respect. And sometimes at the time of eating there were some hunchbacked Indians, very ugly, because they were small of body and broken in the middle of their bodies, [who] among them were jesters, and other Indians who must have been buffoons, who told him witticisms, and others who sang and danced for him, because Montezuma was fond of pleasures and songs; and to those he ordered given the leftovers and the jugs of the cacao. And the same four women lifted the tablecloths and gave him again water for hands, with much respect that they paid him; and Montezuma spoke with those four principal old men on things that suited him, and they took leave of him with the great reverence that they had for him, and he stayed resting.

He was served on pottery from Cholula,4 some red and some black. While he ate, the men of his guard in the halls next to his would not dream of making a noise or speaking loudly. They brought him fruit of every kind the land produced, but he ate only a little now and then. From time to time they brought him, in cups of fine gold, a drink made from cacao itself.5 They said it was for visiting his women. At the time we paid no attention to that. But what I did see was that they brought more than fifty large jugs of good cacao, with its froth, and he drank of it. The women served him his drink with great respect. Sometimes at mealtimes there were hunchbacked Indians, very ugly, for they were small and bent nearly double. Among them they served as jesters. Other Indians, who must have been clowns, told him witty sayings, and others sang and danced for him, for Montezuma was fond of pleasures and songs. He ordered the leftovers and the jugs of cacao given to them. Then the same four women took away the tablecloths and brought him water for his hands again, with great respect. Montezuma talked with those four old chief men about matters that concerned him. They took leave of him with the great reverence they had for him, and he stayed to rest.

4. A city east of the Valley of Mexico, known for its painted pottery and its great temple.
5. The Mexica made chocolate by grinding cacao beans and beating them with water into a froth. It was a costly drink, taken by lords.

y mas digo, que se me avia olvidado, que Es bien tornallo a rreçitar, y es, que le servian al monteçuma, estando a la mesa quãdo comia como dicho tengo, otras dos mugeres muy agraçiadas, de traer tortillas amasadas con huevos y otras Cosas sustançiosas, y heran muy blancas las tortillas y trayanselas en vnos platos cobijado con sus paños linpios, y tanbien le trayan otra manera de pan, que son como bollos largos hechos y amasados Con otra manera de cosas sustançiales, y pan pachol que en esta trra asi se dize, ques a manera de vnas obleas tanbien le ponian en la mesa, tres cañutos, muy pintados y dorados, y dentro tenian liquidanbar, rrebuelto con vnas yervas, que se dize tabaco, E quando acabava de comer despues que le avian baylado, y cantado, y alçado la mesa, tomava el humo de vno de aquellos cañutos y muy poco, y con ello se adormia.

And more I say, that I had forgotten, which is good to go back to recount, and it is that there served Montezuma, being at table when he ate as I have said, two other very graceful women, bringing tortillas kneaded with eggs and other substantial things, and the tortillas were very white, and they brought them to him on some plates covered with their clean cloths; and also they brought him another kind of bread, which are like long rolls made and kneaded with another kind of substantial things, and pan pachol, as in this land it is so called, which is like some wafers. Also they put on the table three tubes, much painted and gilded, and inside they had liquidambar mixed with some herbs which is called tobacco; and when he finished eating, after they had danced and sung for him and raised the table, he took the smoke of one of those tubes, and very little, and with it he fell asleep.

And I must add something I had forgotten, which it is right to go back and tell. While Montezuma sat at table eating, as I have described, two other very graceful women served him. They brought tortillas kneaded with eggs and other nourishing things. These tortillas were very white, and they brought them on plates covered with clean cloths. They also brought him another kind of bread, like long rolls, kneaded with other nourishing things, and pan pachol, as it is called in this land, which is like wafers. They also set on the table three tubes, much painted and gilded, which held liquidambar mixed with some herbs they call tobacco.6 When he had finished eating, and they had danced and sung for him and cleared the table, he drew in the smoke from one of those tubes, only a little, and with that he fell asleep.

6. Tobacco was smoked in painted reed tubes, mixed with liquidambar, the sweet-smelling resin of the sweetgum tree.

y desque llegamos a la gran plaça, que se dize El tatelulco, Como no aviamos visto tal cosa, quedamos admirados de la multitud de gente y mercaderias que En ella avia, y del gran conçierto y rregimiento, que en todo tenian y los prinçipales que yvan con nosotros, nos lo yvan mostrando, cada genero de mercaderias estavan por si, y tenian situados y señalados sus asientos, començemos por los mercaderes de oro y plata, y piedras rricas y plumas y mantas, y cosas labradas y otras mercaderias de yndios esclavos, y esclavas, digo que trayan tantos dellos a vender aq̃lla gran plaça, como traen los portugueses los negros de guinea, e trayanlos atados En vnas varas largas Con colleras a los pescueços, porque no se les huyesen y otros dexavan sueltos. luego estavan otros mercaderes que vendian rropa mas basta y algodon, E cosas de hilo torçido y cacahuateros que vendian cacao, y desta manera estavan quantos generos de mercaderias ay en toda la nueva españa, puesto por su conçierto de la manera que ay En mi tierra, ques medina del canpo, donde se hazen las ferias, que En cada calle estan sus mercaderias por si, ansi estavan En esta gran plaça

And when we arrived at the great square, which is called the Tatelulco, as we had not seen such a thing, we were amazed at the multitude of people and merchandise that there was in it, and at the great order and regulation that they had in everything; and the principal men who went with us went showing it to us. Each kind of merchandise was by itself, and they had their places located and marked. Let us begin with the merchants of gold and silver, and rich stones and feathers and cloths, and worked things, and other merchandise of Indian slaves, men and women; I say that they brought so many of them to sell in that great square as the Portuguese bring the blacks of Guinea; and they brought them tied to some long poles, with collars at the necks, so that they would not flee from them, and others they left loose. Then there were other merchants who sold coarser clothing and cotton, and things of twisted thread, and cacao-dealers who sold cacao; and in this manner were as many kinds of merchandise as there are in all New Spain, placed in their order, in the manner there is in my land, which is Medina del Campo, where the fairs are held, that in each street are their goods by themselves; so they were in this great square.

When we reached the great square called Tatelulco,7 we were amazed, for we had never seen such a thing. We marveled at the crowds of people and the goods in it, and at the good order and control kept in everything. The chief men who came with us pointed it all out to us. Each kind of goods was kept by itself and had its own fixed place. Let us begin with the dealers in gold and silver, precious stones, feathers, cloth, and embroidered goods. Then there were other goods: Indian slaves, men and women. I say they brought as many of them to sell in that great square as the Portuguese bring Blacks from Guinea.8 They brought them tied to long poles, with collars around their necks so that they could not run away, though others they left loose. Next there were other merchants who sold coarser cloth and cotton, and things of twisted thread, and cacao dealers who sold cacao. In this way every kind of goods found in all New Spain was there, set out in order. It was like my own home town, Medina del Campo, where the fairs are held and each street has its own goods.9 That is how it was in this great square.

7. Tlatelolco, the twin city just north of Tenochtitlan on the same island. Its market was the greatest in the Mexica capital.
8. Guinea was the European name for the coast of West Africa. Portuguese ships had carried enslaved Africans from there since the 1440s.
9. Díaz's home town in Castile, famous for its great fairs, where merchants from many countries traded in streets set aside for each kind of goods.

pasemos adelante y digamos de los que vendian frisoles y chia, y otras legunbres, E yervas, a otra parte, vamos a los que vendian gallinas, gallos de papada, conexos liebres benados y anadones perrillos y otras cosas deste arte, a su parte de la plaça. digamos de las fruteras, de las que vendian cosas cozidas, maça morreras y malcoçinado, tanbien a su parte, pues todo genero de loça, hecha de mill maneras, desde tinajas grandes, y xarrillos chicos questavan por si, aparte y tanbien los q̃ vendian miel y melcochas, y otras golosinas que hazian como nuegados, pues los q̃ vendian madera, tablas, cunas, E vigas E tajos y vancos, y todo por si.

Let us pass on and speak of those who sold beans and chia and other vegetables and herbs, in another part; let us go to those who sold hens, wattled cocks, rabbits, hares, deer, and ducks, little dogs, and other things of this sort, in their part of the square. Let us speak of the fruit-women, of those [women] who sold cooked things, mazamorras and malcocinado, also in their part; then every kind of pottery, made in a thousand ways, from large jars and little jugs, which were by themselves apart; and also those who sold honey and honey-paste and other sweets which they made like nougats; then those who sold wood, boards, cradles, and beams, and blocks and benches, and all by itself.

Let us go on and speak of those who sold beans, chia, and other vegetables and herbs, in another part. Let us go to those who sold hens, turkeys, rabbits, hares, deer, ducks, little dogs,10 and other such things, in their part of the square. Let us speak of the women who sold fruit, and the women who sold cooked food, porridge and tripe,11 also in their own part. Then there was every kind of pottery, made in a thousand shapes, from great jars to little jugs, set apart by itself. There were also those who sold honey, honey paste, and other sweets they made, like nougat. And there were those who sold wood, boards, cradles, beams, chopping blocks, and benches, each by itself.

10. Small dogs were raised for food in central Mexico.
11. Mazamorra was a porridge and malcocinado cooked tripe: Spanish names for foods sold ready to eat.

pã que gasto yo tantas palabras, de lo q̃ vendian En aquella gran plaça porques para no acavar tan presto de contar por menudo todas las cosas, sino que papel, que En esta trra llaman amal, y vnos cañutos de olores, con liquidanbar, llenos de tabaco, y otros vnguentos amarillos y cosas deste arte, vendian por si, e vendian mucha grana debajo los portales, que Estavan En aquella gran plaça, avia muchos erbolarios y mercaderias de otra manera y tenian alli sus casas a donde juzgavan tres juezes, y otros como alguaziles, Esecutores, que miravan las mercaderias.

Why do I spend so many words on what they sold in that great square? because it is [enough] not to finish so soon recounting in detail all the things, except that paper, which in this land they call amal, and some tubes of scents with liquidambar, full of tobacco, and other yellow ointments and things of this kind, they sold by themselves; and they sold much cochineal under the arcades that were in that great square. There were many herbalists and goods of another kind, and they had there their houses where three judges judged, and others like constables, executors, who watched over the goods.

But why do I spend so many words on what they sold in that great square? I would never finish if I told every thing in detail. I will say only that paper, which in this land they call amal,12 and reed tubes of perfume with liquidambar, filled with tobacco, and yellow ointments and such things, were sold by themselves. Much cochineal13 was sold under the arcades of that great square. There were many sellers of healing herbs, and goods of other kinds. And they had buildings there where three judges sat in judgment, and others like constables, who inspected the goods.

12. Amal (Nahuatl amatl), paper made from the inner bark of fig trees, used for books and accounts.
13. Grana, a red dye made from insects that feed on the prickly pear cactus. The Spaniards soon shipped it to Europe in great quantities.

y fuymos al gran Cu, E ya que yvamos çerca de sus grandes patios, E antes de salir de la misma plaça, Estavan otros muchos mercaderes, que segun dixeron heran de los que trayan a vender oro En granos Como lo sacan de las minas metido El oro En vnos canutillos delgados de los de ansarones de la tierra, E ansi blancos porque se paresçiese el oro por de fuera, y por el largor y gordor de los canutillos tenian Entre ellos su quenta, que tantas mantas, o que xiquipiles de cacao valia, o que esclavos o otra cualquiera cosa a que lo trocavan

And we went to the great Cu, and when we were going near its great courtyards, and before leaving the same square, there were many other merchants who, according to what they said, were of those who brought to sell gold in grains as they take it from the mines, the gold put in some thin little tubes of those of the geese of the land, and so white, so that the gold showed through outside; and by the length and thickness of the little tubes they had among them their account, that so many cloths, or so many xiquipiles of cacao it was worth, or how many slaves or any other thing for which they traded it.

Then we went to the great cu.14 As we came near its great courtyards, before we had left the square, there were many more merchants. They were, so we were told, the ones who brought gold to sell in grains, just as it is taken from the mines. The gold was put into thin quills of the geese of the country, white ones, so that the gold showed through. By the length and thickness of the quills they reckoned among themselves how many cloths it was worth, or how many xiquipiles of cacao,15 or how many slaves, or whatever else they traded it for.

14. Cu, the Spaniards' word for a temple raised on a stepped pyramid. Maudslay notes that it is not a Nahuatl or Maya word; they had picked it up in the Caribbean islands.
15. A xiquipilli was a bag that held a count of 8,000 cacao beans. Cacao beans served as money in the market.

E viamos En aquella gran laguna, tanta multitud de canoas vnas venian con bastimentos E otras que boluian con cargas y mercaderias E viamos que cada casa de aquella gran çibdad y de todas las mas çibdades, questavan pobladas En el agua, de casa a casa, no se pasaba sino por vnas puentes levadizas que tenian hechas de madera, o En canoas y viamos, En aquellas çibdades, Cues y adoratorios, a manera de torres, E fortalezas, y todas blanqueando, que hera cosa de admiraçion y las casas de açoteas E en las calçadas otras torrezillas, E adoratorios que heran como fortalezas, y despues de bien mirado y considerado todo lo que aviamos visto, tornamos a ver la gran plaça y la multitud de gente que En ella abia, vnos conprando, e otros vendiendo, que solamente el rremor y zumbido de las bozes y palabras que alli avia, sonava mas que de vna legua, e Entre nosotros vvo soldados que avian estado En muchas partes del mundo, E en costantinopla E en toda ytalia, y rroma y dixeron que plaça tan bien conpasada, y con tanto conçierto, y tamaña, E llena de tanta gente, no la avian visto

And we saw in that great lake such a multitude of canoes, some came with provisions and others returned with loads and merchandise; and we saw that each house of that great city and of all the other cities that were settled in the water, from house to house one did not pass except by some drawbridges that they had made of wood, or in canoes; and we saw in those cities cues and shrines in the manner of towers and fortresses, and all whitening, which was a thing of wonder; and the houses with flat roofs, and on the causeways other little towers and shrines that were like fortresses. And after having well looked at and considered all that we had seen, we turned to see the great square and the multitude of people that was in it, some buying and others selling, that only the murmur and buzz of the voices and words that there were there sounded more than a league; and among us there were soldiers who had been in many parts of the world, and in Constantinople, and in all Italy, and Rome, and they said that a square so well laid out, and with so much order, and of such size, and full of so many people, they had not seen it.

On that great lake we saw a multitude of canoes, some coming in with food and others going back with cargoes and goods. We saw that in that great city, and in all the other cities built in the water, one could pass from house to house only by wooden drawbridges, or by canoe. In those cities we saw cues and shrines like towers and fortresses, all gleaming white, a wonderful thing to see. We saw the houses with flat roofs, and on the causeways other little towers and shrines like fortresses. After we had looked well at everything and thought about it, we turned to look at the great square again, and at the crowd of people in it, some buying and others selling. The murmur and hum of their voices and talk alone could be heard more than a league away.16 Among us there were soldiers who had been in many parts of the world, in Constantinople, all over Italy, and Rome. They said they had never seen a square so well laid out, so orderly, so large, and so full of people.

16. A league was about three miles, roughly an hour's walk.