their Religion But the loosnesse of their lives sheweth evidently that the love of money of vain-glory of Power and Authority over the poore Indians is their end and aime more then any love of God From Xalappa we went to a place called by the Spaniards La Rinconada which is no Towne nor Village and therefore not worth mentioning in such a Rode as now I am in yet as famous in two things it must not bee omitted amongst greater places This place stands so far from any other Town that Travellers can scarce make their journeys without either baiting there at noone or lying there at night or declining three or foure miles out of the Rode to some Indian Town It is no more then one house which the Spaniards call Venta or as our English Innes seated in the corner of a low Valley which is the hottest place from St. Iohn de Ulhua to Mâ—…xico about it are the best Springs and Fountaines in all the Rode and the water though warme with the heat of the Sun yet as sweet as any Milk The Inne-keeper knowing wel the Spaniards heat that it seeks coole and refreshing drink have speciall care so to lay in water in great earthen Vessels which they set upon a moist and waterish Sand that it is so cold that it maketh the teeth to chatter This sweetnesse and this coolnesse together of that water in so hot and scorching a Countrey was to us a wonder who could find no other refreshment from that extraordinary heat Besides our Provision here of Beefe Mutton Kid Hens Turkeys Rabbets Fowles and especially Quailes was so plentifull and cheape that wee were astonished at it The Valley and Countrey about it is very rich and fertile full of Spanish Farmes of Sugar and Cochinil Spanish and Indian Wheate But what maketh mee more especially remember this Venta or Inne is for that though Art and experience of man have found a way to provide for Travellers in so hot a place coole and refreshing water and God have given it the sweetnesse of Milk and to the place such abundance of Provision yet all this in the day onely is comfortable and pleasant but in the night the Spaniards call it Cumfites en infierno that is to say Cumfits in hell for not onely the heat is so extraordinary that it is impossible to bee feeding without wiping away the continuall sweat of the Face whose drops from the Browes are alwayes ready to blind our eyes and to fill with sauce our dishes but the swarmes of Gnats are such that waking and sleeping no device of man is able to keep them off True it is most of us had our Pavilions which wee carried with us to hang about and over our beds but these could not defend us from that piercing and stinging Vermine which like Egypts Plague of Frogs would be sure to be in every place and through our Curtaines to come upon our very Beds Yet in the day they are not but just at Sun setting they begin to swarme about and at Sun rising away they goe After a most tedious and troublesome night when wee found the rising of the Sun had dispersed and banished them away wee thought it best for us to flie away from that place with them and so from thence earely wee departed to a Towne as pleasant and fertill and abounding with Provision as this Rinconada and free from such busie guests and individuall Mates and Companions as the night before had intruded themselves upon us The next night wee got to a Towne called Segura inhabited both by Indians and Spaniards consisting of about a thousand Inhabitants here again without any charges we were stately entertained by Franciscan Fryers as light and vain glorious as those of Xalappa This Town had its first beginning and foundation from Hernando Cortez and is called Segura de la Frontera being built up by him for a Frontier Town to secure the Spaniards that came from St. Iohn de Ulhuâ—… to Mexico against the Culhuacans and people of Tepeacac who were allied to the Mexicant and so much annoyed the Spaniards But what most incensed Cortez was that after his first repulse from Mexico the Indians insulting over him and the rest of his Company whom they heard had beene dangerously wounded and were retired to Tlaxcallan to recover and strengthen themselves the two Townes Culhua and Tepeacac then in League with the Mexicans against Cortez and the Town of Tlaxcallan lying in wait for the Spaniards took twelve of them and sacrificed them alive to their Idols and eat their flesh Whereupon Cortez desired Maxixca a chief Captain of Tlaxcallan and divers other Gentlemen of that Towne to goe with him and to help him to bee avenged of the people of Tepeacac for the cruelty used to twelve of his Spaniards and for the daily and great hurt they also did to the Inhabitants of Tlaxcallan with the helpe of their allied friends the Culhuacant and Mexicans Maxixca and the chief of Tlaxcallan forthwith entred into counsell with the States and and Communalty of the Town and there determined with generall consent to give unto him forty Thousand fighting Men besides many Tamemez who are Foot Carriers to beâ—…re the Baggage Victuall and other things With this number of Tlaxcalteca's his owne men and horses Cortez went to Tepeacac requiring them in satisfaction of the death of the twelve Christians that they should now yeeld themselves to the obedience of the Emperour and King of Spain his Master and hereafter never more to receive any Mexican into their Town or houses neither yet any of the Province of Culhua The Tepeacacs answered that they had slain the Spaniards for good and just cause which was that being time of Warre they presumed to passe through their Countrey by force without their will and License And also that the Mexicans and Culhuacans were their friends and Lords whom alwayes they would friendly entertaine within their Towne and houses refusing utterly their offer and request protesting to give no obedience to whom they knew not wishing them therefore to return incontinent to Tlaxtallan except they had desire to end their weary days and to be sacrificed and eaten up as their twelve friends had been Cortez yet invited them many times with peace and seeing it prevailed not he began his Wars in earnest The Tepeacacs with the favour of the Culhuacans were brave and lusty and began to stop and defend the Spaniards entrance into their Town And being many in number with divers valiant men among them began to skirmish sundry times but at the end they were overthrown and many slain without killing any Spaniard although many Tlaxcalteca's were killed that day The Lords and principall Persons of Tepeacac seeing their overthrow and that their strength could not prevaile yeelded themselves unto Cortez for Vassals of the Emperour with condition to banish for ever their allied friends of Culhua and that hee should punish and correct at his will and pleasure
Cacao is grinded and stirred the divers parts which nature hath given it doe artificially and intimately mixe themselves one with another and so the unctuous warme and moist parts mingled with the earthy represseth and leaveth them not so binding as they were before but rather with a mediocrity more inclining to the warme and moist temper of the aire then to the cold and dry of the earth as it doth appear when it is made fit to drink that scarce two turnes are given with the Molinet when there ariseth a fatty scum by which is seen how much it partaketh of the oyly part So that from all that hath been said the error of those is wel discovered who speaking of this drink of Chocolatte say that it causeth oppilations because Cacao is astringent as if that astriction were not corrected and modified by the intimate mixing of one part with another by meanes of the grinding as is said before Besides it having so many ingredients which are naturally hot it must of necessity have this effect that is to say to open attenuate and not to binde And leaving aside more reasons this truth is evidently seen in the Cacao it selfe which if it be not stirred grinded and compounded to make the Chocolatte but be eaten as it is in the fruit as many Criolian and Indian women eat it it doth notably obstruct and cause stoppings and make them looke of a broken pale and earthy colour as doe those that eat ear then ware as pots or pieces of lime-walls which is much used among the Spanish women thinking that pale and earthy colour though with obstructions and stoppings well becomes them and for this certainly in the Cacao thus eaten there is no other reason but that the divers substances which it containes are not perfectly mingled by the mastication onely but require the artificiall mixture which wee have spoken of before The tree which doth beare this fruit is so delicate and the earth where it groweth so extream hot that to keep the tree from being consumed by the sunne they first plant other trees which they call las Madres del Cacao mothers of the Cacao and when these are grown up to a good height fit to shade the Cacao trees then they plant the Cacaotals or the trees of Cacao that when they first shew themselves above the ground those trees which are already grown may shelter them and as mothers nourish defend and shadow them from the sunne and the fruit doth not grow naked but many of them as I have said before are in one great huske or cod and therein besides every grain is closed up in a white juicy skin which the women also love to suck off from the Cacao finding it coole and in the mouth dissolving into water There are two sorts of Cacao the one is common which is of a darke colour inclining towards red being round and peeked at the ends the other is broader and bigger and flatter and not so round which they call Patlaxte and this is white and more drying and is sold a great deal cheaper then the former And this especially more then the other causeth watchfullnesse and drives away sleep and therefore is not so usefull as the ordinary and is chiefly spent by the ordinary and meaner sort of people As for the rest of the ingredients which make this Chocolatticall confection there is notable variety for some put into it black Pepper which is not well approved of by the Physitians because it is so hot and dry but onely for one who hath a very cold liver but commonly instead of this Pepper they put into it long red Pepper called Chile which though it be hot in the mouth yet is cool and moist in the operation It is further compounded with white Sugar Cinnamon Clove Anniseed Almonds Hasell-nuts Orejuela Bainilla Sapâ—…yoll Orenge flower water some Muske and as much of Achiotte as will make it looke of the colour of a red bricke But how much of each of these may be applyed to such a quantity of Cacao the severall dispositions of mens bodies must be their rule The ordinary receipt of Antonio Colmenero was this To every hundred Cacao's two cods of Chile called long red Pepper one handfull of Anniseed and Orejuela's and two of the flowers called Mechasucbil or Bainilla or instead of this six roses of Alexandria beat to powder two drams of Cinnamon of Almonds and Hasel-nuts of each one dozen of white Sugar halfe a pound of Achiotte enough to give it the colour This Author thought neither Clove nor Musk nor any sweet water fit but in the India's they are much used Others use to put in Maiz or Paniso which is very windy but such doe it onely for their profit by increasing the quantity of the Chocolatte because every fanega or measure of Maiz containing about a bushel and a half is sold for eight shillings and they that sell Chocolatte sell it for four shillings a pound which is the ordinary price The Cinnamon is held one of the best ingredients and denied by none for that it is hot and dry in the third degree it provokes urine and helpes the kidneys and reines of those who are troubled with cold diseases and it is good for the eyes and in effect it is cordiall as appeareth by the Author of these verses Commoda urine Cinamomum renibus affert Lumina clarificat dira venena fugat The Achiotte hath a piercing attenuating quality as appeareth by the common practice of the Physicians in the India's experienced daily in the effects of it who do give it to their Patients to cut and attenuate the grosse humors which doe cause shortnesse of breath and stopping of urine and so it is used for any kind of oppilations and is given for the stoppings which are in the breast or in the region of the belly or any other part of the body This Achiotte also groweth upon a tree in round huskes which are full of red graines from whence the Achiotte is taken and first made into a paste and then being dried up is fashioned either into round balls or cakes or into the forme of little brickes and so is sold. As concerning the long red Pepper there are foure sorts of it one is called Chilchotes the other is very little which they call Chilterpin and these two kinds are very quick and biting The other two are called Tonalchiles and these are but moderately hot for they are eaten with bread by the Indians as they eat other fruits But that which is usually put into Chocolatte is called Chilpaclagua which hath a broad huske and is not so biting as the first nor so gentle as the last The Mechasuchil or Bainilla hath a purgative quality All these ingredients are usually put into the Chocolatte and by some more according to their fancies But the meaner sort of people as Blackmores and Indians commonly put nothing into it but Cacao Achiotte Maiz and a few
Chiles with a little Anniseed And though the Cacao is mingled with all these ingredients which are hot yet there is to be a greater quantity of Cacao then of all the rest of the ingredients which serve to temper the coldnesse of the Cacao from whence it followeth that this Chocolatticall confection is not so cold as the Cacao nor so hot as the rest of the ingredients but there results from the action and reaction of these ingredients a moderate temper which may be good both for the cold and hot stomacks being taken moderately Now for the making or compounding of this drinke I shall set downe here the method The Cacao and the other ingredients must be beaten in a morter of stone or as the Indians use ground upon a broad stone which they call Metate and is only made for that use But first the ingredients are all to be dried except the Achiotte with care that they may be beaten to powder keeping them still in stirring that they be not burnt or become black for if they be overdried they will be bitter and lose their virtue The Cinnamon and the long red pepper are to be first beaten with the Anniseed and then the Cacao which must be beaten by little and little till it be all powdred and in the beating it must be turned round that it may mixe the better Every one of these ingredients must be beaten by it selfe and then all be put into the vessell where the Cacao is which you must stirre together with a spoon and then take out that paste and put it into the morter under which there must be a little fire after the confection is made but if mâ—…re fire be put under then will only warme it then the unctuous part will dry away The Achiotte also must be put in in the beating that it may the better take the colour All the ingredients must be searsed save onely the Cacao and if from the Cacao the dry shell be taken it will be the better When it is well beaten and incorporated which will be known by the shortnesse of it then with a spoon so in the India's is used is taken up some of the paste which will be almost liquid and made into tablets or else without a spoon put into boxes and when it is cold it will be hard Those that make it into tablets put a spoonefull of the paste upon a peece of paper the Indians put it upon the leaf of a plantin tree where being put into the shade for in the sunne it melts and dissolves it growes hard and then bowing the paper or leaf the tablet falls off by reason of the fatnesse of the paste But if it be put into any thing of earth or wood it stickes fast and will not come off but with scraping or breaking The manner of drinking it is divers the one being the way most used in Mexico is to take it how with Atolle dissolving a tablet in hot water and then stirring and beating it in the cup where it is to be drunke with a Molinet and when it is well stirred to a scumme or froath then to fill the cup with hot Atolle and so drinke it sup by sup Another way is that the Chocolatte being dissolved with cold water and stirred with the Molinet and the scumme taken off and put into anovessel the remainder be set upon the fire with as much sugar as will sweeten it and when it is warme then to powre it upon the scum which was taken off before and so to drinke it But the most ordinary way is to warme the water very hot and then to powre out halfe the cup full that you mean to drinke and to put into it a tablet or two or as much as will thicken reasonably the water and then grind it well with the Molinet and when it is well ground and risen to a scum to fill the cup with hot water and so drinke it by sups having sweetned it with Sugar and to eat it with a little conserve or maple bread steeped into the Chocolatte Besides these waies there is another way which is much used in the Island of Santo Domingo which is to put the Chocolatte into a pipkin with a little water and to let it boyle well till it be dissolved and then to put in sufficient water and sugar according to the quantity of the Chocolatte and then to boyle it againe untill there comes an oily scumme upon it and then to drinke it There is another way yet to drinke Chocolatte which is cold which the Indians use at feasts to refresh themselves and it is made after this manner The Chocolatte which is made with none or very few ingredients being dissolved in cold water with the Molinet they take off the scumme or crassy part which riseth in great quantity especially when the Cacao is older and more putrefied The scumme they lay aside in a little dish by it selfe and then put sugar into that part from whence was taken the scum and then powre it from on high into the scumme and so drinke it cold And this drinke is so cold that it agreeth not with all mens stomacks for by experience it hath been found that it doth hurt by causing pains in the stomack especially to women The third way of taking it is the most used and thus certainly it doth no hurt neither know I why it may not bee used as well in England as in other parts both hot and cold for where it is so much used the most if not all as well in the India's as in Spaine Italy Flanders which is a cold Countrey find that it agreeth well with them True it is it is used more in the India's then in the European parts because there the stomackes are more apt to faint then here and a cup of Chocolatte well confectioned comforts and strengthens the stomack For my self I must say I used it twelve yeers constantly drinking one cup in the morning another yet before dinner between nine or ten of the clock another within an houre or two after dinner and another between four and five in the afternoon and when I was purposed to sit up late to study I would take another cup about seven or eight at night which would keep me waking till about midnight And if by chance I did neglect any of these accustomed houres I presently found my stomacke fainty And with this custome I lived twelve yeers in those parts healthy without any obstructions or oppilations not knowing what either ague or feaver was Yet I will not dare to regulate by mine owne the bodies of others nor take upon me the skil of a Physitian to appoint and define at what time and by what persons this drinke may be used Onely I say I have known some that have been the worse for it either for drinking it with too much sugar which hath relaxed their stomackes or for drinking it too often For certainly if it be
are but poore thatched cottages without any upper roomes but commonly one or two only roomes below in the one they dresse their meat in the middle of it making a compasse for fire with two or three stones without any other chimney to convey the smoak away which spreading it selfe about the the roome filleth the thatch and the rafters so with sur that all the roome seemeth to be a chimney The next unto it is not free from smoak and blacknesse where sometimes are four or five beds according to the family The poorer sort have but one room where they eat dresse their meat and sleep Few there are that set any lockes upon their dores for they fear no robbing nor stealing neither have they in their houses much to lose earthen pots and pans and dishes and cups to drinke their Chocolatte being the chief commodities in their house There is scarce any house which hath not also in the yard a stew wherein they bath themselves with hot water which is their chief physick when they feel themselves distempered Among themselves they are in every Town divided into Tribes which have one chief head to whom all that belong unto that Tribe doe resort in any difficult matters who is bound to aid protect defend counsell and appear for the rest of his Tribe before the officers of justice in any wrong that is like to be done unto them When any is to be married the father of the son that is to take a wife out of another Tribe goeth unto the head of his Tribe to give him warning of his sons marriage with such a maid Then that head meets with the head of the maids Tribe and they conferre about it The businesse commonly is in debate a quarter of a yeer all which time the parents of the youth or man are with gifts to buy the maid they are to be at the charges of all that is spent in eating and drinking when the heads of the two Tribes doe meet with the rest of the kindred of each side who sometimes fit in conference a whole day or most part of a night After many dayes and nights thus spent and a full triall being made of the the one and other sides affection if they chance to disagree about the marriage then is the Tribe and parents of the maid to restore back all that the other side hath spent and given They give no portions with their daughters but when they die their goods and lands are equally divided among their sons If any one want a house to live in or will repair and thatch his house anew notice is given to the heads of the Tribes who warn all the Town to come to help in the work and every one is to bring a bundle of straw and other materials so that in one day with the helpe of many they finish a house without any charges more then of Chocolatte which they minister in great cups as big as will hold above a pint not putting in any costly materials as doe the Spaniards but only a little Anniseed and Chile or Indian pepper or else they halfe fill the cup wich Attolle and powre upon it as much Chocolatte as will fill the cup and colour it In their diet the poorer sort are limited many times to a dish of Frixoles or Turkey beanes either black or white which are there in very great abundance and are kept dry for all the yeer boyled with Chile and if they can have this they hold themselves well satisfied with these beanes they make also dumplins first boyling the bean a little and then mingling it with a masse of Maiz as we do mingle Currants in our cakes and so boile again the frixoles with the dumplin of Maiz masse and so eat it hot or keep it cold but this and all whatsoever else they eat they either eat it with green biting Chile or else they dip it in water and salt wherein is bruised some of that Chile But if their means will not reach to frixoles their ordinary fare and diet is their Tortilla's so they call thin round cakes made of the dow and masse of Maiz which they eat hot from an earthen pan whereon they are soon baked with one turning over the fire and these they eat alone either with Chile and salt and dipping them in water and salt with a little bruised Chile When their Maiz is green and tender they boil some of those whole stalkes or clusters whereon the Maiz groweth with the leaf about and so casting a little salt about it they eat it I have often eate of this and found it as dainty as our young green pease and very nourishing but it much increaseth the blood Also of this green and tender Maiz they make a Furmity boiling the Maiz in some of the milke which they have first taken out of it by bruising it The poorest Indian never wants this diet and is well satisfied as long as his belly is thorowly filled But the poorest that live in such Townes where flesh meat is sold will make a hard shift but that when they come from worke on Saturday night they will buy one halfe Riall or a Riall worth of fresh meat to eat on the Lords day Some will buy a good deal at once and keep it long by dressing it into Tassajo's which are bundles oâ—… flesh rowled up and tied fast which they doe when for examples sake they have from a leg of beefe sliced off from the bone all the flesh with the knife after the length forme and thinnesse of a line or rope Then they take the flesh and salt it which being sliced and thinly cut soon takes salt and hang it up in their yards like a line from post to post or from tree to tree to the wind for a whole week and then they hang it in the smoak another week and after rowle it up in small bundles which become as hard as a stone and so as they need it they wash it boyl it and eat it This is America's powdered beef which they call Tassajo whereof I have often eaten and the Spaniards eat much of it especially those that trade about the Countrey with Mules nay this Tassajo is a great commodity and hath made many a Spaniard rich who carry a Mule or two loaden with these Tassajo's in small parcels and bundles to those Townes were is no flesh at all sold and there they exchange them for other commodities among the Indians receiving peradventure for one Tassajo or bundle which cost them but the halfe part of a farthing as much Cacao as in other places they sell for a Riall or six pence The richer sort of people will fare better for if there be fish or flesh to bee had they will have it and eat most greedily of it and will not spare their fowls and Turkeys from their own bellies These also will now and then get a wild Dear shooting it with their bows and arrows And
what our selves desired We could not refuse this their kind offer and so stayed dinner with them After dinner our Mules were brought and two Indians to guide us and carry our provision which was some fried fish and a cold rosted Capon with some fruit as much as might suffice us for a day for the chief ascent and danger is not above seven leagues or one and twenty English miles and then beyond the top of the mountaines three miles is one of the richest farms for Horses Mules and Cattel in all the Countrey of Chiapa where we knew we should be welcomed by one Don Iohn de Toledo who then lived there Though these mountaines shew themselves with severall sharp pointed heads and are many joyned together yet one of them is only mentioned in that Country by the Travailers which is called Maquilapa over the which lieth the way to Chiapa To this high steepy and craggy Maquilapa we tooke our journey after dinner and were by the proud mountaine that night well entertained and harboured in a green plot of ground resembling a meadow which lay as a rib of the one side of that huge and more then Pyrenian monster The Indians comforted us with the shews of faire weather and told us that they doubted not but the next day at noone we should be at Don Iohn de Toledo his Estancia or farme With this we spread our supper upon the green table-cloth and at that first meale eat up our Capon and most of the provision of our cold fried fish leaving only a bit for our mornings breakefast the springs of water like Conduit-pipes trickling downe the rockes gave us melodious musicke to our supper the Indians fed merrily and our Mules contentedly and so the fountaine Nymphes sung us asleep till morning which seemed to us as calme and quiet as the day before and encouraged us hastily to snatch that bit which we had left and so up from breakefast to say merrily upto Maquilapa We had not winded the mountaine upwards much above a mile when the higher we mounted the more we heard the wind from above whistling unto us and forbidding us to goe any further We were now halfe way up and doubtfull what wee should doe whither go forward or returne to Tapanatepeque to eat more fish or to stay where we were a while untill the weather were more calme which we thought might be at noone or towards evening The Indians told us that about a mile further there was a fountaine of water and a lodge made under trees on purpose for Travailers that were either benighted or hindred by the winds to compasse their journey up the mountaine Thither we went with much adoe hoping the wind would fall but still the higher we climbed the stronger we felt the breath of Aeolus and durst not like the people called Psilli of whom Herodotus writeth march against him least as they in stead of a victory found a grave in the sands where they met to oppose him so we in stead of ascending should by a furious blast be made to descend into those deep and horrid precipices which truely threatned death and offered themselves to be a grave unto our torne and mangled bodies We liked the fountaine very well and the lodge better for the harbour of trees which compassed it about The wind kept on breathing and we stood still fearing till the day was so farre spent that we had no hopes of going back or forward Of any supper we despaired that night who would have been glad now to have picked a bone of a Capons leg or to have sucked a fishes head and saw there was nothing for us but only to feed our hungry stomackes with the remembrance of the plenty the night before Thus gazing one upon another and sometimes looking down to the fountaine sometimes looking up to the trees we perceived amongst them a Lemmon tree full of small and very sowre green Lemmons It was not with us as with Tantalus who could neither injoy the fruit above him nor the waters beneath him we could and did most greedily catch and snatch the Lemmons which were sawce for no meate but onely to fill an empty stomack with them wee supped and tooke our rest The next morning the wind was rather stronger then calmer and we as strong the second day as the first in our purpose of staying there and not turning our backes like Cowards The Indians were also willing to stay yet one day longer so we fell to our breakefast of Lemmons which were somewhat coole to a fasting stomack and relished nothing the better with a draught from the cleere fountaine And of what we left on the tree we made our dinner and supper adding to our water what we saw the Indians did drinke who had their small bags full of powder of their Maiz of which first making cakes as dry as bisket they then grind them to powder and when they travaile carry with them that powder to drink with water This wee thought might bee more nourishing to us then Lemmons and water onely and so for that day we bought of them halfe a bagfull of powder giving for it in our want and necessity four rials or two English shillings which out of Maquilapa and that our feare of starving might not be worth above a penny and yet this was but weake nourishment for our feeble bodies Thus we waited all Tuesday for the laying of the wind resolving the next morning either to goe up the hill or downe againe to Tapanatepeque But on wednesday morning the wind seeming to be somewhat laid we purposed to stay till noon hoping then it would be sure travailing but it ceased not but rather increased a little whereupon one of our company resolved to goe upwards a mile or two on foot and trie the passages and the danger of the wind and to bring us word againe for we thought our feare might be greater then the danger who had heard much talke but had not as yet seen any thing worth our feare Up therefore went our friend who staid from us neer two houres and then returning backe he told us he thought we might get up leading our Mules by the bridles But what with further questions and debates the time passed away so that we thought it might be too late and for that day we put off our journey untill the next morning resolutely purposing to goe forwards altogether if the wind were not much increased So that day we fell again to our green crabby Lemmons water and Maiz powder all which we found had much weakned our bodies and feared if we continued there any longer they might hasten our death Wherefore on Thursday morning the wind being as the day before commending our selves first unto the protection of that Lord whom the winds and sea obey we mounted up upon our Mules leaving our names written in the barke of a great tree and the dayes we stayed there without food and so went
verse Solamen misero est socios retinere Panettes Hee thought I followed him to steale away his loafe from him This new found word Panettes had almost choaked him had not hee made use of the medicinall water which stood before him of the which he dranke a good draught whereby I perceived his courage against me and my friends was tamed and I told him I hoped his burning want on love was cooled Thus with my Criolian neighbours company my bread and water went down cheerfully and dinner being ended we were again conducted to our chambers where we dranke a cup of old Alvarez his Chocolatte The Castilian Friers flocked unto our prisons some to talke with us some bringing us conserves and sweet-meats others other dainties which they had prepared to helpe our digestion of bread and cold water My suddain verses to my Criolian neighbour were presently noysed about the Cloister and were the chiefe subject of our talke that afternoone Our supper was provided for us according to the promise and generous spirit of the Prior who also honoured our prison that night with his owne and two other Friers company supping with us all in one chamber together And thus we passed our three daies of imprisonment merrily and contentedly wishing we might never suffer harder usage in any prison then we had done in this which was not to us such a punishment as did bring with it the privation of any liberty of enjoying the company of friends of feasting with them but onely the privation of the liberty of our legs to walke about those three daies and this rather an ease then a punishment for that we wanted rather rest then much stirring after so long and tedious a journey as we had compassed from Mexico thither We were no sooner set at liberty but we presently found the Provinciall and Prior ready to dispose of us so that in lieu of our imprisonment we might receive honor and credit Two were sent into the Country to learne some Indian language that so they might be beneficed and preach unto the Indians My selfe and another desired to goe farther to Guatemala that there we might practise Philosophy and Divinity in the famous Universitie of that City Nothing that we desired was denied unto us onely the time was thought not fit untill Michaelmâ—… because then the schooles were renewed and new Orders setled In the meane time the Provinciall having also heard of my verses ex tempore to the Criolian Frier and knowing that the Latin tongue is better grounded in England then among the Spaniards who abuse poore Priscian and daily breake his pate with foolish soloecismes and considering the want hee had of a Master of the Latine tongue to supply a Lecture of Grammar and Syntax to the youâ—…hes of Chiapa in a schoole in that Cloister which brought a sufficient yeerly stipend unto the Covent desired me to accept of that place untill such time as he should take care to send me to Guatemala promising me all incouragements in the meane time fitting and that I should when I would go about to see the Country which I much desired and also that out of the schoole annuity I should have my allowance for bookes and other necessaries I could not but accept of this good offer and so with this imployment I remained in that City from Aprill to the end of September where I was much esteemed of by the Bishop and Governour but especially by the Prior who would never ride about the Country for his recreation but he would take me with him whereby I had occasion to note concerning the Province riches commodities and government of Chiapa what in the ensuing Chapter I shall faithfully commend unto the Presse CHAP. XV. Describing the Countrey of Chiapa with the chiefest Townes and Commodities belonging unto it THough Chiapa in the opinion of the Spaniards be held to be one of the poorest Countries of America because in it as yet there have been no mines discovered nor golden sands found in the rivers nor any haven upon the South-sea whereby commodities are brought in and carried out as to Mexico Guaxaca and Guatemala yet I may say it exceedeth most Provinces in the greatness and beauty of fair Towns and yeeldeth to none except it be to Guatemala nay it surpasseth all the rest of America in that one and famous and most populous Towne of Chiapa of the Indians And it ought not to be so much slighted by the Spaniards as it is if they would looke upon it as standing between Mexico and Guatemala whose strength might be all Americaes strength and whose weakenesse may prove dangerous to all that flourishing Empire for the easy entrance into it by the river of Tabasco or for its neer joyning and bordering unto Iucatan Besides the commodities in it are such as doe uphold a constant trading and commerce amongst the inhabitants themselves and with other neighbouring Countries and from no one part of America doth Spaine get more Cochinil then from one of the Provinces of Chiapa the Townes also being great and populous by their yeerly pole tribute do adde much to the King of Spaines revenues This Country is divided into three Provinces to wit Chiapa Zeldales and Zoques whereof Chiapa it selfe is the poorest This containes the great Towne of Chiapa of the Indians and all the Townes and farmes North-ward towards Maquilapa and West-ward the Priory of Comitlan which hath some ten Townes and many farmes of Cattle Horses and Mules subject unto it and neighbouring unto it lieth the great valley of Capanabastla which is another Priory reaching towards Soconuzco This valley glorieth in the great river which hath its spring from the mountaines called Cuchumatlanes and runneth to Chiapa of the Indians and from thence to Tabasco It is also famous for the abundance of fish which the river yeeldeth and the great store of Cattell which from thence minister food and provision both to the City of Chiapa and to all the adjacent Townes Though Chiapa the City and Comitlan as standing upon the hils bee exceeding cold yet this valley lying low is extraordinary hot and from May to Michaelmas is subject to great stormes and tempests of thunder and lightning The head Towne where the Priory stands is called Copanabastla consisting of above eight hundred Indian inhabitants But greater than this is Izquintenango at the end of the valley and at the foot of the mountaines of Cuchumatlanes Southward And yet bigger then this is the Towne of St. Bartholomew Northward at the other end of the valley which in length is about fourty miles and ten or twelve onely in breadth All the rest of the Townes lie towards Soconuzco and are yet hotter and more subject to thunder and lightning as drawing neerer unto the South-sea coast Besides the abundance of cattell the chiefe commoditie of this valley consisteth in Cotton-wooll whereof are made such store of mantles for the Indians wearing that the Merchants far and neer come