WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 439 



Prefect being Capt. Hernando de Santa Cruz. That was one of the 

 first in the world on which was spent over 30,000 ducats ; it was all 

 planned, arranged, and carried out by this Prefect ; and since there 

 is a special book written about this feast, I would refer to it in closing 

 the account of the congregations. This order maintains another 

 remarkable college, that of San Martin, which I shall describe in 

 its proper place. 



Chapter XXIII 



Continuing the Description, with the Nunneries of Lima. 



1260. This city has six nunneries, famous and remarkable both 

 for their temples and for the large number of nuns, all of them 

 subject to the monastic rule with clausure. The convent of the 

 Encarnacion has nuns who follow the canonical rule ; there are over 

 700 persons, counting the servants, maids, and white-veiled nuns. 

 This remarkable convent was founded by Dona Mensia de Almaraz 

 y Sosa, who was the wife of Francisco Hernandez Jiron, a man of 

 great force and talent ; although it had slight beginnings, she was 

 seconded by some noblewomen of the first families in that city, and 

 it now has a large income in bequests and rentals. In this convent 

 and all the others of this city, nuns enter with a dowry of 2,000 

 assay pesos, which are a few maravedis more than a Castilian gold 

 crown (escudo.) 



1261. The residence is well built and the area covered is so con- 

 siderable that if a servant runs away from her mistress, it takes 

 several days to find her, for it has streets and wards like a village, 

 and cells as perfect as a house with all its appurtenances and offices, 

 although they all sleep in the common dormitory. They have been 

 and are renowned for music, and it has held the first place with them ; 

 their discipline is remarkable, and their festivals most impressive ; 

 they have many during the year, especially at the Ascension of the 

 \'irgin, on which occasion they lay aside their vestments ; the whole 

 year through they prepare new and ornate regalia for this festival, 

 which lasts 3 days ; on the last they celebrate the Ascension and 

 Coronation. They outdo themselves in adorning the church, sur- 

 passing what is done in Spain, both in fragrance and in the choice 

 of the best preachers, music, and instruments ; and in particular each 

 nun seems beyond praise in the perfection of her adornment and 

 the fragrance of sweet perfume. 



1262. The next in age and size is the convent of La Concepcion ; 

 they have white robes and blue mantles, with the insignia and image 

 of Our Lady, one on the breast and the other on the mantle at the 



