oyalle's historical relation op chile. i8i 



fpoke in it from its going out to its returning. Before it goes, there is performed the 

 defcent of the crofs before a great concourfe of people. This has always been an aftion 

 of great piety, and very moving. The enfigns, or marks of the paflion, go out in 

 order j and when they come, there is another reprefentation very tenderly made in the 

 Cannada : there is a great crofs fet up ; and when the image of the virgin comes up 

 to it, it lifts up its eyes, as one who miffes the fovereign good that hung on it, and, 

 drawing out a white handkerchief, applies it to the eyes, as crying, and then opening 

 the arms, embraces the crofs, and kneeling kiffes the foot of it once or twice : all this 

 it does fo dexteroufly, and becomingly, that one would fwear it were a living creature :* 

 and this a6Uon being accompanied with the mulic of the day, proportioned to the grief 

 of the myftery, it is incredible what effeds it has upon the people, who crowd one upon 

 another to fee it. 



On the Saturday, and on Eafter-day in the morning, there are other proceffions. The 

 firft comes out of St. Doftiingo, and is of the gentlemen and citizens, who in this are 

 clothed in white, of moft rich cloth of filver or filk, finely garniftied with jewels and 

 chains of gold. The ceremony of the refurreftion is celebrated by night in the cloif- 

 ter ; and, for that end, there is fuch an illumination, that it feems day. The pro- 

 ceffion goes out very noble and gay, and in it are many lights, mufic, and dances, the 

 ftreets being all adorned with triumphal arches, and hung with tapeftries : and while 

 this proceffion is in the cathedral, celebrating the mafs, and communicating the hoft to 

 the brothers, there comes another to the great place to meet it, another from the col- 

 lege of the Jefuits, wljich is a confrary of Indians, the moft antient of the city, con- 

 fifting of a company of Indians of both fexes, who, vdth torches in their hands, accom- 

 pany the child Jefus dreffed up after the Indian falhion, (which caufes great concern and 

 devotion) : they have alfo many colours, enfigns, and other ornaments, very rich and 

 gay. At the fame time, two other proceffions of Indians likewife fet out from the con- 

 vents of St. Francis and Nueftra Sennora de le Mercede, and another of Morenos from 

 St. Domingo, all with a great apparatus of drums, trumpets, colours, hautboys, 

 dances, which make that morning appear very gay and merry ; and that it may be fo to 

 our Saviour refufcitated, they all communicate, and give a happy Eafter to the Divine 

 Majefty and all heaven, to which the earth can never pay a greater tribute than by the 

 converfion of finners, particularly of thefe new Chriftians, whofe anceftors adored but 

 the other day their idols ; and now they acknowledge, and kneel before the true God, 

 fit with him at his table, as grandees of his court ; they, who not long before were 

 Haves of the devil. 



CHAP. VIII. — - Of feme other Holidays of the City of St.Jago, 



ONE of the things in which the greatnefs of a city fhews itfelf moft is, in its feafts, 

 holidays, and public entertainments : we will touch a little on thofe of St.Jago; and, 

 befides the fecular ones of bull-feafts, running at the ring, Juego de Cannas, tourna- 

 ments, illuminations, and other diverlions in which this city ftiines, it is wonderful how 

 well there are celebrated the public rejoicings for the birth or marriage of their prince, in 

 univerfal canonizations of faints, and in all other folemnities, but particularly thofe ordered 

 by His Majefty, as that was about thirty years ago, when His Majefty, out of his great 

 piety, ordered, in honour of the queen of angels, that the myftery of her holy imma- 

 culate conception ftiould be celebrated in all his kingdoms, as well by the feculars, as 

 t)y the churchmen j and the firft indeed need no incitement in this matter, every one 



being 



