The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 14: America, Part IIIHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 14: America, Part III
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
Now after that sixe yeeres were fully expired since our first coming
into the Indies, in which time we had bene imprisoned and serued in the
said countreys as is before truely declared. In the yeere of our Lord
one thousand fiue hundred seuenty foure, the Inquisition began to be
established in the Indies, very much against the mindes of many of the
Spaniards themselues: for neuer vntil this time since their first
conquering and planting in the Indies, were they subiect to that bloodie
and cruell Inquisition. The chiefe Inquisitor was named Don Pedro Moya
de Contreres, and Iohn de Bouilla his companion, and Iohn Sanches the
Fischall, and Pedro de los Rios the Secretary: they being come and
setled, and placed in a very faire house neere vnto the white Friers,
considering with themselues that they must make an entrance and
beginning of that their most detestable Inquisition here in Mexico, to
the terror of the whole countrey, thought it best to call vs that were
Englishmen first in question, and so much the rather, for that they had
perfect knowledge and intelligence that many of vs were become very
rich, as hath bene alreadie declared, and therefore we were a very good
booty and pray to the Inquisitors: so that now againe began our sorrowes
a fresh, for we were sent for, and sought out in all places of the
countrey, and proclamation made vpon paine of losing of goods and
excommunication that no man should hide or keepe secret any Englishmen
or any part of their goods. By means whereof we were all soone
apprehended in all places, and all our goods seized and taken for the
Inquisitors vse, and so from all parts of the countrey we were conueied
and sent as prisoners to the citie of Mexico, and there committed to
prison, in sundry darke dungeons, where we could not see but by candle
light, and were neuer past two together in one place, so that we saw not
one another, neither could one of vs tell what was become of another.
Thus we remained close imprisoned for the space of a yeere and a halfe,
and others for some lesse time, for they came to prison euer as they
were apprehended. During which time of our imprisonment, at the first
beginning we were often called before the Inquisitors alone, and there
seuerely examined of our faith, and commanded to say the Pater noster,
the Aue Maria, and the Creed in Latin, which God knoweth great number of
vs could not say, otherwise then in the English tongue. And hauing the
said Robert Sweeting who was our friend at Tescuco alwayes present with
them for an interpreter, he made report for vs, that in our own countrey
speech we could say them perfectly, although not word for word as they
were in Latin. Then did they proceede to demand of vs vpon our othes
what wee did beleeue of the Sacrament, and whether there did remaine any
bread or wine after the words of consecration, yea or no, and whether we
did not beleeue that the host of bread which the priest did hold vp ouer
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