Châ—lle beare good wine 296 Vines of the vallie of Yâ—a which doe growe and are never watered with any raine and how ibid Vines that carry grapes every moneth in the yeere ibid. Viracoâ—hâ— the name which the Indians gave to their supreme god with others of great power 333 Vuziliputzli the chiefe idoll of Mexico and his ornaments 352 Vittells set vppon the tombes of dead men to feede them 347 Voyce heard foretelling the ruine of Moteçuma 565 Volcan of Guatâ—mala more admirable than all the rest 194 Volcans how entertained 196 Voyage of Hannon the Carthaginâ—an admirable in his time 36 Vros bruâ—ish people which esteeme not themselves 94 Vtilitie of all naturall histories 117 Vnction of Vuzilovitli the second king of Mexico 521 W. WAy by which the Spaniards go to the Indies and their returne 128 Waters of Guayaquil most soveraigne for the French disease 174 Warres of the Mexicans most commonly to take prisoners 483 Westerne windes hurtefull to silke-wormes 144 Westerne windes blowe not in the burning zone 126 Whales how taken by the Indians and how they eate them 167 Windes very daungerous which kill and preserve the dead bodies without corruption 147 Windes called Brises in the burning zone which come from the east 127 Windes how many and their names 133 Windes of the land in the burning zone blow rather by night than by day and those of the sea contrary and why 142 Winde corrupts yron 144 Windes that blowe southerly make the coast habitable 125 One Winde hath diverse properties according to the place where it raignes and the cause 120 Winde doth cause strange diversities of temperature 112 Wisedome of this world weake in divine yea in humane things 31 Winter and summeâ— and the cause 90 Woods rare and sweete at the Indies 292 Words of a man which had his heart pulled out 390 Writing of the Chinois was from the toppe downeward and the Mexicans from the foote vpward 447 X. XAmabusis pilgrimes forced to confesse their sinnes vpon the toppe of a rocke 400 Y. YCa and Arica and their manner of sayling in skinnes 63 Yearâ— at the Indies divided into eighteene moneths 432 Youth very carefully instructed in Mexico 489 Yeare at Peru approaching neerer to ours than that of Mexico 437 Ytu a great feast at the Indies which they made in their necessitie 416 Yupanguâ— Ingua was in Peru like to an other Numa in Rome for the making of Lawes 261 Z. ZEphiruâ— a pleasant and wholesome winde 126 Zone which they call burning the Antients held inhabitable 30 Burning zone in some partes temperate in others colde and in others hote 101 Burning Zone peopled and pleasaunt contrary to the opinion of Philosophers 86 Burning Zone why temperate 105 In the burning Zone they saile easily from east to weast and not contrarie and why 132 In the burning Zone the neerenesse of the Sunne dooth not alwaies cause raine 100 The end of the Table Errata 111.22 for Paraguen reade Paraguay 120.30 for River reade Region 135.32 for to reade in 141.28 for the motion reade without any â—otion 148.33 for inhabited reade not inhabited 164.17 for greene reade great 198.23 for hundred reade five hundred 213.21 for Curuma reade Cucuma 229.17 for to reade and 235.11 for it reade that 241.8 for it reade his 253.12 for maces reade markes 274.8 for little reade like 278.19 for is no reade is a 351.25 for many reade in many 368.2 for possession reade profession 397.14 for to the communion reade to the people in manner of a communion 514.21 for partiall reade particular 324.32 for convenient in a maner reade in a convenient manner 335.3 for of reade to 347.25 for neither reade in their Gentle Reader from the folio 225. line 14 16 19 20. where you finde peeces reade pezoes till you come to folio 322. line 22. THE FIRST BOOKE of the Naturall and Morall Historie of the East and West Indies Of the opinions of some Authors which supposed that the Heavens did not extend to the new-found world The first Chapter THE Ancients were so farre from conceypt that this new-found world was peopled by any Nation that many of them could not imagine there was any land on that part and which is more worthie of admiration some have flatly denyed that the Heavens which we now beholde could extend thither For although the greatest part yea the most famous among the Philosophers have well knowne that the Heaven was round as in effect it is and by that meanes did compasse and comprehend within it self the whole earth yet many yea of the holy doctors of greatest authoritie have disagreed in opinion vpon this point supposing the frame of this vniversall world to bee fashioned like vnto a house whereas the roofe that covers it invirons onely the vpper part and not the rest inferring by their reasons that the earth should else hang in the middest of the ayre the which seemed vnto them voyd of sense For as we see in every building the ground-worke and foundation on the one side and the cover opposite vnto it even so in this great building of the world the Heaven should remaine above on the one part and the earth vnder it The glorious Chrysostome a man better seene in the studie of holy Scriptures then in the knowledge of Philosophie seemes to be of this opinion when in his Commentaries vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes he doth laugh at those which hold the heavens to be round And it seemes the holy Scripture doth inferre as much terming the Heavens a Tabernacle or Frame built by the hand of God And hee passeth farther vpon this point saying that which mooves and goes is not the Heaven but the Sunne Moone and Starres which moove in the heaven even as Sparrowes and other birds moove in the ayre contrary to that which the Philosophers hold that they turne with the Heaven itselfe as the armes of a wheele doe with the wheele Theodoret a very grave Authour followes Chrysostome in this opinion and Theophilus likewise as hee is accustomed almost in all thinges But Lactantius Firmian above all the rest holding the same opinion doth mocke the Peripatetickes and Academickes which give the heaven a round forme placing the earth in the middest thereof for that it seemeth ridiculous vnto him that the earth should hang in the ayre as is before sayde By which his opinion hee is conformable vnto Epicurus who holdeth that on the other part of the earth there is nothing but a Chaos and infinite gulph And it seemeth that S. Ierome draweth neere to this opinion writing vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians in these wordes The naturall Philosopher by his contemplation pierceth to the height of heaven and on the other part he findeth a great vast in the depth and bowels of the earth Some likewise say that Procopius affirmes the which I have not seene vpon the booke of Genesis that the opinion of Aristotle touching the forme and
Indies have discovered and peopled after the same sort as wee do at this day that is by the Arte of Navigation and aide of Pilots the which guide themselves by the heigth and knowledge of the heavens and by their industrie in handling and changing of their sailes according to the season Why might not this well be Must we beleeve that we alone and in this our age have onely the Arte and knowledge to saile through the Ocean Wee see even now that they cut through the Ocean to discover new lands as not long since Alvaro Mendana and his companions did who parting from the Port of Lima came alongâ—t the West to discover the land which lieth Eastward from Perâ— and at the end of three moneths they discovered the Ilands which they call the Ilands of Salomon which are many and very great and by all likelehood they lie adioyning to new Guinnie or else are very neere to some other firme land And even now by commandement from the King and his Counsell they are resolved to prepare a new fleete for these Ilands Seeing it is thus why may we not suppose that the Ancients had the courage and resolution to travell by sea with the same intent to discover the land which they call Anticthoâ— opposite to theirs and that according to the discourse of their Philosophie it should be with an intent not to rest vntill they came in view of the landes they sought Surely there is no repugnancie or contrarietie in that which wee see happen at this day and that of former ages seeing that the holy scripture doth witâ—es that Solomon tooke Masters and Pilots from Tyre and Sidon men very expert in Navigation who by their industry performed this voiage in three yeeres To what end thinke you doth it note the Arte of Mariners and their knowledge with their long voiage of three yeeres but to give vs to vnderstand that Solomons sleete sailed through the great Ocean Many are of this opinion which thinke that S. Augustine had small reason to wonder at the greatnes of the Ocean who might well coniecture that it was not so difficult to saile through considering what hath been spoken of Solomons Navigation But to say the truth I am of a contrary opinion neither can I perswade my selfe that the first Indians came to this new world of purpose by a determined voiage neither will I yeeld that the Ancients had knowledgein the Art of Navigation whereby men at this day passe the Ocean from one part to another where they please the which they performe with an incredible swiftnes and resolution neither do I finde in all Antiquities any markes or testimonies of so notable a thing and of so great importance Besides I finde not that in ancient bookes there is any mention made of the vse of the Adamant or Loadstone nor of the Compasse to saile by yea I beleeve they had no knowledge thereof And if we take away the knowledge of the compasse to saile by we shall easily iudge how impossible it was for them to passe the great Ocean Such as haue any knowledge of the sea vnderstand me well for that it is as easie to beleeve that a Mariner in full sea can direct his course where hee please without a compasse as for a blinde man to shew with his finger any thing be it neere or farre off And it is strange that the Ancients have bene so long ignorant of this excellent propertie of the Adamant stone for Plinie who was so curious in naturall causes writing of this Adamant stone speakes nothing of that vertue and propertie it hath alwaies to turne the iron which it toucheth towards the North the which is the most admirable vertue it hath Aristotle Theophrastes Dioscorides Lucretius nor any other Writers or naturall Philosophers that I have seene make any mention thereof although they treate of the Adamant stone Saint Augustine writing many and sundry properties and excellencies of the Adamant stone in his bookes of the Citie of God speakes nothing thereof And without doubt all the excellencies spoken of this stone are nothing in respect of this strange propertie looking alwaies towards the North which is a great wonder of nature There is yet another argument for Plinic treating of the first inventers of Navigation and naming all the instruments yet he speakes nothing of the compasse to saâ—e by nor of the Adamant stone I say onely that the art to know the starres was invented by the Phaeniciens And there is no doubt but whatsoever the Ancients knew of the Art of Navigation was onely in regard of the starres and observing the Shoares Capes and differences of landes And if they had once lost the sight of land they knew not which way to direct their course but by the Stars Sunne and Moone and that sailing as it doth often in a darke and cloudie season they did governe themselves by the qualitie of the winds and by coniecture of the waies which they had passed Finally they went as they were guided by their owne motions As at the Indies the Indians saile a long way by sea guided only by their owne industrie naturall instinct And it serues greatly to purpose that which Plinie writes of the Ilanders of Taprobana which at this day we call Sumatra speaking in this sort when as he treates of the art and industrie they vse in sailing Those of Taprobana see not the North to saile by which defect they supply with certaine small birdes they carrie with them the which they often let flie and as those birdes by a naturall instinct flie alwaies towards the land so the Mariners direct their course after them Who doubtes then if they had had any knowledge of the compasse they would not have vsed these little birdes for their guides to discover the Land To conclude this sufficeth to shew that the Ancients had no knowledge of the secrets of the Loadstone seeing that for so notable a thing there is no proper word in Latine Greeke or Hebrew for a thing of such importance could not have wanted a name in these tongues if they had knowne it Wherevpon the Pilots at this day to direct him his course that holds the helme sit aloft in the poope of the Shippe the better to obserue the compasse where as in olde time they sat in the prow of the Shippe to marke the differences of lands and seas from which place they commaunded the Helme as they vse at this day at the entrie or going out of any Port or haven and therefore the Greekes called Pilots Proritaes for that they remained still in the prow Of the properties and admirable vertue of the Adamant stone for Navigation whereof the Ancients had no knowledge CHAP. 17. BY that which hath been formerly spoken it appeares that the Navigation to the Indies is as certaine and as short as wee are assured of the Adamant stone And at this day we see many that
them Their water is very cleere and breedes little store of fish and that little is very small by reason of the cold which is there Continually Notwithstanding some of these Lakes be very hote which is another wonder At the end of the vallie of Tarapaya neere to Potozi there is a Lake in forme round which seemes to have been made by compasse whose water is extreamely hote and yet the land is very colde they are accustomed to bathe themselves neere the banke for else they cannot indure the heate being farther in In the midst of this Lake there is a boiling of above twenty foote square which is the very spring and yet notwithstanding the greatnes of this spring it is never seene to increase in any sort it seemes that it exhales of it selfe or that it hath some hidden and vnknowne issue neither do they see it decrease which is another wonder although they have drawne from it a great streame to make certaine engines grinde for mettall considering the great quantity of water that issueth forth by reason whereof it should decrease But leaving Peru and passing to new Spaine the Lakes there are no lesse to be observed especially that most famous of Mexico where we finde two sortes of waters one salt Lake to that of the sea and the other cleere and sweete by reason of the rivers that enter into it In the midst of this Lake is a rocke verie delightfull and pleasant where there are baths of hote water that issue forth the which they greatly esteeme for their health There are gardinsÌ„ in the middest of this Lake framed and fleeting vpon the water where you may see plottes full of a thousand sortes of hearbes and flowers and they are in such sort as a man cannot well conceive them without sight The Citie of Mexico is seated in the same Lake although the Spaniards have filled vp the place of the scituation with earth leaving onely some currents of water great and small which enter into the Citie to carrie such things as they have neede of as wood hearbes stone fruites of the countrie and all other things When Cortez conquered Mexico he caused Brigandins to be made yet afterwards he thought it more safe not to vse them therfore they vse Canoes whereof there is great store There is great store of fish in this Lake yet have I not seene any of price notwithstanding they say the revenue of this Lake is worth three hundred thousand duckets a yeere There are many other Lakes not far from this whence they bring much fish to Mexico The Province of Mechovacan is so called for that it aboundeth greatly with fish There are goodly and great Lakes in the which there is much fish and this Province is coole and healthfull There are many other Lakes whereof it is not possible to make mention nor to know them in particular onely we may note by that which hath beene discoursed in the former booke that vnder the burning Zone there is greater abundance of Lakes then in any other parte of the world and so by that which we have formerly spoken and the little we shall say of rivers and fountaines we will end this discourse of Waters Of many and divers Springs and Fountaines CHAP. 17. THere is at the Indies as in other parts of the world great diversitie of Springs Fountaines and Rivers and some have strange properties In Guancavilica of Peru where the mines of quick-silver be there is a Fountaine that casts forth hote water and in running the water turnes to rocke of which rocke or stone they build in a mauer all the houses of the Village This stone is soft and easie to cutte for they cut it as easily with yron as if it were wood it is light and lasting If men or beasts drinke thereof they die for that it congeales in the very entrailes and turnes into stone and for that cause some horses have died As this water turnes into stone the which flowes stoppes the passage to the rest so as of necessitie it changeth the course and for this reason it runnes in divers places as the rocke increaseth At the point of Cape S. Helaine there is a spring or fountaine of pitch which at Peru they call Coppey This should be like to that which the Scripture speakes of the savage valley where they did finde pits of pitch The Mariners vse these fountaines of pitch or Coppey to pitch their ropes and tackling for that it serves them as pitch and tarre in Spaine When I sailed into new Spaine by the coast of Peru the Pilot shewed me an Iland which they call the I le of Wolves where there is another fountaine or pit of Coppey or pitch with the which they anoint their tackling There are other fountaines and springs of Goultran rozen which the Pilot an excellent man in his charge tolde me he had seene and that sometimes sailing that waies being so farre into the sea as he had lost the sight of land yet did he know by the smell of the Coppey where he was as well as if he had knowne the land such is the savour that issues continually from that fountaine At the baths which they call the baths of Ingua there is a course of water which comes forth all hote and boiling and ioyning vnto it there is another whose water is as cold as ice The Ingua was accustomed to temper the one with the other it is a wonderfull thing to see springs of so contrarie qualities so neere one to the other There are an infinit number of other hote springs specially in the Province of Charcas in the water whereof you cannot indure to hold your hand the space of an Ave Maria as I have seene tried by wager In a farme neere to Cusco springs a fountain of salt which as it runs turns into salt very white exceeding good the which if it were in another countrie were no small riches yet they make very small accoumpt thereof for the store they have there The waters which runne in Guayaquel which is in Peru almost vnder the Equinoctiall line are held to be healthfull for the French disease and other such like so as they come from many places farre off to be cured And they say the cause thereof is for that in that Countrie there is great aboundance of rootes which they call Sallepareille the vertue and operation whereof is so knowne that it communicates her propertie to the waters wherein it is put to cure this disease Bilcanota is a mountaine the which according to common opinion is in the highest part of Peru the toppe whereof is all covered with snow and in some places is blacke like coale There issueth forth of it two springs in contrarie places which presently growe to be very great bâ—rookes and so by little and little become great flouds the one goes to Calloa into the great Lake Titicaca the other goes to the lands and is that which they call
the Pignons of Punua the conserve of Guanucquo the oyle of Fig-trees and many other things the which being well applied and in time they hold to be of no lesse efficacie then the drugges that come from the East The which may be seene in reading the discourse which Monardes hath made in the first and second Part where he treates amply of Tobacco or Petum whereof they have made notable experiences against poison Tobacco is a small tree or plant common enough the which hath in it rare vertues as amongst others it serves for a counterpoison like to many and divers other plants for the Creator of all things hath imparted his vertues at his pleasure not willing that any thing should grow idle But it is another soveraigne gift to man to know them and their proper vses the which the same Creator gives to whome hee pleaseth Doctor Francis Hernandes hath made a goodly worke vppon this subiect of Indian plants liquors and other phisicall things by the Kings expresse commission and commaundement causing all the plants at the Indies to be lively painted which they say are above a thousand two hundred and that the worke cost above three score thousand ducats out of which worke the Doctor Nardus Anthonius an Italian Physitian hath made a curious extract sending him to the foresaid bookes that desires more exactly to knowe the plants at the Indies especially for physicke Of great forrests at the Indies of Cedars of Ceivas and other great trees CHAP. 30. ALthough from the beginning the earth did bring foorth plants and trees by the commandement of the Lord yet hath it yielded more in one place than in another and besides the plants and trees which by the industry of man have beene transplanted and carried from place to place there are many which Nature it selfe hath brought forth I do beleeve that of this sort there are more at the new world which we do call the Indies either in number or diversitie than in the olde as Europe Asia or Affrike The reason is for that the climate at the Indies is generally hot and moist as we have declared in the second Booke against the opinion of the Auntients which causeth the earth naturally for to bring foorth an infinit number of wilde plants whereby the greatest part of the Indies is inhabitable being almost impossible to travell by reason of the woodes and thicke forrests that are there which they labour dailie to cut downe It hath bin needefull passing through some partes of the Indies especially where they newly entred to make their way in cutting downe trees and pulling vp bushes so that as some religious men have written that have tried it they coulde not sometimes have passed above a league in a day One of our brothers a man worthy of credite reported vnto vs that being straied in the mountaines not knowing which way he shoulde passe he fell among such thicke bushes that he was forced to go vpon them without setting foote to the ground by the space of fifteene whole dayes and to see the Sunne or to marke some way in this thicke forrest full of wood he was forced to climbe to the top of the highest trees to discover He that shall reade the discourse of his travell how often hee was lost and the wayes he passed with the strange adventures that happened vnto him the which I have written briefly being so worthy the knowledge and having my selfe travelled alittle over the mountaines at the Indies were it but the eighteene leagues betwixt Nombre de Dios and Panama may well iudge what great forrests there are So as having no winter in those parts to nip them with colde and the humiditie of the heavens and earth being so great as the mountaines bring foorth infinit forrests and the plaines which they call Savanas great plenty of grasse there is no want of pasture for feeding of timber building nor of wood for fewell It is impossible to set downe the differences and formes of so many wilde trees for that the names of the greatest parte are vnknowne Cedars in olde time so much esteemed are there very common both for buildings and shippes and they are of diverse sortes some white and some redde very odoriferant There are great store of Bay trees very pleasant to beholde vpon the Andes of Peru vppon the mountaines in the Ilands of Nicaragua and in New Spaine There are also infinite numbers of Palmes and Ceivas whereof the Indians make their Canoes which are boates made of one peece They bring into Spaine from the Havana excellent timber In the Iland of Cuba there are infinite numbers of like trees as Ebene Caovana Grenadille Cedars and other kindes which I do not know There are great pine trees in New Spaine though they be not so strong as those in Spaine they beare no pignous or kernells but empty apples The oaks as they cal them of Guaiaquil is an excelent wood and sweet when they cut it yea there are kanes or most high reedes of whose boughs or small reedes they doe make bottles and pitchers to carry water and do likewise vse them in their buildings There is likewise the wood of Mansle or Firre whereof they make masts for their shippes and they holde them as strong as yron Molle is a tree of many vertues which casteth foorth small boughes whereof the Indians make wine In Mexico they call it the tree of Peru for that it came from thence but it growes also in New Spaine and better than those in Peru. There are a thousand other trees which were a superâ—â—uous labour to intreate of whereof some are of an exceeding greatnesse I will speake only of one which is in Tlaco Chavoya three leagues from Guayaca in New Spaine this tree being measured within being hollow was found to have nine fadome and without neare to the roote sixteene and somewhat higher twelve This tree was strooke with lightning from the toppe to the bottomâ— through the heart the which caused this hollownesse they say that before the thunder fell vpon it it was able to shadow a thousand men and therefore they did assemble there for theyr daunces and superstitions yet to this day there doth remaine some boughes and verdure but not much They know not what kinde of tree it is but they say it is a kind of Cedar Such as shall finde this strange let them reade what Plinie reporteth of the Plane of Lidia the hollow whereof contained foure score foote and one and seemed rather a Cabbin or a house than the hollow of a tree his boughs like a whole wood the shaddow whereof covered a great part of the field By that which is writen of this tree we have no great cause to wonder at the Weaver who hadde his dwelling and loome in the hollow of a chesnut tree and of another chesnut tree if it were not the very same into the hollow whereof there entered eighteene men on horsebacke and passed out without
banquet and dinner of the feast having first bid the idoll good morrow with a small dance which they made whilst the day did breake and that they prepared the sacrifice Then did all the Marchants assemble at this banket especially those which made it a trafficke to buy and sell slaves who were bound every yeare to offer one for the resemblance of their god This idoll was one of the most honoured in all the land and therefore the Temple where hee was was of great authoritie There were threescore staires to ascend vp vnto it and on the toppe was a court of an indifferent largenesse very finely drest and plastered in the midst whereof was a great round thing like vnto an Oven having the entrie low and narrow so as they must stoope very low that should enter into it This Temple had chambers and chappells as the rest where there were convents of Priests yong men maides and children as hath beene said and there was one Priest alone resident continually the which they changed weekely For although there were in every one of these temples three or foure Curates or Ancients yet did every one serve his weeke without parting His charge that weeke after he had instructed the children was to strike vp a drumme every day at the Sunne setting to the same end that we are accustomed to ring to evensong This drumme was such as they might heare the house sound thereof throughout all the partes of the Cittie then every man shut vp his merchandise and retired vnto his house and there was so great a silence as there seemed to be no living creature in the Towne In the morning whenas the day beganne to breake they beganne to sound the drumme which was a signe of the day beginning so as travellers and strangers attended this signall to beginne their iournies for till that time it was not lawfull to goe out of the cittie There was in this temple a court of a reasonable greatnes in the which they made great dances pastimes with games or comedies the day of the idolls feast for which purpose there was in the middest of this court a theatre of thirty foote square very finely decked and trimmed the which they decked with flowers that day with all the arte and invention that mought be beeing invironed round with Arches of divers flowers and feathers and in some places there were tied many small birds connies and other tame beasts After dinner all the people assembled in this place and the players presented themselves and played comedies some counterfeit the deafe and the rheumatike others the lame some the blinde and without handes which came to seeke for cure of the idoll the deafe answered confusedly the rheumatike did cough the lame halted telling their miseries and griefes wherewith they made the people to laugh others came foorth in the forme of little beasts some were attired like snailes others like toades and some like lizardes then meeting together they tolde their offices and every one retyring to his place they founded on small flutes which was pleasant to heare They likewise counterfeited butterflies and small birdes of diverse colours and the children of the Temple represented these formes then they went into a little forrest planted there for the nonce where the Priestes of the Temple drew them foorth with instruments of musicke In the meane time they vsed many pleasant speeches some in propounding others in defending wherewith the assistants were pleasantly intertained This doone they made a maske or mummerie with all these personages and so the feast ended the which were vsually doone in their principall feasts What profit may be drawne out of this discourse of the Indians superstitions CHAP 31. THis may suffice to vnderstand the care and paine the Indians tooke to serve and honour their Idolls or rather the divell for it were an infinite matter and of small profit to report every thing that hath passed for that it may seeme to some needlesse to have spoken â—hus much and that it is a losse of time as in reading the fables that are fained by the Romaines of Knighthoode But if such as holde this opinion will looke wel into it they shall finde great difference betwixt the one and the other and that it may be profitable for many considerations to have the knowledge of the cuâ—â—oms and ceremonies the Indians vsed first this knowledge is not only profitable but also necessary in those countries where these superstitions have beene practised to the end that Christians and the maisters of the Law of Christ may know the errours and superstitions of the Antients and observe if the Indians vse them not at this day either secretly or openly For this cause many learned and worthy men have written large Discourses of what they have found yea the Provinciall counsells have commaunded them to write and print them as they have doone in Lima where hath beene made a more ample Discourse than this And therefore it importeth for the good of the Indians that the Spaniardes being in those parts of the Indies should have the knowledge of all these things This Discourse may likewise serve the Spaniards there and all others whersoever to give infinite thankes to God our Lord who hath imparted so great a benefite vnto vs giving them his holy Lawe which is most iust pure and altogether profitable The which we may well know comparing it with the lawes of Sathan where so many wretched people have lived so miserably It may likewise serve to discover the pride envy deceipts and ambushes of the Divell which he practiseth against those hee holdes captives seeing on the one side hee seekes to imitate God and make comparison with him and his holy Lawe and on the other side hee dooth mingle with his actions so many vanities filthinesse and cruelties as hee that hath no other practise but to sophisâ—â—cate and corrupt all that is good Finally hee that shall see the darkenes and blindenes wherein so many Provinces and Kingdoms have lived so long time yea and wheâ—in many Nations and a great part of the world live yet deceived with the like trumperies he can not if he have a Christians heart but give thankes to the high God for such as hee hath called out of so great darkenes to the admirable light of his Gospel beseeching the vnspeakeable charitie of the Creator to preserve and increase them in his knowledge and obedience and likewise be grieved for those that follow still the way of perdition And that in the end hee beseech the Father of Pitty to open vnto them the treasures and riches of Iesus Christ who with the Father and Holy-ghost raignes in all Ages Amen THE SIXT BOOKE of the Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies That they erre in their opinion which holde the Indians to want iudgement CHAP. 1. HAving treated before of the religion the Indians vsed I pretend to discourse in this Booke of their customs policy and government for
those we vse in Europe and that by them wee may write wordes and discourses and that they only differ from our letters and writings in the diversitie of caracters as the Greekes differ from the Latines and the Hebrews from the Chaldees But it is not so for they have no Alphabet neither write they any letters but all their writing is nothing else but painting and ciphering and their letters signifie no partes of distinctions as ours do but are figures and representations of things as of the Sunne of fire of a man of the sea and of other things The which appears plainely for that their writings and Chapas are vnderstood of them all although the languages the Chinois speake are many and very different in like sort as our numbers of ciphers are equally vnderstooode in the Spanish French and Arabian tongues for this figure 8. wheresoever it be signifies eight althogh the French call this number of one sort and the Spaniards of another So as things being of themselves innumerable the letters likewise or figures which the Chinois vse to signifie them by are in a maner infinite so as he that shall reade or write at China as the Mandarins doe must know and keepe in memory at the least fourescore and five thousand characters or letters and those which are perfect herein know above sixscore thousand Astrange and prodigious thing yea incredible if it were not testified by men worthy of credite as the fathers of our company who are there continually learning their language and writing wherein they have studied day and night above tenne yeares with a continuall labour for the charitie of Christ and the desire of salvation of soules prevailed in them above all this labour and difficultie For this reason learned men are so much esteemed in China for the difficultie there is to conceive them those only have the offices of Mandarins Governours Iudges and Captaines For this cause the fathers take great pains to instruct their children to reade and write There are many of these schooles where the children are taught where the masters teach them by day and the fathers at home by night so as they hurt their eyes much and they whippe them often with reedes although not so severely as they doe offenders They call it the Mandarin tongue which requires a mans age to be conceived And you must vnderstand that although the tongue which the Mandarins speake bee peculiar and different from the Vulgar which are many and that they studie it as they doe Latine Greeke heere and that the learned only throghout all China do vnderstand it so it is notwithstanding that all that is written in it is vnderstood in all tongues and although all the Provinces doe not vnderstand one another by speaking yet by writing they doe for there is but one sort of figures and characters for them all which signifie one thing but not the same word and prolation seeing as I have said they are onely to denote the things and not the worde as we may easily vnderstand by the examples of numbers in ciphering And they of Iappon the Chinois do reade and vnderstand well the writings one of another although they be divers Nations and different in tongue and language If they speake what they reade or write they should not bee vnderstood Such are the letters and bookes the Chinois vse being so famous in the world To make their impressions they grave a boord or plank with the figures they will print then do they stampe as many leaves of paper as they list of the same sort as they have made their pictures the which are graven in copper or wood But a man of iudgement may aske how they could signifie their conceptions by figures which approached neere or resemble the thing they would represent As to say the Sunne heats or that he hath beheld the Sunne or the day is of the Sunne Finally how it were possible to denote by the same figures the case the coniunction and the articles which are in many tongues and writings I answer therevnto that they distinguish and signifie this varietie by certaine points strikes and dispositions of the figure But it is difficult to vnderstand how they can write proper names in their tongue especially of strangers being things they have never seene and notable to invent figures proper vnto them I have made triall thereof being in Mexico with the Chinois willing them to write this proposition in their language Ioseph Acosta is come from Peru and such like wherevpon the Chinois was long pensive but in the end hee did write it the which other Chinois did after reade although they did vary a little in the pronountiation of the proper name For they vse this devise to write a proper name they seeke out something in their tongue that hath resemblance to that name and set downe the figure of this thing And as it is difficult among so many proper names to finde things to resemble them in the prolation so is it very difficult and troublesome to write such names Vpon this purpose father Allonso SancheZ told vs that when he was in China being led into divers Tribunall seates from Manderin to Manderin they were long in putting his name in writing in their Chapas yet in the end they did write it after their maner and so ridiculously that they scarce came neere to the name and this is the fashion of letters and writings which the Chinois vsed That of the Iapponois approched very neere although they affirme that the Noblemen of Iappon that came into Europe did write all things very easily in their language were they of our proper names yea I have had some of their writings shewed me whereby it seemes they should have some kinde of letters although the greatest part of their writings be by the characters and figures as hath bin saide of the Chinois Of the Schooles and Vniversities of China CHAP. 6. THe fathers of our company say that they have not seene in China any great schooles or vniversities of Philosophie and other naturall sciences beleeving there is not any but that all their studie is in the Mandarin tongue which is very ample and hard as I have said and what they studie bee things written in their owne tongue which be histories of sects and opinions of civill lawes of morall proverbes of fables and many other such compositions that depend thereon Of divine sciences they have no knowledge neither of naturall things but some small remainders of straied propositions without art or methode according to everie mans witte and studie As for the Mathematikes they have experience of the celestiall motions and of the starres And for Phisicke they have knowledge of herbs by means wherof they cure many diseases vse it much They write with pensils have many books writen with the hand and others printed but in a bad order They are great plaiers of come dies the which they perform with great
preparation of theaters apparel bels drums and voices Some fathers report to have seene comedies which lasted ten or twelve dayes and nights without any want of comedians nor company to beholde them They doe make many different sceanes and whilst some act the others feede and sleep In these comedies they do commonly treate of morall things and of good examples intermingled with pleasant devises This is the summe of that which our men report of the letters and exercises of them of China wherein wee must confesse to be much wit and industrie But all this is of small substance for in effect all the knowledge of the Chinois tendes onely to reade and write no farther for they attaine to no high knowledge And their writing and reading is not properly reading and writing seeing their letters are no letters that can represent wordes but figures of innumerable things the which cannot be learned but in a long time and with infinite labour But in the end with all their knowledge an Indian of Peru or Mexico that hath learned to reade and write knowes more then the wisest Mandarin that is amongst them for that the Indian with foure and twentie letters which he hath learned will write all the wordes in the world and a Mandarin with his hundred thousand letters will be troubled to write some proper name as of Martin or Alonso with greater reason he shal be lesse able to write the names of things he knowes not So as the writing in China is no other thing but a maner of painting or ciphring Of the fashion of letters and writings which the Mexicaines vsed CHAP. 7. WE finde amongest the Nations of New Spaine a great knowledge and memorie of antiquitie and therefore searching by what meanes the Indians had preserved their Histories and so many particularities I learned that although they were not so subtill and curious as the Chinois and those of Iappon yet had they some kinde of letters and bookes amongest them whereby they preserved after their manner the deeds of their predecessors In the province of Yu-lataâ— where the Bishopricke is which they call de Honduras there were bookes of the leaves of trees folded and squared after their manner in the which the wise Indians contained the distribution of their times the knowledge of the planets of beasts and other naturall things with their antiquities a thing full of great curiositie and diligence It seemed to some Pedant that all this was an inchantment magicke arte who did obstinately maintaine that they ought to be burnt so as they were committed to the fire Which since not onely the Indians found to be ill done but also the curious Spaniards who desired to know the secrets of the countrey The like hath happened in other things for our men thinking that all was but superstition have lost many memorialls of an ancient and holy things which might have profited much This proceedeth of a foolish and ignorant zeale who not knowing nor seeking to knowe what concerned the Indians say preiudicately that they are all but witchcrafts and that all the Indians are but drunkards incapable to know or learne any thing For such as would be curiously informed of them have found many things worthy of consideration One of our company of Iesuites a man very witty and wel experienced did assemble in the province of Mexico the Antients of Tescuco of Talla and of Mexico conferring at large with them who shewed vnto him their books histories and kalenders things very woorthy the sight bicause they had their figures and hierogliphicks wherby they represented things in this maner Such as had forme or figure were represented by their proper images and such as had not any were represented by characters that signified them and by this meanes they figured and writ what they would And to observe the time when any thing did happen they had those painted wheeles for every one of them contained an age which was two and fifty yeares as hath beene said and of the side of those wheeles they did paint with figures and characters right against the yeare the memorable things that happened therein As they noted the yeare whenas the Spaniards entred their Countrey they painted a man with a hatte and a red ierkin vpon the signe of the reede which did rule then and so of other accidents But for that their writings and characters were not sufficient as our letters and writings be they could not so plainly expresse the words but onely the substance of their conceptions And forasmuch as they were accustomed to reherse Discourses and Dialogues by heart compounded by their Oratours and auntient Rhethoritians and many Chapas made by their Poets which were impossible to learne by their Hierogliphickes and Characters the Mexicaines were very curious to have their children learne those dialogues and compositions by heart For the which cause they had Schooles and as it were Colledges or Seminaries where the Auncients taught children these Orations and many other things which they preserved amongst them by tradition from one to another as perfectly as if they had beene written especially the most famous Nations had a care to have their children which had any inclination to be Rhetoritians and to practise the office of Orators to learne these Orations by heart So as when the Spaniardes came into their Country and had taught them reade and write our letters many of the Indians then wrote these Orations as some grave men doe witnes that had read them Which I say for that some which shall happly reade these long and eloquent discourses in the Mexicaine Historie will easilie beleeve they have beene invented by the Spaniardes and not really taken and reported from the Indians But having knowne the certaine trueth they will give credite as reason is to their Histories They did also write these Discourses after their manner by Characters and Images and I have seene for my better satisfaction the Pater noster Ave Maria and Simboll or generall confession of our faith written in this manner by the Indians And in trueth whosoever shall see them will wonder thereat For to signifie these wordes I a sinner do confesse my selfe they painted an Indian vppon his knees at a religious mans feete as one that confesseth himselfe and for this To God most mighty they painted three faces with their Crownes like to the Trinitie and To the glorious Virgine Marie they painted the face of our Lady and halfe the body of a little childe and for S. Peter and S. Paul heads with crowns and a key with a sword and whereas images failed they did set characters as Wherein I have sinned c. whereby wee may conceive the quickenesse of spirite of these Indians seeing this manner of writing of our prayers and matters of faith hath not beene taught them by the Spaniards neither could they have done it if they had not had an excellent conception of that was taught them And I have seene
in Peru a confession of sinnes brought by an Indian written in the same forte with pictures and characters painting every one of the tenne Commandementes after a certaine manner where there were certaine markes like ciphers which were the sinnes hee had committed against the Commaundements I nothing doubt but if any of the most sufficient Spaniards were imployed to make memorialles of the like things by their images and markes they would not attaine vnto it in a whole yeare no not in tenne Of Registers and the manner of reckoning which the Indians of Peru vsed CHAP. 8. BEfore the Spaniardes came to the Indies they of Peru had no kinde of writing either letters characters ciphers or figures like to those of China and Mexico yet preserved they the memory of their Antiquities and maintaine an order in all their affairs of peace warre and pollicie for that they were carefull observers of traditions from one to another and the yoong ones learned and carefully kept as a holy thing what their superiors had tolde them and taught it with the like care to their posteritie Besides this diligence they supplied the want of letters and writings partely by painting as those of Mexico although they of Peru were very grose and blockish and partely and most commonly by Quippos These Quippos are memorialls or registers made of bowes in the which there are diverse knottes and colours which do signifie diverse things and it is strange to see what they have expressed and represented by this meanes for their Quippos serve them insteede of Bookes of histories of lawes ceremonies and accounts of their affaires There were officers appointed to keepe these Quippos the which at this day they call Quipocamayos the which were bound to give an account of every thing as Notaries and Registers doe heere Therefore they fully beleeved them in all things for according to the varietie of businesse as warres pollicie tributes ceremonies and landes there were sundry Quippos or braunches in every one of the which there were so many knottes little and great and strings tied vnto them some red some greene some blew some white and finally such diversitie that even as wee derive an infinite number of woordes from the foure and twenty letters applying them in diverse sortes so doe they drawe innumerable woordes from their knottes and diversitie of colours Which thing they doe in such a manner that if at this day in Peru any Commissary come at the end of two or three yeares to take information vppon the life of any officer the Indians come with their small reckonings verified saying that in such a village they have given him so many egges which hee hath not payed for in such a house a henne in an other two burdens of grasse for his horse and that he hath paied but so much mony and remaineth debtor so much The proofe being presently made with these numbers of knottes and handfulls of cords it remaines for a certaine testimony and register I did see a handfull of these strings wherein an Indian woman carried written a generall confession of all her life and thereby confessed herselfe as well as I could have done it in written paper I asked her what those strings meant that differed from the rest she aunswered mee they were certaine circumstaunces which the sin required to be fully confessed Beside these Quippos of thred they have an other as it were a kinde of writing with small stones by meanes whereof they learne punctually the words they desire to know by heart It is a pleasant thing to see the olde and the impotent with a wheele made of small stones learne the Pater noster with another the Ave Maria with another the Creede and to remember what stone signifies Which was conceived by the holy-ghost and which Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate It is a pleasant thing to see them correct themselves when they doe erre for all their correction consisteth onely in beholding of their small stones One of these wheeles were sufficient to make mee forget all that I do knowe by heart There are a great number of these wheeles in the Church-yardes for this purpose But it seemes a kinde of witchcraft to see an other kinde of Quippos which they make of graines of Mays for to cast vp a hard account wherein a good Arithmetitian would be troubled with his penne to make a division to see how much every one must contribute they do drawe so many graines from one side and adde so many to another with a thousand other inventions These Indians wil take their graines and place five of one side three of another and eight of another and wil change one graine of one side and three of another So as they finish a certaine account without erring in any poynt and they sooner submitte themselves to reason by these Quippos what every one ought to pay then we can do with the penne Hereby we may iudge if they have any vnderstanding or be brutish for my parte I think they passe vs in those things wherevnto they do apply themselves Of the order the Indians holde in their writings CHAP. 9. IT shal be good to adde heerevnto what we have observed touching the Indians writings for their maner was not to write with a continued line but from the toppe to the bottome or in circle-wise The Latines and Greeks do write from the left hand vnto the right which is the vulgar and common manner we do vse The Hebrewes contrariwise beganne at the right to the left and therefore their bookes beganne where ours did end The Chinois write neither like the Greeks nor like the Hebrews but from the toppe to the bottome for as they be no letters but whole wordes and that every figure and character signifieth a thing they have no neede to assemble the parts one with an other and therefore they may well write from the toppe to the bottome Those of Mexico for the same cause did not write in line from one side to another but contrarie to the Chinois beginning below they mounted vpward They vsed this maner of writing in the account of their daies and other things which they observed Yet when they did write in their wheels or signes they beganne from the middest where the Sunne was figured and so mounted by their yeeres vnto the round and circumference of the wheele To conclude wee finde foure different kindes of writings some writte from the right to the left others from the left to the right some from the toppe to the bottome and others from the foote to the toppe wherein wee may discover the diversity of mans iudgement How the Indians dispatched their Messengers CHAP. 10. TO finish the maner they had of writing some may with reason doubt how the Kings of Mexico and Peru had intelligence from all those realmes that were so great or by what meanes they could dispatch their affaires in Court seeing they had no vse of any letters nor to write pacquets wherein