The Gueguence A Comedy Ballet in the Nahuatl-Spanish Dialect of Nicaragua Part 6

[41] _Voyage dans l'Amerique Centrale_, Tom. II, p. 44.

[42] So little is understood about the system of the _cofradias_, and the point is one of so much importance in the study of the organization of Spanish ecclesiasticism in America, that it is worth while to explain it. They are created by the priest of a parish, in such number as he sees fit, and each bears the name of a saint or religious occurrence. Each should have, of male members, a major domo, a steward (_prioste_), and four or more appointees (_diputados_). They attend the priest, serve in the church, aid in the offices of religion, have a monthly ma.s.s, act as choristers, etc., at fixed periods. Of female members there should be the patroness (_patrona_ or _capitana_), and the _alguazila mayor_, each of whom should have two special attendants, and there should be other members. Their duties are to sweep the church, deck it with flowers when necessary, and aid the male members in their duty. Each _cofradia_ should have its strong box and financial resources, independently, and the major domo is expected to keep a book accounting for the funds. I have in my possession such a volume, in the Chapanec language, the _Libro de Cuentas de la Cofradia del Rosario_, 1796.

From ten to fifty cofradias were formerly attached to one church, but the modern curas complain that they can no longer be kept up.

"Es verdad," exclaims the worthy presbyter Navarro, "que los Sres.

Curas, mis antecessores, y yo, hemos procurado organizarlas de nuevo, pero es moralmente impossible."--_Memoria de la Parroquia de Villa Nueva_, p. 18. (Guatemala, 1868).

[43] See, for example, the _Rabinal-Achi, ou le Drame-Ballet du Tun_, in Kiche, published by the Abbe Bra.s.seur de Bourbourg, and the translation of the song of the Uluas of Nicaragua given by Pablo Levy.--_Notas sobre la Republica de Nicaragua_, p. 307 (Paris, 1873).

[44] "Il y en a qui font les sourds, d'autres les aveugles.

Ils rient, ils crient, et font en un mot toute sorte de singeries."--_Voyages de Francois Coreal aux Indes Occidentales depuis 1666 jusqu'en 1697._ Tom. I, p. 88 (Amsterdam, 1722).

Borrowed, probably, from Benzoni, who says the same.

[45] "Habia un baile y canto de truhanes en el cual introducian un bobo que fingia entender al reves lo que su amo le mandaba, trastocandole las palabras."--P. F. Diego Duran, _Historia de las Indias de la Nueva Espana_, Tomo II, p. 231 (Mexico, 1880).

[46] As Mr. George Ticknor very pointedly says, in speaking of the Spanish drama:--"Above all, it was necessary that it should be Spanish; and therefore, though its subject be Greek or Roman, Oriental or mythological, the characters represented were always Castilian, and Castilian after the fas.h.i.+on of the seventeenth century,--governed by Castilian notions of gallantry, and the Castilian point of honor."--_History of Spanish Literature_, vol II, p. 539 (5th edition).

[47] Speaking of the comedy, he says:--"Ihr wahrer allgemeiner Nutzen liegt in dem Lachen selbst, in der Uebung unserer Fahigkeit das Lacherliche zu bemerken; es unter allen Bemantelungen der Leidenschaft und der Mode, es in allen Vermischungen mit noch schlimmern oder mit guten Eigenschaften, sogar in den Runzeln des feierlichen Ernstes, leicht und geschwind zu bemerken."--_Hamburgische Dramaturgie_, 29 Stuck.

[48] _Tlatoani_ means, literally, "the speaker," from _tlatoa_, to speak, to ask, but it is translated by the Spanish lexicographers "gran senor." The chiefs were probably so called, from their right of speech in the a.s.semblies. Benzoni gives something like this as the t.i.tle of the Nicaraguan chiefs. "Chiamano li Signori Tutruane,"

which I suspect is a misprint for _Tattruani_.--_Istoria del Mondo Nuovo_, p. 103 (Venetia, 1565).

[49] Icazbalceta's discussion of the name may be found in his notes to the _Dialogos de Francisco Cervantes Salazar_, p. 181 (Mexico, 1875). Malinalli is the twelfth day of the Mexican month. According to Duran, the word means underbrush (_matorral_), and the prognostic was, that those born on that day should have an annual attack of sickness, like this underbrush, which dries up, or loses its leaves yearly.--_Historia de la Nueva Espana_, Tomo II, p. 261 (Mexico, 1880).

[50] See the rare work of Fray Joan Baptista (often spelled Bautista). _Advertencias para los Confessores de los Naturales_, vols. 107, 108 (Mexico, en el Convento de Sanctiago Tlatilulco, ano 1600).

THE GuEGuENCE.

A COMEDY BALLET IN THE NAHUATL-SPANISH DIALECT OF NICARAGUA.

BAILE DEL GuEGuENCE

o

MACHO-RATON.

PERSONAS.

EL GOBERNADOR TASTUANES.

EL ALGUACIL MAYOR.

EL GuEGuENCE.

DON FORCICO.

DON AMBROSIO.

DOnA SUCHI-MALINCHE.

EL ESCRIBANO REAL.

EL REGIDOR DE CANA.

THE BALLET OF THE GuEGuENCE;

OR,

THE MACHO-RATON.

DRAMATIS PERSONae.

THE GOVERNOR TASTUANES.

THE CHIEF ALGUACIL.

THE GuEGuENCE.

DON FORCICO, HIS ELDER SON.

DON AMBROSIO, HIS YOUNGER SON.

THE LADY SUCHI-MALINCHE.

THE ROYAL SECRETARY.

THE REGISTRAR.

6

BAILE DEL GuEGuENCE.

Se da principio bailando, y habla el

_Alguacil._

Matateco Dio mispiales, Senor Gobernador Tastuanes.

_Gobernador._

Matateco Dio miscuales quilis no pilse Capitan Alguacil Mayor ya tiguala neme?

_Alguacil._

Mascamayagua Sor. Gob^r Tastuanes.

Dan vuelta bailando y habla el