It hath been no small peece of Policy in the Fryers and Jesuites of

_Manila_ and the Islands of _Philippinas_ to purchase neere about

_Mexico_, some house and Garden to carry thither such Missionary

Preists as they yeerly bring from _Spain_ for those parts. For were

it not that they found some rest and place of Recreation, but were

presently closed up in the Cloisters of _Mexico_ to follow those

Religious duties (which sore against their wills most of them are

forced to) they would soone after a tedious journey from _Spain_ by

Sea and land relent of their purposes of going forward, and venturing

upon a second voiage by the South-Sea; and would either resolve upon

a returne to _Spain_, or of staying in some part of _America_; as my

selfe and five more of my company did, though secretly and hiddenly,

and sore against the will of Fryer _Calvo_ and others, who had the

tutoring and conducting of us. Therefore that all such as come from

_Spain_ to bee shipped againe at _Acoapulco_ for _Philippinas_, may

have all manner of incouragement, rest and recreations becomming

their Professions, whilst they doe abide in _America_, and may not

bee disheartned by those that live about _Mexico_, (who doe truely

envy all that passe that way to _Asia_) the Fryers and Jesuites have

purchased for their Missions houses of Recreation among the Gardens,

which are exempted from the power and command of the Superiors of

_Mexico_, and are subordinate unto the Government of the Provincials

of _Philippinas_, who send from thence their substitute Vicars to

rule, and to looke to the forementioned houses and Gardens. To the

Dominicans belonged this house called St. _Jacintho_, whither wee

were carried, and where wee did abide neere five moneths, having all

things provided that were fit and necessary for our Recreations, and

for our better encouragement to a second voiage by Sea. The Gardens

belonging to this house might bee of fifteen Acres of ground, divided

into shady walkes under the Orange and Lemmon trees; there wee had

the Pomegranates, Figges, and Grapes in abundance, with the Plantin,

Sapotte, Chicosapotte, Pine-fruit, and all other fruits that were

to bee found in _Mexico_. The Herbes and Salets, and great number

of _Spanish Cardoes_ which were sold out, brought in a great Rent

yeerely; for every day there was a Cart attended to bee filled and

sent to the Market of _Mexico_; and this not at seasons of the yeere,

as here in _England_ and other parts of _Europe_, but at all times and

seasons, both Winter and Summer, there being no difference of heat,

cold, frosts, and snow, as with us; but the same temper all the whole

yeer, the Winter differing onely from the Summer by the raine that

falls, and not by excessive frosts that nip. This wee enjoyed without

dores; but within wee had all sorts and varieties both of fish and

flesh. What most wee wondred at, was the abundance of sweet-Meats; and

especially of Conserves that were provided for us; for to every one of

us during the time of our abode there, was brought on Munday morning

halfe a dozen Boxes of Conserve of Quinces, and other fruits, besides

our Biskets, to stay our stomackes in the mornings and at other times

of the day; for in our stomackes we found a great difference betweene

_Spain_ and that Countrey. For in _Spain_ and other parts of _Europe_

a mans stomack will hold out from meale to meale, and one meale here

of good cheer will nourish and cherish the stomack foure and twenty

houres; But in _Mexico_ and other parts of _America_ wee found that two

or three houres after a good meale of three or foure severall dishes of

Mutton, Veale or Beefe, Kid, Turkies, or other Fowles, our stomackes

would bee ready to faint, and so wee were faine to support them with

either a cup of _Chocolatte_, or a bit of Conserve or Bisket, which

for that purpose was allowed us in great abundance. This seemed to mee

so strange, (whereas the meat seemed as fat and hearty, excepting the

Beefe, as ours in _Europe_) that I for some satisfaction presently

had recourse to a Doctor of Physick; who cleared my doubt with this

answer, That though the meat we fed on was as faire to looke on, as in

_Spain_; yet the substance and nourishment in it came farre short of

it, by reason of the pasture, which is dryer and hath not the change of

springs which the pastures of _Europe_ have, but is short and withers

soone away. But secondly, hee told mee that the Climate of those

parts had this effect, to produce a faire shew, but little matter or

substance. As in the flesh wee fed on; so likewise in all the fruits

there, which are most faire and beautifull to behold, most sweet and

luscious to taste, but little inward virtue or nourishment at all in

them, not halfe that is in a _Spanish Camuesa_, or _English Kentish_

Pippin. And as in Meat, and fruit there is this inward and hidden

deceit, so likewise the same is to bee found in the people that are

borne and bred there, who make faire outward shewes, but are inwardly

false and hollow hearted. Which I have heard reported much among the

_Spaniards_ to have beene the answer of our Queene _Elizabeth_ of

_England_ to some that presented unto her of the fruits of _America_,

that surely where those fruits grew, the women were light, and all the

people hollow and false hearted. But further reasons I omit to search

into for this; of experience onely I write, which taught me that little

substance & virtue is in the great abundance and variety of food which

there is enjoyed, our stomackes witnessing this truth, which ever and

anon were gaping and crying, Feed, feed. Our Conserves therefore and

dainties were plentifully allowed us; and all other incouragements and

no occasion denied us of going to visit _Mexico_, (which was not two

full miles from us) all the while wee abode there. It was a pleasant

walke for us to goe out in the morning, and to spend all the day in the

City and come home at night; our way lying by Arches made of stone,

three miles long to convey the water from _Chapultepec_ unto the City.

Take therefore, gentle Reader, from mee what for the space of five

moneths I could learne concerning it in former and present times. The

situation of this City is much like that of _Venice_; but onely differs

in this, that _Venice_ is built upon the Sea-water, and _Mexico_ upon

a lake, which seeming one, indeed is two; one part whereof is standing

water; the other ebbeth and floweth according to the wind that bloweth.

That part which standeth, is wholesome, good, and sweet, and yeeldeth

store of small fish. That part which ebbeth and floweth, is of saltish,

bitter, and pestiferous water, yeelding no kind of fish, small or

great. The sweet water standeth higher then the other, and falleth

into it, and reverteth not backward, as some conceive it doth. The

salt Lake containeth fifteen miles in breadth, and fifteen in length,

and more then five and forty in Circuite; and the Lake of sweet water

containeth even as much; in such sort that the whole Lake containeth

much about a hundred miles. The _Spaniards_ are divided in opinions

concerning this water and the springs of it; some hold that all this

water hath but one spring out of a great and high Mountaine which

standeth Southwest within sight of _Mexico_, and that the cause that

the one part of the Lake is brackish or saltish, is that the bottome

or ground is all salt; But however this opinion bee true or false,

certaine it is and by experience I can witnesse that of that part of

the salt water great quantity of Salt is dayly made, and is part of

the great Trading of that City into other parts of the Countrey, nay

it is sent part of it to the _Philippinas_ Islands. Others say that

this Lake hath two springs, and that the fresh water springeth out of

that Mountaine which standeth Southwest from _Mexico_, and the salt

brakish water springeth out of other high Mountaines which stand more

Northwest; But these give no reason for the saltnesse of it, without

it bee the agitation of it in the ebbing and flowing; which not being

with tides like the Sea, but with the winds onely (which indeed make it

as stormy sometimes as is the Sea) why may not the winds produce the

same effect in the fresh water Lake? I think rather, if it spring from

a different spring from that from whence springeth the fresh water, the

brackishnesse and saltishnesse of it may proceed from some brackish and

sulphurous minerals through which it passeth in those Mountaines. For

by experience I know the like in the Province of _Guatemala_, where

by a Towne called _Amatitlan_, there is a standing Lake of water not

altogether sweet and fresh, but a little brackish, which certainly

hath its spring from a fiery Mountaine called there a _Vulcan_, (whose

burning proceeds from the Mines of brimstone that are within it) from

whence spring neere the same Towne likewise two or three springs of

exceeding hot water, which are resorted to for wholesome bathes, as

coming through a sulphurous mine, and yet the standing Lake proceeding

from the same Mountaine is of that quality that it maketh the ground

about it salt, and especially in the mornings the people go to gather

up the salt which lyeth upon the ground by the water side like unto a

hoary frost. But thirdly, others concieve that that part of the Lake

of _Mexico_ which is saltish and brackish comes through the earth

from the North Sea; and though springs of water which come from the

Sea lose their brackishnesse through the earth, yet this may keepe

some brackishnesse by reason of the minerals, which are many in those

parts; or by reason of the great, wide and open concavities of those

mountaines, which being very hollow within (as wee find by experience

of the Earthquakes which are more frequent there then here by reason

of the wind that getteth into those concavities, and so shake the

earth to get out) give no way to the water to sweeten through the

earth, or to lose all that saltnesse which it brought with it from the

Sea. But whatsoever the true reason bee, there is not the like Lake

knowne of sweet and saltish water, one part breeding fish, the other

breeding none at all. This Lake had formerly some fourescore Townes,

some say more, situated round about it; many of them containing five

thousand housholds, and some ten thousand, yea and _Tezcuco_ (as I

have said before) was as bigge as _Mexico_. But when I was there,

there might bee thirty Townes and Villages about it, and scarce any

of above five hundred housholdes between _Spaniards_ and _Indians_;

such hath beene the hard usage of the _Spaniards_ towards them, that

they have even almost consumed that poore Nation. Nay two yeers before

I came from those parts, which were the yeers of 1635. and 1636. I

was credibly informed that a million of _Indians_ lifes had been lost

in an indeavour of the _Spaniards_ to turne the water of the Lake

another way from the City, which was performed by cutting away through

the Mountaines, for to avoid the great inundations that _Mexico_ was

subject unto, and especially for that the yeer 1634. the waters grew so

high that they threatned destruction to all the City, ruinating a great

part, and coming into the Churches that stood in the highest part of

it, in so much that the people used commonly boats and _Canoa's_ from

house to house. And most of the _Indians_ that lived about the Lake

were imployed to strive against this strong Element of water, which

hath been the undoing of many poore wretches, but especially of these

thirty Towns and Villages that bordered near upon the Lake; which now

by that great work is further from the houses of the City; and hath

a passage made another way, though it was thought it would not long

continue, but would find againe its old course towards _Mexico_. This

City when _Cortez_ first entred into it, (was as some say) of sixty,

but more probably it is reported to have beene of fourescore thousand

houses. _Montezuma_ his palace was very great, large and beautifull,

which in the _Indian_ language was named _Tepac_; and that had twenty

doores or gates, which had their outcoming into the common streets. It

had three Courts; and in the one stood a faire Fountaine, many hals,

and a hundred chambers of three and twenty, and thirty foot long, an

hundred bathes, and hot houses; and all this without nailes, yet very

good workmanship. The walls were made of Masons worke, and wrought of

Marble, Jaspe, and other black stone, with veines of red, like unto

Rubies and other stones which glistered very faire; the roofs were

wrought of timber, and curiously carved, being of Cedar, Cypres, and

Pine tree; the Chambers were painted and hung with cloth of Cotton,

and of Coneys haire and feathers. The beds onely were unseeming this

great state, very poore and of no value, such as to this day the best

and richest _Indians_ use; for they weare nothing but mantles laid

upon mattes, or upon hey, or else mattes alone. Within this Palace

lived a thousand women, nay some affirme three thousand, reckoning

gentlewomen, servants and slaves, all together; But the most were

principall _Indians_ daughters; of whom _Montezuma_ tooke for himselfe

those that liked him best, and the others hee gave in marriage to

gentlemen his servants. It is credibly reported among the _Spaniards_

that hee had at one time a hundred and fifty women his wives with

child, who commonly tooke medicines to cast their creatures, because

they knew that they should not inherit the State; and these had many

old women to guard them, for no man was permitted to looke upon them.

Besides this _Tepac_; which signifieth, Palace, _Montezuma_ had yet in

_Mexico_ another house with very curious lodgings and fair Galleries,

built upon pillars of Jaspe, which looked towards a goodly Garden, in

the which there were at least a dozen Ponds, some of salt water for Sea

fowles, and others of fresh water for River fowles and Lake fowles,

which Ponds were devised with Sluces to empty and to fill at pleasure

for the cleannesse of the Fowles feathers; and these Fowles are said

to have beene so many in number, that the Ponds could scarcely hold

them, and of such severall sorts, and of such strange and various

coloured feathers, that the most of them the _Spaniards_ knew not,

nor had at any time seen the like. There did belong to that house

above three hundred persons of service, who had their severall charge

concerning these Fowles; some had care to cleanse the Ponds; others

were appointed to fish for bait; others served them with meat; and to

every kind of fowle they gave such bait as they were wont to feed of in

the fields or rivers; others did trim their feathers; others had care

to look to their egs; others to set them abrood; & the principallest

office was to pluck the feathers; for of them were made rich mantles,

tapistry, targets, tuffes of feathers, and many other things wrought

with gold and silver.

Besides this house, _Montezuma_ had yet another house within _Mexico_,

appointed only for hawking fowles, and fowles of rapine. In which house

there were many high Halls, wherein were kept men, women, and children,

such as were dwarfes, crook-backs or any monstrous persons, and with

them such as were born white of colour, which did very seldome happen;

nay some would deform their children on purpose to have them carried

to the Kings house, to helpe to set forth his greatnesse by their

deformity. In the lower Halls of this house there were Cages for fowls

of rapine of all sorts, as Hawkes, Kites, Boyters (which are very many

in those parts) and of the Hawkes neer a dozen sundry kinds of them.

This house had for daily allowance five hundred Turkey cocks, and three

hundred men of service, besides the Falconers and Hunters, which some

say were above a thousand men. The Hunters were maintained in that

house, because of the ravenous Beasts which were also kept in the lower

Halls in great cages made of timber, wherein were kept in some Lions,

in other Tygres, in other Ownzes, in other Wolves; in conclusion, there

was no four-footed beast that wanted there, only to the effect, that

the mighty _Montezuma_ might say that he had such things in his house;

and all were fed daily with Turkey cocks, Deare, Dogges, and such like.

There were also in another Hall great earthen vessels, some with earth,

and some with water, wherein were Snakes, as grosse as a mans thigh,

Vipers, Crocodiles which they call _Caymanes_, of twenty foot long

with scales and head like a Dragon; besides many other smaller Lisarts

and other venemous beasts and Serpents, as well of the water as of the

land. To these Snakes and the other venemous beasts they usually gave

the blood of men sacrificed to feed them. Others say they gave unto

them mans flesh, which the great Lisarts, or _Caimanes_ eat very well.

But what was wonderfull to behold, horrid to see, hideous to heare in

this house, was the Officers dayly occupations about these Beasts,

the floor with blood like a gelly, stinking like a slaughter-house,

and the roaring of the lions, the fearfull hissing of the Snakes and

Adders, the dolefull howling and barking of the Wolves, the sorrowfull

yelling of the Ownzes and Tigres, when they would have meat. And yet

in this place, which in the night season seemed a dungeon of Hell, and

a dwelling place of the Devill, could a heathen Prince pray unto his

Gods and idols: for neer to this Hall was another of a hundred and

fifty foot long and thirty foot broad, where was a chappell with the

roofe of silver and gold in leafe wainscotted and decked with great

store of pearl and stone, as Agats, Cornerines, Emeralds, Rubies, and

divers other sorts; and this was the Oratory where _Montezuma_ prayed

in the night season, and in that chappell the Devill did appear unto

him, and gave him answer according to his prayers, which as they were

uttered among so many ugly and deformed beasts, and with the noise of

them which represented Hell itselfe, were fitted for a Devils answer.

He had also his Armoury, wherein was great store of all kind of such

Ammunition which they used in their wars, as Bowes, Arrowes, Slings,

Launces, Darts, Clubs, Swords and bucklers, and gallant Targets more

trimme then strong, and all made of wood, gilt or covered with leather.

The wood whereof they made their Armour and Targets was very hard and

strong; and at their arrowes ends they inclosed a little peece of

flint-stone, or a peece of a fish-bone called _Libisa_, which was so

venemous, that if any were hurt with it, and the head remained in the

wound, it so festered that it was almost incurable. Their Swords were

of wood, and the edge thereof was flint-stone, inclosed or joyned into

a staffe; and with these swords they cut speares, yea and a Horses

neck at a blow, and could make dents into iron, which seemeth a thing

unpossible and incredible. These flints were joyned into the staffes

with a certain kind of glew, which was made of a root called _Zacolt_,

and _Teuxalli_, which is a kind of strong sand, whereof they made a

mixture, and after kneaded it with blood of Battes, or Reare-mice and

other fowle, which did glew so strong, that it scarce ever uncleaved

again; and of these _Montezuma_ had in his house of Armour great

store. But besides these houses it is wonderfull to relate, yet many

others which that great heathen Emperour had for his only recreation

and pastime, with excellent fair gardens of medicinall herbs, sweet

flowers, and trees of delectable savour. But of one garden more

especially it is said, that in it there were a thousand personages

made, and wrought artificially of leaves and flowers. And _Montezuma_

would not permit that in this garden should be any kind of Pot-herbs,

or things to be sold, saying that it did not appertain to Kings to

have things of profit among their delights and pleasures, for that

such did appertaine to Merchants. Yet out of _Mexico_ he had Orchards

with many and sundry fruits; and likewise pleasant houses in woods and

forrests, of great compasse, environed with water, in the which he had

fountaines, rivers, ponds with fish, rockes and coverts where were

Harts, Bucks, Hares, Foxes, Wolves and such like, whither he himselfe

seldome went; but the Lords of _Mexico_ used to goe to sport themselves

in them. Such and so many were the houses of _Montezuma_, wherein few

Kings were equall with him. He had dayly attending upon him in his

privy guard six hundred noblemen and gentlemen, and each of them three

or foure servants, and some had twenty servants or more according to

their estate; and the most credible report goes, that in this manner

he had three thousand men attendants in his Court, all which were fed

in his house of the meat that came from his table. There were in those

times under the _Mexicall_ empire three thousand Lords of Townes,

who had many vassals; but more especially there were thirty of high

estate, who were able to make each of them a hundred thousand men of

warre. And all these noble men did abide in _Mexico_, certaine time

of the yeare in the Court of _Montezuma_, and could not depart from

thence without especiall licence of the Emperour, leaving each of them

a sonne or brother behind them for security of rebellion; and for this

cause they had generally houses in the City; such and so great was the

Court of _Montezuma_. Moreover he spent nothing in the buildings of

all these his houses, for he had certayne Townes that payed no other

tribute, but only to work and repair continually his houses at their

own proper cost, and payed all kind of workemen, carrying upon their

backes, or drawing in sleds stone, lyme, timber, water, and all other

necessaries for the worke. Likewise they were bound to provide all the

wood that should be spent in the Court, which was five hundred mens

burthens, and some daies in the winter much more. But especially for

the Emperours chimneys they brought the barke of Oke trees, which was

esteemed for the light. Thus was that great City formerly illustrated

with a mighty Monarch, his houses, and attendants. There were then

also in _Mexico_ three sorts of streets, very broad and faire; the one

sort was only of water, with many bridges, another sort of only earth,

and the third of earth and water, the one half being firme ground to

walke upon, and the other halfe for boats to bring provision to the

City; the most part of the houses had two doores, the one toward the

Cawsey, and the other toward the water, at the which they tooke boat to

goe whither they list. But this water (though so neer to the houses)

being not good to drinke, there is other water fresh and sweet brought

by conduit to _Mexico_, from a place called _Chapultepec_ three miles

distant from the City, which springeth out of a little hill, at the

foot whereof stood formerly two statues, or images wrought in stone,

with their Targets and Launces, the one of _Montezuma_, the other of

_Axaiaca_ his father. The water is brought from thence to this day in

two pipes built upon Arches of brick and stone like a fair bridge; and

when the one pipe is foule, then all the water is conveyed into the

other, till the first be made cleane. From this fountaine all the whole

City is provided, and the Water-men go selling the same water from

street to street, some in little boats, others with earthen Tankards

upon Mules or Asses backs. The chiefe and principall division of this

City when the _Spaniards_ first conquered it, was into two streets,

the one was called _Tlatelulco_, that is to say, a little Island, and

the other _Mexico_, where _Montezuma_ his dwelling and Court was,

signifying in the language a spring. And because of the Kings palace

there, the whole City was named _Mexico_. But the old and first name

of the City according to some Histories was _Tenuchtitlan_, which

signifieth fruit out of a stone, being a compounded name of _Tetl_,

which in the language is stone, and _Nuchtli_, which is a sweet fruit

called generally in _Cuba_, and all other parts of _America_ by the

_Spaniards, Tunas_; the name of the tree whereon this fruit groweth

is called _Nopal_. And when this City begunne to be founded it was

placed neer unto a great stone that stood in the midst of the lake,

at the foot whereof grew one of these _Nopal_ trees; which is the

reason why _Mexico_ giveth for armes and device the foot of a _Nopal_

tree springing from a stone according to the first name of the City

_Tenuchtitlan_. But others do affirme that this City hath the name

of the first founder of it, called _Tenuch_, the second sonne of

_Iztacmixcoatl_, whose sonnes and descendents did first inhabit all

that part of _America_, which is now called new _Spain. Mexico_ is as

much as to say a spring or fountain, according to the property of the

vowell or speech, from whence some judge that City to be so named. But

others doe affirme that _Mexico_ hath its name from a more ancient

time, whose first founders were called _Mexiti_, for unto this day the

_Indian_ dwellers in one street of this City are called of _Mexica_.

And that these _Mexiti_ tooke name of their principall idol called

_Mexitli_, who was in as great veneration as _Vitzilopuchtli_, God

of the warre. But others affirme (and this opinion is most received

among the _Spaniards_) that the _Mexicans_ first were the inhabitants

of _nova Galicia_; from whence they made a violent irruption _Anno

Domini_ 720. and lingered in divers places till the yeare 902. when

under the leading of _Mexi_ their chiefe Captaine they built this City,

and called it after the name of their Generall. They were in all seven

Tribes, which ruled long in an Aristocraticall state; till the most

puissant of the Tribes called _Navatalcas_ elected a King to whom they

submitted themselves. The first King that was thus elected, was called

_Vitzilovitli_; the second, _Acamopitzli_; the third, _Chimalpapoca_;

the fourth, _Izchoalt_; the fifth, _Montezuma_ the first; the sixth,

_Acacis_; the seventh, _Axaiaca_; the eighth, _Antzlol_, the ninth,

_Montezuma_ the second, who reigned when _Cortez_ came first; the

tenth, was _Quahutimoc_, who lost _Mexico_, and in whom ended that

_Indian_ Empire. The most fortunate of these Kings was _Izchoalt_, who

by his cousin _Tlacacllec_, subdued the other six Tribes, and brought

them under the _Mexican_ Kings. And after the death of _Izchoalt,

Tlacacllec_ was by the first electours (which were six in number)

chosen King, as a man of whose vertue they had formerly made tryall.

But he very nobly refused it, saying that it was more convenient for

the Common-wealth that another should be King, and that he should

execute that which was otherwise more fit for the necessity of the

State, then to lay the whole burthen upon his back; and that without

being King, he would not leave to labour for the publike as well as

if he were King. Upon this generous refusall they made choice of

_Montezuma_ the first. The most unhappy Kings of that nation (at whose

birth could not but be some dysastrous aspect of the Planets) were

the two last _Montezuma_ the second, and _Quahutimoc_, who were both

vanquished by _Ferdinando Cortez_, who tooke _Montezuma_ prisoner out

of his owne palace, and with fair words and language carried him to his

lodging in _Mexico_; and kept him there, knocking a paire of gyves on

his legges, untill the execution of _Qualpopoca_ Lord of _Nabutlan_,

now called _Almeria_ (who was to be burnt for killing nine _Spaniards_)

was past. But this imprisonment of their Emperour stirred up the hearts

of all the _Mexicans_ to conspire against _Cortez_ and the _Spaniards_,

against whom they fought a most fierce and bloody battaile two or three

daies together, crying out for their Emperour, and threatning them

with the cruellest death that ever man suffered. Whereupon _Cortez_

desired _Montezuma_ to goe up into the Sotie of his house which they

were battering with stones, and to command his subjects to cease from

their heat and fury; who at _Cortez_ his request went up and leaned

over the wall to talke with them, and beginning to speake unto them,

they threw so many stones out of the street, houses, and windows, that

one happened to hit _Montezuma_ on the temples of his head, with which

blow he fell down dead to the ground; and this was his end, even at the

hands of his owne subjects and vassals against their wills, in the City

of his greatest glory, and in the power and custody of a forain and

strange nation. The _Indians_ affirm that he was of the greatest blood

of all his linage, and the greatest King in estate that ever was in

_Mexico_. And from hence it may very well be noted, that when Kingdomes

doe most flourish, then are they nighest to a change; or els to change

their Lord, as doth appeare in this History of _Montezuma_, whose great

glory and majesty presaged the downfall of that City and people; who

though after the death of _Montezuma_ they made _Quahutimoc_ their

Emperour, and persisting in their furious battery against _Cortez_ his

palace, caused him and all his _Spaniards_ to flie out of _Mexico_; yet

having strengthened themselves againe in _Tlaxcallan_; and prepared

sixteen, or as others say, eighteen Vergantines for the lake, they

soone after besieged _Mexico_ so by water and land, that the Citizens

were in great necessity, and so many dead with hunger and sicknesse,

that there were heapes of dead bodies in the houses, only to keep close

their extreme misery; who would not yeeld even when they saw their King

_Quahutimoc_ his fair houses burned, and the greatest part of their

City consumed with fire and beaten downe plaine with the ground, so

long as they could injoy any one street, Tower, or Temple to defend

themselves and oppose the _Spaniards_; who after many fierce and bloody

fights by land and with their boates by water having wonne the chief

Market place and most of the City, as they went walking in the streets

found heapes of dead bodies in the houses, streets, and in the water,

and the very barkes of trees and roots gnawne by the hungry creatures,

and the men so leane and yellow that it was a pitifull sight to behold.

And with this _Cortez_ yet required them to yeeld; but they although

they were so leane of body were strong in heart, and answered that

hee should not speak of any friendship to them, nor yet hope of their

spoile, for when no fortune would favour them, then they would either

burne their treasure, or throw it into the Lake, where they should

never profit thereby, and that they would fight while one alone should

remain alive.

_Cortez_ desirous to see what remained of the City to win, went up into

a high Tower, and having well viewed the City, hee judged that of eight

parts one remained yet to win. And assailing the same, the sorrowfull

Citizens bewailing their unfortunate fate and destiny, beseeching the

_Spaniards_ to make an end, and to kill them all out of hand; others

standing at the brim of the water neere unto a draw-bridge cried out,

Oh Captain _Cortez_, seeing that thou art the Child of the Sun, why

dost thou not intreat the Sun thy Father to make an end of us? Oh thou

Sun that canst goe round about the World in a day and a night, wee pray

thee make an end of us and take us out of this miserable life, for we

desire death to goe and rest with our God _Quetcavatlh_ who tarrieth

for us. _Cortez_ seeing the great extremity that these poor wretched

people were in, thinking now that they would yeeld unto him, sent a

message to _Quahutimoc_, desiring him to consider his Subjects great

extremity, which yet might be greater if hee yeelded not to Peace. But

when the stubborn King heard this ambassage, hee was so moved with ire

and choler, that forthwith hee commanded _Cortez_ his Ambassadour to

bee sacrificed, and gave the rest of the _Spaniards_ that went with

him for answer blowes with stones, staves, and Arrowes, saying that

they desired death and no Peace. Whereupon _Cortez_ seeing the King

to stubborn and refractory after so much slaughter and misery of his

subjects, after so many Combates and skirmishes made with the losse of

almost all the City, sent forthwith _Sandoval_ with his Vergantines

one way, and went himself another combating the houses and forts that

yet remained, where hee found small resistance, so that hee might

doe what hee pleased. One would have thought there had not been five

thousand left in all the City seeing the heapes of dead bodies that

lay about the streets and in the houses, and yet such was this last

combate, that there were that day slain and taken prisoners forty

thousand persons. The lamentable cry and mourning of the women and

children, would have made a strong heart relent, the stench also of

the dead bodies was wonderfull noysome. That night _Cortez_ purposed

to make an end the next day of the Warres; and _Quahutimoc_ pretended

to flie, and for that purpose had enbarked himself in a _Canoa_ of

twenty Oares. When the day appeared, _Cortez_ with his men, and foure

Peeces of Ordnance came to the corner where those that yet remained

were shut up as Cattel in a Pound. Hee gave order to _Sandoval_ and

_Alvarado_ what they should doe, which was to be ready with their

Vergantines, and to watch the coming out of the _Canoa's_, which were

hidden betwixt certaine houses, and especially to have regard unto the

Kings person, and not to hurt him, but to take him alive. Hee commanded

the residue of his men to force the _Mexican_ boates to goe out, and

hee himselfe went up into a Tower, inquiring for the King, where hee

found _Xihuacoa_, Governour and Captaine Generall of the City, who

would in no wise yeeld himself. Then came out of the City a great

multitude of old folkes, men, women and children to take boat. The

throng was so great with hast to enter the _Canoa's_, that many by that

meanes were drowned in the lake. _Cortez_ required his men not to kill

those miserable creatures; But yet hee could not stay the _Indians_

his friends of _Tlaxcallan_, and other places, who slew and sacrificed

above fifteen thousand. The men of Warre stood in the housetoppes, and

Zoties beholding their perdition. All the Nobility of _Mexico_ were

enbarked with the King. Then _Cortez_ gave signe with the shot of a

hand-Gunne, that his Captaines should bee in a readinesse, so that in

short space they wan fully and wholly the great City of _Mexico_. The

Vergantines likewise brake in among the Fleet of boates without any

resistance, and presently beat down _Quahutimoc_ his Royall Standard.

_Garcia Holguin_ who was a Captaine of one of the Vergantines, espied

a great _Canoa_ of twenty Oares deep laden with men, who (being by one

of his prisoners informed that the King was in it) gave chase to it and

presently overtooke it. When _Quahutimoc_, who stood upon the Puppe

of his _Canoa_ ready to fight, saw the _Spaniards_ Crosse-bowes bent

to shoot, and many drawne swords against him, hee yeelded himselfe,

declaring that hee was King. _Garcia Holguin_ being a glad man of such

a prisoner tooke him and carried him unto _Cortez_, who received him

very respectfully. But when _Quahutimoc_ came neer unto him, hee laid

his hand upon _Cortez_ his dagger, saying, I have done all my best

and possible endeavour to defend my self and my Vassals according to

my duty, hoping not to have come to this estate and place where now

I stand; and considering that you may doe with mee what you please,

I beseech you to kill mee, and that is my onely request. _Cortez_

comforted him with faire words, giving him hope of life; and tooke

him up into a _Zotie_, requiring him to command his Subjects that yet

held out, to yeeld and render themselves. Which _Quahutimoc_ presently

performed; and at that time after so many Prisoners taken, and so

many thousands slain and starved, there were about threescore and ten

thousand persons, who seeing their Prince a Prisoner, threw down their

weapons and submitted themselves. Thus did _Hernando Cortez_ winne the

famous and stately City of _Mexico_, on the 13 day of _August, Anno

Dom._ 1521. In remembrance whereof every yeere on that day they make in

_Mexico_ a sumptuous feast and solemne procession, wherein is carried

the Standard Royall, with the which the City was wonne. In the losse of

it was as much to bee observed as Antiquity can produce of any Victory;

wherein was one Emperour the greatest that ever was in those parts

slain; and another as great a Warrier as ever _America_ had knowne,

taken Prisoner. The Siege endured from the time the Vergantines came

from _Tlaxcallan_ three moneths, and therein were on _Cortez_ his side

neer 200000 _Indians_, who dayly increased and came in to help him,

900 _Spaniards_; fourescore horses onely, seventeen or eighteen Peeces

of Ordnance; sixteen or as some say eighteen Vergantines, and at least

6000 _Canoa's_. In this Siege were slain fifty _Spaniards_ onely and

six horses, and not above eight thousand of the _Indians Cortez_ his

friends. And on the _Mexicans_ side were slaine at least a hundred and

twenty thousand _Indians_, besides those that died with hanger and

Pestilence. At the defence of the City were all the Nobility, by reason

whereof many of them were slaine. The multitude of people in the City

was so great, that they were constrained to eat little, to drink salt

water, and to sleep among the dead bodies, where was a horrible stench;

and for these causes the disease of Pestilence fell among them, and

thereof died an infinite number. Whereupon is to bee considered their

valour, and stedfast determination; for although they were afflicted

with such hunger that they were driven to eat boughes, rindes of trees,

and to drink salt water, yet would they not yeeld themselves. And here

also is to be noted that although the _Mexicans_ did eat mans flesh,

yet they did eat none but such as were their enemies; for had they

eaten one another and their owne children, there would not so many

have died with hunger. The _Mexican_ women were highly commended, not

onely because they abode with their husbands and fathers, but also for

the great paines they tooke with the sick and wounded persons; yea

and also they laboured in making slings, cutting stones fit for the

same, and throwing stones from the _Zoties_; for therein they did as

much hurt as their men. The City was yeelded to the spoile, and the

_Spaniards_ tooke the gold, plate and feathers, the _Indian_ friends

had all the rest of cloth and other stuffe. Thus was that famous

City ruinated, and burnt by the _Spaniards_, and the power of that

Nation brought under the _Spanish_ subjection. _Cortez_ having found

the aire of that City very temperate and pleasant for mans life, and

the situation commodious, thought presently of rebuilding it, and of

making it the chief Seat of Justice and Court for all that Country.

But before I come to speake of it as rebuilded and now flourishing, I

must adde unto what hath been said of _Montezuma_ his former state and

houses in it, the greatnesse of the Market place and Temple, which was

in it, when the _Spaniards_ ruined and destroyed it. The conveniency

of the Lake about this City gave encouragement to the _Mexicans_ to

set apart a most spacious Market place, whither all the Country about

might resort to buy, exchange and sell; which was the more easie for

them by reason of the abundance of Boates which were made onely for

such Trafique. In this great lake there were at that time above two

hundred thousand of these little boats, which the _Indians_ call

_Acalles_, and the _Spaniards_ call them _Canoa's_, wrought like a

kneading trough, some bigger then others according to the greatnesse

of the body of the tree, whereof they are made. And where I number two

hundred thousand of these boats, I speak of the least, for _Mexico_

alone had above fifty thousand ordinarily to carry and bring unto the

City victuall, provision, and passengers, so that on the market-daies

all the streets of water were full of them. The Market is called in the

_Indian_ tongue _Tlanquiztli_; every parish had his Market place to buy

and sell in; but _Mexico_ and _Tlatelulco_ only, which are the chiefest

Cities, had great Fayres and places fit for the same; and especially

_Mexico_ had one place, where most dayes in the yeer was buying and

selling; but every fourth day was the great Market ordinarily. This

place was wide and large compassed about with dores, and was so great

that a hundred thousand persons came thither to chop and change, as

a City most principall in all that region. Every occupation and kind

of merchandize had his proper place appointed, which no other might

by any means occupie or disturb. Likewise pesterous wares had their

place accordingly, such as stone, timber, lyme, bricke and all such

kind of stuffe unwrought, being necessary to build withall. Also mattes

both fine and course, of sundry workmanship; also coales, wood, and

all sorts of earthen vessells, glazed and painted very curiously.

Deere skinnes both raw and tanned in hair and without hair, of many

colours, for Shoemakers, for bucklers, Targets, Jerkins, and lining of

woodden corslets. Also skinnes of other Beasts, and fowle in feathers

ready dressed of all sorts. The colours and strangenesse thereof was

a thing to behold. The richest merchandize was salt, and mantles of

Cotton wool of divers colours, both great and small; some for beds,

other for garments and clothing, other for Tapistry to hang houses;

other Cotton-cloth was wont to be sold there for linnen drawers (which

to this day the _Indians_ use) for shirts, tablecloths, towels, and

such like things. There were also mantles made of the leaves of a

tree called _Metl_, and of the Palme-tree and Conie-hair, which were

well esteemed, being very warme, but the coverlets made of feathers

were the best. They sold thred there made of Conie-haire, and also

skains of other thred of all colours. But the great store of poultrey

which was brought to that Market was strange to see, and the uses

they sold and bought them for; for although they did eat the flesh of

the fowl, yet the feathers served for clothing, mixing one sort with

another. But the chiefe bravery of that market was the place where

gold and feathers joyntly wrought were sold; for any thing that was

in request, was there lively wrought in gold and feathers and gallant

colours. The _Indians_ were so expert and perfect in this science, that

they would work or make a butter-flie, any wild beast, trees, roses,

flowers, hearbs, roots, or any other thing so lively that it was a

thing marvellous to behold. It happened many times that one of these

workemen in a whole day would eat nothing, only to place one feather

in his due perfection, turning and tossing the feather to the light

of the sunne, into the shade or darke place to see where was his most

naturall perfection, and till his worke were finished he would neither

eat nor drinke. There are few nations of so much fleame or substance.

The art, or science of Gold-smiths among them was the most curious, and

very good workmanship, engraven with tooles made of flint or in mould.

They will cast a platter in mould with eight corners, and every corner

of severall metall, the one of gold, and the other of silver, without

any kind of solder. They will also found or cast a little cauldron with

loose handles hanging thereat, as we use to cast a bell; they will also

cast in mould a fish of metall, with one scale of silver on his back,

and another of gold; they will make a Parret or Popingay of metall,

that his tongue shall shake, and his head move, and his wings flutter;

they will cast an Ape in mould, that both hands and feet shall stirre,

and hold a spindle in his hand seeming to spin, yea and an apple in his

hand as though he would eat it. They have skill also of Amell work and

to set any pretious stone. But now as touching the market, there was

to sell gold, silver, Copper, Lead, Latten, and Tinne; although there

was but very little of the three last metals mentioned. There were

pearls, pretious stones, divers and sundry sorts of shelles, and bones,

Sponges, and Pedlers ware. There were also many kind of herbes, roots,

and seeds, as well to be eaten, as for medicine; for both men, women

and children had great knowledge in herbs, for through poverty and

necessity they did seeke them for their sustenance and help of their

infirmities and diseases. They did spend little among Physitians,

although there were some of that art, and many Apothecaries, who did

bring into the market, oyntments, syrups, waters, and other drugs

fit for sick persons. They cure all diseases almost with herbs; yea

as much as for to kill lice they have a proper herb for the purpose.

The severall kinds of meats to bee sold was without number, as Snakes

without head and tail, little dogges gelt, Moules, Rats, Long-wormes,

Lyce, yea and a kind of earth; for at one season in the yeer they

had Nets of Mayle, with the which they raked up a certaine dust that

is bred upon the water of the lake of _Mexico_, and that is kneaded

together like unto oas of the sea. They gathered much of this and kept

it in heapes, and made thereof cakes like unto brick-bats. And they

did not only sell this ware in the Market, but also sent it abroad to

other Fayres and markets afarre off; and they did eat this meal with as

good a stomack as we eat cheese; yea and they hold opinion, that this

skumme or fatnesse of the water is the cause that such great number of

fowl cometh to the lake, which in the winter season is infinite. They

sold likewise in this market Venison by quarters or whole, as Does,

Hares, Conies, and Dogges, and many other beasts, which they brought up

for the purpose and tooke in hunting. The great store of sundry kinds

of fruits was marvellous, which were there sold, both green and ripe.

There is a sort as bigge as an Almond called _Cacao_ (whereof is the

drinke called _Chocolatte_ well known now in Christendome) which is

both meat and currant money. In these times of the bigger sort sixscore

or sevenscore, and of the lesser sort two hundred are worth a _Spanish_

Riall, which is sixpence, and with these the _Indians_ buy what they

list; for five, nay for two Cacao's which is a very small part of a

Riall, they doe buy fruits and the like. There were divers kinds of

colours to be sold, which they made of roses, flowers, fruits, barks

of trees, and other things very excellent. All the things recited, and

many others which I speak not of, were sold in this great market, and

in every other Market of _Mexico_; and all the sellers payed a certain

summe for their shops or standings to the King, as a custome, and they

were to be preserved and defended from theeves and robbers. And for

that purpose there went Serjeants or Officers up and down the market

to espie out malefactors. In the midst of this Market stood a house,

which was to bee seen throughout the Fayr, and there did sit commonly

twelve ancient men for Judges to dispatch law matters. Their buying and

selling was to change one ware for another, one gave a hen for a bundle

of Maiz, others gave mantles for salt or money which was _Cacao_.

They had measure and strike for all kind of corne, and other earthen

measures for hony and oyle, and such wines as they made of Palme-trees,

and other roots and trees. And if any measure were falsified, they

punished the offenders and brake their measures. This was the civility

they had when they were Heathens, for buying and selling. And although

they knew not the true God, but worshipped Idols; yet to their Idols

and to the Divell they dedicated Temples and places of worship, wherein

they used those sacrifices which _David_ speaks of in the 106 _Ps._

37 saying, _They sacrificed their sonnes, and their daughters unto

Devills._

The Temple is called in the _Mexican_ language _Teucalli_, which is

a compound word of _Teutl_, which signifieth God, and _Calli_, which

signifieth a house. There were in _Mexico_ many parish Churches with

towers, wherein were Chappels and Altars where the Images and Idols did

stand. All their Temples were of one fashion; the like I beleeve was

never seen nor heard of. And therefore it shall be now sufficient to

describe the chiefe and greatest Temple, which was as their Cathedrall

Church. This Temple was square, and did containe every way as much

ground as a Crosse-bow can reach levell. It was made of stone, with

four dores that abutted upon the three Cawseys, and upon another part

of the City that had no Cawsey, but a fair street. In the midst of

this Quadern stood a mount of earth and stone square likewise, and

fifty fadome long every way, built upward like unto a pyramide of

_Ægypt_, saving that the top was not sharpe, but plain and flat, and

ten fadom square. Upon the West side were steps up to the top, in

number a hundred and fourteen, which being so many high and made of

good stone, did seeme a beautifull thing. It was a strange sight to

behold the Preists, some going up, and some downe with ceremonies, or

with men to be sacrificed. Upon the top of this Temple were two great

Altars, a good space distant the one from the other, and so nigh the

edge or brimme of the wall, that scarcely a man might go behind them at

pleasure. The one Altar stood on the right hand, and the other on the

left; they were but of five foot high; each of them had the back part

made of stone, painted with monstrous and foul figures. The Chappell

was fair and well wrought of Masons work and timber; every Chappell

had three lofts one above another, sustained upon pillars, and with

the height thereof it shewed like unto a faire tower, and beautified

the City afarre off. From thence a man might see all the City and

Towns round about the lake, which was undoubtedly a goodly prospect.

And because _Cortez_ and his company should see the beauty thereof,

_Montezuma_ himselfe (to make the more ostentation of his greatnesse

and the Majesty of his Court) carried the first _Spaniards_ thither,

and shewed them all the order of the Temple, even from the foot to

the top. There was a certain plot or space for the Idoll Preists to

celebrate their service without disturbance of any. Their generall

prayers were made toward the rising of the sunne; upon each Altar stood

a great Idoll.

Besides this tower which stood upon the Pyramide, there were fourty

towers great and small belonging to other little Temples which stood

in the same circuite; the which although they were of the same making,

yet their prospect was not West-ward, but other waies, because there

should be a difference betwixt the great Temple and them. Some of

these Temples were bigger then others, and every one of a severall

God; among the which there was one round Temple dedicated to the God

of the ayre called _Quecalcovatl_; for even as the ayre goeth round

about the heavens, even for that consideration they made his Temple

round. The entrance of that Temple had a dore made like unto the mouth

of a Serpent, and was painted with foule and divellish gestures, with

great teeth and gummes wrought, which was a sight to fear those that

should enter in thereat, and especially the Christians unto whom it

represented hell it selfe with that ugly face and monstrous teeth.

There were other Teucallies in the City, that had the ascending up by

steps in three places; and all these Temples had houses by themselves

with all service belonging to them, and Preists, and particular Gods.

And from this manner of these Heathens Temples, and Altars made

with steps, wee may observe how like unto them is now the Church of

_Rome_, which as it confesseth that there never was a Church without

a visible sacrifice, and therefore teacheth that Christs body must be

broken upon their Altars, and distributed not only as a sacrament to

the people, but as a sacrifice in the Preists hands, differing only

that the sacrifices of Sheep and Oxen in the old law, and these of

the Heathens were bloody sacrifices, but theirs of Christs body they

call _Incruentum Sacrificium_, an unbloody sacrifice; so likewise in

the buildings of their Churches with severall Towers and Altars and

Chappels dedicated to severall Saints they seem to have taken from the

very Heathens; but especially in the many steps whereby they ascend up

to their Altars, they resemble these, forgetting Gods words in Exod.

20. 26. saying, _Neither shalt thou goe up by steps unto mine Altar,

that thy nakednesse be not discovered thereon_. And lastly in their

houses and cloisters joyning to their Churches for the service of them,

being full of idolatrous Preists and Fryers consecrated for their

service, they seem likewise to have borrowed that fancy of Convents,

Abbeys, and Priories from the very Heathens, who (as presently I

shall shew) had neer joyning to this great Temple, houses containing

thousands of Preists, with yeerly rents and revenues, like those of

_Romes_ Abbeys, and Cloisters. At every dore of this great Temple

of _Mexico_ stood a large hall, and goodly lodgings both high and

low round about, which houses were common Armories for the City. The

Heathens it seems had so much understanding as to know that the force

and strength of a Towne, City, or Countrey is the Temple, and therefore

they placed there their storehouse of munition.

They had other darke houses full of Idols great and small, wrought of

sundry metals, which were all bathed and washed with blood, and did

shew very blacke through their dayly sprinkling and anointing them with

the same, when any man was sacrificed; yea and the walls were an inch

thick with blood, and the ground a foot thick of it, so that there was

a divellish stench. The Preists went dayly into those Oratories, and

suffered none other but great personages to enter in. And when any

such went in, they were bound to offer some man to be sacrificed, that

those bloudy hangmen and Ministers of the devill might wash their hands

in the blood of those so sacrificed, and might sprinkle their house

therewith. For their service in the Kitchin they had a pond of water,

that was filled once a year, which was brought by the Conduit pipes

before mentioned, from the principall fountaine. All the residue of

the fore-said circuit served for places to breed fowles, with gardens

of herbs and sweet trees, with roses and flowers for the Altars; and

this is also the Church of _Romes_ custome and superstition, to trim

and deck their Saints and Altars with Garlands and Crowns of Roses and

other flowers. Such, so great and strange was this Temple of _Mexico_,

for the service of the devill, who had deceived those simple _Indians_.

There did reside (as I said before of Monkes and Fryers in their

Cloisters joyning to their Churches) in this Temple and houses joyning

to it, continually five thousand persons, and all these were lodged and

had their living there; for that Temple was marvellous rich, and had

divers Townes onely for their maintenance, and reparation, and were

bound to sustaine the same alwaies on foot. These Townes did sow corn,

and maintain all those five thousand persons with bread, fruit, flesh,

fish, and firewood as much as they needed, for they spent more firewood

then was spent in the Kings Court. These persons did live like _Romes_

Abby-lubbers at their hearts ease, as servants and vassals unto the

Gods, which were many; and every God had severall rankes and Orders of

Preists to serve him; as the severall Saints canonized by the Popes of

_Rome_ have under them distinct Religious Orders of Preists, Dominick

hath Dominicans, Francis Franciscans, Benedict Benedictines, Basil

Basilians, Bernard Bernardines, Augustin Augustines, and the like.

The Gods of _Mexico_ (as the _Indians_ reported to the first

_Spaniards_) were two thousand in number; the chiefest were

_Vitzilopuchtli_, and _Tezcatlipuca_, whose Images stood highest in

the Temple upon the Altars. They were made of stone in full proportion

as bigge as a Gyant. They were covered with a lawne called _Nacar_;

they were beset with pearles, pretious stones, and peeces of gold,

wrought like birds, beasts, fishes, and flowers, adorned with Emeralds,

Turquies, Chalcedons, and other little fine stones, so that when the

lawne was taken away, the Images seemed very beautifull and glorious

to behold. But must I find out _Rome_ still among these heathens? and

will the Papists bee angry if I tell them plainly that what I mislike

in these Idolatrous _Mexicans_, I mislike in them? for doe not they

deck and adorne their Idol Saints, as the heathens did _Vitzilopuchtli_

and _Tezcatlipuca_? Doe not they cover their woodden and stony statues

of Saints, and of the Virgin _Mary_ with fine lawne shirts, and hide

them with curtaines of cloth of Gold, and crowne them with Crowns of

Silver and Gold, and enrich them with costly and pretious jewels and

Diamonds; not considering that they are the workes of their owne hands?

_Ad quid perditio hæc? poterant enim venundari, & dari pauperibus?_

These two _Indian_ Idols had for a girdle great snakes of gold, and

for collars or chaines about their necks ten hearts of men made of

gold; and each of them had a counterfeit Visor with eies of glasse,

and in their necks Death painted. These two Gods were brethren, for

_Tezcatlipuca_ was the God of Providence, and _Vitzilopuchtli_, God

of the Warres; who was worshipped and feared more then all the rest.

There was another God, who had a great Image placed upon the top of the

chappell of Idols, and hee was esteemed for a speciall and singular

God above all the rest. This God was made of all kind of seeds that

grow in that Countrey, which being ground, they made a certain paste

tempered with childrens blood and Virgins sacrificed, who were opened

with rasors in their brests, and their hearts taken out, to offer as

first fruits unto the Idoll. The Preists consecrated this Idoll with

great pompe and many Ceremonies. All the _Comarcans_ and Citizens were

present at the Consecration with great triumph and incredible devotion.

After the Consecration many devout persons came and sticked in the dowy

Image pretious stones, wedges of gold, and other Jewels. And after

all this pompe ended, no secular man might touch that holy Image; no

nor yet come into his Chappel; nay scarcely religious persons, except

they were _Tlamacaztli_, who were Preists of Order. They did renew

this Image many times with new dough, taking away the old. And then

(like againe unto the Papists who think themselves happy with their

Saints reliques, though ragges or bones) blessed was hee that could

get one peece of the old ragges, or a peece of the old dough, for the

which there was most earnest suites made by the Souldiers, who thought

themselves sure therewith in the Warres. Also at the Consecration of

this Idoll, a certaine vessell of water was blessed with many words

and ceremonies (peradventure from this heathenish Ceremonie came the

superstitious holy water to _Rome_) and that water was preserved very

religiously at the foot of the Altar, for to consecrate the King when

hee should bee crowned, and also to blesse any Captaine Generall, when

hee should be elected for the Wars, with onely giving him a draught

of that water. And as the _Romish_ Church makes much of their dead

mens skulles and rotten bones, laying them up in their Churchyards

under some arches made for that purpose in the Churchwalls, even so

was it here in _Mexico_; for without this Temple, and over against the

principall doore thereof, a stones cast distant stood a Charnell house

onely of dead mens heads, Prisoners in Warres and sacrificed with the

knife. This monument was made like unto a Theatre, more large then

broad, wrought of lime and stone, with ascending steps; in the walls

whereof was graffed betwixt stone and stone a skull with the teeth

outwards. At the foot and head of this Theatre, were two towers made

onely of lime and skulles, the teeth outward, which having no other

stuffe in the wall seemed a strange sight. At and upon the top of

the Theatre were threescore and ten poles, standing the one from the

other foure or five foot distant, and each of them was full of staves

from the foot to the top. Each of these staves had others made fast

unto them, and every one of them had five skulles broched through the

temples. When the _Spaniards_ first entred into _Mexico_ as friends

before the death of _Montezuma_ they visited all these monuments; and

in what they have written and transmitted to posterity of that City,

it is recorded of one _Andrew de Tapia_, and _Gonzalo de Umbria_ that

one day they did reckon these skulles, and found a hundred thirty and

six thousand skulles on the poles, staves and steps. The other Towers

were replenished out of number; and there were men appointed, that when

one skull fell, to set up another in his place, so that the number

might never want. But all these Towers and Idols were pulled down, and

consumed with fire, when the _Spaniards_ wanne that City. And certainly

they had beene more renowned in destroying those Altars of the devill

and those Idoll Gods, if in their stead they had not set up new Idols

and Saints of stockes and stones, and built unto them as many more

Churches as they found at their comming thither. All therefore that

hath been mentioned hitherto of _Montezuma_ his houses and Gardens,

of the spacious Market place, and Temples of that City was utterly

destroyed and brought downe to the very ground. But _Cortez_ reedified

it againe, not onely for the situation and majesty, but also for the

name and great fame thereof. Hee divided it among the Conquerours,

having first taken out places for Churches, Market places, Towne

house and other necessary plots to build houses, profitable for the

Common-wealth. Hee separated the dwellings of the _Spaniards_ from the

_Indians_, so that now the water passeth and maketh division betwixt

them. Hee promised to them that were naturalls of the City of _Mexico_

plotts to build upon, inheritance, freedome, and other liberties, and

the like unto all those that would come and inhabit there, which was a

meanes to allure many thither. Hee set also at liberty _Xihuaco_, the

Generall Captaine, and made him chief over the _Indians_ in the City,

unto whom hee gave a whole street. He gave likewise another street to

_Don Pedro Montezuma_ who was sonne to _Montezuma_ the King. All this

was done to winne the favour of the people. Hee made other Gentlemen

Seniors of little Islands, and streets to build upon, and to inhabit,

and in this order the whole situation was reparted, and the work began

with great joy and diligence. And when the same was blowne abroad that

_Mexico_ should bee built again, it was a wonder to see the people

that resorted thither hearing of liberty and freedome. The number was

so great that in three miles compasse was nothing but people men and

women. They laboured sore and did eate little, by reason whereof many

sickned, and pestilence ensued, whereof died an infinite number. Their

paines was great, for they bare on their backes, and drew after them

stones, earth, timber, lyme, brick, and all other things necessary in

this sort; And by little and little _Mexico_ was built againe with a

hundred thousand houses, more strong and better then the old building

was. The _Spaniards_ built their houses after the _Spanish_ fashion;

and _Cortez_ built his house upon the plot where _Montezuma_ his

house stood, which renteth now yeerely foure thousand duckats, and is

called now the Palace of the Marques _Del Valle_, the King of _Spain_

having conferred upon _Cortez_ and his heires this title from the

great Valley of _Guaxaca_. This Palace is so stately that (as I have

observed before) seven thousand beames of Cedar Trees were spent in it.

They built faire Dockes covered over with Arches for the Vergantines;

which Dockes for a perpetuall memory doe remaine untill this day.

They dammed up the streets of water, where now faire houses stand, so

that _Mexico_ is not as it was wont to bee, and especially since the

yeare 1634. the water cometh not by farre so neere the City as it was

wont to come. The Lake sometimes casteth out a vapour of stench, but

otherwise it is a wholesome and temperate dwelling, by reason of the

Mountaines that stand round about it, and well provided through the

fertility of the Countrey, and commodity of the Lake. So that now is

_Mexico_ one of the greatest Cities in the World in extention of the

situation for _Spanish_ and _Indian_ houses. Not many yeeres after

the Conquest it was the Noblest City in all _India_ as well in Armes

as Policy. There were formerly at the least two thousand Citizens,

that had each of them his horse in his stable with rich furniture for

them, and Armes in readinesse. But now since all the _Indians_ farre

and neer are subdued, and most of them especially about _Mexico_

consumed, and there is no feare of their rising up any more against

the _Spaniards_, all armes are forgotten, and the _Spaniards_ live

so secure from enemies, that there is neither Gate, Wall, Bulwarke,

Platforme, Tower, Armory, Ammunition, or Ordnance to secure and defend

the City from a Domestick or forraine enemy; from the latter they

thinke St. _John de Ulhua_ sufficient and strong enough to secure them.

But for Contractation it is one of the richest Cities in the World; to

the which by the North Sea commeth every yeer from _Spain_ a Fleet of

neere twenty ships laden with the best Commodities not onely of _Spain_

but of the most parts of Christendome. And by the South Sea it enjoyeth

Traffique from all parts of _Peru_; and above all it Trades with the

_East-India's_, and from thence receiveth the Commodities as well from

those parts which are inhabited by _Portingals_, as from the Countries

of _Japan_ and _China_, sending every yeere two great _Caracas_ with

two smaller Vessels to the Islands of _Philippinas_, and having every

yeere a returne of such like ships. There is also in _Mexico_ a Mint

house where Money is dayly coyned; and is brought thither in wedges

upon Mules from the Mines called _St. Lewis de Sacatecas_, standing

fourescore Leagues from _Mexico_ Northward, and yet from _Sacatecas_

forward have the _Spaniards_ entred above a hundred Leagues conquering

daily _Indians_, where they discover store of Mines; and there they

have built a City, called _Nova Mexico_, new _Mexico_. The _Indians_

there are great Warriers, and hold the _Spaniards_ hard to it. It is

thought the _Spaniard_ will not bee satisfied, untill hee subdue all

the Country that way, which doubtlesse reacheth to our plantations

of _Virginia_ and the rest being the same continued continent land.

There is yet more in _Mexico_, a faire schoole, which now is made an

University, which the Viceroy _Don Antonio De Mendoza_ caused to be

built. At the rebuilding of this City there was a great difference

betwixt an Inhabitant of _Mexico_, and a Conquerour; for a Conquerour

was a name of honour, and had lands and rents given him and to his

posterity by the King of _Spain_, and the Inhabitant or onely dweller

payed rent for his house. And this hath filled all those parts of

_America_ with proud _Dons_ and Gentlemen to this day; for every one

will call himselfe a descendent from a Conquerour, though hee bee as

poore as _Job_; and aske him what is become of his Estate and fortune,

hee will answer that fortune hath taken it away, which shall never

take away a _Don_ from him. Nay a poore Cobler, or Carrier that runs

about the Countrey farre and neere getting his living with half a dozen

Mules, if hee bee called _Mendoza_, or _Guzman_, will sweare that hee

descended from those Dukes houses in _Spain_, and that his Grandfather

came from thence to Conquer, and subdued whole Countries to the Crowne

of _Spain_, though now fortune have frowned upon him, and covered his

ragges with a thredbare Cloake. When _Mexico_ was rebuilt, and Judges,

Aldermen, Attorneys, Towne Clerks, Notaries, Skavengers, and Serjeants

with all other Officers necessary for the Common-weale of a City were

appointed, the fame of _Cortez_ and majesty of the City was blowne

abroad into farre Provinces, by meanes whereof it was soone replenished

with _Indians_ againe, and with _Spaniards_ from _Spain_, who soone

conquered above foure hundred Leagues of Land, being all governed by

the Princely Seat of _Mexico_. But since that first rebuilding, I

may say it is now rebuilt the second time by _Spaniards_, who have

consumed most of the _Indians_; so that now I will not dare to say

there are a hundred thousand houses which soone after the Conquest

were built up, for most of them were of _Indians_. Now the _Indians_

that live there, live in the suburbs of the City, and their situation

is called _Guadalupe_. In the yeare 1625. when I went to those parts,

this Suburbe was judged to containe five thousand Inhabitans; But

since most of them have beene consumed by the _Spaniards_ hard usage

and the worke of the Lake. So that now there may not bee above two

thousand Inhabitants of meere _Indians_, and a thousand of such as

they call there _Mestizos_, who are of a mixt nature of _Spaniards_

and _Indians_, for many poore _Spaniards_ marry with _Indian_ women,

and others that marry them not but hate their husbands, find many

trickes to convey away an innocent _Uriah_ to enjoy his _Bathsheba_.

The _Spaniards_ daily cousen them of the small plot of ground where

their houses stand, and of three or foure houses of _Indians_ build

up one good and fair house after the _Spanish_ fashion with Gardens

and Orchards. And so is almost all _Mexico_ new built with very faire

and spatious houses with Gardens of recreation. Their buildings are

with stone, and brick very strong, but not high, by reason of the many

Earth-quakes, which would indanger their houses if they were above

three stories high. The streets are very broad, in the narrowest of

them three Coaches may goe, and in the broader six may goe in the

breadth of them, which makes the City seeme a great deale bigger then

it is. In my time it was thought to bee of betweene thirty and forty

thousand Inhabitants _Spaniards_, who are so proud and rich, that half

the City was judged to keepe Coaches, for it was a most credible report

that in _Mexico_ in my time there were above fifteen thousand Coaches.

It is a by-word that at _Mexico_ there are foure things faire, that is

to say, the women, the apparell, the horses, and the streets. But to

this I may adde the beauty of some of the Coaches of the gentry, which

doe exceed in cost the best of the Court of _Madrid_ and other parts of

Christendome; for there they spare no Silver, nor Gold, nor pretious

stones, nor Cloath of Gold, nor the best Silkes from _China_ to enrich

them. And to the gallantry of their horses the pride of some doth adde

the cost of bridles, and shooes of silver. The streets of Christendome

must not compare with those in breadth and cleannesse, but especially

in the riches of the shops which doe adorn them. Above all the

Goldsmiths shops and workes are to bee admired. The _Indians_, and the

people of _China_ that have been made Christians and every yeere come

thither, have perfected the _Spaniards_ in that Trade. The Viceroy that

went thither the yeere 1625. caused a _Popingay_ to bee made of silver,

gold, and pretious stones with the perfect colours of the _Popingays_

feathers, (a bird bigger then a pheasant) with such exquisite art and

perfection, to present unto the King of _Spain_, that it was prized to

bee worth in riches and workmanship halfe a Million of Duckats. There

is in the Cloister of the Dominicans a lampe hanging in the Church

with three hundred branches wrought in silver to hold so many Candles,

besides a hundred little lampes for oyle set in it, every one being

made with severall workmanship so exquisitely, that it is valued to

be worth four hundred thousand duckats; and with such like curious

workes are many streets made more rich and beautifull from the shops

of Goldsmiths. To the by-word touching the beauty of the women I must

adde the liberty they enjoy for gaming, which is such that the day and

night is to short for them to end a Primera when once it is begun; nay

gaming is so common to them that they invite gentlemen to their houses

for no other end. To my self it happened that passing along the streets

in company with a Fryer that came with me that yeare from _Spain_, a

gentlewoman of great birth knowing us to be _Chapetons_ (so they call

the first yeer those that come from _Spain_) from her window called

unto us, and after two or three slight questions concerning _Spain_

asked us if wee would come in and play with her a Game at Primera. Both

men and women are excessive in their apparell, using more silkes then

stuffes and cloth; pretious Stones and Pearles further much this their

vaine ostentation; a hat-band and rose made of Diamonds in a Gentlemans

hat is common, and a hat-band of Pearles is ordinary in a Tradesman;

nay a Blackmore or Tauny young maide and slave will make hard shift but

shee will bee in fashion with her Neckchaine and Bracelets of Pearls,

and her Eare-bobs of some considerable Jewels. The attire of this

baser sort of people of Blackmores and Mulatta's (which are of a mixt

nature, of _Spaniards_ and Blackmores) is so light, and their carriage

so enticing, that many _Spaniards_ even of the better sort (who are too

too prone to Venery) disdaine their Wives for them. Their cloathing is

a Petticoate, of Silk or Cloth, with many silver or golden Laces, with

a very broad double Ribband of some light colour with long silver or

golden Tags hanging down before, the whole length of their Peticoat

to the ground, and the like behind; their Wascoats made like bodies,

with skirts, laced likewise with gold or silver, without sleeves, and

a girdle about their body of great price stuck with Pearls and knots

of Gold, (if they bee any waies well esteemed of) their sleeves are

broad and open at the end, of _Holland_ or fine _China_ linen, wrought

some with coloured silks, some with silke and gold, some with silk and

silver, hanging downe almost unto the ground; the locks of their heads

are covered with some wrought quoife, & over it another of net work of

silk bound with a fair silk, or silver or golden ribband which crosseth

the upper part of their forehead, and hath commonly worked out in

letters some light and foolish love posie; their bare black and tauny

breasts are covered with bobs hanging from their chaines of pearls.

And when they goe abroad they use a white mantle of lawne or cambricke

rounded with a broad lace, which some put over their heads, the breadth

reaching only to their middle behind, that their girdle and ribbands

may be seen, and the two ends before reaching to the ground almost;

others cast their mantles only upon their shoulders, and swaggerers

like, cast the one end over the left shoulder, that they may the better

jog the right arme, and shew their broad sleeve as they walke along;

others instead of this mantle use some rich silke petticoat, to hang

upon their left shoulder, while with their right arm they support the

lower part of it, more like roaring boyes then honest civil maids.

Their shooes are high & of many soles, the outside whereof of the

prophaner sort are plated with a list of silver, which is fastned with

small nailes of broad silver heads. Most of these are or have been

slaves, though love have set them loose at liberty, to inslave souls to

sinne and Satan. And there are so many of this kind both men and women

growne to a height of pride and vanity, that many times the _Spaniards_

have feared they would rise up and mutiny against them. And for the

loosnesse of their lives, and publike scandals committed by them and

the better sort of the _Spaniards_, I have heard them say often who

have professed more religion and feare of God, they verily thought God

would destroy that City, and give up the Countrey into the power of

some other nation.

I will not relate particulars of their obscene and scandalous, yea

and publike carriages, which would offend my Readers patience, and

make his eares to tingle; only I say, certainly God is offended with

that second _Sodom_, whose inhabitants though now they be like the

green bay-tree flourishing with jewels, pearles, gold, silver, and all

worldly pleasures; _They shall soone be cut downe like the grasse and

wither as the green herbe, Ps._ 37. 2. And though their great Master

and Cardinall _Bellarmine_ make outward happinesse and flourishing a

marke and note of a true Church and Congregation of Gods people: and

of my selfe I could say with _David_ in the 73. _Ps._ 2, 3. when I

lived blindly amongst them, _My feet were almost gone, my steps had

well-nigh slipt; for I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the

prosperity of the wicked_; yet now being enlightned in a more sure and

certaine truth, I will conclude of them, as _David_ of the flourishing

wicked men of his time in the same Chapter the 16, 17, 18. _v. When I

thought to know this, it was too painfull for mee, untill I went into

the Sanctuary of God, then understood I their end. Surely thou didst

set them in slippery places; thou callest them downe to destruction._

And I doubt not but the flourishing of _Mexico_ in coaches, horses,

streets, women, and apparell is very slippery, and will make those

proud inhabitants slip and fall into the power and dominion of some

other Prince of this world, and hereafter in the world to come, into

the powerfull hands of an angry Judge, who is the King of Kings and

Lord of Lords, which _Paul_ saith _Heb._ 10. 31. _is a fearfull_ thing.

For this City doth not only flourish in the waies aforesaid, but also

in their superstitious worshiping of God and Saints, they exceed _Rome_

it selfe, and all other places of Christendome. And it is a thing which

I have very much and carefully observed in all my travailes both in

_Europe_ and in _America_, that in those Cities wherein there is most

lewd licentiousnesse of life, there is also most cost in the Temples,

and most publike superstitious worshipping of God and of the Saints.

It seems that religion teacheth that all wickednesse is allowable,

so the Churches and Clergy flourish; nay while the purse is open to

lasciviousnesse, if it be likewise opened to enrich the temple walls

and roofes, this is better then any their holy water to wash away the

filth of the other. _Rome_ is held to be the head of superstition;

and what stately Churches, Chappels, and Cloisters are in it? what

fastings, what processions, what appearances of devotion? and on the

other side, what liberty, what profanenesse, what whoredomes, nay what

sinnes of _Sodom_ are committed in it? In so much that it could be the

saying of a Fryer to my selfe while I was in it, that he verily thought

there was no one City in the world wherein were more Atheists then in

_Rome_. I might shew this truth in _Madrid, Sevill, Valladolid_, and

other famous Cities in _Spaine_, and in _Italy_, in _Millan, Genoa_

and _Naples_, relating many instances of scandalls committed in those

places, and yet the Temples mightily enriched by such who have thought

those alms a sufficient warrant to free them from hell & Purgatory.

But I must return to _Mexico_ which is _mille testes_ of this truth,

sin and wickednesse abounding in it; and yet no such people in the

world toward the Church and Clergy, who in their life time strive to

exceed one another in their gifts to the Cloisters of Nuns and Friers,

some erecting Altars to their best devoted Saints, worth many thousand

thousand duckats, others presenting crowns of gold to the pictures of

_Mary_, others lamps, others golden chains, others building Cloisters

at their own charge, others repairing them, others at their death

leaving to them two or three thousand duckats for an annuall stipend.

Among these great Benefactors to the Churches of that City I should

wrong my History if I should forget one that lived in my time, called

_Alonso Cuellar_, who was reported to have a Closet in his house laid

with bars of gold in stead of bricks; though indeed it was not so, but

only reported for his abundant riches and store of bars of gold which

he had in one chest standing in a closet distant from another, where

he had a chest full of wedges of silver. This man alone built a Nunery

of Franciscan Nuns, which stood him in above thirty thousand duckats,

and left unto it for the maintainance of the Nuns two thousand duckats

yeerly, with obligation of some masses to be said in the Church every

yeer for his soule after his decease. And yet this mans life was so

scandalous, that commonly in the night with two servants he would round

the City, visiting such scandalous persons whose attire before hath

been described, carrying his beads in his hands, and at every house

letting fall a beade and tying a false knot, that when he came home in

the morning towards breake of the day he might number by his beades

the uncivil stations he had walked and visited that night. But these

his works of darkenesse came to light, and were published farre and

neer for what happened unto him whilst I was in _Mexico_; for one night

meeting at one of his stations with a gentleman that was jealous of

him, swords on both sides were drawne, the Concubine first was stabbed

by the Gentleman who was better manned and attended; and _Cuellar_ (who

was but a Merchant) was mortally wounded and left for dead, though

afterwards he recovered. Great Almes and liberality towards religious

houses in that City commonly are coupled with great and scandalous

wickednesse. They wallow in the bed of riches and wealth, and make

their Almes the Coverlet to cover their loose and lascivious lives.

From hence are the Churches so fairly built and adorned. There are

not above fifty Churches and Chappels, Cloisters and Nunneries, and

Parish Churches in that City; but those that are there are the fairest

that ever my eyes beheld, the roofes and beams being in many of them

all daubed with gold, and many Altars with sundry marble pillars,

and others with Brasil wood staies standing one above another with

Tabernacles for several Saints richly wrought with golden colours, so

that twenty thousand duckats is a common price of many of them. These

cause admiration in the common sort of people, and admiration brings

on daily adoration in them to those glorious spectacles and images of

Saints; so Satan shewes Christ all the glory of the Kingdomes to intice

him to admiration, and then _All these things will I give thee if thou

wilt fall downe and worship mee_, Mat. 4. 8, 9. The devill will give

all the world to be adored.

Besides these beautifull buildings, the inward riches belonging to

the Altars are infinite in price and value, such as Copes, Canopies,

hangings, Altar cloths, Candlestickes, Jewels belonging to the Saints,

and crownes of gold and silver, and Tabernacles of gold and Crystall

to carry about their sacrament in Procession, all which would mount to

the worth of a reasonable mine of silver, and would be a rich prey for

any nation that could make better use of wealth and riches. I will not

speake much of the lives of the Fryers and Nuns of that City, but only

that there they enjoy more liberty then in the parts of _Europe_ (where

yet they have too much) and that surely the scandal committed by them

doe cry up to heaven for vengeance, judgement, and destruction.

In my time in the Cloister of the Mercenarian Fryers which is entituled

for the Redemption of Captives, there chanced to be an election of a

Provinciall to rule over them, to the which all the Priors and heads

of the Cloisters about the countrey had resorted, and such was their

various and factious difference, that upon the suddain all the Convent

was in an uproare, their canonicall election was turned to mutiny and

strife, knives were drawn, many wounded, the scandall and danger of

murther so great, that the Viceroy was same to interpose his authority

and to sit amongst them and guard the Cloister untill their Provinciall

was elected. It is ordinary for the Fryers to visit their devoted Nuns,

and to spend whole daies with them, hearing their musicke, feeding on

their sweet meats, and for this purpose they have many chambers which

they call _Loquutorios_, to talke in, with wooden bars between the

Nuns and them, and in these chambers are tables for the Friers to dine

at; and while they dine, the Nuns recreate them with their voices.

Gentlemen and Citizens give their daughters to be brought up in these

Nunneries, where they are taught to make all sorts of conserves and

preserves, all sorts of needle worke, all sorts of musicke, which is

so exquisite in that City, that I dare be bold to say, that the people

are drawne to their Churches more for the delight of the musick,

then for any delight in the service of God. More, they teach these

young children to act like players, and to entice the people to their

Churches make these children to act short dialogues in their Quires,

richly attiring them with mens and womens apparell, especially upon

Midsummer day, and the eight daies before their Christmas, which is so

gallantly performed, that many factious strifes, and single combates

have been, and some were in my time, for defending which of these

Nunneries most excelled in musick, and in the training up of children.

No delights are wanting in that City abroad in the world, nor in their

Churches, which should be the house of God, and the soules, not the

senses delight.

The chiefe place in the City is the Market place, which though it be

not as spacious as in _Montezuma_ his time, yet is at this day very

faire and wide, built all with Arches on the one side where people may

walke dry in time of raine, and there are shops of Merchants furnished

with all sorts of stuffes and silkes, and before them sit women selling

all manner of fruits and herbes; over against these shops and Arches

is the Viceroy his palace, which taketh up almost the whole length of

the market with the walls of the house and of the gardens belonging to

it. At the end of the Viceroy his palace, is the chiefe prison which is

strong of stone worke. Next to this is the beautifull street called _la

plateria_, or Gold-smiths street, where a mans eyes may behold in lesse

then an houre many millions worth of gold, silver, pearles and jewells.

The street of _St. Austin_ is rich and comely, where live all that

trade in silkes; but one of the longest and broadest streets is the

street called _Tacuba_, where almost all the shops are of Ironmongers,

and of such as deale in brasse and steel, which is joyning to those

Arches whereon the water is conveyed into the City, and is so called

for that it is the way out of the City to a Towne called _Tacuba_; and

this street is mentioned farre and neer, not so much for the length

and breadth of it, as for a small commodity of needles which are made

there, and for proofe are the best of all those parts. For stately

buildings the street called _del Aquila_, the street of the eagle,

exceeds the rest, where live Gentlemen, and Courtiers, and Judges

belonging to the Chancery, and is the palace of the Marquesse _del

Valle_ from the line of _Ferdinando Cortez_; this street is so called

from an old Idoll an Eagle of stone which from the conquest lieth

in a corner of that street, and is twice as big as _London_ stone.

The gallants of this City shew themselves daily some on Horse-back,

and most in Coaches about four of the clock in the afternoone in a

pleasant shady field, called _la Alameda_, full of trees and walkes,

somewhat like unto our More-fields, where doe meet as constantly as

the Merchants upon our Exchange about two thousand Coaches, full of

Gallants, Ladies, and Citizens, to see and to be seen, to court and

to be courted, the Gentlemen having their train of black-more slaves

some a dozen, some halfe a dozen waiting on them, in brave and gallant

Liveries, heavy with gold and silver lace, with silke stockins on their

black legs, and roses on their feet, and swords by their sides; the

Ladies also carry their traine by their coaches side of such jet-like

Damosells as before have been mentioned for their light apparell, who

with their bravery and white mantles over them seem to be, as the

_Spaniard_ saith, _mosca en leche_, a flie in milke. But the train of

the Viceroy who often goeth to this place is wonderfull stately, which

some say is as great as the train of his Master the King of _Spaine_.

At this meeting are carried about many sorts of sweet-meats and papers

of comfites to be sold, for to relish a cup of coole water, which is

cried about in curious glasses, to coole the blood of those love hot

gallants. But many times these their meetings sweetned with conserves

and comfits have sowre sawce at the end, for jealousie will not suffer

a Lady to be courted, no nor sometimes to be spoken to, but puts fury

into the violent hand to draw a sword or dagger and to stab or murther

whom he was jealous of, and when one sword is drawne thousands are

presently drawne, some to right the party wounded or murthered; others

to defend the party murthering, whose friends will not permit him to

bee apprehended, but will guard him with drawn swords untill they have

conveyed him to the Sanctuary of some Church, from whence the Viceroy

his power is not able to take him for a legall tryall.

Many of these suddain skirmishes happened whilest I lived about

_Mexico_; of which City a whole volume might bee compiled, but that

by other Authors much hath beene written, and I desire not to fill my

History with trifles, but onely with what is most remarkable in it.

I may not omit yet from the situation of it upon a lake to tell that

certainly the water hath its passage under all the streets of it; for

toward the street of St. _Austin_ and the lower parts of the City, I

can confidently averre that in my time before the removing of the Lake

those that died were rather drowned then buried, for a grave could not

bee digged with an ordinary graves depth, but they met with water,

and I was eye-witnesse of many thus buried, whose coffins was covered

with water. And this is so apparent that had not the Cloister of the

_Augustines_ often been repaired and almost rebuilt, it had quite sunk

by this. In my time it was a repairing, and I saw the old pillars had

sunk very low; upon the which they were then laying new foundations,

and I was credibly informed that that was the third time that new

pillars had been erected upon the old which were quite sunk away. This

City hath but three wayes to come unto it by Cawsey; the one is from

the West, and that Cawsey is a mile and a halfe long. Another from the

North, and containeth three miles in length. Eastward the City hath no

entry; but Southward the Cawsey is five miles long, which was the way

that _Cortez_ entred into it, when hee conquered it.

The fruit called _Nuchtli_ (whereof I have spoken before, and some say

this City was called _Tenuchtitlan_ from it) though it bee in most

parts of _America_, yea and now in _Spain_, yet in no place there is

more abundance of it then in _Mexico_, and it is absolutely one of the

best fruits in it. It is like unto the Figge, and so hath many little

kernels or grains within, but they are somewhat larger, and crowned

like unto a Medler. There are of them of sundry colours, some are green

without, and carnation-like within, which have a good taste. Others

are yellow, and others white, and some speckled; the best sort are the

white; It is a fruit that will last long. Some of them taste of Pears,

and other some of Grapes; It is a cold and a fresh fruit and best

esteemed in the heat of summer. The _Spaniards_ doe more esteem them

then the _Indians_. The more the ground is laboured where they grow,

the fruit is so much the better. There is yet another kind of this

fruit red, and that is nothing so much esteemed, although his taste

is not evill; but because it doth colour and dye the eaters mouth,

lips and apparell, yea and maketh the Urine looke like pure blood.

Many _Spaniards_ at their first comming into _India_, and eating this

fruit, were amazed and at their wits end, thinking that all the blood

in their bodies came out in Urine; yea and many Physitians at their

first comming were of the same belief. And it hath happened when they

have been sent for unto such as have eaten this fruit, they not knowing

the cause, and beholding the Urine, by and by they have administred

medicines to staunch blood; a thing to laugh at, to see Physitians so

deceived. The skinne of the outside is thick and full of little small

prickles, and when it is cut downeright with one cut to the kernels,

with one finger you may uncleave the whole skin roundabout without

breaking it, & take out the fruit to eat. The _Spaniards_ use to jest

with it with strangers, taking half a dozen of them, and rubbing them

in a napkin, those smal prickles which can scarce bee seen or perceived

stick invisibly unto the napkin, wherewith a man wiping his mouth to

drink, those little prickles stick in his lips so that they seeme to

sow them up together, and make him for a while faulter in his speech,

till with much rubbing and washing they come off. There is another

fruit twice of the bignesse of a great warden, which they call the

growing _Manjar Blanco_, or white meat, which is a dainty dish made by

them with the white of a Capon, Cream, and Rice, and sugar and sweet

waters, much like unto the which tasteth this fruit. It is as sweet

as any hony, and dissolves like melted snow in the mouth into a juyce

most luscious; within, it is full of hard black kernels or stones,

which being cracked are bitter, and these not joyned together, but

by division one from another, each one having a bag, or little skin

discerning them in their rankes and orders, so that when you cut this

fruit in the middle it represents a Chequer board with black and whit;

the white is suckt or eaten and the kernels thrown away. But I cannot

forget that which they call _Pinia_, or Pine apple; not the Pine apple

of the high Pine tree, but a pine apple, that groweth upon a lower

shrub with prickly leaves, and is bigger then our biggest Muskmillians

in _England_, when it is ripe; it is yellow without and within; without

it is full of little bunches, and within so juycy and cool that nothing

more dangerous then to eat much of it. Before they eat it, they cut it

in round slices, and lay it a while in salt and water, and so being

scoured half an houre in that salt and water which taketh much of the

rawnes and coldnes from it, and then putting into dishes with more

fresh water they eat it thus. But the better way of eating it, is

preserved; which is absolutely the best preserve in all that Countrey.

There is also the Grape, (though they make not wine of it) the Apple,

the Peare, the Quince, the Peach, the Apricock, the Pomegranate, the

Muskmillian, the Plantin, the Figge, the Walnut, the Chesnut, the

Orange, the Lemmon both sowre and sweet, the Citron in great abundance.

Most of the fruitts of _Europe_, and as many more which _Europe_ never

knew. About _Mexico_ more then in any other part groweth that excellent

tree called _Metl_, which they plant and dresse as they doe their Vines

in _Europe_. It hath neere forty kindes of leaves, which serve for many

uses; for when they bee tender they make of them Conserves, Paper,

Flax, Mantles, Mats, Shooes, girdles, and cordage. On these leaves grow

certaine prickles so strong and sharpe that they use them in stead

of sawes: from the root of this tree cometh a juyce like unto syrup,

which being sodde will become Sugar. You may also make of it Wine and

Vineger. The _Indians_ often become drunke with it. The rind rolled

healeth hurts and sores, and from the top boughs issueth a gumme, which

is an excellent antidote against poyson. There is nothing in _Mexico_

and about it wanting which may make a City happy; and certainly had

those that have so much extolled with their pens the parts of _Granada_

in _Spain, Lombardy_ and _Florence_ in _Italy_, making them the earthly

Paradise, had they beene acquainted with the new World and with

_Mexico_, they would have recanted their untruths.

Oh that the Lord were truely worshiped where hee hath powred forth the

treasures of his goodnesse for the children of men! Oh that in that

_Eden_ the tempting and entising Serpent were not so much obeyed in the

use of the faire seeming Apple of pleasures, and the Lord that hath

enriched it with such varieties so much neglected! How long O Lord God,

how long shall the line of the wicked flourish, and the best portion be

fallen to Idolaters and to the workers of iniquity?

This City is the seat of an Archbishop, and of a Viceroy, who commonly

is some great Noble man of _Spain_, whose power is to make Lawes and

Ordinances, to give directions, and determine controversies, unlesse

it bee in such great causes, which are thought fit to bee referred to

the Councell of _Spain_. And though there bee about the Country many

governments with severall Governours, yet they are all subordinate to

this Viceroy, and there are at least foure hundred leagues of land

all governed by the Princely seat of _Mexico_. Most of the Governours

about the Country being the Viceroy his Creatures, placed by him, doe

contribute great gifts and bribes for their preferment; so likewise doe

all the rest whose right or wrong proceedings depend upon the Viceroy

his clemency and mercy in judging the daily appeales of Justice which

come unto him. The King of _Spain_ allowes him out of his Exchequer

yeerly a hundred thousand Duckats whilest hee governes; his time being

but five yeers. But commonly with their bribes to the Courtiers of

_Spain_, and to the Counsellours for the Estate of the _India's_ they

get a prorogation of five yeeres more, and sometimes of ten. It is

incredible to think what this Viceroy may get a yeer in that place

besides his hundred thousand duckats of rent, if hee bee a man covetous

and given to trading, (as most of them are) for then they will bee

Masters of what commodities they please, and none else shall deale in

them but themselves; as did the Marquesse of _Serralvo_ in my time, who

was the best Monopolist of salt that ever those parts knew. This man

was thought to get a Million a yeer, what with gifts and presents, what

with his Trading to _Spain_ and _Philippinas_. He governed ten yeares,

and in this time he sent to the King of _Spain_ a _Popingay_ worth half

a Million, and in one year more he sent the worth of a Million to the

Count of _Olivares_, and other Courtiers to obtain a prorogation for

five yeers more. Besides the Viceroy there are commonly six Judges and

a Kings Attorney, who are allowed out of the Kings Exchequer yeerly

twelve thousand duckats a peice rent, besides two _Alcaldes de Corte_

or high Justices, who with the Viceroy judge all Chancery and criminall

causes. But these, though united together they may oppose the Viceroy

in any unlawfull and unjustifiable action, as some have done and have

smarted for it, yet commonly they dare not. So that hee doth what he

listeth, and it is enough for him to say, _stat pro ratione voluntas_.

This power joyned with covetousnesse in the Viceroy, and threescore

thousand duckats yeerly, joyned with pride in the Arch-bishop, was

like to be the ruine of that City in the yeer 1624. Then was the Count

of _Gelves_ Viceroy, and _Don Alonso de Zerna_ Archbishop, whose two

powers striving and striking at one another like two flints, had almost

brought to combustion that gallant City, and did set on fire the

Viceroy his palace, and the prison joyning to it.

The story was thus, which may be profitable for other nations, to

beware of covetous governours, and proud Prelates; and therefore I

thought fit to insert it here. The Count of _Gelves_ was in some things

one of the best Viceroys and Governours that ever the Court of _Spaine_

sent to _America_, for he was called by the _Spaniards, el terrible

Justiciero, y fuego de Ladrones_, that is, terrible for Justice, and

fire to consume all theeves. For he cleered all the high waies of

theeves, hanging them as often as they were caught without mercy, and

did send out troopes and officers to apprehend them, so that it was

generally reported that since the conquest unto those dayes of his

there had never been so many theeves and malefactors hanged up as in

his time. So in all other points of justice he was severe and upright.

But yet covetousnesse did so blind him to see his owne injustice, that

before he could see it, he had brought the City of _Mexico_ and the

whole Kingdome to a danger of rebellion. What he would not to be seen

in himselfe, he acted by others his instruments. And one of them was

one _Don Pedro Mexia_, a mighty rich Gentleman of _Mexico_, whom hee

chose to joyne with him in monopolizing all the _Indian_ Maiz, and

wheat about the Countrey. _Don Pedro Mexia_ of the _Indians_ bought

at the price he list their Maiz, and the wheat of the _Spaniards_ he

bought it according to that price at which it is taxed by the law of

that land to be sold at in time of famine; which is at fourteen Rials

a bushell, (which is not much there considering the abundance of gold

and silver) at which price the Farmers and husbandmen knowing it to be

a plentiful yeer were glad and willing to sel unto him their wheat,

not knowing what the end would be, & others fearing to gainsay him,

whom they knew to be the Viceroyes favorite. Thus _Don Pedro Mexia_

filled all his barnes which he had hired about the Countrey, and

himselfe and the Viceroy became owners of all the wheat. He had his

officers appointed to bring it into the Markets upon his warning, and

that was when some smal remnants that had escaped his fingers were

sold, and the price raised. Then hoised he his price, and doubled it

above what it had cost him. The poore began to complaine, the rich to

murmure, the taxe of the law was moved in the Court of Chancery before

the Viceroy. But he being privy to the Monopoly expounded the law to

bee understood in time of famine, and that he was informed, that it

was as plentifull a yeer as ever had been, and that to his knowledge

there was as much brought into the Markets as ever had been, and plenty

enough for _Mexico_ and all the Countrey. Thus was the law slighted,

the rich mocked, the poore oppressed, and none sold wheat but _Don

Pedro Mexia_ his officers for himselfe and the Viceroy. When Justice

would be no father, the people go to their mother the Church; & having

understood the businesse better, and that it was _Don Pedro Mexia_,

who did tyrannnize and oppresse them with the Viceroy his favour, they

intreat the Archbishop to make it a case of Conscience, and to reduce

it to a Church censure. _Don Alonso de Zerna_ the Archbishop, who had

alwaies stomacked _Don Pedro Mexia_ and the Viceroy, to please the

people, granted to them to excommunicate _Don Pedro Mexia_, and so

sent out bils of excommunication to be fixed upon all the Church dores

against _Don Pedro_; who not regarding the excommunication, and keeping

close at home, and still selling his wheat, raising higher the price

then it was before; the Arch-bishop raised this censure higher against

him, adding to it a Bill of _Cessatio à divinis_, that is, a cessation

from all divine service. This Censure is so great with them, that it

is never used but for some great mans sake, who is contumacious and

stubborn in his waies, contemning the power of the Church. Then are all

the Church dores shut up, (let the City be never so great) no masses

are said, no prayers used, no preaching permitted, no meetings allowed

for any publike devotion or calling upon God. Their Church mournes as

it were, and makes no shew of spirituall joy and comfort, nor of any

communion of prayers one with another, so long as the partie continues

stubborn and rebellious in his sinne, and scandall, and in yeelding

to the Churches censure. And further whereas by this cessation _à

divinis_, many Churches and especially Cloisters suffer in the means

of their livelyhood, who live upon what is daily given them for the

Masses they say, and in a Cloister where thirty or fourty Preists say

Masse, so many peices of Eight or crowns in _Mexico_ doe daily come in;

therefore this censure or _cessatio à divinis_ is so inflicted upon the

whole Church (all suffering for it as they say in spirituall, and some

in temporall waies) that the party offending or scandalizing, for whose

sake this curse is laid upon all, is bound to satisfie all Preists and

Cloisters which in the way aforesaid suffer, and to allow them so much

out of his meanes, as they might have daily got by selling away their

Masses for so many crownes for their daily livelyhood. To this would

the Arch-bishop have brought _Don Pedro Mexia_, to have emptied out

of his purse neer a thousand crownes daily, towards the maintenance

of about a thousand Preists (so many there may bee in _Mexico_) who

from the Altar sell away their bread-God to satisfie with bread and

food their hungry stomackes. And secondly by the peoples suffering in

their spirituall comfort, and non-communion of prayers and idolatrous

worship, hee thought to make _Don Pedro Mexia_ odious to the people.

_Don Pedro_ perceiving the spightfull intents of the Archbishop,

and hearing the outcries of the people in the streets against him,

and their cries for the use and liberty of their Churches, secretly

retired himselfe to the Palace of the Viceroy, begging his favour

and protection, for whose sake he suffered. The Viceroy immediately

sent out his Orders, commanding the bills of excommunication and

cessation _à divinis_ to bee pulled from the Church dores, and to all

the Superiors of the Cloisters to set open their Churches, and to

celebrate their service and masses as formerly they had done. But they

disobeying the Viceroy through blind obedience to their Archbishop,

the Viceroy commanded the Arch-prelate to revoke his censures. But

his answer was that what he had done, had been justly done against a

publike offender and great oppressor of the poore, whose cries had

moved him to commiserate their suffering condition, and that the

offenders contempt of his first excommunication had deserved the rigour

of the second censure; neither of the which hee would or could revoke

untill _Don Pedro Mexia_ had submitted himselfe to the Church and to

a publike absolution, and had satisfied the Preists and Cloisters who

suffered for him, and had disclaimed that unlawfull and unconscionable

Monopolie, wherewith he wronged the whole common-wealth, and especially

the poorer sort therein.

Thus did that proud Prelate arrogantly in termes exalt himselfe against

the the authority of his Prince and Ruler, contemning his command with

a flat deniall, thinking himself happy in imitating _Ambrose_ his

spirit against the Emperour _Theodosius_, trusting in the power of

his keyes, and in the strength of his Church and Clergy, which with

the rebellion of the meaner sort he resolved to oppose against the

power and strength of his Magistrate. The Viceroy not brooking this

sawcy answer from a Preist, commanded him presently to be apprehended

and to be guarded to _St. John de Ulhua_, and there to be shipped

for _Spaine_. The Archbishop having notice of this the Viceroy his

resolution, retired himselfe out of _Mexico_ to _Guadalupe_ with many

of his Preists and Prebends, leaving a bill of excommunication upon

the Church dores against the Viceroy himself, and thinking privily to

flie to _Spain_ there to give an account of his carriage and behaviour.

But he could not flie so fast, but the Viceroy his care and vigilancy

still eyed him, and with his Serjeants and Officers pursued him to

_Guadalupe_. Which the Archbishop understanding, he betook himself to

the sanctuary of the church, and there caused the candles to be lighted

upon the Altar, the sacrament of his Bread-God to be taken out of the

Tabernacle, and attiring himselfe with his Pontificall vestiments, with

his Mitre on his head, his Crozier in one hand, in the other he took

his God of bread, and thus with his traine of Preists about him at the

Altar, he waited for the coming of the Serjeants and Officers, whom he

thought with his God in his hand, and with a Here I am, to astonish

and amaze, and to make them as Christ the Jewes in the garden, to fall

backwards, and to disable them from laying hands upon him. The Officers

coming into the Church went towards the Altar where the Bishop stood,

and kneeling downe first to worship their God made a short prayer;

which being ended, they propounded unto the Bishop with courteous and

faire words the cause of their coming to that place, requiring him to

lay downe the Sacrament; and to come out of the Church, and to heare

the notification of what orders they brought unto him in the Kings

name. To whom the Archbishop replied, that whereas their Master the

Viceroy was excommunicated he looked upon him as one out of the pale

of the Church, and one without any power, or authority to command

him in the house of God, and so required them as they tendered the

good of their soules to depart peaceably, and not to infringe the

priviledges and immunity of the Church, by exercising in it any legall

act of secular power and command; and that he would not goe out of

the Church, unlesse they durst take him and the Sacrament together.

With this the head officer named _Tiroll_, stood up and notified unto

him an order in the Kings name to apprehend his person in what place

soever he should find him, and to guard him to the Port of _St. John

de Ulhua_, and there to deliver him to whom by further order he should

be directed there, to be shipped for _Spain_ as a Traitour to the

Kings crowne, a troubler of the common peace, an author and mover of

sedition in the Common-wealth. The Arch-bishop smiling upon _Tiroll_

answered him, Thy Master useth too high termes; and words which doe

better agree unto himselfe; for I know no mutiny or sedition like

to trouble the Common-wealth, unlesse it bee by his and _Don Pedro

Mexia_ his oppressing of the poore. And as for thy guarding mee to

_St. John de Ulhua_, I conjure thee by Jesus Christ whom thou knowest

I hold in my hands, not to use here any violence in Gods house, from

whose Altar I am resolved not to depart; take heed God punish thee

not as he did _Jeroboam_ for stretching forth his hand at the Altar

against the Prophet; let his withered hand remind thee of thy duty. But

_Tiroll_ suffered him not to squander away the time and ravell it out

with further preaching, but called to the Altar a Preist whom he had

brought for that purpose, and commanded him in the Kings name to take

the Sacrament out of the Arch-bishops hand; which the Preist doing,

the Arch-bishop unvested himselfe of his Pontificals, and (though

with many repetitions of the Churches immunity) yeelded himselfe unto

_Tiroll_, and taking his leave of all his Prebends, requiring them to

bee witnesses of what had been done, he went Prisoner to _St. John de

Ulhua_, where he was delivered to the custody of the Governour of the

Castle, and not many daies after was sent in a ship prepared for that

purpose to _Spaine_ to the King and Councell, with a full charge of

all his carriages and misdemeanours. Some of the City of _Mexico_ in

private began to talke strangely against the Viceroy, and to stomacke

the banishment of their Arch-bishop, because he had stood out against

so high a power in defence of the poore and oppressed, and these their

private grudges they soone vented in publike with bold and arrogant

speeches against _Don Pedro Mexia_, and the Viceroy, being set on and

incouraged by the Preists and Prebends, who it seems had sworne blind

obedience to their Arch-Prelate, and therewith thought they could

dispence with their consciences in their obedience and duty to their

Magistrate. Thus did those Incendiaries for a fortnight together blow

the fire of sedition and rebellion, especially amongst the inferiour

sort of people and the Criolians or native _Spaniards_, and the

_Indians_ and Mulatto's, whom they knew brooked not the severe and

rigorous justice and judgement of the Viceroy, no nor any Government

that was appointed over them from _Spaine_; untill at the fortnights

end, _Tiroll_ returned from _St. John de Ulhua_, and then began the

spite and malice of all the malecontents to breake out, then began a

fire of mutiny to be kindled, which was thought would have consumed

and buried in ashes that great and famous City. _Tiroll_ was not a

little jealous of what mischiefe the common rabble intended against

him, and so kept close, not daring to walke the streets; yet his

occasions inviting him to the Viceroy his palace, ventured himselfe in

a Coach with drawne curtaines, which yet could not blind the eyes of

the spightfull and malicious male-contents, who had notice that he was

in the Coach, and before he could get to the market place, three or

four boyes began to cry out, _Judas, Judas, alla va Judas_, there goeth

_Judas_ that laid his hands upon Christs Vicar; others joyned with them

saying, _aborquemos a este Judas_, let us hang up this _Judas_; the

number of boyes yet increased, crying aloud and boldly after the Coach,

_Muera el Vellaco descomulgado la muerte de Judas, muera el picaro,

muera el perro_, let this excommunicated rogue and dog die the death of

_Judas_; the Coach-man lashed the mules, the Coach posted, the boyes

hasted after with stones and dirt, the number increased so that before

_Tiroll_ could get through two streets only, there were risen above two

hundred boyes, of _Spaniards, Indians, Black-mores_, and Mulatto's.

With much adoe _Tiroll_ got to the Viceroy his Palace, posting for

his life, and his first care was to wish the Porters to shut all the

Palace gates: for he was fearfull of what presently happened, of a

more generall insurrection and uproar. For no sooner was hee got into

the Viceroy his house, and the gates shut up, but there were gathered

to the Market place (as I was credibly informed by those that saw and

observed diligently that daies trouble) above two thousand people, all

of inferiour rank and quality; and yet the number still increased till

they were judged to bee about six or seven thousand. They all cried out

for _Tiroll_ the _Judas_, sparing neither stones nor dirt which they

did fling at the Palace windowes.

The Viceroy sent a message to them desiring them to be quiet, and to

betake themselves to their houses, certifying them that _Tiroll_ was

not in his Palace, but escaped out of a back doore. The rude multitude

would not bee satisfied with this, being now set on by two or three

Priests who were joyned with them, and so they began more violently

to batter the Palace gates and walls, having brought pikes, and

holbards, and long poles; others had got a few Pistols, and birding

Peeces, wherewith they shot, not caring whom they killed or wounded

in the Palace. It was wonderfull to see that none of the better sort,

none of the Judges, no high Justice, no inferiour Officers durst or

would come out to suppresse the multitude, or to assist the Viceroy

being in so great danger; nay I was told by some shopkeepers who lived

in the Market place, that they made a laughing businesse of it, and

the people that passed by went smiling and saying, Let the boyes and

youngsters alone, they will wright our wrongs, they will find out

before they have done, both _Tiroll_ and _Mexia_ and him that protects

them, meaning the Viceroy; but amongst them was much noted one Priest,

named _Salazar_, who spent much shot and bullets, and more his spirits

in running about to spie some place of advantage, which hee might

soonest batter downe. They found it seemes the prison doores easier to

open, or else with helpe within they opened them, and let out all the

malefactors, who joyned with them to assault the Palace. The Viceroy

seeing no helpe came to him from the City, from his friends, from

the Judges of the Chancery, from the Kings high Justices, nor other

Officers for the peace, went up to the _Zoties_ of his Palace with

his Guard and Servants that attended on him, and set up the Royall

Standard, and caused a Trumpet to bee sounded to call the City to ayde

and assist their King. But this prevailed not, none stirred, all the

chief of the City kept within doores. And when the multitude saw the

Royall Standard out, and heard the Kings name from the _Zoties_, they

cryed out, and often repeated it, _Viva el Rey, muera el mal govierno,

mueran los des comulgados_, that is to say, Our King live long, but

let the evill government die, and perish, and let them die that are

excommunicated. These words saved many of them from hanging afterwards,

when the businesse was tried and searched into by _Don Martin de

Carrillo_. And with these words in their mouths, they skirmished with

them of the _Zoties_ at least three houres, they above hurling downe

stones, and they beneath hurling up to them and some shooting with a

few Pistols and birding peeces at one another: and marke that in all

this bitter skirmish there was not a peece of Ordnance shot, for the

Viceroy had none for the defence of his Palace or person, neither

had or hath that great City any for its strength and security, the

_Spaniards_ living fearelesse of the _Indians_, and (as they thinke)

secure from being annoyed by any forraine Nation. There were slain in

about six houres in all that this tumult lasted, seven or eight beneath

in the Market place, and one of the Viceroy his Guard and a page in

the _Zoties_ above. The day drawing to an end, the multitude brought

pitch and fire, and first fired the prison, then they set on fire

part of the Palace, and burnt downe the chief gate. This made some of

the City, of the Gentry, and of the Judges to come out, lest the fire

should prevaile farre upon the City, and to perswade the people to

desist, and to quench the fire. Whilest the fire was quenching, many

got into the Palace, some fell upon the Viceroyes stables, and there

got part of his mules and horses rich furnitures, others began to fall

upon some chests, others to teare down the hangings, but they were

soone perswaded by the better sort of the City, to desist from spoile

or robbery, lest by that they should bee discovered; other searched

about for _Don Pedro Mexia_, for _Tiroll_ and the Viceroy. None of

them could bee found, having disguised themselves and so escaped.

Whither _Don Pedro Mexia_ and _Tiroll_ went, it could not bee knowen

in many dayes; but certaine it was that the Viceroy disguised himselfe

in a Franciscan habit, and so in company of a Fryer went through the

multitude to the Cloister of the Franciscans, where hee abode all that

yeer, (and there I saw him the yeere after) not daring to come out,

untill hee had informed the King and Counsell of _Spain_, with what

hath happened, and of the danger himselfe and the City was in, if not

timely prevented. The King and Counsell of _Spain_ took the businesse

to consideration, and looked upon it as a warning peece, to a further

mutiny and rebellion, and an example to other parts of _America_

to follow upon any such like occasion, if some punishment were not

inflicted upon the chief offendors. Wherefore the yeere following 1625.

which was when I went to those parts, the King sent a new Viceroy the

Marques of _Serralvo_ to govern in the place of the Count of _Gelves_,

and especially to aid and assist _Don Martin de Carrillo_ a Priest,

and Inquisitor of the Inquisition of _Valladolid_, who was sent with

large Commission and authority to examine the foresaid tumult and

mutiny, and to judge all offenders that should be found in it, yea

and to hang up such as should deserve death. I was in _Mexico_ in

the best time of the tryall, and had intelligence from _Don Martin

de Carrillo_ his owne Ghostly father a Dominican Fryer of the chief

passages in the examination of the businesse; and the result was,

that if Justice should have beene executed rightly, most of the prime

of _Mexico_ would have suffered, for not comming in to the Royall

Standard, when called by the sound of the Trumpet; the Judges some

were put out of their places, though they answered that they durst not

stirre out, for that they were informed that all the City would have

risen against them if they had appeared in publick. The chief actors

were found to bee the Criolians or Natives of the Countrey, who doe

hate the _Spanish_ Government, and all such as come from _Spain_; and

reason they have for it, for by them they are much oppressed, as I have

before observed, and are and will bee alwayes watching any opportunity

to free themselves from the _Spanish_ yoke. But the chief fomenters

of the mutiny were found to bee the Bishops party the Preists; and so

had not _Salazar_ and three more of them fled, they had certainly been

sent to the Gallies of _Spain_ for Galley slaves; this judgment was

published against them. There were not above three or foure hanged of

so many thousands, and their condemnation was for things which they

had stollen out of the Viceroys Palace. And because further inquiry

into the rebellion would have brought in at least half the City either

for actors, or counsellors, or fomentors, the King was well advised to

grant a generall pardon. The Archbishops proceedings were more disliked

in the Court of _Spain_, then the Viceroyes, and was long without any

preferment; though, at last that there might be no exceptions taken

by his party, nor cause given for a further stirring the embers to

a greater combustion, the Councel thought fit to honor him in those

parts where hee was born; and to make him Bishop of _Zamora_ a small

Bishoprick in _Castile_; so that his wings were clipt, and from

Archbishop hee came to bee but Bishop, and from threescore thousand

Crownes yeerely rent he fell to foure or five thousand onely a yeere.

The count of _Gelves_ was also sent to _Spain_, and well entertained in

the Court, and therein made Master of the Kings horse, which in _Spain_

is a Noblemans preferment.