Xalatlaco (Toluca), 1774: Testament of Matiana Juana of Santiago Tilapa

This testament was photographed by Jane Walsh (Smithsonian Institution) in Xalatlaco, Valley of Toluca, modern state of Mexico, and contributed to the ENL. It is a late-colonial testament in Nahuatl from a woman in the community of Santiago Tilapa. She was apparently of very humble means, for she asks for only one mass to be said for her soul. She mentions no possessions. It is possible that the testament was made very quickly and minimally if she were on her deathbed in a time of epidemic disease, but we have no other clues of this outside of the brevity of the testament.

[Introduction, transcription, and translation by Stephanie Wood.]

Transcriptions and Translations

Analytic Transcription English Translation Spanish Translation
Jesús, María, y Joseph Nehuatl nicocohua notoca Matiana Juana no[tla]xilaca[l] nican santo Santiago Tilapa ca nicnoneltoquitia Dios te[ta]tzin yhuan Dios itlasopiltzin yhuan Dios espiritu santo yeitzitzin personas ca zan ce huel nelli teotl Dios Ca nicnotlatlati[liz?]tzino cihuapilli santa maria mochipa huey nelli ichpochtzin inin nopampa quimotlatlatiliztzino itlazomahuizcente onnetzi in totecuio Jesu Christo y nechmopopolhuiliz notlatlacol ihuan nicneltoca quexqui quimoneltoquitia tonantzin santa iglesia ipan in meztli octubre 25, 1774 aos. ihuan ce misa ipalehuiloca noanimatzin nehuatl tlali itestamento Agustin Franco escribano [Standardization by Stephanie Wood] Jesus, Mary, and Joseph I am sick. My name is Matiana Juana. My barrio is here in holy Santiago Tilapa. I believe in God the father and God his precious son and God the holy spirit, three persons and just one really true divinity, God. For the lady Holy Mary eternally, really truly virgin will guard me, on my behalf she will guard this precious marvelous one thing .... our lord Jesus Christ will pardon me my sins. And I believe all that our precious mother the holy church believes. On October 25, 1774. And one mass [will be said] for the aid of my soul. I set down her testament, Agustín Francisco, notary. [Translation by Stephanie Wood] Jesús, María, y Josef Estoy enferma. Mi nombre es Juana Matiana. Mi barrio está aquí en Santo Santiago Tilapa. Creo en Dios el padre y Dios su precioso hijo y Dios el espíritu santo, tres personas, pero una sola verdadera divinidad, Dios. Para la señora Santa María eternamente real y verdaderamente virgen me va a proteger, en mi nombre se guardará esta preciosa maravillosa cosa única .... nuestro Señor Jesucristo me perdonará de mis pecados. Y creo en que todo lo que nuestra madre preciosa la santa iglesia cree. El 25 de octubre de 1774. Y una misa [se realizará] para la ayuda de mi alma. Me dejó su testamento, Agustín Francisco, notario. [Translation from English to Spanish by Melanie Hyers]