Notes on the Bibliography of Yucatan and Central America. Adolph Francis Alphonse Bandelier
London, 1699, – although Dr. Robertson mentions one of 1693. – Las Casas must be used with great caution.
Diego de Landa. "Relacion de las cosas de Yucatan."
Bishop Landa was born in 1524, and died in 1579; his work must therefore have been written between 1549 and the latter date. It was published by the Abbé Brasseur de Bourbourg, in 1860, with a French translation opposite to the Spanish text, and under the title of "Relation des choses de Yucatan." – Republished again in 1864, with some other matter.
The merits of Landa are certainly very great, but the real import of his so-called "A. B. C." ("De sus letras forme aqui un a. b. c." pp. 316-319), has been misunderstood and correspondingly misrepresented. The picture which Landa gives us of the customs and organization of the Mayas is completely at variance with some of his other statements. Much close attention is required.
"Cartas de Indias." Vol. I. Madrid, 1878.
These contain several letters and reports on Yucatan, from the 16th century. I only refer to one, a complaint of four Indian "gobernadores," dated 12 April, 1567, against the Bishop Diego de Landa, designating him as "principal author of all these evils and troubles…"
Joseph de Acosta. "Historia natural y moral de Indias," Sevilla, 1590. I merely mention this author, without entering into further bibliographical details about his work. It has been translated into many languages, and – in part or wholly – incorporated in many general collections of "Americana." He says but little about Yucatan, still his book is indispensable to any one studying Yucatecan antiquities. I also advert here to his former publication, which is but little known: "De promulgatione Evangelii apud Barbaros, sive de procuranda Indorum salute," Libros 6; printed in 1589.
Gerónimo de Mendieta. "Historia ecclesiástica Indiana," written about 1590, but printed for the first time, by Sr. J. G. Icazbalceta, at Mexico, in 1870 – Contains much and valuable information. – Mendieta has been extensively copied by Torquemada.
Fray Toribio de Paredes, Surnamed "Motolinia." "Historia de los Indios de Nueva-España," written about 1540, but published in full only by Sr. Icazbalceta in Vol. I. of "Coleccion de Documentos, &c." – Mentions Yucatan incidentally. – A large part of the work had been printed before in the "Documentos inéditos, &c." under the title of "Ritos Antiguos, Sacrificios é Idolatrias de las Indias de la Nueva-España," – also in Vol. IX. of Lord Kingsborough. – A Latin version, under the title of "De Moribus Indorum" may have existed once.
Yucatan is, furthermore, mentioned in many works of a more general character, embodying information gathered mostly from the sources already referred to. I do not, therefore, enter into any lengthy bibliographical sketches of them.
Simon Grynaeus. "Novus Orbis," 1532. Already noticed under Petrus Martyr.
Petrus Apianus. "Cosmographia," 1539, 1545, 1561 (Dutch version), &c.
Abraham Ortelius. "Theatrum orbis terrarum," 1571, 1588, &c.
Thomaso Porcacchi. "L'isole pio famose del Mondo," 1572, 1576, 1590, &c., &c.
G. Mercator. "Atlas, six Cosmographical Meditations." Duisburg, 1594.
Conrad Loew. "Meer oder See-Ansicht Buch." Cologne, 1598.
Sebastian Munster. "Cosmographey," 1575, &c.
André Thevet. "Les singularites de la France antarctique, autrement nommé Amérique, et de plusieurs Terres et Isles decouvertes de notre temps." – Paris, 1558; Antwerp, 1558; in Italian, at Venice, 1561.
I forbear further mention of the polemic works on the origin of the American Indians, – and now turn to some writers whose works are probably lost, or at least not accessible, although there is positive evidence of their former existence.
Fray Gerónimo Roman. "Republica Indiana" – certainly existed as late as 1630, or "República de las Indias Occidentales."
Fray Alonzo Solana. "Noticias Sagradas y profanas de las Antigüedades y Conversion de los Indios de Yucatan." (Written before 1600).
Don Francisco Montejo. "Carta al Rey sobre la fundacion de la Villa de San Francisco de Campeche, y de la Ciudad de Mérida," 14 June, 1543. (Still at Sevilla, leg. 7. "Cartas de Indias").
In the above list I have not included any Grammar, Vocabulary, Sermonary, "Doctrina," &c., &c., for the use of the Indians of Yucatan, or written in the Maya language, of which several are known. In conclusion, I beg to add the Maya writing, entitled:
"Series of Katunes," published, with an English translation, by Mr. J. L. Stephens, in "Incidents of travels in Yucatan," and by Brasseur de Bourbourg, in "Rel. d. ch. de Y."
Antonio de Herrera. "Historia general de los hechos de los Castellanos en las Islas y la Tierra firme del mar Océano," Madrid, 1601, 1615, 4 vols. folio. There are two other editions in the original language: Madrid, 1726 and 1730, and Antwerp, 1728.
Of this most important book, several translations have appeared, embodying either the whole or only a part. – Thus a French translation of the "Descripcion de las Indias Occidentales," appeared at Amsterdam in 1622 twice, and a French translation of the 1st, 2d and 3d Decades, at Paris, 1671. – A Latin version of the "Descripcion" was also published in 1622, by Colin, at Amsterdam, and a very unreliable English rendering by John Stephens, in 6 vols. 8o, appeared at London in 1725. Herrera is one of the most important authorities on every subject of which he treats.
Gregorio Garcia. "Orígen de los Indios del Nuevo Mundo é Indias Occidentales." 1st Edition, 1606; Second Edition, Madrid, 1729, by Barcia. – A very important and valuable work.
Juan de Torquemada. "Los veinte y uno Libros Rituales y monarchia Indiana, con el orígen y guerras de los Indios occidentales." 1st Edition, Madrid, 1613; 2d Edition, Madrid, 1723. Barcia.
Augustin de Vetancourt. "Teatro Mexicano." México, 1698. – 2d Edition, in "Biblioteca de la Iberia," México, 1870. – Treats of Yucatan incidentally, speaking of Cortés, &c.
The work consists properly of three books: the "Teatro," the "Crónica de la provincia del Santo Evangelio de México," and the "Menologio franciscano."
Antonio de Remesal. "Historia general de las Indias Occidentales, y particular de la gobernacion de Chiapas y Guatemala." – This book has also another title: "Historia de la Provincia de San Vicente de Chyapa y Guatemala de la Orden de San Domingo." – Madrid, 1619 and 1620. – Treats of Yucatan also, following Las Casas generally. An important work.
Bernardo Lizana. (Lizama or Lizaba?) "Devocionario de Nuestra Señora de Itzmal, Historia de Yucatan é de conquista Espiritual," 1663, according to the Abbé Brasseur and Leon y Pinelo. – E. G. Squier speaks of two works: one "Historia de la Provincia de Yucatan, y su conquista Espiritual," Valladolid, 1633, and the other "Historia de Nuestra Señora de Izamal." – Whichever way may be right, there remains accessible as yet, but a fragment published in Spanish, with a French translation by the Abbé Brasseur in his "Relation des choses de Yucatan," 1864. The fragment is entitled: "Del principio y Fundacion destos cuyos omules deste Sitio y Pueblo de Ytzmal…" – Lizana is of the highest importance and value, and it is much to be regretted that the entire book is of such difficult access.
Diego Lopez de Cogolludo. "Historia de Yucatan." – 1st Edition, Madrid, 1688; 2d Edition, Mérida, 1842; 3d Edition, 1867. – Cogolludo has always been regarded as the historian of Yucatan "par excellence." He is indeed indispensable for any study of Yucatan antiquities, but, like all other authors, he must never be implicitly followed. The closest criticism possible is absolutely required.
Gil Gonzalez Dávila. "Teatro ecclesiástico de la primitiva Iglesia de los Indios Occidentales." Madrid, 1649.
Juan Diaz de la Calle. "Memorial y Resûmen breve de Noticias de las Indias Occidentales." Madrid, 1654.
These constitute the most important sources on Yucatan written during the 17th century. Nearly all of them are of special value, and we would call particular attention to Cogolludo, Lizana, Torquemada, Herrera, and Remesal. Among such authors, who wrote upon the subject and whose writings are not now accessible, I name here:
Pedro