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 ofIndiansshould 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 theIndiansand 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 pooreIndians, 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 beingso 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 theIndians, the Preists got well by it; for every where Processions were made, and Masses sung for the averting of that Plague. InMixcomost 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 ofRomedoth 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 anySpanishHusbandman who in this occasion came not from the Valley to the Town ofMixcowith his offering to this Saint, and who made not a vow to have a Masse sung unto SaintNicolas; 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 SaintNicolas, 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 SaintNicolas, 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 fewSpaniardswere infected with this Contagion, but theIndiansgenerally were taken with it. It was reported to have begun aboutMexico, and to have spread from Town to Town, till it came toGuatemala, and went on forwards; and so likewise did the Locusts the yeer before, marching as it were fromMexicoover 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. InMixco, I buried ninety young and old, and inPinolaabove 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 ofRometo 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 ofIndiansbrought 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 ofRome, 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 ofEngland, 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 IdolatrousPreists; 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 ofIndians; besides the raine, the fiery thunder bolts breaking through the clouds threatned a dolefull judgement to all the Country. In the Valley ofMixcotwo riding together were stricken dead from their Mules, the Chappel of our Lady ofCarmelin the same valley was burnt to the ground, and likewise two houses at the river ofVaccas. InPetapaanother 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 inGuatemala, 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 inMixcotrembling 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 manyIndiansabout 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) theSpaniardsof the valley and theIndiansbetooke 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 ofPeru, that a whole City calledTruxillowas 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 aboutGuatemalawas 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 inMixcosome 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 theSpaniardshold 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 deliberationin 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 whomDavidsaid in the 46Ps.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 inMixco, and inPinolaI was once no lesse in danger in losing a leg by means of a smaller instrument then is a flea.
This Towne ofPinolain theIndianlanguage is calledPanac; Pan, signifieth in, or amongst,Cac, signifieth three thinges; for it signifieth the fire, or a fruit otherwise calledguiava; or thirdly, a small vermine, commonly called by theSpaniards, Nigua; which is common over all theIndia's, but more in some places then in others. Where there are many hogs, there is usually much of this sort of vermine. TheSpaniardsreport that many of the Souldiers ofSir Francis Drakedied of them, when they landed aboutNombre de Dios, and marched up the high Mountaines of St.PablotowardsPanama, 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 theIndiansthemselves, 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.PanacorPinola, is much subject to this Vermin, orNigua, 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 theIndiansare 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 theSpaniards, 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 commiseratingtheir sufferings, and taking their part against anySpaniardthat 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 inPinolacost mee my life; For anIndianof that Town serving aSpaniardnamedFrancisco 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 fromPetapato cure him, he had certainly dyed. I could not but complain for the poorIndianunto the President ofGuatemala, who respecting my complaint, sent for mySpaniardto the City, imprisoned him, and kept him close untill theIndianwas recovered, and so with a Fine sent him back againe. In a Sermon further I pressed this home unto the neighbouringSpaniards, warning them of the wrongs & abuses which they offered unto the poorIndians, 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 theIndiansthat 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 inMontenegrohis 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 aSpaniard, 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 andIndiansthat served in my house came running to my chamber door, wishing mee to look to my selfe, and not to come out, for thatMontenegrowas 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 furiousSpaniardperceiving himselfe discovered left the Town. With this I thought of securing of my self better, and called for a BlackmoreMiguel Dalvaa very stout and lusty fellow who lived from mee halfe a mile, to bee about mee untill I could discover more ofMontenegroesdesignes and malicious intents. The next Sabbath Day in the morning being to ride to the Town ofMixco, I carried my Blackmore, and half a dozen ofIndiansin 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 banishedMontenegrothirty leagues from the Valley. And not onely fromSpaniardswas I in danger for theIndianssake whilst I lived in those Townes; but also from someIndiansthemselves, (who were false in Religion) I did undergoe great perils, and yet was still delivered.
InPinolathere 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 namedMartha de Carrillo, who had been by some of the Town formerly accused for bewitching many; but theSpanishJustices 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 thisCarrillohad killed them, & that they saw her often about their beds, threatning them with a frowning and angry look. TheIndiansfor feare of her durst not complain against her, nor meddle with her; whereupon I sent word untoDon Juan de Guzmanthe 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 theIndiansmany 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 theyhad 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 theIndians, 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 theIndianswere 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-moreMiguel Dalva, who would often come late to my house to lodge there, especially since my fear ofMontenegro, 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 atmy 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 myFiscalthe Clerk of the Church, and told him what had happened that night; he smiled upon me, and told me it was the widowCarillo, 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 chiefIndianscame unto me, and told me that oldCarillohad 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 toGuatemala, 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 moreIndiansthere were in that Town, who were said in my time to doe very strange things. One calledJohn Gonzalezwas reported to change himselfe into the shape of a Lion, and in that shape was one day shot in the nose by a poore harmelesseSpaniardwho 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 thisGonzalezwas 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 pooreSpaniardfor shooting at him; the businesse was examined by aSpanishJustice, my evidence was taken for whatGonzaleztold me of his fall from a tree, theSpaniardwas put to his oath, who sware that he shot at a Lion in a thicke wood, where anIndiancould 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; whichGonzalezconfessed was to be the place; and was examined how he neither fell nor was seen by theSpaniard, when he came to seeke for the Lion thinking he had killed him; to which he answered that he ran away lest theSpaniardshould kill him indeed. But his answers seeming frivolous, theSpaniardsintegrity being known, and the great suspicion that was in the Town ofGonzalezhis dealing with the Devill, cleared theSpaniardfrom what was laid against him.
But this was nothing to what after happened to oneJohn Gomez, the chiefestIndianof that Towne of neer fourscore yeers of age, the Head and Ruler of the principallest Tribe among theIndians, whose advise and counsell was taken and preferred before all the rest, who seemed to be a very godlyIndian, and very seldome missed morning and evening prayers in the Church, and had bestowed great riches there. ThisIndianvery suddainly was taken sick (I being then in my other Town ofMixco) theMayordomos, 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 atMixco, desiring me to goe presently and helpeJohn Gomezto 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 toPinolabeing thorow wet to the skin, I went immediately to the house of old sickGomez, 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 wasnothing 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 giveGomezthe extream unction, which theIndians(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, someIndianscome to my doore for to buy candles to offer up forJohn Gomezhis 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 threeSpaniardswho 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 aboutJohn 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 theSpaniardssmiled one at another, and told me I was much deceived by all theIndians, but especially by the deceasedGomez, if I judged him to have been a Saint, and holy man. I told them that they as enemies to the pooreIndiansjudged 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 ofJohn Gomezhis 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, thatJohn Gomezwas 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 oneSebastian Lopezan ancientIndian, and head of another Tribe; and that both of them two daies before had met in the mountaine,Gomezin the shape of a Lion, andLopezin the shape of a Tigre, and that they fought most cruelly, tillGomez(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 thatLopezwas in prison for it, and the two Tribes striving about it; and that the Tribe and kindred ofGomezdemanded fromLopezand his Tribe and kindred satisfaction, and a great sum of mony, or els did threaten to make the case known unto theSpanishpower 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 anIndian, if I foundJohn Gomezto have so much dissembled and deceived me. I tooke my leave of theSpaniardsand went my selfe to the prison, where I foundLopezwith 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 whyLopezwas kept so close prisoner; he was loth to tell me fearing the rest of theIndians, 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 theSpaniardsbefore. To which he answered that if they could agree amongst themselves, they feared no ill report from theSpaniardsagainst 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 theSpaniardshad done, and told me that he thought the Tribes amongst themselves would not agree, for that some ofGomezhis friends hatedLopezand all such as were so familiar with the Devill, and cared not ifGomezhis dissembling life were laid open to the world; but others he said, whowere as bad asLopezandGomez, 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 theIndian, and went to the Church, to see if the people were come to Masse; I found there no body but onely two who were makingGomezhis 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 oneIndianagainst him, nor theSpaniardswhom 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 ofJohn 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 sawJohn Gomez, andSebastian Lopez, much about the same place parting one from another; and that immediatelyJohn Gomezcame home bruised to his bed, from whence he never rise more, and that he declared upon his death-bed unto some of his friends thatSebastian Lopezhad 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 toGuatemala, to theSpanishpower, of this accident, and that if they had concealed it, they might all have been punished as guilty ofGomezhis 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 searchedGomezhis 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 againstLopezby theIndiansof the Town, especiall byGomezhis friends, whereupon hee was carryed away toGuatemala, and there againe was tryed by the same witnesses, and not much denying the fact himself, was there hanged. AndGomez, though his grave was opened in the Church, hee was not buried in it, but in another made ready for him in a Ditch.
InMixcoI found also someIndiansno lesse dissemblers then was thisGomez, and those of the chiefest and richest of the Town, who were foure Brothers calledFuentes, 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 theirChicha, 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 theSpaniardsthey 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 withmuch 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 aSpaniardin the Vally; who finding himself touched in Conscience, came toMixcoto me, and told me what he had heard, that someIndiansof 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 theSpaniardto tell me by whom hee came to know of this. He told me theIndiansname from whom he had it, and that he was afraid to discover theIndians, and to tell mee of it. I sent for theIndianbefore theSpaniard, who confessed unto mee that hee had heard of such a thing; but knew that if hee did discover theIndians, 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 theIndianswere, and where their Idol was, that I would have him toGuatemala, and there make him discover what hee knew. Here theIndianbegan to tremble, and told mee theFuenteshad 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 theSpaniardto goe to search out the cave the next day, and to carry with mee three or foureSpaniardsand my BlackmoreMiguel Dalva, and thatIndian. 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. TheIndianstill 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 theSpaniardto 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 theSpaniardalso with secresie, and so dismissed him with theIndian. That day I rid toPinolafor the BlackmoreMiguel Dalva, and brought him toMixcowith mee, not telling him what my intent was; I went also to foure neighbouringSpaniards, 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 myIndianto 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 fromMixcotowards 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 consideringthat 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 ourIndian, lest hee should give us the slip, and committing him to the charge ofMiguel 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 theIndiansuse 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 inMixco; 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 inMixco, 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 theIndianthat 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 intoMixco, that theIndiansmight see nothing. So I stayed at one of theSpaniardshouses, till it were late, and desired him to warn from mee all theSpaniardsthere-abouts to be atMixcoChurch the next Sabbath, (fearing lest the Idolaters might bee many, and rise up against mee) that I hadsomewhat 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 theIndianshearing, and so the Idolaters might absent themselves. At night I tooke myIndian, andMiguel Dalvawith mee, and went home, and shutting up the Idol in a chest till the next Sabbath, I dismissed theIndian, 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 keptMiguel Dalvawith 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. ofExodus, 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 ofRome, 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 causedMiguel Dalvato 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 ofSpaniardsand Blackmores, who by the warning I sent unto them expected some great matter from mee, and of the Town very few were absent, theFuentesand 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 commandedMiguel Dalva, to bee himself neer the Pulpit at Sermon time, and to warne thoseSpaniardsthat 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 bothSpaniardsandIndiansbegan 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 theFuentesand 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 powerhe or Satan had against the power of my faith in Christ. After much arguing and reasoning according to the shallow capacity of theIndianspresent, 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.
And thus concluding without naming any person, I went downe out of the pulpit, and caused the Idol to be brought after me, and sending for an axe, and for two or three great pans of coales, I commanded him to be hewen in very small peeces, and to be cast in the fire and burned before all the people in the midst of the Church. TheSpaniardscried out joyfullyVictor Victor, and others repeated,Gloria à nostro Dios, Glory to our God, the Idolaters held their peace and spake not then a word. But afterwards they acted most spightfully against me, and conspired day and night to get me at some advantage, and to kill me. I writ to the President ofGuatemalainforming him of what I had done; and to the Bishop (as an Inquisitor to whom such cases of idolatry did belong) to be informed from him of what course I should take with theIndianswho were but in part yet discovered unto me, and those onely by the relation of oneIndian. From both I received great thanks for my paines in searching the mountaine, and finding out the Idol, and for my zeal in burning of it. And as touching theIndianIdolaters their counsell unto me was, that I should further enquire after the rest and discover as many as I could, and indeavour to convert them to the knowledge of the true God by faire and sweet meanes, shewing pity unto them for their great blindnesse, and promising them upon their repentance pardon from the Inquisition, which considering them to be but new plants useth not such rigour with them, which it useth withSpaniardsif they fall into such horrible sins. This advise I followed, and sent privately for theFuentesto my chamber, and told them how mercifull the Inquisition was unto them, expecting their conversion and amendment. They seemed somewhat stubborne and angry for that I had burned that God, whom not only they, but many others in the Towne, and also in the Towne of SaintJohn Sacatepequesdid worship. I used reasons to perswade them no honour was due unto it, as to a God. But one of them boldly replyed, that they knew that it was a peece of wood and of it selfe could not speake, but seeing it had spoken (as they were all witnesses) this was a miracle whereby they ought to be guided, and they did verily beleeve that God was in that piece of wood, which since the speech made by it was more then ordinary wood, having God himselfe in it, and therefore deserved more offerings and adoration then those Saints in the Church, who did never speake unto the people. I told them that the Devill rather had framed that speech (if any they had heard) for to deceive their souls and lead them to hell; which they might easily perceive from the Doctrin which I was informed he had preached against Christ the only begotten son of God, whom the Father loveth and in whom he is well pleased, and against whom he certainly would not speake in that idol. Another answered boldly, our forefathers never knew what Christ was, until theSpaniardscame unto that Countrey, but they knew there were Gods, & did worship them, and did sacrifice unto them; and for ought they knew this God of theirs belonged in old times unto their forefathers. Why then, said I unto them, he was a weake God who by my hands hath been burned? I perceived that at that time there was no reasoning with them, for they were stubborn and captious, and so I dismissed them. Had not God most graciously protected me against these my enemies, I had certainly been murthered by them; for a moneth after the burning of the idol, when I thought all had been forgotten, and that the Idolaters were quiet, then they began to act their spight and malice, which first I discovered by a noise which once at midnight I heard of people about my house, and at my chamber doore; to whom I called out from my bed not daring to open, but could have noanswer from them, I perceived they would have come in by force, for they pushed hard at the doore. Whereupon I tooke suddainly the sheets from off my bed, tying them with a strong knot together, and with another to a bar of the window, making my selfe ready to fall down by them to the ground, and so to flie in the dark night, if they had used violence to come in. The sheets being thus prepared, and they still at the doore thrusting without any word from them, I thought by calling and crying out aloud I might affright them away. Wherefore with a shrill voice I called first to my servants, who were but boyes, and lay at the further end of a long gallery, then I cryed out to the neighbouring houses to come and assist me against theeves. The servants had heard the noise and were awake, who presently at my call came out; and with their coming my enemies ran down the staires, and were heard no more that night. But I perceiving which way their spight and malice was bent, thought fit to be no more alone in the night, with boyes only in so great a house as was that ofMixco; whereupon the next day I sent for my trusty friendMiguel Dalvawho was able to fight alone with any halfe dozen ofIndians, wishing him to bring with him what weapons he could get for my defence. I kept him with me a fortnight; and the next Sabbath I gave warning in the Church, that whosoever came in the night to my house to affright me, or to doe me any other mischiefe should looke to him selfe, for that I had weapons both offensive and defensive. Though for a while I heard no more of them, yet they desisted not altogether from their evill and malicious intents; for, knowing thatMiguel Dalvadid not lie in the same chamber with me, a fortnight after (I being till about midnight with my candle studying) they came up the staires so softly that I heard them not; but theBlack-morebeing awake it seems perceived that they were coming up, and softly arose up from a long table where he lay upon a Mat, and tooke in his hand a couple of brick-bats of many which lay under the table for a worke which I had in hand, and as he opened the dore made a little noise, which was to them an item to flie down the staires, and to run (as they thought) for their lives. TheBlack-moredid also run after them, and finding they had got too much advantage of him, and not knowing which way they might take, sent after them with a fury his two brick-bats, wherewith he supposed he did hit one of them, for the next day walking about the Towne he met with one of theFuenteshaving a cap on his head, and he inquired of someIndianswhat he ailed, and he understood by them that his head was broke, but how they knew not. They perceiving that I was thus guarded byMiguel Dalva, desisted from that time from coming any more in the night unto my house, but yet desisted not from their spight and malice and from acting mischiefe against me. For a month after when I thought that all had been forgotten, and they seemed outwardly to be kind and curteous, there came a messenger to me from the oldest of them, namedPablo de Fuentes, to tel me that he was very sick, and like to die, and desired me to goe to comfort and instruct him in the truth, for that he truely desired to be converted. I conceived very great joy at this newes, and doubted not of the truth and certainty of it, and prayed to God to direct me in the conversion of that soul; and so with haste and good zeal, I went unto his house, where soon my joy and comfort was turned into bitternesse; for when I came to the dore of his house, and was with one step entred, I found all the brothers ofPablo Fuentes, and some others who were suspected to be Idolaters, sitting round the room; and missingPablo, I withdrew my foot a little, and asked them where he was, mistrusting somewhat to see them there all gathered together; but when I perceived that they stood not up, nor answered me a word, nor so much as tooke off their hats to me, then I began to fear indeed, and to suspect some treachery; and so I turned back resolving to goe home again. But no sooner was I turned, but beholdPablo Fuentes(who by his message had feigned both sicknesse and conversion) came from behind his house with a cudgell in his hand, lifting it up to strike at me. Had I not catched hold of his stick with both my hands, and prevented the intended blow, certainly he had struck me down. But whilst he and I were striving for the stick who should be Master of it, the rest of theIndianswho were sitting in the house, came out into the yard (which being a publick place was more comfort to me then if they had compassed me about within the house) and beset me round, some pulling mee one way, some another, tearing my clothes in two or three places, another to make me let goe my hand from the stick with a knife run me into the hand (which to this day a small scar doth witnesse) and certainly had we not been in a publikeyard, that party would also have run his knife into my sides; another seeing I would not let goe the stick, tooke hold of it withPabloand both together thrust it against my mouth, and with such strength that they broke some of my teeth, and filled my mouth with goar blood, with which blow I fell, but soone recovered my selfe and arose, they laughing at me, but not daring to doe me any more harme for feare they should be seen, as God would have seen what already they had done; for a Mulatta slave to aSpaniardin the valley, at that very time when I was down and rising passed by, and hearing me cry out for help to the neighbours (who lived somewhat far off that might helpe and succour me, for all the houses thereabouts were of the brothers theFuentes) came into the yard, and seeing me all in blood thought I had been mortally wounded, and calling them murtherers ran along the street crying murther, murther inPablo Fuenteshis yard, till she came to the Market place and Town-house, where she found the Maiors and Jurats sitting, & a couple ofSpaniards, who when they heard of my danger, with drawn swords came presently running with all the officers of Justice to the yard ofPablo Fuentesto aid and assist me; but in the mean while the Idolaters perceiving the outcry of the Mulatta, began to fall away and to hide themselves;Pablo Fuentesgoing to shut up his house also to absent himselfe, I held him hard to it, striving with him that he might not escape away till some help came unto me. TheSpaniardswhen they came and saw me all in a blood, made furiously toPablo Fuenteswith their naked swords, whom I stopped desiring them not to hurt him, lest what harme they did unto him should be imputed unto me. I wished the Justice not to feare him though he were a richIndian, and as they would answer before the President ofGuatemalato lay hold of him, and to carry him to prison, which they presently performed. I made theSpaniardsand the Mulatta to witnesse under writing by way of information what they had seen, what blood about my clothes, what wound in my hand, what blow in my mouth they had found, and sent with speed to the President ofGuatemalathis their information. The businesse was soon noised about the valley, whereupon most of theSpaniardscame to offer their help and aid unto me;Miguel Dalvaalso chancing to be neer at aSpaniardshouse in the same valley came with the rest, who would have done that night some mischief among theIndiansif I had not prevented them. I desired them to depart and goe home to their houses, telling them I feared nothing, and thatMiguel Dalvahis company would be guard enough unto me. But they would by no meanes yeeld unto this, saying that night might prove more dangerous unto me then I imagined, and that I needed a stronger guard then of one man alone, for they conceived that the Idolaters knowing what already they had done, and fearing what grievous punishment might be inflicted upon them from the President ofGuatemala, seeing themselves lost and undone men might desperately that night rescue their brother out of prison, and attempt some mischiefe against me, and so flie away. Which I could not be brought to fear, or to beleeve any such thing of their cowardly spirits, nor that they would flie away for that they had houses and land there in and about the Towne, yet I was willing for one night to yeeld to have a stronger guard ofSpaniardsthen at other times I had had with the BlackmoreMiguel Dalvaalone. After supper they kept watch about my house till such time as they perceived all was still, and theIndiansa bed, and then they set a watch about the prison thatPablo Fuentesmight not be taken out. And after this (pretending that they were in danger as wel as I being but about a dozen, if the Towne should all rise and mutiny by the suggestion of the Idolaters, who most of them were rich and powerfull with the rest, which yet I feared not) they would needs goe and raise up the two Alcaldes or Maiors alone, with two more petty officers to make search about the Town for the rest of theFuentesand other known Idolaters, that being found they might secure them in the prison to appear atGuatemala, and prevented from doing any mischief either that night, or at any other time. With this stir which they made, and their care of mee, they suffered me not to take any rest that night; but went and called up the Alcaldes and two officers and brought them to my house, desiring me to signifie unto them, how fit and necessary it was to search for the rest of theIndians. The poore Alcaldes trembled to see so manySpaniardsat that time in my house with naked swords, and durst not but doe what they thought best to be done, and so from my house about midnight they walked about the Towne, searching such houses as they most suspected might conceale any of theFuentes, or of the rest that had been that day in the rebellion andmutiny against mee. They could find none at home, till at last comming to the house of oneLorenzo Fuentes, one of the brothers, they found all that had been in the conspiracy against mee, gathered together drinking and quaffing. The house being beset there was no flying nor escaping, and seeing theSpaniardsnaked swords, they durst not rebell, who doubtlesse (as wee were afterwards informed) would have made a great stirre in the Town that night, and were met together to rescuePablotheir brother, and to doe mee some mischief and flye, not knowing that I was so strongly manned and guarded by theSpaniards. There were ten of them, and were presently without any noise in the Town carryed to the Prison, and there shut up, and guarded by theSpaniards.
In the morning the President ofGuatemala(who then wasDon Juan de Guzman, a Religious Governour) taking into his consideration what the day before I had writ unto him, and judging my danger to bee great, sent aSpanishAlguazile, or Officer of Justice with a very large Commission to bring Prisoners to the City all thoseIndianswho the day before had been in rebellion against mee, and in case they could not bee found, then to seize upon what goods soever of theirs could be found inMixco. But with the diligence of theSpaniardsthe night before they were all in a readinesse for him, and paying the Alguazile first his charges (which hee demanded as hee listed) and bearing the charges ofMiguel Dalva, and two or three moreSpaniards, who were commanded in the Kings Name to bee aiding and assisting the Officer for the safer carrying them toGuatemala, they were horsed and had away that day to the President, who committed them close Prisoners, and afterwards commanded them to be whipped about the streets, banished two of them fromMixcoto the Golf of St.Thomas de Castilia, and would have banished them all, had they not humbled themselves, and desired mee to intercede for them, promising to amend their lives, and to make mee great satisfaction, if they might return again to their Town, and that if ever more they did stirre against mee, they would yeeld to be hanged and to lose al their goods. With this the President (fining them yet to pay twenty Crowns a peece to the Church to be imployed in what I should think fittest) sent them back; who, as they had promised, came unto mee, and humbled themselves before mee with much weeping, with many expressions, shewing their sorrow from their hearts for what they had done, casting all upon the Devill, whom they confessed had been great with them in tempting them, whom also now they did abjure and renounce, promising to live as good Christians, and never more to worship any God but one. I was very much taken with their deepe sorrow expressed with many tears, and indeavoured to instruct them in the true knowledge of Christ, whom now I found they were very willing to imbrace. I lived not very long after in that Towne; but for the time I did continue in it, I found a great change and alteration in their lives, which truly made mee apt to judge that their repentance was unfained. And these former particulars of a fewIndiansof those two Towns, I have not here inserted to bring an aspersion upon all that Nation, (which I doe very much affect, and would willingly spend the best drops of blood in my veines to doe them good, and to save their soules) but to cause rather pity and commiseration towards them, who after so many yeers preaching have been made as yet but formall and outward Christians, and by the many Saints of wood, which they have been taught to worship by the Preists, have rather been inclined to the superstition and Idolatry of their Forefathers, and to trust to living Creatures, and bow to inanimate stocks and stones, which they daily see performed publickly in their Churches. Certainly they are of a good and flexible nature, and (were those Idols of Saints statues removed from their eyes) might bee brought easily to worship one onely God; and whereas they so willingly lavish out their small meanes and what they labour for, in offerings to the Preists and to their Saints, and in maintaining Lazy singing Lubbars, they without doubt would bee free enough to true Ministers of Gods Word, who should venture their lives to beat down those false Gods, and set up Jesus Christ, and him that sent him into the World to save such as truly beleeve in him.
The yeere that this stirre happened inMixco, I received fromRomefrom the Generall of the Dominicans Order, License to come home toEngland; at which I rejoyced much, for now I was even weary with living among theIndians, & grieved to see the little fruit I reaped amongst them, and that for feare of the Inquisition I durst not preach a new Gospell unto them, which might make them true, reall, and inward Christians;and lastly, for that I perceived thatAntonio Mendez de Satomayor(who was Lord of the Towne ofMixco) did stomack me for having caused two of his Towne to bee banished, and publikely affronted theFuentesfor their Idolatry, which hee thought was a great aspersion laid upon hisIndians.
All which well considered I writ unto the Provinciall (who was then inChiapa) of my desire to returne home to mine owne Countrey, for the which I had a licence sent unto me fromRome. But he having heard of what good I had done in the Town ofMixco, in reducing some Idolaters, burning their idol, and venturing my life in so good a cause; and also for the perfect knowledge which now I had of thePoconchitongue, would by no meanes yeeld that I should go; but with fair and flattering words incouraged me to stay, where he doubted not, but I did, and I might yet doe God much more good service; and that he might the better worke upon me, he sent me a Patent of Vicar of the Towne and Cloister ofAmatitlan, where at the present there was a new Cloister a building to separate all that valley from the Cloister ofGuatemala. He desired me to accept of that small preferment, not doubting but that I speaking so well theIndianlanguage might prevaile much in that place, and better then another, to further the building of that new Cloister; which worke would be a good step for him to advance me afterwards to some better preferment. Although I regarded neither that present Superiority, nor any better honour which might afterwards ensue unto me, I thought the time which God had appointed for my returning toEnglandwas not yet come; for that if the Provinciall, and with him the President ofGuatemala(for so much I conjectured out of the Provincialls letter) should both oppose and hinder my departure from that Countrey, it would be very hard for me to take my journey any way, and not be discovered and brought back. Whereupon I resolved to stay the Provincialls coming toGuatemala, and there to confer with him face to face, and to shew him some reasons that moved me to leave that Countrey, and to seek againe mine owne wherein I was borne. So for the present I accepted of the Towne ofAmatitlan, where I had more occasions of getting mony than in the other two, where I had lived five full yeers; for albeit that Towne alone was bigger then bothMixcoandPinolatogether, and the Church fuller of Saints pictures and statues, and very many Confraternities and Sodalities belonged unto it; besides this from without the Towne I had great comings in from the Ingenio of Sugar, which I related before stood close unto that Towne, from whence I had dayly offerings from theBlack-moresandSpaniardsthat lived in it; and besides this I had under my charge another lesser Towne called St.Christoval de Amatitlan, standing two leagues from greatAmatitlan. This Town of St.Christoval, orSt. Christopher, is called properly in that language,Palinha, ha,signifying water, andPali, to stand upright, and is compounded of two words which express water standing upright; for the Towne standeth on the back side of the Vulcan of water, which looketh overGuatemala, and on this side sendeth forth many fountaines, but especially spouteth forth from a high rock a stream of water, which as it falleth from high with a great noise and down-fall, the rocke standing upright over the bottome where it falleth, and causeth a most pleasant stream by the Townes side, it hath moved theIndiansto call their Towne,Palinha, from the high and upright standing rock, from whence the water falleth. In this Towne there are many richIndians, who trade in the coast of the South sea; the Towne is as an harbour shadowed with many fruitfull trees; but the chief fruit here is the Pinna, which groweth in everyIndiansyard, and with the neernesse of the Ingenio of Sugar, are by theSpaniardsthereabouts much made up in Preserves; some whole, some in slices, which is the daintiest and most luscious Preserve that I ever did eat in that Countrey. TheIndiansof this Towne get much by boards of Cedar, which they cut out of many Cedar-trees, which grow on that side of the Vulcan, which they sell toGuatemalaand all about the Countrey for new buildings.