A NEW SURVEY OF THE WEST-INDIES. (continued 9)

When we came to Coban we were well refreshed and provided for a hard and dangerous enterprize. From Coban we marched to two great Townes of Christians called St. Peter, and St. John, where were added unto us a hundred Indians for our further assistance. From these Towns two daies journey we could travail on Mules safely among Christians and some small villages; but after the two daies we drew neer unto the Heathens Frontiers, where there was no more open way for Mules, but we must trust unto our feet. We went up and down mountaines amongst woods for the space of two daies, being much discouraged with the thickets and hardnesse of the way, and having no hope of finding out the Heathens. In the night we kept watch and guard for feare of enemies, and resolved yet the third day to goe forward. In the mountaines we found many sorts of fruits and in the bottomes springs and brookes with many trees of Cacao and Achiotte. The third day we went on, and came to a low valley, in the midst whereof ran a shallow river, where we found some Milpa's or plantations of Maiz. These were a testimony unto us of some Indians not far off, and therefore made us keep together and be in readinesse, if any assault or onset should be made upon us by the Heathens. Whilst we thus travelled on, we suddenly fell upon halfe a dozen poore cottages, covered with boughes and plantin leaves, and in them wee found three Indian women, two men and five young children, all naked, who faine would have escaped, but they could not. We refreshed our selves in their poore cottages and gave them of our provision, which at the first they refused to eat, howling and crying and pulling, till Moran had better incouraged and comforted them, whose language they partly understood. We clothed them and tooke them along with us, hoping to make them discover unto us some treasure or some bigger plantation. But that day they were so sullen that we could get nothing out of them. Thus we went on, following some tracks which here and there we found of Indians, till it was almost evening, and then we did light upon above a dozen cottages more, and in them a matter of twenty men, women, and children, from whom we tooke some bows and arrowes, and found there store of plantins, some fish, and wild Venison, wherewith we refreshed our selves. These told us of a great Towne two daies journey off, which made us be very watchfull that night. Here I began with some more of our company to be sick and weary, so that the next day I was not able to goe any further; whereupon we resolved to set up our quarters there, and to send out some scouts of Indians and Spaniards to discover the country, who found further more cottages and plantations of Maiz, of Chile, of Turkey beans, and Cotton-wooll, but no Indians at all, for they were all fled. Our scouts returned, and gave us some incouragement from the pleasantnesse of the Country; but withall wished us to be watchfull and carefull, for that certainly the flight of those Indians was a signe that our coming was noised about the Country. The next day we purposed to move forward to that plantation which our scouts had discovered, being (as we were informed) safer and more open to foresee any danger ready to befall us. All these plantations lay along by the river, where the sun was exceeding hot, which had caused feavers and a flux in some of us. With much wearinesse and faintnesse I got that day to our journeys end, beginning now to repent mee of what I was ingaged in and on foot, and fearing some suddain danger, by reason our coming was now known by the Indians. The prisoners we had with us began to tell us of some gold that they did sometimes find in that river, and of a great lake yet forward, about which did inhabit many thousand Indians, who were very warlike, and skilfull in their bows and arrows. The one incouraged some, the other much discouraged the rest, who wished themselves out of those woods and unknown places, and began to murmur against Moran, who had been the cause of their ingagement in that great danger. Our night was set, and I and the rest of the sick Spaniards went to rest, some upon the bare ground, but my self and others in hamacca's, which are of net work tied at two posts or trees, and hanging in the aire, which with the least stirring of the body, rocke one asleep as in a Cradle. Thus I tooke my rest till about midnight; at which time our watches gave an alarm against our approaching enemies, who were thought to be about a thousand. They came desperately towards us, and when they saw they were discovered, and our drums beat up, and our fowling peeces and muskets began to shoot, they hollowed and cried out with a hideous noise, which uproar and suddain affrightment, added sweat and fear to my feaver. But Moran (who came to confesse with mee, and to prepare himselfe for death or for some deadly wound) comforted me, wishing me to fear nothing, and to lie still, for that I could doe them no good, and that lesse was my danger then I apprehended, because our Souldiers had compassed me about, so that on no side the Heathens could come in, and flie we could not without the losse of all our lives. The skirmish lasted not above an hour, and then our enemies began to flie back. We tooke ten of them, and in the morning found thirteen dead upon the ground, and of ours five onely were wounded, whereof one died the next day.

In the morning our Souldiers began to mutiny and to talke of returning back, fearing a worse and more violent onset that day or the night following, for some of the Indians who were taken, told them plainly that if they went not away there would come six or seven thousand against them. They told us further, that they knew well that the Spaniards had all the country about, except that little portion of theirs, which they desired to enjoy quietly and peaceably, and not to meddle with us, but rather if we would see their countrey and goe through it as friends, they would let us without doing us any hurt; but if we came in a warlike manner to fight and to bring them into slavery, as we had done their neighbours, they were all resolved to die fighting rather then to yeeld. With these words our Souldiers were divided, some with Moran were of opinion to try the Indians, and to go peaceably through their Country til they could come to some Towne of Jucatan; others were of opinion to fight, others to return back again, considering their weakenesse against so many thousands of Indians as were in the Country. But that day nothing was agreed upon, for that we could not stir by reason of the sick and wounded. So we continued there that night, and as the night before much about the same time the enemies came againe upon us, but finding us ready and watching for them, they soone fled. In the morning we resolved to returne back, and Moran sent the Heathens word, that if they would let him goe through their country quietly to discover some land of Jucatan, he would after a few monthes come peaceably unto them with halfe a dozen Indians, no more, trusting his life upon them; whom he knew if they wronged, all the Spaniards in the country would rise up against them, and not leave one alive. They answered that they would entertaine him, and any few Indians well and willingly; all which Moran and they performed according to their agreement the next yeer following.

Thus we returned that day backe the same way that we had come, and I began to find my self better, and my feaver to leave me. We carried with us some of those young children which we had taken, to present them unto the President of Guatemala. And in Coban the Prior Moran thought he might first do God good service if he christened those yong children, saying that they might become Saints, and that afterwards their prayers might prevaile with God for the conversion of their parents and of all that country to Christianity. I could not but oppose this his ignorance, which seemed much like unto that of the Friers who entred America with Cortez, and increased after the conquest daily more in number, who boasted to the Emperour, that they had some of them made above thirty thousand Indians Christians by baptizing them; which truely they did as sheep are forced to the waters and driven to be washed; so were those first Indians by thousands sprinkled (or if I may use their word, baptized) for they were driven by compulsion & force to the rivers, neither were they first principled in any grounds of belief and Christianity, neither themselves beleevers, nor children of of beleeving and faithfull parents. So would Moran christen these children, though I told him that they ought not to partake of that sacrament and Ordinance of Christ, unlesse they were grounded in articles of Christianity and beleeved, or were children of beleeving parents. But as he had been brought up in errours, whereof that Church of Rome is a wide and spatious nest, so he would be obstinate in this point against me and the truth, sprinkling with water those children, and naming them with names of Christians. After this he sent them well apparelled to the President of Guatemala, who commanded them to be kept, and brought up in the Cloister of the Dominican Friers.

I remained after this for a while in Coban, and in the Townes about, untill such time as the ships came to the Gulfe; whither I went with Moran to buy wines, oyle, iron, cloth and such things as the Cloister wanted for the present. At which time there being a frigate ready to depart to Truxillo (some occasions drawing Moran thither) I tooke ship with him. We staied not much above a week in that Port (which is a weak one, as the English and Hollanders taking of it can witnesse) but presently we thought of returning back to Guatemala by land through the countrey of Comayagua, commonly called Honduras. This is a woody and mountainous countrey, very bad and inconvenient for Travellers, and besides very poore; there the commodities are Hides, Canna fistula, and Zarzaparilla, and such want of bread, that about Truxillo they make use of what they call Cassave, which is a dry root, that being eaten dry doth choak, and therefore is soaked in broth, water, wine or Chocolatte, that so it may go down. Within the Countrey, and especially about the City of Comayagua (which is a Bishops seat, though a small place of some five hundred inhabitants at the most) there is more store of Maiz by reason of some Indians, which are gathered to Townes, few and small. I found this Countrey one of the poorest in all America. The chief place in it for health and good living is the valley which is called Gracias a Dios, there are some rich farms of Cattle and Wheat; but because it lieth as neer to the Countrey of Guatemala as to Comayagua, and on this side the waies are better then on that, therefore more of that Wheat is transported to Guatemala and to the Townes about it, then to Comayagua or Truxillo. From Truxillo to Guatemala there are between fourescore and a hundred leagues, which we travelled by land, not wanting in a barren Countrey neither guides nor provision, for the poore Indians thought neither their personall attendance, nor any thing that they enjoyed too good for us.

Thus we came again to Guatemala, and were by the Friers joyfully entertained, and by the President highly rewarded, and by the City called true Apostles, because we had ventured our lives for the discovery of Heathens, and opened a way for their conversion, and found out the chief place of their residence, and sent before us those children to the City, who witnessed with being in the Cloister our pains and indeavours. Moran was so puffed up with the Presidents favour, and the popular applause, that he resolved in Guatemala to venture again his life, and, according to that message which he had sent before to the Heathen Indians, to enter amongst them in a peaceable way with halfe a dozen Indians. He would fain have had me gone with him; but I considered the hardnesse of the journey, which I thought I should not be able to perform on foot; and also I feared that the Barbarians might mutiny against us for those children which we had brought; and lastly I liked not the Countrey, which seemed poore and not for my purpose, to get meanes sufficient to bring me home to England, which was the chiefest thought and desire of my heart for the satisfaction of my conscience, which I found still unquiet. Wherefore I resolved to forsake the company of my friend Moran, and to desist from new discoveries of Heathens, and such difficult undertakings, which might endanger my health and life, and at last bring no profit, but only a little vain glory, fame and credit in that Countrey. I thought I might better employ my time, if I learned some Indian tongue neerer to Guatemala, where I considered the riches of the Townes, the readinesse of the Indians, and their willingnesse to further their Preists wants; and lastly, their ignorance in some points of Religion, which I thought I might help and clear with some sound doctrin, and with preaching Christ crucified unto them, and bringing them unto that rock of eternall blisse and salvation. I trusted in my friends so much, that I knew it would not be hard for me to take my choice of any place about Guatemala; from whence I might facilitate my returne to England, and write to Spain, and have every yeer an answer easier then any where else. I opened my mind unto the Provinciall (who was then at Guatemala) and he presently and willingly condescended to my request, and counselled me to learn the Poconchi language, (whereof I had already got some grounds in the Vera Paz) which is most used about Guatemala, and also is much practised in Vera Paz, and in the Countrey of San Salvador. He promised to send me to the Town of Petapa, to learne there the language, with a speciall friend of his named Frier Peter Molina, who was very old, and wanted the help and company of some younger person to ease him in the charge that lay upon him, of so great a Towne, and many Travellers that passed that way. The Provinciall as if he had knowne my mind, pitched upon my very hearts desire; and thus two weeks before Midsummer day I departed from Guatemala to Petapa, which is six leagues from thence, and there setled my selfe to learn that Indian tongue. The Friers of those parts that are any way skilful in the Indian languages, have composed Grammars & Dictionaries for the better furthering of others who may supply their places after their decease; but whilst they live are unwilling to teach the languages unto others, lest their schollers should after a good and well grounded knowledge of the tongues, supplant their own Masters, and be means of taking from them that great profit which they have by living as Curates in the Indian Townes. Yet this old Molina considering himselfe in yeers, and for his good friends sake the Provinciall, was not unwilling to accept of my company, and to impart unto me what knowledge he had got by many yeers practice of the Poconchi tongue. He gave me therefore a short abstract of all the rudiments belonging unto it, which did consist chiefely of declining Nounes, and conjugating Verbs, (which I easily learned in the first fortnight that I had been with him) and then a Dictionary of Indian words, which was all the rest of my study to get without book, untill I was able of my selfe to preach unto the Indians, which with much easinesse I obtained by discoursing and conferring with them, what with my private study I had learned.

After the first six weeks Molina writ downe for me in the tongue a short exhortation, which he expounded to me, and wished me to learne it without booke, which I preached publikely upon the feast of St. James. After this he gave me another short exhortation in Spanish, to be preached upon the fifteenth of August, which he made me translate into the Indian tongue, and he corrected in it what he found amisse, wherewith I was a little more emboldened, and feared not to shew my selfe in publick to the Indians. This practice I continued three or four times untill Michaelmas, preaching what with his help I had translated out of Spanish, untill I was able to talke with the Indians alone, and to make mine own Sermons. After Michaelmas Molina being not a little vain glorious of what he had done with me, in perfecting me in an unknowne tongue in so short a space, which was very little above one quarter of the yeer, writ unto the Provinciall acquainting him of what paines he had taken with me, and of the good successe of his endeavours, assuring him that I was now fit to take a charge of Indians upon me, and to preach alone, further desiring him that he would bestow upon me some Indian Towne and Benefice where I might by constant preaching practice and further that which with so much facility I had learned. The Provinciall (who had alwaies been my friend) needed not spurs to stir him up to shew more and more his love and kindnesse unto me; but immediately sent me order to goe unto the two Townes of Mixco and Pinola, and to take charge of the Indians in them, and to give quarterly an account of what I received thence unto the Cloister of Guatemala, unto which all that valley did appertaine. All the Indian Townes and the Friers that live in them are subordinate unto some Cloister; and the Friers are called by their Superiours to give up for the Cloisters use what monies they have spared, after their own and their servants lawfull maintenance. Which Order yet in Peru is not observed, for there the Friers who are once beneficed in Indian Towns, depend not upon any Cloister, but keep all that they get for themselves, and so receive not from their Cloisters any clothing, or help for their provision, neither give they any account to their Superiours, but keep, clothe and maintain themselves, with what offerings and other duties fall unto them from the Indians; which is the cause that the Friers of Peru are the richest in all the India's, and live not like Friers but rather like Lords, and game and Dice publikely without controul. But the Friers of Guatemala, Guaxaca, and Mexico, though they have enough and more then is well sutable to their vow and profession of poverty, yet they enjoy not the liberty of the Peruan Friers in their Indian Benefices; for what is over and above their expences, they give to their Superiours, and from them they receive every month a jar of wine, of an Arrobe and a halfe, and every yeer a new habit with other clothing. Yet with what I have said I must not excuse the Friers of Guatemala from liberty, and the enjoyment of wealth and riches; for they also game and sport, and spend, and fill their bags, and where in their accounts and reckonings to the Cloisters they might well give up in a yeer five hundred Crownes besides their own expences, they give up peradventure three hundred, and usurpe the rest for themselves, and their vain and idle uses; and trade and traffique under hand with Merchants against their vow of poverty.

With this subordination therefore (which I have shewed) unto the Prior and Cloister of Guatemala, I was sent to preach unto the Indians of Mixco and Pinola, from whence for my sake was removed an old Frier of almost fourscore yeers of age, and called to his Cloister to rest, who was not able to performe the charge which lay upon him of two Townes, three leagues distant one from another. The setled means for maintenance which I enjoyed in these Townes, and the common offerings and duties which I received from the Indians was this. In Mixco I was allowed every moneth twenty Crownes, and in Pinola fifteen, which was punctually payed by the Alcaldes and Regidores, Maiors and Jurates, before the end of the moneth; for which payment, the Townes sowed a common peece of land with Wheat or Maiz, and kept their book of accounts, wherein they set downe what crops they yeerly received, what monies they tooke in for the sale of their Corne, and in the same booke I was to write downe what every moneth I received from them; which booke at the yeers end they were to present to be examined by some officer appointed thereunto by the Court of Guatemala. Besides this monthly allowance, I had from the Sodalities of the soules in Purgatory every week in each Town two Crownes for a Masse; every moneth two Crownes in Pinola upon the first Sunday of the moneth from the Sodalitie of the Rosary; and in Mixco likewise every month from three Sodalities of the Rosary of the Virgin Mary, which were there belonging unto the Indians, the Spaniards, and the Black-mores, two Crownes a peece. Further from two more Sodalities belonging to the Vera Cruz, or the Crosse of Christ, every moneth two Crownes a peece. And in Mixco from a Sodality of the Spaniards belonging to St. Nicolas de Tolentino, two Crowns every month. And from a Sodality of St. Blas in Pinola every moneth two more Crownes; and finally in Mixco from a Sodality entituled of St. Jacintho every moneth yet two Crownes; besides some offerings, of either mony, fowles, or candles, upon those daies whereon these Masses were sung; all which amounted to threescore and nine Crowns a month, which was surely setled and paid before the end of the moneth. Besides from what I have formerly said of the Saints statues which doe belong unto the Churches, and doe there constantly bring both mony, fowles, candles, and other offerings upon their day, unto the Preist, the yeerly revenues which I had in those two Towns will appear not to have been small; for in Mixco there were in my time eighteen Saints Images, and twenty in Pinola; which brought unto me upon their day four Crowns a peece for Masse and Sermon, and procession, besides fowles, Turkeys and Cacao, and the offerings before the Saints, which commonly might bee worth at least three Crowns upon every Saints day, which yeerly amounted to at least two hundred, threescore and six Crownes. Besides the Sodalities of the Rosary of the Virgin, (which as I have before said were foure, three in Mixco, and one in Pinola) upon five severall feasts of the yeer (which are most observed by the Church of Rome) brought unto me four Crownes, two for the dayes Masse, and two for a Masse the day following, which they call the Anniversarie for the dead, who had belonged unto those Sodalities, which besides those daies offerings (which sometimes were more, sometimes lesse) and the Indians presents of fowles and Cacao, made up yeerly fourscore Crowns more. Besides this, the two Sodalities of the Vera Cruz upon two feasts of the Crosse; the one upon the fourteenth of September, the other upon the third of May, brought four Crownes a peece for the Masse of the day, and the Anniversary Masse following, and upon every Friday in Lent two Crownes, which in the whole yeer came to four and fourty Crownes; all which above reckoned, was as a sure rent in those two Townes. But, should I spend time to reckon up what besides did accidentally fall, would be tedious. The Christmas offerings in both those two Townes, were worth to me when I lived there at least fourty Crownes. Thursday and Friday offerings before Easter day were about a hundred Crownes; all Soules day offerings commonly worth fourescore Crownes; and Candlemas day offerings commonly forty more. Besides what was offered upon the Feast of each Town by all the Country which came in, which in Mixco one yeer was worth unto mee in Candles and money fourescore Crownes, and in Pinola (as I reckoned it) fifty more. The Communicants (every one giving a Riall) might make up in both Towns at least a thousand Rials; and the Confessions in Lent at least a thousand more, besides other offerings of Eggs, Hony, Cacao, Fowles and Fruits. Every Christening brought two Rials, every Marriage two Crowns, every ones death two Crowns more at least; and some in my time dyed, who would leave ten or twelve Crownes for five or six Masses to bee sung for their soules.

Thus are those fooles taught that by the Preists singing their soules are delivered from weeping, and from the fire and torments of Purgatory; and thus by singing all the yeer doe those Fryers charme from the poore Indians and their Sodalities and Saints an infinite treasure wherewith they inrich themselves and their Cloisters; as may bee gathered from what I have noted by my owne experience in those two Townes of Mixco and Pinola, (which were farre inferiour yet to Petapa and Amatitlan in the same Valley, and not to bee compared in offerings and other Church duties to many other Townes about that Country) which yet yeelded unto mee with the offerings cast into the Chests which stood in the Churches for the souls of Purgatory, and with what the Indians offered when they came to speake unto mee (for they never visit the Preist with empty hands) and with what other Masse stipends did casually come in, the summe of at least two thousand Crownes of Spanish money, which might yeerly mount to five hundred English pounds. I thought this Benefice might bee a fitter place for mee to live in, then in the Cloister of Guatemala, wearying out my braines with points of false grounded Divinity for to get onely the applause of the Scholars of the University, and now and then some small profit; which I thought I might looke after as well as the rest of my profession, nay with more reason, for that I intended to return to England, and I knew I should have little help for so long a journey in leaving there my friends, if so bee that I made not my mony my best friend to assist mee by Sea and Land. My first indeavour was to certifie my selfe from the Book of Receipts and Accounts in the Cloister of Guatemala, what reckonings my Predecessor and others before him had given up to the Cloister yeerly from Mixco and Pinola, that I might regulate my selfe and my expenses so, as to be able to live with credit, and to get thanks from the Cloister by giving more then any before me had given. I found that four hundred crowns had been the most that my old Predecessour had given yeerly in his Accounts; and that before him little more was usually given from those two Towns; Whereupon I took occasion once in discourse with the Prior of Guatemala to aske what hee would willingly expect from mee yeerly whilst I lived in those two Towns; to which he replyed that if I upheld for my part the Cloisters usuall and yeerly Revenues, giving what my Predecessour had given, he would thanke me, and expect no more from mee, and that the rest that befell mee in those Towns, I might spend it in Books, Pictures, Chocolatte, Mules, and Servants; to which I made reply, that I thought I could live in that Benefice creditably enough, and yet give from it more to the Cloister then ever any other before mee had given, and that I would forfeit my continuing there if I gave not to the Cloister every year four hundred and fifty Crowns. The Prior thanked mee heartily for it, and told mee I should not want for wine, (wishing mee to send for it every moneth) nor for clothing, which hee would every yeer once bestow upon me. This I thought would save a great part of my charges, and that I was well provided for as long as I lived in the India's. And here I desire, that England may take notice how a Fryer that hath professed to be a Mendicant, being beneficed in America, may live with foure hundred pounds a yeer cleare, and some with much more, with most of his cloathing given him besides, and the most charge of his wine supplyed, with the abundance of Fowles, which cost him nothing, and with such plenty of Beef, as yeelds him thirteen pound for three pence? Surely well may hee game, buy good Mules, furnish his chamber with hangings, and rich pictures, and Cabinets, yea and fill them with Spanish Pistols, and peeces of eight, and after all trade in the Court of Madrid for a Mitre and fat Bishoprick, which commonly is the end of those proud worldly and lazy Lubbars.

After I was once setled in these my two Townes, my first care was to provide my selfe of a good mule, which might soon and easily carry mee (as often as occasion called) from the one Towne to the other. I soon found out one, which cost mee fourescore Crownes, which served my turn very well, to ride speedily the nine miles crosse the Valley, which were between the two Townes. Though my chief study here was to perfect my selfe in the Indian tongue, that I might the better preach unto them, and be well understood; yet I omitted not to search out the Scriptures daily, and to addict my selfe unto the Word of God, which I knew would profit mee more then all those riches and pleasures of Egypt, which for a while I saw I must enjoy, till my ten yeers were fully expired, and Licence from Rome or Spain granted for me to return to England, which I began speedily to sollicite by meanes of one Captain Isidro de Zepeda, a Sevill Merchant and Master of one of the Ships, which came that first yeer that I was setled in Mixco with Merchandize for Guatemala; By this Captain (who passed often through the Valley) I writ unto my friends in Spain and had answers, though at first to little purpose, which did not a little increase the troubles of my Conscience, which were great, and such whereof the wise man said, A wounded Conscience who can bear? My friendship with this Captain Zepeda was such, that I broke my mind unto him, desiring him to carry mee in his Ship to Spain; which he refused to doe, telling me the danger he might bee in, if complaint should be made to the President of Guatemala, and wishing me to continue where I was, & to store my self with mony that I might return with Licence and credit. I resolved therefore with David in the 16 Psal. and the 8. V. to set the Lord alwayes before me, and to choose him for my onely comfort, and to relie upon his providence who I knew only could order things for my good, and could from America bring me home to the House of Salvation, and to the houshold of Faith; from which I considered my self an exile, and farre banished. In the mean time I lived five full yeers in the two Townes of Mixco and Pinola. Where I had more occasion to get wealth and money, then ever any that lived there before mee; for the first yeer of my abiding there it pleased God to send one of the plagues of Egipt to that Country, which was of Locusts, which I had never seen till then. They were after the manner of our Grashoppers, but somewhat bigger, which did flye about in number so thick and infinite that they did truly cover the face of the Sun and hinder the shining forth of the beames of that bright planet. Where they lighted either upon trees or standing Corn, there nothing was expected but ruine, destruction and barrennesse; for the corn they devoured, the leaves and fruits of trees they eat and consumed, and hung so thick upon the branches, that with their weight they tore them from the body. The high waies were so covered with them that they startled the travelling Mules with their fluttering about their head and feet; my eyes were often struck with their wings as I rid along, and much a doe I had to see my way, what with a Montero wherewith I was faine to cover my face, what with the flight of them which were still before my eyes.

The Farmers towards the South Sea Coast, cryed out for that their Indigo which was then in grasse, was like to bee eaten up; from the Ingenio's of Sugar, the like moan was made, that the young and tender Sugar Canes would bee destroyed; but above all grievous was the outcry of the husbandmen of the Valley where I lived, who feared that their Corn would in one night be swallowed up by that devouring Legion. The care of the Magistrate was that the Townes of Indians should all goe out into the fields with Trumpets, and what other instruments they had to make a noise, and so to affright them from those places which were most considerable and profitable to the Common-wealth; and strange it was to see how the loud noise of the Indians and sounding of the Trumpets, defended some fields from the feare and danger of them. Where they lighted in the Mountaines and High wayes, there they left behind them their young ones, which were found creeping upon the ground ready to threaten with a second yeers plagues if not prevented; wherefore all the Townes were called with Spades, Mattocks and Shovels to dig long Trenches and therein to bury all the young ones.

Thus with much trouble to the poore Indians, and their great paines (yet after much hurt and losse in many places) was that flying Pestilence chased away out of the Country to the South Sea, where it was thought to bee consumed by the Ocean, and to have found a grave in the waters, whilst the young ones found it in the Land. Yet they were not all so buried, but that shortly some appeared, which not being so many in number as before were with the former diligence soon overcome. But whilst all this feare was, these outcries were made by the Country and this diligence performed by the Indians, the Preists got well by it; for every where Processions were made, and Masses sung for the averting of that Plague. In Mixco most of the idols were carryed to the field, especially the pictures of our Lady, and that of St. Nicolas Tolentine, in whose name the Church of Rome doth use to blesse little Breads and Wafers with the Saint stamped upon them; which they think are able to defend them from Agues, Plague, Pestilence, Contagion, or any other great and imminent danger. There was scarce any Spanish Husbandman who in this occasion came not from the Valley to the Town of Mixco with his offering to this Saint, and who made not a vow to have a Masse sung unto Saint Nicolas; they all brought breads to bee blessed, and carryed them back to their Farmes, some casting them into their Corn, some burying them in their hedges and fences, strongly trusting in Saint Nicolas, that his bread would have power to keepe the Locust out of their fields; and so at the last those simple, ignorant, and blinded soules, when they saw the Locusts departed and their Corn safe, cried out to our Lady some, others to Saint Nicolas, Milagro, a Miracle, Judging the Saint worthy of praise more then God, and performing to him their vows of Masses, which in their feare and trouble they had vowed, by which erroneous and idolatrous devotion of theirs I got that yeer many more Crownes then what before I have numbred from the Sodalities. The next yeere following, all that country was generally infected with a kinde of contagious sicknesse, almost as infectious as the Plague, which they call Tabardillo, and was a Feaver in the very inward parts and bowels, which scarce continued to the seventh day, but commonly tooke them away from the world to a grave the the third or fifth day. The filthy smell and stench which came from them, which lay sick of this disease was enough to infect the rest of the house, and all that came to see them; It rotted their very mouths and tongues, and made them as black as a coal before they died. Very few Spaniards were infected with this Contagion, but the Indians generally were taken with it. It was reported to have begun about Mexico, and to have spread from Town to Town, till it came to Guatemala, and went on forwards; and so likewise did the Locusts the yeer before, marching as it were from Mexico over all the Country. I visited many that died of this infection, using no other Antidote against it, save onely a handkercheif dipped in Vineger to smell unto, and I thanke God I escaped where many dyed. In Mixco, I buried ninety young and old, and in Pinola above an hundred; and for all these that were eight yeere old, or upwards, I received two Crownes for a Masse for their soules delivery out of Purgatory. See good Reader, whether the conceit of Purgatory have not been a maine policy of Rome to enrich the Preist and Clergy, with Masse stipends from such as die, making them beleeve that nothing else can helpe their soules if once plunged into that conceited fire; Where thou maist see that one contagious sicknesse in two small Townes of Indians brought unto me in lesse then half a yeer neere a hundred pounds for Masses, for almost two hundred that died. Nay such is the greedy covetousnesse of those Preists, that they will receive three or four Masse stipends for one day, making the people beleeve that the same Masse may bee offered up for many, and doe one soule as much good as another. Thus with the Plague of Locusts, and the contagion of sicknesse, for the first two yeers together had I an occasion to enrich my self, as did other Preists my neighbours. But think not that because so many died, therefore the Towns growing lesse my offerings for the future were lessened. The Encomendero's or Lords of the two Towns took care for that, who, that they might not lose any part of that Tribute which was formerly paid unto them, presently after the sicknesse was ceased, caused them to bee numbred, and (as I have in the Chapter before observed) forced to marriage all that were twelve yeers and upwards of age; which also was a new streame of Crownes flowing into my bagges; for from every couple that were married I had also two Crownes besides other offerings, and in both the Towns, I married in that occasion above fourescore Couple. Truly by all this, I thank the Lord, I was more strengthened in my conceit against the Church of Rome, and not with that greedinesse of that Lucre intised to continue in it, though I found the preferments there farre greater then any might bee in the Church of England, where I knew nothing was to bee got with singing, or hudling over a Masse; But yet though for the present my profit was great, my eyes were open to see the errours whereby that profit came so plentifully to mee, and to all that crew of Idolatrous Preists; The judgments ceased not here in that Country in my time; but after this contagion there was such an Inundation of rain that the husbandmen feared again the losse of all their Corn. At noone time the darke clouds for a month together began to thicken and cover the face of the heavens, powring down such stormy showres as swept away much Corn, and many poore Cottages of Indians; besides the raine, the fiery thunder bolts breaking through the clouds threatned a dolefull judgement to all the Country. In the Valley of Mixco two riding together were stricken dead from their Mules, the Chappel of our Lady of Carmel in the same valley was burnt to the ground, and likewise two houses at the river of Vaccas. In Petapa another flash of lightning, or thunderbolt fell into the Church upon the high Altar, cracking the walls in many places, running from Altar to Altar, defacing all the gold, and leaving a print and stamp where it had gone without any more hurt. In the Cloister of the Franciscans in Guatemala, a Frier sleeping upon his bed after dinner, was stricken dead, his body being left all blacke as if it had been burnt with fire, and yet no signe of any wound about him. Many accidents happened that yeer which was 1632. all about the Countrey. But my selfe was by the safe protection of the Almighty wonderfully saved; for being on a Saturday at night in Mixco trembling and fearing, and yet trusting in my God, and praying unto him in my chamber, one flash of lightning or thunderbolt fell close to the Church wall to which my chamber joyned, and killed two Calves, which were tied to a post in a yard, to be slaughtered the next morning. The lightning was so neer and terrible that it seemed to have fired all my house, and strucke me downe unto the ground, where I lay as dead for a great while; when I came again to my self, I heard many Indians about my house, who were come to see if either it or the Church were set on fire. This stormy season brought me also much profit, for (as formerly) the Spaniards of the valley and the Indians betooke themselves to their Idol Saints carrying them about in procession, which was not done without mony, which they call their almes unto their Saints, that they may the better be heard and intreated by them.

The summer following there was more then the ordinary earthquakes, which were so great that yeer in the Kingdome of Peru, that a whole City called Truxillo was swallowed up by the earth which opened it selfe, and almost all the people were lost, whilst they were at Church worshiping and praying unto their Saints. The hurt they did about Guatemala was not so much as in other places, only some few mud walls were shaken downe, and some Churches cracked; which made the people fear and betake themselves again to their Saints, and empty their purses before them for Masses and processions, lest the danger should prove as great, as was that of the great earthquake which happened before my coming into that Country. These earthquakes when they begin are more often, then long, for they last but for a while, stirring the earth with three motions, first on the one side, then on the other, and with the third motion they seem to set it right againe. If they should continue, they would doubtlesse hurle downe to the ground any steeple or building though never so great, and strong. Yet at this time in Mixco some were so violent, that they made the steeple bend so much that they made the bells sound. I was so used unto them that many times in my bed I would not stir for them. Yet this yeer they brought me to such a feare, that had not the Lord been a present refuge to me in time of trouble I had utterly been undone. For being one morning in my chamber studying, so great and suddain was an earthquake, that it made me run from my table to a window, fearing that before I could get down the staires, the whole house might fall upon my head, the window was in a thicke wall vaulted upwards like an arch (which the Spaniards hold to be the safest place if a house should fall) where I expected nothing but death; as soon as I got under it, the earthquake ceased, though my heart ceased not to quake with the suddain affrightment. Whilst I was musing and thinking what to doe, whether I should run downe to the yard, or continue where I was, there came a second shaking worse then the first. I thought with my selfe if the house should fall, the Arch would not save my life, and that I should either be stifled or throwne out of the window, which was not very low and neer unto the ground, but somewhat high wide open, having no glasse casements but woodden shuts, (such as there are used) and if I leaped out of the window, I might chance to breake a leg, or a limbe, yet save my life. The suddainnesss of the astonishment tooke from me the best and most mature deliberation in such a case; and in the midst of these my troubled and perplexed thoughts a third motion came as violent as the former, wherewith I had now set one foot in the window to leap down, had not the same Lord (to whom David said in the 46 Ps. v. 2. Therefore will not wee feare, though the earth bee moved) by his wonderfull providence spoken both to mee and to the moving earth, saying as in the 10. Verse, Bee still and know that am I God; for certainly had it gone on to a fourth motion, I had by casting down my self broke either my neck, or a legge, or some other joynt. Thus was I twice saved by my good God in Mixco, and in Pinola I was once no lesse in danger in losing a leg by means of a smaller instrument then is a flea.

This Towne of Pinola in the Indian language is called Panac; Pan, signifieth in, or amongst, Cac, signifieth three thinges; for it signifieth the fire, or a fruit otherwise called guiava; or thirdly, a small vermine, commonly called by the Spaniards, Nigua; which is common over all the India's, but more in some places then in others. Where there are many hogs, there is usually much of this sort of vermine. The Spaniards report that many of the Souldiers of Sir Francis Drake died of them, when they landed about Nombre de Dios, and marched up the high Mountaines of St. Pablo towards Panama, who feeling their feet to itch, and not knowing the cause thereof, scratched them so much, till they festred, and at last, (if this report be true) cost them their lives. Some say, they breed in all places, high and low, upon Tables, Beds, and upon the ground; but experience sheweth the contrary, that they onely breed upon the ground, for where the houses are sluttish, and not often swept, there commonly they are most felt; and in that they usually get into the Feet and Shooes, and seldome into the hands or any other part of the body, argues that they breed upon the ground. They are lesse then the least Flea, and can scarce bee perceived, and when they enter into the Foot, they make it burn and itch; and if then they bee looked to, they appeare black, and no bigger then the point of a pin, and with a pin may easily bee taken out whole; but if part of them bee left, the smallest part will doe as much harm as the whole, and will get into the flesh. When once they are got in, they breed a little bagge in the flesh, and in it a great many Nits, which increase bigger and bigger to the bignesse of a great Pea; then they begin again to make the Foot itch, which if it be scratched, falleth to festering, and so indangereth the whole Foot. Some hold it best to take them out when they cause the first itching and are getting in; but this is hard to doe, because they can hardly then bee perceived, and they are apt to bee broken. Therefore others commonly let them alone, untill they bee got into the flesh, and have bred a bag with nits, which like a blister sheweth it self through the skinne, and then with the point of a pin, they dig round about the bag, till they can with the pins point take it out whole, if it bee broken, it comes to breed againe; if it bee taken out whole, then they put in a little Eare wax, or ashes where the bag lay, and with that the hole is healed up againe in a day or two. The way to avoid this vermines entering into the foot, is to lay both shoos and stockings, or whatsoever other clothing upon some stool or chair high from the ground, and not to go bare-foot; which yet is wonderfull in the Indians themselves, that though they commonly doe goe barefoot, yet they are seldome troubled with them, which is attributed to the hardnesse of their skin; for certainly were they as tender footed and skinned as are those that wear both shoos and stockins, they would be as much troubled with them as these are. Panac or Pinola, is much subject to this Vermin, or Nigua, and I found it by wofull experience, for at my first comming thither not knowing well the quality of it, I let one breed so long in my foot, and continued scratching it, untill my foot came to be so festered, that I was fain to lie two whole months in a Chirurgions hand, and at last through Gods great mercy and goodnesse to me I lost not a Limbe. But that the Providence of God may be known to me the worst of all his Creatures, living in so farre a Country from all my friends, and from me may be related unto future Generations, before I conclude this Chapter, I shall further shew both my dangers and deliverances. Though true it is, most of the Indians are but formally Christians, and onely outwardly appear such, but secretly are given to witchcraft and idolatry, yet as they were under my charge, I thought by preaching Christ unto them, and by cherishing them, and defending them from the cruelty of the Spaniards, I might better worke upon them to bring them to more knowledge of some truths, at least concerning God and Christ. Therefore as I found them truely loving, kind and bountifull unto mee, so I indeavoured in all occasions to shew them love by commiserating their sufferings, and taking their part against any Spaniard that wronged them, and keeping constantly in my Chamber such drugs (as hot Waters, Anniseed and wine and the like) which I knew might most please them, when they came to see mee, and most comfort them, when they were sick or grieved. This my love and pity towards them had almost in Pinola cost mee my life; For an Indian of that Town serving a Spaniard named Francisco de Montenegro (who lived a mile and a half from thence) was once so pittifully beaten and wounded by his Master, for that hee told him hee would complain to mee that hee payed him not his wages, that he was brought home to the Town, and had I not out of my charity called for a Chirurgion from Petapa to cure him, he had certainly dyed. I could not but complain for the poor Indian unto the President of Guatemala, who respecting my complaint, sent for my Spaniard to the City, imprisoned him, and kept him close untill the Indian was recovered, and so with a Fine sent him back againe. In a Sermon further I pressed this home unto the neighbouring Spaniards, warning them of the wrongs & abuses which they offered unto the poor Indians, which I told them I would put up no more then any injury done unto my self, for that I looked upon them as Neophytes and new plants of Christianity, who were not to be discouraged, but by all means of love incouraged to come to Christ; withall I commanded all the Indians that had any wrong done unto them, to come unto mee, assuring them that I would make such a complaint for them as should bee heard, as they might perceive I had lately done to some purpose. This Sermon stuck so in Montenegro his stomack, that (as I was informed) hee made an Oath, that hee would procure my death. Though it was told mee; yet I could hardly beleeve it, judging it to be more a bravery and a vaine boasting of a Spaniard, then anything else; Yet by the advice of some friends I was counselled to looke to my selfe, which yet I slighted, untill one day the boyes and Indians that served in my house came running to my chamber door, wishing mee to look to my selfe, and not to come out, for that Montenegro was come into my Yard with a naked sword to kill mee. I charged them from within to call the Officers of the Towne to aid and assist mee; but in the mean while my furious Spaniard perceiving himselfe discovered left the Town. With this I thought of securing of my self better, and called for a Blackmore Miguel Dalva a very stout and lusty fellow who lived from mee halfe a mile, to bee about mee untill I could discover more of Montenegroes designes and malicious intents. The next Sabbath Day in the morning being to ride to the Town of Mixco, I carried my Blackmore, and half a dozen of Indians in my company, and going through a little wood in the midst of the Valley, there I found my enemy waiting for mee, who seeing the train I brought, durst doe nothing, but gave mee spightfull languages, telling mee hee hoped that hee should finde mee alone some time or other. With this I thought fit to delay no longer my second complaint to the President against him, who as before heard mee willingly, and after a moneths imprisonment banished Montenegro thirty leagues from the Valley. And not onely from Spaniards was I in danger for the Indians sake whilst I lived in those Townes; but also from some Indians themselves, (who were false in Religion) I did undergoe great perils, and yet was still delivered.

In Pinola there were some, who were much given to witchcraft, and by the power of the Devill did act strange things. Amongst the rest there was one old woman named Martha de Carrillo, who had been by some of the Town formerly accused for bewitching many; but the Spanish Justices quitted her, finding no sure evidence against her; with this she grew worse and worse, and did much harm. When I was there, two or three dyed, withering away, declaring at their death that this Carrillo had killed them, & that they saw her often about their beds, threatning them with a frowning and angry look. The Indians for feare of her durst not complain against her, nor meddle with her; whereupon I sent word unto Don Juan de Guzman the Lord of that Town, that if hee tooke not order with her, she would destroy his Town. He hearing of it, got for mee a Commission from the Bishop and another officer of the Inquisition to make diligent & private inquiry after her life and actions; which I did, and found among the Indians many and grievous complaints against her, most of the town affirming that certainly she was a notorious witch, and that before her former accusation shee was wont whither soever shee went about the Town to goe with a Duck following her, which when shee came to the Church, would stay at the doore till shee came out again, and then would return home with her, which Duck they imagined was her beloved Devill, and familiar Spirit, for that they had often set dogs at her and they would not meddle with her, but rather run away from her. This Duck never appeared more with her, since she was formerly accused before the Justice, which was thought to be her policy, that she might be no more suspected thereby. This old woman was a widow, and of the poorest of the Town in outward shew, and yet she alwaies had store of mony, which none could tel which way she might come by it. Whilst I was thus taking privy information against her (it being the time of Lent, when all the Town came to Confession) she among the rest came to the Church to confesse her sins, and brought me the best present and offering of all the Towne, for whereas a Riall is common she brought me four, and besides a Turkey, egs, fish, and a little bottle of hony. She thought thereby to get with me a better opinion then I had of her from the whole Towne; I accepted of her great offering, and heard her Confession, which was of nothing but trifles, which could scarce be judged sinfull actions. I examined her very close of what was the common judgement of all the Indians, and especially of those who dying had declared to my selfe at their death that she had bewitched them, and before their sicknesse had threatned them, and in their sicknes appeared threatning them with death about their beds, none but they themselves seeing her. To which she replyed weeping, that she was wronged; I asked her, how she being a poore widow without any sons to helpe her, without any meanes of livelyhood had so much mony, as to give me more then the richest of the Town, how she came by that fish, Turkey, and hony, having none of this of her owne about her house? to which she replyed, that God loved her and gave her all these things, and that with her mony she had bought the rest. I asked her of whom? she answered that out of the Towne she had them. I perswaded her much to repentance, and to forsake the Devill and all fellowship with him; but her words and answers were of a Saintly and holy woman; and she earnestly desired me to give her the Communion with the rest that were to receive the next day. Which I told her I durst not doe, using Christs words, Give not the childrens bread unto dogs, nor cast your pearls unto swine; and that it would be a great scandall to give the Communion unto her, who was suspected generally, and had been accused for a witch. This she took very ill telling me that she had many yeers received the Communion, and now in her old age it grieved her to be deprived of it; her teares were many, yet I could not be moved with them, but resolutely denied her the Communion, and so dismissed her. At noone when I had done my worke in the Church, I bad my servants goe to gather up the offerings, and gave order to have the fish dressed for my dinner which she had brought; but no sooner was it carried into the Kitchin, when the Cook looking on it found it full of maggots, and stinking, so that I was forced to hurle it away. With that I began to suspect my old witch, and went to looke on her hony, and powring it out into a dish, I found it full of wormes, her egs I could not know from others, there being neer a hundred offered that day; but after as I used them, we found some rotten, some with dead chickens within; the next morning the Turkey was found dead; as for her four Rials, I could not perceive whether she had bewitched them out of my pocket, for that I had put them with many other, which that day had been given me, yet as far as I could, I called to memory who and what had been given me, and in my judgement and reckoning I verily thought that I missed four Rials. At night when my servants the Indians were gone to bed, I sate up late in my chamber betaking my selfe to my bookes and study, for I was the next morning to make an exhortation to those that received the Communion. After I had studyed a while, it being between ten and eleven of the clock, on a suddain the chief door in the hall (where in a lower roome was my chamber, and the servants, and three other doores) flew open, and I heard one come in, and for a while walke about; then was another doore opened which went into a little room, where my saddles were laid; with this I thought it might be the Black-more Miguel Dalva, who would often come late to my house to lodge there, especially since my fear of Montenegro, and I conjectured that he was laying up his saddle, I called unto him by his name two or three times from within my chamber, but no answer was made; but suddainly another door that went out to a garden flew also open, wherewith I began within to feare, my joynts trembled, my haire stood up, I would have called out to the servants, and my voice was as it were stopped with the sudden affrightment, I began to thinke of the witch, and put my trust in God against her, and encouraged my selfe and voice calling out to the servants, and knocking with a cane at my doore within that they might heare me, for I durst not open it and goe out. With the noise which I made the servants awaked and came out to my chamber doore; then I opened it, and asked them if they had not heard some body in the hall, and all the doores opened. They said they were asleep, and heard nothing, onely one boy said he heard all, and related unto me the same that I had heard. I tooke my candle then in my hand and went out into the hall with them to view the doors, and I found them all shut, as the servants said they had left them. Then I perceived that the witch would have affrighted me, but had no power to doe me any harme; I made two of the servants lie in my chamber, and went to bed. In the morning early I sent for my Fiscal the Clerk of the Church, and told him what had happened that night; he smiled upon me, and told me it was the widow Carillo, who had often played such tricks in the Town with those that had offended her, and therefore he had the night before come unto me from her desiring me to give her the Communion, lest she should doe me some hurt, which I denied unto him, as I had done to her selfe. The Clerk bad me be of good cheere, for he knew she had no power over me to do me any hurt. After the Communion that day some of the chief Indians came unto me, and told me that old Carillo had boasted that she would play me some trick or other, because I would not give her the Communion. But I to rid the Towne of such a limbe of Satan, sent her to Guatemala, with all the evidences and witnesses which I had found against her unto the President and Bishop, who commanded her to be put in prison, where she died within two months.

Many more Indians there were in that Town, who were said in my time to doe very strange things. One called John Gonzalez was reported to change himselfe into the shape of a Lion, and in that shape was one day shot in the nose by a poore harmelesse Spaniard who chiefly got his living by going about the woods and mountaines, and shooting at wild Deer and other beasts to make mony of them. He espied one day a Lion, and having no other ayme at him but his snout behind a tree, he shot at him; the Lion run away; the same day this Gonzalez was taken sick, I was sent for to hear his Confession, I saw his face and nose all bruised, and asked him how it came, he told me then that he had fallen from a tree and almost killed himself; yet afterwards he accused the poore Spaniard for shooting at him; the businesse was examined by a Spanish Justice, my evidence was taken for what Gonzalez told me of his fall from a tree, the Spaniard was put to his oath, who sware that he shot at a Lion in a thicke wood, where an Indian could scarce be thought to have any businesse, the tree was found out in the wood, whereat the shot had been made and was still marked with the shot and bullet; which Gonzalez confessed was to be the place; and was examined how he neither fell nor was seen by the Spaniard, when he came to seeke for the Lion thinking he had killed him; to which he answered that he ran away lest the Spaniard should kill him indeed. But his answers seeming frivolous, the Spaniards integrity being known, and the great suspicion that was in the Town of Gonzalez his dealing with the Devill, cleared the Spaniard from what was laid against him.

But this was nothing to what after happened to one John Gomez, the chiefest Indian of that Towne of neer fourscore yeers of age, the Head and Ruler of the principallest Tribe among the Indians, whose advise and counsell was taken and preferred before all the rest, who seemed to be a very godly Indian, and very seldome missed morning and evening prayers in the Church, and had bestowed great riches there. This Indian very suddainly was taken sick (I being then in my other Town of Mixco) the Mayordomos, or stewards of the Sodality of the Virgin fearing that he might die without Confession and they be chid for their negligence, at midnight called me up at Mixco, desiring me to goe presently and helpe John Gomez to die, whom also they said desired much to see me and to receive some comfort from me. I judging it a work of charity, although the time of the night were unseasonable, and the great rain at the present might have stopped my charity, yet I would not be hindred by either of them, and so set forth to ride nine miles both in the dark and wet. When I came to Pinola being thorow wet to the skin, I went immediately to the house of old sick Gomez, who lay with his face all muffled up, thanked me for my pains and care I had for his soul; he desired to confesse; and by his confession and weeping evidenced nothing but a godly life, and a willing desire to die and to be with Christ. I comforted him and prepared him for death, and before I departed, asked him how he felt himselfe; he answered that his sicknesse was nothing but old age, and weaknesse. With this I went to my house, changed my self and lay downe a while to rest, when suddainly I was called up again to give Gomez the extream unction, which the Indians (as they have been ignorantly taught) will not omit to receive before they die. As I anointed him in his nose, his lips, his eyes, his hands and his feet, I perceived that he was swelled, and black and blew; but made nothing of it, judging it to proceed from the sicknesse of his body; I went again home being now breake of the day, when after I had taken a small nap, some Indians come to my doore for to buy candles to offer up for John Gomez his soule, whom they told me was departed, and was that day to be buried very solemnly at Masse. I arose with drousie eyes after so unquiet a nights rest; and walked to the Church, where I saw the grave was preparing. I met with two or three Spaniards who lived neer the Towne and were come to Masse that morning, who went in with me to my chamber, and with them I fell into discourse about John Gomez, telling them what comfort I had received at his death, whom I judged to have lived very holily, and doubted not of his salvation, and that the Towne would much want him, for that hee was their chief guide, and leader, ruling them with good advise and counsell. At this the Spaniards smiled one at another, and told me I was much deceived by all the Indians, but especially by the deceased Gomez, if I judged him to have been a Saint, and holy man. I told them that they as enemies to the poore Indians judged still uncharitably of them; but that I who knew very well their consciences, could judge better of them then they. One then replyed, that it seemed I little knew the truth of John Gomez his death by the Confession which he had made unto me, and that I seemed to be ignorant of the stir which was in the Towne concerning his death. This seemed so strange unto me, that I desired them to informe me of the truth. Then they told me that the report went, that John Gomez was the chief wizard of all the wizards and witches in the Town, and that commonly he was wont to be changed into the shape of a Lion, and so to walke about the mountaines. That he was ever a deadly enemie to one Sebastian Lopez an ancient Indian, and head of another Tribe; and that both of them two daies before had met in the mountaine, Gomez in the shape of a Lion, and Lopez in the shape of a Tigre, and that they fought most cruelly, till Gomez (who was the older, and weaker) was tired, much bit and bruised; and died of it. And further that I might be assured of this truth, they told me that Lopez was in prison for it, and the two Tribes striving about it; and that the Tribe and kindred of Gomez demanded from Lopez and his Tribe and kindred satisfaction, and a great sum of mony, or els did threaten to make the case known unto the Spanish power and authority, which yet they were unwilling to doe if they could agree and smother it up among themselves, that they might not bring an aspersion upon their whole Towne. This seemed very strange unto me, and I could not resolve what to beleeve, and thought I would never more beleeve an Indian, if I found John Gomez to have so much dissembled and deceived me. I tooke my leave of the Spaniards and went my selfe to the prison, where I found Lopez with fetters. I called one of the officers of the Towne, who was Alguazil Maior, and my great friend, unto my house, and privately examined him why Lopez was kept so close prisoner; he was loth to tell me fearing the rest of the Indians, and hoping the businesse would be taken up and agreed by the two Tribes, and not noised about the Country which at that very instant the two Alcaldes and Regidores, Maiors and Jurates, with the chiefe of both Tribes were sitting about in the Towne-house all that morning. But I seeing the officer so timorous, was more desirous to know something, and pressed more upon him for the truth, giving him an inkling of what I had heard from the Spaniards before. To which he answered that if they could agree amongst themselves, they feared no ill report from the Spaniards against their Towne; I told him I must know what they were agreeing upon amongst themselves so closely in the Towne-house. He told me, if I would promise him to say nothing of him (for he feared the whole Towne if they should know he had revealed any thing unto mee) he would tel me the truth. With this I comforted him, and gave him a cup of wine, and encouraged him, warranting him that no harm should come unto him for what he told me. Then he related the businesse unto me as the Spaniards had done, and told me that he thought the Tribes amongst themselves would not agree, for that some of Gomez his friends hated Lopez and all such as were so familiar with the Devill, and cared not if Gomez his dissembling life were laid open to the world; but others he said, who were as bad as Lopez and Gomez, would have it kept close, lest they and all the witches and Wizards of the Town should bee discovered. This struck mee to the very heart, to think that I should live among such people, whom I saw were spending all they could get by their worke and labour upon the Church, Saints and in offerings, and yet were so privy to the counsels of Satan; it grieved mee that the Word I preached unto them, did no more good, and I resolved from that time forward to spend most of my indeavours against Satans subtility, and to shew them more then I had done, the great danger of their soules who had made any compact with the Devill, that I might make them abandon and abjure his workes, and close with Christ by Faith. I dismissed the Indian, and went to the Church, to see if the people were come to Masse; I found there no body but onely two who were making Gomez his Grave. I went back to my Chamber, troubled much within my self, whether I should allow him a Christian Buriall, who had lived and died so wickedly, as I had been informed. Yet I thought I was not bound to beleeve one Indian against him, nor the Spaniards whom I supposed spoke but by hearsay. Whilst I was thus musing, there came unto mee at least twenty of the chiefest of the Town with the two Majors, Jurates, and all the Officers of Justice, who desired mee to forbeare that day the burying of John Gomez, for that they had resolved to call a Crowne Officer to view his Corps and examine his death, lest they all should bee troubled for him, and hee againe unburied. I made as if I knew nothing, but inquired of them the reason; then they related all unto me, and told me how there were witnesses in the Town who saw a Lyon and a Tyger fighting, and presently lost the sight of the beasts, and saw John Gomez, and Sebastian Lopez, much about the same place parting one from another; and that immediately John Gomez came home bruised to his bed, from whence he never rise more, and that he declared upon his death-bed unto some of his friends that Sebastian Lopez had killed him; whereupon they had him in safe custody. Further they told me that though they had never known so much wickednesse of these two chief heads of their Towne whom they had much respected and followed, yet now upon this occasion, from the one Tribe and the other they were certainly informed that both of them did constantly deale with the Devill, which would bee a great aspersion upon their Town, but they for their parts abjured all such wicked wayes, and prayed me not to conceive the worse of all for a few, whom they were resolved to persecute, and suffer not to live amongst them. I told them I much liked their good zeal, and incouraged them as good Christians to indeavour the rooting out of Satan from their Towne, and they did very well in giving notice to Guatemala, to the Spanish power, of this accident, and that if they had concealed it, they might all have been punished as guilty of Gomez his death, and Agents with Satan, and his instruments. I assured them I had no ill conceipt of them, but rather judged well of them for what they were agreed to doe. The Crowne Officer was sent for who came that night and searched Gomez his body; I was present with him, and found it all bruised, scratched, and in many places bitten and sore wounded. Many evidences and suspitions were brought in against Lopez by the Indians of the Town, especiall by Gomez his friends, whereupon hee was carryed away to Guatemala, and there againe was tryed by the same witnesses, and not much denying the fact himself, was there hanged. And Gomez, though his grave was opened in the Church, hee was not buried in it, but in another made ready for him in a Ditch.

In Mixco I found also some Indians no lesse dissemblers then was this Gomez, and those of the chiefest and richest of the Town, who were foure Brothers called Fuentes, and half a score more. These were outwardly very faire tongued, liberall, and free handed to the Church; much devoted to the Saints, great feasters upon their day, and yet in secret great Idolaters. But it pleased God to make mee his instrument, to discover and bring to light the secrecy of their hidden works of darknesse, which it seems the privacy of a thick Wood and Mountaine had many yeers hid from the eyes of the World. Some of these being one day in the company of other better Christians drinking hard of their Chicha, boasted of their God, saying that hee had preached unto them better then I could preach, nay that hee had plainly told them that they should not beleeve any thing that I preached of Christ, but follow the old wayes of their Forefathers, who worshipped their Gods aright, but now by the example of the Spaniards they were deluded, and brought to worship a false God. The other Christians hearing of this began to wonder, and to enquire of them where that God was, and with much ado, promising to follow their ways, and their God, got out of them the place and Mountain where they might find him. Though this in drunkennes were agreed upon, yet in sobernes the good Christians thought better of what they had agreed upon, slighted what before in drinking they heard, and yet it was not kept by them so close, but that it came to the ears of a Spaniard in the Vally; who finding himself touched in Conscience, came to Mixco to me, and told me what he had heard, that some Indians of that town followed an Idol, and boasted that he had preached unto them against my Doctrine, and for the ways of the former Heathens. I thanked God for that he was pleased to undermine the secret works of Satan daily; and desired the Spaniard to tell me by whom hee came to know of this. He told me the Indians name from whom he had it, and that he was afraid to discover the Indians, and to tell mee of it. I sent for the Indian before the Spaniard, who confessed unto mee that hee had heard of such a thing; but knew that if hee did discover the Indians, they with the power of the Devill would doe him much harm; I told him, if hee were a true Christian, hee ought to fight against the Devill, and not to feare him, who could do him no harm if God were with him, and he closed by Faith with Christ, and that the discovery of that Idoll might bee a meanes for the converting of the Idolaters, when they should see the small power of their false God against the true God of the Christians. Further I told him plainly, that if hee did not tell mee who the Indians were, and where their Idol was, that I would have him to Guatemala, and there make him discover what hee knew. Here the Indian began to tremble, and told mee the Fuentes had boasted of such an Idol, whom they called their God, and gave some signes of a Fountaine and of a Pine Tree at the mouth of a Cave in such a Mountaine. I asked him, if hee knew the place, or what kind of Idol it was; hee told mee, that hee had often been in that Mountaine, where hee had seen two or three springs of water, but never was in any Cave. I asked him if he would goe with me, and helpe mee to find it out, hee refused still fearing the Idolaters, and wished mee not to goe, for fear if they should bee there, they might kill mee rather then bee discovered. I answered him that I would carry with mee such a Guard as should bee able to defend mee against them, and my Faith in the true living God, would secure mee against that false God. I resolved therefore with the Spaniard to goe to search out the cave the next day, and to carry with mee three or foure Spaniards and my Blackmore Miguel Dalva, and that Indian. I told him I would not suffer him to goe home to his house that day, for feare hee should discover in the Towne my designe and purpose, and so wee might bee prevented by the Idolaters, who certainly that night would take away their Idol. The Indian still refused, till I threatned him to send for the Officers of Justice, and to secure his person; with this hee yeelded, and that hee might have no discourse with any body in the Town, nor with the Servants of my house, I desired the Spaniard to take him home to his house, and to keep him there close that day and night, promising to bee with him the next morning. I charged the Spaniard also with secresie, and so dismissed him with the Indian. That day I rid to Pinola for the Blackmore Miguel Dalva, and brought him to Mixco with mee, not telling him what my intent was; I went also to foure neighbouring Spaniards, desiring them to bee in a readinesse the next morning to goe a little way with mee for the service of God, and to meet mee at such a neighbours house, and that if they would bring their Fowling peeces, wee might chance to find some sport where wee went, and as for Provision of Wine and Meat, I would provide sufficiently. They promised to goe with mee, thinking that although I told them, it was for the service of God, my purpose onely was to hunt after some wild Deere in the mountaines. I was glad they construed my action that way, and so went home, and provided that night a good Gammon of Bacon, and some Fowles rosted, cold, and others boiled, well peppered and salted for the next dayes work. Where I had appointed my Indian to be kept, I met with the rest of my company, and from thence wee went together to the place of the Idolaters worshipping, which was some six miles from Mixco towards the Town of St. John Sacatepeques. When wee came into the Wood wee presently met with a deep Barranca, or bottome, where was a running, which incouraged us to make there diligent search, but nothing could bee found; from thence wee ascended up out of the Barranca, and found after much time spent a spring of water, and looked carefully about it, but could finde no Cave. Thus in vaine wee searched till the Evening, and fearing lest wee might lose our way and our selves, if the night overtook us, my friends began to speak of returning homewards. But I considering that as yet wee had not gone over one half part of the Wood, and to goe home and come againe might make us to bee noted, and spoken of, wee thought it our best way to take up our lodging that night in the Wood, and in that bottome which we first searched, where was good water for to drinke Chocolatte, and warm lying under the trees, and so in the morning to make our second search. The Company was very willing to yeeld unto it, and the calme night favoured our good intentions. We made a fire for our Chocolatte, and supped exceeding well of our cold meat, and spent most part of the night in merry discourse, having a watchfull eye over our Indian, lest hee should give us the slip, and committing him to the charge of Miguel Dalva. In the morning wee prayed unto God, beseeching him to guide us that day in the work wee went about, and to discover unto us the Cave of darkenesse and iniquity, where lay hid that instrument of Satan, that so by his discovery Glory might bee given unto our true God, and shame and punishment brought upon his enemies. Wee entered againe into the thick Wood up a steepy hill, and having throughly searched all the South side of it, wee went on to the North side, where wee found another deepe descent, which wee began to walke downe looking on every side, and not in vain; for almost half a mile from the top wee found some markes of a way that had been used and trodden, which wee followed untill we came to another spring of water; we searched narrowly about it, and found some peeces of broken earthen dishes and pots, and one peece of a chafing dish, such as the Indians use to burne Frankincense in, in the Churches before their Saints, we verily imagined that these were peeces of some such instruments wherewith the idolaters performed their duty unto their Idol, and we were the more comforted for that wee knew that earthenware had beene made in Mixco; the pine Tree which immediately we discovered confirmed our hopes. When wee came unto it we made very little more search, for neer at hand was the Cave, which was dark within, but light at the mouth, where wee found more Earthen ware, with ashes in them, which assured us of some Frankincense that had been burned. Wee knew not how farre the Cave might reach within, nor what might bee in it, and therefore with a flint wee struck fire and lighted a couple of candles and went in; at the entering it was broad, and went a little forward, but when wee were in, we found it turn on the left hand towards the mountaine, and not farre; for within two rods wee found the Idol standing upon a low stooll covered with a linnen cloth. The substance of it was wood, black shining like Jet, as if it had been painted or smoaked, the form was of a mans head unto the shoulders, without either Beard or Mustachoes; his looke was grim with a wrinkled forehead, and broad startling eyes. We feared not his frowning look, but presently seized upon him; and as wee lifted him up we found under him some single Rials, which his Favorites had offered unto him; which made us search more diligently the Cave; and it was not amisse, for wee found upon the ground more single Rials, some plantines and other fruits, wax candles halfe burned, pots of Maiz, one little one of Hony, little dishes wherein Frankincense had been burned, whereby I perceived the Idolaters and Christians both agreed in their offerings; and had I not been informed that they called this Idol their God, I could have blamed them no more then the rest of the Townes who worship, kneel before and offer such offerings unto their Saints made of Wood, and some no handsomer then was this Idol, which I thought, might have beene some beasts shape; but being the shape and form of a man, they might have named him by the name of some Saint, and so some way have excused themselves, which they could not doe, nor would they doe it, in that they persisted in this error, that he was their God, and had spoken and preached unto them, and being afterwards asked by mee, whether it were the picture of any Saint, such as were in Mixco, and other Churches, they answered, No, but that hee was above all the Saints in the Countrey.

Wee were very joyfull to see that wee had not spent our time in vaine, wee cut down boughes of trees, and filled the Cave with them and stopped the mouth of it up, and came away, making the Indian that went with us carry the Idol on his back wrapped up in a cloth, that it might not bee seen or perceived as wee went. I thought it fit to delay the time till night, and then to enter into Mixco, that the Indians might see nothing. So I stayed at one of the Spaniards houses, till it were late, and desired him to warn from mee all the Spaniards there-abouts to be at Mixco Church the next Sabbath, (fearing lest the Idolaters might bee many, and rise up against mee) that I had somewhat to say onto them and their Blackmores concerning their Sodalities, for I would not have them know of the Idoll, till they heard of it and saw it in the Church, lest it should come to the Indians hearing, and so the Idolaters might absent themselves. At night I tooke my Indian, and Miguel Dalva with mee, and went home, and shutting up the Idol in a chest till the next Sabbath, I dismissed the Indian, charging him to say nothing, for hee knew if hee did what harme might come unto him from the Idolaters, and I knew few words now would suffice, for that hee feared himselfe if it should bee known that hee had been with mee, I kept Miguel Dalva with mee, who was desirous to see the end of the businesse, and prepared my self against the next Sabbath to preach upon the 3 v. of the 20. of Exodus, Thou shalt have none other Gods before mee, though it were a Text nothing belonging to the Gospel of the day, from whence commonly in the Church of Rome, the Texts and subjects of Sermons are deducted; but I judged that Text most seasonable for the present occasion. On the Sabbath day in the morning, when the Pulpit was made ready by him who had care of the Church and Altars, I caused Miguel Dalva to carry under his Cloak the Idol, and to leave it in the Pulpit upon the ground that it might not bee seene, till such time as I should thinke fit in my Sermon to produce it, and to watch about the Church till the Congregation came in, that none might see it or take it away. Never was there a greater resort from abroad to that Church then that day of Spaniards and Blackmores, who by the warning I sent unto them expected some great matter from mee, and of the Town very few were absent, the Fuentes and all the rest that were suspected to be that Idols favorites (little thinking that their God was brought from his Cave, and now lay hid in the Pulpit to shame them) came also that day to Church. I commanded Miguel Dalva, to bee himself neer the Pulpit at Sermon time, and to warne those Spaniards that knew the businesse, and some more Blackmores his friends to bee also neere the Pulpit staires.

Thus Masse being ended, I went up to preach; when I rehearsed the words of my Text, I perceived both Spaniards and Indians began to look one upon another, as not being used to Sermons out of the Old Testament. I went on laying open this command of God, for having no other Gods before him, so that the Doctrine might seem to convince all that were there present, as well Saint-worshippers, as indeed that Idols worshippers, if the cause of my preaching upon that Subject had not diverted their eyes from themselves to behold their own guiltiness of Idolatry, & to look only upon those who worshipped a peece of wood for God, & not, as they did, for a Saint (which yet in my judgment was much alike.) After I had spoken what I thought fit concerning that horrible sin, and shewed that no creature could have the power of God (who was the Creator of all things) neither could doe good or harme without the true living Gods Commission, especially inanimate Creatures as stocks, and stones, who by the hands and workmanship of man might have eyes, and yet were dead Idols, and see not, might have eares and not heare, might have mouths, and not speak, might have hands, and not worke, nor helpe or defend with them such as worshipped them, and bowed down unto them.

Thus having halfe finished my Sermon, I bowed my selfe downe in the Pulpit, and lifted up the black, grim, and staring Devill, and placed that Dagon on one side of the Pulpit, with my eyes fixed upon some of the Fuentes and others, who I perceived changed their colour, blushed, and were sore troubled looking one upon another, I desired the Congregation to behold what a God was worshipped by some of them, and all to take notice of him, if any knew what part of the earth was the Dominion of this God, or from whence hee came. I told them that some had boasted that this peece of wood had spoken, and preached against what I had taught of Christ, and that therefore hee was worshipped by them for God, and they had offered mony, hony, and of the fruits of the earth unto him, and burnt Frankincense before him in a secret and hidden Cave under the earth, shewing thereby that they were ashamed to own him publickly, and that hee lurking in the darknesse of the earth, shewed certainly that hee belonged to the Prince of darknesse. I challenged him there in publicke to speak for himself, or else by silence to shame and confound all his worshippers. I shewed them how being but wood, hee had been made and fashioned by the hands of man, and therefore was but a dead idol. I spent a great deal of time arguing with him, and defying Satan who had used him as his instrument, daring the Devill himselfe to take him from that place which I had confined him to if hee could, to shew what little power he or Satan had against the power of my faith in Christ. After much arguing and reasoning according to the shallow capacity of the Indians present, I told them if that their God had power to deliver him from that execution, which I had intended against him (which was there publikely to have him cut in pieces and burnt) they should not beleeve the Gospell of Jesus Christ; but if they saw no power at all in him against me the weakest instrument of the true living God, then I beseeched them to be converted unto that true God who created all things, and to imbrace salvation by his Son the only Mediatour and Saviour Jesus Christ, and to renounce and abjure from that time all Heathenish Idolatry of their forefathers, assuring them for what was past I would intercede for them, and secure them from what punishment might be inflicted upon them by the President and Bishop, and if they would come to me, I would spend my best indeavours for the helping and furthering of them in the way of Christianity.