Now to returne to our purpose, you shall vnderstand that in the kinges house aforesaide, our people remained all the time that they were in this citie, wheras they were made much of, and visited by the principall of the same, but in especiall of the viceroy, who the verie same day did send to inuite them for the next day following, who made vnto them a famous banket, as you shall vnderstand in this chapter following.
CHAP. XXIV.
The viceroy doth banket our people in his owne house two daies, one after the other.
The next day after that our people came into the citie, the uiceroy did sende to inuite them to dinner to his owne house, whereas he made them a great banket in the forme following. At their comming vnto the pallace there came foorth a great number of gentlemen, seruantes vnto the viceroy, to bid them welcome, with great store of musicke and tokens of mirth. Being entred into the first court, they brought them into a mightie hall that was marueilously well trimmed, wherein was a great number of tables, set in such order as they were in the banket that was made them by the gouernour of Chincheo (as hath beene tolde you), although in the number and furniture did far excell the other. But before they did sit down, there came vnto them two captaines, principall men, vnto whom the viceroy had committed the charge of the banket, to doo all things in his name, for that it is a custome in that kingdome, that noble men must not be present in their bankets they make. So the charge was giuen vnto them to make them be mery, and to bid his guests welcome. When they came vnto them they vsed great curtesie, and passed away the time in gallant discourses, till it was time to go to dinner, and that they began A strange ceremonie. to bring in their victuals. Then before they did sit downe, the captaines did take ech of them a cup in his hande, in maner of a sorlue,[28] as they do vse, and being full of wine they went together whereas they might discouer the heauen, and offered it vnto the sunne and vnto the saints of heauen, adding thereunto many words of prayers: but principally they did request that the comming of their newe guestes might be profitable vnto them all, and that the friendship which they did pretende to establish, might be for good both vnto the one and to the other. This their oration and prayer being done, they did spill out the wine, making a great courtesie; then were they straightwayes filled againe, and making reuerence vnto their guestes euerie one by himselfe, they set the cuppes downe vpon the tables whereas the fathers should dine, whereas they were set euerie one by himselfe. This being doone, the first seruice was set vppon the bordes, and the captaines were set at other tables, which were not so many in number, nor so well furnished nor dressed as the other: the dinner was famous and of manie diuersities of meates, exceeding verie much that which was made them by the gouernor of Aucheo.
[28] We have not met with this word elsewhere, the Spanish word is salva, occasionally, and probably here, used for salvilla, a saucer.
The time which the banket indured (which was verie late) there was great store of musicke of diuers instrumentes, as of vials, gitterns, and rebuckes, and with them many iesters, did make them merry at their dinner. The which being done, the saide captaines did beare their guests companie out of the pallace, whereas they did anew inuite them to dinner for the next day in the same hall: they obeying their request did come, wheras was made vnto them a banket more famous than the first.
This day at the banket was present the Totoc, hee whome they visited the first day, came in his owne house, and founde with so great maiestie. Likewise there dyned with them the captaynes that were at the first banket. In this Comedies vsed amongest them. seconde banket they had, as the day before, verie much musicke, and a comedie that indured long, with manie pretie Tomblers. and merrie iestes: there was also a tombler, who did his feates verie artificially, as well in vauting in the ayre as vppon a staffe that two men did hold on their shoulders. Before the comedie did beginne, was tolde them by their interpreter the signification thereof, that the better they The argument of their comedie. might content themselues in the conceiuing, whose argument was, that in times past, there was in that countrie manie mightie and valiant men. But amongest them all, there was in particular three brethren that bid exceede all the rest that euer were in mightinesse and valiantnesse. The one of them was a whiteman, the other was ruddish or hie coloured, and the third blacke. The ruddish being more ingenious, and of better industrie, did procure to make his white brother king, the which iudgement was agreeable vnto the rest. Then they altogether did take away the kingdome from him that did at that time raigne, who was called Laupicono, an effeminate man and verie vicious. This they did represent verie gallantly, with garmentes verie meete for those personages.
The banket and play beeing finished, according as they did the day before, the captaynes did beare them companie till they were out of the pallace, and from thence they went vnto their lodgings, with their ordinarie companie appointed by the viceroy, which was that captaine that we haue spoken of, with his souldiers, who neither night nor day dooth not depart from their garde.