discourses being marueilous sorie that we could not vnderstand thē A few dayes after they began to beare good wil toward me so heartie good will I say that as I thinke they would rather haue perished with hunger and thirst then haue taken their refection at any mans hand but mine Seing this their great good will I sought to learn some Indian wordes and began to aske them questions shewing them the thing whereof I desired to know the name how they called it They were very glad to tell it me and knowing the desire that I had to learne their language they incouraged me afterward to aske them euerye thing So that putting downe in writing the wordes and phrases of the Indian speech I was able to vnderstand the greatest part of their discourses Euery day they did nothing but speake vnto me of the desire that they had to vse me well if we returned vnto their houses and cause me to receiue all the pleasures that they coulde deuise aswell in hunting as in seeing their verye strange and superstitious ceremonies at a certaine feast which they call Toya Which feast they obserue as straightly as wee obserue the sunday They gaue me to vnderstand that they would bring me to see the greatest Lord of this countrey which they called Chiquola which exceedeth them in height as they tolde me a good foote and a halfe They said vnto me that he dwelt within the land in a very large place and inclosed exceeding high but I coulde not not learne wherewith And as farre as I can iudge this place whereof they spake vnto me was a very faire citie For they sayde vnto me that within the inclosure there was greate store of houses which were built very high wherein there was an infinite number of men like vnto themselues which made none account of golde of siluer nor of pearles seeing they had thereof in aboundance I began then to shew them al the parts of heauen to the intent to learne in which quarter they dwelt And straightway one of them stretching forth his hand shewed me that they dwelt toward the North which maketh mee thinke that it was in the riuer of Iordan And now I remember that in the reigne of the Emperour Charles the fift certaine Spaniardes inhabitants of Saint Domingo which made a voyage to get certaine slaues to worke in their mynes stole away by suttletie the inhabitants of this riuer to the number of fortie thinking to carry them into their new Spaine But they lost their labour for in despite they died all for hunger sauing one that was brought to the Emperour which a little while after he caused to be baptised and gaue him his owne name called him Charles of Chiquola because he spake so much of this Lorde of Chiquola whose subiect he was Also as men woorthy credite haue assured me he reported continually that Chiquola made his abode within a very great inclosed citie Besides this proofe those which were left there in the first voyage haue certified me that the Indians shewed them by euident signes that farther within the land on y ◠foresaide part toward the North there was a great enclosure or Citie and within the same manye faire houses wherein Chiquola dwelt But not to digresse from my matter I wil returne to the Indian which took so great delight in speaking to me of this Chiquola that there neuer passed anie one day wherein hee did not discourse of some rare thing concerning the same After they had stayed a while in our shippes they beganne to be sorie and still demaunded of me when they shoulde returne I made them vnderstande that the Captaines will was to sende them home againe but that first he would bestow apparrel of them which few dayes after was deliuered vnto them But seeing he would not giue them licence to depart they resolued with themselues to steale away by night and to get a little boate which we had and by the helpe of the tide to sayle homeward towarde their dwellinges and by this meanes to saue thēselues Which thing they failed not to doe and put their enterprise in execution yet leauing behind them the apparel which the Captaine had giuen them and carrying away nothing but that which was their owne shewing wel hereby that they were not void of reason The Captaine cared not greatly for their departure considering they had not beene vsed otherwise then well and that therefore they woulde not estrange themselues from the Frenchmen Captaine Ribault therefore knowing the singular fairenesse of this riuer desired by all meanes to encourage some of his men to dwell there well foreseeing that this thing might bee of greate importaunce for the Kinges seruice and the reliefe of the common wealth of Fraunce Therefore proceeding on with his intent he commaunded the ankers to be weighed and to set things in order to returne vnto the opening of the riuer to the end that if the winde came faire he might passe out to accomplish the rest of his meaning When therefore we were come to the mouth of the riuer he made them cast anker whervpon we stayed without discouering any thing all the rest of the day The next day he commaunded that all the men of his ship should come vp vppon the decke saying that he had somewhat to say vnto them They all came came vp and immediately the Caytaine beganne to speake vnto them in this manner I thinke there is none of you that is ignoraunt of howe greate consequence this our enterprise is and also howe acceptable it is to our young king Therefore my friends as one desiring your honour and benefite I woulde not fayle to aduertise you all of the exceeding greate good happe which shoulde fall to them which as men of valure and worthy courage would make triall in this our first discouerie of the benefites and commodities of this newe lande which should be as I assure my selfe the greatest occasion that euer could happen vnto them to arise vnto the title and degree of honour And for this cause I was desirous to propose vnto you and set downe before your eies the eternall memorie which of right they deserue which forgetting both their parentes and their countrey haue had the courage to enterprise a thing of such importance which euen kinges themselues vnderstanding to be men aspiring to so high degree of magnanimitie and increase of their maiesties doe not disdaine so wel to regarde that afterwardes employing them in matters of weight and of high enterprise they make their names immortal for euer How beit I woulde not haue you perswade your selues as manie do that you shall neuer haue such good fortune as not being knowen neither to the king nor the Princes of the Realme and besides descending of so poore a stock that few or none of your parents hauing euer made profession of armes haue beene knowen vnto the great estates For
lake of freshwater named Sarrope about fiue leagues in bignesse abounding with many sortes of fruites specially in Dates which growe on the palme trées whereof they make a wonderfull traficke yet not so great as a kinde of roote whereof they make a kinde of meale so good to make bread of that it is vnpossible to eate better and that for fifteene leagues about all the countrie is fed therewith Which is the cause that the inhabitantes of the Isle gaine of their neighbours great wealth and profite for they will not depart with this roote without they he well payed for it besides that they are taken for the most warrelike men of all that countrie as they made good proofe when the king of Calos hauing made alliance with Oathcaqua was depriued of Oathcaquaes daughter which hee had promised to him in marriage Hee tolde mee the whole matter in this sorte As Oathcaqua well accompanied with his people carried one of his daughters excéeding beawtifull according to the coulour of the countrey vnto king Calos to giue her vnto him for his wife the inhabitantes of his Isle aduertised of the matter layde an ambush for him in a place where hee should passe and so behaued themselues that Oathcaqua was discomfited the betrothed young spouse taken and all the Damoselles that accompanied her which they carried vnto their Isle which thing in all the Indians countrey they esteeme to be the greatest victorie for afterwarde they marrie these virgins and loue them aboue all measure The Spaniarde that made this relation tolde me that after this defeite he went to dwell with Oathcaqua and had béene with him full eight yeares euen vntil the time that hee was sent vnto mee The place of Calos is situate vppon a riuer which is beyond the Cape of Florida fortie or fiftie leagues towardes the Southwest and the dwelling of Oathcaqua is on this side the Cape towarde the North in a place which we call in the Carte Caignaueral which is in eight and twentie degrées About the fiue and twenteth of Ianuarie Paracoussy Satourioüa my neighbour sent me certayne presentes by two of his subiectes to perswade me to ioyne with him and to make warre vppon Ouae Vtina which was my friende and farther besought mee to retyre certayne of my men which were with Vtina for whome if it had not béene hee had oftentimes set vppon him and defeited him he besought me herein by diuers other kinges his allies which for thrée weekes or a monethes space sent messengers vnto mee to this ende and purpose But I woulde not graunt vnto them that they should make warre vppon him yea rather contrariwise I endeuoured to make them friendes wherein they condiscended vnto mee so farre foorth that they were content to allowe of any thing that I would set downe whereupon the two Spaniardes which of long time knew well the nature of the Indians warned me that in any case I should not trust vnto them because that when they shewed good countenance and the best chéere vnto men then was the time that they woulde surprise and betraye them and that of their nature they were the greatest traitours and most deepe dissemblers of the worlde Besides I neuer trusted them but vpon good ground as one that had discouered a thousand of their craftes and subtilties aswel by experience as by reading of the histories of late yeares Our two barkes were not so soone finished but I sent Captayne Vasseur to disconer a long the coste lying towarde the Northe and commaunded him to saile vnto a riuer the king wherof was called Audusta which was lord of that place where those of the yeare 1562. inhabites I sent him twoe sutes of apparel with certaine hachats kniues and other smale trifles the better to insinuate my selfe into his friendshippe And the better to win him I sent in the barke with captaine Vasseur a soldier called Aimon which was one of them which returned home in the firste voyage hoping that king Audusta might remember him But before they were embarked I commanded them to make inquirie what was become of another called Rouffi which remained alone in those parts when Nicolas Masson and those of the firste voyage embarked themselues to returne into France They vnderstood at their arriual there that a barke passing that waye had caried awaye the same soldier And afterward I knew for a certaintie that they were Spaniardes which had carried him to Hauana The kinge Audusta sent mee backe my barke ful of mill with a certaine quantitie of beanes twoe stages some skins painted after theire maner and certaine pearles of small value because they were burnt and sent me worde that if I woulde dwel in his quarters he woulde geue me a greate countrye and that after hee had gathered his mil he would spare me as much as I would haue In the meane while there came vnto our forte a flocke of stocke voues in so greate nomber and that for the space of seuen weekes together that euery daye wee killed with hargubuse shot twoe hundred in the woods aboute our forte After that captaine Vasseur was returned I caused the two barkes to be furnished againe with soldiers and mariners and sent them to carrie a present from mee vnto the widow of king Hioacaia whose dwelling was distante from our forte about twelue leages northward Shee curteously receaued our men sent me backe my barks full of mil and acorns with certaine baskets full of the leaues of Cassine where with they make their drinke And the place where this widowe dwelleth is the most plentiful of mil that is in all the coaste and the moste pleasant It is thought that the queene is the most beautiful of al the Indians and of whome they make most accompt yea and her subiects honour her so much that almost continualy they beare her on their shoulders and wil not suffer her to go on foote With in a few daies after the return of my barks she sent to visit me by her Hiatiqui which is as much to saye as her interpreter Nowe while I thought I was furnished with victuals vntill the time that our shippes might come out of France for feare of keeping my people idle I sent my two barkes to discouer along the riuer and vp toward the head thereof which went so farre vp that they were thirtie leagues good beyonde a place named Mathiaqua and there they discouered the entrance of a lake vpō the oneside whereof no land can bee seene according to the reporte of the Indians which had oftentimes climed on the hiest trees in the country to see land and notwithstanding could not discerne any which was the cause that my men went no further but returned backe and in comminge home went to see the Ilande of Edelano situated in the midst of the riuer as faire a place as any that may be seene through the world For in the
him as farre as Blay but he was gotten already to Bordeaux to make him yeelde another account of his voyage then that where with he made many Frenchmen right glad The Catholicke king being afterwarde infourmed that Gourgues coulde not easilye be taken offered a great somme of money to him that coulde bringe him his heade praying moreouer king Charles to do iustice on him as of the authour of so bloudye an art contrarye to their alliaunce and good leage of friendshippe In so much as comming to Paris to present himselfe vnto the king to signifie vnto him the successe of his voyage and the meanes which he had to subdue this whole country vnto his obedience wherein hee offered to employe his life and all his goods he found his entertainement and aunswere so contrarye to his expectation that in fine hee was constrained to hide himselfe a long space in the Court of Roan about the yeare 1570. And without the assistaunce of President Marigny in whose house hee remained certaine daies and of the receiuer of Vacquieulx which alwaies was his faithfull friende hee had beene in great daunger Which grieued not a little Dominicke de Gourgues considering the seruices which hee had done aswell vnto him as to his predecessours kinges of Fraunce Hee was borne in Mount Marsan in Guyenne and employed for the seruice of the most Christian kinges in all the armies made since these twentye fiue or thirtie yeares at last hee had the charge and honour of a Captaine which in a place neere vnto Siene with thirty Souldyers sustained the brunt of a part of the Spanish Army by which beeing taken in the assault and hauing all his men cutte in pieces hee was put into a galcy in token of the good warre and singular fauour which the Spaniarde is wont to shewe vs. But as the galey was going toward Sicillie beeing taken by the Turkes ledde away to Rhodes and thence to Constantinople it was shortly afterwarde recouered by Romeguas commaunder ouer the army of Malta By this meane returning home he made a voyage on the coast of Affrica whence hee tooke his course to Bresil and to the south Sea At length being desirous to repaire the honour of Fraunce he sette vpon Florida with such successe as you haue heard So that being become by his continuall warlike actions both by land and Sea no lesse valiant Captaine then skilfull Mariner hee hath made himselfe feared of the Spaniard and acceptable vnto the Queéne of England for the desert of his vertues To conclude he died in the yeare 1582. to the great grief of such as knew him FINIS A Table of the principall thinges that are contained in this historie after the order of the Alphabet The letter B. alwayes signifieth the second page A Accusations against Laudonniere 55. b Aduantage wisely taken 50 Aelâ—us Pertinax desceÌ„ding from base parentage became Emperour of Rome 9. b Aequara a king â—6 Agathocles a potters sonne became king of Sicilie 10 Albert left Captain of Charles-fort Ribaults speach vnto him 10. b He is slame by his owne souldiers the causes why 15. b Alcibiades banished by backbiters 52. b An allie of fourehundred pases long 48 Allimacani a king 30. b and 53. b America vnknowne to all antiquity 1. the three generall parts thereof ibidem Americus Vespucius of whom America tooke the name ibidem Anacharaqua a king 26 Ananas a fruite of Great excellency 18. b Appalassy Mountaines rich in mynes of gold 2. b. 40. b. and 54. b Assemblies of the Floridians 3 Astina a king rebelleth against Vtina 43. b Athore the sonne of satourioua 29. b A village of that name 46 Audusta a king 11. b. his great humaitie 39. b Aygles in Florida 22 B Backbiting dangerous 52. b Bahama chanel 35. b Baracou a village in the Isle of Iamaica 35 Base a ryuer fifteen leagues Northward of port Royal. 11 Bay trees of soueraigne odour 22 Beanes very good 3. b Bristowe 59. b Bullets of siluer 23 Burâ—all of kinges with the manner and strange ceremonies thereof 3. b Buriall of Priests ibidem Burying of goodes with the dead and the cause why the Floridians doe so 63 C Cadecha a king 26 Caignaueral in 28. degrees 39 Calany a king 26. Calos a village and a king 38. his great riches ibidem the situation of that village 39 Cape Fransois 4. b Cape â—userne and why so called 7 Cape Tiburon 35 Cape saint Anthonie 60 Charles-Fort built in port Royal by Râ—bault 10. b. set on fire by casualtie 14. reedified in twelue houres 14. b. abandoned 16 Caroline the French fort built by Laudonniere in forme of a triangle in the riuer of May. 24. b. beaten down by the French 49. repaired by the French 56. b surprised and taken by the spaniardes 57. b Cassauâ— a roote whereof bread is made 35 Cassine a drinke made of leaues the excellencie thereof none may drinke of it but such as haue made proofe of their valure in warre 3. b Casti a king killed two Frenchmen 46. and 53. b Causes why the French lost Florida 49. b and 59. b Cedars 22 Ceremonies vsed by the Floridians before they goe to warre 28. b Ceremonies to call to minde the death of their auncestours slaine by their enemies 27. b Chamoys skins 7. and 12 Childy a king 26. a place 40 Chiquola or Chicora a king of great stature 8. b Chiquola a faire and rich Citie Northwarde of port Royal. 8. b Christopher Cholon or Columb 1 Complaintes of the sauages against the spamardes 60. b Consultations of the Floridians 3. 28. b Consultation of the French where it were best to plant 23 Cordage for tackle found in Florida 16 Corne ripe in three moneths 3. b Corne equally diuided according to each mans qualitie 4 Couexis a great king 13 Coya a village 40 Cristal and the place where it groweth in great quantitie 15 Crocodiles exceeding those of Nilus 14. b Curtesie of the Floridians 21 Cypresses of great heighth 14. b D Desire of reuenge rooted in the sauages 47 Diligence of the Mariners to saue the French that escaped out of the Fort. 58 Diseases the maner of curing thereof 4 Dominica an Iland and the commendation thereof 18. b Dominicke Gourgues and his commendation 64 Dressing of fish and flesh ouer the smoake called Boucaning 4 E Eclauou a king 26 Edeland a rich and goodly Iland 40. 45. b Election of a new king 44. b Emoloa a village 49. Emoloa or Homoloa a king 53. b. 55 b Enacappe a king 26. Enecaque a village 4â— b Enegaupe a village 4â— English men succour the French in extreame famine 16. b Enimies taken in warre how vsed by the Floridians 26. b. 44. b Epitaphes sette vp ouer the French and Spaniards hanged in Florida 63. b Esquine a drugge excellent against the French pockes 22. and 45 Execution of foure mutinous souldters 37 F False reports of Loudonniere 52. b Famine in great extrenutie 16.
and 42 Fier very dangerous in Florida 24. b Fight and the manner thereof among the Floridians 48 Fish parcks made of reedes in the forme of a labarinth 5 Fish in great aboundance 6. b Fish to fiftie cart loade kild in the mouth of the Ryuer of May with extreame heate 31 Florida and the description thereof 1. b the trees beasts fowle gold siluer dyes coulours and other commodities of Florida 2. b their manners wearing of their hayre exercises running for games shooting playing at bal hunting fishing forme of warre triumphs worshippe of sunne and Moone 2. b their treasons 39. their deepe dissembling 44. b their subtilties 47. their chiete feare 48. b their league with the French 61 Fort beaten downe by the Frenchmen themselues before their departure 49 Francis Iean a Traytour to his owne countrymen 33. b and 57. b. and â—8 Frenchmen mistrusted that the English would plant in Florida 50. b they hidde the siluer which they found in Florida from the English least the Queene of England shoulde bee encouraged to inhabite there after their departure â—1 G Gieure and his message to Laudonniere in the souldiers name 32. b Gold and siluer founde in the Ryuer of May. 23. b Gold in the mountaines of Apallassy and the manner howe the sauages resine it 40. b Gourgues his voiage 60. his confederacie with the sauages 61. his taking of the two small spanish forts 62. his taking of the third fort 63. b his returne to Rochell 64. his death and commendation 64. b Gouernour of Iamaica taken by the French 35. his escape 36 Groles or Cornish choughes great deuourers of the corne in Florida 22 H Halmacanir a king 60. b Harpaha a king 60. b Hauana a towne in Cuba 35. b Heede to be taken of the Floridians 47 Helicopile a king 60 b Helmacape a king 60. b Herinaphrodites common in Florida 3 their trauaile and paines in carrying of burthens ibidem their 〈◊〉 of â—â—â—ture 23. b Hiatiqui an interpretour 40 High buildings not good in Florida 24. b Houstaqua a great king 26. â—â—le â—â—â—â—ing three or foure thousand to the 〈◊〉 40 Houstaqua or Hostaqua a village â—â— b Hoya a king 12 I Iames Ribault 58. his bad dealing with Laudonniere 58. b Iawa the Priest or Magician among the Floridians 3. b. and 41. his counsaile asâ—ed before they goe to battaile ibid. his aunsweres are found true ibid. Indians two taken with consent of their king 7. b. their dolefull songs â— they eate not before the sunne lette ibidein their escape 9 Indians of Florida vse to trimme themselues with rich feathers 12. b Instruments to till the ground like broad mattocks 3. b Inuocations of the Iawas or Priestes vnto Toya 13 Iohn Hawkins the English Generalis arriuall in Florida 50. his great humanitie and liberalitie to the starued Frenchmen 51. his departure 51. b Iohn Ribaults first voyage to florida 4. b his pithy oration to his company 9. his building of a fort in port Royal. 10. b. his returne and arriuall in France 11. b. his second voyage to Florida 52. howe he was receaued by Laudonniere 53. an aduertisement vnto him to beware of the spaniardes 56. his embarkement to followe the spaniardes 56. his shipwracke and death 59 b Iracana a Riuer called by the French the Riuer of somme 49 Isle of Cedars 7. b K Kings of Florida at hatred one with another 45 The king of Edelano caused Peter Gamby to be murthered for his riches 40. b L La Chere a French souldyer eaten of his companions for hunger 16 b A Lake discouered in Florida from the one side whereof the land cannot be seen to the other 40 A Lake three leagues distant from the village of Potanou 41 Letters of Admiral Chastillon to Iohn Ribault 56 Letters of Admiral Chastillon to Laudonniere 53. b Laudonniere was in the first voyage of Ribault vnto Florida 4 b. he putteth downe in writing the words and phrases of the Floridians speach 8. Laudonnieres seconde voyage to Florida 18. his arriual there 19. conspiracie against hun in his sicknes 32. his danger of beeing empoysoned 32. b. his fifteene daies unprisonment by his owne company 34. b. his oration to his mutinous souidiers 36. his intention to remooue his seate more Northward to be neerer the rich mountains of Apalassy 40 b. hee is hardly vsed by Iohn Ribault 56. b. he had but â—5 men left in his fort when the spaniardes surprised it 57. his escape out of their hands 57. b his arriual in swansey Bay in Glamorganshiere in south Wales 59. his curteous entertainement by one M. Morgan ibidem his passing by Bristow to London 59. b. his visiting of Monsieur de Foix the French Ambassador there his passing ouer into Fraunce to the Court at Moulins ibidem Liberality and curtesie are the best means to deale with sauages 49 Lightinng exceeding straunge 30. it is thought by the sauages to bee y e discharging of the Christians ordinaunce 30. b Loue and curtesie of the Floridians 20 M Maccou a king 13. b Malica a king 27. b. and 53. b Malgualire a kind of vessel that can saile forward and backward 3â— b Mariages the slate thereof in Florida 3 Maracou a southerne king 37. b Martinica an Iland 18. b Martyres certaine dangerous flats neere the Cape of Florida 38 Mathiaca a king 37. b. a village of the same name 40 Mattes very artificial 49 Mayarqua a place fourescore leagues vp the riuer of May. 3 Mayou a king 12 Mayrta a rich king 25. b Medlers excellent good 2 Molloua a king 25. b Molona a king 26. b Moneths reckoned by Moones in Florida 51. b. and 64 Moquoso a king 26 Mosse vsed by the french to calke ships 16 Mosse vsed in sâ—eede of napkins 27. b. and in steede of apparel 61 Mulbury trees 2 Mulburies white and redde 5 Mutiny against Captaine Albert and the causes thereof 15 N Newe Conquests subiect to rebellion and mutinies 37 Newe Corne ripe by the ende of Maye in Florida 45. b Nicolas Barre chosen in Captaine Alberts roome his good gouernment 15. b O Oathcaqua a king 38. b Olata Oâ—ae Vtina a great king 25. b. forty other Kings his vassals 26 Olocotara a King 62. his valure ibidem Omittaqua a King 26 Omoloa a King 29 Onathaqua a King 37. b Onatheaqua a great King and his rich dwelling 26 Ottigni Laudonnieres Lieutenaunt 21. commendation of his valure 48 Ouade a King 13. his rich tapistry made of feathers and couerlets finely wrote with redde fringe 13. b. his great liberalitie ibidem Oile and the vse thereof in Florida 4 P Palmes 22. their leaues serue to thatch houses in Florida 24 Paracoussy signifieth a King and Gouernour 20 Partridges grey and redde 6 Passage by the Riuer of port Royall into the south sea 6. b Patica a King 36. a village also of that name 40. and 46. b Painting of faces with blacke and red 26 Pedro Melendes Captaine of the
purposed to goe on land where I suffered him to depart after I had giuen him a shirte and certain small trifles wherewith he departed very well content with vs. The place where we went on shore was hard by a very hie Rocke out of which there ran a litle riuer of sweet and excellent good water by which riuer we stayed certayne dayes to discouer the things which were worthy to bee seen traficked dayly with the Indians which aboue all thinges besought vs that none of our men should come neere their lodgings nor their Gardens otherwise that we should giue them great cause of ielosie and that in so doing wee should not want of their fruit which they call Ananas whereof they offered vs very liberally receiuing in recompence certaine things of small value This notwithstanding it hapned on a day that certaine of my men desirous to see some new things in these strange countries walked through the woods and following still the little riuers side they espied two Serpents of exceeding bignesse which went side by side ouerthwarte the way my soldiers went before them thinking to let them from going into the woods but the serpents nothing at all astonished with these gestures glaunced into the bushes with fearefull hissings for all which my men drewe their swordes and killed them and found them afterward nine great foote long and as bigge as a mans legge During this combate certaine others more vndiscreete went and gathered their Ananas in the Indians Gardens trampling through them without any discretion and nâ—t therewithall contented they went toward their dwellings whereat the Indians were so much offended that without regarding any thing they rushed vpon them and discharged their shot so that they hit one of my men named Martin Chaueau which remayned behinde Wee coulde not knowe whether hee were killed on the place or whether he were taken prisoner for those of his company had inough to doe to saue themselues without thinking of their companion Whereof Monsur de Ottigni my Lieuetenant being aduertised sent vnto me to know whether I thought good that he shuld lay an ambush for the Indians which had either taken or killed our man or whether hee should goe directly to their dwellinges to knowe the truth I sent vnto him after good delebration hereupon that hee should not attempt any thing and that for diuers occasions but contrariwise that he should embarke himself with all diligence and consequently all they that were on land which hee did with speede But as he sayled toward our shippes he perceiued a long the shore a great number of Indians which beganne to charge them with their Arrowes he for his part discharged store of shotte against them yet was not able to hurte them or by any meanes to surprise them for which cause he quite forsooke them came vnto our ship Where staying vntill the next day morning we sette sayle following our wonted course and keeping the same we discouered diuerse Iles conquered by the Spaniards as the Iles of S. Christopher of y e Saintes of Monserrada and la Rotonda Afterward we passed betweene Languilla aad la Negada sayling toward New Fraunce where we ariued fifteene dayes afterward to witte on a Thurseday the two and twenteth of Iune about three or foure of the clock in the morning and landed neere vnto a little Riuer which is thirtie degrees distant from the Equator and ten leagues aboue Cape François drawing toward the South and about thirtie leagues aboue the Riuer of May. After we had strooken sayle and cast Anker a thwart the Riuer I determined to goe on shore to discouer y â— same Therefore beiug accompanied with Monsur de Ottigny with Monsur de Arlac mine Ensigne a certaine number of Gentlemen and souldiers I embarked my selfe about three or foure of the clocke in the euening And being ariued at the mouth of the Riuer I caused the Chanell to be sounded which was found to be very shallow although that farther within the same y â— water was there found reasonable deepe which separateth it selfe into two great armes whereof one runneth toward the South and the other toward the North. Hauing thus searched the Riuer I went on lande to speake with the Indians which wayted for vs vpon the shore which at our comming on land came before vs crying with a loud voyce in their Indian language Antipola Bonassou which is as much to say as brother friend or some such like thing After they had made very much of vs they shewed vs their Paracoussy that is to say their king and gouernour to whom I presented certaine toyes wherewith he was wel pleased And for mine own part I praise God continually for the great loue which I haue found in these Sauages which were sory for nothing but that the night approched and made vs retire vnto our shippes For though they endeuoured by all meanes to make vs tarry with them and that they shewed by signes the desire they had to present vs with some rare things yet neuerthelesse for many iust and reasonable occasions I would not stay on shore all night but excusing my selfe for al their offers I embarked my selfe againe and returned toward my ships Howbeit before my departure I named this riuer the riuer of Dolphines because that at mine arriuall I sawe there a greate number of dolphines which were playing in the mouth thereof The next day the three and twentieth of this moneth because that toward the South I had not found any coÌ„modious place for vs to inhabite and to build a fort I gaue commaundement to weigh anker and to hoyse our sayles to sayle towarde the riuer of Maye where we arriued two dayes after and cast anker afterwarde going on land with some number of Gentlemen and Souldiers to knowe for a certaintie the singularities of this place wee espyed the Paracoussy of the countrey which came towards vs this was y â— very same y we saw in the voiage of Captaine Iohu Ribault which hauing espied vs cried very farre of Antipola Antipola and being so ioyful that he could not containe himselfe he came to meet vs accompanied then with two of his sonnes as faire mighty persons as might be found in all the world which had nothing in their mouthes but this word Amy Amy that is to say friend friend yea and knowing those which were there in the first voyage they went principally to them to vse this speech vnto them There was in their trayne a great number of men and women which still made very much of vs and by euident signes made vs to vnderstand how glad they were of our ariual This good entertainment past y e Paracoussy prayed me to go to see the piller which we had erected in the voyage of Iohn Ribault as we haue declared heretofore as a thing which they made great account of Hauing yeelded vnto him and being come to the place where it
against the Frenchmen which they followed by the space of thrée leages and recouered their owne ships the brigantine which escaped away passed in the sight of the Cape des Aigrettes and the Cape of S. Anthonie situate in the Isle of Cuba from thence passed within the sight of Hauana But Trenchant their Pilot and the trompetter and certayne other mariners of this brigantine which were led away by force in this voyage as else where wee haue declared desired nothing more then to returne to me wherefore the so men agréed together if peraduenture the â—iâ—â— serued them well to passe the chanell of Bahama while their seditious companions were a sléepe which they did accomplish with such good successe that in the morning toward the breake of the day about the fiue and twentith of March they arriued vpon the cost of Florida where knowing the fault which they had committed in a kinde of mockerie they counterfaited the iudges But they played not this prancke vntill they had tippled well of the wine which remayned yet in their prise One counterfayted the iudge an other presented my person one other after he had hearde the matter pleaded coucluded thus make you your causes as good as it pleaseth you but if when you come to the fort Caroline the Captayne cause you not to bée hanged I wil neuer take him for an honest man others thought that my choler being passed I woulde easily forget this matter Their saile was no sooner descried vpon our coast but the king of the place named Patica dwelling eight leagues distant from our fort and being one of our good friends sent an Indian to aduertise me that he had descried a shippe vpon the coast and that hee thought it was one of our Nation Herevppon the Brigantine oppressed with famine came to an ancre at the mouth of the riuer of May when at the first blush wee thought they had beene shippes come from France which gaue vs occasion of great ioy But after I had caused her to bee better viewed I was aduertised that they were our seditious companious that were returned Therefore I sent them word by Captaine Vasseur and my Sergeant that they should bring vp their Brigantine before the fortresse which they promised to doe Now there was not aboue two leagues distance from the mouth of the riuer where they cast ancre vnto the fortresse The next daie I sent the same Captaine and Sergeant with thirtie souldiours because I saw they much delaied their comming Then they brought them and because certaine of them had sworne at their departure that they would neuer come againe within the fort I was wel pleased they should kéepe their oath For this purpose I waited for them at the riuers mouth where I made my barkes to be built and commanded my Sergeant to bring the foure chiefe authours of the mutinie on shore Whom I caused unmediately to be put in fetters for my meaning was not to punish the rest considering that they were suborned and because my counsell expressely assembled for this purpose had concluded that these foure onely shoulde die to serue for an example to the rest In the same place I made an Oration vnto them in this maner My friendes you knowe the cause why our king sent vnto this countrie you knowe that hee is our naturall Prince whome wee are bounde to obey according to the commandement of God in such sorte that wee ought neither to spare our goods nor liues to doe those thinges that concerne his seruice yee knowe or at least you can not be ignorant that besides this generall and naturall obligation you haue this also ioyned thereunto that in receyuing of him reasonable paye and wages you are bounde to followe those whome hee hath established ouer you to bee your gouernors and to commaunde you in his name hauing for this purpose giuen him an othe of fidelitie which you cannot by any meanes reuoke for any faire apparence which you haue to doe the contrarie for this is reason that seeing you liue vppon his charges on this condition this is reason I saye that you shoulde bee faithfull vnto him Notwithstanding you haue had more regarde vnto your vnbridled affections then vnto vertue which inuited you to the obseruance of your othe in such sort that being become contemners of all honestie you haue passed your bonds and thought that all things were lawful for you Whereupon it is fallen out that while you thought to escape the iustice of men you coulde not auoide the iudgement of God which as a thing by no meanes to bee auoided hath ledde you and in spite of you hath made you to arriue in this place to make you to confesse how true his iudgementes are and that he neuer suffreth so foule a fault to escape vnpunished After that I had vsed vnto theÌ„ these or the like speaches following that which wee had agreed vppon in counsaile in respect of the crimes which they had committed aswell against the kinges Maiestie as against mée which was their Captaine I commaunded that they shoulde bee hanged Seeing therefore that there was no starting hole nor meanes at all to saue themselues from this arrest they tooke themselues vnto their praiers Yet one of the foure thinking to rayse a mutinie among my soldiers sayd thus vnto them What brethren companions will you suffer vs to die so shamefully And taking the word out of his mouth I said vnto him that they were not companioÌ„s of authors of sedition rebels vnto the kings seruice Hereupon the soldiers besought me not to hang theÌ„ but rather let them be shot through and then afterward if I thought good their bodies might be hanged vpon certaine gibbets along the Hauens mouth which I caused presently to bee put in execution Loe heere what was the and of my mutinous soldiers without which I had alwaies liued peaceably and enioyed the good desire which I had to make an happie and quiet voyage But because I haue spoken of nothing but their accidentes and aduentures which happened vnto them after their departure without making any mention of our fort I will returne to the matters from which I digressed to declare that which fell out after their departure First I began to consider to the ende I might confirme and make my selfe more constant in mine affliction that these murmurours coulde not ground their sedition vpon want of victualls For from the time of our arriuall euery soldier daily vnto this day and besides vntil the eight and twentith of February had a loaf of bread weighing two and twenty ounces Againe I recounted with my selfe that all newe conquests by sea or by land are ordinarily troubled with rebellions which are easie to be raised aswel in respect of the distance of place as in respect of the hope that the souldiers haue to make their profite as we may bee well informed both by auncient
and that in case they woulde helpe me to some I woulde finde meanes to set him agayne at libertie that in the meane space I woulde retire my selfe into my Barkes for I feared least they woulde there assemble themselues together and that some mischief might thereof insue where I would stay for him two dayes to receaue his aunswere notwithstanding that my meaning was not to haue any thing without exchaunge of marchaundise Thys they promised they woulde doe And in verye deéde the verye same euening hys wyfe accompanyed withall the women of the village came vnto the Ryuers brincke and cryed vnto meé to enter into the barke to seé her husband and her sonne which I helde both prisoners I discouered the next daye fiue or sixe hundred Indyans Archers which drewe neére vnto the Ryuers side and came to meé to signyfie vnto meé howe that duryng the absence of their kyng their enemye Potanou beéyng thereof aduertised was entred into their vyllage and had set al on fire They prayed meé that I woulde succour them neuerthelesse in the meane while they had one parte of their troupe in ambush wyth intent to sette vpon meé if I had come on lande which was easie for meé to discerne For seéyng that I refused so to doe they greatly doubted that they were discouered and sought by all meanes to remooue out of my mynde that euill opinion whych I had conceaued of them They brought meé therefore fish in their little boates and of their meale of Mast they made also of their drinke which they call cassine which they sent to Vtina and meé Nowe albeit I had gotten thys poynt of them that I helde their king prysoner yet neuerthelesse I could not gette any greate quantitye of victuals for the present the reason was because they thought that after I had drawne victuals from them I woulde put their Kynge to death For they measured my will accordyng to their custome whereby they put to death all the men prysoners that they take in Warre And thus beéing out of all hope of hys libertye they assembled themselues in the great house and hauing called all the people together they proposed the election of a newe Kyng at which time the Father in lawe of Vtina set one of the Kynges young Sonnes vpon the royal throne and tooke such paynes that euerye man dyd hym homage by the Maior parte of the voyces This election had lyke to haue beéne the cause of great troubles amonge them For there was a kinsman of a Kyng neére adioyning which pretended a tytle to the Kyngdome and in deéde heé had gotten one parte of the Subiectes notwithstandyng thys enterpryse coulde not take effecte for asmuch as by a common consent of the chiefe it was consulted and concluded that the Sonne was more meéte to succeéde the Father then anye other Nowe all thys whyle I kepte Vtina with meé to whome I had giuen some of myne apparell to cloath hym as I had lykewise done vnto hys Sonne But his Subiectes which before had an opinion that I woulde haue killed hym beeing aduertysed of the good entertaynement which I vsed towardes him sent two men which walked alonge the Ryuer and came to visite hym and brought vs some victuals These two men at their comming were receaued by me with all curtesie and entertained according to the victuals which I had Whyle these thinges thus passed there arriued from all quarters many sauages of the countries adioyning which came to seé Vtina and sought by all meanes to perswade me to put him to death offering that if I would doe so they woulde take order that I shoulde want no victuals There was also a king my neighbour whose name was Saturioüa a subtile and craftie man and one that shewed by proofe that heé was greatly practised in affaires This king sent ordinarily messengers vnto mee to pray me to deliuer Vtina vnto him and to win me the more easily hee sent twise seuen or eight baskets of Maze or of mast thinking by this way to allure me and to make me come to composition with him In the ende notwithstanding when he sawe he lost his time he ceased to visite me with ambassages and victuals and in the meane whyle I was not able with the small store of victuals which I had so well to proportion out the trauaile vppon the shippes which wee built to returne into France but that in the ende wee were constrayned to endure extreame famine which continued amonge vs all the moneth of Maye for in this latter season neither Maiz nor Beanes nor Mast was to beé founde in the villages because they had employed all for to sowe their fieldes insomuch that weé were constrayned to eate rootes which the most part of our men punned in the morters which I had brought with meé to beate gunnepowder in and the grayne which came to vs from other places some tooke the wood of Esquine beate it and made meale thereof which they boyled with water and eate it others went with their harquebusies to seéke to kill some Foule Yea this miserie was so great that one was founde that gathered vp amonge the filth of my house all the Fish bones that heé coulde find which heé dryed and beate into powder to make bread thereof The effectes of this hidious famine appeared incontinently among vs for our bones eftsoones began to cleane so néere vnto the skinne that the most part of the souldyers had their skinnes pearced thorough with them in manye partes of their bodyes in such sorte that my greatest feare was least the Indyans woulde ryse vp agaynst vs considering that it would haue béene verye harde for vs to haue defended our selues in such extreame decaye of all our forces besides the scarsitye of all victuals which fayled vs all at once For the verye Ryuer had not such plenty of fish as it was wont and it séemed that the lande and water dyd fight agaynst vs. Now as we were thus vpon termes of dispayre about the ende of the moneth of Maye and the beginning of Iune I was aduertised by certayne Indyans that were my neighbours that in the high countrie vp aboue the ryuer there was newe maiz and that that countrye was most forward of all This caused me to take vpon me to goe thither with a certayne number of my men and I went vp the ryuer to a place called Enecaque where I met the sister of Vtina in a village where shee made vs verye good cheare and sent vs fish We found that which was tolde vs to bee true for the maiz was now rype but by this good lucke one shrewde turne happened vnto me For the most part of my souldyers fell sicke wyth eating more of it then their weakened stomackes coulde digest We had also béene the space of foure dayes since wee departed from our fort without eating anye thyng sauyng little pinockes and a little fish
to bring vp their children themselues are wont to contribute to their honest education the rather if they finde any towardlines or reasonable hope of goodnes in them And if Elizabeth Queene of Castile and Arragon after her husband Ferdinando shee had emptied their cofers and exhausted their treasures in subdueing the kingdome of Granada rooting the Mores a wicked weed out of Spayne was neuerthelesse so zealous of Gods honour that as Fernandus Columbus the Sonne of Christopher Columbus recordeth in the historie of the deeds of his Father she layde part of her owne Iewels which she had in great accompt to gage to furnish his Father foorth vpon his first voyage before any foot of land of al the West Indies was discouered what may we expect of our most magnificent gratious prince ELIZABETH of Englande into whose lappe the Lord hath most plentifully throwne his treasuries what may we I say hope of her forwardnes bountie in aduancing of this your most honourable enterprise being farre more certaine then that of Columbus at that time especially and tending no lesse to the glorie of God then that action of the Spaniards For as you may read in the verie last wordes of the relation of Newe Mexico extant now in english the maine lande where your last colonie meane to seate themselues is replenished with many thousands of Indians Which are of better wittes then those of Mexico and Peru as hath beene found by those that haue had some triall of them whereby it may be gathered that they will easilie embrace the Gospell forsaking their idolatrie wherein at this present for the most part they are wrapped intangled A wise Philosopher noting the sundry desires of diuers men writeth that if an oxe be put into a medow he will seeke to fill his bellie with grasse if a storke be cast in she will seeke for snakes if yee turne in a hound he will seeke to start an hare So sondrie men entring into these discoueries propose vnto themselues seuerall ends Some seeke authoritie and places of commandement others experience by seeing of the worlde the most part worldly and transitorie gaine that often times by dishonest and vnlawfull meanes the fewest number the glorie of God and the sauing of the soules of the poore blinded infidels Yet because diuers honest and well disposed persons are entred already into this your busines and that I knowe you meane hereafter to sende some such good Churchmen thither as may truely saie with the Apostle to the Sauages We seeke not yours but you I conceaue great comfort of the successe of this your action hoping that the Lord whose power is wont to be perfected in weakenes will blesse the feeble foundations of your building Onely bee you of a valiant courage and faint not as the Lorde saide vnto Iosue exhorting him to proceede on forwarde in the conquest of the lande of promise and remember that priuate men haue happily wilded and waded through as great enterprises as this with lesser meanes then those which God in his mercie hath bountifully bestowed vpon you to the singuler good as I assure my selfe of this our common wealth wherein you liue Hereof we haue examples domesticall and forreine Remember I pray you what you finde in the beginning of the Chronicle of the conquest of Irâ—â—â—de newlie dedicated vnto yourselfe Read you not that Richard Strangbowe the decayed earle of Chepstowe in Monmuthshire being in no great fauour of his Soueraigne passed ouer into that Iland in the yeere 1171. and accoÌ„panied only with certaine of his priuate friends had in short space such prosperous successe that hee opened the way for king Henrie the second to the speedie subiection of all that warlike nation to this crowne of Englande which so continueth to this present day The like conqueste of Brasilia and annexing the same to the kingdome of Portugal was first begunne by meane and priuate men as Don Antonio de Castillio Ambassadour here for that realme by his office keeper of all the records and monuments of their discoueries assured me in this citie within these sixe yeeres Now if the greatnes of the maine of Virginea and the large extension thereof especially to the West should make you thinke that the subduing of it were a matter of more difficultie then the conquest of Irelande first I answere that as the fresh experience of that happie and singuler skilfull pilâ—tte and Captaine M. Iohn Dauis to the northwest towarde which his discouerie your selfe haue thrise contributed with the forwardest hath shewed a great part to bee maine Sea where before was thought to bee mayne lande so for my part I am fully perswaded by Orâ—elius late reformation of Culuacan and the gulfe of California that the land on the backe part of Virginea extendeth nothing so farre westward as is put downe in the mappes of those partes and that before two yeeres come to an ende God blessing the foresaide Captaine Dauis endeuours he will put vs out of that doubt and manie others Moreouer it is not to bee denied but that one hundred men will doe more nowe among the naked and vnarmed people in Virginea then one thousande were able then to doe in Irelande against that armed and warrelike nation in those daies I say further that these two yeares last experience hath plainely shewed that wee may spare tenne thousand able men without any misse And these are as manie as the kingdome of Portugal had euer in all their garrisons of the Assores Madera Cape verde Guinea Brasill Mozambique Melinde Zocotora Ormus Diu Goa Mallacca the Moluccoes Amacan and Macao vpon the cost of China Yea this I say by the confession of singuler expert men of their owne natioÌ„ whose names I suppresse for certaine causes which haue beene personally in the East Indies and haue assured mee that their kings had neuer aboue ten thousand natural borne Portugals their slaues excepted out of their kingdome remaining in all the aforesaid territories Which also this present yeere I sawe confirmed in a secrete extract of the particuler estate of that kingdome and of euerie gouernment and office subiect to the same with the seuerall pensions thereunto belonging Seeing therefore we are so farre from want ef people that retyring dayly home out of the Lowe Countries they go idle vp downein swarmes for lacke of honest intertainmeÌ„t I see no fitter place to employ some part of the better sort of them trayned vp thus long iu seruice theÌ„ in the inward parts of the firme of Virginea against such stubborne Sauages as shall refuse obedience to her Maiestie And doubtlesse many of our men will be glade faine to accept this condition when as by the reading of this present treatie they shall vnderstand the fertilitie and riches of the regions confining so neere vppon yours the great commodities and goodnesse whereof I trust you will suffer to come shortly
to light In the meane season I humbly commende my selfe and this my translation vnto you and your selfe and all those which vnder you haue taken this enterprise in hand to the grace good blessing of the Almightie which is able to build further and to finish the good worke which in these our dayes he hath begunne by your most Christian and charitable endeuour Your L. humble at commandement R. H. The preface THere are two thinges which according to mine opinioâ—â— haue been the principall causes in consideration whereof aswell they of auncient times as those of our age haue been enduced to trauell into farre and remote regions The first hath beene the naturall desire which we haue to serch out the commodities to liue happely plentifully and at ease be it whether one abandon his naturall cuntrie altogether to dwell in a better or bee it that men make voiages thither there to serch out and bring from thence such thinges as are there to bee found and are in greatest estimation and in most request in our cuntries The second cause hath beene the multitude of people too frutefull in generation which being no longer able to dwell in their natiue soyles haue entred vppon their neighbours limites and oftentimes passing further haue pearced euen vnto the vttermost regions After this sorte the north climate a frutefull father of so many nations hath oftentimes sent foorth this way and that way his valiant people and by this meane hath peopled infinite countries so that most of the nations of Europe drawe their original from these partes Contrariwise the more southern regions because they be too barraine by reason of their insupportable heate which raigneth in them neede not any such sending foorth of their in habitances and haue beene oftentimes constrained to receaue other people more often by force ofarmes then willingly All Africke Spaine and Italie can also testifie the same which neuer so abounded with people that they had neede to send them abroode to inhabite else where as on the contrary Scythia Norway Gotland and France haue done The posterite of which nations remaineth yet not only in Italie Spaine and Affricke but also in frutefull and faire Asia Neuerthelesse I find that the Romains proceding farther or rather adding vnto these two chiefe causes aforesayd as being most curious to plant not only their ensignes and victories but also their lawes customes and religion in those provinces which they had conquered by force ofarmes haue oftentimes by the decree of their soueraine Senate sent forth inhabitantes which they called colonies thinking by this way to make their name immotall euen to the vnfurnishing of their owne countrye of the forces which should haue perserued the same in her perfection a thing which hindred them much more then advanced them to the possession of the vniversall monarchie where vnto their intention did aspyre For it came to passe that their colonies here and there being miserably sacked by strang people did vtterly ruine and ouerthrowe their empire The brinkes of the riuer of Rine are yet red those of Danubius are noe lesse bloodie and our France be came fatte with their blood which they lost These are the effectes and rewardes of al such as being pricked forward with this Romaine and tirannicall ambition will goe aboute thus to subdue strange people effectes I say contrarie to the profitte which those shall receaue which only are affectioned to the common benefitte that is to say to the generall pollicie of all men and endeuour to vnite them one with another as well by trasicke and forraine conuersations as also by militarie vertues and force of armes whenas the sauages wil not yeeld vnto their endeuours so much tending vnto their profite For this cause princes haue sent foorth out of their dominions certaine men of good actiuitie to plante themselues in strang countries there to make their profite to bring the countrie to ciuilitie and if it might be to reduce the inhabitantes to the true knowledg of our God an end so much more commédable as it is farre from all tiranicall and cruell gouernement and so they haue alwayes thriued in their enterprises and by lyttle and little gained the hartes of them which they haue conquered or wonne vnto them by any meanes Here of we may gather that sometimes it is good yea very expedient to send foorth men to discouer the pleasure and commoditie of strang countries But so that the country out of which these companies are to passe remayne not weakned nor depriued of her forces And againe in such sorte that the companie sent forth be of so iuste and sufficient number that it may not bee defeited by strangers which euery foote endeuour nothing else but to surprise the same vpon the suddaine As within these fewe dayes past the french haue proued to my great greife being able by no meanes possible to withstand the same considering that the elementes men and al the fauours which might be hoped for of a faithful and Christian alliance fought against vs which thing I purpose to discouer in this preseÌ„t historie with so euident truth that the kings maiestie my souerainge prince shall in parte be satisfied of the diligence which I haue vsed in his seruice and myne aduersaries shall find themselues so discouered in their false reportes that they shall haue no place of refuge But before I beginne I wil brefely set downe the situation and description of the land where vnto we haue failed and where we haue inhabited from the yeare 1561 vnto sixtie fiue to the ende that those thinges may the more easily be borne a way which I meane to describe in this discourse ¶ The description of the West Indies in generall but chiefly and particularly of Florida THat part of the earth which at this day wee call the fourth part of the world or America or the West India was unknowen vnto our auncestors by reason of the great distance thereof In like manner all the Westerne Ilandes and fortunate Isles were not discouered but by those of our age Howbeit there haue beene some which haue said that they were discouered in the time of Augustus Caesar and that Virgil hath made mention thereof in the sixt booke of his Aeneidos when he saith That there is a lande beyond the starres and the course of the yeere and of the sunne where Atlas the Porter of heauen sustaineth the pole vpon his shoulders neuerthelesse it is easie to iudge that he meaneth not to speake of this land whereof no man is founde to haue written before his time neither yet aboue a thousand yeeres after Christopher Colon did first light vpon this lande in the yeere 1492. And fiue yeeres after Americus went thither by the commaundement of the king of Castile and gaue vnto it his owne name wherevpon afterward it was called America This man was very well seene in the Arte of Nauigation and in Astronomie whereby be discouered
serue their turnes for sixe monethes and that very scarcely For during the Winter they retire themselues for three or foure monethes in the yeere into the woods where they make little cottages of palme boughes for their retraite and liue there of maste of fishe which they catch of Oisters of Stagges of Turkiecockes and other beastes which they take They eate all their meate broyled on the coales and dressed in the smoake which in their language they call Boucaned They eate willingly the flesh of y â— Crocodil in deed it is faire and white and were it not that it sauoureth too much like muske we would oftentimes haue eaten thereof They haue a custome among them that when they find themselues sicke where they feele the payne whereas we cause our selues to be let blood their Phisitions sucke them vntill they make the blood follow The women are of the like disposition great and of the same colour that the men be of painted as the men be Howbeit wheÌ„ they are borne they be not so much of an oliue colour and are farre whiter For the chiefe cause that maketh them to be of this colour proceedes of annointings of oyle which they vse among them and they doe it for a certaine ceremonie which I could not learne because of the sun which shineth hotte vpon their bodies The agilitie of the women is so great that they can swinâ—ne ouer the greate riuers bearing their children vppon one of their armes They climbe vp also very nimbly vppon the highest trees in the Countrey Beholde in briefe the description of the Countrey with the nature and customes of the inhabitantes which I was verie willing to write before I entred anie further into the discourse of my historie to the end that the Readers might the better be prepared to vnderstand that which I meane hereafter to entreate of MY Lord Admiral of Chastillion a noble man more destrous of the publike than of his priuate benefite vnderstanding the pleasure of the king his prince which was to discouer new straÌ„ge countries caused vessels fitte for this purpose to bee made readie with all diligence and men to be leuied meet for such an enterprise Among whom he chose Captaine Iohn Ribault a man in truth expert in Sea causes which hauing receiued his charge set himself to Sea the yeere 1561. the eighteenth of Februarie accompanied onelie with two of the kinges shippes but so well furnished with Gentlemen of whose number I my selfe was one and with olde Souldiers that he had meanes to aâ—chieue some notable thing and worthy of eternall memorie Hauing therefore sayled two monethes neuer holding the vsuall course of the Spaniardes he arriued in Florida landing neere a Cape or Promontorie which is no high lande because the coste is all flatte but onelie rising by reason of the high woods which at his arriuall he called Cape François in honour of our Fraunce This Cape is distant from the equator about 30. degrees Coasting from this place towardes the North he discouered a very fayre and great riuer which gaue him occasion to cast anker that he might search the same the next day very early in the morning which being done by the breake of day accompanied with Captaine Fiquinuille and diuers other souldiers of his shippe he was no sooner arriued on the brinke of the shore but straight he perceiued many Indians men and women which came of purpose to that place to receiue the Frenchmen with all gentleues amity as they wel declared by the Oration which their king made and the presents of Chamoys skins wherwith he honored our captaine which the day following caused a piller of hard stone to be planted within the saide riuer and not farre from the mouth of the same vppon a little sandie knappe in which Piller the armes of Fraunce were carued and engraued This being done he imbarked himself again to the end alwaies to discouer the cost toward the North which was his chief desire After he had sayled a certain time he crossed ouer to the other side of the riuer and then in the presence of certaine Indians which of purpose did attende him hee commaunded his men to make their praiers to giue thankes to GOD for that of his grace he had conducted the French nation into these straunge places without anye perill or daunger at all The prayers being ended the Indians which were very attentiue to harken vnto them thinking in my iudgement that we worshipped the sunne because wee alwayes had our eyes lifted vp towarde heauen rose all vp and came to salute the Captaine Iohn Ribault promising to shewe him their king which rose not vp as they did but remayned still sitting vppon greene leaues of bayes and Palmetrees toward whom the Captaine went and sate downe by him and heard him make a long discourse but with no great pleasure because he coulde not vnderstand his language and much lesse his meaning The king gaue our Captain at his departure a plume or fan of Egrepthes feathers died in red and a basket made of palm boughes after the Indian fashion and wrote verye artificially with a great skinne paynted and drawne throughout with the Pictures of diuers wilde beastes so liuely drawen and portraide that nothing lacked but life The Captain to shew himself not vnthankful gaue him pretie tinne braselets a cutting hook a looking glasse certaine kniues wherevpoÌ„ the king shewed himselfe to bee very glad and fully contented Hauing spent the most part of the day with these Indians the captaine imbarked himselfe to passe ouer to the other side of the riuer whereat the king seemed to be very sorie Neuerthelesse being not able to stay vs he commaunded that with all diligence they should take fishe for vs which they did with all speede For being entred into their parkes or inclosures made of reedes and framed in the fashion of a labyrinth or maise they loaded vs with troutes greate mullets plaise turbuts and marueilous store of other sortes of fishes altogether different from ours This done wee entered into our Barkes and went towarde the other shore But before we came to the shore wee were saluted with a number of other Indians which entring into the water to their armepittes brought vs manie little baskets full of maise and goodlie Mulberies both redde and white Others offered them selues to beare vs on shore where being landed we perceiued their king sitting vpon a place dressed with boughes and vnder a litle arbour of Cedars Bay trees somwhat distant from the waters side He was accompanied with two of his sonnes which were eâ—ceeding faire and strong with a troupe of Indians who had all their bowes quiuers ful of arrowes in marueilous good order His 2. sonnes receiued our Captaine very graciously but the king their father representing I wâ—tte not what kind of grauitie did nothing but shake his head a little
calling the Forte by the name of Charles Forte and the Riuer by the name of Chenonceau The next day wee determined to depart from this place being as well contented as was possible that wee had so happily ended our businesse with good hope if occasion would permitte to discouer perfectely the Riuer of Iordan For this cause we hoysed our sayles about ten of the clocke in the morning after wee were ready to depart Captaine Ribault commaunded to shoote of our Ordinance to giue a farewell vnto our Frenchmen which fayled not to doe the like on their parte This being done wee sayled towarde the North and then wee named this Riuer Porte Royall because of the largenesse excellent fayrenesse of the same After that wee had sayled about fifteene leagues from thence wee espied a Riuer wherevppon we sent our Piunesse thether to discouer it At their returne they brought vs word that they found not past halfe a fathome water in the mouth thereof Which when wee vnderstood without dooing any thinge else wee continued our way and called it the Base or Shallowe Riuer As wee still went on sounding we founde not past fiue or sixe fathome water although wee were sixe good leagues from the Shore at length wee found not past three fathoms which gaue vs occasion greatly to muse And without making any farther way we stroke our sayles partely because wee wanted water and partly because the night approched during which time Captayne Iohn Ribault bethought with himselfe whether it were best for him to passe any farther because of the eminent daungers which euery houre wee sawe before our eyes or whether hee should content himselfe with that which hee had certaynely discouered and also left men to inhabite the Countrey Being not able for that time to resolue with himselfe he referred it ouer vntill the next day The morning being come he proposed to all the company what was best to bee done to the end that with good aduisement euery man might deliuer his opinion Some made aunsweare that according to their iudgement hee had occasion fully to content himselfe considering that hee cold doe no more laying before his eyes that he had discouered more in sixe weekes then the Spaniardes had done in two yeeres in the conquestes of their new Spaine and that he should doe the king very great seruice if he did bring him newes in so short a time of his happie discouerie Other shewed vnto him the losse spoyle of his victualles and on the other side the inconuenience that might happen by the shallow water that they found continually along the cost which things being well and at large debated we resolued to leaue the cost forsaking the North to take our way toward the Easte which is the right way and course for our Fraunce where we happily arived the twenteth day of Iuly the yeere a thousand fiue hundred sixtie and one The state and condition of those which were left behinde in Charles Forte OUr men after our departure neuer rested but night and day did fortifie themselues being in good hope that after their fort was finished they would beginne to discouer farther vp within the Riuer It happened one day as certayne of them were in cutting of rootes in the Coppises that they espyed on the sodayne an Indian that huâ—ted the Deere which finding himselfe so neere vpon them was much dismayed but our men began to draw neere vnto him and to vse him so courteously that he became assured and followed them to Charles Fort where euery man sought to do him pleasure Captayne Albert was very ioyfull of his comming which after he had giuen him a shert and some other trifles hee asked him of his dwelliug the Indian answered him that it was farther vp within the Riuer and that he was vassel of king Audusta he also shewed him with his hand the limites of his habitation After much other talke the Indian desired leaue to departe because it drewe toward night which Captayne Albert graunted him very willingly Certayne dayes after the Captayne determined to sayle toward Audusta where being ariued by reason of the honest intertaynment which he had giuen to the Indian he was so courteously receiued that the king talked with him of nothing else but of the desire which he had to become his friend giuing him besides to vnderstand that he being his friend and allie he should haue the amitie of foure other kings which in might and authoritie were able to doe much for his sake Besides all this in his necessitie they might be able to succour him with victualles One of these kings was called Mayon another Hoya the third Touppa and the fourth Stalame He tolde him moreouer that they woulde bee very glad when they shoulde vnderstand the newes of his comming and therefore he prayed him to vouchsafe to visit them The Captayne willingly consented vnto him for the desire that he had to purchase friendes in that place Therefore they departed the next day very early in the morning and first ariued at the house of king Touppa and afterward went vnto the other kings houses except the house of king Stalame He receiued of eche of them all the amiable curtesies that might be they shewed themselues to be as affectioned friendes vnto him as was possible and offered vnto him a thousand small presents After that he had remained by the space of certayne dayes with these strange kinges he determined to take his leaue and being come back to the house of Audusta he coÌ„maunded al his men to goe abord of their Pinnesse for he was minded to goe toward the countries of king Stalame which dwelt towarde the North the distance of fifteene great leagues from Charles Fort. Therefore as they sayled vp the riuer they entred into a great Courrant which they followed so far till they came at the last to the house of Stalame which brought him into his lodging where he sought to make them the best cheere he colde deuise He presented immediately vnto Captayne Albert his bow arrowes which is a signe and confirmation of aliance betweene them He presented him also with Chamoys skins The Captaine seing the best parte of the day was nowe past tooke his leaue of king Stalame to returne to Charles Fort where hee ariued the day following By this time the friendship was growne so great between our men king Audusta that in a maner all things were commen betweene him them in such sorte that this good Indian king did nothing of importance but he called our men thereunto For when the time drew neere of the celebrating their feastes of Toya which are ceremonies most strange to recite hee sent Ambassadours vnto our menne to request them on his behalfe to be there present Whereunto they agreed most willingly for the desire that they had to vnderstand what this might be They embarked themselues therefore and sayled
towarde the kinges house which was already come foorth on the way towards them to receaue them curteously to bid them welcome and bring them to his house where he sought to entreate them the best hee might In the meane while the Indians prepared themselues to celebrate the feast the morrow after the king brought them to see the place wherin the feast should be kept where they saw many womē round about which laboured by all meanes to make the place cleane and neate This place was a great circuit of ground with open prospecte and rounde in figure On the morrowe therefore early in the morning all they which were chosen to celebrate the feast being paynted and trimmed with riche fethers of diuers colours put themselues on the way to goe from the kings house toward the place of Toya whereunto when they were come they sette themselues in order and followed three Indians which in painting and in gesture were differing from the rest ech of them bare a Tabret in their hand daunsing and singing in a lameutable tune when they began to enter into the middest of the rounde circuit being followed of others which answered them agayne After that they had song daunsed and turned three times they fell on running like vnbridled horses through the middest of the thickest woods And then the Indian women continued all the rest of the day in teares as sad and wofull as was possible and in such a rage they cut the armes of the yonge gerles which they lanced crutlly with sharpe shelles of muskels that the blood followed which they flang into the ayre crying out three times He Toya The king Audusta had gathered all our men into his house while the feast was celebrated and was exceedingly offended when he saw them laugh This he did because the Indians are very angry when they are seene in their ceremonies Notwithstanding one of our men made such shifte that by subtile meanes hee gatte out of the house of Audusta and secretly went and hid himselfe behinde a very thicke bush where at his pleasure he might easily discry the ceremonies of the feast They three that began the feast are named Iawas and they are as it were three Priestes of the Indian lawe to whome they giue credite and beliefe partely because that by kinred they are ordayned to bee ouer their Sacrifices and partely also because they bee so subtile Magicians that any thing that is lost is straightway recouered by their meanes Agayne they are not onely reuereuced for these thinges but also because they heale diseases by I wotte not what kinde of knoweledge and skill they haue Those that ran so through the woods returned two dayes after after their returne they began to daunce with a cheerefull courage in the middest of the fayre place and to cheere vp their good olde Indian fathers which either by reason of their too great age or by reason of their naturall indisposition and feeblenesse were not called vnto the feast When all these daunces were ended they fell on eating with such a greedinesse that they seemed rather to deuour their meate then to eate it for they had neither eaten nor drunke the day of the feast nor the two dayes following Our men were not forgotten at this good cheere for the Indians sent for them all thither shewing themselues verye glad of their presence While they remayned certayne time with the Indians a man of ours got a yonge boy for certaine trifles and enquired of him what the Indians did in the wood during their absence which boy made him vnderstand by signes that the Iawas had made inuocations to Toya and that by Magicall Characters they had made him come that they might speake with him and demaund diuers strange thinges of him which for feare of the Iawas hee durst not vtter They haue also many other ceremonies which I will not here rehearse for feare of molesting the reader with a matter of so small importance When the feast therefore was finished our men returned vnto Charles Forte where hauing remayned but a while their victualles began to waxe shorte which forced them to haue recourse vnto their neighbours and to pray them to succour thē in that their necessitie which gaue them part of al the victuals which they had and kepte no more vnto them selues then woulde serue to sowe their fieldes They tolde them farther that for this cause it was needefull for them to retire themselues into the woodes to liue of Mast and rootes vntill the time of Haruest being as sory as might bee that they were not able any farther to ayd them They gaue them also counsel to goe toward the countries of king Couexis a man of might renowne in this preuince which maketh his aboad toward the South abounding at all seasons and replenished with such quantitic of mill corne and beanes that by his onely succour they might be able to liue a very long time But before they should come into his territories they were to repayre vnto a king called Ouade the brother of Couexis which in Mill Beanes and corne was no lesse welthy and withall is very liberall and which would bee very ioyfull if hee might but once see them Our men perceauing the good relation which the Indians made them of those two kings resolued to goe thither for they felt already the necessitie which oppressed them Therefore they made request vnto king Maccou that it would please him to giue them one of his subiectes to guide them the right way thither whereunto he condiscended very willingly knowing that without his fauour they should haue much adoe to bring their enterprise to passe Wherefore after they had giuen order for all thinges necessary for the voyage they put themselues to Sea and sayled so farre that in the end they came into the countrey of Ouade which they founde to bee in the Riuer Belle. Being there ariued they perceaued a company of Indians which assone as they knew of their being there came before them Assone as they were come neere them their guides shewed them by signes that Ouade was in this company wherefore our men set forwarde to salute him And then two of his sonnes which were with him being goodly and strong men saluted them agayne in very good sorte and vsed very friendly intertainment on their parte The kinge immediately beganue to make an Oration in his Indian language of the great pleasure and contentment which hee had to see them in that place protesting that he would become so loyall a friend of theirs hereafter that hee would bee their faithfull defendour against all them that woulde offer to bee their enimies After these speeches hee ledde them towarde his house where hee sought to intreate them very courteously His house was hanged about with Tapistrie of feathers of diuerse coulours the height of a pike Moreouer the place where the kinge tooke his rest
was couered with white Couerlettes embroydered with deuises of verye wittie and fine workemanshippe and fringed round about with a Fringe dyed in the coulour of Skarlate They aduertised the kinge by one of the guides which they brought with them howe that hauing heard of his greate liberalitie they had put to the Sea to come to beseech him to succour them with victuals in their great want and necessitie and that in so doing he should binde them all hereafter to remaine his faithfull friendes and loyall defenders against all his enemies This good Indian assoone readye to doe them pleasure as they were to demaund it commaunded his subiectes that they should fill our Pinnesse with mil and beanes Afterward he caused them to bring him sixe pieces of his tapistry made like little couerlets and gaue them to our men with so liberall a minde as they easily perceyued the desire which he had to become their friend In recompence of all these giftes our men gaue him two cutting hookes and certaine other trisses wherewith he helde himself greatly satisfied This being done our men took their leaue of the king which for their farewell sayd nothing else but that they should returne if they wanted victuals and that they might assure themselues of him that they should neuer want any thing that was in his power Wherefore they embarked themselues and sailed towards Charlesfort which from this place might be some fiue and twenty leagues distant But as our men thought theÌ„selues at their ease and free from the dangers whereinto they had exposed themselues night and day in gathering together of victuals here there Loe euen as they were asleepe the fire caught in their lodgings with such furie being increased by the wind that the great roome that was built for them before our mens departure was consumed in an instant without being able to saue any thing sauing a very little of their munition Whervpon our men being farre from all succours found themselues in such extremitie that without the ayde of almighty God the onely searcher of the heartes and thoughtes of men which neuer forsaketh those that seeke him in their afflictions they had byn quite and clean out of all hope For the next day betimes in the morning the king Audusta and king Maccou came thither accoÌ„panied w t a very good coÌ„panie of Indians which knowing the misfortune were very sory for it And then they vttered vnto their subiects the speedy diligence which they were to vse in building another house shewing vnto them that the Frenchmen were their louing friendes and that they had made it euident vnto them by the giftes and presents which they had receiued protesting that whosoeuer put not his helping hâ—d vnto the work withal his might shoulde bee esteemed as vnprofitable and as one that had no good part in him which the Sauages feare aboue all thinges This was the occasion that euerie man beganne to endeuour himselfe in such sorte that in lesse than twelue houres they had begun and finished a house which was very neere as great as the former Which being ended they returned home fully contented with a fewe cutting hookes and hatcâ—ets which they receiued of our men Within a small while after this mischance their victuals began to waxe short and after our men had taken good deliberation thought and bethought them selues againe they founde that there was no better way for them then to returne agayne vnto King Ouadé and Couexis his brother Wherefore they resolued to send thither some of their companie the next day following which with an Indian Canoa sayled vp into the countrey about tenne leagues afterwarde they founde a very fayre and great riuer of fresh water which they fayled not to search out they found therin a great number of Crocodils which in greatnesse passe those of the riuer Nilus moreouer all along the bankes thereof there growe mighty high Cypresses After they had stayed a small while in this place they purposed to followe their iourney helping themselues so well with the tides that without putting themselues in danger of the continuall perill of the Sea they came into the Countrey of Ouadé of whom they were most curteously receyued They aduertised him of the occasion wherefore they came againe to visite him and tolde him of the mischance which happened vnto them since their last voyage howe they had not onelie lost their housholde stuffe by casualtie of fire but also their victuals which hee had giuen them so bountifully that for this cause they were so bolde as to come once againe vnto him to beseech him to vouchsafe to succour them in such neede and necessitie After that the king had vnderstood their case he sent messengers vnto his brother Couexis to request him vppon his behalfe to sende him some of his mill and beanes which thing he did and the next day early in the morning they were come againe with victualles which the king caused to be borne into their Canoa Our men would haue taken their leaue of him finding themselues more than satisfied with this liberalitie But for that day he woulde not suffer them but retayned them and sought to make them the best cheere he coulde deuise The next day very early in the morning hee tooke them with him to shewe them the place where his corne grewe and saide vnto them that they shoulde not want as long as all that mill did last Afterwarde he gaue them a certaine number of exceeding faire pearles and two stones of fine Christall and certayne siluer oare Our men forgot not to giue him certaine trifles in recompence of these presents and inquired of him the place whence the siluer â—are and the christall came Hee made them aunsweare that it came tenne great dayes iourney from his habitation vp within the countrey and that the Inhabitauntes of the Countrey did digge the same at the foote of certaine high mountaines where they founde of it in very good quantitie Being ioyfull to vnderstande so good newes and to haue come to the knowledge of that which they most desired they tooke their leaue of the king and returned by the same way by which they came Beholde therefore howe our men behaued themselues very well hitherto although they had endured many great mishaps But misfortune or rather the iust iudgement of God would haue it that those which coulde not be ouercome by fire nor water shoulde be vndone by their owne selues This is the common fashion of meÌ„ which cannot continue in one estate and had rather to ouerthrowe themselues than not to attempt some new thing daily We haue infinite examples in the auncient histories especially of the Romanes vnto which number this litle handful of men being far from their countrey and absent froÌ„ their countriemen haue also added this present example They entred therfore into partialities and dissentions which began about a souldier named Guernache which was a
asmuch to say in their language as his Magician whether it were best to goe any farther Then this Magician made certaine signes hidious and fearefull to beholde and vsed certaine wordes which being ended he sayd vnto his king that it was not best to passe any farther that Potanou accompanied with two thousand Indians at the least staied in such and such a place for him to byd him battaile and besides this that all the sayd Indians were furnished with coards to binde the prisoners which they made full accompt to take This relation caused Vtina to be vnwilling to passe any farther Whereupon my Lieuetenant being as angry as euer he might be because he had taken so great paines without doing any thing of accompt sayd vnto him that he would neuer thinke well of him nor of his people if he would not hazard himselfe and that if he would not doe it at the least that he would giue him a guide to conduct him and his small companye to the place where the enimies were encamped Hereupon Vtina was ashamed and seeing the good affection on of Mountieur de Ottigny determined to goe forward And he failed not to find his enimies in the very place which the Magician had named where the skirmish began which lasted three long houres wherein without doubt Vtina had beene defeated vnlesse our harquebusiers had not borne the burthen brunt of all the battaile and slaine a great number of the souldiers of Potanou vpon which occasion they were put to flight Wherewithall Vtina being content for the present caused his people to retire returne homewarde to the great discontentment of Mounsieur de Ottigny which desired nothing more then to pursue his victorie After he was come home to his house he sent messagers to eighteen or twenty villages of other kings his vassals and summoned them to be present at the feasts and dances which he purposed to celebrate because of his victorie In the meane while Mounsieur de Ottigny refreshed himselfe for two daies and then taking his leaue of the Paracoussi and leauing him twelue of his men to see that Potanou bethinking himselfe of his late losse should not come to burne the houses of Vtina hee set forward on his way to come vnto me vnto our fort where he vp and told me howe euery thing had passed and withall that hee had promised the twelue souldiers that hee woulde come backe againe to fetch them Then the kinges my neighbours all enemies to Vtina being aduertised of the returne of my Lieuetenaunt came to visite me with presents and to enquire how things had passed praying mee all to receiue them into my fauour and to become enimy to Vtina which notwithstanding I would not graunt them for many reasons that moued mee The Indians are wont to leaue their houses and to retire themselues into the woods the space of three moneths to witte Ianuary February March during which time by no meanes a man can see one Indian For when they goe on hunting they make little cottages in the woodes whereunto they retire themselues liuing vpon that which they take in hunting This was the cause that during this time we could get no victuals by their meanes and had it not beene that I had made good prouision thereof while my men had store vntill the ende of Aprill which was the time when at the vttermost we hoped to haue had succour out of France I should haue beene greatly amazed This hope was the cause that the souldiers tooke no great care to look well vnto their victuals although I deuided equally among theÌ„ that which I could get abroad in the countrey without reseruing vnto my selfe any more then the least souldyer of all the company The moneth of May approching and no manner of succour commen out of France we fell into extreame want of victuals constrained to eate the rootes of the earth and certaine sorrell which we found in the fieldes For although the sauages were retourned by this time vnto their villages yet they succoured vs with nothing but certaine fish without which assuredly wee had perished with famine Besides they had giuen vs before the greatest part of their maiz and of their beanes for our marchandise This famine held vs from the beginning of May vntill the middest of Iune During which time the poore souldyers and handycraftesmen become as féeble as might be and beeing not able to worke did nothing but goe one after another in centinel vnto the clift of an hill scituate very néere vnto the fort to sée if they might discouer any French shippe In fine beeing frustrated of their hope they assembled altogether and came to beséech me to take some order that they might returne into France considering that if we let passe the season to embarke our selues we were neuer like to sée our countrie where it coulde not bee chosen but that some troubles were fallen out séeing they had broken their promise made vnto vs and that no succour was come from thence Thervpon it was consulted and resolued by all the companye that the barke Breton should be trimmed vp whereof Captaine Vasseur had charge But because the shippe was not bigge inough to receaue vs all some thought good to builde the Brigantine two deckes higher which our mutinous soldyers had brought backe and that 25. men should hazard themselues to passe therein into France The rest being better aduised said that it shoulde be farre better to builde a faire shippe vpon the kéele of the galiote which I had caused to be made promising to labour couragiously there vpon Then I enquired of my shipwrights to know in what space they coulde make this shippe readie They assured the whole company that being furnished with all things necessarie they would make it ready by the eighth of August Immediately I disposed of the time to wâ—rke vppon it I gaue charge to Mounsieur de Ottigny my Lieuetenant to cause tymber necessarye for the finishing of both the vessels to bee brought and to Mounsieur de Arlac my standart bearer to goe with a barke a league of from the fort to cut downe trees fit to make planckes and to cause the sawiers which he carried with him to saw them and to my Sergeaunt of the companye to cause fiftéene or sixtéene men to labour in making coales and to Master Hance keeper of the artillery and to the gunner to gather store of rosen to braye the vessels wherein he vsed such diligence that in lesse then three wéekes he gathered two hogsheads of the same together There remained now but the principal which was to recouer victuals to sustaine vs while our worke endured which I vndertooke to do with the rest of my company and the Mariners of the shippe To this end I embarked my selfe making vp y â— thirtieth in my great barke to make a voyage of fortie or fiftie leagues hauing with vs no prouision at all
deseruing to be esteémed asmuch of vs all as if hee had saued all our liues Incontinent after his departure I spared no payne to hasten my men to make biscuits of the meale which hée had left mée and to hoope my Caske to take in water néedefull for the voyage A man may well thinke what diligence wée vsed in respect of the great desire wée had to depart wherein mée continued so well that the fiiftéenth day of August the biscuit the greatest part of our water and all the Souldyers stuffe was brought aborde so that from that daye forwarde wée dyd nothing but stay for good windes to driue vs into France which had fréed vs from an infinite number of mischiefes which afterwarde wée suffered if they had come as wée desired but it was not Gods good pleasure as shall appeare hereafter Being thus in a readynes to sette Sayle wée bethought our selues that it woulde doe well to bringe certayne men and women of the countrye into France to the ende that if thys voyage shoulde bee taken in hande agayne they might declare vnto their Kynges the greatnesse of our Kyng the excellencye of our Princes the goodnesse of our Countrye and the manner of liuyng of the Frenchmen and that they might also learne our language to serue our turnes thereby in tyme to come Wherein I tooke so good order that I had found meanes to bring away with me the goodlyest persons of all the Countrye if our intentions had succéeded ad I hoped they woulde haue done In the meane season the Kynges my neighbours came often to sée and visite mée which after that they vnderstoode that I woulde returne into France demaunded of mée whether I meant to returne agayne or no and whether it shoulde bée in short tyme. I signyfied vnto them that within tenne Moones so they call their Moneths I woulde visite them agayne with such force that I woulde bée able to make them Conquerours ouer all their enimies They prayed mée that I woulde leaue them my house that I woulde forbidde my Souldyers to beate downe the fort and their lodginges and that I woulde leaue them a boate to ayde them withall in their warre against their enemies Which I made as though I would graunt vnto them to the end I might alwaies remaine their friend vntil my last departure The end of the second voyage THE THIRD VOYAGE of the French men made by Captayne IOHN RIBAVLT vnto FLORIDA AS I was thus occupied in these conferences the winde and the tyde serued well to set soyle which was the eight and twentieth of August at which instant Captaine Vasseur which commaunded in one of my shippes and Captaine Verdier which was chiefe in the other now readye to goe foorth began to discrye certayne sayles at sea whereof they aduertised me with diligence whereupon I appointed to arme foorth a beat in good order to goe to descrye and know what they were I sent also to the centinels which I caused to be kept on a little knappe to cause certayne men to clymbe vp to the top of the highest trées the better to discouer them They discryed the great beate of the shippes which as yet they could not perfectly discerne which as farre as they could iudge seemed to chase my boat which by this tyme was passed the barre of the Ryuer so that wee coulde not possiblye iudge whether they were enemies which woulde haue carryed her away with them for it was to great a ken to iudge the truth therof UpoÌ„ this doubt I put my men in order in such aray as though they had béen enemies in déed I had great occasion to mistrust the same for my boat came vnto their shippe about two of the clocke in the afternoone and sent me no newes all that day long to put me out of doubt who they shoulde bee The next day in the morning about eight or nyne of the clocke I sawe seuen boates among which mine owne was one full of souldiers enter into the Ryuer hauyng euery man his harquebuse and moryon on hys head which marched all in battayle along the cliffes where my centinels were to whom they would make no kynd of aunswere notwithstanding all the demaundes that were made vnto them in so much as one of my soldyers was constrayned to bestowe a shotte at them without doing hurt neuerthelesse to any of them by reason of the distance betwéene hym and the boates The report hereof being made vnto me I placed ech of my men in his quarter with full deliberation to defend our selues if they had béene enemies as in truth wee thought them to haue béene lykewise I caused the two small field pieces which I had left mee to be trimmed in such sort as if in approching to the fort they had not cryed y â— it was Captayne Ribault I had not fayled to haue discharged the same vpon them Afterward I vnderstood that the cause why they entered in this manner procéeded of the false reportes which had béene made vnto my Lorde Admirall by those which were returned into France in the first ships For they had put in hys head that I playde the Lord and the Kyng and that I would hardly suffer that any other saue my selfe shoulde enter in thither to gouerne there Thus we sée how the good name of the most honest is oftentimes assayled by such as hauing no meanes to wyn themselues credyt by vertuous and laudable endeuours thinke by debasâ—ng of other mens vertues to augment the féeble force of their faint courage which neuerthelesse is one of the most notable daungers which may happen in a common-wealth and chieflye among men of warre which are placed in gouernement For it is very hard yea vtterly vnpossible that in gouerning of a company of men gathered out of diuers places and sundry Nations and namely such as we know them to bee in our warres it is I say vnpossible but there will be alwaies some of euill conditions harde to be ruled which easily conceaue an hatred against hym which by admonitions and light corrections endeuoureth to reduce them to the discypline of warre For they séeke nothing else but for a small occasion founded vpon a light pretext to found into the eares of great Lordes that which mischieuously they haue contriued against those whose execution of iustice is odious vnto them And albeit I will not place my selfe in the ranke of great and renowmed Captaines such as liued in times passed yet wee may iudge by their examples howe hurtfull backebyters haue béene vnto common-wealths I will onely take Alcibiades for witnes in the common-wealth of the Athenians which by this meane was cast into banishment whereupon his Citizens felt the smart of an infinite number of mischiefes insomuch as in the end they were constrained to call him home againe and acknowledge at length the fault they had committed in forgetting his good seruices rather beleeuing a false
mulberies white and redde Great store of silkewormes The riuer of May. The riuer of Seine The Riuer of Somme The Riuer of Loyre The Riuers of Cherente Garonne Gironde Belle Grande The riuer Belle a veoir The Riuer of Port Royall in 32 degrees of latitude Turkey cockes Partridges gray redde Fish in abundance The Riuer 3. leagues at the mouth A passage by a riuer into the South Sea Store of rare simples Ribault sayleth 12. leagues vp the riuer Lucerne cape Chamoyes Perles Store of perles and siluer A Pillour of free stone wherein the armes of FrauÌ„ce were grauen set vp in an Iland in the riuer of Port Royal. The Riuer of Liborne The Ile of Ceders Two Indians taken away The dolefull songs of the Indians The Indians eat not before the sun be set Laudonniers putting downe in writing the wordes and phrases of the IndiaÌ„s speech The feast of Toya Chiquola or Chiquora a king of greate stature The first proof that Chiquola should be a very faire citie Gold siluer pearles in aboundance The rich citie of king Chiquola is toward the North of â—ort royall This history is recorded in the second third chapters of the seuenth Decade of Petâ—r Martyr The second proofe The third proofe The 2. Indians escape away The benefit of planting The oration of Ioh. Ribault to his companie Aelius Pertinax descending from base pareÌ„tage became Emperor of Rome Agathocles a potters sonne became king of Sicilie Rusten Bassha of an heardmans sonne through his valure became the great Turkes sonne in lawe The â—â—â—â—diers auâ—â—â—â—re to Ribaâ—ts Orations The length bredth of the Forte taken by Laudonnier Captayne Salles A Fort builte in port Roy all by Ribault Rabaults speech to Captayne Albert. His speeche to the souldiers The foresaid Fort was called Charles Fort. Port Royal. The Riuer Base 15. legueâ— Northward of Port Royal Their ariual in Fraunce 1561. the 20. of Iuly King Audusta Note Mayon Hoya Touppa Stalame The Countrey of king Stalame 15. leagues Northward of Charles Fort. Chamoys skins The feast of Toya largely described The Indians trimming of themselues with rich fethers Iawas are their Priests Maigicians Phisitions Inuocations of the Iawas or Pristes vnto Toya Their victuals fayle them The Indians maner of liuing in the Winter time of Mast and rootes King Couexis mightie and reuowmed King Ouade King Maccou Ouades countrey in the riuer Belle. Tapistrie of feathers White couerlets edged with red fringe The liberalitie of king Ouade Ouades countrie 25. leagues Southward froÌ„ Charlesfort The fort set on fire by casualtie The fort reedified by the Sauages in the space of 12 houres Crocodiles Cypresses Their second iourney to the countrey of Ouadé Exceeding faire pearles fine Christall siluer oare The place where christal groweth in very good quantity ten dayes iourney from the riuer Belle. Note Mutinye against the captaine and the causes therof Captaine Albert slaine by his owne souldiers Nicolas Barré chosen Captaine A new BrigaÌ„tine built in Florida Rosen to bray ships Mosse to calke ships Cordage for tackle They put to the sea without sufficient victuals Their victuals vtterly consumed They drinke their vrine for want of fresh water Extreeme famine The French succoured by an English Barke It seemeth he meaneth the â— voyage intended by Stukley The ciuil wars the cause why the FrenchmeÌ„ were not supplied which were left behinde in their first voyage Laudonniers second voyage to Florida with 3. ships the 22. of April 1564. The Ile of Teneriffe or the Pike The Isle of Martinica Dominica an Iland Ananas a fruite of great excellencie His ariuall in Florida the 22 of Iune 1564. Cape François being betweene the riuer of Dolphins and the riuer of May maketh the distance thirty leagues about which is but ten leagues ouer land The great loue curtesie of the Floridians The riuer of Dolphins called Seloy by the Sauages Iune 23. Their arriuall at the riuer of May the 22 of Iune The piller set vp before by Ribault crowned with garlands of Laurell and inuironed with small paniers full of corne worshiped by the sauages Paracoussy Satourioua A Wedge of siluer Grosleâ— Monsur de Ottigni The curtesie of the Floridians to the French Sauages in Florida of 250. yeeres old Eagles in Florida Ceders Palmes bayes exceeding sweete Esquine drugge excellent against the pocket Syluer certayn dayes iournie vp within the riuer of May. Thimogoua mortal enimies to Satourioua The riuer of Seine The riuer of Some The curtesie of the Paracoussi of the riuer of Some Bullets of siluer Laudonieres consultation with his company where it might be best for them to plant Gold and siluer found at the riuer of May. Iune the 29. The vale of Laudonniere An Hermophrodite They began their planting with prayer to God In Florida they couer their house with palme leaues The forme of the Fort Caroline The West side The South side High building is not good for this countrey Nota. Caroline The first voyage twentie leagues Ten leagues farther Mayrra a king rich in gold siluer The second voyage King molloua Olata Ouae Vtina a great king Fiue or sixe pound weight of siluer Fortie kinges vassals to Vtina King Potanou An exceeding rich place Large plats of golde and filuer Some paint their faces with blacke some withâ—ed King Molona King Malica Tapistry made of small reeds They lappe mosse about their woundes and vse it insteed of napkins A ceremonie to cal to mind the death of their ancesters slaine by their enimies The returne of their ships toward France the 28. of Iuly The ceremonie which they vse before they goe to warre Satourioua followed with fiue huÌ„dred Indians Consultation before they assault their enemies How they vse their enimies which they take in warre King Omoloa The maner of triumphe Athore Excellent Pompions A wonderfull lightning the 29. of August King Sarranay King Allimacany The sauages thinke the lightning to be discharging of the Christians ordinance Laudonnlere vsed the present occasion to his profite A wonderfull heate Fiftie cart lode of fish dead in the riuer with this heat The third viage the tenth of September Mayarqua a place eightie leages vp the riuer of May. King Patanou The Indians maner of war Two hundred Indians A village enclosed with trees Vtina getteth the victorie of Potanou by the helpe of the french Siluer gold and paynted skins La Roquettes conspiracie Mounsur de Geure Gieures message to Laudoniere in the soldiers name His answere A dangerous practise against the captaine and his liuetenant Laudounieres sickenes Laudonniers Apothecarie The master of the fire workes Captaine Bourdet arriued in Florida the fourth of September The fourth voiage the seuenth of Nouember Hostaqua a village A chaine of syluer One of his Barkes stolne away by his mariners The village of Sarrauahi Another of his barkes stolne away by two carpenters One of these mariners named Francis Iean betrayed his ovvne couÌ„trie men to the
Spaniards and brought them into Florida A savve mill necessary here The thirde sedition By Peru the French meane the coste of Carthagena and Nombre de Dios. The captaines charge at his setting forth Lanâ—oâ—niere kept 15. dayes prisoners by his ovvne soldiers Thenchant a skilfull pilot Leauguaue ouer of the Antiles December 8. Cassaua bread made of roots Baracou a village in the Isle of Iamaica The cape of Tiburon The gouernoâ— of Iamaica taken Malgualire a kinde of vessel that will saile forward backward The Cape of S. Antonie in Cuba Hauana The Chanel of Bahama King Patica The returne of part of Laudonieres seditious soldiers Laudonnieres oration to his mutinous soldiers The sentence of death Execution The continuation of the historie Nevve conquests subiect to rebellions and mutinies Laudonniere setteth things in order after his returne out of prison to the fort Reperation of the vvest side of the fort Carpenters Savviers Smithes Coleyers King Marracou King Onathaqua King Mathiaca Tvvo Spaniards brought vnto Laudonniere by the sauages Calos a place The Flattes called the Martyrs neere the Cape of Florida The King of Calos Great quantitie of gold syluer Plates of gold as broad as a savvcer One of these Spaniardes names was Martin Gomes King Oathcaqua or Houathcha Sarrope an Ilande Aboundance of Dates A roote of great price to make bread of The greatest victorie among the Floridians The situation of Calos Caiguaueral in 28. degrees The Floridians great traitors and disemblers Nicalas Masson King Audustas great humanitie Perles burned Peter Martyr vvrites cap. 1. decad 7. that the like flocks of Pigeons are in the Isles of the Lucayes The vvidovve of King Hioacaia or Hihouhacara This Quenes name vvas Nia-Cubacani The fift voiage vp the riuer of May. Mathiaqua The discouerie of a mighty lake on the one sid vvherof no land can be seene The Isle of Edelano An excellent vvorke of nature Eneguape Chilily Patica Coya The king of Hostaqua or Oustaca able to bring three or foure thousand sauages to the field The mouÌ„taine of Apalassy There is a Mine of golde or rich copper in the mountaine of Apalassi Note Peter Gamby slaine The village of Edelano Golde and syluer Vtinasendeth to I audonniere for his helpe A good note A special note Thre hundred Indians A lake three leages distant from the village of Potanou Iávva signifieth their Priest or magician Potanou accompanied vvith tvvo thousand Indians The prediction of the magician found true Vtina hath eighteene or tvventie kings to his Vassals A custome of the Indians to leaue their houses for three or foure monthes and to liue in the vvoods They looke for succour out of France by the end of April at the vttermost Extreeme famine for sixe vveekes spaceâ— Promise broken Two hogsheads of rosen The vile nature of the Indians A cruell ansvvere of the sauages Pinocke a certaine kinde of fruite as big as cheries Astina a king Vtina taken prisoner in his village by Laudoniere and 50. of his souldyers Fiue or sixe hundred Indians The deepe dissembling of the Indians The Indians kil al the men prisoners that they take in warre The election of a new king The hatred among the sauage kings of Florida Note Note Roots Esquine Nevv corne by the ende of May in Florida The village of Enecaque A little green fruite that grovveth in the ryuers as bigge as cheries The Isle of Edelano Two CarpeÌ„ters killed for gathering the Indians maiz The village Athore Nia-Cubacany a queene Patica a village Desire of reuenge rooted in the sauages A necessarie admonition The Floridians subtilties A certaine signe of vvarre An alley of three or foure hundred pases long A skirmish tvveene the Sauages the French A second fresh charge of Sauages The Floridians maner of fight The Floridians chiefe feare Tvvo slaine Tvvo tvventie vvounded Praier and thankes vnto God for their deliuerance The village Sarauhi The village Emoloa The riuer of Iaracana called by Ribault the riuer of Somme Curtesie and liberalitie the best meanes to deale vvith the sauages Most artificial mattes The beating dovvne of the houses vvithout the fort the palisade The cause vvhy the French lost Florida Eight kinges Laudonniers friendes and allies The principal scope of planters in strange countries Florida a rich countrie Aug. 3. 1565. Master Iohn Havvkins the English generall Sheepe and Poultrie carried into Florida An aduantage vvisely taken The French mistrusted that the Englishmen vvould plant in Florida Syluer found in Florida Note The great importance of this enterprise The great humanitie and bountie of Master Iohn Havvkins to the French The departure of the English Generall August 15. The Floridians measure their moneths by the reuolutions of the Moone The arriual of Captain Iohn Ribault at the fort the 28. of August 1565. Note False reportes of Laudonniere to the Admirall of France The daunger of backbiting Alcibiades banished by backebyters Laudonnieres receauing of Captayne Ribault Letters of the Lord Admiral vnto Laudonniere 1. Accusations against him 2. 3. 4. 5. 1. Laudonnieres aunswere thereunto 2. 3. 4. 5. Fiue Indian kings The montains of Apalassy wherein are mynes of perfect gold Sieroa Pira redde metell Perfect gold Good meanes to auoide the danger of fire September 4. The Spaniards vndermining and surprising of the French The riuer Seloy or the riuer of Dolphines but eight or ten leagues ouer land from the fort but it is thirtie dubling the cape by sea fol. 19. Dangerous flawes of wind on the cost of Florida in september King Emola A village and a riuer both of that name An aduertisment of my Lord Admiral to Captaine Ribault Captaine Ribaults embarkment Sept. 8. The tenth of September A mightie tempest the tenth of Sept. Laudonniere hardly vsed by Ribault Laudonniere his companie begin to fortifie themselues A muster of the men left in the fort by Ribault Fourescore fiue left in the fort with Laudonniere The Spaniards discryed the 20. of September The Spaniards enter the fort Francis Iean a traitour to his nation Don Pedro Melendes captaine of the Spaniards Laudonniers escape Iohn du Chemin a faithful seruant The diligence of the Mariners to saue them that escaped out of the fort Among those was Iaques Morgues painter yet liuing in the Blacke-Fryers in London Francis Iean cause of this enterprise The bad dealing of Iames Ribault Our returne into France the 25. of September 1565. October 28. Nouemb. 10. The chanel of Saint George Laudonnieres arriuall in Swansey Bay in Glamorgan sheer in South wales The curtesie of one Mastes Morgan Bristow London Monsieur de Foix Ambassadour for the French king in England The conclusion The causes why the French lost Florida The French fleete cast away on the coast of Florida The chanel of Bahama betweene Florida the Isles of Lucayes The French mens landing at the Riuer Tacata courou Eight sauage kings The kings seat Complaints of the sauages against the Spaniards Two chaines of siluer giuen to Gourgues Peter de Bré had liued aboue two yeares with Satourioua Three pledges deliuered to Gourgues by Satourioua The Riuer of Salinacani called Somme by the French The Riuer of Sarauahi The estate of the Spaniards in Florida The Ryuer of Saracary or Sarauahi The assault taking of the first Fort. The valure of Olotocara The assault taking of the second Fort. The sauages great swimmers The Spaniards of the second Fort all slaine Note A notable Spanish subtilty The cause why the Floridians bury their goods with them Note The slaughter of the Spaniards of the third Fort. The taking of the third Fort. The writings hanged ouer the French Spaniards slain in Florida The three Forts razed Great honour done by the Sauages to Gourgues Kniues in great estimation The third of May. The arriuall of Gourgues at Rochel the sixt of Iune Che-de Bay The birth life and death of Captaine Gourgues