as Gods upon the earth and that those that were not as yet converted to Christianity were kept in awe by the power of the Spaniards Our chiefe care the first two or three daies was to looke to our plantins which we got from the Indians This fruit pleased us all exceedingly judging it to bee as good or better then any fruit in Spain It is not gathered ripe from the tree but being gathered green it is hung up some daies and so ripens and growes yellow and mellow and every bit as sweet as honey Our Sugar Canes were no lesse pleasing unto us whilst chewing the pith we refreshed and sweetned our mouthes with the juice We â—…ed for the first week almost upon nothing but Tortois which seemed likewise to us that had never before seen it one of the Sea monsters the shell being so hard as to beare any Cart wheel and in some above two yards broad when first they were opened we were amazed to see the number of egges that were in them a thousand being the least that we judged to be in some of them Our Spaniards made with them an excellent broth with all sorts of spices The meat seemed rather flesh then Sea fish which being corned with salt and hung up two or three dayes in the aire tasted like Veal Thus our Hens our Sheep our powdred Beef and gammons of Bacon which we brought from Spain were some dayes slighted while with greedy stomackâ—… we fell hard to our Sea Veale After foure dayes sail our Fryer Iohn de la Cueva who had been shot by the Indians died all his body being swelled which gave us just occasion to thinke that the arrow which was shot into his shoulder was poisoned His buriall was as solemnly performed as could be at Sea His grave being the whole Ocean he had weighty stones hung to his feet two more to his shoulders and one to his brest and then the superstitious Romish Dirige and Requiem being sung for his soul his Corpse being held out to the Sea on the ship side with ropes ready to let him fall all the ship crying out three times buen Viaie that is a good Voiage to his soul chiefly and also to his Corpse ready to travail to the deep to feed the Whales at the first cry all the Ordnance were shot off the ropes on a suddain loosed and Iohn de la Cueva with the weight of heavy stones plunged deep into the Sea whom no mortall eyes ever more beheld The like we saw performed in the ship of Santa Gertrudis to another Jesuite one of the three who had been dangerously wounded by the Indians of Guadalupe who likewise died like our Fryer his body being swelled as with poyson Now our sailing was more comfortable then before for we passed in the sight of the land of Puerto Rico and then of the great Island of S to Domingo and here our company began to be lessened some departing to Puerto Rico and S to Domingo others to Cartagena and Havana and Honduras Iamaica and Iucatan We remained now alone the Fleet for Mexico and so sailed till we came to what the Spaniards call la Sonda or the sound of Mexico for here we often sounded the Sea which was so calme that a whole week we were stayed for want of wind scarce stirring from the place where first we were caught by the calme Here likewise we had great sport in fishing filling again our bellies with Dorados and saving that provision which we had brought from Spain But the heat was so extraordinary that the day was no pleasure unto us for the repercussion of the suns heat upon the still water and pitch of our ships kindled a scorching fire which all the day distempered our bodies with a constant running sweat forcing us to cast off most of our clothes The evenings and nights were somewhat more comfortable yet the heat which the sun had left in the pitched ribs and plankes of the ship was such that under deck and in our Cabins wee were not able to sleep but in our shirts were forced to walke or sit or lie upon the deck The Mariners fell to washing themselves and to swimming till the infortunate death of one in the ship called St Francisco made them suddainly leave off that sport The neerer wee come to the main land the sea abounds with a monstrous fish called by the Spaniards Tiburon Some mistake this fâ—…sh for the Caiman or Crocodile holding them both for one and thinking that it is only the Caiman or Crocodile by abuse called Tiburon which devoures mans flesh a whole joynt at a bit in the water But the mistake is grosse for the Caiman is plated all over with shells whereas the Tiburon hath no sâ—…ells but only like other great Sea fishes hath a thick skin The Caiman though the Indians eat of it yet the Spaniards hate it who eat of the Tiburon and in our ship catching one with a tridentall iron Fork and haling him with a Cable rope to the ship side and then binding him with it being as much as a dozen or fifteen men could do to hoise him up into the ship we found him to be a most monstrous creature twelve els long at least which we salted and found likewise to eat like flesh as hath been said of the Tortois This kind is as ravenous after mans flesh as the Crocodile and many of them were to be seen in this Sound of Mexico The Spaniards bathing themselves dayly by the ships side where there is no such danger of the Tiburon who useth not to come too neere the ships one Mariner of the ship called St. Francisco being more venturous then the rest and offering to swimme from his ship to see some friends in another not farre off chanced to be a most unfortunate prey to one of them who before any boat could be set out to help him was thrice seen to bee pulled under water by the Monster who had devoured a leg an arme and part of his shoulder the rest of the body was after found and taken up and carried to S. Francisco and there buried in the forme and manner as hath been said of our Fryer Iohn de la Cueva They that goe downe to the sea in ships these see the workes of the Lord and his wonders in the deepe Ps. 107. 23 24. Here they shall see not only Whales but other Fishes like Monsters mastering strong and valiant men with severall sets of sharpe strong and mighty teeth devouring at one bit whole limmes with flesh and bones together This mischance sadded all our Fleet for three daies till it pleased God to refresh our burning heat with a cool and prosperous wind driving us out of that calm Sound which if we had continued in it with that excessive heat might have proved most unsound and unhealthy to our bodies Three daies after we had sailed being Munday in the morning about seven of the clock one of our Fryers
Meat and fruit there is this inward and hidden deceit so likewise the same is to bee found in the people that are borne and bred there who make faire outward shewes but are inwardly false and hollow hearted Which I have heard reported much among the Spaniards to have beene the answer of our Queene Elizabeth of England to some that presented unto her of the fruits of America that surely where those fruits grew the women were light and all the people hollow and false hearted But further reasons I omit to search into for this of experience onely I write which taught me that little substance virtue is in the great abundance and variety of food which there is enjoyed our stomackes witnessing this truth which ever and anon were gaping and crying Feed feed Our Conserves therefore and dainties were plentifully allowed us and all other incouragements and no occasion denied us of going to visit Mexico which was not two full miles from us all the while wee abode there It was a pleasant walke for us to goe out in the morning and to spend all the day in the City and come home at night our way lying by Arches made of stone three miles long to convey the water from Chapultepec unto the City Take therefore gentle Reader from mee what for the space of five moneths I could learne concerning it in former and present times The situation of this City is much like that of Venice but onely differs in this that Venice is built upon the Sea-water and Mexico upon a lake which seeming one indeed is two one part whereof is standing water the other ebbeth and floweth according to the wind that bloweth That part which standeth is wholesome good and sweet and yeeldeth store of small fish That part which ebbeth and floweth is of saltish bitter and pestiferous water yeelding no kind of fish small or great The sweet water standeth higher then the other and falleth into it and reverteth not backward as some conceive it doth The salt Lake containeth fifteen miles in breadth and fifteen in length and more then five and forty in Circuite and the Lake of sweet water containeth even as much in such sort that the whole Lake containeth much about a hundred miles The Spaniards are divided in opinions concerning this water and the springs of it some hold that all this water hath but one spring out of a great and high Mountaine which standeth Southwest within sight of Mexico and that the cause that the one part of the Lake is brackish or saltish is that the bottome or ground is all salt But however this opinion bee true or false certaine it is and by experience I can witnesse that of that part of the salt water great quantity of Salt is dayly made and is part of the great Trading of that City into other parts of the Countrey nay it is sent part of it to the Philippina Islands Others say that this Lake hath two springs and that the fresh water springeth out of that Mountaine which standeth Southwest from Mexico and the salt brakish water springeth out of other high Mountaines which stand more Northwest But these give no reason for the saltnesse of it without it bee the agitation of it in the ebbing and flowing which not being with tides like the Sea but with the winds onely which indeed make it as stormy sometimes as is the Sea why may not the winds produce the same effect in the fresh water Lake I think rather if it spring from a different spring from that from whence springeth the fresh water the brackishnesse and saltishnesse of it may proceed from some brackish and sulphurous minerals through which it passeth in those Mountaines For by experience I know the like in the Province of Guatemala whereby a Towne called Amatitan there is a standing Lake of water not altogether sweet and fresh but a little brackish which certainly hath its spring from a fiery Mountaine called there a Vulcan whose burning proceeds from the Mineâ—… of brimstone that are within it from whence spring neere the same Towne likewise two or three springs of exceeding hot water which are resorted to for wholesome bathes as coming through a sulphurous mine and yet the standing Lake proceeding from the same Mountaine is of that quality that maketh it the ground about it salt and and especially in the mornings the people go to gather up the salt which lyeth upon the ground by the water side like unto a hoary frost But thirdly others concieve that that part of the Lake of Mexico which is saltish and brackish comes through the earth from the North Sea and though springs of water which come from the Sea lose their brackishnesse through the earth yet this may keepe some brackishnesse by reason of the minerals which are many in those parts or by reason of the great wide and open concavities of those mountaines which being very hollow within as wee find by experience of the Earthquakes which are more frequent there then hereby reason of the wind that getteth into those concavities and so shake the earth to get out give no way to the water to sweeten through the earth or to lose all that saltnesse which it brought with it from the Sea But whatsoever the true reason bee there is not the like Lake knowne of sweet and saltish water one part breeding fish the other breeding none at all This Lake had formerly some fourescore Townes some say more situated round about it many of them containing five thousand housholds and some ten thousand yea and Tezcuco as I have said before was as bigge as Mexico But when I was there there might bee thirty Townes and Villages about it and scarce any of above five hundred housholdes between Spaniards and Indians such hath beene the hard usage of the Spaniards towards them that they have even almost consumed that poore Nation Nay two yeers before I came from those parts which were the yeers of 1635. and 1636. I was credibly informed that a million of Indians lifes had been lost in an indeavour of the Spaniards to turne the water of the Lake another way from the City which was performed by cutting away through the Mountaines for to avoid the great inundations that Mexico was subject unto and especially for that the yeer 1634. the waters grew so high that they threatned destruction to all the City ruinating a great part and coming into the Churches that stood in the highest part of it in so much that the people used commonly boats and Canoa's from house to house And most of the Indians that lived about the Lake were imployed to strive against this strong Element of water which hath been the undoing of many poore wretches but especially of these thirty Towns and Villages that bordered near upon the Lake which now by that great work is further from the houses of the City and hath a passage made another way though it was thought it
this City received England the losse of that little Island named Providence by us and by the Spaniards Sta. Catalina which though but little might have been of a great nay greater advantage to our Kingdom than any other of our plantations in America which the Spaniards wel understood when they set al their strength of Carthagena against it but I hope the Lord hath his time appointed when we shall advantage our selves by it again To this City of Carthagena cometh every yeer also in small Frigots most of the Indigo Cochinil Sugar which is made in the country of Guatemala the Spaniards thinking it safer to ship these their goods in little Frigots upon the lake of Granada in Nicaragua from thence to send them to Carthagena to be shipped with the Galeons that come from Portabel with the treasure of Peru than to send them by the ships of Honduras which have often been a prey unto the Hollanders These frigots were thought by the Spaniards to come too neer the reach of Providence and therefore it hath been their care and providence to remove us from this reach of their Frigots The second great Towne of this Countrey of Carthagena is Abuida The third Sta. Martha which is a rich government of Spaniards and doth much fear our English and Holland ships it is seated on the river de Abuida otherwise called St. Iohn and Rio di Grand There is also Venezâ—…ela and New-Caliz great rich and strong Townes And these three last regions Andaluzia Nova Nova Granada and Carthagena are by the Spaniards called Tierra firme or firme land for that they are the strength of Peru from the North and the basis of this reversed Pyramis Thus have I brought thee Gentle Reader round about America and shewed thee the Continent of that biggest part of the world from the which thou mayst observe the power and greatnesse of the King of Spain who hath got under his Scepter and Dominion so many thousand miles which were they reckoned up would be found to be more then are about all Europe But not only is America great and spatious by land but also by sea glorying in more and some greater Islands then any other part of the world It would but cause tediousnesse and seem prolixity to number them all up which is a worke hard and difficult for that many as yet are not knowne nor inhabited and whose goodnesse and greatnesse is not discovered for the Islands called Lucâ—…idas are thought to be foure hundred at least Therefore I will omit to be over tedious and prolixe and will but briefly speake of the best and chiefe of them taking them in order from that part of the Continent Carthagena where even now I left thee But in the first place calls upon my pen the Jewel Island called Margarita which is situated in the sea nigh unto Castella aurea and not farre distant from two other Islands named Cubagâ—…a and Trinidadâ—… True it is this Island of Margarita is by some much slighted for want of corne grasse trees and water in so much that it hath been knowne sometime that an inhabitant of that Island hath willingly changed for a Tun of water a Tunne of wine But the great abundance of pretious stones in it maketh amends for the former wants and defects for from them is the name of Margarita imposed on that Island But especially it yeeldeth store of pearles those gemmes which the Latine writers call Uniones because nulli duo reperiuntur indiscreti they alwaies are found to grow in couples In this Island there are many rich Merchants who have thirty fourty fifty Black-more slaves only to fish out of the sea about the rockes these pearles These Black-mores are much made of by their Masters who must needs trust them with a treasure hidden in the waters and in whose will it is to passe by of those they find none few or many They are let downe in baskets into the Sea and so long continue under the water untill by pulling the rope by which they are let downe they make their sign to be taken up I have heard some say that have thus dealt in pearles that the chief meat they feed their Black-mores with is roast-meat which maketh them their wind breath longer in the water From Margarita are all the pearles sent to be refined and bored to Carthagena where is a faire and goodly street of no other shops then of these Pearledressers Commonly in the moneth of Iidy there is a ship or two at most ready in that Island to carry the Kings revenue and the Merchants pearles to Carthagena One of these ships are valued commonly at threescore thousand or fourscore thousand duckats and sometimes more and therefore are reasonable well manned for that the Spaniards much feare our English and the Holland ships The yeare that I was in Carthagena which was 1637. a ship of these laden with pearles was chased by one of our ships from the Island of Providence by some it was thought to be our ship called the Neptune which after a little fighting had almost brought the poore Spaniard to yeeld his pearies and had certainly carried away that great treasure as I was informed in Carthagena foure daies after the fight by a Spaniard who was in the ship of Margarita had not two other ships of Holland come between to challenge from our English man that prize alleadging their priviledge from the mighty States united for all prizes upon those seas and coast And whilst our English and Hollander did thus strive for the Pearles the Spanish ship ran on shore upon a little Island and speedily unladed and hid in the woods part of the treasures and perceiving the Hollander coming eagerly in pursuit of it the Spaniard set on fire the ship and neither Spaniard English nor Hollander enjoyed what might have been a great and rich prize to England From Carthagena was sent presently a man of Warre to bring home the pearles hid in the wood which were not the third part of what was in the ship Iamaica is another Island under the power of the Spaniards which is in length 280. miles and 70. in breadth which though it exceed Margarita in sweet and pleasant streames and fountaines of water yet is far inferiour to it in riches Some Hides some Sugar and some Tobacco are the chiefe commodities from thence There are only two Townes of note in it Oristana and Sevilli here are built ships which have proved as well at sea as those that are made in Spaine This Island was once very poulous but now is almost destitute of Indians for the Spaniards have sâ—…ain in it more then 60000 in so much that women as well here as on the Continent did kill their children before they had given them life that the issues of their bodies might not serve so cruell a nation But farre beyond the two former is the Island of Cuba which is three hundred miles long and seventy broad
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
have charge given them not to receive me into their ships If I should goe backe to Mexico and Vera Cruz then I called to mind how I was troubled in that long journey when I came first to Chiapa in company of friends and that now alone I should certainly be much put to it for I would carry Miguel Dalva so far by land with me Wherefore rejecting these three wayes I chose the fourth which was by Nicaragua and the Lake of Granada and therefore I deferred my journey till the week after Christmas knowing that the time of the frigats setting out from that lake to the Havana was commonly after the middle of Ianuary or at Candlemas at the furthest whither I hoped to reach in very good time Now that I might by no means be suspected to have taken this way before I went I left by the hand of Miguel Dalva a letter to a friend of his to be delivered to the Provinciall in Guatemala foure dayes after my departure wherein I kindly tooke my leave of him desiring him not to blame me nor to seeke after me and whereas I had a sufficient Licence from Rome and could not get his that I thought I might with a safe Conscience goe where I was born leaving Linguists enough to supply my place amongst the Indians And because he should not make enquiry after me by Nicaragua I dated and subscribed my letter to him from the Towne of St. Antonio Suâ—…epeques which was the way to Mexico and quite contrary to Nicaragua The next day after Twelfth day being the seventh of Ianuary 1637. at midnight I set out of Petapa upon a lusty Mule which afterwards in the way I sold for fourscore peeces of eight with Miguel Dalva alone and the first part of the way being very hilly we could not goe so fast as our hearts would have posted for it was breake of day before we could get to the top of the mountaine which is called Serra Redondo or the round hill which is much mentioned in that Countrey for the good pasture there which serveth for the Cattell and Sheep when the valleys below are burnt and no grasing left for Beasts This hill is also a great refuge to Travellers for there they find good entertainment in a Venta where wine and provision is sold and is a great Lodge for to lay up dry what carriages they bring there is besides one of the best Estancia's or farmes of Cattell in the Countrey whereof Goats and Ewes milke is made the best 〈◊〉 thereabouts This round hill or mountaine is fiâ—…e leagues from Petapa where I feared I might 〈◊〉 with some people of Petapa and therefore the day now dawning I made haste by it leaving in the lodge asleep many Indians who attended on two Spanish Requa's of Mules which that day were to goe to Petapa foure leagues further from this Serro Redondo is a Towne of Indians called Los â—…selavos or the Slaves not that now they arâ—… more slaves then the rest of the Indians but because in the old time of Mâ—… the Emperour and the Indian Kings that were under him the people of this Towne were more slaves then any other for from Amatitlan which is so called from Amat which in the Mexican tongue signifieth Letter and Itlan which signifieth Towne for that it was the Towne of Letters as some say for a rine of a tree whereon they were wont formerly to write and expresse their minds or because it was the place whither from all parts letters were sent to be carried about the Countrey and to Peru these Indians of the Towne of Esclavo's or slaves were commanded as slaves to goe all about the Countrey with letters or whatsoever else they should be charged with and they were bound constantly to send every week so many of their Towne as were appointed unto Amatitlan there to wait and attend the pleasure of that Towne for the conveying of letters or any carriages to other parts This Towne of los Esclavos standeth in a bottome by a river over the which the Spaniards have built a very strong stone Bridge to goe in and out of the Town for otherwise with mules there is no passing by reason of the violent and rapid streame of the water and many rocks in the River from which the water falleth down with great force From this Town where wee onely stayed to drink a cup of Chocolatte and to bait our mules wee went on that day to Aguachapa being ten leagues further and not farre from the South Sea and the port called De la Trinidad whither wee came towards Evening having that day and part of the night travelled about threescore English miles up hils and upon stony wayes from the Esclavo's unto this Town which is much mentioned in that Country for two things The one is for the earthen ware which is made there as some think exceeding that of Mixco The other is for a place within a mile and a halfe from the Town which the Spaniards doe credibly report and beleeve to be a mouth of hell For out of it there is constantly ascending a thick black smoak smelling of Brimstone with some flashes now and then of fire the earth from whence this smoak ariseth is not high but low None ever durst draw nigh to find out the truth and ground of it for those that have attempted to doe it have been stricken down to the ground and like to lose their lives A friend of mine a Fryer whom I thought verily I might beleeve upon his oath affirmed unto me that travelling that way with a Provinciall hee resolved to goe unto the place and satisfie himselfe of the ground and cause of the strange talke which was every where about the Country concerning that smoke He went within a quarter of a mile of it and presently hee said he heard a hideous noise which together with the stench of the fiery smoke and brimstone struck him into such a fear that he was like to fall to the ground and retiring himself back with all speed was taken with a burning Feaver which was like to cost him his life Others report that drawing neer unto it they have heard great cries as it were of men and women in torment noise of iron of chaines and the like which how simply I leave it to my Judicious Reader maketh them beleeve that it is a mouth of hell Of my knowledge I will say no more but that I saw the smoke and asked the Indians what was the cause of it and if ever they had been neer unto it And they answered mee that they could not imagine what might bee the cause of it neither durst they draw nigh unto it and that they had seen Travellers attempting to goe neere it and that they were all stricken either to the ground or with some suddaine amazement or Feaver I told them that I would walke thither my self and they desired mee that I would not if I loved my life It
when being carryed with the stream too much to the one side of the land it ran upon a Rock so that the very stern was lifted up and almost cast out of the Pilots hands who cryed out not to God but unto the Virgin Mary saying Ayudad nos Virgen Santissima que si no aqui nos pereceâ—…os help us O most holy Virgin for if not here were perish This and the outcry of all that were in the Frigat gave unto mee an Alarm of death from the which yet it pleased God by the meanes and diligence of the painefull Mariners to deliver mee and all the Company for with much adoe most part of that night they haled from the Cock-boat the Frigat off from the Rock after the streame had made it three severall times to strike upon it After a very troublesome night in the morning wee got our little Shiâ—… out of all danger and from between the two Islands on the other side of them where wee sailed prosperously towards Panama That morning my stomack recovered some of its lost strength and I began to eat and to drink and to walk about rejoycing much to see those pleasant Islands which wee sailed by In the Evening wee got to Puerto de Perico where wee cast Anchor expecting to bee searched in the morning but that night the Master of our Ship having gone to shore the wind turned and blew so strong that wee lost our Anchor and and were driven back almost to la Pacheque and feared wee should bee carried out into the Ocean againe so farre that we should with great difficulty get to Panama But that God whom the Sea and winds doe obey turned againe that contrary wind into a prosperous gale wherewith wee came once more unto Perico and being searched wee went on with full sail to Panama Being neere the Port and without an Anchor in our Ship the wind once more blew us back and had not the Ship Master sent us an Anchor we had gon againe to Pacheque or further But with that anchor we stayed all that night at Perico wondring among our selves that so many crosses should befall us which made some say that we were bewitched others that certainly there was amongst us some excommunicated person whom they said if they knew of they would hurle him over bord Whilst they were in this discourse the wind turned yet againe and we levying our anchor went on to Panama whither it pleased God that time safely to conduct us in I being now well strengthened made no stay in that frigat which I thought would have been my last abiding place in this world but went to land and betooke my selfe to the Cloister of the Dominicans where I stayed almost fifteen daies viewing and reviewing that City which is governed like Guatemala by a President and six Judges and a Court of Chancery and is a Bishops sea It hath more strength towards the South sea then any other Port which on that side I had seen and some Ordnances planted for the defence of it but the houses are of the least strength of any place that I had entred in for lime and stone is hard to come by and therefore for that reason and for the great heat there most of the houses are built of timber and bords the Presidents house nay the best Church walls are but bords which serve for stone and bricke and for tiles to cover the top The heat is so extraordinary that a linnen cut doublet with some slight stuffe or taffetie breeches is the common cloathing of the inhabitants Fish fruits and herbage for sallets is more plentifull there then flesh the coole water of the Coco is the womens best drinke though Chocolate also and much wine from Peru be very abounding The Spaniards are in this City much given to sinne loosenesse and venery especially who make the Black-mores who are many rich and gallant the chiefe objects of their lust It is held to be one of the richest places in all America having by land and by the river Chiagre commerce with the North sea and by the South trading with all Peru East-India's Mexico and Honduras Thither is brought the chiefe treasure of Peru in two or three great ships which lie at anchor at Puerto de Perico some three leagues from the City for the great ebbing of the sea at that place especially suffereth not any great vessell to come neerer where daily the sea ebbs and falls away from the City two or three miles leaving a mud which is thought to cause much unhealthinesse in that place being seconded with many other muddy and moorish places about the Town It consisteth of some five thousand inhabitants and maintaineth at least eight Cloisters of Nuns and Friers I feared much the heats and therefore made as much haste out of it as I could I had my choice of company by land and water to Portobelo But considering the hardnesse of the mountaines by land I resolved to goe by the river Chiagre and so at midnight I set out from Panama to Venta de Cruzes which is ten or twelve leagues from it The way is thither very plaine for the most part and pleasant in the morning and evening Before ten of the clock we got to Venta de Cruzes where live none but Mulatto's and Black-mores who belong unto the flat boates that carry the merchandize to Portobel There I had very good entertainment by that people who desired me to preach unto them the next Sabbath day and gave me twenty Crownes for a Sermon and procession After five daies of my abode there the boats set out which were much stopped in their passage downe the river for in some places we found the water very low so that the boats ran upon the gravell from whence with poles and the strength of the Black-mores they were to be lifted off againe sometimes again we met with such streams that carried us with the swiftnesse of an arrow downe under trees and boughes by the river side which sometimes also stopped us till we had cut downe great branches of trees Had not it pleased God to send us after the first weeke plentifull raine which made the water run downe from the mountaines and fill the river which otherwise of it selfe is very shallow we might have had a tedious and longer passage but after twelve daies we got to the sea and at the point landed at the Castle to refresh our selves for halfe a day Certainly the Spaniards trust to the streames and shallownesse of that river which they thinke will keep off any forain nation from attempting to come up to Venta de Cruzes and from thence to Panama or else they would strengthen more and fortifie that Castle which in my time wanted great reparations and was ready to fall downe to the ground The Governour of the Castle was a notable wine-bibber who plyed us with that liquor the time that we stayed there and wanting a Chaplain for himselfe and
whilest I was in my Memento prayers and meditations a mouse had carried away the Sacrament and that I knew not what to doe unlesse they would helpe me to find it out again The people called a Priest that was at hand who presently brought in more of his Coat and as if their God by this had been eaten up they presently prepared themselves to find out the thief as if they would eat up the mouse that had so assaulted and abused their God they lighted candles and torches to find out the Malefactour in his secret and hidden places of the wall and after much searching and enquiry for the sacrilegious beast they found at last in a hole of the wall the Sacrament halfe eaten up which with great joy they took out and as if the Arke had been brought again from the Philistines to the Israelites so they rejoyced for their new found God whom with many people now resorted to the Church with many lights of candles and Torches with joyfull and solemne musicke they carried about the Church in procession My selfe was present upon my knees shaking and quivering for what might be done unto mee and expecting my doome and judgement and as the Sacrament passed by me I observed in it the markes and signes of the teeth of the mouse as they are to bee seen in a piece of cheese gnawne and eaten by it This struck mee with such horrour that I cared not at that present whether I had been torne in a thousand peices for denying publickely that Mouse-eaten God I called to my best memory all Philosophy concerning substance and accidents and resolved within my selfe that what I saw gnawne was not an accident but some reall substance eaten and devoured by that vermin which certainly was fed and nourished by what it had eaten and Philosophy well teacheth substantia Cibi non accidentis convertitur in substantiam aliti the substance not the accident of the food or meat is converted and turned into the substance of the thing fed by it and alimented Now here I knew that this Mouse had fed upon some substance or else how could the markes of the teeth so plainely appeare But no Papist will bee willing to answer that it fed upon the substance of Christs Body ergo by good consequence it followes that it fed upon the substance of bread and so Transubstantiation here in my judgement was confuted by a Mouse which meane and base creature God chose to convince mee of my former errours and made mee now resolve upon what many yeeres before I had doubted that certainly the point of Transubstantiation taught by the Church of Rome is most damnable and erroneous for besides what before I have observed it contradicteth that Philosophicall Axiome teaching that duo contradictoria non possunt simul semel de codem verificari two contradictories cannot at once and at the self same time be said and verified of the same thing but here it was so for here in Romes Judgement and opinion Christs body was gnawne and eaten and at the same time the same body in another place and upon another Altar in the hands of another Preist was not eaten and gnawne Therefore here are two contradictories verified of the same body of Christ to wit it was eaten and gnawne and it was not eaten and gnawne These impressions at that time were so great in me that I resolved within my selfe that bread really and truely was eaten upon that Altar and by no meanes Christs glorious body which is in heaven and cannot be upon earth subject to the hunger or violence of a creature Here againe I desired with godly David that I might have the wings of a Dove to flie into my Country of England and there be satisfied upon this point and be at rest of Conscience Here I resolved that if I had been questioned for my carelessenesse or for my contempt of that Romish Sacrament which I thought would be the judgement of the Spaniards who knew me to be an English man borne that I would sacrifice willingly my life for the Protestant truth which as yet I had been no otherwise taught but by that Spirit which as Solomon well observeth in a man is the candle of the Lord. I conceived here that this was some comfort to my soule which my good God will afford mee in the way of my travelling to Canaan that I might more willingly beare whatsoever crosses yet might befall mee in my way and Journey to England The event of this accident was not any trouble that fell upon mee for it for indeed the Spaniards attributed it unto the carelesnesse of him who had care of the Altars in the Church and not to any contempt in mee to the Sacrament The part of the wafer that was left after the Mouse had filled her belly was laid up after the Solemne Procession about the Church in a Tabernacle for that purpose that afterwards it might be eaten up by some hungry Preist And because such a high contempt had beene offered by a contemptible Vermin to their Bread God it was commanded through Portabel that day that all the people should humble themselves and mourn and fast with bread and water onely Although I saw I was not questioned for the case yet I feared where there were so many Souldiers and forain people that by some or other I might bee mischiefed out of their blind zeale wherefore I thought it not amisse for a day or two to keepe within my lodging Don Carlos de Ybarra who was the Admirall of that Fleet made great haste to bee gone which made the Merchants buy and sell apace and lade the ships with silver wedges whereof I was glad for the more they laded the lesse I unladed my purse with buying deare provision and sooner I hoped to be out of that unhealthy place which of it selfe is very hot and subject to breed Feavers nay death if the feet bee not preserved from wetting when it raineth but especially when the Fleet is there it is an open grave ready to swallow in part of that numerous people which at that time resort unto it as was seene the yeare that I was there when about five hundred of the Souldiers Merchants and Mariners what with Feavers what with the Flux caused by too much eating of fruit and drinking of water what with other disorders lost their lives finding it to bee to them not Porto bello but Porto malo And this is usuall every yeare and therefore for the reliefe and comfort of those that come sick from Sea or sicken there a great and rich Hospitall is in the Towne with many Fryers called De la Capacha or by others De Iuan de Dios whose calling and profession is onely to cure and attend upon the sick and to beare the dead unto their graves The Admirall fearing the great sicknesse that yeare made haste to be gone not fearing the report that was of some three or four Holland
the Indians and Spaniards sent to bee President of the Chancery of Mexico with these other foure Judges the Licenciates Iohn de Salmeron Gasco Quiroga Francisco Ceynos and Alonso Maldonado These Judges governed the land farre better then Nunnio de Guzman before them had done and among other remarkable things they did was to cause this City to bee inhabited and set at liberty the Indians who inhabited there before and were grievously suppressed and inslaved by the Spaniards and therefore many of them departed from thence who had inhabited there before and went to seeke their living at Xalixco Hunduras Guatemala and other places where Warre then was This City was formerly called by the Indians Cuetlaxcâ—…apan that is to say a Snake in water the reason was because there are two Fountaines the one of evill water and the other of good This City is now a Bishops Sea whose yeerely Revenues since the cutting off from it Xalappa De la Vera Crux are yet worth above twenty thousand Duckats By reason of the good and wholesome aire it dayly increaseth with Inhabitants who resort from many other places to live there but especially the yeare 1634. when Mexico was like to bee drowned with the inundation of the lake thousands left it and came with all their goods and Families to this City of the Angels which now is thought to consist of ten thousand Inhabitants That which maketh it most famous is the Cloth which is made in it and is sent farre and neere and judged now to bee as good as the Cloth of Segovia which is the best that is made in Spain but now is not so much esteemed of nor sent so much from Spain to America by reason of the abundance of fine Cloth which is made in this City of Angels The Felts likewise that are made are the best of all that Country there is likewise a glasse house which is there a rarity none other being as yet knowne in those parts But the mint house that is in it where is coyned halfe the Silver that cometh from Sacatecas makes it the second to Mexico and it is thought that in time it will bee as great and populous as Mexico Without it there are many Gardens which store the Markets with provision of Salets the soile abounds with Wheat and with Sugar Farmes among the which not farre from this City there is one so great and populous belonging to the Dominican Fryers of Mexico that for the work onely belonging unto it it maintained in my time above two hundred blackmore slaveâ—… men and women besides their little children The chief Town betweene this City of Angels and Mexico is called Guaeocingo consisting of some five hundred Indians and one hundred Spaniards Inhabitants Here is likewise a Cloister of Franciscans who entertained us gallantly and made shew unto us of the dexterity of their Indians in Musick Those fat Fryers wanted not like the rest all Provision necessary for the body But their greatest glory and boasting to us was the education which they had given to some children of the Towâ—… especially such as served them in their Cloister whom they had brought up to dancing after the Spanish fashion at the sound of the Guitarra And this a dozen of them the biggest not being above fourteene yeears of age performed excellently for our better entertainment that night wee were there till midnight singing both Spanish and Indian â—…unes 〈◊〉 and dancing with their Castannettas or knockers on their singers with such dexterity as not onely did delight but amaze and astonish us True it is 〈◊〉 those Franâ—…iscans might have been better imployed at that time in their 〈◊〉 their midnight devotions according to their profession but we still found vowed religious duties more and more neglected and worldlinesse too too much imbraced by such as had renounced and forsaken the world and all its pleasures sports and pastimes This Towne of Guacocingo is almost as much as Tlaxcallan priviledged by the Kings of Spain for that it joyned with Tlaxcallan against the Mexicans in defence of Hernando Cortez and the rest of the Spaniards that first conquered that land These of Guacocingo being confederated with the inhabitants of Tlaxcallan Chololla and Huacacholla strongly defended the inhabitants of Chalco when they sent to Cortez for succour declaring that the Mexicans made great spolle among them Which succour Cortez at that time not being able to send them being busied in sending for his Vergantines to besiege Mexico by water as well as by land he remitted them to the helpe of the Tlaxcalteoa's and unto these of Guacocingo Chololla and Huacacholla who shewed great valour as yet never buried in oblivion in relieving Chalco against the strength and power of Montezuma which had issued out of Mexico to keep the Spaniards from drawing neer unto that City For that fact is this Towne with the others fore-mentioned untill this day priviledged and highly esteemed of the Spaniards From hence wee made our last journey to the City of Mexico passing over the side of that high hill which we had discovered at the City of Angels some thirty miles off There are no Alpes like unto it for height cold and constant snow that lieth upon it From Spain to that place we had not felt any such extremity of cold which made the Spaniards that had come out of the hoâ—… climate of Spain and endured excessive heat at sea wonder and admire This last journey from Guacocingo to Mexico we reckoned to be thirty English miles and of the thirty miles we judged at least the fifteen to be up and downe the hill and yet the top of it whither we ascended not was far higher From that highest part of it which we travailed over we discovered the City of Mexico and the lake about it which seemed to us to be neer at hand standing some ten English miles in a plain from the bottome of this mountaine When Hernando Cortez went the second time from Tlaxcallan to Mexico to besiege it by land and by water with Vergantines which for that purpose he had caused to be made on the side of this mountaine were his land Forces lodged where many had perished with cold had it not been for the store of wood which they found there But in the morning he ascended upwards on this hill and sent his scout of foure Foot-men and four Horse-men to discover who found the way stopped with great trees newly cut downe by the Mexicans and placed crossewise in the way But they thinking that yet forwards it was not so proceeded forth as well as they might till at length the let with great huge Cedars was such that they could passe no further and with this newes were forced to return certifying Cortez that the Horse-men could not passe that way in any wise Cortez demanded of them whether they had seen any people they answered No. Whereupon he proceeded forward with all the Horse-men and a thousand Foot-men commanding all
would not long continue but would find againe its old course towards Mexico This City when Cortez first entred into it was as some say of sixty but more probably it is reported to have beene of fourescore thousand houses Montezuma his palace was very great large and beautifull which in the Indian language was named Tepac and that had twenty doores or gates which had their outcoming into the common streets It had three Courts and in the one stood a faire Fountaine many hals and a hundred chambers of three and twenty and thirty foot long an hundred bathes and hot houses and all this without nailes yet very good workmanship The walls were made of Masons worke and wrought of Marble Iaspe and other black stone with veines of red like unto Rubies and other stones which glistered very faire the roofs were wrought of timber and curiously carved being of Cedar Cypres and Pine tree the Chambers were painted and hung with cloth of Cotton and of Coneys haire and feathers The beds onely were unseeming this great sâ—…ate very poore and of no value such as to this day the best and richest Indians use for they weare nothing but mantles laid upon mattes or upon hey or else mattes alone Within this Palace lived a thousand women nay some affirme three thousand reckoning gentlewomen servants and slaves all together But the most were principall Indians daughters of whom Montezuma tooke for himselfe those that liked him best and the others hee gave in marriage to gentlemen his servants It is credibly reported among the Spaniards that hee had at one time a hundred and fifty women his wives with child who commonly tooke medicines to cast their creatures because they knew that they should not inherit the State and these had many old women to guard them for no man was permitted to looke upon them Besides this Tepac which signifieth Palace Montezuma had yet in Mexico another house with very curious lodgings and fair Galleries built upon pillars of â—…aspe which looked towards a goodly Garden in the which there were at least a dozen Ponds some of salt water for Sea fowles and others of fresh water for River fowles and Lake fowles which Ponds were devised with Slâ—… to empty and to fill at pleasure for the cleannesse of the Fowles feathers and these Fowles are said to have beene so many in number that the Ponds could scarcely hold them and of such severall sorts and of such strange and various coloured feathers that the most of them the Spaniards knew not nor had at any time seen the like There did belong to that house above three hundred persons of service who had their severall charge concerning these Fowles some had care to cleanse the Ponds others were appointed to fish for bait others served them with meat and to every kind of fowle they gave such bait as they were wont to feed of in the fields or rivers others did trim their feathers others had care to look to their egs others to set them abrood the principallest office was to pluck the feathers for of them were made rich mantles tapistry targets tuffes of feathers and many other things wrought with gold and silver Besides this house Montezums had yet another house within Mexico appointed only for hawking fowles and fowles of rapine In which house there were many high Halls wherein were kept men women and children such as were dwarfes crook backs or any monstrous persons and with them such as were born white of colour which did very seldome happen nay some would deform their children on purpose to have them carried to the Kings house to helpe to set forth his greatnesse by their deformity In the lower Halls of this house there were Cages for fowlâ—… of rapine of all sorts as Hawkes Kites Boyters which are very many in those parts and of the Hawkes neer a dozen sundry kinds of them This house had for daily allowance five hundred Turkey cocks and three hundred men of service besides the Falconers and Hunters which some say were above a thousand men The Hunters were maintained in that house because of the ravenous beasts which were also kept in thâ—… lower Halls in great cages made of timber wherein were kept in some Lions in other Tygres in other Ownzes in other Wolves in conclusion there was no fouâ—…-footed beast that wanted there only to the effect that the mighty Montezuma might say that he had such things in his house and all were fed daily with Turkey cocks Deare Dogges and such like There were also in another Hall great earthen vessels some with earth and some with water wherein werâ—… Snakes as grosse as a mans thigh Vipers Crocodiles which they call Cayâ—…anes of twenty foot long with scales and head like a Dragon besides many other smaller Lisarts and other venemous beasts and Serpents as well of the water as of the land To these Snakes and the other venemous beasts they usually gave the blood of men sacrificed to feed them Others say they gave unto them mans flesh which the great Lisarts or 〈◊〉 eat very well But what was wonderfull to behold horrid to see hideous to heare in this house was the Officers dayly occupations about these beasts the floor with blood like a gelly stinking like a slaughter-house and the roaring of the lioâ—…s the fearfull hissiâ—…g of the Snakes and Adders the dolefull howling and barking of the Wolves the sorrowfull yelling of the Ownzes and Tigres when they would have meat And yet in this place which in the night season seemed a 〈◊〉 of Hell and a dwelling place of the Devill could a heathen Prince pray unto his Gods and idols for nâ—…r to this Hall was another of a hundred and fifty foot long and thirty foot broad where was a chappell with the roofe of silver and gold in leaâ—…e wainscotted and deâ—…ed with great store of pearl and stone as Agaâ—… Cornerines Emeralds Rubies and divers other sorts and this was the Oratory where Montezuma prayed in the night season and in that chappell the Devill did appear unto him and gave him answer according to his prayers which as they were uttered among so many â—…gly and 〈◊〉 beasts and with the noise of them which represented Hell it selfe were fitâ—…ed for a Devils answer He had also his Armoury wherein was great â—…ore of all kind of such Ammunition which they used in their wars aâ—… Bowes Arrowes Slings Launces Darts Clubâ—… Swords and bucklers and gallant Targets more trimme then strong and all made of wood gilt or covered with leather The wood whereof they made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Targets was very hard and strong and at their arrowes endâ—… they 〈◊〉 little peece of flint-stone or a peece of a fish-bone called Libiâ—… which was so venemous that if any were hurt with it and the head râ—…ined in the wâ—…nd it so 〈◊〉 that it was almost incurable Their Swords were of wood and the edge tâ—…f was flint-stone inclosed or joyned into a stâ—…ffe
two hundred thousand of these boats I speak of the least for Mexico alone had above fifty thousand ordinarily to carry and bring unto the City victuall provision and passengers so that on the market-daies all the streets of water were full of them The Market is called in the Indian tongue Tlanquizâ—…li every parish had his Market place to buy and sell in but Mexico and Tlatelulâ—…o only which are the chiefest Cities had great Fayres and places fit for the same and especially Mexico had one place where most dayes in the yeer was buying and selling but every fourth day was the great Market ordinarily This place was wide and large compassed about with dores and was so great that a hundred thousand persons came thither to chop and change as a City most principall in all that region Every occupation and kind of merchandize had his proper place appointed which no other might by any means occupie or disturb Likewise pesterous wares had their place accordingly such as stone timber lyme bricke and all such kind of stuffe unwrought being necessary to build withall Also mattes both fine and course of sundry workmanship also coales wood and all sorts of earthen veâ—…sells glazed and painted very curiously Deere skinnes both raw and tanned in hair and without hair of many colours for Shoemakers for bucklers Targets Jerkins and lining of woodden corslets also skinnes of other beasts and fowle feathers ready dressed of all sorts The colours and strangenesse thereof was a thing to behold The richest merchandize was salt and mantles of Cotton wool of divers colours both great and small some for beds other for garments and clothing other for Tapistry to hang houses other Cotton-cloth was wont to be sold there for linnen drawers which to this day the Indians use for shirts table cloths towels and such like things There were also mantles made of the leaves of a tree called Mâ—…l and of the Palme-tree and Conie-hair which were well esteemed being very warme but the coverlets made of feathers were the best They â—…old thred there made of Conie-haire and also skains of other thred of all colours But the great store of poultrey which was brought to that Market was strange to see and the uses they sold and bought them for for although they did eat the flesh of the fowl yet the feathers served for clothing mixing one sort with another But the chiefe bravery of that market was the place where gold and feathers joyntly wrought were sold for any thing that was in request was there lively wrought in gold and feathers and gallant colours The Indians were so expert and perfect in this science that they would work or make a butter-flie any wild beast trees roses flowers 〈◊〉 roots or any other thing so lively that it was a thing marvellous to behold It happened many times that one of these workemen in a whole day would eat nothing only to place one feather in his due perfection turning and tosâ—…ing the feather to the light of the sunne into the shade or darke place to see where was his most naturall perfection and till his worke were finished he would neither eat nor drinke There are few nations of so much fleame or substance The art or science of Gold-smiths among them was the most curious and very good workmanship engraven with tooles 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 or in mould They will cast a platter in mould with eight corners and every corner of severall metall the one of gold and the other of silver without any kind of solder They will also â—…ound or cast a little cauldron with loose 〈◊〉 hanging thereat as we use to cast a bell they will also cast in mould a fish of metall with one sâ—…ale of silver on his back and another of gold they will make a Parrâ—…t or Popingay of metall that his tongue shall shake and his head move and his wingâ—… flâ—… they will cast an Ape in mould that both hands and feet shall â—…irre and â—…old a spindle in his hand seeming to spin yea and an apple in his hand as though he would eat it They have skill also of Amâ—…ll work and to set any pretious stone But now 〈◊〉 touching the market there was to sell gold silver Copper Lead Latten and Tâ—… although there was but very little of the three last metals mentioned There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pretious 〈◊〉 divers and sundry sorts of shelles and bones Sponges and 〈◊〉 wâ—…re There were also many kind of herbes roots and seeds as well to bâ—… as for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men women and children had great knowledge in herbâ—… for through poverty and necessity they did sâ—…e them for their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 help of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and diâ—… Thâ—…y did spend little among Physitians although there were some of that art and many Apothecaries who did bring into the market oyntments syrups waters and other drugs fit for sick persons They cure all diseases almost with herbs yea as much as for to kill lice they have a proper herb for the purpose The severall kinds of meats to bee sold was without number as Snakes without head and tail little dogges gelt Moules Rats Long-wormes Lyce yea and a kind of earth for at one season in the yeer they had Nets of Mayle with the which they raked up a certaine dust that is bred upon the water of the lake of Mexico and that is kneaded together like unto oas of the sea They gathered much of this and kept it in heapes and made thereof cakes like unto brick-bats And they did not only sell this ware in the Market but also sent it abroad to other Fayres and markets afarre off and they did eat this meal with as good a stomack as we eat cheese yea and they hold opinion that this skumme or fatnesse of the water is the cause that such great number of fowl cometh to the lake which in the winter season is infinite They sold likewise in this market Venison by quarters or whole as Does Hares Conies and Dogges and many other beasts which they brought up for the purpose and tooke in hunting The great store of sundry kinds of fruits was marvellous which were there sold both green and ripe There is a sort as bigge as an Almond called Cacao whereof is the drinke called Chocolatte well known now in Christendome which is both meat and currant money In these times of the bigger sort sixscore or sevenscore and of the lesser sort two hundred are worth a Spanish Riall which is sixpence and with these the Indians buy what they list for five nay for two Cacao's which is a very small part of a Riall they doe buy fruits and the like There were divers kinds of colours to be sold which they made of roses flowers fruits barks of trees and other things very excellent All the things recited and many others which I speak not of were sold in this great market and in every other Market of Mexico and all the sellers payed a certain summe for
Kingdomes some in whole and others in part subject to the Crown of Spain and Portugal which are first Castella aurea secondly Gujana thirdly Peru fourthly Brasile fifthly Chille But I will not fill my History with what others have written of the foure last named Countries wherein I was not much but what I could learne of Peru I will briefly speak and so come to the first Castella aurea through which I travailed Peru is held to be yet more rich a Countrey then is Mexico for although it hath not the conveniency of trafique by the North Sea which Mexico hath but doth send the Commodities in it to Panama and from thence transports them either over the straight Isthmus or by the River Chiagre to Partabel upon the North Sea yet the Countrey is farre richer then Mexico by reason of the more abundance of Mines of silver which are in it The mountaines named Potosi are thought to be of no other metall which the King of Spain will not have to be opened until they have exhausted those which are already discovered and digged and have found the Spaniards worke enough and yeelded them treasure enough ever since they first conquered those parts The soile is very fruitfull of all such fruits as are found in Spain The Olives are bigger then those of Spain the oyle sweeter and cleerer The Grapes yeeld also a wine farre stronger then any of Spain and there is much made by reason it cannot conveniently bee brought from Spain There is likewise wheat in great store and all this fruitfull soile lyeth low under high Mountaines which divide betwixt Indians not as yet conquered and Brasile But those Mountaines are a great helpe unto those pleasant Valleys with the waters that fall from them for in all those parts inhabited by Spaniards towards the South Sea it is most certain and most observable that it never raineth in so much that the houses are uncovered on the tops and onely matts laid over them to keep off the dust and yet is this Countrey what with the waters that fall from the Mountaines what with the morning and evening dewes as fruitfull and plentifull as any Countrey in the World The chief City is called Lima where there is a Viceroy and a Court of Chancery and an Arch-Bishop It hath a Port some two miles from it named Callau where lie the ships that convey yearly the treasure of that Kingdome to Panama There lie also other ships which trafique to the East-India's and to all the Coasts of Guatemala and to Acapulco the Southern Haven of Mexico This Port of Callau is not so strong as the great nay inestimable wealth that is commonly in it and in the City of Limâ—… should require for I have heard many Spaniards say that in the yeare 1620. a few ships of Hollanders as some say or of English as others affirme appeared before the Haven-waiting for the ships that were to convey the Kings revenews to Panama and hearing that they were departed though by a false report followed them and so forsooke the attempting to take the Callau which certainly had they manly attempted they had taken it and in it the greatest treasure that in any one part of the world could have beene found But the Spaniards seldome see thereabout foraine ships and so live more carelesly in securing or strengthning that Coast. Though Peru bee thus rich in fruits and Mines yet Chille farre exceedeth it in gold which edgeth the Spaniards to a constant and continuall Warre with the Inhabitants which are a strong warlike and most valiant people They are grown as skilfull in the use of weapons swords Pistols and Muskets as the Spaniaods and have taken many Spaniards men and women prisoners and of the Spanish women have had so many children called Mestizâ—…es that by them who have proved most valiant they have much increased both their strength and skill They hold the Spaniards hard to it and the War is become the most dangerous of any the Spaniards have in so much that the Counsell of Spain doth pick out from Flanders and Italy the best souldiers to send them thither And a Captaine that hath served long well and faithfully in Flanders by way of credit and promotion is sent to the Warres of Chille to fight for that great treasure of gold which certainly is there The Spaniards have it in three faire Cities the Conception which is a Bishops Seat and Santiago and Valdivia This last is so named from one Valdivia who was Governour of it and the first cause and author of those Wars This man was so extraordinarily covetous of the gold of that Countrey that hee would not let the Indians possesse or injoy any of it themselves but did vex them whip and beat yea and kill some of them because they brought him not enough and imployed them daily in seeking it out for him charging them with a tax and imposition of so much a day which the Indians not being able to performe nor to satisfie an unsatiable minde and greedy covetousnesse resolved to rebell but so that first they would fill and satiate his heart with gold so that hee should never more covet after that yellow and glittering metall Wherefore they joyned and combined themselves together in a warlike posture and tooke some quantity of gold and melted it and with it resolutely came upon Valdivia the Governour saying O Valdivia we see thou hast a greedy and unsatiable minde and desire after our gold wee have not been able to satisfie thee with it hitherto but now wee have devised away to satiate this thy greedy covetousnesse here is now enough drink thy full of it and with these words they tooke him and powred the melted gold downe his throat wherewith he died never more coveting after that bright and shining drosse and naming with his name and death that City of Valdivia and with his covetousnesse leaving a rebellion which hath continued to a cruell and bloody War unto this day Guiana and Brasile I shall omit to speak of not having been in any part of them Brasile is little talked of by the Spaniards belonging to the Crowne of Portugall and now part of it to the high and mighty States of the Netherlands who will better satisfie by their Histories and acquaint Europe with the riches that are in it I return unto the first part mentioned by me in the Southern and Peruan Tract which was said to bee Castella aurea golden Castile so called for the abundance of gold that is found in it This containeth the Northern part of Peruana and part of the Isthmus which runneth between the North and South Sea Besides the gold in it yet it is admirably stored with silver Spices Pearls and medicinall Herbes It is divided into foure Provinces The first is called Castella deloro the second Nova Andaluzia the third Nova Granada the fourth Carthagena Castella deloro is situated in the very Isthmus and is not very populous by
cool the heat which there is great by reason it is a low and Marsh kind of ground lying neer the South Sea The next chief Town and most considerable after Capalita is Tecoantequepete this is a Sea Town upon Mar del Zur and a harbour for small vessels such as Trade from those parts to Acapulco and Mexico and to Realejo and Guatemala and sometimes to Panama Here upon some occasions Ships which come from Peru ' to Acapulco doe call in It is a port no farthet safe then that no English or Holland Ships doe come thereabouts which if they did they would there find no resistance but from thence would finde an open and easie Rode over all the Countrey Upon all this South Sea side from Acapulco to Panama which is above two thousand miles by land there is no open harbour but this for Guaxaca and La Trinidad for Guatemala and Realejo for Nicaragua and Golfo de Salinas for small vessels in Costa Rica and all these unprovided of Ordnance and Ammunition all open dores to let in any Nation that would take the pains to surround the World to get a treasure This port of Tecoantepeque is the chiefe for fishing in all that Countrey wee met him in the wayes sometimes with fifty sometimes with a hundred mules together laden with nothing but salt fish for Guaxaca City of the Angels and Mexico There are some very rich Merchants dwell in it who trade with Mexico Peru and Philippinas sending their small vessels out from Port to Port which come home richly laden with the Commodities of all the Southerne or Easterne parts From hence to Guatemala there is a plaine Rode along the Coast of the South Sea passing through the Provinces of Soconuzco and Suchutepeques but wee aiming at Chiapa tooke our journey over the high Rocks and Mountaines called Quelenes travailing first from Tecoantepeque to Estepeque and from thence through a desert of two dayes journey where wee were faine to lodge one night by a spring of water upon the bare ground in open wide fields where neither Town nor house is to bee seene yet thatcht lodges are purposely made for travailers This plain lyeth so open to the Sea that the wind from thence blow so strongly and violently that travailers are scarce able to â—…it their horses and mules which is the reason no people inhabit there because the windes teare their houses and the least fire that there breaks out doth a great deale of mischief This plaine yet is full of Cattell and Horses and Mares some wild some tame and through this windy Champaigne Country with much adoe we travailed though my self thought I should even there end my daies for the second day being to reach to a Towne and my three friends riding before thinking that I followed them evening now drawing on they made more hast to find the Town But in the meane while my horse refused to goe any further threatning to lie downe if I put him to more then hee was able I knew the towne could not be far and so I lighted thinking to walke and lead my horse who also refused to bee led and so lay downe With this a troop of thoughts beset mee and to none I could give a flat answer I thought if I should goe on foot to finde out the Towne and my company and leave my horse there sadled I might both lose my selfe and my horse and saddle and if I should find the Towne and come in the morning for my horse the plain was so wide and spatious that I might seeke long enough and neither finde him nor know the place where I left him for there was nothing neere to marke the place nor where to hide the saddle neither hedge tree shrub within a mile on any side Wherefore I considered my best course would bee to take up my lodging in the wide and open wildernesse with my horse and to watch him lest hee should wander and stray away untill the morning or untill my friends might send from the towne to see what was become of mee which they did not that night thinking I had taken my way to another Town not far from thence whither they sent in the morning to enquire for me I looked about therefore for a commodious place to rest in but found no choice of lodgings every where I found a bed ready for mee which was the bare ground a bolster onely or pillow I wanted for my head and seeing no bank did kindly offer it selfe to ease a lost stranger and pilgrime I unsadled my weary Jade and with my saddle fitted my head in stead of a pillow Thus without a supper I went to bed in my Mothers owne bosome not a little comforted to see my tired horse pluck up his spirits and make much of his supper which there was ready for him of short dry and withered grasse upon which hee sed with a greedy and hungry stomack promising mee by his feeding that the next day he would performe a journey of at least thirty or forty miles The poor beast fed apace my careful eye watched him for at least an houre when upon a suddain I heard such an hideous noise of howling barking and crying as if a whole Army of dogs were come into the wildernesse and howled for want of a prey of some dead horse or mule At first the noise seemed to be a pretty way off from mee but the more I hearkened unto it the nigher it came unto mee and I perceived it was not of dogs by some intermixt shriekings as of Christians which I observed in it An observation too sad for alone man without any helpe or comfort in a wildernesse which made my haire to stand upright my heart to pant my body to bee covered with a fearfull sweat as of death I expected nothing else not knowing from whence the noise proceeded sometimes I thought of Witches sometimes of devils sometimes of Indians turned into the shape of beasts which amongst some hath beene used sometimes of wild and savage beasts and from all these thoughts I promised my self nothing but sure death for the which I prepared my selfe recommending my soule to the Lord whilst I expected my body should bee a prey to cruell and mercilessesse beasts or some instruments of that roaring Lion who in the Apostle goeth about seeking whom he may devoure I thought I could not any waies prevaile by flying or running away but rather might that way runne my selfe into the jawes of death to hide there was no place to lie still I thought was safest for if they were wild beasts they might follow their course another way from mee and so I might escape Which truly proved my safest course for while I lay sweating and panting judging every cry every howling and shrieking an alarm to my death being in this agony and fearfull conflict till about midnight on a suddain the noise ceased sleep though but the shadow of death seized upon my wearied
body and forsook me not til the mornings glorious lamp shining before my slumbering eies and driving away deaths shadow greeted me with life safety When I awaked my soul did magnifie the Lord for my deliverance from that nights danger I looked about saw my horse also neer the place where I had left him I sadled him presently with desire to leave that wildernesse and to find out my company and to impart unto them what that night had happened unto mee I had not rid above a mile when I came to a brook of water where were two waies the one straight forward along the desart where I could discover no Towne nor houses nor trees in a prospect of five or six miles at least the other way was on the left hand and that way some two or three miles off I saw a wood of trees I imagined there might be the Towne I followed that way and within a quarter of a mile my Horse beganne to complaine of his poore provender the night before and to slight me for it I was fain to light and lead him and thus againe discouraged with my Horse and discomforted for the uncertainty of my way looking about I spied a thatcht house on the one side of the way and one on Horse-back who came riding to mee it was an Indian belonging to that house which was the farme of a rich Indian and Governour of the next Towne of whom I asked how farre it was to the Town of Estepeque he shewed me the trees and told me that a little beyond them it stood and that I should not see it untill I came unto it With this I got up againe and spurred my sullen jade untill I reached unto the trees where he was at a stand and would goe no further Then I unsadled him and hid my saddle under some low shrubs and leaving my horse whom I feared not that any would steale him I walked unto the Towne which was not above halfe a mile from thence where I found my three friends were waiting for me and grieved for the losse of me had sent to another Towne to enquire for me it was the least thought they had that I had been a lodger in the desart When I related unto them and to the Indians the noise and howling that I had heard the Indians answered me that that was common musick to them almost every night that they were Wolves and Tigres which they feared not but did often meet them and with a sticke or hollowing did scare them away and that they were onely ravenous for their Fowles Colts Calves or Kids After a little discourse I returned with an Indian to seeke my Horse and saddle and in that Towne I sould my wearied Mexican beast and hired another to Ecatepeque whither we went all four friends again in company Where note that in this plain and champaigne country of Tecoantepeque are five rich and pleasant Townes full of fruits and provision of victuall all ending in Tepeque to wit Tecoantepeque Estepeque Ecatepeque Sanatepeque and Tapanatepeque Now from Ecatepeque wee could discover the high mountaines of Quelenes which were the subject of most of our discourse to Sanatepeque and from thence to Tapanatepeque For we had been informed by Spaniards and Travailers in the way that they were the most dangerous mountains to travail over that were in all those parts and that there were on the top of them some passages so narrow and so high and so open to the boisterous winds that came from the South-sea which seemed to lie at the very bottom of them and on each side of these narrow passages such deep precipices among rocks that many times it had happened that the wind blowing furiously had cast downe Mules laden with heavy carriages downe the rockes and likewise Horse-men had been blown down both Horse and man The sight of the rockes and mountaines did terrifie us and the report of them did much affright us so that in all this way we did conferre which way to take whether the rode way to Guatemala which lieth under those mountaines along the coast by the Country of Soconuzco from whence though out of our way we might have turned to Chiapa or whether we should steer our right course to Chiapa over those mountains which we had been informed we might safely passe over if the winds did not blow two boisterously We resolved that when wee came to Tapanatepeque we would choose our way according as the winds did favour or threaten us but however to Chiapa we would goe because there we had understood was the Superiour and Provinciall of all the Dominicans of those parts to whom we ought to addresse our selves and also because we would see that famous and much talked of Province of Chiapa In Sanatepeque wee met with a Frier who gave us stately entertainment and from thence gave us Indians to guide us to Tapanatepeque and a letter to the chiefe of the Towne which also was at his command to give us Mules to carry us and Indians to guide us up the mountaines Here the rest of our Horses also failed us but their wearinesse was no hinderance to us for the Indians were willing to give us as much or more then they had cost us because they were true Mexican breed and all the way we went to Chiapa and through that country to Guatemala the Towns were to provide us of Mules for nothing We came to Tapanatepeque which standeth at the bottome and foot of Quelenes on Saturday night and with the letter we carried were very much welcomed and entertained well by the Indians This Towne is one of the sweetest and pleasantest of any we had seen from Guaxaca thither and it seems God hath replenished it with all sorts of comforts which Travailers may need to ascend up those dangerous and steepy rockes Here is great plenty of cattel for flesh and rich Indians which have farmes called there Estantia's in some a thousand in some three or four thousand head of cattell fowles here are in abundance fish the best store and choisest of any Towne from Mexico thither for the Sea is hard by it and besides there runneth by it a small river which yeelds divers sorts of fish From the mountaines there fall so many springs of water that with them the Indians water at their pleasure their gardens which are stored with much herbage and sallets The shade which defends from the heat which there is great is the daughter of most sweet and goodly fruit trees and of Orange Lemmon Citron and Fig leaves The Sabbath morning was so calme that we desired to make use of it lest by longer delayes the winds should stay us or force us to the coast of Soconusco But the Indians intreated us to bee their guesse at dinner not doubting but the weather would hold and promising us to provide us strong and lusty Mules and provision of fruits and fried fish or fowles or
omitting of it but all without amendment thought fit to fixe in writing upon the Churches dores an excommunication against all such as should presume at the time of service to eat or drinke within the Church This excommunication was taken by all but especially by the Gentlewomen much to heart who protested if they might not eat or drinke in the Church they could not continue in it to heare what otherwise they were bound unto The chiefe of them knowing what great friendship there was between the Bishop and the Prior and my selfe came to the Prior and mee desiring us to use all meanes wee could with the Bishop for the revoking that his excommunication so heavily laid upon them and threatning their soules with damning judgement for the violation of it The good Prior and my selfe laboured all we could alleadging the custome of the Countrey the weakenesse of the sex whom it most concerned and also the weaknesse of their stomackes the contempt that might from them ensue unto his person and many inconveniences which might follow to the breeding of an uproar in the church and in the City whereof we had some probable conjecture from what already we had heard from some But none of these reasons would move the Bishop to which he answered that he preferred the honour of God and of his house before his owne life The women seeing him so hard to be intreated began to stomacke him the more and to sleight him with scornefull and reproachfull words others sleighted his excommunication drinking in iniquity in the Church as the fish doth water which caused one day such an uproare in the Cathedrall that many swords were drawne against the Preists and Prebends who attempted to take away from the maids the cups of Chocolatte which they brought unto their mistresses who at last seeing that neither faire nor soule meanes would prevaile with the Bishop resolved to forsake the Cathedrall where the Bishops own and his Prebends eies must needs be watching over them and so from that time most of the City betooke themselves to the Cloister Churches where by the Nuns and Friers they were not troubled nor resisted though fairely counselled to obey the command of the Bishop whose name now they could not brooke and to whose Prebends they denied now all such reliefe and stipend for Masses which formerly they had used to bestow upon them conferring them all upon the Fryers who grew rich by the poor impoverished Cathedrall This lasted not long but the Bishop began to stomacke the Fryers and to set up another excommunication binding all the City to resort unto their owne Cathedrall Church which the women would not obey but kept their houses for a whole month in which time the Bishop fell dangerously sick and desired to retire himselfe to the Cloister of the Dominicans for the great confidence he had in the Prior that he would take care of him in his sickenesse Physitians were sent for far and neere who all with a joynt opinion agreed that the Bishop was poisoned and he himself doubted not of it at his death praying unto God to forgive those that had been the cause of it and to accept of that sacrifice of his life which he was willing to offer for the zeale of Gods house and honour He lay not above a week in the Cloister and as soone as he was dead all his body his head and face did so swell that the least touch upon any part of him caused the skin to break and cast out white matter which had corrupted and overflowne all his body A Gentlewoman with whom I was well acquainted in that City who was noted to be somewhat too familiar with one of the Bishops Pages was commonly censured to have prescribed such a cup of Chocolatte to be ministred by the Page which poysoned him who so rigorously had forbidden Chocolatte to be drunk in the Church My self heard this Gentlewoman say of the deceased Bishop that she thought few grieved for his death that the women had no reason to grieve for him and that she judged he being such an enemy to Chocolatte in the Church that which he had drunk at home in his house had not agreed with his body And it became afterwards a Proverbe in that Country Beware of the Chocolatte of Chiapa which made me so cautious that I would not drinke afterwards of it in any house where I had not very great satisfaction of the whole Family The women of this City are somewhat light in their carriage and have learned from the Devill many entising lessons and baits to draw poore soules to sinne and damnation and if they cannot have their wills they wil surely work revenge either by Chocolatte or Conserves or some faire present which shall surely carry death along with it The Gentlewoman that was suspected nay was questioned for the death of the Bishop had often used to send me boxes of Chocolatte or conserves which I willingly received from her judging it to be a kind of gratuity for the paines I tooke in teaching her son Latin She was of a very merry and pleasant disposition which I thought might consist without sin untill one day she sent unto mee a very faire plantin wrapped up in a hankerchief buried in sweet Jazmines and roses when I untied the handkerchief I thought among the flowers I should find some rich token or some peeces of eight but finding nothing but a plantin I wondred and looking further upon it I found worked upon it with a knife the fashion of a heart with two of blind Cupids arrows sticking in it discovering unto my heart the poisoned heart and thoughts of the poisoner that sent it I thought it a good warning to be wary and cautious of receiving more presents or Chocolatte from such hands and so returned unto her againe her plantin with this short rhyme cut out with a knife upon the skinne fruta tan fria amor no cria as much as to say fruit so cold takes no hold This answer and resolution of mine was soone spread over that little City which made my Gentlewoman outragious which presently she shewed by taking away her sonne from schoole and in many meetings threatning to play me a Chiapaneca tricke But I remembred the Bishops Chocolatte and so was waâ—…y and staid not long after in that poisoning and wicked City which truly deserves no better relation then what I have given of the simple Dons and the Chocolatte-confectioning Donna's There is yet twelve leagues from this City of Chiapa another Chiapa which deserveth better commendations This consisteth most of Indians and is held to be one of the biggest Indian Townes in all America containing at least four thousand families This Towne hath many priviledges from the King of Spain and is governed chiefly by Indians yet with subordination unto the Spanish government of the City of Chiapa who doe choose an Indian Governour with other inferiour officers to rule with him This Governour
report went he had spent himselfe and given all unto this Nun made this Donna Iuana de Maldonado so rich and stately that at her owne charges shee built for herselfe a new quarter within the Cloister with roomes and galleries and a private garden-walke and kept at worke and to wait on her halfe a dozen Black-more maids but above all she placed her delight in a private Chappel or Closet to pray in being hung with rich hangings and round about it costly lamina's as they call them or pictures painted upon brasse set in blacke Ebony frames with corners of gold some of silver brought to her from Rome her Altar was accordingly decked with Jewels Candlesticks Crownes Lamps and covered with a Canopie embroidered with gold in her Closet she had her small organ and many sorts of musicall instruments whereupon she played sometimes by herselfe sometimes with her best friends of the Nuns and here especially she entertained with musicke her beloved the Bishop Her Chappel or place of devotion was credibly reported about the City to be worth at least six thousand which was enough for a Nun that had vowed chastity poverty and obedience But all this after her decease she was to leave to the Cloister and doubtlesse with this State and riches she would win more and more the hearts of the common sort of Nuns till she had made a strong party which by this may have made her Abbesse Thus is ambition and desire of command and power crept into the walls of Nunneries like the abominations in the wall of Ezekiel and hath possessed the hearts of Nuns which should be humble poore and mortified Virgins But besides this one Nun there are many more and also Friers who are very rich for if the City be rich as is this and great trading in it they will be sure to have a share Great plenty and wealth hath made the inhabitants as proud and vicious as are those of Mexico Here is not onely Idolatry but Fornication and uncleannesse as publike as in any place of the India's The Mulatta's Black-mores Mestica's Indians and all common sort of people are much made on by the greater and richer sort and goe as gallantly apparrelled as doe those of Mexico fearing neither a Vulcan or mountaine of water on the one side which they confesse hath once powred out a flood and river executing Gods wrath against sin there committed neither a a Vulcan of fire or mouth of hell on the other side roaring within and threatning to raine upon them Sodoms ruine and destruction neither the weakness of their habitation lying wide open on every side without walls or workes or bulwarkes to defend them or without guns drakes bullets or any Ammunition to scare away an approaching enemy who may safely come and without resistance upon them who live as professed enemies of Jesus Christ. This is the City of St. Iames or Santiago de Guatemala the head of a vaste and ample Dominion which extendeth it selfe nine hundred miles to Nicoya and Costa Rica South-ward three hundred miles to Chiapa and Zoques North-ward a hundred and fourescore miles to the further parts of Vera Paz and the Golfo dulce East-ward and to the South-sea twenty or thirty in some places fourty miles Westward From Tecoantepeque which is no harbour for any great ships which standeth from Guatemala at least foure hundred miles there is landing place for ships neerer to this City then is the village de la Trinidad or of the Trinity The chiefe commodities which from along that coast are brought to Guatemala are from the Provinces of Soconuzco and Suchutepeques which are extreame hot and subject to thunder and lightning where groweth scarce any remarkeable commodity save only Cacao Achiotte Mechasucâ—…il Bainillas and other drugs for Chocolatte except it be some Indigo and Cochinil about St. Antonio which is the chiefe and head Town of all the Suchutepeques But all the coast neer joyning to Guatemala especialliy about a Towne called Izquinta or Izquintepeque twelve leagues from Guatemala is absolutely the richest part of the Dominion of this City for there is made the greatest part of the Indigo which is sent from Honduras to Spaine besides the mighty farmes of Cattel which are all along that marsh Though the living there be profitable and the soile rich yet it is uncomfortable by reason of the great heat thundrings and lightnings especially from May to Michaelmas If Guatemala be strong though not in weapons or Ammunition in people it is strong from hence from a desperate sort of Black-mores who are slaves in those Estancia's and farms of Indigo Though they have no weapons but a Machette which is a short Tuck or lances to run at the wild Cattel yet with these they are so desperate that the City of Guatemala hath often been afraid of them and the Masters of their owne slaves and servants Some of them feare not to encounter a Bull though wild and mad and to graple in the rivers which are many there with Crocodiles or Lagarto's as there they call them till they have overmastered them and brought them out to land from the water This hot but rich Country runnes on by the Sea fide unto the Village of the Trinity which though somewhat dangerous yet is a haven for ships from Panama Peru and Mexico It serves to enrich Mexico but not to strengthen it for it hath neither Fort nor Bulwarke nor Castle nor any Ammunition to defend it selfe Between this Village and the other Haven called Realejo there is a great Creek from the Sea where small vessels doe use to come in for fresh water and Victuals to St. Miguela Towne of Spaniards and Indians from whence those that travaile to Realejo passe over in lesse then a day to a Town of Indians called LaVâ—…eja two miles from Realejo whither the journey by land from St. Miguel is of at least three daies But neither this Creeke or Arme of the Sea is fortified which might be done with one or two peeces of Ordnance at most placed at the mouth of the seas entrance neither is the Realejo strong with any Ammunition no nor with people for it consists not of above two hundred families and most of them are Indians and Mestico's a people of no courage and very unfit to defend such an open passage to Guatemala and Nicaragua which here begins and continues in small and petty Indian Townes unto Leon and Granada On the Nâ—…th side of Guatemala I shall not need to adde to what hath been said of Suchutepeques aâ—… â—…zco and my journy that way from Mexico and Chiapa The chiefe side of Guateâ—… is that on the East which points out the way to the Golfe or Golfo dulce or as otherâ—… all it St. Thomas de Castilia This way is more beaten by Mules and Travellers then that on the North side for that Mexico standeth three hundred leagues from this City and the Golfe but threescore and no such passages
valley from the Cloister of Guatemala He desired me to accept of that small preferment not doubting but that I speaking so well the Indian language might prevaile much in that place and better then another further the building of that new Cloister which worke would be a good step for him to advance me afterwards to some better preferment Although I regarded neither that present Superiority nor any better honour which might afterwards ensue unto me I thought the time which God had appointed for my returning to England was not yet come for that if the Provinciall and with him the President of Guatemala for so much I conjectured out of the Provincialls letter should both oppose and hinder my departure from that Countrey it would be very hard for me to take my journey any way and not be discovered and brought back Whereupon I resolved to stay the Provincialls coming to Guatemala and there to confer with him faceâ—… to face and to shew him some reasons that moved me to leave that Countrey and to seek againe mine owne wherein I was borne So for the present I accepted of the Towne of Amatitlan where I had more occasions of getting mony than in the other two where I had lived five full yeers for albeit that Towne alone was bigger then both Mixco and Pinola together and the Church fuller of Saints pictures and statues and very many Confraternities and Sodalities belonged unto it besides this from without the Towne I had great comings in from the Ingenio of Sugar which I related before stood close unto that Towne from whence I had dayly offerings from the Black-mores and Spaniards that lived in it and besides this I had under my charge another lesser Towne called St. Christoval 〈◊〉 Amatitlan standing two leagues from great Amatitlan This Town of St. Christoval or St. Christopher is called properly in that language Palinâ—…a ha signifying water and Pali to stand upright and is compounded of two words which expresse water standing upright for the Towne standeth on the back side of the Vulcan of water which looketh over Guatemala and on this side sendeth forth many fountaines but especially spouteth forth from a high rock a stream of water which as it falleth from high with a great noise and down-fall the rocke standing upright over the bottome where it falleth and causeth a most pleasant stream by the Townes side it hath moved the Indians to call their Towne Palinâ—…a from the high and upright standing rock from whence the water falleth In this Towne there are many rich Indians who trade in the coast of the South sea the Towne is as an harbour shadowed with many fruitfull trees but the chief fruit here is the Pinnâ—… which groweth in every Indians yard and with the neernesse of the Ingenio of Sugar are by the Spaniards thereabouts much made up in Preserves some whole some in slices which is the daintiest and most luscious Preserve that I ever did eat in that Countrey The Indians of this Towne get much by boards of Cedar which they cut out of many Cedar-trees which grow on that side of the Vulcan which they sell to Guatemala and all about the Countrey for new buildings Between great Amatitlan and this Town the way is plain and lieth under a Vulcan of fire which formerly was wont to smoak as much as that of Guatemala but having formerly burst out at the top and there opened a great mouth cast down to the bottome mighty stones which to this day are to be seen it hath not since been any waies troublesome unto the Countrey In this way there was in my time a new Trapiche of Sugar erecting up by one Iohn Baptista of Guatemala which was thought would prove very usefull and profitable unto the foresaid City I had yet for the time that I lived in Amatitlan another very little village at my charge called Pampichi at the bottome of a high mountaine on the other side of the lake over against which was but a Chappell of ease unto great Amatitlan unto which I went not above once in a quarter of a yeer and that for pastime and recreation for this village is well in that language a compound also of Pam in and Pichi flowers for that it standeth compassed about with flowers which make it very pleasant and the boats or Canoa's which doe constantly stand neer the doores of the houses invites to much pleasure of fishing and rowing about the lake And thus whilst I lived in Amatitlan I had the choice of three places wherein to recreate my selfe and because the charge of many soules lay in my hands I had one constantly to help me The Towne of Amatitlan was as the Court in respect of the rest where nothing was wanting that might recreate the mind and satisfie the body with variety and change of sustenance both for fish and flesh Yet the great care that did lie upon me in the worke and building of the Cloister made me very soone weary of living in that great and pleasant Towne for sometimes I had thirty sometimes twenty sometimes fewer and sometimes fourty worke-men to looke unto and to pay wages to on Saturday nights which I found wearied much my braine and hindred my studies and was besides a worke which I delighted not in nor had any hopes ever to enjoy it And therefore after the first yeer that I had been there I betooke my selfe unto the Provinciall who was in Guatemala and againe earnestly besought him to peruse the Licence which I had from Rome to goe to England mine owne Countrey for to preach there for that was the chiefe ground of letting me goe home as the Generall largely expressed where I doubted not but I might doe God great service and in Conscience I told him I thought I was bound to employ what parts God had bestowed upon me rather upon my own Countreymen then upon Indians and strangers The Provinciall replyed unto me that my Countrey men were Heretickes and when I came amongst them they would hang me up I told him I hoped better things of them and that I would not behave my selfe among them so as to deserve hanging not daring to tell him what was in my heart concerning points of Religion After a long discourse I found the Provinciall inexorable and halfe angry telling me that he and that whole Province had cast their eyes upon me and honoured me and were ready and willing to promote me further and that I would shew my selfe very ungratefull unto them if I should forsake them for my owne nation and people whom I had not knowne from my young and tender age I perceived there was no more to be said and all would be in vaine and so resolved to take my best opportunity and with my Licence from Rome to come away unknowne unto him But for the present I humbly beseeched him to remove me from Amatitlan for that I found my selfe unable to undergoe that great charge and too
was not yet for all this report the feare of being so neer the Spaniards hell as they call it that made me haste with speed out of that Town but fear of some messenger that might come after mee to stop my journy For at midnight I departed from thence and went to breake my fast to a great Town called Chalchuapan where the Indians made very much of mee being Pocomanes who spake the Poconchi or Pocoman tongue which I had learned They would willingly have had me to stay with them and preach unto them the next Sabbath which I would have done had not a better designe called upon mee to make haste Here I was troubled how I should get through St. Salvador which was a City of Spaniards and wherein there was a Cloister of Dominicans whom I feared most of all because I was known by some of them My resolution was therefore when I came neere unto the City to turn out of my way to a Spaniards Farm as if I had lost my way and there to delay the time till Evening in drinking Chocolatte discoursing and baiting my mules well that so I might travell all that night and bee out of the reach of that City and Fryers who lived in Indian Towns about it the next morning early This City of St. Salvador is poore not much bigger then Chiapa and is governed by a Spanish Governour It standeth forty leagues at least from Guatemala and towards the North Sea side is compassed with very high mountaines which are called Chuntales where the Indians are very poore In the bottome where the City standeth there are some Trabiches of Sugar some Indigo made but the chief Farmes are Estancia's of Cattell Towards Evening I departed from that Farm where I had well refreshed my selfe and my Mule and about eight of the clock I rid through the City not being known by any body My purpose was to bee the next morning at a great River called Rio de Lempa some ten leagues from St. Salvador for within two leagues of it there lived in an Indian Town a Fryer belonging to the Cloister of St. Salvador who knew mee very well But such haste I made that before break of the day I passed thuough that Town and before seven of the clock I was at the River where I found my Indian of Mixco ready to passe over with my carriage who that morning by three of the clock had set out of that Town two leagues off I was not a little glad to have overtaken my Chests wherein was most of my treasure There I sate down a while by the River whilst my mules grazed and my Indian struck fire and made me Chocolatte This River of Lempa is held the broadest and biggest in all the Jurisdiction belonging unto Guatemala there are constantly two Ferry Boats to passe over the Travellers and their Requa's of Mules This River is privileged in this manner that if a man commit any hainous crime or murther on this side of Guatemala and San Salvador or on the other side of St. Miguel or Nicaragua if hee can flie to get over this River he is free as long as hee liveth on the other side and no Justice on that side whither hee is escaped can question or trouble him for the murther committed So likewise for Debts hee cannot bee arrested Though I thanked God I neither fled for the one or for the other yet it was my comfort that I was now going over to a priviledged Country where I hoped I should bee free and sure and that if any one did come after mee hee would goe no further then to the River of Lempa My Blackmore did much laugh at this my conceipt and warranted mee that all would doe well Wee Ferried safely over the River and from thence went in company with my Indian to a little small Towne of Indians two leagues off where wee made the best dinner that we had done from the Towne of Petapa and willingly gave rest to all our mules till foure of the clocke in the afternoone at which time wee set forth to another small Town little above two leagues off through a plain sandy and Champaigne Country The next day wee had but ten leagues to travaile to a Town called St. Miguel which belongeth unto Spaniards and though it bee not a City yet is as bigge almost as San Salvador and hath a Spanish Governour in it there is one Cloister of Nuns and another of Mercenarian Fryers who welcomed mee unto their Cloister for here I began to shew my face and to think of felling away the Mule I rid on being resolved from hence to goe by water or an Arm of the Sea to a Town in Nicaragua called La Vieja I would here have dismissed my Indian but hee was loth to leave me untill I got to Granada where hee desired to see mee shipped I refused not his kind offer because I knew hee was trusty and had brought my Chests well thither and knew well the way to Granada So I sent him by land to Realejo or to La Vieja which stand very neere together and thirty leagues by land from St. Miguel and my self stayed that day and till the next day at noon in that Town where I sold the mule I rid on because I knew that from Realojo to Granada I could have of the Indians a Mule for nothing for a dayes journey My Blackmores mule I sent also by land with the Indian and the next day went to the Gulfe being three or foure miles from St. Miguel where that afternoone I tooke Boat with many other passengerâ—… and the next morning by eight in the morning was at La Vieja which journey by land would have taken mee up neere three dayes The next day my Indian came at night and wee went to Realejo as I have observed before a Haven very weak and unfortified on the South Sea where if I would have stayed one fortnight I might have taken shipping for Panama to goe from thence to Portabelo and there stay for the Galeons from Spain But I considered that the Galeons would not be here till Iune or July and that so I should be at great charges in staying so long But afterwards I wished I had accepted of that occasion for I was at last forced to goe to Panama and Portabelo From hence to Granada I observed nothing but the plainnesse and pleasantnesse of the way which with the fruits and fertility of all things may well make Nicaragua the Paradise of America Betweene Realejo and Granada standeth the City of Leon neere unto a Vulcan of fire which formerly burst out at the top and did much hurt unto all the Country about but since that it hath ceased and now letteth the Inhabitants live without feare Sometimes it smokes a little which sheweth that as yet there is within some sulphurous substance Here it was that a Mercenarian Fryer thought to have discovered some great treasure which might inrich himselfe and
have their being to comfort us againe with hopes of life sending us a prosperous gale which drove us out of that Equinoctiall heat and stormy Sea towards the Islands of Perlas and Puerta de Chame lying on the South side of the Mountaines of Veragua from whence wee hoped within two dayes at the most to be at rest and Anchor at Panama But yet these our hopes were frustrated for there our wind was calmed and we fell upon those strong Corrientes or streams which drave us back in the night for the space of almost a fortnight as much as wee had sailed in the day Had not God againe been merciful here unto us we had certainly perished in this our striving with the stream for although wee wanted not provision of food yet our drink falled us so that for foure dayes wee tasted neither drop of wine or water or any thing that might quench our thirst save onely a little hony which wee found did cause more thirst in us which made mee and some others to drink our own Urine and to refresh our mouthes with peeces of lead bullets which did for a while refresh but would not long have sufficed Nature had not Gods good Providence sent us such a wind which in the day drave us quite off from those Corrientes Our first thoughts were then to strike either to the Continent or some Island of many which were about us to seek for water finding our bodies weak and languishing which the Captaine of the Ship would by no meanes yeeld unto assuring us that that day hee would land us at Panama but wee not being able to saile on without drink unlesse wee should yeeld to have our dead and not live bodies landed where hee promised thought it no good purchase though we might buy all Panama with our lives which wee judged could not hold out another day and seeing that the wind began to slacken we all required him to strike into some Island for water which he stubbornly refused and denyed to doe whereupon the three Spaniards and some of the Mariners mutined against him with drawn Swords threatning to kill him if he betooke not himselfe presently to some Island The good Master thought it bad sport to see Swords at his breast and so commanded his Ship to bee turned to two or three Islands which were not above two or three houres sail from us When we drew nigh unto them wee cast our Anchor and our Cock-boat and happy was hee that could first cast himself into it to be rowed to land to fill his belly with water The first Island wee landed upon was on that side unhabitable where wee spent much time running to and fro over heating our selves and increasing our thirst thus whilst one ran one way and another tryed another to find out some fountain our hopes being frustrated and I lost in the Wood and my shooes torne from my feeâ—… with stony rocks and many thornes and bushes in other places my company betook themselves to the Cock-boat to try another Island leaving mee alone and lost in the Wood out of which at last when I came and found the Cock-boat gone from the shore I began to consider my self a dead man thinking that they had found water and were gone to Ship and not finding mee would â—…oise up their sailes for Panama Thus being dejected I cryed out to the Ship which I perceived could not possibly hear my weak voyce and running up and down the Rocks to see if I could discover the Cock-boat I perceived it was not with the Ship and espied it at the next Island With this I began to hope better things of them that they would call for mee when they had gotten water so I came down from the Rocks to the plain shore where I found a shade of trees and amongst them some berries which might have been poison for I knew them not wherewith I refreshed my mouth for a while but my body so burned that I thought there with heat weaknesse and faintnesse I should have expired and given up the Ghost I thought by stripping my selfe naked and going into the Sea unto my neck I might thus refresh my body which I did and comming out againe into the shade I fell into a deep sleep in so much that the Cock-boat comming for mee and the company hollowing unto mee I awaked not which made them feare that I was dead or lost till landing one searched for mee one way and another another and so they found me who might have been a prey to some wild Beast or slept till the Frigat had gone away and so have perished in a barren and unhabitable Island When they awaked mee I was glad to see my good company and the first thing I enquired for was if they had got any water they bad mee bee of good cheere and arise for they had water enough and Oranges and Lemmons from another Island where they met with Spaniards that did inhabit it I made haste with them to the Boat and no sooner was I entred into it but they gave mee to drink as much as I would The water was warme and unsetled for they could not take it up so but that they tooke of the gravell and bottome of the Fountain which made it looke very muddy yet for all this as though my life had depended upon it I drank up a whole pot of it which no sooner had I dranke but such was the weaknesse of my stomack that it presently cast it up againe not being able to beare it With this they wished me to eat an Orange or a Lemmon but them also did my stomack reject so to our Frigat wee went and in the way I fainted so that the company verily thought I would die before wee got aboard When wee came thither I called againe for water which was no sooner downe my stomack but presently up again they had mee to bed with a burning Feaver upon mee where I lay that night expecting nothing but death and that the Sea should bee my grave The Master of the Ship seeing the wind was turned began to bee much troubled and feared that with that wind he should never get to Panama He resolved to venture upon a way which never before hee had tryed which was to get between the two Islands which wee had searched for water knowing that the wind which on this side was contrary on the other side of the Islands would bee favourable unto him Thus towards the Evening hee tooke up Anchor and hoised up his sailes and resolved to passe his Frigat betwen the two Islands which how dangerous and desperate an attempt it was the event witnessed I lay in this season as I may truely say upon my death bed not regarding which way the Master of the Ship or fortune carried mee so that the mercy of the Lord carryed my soule to heaven No sooner had the Frigat steered her course between the narrow passage of the two Islands
jewels that the dead King was wont to weare so that it seemed a gallant Idoll At the foot of the Temple staires they opened a grave ready made which was square large two fadome deepe it was also hanged with new mats round about and a faire bed therein in the which one of the Preists placed the Idoll made of ashes with his eyes towards the East part and did hang round about the walls Targets of gold and silver with bowes and arrows and many gallant tuffes of feathers with earthen vessels as pots dishes and platters so that the grave was filled up with houshold-stuffe chests covered with leather apparell Jewels meate drinke and armour This done the grave was shut up and made sure with beames boardes and floored with earth on the top All those Gentlemen who had served or touched any thing in the buriall washed themselves and went to dinner in the Court or yard of the Kings house without any table and having dined they wiped their hands upon certain lockes of Cotton-wooll hanging downe their heads and not speaking any word except it were to aske for drinke This ceremonie endured five daies and in all that time no fire was permitted to be kindled in the City except in the Kings house and Temples nor yet any corne was ground or market kept nor any durst goe out of their houses shewing all the sorrow that might be possible for the death of their King And this was the superstitious manner of burying the Kings of Mechoacan This people did punish adultery most rigorously for to commit it was death as well for the man as the womâ—…n But if the adulterer were a Gentleman his head was decked with feathers and after that he was hanged and his body burned and for this offence was no pardon either for man or woman But for avoiding of adultery they did permit other common womâ—…n but no publike and ordinary stewes Now the Indians of Mechoacan are greatly taken with the popish devices and are strong in that religion as any part of America The fourth and last Province of the Countrey or Empire of Mexico is called Galicia nova and is watered with two very great rivers the one named Piastle and the other San Sâ—…stian This Province glorieth in many great Townes of Indians but especially in â—…ix inhabited both by Indians and Spaniards the first and chiefest is Xalisco taken by Nunio dâ—… Guzman 1530. when he fled from Mexico in a rage and tooke prisoner and burned the King of Mechoâ—… The second is Guadalaiara The third Coanum The fourth Compostelâ—… The fifth St. Espirit The sixth Copala which now is called Nova Mexico new Mexico And here it is that the Spaniards are daily warring against the Indians which live Northward and are not as yet reduced nor brought under the Spanish yoake and government They are valiant Indians and hold the Spaniards hard to it and have great advantage against them in the rocks and mountaines where they abide and cut off many Spaniards Their chief weapons are but bowes and arrowes and yet with them from the thick Woods hils and rockes they annoy and offend the Spaniards exceedingly I have heard some Spaniards say that they flie and climbe up the rocks like Goates and when they draw nigh unto them then they cry out with a hideous noise shooting their arrowes at them and in an instant are departed and fled unto another rock The reson why the Spaniards are so earnest to pursue and conquer these Indians more then many others of America which as yet are not brought in subjection to the Spaniards is for the many Mines of silver and treasure of gold which they know to bee there They have got already sure possession oâ—… part of those riches in the Mines called St. Lewis Sacatecas from whence they send all the silver that is coyned in the Mint houses of Mexico and the City of Angels and every yeere besides to Spain in silver wedges at least six Millions But the further the Spaniards goe to the North still more riches they discover and faine would they subdue all those Northern parts as I have heard them say lest our English from Virginia and their other plantations get in before them I have heard them wonder that our English enter no further into the maine land surely say they either they feare the Indians or else with a little paultry Tobacco they have as much as will maintaine them in lazinesse Certainly they intend to conquer through those heathenish Indians untill by land they come to Florida and Virginia for so they boast if they bee not met with by some of our Northern Nations of Europe who may better keep them off then those poor Indians and may doe God greater and better service with those rich Mines then the Spaniards hitherto have done Thus having spoken somewhat of the foure Provinces of Mexico which was the first member of the division Mexican and Peruan Now I shall briefly say somewhat further of three more Countries belonging to the Mexican or Northern Tract as opposite to the Peruan omiting Florida Virginia Norumbega Nova Francia Corterialis and Estotilandia because I will not write as many doe by relation and hearsay but by more sure intelligence insight and experience In my first division next to Mexico I placed Quivira Iâ—…eatan and Nicaragua of these three therefore I shall say a little and then somewhat of the Peruan part Quivira is seated on the most Western part of America just over against Tartary from whence being not much distant some suppose that the Inhabitants first came into this new World And indeed the Indians of America in many things seeme to bee of the race and progenie of the Tartars in that Quivira and all the Westside of the Country towards Asia is farre more populous then the East towards Europe which sheweth these parts to have been first inhabited Secondly their uncivility and barbarous properties tell us that they are most like the Tartars of any Thirdly the West side of America if it bee not continent with Tartary is yet disjoyned by a small straight Fourthly the people of Quivira neerest to Tartary are said to follow the seasons and pasturing of their cattell like the Tartarians All this side of America is full of herbage and injoyeth a temperate aire The people are desirous of glasse more then of gold and in some places to this day are Cannibals The chief riches of this Country are their Kine which are to them as we say of our Ale to drunkards meat drink and cloth and more too For the Hides yeeld them houses or at least the coverings of them their bones bodkins their hair thred their finews ropes their horns mawes and bladders vessels their dung fire their Calve skinnes budgets to draw and keepe water their blood drink their flesh meat There is thought to bee some traffique from China or Cathaya hither to those parts where as yet the Spaniards have not entred For
when Uazquez de Coronado conquered some part of it hee saw in the further Sea certaine ships not of common making which seemed to bee well laden and bare in their prowes Pelicans which could not bee conjectured to come from any Country but one of these two In Quivira there are but two Provinces knowne unto us which are Cibola and Nova Albion Cibola lyeth on the Eastside whose chief City is of the same name and denominates the whole Province The chief Town next to Cibola is called Totontaa which is temperate and pleasant being situated upon a River so called The third Town worth mentioning is called Tinguez which was burnt by the Spaniards who under the conduct of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado made this Province subject to the King of Spain Anno Dom. 1540. And since this Town of Tinguez hath been rebuilt and inhabited by the Spaniards There is a goodly Colledge of Jesuites who only preach to the Indians of that country Nova Albion lyeth on the West side towards Tartary and is very little inhabited by the Spaniards who have found no wealth or riches there Our ever Renowned and Noble Captain Sir Francis Drake discovered it entred upon it and hee named it Nova Albion because the King that then was did willingly submit himself unto our Queen Elizabeth The Country abounds with fruits pleasing both the eye and the Palate The people are given to hospitality but withall to witchcraft and adoration of devils The bounds between this Quivira and Mexico Empire is Mar Virmiglio or Californio The third Kingdome belonging to the Mexican part and Northern Tract is Iucatan which was first discovered by Francisco Hernandez de Cordova in the year 1517. It is called Iucatan not as some have conceited from Ioctan the son of Heber who they thinke came out of the East where the Scripture placeth him Gen. 12. 23. to inhabite here but from Iucatan which in the Indian tongue fignifieth what say you for when the Spaniards at their first arriving in that Country did aske of the Indians the name of the place the Savages not understanding what they meaned replyed unto them Iucatan which is what say you whereupon the Spaniards named it and ever since have called it Iucatan The whole Country is at least 900. miles in circuit and is a Peninsulâ—… It is situated over against the Isle of Cuba and is divided into three parts first Iucatan it selfe whose Cities of greatest worth are Campeche Ualladolid Merida Simaricas and one which for his greatnesse and beauty they call Caire This Country among the Spaniards is held to bee poor the chief Commodities in it are hony wax Hides and some Sugar but no Indigo Cochinil nor Mines of silver There are yet some drugs much esteemed of by the Apothecaries Cana fistula Zarzaparilla especially and great store of Indian Maiz. There is also abundance of good Wood and Timber fit for shipping whereof the Spaniards doe make very strong ships which they use in their voiages to Spain and back again In the yeer 1632. the Indians of this Country in many places of it were like to rebell against their Spanish Governour who vexed them sorely making them bring in to him their Fowles and Turkies whereof there is also great abundance and their hony and wax wherein hee traded at the rate and price which hee pleased to set them for his better advantage which was such a disadvantage to them that to enrich him they impoverished themselves and so resolved to betake themselves to the Woods and Mountaines where in a rebellious way they continued some Months untill the Franciscan Fryers who have there great power over them reduced them back and the Governour lest hee should quite lose that Country by a further rebellion granted to them not onely a generall pardon in the Kings name but for the future promised to use them more mildly and gently The second part of it is called Guatemala wherein I lived for the space of almost twelve yeers whose Inhabitants have lost formerly halfe a million of their kinsmen and friends by the unmercifull dealing of the Spaniards and yet for all the losse of so many thousands there is no part of America more flourishing then this with great and populous Indians Townes They may thank the Fryers who defend them daily against the Spaniards cruelty and this yet for their owne ends for while the Indians flourish and increase the Fryers purses flourish also and are filled This Country is very fresh and plentifull The chief Cities are Guatemala Cassuca and Chiapa whereof I shall speak more largely hereafter The third part of Iucatan is Acasamil which is an Island over against Guatemala which is now commonly called by the Spaniards Sta. Cruz whose chief Towne is Sta. Cruz. The fourth and last Country of the division of the Mexican part and Northern Tract of America which is under the Spanish Government and my best knowledge and eâ—…perience is Nicaragua which standeth South East from Mexico and above foure hundred and fifty leagues from it Yet it agreeth somewhat with Mexico in nature both of soile and Inhabitants The people are of good stature and of colour indifferent white They had before they received Christianity a setled and politick forme of Government Onely as Sâ—…n appointed no Law for a mans killing of his father so had this people none for the murtherer of a King both of them conceiting that men were not so unnaturall as to commit such crimes A theef they judged not to death but adjudged him to be slave to that man whom hee had robbed till by his service hee had made satistaction a course truely more mercifull and not lesse just then the losse of life This Countrey is so pleasing to the eye and abounding in all things necessary that the Spaniards call it Mahomets Paradise Among other flourishing trees here groweth one of that nature that a man cannot touch any of its branches but it withereth presently It is as plentifull of Parrets as our Countrey of England is of Crowes Turkies Fowles Quailes and Rabbets are ordinary meat there There are many populous Indian Townes though not so many as about Guatemala in this Countrey and especially two Cities of Spaniards the one Leon a Bishops Seat and the other Granada which standeth upon a Lake of fresh water which hath above three hundred miles in compasse and having no intercourse with the Ocean doth yet continually ebbe and flow But of this Countrey and of this City especially I shall say somewhat more when I come to speake of my travailing through it Thus I have briefly touched upon the Mexican part and so much of the Northern Tract as is under the King of Spain his Dominion leaving more particulars untill I come to shew the order of my being in and journeying through some of these Countries I will now likewise give you a glimpse of the Southern Tract and Peruan part of America Which containeth chiefly five great Countries or