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Woolen Manufacture in Sixteenth-Century New Spain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 December 2015

William H. Dusenberry
William H. Dusenberry*
Affiliation:
University of California, Los Angeles, Cal.
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Extract

Although the natives made a crude kind of coarse woolens prior to the time of the Conquest, the manufacturing of woolen goods did not begin in New Spain until the early fifteen forties. At that time the first viceroy, Antonio de Mendoza, laid the base of this industry in the new colony. Mendoza considered such an enterprise essential to lasting prosperity. He imported the merino, or fine wool, breed of sheep from Castile, and did everything possible to foster their growth. The viceroy had wide powers over local administration, and all matters pertaining to wool manufacturing were under his jurisdiction. Legislation regarding wool mills emanated from the crown; it was reissued by the viceroy; and its immediate execution was a cabildo function.

Licenses to establish textile mills could be granted only by the King through the mediation of the viceroy and audiencia. “None shall be founded in any way, nor for any cause, nor in any place, without my express license, or that of the viceroys …”

Type
Research Article
Information
The Americas , Volume 4 , Issue 2 , October 1947 , pp. 223 - 234
Copyright
Copyright © Academy of American Franciscan History 1948

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References

1 Cortés, in a letter to the Emperor, mentioned woolen tapestries and other gifts presented to him by Montezuma. See Colección de documents inéditos relativos al descubrimiento, conquista, y organización de las antiguas posesiones españoles de América y Oceania, sacados de los archivos del reino y muy especialmente del de indias, (42 vols., Madrid, 1884), II, 67.Google Scholar

2 Bancroft, Hubert Howe, History of Mexico, (6 vols., San Francisco, 1883–88), II Google Scholar, 536n; cf. Pablo de la Purisima Concepción Beaumont, Crónica de la provincia de los santos apóstoles S. Pedro y S. Pablo de Michoacán, (5 vols., Mexico, 1873), IV, 488.Google Scholar

3 Actas de cabildo del ayuntamiento de la gran cibdad de Tenuxtitan México de la Nueba España, paleografiado por el lie. Berra, Manuel Orozco y, (27 vols., Mexico, 1889,-1911), IX, 345 Google Scholar, (hereinafter abbreviated to “Actas de Cabildo”). See also Aiton, A. S. Antonio de Mendoza, First Viceroy of New Spain, Durham, 1927, p. 111.Google Scholar

4 Beleña, Don Eusebio Bentura, Recopilación sumaria de todos los autos acordados de la real audiencia y sala del crimen de esta neuva españa, y providencias de su superior gobierno; de varias reales cédulas y órdenes que después de publicada la recopilación de indias ban podido recogerse asi de las dirigidas a la misma audiencia o gobierno, como de algunas otras que por sus notables decisiones convendrá no ignorar, (4 vols, in 2, Mexico, 1787), II, 81 Google Scholar, (hereinafter cited as “Beleña”).

5 Solórzano, Juan de, Política Indiana, (2 vols. Madrid, 1736), I, 109.Google Scholar

6 Ibid., 111.

7 Bancroft, , History of Mexico, III, 616nGoogle Scholar; Beaumont, , Crónica de la provincia de los santos apóstoles S. Pedro y S. Pablo de Michoacán, IV, 488 Google Scholar. Mendoza said that Indians working with woolens soon learned to wear woolen clothing, where formerly they had attired themselves scantily in cottons. See Aiton, A. S. and Rey, Agapito, “Coronado’s Testimony in the Viceroy Mendoza Residencia”, New Mexico Historical Review, XII, 302n.Google Scholar

8 Troncoso, Francisco del Paso y, Epistolario de Nueva España, 1505–1818, (15 vols., Mexico; vols. I-VI, 1939; vols. VII-XV, 1940), IV, 94 Google Scholar. He also stated that there were “herds of all kinds and breeds in abundance, and they multiply rapidly, almost twice in fifteen months.”

9 Beleña, II, 83–84.

10 Ibid., 81.

11 Provisiones, cédulas, instrucciones de Su Magestad, ordenanzas de difuntos y audiencia para la buena expedición de los negocios y administración de justicia y governación de esta Nueva España, y para el buen tratamiento y conservación de los Indios desde el año de 1525 hasta este presente de 63. En México, en casa de Pedro Ocharte, 1563. Ed. de “El Sistema postal”. (2 vols., Mexico, 1878–79), II, 94 Google Scholar

12 Beleña, II, 76, cap. 1.

13 Ibid., 77, cap. 3.

14 Ibid., 77–78, cap. 4. This was a third of the Indian’s annual wage. The law provided that it could be advanced to him to pay for necessities such as tribute and food. Accurate accounts of all wages paid in advance were kept by owners of wool mills. In case an Indian desired to return some wages advanced to him, he could do so. These items were carefully noted down on the account books. See pp. 78–79, cap. 7. Cf. p. 83, cap. 16. This privilege did not extend to Indians condemned for crime. See pp. 80–81, cap. 10. An Indian who was in debt to another Indian could not receive pay in advance. See p. 88, cap. 28. Accounts in great detail were kept permanently and unbroken from the founding of each mill unit until it went out of existence. Items noted were wages, time of service of employees, with dates, and the amount each Indian wasted. See pp. 82–83, cap. 15. Records were also kept of crimes committed by Indians; and superintendents of wool mills were responsible for them. See p. 89, cap. 30.

15 Ibid., 78, cap. 6.

16 Ibid., 79, cap. 8.

17 Ibid., 79–80, cap. 9.

18 Ibid., 82, cap. 13.

19 Ibid., 83 cap. 17.

20 Ibid., 85, cap. 20.

21 Ibid., 85, cap. 21.

22 Ibid., 85, cap. 22; see also Legislación del trabajo en los sighs XVI, XVII, y XVIII relación entre la economia las artes y los oficios en la Nueva España, Mexico, 1938, 49–50.

23 Ibid., 86, cap. 24.

24 Solórzano, , Política Indiana, I, 111.Google Scholar

25 Beleña, II, 86–87, cap. 26.

26 Ibid., 87–88, cap. 27. The superintendent paid 2 reales to the justice for each entry made on the account book. The justice and scribe shared this income equally.

27 Haring, C. H., The Spanish Empire in America, New York, 1947, p. 66n.Google Scholar

28 Regulations which specified the duties of these workers are to be found in López, Antonio Xavier Pérez y, Teatro de la legislación universal de España e Indias por orden cronológico de sus cuerpos, y decisiones no recopiladas y alfabético de su títulos y principales materias, (28 vols. Madrid, MDCCXCI, XXI, 204, et passim Google Scholar. (Hereinafter abbreviated to “Teatro de la legislación?”).

29 Recopilación de leyes de los reynos de las Indias, mandadas imprimir, y publicar por la Magestad Católica del rey Don Carlos 11, Nuestro Señor, second ed., (4 vols., Madrid, 1756)Google Scholar, lib. vii, tit. xiii, ley i.

30 Ibid., ley iii.

31 Ibid., ley iv.

32 Teatro de la legislación, XXI, 205–206.

33 Ibid., 210.

34 Ibid., 224.

35 Actas de Cabildo, X, 89-

36 Bustamente, Carlos María de, Historia general de las cosas de Nueva España, que en doce libros y dos volúmenes escribió, el R. R. Fr. Bernardino de Sahagún de la observancia de San Francisco y uno de los primeros predicadores del santo evangélico en aquellas regiones, y dedicado a nuestro santísimo padre Pío VIII, (3 vols., Mexico, 1829), III, 52 Google Scholar. Colors were fast, but no so fast as those of Spain. See Haring, C. H., Trade and Navigation between Spain and the Indies in the Time of the Hapsburgs, Cambridge, 1918, p. 127.Google Scholar

37 Teatro de la legislación, XXI, 231. These ordinances regulated minutely the different colors to be used in dyeing the woolens.

38 Ibid., 222.

39 Ibid., 215.

40 Ibid., 221.

41 Ibid., 220.

42 Ibid., 217. “Los veedores lleven del sello que echaren quatro maravedís del dueño del paño.” See p. 233. Woolens could not be sold without two brands—that of the manufacturer which showed what kind of fabric it was and its quality, and that of the veedor which indicated that it was approved. See vol. XIV, 74.

43 Ibid., 217.

44 Ibid., 224.

45 Ibid., 206.

46 Ibid., 210.

47 Teatro de la legislación, XIV, 74.

48 Teatro de la legislación, XXI, 217.

49 Ibid., 226.

50 Ibid.

51 Teatro de la legislación, XIX, 30.

52 Teatro de la legislación, XXI, 210.

53 Ibid., 211.

54 Ibid., 228.

55 Ibid., 226.

56 Teatro de la legislación, X, 123.

57 Teatro de la legislación, XXI, 215. According to this regulation, styles were to be the same in all parts of the empire, including New Spain.

58 Teatro de la legislación, XIX, 30.

59 Teatro de la legislación, XXI, 233.

60 Actas de Cabildo, IV, 192.

61 Actas de Cabildo, V, 65.

62 Actas de Cabildo, IV, 326.

63 Actas de Cabildo, VI, 152. In the cabildo meeting of October 29, 1554, Juan García de la Madalena and Juan de León were chosen veedores. They had previously had experience as cloth shearers.

64 Actas de Cabildo, VI, 221.

65 Actas de Cabildo, IX, 266. Cf. vol. X, 92.

66 Actas de Cabildo, VIII, 566.

67 Bancroft, , History of Mexico, III, 616nGoogle Scholar. Cf. Palacio, D. Vicente Riva, México a través de los siglos, (5 vols., Barcelona, undated), II, 449.Google Scholar

68 Haring, , The Spanish Empire in America, 261.Google Scholar

69 Cuevas, P. Mariano, Documentos inéditos del siglo XVI para la historia de México, Mexico, 1914, p. 482.Google Scholar

70 Ibid., 483–484.

71 Icazbalceta, Joaquin Garcia, in Bibliografía Mexicana del siglo XVI, Mexico, 1886, p. 192 Google Scholar, gives an account of the silk industry in New Spain. See also Borah, Woodrow, Silk Raising in Colonial Mexico, (Ibero-Americana, No. 20), Berkeley, Calif., 1943.Google Scholar

72 Haring, , Trade and Navigation between Spain and the Indies, 127 Google Scholar. Woolens were also exported to Spain. The products of Castile for export were: wine, brocade, finished woolens, linens, and food stuffs. Products exported from New Spain were: silk, meat, wool, tallow, sugar, cacao, lard, cotton, copper, lead, and woolen blankets and clothing. See Icazbalceta, , Bibliografía Mexicana del siglo XVI, 192 Google Scholar. See also Haring, , The Spanish Empire in America, 261.Google Scholar