524 SANTA CRUZ DE LA SIERRA. 



LIB. vn. w hich wee now see by supernatural! meanes, and proper to 

 himselfe which calls the blinde and prisoners to the know 

 ledge of himselfe, giving them light and libertie by his holy 

 Gospel. And to the end you may the better vnderstand this, 

 and give credite therevnto, I will aledge some examples 

 which, in my opinion, are fit for this history. 



CHAP, xxvii. Of some miracles which God hath showed at 



the Indies j in favour of tlie faith, beyond the desert 



of those that wrouglit them. 



Santa Cruz de la Sierra is a very great province, in the 

 Kingdom e of Peru, neighbour to diverse infidell nations, 

 which have not yet any knowledge of the Gospel, if since 

 my departure the fathers of our company which remaine 

 there have not instructed them. Yet this province of 

 Santa Cruz is peopled by Christians, and there are many 

 Spaniards, and great numbers of Indians baptized. The 

 maner how Christianitie entred was thus. A souldier of a 

 lewd life, resident in the province of Charcas, fearing 

 punishment, being pursued for his offences, went farre vp 

 into the countrie, and was received curteously by this bar 

 barous people. The Spaniard seeing them in a great 

 extremity for water, and that to procure raine they vsed 

 many superstitious ceremonies, according to their vsuall 

 maner, he said vnto them, that if they would do as he said, 

 they should presently have raine, the which they willingly 

 offered to performe. Then the souldier made a great 

 crosse, the which he planted on a high and eminent place, 

 commanding them to worship it and to demand water, the 

 which they did. A wonderful thing to see, there presently 

 fel such abundance of raine, as the Indians tooke so great 

 devotion to the holy crosse, as they fled vnto it in all their 

 necessities, and obtained all they demanded : so as they 



