contrary He was so sensuall and carnall that he would use his own slaves wives at his pleasure nay when he met in the City any of that kind handsome and to his liking if she would not yeeld to his desire he would goe to her master or mistresse and buy her offering far more then she was worth boasting that he would pull downe her proud and haughty lookes with one yeers slavery under him He killed in my time two Indians in the way to the Golfe and with his mony came off as if he had killed but a dog He would never marry because his slaves supplyed the bed of a wife and none of his neighbours durst say him nay whereby he hasted to fill that valley with bastards of all sorts and colours by whom when that rich miser dieth all his wealth and treasure is like to be consumed Besides the two Townes which denominate this valley there standeth at the East end of it close by the Rio de las Vaccas an Ermitage called Nostra Sennora del Carmel or our Lady of Carmel which is the Parish Church to all those severall farmes of Spaniards living in the valley though true it is most constantly they doe resort unto the Indian Townes to Masse and in Mixco especially the Spaniards have a rich sodality of our Lady of the Rosary and the Black-mores another In all the valley there may be between fourty and fifty Spanish farmes or houses belonging to the Ermitage and in all these houses some three hundred slaves men and women Black-mores and Mulatto's Mixco is a town of three hundred families but in it nothing considerable but the riches belonging unto the two forenamed Sodalities and some rich Indians who have learned of the Spaniards to break clods of earth and to sow wheat and to traffique with Mules unto the Golfe Besides what fowles and great store of Turkeys which in this Towne are bred there is a constant slaughter house where meat is sold to the Indians within and to the farmes without and provision is made for all the Requa's and slaves that go to the Golfe with their masters Mules Besides the six Requa's before named of Iuan Palâ—…mequè there are in this valley four brothers named Don Gaspar Don Diego Don Thomas Don Iuan de Colindres who have each of them a Requa of threescore Mules though few slaves and onely hired Indians to goe with them to traffique to the Golfe and over all the Country as far as Mexico sometimes Yet besides these there are some six more Requa's belonging to other farms which with those of the Towne of Mixco may makeup full twenty Requa's and those twenty Requa's containe above a thousand Mules which only from this valley are imployed to all parts of the Country by the rich Merchants of Guatemala But to returne againe to the Towne of Mixco the constant passage thorow it of these Requa's of rich Merchants of all passengers that goe and come from Spain hath made it very rich whereas in the Town it self there is no other commodity except it be a kind of earth whereof are made rare and excellent pots for water pans pipkins platters dishes chafing-dishes warming-pans wherein those Indians shew much wit and paint them with red white and severall mingled colours and sell them to Guatemala and the Towns about which some Criolian women will eat by full mouth fulls endangering their health and lives so that by this earthly ware they may looke white and pale The Towne of Pinola in bignesse is much like unto Mixco but a far pleasanter Town more healthy and better seated standing upon a plain whereas Mixco stands on the side on a hill which carrieth the Travellers quite out of the sight of the valley In Pinola there is also a slaughter house whete beef is dayly sold there is plenty of fowles Fruits Maiz Wheat though not altogether so bright as that of Mixco hony and the best water thereabouts it is called in the Indian tongue Panac some say from a fruit of that name which is very abundant there On the North and South side of this valley are hils which are most sown with wheat which proveth better there then in the low valley At the West end of it stand two greater Townes then Mixco and Pinola named Petapa and Amatitlan to the which there are in the midst of the valley some descents and ascents which they call Baranca's or bottomes where are pleasant streames and fountaines and good feeding for sheep and Cattel Petapa is a Towne of at least five hundred inhabitants very rich who suffer also some Spaniards to dwell amongst them from whom also those Indians have learned to live and thrive in the world This Towne is the passage from Comayagua St. Salvador Nicaragua and Costa Rica and hath got great wealth by the constant goers and comers It is esteemed one of the pleasantest Townes belonging unto Guatemala for a great Lake of fresh water neer unto it which is full of fish especially crabs and a fish called Mojarra which is much like unto a mullet though not altogether so big and eateth like it In this Towne there is a certaine number of Indians appointed who are to fish for the City and on Wednesdayes Fridayes and Saturdayes are bound to carry such a quantity to Guatemala of Crabs and Mojarra's as the Corregidor and Regidores Major and Aldermen who are but eight shall command weekly to be brought This Towne Petapa is so called from two Indian words Petap which signifieth a Mat and ha which signifieth water and a Mat being the chiefe part of an Indians bed it is as much as to say a bed of water from the smoothnesse plainnesse and calmnesse of the water of the Lake There liveth in it a principall family of Indians who are said to descend from the ancient Kings of those parts and now by the Spaniards are graced with the noble name of Guzman out of this family is chosen one to be Governour of the Towne with subordination unto the City and Chancery of Guatemala Don Bernabe de Guzman was Governour in my time and had been many yeers before and governed very wisely and discreetly till with old age he came to loose his sight and in his place entred his son Don Pedro de Guzman of whom the rest of the Indians stood in great awe as formerly they had to his father Had not these Indians been given to drunkennesse as most Indians are they might have governed a Town of Spaniards This Governour hath many priviledges granted unto him though none to weare a sword or rapier as may the Governour of Chiapa of the Indians and appoints by turnes some of the Towne to wait and attend on him at dinner and supper others to looke to his Horses others to fish for him others to bring him wood for his house spending others to bring him meat for his Horses and yet after all this his attendance he attends and waits on the
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
and Mutton for it and the Country Townes about is this Nine daies before Michaelmas every day Proclamation is made about the City for an Obligado or one that will bee bound to the City and Country for competent provision of Flesh meat upon forfeiture of such a summe of money to his Majesty if hee faile as shall bee agreed upon between him and the Court and to the Inhabitants of the City if hee fail in beef hee is to allow in Mutton so many pounds at the same rate as hee should have allowed beef If the Obligado faile in Mutton hee is to allow in Fowle flesh so many pounds and at the same rate as hee was to allow the Mutton and this with consideration of the family what competent allowance of flesh meat shall bee judged for a day or the dayes that the Obligado shall fail Besides this the Proclamation is made for whom offers most to his Majesty for one yeers Obligation So that sometimes it happeneth that the eight daies severall men come into the Court offering more and more till upon the ninth day and last Proclamation the Office is setled for one yeere upon him that hath offered most unto his Majesty Thus many Butchers are not allowed but one onely Obligado who also is abridged to so many pound for so much mony so that if any other besides him offer to kill or sell he may follow an action and the Court against him Thus the Obligado who commonly is a monied man buyeth by the hundred or by the thousand as for the present hee findeth the expence of the City without hee bee himself such a Grazier as hath Cattell enough of his owne Though Mutton bee not so plentifull as is Beef yet there never wants from the Valley of Mixco Pinola Petapa and Amatitlan and the Marsh and other places In the Valley forenamed I lived and was well acquainted with one Alonso Capata who had constantly going in the Valley four thousand sheep Guatemala therefore is so well stored with good provision plentifull and heap that it is hard to finde in it a begger for with halfe a Riall the poorest may buy beef for a weeke and with a few Cacao's they may have bread of Indian Maiz if not of Spanish Wheat This City may consist of about five thousand families besides a Suburb of Indians called el Barrio de Sto. Domingo where may bee two hundred families more The best part of the City is that which joyneth to this Suburb of Indians and is called also el Barrio Santo de Domingo by reason of the Cloister of Saint Dominick which standeth in it Here are the richest and best shops of the City with the best buildings most of the houses being new and ately Here is also a dayly Tianguez as they call it or petty Market where some Indians all the day sit selling fruits Herbs and Cacao but at the foure in the afternoone this Market is filled for a matter of an houre where the Indian women meet to sell their Country slap which is dainties to the Criolians as Atolle Pinole scalded Plantins butter of the Cacao puddings made of Indian Maiz with a bit of Fowle or fresh Porke in them seasoned with much red biting Chile which they call Anacatamales The trading of the City is great for by Mules it partakes of the best commodities of Mexico Guaxaca and Chiapa and Southward of Nicaragua and Costarica By Sea it hath commerce with Peru by two Sea Ports and Havens the one called la Villa de la Trinidad the Village of the Trinity which lyeth Southward from it five and twenty leagues and by another called el Realejo which lyeth five or six and forty leagues from it It hath traffique with Spain by the North Sea from Golfo dulce lying threescore leagues from it It is not so rich as other Cities yet for the quantity of it it yeelds to none There were in my time five besides many other Merchants who were judged worth twenty thousand Duckats thirty thousand fifty thousand some few a hundred thousand who were judged of equall wealth and generally reported to bee worth each of them five hundred thousand Duckats the first was Thomas de Siliezer a Biscain born and Alcalde de Corte the Kings High Justice or chief Officer at Court the second was Antonio Iustiniano a Genovois born and one that bore often Offices in the City and had many Tenements and houses especially a great and rich Farme for corn and Wheat in the Valley of Mexico The third was Pedro de Lira born in Castilia the fourth and fifth Antonio Fernandez and Bartolome Nunnez both Portingals whereof the first in my time departed from Guatemala for some reasons which here I must conceale The other foure I left there the three of them living at that end of the City called Barrio de Santo Domingo or the street of St. Dominick whose houses and presence makes that street excell all the rest of the City and their wealth and trading were enough to denominate Guatemala a very rich City The Government of all the Country about and of all Honduras Soconusco Comayagua Nicaragua Costa Rica Vera Paz Cuchutepeques and Chiapa is subordinate unto the Chancery of Cuatemala for although every Governour over these severall Provinces is appointed by the King and Councell of Spain yet when they come to those parts to the enjoyment of their charge and execution office then their actions if unjust are weighed judged censured and condemned by the Court residing in the City This Court of Chancery consisteth of a President six Judges one Kings Attourney and two chief Justices of Court The President though hee have not the name and title of Viceroy as they of Mexico and Peru yet his power is as great and absolute as theirs His Pension from the King is but twelve thousands Duckats a yeer but besides this if he be covetous hee makes by bribes and trading twice as much more nay what shee list as was seen in the Count de la Gomera President of that City and Chancery for the space of fourteen yeers who departed in old age from Guatemala to Canaria where was his house and place of birth worth Millions of Duckats After him succeeded Don Iuan de Guzman formerly President of Santo Domingo who losing his Wife and Lady in the way lost also his former spirit and courage betaking himselfe wholly to his devotions contemning wealth and riches governing with love and mildnesse which made the rest of the Judges who were all for lucre soone weary him out of his office continuing in it but five yeers His successor whom I left there when I came away was Don Gonsalo de Paz y Lorencana who was promoted from the Presidency of Panama to that place and came into it with such a spirit of covetousnesse as the like had not been seen in any former President Hee forbad all gaming in private houses in the City which there is much used though
first enemies that they met and if with that Arrow they did either kill or hurt it was a token that they should have the victory and if it neither did kil nor hurt then they assuredly believed that they should lose the field This Province or Lordship of Tlaxcallan had 28. Villages and Townes wherein were contained 150000 housholders They are men well made and were good Warriers the like were not among the Indians They are very poore and have no other riches but onely the Graine and Corne called Centli and with the gain and profit thereof they doe both clothe themselves and provide all other necessaries They have many Market places but the greatest and most used daily standeth in the street of Ocotelulco which formerly was so famous that 20000. persons came thither in one day to buy and sell changing one thing for another for they knew not what money meaned They have now and had formerly all kind of good policy in the Town there are Goldsmiths Featherdressers Barbers hot houses and Potters who make as good earthen Vessel as is made in Spain The earth is fat and fruitfull for Corne fruit and Pasture for among the Pinetrees groweth so much grasse that the Spaniards feed their Cattell there which in Spain they cannot doe Within two Leagues of the Town standeth a round hill of six miles of heigth and five and forty miles in compasse and is now called St. Bartholoinewes hill where the snow freezeth In times past they called that hill Matealcucie who was their God for water They had also a God for Wine who was named Ometochtli for the great drunkenesse which they used Their chiefest God was called Camaxtlo and by another name Mixcovatl whose Temple stood in the street of Ocotelulco in the which Temple there was sacriced some yeeres above eight hundred persons In the Towne they speak three languages that is to say Nabualh which is the courtly speech and chiefest in all the land of Mexico another is called Otomir which is most commonly used in the Villages There is one onely street that speaketh Pinomer which is the grossest speech There was also formerly in the Town a common Jayle where-Felons lay in Irons and all things which they held for â—…inne were there corrected At the time that Cortez was there it happened that a townsman stole from a Spaniard a little gold whereof Cortez complained to Maxixca who in continent made such enquiry that the offender was found in Chololla which is another great Town five Leagues from thence they brought the prisoner with the gold and delivered him to Cortez to doe with him his pleasure Cortez would not accept him but gave him thankes for his diligence then was hee carried with a cryer before him manifesting his offence and in the Market place upon a Scaffold they brake his joynts with a cudgell the Spaniards marvelled to see such strange justice and began to bee more confident that as in this point they had endeavoured to pleasure and right them so likewise they should afterwards find them very forward to doe their wills and pleasures for the better conquering of Mexico and Montezuma Ocotelulco and Tizatlan are the two streets which now are most inhabited In Ocotelulco standeth a Cloister of Franciscan Fryers who are the Preachers of that Town they have there joyning to their Cloister a very faire Church to which belong some fifty Indians singers Organists players on Musicall Instruments Trumpeters and Waits who set out the Masse with a very sweet and harmonious Musick and delight the fancy and senses while the spirit is sad and dull as little acquainted with God who will bee worshipped in spirit and in truth In Tepetiepac and Quiahuiztlan are two Chappels onely to which on the Lords Day and upon other occasions the Fryers of the Cloister resort to say Masse In this Cloister wee were entertained a day and two nights with great Provision of Flesh and Fish which is very plentifull by reason of the River The Fryers are allowed by the Town a dozen Indians who are free from other services onely to fish for the Fryers They change their turnes by Weekes foure one Weeke and foure another except they be called upon for some speciall occasion and then they leave all other worke and attend onely with fish upon the Fryers The Town now is inhabited by Spaniards and Indians together and is the seat of a chief Officer of Justice sent from Spain every three yeares called Alcalde Major whose power reacheth to all the Townes within twenty Leagues about Besides him the Indians have likewise among themselves Alcaldes Regidores and Alguaziles superiour and inferiour Officers of Justice appointed yeerely by the Alcalde Major who keepes them all in awe and takes from them for his service as many as hee pleaseth without paying any thing for the service done unto him The hard usage of this Alcalde Major and other Spaniards hath much decayed that populous Town which should rather have been cherished then disheartned by the Spaniards who by meanes of it gained all the rest of the Country CHAP. XI Concluding the rest of our journey foâ—…m Tlaxcallan to Mexico through the City of Angels and Guacocingo THE next place most remarkable in the Rode wherein wee travelled was the City called by the Spaniards La Puebla de los Angeles the City of Angels To the which wee were desirous to goe knowing that in it there was a Convent of Dominicans of our profession not having met with any such since the day we departed from St. Iohn de Ulhua Here wee refreshed our selves at leasure three dayes finding our selves very welcome to our owne Brethren who spared nothing that was fit for our entertainment Wee visited all the City and tooke large notice of it judging of the wealth and riches of it not only by the great Trading in it but by the many Cloisters both of Nuns and Fryers which it maintaineth such being commonly very burthensome to the places where they live an idle kind of beggers who make the people believe the maintaining of them is meritorious â—…nd saving to their Soules and that their prayers for them is more worth then the meanes and sustenance which they receive from them Of these there is in that City a very great Cloister of some fifty or threescore Dominicans another of more Franciseans another of Augustins another of Mercinarians another of discalced Carmelites another of Jesuâ—…its besides foure of Nuns This City is seated in a low and pleasant Valley about ten leagues from a very high Mountaine which is alwayes covered with snow It standeth twenty leagues from Mexico it was first built and inhabited in the yeare 1530. by the command of Don Antonio de Mendoza Viâ—…eroy of Mexico together with the consent of Sebastian Ramirez who was a Bishop and had been President in time past in Sto Domingo and was that yeare in stead of Nunnio de Guzman who had behaved himselfe very evill both with
alteration but rather quietly to abide in your houses And concerning the enemies I am glad of their coming for yee shall see how I will deale with them But the enemies went not to Huaxuta as it was thought neverthelesse Cortez having intelligence where they were went out to encounter them with two pieces of Ordnance twelve Horsemen and two hundred Spaniards and with many Indians of Tlaxcallan He fought with the enemy and slew but few for they fled to the water and so escaped in their Canoa's Thus did Cortez in Tezcuco defend himselfe and friends from the great power of the Mexicans who daily attempted to be revenged on him and the new Christian King whom he had made But Cortez thinking that place the most convenient to lanch his Vergantines to the water and hearing that they were finished at Tlaxcallan sent Gonzalo de Sandoval to bring them from Tlaxcallan who at the border of that Province met with them being brought in pieces as tables planks and nayles with all other furniture the which eight thousand men carried upon their backes There came also for their safe conduct twenty thousand men of warre and a thousand Tamemez who were the Carriers of victuals and servants Chichimecatetl a principall and valiant Indian and Captaine of a thousand men had the Rere-gard And Tupitil and Teâ—…tecatl very principall gentlemen had the Vant-gard with ten thousand men In the midst were placed the Tamemez and those that carried the Foyst with all the apparell of the Vergantines Before those two Captains went a hundred Spaniards and eight Horse-men and behind and last came Gonzalo de Sandoval with all the residue and seven Horse-men Thus they tooke their way towards Tezcuco with a marvellous noise crying Christians Christians Tlaxcallan Tlaxcallan and Spaine When they came to Tezcuco they entred iâ—… in very good order with the sound of Drummes Snail shels and other like instruments of musick and against their entry into the City they put on all their bravery of clothes and bushes of feathers which was a gallant sight they were six houres in entring into the Towne keeping their array At the â—…ame of this many Provinces came to submit and offer their service unto Cortez some for fear of destruction and others for the hatred which they bare to the Mexicans so that now Cortez was strong both with Spaniards and Indians and his Court at Tezcuco was at great or greater then Montezuma's formerly had been at Mexico And here Cortez made his preparation for the â—…iege of Mexico with all hast and furnished himselfe with scaling ladders and other necessaries fit for such a purpose His Vergantines being nayled and throughly ended he made a 〈◊〉 or â—…rench of halfe a league of length twelve foot broad and more and two fadome in depth This worke was fifty daies a doing although there were foure hundred thousand men daily working truly a famous worke and worthy of memory which hath made Tezcuco gloriously mentioned though now almost decayed in the great number of inhabitants The Dock or Trench being thus finished the Vergantines were â—…ked with towe and cotton wooll and for want of Tallow and oyle they were as some Authors report driven to take mans grease not that Cortez permitted them to slay men for that effect but of those which were slaine in the warres and of such as sallied dayly out of Mexico to hinder this work and fighting were slaine The Indians who were cruel and bloody Butchers using sacrifice of mans flesh would in this sort open the dead body and take out the grease The Vergantines being lanched Cortez mustered his men and found nine hundred Spaniards of the which were fourscore and six Horse-men and a hundred and eighteen with Crosse-bowes and Hargabushes and all the residue had sundry weapons as Swords Daggers Targets Launces and Halberts Also they had for armour Corslets coats of Mayle and Jackâ—… They had moreover three great Peeces of cast Iâ—…on fifteen small peeces of brasse and ten hundred weight of powder with store of shot besides a hundred thousand Indians men of warre On Whitâ—…unday all the Spaniards câ—…me into the field that great plaiâ—…e below the high mountaine spoken of before where Cortez made three chiefe Captaines among whom he divided his whole Army Unto Pedro de Alvarado the first Captaine â—…e appointed thirty Horse-men and a hundred and seventy Foote-men of the Spaniards two peeces of Ordnance and thirty thousand Indians commanding him to campe in 〈◊〉 Unto Christâ—…val de 〈◊〉 the second Captaine hee gave three and thirty horsemen and a hundred and eighteen footmen of the Spanish Nation two Peeces of Ordnance and thirty thousand Indians and appointed him to pitch his campe in Culhuacan To Gonzalo de Sandoval who was the third Captaine hee gave three and twenty horsemen and a hundred and threescore footmen two peeces of Ordnance and forty thousand Indians with Commission to choose a place to pitch his campe In every Vergantine hee planted a peâ—…ce of Ordnance six Hargabushes or Crosse bowes and three and twenty Spaniards men most fit for that purpose Hee appointed also Captaines for each and himselfe for Generall whereof some of the chiefest of his Company began to murmur that went by land thinking that they had been in greater danger wherefore they required him to goe with the maine battaile and not by water Cortez little esteemed their words for although there was more danger in the land then in the water yet it did more import to have greater care in the Warres by water then on the land because his men had beene in the one and not in the other Besides the chiefest hopes that Cortez had to winne Mexico were these Vessels for with them he burned a great part of the Canoa's of Mexico and the rest hee so locked up that they were no help unto the Mexicans and with twelve onely Vergantines hee did annoy his enemy as much by water as the rest of his Army did by land All this preparation for the siege of Mexico by land and water with above a hundred thousand Indians besides the Spanirds above mentioned and the twelve Vergantines by water was finished in this City of Tezcuco which is a sufficient argument of the greatnesse of it at that time maintaining with Provision fit and necessary so many thousands of people and it yeelded matter enough unto us for a large discourse whilst not farre from the sight of it wee travelled in the open and direct plaine Rode to Mexico And as we talked of the greatnesse of it in former times so likewise wee now wondered to consider it to bee but a small Government where doth constantly reside a Spanish Governour sent from Spain whose power reacheth to those borders of Tlaxcallan and Guacocingo and to most of the petty Townes and Villages of the plaine which were formerly under the command and power of a King but now are not able to make up above a thousand Duckats a yeer which
relent the stench also of the dead bodies was wonderfull noysome That night Cortez purposed to make an end the next day of the Warres and Quahutimoc pretended to flie and for that purpose had enbarked himself in a Canoa of twenty Oares When the day appeared Cortez with his men and foure Peeces of Ordnance came to the corner where those that yet remained were shut up as Cattel in a Pound Hee gave order to Sandoval and Alvarado what they should doe which was to be ready with their Vergantines and to watch the coming out of the Canoa's which were hidden betwixt certaine houses and especially to have regard unto the Kings person and not to hurt him but to take him alive Hee commanded the residue of his men to force the Mexican boates to goe out and hee himselfe went up into a Tower inquiring for the King where hee found Xihuacoa Governour and Captaine Generall of the City who would in no wise yeeld himself Then came out of the City a great multitude of old folkes men women and children to take boat The throng was so great with hast to enter the Canoa's that many by that meanes were drowned 〈◊〉 the Lake Cortez required his men not to kill those miserable creatures But yet 〈◊〉 could not stay the Indians his friends of Tlaxcallan and other places who slew and sacrificed above fifteen thousand The men of Warre stood in the house toppes and Zoties beholding their perdition All the Nobility of Mexico were enbarked with the King Then Cortez gave signe with the shot of a hand-Gunne that his Captaines should bee in a readinesse so that in short space they wan fully and wholly the great City of Mexico The Vergantines likewise brake in among the Fleet of boates without any resistance and presently beat down Quahutimoc his Royall Standard Garcia Holguin who was a Captaine of one of the Vergantines espied a great Canoa of twenty Oares deep laden with men who being by one of his prisoners informed that the King was in it gave chase to it and presently overtooke it When Quahutimoc who stood upon the Puppe of his Canoa ready to fight saw the Spaniards Crossebowes bent to shoot and many drawne swords against him hee yeelded himselfe declaring that hee was King Garcia Holguin being a glad man of such a prisoner tooke him and carried him unto Cortez who received him very respectfully But when Quahutimoc came neer unto him hee laid his hand upon Cortez his dagger saying I have done all my best and possible endeavour to defend my self and my Vassals according to my duty hoping not to have come to this estate and place where now I stand and considering that you may doe with mee what you please I beseech you to kill mee and that is my onely request Cortez comforted him with faire words giving him hope of life and tooke him up into a Zotie requiring him to command his Subjects that yet held out to yeeld and render themselves Which Quahutimoc presently performed and at that time after so many Prisoners taken and so many thousands slain and starved there were about threescore and ten thousand persons who seeing their Prince a Prisoner threw down their weapons and submitted themselves Thus did Hernando Cortez winne the famous and stately City of Mexico on the 13. day of August Anno Dom. 1521. In remembrance whereof every yeere on that day they make in Mexico a sumptuous feast and solemne procession wherein is carried the Standard Royall with the which the City was wonne In the losse of it was as much to bee observed as Antiquity can produce of any Victory wherein was one Emperour the greatest that ever was in those parts slain and another as great a Warrier as ever America had knowne taken Prisoner The Siege endured from the time the Vergantines came from Tlaxcallan three moneths and therein were on Cortez his side neer 200000 Indians who dayly increased and came in to help him 900 Spaniards fourescore horses onely seventeen or eighteen Peeces of Ordnance sixteen or as some say eighteen Vergantines and at least 6000 Canoa's In this Siege were slain fifty Spaniards onely and six horses and not above eight thousand of the Indians Cortez his friends And on the Mexicans side were slaine at least a hundred and twenty thousand Indians besides those that died with hunger and Pestilence At the defence of the City were all the Nobility by reason whereof many of them were slaine The multitude of people in the City was so great that they were constrained to eat little to drink salt water and to sleep among the dead bodies where was a horrible stench and for these causes the disease of Pestilence fell among them and thereof died an infinite number Whereupon is to bee considered their valour and stedfast determination for although they were afflicted with such hunger that they were driven to eat boughes rindes of trees and to drink salt water yet would they not yeeld themselves And here also is to be noted that although the Mexicans did eat mans flesh yet they did eat none but such as were their enemies for had they eaten one another and their owne children there would not so many have died with hunger The Mexican women were highly commended not onely because they abode with their husbands and fathers but also for the great paines they tooke with the sick and wounded persons yea and also they laboured in making slings cutting stones fit for the same and throwing stones from the Zoties for therein they did as much hurt as their men The City was yeelded to the spoile and the Spaniards tooke the gold plate and feathers the Indian friends had all the rest of cloth and other stuffe Thus was that famous City ruinated and burnt by the Spaniards and the power of that Nation brought under the Spanish subjection Cortez having found the aire of that City very temperate and pleasant for mans life and the situation commodiouâ—… thought presently of rebuilding it and of making it the chief Seat of Justice and Court for all that Country But before I come to speake of it as rebuilded and now flourishing I must adde unto what hath been said of Montezuma his former state and houses in it the greatnesse of the Market place and Temple which was in it when the Spaniards ruined and destroyed it The conveniency of the Lake about this City gave encouragement to the Mexicans to set apart a most spatious Market place whither all the Country about might resort to buy exchange and sell which was the more easie for them by reason of the abundance of Boates which were made onely for such Trafique In this great lake there were at that time above two hundred thousand of these little boats which the Indians call Acaâ—…es and the Spaniards call them Canoa's wrought like a kneading trough some bigger then others according to the greatnesse of the body of the tree whereof they are made And where I number
and other fruits some fowles and some Turkeys The Frier that sate by me I perceived was overjoyed with this for he knew I was to be gone and would leave unto him all those offerings I desired him to make answer unto the Indians in my behalfe excusing me as not well versed in their language yet the fooles if they thought and judged me to be a Saint might have expected from me also the gift of tongues which he did telling them that I hadbeen but a while in that Country and though I understood part of their language yet could not speake nor pronounce it perfectly and therefore from me he did give them hearty thankes for the great love they had shewed unto an Ambassadour of God witnessing it with so many sorts of offerings which assuredly should remind him and mee of our offerings for them in our praiers and hearty recommendations of them and their children unto God Thus was that ceremony ended the Indians dismissed and the Frier and I went up to a chamber where he began to tell his egs and fowles and to dispose of some of them for our supper he told me he would take them but at my departure would give me somewhat for them he bad me keep what money they had given me and told me I was welcome unto him and no burdensome guesse but very profitable who had brought with me store of provision for my selfe and for him many daies after The money I received cane to fourty Rials besides twenty which he gave me for the other offerings which might be worth fourty more all this I got for having a fall from a Mule and for not breaking my necke I would faine have departed the next morning but Iohn Vidall so was the Frier named would not permit me for that the next journey was of at least 20 leagues and therefore he would have me rest my selfe the next day This Towne of Zojabah or Sacualpa is the biggest and fairest of all the Towns that belong unto the Priory of Sacapula the Indians are rich and make of their Cotton-wool many mantles they have plenty of hony and great flocks of goats and kids but here nor in all the Townes behind there is no wheat save only Indian Maiz. The next day some small offerings fell unto mee but nothing like the day before and so I told the Frier that now the peoples devotion was decaied I would bee gone in the morning before day That night the chiefe Indians of the Towne came to offer their service and attendance upon me to a Rancho or lodge that standeth in the middle way but I would not accept of the great ones but desired that I might have three onely of the meaner sort to guide mee till I met with company from the Towne whither I was going and whither I had sent warning of my comming The time appointed was three of the clock in the morning at which houre after a little sleep I was called and having drunke my Chocolatte and eat a maple bread with a little conserve I prepared my selfe for my journey and found the Indians ready waiting for me in the yard with pieces of pine-wood which burn like torches and with which they use to travell in the night and to shew the way to him whom they guide A little from the Towne wee had some craggy wayes which indeed had need of lights but afterwards we came into a plaine champaigne Countrey which continued till within a league of the middle way lodge to the which we were to descend a steep hill When we came thither which was about seven in the morning we found our fresh supply waiting for us who had set out from their Towne at midnight to meet us note the Indians subjection to their Preists command and had made us a fire and warmed water for our Chocolatte Which whilst I was drinking the Indians of Zojabah who had guided me thither gave notice to those that came to receive from St. Martin so was the Towne called whither I was that day minded of my miracle and sanctity wishing them to reverence and respect me in the way But not for this their foolish report did I make the Indians of Zoiabah drinke every one a cup of Chocolatte and so dismissed them and took forwards my journey to St. Martin Most of the way was hilly and craggy till we came within two miles of the Towne to the which we arrived by noone This Towne is cold standing high yet pleasant for the prospect almost to Guatemala here and in most of the Towns about it is most excellent wheat The hony of this Towne is the best in the Countrey but above all it furnisheth Guatemala with Quailes Partridges and Rabbits It is the first Towne wee enter into belonging to the City and command of Guatemala which did not a little comfort me that now I wanted but one good journey to make an end of my long tedious and weaâ—…isome travelling The Frier of this Towne named Thomas de la Cruz belonged unto the Dominican Cloister of Guatemala he was a Criolian but yet he entertained me very lovingly I staied with him but that night And in the morning though I might have gone to dinner to Guatemala I would needs goe by the way to one of the biggest Townes in that Countrey called Chimaltenango standing in an open valley three leagues from the City consisting of a thousand house-keepers and rich Indians who trade much about the Countrey In this Towne in my time there was one Indian who alone had bestowed upon the Church five thousand duckates The Church yeelds to none in the City of Guatemala and in musick it exceeds â—…ost about the Country The chief feast of Chimaltenango is upon the 26. day of Iuly which they call St. Annes day and then is the richest faire that ever my eyes beheld in those parts of all sorts of Merchants and Merchandize It is further set forth with Bull-baiting Horce-racing Stage-playes Maskes dances Musick and all this gallantly performed by the Indians of the Town The Fryer of this Town was a Dominican belonging to the Cloister of the Dominicans of Guatemala named Alonso Hidalgo a foure eyed old man for hee alwaies wore spectacles Hee was a Spaniard borne but having beene brought up in that Country from his youth and having taken his habit and vowes in Guatemala amongst the Criolians hee degenerated from his birth and Country-men hating all such as came from Spain Hee was deadly enemy to the Provinciall ayming indeed himselfe to bee Provinciall with the favour of the Criolians and so I perceived hee would have picked a quarrell with mee whilst I was with him hee told mee I was welcome though hee had little reason to bid any welcome that had come from Spain who hee thought came but to supplant those that had been born and brought up there in their own Country and that for ought hee knew I learning the language of those Indians might one day
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
other places Cacao or fruits which they lay before the image of the Saint whilst the Masse is celebrating Some Indians will bring a bundle of candles of a dozen tied together of Rials a peice some some of three or four for a Riall and will if they be let alone light them all together and burne them out so that the Preist at the end of the Masse will find nothing but the ends Therefore knowing well of the waies of policy and covetousnesse he chargeeh the Church officers whom I said before were called Mayordomo's to looke to the offerings and not to suffer the Indians who bring candles to light more then one before the Saint and to leave the other before him unlighted having formerly taught them that the Saints are as well pleased with their whole candles as with their burnt candles that so hee may have the more to sell and make mony of After Masse the Preist and the Mayordomo's take and sweep away from the Saint whatsoever they find hath been offered unto him so that sometimes in a great Towne upon such a Saints day the Preist may have in mony twelve or twenty Rials and fifty or a hundred candles which may be worth unto him twenty or thirty shillings besides some ends and pieces Most of the Friers about Guatemala are with these offerings as wel stored with candles as is any Wax-chandlers shop in the City And the same candles which thus they have received by offerings they need not care to sell them away to Spaniards who come about to by them though some will rather sell them together to such though cheaper that their mony might come in all at once for the Indians themselves when they want again any candles for the like feast or for a Christening and for a womans Churching at which times they also offer candles will buy their own againe of the Preist who sometimes receiveth the same candles and mony for them again five or six times And because they find that the Indians incline very much to this kind of offerings and that they are so profitable unto them the Friers doe much presse upon the Indians in their preaching this point of their Religion and devotion But if you demand of these ignorant but zealous offerers the Indians an account of any point of faith they will give you little or none The mystery of the Trinity and of the incarnation of Christ and our redemption by him is too hard for them they will only answer what they have been taught in a Catechisme of questions and answers but if you ask them if they beleeve such a point of Christianity they will never answer affirmatively but only thus Perhaps it may be so They are taught there the doctrin of Rome that Christs body is truely and really present in the Sacrament and no bread in substance but only the accidents if the wisest Indian be asked whether he beleeve this he will answer Perhaps it may be so Once an old woman who was held to be very religious in the Town of Mixco came to me about receiving the Sacrament and whilst I was instructing of her I asked her if she beleeved that Christ body was in the Sacrament she answered Peradventure it may be so A little while after to try her and get her out of this strain and common answer I asked her what who was in the Sacrament which she received from the Preists hand at the Altar she answered nothing for a while and at last I pressed upon her foâ—… an affirmative answer and then she began to looke about to the Saints in the Church which was dedicated to a Saint which they call St. Dominick and as it seemed being troubled and doubtful what to say at last she cast her eyes upon the high Altar but I seeing she delayed the time asked her again who was in the Sacrament to which she replyed S. Dominick who was the Patron of that Church and Town At this I smiled and would yet further try her simplicity with a simple question I told her she saw S. Dominick was painted with a dog by him holding a torch in his mouth and the globe of the world at his feet I asked her whether all this were with St. Dominick in the Sacrament To which she answered Perhaps it might be so wherewith I began to chide her and to instruct her But mine instruction nor all the teaching and preaching of those Spanish Preists hath not yet well grounded them in principles of faith they are dull and heavie to beleeve or apprehend of God or of heaven more then with sense or reason they can conceive Yet they goe and run that way they see the Spaniards run and as they are taught by their idolatrous Preists Who have taught them much formality and so they are as our Formalists formerly in England very formall but little substantiall in Religion They have been taught that when they come to confession they must offer somewhat to the Preist and that by their gifts and almes their sins shall be sooner forgiven this they doe so formally observe that whensoever they come to confession but especially in Lent none of them dareth to come with empty hands some bring mony some honey some egs some fowls some fish some Cacao some one thing some another so that the Preist hath a plentifull harvest in Lent for his pains in hearing their Confessions They have been taught that also when they receive the Communion they must surely every one give at least a Riall to the Preist surely England was never taught in America to buy the Sacrament with a two pence offering and yet this custome too much practised and pressed upon the people which they performe so that I have known some poor Indians who have for a week or two forborne from coming to the Communion untill they could get a Riall offering It is to be wondred what the Preists doe get from those poore wretches in great Towns by Confession and Communion Rials in great Townes where they denie the Sacrament to none that will receive it and in some Townes I have knowne a thousand Communicants and force all above twelve or thirteen yeers of age to come to Confession in the Lent They are very formall also in observing Romes Monday Thursday and good-Friday and then they make their monuments and sepulchres wherein they set their Sacrament and watch it all day and night placing before it a Crucifix on the ground with two basins on each side to hold the single or double Rials which every one must offer when he cometh creeping upon his knees and bare-footed to kisse Christs hands feet and side The candles which for that day and night and next morning are burned at the sepulchre are bought with another Contribution-Riall which is gathered from house to house from every Indian for that purpose Their Religion is a dear and lick-penny religion for such poor Indians and yet they are carried along in it