526 MIRACLES WROUGHT FOR THE CHRISTIANS. 



LIB. vn. c j^j e o f Cusco, whenas the Spaniards were besieged and so 

 straightly pressed, that without helpe from heaven it was 

 impossible to escape, the Indians casting fire on the tops of 

 the houses, whither the Spaniards were retyred (in which 

 place the great Church is now built),, 1 and although the 

 covering were of a kind of straw, which they call Chicho, 2 

 and that the fire they cast was of very resinous faggots ; 

 yet nothing was set on fire, nor burnt, for that there 

 was a woman did quench it presently, the which the 

 Indians did visibly see, as they confessed afterwards being 

 much amazed. It is most certaine, by the relations of 

 many, and by the histories which are written, that in divers 

 battailes which the Spaniards had, as well in New Spaine 

 as in Peru, the Indians their enemies did see a horseman in 

 the aire, mounted on a whit horse, with a sword in his 

 hand, fighting for the Spaniards, whence comes the great 

 reverence they beare at the Indies to the glorious Apostle 

 Saint lames. Other whiles they did see in some battailes 

 the image of our Ladie, from whom the Christians have 

 received in those partes incomparable favours and bene- 

 fites : if I should particularly relate all the workes of 

 heaven as they happened, it would make a very long dis 

 course. It sufficeth to have said this, by reason of the 

 favour which the Queene of glorie did to our men when 

 they were pressed and pursued by the Mexicans, the which 

 I have set downe, to the end we may know how our Lord 

 hath had a care to favour the faith and Christian religion, 

 defending those that maintained it, although happily by 

 their workes they deserved not so great favours and bene- 

 fites from heaven. And therefore we ought not to con- 

 demne all these things of the first Conquerours of the 

 Indies, as some religious and learned men have done, 

 doubtlesse with a good zeale, but too much affected. For 

 although, for the most part, they were covetous men, cruell, 



1 The great hall of the palace of Ynca Huiiacocha, now the cathedral 

 of Cuzco. * Ychu. (Stipa Ycliu). 



