Englande whereby the hole nation was in shorte tyme conuerted to Christes faith England converted to the faith of christ although sum had receaued the gospell longe before euen from Chrystes tyme by the preachyng of Ioseph of Arimathia who asked the body of Chryste of Pilote and buryed it reuerently I wolde to god that there were now many mo such Gregories in the worlde And that there might lyke zeale and gentelnesse bee founde in vs Englysshe men towarde other nations as we haue founde in other towarde vs. Owre predicessoures were not vtterlye vnmyndefull of these benefites but applyed them selues lykewise to spreade the gospell in other nations For Uadianus in his booke De tribus terrae partibus wryteth that more then seuen hundrethe yeares after the death of Chryste one Unefride an Englysshe man and bysshoppe of Mogunce nowe cauled Mense was the fyrste that tawght the fayth of Chryste amonge the Germaynes This vnifridâ— was afterwarde named Boneface at such tyme as the Frankes and Almaynes had passed ouer the ryuers of Rhene and Danubius and by puttynge the garrysons of the Romans to flight had possessed a great parte of theyr moste noâ—able prouinces For albeit that these rude and barbarous nations then accustomed onely to warre and robberie did hardly admitte that holsome doctrine at the beginning Yet by the pollicâ—e and wisedome of the Frankes it came so to passe that in maner through owt all Germanie greate increase of the Christian religion folowed there moste ample victories as the lyke successe is also seene in these barbarous nations subdued by the Spanyardes Whereby it is apparent that although sum holde opinion that none owght to bee compelled to the faythe Whether any may bee compâ—llâ—d to the faythe yet we see by experience that withowt disputynge of opinions leste the pacientes shulde dye before the phisitians agree of the remedie these enterprises haue taken good effect to the great glory of god who cauleth men vnto hym by dyuers meanes and at dyuers ages of the declinynge worlde otherwyse nowe then in the tyme of Chryste and his Apostles when the poure of miracles was giuen vnto men to confirme the newe fayth which had yet preuailed no where in the worlde The tyme of miracles Albeit I beleue verely that if we wolde take the matter in hande accordyngly god wolde not forget to ayde vs with miracles if it shuld so be requâ—site as yowe may reade in this booke howe he wrought miracles by the fayth of a simple mariner euen in thinfancie of faythe Miracles of lâ—te dayes And suerlye lyke as there is no cause why we shulde anye thynge doubte of goddes goodnesse in this behalfe if the faue be not in owre selues Euen so if we wolde fyrste sette owre handes to the plowe we ought to hope that he wolde giue encrease and woorke with vs as he hath doone with other by whose prosperous successe we may plainely see that it was his wyll that suche thynges shulde go forwarde For euen Israell to whom promesse was made by signes and miracles that they shulde possesse the lande to thinheritaunce wherof Howe Israell possessed the lande of promesse the sea opened it selfe to giue them free passage yet were they commaunded by the poure of the swoorde to make way with greate losse and slaughter of men and by force of armes to obteyne the lande promysed to theyr fathers whiche neuerthelesse fewe of them possessed that first fought for the same but lefte theyr carkeses in the wildernesse Is it not also written of the Iuwes which repayred the walles of the citie of Hierusalem after theyr captiuitie in Babilon â—â—dra 2. cap. 4. that Nehemias theyr capitaine set the people in order with swoordes speares and bowes to defende the woorkemen And that also euen the Princes of Iuda wrought vppon the walles and caried burdens lykewyse that they wrought with one hande and held theyr swoordes in the other And if it were lawful for Israell accordynge to the flesshe to vse all meanes and pollicies to buylde vp the walles of earthly Hierusalem howe muche more then ought the spirituall Israelites to vse all possible meanes to buylde vp the walles and temples of spirituall Hierusalem The buylding of spirituall Hierusalem whose fundation is Christe wyllynge all the nations of the worlde to bee buylded vppon the same It is the propertie of a wyse buylder to vse such tooles as the woorke requireth And not at all tymes or in all woorkes to vse one toole For that that serueth in softe tymber wyll not serue in knottie pieces nor yet for stones Thexpert phisitian vseth vâ—hement remedies for desperate diseases And cunninge surgians vse burnynge and cuttynge if the case so require as in cuttynge of the fynger to saue the hande or in cuttyng of the hande to saue the hole body Ye it hath sumtymes so chaunsed that wheras men haue enteÌ„ded hurt there hath good proceaded therof in fine As he that wolde haue slaine Prometheus wounded his wenne with his swoorde whereby he was healed of that disease So is god able to turne euyll into good and to make thynges that are not as thynges that are Euen so although summe wyll obiecte that the desyre of golde was the chiefe cause that moued the Spanyardâ—s and Portugales to searche the newe founde landes trewly albeit we shulde admitte it to bee the chiefe cause yet dooth it not folowe that it was the only cause forasmuch as nothyng letteth but that a man may bee a warrier or a marchaunte and also a Christian. Therefore what so euer owre chiefe intente bee eyther to obteyne worldely fame or rychesse althoughe the zeale to encrease Christian religion ought châ—efly to moue vs I wolde to god we wolde fyrst attempte the matter And then I doubte not but that it wolde so comme to passe with vs as it dyd with them who of longe time after the beginning of the worlde before menne were accustomed to eate flesshe thought it first sufficient so to vse them selues amonge beastes that they were not hurâ—e of them but shortly after vsed them for theyr commoditie Then begunne to weare theyr skinnes And in fine fell to eatynge of theyr flesshe and to vse certeine partes of theÌ„ for remedies ageinst diseases Euen so may these barbarians by the only conuersation with the Christians although they were enforced therto be brought to such familiaritie with ciuilitie and vertue that not onely we maye take greate commoditie thereby but they may also herewith imbibe trewe religion as a thing accidental although neyther they nor we shulde seeke the same For lyke as they that goo much in the soonne are coloured therewith although they go not for that purpose So may the conuersation of the Christians with the gentyles induce theym to owre religion The conuersion of the gentiles where there is no greater cause of contrarye to resyste as is in the Iuwes and Turkes who are alredy drowned in
Amonge the whiche certes those are esteemed moste trewe and autentyke which haue byn wrytten by wyttie and expert men well trauayled in the worlde as faythfull wytnesses of suche thynges as they haue partely seene and byn partely informed by credible persons Of this mynde and opinion was Plinie who better then any other autoure hathe wrytten in xxxvii bookes al that perteyneth to the naturall historie conteyned al in one volume dedicated to Uespasian Themperour Wherein as a prudente historiographer he declareth suche thynges as he had harde Attributynge the seconde autoritie to suche as he had redde in autoures that wrote before hym And thyrdely ioyned to the same hystorie such thynges as he hym selfe had seene as moste certeyne testimonie Whose exemple I folowynge wyl in this my breefe summarie reduce and represent to yowr maiesties memorie such thynges as I haue seene in yowre Empyre of the West Indies aswell in the Ilandes as in the firme lande of the Ocean sea where I haue serued nowe more then twelue yeares in the place of suruoyer of the golde mynes by the commaundemente of the Catholyke kynge Don Fernando the fyfte of that name and graundfather vnto yowre maiestie to whom god gaue great fame and glorie Sense whose death also I haue lykewies serued and trust whyle the rest of my lyfe yet remayneth to serue yowre maiestie as shall please yowe to commaunde As touchynge which thinges and such other lyke I haue more largely written in a hystorie begunne as sone as my age was rype to take suche matters in hande Wherein furthermore I haue made mention of suche thynges as haue chaunced in Spaine from the yeare .1494 vnto this tyme. Addynge also thereunto suche thynges woorthy memorie as I haue obserued in other realmes and prouinces where I haue trauayled And haue likewise particulerly wrytten the lyues and woorthy actes of the catholyke Princes of famous memorie Don Ferdinando and lady Elizabeth his wyfe to theyr last dayes After whose fruition of heauenly Paradyse I haue noted suche thynges as haue chaunced in yowre most fortunate succession Not omittynge particularly to wryte a large booke of such thynges as haue seemed moste woorthy to bee noted as touchynge yowre maiesties Indies But for asmuche as that volume remaineth in the citie of San. Dominico in the Ilande of Hispaniola where I dwell and am placed in housholde with wyfe chyldren and famelie I haue brought no more with me of that my writynge then I beare in memorie Determynynge notwithstandynge for yowre maiesties recreation to make a breefe rehearsall of certeyne notable thynges wherof I haue more largely entreated in my sayde general historie and such as may seeme moste woorthy to bee redde of yowre maiestie Of the which although a great parte haue byn wrytten by other who haue also seene the same yet perhappes they are not so exactly and particularly described as of me forasmuche as in maner all that trauayle into these Indies haue greater respecte to luker and gaynes then diligently to searche the woorkes of nature wherunto I haue byn euer naturally inclyned and haue therfore with all possible endeuour applyed myne eyes and intelligence to fynde the same And this presente Summarie shall not bee contrary or dyuers from my larger historie wherin as I haue sayde I haue more amplye declared these thynges but shal onely more breefely expresse theffect therof vntyl such tyme as Godde shal restore me to myne owne house where I may accomplyshe and fynishe my sayd general hystorie Where vnto to gyue the fyrst principle I say that Don Christopher Colonus as it is well knowen beinge the fyrste Admyrall of this India discouered the same in the dayes of the Catholyke kynge Don Ferdinando and the ladye Elyzabeth his wyfe graundfather and graundmother vnto yowre maiestie In the yeare .1491 And came to Barzalona in the yeare 1492. with the fyrst Indians and other shewes and profes of the great ryches and notice of this west Empire The whiche gyfte and benefyte was suche that it is vnto this daye one of the greatest that euer any subiect or seruant hath done for his prince or countrey as is manifeste to the hole worlde And to saye the trewth this shall doubtlesse bee so commodious and profytable vnto the hole realme of Spayne that I repute hym no good Castilian or Spanyarde that doothe not recognise the same And as I haue sayde before forasmuch as in my sayde generall historie I haue more largely intreated of these thynges I intend at this present only briefely to rehearse certeyne especiall thynges the whiche suerly are verye fewe in respecte of the thousandes that myght bee sayde in this behalfe Fyrst therfore I wyl speake sumwhat of the nauigation into these parties Then of the generation of the nations whiche are founde in the same with their rytes customes and cerimonies Also of beastes foules byrdes woormes fysshes seas ryuers sprynges trees plantes herbes and dyuers other thinges which are engendered boothe on the lande and in the water And forasmuche as I am one of thorder and company of them that are appointed to returne into these regions to serue yowre maiestie yf therfore the thynges conteyned in this booke shall not bee distincte in such order as I promised to performe in my greater woorke I desyre yowre maiestie to haue no respecte herevnto but rather to consyder the noueltie of suche straunge thynges as I haue herein declared whiche is the chiefe ende that moued me to write Protestyng that in this Summarie I haue written the trewth of suche thynges as coome to my remembraunce wherof not onely I my selfe can testifye but also diuers other woorthy and credible men which haue bin in those regions and are nowe presente in yowre maiesties courte And thus it shal suffyce to haue saide thus much vnto yowre maiestie in maner of a proheme vnto this present worke which I most humbly desyre yowre maiesticas thankfully taccept as I haue written it faythfully ¶ Of the ordinary nauygation from Spayne to the Weste Indies THe nauygation whiche is commonly made from Spayne to the Weste India is from Siuile where yowre maiestie haue yowre house of contractation for those partes with also yowre offycers thervnto perteynynge of whom the capitaines take their passeporte and lycence The patrones of suche shyppes as are appoynted to these vyages imbarke theym selues at san Luca di Barameda where the ryuer Cuadalchiber entereth into the Ocean sea And from hense they folowe their course toward the Ilandes of Canarie Of these seuen Ilandes they commonly touche two that is eyther Grancanaria or Gomera ▪ And here the shyppes are furnysshed with freshe water fuell cheese biefe and suche other thynges whiche may seeme requisyte to be added to suche as they brynge with them owte of Spayne From Spayne to these Ilandes is coommonly eyght dayes saylinge or lyttle more or lesse And when they are arryued there they haue sayled two hundereth and fyftie leaques whiche make a thousande myles accomptyng foure
of the which the sayde pilote brought summe with hym into Spayne They haue syluer and copper and certeyne other metalles They are Idolaters and honoure the soonne and moone Idolaters and are seduced with suche superstitions and errours as are they of the firme And to haue wrytten thus muche it maye suffice of suche thinges as haue semed to me most woorthy to be noted in the SuÌ„marie of Gonzalus Ferdinandus wrytten to TheÌ„perours maiestie ¶ Of other notable thynges gathered owte of dyuers autours And fyrste of the vniuersal carde and newe worlde THe hole globe or compase of the earth was dyuyded by the auncient wryters into three partes as Europa Affrica and Asia whiche partes conteyne in longitude .180 degrees begynnynge the fyrst degree at the Ilandes of Canarie And conteyne in latitude towarde the North .63 degrees begynnynge the fyrste degree frome the Equinoctiall And .10 degrees towarde the South All the reste of the longitude which conteyneth other .180 degrees is discouered of late tyme as the West India cauled the newe worlde west India the newe worlde bycause none of the owlde autoures had any knowelege or made any mention therof All that therfore is cauled newe which is Westwarde from the Ilandes of Canarie And thus accomptynge these .180 degrees towarde the East discouered in owlde tyme with the other .180 degrees discouered of late dayes they make 360. degrees which is al the circle of the Equinoctiall in the sphere The circumference of the Equinoctiall lyne Also the part aboue the .63 degrees of the North latitude The North regions was founde by men of late tyme as Norway and Grutlande with many other prouinces Lykewise the part more south then .10 degrees of latitude The South regions was discouered of late dayes althoughe Ariane and Plinie say that it was knowen in owlde tyme whiche yf it were yet had they no suche particular description thereof as we haue in these dayes ¶ A discourse of the vyage made by the Spanyardes rounde abowte the worlde THe vyage made by the Spanyardes rownde abowt the worlde is one of the greatest and moste marueylous thynges that hath bynne knowen to owre tyme. And althoughe in many thynges we excell owre aunciente predicessours in this especiallye wee so farre exceade all theyr inuentions that the lyke hath not heretofore byn knowen to this day This viage was written particularly by Don Peter Martyr of Angleria being one of the counsayle of Themperours Indies Don Peter Martyr to whom also was commytted the wrytyng of the hystorie and examination of al suche as returned from thense into Spayne to the citie of Siuile in the yeare M. D. xxii But sendynge it to Rome to bee prynted in that miserable tyme when the citie was sacked it was lost and not founde to this day or any memory remaynynge therof Rome sacked sauynge suche as sum that redde the same haue borne in mynde And amonge other notable thynges by hym wrytten as touchynge that vyage this is one that the Spanyardes hauynge sayled abowt three yeares and one moneth A day lost in three yeares and one moneth and the most of them notynge the dayes day by day as is the maner of all them that sayle by the Ocean they founde when they were returned to Spayne that they had loste one daye So that at theyr arryuall at the porte of Siuile beinge the seuenth day of September was by theyr accompt but the sixth day And where as Don Peter Martyr declared the strange effecte of this thynge to a certeyne excellente man who for his singuler lernynge was greately aduaunced to honoure in his common welthe and made Themperours ambassadoure this woorthy gentelman who was also a greate Philosopher and Astronomer answered that it coulde not otherwyse chaunce vnto them hauynge sayled three yeares continually euer folowynge the soonne towarde the West And sayde furthermore that they of owlde tyme obserued that all suche as sayled behinde the soonne towarde the West dyd greatly lengthen the day And albeit that the sayde booke of Peter Martyr is perysshed yet hath not fortune permitted that the memorie of so woorthy and marueylous an enterpryse shulde vtterly bee extincte forasmuch as a certeyne noble gentleman of the cytie of Uincenza in Italie cauled master Antonie Pigafetta who beinge one of the coompanie of that vyage and after his returne into Spayne in the shyppe Uictoria Antonie Pigafetta was made knyght of the Rhodes wrote a particular and large booke therof which he gaue to Themperours Maiestie and sente a coppie of the same into Fraunce to the lady Regente mooâ—her vnto the frenche kynge who committed it to an excellent philosopher cauled master Iacobus Faber Iacobus Faber hauyng longe studyed in Italy wyllynge him to translate it into the Frenche toonge This booke therefore was printed fyrst in the frenche toonge and then in the Italien with also an epistle to the Cardinall of Salsepurge as touchynge the same viage written by Maximiliane Transiluane secretarie to Themperours Maiestie Maximilian Transiluane in the yeare .1522 And doubtelesse amonge al the cities of Italie the citie of Uicenza may herein much glorie that beside the ancient nobilitie and many excellent and rare wyttes whiche it hath browght furth aswell in learnynge as discipline of warre it hath also had so woorthy and valiaunt a gentleman as was the sayde master Antonie Pigafetta who hauing compased abowte the ball or globe of the worlde hath lykewyse described that vyage particularly For the whiche his so noble and woonderfull an enterprise so happily atchiued The rewarde of noble enterpryseâ— if the same had byn doone in the owlde tyme when th empyre of the Grekes and Romans florysshed he shulde doubtelesse haue byn rewarded with an Image of marble or golde erected in a place of honoure in perpetuall memorie and for a singular exemple of his vertue to the posteritie In fine this may we bouldly affirme that the antiquitie had neuer such knowlege of the worlde whiche the soonne coompaseth abowte in xxiiii houres The antiquitie had no suche knowlege of the worlde as we haue as we haue at this presente by thindustrye of men of this owre age But before I speake any thynge of the viage I haue thought it good fyrst to adde hereunto the Epistle of Maximilian Transiluane which he wrote to the Cardinall of Salsepurge as a preface to his sayde booke ¶ The Epistle of Maximilian Transiluane secretarie to The Emperours maiestie wrytten to the ryght honorable and reuerende lorde the lorde Cardinall of Salsepurge of the marueylous and woonderfull nauigation made by the Spanyardes rounde abowt the worlde in the yeare of Christ. M. D. xix IN these daies my most honorable and reuerend lorde returned one of those fiue shippes which the yeare before Themperours beinge at Saragosa in Spayne were at his maiesties commaundement sent to the newe worlde heretofore vnknowen vnto vs to seeke the Ilandes of spices The
Ilandes of Molucca For albeit the Portugales brynge vs great quantitie of spyces from that parte of Easte India whiche in owlde tyme was cauled Aurea Chersonesus where is nowe thought to bee the greate and ryche citie of Malaccha yet in Easte India growe none of those spices excepte pepper Aurea Chersonesus Malaccha Spyces For other spices as Sinamome cloues nutmegges and mase whiche is the huske that couereth the shell of the nutte are brought frome other farre contreys froÌ„ Ilandes scarsely knowen by theyr names From the whiche Ilandes they are brought in shyps or barkes made withowt any iren tooles and tyed togyther with cordes of date trees with rounde sayles lykewise made of the smaule twigges of the branches of date trees weaued togyther These barkes they caule Giunâ—he with the whiche barkes and sayles they make theyr vyages with onely one wynde in the stearne or contrarywyse Neyther yet is it a thynge greatly to bee marueyled at that these Ilandes where the spyces growe haue byn vnknowen so many worlde 's past vnto owre tyme The Ilandes of Spyces vnknowen in owlde tyme. forasmuch as all such thynges as vnto this day haue byn wrytten of owld autours of the places where spices growe are all fabulous and false In so muche that the countreys where they affirme theym to growe are nowe certeynely founde to bee further frome the place where they growe in deede then we are from them For lettynge passe many other thynges that are wrytten I wyll speake onlâ— of this which Herodotus otherwise a famous auctouâ— affâ—â—meth that Sinamome Herodutus Sinamome is founde in the toppes of the nestes of certeyne byrdes and foules that brynge it frome farre countreys especially the Phenyx The Phenyx the which I knowe no man that euer hath seene But Plinie who myght more certeynely affirme thynges by reason that before his tyme many thynges were knowen and discouered by the nauigations of great Alexander and other Plinie The nauigations of greate Alexander sayth that Sinamome groweth in that parte of Ethiope which the people inhabite cauled Trogloditi Ethiope Trogloditi Neuerthelesse it is nowe founde that Sinamome groweth very farre from all Ethiope and muche further frome the Trogloditi whiche dwell in caues vnder the grounde But to owre men which are nowe returned from those partes and the Ilandes of spices hauynge also good knowlege of Ethiope it was necessarie to passe farre beyonde Ethiope beefore they coome to these Ilandes The nauigatâ—on abowte the worlde and to coompasse abowte the whole worlde and many tymes vnder the greatest circumference of heauen The which nauigation made by thâ—m being the most marueylous thynge that euer was doone by man vppon the earth sence the fyrst creation of the worlde and neuer founde before or knowen or attempted by any other I haue deliberated faythfully to wryte to yowre honorable lordshippe and to declare the hole successe therof As touchynge which matter I haue with all diligence made inquisition to knowe the trewth aswell by relation of the Capitayne of that shyppe as also by conference with euery of the maryners that returned with hym All which gaue the selfe same information both to Themperours maiestie and dyuers other And this with such faythfulnesse and sinceritie that not only they are iudged of all men to haue declared the trewth in all thynges but haue thereby also gyuen vs certeyne knowlege that all that hath hytherto byn sayde or written of owlde autours as touchynge these thynges The owldâ— autours reproued are false and fabulous For who wyll beleue that men are found with only one legge Or with such fiete whose shadowe couereth theyr bodyes Or men of a cubite heyght and other such lyke beinge rather monsters then men Monsters Of the which neyther the Spanyardes who in owre tyme saylyng by the Ocean sea The vyages of the Spanyardes and Poâ—tugales haue discouered al the coastes of the lande toward the West both vnder and aboue the Equinoctiall nor the Portugales who compassynge abowt al Affryke haue passed by all the Easte and lykewyse discouered all those coastes vnto the great goulfe cauled Sinus Magnus Sinus Magnus nor yet the Spanyardes in this theyr laste nauigation in the which they compased abowt the hole earth dyd neuer in any of their vyages wryte of such monsters which doubtelesse they wold not haue omytted if they myght haue had certeyne knowelege therof But nowe intendynge to speake of the whole world I wyll not bee longe in my preface but begynne my narration as foloweth ⧠A briefe declaration of the vyage or nauigation made abowte the worlde Gathered owt of a large booke wrytten hereof by master Antonie Pygafetta Uincentine knyght of the Rhodes and one of the coompâ—nye of that vyage in the which Ferdinando Magalianes a Portugale whom sum caule Magellanus was generall Capitayne of the nauie ALthowgh Sebastian Munster in his vniuersall Cosmographie in the fyfthe booke of the landes of the greater Asia which I translated into Englyshe abowte two yeares senâ—e hath wrytten of the vyage of Magellanus Sebastian Munster declarynge therein howe the Spanyardes by the West and the Portugales by the Easte saylyng to the Ilandes of Molucca The Ilandes of Molucca compased the hole globe of the worlde betwene them yet haue I here thought it good to make a breefe repeticion of this vyage addynge hereunto dyuers notable thynges which were not touched of Munster as I haue gathered them owt of the bookes of Antonie Pigafetta and Transiluanus wrytten of the same vyage For albeit in deede it was a straunge and woonderful thynge that the Spanyardes and Portugales compased the hole circumference of the worlde betwene them yet is it more marueylous that the same was doone with one shippe and one coompanie of men as dyd the Spanyardes in this vyage who keepynge theyr continuall coursâ— by the Weste returned into Spayne by the Easte A thynge doubtlesse so much more woonderfull and strange then yf they had returned from the halfe circumference by the same way they went In howe muche they were ignorante in the vyage neuer attempted beefore besyde the thousande daungiours and perylles whiche they were daylye lyke to faule into aswell by wanderynge in vnknowen coastes as also by faulynge into the handes of the Portugales by whose dominions in the Easte Controuerâ—ie betwâ—ne the Spanyardes and Portugales they shulde needes passe of necessitie not trustynge to theyr gentelnesse for the controuersie which had byn longe betwene them for the Ilandes of Molucca I wyll therefore as I haue sayde make a briefe rehearsall of this vyage from the begynnynge to the endynge Omyttynge neuerthelesse many notable thynges whiche are more largely described in the bookes of Maximilianus Transiluanus and Antonius Pigafetta The tenthe day of August in the yeare of owre lorde M. D. xix Ferdinando Magalianes departed from the porte of Siuile in Spayne
speaketh euyll of the poure resisteth and speaketh euyll of god Thou shalt not speake euyll of the prince or ruler of thy people saith saint Paule But wheras nowe by the poure of Neptunus I wot nere with what wynde I haue byn dryuen thus farre from my nauigations The nauigations of the Spanyardes I haue thoughâ— good to turne my sayles and to folowe the ordinarie course which I beganne and by thexemple of this woorthy capitayne kynge Ferdinando encourage al other to theyr poure to attempte the lyke vyages As touchynge the which in fewe woordes to declare my opynyon if any man sâ—ulde asâ—e me what I thynke these thinges wyll growe to in tyme I wyll answere as dooth the autoure of this booke that when I consyder howe farre owre posteritie shall see the Christian religion enlarged I am not able with tounge or penne to expresse what I conceaue hereof in my mynd Yet one thyng I see which enforceth me to speake lament that the haruest is so great the workemen so few The Spanyardes haue shewed a good exemple to all Chrystian nations to folowe But as god is great and woonderfull in all his woorkes so besyde the portion of lande perteynyng to the Spanyardes beinge eyght tymes bygger then Italye as yowe maye reade in the laste booke of the seconde Decade and beside that which perteineth to the Portugales Itali is 〈◊〉 myles in lengthe and 126. in breadthe there yet remayneth an other portion of that mayne lande reachynge towarde the northeast thought to be as large as the other and not yet knowen but only by the sea coastes neyther inhabyted by any Christian men whereas neuerthelesse as wryteâ—h Gemma Phrisius in this lande there are many fayre and frutefull regions hygh mountaynes and fayre ryuers with abundaunce of golde and dyuers kyndes of beastes Also cities and towres so wel buylded and people of such ciuilitie that this parte of the worlde seemeth lyttle inferiour to owre Europe if thinhabitauntes had receaued owre religion They are wyttâ—e people and refuse not barterynge with straungers These regioÌ„s are cauled Terra Florida and Regio Baccalearum or Bacchallaos of the which yow may reade sumwhat in this booke in the vyage of the woorthy owlde man yet lyuing Sebastiane Cabote The lande cauled Terra florida regio baccalearum in the .vi. booke of the thyrde Decade Looke the last booke thirde decade But Cabote touched only in the north corner and most barbarous parte hereof This region is now cauled Noua Hispania Sâ—m thinke that this câ—tie is Quinsaâ— of marcus Pâ—ulus from whense he was repulsed with Ise in the moneth of Iuly Neuerthelesse the west and south partes of these regions haue sence byn better searched by other and founde to bee as we haue sayde before The chiefe citie in the southwest partes of these regions is cauled Temixtetan or Mexico in maner vnder the circle cauled Tropicus Cancri and sâ—rongely defended by the nature of the place Looke the last booke of the 3. decade and the beâ—â—nâ—ing of the booke of â—he landâ—s lately â—ound For it standeth in a very great lake hauynge abowt it innumerable bridges and buyldynges to be compared to the woorkes of Dedalus Thâ—nhabitaunâ—es also can wryte and reade Summe wryters connecte thâ—s lande to the firme lande of Asia But the truth hereof is not yet knowen And althoughe the Spanyardes haue certeyne colonies in that part of this lande that is nowe cauled Noua Hispania yet are the people for the moste parte Idolatours Howe much therfore is it to be lamented and howe greatly dooth it sounde to the reproche of all Christendome and especially to such as dwell nerest to these landes as we doo beinge muche nearer vnto the same then are the Spanyardes as within .xxv. dayes saylinge and lesse howe muche I saye shall this sounde vnto owre reproche and inexcusable slothfulnesse and negligence bothe before god and the worlde that so large dominions of such tractable people and pure gentiles not beinge hytherto corrupted with any other false religion and therefore the easyer to bee allured to embrase owres are nowe knowen vnto vs and that we hauâ— no respecte neyther for goddes cause nor for owre owne commoditie to attempte summe vyages into these coastes to doo for owr partes as the Spaniardes haue doone for theyrs and not euer lyke sheepe to haunte one trade and to doo nothynge woorthy memorie amonge men or thankes before god who maye herein woorthely accuse vs for the slackenesse of owre dewtie towarde hym Saynt Paule the doctoure of the gentiles to whose Apostelshippe also these newe gentiles doo perteine was of such zeale toward the Iewes whom god had reiected The godlye zeale of S. Paule that he wysshed hym selfe to bee accursed of god for theyr sakes He went from Damascus to Arabie preached the gospell in Grecia came prisoner to Rome was scourged and stoned and suffered thryse shypwracke what then thinke yow he wold do if he were now aliue Is it to be thought that he wolde not aduenture .xxv. dayes saylynge to come to such a marte of soules in such redinesse to bee easely obteyned I beleue verely that neyther death nor the deuyll nor Leuiathan nor the worlde shulde let hym but that he wolde geue thonset ageynst them all in hope of victorie by hym by whom he sayth he can doo all thynges He was not negligent in his office nor ignorant of his rewarde but trusted to the promesse of him that sayde by the mouth of the prophet Isai Isai. 66. Of them that shal be saued I wyl sende sum to the gentyles in the sea into Aphrike and Libia Italie and Grecia and into the Ilandes a farre of to theÌ„ that haue not harde of me and haue not seene my glorie The like zeale that Paule had and proceadynge of the same spirite hath euer sence Chrystes tyme moued not only the Apostles but also many other famous and godly men as superuisours of his testamente to sende owte preachers into dyuers partes of the worlde to shewe furth the gladde tydynge of the gospell By this zeale dyd Gregorye bysshoppe of Rome and fyrste of that name Gregorie thâ— First when he sawe Englysshe mens chyldren in Rome and asked what nation they were when answere was made hym in the laten tounge that they were Angli that is Englysshe men he sayd alludyng to the similitude of the worde that they myght wel be cauled Angeli that is Angels Thoffice of byshoppes Meanyng therby that lyke as god had done his part in geuyng them bodies of natural bewtie and comelynesse so it apperteyned to his office beinge the cheefe pastoure of goddes flocke to prouyde that theyr soules might be made woorthy to inhabite such bodies and the hole nation consecrated vnto god by baptisme For he sayde furthermore It is meete that vnto these also the gospell of life bee preached And hereuppon immediatly sent preachers into
bringynge with them popingayes breade water and cunnyes But especially stocke doues much bygger then owres which he affirmeth in sauour and taste to bee muche more pleasaunt then owre partryches Stock doues of more pleasaunt tast theÌ„ partriches Wherfore where as in eatinge of them he perceaued a certeyne sauoure of spyce to proceade from them he commaunded the croppe to bee opened of suche as were newely kylled and fownde the same full of sweete spyces whiche he argued to bee the cause of theyr strange taste For it standeth with good reason that the flesshe of beastes shulde drawe the nature and qualitie of theyr accustomed nuryâ—hemente As the Admirall harde masse on the shore there came towarde hym a certeyne gouernoure The humanitie of a reuerende owlde gouernour a man of foure score yeares of age and of great grauitie althowgh he were naked sauinge his pryuie partes He had a greate trayne of menne waytinge on hym All the whyle the preeste was at masse he shewed hym selfe verye humble and gaue reuerente attendaunce with graue and demure countenaunce When the masse was ended he presented to the Admirall a baskette of the fruites of his countrey delyueringe the same with his owne handes When the Admirall had gentelly interteyned hym desyringe leaue to speake he made an oration in the presence of Didacus thinterpretoure in this effecte An oration of the naked gouernour I haue byn aduertised moste mighty prince that you haue of late with greate power subdued many landes and Regions hytherto vnknoweÌ„ to you and haue browght no little feare vppon all the people and inhabitantes of the same The which your good fortune you shal beare with lesse insolencie Theyr opinion of the 〈◊〉 of man if you remember that the soules of men haue two iourneyes after they are departed from this bodye The one fowle and darke prepared for suche as are iniurious and cruell to man kynde The other pleasaunt and delectable ordeyned for theÌ„ which in theyr lyfe tyme loued peace and quietnes If therefore you acknowleage your selfe to bee mortall and consyder that euery man shall receaue condigne rewarde or punyshemeÌ„t for such thinges as he hath done in this life you wyl wrongefully hurte no man When he had sayde these wordes and other lyke which were declared to the Admirall by thinterpretour he marueylinge at the iudgemente of the naked owlde man answered that he was gladde to heare his opinion as touchinge the sundry iourneys and rewardes of sowles departed from theyr bodyes Supposinge that nother he or any other of thinhabitantes of those Regions Desyre of golde founde that which religion coulde not fynde had had any knowleage thereof Declaringe further that the chiefe cause of his comminge thyther was to instructe them in such godly knowleage and trewe religion And that he was sente into those countreys by the Christian kynge of Spayne his lorde and maister for the same purpose Virtus post nummos c. And specially to subdue and punishe the Canibales and such other mischeuous people And to defende innocentes ageynst the violence of such euyl doers wyllynge hym and all other such as embrased vertue in no case to bee afrayde But rather to open his mynde vnto him if eyther he or any other suche quiete men as he was hadde susteyned any wronge of theyr neyghbours and that he wold see the same reuenged These comfortable wordes of the Admirall soo pleased the owlde man that notwithstandyng his extreeme age he woulde gladly haue gone with the Admiral as he had doone in deede if his wyfe and chyldren had not hyndered hym of his purpose But he marueyled not a lyttle that the Admirall was vnder the dominion of an other And muche more when thinterpretour towlde hym of the glorye magnificence pompes greate power and furnymentes of warre of owre kynges and of the multitudes of cities and townes which were vnder theyr dominions Intendyng therfore to haue gonne with the Admirall his wyfe and children fell prostrate at his feete with teares desyrynge hym not to forsake them and leaue them desolate At whose pytifull requestes the worthy owlde man beinge moued remayned at home to the comfort of his people and famylie satisfyenge rather them then hym selfe For not yet ceasinge to woonder and of heauy countenaunce bycause he myght not departe he demaunded oftentymes if that lande were not heauen which browght foorth suche a kynde of men For it is certeyne that amonge them the lande is as common as the sonne and water The Iland as common as the sunne and water And that Myne and Thyne the seedes of all myscheefe haue no place with them They are contente with soo lyttle that in soo large a countrey they haue rather superfluitie theÌ„ scarsenes Soo that as wee haue sayde before they seeme to lyue in the goulden worlde The golden worlde without toyle lyuinge in open gardens not intrenched with dykes dyuyded with hedges or defended with waules They deale trewely one with an other without lawes without bookes and without Iudges They take hym for an euyll and myscheuous man which taketh pleasure in doinge hurte to other And albeit that they delyte not in superfluities yet make they prouision for thincrease of suche rootes ProuisioÌ„ without care wherof they make theyr breade as Maizium Iucca and Ages contented with suche simple dyet Simple diete wherby health is preserued and dyseases auoyded The Admirall therfore departinge from thense and myndinge to returne ageyne shortly after chaunced to coome ageyne to the Ilande of Iamaica beinge on the sowthe syde therof The Iland of Iamaica and coasted all a longe by the shore of the same from the Weste to the Easte From whose last corner on the East syde when he sawe towarde the North on his lefte hande certeyn high mountains he knewe at the length that it was the sowthe syde of the Ilande of Hispaniola hispaniola which he had not yet passed by Wherfore at the Calendes of September enteringe into the hauen of the same Ilande cauled saynt Nycolas hauen he repayred his shippes to thintent that he myght ageyne wast and spoyle the Ilandes of the Canibales The Canibales and burne all theyr Canoas that those raueninge wolues myght no longer persecute and deuoure the innocent sheepe But he was at this tyme hyndered of his purpose by reason of a dysease which he had gotteÌ„ with to muche watchinge Sickenes of to much watchinge Thus beinge feeble and weake he was ledde of the maryners to the citie of Isabella where with his two brytherne which were there other his familiers he recouered his health in shorte space Yet coulde he not at this tyme assayle the Canibales by reason of sedicion that was rysen of late amonge the Spanyardes which he had lefte in Hispaniola wherof we wyll speake more heareafter Thus fare ye wel ¶ The fourth booke of the fyrst decade to Lodouike Cardinall of Aragonie COlonus the
with snowe sauynge that at certeyne â—ymes of the yeare the onely toppes are seene hate bicause the snow is there molten by reason of the thicke and warme â—loudes The playnes therfore or mylde softe and pleasaunt mountaynes seeme to brynge foorthe golde And the rough craggye mountaynes with their coulde valleyes are the places whâ—re syluer is engendered Note where goâ—d and sylueâ— are engeÌ„dered They haue also laton wherof they make such maces and hammers as are vsed in the warres I thinke this lâ—ton to â—e sum kyâ—de of pure copper â–ª or els copper that holdeâ—h golde Foâ— laton is an artificial meâ—aâ— hath no natuâ—all myne Theyr bokes Dyggynge mattockes also and spades for they haue nother Iren nor steele But lette vs nowe speake of the presentes sent into Spayne to the kyng and fyrste of the bokes These procuratours therfore of the newe colonie of the prouynce of Colluacana emong other their presentes brought also a great number of bookes the leaues wherof are made of the inner ryndes or barkes of trees thinner then eyther that of the elme or of the salowe These they smere or annoint with the pytche of molten Bitumen and while they be softe extend them to what forme them lysteth When they be coulde and harde they rubbe them ouer with a certeyne playster It is to bee thoughte that they beate the playster into fine floure and so temperynge it with sum byndynge moister to make a cruste therwith vppon the leaues wheron they wryte with any sharpe instrument and blotte the same againe with a â—punge or sum suche other thynge as marchaunt men and noble mens stewardes are accustomed to do with their wrytynge tables made of the woodde of fygge trees The leaues of their bokes are not set in order after the maner of owres but are extended many cubettes in length The matters whiche they write are conteyned in square table Not loose but so bounde togither with the toughe and flexible cley cauled Bitumen that they seeme lyke woodden tables whiche had byn vnder the handes of cunnyng bokebynders Which way so euer the booke lyeth open there are two leaues seene and two sydes written with as many lyinge hyd vnder them exâ—epte the booke be vnfoulded in length For vnder one leafe there are many leaues ioyned togyther The formes of their letters are nothynge lyke vnto owres Theyr letters But are muche more crooked and entangeled lyke vnto fyshehookes knottes snares starres dise fyles and suche other muche lyke vnto the Egiptian letters and written in lynes lyke vnto owres Here and there betwene the lynes are pictured the shapes of men dyuers beastes And especially the Images of kynges and other noble men what is conteyned in theyr bookes Wherby it is to be thought thaâ— in suche bookes the factes of their kynges are conceyued as wee see the lyke emonge vs howe owre printers expresse the summe of histories in pictures that men may therby be the more allured to bye suche bookes The couerynges of their bookes are also artifycially wrought and paynted When they are shutte they seeme to differre nothynge from owres in forme In these bookes are furthermore comprehended their lawes rytes of ceremonies and sacrifyces annotations of Astronomie accomptes computations of tymes with the maner of graffynge sowyng and other thynges perteinyng to husbandry They begynne the yeare from the goynge downe of the seuen starres cauled Vergiliae or Pleiades And counte theyr monethes accordyng to the moones They name a moneth Tona of the moone For in theyr language they caule the moone Tona they reken the dayes by the soonnes Therfore as many daies as they name they saye so many soonnes The soonne in their tonge is cauled Tonatiâ—o They destribute the yeare without any reason why into twentie monethes And the moneth into as many dayes The temples whiche they frequent Templeâ— rychly adourned they adourne with golden hangynges and other ornamentes of golde and syluer with precious stones intermixte At the springe of the daye Prayer they perfume their temples with frankensence and make their praiers before they take in hande any other busynesse But oh horrible crueltie For thinhabitauntes of all these tractes also doo sacrifyce children to their Idoles in lyke maner as wee haue sayde before They sacryfice chyldren captyues At suche tyme as the seedes lye in the ground and when the corne begynneth to shewe foorth the eare they destinate to their Zemes suche bondmen as they haue bought or suche captiues as they haue taken in the warres which they sacrifyce after that they haue made them great chiere and decked them in precious apparell Also before they sacrifyce these poore wretches A wronge way to heaueÌ„ they lead them about the towne whyle al the people salute them humbly and reuerently affyrmyng that in shorte space they shal be receaued into the coompanye of the goddes They honour their Zemes with an other sharp kind of deuotion For they lette them selues bludde eyther in the tonge Bluddy gods lyps eares legges thyghes or brest which they take in their handes and hurle it vppe towarde heauen soo that with the faule therof the pauement of the temple is all sâ—arcled with bludde wherby they thincke that their goddes are well pleased From the newe colonie cauled Villa Ricca nyne myles distante Villa Ricca there is a towne of .xv. thousande houses whiche thinhabitauntes caule Cemobal but owre men named it Sybilla Siuilla Noua The kynge of this towne had fyue men whiche he reserued to be sacrifyced Whom when owre men wold haue delyuered the kynge made humble request to them sayinge that if they tooke awaye suche men as he had consecrated to be offered to the goddes they shulde brynge vtter destruction to hym and all his kyngdome The force of an owlde errour For if owre sacrifyces sayd he do cease owre Zemes wyll take suche displeasure with vs that they wyll suffer owre corne graffes and frutes to bee consumed of woormes scortched with drowth destroyed with fluddes or blasted with lyghtnynge Owre men perceauynge his ernestnesse herein thought it beste to chose the least euel perceauynge that it was yet no tyme to disquyes their myndes and therfore suffered them to exercise their accustomed ceremonies And althoughe their priestes promysse theym immortall glorie eternall felicytie and perpetuall conuersation with the goddes after the stormye dayes of this lyfe Theyr priests lyue chast yet do they with heauy countenaunces giue eare to their promisses and had rather be sette at lybertie Their priestes are named Quines in the plurell number and Quin in the syngular They leade a pure and chaste lyfe And are honoured of the people with feare and reuerence They make fagots of the bones of their enemyes which they haue taken in the warres Faggots of bones and hange vppe the same at the feete of their Zemes as tokens of the victories obteyned by their fauour To these they adde certayne
Cathay I was mynded to haue added hereunto dyuers other thynges but that for certeyne considerations I was persuaded to proceade no further Unto whoâ—e requeste herein satisfyinge rather other then my selfe wyllynge otherwyse to haue accomplysshed this booke to further perfection I was content to agree for two causes especaially mouynge me wherof the one is that as touchynge these trades and vyages â–ª as in maner in all other sciences there are certeyne secreates not to bee publysshed and made common to all men The other cause is that the parteners at whose charge this booke is prynted although the câ—ppy wherof they haue wrought a longe space haue cest them nought doo not neuerthelesse cease dayly to caule vppon me to make an end and proceade no further affirmynge that the booke wyll bee of to great a pryce not euery mans money fearyng rather theyr owne losse and hynderaunce then carefull to bee beneficiall to other as is nowe in maner the trade of all men which ordinarie respecte of priuate commoditie hath at this tyme so lyttle mâ—ued me I take god to wytnesse that for my paynes and trauayles taken herein such as they bee I may vppon iust occasion thynke my selfe a looser manye wayes except such men of good inclination as shall take pleasure and feele sum commonditie in the knowleage of these thynges shall thynke me woorthy theyr good woorâ—e wherwith I shall repute my selfe and my trauayles so abundantly satysfyed that I â—hall repute other mens gaynes a recompense for my losses as they may bee in deede yf men bee not vnthankefull which only vice of ingratitude hath hyndered the worlde of many benefites ☞ The nauigation by the frosen sea AT my beinge in Moscouia when I was sent thyther by kynge Ferdinando my lorde and master it so chaunced that Georgius Istoma the duke of Moscouia his interpretour a man of great experience who hadde before lerned the latin tounge in the court of Iohn kynge of Denmarke was there present at the same tyme. He in the yeare of Christ .1496 beinge sente of his prince with master Dauid a scotte borne and them ambassadour for the kynge of Denmarke where also I knows there at my fyrst legacie made me a breefe information of all thorder of his iorney The which forasmuch as it may seeme difficult and laborious aswel for the distaunce as daungerous places I haue thought good to describe the same as I receaued it at his mouth Fyrst he sayde that beinge sent of his prince with the sayd Dauid they came fyrst to Nouogardia the great Nouogardia And wheras at the tyme the kyngedome of Suecia reuolted frome the kynge of Denmarke and also the duke of Moscouia was at discention with the Suctians Suecia vnder the kynge of Denmarke by reason wherof they coulde not passe by the most accustomed way for the tumultes of war they attempted theyr iorney by an other way longer by safer And came fyrst from Nouogardia to the mouthes of the ryuer of Dwina and Potiwlo Dwina Potiwlo by a very dyfficult and paynefull iorney For he sayd that this iorney which can not bee to muche deâ—ested for suche laboures and trauayles continueth for the space of three hundreth leaques In fine takyng foure smaul shyppes or barkes at the mouthes of Dwina they sayled by the coaste on the ryght hande of the Ocean where they sawe certeyne hyghe and rowgh mountaynes hygh mountaynâ—s neare the north Ocean and at the lengthe saylynge .xvi. leaques and passynge a great goulfe folowed the coaste on the lefte hande And leauyng on the ryght hand the large sea which hath the name of the ryuer Petzora as haue also the mountaynes adiacent to the same they came to the people of Finlappia Finlappia who although they dwell here and there in lowe cottagies by the sea syde and leade in maner a beastly lyfe yet are they more meeke and tractable then the wylde Lappians The wylde Lappians He sayde that these also are tributaries to the prince of Moscouia Then leauynge the lande of the Lappians and saylynge fourescore leaques they came to the region of Nortpoden vnder the dominion of the kynge of Suecia This the Moscouites caule Katenska Semla The region of Nortpoden and the people Kayeni Departynge from hense and saylynge alonge by the coaste of a wyndynge and bendynge shore reachyng towarde the ryght hande they came to a promontorie or cape cauled the Holy nose The cape cauled the holy nose beinge a greate stone reachynge farre into the sea to the similitude of a nose vnder the whiche is seene a caue with a whyrlepoole which swalowth the sea euery syxe houres A whyrlâ—oole or swalowing goulfe and castynge furth the same ageyne with terryble rorynge and violence causeth the sayde whyrlepoole Sum caule this the nauell of the sea and other name it Charybdis He affirmeth that the violence of this swalowynge goulfe is such that it draweth into it inuolueth â—uch whyrle pooles are cauled vipers and swaloweth vp shyppes and al other thynges that comme neare it and that they were neuer in greater daungioure For the whyrlepoole so suddeynely and violentely drewe vnto it the shyppe or barke wherin they were caryed that with the helpe of ores and great labour they hardly escaped When they had thus ouerpassed the holy nose they came to a certeyne stonye mountayne which they shulde needes compasse abowte But beinge there stayed with contrary wyndes for the space of certeyne dayes the pylotte of the shippe spake vnto them in this effecte This stone sayth he that yowe see is cauled Semes The stone cauled Sâ—mes The which except we please with summe gyfte wee shall not passe by withowt great daungiour But the pylot beinge reproued of Istoma for his vayne superstition Superstitioâ— helde his peace And when they had byn deteined ther by tempest for the space of foure dayes at the length the tempest ceased and they went forwarde on theyr vyage with a prosperous wynd Then the pilotte spake vnto them ageyne sayinge Yowe despised my admonicion of pleasynge the Semes and scorned the same as vayne and superstitions But if I had not priuilie in the nyght ascended a rocke and pleased the Semes wee shulde surely haue had no passage Beinge demaundâ—d what he offered to the Semes Sacrifice to the stone Semes he sayde that he poured butter myxt with otemele vpon the stone which wee sawe reache furth into the sea As they sayled further they came to an other cape named Motka The cape Motka which was almost enuironed with the sea lyke an Ilande in whose extreme poynte is situate the castell of Barthus which sum caule Wardhus The Castel of Wardhus that is a house of defence or fortresse For the kynges of Norway haue there a garryson of men to defende theyr marches He sayde furthermore that that cape reacheth so farre into the sea that they coulde scarcely compasse it in eyght
with theyr inuenemed arrowes and slaying the most parte caryed away the women With this euyll begynnynge Iohn Ponce departed frome hense to Boriquen and from thense to Florida wher he went alaude with his souldyers to espie a place moste commodious to inhabite and plant a colonie Boriquena But the Indians commynge furth ageynst hym to defende the enterance assayled the Spanyardes fiercely and slewe and wounded many of them At which conflicte also he hym selfe beinge wounded with an arrowe dyed shortely after in the Ilande of Cuba The deaâ—â— of Iohn Ponce and so endynge his lyfe consumed a great parte of the rychesse he had before begotten at saynt Iohannes of Boriquen This Iohn Ponce had before sayled with Chrystopher Colon to the Ilande of Hispaniola in the yeare .1493 He was a gentel souldier in the warres of this Ilande and capitayne of the prouince of Niguei for Nycolas de Quando â—hat conquested the same The region of Floryda is a poynt or cape of lande reachynge into the sea lyke vnto a tounge The land of Floryda beinge a famous and notorious place amonge the Indians by reaâ—on of many Spanyardes that haue bin slayne there But wheras by same this Floryda was estemed a ryche lande many valient and noble men desyred the conquest therof amonge whome Ferdinando de Soto who had before byn a capitayne in Peru and greatly inryched by thimprisonment of kynge Atabaliba atteÌ„pted Ferdinando de Soto a vyage thyther with a good bande of men and spente fyue yeare in seekynge of golde mynes supposynge that this lande hadde byn lyke vnto Peru. In fine he dyed there and was the destruction and vndoinge of all that went with hym withowt inhabytynge that lande The valiente myndes of the Spanyardes in the which the conquestours had hytherto neuer good successe forasmuche as these Indians are valiente archers and stronge and hardy men But the valiant myndes of the Spanyardes not discouraged by these mysaduentures after the death of Ferdinando Soto The thyrde attempte of the conqueste of Florida many woorthy gentelmen desyred this conquest in the yeare .1544 amonge whom was Iulyan Samano and Peter de Ahumada beinge brotherne and men of sufficient abilitie for such an enterprise But neyther themprour beinge then in Germanie neyther the prince Don Phylippe his sonne who gouerned all the kyngedomes of Castile and Aragonie neyther yet the counsayle of the Indies wolde in any case agree to the conqueste â—erteine fryers attempte the conquest onely with woordes but with euyll successe Neuerthelesse not vtterly contemnynge the matter which they were partly persuaded myght otherwyse bee browght to passe they sent thyther fryer Luys Cancell of Baluastro with other fryers of the order of saynt Dominike who offered them selues to conuerte the nations of that lande from theyr gentilitie to the fayth of Chryst and obedience to Themperoure onely with woordes The fryer therfore goinge forwarde on his vyage at the kynges charges in the yeare .1549 went aland with foure other fryers which he tooke with hym and certeyne maryners with owt harnesse or weapons vnto whom as he began his preachynge The fryers are slayne and eaten many of the Indians of the sayd Florida resorted to the sea syde where withowt gyuynge audience to his woordes they caryed hym away with three other of his companyons and dyd eate them whereby they suffered martyrdomâ— for the fayth of Chryst. The resydue that escaped made hast to the shyppe and kept them selues for confessours as sum say Many that fauoure thintente of the fryers doo nowe consyder that by that meanes the Indians coulde not be browght to owre frendeshippe and religion Neuerthelesse that if it coulde so haue byn browght to passe A new kynde of disgrading it had byn better There came of late from that shippe one that had byn the page of Ferdinando de Sodo who declared that the Indians hanged vp the skynnes with the heades and crownes of the sayd fryers in one of theyr temples ¶ An opinion that Europa Africa and Asia are Ilandes and of certeyne nauigations abowt the same THe anciente wryters diuided this owre worlde into Asia Africa and Europa by the ryuer Tanais as Isocrates declareth in his Panegyrico Afterwarde they diuided Asia and Africa by the â—urnynges and course of the ryuer Nilus thowghe the same had byn better by the sea Bermeto that is the redde sea which almoste trauerseth and passeth throwgh the lande from the Ocean to the sea Mediterraneum which diuideth Europa and Asia But Berosus the Caldean sayth that Noe gaue names to Africa Asia and Europa Noe gaue names to Africa Aâ—ia and Europa and gaue them to his sonnes Cham Sem and Iafet also that he sayled by the sea Mediterraneum ten yeres In fine we nowe conclude that the three sayde prouinces occupy this mydlande of the worlde All in geneâ—all say that Asia is greater then any of the other Aâ—ia and in maner as bygge as they both Albeit Herodotus in his Melpomene scorneth them that make Europe and Asia equall Europe affirmynge that Europe in longitude is equal to Asia and Afrike and that it passeeh them in latitude wherin he speaketh not greatly owt of square But to speake more of this elswhere not perteynynge to the matter wee haue in hande The hole earth is an Ilande I say that Homerus one of the most ancient wryters sayth that the world which is diuided into Asia Africa and Europa is an Ilande as reherseth Pomponius Mela in his thyrde booke Strabo in the fyrst boke of his Geographie sayth that the earth which is inhabited is an Ilande enuironed with the Ocean Hâ—ginius also and Solinus confirmed this sentence Althowghe Solinus doo erre in mystakinge the names of the seas supposynge that the Caspian sea was parte of the Ocean The Caspian sea beinge rather lyke vnto the sea Mediterraneum so named bycause it is in the mydlande as is the Caspian sea withowt participacion of the great Ocean Caliz is a ryuer Strabo wryteth that in the tyme of Tolomeus Euergetes one Eudoxus sayled three or foure tymes from Caliz to India â—auigations from the red sea to East India And that the guides of the redde sea cauled the goulfe of Arabie or Bermeio presented to the same kynge Tolomeus an Indian whome he brought frome thense Kynge Iuba also prooued this nauigation from Caliz to India as wryteth Solinus Whereby it appeareth that the nauigation to India by the Ocean was then wel knowen and frequented althowgh not so much as at this present the same beinge neyther then or nowe a thynge of gret difficultie or trauayle by the coastes of hotte regions The vyage to India by the noâ—th seas But to sayle from India to Caliz by the other parte of the north by a clyme and regions of extreme coulde shulde bee doubtlesse a difficult and daungerous thynge wherof is no memory amonge the owlde autours sauynge
of a drye nature And I knowe that it hath bynne vsed of many to theyr greate profyte And especially in those sorte of mynes which I sayde before to bee dygged in Vigentina in Schio beinge very ryche and good Proue it therfore For all kyndes of mines do not receaue it And of this wherof I haue spoken I haue intelligence that there hath bynne pieces founde holdynge a fourth part of syluer Mines holdynge the fourthe part of siluer and sum more then halfe And this was founde lyinge in maner in the superficiaâ—l parte of the earth and sum tymes in pathes and high wayes It hath also bin founde vnder the rootes of suche trees as haue byn ouerthrowen by tempeste and this very perfecte So that emongâ— all the mynes whiche I haue seene in the dominions of Uenice as in Carnia and in mnay other places I can not saye that I haue seene any better Although there bee many caues wherof the most parte are of coppeâ— holdinge syluer Copper holdinge syluer and emonge other that in the mountayne of Auanzo where I in the company of certeyne other gentlemen caused a caue to bee digged And bycause the hole charge was committed to mee I wente by occasion twyse into high Almanye to see the mynes of â—hat countrey wherby I might haue the better experience to faule to practyse at my returne In so much that I founde the mine which we had taken in hand to folowe to bee very good and ryche holdynge more then three vnces and a halfe of syluer in euery hundreth of the myne Thâ—e vnces diÌ„ of siluer in euery hundreth of mine And doubtlesse we shuld haue obteyned great commoditie hereby if fortune at that tyme had not raysed warre betwene Maximilian Themperoure and the signorie of Uenece war betwene Maximilian â—hemperour and the Uenecians which was the cause that those places of Frioli and Carnia coulde not be quietly inhabited whereby wâ— were enforced to forsake owre enterpryse and to rase and destroy thorder which we had begunne And by reason that the warres continued longe we were constrayned to diuide owr company where I also departed an other way hauyng euer in mynde to folowe owre attempted enterpryse when better oportunitie shulde serue In the meane tyme returnyng ageinâ— into hyghe Almanie The mynes of Almanye I made more diligent searche to knowâ— the mynes then before and went to Sbozzo Plaiper Ispruch Alla and Arotrinbergh frome whense I wente into dyuers places of Italy So that to conclude the most and best mynes whiche I haue sene to holde most of syluer are those that are foundâ— in Viceâ—tina in certeyne stones of a dark grey or russet colour as I haue sayde before And nowe for a generall aduertisement I wyll not omyt to tell yow that when yow haue attempted to dygge any mynes and haue founde the marchasiâ—e and the myne myxt togyther The mâ—rchasite mixt with the myne yowe shall leaue of yowre woorke bycause it signifieth that the myne is neare to the superficial part of the earth that it is of but lyttle quantitie And thus as touchyng this myne of syluer I can say no morâ— sauynge that I haue not yet shewed yowe the maner of pourgynge it from earthly grosenes and to brynge it to perfect metall But bycause I haue determyned to speake largely hereof in the proper place of the fusion or meltynge of all metals I haue thowght good to speake no further of this matter at this presente The maner of workynge in golde mynes of Egipte in owld tyme after the description of Diodorus Siculus who wrotte his historie cauled Bibliotheca sumwhat before the dayes of themperoure Oâ—tauianus Augustus before thincarnatioÌ„ of Christ abowt .xl. yeares He wryteth therefore in his fourthe booke as foloweth WE haue not thowght good to pretermit howe golde is founde digged and wrought amonge the Egiptians In the confines therefore of Egipte where it borthereth with Ethiopia and Arabia there are certeyne places frutefull of metalles owt of the whiche golde is digged with great laboure and expenses For a blacke earthe of minerale nature hath certeyne vaynes of moste white marble exceadinge bright and shyninge Gold iÌ„ a black earthâ— and white marble The surueyours of this woorke haue assigned them a greate company of men to woorke and coyne golde For the kinges of Egipte are accustomed to appoynte to these paynefull trauailes Then damned to the metales as nowe to the gallies all suche as haue byn convicte for certeyne crimes and condemned by lawes or taken prisoners in the warres or suche as haue byn committed to prison through the indignation of princes who by this meanes haue bothe great vantage by theyr laboure and punyshe them sufficiently for theyr offenses For barbarous strange souldiers of diuers languagies bare ruleouer them and keepe them to theyr worke in suche sorte that thuse of speache beinge taken from thyem they can not bee corrupted by loue or intreatie They drawe golde owt of the hardest earth decocte with much fyer The softest stone which is broken with meane labour is digged with instrumentes of iren by the trauayle of many thousaÌ„ds of men The scrier which decerneth the veines of the myne The scrier of the vayne goth before the workemen appoynting them the places where they shall digge The marble stone whiche he sheweth theim they breake and cleaue with wedgies of iren by the mere strength of their bodies withowte arte They make theyr fosse or caue not right furthe but as the bright nature of the golden marble leadeth them Golden marble beinge otherwyse darke and obscure by reason of theyr sundry turnes and bendinges diuers wayes The labourers caryinge lyght beforâ— theyr forheades digge great stones owt of the myne whychâ— they let faule on the ground From this labour they neuer rest inforced to contynual woorke with strokes and contumelious woordes The woorke of chyldren Children of thage of .xii. or .xiii. yeares or vppewarde are diuided into two companyes whereof the one breake the stones into smaule pieces and the other cary furth that which is brokeÌ„ They that are past thage of .xxx. yeares receaue the sayd broken stones at theyr hands and beate them in vessels of stone with maules of iren to the quaÌ„titie of tares or fytches which afterward they cast into many milles Mylles where by the laboure of two or three women or owlde men to euery mylle The miâ—ery of the miners they are grounde as smaule as meale The fylthinesse of the bodies of these labourers is apparent to all men For not so muche as their priuie members are couered with any thinge And theyr bodies bysyde so fylthy that no man can beholde them withowt compassion of theyr miserie But no pitie no reste no remission is graunted them whether they bee men or women younge or owlde sycke or feeble But are all with strokes inforced to continuall labour vntyl the poore wretches faynt
from the Ilandes Of the Ilandes of Galanta or Galana and Guadalupea and of the trees which beare that kynde of cotton whiche the Italians caule Bombasine and the Spanyardes Algadon Of dyuers kyndes of popingiayes And of the Iland of Matinino or Madanino being inhabited only with women Also of dyuers other frutefull Ilandes And of a conflicte which the Spanyardes had with the Canibales Of certeyne Ilandes in the which are seene the mynes of metals and precious stones and of the frutefull and peopulous Ilande cauled Burichena or Boriquen or Insula S. Iohanuis Howe all the Admirals men whiche at his fyrst vyage he lefte in Hispaniola were slayne in his absence by the rebellion of Guaccanarillus kynge of the Region of Xamana and of the free kynde of lyfe which they leade that haue not the vse of money Of the .vii. maydens which swamme .iii. myles in the sea And of the maner of gatheryng of gold in the sands of riuers ¶ The Contentes of the thyrde booke Fol. 10. ¶ A particular description of the Ilande of Hispaniola whiche Colonus thynketh to be Ophir from whense kynge Salomon had his great ryches of golde Of the maruelous frutefulnes of Hispaniola and of the suger canes growynge there Of the golden regions of Cipanga or Cibaua and of the ryuers in whose sandes is founde great plentie of golde Of certeyne graines of gold of exceadyng great quantitie Of wylde vines of pleasaunt taste and of grasse which in foure dayes groweth as hygh as wheate Of the Ilande of Iohanna or Cuba beinge the ende of the East and the West And of the frutefull and peopulous Ilande of Iamaica Howe the Admirall thought that he had sayled abowte the lowest hemispherie or halfe circle of the earth and of a secreate of Astronomie touchynge the same matter Howe the Admirall gaue names to .vii. hundreth Ilandes and passed by three thousande unnamed Of certeyne serpentes lyke vnto Crocodiles of .viii. foote longe whose flesshe is delicate to be eaten and of certeyne trees which beare gourdes Of the ryuer whose water is very hotte and of the huntynge fysshe which taketh other fysshes Of great abundaunce of Tortoyses as bygge as targets and of a frutefull mountayne well inhabited Of dogges of deformed shape and dum And of whyte and thicke water Of wooddes of date trees and pynepaple trees and of certeyne people appareled like white friers Of certeyne trees whiche beare spices and of cranes of exceadynge bignes Of stocke doues of more pleasaunte taste then partriches An oration of a barbarous gouernoure as touchinge the immortalitie of the sowle Also of the rewarde of vertue and punysshmente of vice A similitude of the golden worlde and of prouision with owte care Howe the admirall fell sicke by reason of to much watchynge And of a sedition which rose among the Spaniardes in the Ilande of Hispaniola ¶ The Contentes of the fourth booke Fol. 18. Howe the Kynges of the Ilande of Hispaniola were by the Spaniardes mysbehauoure prouoked to Rebellion And howe the admirall sent for them Howe kinge Caunaboa the Lorde of the house of golde that is of the mountaynes of Cibaua conspired the Admirals death and how he with his familie were takeÌ„ prisoners Of a greate famine that chaunced in the Iland of Hispaniola and howe the Admiral builded certeyne fortresses Of a piece of rude golde waighinge .xx. vnces and of the myne of the riche metall cauled Electrum Of the mountayne in the whyche is founde greate plentye of Amber and orpemente And of the wooddes of brasile trees Howe thinhabitauntes are put to they re tribute And howe the nature of the Region disposethe the maners of the people Howe the brother of kinge Caunaboa came ageynste the Admiral with an army of fiue thowsand naked men and how he was taken and his amry put to flyght Of the frutfull vale Magona in the sandes of whose ryuers is founde great plentie of golde and of certeyne whirlewyndes and tempestes Howe the Admirall sente foorthe his brother Bartholomeus Colonus with an army of meÌ„ to search the gold mines of the fosses which he found to haue bin digged in old tyme ¶ The Contentes of the .v. booke Fol. 22. Howe the Lieuetenaunt builded a fortresse in the golde mynes And prepared instrumentes for the pourginge and fyninge of the golde Howe certeyne shyppes laden with vyttayles came frome Spayne And howe the Lieuetenaunt sent the kynges which rebelled with three hundreth captiues into Spayne Howe the Liefetenaunte remoued his habytacion And buylded a fortresse which he cauled saynt Dominickes towre Also howe he passed ouer the ryuer Naiba and entered into the wooddes of brasyle trees Howe the great kynge Beuchius Anacauchoa frendely enterteyned the Lieuetenaunt and browght hym to his pallayce where the kynges wyues and concubines receaued him honorably with pompes and triumphes Of the fortresses which were erected in Hispaniola And howe the Lieuetenaunt exacted tribute of the kynges whiche rebelled ageyne Howe the Lieuetenaunt sette vppon the kynges vnwares in the nyght season and tooke .xiiii. of them prysoners Howe kynge Guarionexius capitayne of the conspiracie was pardoned howe he persuaded the people to obedience Howe kynge Beuchius Anacauchoa sente messingers to the Lieuetenaunt to repayre to his pallayce where he founde xxxii kinges redy with theyr tributes And howe the queene Anacaona entysed hym to eate of the serpentes flesshe Howe the serpentes flesshe is prepared to be eaten And how delicate meate theyr egges are yf they be sodden Howe queene Anacaona syster to kynge Beuchius Aâ—acauchoa enterteyned the Liefetenaunt and gaue hym muche housholde stuffe and many vessels of Hebene woodde artificially wrought and carued Howe kynge Anacauchoa and the queene his syster went aboorde the Liefetenaunt his shyppe and howe greately they were amased to beholde the furniture therof Howe Roldanus Xeminus a Spaniarde rebelled in the Lieuetenauntes absence by whose mysdemeanour also kinge Guarionexius was prouoked to a newe conspiracie with hym Maiobanexius the kynge of the mountaynes ☞ The contentes of the syxte boke Foli 28. ¶ The thyâ—de vyage of Colonus and howe he diuerted from his accustomed rase by the Ilandes of Canarie to the Ilande of Madera for feare of certayne frenche pirates and rouers Of the .xiii. Ilandes which in olde tyme were cauled Hesperides and are nowe cauled the Ilandes of Caput Uiride or Cabouerde Also of the Tortoyses of the Ilande of Bonauista wherwith the leaper is healed Howe the Admirall founde contagious ayre and extreme heate nere the Equinoctial where the north pole was eleuate onely fyue degrees And how sailyng from thence westward he founde the starres placed in other order and the sea rysynge as it were the backe of a mountayne Howe the Admyrall saylynge westwarde and neuer passyng owte of the clyme or paraleles of Ethiope founde a temperate Region and people of goodly corporature And what difference is betwene the natures of Regions beyng vnder one paralele and one eleuation of the pole