ABSTRACT
Upon the 14 day of September we left the town and port of St John de Ulhua, entering into the road to Mexico, which we found the first three or four leagues to be very sandy, as wide and open as is our road from London to St Albans. The first Indians we met with was at the old Vera Cruz, a town seated by the seaside, which the Spaniards that first conquered that country thought to have made their chief harbour; but afterwards by reason of the small shelter they found in it for their ships against the north winds they left it, and removed to St John de Ulhua. Here we began to discover the power of the priests and friars over the poor Indians, and their subjection and obedience unto them. The Prior of St John de Ulhua had writ a letter unto them the day before of our passing that way, charging them to meet us in the way, and to welcome us into those parts; which was by the poor Indians gallantly performed. For two miles before we came to the town there met us on horseback some twenty of the chief of the town, presenting unto every one of us a nosegay of flowers; who rid before us a bow-shot, till we met with more company on foot, to wit, the trumpeters, the waits (who sounded pleasantly all the way before us), the officers of the church, such as here we call church-wardens, though more in number, according to the many sodalities or confraternities of saints whom they serve; these likewise presented to each of us a nosegay; next met us the singing men and boys, all the choristers [quiristers], who softly and leisurely walked before us singing, Te Deum laudamus, till we came to the midst of the town, where were two great elm trees, the chief market-place; there was set up one long arbour with green bows, and a table ready furnished with boxes of conserves, and other sweetmeats, and diet-bread to prepare our stomachs for a cup of chocolate, which while it was seasoning with the hot water and sugar, the chief Indians and officers of the town made a speech unto us, having first kneeled down and kissed our hands one by one. They welcomed us into their country, calling us the Apostles of Jesus Christ, thanked us for that we had left our own country, our friends, our fathers and mothers for to save their souls; they told us they honoured us as gods upon earth; and many such compliments they used till our chocolate was brought. We refreshed ourselves for the space of one hour, and gave hearty thanks to the Indians for their kind respects unto us, assuring them that nothing was more dear unto us in this world than their souls, which that we might save we regarded not sea, nor land dangers, nor the unhuman cruelties of barbarous and savage Indians (who as yet had no knowledge of the true God), no nor our own lives.
