A native of Alcalá de Henares in Spain, he took the habit of St. Francis at the convent of San Diego, on 31 March 1629, and emigrated to Yucatán, where he became successively lector in theology, guardian, and finally provincial of his order.

It contains information personally gathered at a time when older sources, written and oral, that have now partly disappeared, were still accessible.

Cogolludo consulted and used the writings of Bishop Diego de Landa to a considerable extent, but many of his statements must be taken with caution.

Chapter four contains a description of the land, customs, and beliefs of the Maya people, whom López thinks descended from the Phoenicians and the Carthaginians.

[1] The remaining six chapters are dedicated to the history of the Franciscan order's attempts and progress in converting and instructing the Maya.