histories also by the troubles which lately happened vnto Christopher Columbus after his first discouery to Francis Pizarro Diego de Almagro in Peru and to Fernand Cortes An hundred thousand other thinges came vnto my minde to incourage and confirme me My Lieuetenaunt Ottigny and my Sergeaurunt of my band came to seeke me in the shippe where I was prisoner and carried me from thence in a barke assoone as our rebels were departed After I was come vnto the fort I caused all my companye that remained to bee assembled in the middest of the place before the corps de garde and declared vnto them the faultes which they which had forsaken vs had committed praying them to beare them in memorie to beare witnesse thereof when neede shoulde require Forthwith I ordained newe Captaines to commaund the troupes and prescribed them an order according where-vnto they were to gouerne themselues from thence forwarde and to enter into their watch for the greatest parte of the souldyers of whome I had the best opinion were gone away with them My declaration ended they promised me all with one accorde to obey me most humblie and to doe whatsoeuer I shoulde commaunde them though it were to die at my féete for the kinges seruice wherein assuredly they neuer after fayled So that I dare say after the departure of my mutinous companions I was as well obeyed as euer was Captayne in place where hee commaunded The next day after my returne vnto the fort I assembled my men together agayne to declare vnto them that our fort was not yet finished and that it was néedefull that all of vs shoulde put thereto our helping handes to assure our selues against the Indians Wherein hauing willingly agréed vnto me they raised it all with turfes from the gate vnto the riuer which is on the west side This done I set my Carpenters on worke to make another barke of the same bignesse that the others were of I commanded the sawiers that they should prepare plancks the Smithes to prepare yron and Nayles and certayne others to make coales so that the barke was finished in eightéene dayes Afterwarde I made an other lesser then the first the better to discouer vp the riuer In this meane space the Indians visited me and brought me daily certaine presents as fish deare Turkicockes Leopards little Beares and other things according to the place of their habitation I recompensed them with certayne hatchets kniues beads of glasse combes and looking-glasses Two Indians came vnto me one day to salute me on the behalfe of their king whose name was Marracou dwelling from the place of our fort some fortie leagues toward the South and tolde me that there was one in the house of King Onathaqua which was called Barbu or the bearded man and in the house of king Mathiaca another man whose name they knew not which was not of their nation wherupon I conceiued that these might be some Christians Wherefore I sent to all the kinges my neighbours to pray them that if there were any Christian dwelling in their countries they would finde meanes that hee might be brought vnto me and that I woulde make them double recompence They which loue rewardes tooke somuch payne that the two men whereof wee haue spoken were brought vnto the fort vnto mee They were naked wearing their heires long vnto their hammes as the sauages vse to doe and were Spaniards borne yet so well accustomed to the fashion of the countrie that at the first sight they found our manner of apparell straunge After that I had questioned of certayne matters with theÌ„ I caused them to be apparelled and to cut their heire which they would not loose but lapped it vp in a lynen cloth saying that they woulde carie it into their countrey to be a testimonie of the miserie that they had indured in the Indies In the heire of one of them was founde a little golde hidden to the value of fiue and twentie Crownes which hée gaue vnto me And examining them of the places where they had beene and howe they came thither they answered mee that fiftéene yeares past thrée shippes in one of which they were were cast away ouer against a place named Calos vppon the Flates which are called The Martyrs and that the king of Calos recouered the greatest part of the riches which were in the saide shippes traueiling in such sort that the greatest part of the people was saued and many women among which number there were thrée or foure women married remaining there yet and their children also with this king of Calos I desired to learne what this king was they answered me that he was the goodliest and the tallest Indian of the countrey a mightie man a warrier and hauing many subiectes vnder his obedience They tolde me moreouer that hee had great store of golde and syluer so farre foorth that in a certayne village hée had a pit full thereof which was at the least as high as a man and as large as a tunne all which wealth the Spaniards fully perswaded themselues that they coulde cause me to recouer if I were able to marche thither with an hundred shotte besides that which I might get of the common people of the countrie which had also great store thereof They further also aduertised me that the women going to daunce did we are about their girdles plates of golde as broade as a sawcer and in such number that the weight did hinder them to dance at theyr ease and that the men ware the like also The greatest part of these riches was had as they sayde out of the Spanish â—â—ppes which commonly were cast away in this straight and the rest by the traficke which this king of Calos had with the other kings of the countrie finallie that hée had in great reuerence of his subiectes and that hee made them beléene that his sorceries and charmes were the causes that made the earth bring foorth her fruite and that hee might the easier perswade them that it was so he retyred himselfe once or twise a yeare to a certaine house accompanied with two or thrée of his most familier friendes where hee vsed certayne inchauntmentes and if any man intruded himselfe to goe to sée what they did in this place the king immediately caused him to bee put to death Moreouer they tolde mee that euery yeare in the time of haruest this sauage king sacrificed one man which was kepte expressely for this purpose and taken out of the number of the Spaniardes which by tempest were cast away vppon that coste One of these two declared vnto mee that hee had serued him a long time for a messenger and that oftentimes by his commaundement hee had visited a king named Oathcaqua distant from Calos foure or fiue dayes iourney which alwayes remayned his faithfull friende but that in the midway there was an Ilande situate in a great
lake of freshwater named Sarrope about fiue leagues in bignesse abounding with many sortes of fruites specially in Dates which growe on the palme trées whereof they make a wonderfull traficke yet not so great as a kinde of roote whereof they make a kinde of meale so good to make bread of that it is vnpossible to eate better and that for fifteene leagues about all the countrie is fed therewith Which is the cause that the inhabitantes of the Isle gaine of their neighbours great wealth and profite for they will not depart with this roote without they he well payed for it besides that they are taken for the most warrelike men of all that countrie as they made good proofe when the king of Calos hauing made alliance with Oathcaqua was depriued of Oathcaquaes daughter which hee had promised to him in marriage Hee tolde mee the whole matter in this sorte As Oathcaqua well accompanied with his people carried one of his daughters excéeding beawtifull according to the coulour of the countrey vnto king Calos to giue her vnto him for his wife the inhabitantes of his Isle aduertised of the matter layde an ambush for him in a place where hee should passe and so behaued themselues that Oathcaqua was discomfited the betrothed young spouse taken and all the Damoselles that accompanied her which they carried vnto their Isle which thing in all the Indians countrey they esteeme to be the greatest victorie for afterwarde they marrie these virgins and loue them aboue all measure The Spaniarde that made this relation tolde me that after this defeite he went to dwell with Oathcaqua and had béene with him full eight yeares euen vntil the time that hee was sent vnto mee The place of Calos is situate vppon a riuer which is beyond the Cape of Florida fortie or fiftie leagues towardes the Southwest and the dwelling of Oathcaqua is on this side the Cape towarde the North in a place which we call in the Carte Caignaueral which is in eight and twentie degrées About the fiue and twenteth of Ianuarie Paracoussy Satourioüa my neighbour sent me certayne presentes by two of his subiectes to perswade me to ioyne with him and to make warre vppon Ouae Vtina which was my friende and farther besought mee to retyre certayne of my men which were with Vtina for whome if it had not béene hee had oftentimes set vppon him and defeited him he besought me herein by diuers other kinges his allies which for thrée weekes or a monethes space sent messengers vnto mee to this ende and purpose But I woulde not graunt vnto them that they should make warre vppon him yea rather contrariwise I endeuoured to make them friendes wherein they condiscended vnto mee so farre foorth that they were content to allowe of any thing that I would set downe whereupon the two Spaniardes which of long time knew well the nature of the Indians warned me that in any case I should not trust vnto them because that when they shewed good countenance and the best chéere vnto men then was the time that they woulde surprise and betraye them and that of their nature they were the greatest traitours and most deepe dissemblers of the worlde Besides I neuer trusted them but vpon good ground as one that had discouered a thousand of their craftes and subtilties aswel by experience as by reading of the histories of late yeares Our two barkes were not so soone finished but I sent Captayne Vasseur to disconer a long the coste lying towarde the Northe and commaunded him to saile vnto a riuer the king wherof was called Audusta which was lord of that place where those of the yeare 1562. inhabites I sent him twoe sutes of apparel with certaine hachats kniues and other smale trifles the better to insinuate my selfe into his friendshippe And the better to win him I sent in the barke with captaine Vasseur a soldier called Aimon which was one of them which returned home in the firste voyage hoping that king Audusta might remember him But before they were embarked I commanded them to make inquirie what was become of another called Rouffi which remained alone in those parts when Nicolas Masson and those of the firste voyage embarked themselues to returne into France They vnderstood at their arriual there that a barke passing that waye had caried awaye the same soldier And afterward I knew for a certaintie that they were Spaniardes which had carried him to Hauana The kinge Audusta sent mee backe my barke ful of mill with a certaine quantitie of beanes twoe stages some skins painted after theire maner and certaine pearles of small value because they were burnt and sent me worde that if I woulde dwel in his quarters he woulde geue me a greate countrye and that after hee had gathered his mil he would spare me as much as I would haue In the meane while there came vnto our forte a flocke of stocke voues in so greate nomber and that for the space of seuen weekes together that euery daye wee killed with hargubuse shot twoe hundred in the woods aboute our forte After that captaine Vasseur was returned I caused the two barkes to be furnished againe with soldiers and mariners and sent them to carrie a present from mee vnto the widow of king Hioacaia whose dwelling was distante from our forte about twelue leages northward Shee curteously receaued our men sent me backe my barks full of mil and acorns with certaine baskets full of the leaues of Cassine where with they make their drinke And the place where this widowe dwelleth is the most plentiful of mil that is in all the coaste and the moste pleasant It is thought that the queene is the most beautiful of al the Indians and of whome they make most accompt yea and her subiects honour her so much that almost continualy they beare her on their shoulders and wil not suffer her to go on foote With in a few daies after the return of my barks she sent to visit me by her Hiatiqui which is as much to saye as her interpreter Nowe while I thought I was furnished with victuals vntill the time that our shippes might come out of France for feare of keeping my people idle I sent my two barkes to discouer along the riuer and vp toward the head thereof which went so farre vp that they were thirtie leagues good beyonde a place named Mathiaqua and there they discouered the entrance of a lake vpō the oneside whereof no land can bee seene according to the reporte of the Indians which had oftentimes climed on the hiest trees in the country to see land and notwithstanding could not discerne any which was the cause that my men went no further but returned backe and in comminge home went to see the Ilande of Edelano situated in the midst of the riuer as faire a place as any that may be seene through the world For in the
Riuer and for this cause the Captayne sent for vs. Being come to our Shippes wee sayled three great leagues farther vp within the Riuer and there wee cast Anker A little while after Iohn Ribault accompanied with a good number of souldiers imbarked himselfe desirous to sayle further vp into the arme that runneth toward the west and to search the commodities of the place Hauing sayled twelue leagues at the least wee perceaued a troupe of Indians which as soone as euer they espied the Pinnisles were so afrayd that they fledde into the woods leauing behind them a young Lucerne which they were a turning vpon a spitte for which cause the place was called Lucerne Cape proceeding foorthon our way we found an other arme of the riuer which ranne toward the East vp which the Captain determined to sayle to leaue the great currant A little while after they began to espie diuerse other Indians both men womeÌ„ half hiddeÌ„ within y â— woods whoknowing not y â— wee were such as desired their friendship were dismayed at the first but soone after were embouldned for the Captayne caused store of marchandise to be shewed theÌ„ openly wherby they knew y â— we ment nothing but wel vnto theÌ„ then they made a signe y â— we should come on land which we would not refuse At our comming on shore diuerse of theÌ„ came to salute our Generall according to their barbarouse fashion Some of them gaue him skins of Chamoys others little baskets made of Palme leaues some presented him with perles but no great number Afterwards they went about to make an arbour to defend vs in y â— place from the parching heate of the sunne But we would not stay as then Wherefore the Captayn thanked them much for their good wil gaue presents to eche of them where with he pleased them so well before hee went thence that his suddaine departure was nothing pleasaunt vnto them For knowing him to be so liberall they would haue wished him to haue stayed a little longer seking by all meanes to giue him occasion to stay shewing him by signes that he should stay but that day onely and that they desired to aduertise a great Indian Lord which had perles in great aboundance and siluer also all which things should be giuen vnto him at y â— kings ariual saying far ther y â— in the meane while y â— this great Lord came thether they wold lead him to their houses shew him there a thousand pleasures in shooting seeing the Stag killed therfore they prayed him not to deny theÌ„ their request Notwithstanding we returned to our ships wher after we had been but one night the captayne in the morning coÌ„maunded to put into y â— Pinnisse a pillour of hard stone fashioned like a columne wherin y â— armes of the king of Fraunce were graueÌ„ to plant the same in the fayrest place that he could finde This done we imbarked our selues and sayled three leagues towards the west where we discouered a litle riuer vp which we sayled so long that in the ende we found it returned into the great currant and in his returne to make a litle Iland separated from the firme land where we went on shore and by commaundement of the Captayne because it was exceeding fayre and pleaâ—â—â—â—t there we planted the Pillour vppon a hillocke open round about to the vew and enuironed with a lake halfe a fathom deepe of very good and sweete water In which Ilande wee sawe two Stagges of exceeding bignesse in respect of those which we had seene before which wee might easily haue killed with our harguebuses if the Captayne had not forbidden vs. moued with the singular fayrenes and bignesse of them But before our departure we named the little Riuer which enuironed this Ile the Riuer of Liborne Afterward we imbarked our selues to search another Ile not farre distant from the former wherein after we had gon a land we found nothing but tall Ceders the fayrest that were seene iâ— this Countrey For this cause we called it the Ile of Ceders so we returned into our Pinnisse to goe towards our Shippes A fewe dayes afterward Iohn Ribault determined to returne once againe toward the Indians which inhabited that arme of the Riuer which runneth toward the West and to carry with him good store of souldiers For his meaning was to take two Indians of this place to bring them into Fraunce as the Queene had commaunded him With this deliberation againe we tooke our former course so farre foorth that at the last we came to the selfesame place where at the first we found the Indians from thence we tooke two Indians by the permission of the king which thinking that they were more fauoured then the rest thought themselues very happie to stay with vs. But these two Indians seeing we made no shew at all that we would goe on land but rather that we followed the middest of the courrant began to be somewhat offended and would by force haue lepte into the water for they are so good swimmers that immediately they woulde haue gotten into the forrestes Neuerthelesse being acquainted with their humour wee watched them narrowly and sought by all meanes to appease them which wee could not by any meanes doe for that time though wee offered them thinges which they much esteemed which thinges they disdayned to take and gaue backe againe whatsoeuer was giuen them thinking that such giftes should haue altogether bound them and that in restoring them they shoulde bee restored vnto their libertie In fine perceiuing that all that they did auayled them nothing they â—â—â—yed vs to giue them those thinges which they had restored which wee did incontinent then they approched one toward the other and beganne to singe agreeing so sweetly together that in hearing their songe it seemed that they lamented for the absence of their friendes They continued their songes all night without ceassing al which time we were constrained to lie at anker by reason of the tide which was against vs but wee hoysed sayle the next day very early in the morning and returned to our ships Assoone as we were come to our shippes euery one sought to gratifie these two Indians to shew theÌ„ the best countenaunce that was possible to the intent that by such curtesies they might perceiue the good desire and affectioÌ„ which we had to remain their friends in time to come Then we offered them meate to eate but they refused it and made vs vnderstande that they were accustomed to wash their face and to staye vntill the sunne were set before they did eate which is a ceremonie common to al the Indians of new Fraunce Neuerthelesse in the ende they were constrayned to forget their superstitions and to apply theÌ„selues to our nature which was somewhat strange vnto them at the first They became therefore more ioconde and euery houre made vs a thousande
purposed to goe on land where I suffered him to depart after I had giuen him a shirte and certain small trifles wherewith he departed very well content with vs. The place where we went on shore was hard by a very hie Rocke out of which there ran a litle riuer of sweet and excellent good water by which riuer we stayed certayne dayes to discouer the things which were worthy to bee seen traficked dayly with the Indians which aboue all thinges besought vs that none of our men should come neere their lodgings nor their Gardens otherwise that we should giue them great cause of ielosie and that in so doing wee should not want of their fruit which they call Ananas whereof they offered vs very liberally receiuing in recompence certaine things of small value This notwithstanding it hapned on a day that certaine of my men desirous to see some new things in these strange countries walked through the woods and following still the little riuers side they espied two Serpents of exceeding bignesse which went side by side ouerthwarte the way my soldiers went before them thinking to let them from going into the woods but the serpents nothing at all astonished with these gestures glaunced into the bushes with fearefull hissings for all which my men drewe their swordes and killed them and found them afterward nine great foote long and as bigge as a mans legge During this combate certaine others more vndiscreete went and gathered their Ananas in the Indians Gardens trampling through them without any discretion and nâ—t therewithall contented they went toward their dwellings whereat the Indians were so much offended that without regarding any thing they rushed vpon them and discharged their shot so that they hit one of my men named Martin Chaueau which remayned behinde Wee coulde not knowe whether hee were killed on the place or whether he were taken prisoner for those of his company had inough to doe to saue themselues without thinking of their companion Whereof Monsur de Ottigni my Lieuetenant being aduertised sent vnto me to know whether I thought good that he shuld lay an ambush for the Indians which had either taken or killed our man or whether hee should goe directly to their dwellinges to knowe the truth I sent vnto him after good delebration hereupon that hee should not attempt any thing and that for diuers occasions but contrariwise that he should embarke himself with all diligence and consequently all they that were on land which hee did with speede But as he sayled toward our shippes he perceiued a long the shore a great number of Indians which beganne to charge them with their Arrowes he for his part discharged store of shotte against them yet was not able to hurte them or by any meanes to surprise them for which cause he quite forsooke them came vnto our ship Where staying vntill the next day morning we sette sayle following our wonted course and keeping the same we discouered diuerse Iles conquered by the Spaniards as the Iles of S. Christopher of y e Saintes of Monserrada and la Rotonda Afterward we passed betweene Languilla aad la Negada sayling toward New Fraunce where we ariued fifteene dayes afterward to witte on a Thurseday the two and twenteth of Iune about three or foure of the clock in the morning and landed neere vnto a little Riuer which is thirtie degrees distant from the Equator and ten leagues aboue Cape François drawing toward the South and about thirtie leagues aboue the Riuer of May. After we had strooken sayle and cast Anker a thwart the Riuer I determined to goe on shore to discouer y â— same Therefore beiug accompanied with Monsur de Ottigny with Monsur de Arlac mine Ensigne a certaine number of Gentlemen and souldiers I embarked my selfe about three or foure of the clocke in the euening And being ariued at the mouth of the Riuer I caused the Chanell to be sounded which was found to be very shallow although that farther within the same y â— water was there found reasonable deepe which separateth it selfe into two great armes whereof one runneth toward the South and the other toward the North. Hauing thus searched the Riuer I went on lande to speake with the Indians which wayted for vs vpon the shore which at our comming on land came before vs crying with a loud voyce in their Indian language Antipola Bonassou which is as much to say as brother friend or some such like thing After they had made very much of vs they shewed vs their Paracoussy that is to say their king and gouernour to whom I presented certaine toyes wherewith he was wel pleased And for mine own part I praise God continually for the great loue which I haue found in these Sauages which were sory for nothing but that the night approched and made vs retire vnto our shippes For though they endeuoured by all meanes to make vs tarry with them and that they shewed by signes the desire they had to present vs with some rare things yet neuerthelesse for many iust and reasonable occasions I would not stay on shore all night but excusing my selfe for al their offers I embarked my selfe againe and returned toward my ships Howbeit before my departure I named this riuer the riuer of Dolphines because that at mine arriuall I sawe there a greate number of dolphines which were playing in the mouth thereof The next day the three and twentieth of this moneth because that toward the South I had not found any coÌ„modious place for vs to inhabite and to build a fort I gaue commaundement to weigh anker and to hoyse our sayles to sayle towarde the riuer of Maye where we arriued two dayes after and cast anker afterwarde going on land with some number of Gentlemen and Souldiers to knowe for a certaintie the singularities of this place wee espyed the Paracoussy of the countrey which came towards vs this was y â— very same y we saw in the voiage of Captaine Iohu Ribault which hauing espied vs cried very farre of Antipola Antipola and being so ioyful that he could not containe himselfe he came to meet vs accompanied then with two of his sonnes as faire mighty persons as might be found in all the world which had nothing in their mouthes but this word Amy Amy that is to say friend friend yea and knowing those which were there in the first voyage they went principally to them to vse this speech vnto them There was in their trayne a great number of men and women which still made very much of vs and by euident signes made vs to vnderstand how glad they were of our ariual This good entertainment past y e Paracoussy prayed me to go to see the piller which we had erected in the voyage of Iohn Ribault as we haue declared heretofore as a thing which they made great account of Hauing yeelded vnto him and being come to the place where it
to bring vp their children themselues are wont to contribute to their honest education the rather if they finde any towardlines or reasonable hope of goodnes in them And if Elizabeth Queene of Castile and Arragon after her husband Ferdinando shee had emptied their cofers and exhausted their treasures in subdueing the kingdome of Granada rooting the Mores a wicked weed out of Spayne was neuerthelesse so zealous of Gods honour that as Fernandus Columbus the Sonne of Christopher Columbus recordeth in the historie of the deeds of his Father she layde part of her owne Iewels which she had in great accompt to gage to furnish his Father foorth vpon his first voyage before any foot of land of al the West Indies was discouered what may we expect of our most magnificent gratious prince ELIZABETH of Englande into whose lappe the Lord hath most plentifully throwne his treasuries what may we I say hope of her forwardnes bountie in aduancing of this your most honourable enterprise being farre more certaine then that of Columbus at that time especially and tending no lesse to the glorie of God then that action of the Spaniards For as you may read in the verie last wordes of the relation of Newe Mexico extant now in english the maine lande where your last colonie meane to seate themselues is replenished with many thousands of Indians Which are of better wittes then those of Mexico and Peru as hath beene found by those that haue had some triall of them whereby it may be gathered that they will easilie embrace the Gospell forsaking their idolatrie wherein at this present for the most part they are wrapped intangled A wise Philosopher noting the sundry desires of diuers men writeth that if an oxe be put into a medow he will seeke to fill his bellie with grasse if a storke be cast in she will seeke for snakes if yee turne in a hound he will seeke to start an hare So sondrie men entring into these discoueries propose vnto themselues seuerall ends Some seeke authoritie and places of commandement others experience by seeing of the worlde the most part worldly and transitorie gaine that often times by dishonest and vnlawfull meanes the fewest number the glorie of God and the sauing of the soules of the poore blinded infidels Yet because diuers honest and well disposed persons are entred already into this your busines and that I knowe you meane hereafter to sende some such good Churchmen thither as may truely saie with the Apostle to the Sauages We seeke not yours but you I conceaue great comfort of the successe of this your action hoping that the Lord whose power is wont to be perfected in weakenes will blesse the feeble foundations of your building Onely bee you of a valiant courage and faint not as the Lorde saide vnto Iosue exhorting him to proceede on forwarde in the conquest of the lande of promise and remember that priuate men haue happily wilded and waded through as great enterprises as this with lesser meanes then those which God in his mercie hath bountifully bestowed vpon you to the singuler good as I assure my selfe of this our common wealth wherein you liue Hereof we haue examples domesticall and forreine Remember I pray you what you finde in the beginning of the Chronicle of the conquest of Irâ—â—â—de newlie dedicated vnto yourselfe Read you not that Richard Strangbowe the decayed earle of Chepstowe in Monmuthshire being in no great fauour of his Soueraigne passed ouer into that Iland in the yeere 1171. and accoÌ„panied only with certaine of his priuate friends had in short space such prosperous successe that hee opened the way for king Henrie the second to the speedie subiection of all that warlike nation to this crowne of Englande which so continueth to this present day The like conqueste of Brasilia and annexing the same to the kingdome of Portugal was first begunne by meane and priuate men as Don Antonio de Castillio Ambassadour here for that realme by his office keeper of all the records and monuments of their discoueries assured me in this citie within these sixe yeeres Now if the greatnes of the maine of Virginea and the large extension thereof especially to the West should make you thinke that the subduing of it were a matter of more difficultie then the conquest of Irelande first I answere that as the fresh experience of that happie and singuler skilfull pilâ—tte and Captaine M. Iohn Dauis to the northwest towarde which his discouerie your selfe haue thrise contributed with the forwardest hath shewed a great part to bee maine Sea where before was thought to bee mayne lande so for my part I am fully perswaded by Orâ—elius late reformation of Culuacan and the gulfe of California that the land on the backe part of Virginea extendeth nothing so farre westward as is put downe in the mappes of those partes and that before two yeeres come to an ende God blessing the foresaide Captaine Dauis endeuours he will put vs out of that doubt and manie others Moreouer it is not to bee denied but that one hundred men will doe more nowe among the naked and vnarmed people in Virginea then one thousande were able then to doe in Irelande against that armed and warrelike nation in those daies I say further that these two yeares last experience hath plainely shewed that wee may spare tenne thousand able men without any misse And these are as manie as the kingdome of Portugal had euer in all their garrisons of the Assores Madera Cape verde Guinea Brasill Mozambique Melinde Zocotora Ormus Diu Goa Mallacca the Moluccoes Amacan and Macao vpon the cost of China Yea this I say by the confession of singuler expert men of their owne natioÌ„ whose names I suppresse for certaine causes which haue beene personally in the East Indies and haue assured mee that their kings had neuer aboue ten thousand natural borne Portugals their slaues excepted out of their kingdome remaining in all the aforesaid territories Which also this present yeere I sawe confirmed in a secrete extract of the particuler estate of that kingdome and of euerie gouernment and office subiect to the same with the seuerall pensions thereunto belonging Seeing therefore we are so farre from want ef people that retyring dayly home out of the Lowe Countries they go idle vp downein swarmes for lacke of honest intertainmeÌ„t I see no fitter place to employ some part of the better sort of them trayned vp thus long iu seruice theÌ„ in the inward parts of the firme of Virginea against such stubborne Sauages as shall refuse obedience to her Maiestie And doubtlesse many of our men will be glade faine to accept this condition when as by the reading of this present treatie they shall vnderstand the fertilitie and riches of the regions confining so neere vppon yours the great commodities and goodnesse whereof I trust you will suffer to come shortly
to light In the meane season I humbly commende my selfe and this my translation vnto you and your selfe and all those which vnder you haue taken this enterprise in hand to the grace good blessing of the Almightie which is able to build further and to finish the good worke which in these our dayes he hath begunne by your most Christian and charitable endeuour Your L. humble at commandement R. H. The preface THere are two thinges which according to mine opinioâ—â— haue been the principall causes in consideration whereof aswell they of auncient times as those of our age haue been enduced to trauell into farre and remote regions The first hath beene the naturall desire which we haue to serch out the commodities to liue happely plentifully and at ease be it whether one abandon his naturall cuntrie altogether to dwell in a better or bee it that men make voiages thither there to serch out and bring from thence such thinges as are there to bee found and are in greatest estimation and in most request in our cuntries The second cause hath beene the multitude of people too frutefull in generation which being no longer able to dwell in their natiue soyles haue entred vppon their neighbours limites and oftentimes passing further haue pearced euen vnto the vttermost regions After this sorte the north climate a frutefull father of so many nations hath oftentimes sent foorth this way and that way his valiant people and by this meane hath peopled infinite countries so that most of the nations of Europe drawe their original from these partes Contrariwise the more southern regions because they be too barraine by reason of their insupportable heate which raigneth in them neede not any such sending foorth of their in habitances and haue beene oftentimes constrained to receaue other people more often by force ofarmes then willingly All Africke Spaine and Italie can also testifie the same which neuer so abounded with people that they had neede to send them abroode to inhabite else where as on the contrary Scythia Norway Gotland and France haue done The posterite of which nations remaineth yet not only in Italie Spaine and Affricke but also in frutefull and faire Asia Neuerthelesse I find that the Romains proceding farther or rather adding vnto these two chiefe causes aforesayd as being most curious to plant not only their ensignes and victories but also their lawes customes and religion in those provinces which they had conquered by force ofarmes haue oftentimes by the decree of their soueraine Senate sent forth inhabitantes which they called colonies thinking by this way to make their name immotall euen to the vnfurnishing of their owne countrye of the forces which should haue perserued the same in her perfection a thing which hindred them much more then advanced them to the possession of the vniversall monarchie where vnto their intention did aspyre For it came to passe that their colonies here and there being miserably sacked by strang people did vtterly ruine and ouerthrowe their empire The brinkes of the riuer of Rine are yet red those of Danubius are noe lesse bloodie and our France be came fatte with their blood which they lost These are the effectes and rewardes of al such as being pricked forward with this Romaine and tirannicall ambition will goe aboute thus to subdue strange people effectes I say contrarie to the profitte which those shall receaue which only are affectioned to the common benefitte that is to say to the generall pollicie of all men and endeuour to vnite them one with another as well by trasicke and forraine conuersations as also by militarie vertues and force of armes whenas the sauages wil not yeeld vnto their endeuours so much tending vnto their profite For this cause princes haue sent foorth out of their dominions certaine men of good actiuitie to plante themselues in strang countries there to make their profite to bring the countrie to ciuilitie and if it might be to reduce the inhabitantes to the true knowledg of our God an end so much more commédable as it is farre from all tiranicall and cruell gouernement and so they haue alwayes thriued in their enterprises and by lyttle and little gained the hartes of them which they haue conquered or wonne vnto them by any meanes Here of we may gather that sometimes it is good yea very expedient to send foorth men to discouer the pleasure and commoditie of strang countries But so that the country out of which these companies are to passe remayne not weakned nor depriued of her forces And againe in such sorte that the companie sent forth be of so iuste and sufficient number that it may not bee defeited by strangers which euery foote endeuour nothing else but to surprise the same vpon the suddaine As within these fewe dayes past the french haue proued to my great greife being able by no meanes possible to withstand the same considering that the elementes men and al the fauours which might be hoped for of a faithful and Christian alliance fought against vs which thing I purpose to discouer in this preseÌ„t historie with so euident truth that the kings maiestie my souerainge prince shall in parte be satisfied of the diligence which I haue vsed in his seruice and myne aduersaries shall find themselues so discouered in their false reportes that they shall haue no place of refuge But before I beginne I wil brefely set downe the situation and description of the land where vnto we haue failed and where we haue inhabited from the yeare 1561 vnto sixtie fiue to the ende that those thinges may the more easily be borne a way which I meane to describe in this discourse ¶ The description of the West Indies in generall but chiefly and particularly of Florida THat part of the earth which at this day wee call the fourth part of the world or America or the West India was unknowen vnto our auncestors by reason of the great distance thereof In like manner all the Westerne Ilandes and fortunate Isles were not discouered but by those of our age Howbeit there haue beene some which haue said that they were discouered in the time of Augustus Caesar and that Virgil hath made mention thereof in the sixt booke of his Aeneidos when he saith That there is a lande beyond the starres and the course of the yeere and of the sunne where Atlas the Porter of heauen sustaineth the pole vpon his shoulders neuerthelesse it is easie to iudge that he meaneth not to speake of this land whereof no man is founde to haue written before his time neither yet aboue a thousand yeeres after Christopher Colon did first light vpon this lande in the yeere 1492. And fiue yeeres after Americus went thither by the commaundement of the king of Castile and gaue vnto it his owne name wherevpon afterward it was called America This man was very well seene in the Arte of Nauigation and in Astronomie whereby be discouered
serue their turnes for sixe monethes and that very scarcely For during the Winter they retire themselues for three or foure monethes in the yeere into the woods where they make little cottages of palme boughes for their retraite and liue there of maste of fishe which they catch of Oisters of Stagges of Turkiecockes and other beastes which they take They eate all their meate broyled on the coales and dressed in the smoake which in their language they call Boucaned They eate willingly the flesh of y â— Crocodil in deed it is faire and white and were it not that it sauoureth too much like muske we would oftentimes haue eaten thereof They haue a custome among them that when they find themselues sicke where they feele the payne whereas we cause our selues to be let blood their Phisitions sucke them vntill they make the blood follow The women are of the like disposition great and of the same colour that the men be of painted as the men be Howbeit wheÌ„ they are borne they be not so much of an oliue colour and are farre whiter For the chiefe cause that maketh them to be of this colour proceedes of annointings of oyle which they vse among them and they doe it for a certaine ceremonie which I could not learne because of the sun which shineth hotte vpon their bodies The agilitie of the women is so great that they can swinâ—ne ouer the greate riuers bearing their children vppon one of their armes They climbe vp also very nimbly vppon the highest trees in the Countrey Beholde in briefe the description of the Countrey with the nature and customes of the inhabitantes which I was verie willing to write before I entred anie further into the discourse of my historie to the end that the Readers might the better be prepared to vnderstand that which I meane hereafter to entreate of MY Lord Admiral of Chastillion a noble man more destrous of the publike than of his priuate benefite vnderstanding the pleasure of the king his prince which was to discouer new straÌ„ge countries caused vessels fitte for this purpose to bee made readie with all diligence and men to be leuied meet for such an enterprise Among whom he chose Captaine Iohn Ribault a man in truth expert in Sea causes which hauing receiued his charge set himself to Sea the yeere 1561. the eighteenth of Februarie accompanied onelie with two of the kinges shippes but so well furnished with Gentlemen of whose number I my selfe was one and with olde Souldiers that he had meanes to aâ—chieue some notable thing and worthy of eternall memorie Hauing therefore sayled two monethes neuer holding the vsuall course of the Spaniardes he arriued in Florida landing neere a Cape or Promontorie which is no high lande because the coste is all flatte but onelie rising by reason of the high woods which at his arriuall he called Cape François in honour of our Fraunce This Cape is distant from the equator about 30. degrees Coasting from this place towardes the North he discouered a very fayre and great riuer which gaue him occasion to cast anker that he might search the same the next day very early in the morning which being done by the breake of day accompanied with Captaine Fiquinuille and diuers other souldiers of his shippe he was no sooner arriued on the brinke of the shore but straight he perceiued many Indians men and women which came of purpose to that place to receiue the Frenchmen with all gentleues amity as they wel declared by the Oration which their king made and the presents of Chamoys skins wherwith he honored our captaine which the day following caused a piller of hard stone to be planted within the saide riuer and not farre from the mouth of the same vppon a little sandie knappe in which Piller the armes of Fraunce were carued and engraued This being done he imbarked himself again to the end alwaies to discouer the cost toward the North which was his chief desire After he had sayled a certain time he crossed ouer to the other side of the riuer and then in the presence of certaine Indians which of purpose did attende him hee commaunded his men to make their praiers to giue thankes to GOD for that of his grace he had conducted the French nation into these straunge places without anye perill or daunger at all The prayers being ended the Indians which were very attentiue to harken vnto them thinking in my iudgement that we worshipped the sunne because wee alwayes had our eyes lifted vp towarde heauen rose all vp and came to salute the Captaine Iohn Ribault promising to shewe him their king which rose not vp as they did but remayned still sitting vppon greene leaues of bayes and Palmetrees toward whom the Captaine went and sate downe by him and heard him make a long discourse but with no great pleasure because he coulde not vnderstand his language and much lesse his meaning The king gaue our Captain at his departure a plume or fan of Egrepthes feathers died in red and a basket made of palm boughes after the Indian fashion and wrote verye artificially with a great skinne paynted and drawne throughout with the Pictures of diuers wilde beastes so liuely drawen and portraide that nothing lacked but life The Captain to shew himself not vnthankful gaue him pretie tinne braselets a cutting hook a looking glasse certaine kniues wherevpoÌ„ the king shewed himselfe to bee very glad and fully contented Hauing spent the most part of the day with these Indians the captaine imbarked himselfe to passe ouer to the other side of the riuer whereat the king seemed to be very sorie Neuerthelesse being not able to stay vs he commaunded that with all diligence they should take fishe for vs which they did with all speede For being entred into their parkes or inclosures made of reedes and framed in the fashion of a labyrinth or maise they loaded vs with troutes greate mullets plaise turbuts and marueilous store of other sortes of fishes altogether different from ours This done wee entered into our Barkes and went towarde the other shore But before we came to the shore wee were saluted with a number of other Indians which entring into the water to their armepittes brought vs manie little baskets full of maise and goodlie Mulberies both redde and white Others offered them selues to beare vs on shore where being landed we perceiued their king sitting vpon a place dressed with boughes and vnder a litle arbour of Cedars Bay trees somwhat distant from the waters side He was accompanied with two of his sonnes which were eâ—ceeding faire and strong with a troupe of Indians who had all their bowes quiuers ful of arrowes in marueilous good order His 2. sonnes receiued our Captaine very graciously but the king their father representing I wâ—tte not what kind of grauitie did nothing but shake his head a little
then the Captaine went forward to salute him and without any other mouing of himselfe he retayned so constant a kinde of grauitie that he made it seeme vnto vs that by good and lawfull right he bare the title of a king Our Captaine knowing not what to iudge of this mans behauiour thought he was ielous because we went first vnto the other king or els that he was not wel pleased w t the piller or colume which he had planted While thus he knew not what hereof to think our captaine shewed him by signes that hee was come from a far countrey of purpose to seeke him to let him vnderstand the amity which he was desirous to haue with him for the better confirmation whereof he drew out of a butchet certaine trifles as certaine braselets couered as it were with siluer and guilt which he presented him withall and gaue his sons certaine other trifles Wherevpon the king began very louingly to intreate both our Captaine and vs. And after these gentle intertainments we went our selues into the woods hoping there to discouer some singularities where were great store of mulbeary trees white and redde on the coppes whereof there was an infinite number of silke wormes Following our way we discouered a fayre and great medowe deuided notwithstanding with diuers marishes which constrained vs by reason of the water which enuironed it about to returne backe againe toward the riuers side Finding not the king there which by this time was gone home to his house we entred into our boates and sayled toward our shippes where after we arriued we called this Riuer the riuer of May because we discouered it the first daye of the saide moneth Soone after wee were returned to our shippes we weighed our ankers and hoysed our sayles to discouer the coste farther forward along the which we discouered another fayre Riuer which the Captaine himselfe was minded to search out and hauing searched it out with the king and inhabitants thereof he named it Seine because it is very like vnto the Riuer of Seine in Fraunce From this riuer we retired toward our ships where being arriued we trimmed our sailes to saile further toward the North and to descry the singularities of the coste But we had not sayled anye great way before wee discouered another very fayre Riuer which caused vs to cast anker ouer against it and to trimme out two Boates to goe to searche it out We found there an Ile and a king no lesse affable then the rest afterward wee named this Riuer Somme From thence wee sayled about sixe leagues after wee discouered another Riuer which after we had vewed was baptised by vs by y â— name of Loyre And consequently we there discouered fiue others whereof the first was named Cherente the second Garonne the third Gironde the fourth Belle the fifte Grande which being very well discouered with such things as were in them by this time in lesse then y â— space of threescoare leagues we had fouÌ„d out many singularites a longe nine riuers Neuerthelesse not fully satisfied we sailed yet farther toward the North following the course that might bring vs to the Riuer of Iordan one of the fayrest Riuers of the North and holding our wonted course great fogs and tempestes came vpon vs which constrayned vs to leaue the cost to beare toward the mayne Sea which was the cause that we lost the sight of our Pinisses a whole day and a night vntill the next day in the morning what tune the weather waxing fayre and the Sea calme wee discouered a Riuer which we called Belle a veoir After we had sayled three or foure leagues we began to espie our Pinisses which came straight towardes vs and at their ariuall they reported to the Captayne that while the foule weather and fogges endured they harbored themselues in a mightie Riuer which in bignesse and beautie exceeded the former wherewithall the Captayne was exceeding ioyfull for his chiefe desire was to finde out an Hauen to harboure his Shippes and there to refresh our selues for a while Thus making thitherwarde wee ariued a thwarte the said Riuer which because of the fayrenesse and largenes thereof we named Port Royal wee strooke out sayles and cast Anker at ten fathom of water for the depth is such namely when the Sea beginneth to flowe that the greatest Shippes of Fraunce yea the Arguesses of Venice may enter in there Hauing cast Anker the Captayne with his Souldiers went on shore and hee himselfe went first on land where we found the place as pleasant as was possible for it was all couered ouer with mightie high Okes and infinite store of Cedars and with Lentisques growing vnderneath them smelling so sweetly that the very fragrant odour only made the place to seeme exceeding pleasant As we passed throw these woods we saw nothing but Turkeycockes flying in the forrests Partridges gray and redde litle different from ours but chiefly in bignesse Wee heard also within the Woods the voyces of Stagges of Beares of Luserns of Leopards and of diuers other sorts of Beasts vnknown vnto vs. Being delighted with this place we set our selues to fishing with netâ—es and we caught such a number of fishe that it was wonderfull And amongst other we tooke a certayne kind of fish which we call Sallicoques which were no lesse then Creuises so that two draughts of the net were sufficient sometimes to feede all the company of our two Shippes for a whole day The Riuer at the mouth thereof from Cape to Cape is no lesse then three french leagues broad it is deuided into two great armes whereof the one runneth toward the West the other towards the North. And I beleeue in my iudgment that the arme which stretcheth toward the North runneth vp into the Countrey as farre as the riuer of Iordan the other arme runneth into the South Sea as it was knowen and vnderstood by those of our company which were left behind to dwell in this place These two armes are two great leagues broad and in the middest of them there is an Ile which is poynted towardes the opening of the great riuer in which Ilande there are infinite numbers of all sorts of strange beasts There are Simples growing there of so rare proprieties and in so great quantitie that it is an excellent thing to behold them On euery side there is nothing to be seene but Palmetrees and other sortes of trees bearing blossoms and frute of very rare shape and very good smel But seeing the euening approch and that the Captayne determined to returne vnto the shippes we prayed him to suffer vs to passe the night in this place In our absence the Pilots and chiefe mariners aduertised the Captayne that it was needfull to bring the Shippes farther vpwithin the Riuer to auoyde the daungers of the windes which might anoy vs by reason of our being so neere to the mouth of the
discourses being marueilous sorie that we could not vnderstand thē A few dayes after they began to beare good wil toward me so heartie good will I say that as I thinke they would rather haue perished with hunger and thirst then haue taken their refection at any mans hand but mine Seing this their great good will I sought to learn some Indian wordes and began to aske them questions shewing them the thing whereof I desired to know the name how they called it They were very glad to tell it me and knowing the desire that I had to learne their language they incouraged me afterward to aske them euerye thing So that putting downe in writing the wordes and phrases of the Indian speech I was able to vnderstand the greatest part of their discourses Euery day they did nothing but speake vnto me of the desire that they had to vse me well if we returned vnto their houses and cause me to receiue all the pleasures that they coulde deuise aswell in hunting as in seeing their verye strange and superstitious ceremonies at a certaine feast which they call Toya Which feast they obserue as straightly as wee obserue the sunday They gaue me to vnderstand that they would bring me to see the greatest Lord of this countrey which they called Chiquola which exceedeth them in height as they tolde me a good foote and a halfe They said vnto me that he dwelt within the land in a very large place and inclosed exceeding high but I coulde not not learne wherewith And as farre as I can iudge this place whereof they spake vnto me was a very faire citie For they sayde vnto me that within the inclosure there was greate store of houses which were built very high wherein there was an infinite number of men like vnto themselues which made none account of golde of siluer nor of pearles seeing they had thereof in aboundance I began then to shew them al the parts of heauen to the intent to learne in which quarter they dwelt And straightway one of them stretching forth his hand shewed me that they dwelt toward the North which maketh mee thinke that it was in the riuer of Iordan And now I remember that in the reigne of the Emperour Charles the fift certaine Spaniardes inhabitants of Saint Domingo which made a voyage to get certaine slaues to worke in their mynes stole away by suttletie the inhabitants of this riuer to the number of fortie thinking to carry them into their new Spaine But they lost their labour for in despite they died all for hunger sauing one that was brought to the Emperour which a little while after he caused to be baptised and gaue him his owne name called him Charles of Chiquola because he spake so much of this Lorde of Chiquola whose subiect he was Also as men woorthy credite haue assured me he reported continually that Chiquola made his abode within a very great inclosed citie Besides this proofe those which were left there in the first voyage haue certified me that the Indians shewed them by euident signes that farther within the land on y ◠foresaide part toward the North there was a great enclosure or Citie and within the same manye faire houses wherein Chiquola dwelt But not to digresse from my matter I wil returne to the Indian which took so great delight in speaking to me of this Chiquola that there neuer passed anie one day wherein hee did not discourse of some rare thing concerning the same After they had stayed a while in our shippes they beganne to be sorie and still demaunded of me when they shoulde returne I made them vnderstande that the Captaines will was to sende them home againe but that first he would bestow apparrel of them which few dayes after was deliuered vnto them But seeing he would not giue them licence to depart they resolued with themselues to steale away by night and to get a little boate which we had and by the helpe of the tide to sayle homeward towarde their dwellinges and by this meanes to saue thēselues Which thing they failed not to doe and put their enterprise in execution yet leauing behind them the apparel which the Captaine had giuen them and carrying away nothing but that which was their owne shewing wel hereby that they were not void of reason The Captaine cared not greatly for their departure considering they had not beene vsed otherwise then well and that therefore they woulde not estrange themselues from the Frenchmen Captaine Ribault therefore knowing the singular fairenesse of this riuer desired by all meanes to encourage some of his men to dwell there well foreseeing that this thing might bee of greate importaunce for the Kinges seruice and the reliefe of the common wealth of Fraunce Therefore proceeding on with his intent he commaunded the ankers to be weighed and to set things in order to returne vnto the opening of the riuer to the end that if the winde came faire he might passe out to accomplish the rest of his meaning When therefore we were come to the mouth of the riuer he made them cast anker whervpon we stayed without discouering any thing all the rest of the day The next day he commaunded that all the men of his ship should come vp vppon the decke saying that he had somewhat to say vnto them They all came came vp and immediately the Caytaine beganne to speake vnto them in this manner I thinke there is none of you that is ignoraunt of howe greate consequence this our enterprise is and also howe acceptable it is to our young king Therefore my friends as one desiring your honour and benefite I woulde not fayle to aduertise you all of the exceeding greate good happe which shoulde fall to them which as men of valure and worthy courage would make triall in this our first discouerie of the benefites and commodities of this newe lande which should be as I assure my selfe the greatest occasion that euer could happen vnto them to arise vnto the title and degree of honour And for this cause I was desirous to propose vnto you and set downe before your eies the eternall memorie which of right they deserue which forgetting both their parentes and their countrey haue had the courage to enterprise a thing of such importance which euen kinges themselues vnderstanding to be men aspiring to so high degree of magnanimitie and increase of their maiesties doe not disdaine so wel to regarde that afterwardes employing them in matters of weight and of high enterprise they make their names immortal for euer How beit I woulde not haue you perswade your selues as manie do that you shall neuer haue such good fortune as not being knowen neither to the king nor the Princes of the Realme and besides descending of so poore a stock that few or none of your parents hauing euer made profession of armes haue beene knowen vnto the great estates For
was the gladdest man in the worlde to treate of this accorde although in deede he was quite contrarie and that hee besought me to be diligent therein promising to obserue performe whatsoeuer I should agreé vpon with those of Thimogoüa which thinges the messengers also rehearsed vnto the prisoners which I had led away After they were departed I resolued within two dayes to sende backe againe the prisoners to Olata Ouae Vtina whose subiectes they were but before I embarked them I gaue them certaine smale trifles which were litle kniues or tablets of glasse wherein the image of King Charles the ninth was drawen verie liuely for which they gaue mee verie great thankes as also for the honest entertainment which was giuen them at the fort Caroline after this they embarked themselues with captaine Vasseur with monsur De Arlac mine ensigne which I had sent of purpose to remaine a certaine time with Ouae Vtina hoping that the fauour of this great Paracoussy would serue my turne greatly to make my discoueries in time to come I sent with him also one of my sergeantes and sixe gallant soldiers Thus things passed on this manner and the hatred of Paracoussy Satourioua agaynst me did still continue vntill that on the 29. of August a lightning from heauen fell within halfe a league of our forte more worthie I beleéue to be wondred at to be put in writing then all the strang signes which haue beéne seéne in times past and whereof the histories haue neuer written For although the medowes were at that season all greéne and halfe couered ouer with water neuerthelesse the lightning in one instant consumed aboue fiue hundred acres therewith and burned with the ardent heate thereof all the foules which tooke their pastime in the medowes which thing continued for threé dayes space which caused vs not a little to muse not able to iudge whereof this fire proceéded for one while wee thought that the Indians had burnt their houses and abandoned their places for feare of vs another while wee thought that they had discouered some ships in the sea and that according to their custome they had kindled many fires here and there to signifie that their countrie was inhabited neuerthelesse being not assured I determined to sende to Paracoussy Serranay to know the trueth thereof But euen as I was vppon the point to sende one by boate to discouer the matter sixe Indians came vnto meé from Paracoussy Allimacany which at their first entrie made vnto meé a long discourse and a verie large and ample oration after they had presented mee with certaine basketes full of Maiz of Pompions and of Grapes of the louing amitie which Allimacany desired to continue with meé and that hee looked from day to day when it would please meé to employ him in my seruice Therefore considering the seruiceable affection that he bare vnto mee hee founde it very strange that I thus discharged myne ordinance against his dwelling which had burnt vp an infinite sight of greéne medowes and consumed euen downe vnto the bottome of the water and came so neére vnto his mansion that heé thought heé sawe the fire in his house wherefore heé besought meé most humblie to commaunde my men that they woulde not shoote any more towardes his lodging otherwise that hereafter heé should beé constrayned to abandon his countrey and to retyre himselfe into some place more farther of from vs. Hauing vnderstood the foolish opinion of this man which notwithstanding could not choose but beé very profitable for vs I dissembled what I thought thereof for that time and aunswered the Indians with a cheérefull countenaunce that the relation which they made vnto meé of the obedience of their Paracoussy did please meé right well because that before heé had not behaued himselfe in such sort towardes meé especially when I sommoned him to sende meé the prisoners of great Olata Ouae Vtina which heé detained whereof notwithstanding hee made no great accompt which was the principall cause wherefore I had discharged myne ordinaunce against him not that I meant to reach vnto his house as I might haue done easily if it had pleased meé but that I was content to shoote the halfe waye to make him knowe my force assuring him furthermore that on condition that heé would continue in his good affection no more ordinance shoulde be discharged against him hereafter and besides that I would become his faithfull protectour against his greatest enimies The Indians contented with myne aunswere returned to assure their Paracoussy which notwithstanding the assurance withdrew himselfe from his dwelling tweéntie or fiue and twentie leages off and that for the space of more then two moneths After that threé dayes were expired the fire was quite extinguished But for two dayes after there followed such an excessiue heate in the ayre that the riuer néere vnto which we planted our habitation became so hoate that I thinke it was almost ready to seéth For there died so great aboundance of fishe and that of so many diuerse sorts that in the mouth of the riuer onely there were founde deade ynough to haue loaden fiftie Cartes whereof there issued a putrefaction in the ayre which bred many dangerous diseases amongest vs in so much that most of my men fell sicke and almost ready to end theyr dayes Yet notwithstanding it pleased our mercifull God so to prouide by his prouidence that all our men recouered theyr health without the losse of any one of them Monsieur De Arlac Captayne Vasseur and one of my sergeants being embarked with theyr tenne soldiers about the tenth of September to cary backe the prisoners vnto Vtina sayled so farre vp the riuer that they discouered a place called Mayarqua distant from our fort about fourescore leages where the Indians gaue them good entertaynement and in many other Villages which they found From this place they rowed to the dwelling of Paracoussy Vtina which after he had feasted them according to his abilitie and power prayed monsieur De Arlac and all his soldiers to stay a whyle with him to ayde and assist him in battayle against one of his enimies called Potanou whervnto monsieur de De Arlac consented willingly And because he knewe not howe long heé might haue occasion to stay in these partes hee sent mee Captayne Vasseur and the barke backe agayne which brought home onely fiue soldiers with him Now because the custome of the Indians is alwayes to wage warre by surprise Vtina resolued to take his enimie Potanou in the morning by the breake of the day to bring this to passe heé made his men to trauayle all the night which might beé in number two hundred persons so well aduised that they prayed our french shoote to beé in the fore fronte to thende as they saide that the noyse of theyr pieces might astonishe their enemies notwithstanding they coulde not march so
desiring my friendshippe sent me a quiuer made of a Luserns skinne full of arrowes a couple of bowes foure or fiue skinnes paynted after their manner and a cheyne of siluer weying about a pounde weight In recompence of which presentes I sent him two whole sutes of apparell with certayne cutting hookes or hatchettes After these things therefore in this sorte passed about the tenth of this moneth captaine Bourdet determined to leaue me to returne into Fraunce Then I requested him yea rather was exceéding importunate with him to carrie home with him some sixe or seauen souldiers whome I coulde not trust by any meanes which he did for my sake and would not charge him selfe with Gieure which offered him a great summe of money if it woulde please him to carrie him into France he transported him onely to the other side of the riuer Threé dayes after his departure thirteene mariners which I had brought out of France suborned by certayne other mariners which captaine Bourdet had left me stole away my barkes in manner following These mariners of captayne Bourdet put mine in the heade that if they had suche barkes as mine were they might gaine verie muche in the Isles of the Antilles and make an exceéding profitable voyage Herevppon they beganne to deuise howe they might steale away my barkes and consulted that when I shoulde commande them to goe vnto the village of Sarauahi distant aboue a league and an halfe from our sort and scituated vppon an arme of the riuer whither according to my manner I sent them dayly to seéke clay to make bricke and morter for our houses they would returne no more but would furnish themselues with victuals as well as they might possiblie and then would embarke themselues all in one vessell and woulde goe their way as in déede they did And that which was woorse two Flemmishe carpenters whiche the sayde Bourdet had left me stole away the other barke and before their departure cut the cables of the barke and of the shippe Boate that it might goe away with the tyde that I might not pursue them so that I remayned without either barke or boate which fell out as vnluckily for me as was possible For I was readye to imbarke my selfe with all speéde to discouer as farre vp our riuer as I might by any meanes Nowe my mariners as I vnderstoode afterwardes tooke a barke that was a passenger of the Spaniardes neére the Isle of Cuba wherein they founde a certayne quantitie of golde and siluer which they seased vppon And hauing this bootie they lay a while at sea vntill their victuals beganne to sayle them whiche was the cause that oppressed with famine they came vnto Hauana the principall towne of the isle of Cuba whereupon proceéded that mischiefe which hereafter I will declare more at large When I sawe my Barkes returned not at their wonted howre and suspecting that which fell out in deéde I commaunded my Carpenters with all diligence to make a little boate with a flat bottome to serch those riuers for some newes of these Marriners The boate dispatched within a day and a night by reason that my Carpenters found planks and timber readie sawed to their handes as commonly I caused my Sawyers to prouide it I sent men to seéke some newes of my thieues but all was in vaine Therefore I determined to cause two great Barkes to be built each of which might bee thirtie fiue or thirtie sixe foote long in the keele And nowe the worke was verie well forward which I set my workemen about when ambition auarice the mother of all mischiefe tooke roote in the heartes of foure or fiue soldiers which could not away with the worke and paines taking and which from hence forward namely one Foueneaux and one La Croix and another called Steuen le Geneuois the threé principall authors of the sedition beganne to practise with the best of my troupe shewing them that it was a vile thing for men of honest parentage as they were to moyle them selues thus wich abiect and base worke seeing they had the best occasion of the worlde offered them to make themselues all rich which was to arme the two Barkes which were in building and to furnish them with good men and then to saile vnto Peru and the other Isles of the Antilles where euerie soldier might easily enrich himselfe with ten thousand crownes And if their enterprise shoulde bee misliked with all in France they shoulde bee alwayes able by reason of the great wealth that they should gaine to returne themselues into Italie vntill the heate were ouer passed and that in the meane season some warre would fall out which would cause all this to bee quite forgotten This worde of riches sounded so well in the eares of my soldiers that in fine after they had oftentimes consulted of their affaires they grew to the number of threé score and fixe which to colour their great desire which they had to goe on stealing they caused a request to be presented vnto mee by Francis la Caille sergeant of my companie containing in summe a declaration of the smale store of victuals that was left to mayntayne vs vntill the time that shippes might returne from France for remedie whereof they thought it necessarie to sende to Newe Spaigne to Peru and all the Iles adioyning which they besought meé to bee content to grant But I made them answere that when the barkes were finished I woulde take such good order in generall that by meanes of the kinges Marchandise without sparing myne owne apparell weé woulde get victuals of the inhabitantes of the countrey seéing also that wee had ynough to serue vs for foure monethes to come For I feared greatly that vnder pretence of serching victuals they woulde enterprise somewhat against the kings of Spaynes subiectes which in time to come might iustly be layde to my charge considering that at our departure out of France the Queéne had charged me very expresly to do no kinde of wrong to the king of Spaines subiects nor any thing whereof he might conteyne any ielosie They made as though they were content with this answere But eight daies after as I continued in working vpon our fort on my barkes I fell sicke Then my seditious companions forgetting all honour and duetie supposing that they had found good occasion to execute their rebellious enterprise began to practise afresh their former designes handling their busines so well during my sicknes that they openly vowed that they woulde sease of the corps de gard and of the â—ort yea and to force me also if I would not consent vnto their wicked desire My lieuetenant being hereof aduertised came and tolde me that he suspected some euill practise and the next day in the morninge I was saluted at my gate with men in complet harnes what time my soldiers were about to plaie me a shrewde tricke then I sent to seeke
our selues of those which might bee most sufficient among whome wee chose two one of whom was named Monsieur Saint Cler and the other Monsieur De la Vigne to whom we deliuered candles and Lanterns to go round about the fort to viewe the watch because of the foule and foggie weather I deliuered them also a sandglasse or clocke that the centinels might not be troubled more one then the other In the meane while I ceased not for all the fowle weather nor my sickenesse which I had to ouerseé the corps de garde The night betweene the ninetenth and twentieth of September La Vigne kept watch with his companie wherein hee vsed all endeuour although it rayned without ceasing When the day was therefore come and that hee sawe that it rayned still worse then it did before hee pitied the centinelles so too moyled and wette and thinking the Spaniardes woulde not haue come in such a strange time hee let them depart and to say the trueth hee went himselfe vnto his lodging In the meane while one which had something to doe without the fort and my trompet which went vp vnto the rampart perceaued a troupe of Spaniards which came downe from a little knappe Where incontinently they beganne to cry alarme and the trompetter also Which assoone as euer I vnderstoode foorthwith I issued out with my Target and sworde in my hande and gatte mee into the middest of the Courte where I beganne to cry vppon my soldiers Some of them which weee of the forwarde sort went towarde the breach which was on the south-side and where the munitions of the artillerie lay where they were repulsed and slaine By the selfesame place two ensignes entred which immediatly were planted on the walles Two other ensignes also entred on the other side toward the West where there was another brech and those which were loged in this quarter and which shewed themselues were likewise defeated As I went to succour them which were defending the breach on the southwest side I incountred by chaunce a great companie of Spaniardes which had alreadie repulsed our men and were nowe entred which draue mee backe vnto the court of the fort being there I espied with them one called Francis Iean which was one of the marriners which stoale away my barkes had guided conducted y ◠Spaniards thither Assoone as he saw me he began to say This is y ◠Captaine This troupe was led by a captaine whose name as I thinke was Don Pedro Melendes these made certaine pushes at me w t their pikes which lighted on my target But perceauing y ◠I was not able to withstād so great a companie that the court was already wonne their ensignes planted on the ramparts and that I had neuer a man about me sauing one onely whose name was Bartholomew I entred into the yard of my lodging into which they followed me and had it not beéne for a tent that was set vp I had beéne taken but the Spaniards which followed me were occupied in cutting of the Cordes of the tent and in the meane while I saued my selfe by the breach which was on the west side neére vnto my Lieutenantes lodging and gate away into the woods where I founde certaine of my men which were escaped of which number there were threé or foure which were sore hurte Then spake I thus vnto them Sirs since it hath pleased GOD that this mischaunce is happened vnto vs wee must neédes take the paynes to gette ouer the Marshes vnto the shippes which are at the mouth of the Riuer Some woulde neédes goe to a little village which was in the woods the rest folowed mee thorough the reédes in the water where being able to goe no farther by reason of my sickenes which I had I sent two of my men which were with mee which coulde swim well vnto the ships to aduertise them of that which had happened and to send them worde to come and helpe me They were not able that day to get vnto the ships to certifie them thereof so I was constrained to stand in the water vp to the shoulders all that night long with one of my men which woulde neuer forsake me The next day morning beeing scarcely able to drawe my breath any more I betooke mee to my praiers with the souldier which was with me whose name was Iohn du Chemin for I felt my selfe so feéble that I was afraid I should dye sodenly and in truth if he had not embraced me in both his armes and so held me vp it had not beéne possible to saue mee After wee had made an ende of our praiers I heard a voice which in my iudgemēt was one of theirs which I had sent which were ouer against the ships and called for the ship boate which was so in deéde and because those of the ships had vnderstanding of the taking of the fort by one called Iohn de Hais master Carpenter which fled vnto them in a shallop they had set sayle to runne along the coast to sée if they might saue any wherein doubtlesse they did very well their endeuour They went straight to the place where the two men were which I had sent and which called them Assoone as they had receiued them in and vnderstood where I was they came and found me in a pitifull case Fiue or sixe of them tooke me and carried me into the shallop for I was not able by any meanes to goe one foote After I was brought into the shalloppe some of the Marriners tooke their clothes from their backs to lend them me and woulde haue carried me presently to their ships to giue me a little Aqua vitae Howbeit I woulde not goe thither vntill I had first gone with y ◠boat along the reéds to seéke out the poore soules which were scattered abroad where we gathered vp eighteene or twentye of them The last that I tooke in was y ◠Nephewe of the Treasurer le Beau. After we were all come to the ships I comforted them aswell as I coulde and sent backe the boate againe with speéde to seé if they coulde finde yet any more Vpon her returne the Mariners told me how that Captaine Iames Ribault which was in his shippe about two muskets shotte distant from the fort had parled with the Spaniardes and that Francis Iean came vnto his shippe where he staied a long space whereat they greatly maruailed considering that hee was the cause of this enterprise how he would let him escape After I was come into the ship called the Greyhounde Captain Iames Ribault Captain Valuot came to see me and there wee concluded to returne into France Nowe forasmuch as I founde the shippe vnfurnished of Captaine Pilot Master and Masters-mate I gaue aduise to choose out one of the most able men among all the Mariners and that by their owne voices I tooke also sixe men out of another small shippe
Spaniards and brought them into Florida A savve mill necessary here The thirde sedition By Peru the French meane the coste of Carthagena and Nombre de Dios. The captaines charge at his setting forth Lanâ—oâ—niere kept 15. dayes prisoners by his ovvne soldiers Thenchant a skilfull pilot Leauguaue ouer of the Antiles December 8. Cassaua bread made of roots Baracou a village in the Isle of Iamaica The cape of Tiburon The gouernoâ— of Iamaica taken Malgualire a kinde of vessel that will saile forward backward The Cape of S. Antonie in Cuba Hauana The Chanel of Bahama King Patica The returne of part of Laudonieres seditious soldiers Laudonnieres oration to his mutinous soldiers The sentence of death Execution The continuation of the historie Nevve conquests subiect to rebellions and mutinies Laudonniere setteth things in order after his returne out of prison to the fort Reperation of the vvest side of the fort Carpenters Savviers Smithes Coleyers King Marracou King Onathaqua King Mathiaca Tvvo Spaniards brought vnto Laudonniere by the sauages Calos a place The Flattes called the Martyrs neere the Cape of Florida The King of Calos Great quantitie of gold syluer Plates of gold as broad as a savvcer One of these Spaniardes names was Martin Gomes King Oathcaqua or Houathcha Sarrope an Ilande Aboundance of Dates A roote of great price to make bread of The greatest victorie among the Floridians The situation of Calos Caiguaueral in 28. degrees The Floridians great traitors and disemblers Nicalas Masson King Audustas great humanitie Perles burned Peter Martyr vvrites cap. 1. decad 7. that the like flocks of Pigeons are in the Isles of the Lucayes The vvidovve of King Hioacaia or Hihouhacara This Quenes name vvas Nia-Cubacani The fift voiage vp the riuer of May. Mathiaqua The discouerie of a mighty lake on the one sid vvherof no land can be seene The Isle of Edelano An excellent vvorke of nature Eneguape Chilily Patica Coya The king of Hostaqua or Oustaca able to bring three or foure thousand sauages to the field The mouÌ„taine of Apalassy There is a Mine of golde or rich copper in the mountaine of Apalassi Note Peter Gamby slaine The village of Edelano Golde and syluer Vtinasendeth to I audonniere for his helpe A good note A special note Thre hundred Indians A lake three leages distant from the village of Potanou Iávva signifieth their Priest or magician Potanou accompanied vvith tvvo thousand Indians The prediction of the magician found true Vtina hath eighteene or tvventie kings to his Vassals A custome of the Indians to leaue their houses for three or foure monthes and to liue in the vvoods They looke for succour out of France by the end of April at the vttermost Extreeme famine for sixe vveekes spaceâ— Promise broken Two hogsheads of rosen The vile nature of the Indians A cruell ansvvere of the sauages Pinocke a certaine kinde of fruite as big as cheries Astina a king Vtina taken prisoner in his village by Laudoniere and 50. of his souldyers Fiue or sixe hundred Indians The deepe dissembling of the Indians The Indians kil al the men prisoners that they take in warre The election of a new king The hatred among the sauage kings of Florida Note Note Roots Esquine Nevv corne by the ende of May in Florida The village of Enecaque A little green fruite that grovveth in the ryuers as bigge as cheries The Isle of Edelano Two CarpeÌ„ters killed for gathering the Indians maiz The village Athore Nia-Cubacany a queene Patica a village Desire of reuenge rooted in the sauages A necessarie admonition The Floridians subtilties A certaine signe of vvarre An alley of three or foure hundred pases long A skirmish tvveene the Sauages the French A second fresh charge of Sauages The Floridians maner of fight The Floridians chiefe feare Tvvo slaine Tvvo tvventie vvounded Praier and thankes vnto God for their deliuerance The village Sarauhi The village Emoloa The riuer of Iaracana called by Ribault the riuer of Somme Curtesie and liberalitie the best meanes to deale vvith the sauages Most artificial mattes The beating dovvne of the houses vvithout the fort the palisade The cause vvhy the French lost Florida Eight kinges Laudonniers friendes and allies The principal scope of planters in strange countries Florida a rich countrie Aug. 3. 1565. Master Iohn Havvkins the English generall Sheepe and Poultrie carried into Florida An aduantage vvisely taken The French mistrusted that the Englishmen vvould plant in Florida Syluer found in Florida Note The great importance of this enterprise The great humanitie and bountie of Master Iohn Havvkins to the French The departure of the English Generall August 15. The Floridians measure their moneths by the reuolutions of the Moone The arriual of Captain Iohn Ribault at the fort the 28. of August 1565. Note False reportes of Laudonniere to the Admirall of France The daunger of backbiting Alcibiades banished by backebyters Laudonnieres receauing of Captayne Ribault Letters of the Lord Admiral vnto Laudonniere 1. Accusations against him 2. 3. 4. 5. 1. Laudonnieres aunswere thereunto 2. 3. 4. 5. Fiue Indian kings The montains of Apalassy wherein are mynes of perfect gold Sieroa Pira redde metell Perfect gold Good meanes to auoide the danger of fire September 4. The Spaniards vndermining and surprising of the French The riuer Seloy or the riuer of Dolphines but eight or ten leagues ouer land from the fort but it is thirtie dubling the cape by sea fol. 19. Dangerous flawes of wind on the cost of Florida in september King Emola A village and a riuer both of that name An aduertisment of my Lord Admiral to Captaine Ribault Captaine Ribaults embarkment Sept. 8. The tenth of September A mightie tempest the tenth of Sept. Laudonniere hardly vsed by Ribault Laudonniere his companie begin to fortifie themselues A muster of the men left in the fort by Ribault Fourescore fiue left in the fort with Laudonniere The Spaniards discryed the 20. of September The Spaniards enter the fort Francis Iean a traitour to his nation Don Pedro Melendes captaine of the Spaniards Laudonniers escape Iohn du Chemin a faithful seruant The diligence of the Mariners to saue them that escaped out of the fort Among those was Iaques Morgues painter yet liuing in the Blacke-Fryers in London Francis Iean cause of this enterprise The bad dealing of Iames Ribault Our returne into France the 25. of September 1565. October 28. Nouemb. 10. The chanel of Saint George Laudonnieres arriuall in Swansey Bay in Glamorgan sheer in South wales The curtesie of one Mastes Morgan Bristow London Monsieur de Foix Ambassadour for the French king in England The conclusion The causes why the French lost Florida The French fleete cast away on the coast of Florida The chanel of Bahama betweene Florida the Isles of Lucayes The French mens landing at the Riuer Tacata courou Eight sauage kings The kings seat Complaints of the sauages against the Spaniards Two chaines of siluer giuen to Gourgues Peter de Bré had liued aboue two yeares with Satourioua Three pledges deliuered to Gourgues by Satourioua The Riuer of Salinacani called Somme by the French The Riuer of Sarauahi The estate of the Spaniards in Florida The Ryuer of Saracary or Sarauahi The assault taking of the first Fort. The valure of Olotocara The assault taking of the second Fort. The sauages great swimmers The Spaniards of the second Fort all slaine Note A notable Spanish subtilty The cause why the Floridians bury their goods with them Note The slaughter of the Spaniards of the third Fort. The taking of the third Fort. The writings hanged ouer the French Spaniards slain in Florida The three Forts razed Great honour done by the Sauages to Gourgues Kniues in great estimation The third of May. The arriuall of Gourgues at Rochel the sixt of Iune Che-de Bay The birth life and death of Captaine Gourgues