On Wednesday we of the Society began our festivities; and, although we had no procession, as is our custom, the celebration at night was by no means inferior.  On the contrary, there was burned a great quantity of illuminations—­rockets, bombs, and other fireworks.  Our people played a thousand musical instruments.  During the day we held mass, in our impressive manner, and then had a sermon; and in the afternoon we presented a remarkable drama on the conception.  All the people said they had never seen anything like it.

On Thursday the fiesta was again held in the cathedral.  In the afternoon there was another drama, about the sale of Joseph.

On Friday the Augustinian Recoletos began their fiesta.  In the morning there was a great procession.  First came all the soldiery—­not only the regular troops, as was the case on former days, but all the companies composed of citizens of this city as well.  Master-of-camp Don Geronimo de Silva, who was on horseback, commanded the troops.  After the soldiery followed a very fine procession.  In the afternoon was presented the drama of the Prince of Transilvania, in which they brought out our father assistant, Alonso Carrillo, in a long taffeta robe and a linen frill with points.  In order to announce who he was, a person who took part in the drama said, “This is one of those who there are called Jesuits, and here we name Theatins.” [16]

On Saturday there were two fiestas.  One was held in the cathedral, as the preceding ones had been, while the other was at our house—­where it seemed expedient to hold it in order that the cathedral and the religious of St. Francis should not monopolize the entire celebration, and acquire such a right for the future.  That night there were many more illuminations and fireworks than there had been on the previous Wednesday.  At nightfall our collegians of San Joseph formed a procession remarkable enough to have appeared in Madrid.  At the head were three triumphal chariots.  In the first were the clarion-players; in the second the singers, singing motets and ballads; and in the third various musical instruments—­harps, guitars, rebecks, etc.  Next came the standard of the immaculate conception, carried by Don Luis Faxardo, a student and a brother of the governor.  At his side came Don Geronimo de Silva, master-of-camp and general of the artillery, and Don Fernando Centene, general of the galleys.  Then came the alcaldes, the regidors, and other gentlemen, all on horseback and very richly dressed.  These were followed by all the collegians, also on horseback two by two, wearing their usual robes of brown silk with facings made of fine scarlet cloth, and with shoulder-stripes of lace.  Their caps were a blaze of gold and precious stones.  About their necks they all wore many chains and jewels.  Each of the prominent nobility of the city had ahead of him, as a body-guard, six or eight servants, with large tapers of white wax in their hands.  They carried staffs having