men and four souldiours; receyving the like pawne of the Indians.

"The Indians caried their guages to a goodlie citie called Ander, which standeth more than forty leagues within the mayne lande. This citie dooth conteyne more then syxe leagues in circuite, with a double wal. The utter wall is substantial, and of three fadome of height, wrought as a gallerie, with loope holes for Hargabushe or other weapon. This wall is replenished with ordinance, and covered with pent house. The citie hath seven castels equally devided.

"In this citie ruleth for governour, a viceking, subject to the king of Chyna, with many doctors and lawiers, which weare foure cornered cappes made of heare. There are other licentiats, who use round bonettes like unto Portugall priestes. There are other magistrates of justice, who weare the heare of their head knotted, and uppon their breastes and backe golden lions sowen uppon their garmentes.

"There are also many religious persons that goe with shaven heades, saving one locke of heare hanging over eche eare. These persons are their priestes. They make their sacrifice uppon a table, using their accustomed ceremonies; they wryte and reade, and pronounce theyr orations and service unto theyr gods, with a loude voyce.

"In an abbey of these religious persons were our learned men lodged, for the space of syxe monethes; in which tyme they sawe many rich peeces of clothe of golde; and all sortes of sylke and purple; they have brought unto this citye some of those peeces, which is a thyng mervaylous to beholde.

"In this countrey they have great store of wheate,

the

the which they doo myxe with ryce, and thereof make theyr bread.

"There are many horses and mares, better than the Spanishe kynde. All sortes of Spanishe fruites, and manye other fruites that grow not in Spaine. Except grapes, they have none. The people are of smal stature. Their women, when they are borne, they use to wrest one of theyr legges, whereof they ever remayne lame; because they shoulde continually kepe theyr houses: and are kept so close, that none may see them, except those of the housholde. For our learned men being there, as is sayde, syxe moneths, coulde not discrie fyftie women.

"The men use theyr nayles of theyr handes very long; for they find it a profitable thyng for the warres. "This people dooth worshippe three gods, that is to say, the sunne, the moone, and an idol with three heades.

"They holde opinion, that in tyme past, the heaven did joyne with the earth, and that the heaven did dissever from the earth, and ascende above, where it now abydeth. But yet, say they, in time to come, it shall descend agayne, and joyne with the earth.

"They beleeve that the sunne is god of the warres, and the moone is the god of temperature, which is lesser in substance than the sunne. They also beleeve that al three gods are as one in godhead, although they rule severally every one by hym selfe.

"And having now understanding, by our learned men, of the blessed Trynitie; they allowe very well thereof, thinking that it is a similitude of their three gods.

"There hath been made within this citie of Mexico,

VOL. VI.

K

generall

generall prayers and supplications, beseeching the Almightie God to lighten this strange people with the knowledge of his holy fayth and woorde.

"Whan our learned men departed from this city, the Indian rulers sent about fyve thousande Indians to accompanie them, and presented unto them many peeces of cloth of golde, and many other things.

"This garde of fyve thousande men was sent to defende our learned men from the Turkes; because at that tyme were tenne sayle of Turkes on the coast who did great hurte unto them. These Turkes gave chase to our men, and theyr company, and slewe thyrtie Christians, and many Indians. The Christians slewe of the Turkes above fyve hundred. And the next day following, our men and their Indians having refreshed themselves, set agayne upon the Turkes and slewe their king, and neare two thousande persons of his army, and drave the residue to flight.

"When the Indyans that went to accompany our men, returned with that news, all the citizens rejoyced, and chiefly the king of Chyna, wwas abyding in another citie farther within the mayne lande. And forthwith he sent a present unto them for their king, which was a stature of golde, in token of victory: and advertised him of the valiantnesse of his subjectes, which had slayne the mightie Turke king of Brazer, in remembrance whereof he sent unto him the ymage of the same god of battayle, saying that hee deserved that idoll, whiche was made at the beginning and foundation of that land, and that the keeping of that idol was onely preserved for him. And with this present he sent 10,000 Indyans, and ten vesselles of warre for wafters, to accompany them, until they should

arive at their iland, laden with victual, and many riche thinges. Also fruite, as nuttes, almondes, chestnuttes, pomgranates, orenges, and lymons, with store of rice, kine, and sheepe.

"The Christians had carried, before that time, kyne for to breede; whiche cattle are lesser then ours, but better fleshe and sweeter, and the sheepe also better then ours. And with this fleete of Indians, and 300 Spaniardes, they proceeded to seeke the Turkes navy, whiche they met not; but they conquered in that returne homewards, other three ilandes, the which they left in subjection, to the king our maister.

"And when the Indyan fleete returned from the ilande towarde Chyna, two shippes departed from the newe Spayne, for those parties [parts], in the whiche went twelve learned men, to preach the gospell unto those Indyans, and to instruct them of the mystery of the holy Trinyte. I beseech God that the fruite thereof may insue, as we trust it will; and comming so to passe, it will be the richest lande that ever was knowne.

"Wee doo nowe looke for other two shippes, that the viceking pretendeth to sende for 1000 men, to attempt the conquest of Chyna; for hee sayeth, that his part serveth him to fynishe that enterprise with so many men, because the Indyans are of small courage; yea, and though they have hargabushes, and other artillarie, yet they know not howe to use them: so that now this city prepareth 1000 men to send thither. And al the citizens of Mexico are moved with desire to go thither, with love of the great quantitie of gold that is there.

"Those that are come from them, doo report, that they exchaunge more silver for golde, then waight for

waight; because those Indyans esteeme silver better then golde.

"There is now for the king's tribute, which is a fifth part of all that is wonne, 600,000 dukets, all in golde.

"They brought not the idoll of golde to pleasure the Indyans, and also that they shoulde think that Christians doo not so much esteeme golde.

"They have also brought great quantitie of cloth of golde, as fyne as the sortes of Calicute clothe, and of better workmanship then any heretofore hath bene brought. Likewise, pepper, ginger, cloves, and sina

mon.

"They have brought fleeces of wooll for a moster, but not so fyne as ours, and much rice.

"They doo also certify, that the viceking hath woorkmen making four gallies lyke unto ours, for to expulse the Turkes, and to ayde the Indyans, which thinke themselves happy to bee defended from them.

"There are many other thinges to write of; wherefore I wyll procure the copy of the whole relation, and send it you in the fleete that is in a redynesse to departe, &c."

Conduit street.

J. H.

ART. IV. The First Five Bookes of Ovid's Metamorphosis. Second Edition. Imprinted for W. B. 1621. 16m0. pp. 141, besides Introduction.

«Mostra, Mastranza. A shewe, a viewe, a patron or sight of any thing." Florio's World of Words. 1598.