A.D. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1557- 



of Religion, who was taken at Sacatecas 80. leagues to 



[III. 451.] the Northwest of the Citie of Mexico : At the ende of 

 the said seven moneths, we were both caried to the high 

 Church of Mexico, to doe open penance upon an high 

 scaffold, made before the high Altar, upon a Sunday, in 

 the presence of a very great number of people, who were 

 at the least five or sixe thousand. For there were that 

 came one hundreth mile off, to see the saide Auto (as 

 they call it) for that there were never none before, that 

 had done the like in the said Countrey, nor could not 

 tell what Lutheranes were, nor what it meant : for they 

 never heard of any such thing before. We were brought 

 into the Church, every one with a S. Benito upon his 

 backe, which is halfe a yard of yellow cloth, with a hole 

 to put in a mans head in the middest, and cast over a 

 mans head : both flaps hang one before, and another 

 behinde, and in the middest of every flap, a S. Andrewes 

 crosse, made of red cloth, sowed on upon the same, and 

 that is called S. Benito. The common people before 

 they sawe the penitents come into the Church, were 

 given to understand that wee were heretiques, infidels, 

 and people that did despise God, and his workes, and 

 that wee had bene more like devils then men, and 

 thought wee had had the favour of some monsters, or 

 heathen people. And when they saw us come into the 

 Church in our players coates, the women and children 

 beganne to cry out, and made such a noise, that it was 

 strange to see and heare, saying, that they never sawe 

 goodlier men in all their lives, and that it was not pos- 

 sible that there could be in us so much evill as was 

 reported of us, and that we were more like Angels 

 among men, then such persons of such evill Religion as 

 by the Priestes and friers wee were reported to be, and 

 that it was great pitie that wee should bee so used for 

 so small an offence. So that being brought into the 

 saide high Church, and set upon the scaffold which was 

 made before the high Altar, in the presence of all the 

 people, untill high Masse was done, and the sermon 



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