the South-Sea. 



The next Day there was a long Sermon, and Mufick, 

 where they fung Spanijh Motetts. The Monaftery was 

 openM to the Women, and at Night another Proceffion car- 

 ry'd S. Dominick home : Then, tho' it was Day, there was 

 another Fire-work, and a Giant came down by a Rope to 

 attaek a Caftle, and fight a Serpent with three Heads. 



This Solemnity, tho' very expcnfive, was, as they fay^ 

 much inferiour to the former, which were fometimes ifo 

 magnificent, that they were obliged to limit them,* whence 

 may be inferr'd in how great Efteem thofe Friers arc, fince 

 by means of their Wallets they get enough not only to 

 maintain above 1500 Perfons, as well Friers as Servants,, 

 in four Monafteries, and to ere£t fumptuous Stru&ures for 

 that Country, for the Monaftery of S. Francis is the fineft 

 and largeft in Lima ; but have enough left for Expences of 

 meer Oftentation, which have fometimes amounted to 

 5 0000 Pieces of Eight, of what is the Right of the Poor, of 

 whom there is no Want there, any more than elfe where. 

 In fliort, if whqt is fuperfluous in the Laity belongs fo 

 them, with much more Reafon does that which thofe Friers 

 have to fpare, they themfelves profeffing fuch rigorous Po- 

 verty, that they do not pretend to have a .Right .to the very 

 Bread they are a&ually eating, as we are inform'd by that 

 pleafant Piece of Hiftory fo well known by a Bull of Pope 

 JohnXXU. 



We need not be fiirprized at thefe Expences, if we con- 

 fider the extraordinary Produce of the Queft, fince the 

 great Monaftery alone has 24 Qiieftors at Umct, one of 

 whom, who died in 1708, had in 20 Years gather'd 

 3,50000 Pieces of Eight: Befides, it is very common a- 

 mong the Spaniards to wrong their neareft Relations of con- 

 fiderable Sums of Money, and even of their lawful Inhe- 

 ritance, in Favour of the Church and the Monafteries^ 

 which they there call making their Soul their Heir, 



In the fecond place, it may be obferv'd how little Tafte 

 and Genius there is among them ; for in their Shows there 

 is no Fancy., Defign 5 nor Subject; But I have dwelt too 



long 



