GVALLE*S HISTORICAL RELATION 6f CHItfi, f JTJ 



The chapter of the cathedral is a venerable body of men, in which the King alone 

 provides the vacancies by virtue of his royal patronage, and the conceflion of the popes ; 

 fo that there is not, as in Spain, the bifhop or the pope's month ; but in the Indies all 

 dignities of cathedrals, even to the very parifh priefts, are all at the King's nomination, 

 but with fome differences ; for the dignities are beftowed in Spain itfelf, by the advice 

 of the council of the Indies ; but the cures or livings of parifh priefls, the King does 

 beflow them by his governor or prefident, who expofes a public edift, that all oppo- 

 fers for the vacancy of fuch a benefice may come and oppofe the examination ; and 

 of thefe, the bifhop prefents three to the governor general, to chufe in the King's 

 name. 



The holy tribunal of the inquifition, which is in Lima, ferves for all the whole 

 South- America ; fo that in Chile there is only a commiffary, with his officers and fami- 

 liars, who accompany him in all public adts, and form a tribunal with great authority. 

 There is likewife an officer of the Cruzada, called a commiflary, which is likewife a 

 poft of great authority ; and the day that the bull is publifhed, all the orders of the 

 religious are bound to be at the proceffion. 



Let us conclude this chapter by faying fomething of the natives who are born and 

 bred in this city : they are generally ingenious, and of good parts ; and thofe whofe 

 inclination is to learning, fucceed very well ; but they are naturally more inclined 

 to war, very few of them taking to other employments, either of trade or bufinefs ; 

 and they who, from their infancy, or by a ftrong inclination, do not take to learning, 

 feldom fucceed, and eafily leave it, if put upon it, to follow the found of a drum or 

 a trumpet, and never are quiet till they get to be enrolled as foldiers, being much 

 better pleafed with the liberty of a foldier's life, than with the difcipline of the fchools. 



They are much addidted to horfemanfhip : and I have often feen, that to flrengthen 

 a child that can hardly go, the befl way is to fet him on horfeback ; this makes them 

 prove dexterous horfemen, and bold. And it is a common opinion and a known experi- 

 ence, that for horfe, one of the country is better than four from abroad : this has been 

 fufficiently proved in the courfe of fo long a war as that which has bufied that kingdom. 



They are naturally liberal, good-natured, and friendly, particularly if they are 

 treated honourably, with due regard : they are pretty flubborn and wilful ; to be led 

 only by fair means, and then they are docile and tradable ; but if force is ufed, they 

 do worfe and worfe. This we the fathers of the fociety do often experience in our 

 colleges ; fo we are obb'ged to lead them by fweetnefs and emulation, rather than by 

 rigour and harfhnefs. 



CHAP. V. — Of the Riches, Militia, Studies, and Increafe of the City of St, Jago» 



• 

 THIS city, to which the King has given the title of Moft Noble and Loyal, is the 

 Capital city of Chile, and one of the bed in the Indies, next to thofe two royal ones 

 of Lima and Mexico, which do exceed it in fumptuous edifices, in people and trade, 

 becaufe they are more antient and nearer Spain, and for a greater pafTage for the peo- 

 ple that come from Europe, and free from the tumults of war, which is a canker that 

 eats deepeft into great cities and kingdoms ; and it is no fmall proof of their force, to 

 be able to maintain fo long a war. 



This city was founded one hundred and four years ago ; and it had all that while fuf- 

 •tained the heavy load of a long and flubborn war, which the native Indians have made 

 upon the Spaniards without any intermiflion j in which its inhabitants have either 



always 



