Ilande is founde the woodde of whyte sanders and ginger whyte sanders and ginger and dyuers kindes of frutes Also sundry kyndes of beastes and plentie of vyttayle and golde They of the Ilandes of Giaua Molucca and Lozon resort to this Ilande for sanders Thinhabitauntes are gentyles They say that when they go to cut the woodde of saunders the deuyll appeareth to them in dyuers formes and asketh theym what they haue neede of The deuyll appeareth And that after this vision many of them are longe sicke In al the Ilandes of this Archipelagus rayneth the disease of saynt Iob whiche wee caule the frenche poxe more then in any other place in the worlde Saynt Iob his disease Farre from this Ilande betwene the west and northwest they came to an Ilande named Eude in the whiche growethe great plentie of Sinamome Cinamome In this tracte are founde many Ilandes lying in order as it were one directly behynde an other euen vnto the Ilande of the greater Giaua The Ilandes of Giaua named Giaua maior and vnto the cape of Malaccha Malaccha beinge in East India Giaua the lesse is as bygge as the Ilande of Madera and is but halfe a leaque distante from Giaua maior Here they were informed that aboue Giaua maior toward the north is a great goulfe cauled the goulfe of China The greate goulfe of China in the which are trees of exceadyng byggenesse inhabyted with foules of suche greatenes that they cary great beastes in the ayer The frutes of these trees are as bygge as cucummers The cape of Malaccha is one degree and a halfe aboue the Equinoctiall line towarde the pole Artike The cape of Malaccha On the East side of this cape runneth a very longe coaste in the which are many regions and cities wherof sum are cauled by these names Cingaporla which is the cape The names of many regions Also Pahan Calantan Patani Braalin Beneu Longon and Odia wherin is the citie in the which dwelleth the kynge of Sian named Zacabedera Theyr cities are builded as owres are and subiecte to the kynge of Sian After the realme of Sian are the regions of Iamgoma Campaa where Reubarbe groweth Reubarbe of the which are dyuers opinions sume supposynge it to bee a roote and other a putrifyed tree affirmyng that yf it were not putrified it shulde not haue so great a sauour They caule it Calama Next vnto this is found the great China The greate kynge of China whose kyng is thought to bee the greatest prince in the worlde and is named Santoa Raia Furthermore al that is written hereafter of this kyng and these regions they lerned by thinformation of a Moore that was in the Ilande of Timor He affirmed that the sayde kynge hathe threescore and tenne crowned kynges vnder his empyre and hathe a porte in the sea named Canthan And two principal cities named Nauchin and Connulaha where he remayneth hym selfe and hath euer foure of his chiefe princes lying abowt his pallaice on euery syde towarde the Easte Weste Northe and South giuinge dylygente attendaunce what is doone in euerye of theyr quarters All the prynces of the greater India cauled India Maior The greater India and of that wherof I haue spoken before are obedient to this kynge And in token that they are trewe subiectes they keepe in theyr pallaices which are in the middest of theyr cities the beaste cauled Linx The beast cauled linx being fayrer then a lyon And is the great kynges signette whiche all suche as intende to go to China beare with them sealed in waxe or on a piece of Iuerye for theyr safe conducte withowt the which they may not enter into the hauen When any of his kyngs rebell or are disobedient he causeth them to bee fâ—ene and salted and dryed at the soonne Then to bee stuffed with chaffe The punishement of rebelles and sette vppe on sum hygh thyng in the myddest of the chiefe streate of the citie where al the people may see it He neuer suffereth his owne person to bee openly seene to any man But when his noble men of the courte are desyrous to see hym The kynge is not seene but at a glasse he commeth downe frome hys pallaice into a ryche pauylyon accompanyed with syxe of hys principall concubynes appareyled with lyke vestures as is he hym selfe All thys way he is not seene by reason of the pauylyon When he hath passed through the pauylyon he entereth into a serpent named Nagha A thyng of strange workmanshyppe being the most marueylous and ryche woorke of the worlde and placed in the greaâ—est courte of the pallaice When the kynge entereth in to this with the womeÌ„ to thintent that he may not be knoweÌ„ among them he causeth the sayd noble men only to looke in at a glasse which is in the breste of the serpente where they see the kynge amonge the women but can not dicerne which is he He ioyneth in mariage with hys syster that the blud royall bee not myxte with any other The kynge maryeth his syster His pallaice is enuironed with seuen large walles hispallaice the one being farre dystante froÌ„ the other And hath in euery such circuite tenne thowsande men for the garryson of hys pallaice A marueilous garde who haue theyr waytinge dayes appoynted them course by course with fresshe meÌ„ in theyr places and thus keepe theyr watch continually both daye and nyght In this pallaice are .lxxix. haules in the which is an infinite number of women that serue the kynge hauyng euer lyght torches in theyr handes for the greater magnyfycenceâ— women serue the kynge He that wolde see all the pallaice shulde spend a hole day therin Amonge other there are foure principal haules where sumtymes the kynge gyueth audience to hys noble men Foure maruelous haules Of these one is couered both aboue and beneth with metall an other all ouer with syluer the thyrde with gold and the fourth with pearles and precious stones These people of China The people of China are whyte menne appareled as we are and eate theyr meate on tables as wee doo They haue thâ— crosse in sum estimation but knowe not the cause whye Beyonde the coaste of China The Crosse. are dyuers other nations and people as Chenchii where pearles and cynamon are founde Also the people named Lichii where reyneth the great kynge of Mâ—en The greate kyng of mâ—en hauyng vnder hym .xxii. kynges and is subiecte to the kyng of China Here is also founde the great citie of CATHAY in the East CATHAY and dyuers other nations in the sayd firme land of the which sum are brutysshe and bestiall which vse to kyll and eate theyr parentes when they are owld thinking therby that they shall reuyue in them All these people are gentyles The .xi. day of February in the yeare .1522 they departed from the Iland of
lye lurkynge in caues and dennes to auoyde the sharpenesse of coulde as the Affricanes doo the lyke to defend them selues from the heate On the toppe of a certeyne mountayne cauled Weyszarch lyinge betwene Islande and Gruntland or Gronlande is erected a shypmans quadrant of marueilous byggenesse A shipmans quadranâ— made by two pirates named Pinnigt Pothorst in fauour of such as sayle by those coastes that they may therby auoyde the daungerous places lyinge towarde Gronland The myddest of the Ilande 7 0 65 30. The citie Harsol c. 7 40 60 42. Laponia THe region of Laponia was so named of the people that inhabâ—te it For the Germayns caule all suche Lapones as are simple or vnapte to thynges This people is of smaule stature and of such agilitie of bodie that hauynge theyr quyuers of arrowes gerte to them theyr bowes in theyr handes People of great agilitie they can with a leape caste thâ—ym selues throwgh a circle or hope of the diameter of a cubite They seyght on foote armed with bowes and arrowes and after the maner of the Tartars They are exercised in hurlynge the darte and shootynge from theyr youth in so muche that they giue theyr chyldren no meate vntyll they hit the marke they shoote at as dyd in owlde tyme thinhabitauntes of the Ilandes cauled Balâ—ares They vse to make theyr apparell streight and close to theyr boddies that it hynder not theyr woorke A straunge apparell Theyr winter vestures are made of the hole skinnes of seales or beares artificially wrought made supple These they tye with a knotte aboue theyr heades leauynge onely two holes open to looke through and haue all the residue of theyr bodies couered as thoughe they were sowed in sackes but that this beinge adapted to all partes of theyr bodies is so made for commoditie and not for a punisshement as the Romans were accustomed to sowe paricides in sackes of lether with a cocke The cauâ—e of an owlde erroure an ape and a serpent and so to hurle them alyue all togither into the ryuer of Tyber And hereby I thinke it came to passe that in owlde tyme it was rasshely beleued that in these regioÌ„s there were men with rowgh hery bodies wilde beastes as parte made relation throwghe ignoraunce parte also takynge pleasure in rehearsall of suche thynges as are straunge to the hearers The Lapones defended by this arte and industry go abrode and withstande the sharpenes of wynter and the north wyndes with all the iniuries of heauen They haue no houses but certeyne tabernacles like tentes or hales wherwith they paâ—se from place to place change theyr mansions So doo the Tartars Sum of them liuâ— after the maner of the people of Sarmaria cauled in owlde tyme Amaxobii which vsed waynes in the steade of houses They are much gyuen to huntynge and haue such plentie of wylde beastes that they kyll them in maner in euery place Plentie of wyld beastes It is not lawfull for a woman to go furth of the tente at that doore by the whiche her husbande wente owte on huntynge the same daye nor yet to touche with her hande any part of the beaste that is taken vntyll her husbande reache her on the spitte suche a portion of flesshe as he thinketh good They tyll not the grounde The region nuryssheth no kynde of serpentes No serpents yet are there greate and noysoome gnattes Great gnats They take fysshe in greate plentieâ— by the commoditie wherof they lyue after the maner of the Ethiopians cauled Ichthiophagi For as these drie theyr fisshe with feruent heate so doo they drye them with coulde and grynde or stampe them to pouder as smaule as meale or floure They haue such abundaunce of these fysshes Abunâ—aunce of fysshe that they hâ—ued great plentie therof in certeyne store houses to cary them vnto other landes nere abowt them as Northbothnia whyte Russia Theyr shyppes are not made with nayles but are tide togyther and made fast with cordes and wyththes Ships withowt nayles With these they sayle by the swyft ryuers betwene the mountaines of Laponia beinge naked in sommer that they may the better swymme in the tyme of perell and gather together such wares as are in daunger to bee lost by shipwracke Part of them crereise handiecraftes as imbrotherynge and weauynge of cloth interlaced with golde and syluer Science honoured Suche as haue diuised any necessary arte or doo increase and amende thinuentions of other are openlye honoured and rewarded with a vesture in the which is imbrothered an argument or token of the thynge they deuised And this remayneth to the posteritie of theyr famelie in token of theyr desertes They frame shippes buylde houses and make diuers sortes of housholde stuffe artificially and transporte them to other places neare abowte They bye and sell bothe for exchaunge of wares and for monâ—y Bargeinynge withowt woordes And this only by consent of both parties withowt communicacion yet not for lacke of wytte or for rudenesse of maners but bycause they haue a peculiar language vnknowen to theyr bortherers It is a valiant nation and lyued longe free and susteyned the warres of Norwaye and Suecia vntyll at the length they submitted them selues and payde ryche furres for theyr tribute They chose them selues a gouernour whom they caule a kynge But the kyng of Suetia gyueth hym autoritie and administration Neuerthelesse the people in theyr sutes and doubtfull causes resorte to Suecia to haue theyr matters decised In theyr iorneys they go not to any Inne nor yet enter into any house but lye all nyght vnder the firmament They haue no horses No horses but in the sâ—eade of them they tame certeyne wyld beastes which they caule Keen beinge of the iuste byggenesse of a mule A beast of marueylous strength and swyftnesse wiâ—lyrowgh heare lyke an Asse clouen feete and braâ—nthed horâ—es lyke a harte but lower and with fewer antlettes They wyll not abyde to bee rydden But when theyr pestrels or drawynge collers are put on them and they so ioyned to the chariotre or sleade they runne in the space of .xxiiii. hâ—â—res a hundreth and fiftie myles or .xxx. schâ—nos shat Schoenus is loke 〈◊〉 Gronland The whiche spare they affirme to chaunge the horizon thryse The change of the horizoÌ„ that is theyse to coome to the furthest signe or marke that they see a farre of Which doubtlesse is a token both of the marueylous swiftnesse and great strength of these beastes beinge able to continewe runnynge for so great a space in the meane whyle also spendynge sumtyme in feedynge I suppose that this thynge was sumewhat knowen to the owlde wryters although receaued in maner by an obscure and doubtful fame For they also wryte that certeyne Scythians doo ryde on hartes The owld autours cauled all the north people Scythyans They neyther folowe the Christian religion nor yet refuse it or are offended
by the handes of this noble prince in this newe world among these newe gentyles The warres of kynge Ferdinando ageynst the Sarasens Is it not well knowen to alâ— the world what a defence and brasen wall he hath byn to all Chrystendome in that he hath quite dryuen out of Spayne the Moores or Sarasens and Iewes which so many hundreth yeares possessed a greate parte of Spayne to no smaule daungioure of the hole Christian Empire and yet coulde neuer before bee cleane vanquysshed vntyll the dayes of this noble and Catholyke prince so named for his warres ageynste the infidelles whom God raysed for a Capitayne of his people as an other Gedion vnder whose banner they myght ouercome theyr enemies and pourge his vineyarde from suche wycked weedes The which thynge doubtelesse may seeme so much the greater and more difficulte forasmuch as in the myddest of the chiefe heate of his chargeable warres ageynste the Moores of Granada he euen then and at the same tyme sente furth shyppes for the conquestynge of the Indies The conqueste of the Indies as thowgh he and the nation of the Spanyardes had byn appoynted by god eyther to subdue the enemies of the fayth or to bringe theym to Christes religion The selfe same kynge Ferdinando also abowte the yeare of Chryst. 1503. sent a nauie of shyppes into Italy where they vanquysshed chased and sâ—ewe the Frenchemen and recouered the kyngedome of Naples with all the dominions belongynge thereunto The conqueste of Naples By which noble victory his succession and posteritie as themperours maiestie and nowe his sonne the kynge owre master and soueraigne lorde haue euer sence enioyed thinheritaunce of the same as of antiquitie by iust and ryght tytle dewe to them and theyr predicessours And as it is the nature of god not only to shewe his loue and fauour to such as haue pleased hym but also to poure furth the plentie of his grace vppon theyr succession from generation to generation so hath he with lyke fecilitie prospered the reigne of Themperours maiestie who by his wisdome and prowes hath not onely pollitikly gouerned The Emperours maiestie but also augmented and inlarged such dominions as fel to hym by discente of inheritaunce What shuld I speake of his warres and conquestes in India in Aphrike in Italie in Fraunce in Germanie and in Flaunders all the which to be declared accordyngely wolde rather require hole volumes then fewe sheetes of paper Yet hath one in fewe woordes effectually expressed his dominions and conquestes in these verses folowynge Impiger expauit rapidas transire per vndas Oceani Alcides continuitque gradum Maximus at Caesar PLVS VLTRA tendere curâ—um Ausus et ignotis est dare iura locis Et domita aurifera nunc victor gente reuersus Caetera sub sceptro ponat vt ipse suo Nam pater omnipotens vt famam terminet astris Iussit et imperium fineat Oceano ¶ An other also breefely hath declared the same in these verses Consortem Imperij voluit quia Iuppiter orbis Astra Deo cedunt Carole terra tibi And certes who so well considereth the progenie of kynges that in so shorte a time haue linially descended from Don Ferdinando and howe many kyngedomes they possesse may see that God hath fulfylled in hym also the promises and blessynges of Abraham Gen. 17. as to make hym the father of many nations and his seede to growe great vpon the earth Also that many kynges shulde come furth of his loynes and to make a perpetuall league and conuenaunt with hym and his posteritie to bee theyr god for euer And here to omytte to speake of other Was there euer better hope or more likenes then now that these blessynges and promyses of god shulde continewe in this princely progenie syth the vertues and felicitie of theÌ„ al doo so shyne and florisshe in owr noble and gratious prince kynge Phylyppe The kinges maiestie to whom euen in his youth his father occupied in the warres of Italye and Aphrike commytted the hole gouernaunce of the kyngedomes of Spayne and the Indies Of his behauour in Englande his enemies which canker vertue neuer lacked They I say if any such yet remaine haue greatest cause to reporte well ye so well that yf his naturall clemencie were not greater then was theyr vnnaturall indignation they knowe them selues what myght haue folowed The properties of â—ooles and wyse men are declared in these owld verses Quid stulti proprium Non posse et velle nocere Quid sapieâ—tis opus Non velle et posse nocere That is to say What is the propertie of a foole To wyl to doo hurte and can not What is the woorke of a wyse man Not to wyll to hurte though he may But whether he hath lacked poure or wyll it is knowen to barbers and blere eyde men Who lamented theyr folly more then he Who more humbly admytted theyr sutes and supplications Ye who obteyned theyr pardon but he Beynge a Lion he behaued hym selfe as a lambe Apostrophe to Englande and strooke not his enemie hauynge the swoorde in his hande Stoope Englande stoope and learne to knowe thy lorde and master as horses and other brute beastes are taught to doo Be not indocible lyke Tygers and dragons and such other monsters noyoâ—s to man kynde God by the mouth of Isaias the prophet reproueth the Israelites that they knewe not so well theyr dewtie towarde hym as dyd the brute beastes the mangiers of theyr masters Isai. 1. The oxe and the asse sayth he knoweth the mangier of theyr master but Israell knoweth not me For shame let vs not be woorse then oxen and asses lyke vnto horses and mules in whom is no vnderstandynge But O vnthankefull Englande and voyde of honest shame Who hath geuen the the face of a hoore and toonge of a serpent withowt shame to speake venemous woordes in secreates ageynst the annoynted of god O paynted hoore that hast Chryste in thy mouth and the deuyl in thy harte Hath not the pocke of thy licentiousnesse brusâ—e furth in maner to thyne owne destruction Howe longe wylt thou nurysshe in thy boosome that serpente whose nature is to deuoure her moother Take a vomyte in tyme least thy disease become vncurable What neede I rehearse vnto the thy manyfolde infirmities and deformities whiche thou arte faulen into by thyne owne owtragiousnesse If the greefes of them bee to thee vnsensible by reason of thy feeblenesse and longe sickenes take vnto the that glasse wherin thou gloryest with the Iewe and thynkest that thou seest at thynges and â—â—nst iudge all mysteries Looke I say in that pure glasse and beholde thy owne deformities which thou canste not or wylt not feele I feare greatly that if thou looke therein diligently and looke euen throughe thy selfe â–ª thou wylte abhorre thy selfe to see howe many monsters lye hid in the vnder the shape of man Monstrouâ— byrthes There is euen nowe great
were borne in this Ilande affirminge it to be very peopulous and frutefull hauinge also manye fayre wooddes and hauens There is deadly hatred and continual battayle betwene them the Canibales They haue no boates to passe from their owne coastes to the Canibales But if it bee their chaunce to ouercome them when they make incursion into theyr countreye to seke their praye as it sumtyme happeneth the fortune of warre beinge vncerteyne they serue them with like sause requiringe deathe for deathe Death for dâ—athe For one of theym mangeleth an other in pieces and roste them and eate them euen before their eyes They taryed not in this Ilande Yet in the weste angle therof a fewe of them went a lande for fresshe water and fownd a greate and hâ—gh howse after the maner of their buylding hauinge .xii. other of their vulgare cotages placed abowte the same The mountaynes are coulder then the playnes but were all lefte desolate whether it were that they resorted to the mountaynes by reson of the heate which was that tyme of the yeare and to returne to the playne when the ayre wareth cowlder or els for feare of the Canibales which make incursion into the Ilande at certen seasons In all this Ilande is only one kinge The south syde hereof extendeth abowte two hundrethe myles Shortlye after they came to the Ilande of Hispaniola beinge distante frome the firste Ilande of the Canibales fyue hundrethe leaques From Dominica to hiâ—paniola fyue hundreth leaques Here they fownde all thâ—nges out of order and theyr felowes slayne whiâ—h they lefte here at their fyrste vyage In the beginninge of Hispaniola hauinge in it many regions and kyngedomes as we haue sayde is the region of Xamana whose kinge is named Guaâ—canarillus The Spanyâ—â—des lefte in the Iland are sâ—ayne kynge Guaccanariâ—lus rebelleth This Guaccanarillus ioyned frendeshippe with owre men at the fyrste viage and made a league with them But in the absence of the Admirall he rebelled was the cause of owre mens destruction althowgh he dissimuled the same and pretended frendship at the Admirales returne As owre men sayled on yet a litle furtheâ— they espied a longe Canoa with many ores in which was the bâ—other of Guaccanarillus with only one man waytinge on hym He browght with hym two Images of goulde Two images of goulde which he gaue the Admirall in the name of his brother And towlde a â—ale in his language as concerninge the deathe of owre men as they proued afterwarde but at this tyme had no regarde to his communication for lacke of interpretours which were eyther all deade or escaped and stoulne awaye when they drewe nere the Ilandes But of the x.vii dyed by change of ayre and dyer The inhabitantes of these Ilandes haue byn euer soo vsed to liue at libertâ—e in playe and pastyme Libertie and idlenes that they can hardely away with the yoke of seruitude which they attempte to shake of by all meanes they maye And surely if they had receaued owre relâ—gion I wolde thinke their life moste happye of all men A happy kind of lyfe if they might therwith enioye their aunciente libertie A fewe thinges contente them hauinge no delite in suche superâ—luites Superfluite for the which in other places men take infinite paynes and commit manie vnlawfull actes and yet are neuer satisfied wheras many haue to muche and none inowgh many haue to much and none inough But emonge these simple sowles a fewe clothes serue the naked weâ—ghtes and measures are not needefull to such as can not skyll of crafte and deceyte and haue not the vse of pestifetous monye the seede of innumerable myscheues So that if we shall not be ashamed to confesse the truthe they seeme to lyue in that goulden worlde of the whiche owlde wryters speake so much â–ª The goulden worlde wherin men lyued simplye and innocentlye without inforcement of lawes without quarellinge Iudges and libelles contente onely to satisfie nature without further vexation for knowelege of thinges to come Yet these naked people also are tormeÌ„ted with ambitioÌ„ for the desyre they haue to enlarge their dominions Naked men troubled with ambicion by reason wherof they kepe warre destroy one an other froÌ„ the which plage I suppoâ—e the golden world was not free For euen then also Cede non câ—dam that is gyue place Gyue place I wyll not giue place had entred emonge men But nowe to returne to the matter froÌ„ which we haue digressed The admiral desyrous to knowe further of the death of his men sent for Guaccanarillus to come to him to his ship dissimulinge that he knew any thinge of the matter The Admira sendeth for the kynge After that he came aboord shyp saluting the Admiral his coÌ„pany gyuing also certeÌ„ golde to the Capetaynes and offycers turned him to the womeÌ„ captiues which not longe before our meÌ„ had deliuered froÌ„ the Canibales And ernestly beholding one of them whome owre men cauled Catharyne he spake gentelly vnto her No horses in the Ilandes And thus when he had seene and marueyled at the horses and suche other thinges as were in the shyppe vnknowen to them and had with a good grace and merelye asked leaue of the Admirall he departed Yet sum there were which counseyled the Admirall to kepe hym styll that if they might by any meanes proue that he was consentinge to the deathe of owre men he might bee punished accordinglie But the Admirall considering that it was yet no tyme to incense thinhabitantes myndes to wrathe A tyme for all thynges dysmyssed hym The next daye folowing the kinges brother resortyng to the shyppes eyther in his owne name or in his brothers seduced the women For on the next nyght about mydnight this Katherine aswell to recouer her owne libertie as also her felowes being suborned therto eyther by the kinge or his brothers promises attempted a much more difficulte and daungerous aduenture then dyd Cloelia of Rome A desperate aduenture of a woman Cloelia of Rome which beinge in hostage with other maydes to the kynge Porcena deceaued her kepers and rode ouer the ryuer Tiber with the other virgins which were pledges with her For wheras they swamme ouer the ryuer on horsebacke This Katharyne with seuen other women trustynge onlye to the strengthe of theyr owne armes swamme aboue three longe myles and that also at suche tyme as the sea was sumwhat rowghe For euen soo farre of frome the shore lay the shippes at rode as nigh as they could coniecture But owre men folowinge them with the shippeboates by the same light seene on the shore wherby the women were ledde tooke three of them supposinge that Katharyne with the other foure wente to Guaccanarillus For in the springe of the morninge certen messengers beinge sente to hym by the Admirall had intelligence that he was fledde with all his familie and stuffe and the women
whiche is greate plentie of goulde Golde When they that went to searche the Region were returned they reported maruelous thynges as touchinge the great ryches of this Region Frome these mountaynes descende foure greate ryuers Foure greate ryuers which by the maruelous industrye of nature deuided the hole Ilande into foure partes in maner equall ouerspreadinge and wateringe the hole Ilande with their branches Of these foure ryuers the one reacheth towarde the Easte This the inhabitantes caule Iunna An other towarde the Weste and is cauled Attibunicus The thirde towarde the Northe named Iachem the laste reacheth into the Southe and is cauled Naiba The daye before the Ides of Marche the Admiral him selfe with al his horse men and foure hundreth footemen The golden region of Cibana marched directly towarde the South syde of the goulden Region Thus passinge ouer the ryuer the plaine and the mountayne which enuironed the other syde of the playne he chaunced vpon an other vale the which a ryuer muche bygger then the fyrste and many other meane ryuers runne throwgh When he had also conueighed his armye ouer the ryuer and passed the seconde vale whiche was in no part inferiour to the firste he made away through the thirde mountayne Uales and mountaynes where was no passage before and descended into an other vale which was nowe the beginninge of Cibana The vale of Cibana Through this also runne many fluddes and ryuers out of euery hyll and in the sandes of theym all is fownde great plentie of goulde And when he had nowe entered three score and twelue myles into the goulden region from the citie he entended to buylde a fortresse vppon the toppe of a hyll standing by the shore of a certeyne great ryuer that he might the better and more safelye searche the secreates of the inner partes of the Region This he cauled the fortresse of saynte Thomas The which in the meane tyme whyle he was buyldynge thinhabitantes beinge desirous of haukes belles and other of owre thinges Golde for haukes bels resorted dayly thyther To whom the Admirall declared that if they wolde brynge goulde they shulde haue what so euer they wolde aske Forthwith turninge theyr backes and runnynge to the shore of the next ryuer they returned in a short tyme brynginge with them their handes full of goulde Amongest al other there came a owld man bringynge with him two pybble stones of goulde weighinge an vnce Graynes end pipple stones of golde desyrynge them to gyue him a bell for the same who when he sawe oure men maruell at the byggenes therof he made signes that they were but smaule and of no value in respecte of sume that he had seene And takynge in his hande foure stones the least wherof was as bygge as a walnut and the byggest as bygge as an orange he sayde that there was fownde peeces of goulde soo bygge in his countrey beynge but halfe a dayes iourney from thense and that they had no regarde to the gatheringe therof Whereby we perceaue that they passe not muche for goulde in asmuch as it is goulde only They passe not for golde in that it is golde onely but. c. but so farre esteeme it as the hande of the artificer hathe fashioned it in any coomely fourme For who doth greatly esteeme rowgh marble or vnwrought Iuerye But if they be wrought with the cunninge hande of Phidias or Praxiteles and shaped to the similitude of the fayre nimphes or fayeres of the sea cauled Nereiades or the fayres of the wods cauled Hamadriades they shal neuer lacke byers Besyde this owld man there came also dyuers other brynginge with them pypple stones of gold weighing .x. or .xii. drammes And feared not to confesse that in the place where they gathered that golde there were found suÌ„tyme stones of gold as bygge as the heade of a chyld When he had taryed heare a fewe dayes Stones of golde as byg as the heade of a chyâ—de he sent one Luxanus a noble younge gentylman with a fewe armed men to searche all the partes of this Region Who at his returne reported that thinhabitantes shewed him greater thinges theÌ„ we haue spoken of here before But he dyd openly declare nothynge therof which they thought was doone by the Admirales commaundement They haue wooddes full of certeyne spyces Spyces â–ª but not suche as we commonly vse These they gather euen as they do golde that is as much as wyl serue for theyr purpose euery man for hym selfe to exchange the same with the inhabitantes of other countreys adioyninge to them for such thinges as they lacke as dysshes pottes stooles and suche other necessaries As Luxanus returned to the Admiral which was about the Ides of Marche he fownde in the wooddes certeyne wylde vines rype and of pleasaunt taste wylde Vines of pleasaunte taste But thinhabitantes passe not on them This Region though it bee full of stones and rockes and is therfore cauled Cibana which is as muche to saye as a stone yet it is well replenyshed with trees and pastures Fâ—uitful mouÌ„tâ—ynes Ye they instantly affirme that if the grasse of these mountaynes bee cutte it groweth ageyne within the space of foure dayes higher then wheate And for as muche as many showers of rayne doo faule in this Region whereof the ryuers and fluddes haue their increase in euery of the which golde is fownde myrte with sande in all places they iudge that the golde is dryuen from the mountaynes Golde in the landes of ryuers faulinge from the mouÌ„taynes by the vehement course of the streames which faule from the same and runne into the ryuers The people of this Region are gyuen to Idelnes and playe Libertie and Idelnes For suche as inhabyte the mountaynes syt quakynge for coulde in the wynter season The mountaynes are coulde had rather soo wander vppe and downe Idelly then take the peines to make them apparell wheras they haue wooddes full of gossaÌ„pine cotton But such as dwel in the vales or plaines feele no coulde in wynter When the Admirall had thus searched the beginninge of the region of Cibana he repayred to Isabella for so he named the citie where leauinge the gouernance of the Ilande with his deputies he prepared hym selfe to search further the lymettes of the Ilande of Cuba or Iohanna which he yet doubted to bee the firme lande The Ilande of Cuba and distant from Hispaniola onely three score and ten myles This dyd he with more speedy expedicion caulyng to remembraunce the kinges commaundement who wylled hym fyrst with all celeritie to ouer runne the coastes of the newe Ilandes leaste any other prince shulde in the meane tyme attempte to inuade the same Least any otheâ— prince c For the Kynge of Portugale affirmed that it perteyned only to hym to discouer these vnknowen landes But the byshop of Rome Alexander the .vi. to auoyd the cause of this discention Discencion betweene the
Admirall of the Ocean returning as he supposed from the continent or firme lande of East India Easte India had aduertisement that his brother Boilus one Peter Margarita an owld familier of the kinges and a noble man with diuers other of those to whom he had left the gouernemeÌ„t of the Iland The Spanyardeâ— rebelle in the Admirâ—ls absence were of corrupted mynde ageynst him departed into Spayne Wherfore as wel to purge him of such crimes as they shuld ley to his charge as also to make a supply of other men in the place of them which were returned especially to prouyde for vitailes as wheat wyne oyle and such other which the Spanyardes are accustomed to eate bycause they coulde not yet well agree with such meates as they fownde in the Ilandes determined shortly to take his vyage into Spayne But what he dyd before his departure I wyll brefely rehearse The kynges of the Ilandes which had hytherto lyued quietly and content with theyr lyttle whiche they thowght abundante The kynges of the Ilande rebell wheras they nowe perceaued that owre men began to fasten foote within theyr Regions and to beare rule amonge them tooke the matter so greuously that they thowght nothynge elles but by what meanes they myght vtterly destroy them and for euer abolysshe the memory of theyr name For that kynde of men the Spanyardes I meane which folowed the Admirall in that nauigation The Spaniardes mâ—sbehauour was for the most parte vnruly regardynge nothinge but Idlenes playe and libertie And wolde by no meanes absteyne from iniuries Rauyshynge the womeÌ„ of the Ilandes before the faces of their husbandes fathers and brethrene By which theyr abhomynable mysde maynour they disquieted the myndes of all thinhabitantes In so much that where so euer they fownde any of owre men vnprepared they slewe them with suche fyercenes and gladnes as thowgh they had offered sacryfyce to God Intendynge therefore to pacifie their troubled myndes and to punyshe them that slew his men before he departed from thense he sent for the kynge of that vale which in the booke before we descrybed to bee at the foote of the mountaynes of the Region of Cibaua This kynges name was Guarionexius Guarionexius the kynge of the greatyale Didacus the interpretour who the more streyghtly to concyle vnto hym the frendeshyppe of the Admirall gaue his syster to wyfe to Didacus a man from his chyldes age browght vp with the Admiral whom he vsed for his interpretoure in the prouinces of Cuba After this he sent for Caunaboa cauled the lorde of the howse of goulde that is of the mountaynes of Cibaua For this Caunaboa Caunaboa the kynge of the house of golde he sent one capitayne Hoieda whom the ditionaries of Caunaboa had enforced to keepe his howlde bysiegeinge for the space of .xxx. dayes the fortresse of saynte Thomas in the which Hoieda with his fyftie souldiers stoode at theyr defence vntyll the comminge of the Admirall Whyle Hoieda remayned with Caunaboa Capitayne hoieda many ambassadours of the kynges of dyuers Regions were sent to Caunaboa persuadinge hym in no condicion to permitte the Christians to inhabite the Ilande except he had rather serue then rule On the other partie Hoieda aduertised Caunaboa to goo to the Admirall and to make a league of frendeship with hym But the ambassadours on the contrary part threatened hym that yf he wolde soo doo the other kynges wolde inuade his Region But Hoieda aunswered theym ageyne that wheras they conspired to maynteyne their libertie they shuld by that meanes be browght to seruitude destruction if they entended to resist or keepe warre ageinst the Christians Thus Caunaboa on the one syde and the other kynge Caunaboa â—ad sâ—ain the Spanyardeâ— beinge troubeled as it were a rocke in the sea beaten with contrary fluddes much more vexed with the stormes of his gyltie conscience for that he had priuilie slaine .xx. of owre men vnder pretence of peace feared to coome to the Admirall But at the length hauing excogitated this deceyte Caunaboa coÌ„spireth the Admiralleâ— death to haue slayne the Admirall and his coompany vnder the colour of frendshippe if oportunitie wold soo haue serude he repayred to the Admiral with his hole familie and many other wayting on hym armed after theyr maner Beinge demaunded why he browght soo greate a rout of men with hym he aunswered that it was not decente for soo great a prince as he was to goo foorth of his howse without suche a bande of men But the thinge chaunced much otherwyse then he looked for For he fell into the snares which he had prepared for other For wheras by the way he began to repente hym that he came foorthe of his howse Hoieda with many fayre wordes and promyses Fayre worde make fooles fayne browght hym to the Admirall At whose commaundement he was immediatly taken put in prison So that the sowles of owre men were not longe from their bodies vnreuenged Thus Caunaboa with all his familie beinge taken the Admirall was determined to runne ouer the Ilande But he was certified that there was such famine amonge thinhabitantes Famine in the Ilande of hispaniola that there was alredye fyftie thousande menne deade therof And that they dyed yet dayly as it were cotton sheepe The cause wherof was wel knowen to bee theyr owne obstinacie and frowardnes For where as they sawe that owre men entended to choose them a dwelling place in the Ilande supposinge that they myght haue driuen them from thence if the vytailes of the Ilande shoulde fayle they determyned with them selues not only to leaue sowing and plantyng but also to destroy and plucke vp by the rootes euery man in his owne region The hunger of golde causeth great famine that whiche they had alredye sowen of both kyndes of breade wherof we made mencion in the fyrst booke But especially amonge the mountaynes of Cibaua otherwyse cauled Cipanga for as muche as they hadde knoweleage that the golde which abundeth in that Region was the cheefe cause that deteyned owre men in the Ilande In the meane tyme he sent foorth a Capitayne with a bande of men to searche the sowthe syde of the Ilande Who at his returne reported that throwghe out all the Regions that he trauayled there was suche scarsenes of breade that for the space of .xvi. dayes he eate nowght elles but the rootes of herbes and of younge date trees or the fruites of other wylde trees But Guarionexius the kynge of the vale lyinge beneth the mountaynes of Cibaua whose kyngedoome was not soo wasted as the other gaue owre menne certeyne vytayles Within a fewe dayes after bothe that the iourneys myght bee the shorter and also that owre men myght haue more safe places of refuge if the inhabitantes shuld hereafter rebell in lyke maner he buylded an other fortesse whiche he cauled the towre of CoÌ„ception betwene the citie of
exhorte hym to delyuer hym exâ—epte he wolde procure the destruction bothe of hym selfe his people and his countrey When the messenger was returned Maiobanexius assembled the people declaring vnto them what was doone but they cried owte on hym to delyuer Guarionexius And beganne to curse the daye that euer they had receaued hym A rare faythfulnes in a barbarous kynge thus to disturbe theyr quietnes Maiobanexius answered them that Guarionexius was a good man and had well deserued of him giuinge hym many princely presentes And had also tawght both his wyfe and hym to synge and daunce whiche thynge he dyd not lyttle esteeme And was therfore fully resolued in no case to forsake hym or ageynste all humanitie to betraye his frende whiche fâ—edde to hym for succoure but rather to abyde al extremities with him then to minister occasion of obloquye to slaunderes to reporte that he had betrayed his geste whom he tooke into his house with warranties Thus dismissinge the people sighinge and with sorowfull hartes he cauled Guarionexius before hym promysinge hym ageyne that he wolde bee partaker of his fortune whyle lyfe lasted In so muche that he thowght it not beste to sende any further woorde to the Lieuetenaunt but appoynted hym whome before he sent to hym to keepe the way with a garryson of men to thintent that if any messengers shulde be sent from the Lieuetenaunt to sleye them by the way and admitte none to communication or further entretie of peace In the meane tyme the Lieuetenaunt sent twoo wherof the one was a captiue Câ—guauian and the other an Ilande man of them which were frendes to owre men They were bothe taken and slayne The Lieuetenauntes messengers are slayne The Lieuetenaunt folowed theÌ„ onely with ten footemen and foure horsemen Fyndinge his messengers deade in the waye he was further prouoked to wrathe and determyned more extremely to deale with Maiobanexius And therefore wente forwarde incontinently with his hole army to his cheefe palaice of Capronum where he yet laye in campe At his approche all the kynges fledde Aâ— the kâ—nges are dryuen to â—lyght euery man his way and forsooke theyr capitayne Maiobanexius who also with all his famelye fledde to the rowgh mountaynes Sum of the Ciguauians sowght for Guarionexius to sley hym for that he was the cause of all these troubles But his feete saued his lyfe For he fledde in tyme to the mountaynes where he lurked in maner alone amonge the desolaâ—e rockes Whereas nowe the Lieuetenauntes souldiers were forweryed with longe warre with watchinge laboure and hunger for it was nowe three moonethes sence the warres beganne many desyred leaue to departe to the towre of Conception where they had graneges and exercised tyllage He gaue them theyr paâ—seportes with alowance of vytayles and soo that only thyrtie remayned with hym These three moonethes warre they contynued very paynefull and myserablye Soo thâ—t duryng al that tyme The Spanyardes are peinful in the warres they had none other meate but only Cazibi that is suche rootes whereof they make theyr breade and that but syldome to theyr fyll Also Vsias that is lyttle beastes lyke Conyes if by chaunce now and then they tooke sume with theyr houndes Their drinke was none other then water such as they fownde sumtyme sweete and sumtyme muddy saueringe of the marysshes Emonge these delicates that lyttle sleepe that they had was euer for the moste parte abrode vnder the firmamente And that not without watchemen and in contynual remoouinge as the nature of warre requyreth A desperate aduenture with .xxx. men With these fewe therfore the Lieuetenaunt determined to searche the mountaynes dennes caues if he coulde in any place fynde the steppes of Maiobanexius or Guarionexius In the meane tyme certeyne of his menne whom hunger enforced to goo a huntinge to proue if they coulde take any conies chaunced vppon twoo of Maiobanexius familyers whiche were sent to certeyne vylages of his to make prouision of breade These he enforced to declare where theyr lord lay hydde And vsed the same also for guides to bringe owre meÌ„ to the place Twelue of owre men tooke this enterpryse in hand painting them selues after the maner of the Ciguauians Soo that by this stratageme or policie A police they came sodenly vppon Maiobanexius kynge Maiobanexius is taken and tooke hym prisoner with his wyfe children and familie and conueighed them to the towre of Conception to the Lieuetenaunt Within a fewe dayes after hunger compelled Guarionexius to coome owte of the dennes whome certeine of the people fearinge the Lieuetenaunt bewrayde to owre hunters The Lieuetenaunt beinge certified hereof sent furthe a bande of foote men commaunding them to lye in ambushe vntyll suche tyme as Guâ—rionexius wente from the playnes to the mountaynes Guarionexius is taken and then soodenly to intrappe hym They went as they were commaunded tooke hym and browght hym awaye with them And by this meanes were all the Regions nere abowte pacified and quyeted A certeyne noble woman of nere kynred to Maiobanexius and wyfe to an other kynge whose dominion was yet vntouched folowed hym in al these aduersities They affirme this woman to bee the fayrest and moste bewetifull that euer nature browght foorâ—he in the Ilande A Bewtifull woman Whom when the kynge her husbande who looued her moste ardently as her bewetie deserued harde saye that shee was taken prisoner he wandered vppe and downe the desertes lyke a man owte of his wytte not knowinge what to doo or saye But at the lengthe he came to the Lieuetenaunte promysinge moste faythfully that he wold submitte hym selfe and all that he coulde make vnder his poure soo that he wolde restore hym his wyfe The Lieuetenant accepted the coÌ„dition restored him his wife with certeyne other rulers and gentelmen which he had taken prisoners before Charginge them and byndinge them with an othe to bee euer redye at his commaundement Shortly after this kynge of his owne free motion came ageyne to the Lieuetenaunt bringyng with hym fyue thousande men without weapons sauynge onely suche instrumentes as they vse in tyllage of theyr grownde A kynge sendeth the lieuetenaunt fyue thousand meÌ„ to tyll the grownde He brought with hym also seedes to sowe wherwith at his owne charge he caused suche plentie of theyr corne and fruites to growe in sundry places of the large vale whereof wee spake before that shortely after were seene manye fayre and fruitefull fieldes that came therof And for his gentelnes beinge rewarded of the Lieuetenaunte with certeyne of owre thynges he departed ioyfully When the report hereof came to the Ciguauians The kynges submit them selues to the Lieuetenaunt it mooued the myndes of the kynges to hope of clemencie Where vppon they came togyther to the Lieuetenaunt with humble submission and faythful promesse euer after to bee vnder his obedience desyring hym to restore vnto them theyr kynge with his famylie At
or a bone or a piece of fleshe they coomme to the sicke person commaundinge al to departe owte of that place Iuggelynge excepte one or twoo whom it shall please the sicke man to appoynt This doone they goo about hym three or foure tymes greatly deforminge theyr faces lyppes and nosethrils with sundry fylthy giestures A strange maâ—er of curing blowynge breathinge and suckyng the forheade temples and necke of the pacient wherby they saye they drawe the euyll ayer from hym and sucke the disease owt of his veynes Then rubbinge hym about the shoulders thyghes and legges and drawynge downe theyr handes close by his feete holdinge them yet faste togyther they runne to the dore beinge open where they vnclose and shake theyr handes affirminge that they haue dryuen away the disease and that the pacient shall shortely bee perfectly restored to health After this commynge behynde hym he conueygheth the piece of fleshe owte of his owne mouth like a iuggeler and sheweth it to the sicke man sayinge behoulde what you haue eaten to muche you shall nowe bee hole bycause I haue taken this from you But if he intende yet further to deceaue the pacient he persuadeth hym that his Zemes is angry Angery gods eyther bycause he hath not buylded hym a chapell or not honored hym religiously or not dedicated vnto him a groue or garden And if it soo chaunce that the sicke person dye his kinsfolkes by wytchecrafte enforce the deade to confesse whether he dyed by naturall destenye They make the deade to speake or by the neglygence of the Boitius in that he had not fasted as he shulde haue doone or not mynistred a conuenient medicine for the disease Soo that yf this phisitian bee founde fautie they take reuenge of hym Of the stones or bones which these Boitii carye in theyr mouthes yf the women can coome by them they keepe them religiously beleauinge them to bee greatly effectuall to helpe women whiche trauayle with chylde And therfore honoure them as they doo theyr Zemes. For dyuers of thinhabitantes honour Zemes of dyuers fasshions Sume make theim of woodde Diuers Idols of sundry shape as they were admonyshed by certeyne visions apperinge vnto them in the wooddes Other whiche haue receaued answere of them amonge the rockes make theÌ„ of stone and marble Sum they make of rootes to the similitude of suche as appeare to them when they are gathering the rootes cauled Ages wherof they make theyr breade as we haue sayde before These Zemes they beleue to send plentie and frutefulnes of those rootes as the antiquitie beleued suche fayries or spirites as they cauled Dryades Hamadryades Satyros Panes and Nereides Fayries or spirites of the gentyles to haue the cure and prouidence of the sea wooddes sprynges and fountaynes assigninge to euery thynge theyr peculier goddes Peculier goddes Euen soo doo thinhabitantes of this Ilande attribute a Zemes to euery thynge supposinge the same to gyue eare to theyr inuocations Wherfore as often as the kynges aske counsaile of their Zemes as concerning their warres They aske coÌ„saile of Idoâ—s increase of fruites or scarsnes or health and sickenes they enter into the house dedicate to theyr Zemes where snuffinge vp into theyr nosethryls the pouder of the herbe cauled Cohobba wherwith the Boitii are dryuen into a furye they say that immediatly they see the houses turne topsy turnye The â—ouder of the herbe Cohobba and men to walke with theyr heeles vpwarde of suche force is this pouder vtterly to take away all sense As soone as this maddenes ceaseth he embraseth his knees with his armes holdynge downe his heade And wheÌ„ he hath remayned thus a whyle astonysshed he lyfteth vp his heade as one that came newe owt of sleepe And thus loking vp towarde heauen Fyrst he fumbeleth certeyne confounded woordes with hym selfe Then certeyne of the nobilitie or chiefe gentelmen that are about him for none of the common people are admytted to these mysteries with lowde voyces gyue tokens of reioysing that he is returned to them from the speache of the Zemes Secreate misteries demaundynge of hym what he hathe seene Then hee openinge his mouthe doateth that the Zemes spake to hym duryng the tyme of his traunce declaring that he had reuelations eyther concerninge victorye or destruction Reuelations famyne or plentie health or syckenes or what soo euer happeneth fyrst on his toonge Nowe moste noble Prince what neede you hereafter to marueyle of the spirite of Apollo soo shakynge his Sibylles with extreme furie The spirite of Apollo The Sibilles Yowe had thowght that the superstitious antiquitie hadde peryshed But nowe wheras I haue declared thus much of the Zemes in generall I thowght it not good to lette passe what is sayde of them in particuler They saye therefore that a certeyne kynge cauled Guamaretus I haue harde the lyke of other in Englande had a Zemes whose name was Corochotum who they say was often tymes woonte to descende frome the hygheste place of the house where Guamaretus kepte hym faste bounde They affirme that the cause of this his breakynge of his bandes and departure was eyther to hyde hym selfe or to goo seeke for meate hungery and â—echerous Gods or els for the acte of generation And that sumtymes beinge offended that the kynge Guamaretus had byn negligent and slacke in honouringe hym he was woont to lye hyd for certeyne dayes They say also that in the kynges vylage there are sumtyme chyldren borne hauing twoo crownes which they suppose to bee the children of Corochotum the Zemes. ChildreÌ„ with two crownes They fayne lykewyse that Guamaretus beinge ouercome of his enemies in the battayle and his vylage with the palaice consumed with fyer Corochotus brake his bandes and was afterwarde founde a furlonge of safe and withowte hurte He hath also an other Zemes cauled Epileguanita made of woodde in shape lyke a foure footed beaste who also is sayde wanderinge Images often tymes to haue gonne from the place where he is honoured in to the wooddes As soone as they perceaue him to bee gonne a great multitude of them gather togyther to seeke hym with deuoute prayers And when they haue fownde hym brynge hym home religiously on theyr shulders to the chapell dedicated vnto hym But they coomplayne that sence the commynge of the Christian men into the Ilande he fledde for all togyther and coulde neuer sence bee founde wherby they diuined the destruction of theyr countrey They honoured an other Zemes in the lykenes of a woman on whom wayted twoo other lyke men as they were ministers to her One of these executed thoffice of a mediatour to the other Zemes which are vnder the power and commaundement of this woman Mediatours A woman zemes of great poure to rayse wyndes cloudes and rayne The other is also at her commaundemente a messenger to the other Zemes whiche are ioyned with her in gouernaunce to gather togyther
vnwares in the last watche of the nyght and encoompasinge the vyllage where they laye consistynge of a hundreth howses and more hauynge also in it thryse as many of theyr neyghbours as of them selues they set it on fyer with diligent watche that none myght escape And thus in shorte tyme they browght theym and theyr howses to asshes and made them pay the raunsome of bludde with bludde A greate slawghter For of a greate multitude of men and women they spared onely syxe chyldren al other being destroyed with fyer or sword except fewe which escaped priuilye They lerned by the reserued chyldren that Cossa and his felowes were cutte in pieces and eaten of them that slewe them By reason wherof they suppose that these people of Caramairi tooke theyr originall of the Caribes otherwyse cauled Canibales Canibales Here they founde sume golde amonge the asshes For the hunger of golde The hunger of golde dyd noo lesse encorage owr men to aduenture these perels and labours then dyd the possessynge of the landes These thynges thus fynysshed and the death of Cossa and his felowes reuenged they returned to the hauen After this Fogeda whiche came fyrst fyrst lykewyse departinge with his army to seeke Vraba commytted to his gouernaunce sayled by an Ilande cauled Fortis The Ilande Foâ—tis lyinge in the mydwaye betwene Vraba and the hauen of Carthago In to the which descendinge he fownde it to bee an Ilande of the Canybales brynginge with hym frome thense two men and seuen women for the residue escaped Here he fownde in the cotages of them that fledde a hundrethe foure score and tenne drammes of golde caste and wrought in dyuers formes wrought gold Saylynge forwarde from hense he came to the Easte coastes of Vraba whiche thinhabitantes caule Caribana Caribana from whense the Caribes or Canibales of the Ilandes are sayde to haue theyr name and originall Here he beganne to buylde a fortresse and a vyllage nere vnto the same therein intendynge to place theyr fyrst habitacion Shortly after beinge instructed by certeyne captyues that there was aboute twelue myles further within the lande a certeyne vyllage cauled Tirufi hauinge in it a ryche golde myne A gold myne he determyned to destroye the vylage To the which when he came he fownde thinhabitantes redye to defende theyr ryght The Spanyardes are repulsed And that soo stoutly that encounteryng with them he was repulsed with shame and domage For these people also vse bowes and venemous arrowes within a fewe dayes after beinge enforsed for lacke of vytales to inuade an other vyllage he hym selfe was stryken in the thyghe with an arrowe Fogeda iâ— wounded Sume of his felowes say that he was thus wounded of one of thinhabytantes whose wyfe he had ledde awaye captiue before They say also that he had first frendly comoned with Fogeda for redemynge of his wyfe had appoynted a day to brynge a portion of golde for her raunsome Ransome And that he came at the daye assigned not laden with golde but armed with bowes and arrowes with eyght other confetherate with hym whiche had bin before partetakers of the iniuries doone to them first at the hauen of Carthago and afterward at the burnyng of the vyllage In reuenge wherof they had desperatly consecrated them selues to death But the matter beinge knowen the captayne of this conspiracie was slayne of Fogeda his coompanyons and his wyfe deteyned in captiuitie Fogeda also throwgh the maliciousnes of the veneme consumed and was dryed vp by lyttle lyttle Whyle these thynges chaunced thus they espyed Nicuesa the other capitayne to whom Baragua the region of the weste syde of Vraba Fogeda consumeth by force of the Beragua and Uraba was assigned to inhabite He gaue wynde to his sayles to take his vyage towarde Beragua the day after that Fogeda departed owte of the hauen of Carâ—hago Nicuesa He with his army which he browght with hym coasted euer alonge by the shore vntyll he came to the goulfe Coiba The goulfe Coiba whose kynges name is Careta Here he founde theyr language to bee in maner nothynge lyke vnto that of Hispaniola or of the hauen of Carthago wherby he perceaued that in this tracte there are many languages differinge from theyr owne bortherers Dyuers languages Nicuesa departinge frome Coiba wente to the prouince or Lieuetenauntshippe of Fogeda his companion Within a fewe dayes after he hym selfe enteringe into one of those marchaunt shippes whiche the Spanyardes caule Carauelas commaunded that the bygger vessels shulde folowe farre behynde He tooke with hym twoo smaule shyppes commenly cauled bergantines or brygantynes Bergantines or brigaÌ„tâ—nes I haue thowght it good in all the discourse of these bookes to vse the common names of thinges bicause I had rather bee playne then curious especially forasmuche as there doo dayly aryse manye newe thynges vnknowen to the antiquitie wherof they haue lefte noo trewe names After the departure of Nicuesa there came a shyppe from Hispaniola to Fogeda the capitayne wherof was one Barnardino de Calauera Barnardino de 〈◊〉 who had stoulne the same from Hispaniola with three score men withowte leaue or aduice of the Admirall and the other gouernours With the vytayles whiche this shippe browgâ—t they refresshed theym selues and sumewhat recouered theyr strengthes muche weakened for lacke of meate Fogeda his companyons whyspered and muttered ageynste hym daylye more and more that he fedde them furthe with vayne hope For he had towlde them that he left Ancisus in Hispaniola whoÌ„ he chose by the kynges commission to bee a Iudge in causes Ancisus bycause he was lerned in the lawe to coome shortly after him with a shippe laden with vytayles And that he marueyled that he was not coome many dayes sense And herein he said nothinge but trewth For when he departed he lefte Ancisus halfe redy to folowe hym But his felowes supposinge that all that he sayde of Ancisus had byn fayned sume of them determyned priuilie to steale away the twoo brigantynes frome Fogeda and to returne to Hispaniola But Fogeda hauing knowleage hereof preuented theyr diuise For leauynge the custodie of the fortresse with a certeyne noble gentelman cauled Francisco Pizarro he hym selfe thus wounded with a fewe other in his companie entered into the shyppe wherof we spake before and sayled directly to Hispaniola Fogeda returneth to hispaniola both to heale the wound of his thygh if any remedy myght bee found also to knowe what was the cause of Ancisus taryinge Leauing hope with his felowes which were nowe browght from three hundreth to three score partly by famyne and partly by warre that he wolde returne within the space of .xv. dayes Famyne prescribyng also a condition to Pizarro and his companions that it shulde not bee imputed to them for treason to departe from thense if he came not ageyne at the day appoynted with vytayles and a newe supply of
about xv myles distante they founde a towne of fyue hundreth houses seuered whose Chebi that is kinge was cauled Abenamachei They all forsooke theyr houses as soone as they harde of owre mennes commyng But when they sawe that owre men pursued them they turned ageyne and ranne vppon them with desperate mindes as men driuen from their owne possessions Theyr wepons are swordes of wod and long staues like iauelens hardened at the ende with fyer But they vse neyther bowes nor arrowes nor any other of thinhabitantes of the weste syde of the goulfe Thâ—nhabitantes of the west â—yde of the goulfe The pore naked wretches were easely dryuen to flight with owre weapons As owre men folowed theym in the chase they tooke the kinge Abenamachei and certeine of his noble men kynge Abenamachei is taken and his arme cut of A common souldier of owres whom the kynge had wounded coomminge to hym when he was taken cutte of his arme at one stroke with his swoorde But this was doone vnwares to the capitaynes The number of the Christian men which were here was aboute a hundrethe and fiftie the one halfe whereof the capytaynes lefte here and they with the resydue rowed vpp the ryuer ageyne with twelue of the boates of those Regions whiche they caul Vru as they of Hispaniola caule them Canoas as we haue sayde From the ryuer of Riuus Niger and the Iland of Cannafistula Many other ryuers fauling into Riuus Niger for the space of threescore and ten myles leauing both on the right hande on the lefte many riuers faulinge into it bigger then it selfe they entred into one by the conductynge of one of the naked inhabitantes beinge appoynted a guyde for that purpose Uppon the banke of this ryuer next vnto the mouthe of the same there was a kynge cauled Abibeiba kyng abibeiba dwellethe in a tree who bycause the Region was full of marysshes had his palaice buylded in the toppe of a highe tree a newe kynde of byldynge and seldome seene But that lande beareth trees of suche exceding heigth Abundance of moyster heat is cause of byggenes that emonge theyr branches a man may frame large houses As wee reede the like in diuers autoures howe in many Regions where the ocean sea rysethe and ouerflowethe the lande the people were accustomed to flye to the high trees and after the faule of the water to take the fysshe lefte on the lande The rysynge of the Ocean sea This maner of buyldinge is to laye beames crosse ouer the branches of the trees faste bownde togyther and there vppon to rayse theyr frame strongly made ageynste wynde and wether Owre men suppose that they buylde theyr houses in trees by reason of the greate fluddes and ouerflowinge of ryuers whiche often tymes chaunce in those Regions These trees are of suche heighth Trees of maruelous height that the strength of no manes arme is able to hurle a stone to the houses buylded therein And therfore doo I gyue the better credit to Plinie and other autours whiche wrytte that the trees in sume places in India are soo high by reason of the frutefulnes of the grounde Plinie abundance of water and heate of the Region that noo man is able to shute ouer theym with an arrowe And by iudgemente of all men it is thowght that there is noo frutfuller ground vnder the soonne Frutefull grounde then this is whereof wee nowe entreate Owr men measuringe manye of these trees founde theym to bee of suche biggnes that seuen men ye sumetymes eight holdinge hande in hande with theyr armes streached furthe were scarsely able too fathâ—me them aboute Yet haue they theyr cellers in the grounde Cellers in the grounde well replenysshed with such wynes wherof wee haue spoken beefore For albeit that the vehemencie of the wynde is not of poure to caste downe those houses or to breeke the branches of the trees yet are they tossed therewith and swaye sumwhat from syde to syde by reason wherof the wyne shulde bee muche troubeled with moouinge All other necessarye thinges they haue with theym in the trees When the kynge or any other of the noble men dyne or suppe in these trees theyr wyues are browght theym from the celleres by theyr seruantes whyche by meanes of exercise are accustomed with noo lesse celeritie to runne vppe and downe the steares adherente to the tree then doo owre waytynge boyes vppon the playne grounde fetche vs what wee caule for from the cobbarde bysyde owr dyninge table Owre men therfore came to the tree of kinge Abibeiba and by thinterpretoures cauled hym foorthe to communication gyuinge hym signes of peace and there vppon willinge hym to coomme downe But he denyed that he woolde coomme owte of his house Desyringe them to suffer hym to lyue after his fasshion But owre men fell from fayre woordes to threateninge that excepte he wolde descende with all his famelie they wolde eyther ouerthrowe the tree or elles set it on fyer When he had denied them ageyne they fell to hewinge the tree with theyr axes Abibeiba seeinge the chippes faule from the tree on euery syde Abibeiba the kynge of the tree yeldethe to Uaschus chaunged his purpose and came downe with only two of his soones Thus after they had entreated of peace they communed of gatheringe of golde Abibeiba answered that he had noo golde and that he neuer had any neede therof nor yet regarded it any more then stones But when they were instante vppon hym he sayde vnto them Gold no more estemed then stones If yowe soo greatly desyre golde I will seeke for sume in the nexte mountaynes and bringe it vnto yowe For it is plentifully engendred in those mountaynes Then he appointed a day when he wold bringe this golde But Abibeiba came neyther at the day nor after the daye appoynted They departed therfore from thense well refresshed with his vitailes and wyne but not with goulde as they hoped Yet were they enformed the like by Abibeiba and his ditionaries as concerninge the golde mynes and the Canibales as they harde before of kinge Comogrus Saylinge yet further aboute thirtie myles they chaunced vppon certeyne cotages of the Canibales Canibales But vtterly voyde with owte men or stuffe For when they had knowleage that owre men wandered in the prouinces nere aboute theym they resorted to the mountaynes caryinge al theyr goodes and stuffe wyth them ¶ The fyfte booke of the seconde Decade of the supposed continent IN the meane tyme whyle these thynges were doone alonge by the shores or bankes of the ryuer a certeyne Decurian that is a capytayne ouer tenne of the coompanye of those which Vascus and Colmenaris had lefte for a garryson in Riuo Nigro in the dominion of kynge Abinamachei whether it were that he was compelled throwgh hunger or that his fataule dayes was nowe coome he attempted with his souldiers to searche the countreys nere there about
tylled and sowne much grounde in Dariena by thincrease wherof he might get much gold by sellyng the same to his felows He lefte therfore the charge of al his affayres in Dariena with his partener Alphonsus Nunnez a Iudge of the lawe who also was lyke to haue byn chosen procuratoure of this vyage before Colmenaris if one had not put theim in remembraunce that he had a wyfe at Matritis A wyfe is a hynderance fearyng least beinge ouercoome with her teares he woolde no more returne Colmenaris therefore a free man and at libertie being associate assistant with Quicedus they tooke shyppyng togyther in a brigantine the fourth day of the Calendes of Nouember in the yeare of Christ .1512 In this vyage beinge tossed with sundry tempestes they were by the violence of the wynde cast vppon the Weste coastes of that large Ilande whiche in the fyrste Decade we cauled Cuba Cubâ— supposed to haue byn fyrme lande They were sore oppressed with hunger For it was nowe three moonethes sence they departed from theyr felowes Three mooâ—ethâ—â—â—rom 〈◊〉 to Cuba by reaâ—on of tepestâ— By reason whereof they were enforced to take lande to proue what ayde they coulde gette amonge the inhabitantes Theyr chaunce therefore was to arryue in that part of the Ilande where Valdiuia was dryuen alande by tempest But oh yowe wretched men of Dariena Tary for Valdiuia whom yowe sent to prouide to hâ—lpe yowre neceâ—sities 〈…〉 Prouyde for yowre selues rather and trust not to them whose fortune yowe knowe not For when he arryued in Cuba thinhabitantes slewe him with al his felowes and lefte the carauell wherin they were caried torne in pieces and halfe couered with sande on the shore where Quicedus and Colmenaris fyndyng the fragmentes therof bewayled their felowes mysfortune But they founde none of theyr carkeses supposinge that they were eyther drowned or deuoured of the Canibals which oftentymes make incursions into that Ilande to hunte for men But at the length by twoo of the Ilande men which they had taken they had knowleage of Valdiuia his destruction And that thinhabitantes the more greedely attempted the same hurt of lauyshenes of the tonge for that they had harde by the bablynge of one of his felowes that he had great plentie of gold For they also take pleasure in the bewtie of gold which they forme artificially into sundry ouches Thus owre men stryken with pensyuenes for the cruell destenie of theyr felowes and in vayne seekynge reuenge for theyr iniuries determyned to forsake that vnfortunate lande departynge from those couetous naked barbarians with more sorowe and necessitie then they were in before Or euer they had passed the South syde of Cuba they fel into a thousande mysfortunes and had intellygence that Fogeda arryued thereaboute The calamitie death of Fogeda leadynge a myserable lyfe tossed and turmoyled with tempestes and vexed with a thousand perplexities Soo that departing from thense almost alone his felowes beinge for the most parte all consumed with maladies and famyn Maladies famen he came with much difficultie to Hispaniola where he dyed by force of the poyson of his venemous wound which he had receaued in Vraba as we haue said before But Ancisus elected Lieuetenaunt The prosperous vyage of Ancisus sayled by all those coastes with much better fortune For as he hym selfe toulde me he founde prosperous wyndes in those parties and was well enterteyned of thinhabitantes of Cuba But this specially in the dominion of a certeyne kynge whose name was Commendator A kyng of Cuba â—aptised by the name of Commendator For wheras he desyred of the Christian men whiche passed by to bee baptised demaundynge the name of the gouernour of the Ilande next vnto Hispaniola beinge a noble man and a knyght of thorder of Galatraua of which order al are cauled Commendatores this kynges desyre was to bee named after hym Kynge Commendator therfore frendely receaued Ancisus and gaue hym greate abundance of al thynges necessarie But what Ancisus lerned of theyr religion durynge the tyme of his Ancisus remaynynge there I haue thowght good to aduertyse yowre holynes Yowe shall therefore vnderstande A maruelouâ— historie howe God wrought miracles by the simple fayth of a maryner that certeyne of owre men saylinge by the coastes of Cuba lefte with kynge Commendator â–ª a certeyne poore maryner beinge diseased Who in shorte space recoueringe his health and hauynge nowe sumwhat lerned theyr language beganne to growe into great estimation with the kynge and his subiectes in soo muche that he was oftentymes the kynges Lieuetenaunt in his warres ageynst other princes his bortherers This mans fortune was soo good that all thynges prospered well that he tooke in hande And albeit that he were not lerned yet was he a vertuous and well meanynge man accordynge to his knowleage and dyd religiously honoure the blessed virgin bearynge euer about with hym her picture fayre paynted vpon paper sowd in his apparell nere vnto his breste Be not rashe in iudgement Signifyinge vnto the kyng that this holynes was the cause of al his victories persuadynge hym to doo the lyke and to cast away all his Zemes which were none other then the symilitudes of euyll spirites Zemes moste cruell enemyes and deuourers of owre sowles And to take vnto hym the holy virgin and moother of god to bee his patronesse if he desyred all his affayres aswell in warre as in peace to succede prosperously Also that the blessed virgyn woolde at noo tyme fayle hym but bee euer redy to helpe him and his if they woolde with deuoute hartes caule vppon her name The maryner had soone persuaded the naked nation And there vppon gaue the kynge who demaunded the same his pycture of the virgin to whom he buylded and dedicate a chapell and an altare A chapel builded to the picture of the virgin Mary euer after contemnynge and reiectynge his Zemes. Of these Zemes made of gossampine cotton to the similitudes of sprytes walkynge in the nyght which they oftentymes see and speake with them familierly wee haue spoken sufficiently in the nynth booke of the fyrst Decade Furthermore accordynge to the institution of this maryner when the soonne draweth towarde the faule this kynge Commendator with all his famely bothe men and women resorte daylye to the sayde chapell of the virgin Marie God reâ—pecteth the infancie of faâ—the for zeles sake where kneelyng on theyr knees and reuerently bawyng downe theyr heades holdynge theyr handes ioyned togyther they salute thimage of the virgin with these woordes Aue Maria Aue Maria. For fewe of them can rehearse any more woordes of this prayer At Ancisus his beinge there they tooke hym and his felowes by the handes and ledde them to this chapell with reioysinge sayinge that they woolde shewe theym maruelous thynges When they were entered One Religion turned into an other holdeth styl many thâ—nges of the fyrst they poynted
and runneth downe by the sydes of the mountaynes The lyke is also seene in this famous towne of Valladoleto where we nowe suiorne in a certeyne greene close not past a furlonge distant from the waules of the towne I graunte therfore that in certeyne places by conuersion of the ayrie dewe into water within the caues of suche mountaynes many sprynges and ryuers are engendred But I suppose that nature was not sollicitate to brynge furthe suche greate fluds by this so smaule industry Twoo reasons therfore do sound beste to my iudgement whereof the one is the often faule of rayne The often fal of raâ—ne and contâ—nuall sprynge time The other the continuall autumne or sprynge tyme which is in those regions beinge soo nere vnto the Equinoctial that the common people can perceaue no difference betwene the length of the day and the night throwgh owt al the yeare whereas these two seasons are more apte to engender abundance of rayne then eyther extreme wynter or feruent summer An other reason in effect much lyke vnto the fyrst The Equinocâ—iall is this If the sea bee full of pores and that by the pores therof beinge opened by the Southe windes The pores of the sea the South wynd wee shal consent that vapours are lyfted vp wherof the watery cloudes are engendred this lande must needes bee moysted with moo shoures then anye other yf it bee as narowe as they saye and enuironed with twoo mayne seas collaterally beatinge on the same Howe so euer it be I can not but gyue credit to the report of such worthy men as haue recourse to those regions And can noo lesse then declare the same albeit it may seeme incredible to sume ignorant persons not knowynge the poure of nature to whome Plinie was persuaded that nothynge was impossible Nothinge impossible to the poure of naure Wee haue therfore thought it good to make this discourse by the way of argument least on the one syde men of good lernyng and iudgement and on the other syde suche as are studious to fynde occasions of quarelynge in other mens wrytynges shulde iudge vs to bee so vndescreete lyghtly to gyue creditte to euery tale not beinge consonant to reason But of the force and greate violence of those fresshe waters The cause of the greatnes and force of the goulfe which repulsinge the sea make so greate a goulfe as wee haue sayde I thinke the cause therof to bee the greate multitude of fluddes and ryuers which beinge gathered togither make so great a poole and not one ryuer as they suppose And for as muche as the mountaynes are excedynge hyghe and stiepe hygh and stiepe hylles I thinke the violence of the faule of the waters to be of such force that this conflicte betwene the waters is caused by thimpulsion of the poole that the salte water can not enter into the goulfe But here perhappes sume wyll marueyle at me why I shulde marueyle soo muche hereat speakynge vnto me scornefully after this maner Why dothe he soo marueyle at the greate ryuers of these Regions Hathe not Italye his Eridanus The fludde Eridanus named the kynge of ryuers of the owlde wryters Haue not other regions also the lyke as wee reede of Tanais Tanais Ganges Ganges and Danubius Danubius which are sayde soo to ouercoome the sea that freshe water may bee drawne fortie myles within the fame These menne I woolde satisfie with this answere The famous ryuer of Padus in Italye whiche they nowe caule Po Padus and was of the Greekes cauled Eridanus hath the greate mountaynes cauled Alpes diuidinge Fraunce Alpes Germanie and Pannonie from Italye lyinge at the backe therof as it were bulwarges agger full of moysture And with a longe tracte receauinge Ticinum with innumerable other great ryuers Ticinum fauleth into the sea Adriatike The sea Adriatike sume caule the goâ—lfe of Uenes The lyke is also to bee vnderstode of the other But these ryuers as owre men were enformed by the kynges faul into the Ocean sea with larger and fuller chanels nere hand And sume there are which affirme this lande to bee very large in other places althowgh it bee but narowe here There commeth also to my remembrance an other cause the whiche althowgh it bee of no greate force An other reason yet doo I entende to wryte it Perhappes therfore the length of the lande reachyng far from the Easte to the weste if it bee narowe may bee a helpe hereunto For as wee reade that the ryuer Alpheus passethe through the holowe places vnder the sea from the citie of Elis in Peloponoso The ryuer Alpheus and breaketh foorth at the fountayne or sprynge Arethusa in the Iland of Sicilia Arethusa so is it possible that these mountaynes may haue suche longe caues perteynynge vnto theim Longe caues in the mountaynes that they may be the receptacles of the water passing through the landes beinge farre distante And that the same waters commynge by soo longe a tracte may in the way bee greately encreased by the conuersion of ayer into water as wee haue sayde Thus muche haue I spoken freely permittinge bothe to them whiche doo frendely enterprete other mens doinges and also to the malicious scorners to take the thynge euen as them lysteth For hetherto I can make no further declaration hereof But wheÌ„ the truth shal be better knoweÌ„ I wyl do my diligence to commit the same to wryting Nowe therefore forasmuche as we haue spoken thus muche of the breadth of this land we enteÌ„d to describe the length forme of the same ¶ The tenth booke of the seconde Decade of the supposed Continent THat lande reacheth foorth into the sea euen as doth Italy althowgh not like the legge of a man as it doth The length and forme of the Iland Cap. S. Augusti But I nowe compare a Pigmean or a dwarfe to a giant For that part therof which the Spaniardes haue ouer runne from the sayde Easte poynt which reacheth towarde the sea Atlantike the ende not beinge yet founde towarde the Weste is more then eyght tymes longer then Italye Eyght tymes bygger tâ—en Italy besyde that part whiche the Portugales poâ—sesse Italy is in length a thouâ—and and two hundreth myles and in breadth foure hundreth and ten And by what reason I am moued to say eyght tymes yowre holynes shall vnderstande From the tyme therefore that I fyrste determined to obeye their requestes who wylled me fyrste in yowre name to wryte these thynges in the laten tonge I dyd my endeuoure that al thinges myght coome foorth with dewe tryall and experience Wherupon I repayred to the byshoppe of Burges beinge the chiefe refuge of this nauigation As wee were therfore secretly togyther in one chamber we had many instrumentes perteynynge to these affayres as globes and manye of those mappes which are commonly cauled the shipmans cardes or cardes of the sea Cardes
foorthwith to thintente there to plant theyr colonie or habitacion where the newe gouernour planted his habitatioÌ„ To the better accomplysshemente hereof they sent immediatly one Iohannes Aiora a noble younge gentelman of Corduba and vnder Lieuetenant The viage of Iohannes Aiora with foure hundreth men and foure carauelles and one other lyttle shippe Thus departinge he sayled fyrst directly to the hauen of Comogrus The hauen of Comogrus dystant from Dariena aboute twentie and fyue leagues as they wryte in theyr last letters Frome hense he as appoynted to sende a hundreth and fyftie of his foure hundreth towarde the South by a newe and ryghter way founde of late by the which as they say it is not paste .xxvi. leagues from the palaice of kynge Comogrus to the enteraunce of the goulfe of Sancti Michaelis Sainte Mychaels goulfâ— The residewe of the foure hundreth shall remayne there to bee an ayde and succour to all such as shall iorney to and fro Those hundreth and fiftie which are assigned to go southwarde take with them for interpretours certeine of owre men which had lerned the sootherne language of the bonde men which were gyuen to Vaschus when he ouerranne those regions and also certeyne of the bondemâ—n them selues which had nowe lerned the Spanysshe tonge They say that the hauen of Pocchorrosa The hauen Pocchorrosa is onely seuen leaques distante frome the hauen of Comogrus In Pocchorrosa he is assigned to leaue fyftâ—e men with the lyghtest shyp which maye bee a passinger betwene them A passynger shyppe that lyke as we vse poste horses by lande so may they by this currant shippe in shorte space certifie the Lieuetenaunt and thinhabitours of Dariena of suche thynges as shall chaunce They entende also to buylde houses in the region of Tumanama The palaice of kynge Tumanama Kyng Tumanama is distant from Pocchorrosa about twentie leaques Of these foure hundreth men beinge of the owlde souldiers of Dariena and men of good experience fyftie weare appoynted to bee as it were Decurians to guide and conducte the newe men from place to place to do their affaires Decurians are officers deuided into â—ennes c. When they had thus sette all thynges in order they thought it good to aduertise the king hereof and therwith to certifye hym that in those prouinces there is a kynge named Dabaiba whose dominion is very riche in golde Kyng Dabaiba But the same to be yet vntouched by reason of his great power His kingedome ioyneth to the seconde greate ryuer named Dabaiba after his name The gold mynes of Dabaiba whiche fauleth into the sea owt of the corner of the goulfe of Vraba as we haue largely declared before The common reporte is that all the lande of his dominions is ryche in golde The palayce of kynge Dabaiba is fyfty leaques distante from Dariena The pallaice of kynge Dabaiba Thinhabitantes saye that from the palaice the golde mynes reache to the borthers on euery syde The gold mynes of Dariena Albeit owre men haue also golde mynes not to bee contempned euen within three leaques of Dariena in the which they gather golde in many places at this presente Yet doo theye affyrme greater plentie to bee in the mynes of Dabaiba In the bookes of owre fyrste frutes wrytten to yowre holynesse we made mention of this Dabaiba wherin owre men were deceaued and mystooke the matter â—n erroure For where they founde the fyssher men of kyng Dabaiba in the marysshes they thought his region had byn there also They determyned therfore to sende to kynge Dabaiba three hundreth choyse younge men to be chosen owte of the hole army as moste apte to the warres Eâ—pedition ageinst kynge Dabaiba and well furnysshed with all kyndes of armoure and artillery to thintent to go vnto hym and wyl hym eyther frendly and peaceably to permytte them to inhabyte parte of his kingdome with the fruition of the golde mynes or elles to bydde him battayle and dryue hym owte of his countrey In their letters they often â—ymes repete this for an argument of great rychesse to coome Great plentie of golde that they in maner dygged the grounde in noo place but founde the earthe myxte with sparkes and smaule graynes of golde They haue also aduertised the kynge that it shal be commodious to place inhabitours in the hauen of Sancta Martha in the region of Saturma The regyon of Saturma that it maye bee a place of refuge for them that sayle from the Ilande of Dominica from the whiche as they saye it is but foure or fyue dayes saylyng to that hauen of the regyon of Saturma The Ilande of Dominica And from the hauen but thre dayes saylyng to Dariena Dariena But this is to bee vnderstode in goynge and not in returnynge For the returnyng from thense is so laborious and difficulte by reason of the contrary course of the water Difficulte saylyng ageynst the course of the sea that they seeme as it were to ascende hyghe montaynes and stryue ageynste the poure of Neptunus This swyfte course of the sea towarde the Weste is not so violente to theym whiche retourne to Spayne frome the Ilandes of Hispaniola and Cuba Althoughe they also do laboure ageynste the faule of the Ocean The cause wherof is that the sea is here verye large so that the waters haue their full scoope But in the tracte of Paria the waters are constrayned together by the bendynge sydes of that great lande and by the multytude of Ilandes lyinge ageynste it as the lyke is seene in the straightes or narowe seas of Sicilie where the violent course of the waters cause the daungerous places of Scylla and Charybdis The daungerous straightes of Scylla Charybdis by reason of those narowe seas whiche conteine Ionium Libicum and Tirrhenum Colonus the fyrst fynder of these regyons hath lefte in wrytynge that saylynge from the Ilande of Guanassa Guanassa and the prouynces of Iaia Iaia Maia Maia and Cerabaro Cerabaro beyng regyons of the west marches of Beragua Beragua he founde the course of the water so vehemente and furious ageynste the fore parte of his shippe whyle he sailed from those coastes towarde the Easte that he coulde at no tyme touche the grounde with his soundynge plummet but that the contrary vyolence of the water woolde beare it vppe from the bottome The vehement course of the sea fro the east to the west He affyrmeth also that he coulde neuer in one hole daye with a meately good wynde wynne one myle of the course of the water And this is the cause why they are oftentymes enforced to sayle fyrste by the Ilandes of Cuba and Hispaniola and so into the mayne sea toward the North when they returne to Spaine that the Northe wyndes maye further their vyage whiche they can not brynge to passe by a directe course The northâ— wynde But
they take this with them to begyn with all vntyl Tuyra who maketh them all these fayre promisses prouyde them of greater quantitie This haue I my selfe sene in the toppe of the mountaynes of Guaturo where hauynge in pryson the kynge of that prouince who rebelled from thobedience of yowre maiestie and demaundynge of hym to whom perteyned those sepultures or graues whiche I sawe in his houâ—e he answered that they were of certeyne Indians whiche â—â—ewe them selues at the death of his father And bycause they are oftentymes accustomed to burye greate quantities of wrought golde with them I caused twoo graues to bee opened wherein was nothynge founde but a vessell full of the grayne of Maizium and a bundell of Iucca as I haue sayde And demaundyng the cause hereof of the kinge and the other Indians they aunswered that they that were buryed there were the labourers of the grounde and men skylful in sowynge of seedes and makynge of breade and seruauntes to the kynges father And to th ende that theyr soules shoulde not dye with theyr bodyes they slewe them selues at the deathe of the kynge theyr master to lyue with hym in heauen And to thintent that they myght seene him there in the same office they reserued that Maizium and Iucca to sowe it in heauen Wherunto I aunswered them in this maner Beholde howe your Tuyra deceaueth yowe And howe all that he teacheth yow is false Yowe see how in so long a tyme sence they are deade they haue not yet taken awaye this Maizium and Iucca which is nowe putrified and woorth nothynge and not lyke to bee sowen in heauen To this the kynge replyed sayinge In that they haue not taken it away nor sowen it in heauen the cause is that they chaunced to fynde enowgh there by reason wherof they had no neade of this To this errour manye thynges were sayde which seemed of lyttle force to remoue hym from his false opinion and especially any such as at that age are occupyed of the deuyll whom they paynt of the selfe same forme and coloure as he appereth vnto theym in dyuers shapes and formes They make also Images of golde copper and woodde to the same similitudes in terrible shapes and so variable as the paynters are accustomed to paynt them at the feete of saynte Mychaell tharchangell or in anye other place where they paynt them of most horrible portiture Lykewyse when the deuyll greatly intendeth to feare theym he threteneth to sende them great tempestes which they caule Fuâ—acanas or Haurachanas and are so vehement that they ouerthrowe many howses and great trees And I haue seene in montaynes full of many and greate trees thâ—t for the space of three quarters of a league the mâ—untayne hathe byn subuerted and the trees ouerâ—hrowen and plucked owte of the earthe with the rootes a thynge doubtelesse so fearefull and terryble to behold that it may verely appere to be doen by the hand of the deuyll And in this case the Christian men ought to consider with good reason that in al places where the holy sacrament is reserued the sayd tempestes are no more so owtragious or so perelous as they were wonte to bee ¶ Of the temperature of the regions vnder or neare to the burnt lyue cauled Torrida zona or the Equinoctiall and of the dyuers seasons of the yeare THe landes and regions that are neare about the clymes of the Equinoctiall lyne are naturally hotte althowghe they bee otherwise temperate by the diuine prouidence And therfore suche flesshe or fyshe as is taken and kylled in these regions can not bee preserued from putrefaction except it be tosted sodden or perboylde the same daye that it is kylde And wheras I haue sayde that such regions are naturally hot and yet temperate by the prouidence of god it is so in deede And therfore not without cause the auncient autours were of opinion that the burnte lyne or Torrida zona where passeth the lyne of the Equinoctiall shulde be vnhabitable by reason the soonne hath greater dominion in that place then in any other of the sphere remaynynge continually betwene the two tropykes of Cancer and Capricorne For when in these regions the earth is opened or dygged froÌ„ the superficial parte therof to the depth of a mans heyght it is founde temperate And within this space the trees and plantes fasten and spreade their rootes and no dieper Extendynge the same as farre in breadth in the ground as do theâ—r braunches in the ayer And enter no dieper into the grounde then I haue sayde bycause that beneth the depth of the said space of a mans heyght the earth is verye hotte the vppâ—r parte beinge temperate and verye moyste aswell by reason of thaboundaunce of water whiche fauleth from heauen vppon that earth at certeyne ordinarie seasons of the yeare as also for the multitude of great ryuers brokes sprynges and marysshes wherby the myghtie and supreme lorde which made theâ—e landes hath moste prudently prouyded for the preseruation of the same R. E. As touchynge this poynt whiche was vnknowen to the owlde wryters and withowt consideration wherof reaâ—on can not perfectly conceaue howe temperate regione shulde be vnder the Equinoctiall lyne I haue thought good for the better manifestynge of this â—ecreate woorke of nature to note owte of Cardanus his booke de Elementis howe all waters haue theyr courâ—e toward the South as to the lowest part of the earth he wayteth therefore as foloweth The water was made of lesse quantitie then the earth and only in maner in the superficiall parte therof that place might bee lefte for the habitation of beastes and that water by his couldnesse myght temperate and not destroy the lyfe of beastes And bicause this generation of lyuynge creatures was only necessary on the superficiall partes of the earth in comparison to the hole therfore was the water made to occupie onely the superficiall parte in the which metals plantes beastes and fysshes shulde bee nuryshed And bycause there was great perell least it shulde be to much conâ—umed by the ayer and heate of the soonne continuall mouinge was ioyned to it wherby it gathereth couâ—denes and is preserued from sodeyne resolution For suche waters as doo not moue â–ª doo soone putrifie and are easely resolued into ayer By reason wherof nature prouyded for the generation of water in couâ—de places as vnder the coles and mountaynes And whereas the earth vnder the Equinoctiall shuâ—de otherwiâ—e for lacke of moyster haue bin to much burned and scorched â–ª nature also prouyded that that parte of the earth shulde bee lowest by reason whâ—reof all waters haue theyr course towarde the South to mitigate with moyster thextremitie of heate which otherwise shulde haue byn intollerable in that câ—yme And by this reason the famous ryuer of Nilus in Egypte albeit it haue his originall and â—prynge owt of the mountaynes of the mone cauled Montes Lunae nere vnto the cyrcle of Capricoâ—ne yet runnynge with all his braunches vnder and
satisfyed as thowghe it had byn delyted with many delycate dysshes But to proceade further yowre maiestie shall vnderstand that in the place of the stone or coornell there is in the myddest of the sayde carnositie a voyde place which neuerthelesse is full of a moste cleare and excellent water in such quantitie as maye fyll a greate egge shell I haue seene one of these fruites opened the whiche whâ—n it was hoâ—e yf it were â—hakeÌ„ the water was harde shogge therin as it were in a bottle but in tyme it consumed and was paâ—tly congeled into a salte substaunce or more or lesse accordynge to the byggenesse of the Cocus The which water suerly is the moste substantial excellent and precious to be droonke that maye bee founde in the worlde In so much that in the momente when it passeth the palate of the mouth and begynneth to goo downe the throte it seemethe that frome the sole of the foote to the crowne of the headde there is no parte of the boddye but that feelethe great coÌ„fort therby as it is doutlesse one of the most excellent thynges that may be tastâ—d vppon the earth and suche as I am not able by wrytynge or toonge to expresse And to proceade yet further I say that when the meate of this frute is taken from the vessell therof the vessell remayneth as fayre and nette as though is were pullyshed and is without of colour inclynynge towarde blacke and shyneth or glystereth very fayre And is within of no lesse dilicatenesse Suche as haue accustomed to drynke in these vesselles and haue bynne trowbeled with the disease cauled the fretinge of the guttes say that they haue by experience founde it a maruelous remedie ageynst that disease And that it breakethe the stone and prouoketh vrine This frute was cauled Cocus for this cause that when it is taken from the place where it cleaueth faste to the tree there are seene two holes and aboue them two other naturall holes which altogyther doo represent the giesture and fygure of the cattes cauled Mammone that is munkeys when they crye whiche crye the Indians caule Coca But in very deede this tree is a kynd of date trees and hath the same effecte to heale fretynge of the guttes that Plinie descrybeth all kyndes of date trees to haue Great trees There are furthermore in the firme lande trees of suche byggenesse that I dare not speake therof but in place where I haue so many wytnesses which haue seene the same as wel as I. I say therfore that a leaque from Dariena or the citie of Sancta Maria Antiqua there passeth a ryuer very large diepe which is cauled Cuti ouer the which the Indians had layde a greate tree so trauersinge the same that it was in the steade of a brydge the which I my selfe with dyuers other that are at this present in yowre maiesties courte haue often tymes passed ouer And forasmuch as the sayde tree had lyne longe there and by the great weight therof was so shronke downewarde and partely couered with water that none could passe ouer it but were weete to the knee I being then in the yeare 1522. thofficial of Iustice in that citie at yowre maiesties appoyntemente caused an other greate tree to bee layde in that place whiche in lyke maner trauersed the ryuer and reached more theÌ„ fyftie foote ouer the further syde This tree was exceadynge greate and rested aboue the water more then twoo cubytes In the faule it cast downe all suche other trees as were within the reache therof And discouered certeyne vynes whiche were so laden with blacke grapes of pleasaunte taste that they satisfyed more then fiftie persons whiche eate theyr fylle therof This tree in the thyckest parte therof was more then syxtene spannes thicke And was neuerthelesse but lyttle in respect of many other trees which are founde in this prouince For the Indians of the coaste and prouince of Carâ—agenia make barkes or boates therof which they caule Canoas of such byggenesse beinge all of one hole tree that sume conteyne a hundreth men sume a hundreth and thirtie and sume more hauynge neuerthelesse suche voyde space within the same that there is lefte sufficiente roome to passe to and fro through owte all the Canoa Sum of these are so large bysyde the length that they conteyne more then tenne or twelue spannes in breadth and sayle with twoo sayles as with the master sayle and the trinkette which they make of verye good cotton The greatest trees that I haue seene in these partes or in anye other regions was in the prouince of Guaturo the kynge wherof rebellynge from thobedience of yowre maiestie was persued by me and taken prysoner At whiche tyme I with my company passed ouer a very hygh mountayne ful of great trees in the toppe wherof we founde one tree whiche had three rootes or rather diuisions of the roote aboue the earth in forme of a tryangle or triuette A marueloâ—-tree so that betwene euery foote of this triangle or three feete there was a space of twentie foote betwene euery foote And this of such heyght aboue the earthe that a laden carte of those wherewith they are accustomed to brynge home corne in the tyme of haruest in the kyngedome of Toledo in Spayne myght easely haue passed throwgh euery of those particions or wyndowes whiche were betwene the three feete of the sayd tree From the earth vpwarde to the trunke of the tree the open places of the dyuisions betwene these three feete were of suche heyght from the grounde that a footeman with a iauelyn was not able to reache to the place where the sayde feete ioyned togyther in the trunke or body of the tree which grewe of great height in one piece and one hole body or euer it spredde in braunches which it did not before it exceaded in heyhht the towre of saynt Romane in the citie of Toledo from whiche heyght and vpwarde it spreade very greate and stronge braunches Amonge certeyne Spanyardes which clymed this tree I my selfe was one And when I was ascended to the place where it begunne to spreade the branches it was a maruelous thing to beholde a greate countrey of suche trees towarde the prouince of Abrayme This tree was easy to clyme by reaâ—on of certeyne Besuchi wherof I haue spoken before which grewe wreathed aboute the tree in suche sorte that they seemed to make a scalynge ladder Euery of the foresayde three feete which bore the boddie of the tree was twentie spannes in thyckenesse And where they ioyned al togyther aboue in the trunke or boddye of the tree the principall trunke was more then fortie and fyue spannes in circuite I named the mountayne where these trees grow the mountayne of three footed trees And this which I haue nowe declared was seene of all the companye that was there with me when as I haue sayde before I tooke kynge Guaturo prysoner in the yeare 1522. Many thynges more myght here
bee spoken as touchynge this matter as also howe there are many other excellent trees founde of dyuers sortes and dyfference as sweete Ceder trees blacke date trees and many other of the which sum are so heauy that they can not flote aboue the water but synke immediatly to the bottome And other ageyne as light as a corke As touchynge all whiche thynges I haue wrytten more largely in my generall hystorie of the Indies And forasmuch as at this present I haue entered to intreate of trees before I passe any further to other thynges I wyl declare the maner howe the Indians kyndle fyre only wiâ—h woodde and without fyre â—yndlynge of fyre withowt fyre the maner wherof is this They take a piece of woodde of two spannes in lengthe as bygge as the leaste fynger of a mans hande or as an arrowe well pullysshed and of a stronge kynde of woodde whiche they keepe onely for this purpose And where they intende to kyndle any fyre they take two other pieces of woodde of the dryest and lyghtest that they can fynde and bynde them fast togyther one with an other as close as two fyngers ioyned In the myddest or betwene these they put the poynt of the fyrste lyttle staffe made of harde and stronge wood which they hold in theyr handes by the toppe thereof and turne or rubbe it rounde aboute continually in one place betwene the two pieces of woodde which lye bounde togyther vppon the earthe which by that vncessant rubbynge and chafynge are in short space kyndeled and take fyer Purrified woodde shynyng in the nyght I haue also thought good here to speake sumwhat of such thynges as coomme to my rememberaunce of certeyne trees which are founde in this lande and sumetyme also the lyke haue bynne seene in Spayne These are certeyne putrifyed troonkes which haue â—yne so longe rottyng on the â—arth that they are verye whyte and shyne in the nyght lyke burnynge fyre brandes And when the Spanyardes fynde any of this woodde and intende priuily in the nyght to make warre and inuade any prouince when case so requyreth that it shal be necessary to go in the nyght in suche places where they knowe not the way the formost Christian man whiche guydethe the waye associate with an Indian to directe hym therein taketh a lyttle starre of the sayde woodde which he putâ—eth in his cappe hangynge behynde on hâ—s shoulders by the lyght wherof he that foloweth nexte to him directeth his iourney who also in lyke maner beareth an other starre behynde hym by the shynynge whereof the thyrde foloweth the same waye and in lyke maner do al the rest so that by this meanes none are loste or stragle owte of the way And forasmuche as this lyght is not seene very farre it is the better pollicie for the Chrystians bycause they are not thereby disclosed before they inuade theyr enemies Furthermore as touchynge the natures of trees one particular thynge seemeth woorthy to bee noted wherof Plinie maketh mention in his natural hystorye where he saythe that there are certeyne trees which contynewe â—uer greene and neuer lose theyr leaues Plinie as the baye tree the Ceder Trees which continue euer greene the orange tree and the olyue tree with such other of the whiche in all togyther he nameth not paste fyue or syxe To this purpose I saye that in the Ilandes of these Indies and also in the firme lande it is a thynge of muche difficultie to fynde twoo trees that lose or cast theyr leaues at any tyme. For althowgh I haue diligentely searched to knowe the trewthe hereof yâ—t haue I not seene any that lose theyr leaues eyther of theym which we haue browght owt of Spayne into these regions as Orange trees Linions Ceders Palmes or date trees and Pomegranate trees or of any other in these regions exâ—epte onely Cassia Cassia which loseth his leaues and hath a greater thynge appropriate to it selfe onely which is that whereas all other trees and plantes of India spreade theyr rooâ—â—s no dâ—eper in the earthe then the depth of a mans heyght or sumewhat more A secreatâ— thyâ—ge not descendyng any further into the ground by reason of the greate heate which is found beneth that depth yet dooth Cassia pearce further into the grounde vntyl it fynd water whiche by the Phylosophers opinion shoulde be the cause of a thynne and watery radycall moyster to suche thynges as drawe theyr nuryshement therof Radycall moysture â–ª as â—at and vâ—ctuous groundes with temperate heate yelde a fast firme moysture to suche thynges as growe in them whiche is the cause that suche trees lose not theyr leaues as the sayde thynne and waterysshe moysture is cause of the contrarie as appearethe by the sayde effecte which is seene onely in Cassia and none other tree or plante in all these parties ¶ Of Reedes or Canes I Haue not thought it conuenient in the chapiture before to speake of that whereof I intende nowe to intreate of reedes or canes to thintente that I woolde not mengle theym with plantes or trees beinge thynges of theÌ„ selues woorthy to bee particularly obserued So it is therfore that in the firme land there are many sortes of reedes so that in many places they make theyr howses therof couerynge them with the toppes of the same and makynge theyr waules of them in lyke maner as I haue sayde before And amonge these kyndes of reedes there is one so greate that the canes therof are as bygge as a mans legge in the knee and three spannes in length frome ioynt to ioynt or more in so much that euery of them is of capacitie to conteyne a lyttle bucket of water In this kynde here are founde sum greater and sum lesse of the which sum they vse to make quyuers for arrowes There is founde an other kynde which suerly is marueylous beynge lyttle bygger then a Iauelen the canes whereof are longer then twoo spannes These reedes growe one farre from an other as sumtymes twentie or thirtie pases and sumetymes also twoo or three leaques They growe in maner in all prouynces in the Indies And growe nere to very hygh trees whereunto they leane and creepe vp to the toppes of theyr braunches which they imbrase and descende ageyne downe to the earth Theyr canes are full of moste cleare water without any maner of tast or sauoure eyther of the canes or of any other thynge And suche as yf it were taken owte of the fressheste sprynge in the worlde Nor yet is it knowen that euer it hurte any that droonke therof For it hath oftentymes so chaunced that as the Chrysten men haue trauayled in these regions in desolate wayes where for lacke of water they haue byn in great daunger to dye for thyrste they haue escaped that perell by reason that they founde the sayde reedes of the water of whose canes they haue droonke a great quantitie withowt any hurte thereof ensewynge Therefore when they fynde these in
of the strayght of Gibilterra in the which the water from th end and furtheste parte of that sea The West Ocean euen vnto the mouth of the sayde straight eyther in the East towarde the coaste commonlye cauled Leuante or in any other parte of the sayde sea Mediterraneum The sâ—a Mediteraneum the sea doothe not so faule nor increase as reason wolde iudge for so greate a sea But incresethe verye lyttle and a smaule space Neuerthelesse withoute the mouthe of the straight in the mayne Ocean it increaseth and fauleth verye muche and a great space of grounde from syxe houres to syxe houres as in all the coastes of Spayne Britannye Flanders Germanye and England The selfe same Ocean sea in the fyrme lande newly founde in the coastes of the same lyynge towarde the Northe dothe neyther ryse nor faule nor lykewise in the Ilandes of Hispaniola and Cuba and all the other Ilandes of the same sea lyinge towarde the northe Hispaniola Cuba for the space of thre thousande leaques but onelye in lyke maner as doothe the sea Mediterrâ—neum in Italye whiche is in maner nothynge in respecte to that increase and decrease whiche the sayde Ocean hath in the coastes of Spayne and Flaunders But this is yet a greater thynge that also the selfe same Ocean in the coastes of the sayde fyrme lande lyinge towardâ— the Southe in the citie of Panama and also in the coaste of that lande whiche lyethe towarde the Easte and Weste frome that citie as in the Ilande of pearles or Margaritea whiche the Indians caule Tarrarequi and also in Taboga and Otoque and in all other Ilandes of the southe sea of Sur the water ryseth and fauleth so much that when it fauleth it goth in maner owt of syghte which thynge I my selfe haue seene oftentymes And here youre maiestie may note an other thynge that from the northe sea to the southe sea beynge of suche dyfferâ—nce the one from the other in rysynge and faulynge The South sea yet is the lande that deuydeth theym not paste eyghteene or twentye leaques in breadthe frome coaste to coaste So that bothe the sayde seas beynge all one Ocean this straunge effecte is a thynge worthy greately to bee considered of al suche as haue inclination and desyre to knowe the secreate woorkes of nature wherin the infinite powre and wysedome of god is seene to bee such as may allure all good natures to reuerence and loue so diuine a maiestie The power and wâ—sdome of god is sene in his creatures And wheras by the demonstrations of lerned men I am not satisfyed of the natural cause hereof I content my selfe to knowe and beleue that he which hathe made these thynges dooth knowe this and many other whiche he hath not granted to the reason of man to comprehend much lesse to so base a wyt as myne is They therefore that are of greater vnderstandynge shall searche the cause hereof for them and for me forasmuch as I haâ—e onely put the matter in question as a wytnesse that haue seene thexperience of the thynge ¶ Of the strayght or narowe passage of the lande lyinge betwene the North and South sea by the whiche spyces way much sooner and easlyer be brought from the Ilandes of Molucca into Spayne by the West Ocean then by that way wherby the Portugales sayle into East India IT hath byn an opinion amonge the Cosmographers and Pylottes of late tyme and other which haue had practise in thynges touchynge the sea that there shulde bee a strayghâ— of water passynge from the North sea of the firme in to the South sea of Sur whiche neuerthelesse hath not byn seene nor founde to this daye And suerlye yf there be any suche strayght â–ª we that inhabite those partes do thynke the same shulde bee rather of lande theÌ„ of water For the fyrme lande in sum partes therof is so strayght and narrowe that the Indyans saye that frome the mountaynes of the prouynce of Esquegua or Vrraca Esquegua and vrrace whych are betwene the one sea and the other If a man assend to the toppe of the mountaynes and looke towarde the Northe he maye see the water of the North sea of the Prouynce of Beragua And ageyne lookynge the contrarye waye may on the other syde towarde the Southe see the sea of Sur and the prouynces whyche confyne with it as doo the territoryes of the twoo Lordes or kynges of the sayde prouinces of Vrraca and Esquegua And I beleue that if it bee as the Indyans saye of al that is hetherto knowen this is the narowest strayght of the fyrme lande whiche sume affyrme to bee full of rough mountaynes Yet doo I not take it for a better waye or so shorte as is that whyche is made from the porte cauled Nomen dei whiche is in the Northe sea vnto the newe citye of Panama beynge in the coaste and on the banke of the sea of Sur. Nomen Deâ— Panama Whiche waye is likewyse very rough ful of thicke wods mountaines ryuers valleys and verye diffyculte to passe through and can not bee doone withowt greate laboure and trauayle Sum measure this waye in this part to bee from sea to sea .xviii. leaques whych I suppose to bee rather .xx. not for that it is any more by measure but bicause it is rough and dyffyculte as I haue sayde and as I haue founde it by experyence hauynge nowe twyse passed that way by foote countyng from the porte and vyllage of Nomen Dei vnto the dominion of the Cacique of Iuanaga otherwyse cauled Capira .viii. leaques And frome thense to the ryuer of Chagre The ryuer of Chagre other .viii. leaques So that at this ryuer beinge .xvi. leaques from the sayde porte endeth the roughnesse of the way Then from hense to the maruelous brydge are two leaques And beyonde that other twoo vnto the port of Panama So that all togyther in my iudgemente make .xx. leaques And if therfore this nauigation may bee founde in the South sea for the trade of spices as we trust in God to bee brought from thense to the sayde porte of Panama as is possible enough they may afterwarde easly passe to the Northe sea notwithstaddynge the difficultie of the waye of the .xx. leaques aforesayde Whiche thynge I affirme as a man well trauayled in these regions hauynge twyse on my feete passed ouer this strayght in the yeare .1521 as I haue sayde It is furthermore to bee vnderstode that it is a maruelous facilitie to bryng spices by this way which I wil now declare From Panama to the ryuer of Chagre are foure leaques of good and fayre way by the which cartes may passe at pleasure by reason that the mountaynes are but fewe and lyttle and that the greateste parte of these foure leaques is a playne grounde voyde of trees And when the cartes are coomme to the sayde ryuer the spices may bee caryed in barkes and pinnesses For this ryuer
of the citie is inclosed with gates rayles The custodie of the citie and barres neyther is it lawfull for any man rasshely to walke in the citie in the nyght or withowt lyght All the courte consysteth of noble men The dukes courte gentelmen and choyse souldyers which are cauled owte of euery regyon by they re townes and vyllagies and commaunded to wayte course by course at certeyne moonethes appoynted Furthermore when warre is proclaymed all the armye is collected bothe of the owlde souldiers and by musterynge of newe in all prouynces For the lieuetenauntes and capytaynes of the armye are accustomed in all cities to muster the youth and to admytte to thorder of souldyers such as they thynke able to serue the turne They re wages is payde them of the common treasurye of euery prouynce which is gathered and partely payde also in the tyme of peace although it bee but lyttle Souldyers wages of the common treasury But such as are assigned to the warres are free frome all tributes and inioye certein other priuilegies wherby they may the more gladly cherfully serue theyr kynge and defend theyr contrey For in the tyme of warre occacyon is mynystred to shewe trewe vertue and manhodde where in so greate and necessarie an institituon euery man accordynge to hys approued actiuitie and ingenyous forwardnesse may obteyne the fortune eyther of perpetuall honoure or ignominie Vix olim vlla fides referentibus horrida regna Moschorum Ponti res glacialis erat Nunc Iouio autore illâ— oculis lustramus et vrbes Et nemora et monâ—es cernimus et fluuios MoschouiaÌ„ monumenta Ioui tua culta reuoluenâ— Coepi alios mundâ—s credere Democriti ¶ Other notable thynges as concernynge Moscouia gathered owt of the bookes of Sigismundus Liberus Note that when he sayth myles he meaneth leaques FRom whense Russia had the name Russia there are dyuers opinions Sume thynke that it was so named of one Russus the soonne or neuie of Lech the kynge of the Polons Other affirme that it was so cauled of a certeyne owlde towne named Russus not farre frome Nouogoroda or Nouogardia the more Sum also thynke that it was so cauled of the browne coloure of the nation The browne colour of the Russes But the Moscouians confute al these opinions as vntrewe Affirmynge that this nation was in owlde tyme cauled Rosseia as a nation dispersed as the name it selfe dooth declare For Rosseia in the Ruthens tounge Rosseiâ— doothe signifie dispersed or scattered The which thynge to be trew dyuers other people commyxt with thinhabitauntes and dyuers prouinces lyinge here and there betwene dyuers partes of Russia doo playnely declare But whense so euer they tooke theyr name doubtlesse all the people that vse the Slauon tounge The Slauon tounge spreâ—dâ—th farre and professe the fayth of Chryst after the maner of the Greekes cauled in theyr common language Russi and in the Latin tounge Rutheni are increased to suche a multytude that they haue eyther expulsed all the nations that lye beewene them or drawne them to theyr maner of lyuynge in somuche that they are nowe cauled all Rutheni by one common name Furthermore the Slauon tounge whiche at this daye is sumwhat corruptly cauled Sclauon runneâ—h exceadyng faâ— as vsed of the Dalmates Bossuenser Croatians Istriâ—ns and by a longe tracte of the sea Adriatike vnto Forum Iulii Of the Caruians also whome the Uenetians caule Charsos and lykewyse of the Carniolans and Carinthians vnto the ryuer Drauus Furthermore of the Stirians within Gretzium and by Muera vnto Danubius and from thense of the Mysians Seruians Bulgarians and other inhabitynge euen vnto Constantinople Furthermore of the Bohemians Lusacians Silesians Moranians and thinhabitauntes neare vnto the ryuer Uagus in the kyngedome of Hungarie The Polons also and the Ruthenians whose Empire reacheth very farre lykewyse the Circasians and Quinquemontanians vnto Pontus and is from thense vsed in the north partes of Germanie amonge the remanent of the Uandales inhabityng here and there Uandales All whiche nations althowgh they acknowleage them selues to bee Sclauons yet the Germayns taking the denomination only of the Uandales caule al theÌ„ that vse the Slauon tounge Uuenden Uuinden or Uuindysh Of the Princes that nowe reigne in Russia The Pâ—inces of Russia the chiefe is the great Duke of Moscouia who possesseth the greatest part therof The seconde is the great duke of Lithuania and the thyrde the kynge of Polonie who nowe obteyneth the dominion of Polonie and Lithuania In autoritie and dominion ouer his subiectes the prince of Moscouie passeth all the monarkes of the worlde The duke of Moscouia For he depriueth all his noble men and gentelmen of al theyr holdes and munitions at his pleasure He trusteth not his owne brotherne but oppresseth all with lyke seruitude In so muche that whome so euer he commaundeth eyther to remayne with hym in the courte or to goo to the warres or sendeth on ambassage they are compelled to bee at theyr owne charges excepte the younge gentelmen the soonnes of the Boiarons that is the noble men of the lowest degree He vsurpeth this autoritie aswell ouer the spiritualtie as the temporaltie constitutynge what him lysteth of the goods and lyfe of al men Of his counsilers there is not one that dare dissente from hym in any thynge They openly confesse that the wyl of the prince is the wyll of god and therfore caule hym the key bearer and chamberlen of god and beleue him to bee the executor of gods wyll By reason wherof the prince hym selfe when any peticion is made to hym for the deliuerie of any captiue is accustomed accustomed to aunswere When god commaundeth he shal be deliuered Lykewyse when any asketh a question of an vncerteyne or doubtefull thynge theyr custome is to answere thus God knoweth and the greate prince It is vncerteyne whether the crueltie and fiercenes of the nation doo requyre so tyrannous a prince or whether by the tyranny of the prince the nation is made so fierce and cruell Basilius the soonne of Iohn was the fyrst that tooke vppon hym the name and title of a kynge in this maner The great lorde Basilius by the grace of god kynge and lorde of all Russia and the greate duke of Uuolodimaria Moscouia Nouogardia c. Furthermore wheras nowe this prince is cauled an Emperour why the duke of Moâ—couia was cauled an Emperour I haue thought good to shewe the tytle and cause of this errour Note therfore that Czar in the Ruthens tounge signifieth a kynge wheras in the language of the Slauons Pollons Bohemes and other the same woorde Czar signifieth Cesar by whiche name Themperours haue byn commonly cauled For bothe they and the Slauons that are vnder the kyngdome of Hungarie caule a kynge by an other name as sum Crall other Kyrall and sum Koroll but thinke that only an Emperoure is cauled Czar Whereby it came to passe that the Ruthene
dayes wherof he speaketh Aswell maye it bee that Cuba or Hayti Lands found by the Carthaginenses or any other Ilande of the Indies shulde bee those which the Carthaginenses founde and forbodde theyr citisens to make any vyages thyther or to inhabite the same as Aristotle and Theophraste doo rehearse where they wryte of the marueylous and vnknowen workes of nature Aristotell Theophrast As concernynge Ophir and Tharsis it is not knowen what or where they bee althowgh many lerned men as saynt Augustine and other haue searched what citie or lande Tharsis myght bee Saynt Ierome who was experte in the Hebrewe tounge sayth in many places vppon the prophetes that Tharsis is as much to say as the sea and that whereas it is wrytten that Ionas fledde to Tharsis Ionas fledde to Tharâ—is he wente to the sea by a longe iorney Furthermore as concernynge the nauigations of Salomon it is not to bee thowght that his nauies sayled to the west Indies The nauigations of Salomon forasmuch as to passe thyther it was requisite for them to sayle Westwarde departyâ—ge frome the sea of Bermeio and not Eastward as they sayled Ageine the west Indies haue no vnicornes elephantes diamondes and such other thynges as they browght in the trade of their nauigations Bermeioâ—is the â—rabian sea ¶ Of the colour of the Indians ONe of the marueylous thynges that god vseth in the composition of man is coloure whiche doubtlesse can not bee consydered withowte great admiration in beholding one to be white and an other blacke beinge coloures vtterlye contrary Sum lykewyse to be yelowe whiche is betwene blacke and white and other of other colours as it were of dyuers liueres And as these colours are to be marueyled at euen so is it to be considered howe they dyffer one from an other as it were by degrees forasmuche as sum men are whyte after dyuers sortes of whytenesse how colourâ— dyffer by degrees yelowe after dyuers maners of yelowe and blacke after dyuers sortes of blackenesse and howe from whyte they go to yelowe after discolourynge to browne and redde and to blacke by asshe colour The coloure of the west Indians and murrey sumwhat lyghter then blacke and tawnye lyke vnto the west Indians which are all togyther in general eyther purple or tawny lyke vnto sodde quynses or of the coloure of chestnuttes or olyues which colour is to them natural and not by theyr goynge naked as many haue thought albeit theyr nakednesse haue sumwhat helped therunto Therfore in lyke maner and with suche diuersitie as men are commonly whyte in Europe and blacke in Affrike Dyues sortes of whyte and blacke euen with like varietie are they tawny in these Indies with dyuers degrees diuersly inclynynge more or lesse to blacke or whyte No lesse maruayle is it to consyder that men are whyte in Siuile and blacke at the cape of Buena Speranza and of chestnutte colour at the ryuer of Plata Difference of coloure in the same clyme bringe all in equall degrees frome the Equinoctiall line Lykewyse that the men of Affryke and Asia that lyue vnder the buâ—nte line cauled Zona Terrida are blacke Rio de la plata and not they that lyue beneathe or on this syde the same line as in Mexico Yucatan Quauhtema Lian Nicaragua Panama Santo Domingo Paria Cape saynt Augustine Lima Quito and other landes of Peru which touch in the same Equinoctiall Peru. For in al the â—racte of these coastes certeyne blacke men were found only in Quarequa when Uaschus Nunnez of Balboa discouered the sea of Sur. Blacke men in the west Indies By reason wherof it may seeme that suche varietie of colours proceadeth of man From wheÌ„â—e proceadeth the varietie of colours and not of the earth whiche maye well bee althowgh wee bee all borne of Adam and Eue and knowe not the cause why god hath so ordeyned it otherwise then to consyder that his diuine maiestie hath doonne this as infinite other to declare his omnipotencie and wisedome in such diuersities of colours as appere not only in the nature of man Gods wysedome poure is seene in his workes but the lyke also in beastes byrdes and floures where dyuers and contrary colours are seene in one lyttle fether or the leaues growynge owt of one lyttle stalke An other thyng is also greatly to bee noted as touchynge these Indians And this is Curld heare and baldnes that theyr heare is not curlde as is the Moores and Ethiopians that inhabite the same clime neyther are they balde excepte very seldome and that buy lyttle All whiche thynges may giue further occasion to phylosophers to search the secreates of nature and complexions of men with the nouelties of the newe worlde ¶ Why they were cauled Indians SUm thynke that the people of the newe world were cauled Indians bycause they are of the colour of the Easte Indians The colour of the East Indians And althowghe as it semeth to me they dyffer much in colour and fasshions yet is it trewe that of India they were cauled Indians East India India is properlie cauled that great prouince of Asia in the which great Alexander kepte his warres and was so named of the ryuer Indus and is diuyded into many kyngedomes confynynge with the same From this greate India cauled the East India came great companyes of men as wryteth Herodotus and inhabited that parte of Ethiopia that lyeth betwene the sea Bermeia otherwyse cauled the redde sea or the goulfe of Arabia and the ryuer of Nilus al which regions that great Christian prince Prester Iohn dooth now possesse Prester Iohn came owt of India to Ethiope The sayde Indians preuayled so much that they vtterly changed the customes and name of that lande and cauled it India Ethyopia cauled India by reason wherof Ethiopia also hath of longe tyme byn cauled India And hereuppon came it that Arystotell Seneca and certeyne other oulde autours sayd that India was not farre from Spayne India not far from Spayne After this also of later dayes owre West India was so cauled of the sayde India of Prester Iohn where the Portugales had theyr trade For the pylot of the caruell that was fyrste dryuen by forcyble wynde to an vnknowen lande in the Weste Ocean Prester Iohn knowen to the Portugales cauled the same India bycause the Portugales so cauled such landes as they had lately discouered Eastwarde Chrystopher Colon also after the sayde pylot cauled the west landes by the same name Albeit sum that take Colonus for an expert Cosmographer thynke that he so named them of the East India as to be the furthest and vnknowen ende therof reachynge into the Weste vnder the other hemispherie or halfe globe of the earthe beneathe vs At the furthest Easte begynneth the west affirmynge that when he fyrst attempted to dicouer the Indies he went chiefely to seeke the ryche Iland
matters of hard compositions as quarreys and stones ouerthwartynge the same hauynge euer respecte to the owtwarde signes whiche yow folowe forecastynge in yowre mynde how yowe may directly arryue to the same euen as the maryners directe theyr course by theyr compasse and syght of the north starre Also bysyde that place where yow haue determined to make the enteraunce and begynnynge of the caue howses of office for the myners yow muste take choyse of an other place eyther on the front of the mountayne or on the syde that it may bee neare and commodious to make one or two or mo cotages for the commoditie and necessitie of the woorkemen One of these must bee appoynted for theyr dormitorie where sum may rest and sleepe whyle other woorke and that yow may the more commodiously be present and assystaunt to theyr doynges diligently to beholde all thynges and to conforte theim in theyr laboures also to dispence and bestowe theyr vyttayles as shall bee nedefull and to reseruâ— the same in safe custodie with dayly prouision of al thynges apperteynynge The other must bee as it were a smythes forgâ— wherin theyr worne and broken tooles must bee renewed and other newe made to thintent that the woorke be not hyndered for lacke of store of necessarie instrumentes When thesâ— thynges are thus fynysshed with good prouision of vyttayles and a sufficient number of expert myners then in the name of God and good aduenture causynge a preste to blesse the mosâ— tayne with all the shoppes and to baptise the caue dedicatynge it as the maner is to the holy Trinitie or to owr Lady or to the name of sum other saynt which yowe haue in deuotâ—on Baptisinge dedication of the caue with inuocation to theym to prosper yowre attemptes yow shall with good courage and hope begynne to dygge the caue with intente to folowe the same withowte ceasynge as farre as yowre abilitie shall reache or vntyll yowe haue passed ouer the lymettes signified by the signes before named Takynge euer diligent heade that yowe begyn yowre caue as lowe as yow may at the foote of the mountayne in such order that yowr myners so continue and folow the same by a right line The makiÌ„ge of the caue that they encounter the veyne of the myne by the shortest and safest way that may bee deuised For it often times chaunceth that althowgh the caue haue byn wel begunne yet hath it not byn well folowed Causes of hiÌ„deraunce for that the myners beinge withdrawen from the ryght course by the hope of suche braunches of mynes as haue appered vnto them in the waye doo often times decline from theyr atteÌ„pted course and from the signes which they owght to haue folowed And bysyde other preceptes see that yow beare in memory to procure that in dyggynge yow eschewe as muche as yowe maye the cuttynge of softe or brykell stones Soft stones aswell for that it may bee daungerous for ruine of the caue as also that it seldome chaunceth that any mynes are founde in such stones But yf yow shal chauncâ— so to fynde them that yow can by no meanes auoyde them A confort yow that where suche cause of feare sheweth it selfe both that yow lose not the charges of the caue and for the beâ—ter safegarde of yowre woorkemen it shal be necessary that yow vse all possible diligence in well vpholdynge and fortyfyingâ— the caue with arches of waules trauersed with stronge postes of tymber after the maner of framed beames The fortefâ—iÌ„â— of the caue susteyned with grose and stronge pyles made of good and stronge tymber of oke or other great trees And in this maner owght yow to proceade in dyggyng yowre myne that yow may with more securitie enioy the frute of yowr trauayle howe the caueâ— were made in olde tyme. But in the owlde tyme they that dygged mynes as is yet to see in the caues lefte of them folowed an other maner so that in the steade of begynnynge the caue belowe at the foote of the mountayne as doo the later myners they begunne to dygge theyr caue in the vpper or hyghest parte where the daye discouered the myne dyggynge downewarde after the maner of a pytte or a well folowynge the same sumtyme on the one syde and sumtyme on the other euen vnto the depth as the veyne shewed it selfe to theyr syght whereof I haue thought good to make mention for that in thoppinion of many men this way dooth seeme much better and of more securitie to fynde that they seeke then to dygge by the sydes bycause that by this meanes they haue euer the mine before theyr eyes eyther more or lesse as a line to leade them to the grosse masse Yet who so consydereth the thynge well shall vnderstande that the later myners haue better conceaued the reason of this woorke in respecte as is to see of many more commodities and securities which insue rather of this maner of woorkynge then of the other as the difficultie to descende and ascende the caue the daungiour lest it bee stopped vp by many ruines bysyde the traualyous labour to draw owt the mine with the rockes fragmentes of stones And aboue al thynges that they shal not bee able to drawe owt the waters whiche are often tymes so abundaunt that they greatly increase the charges and trauayles of the patrones of the mynes by reason of the greate ayde and helpe which shal be requisite to haue in that case and also for the makynge of wheeles troughes pypes pumpes Abundanuâ—â— of water in the mynes with suche other instrumentes seruynge for the purpose to drawe owt the waters And yet with all this it often tymes chauÌ„ceth that although they labour hereat coÌ„tinually yet shal they be iÌ„forced to forsake their profitable laudable eÌ„terpryse So that to conclude The beste maner of makinge the caue I saye as yowe maye well vnder stand that it is a much better way and of more securitie to begynne the diggyng of the caue rather at the roote or fote of the mouÌ„tayne and to enter into the same by litle and lytle a slope vpwarde then to begynne at the toppe or the highest backe therof And this both for the more commodious passinge furthe of the water and also for the easier trauaile of the labourers Obseruynge euer diligently the chaunge of the signes whiche appere vnto yow owtwardly The change of the signes vsynge the rudder and compasse as do they that sayle on the sea For hereby the myners shal be instructed euer to folowe the right way in the caue vntill by the conductinge of wytte and arte The rudder compasse they bee browght to the place of the grose masse or bodie of the tree whyche is the cause fontayne and original from whense the sayd tinctures fumosites and mineral signes are diriued and sente furth to the superficiall partes And as concernynge this puâ—pose I thincke it good to declare vnto yow howe in
the tragical partes he had conceaued in his brayne and with such smaule begynninges nurysshed so monstrous a byrth that more happy yea and blessed was that younge man beinge lefte behynde then if he had byn taken with them as sum doo wysshe he had doonne the lyke by theyrs Thus sayled they on theyr vyage vntyl they came to the Ilandes of Madera where they toke in certeyne wynes for the store of theyr shyppes The Ilandes of Madera and payde for them as they agreed of the price At these Ilandes they met with a great galion of the kynge of Portugale full of men and ordinaunce A galeon of the kinge of Portugale yet suche as coulde not haue preuayled if it had attempted to withstande or resyst owre shyppes for the which cause it was set furth not only to lette and interrupte these owre shyppes of theyr purposed vyage but all other that shulde attempte the lyke Yet chiefely to frustrate owre vyage For the kyng of Portugale was sinisterly informed that owre shyppes were armed to his castel of Mina in these parties The castel of Mina wheras nothing lesse was ment After that owr shyppes departed from the Ilandes of Madera forwarde on theyr vyage began this woorthy capitaine Pinteados sorowe as a man tormented with the company of a terrible hydra who hytherto flattered with hym and made hym a fayre countenance and shewe of loue howe WyndaÌ„ abused Pinteado Then dyd he take vppon hym to commaunde all alone settynge nowght bothe by capitayne Pinteado with the reste of the marchaunte factours sumtymes with opprobrious woordes and sumtymes with threatenynges most shamefully abusynge them takinge from Pinteado the seruice of the boys and certeyne mariners that were assigned hym by thorder and direction of the woorshypfull marchauntes and leauynge hym as a common maryner which is the greatest despite and greefe that can be to a Portugale or Spanyarde to be diminysshte theyr honoure which they esteeme aboue all rychesse Thus saylyng forward on theyr vyage they came to the Ilandes of Canarie The Ilandes of Canarie continuynge theyr course from thense vntyll they arryued at the Ilande of saynt Nicolas where they vyttayled them selues with fresshe meate of the flesshe of wylde goates whereof is great plentie in that Ilande and in maner of nothynge else The Ilande of s. Nicoâ—as From hense folowynge on theyr course and taryinge here and there at the deserte Ilandes in the waye bycause they wolde not coome to tymely to the countrey of Guinea for the heate Guinea and taryinge sumwhat to longe for what can bee wel mynystred in a common wealth where inequalitie with tyrannie wyll rule alone they came at the length to the fyrst lande of the countrey of Guinea where they fell with the great ryuer of Sesto where they myght for theyr marchaundies haue laden theyr shyppes with the graynes of that countrey The ryuer of â—esto Graynes which is a very hotte frute and much lyke vnto a fygge as it groweth on the tree For as the fygges are full of smaule seedes so is the sayde frute ful of graynes which are lose within the codde hauynge in the myddest thereof a hole on euery syde This kynde of spice is much vsed in coulde countreys and may there be solde for great aduantage for thexchaunge of other wares The thrist of golde But owr men by the persuasion or rather inforcement of this tragicall capitayne not regardynge and settyng lyght by that commoditie in comparason to the fine gold they thristed The castel of mena sayled an hundreth leaques further vntyl they came to the golden lande where not attemptinge to come nere the castell perteynynge to the kynge of Portugale whiche was within the ryuer of Mina The quantite of golde made sale of theyr ware onely on this syde and beyonde it for the golde of that countrey to the quantitie of an hundredth and fiftie poundes weyght there beinge in case that they myght haue dispatched al theyr ware for golde if the vntame brayne of Wyndam had or could haue gyuen eare to the counsayle and experience of Pinteado For when that Wyndam not satisfied with the golde whiche he had and more myght haue had if he had taryed abowt the Mina commaundynge the sayde Pinteado for so he toke vppon hym to leade the shyppes to Benin beinge vnder the Equinoctial line and a hundreth and fiftie leaques beyonde the Mina where he loked to haue thyer shyppes laden with pepper Benin Pepper And beinge counsayled of the sayde Pinteado consyderynge the late tyme of the yere for that tyme to go no further but to make sale of theyr wares such as they had for golde wherby they myght haue byn great gayners But Wyndam not assentynge hereunto fell into a suddeyne rage reuilynge the sayde Pinteado Furie admitteth no counsayle caulynge hym Iewe with other opprobrious woordes sayinge This horson Iewe hath promised to brynge vs to such places as are not or as he can not bring vs vnto But if he doo not I wyl cut of his eares and naile them to the mast Pinteado gaue the forsayde counsayle to goo no further for the safegard of the men and theyr lyues which they shulde put in daungioure if they came to late for the rossia which is theyr wynter The Rossia not for coulde but for smotherynge heate with close and cloudy ayer and storminge wether of such putrifyinge qualitie that it rotted the cotes of theyr backes Rottinge heate Or els for coommynge to soonne for the scorchynge heate of the sonne which caused them to lynger in the way Scorchinge heate But of force and not of wyll browght he the shyppes before the ryuer of Benin Benin where rydynge at an anker sente their pinnesse vp into the ryuer fiftie or threscore leaques froÌ„ whense certeyne of the marchauntes with capitayne Pinteado Francisco a Portugale Francisco Nicolas Lambert gentleman Nicolas Lambert and other marchauntes were conducted to the courte where the kyng remayned .x. leaques from the ryuer syde whyther when they came The kyng of Benin his court they were browght with a greate company to the presence of the kynge who beinge a blacke moore althoughe not so blacke as the rest sat in a great houge haule longe and wyde the walles made of earthe withowte wyndowes the the roofe of thynne boordes open in sundry places lyke vnto louers to lette in the ayer And here to speke of the great reuerence they gyue to their kynge Reuerence towarde the kynge beinge such that if wee wolde gyue as much to owr sauiour Chryst we shuld remoue from owr heades many plages which wâ—e dayly deserue for owre contempte and impietie So it is therfore that when his noble men are in his presence they neuer looke hym in the face but syt courynge as wee vppon owre knees so they vppon theyr buttockes with theyr elbowes vppon theyr
knees and theyr handes beefore theyr faces not lookynge vppe vntyll the kynge commaunde them And when they are commynge towarde the kynge as farre as they do see him do they shewe such reuerence sytting on the grounde with theyr faces couered as before Lykewise when they depart from hym they turne not theyr backes towarde hym but go creepynge backewarde with lyke reuerence And nowe to speake sumwhat of the communication that was betwene the kynge and owre men The communication betwene the kynge of Benin and owr men yowe shall fyrst vnderstande that he hym selfe coulde speake the Portugale tounge which he had lerned of a chylde Therfore after that he had commaunded owre men to stande vp and demaunded of them the cause of theyr commynge into that countrey they answered by Pinteado that they were marchauntes trauaylynge into those parties for the commodities of his countrey for exchaunge of wares which they had browght from theyr countreys beinge such as shulde bee no lesse commodious for him and his people The kynge then hauynge of owlde lyinge in a certeyne store house thirtie or fortie kyntals of pepper euery kyntall beinge an hundreth weyght wyllynge them to looke vppon the same Pepper and ageyne to brynge hym a syght of suche marchaundies as they had browght with them And theruppon sent with the capitayne and the marchauntes certeyne of his men to conducte them to the warers syde with other to brynge the ware from the pinnesse to the courte Who when they were returned and the wares seene the kynge grewe to this ende with the marchauntes The kynges gentlenesse towarde owr men to prouyde in thirtie dayes the ladynge of all theyr shyppes with pepper And in case theyr marchaundies wolde not extende to the value of so muche pepper he promysed to credite them to theyr nexte returne and thereuppon sente the countrey rounde abowt to gather pepper causynge the same to be browght to the courte So that within the space of .xxx. days they had gathered foure score toonne of pepper In the meane season owre men partly hauynge no rule of them selues The disorder and death of owre men but eatyng withowt measure of the frutes of the countrey and drynkyng the wyne of the palme trees that droppeth in the nyght from the cutte branches of the same and in such extreeme heate runnynge continually into the water not vsed before to such suddeyne and vehement alterations then the which nothynge is more daungerous were therby browght into swellynges and agues In so much that the later tyme of the yeare coÌ„myng on caused theÌ„ to dye suÌ„â—ymes iii. suÌ„times .iiii. or .v. in a day Then Wyndam perceauyng the tyme of the .xxx. dayes to be expyred his men dying so fast sent to the court in poste to capitayne Pinteado and the rest to come away and to tary no longer But Pinteado with the rest wrote backe to hym ageyne certifyinge hym of the great quantitie of pepper they had alredy gathered and loked dayly for much more Desyrynge hym furthermore to remember the great prayse and name they shulde wynne if they came home prosperously and what shame of the contrary With which answere Wyndam not satisfied and many of theyr men dyinge dayly wylled and commaunded them ageine eyther to coomme away furthwith or els thretened to leaue them behynde When Pinteado harde this answere thynkynge to persuade hym with reason tooke his way from the court towarde the shyppes beinge conducted thyther with men by the kynges commaundement In the meane season Windam all rageinge The furie of Wyndam brake vppe Pinteados Caben broke open his chestes spoyled suche prouisyon of coulde stilled waters and suckettes as he hade prouided for his health and lefte hym nothynge neyther of his instrumentes to sayle by nor yet of his apparell And in the meane tyme faulinge sycke hym selfe dyed also The death of Wyndam Whose death Pinteado comminge aborde lamented as muche as if he had byn the derest frend he had in the worlde But certeyne of the maryners and other officers dyd spette in his face Pinteado euil vsed of the maryners sum caulynge hym Iewe saying that he had browght them thether to kylle them And sum drawynge theyr swordes at hym makynge A shewe to sley hym Then he perceauinge that they wolde nedes away desyred them to tary that he might fetch the reste of the marchauntes that were fefte at the court But they wolde not graunte his request Then desyred he them to gyue hym the shippe boate with as muche of an owlde sayle as myght serue for the same promisynge them therewith to bringe Nicolas Lamberte and the rest into England But all was in vayne Then wrotte he a letter to the courte to the marchauntes informynge them of all the matter and promysynge theÌ„ if god wolde lende hym life to returne with al hast to fetche them And thus was Pinteado kepte a bordeshippe ageynste his wyll thrust amonge the boyes of the shippe not vsed like a man nor yet like an honest boy But glad to find fauoure at the cokes hande Then departed they leauing one of theyr shippes behynde them whiche they soonke for lake of men to cary her After this within sixe or seuen days saylinge dyed also Pinteado for very pensiuenesse and thowght that strooke hym to the harte The death of Pinteado A man worthy to serue any prince and most vilely vsed And of seuen score men came home to Plymmuowth scarsely fortye and of them many dyed And that no man shulde suspecte these wordes which I haue sayd in commendation of Pinteado to be spoken vpon fauour otherwyse then truth I haue thought good to adde herevnto the coppie of the letters which the kyng of Portugale and the infant his brother wrote vnto hym to reconcyle hym at suche tyme as vppon the kynge his masters displeasure and not for any other cryme or offence as may appere by the sayde letters he was onely for pouertie inforced to coomme into Englande where he fyrst persuaded owre marchauntes to attempte the sayde vyages to Guinea But as the kynge of Portugale to late repented hym that he had so punysshed Pinteado vppon malicious informations of such as enuied the mans good fortune euen so may it hereby appere that in sum cases euen Lyons them selues may eyther bee hyndered by the contempt or ayded by the helpe of the pore myse accordynge vnto the fable of Isope ¶ The coppie of Antomanes Pinteado his letters parentes wherby the kynge of Portugale made hym knyght of his house after all his troubles and imprisonment which by wronge information made to the kynge he had susteyned of longe tyme beinge at the laste deliuered his cause knowen and manifested to the kynge by a grey fryer the kynges confessoure I The kynge do gyue yow to vnderstande lorde Frances Desseosa one of my counsayle and ouerseer of my house that in consideration of the good seruice which Antonie Anes Pinteado the sonne
popingiayes which are in thâ— region of Paria and howe thinhabitours are apparelled Also of the fyue kynges that made a league of frendeshyppe with Uincentius Howe Uincentius sayled Eastwarde by the tracte of the regions of Paria vntyll he came to the poynte of that longe lande which the autour supposeth to be the greate Ilande Atlantike wherof the owlde wryters make mention Cap. S. Aâ—gustini ¶ The contentes of the .viii. booke Fol. 80. ¶ A contention betwene the Castilians and Portugales as concernynge the diuision of the newe founde landes And howe the controuersie was fynysshed by the byshop of Rome Howe Don Chrystopher the gouernoure of the Ilande of Sancti Iohannis was slayne by the Canibales and the bysshop put to flyght Also of the other bysshops of the Ilandes Howe the Canibales of the Iland of Sancta Crux slew and eate a kynge with certeyne of his men beinge frendes to the Chrystians and made faggottes of theyr bones And how querelynge with owre men they put them to silence ¶ The contentes of the .ix. booke Fol. 81. ¶ Of the maruelous frutefulnes of the regions of Beragua Uraba and Dariena And of the dyuers kyndes of trees and frutes Also of the pleasaunt taste of swynes flesshe beinge fedde with the frutes of Mirobalane trees Of Lions and Tygers and other wylde beastes And of a beaste of straunge forme Of the ryuers of the goulfe of Uraba as the ryuer of Dariena and Rio Grandis And howe the great serpentes cauled Crocodiles are founde in other ryuers bysyde Nilus in Egypte Also howe thautour of this booke was sent Ambassadour to the Soldane of Alcayr in Egipte Of the Portugales nauigations and of the ryuer Senega founde by them to bee a chanel of Nilus Also of the multitude of byrdes foules beinge in the marysshes of Dariena A phylosophicall discourse of thoriginall and generatioâ— of sprynges and ryuers And of the breadth of the lande diuydynge the north and south Ocean Of the great ryuer Maragnonus and of the earthly Paradyse And howe sprynges are engendered by conuercion of ayer into water Of the often faule of rayne vnder the Equinoctiall line and of the pores of the sea opened by the South wyndes Of the great ryuers of Tanais Ganges Danubius and Eridanus famous to the owlde wryters And howe certeine ryuers runnynge throughe the caues of the earthe breake furth into sprynges afarre of ¶ The contentes of the .x. booke Fol. 86. ¶ Howe the newe founde landes discouered by the Spanyardes in the West Ocean are eyght tymes bygger then Italie besyde that which the Portugales possesse And of the cardes of the sea drawen by Colonus and Americus Uesputius The order of measurynge the lande And howe a league conteyneth foure myles by sea and but three by lande The Nauâ—gation of Iohannes Dias and of the sundrye eleuations of the pole starre Of the Ilande of Boiuca or Agnaneo and of the springe whose water being dronke causeth owld men to loke yonge Howe Nicuesa and his souldiers were so oppreâ—sed with famin that they were dryuen to eate mangie dogges toades and deade men And howe a brothe made of a dogges skinne was soulde for many pieces of golde ¶ The contentes of the bookes of the thyrde Decade ¶ The contentes of the fyrst booke Fol. 88. ¶ Of the desperate aduenture and good fortune of Uaschus And how with a hundreth fourscore and ten men he brought that to passe for the whâ—ch Petrus Arias was sente with a thousande and two hundreth fresshe souldyers Howe iren serueth for more necessary vses then gold and howe superfluities hynder libertie Howe Uaschus in one conflicte slewe syxe hundreth barbaryans with theyr kynges And howe he founde the house of kyng Quarequa infected with vnnatural lechery commaundynge that the kynge and fortie suche as he kepte for that purpose shulde be gyuen for a pray to his dogges whiche he vsed to serue in the warres ageynst these naked people Of a region of blacke Moores And howe Uaschus came to the toppes of the mountaynes where geuynge thankes to god he behelde the newe south Ocean neuer before sene nor knowen to men of owre worlde Howe Uaschus put kynge Chiapes to flyght and after made a league of frendeshyppe with hym And howe the king gaue hym .iiii. hundreth poundes weyght of wrought golde Howe kynge Coquera was putte to fâ—yght who also beinge receaued to frendeshyppe gaue Uaschus syxe hundreth and fiftie poundes weyght of wrought golde Of the goulfe cauled Sinus S. Michaelis beinge full of inhabited Ilandes And of the manly corage and godly zeale of Uaschus Also of the rysynge and faulyng of the south sea Howe kynge Tumaccus beinge dryuen to flyght and afterwarde reconciled gaue Uaschus .vi. hundreth and .xiiii. pesos of golde and two hundreth and fortie of the greatest and fayrest pearles And howe the kynge caused his men to fyshe for pearles Of the Ilande cauled Margaritea Diues And of the abundaunce of fayre and great pearles founde therin Of habitable regions vnder the Equinoctiall line And of the Portugales nauigations to the Antipodes inhabytynge the fyue and fiftie degree of the south pole Also a declaration of Antipodes and of the starres about the south pole ¶ The contentes of the seconde booke Fol. 95. ¶ Of the maner of fysshynge for pearles and of the three kyndes therof Also dyuers other questions coÌ„cernyng perles Of the multitude of the shell fysshes wherin perles are ingendered and founde in maner in all places in the south sea And of abundaunce of golde founde almoste in euery house Also howe the treasurie of nature is in those coastes And of the golde mynes of Dariena Howe kynge Teaocha gaue Uaschus .xx. poundes weight of wrought golde and two hundreth perles Also of desertes full of wylde beastes and howe Uaschus was troubled with greate heate in the moneth of Nouember Howe a dogge Tyger was taken and his whelpes tyed in cheynes and torne in pieces Also howe Uaschus gaue .iiii kynges to his dogges to be deuoured Of the vse of dogges in theyr warres and of the fiercenesse of the Canibales Howe kynge Bononians fauoured the Chrystians and gaue Uaschus .xx. pounde weyght of wrought golde Also his oration to Uaschus A similitude prouynge greate plentie of golde in the regions of the south sea and of the trauayles which owlde souldyers are able to susteyne ¶ The contentes of the thyrde booke Fol. 99 ¶ Howe kynge Buchibuea submytted hym selfe to Uaschus and sent hym certeyne vesselles of golde Also howe kyngâ— Chiorisus sente hym .xxx. dysshes of pure golde Howe iren serueth for more necessary vses then gold Also an exemple of the lyfe of owr fyrste parentes Howe kynge Pocchorrosa submytted hym selfe and gaue Uaschus .xv. pounde weyght of wrought golde Also howe Tumanama the great kynge of the golden regions towardâ— the south sea is taken prisoner Lykewyse howe he gaue Uaschus .xxx. pounde weyght of pure and wrought golde and his noble men .lx. poundes weyght of golde Of the cause