CHAP. XIX.

This Towne ofAcasabastlanis governed by aSpaniardwho is called Corrigidor; his power extendeth no farther then to the Golfe, and to those Townes in the way. This Governour hath often attempted to bring in thoseSimarronesfrom the mountaines, but could never prevaile against them. All the strength of this place may bee some twenty muskets (for so manySpanishhouses there may bee in the Towne) and some fewIndiansthat use bowes and arrowes, for the defence of the Town against theBlackmore Simarrones.

AboutAcasabastlan, there are many Estancia's of Cattell and Mules, much Cacao, Achiotte, and drugs for Chocolatte; There is also Apothecary drugs, asZarzaparilla, andCanna fistula, and in the Town as much variety of fruits and gardens, as in any oneIndianTown in the Country; But above allAcasabastlan, is farre known, and much esteemed of in the City ofGuatemala, for excellent Muskmillians, some small, some bigger then a mans head, wherewith theIndiansload their mules and carry them to sell all over the Country. From hence toGuatemala, there are but thirty short leagues, and though some hills there be, ascents and descent, yet nothing troublesome to man or beast. Among these Mountaines there have beene discovered some mines of metall, which theSpaniardshave begun to digge, and finding that they have been some of Copper, and some of iron, they have let them alone, judgeing them more chargeable then profitable. But greater profit have theSpaniardslost, then of iron and copper, for using the pooreIndianstoo hardly, and that in this way, fromAcasabastlantoGuatemala, especially about a place called,el Agua Caliente, the hot water, where is a River, out of which in some places formerly theIndiansfound such store of gold, that they were charged by theSpaniardswith a yeerly tribute of gold. But theSpaniardsbeing likeValdiviainChille, too greedy after it, murthering theIndiansfor not discovering unto them whereabout this treasure lay, have lost both treasure andIndiansalso. Yet unto this day search is made about the Mountaines, the River, and the sands for the hidden treasure, which peradventure by Gods order and appointment, doth and shall lie hide, and kept for a people better knowing and honouring their God. At this place calledel Agua Caliente, or the hot water, liveth a Blackmore in an Estancia of his own, who is held to be very rich, and gives good entertainement to the Travellers that passe that way; he is rich in Cattell, Sheep, and Goates, and from his Farm storesGuatemalaand the people thereabout with the best Cheese of all that Country. But his riches are thought not so much to increase from his Farm and cheeses, but from this hidden treasure, which credibly is reported to be known unto him. He hath been questioned about it in the Chancery ofGuatemala, but hath denyed often any such treasure to be known unto him. The jealousie and suspicion of him, is, for that formerly having been a slave, hee bought his freedome with great summes of money, and since hee hath been free, hath bought that farm and much land lying to it, and hath exceedingly increased his stock; To which hee answereth, that when hee was young and a slave, hee had a good Master, who let him get for himself what hee could, and that hee playing the good husband, gathered as much as would buy his liberty, and at first a little house to live in, to the which God hath since given a blessing with a greater increase of stock. From this hot water three or foure leagues, there is another River called,Rio de las Vaccas, or the River ofCowes, where are a company of poore and country people most of them Mestizo's, and Mulatto's, who live in thatched houses, with some small stock of Cattell, spending their time also in searching for sands of Gold, hoping that one day by their diligent search they and their children, and all their Country shall bee inriched, and thatRio de las Vaccas, shall parallelPactolus, and stirre up the wits of Poets to speak of it as much as ever they have spoke of that. From this River is presently discovered the pleasantest valley in all that Country, (where my selfe did live at least five yeers) called the Valley ofMixco, andPinola, lying six leagues fromGuatemala, being fifteen miles in length, and ten or twelve in breadth; Out of the inclosures this Valley is stored with sheep; the ground inclosed is divided into many Farmes, where groweth better wheat then any in the Country ofMexico. From this Valley the city is well provided of wheat, and Bisket is made for the ships that come every yeere unto the Golf. It is called the Valley ofMixco, andPinolafrom two Townes ofIndians, so called, standing opposite the one to the other on each side of the Valley,Pinola, on the left side fromRio de las Vaccas, andMixcoon the right. Here do live many rich Farmers, but yet Country and clownish people, who know more of breaking clods of earth, then of managing Armes offensive or defensive. But among them I must not forget one friend of mine, calledJuan Palomeque, whom I should have more esteemed of then I did if I could have prevailed with him to have made him live more like a man then a beast, more like a free man then a bond slave to his gold and silver. This man had in my time three hundred lusty mules trained up in the way of the Golf, which hee divided into six Requa's, orcompanies, and for them he kept above a hundredBlack-moreslaves, men, women, and children, who lived neerMixcoin severall thatched cottages. The house he lived in himselfe was but a poore thatched house, wherein he tooke more delight to live then in other houses which he had inGuatemala, for there hee lived like a wildeSimarronamong his slaves andBlack-mores, whereas in the City he should have lived civilly; there he lived with milke, curds, and blacke, hard and mouldy bisket, and with a dry tassajo, which is dry salted beefe cut out in thinne slices, and dryed in the sun and wind, till there be little substance left in it, such as his slaves were wont to cary to the Golfe for their provision by the way, whereas if he had lived in the City, he must have eat for his credit what others of worth did eat. But the miser knew well, which was the best way to save, and so chose a field for a City, a cottage for a house, company ofSimarronesandBlack-moresfor Citizens, and yet he was thought to be worth six hundred thousand duckats. He was the undoer of all others who dealed with Mules for bringing and carrying commodities to the Golfe for the Merchants; for he having lusty Mules, lusty slaves, would set the price or rate for the hundred weight so, as he might get, but others at that rate hiringIndiansand servants to goe with their Mules, might lose. He was so cruell to hisBlack-mores, that if any were untoward, he would torment them almost to death; amongst whom he had one slave calledMacaco(for whom I have often interceded, but to little purpose) whom he would often hang up by the armes, and whip him till the blood ran about his back, and then his flesh being torne, mangled, and all in a goar blood, he would for last cure powre boyling grease upon it; he had marked him for a slave with burning irons upon his face, his hands, his armes, his back, his belly, his thighes, his legs, that the poor slave was weary of life, and I thinke would two or three times have hanged himselfe, if I had not counselled him to the contrary. He was so sensuall and carnall that he would use his own slaves wives at his pleasure; nay when he met in the City any of that kind handsome and to his liking, if she would not yeeld to his desire, he would goe to her master or mistresse, and buy her, offering far more then she was worth, boasting that he would pull downe her proud and haughty lookes, with one yeers slavery under him. He killed in my time twoIndiansin the way to the Golfe, and with his mony came off, as if he had killed but a dog. He would never marry, because his slaves supplyed the bed of a wife, and none of his neighbours durst say him nay; whereby he hasted to fill that valley with bastards of all sorts and colours, by whom, when that rich miser dieth, all his wealth and treasure is like to be consumed.

Besides the two Townes which denominate this valley, there standeth at the East end of it close by theRio de las Vaccasan Ermitage, calledNostra Sennora del Carmel, or our Lady ofCarmel, which is the Parish Church to all those severall farmes ofSpaniardsliving in the valley; though true it is, most constantly they doe resort unto theIndianTownes to Masse, and inMixcoespecially, theSpaniardshave a rich sodality of our Lady of the Rosary, and theBlack-moresanother. In all the valley there may be between fourty and fiftySpanishfarmes or houses belonging to the Ermitage, and in all these houses, some three hundred slaves, men and women,Black-moresandMulatto's. Mixcois a town of three hundred families, but in it nothing considerable, but the riches belonging unto the two forenamed Sodalities, and some richIndians, who have learned of theSpaniardsto break clods of earth, and to sow wheat, and to traffique with Mules unto the Golfe. Besides what fowles and great store of Turkeys which in this Towne are bred, there is a constant slaughter house, where meat is sold to theIndianswithin, and to the farmes without, and provision is made for all the Requa's and slaves that go to the Golfe with their masters Mules. Besides the six Requa's before named ofJuan Palomeque, there are in this valley four brothers, namedDon Gaspar, Don Diego, Don Thomas, Don Juan de Colindres, who have each of them a Requa of threescore Mules (though few slaves, and onely hiredIndiansto goe with them) to traffique to the Golfe, and over all the Country as far asMexicosometimes. Yet besides these there are some six more Requa's belonging to other farms, which with those of the Towne ofMixcomay make up full twenty Requa's; and those twenty Requa's containe above a thousand Mules, which only from this valley are imployed to all parts of the Country by the rich Merchants ofGuatemala. But to returne againe to the Towne ofMixco, the constant passage thorow it of these Requa's, of rich Merchants, of all passengers that goe and come fromSpain, hath made it very rich; whereasin the Town it self there is no other commodity, except it be a kind of earth, whereof are made rare and excellent pots for water, pans, pipkins, platters, dishes, chafing-dishes, warming-pans, wherein thoseIndiansshew much wit, and paint them with red, white, and severall mingled colours, and sell them toGuatemala, and the Towns about, which some Criolian women will eat by full mouth fulls, endangering their health and lives, so that by this earthly ware they may looke white and pale. The Towne ofPinolain bignesse is much like untoMixco, but a far pleasanter Town, more healthy and better seated, standing upon a plain, whereasMixcostands on the side on a hill, which carrieth the Travellers quite out of the sight of the valley. InPinolathere is also a slaughter house, where beef is dayly sold, there is plenty of fowles, Fruits, Maiz, Wheat, (though not altogether so bright as that ofMixco) hony, and the best water thereabouts; it is called in theIndiantonguePanac, (some say) from a fruit of that name which is very abundant there. On the North and South side of this valley are hils, which are most sown with wheat, which proveth better there then in the low valley. At the West end of it, stand two greater Townes thenMixcoandPinola, namedPetapa, andAmatitlan, to the which there are in the midst of the valley some descents and ascents, which they call Baranca's or bottomes, where are pleasant streames and fountaines, and good feeding for sheep, and Cattel.

Petapais a Towne of at least five hundred inhabitants very rich, who suffer also someSpaniardsto dwell amongst them, from whom also thoseIndianshave learned to live and thrive in the world. This Towne is the passage fromComayagua, St. Salvador, Nicaragua, andCosta Rica, and hath got great wealth by the constant goers and comers. It is esteemed one of the pleasantest Townes belonging untoGuatemala, for a great Lake of fresh water neer unto it, which is full of fish, especially crabs, and a fish called, Mojarra, which is much like unto a mullet (though not altogether so big) and eateth like it. In this Towne there is a certaine number ofIndiansappointed, who are to fish for the City, and on Wednesdayes, Fridayes, and Saturdayes, are bound to carry such a quantity toGuatemala, of Crabs and Mojarra's, as the Corregidor and Regidores, Major and Aldermen (who are but eight) shall command weekly to be brought.

This TownePetapais so called from twoIndianwords,Petap, which signifieth a Mat, andha, which signifieth water, and a Mat being the chiefe part of anIndiansbed, it is as much as to say a bed of water, from the smoothnesse, plainnesse, and calmnesse of the water of the Lake. There liveth in it a principall family ofIndians, who are said to descend from the ancient Kings of those parts, and now by theSpaniardsare graced with the noble name ofGuzman; out of this family is chosen one to be Governour of the Towne with subordination unto the City and Chancery ofGuatemala. Don Bernabe de Guzmanwas Governour in my time, and had been many yeers before, and governed very wisely and discreetly, till with old age he came to loose his sight; and in his place entred his sonDon Pedro de Guzman, of whom the rest of theIndiansstood in great awe, as formerly they had to his father. Had not theseIndiansbeen given to drunkennesse (as mostIndiansare) they might have governed a Town ofSpaniards. This Governour hath many priviledges granted unto him (though none to weare a sword, or rapier, as may the Governour ofChiapaof theIndians) and appoints by turnes some of the Towne to wait and attend on him at dinner and supper, others to looke to his Horses, others to fish for him, others to bring him wood for his house spending, others to bring him meat for his Horses; and yet after all this his attendance, he attends and waits on the Frier that lives in the Towne, and doth nothing concerning the governing of the Towne and executing of justice, but what the Frier alloweth and adviseth to be done. There is also great service appointed for this Frier, of Fishermen, and other attendants in his house, who liveth as stately as any Bishop. Most trades belonging to a well setled Common-wealth are here exercised by theseIndians. As for herbage, and garden-fruits, and requisites, it hath whatsoever may be found, or desired in the City ofGuatemala. The Church treasure is very great, there being many Sodalities of our Lady and other their Saints, which are enriched with crowns, and chains, and bracelets, besides the lamps, censers, & silver candlesticks belonging unto the Altars. UponMichaelmasday is the chief fair and feast of the Town, which is dedicated unto St.Michael, whither many Merchants resort fromGuatemalato buy and sell; in the afternoon, and the next day following, Bull-baiting is thecommon sport for that feast with someSpaniardsandBlackmoreson Horse-backe, and otherIndianson foot, who commonly being drunke, some venture, some lose their lives in the sport. Besides this generall concourse of people every yeer at that time, there is every day at five a clock in the afternoone a Tianguez or market, upheld by the concourse of theIndiansof the Town among themselves. Besides the lake, there runneth by this Town a river, which in places is easily waded over, and waters the fruits, gardens, and other plantations, and drives a mill which serves most of the valley to grind their wheat. Within a mile and a halfe of this Towne there is a rich Ingenio or farme of Sugar belonging to oneSebastian de Savaletta, aBiscaineborne, who came at first very poore into that Country, and served one of his Country men; but with his good industry and paines, he began to get a Mule or two to traffique with about the Country, till at last he increased his stocke to a whole Requa of Mules, and from thence grew so rich that he bought much land aboutPetapa, which he found to be very fit for Sugar, and from thence was incouraged to build a princely house, whither the best ofGuatemaladoe resort for their recreation. This man maketh a great deale of Sugar for the Country, and sends every yeer much toSpaine; he keepeth at least threescore slaves of his own for the worke of his farme, is very generous in house keeping, and is thought to be worth above five hundred thousand Duckats. Within halfe a mile from him there is another farme of Sugar, which is called but aTrapichebelonging unto the Augustin Friers ofGuatemala, which keepes some twenty slaves, and is called aTrapiche, for that it grinds not the Sugar Cane with that device of the Ingenio, but grinds a lesse quantity, and so makes not to much Sugar as doth an Ingenio. From hence three miles is the Town ofAmatitlan, neer unto which standeth a greater Ingenio of Sugar, then is that ofSavaletta, and is called the Ingenio of oneAnis, because he first founded it, but now it belongeth unto onePedro Crespothe Post-master ofGuatemala; this Ingenio seemeth to be a little Town by it selfe for the many cottages and thatched houses ofBlackmoreslaves which belong unto it, who may be above a hundred, men, women, and children. The chiefe dwelling house is strong and capacious, and able to entertain a hundred lodgers. These three farmes of Sugar standing so neer untoGuatemala, enrich the City much, and occasion great trading from it toSpaine. The Town ofAmatitlan, though in it there live not so manySpaniardsas inPetapa, yet there are in it moreIndianfamilies then inPetapa. The streets are more orderly made and framed like a Chequer board, they are wide, broad, plain, and all upon dust and sand. This Towne also enjoyeth the commodity of the lake, and furnisheth with fish the City ofGuatemala, upon those daies before named ofPetapa. And though it standeth out of the rode-way, yet it is almost as rich asPetapa. For theIndiansof it get much by the concourse of common people, and the Gentry ofGuatemala, who resort thither to certain bathes of hot waters, which are judged and approved very wholesome for the body. This Towne also getteth much by the salt which here is made, or rather gathered by the lake side, which every morning appeareth like a hoary frost upon the ground, and is taken up and purified by theIndians, and proves very white and good. Besides what they get by the salt, they get also by the Requa's of Mules in the valley, and about the Country, which are brought to feed upon that salt earth a day, or halfe a day, untill they be ready to burst (the owner paying six pence a day for every Mule) and it hath been found by experience, that this makes them thrive and grow lusty and purgeth them better then any drench, or blood-letting. They have further great trading in Cotton-wool, more abundance of fruits thenPetapa, a fairer market place with two extraordinary great Elm-trees, under which theIndiansdaily meet at evening to buy and sell. The Church of this Towne is as faire and beautifull as any aboutGuatemala, the riches and state whereof hath caused the Dominican Friers since the yeer 1635, to make that place the head and Priory over the other Townes of the valley, and to build there a goodly and sumptuous Cloister, in which in my time there was (for I told then most of it, and doubtlesse since it hath much increased) eight thousand Duckats laid up in a chest, with three lockes for the common expences of the Cloister. Thus my Reader, I have led thee through the valley ofMixco, andPinola, PetapaandAmatitlan, which in riches and wealth, what with the great trading in it, what with the sheep & cattell, what with the abundance of mules, what with three Farmes of Sugar, what with the great Farmes of Corn and Wheat, what with the churches treasures yeelds to no other place belonging unto the dominionsofGuatemala. I may not forget yet a double wheat harvest (as I may well term it) in this Vally. The first being of a little kinde of Wheat, which they callTrigo Tremesino, a word compounded inSpanishfrom these two words,tres meses, or from the Latintres menses, which after three moneths sowing is ripe and ready to be cut down, and being sowed about the end ofAugust, is commonly harvested in about the end ofNovember; and although in the smalnesse of it, it seemes to have but a little Flower, yet it yeelds as much as their other sorts of Wheat, and makes as white bread, though it keep not so well as that which is made of other Wheat, but soone groweth stale and hard. The other harvest (which is of two sorts of Wheat, one calledRubio, or red Wheat, the other calledBlanquilleo, or white likeCandiaWheat) followeth soon after this first ofTremesino, for presently after Christmas every one begins to bring their sickles into the field, where they doe not onely reap down their Wheat, but in stead of threshing it in barnes, they cause it to bee trod by Mares inclosed within floores made on purpose in the fields; and when the Wheat is trod out of the Eares by the Mares trampling, who are whipped round about the floores that they may not stand still, but tread it constantly and throughly; then the Mares being let out of the floores, the wheat is winnowed from the chaffe, and put up clean into sackes, and from the field carried to the Barnes; but the chaffe and most of the straw is left to rot in the fields, which they esteem as good as dunging; and further set all the fields on fire, burning the stubble that is left a little before the time of the first showers of raine, which with the ashes left after the burning fatteth the ground, and by them is held the best way to husband or dung their ground. Others that will sow a new and woody peece of land, cause the trees, though timber trees to bee cut down, and sell not a stick of that wood, (which there is so plentifull, that they judge it would not quit their cost to carry it toGuatemala, though inEnglandit would yeeld thousand pounds) but they let it lie and dry, and before the winter raine begins, they set on fire all the field, and burn that rich timber, with the ashes whereof that ground becomes so fat and fertile, that where upon an Aker wee sow here three bushels of Wheat, or upwards, they sow such ground so thin, that they scarce dare venture a full bushell upon an Aker, lest with too much spreading upon the ground it grow too thick, bee lodged, and they loose their crop. The like they doe unto the pasture of the Valley; about the end ofMarch, it is short and withered and dry, and they also set it on fire, which being burnt causeth a dismall sight, and prospect of a black valley; but after the first two or three showres, it puts on againe its greene and pleasant garment, inviting the Cattell, Sheep, Lambs, Goats, and Kids, (which for a while were driven away to other pasturing) to return and sport againe, to feed and rest in its new flourishing bosome. But now it is time, I return again back to the other end of this valley, to theRio de las Vaccas(from whence I have viewed the compasse of it, and made my long digression from East to West, to the farthest Towne ofAmatitlan) to shew thee, my Reader, the little part of thy way remaining untoGuatemala. True it is, from the Ermitage of our Lady, there is a streight way through the middle of the valley leading almost toAmatitlan, and then turning up a hill out of the valley on the right hand; But that hath many ascents and descents, bottomes, falls and risings, and therefore is not the constant Rode, which from the Ermitage pointeth on the right hand, observing the Towne ofMixco, standing but five miles fromGuatemala, fromMixcothe way lyeth up a hill, and leadeth to a Town somewhat bigger thenMixco, ofIndianscalledSan Lucas, or St.Luke, a cold Town, but exceeding rich; the temper and coldnesse of it, hath made it the storehouse, or Granary for all the City; for whereas below in the Valley; the Wheat will not keep long without musting, and breeding a worm calledGurgojo, such is the temper of this Town of St.Luke, that in it, the Wheat will keep two or three yeeres ready threshed, with a little turning now and then; and as it lyeth will give and yeeld, (as experience taught mee there) so that he that hath laid up in that Town two hundred bushels of Wheat, at the yeers end shall find neer upon two hundred and twenty bushels. This Towne therefore receives from the Valley most of the harvest, and is full of what wee call Barnes, but there are calledTrojas, without floore, but raised up with stackes and bords a foot or two from the ground, and covered with mats, whereon is laid the Wheat, and by some rich Monopolists from the City is kept and hoarded two and three yeers, untill they find their best opportunity to bring it out to sale, at the rate of their own will and pleasure. From hence toGuatemalathere is but three little leagues, and one onelyBarranca, or bottome, and on every side of the way little petty Townes, which they callMilpas, consisting of some twenty Cottages. In the middle of the way is the top of a hill, which discovereth all the City, and standeth as overmastring of it, as if with a peece or two of Ordnance it would keepe allGuatemalain awe; But besides this hill, which is the wide and open Rode, there stand yet forwarder on the right and left hand other mountaines which draw neerer to the City, and what this top peradventure with too much distance, is not able to doe or reach, the others certainly would reach with Cannon shot, and command that farre commanding City. Downe this hill the way lies broad and wide, and as open as is the way downeBarnetorHighgateHill; and at the bottome it is more straitned betweene the Mountaines, for the space of a bowshot, which passage also is craggy by reason of stones and some small peeces of rocks which lie in a brook of water that descends from the Mountaines, and runs towards the City. But at a little Ermitage called St.John, the way opens againe itselfe, and shewethGuatemala, welcoming the weary travellers with a pleasant prospect, and easing theirs, or their mules or horses feet, what with green walkes, what with a sandy and gravelly Rode unto the City, which never shut gate against any goer or comer, nor forbad their entrance with any fenced walls, or watchmens jealous questions, but freely and gladly entertaines them either by the back side of the Dominicans Cloister, or by the Church and Nunnery called the Conception. And thus my Reader, and country man I have brought and guided thee from the Golfe untoGuatemala, shewing what that way is most remarkable. I shall not now shew thee any more of this Cities Dominions towardNicaraguaand the South (having already shewed thee the way as far asRealejo) leaving that untill I come to tell thee of my journey homewards, which I made that way. There remaines yet the Country of theVera Pazand the way unto it to discover, and so to close up this Chapter. TheVera Pazis so called, for that theIndiansof that Country hearing how theSpaniardshad conqueredGuatemala, and did conquer the Country round about, wheresoever they came, yeelded themselves peaceably and without any resistance unto the Government ofSpaine. This Country formerly had a Bishop to it selfe distinct fromGuatemala, but now is made one Bishoprick with that. It is governed by an Alcalde Maior, or high Justice sent fromSpain, with subordination unto the Court ofGuatemala. The head or shire Town of it, is calledCoban, where is a Cloister of Dominican Friers, and the common place of Residence of the Alcalde Maior. All this Country as yet is not subdued by theSpaniards, who have now and then some strong encounters with the barbarous and heathen people, which lie between this Country andJucatan; and faine would theSpaniardsconquer them, that they might make way through them unto a Town calledCampinbelonging toJucatan, and settle commerce, and Traffique by land with that Country, which is thought would bee a great furtherance to the Country and City ofGuatemala, and a safer way to convey their goods to the Havana, then by the Golf, for oftentimes the ships that goe from the Golf to the Havana, are met with by theHollandersand surprised. But as yet theSpaniardshave not been able to bring to passe this their design, by reason they have found strong resistance from the heathenish people, and a hot service to attempt the conquering of them. Yet there was a Fryer a great acquaintance of mine, called FryerFrancisco Moran, who ventured his life among those barbarians, and with two or threeIndianswent on foot through that Country, untill he came untoCampin, where he found a fewSpaniards, who wondred at his courage and boldnesse in comming that way. This Fryer came back again toCobanandVera Paz, relating how the barbarians hearing him speake their language, and finding him kind, loving and curteous to them, used him also kindly, fearing (as hee said) that if they should kill him, theSpaniardswould never let them bee at rest and quiet, untill they had utterly destroyed them. Hee related when he came back, that the Country which the Barbarians inhabite, is better then any part of theVera Paz, which is subject to theSpaniards, and spoke much of a Valley, where is a great lake, and about it a Towne ofIndians, which hee judged to bee of at least twelve thousand Inhabitants, the Cottages lying in a distance one from another. This Fryer hath writ of this Country, and hath gone toSpainto the Court to motion the conquering of it, for the profit and commodity that may ensue both toGuatemalaandJucatan, if a way were opened thither. But though as yet on that side theSpaniardsand theCountry of theVera Paz, bee straightned by that heathenish people, yet on the other side it hath free passage unto the Golf, and trade there when the ships doe come, carrying Fowles and what other Provision the Country will afford for the ships, and bringing from thence wines, and otherSpanishwares untoCoban. This Country is very hilly and craggy, and though there bee some bigge Townes in it, they are not above three or foure that are considerable. The chief commodities, areAchiotte(which is the best of all the Country belonging toGuatemala) andCacao, Cotton Wooll, hony,Canna fistula, andZarzaparilla, great store ofMaiz, but no Wheat, much waxe, plenty of fowles and birds of all coloured feathers, wherewith theIndiansmake some curious works, but not like unto those ofMechoacan; here are also abundance of Parrets, Apes and Monkies which breed in the Mountaines. The way fromGuatemalato this Country is that which hitherto hath beene spoken of from the Golf, as far as the Town of St.Luke; and from thence the way keeps on the hils and mountaines which lie on the side of the Valley ofMixco. These hils are calledSacatepeques, (compounded ofSacateandTepec, the latter signifying a hill, and the former, herbe or grasse, and thus joyned, they signifie mountaines of grasse) and among them are these chief Townes, firstSantiagoor St.James, a Town of five hundred Families, secondly,San Pedroor St.Peter, consisting of six hundred families, thirdly, St.Juan, or St.Johnconsisting also of at least six hundred Families, and fourthly,Sto Domingo Senano, or St.DominicofSenaco, being of three hundred Families. These foure Towns are very rich, and the two last very cold, the two first are warmer; there are about them many Farmes of corn and good Wheat, besides theIndian Maiz. TheseIndiansare somewhat of more courage then those of other Townes, and in my time were like to rise up against theSpaniardsfor their unmercifull tyranny over them. The Churches are exceeding rich; in the Towne ofSantiago, there was living in my time oneIndian, who for onely vaine-glory had bestowed the worth of six thousand Duckates upon that Church, and yet afterwards this wretch was found to bee a Wizard and Idolater. TheseIndiansget much mony by letting out great tuffes of feathers, which theIndiansuse in their dances upon the feasts of the Dedication of their towns. For some of the great tuffes may have at least threescore long feathers of divers colours, for every feather hiring they have halfe a Riall, besides what price they set to every feather, if any should chance to be lost. From the Town of St.John, which is the furthest the way lies plain and pleasant unto a little village of some twenty Cottages, called St.Raymundoor St.Raymond, from whence there is a good dayes journy up and downBarrancas, or bottomes unto aRancho, or lodge standing by a River side, which is the same River, that passeth by the Town ofAcasabastlanspoken of before. From this is an ascent of a very craggy and rocky Mountaine, called the Mountaine ofRabinall, where are steps cut out in the very Rockes for the mules feet, and slipping on one or the other side, they fall surely downe the rockes, breaking their neckes, and mangling all their limbes and joynts; but this danger continueth not long nor extendeth above a league and a half, and in the top and worst of this danger, there is the comfort of a goodly Valley, calledEl Valle de San Nicholas, St.Nicholashis Valley, from an Estancia called St.Nicholasbelonging to the Dominicans Cloister ofCoban. This Valley though it must not compare with that ofMixcoandPinola; yet next after it, it may well take place for onely three things considerable in it. The first is anIngenioof Sugar, calledSan Geronymo, or St.Hierome, belonging unto the Dominicans Cloister ofGuatemala, which indeed goeth beyond that spoken of ofAmatitlan, both for abundance of Sugar made there, and sent by mules toGuatemalaover that rocky Mountaine, and for multitude of slaves living in it under the command of two Fryers, and for the excellent horses bred there, which are incomparably the best of all the Country ofGuatemalafor metle, and gallantry, and therefore (though mules are commonly used for burthens) are much desired and looked after by the Gallants and Gentry of the City, who make it a great part of their honour to prance about the streets. The second thing in this Valley is the Estancia or Farm of St.Nicolaswhich is as famous for breeding of mules, as is St.Hieromefor horses. The third ornament to it is a Town ofIndians, calledRabinall, of at least eight hundred Families, which hath all that heart can wish for pleasure and life of man. It inclineth rather to heat then cold, but the heat is moderate and much qualified with the many cool and shady walkes. There is not anyIndianfruit, which is not there to be found, besidesthe fruits ofSpain, as Oranges, Lemmons, sweet and sowre, Citrons, Pomegranates, Grapes, Figs, Almonds, and Dates; the onely want of wheat is not a want to them that mind bread of wheat more then of Maiz, for in two dayes it is easily brought from the Townes ofSacatepeques. For flesh, it hath Beef, Mutton, Kid, Fowles, Turkies, Quailes, Partridges, Rabbets, Pheasants; and for fish, it hath a River running by the houses, which yeeldeth plenty both great and small. TheIndiansof this Towne are much like unto those ofChiapaof theIndians, for bravery, for feasting, for riding of horses, and shewing themselves in sports and pastimes. This Town my friend FryerJohn Baptist, after hee had been Prior of many places, and especially ofChiapaandGuatemala, chose to live in to injoy quietnesse, pleasure and content; and in this Town was I feasted by him in such a sumptuous, prodigall and lavishing way, as truely might make poor mendicant Fryers ashamed to come so neer unto Princes in vanity of life and dyet. From this Valley unto theVera Paz, orCoban, the head Town of it, there is nothing considerable, save onely one Town more called St.Christovalor St.Christopher, which enjoyeth now a pleasant Lake, and bottomelesse, as is reported. Formerly there being no Lake at all, in a great Earthquake, the earth there opened, and swallowed up many houses, leaving this Lake which ever since hath continued. From hence toCobanthe wayes are bad and mountainous, yet such as through the worst of them, those country mules with heavy burthens easily goe through. And thus with my pen, Reader, have I gone through most of the bounds and limits ofGuatemala, which is more furnished with gallant Towns ofIndians, then is any part of allAmerica; and doubtlesse were theIndianswarlike, industrious, active for warre or weapons, no part in allAmericamight bee stronger in people thenGuatemala. But they being kept under and oppressed by theSpaniards, and no weapons allowed them, not so much as their naturall Bowes and Arrowes, much lesse Guns, Pistols, Muskets, Swords, or Pikes, their courage is gone, their affections alienated from theSpaniards, and so theSpaniardsmight very well feare, that if their country should be invaded, the multitude of theirIndianpeople, would prove to them a multitude of enemies, either running away to another side; or forced to help, would bee to them but as the help of so many flies.

The condition of theIndiansof this Country ofGuatemalais as sad, and as much to bee pitied as of anyIndiansinAmerica, for that I may say it is with them in some sort, as it was withIsraelinEgypt, of whom it is said,Exod.1. 7.They were fruitfull and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty, and the land was filled with them, and thereforePharaohsaid unto his people, Vers. 10.Let us deale wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to passe, that when there falleth out any Warre, they joyne also unto our enemies, and fight against us. Therefore they did set over them taskemasters, to afflict them with their burdens, and they made their lives bitter with bondage, in morter and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field; and all their service wherein they made them serve was with rigor. Though it is true, there ought not to be any comparison made betwixt theIsraelitesand theIndians, those being Gods people, these not as yet; neverthelesse the comparison may well hold in the oppression of the one and the other, and in the manner and cause of the oppression, that being with bitternesse, rigour, and hard bondage, and lest they should multiply and increase too much. Certain it is, theseIndianssuffer great oppression from theSpaniards, live in great bitternesse, are under hard bondage, and serve with great rigor; and al this, because they are at least a thousand of them for oneSpaniard, they daily multiply and increase, in children and wealth, and therefore are feared lest they should be too mighty, and either rise up of themselves, or joyn themselves to any enemy against their oppressors; for both which fears and jealousies, they are not allowed the use of any weapons or armes, no not their bows and arrows, which their ancestors formerly used; so that as hereby theSpaniardsare secured from any hurt or annoyance from them as anunarmed people; so may any other nation, that shall be incouraged to invade that land, be secure also from theIndians, & consequently theSpaniardsown policy for themselves against theIndiansmay be their greatest ruine, and destruction, being a great people and yet no people; for the abundance of theirIndianswould be to them as no people; and they themselves, (who out of their few Towns and Cities live but here and there, too thinly scattered upon so great and capacious a land) would be but a handfull for any reasonable Army; and of that handfull very few would be found able or fitting men; and those able men would do little without the help of guns and ordnance; and if their own oppressed people,Black-moresandIndians(which themselves have alwaies feared) should side against them, soon would they be swallowed up both from within and from without. And by this it may easily appear how ungrounded they are, who say, it is harder to conquerAmericanow then inCortezhis time, for that there are now bothSpaniardsandIndiansto fight against, and then there were none but bare and nakedIndians. This I say is a false ground; for then there wereIndianstrained up in wars one against another, who knew wel to use their bows and arrows, and darts, and other weapons, and were desperate in their fights and single combats, as may appear out of the histories of them; but now they are cowardized, oppressed, unarmed, soon frighted with the noise of a musket, nay with a sowre and grim look of aSpaniard, so from them there is no fear; neither can there be from theSpaniards, who from all the vast dominions ofGuatemalaare not able to raise five thousand able fighting men, nor to defend so many passages as lie open in severall parts of that Country, which the wider and greater it is, might be advantagious to an enemy, and while theSpaniardin one place might oppose his strength, in many other places might his land be over-run by a foraine nation; nay by their owne slaves theBlack-mores, who doubtlesse to be set at liberty would side against them in any such occasion; and lastly, the Criolians who also are sore oppressed by them, would rejoyce in such a day, and yeeld rather to live with freedome and liberty under a forain people, then to be longer oppressed by those of their own blood.

The miserable condition of theIndiansof that Country is such, that though the Kings ofSpainhave never yeelded to what some would have, that they should be slaves, yet their lives are as full of bitternesse as is the life of a slave. For which I have known my selfe some of them that have come home from toyling and moyling withSpaniards, after many blowes, some wounds, and little or no wages, who have sullenly and stubbornly lain down upon their beds, resolving to die rather then to live any longer a life so slavish, and have refused to take either meat or drinke, or any thing else comfortable and nourishing, which their wives have offered unto them, that so by pining and starving they might consume themselves. Some I have by good perswasions encouraged to life rather then to a voluntary and wilfull death; others there have been that would not be perswaded, but in that wilfull way have died. TheSpaniardsthat live about that Country (especially the farmers of the valley ofMixco, Pinola, Petapa, Amatitlan, and those of theSacatepeques) alleadge that all their trading, and farming, is for the good of the Common-wealth, and therefore whereas there are notSpaniardsenough for so ample and large a Countrey to doe all their work, and all are not able to buy slaves andBlackmores, they stand in need of theIndianshelp to serve them for their pay and hire; whereupon it hath been considered, that a partition ofIndianlabourers be made every Monday, or Sonday in the afternoon to theSpaniards, according to the farmes they occupie, or acording to their severall employments, calling, and trading with Mules, or any other way. So that for such and such a district there is named an officer, who is called Juez Repartidor, who according to a List made of every farme, house, and person, is to give so manyIndiansby the week. And here is a doore opened to the president ofGuatemala, and to the Judges to provide well for their meniall servants, whom they commonly appoint for this office, which is thus performed by them. They name the Town and place of their meeting upon Sonday or Monday, to the which themselves and theSpaniardsof that district do resort. TheIndiansof the severall Towns are to have in a readinesse so many labourers as the Court ofGuatemalahath appointed to be weekly taken out of such a Towne, who are conducted by anIndianofficer to the Towne of generall meeting; and when they come thither with their tooles, their spades, shovels, bils, or axes, with their provision of victuals for a week (which are commonly some dry cakes of Maiz,puddings of frixoles, orFrenchbeanes, and a little Chile or biting long pepper, or a bit of cold meat for the first day or two) and with beds on their backes (which is only a course woollen mantle to wrap about them when they lye on the bare ground) then are they shut up in the Towne-house, some with blowes, some with spurnings, some with boxes on the eare, if presently they goe not in. Now all being gathered together, and the house filled with them, the Juez Repartidor or officer, calls by the order of the List such and such aSpaniard, and also calls out of the house so manyIndiansas by the Court are commanded to be given him (some are allowed three, some foure, some ten, some fifteen, some twenty, according to their employments) and delivereth unto theSpaniardhisIndians, and so to all the rest, till they be all served; who when they receive theirIndians, take from them a toole, or their mantles; to secure them that they run not away; and for everyIndiandelivered unto them, they give unto the Juez Repartidor or officer, halfe a Riall, which is three pence anIndianfor his fees, which mounteth yeerly to him to a great deale of money; for some officers make a partition or distribution of four hundred, some of two hundred, some of three hundredIndians, every week, and carrieth home with him so many halfe hundred Rials for one, or halfe a daies worke. If complaint be made by anySpaniardthat such and such anIndiandid run away from him, and served him not the week past, theIndianmust be brought, and surely tied to a post by his hands in the Market place, and there be whipped upon his bare backe. But if the poorIndiancomplaine that theSpaniardscousened and cheated him of his shovell, axe, bill, mantle, or wages, no justice shall be executed against the cheatingSpaniard, neither shall theIndianbe righted, though it is true the order runs equally in favour of bothIndianandSpaniard. Thus are the pooreIndianssold for three pence a peece for a whole weeks slavery, not permitted to goe home at nights unto their wives, though their worke lie not above a mile from the Town where they live; nay some are carried ten or twelve miles from their home, who must not returne till Saturday night late, and must that week do whatsoever their Master pleaseth to command them. The wages appointed them will scarce find them meat and drinke, for they are not allowed a Riall a day, which is but sixpence, and with that they are to find themselves, but for six daies worke and diet they are to have five Rials, which is halfe a crowne. This same order is observed in the City ofGuatemala, and Townes ofSpaniards, where to every family that wants the service of anIndianorIndians, though it be but to fetch water and wood on their backs, or to goe of arrants, is allowed the like service from the neerestIndianTownes. It would grieve a Christians heart to see how by some cruellSpaniardsin that weeks service, those poor wretches are wronged and abused; some visiting their wives at home, whilst their poore husbands are digging and delving; others whipping them for their slow working, others wounding them with their swords, or breaking their heads for some reasonable and well grounded answer in their own behalfe, others stealing from them their tooles, others cheating them of halfe, others of all their wages, alleadging that their service cost them halfe a Riall, and yet their worke not well performed. I knew some who made a common practice of this, when their wheat was sowne, and they had little to do for theIndians; yet they would have home as many as were due unto their farme, and on Monday and Tuesday would make them cut and bring them on their backes as much wood as they needed all that week, and then on Wednesday at noon (knowing the great desire of theIndiansto goe home to their wives, for the which they would give any thing) would say unto them, What will you give me now, if I let you goe home to doe your own worke? whereunto theIndianswould joyfully reply and answer, some that they would give a Riall, others two Rials, which they would take and send them home, and so would have much worke done, wood to serve their house a week, and mony as much as would buy them meat, and Cacao for Chocolatte two weeks together; and thus from the poorIndiansdoe those unconscionableSpaniardspractice a cheap and lazy way of living. Others will sell them away for that week unto a neighbour that hath present need of worke, demanding Rials a piece for everyIndian, which he that buyeth them, will be sure to defray out of their wages. So likewise are they in a slavish bondage and readinesse for all passengers and travellers, who in any Towne may demand unto the next Towne as manyIndiansdo goe with his Mules, or to carry on their backes a heavy burthen as he shall need, who at the journeys end will pick some quarrell with them, and so send themback with blowes and stripes without any pay at all. A Petaca, or leatherne Trunke, and chest of above a hundred weight, they will make those wretches to carry on their backs a whole day, nay some two or three daies together, which they doe by tying the chest on each side with ropes, having a broad leather in the middle, which they crosse over the forepart of their head, or over their forehead, hanging thus the waight upon their heads and browes, which at their journeys end hath made the blood stick in the foreheads of some, galling and pulling off the skin, and marking them in the fore-top of their heads, who as they are calledTamemez, so are easily known in a Towne by their baldnesse, that leather girt having worn off all their hair. With these hard usages, yet do those poor people make a shift to live amongst theSpaniards, but so that with anguish of heart they are still crying out to God for justice, and for liberty, whose only comfort is in their Preists and Friers, who many times doe quiet them when they would rise up in mutiny, and for their owne ends doe often prevaile over them with fair and cunning perswasions, to bear and suffer for Gods sake, and for the good of the Common-wealth that hard task and service which is laid upon them. And though in all seasons, wet and dry, cold and hot, and in all wayes plain and mountainous, green and dirty, dusty and stony, they must performe this hard service to their commanding Masters, their apparell and cloathing is but such as may cover the nakednesse of their body, nay in some it is such torne rags as will not cover halfe their nakednesse. Their ordinary cloathing is a paire of linnen or woollen drawers broad and open at the knees, without shooes (though in their journeys some will put on leatherne sandals to keep the soles of their feet) or stockins, without any doublet, a short course shirt, which reacheth a little below their waste, and serves more for a doublet then for a shirt, and for a cloake a woollen or linnen mantle, (called Aiate) tied with a knot over one shoulder, hanging down on the other side almost to the ground, with a twelve penny or two shilling hat, which after one good shower of raine like paper falls about their necks and eies; their bed they carry sometimes about them, which is that woollen mantle wherewith they wrap themselves about at night, taking off their shirt and drawers, which they lay under their head for a pillow; some will carry with them a short, slight, and light Mat to lie, but those that carry it not with them, if they cannot borrow one of a neighbour, lie as willingly in their mantle upon the bare ground, as a Gentleman inEnglandupon a soft down-bed, and thus doe they soundly sleep, and lowdly snort after a daies worke, or after a daies journey with a hundred weight upon their backs. Those that are of the better sort, and richer, and who are not employed asTamemezto carry burthens, or as Labourers to work forSpaniards, but keep at home following their own farmes, or following their owne Mules about the Country, or following their trades and callings in their shops, or governing the Townes, as Alcaldes, or Alguaziles, officers of justice, may goe a little better apparelled, but after the same manner. For some will have their drawers with a lace at the bottom, or wrought with some coloured Silke or Crewel; so likewise the mantle about them, shall have either a lace, or some work of birds on it, some will wear a cut linnen doublet, others shooes, but very few stockins or bands about their neckes; and for their beds, the bestIndianGovernour, or the richest, who may be worth four or five thousand Duckats, will have little more then the poorTamemez; for they lie upon boards, or Canes bound together, and raised from the ground, whereon they lay a broad and handsome Mat, and at their heads for man and wife two little stumps of wood for bolsters, whereon they lay their shirts and mantles and other cloaths for pillowes, covering themselves with a broader blanket then is their mantle, and thus hardly wouldDon Bernabe de Guzmanthe Governour ofPetapalie, and so doe all the best of them. The womens attire is cheap and soon put on; for most of them also go barefoot, the richer and better sort wear shooes, with broad ribbons for shooe-strings, and for a petticote, they tie about their waste a woollen mantle, which in the better sort is wrought with divers colours, but not sowed at all, pleated or gathered in, but as they tie it with a list about them; they wear no shift next their body, but cover their nakednesse with a kind of surplice (which they callGuaipil) which hangs loose from their shoulders down a little below their waste, with open short sleeves, which cover halfe their armes; this Guaipil is curiously wrought, especially in the bosome, with Cotton, or feathers. The richer sort of them wear bracelets and bobs about their wrists and necks; their hair is gathered up with fillets, without any quaifeor covering, except it be the better sort. When they goe to Church or abroad, they put upon their heads a vaile of linnen, which hangeth almost to the ground, and this is that which costs them most of all their attire, for that commonly it is ofHollandor some good linnen brought fromSpain, or fine linnen brought fromChina, which the better sort wear with a lace about. When they are at home at work they commonly take off their Guaipil, or surplice, discovering the nakednesse of their breasts and body. They lie also in their beds as doe their husbands, wrapped up only with a mantle, or with a blanket. Their houses are but poore thatched cottages, without any upper roomes, but commonly one or two only roomes below, in the one they dresse their meat in the middle of it, making a compasse for fire, with two or three stones, without any other chimney to convey the smoak away, which spreading it selfe about the roome filleth the thatch and the rafters so with sut, that all the roome seemeth to be a chimney. The next unto it, is not free from smoak and blacknesse, where sometimes are four or five beds according to the family. The poorer sort have but one room, where they eat, dresse their meat, and sleep. Few there are that set any lockes upon their dores, for they fear no robbing nor stealing, neither have they in their houses much to lose, earthen pots, and pans, and dishes, and cups to drinke their Chocolatte, being the chief commodities in their house. There is scarce any house which hath not also in the yard a stew, wherein they bath themselves with hot water, which is their chief physick when they feel themselves distempered. Among themselves they are in every Town divided into Tribes, which have one chief head, to whom all that belong unto that Tribe, doe resort in any difficult matters, who is bound to aid, protect, defend, counsell, and appear for the rest of his Tribe before the officers of justice in any wrong that is like to be done unto them. When any is to be married, the father of the son that is to take a wife out of another Tribe, goeth unto the head of his Tribe to give him warning of his sons marriage with such a maid. Then that head meets with the head of the maids Tribe, and they conferre about it. The businesse commonly is in debate a quarter of a yeer; all which time the parents of the youth or man are with gifts to buy the maid; they are to be at the charges of all that is spent in eating and drinking, when the heads of the two Tribes doe meet with the rest of the kindred of each side, who sometimes sit in conference a whole day, or most part of a night. After many dayes and nights thus spent, and a full triall being made of the one and other sides affection, if they chance to disagree about the marriage, then is the Tribe and parents of the maid to restore back all that the other side hath spent and given. They give no portions with their daughters, but when they die, their goods and lands are equally divided among their sons. If any one want a house to live in, or will repair and thatch his house anew, notice is given to the heads of the Tribes, who warn all the Town to come to help in the work, and every one is to bring a bundle of straw, and other materials, so that in one day with the helpe of many they finish a house, without any charges more then of Chocolatte, which they minister in great cups as big as will hold above a pint, not putting in any costly materials, as doe theSpaniards, but only a little Anniseed, and Chile, orIndianpepper; or else they halfe fill the cup with Attolle, and powre upon it as much Chocolatte as will fill the cup and colour it. In their diet the poorer sort are limited many times to a dish of Frixoles, or Turkey beanes, either black or white (which are there in very great abundance, and are kept dry for all the yeer) boyled with Chile; and if they can have this, they hold themselves well satisfied; with these beanes, they make also dumplins, first boyling the bean a little, and then mingling it with a masse of Maiz, as we do mingle Currants in our cakes, and so boile again the frixoles with the dumplin of Maiz masse, and so eat it hot, or keep it cold; but this and all whatsoever else they eat, they either eat it with green biting Chile, or else they dip it in water and salt, wherein is bruised some of that Chile. But if their means will not reach to frixoles, their ordinary fare and diet is, their Tortilla's (so they call thin round cakes made of the dow and Masse of Maiz) which they eat hot from an earthen pan, whereon they are soon baked with one turning over the fire; and these they eat alone either with Chile and salt, and dipping them in water and salt with a little bruised Chile. When their Maiz is green and tender, they boil some of those whole stalkes or clusters, whereon the Maiz groweth with the leaf about, and so casting a little salt about it, they eat it. I have often eate of this, and found it as dainty as our young green pease, and very nourishing, but it muchincreaseth the blood. Also of this green and tender Maiz they make a Furmity, boiling the Maiz in some of the milke which they have first taken out of it by bruising it. The poorestIndiannever wants this diet, and is well satisfied, as long as his belly is thorowly filled. But the poorest that live in such Townes where flesh meat is sold, will make a hard shift, but that when they come from worke on Saturday night, they will buy one halfe Riall, or a Riall worth of fresh meat to eat on the Lords day. Some will buy a good deal at once, and keep it long by dressing it into Tassajo's, which are bundles of flesh, rowled up and tied fast; which they doe, when for examples sake they have from a leg of beefe sliced off from the bone all the flesh with the knife, after the length, forme, and thinnesse of a line, or rope. Then they take the flesh and salt it, (which being sliced and thinly cut, soon takes salt) and hang it up in their yards like a line from post to post, or from tree to tree, to the wind for a whole week, and then they hang it in the smoak another week, and after rowle it up in small bundles, which become as hard as a stone, and so as they need it, they wash it, boyl it and eat it. This isAmerica'spowdered beef, which they call Tassajo, whereof I have often eaten, and theSpaniardseat much of it, especially those that trade about the Countrey with Mules; nay this Tassajo is a great commodity, and hath made many aSpaniardrich, who carry a Mule or two loaden with these Tassajo's in small parcels and bundles to those Townes where is no flesh at all sold, and there they exchange them for other commodities among theIndians, receiving peradventure for one Tassajo or bundle, (which cost them but the halfe part of a farthing) as much Cacao, as in other places they sell for a Riall or sixpence. The richer sort of people will fare better, for if there be fish or flesh to bee had, they will have it, and eat most greedily of it; and will not spare their fowls and Turkeys from their own bellies. These also will now and then get a wild Dear, shooting it with their bows and arrows. And when they have killed it, they let it lie in the wood in some hole or bottom covered with leaves for the space of about a week, untill it stinke and begin to be full of wormes; then they bring it home, cut it out into joynts, and parboil it with an herbe which groweth there somewhat like unto our Tanzy, which they say sweetneth it again, and maketh the flesh eat tender, and as white as a peice of Turkey. Thus parboiled, they hang up the joynts in the smoke for a while, and then boyle it again, when they eat it, which is commonly dressed with redIndianpepper; and this is the Venison ofAmerica, whereof I have sometimes eaten, and found it white and short, but never durst be too bold with it, not that I found any evill taste in it, but that the apprehension of the wormes and maggots which formerly had been in it, troubled much my stomack. TheseIndiansthat have little to doe at home, and are not employed in the weekly service under theSpaniardsin their hunting, will looke seriously for Hedge-hogs, which are just like unto ours, though certainly ours are not meat for any Christian. They are full of pricks and brisles like ours, and are found in woods and fields, living in holes, and as they say feed upon nothing but Amits and their egs, and upon dry rotten sticks, herbes, and roots; of these they eat much, the flesh being as white and sweet as a Rabbit, and as fat as is aJanuaryhen kept up and fatted in a Coope. Of this meat I have also eaten, and confesse it is a dainty dish there, though I will not say the same of a Hedge-hog here; for what here may be poyson, there may be good and lawfull meate, by some accidentall difference in the creature it selfe, and in that which it feeds upon, or in the temper of the air and climate. This meat not only theIndiansbut the best of theSpaniardsfeed on it; and it is so much esteemed of, that because in Lent they are commonly found, theSpaniardswill not be deprived of it, but do eat it also then, alleadging that it is no flesh (though in the eating it be in fatnesse and in taste, and in all like unto flesh) for that it feeds not upon any thing that is very nourishing, but chiefly upon Amits egs, and dry sticks. It is a great point of controversie amongst their Divines, some hold it lawfull, others unlawfull for that time; it seems the pricks and brisles of theIndianHedge-hog prick their consciences with a foolish scruple. Another kind of meat they feed much on which is calledIguana; of these some are found in the waters, others upon the land. They are longer then a Rabbit, and like unto a Scorpion, with some green, some black scales on their backes. Those upon the land will run very fast, like Lizards, and will climbe up trees like Squerrils, and breed in the roots of trees or in stone walls. The sight of them is enough to affright one; and yet when they are dressed and stewed in broth with a little spice, they make a daintybroth, and eat also as white as a Rabbit, nay the middle bone is made just like the backe bone of a Rabbit. They are dangerous meat, if not throughly boiled, and they had almost cost mee my life for eating too much of them, not being stewed enough. There are also many water and land Tortoi's, which theIndiansfind out for themselves, and also relish exceeding well unto theSpaniardspalate. As for drinking, theIndiansgenerally are much given unto it; and drinke if they have nothing else, of their poore and simple Chocolatte, without Sugar or many compounds, or of Atolle, untill their bellies bee ready to burst. But if they can get any drink that will make them mad drunk, they will not give it over as long as a drop is left, or a penny remaines in their purse to purchase it. Among themselves they use to make such drinks as are in operation far stronger then wine, and these they confection in such great Jarres as come fromSpain; wherein they put some little quantity of water, and fill up the Jar with some Melasso's, or juyce of the Sugar Cane, or some hony for to sweeten it; then for the strengthning of it, they put roots and leaves of Tobacco, with other kinde of roots which grow there, and they know to bee strong in operation, nay in some places I have known where they have put in a live Toad, and so closed up the Jarre for a fortnight, or moneths space, till all that they have put in him, be throughly steeped and the toad consumed, and the drink well strengthned, then they open it, and call their friends to the drinking of it, (which commonly they doe in the night time, lest their Preist in the Towne should have notice of them in the day) which they never leave off, untill they bee mad, and raging drunke. This drink they call Chicha, which stinketh most filthily, and certainly is the cause of manyIndiansdeath, especially where they use the toads poyson with it. Once I was informed living inMixco, of a great meeting that was appointed in anIndianshouse; and I took with mee the Officers of Justice of the Town, to search thatIndianshouse, where I found foure Jarres ofChichanot yet opened, I caused them to be taken out, and broken in the street before his doore, and the filthy Chicha to be poured out, which left such a stinking sent in my nostrils, that with the smell of it, or apprehension of its loathsomenesse, I fell to vomiting, and continued sick almost a whole week after.

Now theSpaniardsknowing this inclination of theIndiansunto drunkennesse, doe herein much abuse and wrong them; though true it is, there is a strict order, even to the forfeiting of the wine of anyone who shall presume to sell wine in a Towne ofIndians, with a mony mulct besides. Yet for all this the baser and poorer sort ofSpaniardsfor their lucre and gaine contemning authority, will goe out fromGuatemala, to the Towns ofIndiansabout, and carry such wine to sell and inebriate the Natives as may bee very advantagious to themselves; for of one Jarre of wine, they will make two at least, confectioning it with hony and water, and other strong drugs which are cheap to them, and strongly operative upon the poore and weakIndiansheads, and this they will sell for currantSpanishwine, with such pint and quart measures, as never were allowed by Justice Order, but by themselves invented. With such wine they soone intoxicate the pooreIndians, and when they have made them drunk, then they will cheat them more, making them pay double for their quart measure; and when they see they can drinke no more, then they will cause them to ly down and sleep, and in the meane while will pick their pockets. This is a common sinne among thoseSpaniardsofGuatemala, and much practised in the City upon theIndians, when they come thither to buy or sell. Those that keep the Bodegones (so are called the houses that sell wine, which are no better then a Chandlers shop, for besides wine they sell Candles, Fish, Salt, Cheese and Bacon) will commonly intice in theIndians, and make them drunk, and then pick their pockets, and turne them out of doores with blowes and stripes, if they will not fairly depart. There was inGuatemalain my time one of these Bodegoners, or shopkeeper of wine and small ware, namedJoan Ramos, who by thus cheating and tipling pooreIndians(as it was generally reported) was worth two hundred thousand duckates, and in my time gave with a daughter that was married, eight thousand Duckats. NoIndianshould passe by his doore, but he would call him in, and play upon him as aforesaid. In my time aSpanishFarmer, neighbour of mine in the Valley ofMixco, chanced to send toGuatemalahisIndianservants with half a dozen mules loaden with wheat to a Merchant, with whom hee had agreed before for the price, and ordered the money to bee sent unto him by his servant (whom hee had kept six yeers, and ever found him trusty) the wheat being delivered, and the money received (the which mounted to ten pound, sixteen shillings, every mule carryingsix bushels, at twelve Rials a bushel, as was then the price) theIndianwith another Mate of his walking along the streets to buy some small commodities, passed byJohn Ramoshis shop, or Bodegon, who enticing him and his Mate in, soone tripped up their heals with a little confectioned wine for that purpose, and tooke away all his mony from the intrudedIndian, and beat them out of his house; who thus drunk being forced to ride home, theIndianthat had received the money, fell from his mule, and broke his neck; the other got home without his Mate, or money. The Farmer prosecutedJohn Ramosin the Court for his money, butRamosbeing rich and abler to bribe, then the Farmer, got off very well, and so had done formerly in almost the like cases. These are but peccadillo's among thoseSpaniards, to make drunke, rob, and occasion the poorIndiansdeath; whose death with them is no more regarded nor vindicated, then the death of a sheep or bullock, that falls into a pit. And thus having spoken of apparrell, houses, eating and drinking, it remaines that I say somewhat of their civility, and Religion of those who lived under the Government of theSpaniards. From theSpaniardsthey have borrowed their Civill Government, and in all Townes they have one, or twoAlcaldes, with more or lesseRegidores, (who are as Aldermen or Jurates amongst us) and someAlguaziles, more or lesse, who are as Constables, to execute the orders of theAlcalde, (who is a Maior) with his Brethren. In Towns of three or four hundred Families, or upwards, there are commonly two Alcaldes, six Regidores, two Alguaziles Maiors, and six under, or petty Alguaziles. And some Towns are priviledged with anIndianGovernour, who is above the Alcaldes, and all the rest of the Officers. These are changed every yeer by new election, and are chosen by theIndiansthemselves, who take their turnes by the tribes or kindreds, whereby they are divided. Their offices begin on New-Yeers day, and after that day their election is carryed to the City ofGuatemala(if in that district it bee made) or else to the heads of Justice, orSpanishGovernours of the severall Provinces, who confirm the new Election, and take account of the last yeers expences made by the other Officers, who carry with them their Town-Book of accounts; and therefore for this purpose every Town hath a Clerk, or Scrivener, called Escrivano, who commonly continueth many yeers in his office, by reason of the paucity and unfitnesse ofIndianScriveners, who are able to bears such a charge. This Clerk hath many fees for his writings and informations, and accounts, as have theSpaniards, though not so much money or bribes, but a small matter, according to the poverty of theIndians. The Governour is also commonly continued many yeers, being some chief man among theIndians, except for his misdemeanours hee bee complained of, or theIndiansin generall doe all stomack him.

Thus they being setled in a civill way of government, they may execute justice upon all suchIndiansof their Town as doe notoriously and scandalously offend. They may imprison, fine, whip, and banish, but hang and quarter they may not; but must remit such cases to theSpanishGovernour. So likewise if aSpaniardpassing by the Town, or living in it, doe trouble the peace, and misdemean himself, they may lay hold on him, and send him to the nextSpanishJustice, with a full information of his offence, but fine him, or keep him about one night in Prison they may not. This order they have againstSpaniards, but they dare not execute it, for a whole Town standeth in awe of oneSpaniard, and though hee never so hainously offend, and bee unruly, with oathes, threatnings, and drawing of his sword, hee maketh them quake and tremble, and not presume to touch him; for they know if they doe, they shall have the worst, either by blowes, or by some mis-information, which hee will give against them. And this hath been very often tried, for whereIndianshave by virtue of their order indeavoured to curbe an unrulySpaniardin their Town, some of them have been wounded, others beaten, and when they have carried theSpaniardbefore aSpanishJustice and Governour, hee hath pleaded for what hee hath done, saying it was in his owne defence, or for his King and Sovereign, and that theIndianswould have killed him, and began to mutiny all together against theSpanishAuthority, and Government, denying to serve him with what hee needed for his way and journey; that they would not bee slaves to give him or anySpaniardany attendance; and that they would make an end of him, and of all theSpaniards. With these and such like false and lying mis-informations, the unrulySpaniardshave often been beleeved, and too much upheld in their rude and uncivill misdemeanors, and theIndiansbitterly curbed, and punished, and answer made them in such cases, that if they had been killed for theirmutiny and rebellion against the King, and his best subjects they had beene served well enough; and that if they gave not attendance unto theSpaniard, that passed by their Town, their houses should bee fired, and they and their children utterly consumed. With such like answers from the Justices, and credency to what any baseSpaniardshall inform against them, the pooreIndiansare fain to put up all wrongs done unto them, not daring to meddle with anySpaniard, bee hee never so unruly, by virtue of that Order, which they have against them. Amongst themselves, if any complaint be made against anyIndian, they dare not meddle with him untill they call all his kindred, and especially the head of that Tribe, to which hee belongeth; who if hee and the rest together, find him to deserve imprisonment, or whipping, or any other punishment, then the Officers of Justice, the Alcaldes or Maiors, and their Brethren the Jurates inflict upon him that punishment; which all shall agree upon. But yet after judgment and sentence given, they have another, which is their last appeale, if they please, and that is to their Priest, and Fryer, who liveth in their Town, by whom they will sometimes bee judged, and undergoe what punishment hee shall think fittest. To the Church therefore they often resort in points of Justice, thinking the Preist knoweth more of Law and equity, then themselves; who sometimes reverseth what judgement hath been given in the Town house, blaming the Officers for their partiality and passion against their poore Brother, and setting free the party judged by them; which the Preist does oftentimes, if such anIndiandoe belong to the Church, or to the service of their house, or have any other relation to them, peradventure for their wives sake, whom either they affect, or imploy in washing, or making their Chocolatte. Such, and their husbands may live lawlesse as long as the Preist is in the Town. And if when the Preist is absent, they call them to triall for any misdemeanor, and whip, fine, or imprison, (which occasion they will sometimes pick out on purpose) when the Preist returnes, they shall bee sure to heare of it, and smart for it, yea, and the Officers themselves peradventure bee whipped in the Church, by the Preists order and appointment; against whom they dare not speake, but willingly accept what stripes and punishment hee layeth upon them, judging his wisdome, sentence, and punishing hand, the wisdome, sentence and hand of God; whom as they have been taught to be over all Princes, Judges, worldly Officers, so likewise they beleeve, (and have been so taught) that his Preists and Ministers are above theirs, and all worldly power and authority. It happened unto mee living in the Town ofMixco, that anIndianbeing judged to bee whipped for some disorders, which hee committed, would not yeeld to the sentence, but apealed to mee, saying hee would have his stripes in the Church, and by my order, for so hee said his whipping would doe him good, as comming from the hand of God. When hee was brought unto mee, I could not reverse theIndiansjudgment, for it was just, and so caused him to be whipped, which hee tooke very patiently and merrily, and after kissed my hands and gave mee an offering of mony for the good hee said, I had done unto his soule. Besides this civility of justice amongst them, they live as in other Civill and Politick and well governed Common-wealths; for in most of their Townes, there are some that professe such trades as are practised amongSpaniards. There are amongst them Smiths, Taylors, Carpenters, Masons, Shoomakers, and the like. It was my fortune to set upon a hard and difficult building in a Church ofMixco, where I desired to make a very broad and capacious vault over the Chappell, which was the harder to bee finished in a round circumference, because it depended upon a triangle, yet for this work I sought none butIndians, some of the Town, some from other places, who made it so compleat, that the best & skilfullest workmen among theSpaniardshad enough to wonder at it. So are most of their Churches vaulted on the top, and all byIndians; they onely in my time built a new Cloister in the Town ofAmatitlan, which they finished with many Arches of stone both in the lower walks and in the upper galleries, with as much perfection as the best Cloister ofGuatemala, had before beene built by theSpaniard. Were they more incouraged by theSpaniards, and taught better principles both for soule and body, doubtlesse they would among themselves make a very good Common-wealth. For painting they are much inclined to it, and most of the pictures, and Altars of the Country Townes are their workmanship. In most of their Townes they have a Schoole, where they are taught to read, to sing, and some to write. To the Church there doe belong according as the Town is in bignesse, so many Singers, and Trumpeters, and Waits, over whom the Preist hathone Officer, who is calledFiscal; he goeth with a white Staffe with a little Silver Crosse on the top to represent the Church, and shew that he is the Preists Clerk and Officer. When any case is brought to be examined by the Preist, this Fiscall or Clerk executeth Justice by the Preists Order. He must be one that can read & write, and is commonly the Master of Musick. He is bound upon the Lords Day and other Saints dayes, to gather to the Church before and after Service all the yong youths, and maids, and to teach them the Prayers, Sacraments, Commandements, and other points of Catechisme allowed by the Church of Rome. In the morning hee and the other Musicians at the sound of the Bell, are bound to come to Church to sing and officiate at Masse, which in many Townes they performe with Organs and other musicall Instruments, (as hath beene observed before) as well asSpaniards. So likewise at Evening at five of the clock they are again to resort to the Church, when the Bell calleth, to sing Prayers, which they call Completa's, or Completory, withSalve Regina, a prayer to the Virgin Mary. This Fiscal is a great man in the Town, and beares more sway then the Majors, Jurates, and other Officers of Justice, and when the Preist is pleased, giveth attendance to him, goeth about his arrants, appointeth such as are to wait on him, when hee rideth out of Town. Both hee and all that doth belong unto the Church, are exempted from the common weekely service of theSpaniards, and from giving attendance to Travellers, and from other Officers of Justice. But they are to attend with their Waits, Trumpets, and Musick, upon any great man or Preist that cometh to their Town, and to make Arches with boughes and flowers in the streets for their entertainment. Besides these, those also that doe belong unto the service of the Preists house, are priviledged from theSpaniardsservice. Now the Preist hath change of servants by the week, who take their turnes so, that they may have a weeke or two to spare to doe their work. If it bee a great Town, hee hath three Cookes allowed him, (if a small Town, but two) men Cookes who change their turnes, except hee have any occasion of feasting, then they all come. So likewise hee hath two or three more (whom they call Chahal) as Butlers, who keepe whatsoever Provision is in the house under lock and Key; and give to the Cooke what the Preist appointeth to bee dressed for his dinner, or supper; these keep the Table Clothes, Napkins, Dishes, and Trenchers, and lay the Cloth, and take away, and wait at the Table; hee hath besides three or foure, and in great Towns half a dozen of boyes to doe his arrants, wait at the Table, and sleep in the house all the week by their turnes, who with the Cookes and Butlers dine and sup constantly in the Preists house, and at his charges. Hee hath also at dinner and supper times the attendance of some old women (who also take their turnes) to oversee half a dozen yong maids, who next to the Priests house doe meet to make him, and his family Tortilla's or Cakes of Maiz, which the boyes doe bring hot to the Table by halfe a dozen at a time. Besides these servants, if hee have a Garden hee is allowed two or three gardeners; and for his stable, at least half a dozenIndians, who morning and evening are to bring him Sacate (as there they call it) or herb and grasse for his Mules or Horses, these diet not in the house; but the groome of the stable, who is to come at morning, noone, and Evening, (and therefore are three or foure to change) or at any time that the Preist will ride out; these I say and the Gardners (when they are at work) dine and sup at the Priests charges; who sometimes in great Townes hath above a dozen to feed and provide for. There are besides belonging to the Church priviledged from the weekly attendance upon theSpaniardstwo or threeIndians, called Sacristanes, who have care of the Vestry and Copes, and Altar Clothes, and every day make ready the Altar or Altars for Masse; also to every Company or Sodality of the Saints, or Virgin, there are two or three, whom they call Mayordomo's, who gather about the Towne Almes for the maintaining of the Sodality; these also gather Egges about the Town for the Preist every week, and give him an account of their gatherings, and allow him every moneth, or fortnight, two Crownes for a Masse to bee sung to the Saint.

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