And thus concluding without naming any person, I went downe out of the pulpit, and caused the Idol to be brought after me, and sending for an axe, and for two or three great pans of coales, I commanded him to be hewen in very small peeces, and to be cast in the fire and burned before all the people in the midst of the Church. The _Spaniards_ cried out joyfully _Victor Victor_, and others repeated, _Gloria à nostro Dios_, Glory to our God, the Idolaters held their peace and spake not then a word. But afterwards they acted most spightfully against me, and conspired day and night to get me at some advantage, and to kill me. I writ to the President of _Guatemala_ informing him of what I had done; and to the Bishop (as an Inquisitor to whom such cases of idolatry did belong) to be informed from him of what course I should take with the _Indians_ who were but in part yet discovered unto me, and those onely by the relation of one _Indian_. From both I received great thanks for my paines in searching the mountaine, and finding out the Idol, and for my zeal in burning of it. And as touching the _Indian_ Idolaters their counsell unto me was, that I should further enquire after the rest and discover as many as I could, and indeavour to convert them to the knowledge of the true God by faire and sweet meanes, shewing pity unto them for their great blindnesse, and promising them upon their repentance pardon from the Inquisition, which considering them to be but new plants useth not such rigour with them, which it useth with _Spaniards_ if they fall into such horrible sins. This advise I followed, and sent privately for the _Fuentes_ to my chamber, and told them how mercifull the Inquisition was unto them, expecting their conversion and amendment. They seemed somewhat stubborne and angry for that I had burned that God, whom not only they, but many others in the Towne, and also in the Towne of Saint _John Sacatepeques_ did worship. I used reasons to perswade them no honour was due unto it, as to a God. But one of them boldly replyed, that they knew that it was a peece of wood and of it selfe could not speake, but seeing it had spoken (as they were all witnesses) this was a miracle whereby they ought to be guided, and they did verily beleeve that God was in that piece of wood, which since the speech made by it was more then ordinary wood, having God himselfe in it, and therefore deserved more offerings and adoration then those Saints in the Church, who did never speake unto the people. I told them that the Devill rather had framed that speech (if any they had heard) for to deceive their souls and lead them to hell; which they might easily perceive from the Doctrin which I was informed he had preached against Christ the only begotten son of God, whom the Father loveth and in whom he is well pleased, and against whom he certainly would not speake in that idol. Another answered boldly, our forefathers never knew what Christ was, until the _Spaniards_ came unto that Countrey, but they knew there were Gods, & did worship them, and did sacrifice unto them; and for ought they knew this God of theirs belonged in old times unto their forefathers. Why then, said I unto them, he was a weake God who by my hands hath been burned? I perceived that at that time there was no reasoning with them, for they were stubborn and captious, and so I dismissed them. Had not God most graciously protected me against these my enemies, I had certainly been murthered by them; for a moneth after the burning of the idol, when I thought all had been forgotten, and that the Idolaters were quiet, then they began to act their spight and malice, which first I discovered by a noise which once at midnight I heard of people about my house, and at my chamber doore; to whom I called out from my bed not daring to open, but could have no answer from them, I perceived they would have come in by force, for they pushed hard at the doore. Whereupon I tooke suddainly the sheets from off my bed, tying them with a strong knot together, and with another to a bar of the window, making my selfe ready to fall down by them to the ground, and so to flie in the dark night, if they had used violence to come in. The sheets being thus prepared, and they still at the doore thrusting without any word from them, I thought by calling and crying out aloud I might affright them away. Wherefore with a shrill voice I called first to my servants, who were but boyes, and lay at the further end of a long gallery, then I cryed out to the neighbouring houses to come and assist me against theeves. The servants had heard the noise and were awake, who presently at my call came out; and with their coming my enemies ran down the staires, and were heard no more that night.