antonio de valeriano was the most accomplished pupil and then native scholar at the franciscan colegio de santa cruz de tlatelolco. as with other students at the colegio, valeriano was taught literacy in nahuatl, spanish, and latin. bernardino de sahagún singled out valeriano as "one of my collaborators ... collegians expert in grammar. the principal and most learned of them was antonio de valeriano of atzcapoltzalco." he was also praised by franciscan fray juan bautista, who preserved the last letter that valeriano wrote him in latin. valeriano says that "my hands are trembling, my eyes are clouded, and my ears closed" () and signing as "your most loving, but unworthy, antonius valerianus" ).