94
A New Survey of the Weft-Indies.

When we came in

good dinner, to which by the found of a bell we .were invited,
the loving, fmilmg,and fatherly countenance ofthe good Provinciall did chear us more
than all the chear that waited for us upon the table in feverall difhes, all which were
feafonedtoour Palates with the fauce ofthe comfort, which the Provincials meffenger
had brought unto us in the fhady Orange walke in the garden. The great provifion
of fifh and flefh, with fruits and fweet meats were yet to us a ftrong argument that we
were very welcome; for what we fed on that day, might well become a Noble mans
Table- Befides in many paflages of our difcourfe we perceived that good old Alvarez
his heart was over-joyed with our coming to him. Dinner being ended the Provin-
cial! defired to play a game at Tables with us round about, faying he would not win
our money, becaufe he judged us poor after fo long a journey. But thus he fetled
the game and fport ; that if he did win, we fhould fay for him five Pater Nofters,and five
Ave Maries; but if we wun, we fhould win our admittance, and Incorporation in-
to that Province. This fport pleafeduswell, for our winnings we judged would be
to us more profitable at that time, then to win pounds, and our lofings we valued
not • befides we were confident all went well with us, when from the favour of the
Dice' we might challenge that favour which with many weary journeys we had come to
feek above four hundred miles. The fport began, and we young blades taking one by
one our turns, were too hard for the old man, who as we perceived would willingly be
the lofer, that his very loffes might fpeak unto us what through policy and difcretion he
would not utter with words. Yet we boldly challenged our winnings, which as foon as
we had ended our game were now furely confirmed unto us by the return of an Indian
meffenger, who that morning had been fent to the City of'Chiapa for advice and counfell
from the Prior and the chief of the Cloifter concerning our difpofall, and now was re-
turned with an anfwer from the Prior, who in lfis letter expreffed great joy untc. the
Provinciall for our coming, and fo from the reft ofthe Seniors ofthe Cloifter, and did
earneftly beg of the Superiour, that he would fend us to him to be his guefts, for
that our cafe had been his own fome ten years before, for he had alfo at Mexico
forfaken his company to Philippinas, and fled to Guatemala, where for his learning
and good parts he had been as a ftranger much envied by the Criolian fadion ;
but now he hoped he fhould have fome to fide with him againft fuch as fpighted
and maligned him. Old Alvarez was much taken with his letter, and told us he muft
pay what he-had loft, and that the next day he would fendus to Chiapa, thereto abide
untill he took further care of us, to fend us to other parts of the Country, to learn
the Indian languages, that we might preach unto them.' This difcourfe being ended we
betook our felves again to the Garden which fmelled more of comfort then before
dinner, and to our fhady walks which now offered us a fafer protedion then they had
done in the forenoon, countenancing that protedion which we had gained from the
Provinciall.
Here we began to praife God, who had looked upon us in our low eftate, not forget-
ting the wife and politick Provinciall, who though he had loft his games for our
comfort, we would not he fhould lofe our prayers, which there we offered up to
God for his health and fafety. And fo till fupper time we continued our difcourfe in
the Garden fuller of mirth and pleafant jells, then we had done before dinner, fnatch-
ing now and then at the Oranges and Lemmons which were there both fowre and
fweet, eating of fome, and calling fome one at another, but efpecially at him who had
wifhed himfelf with Calvo dreffing his rutty Bacon, whom we thrived to beat out of the
garden by force of Orange and Lemmon bullets; which fport we continued the more
willingly, becaufe we perceived the good Provinciall Hood behind a Lattice in a Bal-
cony beholding us, and rejoycing to fee our hearts fo light and merry. We had
no fooner beat Calvohis friend out ofthe garden, when the bell to fupper founded
a retreat to us all, and called us again to meet our beft friend Alvarez, who had fur-
nifhed us a Table again like that at noon. After fupper he told us that the next mor-
ning he would fend us to Ch'iapa, for that the Prior had writ unto him he would meet
us in the way with a Breakfaft at a Town called St. Philip; wherewith we conceited
very highly of our felves to fee that Provincials and Priors were fo forward to feaft
us. Yet before we went to bed, the Provinciall would try again a game at Tables with
every one of us ; to fee if now he 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 Pro-
vinciall