Chapter XXII (11)

This Towne is one of the sweetest and pleasantest of any we had seen from _Guaxaca_ thither, and it seems God hath replenished it with all sorts of comforts which Travailers may need to ascend up those dangerous and steepy rockes. Here is great plenty of cattel for flesh, and rich _Indians_ which have farmes, called there _Estantia's_, in some a thousand, in some three or four thousand head of cattell; fowles here are in abundance, fish the best store and choisest of any Towne from _Mexico_ thither; for the Sea is hard by it, and besides there runneth by it a small river which yeelds divers sorts of fish. From the mountaines there fall so many springs of water, that with them the _Indians_ water at their pleasure their gardens which are stored with much herbage and sallets. The shade which defends from the heat (which there is great) is the daughter of most sweet and goodly fruit trees, and of Orange, Lemmon, Citron and Fig leaves. The Sabbath morning was so calme that we desired to make use of it, lest by longer delayes the winds should stay us, or force us to the coast of _Soconusco_. But the _Indians_ intreated us to bee their guests at dinner, not doubting but the weather would hold, and promising us to provide us strong and lusty Mules, and provision of fruits, and fried fish, or fowles, or what our selves desired. We could not refuse this their kind offer, and so stayed dinner with them. After dinner our Mules were brought, and two _Indians_ to guide us and carry our provision, which was some fried fish, and a cold rosted Capon, with some fruit as much as might suffice us for a day, for the chief ascent and danger is not above seven leagues, or one and twenty _English_ miles, and then beyond the top of the mountaines three miles is one of the richest farms for Horses, Mules, and Cattel, in all the Countrey of _Chiapa_, where we knew we should be welcomed by one _Don John de Toledo_, who then lived there. Though these mountaines shew themselves with severall sharp pointed heads, and are many joyned together, yet one of them is only mentioned in that Country by the Travailers, which is called _Maquilapa_, over the which lieth the way to _Chiapa_. To this high, steepy, and craggy _Maquilapa_ we tooke our journey after dinner, and were by the proud mountaine that night well entertained, and harboured in a green plot of ground resembling a meadow, which lay as a rib of the one side of that huge and more then _Pyrenian_ monster. The _Indians_ comforted us with the shews of faire weather, and told us that they doubted not but the next day at noone we should be at _Don John de Toledo_ his _Estancia_, or farme. With this we spread our supper upon the green table-cloth, and at that first meale eat up our Capon and most of the provision of our cold fried fish, leaving only a bit for our mornings breakefast, the springs of water like Conduit-pipes, trickling downe the rockes, gave us melodious musicke to our supper; the _Indians_ fed merrily, and our Mules contentedly, and so the fountaine Nymphes sung us asleep till morning, which seemed to us as calme and quiet as the day before, and encouraged us hastily to snatch that bit which we had left and so up from breakefast, to say merrily, up to _Maquilapa_. We had not winded the mountaine upwards much above a mile, when the higher we mounted, the more we heard the wind from above whistling unto us, and forbidding us to goe any further. We were now halfe way up, and doubtfull what wee should doe, whither go forward, or returne to _Tapanatepeque_ to eat more fish, or to stay where we were a while untill the weather were more calme, which we thought might be at noone or towards evening. The _Indians_ told us that about a mile further there was a fountaine of water, and a lodge made under trees on purpose for Travailers that were either benighted or hindred by the winds to compasse their journey up the mountaine. Thither we went with much adoe, hoping the wind would fall; but still the higher we climbed, the stronger we felt the breath or _Æolus_, and durst not like the people called _Psilli_ (of whom _Herodotus_ writeth) march against him, least as they in stead of a victory found a grave in the sands where they met to oppose him, so we in stead of ascending should by a furious blast be made to descend into those deep and horrid precipices, which truely threatned death, and offered themselves to be a grave unto our torne and mangled bodies. We liked the fountaine very well, and the lodge better for the harbour of trees which compassed it about. The wind kept on breathing, and we stood still fearing, till the day was so farre spent that we had no hopes of going back, or forward. Of any supper we despaired that night, who would have been glad now to have picked a bone of a Capons leg, or to have sucked a fishes head, and saw there was nothing for us, but only to feed our hungry stomackes with the remembrance of the plenty the night before. Thus gazing one upon another, and sometimes looking down to the fountaine, sometimes looking up to the trees, we perceived amongst them a Lemmon tree, full of small and very sowre green Lemmons. It was not with us as with _Tantalus_ who could neither injoy the fruit above him, nor the waters beneath him; we could and did most greedily catch and snatch the Lemmons, which were sawce for no meate, but onely to fill an empty stomack; with them wee supped and tooke our rest. The next morning the wind was rather stronger then calmer, and we as strong the second day as the first in our purpose of staying there, and not turning our backes like Cowards. The _Indians_ were also willing to stay yet one day longer; so we fell to our breakefast of Lemmons which were somewhat coole to a fasting stomack, and relished nothing the better with a draught from the cleere fountaine. And of what we left on the tree we made our dinner and supper, adding to our water what we saw the _Indians_ did drinke, who had their small bags full of powder of their Maiz, of which first making cakes as dry as bisket they then grind them to powder, and when they travaile, carry with them that powder to drink with water. This wee thought might bee more nourishing to us, then Lemmons and water onely, and so for that day we bought of them halfe a bagfull of powder giving for it in our want and necessity four rials, or two _English_ shillings, which out of _Maquilapa_ and that our feare of starving might not be worth above a penny; and yet this was but weake nourishment for our feeble bodies. Thus we waited all Tuesday for the laying of the wind, resolving the next morning either to goe up the hill, or downe againe to _Tapanatepeque_. But on Wednesday morning the wind seeming to be somewhat laid, we purposed to stay till noon hoping then it would be sure travailing; but it ceased not but rather increased a little; whereupon one of our company resolved to goe upwards a mile or two on foot, and trie the passages, and the danger of the wind and to bring us word againe; for we thought our feare might be greater then the danger, who had heard much talke, but had not as yet seen any thing worth our feare. Up therefore went our friend, who staid from us neer two houres, and then returning backe he told us he thought we might get up leading our Mules by the bridles. But what with further questions and debates the time passed away, so that we thought it might be too late; and for that day we put off our journey untill the next morning, resolutely purposing to goe forwards altogether if the wind were not much increased. So that day we fell again to our green crabby Lemmons, water and Maiz powder, all which we found had much weakned our bodies and feared if we continued there any longer they might hasten our death. Wherefore on Thursday morning (the wind being as the day before) commending our selves first unto the protection of that Lord whom the winds and sea obey, we mounted up upon our Mules (leaving our names written in the barke of a great tree, and the dayes we stayed there without food) and so went upward. Wee perceived no great danger in the wind a great while, but some steps and passages upon stony rockes we feared for the narrownesse of them, and there we lighted, thinking our selves safer upon our own two feet, then upon the four feet of a beast. But when we came up to the very top of _Maquilapa_ (which signifies in that tongue, A head without haire) we perceived truly the danger so much talked of, and wished our selves again with our green Lemmons in the way to _Tapanatepeque_, for we found it indeed a head without haire, a top without a tree or branch to shelter a fearfull Traveller; the passage that lieth open to the sea may be no more than a quarter of a mile, but the height and narrownesse of it stupefieth, for if we looke on the one side, there is the wide and spatious South-sea lying so deep and low under it that it dazleth the eies to behold it; if wee looke on the other side, there are rockes of at least six or seven miles depth; whose sight doth make the stoutest and hardest heart (though like themselves) to quake and quiver; so that here the sea expects to swallow, there the rockes threaten to tear with a downfall, and in the midst of those dangers in some places the passage is not above an ell broad. We needed better cordialls for that quarter of a mile then feeding three daies upon green Lemmons and water, and durst not man our selves so much as to goe through it upon our Mules; we lighted, and gave the _Indians_ our Mules to lead, and we followed them one by one not daring to walk upright for fear of head giddinesse with looking on either side, but bowing our bodies we crept upon our hands and feet as neere unto the trackes which beasts and Travailers had made as we could without hindering our going. And when we had got to the end of that passage, and where the mountaine was broader, and the trees promised reliefe, we then looked back boldly, and accused of folly both our selves and all other Travailers that sought no other way though ten miles about, to avoid that danger both for man and beast. From thence joyfully we made haste to _Don John de Toledo_, who made us welcome and gave us some warme broath to comfort our stomacks, which were so weake that no sooner had wee eat any thing, but presently we cast it up againe; till after many sups of broath and wine we recovered strength towards night, and eat our suppers; there we stayed two daies; and thus thoroughly refreshed wee went to _Acapala_ a very great Towne of _Indians_ in the Province of _Chiapa_, standing by the same river that passeth by _Chiapa_, which is called _Chiapa de Indios_, or _Chiapa_ of the _Indians_, to distinguish it from another _Chiapa_, called _Chiapa Reall_ the Roial _Chiapa_, or _Chiapa de Espanoles, Chiapa_ of the _Spaniards_. From _Acapala_ we went first to _Chiapa_ of the _Indians_, which standeth almost as low as _Maquilapa_ is high, seated upon a river as broad as is the _Thames_ at _London_, which hath its spring from the mountaines called _Cuchumatlanes_, in the rode from _Chiapa Real_ to _Guatemala_, and runnes towards the Province of _Zoques_, where it entreth into the river of _Tabasco_. But of this _Chiapa_ I will speak a little more in the next Chapter, and now onely say that here we were joyfully entertained by those Fryers, who looked upon us as members belonging to the Corporation of that their Province, and assured us that the Provinciall and chief Superiour would be very glad of our coming, who wanted _Spanish_ Fryers to oppose the Criolians and Natives who strived to get a head as they had done in _Mexico_ and _Guaxaca_. Here we understood that the Provinciall was not above one daies journey from thence. Here also we met with our friend _Peter Borallo_, who had come before us alone, and made his escape from _Mexico_: he comforted us much with the good and kind usage which he had found there; yet he told us how _Calvo_ was gone with the rest of his traine from _Mexico_ to _Acapulco_, & from thence was shipped with them to _Philippinas_; but that at his departure he had writ a letter of bitter complaints unto the Superiour of _Chiapa_ and _Guatemala_ against him and us four, desiring the Provinciall not to entertaine us, but to send us backe to _Mexico_, to be shipped from thence the next yeer unto _Philippinas_; which letter was not regarded; but much slighted by the Provinciall. After we had been a week feasted in _Chiapa_, we thought it now fit to present our selves to the Provinciall (whose name was Fryer _Peter Alvarez_) that from him we might receive judgement, and know whether we should stay in that Province, or be forced to return to _Spaine_, for in no other part of _America_ we could be entertained. We found the Provinciall in a little Towne called _St. Christopher_, between _Chiapa_ of the _Indians_ and the Roiall _Chiapa_, recreating himselfe in the shady walkes, which are many sweet and pleasant in that small Towne; where also there is store of fish, and great abundance of rare, and exquisite fruits. He entertained us very lovingly with faire and comfortable words, with a stately dinner and supper, and before we went to bed, to shew his humility hee did unto us what Christ to his Disciples, hee washed our feet. The first day he said little or nothing unto us concerning our continuing in that Country; but the next day he discovered unto us his full resolutions, with many wile and cunning sophismes. For first he read unto us the letter which _Calvo_ had writ unto him against us, glossing upon it how ill we had done in forsaking our first love and calling to _Philippinas_, and the danger many _Indian_ soules might bee in by reason of our not going thither to convert and instruct them, whose gifts and abilities he supposed might have been more profitable and comfortable to those souls, then those who in our stead and absence should be sent amongst them. And secondly hee told us how wee had frustrated the King of _Spaines_ good hopes of us who had allowed us means and maintenance from _Spain_ to _Mexico_, hoping that by us many soules of _Indians_ in _Philippinas_ might bee saved. Thirdly, hee told us that hee looked upon us as his prisoners, in whose power it was to imprison us, and to send us Prisoners to _Mexico_ to the Viceroy, to bee shipped from thence to _Manila_, according to _Calvo_ his demand. But for the present hee would not let us know what hee meant to doe with us; Onely hee bad us not to bee discouraged, but to be merry and recreate our selves, and that after dinner wee should know more from him, when he had received an answer to a Letter which hee had writ unto the City of _Chiapa_ concerning the disposall of our persons. These reasonings of the grave and old Provinciall did not a little sad our hearts; for the losse of soules, and King of _Spain_ his intentions and charity charged upon us, and imprisonment spoke of by the by, were words which seemed of a very high straine, and so could hardly bee digested by us; this mornings breakfast had quite taken away from us our stomack to our dinner. And thus wee departed from the presence of the venerable Fryer _Peter Alvarez_, and betooke our selves to a shady walke under Orange trees belonging to the house where this Superiour was. In this shade wee conferred with our selves upon the words of _Alvarez_, and finding them of so high a nature, as involving soules, a King, and imprisonment, we thought verily wee should bee sent back to _Mexico_, and from thence like fugitive slaves bee forced to _Philippinas_. Here my hopes of ever more seeing _England_ were lost; _Antonio Melendez_ his heart panted, wished himself again upon the highest top of _Maquilapa_; another wished himselfe with old _Calvo_ at Sea sailing to _Manila_, though it were but to help him scrape his rusty Gammons of Bacon.

The motion was made to make an escape from _Alvarez_, as wee had done from _Calvo_; but to this answer was made, that whither so ever wee went, not knowing the Country, wee should bee discovered; and that put case the worst, wee should bee sent to _Mexico_, wee might better escape in the way, then there where wee were. At last I told the rest, that I could conceive no hard nor harsh usage from that smiling and loving countenance of the Provinciall, nor after that his low and humble act of washing our feet the night before; and that I thought verily hee wished us well for having come so far to offer our selves for fellow-labourers in that harvest of souls belonging to his charge, and whom wee knew wanted such as we were newly come from _Spain_ to oppose the Criolians or Natives faction in that Province; alleadging furthermore the example of our friend and companion _Peter Borallo_, whom hee had already incorporated into that province, and could doe no lesse with us without partiality and acceptation of persons. And lastly, my opinion was, that in case wee ought not to be entertained there, yet the Provinciall would not send us back to _Mexico_, there to be disgraced and affronted, but would give way unto us to returne to _Spain_, or whither else wee would, with some relief and mony in our purses. Whilst wee were thus troubled, and in this sad and serious discourse, old _Alvarez_ it seemes had been eying of us from his window, and as _Joseph_ could not long suppresse and keep in the expressions of a loving and tender heart unto his brethren; so this good Superior perceiving that we were troubled with what he had said unto us, sent his companion unto us to comfort us; which wee easily perceived by his discourse when hee came unto us. For as soone as hee came hee asked us why wee were so sad and melancholy? hee told us, the Provinciall also had observed that wee were troubled. But, said hee, bee of good cheare; bee confident that the Provinciall wisheth you very well, and needeth such as you are, and having come into his Dominion to thrust your selves upon his mercy, by harsh and unkind usage hee will not doe what Martiall Law forbids a hard hearted Souldier to doe unto his enemy upon such termes. Many such comfortable words did he speak unto us; and told us further that the Provinciall had been much censured by the Criolian party for entertaining of _Peter Borallo_; and that now they would stir worse seeing four more come to weaken their faction; and therefore hee desired to bee well advised concerning us, and to carry our businesse with such discretion, as might give little offence to those who were apt to judge and censure the best of all his actions. And finally hee did assure us, that wee should never bee sent back as prisoners to _Mexico_ by the Provinciall, who in case hee could not entertaine us in _Chiapa_, or _Guatemala_, would further us with all his favour, and friends, and money in our purses to return againe to _Spain_. These reasons were heart fainting Cordials unto us, and stomack preparatives to a good dinner, to which by the sound of a bell wee were invited. When wee came in, the loving, smiling, and fatherly countenance of the good Provinciall did chear us more then all the cheare that waited for us upon the table in severall dishes, all which were seasoned to our palates with the sauce of the comfort, which the Provincials messenger had brought unto us in the shady Orange walke in the garden. The great provision of fish and flesh, with fruits and sweet meats were yet to us a strong argument that wee were very welcome; for what wee fed on that day, might well become a Noble mans Table; besides in many passages of our discourse wee perceived that good old _Alvarez_ his heart was overjoyed with our comming to him. Dinner being ended the Provinciall desired to play a game at Tables with us round about, saying hee would not win our money, because hee judged us poore after so long a journey. But thus hee setled the game and sport; that if he did win, we should say for him five _Pater Nosters_, and five _Ave Maries_; but if wee wun, wee should win our admittance, and Incorporation into that Province. This sport pleased us well, for our winnings wee judged would be to us more profitable at that time, then to winne pounds, and our loosings we valued not; besides wee were confident all went well with us, when from the favour of the Dice, wee might challenge that favour which with many weary journeys wee had come to seek above foure hundred miles. The sport began, and wee young blades taking one by one our turnes were too hard for the old man, who (as wee perceived) would willingly bee the loser, that his very losses might speak unto us what through policy and discretion hee would not utter with words. Yet wee boldly challenged our winnings, which as soone as wee had ended our game were now surely confirmed unto us by the returne of an _Indian_ messenger, who that morning had been sent to the City of _Chiapa_ for advice and counsell from the Prior and the chiefe of the Cloister concerning our disposal, and now was returned with an answer from the Prior, who in his letter expressed great joy unto the Provinciall for our comming, and so from the rest of the Seniors of the Cloister, and did earnestly begge of the Superiour, that hee would send us to him to bee his guests, for that our case had beene his owne some ten yeers before, for hee had also at _Mexico_ forsaken his company to _Philippinas_, and fled to _Guatemala_, where for his learning and good parts hee had been as a stranger much envied by the Criolian faction; but now hee hoped hee should have some to side with him against such as spighted and maligned him. Old _Alvarez_ was much taken with his letter, and told us hee must pay what hee had lost, and that the next day he would send us to _Chiapa_, there to abide untill hee tooke further care of us, to send us to other parts of the Country, to learne the _Indian_ languages, that wee might preach unto them. This discourse being ended wee betooke our selves again to the Garden which smelled more of comfort then before dinner, and to our shady walks which now offered us a safer protection then they had done in the forenoone, countenancing that protection which we had gained from the Provinciall.

Here we began to praise God, who had looked upon us in our low estate, not forgetting the wise and politick Provinciall, who though hee had lost his games for our comfort, wee would not hee should lose our prayers, which there wee offered up to God for his health and safety. And so till supper time wee continued our discourse in the Garden fuller of mirth and pleasant jests, then wee had done before dinner, snatching now and then at the Oranges and Lemmons, which were there both sowre and sweet, eating of some, and casting some one at another, but especially at him who had wished himselfe with _Calvo_ dressing his rusty Bacon, whom we strived to beat out of the garden by force of Orange and Lemmon bullets; which sport we continued the more willingly, because wee perceived the good Provinciall stood behind a Lattice in a Balcony beholding us, and rejoycing to see our hearts so light and merry. Wee had no sooner beat _Calvo_ his friend out of the garden, when the bell to supper sounded a retreat to us all, and called us again to meet our best friend _Alvarez_, who had furnished us a Table againe like that at noone. After supper hee told us that the next morning hee would send us to _Chiapa_, for that the Prior had writ unto him he would meet us in the way with a Breakfast at a Towne called St. _Philip_; wherewith wee conceited very highly of our selves to see that Provincialls and Priors were so forward to feast us. Yet before we went to bed, the Provinciall would try again a game at Tables with every one of us, to see if now hee could beat us that had been too hard for him at noon. The matter of our game was now altered, and what we played for was this; if the Provinciall wun, wee were to bee his Prisoners, (which mystery wee understood not till the next day, for the old man was crafty and Politick, and knew hee could winne of us when he listed, for hee was an excellent gamester at Tables) but if wee wun of him, hee was to give us a box of _Chocolatte_, which was a drinke wee liked very well. The Game went on, and wee every one of us one by one were losers, yet understood not how wee should bee his Prisoners, but slighted our losses. Yet for all this the merry Provinciall told us, hee was sory wee had lost, and wished wee might never bee prisoners to a worse enemie then hee; and that wee should perceive it, hee would comfort us each one as a Prisoner with a box of _Chocolatte_, to drinke for his sake, and to comfort our hearts, when most wee should find them discomforted for our losses. Wee understood not his meaning till the next day at noone, but thought it was a jest and a word of sport and mirth, like many such like which in his discourse had come from him.

With this wee tooke our leaves, and went to bed with light and merry hearts. In the morning two Mules of the Provinciall and two of his Companion were sadled for us, and at least a dozen _Indians_ on horse back waited for us to conduct us up a steepy hill and through woods to the Towne of St. _Philip_. After our breakfast the good Provinciall imbraced us, and bad us farewell, desiring us to pray for him; and not to bee discouraged by any thing that might befall us, assuring us hee wished us very well, and would doe what lay in his power for our good; yet so, that hee must use policy and discretion to stop the mouths of the Criolians, whom hee knew hated both him and us. Thus we departed with Waits and Trumpets sounding before us, which rebounded an Echo all the way up the hill from us to old _Alvarez_ whom we had left in a low bottome compassed about with hils on every side. Wee had no sooner ascended up to the top of the Mountaine, when we discovered a little Valley, and in it the City of _Chiapa_ of the _Spaniards_; with two or three small Villages, of which one was St. _Philip_ at the bottom of the Mountaine, which we were to descend. The Trumpets which still went sounding before us were a sufficient and loud Alarme to St. _Philips_ Inhabitants of our coming, and a warning for the speedier hastening of our second breakfast, for the which the cold morning aire (which wee found somewhat piercing upon the Mountaine) had whetted and through prepared our stomacks. We had not got down the Mountaine halfe a mile, when wee met with a matter of twenty gallant _Indians_ on horse-back with their trumpeters sounding before them, and behind them came upon a stately Mule the Prior of _Chiapa_, (whose name was Father _John Baptist_) a merry fat Fryer, who calling us his brethren fugitives from _Philippinas_, told us wee were welcome to that country, and to him especially, and that in the next St. _Philip_ he would shew us better sport, then any _St. Philip_ in all the _Philippinas_ Islands could have shewed us, if wee had gone thither. Thus with a pleasant discourse, and many merry conceits from the good Prior wee soone came downe the hill, where the whole Village of St. _Philip_ waited for us both men and women, some presenting unto us nosegaies, others hurling Roses and other flowers in our faces, others dancing before us all along the street, which was strowed with herbes and Orange leaves, and adorned with many Arches made with flowers and hung with garlands for us to ride under untill wee came to the Church, where for halfe an houre wee were welcomed with the best musick from the City of _Chiapa_, which the Prior had hired to come with him to entertaine us. Our Musick being ended, fat Father _John Baptist_ stood up and made a short speech unto the _Indians_, giving them thankes for their kind and pompous entertainment of us his speciall friends, and that their soules might gaine by it, hee granted unto them a plenary indulgence of all their sinnes past to bee gained by as many of them as should visit that Church the next Lords Day either before or afternoon. And thus from the Altar wee went unto our breakfasting Table, which was furnished with many well seasoned dishes of salt and well peppered and spiced meats, all fit to make us relish better a cup of _Spanish Pier Ximeny_ which the Prior had provided for us. After our salt meats, came such rare and exquisite sorts of sweet meats made by _John Baptist_ his best devoted Nuns of _Chiapa_, that the like wee had not seen from St. _John de Ulhua_ to that place. These were to prepare our stomacks for a Cup of _Chocolatte_, with the which we ended our breakfast. But whilst all this was gallantly performed by the Prior, it was a hard Riddle unto us, what hee often repeated unto us saying, Brethren break your fast well, for your dinner will be the meanest as ever yee did eate in your lives, and now enjoy this sweet liberty which will not last long unto you. Wee observed the words, but knew not what to make of them, till wee came unto the Cloister. After our breakfast the _Indians_ shewed us a little sport in the Market place, running races on horse-back, and playing at _Juego de Canna's_; which is to meet on horseback, with broad Targets to defend their heads and shoulders while passing by they hurle Canes, or darts one at another, which those _Indians_ acted with great dexterity.

Thus the good Prior of _Chiapa_ feasted us, and permitted us to injoy our liberty as long as it seemes it had beene agreed upon by letters between him and the Provinciall, which was till it might be dinner time in the Cloister of _Chiapa_, where wee were to bee before noone. The time drew neere, and we had from St. _Philip_ to the City of _Chiapa_ some two _English_ miles to ride; Wherefore the Prior commanded our Mules to bee brought; the waits and trumpets gave warning to the Town of our departure; and so with many horsemen, with dances, Musick and ringing of Bells wee were as stately and joyfully conducted out of the Town, as wee had been inducted into it. At the first halfe miles end the Prior gave thankes unto the _Indians_, and desired them to return, the Cloister being neer where wee expected another kinde of entertainment, not using in the City and Cloister that pompe and state, which in the Country might bee allowed. The _Indians_ tooke their leaves of us; and on we went with onely two as guides before us. Within halfe a mile of the City, the Prior and a companion of his stopped, and tooke out of his pocket an order from the Provinciall, which he read unto us, to this effect, That whereas we had forsaken our lawfull Superior _Calvo_ in the way to _Philippinas_, and without his licence had come unto the Province of _Chiapa_, hee could not in conscience but inflict some punishment upon us before he did enable us to abide there as members under him; therefore hee did strictly command the Prior of _Chiapa_, that as soone as wee should enter into his Cloister, hee should shut us up two by two in our chambers, as in prisons, for three daies, not suffering us to goe out to any place, save onely to the publick place of refection (called Refectory) where all the Fryers met together to dine and sup, where at noon time we were to present our selves before all the Cloister sitting upon the bare ground, and there to receive no other dinner, but only bread and water; but at supper we might have in our chambers, or Prisons, what the Prior would be pleased to allow us. This was the Penance enjoined upon us by the wise and cunning Provinciall. This newes at the first was but sowre sawce, or a dry Postpast after a double sumptuous breakfast; it was a dolefull ditty to us after our Musick, and dances, to heare of a treble fast after our feast; to heare of imprisonment after so great liberty. We now began to remember the Provincialls winnings at Tables the night before, and the mystery thereof, and began to thinke how comfortable his boxes of _Chocolatte_ would be unto us after a meale of bread and water. Now wee called to minde the short dinner the Prior had told us at St. _Philips_ wee were like to have that day, and of the liberty hee bad us then make much of. But the good Prior seeing us sad upon a suddaine, and our countenances changed, smiled upon us, wishing us not to thinke the worse of him, nor of the Provinciall, who did that out of Policy, and to stop the Criolians mouths, whom he knew would murmur, if no punishment were inflicted upon us. Hee assured us, after our imprisonment, of honours and preferments, and that as long as wee were with him, wee should want no incouragement; and that after a bread and water dinner hee could send us to our chambers a Supper, that should strongly support our empty stomacks, and furre and line them well for the next foure and twenty houres. With these incouragements on wee went to the Cloister of _Chiapa_, where wee were welcomed by most of the Fryers, but in some few wee noted a frowning and disaffected countenance. We were no sooner conducted to our chambers, when the bell sounded to dinner for the rest, and cryed aloud to us Penance with bread and water. Downe wee went to the common dining place, and thanks being given, the Fryers sitting round the tables, wee foure _Philippinian Jonahs_ (so some Criolians were pleased to term us) betook our selves to the middle of the Refectory, where without cushions, stooles, seats or forms, wee sate upon the bare ground crosse legged like Tailors, acting humility now for our disobedience unto slovenly _Calvo_. While the first dish was presented round the tables, to each of us was presented a loafe of reasonable bignesse, and a pot of pure Crystall water, whereof wee fed and dranke most heartily though with full stomacks from a double breakfast before. Yet even here in this publick Act of shame and disgrace (which wee knew was usuall among Fryers for lesse faults then ours) we had this comfort, that we had a Prior and Provinciall for friends, and that that punishment came from a friendly hand, whose Chocolatte wee had to comfort our fasting bodies; and secondly, wee knew that wee should have that night in our prison chambers a better supper than any of those before us, who fed upon their three or foure dishes. But thirdly, it was our comfort that at that very time a Criolian Frier also sate upon the ground with us (of whose company we had been informed by some friends before wee went into the refectory) for some love letters which had been intercepted between him and a Nun of that City, tending to much uncivility, and breaking their oath of professed chastity. But when I perceived this Frier to looke discontentedly upon us, I chose my place as neer unto him as I could, and hearing him mutter within himselfe against us, calling us disobedient _Philippinian Jonahs_, I softly and friendly spoke unto him with these two following Hexameters, which suddenly came unto my mind about his misdemeanor.

_Si Monialis Amor te turpia scribere fecit,
Ecce tibi frigidæ præhent medicamina lymphæ._

But my good neighbour snuffing and puffing at my suddain muse, seemed to be more discontented then before, and would faine withdraw himselfe by degrees from mee, not rising up (for that was not lawfull to doe till dinner had been ended) but wrigling his elbowes and shoulders scornefully from me, whom in like manner I followed, cleaving friendly to him with this verse,

_Solamen misera est socios retinere Panettes,_

Hee thought I followed him to steale away his loafe from him. This new found word, _Panettes_, had almost choaked him, had not hee made use of the medicinall water which stood before him; of the which he dranke a good draught, whereby I perceived his courage against me and my friends was tamed, and I told him, I hoped his burning wanton love was cooled.

Thus with my Criolian neighbours company my bread and water went down cheerfully; and dinner being ended, we were again conducted to our chambers, where we dranke a cup of old _Alvarez_ his _Chocolatte_. The _Castilian_ Friers flocked unto our prisons, some to talke with us, some bringing us conserves and sweet-meats, others other dainties, which they had prepared to helpe our digestion of bread and cold water. My suddain verses to my Criolian neighbour were presently noysed about the Cloister, and were the chiefe subject of our talke that afternoone. Our supper was provided for us according to the promise and generous spirit of the Prior, who also honoured our prison that night with his owne and two other Friers company supping with us all in one chamber together. And thus we passed our three daies of imprisonment merrily and contentedly, wishing we might never suffer harder usage in any prison then we had done in this, which was not to us such a punishment as did bring with it the privation of any liberty of enjoying the company of friends, of feasting with them, but onely the privation of the liberty of our legs to walke about those three daies; and this rather an ease then a punishment, for that we wanted rather rest, then much stirring after so long and tedious a journey as we had compassed from _Mexico_ thither. We were no sooner set at liberty, but we presently found the Provinciall and Prior ready to dispose of us so, that in lieu of our imprisonment we might receive honor and credit. Two were sent into the Country to learne some _Indian_ language, that so they might be beneficed and preach unto the _Indians_. My selfe and another desired to goe farther to _Guatemala_, that there we might practise Philosophy and Divinity in the famous Universitie of that City. Nothing that we desired was denied unto us, onely the time was thought not fit untill _Michaelmas_, because then the schooles were renewed, and new Orders setled. In the meane time the Provinciall having also heard of my verses _ex tempore_ to the Criolian Frier, and knowing that the _Latin_ tongue is better grounded in _England_ then among the _Spaniards_ (who abuse poore _Priscian_ and daily breake his pate with foolish soloecismes) and considering the want hee had of a Master of the _Latine_ tongue to supply a Lecture of Grammar and Syntax to the youthes of _Chiapa_ in a schoole in that Cloister, which brought a sufficient yeerly stipend unto the Covent, desired me to accept of that place untill such time as he should take care to send me to _Guatemala_, promising me all incouragements in the meane time fitting, and that I should when I would go about to see the Country (which I much desired) and also that out of the schoole annuity I should have my allowance for bookes, and other necessaries. I could not but accept of this good offer; and so with this imployment I remained in that City from _Aprill_ to the end of _September_, where I was much esteemed of by the Bishop and Governour, but especially by the Prior, who would never ride about the Country for his recreation, but he would take me with him, whereby I had occasion to note concerning the Province, riches, commodities, and government of _Chiapa_, what in the ensuing