Hi/lorie of the Indies, lib.?. 



onthetoppcwas a court of an indifferent largeneffc, 

 very finely dreft and plaftered, in themidft whereof, 

 was a great round thing like vnto an Oven, having the 

 cntrie low and narrow : fbas they muftftoopc very 

 low that fliould enter into it. This Temple had cham-. 

 bers and chappells as the reft , where there were con- 

 vents of Priefts, yong men, maides, and children, as 

 hath beene faid: and there was one Pricft alone refident 

 continually > the which they changed weekely : For al 

 though there were in every oneof thefe temples, three 

 or foure Curates or Ancients, yet did every one ferve 

 his wecke without parting. His charge that weeke/af- }. '//I/ 

 terhehadinftru&edthe children, ) was to ftrikc vpa 

 drumme every day at the Sunne fetting , to the fame 

 end that weare accuftomed to ring to evenfong. This M^J 



drumme was fuch as they might hearethehoufe found 

 thereof throughout nil the partes of the Cittic, then c- 

 very man {hut vp his merchandife, and retired vnto his 

 houfe , and there was fo great a filence, as there (eemed 

 to be no living creature in the Towne. In the morning 

 whenas the day beganne to breake , they beganne ta 

 found the drumme" which was afigneofthedaybe-' 

 ginning , fo as travellers and ftrangcrs attended this fig- 

 nail to beginne their iournies, for till that time it was 

 not lawfull to goe out of the cittie. 



There was in this temple a court of a reafbnable great- 

 ncs 5 in the which they made great dances, & paftimes, 

 with games or comedies the day of the idolls feaft- for 

 which purpofe there was in the middeft of this court a 

 theatre of thirty foote fquare very finely decked and ^ 

 trimmed jthe which they decked with flowers that day, 

 with all the arteand invention that mought be, beeing 

 invironed round with Arches of divers flowers and fea 

 thers, 



