few
churches, and about 300 houses in the suburbs. The freebooters remained
at Panama twenty-eight days seeking plunder and indulging in every
variety of excess. Excursions were made daily into the country for
twenty leagues round about to search for booty, and 3000 prisoners were
brought in. Exquemelin's story of the sack is probably in the main true.
In describing the city he writes: "There belonged to this city (which is
also the head of a bishopric) eight monasteries, whereof seven were for
men and one for women, two stately churches and one hospital. The
churches and monasteries were all richly adorned with altar-pieces and
paintings, huge quantity of gold and silver, with other precious things;
all which the ecclesiastics had hidden and concealed. Besides which
ornaments, here were to be seen two thousand houses of magnificent and
prodigious building, being all or the greatest part inhabited by
merchants of that country, who are vastly rich. For the rest of the
inhabitants of lesser quality and tradesmen, this city contained five
thousand houses more. Here were also great numbers of stables, which
served for the horses and mules, that carry all the plate, belonging as
well unto the King of Spain as to private men, towards the coast of the
North Sea. The neighbouring fields belonging to this city are all
cultivated with fertile plantations and pleasant gardens, which afford
delicious prospects unto the inhabitants the whole year long."[310] The
day after the capture, continues Exquemelin, "Captain Morgan dispatched
away two troops of Pirates of one hundred and fifty men each, being all
very stout soldiers and well armed with orders to seek for the
inhabitants of Panama who were escaped from the hands of their enemies.
These men, having made several excursions up and down the campaign
fields, woods and mountains, adjoining to Panama, returned after two
days' time bringing with them above 200 prisoners, between men, women
and slaves. The same day returned also the boat ... which Captain Morgan
had sent into the South Sea, bringing with her three other boats, which
they had taken in a little while. But all these prizes they could
willingly have given, yea, although they had employed greater labour
into the bargain, for one certain galleon, which miraculously escaped
their industry, being very richly laden with all the King's plate and
great quantity of riches of gold, pearl, jewels and other most precious
goods, of all