AN OLD STORY OF THE NEW WOELD. 35 



eyelids came downe and covered their cheekes, and 

 layd them all along before our capitaine, to the end 

 they might of him be touched ; for it seemed unto 

 them that God was descended and come down from 

 heaven to heale them. Our capitaine seeing the 

 misery and devotion of this poore people, recited the 

 Gospel of St. John, that is to say, ' In the beginning 

 was the Word/ making the sign of the cross upon the 

 poor sick ones, praying to God that it would please 

 him to open the hearts of this poore people, and to 

 make them know our holy faith, and that they might 

 receive baptisme and christendome, that done, he took 

 a service-booke in his hand, and with a loud voice 

 read all the passion of Christ, word by word, and all 

 the standers by might heare him, all which while this 

 poore people kept silence, and were marvellously at- 

 tentive, looking up to heaven, and imitating us in ges- 

 tures. Then he caused the men all orderly to be set 

 on one side, the women on another, and likewise the 

 children on another, and to the chiefest of them he 

 gave hatchets, to the other knives, and to the women 

 beads and such other small trifles. Then where y 

 children were, he cast rings, counters and broaches 

 made of tin, whereat they seemed to be very glad. 

 That done, our capitaine commanded trumpets and 

 other musicall instruments to be sounded, which when 

 they heard, they were very merie. Then we took our 

 leave and went away ; the women seeing that, put 

 themselves before to stay us, and brought us out of 

 their meates that they had made readie for us, as fish, 



