not suffering any Spaniard to goe beyond mee or to outbrave mee with gallant witty and well seeming arguments and so many times I would at nine of the clock at night when others were gone to bed take in my chamber a cup of hot Chocolatte that with it I might banish sleep from mine eyes and might the better continue in my study till one or two in the morning being bound to awake and bee up again by six I was loath in these three yeers to take upon mee any other of such charges which are common in such Convents but especially to preach much and to hear the Confessions of such both men and women as resorted to the Church of that Cloister lest hereby my studies might bee hindered and time spent in other waies Yet the Prior and Master Cabannas would often bee very importunate with mee to obtaine the Bishops License for hearing of Confessions and Preaching abroad in the City and Country for in the Church of that Cloister I might and did sometimes though seldome preach with Permission of the Provinciall but this I strongly refused untill such time as the Provinciall himselfe came to Guatemala who hearing me once Preach would by all meanes have mee further licensed and authorised from the Bishop that so I might not bee straitned within the Cloisters limits but abroad in other Churches might freely Preach and thereby get some money for the better furnishing my selfe with Bookes Hee therefore commanded mee to bee examined by five examiners all able Divines for the space of three houres aâ—… is the custome of that Order and having three houres stood under their hard and rigid questions and examination having also at the end obtained their approbation then the Provinciall presented mee unto the Bishop with these words following being taken out of the Originall yet abiding with mee FRay Iuan Ximeno Predicador General y Provincial desta Provincia de San vicente de Chiapa y Guatemala Orden de Predicadores Presento a Vuestra Sennoria Illustrissima al Padre Fray Thomas de Sancta Maria examinado y a provado por cinco examinadores per vota Secreta conforme a nuestras Constitutiones Para que Vuestra Sennoria Illustrissima se sirva de darle licencia para Confessar y Predicar a todo genero de Gente en su Obispado Conforme a la Clementina Dudum de Sepulturis A Vuestra Sennoria Illustrissima Suplico le aya por Presentado y se sirva de dalle la dicha licencia que en ello recibire merced Fray Juan or Ximeno Palis This forme of Presentation used among them naming the party presenting and the party presented is in English much to this purpose FRier Iohn Ximeno Preacher Generall and Provinciall of this Province of St. Vincent of Chiapa and Guatemala Order of Preachers do present unto your Lorship the father Frier Thomas of St. Mary already examined and approved by five Examiners by secret Votes according to our Rule and Constitutions that your Lordship may be pleased to grant him licence to heare Confessions and to preach to all sorts of people in your Bishoprick according to that Rule and Canon of Pope Clement beginning with these words Dudum de Sepulturis I humbly beseech your Lordship to have him for presented and to grant him your foresaid licence and therein I shall receive great favour Frier Iohn or Ximeno Palis The Bishop of Guatemala being my great friend and a well-wisher to learning and especially to that Universitie needed not many words of intreaty but presently gave me this Licence written on the back-side of the Presentation and that without any further examination by his Clergy and part of his Chapter which hee may and doth use when he pleaseth NOs el Maestro Don Fray Ioan de Sandoval y Capata de la Orden de San Augustin por la Divina Gracia Obispo de Guatemala y la Vera Paz del Consejo de su Magistad etc. Por la Presente damos licencia al Padre Fray Thomas de Santa Maria de la Orden de Predicadores Contenido en la Presentacion de su Religion atras Contenida Para que en todo este nuestro Obispado pueda Predicar y Predique la Palabra de Dios y para que pueda administrar y administre el Sacramento Santo de la Penitentia generalmente a todas las Personas que con el tubieren Devocion de Confessare excepto Monias y a las Personas que Confessare pueda absolver y absuelva de todos sus pecados Crimines y excessos excepto de los casos reservados a su santidad y a Nos por Direcho Dada en la Ciudad de Santiago de Guatemala en quarto de Diziembre de Mill y Seyscientos y veynte y nueve Annos Cl Obispo de Guatemala Por Mandado del Ill mo mi Sennor Pedro Ramirez de Valdes Secretario This forme of licence to preach and heare confessions from the Bishop of Guatemala is worth Englishing for some things in it which I shall observe with inclosed Parentheses as I goe along for the better reminding my Reader of them VVEe Bishops in that Church scorne the name of a singular person shewing they have the power of all persons joyned together in them of rich and poore of subject and Prince Master and Lord Frier Iohn de Sandoval y Capata of the Order of St. Augustin though brought up in a poore Mendicant Cloister yet now he takes upon him the Title of a Lord and shewes how Prelates in that Church use to Lord it over the people by the Divine Grace Bishop of Guatemala and the Vera Paz he stiles himselfe a Bishop by Divine Grace whereas he himselfe acording to the common report of him as also are most Bishops there made was made Bishop not by any Divine Grace but by unwarranted Simony aud favour from Courtiers having given many thousand Crownes for that his Bishopricke of his Majesties Councell Bishops there must be Counsellors to Kings and meddle in Court and Politicke affaires by these Present give licence to Father Frier Thomas of Saint Mary of the Order of Preachers contained in the Presentation from his religious Order on the back-side of this our licence that throughout all our Bishopricke he may and doe preach the word of God yet I confesse This word of God is little used in Sermons in that Church but rather the words of Saints of theirs and Fathers and lying words of miracles wherewith they stuffe up a whole houres preaching and that he may and doe administer the holy Sacrament of Penance not only as it came from the mouth of him to whom the Seraphims cry Holy Holy Holy but as it came from the head of Rome who sacrilegiously stiles himselfe Holinesse and most Holy Father Not a Sacrament as so left and ordained by Christ but one of Romes seven Sacraments which as it is a City knowne and distinguished by seven hills so will that Church be knowne
and smell of it a farre off at Sea they might when they came to the Coast of America smell out a Spanish ship and know it from a Hollander Here my Don Melchor fell into admiration assuring mee hee had never heard more solid reasons from any man Alas poore Criolian of Chiapa thought I if I had spoken sense thy shallow braine had not beene able to have leaped over it but after non-sense thou art easily carried away As for his last question I told him that was above my reach for that poore Fryers ought not to meddle with women neither had my mother ever told mee how long shee went with mee But how ever if Donna Angella would tell mee how long shee went with her children I would by the constellations of the Heavens search out against our next meeting how long the English women went with their children To this my Don Melchor answered that he would not trouble me to study what he thought was not belonging to my profession but he knew that if I would study that or any other hard difficult point I could give him more better satisfaction then any scholar in that City And thus Reader by this Don Melchors wit and ability would I have thee judge of the Gentlemen Criolians or natives of Chiapa and yet as presumptuous they are and arrogant as if the noblest bloud in the Court of Madrid ran through their veines It is a common thing amongst them to make a dinner only with a dish of Frixoles in black broath boyled with pepper and garlicke saying it is the most nourishing meat in all the India's and after this so stately a dinner they will be sure to comeout to the streetdore of their houses to see and to be seen and there for halfe an houre will they stand shaking off the crums of bread from their cloaths bands but especially from their ruffes when they used them and from their mustachoes And with their tooth-pickers they will stand picking their teeth as if some small Partridge bone stuck in them nay if a friend passe by at that time they will be sure to find out some crum or other in their mustacho as if on purpose the crums of the table had been shaken upon their beards that the losse of them might be a gaining of credit for great house keeping and they will be sure to vent out some non-truth as to say A Senor que linda perdiz he comido oy O Sir what a dainty Partridge have I eat to day where as they picke out nothing from their teeth but a black husk of a dry frixole or Turkey bean Though great in blood and in birth they say they are yet in their imployments they are but rich Grasiers for most of their wealth consisteth in farmes of Cattell and Mules Some indeed have Townes of Indians subject unto them whereof they are called Encomendero's and receive yeerly from every Indian a certaine Pole tribute of fowles and mony They have most cowardly spirits for warre and though they will say they would faine see Spaine yet they dare not venture their lives at sea they judge sleeping in a whole skin the best maxime for their Criolian spirits One hundred fighting souldiers would easily lay low those Chiapa Dons and gain the whole City which lyeth so open to the fields that the Mules and Asses come in and grase the streets being very commodious to entertain Asses from within and from without Yet in this City liveth commonly a Governour or Alcalde Major and a Bishop The Governours place is of no small esteem and interest for that his power reacheth farre and he tradeth much in Cacao and Cochinil and domineers over both Spaniards and Indians at his will and pleasure But ill gotten goods never thrive as was seen in Don Gabriel de Orellana Governour of this City and Countrey in my time who having sent the worth of eight thousand crownes in Cochinil Cacao Sugar and Hydes by the river of Tabasco towards the Havana lost it all into the hands of the Hollanders who doubtlesse knew how to make better use of it then would have done that tyrannizing Governour The Bishops place of that City is worth at least eight thousand duckats a yeer which truly he had need of that comes so far from Spain to live in such a City where are such able Dons as Don Melchor de Velasco and where Asses are so freely fed and bred Most of this Bishops revenues consisteth in great offerings which he yeerly receiveth from the great Indian Townes going out to them once a yeer to confirme their children whose confirmation is such a means to confirme and strengthen the Bishops revenues that none must be confirmed by him who offer not a faire white Wax-candle with a ribban and at least foure Rials I have seen the richer sort offer him a Candle of at least six pound weight with two yards of twelve penny broad ribban and the Candle stucke from the top to the bottom with single Rials round about Nay the poore Indians make it the chiefe master piece of their vanity to offer proudly in such occasions Don Bernardiâ—… de Salazar was the Bishop of this City in my time who desired my company to ride with him his circuit but one moneth about the Townes neer to Chiapa and in this time I was appointed by him to hold the basin wherein the Spaniards and Indians whilst he confirmed their children did cast their offerings which my selfe and another Chaplaine did alwaies tell and cast up by good account before we carried the mony up into his chamber and I found that at our returne at the moneths end he had received one thousand and six hundred duckats of onely offerings besides the fees due to him for visiting the severall companies or sodalities and confraternities belonging to the Saints or soules in their purgatory which are extraordinary rich there whereof he and all other Bishops in their district take account yeerly This Bishop was aâ—… all the rest are there somewhat covetous but otherwise a man of a temperate life and conversation very zealous to reforme whatsoever abuses committed in the Church which cost him his life before I departed from Chiapa to Guatemala The woman of that City 〈◊〉 seems pretend much weakenesse and squeamishnesse of stomack which they say is so great that they are not able to continue in the Church while a Masse is briefly hudled over much lesse while a solemn high Masse as they call it is sung and a Sermon preached unlesse they drinke a cup of hot Chocolatte and eat a bit of 〈◊〉 strengthen their stomackeâ—… For this purpose it was much used by them to make their maids â—…ing to them to Church in the middle of Masse or Sermon a cup of Chocolatte which could not be done to all or most of them without a great confusion and interrupting both Masse and Sermon The Bishop perceiving this abuse and having given faire warning for the
and distinguished from the true Church by seven Sacraments generally to all persons which shall have devotion to confesse with him excepting Nuns this Bishop had in that City one of the six Iudges of the Chancery his daughter a Nun called Donna Juana de Maldonado y Paz whom he loved dearly and much conferred with her in private in the Cloister whose private conferences he was jealous they should be knowne in Confession and therefore would suffer none to hear Nuns Confessions but such as were his most intimate friends and of whom he had great satisfaction alleadging this reason that such as heard Nuns Confessions ought to be very skilfull and experienced in such waies and men of age for that greater cases of Conscience were to be met with in Nuns Confessions than in others By which reason he unwisely brought an aspersion upon those Virgins who should live chast by and holily as separated from the world and inclosed and yet it seems by this Bishops opinion that within their inclosed walls sins are committed more grievous then abroad in the wide world and such as may puzzle a Ghostly Father if not skillfull and ancient and that he may and doe absolve all persons which shall confesse with him if onely God can pardon and absolve from sinne Oh how is Gods power arrogated and taken yea and abused by those sacrilegious Priests from all their sins crimes and excesses excepting such cases as are reserved to his Holinesse and to us by Canon right A wicked rule and Canon a Government certainly most cruell and tyrannicall that bindes poor wretches in some cases to goe from America to Rome at least eight thousand miles to cleare their Consciences before the Pope or else they must die without pardon and absolution from sinne many having not meanes to goe thither nor gifts to bestow upon their Pope who must be bribed to absolve them O how more sweet comfortable and safe is it for a heinous sinner and offendour even at home or in the Church grievous within his heart and keeping within himselfe to lift up a broken heart and make that poste and flie with wings of Eagles to the high Throne of Gods grace and mercy with assured confidence that there only is pardon remission and absolution granted to all such as doe truely and unfeignedly repent of their sins crimes and excesses Dated n the City of St. Iames of Guatemala the fourth day of December in the yeer of our Lord 1629. The Bishop of Guatemala By the Command of my most Illustrious Lord Peter Ramirez de Valdes Secretary Thus with full and ample Commission from the Bishop and the Provinciall was I setled in Guatemala to read and preach where although I might have continued many yeers and was offered to read Divinity having in part begun it one quarter of a yeere I continued yet but three yeers and almost an halfe for the reason I shall shew hereafter So what in that time I could observe of that City and of the Countrey round about having had occasions to travaile about it both when I lived in Guatemala and afterwards when I lived for above seven yeers in the Countrey Townes I shall truly and faithfully recommend unto my Reader This City of Guatemala called by the Spaniards Santiago or St. Iames of Guatemala is seated in a valley which is not above two miles and a halfe broad for the high mountaines doe keep it close in but in length towards the South-sea it continues a wide and champaigne Countrey opening it selfe broader a little beyond that Towne which to this day is called la Ciudad Vieja or the old City standing somewhat above three miles from Guatemala Though the mountaines on each side doe strongly environ it and especially on the East-side seem to hang over it yet none of them are hinderers to Travellers who over them have opened waies easiâ—… for man and beasts though heavily laden with wares of all sorts The way from Mexico if taken by the coast of Socomezco and Suchutepeques comes into the City North-west-ward which is a wide open and sandy rode if it be taken by Chiapa it lieth North east and entreth into the City between the mountaines as before hath been noted West-ward to the South-sea the way lieth open through the valley and a champaigne Countrey But South or South-East the entrance is over high and steepy hils which is the common Rode from Comayagua Nicaragua and the Golfo dulce or sweet Gulfe where the ships come yeerly and unlade all the Commodities which are brought from Spaine for Guatemala This also is the way followed by them who take a journey meer East-ward from this City But the chiefest mountaines which straighten in this City and valley are two called Vulcanes the one being a Vulcan of water and the other a Vulcan or mountain of fire termed so by the Spantards though very improperly a Vulcan may be said to containe water it taking its name from the heathenish God Vulcan whose profession and imployment chiefly was in fire These two famous mountaines stand almost the one over against the other on each side of the valley that of water hanging on the South-side almost perpendicularly over the City the other of fire standing lower from it more opposite to the old City That of water is higher then the other and yeelds a goodly prospect to the sight being almost all the yeer green and full of Indian Milpa's which are plantations of Indian wheat and in the small and petty Townes which lie some halfe way up it some at the foot of it there are Roses Lillies and other flowers all the yeer long in the gardens besides Plantins Apricockes and many sorts of sweet and delicate fruits It is called by the Spaniards el Vulcan del agua or the Vulcan of water because on the other side of it from Guatemala it springs with many brookes towards a Towne called Saint Christopher and especially is thought to preserve and nourish on that side also a great lake of fresh water by the Townes called Amatitlan and Petapa But on the side of it towards Guatemala and the valley it yeelds also so many springs of sweet and fresh water as have caused and made a river which runneth along the valley close by the City and is that which drives the water-mills spoken of before in â—…go This river was not known when first the Spaniards conquered that Country but since according to their constant Tradition the City of Guatemala standing higher and neerer to the Vulcan in that place and Town which to this day is called la Ciudad Vieja or the old City there lived in it then about the yeer 1534. a Gentlewoman called Donna Maria de Castilia who having lâ—…st her husband in the warres and that same yeer buried also all her children grew so impatient under these her crosses and afflictions that impiously she defied God saying What can God do more unto me now then he hath done he hath
all that Country being fully perswaded that the metall that burned within that Vulâ—…n was Gold whereupon hee caused a great Kâ—…tle to bee made and hung at an iron chain to let it down from the top thinking therewith to take up gold enough to make him Bishop and to inrich his poor kindred But such was the power and strength of the fire within that no sooner had hee let downe the Kettle when it fell from the chain and from his hands being melted away This City of Leon is very curiously built for the chief delight of the Inhabitants consisteth in their houses and in the pleasure of the Country adjoyning and in the abundance of all things for the life of man more then in any extraordinary riches which there are not so much injoyed as in other parts of America They are contented with fine gardens with variety of singing birds and parrets with plenty of fish and flesh which is cheap and with gay houses and so lead a delicious lazy and idle life not aspiring much to trade and traffique though they have neer unto them the Lake which commonly every yeere sendeth forth some Frigats to Havana by the North Sea and Realejo on the South Sea which to them might bee very commodious for any dealing and rich Trading in Perâ—… or to Mixco if their spirits would carry them so farre The Gentlemen of this City are almost as vaine and phantasticall as are those of Chiapa And especially from the pleasure of this City is all that Province of Nicaragua called by the Spaniards Mahomets Paradise From hence the way is plain and Levell to Granada whither I got safely and joyfully hoping that now I had no more journey to make by land till I should land at Dover in England and from thence post up to London Two dayes after I had arrived at this place â—…nd rested my selfe and injoyed the pleasant prospect of the Lake I began to think of dismissing my Indian and Blackmore But true and faithfull Miguel Dalva would by no meanes leave mee till he saw me shipped and that I had no more need of him by land Likewise the Indian would willingly have stayed but bâ—… 〈◊〉 meanes I would permit him for that I considered hee had a wife and children â—…oke to at home Hee was as willing to return a foot as to ride because hee would have mee sell my mules and make what mony I could of them but I seeing the good nature of the Indian would recompence his love with as much mony as might bee more beneficiall to him then a tired Mule which might have dyed in the way under him and left him on foot so I gave him money enough to bear his charges home and to 〈◊〉 Mules at his one pleasure and some to spare when he came home The Indian with many teares falling from his eyes saying hee feared hee should never more see mee tooke his leave of mee the third day after wee arrived at Granada My Blackmore and I being left alone first began to thinke of selling away the two Mules which had brought thither the Indian and my Chests for which I got fourscore and ten peeces of eight after so long a journey and thought they were well sold. I would have had Miguel have sold away that whereâ—… hee rid which was his own and offered to buy him another that might better carry him back but the loving and carefull Blackmore would not suffer mee to bee at such charges considering the long journey which I was to make After this wee hearing that the frigatâ—… were not like to depart in a sortnight thought of viewing well that stately and pleasant Towne a day or two and then to betakâ—… our selves to some neer Indian Town where wee might bee hid lest by the great resort of Requa's of Mules which aâ—… that time brought Indigo and Cochinill from Guaâ—…ala to the Frigats wee should bee discovered and might now and then come to the Town to treat concerning my passing in one of the Frigaâ—… to the Havana or to 〈◊〉 What in that Town wee observed was two Cloisters of Mercenarian and Franciscan Fryers and one of Nuâ—… very rich and one Parish Church which was aâ—… a Cathedrall for the Bishop of Leon did more constantly reside there then in the City The houses are fairer then those of 〈◊〉 and the Town of more Inhabitants among whom there are some few Merchants of very great wealth and many of inferiour degree very well to passe who trade with Carthagena 〈◊〉 San Salvador and 〈◊〉 and some by the South sea to Peru and 〈◊〉 But at this time of the sending a way the frigats that Town is one of the wealthiest in all the North Tract of America for the Merchants of 〈◊〉 fearing to send all their goodâ—… by the Gulfe of Hâ—… for that they have been often taken by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that and Hâ—… think is 〈◊〉 to send them by the frigats to Carthagena which passage hath not been so much stopped by the Hollanders as the other So 〈◊〉 many times the Kings 〈◊〉 and revenues when there is any report of ships at sea or about the Cape of St. Anthony are this way by the Lake of Granada passed to Carthagena That yeer that I was there before I betooke my selfe to an Indian Towne in one day there entred six Requa's which were at least three hundred Mules from St. Salvador and Comayagna onely laden with nothing else but Indigo Cochinil and Hides and two dayes after from Guatemala came in three more the one laden with silver which was the Kings tribute from that Countrey the other with Sugar and the other with Indigo The former Requa's I feared not but the latter made me keep close within my lodging lest going abroad I should be knowne by some of those that came from Guatemala who after they had delivered what they brought presently departed and with their departure set mee at liberty who for their sakes was a voluntary prisoner within mine owne lodging But fearing lest more of these Requa's might come and affright mee I went to a Towne out of the rode a league from Granada and took my pleasure up and downe the Countrey where I was much feasted by the Mercenarian Friers who enjoy most of those Towns Amongst these I heard much of the passage in the frigots to Carthagena which did not a little dishearten and discourage me For although whilst they saile upon the Lake they goe securely and without trouble yet when they fall from the Lake to the river which there they call El Desaguadero to goe out to the Sea hic labor hoc opus est here is nothing but trouble which sometimes makes that short voyage to last two moneths for such is the fall of the waters in many places amongst the rockes that many times they are forced to unlade the frigots and lade them again with helpe of Mules which are there kept for that purpose by a few Indians that
women who as they saw us ready to depart kneeled upon the ground as adoring us for a blessing which as we rid along we bestowed upon them with lifted up hands on high making over them the signe of the Crosse. And this submission of the poor Indians unto the Preists in those parts this vain-glory in admitting such ceremonious entertainment and publike worship from them did so puffe up some of our young Fryers hearts that already they thought themselves better then the best Bishops in Spain who though proud enough yet never travail there with such publike acclamations as we did The Waits and Trumpets sounded againe before us and the chiefe of the Town conducted us a mile forward and so tooke their leaves The first two daies we lodged but in poore small Indian Townes among whom we still found kind entertainment and good store of provision especially of Hens Capons Turkeys and severall sorts of fruits The third day at night we came to a great Towne consisting of neere two thousand inhabitants some Spaniards some Indians called Xalappa de la Vera Crux This Towne in the yeare 1634. was made a new Bishops Sea the Bishoprick of the City called La Puebla de los Angeles being divided into two and this being not above the third part of it is thought to be worth ten thousand duckats a yeer It stands in a very fertile soile for Indian wheat called Maiz and some Spanish wheat There are many Townes about it of Indians but what makes it rich are the many farmes of Sugar and some which they call Estantia's rich farmes for breeding of Mules and cattell and likewise some Farmes of Cochinil In this Towne there is but one great Church and an inferiour Chappell both belonging to a Cloister of Franciscan Friers wherein we were lodged that night and the next day being the Lords day Though the revenues of this Cloister be great yet it maintaines not above halfe a dozen Fryers where twenty might be plentifully maintained that so those few lubbers might be more abundantly and like Epicures fed and nourished The Superiour or Guardian of this Cloister was no lesse vaine then the Prior of S. Iohn de Ulbua and though he were not of our profession yet he welcomed us with stately entertainment Here and wheresoever further we travailed we still found in the Preists and Fryers loosenesse of life and their waies and proceedings contrary to the waies of their profession sworne to by a solemne Vow and Covenant This Order especially of the mendicant Franciscan Fryers voweth besides chastity and obedience poverty more strictly to be observed then any other Order of the Romish Church for their Clothing ought to be corse sackcloth their girdles made of hemp should be no finer then strong halters their shirts should be but woollen their legs should know no stockings their feet no shoes but at the most and best either wooden clogs or sandals of hemp their hands and fingers should not so much as touch any money nor they have the use or possession or propriety of any nor their journeys be made easy with the help of Horses to carry them but painfully they ought to travaile on foot and the breach of any of these they acknowledge to be a deadly and mortall sinne with the guilt of a high soul-damning and soul-cursing excommunication Yet for all these bonds and obligations those wretched Impes live in those parts as though they had never vowed unto the Lord shewing in their lives that they have vowed what they are not able to performe It was to us a strange and scandalous sight to see here in Xalappa a Fryer of the Cloister riding in with his lackey boy by his side upon a goodly gelding having gone but to the Townes end as we were informed to heare a dying mans confession with his long habit tucked up to his girdle making shew of a fine silke orange colour stockin upon his legs and a neate Cordovan shoe upon his foot with a fine Holland paire of drawers with a lace three inches broad at knee This sight made us willing to pry further into this and the other Fryers carriages under whose broad sleeves we could perceive their dublets quilted with silke and at their wrists the laces of their Holland shirts In their talke we could discerne no mortification but meer vanity and wordlinesse After supper some of them began to talk of carding and dicing they challenged us that were but new comers to those parts to a Primera which though most of ours refused some for want of money some for ignorance of that game yet at last with much ado they got two of our Fryers to joyn with two of theirs so the cards were handsomely shuffled the vies and revies were doubled losse made some hot blind with passion gain made others eager and covetous and thus was that religious Cloister made all night a gaming house and sworne religious poverty turned into profane and worldly covetousnesse We that beheld some part of the night the game found enough to observe for the more the sport increased scandalls to the sport were added both by drinking and swearing that common oath Voto a Christo Voto a Dios and also by scoffing and jearing at the religious vowes of poverty which they had vowed for one of the Franciscans though formerly he had touched money and with his fingers had laid it to the stake on the table yet sometimes to make the company laugh if he had chanced to winne a double vie and sometimes the vies and revies went round of twenty patacons then would he take the end of one sleeve of his habit and open wide the other broad sleeve and so with his sleeve sweep the money into his other sleeve saying I have vowed not to touch money nor to keep any I meaned then a naturall contact of it but my sleeve may touch it and my sleeve may keep it shewing with scoffes and jests of his lips what religion was in his heart My eares tingled with hearing such oathes my tongue would have uttered some words of reproofe but that I considered my self a guest and stranger in a strange house and that if any thing I should say it would doe no good so silently I departed to my rest leaving the Gamesters who continued til Sun-rising and in the morning I was informed that the jesting Fryer that rather roaring Boy then religious Franciscan fitter for Sardanapalus or Epicurus his Schoole then to live in a Cloister had lost fourescore and odde Patacons his sleeve it seemes refusing to keep for him what hee had vowed never to possesse Here I began to find out by experience of these Franciscans that liberty and loosnesse of life it was that brought yeerly so many Fryers and Jesuites from Spain to those parts rather then zeale of Preaching the Gospel and Converting Soules to Christ which indeed being an act of highest Charity they make a speciall badge of the truth of
use a white mantle of lawne or cambrâ—…cke rounded with a broad lace which some put over their heads the breadth reaching only to their middle behind that their girdle and ribbands may be seen and the two ends before reaching to the ground almost others cast their mantles only upon their shoulders and swaggerers like cast the one â—…nd over the left shoulder that they may the better jog the right arme and shew their broad sleeve as they walke along others instead of this mantle use some rich silke petticoat to hang upon their left shoulder while with their right arm they support the lower part of it more like roaring boyes then honest civil maids Their shooes are high of many soles the outside whereof of the prophaner sort are plated with a list of silver which is fastned with small nailes of broad silver heads Most of these are or have been slaves though love have set them loose at liberty to inslave souls to sinne and Satan And there are so many of this kind both men and women growne to a height of pride and vanity that many times the Spaniards have feared they would rise up and mutiny against them And for the loosnesse of their lives and publike scandals committed by them and the better sort of the Spaniards I have heard them say often who have professed more religion and 〈◊〉 of God they verily thought God would destroy that City and give up the Countrey into the power of some other nation I will not relate particulars of their obscene and scandalous yea and publike carriages which would offend my Readers patience and make his eares to tingle only I say certainly God is offended with that second Sodom whose inhabitants though now they be like the green bay tree flourishing with jewels pearles gold silver and all worldly pleasures They shall soone be cut downe like the grasse and wither as the green herbe Ps. 37. 2. And though their great Master and Cardinall 〈◊〉 make outward happinesse and flourishing a marke and note of a true Church and Congregation of Gods people and of my selfe I could say wich David in the 73. Ps. 2 3. when I lived blindly amongst them My feet were almost gâ—…ne my steps had well-nigh slipt for I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked yet now being enlightned in a more sure and certaine truth I will conclude of them as David of the flourishing wicked men of his time in the same Chapter the 16 17 18. â—… When I thought to know this it was too painfull for mee untill I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end Surely thou didst set them in slippery plaâ—… thou callâ—…st them downe to destruction And I doubt not but the flourishing of Mexico in 〈◊〉 horses streets women and apparell is very slippery and will make those proud inhabitants slip and fall into the power and dominion of some other Prince of this world and hereafter in the world to come into the powerfull haâ—…ds of an angry Judge who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords which Paul saith Heb. 10. 31. is a fearfull thing For this City doth not only flourish in the waies aforesaid but also in their superstitious worshiping of God and Saints they exceed Rome it selfe and all other places of Christendome And it is a thing which I have very much and carefully observed in all my travailes both in Europe and in America that in those Cities wherein there is most â—…wd licentiousnesse of life there is also most cost in the Temples and most publike superstitious worshipping of God and of the Saints It seems that religion teacheth that all wickednesse is allowable so the Châ—…ches and Clergy flourish nay while the purse is open to lascâ—…viousnesse if it be likewise opened to enrich the temple wallâ—… and roofes this is better tâ—… any their â—…oly water to wash away the filth of the other Rome is held to be the head of superstition and what stately Churches Chappels and Cloisters are in it what fastings what processions what appearances oâ—… devotion and on the other side what liberty what profanenesse what whoredomes nay what sinnes of 〈◊〉 arâ—… committed in it In so much that it could be the saying of a Fryer to my selfe while I was in it that he verily thought there was no one City in the world wherein were more Atheists then in Rome I might shew this truth in Madrid Sâ—…vill Valladolid and other famous Cities in Spaine and in Italy in Millan Gâ—… and Naples relâ—…ing many 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 committed in those places and yet the Temples mightily enriched by such who have thought those alms a sufficient warrant to free them from hell Purgatory But I must return to Mexico which is mille testes of this truth fin and wickednesse abounding in it and yet no such people in the world toward the Church and Clergy who in their life time strive to exceed one another in their gifts to the Cloisters of Nuns and Friers some erecting Altars to their best devoted Saints worth many thousand thousand duckats others presenting crowns of gold to the pictures of Mary others lamps others golden chains others building Cloisters at their own charge others repairing them others at their death leaving to them two or three thousand duckats for an annuall stipend Among these great Benefactors to the Churches of that City I should wrong my History if I should forget one that lived in my time called Alonso Cuellar who was reported to have a Closet in his house laid with bars of gold in stead of bricks though indeed it was not so but only reported for his abundant riches and store of bars of gold which he had in one chest standing in a closet distant from another where he had a chest full of wedges of silver This man alone built a Nunery of Franciscan Nuns which stood him in above thirty thousand duckats and left unto it for the maintainance of the Nuns two thousand duckats yeerly with obligation of some masses to be said in the Church every yeer for his soule after his decease And yet this mans life was so scandalous that commonly in the night with two servants he would round the City visiting such scandalous persons whose attire before hath been described carrying his beads in his hands and at every house letting fall a beade and tying a false knot that when he came home in the morning towards breake of the day he might number by his beades the uncivil stations he had walked and visited that night But these his works of darkenesse came to light and were published farre and neer for what happened unto him whilst I was in Mexico for one night meeting at one of his stations with a gentleman that was jealous of him swords on both sides were drawne the Concubine first was stabbed by the Gentleman who was better manned and attended and Cuellar who was but a Merchant was mortally
It was very populous before the arrivall of the Spaniards who in seventeen yeers slew six millions of them roasting some plucking out the eyes cutting off the arms of others and casting them living to be devoured of wilde beasts This chiefe Province of America named Mexico is further subdivided into four parts that is to say Themistitan Nova Galicia Mechoacan and Guastaehan Themistitan is the greatest and noblest of these foure for that it containeth six Cities and of them one is Mexico which giveth name to the halfe part of America and is the seat of an Arch-bishop and of the Spanish Viceroy whose greatnesse within I have before laid open the second City is La Puebla de los Angeles the City of Angels the third Villarâ—…ca the fourth Antiâ—…bero the fifth Meccioca the sixth Oitopan But all these excepting the two first are but small places named Citties formerly for that the Spaniards thought to have made them Bishops seats which they have not been able to performe by reason that Mexico and the City of Angels hath drawne to them the chiefe trading and most of the inhabitants of the other foure Especially the resort to Mexico is so great that all the Townes about which formerly were of Indians are now inhabited by Spaniards and Mestizâ—…es I may not omit about Mexico that famous place of Chapultepec which in the Heathens times was the burying place of the Emperours and now by the Spaniards is the Escuriall of America where the Viceroyes that die are also interred There is a sumptuous palace built with many fair gardens and devises of waters and ponds of fish whither the Viceroyes and the gentry of Mexico do resort for their recreation The riches here belonging to the Viceroyes Chappell are thought to be worth above a million of crownes Taenba is also a pleasant Towne full of orchards and gardens in the very way to Chapultepec South-ward is Toluco rich also for trading but above all much mentioned for the Bacon which is the best of all those parts and is transported far and neer West-ward is the Towne called La Piedad at the end of a Cawsey whither the people much resort from Mexico being drawn to the superstitious worship of a picture of Mary which hath been enriched by the chiefe of Mexico with many thousand pounds worth of gifts of chaines and crownes of gold But more Northwest-ward three leagues from Mexico is the pleasantest place of all that are about Mexico called La Soledad and by others el desierto the solitary or desert place and wildernesse Were all wildernesses like it to live in a wildernesse would be better then to live in a City This hath been a device of poor Fryers named discalced or barefooted Carmelites who to make shew of their hypocriticall and apparent godlinesse and that whilst they would be thought to live like Eremites retired from the world they may draw the world unto them they have built there a stately Cloister which being upon a hill and among rocks makes it to be more admired About the Cloister they have fashioned out many holes and Caves in under and among the rocks like Eremites lodgings with a room to lie in and an Oratory to pray in with pictures and Images and rare devices for mortification as disciplines of wyar rods of iron haire-cloths girdles with sharp wyar pointes to girdle about their bare flesh and many such like toyes which hang about their Oratories to make people admire their mortified and holy lives All these Eremeticall holes and caves which are some ten in all are within the bounds and compasse of the Cloister and among orchards and gardens full of fruits and flowers which may take up two miles compasse and here among the rockes are many springs of water which with the shade of the plantins and other trees are most coole and pleasant to the Eremites they have also the sweet smell of the rose and jazmin which is a little flower but the sweetest of all others there is not any other flower to be found that is rare and exquisite in that countrey which is not in that wildernesse to delight the senses of those mortified Eremites They are weekly changed from the Cloister and when their weeke is ended others are sent and they return unto their Cloister they carry with them their bottles of wine sweet-meats and other provision as for fruits the trees about do drop them into their mouthes It is wonderfull to see the strange devises of fountains of water which are about the gardens but much more strange and wonderfull to see the resort of Coaches and gallants and Ladies and Citizens from Mexico thither to walke and make merry in those desart pleasures and to see those hypocrites whom they looke upon as living Saints and so think nothing too good for them to cherish them in their desart conflicts with Satan None goes to them but carries some sweet-meats or some other dainty dish to nourish and feed them withall whose prayers they likewise earnestly solicite leaving them great almes of mony for their masses and above all offering to a picture in their Church called our Lady of Carmel treasures of diamonds pearles golden chaines and crownes and gownes of cloth of gold and silver Before this picture did hang in my time twenty lampes of silver the worst of them being worth a hundred pound truely Satan hath given unto them what he offered Christ in the desart All these things wil I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me all the dainties and of all the riches of America hath he given unto them in that their desart for that they daily fall downe and worship him In the way to this place there is another Towne yet called Tacâ—…baya where is a rich Cloister of Franciscans and also many gardens and orchards but above all much resorted to for the musicke in that Church wherein the Friers have made the Indians so dexterous and skilfull that they dare compare with the Cathedrall Church of Mexico These were the chiefe places of mine and my friends resort whilst I abode about Mexico which I found to be most worth a History and so thought fit â—…ere to insert them and so passe on to the other parts or Provinces of Mexico Next to this is the Province of Guastachan which lieth in the rode from St. Iohn de Ulbua to Mexico which is not so poore as Heylin maketh it for that now it doth abound with many rich farmes of Sugar and of Cochinil and reacheth as farre as the Valley of Guaxaca which is a most rich place The chiefe City of this Province was wont to be Tlaxcallan whereof I have formerly spoken but now the City of Guaxaca which is a Bishops seat and Xalappa which is also of late made a Bishops seat makes it more famous glories also in Villa Rica a Port Towne very wealthy because all the traffique betwixt the Old and New Spains do passe through it The Spaniards have
when Uazquez de Coronado conquered some part of it hee saw in the further Sea certaine ships not of common making which seemed to bee well laden and bare in their prowes Pelicans which could not bee conjectured to come from any Country but one of these two In Quivira there are but two Provinces knowne unto us which are Cibola and Nova Albion Cibola lyeth on the Eastside whose chief City is of the same name and denominates the whole Province The chief Town next to Cibola is called Totontaa which is temperate and pleasant being situated upon a River so called The third Town worth mentioning is called Tinguez which was burnt by the Spaniards who under the conduct of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado made this Province subject to the King of Spain Anno Dom. 1540. And since this Town of Tinguez hath been rebuilt and inhabited by the Spaniards There is a goodly Colledge of Jesuites who only preach to the Indians of that country Nova Albion lyeth on the West side towards Tartary and is very little inhabited by the Spaniards who have found no wealth or riches there Our ever Renowned and Noble Captain Sir Francis Drake discovered it entred upon it and hee named it Nova Albion because the King that then was did willingly submit himself unto our Queen Elizabeth The Country abounds with fruits pleasing both the eye and the Palate The people are given to hospitality but withall to witchcraft and adoration of devils The bounds between this Quivira and Mexico Empire is Mar Virmiglio or Californio The third Kingdome belonging to the Mexican part and Northern Tract is Iucatan which was first discovered by Francisco Hernandez de Cordova in the year 1517. It is called Iucatan not as some have conceited from Ioctan the son of Heber who they thinke came out of the East where the Scripture placeth him Gen. 12. 23. to inhabite here but from Iucatan which in the Indian tongue fignifieth what say you for when the Spaniards at their first arriving in that Country did aske of the Indians the name of the place the Savages not understanding what they meaned replyed unto them Iucatan which is what say you whereupon the Spaniards named it and ever since have called it Iucatan The whole Country is at least 900. miles in circuit and is a Peninsulâ—… It is situated over against the Isle of Cuba and is divided into three parts first Iucatan it selfe whose Cities of greatest worth are Campeche Ualladolid Merida Simaricas and one which for his greatnesse and beauty they call Caire This Country among the Spaniards is held to bee poor the chief Commodities in it are hony wax Hides and some Sugar but no Indigo Cochinil nor Mines of silver There are yet some drugs much esteemed of by the Apothecaries Cana fistula Zarzaparilla especially and great store of Indian Maiz. There is also abundance of good Wood and Timber fit for shipping whereof the Spaniards doe make very strong ships which they use in their voiages to Spain and back again In the yeer 1632. the Indians of this Country in many places of it were like to rebell against their Spanish Governour who vexed them sorely making them bring in to him their Fowles and Turkies whereof there is also great abundance and their hony and wax wherein hee traded at the rate and price which hee pleased to set them for his better advantage which was such a disadvantage to them that to enrich him they impoverished themselves and so resolved to betake themselves to the Woods and Mountaines where in a rebellious way they continued some Months untill the Franciscan Fryers who have there great power over them reduced them back and the Governour lest hee should quite lose that Country by a further rebellion granted to them not onely a generall pardon in the Kings name but for the future promised to use them more mildly and gently The second part of it is called Guatemala wherein I lived for the space of almost twelve yeers whose Inhabitants have lost formerly halfe a million of their kinsmen and friends by the unmercifull dealing of the Spaniards and yet for all the losse of so many thousands there is no part of America more flourishing then this with great and populous Indians Townes They may thank the Fryers who defend them daily against the Spaniards cruelty and this yet for their owne ends for while the Indians flourish and increase the Fryers purses flourish also and are filled This Country is very fresh and plentifull The chief Cities are Guatemala Cassuca and Chiapa whereof I shall speak more largely hereafter The third part of Iucatan is Acasamil which is an Island over against Guatemala which is now commonly called by the Spaniards Sta. Cruz whose chief Towne is Sta. Cruz. The fourth and last Country of the division of the Mexican part and Northern Tract of America which is under the Spanish Government and my best knowledge and eâ—…perience is Nicaragua which standeth South East from Mexico and above foure hundred and fifty leagues from it Yet it agreeth somewhat with Mexico in nature both of soile and Inhabitants The people are of good stature and of colour indifferent white They had before they received Christianity a setled and politick forme of Government Onely as Sâ—…n appointed no Law for a mans killing of his father so had this people none for the murtherer of a King both of them conceiting that men were not so unnaturall as to commit such crimes A theef they judged not to death but adjudged him to be slave to that man whom hee had robbed till by his service hee had made satistaction a course truely more mercifull and not lesse just then the losse of life This Countrey is so pleasing to the eye and abounding in all things necessary that the Spaniards call it Mahomets Paradise Among other flourishing trees here groweth one of that nature that a man cannot touch any of its branches but it withereth presently It is as plentifull of Parrets as our Countrey of England is of Crowes Turkies Fowles Quailes and Rabbets are ordinary meat there There are many populous Indian Townes though not so many as about Guatemala in this Countrey and especially two Cities of Spaniards the one Leon a Bishops Seat and the other Granada which standeth upon a Lake of fresh water which hath above three hundred miles in compasse and having no intercourse with the Ocean doth yet continually ebbe and flow But of this Countrey and of this City especially I shall say somewhat more when I come to speake of my travailing through it Thus I have briefly touched upon the Mexican part and so much of the Northern Tract as is under the King of Spain his Dominion leaving more particulars untill I come to shew the order of my being in and journeying through some of these Countries I will now likewise give you a glimpse of the Southern Tract and Peruan part of America Which containeth chiefly five great Countries or
we began to shake off all fear and would no more like Bats and Owles fly in the night but that we might with more pleasure enjoy the prospect of that valley and of the rest of the Countrey we travailed by day yet still crossing the Countrey we went from thence towards another valley called the valley of St. Pablo or Pauls valley which though it be not as big as the valley of Atlisco yet is held to be a richer valley for here they enjoy a double harvest of wheat every yeer The first seed they sow is watered and growes with the common season raine and the second seed which they sow in summer as soone as their first harvest is in when the season of raine is past they water with many Springs which fall into that Valley from the mountaines which round beset it and let in the water among their wheat at their pleasure and take it away when they see fit Here live Yeomen upon nothing but their farms who are judged to be worth some twenty thousand some thirty thousand some fourty thousand duckats In this valley we chanced to light upon one farme where the Yeoman was country-man to my friend Antonio Melendez borne in Segovia in Spaine who for his sake kept us three daies and nights with him His table was as well furnished as the table of a Knight might be his side board full of silver boules and cups and plates instead of trenchers lie spared no dainties which might welcome us to his table no perfumes which might us delight in our chambers no musick which his daughters were brought up to which might with more pleasure help to passe away the time To him Antonio Melendez made known our journey towards Guatemala and from him we received directions which way to steere our course untill we might be throughly free from feare and danger here we began to see the great providence of God who had brought us being strangers to such a friends house who not onely welcomed us to him but when we departed gave us a guide for a whole day and bestowed upon us twenty duckats to helpe to bear our charges From this valley wee wheeled about to Tasco a Towne of some five hundred Inhabitants which enjoyeth great commerce with the Country about by reason of the great store of Cotton-wool which is there And here we were very well entertained by a Franciscan Frier who being of Spaine made the more of us knowing we came from thence Here we got into the Rode of Guaxaca and went to Chautla which also aboundeth with Cotton-wool but in it we found no entertainment but what our owne purses would afford us Next to this place is a great Town called Zumpango which doth consist of at least eight hundred Inhabitants many of them very rich both Indians and Spaniards Their commodities are chiefly Cotton-wooll and Sugar and Cochinil But beyond this Town are the mountaines called la Misteca which abound with many rich and great Townes and doe trade with the best silke that is in all that Country Here is also great store of Wax and Hony and Indians live there who traffique to Mexico and about the Country with twenty or thirty mules of their owne chopping and changing buying and selling commodities and some of them are thought to be worth ten or twelve or fifteen thousand duckats which is much for an Indian to get among the Spaniards who thinke all the riches of America little enough for themselves From these mountaines of Misteca to Guaxaca we saw little observable only Townes of two or three hundred inhabitants rich Churches well built and better furnished within with lampes candlesticks crownes of silver for the severall statues of Saints and all the way wee did observe a very fruitfull soil for both Indian and Spanish wheat much Sugar much Cotton-wool Hony and here and there some Cochinil and of Plantins and other sweet and luscious fruit great store but above all great abundance of cattel whose Hides are one of the greatest commodities that from those parts are sent to Spaine Some reported that about Misteca formerly much gold had been found and the Indians were wont to use it much though now they will not be knowne of any left the greedinesse of the Spaniards bring them to misery and destruction as it hath their neighbours about them Also it is reported for certaine that there are Mines of silver though aâ—… yet the Spaniards have not found them There are many Mines of Iron which the Spaniards will not busie themselves in digging because they have it cheaper from Spain from hence wee came to the City of Guaxaca whis is a Bishops Seat though not very bigge yet a faire and beautifull City to behold It standeth fourescore leagues from Mexico in a pleasant valley from whence Cortez was named Marques del Valle the Marquesse of the Valley This City as all the rest of America except the Sea Towns lyeth open without walls Bulwarkes Fo rs Towers or any Castle Ordnance or Ammunition to defend it It may consist of at the most two thousand Inhabitants and are governed by a Spanish High Justice called Alcalde Major whose power reacheth over all the Valley and beyond it as farre as Nixapa and almost to Tecoantepeque a Sea Towne upon Mar del Zur The Valley is of at least fifteen miles in length and ten in breadth where runneth in the midst a goodly River yeelding great store of fish The Valley is full of Sheep and other Cattell which yeeld much Wooll to the Clothiers of the City of Angels store of Hides to the Merchants of Spain and great provision of flesh to the City of Guaxaca and to all the Townes about which are exceeding rich and doe maintaine many Cloisters of Fryers and Churches with stately furniture belonging unto them But what doth make the Valley of Guaxaca to bee mentioned farre and neer are the good horses which are bred in it and esteemed to bee the best of all the Country In this Valley also are some farmes of Sugar and great store of fruits which two sorts meeting together have cried up the City of Guaxaca for the best Conserves and Preserves that are made in America In the City there are some six Cloisters of Nuns and Fryers all of them exceeding rich but above all is the Cloister of the Dominican Fryers whose Church treasure is worth two or three Millions and the building of it the fairest and strongest in all those parts the walls are of stone so broad that a part of them being upon finishing when I was there I saw Carts goe upon them with stone and other materials Here are also two Cloisters of Nuns which are talked of far and neer not for their religious practices but for their skill in making two drinkes which are used in those parts the one called Chocolatte whereof I shall speake heereafter and the other Atolle which is like unto our Almond Milk but much thicker and is
omitting of it but all without amendment thought fit to fixe in writing upon the Churches dores an excommunication against all such as should presume at the time of service to eat or drinke within the Church This excommunication was taken by all but especially by the Gentlewomen much to heart who protested if they might not eat or drinke in the Church they could not continue in it to heare what otherwise they were bound unto The chiefe of them knowing what great friendship there was between the Bishop and the Prior and my selfe came to the Prior and mee desiring us to use all meanes wee could with the Bishop for the revoking that his excommunication so heavily laid upon them and threatning their soules with damning judgement for the violation of it The good Prior and my selfe laboured all we could alleadging the custome of the Countrey the weakenesse of the sex whom it most concerned and also the weaknesse of their stomackes the contempt that might from them ensue unto his person and many inconveniences which might follow to the breeding of an uproar in the church and in the City whereof we had some probable conjecture from what already we had heard from some But none of these reasons would move the Bishop to which he answered that he preferred the honour of God and of his house before his owne life The women seeing him so hard to be intreated began to stomacke him the more and to sleight him with scornefull and reproachfull words others sleighted his excommunication drinking in iniquity in the Church as the fish doth water which caused one day such an uproare in the Cathedrall that many swords were drawne against the Preists and Prebends who attempted to take away from the maids the cups of Chocolatte which they brought unto their mistresses who at last seeing that neither faire nor soule meanes would prevaile with the Bishop resolved to forsake the Cathedrall where the Bishops own and his Prebends eies must needs be watching over them and so from that time most of the City betooke themselves to the Cloister Churches where by the Nuns and Friers they were not troubled nor resisted though fairely counselled to obey the command of the Bishop whose name now they could not brooke and to whose Prebends they denied now all such reliefe and stipend for Masses which formerly they had used to bestow upon them conferring them all upon the Fryers who grew rich by the poor impoverished Cathedrall This lasted not long but the Bishop began to stomacke the Fryers and to set up another excommunication binding all the City to resort unto their owne Cathedrall Church which the women would not obey but kept their houses for a whole month in which time the Bishop fell dangerously sick and desired to retire himselfe to the Cloister of the Dominicans for the great confidence he had in the Prior that he would take care of him in his sickenesse Physitians were sent for far and neere who all with a joynt opinion agreed that the Bishop was poisoned and he himself doubted not of it at his death praying unto God to forgive those that had been the cause of it and to accept of that sacrifice of his life which he was willing to offer for the zeale of Gods house and honour He lay not above a week in the Cloister and as soone as he was dead all his body his head and face did so swell that the least touch upon any part of him caused the skin to break and cast out white matter which had corrupted and overflowne all his body A Gentlewoman with whom I was well acquainted in that City who was noted to be somewhat too familiar with one of the Bishops Pages was commonly censured to have prescribed such a cup of Chocolatte to be ministred by the Page which poysoned him who so rigorously had forbidden Chocolatte to be drunk in the Church My self heard this Gentlewoman say of the deceased Bishop that she thought few grieved for his death that the women had no reason to grieve for him and that she judged he being such an enemy to Chocolatte in the Church that which he had drunk at home in his house had not agreed with his body And it became afterwards a Proverbe in that Country Beware of the Chocolatte of Chiapa which made me so cautious that I would not drinke afterwards of it in any house where I had not very great satisfaction of the whole Family The women of this City are somewhat light in their carriage and have learned from the Devill many entising lessons and baits to draw poore soules to sinne and damnation and if they cannot have their wills they wil surely work revenge either by Chocolatte or Conserves or some faire present which shall surely carry death along with it The Gentlewoman that was suspected nay was questioned for the death of the Bishop had often used to send me boxes of Chocolatte or conserves which I willingly received from her judging it to be a kind of gratuity for the paines I tooke in teaching her son Latin She was of a very merry and pleasant disposition which I thought might consist without sin untill one day she sent unto mee a very faire plantin wrapped up in a hankerchief buried in sweet Jazmines and roses when I untied the handkerchief I thought among the flowers I should find some rich token or some peeces of eight but finding nothing but a plantin I wondred and looking further upon it I found worked upon it with a knife the fashion of a heart with two of blind Cupids arrows sticking in it discovering unto my heart the poisoned heart and thoughts of the poisoner that sent it I thought it a good warning to be wary and cautious of receiving more presents or Chocolatte from such hands and so returned unto her againe her plantin with this short rhyme cut out with a knife upon the skinne fruta tan fria amor no cria as much as to say fruit so cold takes no hold This answer and resolution of mine was soone spread over that little City which made my Gentlewoman outragious which presently she shewed by taking away her sonne from schoole and in many meetings threatning to play me a Chiapaneca tricke But I remembred the Bishops Chocolatte and so was waâ—…y and staid not long after in that poisoning and wicked City which truly deserves no better relation then what I have given of the simple Dons and the Chocolatte-confectioning Donna's There is yet twelve leagues from this City of Chiapa another Chiapa which deserveth better commendations This consisteth most of Indians and is held to be one of the biggest Indian Townes in all America containing at least four thousand families This Towne hath many priviledges from the King of Spain and is governed chiefly by Indians yet with subordination unto the Spanish government of the City of Chiapa who doe choose an Indian Governour with other inferiour officers to rule with him This Governour
by women not so much as in Mexico not for that hee hated it but because hee envied others what they got and gained by their Cards drawing to himselfe thereby all that gaine spending sometimes in one night foure and twenty paire of Cards appointing a Page to assist at the Tables and to see the box well paid for every paire of Cards which for his and his Court respect was seldome lesse then a crown or two for every paire Thus did hee lick up with his Cards most of the gamesters gaines and would grudge and pick quarrels with such rich men whom hee knew to affect gaming if they frequented not his Court at night time for that bewitching Recreation The Pension which the King alloweth to every Judge of Chancery is foure thousand duckats yeerly and three thousand to his Attorney all which is paid out of the Kings Exchequer abiding in that City Yet what besides they get by bribes and trading is so much that I have heard a Judge himselfe Don Luis de las Infantas say that though a Judges place at Mexico and Lima be more honourable yet none more profitable then Guatemala In my time were such causes at Chancery tried as had never been of murthers robberies and oppressions and whereas it was expected the offendants some should be hanged some banished some imprisoned some by fines impoverished bribes took all off so that I never knew one hanged in that City for the space of above eight yeers The Churches though they be not so fair and rich as those of Mexico yet they are for that place wealthy enough There is but one Parish Church and a Cathedrall which standeth in the chiefe Market-place All the other Churches belong to Cloisters which are of Dominicans Franciscans Mercenarians Augustines and Jesuites and two of Nuns called the Conception and St. Catharine The Dominicans Franciscans and Mercenarians are stately Cloisters containing neer a hundred Friers a piece but above all is the Cloister where I lived of the Dominicans to which is joyned in a great Walk before the Church the Universitie of the City The yeerly revenues which come into this Cloister what from the Indian Towns belonging to it what from a water-mill what from a farme for corne what from an Estancia or farme for Horses and Mules what from an Ingenio or farme of Sugar what from a Mine of silver given unto it the yeer 1633. are judged to be excepting all charges at least thirty thousand duckats wherewith those fat Friers feast themselves and have to spare to build and enrich their Church and Altars Besides much treasure belonging to it there are two things in it which the Spaniards in merriment would often tell me that the English nation did much inquire after when they tooke any ship of theirs at sea and that they feared I was come to spie them which were a Lampe of silver hanging before the high Altar so big as required th strength of three men to hale it up with a rope but the other is of more value which is a picture of the Virgin Mary of pure silver and of the stature of a reasonable tall woman which standeth in a Tabernacle made on purpose in a Chappel of the Rosary with at least a dozen lampes of silver also burning before it A hundred thousand duckats might soone be made up of the treasure belonging to that Church and cloister Within the walls of the Cloister there is nothing wanting which may further pleasure and recreation In the lower Cloister there is a spatious garden in the midst whereof is a fountaine casting up the water and spouting it out of at least a dozen pipes which fill two ponds full of fishes and with this their constant running give musicke to the whole Cloister and encouragement to many water-fowles and Ducks to bath and wash themselves therein Yet further within the Cloister there are other two gardens for fruits and herbage and in the one a pond of a quarter of a mile long all paved at the bottom and a low stone wall about where is a boat for the Friers recreation who often goe thither to fish and doe sometimes upon a suddaine want or occasion take out from thence as much fish as will give to the whole Cloister a dinner The other Cloisters of the City are also rich but next to the Dominicans is the Cloister of Nuns called the Conception in which at my time there were judged to live a thousand women not all Nuns but Nuns and their serving maids or slaves and yong children which were brought up and taught to worke by the Nuns The Nuns that are professed bring with them their portions five hundred duckats the least some six hundred some seven and some a thousand which portions after a few yeers and continuing to the Cloister after the Nuns decease come to make up a great yeerly rent They that will have maids within to wait on them may bringing the bigger portion or allowing yeerly for their servants diet In this Cloister lived that Donna Iuana de Maldonado Judge Iuan Maldonado de Paz his daughter whom the Bishop so much conversed withall She was very fair and beautifull and not much above twenty yeers of age and yet his love blinding him he strove what he could in my time against all the ancient Nuns and Sisters to make her Superiour and Abbesse and caused such a mutiny and strife in that Cloister which was very scandalous to the whole City and made many rich Merchants and Gentlemen run to the Cloister with their swords drawne threatning to breake in amongst the Nuns to defend their daughters against the powerfull faction which the Bishop had wrought for Donna Iuana de Maldenado which they had performed if the President Don Iuan de Guzman had not sent Iuan Maldonado de Paz the yong Nuns father to intreat her to desist in regard of her yong age from her ambitious thoughts of being Abbesse With this the mutiny both within and without ceased the Bishop got but shame and his yong Sister continued as before under command and obedience to a more religious grave and aged Nun then her selfe This Donna Iuana de Maldonado y Paz was the wonder of all that Cloister yea of all the City for her excellent voice and skill in musicke and in carriage and education yeelded to none abroad nor within she was witty well spoken and above all a Calliope or Muse for ingenious and suddain verses which the Bishop said so much moved him to delight in her company and conversation Her father thought nothing too good nor too much for her and therefore having no other children he daily conferred upon her riches as might best beseem a Nun as rich and costly Cabinets faced with gold and silver pictures and Idols for her chamber with crownes and jewels to adorne them which with other presents from the Bishop who dying in my time left not wherewith to pay his debts for that as the
report went he had spent himselfe and given all unto this Nun made this Donna Iuana de Maldonado so rich and stately that at her owne charges shee built for herselfe a new quarter within the Cloister with roomes and galleries and a private garden-walke and kept at worke and to wait on her halfe a dozen Black-more maids but above all she placed her delight in a private Chappel or Closet to pray in being hung with rich hangings and round about it costly lamina's as they call them or pictures painted upon brasse set in blacke Ebony frames with corners of gold some of silver brought to her from Rome her Altar was accordingly decked with Jewels Candlesticks Crownes Lamps and covered with a Canopie embroidered with gold in her Closet she had her small organ and many sorts of musicall instruments whereupon she played sometimes by herselfe sometimes with her best friends of the Nuns and here especially she entertained with musicke her beloved the Bishop Her Chappel or place of devotion was credibly reported about the City to be worth at least six thousand which was enough for a Nun that had vowed chastity poverty and obedience But all this after her decease she was to leave to the Cloister and doubtlesse with this State and riches she would win more and more the hearts of the common sort of Nuns till she had made a strong party which by this may have made her Abbesse Thus is ambition and desire of command and power crept into the walls of Nunneries like the abominations in the wall of Ezekiel and hath possessed the hearts of Nuns which should be humble poore and mortified Virgins But besides this one Nun there are many more and also Friers who are very rich for if the City be rich as is this and great trading in it they will be sure to have a share Great plenty and wealth hath made the inhabitants as proud and vicious as are those of Mexico Here is not onely Idolatry but Fornication and uncleannesse as publike as in any place of the India's The Mulatta's Black-mores Mestica's Indians and all common sort of people are much made on by the greater and richer sort and goe as gallantly apparrelled as doe those of Mexico fearing neither a Vulcan or mountaine of water on the one side which they confesse hath once powred out a flood and river executing Gods wrath against sin there committed neither a a Vulcan of fire or mouth of hell on the other side roaring within and threatning to raine upon them Sodoms ruine and destruction neither the weakness of their habitation lying wide open on every side without walls or workes or bulwarkes to defend them or without guns drakes bullets or any Ammunition to scare away an approaching enemy who may safely come and without resistance upon them who live as professed enemies of Jesus Christ. This is the City of St. Iames or Santiago de Guatemala the head of a vaste and ample Dominion which extendeth it selfe nine hundred miles to Nicoya and Costa Rica South-ward three hundred miles to Chiapa and Zoques North-ward a hundred and fourescore miles to the further parts of Vera Paz and the Golfo dulce East-ward and to the South-sea twenty or thirty in some places fourty miles Westward From Tecoantepeque which is no harbour for any great ships which standeth from Guatemala at least foure hundred miles there is landing place for ships neerer to this City then is the village de la Trinidad or of the Trinity The chiefe commodities which from along that coast are brought to Guatemala are from the Provinces of Soconuzco and Suchutepeques which are extreame hot and subject to thunder and lightning where groweth scarce any remarkeable commodity save only Cacao Achiotte Mechasucâ—…il Bainillas and other drugs for Chocolatte except it be some Indigo and Cochinil about St. Antonio which is the chiefe and head Town of all the Suchutepeques But all the coast neer joyning to Guatemala especialliy about a Towne called Izquinta or Izquintepeque twelve leagues from Guatemala is absolutely the richest part of the Dominion of this City for there is made the greatest part of the Indigo which is sent from Honduras to Spaine besides the mighty farmes of Cattel which are all along that marsh Though the living there be profitable and the soile rich yet it is uncomfortable by reason of the great heat thundrings and lightnings especially from May to Michaelmas If Guatemala be strong though not in weapons or Ammunition in people it is strong from hence from a desperate sort of Black-mores who are slaves in those Estancia's and farms of Indigo Though they have no weapons but a Machette which is a short Tuck or lances to run at the wild Cattel yet with these they are so desperate that the City of Guatemala hath often been afraid of them and the Masters of their owne slaves and servants Some of them feare not to encounter a Bull though wild and mad and to graple in the rivers which are many there with Crocodiles or Lagarto's as there they call them till they have overmastered them and brought them out to land from the water This hot but rich Country runnes on by the Sea fide unto the Village of the Trinity which though somewhat dangerous yet is a haven for ships from Panama Peru and Mexico It serves to enrich Mexico but not to strengthen it for it hath neither Fort nor Bulwarke nor Castle nor any Ammunition to defend it selfe Between this Village and the other Haven called Realejo there is a great Creek from the Sea where small vessels doe use to come in for fresh water and Victuals to St. Miguela Towne of Spaniards and Indians from whence those that travaile to Realejo passe over in lesse then a day to a Town of Indians called LaVâ—…eja two miles from Realejo whither the journey by land from St. Miguel is of at least three daies But neither this Creeke or Arme of the Sea is fortified which might be done with one or two peeces of Ordnance at most placed at the mouth of the seas entrance neither is the Realejo strong with any Ammunition no nor with people for it consists not of above two hundred families and most of them are Indians and Mestico's a people of no courage and very unfit to defend such an open passage to Guatemala and Nicaragua which here begins and continues in small and petty Indian Townes unto Leon and Granada On the Nâ—…th side of Guatemala I shall not need to adde to what hath been said of Suchutepeques aâ—… â—…zco and my journy that way from Mexico and Chiapa The chiefe side of Guateâ—… is that on the East which points out the way to the Golfe or Golfo dulce or as otherâ—… all it St. Thomas de Castilia This way is more beaten by Mules and Travellers then that on the North side for that Mexico standeth three hundred leagues from this City and the Golfe but threescore and no such passages
Frier that lives in the Towne and doth nothing concerning the governing of the Towne and executing of justice but what the Frier alloweth and adviseth to be done There is also great service appointed for this Frier of Fishermen and other attendants in his house who liveth as stately as any Bishop Most trades belonging to a well setled Common-wealth are here exercised by these Indians As for herbage and garden-fruits and requisites it hath whatsoever may be found or desired in the City of Guatemala The Church treasure is very great there being many Sodalities of our Lady and other their Saints which are enriched with crowns and chains and bracelets besides the lamps censers silver candlesticks belonging unto the Altars Upon Michaelmas day is the chief fair and feast of the Town which is dedicated unto St. Michael whither many Merchants resort from Guatemala to buy and sell in the afternoon and the next day following Bulâ—…iting is the common sport for that feast with some Spaniards and Blackmores on Horse-backe and other Indians on foot who commonly being drunke some venture some lose their lives in the sport Besides this generall concourse of people every yeer at that time there is every day at five a clock in the afternoone a Tianguez or market upheld by the concourse of the Indians of the Town among themselves Besides the lake there runneth by this Town a river which in places is easily waded over and waters the fruits gardens and other plantations and drives a mill which serves most of the valley to grind their wheat Within a mile and a halfe of this Towne there is a rich Ingenio or farme of Sugar belonging to one Sebastian de Savaletta a Biscaine borne who came at first very poore into that Country and served one of his Country men but with his good industry and paines he began to get a Mule or two to traffique with about the Country till at last he increased his stocke to a whole Requa of Mules and from thence grew so rich that he bought much land about Petapa which he found to be very fit for Sugar and from thence was incouraged to build a princely house whither the best of Guatemala doe resort for their recreation This man maketh a great deale of Sugar for the Country and sends every yeer much to Spaine he keepeth at least threescore slaves of his own for the worke of his farme is very generous in house keeping and is thought to be worth above five hundred thousand Duckats Within halfe a mile from him there is another farme of Sugar which is called but a Trapiche belonging unto the Augustin Friers of Guatemala which keepes some twenty slaves and is called a Trapiche for that it grinds not the Sugar Cane with that device of the Ingenio but grinds a lesse quantity and so makes not so much Sugar as doth an Ingenio From hence three miles is the Town of Amatitlan neer unto which standeth a greater Ingenio of Sugar then is that of Savaletta and is called the Ingenio of one Anis because he first founded it but now it belongeth unto one Pedro Crespo the Post-master of Guatemala this Ingenio seemeth to be a little Town by it selfe for the many cottages and thatched houses of Blackmore slaves which belong unto it who may be above a hundred men women and children The chiefe dwelling house is strong and capacious and able to entertain a hundred lodgers These three farmes of Sugar standing so neer unto Guatemala enrich the City much and occasion great trading from it to Spaine The Town of Amatitlan though in it there live not so many Spaniards as in Petapa yet there are in it more Indian families then in Petapa The streets are more orderly made and framed like a Chequer board they are wide broad plain and all upon dust and sand This Towne also enjoyeth the commodity of the lake and furnisheth with fish the City of Guatemala upon those daies before named of Petapa And though it standeth out of the rode-way yet it is almost as rich as Petapa For the Indians of it get much by the concourse of common people and the Gentry of Guatemala who resort thither to certain bathes of hot waters which are judged and approved very wholesome for the body This Towne also getteth much by the salt which here is made or rather gathered by the lake side which every morning appeareth like a hoary frost upon the ground and is taken up and purified by the Indians and proves very white and good Besides what they get by the salt they get also by the Requa's of Mules in the valley and about the Country which are brought to feed upon that salt earth a day or halfe a day untill they be ready to burst the owner paying six pence a day for every Mule and it hath been found by experience that this makes them thrive and grow lusty and purgeth them better then any drench or blood-letting They have further great trading in Cotton-wool more abundance of fruits then Petapa a fairer market place with two extraordinary great Elm-trees under which the Indians daily meet at evening to buy and sell. The Church of this Towne is as faire and beautifull as any about Guatemala the riches and state whereof hath caused the Dominican Friers since the yeer 1635 to make that place the head and Priory over the other Townes of the valley and to build there a goodly and sumptuous Cloister in which in my time there was for I told then most of it and doubtlesse since it hath much increased eight thousand Duckats laid up in a chest with three lockes for the common expences of the Cloister Thus my Reader I have led thee through the valley of Mixes and Pinola Petapa and Amititlan which in riches and wealth what with the great trading in it what with the sheep cattell what with the abundance of mules what with thres Farmes of Sugar what with the great Farmes of Corn and Wheat what with the Churches treasures yeelds to no other place belonging unto the dominions of Guatemala I may not forget yet a double wheat harvest as I may well term it in this Vally The first being of a little kinde of Wheat which they call Trigo Tremesino a word compounded in Spanish from these two words tres meses or from the Latin tresmenses which after three moneths sowing is ripe and ready to be cut down and being sowed about the end of August is commonly harvested in about the end of November and although in the smalnesse of it it seemes to have but a little Flower yet it yeelds as much as their other sorts of Wheat and makes as white bread though it keep not so well as that which is made of other Wheat but soone groweth stale and hard The other harvest which is of two sorts of Wheat one called Rubio or red Wheat the other called Blanquilleo or white like Candia Wheat followeth soon after this
Lutberan Church in that Country Whereupon I resolved from Brussels to goe to Namurs and from thence by water to Leidge and from thence to Collen in Germany From Leidge to Collen though wee were twelve in company wee were much troubled with Souldiers yet God still delivered me and brought me safe to Collen from whence by the river Rhine I went in boat to Frankefort in September at the time of that great Fair where I knew I should meet company of Merchants to any part of Italy In all my travells I never made a more pleasant journey then that which I made by the river Rhine where I had occasion to see many fair and goodly Cities In Frankefort there I began to take notice of the Lutheran Church and for the space of a fortnight that I stayed there had many thoughts of discovering my selfe there and disclaiming Popery thinking that there I might be sure and fafe and lie hid and unknowne to my Brothers and kinred who in England would not suffer me to live a Protestant Yet againe I considered how hard it would bee for mee a stranger to subsist there and to get any livelyhood for the which I must first get the native tongue and though many points that were opposite to the Church of Rome pleased me yet in some points of that Religion my conscience was not satisfied At the end of the Faire I sought out for company and found neere a dozen wagons which were upon setting out towards Auspurg with goods of Merchants who had also hired a Convoy of thirty soulders to goe along with them which I thought would be safe company for mee with them and many other passengers and travellers that went in the Wagons and on foot by them I went as far as the famous and gallant City of Auspurg from whence forward there was no great danger neither in what part belonged to the Duke of Bavaria nor in the County of Tirol from whence wee passed some foure together to Trent where I was taken with the first Aguâ—… that ever in my life I remembred I had which continued seven months upon mee I thought from thence to have continued my journey by land to Venice but my Ague suffered mee to goe but to Verona from whence I turned to Millan and so to Genoua leaving my good company that from Genouâ—… I might goe by Sea to Ligorne and so likewise to Rome After a fortnights stay in Genoua I went with the Galleys of the great Duke of Florence to Ligorne where I found no boats ready to Rome and so in the mean time whilst they were preparing I went to Pisa and Flarence to see those brave Cities and returned again to Ligorne where I found many boats ready to set out to Rome The first night and day wee had a faire winde to Piombino but there it turned and continued contrary for almost three weekes At last it pleased God to send us a faire wind wherewith wee went out many Boats and Falluco's in company together thinking all had been friends but when wee came neere to the Castle of Montalto most of the boats having got before us two that went in company with the boat wherein I was suddainly set upon us and shewed themselves to bee French Pirats who robbed us all and tooke from mee all the money I had which was not then above five pound leaving me some Bils of exchange which I had to take up mony at Rome after we were robbed wee called in at Civita Vecha for reliefe where I met with a good English Merchant who freely bestowed upon mee provision both of wine and meat as much as would well suffice mee and a friend to Rome whither wee got in a day and night When I came to Rome I delivered my Letters to the Cardinals of whom the two Spaniards I found proud and stately but Don Franciscâ—… Barbarini who was intituled the Protector of England I found more tractable kinde and loving I perceived by his discourse that hee knew much of England and desired to know more and propounded unto mee many questions concerning the state of this Kingdome and especially concerning the Archbishop of Canterbury whom he seemed to affect and yet sometime againe would say hee feared hee would cause some great disturbance in our Kingdome and that certainly for his sake and by his means the King had dissolved lately the Parliament which was that which before this now sitting was so suddainly dissolved by his Majesty which hee feared Scotland and most of the people of England would take very ill Hee asked mee further what conceipt the people had of the said Archbishop and whether they did not mistrust that hee complyed much with the Court of Rome And lastly he told mee that hee thought the creating of an English Cardinal at Rome might be of great consequence for the conversion of the whole Kingdome I laid up in my heart all this discourse and well perceived some great matters were in agitation at Rome and some secret compliance from England with that Court which I purposed to discover more at large among some friendâ—… there After this discourse with the Cardinall I was invited to the English Colledge to dinner by one Father Fitzherbert who was then Rector a great States-man and Politician with whom I had also great discourse concerning my Brother Colonel Gage concerning my travels in America and lastly concerning England whereoâ—… I perceived little discourse could bee had in Rome except the Archbishop William Laud had his part and share in it The Jesuite began highly to praise the Arch-prelate for his moderate carriage towards Papists and Preists boasting of the free accesse which one Simons alias Flood a Jesuite had unto him at all houres and in all occasions and to extoll him the more he brought in the Archbishop Abbot whom he cried down as much for a cruel enemie and persecutor of the Church of Rome and of all Papists and Preists But the now Archbishop said hee is not onely favourable unto us there but here desireth to make daily demonstrations of his great affection to this our Court and Church which hee shewed not long since in sending a Common Prayer Booke which hee had composed for the Church of Scotland to bee first viewed and approved of by our Pope and Cardinals Who perusâ—…ngit liked it very well for Protestants to be trained in a Form of Prayer and service yet considering the State of Scotland and the temper and tenents of that people the Cardinals first giving him thanks for his respect and dutifull compliance with them sent him word that they thought that form of prayer was not â—…itting for Scotland but would breed some stir and unquietnesse there for that they understood the Scots wereaversed from all set Forms would not be tyed and limited to the invention of mans spirit having as they thought the true and unerring Spirit of God in them which could better teach and direct them to pray