THE NATVRALL and Morall Historie of the East and West Indies Intreating of the remarkeable things of Heaven of the Elements Mettalls Plants and Beasts which are proper to that Country Together with the Manners Ceremonies Lawes Governements and Warres of the Indians Written in Spanish by Ioseph Acosta and translated into English by E. G 〈…〉 LONDON Printed by Val Sims for Edward Blount and William Aspley 1604. To the right Honorable Sir Robert Cicill Knight Baron of Essingden Vicount Cranborne principall Secretary to his Maiestie master of the Court of Wardes and Liveries and one of his Highnesse most honourable Privie Counsell RIght Honorable If it appeare presumption in me to shew my love my dutie betraies me to it The advantage I have gleaned from idle houres in exchanging this Indian History from Spanish to English is commended to your Honors Patronage whose first father Ioseph Acosta hath with great observation made worthie the over-looking A greater motive then that you are your selfe needed not to excite me to this dedication I beseech you my good Lord take it into shelter and receive that which is not for that which I would it were Let my insufficiencie be measured by my good will So shall my poore abilities thrive vnder your incouragement and happily leade me on to some stronger vndertaking wherein I shall bee bound to thanke you for mine owne paines and for ever remaine Your Lordships most devoted E. G. The Authors advertisement to the Reader MANY have written sundry bookes and discourses of the New World at the West Indies wherein they describe new and strange things discovered in those partes with the actes and adventures of the Spaniards which have conquered and peopled those Countries But hitherto I have not seene any other Author which treates of the causes and reasons of these novelties and wonders of nature or that hath made any search thereof Neither have I read any booke which maketh mention of the histories of the antient Indians and naturall inhabitants of the New World In truth these two things are difficult The first being the works of Nature contrarie to the antient and received Philosophy as to shew that the region which they call the burning Zone is very moist and in many places very temperate and that it raines there whenas the Sunne is neerest with such like things For such as have written of the West Indies have not made profession of so deepe Philosophie yea the greatest part of those Writers have had no knowledge thereof The second thing it treats of is of the proper historie of the Indians the which required much conference and travaile among the Indians themselves the which most of them that have treated of the Indies could not doe either not vnderstanding the language or not curious in the search of their Antiquities so as they have beene contented to handle those things which have beene most common and superficiall Desiring therefore to have some more particular knowledge thereof I have beene carefull to learne from men of greatest experience and best seene in these matters and to gather from their discourses and relations what I have thought sit to give knowledge of the deedes and custome of these people And for that which concernes the nature of those Countries and their properties I have learned it by the experience of many friends and by my dilligence to search discover and conferre with men of iudgement and knowledge In my opinion there are many advertisements which may serve and benefit better wits for the searching out of the truth or to proceede farther in finding that pleasing which is conteined heerein So as although this new World be not new but old in respect of the much which hath beene written thereof yet this historie may in some sort be hâ—ld for new for it is partly historicall and partly philosophicall as well for that they are the workes of nature as of free-will which are the deedes and customes of men the which hath caused mee to name it the Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies Containing these two things In the first two bookes mention is made of that which concernes the heavens temperature and habitation of the world which books I had first written in Latine now I have translated them into Spanish vsing more the liberty of an author then the strict bonds of a translator to apply my self the better to those for whom it is written in the vulgar tong In the two following books is treated of that which concernes the Elements and naturall mixtures as Mettalls Plants Beasts and what else is remarkable at the Indies The rest of the bookes relate what I could certainely discover and what I thought worthie memory of the Indians themselves their Ceremonies Customs Governments Wars Adventures In the same Historie shall be spoken as I could learne and comprehend of the figures of the antient Indians seeing they had no writing nor characters as we have which is no small industry to have preserved their Antiquities without the vse of letters To conclude the scope of this worke is that having knowledge of the workes of nature which the wise Author of all nature made we may praise and glorifie the high God who is wonderfull in all things and all places And having knowledge of the Indians customes we may helpe them more easily to follow and persever in the high vocation of the Gospel to the knowledge whereof the Lord would draw this blinde nation in these latter daies Besides al these things every one may sucke out some profit for himselfe for that the wise do alwaies draw forth some good out of the smalest subiect as we finde deepe Philosophie in the least and basest creatures I must onely advertise the Reader that the two first bookes of this historie or discourse were written in Peru and the other five since in Europe dutie binding me to returne into these partes so as some speake of matters of the Indies as of things present and others as being absent And therefore I have thought it good to advertise the Reader heereof that this diversitie of speach may not be troublesome vnto him Farewell A Table of the most remarkable things contained in this Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies A. Abundance of waters vnder the burning zone folio 93 Absurditie of Platoes Atlantike Iland 73 Abuse of the Spaniards at Peru taking winter for summer 89 Acamapach first king of Mexico 482 Accord betwixt the king of Mexico his subiects before they attempted a warre 532 Adlaguagi a kind of mummery of women 367 Acts of Ferdinand Cortez 574 Adimant makes a path in the Sea 57 The Adamant impartes a vertue to yron to looke alwayes towards the north 58 Vse of the Adamant to saile by not antient 59 Adoration of the dead begunne and augmented 340 Adultery punished with death 469 Agilitie of monkies 315 Aire how necessary for the life of man 114 The Aire stirred with the motion of the heauens
lovers of silver these make no care of it the Iewes if they were not circumcised held not themselves for Iewes and contrariwise the Indians are not at all neyther did they ever vse any ceremonie neere it as many in the East have done But what reason of coniecture is there in this seeing the Iewes are so careful to preserve their language and Antiquities so as in all parts of the world they differ and are known from others and yet at the Indies alone they have forgotten their Linage their Law their Ceremonies their Messias and finally their whole Iudaisme And whereas they say the Indians are feareful cowards superstitious and subtill in lying for the first it is not common to all there are some nations among the Barbarians free from these vices there are some valiant and hardy there are some blunt and dull of vnderstanding As for ceremonies and superstitions the Heathen have alwayes vsed them much the manner of habites described which they vse being the plainest and most simple in the world without Arte the which hath been common not onely to the Hebrewes but to all other Nations seeing that the very History of Esdras if wee shall beleeve the Scriptures that bee Apocrypha make more against them then for their purpose for hee saith in that place that the ten tribes went from the multitude of the Heathen to keepe their faith and ceremonies and we see the Indians given to all the Idolatries in the world And those which holde this opinion see well if the entries of the River Euphrates stretch to the Indies and whether it be necessary for the Indies to repasse that way as it is written Besides I know not how you can name them peaceable seeing they be alwaies in warre amongst themselves To conclude I cannot see how that Euphrates in Esdras Apocrypha should be a more convenient passage to goe to the new world then the inchanted fabulous Atlantike Iland of Plato The reason why we can find no beginning of the Indians CHAP. 24. IT is easier to refute and contradict the false opinions conceyved of the Originall of the Indians then to set downe a true and certaine resolution for that there is no writing among the Indians nor any certaine remembrances of their founders neyther is there any mention made of this new world in their bookes that have knowledge of letters our Ancients held that in those parts there were neyther men land nor heaven So as hee should seeme rash and presumptuous that should thinke to discover the first beginning of the Indians But we may iudge a farre off by the former discourse that these Indians came by little and little to this newe world and that by the helpe and meanes of the neerenesse of lands or by some navigation the which seemes to mee the meanes whereby they came and not that they prepared any armie to goe thither of purpose neyther that they have been caried thither by any ship-wracke or tempest although some of these things may chance in some part of the Indies for these Regions beeing so great as they containe Nations without number we may beleeve that some came to inhabite after one sort and some after an other But in the ende I resolve vpon this point that the true and principall cause to people the Indies was that the lands and limits thereof are ioyned and continued in some extremities of the world or at the least were very neere And I beleeve it is not many thousand yeeres past since men first inhabited this new world and West Indies and that the first men that entred were rather savage men and hunters then bredde vp in civill and well governed Common-weales and that they came to this new world having lost their owne land or being in too great numbers they were forced of necessitie to seeke some other habitations the which having found they beganne by little and little to plant having no other law but some instinct of nature and that very darke and some customes remayning of their first Countries And although they came from Countries well governed yet is it not incredible to thinke that they had forgotten all through the tract of time and want of vse seeing that in Spaine and Italie we find companies of men which have nothing but the shape and countenance onely whereby we may coniecture in what sort this new world grew so barbarous and vncivill What the Indians report of their beginning CHAP. 25. IT is no matter of any great importance to know what the Indians themselves report of their beginning being more like vnto dreames then to true Hiries â—hey make great mention of a deluge happened in their Countrie but we cannot well iudge if this deluge were vniversall whereof the scripture makes mention or some particular inundation of those regions where they are Some expert men say that in those Countries are many notable signes of some great inundation and I am of their opinion which thinke that these markes and shewes of a deluge was not that of Noe but some other particular as that which Plato speakes of or Deucalions floud which the Poets sing of whatsoever it be the Indians say that al men were drowned in this deluge and they report that out of the great Lake Titicaca came one Viracocha which staied in Tiaguanaco where at this day there is to bee seene the ruines of ancient and very strange buildings and from thence came to Cusco and so began mankinde to multiply They shew in the same Iland a small Lake where they faine that the sunne hid himselfe and so was preserved and for this reason they make great sacrifices vnto him in that place both of sheepe and men Others report that sixe or I know not what number of men came out of a certaine cave by a window by whome men first began to multiplie and for this reason they call them Pacaritampo And therefore they are of opinion that the Tambos is the most ancient race of men They say also that Mango Capa whom they acknowledge for the founder and chiefe of their Inguas was issued of that race and that from him sprang two families or linages the one of Havan Cusco the other of Vrni Cusco They say moreover that when the Kings Inguas attempted warre and conquered sundrie Provinces they gave a colour and made a pretext of their enterprise saying that all the world ought to acknowledge them for that all the world was renued by their race and Countrie and also that the true religion had been reveiled to them from heaven But what availeth it to speake more seeing that all is full of lies and vanitie and farre from reason Some learned men write that all which the Indians make mention of is not above 400. yeeres old and whatsoever they speake of former ages is but a confusion full of obscuritie wherein we find no truth The which may not seeme strange they having no vse of bookes or writing in
land makes restitution casting his capes points and tongues farre into the sea piercing into the bowelles thereof In some partes one element ends and another beginnes yeelding by degrees one vnto another In some places where they ioyne it is exceeding deepe as in the Ilands of the South Sea and in those of the North whereas the shippes ride close to the land and although they sound three score and tenne yea foure score fadomes yet do they finde no bottome which makes men coniecture that these are pikes or poynts of land which rise vp from the bottome a matter woorthy of great admiration Heerevpon a very expert Pilote said vnto me that the Ilands which they call of Woolves and others that lie at the entry of the coast of New Spaine beeing called Cocos were of this manner Moreover there is a place in the midst of the great Ocean without the view of land and many leagues from it where are seene as it were two towers or pikes of a very high elevated rocke rising out of the middest of the sea and yet ioyning vnto it they finde no bottome No man can yet perfectly comprehend nor conceive the full and perfect forme of the land at the Indies the boundes being not wholy discovered to this day yet wee may ghesse that it is proportioned like a heart with the lungs The broadest of this heart is from Bresill to Peru the poynt at the straight of Magellan and the top where it ends is the firme land and there the continent begins by little and litle to extend itselfe vntill wee come to the height of Florida and the vpper landes which are not yet well discovered We may vnderstand other particularities of this land at the Indies by the Commentaries which the Spaniards have written of their successe and discoveries and amongest the rest of the Peregrination which I have written which in trueth is strange and may give a great light This in my opinion may suffice at this time to give som knowledge of things at the Indies touching the common elements of the which all parts of the worlde are famed THE FOVRTH BOOKE of the Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies Of three kindes of mixtures or compounds of the which I must intreate in this Historie CHAP. 1. HAving intreated in the former booke of that which concernes the Elements and the simples of the Indies in this present booke we will discourse of mixtures and compounds seeming fit for the subiect we shall treate of And although there be many other sundrie kindes yet we will reduce this matter into three which are Mettalls Plants and Beasts Mettalls are as plants hidden and buried in the bowels of the earth which have some conformitie in themselves in the forme and maner of their production for that wee see and discover even in them branches and as it were a bodie from whence they grow and proceede which are the greater veines and the lesse so as they have a knitting in themselves and it seemes properly that these minerales grow like vnto plants not that they have any inward vegitative life being onely proper to plants but they are engendered in the bowels of the earth by the vertue and force of the Sunne and other planets and in long continuance of time they increase and multiply after the maner of plants And even as mettalls be plants hidden in the earth so we may say that plants be living creatures fixed in one place whose life is maintained by the nourishment which Nature furnisheth from their first begnning But living creatures surpasse plants in that they have a more perfect being and therefore have neede of a more perfect foode and nourishment for the search whereof Nature hath given them a moving and feeling to discover and discerne it So as the rough and barren earth is as a substance and nutriment for mettalls and that which is fertile and better seasoned a nourishment for plants The same plants serve as a nourishment for living creatures and the plants and living creatures together as a nourishment for men the inferiour nature alwaies serving for the maintenance and sustentation of the superiour and the lesse perfect yeelding vnto the more perfect whereby we may see how much it wants that gold and silver and other things which men so much esteeme by their covetousnesse should be the happines of man wherevnto he should tend seeing they be so many degrees in qualitie inferior to man who hath been created and made onely to be a subiect to serve the vniversall Creator of all things as his proper end and perfect rest and to which man all other things in this world were not propounded or left but to gaine this last end Who so would consider of things created and discourse according to this Philosophie might draw some fruite from the knowledge and consideration thereof making vse of them to know and glorifie their Author But he that would passe on farther to the knowledge of their properties and profits and would curiously search them out hee shall finde in these creatures that which the Wiseman saies that they are snares and pitfalles to the feete of fooles ignorant into the which they fall and loose themselves daily To this intent therefore and that the Creator may be glorified in his creatures I pretend to speake of some things in this Booke whereof there are many at the Indies worth the report touching mettalls plants and beasts which are proper and peculiar in those parts But for that it were a great worke to treate thereof exactly and requires greater learning and knowledge yea much more leisure then I have my intent is only to treate of some things succinctly the which I have observed as well by experience as the report of men of credite touching these three things which I have propounded leaving to men more curious and diligent to treate more amply of these matters Of the aboundance and great quantitie of Mettall at the West Indies CHAP. 2. THe wisedome of God hath made mettalls for phisicke and for defence for ornament and for instruments for the worke of men of which foure things we may easily yeelde examples but the principall end of mettalls and the last thereof is for that the life of man hath not onely neede of nourishment as the beasts but also he must worke and labour according vnto the reason and capacitie which the Creator hath given him And as mans vnderstanding doth apply it selfe to divers artes and faculties so the same Author hath given order that hee should finde matter and subiect to diverse artes for the conservation reparation suretie ornament and exaltation of his workes The diversitie therefore of mettalls which the Creator hath shut vp in the closets and concavities of the earth is such and so great that man drawes profit and commoditie from everie one of them Some serve for curing of diseases others for armes and for defence against the enemies some are for ornament
Spaine and Italie we have seene admirable effects of this stone against the Tâ—verdette which is a kinde of plague but not so muchâ—s in Peru. They do apply it beaten and put into some liquor which may make it fit for the cure of melancholy the falling sickenes pestilent feavers many other diseases Some take it in wine others in vineger with water Dezahac of League de beufe borrage and other sortes as the Phisitians and Apoticaries can tell The Bezaar stone hath no proper savour as Rasis the Arabian doth testifie Wee have seene notable trialls and there is no doubt but the Author of this vniversall world hath given great vertues to this stone The Bezaar stones which comes from the East Indies have the first place of account they are of an olive colour the second are those of Peru and the third those of New Spaine Since that these stones were in request they say the Indians have made artificiall ones and many when they see these stones greater then the ordinarie they take them to be false and counterfait triall and experience is the best mistres to know them One thing is worthy admiration that they grow and are fashioned vpon very strange things as vpon the tagge of a point vpon a pinne or a peece of wood which they finde in the centre of this stone and yet do they not hold it false for that the beast might swallow it and the stone thicken vpon it and growes one vpon another and so it increaseth I did see in Peru two stones fashioned vpon Pignons of Castille which made vs to wonder much for that in all Peru we had not seene any pines or Pignons of Castille if they were not brought from Spaine which seemes to me very extraordinary This little may suffice touching the Bezaars stone They bring other phisicall stones from the Indies as the stone of Hyiada or of Rate the bloud stone the stones of milke and of the sea Those which they call Cornerinaâ— for the heart whereof there is no neede to speake having nothing common with the subiect of beastes whereof we have intreated which gives vs to vnderstand how the great Master and Author of all hath imparted his benefites and wonderfull secrets to all partes of the world for the which he is to be glorified for ever * ⎠* A Prologue to the Bookes following HAving intreated of the Natural Historie of the Indies I wil hereafter discourse of the Morall History that is to say of the deeds and customes of the Indies For after the heaven the temperature the scituation the qualities of the new world after the elements mixtures I mean mettals plants beasts whereof we have spoken in the former Bookes as occasion did serve both Order Reason doth invite vs to continue and vndertake the discourse of those men which inhabite the new world And therefore I pretend in the following bookes to speake what I thinke worthie of this subiect And for that the intention of this Historie is not onely to give knowledge of what hath passed at the Indies but also to continue this knowledge to the fruite we may gather by it which is to helpe this people for their soules health and to glorifie the Creator and Redeemer who hath drawne them from the obscure darkenes of their infidelitie and imparted vnto them the admirable light of his Gospel And therefore I will first speake in these bookes following what concernes their religion or superstition their customes their idolatries and their sacrifices and after what concernes their policie and government their lawes customes and their deedes And for that the memorie is preserved amongst the Mexicaine Nation of their beginnings successions warres and other things worthie the relation besides that which shall be handled in the sixt booke I will make a peculiar Discourse in the seventh shâ—wing the disposition and forewarnings this Nation had of the new Kingdome of Christ our Lord which should be extâ—nded in these Countries and should conquer them to himself as he hath doâ—e in all the rest of the world The which in truth is a thing worthie of great consideration to see how the divine providence hath appointeâ— that the light of his word should finde a passage in the furthest boundes of the world It is not my proiect at this time to write what the Spanâ—ardes have done in those partes for there are bookes enow written vpon this subiect nor yet how the Lordes servants have laboured and profited for that requires a new labour I will onely content my selfe to plant this Historie and relation at the doores of the Gospel seeing it is alreadie entered and to make knowne the Naturall and Morall things of the Indies to the end that Christianitie may be planted and augmented as it is expounded at large in the bookes we have written De procuranda Indiorum salute And if any one wonder at some fashions customes of the Indies wil scorne them as fooles or abhorre them as divelish and inhumane people let him remember that the same things yea worse have beene seene amongst the Greekes and Romans who have commanded the whole world as we may easily vnderstand not onely of our Authors as Eusebius of Cesarea Clement Alexandrine and others but also of their owne as Plinie Denis Halicarnassis and Plutarke for the Prince of darkenes being the head of all Infidelitie it is no new thing to finde among Infidells cruelties filthines and follies fit for such a Master And although the ancient Gentiles have farre surpassed these of the new world in valour and naturall knowledge yet may wee observe many things in them worthie the remembrance But to conclude they shew to be barbarous people who being deprived of the supernaturall light want likewise philosophie and naturall knowledge THE FIFT BOOKE of the Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies That the Pride and Malice of the Divell hath beene the cause of Idolatrie CHAP. 1. THE Pride and Presumption of the Divell is so great obstinate that alwaies hee seekes and strives to be honoured as God and doth arrogate to himselfe all hee can whatsoever doth appertaine to the most high God hee ceaseth not to abuse the blinde Nations of the world vpon whom the cleere light of the holy Gospel hath not yet shone Wee reade in Iob of this prowd tyrant who settes his eyes aloft and amongst all the sonnes of pride he is the King The holy Scripture instructes vs plainely of his vile intentions and his overweening treason whereby he hath pretended to make his Throne equall vnto Gods saying in Esay Thou diddest say within thy selfe I will mount vp to heaven and set my chaire vpon all the starres of heaven and I will sit vpon the toppe of the Firmament and in the sides of the North I will ascend above the height of the cloudes and will be like to the most High And in Ezechiel Thy heart was lifted vp and thou
immoveable The which seemeth to me easie to comprehend and will be to all others if it may be lawfull to imagine that which my fancy doth conceive for if we suppose that every star and planet be a body of it selfe that it be led guided by an Angell as Habacuc was carried into Babilon who I pray you is so blind but seeth that all the diverse aspects which we see appeare in planets starres may proceede from the diuersity of motion which he that guides them doth voluntarily giue them We cannot then with any reason affirme but that this space region by which they faine that stars do continually march and rowle is elementarie and corruptible seeing it divides it selfe when they passe the which vndoubtedly do not passe by any void place If then the region wherein the starres and planets move be corruptible the stars and planets of their owne motion should be by reason likewise corruptible and so by consequence they must alter change and be finally extinct for naturally that which is conteined is no more durable then that which conteineth And to say that the Celestiall bodies be corruptible it agreeth not with the psalme That God made them for euer And it is lesse conformable to the order preservation of this vniversall world I say moreover to confirme this truth that the heauens move and in them the starres march in turning the which we cannot easily discerne with our eyes seeing we see that not onely thestarres do moue but also the regions whâ—le parts of heaven I speake not onely of the shining and most râ—splendent parts as of that which we call Via lactea and the vulgar S. Iaques way but also of the darker and obscurer parts in heaven For there we see really as it were spots and darkenes which are most apparent the which I remember not to haue seene at any time in Europe but at Peru and in this other Hemisphere I haue often seene them very apparant These spots are in colour and forme like vnto the Eclips of the Moone and are like vnto it in blacknes and darkenes they march fixed to the same starres alwaies of one forme and bignes as we haue noted by infallible observation It may be this will seeme strange to some they will demand whence these spots in heaven should grow To the which I cannot answere otherwise at this time but as the Philosophers do affirme that this Via lactea or milken way is compounded of the thickest parts of the heaven and for this cause it receiues the greater light and contrariwise there are other parts very thinne and transparent the which receiuing lesse light seeme more blacke obscure Whether this be the true reason or no I dare not certenly affirme Yet is it true that according to the figure these spots have in heaven they moue with the same proportion with their starres without any separation the which is a true certaine and often noted experience It followeth then by all that we haue said that the heaven containeth in it all the parts of the earth circling continually about it without any more doubt How the holy Scripture teacheth vs that the earth is in middest of the world CHAP. 3. ALthough it seemes to Procopius Gaza and to some others of his opinion that it is repugnant to the holy Scripture to place the earth in the middest of the world and to say that the heaven is round yet in truth this doctrine is not repugnant but conformable to that which it doth teach vs. For laying aside the tearmes which the Scripture it selfe doth vse in many places The roundnesse of the earth And that which it sayeth in an other place that whatsoever is corporeall is vnvironed and compassed in by the heavens and conteyned within the roundnes thereof at the least thy cannot deny but that place of Ecclesiastes is very plaine where it is said The Sunneriseth and sets and returnes to the same place and so begins to rise againe he takes his course by the South turning towards the North this spirit marchâ—th compassing about all thinges and then returnes to the same place In this place the paraphrase and exposition of Gregorie Neocesarien or Nazianzene sayeth The Sunne hauing runne about the whole earth returnes as it were turning to the same point That which Solomon saveth being interpreted by Gregorie could not be trve if any part of the earth were not invironed with the heaven And so S. Ierome doth vnderstand it writing vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians in this sort The most common opinion affirmes agreeing with Ecclesiastes That the heaven is round mooving circularly like vnto a bowle And it is most certaine that no round figure conteyneth in it eyther longitude latitude heigth or depth for that all parts are equall Whereby it appeares according to S. Ierome That those which hold the heaven to be round are not repugnant to the holy Scripture but conformable to the same And although that S. Basile especially and S. Ambrose who doth vsually imitate him in his bookes called Hexameron seeme somewhat doubtfull of this point yet in the end they grant that the world is round It is true that S. Ambrose doth not yeelde to this quintessence which Aristotle attributes to the heavens without doubt it is a goodly thing to see with what a grace and excellent stile the holy Scripture treates of the scituation and firmenes of the earth to breed in vs a wonderfull admiration and no lesse content to behold the vnspeakable power and wisedome of the Creator For that in one place God himselfe saies that it was hee which planted the pillers which support the earth giving vs to vnderstand as S. Ambrose doth well expound it that the vnmeasurable weight of the whole earth is held vp by the hands of the divine power The holy Scripture doth commonly so call them and vseth this phrase naming them the pillers of heaven and earth not those of Atlas as the Poets faine but of the eternall word of God who by his vertue supports both heaven and earth Moreover the holy Scripture in an other place teacheth that the earth or a great part thereof is ioyned to and compassed in by the Element of water speaking generally that God placed the earth vpon the waters And in another place that hee framed the roundnes of the earth vpon the Sea And although S. Augustine doth not conclude vpon this text as a matter of faith that the earth and the water make one globe in the midst of the world pretending by this meanes to give another exposition to the words of the Psalme yet notwithstanding it is most certaine that by the words of the psalme we are given to vnderstand that we haue no other reason to imagine any other ciment or vniting to the earth then the Element of water the which although it be pliant and moveable yet doth it support
build so huge a couer as the heaven is then to vnfould a double skin Or else the Psalmist pretending to shew vs the great maiesty of God to whome the heaven with his greatnes and beautie doth serve in like manner as our tents and pavilions in the field The which was well expressed by a Poet calling it The Tent of the cleere heaven In like sort the place of Isaii which sayeth Heaven serves mee as a chaire and the earth for a foote-stoole But if wee follow the error of the Antromorphites which did atribute corporall members vnto God according to his divinitie we should haue occasion vppon this last text to examine how it were possible the earth should be a foote-stoole to Gods feete and how the same God could hold his feete of the one part and the other and many heads round about seeing that hee is in all partes of the world which were a vaine and ridiculous thing Wee must therefore conclude that in the holy scriptures we ought not to follow the letter which killes but the spirit which quickneth as saith S. Paul Of the fashion and forme of Heaven at the new-found world CHAP. 5. MAny in Europe demaund of what forme and fashion Heaven is in the Southerne parts for that there is no certaintie found in ancient bookes who although they graunt there is a Heaven on this other part of the world yet come they not to any knowledge of the forme thereof although in trueth they make mention of a goodly great Starre seene in those partes which they call Canopus Those which of late dayes have sayled into these parts have accustomed to write strange things of this heaven that it is very bright having many goodly starres and in effect thinges which come farre are commonly described with encrease But it seemes contrary vnto me holding it for certaine that in our Region of the North there is a greater nomber and bigger Starres finding no starres in these partes which exceed the Fisher or the Chariot in bignesse It is true that the Crosse in these partes is very fayre and pleasing to behold wee call the Crosse foure notable and apparant starres which make the forme of a crosse set equally and with proportion The ignorant suppose this Crosse to be the southerne Pole for that they see the Navigators take their heigth thereby as we are accustomed to doe by the North starre But they are deceyved and the reason why Saylers doe it in this â—orte is for that in the South parts there is no fixed starre that markes the Pole as the North starre doth to our Pole And therefore they take their heigth by the starre at the foot of the Crosse distant from the true and fixed Pole Antarticke thirtie degrees as the North starre is distant from the Pole Articke three degrees or little more And so it is more difficult to take the heigth in those parts for that the sayd starre at the foote of the Crosse must bee right the which chanceth but in one houre of the night which is in divers seasons of the yeere in divers houres and often times it appeareth not in the whole night so as it is very difficult to take the heigth And therefore the most expert Pilots regard not the Crosse taking the heigth of the Sunne by the Astrolabe by which they know in what height they are wherein commonly the Portugals are more expert as a Nation that hath more discourse in the Arte of Navigation then any other There are also other starres in these southerne parts which in some sort resemble those of the North. That which they call the Milken way is larger and more resplendent in the south parts appearing therein those admirable blacke spots whereof wee have made mention As for other particularities let others speake of them with greater curiositle and let this which wee have sayde suffice for this time That there is Land and Seavader the two Poles CHAP. 6. IIt is no smal labour to have vnfolded this doubt with this knowledge and resolution that there is a Heaven in these parts of the Indies which doth cover them as in Europe Asia and Aâ—â—riâ—ke And this point serveth often against many Spaniards who beeing here sigh for Spaine having no discourse but of their countrie They wonder yea they grow discontented with vs imagining that we have forgotten make small accompt of our native soyle To whom we answere that the desire to returne into Spaine doth nothing trouble vs being as neere vnto Heaven at Peru as in Spaine as saint Ierome saith well writing vnto Paulinus That the gates of Heaven are as neere vnto Brittanie as to Ierusalem But although the Heaven doth compasse in the world of all paâ—ts yet must we not imagine that there is land necessarily on all parts of the world For being so that the two elements of earth and water make one globe or bowle according to the opinion of the most renowmed ancient Authors as Plutarch testifieth and as it is prooved by most certaine demonstrations wee may coniecture that the sea doth occupie all this part which is vnder the Antartike or southerne Pole so as there should not remaine any place in these partes for the earth the which saint Augustine doth very learnedly hold against them that maintaine the Antipodes saying that although it bee prooved and wee beleeve that the worlde is round like to a bowle wee may not therefore inferre that in this other part of the worlde the earth is vncovered and without water Without doubt saint Augustine speakes well vpon this point and as the contrary is not prooved so doth it not follow that there is any land discovered at the Antarticke Pole The which experience hath now plainely taught vs for although the greatest part of the worlde vnder the Pole Antarticke be sea yet is it not altogether but there is likewise land so as in all parts of the world the earth and water imbrace one another which truely is a thing to make vs admire and glorifie the Arte of the soveraigne Creator We know then by the holy Scripture that in the beginning of the worlde the waters were gathered together in one place so as the earth remayned vncovered Moreover the same holy Writte doth teach vs that these gatherings together of the water were called Sea and as there be many so of necessitie there must be many Seas And this diversitie of seas is not onely in the Mediterranean Sea whereas one is called Euxiâ—e another the Caspian an other the Erethean or redde Sea an other the Persian an other of Italie and so many others But also in the great Ocean which the holy Scripture doth vsually call a gulph although really and in trueth it be but a Sea yet in many and divers manners as in respect of Peru and all America the one is called the North Sea the other the South and at the East Indies the one is called
Tropicks as Aristotle and Plinie have maintained and before them the Philosopher Parmenides the contrarie whereof is before sufficiently prooved both for the one and the other But many through curiositie may demaund if the Ancients had no knowledge of this trueth which to vs is now so apparent seeing that in trueth it seemeth very strange that this newe worlde which is so spacious as we doe visibly see it should be hidden from the Ancients by so many ages But some at this day seeking to obscure the felicitie of this age and the glory of our Nation strive to proove that the new found world was knowne to the Ancients And in trueth wee cannot deny but there was some apparency S. Ierome writing vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians sayth We seeke with reason what the Apostle meaneth in these wordes where he saith you have walked for a season according to the course of this world whether he would have vs to vnderstand that there is an other world which neither is nor depends of this world but other worldes whereof Clement writes in his Epistle the Ocean and the worldes which are beyond the Ocean These are the wordes of S. Ierome but in trueth I cannot finde this Epistle of S. Clement cited by S. Ierome yet I beleeve vndoubtedly that S. Clement hath written it seeing S. Ierome maketh mention thereof And with reason saint Clement saith that beyond the Ocean there is an other worlde yea many worldes as in trueth there is seeing there is so great distance from one newe worlde to an other new world I meane from Peru and the West Indies to China and the East Indies Moreover Plinie who hath beene so curious a searcher out of strange things reportes in his naturall Historie that Hannon a Captaine of the Carthaginians sayled through the Ocean from the Straight of Gibraltar coasting alongst the land even vnto the confines of Arabia and that hee left this his Navigation in writing If it bee as Plinie writes it followes that Hannon sayled as farre as the Portugals do at this day passing twice vnder the Equinoctiall which is a fearefull thing And the same Plinie reports of Cornelius Nepos a very grave Authour who saith that the same course hath beene sayled by an other man called Eudaxius but by contrary wayes for this Eudaxius following the King of Latyres passed by the redde sea into the Ocean and turning backe came to the Straight of Gibraltar the which Cornelius Nepos affirmes to have happened in his time And also other grave Authors do write that a ship of Carthage driven by force of winde into the Ocean came to a Land which vntill then was vnknowne and returning to Carthage kindled a great desire in the Citizens to discover and people this land the which the Senate perceyving did forbid this navigation by a rigorous decree fearing that with the desire of new lands they should leave to love their owne Countrie By all this wee may gather that the Ancients had some knowledge of the new world yet shall you hardly finde in the bookes of ancient Writers any thing written of our America and all the West Indies but of the East Indies I say there is sufficient testimonie not only of that on the other side but also of that on this side which then was farthest off going thither by a contrary way to that at this day Is it not easie to find Molaco in ancient bookes which they called the golden Chersonese the Cape of Comori which was called the Promontorie of Coci that great famous Iland of Sumatra so well knowne by the ancient name of Taprobana What shall wee say of the two Ethiopiaes the Brachmanes and that great Land of the Chinaes Who doubtes but there was often mention made thereof in ancient bookes But of the West Indies we find not in Plinie that in this navigation they passed the Ilands of the Canaries which he calleth Fortunate the principall whereof is sayd to be called Canarie for the multitude of dogs which are in it But there is scarce any mention in ancient books of the voyages which are made at this day beyond the Canaries by the Gulph which with reason they call great Yet many hold opinion that Seneca the Tragedian did prophecie of the West Indies in his Tragedie of Medea which translated saith thus An age shall come ere ages ende Blessedly strange and strangely blest When our Sea farre and neere or'prest His shoare shall farther yet extend Descryed then shall a large Land be By this profound Seas navigation An other World an other Nation All men shall then discovered see Thule accounted heretofore The worldes extreme the Northerne bound Shall be when Southwest parts be found A neerer Isle a neighbour shoare This Seneca reports in these verses we cannot wel deny but vnderstanding it litterally it is very true for if we reckon the many yeeres he speakes of beginning from the time of the Tragedian it is above a thousand and foure hundred yeeres past and if it were from the time of Medea it is above two thousand yeeres the which we see plainely now accomplished seeing the passage of the Ocean so long time hidden hath beene found out and that they have discovered a great land and a new world inhabited more spatious then all the Continent of Europe and Asia But therein may a question with reason be made whether Seneca spake this by divination or poetically and by chance And to speake my opinion I beleeve hee did divine after the manner of wise men and well advised for that in his time they vndertooke newe voyages and navigations by sea hee knew well like a Philosopher that there was an other land contrary and opposite vnto vs which they call Antichthon And by this ground he might conceyve that the industrie and courage of man might in the ende passe the Ocean and discover new lands and another world for that in Senecaes time they had knowledge of the Voyage which Plinie speaketh of whereby they passed the great Ocean The which seemes to bee the motive of Senecaes prophecie as he giveth vs to vnderstand by these former verses after the which having described the carefull life of the Ancients free from malice he followeth thus Now is it not as earst it was For whether the Ocean will or nill He traverst is by hardy will Which pastime makes time so to passe And a little after he saith thus Now every boat dares swimme and sport On surging Seas fearing no wracke Passengers seeking what they lacke So long a voyage thinke but short Nothing is nowe more to discover No place is now left to surprise Townes now that for defence devise With new fortifications cover All in the world turn'd round about No thing in place as t' was enured Nothing vnseene nothing assured This Circle vniverse throughout The Indian whom at home heate fries Drinkes of Araxis waters cold The Persian rich in
Yucay which ioyning with another runnes into the North sea with a violent and furious course This spring when it comes out of the rocke Bilcanota as I have said is of the colour of lie having an asshie colour and castes a fume as a thing burnt the which runs farre in this sort vntill the multitude of waters that runne into it quench this smoake and fire which it drawes from the spring In new Spaine I have seene a spring as it were inke somewhat blew in Peru another of colour red like bloud wherevpon they call it the red river Of Rivers CHAP. 18. AMongst all Rivers not onely at the Indies but generally through the world the River Maragnon or of Amazons is the chiefe whereof we have spoken in the former booke The Spaniards have often sailed it pretending to discover the lands which by report are very rich especially those they call Dorado and Paytiti Iean de Salnies the Adelantade made a memorable entrie though of small effect There is a passage which they call Pongo one of the most daungerous in all the worlde for the river being there straightned and forced betwixt two high steepe rockes the water falles directly downe with so great a violence that comming steepe downe it causeth such a boyling as it seemeth impossible to passe it without drowning yet the courage of men durst attempt to passe it for the desire of this renowmed Dorado they slipt downe from the top to the bottome thrust on with the violence and currant of the floud holding themselves fast in their Canoes or barkes and although in falling they were turned topsie turvie and both they and their Canoes plunged into the deepe yet by their care and industry they recovered themselves againe and in this sort the whole army escaped except some few that were drowned And that which is more admirable they carried themselves so cunningly that they neyther lost their powlder nor munition In their returne having suffered many troubles and daungers they were forced in the end to passe backe that same way mounting by one of those high Rockes sticking their poniards in the rocke Captaine Peter d' Orsua made an other entry by the same river who being dead in the same voyage and the souldiers mutined other Captaines followed the enterprise by an arme that comes into the north sea A religious man of our company told vs that being then a secular man he was present in a manner at all that enterprise and that the tides did flowe almost a hundred leaguâ—s vp the river and whereas it enters into the sea the which is vnder the Line or very neere it hath 70. leagues breadth at the mouth of it a matter incredible and which exceedes the breadth of the Mediterranean sea though there be some others who in their descriptions give it but twenty five or thirty leagues bredth at the mouth Next to this river that of Plata or of Silver holdes the second place which is otherwise called Paraguâ—y which runnes from the mountaines of Peru into the sea in thirty five degrees of altitude to the South it riseth as they say like to the river of Nile but much more without comparison and makes the fields it overflowes like vnto a sea for the space of three moneths and after returneth againe to his course in the which ships do saile many leagues against the streame There are many other rivers that are not of that greatnes and yet are equall yea they surpasse the greatest of Europe as that of Magdalaine neere to Saint Marthe the great river and that of Alvarado in new Spaine and an infinit number of others Of the south side on the mountains of Peru the rivers are not vsually so great for that their current is not long and that many waters cannot ioyne together but they are very swift descending from the mountaines and have sodaine falles by reason whereof they are very dangerous and many men have perished there They increase and overflowe most in the time of heate I have gone over twenty and seaven rivers vpon that coast yet did I never passe any one by a foord The Indians vse a thousand devises to passe their rivers In som places they have a long cord that runs fro one side to th' other thereon hangs a basket into the which he puts himselfe that meanes to passe and then they drawe it from the bancke with another corde so as hee passeth in this basket In other places the Indian passeth as it were on horse backe vppon a bottle of straw and behinde him hee that desires to passe and so rowing with a peece of a boorde carries him over In other places they make a floate of gourds or pompions vppon the which they set men with their stuffe to carry over and the Indians having cordes fastned to them goe swimming before and drawe this floate of pompions after them as horses doe a Coach others goe behinde thrusting it forward Having passed they take their barke of pompions vppon their backe and returne swimming this they doe in the river of Saint at Peru. We passed that of Alvarado in new Spaine vpon a table which the Indians carried vpon their shoulders and when they lost their footing they swamme These devises with a thousand others wherewith they vse to passe their rivers breede a terrour in the beholders helping themselves with such weake and vnsure means and yet they are very confident They do vse no other bridges but of haire or of straw There are now vppon some rivers bridges of stone built by the diligence of some governours but many fewer then were needfull in such a country where so many men are drowned by default thereof and the which yeeldes so much silver as not onely Spaine but also other strange Countries make sumptuous buildings therewith The Indians do drawe from these floudes that runne from the mountaines to the vallies and plaines many and great brooks to water their land which they vsually doe with such industry as there are no better in Murcia nor at Millan it selfe the which is also the greatest and onely wealth of the Plaines of Peru and of many other partes of the Indies Of the qualitie of the land at the Indies in generall CHAP. 19. WE may know the qualitie of the land at the Indies for the greatest parte seeing it is the last of the three Elements whereof wee have propounded to treate in this Booke by the discourse we have made in the former Booke of the burning Zone seeing that the greatest part of the Indies dooth lie vnder it But to make it knowne the more particularly I have observed three kindes of lands as I have passed through those Regions whereof there is one very lowe another very high and the third which holds the middle of these two extreames The lower is that which lieth by the sea coasts whereof there is in all partes of the Indies and it is commonly very hote and moist so as it is
drawe it There is great aboundance in the kingdome of Chille of Quitto and in the new Realme of Grenado The most famous golde is that of Caranava in Peru and of Valdivia in Chille for that it riseth with his alloy and perfection which is twenty three carrats and a halfe and sometimâ—s more They make accompt likewise of the gold of Veraâ—â—a to be very fine They bring much golde to Mexico from the Philippines and China but commonly it is weake and of base alloy Golde is commonly found mixt with silver or with copper but that which is mixed with silver is commonly of fewer carraâ—s then that which is mixed with copper If there bâ—â—a siâ—e partâ— of silver Plinie saieth it is then properly called Flâ—â—â—â— which hath the property to shine more at the light of the fire then fine gold or fine silver That which is incorporate with copper is commonly of a higher value They refine powldred golde in basens washing it in many waters vntill the sand falles from it and the golde as most heavie remaineth in the bottome They refine it likewise with quicke-silver and strong water for that the allume whereof they make this water hath the vertue to separate gold from drosse or from other mettalls After it is purified and molten they make brickes or small barres to cary it vnto Spaine for being in powlder they cannot transport it from the Indies for they can neither custome it marke it nor take say vntill it be molten The foresaide Hisâ—â—riaâ— grapher reporteth that Spaine above all other Countries of the world did abound in gold and silver especially Galitia and Portugall above all the Asturiaâ—s whence hee saieth they brought every yeere twenty thousand pounds of golde and that they found not so great aboundance in any other place The which is confirmed in the booke of Macabees where it is saide that amongest the great riches of the Romans they had in their power the golde and silver of Spaine At this day the great treasure of Spaine comes from the Indies wherein the divinâ— Providence hath appoynted one Realme to serve another which doe imparte their wealth to participate their governement for the good the one of the other in communicating mutually the goodes and graces they doe inioy wee can not value nor esteeme the quantitie of golde that is brought from the Indies but we may well say it is much more then that which 〈◊〉 reports was brought yeerely from Spaine to Româ— In the fleete where I came which was in the yeâ—re 1585. the declaratiâ—n of the firme land was of of twelve cassons or chests of golde every casson at the least weied foure Arobes that is a hundred weight and a thousand fifty and sixe mares from New Spaine which was for the King only besides that which came for Merchants and private men being registred and much that came vnregistred This may suffice touching the golde of the Indies and now we will speake of silver Of the Silver at the Indies CHAP. 5. WE reade these wordes in the Booke of Iob Siluer hath certain beginnings and roots in his veins and golde hath a setled place where it ingenders and thickens yron with digging is drawne out of the earth and stone molten with heate is turned into copper Hereby he wisely shewes in few words the nature of silver golde yron copper We have spoken something of the places where golde is ingendered and congealed which is either of the foresaide stones in the deapth of mountaines and in the bowells of the earth or in the sand of rivers and where brookes have runne or else on the toppes of mountaines the which golde in powlder runnes downe with the water And this is the common opinion they holde at the Indies Wherevppon many of the common sort believe that the deluge having drowned all even to the highest hills hath beene the cause that at this day they finde this golde in the rivers and in places so farre off Now we wil shew how they discover the mines of silver their veines rootes and beginnings whereof Iob speakes And first I will say that the reason why they give silver the second place among all other mettalles is for that it approacheth neerer to golde then any other being more durable and lesse indomaged by the fire and more maniable then any other yea it passeth golde in brightnesse beauty and sound the which is cleere and agreeable for the colour is more conformable and resembling the light and the sound more percing more lively and more delicate Likewise there are some places where they value silver more then golde It is yet an argument to iudge that gold is more pretious rhen all other mettalls for that it is found with greater difficultie and Nature seemes more sparing in bringing it foorth although there be countries as they say of Chine where they finde golde more easily then silver yet it is more common and ordinarie to finde silver with more facilitie and greater abundance then gold The Creator hath furnished the Weast Indies with so great a treasure of silver as all that which we reade of in antient Histories and that which is spoken of the mines of Spaine and other provinces is not comparable to that we see in those partes The mines of silver are commonly found in mountaines and high rockes very desart although they have sometimes bin found in Plaines and Champaines There are two different kindes the one they call stragling the other fixed and setled The straggling are peeces of mettall found in certaine places the which drawne away there is no more found But the fixed veines are those which have a continuance in depth and length like to great branches and armes of trees and when they find anie one of them they commonly finde many in the same place The maner to purge refine silver which the Indians have vsed was by melting in dissolving this masse of mettall by fire which casts the earthly drosse aparte and by his force separates silver from lead tinne from copper and other mettalls mixt To this end they did build small furnaces in places whereas the winde did commonly blow and with wood and cole made their refining the which furnaces in Ptru they call Guayras Since the Spaniards entred besides this manner of refining which they vse to this day they likewise refine silver with quicke-silver and draw more by this means then in refining it by fire For there is some kind of silver mettall found which can by no meanes be purged and refined by fire but onely with quickesilver But thiâ— kinde of mettall is commonly poore and weake the which vsually they finde in greatest aboundance They câ—l that poore which yields least silver and great quantitie of other mettall and that rich which yieldes mâ—st silver It is strange to see not onely the difference betwixt the refining of mettall by fire and without it by quicke-silver but also that some of
therewith and with some other discontents discovered this secret vnto his maister called Villaroel a Spaniard who then remained at Porco This Villaroel desirous to vnderstand the trueth went to Potozi finding the riches his Yanacona or servant had discovered vnto him caused the Indian Guanca to be inrolled vndertaking with him the saide veine which was called Centeno they call it vndertaking that is as much as to note and marke the mine and so much ground in circuite for him which the Lawe graunts vnto those that discover any mine or vnto those that digge them by meanes whereof having discovered them to the Iustice they remayned Lords of the mine to dig and drawe foorth the silver as being their owne paying only their duties vnto the King which is a fift parte So as the first discovery and inregistring of the mines of Potozi was the 21. of April in the yeare of our Lord one thousand five hundred fortie five in the territorie of Porco by the saide Villaroel a Spaniard and Guanâ—a an Indian Presently after they discovered another veine which they called the veine of Tinne the which is very rich although it be rough and very painfull to worke in the mettall being as hard as slint Since the thirtie day of August in the same yeere of a thousand five hundred forty and five the veine called Mendieta was inrolled and these are the foure principall veines of Potozi They say of the rich veine the first that was discovred that the metall lay above the ground the height of a launce like vnto rockes raising the superficies of the earth like vnto a crest of three hundred foote long and thirteene foote broade and that this remained bare vncovered by the deluge This veine having resisted the violence and force of the water as the hardest part The mettall was so rich as it was halfe silver and this veine continued in his bounty fiftie or three score stades which is the height of a man and then it failed In this maner the mines of Potozi were discovered by the Divine Providence who for the felicitie of Spaine would have the greatest treasure that ever was in this world discovered at such time whenas the Emperour Charles the fift of famous memorie held the Empire the kingdomes of Spaine and the Seigniorie of the Indies Presently after that the discoverie of Potozi was knowne in Peru many Spaniardes and the most parte of the Bourgeois of the silver Cittie which is eighteene leagues from Potozi came thither to take mines yea there came many Indians from divers provinces especially tha GuayZadores of Porco so as within a short space it was the best peopled habitation of all the kingdome Of the treasure which is daily drawne from the rocke or mountaine of Potozi CHAP. 7. I Have often doubted if in antient Histories there were found any so rich mines as those we have seen in our time in Peru. If there were ever rich mines in the worlde and famous for this effect they have bin those of Spaine which they of Cartbage did inioy and since the Romans the which as I have saide are not onely famous and esteemed in prophane bookes but also in the holy Scriptures Hee that maketh most particular mention of these mines at the least that I have seene is Plinie who writeth thus in his naturall Historie They finde silver almost in all provinces but that of Spaine is the best which growes and ingenders in a barren soile vppon mountaines and rockes It is a certaine and infallible thing that in places where they have once discovered any of these veines there are others not farre off which is likewise found in all other mettalls and for this the Greekes in my opinion called them mettalls It is strange that the pits or holes of these mines of Spaine the which they beganne to digge in Hannibals time are at this day and hold the names of their discoverers Amongst these mines that which Bebello discovered which holdes his name vnto this day was very famous and they say it yeelded so great riches to Hanniball that evâ—rie day they gathered three hundred pounds weight of silver and vnto this day they have alwaies continued labouring in this mine so as it is now digd 15. hundred pases deep into the mountaine Out of which pits notwithstanding the deapth the Gascoinâ—s that labour in them drawe out the water that they may worke with more ease whilest their candelles and lights last and that in such aboundaunce as it seemes to be a river Hitherto are the woordes of Pliny the which I would set downe word by word the better to content such as know what mines be seeing that what is tried at this day was then in vse And truely the riches of this mine of Hannibal vpon the Pirrenean hilles was great and famous which the Romans possessed having continued the worke even vnto Plinies time which was about three hundred yeeres The deapth of this mine was fifteene hundred pases which is a mile and a halfe and it was so rich in the beginning that it was woorth daily to the maister thereof three hundred poundes at twelve ounces to the pound But although this were a great treasure it did not approach neere to that which in our time hath bin found in Potozi for as it appeareth by the Registers of the house of contraction of that Province and as many antient men worthy of credite doe testifie whenas the licentiate Pollo governed that Province the which was many yeeres after the discovery of this mountaine they did every saterday enter a hundred and fifty and twoo hundred thousand peeces whereof the Kings fift amounted to thirty and forty thousand peeces and for every yeere a million and a halfe or little lesse So as according to that computation they didde drawe every day from this mine thirtie thousand peeces whereof there came to the King for his fift sixe thousand peeces a day There is yet another thing to be spoken of to shew the riches of Potozi that the account which hath been made was only of silver that was marked and customed And it is wel knowne in Peru that they have long vsed silver in these Realmes which they call currant which was neither marked nor customed And they holde it for certain which know these mines that in these daies the greatest parte of silver drawne at Potozi was not customed and this had course amongest the Indians and much amongst the Spaniardes as I have seene continued to mytime so as it may appeare the third part of the riches of Potozi yea the one halfe came not to light neither was it customed There is yet a more notable consideration in that which Plinie saieth they hadde digged a fifteene hundred pases in this mine of Bebellâ— and that continually they found water which is the greatest hinderaunce they have to drawe foorth theyr mettall But in this of Potozi although they have digged two hundred stades or heights of
the Pignons of Punua the conserve of Guanucquo the oyle of Fig-trees and many other things the which being well applied and in time they hold to be of no lesse efficacie then the drugges that come from the East The which may be seene in reading the discourse which Monardes hath made in the first and second Part where he treates amply of Tobacco or Petum whereof they have made notable experiences against poison Tobacco is a small tree or plant common enough the which hath in it rare vertues as amongst others it serves for a counterpoison like to many and divers other plants for the Creator of all things hath imparted his vertues at his pleasure not willing that any thing should grow idle But it is another soveraigne gift to man to know them and their proper vses the which the same Creator gives to whome hee pleaseth Doctor Francis Hernandes hath made a goodly worke vppon this subiect of Indian plants liquors and other phisicall things by the Kings expresse commission and commaundement causing all the plants at the Indies to be lively painted which they say are above a thousand two hundred and that the worke cost above three score thousand ducats out of which worke the Doctor Nardus Anthonius an Italian Physitian hath made a curious extract sending him to the foresaid bookes that desires more exactly to knowe the plants at the Indies especially for physicke Of great forrests at the Indies of Cedars of Ceivas and other great trees CHAP. 30. ALthough from the beginning the earth did bring foorth plants and trees by the commandement of the Lord yet hath it yielded more in one place than in another and besides the plants and trees which by the industry of man have beene transplanted and carried from place to place there are many which Nature it selfe hath brought forth I do beleeve that of this sort there are more at the new world which we do call the Indies either in number or diversitie than in the olde as Europe Asia or Affrike The reason is for that the climate at the Indies is generally hot and moist as we have declared in the second Booke against the opinion of the Auntients which causeth the earth naturally for to bring foorth an infinit number of wilde plants whereby the greatest part of the Indies is inhabitable being almost impossible to travell by reason of the woodes and thicke forrests that are there which they labour dailie to cut downe It hath bin needefull passing through some partes of the Indies especially where they newly entred to make their way in cutting downe trees and pulling vp bushes so that as some religious men have written that have tried it they coulde not sometimes have passed above a league in a day One of our brothers a man worthy of credite reported vnto vs that being straied in the mountaines not knowing which way he shoulde passe he fell among such thicke bushes that he was forced to go vpon them without setting foote to the ground by the space of fifteene whole dayes and to see the Sunne or to marke some way in this thicke forrest full of wood he was forced to climbe to the top of the highest trees to discover He that shall reade the discourse of his travell how often hee was lost and the wayes he passed with the strange adventures that happened vnto him the which I have written briefly being so worthy the knowledge and having my selfe travelled alittle over the mountaines at the Indies were it but the eighteene leagues betwixt Nombre de Dios and Panama may well iudge what great forrests there are So as having no winter in those parts to nip them with colde and the humiditie of the heavens and earth being so great as the mountaines bring foorth infinit forrests and the plaines which they call Savanas great plenty of grasse there is no want of pasture for feeding of timber building nor of wood for fewell It is impossible to set downe the differences and formes of so many wilde trees for that the names of the greatest parte are vnknowne Cedars in olde time so much esteemed are there very common both for buildings and shippes and they are of diverse sortes some white and some redde very odoriferant There are great store of Bay trees very pleasant to beholde vpon the Andes of Peru vppon the mountaines in the Ilands of Nicaragua and in New Spaine There are also infinite numbers of Palmes and Ceivas whereof the Indians make their Canoes which are boates made of one peece They bring into Spaine from the Havana excellent timber In the Iland of Cuba there are infinite numbers of like trees as Ebene Caovana Grenadille Cedars and other kindes which I do not know There are great pine trees in New Spaine though they be not so strong as those in Spaine they beare no pignous or kernells but empty apples The oaks as they cal them of Guaiaquil is an excelent wood and sweet when they cut it yea there are kanes or most high reedes of whose boughs or small reedes they doe make bottles and pitchers to carry water and do likewise vse them in their buildings There is likewise the wood of Mansle or Firre whereof they make masts for their shippes and they holde them as strong as yron Molle is a tree of many vertues which casteth foorth small boughes whereof the Indians make wine In Mexico they call it the tree of Peru for that it came from thence but it growes also in New Spaine and better than those in Peru. There are a thousand other trees which were a superâ—â—uous labour to intreate of whereof some are of an exceeding greatnesse I will speake only of one which is in Tlaco Chavoya three leagues from Guayaca in New Spaine this tree being measured within being hollow was found to have nine fadome and without neare to the roote sixteene and somewhat higher twelve This tree was strooke with lightning from the toppe to the bottomâ— through the heart the which caused this hollownesse they say that before the thunder fell vpon it it was able to shadow a thousand men and therefore they did assemble there for theyr daunces and superstitions yet to this day there doth remaine some boughes and verdure but not much They know not what kinde of tree it is but they say it is a kind of Cedar Such as shall finde this strange let them reade what Plinie reporteth of the Plane of Lidia the hollow whereof contained foure score foote and one and seemed rather a Cabbin or a house than the hollow of a tree his boughs like a whole wood the shaddow whereof covered a great part of the field By that which is writen of this tree we have no great cause to wonder at the Weaver who hadde his dwelling and loome in the hollow of a chesnut tree and of another chesnut tree if it were not the very same into the hollow whereof there entered eighteene men on horsebacke and passed out without
of the two fifty years which finished the wheele They vsed a pleasant ceremony which was the last night they didde breake all their vesselles and stuffe and put out their fire and all the lights saying that the worlde should end at the finishing of one of these wheeles and it might be at that time for said they seeing the worlde must then end what neede is there to provide meate to eate and therfore they had no further neede of vessel nor fire Vpon this conceit they passed the night in great feare saying it might happen there would be no more day and they watched very carefully for the day but when they saw the day beginne to breake they presently beat manie drummes and sounded cornets flutes and other instruments of ioy and gladnesse saying that God did yet prolong the time with another age which were fiftie two yeares And then beganne an other wheele The first day and beginning of this age they took new fire and bought new vesselles to dresse their meate and all went to the high Priest for this new fire having first made a solemne sacrifice and given thanks for the comming of the day and prolongation of an other age This was their manner of accounting their yeares moneths weekes and ages How the Kings Inguas accounted the yeares and moneths CHAP. 3. ALthough this supputation of times practised amongest the Mexicaines bee ingenious enough and certaine for men that had no learning yet in my opinion they wanted discourse and consideration having not grounded their computation according vnto the course of the moone nor distributed their months accordingly wherein those of Peru have far surpassed them for they divided their yeare into as many dayes perfectly accomplished as we do heere and into twelve moneths or moones in the which they imployed and consumed the eleven daies that remaind of the moone as Polo writes To make the computation of their yeare sure and certaine they vsed this industry vppon the mountaines which are about the citty of Cusco where the Kings Inguas held their court beeing the greatest sanctuary of those realmes and as we should say an other Rome there were twelve pillars set in order and in such distaunce the one from the other as every month one of these pillers did note the rising and setting of the sunne They called them Suceanga by meanes whereof they taught and shewed the feasts and the seasons fitte to sowe and reape and to do other things They did certaine sacrifices to these pillars of the sunne Every month had his proper name and pecular feasts They beganne the yeare by Ianuary as wee doe But since a king Ingua called Pachacuto which signifies a reformer of the Temple beganne their yeare by December by reason as I coniecture that then the Sunne returneth from the last poynt of Capricorne which is the tropike neerest vnto them I know not whether the one or the other have observed any Bisexte although some holde the contrary The weekes which the Mexicaines did reckon were not properly weekes being not of seaven dayes the Inguas likewise made no mention thereof which is no wonder seeing the account of the weeke is not grounded vpon the course of the sunne as that of the yeare nor of the moone as that of the month but among the Hebrewes iâ— is grounded vpon the creation of the world as Moyses reporteth and amongest the Greekes and Latins vpon the number of the seven planets of whose names the dayes of the weeke have taken their denomination yet was it much for those Indians being men without bookes and learning to have a yeare seasons and feasts so well appoynted as I have sayd That no nation of the Indies hath beene found to have had the vse of letters CHAP 4. LEtters were invented to signifie properly the words we do pronounce even as woordes according to the Philosopher are the signes and demonstrations of mans thoughtes and conceptions And both the one and the other I say the letters and words were ordained to make things knowne The voyce for such as are present and letters for the absent and such as are to come Signes and markes which are not properly to signifie wordes but things cannot be called neyther in trueth are they letters although they be written for wee can not say that the Picture of the sunne be a writing of the sunne but onely a picture the like may be saide of other signes and characters which have no resemblance to the thing but serve onely for memorie for he that invented them did not ordaine them to signifie wordes but onely to note the thing neyther do they call those characters letters or writings as indeede they are not but rather ciphers or remembraunces as those be which the Spherists or Astronomers do vse to signifie divers signes or planets of Mars Venus Iupiter c. Such characters are ciphers and no letters for what name soever Mars may have in Italian French or Spanish this character doth alwaies signifie it the which is not found in letters for although they siguify the thing yet is it by meanes of words So as they which know not the tongue vnderstand them not as for example the Greekes nor the Hebrews cannot conceive what this word Sol doth signifie although they see it written for that they vnderstand not the Latine word so as writing and letters are onely practiced by them which signifie words therewith For if they signifie things mediately they are no more letters nor writings but ciphers and pictures whereby we may observe two notable things The one that the memory of histories and antiquities may bee preserved by one of these three meanes either by letters and writings as hath beene vsed amongst the Latines Greekes Hebrews and many other Nations or by painting as hath beene vsed almost throughout all the world for it is said in the second Nicene Counsell Painting is a booke for fooles which cannot reade or by ciphers and characters as the cipher signifies the number of a hundred a thousand and others without noting the word of a hundred or a thousand The other thing we may observe thereby is that which is propounded in this chapter which is that no Nation of the Indies discovered in our time hath had the vse of letters and writings but of the other two sortes images and figures The which I observe not onely of the Indies of Peru and new Spaine but also of Iappon and China And although this may seeme false to some seeing it is testified by the discourses that have beene written that there are so great Libraries and Vniversities in China and Iappon and that mention is made of their Chapas letters and expeditions yet that which I say is true as you may vnderstand by the discourse following Of the fashion of Letters and Bookes the Chinois vsed CHAP. 5. THere are many which thinke and it is the most common opinion that the writings which the Chinois vsed are letters as