CONTAINING A Journall of Three thousand and Three hundred Miles within the main Land of AMERICA.
Wherin is set forth his Voyage from Spain to St. John de Ulhua; and from thence to Xalappa, to Tlaxcallan, the City of Angeles, and forward to Mexico; With the description of that great City, as it was in former times, and also at this present.
Likewise his Journey from Mexico through the Provinces of Guaxaca, Chiapa, Guatemala, Vera Paz, Truxillo, Comayagua; with his abode Twelve years about Guatemala, and especially in the Indian-towns of Mixco, Pinola, Petapa, Amatitlan.
As also his strange and wonderfull Conversion, and Calling from those remote Parts to his Native Countrey.
With his return through the Province of Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, to Nicoya, Panama, Portobelo, Cartagena, and Havana, with divers occurrents and dangers that did befal in the said Journey.
A New and exact Discovery of the Spanish Navigation to those Parts; And of their Dominions, Government, Religion, Forts, Castles, Ports, Havens, Commodities, fashions, behaviour of Spaniards, Priests and Friers, Blackmores, Mulatto's, Mestiso's, Indians; and of their Feasts and Solemnities.
With a Grammar, or some few Rudiments of the Indian Tongue, called, Poconchi, or Pocoman.
CAPTAIN-GENERALL of the Parliaments Army;
And of all their Forces in ENGLAND, and the Dominion of WALES.
May it please your Excellency,
The Divine Providence hath hitherto so ordered my life, that for the greatest part thereof, I have lived (as it were) in exile from my native Countrey: which happened, partly, by reason of my education in the Romish Religion, and that in forraign Universities; and partly, by my entrance into Monasticall orders. For twelve years space of which time, I was wholly disposed of in that part of America called New-Spain, and the parts adjacent. My difficult going thither, being not permitted to any, but to those of the Spanish Nation; my long stay there; and lastly my returning home, not onely to my Country, but to the true knowledg and free-profession of the Gospels purity, gave me reason to conceive, That these great mercies were not appointed me by the heavenly Powers, to the end I should bury my Talent in the earth, or hide my light under a bushell, but that I should impart what I there saw and knew to the use and benefit of my English Country-men; And which the rather I held my self obliged unto, because in a manner nothing hath been written of these Parts for these hundred years last past, which is almost ever since the first Conquest thereof by the Spaniards, who are contented to lose the honour of that wealth and felicity they have there since purchased by their great endevours, so they may enjoy the safety of retaining what they have formerly gotten in peace and security. In doing whereof I shall offer no Collections, but such as shall arise from mine own observations, which will as much differ from what formerly hath been hereupon written, as the picture of a person grown to mans estate, from that which was taken of him when he was but a Childe; or the last hand of the Painter, to the first or rough draught of the picture. I am told by others, that this may prove a most acceptable work; but I doe tell my self that it will prove both lame and imperfect, and therefore had need to shelter my self under the shadow of some high protection, which I humbly pray your Excellency to afford me; nothing doubting, but as God hath lately made your Excellency the happy instrument, not onely of saving my self, but of many numbers of godly and well-affected people in this County of Kent, (where now I reside by the favour of the Parliament) from the imminent ruine and destruction plotted against them by their most implacable enemies; so the same God who hath led your Excellency through so many difficulties towards the settlement of the peace of this Kingdom, and reduction of Ireland, will, after the perfecting thereof (which God of his mercy hasten) direct your Noble thoughts to employ the Souldiery of this Kingdom upon such just and honourable designes in those parts of America, as their want of action at home may neither be a burden to themselves nor the Kingdome. To your Excellency therefore I offer a New-World, to be the subject of your future pains, valour, and piety, beseeching your acceptance of this plain but faithfull relation of mine, wherein your Excellency, and by you the English Nation shall see what wealth and honor they have lost by one of their narrow hearted Princes, who living in peace and abounding in riches, did notwithstanding reject the offer of being first discoverer of America; and left it unto Ferdinando of Arragon, who at the same time was wholly taken up by the Warrs, in gaining of the City and Kingdome of Granada from the Moores; being so impoverished thereby, that he was compelled to borrow with some difficulty a few Crowns of a very mean man, to set forth Columbus upon so glorious an expedition. And yet, if time were closely followed at the heels, we are not so farr behinde, but we might yet take him by the fore-top. To which purpose, our Plantations of the Barbadoes, St. Christophers, Mems, and the rest of the Caribe-Islands, have not onely advanced our journey the better part of the way; but so inured our people to the Clime of the Indies, as they are the more inabled thereby to undertake any enterprise upon the firm Land with greater facility. Neither is the difficulty of the attempt so great, as some may imagine; for I dare be bold to affirm it knowingly, That with the same pains and charge which they have been at in planting one of those pettie Islands, they might have conquer'd so many great Cities, and large Territories on the main Continent, as might very well merit the title of a Kingdome. Our Neighbors the Hollanders may be our example in this case; who whilst we have been driving a private Trade from Port to Port, of which we are likely now to be deprived, have conquered so much Land in the East and West-Indies, that it may be said of them, as of the Spaniards, That the Sunn never sets upon their Dominions. And to meet with that objection by the way, That the Spaniard being intituled to those Countries, it were both unlawfull and against all conscience to dispossess him thereof. I answer, that (the Popes donation excepted) I know no title he hath but force, which by the same title, and by a greater force may be repelled. And to bring in the title of First-discovery; to me it seems as little reason, that the sailing of a Spanish Ship upon the coast of India, should intitle the King of Spain to that Countrey, as the sayling of an Indian or English Ship upon the coast of Spain, should intitle either the Indians or English unto the Dominion thereof. No question but the just right or title to those Countries appertains to the Natives themselves; who, if they shall willingly and freely invite the English to their protection, what title soever they have in them, no doubt but they may legally transferr it or communicate it to others. And to say, That the inhumane butchery which the Indians did formerly commit in sacrificing of so many reasonable Creatures to their wicked Idols, was a sufficient warrant for the Spaniards to divest them of their Country; The same argument may by much better reason be inforced against the Spaniards themselves, who have sacrificed so many millions of Indians to the Idol of their barbarous cruelty, that many populous Islands and large Territories upon the main Continent, are thereby at this day utterly uninhabited, as Bartholomeo de las Casas, the Spanish Bishop of Guaxaca in New-Spain, hath by his Writings in Print sufficiently testified. But to end all disputes of this nature; since that God hath given the earth to the sons of Men to inhabite; and that there are many vast Countries in those parts, not yet inhabited either by Spaniard or Indian, why should my Country-men the English be debarred from making use of that, which God from all beginning no question did ordain for the benefit of mankinde?
But I will not molest your Excellency with any further argument hereupon; rather offering my self, and all my weak endevours (such as they are) to be employed herein for the good of my Country; I beseech Almighty God to prosper your Excellency,
Who am
The most devoted and humblest of your Excellencies servants,
THO. GAGE.
Reader, behold presented to thine eye,
What us Columbus off'red long agoe,
Of the New-World a new discoverie,
Which here our Author doth so clearly show;
That he the state which of these Parts would know,
Need not hereafter search the plenteous store
Of Hackluit, Purchas and Ramusio,
Or learn'd Acosta's writings to look o're;
Or what Herera hath us told before,
Which merit not the credit due from hence,
Those being but reck'nings of anothers score.
But these the fruits of self-experience:
Wherein our Author useth not the sence
Of those at home, who doe their judgments leave,
And after wandring farr with vast expence,
See many things, which they doe ne'r perceive;
Laborious are by study much at home
To know those Parts, which they came lately from.
Less doth he use us as the late writ Books
Of Journeys made unto the Levant-States;
Wherein when we doe pry with curious looks,
Of Greece and Troy to know the present fates;
They tell us what Thucidides relates,
What Strabo writes, what Homer crown'd with bayes,
What Authors more, who have out-worn their daies,
Besides what Plutarch and Polibius sayes:
So what they were, not what they are, they sing,
And shew their reading, not their travailing.
But here our Author neither doth us tell,
Or to us shew one inch of Sea or Ground,
Unless such acts which in his time befell,
Or what his eyes saw the Horizon bound:
He uttereth nought at all he heard by sound,
He speaks not of a City or a Street,
But where himself hath often gone the round,
And measured o're with his industrious feet.
And yet it must acknowledg'd be for true,
Since worthy Hawkins, and the famous Drake
Did first present unto the English view
This New-found-world, for great Eliza's sake;
Renowned Rawleigh twice did undertake
With labours great, and dangers not a few,
A true discovery of these Parts to make,
And thereof writ both what he saw and knew.
But as the man who in a Ship doth pass
Our narrow Seas, the flowings of each tide,
The Ships course, soundings, turnings of the glass,
What Land he makes on North or Southern side,
He may impart: But who they be abide,
Or what Religion, Language, or what Nation
Possess each Coast; since he hath never tride,
How can he make thereof a true Relation?
So those who have describ'd these Parts before,
Of Trade, Winds, Currents, Hurican's doe tell,
Of Headlands, Harbours, tendings of the shore,
Of Rocks and Isles: wherein they might as well
Talk or a Nut, and onely shew the shell;
The kernell neither tasted, touch'd nor seen
Had yet remain'd; but that it so befell,
That these Relations to us made have been;
Differing as much from what before y'have heard,
As doth a Land-Map from a Seamans Card.
But how these truths reveal'd to us should bee,
When none but Spaniards to those Parts may go;
Which was establish'd by severe Decree,
Lest Forain people should their secrets know;
This Order yet to be neglected so,
As that our Author had permission free,
Whose Nation too they count their greatest foe,
Seemeth almost a miracle to me.
Sure the prescience of that power Divine,
Which safely to those parts did him convey,
Did not for nought his constant heart incline
There twelve whole years so patiently to stay:
That he each thing exactly might survay,
Then him return'd, nay more did turn to us,
And to him shew'd of bliss the perfect way,
Which of the rest seems most miraculous.
For had the last of these not truly been,
These fair Relations we had never seen.
Nor can I think but this most usefull Book
In time to come, may like some new-born Starr,
Direct such Wisemen as therein will look,
And shew their way unto these Regions farr.
And though we now lie sunk in Civill war,
Yet you the worthy Patriots of this Land,
Let not your hearts be drowned in despair,
And so your future happiness withstand.
For time will come you shall enjoy a Peace,
But then no longer you must joy in sinn,
When they no more shall raign, these Wars shall cease,
And then your after bliss shall soon beginn.
The fiery trialls which you now are in,
In stead of foes shall prove your best of friends,
And you from servile base affection win,
To fit your hearts for high and Nobler ends:
Your Drums which us'd to beat their Martiall dance
Upon the banks of Garone, Seine and Soane;
Whilst you trode measures through the Realm of France,
Doe now at home (Oh grief!) on both sides groane,
As if they did your ill spilt blood bemoane;
Which long agoe with Richard, England's King,
When he the holy Warr maintain'd alone,
Their dreadfull notes did through Judea ring.
Now shall the tawnie Indians quake for fear,
Their direfull march to beat when they doe hear;
Your brave Red-Crosses on both sides display'd,
The noble Badges of your famous Nation,
Which you yet redder with your bloods have made,
And dy'd them deep in drops of detestation.
You shall again advance with reputation,
And on the bounds of utmost Western shore
Shall them transplant, and firmly fix their station,
Where English Colours ne'r did fly before.
Your well-built Ships, companions of the Sunn,
As they were Chariots to his fiery beams,
Which oft the Earths circumference have runn,
And now lie moar'd in Severn, Trent, and Tems,
Shall plough the Ocean with their gilded Stems,
And in their hollow bottoms you convay
To Lands inrich'd with gold, with pearls and gems,
But above all, where many thousands stay
Of wronged Indians, whom you shall set free
From Spanish yoke, and Romes Idolatry.
All this and more by you shall sure be done,
Yet I no Prophet, nor no Prophets sonne.
THOMAS CHALONER.
The policy, which for many yeares hath upheld the erring Church of Rome, hath clearly and manifestly been discovered by the many Errors which in severall times by sundry Synods or Generall Councells, (which commonly are but Apes of the Popes fancy, will, pleasure, and ambition) have been enacted into that Church. And for such purposes doth that man of Sinne, and Antichristian tyrant, keep constantly in Rome so many poor Pensionary Bishops as hounds at his table, smelling out his ambitious thoughts, with whom he fills the Synods, when he calls them, charging them never to leave off barking and wearying out the rest of the Prelates, untill they have them all as a prey unto his proud and ambitious designes; from which if any of them dare to start, not onely their Pensions shall be surely forfeited, but their souls shall bee cursed, and they as Hereticks Anathematized with a Censure of Excommunication latæ sententiæ. Hence sprung that Master-piece of Policy, decreeing that the Pope alone should be above the Generall Councell, lest otherwise one Mans pride might be curbed by many heads joyned together; And secondly, that Synodicall definition, that the Pope cannot erre, that though the Councels power, wisdome and learning were all sifted into one mans brain, all points of faith straitned into one head and channell; yet the People should not stagger in any lawfull doubts, nor the learned sort follow any more the light of reason, or the sunshine of the Gospel, but all yeelding to blind Obedience, and their most holy Fathers infallibility, in the foggie and Cimmerian mist of ignorance, might secure their souls from erring, or deviating to the Scylla or Charybdis of Schism and Heresie. What judicious eye, that will not be blinded with the napkin of ignorance, doth not easily see that Policy only hath been the chief Actor of those damnable Opinions of Purgatory, Transubstantiation, Sacrifice though unbloody (as they term it) of the Mass, Invocation of Saints, their Canonization or installing of Saints into the kingdom of heaven, Indulgences, auricular Confession, with satisfactory Penance, and many such like: All which doubtles have been commanded as points of Faith, not so much to save those wretched souls, as to advance that crackt-brain head in the conceits of his Europæan wonderers, who long agoe were espyed out by the Spirit of John wondring after the Beast, worshipping him for his power, and saying, Who is like unto the Beast, who is able to make warre with him? Revel. 13. 3, 4. Thus can Policy invent a Purgatory, that a Pope may be sought from all parts of Europe, nay now from East and West India's, to deliver souls from that imaginary Fire which never God created, but he himself hath fancyed, that so much glory may be ascribed to him, and his power wondered at, who can plunge into torments, condemn to burning, and when he list, deliver out of fire. Much more would he be admired, and his goodnesse extolled, if he would deliver at once all those his Purgatory Prisoners without that Simoniacall receipt of money. But policy can afford an infinite price and value of a sacrifice of the Masse, to delude the ignorant people, that though they leave their whole estates to enrich Cloysters, and fat proud Prelates and Abbots; yet this is nothing, and comes farre short (being finite) to that infinite Sacrifice, which onely can and must deliver their scorching, nay broyling souls: And if this infinite Sacrifice be not enough, (which will not be enough, whereas Christs infinit satisfaction was not enough in the opinion in that erroneous Church) Policy will give yet power to a Pope si divitiæ affluant, if money and rich bribes abound, to grant such plenary Indulgences, which may upon one Saints day, or at such a Saints Altar, work that soul out, which lyeth lurking and frying in the deepest pit of Purgatory. O who is like unto the Beast? But will those that wonder at him, bee also wondred at as workers of wonders and miracles? Policy will give power to a Pope to canonize such, and set them at Gods right hand, fit to be prayed unto, and called upon as Judges of our necessities, and Auditors of our wants: But this honor must be given, after that the whole Colledge of Cardinalls have been clothed with new Purple Robes, and Loads of money brought to the Court of Rome; Witness those many thousand pounds, which the City of Barcelona, and the whole Country of Catalonia spent in the Canonizing of Raimundus de Pennafort, a Dominican Fryer: Witnesse at least ten Millions, which I have been credibly informed, that the Jesuites spent for the canonization of their two Twins, Ignatius Loiola, and Franciscus Xavier, whom they call the East India Apostle. And it is not seven years ago yet that it was my chance to travail from Frankford in Germany as far as Millan in company of one Fryer John Baptist a Franciscan, who told me, That was the fourth time of his going to Rome from Valencia in the Kingdome of Arragon in Spain about the Canonization of one John Capistrano of the same Order; and that besides the great Almes which he had begged over many Countreys, (and in that journey went purposely to Inspurg to the Prince Leopoldo for his Almes and Letters of commendation to the Pope and Cardinals) he had spent of the City of Valencia onely five thousand Duckets, and yet was not his Saint enthroned, as he desired, in heaven; But still money was wanting, and more demanded for the dignifying with a Saints title him, who had lived a Mendicant and begging Frier. Thus are those blinded Nations brought by Policy to run to Rome with rich treasures, and thus doe they strive who shall have most Saints of their Countrey or Nation, though impoverishing themselves; whilst at Rome ambition and Policy say not, It is enough, fit mates for the Horsleech his two daughters, crying, Give, give, Prov. 30. 15. Give, say they, and the rigid Penance justly to be imposed upon thee for thy sinnes most hainous, shall be extenuated and made easie for thee. Give, say they, and thou shalt be dispensed with to marry thy nearest Kinswoman or Kinsman. It would be a long story to insert here how the Popes Policy sucks out of England our gold and silver for the authorizing of our Papists private Chambers and Altars for the gaining of Indulgences in them, and delivering of souls out of Purgatory, when Masses are said and heard at them. Thus hath Romes policy blinded and deceived many of the European Kingdomes; and with the same greedinesse gapes at Asia and America. Who would not admire to see that at this day in America onely, the Popes authority and usurped power is extended to as many Countreys as all Europe containes, wherein no Religion but meer blinde Obedience and subjection to that Man of Sin is known? And daily may it more and more encrease, whereas the King of Spain gloryeth to have received from the Pope power over those Kingdomes farr greater than any other Princes of Europe have enjoyed from him. But the pity is, that what power these Princes have, they must acknowledge it from Rome, having given their own power and strength unto the Beast, Revel. 17. 13. suffering themselves to be divested of any Ecclesiasticall power over the Clergy, and unabled to tender any Oath of Supremacy and Allegiance to their own and naturall subjects, onely so farre as his Holinesse shall give them power. Which, Policy since the first Conquest of the West India's, and ambition to advance the Popes name, hath granted to the Kings of Spain, by a speciall title, naming those Kingdomes, El Patrimonio Real, The Royall Patrimony; upon this Condition, that the King of Spain must maintain there the preaching of the Gospel, Fryers, Priests and Jesuites to preach it with all the erroneous Popish doctrines, which tend to the advancement of the Popes glory, power, and authority. So that what power hee hath divested himself of, and invested the Pope with; what power other Princes are divested of, and the King of Spain in his Kingdomes of Europe, from medling in Ecclesiasticall affaires, or with Ecclesiasticall men; Arch-Bishops, Bishops, Preists, Jesuites, Monkes and Fryers; that same power by way of Royall Patrimony is conferred upon him in the India's only. And this only politickly to maintain there Popery; else never would it have so much increased there; for poor Preists and mendicant Fryers would never have had means enough to be at the charges of sending yeerly Flockes and Sholes of Fryers thither, neither to keep and maintain them there; neither would the covetousnesse of the Popes themselves have afforded out of their full and rich treasures, means sufficient for the maintaning of so many thousand Preachers as at this day are preaching there, more Rome and Antichrists name, then the name of Christ and the truth of the Gospel. And policy having thus opened way to those American parts, the charges thus being laid upon the Crown of Spain, and the honour of a Royall Patrimony, with power over the Clergy thus conferred upon the Kings of Spain, how doth the Pope yeerly charge the Catholike King with troopes of Jesuites and Fryers to be conveyed thither? Now the Jesuites (the best scholars of Romes policy) seeing this to bee thus setled between the Pope and the King of Spain, for the increasing of their Order, and to suppresse the increase of other Religions there, have thought first of a way of challenging all the India's to themselves, alleadging that Francis Xavierius companion of Ignatius Loiola was the first Preacher that ever preached in the East India's, and so by right that they being of his profession ought only to be sent thither. But this their way being stopped by the opposition of all other Religious orders, especially by the solicitation of one Fryer Diego Colliado, a Dominican, as hereafter I will shew more largely: Now, secondly, their policy is to leane more to the Popes of Rome, then any other of those Orders, by a speciall Vow which they make above the three Vowes of other orders, Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience to their superiors; to wit, to be alwaies ready to go to preach when or whither soever the Pope shall send them, and to advance his name, defend his power in what parts soever, maugre whatsoever danger, or opposition. Thus though the remotenesse of America may discourage other Orders from going thither to preach, and their freewill which is left unto them to make choice of so long and tedious a journey may retard their readinesse, and the dangers of the Barbarians unwillingnesse to submit to a Popes power, and admit of a new Religion as superstitious as their own, may affright them from hazarding their lives among a barbarous, rude, and idolatrous people; yet if all others faile, the Pope, and the Jesuites being thus agreed, and the King of Spain bound by the new Royall Patrimony, Preachers have nor, nor shall ever be wanting in those parts: And in stead of the old Jesuites and Preachers grown in age, yeerly are sent thither Missions (as they call them) either of Voluntiers, Fryers mendicants, Preists or Monkes, or else of forced Jesuites: All which entring once into the List and Bond of Missionaries, must abide there, and be maintained by the King of Spain ten yeers. And whosoever before the ten yeers expired, shall desire to see Spain again, or runagate-like shall return, may be constrained (if taken in Spain) to return again to the India's, as it happened whilst I lived in those parts, to one Fryer Peter de Balcazar a Dominican, who privily flying back to Spain, was the year after shipped, and restored again to his forced service under the Pope of Rome. And thus doth policy open the wayes to those remote and forain parts of America. Thus hath policy wrought upon the Kings of Spain; and Jesuiticall policy meeting with Antichrists policy and Ambition, doth Rome yeerly visit her new nursed Children, greeting that Infantile Church of Asia and America with troopes of messengers one after another, like Jobs messengers, bringing under pretence of salvation, damnation and misery to their poor and wretched souls.
It is a most true and certain saying, Odia Religionum sunt acerbissima, hatred grounded in points and differences of Religion (let me adde, if ambition blow the fire to that hatred) is the most bitter and uncapable of reconciliation. Nay, it is an observation worth noting of some (see Doctor Day upon the I Cor. 16. 9. Verse) that the neerer any are unto a conjunction in matters of Religion, and yet some difference retained, the deeper is the hatred; As hee observes, a Jew hates a Christian farre worse then hee doth a Pagan, or a Turke; a Papist hates a Protestant worse then hee doth a Jew, and a Formalist hates a Puritan worse then hee doth a Papist. No such hatred under heaven (saith hee) as that between a Formalist, and a Puritan, whereof our now Domestick and Civill Warres may bee a sad and woefull experience. A truth which made Paul burst out into a lamentable complaint, I Cor. 16. 9. saying, A great doore and effectuall is opened unto mee, and there are many adversaries.
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. But much more if with such pretended Religion, Wealth and Ambition as counterfeit Mates thrust hard to enter at the opened doore, what strife, hatred, and envy doe they kindle even in the hearts of such who have vowed poverty and the contempt of worldly wealth? I may adde to what hath beene observed above, that no hatred is comparable to that which is betweene a Jesuite and a Fryer, or any other of Romes Religious Orders; And above all yet betweene a Jesuite, and a Dominican. The ambition and pride of Jesuites is inconsistent in a Kingdome or Common-wealth with any such as may bee equall to them in Preaching, Counsell or Learning. Therefore strive they so much for the education of Gentlemens Children in their Colledges, that by teaching the sonnes, the love of the fathers and mothers may bee more easily gained: and their love and good will thus gained, they may withall gaine to themselves whatsoever praise, honour, glory may bee fit to bee bestowed upon any other Ecclesiasticall Person. Which Policy and Ambition in them being so patent and knowne to all the World, hath stirred up in all other Religions a hatred to them uncapable ever of Reconciliation. This hath made them all to conspire against them, and to discover their unsatisfied covetousnesse in beguiling the rich widowes of what meanes hath beene left them by their deceased husbands, to erect and build those stately Colledges beyond the Seas, the sight whereof both outward and inward doth draw the ignorant people to resort more to their Churches and preaching then to any other. Thus whilest in Venice, they got the favour of one of the chief Senatours of that Common-wealth, they politickly drew him to make his will according to their will and pleasure, leaving to his son and heire no more then what they should think fit to afford him. But they appropriating to themselves the chiefest part of the young heires meanes, and with so proud a legacy thinking to overpower all other Orders, were by them opposed so, that the Will was called for by the whole State and Senatours of Venice, fully examined, and they commanded to restore to the heire the whole Estate as enjoyed by his Father. Well did that wise Senate conceive, that as one Noble man had been cheated by them of his fortunes, so might they one by one, and so at length the riches of Venice might become a treasure onely for Jesuites to maintaine the pride and pompe of their glorious fabricks. And though those vowed servants to the Pope obtained his Excommunication against the whole Estate of Venice upon non-complying with the foresaid Will and Testament; yet such was the preaching of all other Preists and Orders against them, that they caused the State to slight the Excommunication, and in lieu of making them heires of the deceased Senatours Estate, they shamefully banished them out of Venice. Thus also have the Preists and Fryers of Biscaya in Spain prevailed against the admitting of Jesuits into San-Sebastian, though by the favour of some they have in severall occasions obtained an house and erected a Bell to ring and summon in the People to their pretended Church and Colledge. Nay the very house wherein their Patron Ignatius Loiola lived, have they often seriously offered to buy for a Colledge; yet such hath been the opposition of the Preists and Fryers of that Countrey, that they have dashed to nought their often iterated endeavours to purchase that which they esteem their chiefest Relique. But to come neerer to our owne Countrey, what a combustion did this strife betweene Jesuites and other Preists of England cause among our Papists ten yeares agoe, when the Pope sending into England Doctor Smith pretended Bishop of Chalcedon to bee the Metropolitan head over all the Clergy and other Orders, how then was it to see the pride of the Jesuites as inconsistent with any one that might oversway them, or gain more credit then themselves? who never left persecuting the Bishop, till by the Popes Letters they had banished him out of England. Which curtesie, the secular Preists gaining yet a head over them with title of Archdeacon, Doctor Champney, have ever since sought to repay home, by endeavouring alwayes to cast them out of England, as pernicious to the State of this Kingdome, more then Fryers or any other sort of Preists; Which they have sufficiently made known by discovering their covetousnesse in encroaching upon many Houses and Farmes, enriching themselves, as namely at Winifreds Well (so tearmed by them) where they had bought an Inne; and speedily fell to building there that they might make it a Colledge for Jesuites to entertaine there all Papists comers and goers to that Well, and so might win to themselves the hearts of most of the Papists of the Land, who doe yearly resort thither to bee washed and healed upon any light occasion either of Head-ach, Stomack-ach, Ague, want of children, where they blindly phansie a speedy remedy for all maladies, or wants of this World. Thus have the Preists discovered further our English Jesuites covetousnesse in the building of the Sope-houses at Lambeth under the name of Mr. George Gage their purse-bearer, and since projecting the Monopoly of Sope under Sir Richard Weston, Sir Basil Brooke, and many others names, who were but Agents and Traders with the Jesuites rich and mighty Stocke. Thus came out the discovery of the Levelling of Hils and Mountaines, cutting of rocks at Leige in the Low Countryes at the Colledge of the English Jesuites, a worke for Gardens and Orchards for their Novices recreation and pastime, which (as I have heard from their owne mouthes) cost them thirty thousand pound, which gift they squeezed out of one onely Countesse of this Land. Like to this may prove their Colledge at Gaunt, for which they have obtained already a faire beginning of eight thousand pounds from the Old Countesse of Shrewsberry, and from the greatest part of the Estate of Mr. Sackefield, whom whilst they had him in their Colledges, they cherished with their best dainties, and with hopes that one day hee should bee a Canonized Saint of their Religious Order. All these knaveries doe even those Preists of the same Popish Religion discover of them, and thereby endeavor to make them odious. And though of all, the Jesuites be the most covetous, yet may I not excuse the Secular Preists, Benedictine Monks, and the Fryers from this damnable sinne; who also strive for wealth and meanes for their Doway, Paris and Lisboe Colledges, and lose no opportunities at the death of their Popish favourites for the obtaining a Legacy of one or two hundred Pounds, assuring them their soules shall bee the better for their Masses. Thus doe those miserable wretches in the very heat of their zeale of soules seeke to suppresse one another, and having vowed Poverty, yet make they the Conversion of England the onely object of their Ambition and unsatiable Covetousnesse. But above all is this envy and hatred found between Dominicans and Jesuites, for these owe unto them an old grudge, for that when Ignatius Loiola lived, his Doctrine de Trinitate (which hee pretended was revealed to him from heaven, for hee was certainely past the Age of studying at his Conversion) was questioned by the Dominicans, and hee by a Church Censure publickly and shamefully whipped about their Cloisters for his erroneous principles. This affront done to their chief Patron hath stirred up in them an unreconciliable hatred towards the Order of the Dominicans, and hath made them even cracke their braines to oppose Thomas Aquinas his Doctrine. How shamefully doe those two Orders indeavour the destruction of each other, branding one another with calumnies of heresie in the Opinions especially de Conceptione Mariæ, de libero arbitrio, de Auxiliis? And of the two, the Jesuites is more bold and obstinate in malice and hatred. How did they some twenty yeares agoe, all Spaine over, about the Conception of Mary stirre up the people against the Dominicans, in so much that they were in the very streets tearmed Hereticks, stones cast at them, the King almost perswaded to banish them out of all his Dominions, and they poore Fryers forced to stand upon their Guard in their Cloisters in many Cities, especially in Sevill, Osuna, Antiquera and Cordova, to defend themselves from the rude and furious multitude. Much like this was that publike Conference and disputation betweene Valentia the Jesuite and Master Lemos the Dominican, before the Pope, concerning their altercation de Auxiliis; When the cunning Jesuite hoping to brand with heresie the whole Order of Dominicans, had caused Augustines Workes to bee falsly printed at Lions, with such words which might directly oppose the Thomists Opinion; and had prevailed, had not Lemos begged of the Pope that the Originall Bookes of Augustin might bee brought out of his Vatican Library, where was found the quite contrary words, to what the false Jesuite had caused to be printed; hee was forced to confesse his knavery, was harshly reprehended, and with the apprehension of that great affront, the next night gave up his ghost to his father, the father of lies and falshood.
An other reason of this mortall enmity between these two Orders, is for that the Jesuites surpasse all others in ambition or honour, credit, and estimation, whence it is they cannot indure to behold the Dominicans to exceed them in any preferment. Now it is that by the Laws of Arragon and the Kingdome of Valencia, the Kings of Spain are tied to have a Dominican Fryer for their Confessor or ghostly father; which could but the Jesuites obtain, how would they then rule and govern Spain and the Kings heart? But though they could never yet prevail to alter this established law, yet have they prevailed now lately so that Antonio de Sotomayor the King of Spains Confessor should lie at rest in the Court of Madrid, with a pension and dry title only; and that Florencia that grand Statist should be Confessor to the Count of Olivares, the Royall Issue, the Queen, and should hear the Kings confessions oftner then his chosen and elected Confessor Sotomayor. Secondly, the Dominicans as first Authors of the Inquisition (which they prove from their Martyr Peter of Verona) still enjoy the highest places of that Court, which is a wofull sight to the Jesuites to see their Religion affaires handled, their Church kept pure from what they call heresy by any but themselves. O had they (as they have often strived for it) in their hands the judicature of that tribunall, how should all Dominicans, nay all sorts of Preists but their own, presently by them be branded with heresy? Thirdly, in Rome there is an other preferment successively due to Dominicans, from the time of Dominicus de Guzman founder of that Religion, to wit, to be magister Sacri Palatii, the Popes Palace master, instituted to this purpose that about him there may be some learned Divine (for commonly the Popes are more Statists, and Canonists, then Divines) to read a daily lecture of Divinity to such as will be instructed therein, and to resolve the Pope himselfe of whatsoever difficult points in Divinity may be questioned. This is the Dominicans due with a pension to maintain Coach and servants within the Palace of St. Peter. Which the Jesuites have often by favour and cunning Jesuiticall trickes endeavoured to bereave the Dominicans of; but proving labour in vain, they continue still in their unplacable enmity and hatred against them. And thus you see the fountaines of their strife; which as here in Europe hath been well seen, so hath this contentious fire overpowered the fire of their zeal of soules in the East and West-India's; and the wealth and riches of those Countries, the ambition of honor in their Gospel function hath more powerfully drawn them thither, then (what they pretend) the Conversion of a barbarous and idolatrous nation. This was well published to the view of the whole world by a most infamous libel which in the year 1626 fryer Diego di Colliado a missionary Fryer in Philippinas and Japan set out of the unheard of passages and proceedings of the Jesuites in those Eastern parts. At that time the Jesuites pretended that mission to themselves only, and petitioned the King of Spain, that only they might go thither to preach, having been the first plantation of Franciscus Xavier, and since continued successively by their Preists. To this purpose they remembred the King of the great charges he was at in sending so many Fryers and maintaining them there; all which should be saved, might they only have free ingresse into those Kingdomes. All which charges they offered themselves to beare, and further to bring up the Indians in the true faith, to instruct them and civilize them, to teach them all liberall sciences, and to perfect them in musick and all musicall instruments, and in fencing, dancing, vaulting, painting and whatsoever els might make them a compleat, and civill people. But against all this was objected by Diego Colliado, that not zeal only and charity moved them to this offer, but their ambition and covetousnesse, which would soon be seen in their encroaching upon the silly and simple Indians wealth, bringing instances of many thousand pounds which they had squeezed from the poore Barbarians in the Islands of Philippinas; And that their entring into Japan was more to enrich themselves, then to convert the Japonians to Christianisme; that whensoever they entred into that Kingdome they conveyed from Manila whole ships laden with the richest commodities of those Islands; that their trading was beyond all other Merchants trading, their Bench for exchange mony farre more accustomed then any other whither for China, for Japan, for Peru and Mexico; and that the Viceroy himselfe made use of none other, but theirs. That to keep out all other orders out of Japan, they had ingratiated themselves so farre, under pretence of trading, into the Emperours favour by gifts of Watches, Clocks, Dials, Lockes, and Cabinets, and such like presents of most curious and artificiall Workmanship, that they had got free accesse to his Court, and counselled him to beware of Fryers, which cunningly crept into his Kingdome to preach a new law, perswading him by rigorous search and enquiries to root them out: thus politickly for their own ends hindering the increase of Christianisme by any means or instruments save themselves; and blinding the Emperors eyes with their cunning insinuations, that he might not see in them, what they desired he might discover in others, that they might appear in sheep skins, and others clothed with wolves skins; and so the Fryers might have little heart to trade, but enough to doe to save themselves from the stormy persecution, whilst they freely might enjoy the liberty of rich trading. This brand upon these cunning foxes was commanded to be printed, thankes given to Diego Colliado for discovering to the Estate their crafty proceedings, with not a few tenents maintained by them in Japan even against their owne Soveraigne; a fat Bishoprick was offered to the Fryer, which he refusing, commission was given unto him for the raising of forty Fryers out of Spain, and the conducting of them to the Islands of Philippinas, and that it should be free for all Preists and Fryers, as well as Jesuites, to passe to those parts for the preaching of Christ and the extending of Christianisme among the Heathens and Barbarians. O that this my discovery made to England of those dissembling and false Preists, would make us wise to know and discover under the ashes of their pretended Religion, the fire of strife and contention which they kindle in Kingdomes, and to rake up that covetousnesse, which we may easily find in them; tending to the ruine of many fair estates, and to the temporall and spirituall danger of this our flourishing Kingdome!
All the Kingdomes of America, that have been conquered by the Kings of Spain, are divided as into severall temporall governments, so into severall spirituall jurisdictions, under the name of Provinces, belonging unto severall religious Orders, and their Provincials. These though so farre distant from Europe, yet live with a dependency and subordination unto the Court of Rome, and are bound to send thither a strict account and relation of what most remarkable passages and successes happen there, as also what want of Preachers there is in every severall Province. Which is to be performed in this manner. Every religious Order (except the Jesuites and Dominicans, whose Generall continueth till death, unlesse a Cardinals cap be bestowed upon him) maketh election of one of the same order to be the head Ruler, or (as they call him) Generall over all those of the same profession every sixth year. The subjects unto this Generall which are dispersed in Italy, Germany, Flanders, France, Spain, East and West-India's are divided into sundry Provinces, as in Spain there is one Province of Andaluzia, another of Castilia nueva, new Castile, another of Castilia vieja, old Castile, another of Valencia, another of Arragon, of Murcia, of Catalonia; So likewise in America there is the Province of Mexico, of Mechoacan, of Guaxaca, of Chiapa and Guatemala, of Comayagua, Nicaragua and the like. Every Province of these hath a head named the Provinciall, chosen by the chief of the Province every three years; which election is called a Provinciall Chapter, and the former a Generall Chapter, which also is allotted to be in some chief City, commonly in Italy, France, or Spain. When the Provinciall Chapter is kept, then by the consent of all that meet in it is there one named by name of Procurator or Diffinitor, who is to goe in the name of the whole Province to the next election of the Generall, and there to demand such things as his Province shall think fit, and to give an account of the State of the Province from whence he is sent. Thus from the West-India's are sent Procurators, who commonly are the best prizes the Holland Ships meet with, for that they carry with them great wealth, and gifts to the Generalls, to the Popes and Cardinals and Nobles in Spain, as bribes to facilitate whatsoever just or unjust, right or wrong they are to demand. Among other businesses their charge is this, to make known the great want of laborers in the aboundant and plentifull harvest of the India's (though not all Provinces demand Preachers from Spain, as I will shew hereafter) and to desire a number of thirty or forty young Preists, who may be fit for any Indian language and to succeed the old standers.
The Order of the Province being read to the Generall, or his Generall Chapter, then are Letters Patents granted unto this Procurator from the Generall, naming him his Vicar Generall for such a Province, and declaring his sufficiency and worthy parts, (though none at all in him, as I have beene witnesse of some) the great paines hee hath taken in the new planted Indian Church, and how fit hee hath been judged to convey to those parts, a Million of such as shall voluntarily offer themselves for the propagation of Christianity amongst those Barbarians. Then the tauny Indian Fryer being well set out with high Commendations, and fairly painted with flattering Elogies, presents these his Patents (and with them peradventure a little wedge of Gold, a Box of Pearles, some Rubies or Diamonds, a Chest of Cochinill, or Sugar, with some boxes of curious Chocolatte, or some feather works of Mechoacan, some small fruits of his great paines and labour) to the Pope; who for his first reward gives him his Toe and Pantofle to kisse, seconding this honour with a joyfull countenance to behold an Apostle, judging him worthy of the best of the Indian wealth, and his soule peradventure fit for the title of a Saint; This complacency in the gift and the giver, breeds immediately a motus proprius in his Holinesse to grant a Bull with a degree of the Popes Commissary, wherein this poore Mendicant Fryer is inabled to runne over all the Cloisters of his Profession in Spainà culpa et à poenaipso factoIndian MissionariesRomeIndia'sJohn NavarroGuatemalaAmaryllisSpainGuatemalaAmericanIndianIndiansSpainJohn NavarroGuatemalaQua semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem, testa diuNavarroAmaryllisCupidsJamesSt. Jago de GuatemalaMarsVenusMarsNavarro CupidsVenusNavarroNavarroCartagenaSpainAmericaIndiansJudasEnglandNavarroAmerican