Daily Life in Colonial Mexico: The Journey of Friar Ilarione da Bergamo, 1761–1768 (Volume 78) (American Exploration and Travel Series)

After returning to his Italian monastery in 1770, a Capuchin friar named Ilarione da Bergamo wrote an account of his transatlantic crossing and five-year residence in colonial Mexico. Sent to Mexico to collect alms for missionary work, Friar Ilarione lived four years in the silver mining camp of Real del Monte, fifty miles north of the vice regal capital. Ilarione relates how he secured silver donations from the miners, describes mining and refining techniques, and writes of a bitter and widespread labor strike. Ilarione also spent a number of months in Mexico City. He reveals the squalor, crime, and other perils of life in the capital, and describes details of daily life, including the public baths, medical practices, cockfights, bullfights, birds, native plants, popular food, and religious rituals. In this recently discovered manuscript, published here for the first time in English, editors Robert Ryal Miller and William J. Orr identify obscure references, translate Nahuatl words, amplify details, and verify historical events. Daily Life in Colonial Mexico is a welcome addition to the firsthand literature of New Spain. In 1761 Ilarione Da Bergamo, A Capuchin Friar, Journeyed To Mexico To Gather Alms For Foreign Missions. After Harrowing Voyages Across The Mediterranean And Atlantic, He Reached Mexico City In 1763. Ilarione's Account Reveals The Squalor, Crime, And Other Perils In The Viceregal Capital, And Gives Details About Daily Life: Food, Public Hygiene, Sexual Morality, Medical Practices, And Popular Diversions. His Observations About Religious Life Are Particularly Valuable. Based On A Four Year Residence In The Silver Mining Town Of Real Del Monte, Fifty Miles North Of The Capital, Ilarione Describes Mining And Refining Techniques And Recounts A Bitter And Bloody Miners' Strike. Ilarione Also Traveled Across Bandit-infested Wilderness To Guadalajara.--jacket. Ch. 1. By Land And Sea Through Italy -- Ch. 2. Across The Mediterranean To Spain -- Ch. 3. Captured By The English -- Ch. 4. Voyage To The New World -- Ch. 5. Islands Of The Caribbean -- Ch. 6. Veracruz To Mexico City -- Ch. 7. Description Of The Capital -- Ch. 8. Foods And Plants Of New Spain -- Ch. 9. Mexican Occupations And Amusements -- Ch. 10. Medicine In Colonial Mexico -- Ch. 11. Animals Of New Spain -- Ch. 12. Miscellaneous Topics And Disasters -- Ch. 13. Religious Life In New Spain -- Ch. 14. The Mines Of Real Del Monte -- Ch. 15. Expulsion From Mexico -- Ch. 16. Return Voyage To Europe -- App. Chronology Of Ilarione Da Bergamo's Journey. Translated From The Italian By Williams J. Orr ; Edited By Robert Ryal Miller And William J. Orr. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [227]-232) And Index. In 1761 Ilarione da Bergamo, a Capuchin friar, journeyed to Mexico to gather alms for foreign missions. After harrowing voyages across the Mediterranean and Atlantic, he reached Mexico City in 1763. Ilarione's account reveals the squalor, crime, and other perils in the viceregal capital, and gives details about daily life: food, public hygiene, sexual morality, medical practices, and popular diversions. His observations about religious life are particularly valuable. Based on a four year residence in the silver mining town of Real del Monte, fifty miles north of the capital, Ilarione describes mining and refining techniques and recounts a bitter and bloody miners' strike. Ilarione also traveled across bandit-infested wilderness to Guadalajara.After his return to Italy, Ilarione wrote an account of his journey, published here for the first time in English. The editors have liberally annotated the text and written an introduction about Ilarione's life and the historical context of his journey. Daily Life in Colonial Mexico is a welcome addition to the firsthand literature of New Spain. In 1761 Ilarione da Bergamo, a Capuchin friar, journeyed to Mexico to gather alms for foreign missions. After harrowing voyages across the Mediterranean and Atlantic, he reached Mexico City in 1763. His account reveals the squalor, crime, and other perils in the viceregal capital, and details daily food, public hygiene, sexual morality, medical practices, and popular diversions. His observations about religious life are particularly valuable. Ilarione also describes mining and refining techniques, recounts a bitter and bloody miners strike, and recalls traveling across bandit-infested wilderness to Guadalajara. After his return to Italy, Ilarione wrote an account of his journey, published here for the first time in English. The editors have liberally annotated the text, written an introduction about Ilariones life and the historical context of his journey, and included more than a dozen of Fra Ilariones original drawings, including maps and sketches of Mexican flora. Daily Life in Colonial Mexico is a welcome addition to the firsthand literature of New Spain. "In 1761 Ilarione da Bergamo, a Capuchin friar, journeyed to Mexico to gather alms for foreign missions. After harrowing voyages across the Mediterranean and Atlantic, he reached Mexico City in 1763. Ilarione's account reveals the squalor, crime, and other perils in the viceregal capital, and gives details about daily life: food, public hygiene, sexual morality, medical practices, and popular diversions. His observations about religious life are particularly valuable. Based on a four year residence in the silver mining town of Real del Monte, fifty miles north of the capital, Ilarione describes mining and refining techniques and recounts a bitter and bloody miners' strike. Ilarione also traveled across bandit-infested wilderness to Guadalajara."--BOOK JACKET. Although the colonial era spanned nearly three centuries of Mexico's history, few eyewitness accounts remain that describe everyday life-where people lived, what they ate, how they amused themselves, what foibles or vices they indulged in, what they experienced strolling through the cities, towns, and countryside.