PVRCHAS HIS PILGRIMES IN FIVE BOOKES The first Containing Peregrinations and Discoueries in the remotest North and East parts of ASIA called TARTARIA and CHINA The second Peregrinations Voyages Discoueries of CHINA TARTARIA RVSSIA and other the North and East parts of the World by English-men and others The third Voyages and Discoueries of the North parts of the World by Land and Sea in ASIA EVROPE the Polare Regions and in the North-west of AMERICA The fourth English Northerne Nauigations and Discoueries Relations of Greenland Greenland the North-west passage and other Arctike Regions with later RVSSIAN OCCVRRENTS The fifth Voyages and Trauels to and in the New World called AMERICA Relations of their Pagan Antiquities and of the Regions and Plantations in the North and South parts thereof and of the Seas and Ilands adiacent The Third Part. Vnus Deus Vna Veritas LONDON Printed by William Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Rose 1625. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD IOHN Lord Bishop of LINCOLNE Lord Keeper of the GREAT SEALE OF ENGLAND c. Right Reuerend and Honourable THese PILGRIMS deliuering a Historie of the World in their owne Trauels by Sea and Land not onely needed authoritie from the Admiraltie but fearing suspition of Riot without warrantable assemblie become humble Sutors for your Lordships fauour So shall they in the approbation of both to apply by a warrant of Ego dixi dij estis the Patriarchs mysticall Dreame to our Historicall purpose finde a Scala Coeli to ascend from the ground where they are prostrate Petitioners to the Princes Highnesse whence authorised they may againe descend and become the Commons of Common Readers Order requires a Medium betwixt Princely Height and his Lowlinesse whose function is also tearmed Holy Orders as further tying him to that equall inequalitie wherein hee beseecheth your Lordship as by speciall Office and in Proprietie to owne that which hee hath presumed to offer to the Prince in Capite Quemadmodum sub optimo rege omnia Rex imperio possidet Domini dominio Ad reges protestas pertinet ad singulos proprietas Many are the reasons which moued the Author to obtrude his PILGRIMS on your Lordship because he is deeply obliged Yours former fauours euen then when you were initiated in the Mysteries of Honour learning by seruice to Command in the Discipline of that Honorable Worthy Lord Chancellor EGERTON because some conceptions of this Worke were in your Honourable Iurisdiction of Westminster whither lest some traduce Trauellers for Vagrants they returne in hope of Sanctuarie not so much trusting to the ancient Liberties as to your Lordships liberall respect to literate endeauours because these Trauellers aduenturing the world seeke like Iacob at his going and returne a Reuerend Fathers Blessing and Confirmation The Author likewise being called on for his promised Europe submits himselfe to your Lordships Order heere tendring of that debt what hee is able in readie payment The worke it selfe also being a Librarie in this kind presents it selfe to your Honour the Founder of two famous Libraries one in Westminster where the Stones renued Fabrikes speake your Magnificence the other in that famous Nurserie of Arts and Vertue Saint IOHNS Colledge in Cambridge which sometime knew you a hopefull Sonne but now acknowledgeth your Lordship a happie Father where also the Author first conceiued with this Trauelling Genius whereof without trauelling he hath trauelled euer since Learning the Aduancer of your Honour hath secured her welwillers not to bee reiected in whatsoeuer indeauours Scribimus indocti doctique to aduance Learning The greatnesse of Nature to goodnesse of Nature varietie of Estates to a prime Pillar of State the Historie of Religions to a Religious Prelate of Antiquities to an Antiquarie cannot bee altogether vnwelcome that I mention not the dependance of London Ministers Liuings fined by the Times iniquitie on your Lordships equall Sentence These Causes haue moued One hath inforced these PILGRIMES are your Seruants fitly so called à Seruando saued by your Lordships hand when they were giuing vp the ghost despairing through a fatall stroke of euer seeing light Most humbly therefore sue vnto your Honour these PILGRIMES for acknowledgement esteeming your Lordships Name in fore-front a cognisance of blest Libertie and best Seruice Now when Ianus sends many with gratefull emulations to present their acclamations of a New Yeere presenting a wordie rather then worthy Present a World yea a New world in great part one Age younger to mens knowledge then America sometimes stiled by that Name I had written others Causes of my addresse to your Honour but dare not proceed to interrupt Others more weightie In all humble earnestnesse beseecheth now in this Festiuall time the Author with his PILGRIMES to finde Hospitall entertainment not at your Honours table where Great affaires of Church and State are feasted except some recreation some times permit but with Schollers and Gentlemen in the Hall which will welcome such Guests as your Lordship shall Countenance So shall you encourage euer to pray for the increase of your Lordships happinesse in the Happie Seruice of his MAIESTIE Your Lordships most bounden SAMVEL PVRCHAS THE CONTENTS OF THE CHAPTERS AND PARAGRAPHS IN THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE SECOND PART OF PVRCHAS HIS PILGRIMS CHAP. I. THe Iournall of Friar William de Rubruquis a French-man of the Order of the Minorite Friars vnto the East parts of the World Anno Dom. 1253. H. pag. 1. CHAP. II. Tartarian and Northerne Relations written in Latin by the famous Friar Roger Bacon H. p. 52 Relations of Vincentius Beluacensis the most of which he receiued from Friar Simon de Sancto Quintino one of the foure Friars sent by Pope Innocent the fourth to the Tartars seruing to the illustration of the former pag. 58. CHAP. III. Relations touching the Tartars taken out of the Historie of R. Wendouer and Mat. Paris with certaine Epistles of the same subiect pag. 60. CHAP. IIII. The first booke of Marcus Paulus Venetus or of Master Marco Polo a Gentleman of Venice his Voyages pag. 65. § 1. The voyages of Master Nicolo and M. Maffio from Constantinople to the Great Can and their comming home to Venice their second voyage with the Authour and returne ibid. § 2. Obseruations of M. Polo of Armenia Turkie Zorzania Baldach Persia Chirmain Cobniam Ormus Knaue-fooles paradise and other Easterne parts in Asia and Armenia the lesse pag. 69. § 3. Of Sapurgan Balac Thaican Scassem Balaxiam Bascia Chesmur Vochan Samarchan Carchan Peym the dreadfull Desart of Lop and Tanguth pag. 73. § 4. Of Carchoran the originall proceedings and exploits of the Tartars of Priest Iohn and his discendants Customes of the Tartars Of Bargu Erginul Xandu the Cans Citie and Palace of Muske of strange Sorcerers and anstere Monkes pag. 77. § 5. Of Cublai Can his Raigne and Acts Magnificent feasts and
name of Flokawogur and there the deepest part of the Sea where Geirhilda the daughter of Floco by chance was drowned was caled Geirhildarwata from her no otherwise then that Sea was called Hellespontus wherein by misfortune Phryxus lost his sister Helle. There was yet no vse of the Mariners Compasse wherefore Floco leauing Hietlandia tooke certayne Rauens vnto him and when hee thought hee had sayled a great way he sent forth one Rauen which flying aloft went backe againe to Hietlande which she saw behind Whereupon Floco perceiuing that he was yet neerer to Hietland then other Countryes and therefore couragiously going forward he sent forth another Rauen which because she could see no Land neither before nor behind light into the ship again But lastly the third Rauen was sent forth by Floco and hauing for the most part performed his Voyage through the sharpnesse of her quicke sight attayning the Land which the Mariners desired she speedily flew thither whose direction Floco following beheld first the Easterne side of the Iland as his Predecessors did and from thence directing his course to the South found a very wide and open Bay twelue Islandish miles broad betweene the two Promontories or high Lands afterwards called Renkanes and Snaefelsnes And hearing by a certayne Mariner whom he had with him a Scot borne named Faxa that the Bay they now met with was the huge mouth of a Riuer or Floud Floco to reproue the folly of Faxa supposing so huge a Bay of the Sea to be the mouth of a Riuer called the name of the Bay inclosed betweene the foresaid Promontories Faxaos which signifieth the mouth of Faxa This Bay by reason of the multitude of Hauens was afterwads called Hafnafiordur which name Hafnafiordur at this day is more specially vsed of a most safe Hauen of the same Bay After this Floco sayling along the West side of the Iland entred somewhat within the Bay Breidafiord remaining in a certaine Hauen of the Prouince Bardestraund called Watnsfiordur for I vse the names giuen them afterwards and there preparing wintering places he liued very commodiously and well with fish of diuers kindes wherewith that Bay doth abound But hauing the Spring time here very vntemperate through cold hee found a Bay which entreth this part of the Land on the North to be filled with Ice of the Sea which wee call Gronelandish Ice From which Ice Floco deuised the third name for the Iland and called it Island Moreouer also Floco turning to the South side passed another Winter in Island and returning into Norway from the Rauens which hee vsed in stead of the Mariners Compasse he allotted it the surname of Rafnafloke And Island surely obtained these names consequently from the finders or discouerers thereof For as touching the fourth Thule imposed vpon this Land by some I cannot bee perswaded to beleeue it is true chiefly by this argument That Thyle or Thule among the ancient Writers was often in the mouth and writings not onely of Pliny in his second booke of Naturall Histories 75. Chapter and fourth booke and sixteenth Chapter and Pliny flourished about the eightieth yeere of Christ and of him who was more ancient then Pliny Pythias Massiliensis buâ— also of Pub. Virgilius who liued not aboue fourteene yeeres after Christ but Island till the yeere of Christ 874. remained altogether desert as hereafter I shall speake Thule therefore which Virgil said should serue Augustus Geor. 1. tibi seruiat vltima Thule where euen euery child knoweth that Thule is Synecdochically spoken for the Inhabitanes of Thule not onely inhabited in the times of Augustus and Virgil but also knowne to the Romanes is not Island which many ages after began first to be inhabited Besides Plinie himselfe seemeth in the later place recited to reckon Thule with the Ilands of Britaine for saith hee Vltima omnium quae memorantur est Thule to wit of the Brittish Ilands for hee speaketh of them It is likely also that Virgil meant the same who said Thule was the last in the place before recited and likewise Penitus toto diuisos orbe Britannos that is to say the last Let me yet vrge the same argument further from the age of Claudianus Alexandrinus and Pub. Papinius Statius farre more ancient then he For Claudianus about the yeere of Christ 390. writeth thus concerning the successe of the Getick Wars atchieued by Theodosius Famaque ingrantes succincta panoribus alas Secum cuncta trahens à Gadibus vsque Britaâ—â—um Terruit Oceanum nostro procul axe remotam Insolito Belli tremefecit murmure Thulen Then blackwing'd Fame Feare girt frights all the World with Warre From Cades to Britaine from Our World shakes Thule farre But did Report and Fame cause Island not inhabited and desert to tremble And Statius more ancient by three hundred yeeres then Claudian in his third Booke Sylua writeth thus Quanquam etsi gelidas irem mansurus ad Arâ—tos Velsuper Hesperia vada caligantia Thules Though I should dwel in Artike frosts Or mystie shelues of Thules West coasts You heare not onely a slight report of Thule came to Statius eares but that the shallow places quicke sand or shelues found in approching to the Iland were sufficiently knowne vnto him by the often relation of Nauigators of which sort in the circuit of Island there are none that I know which experience speaketh but in comming to the Ilands of Britaine they are very ordinarie and common as they say The Longitude thereof from the East vnto the West hath not hitherto beene expressed by any certaine or assured measure that I know nor yet the Latitude from North to South saue that in an ancient Codicall or Writing I found that the Longitude was twentie dayes iourney and the Latitude where it is broadest foure dayes but the iourneyes as elsewhere so also with vs are not alike yet here I vnderstand Pyngmanualeid twentie in the Authors owne hand-writing it is Dagleider nor is it expressed whether of Horse-men or Foot-men But the Latitude it selfe is not euery where the same by reason of Bayes on both sides to wit from the Sotth and North entring the Land it selfe with vnequall distances The Easterly bound is Austurhorn the Westerne Randesandur for the Promontory Sua-felloues lyeth more toward the South-west but the North bound is Langanes and the South Reikranes The Iland also from the foure quarters of the World is diuided into North South East and West and the Promontorie Langanes diuideth North Island from East Island from West Island the Bay Rutafiordur from South Island the vast and huge deserts of rough and inaccessable places extended the whole length of the Iland But Soutâ— Island opposite to the North through these rough and inaccessable places lying betweene the Riuer Ioculsu running through the deserts of Solseimasande diuideth from East Island from West Island also a famous Riuer named Albis emptying it selfe into the Bay Borgarfiord So that if it pleased me
who being void of all discipline liue infamous to themselues and grieuous and troublesome to their common Countrey in slothfull and filthy idlenesse inuerting and changing that order instituted by God himselfe The care of which thing if the Magistrate would yet vndertake surely many should fare the better The second meanes and way of preuenting pouertie was a Law or Edict concerning those who desired to be admitted into a Reppe or become Citizens of Reppes For none was to be receiued into a Reppe vnlesse hee had first gone vnto the solemne assembly of that Reppe and desired that he might be admitted which they might not iustly denie vnlesse to one conuicted of theft or otherwise of some other crime or so poore that therefore hee was vnfit for the Reppes and that hee could not sustaine himselfe and his family without the common almes of the beggars But if any could not be present at this assembly hee was bound to intreat leaue of cohabitation of fiue inhabitants hauing lands of their owne and next vnto him whom hee was about to goe vnto If any of honest fame and rich in abilitie would notwithstanding goe into the Reppes without demanding leaue he retayned his habitation but yet was excluded from the Law and priuiledges of the Reppes But if any wicked and dishonest person had thrust himselfe in without leaue although he had lawfully hired void and emptie land from the Lord and Owner therof the same was to be expelled by force Titulus de Reppis cap. 48. To the same purpose appertaineth that Edict concerning seruants taken out of the Rep. cap. 47. of the same The third Statute against pouertie was concerning the restitution of priuate losse in the title recited before cap. 47. whereof an example shall bee giuen first in houses by chance consumed by fire and those of foure sorts For if a Store-house Kitchin Bed-chamber or Bed and Chappel had been burned the losse receiued was to be valued within fourteene dayes by fiue of the next neighbours as well of the house it selfe as of the most necessary things contained therein as of the prouision of victuals apparell and houshold-stuffe daily vsed onely properly belonging to the Master of the family excluding other mens goods as treasures and other things more precious because a man might bee a sufficient Citizen of Reppes without these Then the halfe part of the losse valued by the whole Reppe was to bee restored within an appointed time by Subsidies contributed in common according to the abilitie of euery Inhabitant Another example of this liberalitie enioyned by the Lawes is concerning Cattle destroyed by the Murren or Rot for if the fourth part of any mans Cattle or more dyed the losse likewise being valued within fourteene dayes after the Murren ceased was to bee releeued by common supplies for the halfe part as the former was But concerning both there was a caution added that this benefit should not be performed the fourth time least any thing through too much carelesnesse and retchlesse negligence should procure damage to himselfe De Reppis cap. 47. 48. The other part of the Office of the Reppagogi was imployed about the care of the poore concerning the maintaining of such with certaine contribution of almes as were now become beggers either through sicknesse or age or other casualties not in their owne power and also concerning the excluding of others who should not appertaine vnto the almes and diuers cases thereunto belonging This almes was either priuate or publike Priuate for the which a law was made concerning the receiuing of the beggers into the number of their family by their kindred or cousins one or more inabled by a certaine increase of wealth limitted by law and to bee maintained by certaine lawes according to the degree of hereditarie succession For as any was next to the inheritance of the begger if hee possessed goods so was hee accounted the first that should sustaine him But the next degree failing or the same being poore or not hauing wherewith to maintaine himselfe and his besides that begger that necessitie was imposed vpon the second or third degree of kindred c. to be releeued Publike almes was as often as the kindred or cousins of the beggar failed they liued by the helpe and reliefe of the Reppes euery one was to bee maintained in his Repp whereof there are prescript constitutions of lawes to wit what beggars should belong to what Repp and what not and concerning the driuing away and expelling of them by processe of law who appertaine not thereunto Therefore the Reppagogi partakers of a publike Office limited with these bounds proclaimed assemblies Some surely both in time and place standing or ordinary others not standing or extraordinary that is to say as often as any new matter came pertaining to their charge to bee determined Also priuate men might call extraordinary assemblies to wit they who had any cause worthy of an assembly and iudgement But the signe and token of hauing an assembly after the thousand yeere when they had now sworne to the Christian Faith peraduenture before Iupiters Hammer and battle Axe Hamor pors was according to the religion of that time a woodden Crosse which euery Inhabitant carryed to his neighbour at the day place and occasion of the assembly proclaimed of which signe intermitted or neglected a certaine penaltie was inflicted There therefore the Reppagogi concerning the matters appertaining to their charge consulted according to equitie and right determined them and punished the guiltie There the guiltie person if the iniury were priuate was cited into the Court of Iustice by him that was iniured euen without publike authoritie which also wee reade was vsed by the Spartanes but if the iniury were publike or if the partie iniured in a priuate offence would not cite the guiltie person or could not then was hee cited by some of the Rappagogi Priuate men also had libertie and power to sue the Reppagogi negligent in their Office or otherwise iuiurious where a penaltie of money fell to the Citizens of the Reppes all which and other things here belonging are handled in codice legum de Reppagogijs cap. 43. And concerning the inferiour Magistrates that is to say the Reppagogi onely to wit the first species of the Ciuill Magistrate Now followeth the superiour Magistracie which is distinguished into Gouernours of Prouinces and Iustices They were each of them Gouernours in euery Prouince which before I called Thirds to wit of euery Tetrade executing as well the publike Offices of the Courts of Iustice as of holy mysteries or they were Interpreters of the Law and matters of Religion although afterward the interpretation of the Law belonged more to the Iustices As with the Romanes the Aediles also vsurped part of the Praetorian Iurisdiction Among the ancient Hebrewes also the High Priests also among the Romanes the High Priests were sacrificers Whereupon Horatius carm lib. 3. Ode 23. Victima Pontificum secures ceruice tingit
to vndertake this Warre for the better assuring of his estate seeing the King of China had much gone beyond his ancient bounds He had in his Court a Christian whom he loued much and euery one greatly respected named Axalla a Genuois by birth brought vp from his youth about his person This man principally did stirre him vp vnto great Enterprizes and notwithstanding his Religion hee trusted him Now he had all Religion in reuerence so as it did worship one onely God Creator of all things He often said that the greatnesse of Diuinitie consisted in the sundry kindes of people which are vnder the Cope of Heauen who serued the same diuersly nourishing it selfe with diuersitie as the nature was diuers where it had printed his Image God remayning notwithstanding one in his Essence not receiuing therein any diuersitie This was the reason that mooued him to permit and grant the vse of all Religions within the Countreyes of his obedience alwayes prouided as I said before that they worshipped one onely God He determined to make Warre with the King of China who is called the Lord of the World and Childe of the Sunne which was no small Enterprize But before hee would begin the same hee sent vnto the said King of China for to demand right for some Countreyes which they call Hordas abiding places which this Prince of China had vsurped long before and euen the passages of a Riuer called Tachij which is beyond his limits which are Walls which are betweene the Kingdomes of the great Cham and of our Tamerlan builded of purpose by this King of China to defend him from the Roades of the Tartarians and forces of our Prince so as this was begun with the aduice of the great Cham and for his benefit as well as for the Princes Therefore to accomplish his Enterprize in the meane-time that he attended for the returne of his Embassadors he caused his forces to come forwards from all parts appointing vnto them for the place of meeting his owne at the Horda of Baschir where all his Armie assembled and other ayding troupes of the great Cham in the Deserts of Ergimul at a certayne day in which place he should joyne with all his Army The Army of the great Cham consisted of two hundred thousand fighting men wherein were all the braue men of his Court who were accustomed vnto the Wars the Emperour which then raigned and was old hauing greatly increased his limits and conquered a great Countrey so as these men were well trayned vp in the Wars and accustomed vnto trauell and paines Now then the Embassadors which were sent returne and informe the Prince of the will of this proud King of the World this King of China who was named so who puffed vp with vaine glorie was astonished how any durst denounce Warre against him making this proud Answere That Tamerlan should content himselfe that hee had left him that which hee might haue taken from him and that his Armes and Forces were of another sort then those of whom he published the victorie to bring thereby terrour vpon his Neighbours This Answere being heard our Prince marched directly vnto the Army and gaue order for the conueyance of victuals from all parts sent to hasten forward his Confederates emparted the Answere vnto the Emperour by Embassadours dispatched from him caused the boldnesse of the King of China to be published to make manifest vnto all the World the justnesse of his cause Before his departure he went to take leaue of his Father who endued with a singular and Fatherly affection said he should neuer see him againe and that he hastened vnto his last rest and hauing made solemne Prayers ouer the Prince his Sonne for his prosperitie kissing him a thousand times drew off his Imperiall Ring and gaue it vnto him not asking whether his Iourney tended and calling Odmar he bade him farewell recommending his faithfulnesse vnto his Son Then he departed and drew towards Samarcand where the Empresse his Wife remayned whom he carryed with him as is the custome of that Nation and after he had being Religious visited the Tombe of his Seruant Hally hee caused his soule three dayes to bee prayed for according to the Rites of his Law whereupon he presently departed hauing taken order for the well gouerning of his Kingdome in his absence committing the charge thereof vnto Samay a man well practised in Affaires and he who had the charge of our Prince in his youth So then he marched forward in the middest of his Army which consisted but of fiftie thousand Horse and one hundred thousand men on foot relying principally on the Forces of the great Cham his Vncle who aboue all desired this War he did not forget to giue in charge that the rest of his Forces should be readie vpon the first Commandement as soone as he should be ioyned with the forces of the great Cham and marching forwards he had stayed by the way by reason of some distemperature which had surprized him through changing of the Ayre as the Physicians affirmed But yet notwithstanding the forces which Catiles Captayne of the Army of the great Cham conducted went daily forwards Now the newes was spred into an infinite number of places of his distemperature yet did he not neglect to send vnto the great Cham and often aduertize him of the estate of his health to the end the same should not cause any alteration the which hee did fore-see by reason of his preferment vnto this Empire by the great Cham his Vncle and hee was in doubt of a certayne Lord named Calix who was discontented therewith and had not as yet neither gratified nor acknowledged him as all the other subiects had done Now concerning his delay it was by sundry diuersly interpreted some said that hee had bin aduertized of some vproare to be attempted when he should be farre seuered from thence and had passed ouer the Mountaynes of Pasanfu and that Calix stayed vpon nothing else insomuch as the Companies of the great Cham were gone forwards euen beyond the Mountaynes hauing passed the Riuer of Meau and were encamped at Bouprou the which Calix vnderstanding thought he should haue the meanes to worke his enterprize Thereupon hauing assembled great store of his most faithfull followers he tooke counsell with them that this was the meanes to ouerthrow the purposes of Zachetay who would reigne ouer and bring them vnder his Empire that seeing their Prince had bin so badly minded as to do the same of his own mind without calling of them which had interest in that election that now was the time to assure their libertie which was in doubt to be lost caused also a rumor to be spred of the sicknes of this Prince that the great Cham was old the greatest part of his forces far separated from him forthwith dispatching a Messenger vnto the great Cham their Prince to assure him that they bent not their forces
marrieth and at such time as he marrieth them they are lodged in some of the Cities that he best liketh where they are well prouided of all things necessarie for their maintenance as sonnes to the King But they neuer see the Kings face any more after they are married All the Embassadours that come to China with Embassages from Kings or Princss receiue of the King great rewards and fauours and they giue him Cap and signes of Lothia whereby he hath great priuiledges in the Countrey They may whip and punish the Chinaes themselues so that they touch not any Louthia small or great for to meddle with these would breed great inconueniences This was the cause that Fernando Perez of Adrade going for Embassadour to China that the Chinaes did rise against him and hee escaped with his hands on his head losing some ships because hauing done vnaccustomed Iustice in China and vpon the Chinaes and they forbearing him he would stretch his hand to the Louthias The goods of the Embassadour and of his is free from customes and to him and to his they giue lodgings to dwell in and all things necessarie while they are in the Countrie No man no not a Louthia may disturbe him in any thing nor any thing of his One Lothia would haue whipped one of Siam for hauing carried a message to the Prison to certaine Portugals that were in Prison One of the Officers said vnto him that was present that he was of Siam of the Embassage wherefore being satisfied therewith he let him goe in peace desiring him he would not doe so againe With the Chinaes being so great as at the beginning we said and declared the King hath such meanes and industrie in the gouernement thereof that euery moneth he knoweth all that passeth through all the Realme and he knoweth it in this manner All matters of Iustice and of Warre and all annuities with all that is worth the knowing in euery one of the Prouinces is referred by the Louthias and by other persons to the Ponchasi and the Ponchasi maketh a relation of all by writing to the Tutan The Tutan is bound to send a Post euery moneth to the Court which carrieth the information in writing to the King of all things that passed in that moneth They count their moneths by the Moones and they are to be dispatched in such sort that at the beginning of euery Moone the Posts from all the Prouinces are to bee at the Court that the first day of the Moone it may be presented to the King as relations of all things happened in euery Prouince And although some Prouinces are farre distant from the Court that the Posts cannot come within a moneth to the Court notwithstanding in such manner they agree that euery Moone the King is to haue the relation of euery Prouince though the one be of more time then another because of the one Prouince being farre and the other neere The manner of the Posts is as among vs they carrie a Horne which they winde when they come neere to any Towne that they may haue a Horse ready in euery Towne within a certaine distance They are bound when they heare the Horne to haue a Horse ready for him which is done with such diligence as all the other seruices of the Officers And where hee is to passe a Foord as soone as he windeth his Horne with great speed they carrie him a Boat as I saw once going to the Citie of Cantan in a Towne that was in the way called Caaman Sometimes it hapneth by the malice of some Louthias when they haue any interest in it to keepe some things concealed that the King knoweth not but woe to them if the King come to know it for they are grieuously punished as wee shall see in a case hereafter following Being in India and also in China I was enformed that sometimes the King of China doth send some men of great confidence disguised through diuers parts of China that they might see how his Officers did serue him And if there were any nouelties or changes whereof they made him not priuie or some things that were necessarie to prouide § V. Of the Portugall commerce with the Chinois of the seuere Iustice executed vpon certaine Magistrates for wrongs done to the Portugals BEcause we spake many times before of Portugals captiues in China it will bee a conuenient thing that the causes of their Captiuitie be knowne where many notable things will be shewed Yee are to know that from the yeere 1554. hitherto the businesses in China are done very quietly and without danger and since that time till this day there hath not one ship beene lost but by some mischance hauing lost in times past many Because as the Portugals and the Chinaes were almost at warres when the Armies came vpon them they weighed anchor and put for the Sea and lay in places vnsheltered from tempests whereby the stormes comming many were lost vpon the coast or vpon some shelues But from the yeere 1554. hitherto Lionell of Sosa borne in Algarue being chiefe Captaine and married in Chaull made a couenant with the Chinaes that they would pay their duties and that they should suffer them to doe their businesses in their Ports And since that time they doe them in Cantan which is the first part of China and thither the Chinaes doe resort with their Silkes and Muske which are the principall goods the Portugals doe buy in China There they haue sure Hauens where they are quiet without danger or any one disquieting them and so the Chinaes doe now make their merchandise well and now both great and small are glad with the trafficke of the Portugals and the fame of them runneth through all China Whereby some of the principall of the Court came to Cantan onely to see them hauing heard the fame of them Before the time aforesaid and after the rising which Fernando Perez of Andrade did cause the businesses were done with great trouble they suffered not a Portugall in the Countrey and for great hatred and loathing called them Facui that is to say Men of the Deuill Now they hold not commerce with them vnder the name of Portugals neither went this name to the Court when they agreed to pay customes but vnder the name of Fangin which is to say People of another Coast. Note also that the law in China is that no man of China doe sayle out of the Realme in paine of death Onely it is lawfull for him to sayle along the coast of the same China And yet along the coast nor from one place to another in China it selfe it is lawfull to goe without a certificate of the Louthias of the Countrey whence they depart in which is set downe whither they goe and wherefore and the markes of his person and his age If he carrieth not this certificate he is banished to the Frontiers The Merchant that carrieth goods carrieth a
sell. In like manner euery Artizan painteth out his craft the Market places be large great abundance of all things there be to be sold. The Citie standeth vpon water many streames runne through it the bankes pitched and so broad that they serue for streets to the Cities vse Ouer the streames are sundry Bridges both of Timber and Stone that being made leuell with the streets hinder not the passage of the Barges to and fro the Chanels are so deepe Where the streames come in and goe out of the Citie be certayne Arches in the Wall there goe in and out their Parai that is a kind of Barges they haue and this onely in the day time at night these Arches are closed vp with gates so doe they shut vp all the gates of the Citie These streames and Barges doe embellish much the Citie and make it as it were to seeme another Venice The buildings are euen well made high not lofted except it be some wherein Merchandize is laid It is a World to see how great these Cities are and the cause is for that the houses are built euen as I haue said and doe take a great deale of roome One thing we saw in this Citie that made vs all to wonder and is worthy to be noted Namely ouer a Porch at the comming into one of the afore-said foure Houses the which the King hath in euery share for his Gouernours as I haue before said standeth a Towre built vpon fortie Pillars each one whereof is but one stone each one fortie handfuls or spans long in breadth or compasse twelue as many of vs did measure them Besides this their greatnesse such in one piece that it might seeme impossible to worke them they bee moreouer couered and in colour length and breath so like that the one nothing differeth from the other Wee are wont to call this Countrey China and the people Chineans but as long as wee were Prisoners not hearing amongst them at any time that name I determined to learne how they were called and asked sometimes by them thereof for that they vnderstood vs not when wee called them Chineans I answered them that all the Inhabitants of India named them Chineans wherefore I prayed them that they would tell me for what occasion they are so called whither peraduenture any Citie of theirs bare that name Hereunto they alwayes answered me to haue no such name nor euer to haue had Then did I aske them what name the whole Countrey beareth and what they would answer being asked of other Nations what Countrey-men they were It was told me that of ancient time in this Countrey had beene many Kings and though presently it were all vnder one each Kingdome neuerthelesse enioyed that name it first had these Kingdomes are the Prouinces I spake of before In conclusion they sayd that the whole Countrey is called Tamen and the Inhabitants Tamegines so that this name China or Chineans is not heard of in that Countrey I doe thinke that the nearenesse of another Prouince thereabout called Cochinchina and the inhabitants thereof Cochinesses first discouered before that China was lying not farre from Malacca did giue occasion both to the one Nation and to the other of that name Chineans as also the whole Countrey to bee named China But their proper name is that aforesaid I haue heard moreouer that in the Citie Nanquim remayneth a Table of gold and in it written a Kings name as a memorie of that residence the Kings were wont to keepe there This table standeth in a great Palace couered alwayes except it bee in some of their festiuall dayes at what time they are wont to let it bee seene couered neuerthelesse as it is all the Nobilitie of the Citie goeth of dutie to doe it euery day reuerence The like is done in the head Cities of all the other Shires in the Palaces of the Ponchiassini wherein these aforesaid tables doe stand with the Kings name written in them although no reuerence bee done thereunto but in solemne Feasts I haue likewise vnderstood that the Citie Pachin where the King maketh his abode is so great that to goe from one side to the other besides the Suburbs which are greater then the Citie it selfe it requireth one whole day a horsebacke going hackney pace In the Suburbs bee many wealthy Merchants of all sorts They told me furthermore that it was Moted about and in the Motes great store of Fish whereof the King maketh great gaynes It was also told mee that the King of China had no King to wage battell withall besides the Tartars with whom hee had concluded a peace more then fourescore yeeres agoe There bee Hospitals in all their Cities alwayes full of people wee neuer saw any poore bodie beg We therefore asked the cause of this answered it was that in euery Citie there is a great circuit wherein bee many houses for poore people for Blinde Lame Old folke not able to trauell for age nor hauing any other meanes to liue These folke haue in the aforesaid houses euer plentie of Rice during their liues but nothing else Such as bee receiued into these houses come in after this manner When one is sicke blinde or lame hee maketh a supplication to the Ponchiassi and prouing that to bee true he writeth hee remaineth in the aforesaid great lodging as long as he liueth besides this they keepe in these places Swine and Hennes whereby the poore bee releeued without going a begging I sayd before that China was full of Riuers but now I minde to confirme the same anew for the farther wee went into the Countrey the greater we found the riuers Sometimes we were so farre off from the Sea that where wee came no Sea-fish had beene seene and Salt was there very deare of fresh-water Fish yet was there great abundance and that fish very good they keepe it good after this manner Where the Riuers doe meete and so passe into the Sea there lyeth great store of Boates specially where no salt-water commeth and that in March and Aprill These Boates are so many that it seemeth wonderfull neither serue they for other then to take small fish By the riuers sides they make leyres of fine and strong Nets that lye three handfuls vnder water and one aboue to keepe and nourish their Fish in vntill such time as other fishers doe come with Boates bringing for that purpose certaine great Chests lyned with paper able to hold water wherein they carrie their fish vp and downe the riuer euery day renewing the chest with fresh-water and selling their fish in euery Citie Towne and Village where they passe vnto the people as they need it most of them haue Net-leyres to keepe Fish in alwayes for their prouision Where the greater Boates cannot passe any farther forward they take lesser and because the whole Countrey is very well watred there is so great plentie of diuers sorts of Fish that it is
Winter there is a great Market without the Castle vpon the Riuer being frozen and there is sold Corne earthen Pots Tubs Sleds c. The Castle is in circuit two thousand and nine hundred paces The Countrey is full of marish ground and Playne in Woods and Riuers abundant but it bringeth forth good plentie of Corne. This Emperour is of great power for he hath conquered much as well of the Lieflanders Poles Lettoes and Swethens as also of the Tartars and Gentiles called Samoeds hauing thereby much inlargâ—d his Dominions Hee keepeth his people in great subiection all matters passe his iudgement bee they neuer so small The Law is sharpe for all offenders The Metropolitan dealeth in matters of Religion as himselfe listeth whom the Emperour greatly honoureth They vse the Ceremonies and Orders of the Greeke Church They worship many Images painted on Tables and specially the Image of Saint Nicholas Their Priests bee married but their wiues being dead they may not marry the second time and so become Monks whereof there are a great number in the Land They haue foure Lents in the yeere and the weeke before Shrouetide they call the Butter weeke c. They haue many sorts of meats and drinks when they banket and delight in eating of grosse meates and stinking fish Before they drinke they vse to blow in the Cup their greatest friendship is in drinking they are great Talkers and Lyars without any faith or trust in their words Flatterers and Dissemblers The Women be there very obedient to their Husbands and are kept straightly from going abroad but at some seasons At my being there I heard men and women that drunke away their children and all their goods at the Emperours Tauerne and not being able to pay hauing impawned himselfe the Tauerner bringeth him out to the high way and beats him vpon the legs then they that passe by knowing the cause and hauing peraduenture compassion vpon him giue the money and so hee is ransomed In euery good Towne there is a drunken Tauerne called a Cursemay which the Emperour sometime letteth out to farme and sometimes bestoweth for a yeere or two on some Duke or Gentleman in recompence of his seruice and for that time hee is Lord of all the Towne robbing and spoyling and doing what pleaseth him and then hee being growne rich is taken by the Emperour and sent to the warres againe where hee shall spend all that which he hath gotten by ill meanes so that the Emperour in his warres is lttle charged but all the burden lyeth vpon the poore people They vse saddles made of wood and sinewes with the tree gilded with damaske worke and the seat couered with cloth sometimes of gold and the rest Saphian leather well stitched They vse little drummes at their saddle bowes by the sound whereof their horses vse to runne more swiftly The Russe is apparelled in this manner his vpper garment is of cloth of gold silke or cloth long downe to the foot and buttoned with great buttons of siluer or else laces of silke set on with Brooches the sleeues thereof very long which he weareth on his arme ruffed vp Vnder that he hath another long garment buttoned with silke buttons with a high coller standing vp of some colour and that garment is made straight Then his shirt is very fine and wrought with red silke or some gold with a coller of pearle Vnder his shirt he hath linnen breeches vpon his legs a paire of hose without feet and his bootes of red or yellow leather On his head hee weareth a white Colepeck with buttons or siluer gold pearle or stone and vnder it a black Foxe cap turned vp very broad When he rideth on horse-back to the warres or any iourney he hath a sword of the Turkish fashion and his Bowe and Arrowes of the same manner In the Towne he weareth no weapon but onely two or three paire of kniues hauing the hafts of the tooth of a Fish called the Morse In the Winter time the people trauell with Sleds in Towne and Countrey the way being hard and smooth with snow the waters and Riuers are all frozen and one horse with a Sled will draw a man vpon it foure hundred miles in three dayes but in the Summer time the way is deepe with myre and trauelling is very ill The Russe if he be a man of any abilitie neuer goeth out of his house in the winter but vpon his Sled and in summer vpon his Horse and in his Sled he sits vpon a Carpet or a white Beares skin the Sled is drawne with a Horse well decked with many Foxes and Woolues tailes at his necke and is conducted by a little boy vpon his backe his seruants stand vpon the taile of the Sled c. §. III. Notes taken out of another mans Relation of the same Voyage touching the Russian Rites ON Christmasse day we were all willed to dine with the Emperors Maiestie where for bread meate and drinke we were serued as at other times before but for goodly and rich Plate we neuer saw the like or so much before There dined that day in the Emperors presence aboue fiue hundred strangers and two hundred Russes and all they were serued in vessels of Gold and that as much as could stand one by another vpon the Tables Besides this there were foure Cup-boards garnished with goodly Plate both of gold and siluer Among the which there were twelue barrels of siluer contayning aboue twelue gallons a piece and at each end of euery Barrell were six hoopes of fine gold this dinner continued about six houres Euery yeere vpon the twelfth day they vse to blesse or sanctifie the Riuer Moscua which runneth through the Citie of Mosco after this manner First they make a square hole in the Ice about three fathoms large euery way which is trimmed about the sides and edges with white boords Then about nine of the clocke they come out of the Church with procession towards the Riuer in this wise First and foremost there goe certaine young men with waxe Tapers burning and one carrying a great Lanthorne then follow certaine Banners then the Crosse then the Images of our Lady of Saint Nicholas and of other Saints which Images men carry vpon their shoulders after the Images follow certaine Priests to the number of one hundred or more after them the Metropolitan who is led betweene two Priests and after the Metropolitan came the Emperour with his Crowne vpon his head and after his Maiestie all his Noble men orderly Thus they followed the Procession vnto the water and when they came vnto the hole that was made the Priests set themselues in order round about it And at one side of the same Poole there was a Scaffold of boords made vpon which stood a faire Chaire in which the Metropolitan was set but the Emperours Maiestie stood vpon the Ice After this the Priests began to sing to blesse and to
at our being there and his predecessour by the meanes of the said Metropolitan for hee betrayed him and in the night slew him in his chamber who was a Prince that loued all Christians well This Countrey of Boghar was somtime subiect to the Persians and doe now speake the Persian tongue but yet now it is a Kingdome of it selfe and hath most cruell warres continually with the said Persians about their Religion although they bee all Mahometists One occasion of their warres is for that the Persians will not cut the hayre of their vpper lips as the Bogharians and all other Tartars doe which they account great sinne and call them Caphars that is vnbeleeuers as they doe the Christians The King of Boghar hath no great power or riches his reuenues are but small and hee is most maintained by the Citie for he taketh the tenth penie of all things that are there sold as well by the Craftsmen as by the Merchants to the great impouerishment of the people whom hee keepeth in great subiection and when hee lacketh money he sendeth his officers to the Shops of the said Merchants to take their wares to pay his debts and will haue credit of force as the like hee did to pay me certaine money that he owed me for nineteene pieces of Kersey Their money is siluer and copper for gold their is none currant they haue but one piece of siluer and that is worth twelue-pence English and the copper money are called Pooles and one hundred and twentie of them goeth to the value of the said twelue-pence and is more common payment then the siluer which the King causeth to rise and fall to his most aduantage euery other moneth and somtimes twise a moneth not caring to oppresse his people for that he looketh not to raigne aboue two or three yeeres before he bee either slaine or driuen away to the great destruction of the Countrey and Merchants The twentie sixth day of the moneth I was commanded to goe before the said King to whom I presented the Emperour of Russia his letters who entertained vs most gently and caused vs to eate in his presence and dâ—uers times hee sent for me and deuised with me familiarly in his secret chamber as well of the power of the Emperour and the great Turke as also of our Countries Lawes and Religion and caused vs to shoote in hand-guns before him and did himselfe practise the vse thereof But after all this great entertainment before my departure hee shewed himselfe a very Tartar for he went to the warres owing me money and saw me not payed before his departure And although indeed hee gaue order for the same yet waâ— I very ill satisfied and forced to rebate part and to take wares as payment for the rest contrary to my expectation but of a begger better payment I could not haue glad I was so to be payd and dispatched But yet I must needs praise and commend this barbarous King who immediately after my arriuall at Boghar hauing vnderstood our trouble with the Theeues sent one hundred men well armed and gaue them great charge not to returne before they had either slaine or taken the sayd theeues Who according to their commission ranged the wildernesse in such sort that they met with the said companie of Theeues and slew part and part fled and foure they tooke and brought vnto the King and two of them were sore wounded in our skirmish with our Guns And after the King had sent for me to come to see them hee caused them all foure to bee hanged at his Palace gâ—te because they were Gentlemen to the example of others And of such goods as were gotten againe I had part restored me and this good Iustice I found at his hands There is yeerely great resort of Merchants to this Citie of Boghar which trauell in great Caraâ—ans from the Countries thereabout adioyning as India Persia Balgh Russia with diuers others and in times past from Cathay when there was passage but these Merchants are so beggerly and poore and bring so little quantitie of wares lying two or three yeeres to sell the same that there is no hope of any good trade there to be had worthy the following The chiefe commodities that are brought thither out of these foresaid Countries are these following The Indians doe bring fine Whites which the Tartars doe all roll about their heads and all other kindes of Whites which serue for apparell made of Cotton-wooll and Crasca but Gold Siluer precious Stones and Spices they bring none I enquired and perceiued that all such trade passeth to the Ocean sea and the veynes where all such things are gotten are in the subiection of the Portugals The Indians carrie from Boghar againe wrought Silkes red Hides Slaues and Horses with such like but of Kerseis and other cloath they make little account I offered to bartar with Merchants of those Countries which came from the furthest parts of India euen from the Countrey of Bengala and the riuer Ganges to giue them Kerseis for their commodities but they would not barter for such commoditie as Cloath The Persians doe bring thither Craska Woollen-cloath Linnen-cloath diuers kindes of wrought pide Silkes Argomacks with such like and doe carrie from thence red hydes with other Russe wares and Slaues which are of diuers Countries but cloath they will buy none for that they bring thither themselues and is brought vnto them as I haue inquired from Aleppo in Syria and the parts of Turkie The Russes doe carrie vnto Boghar red hydes sâ—eepe skinnes woollen cloath of diuers sorts woodden vessels brydles saddles with such like and doe carrie away from thence diuers kindes of wares made of cotten-wooll diuers kindes of silkes Crasca with other things but there is but small vtterance From the Countries of Cathay are brought thither in time of peace and when the way is open Muske Rubarbe Satten Damaske with diuers others things At my being at Boghar there came Carauans out of all these foresaid Countries except from Cathay and the cause why there came none from thence was the great warres that had dured three yeeres before my comming thither and yet dured betwixt two great Countries and Cities of Tartars that are directly in the way betwixt the said Boghar and the said Cathay and certaine barbarous field people as well Gentiles as Mahometists bordering to the said Cities The Cities are called Taskent and Caskar and the people that warre against Taskent are called Cossacks of the law of Mahomet and they which warre with the said Countrey of Caskar are called Kings Gentiles and Idolaters These two barbarous Nations are of great force liuing in the fields without House or Towne and haue almost subdued the foresaid Cities and so stopped vp the way that it is impossible for any Carauan to passe vnspoyled so that three yeeres before our being there no Carauan had gone or vsed
Ilands de los Reyes thence to make for the Philippinas After eight dayes the ship called Saint Luke was missing the Captayne whereof was Alfonsus de Arellano suspected to haue maliciously with-drawne himselfe The Fleet continuing their course in nine and ten degrees after fiftie dayes had sight of an Iland of Fishermen and many other small Ilands not inhabited which they passed by It was agreed that they should heighthen their course to thirteene degrees in which way they came on Monday the seuenteenth of Ianuary 1566. to one of the Ilands of Theeues called Goean and sayling toward it sixe miles off fiftie or sixtie Paraos swift sayling Barkes with eight or ten men quite naked met them and inuited them to their Habitations where at night they anchored The next morning sixe hundred of their Paraos came about them with victuals to sell Rice Honey Sugar-canes Plantans Fruits of diuers kinds and Ginger whereof there groweth great store naturally Their principall desire in barter was Iron Nailes giuing a large sacke of Rice for a Naile their sackes deceitfully filled with grauell and chaffe with Rice in the top These people are well proportioned and strong They fought with the Spaniards which were watering and in the time of fight would be trucking with the ships as senslesse of their danger A Mariner which stayd behind was slaine whose death they reuenged with many of the Sauages slaine in the night one of them being taken and sent into New Spaine Their name fits their Theeuish disposition Eleuen dayes after the fleet renewed their Voyage and course in thirteene degrees eleuen dayes longer and then had sight of the Philippinas hauing sailed from the Port of Natiuitie eight thousand miles They anchored in a faire Bay called Baia de Sibabas and there rode seuen dayes whiles two Boats went to discouer one to the North the other Southward A Gentleman of one of them was slaine by an Indian rashly leaping on shoare These Indians haue Iron Launces with a head or tongue a handfull and halfe long They haue also shields Bowes and Arrowes In making peace each man takes two or three drops of bloud of his arme or brest and mixe both in some Vessell together which is drunke with Wine and Water Many Paraos came to the Spaniards with a white flag in the Prow in token of peace and the Admiral erected the like in her Poope to signifie their leaue to enter These Indians are clothed but barefoot The Spaniards demanded prouision which the other promised but gaue only to the Captayne a sucking Pigge and an Egge These people are very timorous perfidious and therefore suspicious The Ilands beare Hogges Goats Hennes Rice Millet Potatoes Pome-citrons Frisoles Cocos Plantans and many sorts of Fruits They weare Bracelets and Earings and Gold Chaines and whithersoeuer the Fleet went was shew of Gold in the Land whereof they digge but for necessary vses the Land is their Money bagge The Fleet departed hence and two dayes after came to the Port of the I le Tandoia where a small Riuer enters vp which they went in Boats and came to a Towne called Camungo There they were well entertayned and had victualls set them which whiles they were eating an Indian spake some Spanish words and asked for Antonie Baptista Villalobos and Captaine Cabeça de Vaca for which the Lord of the place was angrie with him and hee appeared no more The next day the Spaniards returning found them armed threatning them if they came on shoare They minding not to deale cruelly Martin de Goyte was sent to discouer some conuenient harbour who saw the Citie Tandaya and other Townes of other neere Ilands and hauing gone sixtie miles found the great Bay where was Cabalia a Towne well inhabited Thither went the Fleet and the Inhabitants fled Onely Camatuan the sonne of Malataque a blind man chiefe of that place came to them whom they detayned thinking thereby to get some prouision but in vaine He sent forth Souldiers which brought him fiue and fortie Hogs leauing in lieu somwhat for exchange and dismissing Camatuan who had taught the Captaine the names of the neighbouring Iles and of their Gouernours Hee brought them to Mesagua two and thirtie miles off and then was sent away apparelled and ioyfull The Iland Masagua hath beene frequent but then had but twentie Inhabitants which would not see the Spaniards They went to another Iland where the people were fled with their goods Then went they to Butuan which is subiect to the I le Vindena or the Ilands Corrientes The winde draue them to Bohol where they anchored The next day they saw a Iunke and sent a Boat to it which wounded some of their men They had Arrowes and Lances and a Base and two brasse Peeces They cryed to the Spaniards abordo abordo The Spaniards sent out another Boat better fitted which tooke eight the rest were slaine or fled hauing fought valiantly In the Iunke they found white sheets painted Silke Almayzarez Callicos Iron Tin Brasse and some Gold The Iunke was of Borneo and so were these Moores All was restored their intent being to get friends and the Burneois satisfied The Captaine sent the Saint Iohn to discouer the Coast of Butuan and learne where the Cinamon was gathered and to find some good Port in fit place to build The Burneois told the Captaine the cause of the Indians flight that about two yeeres before some Portugals bearing themselues for Spaniards had comne thither from the Molucas and hauing made peace with them set on them and slue aboue a thousand Indians the cause of that depopulation This the Portugals did to make the Spaniards odious that if they came thither they might not be admitted The Captaine sent a well furnished ship to search the Coast which came to a place where the Borneo Gouernour said he had friends and leaping on shoare hee was slaine of the Indians The Saint Iohn returned from Buthuan which said they had seene the King and two Iunkes of Moores in the Riuer at anker and that the Iland was great and rich and exchanged with them fine Gold for Testons one for six in equall weight They bought Wax of the Moores but had Earth inclosed in the Cakes they also incensed the Indians against the Castilians which would haue made purchase of them but were forbidden by the King They said they had there seene Wax Cinamon Gold and other precious things On Easter Euen the other ship returned to their great ioy which had thought her lost hauing staid twentie dayes longer then her limited time They had sailed about the Iland Igla the space of six hundred miles and in their returne came to Subo a well peopled Iland and plentifull of all things The Captaine determined to goe thither to buy prouision or else to force them For Magelane had beene there and the King and most of the Inhabitants were baptised
that vnto that time it remained dispeopled and full of wilde Swine of the brood that remained there at such time as they were slaine and carried away as you haue heard This Iland and the rest adjoyning thereunto which are very many haue very excellent and sure Ports and Hauens with great store of fish These Ilands endured vntill they came vnto a little Gulfe which is fiue and fortie leagues ouer and is sayled in one day and at the end thereof is the Port of Cabite which is neere vnto Manilla So when that winde and weather serued their turne they departed from the Iland of Ancon and sailed till they came vnto another Iland called Plon where they vnderstood by a ship that was there a fishing how that the Rouer Limahon was escaped in certaine Barkes which he caused to bee made very secretly within his Fort of such Timber and Boards as remained of his ships that were burnt the which was brought in by night by his Souldiers on that side of the Fort which was next vnto the Riuer and were not discouered by the Castillas which were put there with all care and diligence to keepe the mouth that come in to helpe them And towards the Land there whereas he might escape they were without all suspection they were so strong and did not mistrust that any such thing should be put in vre as afterwards did fall out the which was executed with so great policie and craft that when they came to vnderstand it the Rouer was cleane gone and in safeguard calking his Barkes at the Iland of Tocaotican the better for to escape and saue himselfe and they said that it was but eight dayes past that he fled With this newes they all receiued great alteration but in especiall Omoncon and Sinsay After they had remained three weeks in that Harbour detayned with a mighty North-wind that neuer calmed night nor day in all that time The eleuenth day of October two houres before day they set sayle and went to Sea Sixteene leagues from the Port sailing towards the South they discouered a mightie Iland very high Land which was called Tangarruan and was of three score leagues about all inhabited with people like vnto those of the Ilands Philippinas Vpon Sunday in the morning being the seuenteenth day of October they discouered the Iland of Manilla of them greatly desired they sayled towards the Iland that they so long desired to see and came thither the twentie eight day of October as aforesaid So that from the Port of Tansuso which is the first Port of China till they came vnto the Iland of Manilla they were fiue and fortie dayes and is not in all ful two hundred leagues which may be made with reasonable weather in ten dayes at the most I could haue here added two other Voyages of Franciscans to China the one by Peter de Alfaro and other three of his Order 1579. the other 1582. by Ignatio c. both written at large by Mendoza But I hasten to our Iesuites exacter Relations Only I will conclude this Storie with Alfaros returne from China to the Philippinas and his Relation of their Witch-crafts vsed in a Tempest then happening after that two Letters mentioning English ships on that Coast. But it so fell out as they were going alongst the Coast of the Iland for to enter into the Port of Manilla and being within fiue leagues of the entry thereof vpon a sudden there arose the North-wind with so great furie and caused so great a Sea that they found themselues in a great deale more danger then in the other storme past in such sort that they sponed before the winde with their fore-sayle halfe Mast high shaking it selfe all to pieces and in euery minute of an houre readie to be drowned The Chinois for that they are Superstitious and Witches beganne to inuocate and call vpon the Deuill for to bring them out of that trouble which is a thing commonly vsed amongst them at all times when they find themselues in the like perplexitie also they doe request of him to shew them what they should do to bring themselues out of trouble But when the Spaniards vnderstood their dealings they did disturbe them that they should not perseuer in their Lots and Inuocations and beganne to conjure the Deuils which was the occasion that they would not answere vnto the Inuocation of the Chinois who did call them after diuers manners yet they heard a Deuill say that they should not blame them because they did not answere vnto their demand for they could not doe it for that they were disturbed by the conjuration of those Spanish Fathers which they carried with them in their ship So presently when the night was come God was so pleased that the storme ceased and became in few houres very calme although it endured but a while for as they began to set sayle to nauigate towards the Port and almost at the point to enter into the same a new storme seized on them and with so great force that they were constrayned to returne vnto the Sea for feare to bee broken in pieces vpon the shoare The Chinos began anew to inuocate the Deuils by writing which is a way that they neuer let but doe answere them as they did at this instant and were not disturbed by the coniurations of the Fathers yet notwithstanding they lyed in their answer for that they said that within three dayes they should be within the Citie of Manilla and after it was more then foure dayes In conclusion hauing by the fauour of almightie God ouercome all their trauels by the Sea and the necessitie of the lacke of water and victuals they arriued at the desired Port the second day of February Anno 1580. whereas they were receiued by the Gouernour and of all the rest with great ioy c. Two Letters taken out of BARTOLOME LEONARDO DE ARGENSOLA his Treatise called Conquista de las Islas Malucas Printed at Madrid 1609. pagg. 336.337 mentioning the comming of two English ships to China which seeme to bee two ships of the fleet of BENIAMIN WOOD The former written by the Visitor of Chincheo in China vnto the Gouernor of the Philippinas Don PEDRO DE ACVNNA TO the grand Captaine of Luzon Because wee haue vnderstood that the Chineses which went to trade and trafficke into the Kingdome of Luzon haue beene slaine by the Spaniards wee haue made inquisition of the cause of these slaughters and haue besought the King to doe iustice on him that hath beene the cause of so great mischiefe to procure a remedie for the time to come and that the Merchants may liue in peace and safety In the yeeres past before I came hither to be Visitour a certaine Sangley called Tioneg with three Mandarines or Iudges hauing the Kings Passe came to Cabit in Luzon to seeke Gold and Siluer which was all lyes because he found neither Gold
The house of the flowre of Diuine men the other to bee placed in the Hall inscribed The holy Nation of the West which wanne them great reputation this Magistrate being much reputed for learning and vertue Our wants caused Ruggerius to intreat leaue to goe to Amacao for supply which hee obtayned with a faire Ship and thirtie Rowers The Gouernour requested also that a Clocke might bee made for him But the pouertie of the Amacaons their Ship not being come from Iapon and the Colledge enioying no Rents caused him to send the workman to Sciauquin to make it there which hee tooke in good part Now the Chinois are a people suspicious of Strangers especially those ruder parts of the Prouince of Canton and much muttered at the Portugals Commerce saying they made all things dearer and the profit came but to few They gaue an odious appellation to the Portugals calling them Deuils To this Fame had added a spurre reporting that their famous Tower was the worke of Strangers which had no ground but that their house was building at the same time and the Flourishing Tower was stiled the Strangers Tower They therefore in Ruggerius absence offered great abuses by throwing stones being angrie that they kept their house shut which they would haue had made an Idoll Temple alway open to all One boy in throwing stones was taken by the seruant and brought in but at others request soone dismissed Hereupon two neighbours conspired to set a fellow on worke to accuse these strangers for seducing Children as they had done this youth his brother so they agreed and kept him three dayes with intent to sell him for a Slaue at Amacao The two neighbours offered to bee witnesses hereof The accusation was put vp in pittifull manner and the Gouernour much moued the Father fetched into Court by an Officer before hee could haue leasure to write his answer The Interpreter had filled his sleeues with stones which hee powred out in Court as witnesses of their abuses The Iudge smelt the businesse and by examination of the Tower work-man which had seene it found out the knauerie and rewarded it with terrible whipping and forbad all abuses to bee offered to them Ricius his skill in the Mathematickes which hee had learned being an Auditor of Clauius at Rome was no small helpe to them They had a Cosmographicall Map in Europaean Characters hanging in their Hall which the learned beheld with great pleasure much desiring to see it in China characters little knowing as little hauing to doe with the rest of the world They had Maps pretending a Description of the world but presented onely their fifteene Prouinces with the Sea and a few Ilands and the names of such Kingdomes as they had heard of all which Kingdomes scarcely equalled one Prouince of China They now wondred much to see themselues straightned in an Easterne corner of the world and Ricius at the Gouernours request published it in China characters and inserted as hee saw cause the rites of the world and the Christian holies They haue a conceit that the Heauens are round the Earth square and their Empire to bee seated in the midst thereof hee therefore so proiected his Description that he presented China in the midst They that before thought basely of all other men as if else-where were no King nor Republike nor Bookes began to be better conceited of Europaeans and to bee better prepared for the seed of the Gospell and might hereby also lesse feare Europaean forces so remote from them This worke hee often reuised and corrected till it came at last both to the two Royall Cities and to the Kings house The workeman at the same time finished the Clocke and both were together presented to the Gouernour who at his owne cost published the Map and soone after restored the Clocke because hee had none which knew how to order it The Ship comming from Iapon Ruggerius well releeued returned whereby the house was finished their debts payed and the building with stories the disposition of the windowes furniture faire situation on the Riuer with goodly prospect and Europaean rarities brought many euen great Magistrates to behold it Ricius proceeded to make Spheares of Brasse and Iron hee Printed also Globes and made Sunne-dyals which hee gaue to the Magistrates And by his lectures on these subiects he got reputation of the best Astrologer in the world they esteeming others by themselues The Gouernour was about this time aduanced to a higher Dignitie called Lin-si-tau hauing the rule of two or three Regions and all the Townes therein not remoouing from Sciauquin and as the Chinois are superstitious obseruers of Auguries he conceiued that he prooued the luckier man by this familiaritie with our men which hee signified when they came to him with a present to gratulate these honours In the Philippinas the newes of the Iesuites successe caused the Gouernour to send the Treasurer Iohn Baptista Romanus to Amacao with Father Alfonso Sancius a Spanish Iesuite with a Watch and other presents and letters to the Iesuites to procure an Ambassage from the King of Spaine to China The Iesuites had with petitioning brought the businesse to good forwardnesse when they receiued contrary mandates from Amacao it being likely to prooue the destruction of that Citie if the Spaniards with their plentie of Siluer from Peru and New Spaine should haue trade in China neither did this belong to the Spaniards but to the Portugals according to the Composition betwixt the two Kings made by Alexander the sixth and although they are both subiect now to one Crowne yet their priuiledges remayne distinct without confusion Thus both the Magistrate aduised and their superiour the Rector prohibited them to proceed Yet the former working was not ceased by Silence till the Amacaon Magistrates laboured with diuers reasons to diuert the Ambassage Capralis the Rector was desirous to see their house and they procured the Linsitaus leaue so that hee came thither viewed all and Baptised both the young-man before mentioned which kept the Altar and a learned man which read the China Bookes to the Fathers this called Paul the other Iohn the first China Conuerts Valignanus made Prouinciall of India hearing of this successe sent thither Father Edward Sande and Father Antonie Almeida and obtained of the Vice-roy Edward Menese an annuall stipend for this mission They came to Amacao in Iuly 1585. At the same time it seasonably hapned that Linsitau was commanded from the Court to procure of the Strangers at Amacao certaine goodly feathers for the King He furnished a faire ship and sent Ruggerius thither and brought with him Father Edward Sande who went to salute Linsitau and gaue him no meane gift of our Commodities to procure abode whereof nothing so pleased him as a triangle Glasse Hee giues him leaue to stay on condition that they admit no other companion In Linsitaus place had succeeded
Students and some of the Royall bloud of which that Citie hath very great store which were glad of his acquaintance and when he had once mentioned his staying there the Physician was so eager in desire thereof that he feyned that the President Scilan had written to him to procure him residence there because in the former abode he had not his health The Chinois esteeme such lyes to bee wisedome Hee soone got credit amongst them by Mathematicall lectures and instruments and by his artificiall memorie especially For the Chinois aboue all others commit whole bookes to memorie with vnwearyed paynes and in the first yeeres of their studies doe nothing else He repeated the most confused and independant Characters in order yea backwards as well as forward Many desired to learne it and some hee entertayned Physicians being of no great authoritie he sought to insinuate into fauour of the Magistrates but a certayne Student had counselled him to neglect their license and thereupon enquirie being made by the Vice-roy this his friend and landlord very friend-like would needs throw him suddenly out of doores and hee was forced by force to defend himselfe But the Vice-roy hauing receiued a Libell from him testifying who he was greatly reioyced hauing heard of him and when hee came to his Court arose from the Tribunall to meete him would not suffer him to kneele and gaue him good vsage and magnificent Titles inuiting him also to reside there Whose affections were after kindled into a greater flame by his Physicians magnifying his Mathematickes Memoratiue Bookes three square Glasse and other nouelties The Vice-roy would haue him make him a Dyall and teach his Sonnes but for that admirable Glasse hee would by no kinde force accept the gift And whereas time out of minde many of the Royall bloud are there two of them hauing the tytle of Kings Chiengan and Longan sent their principall Seruants or Courtiers to inuite Father Matthew to the Palace which is fitting to Royall Maiestie both for Greatnesse magnificence of Building pleasure of Gardens and other furniture of houshold and attendance Chiengan first inuited and entertayned him attyred with a Royall vesture and Diadem Father Matthew gaue him a Dyall with the Signes of the Zodiacke and a Globe with China characters and other Europaean commodities which hee recompenced with Silkes weight of Siluer and diuers viands Nothing gaue him such content as two Bookes of Iapon paper smooth and hard bound in Europaean manner one contayning Maps and other Mathematicall representations with an explication in their Language the other was a tractate of Friendship wherein Dialogue-wise as Cicero in his Laelius hee bringeth in the King questioning what the men of Europe thought of Friendship and set downe the sentences of Philosophers Doctors and other Authors a worke to this day read there with great applause and admiration Printed in diuers Prouinces Chiengan continued his friendship and left it as a legacie to his Sonne who vsed when the Father visited him to pay the Porters and to giue money to his seruants a token with them of great welcome The Societie also of Learned men grew acquainted with him and the chiefe of them hearing him complayne of multitude of visitors wished him to command his Seruants to say hee was not at home which officious lye he affirming to bee by our Law vnlawfull bred in him and the rest much wonder In the meane while at Xauceo they sustayned abuses and Sebastian Fernandus was vsed ignominiously by the calumnies of their quarrelsome neighbours and sentence of a partiall Iudge which caused two Seruants to bee whipped vnheard and Fernandus to stand as in a Pillorie with his head in a board an ell and halfe square therein a hole fitted for the necke to bee opened and shut so that a man cannot put his hand to his mouth and this forsooth for beating the Bachellors This was written as the cause of his punishment Hee afterwards sought the Iesuites fauour ashamed of his fact inuited them and set vp an Edict for their safetie Fernandus was sent herevpon to Ricius and Cataneus continued alone without any Father till the yeere 1597. and fell sicke then going to Amacao Father Iohn Aroccia was sent in his place hee returned with Father Nicholas Longobard a Sicilian Father Matthew was appointed superiour of the China mission by the Visitor Valignanus without subjection to the Rector of Amacao To him precious watches were sent and Images with other things which might further their China proceedings the Portugals of Amacao continuing their liberalitie herein Father Matthew minding to trie all meanes to peerce to the Court assayed Chiengan in vaine who feared to raise any suspicion of himselfe Hearing therefore that Guan which had as you heard visited the house of Xauceo in his way to Hainan was thence called by the King to Nanquin to bee President of the first Councell called Li Pu that is the Councell of Magistrates in his way at Nancian they visited him with a present in which nothing so pleased him as the trigone Glasse and tooke opportunitie to signifie to him their desire of presenting the King with some Europaean rarities Hee approued thereof and sayd they should not onely goe with him to Nanquin but to Pequin also whither within one moneth of his comming hee was to goe Ricius with Cataneus attend him leauing two of the company at Nancian with two brethren of the company Seb. Fernandus and Emanuel Pererius of China parentage in Amacao who of their God-fathers take vsually both Christian name and Sir-name vsing also their China names in dealing with Chinois They set foorth from Nancian on Midsummer day 1598. and when they were come to Nanquin they found all full of feare by reason of the Iaponian warre in Corai so that none durst giue vs entertaynment grieuous Proclamations hauing lately forbidden to receiue men any way suspicious by occasion of Iaponian Spyes taken Euen the President himselfe feared to bee author in so troublesome time of bringing Strangers and Ricius when he visited him vsed his Gestatorie seate They gaue eight pieces of Gold to a cunning Clerke to write their Petition so deare doe Learned men there prize their labour which when they gaue the Chancellour which sends Petitions from Nanquin to the Kingâ— hee would not meddle with it but put it off to the President that hee should carrie them with him to Pequin He being to bee there to gratulate the King at his Birth day in name of the sixe Tribunals or Counsels sent his goods by water and the Iesuites with them but went himselfe by land When this President came to Nanquin other Magistrates visited him with presents after the manner and one the Vice-roy of that Prouince with a Map of Ricius his inuention concealing the name of the Author in a new impression which hee shewed to Ricius who soone knew and challenged his owne
the Mandarines which come this way aske vs why we stay amongst these Mangines that is Rusticks and Barbarians We must say they leaue the Barke and pierce to the pith and marrow of the Kingdome if we would see the China splendor and politie He writes for Labourers Bookes Images and Pictures for consolation of new Conuerts the Ethnicks worship that of the Virgin and call her Scin mu nian nian that is holy Mother and Queene of Queenes and ends with imploring the patronage and intercession of all the heauenly Quire specially of the blessed Virgin the Apostles the Angels guardians of China to obtaine of the holy Trinitie happy successe to their endeuours c. But wee will returne to our best acquainted in China Ricius whom we left newly arriued at Nanquin The case was now altered at Nanquin they went on foot without impediment to their lodging which was in a huge Monastery called Cinghensu in which is great resort of guests which there hire lodgings being built in the centre of the Citie The Iaponians were now beaten from Corai and Quabacondono was dead which had so terrified that vnwarlike Nation He heard that they had heard of his going to Pequin and that the Corai warre was the frustrating of his designes in that vnseasonable time The President was verie glad of his comming and exhorted him to buy a house there and sends two of his followers to looke out for one Scarsly had he and Chiutaiso gotten home to their lodging when the President followeth to visit them which hee did with the solemnest Rites And when they were set in the Hall the Abbot came to offer them the wonted potion kneeling to all three to the President hee was bound as supreme gouernour of Temples and the President inuited the Father to spend two or three daies in his house to see the Fire-workes which that full Moone the first of the yeere would bee to bee seene which strange deuices of lights that and the following nights which he did and beheld that which without wonder cannot be beholden the Nanquiners herein exceeding as may be thought the whole world When it was reported that the President had visited him all the Maiestie of Magistrates did the like yea some whom he had not visited The President of the Court of Criminall Causes and the President of the Treasury which is the second Tribunall came with rites gifts as also did others yea hee which a little after was the High Colao at Pequin which all vrged him to buy a house and he now went thorow all Streets and Palaces without gainesaying which he knew from a vision hee before had had thereof and procured a house which the President helped to furnish So much admiration and respect had the opinion of Europaean science acquired to him these being to the China wits baits for the Gospels fishing Now first did they heare that the Earth was round for they conceited the Heauen round and the Earth square that the Centre drew all heauie things to it that the Vniuerse was inhabited round that there were Antipodes that the Earths interposition caused the Moones eclipse some saying that the Moon opposite to the Sunne was dazled or amazed others that there was a hole in the Sunne against which the Moone opposed lost her light that the Sunne was greater then the Earth and that the Starres also this was out of measure paradoxicall the like was the soliditie of the Orbes and their number the fixed posture of the Starres the Planets wandrings the eleuation and depression of the Pole according to the various Climates and likewise the inequalitie of the daies without the Tropikes Geographicall Maps in plano and Globes Meridians Parallels Degrees the Line Tropikes Poles Zones Spheres Sun-dialls they had not at all vnderstood with other points of Europaean learning A Doctor of theirs confessed himselfe ashamed For said hee you may thinke of me as wee doe of the Tartars and barbarous out-lawes for you begin where wee end which hee spake of the studie of eloquence which takes vp our childhood their whole life They numbred fiue Elements Metall Wood Fire Water Earth one of which they said was procreated of the other the Aire they did not acknowledge for one because they see it not placing a vacuum or emptinesse where wee place the aire as incredible it was that the fierie Element was the highest and that Comets and Exhalations were there with fired Father Matthew writ a booke of the Elements in their language much applauded and often by them reprinted Diuers became his Schollars one sent from his Master in Hanlin Colledge in Pequin the chiefe place for China learning to be admitted into which is a great dignitie Hee was very wittie and without any Master attained the first booke of Euclide and exacted of Father Matthew Geometricall demonstrations And when hee added some things of Christianitie you need not saith he confute that Idolatrous Sect it is enough to teach the Mathematikes For these Bonzi would also be Philosophers and Mathematicians They said the Sunne hid himselfe by night behinde a Hill called Siumi rooted in the Sea foure and twentie miles deepe And for the eclipses they said that the God Holochan caused that of the Sun couering it with his right hand and that of the Moone with his left Not at Pequin alone but at Nanquin also is a Colledge of China Mathematicians of better building then Astrologicall Science They do nothing but bring their Almanacks to the rules of the ancients when they mis-reckoned they ascribed it to irregularitie of nature not theirs deuising some prodigious euent to follow These at first were afraide that Father Matthew would haue depriued them of their dignitie and freed of that feare they visited him friendly and he them where hee saw a strange sight There is an high Mountaine on the top whereof is an open Plaine or Floore fit to contemplate the Starres In this open space one euery night is appointed to watch and obserue if any Comets or other alterations be in the skie thereof to giue the King notice and what it portends In this place of cast mettall are Mathematicall Instruments admirable for their greatnesse and neatnesse the like whereof wee haue not seene in Europe They haue continued there in all chance and change of weather neere two hundred and fiftie yeeres without damage Of them were foure greater the one a huge Globe distinguished by degrees with Meridians and Parallels as great as three men can fadome it stood on a huge Cube of brasse likewise vpon his Axel-tree in the Cube was a little doore sufficient for it to passe when need was On the vtter superficies was nothing grauen neither Stars nor Regions whereby it appeares that it was either vnfinished or purposely so left that it might serue both for a Celestiall and a Terrestriall Globe The second was a huge
that at Nanquin also where no King hath of long time resided The gates to the South both inner and outward are three the King only going in and out at the middle which otherwise is shut others at the other gates on the right and left hand Their computation of time is onely by the Kings Raigne Sometimes the King bestoweth a Title on the Parents of the principall Magistrates by a certaine writing made by the Kings Philosophers in the Kings name esteemed wonderfully acquired with any cost and kept in the familie as a thing sacred The like opinion is of other Titles giuen to Widowes expressed in two or three Characters giuen to Widowes which to their old age haue refused second marriages or to old Men which haue liued an hundred yeeres and in like cases They set these Titles ouer their doores Magistrates also doe the like to their friends To good Magistrates Arches are erected at publike cost of Marble by Citizens also to some of their Citizens which haue attayned any notable dignitie The most precious Artifices thorow all the Kingdome are yeerely sent to the King to Pequin with great costs The Magistrates of the Kings Citie goe abroad with lesse pompe on horsebacke and few of the principall in Seats and those carried but by foure Porters all in reuerence of the King Foure times in the yeere once a quarter all the Court Magistrates assemble at the Sepulchres of the antient Kings and Queenes and make there their offerings giuing the principall honour to Humvu They prepare to this solemnitie certaine dayes fasting at home and surceasing of sâ—its Next to the King they honour their Magistrates both in formes of words and visitations to which none aspire but Magistrates and they which haue beene depriued lose not all honour in this kind but sometimes come forth in their habits and are respected by their Citie Magistrates If one bee preferred to another dignity which hath well executed his Office they honour him with publike gifts and reserue his Boots in a publike Chist with Verses in his praise To some they erect Temples also and Altars with Images and some are deputed to keepe lights there burning and odours at publike Rent charge perpetually with huge Censers of Bell-metall as they doe to their Idols Yet doe they distinguish betwixt this and Diuine worship of their Gods asking many things whereas these Rites are onely memorials though many of the vulgar confound them together Cities are full of such Temples by friends often erected to vnworthie men to which at certaine times they goe and performe kneeling and bowing Rites and offer Meats Their Bookes are full of precepts for obseruing Parents with due honour and in outward shew no Nation performes so much They will not sit ouer against them but on the side speake to them with great reuerence they sustaine their poorer Parents with their labour in best manner they are able and in nothing are more curious then their funerals The mourning colour is white and all their habite from the Shooes to the Cap of a strange and miserable fashion The cause of three yeeres mourning for Parents is because so long they carried them in armes with so much labour of education for others as they please a yeere or three moneths as they are in neerenesse For the King they mourne three yeeres thorow all the Kingdome and for the Lawfull Queene Their funerall Rites are written in a Booke which they consult on that occasion all the parcels of the habite there pictured When a man of ranke is dead the Sonne or next Kinsman sends Libels to the friends within three or foure dayes all the Roome is white with an Altar in the midst on which they place the Coffin and Image of the dead Thither all the friends come in mourning one after another offer Odors and two Wax-candles on the Altar whiles they burne making foure bendings and kneelings hauing first censed against the Image The Sonnes stand at the side and the women behinde couered with a Curtaine mourning the while the Priests also burne Papers and Silkes with certaine rites to minister Clothes to the deceassed They abstayne from wonted Beds sleeping on Straw-beds on the ground neere the Corps from flesh and other daintier food Wine Bathes companie with their Wiues Bankets not going out for certaine moneths remitting by degrees as the three yeeres expire On the funerall day the friends are by another Libell inuited to which they goe in Procession forme in mourning many Statues of Men Women Elephants Tigres Lions of Paper all going before diuersified in colour and gilding which are all burnt before the Graue a long ranke of Idoll Priests Prayers and Players on diuers Instruments obseruing diuers rites in the way huge Bell-censers also carried on mens shoulders after which followes the Herse vnder a huge carued Canopie adorned with Silkes carried with forty or fifty men Next the children on foot with staues and then the women enclosed within a white gestatory Curtaine that they may not be seene followed by women of the kindred in mourning Seats The Graues are all in the Suburbs If the Sonnes bee absent the Funerall pompe is deferred till their comming They bring if it may bee the decâ—assed in another Countrey to lie by his friends The Graues are adorned with Epitaphs in Marble magnificently Thither on certaine dayes yeerely the kindred resort to cense and offer and make a funerall banquet Their Marriages and Spousals are with many rites done in their youth the Contracts compounded by the Parents without their consent they obserue equalitie in yeeres and degree in the lawfull Wife In their Concubines lust beauty price beare sway The poorer also buy their Wiues and when they list sell them The King and his kindred respect onely beauty Magistrates appointed to make the choise One is his lawfull Wife the King and his Heire hauing nine other Wiues a little inferiour and after them sixe and thirty which are also called Wiues his Concubines are more Those which bring forth Sonnes are more gracious especially the Mother of the eldest This is also familiar to other families thorow the Kingdome Their first Wife sits at Table others except in the Royall families are as Hand-maids and may not sit but stand in presence of either of them their Children also calling that lawfull Wife their Mother and for her though not the true Parent obserue trienniall mourning In Marriages they are curious not to take any of the same sur-name of which sur-names there are not a thousand in all that vast Kingdome Nor may any man frame a new sur-name but must haue one antient of the Fathers side except he be adopted into another familie They respect no affinity or consanguinity in a differing sur-name and so marrie with the Mothers kindred almost in any degree The Wife brings no portion and although when shee first goeth to her
Husbands house the street-fall of houshold attends her yet is all prouided by his costs which sends money some moneths before as a gift to her for that purpose Euery mans Birth-day is festiually celebrated with Presents Banquets and iollity especially after the fiftieth yeere explete at which time they are reckoned amongst old men and then euery tenth yeere The Children then procure Emblemes of their friends and Epigrams and some write Bookes That day is also festiuall in which they are of age to take the Mans cap which is about twenty yeeres till that time wearing their haire loose But the first New and Full Moone of the yeere is most generally festiuall each man then hauing ingeniously deuised Lights or Lamps made of Paper Glasse or other matter the house seeming by the diuersified Lights to bee on a light fire They runne vp and downe also with great stirres in the night with Dragon-fashioned Lights and make great shewes of Powder-fire-workes The Chinois are white but neerer the South more browne with thinne beards some hauing none with staring haires and late growing their haire wholly blacke eyes narrow of Egge forme blacke and standing out the nose very little and scarcely standing forth eares meane in some Prouinces they are square faced Many of Canton and Quamsi Prouinces on their little toes haue two nailes as they haue generally in Cachin-china Their women are all low and account great beauty in little feet for which cause from their infancy they bind them straight with clothes that one would iudge them stump-footed this as is thought deuised to make them house-wiues The men and women both alike let their haire grow without cutting but Boyes and Girles till they are fifteene yeere old are cut round leauing a locke onely on the crowne after which they let it grow loose ouer their shoulders till twenty The most of the Priests shaue head and beard euery eighth day When they are men they binde vp their haire in a Cap or Coife made of horse or mans haire or in a silken Cawle and in Winter of woollen on the top it hath a hole where the haire comes forth and is tyed in a neate knot The women weare not this Cap but binde vp their haire in a knot and make it vp with a dresse of Gold Siluer Stones and Flowers They weare Rings on their eares but not on their fingers The men and women weare long garments The men double them on their breast and fasten them vnder both the arme-holes the women on the midst of the breast They weare wide long sleeues but the womens wider the mans straighter at the wrists Their Caps are artificially wrought Their Shooes are much differing from ours the men weare them of Silke with diuers workes and flowers exceeding the elegance of our Matrons Shooes of Leather none but the meaner sort weare and scarcely admit they Leather soles but of Cloth The Caps of their Learned are square of others round Euery one spends halfe an houre at least in combing and trimming his haire They winde also long clouts about their feet and legs and therefore weare their Breeches loose They weare no Shirts but a white Coat next the skinne and wash often They haue a seruant to carrie a Shadow or great Sumbrero ouer their heads against the raine and Sunne the poore carrie one for themselues For Names besides the sur-name of which is spoken the Father giues one to the Sonne for females haue no name but the Fathers sur-name and called as they are borne first second third in order of the Sisters by this name they are called by the Father and Elders others call them likewise from that order amongst the Brethren as is said of Sisters They in their writings call themselues by that which their Father gaue them but if others either equall or superiour should so call them it were both vnciuill and iniurious When a Boy goeth to Schoole his Master giueth him another name which is called his Schoole-name whereby onely his Master and Schoole-fellowes may stile him When he hath his Mans cap put on and marrieth a Wife some more honourable person giueâ—h him a more honourable name which they call the Letter by this any man may call him but those which are subiect to him And when he is now at the full growth he receiueth of some graue person his most honourable name which they call Great whereby any may call him present or absent but his Parents and Elders still vse the Letter-name If any professe a new Sect his Instructer calls him by a new name which they call of Religion And when one visites another he will aske what is his Honourable name to stile him thereby and we were therefore fayne to take a Greater name then that which we receiued in Baptisme for them to call vs by They are studious of Antiquities much value old Triuets of Bell metall Pictures in blacke and white Characters and writings sealed with the Authors seale for there are many Counterfeiters The Officers haue all a Seale proper to their place giuen by Humvu which they vse only sealing with red colour and if they lose the Seale they lose the Office and are besides seuerely punished and therefore they carry it with them in a sealed and locked Boxe and neuer leaue it out of sight at night keeping it vnder their Pillow Graue men goe not on foote thorow the streets but are carryed in a seate closed except they list to open the fore-part whereas Magistrates seates are euery way open Matrons seates are altogether closed but easily knowne from mens by the fashion The Law forbids Coaches and Litters Some Cities are in the midst of Riuers and Lakes in which they haue very neate Boates to passe the streets And because they goe more by water then ours therefore there Shipping is more conuenient and elegant But the Magistrates built by publike cost are as commodious as Houses with diuers Lodgings a Hall Kitchin Cells so neate as seeming Great mens houses rather then Ships and therefore they make their solemne Banquets a Ship-board passing along the Riuers and Lakes for further pleasure All within shines with Ciaram or shining Vernish in diuers colours and the Carued workes gilded in places with combined sweetes to the Eyes and Nose They honour their Masters more then with vs so that if a man haue beene anothers Scholler but one day in any Art hee calls him Master euer after and neuer sits in any meeting but at his side and doth him all honour Dice-play and Cards are common with them Chesse also with the grauer persons not altogether vnlike ours but their King neuer remoues but to the foure next roomes and the Bishops haue their Queenes They haue also which they call Poulder paunes which goe before the Knights and follow the Paunes They haue a graue Game in a table of three hundred roomes
Russia as was sayd before as Waxe Tallow Hides Flax Hempe c. grow and goe abroad in farre lesse plentie then they were wont to doe because the people being oppressed and spoyled of their gettings are discouraged from their labours Yet this one thing is much to bee noted that in all this oppression there were three brethren Merchants of late that traded together with one Stocke in common that were found to bee worth 300000. Rubbels in money besides Lands Cattels and other Commodities Which may partly be imputed to their dwellings farre off from the eye of the Court viz. in Wichida one thousand miles from Mosko and more The same are sayd by those that knew them to haue set on worke all the yeere long ten thousand men in making of Salt carriages by Cart and Boat hewing of Wood and such like besides fiue thousand Bond-slaues at the least to inhabite and till their Land They had also their Physitians Surgeons Apothecaries and all manner of Artificers of Doutches and others belonging vnto them They are sayd to haue payed to the Emperour for Custome to the summe of three and twentie thousand Rubbels a yeere for which cause they were suffered to enioy their Trade besides the maintayning of certayne Garrisons on the borders of Siberia which were neare vnto them Wherein the Emperour was content to vse their purse till such time as they had got ground in Siberia and made it habitable by burning and cutting downe Woods from Wichida to Perm aboue one thousand verst and then tooke it all away from them perforce But this in the end being enuyed and disdayned as a matter not standing with their policie to haue any so great specially a Mousick the Emperour began first to pull from them by pieces sometimes twentie thousand Rubbels at a time sometime more till in the end their Sonnes that now are are well eased of their Stocke and haue but small part of their Fathers substance the rest being drawne all into the Emperours treasurie Their names were Iacone Gregorie and Simon the Sonnes of Oâ—â—ka For the qualitie of their people otherwise though there seemeth to bee in there some aptnesse to receiue any Art as appeareth by the naturall wits in the men and very children yet they excell in no kinde of common Art much lesse in any learning or literall kinde of knowledge which they are kept from of purpose as they are also from all military practice that they may bee fitter for the seruile condition wherein now they are and haue neither reason nor valour to attempt innouation For this purpose also they are kept from trauelling that they may learne nothing nor see the fashions of other Countries abroad You shall seldome see a Russe a traueller except hee bee with some Embassadour or that hee make an escape out of his Countrey Which hardly he can doe by reason of the borders that are watched so narrowly and the punishment for any such attempt which is death if hee bee taken and all his goods confiscate Onely they learne to write and to read and that very few of them Neither doe they suffer any stranger willingly to come into their Realme out of any ciuill Countrie for the same cause farther then necessitie of vttering their commodities and taking in of forreine doth enforce them to doe And therefore this yeere 1589. they consulted about the remouing of all Merchants strangers to the border Townes to abide and haue their residencie there and to bee more wary in admitting other strangers heereafter into the Inland parts of the Realme For the same purpose also they are kept within the bounds of their degree by the Lawes of their Countrey so that the sonne of a Mousick Artificer or Husbandman is euer a Mousick Artificer c. and hath no meanes to aspire any higher except hauing learned to write and reade hee attayne to the preferment of a Priest or Dyack Their Language is all one with the Slauonian which is thought to haue beene deriued from the Russe Tongue rather then the Russe from the Slauonian For the People called Sclaui are knowne to haue had their beginning out of Sarmatia and to haue tearmed themselues of their Conquest Sclauos that is Famous or Glorious of the word Sclaua which in the Russe and Slauonian Tongue signifieth as much as Glorie or Fame Though afterwards being subdued and trod vpon by diuers Nations the Italians their Neighbours haue turned the word to a contrary signification and terme euery Seruant or Peasant by the name of Sclaue as did the Romanes by the Getes and Syrians for the same reason The Russe Character or Letter is no other then the Greekâ— somewhat distorted Concerning their Trades Diet apparell and such like it is to be noted in a seuerall Chapter of their priuate behauiour This order that bindeth euery man to keepe his ranke and seuerall degree wherein his fore-fathers liued before him is more meet to keepe the Subiects in a seruile subiection and so apt for this and like Commonwealths then to aduance any vertue or to breed any rare or excellent qualitie in Nobilitie or Commons as hauing no further reward nor preferment whereunto they may bend their endeauours and employ themselues to aduance their estate but rather procuring more danger to themselues the more they excell in any noble oâ— principall qualitie THeir Courts of Ciuill Iustice for matters of Contract and other of like sort are of three kinds the one being subiect vnto the other by way of appeale The lowest Court that seemeth to be appointed for some ease to the Subiects is the Office of the Gubnoy Starust that signifieth an Alderman and of the Sotskoy Starust or Bayliffe of the Soake or Hundred whereof I spake before in the ordering of the Prouinces These may end matters among their neighbours within their Soake or seuerall Hundred where they are appointed vnder the Dukes and Dyacks of the Prouinces to whom the parties may remoue their matter if they cannot be agreed by the said Gubnoy or Sotskoy Starust The second is kept in the head Townes of euery Prouince or Shire by the said Dukes and Dyacks that are Deputies to the foure Lords of the Chetfirds as before was said From these Courts they may appeale and remoue their Suits to the chiefe Court that is kept at the Mosko where are resident the Officers of the foure Chetfirds These are the chiefe Iustices or Iudges euery of them in all Ciuill matters that grow within their seuerall Chetfird or Quarter and may be either commenced originally before them or prosecuted out of the inferiour Courts of the Shires by way of appeale Their commencing and proceeding in Ciuill actions is on this manner First the Plaintife putteth vp his Supplication wherein he declareth the effect of his Cause or wrong done vnto him Whereupon is granted vnto him a Wepis or Warrant which he deliuereth to the Prastaue or Sergeant to doe the arrest vpon
Archbishop of Larissa who is now in England and pretendeth the same cause of their banishment by the Turke to wit their not admitting of the Popes new Kalender for the alteration of the yeere Which how vnlikely it is may appeare by these Circumstances First because there is no such affection nor friendly respect betwixt the Pope and the Turke as that hee should banish a Subject for not obeying the Popes ordinance specially in a matter of some sequel for the alteration of Times within his owne Countries Secondly for that hee maketh no such scruple in deducting of times and keeping of a just and precise account from the Incarnation of Christ whom hee doth not acknowledge otherwise then I noted before Thirdly for that the sayd Patriarch is now at Naples in Italy where it may be ghessed he would not haue gone within the Popes reach and so neere to his nose if hee had beene banished for opposing himselfe against the Popes Decree This office of Patriarchship now translated to Mosko beareth a superiour Authoritie ouer all the Churches not onely of Russia and other the Emperours Dominions but thorow out all the Churches of Christendome that were before vnder the Patriarch of Constantinople or Sio or at least the Russe Patriarch imagineth himselfe to haue the same authoritie Hee hath vnder him as his proper Diocesse the Prouince of Mosko besides other peculiars His Court or Office is kept at the Mosko Before the creation of this new Patriarch they had but one Metropolite that was called the Metropolite of Mosko Now for more state to their Church and new Patriarch they haue two Metropolites the one of Nouogrod velica the other of Rostoue Their office is to receiue of the Patriarch such Ecclesiasticall orders as hee thinketh good and to deliuer the charge of them ouer to the Archbishops besides the ordering of their owne Diocesse Their Archbishops are foure of Smolenso Cazon Vobsko and Vologda The parts of their office is all one with the Metropolites saue that they haue an vnder Iurisdiction as Suffraganes to the Metropolites Superiors to the Bishops The next are the Vladikeis or Bishops that are but sixe in all of Crutitska of Rezan of Otfer and Torshock of Collomenska of Volodemer of Susdalla These haue euery one a very large Diocesse as diuiding the rest of the whole Countrey among them The matters pertayning to the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction of the Metropolites Archbishops and Bishops are the same in a manner that are vsed by the Clergie in other parts of Christendome For besides their authoritie ouer the Clergie and ordering such matters as are meere Ecclesiasticall their jurisdiction extendeth to all Testamentarie causes matters of Marriage and Diuorcements some Pleas of iniuries c. To which purpose also they haue their Officials or Commissaries which they call Boiaren Vladitskey that are Lay-men of the degree of Dukes or Gentlemen that keepe their Courts and execute their Iurisdiction Which besides their other oppressions ouer the common people raigne ouer the Priests as the Dukes and Dyacks doe ouer the poore people within their Precincts As for the Archbishop or Bishop himselfe hee beareth no sway in deciding those causes that are brought into his Court. But if hee would moderate any matter he must doe it by intreatie with his Gentleman Officiall The reason is because these Boiarskey or Gentlemen officials are not appointed by the Bishops but by the Emperour himselfe or his Councell and are to giue account of their doings to none but to them If the Bishop can intreat at his admission to haue the choice of his owne Officiall it is accounted for a speciall great fauour But to speake it as it is the Clergie of Russia aswell concerning their Lands and reuenues as their Authoritie and Iurisdiction are altogether ordered and ouer-ruled by the Emperour and his Councell and haue so much and no more of both as their pleasure doth permit them They haue also there Assistants or seuerall Counsels as they call them of certayne Priests that are of that Diocesse residing within their Cathedrall Cities to the number of foure and twentie a piece These aduise with them about the speciall and necessarie matters belonging to their charge Concerning their Rents and Reuenues to maintayne their dignities it is somewhat large The Patriarchs yeerely rents out of his Lands besides other fees is about 3000. Rubbels or Marcks The Metropolites and Archbishops about 2500. The Bishops some 1000. some 800. some 500. c. They haue had some of them as I haue heard say ten or twelue thousand Rubbels a yeere as had the Metropolite of Neuogrod Their Habit or Apparell when they shew themselues in their Pontificalibus after their solemness manner is a Mitre on their heads after the Popish fashion set with Pearle and Precious Stone a Coape on their backes commonly of Cloth of Gold embroydered with Pearle and a Crosiers Staffe in their hands layed ouer all with Plate of Siluer double gilt with a Crosse or Sheepherds Crooke at the vpper end of it Their ordinary habit otherwise when they ride or goe abroad is a Hood on their heads of blacke colour that hangeth downe their backes and standeth out like a Bon-grace before Their vpper Garment which they call Reis is a Gowne or Mantell of blacke Damaske with many Lists or Gards of white Sattin layed vpon it euery Gard about two fingers broad and their Crosiers staffe carried before them Themselues follow after blessing the people with their two fore-fingers with a maruellous grace The Election and appointing of the Bishops and the rest pertayneth wholy to the Emperour himselfe They are chosen euer out of the Monasteries so that there is no Bishop Archbishop nor Metropolite but hath beene a Monke or Frier before And by that reason they are and must all bee vnmarried men for their Vow of Chastitie when they were first shorne When the Emperour hath appointed whom he thinketh good hee is inuested in the Cathedrall Church of his Diocesse with many Ceremonies much after the manner of the Popish Inauguration They haue also their Deanes and their Arch-deacons As for preaching the Word of God or any teaching or exhorting such as are vnder them they neither vse it nor haue any skill of it the whole Clergie being vtterly vnlearned both for other knowledge and in the Word of God Onely their manner is twice euery yeere viz. the first of September which is the first day of their yeere and on Saint Iohn Baptists day to make an ordinary speech to the people euery Metropolite Arch-bishop and Bishop in his Catherall Church to this or like effect That if any bee in malice towards his Neighbour hee shall leaue off his malice if any haue thought of Treason or Rebellion against his Prince hee beware of such practice if hee haue not kept his Fasts and Vowes nor done his other Duties to the Holy Church hee shall
is the greater the Crueltie or Intemperancie that is vsed in that Countrey I will not speake of it because it is so foule and not to be named The whole Countrey ouerfloweth with all sinne of that kind And no maruell as hauing no Law to restraine Whoredomes Adulteries and like vncleannesse of life As for the truth of his word as some say the Russe neither beleeueth any thing that another man speaketh nor speaketh any thing himselfe worthy to bee beleeued These qualities make them very odious to all their Neighbours specially to the Tartars that account themselues to be honest and just in comparison of the Russe It is supposed by some that doe well consider of the State of both Countries that the offence they take at the Russe Gouernment and their manner of behauiour hath beene a great cause to keepe the Tartar still Heathenish and to mislike as he doth of the Christian profession To the Reader I Thought good here to giue an account of my course Hauing spent much time in that other World so little known to This Tartaria and China that the parts least known might be made best known I haue comne neerer home to Russia and her neighbours the neerer or Chrim Tartars the Samoyeds and others whereof Doctor Fletchers Story being so elaborate where though the centre bee Russia yet his circumference is more generall and by men iudicious which haue in those parts enioyed most honourable employment and exactest intelligence commended I haue giuen him the first place And if some terme bee mollified or some few things omitted it is not to defraud Thee of the Historie which for substance is whole as by perùsall is found but not to defraud our industrious Countrymen in their merchandizing mysterie wherein some perhaps would hence seeke occasion of vndermining For like cause I haue giuen the next place to Captaine Edge the one our gowned Generall by Land the other in his generall Historie also by Sea as deserued by his ten yeeres Voyages and his other Merits As for the question of Willoughbies Land I list not to dispute it but I thinke neither Hollander as is also confessed by the French Booke called The Historie of Spitsberghe on the Dutch behalfe nor any other haue found any such Lands as his Storie describes but some part of those which now with a generall name wee call Greenland howsoeuer the makers of Maps and Globes may create Lands and Ilands at pleasure especially in vnknowne places and the first setled ordinary and orderly Voyages for the Whale-killing and the most for discouerie in those parts haue beene made by the English their gaynes awakening the Hollander to that enterprise and that also as elsewhere in the World by English guides That which I most grieue at in this contention is the detention of further discouery to the Pole and beyond where it is not likely to be colder then here and at the Arctike circle as in the Red Sea Ormus and the Countrey about Balsara on this side the Tropike is found greater heat then vnder the Line it selfe the desire of gayne euery where causing debate and consequently losse of the best gaine both in Earth and Heauen Merchants might get the World and giue vs the World better if Charitie were their Needle Grace their Compas Heauen their Hauen and if they would take their height by obseruing the Sunne of Righteousnesse in the Scripture-astrolabe and sounding their depth by a Leading Faith and not by a Leadden bottomlesse Couetousnesse that is if they would seeke the Kingdome of Heauen first all things should bee added they should finde World enough in the Indian and Polare Worlds and wee and they should arriue at better knowledge of the Creator and Creatures And of all men that I may a little further answere that Historie of Spitsberghe I would be glad to see agreement betwixt the English and Dutch both because I honour that Nation as hath appeared in this whole worke of Voyages in which and of which the Dutch are so great a part and because in Region Religion Originall Nation ingenious and ingenuous disposition and that which here brings both on our Stage the glory of Nauigation they are so neere vs and worthie to be honored It is true that euery where the English hath beene the elder Brother a Doctor and Ductor to the Hollanders in their Martiall feats at home and Neptunian exploits abroad that I mention not their permitted wealthie fishing on the English shoare whom had they followed with as true and due respect as with happie successe quarrels had not so distracted and distorted both sides I appeale to Dutch ingenuitie if euer they did any thing wholly New but giue names in remotest Nauigations without English lights Columbus an Italian had the honour of finding America and the Spaniards the happinesse But for the North America and the whole Northern New World Cabota borne or bred at least in England was either Actor or Author For the Dutch I haue shewed for the compassing of the World and for the East Indies before that our Drake Candish Mellis Dauis Adams c. were their Fore-runners Pilots and Guides Yea their New-found Land Voyages and all the Northerne coast of America were discouered by Sebastian Cabota and other Englishmen I adde their New Straights Southwards from those of Magelane were discouered before by Drake as in the Map of Sir Francis Drakes Voyage presented to Queene Elizabeth still hanging in His Maiesties Gallerie at White Hall neere the Priuie Chamber and by that Map wherein is Cabotas Picture the first and great Columbus for the Northerne World may be seene In which Map the South of the Magelane Straits is not a Continent but many Ilands and the very same which they haue stiled in their Straits Barneuels Ilands had long before beene named by the most auspicate of Earthly Names and let themselues be Iudges with which the other is as little worthie to be mentioned as a kind Mother and an vnkind Traitor The Name Elizabeth is expressed in golden Letters with a golden Crowne Garter and Armes affixed The words ascribed thereunto are these Cum omnes ferè hanc partem Aâ—stralem Continentem esse putent pro certo sciant Insulas esse Nauigantibus peruias earumque australissimam ELIZABETHAM à D. Francisco Draco Inuentore dictam esse The same height of 57. degrees and South-easterly situation from the Magelan Westerne Mouth giue further euidence And my learned friend Master Brigges told me that he hath seene this plot of Drakes Voyage cut in Siluer by a Dutchman Michael Mercator Nephew to Gerardus many yeeres before Scouten or Maire intended that Voyage As for Noua Zemla by Stephen Burrough and others long before discouered they also haue giuen new names which I enuie not onely I feare a vae soli and hate ingratitude both ours and theirs But too much of this Next to this more generall Discourse shall follow the
Dutch Northerne Voyages and the English North-easterne after which wee will take a more complementall leaue of that Continent and from thence visite the Northerly and North-westerne Discoueries at once hunting for a New World and a New passage to This. CHAP. II. A briefe Discouerie of the Northerne Discoueries of Seas Coasts and Countries deliuered in order as they were hopefully begunne and haue euer since happily beene continued by the singular industrie and charge of the Worshipfull Society of Muscouia Merchants of London with the ten seuerall Voyages of Captaine THOMAS EDGE the Authour §. I. Greenland first discouered by Sir HVOH WILLOVGHEIE the Voyages of FROBISHER PET and IACKMAN DAVIS the Dutch First Morse and Whale-killing with further Discoueries THe Northerne parts of the World haue euer beene held to be Officina Gentium velut Vagina Nationum Natures Shop and Store-house of Men better furnished then any other part of the Earth and from whence those notable Inundations came first of the Cymbrians and Teutons in the time of the antient Romans and secondly of the Gothes and Vandals vnder Attila to the confusion of things both Diuine and Humane in all the Southerne parts of Europe as farre as Barbarisme could preuaile against Ciuilitie and Religion For remedie whereof the Townes alongst the Baltick Sea entred into a confederacy vnder the names of the Hans Townes and vndertooke the keeping of those Northerne people and the securing of these Southerne Kingdomes from any the like ouerflowings vpon such Priuiledges and Immunities as were granted and agreed vnto them by all the Southerne Princes and according to such Lawes as were made and prouided for the maintenance and strength of the said Hans Townes amongst which the supreme and fundamentall Lawe was that none of these Nations so secured should haue trade or commerce in any parts beyond the Baltike Seas to the end the barbarous people might not bee enabled thereby to practise or moue against the Hans Townes which was the cause together also with the extremitie of cold that those Northerne Seas were neuer looked vnto vntill the yeere 1553. At which time the trade of this Kingdome waxing cold and in decay and the Merchants incited with the fame of the great masse of riches which the Portugals and Spaniards brought home yeerely from both the Indies entred into a resolution notwithstanding the prohibition of the Hans Law to discouer the Northerne Seas which so long had beene frozen and shut vp and to see whether they could not affoord a passage to Cathay and the East Indies and accordingly prouided three ships and sent them forth vnder the command of Sir Hugh Willoughbie Knight who embarqued himselfe in a ship called the Bona Esperança Admirall of that Voyage with Richard Chancellor Captaine of the Edward Bonauenture together with a third ship called the Bona Confidentia These three ships falling downe from Ratcliffe the tenth of May in the foresaid yeere went on their Voyage and proceeding as farre as the Cape of Norway they were seuered by a tempest Chancellor after he had stayed at Ward-house seuen dayes expecting the Admirall and the other ships according to a former appointment vpon any such casualtie and hearing nothing of them went on and discouered the Bay of Saint Nicolas and setled a trade there which hath continued to these times Sir Hugh Willoughbie was driuen to the height of 72. where hee fell vpon an Iland now knowne by the name of Willoughbie Land and lieth from Sinam vpon the Continent of Norway East and by North an hundred and sixtie leagues or thereabouts from thence he went North and North-west and within eight dayes after he fell vpon a Land which lay West South-west and East North-east betweene 74. and 75. degrees of latitude and plying Westward along by the Land he was driuen by the wind to put to Sea againe vntill the wind came about Then they made towards the Land againe and bare with it but finding that place vnfit for landing they haled out againe running along the Land sixteene leagues North-west where they found a faire Bay went on Land and found the place inhabited From thence they put to Sea againe runne alongst the coast for fortie leagues together till at length they came to an anchor within two leagues of the shoare where they landed and found two or three good Harbours Afterwards they entred into the Hauen which ranne vp into the Maine about two leagues where they remained for the space of a weeke vpon the maine Land They found Beares great Deere Foxes and other beasts They sent out three men three dayes iourney to the South-West and three others also full West all which returned after diuers dayes trauelling and found no people nor any likelihood of habitation And this is that Land which now is called Greenland or King Iames his New-land and is knowne to the Hollanders by the name of Spitsbergen Sir Hugh Willoughbie returned into Lapland where he and his companie were frozen to death in the Hauen called Arzina neere Kegor The Muscouia Merchants hauing thus setled a trade in Russia and being incorporated by the name of The Merchants of England for the discouerie of new trades pursued their first resolutions for finding a way to Cathay by the North-east and in the yeere 1556. sent out Stephen Burrough for discouerie of the Riuer Obb who proceeding forwards in that Voyage discouered the Riuer Pechora the Streights of Vaigats and Nouazembla went on shoare vpon the Iland of Vaigats and vpon the North Continent of Russia met with the Samoeds obserued their manner of life their Religion their Sacrifices to their rude and ill shaped Idols and the yeere being spent returned into Russia The Companie hauing sought for the North-east passage and finding such difficulties as are mentioned in their particular Iournals resolued to make triall if the North-west part could not affoord a passage to the Indies which was the first and maine scope of their Northerne Discoueries And in the yeere 1576. they sent forth Sir Martin Frobisher with two Barkes who comming into the heights of 62. or thereabouts found a great Inlet now knowne by the name of Frobishers Streights into which he put himselfe and sayled sixtie leagues with a mayne Land on each side and so for that yeere returned The next yeere following he made a second Voyage to that place purposely to lade himselfe with a kind of Oare which the yeere before he had found there and gaue hope by the colour to yeeld Gold and being laden with some quantitie returned The yeere following being 1578. hauing made tryall here of that Oare and finding it not to fall out according to his expectation hee was furnished out to proceed in the further discouerie of those Streights and entring into the same made way so farre as hee thought fit and then returned backe hauing first taken possession thereof in the name of Queene Elizabeth of famous
the Master in vnlading of his Ship brought her so light that vnfortunatly hee ouer-set her hauing goods in her worth seuen hundred pounds This ill chance happening vnto the two London Ships the Captayne of them agreed with Thomas Marmaduke Master of the Hull Ship to take in the goods which was saued at the rate of fiue pounds the Tunâ—e which was a great rate notwithstanding they had beene a meanes to get him goods worth fiue hundred pounds for the Hull Ship and vpon the one and twentieth of August 1611. they departed from Greenland in the Hope-well being ninetie nine men in all and arriued at Hull the sixth of September where the sayd Edge tooke out the Companies goods and Shipped them for London by order from the Companie This yeere Edge in coasting in the Shallops discouered all the Harbours on the West side of Greenland §. II. Dutch Spanish Danish disturbance also by Hull men and by a new Patent with the succeeding Successe and further Discoueries till this present IN the yeere 1612. the Companie set forth two Ships viz. The Whale burthen one hundred and sixtie Tunnes and the Sea-horse burthen one hundred and eightie tunnes vnder the Command of Iohn Russell and Thomas Edge for discouering and killing of the Whale They discouered that yeere nothing worth writing of by reason of some falling out betwixt Russell and Edge yet they killed that yeere seuenteene Whales and some Sea-horses of which they made one hundred and eightie Tunnes of Oyle with much difficultie as not being experimented in the businesse This yeere the Hollanders to keepe their wont in following of the English steps came to Greenland with one Ship being brought thither by an English man and not out of any knowledge of their owne Discoueries but by the direction of one Allen Sallowes a man imployed by the Muscouia Companie in the Northerne Seas for the space of twentie yeeres before who leauing his Countrey for Debt was entertayned by the Hollanders and imployed by them to bring them to Greenland for their Pylot At which time being met withall by the Companies Ships they were commanded to depart and forbidden to haunt or frequent those parts any more by mee Thomas Edge There was also a Spanish Ship brought thither by one Nicholas Woodcocke this yeere a man formerly imployed by the sayd Companie which Spanish Ship made a full Voyage in Green-harbour But Woodcocke at his returne into England being complained of by the Companie was Imprisoned in the Gatehouse and Tower sixteene Moneths for carrying the Spanish Ship thither In the yeere 1613. the Companie set out for Greenland seuen sayle of Ships vnder the Command of Beniamin Ioseph and Thomas Edge the Ships departed from Grauesâ—nd the sâ—x and twentieth of Aprill and arriued in Greenland the fourteenth of May. This yeere the English had the Kings Patent vnder the broad Seale of England to forbid all Strangers and others but the Muscouia Companie to vse the Coast of Greenland The English met with fifteene sayle of great Ships two of them were Dutch Ships the rest were French Spanish and of the Archdukes besides foure English Interlopâ—rs The Companies Ships forced them all from the Coast of Greenland not suffering any of them to make a Voyage they tooke from the two Dutch Ships certayne goods buâ— in gâ—ing to take it they neglected their owne voyage which was damnified thereby to the value of three or foure thousand pounds For their Ships came home dead Fraight two or three hundred Tunnes by that meanes This yeere was Hope Iland and other Ilands discouered to the Eastward by the Companie In the yeere following which was 1614. the Companie set out for Greenland thirteene great Ships and two Pinnasses vnder the Command of Beniamin Ioseph and Thomas Edge all which Ships were well appointed with all manner of Artillerie for defence and other necessaries for the making of their Voyage and for Discouerie This yeere the Hollanders set out for Greenland eighteene great Ships whereof foure of them were of the States men of Warre Ships with thirtie pieces of Ordnance a piece This yeere the Dutch stayed and fished for the Whale perforce they were farre stronger then the English which was a cause that the English Ships came home halfe laden and the Dutch with a poore Voyage This yeere the Companie Discouered vnto the Northwards of Greenland as farre as 80. Degrees odde Minuts in the Ship Thomazen as by her daily Iournall doth appeare at large in which Ship was imployed Thomas Sherwin and William Baffin being the second Voyage they were imployed into those parts And some Ilands to the Eastwards of Greenland were Discouered by foure Ships imployed in that seruice as by their Iournall more at large appeareth In the yeere 1615. the Companie set out for Greenland two sayle of great Ships and two Pinnasses vnder the Command of Beniamin Ioseph and Thomas Edge who following their Instructions arriued vpon the Coast of Greenland the sixth of Iune which they found to bee much pestered with Ice and being foggie weather they runne into the Ice so farre that they were fast in it fourteene dayes before they could cleare themselues of it This yeere also the Hollanders set out fourteene sayle of ships whereof three of them were States Men of warre of great force they killed Whales in Horn-sound Bel-sound and Faire-hauen and stayed vpon the coast of Greenland perforce as they did the former yeere whereby the English came home halfe laden This yeere also the King of Denmarke sent vnto Greenland three of his ships Men of warre to demand a toll of the English but they had none payd them for they fell with the Fore-land in 79. degrees where Captaine Edge was and he denyed payment of any toll alledging that the Countrey of Greenland belonged to the King of England These were the first Danish ships that euer came to Greenland who had for their Pilot one Iames Vaden an Englishman to bring them thither In the yeere 1616. the Company set out for Greenland eight Sayle of great ships and two Pinnasses vnder the command of Thomas Edge who following his course arriued in Greenland about the fourth of Iune hauing formerly appointed all his ships for their seuerall Harbours for their making of their Voyage vpon the Whale and hauing in euery Harbour a sufficient number of expert men and all prouisions fitting for such a Voyage This yeere it pleased God to blesse them by their labours that they full laded all their ships with Oyle and left an ouer-plâ—s in the Countrey which their ships could not take in They imployed this yeere a small Pinnasse vnto the East-ward which discouered the East-ward part of Greenland Namely the Iland called now Edges Iland and other Ilands lying to the North-wards as farre as seuentie eight degrees this Pinnasse was some twentie tunnes and had twelue men in
each Tent. This worke of pitching the Tents belongeth vnto the Women In the meane time the men vnyoake the Deere and turne them loose to digge through the Snow bee it neuer so deepe for their food and sustenance Then the Samoieds of euery Tent one out of the next Wood prouide as much Fuell as shall 〈…〉 turnes for their abode there First they set on Kettles full of Snow water which being melted they drinke thereof euery one a good draught then they seeth their Supper vsing as before Snow water melted for their Drinke Our lodgings were vpon the Snow within our Tents round about the Fire hauing vnder vs for our Beds the skinnes of Deere couered with our day apparell For all the time of our journey the Merchants whether Stranger Russe or Permac according to the number of them make prouision of Victuals to feed the whole familie in euery Tent euery man his day about together with the Samoieds their Wiues and Children who carrie all their Houshold euery where with them and out of their Sonnes and Daughters they appoint a watch ouer their Deere for feare of the Wolfe and other Beasts which notwithstanding their watch sometimes kill in a night one or two of their Deere as it fell out two nights in our journey to Slobotca This Slobotca is a pretie Towne hauing in December and Ianuarie great resort of people repayring thither as well Rich Russes out of many places with money to buy Furres as others with prouision of Meale and Malt and other Commodities to furnish the Pustozerits as also to buy Fish to wit Salmons Oyle of Bealugos Deere skinnes and Furres of them The tenth of Ianuary the Inhabitants of Pustozera returned from Trading with the Samoieds of Ougoria on which Iourney they set forward the fiue and twentieth of Nouember and within three dayes after came betwixt eight or nine hundred Samoieds with a small quantitie of their Commodities in respect of former yeeres by reason of Warre betweene the Samoieds of Ougoria and Molgomsey who were wont to Trade one with another and not to warre one against another So Sables and other Commodities being scant the inhabitants sold them very deare yet notwithstanding the Russes bought vp all striuing one to haue them before another So that after that little money which we had was bestowed wee could not doe any thing in barter Moreouer the Russes did not onely informe against vs to the Inhabitants to stirre them vp against vs but also vsed the like meanes to the Samoieds to disswade them from trading with vs either in their owne Countries or else-where alleadging that wee would betray them and not onely carrie them away to make them Slaues and robbe them but also would murther and destroy all the rest wheresoeuer wee should come The Inhabitants also of Pustozera being incensed by the Russes doubting wee would enter farther into their Trade Eastward began also to hinder and forbid the Samoieds to come to vs. Yet by meanes of our Hoast being a Polac borne we spake with diuers of the principall of the Samoieds hee being our Interpreter and wee our selues vnderstood certayne Samoieds speaking broken Russe and by these meanes we found out more at large the despitefulnesse of the Russes and the enuie of some of the Inhabitants against vs as also their feare least wee or any other Stranger should enter into further Discouerie of their trafficking toward the East but especially about the Riuer Ob. Some sayd we were sent as spyes to betray their Land to the Pole or the Swethen with whom they then had warre Some gaue counsell to put vs vnder the Water others aduised to set vs vpon the Sand where wee should haue beene without all doubt drowned in short space others thought best to send vs vp to the Nobilitie and to seaze on all our goods to the vse of the State But diuers of the best in the Towne with whom wee kept all friendship that possible we could withstood those bloudie practises The Lord therefore bee blessed The fifth of March the Inhabitants of Pustozer went againe to Slobotca carrying the Russes with their Commodities thither They returned home the eleuenth of Aprill 1612. The one and twentieth of Aprill water was first seene vpon the maine Riuer Pechora aboue the Ice descending from aboue Oust-zilma The twentieth of May the Ice brake vp The fiue and twentieth of May certayne of the Inhabitants of Pustozer went by water vnto Oust-zilma The sixe and twentieth Iosias Logan with our Hoast the Polonian hired a Boate and went toward Oust-zilma carrying with him certayne Cloath and Copper Kettles in hope to sell them well there being intreated in the Summer before by one of their Townesmen to come thither or to send one to Winter there alledging that they got great store of Losh-hydes Squirrels Sables and Beuers Which some yeeres indeed as we were credibly informed falleth out according to his report But at his arriuall there diuers of the Townesmen came against him and would not suffer him nor any of his Boate to Land for the space of ten houres but in the end they let him goe on shoare after as wee suppose the Inhabitants of Pustozer had bought most of their Commodities So that hee staying there two dayes could get but nine Losh-hydes and halfe a timber of course Sables in barter for some Cloath and Copper The principall cause of his going thither was to meete with some of the Permacks out of Permia who some yeeres come downe with Rie and Rie-meale and thought to haue giuen notice to those Permacks of our being at Pustozer and to haue willed them to haue perswaded their Countrey-men to bring thither the next Spring following all their Commodities being Waxe Honey Losh-hydes and Furres which they might doe for halfe the charge that they are at in bringing them to Archangell on the Riuer Duina Oust-zilma is a pretie Towne of some sixtie Houses and is three or foure dayes sayling with a faire wind against the streame from Pustozer but backe againe they may sayle it in two dayes The third of Iune came the first Russes in their Cayooks by Riuer out of Russia to Pustozer These Cayooks be small Boates of two tunnes hauing two men in each Boate. The twentieth of Iune nine Russe Coaches or Soymas passed by Pustozer from Oust-zilma for Molgomsey The one and twentieth sixe Russe Soymas more departed from Pustozer all the rest hauing giuen ouer their Voyage which came thither the Summer before 1611. The two and twentieth one Soyma belonging to the Towne of Pustozer departed for Molgomsey The three and twentieth and foure and twentieth the Inhabitants of Pustozer went to Fish for Bealugos vnder the Boluan being the highest Land neere vnto the Drie Sea and two dayes sayling from the Towne The fiue and twentieth I departed after them and arriued there the seuen and twentieth hoping
sound the common people thinke the soules of the damned to be tormented heere it is certayne that diuers and horrible spirits are obserued in this Mountayne and about it for if a Battaile be fought in any place the Islanders especially they that sayle and fish in the Sea neere to Hecla know the day of the Battaile fought although they know not where it be done for they see as they report wicked spirits going forth and returning and bringing soules with them And such a storie is repâ—rted all Island ouer A Fisherman sayling by Hecla met with another ship both had a prosperous wind and when after the manner of Saylers he was demanded who hee was and of what place hee answered that hee had the Bishop of Breme in his ship whom hee would conuay to Hecla and it was knowne that the Bishop dyed the same day which notwithstanding I would not set downe for truth If any perish by Sea or otherwise dye sometimes leauing their Friends and Acquaintance they appeare very heauie being demanded whither they goe and from whence they answere they are brought to Hecla vnder a cruell Master the Deuill and so vanish And they are so bewitched of Satan that they thinke them the soules of the departed But because no man that is well in his wits will thinke that Hell is in this Mountayne yet it may be demanded whence the Hill hath this matter whereby it should bring forth so many yeeres flames so many ashes and such abundance of Pumis stones For wee see the most sollid and firme bodies and all things to be consumed by fire and for that cause some thinke that it shall come to passe that these flames shall once be extingished for the cause fayling they deny that any effects can follow But heere what I thinke I will freely speake yet sauing other mens judgements It is manifest by watry Meteors that there is a continuall generation of water by the vapours gathered together in the cauities of the Earth which issueth forth by Fountayns but the efficient and materiall causes abiding perpetually the effects also continually remayne so also in the bowels of the Earth there are certayne places which by their owne nature draw vnto them a hote and dry exhalation and that it resolues it into flames ashes and Pumis stones which may easily be done in this Mountayne by reason of the Sulphur matter which is found in Island throughout the whole Land And as Fountaynes send forth more abundance of water in the Winter time then in the Summer nay some of them are dry because matter failes so is it with this Mountayne for sometimes matter failing it hath neither flames nor smoke and all is quiet whereby it appeareth that the matter and efficient cause faile Howeuer it bee I know this that no man may come to the foot of the Mountayne without danger and feare as hereafter shall be declared The same yeere I was in Island the nine and twentieth of Nouember about midnight in the Sea neere Hecla there appeared a flame which gaue light to the whole Iland so that all of vs astonished wondred and carefully expected the issue thereof the elder sort and such as were skilfull in this matter said that this light came from Hecla an houre after the whole Iland trembled as it should haue beene moued out of the place after the Earthquake followed a horrible cracke that if all warlike Ordnance had beene discharged it had beene nothing to this terrour It cannot be thought much lesse expressed by word how horrible it was Wee thought that the whole frame of the World would fall and that the last Day was at hand but it was knowne afterwards that the Sea went backe two leagues in that place and remayned dry About the beginning of Iuly at a certayn time of the yeere great store of Ice suddenly floteth to the Iland about Hecla and there goes a rumour through the whole Iland nay it is beleeued that the damned soules are tormented in this Ice by course in the Flame in the Mountayne and after in the Ice This Ice for three whole moneths swimmeth only about Hecla If you take any part of this Ice out of the Sea and wrap it in a linnen cloth and lay it vp in a Chest it remayneth so long vnmelted as it swimmeth in the Sea but if the Ice in the Sea vanish which suddenly in one night happeneth this appeareth not nor leaueth any signe of moysture in the linnen cloth which is not a hard thing for Satan to doe to take away the Ice without moysture to increase their incredulitie Olaus Magnus maketh mention of this Ice in his eleuenth Booke But because I determined to search out all things diligently I sayled not without great feare vnto this Ice and I obserued that this Ice was violently cast against the Rockes by force of the winds and so made a mournfull sound afarre off as if miserable howlings were heard there Hereupon the Islanders thinke the soules of the damned are tormented in this Ice Of the Riches of the Islanders I Haue said that Island was a rough and snowie Countrey and besides it is full of Rockes and stones and so truly that there is not a field in the whole Iland they haue not so much as Gardens wherein they may haue Pot-herbes or Pulse they know no kinde of Corne nor Apples Peares nor Cheries nor any fruit of Trees And which is almost incredible they neither vse Bread nor Salt yet they are well liking and strong There is no Citie in the whole Iland they seldome haue two or three dwellings together They haue their Cottages on the Sea side for fishing and vnder ground by reason of the fierce windes There is no lone of money among them for wares are changed for wares Brimstone groweth on the South part and almost throughout the whole Iland which is digged out in great abundance they sell this stuffe purged for a small price Mines of Gold or Siluer nor of any other mettall they haue none They vse Iron but such as is brought vnto them You shall scarse finde a man who hath not Iron Nayles in a Bagge wherewith Horse-shooes are fastened All their houses are vnder ground for they haue no matter for building There is not a tree in the whole Iland except the Birch-tree and that in one place which also exceedeth not the stature of a man in length and that by reason of the vehemencie of the winds that it cannot grow higher This Birch-tree after the Summer Solstitium beginnes first to bud the leaues haue a most sweet smell and of so fragrant a sauour that the Germanes put them in their Tents and vpon their meats for a singular delight Yet sometimes great abundance of Firre-trees from Tartaria or else-where carried by force of the waues and the Ice arriued in Island The chiefe vse of them is in building Cabbins vnder the ground you shall scarsly find a
and blew a very stiffe gale Then we stood in for the shoare and spent most of this day in turning vp Horne-Sound And about a North North-west Sunne at ten a clock wee espied six ships lying at anchor on the South side of the Sound in a small Bay The one of them was Captaine Fopp the Dunkerker who came in before vs and was appointed by our Generall to come into this harbour and there to stay for vs and to goe to the Foreland to haue his other ship which we kept there Foure of them were Biscaines of Saint Sebastian and one of them was in the harbour where we road and found the French ship The sixt was a ship of Amsterdam wherein Thomas Bonner was Master and Pilot and aboue twentie English men more All the Biscaines came aboord of vs as soone as we were at an anchor but Thomas Bonner refused to come being sent for by our Generall Our Generall commanded our Gunner to shoot at him he himselfe discharging the second Ordnance Then presently he began to set saile and cut his cable thinking to get from vs but wee hauing shot him through three or foure times they began to weaue vs so we sent our shallop and he came aboord There were fiue or sixe more of the English men fetched aboord and some of our men sent to bring her to an anchor where shee might ride safe for shee was almost run ashoare This was about a North sunne or eleuen a clocke The Biscaines were charged presently to depart so soone as they had filled fresh water which they said they wanted and to bring what Whale finnes they had found or had taken or other things The fourteenth day faire weather the winde at East North-east This morning one of the Biscaines brought a few Whale finnes aboord of vs and the skin of a Beare which they had killed Then was our Boate-swaine sent aboord of them to search their ships and to bid them depart Our Generall kept the Holland ship wherein was Thomas Bonner to the vse of the Companie This day I obserued the latitude of this place by a Quadrant of foure foote Semidiameter and found it to stand in 75. degrees 55. minutes the Declination of the Needle vnder the Horizon is 67. degrees 30. minutes pointing to the Northwards but pointing to the Southwards it is 80. degrees The variation of the Compasse is 12. degrees 14. minutes west from the true Meridian but from our common sayling Compasse it is 17. degrees because the Compasse is touched fiue degrees and a halfe to the Eastward and the variation is to the Westward This day in the afternoone the foure ships of Biscay departed from this Harbour which is called Horne-Sound and about a North sunne I with the Master Thomas Sherin went ashoare with other to set vp another Crosse with the Kings Maiesties Armes cast in Lead nayled vpon it Then I obserued the Sunne vpon his North Meridian by my foresaid Quadrant and found it eleuated aboue the Horizon 10. degrees and thirtie minutes but because his heigth at the South Meridian and his heigth at the North did not agree in finding of the Latitude I did abate fiue minutes from each as the meane betwixt both for his altitude at the South Meridian was 36. degrees 40. minutes the declination 23. degrees and 29. minutes The fifteenth day faire weather the winde in the morning South but almost calme This day about noone we weighed anchor with the ship of Amsterdam and diuers of her men were fetched aboord vs with their Shipper and some of our men were sent aboord her with one of our Masters Mates called Master Spencer All this day it was so calme that wee were faine to towe our ship Our Carpenter did trim vp two of the Biscaine Shallops which they did leaue behinde them and they did leaue diuers Hoopes and Caske staued ashoare The eighteenth day faire weather the winde variable we stearing away Northward This afternoone wee met with another ship of Biscay being a ship of two or three hundred Tunnes Our Generall as he did to the rest caused her Master and Pilot to come aboord vs to whom he shewed his Commission charging them to depart this Countrey They seeing no remedie were content so soone as they had filled fresh water Wee met with them off the Southward part of the Iland Our Generall being so neere Greene Harbour where the Gamaliel and the Desire road wee went into the Sound to see them with this great ship of Biscay and the ship of Amsterdam We found that the entrance of Greene Harbour was quite stopped with Ice and ran our ship into it thinking to get through but wee could not Then wee got her out againe and came to the Bay where wee roade on the other side of the Sound in Pooppy Bay or Niches Coue. The nineteenth day faire weather the winde Northward This day about twelue of the clock we came to an anchor in the foresaid Bay This afternoone there came another ship of Saint Sebastian into the Bay where wee roade and about seuen of the clocke the Captaine came aboord of vs who told vs that he had lost six of his men and a shallop vpon the coast of Groineland vpon an Iland in the latitude of 72. degrees or thereabouts This was the Master which had beene here the last yeere and made a great voyage Master Woodcocke being their Pilot. His making so great a voyage was the cause that so many ships were here this yeere The twentieth in the morning we had newes that the Iohn and Francis was come about two dayes agoe and that they had killed one and twentie Whales at the Foreland and had also killed two at Greene harbour This day it was very close weather with some snowe the winde North-west This afternoone the Captaines of the two Biscay ships were commanded to depart this Coast. The one and twentieth wee perceiued another ship standing toward vs. Wee lessâ—ned our sailes and stayed for her to see what shee was At length we perceiued her to bee another Biscaine About a North sâ—nne we came to an anchor in Greene harbour by the Gamaliel and the Desire and the ship of Burdeaux and the Biscaine followed vs. So soone as they were come to an anchor their Captaine came aboord of vs to whom our Generall shewed his Commission as he had done to the rest charging him to depart those Coasts and told him that hee would take away some of their shallops They earnestly intreated him not to take them away and they would depart the Captaine offering his bond to our Generall that if he stayed either in Greenland Groineland or Cherie Iland he would willingly forfait all he was worth There was another Whale killed in Greene-harbour in the killing whereof there was a man slaine and a Boate ouerwhelmed by too much haste of following him after the harping Iron was in him The three and twentieth day
couenants and agreements the Generall Sandamersko himselfe hath confessed to our Maiestie and Nobles that the foresaid agreements and couenants betwixt him and the foresaid Gryshca were true and how that they trusted one to another moreouer the Palatine did certifie vnto our Nobles how Gryshca sent him a Letter vnder his owne hand and Seale in which he promised to giue him Smolensko with all the Prouinces belonging thereto and another place called Seeuerow as also gaue him liberty to set vp Monasteries and the Religion of the Church of Rome Further there was found by him Letters which were sent to him from the Pope of Rome and the Cardinals and Priests to that effect that he should remember and withall be mindefull to take in hand speedily those matters and businesse vpon which he had giuen to Sigismund and the Cardinals his troth and vow the which was as beforesaid to be himselfe of the Romish Religion as also to bring all the people of the Kingdome of Russia into the same Romish Religion not onely them that of themselues were willing thereto but also others by compulsion and to put them to death that fought to contrary the same And not onely them of the Kingdome of Russia but likewise other godly people of seuerall Religion and that doe serue in the Kingdome of Mosco as the Catholicks and the Caluinists them likewise he should seeke to bring into the Romish Religion with all perswasions Moreouer Gryshca himselfe before vs and our Nobles and Courtiers and before our Commons did acknowledge as much and thereupon yeelded himselfe to be in fault as also that he did all with helpe of the Diuell hauing forsaken God For which these his vile actions this Gryshca according to the true iustice receiued an end to his life and was by abundance of people slain in the Mosco where he lay three dayes in the midst of the Citie to the view of all such like vsurpers and disturbers And because his body was loathsome vnto vs we caused it to be carried out of the Citie and there to be burnt This Enemie thus hauing ended his life then the Kings sonnes of diuers Countries now dwelling within our Kingdome with the Patriarke Metropolitanes Archbishops and Bishops with the Nobles Courtiers and the Commons made entreaty vnto vs Vasili Euanowich to raigne and gouerne ouer them and ouer all the Kingdome of Mosco as their Lord Emperour and great Duke of all Russia According to which entreatie made vnto vs by the said Kings sons of diuers Countries as likewise by our Nobles Courtiers Merchants and all the rest of the Commons of all the Kingdome of Mosco Wee are come to the great Kingdomes of Volodemar Mosco Nouogrod and as also of the Kingdomes of Cazan Astracan and Siberia and ouer all the Prouinces of the Empire of Mosco as also wee the great Lord Emperour and great Duke of all Russia are crowned with our Imperiall Crown and for the said Kings sonnes of diuers Religions and our Nobles Courtiers and Souldiers and all manner of People doe serue our Imperiall Maiesty with desire and good liking voluntarily and not by delusions and coniurations as the Poles and Lettoes were bewitched by Grishca But we the great Lord Emperour and great Duke Vasili Euanowich with great care stayed and restrayned our People from the spoyle of the Poles and the Lettoes defending them from death and withall haue commanded to let goe many of them into Poland and Letto but the chiefest of them that were of the Councell and that practised to bring trouble and dissention in the Kingdome of Mosco are now taken And we to doe an honour vnto the dead body of the true Demetrie haue vpon conference with our Metropolitanes Archbishops and Bishops and all the holy Assembly our Nobles and Courtiers and all the Kingdome of Mosco sent to the Citie of Owglets a Metropolitan named Filareta of Rostoue and Yeraslaue who was called before he was made Metropolitan Theodor Neekete which being one of the Nobles in times past and with him the Archbishops of Astracan called Feodosia and our Nobles the Duke Euan Michalowich Vorotinskoy with the rest of his fellowes commanding them to bring vp with them the body of the Prince Demetrie Euanowich who was murthered by the appointment of Boris Godonoue and to bring it vp to our Citie of Mosco with great honour which body shall be buried in the principall Church of Mosco called Michael the Archangel neare to his father the great Lord Emperour and great Duke Euan Vasilowich of famous memorie and by Gods power his body shall not be touched or abused any manner of way Likewise will we by the fauour of God honour the Funerall of Demetrie Euanowich with speciall solemnitie which body performeth many cures and worketh miraculously vnto them that come to him with Faith to be cured of their diseases And now most louing and deare brother wee calling well to minde the great amitie and friendship that was betwixt the great Lord Emperour and great Duke Euan Vasilywich and his Sonne Theodor Euanowich the Emperour Boris and the great Lady Queene Elizabeth the like brotherly loue doe we desire to haue with you most louing and deare brother to be established and continued betwixt vs as it was with them during our liues Therefore may it please you our louing brother Iames King of England after the hearing of these great and strange dangers past to reioyce with vs that he hath deliuered from such a vile enemy and that he our mercifull God hath diuided and scattered that wicked counsell and that he hath turned their cruelty vpon their owne head to their shame and confusion And concerning your Merchants that were in our Kingdome Iohn Merricke with his fellowes we haue graced them with our Emperiall presence as also haue giuen vnto the said Iohn Merricke and his fellowes a new priuiledge and Letters of fauour by which they shall come into our Kingdome and to traficke with all manner of goods freely without paying any Custome whatsoeuer and as to them was granted in former time and this fauour we haue giuen them to manifest vnto you our louing Brother our Brotherly loue And the reason that we haue not sent to you louing brother our Embassadour is because we had not time in regard of many our Emperiall affaires but hereafter doe purpose to send to visite you in your Kingdome Written at our Emperiall palace and Citie of Mosco from the beginning of the World Anno 7114. the fourth day of Iune Thus is Demetrius painted out by his Enemies which perhaps were not altogether led with simplicitie of truth but in many things made him worse that they might make their owne cause bad enough to appeare better They tell also of great outrages committed by the Poles like those sometimes here in England by the Danes their proud insulting ouer the men rauishments of women fetching them out of their houses and
any refined phrases and eloquent speeches Therefore briefly and as it were in the forefront I intend to shew you the whole proceeding of the voyage in a word as namely there is no passage nor hope of passage in the North of Dauis Streights wee hauing coasted all or neere all the Circumference thereof and finde it to be no other then a great Bay as the Map here placed doth truly shew wherefore I cannot but much admire the worke of the Almightie when I consider how vaine the best and chiefest hopes of man are in things vncertaine And to speake of no other matter then of the hopefull passage to the North-west How many of the best sort of men haue set their whole indeuours to proue a passage that wayes and not onely in Conference but also in Writing and publishing to the World yea what great summes of money hath beene spent about that action as your Worship hath costly experience off Neither would the vaine-glorious Spaniard haue scattered abroad so many false Maps and Iournals if they had not beene confident of a passage this way that if it had pleased God a passage had beene found they might haue eclipsed the worthy praise of the Aduenturers and true Discouerers and for my owne part I would hardly haue beleeued the contrarie vntill mine eyes became witnesse of that I desired not to haue found still taking occasion of hope on euery little likelihood till such time as we had almost coasted the Circumference of this great Bay Neither was Master Dauis to be blamed in his report and great hopes if he had anchored about Hope Sanderson to haue taken notice of the Tydes for to that place which is in 72. degrees 12. minutes the Sea is open of an vnsearchable depth and of a good colour onely the Tydes keepe no certaine course nor rise but a small height as eight or nine foote and the flood commeth from the Southward and in all the Bay beyond that place the Tyde is so small and not much to be regarded yet by reason of snow melting on the Land the Ebbe is stronger then the Flood by meanes whereof and the windes holding Northerly the fore-part of the yeere the great Iles of Ice are set to the Southward some into Fretum Hudson and others towards New found Land for in all the Channell where the Sea is open are great quantities of them driuing vp and downe and till this yeere not well knowne where they were bred Now that the worst is knowne concerning the passage it is necessarie and requisite your Worship should vnderstand what probabilitie or hope of profit might here be made hereafter if the voyage bee attempted by fitting men And first for the killing of Whales certaine it is that in this Bay are great numbers of them which the Biscainers call the Grand Baye Whales of the same kinde which are killed at Greenland and as it seemeth to me easie to be strooke because they are not vsed to bee chased or beaten for we being but one day in Whale Sound so called for the number of Whales that wee saw there sleeping and lying aloft on the water not fearing our ship or ought else that if wee had beene fitted with men and things necessarie it had beene no hard matter to haue strooke more then would haue made three ships a sauing voyage and that it is of that sort of Whale there is no feare I being twise at Greenland tooke sufficient notice to know them againe beside a dead Whale wee found at Sea hauing all her finnes or rather all the rough of her mouth of which with much labour we got one hundred and sixtie the same euening we found her and if that foule weather and a storme the next day had not followed wee had no doubt but to haue had all or the most part of them but the winde and Sea arising shee broke from vs and we were forced to leaue her Neither are they onely to be looked for in Whale Sound but also in Sir Tho. Smiths Sound Wostenholme Sound and diuers other places For the killing of Sea Morse I can giue no certaintie but onely this that our Boat being but once ashoare in all the North part of this Bay which was in the entrance of Alderman Iones Sound at the returne our men told vs they saw many Morses along by the shoare on the Ice but our ship being vnder saile and the winde comming faire they presently came aboord without further search besides the people inhabiting about 74. degrees told vs by diuers signes that toward the North were many of those beasts hauing two long teeth and shewed vs diuers pieces of the same As for the Sea Vnicorne it being a great fish hauing a long horne or bone growing forth of his forehead or nostrill such as Sir Martin Frobisher in his second voyage found one in diuers places we saw of them which if the horne be of any good value no doubt but many of them may be killed And concerning what the Shoare will yeeld as Beach finnes Morse teeth and such like I can little say because we came not on shoare in any of the places where hope was of finding them But here some may obiect and aske why we sought that Coast no better to this I answere that while we were thereabout the weather was so exceeding foule wee could not for first wee anchored in Wostenholme Sound where presently our ship droue with two anchors a head then were we forced to stand forth with a low saile The next day in Whale Sound we lost an Anchor and Cable and could fetch the place no more then we came to anchor neere a small Iland lying between Sir Tho. Smiths Sound and Whale Sound but the winde came more outward that we were forced to weigh againe neuerthelesse if wee had beene in a good harbour hauing but our Ships Boat we durst not send her farre from the ship hauing so few men as seuenteene in all and some of them very weake but the chiefe cause wee spent so little time to seeke a Harbour was our great desire to performe the Discouerie hauing the Sea open in all that part and still likelihood of a passage but when we had coasted the Land so farre to the Southward that hope of passage was none then the yeere was too farre spent and many of our men very weake and withall we hauing some beliefe that ships the next yeere would be sent for the killing of Whales which might better doe it then wee And seeing I haue briefly set downe what hope there is of making a profitable voyage it is not vnfit your Worship should know what let or hinderance might be to the same The chiefest and greatest cause is that some yeere it may happen by reason of the Ice lying betweene 72. degrees and a halfe and 76. degrees no minutes that the ships cannot come into those places till toward the middest of Iuly so that
her selfe among the Rocks till the other had told her how well wee had vsed them in giuing them pieces of Iron and such like which they highly esteeme in change thereof they giue vs Seales skinnes other riches they had none saue dead Seales and fat of Seales some of which fat or blubber afterward we carried aboord the poore women were very diligent to carry it to the water side to put into our caske making shew that the men were ouer at the Mayne and at an other small Iland something more Eastward Then making signes to them that wee would shew them our ship and set them where the men were the foure youngest came into our Boate when they were aboord they much wondred to see our ship and furniture we gaue them of our meat which they tasting would not eate Then two of them wee set on the Iland where they supposed the men to be the other two were carried to their Tents againe Those that went to seeke the men could not finde them but came as neere the ship as they could and at euening wee set them ouer to the other This place wee called Womens Ilands it lyeth in the latitude of 72. degrees 45. minutes here the Flood commeth from the Southward at nep Tydes the water ariseth but sixe or seuen foote and a South South-east Moone maketh a full Sea The Inhabitants very poore liuing chiefly on the flesh of Seales dryed which they eate raw with the skinnes they cloathe themselues and also make couerings for their Tents and Boats which they dresse very well The Women in their apparell are different from the men and are marked in the face with diuers blacke strokes or lines the skin being rased with some sharpe instrument when they are young and blacke colour put therein that by no meanes it will be gotten forth Concerning their Religion I can little say onely they haue a kinde of worship or adoration to the Sunne which continually they will point vnto and strike their hand on their breast crying Ilyâ—nt their dead they burie on the side of the Hils where they liue which is commonly on small Ilands making a pile of stones ouer them yet not so close but that wee might see the dead body the aire being so piersing that it keepeth them from much stinking sauour So likewise I haue seene their Dogs buried in the same manner Vpon the fourth day we set sayle from thence hauing very faire weather although the winde were contrary and plyed to and fro betweene the Ice and the Land being as it were a channell of seuen or eight leagues broad then on the ninth day being in the latitude of 74. degree 4. minutes and much pestered with Ice neere vnto three small Ilands lying eight miles fromth shore we came to anchor neere one of them These Ilands are vsed to be frequented with people in the latter part of the yeare as it seemed by the houses and places where the tents had stood but this yeare as yet they were not come here the tides are very small especially the floud which ariseth not aboue fiue or six foot yet the ebbe runneth with an indifferent streame the cause thereof in mine opinion is the great abundance of Snow melting on the Land all this part of the yeare The tenth day wee set sayle from thence and stood through much Ice to the Westward to try if that further from the shoare wee might proceede but this attempt was soone quailed for the more Ice we went through the thicker it was till wee could see no place to put in the Ships head Seeing that as yet we could not proceede we determined to stand in for the shoare there to abide some few dayes till such time as the Ice were more wasted and gone for we plainely saw that it consumed very fast with this resolution we stood in and came to anchor among many Ilands in the latitude of 73. degrees 45. minutes On the twelfth day at night here wee continued two dayes without shew or signe of any people till on the fifteenth day in the morning about one a clocke then came two and fortie of the Inhabitants in their Boates or Canoas and gaue vs Seale skinnes and many peeces of the bone or horne of the Sea Vnicorne and shewed vs diuers peeces of Sea Mors teeth making signes that to the Northward were many of them in exchange thereof we gaue them small peeces of Iron Glasse Beads and such like at foure seuerall times the people came to vs and at each time brought vs of the aforesaid commodities by reason thereof we called this place Horne Sound Here we stayed six dayes and on the eighteenth day at night we set sayle hauing very little winde and being at Sea made the best way we could to the Northward although the winde had beene contrary for the most part this moneth but it was strange to see the Ice so much consumed in so little space for now we might come to the three Ilands before named and stand off to the Westward almost twenty leagues without let of Ice vntill we were more North as to 74. degrees 30. minutes then we put among much scattered Ice and plyed to and fro all this month still in the sight of shoare and many times fast in the Ice yet euery day we got something on our way nothing worthy of note happening but that at diuers times we saw of the fishes with long hornes many and often which we call the Sea Vnicorne and here to write particularly of the weather it would be superfluous or needelesse because it was so variable few dayes without Snow and often freezing in so much that on Midsummer day our shrowds roapes and sailes were so frozen that we could scarse handle them yet the cold is not so extreame but it may well be endured The first of Iuly we were come into an open Sea in the latitude of 75. degrees 40. minutes which a new reuiued our hope of a passage and because the winde was contrary wee stood off twenty leagues from the shoare before we met the Ice then standing in againe when we were neere the Land we let fall an anchor to see what tyde went but in that we found small comfort Shortly after the winde came to the South-east and blew very hard with foule weather thicke and foggie then we set sayle and ran along by the Land this was on the second day at night The next morning we past by a faire Cape or head land which wee called Sir Dudley Digges Cape it is in the latitude of 76. degrees 35. minutes and hath a small Iland close adioyning to it the winde still increasing we past by a faire Sound twelue leagues distant from the former Cape hauing an Iland in the midst which maketh two entrances Vnder this Iland we came to anchor and had not rid past two houres but our Ship droue although we had two
of Hache our Ladie of the Snowes and after of the Remedies neere vnto the Sea betweene Venezuela and Sancta Marta to the East thirtie leagues from it and sixtie from Coro to the West North and South with the Cape de Vela with eight leagues of bounds betweene Venezuela and Sancta Marta without showes of Gold It is gouerned by Alcaldes immediate to the Counsell of Hispaniola and the Spiritualtie is of the Bishopricke of Sancta Marta The Towne is 1000. paces from the Sea on a little hill the Hauen hath the North for trauers it is a most fertile Countrie and yeeldeth whatsoeuer is in Castile there are many Tigers Beares Ants and Lizards in the Riuers much Gold and Stones of diuers vertues for the Spleene the Kidneys for the Milt and Flix and they haue good Salt-pits Nicolas Federman for the Belzares was he that began to inhabit this Towne The gouernment of Serpaâ— which they call the new Andaluzia and in the Indian Language Guayana extends the limits From the Iland of Margarita vnto the riuer Maâ—auyon three hundred leagues to the East and as many North and South within the Land wherein the Indians Omagues are included and the Omygas with the Prouinces of Dorodo to the south of this Gouernment wherein falleth by the Coast the Prouince of Maracapana in the bounds of Veneculela where the mouths of Sancta Fe were inhabited in whose Borders is the knob of Vnare and neere vnto it a great Lake with great store of fish and salt and the Indians which are called of Perito twentie leagues within the Land and the Indians Palenques so called for the Poles wherewith they fortified themselues and the Prouince of Cumana North and south with the Margarita where is a Towne of Spaniards which is called new Cordoua which the Captayne Gonçalo of Ocampo built when he went to chastise the Indians of Cumana for the destruction of the Monastery of the Religious Franciscans And to the East or the Iland of Trinidad and the Riuer of Saint Iohn of the Amazones is the Prouince of the Indians Arnacas part of the Caniballs and all Warlike that neuer are quiet or peaceable After the point of Paria which stands in seuen degrees and the Dragons Mouth neere vnto Trinidad stands the point Del Gallo or Anegada to the South of the Trinitie and the Riuer of Paria or Oriuico which some call Yuyapari and others will haue that these two and the Riuer of Saint Iohn and of Orellana be all one thing and also the Marauyon but in this they are deceiued There be other Riuers in the Prouince of the Arnacas that are well knowne the Riuer of Saint Iohn or of Orellana springeth in the Andes of Peru right against Cuzco from whence it runneth fifteene hundred leagues or more winding vnder the Equinoctiall by Countreyes well inhabited though not well discouered till it came to run into the North Sea whose mouth hath in breadth fiftie leagues and in the first fiue hundred from the mouth vpward many Ilands inhabited and eightie or a hundred leagues more to the West stands the Riuer of Morauyon almost in the bounds whereby passeth the Line of the Diuision betweene Castile and Portugall and is great and terrible hauing fifteene leagues of mouth and the streame commeth from the parts of the South and the Prouinces of Brasill and they say that the spring is vnder Popayau and the bounds of the new Kingdome of Granada Seuen leagues from Cumana stands the Iland of Cubagua where stood as was said the new Cadiz which was disinhabited because the fishing for Pearles fayled this Iland had no water that could be drunke nor trees nor beasts for all is brackish except those Hogges that haue the Nauell in their backe-bone and some small Conies and hauing so great inhabiting they went seuen leagues to the riuer of Cumana for water although there was an opinion that it bred webbes in the eyes In this Riuer and coast hapned in the yeare 1530. the first of September the hauen being cleare the Sea did rise foure fadomes from his ordinary course and entring into the earth it began to shake and the fortresse which the Captaine Iacome of Castellon had built by order of the Counsell of Hispaniola fell and the earth did open in many places whereout sprang much salt water as blacke as inke and did stinke of brimstone and the mountaine of the gulfe of Cariaco remained open with a great rift many houses fell many people died drowned and with feare and taken with the earth quake Margarita one league from Cubagua a more pleasant Iland the Bachiller Marcelo of Villalobos did people it The Prouince and Gouernment of Florida bordering on the Counsell of Hispaniola according to the Gouernment of Peter Melendez is all that which lyeth from the Riuer of Palmes which doth confine with the Gouernment of Panuco in new Spaine limits of the Counsell of Mexico which is neere the tropicke in 22. degrees vnto the point of Bacallaos which falleth in 48. degrees and a halfe in the which are 1258. leagues of Coast and from thence to 73. degrees of altitude to the North by the Coast and within the Land all that which hee discouereth Of this hath beene coasted and discouered from the Riuer of Palmes vnto the Point of Sancta Helena and the Riuer Iordan which are about 600. leagues it is a firme Land of a good climate plentifull and well inhabited in many places as those that went through it with Hernando of Soto did know it the yeare 1536. and 1537. Iohn Pardo borne in Cuenca went by Land from Florida to new Spaine in lesse then two yeares and it is the neerest Europe of any part of the Indies from the Bay of S. Ioseph which is eightie leagues from Panuco There is also discouered vnto New found Land but that which is particularly taken for Florida is the point that goeth into the Sea North and South with the Iland of Cuba of a hundred leagues in length and twentie fiue in breadth East and West and when it is most thirtie Iohn Ponce of Lyon discouered it Anno 1512. on Easter day and for this cause he called it Florida and afterward returned the yeere 1521. and retired wounded to Cuba where he dyed leauing a report that he sought the Fountaine or Riuer which the Indians said that old men washing themselues therin became yong This Prouince is according to the temperature of Castile and many fruits were found there like the fruits of Spain and it seemeth fit for Cattle and Corne. There is no Gould neither seemeth that the Indians did know it nor Siluer for it hath beene seene that they haue found the Chests with bars of it and money in their coasts and made no account of it yet Hernando de Soto within the inward parts of the great Riuer found great abundance of Pearles HONDIVS his Map of Florida VIRGINIA et
Spanish inhabiters For in the most places of these Indies the Countrie men paie not and where the tithes are wanting it is supplied out of the goods royall and touching the tithes and first fruits that are to be paied many ordinances and rates are made according to the stile of these Kingdomes that the men of each Colony it is iust it should follow her customes And though the Kings of Castile and of Lyon are Lords of the tithes by Apostolike concession might take them to himselfe supplying where it wanteth with that which in other places doth exceede he leaueth them to the Prelates Churches prouiding of his own goods Royall with the liberality of so Catholik Priâ—ces to all the necessities of the poore Churches giuing to euery one that is built anew the greatest part of that which is spent in the building with a Chaliz a Bell and a painted Table That the distribution of that which proceedeth of the tithes and of that which is bestowed out of the goods Royall in maintenance of the Prelates Dignities and Canons of the Cathedrall Churches and Benefices Cures and persons that are occupied in the diuine Seruice and instructing of the Indians may be fruitfully imploied according to the holy intention of the Kings the supreme Counsell hath made good ordinances First that all the said persons be of an approued life and customes especially those that doe meddle in the Doctrines being first examined touching learning and after in the language of the Indians for it would little auaile that the Disciples should not vnderstand the Maister and that these do continually reside and that no Curate or Teacher may haue two Benefices and that those which shall from these parts passe to the Indies be more approued it is commanded that no Priest doe passe without licence of his Prelate and of the King and that if any be there found without it presently they should send him to Spaine And that the manner how the Royall Patronage is gouerned may better be vnderstood seeing it appertaineth to this Crowne because that it hath discouered and acquired that New World and hath also built and endowed out of the goods Royall so many Churches Monasteries as by the Apostolike concession that for no cause the said patronage nor any part of it either by custome or prescription or other title may be separated from it it is ordained what care the Vice-roies Counsels Gouernors Rulers are to haue in it and what penalties the transgressors should incur First that no Cathedrall or Parish Church Monasterie Hospitall nor votiue Church should be founded without consent of the King That when in the Cathedrall Churches there are not foure Beneficed men resident prouided by royall presentation canonicall prouision of the Prelate because the other Prebends be voide or absent for more then eight moneths though for a lawfull cause The said Prelate till such time as the King doth present may chuse to the accomplishing of the foure Clarks besides those that are prouided and resident of the most sufficient of those that shall offer themselues without that the said prouision be in Titulo to be remoueable at pleasure that they haue no seate in the Qâ—ire nor voice in Counsell That no Prelate may make canonicall institution nor giue possession of any Prebend or Benefice without presentation Royall in such a case that without delay they make the prouision and command to resort with the fruits That in all the dignities Prebends the learned be preferred before the vnlearned and those which haue serued in the Cathedral Churches of Castile and haue more exercise of the seruice of the Quire before them that haue not serued in them That at the least there be presented for euery Cathedrall Church a graduate Lawyer a Diuine for the Pulpet with the obligation that in these Kingdoms the doctoral Canons Magistrates haue another learned Diuine to read the sacred Scripture and another Lawyer or Diuine for the Cannonship of Pennance according to the sacred Counsell of Trent That all the other Benefices Cures and simples secular and regulars and the Ecclesiasticall Offices that shall be voide or prouided anew That they may be made with lesse delay and the Royall patronage may be preserued it is commanded that they be made in the forme following That any of the abouesaid Benefices or Offices being voide the Prelate shall command to make edicts with a competent tearme and of those that shall offer themselues hauing examined them and being informed of their behauior shall name of the best and the Vice-roy or Gouernor of the Prouince shal chuse one and remit the election to the Prelate that he make the prouision Collation and Cannonicall institution by way of recommendation and not in a perpetuall title so that when the King doth make the presentation and in it shal be expressed that the collation be made in a perpetuall title the Canonicall institution shall be in title and not in recommendation and the presented by the King be alwayes preferred before the presented by his Ministers That in the repartitions and Towns of the Indians and other places where they haue no benefice to elect or means to place one to administer the Sacraments the Prelates shall procure there be one to teach the Doctrine making an edict and hauing informed himselfe of his sufficiency and goodnes he shall send the nomination to the Ministers Royal that they do present him one of the two nominated and if there be but one that and in the vertue of such a presentation the Prelate shall make the prouision giuing him the instruction how he is to teach and commanding him to giue notice of the fruits That in the presentations of all the dignities offices and benefices the best deseruing and that most exercised in the conuersion of the Indians and the administration of the Sacraments shall be prouided which those that best speak the language of the Indians shall be preferred before the other That he which shall come or send to request his Maiestie to present him to some dignitie office or benefice shall appeare before the Ministers of the Prouince and declaring his petition he shall giue information of his kindred learning customes sufficiency and the Minister shall make another of his office and with his opinion to send it and that the pretendant do bring also an approbation from his Prelate for without these diligences those that come shall not be admitted That none may obtaine two Benefices or dignities in one or in sundry Churches That the presented not appearing before the time contained in the presentation before the Prelate it shall be voide and they may not make him a Cannonicall institution BEsides that which is rehearsed it is prouided that they doe not permit any Prebendary in the Cathedrall Churches to enioy the rents of it except it be seruing being resident and that the
not to hinder the exceptions which Nature hath giuen to this Rule making some Regions of the burning Zone extremely drie The which is reported of Ethiopia and wee haue seene it in a great part of Peru where all that Land or Coast which they call Playnes wants raine yea land waters except some Vallies where Riuers fall from the Mountaines the rest is a sandie and barren soile where you shall hardly finde any Springs but some deepe Wells But with the helpe of God we will shew the reason why it rayneth not in these Playnes the which many demand for now I onely pretend to shew that there are many exceptions to naturall Rules whereby it may happen that in some part of the burning Zone it raines not when the Sunne is neerest but being farthest off although vnto this day I haue neither seene nor heard of it but if it be so we must attribute it to the particular qualitie of the Earth and also if sometimes the contrarie doth chance we must haue regard that in naturall things there happens many contrarieties and lets whereby they change and dissolue one another For example it may be the Sunne will cause raine and that the windes will hinder it or else cause more abundance then hath beene vsuall When I passed to the Indies I will tell what chanced vnto mee hauing read what Poets and Philosophers write of the burning Zone I perswaded my selfe that comming to the Equinoctiall I should not indure the violent heate but it fell out otherwise for when I passed which was when the Sunne was there for Zenith being entred into Aries in the moneth of March I felt so great cold as I was forced to goe into the Sunne to warme me what could I else doe then but laugh at Aristotles Meteors and his philosophie seeing that in that place and at that season when as all should be scortched with heat according to his rules I and all my companions were a cold In truth there is no Region in the world more pleasant and temperate then vnder the Equinoctiall although it be not in all parts of an equall temperature but haue great diuersities The burning Zone in some parts is very temperate as in Quitto and on the playnes of Peru in some parts very cold as at Potozi and in some very hot as in Ethiopia Bresil and the Molucques This diuersitie being knowne and certaine vnto vs wee must of force seeke out another cause of cold and heat then the Sunne beames seeing that in one season of the yeere and in places of one height and distance from the Pole and Equinoctiall we finde so great diuersitie that some are inuironed with heat some with cold and others tempered with a moderate heat Considering this matter generally I finde two generall causes which maketh this Region temperate the one is that before mentioned for that this Region is very moist and subiect to raine and there is no doubt but the raine doth refresh it for that the water is by nature cold and although by the force of the fire it be made hot yet doth it temper this heat proceeding onely from the Sunne beames The which wee see by experience in the inner Arabia the which is burnt with the Sunne hauing no showres to temper the violence thereof The cloudes and mists are the cause that the Sunne offends not so much and the showres that fall from them refresh both the Aire and the Earth and moisten likewise how hot soeuer it be They drinke raine water and it quencheth the thirst as our men haue well tried hauing no other to drinke So as reason and experience doth teach vs that raine of it selfe doth temper the heat and hauing by this meanes shewed that the burning Zone is much subiect vnto raine it appeares that there is matter in it to temper the violence of the heat To this I will adde an other reason which deserues to be knowne not onely for this matter but for many others for although the Sunne be very hot and burning vnder the Equinoctiall yet is it not long so as the heat of the day being there shorter and of lesse continuance it causeth not so violent a heate the which it behooues to specifie more particularly Such as are practised in the knowledge of the Spheare teach very well that the more the Zodiake is oblique and trauersing our Hemisphere the more vnequall are the dayes and nights and contrariwise where the Spheare is straight and the signes mount directly there the dayes and nights are equall And therefore in all that Region which is betweene the two Tropicks there is lesse inequalitie then without them and the more wee approch the Line the lesse inequalitie we finde the which wee haue tried in those parts Those of Quitto for that they are vnder the Line haue not throughout the whole yeere the dayes and nights more short at one season then at an other but are continually equall Those of Lima being distant almost twelue degrees finde some difference betwixt the dayes and the nights but very little for that in December and Ianuarie the dayes increase an houre or little lesse Those of Potozi finde much more difference both in Winter and in Summer being almost vnder the Tropicke But those that liue without the Tropicks finde the dayes in Winter shorter and in Summer longer the more remote they are from the Equinoctiall and come neere the Pole as wee see in Germanie and in England the dayes are longer in Summer then in Italie and in Spaine It is a thing which the Spheare doth teach and experience doth plainly shew vs. Wee must adde an other Proposition which is likewise true and very considerable for all the effects of Nature to vnderstand the perseuerance and continuation of the efficient cause to worke and mooue This presupposed if any one demand of me why vnder the Equinoctiall Line the heat is not so violent in Summer as in some other Regions as in Andelousia in the moneths of Iuly and August I will answere that in Andelousia the dayes are longer and the nights shorter and as the day being hot inflames and causeth heat so the nights being cold and moist giue a refreshing According to the which at Peru there is no such great heat for that the dayes in Summer are not long nor the nights short so as the heat of the day is much tempered by the freshnesse of the night Being a thing concluded that the two fore-named properties are common and vniuersall to all the Region of the burning Zone and yet in the same there are found some places very hot and other exceeding cold Also that the temperature is not there equall in all places but vnder one climate one part is hot another cold and the third temperate all at one season wee are forced to seeke out other reasons whence this great diuersitie should proceede in the burning Zone Discoursing therefore vpon this question I doe finde
simpathy one with another for that the hot exhalations which engender in the inner concauities of the Earth seeme to be the materiall substance of fire in the Volcans whereby there kindleth another more grosse matter and makes these shewes of flame and smoake that come forth And these exhalations finding no easie issue in the Earth moue it to issue forth with great violence whereby wee heare that horrible noise vnder the Earth and likewise the shaking of the Earth being stirred with this burning exhalation Euen as Gun-powlder in mynes hauing fire put to it breaks Rocks and Walls and as the Chesnut laid into the fire leapes and breakes with a noise when as it casts forth the aire which is contayned within the huske by the force of the fire Euen so these Earthquakes doe most commonly happen in places neere the water or Sea As wee see in Europe and at the Indies that Townes and Cities farthest from the Sea and waters are least afflicted therewith and contrariwise those that are seated vpon Ports of the Sea vpon Riuers the Sea coast and places neere vnto them feele most this calamitie There hath happened in Peru the which is wonderfull and worthy to be noted Earthquakes which haue runne from Chille vnto Quitto and that is aboue a hundred leagues I say the greatest that euer I heard speake of for lesser be more common there Vpon the coast of Chille I remember not well in what yeere there was so terrible an Earthquake as it ouer-turned whole Mountaines and thereby stopped the course of Riuers which it conuerted into Lakes it beat downe Townes and slue a great number of people causing the Sea to leaue her place some leagues so as the ships remayned on drie ground farre from the ordinarie Roade with many other heauie and horrible things And as I well remember they say this trouble and motion caused by the Earthquake ranne three hundred leagues alongst the Coast. Soone after which was in the yeere eightie two happened that earthquake of Arequipa which in a manner ouer-threw the whole Citie Since in the yeere eightie sixe the ninth of Iuly fell another earthquake in the Citie of Kings the which as the Vice-roy did write had runne one hundred threescore and ten leagues alongst the Coast and ouerthwart in the Sierre fiftie leagues The mercy of the Lord was great in this Earthquake to forewarne the people by a great noise which they heard a little before the Earthquake who taught by former experiences presently put themselues in safetie leauing their Houses Streets and Gardens to goe into the fields so as although it ruined a great part of the Citie and of the chiefest buildings yet there died not aboue fifteene or twentie persons of all the Inhabitants It caused the like trouble and motion at Sea as it had done at Chille which happened presently after the Earthquake so as they might see the Sea furiously to flie out of her bounds and to runne neere two leagues into the Land rising aboue fourteene fathom it couered all that Playne so as the Ditches and pieces of wood that were there swam in the water There was yet another earthquake in the Realme and Citie of Quitto and it seemes all these notable Earthquakes vpon that Coast haue succeeded one another by order as in truth it is subiect to these inconueniences And therefore although vpon the coast of Peru there be no torments from Heauen as thunder and lightning yet are they not without feare vpon the Land and so euery one hath before his eyes the Heralds of diuine Iustice to mooue him to feare God For as the Scripture saith Fâ—cit haec vt timeatur Returning then to our purpose I say the Sea coast is most subiect to these earthquakes the reason is in my iudgement for that the water doth stop the conduits and passages of the earth by which the hot exhalations should passe which are engendered there And also the humiditie thickning the superficies of the earth doth cause the fumes and hot exhalations to goe close together and encounter violently in the bowels of the earth which doe afterwards breake foorth Some haue obserued that such Earthquakes haue vsually hapned when as a raynie season falls after some drie yeeres Whereupon they say that the Earthquakes are most rare where are most Wells the which is approued by experience Those of the Citie of Mexico hold opinion that the Lake whereon it is seated is the cause of the Earthquakes that happen there although they be not very violent and it is most certaine that the Townes and Prouinces farre within the Land and farthest from the Sea receiue sometimes great losses by these Earthquakes as the Citie of Chachapoyas at the Indies and in Italie that of Ferrara although vpon this subiect It seemes this latter being neere to a Riuer and not farre from the Adriaticke Sea should rather be numbred among the Sea-townes In the yeere of our Lord 1581. in Cugianâ— a Citie of Peru otherwise called The Peace there happened a strange accident touching this subiect A Village called Angoango where many Indians dwelt that were Sorcerers and Idolaters fell suddenly to ruine so as a great part thereof was raysed vp and carried away and many of the Indians smothered and that which seemes incredible yet testified by men of credit the earth that was ruined and so beaten downe did runne and slide vpon the Land for the space of a league and a halfe as it had beene water or waxe molten so as it stopt and filled vp a Lake and remayned so spread ouer the whole Countrie §. IIII. Of Metals in the Indies and especially of the Gold and Siluer and Quick-siluer MEtals are as Plants hidden and buried in the bowels of the Earth which haue some conformitie in themselues in the forme and manner of their production for that we see and discouer euen in them branches and as it were a bodie from whence they grow and proceede which are the greater veines and the lesse so as they haue a knitting in themselues and it seemes properly that these Minerals grow like vnto Plants not that they haue any inward vegetatiue life being onely proper to Plants but they are engendered in the bowels of the earth by the vertue and force of the Sunne and other Planets and in long continuance of time they increase and multiply after the manner of Plants And euen as metals bee plants hidden in the earth so wee may say that plants bee liuing Creatures fixed in one place whose life is maintayned by the nourishment which Nature furnisheth from their first beginning But liuing Creatures surpasse Plants in that they haue a more perfect being and therefore haue neede of a more perfect foode and nourishment for the search whereof Nature hath giuen them a moouing and feeling to discouer and discerne it So as the rough and barren earth is as a substance and nutriment for metals and
fall from the Mountaine which moisten these Sands or else it is the moistnesse of the Sea as others suppose which passing ouer this Sand is the cause why it is not barren nor vnprofitable as the Philosopher teaches The Vines haue so increased there as for this cause onely the tithes of the Churches are multiplied fiue or six times double within these twentie yeares And it is strange that in the Citie of Cusco you shall finde ripe Grapes all the yeare long the reason is as they say for that those Vallies bring forth fruits in diuers moneths of the yeare either for that they cut their Vines in diuers seasons or that this varietie proceedes from the qualitie of the soile but whatsoeuer it be it is most certaine there are some Vallies which carrie fruite all the yeare If any one wonder at this it may be he will wonder much more at that which I shall say and perchance not beleeue it There are Trees in Peru whereof the one part yeeldes fruite one sixe moneths of the yeare and the other halfe part yeeldes fruite the other six moneths In Malla which is thirteene leagues from the Citie of Kings there is a Figge tree whereof the one halfe which is towards the South is greene and yeeldeth his fruite one season of the yeare that is when it is summer vpon the Sierre and the other moitie towards the Lanos or Sea coast is greene and yeeldes his fruite in the other contrarie season when it is summer vpon the Lanos which groweth from the diuers temperature and the ayre which commeth from the one part and the other The reuenue of Wine there is not small but it goeth not out of the Countrie But the Silke that is made in new Spaine is transported into other Countries as to Peru. There were no Mulberrie trees in the Indies but such as were brought from Spaine and they grow well especially in the Prouince which they call Mistecqua where there are Silke-wormes and they put to worke the Silke they gather whereof they make verie good Taffataes yet to this day they haue made neither Damaske Sattin not Veluet The Sugar yet is a greater reuenue for they not onely spend it at the Indies but also they carrie much into Spaine for the Canes grow exceeding well in manie parts of the Indies They haue built their engins in the Ilands in Mexico in Peru and in other parts which yeeldeth them a very great reuenue It was told me that the engine for Sugar in Nasca was worth yeerly aboue thirtie thousand pieces of reuenue That of Chicaâ—a ioyning to Truxillo was likewise of great reuenue and those of new Spaine are of no lesse and it is strange thing to see what store they consume at the Indies They brought from the Iland of Saint Dominique in the fleet wherein I came eight hundred ninetie eight chests of Sugar which being as I did see shipped at Port Ricco euery chest in my opinion weighed eight Arobes euery Arobe weighing fiue and twentie pounds which are two hundred weight of Sugar is the chiefe reuenue of these Ilands so much are men giuen to the desire of sweet things There are likewise Oliues and Oliue trees at the Indies I say in Mexico and in Peru yet hath there not beene to this day any Mill for Oile for that they eate all their Oliues and dresse them well they finde the charge is greater to make Oile then the profit and therefore they carry all the Oile they doe spend from Spaine And here we will end with plants and will passe to such beasts as be at the Indies §. VI. Of Beasts and Fowles in the Indies I Finde there are three kindes of beasts at the Indies whereof some haue beene carried from Spaine others are of the same kinde we haue in Europe and yet not carried by the Spaniards and others are proper to the Indies whereof there are none in Spaine Of the first kinde are Sheepe Kine Goats Swine Horses Asses Dogs Cats and other such beasts for there are of all these kindes at the Indies The smaller Cattell haue greatly multiplyed and if they could make profit of their woolls by sending them into Europe it were one of the greatest riches the Indies had for there the flocks of sheepe haue great pastuers where as their feeding failes not In Peru there is such store of pastures and feedings as no man hath any proper to himselfe but euery man feedes his troups where he pleaseth For this reason there is commonly great store of flesh and very good cheape and all other things that come from sheepe as Milke and Cheese For a time they lost their woolls vntill that some began to husband it and to make cloth and couerings which hath beene a great helpe for the poorer sort of the Countrie for that the cloth of Castile is very deare there There are many Clothiers in Peru but more in new Spaine yet the cloth that comes from Spaine is farre better whether the wooll bee more fine or the workmen more expert In former times there were men that did possesse threescore and ten yea a hundred thousand sheepe and at this day they haue not many lesse If this were in Europe it were a very great substance but in that Countrie it is but a meane wealth In many parts of the Indies and I thinke in the greatest part small Cattell doe not increase and profit well by reason that the grasse is high and the soile so vicious that they cannot feede so well as great Cattell And therefore there is an infinite number of Kine whereof there are two kindes Some are tame and goe in troups as in the land of Charca and other Prouinces of Peru as also in all new Spaine from these tame Kine they draw such profit as they doe in Spaine that is the Flesh Butter Calues and Oxen to till the ground The other kinde is wilde which liue in the Mountains and Forests and therefore they tame them not neither haue they any master to whom they are proper both for the roughnesse and thicknesse of the Forest as also for the great multitude there is and he that first kills them is the master as of any wilde beast These wilde Kine haue so multiplyed in Saint Dominique and thereabouts that they troupe together in the fields and woods by thousands hauing no master to whom they appertaine They hunt these beasts onely for their hides they goe to the field on horse-backe with their weapons to hough them coursing the Kine and when they haue strucken any and stayed them they are their owne they slay them and carry the hides home leauing the flesh which euery one neglects for the abundance there is so as some haue testified in this Iland that in some places the aire hath beene corrupted with the abundance of these stinking carkasses The hides they bring into Spaine is one of the best reuenues of
with all his power where he vanquished them and ruined all their kingdome and passing beyond the Mountaine Menade he conquered still euen vnto the North Sea Then returning towards the South Sea he subdued many Prouinces so as he became a mighty King all by the helpe and counsell of Tlacaellec who in a manner conquered all the Mexican Nation Yet he held an opinion the which was confirmed that it was not behoouefull to conquer the Prouince of Tlascalla that the Mexicans might haue a frontier enemy to keepe the youth of Mexico in exercise and allarme and that they might haue numbers of Captiues to Sacrifice to their Idols wherein they did waste as hath beene said infinite numbers of men which should be taken by force in the wars The honor must be giuen to Moteçuma or to speak truly to Tlacaellec his Generall for the good order and pollicy setled in the Realme of Mexico as also for the Counsels and goodly enterprises which they did execute and likewise for the number of Iudges and Magistrates being as well ordered there as in any Common-weale yea were it in the most flourishing of Europe This King did also greatly increase the Kings house giuing it great authoritie and appointing many and sundry Officers which serued him with great pompe and ceremony He was no lesse remarkable touching the deuotion and seruice of his Idols increasing the number of his Ministers and instituting new ceremonies whereunto he carried a great respect He built that great Temple dedicated to their god Vitziliputzli whereof is spoken in the other Booke He did Sacrifice at the dedication of this Temple a great number of men taken in sundry victories finally inioying his Empire in great prosperitie he fell sicke and died hauing raigned twentie eight yeares vnlike to his successor Ticocic who did not resemble him neither in valour nor in good fortune The foure Deputies assembled in counsell with the Lords of Tescuco and Tacuba where Tlacaellec was President in the election where by all their voices Tlacaellec was chosen as deseruing this charge better then any other Yet he refused it perswading them by pertinent reasons that they should choose another saying that it was better and more expedient to haue another King and he to be his instrument and assistant as he had beene till then and not to lay the whole burthen vpon him for that he held himselfe no lesse bound for the Common-weale then if he were King seeming to him though he were not King yet in a manner that he commanded Kings suffering him to carry certaine markes as a Tiara or ornament for the head which belonged onely to themselues as in a Comedie he deserues most commendation that represents the personage that imports most In recompence of his modesty and for the respect which the Mexican Electors bare him they demanded of Tlacaellec that seeing he would not raigne whom hee thought most fit Whereupon he gaue his voyce to a Sonne of the deceased King who was then very young called Ticocic but they replied that his shoulders were very weake to beare so heauie a burthen Tlacaellec answered that his was there to helpe him to beare the burthen as he had done to the deceased by meanes whereof they tooke their resolution and Ticocic was chosen to whom were done all the accustomed ceremonies They pierced his nosthrils and for an ornament put an Emerald therein and for this reason in the Mexican Bookes this King is noted by his nosthrils pierced Hee differed much from his Father and Predecessor being noted for a coward and not valiant He went to make warre for his Coronation in a Prouince that had rebelled where hee lost more of his owne men then hee tooke captiues yet he returned saying that he brought the number of captiues required for the Sacrifice of his Coronation and so hee was crowned with great solemnitie But the Mexicans discontented to haue a King so little disposed to warre practised to hasten his death by poison For this cause he continued not aboue foure yeeres in the Kingdome But this losse was well repaired by a Brother of the deceased who was also sonne to great Moteçuma called Axayaca who was likewise chosen by the aduice of Tlacaellec wherein hee happened better then before Now was Tlacaellec very old who by reason of his age was carried in a chaire vpon mens shoulders to assist in counsell when businesse required In the end he fell sicke when as the King who was not yet crowned did visit him often shedding many teares seeming to loose in him his Father and the Father of his Countrey Tlacaellec did most affectionately recommend his children vnto him especially the eldest who had shewed himselfe valiant in the former warres The King promised to haue regard vnto him and the more to comfort the old man in his presence hee gaue him the charge and ensignes of Captaine Generall with all the preheminences of his Father wherewith the old man remained so well satisfied as with this content he ended his dayes The Mexicans made his Funerall as the Founder of that Empire more sumptuous and stately then they had done to any of their former Kings And presently after Axayaca to appease the sorrow which all the people of Mexico shewed for the death of their Captaine resolued to make the voyage necessary for his Coronation He therefore led his Armie with great expedition into the Prouince of Tequantepec two hundred leagues from Mexico where he gaue battell to a mighty Army and an infinite number of men assembled together as well out of that Prouince as from their Neighbours to oppose themselues against the Mexicans The first of his Campe that aduanced himselfe to the combate was the King himselfe defying his enemies from whom he made shew to flye when they charged him vntill hee had drawne them into an Ambuscadoe where many Souldiers lay hidden vnder straw who suddenly issued forth and they which fled turned head so as they of Tiquantepec remayned in the midst of them whom they charged furiously making a great slaughter of them and following their victorie they razed their Citie and Temple punishing all their Neighbours rigorously Then went they on farther and without any stay conquered to Guatulco the which is a Port at this day well knowne in the South Sea Axayaca returned to Mezico with great and rich spoiles where he was honourably crowned with sumptuous and stately preparation of Sacrifices Tributes and other things whither many came to see his Coronation The Kings of Mexico receiued the Crowne from the hands of the King of Tescuco who had the preheminence Hee made many other Enterprises where he obtained great victories being alwayes the first to leade the Armie and to charge the enemie by the which he purchased the name of a most valiant Captaine and not content to subdue strangers he also suppressed his Subjects which had rebelled which neuer any of his Predecessors
other things which they reuerence much They serue as Conjurers to tell what hath passed in the farthest parts before any newes can come As it hath chanced since the Spaniards arriued there that in the distance of two or three hundred leagues they haue knowne the Mutinies Battailes Rebellions and Deaths both of Tyrants and of those of the Kings partie and of priuate men the which haue beene knowne the same day they chanced or the day after a thing impossible by the course of nature To worke this diuination they shut themselues into a house and became drunke vntill they lost their senses a day after they answered to that which was demanded Some affirme they vse certaine Vnctions The Indians say that the old women doe commonly vse this office of witchcraft and specially those of one Prouince which they call Coaillo and of another Towne called Manchey and of the Prouince of Guarochiri They likewise shew what is become of things stollen and lost There are of these kindes of Sorcerers in all parts to whom commonly doe come the Anaconas and Cyua which serue the Spaniards and when they haue lost any thing of their Masters or when they desire to know the successe of things past or to come as when they goe to the Spaniards Cities for their priuate affaires or for the publike they demand if their voyage shall bee prosperous if they shall be sick if they shall die or returne sate if they shall obtaine that which they pretend and the Witches or Conjurers answer Yea or No hauing first spoken with the Deuill in an obscure place so as these Anaconas do well heare the sound of the voyce but they see not to whom these Conjurers speake neither doe they vnderstand what they say They make a thousand ceremonies and sacrifices to this effect with the which they mocke the Deuill and grow exceeding drunke for the doing whereof they particularly vse an herb called Villea the jâ—yce whereof they mingle with their Chica or take it in some other sort THe Indians had an infinite number of other ceremonies and customes which resembled to the ancient Law of Moses and some to those which the Moores vse and some approched neere to the Law of the Gospell as their Bathes or Opacuna as they call them they did wash themselues in water to clense them from their sinnes The Mexicans had also amongst them a kinde of Baptisme the which they did with ceremonie cutting the eares and members of young children new borne counterfaiting in some sort the Circumcision of the Iewes This ceremonie was done principally to the sonnes of Kings and Noblemen presently vpon their birth the Priests did wash them and did put a little Sword in the right hand and in the left a Target And to the Children of the vulgar sort they put the markes of their offices and to their Daughters instruments to spin knit and labour This ceremonie continued foure dayes being made before some Idoll They contracted marriage after their manner whereof the Licenciate Pollo hath written a whole Treatise and I will speake somewhat thereon hereafter In other things their customes and ceremonies haue some shew of reason The Mexicans were married by the hands of their Priests in this sort The Bridegroome and the Bride stood together before the Priest who tooke them by the hands asking them if they would marry then hauing vnderstood their wills he tooke a corner of the vaile wherewith the woman had her head couered and a corner of the mans gowne the which he tyed together on a knot and so led them thus tyed to the Bridegroomes house where there was a harth kindled and then he caused the wife to goe seuen times about the harth and so the married couple sate downe together and thus was the marriage contracted The Mexicans were very jealous of the integritie of their wiues so as if they found they were not as they ought to bee the which they knew either by signes or dishonest wordes they presently gaue notice thereof to their fathers and kinsfolks of their wiues to their great shame and dishonor for that they had not kept good guard ouer them When they went to the house they made an Inuentorie of all the man and wife brought together of prouisions for the house of land of jewels and ornaments which Inuentories euery father kept for if it chanced they made any diuorce as it was common amongst them when they agree not they diuided their goods according to the portion that euery one brought euery one hauing libertie in such a case to marry whom they pleased and they gaue the Daughters to the Wife and the Sonnes to the Husband It was defended vpon paine of death not to marry againe together the which they obserued very strictly And although it seeme that many of their ceremonies agree with ours yet differ they much for the great abomination they mingle therewithall It is common and generall to haue vsually one of these three things either Crueltie Filthinesse or Slouth for all their ceremonies were cruell and hurtfull as to kill men and to spill bloud or filthy and beastly as to eate and drinke to the name of their Idols and also to pisse in the honour of them carrying them vpon their shoulders to anoint and besmeare themselues filthily and to doe a thousand sorts of villanies which were at the least vaine ridiculous and idle and more like the actions of children then of men Whereas the temporall power was greatest there superstition hath most increased as we see in the Realmes of Mexico and Cusco where it is incredible to see the number of Idols they had for within the Citie of Mexico there were aboue three hundred Mango Ingua Yupangui amongst the Kings of Cusco was he that most augmented the seruice of their Idols inuenting a thousand kindes of sacrifices feasts and ceremonies The like did King Iscoalt in Mexico who was the fourth King There was also a great number of superstitions and sacrifices in other Nations of the Indians as in the Prouince of Guatimala at the Ilands in the new Kingdome in the Prouince of Chille and others that were like Commonwealths and Comminalties But it was nothing in respect of Mexico and Cusco where Satan was as in Rome or in his Ierusalem The Inguas Lords of Peru had two kindes of Feasts Some were ordinarie which fell out in certayne moneths of the yeere and others extraordinarie which were for certayne causes of importance as when they did crowne a new King when they beganne some warre of importance when they had any great need of water or drought or other like things For the ordinary Feasts wee must vnderstand that euery moneth of the yeere they made Feasts and diuers Sacrifices and although all of them had this alike that they offered a hundred sheepe yet in colour and in forme they are very diuers In the first moneth which they call Rayme which is the moneth
which they had taken captiues opening their brests and plucking out their hearts sprinkling their bloud in the Ayre their fellowes looking on and not able to reuenge it They slew likewise many Indians foure Spaniards of Aluarado's company whom they ate in the open sight of the Army The Mexicans danced drank themselues drunke made bonefires strucke vp their Drums and made all solemne expressings of ioy Dread Disdaine and all the Furies that Passion or Compassion could coniure vp had now filled the Spaniards hearts and their Indian partakers and Cortes that hitherto had hoped to reserue some part of the Citie now did the vtmost that Rage aed Reuenge could effect helped no lesse within with Famine and Pestilence then with Sword and Fire without At last Mexico is razed the Earth and Water sharing betwixt them what the Fire had left and all which had sometime challenged a lofty inheritance in the Ayre Their King also was taken all that mightie State subuerted And as the Mexicans before had prophesied That the Tlaxantleca's should againe build the Citie if conquered for them if conquerors for the Spaniards It was re-builded with a hundred thousand houses fairer and stronger then before The Siege lasted three Moneths and had therein two hundred thousand Indians nine hundred Spaniards fourescore Horses seuenteene Peeces of Ordinance thirteene Galliots and sixe thousand Canoas Fiftie Spaniards were slaine and sixe Horses of the Mexicans a hundred thousand besides those which died of Hunger and Pestilence This was effected Anno 1521. on the thirteenth day of August which for that cause is kept festiuall euery yeare For the Description of the Country wherein Mexico is situate Cortes in his second Narration to the Emperour saith it is enuironed with hils He telleth of some hils also in his iourney wherein diuers of his people died with cold in the middest is a plaine of 70. leagues compasse and therein two Lakes which extend the circuit of 50. leagues the one salt which ebbeth and floweth an argument for Patritius his opinion that saltnesse is a chiefe cause of that vicissitude of ebbing and flowing in the Ocean the other fresh When the water of the Salt Lake increaseth it runneth lâ—ke a violent streame into the fresh Lake which when it decreaseth is repaired againe by the like issue of this into the former Nunno di Gusmau hath written his expedition into Mâ—choacan and other Countries of New-Spaine 1530. subduing and taking possession for the Emperour He found some of them Sodomites others Sacrificers of mens flesh and some closly practising this butchery after they had professed themselues Christians none of them which durst looke a Horse in the face but were afraid that that Beast would eate them The seuerall peoples by him reckoned would here be tedious to name which we may say of the like made by Godoy and Aluarado Of the Customes of the Auntient Mexicans one of Cortes his Gentlemen hath written a Treatise extant in Ramusius wherein are described their Citie Temples Rites of Sacrifice and the like as after followeth out of him and others CHAP. IX Larger Relations of things most remarkeable obserued by the Spaniards at their first comming Cholollas holies Popocatepecs ashes Mutezumas multiforme magnificence and maiestie Mexican Citie and Temple with other antiquities gathered out of the Third part of the Historie of Francis Lopez de Gomara CHololla is a Citie as Tlaxcallan and hath but one person who is Gouernour and generall Captaine chosen by the consent of all the Citizens It is a Citie of twenty thousand housholds within the wals and in the suburbs as much more It sheweth outwards very beautifull and full of Towers for there are as many Temples as dayes in the yeare and euery Temple hath his Tower Our men counted foure hundred Towers The men and women are of good disposition well fauoured and very wittie The women are Goldsmiths and also Caruers the men are warriers and light fellowes and good Maisters for any purpose they goe better apparelled then any other Indians yet seene They weare for their vpper garment cloakes like vnto Moriscos but after another sort All the Countrey round about them is fruitfull and errable ground well watered and so full of people that there is no waste ground in respect whereof there are some poore which begge from doore to doore The Spaniards had not seene any beggers in that Countrey before they came thither Chololla is a Citie of most deuotion and religion in all India it is called the Sanctuary or holy place among the Indians and thither they trauelled from many places farre distant in Pilgrimage and for this cause there were so many Temples Their Cathedrall Temple was the best and highest of all the New Spaine with a hundred and twenty steps vp vnto it The greatest Idoll of all their gods was called Quezalcouately God of the Aire who was say they the founder of their Citie being a Virgin of holy life and great penance He instituted fasting and drawing of bloud out of their eares and tongues and left a precept that they should sacrifice but onely Quailes Doues and other foule He neuer ware but one garment of Cotten which was white narrow and long and vpon that a mantle beset with certaine red crosses They haue certaine greene Stones which were his and those they keepe for relickes One of them is like an Apes head Here they abode twenty dayes and in this meane while there came so many to buy and sell that it was a wonder to see And one of the things that was to be seene in those faires was the earthen vessell which was exceeding curious and fine The hill called Popocatepec THere is a hill eight leagues from Chololla called Popocatepec which is to say a hill of smoake for many times it casteth out smoake and fire Cortes sent thither ten Spaniards with many Indians to carry their victuall and to guide them in the way The ascending vp was very troublesome and full of craggie rocks They approached so nigh the top that they heard such a terrible noise which proceeded from thence that they durst not goe vnto it for the ground did tremble and shake and great quantity of ashes which disturbed the way but yet two of them who seemed to be most hardie and desirous to see strange things went vp to the top because they would not returne with a sleeuelesse answer and that they might not be accounted cowards leauing their fellowes behinde them proceeding forwards The Indians said what meane these men for as yet neuer mortall man tooke such a iourney in hand These two valiant fellowes passed through the Desart of Ashes and at length came vnder a great smoake very thicke and standing there a while the darkenesse vanished partly away and then appeared the vulcan and concauity which was about halfe a league in compasse out of the which the ayre came abounding with a great noise very shrill and whistling in
Iasdi a great Citie of Trade in Persia 71.1 Iaspar deare sold in China 362.20 Iassi the chiefe Towne in Walachia 633.1 Iaua maior the greatest Iland of the World 103.10 Gold there ibid. The description and Commodites ibid. Iauolgenses ancestors to the Crim Tartars 637 Ice passed ouer in Sleds 107.10 Ice with Ponds of sweet water in them at Sea 598.40 Ice one hundred and fortie fathome deepe ibid. Ice at Sea the originall cause of it 726.40 Ice 1680. foote thicke 837. The English trauell ouer it 248.10 Ice fiue and fiftie fathome thicke 487.10 Makes a thunder as it breakes ibid. Lifts vp Ships 488.10 Ice as bigge as Townes 504.40 Ice breaking like a Thunder clap 812. It makes a loathsome noyse 811.40 Ice a Market vpon it 225.30 Condemned persons thrust vnder 435.1 Ice preserued in China and why 341.30 Icoxos what in Iaponian 323.60 Idifa in Tartary 30.30 Idlenesse not permitted in Peru 1055.20 Idlenesse inueighed against 666.40 Idlenesse loated in China 175.30 Idolaters all are betwixt the Mountaines of Caucasus c. 24.1 Idolaters in Catay 20.60 Idolaters in Colchis 636.30 Idolaters diuers in the Persian Prouinces 74 Idolaters in Curland and Prussia 628.10 Idolaters in Tanguth their Ceremonies 77.10.2 Idols are the Oldest men in the house where 92.30 Idols seene two dayes Iourney off 20.30 Idols of the Mexicans their beastly shapes 1030.20 And deckings ibid. c. Idols their Temples Sacrifices of old in Island 664.40 Altars c. 665.1.10 Idols bellies filled with Iewels 408.20 How the Chinois maintaine their Idolatry Idol-Sacrifices of China 369.1 In filthy stinking houses ibid. Idols one hundred and eleuen in one Chappell 302.60 Idols huge ones 77.1 Idols men kill themselues in honour of them 104.60 Idols of the Groenlanders 838.30 Idols in Myters wheeles 263.20 Idols of the Moall Tartars 799.40 Idols made to speake by Magicke 74.1 Idols why vsed in China 334.30 Iegur a strange Corne 236.40 Ienisce a mighty Riuer 527.30 Ouerflowes like Nilus ibid. Two Riuers of that name 530.10 The Iourney thither out of Russia ibid. See Yenisce Ieraslaue in Russia 214.10 Iesuites liued twenty yeares in China 410 Iesuites in China 314.30 In Iapan 316. Their Conuersions discussed 317 Iesuite whipt to death in China 406.40 Iesuites change their Names 339.30 Iesuite set on the Pillorie in China 339.40 Iesuites Colledges in Brasill 903.20 Iesuites make Conuerts in China 320.40 Their first Station there 321.50 Iesuites the Abetters of an Impostor in Russia 756.10.40 768.1 Iesuites in China their proceedings See in Ruggierus in Ricius Iewels of the Mexicans buryed with them 1029 Iewes kept within inclosures 49.10 Igla the Iland 285.50 Ilacians or Blacians 18.60 Ilands of Men alone and of Women alone 106.30 Ilands 12700. in the Indian Sea ibid. Ilands of Hispaniola 862.40.50 Iland Santa Maria one of the Azores the Latitude 859.40 Iland of Saints in Norway subiect to Denmarke not Inhabited 614.20 The Latitude ibid. in marg Fiue miles from Rustene 615.20 Ilands of Theeues or Ladrones in the West Indies their Latitude number pouertie neerenesse to the Philippinaes the People names Diuers other Ilands there abouts and their Latitudes 907.30 Ilands of Farre on the South-east part of Island 597.30 Ilands of Moluccas their seuerall name and Latitudes 904 Ilands of Matfloe and Delgoy 477.50 Ile of Resolution the Latitude 837.10 The variation and longitude from London 838.1 Ile of Merchants 232.20 Ile of Saint Iohn of Porto Rico in the West Indies the first name distance from Hispaniola c. Commodities temperature of the Ayre Townes first Dicouerie Ports Riuers c. 864.865 Iles of Gods Mercies 596.50 Iles of Farre their Latitude 574.1 Misplaced in the Care 582.1 Illiricum when first peopled 662.20 Illocos the Ilands 283.10 Images of Christ our Lady and the Apostles mistaken by a Iew worshipped 400.40 Images with three Heads in China 303.1 And with eight Armes and other Monsters ibid. Image in China like that of our Lady 195.50 Image of Christ most solemnely honoured in China 340 Images of their Kings worshipped by the Indians 1028.50 Images Painted and not Carued honoured 217.30 Christened ibid. Images offered in Temples of China 271.1 Image Point 479.10 Images of the Tartars made of Felt 4.30 Many in one house ibid. The Tartars Lar or houshold God 4.30 Images great store in Russia prayed vnto 228. Very rich ibid. 20. 229.1 Children committed to them ibid. 20 Images worshipped with diuine honour 452. Painted not carued in the Greeke Church ibid. Called Miracle-workers 453.1 Image made without hands 456.1 Imagination the strength of it 395.60 Imperiall Ensignes of the Russe 741.20.30 Incense where it growes 959.40 Incense vsed by the Mexicans in giuing of Welcomes and in Sacrifices 1004.10.1013.60 c. Incestuous Marriages of the Kings of Peru 1054.50 1058.60 The Successe 1059.1 India the bounds of it 110.1 Indians white and faire where 893.20 Indies of the West are not the West Indies the Countries which they containe properly 903.60 in margine Their temper colours of the Indians c. 904.1 Indian delayes for aduantage 285.50 Indians 60000. to Guard the passages in Persia 68.30 Indians of the West their Stature and Complexions 992.50 Indies why they goe to them one way and returne another 923.40.50.60 The going thither shorter then the returne The Spaniards courses in Nauigation thither c. 924. And to the Philippinaes ibid. The Seasons of the seuerall Flâ—ets 859 Indies of the South described 887. Their extent Prouinces Gouernments ibid. Indian Seas haue diuers Kingdoms see page 168.10.20.30.40 Indico or Anill how it growes 957.50 Industan the Kingdome the old Names 397.50 Inferiour layes aside his State in presence of his Superiour 297.1 Inferiour natures made for the seruice of their next Superiour 942.1 Infants consulted as Oracles 395.60 Information of all monethly giuen to the King of China 189.30 His Spies ibid. Ingermanland the Title of Sweden discust 795 Ingermenum in the Crim Tartars built by the Greekes 633.50 Inhabited by Greeke Christians ibid Inger-Sound 223.10 Inguas the Kings of Peru. See Peru. Their Diadem Greatnesse Riches Honours after death c. 1054. Their Coronation ceremonies exact Iustice Policy c. 1055. Their publicke buildings reuenues c. 1056. They haue the third part of the Land 1957. Their Originall Conquests and Storie 1059. c. Euery Ingua builds a new Palace c. 1060.10 Their Succession for 3. hundred yeares together 1062.10 Their Attire Diet c. 1126.40 See pag. 1130 Ingulsus of Norway his fortunes 656.657 Peoples Island first 657. The Story ibid. Inheritance the manner of it in China 371 Inheritances in Peru went to the Brother and not to the Sonne 1054.50 Inke-making a liberall Art 383.50 Innes in China 185.50 Innes or Lodging in Tartarie none 9.10 Innes in Tartarie the prouision for them 87.10.20 c. Seuerall Stages ibid. Inquisition Spanish in the West Indies where exercised and how 910.911.871 50 Inquisition Spanish gotten into the West Indies 871.50 Inquisition
it and aske of God that he do that for you which is contained in this written Prayer because with his owne mouth he taught it his friends and I hope he will saue you I could not doe any thing else because it was very dangerous to speake the words of doctrine by such an Interpreter nay almost impossible because he was ignorant AFter this wee entred into that plaine where the Court of Ken-Cham was which was wont to be the Countrey of the Naymans who were the peculiar Subiects of Presbyter Iohn but at that time I saw not that Court but in my returne Yet heere I declare vnto you what befell his Ancestry his Soone and Wiues Ken-Cham being dead Baatu desired that Mangu should be Chan. But I could vnderstand in certaintie of the death of Ken. Frier Andrew said that he dyed by a certaine medicine giuen him and it was suspected that Baatu caused it to be made Yet I heard otherwise for he summoned Baatu to come and doe him homage And Baatu tooke his iourney speedily with great preparation but he and his Seruants were much afraid and sent one of his Brothers before called Stichin who when he came to Ken and should waite vpon his Cup contention arising betweene them they slue one another The Widow of Stichin kept vs a whole day to goe into her house and blesse her that is pray for her Therefore Ken being dead Mangu was chosen by the consent of Baatu And was then chosen when Frier Andrew was there Ken had a certaine Brother called Siremon who by the counsell of Kens Wife and her Vassals went with great preparation towards Mangu as if he meant to doe him homage and yet in truth he purposed to kill him and destroy his whole Court. And when he was neere Mangu within one or two daies iourney one of his Wagons remained broken in the way While the Wagoner laboured to mend it in the meane space came one of the Seruants of Mangu who helped him he was so inquisitiue of their iourney that the Wagoner reuealed vnto him what Siremon purposed to doe Then turning out of the way as if hee little regarding it went vnto the herd of Horses and tooke the best Horse hee could choose and posting night and day came speedily to the Court of Mangu reporting vnto him what he had heard Then Mangu quickly assembling all his subiects caused foure rings of Armed men to compasse his Court that none might goe in or out the rest he sent against Siremon who tooke him not suspecting his purpose had beene discouered and brought him to the Court with all his followers Who when Mangu lay the matter to his charge strait-way confessed it Then he and his eldest Sonne Ken Chan were slaine and three hundred of the Nobilitie of the Tartars with them The Noble Women also were sent for who were all beaten with burning fire-brands to make them confesse and hauing confessed were put to death His youngest sonne Ken who could not be capable or guiltie of the conspiracy was left aliue And his Fathers Palace was left vnto him with all belonging vnto it as well Men as Chattels and we passed by it in our returne Nor durst my Guides turne in vnto it neither going nor comming For the Lady of the Nations sate there in heauinesse and there was none to comfort her THen went wee vp againe into the high Countries going alwaies towards the North. At length on Saint Stephens day we entred into a great Plaine like the Sea where there was not so much as a Mole-hill And the next day on the feast of S. Iohn the Euangelist we came vnto the Palace of that great Lord. But when we were neere it within fiue daies iourney our Host where we lay would haue directed vs a way farre about so that wee should yet trauaile more then fifteene daies And this was the reason as I vnderstood that wee might goe by Onam Kerule their proper Countrey where the Court of Chingis-Chan is Others said that he did it for this purpose that he might make the way longer and might shew his power the more For so they are wont to deale with men comming from Countries not subiect to them And our Guide obtained with great difficultie that we might go the right way For they held vs vpon this from the morning till three of the clocke In that way also the Secretarie whom we expected at Cailac told me that it was contained in the Letters which Baatu sent to Mangu-Chan that wee required an Army and ayde of Sartach against the Saracens Then I began to wonder much and to be greatly troubled for I knew the Tenor of the Letters and that no mention therof was made therein saue that yee aduised him to be a friend to all Christians and should exalt the Crosse and be an enemy to all the enemies of the Crosse and because also the Interpreters were Armenians of the greater Armenia who greatly hated the Saracens lest perhaps they had interpreted any thing in euill part to make the Saracens more odious and hatefull at their pleasure I therefore held my peace not speaking a word with them or against them for I feared to gainsay the words of Baatu least I should incurre some false accusation without reasonable cause We came therefore the foresaid day vnto the said Court. Our Guide had a great house appointed him and we three a little Cottage wherein wee could scarse lay our stuffe make our beds and haue a little fire Many came to visit our Guide and brought him drinke made of Rice in long strait mouthed bottles in the which I could discerne no difference from the best Antissiodorensian Wine saue that it had not the sent of Wine We were called and straightly examined vpon what businesse we came I answered that we heard of Sartach that he was a Christian we came therefore vnto him the French King sent him a Packet by vs he sent vs to Baatu his Father his Father hath sent vs hither hee should haue written the cause wherevpon they demanded whether we would make peace with them I answered he hath sent Letters vnto Sarâ—ach as a Christian and if he had knowne he were not a Christian hee would neuer haue sent him Letters to treate of peace I say he hath done you no wrong if he had done any why should you warre vpon him or his people he willingly as a iust man would reforme himselfe and desire peace If yee without cause will make warre with him or his Nation we hope that God who is iust will helpe them And they wondred alwayes repeating why came yee seeing yee came not to make peace For they are now so puffed vp with pride that they thinke the whole World should desire to make peace with them And truly if I might bee suffered I would preach Warre against them to the vttermost of my power throughout the whole World But I would
not plainly deliuer the cause of my comming lest I should speake any thing against that which Baatu commanded I told them therefore the whole cause of my comming thither was because he sent me The day following we were brought vnto the Court and I thought I could goe bare-foot as I did in our Countrey whereupon I layd aside my shooes But such as come to the Court alight farre from the house where the Great Chan is as it were a Bow-shot off where the Horses abide and a Boy to keepe them Whereupon when wee alighted there and our Guide went with vs to the house of the Great Chan a Hungarian Boy was present there who knew vs to wit our Order And when the men came about vs and beheld vs as Monsters especially because we were bare-footed and demanded whether we did not lacke our feet because they supposed we should strait-way haue lost them that Hungarian told them the reason shewing them the condition of our Order Then the chiefe Secretary who was a Nestorian and a Christian by whose counsell and aduice almost all is done came vnto vs to see vs and looked earnestly vpon vs and called the Hungarian vnto him of whom he demanded many Questions Then we were willed to returne vnto our Lodging ANd when we returned at the end of the Court towards the East farre from the Court as much as a Crosse-bow could shoot at twice I saw a house vpon the which there was a little Crosse then I reioyced much supposing there was some Christianitie there I went in boldly and found an Altar very well furnished for there in a Golden cloth were the Images of Christ and the blessed Virgin and Saint Iohn Baptist and two Angels the lineaments of their bodies and garments distinguished with Pearle and a great siluer Crosse hauing precious stones in the corners and the middle thereof and many other Embroyderings and a Candle burning with Oyle before the Altar hauing eight Lights And there sate an Armenian Monke some-what blacke and leane clad with a rough hairen Coate to the middle legge hauing vpon it a blacke Cloke of bristles furred with spotted Skinnes girt with Iron vnder his haire-cloth Presently after wee entred in before we saluted the Monke falling flat vpon the ground we sang Aue Regina Coelorum c. and he rising prayed with vs. Then saluting him we sate by him hauing a little fire before him in a Pan. Therefore we told him the cause of our comming And he began to comfort vs much saying that we should boldly speake because we were the Messengers of God who is greater then all men Afterwards he told vs of his comming saying he came thither a moneth before vs and that he was a Heremite of the Territorie of Hierusalem and that the Lord appeared to him three times commanding him to goe to the Prince of the Tartars And when he deferred to goe the third time God threatned him and ouerthrew him vpon the ground saying he should dye vnlesse he went and that he told Mangu Chan that if he would become a Christian the whole World should be obedient vnto him and the French and the Great Pope should obay him and he aduised me to say the like vnto him Then I answered brother I will willingly perswade him to become a Christian For I came for this purpose to preach thus vnto all I will promise him also that the French and the Pope will much reioyce thereat and account him for a brother and a friend but I will neuer promise that they shall become his Seruants and pay him Tribute as these other Nations because in so doing I should speake against my conscience then he held his peace We went therefore together to our Lodging which I found a cold Harbour and we had eaten nothing that day so we boyled a little flesh and Millet in the broth of flesh to sup Our Guide and his companions were drunken at the Court and little care was had of vs. At that time the Messengers of Vastace were there hard by vs which wee knew not And the men of the Court made vs rise in great haste at the dawning of the day And I went bare-foot with them a little way vnto the house of the said Messengers And they demanded of them whether they knew vs. Then that Grecian Souldier calling our Order and my companion to remembrance because he had seene him in the Court of Vastace with Frier Thomas our Minister and all his fellowes gaue great testimony of vs. Then they demanded whether wee had peace or war with Vastace we haue said I nor war nor peace And they demanded how that might be Because said I their Countries are far remoued one from the otherâ— and meddle not together Then the Messenger of Vastace said wee had peace giuing mee a caueat so I held my tongue That morning my toes ends were frozen so that I could no longer goe bare-foot for in those Countreyes the cold is extreame sharpe and from the time when it beginneth to freeze it neuer ceaseth vntill May nay in the moneth of May it freezed euery morning but in the day time it thawed through the heate of the Sunne but in the Winter it neuer thawes but the Ice continues with euery winde And if there were any winde there in the Winter as it is with vs nothing could liue there but it is alwaies milde weather vntill Aprill and then the winds arise and at that time when wee were there about Easter the cold arising with the winde killed infinite creatures In the Winter little snow fell there but about Easter which was in the latter end of Aprill there fell so great a snow that all the streets of Caracarum were full that they were fayne to carrie it out with their Carts Then they first brought vs from the Court Ramskin Coats and Breeches of the same and Shooes which my Companion and Interpreter receiued But I thought I had no need of them because I supposed my Pelt-garment which I brought from Baatu was sufficient for me Then the fift of Ianuarie we were brought vnto the Court and there came Nestorian Priests vnto me I not knowing they were Christians demanding which way we worshipped I said vnto the East And this they demanded because wee had shauen our beards by the aduice of our Guide that wee might appeare before Chan according to the fashion of our Countrey whereupon they thought wee had beene Tuinians to wit Idolaters They made vs also expound out of the Bible Then they demanded what reuerence wee would doe to Chan whether after our owne fashion or theirs To whom I made answere Wee are Priests giuen to the seruice of God Noblemen in our Countrey will not suffer Priests to bow their knees before them for the honour of God neuerthelesse wee will humble our selues to all men for the Lords sake Wee came from a farre Countrey If yee please wee
to the Mountaines on the one side or the other and sometimes of all parts So as I haue oftentimes said there that I would gladly see any place from whence the horizon did fashion it selfe and end by the heauen and a Countrie stretched out and euen as we see in Spaine in a thousand champaine fields yet doe I not remember that I haue euer seene such sights at the Indies were it in the Ilands or vpon the maine Land although I haue trauelled aboue seuen hundred leagues in length But as I haue said the neerenesse of the Mountaines is very commodious in this region to temper the heate of the Sunne To conclude the best inhabited parts of the Indies are as I haue said and generally all that Countrie abounds in Grasse Pastures and Forrests contrary vnto that which Aristotle and the ancients did hold So as when we go out of Europe to the Indies we wonder to see the Land so pleasant greene and fresh Yet this rule hath some exceptions and chiefly in the Land of Peru which is of a strange nature amongst all others whereof we will now proceede to speake We meane by Peru not that great part of the world which they call America seeing that therein is contained Bresil the Kingdome of Chille and that of Grenade and yet none of these Kingdomes is Peru but onely that part which lies to the South beginning at the Kingdome of Quitto which is vnder the Line and runs in length to the Realme of Chille the which is without the Tropickes which were six hundred leagues in length and in breadth it containes no more then the Mountaines which is fiftie common leagues although in some places as at Chachapayas it be broader This part of the world which wee call Peru is very remarkeable and containes in it strange properties which serueth as an exception to the generall rule of the Indies The first is that vpon all the coast it blowes continually with one onely winde which is South and South-west contrary to that which doth vsually blow vnder the burning Zone The second is that this winde being by nature the most violent tempestuous and vnhealthfull of all others yet in this Region it is maruellous pleasing healthfull and agreeable so as we may attribute the habitation of that part thereunto without the which it would be troublesome and inhabitable by reason of the heate if it were not refreshed with the winde The third propertie is that it neuer raines thunders snowes nor hailes in all this coast which is a matter worthy of admiration Fourthly that a little distance from the coast it raines snowes terribly Fiftly that there are two ridges of Mountaines which runne the one as the other and in one altitude notwithstanding on the one there are great Forrests and it raines the greatest part of the yeare being very hot and the other is all naked and bare and very cold so as winter and summer are diuided on those two Mountaines and raine and cleerenesse it selfe For the better vnderstanding hereof we must consider that Peru is diuided as it were into three parts long and narrow which they call Lanos Sierras and Andes the Lanos runs alongst the Sea coast the Sierras be all hils with some vallies and the Andes be steepe and craggie Mountaines The Lanos or Sea coast haue some ten leagues in breadth in some parts lesse and in some parts a little more The Sierra containes some twenty leagues in breadth and the Andes as much sometimes more sometimes lesse They run in length from North to South and in breadth from East to West It is a strange thing that in so small a distance as fiftie leagues equally distant from the Line and Pole there should be so great a contrarietie as to raine almost continually in one place and neuer in the other It neuer raines vpon the coast or Lanos although there fals sometimes a small dew which they call Guarna and in Castill Mollina the which sometimes thickens and fals in certaine drops of water yet is it not troublesome nor such as they neede any couering Their couerings are of mats with a little earth vpon them which is sufficient Vpon the Andes it raines in a manner continually although it be sometimes more cleere then other In the Sierra which lies betwixt both the extreames it raineth in the same season as it doth in Spaine which is from September vnto Aprill but in the other season the time is more cleere which is when the Sunne is farthest off and the contrary when it is neerest That which they call Andes and Sierra are two ridges of most high Mountaines which runne aboue a thousand leagues the one in view of the other and almost equally There are an infinite number of Vicagues which breede in the Sierres and are properly like vnto wilde Goates very nimble and swift There are also of those beasts which they call Guanacos and Pacos which are sheepe which we may well tearme the Asses of that Countrie whereof we shall speake in their place And vpon the Andes they finde Apes very gentle and delightfull and Parrots in great numbers There also they finde the herbe or tree which they call Coca that is so greatly esteemed by the Indians and the trafficke they make of it is worth much mony That which they call Sierre causeth Vallies where as it opens which are the best dwellings of Peru as is the Valley of Xauxa of Andaguaylas and Yucay In these Vallies there growes Wheat Mays and other sorts of fruits but lesse in one then in the other Beyond the Citie of Cusco the ancient Court of the Lords of those Realmes the two ridges of Mountaines separate themselues one from the other and in the midst leaue a Playne and large Champaigne which they call the Prouince of Callao where there are many Riuers and great store of fertile Pastures there is also that great Lake of Titicaca And although it bee a full soile and in the same height and intemperature that the Sierre hauing no more Trees nor Forrests yet the want they haue of bread is counteruailed with the rootes they sow the which they call Papas and they grow in the earth This roote is the Indians foode for drying it and making it cleane they make that which they call Chugno which is the bread and nourishment of those Prouinces There are other rootes and small herbes which they eate It is a healthfull soile best peopled and the richest of all the Indies for the abundance of Cattell they feede as well of those that are in Europe as Sheepe Neat and Goates as of those of the Country which they call Guanacos and Pacos and there are store of Partridges Next to the Prouince of Callao is that of Charcas where there are hot Vallies very fertile and very high Rocks the which are very rich in mynes so as in no part of the World shall you finde
better nor fairer For that it is rare and extraordinarie to see a Country where it neuer raines nor thunders men desire naturally to know the cause of this strangenesse The reason which some giue that haue neerly looked into it is that vpon that Coast there rise no vapours sufficient to engender raine for want of matter but onely that there bee small and light vapours which cannot breede any other then mists and deawes as wee see in Europe oftentimes vapours doe rise in the morning which are not turned into raine but into mists onely the which growes from the substance which is not grosse and sufficient enough to turne to raine They say the reason why that which happens but some times in Europe falls out continually vpon the Coast of Peru is for that this Region is very drie and yeelds no grosse vapours The drinesse is knowne by the great abundance of Sands hauing neither Wells nor Fountaines but of fifteene Sâ—ades deepe which is the height of a man or more and that is neere vnto Riuers the water whereof piercing into the Land giues them meanes to make Wells So as it hath beene found by experience that the course of Riuers being turned the Wells haue beene dried vp vntill they returned to their ordinarie course and they giue this reason for a materiall cause of this effect but they haue another efficient which is no lesse considerable and that is the great height of the Sierre which comming along the Coast shadowes the Lanos so as it suffers no winde to blow from the Land but aboue the tops of these Mountaines By meanes whereof there reignes no winde but that from the Sea which finding no opposite doth not presse nor straine forth the vapours which rise to engender raine so as the shadow of the Mountaines keepes the vapours from thickning and conuerts them all into mists There are some experiences agree with this discourse for that it raines vpon some small Hills along the Coast which are least shadowed as the Rocks of Atico and Arequipa It hath rained in some yeeres when as the Northerne or Easterly windes haue blowne yea all the time they haue continued as it happened in seuentie eight vpon the Lanos of Trugillo where it rained abundantly the which they had not seene in many ages before Moreouer it raines vpon the same Coast in places where as the Easterly or Northerne windes be ordinarie as in Guayaquil and in places where as the Land riseth much and turnes from the shadow of the Mountaines as in those that are beyond Ariqua Some discourse in this manner but let euery one thinke as he please It is most certaine that comming from the Mountaines to the Vallies they doe vsually see as it were two Heauens one cleere and bright aboue and the other obscure and as it were a gray vaile spread vnderneath which couers all the Coast and although it raine not yet this mist is wonderfull profitable to bring forth grasse and to raise vp and nourish the seed for although they haue plentie of water which they draw from the Pooles and Lakes yet this moisture from Heauen hath such a vertue that ceasing to fall vpon the Earth it breedes a great discommoditie and defect of graine and seedes And that which is more worthy of admiration the drie and barren Sands are by this deaw so beautified with grasse and flowers as it is a pleasing and agreeable sight and very profitable for the feeding of Cattell as we see in the Mountaine called Sandie neere to the Citie of Kings New Spaine passeth all other Prouinces in pasturâ—s which breedes infinite troopes of Horse Kine Sheepe and other Cattell It abounds in fruit and all kinde of graine To conclude it is a Country the best furnished and most accomplished at the Indies Yet Peru doth surpasse it in one thing which is Wine for that there growes store and good and they daily multiply and increase the which doth grow in very hot Vallies where there are waterings And although there be Vines in new Spaine yet the grape comes not to his maturitie fit to make Wine The reason is for that it raines there in Iuly and August when as the grape ripens and therefore it comes not to his perfection And if any one through curiositie would take the paines to make wine it should be like to that of Genua and Lombardie which is very small and sharpe hauing a taste like vnto Verjuyce The Ilands which they call Barlouente which bee Hispaniola Cuba Port Ricco and others thereabouts are beautified with many greene pastures and abound in Cattell as Neat and Swine which are become wilde The wealth of these Ilands bee their Sugar-workes and Hides There is much Cassia fistula and Ginger It is a thing incredible to see the multitude of these merchandizes brought in one fleete being in a manner impossible that all Europe should waste so much They likewise bring wood of an excellent qualitie and colour as Ebone and others which serue for buildings and Ioyners There is much of that wood which they call Lignum sanctum or Guage fit to cure the pox All these Ilands and others thereabouts which are many haue a goodly and pleasant aspect for that throughout the yeere they are beautified with grasse and greene trees so as they cannot discerne when it is Autumne or Summer by reason of continuall moisture ioyned to the heat of the burning Zone And although this Land bee of a great circuit yet are there few dwellings for that of it selfe it engenders great Arcabutos as they call them which be Groues or very thicke Coppises and on the Playnes there are many marishes and bogs They giue yet another notable reason why they are so smally peopled for that there haue remayned few naturall Indians through the inconsideratnesse and disorder of the first Conquerors that peopled it and therefore for the most part they vse Negros but they cost deare being very fit to till the Land There growes neither bread nor wine in these Ilands for that the too great fertilitie and the vice of the soile suffers them not to seede but casts all forth in grasse very vnequally There are no Oliue trees at the least they beare no Oliues but many greene leaues pleasant to the view which beare no fruit The bread they vse is of Caçaue whereof we shall hereafter speake There is gold in the Riuers of these Ilands which some draw forth but in small quantitie I was little lesse then a yeere in these Ilands and as it hath beene told me of the mayne Land of the Indies where I haue not beene as in Florida Nicaragua Guatimala and others it is in a manner of this temper as I haue described yet haue I not set downe euery particular of Nature in these Prouinces of the firme Land hauing no perfect knowledge thereof The Country which doth most resemble Spaine and the Regions of Europe in all the West Indies