8 betaoh's account of pjru. 



ribbands. But the pride of the fex appears chiefly in Mechlin and Bruffels lace, with 

 which they trim their linen in a moft extravagant manner, not omitting their fheets 

 and pillows, befides the outward covering of the mantle aforefaid. Their linen is 

 doubly bordered v/ith it, top and bottom, with ruffles of four or five furbelows hanging 

 down to the knee. Then, as to pearls and precious ftones, which they wear in rings, 

 and bracelets for the neck and arms, they are very extravagant, though the value is 

 hardly equal to the fhew they make. 



The viceroy has an handfome palace in the great quadrangle of the city, which I 

 take to be near as large as Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, London. His falary is ten thoufand 

 pounds a year ; and his perquifites double that fum : And though his government 

 expires at three, four, or five years* end, as the king pleafes, yet, it is fuppofed, he 

 makes a good fortune for life ; for he has all places in his gift, both in the government 

 and army, throughout Peru, except particular perfons are fent or nominated by the 

 king. The judicial court confifts of twelve judges, not to mention the inferior officers, 

 counfel, and folicitors. Here all caufes (hould come to be decided, but they are too 

 often determined beforehand In favour of the party who gives mod money ; and though 

 thefe vaft dominions abound in riches, yet there is not abundance of work for tlie 

 lawyers, becaufe the ilatutes are few and plain, which is certainly happier than a mul- 

 titude of laws explaining one another, till they are fo intricate, that the ilfue of a 

 caufe depends more upon the craft of a folicitor and advocate, than the truth of the 

 cafe. Befides all this, a multiplication of laws begets an infinity of attornies and 

 counfellors, who live high and great upon the diftreffes of other people, and as often 

 argue a man out of his right as into it. Thefe hardfliips are pafl; retrieving ; becaufe 

 every magillrate knows his reign to be but fhort, and if he don't make a fortune he 

 is laughed at ; fo that they wink one at another ; and the great diftance between Peru 

 and Spain, is a reafon the king's orders are feldom regarded, being two years going 

 backward and forward j whence arife many clandefline doings ; for, according to law, 

 the king (hould have a twentieth part of the gold, and a fifth part of all filver ; but 

 there are vaft quantities that never pay duty, carried privately over the continent the 

 north way, as well as the fouth, by trading fiiips ; and though there are prodigious 

 fums allowed for the militia, garrifons, and repairs of fortifications, yet it is not one- 

 half applied : from all which it is eafy to Imagine, what immenfe revenues would 

 come to the treafury at Madrid, if his Catholic Majelly was but faithfully ferved. 



The country in Peru is naturally fubje6l to earthquakes ; at Lima they had two great 

 ones about fifty years ago, which overturned houfes, churches, and convents ; and, in 

 the reign of Charles II. the late king of Spain, there was an earthquake near the equi- 

 noctial line, that lifted up whole fields, and carried them feveral miles off. Small 

 fhocks are often felt without doing any harm ; and I have been two or three times 

 called out of bed when fiich a thing has happened, though we have heard no more of 

 it ; but, upon thefe occafions, the bells always toll to prayers. Notwithftanding this 

 country, efpecially nigh the coaft, has fuffered much by earthquakes, yet their churches 

 are lofty enough, and neatly built ! that part of their architedure, which requires mofl 

 ftrength, is generally finllhed with burnt bricks ; but their houfes are all built with 

 bambo, canes, and bricks, dried only by the weather, which are durable enough, be- 

 caufe it never rains : the covering is a matting with alhes upon it, to keep out the dews, 

 which is all the wet they have. The fmall river of Lima is moftly fnow-water, de- 

 fending from the neighbouring mountains, which are covered all the year with fnow, 

 but partly diflblved in the fummer feafon, which is from September to March. One 

 v/ould expefl; it much hotter thereabouts than it is, there being no proportion between 

 ' 6 the 



