Thomas Gage

“ From this Valley unto Guatemala, neither is there any ascent or descent but a plaine, broad and sandy way. The eye hath much to view, though compassed with Mountaines, in these two last leagues; for yet it may behold a Town of Indians which taketh up most of the way, and is counted as big as Chimaltenango, if not bigger, the houses lying scattered with a distance one from another, mingled with many fair buildings of Spaniards, who resort much thither from the City for their recreation. ”

“ These Gentlemen will say they descend from some Dukes house in Spain, and immediately from the first Conquerors; yet in carriage they are but clownes, in wit, abilities, parts and discourse as shallow brained, as a low brooke, whose waters are scarce able to leap over a pibble stone; any small reason soone tries and tires their weak braine, which is easily at a stand when sense is propounded, and slides on speedily when non-sense carrieth the streame. The chiefe families in this City, are named, Cortez, Solis, Velasco, Toledo, Zerna, and Mendoza. ”

“ Liberty, in a word, under the Cloak of Piety and Conversion of Soules, it is, that drawes so many Fryers (and commonly the younger sort) to those remote American parts; where after they have learned some Indian language, they are licenced with a Parish Charge to live alone out of the sight of a watching Prior or Superiour, out of the bounds and compasse of Cloister walls, and authorized to keep house by themselves, and to finger as many Spanish Patacones, as their wits device shall teach them to squeeze out of the newly Converted Indians wealth. ”

“ Thus is ambition and desire of command and power crept into the walls of Nunneries, like the abominations in the wall of Ezekiel, and hath possessed the hearts of Nuns, which should be humble, poore, and mortified Virgins.
But besides this one Nun, there are many more, and also Friers, who are very rich, for if the City be rich (as is this) and great trading in it, they will be sure to have a share. Great plenty and wealth hath made the inhabitants as proud and vicious, as are those of Mexico. ”

“ Thus I tooke my rest till about midnight; at which time our watches gave an alarm against our approaching enemies, who were thought to be about a thousand. They came desperately towards us, and when they saw they were discovered, and our drums beat up, and our fowling peeces and muskets began to shoot, they hollowed and cried out with a hideous noise, which uproar and suddain affrightment, added sweat and fear to my feaver. ”

“ Here the Spaniards began to cease from words, and to lay hand upon their weapons; for that company of a thousand were as many as on the Spaniards side were fighting men; though they were well practised in the warres, very valiant, and also pitched in a better place for fight. This battail endured certaine houres, and at the end the Indians being either wearied, or else meaning to take the Spaniards in the snare appointed, began to flie towards the main battail, not as overcome, but to joyne with their own side. ”

“ Yet with what I have said I must not excuse the Friers of Guatemala from liberty, and the enjoyment of wealth and riches; for they also game and sport, and spend, and fill their bags, and where in their accounts and reckonings to the Cloisters they might well give up in a yeer five hundred Crownes besides their own expences, they give up peradventure three hundred, and usurpe the rest for themselves, and their vain and idle uses; and trade and traffique under hand with Merchants against their vow of poverty. ”

“ The limits of it are on the East, Jucatan, and the gulfe of Mexico, on the West Californio, on the South the Peruan part. The Northern bounds are unknowne, so that we cannot certainly avow this America to be continent, nor certainly affirme it to be an Island, distinguished from the old world. It was very populous before the arrivall of the Spaniards, who in seventeen yeers slew six millions of them, roasting some, plucking out the eyes, cutting off the arms of others, and casting them living to be devoured of wilde beasts. ”

“ What is it to see disordered Fryers, who for their misdemeanours, and leaping over their Cloister wals in the night to find out their wanton harlots, have been imprisoned, now rejoyce at the coming of a Popes Commissary, and Plenary Indulgence, freeing them from sinnes past, and fitting them for the Conversion of souls, though there be not one averted from their Harlot, nor as yet truly and unfainedly converted to the love of God? ”

“ 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. ”

“ This Towne lyeth upon a great river, whereunto belong many boats and Canoas, wherein those Indians have been taught to act sea-fights, with great dexterity, and to represent the Nymphes of Parnassus, Neptune, Æolus, and the rest of the heathenish Gods and Goddesses, so that they are a wonder of their whole nation. They will arme with their boats a siege against the Town, fighting against it with such courage til they make it yeeld, as if they had been trained up all their life to sea-fights. ”

“ But those Mountaines are a great helpe unto those pleasant Valleys with the waters that fall from them; for in all those parts inhabited by Spaniards towards the South Sea, it is most certain and most observable that it never raineth, in so much that the houses are uncovered on the tops, and onely matts laid over them to keep off the dust, and yet is this Countrey what with the waters that fall from the Mountaines, what with the morning and evening dewes, as fruitfull and plentifull as any Countrey in the World. ”

“ Fish, fruits and herbage for sallets is more plentifull there then flesh; the coole water of the Coco is the womens best drinke, though Chocolatte also, and much wine from Peru be very abounding. The Spaniards are in this City much given to sinne, loosenesse and venery especially, who make the Black-mores, (who are many, rich, and gallant) the chiefe objects of their lust. It is held to be one of the richest places in all America, having by land and by the river Chiagre commerce with the North sea, and by the South, trading with all Peru, East-India's, Mexico, and Honduras. ”

“ And as when the doore of true Faith once is opened, then Adversaries begin to swarme and rage; so in all points of false and fained Religion where the entrance to it is laid open, hatred and enmity will act their parts. ”

“ This City of Leon is very curiously built, for the chief delight of the Inhabitants consisteth in their houses, and in the pleasure of the Country adjoyning, and in the abundance of all things for the life of man, more then in any extraordinary riches, which there are not so much injoyed, as in other parts of America. They are contented with fine gardens, with variety of singing birds, and parrets, with plenty of fish and flesh, which is cheap, and with gay houses, and so lead a delicious, lazy and idle life ”