anchors at the ground then were we forced to set sayle and stand forth this Sound wee called Wostenholme Sound it hath many Inlets or smaller Sounds in it and is a fit place fot the killing of Whales The fourth day at one a clocke in the morning the storme began againe at West and by South so vehement that it blew away our forecourse and being not able to beare any sayle wee lay a drift till about eight a clocke then it cleared vp a little and we saw our selues imbayed in a great Sound then we set sayle and stood ouer to the South-east side where in a little Coue or Bay we let fall an anchor which we lost with cable and all the winde blowing so extreamely from the tops of the hils that we could get no place to anchor in but were forced to stand to and fro in the Sound the bottome being all frozen ouer toward two a clocke it began to be lesse winde then we stood forth In this Sound we saw great numbers of Whales therefore we called it Whale Sound and doubtlesse if we had beene prouided for killing of them we might haue strooke very many It lyeth in the latitude of 77. degrees 30. minutes All the fift day it was very faire weather and wee kept along by the Land till eight a clock in the euening by which time we were come to a great banke of Ice it being backed with Land which we seeing determined to stand backe some eight leagues to an Iland we called Hackluits Ile it lyeth betweene two great Sounds the one Whale Sound and the other Sir Thomas Smiths Sound this last runneth to the North of seuenty eight degrees and is admirable in one respect because in it is the greatest variation of the Compasse of any part of the World known for by diuers good Obseruations I found it to be aboue fiue points or fifty six degrees varied to the Westward so that a North-east and by East is true North and so of the rest Also this Sound seemeth to bee good for the killing of Whales it being the greatest and largest in all this Bay The cause wherefore we minded to stand to this Iland was to see if we could find any finnes or such like on the shore and so indeed this night wee came to anchor but with such foule weather that our Boat could not land The next day wee were forced to set sayle the Sea was growne so high and the wind came more outward Two dayes wee spent and could get no good place to anchor in then on the eight day it cleered vp and wee seeing 〈◊〉 company of Ilands lye off from the shoare twelue or thirteene Leagues wee minded to goe to them to see if there we could Anchor When wee were something neere the winde tooke vs short and being loth to spend more time we tooke opportunitie of the wind â—nd left the searching of these Ilands which wee called Careyes Ilands all which Sounds and Ilands the Map doth truly describe So we stood to the Westward in an open Sea with a stiffe gale of wind all the next day and till the tenth day at one or two a clocke in the morning at which time it fell calme and very foggie and wee neere the Land in the entrance of a faire Sound which wee called Alderman Iones Sound This afternoone being faire and cleere we sent our Boat to the shoare the ship being vnder sayle and assoone as they were on shoare the wind began to blow then they returned againe declaring that they saw many Sea Morses by the shoare among the Ice and as farre as they were they saw no signe of people nor any good place to anchor in along the shoare Then hauing an easie gale of wind at East North-east we ranne along by the shoare which now trendeth much South and beginneth to shew like a Bay On the twelfth day we were open of another great Sound lying in the Latitude of 74. degrees 20. minutes and we called it Sir Iames Lankasters Sound here our hope of passage began to be lesse euery day then other for from this Sound to the Southward wee had a ledge of Ice betweene the shoare and vs but cleare to the Sea ward we kept close by this ledge of Ice till the foureteenth day in the afternoone by which time wee were in the latitude of 71. degrees 16. minutes and plainely perceiued the Land to the Southward of 70. degrees 30. minutes then wee hauing so much Ice round about vs were forced to stand more Eastward supposing to haue beene soone cleare and to haue kept on the off side of the Ice vntill we had come into 70. degrees then to haue stood in againe But this proued quite contrary to our expectation for wee were forced to runne aboue threescore leagues through very much Ice and many times so fast that wee could goe no wayes although we kept our course due East and when wee had gotten into the open Sea wee kept so neere the Ice that many times we had much adoe to get cleare yet could not come neere the Land till we came about 68. degrees where indeede we saw the shoare but could not come to it by eight or nine leagues for the great abundance of Ice This was on the foure and twentieth day of Iuly then spent we three dayes more to see if conueniently wee could come to anchor to make triall of the tides but the Ice led vs into the latitude of 65. degrees 40. minutes Then wee left off seeking to the West shoare because wee were in the indraft of Cumberlands Iles and should know no certaintie and hope of passage could be none Now seeing that we had made an end of our discouery and the yeare being too farre spent to goe for the bottome of the Bay to search for drest Finnes therefore wee determined to goe for the Coast of Groineland to see if we could get some refreshing for our men Master Hubert and two more hauing kept their Cabins aboue eight dayes besides our Cooke Richard Waynam which died the day before being the twenty six of Iuly and diuers more of our company so weake that they could doe but little labour So the winde fauouring vs we came to anchor in the latitude of 65. degrees 45. minutes at six a clocke in the euening the eight and twentieth day in a place called Caukin Sound The next day going on shoare on a little Iland we found great abundance of the herbe called Scuruie Grasse which we boyled in Beere and so dranke thereof vsing it also in Sallets with Sorrell and Orpen which here groweth in abundance by meanes hereof and the blessing of God all our men within eight or nine dayes space were in perfect health and so continued till our arriuall in England Wee rode in this place three dayes before any of the people came to vs then on the first of August six of the Inhabitants in
so they continued driuing with the Ice South-east into the Sea by the space of fortie houres and then being the sixteenth day the Ice stood Whiles they droue with the Ice the dangers which they incurred were great for oftentimes when the Ice with force of wind and Sea did breake pieces of it were tossed and driuen one vpon another with great force terrible to behold and the same happened at sometimes so neere vnto the Lighters that they expected it would haue ouer-whelmed them to their vtter destruction but God who had preserued them from many perils before did also saue and deliuer them then Within three or foure dayes after the first standing of the Ice when it was firme and strong they tooke out all their goods being fortie and eight Bales or Packes of Raw Silke c. laid it on the Ice and couered the same with such prouisions as they had Then for want of victuals c. they agreed to leaue all the goods there vpon the Ice and to goe to the shoare and therevpon brake vp their Chests and Corobias wherewith and with such other things as they could get they made Sleds for euery of them to draw vpon the Ice whereon they layed their clothes to keepe them warme and such victuals as they had and such other things as they might conueniently carrie and so they departed from the said goods and Pauoses very early about one of the clocke in the morning and trauelling on the Ice directed their way North as neere as they could judge and the same day about two of the clocke in the after-noone they had sight of the Chetera Babbas foure Hillocks of Ilands so called vnto the same they directed themselues and there remayned that night The goods and Pauoses which they left on the Ice they judged to be from those Chetera Babbas about twentie Versts And the next morning departed thence East-wards and came to the Chetera Bougories or foure Ilands before spoken of before noone the distance betweene those places is about fifteene Versts where they remained all that night departing thence towards Astracan the next morning very early they lost their way through the perswasion of the Russes which were with them taking to much towards the left hand contrary to the opinion of Master Hudson whereby wandering vpon the Ice foure or fiue dayes not knowing whether they were entred into the Crimme Tartars Land or not at length it fortuned they met with a way that had beene trauelled which crost back-wards towards the Sea that way they tooke and following the same within two dayes trauell it brought them to a place called the Crasnoyare that is to say in the English Tongue Red Cliffe which diuers of the company knew There they remayned that night hauing nothing to eate but one Loafe of Bread which they happened to find with the two Russes that were left in the ship to keepe her all the Winter as is aforesaid whom they chanced to meet going towards Astracan about fiue miles before they came to the said Crasnoyare who certified them that the ship was cut in pieces with the Ice and that they had hard scaping with their liues In the morning they departed early from Grasnoyare towards the Ouchooge and about nine of the clocke before noone being within ten Versts of the Vchooge they met Amos Riall with the Carpenter which he found at Ouchooge and a Gunner newly come out of England and also sixtie fiue Horses with so many Cassacks to guide them and fiftie Gunners for guard which brought prouision of victuals c. and were sent by the Duke to fetch the goods to Astracan The meeting of that company was much joy vnto them The Factors sent backe with Amos Riall and the said company to fetch the goods Thomas Hudson the Master Tobias Paris his Mate and so they the said Factors and their company marched on to the Vchooge where they refreshed themselues that day and the night following And from thence proceeded on towards Astracan where they arriued the last day of Nouember These that went for the goods after their departure from the Factors trauelled the same day vntill they came within ten Versts of the Chetera Babbas where they rested that night The next morning by the breake of the day they departed thence and before noone were at the Chetera Babbas where they stayed all night but presently departed thence Thomas Hudson with the Carpenter and Gunner to seeeke where the goods lay who found the same and the next day they returned backe to their company at the Chetera Babbas and declared vnto them in what sort they had found the said goods The third day early in the morning they departed all from the foure Babbas towards the said goods and the same day did lade all the goods they could finde vpon the said sleds and withall conuenient speed returned backe towards Astracan And when they came to the Chetera Bougori where they rested the night in the morning very early before the breake of day they were assaulted by a great company of the Nagays Tartars Horse-men which came shouting and hallowing with a great noyse but our people were so inuironed with the sleds that they durst not enter vpon them but ranne by and shot their Arrowes amongst them and hurt but one man in the head who was a Russe and so departed presently Yet when it was day they shewed themselues a good distance off from our men being a very great troope of them but did not assault them any more The same day our men with those carriages departed from thence towards Astracan where they arriued in safetie the fourth of December about three of the clock in the after-noone where our people greatly rejoyced of their great good hap to haue escaped so many hard euents troubles and miseries as they did in that Voyage and had great cause therefore to prayse the Almightie who had so mercifully preserued and deliuered them They remayned the Winter at Astracan where they found great fauour and friendship of the Duke Captaine and other chiefe Officers of that place but that Winter there hapned no great matter worth the noting In the Spring of the yeere 1581. about the midst of March the Ice was broken vp and cleare gone before Astracan A Letter of Master HENRIE LANE to the worshipfull Master WILLIAM SANDERSON containing a briefe discourse of that which passed in the North-east discouerie for the space of three and thirtie yeeres MAster Sanderson as you lately requested me so haue I sought and though I cannot finde some things that heretofore I kept in writing and lent out to others yet perusing at London copies of mine old Letters to content one that meaneth to pleasure many I haue briefly and as truely as I may drawne out as followeth The rough hewing may bee planed at your leasure or as pleaseth him that shall take the paines First the honourable attempt
Language Holgoi that were had in as great estimation amongst them as be the Priests amongst Christians These did talke ordinarily with the Deuill and many times in publike and doe Deuillish Witch-crafts both in wordes and deedes into whom it is to bee beleeued that that the Deuill did enter for that straight-wayes they did answere vnto all things that were demanded of them although for the most part they would tell a Lye or else such words that might be giuen diuers interpretations of and of diuers vnderstandings They did also vse to cast Lots they were great Agorismers or obseruers of times in so much that if they beginne any Iourney and at the beginning they meete with a Cayman or Lizard or any other sauage Worme they know it to be a signe of euill fortune whereupon they would straight-wayes leaue off their Iourney although it did import them very much and returne vnto their Houses saying that the Heauen will not that they should goe forwarde on that Iourney but all these lyes and falsenesse haue beene taught them and they perswaded to by the Deuill are ouerthrowne and taken away by the Law of the Gospel as aforesaid and haue now amongst them many Monasteries full of Religious men of the Order of Saint Austine Saint Francis and of Iesuits According vnto the common opinion at this day there is conuerted and baptized more then foure hundred thousand soules which is a great number yet in respect of the quantitie that are not as yet conuerted there are but a few It is left vndone as aforesaid for want of Ministers for that although his Majestie doth ordinarily send thither without any respect of the great charge in doing the same yet by reason that there are so many Iland and euery day they doe discouer more and more and being so farre off they cannot come vnto them all as necessitie requireth Such as are baptized doe receiue the faith with great firmenesse and are good Christians and would be better if that they were holpen with good ensamples as those which haue beene there so long time are bound to doe that the lacke thereof doth cause some of the Inhabitants so much to abhorre them that they would not see them once painted vpon a wall For proofe whereof and for to mooue such as haue power and authoritie to put remedie in the same I will declare vnto you here a strange case the which royally did passe of a truth in one of these Ilands and is very well knowne amongst them that is there chanced to dye an Ilander a principall man amongst them a few dayes after that he was baptized beeing very contrite for his sinnes the which he had done against God before he was baptized and after hee dyed So after by the Diuine permission of God he appeared vnto many of that Iland whom hee did perswade forthwith to receiue the Baptisme with reasons of great efficacie and declared vnto them as one that had experienced the same the reward of that good deed which without all doubt should be giuen vnto them if they would receiue the same and liue after conformable and according vnto the Commandements of Christ for the which he told them and said that forth-with so soone as he was dead he was carried by the Angels into glory there whereas all things were of delight pleasure and content and did communicate onely in the sight of God and that there was none that entred therein neither could enter except he were baptized according vnto the preaching of the Spaniards of whom and of others that were like vnto them there was an infinite number Therefore if so be that they would goe and enjoy of those benefits and delights it is necessary that first they should be baptized and afterwards to obserue and keepe the Commandements that be preached vnto them by the Fathers that are amongst the Castillas and therewith he vanished away and they remayned treating amongst themselues concerning that which they had heard and was the occasion that some of them forth-with receiued the Baptisme and that others did delay it saying that because there were Spaniard Souldiers in glorie they would not goe thither because they would not be in their company All this hurt is done by one peruerse or impious man and with one euill ensample the which amongst many good as you haue in those parts but especiall amongst them in particular it ought to bee reprehended and punished seuerely with rigour These Ilands at the first discouery of them had the fame to be Mal Sauos or vnwholesome but since experience hath shewed and proued it to the contrary It is a Countrey maruellous fertill and yeeldeth very much Rice Wheate Goates Hennes Deere Buffes Kine and great store of Hogges whose flesh is so sauourie as the Mutton they haue in Spaine there be also many Cats that yeeld Ciuet great store of fruits which be very good and sauourie great abundance of Honey and Fish and all sold at so small a price that almost it is sold for nothing Also there is great store of Cinamom but no Oyle of Oliues but that which is carried thither out of the Nuoua Espania they haue much Oyle of Algongoli and of Flaxe-seed the which they doe spend ordinarily in that Countrey so that the Oyle of Oliues is not missed with them There is great store of Cloues Saffron Pepper Nutmegs and many other Drugges great store of Cotton and Silke of all colours the which is brought vnto them by Merchants of China euery yeare a great quantitie from whence commeth more then twentie ships laden with pieces of Silkes of all colours and with Earthen Vessell Powder Salt-peter Iron Steele and much Quick-siluer Brasse Copper Wheate Flowre Walnuts Bisket Dates Linnen Cloth Counting Chests very gallantly wrought Calls of Net-worke Buratos Espumillas Basons and Ewres made of Tinne Parchment Lace Silke Fringe and also of Gold the which is spunne and twisted after a fashion neuer seene in all Christendome and many other things of great curiositie and all this aforesaid is sold very good cheape Likewise such things as the Ilands doe yeeld are sold very good cheape for you shall haue foure Roues of Wine which commeth of the Palme-tree for foure Rials of Plate the which for lacke of that made of Grapes is very good twelue Haneges of Rice for eight Rials of Plate three Hens for one Riall a whole Hogge for eighteene Rials a whole Buffe for foure Rials a Deere for two Rials and yet it must bee both great and good foure Roues of Sugar for sixe Rials and the like §. II. First Plantation of the Philippinas by MICHAEL LOPEZ DE LEGASPI MIchael Lopez de Legaspe Generall of the Spanish Armada on Tuesday the one and twentieth of Nouember Anno Dom. 1565. set forth of the Hauen of Natiuitie in New Spaine and sayled betwixt the South and the West and after West-ward till he came in nine degrees in that height seeking the
grieuous punishment besides the losing of their Offices for that was certayn neuerthelesse there were many men of courage which wrote vnto him among whom there was one very renowned The letter which he wrote to the King began thus That although hee were assured that he were to be hanged and that the Fire were kindled to burne him yet hee would reprehend his vices and lewdnesses and the euill example that hee gaue to all his Kingdome And so hee did and spake verie freely and put him in great feare And it seemeth that for his sinceritie and courage the King had some regard of him and though hee punished him yet it was verie moderately There fell out another accident in this kinde within these few yeeres which because it is notable I will heere set it downe This King hath many women besides his lawfull wife which among themselues keepe the order of first and second Hee hath no Sonnes by his lawfull Wife but he hath one which is the eldest of the third or fourth and others yonger of the second The Eldest by the custome or lawes of the Kingdome is the lawfull inheritour although he bee of the fourth wife but hee bare more affection to the other and to her Sonne and desired by her perswasion to aduance him to bee Prince and would not haue aduanced the lawfull Heire The time being passed to performe the same many Mandarins lost their Offices for reprehending him of this disorder and for seeking to make him aduance the Eldest But the principall Mandarins of the Court perceiuing that hee proceeded on and would not doe that which they requested and which was reason consulted together and published a Proclamation which commanded all the Mandarins which are in the Court which are aboue some thousands that vnder paine of losing their Office they should all meete at such a day and such an houre in such a place of the Kings Palaces When they were all assembled at the day appointed with their Ensignes of Mandarins they put vp a Petition vnto the King saying That since so often they had aduised him of a thing so Iust and that hee made none account of them not seeking to aduance the true Prince that hee should seeke those that would serue him that all of them would there giue ouer their Ensignes of Mandarins and would no longer serue It seemeth the King was afraid of so great a resolution of the chiefest men of his Kingdome And so hee commanded an Eunuch to goe foorth vnto them and answer them that they should resume their Offices in Gods name and that hee would fulfill their request Finally they did effect so much that they caused him to doe that which was reason and so this yeere 1602. hee aduanced the true Prince of whom hereafter I will speake somewhat §. VI. Of the Gouernment of China Of the Mandarins the China Complements and manifold nicities NOw I haue touched the state of the Mandarins it offereth it selfe to speake of the manner of Gouernment in particular But I confesse vnto your Worship that the multitude of Offices which they haue is so great a frame that I was not able to vnderstand it to reduce it into order Onely I will say in generall that they haue many good things belonging vnto Gouernment but not the execution finally it is a Gouernment of Gentiles with a thousand faults There are no great store of Lawes but commonly they decide Controuersies of their owne heads and make Lawes in their Iurisdiction after their pleasure euery one diuerse And heere your Worship may imagine that the Gouernment in the practise cannot bee very iust since euery one that can tell how to make a good theame or exercise are not sufficient to bee Law-makers And it is very ordinarie among them to direct all things to their owne profit whereby of necessitie they commit many absurdities and wrongs and take all that they can get Bribes are vsuall and men vse these more then any thing else And though one of them know this fault in another they all dissemble as being in the same fault that others may winke at them And though they seeke to hide it one from another yet it is like the secret of Anchuelus The Mandarins are many in all Cities but very extraordinarie in the Courts of Nanquin and Paquin For in this Citie of Paquin besides the Mandarins of Armes whereof no great account is made and are more in number then the rest and besides those which alwayes repaire thither vpon the businesses of all the Prouinces Those that properly belong to this Citie and Court are aboue two thousand and fiue hundred who all or the most part heare Causes ordinarily twice a day so that wee cannot imagine what businesses occupie so many Mandarins nor what is the Iurisdiction of euerie one The most principall which are in all the Kingdome and heere are sixe Presidents of sixe Councels being the chiefest of the Kingdome There is one which is the greatest to whom belongeth the gouernment of all the Mandarins of the Kingdome to aduance them to higher Offices that doe deserue it and as much as they deserue to chastise and to degrade those which badly performe their Office which because it is a place so great and honourable the Chinois call him The Mandarin of Heauen who proposeth all these things to the King as to promote to aduance to disgrade the Mandarins and the King confirmeth them So that all the Mandarins how small soeuer they bee that are in all the Kingdome are appointed by the King The second hath the charge of all things belonging vnto Ceremonies as well humane of Courtesies and ceremonies in all royall Acts as in making the King the Prince and in marrying of them c. And all that which belongeth to the worship of the Sacrifices of the Dead and others which the Kings offer to Heauen and Earth There is another chiefe of the Councell of Warre another of the Kings Treasure which taketh the account of the Kings rents another Councell is of the Workes as of the Kings houses prouision for all things necessarie for the Walls of the Cities c. There is another of Chastisement whereunto causes criminall and sentences of Death doe belong Aboue these sixe there is onely one Degree which are absolutely the greatest before whom whatsouer the King doth in any thing is consulted of Although it bee true that these be rich and opulent in the conceit of the Chinois yet none of them in any thing may compare with any of the meanest Lord of title of our Countrey The wages which they haue of the King is small the attendance which they haue is of base people and of small countenance yet they are much respected and obeyed And the common people kneeleth vnto them as to the Mandarins The common chastisement which all the Mandarins doe giue is to whip them with peeces
kinde and honourable Prestaue the Duke Vollagdemor with almost weeping on his part the Ambassador went from the Emperors sled to his coach set vpon a sled and wee â—lighted from the Emperors horses and betooke our selues to our easie and pleasant passage in 〈◊〉 such a passage as this part of the World would wonder at in which a man though hee goe a â—â—â—ckney pace may as easily reade as sleepe Thus accompanyed with Master Ioâ—â— Moricke Master William Russel sometimes Agent for the Dutch and many other Merchants we easily rode that night to Braâ—teshiâ— thirtie miles from the Mosco The next morrow taking leaue of them all we continued our iourney fiftie and sixtie versts a day easily Within few dayes after wee heard newes certainly of the Emperors sudden and vntimely death which considering neither the Prestaâ—e the Gouernour or Bishop had not or would not of ten dayes after take knowledge of we might in the meane time haue doubted of but that his Lordship had it from Master Iohn Mericke by Letter particularly His death was very sudden and as it was in it selfe very strange for within some two houres after dinner hauing as hee vsually had his Doctors with him who left him in their iudgements in health as the good meale he made could witnesse for hee dined well and fed plentifully though presently after as may be thought feeding ouer-much hee felt himselfe not onely heauie but also payned in his stomacke presently went into his chamber laid himselfe vpon his bed sent for his Doctors which alwayes speeded yet before they came hee was past being speechlesse and soone after dying Before his death as speedie as it was hee would bee shorne and new christned what the cause was otherwise then the griefe inward sorrow with diuers distractions about the warres and their bad successe fearing the worst on his part onely God knowes yet who so remembers Gods iudgements or Princes policies for Kingdomes with mans sinfulnesse and considereth the one with the other may bee satisfied if not contented For the Emperours person he was tall and well bodied teaching out of his authoritie obedience of an excellent presence black and thin haâ—red well faced round and close shaued strong limmed A Prince framed betweene Thought and Resolution as being euer in labour but neuer till death deliuered neuer acting though euer plotting but in his Closet or Councel Chamber One rather obeyed then loued being feared where hee was not serued doubtlesse vpholding a true Maiestie and gouernment in euery part but in his owne minde that it is a question whether he were more kinde to Strangers or seuere and iust to his Subiects or hatefull and terrible to his Enemies A father and a Prince whose wordes counsels obseruations policies resolutions and experiments were but the life of his deare Sonne neuer aduising entertayning no not praying without him In all Ambassies and Negotiations remembring his sonnes name with his owne louing him being louely for that himselfe would bee loued vnwilling to spare his presence desirous to haue him at all occasions before his eyes I shall not doe amisse to giue a taste of the fruit sprung from so stately a Tree Being by a learned and well trauailed Gentleman diuers times particularly aduised to let the Prince take some more then no recreation by which meanes he might aswell prolong his life as instruct his iudgement and delight his minde Oh would the Emperour answere one sonne is no sonne nay I am perswaded three sonnes to me is but halfe a sonne But had I sixe sonnes then I might safely say I had one how then should I part with that at any time I know not to bee mine for any time This may giue satisfaction to any vnderstanding both of his feares and ielousies his great loue and much care It was an vsuall speech with the Emperour vpon good reason to say hee was the Lord and father of his sonne yet withall That he was not onely his seruant but his very slaue Two policies of the said Emperour I shall willingly acquaint you with for diuers reasons One was when hee caused fire to bee kindled in foure parts of Moscoâ— whereat himselfe was noted to be very diligent with all his Nobles and Courtiers and after it was quenched he sent his bountie to them all that builded anew their houses and repaid all their losses And this was but to stop the rumour then so common of his strange gayning the Empire by which stratagem of his when his people were readie to mutinie they were created anew good Subiects yet did admire his not onely care but goodnesse towards them all A second was at that time the Land was visited with a mightie famine and as great a plague some foure yeeres since whereof a third of the whole Nation is rated to haue died and the murmuring multitude said the cause was their electing of a murderer to the Empire wherefore God did thus visit them Whereupon hee caused Galleries to bee builded round about the vtmost wall of the great Citie of Mosco and there appointed daily to bee giuen to the poore twentie thousand pounds sterling which was accordingly performed for one moneth whereupon the common peoples mouthes and bellies were well stopped Here wee lodged till the sixt of May being wearied with the inconstancie and ill-come newes of flying reports whereupon the time of the yeere requiring the Ambassador resolued to passe downe the Riuer to Colmogro as well that hee might the sooner haue newes from England as happily to bee out of feare of any disaster the rumours being innumerable and vncertaine After the suspicious death of the old Emperour Boris Pheodorowich c. by the appointment of the Prince then their expected Emperour and the Counsell Peter Basman that noble Sparke was speedily dispatched and sent as Generall vnto their ill succeeding warres as their last hope indeed hee prooued so in a contrarie sense and the onely refuge to the Commons whiâ—her being come hee with himselfe presented most of his command as many as freely would offer themselues Vnder which were all the English Scots French Dutch and Flemmings whatsoeuer and with him or rather before him as least suspected Ries Vasili Euanch Goleeche the other Generall a man of great birth and in the prioritie of place to bee receiued before Peter Basman All which the now well knowne newly opinionated Emperour very graciously receiued happily not without some ielousie of many particulars Demetrius now sent Messengers with Letters which entred the Suburbs where the Commons in infinite numbers brought them safe 〈◊〉 the spacious Plaine before the Castle gate within which as daily they did vse so now were all the Counsellors in consultation but happily not in a secret Counsaile also wherein was the Emperiall Court There these Boyerens made demand for many of the Counsellors especially for the Godonoues to come to heare their right King Dâ—metrius Euanowich speaking vnto them
with heauie burthens that shewing their courage therein they might more easily be admitted into the company of Souldiers By this meanes it happened that many went laden to the Armie and returned Captaines with markes of honour Some of them were so desirous to be noted as they were either taken or slaine and they held it lesse honourable to remaine a prisoner And therefore they sought rather to be cut in peeces then to fall captiues into their enemies hands See how Noblemens children that were inclined to the warres were imployed The others that had their inclination to matters of the Temple and to speake after our manner to be Ecclesiasticall men hauing attained to sufficient yeares they were drawne out of the colledge and placed in the Temple in the lodging appointed for religious men and then they gaue them the order of Ecclesiasticall men There had they Prelates and Masters to teach them that which concerned their profession where they should remaine being destined thereunto These Mexicans tooke great care to bring vp their children if at this day they would follow this order in building of houses colledges for the instruction of youth without doubt Christianitie should flourish much amongst the Indians Some godly persons haue begunne and the King with his Counsell haue fauoured it but for that it is a matter of no profit they aduance little and proceede coldly We haue not discouered any Nation at the Indians that liue in comminalties which haue not their recreations in plaies dances and exercises of pleasure At Peru I haue seene plaies in manner of combats where the men of both sides were sometimes so chafed that often their Paella which was the name of this exercise fell out dangerous I haue also seene diuers sorts of dances wherein they did counterfait and represent certaine trades and offices as shepheards labourers fishers and hunters and commonly they made all those dances with a very graue sound and pale there were other dances and maskes which they called Guacones whose actions were pure representations of the deuill There were also men that dance on the shoulders one of another as they doe in Portugall the which they call Paellas The greatest pars of these dances were superstitions and kindes of Idolatries for that they honoured their Idols and Guacas in that manner For this reason the Prelates haue laboured to take from them these dances all they could but yet they suffer them for that part of them are but sports of recreation for alwayes they dance after their manner In these dances they vse sundry sorts of instruments whereof some are like Flutes or little Canons others like Drums and others like Cornets but commonly they sing all with the voyce and first one or two sing the song then all the rest answer them Some of these songs were very wittily composed containing Histories and others were full of superstitions and some were meere follies Our men that haue conuersed among them haue laboured to reduce matters of our holy faith to their tunes the which hath profited well for that they employ whole dayes to rehearse and sing them for the great pleasure and content they take in their tunes They haue likewise put our compositions of Musicke into their Language as Octaues Songs and Rondels the which they haue very aptly turned and in truth it is a goodly and very necessary meanes to instruct the people In Peru they commonly call Dances Tagui in other Prouinces Areittos and in Mexico Mittottes There hath not beene in any other place any such curiositie of Playes and Dances as in New Spaine where at this day we see Indians so excellent Dancers as it is admirable Some dance vpon a Cord some vpon a long and streight stake in a thousand sundry sorts others with the soles of their feet and their hammes do handle cast vp and receiue againe a very heauy blocke which seemes incredible but in seeing it They doe make many other shewes of their great agilitie in leaping vaulting and tumbling sometimes bearing a great and heauy burthen sometimes enduring blowes able to breake a barre of Iron But the most vsuall exercise of recreation among the Mexicans is the solemne Mittotte and that is a kind of dance they held so braue and so honourable that the King himselfe danced but not ordinarily as the King Don Pedro of Arragon with the Barber of Valencia This Dance or Mittotte was commonly made in the Courts of the Temple and in those of the Kings houses which were more spacious They did place in the midst of the Court two Instruments one like to a Drumme and the other like a Barrell made of one piece and hollow within which they set vpon the forme of a man a beast or vpon a Pillar These two Instruments were so well accorded together that they made a good harmony and with these Instruments they made many kinds of Ayres and Songs They did all sing and dance to the sound and measure of these Instruments with so goodly an order and accord both of their feet and voyces as it was a pleasant thing to behold In these Dances they made two Circles or Wheeles the one was in the middest neere to the Instruments wherein the Ancients and Noblemen did sing and dance with a soft and slow motion and the other was of the rest of the people round about them but a good distance from the first wherein they danced two and two more lightly making diuers kinds of paces with certayne leaps to the measure All which together made a very great Circle They attyred themselues for these Dances with their most precious apparell and Iewels euery one according to his abilitie holding it for a very honourable thing for this cause they learned these Dances from their infancie And although the greatest part of them were done in honour of their Idols yet was it not so instituted as hath beene said hut only as a recreation and pastime for the people Therefore it is not conuenient to take them quite from the Indians but they must take good heed they mingle not their superstitions amongst them I haue seene this Mittotte in the Court of the Church of Topetzotlan a Village seuen leagues from Mexico and in my opinion it was a good thing to busie the Indians vpon Festiuall dayes seeing they haue need of some recreation and because it is publike and without the preiudice of any other there is lesse inconuenience then in others which may be done priuately by themselues if they tooke away these To the Reader REader I here present vnto thee the choisest of my Iewels My trauelling fancis hath inuited many Readers to many my labours in strange births already Qâ—ae regio in terris nostri non plena laboris Iaponian and China rarities so remote from our world are neere to our worke and their characters communicated here to the Reader not their arts alone Thou hast here also Indostan Arabike Persian
Chinois to recouer the China State being vnquiet so long as the Tartar greatnesse continued and freed for the most part with their diminishing and diuision into diuers Estates As for these times of Tamerlan if this Story be exact it is like the Can held the North parts of China from Quinsay forward with Cataio and the King of China the rest then Nanquin being the Seat Royall as since the expulsion of the Tartars Paquin Or perhaps the Quinsay heere mentioned is that which Conti hath in the former Page told vs was lately built by the Can and not that which Polo speakes of in Catay and not in China which cleareth this doubt of the Cans residence and rule in China To reconcile all doubts is for mee too hard a taske because Cataio and China are euen still bemysted and leaue their Surueyers perplexed bounding the search of the most curious in searching their iust bounds how farre they are the same or differing wherein our Iesuites will more amuse and amaze vs where wee will cleare our selues as well as we can when wee come to them I haue premised Conti though Tamerlane be a little Elder for his Religions sake and to recreate with a little Relation before this longer Storie CHAP. VIII Extracts of ALHACEN his Arabike Historie of TAMERLAN touching his Martiall Trauels done into French by IEAN DV BEC Abbat of Mortimer §. I. TAMERLANS Birth and Person his Expedition against the Muscouite his Marriage with the Cans daughter his ouerthrowing of CALIX SVndry Histories doe attribute as a great want vnto the happie fortune of Tamerlan not to haue a Writer in his dayes which might haue left in writing his Historie vnto posteritie But without any cause did they moane him insomuch as his Historie is very famous amongst the Turkes and Arabians his Conquests very largely discoursed and many of his worthy and notable sayings collected with an infinite number of Noble deeds left vnto the memoriall of posteritie Very true it is that he had not an Homer but a great and worthie person learned as well in naturall Philosophie as in Astrologie who was in the time of this Prince a companion and familiar of his Conquests named Alhacen an Arabian by birth and of Mahomets Religion This Authour then being fallen into my hands in my Voyage into the East Countrey I caused the same to be interpreted vnto mee by an Arabian who did speake Frank as they terme it that is to say Italian and some time I spent in associating my selfe so with this man who commended greatly vnto me the eloquence and grauitie of this Authour wondering at his digressions and entring againe into his matter so well to the purpose It grieued mee much that I had not the perfection of this Language to be a helpe vnto the richer of this Historie for to deliuer it vnto my Nation with some grace but I tooke thereof as much as I could in his Language which was corrupted as is the Franke Tongue so they terme it which is a kinde of Italian mingled with Slauon Greeke and Spanish Tongues very common at Constantinople with the Arabian and Turkish Tongues so as I could not gather but onely the trueth thereof and not the drifts and grauitie of the Declaration wherein the Authour had collected it for posteritie and as he said by the commandement of the Prince who was a louer of learning and excellent in the knowledge of Astrologie and Diuinitie as the custome of those Nations is to ioyne them ordinarily together studying vpon the vertue of names and of the turning of letters euen in their placing writing them vnderneath Starres whereof they make sentences by meanes whereof they wrought miraculously in the things of Nature This is that Zoroastrien and Bactrien Science that of Balaam and some others in my opinion which hath succeeded vnto so many Arabian Astrologians Now then this Prince was endued with such knowledge as made him admired of the people where he commanded who are for the most part great wonderers insomuch as this caused him to be accounted a Prince accompanied with the Diuine vertue considering the iustice he vsed in all his actions This hath proceeded euen so farre that some Italians haue written foolish things thereof as of certaine kinds of Tents which he caused to be pitched when he besieged any Citie one white signifying peace it yeelding vnto his mercy another red signifying cruelty to follow and the third blacke signifying mourning to ensue But I finde not this in our Author and I beleeue them to be fables I will now declare vnto you with my Arabian who this great Prince Tamerlan was Hee was then of the bloud of the Tartarian Emperours and his father Og had for his portion the Countrey of Sachetay whereof hee was Lord. This Countrey lying betweene the North and the East is the antient Countrey of Parthia vpon the Coast of the Zogdians and the chiefest Citie of his estate was Samercand situated vpon the Riuer of Issarle Some of our Historiographers would needs haue him to be the sonne of a shepheard but this haue they said not knowing at all the custome of their Countrey where the principall reuenue of the Kings and Nobles consisteth in Cattell despising Gold and Siluer but making great reckoning of such riches wherein they abound in all sorts this is the occasion wherefore some call them Shepheards and say also that this Prince descended from them So his Father Og was Prince of Achetay abounding in such kinde of wealth And being come vnto the age of fifteene yeeres his father being already old deliuered vp vnto him the gouernment of his Kingdome with the commandement ouer all his Men of warre His father Og being giuen vnto peace withdrew himselfe vnto a solitary life for to serue God and end the rest of his dayes in quiet Hee gaue vnto his sonne Tamerlan which signifieth Heauenly grace in their Tongue two sufficient personages for to guide and assist him in the gouernment of his Estate the one was called Odmar and the other Aly persons in great dignitie and credit with his father Now this Prince was well instructed in the Arabian learning and exercised himselfe much therein and at such time as they thought him to be either in the Bathes wherein they are very curious in that Countrey being their chiefest delicacies he was in the contemplation and studie of heauenly things This Prince had within his eyes such Diuine beautie being full of such maiestie that one could hardly indure the sight of them without closing of their eyes and they which talked with him and did often behold him became dumbe insomuch as he abstayned with a certaine modestie and comlinesse to looke vpon him that discoursed vnto him All the rest of his visage was curteous and well proportioned he had but little haire on his chinne hee did weare his haire long and curled contrary to the custome of his Countrey who are shaued
weare cut Hose and Caps and blunt Swords and a Portugall that was carryed captiue the Land inward told me that he heard the Chinas say that they called these Alimenes §. II. Cantan described the publike and priuate buildings and Gouernment The shipping and Husbandry of China their contempt of the idle and prouision for impotent poore BEing to intreate of the Citie of Cantan I giue first a warning to the Readers that among many Noble Cities Cantan is one lesse Noble then many of China and farre inferiour in building then many other although it be more populous then many this is said by all them that saw it and trauelled within the Land where they saw many other This aduice presupposed it is to be noted that Cantan in his compasse is of very strong Wals very well made and of a good height and to the sight they seeme almost new beeing eighteene hundred yeares since they were made as the Chinas did affirme they are very cleane without any cleft hole or rift or any thing threatning ruine They are of free stone about a mans height and from thence vpward of brickes made of a clay like vnto that of the Porcelane Dishes whence it causeth them to bee so strong that I building a Chappell in Malaca one of these which was brought from China could scarsly bee broken with a good Pick-axe Iointly with this there is in this Citie and in all the rest an Officer of the King which onely hath care to ouer-see the Wals for the which he hath a good stipend And euery yeare when the Gouernour of the Borders commeth to visit the Prouince hee doth visit this as well as the other Officers to know if he doth well his Office and finding him in any fault or negligence hee is put from his Office and punished And if he standeth in need of any expence for the mending of the Walls the Ouer-seer of the Rents is bound to giue him that which is necessarie vnder paine that if the mending remayneth vndone he shall bee well punished For this cause the Wals of all the Cities are continually kept sound and in good reparation These Walles are within the Citie little more then the walke of the same Citie in their height which is the cause of beeing much more cooler The Wals haue in compasse 12350. paces and it hath eighty three Bulwarks This Citie and so all the rest hath on the one side the Riuer along the which as well this as the rest are built almost in a Valley and on the other side they haue a Ditch full of water of a good breadth betweene the which and the wall remayneth a good distance where there may runne together a good troupe of people and the Earth that was taken out of the Ditch was cast betweene it and the wall whereby the foot of the wall remayneth a great deale higher then the other ground Besides the ditch notwithstanding this wall hath a great blemish for it hath on the contrarie side to the Riuer without the wals and the ditch a little Hillocke that discouereth all the Citie within the wals This wall hath seuen gates the entries of the which are sumptuous and high strong and well made with Pinacles aboue not square but made like steps The other places of the wals haue no Pinacles the wall at the entring of the gates is twelue paces thicke the gates are all ouer plated with Iron and all of them haue their draw-bridges very strong which are alwayes vp and are neuer let downe but are ready against they be needfull all the gates at the entrings haue Courts and the Courts that are toward the side of the Suburbs which lyeth along the Riuer haue euery one three gates one in the front and two on the sides which remayne for the seruice of streets that lye along the wall the wals of the Courts are almost of the height of them within the gate which is in the front in the Court is like vnto that of the wals within it hath also a draw-bridge the gates which are in the side of the Courts are small The Courts that are on the other-side of the field where no Suburbe is haue no more but one gate and this not right against that of the wals but stand on the one side the streets of the Citie are all drawne by a Line very straight without any manner of making a nooke or winding all the crosse wayes are as straight as the streets in sort that there is neyther street nor trauerse that maketh any turning All the streets and trauerses are very well paued the pauements going along the Houses and lower in the middest for the course of water the principall streets haue triumphant Arches which doe crosse them high and very well made which make the streets very beautifull and enoble the Citie the principall streets haue along the Houses close Portals in the which and vnder the Arches many things are sold. The Houses of them which rule the Countrey are at the entrings very sumptuous with high Portals great and well wrought of Masons worke they haue in the fore-front very great gates like the gates of a Citie with two Giants painted with Clubs in their hands I saw foure in one Pagode which is a Temple of Idols drawne naturally from some which they say the King hath to keepe his weakest passages from Tartaria They are of great members of about twelue or thirteene spans high On the street side it hath right against the principall Porch a receite not very great It hath built along the street a good wall of a good height right against the gate that when the gate is open they that are within may not be gazed on by them that goe by the street this gate serueth not neither is it opened but for dispatching of matters of Iustice and the principall of the House goe in and out at them and others that are as honourable or more then they at the one side of this principall gate is another very great gate but not so big as the principall which is for the seruice of the House and of the Prisoners when the principall gate is shut and when this principall gate is shut they set a glued Paper crosse ouer both the leaues on which is written the name or firme of the principall of the House and for to open it againe an Officer of the House bringeth the same firme or marke on a playstered board to the Porter that hee may open it without the which token hee may not open it vnder a great punishment Entring by this gate there is a great Court and almost square which is almost a Horse-race and it hath a Gallery little lesse then the length of the gate which leadeth straight from the gate to a very great Table that stands at the end of the Court the which is all paued with square stones with leanings as high as a
Kings of Malaca he perswaded them in the end because hee promised to vse them better then the rest and therewith he prouoked them And finding among the cloathes that hee tooke a Gowne and a Cap and asking of one of those Chinaes that were taken with the Portugals what habit that was they put in his head that it was the habit of the Kings of Malaca wherefore he commanded presently to make three Gownes by that patterne and three Caps and so he apparelled them all foure in one sort to make his fayning true and his victory more glorious To this was joyned the couetousnesse of the Luthissi to see if hee could detayne the many goods that hee had taken in ships And to doe this more safely not to be taken in a lye he did great executions vpon the Chinaes which he tooke with the Portugals and killing some of them determined to kill the rest These things comming to the eares of the Aitao which was his superior he disliked greatly that which hee had done and sent to him presently that hee should kill no more of those which remayned but that he should come to him presently bringing with him all the prize as well of the men that were yet aliue as of the goods The Luthissi ordering his Iourney for to goe to the Aitao as he was commanded he commanded foure Chaires to be giuen to them to whom hee had giuen title of Kings to be carried in them with more honour And the other Portugals were carried in Coopes with their heads out fast by the neckes betweene the boards that they could not pull them in but hauing some wounds in their heads they went bare headed to the Sunne and to the Dew and were carried on mens shoulders The Luthissi went with this Prize through the Countrey with great Majestie he carried before him foure Banners displayed on the which were written the names of the foure Kings of Malaca And when he entred into the Townes he entred with great noyse and Majestie with sound of Trumpets and with Cryers which went crying the great victorie the Luthisi naming him had gotten of the foure great Kings of Malaca And all the great men of the Townes went to receiue him with great Feasts and Honours all the Townes running to see the new Victorie When the Luthisi came with all his pompe and glory where the Aitao was after the giuing him particular account of all things passed and of his victory he manifested to him his pretence and agreed with him to diuide the goods betweene them both and that he should continue the fayning of the Kings of Malaca that both might receiue of the King Honours and Rewards This being set downe they both agreed that to keepe this in secret the Luthisi should go forward in that which he had begun to wit he should slay all 〈◊〉 Chinas that came there captiue And presently they commanded presently to put it in effect and so they slue ninetie and odde Chinas among whom were some young youths slaine They left notwithstanding three or foure youthes and one man that by them bringing them to their owne hand they might certifie the King all that they would that was to make of the Portugals Theeues and conceale the goods which they tooke certifying also by these that those foure were Kings of Malaca And the Portugals not hauing the Language of the Countrey neither had any person to intreate for or fauour them would perish and they being mightie would make their owne Tale good following the end by them intended And for this cause they slue not the Portugals but left them aliue for the greater triumph of the victorie These Lothias could not doe this so secretly but many of those which they slue had kindred in the Countrey which did grieue at the death of theirs Whereby as well by these as by some Louthias that were zealous of Iustice and would not giue consent in so great euils and fraudulent dealings this matter came to the Kings eares and hee was informed how the Portugals were Merchants which came to traffique with their Merchandize to China and they were no theeues and how they had falsly giuen the Title of Kings to foure of them to the end the King should shew great fauours and doe them great honours and how they had vsurped great store of goods and that for to conceale these euils they killed men and children without fault As soone as the King was informed of all aboue said hee dispatched present from the Court a Quinchay of whom we spake before that is to say plate of Gold And with him he sent other two men of great authoritie also of the which the one had beene Panchasi the other Anchasi these two as Inquisitors and Examiners of this matter Commanding and commending to the Chaen which that yeare went to visit the Prouince of Fuquen and to the Panchasi and Anchasi of the same Prouince their ayde and assistance to the Quinchay and the two Inquisitors in all things necessary for them in these businesses The two that came with the Quinchay as Inquisitors went presently to certayne great Houses which had in the middest a great Court and on the one side of the Court were certayne great and faire Lodgings and on the other side others in the same sort Each of the Inquisitors entred in one of these Houses aforesaid The Prisoners were presently brought and were presented to the one of them who for courtesie remitted them to the other that he should examine them first with many words of courtesie The other sent them againe with great thankfulnesse So they were sundry times carried from one to another each of them willing to giue the hand to the other of beginning first till that one of them yeelded and began And as the matter was of great import and much commended to them all that the guiltie and the accusers did speake these Officers did write with their owne hands The Portugals had for a great Enemy a China man and Pilot of one of the shippes that were taken and a China youth which was a Christian which from a childe was brought vp among the Portugals for they were both made of the part of the contrarie Louthias mooued by gifts and promises the Louthias being alreadie deposed of their Offices and held for guiltie for the which they were accused before the King But though they were thus handled they were so mightie and so fauoured that they could take from the Portugals a China youth that serued them for an Interpreter which vpon their Petition was againe deliuered them They examined them in this order the accused were first brought and examined by one of these Officers and they carried them to the other to bee examined againe And while the other was re-examining the accused the accusers were brought to him that examined first And as well the accused as the Accusers were all examined by both the Officers
affaires whereby I know already that they are Merchants and not theeues as they had written to me they were And I doe not blame Merchants to helpe Merchants but I put great fault in my Louthias of Chincheo because that when any ship came to my Ports they should haue knowne if they were Merchants and if they would pay their duties and if they would pay them to write presently vnto mee If they had done so so much euill had not beene done Or when they were taken if they had let mee know it I had commanded to set them at libertie And although it bee a custome in my Ports the ships that come vnto them to be measured by cubits for to pay their duties these being very farre off it was not necessarie but to let them doe their businesses and goe for their Countries Besides this my Pontoos which knew these men to be Merchants did not tell it mee but concealed it from mee whereby they were the cause of many people being taken and slaine And those that remayned aliue as they could not speake did looke toward Heauen and demanded from their hearts iustice of Heauen they know no other God supreme out the Heauen Besides these things I know that the Aitao and the Luthissi did so much euill for couetousnesse of the many goods which they tooke from the Portugals hauing no regard whether those which they tooke and tooke the goods from were good or euill men Likewise the Louthias along the Sea coast knew these men to be Merchants and certified mee not And all of them as disloyall were the cause of so much euill I knew more by my Quinchey that the Aitao and the Luthissi had Letters by the which they knew that the Portugals were no theeues but Merchants and knowing this they were not contented with the taking of them but they wrote many lyes vnto mee and were not contented with killing of the men but killed children also cutting off the feet of some of others the hands and at last the heads of them all writing vnto mee they had taken and slayne Kings of Mallaca Which case I beleeuing to be true grieue in my heart And because hitherto so many cruelties haue beene vsed without my commandement from hence forward I command they be not done Besides this the Portugals resisted my Armie being better to haue let themselues beene taken then to kill my people Moreouer it is long since they came to the coast of our Dominion about their affaires in manner of theeues and not as Merchants wherefore if they had beene naturall as they are strangers they had incurred paine of death losse of goods wherfore they are not without fault The Tutan by whose commandement those men were slaâ—ne said that by this deed I should make him greater and the people that he commanded to be slayne after they had no heads their hearts that is their soules and their bloud required iustice of Heauen I seeing so great euils to be done my eyes could not indure the sight of the Papers without teares and great griefe of my heart I know not my Louthias seeing they tooke this people wherefore they let it not goe that I might not come to know so many cruelties and so great Wherefore seeing all these things I doe create Senfuu chiefe Louthia because hee did his dutie in his charge and told mee trueth I create also chiefe Louthia Quinchio because hee wrote the trueth to mee of the Pontoos which went to doe their merchandise in secret with the Portugals to the Sea Those which are euill I will make them baser then they which sowe Rice Likewise because Pachou did trafficke with the Portugals and for bribes did permit the Merchants of the Countrey to trafficke with the Portugals and yet doing these things wrote vnto mee that the Portugals were theeues and that they came to my Dominions onely to steale And the same hee said also to my Louthias which presently answered that he lyed for they knew already the contrarie And therefore such a one and such a one he nameth ten Louthias It is nothing that all you be banished to red Caps to the which I condemne you but you deserue to be made baser as I doe make you Chaen for taking these men thou sayedst thou shouldest be greater and being in the doing of so much euill thou sayedst thou didst not feare mee such a one and such a one he nameth nine for the taking of these men yee say I would make you great and without any feare of mee yee all lyed such a one and such a one he nameth many I know also yee tooke bribes But because you did so I make you base he depriueth them of the dignitie of Lothias Such a one and such a one he nameth many If the Aitao and the Luthissi would kill so many people wherefore did you suffer it But seeing that in consenting you were accessarie with them in their death all are in the same fault Chifuu and Chanchifuu were also agreeing to the will of the Aitao and the Luthissi and were with them in the slaughter as well those that were as those that were not in fault Wherefore I condemne you all to red Caps Lupuu let him haue a good heart because the Tutan being willing to kill this people he said that he should let mee first know it To him I will doe no harme but good as he deserueth and I command that he remayne Louthia Sanchi I make my Anchassi of the Citie of Cansi The Antexio I command to be deposed of his honour Assaon seeing hee can speake with the Portugals let him haue honour and ordinarie and he shall be carried to Chaquean where hee was borne This is the youth with whom the Portugals did defend themselues seruing them for Interpreter they gaue him title of Louthia and mayntenance Chinque Head of the Merchants that went to the Sea to trafficke with the Portugals and deceiued them bringing great store of goods a land it shall be demanded of him and set in good safeguard for the mayntenance and expences of the Portugals and I condemne him and his foure Companions to red Caps and they shall bee banished whither my Louthias shall thinke good To the rest guilty and imprisoned for this matter I command my Louthias to giue to euery one the punishment he deserueth I command the Chaen to bring me hither the Tutan that his faults being perused by the great men of my Court I may command to doe iustice on him as I shall thinke good This Tutan was also a consenter in the wickednesse of the Aitao and the Luthissi for the Luthissi and the Aitao made him partaker and gaue him part of the booties which they tooke from the Portugals that as the head he should hold for good that which they did for in truth they durst not haue done that which they did if he had not giuen consent and agreed with their
not one of these hath as long as hee liueth any charge or gouernment at all They giue themselues to eating and drinking and bee for the most part burley men of bodie insomuch that espying any one of them whom wee had not seene before wee might know him to bee the Kings Cousin They bee neuerthelesse very pleasant courteous and fayre conditioned neither did wee finde all the time we were in that Citie so much honour and good entertainment any where as at their hands They bid vs to their houses to eate and drinke and when they found vs not or wee were not willing to goe with them they bid our seruants and slaues causing them to sit downe with the first Notwithstanding the good lodging these Gentlemen haue so commodious that they want nothing yet are they in this bondage that during life they neuer goe abroad The cause as I did vnderstand wherefore the King so vseth his Cousins is that none of them at any time may rebell against him and thus bee shutteth them vp in three or foure other Cities Most of them can play on the Lute and to make that kinde of pastime peculiar vnto them onely all other in the Cities where they doe liue bee forbidden that Instrument the Curtizans and blinde folke onely excepted who bee Musicians and can play This King furthermore for the greater securitie of his Realme and the auoyding of tumults letteth not one in all his Countrey to bee called Lord except hee be of his bloud Many great Estates and Gouernours there be that during their office are lodged Lord-like and doe beare the port of mightie Princes but they bee so many times displaced and other placed anew that they haue not the while to become corrupt True it is that during their Office they be well prouided for as afterward also lodged at the Kings charges and in pension as long as they liue payed them monethly in the Cities where they dwell by certaine officers appointed for that purpose The King then is a Lord onely not one besides him as you haue seene except it bee such as be of his bloud A Nephew likewise of the King the Kings Sisters sonne lyeth continually within the walls of the Citie in a strong Palace built Castle-wise euen as his others Cousins doe remayning alwayes within doores serued by Eunuches neuer dealing with any matters Their festiuall dayes new Moones and full Moones the Magistrates make great banquets and so doe such as bee of the Kings bloud The King his Nephew hath name Vanfuli his Palace is walled about the wall is not high but foure square and in circuit nothing inferiour to the walls of Goa the out-side is painted red in euery square a Gate and ouer each gate a Tower made of timber excellently well wrought before the principall Gate of the foure that openeth into the high-street no Loutea bee he neuer so great may passe on horsebacke or carried in his seate Amidst this quadrangle standeth the Palace where that Gentleman lyeth doubtlesse worth the sight although wee came not in to see it By report the roofes of the towers and house are glased greene the greater part of the Quadrangle set with sauage Trees as Oakes Chesnuts Cypresse Pine-apples Cedars and other such like that wee doe want after the manner of a Wood wherein are kept Stagges Oxen and other beasts for that Lord his recreation neuer going abroad as I haue said One preheminence this Citie hath aboue the rest where wee haue beene and it of right as we doe thinke that besides the multitude of Market-places wherein all things are to bee sold through euery streete continually are cryed all things necessarie as Flesh of all sorts fresh-Fish Hearbes Oyle Vineger Meale Rice In summa all things so plentifully that many houses need no seruants euerie thing being brought to their doores Most part of the Merchants remayne in the Suburbs for that the Cities are shut vp euery night as I haue sayd The Merchants therefore the better to attend their businesse doe choose rather to make their abode without in the Suburbs then within the Citie I haue seene in this Riuer a pretie kinde of Fishing not to bee omitted in my opinion and therefore will I set it downe The King hath in many riuers good store of Barges full of Sea-crowes that breed are fed and doe dye therein in certaine Cages allowed monethly a certaine prouision of Rice These Barges the King bestoweth vpon his greatest Magistrates giuing to some two to some three of them as hee thinketh good to Fish therewithall after this manner At the houre appointed to Fish all the Barges are brought together in a circle where the Riuer is shallow and the Crowes tyed together vnder the wings are let leape downe into the water some vnder some aboue worth the looking vpon each one as hee hath filled his bagge goeth to his owne Barge and emptieth it which done hee returneth to fish againe Thus hauing taken good store of Fish they set the Crowes at libertie and doe suffer them to fish for their owne pleasure There were in that Citie where I was twentie Barges at the least of these aforesaid Crowes I went almost euery day to see them yet could I neuer bee throughly satisfied to see so strange a kinde of Fishing ⸪ PEREGRINATIONS VOYAGES DISCOVERIES OF CHINA TARTARIA RVSSIA AND OTHER THE NORTH AND EAST PARTS OF THE WORLD By English-men and others THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. The beginning of English Discoueries towards the North and North-east by Sir HVGH WILLOVGHBY RICHARD CHANCELLOR and others of the Muscouie Trade as also Voyages by Russia ouer the Caspian Sea and thorow diuers Regions of Tartaria §. I. The first Voyage for Discouerie with three ships set forth vnder the charge of Sir HVGH WILLOVGHBY Knight in which he died and Moscouia was discouered by Captaine CHANCELLOR IN the yeere of our Lord 1553. the seuenth of the Raigne of King Edward the sixth of famous memorie Sebastian Cabota was Gouernour of the Mysterie and Companie of the Merchants Aduenturers for the discouerie of Regions Dominions Ilands and places vnknowne Certaine instructions were agreed on by him and the said Companie subscribed by Master Cabota the ninth of May the Kings Letters also procured vnto remote Princes in diuers languages and a fleet of three Ships set forth at that time vnder the command of Sir Hugh Willoughby Knight Captaine generall which went in the Bona Esperanza Admirall a ship of an hundred and twenty tunnes hauing with her a Pinnace and a Boat William Gefferson was Master of the said ship The Edward Bonauenture was of an hundred and sixty tunnes and had with her a Pinnace and a Boat in which went Richard Chancellor Captaine and Pilot Maior of the fleet and Stephen Burrough Master The Bona Confidentia of ninety tunnes had with her a Pinnace and a Boat of which Cornelius Durfoorth was Master The Captaines and Masters were sworne to doe
most slaine by Panians men Coia Acem which before was not knowne seeing his Moores ready to try the waters courtesie to escape those fiery enemies armed in Buffe with Plates fringed with Gold cryed out aloud that he might be heard La â—lah illâ—llah Muhamed roçolalah what shall you Muslemans and iust men of the Law of Mahomet suffer your selues to be conquered of so fâ—eble a Nation as are these Dogges which haue no more heart then white Hens and bearded women to them to them the Booke of Flowres hath giuen promise from our Prophet to you and me to bathe our selues in the bloud of these Cafres without Law With these cursed words the Deuill so animated them that it was fearefull to see how they ranne on our Swords Faria on the other side heartned his in the name of Christ crucified and with a zealous feruour reached Coia Acem such a blow with a two hand Sword on his Head-piece of Maile that he sunke to the ground and with another blow cut off his legges Whereupon his men with such furie assayled Faria not caring for thirtie Portugals which stood about him that they gaue him two wounds which put such spirit into our men that in little space eight and fortie of the Enemies lay dead vpon Coia Acem and the rest they slue all but fiue whom they tooke and bound the Boyes cutting the others in quarters and throwing them into the water with Coia Acem and the King of Bintans chiefe Caciz or Priest the shedder and the drinker of Portugall bloud as he stiled himselfe in the beginning of his Writings for which hee was of that cursed Sect much honoured Of the Enemies were slaine three hundred and eightie of ours fortie two eight of which were Portugals Faria searched the Iland and found a Village therein of fortie or fiftie houses which Coia Acem had sacked slaying some of the Inhabitants Not farre off was a great house seeming a Temple full of sicke and wounded men ninetie sixe in number which the Pyrat had there in cure whom he burned setting the house on fire in diuers places those that sought to escape being receiued on Pikes and Launces The Iunke which they had taken from the Portugals sixe and twentie dayes before Faria gaue to Mem Taborda and Antonio Anriquez in Almes for remission of his sinnes taking their Oath to take no more but their owne He tooke speciall care of the wounded and caused the slaues to be set free After all this there remayned of cleere gaines one hundred and thirtie thousand Taeis in Siluer of Iapan and other goods which that Pyrat had taken along that Coast from Sumbor to Fucheo §. II. ANTONIO FARIA his taking of Nouda a Citie in China triumph at Liampoo strange Voyage to Calempluy miserable shipwracke FAria hauing recouered his sicke men set sayle for Liampoo and beeing comne to the point of Micuy in sixe and twentie degrees by a storme he was driuen vpon a Rock in the darke night and was forced to cast out all the goods and cut all their Masts ouer-board and with much adoe we escaped with their helpe two and twentie drowned by ouer-hastinesse to the Iunke of Mem Taborda The second day after came two Portugals from Quiay Panians Iunke and plained to vs their almost like misfortune one gust hauing taken away three men and cast them a stones cast into the Sea and the losse of the small Iunke with fiftie persons most of which were Christians and seuen Portugals One of the Lanteas came and told of their disaduenture the other Lantea lost only thirteene men escaping which the Countrey people carryed Captiues to Nouday so that two Iunkes and a Lantea with aboue one hundred persons were lost and in Munition and other goods aboue two hundred thousand Cruzados the Captayne and Souldiers hauing nothing left but that on their backes The Coast of China is subiect to these strokes more then other Countries so that none can sayle thereon one yeare without disasters except at the full and change they betake them to their Ports which are many and good without barred entries except Laman and Sumbor Faria went and anchored before Nouday and sent some to sound and to take some of the people to enquire of his men who brought a Barke with eight men and two women one of whom hauing first sworne by the Sea that it below and the winds aboue should pursue him if heâ— brake his Faith and the beautie of the starres whose eyes beheld all wrong as the Chinese requested told him that he taking them to be Sea Rouers and Robbers had taken them and cast them in Irons Faria writ to the Mandarin by two of those Chinois with a Present worth two hundred Duckets to returne his men which returned the next day with an Answere written that himselfe should come and demand Iustice at his feet and he would doe as hee saw cause Hee wrote againe offering two thousand Taeis for their Redemption signifying that hee was a Portugall Merchant which came to trade at Liampoo and payd Customes without any Robbery and that the King of Portugall his Lord was in true amitie with his Brother the King of China and in Malaca his subjects vsed the Chinois justly This calling the King of Portugall the King of Chinas Brother he tooke so hainously that he caused the China Messengers to be whipped and their eares cut and sent them backe with a railing Answere written to Faria which had so proudly blasphemed calling his King the Brother of the Sonne of the Sunne the Lion crowned with incredible power in the Throne of the Vniuerse vnder whose feet all Crownes of all that gouerne the Earth are placed with all their Seniories as all Writers affirme in their Histories For this Heresie he burned his Writing with his Picture as he would doe to himselfe charging him presently to set sayle and be gone Faria enraged resolued to assault the Towne hauing three hundred men seuentie of them Portugals with the company of Quiay Panian for that feat Hauing therefore taken foure Barkes the next morning betimes with them three Iunkes and a Lorcha or Lantea he went vp the Riuer and had sixe fathomes water and an halfe anchoring by the wals And striking sayle without salutation of Artillery we put off our Flagge of contract after the China custome to fulfill all complements of peace sending new offers of loue and further satisfaction for the Prisoners But the Mandarine full of indignation hardly vsed the Messengers on the wall in sight of the Armada whereupon Faria desperate of doing any good that way leauing order with the Iunkes continually to shoot at the Enemie where they were thickest he with his company landed without contradiction and marched to the Towne When we were comne within little more then a Calieuer shot of the Ditch without the wall there issued by two gates one thousand or twelue hundred about one hundred of
Ilands de los Reyes thence to make for the Philippinas After eight dayes the ship called Saint Luke was missing the Captayne whereof was Alfonsus de Arellano suspected to haue maliciously with-drawne himselfe The Fleet continuing their course in nine and ten degrees after fiftie dayes had sight of an Iland of Fishermen and many other small Ilands not inhabited which they passed by It was agreed that they should heighthen their course to thirteene degrees in which way they came on Monday the seuenteenth of Ianuary 1566. to one of the Ilands of Theeues called Goean and sayling toward it sixe miles off fiftie or sixtie Paraos swift sayling Barkes with eight or ten men quite naked met them and inuited them to their Habitations where at night they anchored The next morning sixe hundred of their Paraos came about them with victuals to sell Rice Honey Sugar-canes Plantans Fruits of diuers kinds and Ginger whereof there groweth great store naturally Their principall desire in barter was Iron Nailes giuing a large sacke of Rice for a Naile their sackes deceitfully filled with grauell and chaffe with Rice in the top These people are well proportioned and strong They fought with the Spaniards which were watering and in the time of fight would be trucking with the ships as senslesse of their danger A Mariner which stayd behind was slaine whose death they reuenged with many of the Sauages slaine in the night one of them being taken and sent into New Spaine Their name fits their Theeuish disposition Eleuen dayes after the fleet renewed their Voyage and course in thirteene degrees eleuen dayes longer and then had sight of the Philippinas hauing sailed from the Port of Natiuitie eight thousand miles They anchored in a faire Bay called Baia de Sibabas and there rode seuen dayes whiles two Boats went to discouer one to the North the other Southward A Gentleman of one of them was slaine by an Indian rashly leaping on shoare These Indians haue Iron Launces with a head or tongue a handfull and halfe long They haue also shields Bowes and Arrowes In making peace each man takes two or three drops of bloud of his arme or brest and mixe both in some Vessell together which is drunke with Wine and Water Many Paraos came to the Spaniards with a white flag in the Prow in token of peace and the Admiral erected the like in her Poope to signifie their leaue to enter These Indians are clothed but barefoot The Spaniards demanded prouision which the other promised but gaue only to the Captayne a sucking Pigge and an Egge These people are very timorous perfidious and therefore suspicious The Ilands beare Hogges Goats Hennes Rice Millet Potatoes Pome-citrons Frisoles Cocos Plantans and many sorts of Fruits They weare Bracelets and Earings and Gold Chaines and whithersoeuer the Fleet went was shew of Gold in the Land whereof they digge but for necessary vses the Land is their Money bagge The Fleet departed hence and two dayes after came to the Port of the I le Tandoia where a small Riuer enters vp which they went in Boats and came to a Towne called Camungo There they were well entertayned and had victualls set them which whiles they were eating an Indian spake some Spanish words and asked for Antonie Baptista Villalobos and Captaine Cabeça de Vaca for which the Lord of the place was angrie with him and hee appeared no more The next day the Spaniards returning found them armed threatning them if they came on shoare They minding not to deale cruelly Martin de Goyte was sent to discouer some conuenient harbour who saw the Citie Tandaya and other Townes of other neere Ilands and hauing gone sixtie miles found the great Bay where was Cabalia a Towne well inhabited Thither went the Fleet and the Inhabitants fled Onely Camatuan the sonne of Malataque a blind man chiefe of that place came to them whom they detayned thinking thereby to get some prouision but in vaine He sent forth Souldiers which brought him fiue and fortie Hogs leauing in lieu somwhat for exchange and dismissing Camatuan who had taught the Captaine the names of the neighbouring Iles and of their Gouernours Hee brought them to Mesagua two and thirtie miles off and then was sent away apparelled and ioyfull The Iland Masagua hath beene frequent but then had but twentie Inhabitants which would not see the Spaniards They went to another Iland where the people were fled with their goods Then went they to Butuan which is subiect to the I le Vindena or the Ilands Corrientes The winde draue them to Bohol where they anchored The next day they saw a Iunke and sent a Boat to it which wounded some of their men They had Arrowes and Lances and a Base and two brasse Peeces They cryed to the Spaniards abordo abordo The Spaniards sent out another Boat better fitted which tooke eight the rest were slaine or fled hauing fought valiantly In the Iunke they found white sheets painted Silke Almayzarez Callicos Iron Tin Brasse and some Gold The Iunke was of Borneo and so were these Moores All was restored their intent being to get friends and the Burneois satisfied The Captaine sent the Saint Iohn to discouer the Coast of Butuan and learne where the Cinamon was gathered and to find some good Port in fit place to build The Burneois told the Captaine the cause of the Indians flight that about two yeeres before some Portugals bearing themselues for Spaniards had comne thither from the Molucas and hauing made peace with them set on them and slue aboue a thousand Indians the cause of that depopulation This the Portugals did to make the Spaniards odious that if they came thither they might not be admitted The Captaine sent a well furnished ship to search the Coast which came to a place where the Borneo Gouernour said he had friends and leaping on shoare hee was slaine of the Indians The Saint Iohn returned from Buthuan which said they had seene the King and two Iunkes of Moores in the Riuer at anker and that the Iland was great and rich and exchanged with them fine Gold for Testons one for six in equall weight They bought Wax of the Moores but had Earth inclosed in the Cakes they also incensed the Indians against the Castilians which would haue made purchase of them but were forbidden by the King They said they had there seene Wax Cinamon Gold and other precious things On Easter Euen the other ship returned to their great ioy which had thought her lost hauing staid twentie dayes longer then her limited time They had sailed about the Iland Igla the space of six hundred miles and in their returne came to Subo a well peopled Iland and plentifull of all things The Captaine determined to goe thither to buy prouision or else to force them For Magelane had beene there and the King and most of the Inhabitants were baptised
nor Siluer And therefore I besought the King that he would punish this deceiuer Tioneg that the good iustice that is vsed in China might be knowne In the time of the former Vice-roy and Capado Tioneg and his companion Yanlion deliuered this vntruth I afterward besought the King that hee would cause all the Papers of the cause of Tioneg to be coppied out and that he would send for the said Tioneg with his processes before himselfe And I my selfe saw the said Papers and caused it to appeare that all was but lyes which the said Tioneg had said I wrote vnto the King saying That by reason of the lyes which Tioneg had made the Castillians suspected that wee sought to make warre vpon them and that therefore they had slayne aboue thirtie thousand Chineses in Luzon The King did that which I besought him And so he chastised the said Yanlion commanding him to bee put to death And hee commanded Tionegs head to be cut off and to be put in a Cage The people of China which were slayne in Luzon were in no fault And I with others negotiated this businesse with the King that I might know his pleasure in this affaire and in another matter which was this That there came two English ships to these coasts of Chincheo a thing very dangerous for China That the King might consider what was to bee done in these two matters of so great importance Likewise wee wrote vnto the King that he would command the two Sangleys to be punished which shewed the Hauen to the Englishmen And after wee had written these things aforesaid to the King he answered vs thâ—t wee should learne wherefore the English ships came vnto China whether they came to robbe or no That they should dispatch from thence a Messenger immediatly to Luzon and that they should signifie to them of Luzon that they should not giue credite to the base and lying people of China And that forthwith they should put to death those two Sangleyes which shewed the Hauen to the Englishmen And touching the rest that wee wrote vnto him wee should doe as wee thought best After wee had receiued this order the Vice-roy the Capado and I sent this message to the Gouernour of Luzon That his Lordship might know the greatnesse of the King of China Seeing hee is so mightie that hee gouerneth all that the Moone and Sunne doe shine vpon And also that the Gouernour of Luzon may know the great wisedome wherewith this mighty Kingdome is gouerned Which Kingdome this long while none durst attempt to offend And albeit the Iaponians haue pretended to disquiet Corea which is vnder the Gouernment of China yet they could not obtayne their purpose but they were driuen out of it And Corea hath remayned in great peace and safety as at this day they of Luzon doe well vnderstand The Answer of Don PEDRO DE ACANNA Gouernour of the Philippinas to the Visitour of Chincheo in China THe Gouernour answered these Letters by the same Messengers that brought them vsing termes full of courtesie and authoritie Hee rehearsed the rebellion of the Sangleyes from the beginning Hee iustified the defense of the Spaniards and the punishment that was executed vpon the Offenders Hee said that no Common-wealth can be gouerned without chastising the bad nor without rewarding the good And therefore that he did not repent him of that execution because it was done for repressing of them that thought to destroy vs. That the Visitour should bee Iudge what hee would doe if the like case should happen in China That the griefe that he had was that he could not saue certaine Sangleyes Merchants Anhayes which died among the offenders But that this was vnpossible to be remedied because the furie of warre doth not giue leaue to kill some and to saue others especially being not knowne of the Souldiers in the heate of battell That vsing mercy to those that remayned aliue condemned them to rowe in the Galleyes which is the punishment which is ordayned among the Castillians for those that haue deserued death Yet if it seeme in China that it ought to be moderated hee would grant them libertie But let it be considered said Don Pedro that this may be a cause that in not chastising so great an offence they may hereafter fall againe into the same A thing that would shut vp all accesse vnto fauour That the goods of the Chineses that were slayne are in safe custodie And that it may be seene that no other affection moueth mee then that of iustice I will shortly send them to be deliuered to the right Heires or vnto such persons as of right they belong vnto None other respect moueth mee to any of these things but that of reason Whereas you tell mee That if I will not set at libertie those prisoners licence will be granted in China to the kinsfolke of those which died in the Rebellion to come with an Armie to Manila it breedeth no feare in mee For I hold the Chineses to be so wise that they will not be moued to such things vpon so weake a ground especially none occasion thereof being giuen them on our part And in case they should be of another minde wee Spaniards are a People which know very well how to defend our Right Religion and Territories And let not the Chineses thinke that they are Lords of all the World as they would haue vs thinke For wee Castillians which haue measured the World with spannes know perfectly the Countreyes of China Wherefore they shall doe well to take knowledge that the King of Spaine hath continuall warres with as mighty Kings as theirs is and doth suppresse them and putteth them to great troubles And it is no new case that when our enemies thinke that they haue vanquished vs they finde vs marching and destroying the Confines of their Land and not to cease vntill wee haue cast them out of their Thrones and taken their Scepters from them I would be much grieued with the change of the commerce But I beleeue also that the Chineses would not willingly lose it since that thereby they obtayne so great profit carrying to their Kingdome our Siluer which neuer faileth in trucke of their merchandise which are slight things and soone worne out The ships of the Englishmen which arriued on the coast of China it was determined not to receiue because they be no Spaniards but rather their enemies and Pirats Wherefore if they come to Manila they shall be punished Finally bâ—causâ— wee Spaniards doe alwaies iustifie our causes and doe boast our selues that it cannot bee said in the world that wee vsurpe other mens possessions nor inuade our friends that shall be fulfilled which is here promised And from hence forward let them know in China that wee neuer doe any thing for feare nor for threats of our enemies Don Pedro concludeth offering continuance of amitie by new bonds of peace with the Kingdomes of
in the Citie there to stay vntill some message came from the King either good or bad We remoued with great pleasure for the desire that we had to say Masse whereof wee were depriued many moneths After we were come on shoare we set vp our Altar whereon we said Masse euery day preparing our selues for that which might betide vs. This Eunuch could not bee disswaded from that which couetousnesse had perswaded him to wit that we had brought some precious thing with vs. And seeing it seemed vnto him that he could not get vs by another way to giue that which hee desired and wee had not hee became shamelesse and two dayes before his departure he came with a great companie to our house as though it had beene to visite vs in friendship we thinking nothing of any such thing and when he was come in he began to speake vnto vs and put vs in great feare asking vs how wee durst come so farre into the Kingdome without leaue of the King and that other Eunuchs had aduertised him from the Court that wee had many other things and that wee would not shew them nor giue them to the King While he was thus talking and dealing hee commanded his men to seize vpon all our stuffe which we had in foure or fiue Hampers and to lay them all out vpon a banke which with great celeritie aboue an hundred Officers which came with him performed and in two words they vndid and opened all and with his owne hands he opened as many papers as he found to seeke that which he desired and seeing he could finde nothing that hee looked for he tooke that which hee found which was an Image of our Ladie being one of the two small ones which wee had reserued that which hee left was better without comparison and very excellent on which also hee had cast his eye hee tooke also certaine Glasses and other small things of small importance because there were no better but that which grieued vs much was that he tooke from vs a Crosse of very good and great Reliques and a Case of Reliques likewise and the Chalice wherein we said Masse which because it was of Siluer and gilt which that yeere they had sent vs of Almes from Maaco did please him and when we prayed him not to touch it because it was a thing consecrated to God which the Kings of our Countrey durst not presume to touch hee made a iest of it and the more it was told him that hee should not touch it hee handled it the more with scorne saying that though wee told him he might not touch it yet we saw he held it in his hands without any difficulty or danger By the intercession of a Mandarine that fauoured vs he gaue vs the Chalice againe but wee could neuer get the Reliques againe out of his fingers as wee desired for of all things else hee would depart with none As he and those that ayded him so willingly were searching with much curiositie and euery one catched what he could because all things lay tumbled on the ground at last they met with a Case wherein was a carued Crucifixe which was mine He began to looke vpon our Lord Iesus Christ being bloudy and wounded being a very faire and pleasant sight to our eyes and heart but very strange foule and offensiue to his sight He vsed certaine gestures not saying any word vntill he was astonished and turned his head and asked what it was Wee told him that that was the true God which made Heauen and Earth whom all the World ought to worship who died for our sinnes and to giue vs life and afterward rose againe by his owne power and ascended into Heauen He would not heare many reasons for it seemed vnto him that we were deceiued in worshipping a God that in his eyes was dead againe he looked wistly vpon it and the finall conclusion that hee made was that that which hee suspected was true that wee were very lewde fellowes because wee had the shape of a man misused with so great inhumanitie nayled on a Crosse and all besprinkled with blood as that was and that it was nothing else but some witchcraft to kill the King And though in this second point hee was deceiued yet in the first he had great reason though hee knew not wherefore since our sinnes and euill deeds made Christ to be vsed on that sort That which the Eunuch said in our house he vttered also abroad in so much that certaine graue Mandarines which fauoured vs retired themselues from vs and sent vs word that from henceforth wee should leaue that crucifixed man and that seeing now wee remayned in China we should wholly conforme our selues vnto them for as long as we kept it they durst not speake in fauour of vs because the report went that it was a deuice to kill the King But our China Boy which was a Christian before he brought vs the message answered before the Mandarine saying That this was the true God wherefore not onely wee but himselfe that was a Chinois would rather die then denye him one jot whereat the Mandarine was amazed seeing him speake resolutely of dying a thing so much abhorred of the Chinois euen to speake of it and so he sent vs a moderate message bidding vs to hide that Figure that no bodie should see it for the report that went of it The Eunuch gaue out many threatnings against vs saying that whether the King receiued the Present or not the least displeasure that hee would doe vs was to thrust vs out of the Kingdome as wicked fellowes writing a Petition to the King against vs Besides this we remayned thrust into an exceeding bad and naughty house in the greatest force of the Winter alwaies with many Souldiers within and without doores the gates being shut with hanging Lockes without suffering our Boy to goe forth to buy any thing without two Souldiers to goe with him In which kinde of liuing though still with some remission of the rigour that we were kept in at the first wee continued aboue two moneths and an halfe without any kinde of comfort or rest at any time of the day to say Masse At the end of which time the Eunuch returned to the same place Wee verily thought that our comming out of that place should not be such as it was at the least we thought we should be thrust into a perpetuall Trunke or Prison or in some worse place as the fame went and the good will which the Eunuch shewed vs. §. II. The King sends for them is delighted with their Clockes and Pictures they are shut vp after take a house are admired for learning Christianitie of China AS the cause of our trouble was the Kings not dispatching of our businesse and our conceiuing that hee misliked of our comming so all was ended by his remembring by chance to aske where the strangers
being ended the Bridegroome taketh the Bride by the hand and so they goe on together with their friends after them towards the Church porch Where meet them certaine with pots and cups in their hands with Mead and Russe Wine Whereof the Bridegroome taketh first a Charke or little cup full in his hand and drinketh to the Bride who opening her Hood or Vale below and putting the Cup to her mouth vnderneath it for being seene of the Bridegroome pledgeth him againe Thus returning all together from the Church the Bridegroome goeth not home to his owne but to his Fathers house and shee likewise to hers where either entertayne their friends apart At the entring into the House they vse to fling Corne out of the windowes vpon the Bridegroome and Bride in token of plentie and fruitfulnesse to bee with them euer after When the Euening is come the Bride is brought to the Bridegroomes Fathers house and there lodgeth that night with her Vayle or couer still ouer her head All that night she may not speake one word for that charge shee receiueth by tradition from her Mother and other Matrons her friends that the Bridegroome must neither heare nor see her till the day after the marriage Neither three dayes after may she bee heard to speake saue certaine few words at the Table in a set forme with great manners and reuerence to the Bridegroome If shee behaue herselfe otherwise it is a great prejudice to her credit and life euer after and will highly bee disliked of the Bridegroome himselfe After the third day they depart to their owne and make a Feast to both their friends together The marriage day and the whole time of their festiuall the Bridegroome hath the honour to be called Moloday Knez or young Duke and the Bride Moloday Knezay or young Dutchesse In liuing with their wiues they shew themselues to be but of a barbarous condition vsing them as seruants rather then wiues Except the Noble-women which are or seeme to bee of more estimation with their husbands then the rest of meaner sort They haue this foule abuse contrary to good order and the Word of God it selfe that vpon dislike of his wife or other cause whatsoeuer the man may goe into a Monasterie and shire himselfe a Frier by pretence of deuotion and so leaue his wife to shift for her selfe so well as shee can THe other Ceremonies of their Church are many in number especially the abuse about the signe of the Crosse which they set vp in their high wayes in the tops of their Churches and in euery doore of their houses signing themselues continually with it on their foreheads breasts with great deuotion as they will seeme by their outward gesture Which were lesse offence if they gaue not withall that religious reuerence and worship vnto it which is due to God onely and vsed the dumbe shew and signing of it instead of thanksgiuing and of all other duties which they owe vnto God When they rise in the morning they goe commonly in the sight of some steeple that hath a Crosse on the top and so bowing themselues towards the Crosse signe themselues withall on their foreheads and breasts And this is their thanksgiuing to God for their nights rest without any word speaking except peraduenture they say Aspody Pomeluy or Lord haue mercie vpon vs. When they sit downe to meat and rise againe from it the thanksgiuing to God is the crossing of their foreheads and brests Except it be some few that adde peraduenture a word or two of some ordinary prayer impertinent to that purpose When they are to giue an oath for the deciding of any controuersie at Law they doe it by swearing by the Crosse and kissing the feet of it making it as God whose name onely is to bee vsed in such triall of Iustice. When they enter into any house where euer there is an Idoll hanging on the wall they signe themselues with the Crosse and bow themselues to it When they begin any worke bee it little or much they arme themselues first with the signe of the Crosse. And this commonly is all their prayer to God for good speed of their businesse And thus they serue God with crosses after a crosse and vaine manner notwithstanding what the Crosse of Christ is nor the power of it And yet they thinke all strangers Christians to be no better then Turkes in comparison of themselues and so they will say because they bow not themselues when they meet with the Crosse nor signe themselues with it as the Russe manner is They haue Holy-water in like vse and estimation as the Popish Church hath But heerein they exceed them in that they doe not onely hollow their Holy-water stockes and tubs full of water but all the Riuers of the Countrey once euery yeere At Mosko it is done with great pompe and solemnitie the Emperour himselfe being present at it with all his Nobilitie marching through the streets towards the Riuer of Moskua in manner of Procession in this order as followeth First goe two Deacons with banners in their hands the one of Precheste or our Lady the other of Saint Michael fighting with his Dragon Then follow after the rest of the Deacons and the Priests of Mosko two and two in a ranke with Coaps on their backes and their Idols at their brests carried with girdles or slings made fast about their necks Next the Priests come their Bishops in their Pontificalibus then the Friers Monkes and Abbots and after the Patriarches in very rich attire with a Ball or Sphere on the top of his Myter to signifie his vniuersalitie ouer that Church Last commeth the Emperour with all his Nobilitie The whole traine is of a mile long or more When they are come to the Riuer a great hole is made in the Ice where the Market is kept of a road and a halfe broad with a stage round about it to keepe off the presse Then beginneth the Patriarch to say certaine prayers and coniureth the Deuill to come out of the water and so casting in Salt and censing it with Frankincense maketh the whole Riuer to become Holy-water The morning before all the people of Mosko vse to make crosses of chaulke ouer euery doore and window of their houses least the Deuill being coniured out of the water should flye into their houses When the Ceremonies are ended you shal see the black Guard of the Emperors house then the rest of the Towne with their pailes and buckets to take off the hallowed water for drinke and other vses You shall also see the women dip in their children ouer head and eares and many men and women leape into it some naked some with their clothes on when some man would thinke his finger would freeze off if he should but dip it into the water When the men haue done they bring their horse to the Riuer to drinke of the sanctified water and
the breaking out of the ciuill warres among the Moscouites in the meane season I am of opinion that in this countrey is the beginning and the bounds of the Kingdome of Cataia which bordereth vpon China Yet I feare the Moscouites will lose their labour if they euer returne thither But time will declare the euent hereof Yet for all this by the commandement of the Gouernours euen in the time of this warre there was a voyage made into those parts many Inhabitants of Siberia being employed in the same who passing ouer the Riuer Ieniscé trauelled further on foot diuers of whom died by the way being not accustomed to hardnesse These also found many things agreeable to the relation of the former And they likewise did oftentimes heare the â—owling of brazen Bells But vpon the disswasions of the Tingoesies they durst not passe the Riuer But they stayed awhile in the Mountains out of which they saw oftentimes flames of fire ascend they brought thence some small quantitie of bâ—â—mstone and oâ— touch-stone so that some 〈…〉 those hills Moreouer the Gouernour of Siberia caused certaine 〈…〉 to bee made and commanded them to â—aile downe by the shoare of the Riuer Obi in the first beginning of the spring and to coast the same continually till they came to the Riuer of Ieniscé wherein theâ— should afterward saile certaine dayes discharging it selfe as hee thought into the sea He senâ— others likewise to trauell ouer Land giuing commandement to both of them before they went To the Land-men that they should stay by the Riuers side vntill the Boates arriued and that if they did not arriue there then after one yeere they should returne To them that were in the Boates ouer whom he made one Lucas Captayne he gaue in charge diligently to discouer the Coast and whatsoeuer thereon was worthy to bee obserued They did as they were enjoyned And the Mariners arriuing at the mouth of the Riuer Ieniscé met with certayne of them which trauelled ouer Land which were sent before in Boats and Skiffes downe the Riuer In their journey they found all things in a manner to fall out as the Gouernour had fore-told But Lucas being dead by the way and some others they thought is the best course for both of the Companies to returne the same way that they came And when they came home into Siberia they declared vnto the Gouernour the whole successe of their journey which caused the same to be sent vnto the Emperour And this Relation is layed vp among the Treasures of Moscouia vntill these Warres bee ended and then as it is thought it shall bee examined But wee feare that by this time it is perished which if it be so truly it iâ— much to be lamented in regard that they haue found so many rare and sundry Ilands Riuers Fowles and wild beasts and thaâ— farre beyond the Riuer Ieniscé Moreouer the Riuer Taes falleth into the Riuer of Obi springing as it seemeth 〈◊〉 of placeâ— neere vnto the Riuer Ieniscé and out of a great Wood in those parts out of which Wood another Riuer seemeth also to haue his Fountayne not farre from the Riuer Taes and falleth into the Riuer of Ieniscé So that euen from Obi they trauell by water along the Coast of the Samoieds and passing only two leagues ouer Lands they meet with the Riuer Torgalfe downe which with the streame they fall into the Riuer Ieniscé And this is a very easie way and lately found out by the Samoieds and the Tingoesies Doubtlesse it is to be lamented that the Hollanders haue not had good successe in passing the Streight of Way-gats but surely they know not the right way to attempt the same For if they attempt it by shippes though it were an hundred times it would hardly once take effect But if they would throughly discouer these Countreyes then they should stay two or three yeares about Petsora and Way-gats where they should not want good Hauens nor Victualls and from thence they should send out some with small Boates to 〈…〉 parts by the very example of the Russes whose Friendship if they would procure with themselues they should easily find Guides and Pilots and so at length all these Coasts would throughly bee discouered Doubtlesse goodly Countreyes would bee found out and not only Ilands 〈◊〉 the Mayâ—â— Land also Yet there is just cause to doubt whether America aboue China joyne not with some of the three parts of the old World As wee see Africa joyned vnto Asia with a narrow necke of Land vpon the Redde Sea And doubtlesse this seemeth likely to bee true For who can affirme that they bee separated Sauing that they haue found some things â—n the Writings of prophane Authors whereby it may be prooued and bring many Arguments from thence And though these parts bee not joyned together yet they must needs bee diuided with some small Streight §. III. A Note of the Trauels of the Russes ouer Land and by Water from Mezen neere the Bay of Saint NICHOLAS to Pechora to Obi to Yenisse and to the Riuer Geta euen vnto the Frontiers of Cataia brought into England by Master IOHN MERICKE the English Agent for Moscouie and translated out of the Russe by RICHARD FINCH FRom Mezen to Pechora is a thousand Verstâ— and the same is trauelled with Reyne â—eâ—re From Pechora to Montuaia Reca or The troubled Riuer and to the parts of Mongâ—sey it is trauelled in Boats called Coaches in seuen Weekes At this place is a certayne Ouer-hal where the foresaid Boats or Vessels are drawne ouer by men 〈◊〉 off Montuaia Reca or The troubled Riuer passing this Ouer-hall they enter into Zelena Reca or the Greene Riuer From Zelena Reca or the Greene Riuer to Obi is three Weekes rowing running downe with the Current but with a faire wind it is no more but three dayes and three nights Iourney From Obi to Taes Castle is a Weekes rowing From Taes Castle to the Riuer Yenissey vpon long Woodden Pattens through the Snow is three Weekes trauaile But through the deepe Channell in the aforeâ—said Vessels called Coaches is foure Weekes trauayle It bringeth them to a place called Toorou-hansko Zeemouia that is The Wintering place of one called Toorouhan Hauing trauelled to this Toorou-hansko Zeemouia they come out on the backe side to a place called The Riuer of Tingoosie being a stonie of Rocky Riuer which falleth into the Riuer Yenisey In that place liue the Tingoâ—sies and people of the afore-said Land of Tangoosi Beyond them liue a people called The Boulashees And beyond the Boulashees inhabit the people of Seelahee These people report concerning Yenisey the Great and Tenisey the Lesser That beyond this fore-said Yenisey inhabit the people Imbaki and the Ostaki which are a kind of Tartarâ— Also beyond the Tingoâ—sies is a Riuer called Geta which was trauailed by the Russes of Vasheâ— and Russes of Pechora These men by report liued in the parts
carrie your selfe in the businesse for which you were so entertayned as God may be glorified our Countrey benefited your selfe credited and we in our desires satisfied And for your better instruction to proceed in this your Voyage we haue thought good to set downe our opinions what course wee thinke fit to be obserued in the same which is That forasmuch as by your owne report of the great store of Whales in those Seas wee are at an extraordinary charge this yeare of setting out a ship and men for that purpose which ship is called the Marie Margaret of London in burthen one hundred and fiftie tunnes or thereabout Our meaning is that you doe keepe company with the said ship and not to leaue her till God send you to the places where she may make her Voyage which by your report should be at a â—lace named by you the last yeare 1610. Whale Bay And God sending you to the said place we would haue you to stay there the killing of a Whale or two or three for your better experience hereafter to expedite that businesse if through extremitie of the Ice you should be put from your Discoueries And in the meane time while you are staying about killing of the Whale you may cause some of your people to bee searching the Coast with their Shallops for Whale finnes Morses teeth Ambergreese or any other commodities that may be found vpon that Coast. And hauing thus stayed a conuenient time with the said great ship for the purpose aboue specified wee would haue you then to proceed on your Discouerie for the satisfying of our expectations formerly mentioned which is to discouer further to the North Pole as farre as possibly you can and how the Land alreadie discouered doth trend and whether there be any inhabitants in the said Land and whether there be an open Sea to the Northward beyond the said land And in this your coasting the land we doubt not but you will endeauor with your Shallops to gather vp all the Whale finnes you can finde and to kill the Morses which you can come by on land and to reserue the teeth and blubber to the most aduantage that may bee the better to beare out the great charge which you know we are at in these Discoueries And to that end we haue laden in you eleuen Tunnes of emptie caske And hauing spent so much time in this your Discouerie and in gathering vp of such commodities as that Coast will affoord and as the season of the yeere will permit you then we would haue you returne for England and in your way homeward to touch at the place where you left the Mary Margaret to see if shee be not gone and finding her there and that the time of the yeere will permit wee would haue you melt your Blubber into Oile before your comming from thence to auoid the great trouble and inconuenience you know we fell into the last yeere 1610. by bringing the same hither in Blubber But if the said ship should chance to be full fished and so to be gone before your comming thither yet we would haue you stay there or at Cherie Iland some small time to melt your Blubber to which end we haue appointed Thomas Edge our seruant in that ship to leaue a Copper and such necessaries as shall serue your turne for the performing of that businesse behinde him and haue deliuered him likewise aduertisements at that place of their proceedings in the voyage and of their intent what course they purpose to take together with their opinions what course they would haue you take In these matters of Discoueries and vncertaine Voyages the varietie of occurrences and Sea dangers is such as we cannot directly prescribe a course certaine to be held yet we hold it fitting to set downe Our opinions of the needfull which are that at your first departure out of England you keepe counsell together and agree vpon your places of meetings if by tempast of weather you chance to bee separated still shaping your course directly for Chery Iland where we would haue you stay And if at your comming thither you finde the same cleere of Ice and that there be Morses on shoare then wee would haue you to worke vpon them as time and opportunitie will permit alway hauing respect to your intended voyage And hauing dispatched your businesse in that place wee would haue you depart in company together for The Whale Bay as aforesaid and to follow our instructions formerly set downe to be done in that place And hauing performed what may be done in the parts beyond Cherie Island and so returning backe againe for England we hold it fit you make your Rendezvous againe at the said Cherie Iland and there to stay the one for the other and to be killing of the Beasts there till the last of August if neede bee And if it happen that one ship doe arriue there before the other and no Morses come on shoare then wee would haue them spend the time in searching for the Lead Orâ— or any other Minerall matter that may be like to be of worth vpon the said Land And thus hauing stayed at Cherie Iland till the last of August the one for the other and not meeting together the ship so staying hauing made her Voyage wee would haue her to returne directly for England and to leaue a Note in writing of the day of her departure This is our opinion Notwithstanding if vpon better grounds you shall among your selues finde a conuenienter course to be held for the good of the Voyage and the benefit of vs the Aduenturers wee leaue it to your selues to agree vpon as time and opportunitie shall serue And for the auoyding of an Obiection heretofore vsed That the want of sufficient victuals hath beene the cause of the ouerthrow of the Voyages by speedier returne home then otherwise they would wee haue thought fit to set downe the quantitie of victuals deliuered aboord your ship in this our Commission to the intent to cleere our selues and our Agent of that imputation and to lay the blame on your selues if by default the same be euill husbanded The particulars are these Beefe 22. c 3. quarters 18li. Bisquit 30. c Beere 14. Tunnes Fish 200. of Haberdin and halfe an hundred Lings Cheese 300. c weight Butter three Firkins Oyle three Gallons Pease ten Bushels Oate-meale fiue Bushels Candels sixe dosen Aquavitae thirtie Gallons Vinegar one rundlet of twentie Gallons This proportion of victuals will last you seuen or eight moneths with good husbandry together with the hâ—lpes of Fish Fowle and Beasts that are to be had in abundance vpon those Coasts So that we hope you shall haue no cause to the contrary but cheerfully to goe forward in your businesse whereby not onely the small Barke you goe in but the great Ship may come home fully laden with one commoditie or other which we doubt not but by your diligence and good
to that end we doe set you downe here vnder the seuerall sorts of Whales together with the differences of goodnesse betweene the one and the other as we haue gathered the same by information from men of excellencie in that businesse who make knowne vnto vs that there are eight seuerall kindes of Whales all differing the one from the other in quantitie and qualitie Which for your better instruction we haue thought good to set downe in this our Commission The first sort of Whales is called the Bearded Whale which is black in colour with a smooth skinne and white vnder the chops which Whales is the best of all the rest and the elder it is the more it doth yeelde This sort of Whale doth yeelde vsually foure hundred and sometimes fiue hundred finnes and betweene one hundred and one hundred and twentie Hogsheads of Oyle The second sort of Whale is called Sarda of the same colour and fashion as the former but somewhat lesse and the finnes not aboue one fathom long and yeeldeth in Oyle according to his bignesse sometimes eightie sometimes a hundred Hogsheads The third sort of Whale is called Trumpa being as long as the first but not so thicke of colour Grey hauing but one Trunke in his head whereas the former haue two He hath in his mouth teeth of a span long and as thicke as a mans wrist but no sins whose head is bigger then either of the two former and in proportion farre bigger then his body In the head of this Whale is the Spermaceti which you are to keepe in Caske apart from your other Oyle you may put the Oyle you finde in the head and the Spermaceti altogether and marke it from the other Oyle and at your comming home we will separate the Oyle from the Spermeceti The like is to be done with the Oyle of this sort of Whale which is to be kept apart from the Oyle of the other Whales The reason is that the Oyle of this sort of Whale being boyled will be as hard and white as Tallow which to be mingled with the other Oyle being liquid would make the same to shew as footie Oyle and so consequently spoyle both and be of little value you are therefore to be very carefull to keepe the Oyle of this sort of Whale apart as well of the head as of the body for the reasons before mentioned In this sort of Whale is likewise found the Ambergreese lying in the entrals and guts of the same being of shape and colour like vnto Kowes dung We would haue you therefore your selfe to be present at the opening of this sort of Whale and cause the residue of the said entrals to be put into small Caske and bring them with you into England We would haue the Master also to be by at the opening of this Whale and to be made priuie of the packing of those Barils And although it be said that the Ambergreese is onely in this Whale and in none other yet we would not haue you be absent at the opening of any other but if you see cause to make a reseruation of the entrals of euery Whale that you shall perceiue to be cause of the least suspect to haue any of the said Ambergreese being a matter as you know of good worth and therefore not slightly to be regarded The Teeth likewise of this sort of Whale we would haue you cause to be reserued for a triall as also any other matter extraordinarie that you shall obserue in the same This Whale is said to yeelde in Oyle fortie Hogsheads besides the Spermaceti The fourth sort c. as sup 471.472 And in as much as industrie and diligence are two principall steps to atchieue great enterprises and negligence and idlenesse are enemies to the same we would haue you in this charge committed vnto you to imbrace the one and to auoide the other and to shew that example of paines taking to the rest of the company of your Ship in your owne person as well in setting them on worke as in putting your owne hand to the businesse when neede requireth as that there be no idle time spent but that euery one be imployed in some businesse or other in helping to kill the Whale or in searching the Bayes along the coast for Whales Ambergreese Morses teeth or any other strange thing that may be found vpon that coast or in killing the Morses Beares or any thing that may make profit toward our great charges Touching directions for your keeping company together with the Elizabeth and of the course we thinke fitting for the Master of that Ship to obserue we haue set the same downe at large in our Commission deliuered to Ionas Poole a Copie whereof we deliuer you herewith for your better instructions to obserue what is to be done on both your behalfes for the good of the Voyage which our Commission we would haue you strictly obserue vnlesse vpon some speciall occasion to vs vnknowne and by the consent of the principall Officers in both the Ships you shall see iust cause to the contrary You haue with you an order set downe by the Lords of his Maiesties priuie Counsell for the maintaining of our Charter which we would haue you make knowne to any of our Nation that you may chance to meete withall either at Cherie Iland or vpon any of those coasts And if any stranger doe offer you violence or doe disturbe you in your trade you may both defend your selues and maintaine your trade to the vttermost of your powers c. CHAP. III. A briefe Declaration of this my Voyage of discouery to Greeneland and towards the West of it as followeth being set forth by the right Worshipfull Sir THOMAS SMITH Gouernour of the right Worshipfull Company of new Trades c. written by IONAS POOLE WEE set sayle at Blacke-wall the eleauenth of Aprill 1611. with foure Shippes The one called the Mary-margaret of burthen one hundred and fiftie Tuns with nine and fortie Men and Boyes The next the Elizabeth of burthen sixtie Tuns with eighteene Men and Boyes The third was called the Amitie of burthen seauentie Tunnes with foure and twentie Men and Boyes The fourth was called the Resolution with about sixteene Men and Boyes the Resolution was appointed to goe to Saint Nicholas in Russia in hope to make two Voyages thither this yeare The Amitie was to goe to Pichâ—ra or Nouazembla there to see if they could make a Voyage by way of trade or by killing of Mohorses c. The Mary-margaret was appointed to keepe the Elizabeth companie to Greeneland abouesaid there to kill the Whale for which purpose we had sixe men of Saint Iohn de Luz with all things fitting for that purpose The Elizabeth was appointed to see if it weare possible to passe from Greeneland towards the Pole and to search in those Stas what likelihood of a passage that way c. But before we were as farre to the
Popes Sanctitie he procured an Armie of ten thousand Souldiers in Poland well furnished and in his Russian March winneth to his partie the Cossaks a kind of men which follow forreigne Warres and prey and leades with him tenne thousands of them Passing Boristhenes hee first charged vpon Zerniga summoned them to yeeld to the true heire Demetrius which was done by Iuan Takmeuy who had before conceiued dislike against Boris Corelas commanded the Cossaks a notorious Sorcerer He was the Author of the siege of Putinna a populous Citie which Michelowich Soltekoui held with eight thousand Cossaks whom also he wrought with that hee admitted and followed Demetrius Hereupon Boris sends an Army of an hundred thousand men against him He also sends Ambassadors into Poland to put them in minde of the league betwixt both Nations and earnestly desired this counterfeit Demetrius a Priests Bastard and notable Sorcerer to bee deliuered vnto him aliue or dead adding threats if they persisted and withall working vnder-hand with the Nobles to deterre the King from his ayde But by the Popes and Iesuites preuayling power nothing was effected the King and the Poles resoluing to assist him as thinking it the best course to accord both Nations Both Armies met at Nouogrod where Palatine Sendomir the Generall in the end of Ianuarie 1605. thinking to find a reuolt in the Russian Armie gaue a rash on-set was put to flight and after returned to Poland Demetrius retyred himselfe to Rilskie Castle in the borders with a few and forsaken of others he forsooke not himselfe Hee had brought with him two Diuines of the Cistercian Order which returned home two Iesuites also Nicolas Cherracoui and Andrew Louitzi which had beene Authors of the Expedition and now encouraged him by their exhortations and examples of patience He confident as hee made shew in the justice of his cause when he was to begin battell or skirmish vsed to call vpon God so as he might bee heard of all with his hands stretched forth and his eyes lifted vp to heauen in such like words O most iust Iudge kill me first with a Thunderbolt destroy me first and spare this Christian bloud if vniustly if couetously if wickedly I goe about this Enterprize which thou seest Thou seest mine innocencie helpe the iust cause To thee O Queene of Heauen I commend my selfe and these my Souldiers Which if they be truly related and he not the true Demetrius he was either an impudent Iugler or exceedingly gulled with fortunes daliance and prosperous successe which concludâ—d in a Tragicall period Part of Boris his Armie was now comne to Rilsky where in a battle betwixt the horsemen of both parts Demetrius got the better and the lately conquered and presently fewer became Victors at the first encounter a thousand being slaine two hundred taken and the rest put to flight leauing their footmen to the slaughter and the baggage to the spoyle Hereupon fiue neighbouring Castles with their seuerall Territories yeelded to Demetrius one of which Bialogrod yeelded him a hundred and fiftie Peeces of Ordnance The Captaynes were deliuered into his hands Soone after Ialeka and Leptina yeelded in which Hinsko Otiopelus that famous Sorcerer was taken after which all Seueria a large Principalitie came in and eight Castles Demetrius vsing great modestie in this vnexpected victorie Boris meanewhile sent some with large promises to murther him and the Patriarke excommunicated all which fauoured him Demetrius writ hereof modestly to the Patriarke and to Boris also offering faire conditions to his Family if he would resigne his vsurped Empire which he with indignation rejected That happened when the Embassadors of Denmarke and Sweden were in his Court to joyne league with him against the Pole In that consultation Boris is said to haue beene in such a chafe that hee fell downe suddenly much bloud passing from his mouth nosthrils and eares and in the end of Aprill hee dyed some say of an Apoplexie others of poyson which hee drunke after hee had reigned seuen yeeres His Wife with her Sonne were aduanced to the Throne after him and the Nobilitie sworne to them The dead bodie was buried without any pompe Constantine Fidler a Lieflander of Rie made an elegant Oration in his prayse whose brother Gaspar serued Boris Presently Peter Basman was sent away with an Armie Hodunius a neere Kinsman of Boris besieged Crom to rayse whom Demetrius vsed this policie Hee sent a simple man thither which being deceiued himselfe might deceiue others with Letters that fortie thousand were comming to ayde the besieged He being taken sent by a way which he could not escape and examined with tortures confesseth the same with his Letterâ— which caused a tumult in the Campe and in the end the besieged taking aduantage of the rumour still increased by some sent purposely with reports that they had seen the new auxiliaries issued with a counterfeit shew of great numbers and caused the Russians to consult of yeelding Basman also the new Generall yeelded and cried out with a loud voyce that Demetrius was the true heire and therefore all true hearted Muscouites should follow his example which the most followed Hodunius was taken and refusing to acknowledge Demetrius was cast in Prison In the Tents were huge Ordnance foâ—nd After this Campe-alteration followed the like in Mosco the people resounding the name of Demetrius The Empresse and her sonne were committed to ward where some write that they poysoned themselues some that Demetrius commanded it The Germanes flying out of the Borissian Campe to Demetrius drew many with them From Crom doâ—h Demetrius now march towards Mosco the people all the way flocking to see their new Prince who in twentie remoues came thither on the 19. of Iune and entred with pompous procession of Souldiers Priests the Russian Priests hauing Banners with the Pictures of the blessed Virgin and their Tutâ—lare Saint Nicolas in the end of al the Patriarch and after him Demetrius by himselfe on a white Palfray with a gallant trayne of attendants Thus hee goeth to the Temple of our Ladie and after Prayers from thence to Saint Michaels Church in which his Father lay buried and hearing that Boris lay there interred he presently commanded his body to be taken vp and to be remoued to a meaner Chappell without the Citie Passing by Boris his peculiar House he could not endure the sight but sent workemen presently to race the same saying they were infamous with Sorceries and that an image was said to be placed vnder the ground holding in the hand a burning Lampe hauing vnderneath store of Gunpouder buried things so disposed that the Oyle failing and the Lampe breaking the fire should had it not beene before spied and remoued blow vp that and the houses adioyning Thus had Boris impeached him and he now Boris of Magicall arts which are vsuall accusations in those parts Thence he went to the
number of three hundred men of which I the Relator of this was one were put into one ship belonging to Sweden and came from thence for vs. We were assaulted with a great tempest and were tossed so long that all our victuals were almost spent the miserie of which threw vs into more desperate feares now were wee assaulted by double deaths Famine and Shipwrack what course to take for our reliefe no man presently knew Continue without foode it was impossible and as impossible was iâ— for vs to recouer the Land in any short time without the assured destruction of vs all At this season our Commanders were these Lieutenant Benson Lieutenant Walton who was Prouost Martiall of the field and an Ancient of the Colonels companie The common Souldiers vowed and resolued to compell the Mariners seeing the present miseries and no hopes promising better to set vs all on shoare vpon the first Land that could be discouered Our Commanders did what they could by disâ—wasion to alter this generall resolution because they feared it would bee the losse of the greatest part of our Companies if they came once to bee scattered and besides they knew that it would redound to their dishonour and shame if they should not discharge the trust imposed vpon them by our Captaines which trust was to conduct vs and land vs before whilest our Chieftaines remayned a while behinde in England to take vp the rest of our Companies Yet all this notwithstanding Land being discouered there was no eloquence in the world able to keep vs aboord our ship but euery man swore if the Master of the ship would not set vs on the shoare the sailes should be taken into our owne hands and what was resolued vpon touching present landing should in despite of danger be effected Vpon this the Master of the ship and the Mariners told vs that if we put to land in that place we should all either perish for want of victuals which were not to bee had in that Countrie or else should haue our throats cut by the people Wee resolued rather to trie our bad fortunes on the land and to famish there if that kind of death must needes attend vpon vs then to perish on the Seas which we knew could affoord vs no such mercy and on shoare wee went as fast as possibly we could When our Officers saw that there was no remedie nor force to detayne vs aboord they then disheartned vs no longer but to our great comforts told it that the Master of the ship which thing hee himselfe likewise openly confessed knew both the Land and Gouernour thereof as indeed we proued afterwards he did and therefore desired they all our companies not to misse-behaue themselues toward the people for that it was an Iland called Iuthland vnder the Dominion of the King of Denmarke but subiect to the command of a Lord who vnder the King as his Substitute was the Gouernour And that we might be the better drawne to a ciuill behauiour towards the Inhabitants our Officers further told vs that they would repaire to the Lord Gouernour of the Countrie and acquaint him with the cause of our vnexpected landing there vpon which we all promised to offer no violence to the people neither was that promise violated because we found the Inhabitants tractable and as quiet towards vs as we to them yet the greater numbers of them ran away with feare at the first sight of vs because as afterward they reported it could not bee remembred by any of them that they euer either beheld themselues or euer heard any of their ancestors report that any strange people had landed in those places and parts of the Iland for they thought it impossible as they told vs that any ship should ride so neâ—ee the shoare as ours did by reason of the dangerous Sands Our Officers so soone as they were at land went to the Gouernour of the Iland whilest the Souldiers who stayed behind them ran to the houses of the Ilanders of purpose to talke with the people and at their hands to buy victuals for a present reliefe but when wee came among them they could neither vnderstand vs nor we them so that the Market was spoiled and wee could get nothing for our money yet by such signes as wee could make they vnderstood our wants pitied them and bestowed vpon vs freely a little of such things as they had In the end a happy meanes of our reliefe was found out by a Souldier amongst vs who was a Dane by birth but his education hauiâ—g beene in England no man knew him to be other then an English man This Dane made vse of 〈◊〉 owne natiue language to the good both of himselfe and vs certifying the people who the rather beleeued him because he spake in their knowne tongue of the cause that compelled vs to land vpon their Coast and that we intended no mischiefe violence or money to which report of his they giuing credit stood in lesse feare of vs then before and thereupon furnished vs with all such necessaries as the Countrie affoorded to sustaine our wants The foode which wee bought of them was onely fish and a kinde of course bread exceeding cheape Of which foode there was such plentie that for the value of three pence wee had as much fish as twentie men could eate at a meale and yet none of the worst sorts of fish but euen of the very best and daintiest as Mackrels and Lobsters and such like In which our trading with the poore simple people we found them so ignorant that many yea most of them regarded not whether you gaue them a Counter or a Shilling for the bigger the piece was the more fish they would giue for it but besides fish wee could get no other sustenance from them or at least could not vnderstand that they had any other But obserue what happened in the meane time that we were thus in traffique with the Ilanders for victuals our Officers as before is said being gone to the Lord Gouernour who lay about twelue English miles from the Sea side the Master of our ship on a sudden hoysed vp sailes and away he went leauing one of his owne men at shoare who accompanied our Officers as their guide through the Iland The cause of the ships departure did so much the more amaze vs by reason it was so vnexpected and the reason thereof vnknowne to vs But wee imagined the Master of the ship and Mariners feaâ—ed to receiue vs into the Vessell againe because some of our men at their being at Sea threatned the Saylers and offered them abuses before they could be brought to set vs on land On the next day following the Lord Gouernour of the Iland came to vs bringing our Officers along with him yet not being so confident of vs but that for auoyding of any dangers that might happen he came strongly guarded with a troupe of Horse-men well armed And vpon his
which they did thinke wee would come leauing no more but about ten men and Boates about vs who rowed alongst the space of an houre with vs making signes of friendship to vs. At length perceiuing that wee were not minded to goe forth amongst these Ilands vpon which the rest of their folke were they threw certaine shels and trifles into the Boat making signes and tokens to fetch them the which my Boy called William Huntries did He being in the Boat they presently shot him through both the buttockes with a Dart at which time they rowed from vs they mustering vpon the Ilands to the number of three hundred persons keeping themselues farre enough from our danger About sixe a clocke this Euening it began to blow a faire gale Easterly we getting off to Sea stood all this night North and by East alongst the Land A Topographicall Description of the Land as I did discouer the same NOw hauing proceeded for the discouerie of the Coast and Harbours so farre and so long time as the time limited to me therefore I thinke it conuenient to make a briefe description of the same according as by my short experience I found the same to be The Land of Groenland is a very high ragged and mountainous Countrey being all alongst the Coast broken Ilands making very goodly Sounds and Harbours hauing also in the Land very many good Riuers and Bayes into some of which I entred sayling vp the same the space of ten or twelue English leagues finding the same very nauigable with great abundance of fish of sundrie sorts The Land also in all places wheresoeuer I came seemed to be very fertile according to the Climate wherein it lyeth for betweene the Mountaynes was most pleasant Plaines and Valleyes in such sort as if I had not seene the same I could not haue beleeued that such a fertile Land in shew could bee in these Northerne Regions There is also in the same great store of Fowle as Rauens Crowes Partridges Pheasants Sea-mewes Gulles with other sundry sorts Of Beasts I haue not seene any except blacke Foxes of which there are very many Also as I doe suppose there are many Deere because that comming to certaine places where the people had had their Tents we found very many Harts Hornes with the bones of other beasts round about the same Also going vp into the Land wee saw the footing and dunging of diuers beasts which we did suppose to be deere and other beasts also the footing of one which wee found to be eight inches ouer yet notwithstanding we did see none of them for going some two or three miles from the Pinnasse we returned againe to goe aboord Moreouer in the Riuers we found sundry sorts of Fishes as Seales Whales Salmons with other sorts of fishes in great abundance As concerning the Coast all alongst it is a very good and faire Land hauing very faire shoalding of the same for being three English leagues off the same I found very faire shoalding in fifteene fathomes and comming neerer the same fourteene twelue and tenne fathomes very faire sandie ground As concerning the people they are as I doe suppose a kinde of Samoites or wandring Nation trauelling in the Summer time in Companies together first to one place and hauing stayed in that place a certayne time in hunting and fishing for Deere and Seales with other fish streight they remoue themselues with their Tents and baggage to another They are men of a reasonable stature being browne of colour very like to the people of the East and West Indies They be very actiue and warlike as we did perceiue in their Skirmishes with vs in vsing their Slings and Darts very nimbly They eat their meate raw or a little perboyled either with bloud Oyle or a little water which they doe drinke They apparell themselues in the skinnes of such beasts as they kill but especially with Seales skins and fowle skins dressing the skins very soft and smooth with the haire and feathers on wearing in Winter the haire and feather sides inwards and in Summer outwards Their Weapons are Slings Darts Arrowes hauing their Bowes fast tyed together with sinewes their Arrowes haue but two feathers the head of the same being for the most part of bone made in manner and forme of a Harping Iron As concerning their Darts they are of sundry sorts and fashions What knowledge they haue of God I cannot certainly say but I suppose them to bee Idolaters worshipping the Sunne The Countrey as is aforesaid seemeth to be very fertile yet could I perceiue or see no wood to grow thereon Wee met all alongst this Coast much Drift-wood but whence it commeth I know not For coasting all this Coast alongst from the latitude of 66. degrees and an halfe vntill the latitude of 69. degrees I found many goodly Sounds Bayes and Riuers giuing names vnto diuers of them and purposing to proceed further the folke in the Pinnasse with me did earnestly intreate me to returne to the ship againe alleaging this that if we came not in conuenient time the people in the ship would mutinie and so returne home before we came the which indeed had fallen forth if the Captaine as an honest Gentleman had not by seuere meanes withstood their attempts who would needes contrarie to their promises haue beene gone home within eight dayes after my departure from them But the Captaine respecting his promise to mee would by no meanes consent but withstood them both by faire meanes and other wayes So that vpon the seuenth day of Iuly I returned again into the Kings Foord which they in the ship had found to be a Bay and comming to the place where wee had left the ship hoping to haue found them there I saw vpon a certaine point a Warlocke of stones whereby I did perceiue that they were gone downe the Ford. So the tide of ebbe being come it being calme we rowed downe the Foord finding in the mouth of the same amongst the Ilands many good Sounds and Harbours The tenth day of Iuly the wind being at North North-west I beeing in a certaine Sound amongst the Ilands it being high water I weighed stood West forth of the Foord going to Sea on the South side betweene a little Iland and the Maine which Iland at our first comming we called Frost Iland after the name of the ship we espied on the South sides certaine Warlockes set vp whereupon I suspected that the Frost might be there commanded the Gunner to shoot off a Peece of Ordnance they presently answered vs againe with two other We seeing the smoake but heard no report bore in to them comming to an Anchor in a very good Sound by them and found them all in health the Captaine being very glad of our comming forasmuch as hee had very much trouble with the company for the cause aforesaid Also in the time of our absence the people
any refined phrases and eloquent speeches Therefore briefly and as it were in the forefront I intend to shew you the whole proceeding of the voyage in a word as namely there is no passage nor hope of passage in the North of Dauis Streights wee hauing coasted all or neere all the Circumference thereof and finde it to be no other then a great Bay as the Map here placed doth truly shew wherefore I cannot but much admire the worke of the Almightie when I consider how vaine the best and chiefest hopes of man are in things vncertaine And to speake of no other matter then of the hopefull passage to the North-west How many of the best sort of men haue set their whole indeuours to proue a passage that wayes and not onely in Conference but also in Writing and publishing to the World yea what great summes of money hath beene spent about that action as your Worship hath costly experience off Neither would the vaine-glorious Spaniard haue scattered abroad so many false Maps and Iournals if they had not beene confident of a passage this way that if it had pleased God a passage had beene found they might haue eclipsed the worthy praise of the Aduenturers and true Discouerers and for my owne part I would hardly haue beleeued the contrarie vntill mine eyes became witnesse of that I desired not to haue found still taking occasion of hope on euery little likelihood till such time as we had almost coasted the Circumference of this great Bay Neither was Master Dauis to be blamed in his report and great hopes if he had anchored about Hope Sanderson to haue taken notice of the Tydes for to that place which is in 72. degrees 12. minutes the Sea is open of an vnsearchable depth and of a good colour onely the Tydes keepe no certaine course nor rise but a small height as eight or nine foote and the flood commeth from the Southward and in all the Bay beyond that place the Tyde is so small and not much to be regarded yet by reason of snow melting on the Land the Ebbe is stronger then the Flood by meanes whereof and the windes holding Northerly the fore-part of the yeere the great Iles of Ice are set to the Southward some into Fretum Hudson and others towards New found Land for in all the Channell where the Sea is open are great quantities of them driuing vp and downe and till this yeere not well knowne where they were bred Now that the worst is knowne concerning the passage it is necessarie and requisite your Worship should vnderstand what probabilitie or hope of profit might here be made hereafter if the voyage bee attempted by fitting men And first for the killing of Whales certaine it is that in this Bay are great numbers of them which the Biscainers call the Grand Baye Whales of the same kinde which are killed at Greenland and as it seemeth to me easie to be strooke because they are not vsed to bee chased or beaten for we being but one day in Whale Sound so called for the number of Whales that wee saw there sleeping and lying aloft on the water not fearing our ship or ought else that if wee had beene fitted with men and things necessarie it had beene no hard matter to haue strooke more then would haue made three ships a sauing voyage and that it is of that sort of Whale there is no feare I being twise at Greenland tooke sufficient notice to know them againe beside a dead Whale wee found at Sea hauing all her finnes or rather all the rough of her mouth of which with much labour we got one hundred and sixtie the same euening we found her and if that foule weather and a storme the next day had not followed wee had no doubt but to haue had all or the most part of them but the winde and Sea arising shee broke from vs and we were forced to leaue her Neither are they onely to be looked for in Whale Sound but also in Sir Tho. Smiths Sound Wostenholme Sound and diuers other places For the killing of Sea Morse I can giue no certaintie but onely this that our Boat being but once ashoare in all the North part of this Bay which was in the entrance of Alderman Iones Sound at the returne our men told vs they saw many Morses along by the shoare on the Ice but our ship being vnder saile and the winde comming faire they presently came aboord without further search besides the people inhabiting about 74. degrees told vs by diuers signes that toward the North were many of those beasts hauing two long teeth and shewed vs diuers pieces of the same As for the Sea Vnicorne it being a great fish hauing a long horne or bone growing forth of his forehead or nostrill such as Sir Martin Frobisher in his second voyage found one in diuers places we saw of them which if the horne be of any good value no doubt but many of them may be killed And concerning what the Shoare will yeeld as Beach finnes Morse teeth and such like I can little say because we came not on shoare in any of the places where hope was of finding them But here some may obiect and aske why we sought that Coast no better to this I answere that while we were thereabout the weather was so exceeding foule wee could not for first wee anchored in Wostenholme Sound where presently our ship droue with two anchors a head then were we forced to stand forth with a low saile The next day in Whale Sound we lost an Anchor and Cable and could fetch the place no more then we came to anchor neere a small Iland lying between Sir Tho. Smiths Sound and Whale Sound but the winde came more outward that we were forced to weigh againe neuerthelesse if wee had beene in a good harbour hauing but our Ships Boat we durst not send her farre from the ship hauing so few men as seuenteene in all and some of them very weake but the chiefe cause wee spent so little time to seeke a Harbour was our great desire to performe the Discouerie hauing the Sea open in all that part and still likelihood of a passage but when we had coasted the Land so farre to the Southward that hope of passage was none then the yeere was too farre spent and many of our men very weake and withall we hauing some beliefe that ships the next yeere would be sent for the killing of Whales which might better doe it then wee And seeing I haue briefly set downe what hope there is of making a profitable voyage it is not vnfit your Worship should know what let or hinderance might be to the same The chiefest and greatest cause is that some yeere it may happen by reason of the Ice lying betweene 72. degrees and a halfe and 76. degrees no minutes that the ships cannot come into those places till toward the middest of Iuly so that
raynie there as the South winde is on this side but contrariwise it raines when as the South winde blowes there as wee see in all the Sierre or mountaine of Peru in Chile and in the Countrie of Congo which is on the other side of the Line and farre aduanced into the Sea And in Potozi likewise the winde which they call Tomahani which is our North if my memorie faile me not is extremely cold drie and vnpleasant as it is here with vs. Yet doth not the Northerne winde disperse the cloudes vsually there as it doth here but contrariwise if I be not deceiued it doth often cause raine There is no doubt but the windes doe borrow this great diuersitie of contrarie effects from the places by which they passe and the neere Regions where they are bred as wee see by daily experience in a thousand places But speaking in generall of the qualitie of the windes we must rather looke to the coasts or parts of the World from whence they proceede then to obserue whether they be on this side or beyond the Line as it seemes the Philosopher held opinion These capitall windes which be the East and West haue no such vniuersall qualities nor so common in this Continent nor in the other as the two former The Solanus or Easterne winde is commonly here troublesome and vnwholsome and the Westerne or Zephirus is more milde and healthfull At the Indies and in all the burning Zone the Easterne winde which they call Brise is contrariwise very healthfull and pleasant Of the West I cannot speake any thing certaine or generall for that it blowes not at all or very seldom in the burning Zone for in all the nauigation betwixt the two Tropicks the Easterne winde is ordinarie And for that it is one of the admirable workes of Nature it shall bee good to vnderstand the cause and the beginning thereof The wayes at Sea are not as at Land to returne the same way they passe It is all one way saith the Philosopher from Athens to Thebes and from Thebes to Athens but it is not so at Sea for wee goe one way and returne by another The first which discouered the East and West Indies laboured much with great difficultie to finde out their course vntill that Experience the Mistresse of these secrets had taught them that to saile through the Ocean is not like the passage in Italie through the Mediterranean Sea where in their returne they obserue the same Ports and Capes they had sight of in their passage attending still the benefit of the winde which changeth instantly and when that failes they haue recourse to their Oares and so the Gallies goe and come daily coasting along the shoare In some parts of the Ocean they may not looke for any other winde then that which blowes for that commonly it continues long To conclude that which is good to goe by is not fit to returne with for in the Sea beyond the Tropicke and within the burning Zone the Easterly windes raine continually not suffering their contraries In the which Region there are two strange things the one is that in that Zone being the greatest of the fiue into the which the World is diuided the Easterly windes which they call Brises doe reigne not suffering the Westerne or Southerne which they call lower winds to haue their course at any season of the yeere The other wonder is that these Easterly windes neuer cease to blow and most commonly in places neerest to the Line where it seemes that Calmes should be more frequent being a part of the World most subiect to the heat of the Sunne but it is contrarie for you shall hardly finde any Calmes there and the winde is cold and continues longer which hath beene found true in all the Nauigations of the Indies This is the reason why the voyage they make from Spaine to the West Indies is shorter more easie and more assured then the returne to Spaine The Fleetes parting from Siuil haue more difficultie to passe the Canaries for that the guife of Yegues or of Mares is variable being beaten with diuers windes but hauing passed the Canaries they saile with a Westerne winde vntill they come to the burning Zone where presently they finde an Easterly winde and so they saile on with full windes so as they haue scant any need to touch their sailes in the whole voyage for this reason they called this great gulfe the gulfe of Dames for the calmnesse and pleasantnesse thereof Then following their course they come to the Ilands of Guadelupe Dominique Desired Marigualante and the rest which in that place be as it were the Suburbs of the Indies There the Fleetes separate and diuide themselues whereof some which goe to new Spaine take to the right hand towards Hispaniola and hauing discouered Cape Saint Anthony they passe vnto Saint Iohn Delua alwayes vsing the same Easterly windes Those for the mayne Land take the left hand discouering the high mountaine of Tayrone then hauing touched at Carthagene they passe vnto Nombre de Dios from whence they goe by Land to Panama and from thence by the South Sea to Peru. But when the fleetes returne to Spaine they make their voyage in this sort The fleete of Peru discouers Cape Saint Anthony then they enter into the Hauana which is a goodly Port in the Iland of Cuba The fleet of new Spaine doth likewise touch at the Hauana being parted from Vera Cruz or from the Iland of Saint Iohn Delua the which is not without difficultie for that commonly Easterly windes blow there which is a contrarie winde to goe to the Hauana These fleetes being ioyned together for Spaine they seeke their height without the Tropicks where presently they finde Westerly windes which serue them vntill they come in view of the Acores or Terceres and from thence to Siuil So as their voyage in going is of a small height not aboue twentie degrees from the Line which is within the Tropicks But the returne is without the Tropicks in eight and twentie or thirtie degrees of height at the least for that within the Tropicks the Easterne windes continually blow the which are fittest to goe from Spaine to the West Indies for that their course is from East to West and without the Tropicks which is in three and twentie degrees of height they finde Westerly windes the which are the more certaine and ordinarie the farther you are from the Line and more fit to returne from the Indies for that they are windes blowing from the South and West which serue to runne into the East and North. The like discourse is of the Nauigation made into the South Sea going from new Spaine or Peru to the Philippines or China and returning from the Philippines or China to new Spaine the which is easie for that they saile alwayes from East to West neere the Line where they finde the Easterly windes to blow in their Poope In the yeere 1584.
of Volcans as that of Arequipa which is of an vnmeasurable height and almost all sand It cannot be mounted vp in lesse then two dayes yet they haue not found any shew of fire but onely the reliques of some sacrifices which the Indians made while they were Gentiles and sometimes it doth cause a little smoake The Volcan of Mexico which is neere to the Village of Angels is likewise of an admirable height whereas they mount thirtie leagues in turning from this Volcan issueth not continually but sometimes almost euery day a great exhalation or whirlewinde of smoake which ascends directly vp like to the shot of a Crosse-bow and growes after like to a great plume of feathers vntill it ceaseth quite and is presently conuerted into an obscure and darke cloude Most commonly it riseth in the morning after the Sunne rising and at night when it setteth although I haue seene it breake out at other times Sometimes it doth cast forth great store of ashes after this smoake They haue not yet seene any fire come from it yet they feare it will issue forth and burne all the Land round about which is the best of all the Kingdome And they hold it for certaine that there is some correspondencie betwixt this Vulcan and the Sierre of Tlaxcala which is neere vnto it that causeth the great thunders and lightnings they doe commonly heare and see in those parts Some Spaniards haue mounted vp to this Volcan and giuen notice of the myne of sulphur to make powlder thereof Cortez reports the care he had to discouer what was in this Volcan The Volcans of Guatimala are more renowmed as well for their greatnesse and height which those that saile in the South Sea discouer afarre off as for the violence and terrour of the fire it casts The three and twentieth day of December in the yeere 1586. almost all the Citie of Guatimala fell with an Earthquake and some people slaine This Volcan had then sixe moneths together day and night cast out from the top and vomited as it were a floud of fire the substance falling vpon the sides of the Volcan was turned into ashes like vnto burnt earth a thing passing mans iudgement to conceiue how it could cast so much matter from its centre during sixe moneths being accustomed to cast smoake alone and that sometimes with small flashes This was written vnto me being at Mexico by a Secretarie of the Audience of Guatimala a man worthy of credit and at that time it had not ceased to cast out fire This yeere past being in Quitto in the Citie of Kings the Volcan which is neere thereunto cast such abundance of ashes that in many leagues compasse thereabout it darkned the light of the day and there fell such store in Quitto as they were not able to goe in the streets There haue beene other Volcans seene which cast neither smoake flame nor yet ashes but in the bottome they are seene to burne with a quicke fire without dying such a one was that which in our time a couetous and greedie Priest seeing perswaded himselfe that they were heapes of gold he did see burning imagining it could be no other matter or substance which had burnt so many yeeres and not consumed And in this conceit he made certaine kettles with chaines and an instrument to gather and draw vp the gold out of this Pit or Volcan but the fire scorned him for no sooner did his Iron chaine and Caldron approach neere the fire but suddenly they were broken in pieces Yet some told me that this man was still obstinate seeking other inuentions for to draw out this gold as he imagined Some haue held opinion that these Volcans consume the inner substance they haue of Nature and for this reason they beleeue that naturally they shall end when as they haue consumed the fuell as a man may say that is within them According to which opinion wee see at this day some Mountaines and Rocks from whence they draw a burnt stone which is light but very hard and is excellent to build with as that which is carried to Mexico And in effect there are some shewes of that which hath beene spoken that these Mountaines or Rocks had somtimes a naturall fire which hath died after the matter was consumed and so these stones haue remayned burnt and pierced with the fire as wee see For my part I will not contradict it that in those places there hath not beene fire sometimes or Volcans But there is some difficultie to beleeue it should be so in all Volcans considering the matter they cast out is almost infinite and that being gathered together it could not bee contayned in the same concauitie from whence it goes Moreouer there are some Volcans that in hundreds yea thousands of yeeres are alwayes of one fashion casting out continually smoake fire and ashes Plinie the historiographer of naturall things as the other Plinie his nephew reports searching out the secret how this should passe and approaching too neere the exhalation of fire of one of these Volcans died and thinking by his diligence to find an end thereof had an end of his life For my part vpon this consideration I thinke that as there are places in the earth whose vertue is to draw vaporous matter and to conuert it into water which bee the Fountaines that alwayes runne and haue alwayes matter to make them runne for that they draw vnto them the substance of water In like sort there are places that haue the propertie to draw vnto them hot exhalations and to conuert them into fire and smoake which by their force and violence cast out other thicke matter which dissolues into ashes into pumice stone or such like substance and for a sufficient argument to proue it to be so in these Volcans they sometimes cast smoake and not alwayes and sometimes fire and not alwayes which is according to that it can draw vnto it and digest as the Fountaines which in Winter abound and in Summer decrease yea some are quite dried vp according to the force and vigour they haue and the matter that is presented euen so it is of these Volcans which cast fire more or lesse at certaine seasons Others say that it is Hell fire which issueth there to serue as a warning thereby to consider what is in the other life but if Hell as Diuines hold bee in the centre of the Earth the which containes in diameter aboue two thousand leagues we cannot iudge that this fire is from the centre for that Hell fire as Saint Basil and others teach is very different from this which wee see for that it is without light and burneth without comparison much more then ours Some haue held that from these Volcans which are at the Indies the Earthquakes proceede being very common there but for that they ordinarily chance in places farre from those Volcans it cannot be the totall cause It is true they haue a certaine
their bodies are almost feathers They sit not vpon the ground but hang vpon boughs by strings or feathers which they haue and so rest themselues like Flies or ayrie things In Peru there are birds which they call Tomineios so small that often-times I haue doubted seeing them flie whether they were Bees or Butter-flies but in truth they are birds Contrariwise those which they call Condores be of an exceeding greatnesse and of such a force that not only they will open a sheep and eate it but also a whole calfe Those which they call Auras and others Poullazeâ— which in my opinion are of the kinde of Rauens are of a strange lightnesse and haue a very quicke sight being very fit to clense Cities for that they leaue no Carrion nor dead thing They passe the night on Trees or vpon Rocks and in the morning they come to the Cities and Townes sitting on the tops of the highest buildings where they attend their prey Their yong haue white feathers as they report of Rauens and so change into blacke The Guacamayac be birds bigger then Parrets and resemble them something they are esteemed for the varietie of their feathers which be very faire and pleasing In new Spaine there are abundance of birds with excellent feathers so as there bee not any found in Europe that comes neere them as wee may see by the Images of feathers they bring from thence the which are with great reason much valued and esteemed giuing cause of admiration that with the feathers of birds they should make so excellent a worke and so perfectly equall as they seeme properly to be the true colours of a Painter and haue so liuely and pleasing a regard as the Painter cannot exceede it with his pencill and colours Some Indians which are good and expert workmen in this Art will represent perfectly in feathers whatsoeuer they see drawne with the pencill so as the Painters of Spaine haue in this point no aduantage ouer them Don Philip the Prince of Spaine his Schoole-master did giue vnto him three figures or portraitures made of feathers as it were to put in a Breuiarie His Highnesse did shew them to King Philip his father the which his Maiestie beholding attentiuely said that he had neuer seene in so small a worke a thing of so great excellency and perfection One day as they presented to Pope Sixtus Quintus another square bigger then it wherein was the figure of Saint Francis and that they had told him it was made of feathers by the Indians he desired to make triall thereof touching the table with his fingers to see if it were of feathers for that it seemed strange to see them so properly fitted that the eye could not iudge nor discerne whether they were naturall colours of feathers or artificiall done with the pencill It is a goodly thing to see the â—ustre which a greene an orange tawnie like gold and other fine colours doe cast and beholding them another way they seeme dead colours They make the best and goodliest figures of feathers in the Prouince of Mechouacan and in the village of Pascaro The manner is with small delicate Pinsors they pull the feathers from the dead fowles and with a fine paste they cunningly ioyne them together They take the small and delicate feathers of those birds which in Peru they call Tomineyos or others like vnto them which haue the most perfect colours in their feathers The Indians besides these Images did vse feathers in many other most excellent workes especially for the ornament of Kings and Noblemen their Temples and Idols There are also other great birds which haue excellent and fine feathers whereof they make plumes of sundrie colours especially when they goe to warre inriching them with gold and siluer very artificially which was a matter of great price They haue the same birds still but they are not so curious neither doe they make so many gentill deuices as they were wont There are other birds at the Indies contrarie to these of so rich feathers the which besides that they are ill-fauoured serue to no other vse but for dung and yet perchance they are of no lesse profit I haue considered this wondering at the prouidence of the Creator who hath so appointed that all Creatures should serue Man In some Ilands or Phares which are ioyning to the coast of Peru we see the tops of the Mountaines all white and to sight you would take it for Snow or for some white Land but they are heapes of dung of Sea fowle which goe continually thither and there is so great abundance as it riseth many Elles yea many Lances in height which seemes but a fable They goe with boates to these Ilands onely for the dung for there is no other profit in them And this dung is so commodious and profitable as it makes the earth yeeld great abundance of fruit They call this dung Guano whereof the Valley hath taken the name which they call Limaguana in the valleys of Peru where they vse this dung and it is the most ferrile of all that Country The Quinces Pomegranets and other fruits there exceed all other in bountie and greatnesse and they say the reason is for that the water wherewith they water it passeth by a Land compassed with this dung Besides the Beasts of Chase whereof wee haue spoken There are beasts called Sainos made like small Hogs which haue this singular to themselues to haue their Nauill vpon the ridge of their backs these goe by troupes through the Woods they are cruell and nothing fearfull but contrariwise they assaile and haue their tallents sharpe as Rasors wherewith they make dangerous wounds and incisions if such as hunt them put not themselues in safetie Such as hunt them for the more safer killing of them climbe vp into Trees whither the Sainos or Hogs come presently in troupes biting the Tree when they cannot hurt the man and then with their Lances they kill what they will They are very good to eate but they must of necessitie cut off the round piece where the Nauill growes vpon the backe for otherwise within a day they corrupt There is another kinde of little beast like to sucking Pigges and they call them Guadatinaias I am in doubt whether there were any Swine at the Indies before the Spaniards came thither like to these in Spaine for that in the discouerie of the Ilands of Soloman it is said they found Hennes and Swine of Spaine But howsoeuer it be it is most certaine that this Cattell hath greatly multiplyed at the Indies They eate the flesh fresh and hold it to bee as wholesome and as good as if it were of Mutton as in Carthagene in some parts they are become wilde and cruell the which they hunt like wilde Boares as wee see in Saint Dominique and other Ilands where the beasts liue in the Forests In some places they feede them with the graine of Mays
rich feather They set the Royall Crowne vpon his head and anointed him as they haue beene accustomed to do to all their Kings with an Ointment they call Diâ—me being the same vnction wherewith they did anoint their Idoll Presently an Orator made an eloquent speech exhorting him to arme himselfe with courage and free them from the trauels slauerie and miserie they suffered being oppressed by the Azcapuzalcos which done all did him homage This King was not married and his Counsell held opinion that it was good to marry him with the Daughter of the King of Azcapuzalco to haue him a friend by this alliance and to obtaine some diminution of their heauie burthen of Tributes imposed vpon them and yet they feared lest he should disdaine to giue them his Daughter by reason they were his Vassals yet the King of Azcapuzalco yeelded thereunto hauing humbly required him who with courteous words gaue them his Daughter called Ayâ—nchiguall whom they led with great pompe and ioy to Mexico and performed the Ceremonie and Solemnitie of Marriage which was to tie a corner of the mans Cloake to a part of the womans Veile in signe of the band of Marriage This Queene brought forth a sonne of whose name they demanded aduice of the King of Azcapuzalco and casting Lots as they had accustomed being greatly giuen to Southsayings especially vpon the names of their children hee would haue his Grand-childe called Chimalpopoca which signifies A Target casting smoke The Queene his Daughter seeing the contentment the King of Azcupazalco had of his Grand-childe tooke occasion to intreate him to relieue the Mexicans of the heauie burthen of their Tributes seeing hee had now a Grand-childe Mexican the which the King willingly yeelded vnto by the aduice of his Counsell granting for the Tribute which they paid to bring yeerely a couple of Duckes and some fish in signe of subiection and that they dwelt in his Land The Mexicans by this meanes remained much eased and content but it lasted little For the Queene their Protectrix died soone after and the yeere following likewise Vâ—tzilouitli the King of Mexico died leauing his sonne Chimalpopâ—ca tenne yeeres old he reigned thirteene yeeres and died thirtie yeeres old or little more He was held for a good King and carefull in the seruice of his Gods whose Images hee held Kings to be and that the honour done to their God was done to the King who was his Image For this cause the Kings haue been so affectionate to the seruice of their Gods This King was carefull to winne the loue of his neighbours and to trafficke with them whereby hee augmented his Citie exercising his men in Warrelike actions in the Lake disposing them to that which he pretended as you shall see presently The Mexicans for successor to their deceased King did choose his sonne Chimalpopoca by common consent although he were a child of ten yeeres old being of opinion that it was alwayes necessary to keepe the fauour of the King of Azcapuzalco making his Grand-childe King They then set him in his Throne giuing him the Ensignes of warre with a Bow and Arrowes in one hand and a Sword with Rasors which they commonly vse in the right signifying thereby as they doe say that they pretended by Armes to fed them selues at libertie The Mexicans had great want of water that of the Lake being very thicke and muddie and therefore ill to drinke so as they caused their infant King to desire of his Grand-father the King of Azcapuzalco the water of the Mountaine of Chapultepâ—c which is from Mexico a league as is said before which they easily obtained and by their industrie made an Aquaduct of faggoes weeds and flagges by the which they brought water to their Citie But because the City was built within the Lake and the Aquaduct did crosse it it did breake forth in many places so as they could not enioy the water as they desired and had great scarcitie whereupon whether they did expresly seeke it to quarrel with the Tapanecans or that they were moued vpon small occasion in the end they sent a resolute Ambassage to the King Azcapuzalco saying they could not vse the water which he had graciously granted them and thereâ—ore they required him to prouide them wood lime and stone and to send his Workmen that by their meanes they might make a Pipe of stone and lime that should not breake This message nothing pleased the King and much lesse his subiects seeming to be too presumptuous a message and purposely insolent for Vassals to their Lord. The chiefe of the Counsell disdayning thereat said It was too bold that not content with permission to liue in anothers Land and to haue water giuen them but they would haue them goe to serue them what a matter was that And whereon presumed this fugitiue Nation shut vp in the mud They would let them know how fit they were to worke and to abate their pride in taking from them their Land and their liues In these tearmes and choller they left the King whom they did somewhat suspect by reason of his Grand-childe and consulted againe anew what they were to doe where they resolued and make a generall Proclamation that no Tapanecan should haue any commerce or traffique with any Mexican that they should not goe to their Citie nor receiue any into theirs vpon paine of death Whereby we may vnderstand that the King did not absolutely command ouer his people and that hee gouerned more like a Consull or a Duke then a King although since with their power the command of Kings increased growing absolute Tyrants as you shall see in the last Kings The King of Azcapuzalco seeing the resolution of his subiects which was to kill the Mexicans intreated them first to steale away the young King his Grand-childe and afterwards doe what they pleased to the Mexicans All in a manner yeelded hereunto to giue the King contentment and for pittie they had of the childe but two of the chiefest were much opposite inferring that it was bad counsell for that Chimalpopoca although hee were of their bloud yet was it but by the Mothers side and that the Fathers was to be preferred and therefore they concluded that the first they must kill was Chimalpopoca King of Mexico protesting so to doe The King of Azcapuzalco was so troubled with this contradiction and the resolution they had taken that soone after for very griefe he fell sicke and dyed By whose death the Tapanecans finishing their consultation committed a notable Treason for one night the young King of Mexico sleeping without guard or feare of any thing they of Azcapuzalco entred his Palace and slue him suddenly returning vnseene The morning being come when the Nobles went to salute the King as they were accustomed they found him slaine with great and cruell wounds then they cryed out and filled all their Citie with teares and transported with choller they presently fell to
which God by his wisedome hath decreed for his honour and seruice and for the good and health of man the Deuill striues to imitate and to peruert to be honored and to cause man to be damned for as we see the great God hath Sacrifices Priests Sacraments Religious Prophets and Ministers dedicated to his diuine Seruice and holy ceremonies so the Deuill hath his Sacrifices Priests his kindes of Sacraments his Ministers appointed his secluded and fained holinesse with a thousand sorts of false Prophets BEginning then with their Temples euen as the great God would haue a house dedicated where his holy name might be honoured and that it should be particularly vowed to his seruice euen so the Deuill by his wicked practises perswaded Infidels to build him proud Temples and particular Oratories and Sanctuaries In euery Prouince of Peru there was one principall Guaca or house of adoration and besides it there was one Generall throughout all the Kingdome of the Inguas among the which there hath beene two famous and notable the one which they called Pachamana is foure leagues from Lima where at this day they see the ruines of a most auncient and great building out of the which Francis Pizarre and his people drew infinite treasure of vessels and pots of Gold and Siluer which they brought when they tooke the Ingua Altagualpa There are certaine memories and discourses which say that in this Temple the Deuill did speake visibly and gaue answers by his Oracle and that sometimes they did see a spotted Snake and it was a thing very common and approued at the Indies that the Deuill spake and answered in these false Sanctuaries deceiuing this miserable people But where the Gospell is entred and the Crosse of Christ planted the father of lyes becomes mute as Plutarch writes of his time Cur cessauerit Pithias fundere oracula and Iustine Martyr treates amply of the silence which Christ imposed to Deuils which spake by Idols as it had beene before much prophesied of in the holy Scripture The manner which the Infidell Ministers and Inchanters had to consult with their gods was as the Deuill had taught them It was commonly in the night they entred backward to their Idoll and so went bending their bodies and head after an vgly manner and so they consulted with him The answere he made was commonly like vnto a fearefull hissing or to a gnashing which did terrifie them and all that he did aduertise or command them was but the way to their perdition and ruine There are few of these Oracles found now through the mercy of God and great power of Iesus Christ. There hath beene in Peru another Temple and Oratory most esteemed which was in the Citie of Cusco where at this day is the Monastery of Saint Dominicke We may see it hath beene a goodly and a stately worke by the pauement and stones of the building which remaine to this day This Temple was like to the Pantheon of the Romans for that it was the house and dwelling of all the gods for the Kings Inguas did there behold the gods of all the Nations and Prouinces they had conquered euery Idoll hauing his priuate place whither they of that Prouince came to worâ—hip it with an excessiue charge of things which they brought for his seruice And thereby they supposed to keepe safely in obedience those Prouinces which they had conquered holding their gods as it were in hostage In this same house was the Pinchao which was an Idoll of the Sunne of most fine Gold wrought with great riches of Stones the which was placed to the East with so great Art as the Sunne at his rising did cast his beames thereon and as it was of most fine mettall his beames did reflect with such a brightnesse that it seemed another Sunne The Inguas did worship this for their god and the Pachayacha which signifies the Creator of Heauen They say that at the spoile of this so rich a Temple a Souldier had for his part this goodly plate of gold of the Sunne And as play was then in request he lost it all in one night at play whence came the prouerbe they haue in Peru for great gamesters saying that they play the Sunne before it riseth THe Superstitions of the Mexicans haue without comparison beene greater then the rest as well in their ceremonies as in the greatnesse of their Temples the which in old time the Spaniards called by this word Cu which word might by taken from the Ilanders of Saint Dominique or of Cuba as many other words that are in vse the which are neither from Spaine nor from any other language now vsuall among the Indians as is Mays Chico Vaqâ—ianâ— Chapetâ—n and other like There was in Mexico this Cu the famous Temple of Vitzliputzli it had a very great circuit and within a faire Court It was built of great stones in fashion of Snakes tyed one to another and the circuit was called Coatepantli which is a circuit of Snakes vpon the top of euery Chamber and Oratorie where the Idols were was a fine Pillar wrought with small stones blacke as jeat set in goodly order the ground raysed vp with white and red which below gaue a great light Vpon the top of the Pillar were battlements very artificially made wrought like Snailes supported by two Indians of stone sitting holding Candle-sticks in their hands the which were like Croisants garnished and enriched at the ends with yellow and greene feathers and long fringes of the same Within the circuit of this Court there were many Chambers of religious men and others that were appointed for the seruice of the Priests and Popes for so they call the soueraigne Priests which serue the Idoll This Court is so great and spacious as eight or ten thousand persons did dance easily in round holding hands the which was an vsuall custome in that Realme although it seeme to many incredible There were foure Gates or Entries at the East West North and South at euery one of these Gates began a faire Cawsey of two or three leagues long There was in the midst of the Lake where the Citie of Mexico is built foure large Cawseys in crosse which did much beautifie it vpon euery Portall or Entrie was a God or Idoll hauing the visage turned to the Cawsey right against the Temple gate of Vitzliputzli There were thirtie steps of thirtie fathome long and they diuided from the circuit of the Court by a street that went betwixt them vpon the top of these steps there was a walke of thirtie foot broad all playstered with chalke in the midst of which walke was a Pallisado artificially made of very high Trees planted in order a fathome one from another These Trees were very bigge and all pierced with small holes from the foote to the top and there were rods did run from one Tree to another to the which were chayned or tyed many dead mens heads Vpon euery rod
a matter of importance they appealed from the Counsell Chamber before Moteçuma the King himselfe where the matter was concluded In the Chamber that is intituled The Counsell Chamber of warre were prouided Captaines and Armies for the warres as was appointed by Moteçuma A The Throne and Maiestie of Moteçuma where he sate on Court-dayes and on iudgement B Moteçuma C a house where the Lords of Tâ—nayâ—ca Chienauhtla and Colhuacan were lodged that were friends and confederates of Moteçuma D a house where the chiefe Lords of Tezcucoytacuba were lodged that were Moteçuma his friends EFG The Court of the royall houses of Moteçuma HK These lines that goe vpward are the steps to the Courts of the royall houses of Moteçuma I The counsell chamber of warre K The counsell chamber of Moteçuma L These foure are as Auditors of the counsell of Moteçuma wise men M Pleaders and Sutors that in the degree and appellation from the Alcaldes doe present themselues and appeare before the Auditors of the counsell of Moteçuma THe father and the sonne that sit against each other face to face signifie that the father giueth his sonne good counsell that he be not vicious laying before him for example that those which come to vertue come afterwards in credit with the Lords and Casiques In that they giue them honest offices and doe vse them to be their Messengers and they doe admit Musicians and Singers vnto their feasts and weddings for the credit they beare 2 The pictured in the house where they meane to talke and prouide for publike affaires and the Steward that sitteth therein doth signifie that there are before him weeping because it hath happened vnto them to be occupied in bodily labour that the Coas and Guacales doe represent And the Steward is giuing them good counsell and exhorting them to flee idlenesse is the cause that they come to be Theeues and players at the Ball and players at Patol after the manner of Dice from which Games doe spring theft for to satisfie and fulfill such vices 3 The Carpenter Lapidane Painter Gold-smith and garnisher of feathers signifie that those Artificers teach their sonnes their occupation from their childhood that when they are men they might follow their Trade and spend their time in things of vertue giuing them counsell that of idlenesse commeth euill vices and so euill tongues tale-bearing drunkennesse and theeuerie and many other euill vices A a Messenger BCD The father counselleth his sonne to apply himselfe to all vertue E One hauing a ghest entertayneth a Musician FGI a house where they meâ—t for publike affaires H The Petlacalcatl KM Coa and Guacal LN Touthes O a vagabond P a player at the ball Q a Thiefe R a player at Patol or Dice after their manner S a Carpenter T The Carpenters sonne V a Lapidarie W The Lapidaries sonne X a Painter Y The Painters sonne Z a Gold-smith The Gold-smiths sonne Aa An ill tongued man and tale-bearer Bb An artificer that garnisheth with feathers Cc The artificers sonne Dd a drunkard Ee a drunkard and thiefe the last worke like a halter seemes to signifie the euill ends which such come to The particular punishments follow in the next picture A These two Pictures signifie that the young men that were drunke with Wine dyed for that according to the Law B A young man that was drunke C A young woman if shee were drunke with Wine was killed heere according to the Lawes of Mexico D A Thiefe they stoned him to death according to the Lawes of the Lords of Mexico E These two Pictures layed and couered with clothes doe shew that if any man had carnall dealing with a married woman they stoned them both to death according to the Lawes of the Lords of Mexico F An old man of threescore and tenne yeeres hath licence to drinke Wine and to bee drunke aswell publikely as secretly because he is so old and hath Sonnes and Nephewes at which yeeres Wine and drunkennesse was not forbidden them G An old woman wife to the old man aboue pistured had priuiledge to bee drunke as well as her Husband because shee had children and childrens children and to all those of the like age drunkennesse was not forbidden them CHAP. VIII Conquest of Mexico and New Spaine by HERNANDO CORTES HErnando Cortes was borne at Medellin in Andulozia a Prouince of Spaine Anno 1485. When he was nineteene yeeres old he sayled to the Iland of Saint Domingo where Ouando the Gouernour kindly entertayned him He went to the conquest of Cuba in the yeere 1511. as Clerke to the Treasurer vnder the conduct of Iames Velasques who gaue vnto him the Indians of Manicorao where hee was the first that brought vp Kine Sheepe and Mares and had heards and flockes of them and with his Indians he gathered great quantitie of Gold so that in short time he was able to put in two thousand Castlins for his stocke with Andres de Duero a Merchant At this time Christopher Morante had sent Anno 1517. Francis Hernandes de Cordoua who first discouered Xucatan whence he brought nothing except the relation of the Country but stripes whereupon Iames Velasques in the yeere 1518. sent his Kinsman Iohn de Grijalua with two hundred Spaniards in foure ships he traded in the Riuer of Tauasco and for trifles returned much Gold and curious workes of feathers Idols of Gold a whole harnesse or furniture for an armed man of Gold thin beaten Eagles Lions and other pourtratures found in Gold c. But while Grijalua deferred his returne Velasques agreed with Cortes to bee his partner in the Discouery which he gladly accepted and procured licence from the Gouernours in Domingo and prepared for the Voyage Velasques afterward vsed all meanes to breake off in so much that Cortes was forced to engage all his owne stocke and credit with his friends in the Expedition and with fiue hundred and fiftie Spaniards in eleuen ships set saile the tenth of February 1519. and arriued at the Iland of Acusamil The Inhabitants at first fled but by the kind entertainment of some that were taken they returned and receiued him and his with all kind offices They told him of certayne bearded men in Yucatan whither Cortes sent and one of them Geronimo de Aguilar came vnto him who told him that by shipwracke at Iamaica their Caruell being lost twentie of them wandred in the Boat without sayle water or bread thirteene or fourteene dayes in which space the violence of the current had cast them on shoare in a Prouince called Maija where as they trauelled seuen dyed with famine and their Captayne Valdinia and other foure were sacrificed to be Idols by the Cacike or Lord of the Counâ—rey and eaten in a solemne Banquet and he with sixe other were put into a Coope or Cage to bee fatned for another Sacrifice But breaking Prison they escaped to another Cacike enemy to the former where all the rest dyed but himselfe and Gonsalo
large compassed round about with doores and is so great that a hundred thousand persons come thither to chop and change as a Citie most principall in all that Region Wherefore the resort is from farre parts vnto that place Euery occupation and kinde of merchandise hath his proper place appointed which no other may by any meanes occupie or disturbe Likewise pesterous wares haue their place accordingly that is to say stone timber lime bricke and all kinde of stuffe vnwrought being necessarie to build withall Also Mats both fine and course of sundrie workmanship also Coales Wood and all sorts of earthen vessell glased and painted very curiously Deere skinnes both raw and tanned in haire and without haire of many colours for Shoomakers Bucklers Targets Ierkins and lining of woodden Corselets also skinnes of other beasts and fowle in feathers readie dressed of all sorts the colours and strangenesse thereof was a thing to behold The richest merchandise was Salt and Mantels of cotton wooll of diuers colours both great and smal some for beds others for garments and clothing other for tapissarie to hang houses other cotten cloth for lining breeches shirts table clothes towels napkins and such like things There were also Mantels made of the leaues of the tree called Metl and of Palme tree and Cony haire which are well esteemed being very warme but the Couerlets made of feathers are the best they sell threed made of Cony haire pieces of linnen cloth made of cotton wooll also skaines of threed of all colours also it is strange to see the great store of fowle some wilde some tame some water fowle and other some of rapine All the brauerie of the Market is the place where gold and feathers ioyntly wrought is sold for any thing that is in request is there liuely wrought in gold and feathers and gallant colours The Indians are so expert and perfect in this science that they will worke or make a Butter-flie any wild Beast Trees Roses Flowers Herbs Rootes or any other thing so liuely that it is a thing maruellous to behold It hapneth many times that one of these workmen in a whole day will eate nothing onely to place one feather in his due perfection turning and tossing the feather to the light of the Sunne into the shade or darke place to see where is his most naturall perfection and till his worke be finished he will neither eate nor drinke There are few Nations of so much patience The Art or Science of Gold-smiths among them is the most curious and very good workmanship engrauen with tooles made of flint or in mold They will cast a platter in mold with eight corners and euery corner of seuerall metall that is to say the one of gold and the other of siluer without any kind of solder they will also found or cast a little caldron with loose handles hanging thereat as wee vse to cast a bell they will also cast in mold a fish of metall with one scale of siluer on his backe and another of gold they will make a Parret or Popinjay of metall that his tongue shall shake and his head mooue and his wings flutter they will cast an Ape in mold that both hands and feet shall stirre and hold a spindle in his hand seeming to spin yea and an Apple in his hand as though he would eate it Our Spaniards were not a little amazed at the sight of these things For our Gold-smiths are not to be compared vnto them They haue skill also of Amell worke and to set any precious stone But now as touching the Market there is to sell Gold Siluer Copper Leade Latton and Tin although there is but little of the three last metals mentioned There are pearles precious stones diuers and sundrie sorts of shells and bones spunges and other Pedlers ware which certainly are many and strange sorts yea and a thing to laugh at their Haberdash toyes and triffles There are also many kinde of Hearbs Roots and Seedes as well to bee eaten as for medicine for both men women and children haue great knowledge in hearbs for through pouertie and necessitie they seeke them for their sustenance and helpe of their infirmities and diseases They spend little among Physicians although there are some of that Art and many Apothecaries who doe bring into the market Ointments Sirrops Waters and other drugs fit for sicke persons they cure all diseases almost with hearbs yea as much as for to kill Lice they haue a proper hearbe for the purpose The seuerall kindes of meates to bee sold are without number as Snakes without head and taile little Dogs gelt Moll 's Rats long Wormes Lice yea and a kinde of earth for at one season in the yeere they haue Nets of maile with the which they rake vp a certaine dust that is bred vpon the water of the Lake of Mexico and that is kneaded together like vnto Oas of the Sea they gather much of this victuall and keepe it in heapes and make thereof Cakes like vnto brick-bats they sell not onely this ware in the Market but also send it abroad to other Faires and Markets afarre off they eate this meate with as good stomacks as wee eate cheese yea and they hold opinion that this skum or fatnesse of the water is the cause that such great number of fowle commeth to the Lake which in the winter season is infinite All the Sellers pay a certaine summe for their shops or standings to the King as a custome and they to bee preserued and defended from theeues and for that cause there goe certaine Sergeants or Officers vp and downe the Market to espie out malefactors In the middest of the Market standeth a house which may bee seene throughout the Faire and there sitteth twelue ancient men for Iudges to dispatch Law matters their buying and selling is to change one ware for another as thus one giueth a Hen for a bundell of Maiz other giue Mantels for Salt or money which is Cacao and this is their order to chop and change they haue measure and strike for all kinde of Corne and other earthen measures for Hony and Wine and if any Measure bee falsified they punish the offenders and breake their measures The Temple is called Teucalli that is to say Gods House Teutl signifieth God and Calli is a House a name very fit if that house had beene of the true God The Spaniards that vnderstand not the language doe pronounce and call those Temples Cues and the God Vitzilopuchtli Vchilobos There are in Mexico many Churches with Towres for their Parishes and Streets wherein are Chappels and Altars where the Images and Idols doe stand and those Chappels doe serue for buriall places of their Founders for others are buried in the ground about them or Church-yards All their Temples are of one fashion therefore it shall bee now sufficient to speake of the principall Church This Temple is square and doth