_The viceroy doth banket our people in his owne house
two daies, one after the other._
[Sidenote: A strange ceremonie.]
The next day after that our people came into the citie, the uiceroy did
sende to inuite them to dinner to his owne house, whereas he made them a
great banket in the forme following. At their comming vnto the pallace
there came foorth a great number of gentlemen, seruantes vnto the
viceroy, to bid them welcome, with great store of musicke and tokens of
mirth. Being entred into the first court, they brought them into a
mightie hall that was marueilously well trimmed, wherein was a great
number of tables, set in such order as they were in the banket that was
made them by the gouernour of Chincheo (as hath beene tolde you),
although in the number and furniture did far excell the other. But
before they did sit down, there came vnto them two captaines, principall
men, vnto whom the viceroy had committed the charge of the banket, to
doo all things in his name, for that it is a custome in that kingdome,
that noble men must not be present in their bankets they make. So the
charge was giuen vnto them to make them be mery, and to bid his guests
welcome. When they came vnto them they vsed great curtesie, and passed
away the time in gallant discourses, till it was time to go to dinner,
and that they began to bring in their victuals. Then before they did sit
downe, the captaines did take ech of them a cup in his hande, in maner
of a sorlue,[28] as they do vse, and being full of wine they went
together whereas they might discouer the heauen, and offered it vnto the
sunne and vnto the saints of heauen, adding thereunto many words of
prayers: but principally they did request that the comming of their newe
guestes might be profitable vnto them all, and that the friendship which
they did pretende to establish, might be for good both vnto the one and
to the other. This their oration and prayer being done, they did spill
out the wine, making a great courtesie; then were they straightwayes
filled againe, and making reuerence vnto their guestes euerie one by
himselfe, they set the cuppes downe vpon the tables whereas the fathers
should dine, whereas they were set euerie one by himselfe. This being
doone, the first seruice was set vppon the bordes, and the captaines
were set at other tables, which were not so many in number, nor so well
furnished nor dressed as the other: the dinner was famous and of manie
diuersities of meates, exceeding verie much that which was made them by
the gouernor of Aucheo.
[28] We have not met with this word elsewhere, the Spanish word is
_salva_, occasionally, and probably here, used for _salvilla_, a saucer.
The time which the banket indured (which was verie late) there was great
store of musicke of diuers instrumentes, as of vials, gitterns, and
rebuckes, and with them many iesters, did make them merry at their
dinner. The which being done, the saide captaines did beare their guests
companie out of the pallace, whereas they did anew inuite them to dinner
for the next day in the same hall: they obeying their request did come,
wheras was made vnto them a banket more famous than the first.
[Sidenote: Comedies vsed amongest them.]
[Sidenote: Tomblers.]
[Sidenote: The argument of their comedie.]
This day at the banket was present the Totoc, hee whome they visited the
first day, came in his owne house, and founde with so great maiestie.
Likewise there dyned with them the captaynes that were at the first
banket. In this seconde banket they had, as the day before, verie much
musicke, and a comedie that indured long, with manie pretie and merrie
iestes: there was also a tombler, who did his feates verie artificially,
as well in vauting in the ayre as vppon a staffe that two men did hold
on their shoulders. Before the comedie did beginne, was tolde them by
their interpreter the signification thereof, that the better they might
content themselues in the conceiuing, whose argument was, that in times
past, there was in that countrie manie mightie and valiant men. But
amongest them all, there was in particular three brethren that bid
exceede all the rest that euer were in mightinesse and valiantnesse. The
one of them was a whiteman, the other was ruddish or hie coloured, and
the third blacke. The ruddish being more ingenious, and of better
industrie, did procure to make his white brother king, the which
iudgement was agreeable vnto the rest. Then they altogether did take
away the kingdome from him that did at that time raigne, who was called
Laupicono, an effeminate man and verie vicious. This they did represent
verie gallantly, with garmentes verie meete for those personages.
The banket and play beeing finished, according as they did the day
before, the captaynes did beare them companie till they were out of the
pallace, and from thence they went vnto their lodgings, with their
ordinarie companie appointed by the viceroy, which was that captaine
that we haue spoken of, with his souldiers, who neither night nor day
dooth not depart from their garde.