Chap. IV
Shewing to what Provinces of the East and West India’s belonging to the Crown of Castilia are sent Missions of Fryers and Jesuites. And specially of the Mission sent in the yeare 1625.
In all the Dominions of the King of Spain in America, there are two sorts of Spaniards more opposite one to another then in Europe the Spaniard is opposite to the French, or to the Hollander, or to the Portingall; To wit, they that are born in any parts of Spain and goe thither, and they that are borne there of Spanish parents, whom the Spaniards, to distinguish them from themselves, terme Criolio’s, signifying the Natives of that Countrey. This hatred is so great, that I dare say, nothing might bee more advantagious then this, to any other Nation that would conquer America. And nothing more easily gained, then the Wils and affections of the Natives of the Country, to joyne with any other Nation to free and rescue themselves from that subjection, or kind of Slavery, which they suffer under the hard usage of the Spaniards, and their partiall Government and justice toward them, and those that come from Spain. This is so grievous to the poore Criolio’s or Natives, that my selfe have often heard them say, They would rather bee subject to any other Prince, nay to the Hollanders, then to the Spaniards, if they thought they might enjoy their Religion; and others wishing the Hollanders, when they tooke Truxillo in Honduras, had stayed in it and entred further into the land, they should have been welcome to them; and that the Religion they enjoyed with so much slavery, was nothing sweet unto them. This mortall hatred betwixt these two sorts of Spaniards, made the Criolio’s so ready to joyn against the Marquesse of Gelves Viceroy of Mexico, in the tumult and mutiny of that City, wherein they cleaving to Don Alonso de Zerna, the Arch-Bishop caused the Viceroy to escape for his life by flight, and would then have utterly rooted out the Spanish Government, had not some Preists disswaded them from it; but of this I shall speak more largely hereafter. The cause of this deadly hatred hath proceeded from a jealousie which the Spaniards have ever had of the Criolio’s, that they would faine withdraw themselves first from the commerce with Spain, and secondly, from the Government which is laid upon them; which is such, that the Criolio’s must be alwaies under, and a subject, alwaies governed, but scarce any a Governour. Never yet was there seen any Criolio made Viceroy of Mexico, or Peru; or President of Guatemala, or Santa fe, or S. Domingo; or Governour of Yucatan, Cartagena, Havana; or Alcalde Mayor (as they call them) of Soconusco, Chiapa, San Salvador, and such like places of credit. So likewise in the Courts of Chancery, as Sto. Domingo, Mexico, Guatemala, Lima, and the rest, where commonly there are Six, called Oydores and one Fiscal, scarce one of them to be found a Criolio, or native of the Countrey; though there be among them those that descended of the chief Conquerors; as in Lima and Peru the Pizarros, in Mexico and Guaxaca the house of the Marquesse Del Valle, Ferdinando Cortez his Successors, others of the house of Giron, others of the house of Alvarado, others of the Guzmanes, finally many of the chiefest houses of Spain; yet none of these ever preferred to any dignity. And not onely thus are they kept from offices, but daily affronted by the Spaniards as uncapable of any Government, and termed halfe Indians by them.
Which generall contempt hath also spread it selfe in the Church, where no Criolio Preist is scarce ever preferred to be a Bishop, or Canon in a Cathedrall Church, but all such as come from Spain. So likewise in the religious orders they have many years indeavored to keep under and suppress such as have bin admitted to their orders of the natives of the Countrey, lest the number of them should prevail against those that are brought from Spain; they have been very nice in choosing of them, & though they have been forced to admit of some, yet stil the Provincials, the Priors, and all Superiors have been Spaniards born in Spain. Till now lately some Provinces have got the upper hand and prevailed against the Spaniards, & have so filled their cloisters with Criolio’s or natives, that they have utterly refused to admit the supplies of Spanish Missions which formerly were sent unto them, and till this day are sent to others. In the Province of Mexico there are Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustines, Carmelites, Mercenarians, and Jesuites, whereof the Jesuites and Carmelites only to this day prevail against Criolio’s, bringing every two or three years Missions from Spain. The last Mission that was sent to the Mercenarians was the year 1625. and then was the opposition such between that Mission and the Criolio’s, that in the election of the next Provinciall in their Cloister of Mexico, the Fryers drew knives one against another, and were like to kill each other, had not the Viceroy gone to their Cloister to make peace, and imprison some of them. Yet at last by the multitude of voices the native party prevails, and till this day have exempted themselves from Spanish Missions, alleadging (as others have done) that they have Fryers enough in their Cloisters, and need none to be sent them from Spain; submitting themselves to the Pope, and presenting to him as stately gifts as ever Spaniards did before them. In the Province of Guaxaca none admit of Missionaries from Spain; true it is the Dominicans are but newly subdued by the Criolian party; and as yet are strongly pleading at Rome for Spanish Fryers, alleadging that the glory and lustre of their Religion hath been much blurred since the non-admittance of supplies of their zealous Compatriots. The Province of Guatemala, (which is of a large extent) containing Guatemala, Chiapa, the Zoques, part of Tabasco, the Zeldales, the Sacapulas, the Vera Paz, all the coast lying to the South sea Suchutepeques and Soconusco, Comayagua, Honduras, S. Salvador, Nicaragua hath in it these orders chiefly, Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustines, (who are subject to Mexico being one poore Cloister in Guatemala) Jesuites also in Guatemala subject to the government of Mexico and Mercenarians; whereof the three orders of Dominicans, Franciscans, and Mercenarians, are the only Preachers and parish Preists throughout all the forenamed Provinces. And these three Orders have still kept under the Criolian party, never as yet suffering any of them to be Provinciall, bringing every two or three years some one year and some another, Missions of Fryers from Spain to maintain and keep up their faction against the Criolians. The Provinces of Peru being more distant from Spain, and hard to come to by sea, have no Missions sent unto them. There are of the most Romish religious orders, yet the chief are Dominicans; and they all live above their vow of poverty, abounding in wealth, riot, liberty and pleasures. In the Kingdome of Nuevo reino de Granada, and Cartagena, Santa fee, Barinas, Popayan, and the government of St. Martha, are Dominicans, Jesuites, Franciscans, Carmelites, Augustines and Mercenarians, whereof the Dominicans, Jesuites and Franciscans till this day admit of Missions from Spain. The Island of Cuba, Jamaica, la Margarita, Puerto rico, all are subject to the head Provinciall of Santo Domingo, being Dominicans, Jesuites, and Franciscans, and have all now and then Missions from Spain. Yucatan hath in it only Franciscans, who live most richly and plentifully, and strongly uphold the Spanish faction with European Missions: Mechoacan belongeth to the Mexican Fryers, and is in the same condition as was said before of Mexico. Thus have I briefly run over all America that pertains to the Crown of Castilia: for the East-India’s they belong to the Crown of Portingall and Brasill, as first discovered and possessed by the Portingalls, and now doubtlesse are subject to King John, the new King of Portingall. Yet the Islands of Philippinas are subject to the King of Spain, and there are Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustines, and Jesuites, all which lie still in wait in Manila the Metropolitan City, for some sure shipping to Japan, to convert that Kingdome. And though they admit of some few Criolio’s among them, especially some of their Converts of China and Japan; yet their chief number and strength is of Spanish Missionaries, who are more frequently conveyed thither then to the parts afore-mentioned of America. First they are sent in the ships that are bound for Nueva Espana and Mexico; and after they have rested two or three moneths in Mexico, they are sent to Acapulco, lying on the Mar del Zur, there they are shipped in two great Caracks which yearly go and come richly laden with China, Japan, and all East-India ware from Manila to Acapulco to enrich Mexico with farre greater riches then any are sent by the North sea from Spain. The voiage from Acapulco thither, is longer then from Spain to Mexico, and easy and pleasant, though the return is farre longer and most dangerous. The year of our Lord 1625. there were four Missions sent; the one of Franciscans to Yucatan, the other of Mercenarians to Mexico, the other two of Dominicans and Jesuites to Philippinas. At which time it was my fortune to reside among the Dominicans in Xerez in Andaluzia. The Popes Commissary for that Mission was Fryer Matheo de la Villa, who having a Commission for thirty and having gathered some 24 of them about Castilia and Madrid, sent them by degrees well stored with mony to Cales, to take up a convenient lodging for himselfe and the rest of his crew, till the time of the setting forth of the Indian Fleet. This Commissary named one Fryer Antonio Calvo to be his substitute, and to visit the Cloisters of Andaluzia lying in his way; namely Cordova, Sevill, St. Lucar, and Xerez, to try if out of them he could make up his compleat number of thirty, which was after fully compleated. About the end of May came this worthy Calvo to Xerez, and in his Company one Antonio Melendez of the Colledge of St. Gregory in Valladolid, with whom I had formerly neer acquaintance. This Melendez greatly rejoyced when he had found mee; and being well stocked with Indian Patacones, the first night of his coming invited me to his chamber to a stately supper. The good Xerez Sack which was not spared, set my friend in such a heat of zeale of converting Japonians, that all his talke was of those parts never yet seen, and at least six thousand leagues distant. Bacchus metamorphosed him from a Divine into a Orator, and made him a Cicero in parts of Rhetoricall eloquence. Nothing was omitted that might exhort mee to joyne with him in that function, which he thought was Apostolicall. Nemo Propheta in patria sua, was a great argument with him; sometimes he propounded Martyrdome for the Gospel sake, and the glory after it, to have his life and death printed, and of poore Fryer Antony a Clothiers son of Segovia to bee stiled St. Anthony by the Pope, and made collaterall with the Apostles in heaven; thus did Bacchus make him ambitious of honor upon the earth, and preferrement in heaven. But when he thought this Rhetoricke had not prevailed, then would he act a Midas and Croesus, fancying the India’s paved with tiles of gold and silver, the stones to be Pearls, Rubies, and Diamonds, the trees to bee hung with clusters of nutmegs bigger then the clusters of grapes of Canaan, the fields to be planted with Sugar Canes, which should so sweeten the Chocolatte, that it should farre exceed the milke and hony of the land of promise; the silkes of China hee conceited so common, that the sailes of the Ships were nothing else; finally he dreamed of Midas happinesse, that whatsoever he touched should be turned to gold: Thus did Xerez Nectar make my friend and mortified Fryer, a covetous worldling. And yet from a rich covetous Merchant did it shape him to a Courtier in pleasures; fancying the Philippinas to be the Eden, where was all joy without teares, mirth without sadnesse, laughing without sorrow, comfort without griefe, plenty without want, no not of Eves for Adams, excepted only that in it should be no forbidden fruit, but all lawfull for the taste and sweetning of the palate; and as Adam would have been as God, so conceited Melendez himselfe a God in that Eden, whom travelling, Indian Waites and trumpets should accompany; and to whom, entring into any Town, nosegaies should be presented, flowers and boughes should be strowed in his way, Arches should be erected to ride under, Bels for joy should be rung, and Indian knees for duty & homage, as to a God, should be bowed to the very ground. From this inducing argument, and representation of a Paradise, he fell into a strong Rhetoricall point of curiosity; finding out a tree of knowledge, and a Philosophicall maxime, Omnus homo naturaliter scire desiderat, man naturally inclines to know more and more; which knowledge he fancied could be no where more furnished with rare curiosities then in those parts; for there should the Gold and Silver, which here are fingered, in their growth in the bowels of the earth be known; there should the pepper be known in its season, the nutmeg and Clove, the Cinnamon as a rine or bark on a tree; the fashioning of the Sugar from a green growing Cane into a loaf; the strange shaping the Cochinil from a worme to so rich a Scarlet die; the changing of the Tinta which is but grasse with stalke and leaves into an Indigo black dye, should be taught and learned; and without much labour thus should our ignorance be instructed with various and sundry curiosities of knowledge and understanding. Finally, though Xerez liquor (grapes bewitching tears) had put this bewitching eloquence into my Antonies brain, yet he doubted not to preferre before it his wine of Philippinas, growing on tall and high trees of Coco, wherein he longed to drinke a Spanish Brindis in my company to all his friends remaining behind in Spain. Who would not bee moved by these his arguments to follow him, and his Calvo, or ball pated Superiour? Thus supper being ended my Melendez desired to know how my heart stood affected to his journey; and breaking out into a Voto a Dios with his converting zeal, he swore he should have no quiet nights rest untill he were fully satisfied of my resolution to accompany him. And having learned the Poets expression, Quid non mortalia pectora cogis, Auri sacra fames? he offered unto me halfe a dozen of Spanish pistols, assuring me that I should want nothing, and that the next morning Calvo should furnish me with whatsoever monies I needed, for to buy things necessary for the comfort of so long and tedious a journy. To whom I answered, suddain resolutions might bring future grief and sorrow, and that I should that night lye down and take counsell with my pillow, assuring him that for his sake I would doe much, and that if I resolved to goe, my resolution should draw on an other friend of mine, an Irish Fryer, named Thomas Deloon. Thus tooke I my leave of my Melendez, and retired my self to my chamber and bed, which that night was no place of repose and rest to me as formerly it had been. I must needs say Melendez his arguments, though most of them moved me not; yet the opportunity offered me to hide my self from all sight and knowledge of my dearest friends, stirred up in me a serious thought of an angry and harsh letter, which not long before I had received out of England from mine own father, signifying unto me the displeasure of most of my friends and kindred, and his own grievous indignation against me, for that having spent so much money in training me up to learning, I had not only utterly refused to be of the Jesuites Order (which was his only hopes) but had proved in my affections a deadly foe and enemy unto them. And that he would have thought his money better spent, if I had been a Scullion in a Colledge of Jesuites, then if I should prove a Generall of the Order of Dominicans; that I should never think to be welcome to my Brothers nor kindred in England, nor to him; that I should not expect ever more to heare from him, nor dare to see him if ever I returned to England; but expect that he would set upon mee even Jesuites, whom I had deserted and opposed, to chace mee out of my Country; that Hailing house though hee had lost it with much more meanes for his Religion during his life; yet with the consent of my Eldest Brother (now Governour of Oxford, and Masse-founder in that our Famous University) hee would sell it away; that neither from the Estate, or money made of it, I might injoy a childs part due unto mee. These reasons stole that nights rest from my body, and sleep from my eyes, teares keeping them unclosed and open, lest Cynthia’s black and mourning Mantle should offer to cover, close and shut them. To this Letters consideration was joyned a strong opposition, which serious Studies & ripenesse of Learning, with a carefull discussion of some Schoole-points and Controversies had bred in mee against some chief of the Popish Tenents. Well could I have wished to have come to England, there to satisfie and ease my troubled Conscience; well considered I, that if I stayed in Spain, when my Studies were compleatly finished, the Dominicans with a Popes Mandamus would send me home for a Missionary to my Country. But then well considered I the sight of a wrathfull Father, the power of a furious Brother a Colonell, who (as now landed in England to search me out, and do me mischief) then, when Zephryus with a pleasant gale seconded his Popish zeale, might violently assault mee. Well considered I the increased rout and rable of both their great friends, the Jesuites, who what with Court friends power, what with subtile plots and Policies would soone and easily hunt me out of England. Lastly, well considered I my Melendez his last inducing Argument of the increase of knowledge naturall by the insight of rich America and flourishing Asia, and of knowledge spirituall by a long contemplation of that new planted Church, and of those Church Planters lives and Conversations. Wherefore after a whole nights strife and inward debate, as the glorious Planet began to banish nights dismall horror, rising with a bright and cheerefull countenance, rose in my minde a firme and setled resolution to visit America, and there to abide till such time as Death should surprise my angry Father, Ignatius Loiola his devoted Mecænas, and till I might there gain out of Potosi or Sacatecas treasure that might Counterpoise that Childs part, which for detesting the foure Cornered Cap, and black Coat of Jesuites, my Father had deprived mee of. So in recompence of the Supper which my friend Anthony had bestowed upon mee, I gave him a most pleasing breakfast by discovering unto him my purpose and resolution to accompany him in his long and Navall journey. And at noon I feasted him with a dinner of one dish more then his breakfast, to wit, the company also of my Irish friend Thomas Deloon. After dinner wee both were presented to Calvo the bald pate Superiour; who immediately imbraced us, promised to us many curtesies in the way, read unto us a Memorandum of what dainties he had provided for us, what varieties of fish and flesh, how many Sheep, how many Gammons of Bacon, how many fat Hens, how many Hogs, how many barrels of white Bisket, how many Jars of wine of Casalla, what store of Rice, Figs, Olives, Capars, Raysins, Lemmons, sweet and sowre Oranges, Pomegranates, Comfits, Preserves, Conserves and all sorts of Portingall sweet meates; hee flattered us that hee would make us Masters of Arts, and of Divinity in Manila; then opened hee his purse, and freely gave us to spend that day in Xerez, and to buy what most we had a mind to, and to carry us to Cales; Lastly hee opened his hands to bestow upon us the holy Fathers Benediction, that no mischiefe might befall us in our way; I expected some Relique or naile of his great toe, or one of his velvet Pantofles to kisse; But peradventure with frequent kissing through Italy and all Castilia it was even worn thredbare. Much were wee frowned at by the Dominicans our chiefest friends of Xerez, but the liberty which with Melendez we injoyed that day about the City of Xerez tooke from us all sad thoughts, which so suddaine a departure from our friends might have caused in us. And Calvo much fearing that the love of some Nuns (too powerfull with Spanish Fryers) might yet keep us back from pursuing our purposed journey, with cunning policy perswaded us to depart from Xerez the next morning. Which willingly wee performed in company of Melendez and another Spanish Fryer of that City (leaving our Chests and Bookes to Calvo to send after us) and that day wee travailed like Spanish Dons upon our little Boricoes, or Asses towards Puerto de Santa Maria, taking in our way that stately Convent of Cartusians, and the River of Guadalethe, the former Poets River of oblivion, tasting of the fruits of those Elysian fields and Gardens and drinking of Guadalethes Crystall Streams, that so perpetuall oblivion might blind and cover all those Abstractive Species which the intuitive knowledge of Spains and Xerezes pleasant objects had deeply stamped in our thoughts and hearts. At evening wee came to that Puerto so famous for harbouring Spains chief Gallies, and at that time Don Frederique de Toledo; who hearing of the arrivall of foure Indian Apostles, would not loose that occasion of some Soule-Sanctification (which he thought might bee his purchase) by entertaining us that night at Supper. The Town thought their Streets blessed with our walking in them, and wished they might injoy some Reliques from us, whom they beheld as appointed to Martyrdome for Christ and Antichrists sake together; the Galley slaves strived who should sound their Waits and Trumpets most joyfully, Don Frederique spared no cost in Fish and Flesh that night, doubting not but that receiving foure Prophets, hee should receive a fourefold reward hereafter. Supper being ended, wee were by Don Frederique his Gentlemen conveyed to the Cloister of the Minims appointed by Don Frederique to lodge us that night, who to shew their brotherly love washed our feet, and so recommended us to quiet and peaceable rest. The next morning after a stately breakfast bestowed upon us by those poor Mendicant Fryers, a boat was prepared for us and Don Frederique his Gentlemen to wait on us, and to convey us to Cales. Where wee found out our fellow Apostles, and the Popes Commissary Fryer Mathew De la Villa, who welcomed us with Romes Indulgences, a culpa & a poena, and with a flourishing Table stored with Fish and Flesh for dinner. There wee continued in daily honour and estimation, enjoying the sights most pleasant which Cales both by Sea and Land could afford unto us, untill the time of the Fleets departing. Which when it drew neere, our Grand Apostle Fryer Mathew De la Villa, (whom wee thought burned with zeal of Martyrdome) tooke his leave of us; shewing us the Popes Commission to nominate in his place whom hee list, and naming bald Calvo for Superiour, returning himselfe to Madrid with more desire to enjoy a Bishoprick in Spain (as wee understood) then to sacrifice his life in Japan. His departure caused a Mutiny among us, and cooled the spirit of two of our Missionaries, who privily fled from us. The rest were pleased with honest Calvo, for that hee was a simple and ignorant old man, (whom they could more jeere then any way respect) more Scullion-like in daily greazing his white habit with handling his fat Gammons of Bacon, then like a Popes Commissary; for his Masters Toe the proudest of our Missioners then would willingly have kissed; yet Calvoes greazy fists the humblest would loath to have kissed. Thus under a sloven was that Apostolicall Mission to bee conveyed first to Mexico three thousand Spanish Leagues from Spain, and afterwards three thousand Leagues further from thence to Manila the Metropolitan and Court City of the Islands of Philippinas.