and consists of three several Structures is call'd Collegio de Porta Coeli Opposite to St. Jago near the great Market the Jesuits have a stately Colledge or High-School where many are brought up in the Latin and Greek Tongues whence it is call'd Casa Professa Les Estudios There is also another Habitation of Religious Men call'd Illefonse Sanna Noviciad which for State may vie with any Royal Palace Cloysters beâ—â—ing to the Monkt of La Merced The Monks of La Merced dwell in two Cloysters both Consecrated to the Virgin Mary yet Sirnam'd Montseratte and Carmel The first lying not far from the River is a mean Structure in comparison to the last the uppermost Tower of whose Temple appears above all other Buildings in the upper part of Mexico near the Cloyster of St. Francis Womens Cloysters The Women have also fourteen Cloysters here the chiefest whereof is Dedicated to Catharine of Siena but much more splendid is that of Santa Teresa built like an Imperial Palace famous for its stately Gardens and round Fountain which continually spouts Water The rest which we shall onely name are La Encarnacio Santa Ines Jesus-Maria Laurenso Las Des-calcas Santa Clara Juan de la Penitentia Regina Coeli Santa Monica las Rocogidas Jeronymo and Conceptione besides the Almshouses Real de los Indios and Nostra Senora del Amor There are likewise eight Hospitals viz. de Dios del Spiritu Santo Juan de Doys de la Misericordia de san Hippolito and de san Lazaro The three chief Churches bear the Name of Catharine Martin and Vera Cruz and the Clergy-men thereto belonging enjoy many stately Palaces amongst which are Juan de Lateran de Christo and las Nivas The Vice-Roy's Palace and Arch-bishop's Seat The Residence of the Vice-Roy which lies near the Dominican Cloyster Porto Coeli is so sumptuous a Structure that it may stand in competition with any of those Edifices which were so much cry'd up by the Ancients nevertheless it is not to be compar'd to the Arch-bishop's Seat built round like a Theatre whose Luster expresses the Quality of him that inhabits the same he being Governor of the Bishopricks of Fascala Guaxaca Mechaocan New Galicia Chiapa Yucatan Guatimala Verapaz and the Philippinas This marvellous Structure was begun by Ferdinand Cortesius but was finish'd by Sebastian Ramires de Fuenleal and not much inferior thereunto is the Casa de Cabildo Alameda The gallantry of Mexico at this day At present Mexico is thought to be one of the richest Cities of the World abounding if reports be true in all kind of voluptuous gallantry and bravery even to excess It is suppos'd to contain about six or seven Miles in compass and to consist of above an hundred thousand Houses or Families whereof not the tenth part Spaniards but those that are all Gentlemen at least as to their garb and manner of living for they live most splendidly in all respects both for Diet and Apparel For the first we have spoken so much already of the general plenty of all things in the Kingdom of New-Spain that pertain to this part of pleasure that it is not to be doubted And for the second this may be some instance viz. that it is no extraordinary matter to see an Hat-band or Role all of Diamonds in some ordinary Gentlemans Hat and of Pearl among the common Citizens and Tradesmen The Coaches which most Gentlemen keep almost cover'd with Gold and Silver richly beset with Precious Stones and within ordinarily lin'd with Cloth of Gold or the best China Silk that can be gotten of which Coaches in time of year at the Alameda as they call it which is as it were The Hide-Park of Mexico and a place made of purpose for recreation and delight a Man shall observe not seldom above a thousand or two thousand Coaches full of Ladies and Gallants coming thither onely to take the Air and their Pleasure both the one and the other attended with a numerous Train of Servants and Mulattoes of both Sexes In la Plateria which is but onely one Street in Mexico nigh to the Vice-Roy's Palace in less than half an hours space with the turn of an Eye you may see Millions of Wealth in Gold Silver and Precious Stones in the Goldsmiths and Jewellers Shops thereabouts In a word there is nothing hinders Mexico from being the most absolute City in the World for delight and bravery but onely two Inconveniences to which it is subject The one is the danger of the Lake with the Infalls whereof it may seem to be almost continually threatned and in the Year 1629. did actually suffer a very great calamity the Waters breaking through the Banks and drowning a great part of the City with the destruction of much People and the loss of all their Goods intirely through the avarice as is suppos'd of the Vice-Roy that then was and some other of the King's Officers who diverted the Money that should have been employ'd for the fortifying and repairing of the Banks to their own proper uses The other is from the nature of the Soil and Ground it self on which it standeth which is found to have a tincture of Sal Nitre in it somewhat strong and the Winds partly from the Lake it self and partly from the Hills about it raising the Dust of this Earth constantly every Evening for many Moneths of the Year together so violently that the Air is even darkned therewith for some time The Inhabitants are much annoy'd by it and made subject to divers Hypocondriacal Pains and Infirmities and sometimes kill'd with it especially such as either cannot or care not much to avoid it The City lieth about sixty Leagues or a hundred and fifty Miles distant from the Atlantick or North Sea from whence by the Port of St. John d' Ullua or Vera Crux which are the usual Landing-places there is a fair and easie March to Mexico by the Cities of Xalabar Perotta Puebla de los Angelos and Tlascalla all of them open and unfortifi'd Places as likewise Mexico it self arid the Countrey round about very rich and well accommodated with all things City Chulula The next City of note in ancient times was Chulula which being built in a fruitful Plain had above twenty thousand Dwelling-houses and as many more Banquetting-houses The number of the Temples and Turrets were equal with that of the days in the Year The Government thereof belong'd to a Mayor and six Aldermen and one chief Priest for they never went upon the least Design before they had been at their Devotion in which the Priest's Office was onely to perfume the Idols four times in twenty four hours viz. in the Morning at Noon after Sun-set and at Midnight at which times none durst be absent but they us'd also a cruel Exercise on themselves and one much more cruel on others for on usual Feast-days they abstain'd from Meat Drink and Sleep scourg'd their Bodies with knotted Cords
Leaves are of a Purple colour The third sort Jetiope being white hath a very good rellish and cures the Ague The Pepper which is here call'd Axi grows in the warmest Valleys and the more by being often water'd there are of it divers kinds differing in colour smell and taste one from the other for one sort is green yellow or red another sort yields a strong musky scent and one sort is sharper another milder the Veins and Kernels thereof are eaten with Salt The Herb Cevadilla cures all manner of Sores This Countrey also breeds an innumerable company of Deer Hogs Goats Beasts Sheep Oxen and Horses and of hurtful Creatures Pismires which do great mischief to the Plants and Locusts which fall in huge swarms on the Corn and cannot be frighted from the same by any means whatsoever The want of Water is also no small prejudice to the Fields The biggest River call'd Guadalajara with many windings runs North-westward into the Southern Ocean and four Leagues from the City of the same falling down from a steep Rock it makes such a horrible noise that it deafens those which approach the same The Lake Mechoacan opens here also with a wide Mouth Two sorts of Hedge-hogs The River before mention'd produces all manner of Fish in great abundance and also a sort of Hedge-hogs call'd Iguana which live both in the Water and on the Land and are of two sorts The first call'd Senembi is four Foot long of a deep green colour with black and white Spots hath a scaly Skin white Spots on each side of the Head a row of sharp Prickles from the Head to the Tail wide Nostrils great black Eyes and little Teeth The second sort call'd Tejaguacu differs from the first in having white Spots on a brown Skin a longer Tail and a red Tongue which is slit Both sorts are reported to fast eight Moneths together and though often terribly wounded and dead to all imagination yet live a great while after and though they swim up and down in Rivers yet they Lay their Eggs in the Sand their Flesh boyl'd is both wholsom and of a good relish The manner of the Spaniards living The Spaniards which inhabit New Gallicia drive a considerable Trade in Merchandizing Husbandry breeding of Cattel and working in the Mines They use Wayns and Carrs drawn by Oxen Mules and Horses to carry their Loads as also Spanish Weights and Measures They are little troubled with any other Mischiefs but what may happen from the treacherous Natives who take all opportunities to run into the Woods that there they may exercise their Pagan Religion in freedom in which having spent some time they gather a considerable number together and oftentimes fall unawares on the Spaniards who use Leather Shields and Helmets and furr'd Cotton Clothes to secure them from the Arrows which the Indians lying in Ambuscades shoot at them out of the Bushes The Nature Habits and Customs of the Natives The Natives though subtile are lazy and will not work unless for great Rewards They wear Cotton Shirts square Cloaks of the same Stuff made fast with two Buttons on their Breasts Drawers and soal'd Shoes Flag-Matts serve them for Beds on which they lie under Cotton Clothes About their Necks Arms and Legs they wear green Stones and Snale Shells for an Ornament Their greatest Recreation is Dancing their Musick being nothing else but the noise or sound of a piece of hollow Wood. Horse-flesh and Bread made of Maiz is by them accounted a great Dainty The Drink Cacao is also highly esteem'd amongst them but much more the Wine that they make of Maquey which is the wonderful Tree that affords many necessary things viz. Syrrup Honey Oyl Vinegar Yarn Needles Water and Wine every Man making it his Business to plant and preserve the same with great care near his House notwithstanding they grow in several places of the Fields they have broad thick Leaves with sharp ends out of which is drawn a Thorn which serves them for a Needle or Pin. These Leaves have a hairy Filament about them which serves in stead of Thred the young Sprout being cut produces a sweet Juice which boyl'd makes good Wine when grown sowre serves for Vinegar but being twice boyl'd becomes a Syrrup and being hung over the Fire a third time a perfect Honey Also the Wood being spungie keeps Fire as well as Match Moreover the Inhabitants when they travel carry Leather Bags with them full of Cacao Maiz and Pepper mix'd together Over each Village in this Countrey the Spaniards have plac'd an Indian Casique Alcalde and Alguazil where all sorts of Provisions are sold at a Set-price The Casiques are succeeded by their Heirs who resent nothing worse than Affronts and take pride in nothing more than their Valour The Moors or Negro's which are brought hither from Guinee do all manner of hard Labour The Guachichiles and Guamares are a valiant People and have each their peculiar Language utterly different from the Mexican Division of Nova Gallicia This Countrey comprehends these inferior Provinces 1. Guadalajara 2. Xalisco 3. Chiametta 4. Couliacan 5. Cino-loa all of them on the Western Shore 6. Zacatecas to which some add Nova Biscaia and Nova Mexico though others treat of them as distinct Countreys apart from the rest SECT II. Guadalajara Bounds of Guadalajara GUadalajara is bounded on the West with Xalisco on the South and South-West with New Spain and on the North with Zacatecas It is a Countrey exceeding pleasant and rich in all kind of Commodities but especially in its Mines of Silver It is well water'd with the River Barania which runneth through the midst of it and with divers other Streams yielding abundantly both Wheat Maiz and some other Grain In a word there is nothing said of the properties of New Gallicia in general either for Soil Climate or People but is peculiarly verifi'd of this Province Towns and Cities The chief Towns are 1. Guadalajara which gives Name to the whole Province It is seated on the Banks of the River Barania in a most delectable and sweet Air and a rich Soil by advantage whereof it is become the Metropolis of New Gallicia honour'd with an Episcopal See which was translated thither from Compostella in the Year 1570. with the Courts of Judicature and the Residence of the King's Treasurers for that Province This City was built on the Plain Molino by Nunnez de Guzman in the Year 1531. The neighboring Mountains afford store of Timber All manner of Spanish Plants grow here likewise in great plenty In the City is a Cathedral several Cloysters inhabited by Augustine and Franciscan Monks The Bishop of this City belongs to the Arch-bishop of Mexico The Air very temperate neither molesting the Inhabitants with too great Cold nor excess of Heat 2. St. Maria de los Lagos a Town thirty Leagues Eastward of Guadalajara being a Fronteer Place and built on purpose to secure the
Gasca who had also gain'd to his Party Peter Alphonso Alnoiosa who Commanded Pizarro's Fleet Aldana likewise inform'd him of all Pizarro's private Councels whereupon Gasca sent privately for Aid to Mexico Guatimala Nicaragua and St. Domingo and dispatch'd four Ships with three hundred Men Commanded by Aldana from the Haven Panama with Order to Land about Midnight against the City Los Reyos and so fall unawares on Pizarro Aldana accordingly falling into the Bay of Malabrige was reliev'd and supply'd with Provisions by Diego Mora Governor of Truxillo On the other side the Field-Marshal Carvayales being sent for by Pizarro made a pompous Entrance with the firing of Guns and Bonfires into Los Reyos where all Persons that seem'd to have the least inclination for Gasca were either stabb'd or poyson'd In the room of Mora Pizarro sent the Lawyer Garcias Leon to be Governor of Truxillo but he being taken by Aldana's Fleet joyn'd with Gasca and thus all things began to conspire the ruine of Pizarro yet he despair'd not but being inform'd of the approach of the Ships caus'd the Drums to be beaten in Los Reyos forc'd every one that was able to bear Arms on pain of death to serve him made several experienc'd Soldiers Commanders over his Horse and Foot to whom he gave as much Money as they requir'd to maintain those whom they had rais'd and who were to be rais'd by which means he got a thousand Men in Arms to which number according to an Order sent to Cusco Plata Arequipa Lima Guanuco and other neighboring Places new Forces were expected to joyn but Savedra Governor of Guanuco deserting the City left Pizarro and joyn'd with Mora who secur'd the Province of Caxamalca for Gasca Thus Pizarro began to be daily more and more forsaken Since the destruction of the Vice-Roy Vela Captain Diego Centeni had hid himself out of fear of Pizarro a whole year in a Cave under Ground but now inform'd of Gasca's Arrival came forth and getting forty Men and some Horses together which also belong'd formerly to the Vice-Roy resolv'd though meanly Arm'd to go upon a bold Design viz. to take the City Cusco of which Antonio de Robles a Man hated and despis'd for his mean Extract and little Wit had the chief Command there being therein a Garrison of five hundred Soldiers besides the Citizens who were likewise in Arms Being inform'd of Centeno's approach he sent out Francisco Aguierre as a Spye to discover the Enemy but he joyning with Centeno advis'd him to march along a By-way and towards Night to draw up about Cusco which accordingly he did and forcing open the Gates rush'd in with his Horse against the Enemy who were drawn up in the Market-place and breaking through their Ranks trampled whole Companies under foot Cusco taken by Centeno after which he fell in upon Robles who having forgotten to give his Men the Word caus'd a great distraction for the Men blinded by the darkness of the Night knew not Friend from Foe insomuch that Robles's Party did one another more mischief than Centeno did who being thus become Master of the City caus'd Robles to be Beheaded the next day and distributed a hundred thousand Ducats amongst his Soldiers and then march'd with a hundred Men to the City Plata to bring Mendoza Governor of the same under the Emperor's subjection in which his Design he likewise prov'd successful being supply'd with a hundred and thirty Foot which Lucas Martin had fetch'd from Arequipa for the Service of Pizarro whom since he had deserted and joyn'd with Gasca's Party Mean while the Fleet under the Command of Aldana arriv'd in the Haven before Los Reyos to the great terror and amazement of the whole City from whence Pizarro marching Encamp'd himself with five hundred and fifty Men so to prevent their Landing swearing that he would spare none whoe're fell into his Hands and sent Order to Peter Martin whom he had left in the City immediately to Hang up those which would not follow the Army or who return'd from thence home to which purpose Martin went from place to place with an Executioner and thinking him not quick enough in his Work stabb'd many Citizens himself And strict Order was given by Pizarro that all Run-aways should be punish'd with Death notwithstanding all which many of his nearest Friends daily forsook him taking advantage of the darkness of the Night nay the Soldiers themselves would at Noon-day ride away from him crying aloud Long live the Emperor and let the Tyrant Pizarro die Wherefore he judg'd it most convenient to remove to the Countrey Nasca During his Journey thither whole Troops left him insomuch that he scarce kept a hundred and fifty Men and those he fear'd every Minute would fall upon him and Murder him Los Reyos declares for the Emperor With Pizarro's departure the whole Scene of Affairs was chang'd in Los Reyos for there the Imperial Standard was erected the City Cryer read the Letters of Pardon which Gasca had brought with him from Spain in the corner of every Street Juan Palimino Landing with fifty Men receiv'd all those that had deserted Pizarro whilest Gasca set Sail from Panama with five hundred Men with whom Landing at Truxillo he Encamp'd himself in the Valley Xauxa whither great multitudes flock'd from all places out of malice to Pizarro who in a short time had destroy'd above five hundred Gentlemen But Pizarro having quitted Los Reyos he possess'd the City Arequipa which he found quite desolate but meeting afterwards with the Forces Commanded by Juan Acosta of which one half were also run away joyn'd with them and march'd against Centeno who lay along the Lake Titicaca with whom he Engag'd in the Plain Guarina Ludovico Ribera Landing Centeno's Party fir'd their Guns before the Pizarrians were within shot of him of which Carvayales making speedy use drew up his Pieces close before the Enemy and made an exceeding slaughter amongst them killing above a hundred and fifty Men in the first Onset the Horse amaz'd at the sudden destruction of the Foot fled leaving the remaining Foot-Soldiers open to the Enemy who was gotten behind them with his Musquetteers and with his Horse before whilest six Peruvians carried away Centeno out of the Fight he lying sick on a Chair Pizarro thus become Victor kill'd all he met with of which Gasca being inform'd resolving upon a private and sudden Revenge caus'd all Necessaries for War to be made ready and march'd with a thousand and nine hundred Men out of the Valley of Xauxa to Cusco where by the Way he was supply'd with the Forces which the experienc'd Colonel Peter Valdivia had brought from Chili with which coming to Andagua he took up his Quarters there for some time because the mild Winter had with continual Rains made the Ways so dirty that there was no travelling and had rotted their Tents and Maiz and also occasion'd the Bloody-flux amongst the Soldiers In March Gasca broke up
the Aegyptian Isthmus overflow'd by the Sea which afforded him a shorter passage But that is most probable which Strabo delivers that he then went to the borders of Aethiopia when he pass'd up Aegypt to the City of Thebes the Borders of Aethiopia being not far distant from thence in Strabo's time probably very near it in Homer's Aethiope Sidon Erembos found and Lybia where Their Lambs are horn'd their Ews teem thrice a year 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which the Grecian Geographers relate concerning Ptolomy Euergetes King of Egypt is not to be forgotten That sending Pilots Remarkable Voyage of an Indian into Egypt Commission'd to take the Soundings and settle the Land-marks in the Arabian Gulph they found by chance a forsaken Vessel onely in it one Man half dead lying among several other breathless Bodies of whom being refresh'd with convenient Cordials they enquir'd his Fortune but he being unable to give them any present satisfaction neither understanding what the other said they sent him to the Court where soon having got a smattering of Greek he inform'd Euergetes that he was a Native Indian driven from their course into the place where they found him by stress of Weather and that his company were famish'd all their Provision spent in their Wandrings from their intended Voyage Thus being kindly entertain'd he also promis'd the King to open his Passage if so he pleas'd into India The King slept not upon this Intelligence but immediately prepar'd a Fleet Freighted with such Commodities as were advis'd Of Ptolomy into India with which setting forth by the Conduct of this their Indian Pilot they Anchor'd in their desir'd Port and brought the King in return from thence a rich Cargo of Silk Spices costly Drugs and precious Gems Cleopatra about sixty years after intending not to lose the advantages reap'd by the former discoveries And also of Cleopatra equipp'd another and greater Navy which passing through the Red-Sea found the Stern of a Ship on which was Presented a Horse whereby some of the more knowing Sea-men judg'd that it had been a Gibraltar Vessel and Sailing about Africa there by sad accident suffer'd a Wrack This Stern was afterwards set up and fix'd as a Memorial in the Market-place of Memphis In these later times the first that endeavor'd to drive an European Trade in Africk and held Commerce with India was the State of Venice who Sail'd from thence through the Adriatick into the Mediterranean-Sea The Venetians were the first that drove a trade from Europe to the East-Indies So Steering for Alexandria where unlading their Goods from thence they carry'd them over Land and Shipping again in the Arabian Gulph Sail'd directly for India Thus by Land and Water were exchang'd several Commodities and the Indian Growth and rich Products of the Oriental World plentifully Transported to Venice and from thence all Europe had ample Accommodation How they went their journeys until an Egyptian Sultan suffer'd the Way to be infested by Thieves and Murdering Robbers that so they were enforc'd to remove thence and Dischage their several Cargoes at Aleppo from whence on Mules and Camels they carry'd their Goods to Babylon so to Balsarum and then to Ormus where they Re-ship'd thence directly standing for India Thus they enjoy'd the benefit of so great a Trade and Commerce until the Portuguese found a Passage by Sea saving the Expence and trouble of carrying Goods so far by Land to India Of which here we will a little inlarge By what means the Portuguese came first to discover the Coasts of Africa and India John the first King of Portugal who took from the Moors by force of Arms Septa an African City having five Sons Henry his fourth behav'd himself so gallantly in the Leaguer of Septa that after he became Master of the place this Prince made many bold Excursions in several Parties against the Enemy bringing in daily great store of Booty so growing rich he Rigg'd out two new Vessels to make farther Discoveries along the Coast of Africa Yet this his Expedition went on but slowly being much taken off in Building there a new City then call'd Tarzanabala and since Villa Infantis but being Admonish'd by a Dream and Check'd for his laying thus aside his first Design of Navigation he soon after Anno 1410. set forth the Ships that he intended which he the more accelerated being inform'd by some of his Prisoners Natives that Africa spread from the Basis of Mount-Atlas very far towards the South Why Africa was no further discover'd This Mountain then was the Terminary of Navigation that way because thereabouts a long Ridge or Shelf of Sands thrust its Point under Shallow Waters so far out into the Ocean that none durst venture to Sail into the Offin being out of sight of Land to double this conceal'd Cape Who first ventur'd into the Offin The first that attempted to find Deep Water and get round about discovering several unknown Coasts and Uninhabited Isles belonging to that Region were Joannes Gonsalves Tristan Varseus and Aegidius Annius amongst which were the Madera's Madera's by whom peopled and St. George de Picho which Prince Henry first Planted with Portuguese and others since with Netherlanders He also obtain'd a Grant from Pope Martin the Fifth of all the discover'd Territories East-ward from the Canaries for ever to be the undoubted Right and belonging to the Crown of Portugal After Henry's Decease Anno 1460. the business of Navigation and Discoveries of new Countreys lay neglected because King Alphonso turmoyl'd in a Civil War his Crown being at stake had not leisure to think or look after uncertain improvements by Sea yet at last having quell'd his Enemies he ventur'd forth some Ships who Sail'd as far as the River Zenaga and came to Anchor before the City of Genny By whom Genny was discover'd famous since for Trade which gave its denomination to the Countrey and Coasts of Guiny where they dealing Barter'd for Ivory Gold Slaves and also got so much footing into the Countrey that they suddenly rais'd up a Fort and Man'd it with a strong Garrison Shipping their Slaves for Lisbon John the Second succeeding his Father Alphonso had a great design upon Arabia and India and if possible was ambitious to open a Passage from the Atlantick to the Oriental-Seas But the difficulty lay in Steering so often from sight of Land venturing into the Main Ocean obstructed by so many dangerous Shoals that lay so far out into the Offin At that time flourish'd three famous Mathematician Rhoderick Joseph and Martin Bohemus Pupils bred up by Joannes Monteregius with which the King consulting perswaded that they would by their Art invent some Instrument that by Southern Constellation the Pole
And also the Mexicans of their Original giving the Spaniards a far better Account when first they came thither wherein we must a little deviate viz. How they were remov'd from some other place as Robert Comtaeus relates who with many Learned and seemingly true Arguments affirms That the Original of the Americans must be sought for either among the Phenicians Sydonians Tyrians or Carthaginians Lib. 1. cap. 7. being indeed all one People Herodotus saith thus of the Phenicians They liv'd formerly according to their own Relation along the Shore of the Red-Sea from whence removing they planted the Sea-Coast of the Syrians Festus Avienus the Latin Poet agrees with this Opinion where he saith On the Phenicians Coasts the Ocean beats Who through the Red-Sea Sailing chang'd their Seats They were the first that ventur'd through the Seas And freighted Ships with richer Merchandise Fair or foul Weather They without controule Sought Foreign Trade directed by the Pole Original and Habitations of the Phenicians of whom according to serval Learned the Americans are extracted Aristotle from a Greek Word calls them Phenicians from their being red or bloody with the Slaughter of all Strangers that Landed on their Coast but rather and so indeed they are call'd Phenicians or Erythreans from Esau or Edom from whom they are deriv'd for these two Words or Denominations signifie in Greek Red the two last the like in Hebrew Phenix himself first planted all the Countrey lying between the River Eleutherus and the Egyptian City Pelusium and afterwards Damiata wash'd by the Mediterrane But since these Boundaries are alter'd on the North by Judea Westward by the Mediterrane Southerly by Egypt and towards the East by the Desart Arabia The chiefest Cities are Ptolemais otherwise call'd Acon Sidon Arad Great Cana Sarepta Biblis Bothrit Berithus and their Princess Tyre formerly scituate in an Isle but since joyn'd to the Main-Land by Alexander the Great None can disown but that the Phenicians have every where been Admirals of the Sea so that they were formidable to the greatest Princes When the Persian King Cambyses came with a vast Army against the Carthaginians Heredot lib. 1. he was forc'd to give over his Design because the Phenicians refus'd to help him with their Fleet being allied to and the City founded by them But they not only built Carthage Salust in Igurtha which strove with Rome to be the Empress of the World but also the famous Cities Leptis Utica Hippo and Adrumetum in Africa with Cadâ—z and Tartessus in Spain nay they sent Plantations of People into the Heart of Iberia and Lybia It will not be amiss to add Q. Curtius his Relation who tells us Where-ever the Phenicians came with their Fleets Wonderful Power of the Phenicians Landing their Men they subdu'd whole Countreys and by that means spread their Colonies over the known World Carthage in Africa Thebes in Boetia and Cadiz near the Western Ocean Aristotle relates That they made such rich Returns of their Merchandize and chiefly of their Oyl in Spain that their Anchors Pins and all Iron Materials belonging to a Ship in stead of that Metal were Silver But to return to our Discourse and disprove the former Testimony That the Phenicians found America The formention'd Comtaeus saith thus None can justly doubt Testimonies that the Americans are deriv'd from the Phenicians but that since the Phenicians took the Command of the Sea from the Rhodians they more and more increas'd their Fleets and growing experter in Navigation passing the Gibraltar Northward became Masters of Cadiz and still prepar'd new Fleets which searching beyond Atlas Southward discover'd the Coasts of Africa and the adjacent Isles driving a great Trade to the Canaries and to those which lay scatter'd along Cape de Verd formerly call'd the Gorgades This way of Trade also was not unknown to the Greeks Iberians and other People but after the Phenicians assum'd it wholly to themselves without any respect or difference of Countreys they sunk all whomsoever they could catch Curtius further adds saying First Testimony I believe that the Phenicians sailing into the Main Ocean have discover'd unknown Countreys And which are those Not the Gorgades or Canary Isles for those were sufficiently known before but a Main Land far beyond Is contradicted But though the Phenicians were most expert yet not skilful enough to make out such Discoveries They indeed were the first that before any other sail'd out of the Mid-land Sea nay they ventur'd a good way into the main Ocean beyond the Straights of Gibraltar or the Herculean Pillars But how far Not to the Gorgades above half way betwixt Spain and America but to the Cassiterides or Flemish Islands which to the number of nine lie in sight of Spain Strabo affirms this Truth Lib. 3. Geogr. saying The Cassiterides are ten lying in order close by one another Flemmish Islands One remains uninhabited on the rest live a swarthy People This way the Phenicians sail'd first when they were in quest for Trade from Cadiz And though he reckons ten there are indeed but nine viz. St. Michael St. Mary St. George Tercera de Pico or Tenariff so call'd from the Mountain which vomits Fire Fayal Las Flores Del Cuervo and Gratiosa Moreover the same Strabo relates Lib. 17. That the Carthaginians did not throw over-board the Traders on the remote Gorgades but those especially that came from Sardinia or Cadiz Salt-Islands how long known Joan. Mariana de Reb. Hispan lib. 1. cap. 20. Mean while we cannot deny but that the Gorgades that lye before Cape de Verd were frequented by the Carthaginians long before the Birth of our Savior but with so much admiration that Hanno their Captain in that Expedition was listed amongst the number of their Heroes hapning thus The Carthaginians sailing for Cadiz to assist the Phenicians against the Spaniards made that the Seat of War which soon drew on a greater Design for Hamilco and Hanno being impowr'd by the Senate at Carthage manag'd the War in Spain Both of them were ambitious to discover new Countreys Hamilco sail'd along the Coast of Spain and Gaule reaching to Batavia Hanno steer'd Southerly Very remarkable Voyage of Hanno the Carthaginian along the Coast of Africa to the Salt-Islands carrying thirty thousand Men of all Trades in his Fleet purposing to build a new City in some place or other and got beyond the Promontory Ampelusium now call'd Cabo Spatil the River Ziloa which washeth the City Arzilla and the Stream Lix now Lusso where the Poets place the Gardens of the Hesperides in the custody of a waking Dragon From thence proceeding on his Voyage he came to an Anchor in the Mouth of the River Subur at this day call'd Subu and afterwards before the City Sala now call'd Salle at that time made very dangerous by the voracious Beasts in the neighboring Woods At last the Fleet reach'd the Foot of the
since found by credible Navigators and therefore we cannot depend on Zeno's Discovery The Ameriecan Tongue is nothing like the Norwegian John de Laet accounts it a great mistake in Grotius that as a testimony of the Americans original out of Norway he compares their Languages He reckons up some Places to be Northward of Panama which end their words with the syllable Lan in stead of Land because the Spaniards have left out the Letter D at the end thereof It is certain that in the Northern America lie Cimatlan Coatlan Guescolan Artlan Quaxutatlan Icatlan Tapatlan Cinacatlan Tenuchitlan Comitlan Metzitlan Guatitlan Necotitlan Curcatatlan Besides that most of these Names are not of Countreys but of Towns and Villages and therefore no ways fitting to have the termination of Land and it is well known that many ny American words end with Lan which signifie nothing less than Land for the Mexicans say Puertatitlan which signifies At the Gate below Ochachitlantzitlan Yet lower Tenoxtitlan this City is also call'd from her Founder Mexis Mexico that is Rests on a Rock Moreover it may not without reason seem strange to any that the Northern Americans have remembred but three Cities out of all the Teutonick Tongue viz. Lan in stead Land Groenland when discovered Concerning Groenland through which the Norwegians are thought to have travell'd to America Lysander witnesseth Serm. 3. Antiq. Daâ—â—â— That it was accidentally discover'd by one Eric Rauder Anno 987. and planted thirteen years after Olaus King of Norway plac'd two Bishops over the new Inhabitants as Substitutes to the Archbishop of Dronthen For four Ages they Sail'd frequently to Groenland but since their King was impoverish'd by War they left off that Trade We find not in any Author that the Norwegians which liv'd along the Sea-shore ever went to seek a Way over the inaccessible Snowy Mountains of Groenland to this our New World Besides Grotius stands for the Norwegians as Planters upon testimony of the Mexicans themselves who told the Spaniards That their Ancestors which planted there came from the North first setling themselves on Estotiland where to this day there are not improbable proofs by several remarks that they were a Norwegian Colony The opinion conceâ—â—â—â— the City Norumbega 〈◊〉 America In the American City Norumbega live a People that speak the same Language and observe the same Customs with the Mexicans In this by-Corner are found also some Alavards or Longobards or Lombards as they say Now the Spaniards call that New Mexico because last discover'd though indeed the old cramm'd with People eight hundred years since for the Mexicans of New Mexico do not lie so far Northerly as to the North-west for this Mexico lies in sight of California which is believ'd to border on Tartary or at least separated from it by a narrow Channel But Norumbega if ever such a Place was must according to the West-Indian Records have been situate where a part of New France lies now planted by the English between which and New Mexico lies an almost unmeasurable vast Tract of Land Mean while here is not the least sign of this City Norumbega to be found neither do the Inhabitants dwell in Cities but live in Tents or moveable Villages which change their Names as oft as their Governors Moreover the Norwegians could not get to this Norumbega by Land through Ysland and Groenland to Estotiland because of the vast Bays and great Midland-Sea discover'd by the English in their North-western Discoveries so that leaving Estotiland it was altogether impossible for them to come to Norumbega Hereto may be added what the Mexicans say of themselves who acknowledge That travelling from the North they did not find an un-inhabited Countrey before them but were forc'd to make their Way by a long and bloody War with the Chichimecen a salvage People Chichimecen that knew neither Laws or Religion The People also dwelling opposite to California differ from the Customs of the Mexicans being divided into several People of contrary Constitutions and as different Languages They are so much inclin'd to Gaming that they venture their Liberty at it Every one is satisfi'd with one Wife except some of the Nobility which oftentimes have more They throw up high Banks in several places to damm out the Sea believe the Immortality of the Soul every one eats at a peculiar Table most of them go naked onely caver their Pudenda with a Cloth some Sacrifice and eat Mans-flesh all which according to Tacitus Pliny Lucan and other Roman Writers was observ'd by the antient Germans from whom those that inhabit between the Norwegian Mountains were extracted These Allegations to make the Norwegians to be the Parents of the Northern Americans John de Laet thus contradicts It no ways follows that one People take original from the other because here and there are several words found that have the same signification and sound in divers Countreys much less when they must either add change or diminish several Letters Moreover there is no small mistake in the compar'd words for Pagod is not us'd all over America the East-Indians about the River Indus call their Idol-Temples Pagod or Pagode the word Guaira is no where us'd in America but by the Peruvians and with them not signifying a Fan but a little Oven neither is Ilama a Lamb for before the coming of the Spaniards thither neither Sheep nor Lambs were ever seen in Peru but a Wool-bearing Beast thus describ'd by Joseph de Acosta A description of the strange Beast Ilama in Peru. Ilama says he a four-footed Creature furnishes its Master with Meat and Clothing and supplies the office of a Beast for Burthens and at no charge for Hay nor Provender well satisfi'd with what he finds in the Ways or Mountains But the Ilama's are of two sorts either woolly or short-hair'd the first go by the Name Pacos the other Moromoro being not much less than a Calf with a long Neck like a Camel but of several colours for some are white some black and others speckled having an odd Look especially when they are ty'd and stand still without any motion staring with goggle-eyes on their Owners Sometimes in a moody humor upon a sudden taking a freak they run up to the top of almost inaccessible Mountains where both the frantick Beast and his Burthen are loft The Pacos sometimes likewise takes sudden Pets and fustian Fits often doing the forward Supersalt tumbling over and over with their Goods and will not be rais'd their moodiness continuing with beating nay though they cut them to pieces but the best way is to sit down by them and wait some hours till their humor being spent they rise again of their own accords These Beasts are much inclin'd to a Disease call'd Carashe or the Mange of which they generally die and because the Disease is very catching they straight bury the infected alive so the better to preserve the rest Grotius also mistakes when
the Straights of Magellan and Le-Mayr Relatie de Terra Australe Peter Fernandes de Quir relates That he and a Commander Lodowick Paes le Torres saw a part of the South Countrey and in it innumerable Inhabitants Whites The Description of the unknown South Blacks Sallows with long black curl'd Woolly and yellow Hair They know no Walls or Fortresses for Defence Laws or Kings but are divided into Tribes They use indeed Bows Arrows Clubs and a kind of Spears Their Houses are cover'd with Palm-Tree-Leaves their Housholdstuff consists onely of a few Earthen Pots and such Trinkets yet they have some little skill in Weaving and though they gonaked pride themselves in Neck-Laces and Bracelets made of Mother of Pearl But these for their Complexions and Constitution of Body Customs and manners are rather deriv'd from the Americans than they from them and therefore we must seek for their Original from the North from which are but two ways one from Ysland and Groenland which Grotius endeavors to prove but contradicted the other out of Tartary which certainly was the first Nursery from whence the Americans were Transplanted Description of Tartary Tartary or Tattary so call'd from the River Tatter which runs thorow the Countrey Mongul into the Northern Ocean covers a great part of the Terrestrial Globe the lesser Tartary makes out a considerable part of Europe the greater is Asia This great Tartary which is a thousand Leagues long and six hundred broad reckons five chief Provinces viz. the wild Tartary inhabited by Herdsmen Sagatai of which the Metropolis is Samarcand famous for the mighty Tamerlane next Turkestan then Kitai which the great Cham Commands and lastly Old Tartary according to Andreas Caesariensis the habitation of Gog and Magog Now we must enquire from what Tartars the Americans are Extracted Mornaeus Postellus Genebrardus Poterus and others are of opinion Thrian l. 67. That the Tartars which about the year 1228. under the Command of Zingis Cham overspread the Earth like a deluge were the Successors of the ten Tribes of Israel which were carry'd into captivity to Assyria by Salmanazar If the Israelites were Tartars The name Tartary or rather Tattaria seems to be some testimony thereof because it signifies in the Syrian or Hebrew Tongue Remnants or Remainders as seemingly because these Tartarians were remainders of the foremention'd Tribes nay the Northern Tartary Herdsmen preserve to this day the Names Dan Zabulon and Naphthali Wherefore we need not to admire why so many Jews are found in Russia Sarmatia and Liefland nay the nearer to Tartary the mote Jews there are Circumcision hath a long time been observ'd among them before Mahomet brought in his new Law it seems that Mahomet order'd the Circumcision and other Laws according to Moses to be observ'd by the Northern people because that in his time they began to Rebel that so they might the better be kept in awe by their new Religion Joannes Leonclavius relates That in Liefland near Riga Pand. Hist Turtica he heard the wilde Natives call'd Letti not without great admiration go crying along the High-Ways and Fields with a doleful voice Jeru Jeru Masco lou It is believ'd that they mourn for Jerusalem and Damascus but by their long continuance in the vast Wildernesses they have forgot their Religion and Laws and what else might enable to tell us who they were Several learned Authors question this removal of the Israelites out of Assyria to Tartary though to our Judgement their Arguments are too weak to take from them of the footing they have gotten there yet nevertheless the Israelites are not to be taken for the Planters of America for why else is not Judaisme as well found in America as in Tartary But it is already shewn that America was inhabited long before the dispersion of the Israelites Americans are not deriv'd from Africa nor Europe Now to shut up all it is evident that the first Planters of America were not Europeans from the dissimilitude of the People both in their Complexions Language and Persons nor Africans because that in all the far spreading Countrey of America not one Negro is to be found except a few near the River Martha in the little Territory Quarequa which must by Storm be drove thither from the Guinny Coast But Asia and chiesly out of Tartary So that Asia the Mother of all People onely remains to be Implanter of our America whose Western Coast opposite to Asia is more inhabited than to the East where it respects Europe Tartary is not parted from America by the Straights of Anian Moreover Armenia out of which by Noah's Progeny the whole Earth was re-peopled borders on Scythia now call'd Tartary and Tartary faces America separated onely by the Straights of Anian though some are of opinion that out of the South into the Frozen Sea there is no passage thorow these Straights else as we have already prov'd the contrary how came all those Voracious and Poysonous Beasts into America if it be clearly separated from Asia by Sea It deserves here to be related what happen'd to Henry Cornelison Schaep and William Byleveld Sailing from Batavia to discover the Tartarick River Polysange but were taken and carry'd Prisoners to the Japan Court at Jedo being Commanded there by Order of the Councel to give an account of a Japan Map or Card which was laid before them and contain'd the Provinces of Japan Amboina the Molucca Islands Manilha the South-Sea Borneo Celebes Malacca Tartary Formosa Corea and the vast and Mountainous Countrey or Desart of Jesso separated from Japan by the Straights of Sungar though toward the North it joyns to Japan in the Province of Ochio and beginning in forty seven degrees run North-East towards America but they could not possible find the Straights of Anian but on the contrary the Promontory of Tartary viz. the Province Kataya or Katui lay in the same parallel with the Northern America Hereto may be added that Asia hath no Territory any where which may more easily with numerous Colonies supply America than this part of Tartary as well for the vastness of the Countrey to which no other can compare as for the increasing of the Inhabitants Who doth not admire that according to Michalon Lithouwer Ennead 9. l. 6. Testimonies that the Americans are Tartars there is scarce a City in Tartary that boasted less than a thousand Temples and to see Canguista first King of Tartary about the Year 1200. in Arms and his Successor Hoccata following his Fathers bloody Footsteps whilst he prepar'd his Sons with three vast Armies The eldest Son Jachis March'd Westward with thirty thousand Horse Batho drew with as great an Army towards the North Tagladais being the youngest fell into the Moores Countrey above Egypt Hoccata himself March'd victoriously into the North America subdu'd great part of the Persian Kingdom and beat the Turks led by the General Goniata with a great Army Anno
van Noord set sail with four Ships and two hundred forty eight Men from the Maes Having reach'd the Princes Island he lost seven of his Men by the Treachery of the Portuguese and Anchoring before the City Javeiro he was no better entertain'd by the same Nation Here having a Rencounter and both Sides receiving considerable Loss he steer'd for St. Sebastian a fruitful Island producing an Herb very wholesom against the Scurvey Here the Sea-men found great store of Sea-Mews and Parrots besides several sorts of delicious Fish The approaching Winter advis'd them from entring the Straights of Magellan so late wherefore they judg'd it best to seek a convenient Harbor to put their Sick ashore to refresh themselves The Island St. Hellen for its fruitfulness seem'd to be the most convenient for this purpose but a great Storm preventing them they came to St. Clara where taking in Fresh Water they cast Anchor in Porto Desire Porto Desire In this Haven they saw a kind of Sea-Dogs Sea-Dogs whose fore-parts being overgrown with long Hair seem'd like a Lyon and the Feet like Mens Hands over their Eyes and Upper-lips grew black and white Hair which in Stormy Weather stands staring upright but in Calm lies flat and smooth they Urine backwards sleep very soundly and cast their Young every Month Their Flesh well-boyl'd prov'd a savory Dish Van Noord going ashore here saw not a Man Strange Tombs but only Burying-places on high Rocks built of red Stones and adorn'd both within and without with Bowes Arrows and other strange things Under the Heads of the Dead lay four-square Shells and other things artificially carv'd Curiosity made them desirous to make a further search into the Countrey wherefore he rowed during a whole Tide up a River and when their Boat ran aground at the time of Ebb he walk'd several Leagues up into the Countrey where he saw nothing but Deer Buffles and Ostriches and because he saw no People he judg'd the Coast to be uninhabited but returning again he found it otherwise for the Sea-men though commanded to stay in the Boat which lay in the middle of the River went ashore where they were so fiercely set upon by thirty of the Natives that three of them were kill'd and another wounded in the Leg. These People are very strong and Salvage with painted Faces and long Hair but after this Encounter they saw no more of them But van Noord having spent fourteen Months in search and lost a hundred Men set sail again with three Ships for one of them being the Unity he burnt at the Island Clara where he Winter'd because of a great Leak which could not be stopp'd Here they brought five thousand Fowls aboard which much increased their Stock of Provisions From hence passing the Wide Ocean into the Straights of Magellan four times the Fleet attempted to go into the South-Sea and was as often driven back by cross Weather into the Straights but the fifth time prov'd more successful for having got through and left the Straights a handsom way astern they discover'd two Islands from one of which the Sea-men going aland brought four Boys and two Girls who afterward instructed in their Tongue inform'd them concerning the scituation of the Countreys thereabout Philip-Stadt forsaken through famine After that the Fleet Sail'd into Hungers Haven where they found the ruines of the deserted Philip-Stadt which Captain Thomas Candish had seen fourteen years before fortifi'd with four Bulwarks but now onely some Houses a Church and a Gibbet were standing Four hundred Spaniards built that City as a Key to the Straights of Magellan But all their Provisions being spent in three years time and no relief coming from Spain and what they Sow'd expecting the hopes of a Harvest the Salvages coming down by night destroy'd which caus'd so great a Famine to rage amongst them that many dy'd not so much as putting off their Clothes who lying in the Houses unbury'd occasion'd such a stench in the City that the remainder fled into the Field where they liv'd a whole year by the Fruits of the Trees Herbs and Roots At last three and twenty of them amongst which were two Women remaining yet alive resolv'd to travel to the River La Plata and accordingly set forward bur what became of them could never yet be heard only one Ferdinando that was of that company accidentally wandring from the rest happen'd to light upon Candish's Fleet. Here Van Noord set on Shore the Vice-Admiral Jacob Claeszoon Ilpendam for some crimes which he had committed and leaving him behind Sail'd from thence thorow the South-Sea along the Coast of Chili and Mocha Mocha what kind of Island which Island of a considerable bigness rises in the middle with a forked Mountain from which a convenient River comes flowing down into the Countrey The Inhabitants conducted the Hollanders to their Village consisting of about fifty Houses built of Straw but were forbid to go into their Huts Upon the Mens call the Women appear'd which being divided into three parties humbly kneel'd down before them and soon after an old Woman brought an Earthen Can full of Cica Cica a strange Drink a Liquor made of Mays whose extracted Juyce boyl'd and put into Tubs ferments like our Beer or Ale with a cap of Barm with which they treated the Hollanders who drinking moderately were well refresh'd but the Natives will ply this Liquor till they make themselves Distracted and are mad Drunk Van Noord takes a Spanish Ship From hence Van Noord steer'd his course to Sancta Maria where in his way he took a Spanish Ship call'd Buon Jesus that is Good Jesus and receiv'd intelligence from the Prisoners that the Admiral Simon de Cordes with twenty three Men was kill'd by the Americans on the Promontory Lavapia being the head Land or Point opposite to St. Maries that a year since tydings were brought to Lima of his Fleet so that they had made all things ready to withstand him But Van Noord hinder'd by strong contrary Winds not able to reach Sancta Maria stood directly for St. Jago in whose Haven lay a great Spanish Ship full of Indians and two other going in which two he set on Fire and the third he Tow'd towards his Fleet repenting extremely that he had given liberty and set Francisco de Ivarro Commander of the Buon Jesus ashore because he afterwards understood from the Spanish Pilot that Ivarra threw ten thousand two hundred pound weight of Gold pack'd in fifty two Cases over-board when he observ'd that he was like to loose his Ship The Fleet Sailing forward came to an Anchor before the Thieves-Island whose Inhabitants are very light Finger'd go stark naked and are of great strength they found the Women much Disfigur'd their Noses Lips and Cheek-bones eaten by the French Pox. In the Bay La Baya the Dutch Admiral with a Spanish Flag on his top-Mast Performs great things sent one of his Sea-men in
built The Governor hath a House there call'd St. John's the Chancellor Mr. Philip Calvert his Lordships Brother hath another and in this place is built and kept the Secretaries Office where all the Records are kept all Process Grants for Lands Probates of Wills Letters of Administration are issu'd out the Plat of a Fort and Prison is lately laid there upon a point of Land term'd Windmil-Point from a Windmil which formerly stood there the situation is proper for that it commands the breadth of the said River of Saint Georges so that when it is finish'd all Shipping may safely Ride before the Town without the least fear of any sudden Assault or Attempt of Pirats or other Enemy whatsoever This City has formerly been the usual place of abode for his Lordships Lieutenants and their Retinue but of late years the present Governor Mr. Charles Calvert hath built himself a fair House of Brick and Timber with all Out-houses and other Offices thereto belonging at a place call'd Mattapany near the River of Patuxent before-mention'd where he and his Family reside being a pleasant healthful and commodious Seat about eight Miles by Land distant from St. Maries Of the Indians in Maryland The Indians in Mary-land ate a People generally of streight able and well proportion'd Bodies something exceeding the ordinary pitch of the English their Complexion Swarthy their Hair naturally long and black without Curle which generally they cut after some strange Fantastical Mode nay sometimes they Dye it with red and other preposterous Colours They Liquor their Skins with Bears Grease and other Oyls which renders them more tawny and less apt to receive injury from the Weather They are subtile from their Infancy and prone to learn any thing their Fancy inclines them to in other things slothful There are as many distinct Nations among them as there are Indian Towns which are like Countrey-Villages in England but not so good Houses dispers'd throughout the Province Each Town hath its King by them term'd Werowance and every forty or fifty Miles distance differs much from its Neighbors in Speech and Disposition The Sasquahanocks though but few in number yet much exceed the rest in Valor and Fidelity to the English the rest being generally of a more Treacherous Spirit and not so stout and the number of the English do already exceed all the Indians in the Province The Werowance is assisted by Councellors call'd Wisoes who are commonly of the same Family and are chosen at the pleasure of the Werowance They have Captains in time of War which they term Cockorooses Most of their Governments are Monarchical except the Sasquabanocks which is a Re-publick but for succession they have a peculiar Custom that the Issue of the Males never succeed but the Issue-Male of the Female succeed in Government as the surer side They all submit to and are protected by the Lord Proprietaries Government and in case of any Assault or Murder committed on any English the Party offending is try'd by the Laws of the Province and in case of any new Election of King or Emperor among them they present the Person so Elected to the Governor for the time being who as he sees cause either alters or confirms their Choice In the Year 1663. at the Indians Request the present Governor Mr. Charles Calvert and some others of his Lordships Privy-Council there went to Pascatoway in this Province to be present at the Election of a new Emperor for that Nation They presented a Youth nam'd Nattawasso and humbly Requested to have him confirm'd Emperor of Pascatoway by the Name of Wahocasso which after some charge given them in general to be good and faithful Subjects to him the Governor accordingly did and receiv'd him into his Protection They pay great Respect and Obedience to their Kings and Superiors whose Commands they immediately Execute though with an apparent hazard of their Lives The Mens chief employment is Hunting and the Wars in both which they commonly use Bowes and Arrows some of late have Guns and other Weapons by a private Trade with some English Neighboring Plantations They are excellent Marks-men it being the onely thing they breed their Youth to The Women Plant and look after the Corn make their Bread and dress what Provisions their Husbands bring home Their way of Marriage is by agreement with the Womens Parents or Friends who for a certain Sum of their Money or other Goods deliver her to the Man at a day appointed which is commonly spent in jollity Their Money There are two sorts of Indian Money Wampompeage and Roanoack these serve among them as Gold and Silver do in Europe both are made of Fish-shells which they string like Beads Wampompeage is the largest Bead sixty whereof countervails an Arms length of Roanoack which is valued at six Pence Sterling with this they purchase Commodities of the English as Trading-Cloth c. of which they make themselves Mantles which is something shaggy and is call'd Dutch Duffels this is their Winter Habit in Summer they onely wear a narrow slip of the same to cover those parts which natural modesty teaches them to conceal the better sort have Stockings made thereof and pieces of Deer-Skin stitch'd together about their Feet in stead of Shooes The Womens Apparel is the same but those of the best Quality among them bedeck themselves with Wampompeage or Roanoack or some other toy Manner of habitation Their Houses are rais'd about the height of a large Arbor and cover'd with Barks of Trees very tite in the middle whereof is the Fire-place they lie generally upon Mats of their own making plac'd round the Fire a Woodden-bowl or two an Earthen Pot and a Mortar and Pestle is their chiefest Houshold-stuff he that hath his Bowe and Arrows or Gun a Hatchet and a Canoo a term they use for Boats is in their minds rarely well provided for each House contains a distinct Family each Family hath its peculiar Field about the Town where they Plant their Corn and other sorts of Grain afore-mention'd Civility to the English They are courteous to the English if they chance to see any of them coming towards their Houses they immediately meet him half-way conduct him in and bid him welcome with the best Cates they have The English giving them in like manner civil Entertainment according to their Quality The Werowance of Patuxent having been Treated for some days at St. Maries by the then Governor Mr. Leonard Calvert his Lordships Brother at his first coming thither to settle that Colony took his leave of him with this Expression I love the English so well that if they should go about to kill me if I had so much breath as to speak I would Command my People not to revenge my death for I know they would not do such a thing except it were through my own default In Affairs of concern they are very considerate and use few words in declaring their
intentions for at Mr. Leonard Calverts first arrival there the Werowance of Pascatoway being ask'd by him Whether he would be content that the English should fit down in his Countrey return'd this answer That he would not bid him go neither would he bid him stay but that he might use his own discretion These were their expressions to the Governor at his first entrance into Mary-land whom then they were jealous of whether he might prove a Friend or a Neighbor but by his discreet Demeanor towards them at first and friendly usage of them afterwards they are now become not only civil but serviceable to the English there upon all occasions The Indians of the Eastern shore are most numerous and were formerly very refractory whom Mr. Leonard Calvert some few years after his first settling the Colony was forc'd to reduce and of late the Emperor of Nanticoke and his Men were deservedly defeated by the present Governor Mr. Charles Calvert who reduc'd him about the year 1668. which has since tam'd the ruder sort of the neighboring Indians who now by experience find it better to submit and be protected by the Lord Proprietaries Government than to make any vain attempt against his Power These People live under no Law but that of Nature and Reason which notwithstanding leads them to the acknowledgement of a Deity whom they own to be the Giver of all good things wherewith their Life is maintain'd and to him they Sacrifice the first Fruits of the Earth and of that which they acquire by Hunting and Fishing The Sacrifice is perform'd by their Priests who are commonly ancient Men and profess themselves Conjurers they first make a Speech to their God then burn part and eat and distribute the rest among them that are present until this Ceremony be ended they will not touch one bit thereof they hold the Immortality of the Soul and that there is a place of Joy and another of Torment after Death prepar'd for every one according to their Merits They bury their Dead with strange expressions of Sorrow the better sort upon a Scaffold erected for that end whom they leave cover'd with Mats and return when his flesh is consum'd to Interr his Bones the common sort are committed to the Earth without that Ceremony but they never omit to bury some part of their Wealth Arms and Houshold-stuff with the Corps SECT IV. Virginia NOVA VIRGINIAE TABULA Notarum Explicatio Domus Regum Ordinariae Domus Incubrationes Anglos Milliaria Germanica communia April 9. 1585. Sir Richard Greenvil with seven Sail and several Gentlemen left Plymouth and on May 26. Anchor'd at Wokokon but made their first Seat at Roanoack on August 17. following which lies in thirty six Degrees of Northerly Latitude or thereabouts where they continu'd till June 1586. during which time they made several Discoveries in the Continent and adjacent Islands and being endanger'd by the treachery of the Salvages return'd for England and Landed at Portsmouth on July 27. following Sir Walter Rawleigh and his Associates in the year 1586. sent a Ship to relieve that Colony which had deserted the Countrey some while before and were all return'd for England as is before-mention'd Some few days after they were gone Sir Rirchard Greenvil with three Ships arriv'd at the Plantation at Roanoack which he found deserted and leaving fifty Men there to keep Possession of that Countrey return'd for England The year following Mr. John White with three Ships came to search for the fifty English at Roanoack but found them not they having been set upon by the Natives and dispers'd so as no News could be heard of them and in their room left a hundred and fifty more to continue that Plantation In August 1589. Mr. John White went thither again to search for the last Colony which he had left there but not finding them return'd for England in Septemb. 6. 1590. This ill Success made all further Discoveries to be laid aside till Captain Gosnol on March 26. 1602. set Sail from Dartmouth and on May 11. following made Land at a place where some Biscaners as he guess'd by the Natives information had formerly fish'd being about the Latitude of forty eight Degrees Northerly Latitude from hence putting to Sea he made Discovery of an Island which he call'd Marthas Vineyard and shortly after of Elizabeth's Isle and so return'd for England June 18. following In the Year 1603. the City of Bristol rais'd a Stock and furnish'd out two Barques for Discovery under the Command of Captain Martin Pring who about June 7. fell with the North of Virginia in the three and fortieth Degree found plenty of good Fish nam'd a place Whitson-Bay and so return'd In the Year 1605. the Right Honorable Thomas Arundel the first Baron of Warder and Count of the Roman Empire set out Captain George Waymouth with twenty nine Sea-men and necessary Provisions to make what Discoveries he could who by contrary Winds fell Northward about one and forty Degrees and twenty Minutes of Northerly Latitude where they found plenty of good Fish and Sailing further discover'd an Island where they nam'd a Harbor Pentecost-Harbor and on July 18. following came back for England In the Year 1606. by the sollicitation of Captain Gosnol and several Gentlemen a Commission was granted by King James of Great Brittain c. for establishing a Council to direct those new Discoveries Captain Newport a well practic'd Marriner was intrusted with the Transportation of the Adventurers in two Ships and a Pinace who on Decemb. 19. 1606. set Sail from Black-wall and were by Storm contrary to expectation cast upon the first Land which they call'd Cape Henry at the Mouth of the Bay of Chesapeack lying in thirty seven Degrees or thereabouts of Northerly Latitude Here their Orders were open'd and read and eight declar'd of the Council and impower'd to chose a President for a year who with the Council should Govern that Colony Till May 13. they sought a place to Plant in Mr. Winkfield was chose the first President who caus'd a Fort to be rais'd at Powhatan now call'd James-Town In June following Captain Newport return'd for England leaving a hundred Men behind him since which time they have been sufficiently supply'd from England and by the indefatigable Industry and Courage of Captain John Smith one of the Council at that time and afterward President of the Colony they made several Discoveries on the Eastern shore and up to the Head of the Bay of Chesapeack and of the principal Rivers which fall into the said Bay Virginia being thus Discover'd and Planted King James by his Letters Patent bearing Date April 10. in the fourth year of his Reign 1607. Granted Licence to Sir Thomas Gates Sir George Summers and others to divide themselves into two several Colonies for the more speedy Planting of that Countrey then call'd Virginia between the Degrees of thirty four and forty five of North Latitude that is to say taken in that large
extent mention'd in the beginning The first Colony to be undertaken by certain Knights Gentlemen and Merchants in and about the City of London The second to be undertaken and advanc'd by certain Knights Gentlemen and Merchants and their Associates in or about the City of Bristol Exon Plymouth and other parts At the first Colonies Request in the seventh year of the same King a second Patent was Granted to several Noblemen and Gentlemen including Sir Thomas Gates and some of his former Fellow-Patentees bearing Date May 23. 1610. whereby they were made a Corporation and Body Politique and stil'd The Treasurer and Company of Adventurers and Planters of the City of London for the first Colony of Virginia And by this Patent there was Granted to them their Successors and Assigns two hundred Miles to the Southward from a Cape of Land in Virginia call'd Point Comfort and two hundred Miles to the Northward of the said Cape along the Sea-shore and into the Land from Sea to Sea And on March 12. 1612. the said King in the ninth year of his Reign Grants them a third Patent of all Islands lying in the Sea within two hundred Miles of the Shore of that Tract of Land on the Continent granted to them by the said former Patent Jac. 7. In the Year 1615. Captain Smith procur'd by his Interest at Court and the King's Favor a Recommendation from His Majesty and divers of the Nobility to all Cities and Corporations to Adventure in a standing Lottery which was erected for the benefit of this Plantation which was contriv'd in such a manner that of 100000. Pounds which was to be put in 50000. onely or one half was to return to the Adventurers according as the Prizes fell out and the other half to be dispos'd of for the Promotion of the Affairs of Virginia in which though it were three years before it was fully accomplish'd he had in the end no bad Success In the eighteenth Year of the said King's Reign at the Request of the second Colony a Patent was Granted to several Noblemen and Gentlemen of all that Tract of Land lying in the parts of America between the Degrees of forty and forty eight of Northerly Latitude and into the Land from Sea to Sea which was call'd by the Patent New England in America For the better Government whereof one Body-Politick and Corporate was thereby appointed and ordain'd in Plymouth consisting of the said Noblemen Gentlemen and others to the number of forty Persons by the Name of The Council establish'd at Plymouth in the County of Devon for the Planting Ruling Ordering and Governing of New England im America The Patent of Virginia made void The Miscarriages and Misdemeanors of the aforesaid Corporation for the first Colony of Virginia were so many and so great that His said Majesty was forc'd in or about October 1623. to direct a Quo Warranto for the calling in of that former Patent which in Trinity Term following was legally Evinc'd Condemn'd and made Void by Judgment in the Court of the then Kings-Bench as also all other Patents by which the said Corporation claim'd any Interest in Virginia Thus this Corporation of the first Colony of Virginia was dissolv'd and that Plantation hath been since Govern'd and Dispos'd of by Persons Constituted and Impower'd for that purpose from time to time by immediate Commissions from the Kings of England The Patent of Mary-land granted to the Lord Baltem re In the Year of our Lord 1631. the Right Honorable George Lord Baltemore obtain'd a Grant of King Charles the First of Great Britain c. of part of that Land to the Northward which is now call'd Mary-land but this Patent of Mary-land was not perfected till 1632. as you may understand more fully by the precedent Discourse of Mary-land which by express words in the said Patent is separated from and thereby declar'd not to be reputed for the future any part of Virginia The Patent Carolina granted to several Noble Persons And in the fifteenth Year of the Reign of King Charles the Second of Great Britain c. on March 24. 1663. Edward Earl of Clarendon then High-Chancellor of England George Duke of Albemarle William now Earl of Craven John Lord Berkley Anthony Lord Ashley Sir George Carterett Knight and Baronet Sir William Berkley Knight and Sir John Colleton Knight and Baronet obtain'd a Patent from His Majesty of the Province of Carolina which lies to the Southward of Virginia in which is included some part of that Land which formerly belong'd to the said dissolv'd Company of Virginia So that Virginia at present extendeth it self onely and is situated between thirty six and thirty seven Degrees and fifty Minutes or thereabouts of Northern Latitude and is bounded on the North by Mary-land on the South by Carolina on the East by the Ocean and on the West by the South-Seas The Entrance by Sea into this Countrey is the same with that of Mary-land between Cape Henry and Cape Charles plac'd on each side of the Mouth of the Bay of Chesapeak Rivers of Virginia on the West side whereof you first meet with a pleasant and commodious River call'd James-River about three Miles wide at its Entrance and Navigable a hundred and fifty Fourteen Miles from this River Northward lies York-River which is Navigable sixty or seventy Miles but with Ketches and small Barques thirty or forty Miles farther Passing hence to the North you discover a third stately River call'd Rappahanock which is Navigable about a hundred and thirty Miles from whence following the Shore to the North you enter into Patomeck-River which is already describ'd in the precedent Discourse of Mary-land to which Province this River belongs whose Southerly Bank gives Bounds to that part of Virginia and Mary-land To these Rivers many other Inland Branches and Rivulets are reduc'd the chief of which are hereafter specifi'd Nature of the Countrey The Countrey is generally even the Soil fruitful the Climate healthful and agreeable with English Constitutions especially since the increase of Inhabitants and accommodation of good Diet and Lodging which the first Planters found great want of heretofore For many years till of late most New-comerâ— had the first Year in July and August a Disease which is call'd A Seasoning whereof many died like to what is mention'd before in the Description of Mary-land though more mortal and common than in Mary-land because Virgina is a lower Countrey and somewhat hotter insomuch that formerly divers ill of that Distemper have come purposely from Virginia to Mary-land to recover their Health but now since the Countrey is more open and clear from Wood few die of it and many have no Seasonings at all This Countrey affordeth generally all such Roots Herbs Gums and Balsoms as are express'd before in the Relation of Mary-land All sorts of Trees for Building and Husbandry Trees Fruit-Trees Vines c. are found in both Countreys equal in goodness
so made are in Force there till His Majesty thinks fit to alter them The Chief Court of Judicature is call'd The Quarter-Court because it is held every quarter of a Year where all Causes Criminal and Civil are heard and determin'd and the Judges of this Court are the Governor and Council The present Governor in this Year 1671. is Sir William Berkley who was made Governor by King Charles the First of Great Brittain c. in the Year 1640. And those of the Council are Sir Henry Chichesly who is one of the greatest and most considerable Planters there and Mr. Edward Diggs before-mention'd Mr. Thomas Ludwel Secretary Major-General Robert Smith and divers other worthy Gentlemen That part of the Countrey where the English are Planted is divided into nineteen Counties viz. Northampton-County in Acomack on the Eastern shore and on the Western shore Corotuck Lower-Norfolk Nansemund Isle of Wight Surry Warwick Henerico James Charles York New-Kent Gloucester Middlesex Lancaster Northumberland Westmoreland Rappahanock and Harford-Counties In every one of these Counties there are inferior County-Courts kept every Moneth these take no Cognizance of Causes relating to Life or Member or exceeding a certain limited Value such being refer'd to the Quarter-Courts only to which likewise there lie Appeals from their Inferior Courts There are Sheriffs Justices of the Peace and other Officers in every respective County appointed by the Governor for the Administration of Justice who sit there according to his Order and whereof these County-Courts are chiefly compos'd There are few Towns as yet erected in this Colony the Principal Seat of the English there is at a place call'd James-City in Honor of King James of Great Brittain c. This is situated in a Peninsula on the North side of James-River and has in it many fair Brick and other good Houses In this place are held the Quarter-Courts General Assemblies the Secretary's Office and all other Affairs and greatest Concerns of the Colony are here dispatch'd On the same side nearer the Mouth of this River stands Elizabeth-City containing also several good Houses of Brick and Timber Sir William Berkley the present Governor resides at a place somewhat distant from James-City call'd Green-Spring a fair Brick House which he himself caus'd to be built The other Towns of Note belonging to the English only Henricopolis or Henry's-Town so nam'd from Prince Henry then living built in a very convenient place more within Land about eighty Miles distant from james-James-City and Dale's-Gift so nam'd and Planted at the Charges of Sir Thomas Dale Deputy-Governor of the Countrey about the Year 1610. Of the Indians of Virginia The Indians of Virginia in Stature Complexion and Disposition differ very little from those of Mary-land Their Laws and Customs their way of Living and Apparel their Religion Money and manner of Burial are the same in both places all which are more particularly express'd in the precedent Description of that Province to which we refer the Reader Yet these Indians far exceed those of Mary-land in Treachery and Cruelty to the English there as will appear by this following Relation of their Proceedings towards them since the first Seating of that Colony wherein nevertheless the Civility of some particular Persons at their first Landing is not to be omitted Transactions between the English and the Natives Upon the first arrival of Captain Amidas and Captain Barlow in Wingandacoa now Virginia they were accosted by Granganimeo the King's Brother of that Countrey who attended with a Train of forty or fifty Men came in a very civil manner to Treat about a Commerce of Trade and Traffick which immediately began between them and several Barters were made Granganimeo who was very just of his Word and always kept his promis'd Day of meeting fancying most a Pewter Dish gave twenty Deer-skins for it and boring a Hole therein hung it about his Neck for a Breast-plate afterwards he with his whole Company and his Wife and Children frequently and familiarly did eat and drink aboard the English Ships the King himself call'd Wingina lying sick at his chief Town six days Journey off of a dangerous Wound which he had receiv'd from a neighboring King his mortal Enemy Some of the English going to Land upon the Isle of Roanoack were met by Granganimeo's Wife who her Husband being absent commanded her Servants some to draw their Boat ashore some to carry them on their Backs to Land others to carry in their Oars into the House for fear of stealing and having caus'd a great Fire to be made to warm them and to dry those that had been wet in their Voyage she afterwards Entertain'd them with a very plentiful Feast or Banquet after that Countrey fashion and when they took alarm at the coming of two or three of her Men with Bowes and Arrows she caus'd the Bowes to be broken and the Men to be beaten out of the House besides several other demonstrations of extraordinary civility and when notwithstanding all this they could not be perswaded to Lodge any where but in their Boat she us'd all means imaginable to make them quit their jealousie and accept of a Lodging in the House In the Year 1585. a Company that went over with Sir Richard Greenvill burnt the Town of Aquascogoc by reason of a Silver Cup that was stoln by some of the Indians took Prisoner Menatonon King of Chawonoc who gave a large Relation of another King about three days Journey off who possess'd an Island wonderfully rich in Pearl which was taken in great abundance in a deep Water that inviron'd it Going towards the Countrey of the Mangoacks among whom in the Province of Chaunis Temoatan they heard of a Mine of strange Copper call'd Wassador with Skiko the King of Chowonock's Son and Manteo a faithful Salvage for their Guide they were treacherously dealt with by Wingina alias Pemissapan for so his Brother Granganimeo being lately dead he had alter'd his Name who endeavor'd to stir up a Confederacy of the Chawonocks Moratocks and Mangoacks against them yet by the urgent perswasions of Ensenore his Father the truest Friend the English had after the death of Granganimeo and seeing them safe return'd from their Journey wherein he thought they had all perish'd and especially upon Menatonon's sending Messengers to them with Pearl and Okisco King of Weopomeock to yield himself Vassal to the Queen of England his Hatred was somewhat cool'd but Ensenore deceasing soon after he return'd to his old treacherous Practises again and in the end while he was contriving mischief against the Planters he himself was shot taken Prisoner and beheaded After the Company left upon Virginia by Sir Richard Greenwill for he himself was return'd tir'd out with hunger hardship and the many extremities they were at last reduc'd to had deserted the Place and obtain'd Passage for England through the civility of Sir Francis Drake pitying their distress fifty Men more were Landed upon Roanoack-Isle by the
largest In this Province is the Rio de lo Spirito Santo The Soyl though it produces Indian Wheat twice a year yet it is never Dung'd but when the Corn which is planted in March and June is in they burn the Weeds the Ashes of which serves them in stead of Soil The King divides the Corn according to every Mans Family In the Winter they dwell four Moneths in the Woods where they build small Huts of Palm-boughs feed on Venison smoak'd Fish and Crocodiles which have pure white Flesh and are caught after this manner Their manner of taking Crocodiles On the Shore of the Rivers they build little Houses full of round Holes in which they place a Watch who is to give notice to ten or twelve Associates cover'd all over with Boughs full of little sharp Prickles which they thrust into the Crocodiles Throat who with open Mouth comes running at them and so throwing him on his Back stick his Belly full of Arrows and kill him with Clubs But with more subtilty and art they take their Deer As also their Deer viz. They hide themselves unde a Stags Skin so cunningly that it seems as if living which they place near the Rivers where the Deer generally come to drink when on a sudden they shoot them Floridans though libidinous yet live long Their Priests serve in stead of Chirurgeons wherefore they always carry a Bag full of Herbs about with them which are chiefly good against venereal Distempers for these People are exceeding libidinous nay Sodomy and defiling of young Children is accounted no sin Yet though they are much inclin'd to Women they attain to a great Age. Rene Laudoniere Landing not far from the City Augustine situate on the Banks of the River May met with the Floridan Governor Saturiona who conducted him to the French King's Court of Arms erected two years before which Saturiona as a testimony of his zeal to the French had Crown'd with Laurel and Flowers Saturiona had with him also his Son Atoreus who had begotten divers Children on his Mother whom his Father after that time no more acknowledging resign'd her up wholly to him At which time also his great Grandfather being then living was above a hundred and fifty years old and saw his Childrens Children to the fifth Generation The Religion in Florida is abominable wicked and cruel Their horrid Religion When they return Conquerors from a Battel the old Women take off the dry'd Hair from the fore-mention'd Poles hold it aloft and thank the Sun for their Victory But the Offerings of their first-born Sons are terrible for they knock out their Brains with a Club in the presence of the King Their annual worshipping of the Sun is also very ridiculous for filling the Skin of a Stag full of sweet-smelling Herbs they hang the Horns and Neck with Garlands and carry it with the noise of their kind of Vocal and Instrumental Musick to a high Trunk or hollow Body of a Tree on which they place the stuff'd Stag with his Head towards the Sun which done they falling down desire that he would please to afford them plenty of all such Fruit as they Offer to him after which taking their leave they let the fore-mention'd Skin remain there till the following Year The Spaniards since their Defeat in the Fort Carolina and their Engagement with Sir Francis Drake Anno 1585. have had little disturbance on Florida Drake's Exploit on Florida Drake having burnt and plunder'd Domingo and Carthagena steer'd along the Coast of Florida and discover'd a Beacon on the same whereupon he sent out Spies who sail'd a League up a River on whose Banks they saw a Fort and somewhat higher the Town Augustine built full of woodden Houses all which being related to him he steer'd thither fir'd his Guns twice against the Fort St. John which the Spaniards answering onely with one Volley fled with their Commander Peter Menendez when the English prepar'd to Storm a Prisoner being a French-man came in a Boat from them to Drake and inform'd him that the Spaniards had left the City Augustine and Fort St. John to which Drake going found there Pallisado's of pleited Boughs cover'd with Earth and a Chest with two thousand Pound for the payment of the Soldiers and fourteen Brass Guns with which he set Sail from thence The Mountains of this Countrey are onely the Apalatei suppos'd by the Natives to have rich Mines of Gold in them and which the Spaniards saw but had not time nor other accommodation to stay and search them by reason they were so much wearied and wasted with a long March before they gat thither and found the People so stout and obstinate thereabouts that in stead of entertaining them with their Hens and Fowl as other places had done they were welcom'd with Blows and made to return leaving not a few of their best Soldiers behind Rivers there are many and those very large and commodious as 1â— Rio Secco or The Dry River so call'd by the Spaniards as some think because they could find no Gold in it 2. Rio Grande or The Great River 3. Ligeris 4. Garunna 5. Sequana c. These last so nam'd by the French who after the Spaniards for some time had but never held any long possession of the Countrey There are also Rio de Flores Rio de Nieves and Rio de Spirito Santo lesser Streams yet all of them with the rest falling at several places into the great Lake of Mexico and some of them not a little haunted by the Caymans or West-Indian Crocodiles a Creature as hath been said before dangerous both at Sea and Land The Natives who as yet hold Possession and Command of it for the most part are themselves generally sorted into certain Tribes or great Families all which are Govern'd severally by Chiefs of their own whom they call Paracoussi and by reason thereof are almost continually in Feud and War one with another The Towns and Places most known in this Province are 1. St. Helens seated on or near unto a Promontory of the same Name where this Countrey bordereth on Virginia 2. Fort Charles or Arx Carolina built and so nam'd by the French King but afterwards ruin'd by the Spaniards 3. Port Royal a well frequented Haven at the Mouth of a River which beareth the same Name More within Land there is 1. Apalache an old Town of the Natives formerly a Place of great resort but now a poor thing of about forty or fifty Cottages and yet as poor as it is Pamphilius Narvaez as before related when he search'd the Countrey found the Natives not willing to part with it for though he took it from them it was not without some resistance and they quickly recover'd it again and at the 2. nam'd Aute another old Town of theirs nine days March from the other they overtook him and fell so resolutely upon him that he left not a few of his best Soldiers dead
for Venison Amongst other Beasts is also the Teuthlacokauhqui or Fortress of the Serpents it hath a Head like an Adder thick Belly glittering Scales a black Back sprinkled with white Crosses at its Tail there grows yearly a Bone with which it makes a noise when it stirs its poysonous Teeth destroy those which are bit therewith in twenty four Hours unless the part which is wounded be held in the Earth so long till the pain be over Notwithstanding the noise terrible aspect and gestures of this Animal the Indian Hunters make nothing to take the same by the Tail and wrap it up in Linnen and carrying it home make it tame It is able to live a whole Year without either Meat or Drink its Head when cut off grows to the bigness of a Man's Thigh in ten days time No less resolute are the Indians in taking the Ibitobaca which is an Ell long of a crimson Colour full of black and white Specks the Bones whereof they wear about their Necks in stead of Chains The Serpent Iquanna The Iquanna is a Serpent which doth no manner of hurt though terrible to look upon to those which know it not having a Bag under its Chin a glittering Comb on its Head and on its Back sharp Bones which stand like a Saw and a long Tail It lays fifty Eggs at a time as big as Acorns of a very good taste and fit to eat when boyl'd It also lives both in the Water and on the Land Here are also many Baboons Baboons which are big and heavy with ugly Heads short Legs like a Man and Tails standing upwards they eat all sorts of Fruit but chiefly covet after Wine and Bread and are so lascivious that they often set upon Women The Females generally bring forth two one Male and the other Female There is also another sort whose Skins being red are full of little Spots The ancient Inhabitants of Chiapa divided into the Chiapaneca's the Zeques the Zeltates and the Quelenes are very Civil and Witty also skilful in Painting Singing Breaking of Horses and many other Trades Towns and Villages of Note The Places of more principal note in this Countrey inhabited by the Spaniards are 1. Ciudad Real pleasantly seated in the midst of a round Vale or Plain and almost encompass'd with Hills representing the form of an Amphitheatre also at the Foot of one which stands in the midst of the rest the City is built It is a City specially Priviledg'd by the King of Spain having a Court of Justice Cathedral and Dominican Cloyster of a pure and temperate Air and the Countrey round about plentifully abounding both in Corn and Fruit onely somewhat too cold to produce Lemmons and Oranges but for Pears Apples Peaches Quinces Cherries and the like they grow here in great abundance 2. Chiapa which giveth Name to the Valley aforesaid It is a Bishop's See and famous if but for one of its Prelates viz. Bartholomeo de las Casas of the Order of Predicants who was Bishop of this City and his Memory justly precious amongst the poor Americans at this day for his Charity towards them and for the stout and zealous opposition which he made against the Spaniards cruel and inhumane dealings with the Natives at the beginning of their Conquests by which at last notwithstanding much difficulty and resistance made by interested Persons of the other Side he procur'd them liberty and an Edict from the Emperor in favor of them whereby they were declar'd to be a Free People and not Slaves and the Spaniards forbidden to use them any longer as such or to force them to any kind of Labour against their wills or otherwise than by agreement with them which Liberty they enjoy to this day and though the Spaniards are said to give them very small Wages in some places and for their Work in their Sugar-Mills which is no small Labor not above five Reyals or Two shillings six pence a Week for the Maintenance of themselves their Wives and Children yet by reason it is with Consent and in a Countrey where all things are plentiful and cheap their Condition is much better than it was and the favor which that good Bishop did them never to be forgotten It is at present a great and populous City and lieth almost in the mid-way betwixt the Cities of Mexico and Guatimala 3. St. Bartholomews in the Countrey of the Quelenes 4. Tecpatlan the chief of twenty five Villages said to belong to the Zoques Here the Dominicans have another Cloyster The Zeltates possess a fruitful Countrey have thirteen Villages planted with Trees that yield Cochenile being under a Common-wealth Government The chief Place of the Quelenes is Copanavatzla where there is good Cheese and store of brave Cattel The River Chiepa gliding through the midst thereof loseth it self in the Northern Ocean In this part of the Country are Beasts not unlike Apes with long Tails which they wind about the Legs of those whom they find swimming and so pull them under Water wherefore they that go to Swim take Axes along with them to cut off their Tails The Water of the River Blanco is clear and wholsom running for the most part through Rocky Grounds which nevertheless are overspread with Trees In the highest Ground of Chiapa a League and a half from the City Reall spring clear Fountains whose Water ebbs and flows every six hours Near the Village call'd Afixa is one which runs three years together though in the driest Season and is dry three years though it Rain never so much Not far from the Village Cinacatan is another Spring whose Water cures several Sicknesses but kills all Birds and Beasts which drink of the same Here are likewise divers Baths The Rivers which run out of the Valley Chiapa fall into two great Pits Near the Village Bartholomew in the Province Quelenes is a strange Cavern out of which by the throwing of a stone into the same are heard mighty noises like claps of Thunder Not far from the Village Chicomucolo appears a Cavern in which is a great Plain on one side and a standing Lake whose Water is like Sand on the other The Spaniards if they wanted not Slaves might dig good store of Gold Silver Copper Lead Tin and Quicksilver out of the Mynes on the Mountain Ecatepeck which is in nine Leagues compass The Wind blows so strong after Sun-rising that no Man is able to travel for it but in the Night SECT II. Vera Paz. VEra Paz or The Countrey of True Peace was so nam'd by the Spaniards Situation and Bounds as they say because it was never conquer'd by the Sword but reduc'd to Obedience onely by the Preaching of the Dominican Fryers It is bounded on the West and South-West with Chiapa on the East with some part of Guatimala and Honduras and on the North with Jucatan It contains about thirty Leagues in length and almost as much in breadth being a woody and mountainous
compress'd between the cloven Barks of wild Vines some also they buried alive and leaving onely their Heads to appear above Ground bowl'd Iron Bullets at them and forc'd them to eat one another besides infinite other hellish Cruelties too horrid and dreadful to be recounted Commodities of the Countres This Countrey produces much Maiz Wheat Honey and great Calabashes from whence the first Discoverers call'd that Sea Golfo de las Ybueras because they met with abundance of Calabashes floating on the Water which at Santo Domingo bear the Name of Ybueras This Countrey is water'd by three Rivers the first Chamalucom which glides by the City San Pedro the second Ulva inhabited on both Shores the third Haguaro the Grounds adjacent to which would prove very fruitful were the Inhabitants not too lazy In stead of a Plough they use a long Pole with two crooked Staves at the end one bent downwards and the othes upwards with which they cut and turn the Earth The Natives feed on several Roots Flesh and Vermine At their Feast they make themselves Drunk with a Drink made of Honey Noble-men heretofore onely drinking the Liquor of Cacao but of late it is common and made by all People though never so mean They speak several Languages the chiefest whereof is that of the Chontales a salvage People They divide their Year call'd Joalar that is Passing into eighteen Moneths and each Moneth into twenty Days They formerly measur'd the Year by the Nights and began the Year forty days sooner than the Europeans New Valladolid The Towns in this Province are 1. New Vallodolid by the Indians nam'd Comayagua lying in a pleasant Valley under a temperate Climate The Cattel brought hither from Spain increase exceedingly The Silver-Mynes are also so well stor'd that they keep the Melting-house in the Town always employ'd The Governor of this Place hath his Residence next to the Treasury-Chamber Anno 1588. the Bishop's See was translated hither from Truxillo Nineteen years before which Francisco de Monteio sent his Lieutenant Alphonso de Cacenes thither to build a Village half way between the Southern and Northern Ocean who accordingly erected the Town Santa Maria de Camoyagua near a River Navigable for Canoos which disembogues in Puerto de Cavallos The remaining part of the Way to the Haven Fonseca being passable for Carrs which was a means to prevent many Inconveniences which us'd to happen to Travellers on the Way between Panama and Nombre de Dios the Spanish King was so much concern'd at the first proposal hereof that he sent the famous Surveyor Baptista Antonello thither and the rather because he received information that the new Way along which they carried the Merchandise from Peru Mexico and other Countreys along the South Sea lay very pleasantly by reason of the brave Vineyards Corn-Fields Fruit-Trees Pastures Streams abounding with Fish Herds of Deer and Cony-Warrens yet Antonello meeting with many troubles would not undertake the Business New Valladolid is adorn'd with a great Church a Cloyster belonging to the Monks De la Merced and handsom Streets Gratias a Dios. 2. Thirty Leagues West ward from this City lies another call'd Gratias a Dios begun by Captain Gabriel de Royas Anno 1530 that so he might be near the Gold-Mines But because the Natives kept the new Inhabitants in continual alarm and daily Storm'd the unfinish'd Fortifications Royas was necessitated to leave off building any farther the rather because none came to his assistance from the neighboring Garrison Six years after Gonzales de Alvarado undertook this Work and built the City on a Rocky Mountain which though otherwise barren produc'd lusty Horses and strong Mules 3. San Pedro St. Pedro. though lying under a hot and unwholsom Climate us'd formerly to be a brave City of Trade but it is gone much to decay since Golfo Dolce hath been discover'd because from that Bay the Commodities are carried in Barques up into the Countrey Juan de Puerto de Cavallos 4. The Village Juan de Puerto de Cavallos inhabited by Factors and Moors It receiv'd that Denomination because not far from it several Horses were forc'd to be thrown over-board in a Storm Though it be but ill fortifi'd yet it hath an exceeding large Haven Captain Christopher Newport arriving here Anno 1591. found two hundred Houses and in them a considerable Booty left notwithstanding four Ships richly laden had lately set Sail from thence Six years after Newport Capt. Ant. Sherly re-took the Place and leaving the Haven open for Pyrats Alphonsus Coriado judg'd it convenient to remove the Trading Place to Amatique he built the Village Thomas de Castilla and fortifi'd the same against all manner of Assaults TRUâ—â—LLO Behind Cavallos lies the Valley Naco which is exceeding fruitful being situate between high Mountains where formerly was found plenty of Silver 5. Eastward from Cavallos appears the famous City Truxillo near a large Bay Truxillo secur'd from all Storms by two Cliffs full of Trees the Mouth of the Haven call'd Joan Gil is above two Leagues broad and receives two Rivers one from each side of the City The Stream Quaimarotte flows Eastward and the River Antonio Westward both abounding in Fish The Countrey round about produces abundance of all sorts of Provisions and chiefly abounds in Grapes which are gather'd twice a year Eight days after August they cut their Vines which afford them ripe Grapes again in October they have two Harvests of Corn also Lemons and Oranges are very plentiful The Cattel brought hither from Spain are exceedingly increas'd to an incredible number Truxillo it self lying on a steep Mountain is defended on that side which respects the Sea with a thick Wall of six Foot high between which and the Haven are many brambly Bushes which prevent the access to the Wall onely a narrow and steep way leading up to the City which hath a strong Gate guarded with two Brass Guns and sufficiently Fortifi'd to oppose an Enemy The Eastern Cliff which bends before the Haven is call'd Punta la Rye on which stands a House with a high Beacon Beyond the Wall Eastward near the Haven is a Ship-yard before which stands a large Woodden Cross The Castle in which the City Store is kept joyns to the Wall near unto which within the Town appears St. Francis Church but the Cathedral call'd Eglesia Major is seen above all other Buildings The Houses cover'd with Palmito-Leaves have Walls of Pleited Bushes Plaister'd over within and without Behind the City where it lies open are exceeding high Mountains Attempts upon this place by the English and Dutch Anno 1576. the English falling on this strong Place carry'd a rich Booty from thence after which Capt. Anth. Sherly and Capt. Will. Parker ventur'd once more on the same but being discover'd by the Centinel were forc'd to Retreat not without a considerable loss When not long after Captain John Van Hoorn a Hollander attempting the same had
much better success for he Weighing Anchor for Pernambuc with four Frigats three Ketches and a Sloop set Sail to Truxillo where arriving lay close before the City with his four Frigats which fired very fiercely on the Town the Inhabitants of which not being idle kill'd three Men in one Ship forc'd her to fall farther off from the Castle Whilst the Ketches and Sloop went about a Gun shot Westward beyond the City towards the River Antonio where they Landed two hundred and fifty Soldiers which march'd with all speed up the Hill where the Castle lay which they Scal'd at Noon-day the Besieged being provided with seven Guns shot and threw Stones continually amongst them yet were forc'd to Retreat from the Dutch Hand-granado's During the storm the Admiral himself Landed but before he came out of the Boat the foremention'd Soldiers had made themselves Masters of the Fort with the loss of onely eight Men and were busie Pillaging all places they came at and carrying their gotten Booty to a Watch-house near the Castle on the Shore when on a sudden a Fire happen'd in the East part of Truxillo which increas'd in such a manner that in few hours two third parts of the City lay in Ashes every one then had enough to do to save themselves yet for all the haste they made several Hollanders were kill'd at the blowing up of the Magazine and most of the Booty lost by the Fire insomuch that they carry'd but two hundred thirty nine Skins six Bales of Indigo eight hundred and twenty Pounds of Sarsaparilla seven Brass and three Iron Guns four Clocks and some few trifles with them having before made an agreement for twenty Pound of Silver with the Governor Joan de Miranda who inform'd them that they had not the least knowledge of the Hollanders Fleet till the Evening when the Beacon on Punta La Rye was fir'd Moreover that the City was inhabited by two hundred Spaniards and as many more Mulatoes and Moors and that the Trade thereof was much gone to decay because there had been no Gallies there in two years before Twenty seven Leagues from this City lies the Village Jorgo de Olancho where four thousand Spaniards force Tribute from sixteen thousand Indians who possess much Gold SECT IV. Nicaragua Situation and bounds NIcaragua is a County of this Province border'd Northward with Honduras on the East with the Atlantick Ocean and part of Veragua on the South with Mare del Zur and on the West with Guatimala being call'd by Diego Lopez de Salzado The New Kingdom of Leon and comprizing several little Territories as Nicoya Nequecheri Mabyth Deria Masaya Mandigua Cacoloaque Cepeoco Los Micos Madira and the Contales It hath few Rivers in it the want whereof is supply'd by the benefit of a great Lake in the midst of the Countrey call'd by the Spaniards Laguna de Nicaragua containing as is suppos'd above one hundred Leagues in compass It empties it self by the Port of St. Juan into the Atlantick or North-Sea but reacheth as far as the South or Mare del Zur at least within a very few Leagues and from whence some Spanish Captains are said to have made a passage though with much difficulty into the Lake and from thence to the North-Sea It is abundantly well stor'd with good Fish but withal much haunted with Crocodiles and the Countrey about it so plentiful in all things especially Cattel Cotten-Wool Sugars and all kind of Fruits Amongst which the chiefest is the Zeiba which is of so great a thickness that fifteen Men holding Hand in Hand can scarce encompass the same The Callabashes ripen here in fourteen days time The Sea along the Coast breeds Whales and other Sea-Monsters which are often seen above Water Nature of the Inhabitants The Inhabitants of this Countrey except the Chontales which live on the Mountains and maintain their old Salvage Customs have for the most part learnt the Spanish Tongue and Manners and exercise themselves in all sorts of Arts and Siences especially in Working of Silver making of Clothes Wax-Work and the like From the Mountains they gather Balsom Liquid-Amber Turpentine They also drive a great Trade in Cotton Skins and several sorts of Provisions to Panama and Nombre de Dios. The Lake Laguna de Nicaragua which hath a hundred and seventeen Leagues in Circumference and round about inhabited is by three Leagues of Land separated from the South-Sea and discharges its Waters into the River Desaguadero which falls into the Northern Ocean Alphonsus Calera and Diego Machuca de Zuaso were the first that Sail'd out of the foremention'd Lake into the Sea not without many dangers by reason of the great Water-falls call'd Rondales which fall into the River Desaguadero and forc'd them often times to draw their Barques over the Land The chief City is Cities 1. Leon which is surrounded with Woods and lies close by the Lake hath a great Church five Cloysters belonging to the Monks de la Mercede several Houses for the King's Officers and a hundred and twenty thousand Families of Indians which pay Tribute Three Leagues beyond Leon appears a high spiry Mountain from whose top both Morning and Evening rises a mighty smoke and sometimes casts out great sulphurous Stones over the neighboring Fields and on a sudden mighty Flames A Dominican Monk in hopes to get some melted Gold out of its burning Mouth went up the same with four of his Fraternity and carry'd an Iron Chain and a Kettle which were no sooner let down into the hole but they were immediately melted yet not so discourag'd they resolv'd to venture a second time with stronger Materials which nevertheless had the same or rather worse event for the Fire flew out in such a manner that the Dominicans sadly scorch'd had enough to do to escape with Life since which none durst presume to approach the same But besides the Episcopal City Leon Erected by Franciscus Fernandez 2. Granada acknowledges the same Builder and lying also on the shore of Laguna de Nicaragua is adorn'd with a Castle Church and several Sugar-Mills Not far from it lie the small Lakes Masaya and Lindiri the first which is inclos'd between exceeding high Mountains covers the Foot of the burning Mountain Masaya the other falls into Laguna de Nicaragua near which is the smoky Mountain Munbacho surrounded with Fruit-Trees 3. 4. The Towns Jean and Neuva Segovia which are not far from thence are of little consequence 5. Realeio this is as it were the Chattam of America being a place on the South-Sea where the King of Spain hath all his Ships built that are made of American Timber and inhabited by few or none but Shipwrights Mariners and Men of that kind of Profession 6. 7. Nicoya Avarines 8. Cartage forty Leagues distant from Nicoya and lying almost in the midst of the Isthmus or Streight of Darien equally distant both from the North and South Sea on both which it is
Enemy by Water whilst himself falling upon them by Land put the Lord of Tlatellulco with his whole Army to flight which was so closely pursu'd that they forc'd their way into the City with them put the Governor to Death and laid the Town in Ashes those which went by Water having had no less success Autzol succeeds him Axayaca after eleven years Reign Deceasing bequeath'd his Crown to Autzol who sought to promote his Election by ingaging with the mighty Province Quaxutatlan whose Inhabitants though but a little before they had been so bold as to demand Tribute of the Mexicans yet terrifi'd at the approach of Autzol's Army fled over an Arm of the Sea where they had been secure had not Autzol invented a floating Isle of Planks by which he got over his whole Army upon which the amaz'd Quaxututlans immediately submitted themselves to the Mexicans who pursuing their Victory extended their Dominions to Guatimala over a Tract of three hundred Leagues Autzol's Generosity and Mrgnificence The new King having now subdu'd all his Enemies and made himself glorious by his Victories was also ambitious to be as much extoll'd for his Generosity and Magnificence to which purpose he distributed all the Wealth which was brought unto him from the neighboring Countreys amongst the Poor and the Nobility to the first he gave Clothes and Provisions to the last Plumes of Feathers and Arms. Moreover he caus'd all mean Houses to be pull'd down and new ones to be built in their places Lastly he consulted how to bring fresh Water into Mexico which was plac'd in a brackish Soil Upon this Design he was so bent that when one of his Sages disswaded him from it alledging That the Water would drown the City he in stead of following his Advice banish'd him his Presence and upon his flying to Cuyaocun caus'd him to be fetch'd from thence and Executed Then prosecuting his Design he cut the Ditch before Cuyaocun by which means great store of fresh Water came flowing into the Lake Laguna which the Priests welcom'd with strange Ceremonies for some perfum'd the Water others Offer'd Quails Blood whilst others play'd on several Musical Instruments with many other Ceremonies which are at large describ'd in the ancient Mexican Chronicles kept in the Vatican Library at Rome But the Prophecy of the Executed Sorcerer was in a manner fulfill'd for the Water overwhelm'd a great part of Mexico and divided the City into Isles But to prevent farther Mischief Autzoll caus'd Banks to be rais'd and Channels digg'd and not long after in the eleventh Year of his Reign he deceas'd After which the Mexican Kingdom tended towards its period as the ensuing Story will declare Amongst the Mexican Nobility Mutexuma a melancholy Man yet very prudent who resided in a stately Apartment near the great Temple Cu that there he might the better converse with Viztlipuztli was elected King which he no sooner heard but fled from hence but being found out he was against his will led to the Grand Assembly and from thence to the holy Hearth where for an Offering he drew Blood out of his Cheeks Ears and Legs and according to an ancient Custom the Council of State boring a Hole in his Nose hung an Emerauld in the same after which the Lord of Tescuco saluted him with a Speech which since it is mention'd by Joseph d' Acosta together with several other Speeches of Congratulation to their Kings which were taught to Schollars to make them expert in their Language it will not be amiss to be annexed here that of many this one may serve for a pattern of the Mexicans Eloquence which is as followeth The Lord of Tescuco his Speech to Muteczuma THe great happiness most noble Muteczuma which is befall'n this Realm by your Election may easily be conjectur'd from the general joy none besides your self being able to undergo an Office in the management whereof so much Prudence is requir'd It is a most certain testimony that God loves Mexico that he hath given its Inhabitants understanding to make such a Choice Who can doubt but that you who have expatiated through the Heavens and convers'd with Viztlipuztli may easily Govern us Mortals on Earth Who can despair but that the Vertue inclos'd within your Breast will extend to the Widows and Orphans Therefore rejoyce O Mexico the Heavens have granted us a Prince without Vice Merciful and not a Violator of the Laws Affable not despising common Conversation And you O King let not this great Preferment occasion any alteration in your so long known Vertues The Crown breeds care for the publick good the troubles thereof must extend over the whole Realm and every one in the Realm Preparationâ— for the Coronation of Muteczuma Muteczuma having heard out the Speech would willingly have answer'd the same but could not utter a word for Tears which gush'd from his Eyes Before he went out to fetch Prisoners for Offerings at his Coronation he first setled his Houshold Affairs And whereas till this time the Kings had been serv'd in their Palaces by ordinary Citizens he took Knights and the chiefest of the Nobility intending thereby to make a distinction between the Nobility and the common People and add more Majesty to the Royal Dignity This done Muteczuma marching against a certain rebellious Province fetch'd a considerable number of People to be Offer'd to Viztupuztli At his Return the Coronation Day was appointed against which thousands of People came to Mexico even their very Enemies of Tlascala Mechoacan and Tepeaca which were never conquer'd by the Mexicans flock'd thither in great numbers All those Countreys which were under Tribute bringing unvaluable Treasures came in vast Multitudes which so throng'd the City that the very tops of the Houses were fill'd with Spectators no King in Mexico ever going to the Throne in such splendor His Grandeur nor was ever any King so much fear'd by his Subjects none of the common People daring to look in his Face neither did he ever set Foot on the Ground but was always carried in a Chair on the Shoulders of his prime Nobility he never wore a Suit of Clothes but once nor ever us'd a Cup or Dish after it was once foul'd he strictly maintain'd the Laws which he had made and often went himself in a Disguise to make a strict enquiry after all Affairs whatsoever by which means the Mexican Power was now arriv'd to the highest top but as other Realms grown top-heavy with good Fortune turn at last topsie-turvy just such a Misfortune befell Mexico but not without several fore-running signs of its destruction The ruine of the Mexican Empire prognosticated for in the City Cholola their God Quezalcoalt inform'd them that a strange People were coming to take possession of the Mexican Dominions and their Soothsayers prognosticated the same for which Muteczuma committed them all to Prison and doubtless had put them all to death had not they escap'd with
the help of the Master of their diabolical Art and though they escap'd themselves yet their Wives and Children were all put to death upon the King's Command Soon after which appear'd a mighty Comet or blazing Starfor a whole year together the great Temple Cu was set on Fire and burnt to the Ground none knew how the Water which was thrown on the same to quench it burnt like Brimstone in the Skie appear'd three fiery Heads at noon-day and out of a long Tail shot Sparks on the Earth the Laguna between Mexico and Texcuco began to swell into a Tide which turn'd some Houses topsie-turvy a shrill Voice was heard in the Night crying on the Water Children your ruine is at hand whither shall I carry you that you may not be lost A miraculous Story of a Bird. No less strange is what d' Acosta relates of a Bird presented to Muteczuma not unlike a Crane which the Fishermen had taken on the Laguna on the shining Forehead of which there appear'd the resemblance of two Armies Engag'd and one defeated by the other and that whilst the Sages call'd to interpret the meaning hereof sat in Consultation the Bird vanish'd Another of a Country-man Moreover there goes a Tradition That a Countrey-man being at his Labor was taken up by an Eagle and carried through the Air into a gloomy Cave where a Man lay fast asleep snoaring when on a sudden he heard a Voice afar off saying Do you know that Man whereupon the Countrey-man taking special notice of the dormant Man knew him by the Royal Apparel to be Mutexuma after which the Voice was heard again saying How soundly doth he sleep the time is coming which provides Punishments for many Crimes burn the Snoarer with the Torch which he holds in his Hands he will feel no pain Not long after he being inform'd hereof and looking on his Thigh found the same burnt to his no small amazement News of the arrival of the the Spanish Fleet. Having now possess'd the Throne fourteen years he receiv'd news of a Fleet and therewith a Draught of the Men and Vessels painted on Cloth This startling him he immediately advis'd with his Council who judg'd it convenient to secure the Coast along the Southern Ocean with strong Watches yet nevertheless Ferdinand Cortesius Landed with five hundred Foot and sixty Horse took the City Potanchanum march'd through the Countrey Sicuchimalar to Tascalleca where they had a sharp Conflict in which the Spaniards were in great danger and had not they had six Field-Pieces with them which did as much affright as hurt the Indians they had without doubt been cut off there In Chiurutecal they were in as much danger for certainly the Spanish Army had been set upon in the Night had not a Woman inform'd them of it Mean while Muteczuma consulted with his Sorcerers to destroy Cortesius by Charms who then was marching through Chalco whereupon a considerable number of Sorcerers went thither to the top of a high Mountain where as they were beginning their Incantations and Charms their Idol Tezcalipuca appear'd to them and in an angry manner told them That Monteczuma should lose his Crown and Life and to confirm his words he shew'd them a dreadful spectacle for looking about they saw the City in a light flame This being told to Muteczuma he resolv'd to make himself as secure as he could and went to meet Cortesius with costly Presents delivering him the Crown in the presence of all his Council to which purpose he took one Marina experienc'd in the Castilian Tongue with him for his Interpreter all things then seeming to end in Friendship But they continu'd not long in that state for Cortesius whose whole Design was to bring Mexico under the Spaniards Subjection not long after accus'd Muteczuma that Coalcopoca had on his Commands storm'd the new Spanish City Vera Crux which he could no way excuse and notwithstanding Muteczuma deliver'd him Coalcopoca Muteczuma committed to Prison by Cortesius with fifteen of his Nobles Prisoners who were all burnt with green Wood yet he was committed Prisoner to the great discontent of the Mexicans who said That they were now come to a fine pass to be thus fool'd by a few Strangers who had imprison'd their King trampled upon their ancient Images endeavor'd to murther them all and in despite of them brought their mortal Enemies the Tascaltecans and Guazuzingans into Mexico Cortesius marches against Velasquez's Party About this time there were certain Ships come to Vera Crux which was a new Port-Town of this Countrey that the Spaniards had built since their coming thither and had Landed near upon a thousand Men which was an Accident that had like to have spoil'd the Design of Cortesius and all his Company at Mexico these Men being sent by James Velasquez Governor of Cuba expressly against Cortesius and his Men upon pretence that they had acted not conformably to the Commission which they had receiv'd from him and gave him no account of their proceedings which in a great measure was true for it must be confess'd that Cortesius and his Men finding themselves to have fall'n upon an Adventure that was certainly rich and good and having got such footing and interest in the Countrey already by their Success and Victories and chiefly by their Confederacy with so many of the Natives and People of the Countrey revolted to them did almost at first by a general consent renounce their Commission and dependency upon Velasquez and profess'd to act immediately from and for the King of Spain What pretences they had for such a Resolution seemingly at least irregular is not so well known Whatever they were they proceed in it and the whole Company excepting onely some few who yet went along with the rest chuse Cortesius anew for their Commander in chief and appoint likewise by common consent all other Officers of Justice both Civil and Military among themselves and to give the better colour at Court to their Proceedings they send Portocorrero and Monteio two of their Principals into Spain with a rich and noble Present to the Emperor both to make report of the State of the Countrey and to procure immediate Commission from his Majesty to proceed after which they advance towards Mexico as hath been said Velasquez being at Cuba and understanding their Proceedings labor'd to intercept both their Messengers and Present but could not and therefore sent Pamphilius Narvaez with eleven Ships and about nine hundred or a thousand Men to apprehend Cortesius and oppose his Proceedings This hapned about the time that the Differences were but newly calm'd betwixt the Spaniards and the People of Mexico and though it oblig'd Cortesius to leave the City in a wavering and unsetled condition yet he took such order that Muteczuma still remain'd under the Guard of the Spaniards as before assisted with thousands of their Friends of Tlascalla and he himself taking the rest and some few Spaniards
ancient State of the Tlascallans The People of this Countrey when the Spaniards came first amongst them liv'd in the form of a Common-wealth or Free-State refusing to be subject to the King of Mexico with whom they had almost continual War and upon that account as hath been said assisted Cortesius in the Conquest of the Kingdom without whose help 't is most certain he had never been able to do any thing They enjoy therefore many special Priviledges and Immunities more than other Americans do They pay no Tribute but onely a handful of Wheat yearly for every Person by way of acknowledgment otherwise living under the Protection of the Spaniards wholly in the Form of their ancient Government In former times they were great Man-eaters and not onely eat the Flesh of their Enemies but also of one anotther insomuch that Man's-flesh hung in publick to be sold River Zahuatl The River Zahuatl which rushes out of the Mountain Xicoleucalt oftentimes overflows all the Countrey near it and washes away divers Houses Zahuatl signifies Scabby Water because all those especially Children that wash in the same are sure to be Scabby On its Banks the Spaniards have built many Houses the fashion whereof is now also imitated by the Indians of this Province who formerly built quite after another manner for they made low Houses of Earth Wood and Stone with large and strange Chambers some a Stones-cast one from another others close together had narrow crooked Streets that ran betwixt them Tlascallans Language In this Province are two sorts of Languages spoken viz. the Mexican and that of the Ottomons who formerly deserting Mexico chose the Tlascallans for their Protectors They are a toilsom and painful People To the Northward of Tlascalla are Mountains which all the year long except three Moneths are cover'd with Mist and the Woods on the tops of them are a great shelter to Lyons Tygers Wolves and wild Dogs call'd Adives and other wild Beasts which do much hurt to the small Cattel Here are also many Serpents and Adders The whole Province is said to contain two hundred good Towns and Burroughs and more than one thousand Villages all of them exceedingly populous and suppos'd to contain in the whole above a Million and half of Natives besides Spaniards who have some few Colonies in the Countrey for securing of it Towns and Villages The chief Towns of the Province are 1. Tlascalla it self which denominates the whole Countrey as the Metropolis and where the Bishop's See was at first till in the Year 1550. it was remov'd to Puebla de los Angelos It is a fair Town and commodiously seated in the midst of a large and fertile Champain of threescore Miles in compass It consisteth of four large and beautiful Streets or Quarters and in the midst of them where they all meet hath a Piazza or Market-place equal to that of Mexico and able to receive twenty or thirty thousand Persons conveniently to Buy and Sell in it and whose Shambles seldom shew less than fifteen thousand Sheep four thousand Oxen and two thousand Hogs 2. Puebla de los Angelos or The City of Angels a Town built by Sebastian Ramirez a Church-man and he that was the first President or chief Governor of Mexico under the Crown of Castile It was built in the Year 1531. almost in the Road-way from Vera Crux to Mexico and seated in a very delicate and fertile Countrey and of a good Air. It is a Bishop's See and valu'd at twenty thousand Ducats of yearly Rent the City it self suppos'd to contain about fifteen hundred Families where there is abundance of excellent Cloth made and for fineness not yielding to the best of Spain It s chief Edifices are the Cathedral and four stately Cloysters belonging to the Dominicans Franciscans Augustines and Capuchins as also a Free-School for five hundred Indian Children endow'd by Ramirez with a yearly Revenue 3. Zempoallan seated upon a River of the same Name 4. Napalaca in the Valley Ocumba ows its original to an Indian call'd Juan who at first had onely one House and a Herd of Hogs there till upon his invitation all the neighboring People came from the tops of the Hills insomuch that in a short time the place was Peopled by thousands of Families 5. Guaxacingo all hitherto great and ancient Towns of the Natives 6. Segura de la Frontera a Spanish Town built by Cortez presently upon the Conquest of Mexico for the securing of the Confines as the Name importeth 7. Vera Crux a Town built by Cortez and his Companions at their first Landing and where afterwards by a Stratagem and out of a resolution either to Conquer or Die in the Countrey he caus'd all his Ships to be burnt that his Soldiers might not so much as think of returning back from whence they came The Town was at first built five or six Leagues up within Land but the place being found not to be so healthful the Inhabitants in a short time deserted it and seated themselves upon a Bay of the Sea right over against St. John D' Ullua 8. Medellin another Spanish Town built likewise by Cortez in memory of his own Birth-place which was Medellin a small Town of Estramadura a Province of Spain but was afterwards destroy'd by some Spanish Commanders out of malice to Cortez Lastly St. John D' Ullua a noted and the most usual Port to all this Province and likewise to the City of Mexico it self from the North Sea but of difficult entrance especially to such as are not well acquainted with the Passage or want Guides by reason of certain Rocks and Quicksands wherewith the Mouth of the Haven is said to be bar'd but within the station is more safe It hath likewise two strong Bulwarks or Forts rais'd on either side of the Entrance one to defend the Passage besides a strong Castle built since Captain John Hawkins surpris'd twelve Ships richly Laden within the Haven and thirteen others that arriv'd with a new Vice-Roy from Spain valu'd at near sixty Tun of Gold of which he might easily have made Prize had he not trusted to the Vice-Roys Promise to give him all satisfaction he should require by which being deceiv'd he lost all his Fleet but two Ships Between Tlascala and Los Angelos are the Fountains out of which the River hath its Original which gliding by Machaocan and Zacatula falls into the South Sea This River is so exceeding full of Crocodiles Great increase of Grocodiles that they have made several places which formerly were Inhabited on its Banks utterly desolate for the Females laying generally Eggs as big as those of a Goose increase prodigiously and were it not that the Indian Mice call'd Ichneumones destroy'd them they would grow still to greater numbers But this Animal creeping in at the Crocodiles Mouth eats his way out of the Belly again Water-Serpents Hawks Buffeloes and especially Tygers are also their mortal Enemies for they throwing the
is Tabasco bounded on the North by the Northern Ocean and on the East with Jucatan and however some account it a distinct Province yet others make no mention of it letting it pass for that part of Jucatan which lies about the City Tabasco from which it seems to be denominated The Ground level and without Mountains hath many great Woods of Cedar-Trees Brasile and others Here are also many good Indian Fruits as the Manmeyes Zapotes Aguacates and Guajabos For three Moneths they have continually dry Weather the rest of the year being for the most part rainy which vicissitude of Moisture and Heat makes the Countrey exceeding fruitful insomuch that they have three or four Harvests of Maiz in a year Vines Figs Lemmons Oranges Rice Barley and all sorts of Garden-Herbs grow here also in great plenty The Pools Brooks and Lakes abound likewise with all manner of Fish and for Sea-Fish besides the Tortugas and Yguanras the Manae or Sea-Cow is of principal note The Fish Manate This Fish is terrible to behold having a Head like an Ox little Eyes two Feet near the Head in stead of Fins two round Holes in stead of Ears round bones like Balls in its Brains a short Tail and bristly Skin The Females have two Dugs with which they suckle their Young Peacocks Pheasants Parrots Quales Hens Pigeons Birds with several sorts of Birds altogether unknown to the Europeans are here in great abundance The Woods also abound with Tygers and Lyons Beasts which do no little hurt to the Inhabitants Wild Hogs Deer and Rabbets are likewise here in great plenty and Turtles of an exceeding bigness Likewise Apes Polecats and Squerrils which do very much hurt to the Fruit-Trees especially the Cacao The Musticho's are a great annoyance to the People and disturb their rest at Night Languages of the Natives Since the Spaniards have conquer'd Tabasco they have forc'd the Inhabitants to observe their Laws and Customs They speak three sorts of Languages amongst which that most us'd call'd Chontal is copious of Words The second Zoques is spoken on the Mountains which divide Chiapa and Tabasco The Mexican Tongue was first brought thither by the Garrisons which Muteczuma plac'd there in the Forts Zimatlan and Xicalango and is the most spoken in regard it hath not onely its Accents but is also of great use partly because it is understood in most places of America and partly because the Priests have made Songs in that Tongue with which the Tabascans are much delighted The chief City Nostra Sennora de la Vittoria already mention'd in Jucatan was so call'd by Ferdinand Cortesius from the great Victory which he obtain'd over the Indians when he march'd first towards Mexico The Idols in New Spain are represented in terrible Figures to which they Offer humane Sacrifices The Priests divided into higher or lower Orders acknowledge a supream Head which they call Papas Each Idol had a peculiar sort of Priests Those that serv'd Viztlipuzli obtain'd their Places by Inheritance but others were chose by the Commonalty unless they had been bred Priests from their Inâ—ancy Cloysters dedicated to the ancient Mexican Religion The Mexican Cloysters in the time of Heathenism were generally built in the chiefest Temples in a great Piazza or square Court where for the most part two Monastical Houses stood one against another the one inhabited by a Fraternity of Recluses and the other by a Sisterhood which last being Maids of twelve or thirteen years of age call'd The Penitential Daughters swept the Temple prepar'd Meat for the Idols and Priests which was plentifully supply'd from the Alms and Offerings that were daily brought in to the Priests consisting of little Cakes made like Hands and Feet besides other strange Meats which being set before the Idols was soon after taken away again and eaten up by the were under a Governess who employ'd them in making Embroideries to adorn the Temple and sometimes rose up with the Priests at Mid-night and play'd on Pipes perfum'd the Temple and scourg'd themselves till the Blood ran down their Backs besmearing their Faces therewith and leaving it on a whole year then going into a large Chamber where a Cistern stood for that purpose they wash'd it off again after which if they committed the least uncleanness they were put to a most miserable Death which was judg'd upon seeing a Rat run through the Nuns Chamber or a Batt flying by it or finding any piece of Cloth gnaw'n by a Mouse or Rat for they suppose that the fore-mention'd Creatures dare not come into a hallow'd place unless defil'd In this recluse manner they were onely confin'd to live a year which being expir'd they had free leave to Marry The House opposite to the Nuns in the same square place of the Temple was inhabited by Youths of eighteen and twenty years of age whose Heads were shaven like Monks and pleited Tufts hung from the Crown down to their Backs they liv'd also mean and chaste kept the Priests Clothes and Perfuming-Vessels carried Wood for Offerings and kept always burning Lamps before Viztlipuztli's Altar Amongst them were also Boys of a less Age whose Office was to gather Flowers and Herbs to strow the Temple with to sharpen the Priests Lances which they Let themselves Blood with every Night in the Legs and carry them Water These Youths Cloth'd in Nets fell on their Faces on the Ground when they met with a Woman and went four and four or six and six together to beg Alms and by turns watch'd the fore-mention'd Fire in the Morning they drew Blood out of their Thighs with which they anointed their Temples down to their Ears and when the Blood look'd black wash'd it off again in a consecrated Bath which their strict and severe Life endur'd a whole Year Mexican Religion abhorr'd by the neighboring People The particular Religion of the Mexicans compos'd of cruel slaughters and butcheries of Men reign'd a long time against the minds of the other Indians that were under their Dominion every one beginning more to abhor the cruel flaying of living People and tearing out the Hearts of Men for Offerings and the rather because they were forc'd to fetch them out of their Enemies Countrey with the hazard of their own Lives insomuch that they were ready long before to have embraced another Doctrine if any other Teacher had but appear'd amongst them which was the chief reason why they so easily receiv'd the Roman Religion for when Cortesius had conquer'd the City Mexico the Mechoacan Agents entreated him to send them Teachers to prescribe them Laws according to which they might live because their Idolatry which had long oppress'd them was not to be suffer'd any longer because of the Cruelties which were requir'd of them in the performance thereof Their Processions Their Processions were stately and after this manner The chiefest Nuns raising a Paste of Bledoi-Seed and parched Maiz kneaded it with Honey of
Countrey against the Chichemecae which are a barbarous and unreduc'd People of the North-East parts of this Countrey who harbouring themselves in Caves under Ground in the thickest of huge Woods and Forrests do oftentimes issue out and make foul spoil in the Countrey where they come having first intoxicated themselves with a Liquor made of certain Roots and would do much more harm if it were not for this Garrison 3. Del Spiritu Santo built by the Founder of the other two viz. Nunnez de Gusman aforesaid in a part of the Countrey which they call Tepecque SECT III. Xalisco Bounds and Description of Xalisco Xalisco or Galesco as some call it is bounded on the North with Couliacan on the South with some parts of New Spain on the East with the Province of Guadalajara and on the West with the Gulf or Bay of California The Countrey is chiefly fertile in Maiz and Mines of Silver not altogether so apt for Herbage and Pasture as some other Countreys about it The People were Cannibals before the Spaniards came amongst them eating Man's-flesh were much given to quarrelling and Contentions amongst themselves but by this time 't is suppos'd they are reasonably well reclaim'd both from the one and the other Towns of chief note In this Countrey besides many other goodly Streams is the great and famous River Barania on the Banks whereof are seated most of their principal Towns as 1. Xalisco which gives Name to the whole Province and to a large Promontory or Foreland on the Western Coasts which shoots it self out into the Bay of California right over against certain Islands which the Spaniards call The Three Maries This was an ancient City or Town of the Natives but sack'd and taken by Nunnez de Gusman in the Year 1530. 2. Compostella built by the aforesaid Gusman and so nam'd from the City in Spain so famous for the Grave of James the Apostle who according to the Roman Writers was buried there lies near the South Sea on a barren Soil within the Torrid Zone yet the Ground breeds many sorts of Vermine besides other noxious Creatures amongst which the Capybara roots up whole Trees and other Plants in the Night This Beast resembling an indifferent large Hog hath short Legs and Claws thick Head with a Beard wide Ears and on each Jaw-bone twenty four Teeth besides two Tusks but no Tail it goes slow but swims exceeding fast and dives under Water for aconsiderable time together they often feed together in great Herds and make a terrible noise 3. La Purification a small Town on the Sea side towards the Confines of New Spain SECT IV. Chiametla Situation of Chiametla AGainst Xalisco juts Chiametla along the South Sea where the Inhabitants wear short Cloaks and Deer-skin Shoes and in the Wars use Shields made of strong Twigs twisted together The Women which are indifferent handsom are clad down to their Feet Towns of principal note The chief Town of this Province is Sant Sebastian so call'd from the River upon which it stands it was built by Captain Franciscus de Yvarra Anno 1554. who discovering many Silver Mines hath made several Melting-houses in which the Silver being melted swims upon the Lead SECT V. Couliacan Bounds of Couliacan NExt to Chiametla Westward and Southward of Cinoloa lies Couliacan Coasting all along the Bay of California which it hath on the West on the East it hath New Biscay and on the South Xalisco The Countrey is not defective in any kind of necessary Provision but more especially it aboundeth with Fruits of all sorts But the Spaniards look onely at the Mines of which they have some few in this Countrey The People were generally Cloth'd with Cotton-Wooll when the Spaniards came first amongst them but yet never a whit the more modest being exceedingly given to Venery and that in a more shameless and beastly manner than many other Americans who went naked The Spanish Towns are these Towns 1. Hiustula seated on the Banks of a fair River distant about a days Journey from the Sea 2. Quinola 3. Quatrobarrios an old Town of the Natives but new nam'd by the Spaniards 4. El Leon an old Burrough 5. Couliacan the chief Town of the Province 6. St. Michael in the Valley of Arroba two Leagues distant from the Sea in a rich and plentiful Countrey both for Corn and Fruit whither it was remov'd from the Banks of the River Orala where it first stood it was built by Nunnez de Gusman in the Year 1531. after he had burnt the Towns and destroy'd a great number of the Natives Inhabitants of the Countrey Nunnez de Gusman first Discoverer 〈◊〉 of this Countrey This Countrey was first discover'd by the aforesaid Nunnez de Gusman after he had built Guadalajara after this manner Marching from Chiametla to Piatzala he ruin'd this Province with Fire and Sword he likewise conquer'd the Countreys of Zapuatun and Piaztla the first being a Plain lay inclos'd within high Mountains where the Spaniards met none but Women till they came to a great River call'd De la Sall whose Banks on each side were well inhabited the second juts against the Ocean and is water'd by a River of the same Denomination Here within the Houses which are built after a strange manner lay thousands of Serpents mingled together with their Heads sticking out on the top and at the sides and hissing with open Mouth at those which approached them The Inhabitants shew'd great Revence to these Serpents because as they said the Devil often appear'd to them in that form And this seems to be a Custome amongst them from the Tradition of Eves being tempted by the Devil in the shape of a Serpent Serpents worshipp'd by the Natives Nor was this Superstition peculiar onely to these Indians forasmuch as divers Nations of the ancient Heathens of other parts of the World worshipp'd the Likeness of a Serpent And even amongst the Greeks according to Plutarch Hesychius Clemens Alexandrinus and others it was no unusual thing in their religious Worship to call on Eva and at the same time to shew a Serpent Plutarchus and Aelianus say That the Egyptians honour'd a Serpent for their God The same saith Erasmus Stella of the old Prussians Sigismund Baro of the Liflanders and Alexander Guaginus of the Sarmatians and Samogethes Moreover some write that in the Province of Calecut are Serpents with exceeding great Heads and weighing as much as a great Hog to which the King shews great Reverence so that it seems the Devil takes delight to be worship'd in that shape wherein he work'd the Fall of Man-kind The Fish Guarapucu The Flood which comes out of the Sea up to the City St. Michael through the River Cignatlan abounds with Fish and especially the Guarapucu which is seven Foot long when it comes to its full growth it hath no Scales but a smooth Skin of a Silver colour mix'd with Green from the
Cape and Port is St. Nicholas from whence North-East and by East lieth the Island of Tortuga near the Coast of Hispaniola It is of five Leagues length Farther along the Coast is Monte Christo the West Cape of Natividad to the East of which there is a great Bay call'd Port Real This Island is so full of Harbours that he that will Coast it cannot well miss of one where he pleaseth most of which afford fresh Meat and good Water Moreover Hispaniola hath many brave Rivers the chiefest of which are Hayna Nizao along whose Shore the first Sugar-Canes were planted Neyba a great River Yaquimo Yaqui which Columbus call'd Rio de Oro because the Ground thereof glitter'd like Gold and lastly the Rivers Nicayagua amongst whose Sands is Gold Nigua which borrows its Denomination from the fore-mention'd leaping Insect the swift Stream Juno whose Banks are crown'd with handsom Houses and Jaquin which hath many Salt-pans The Rivers Itabo Ocoa Cepi Bia Cazui Sanate de Plata and Chiabon have some one others more Sugar-Mills upon them But the chiefest River is Ozama broad and so deep that the biggest Vessel may lie close by the Shore and also washes St. Domingo Description of the City of St. Domingo This City the Metropolis of all the Isles round about was built by Bartholomeus Columbus and was peopled Anno 1494. after which it flourish'd eight years when a terrible Storm blowing the same down to the Ground Nicholas Olanda remov'd it to the Western Shore of Ozama that the Spaniards who had for the most part setled towards the West might not be necessitated to Ferry over but the first place stood much more conveniently being not onely provided of a Fountain of sweet Water but also freed of those unwholsom Vapours which daily rise with the Sun at this new-built City To prevent the inconvenience of crossing to the foremention'd Fountain of which the Inhabitants found themselves oftentimes in great want Olanda went about to lead the neighboring River Hayna into the Ozama but the Design not being prosecuted bereav'd Domingo of the onely thing which would have made it able to stand in competition with any City in the World for it lies on a Plain the South side whereof is wash'd by the Sea the East side by the River on the North and West are many delightful Fields The City which in a manner is built square is divided into long straight Streets full of fair Houses after the Spanish manner in the middle thereof is a square Market-place with a handsom Church the Yard whereof is encompass'd with a high Wall which upon occasion would serve for a place of great Defence The Collectors of the King of Spain's Revenue dwell in stately Palaces and the Dominicans Franciscans and Monks De la Merced have brave Cloysters besides two more for the Nuâ—s The Latine School and Hospital belonging to the City are Endow'd with great yearly Revenues The Arch-bishop of St. Domingo hath Command over the Bishoprick of Conception La Vega Cuba Venezuela and Porto Rico. The City is surrounded with a Stone Wall and fortifi'd with a Castle which with two Bulwarks reaches to the River Ozama and within them two Half-Moons On the utmost Shore stands a round Tower near the Southern Bulwark Before the new discover'd Countreys entic'd away many People from St. Domingo and the Silver Fleet put into Havana the Inhabitants drove a great Trade in Hides Tallow Sugar Cassia Horses and Hogs Anno 1586. Sir Francis Drake Landed here with twelve hundred English-men took the City by Storm staid a whole Moneth in the same and upon Composition with the Spaniard left it undestroy'd Other chief Towns of Hispaniola Other chief Towns in Hispaniola are 1. Salvaleon twenty eight Leagues distant from St. Domingo towards the East 2. Zeybo 3. Cotny formerly inhabited by those that work'd in the Gold-Mines the last especially was once a rich Town and much frequented but now in a manner deserted 4. Azua or New Compostella eight Leagues distant from St. Domingo famous for the Sugar-Mills not far from it and one of the Ports before-mention'd 5. Yaguana for its brave Harbour also call'd Maria del Puerto in the more Western parts of the Island a small Town not above a League distant from the Sea It was burnt by Captain Christopher Newport URBS DOMINGO IN HISPANIOLA 6. Conception de la Vega adorn'd with a Cathedral and Cloysters of Fryers and lying twenty or thirty Leagues Northward of St. Domingo It was built by Columbus and from thence he had his Title of Duke de la Vega. 7. Sant Jago de los Cavalleros a very pleasant Place ten Leagues Northward of St. Domingo 8. Puerto de Plata or The Silver Haven four Leagues distant from St. Domingo towards the North It hath been counted the second Place of Trading and Wealth in the whole Island being commodiously seated on an Arm of the Sea and fortifi'd with a Castle 9. Monte Christo one of the Ports also above-mention'd It lies fourteen Leagues Westward of Plata and extends it self along the Northern Coast it is wash'd by the River Yagui on whose Banks are many Salt-pans The Island dispeopled by the cruelty of the Spaniards All those Cities are much decay'd and thinly inhabited the Spaniards being most of them drawn by the temptation of new discover'd Gold and Silver Mines in other places and the first Inhabitants having been miserably destroy'd The Bishop De las Casas an Eye-witness relates That the King Gauccanarillo secur'd the Goods of a stranded Ship of which Columbus was Commander and receiv'd the Spaniards very courteously but not being able to continue supplying them with that quantity of Gold they requir'd wanting Men to gather so much out of the Streams and Mines and seeing no way to rid himself from the Spaniards Oppressions fled to the Province of Ciguayos the Casique of which was his Deputy whereat the Spaniards were so enrag'd that they burnt all that they could meet with neither sparing young nor old and at length taking Guaccanarillo put him in Irons Their barbarous usage of Guaccanarillo and others and thought to have carried him to Madrid but the Ship in which he went suffering Shipwrack he with many others was cast away being before almost dead with grief for his Consort who had been Ravish'd by a Spanish Commander Likewise Anacoana Sister to the Casique or Governor of the Province Xarana and Partner with him in the Government seeing three hundred of her Councellors burning in a great House set on fire by the Spaniards and her Subjects torn by Dogs or cut in pieces hung her self out of despair The same Death died Higuanama Queen of Huguey Others say that Anacoana was put to death together with her Brother in a most barbarous and cruel manner by Nicholas de Olanda who succeeded Diego de Arana in the Government of this Island Many Women and Children were kept alive onely to Manure the
so call them formerly inhabited by a valiant People call'd Tarabe de Zenu whether chiefly the dead Bodies were brought from all the adjacent Countreys to be buried in great State as hath been before intimated Towns and Places of principal note The principal Towns and Places of note are 1. Charthagena so call'd either from the resemblance of its Situation with the City Carthagena in the Kingdom of Murcia belonging to Old Spain or because the first Inhabitants were Citizens of the said City which was begun to be built Anno 1532. by Peter de Heredia but fully finished by Georgio Robledo eight years after the first Foundation thereof was laid This Episcopal Metropolis is on the North wash'd by the North Sea over a plain shallow Ground on the Land side the Sea flows through a narrow Bay by the City towards the Lake Canupote which ebbs and flows equal with the Ocean and receives and discharges its Water through two Pipes which lie under along Bridge The Description of Carthagena joyning Carthagena to the Main Coast This City boasted long since above five hundred Stone Houses being divided into twenty six large Streets whereof four are six hundred and twenty Paces long behind each House is a Garden and the Church appears above all the other Buildings The Dominicans Cloyster is also fairly built neither is the Franciscans inferior to it who also possess a second Edifice on the Main Continent over the Bridge The Custom-house and Court where the Courts for the whole Province of Carthagena art kept are also stately Structures The Haven hath two Entrances the chiefest whereof lies half a League Eastward from the City and the Western call'd La Boca is as far again both very dangerous because of the many blind Rocks that lie before them Anno 1585. when Sir Francis Drake took Carthagena by Storm the whole was fortifi'd with Sconces besides two Forts for the better security thereof whereof one lock'd up the narrow Mouth of the Haven with a strong Chain not far from which stood an Abbey Dedicated to the Franciscans and Wall'd round about since which they have several Out-works Forts and Towers to prevent all foreign Invasions The City grows wealthy daily by the Peruan Plate-Fleet putting in there before they go to Spain and especially by the Trade from New Granada along the River Magdalena The Island before the Haven antiently call'd Codega now Carex inhabited by Fisher-men when the Spaniards Landed there is now desolate the remainder of those that were destroy'd by them being fled to wild places from the Spaniards Cruelties notwithstanding the People hereabouts were valiant enough to Engage with them But since the Devastation made by Sir Francis Drake Carthagena hath receiv'd a more fatal Blow for it was scarce fully repair'd when five French Privateers burnt the City to Ashes which Mischief was occasion'd by a Spanish Seaman who being whipt by Command of the Governor resolving for Revenge went from Spain to France and conducted the fore-mention'd Ships to Carthagena where he reveng'd himself on the Governor for finding him asleep he first wak'd him and after having told him of his causing him to be Whipt he kill'd him The Booty which the Spaniards carried from thence at that time amounted to above a hundred and fifty thousand Ducats The Balsam of Tolu very famous 2. Tolu by the Spaniards now call'd St. Jago twelve Leagues distant from Carthagena a Place memorable for the excellent Balsam which is brought from thence and commonly call'd The Balsam of Tolu it is gather'd in a Spoonful of black Wax stuck under the Hole cut in the Bark of a low Pine-Tree out of which in hot Weather runs a Golden colour'd Gum very soveraign and of an excellent smell 3. St. Crux de Mopox a neat Town seated a little above the confluence of the two Rivers St. Martha and Magdalena which waters this Province 4. Baranca de Nolambo a Place of great Traffick especially for all Commodities of the new Kingdom of Granada it standeth upon the Banks of the River Magdalena and about six Leagues distant from the Sea 5. Buena Vista otherwise call'd St. Sebastian de Buena Vista a Town commodiously seated upon a rising Ground not far from the Gulf of Urraba or the Sound of Darien about a League and a half from the Sea 6. Villa de St. Maria thirty Leagues Southward of Carthagena Rivers of Carthagena The Province of Carthagena is stor'd with many Brooks and great Rivers amongst which the Stream Cauca falls into the River Magdalena beyond Popayan near Mopox The River Zenu which gives Denomination to the above-mention'd Territory makes a very convenient Harbor with its Mouth where much Salt is to be had The Daria which runs between Panama and Carthagena into the Inlet Urraba gives its Denomination to the foregoing Province through which it also runs as hath been already mention'd The River which for its greatness is call'd Rio Grande or Magdalena because it was discover'd on the Day Consecrated to that Saint falls with such force into the Northern Ocean about twenty three Leagues Eastward from Carthagena that running two Leagues broad and ten long into the Sea it retains its freshness of Water in which there lying many Rocks makes the same very dangerous for Ships In the Mouth of the Haven lies an Island which is divided by the River the widest and most frequented Channel of which respects St. Martha where those that carry the Merchandise up this Stream to New Granada spend two Moneths in Toeing whenas they come from thence in three Weeks Thunder and Lightning rages here many times after a terrible manner from Midnight till Morning In January there falls also abundance of Rain which gliding from the Mountains swells the River exceedingly SECT V. St. Martha Description of St. Martha ST Martha so call'd from the chief City of the Province is border'd on the West with New Andaluzia on the East with Rio de la Hacha on the North with the Ocean and on the South with New Granada It is about threescore and ten Leagues in length and not much less in breadth It was antiently distributed into several little Seignories Govern'd by Casiques or petty Princes viz. Pozigueica Betoma Buritaca Chimola inhabited by valiant Men and beautiful Women and above all the rest Tairona whose People for a long time maintain'd War against the Spaniards lying at the Foot of the high Mountains Sierras Nevadas whose snowy Crowns are seen thirty Leagues off at Sea and run along in a continu'd Ridge through Peru and Chili to the Straights of Magellan This Countrey was Discover'd and part of it Planted Anna 1524. by Roderic de Bastredas who afterwards was murder'd in his Sleep by his own People The Nature of the Climate and Commodities of the Countrey The Sun shines so exceeding hot near the Sea-coast that there is no enduring of the same but up in the Countrey the snowy Mountains
occasion great Cold and in Harvest and October it Rains exceedingly whereas at other times it is very dry Weather and the Winds blow generally out of the East or North-East yet the Land-Breezes coming out of the West bring sometimes Rains with them From the Mountains which are stony and barren fall many Brooks and Rivers which water divers Plains the Grass and other Plants of which are often blasted by violent Storms nevertheless Oranges Lemmons Granates and all sorts of Spanish Garden Fruits grow here in great plenty The Woods afford likewise Pigeons Partridges Venison and the like the Rivers all manner of Fish which are seen to swim in great numbers twenty Yards under the Water especially in the Haven St. Martha near which formerly liv'd many Fisher men who with Nets made of tough Twigs pleited together caught such plenty of Fish that they furnish'd all their Neighbors The High-ways are made dangerous by Lyons Tygers and Bears Great plenty of Precious Stones in these Parts The Countrey Buritaca affords the Inhabitants Gold Tairona excellent Stones against Bleeding and the Gravel Jasper Porphyr and Gold the Valley Tunia many rich Emeraulds which Stones us'd to be in great esteem before America produc'd such great numbers of them Acosta relates That a Spaniard desiring to know the Price of an Emerauld shew'd two to an Italian Jeweller who valu'd the one at a hundred the other at three hundred Ducats but soon after seeing a Chest full of them said they were scare worth a Ducat apiece and that the Sute which the Roman Lady wore being beset with Emeraulds and valu'd at four hundred thousand Ducats would not sell now for half so much This Stone or Jewel exceedingly fortifies the Sight wherefore the Emperor Nero represented the bloody Encounters of Fencers in an Emerauld It is also judg'd to be good against the Falling-sickness wherefore the Indians hang them in their Noses to this day and adorn their Idols with them they grow in stony Rocks along Veins not unlike Crystal and in time obtain a glittering Greenness the biggest of them that are found in this Age are most esteem'd of in Genua The Emerauld Pillar which as a wonderful Ornament stood in Hercules's Temple in the City of Tyrus being very famous amongst the Antients was without doubt no more than a green Stone and perhaps of the same Material was the Pillar erected by the Arabian King Miramamolines in the Cathedral at Corduba But the great fame of these Emeraulds incited Gonzalvez Zimenes Governor of St. Martha to leave his Place and seek for them to which end he Sail'd up the Rivulet Gayra with two Ketches and forty five Spaniards who meeting with the Casique Bagotta got much Gold of him and afterwards went to the Valley Tessuca of which Simandoca being Governor conducted Ximenez twenty three Leagues farther to an Emerauld Rock from whence he return'd exceedingly enriched the rumor of which spreading up and down made several travel thither amongst whom was Peter di Lugo Governor of Terra Firma who sending for Aid from Carthagena fought his way to Bagotta who resisted him for some time till at last being defeated he made Peace with them for a considerable quantity of Gold Peter di Lugo his Treachery to the Natives which when Peter di Lugo had receiv'd not regarding his Word he plunder'd all the Countrey and having committed all imaginable Cruelties on the Natives return'd home with an invaluable Mass of Gold and Emeraulds to St. Martha The Welsares Journey Not long after the Welsares German Knights came from Venezuela which City the Emperor Charles the Fifth Morgag'd to them Anno 1518. and travell'd through the snowy Mountains of St. Martha with Indian Guides whose Instructions following they digg'd many Emeraulds out of the Valley Funia the Inhabitants of which affrighted at the sight of the Strangers hang'd themselves out of despair though naturally valiant and ingenious in working in Tapestry the shapes of Tygers Lyons and other Beasts and painting on the Walls of their Houses variety of Figures of divers colours covering their Floors with Mats neatly pleited of Rushes They fed on Fish Venison and Mans-flesh and also on the Roots Agies tasting like Chesnuts Yuca Maiz Batata and Cassada Chief Cities and Places of note The chief Cities and Places of principal note in this Province are 1. St. Martha which gives Denomination to the whole Province it stands built at the North Sea which makes a large and convenient Harbor being defended from the Winds by high Mountains and two Isles is a Bishop's See and hath a large Cathedral The Houses built of Canes are cover'd with Palmito-Trees and some with woodden Shingles The Haven hath neither Fort nor Castle to defend it because there is no Trade but with the Indians which bring Earthen Ware and Cotton Clothes to sell and because the Spanish Ships seldom come hither the Place is much gone to decay and the more because it is no way defended against any Assault of an Enemy which the French and afterwards the English under the Command of Sir Francis Drake and the following Year under Captain Anthony Shirley took advantage of and plunder'd and burnt the City 2. Teneriff built on the Banks of the River Magdalena forty Leagues from St. Martha 3. Tamalameque otherwise call'd Villa de las Palmas twenty Leagues South of Teneriff lying on a high stony Ground between which are plain Pastures for Cattel surrounded with high Woods as also Pools made by the over-flowing of the Rivers whose Banks are inhabited by the Indians who are much addicted to Sleep and Drinking The Pools before mention'd produce abundance of Fish as also Crocodiles and the terrible Manati before describ'd 4. Ocanna which hath an Inland Haven 5. Ramada formerly call'd New Salamanca standing at the Foot of the Mountain call'd Sierras Nevadas This Town is famous for its Copper and Brass Mines 6. Cividad de los Reyes which built in the Valley Upari stands on the Shore of the mighty River Guataporeya where from the beginning of January till May the Eastern Breezes moderate the Heat otherwise intolerable But the continual Rains thereabout occasions the Quartan Ague and many such like Distempers The Natives hereabouts salvage and valiant would never submit to the Spaniards The peculiar 〈…〉 The Tree Xagua The peculiar Plants of this Place are the Tree Xagua which bears a Fruit like a Raisin which dry'd and ground yields exceeding good Meal for Bread The Root Scorzonera The Root Scorzonera which cures the Bitings of Serpents The Indians also use the Tail of a Serpent for a Remedy against the same Evil as they take Tobacco against the Falling-sickness and snuff the Powder in at their Nostrils and drink the Juice thereof to cause Loosness Chief Rivers The chief Rivers of this Province are 1. Polomino so call'd from a Spanish Captain that was drown'd there with his Horse falling from the Sierras Nevadas 2. Guatupori
Religion will subvert our Religion Laws and Government and bring us under subjection to them There were also Signs and Prodigies that portended the Dissolution of this Empire amongst the rest a great Eruption in the Province of Tacinga which rending the Earth asunder vomited up Flames of Fire nor was it long e're they were fulfill'd for whilest the Peruvians were making of Offerings to Viracocha for the delivery of their imprison'd King Huascar News was brought to Cusco of Attabaliba's being taken the Particulars whereof with other Matters touching the Conquest of this Kingdom by the Spaniards and how they pillag'd the Countrey murder'd the Inhabitants and enrich'd themselves with their inestimable Treasures shall in order be related FRANCISCO PISARRO Whilest the Spaniards found so much to do with the Peruvians yet they could not forbear more and more Clashing amongst themselves Civil War between Pizarro and Almagro the Marquess commanding that Almagro should surrender and leave the City Cusco but he refusing to obey fortifi'd himself on the top of the Mountain Gaytara stopt the Ways by cutting down the Trees but Ferdinando Pizarro getting up to the top along a private Way made such a confusion amongst them with Bolt-shot that Almagro who was sick at that time was forc'd to flye which being told Pizarro he pursu'd him and had doubtless utterly defeated him at that bout had not his Men benumm'd with marching in the deep Snow been taken with a Distemper which made them as if they had been all Sea-sick for such is the property of the Mountain Guaytara insomuch that they could scarce carry their Arms Whereupon Almagro was advis'd 〈◊〉 oppose his Pursuers and that he need not doubt of the Victory but he either following his own Dictates or being counter-advis'd fortifi'd himself in Cusco whither Ferdinand and Gonsalvo Pizarro march'd against him Rodrigo de Orgonnes Commanded Almagro's Army who being sick lay on the Walls of the City to see the Battel fought The Peruvians who on each side were in the Spanish Service march'd in the Front on the twenty sixth of April Anno 1538. the Fight began in which the Almagrians did much mischief with Cross-bar shot amongst the Pizarrians yet Almagro's Horse retreated first being under the Command of Peter Valdivia soon after which the rest of his Army their Courage also failing fled to the City into which as soon as Orgones being shot in the Head and slain the Conqueror rush'd after them and took Almagro Prisoner yet notwistanding this prosperous beginning he soon found himself in a great strait since those which remaih'd alive of Almagro's Party refus'd to serve Pizarro and murmur'd against him in all places resolving to take Almagro from him by force besides that Pizarro's Soldiers grumbled that they were not paid sufficiently for the many hazards which they had run wherefore to compose these Troubles as well as possibly he could he banish'd all whom he thought to be of the opposite Party sent away the chief of his own mutinous Soldiers with Captain Peter de Candia to discover new Countreys put Almagro to death and march'd to Callao where being straitned for want of Provision he made no stay but got his Army with much ado to Cusco Gonsalves Pizarro was likewise so set upon by the Natives that he lost a considerable number of Men In short the Pizarrans were defeated in all places and at length the Marquess The Marquess Francisco Pizarro murdered though forewarn'd by his Secretary Antonio Picado was murder'd in his own House in the City of Lima otherwise call'd De los Reyos by a Bastard-Son of Almagro nam'd Diego in the Year 1541 his Body dragg'd to the Church-yard lay there to every ones view and derision till John de Barbara buried the same His Original and the manner of his Rising His Father Gonsalvo Pizarro sir-nam'd The tall Citizen of Truxillo Commanding a Company of Foot in Navarre had two lawful Sons viz. Ferdinand who was murder'd in the Spanish Castle Motta and John that was slain in Cusco when Mango Inga conquer'd the City the other two Gonsalvo and Francisco being both Bastards the last of which is said to have been expos'd by his Mother in the Church Porch and kept alive for several days by sucking of a Sow till his Father afore-mention'd finding him and acknowledging him for his Son put him out to Nurse and when he was grown up set him to keep Swine which course of Life he soon left and following Alphonsus de Ojeda Balboa and Pedro de Avita in their Expeditions he quickly grew rich and at last came to that heighth of Honor and Command we have heard Franciso Martino de Alcantara was also his Brother by the Mothers side onely He was a Man who despis'd all Dangers and Hardships was so well experienc'd in Martial Affairs that he might well stand in competition with many of the antient Heroes In Los Reyos he built two very artificial Water-Mills a Dominican Cloyster and another for the Monks De la Merced and likewise a stately Palace for himself He was both meek and affable and though he bore the greatest Command in the Emperor's Name over the mighty Kingdom of Peru and got more Riches than ever any of the Roman Persian Grecian or Assyrian Monarchs possess'd yet he went in the same plain kind of Apparel in the heighth of his Grandeur as when he was but in a low Condition about his Neck he commonly ty'd a Linnen Hankerchiff with which he us'd to wipe the Sweat from his Face in peaceable Intervals he spent whole days in playing at Bowls without any distinction of Persons chusing often to play rather with a Sea-man or common Soldier than a phantastick Gallant He visited the meanest Citizens and many times us'd to eat with poor People to whom he was upon all occasions very noble and liberal All his Designs he carried on by the strength of meer natural Parts for he was so very illiterate that he could neither Write nor Read his Edicts were Sign'd with his two Marks betwixt which his Secretary writ Francisco Pizarro he is said to have had a Son which died young by Attabaliba's Sister who came afterwards to be call'd Donna Angelina he died in a very unfortunate time for upon his good success the Spanish Power had grounded their whole Designs thinking with the Peruvian Treasures as the Sinews of War to have erected a fifth Monarchy to succeed the fourth of the Romans Pizarro's Murderer though aiming at the Supream Power he had a considerable Party to countenance and aid him yet he found resistance in many places not without the loss of many Men on both sides Almâ—gro utterly defeated by Vacca de Castro In which Juncture the Learned Vacca de Castro Landed in Peru with a Commission from the Emperor to settle the divided Kingdom of Peru in Peace and Quiet but the young Almagro mad to see his Ambition thus cross'd gave Battel to Castro
could possibly thereabouts but were forc'd to retire from thence to Quito at the same time that the Councellor Tejada being sent by Pizarro to the Emperor came to an Anchor there where they were courteously Entertain'd as also in St. Michael where they got daily more and more Assistants of which Pizarro being inform'd went thither with five hundred Men and forcing the Vice-Roy to flye from thence pursu'd him above thirty Leagues Is put to flight and pursu'd by Pizarro Hanging up all those whom he could take of his Party After many Rencounters and Hardships suffer'd by both Parties Pizarro exceedingly wearied return'd to Quito where he minded nothing but all manner of Debaucheries not in the least regarding the Vice-Roy's Designs which it concern'd him to have narrowly look'd into for he having got five hundred Men on his side resolv'd to venture a Battel It was towards Evening when the two Parties had sight of one another Pizarro having not onely more Men but also better Exercis'd in Arms than the Vice-Roy who being sensible thereof went silently about Midnight from his Station along a narrow by Path so to fall behind upon the Rere of the Enemy who mistrusted nothing by reason the Vice-Roy's Dogs kept a continual Barking in his old Station and the Peruvian Sentinels were heard calling to one another and making great Fires all the Night long but because the Way was over-grown and farther about than it was suppos'd the Vice-Roy finding the Night too far spent went back to Quito out of which he Sallied as soon as he had sight of Pizarro's Forces against whom being clad in a white Riding Coat through the Slits of which appear'd a Cloth of Tissue Doublet he came Riding on a Bay Gelding in the Head of his Party with which breaking in amongst the Enemies Ranks he made a considerable slaughter amongst them till Hernand Tores coming near him gave him a Blow on the Had with a Battel-Ax The Vice-Roy slain by Carvayales that fell'd him to the Ground which the Lawyer Carvayales seeing ran immediately out of desire to revenge his Brother's Death whom the Vice-Roy had murder'd and chopp'd off his Head Thus Pizarro being absolute Master of the Field began to shew his tyranny upon the Prisoners some he took away by Poyson others he Executed with the Sword and Halter others he banish'd to the remote Countrey Chili Pizarro's Luxury and Tyranny and spent his time in all manner of Vice in Quito where amongst other leud Actions making Love to another Man's Wife he hir'd one Vincent Paul to murder her Husband which said Vincent was afterwards Hang'd at Valladolid in Spain The Adulteress also was afterwards Got with Child by her own Father and both of them put to death for Incest and murdering of their Child Pizarro being receiv'd as King in Los Reyos grew every day more proud than other insomuch that his Friends themselves began to hate and envy him and wanted onely a convenient opportunity to rid themselves of this high-minded Tyrant A strange Accident among others had done him great hurt had it not been timely discover'd viz. Joan de la Torre a Soldier formerly belonging to the Vice-Roy found accidentally a Grave in the Valley Hica which by the Peruvians had been worshipp'd above two Ages before and in it so much Offer'd Gold and Silver as amounted to above eighty thousand Crowns in Gold besides many Emeraulds and Turcoises all which Treasure he was puzled how to carry away and possess securely partly fearing the Emperor's Displeasure if he should arrive thus rich in Spain the rather because he had sided with Pizarro and also knowing it was impossible to convey it on Ship-board without one or others knowledge at last after many Contrivances he judg'd it convenient to put the Money in a small Vessel and Sail with the same to Nicaragua there to raise Men to oppose Pizarro in those Parts that so he might re-gain the Emperor's Favor This Undertaking seem'd to be threatned by many Dangers he not having a sufficient Spirit to Command or at least Experience to officiate the Place of a Captain Vela Nunnez and La Torre Plotting against Pizarro are taken and Executed In the mean time Vela Nunnez Brother to the slain Vice-Roy taken in the Battel at Quito had so much priviledge allow'd him from Pizarro that he went a Hunting and other such Exercises distant from the Camp who meeting with La Torre took him in his arms and embrac'd him with great joy which so wrought upon La Torre that he discover'd the Secret of his discover'd Treasure took an Oath of him that he would be faithful to him and take Revenge of Pizarro for all the Injuries receiv'd from him but before according to their Agreement they could set Sail from thence their Plot being discover'd both Nunnez and Torre were Executed and their Riches fell into the Hands of Pizarro Peter Gasca sent to settle Affairs in Peru. Whilest the Peruvian Affairs were in this confusion and disorder Peter Gasca impower'd by the Emperor Charles the Fifth arriving there endeavor'd to settle all things in Peace and Quiet and sent by Peter Hernandes besides the Emperor's Letter another which he writ himself to Pizarro the Contents of which were to this purpose Gasca's Letter to Pizzaro THe Peruvian Soyl hath drunk up the Spanish Blood long enough and the ruin'd Realm gapes for Rest The Emperor proffers Pardon for all past Crimes Repeals the new Laws which the Vice-Roy Vela during his Government enjoy'd the Spaniards to observe If Pizarro aims at the general Welfare he may easily see that Arms must first be laid aside which he now depends on in vain all his Associates being ready to forsake him because no Soldier can take up Arms against the Emperor without being guilty of high Treason Pizarro's Designs against him Pizarro confounded with this Letter call'd a Council of War who differ'd very much from one another in their Votes some judging that it would be best privately to destroy Gasca others were for an open Engagement but most thought of another way viz. to get his Person into their custody and keep him under a strong Guard on the Island Puna under pretence that the Peruvian Princes were sent for to come and acknowledge him as supream Governor which because the Cities lay so remote one from another could not be done in less than two years Mean while an Embassy was to be sent to the Court at Madrid which should enjoyn Gasca to remain in Panama and not offer to come to Peru till such time as the Emperor commanded the same a second time at the return of the Agents His Party generally fall off to Gasca But Hieronimus Loaisa chief Bishop of Los Reyos Thomas Martin Provincial of the Dominicans Gomes Solis Pizarro's Steward Laurence Aldana who were design'd for this Embassy to the Emperor Charles never went their Journey but staid in Panama with
for Ruminagua guarded the Way with twelve hundred Indians digg'd Pits in the same and filling them with sharp Poles cover'd them slightly over with Canes and Earth all which Bevalcazar shunning went about fell in upon the Rere of the Enemy and after a small Resistance conquer'd the City Quito Mean while Ferdinand Cortesio sent Petro Alvarado from New Spain who taking Guatimala receiv'd a Commission from the Spanish Court to subdue the Northern parts of Peru. Soon after which Garcias Holgua being sent with two Ships to enquire concerning the State of Peru brought News back That Francisco Pizarro had gotten an unvaluable Treasure at Caxamalca which so stirr'd up Alvarado that he Landed five hundred Men at Puerto Viejo march'd in great want of Provisions over the Mountains Acabucos and had he not accidentally found a Pond of sweet Water in a Thicket of Canes both Men and Horses had all perish'd at last upon his approaching Quito the Governor thereof being Bevalcazar not enduing to suffer an Equal drew up all his Men in Battel array but some Persons interceding between them He comes to an Agreement with Alvarado they were soon reconcil'd and Alvarado being bought out with a great sum of Money deserted Quito where after Gonsalvo Pizarro had remaind'd a considerable time he march'd Eastward of the Province which produces abundance of Cinamon whither he was accompanied by two hundred Spaniards and four thousand Peruvians against whom the Natives dwelling on the Borders of Los Quixos fought very valiantly till Night approaching when they all ran away after which resting a while there arose a mighty Tempest of Thunder and Lightning accompanied with a dreadful Earthquake which swallow'd above five hundred Houses whole Woods and Fields whilest an unknown River burst out of the Earth and overflow'd all the Countrey insomuch that Pizarro expected nothing but a speedy Ruine Pizarro and his Army driven to great Straights in regard no Provisions were to be found in all the Countrey at last getting on the top of the nearest Mountain he lost many of his Men who were frozen to death with excessive Cold. From thence marching to the County Zumaque he got plenty of Provision and Cinamon which grows on great Trees in the Woods the Leaves thereof resemble the Laurel the Fruit grows in little Berries the Root and Bark have a strong odoriferous smell Thence travelling to the Town Coca he found a mighty Cataract of Water falling from a Rock above fifteen hundred Ells high insomuch that the noise in calm Weather was heard six Leagues off Pizarro leaving his sick People in Zumaque went onely with a few Eastward from Coca to the Plain Countrey Guema full of Moorish Grounds the Inhabitants whereof went naked at last he came to the great River Maranon which falls from the Mountains near Quito and extends with several windings above eight hundred Leagues in length and at the Mouth thereof is fifteen Leagues broad which at that time overflowing all the Countrey he judg'd it convenient to build a Brigantine making the Shoes of the dead Horses serve for Iron-work his Mens Shirts for Sails and a Gum which was to be had there for Tar and having Lanch'd their Vessel and put all their Baggage and sick People into the same they Sail'd close along the Shore on which Pizarro made his Way through Brambles and Canes or went over in the Brigantine whensoe're he espy'd a better Path on the other side in which manner they were gone two hundred Leagues down the River with no other Food but wild Fruit and Roots when Captain Franciscus Orellana was order'd to Sail away before with five Men and seek out for Provisions and at every Stream which fell cross-ways out of the Countrey into the great River Orellana corss'd in his Designs dies for grief he was to leave a Mann'd Boat but Orellana in few days drove down so far with the swift River that he saw no likelihood or getting up again in a whole year neither could he find any Provisions but fought daily with the Indians who came stoutly to Board him in little Boats amongst whom he was inform'd also that thereabouts liv'd the Amazon Women that Warr'd continually against their Neighbors and at last he came into the Northern Ocean But Orellana Sailing to Spain obtain'd a Commission to be Governor of the Amazons Countrey whither he steer'd his Course with five hundred Men in three Ships but Landing at the Canaries they all ran away from him which so incens'd Orelland that he soon after dy'd with Grief Mean while Pizarro inform'd by a Spaniard whom Orellana had put ashore that the Brigantine was by the strong Current carried into the Ocean knew not what to do his People since their departure from Quito having travell'd above four hundred Leagues had eaten most of their Horses Many dy'd by feeding on unwholsom Herbs others fell down dead for Hunger or tir'd out with toilsom Travel their Clothes rotted by the Rain hung upon them like Rags their Shoes were worn out their Feet full of Blisters their Bodies sadly mangled with Brambles and Thorns for no place afforded them a Boat Pizarro leaving the River Maranon The miserable Condition of Pizarro's Men. went another Way no less troublesom for steep Rocks and inaccessible Mountains The Valleys through which they went began now to be strew'd with dead and sick Bodies who were not able to follow the Army which march'd very fast every one judging to be so much nearer his preservation the farther he could get Those that fainted call'd continually on their Friends for help but the Horses were grown too weak to carry them Every one saw nothing but Death before his Eyes wherefore though call'd by their dearest and most intimate Friends that lay a dying they never look'd back their compassion towards others being turn'd into fear and care of themselves The Forsaken implor'd their Saints and besought Pizarro for aid but finding their Complaints to be in vain and raging through despair they wish'd all the rest the same success and the like Friends whenever they should be in the like Condition Pizarro extreamly griev'd and troubled that he had brought the People into this Misery sent a few Horsemen before to Quito to carry the sad News of his deplorable Condition that they might immediately send Provisions to him which he receiving when he was within fifty Leagues from the said City Quito distributed amongst those that were left alive who being also almost starv'd eat so greedily that several of them were chok'd the remainder were kept a considerable time in Garrison under the Command of Pizarro in Quito Which City built in a pleasant place grew very populous in the Year 1544. there being several Gold-Mines found about the same in that time But this lasted not long for Quito siding with the Vice-Roy Blasco Nunnez Vela against Gonsalvo Pizarro Quito very much defac'd by siding with Vela against Gonsalvo Pizarro most of
3. La Parilla otherwise call'd Santa fourteen Leagues beyond Truxillo Southward wash'd by the Southern Ocean and one side by a fresh-water Stream which being inclos'd between stony Cliffs makes a secure Harbor 4. Arnedo seated ten Leagues Northward from Lima amongst the Vineyards of the Valley Chancas otherwise having no great matter in it remarkable but a fair Dominican Cloyster 5. Lima by the Spaniards commonly call'd La Cividad de los Reyes or The City of Kings so nam'd because Pizarro who built it laid the first Stone on Twelfth-day Anno 1553. which they call The Feast of the Kings It is seated in the Valley of Lima from whence the City is also so denominated one of the fruitfullest Parts of all Peru and so neatly built that all the chief Streets of the City open upon a fair Market-place or Piazza of such a large Square that upon the sides thereof are built in a stately and convenient manner the Cathedral the Palace of the Archbishop the Vice-Roy's Palace and Courts of Justice with the Exchequer or Publick Treasury the Town-house or place where the City Magistrates meet and hold their Courts the Publick Armory or Magazine and a Free-School wherein are taught by the Jesuits all Arts and Sciences and also the Indian Language and divers other fair Buildings of the Nobility and better sort of Citizens No Countrey under the Heavens affords a more fruitful or pleasanter Place than this the temperate Climate neither troubling the Inhabitants with excessive Heats or great Colds nor terrifying them with Thunder or Lightning but having almost perpetual Sun-shine and fair Weather onely the three Winter Moneths wherein there falls a sweet-smelling Dew which cures the Head-ache and there die but very few of pestilential Distempers The Countrey about the City is pleasant without exception The Pigeons which are kept here in curious Houses built on purpose flie a thousand in a Flight The Fields abound also with Cattel The Orchards and Gardens flourish with all sorts of Trees and Plants whereof those that are brought hither from Spain grow better than in their natural Countrey The West side of the City is wash'd by a pure clear Stream which stores the Market with great plenty of good Fish it being distant but a Musquet shot especially when the Water rises This River is of great consequence for it not onely waters the whole Valley of Lima with its several Branches but also runs under every House in the City being built on Stone Arches they are onely one Story high because there is no Wood to be had in the Valley of Lima but what in three years becomes all Woorm-eaten nevertheless the Houses are very beautiful both within and without the Walls being very thick and strong have curious Arbors of green Boughs on the top in which the Owners shade themselves from the Sun Most of the Houses built in the high Streets have pleasant Turrets which face the Market-place where all sorts of Provisions are brought to Sale as Oxen Sheep Venison Sugar Oranges Cittrons Grapes and Wheat which is ground in Water-Mills built near the River This City is inhabited by many able Merchants which often load Ships to Panama that are valu'd at above two hundred thousand Ducats To the Arch-bishop's See of this Place belongs the Bishopricks of Chili Charcas Quito Cusco Truxillo Guanuco Popaian San Francisco Panama Nicaragua and Rio de la Plata The City is also adorn'd with two fair Churches besides the Cathedral and also other lesser Churches four stately Cloysters two Nunneries and the Jesuits Palace which is very magnificent The Haven two Leagues distant from it and call'd Callao de Lima is large and secure for Ships Anno 1579. Sir Francis Drake took twelve Ships from hence Prizes taken here by Sir Fran. Drake one whereof was laden with Linnen and Silk besides a great Chest full of Silver Which Inconvenience to prevent for the future the Spaniards have built two strong Forts and fortifi'd them with Brass Guns Thirty years after Sir Francis Drake's Exploit Joris Spilbergen coming to Anchor here found the Place all inhabited Spilbergen attempts the Place in vain a Fort well stor'd with Guns and a strong Castle before the Mouth of the Harbor from whence they shot Bullets of thirty six Pound weight at the Hollanders and so shatter'd their Frigat call'd The Hunter that she could scarce-keep above Water Fourteen Spanish Merchant-men lying near the Shore receiv'd little damage Spilbergen not being able for Shelves to get to them neither did he judge it convenient to Land the Vice-Roy having at that time above four thousand Men in Arms besides several Troops of Horse wherefore after having fir'd several Guns on the Fort and against the Church he set Sail to Guarmey 6. Cannete otherwise call'd Guarco from the Valley wherein it is situate It was built by the Spaniards out of the Treasure which they found in the Castle afore spoken of in the same Valley 7. Valverde situate in a Valley of the same Name where excellent Fruit may be had for a small Price it is a well Traded and rich Town about sixteen Leagues distant from the Sea 8. Pachacama situate in a Territory of the same Name four Leagues Southward of Lima memorable chiefly for Pizarro's good fortune here who is reported to have found in one onely old Temple of the Natives the quantity of nine hundred thousand Ducats of Gold and Silver besides what his Soldiers are suppos'd to have seiz'd on and convey'd away before he came 9. Castro Verreina threescore Leagues distant from Lima to the South-East It lieth in the Valley of Chocolocha and is a rich Place by reason of the good Mines of Silver which are about it and abundance of the best sort of Tobacco 10. Miguel de la Ribera in the Valley of Camana The Inhabitants whereof drive a great Trade in Wine Figs and Raisins 11. The City Arequipa which extends up towards the Mountains is built in the Dale Quilca which runs eleven Leagues from the Sea under a healthful Climate but in the Year 1582. it was wholly ruin'd by an Earthquake the reason whereof is ascrib'd to the wet sulphurous Mountains which burns continually and sometimes vomits out Flames and Ashes The Marquess Pizarro built this City forty six years before the fore-mention'd Earthquake since which being re-built again soon attain'd to three hundred Houses besides a Church and Cloyster and though it be but a small Town yet it is of a great resort because the Gold and Silver is brought hither from the Mines Chancos Porco and Potosi and from thence sent down the River Quilca which washing the City Walls runs into the South Sea to Los Reyos and from thence to Panama Nombre de Dios and New Spain The Jurisdiction of this City Arequipa extends it self a vast way viz. over the spacious Valleys between Hacari and Tampaca and up in the Countrey beyond the County Condesuyo full of Hamlets and
the Governor thereof is always nam'd by the King of Spain himself and his Place estimated at fifty thousand Ducats per Annum 6. Tiaguanaco at the Estuary or Mouth of the Lake memorable onely for the Ruines of certain great and stupendious Buildings which antiently have stood there some of the Stones whereof are said to have been of thirty Foot length apiece fifteen Foot broad and six or seven Foot thick There were likewise found the Statues of certain Men excellently Carv'd and Wrought of a Gigantick stature or bigness and likewise vested in foreign and strange Habits not at all us'd nor ever known to have been us'd by the Peruvians themselves or by any other of the Natives of America 7. Nuestra Sennora de la Paz or Our Lady of Peace otherwise call'd Pueblo Nuevo It is but a small Town yet pleasantly seated upon the Banks of a River in a fair and fruitful Plain full of Springs Fruit-Trees Savanas and Fields of Maiz having Mountains on either side It lieth almost in the middle of the Province Chuquinabo fourteen Leagues distant from Cusco and as many from Potosi The Province Chuquinabo it self which in the Peruvian Tongue signifies Inheritance of Gold hath many rich Gold-Mines good Salt-pits and a temperate Climate except from the beginning of December till March in which time the continual Rains cause Feavers and Agues The Inhabitants being very poor People us'd to go naked in the Summer Season 8. Copavana two and twenty Leagues beyond Lopoz It is onely inhabited by Peruvians amongst whom an Image of the Virgin Mary long since erected there hath been ever in great veneration especially by reason of a Tradition of a great Miracle there perform'd for the Spaniards affirm That Johannes Anachoreta going a Journey of several Weeks from home plac'd a lighted Candle before the Image which during the time of his absence did not at all diminish A strange Earthquake at Angoanga An Accident which fell out in this Countrey is very remarkable viz. The Ground of an old Village call'd Angoanga then inhabited by eminent Necromancers began on a sudden to swell and the Earth to run like a broken Wave two Leagues overwhelming the Houses in Sand and filling up a neighboring Lake The like in Herefordshire in England Eight years before this terrible Earthquake here there hapned in the County of Hereford in England almost the same kind of prodigious Motion for not far from the Town Ledborough arose Marcely Hill to an exceeding heighth and moving along bury'd all whate're it met with after which manner it continu'd for the space of three days to the great terror of all that beheld it 9. Chilane 10. Acos 11. Pomata and some others all of them good Towns but not so considerable as those other Roads and High-ways made by the Ingas Concerning the Roads or High-ways it may well be said That none of the seven Wonders of the World can compare with any one of them neither was the Way that Appius Claudius made from Rome to Brundusium upon the repairing of which the Emperors Julius and Augustus spent great sums of Money fit to stand in competition with the Roads made by the Ingas in Peru for who cannot but admire at the consideration of so many Valleys fill'd with Mountains the hardest Rocks cut asunder Moors damm'd up great Stone Bridges laid over swift gliding Streams and through vast Wildernesses a Way made of twenty Foot broad inclos'd in high Walls extending from Quito to Chilo a thousand Leagues and at the end of every ten Leagues brave Houses or Magazines stor'd with Bowes Arrows Halberds Axes Clubs Clothes and Provision for twenty or thirty thousand Men. Some relate that Guainacava when he return'd Victor from the conquer'd Countrey Quito suffer'd great Inconveniences on the pathless Mountains and thereupon commanded his Subjects to make the fore-mention'd Way But it is more probable that this Master-piece was not the work of one Inga especially since besides the Way from Chili to Quito there leads another through the Mountains over the Plains from Cusco to Quito forty Foot broad and five hundred Leagues long inclos'd within two Walls The manner of the Peruvian Registers The Peruvians relate from the testimony of the Quipos much more concerning these High-Ways and other Buildings on them made by Guainacava These Quipos are Rowls of divers colour'd Strings full of all manner of Knots which serve in stead of Characters to keep their Chronicles in which were employ'd the Quipo-Camayos who being in the nature of our Secretaries Registred all Transactions performing the same with the several Strings and Buttons with which they gave Obligations Discharges and the like but besides the Quipos they also us'd Rings full of little Stones for the same purpose and knew with Maiz-Seed how to cast up an Account as well as the best Arithmetician with Figures Their Account of Time hung on the twelve Pillars Succanga erected on a Mountain beyond Cusco by the Inga Pachacuma that is The Regulator of the Year to shew the Course of the Sun and according to that their appointed Feast-days times of Sowing and Harvest Their Year begins in December The present State of Peru under the Spanish Government The Spanish Government in the Kingdom of Peru is setled at present in great tranquility and splendor The Vice-Roy who keeps a splendid Court in Lima otherwise call'd Los Reyos Commands over Chili and Terra Firma and never comes abroad without a Guard of forty Halberdeers when he travels by Land he is accompanied by the Arch-bishop and guarded by his forty Halberdeers a hundred Pike-men and fifty Musquetteers His Reign is generally not above six or eight years during which time he receives forty thousand Ducats per Annum out of the King's Exchequer The present flourishing Condition of the City Los Reyos The City Los Reyos hath been of late years very much enlarg'd and brought to a most flourishing Condition being exceeding populous and extending four Miles in length and half as much in breadth In the biggest Market-place is the City Hall and the Exchange where all things are brought to be sold Of the other three Markets two have their Denominations from St. Anne and St. Jacob the fourth is call'd El Santo de los Cavallos because nothing but Mules Asses and Horses are sold there The chief Church is Consecrated to St. John the Evangelist the other Three to Marcellus Sebastian and Anna. The Franciscans inhabit three Cloysters the Dominicans Augustines and Monks De la Merced each of them two besides two costly Structures for the Jesuits Other Orders have also five Cloysters here viz. the Creation Conception the Holy Trinity St. Joseph and St. Clara the three first have each of them a Church built hard by the several Cloysters Dedicated to the Santas Virgines del Montserratto Del Prado and De Loretto Each Cloyster contains above two hundred and fifty either Monks or Nuns Here are also
time four hundred Hollanders Sallying out made a furious Onset upon the two Regiments who had possession of the Cloyster Bento where the Spaniards sustain'd considerable damage for besides the wounding of three Captains and the loss of a great number of Soldiers there were slain the Commanders Emanuel Aquitara Alonso de Gana Pedro San Stevan Diego Espinosa and Colonel Pedro Osorio But Toledo no whit dismay'd hereat but taking fresh courage brought twenty nine Demi-Culverins ashore which fir'd so vehemently out of the Carmelites and Bento's Cloysters on the seventeen Dutch Ships that lay near the Shore that several of them were sunk and others shatter'd beyond hopes of ever being repair'd After this the Spanish Army was divided into three several Parties which continually fir'd on the City from three new rais'd Works the chiefest Party which was in the Carmelites Minster had twenty three Brass Guns the secon'd plac'd on the great Wall of the Cloyster Bento fir'd Night and Day with eight Demy-Cannons on the City in which all things were in a confusion whilest the Governor William Schouten went unconcern'd from one Tavern to another railing at the Soldiers who thereupon mutinying and deposing him chose Serjeant Hans Ernst Kyf in his room who as he was calling a Council of War receiv'd a Summons from Toledo to deliver up the City at which Kyf being much surpris'd sent a Drummer with a Letter to Toledo desiring him to grant the Besieged three Weeks time to repair and make fit their batter'd Vessels to carry them back for Holland and also that they might according to Martial Custom march out with lighted Matches flying Colours Bullets in their Mouths and with Bag and Baggage To which Toledo return'd Answer That he was now in his own Countrey and had gotten possession of four Fortifications about St. Salvador on which he had planted thirty seven Cannons and therefore saw no such necessity to grant the Besieged who could not possibly expect any fresh Supplies such advantageous and bold Demands and onely promis'd them their Lives should be at his discretion Yet at last William Stoop Hugh Antoniszoon St. Salvador re-taken by the Spaniards from the Hollanders and Francis du Chesne being sent to the Carmelites Cloyster agreed with Toledo on these Conditions That the Hollanders should surrender St. Salvador in the Condition it was then in march out unarm'd but with Baggage and have a free Pussage with Provisions and all things necessary allow'd them for their Trasportation for Holland Whereupon on the first of May the City was deliver'd up to the Spaniards in such disorder that some of them had taken possession of the Gate Bento before those on the other side of the City knew of any Agreement that was made between Toledo and Colonel Kyf And thus the Place which had a whole year been under the Jurisdiction of the Netherlanders fell again under the possession of the Spanish Crown onely through the indiscreet management of the Commanders for otherwise it was sufficiently strong and well stor'd with Ammunition and Men being able to make out two thousand Moreover the Ketch De Haes was set out before from the Holland Fleet and brought news of the Forces that were sent from the Netherland Havens to their assistance But the Ships under Admiral Lam as also those under Boudewyn Henriczoon were stay'd a considerable time in their Harbors by contrary Winds and at last reaching the Line were becalm'd and through the excessive heat of the Climate many Men lost by raging and mortal Distempers insomuch that they reach'd not the Bay Todos los Sanctos before the twenty sixth of May on which they saw the Spanish Flag streaming from the Walls of St. Salvador and fifty great Ships riding at an Anchor near the Shore The Netherland Fleet divided into four Squadrons consisted of thirty four Sail amongst which Lam carry'd the Flag on the Main-top the Vice-Admiral Adrian Cheszoon on the Fore-top the Rere-Admiral Adries Veron on the Main-mast and the Commander of the fourth Squadron on the Mizne-top All of them seeing the Spaniards absolute Masters judg'd it most convenient to put to Sea but standing a pretty while to the South they found that the strong Current drove them to the Shelves on the West-side of the Inlet wherefore Tacking about they made towards the Enemy who at first seem'd to meet them with twenty eight great Ships but returning towards the City the Hollanders also stood to Sea again Steering Southerly though without making much advantage in their Way the Sea going very hollow and the strong Current setting them towards the Shore by which means they were in no small danger before the River Francisco where many of the Men dy'd for want of fresh Provisions and the number of the Sick increas'd daily insomuch that some of the Ships were like to perish for want of Men to guide them It was also judg'd dangerous to lie longer with such a great Fleet near a Lea-Shore herefore they put into the Inlet Trayciaon which lies a League to the Northward of he River Monguapigape from whence a ridge of Rocks extends to Tayciaon and being overflow'd at High-water hath three Openings or Entrances two for great Ships and one the most Northern for small Vessels to pass through The Sea also breaking against this Cliff never molests the Ships whatever Winds blow The Countrey is overgrown with Brambles and hath a Lake two Leagues long and a quarter broad on the opposite Shore of which stood a Village inhabited by Portugueses and Brasilians but the Portugueses flying from thence left the Brasilians in absolute possession The Hollanders going thither found thirty Chests of Sugar in one Hut after which the Admiral Lam caus'd his sick Men to be brought ashore whilest the Captains Boshuisen Swart Dyke Stapels and Uzeel march'd up into the Countrey where they got plenty of Oranges and Cattel In the mean time the Ketch Vosken Mann'd with thirty six Seamen Cruising along the Sea-Coast of Brasile took three Ships one out of the Inlet Todos los Sanctos laden with Sugar and Tobacco another with the same Merchandise from Pernambuco and the third laden with Wines from Madera On the first of August the Fleet set Sail again to the great sorrow of the Brasilians who out of hopes of being protected by them against the Portuguese had joyn'd their Forces with theirs but now being forsaken they expected nothing but utter Ruine which to escape many of them desir'd to be admitted to go along with the Fleet which had been granted them had not the Hollanders wanted Provisions for themselves The Fleet getting off at Sea the Admiral Veron ran with twelve Sail to the Coast of Africa and Boudewyn Henrickszoon kept eighteen Ships under his Command the rest returning home with Admiral Lam and thus the Fleet left the unfortunate Haven Trayciaon where above seven hundred Dutch Seamen were bury'd Boudewyn Henrickszoon refreshing at Cape St. Vincent steer'd Westerly when
that a considerable number of Spanish Ships were suddenly expected from Campeche Whereupon Paters divided his Fleet into three Squadrons whereof the Forlorn consisted of three Sail the Reserve of the like number and the Admiral kept five under his own Command Thus divided they stood to and again before Cape Corientes when Captain John Stapel brought three and John van Hoorn four Netherland Ships to their assistance Hoorn's Expedition Hoorn having set Sail from the Texel about the latter end of April was beaten off from Granada with poyson'd Arrows and took a Prize before the Promontory St. Anthony the Men whereof inform'd him that the Governor Gabriel de Chaves Osorio an old Soldier had great trouble in repairing the Walls Forts and Houses in the City which two years before had been blown down by a great Storm and that six great Ships were lading to go for Carthagena with the Gallions for Spain because they durst not Steer by Porto Rico for fear of the Netherlanders moreover that abundance of Ginger was spoyl'd for want of Vessels to carry it away and that the Citizens were in great want for Stuffs none having come in along time from Spain in like manner there went none but Copper Coin so that nothing was to be got there The Silver and Gold-Mines were not look'd after the Spaniards not caring to work and the old Natives were long since cut off insomuch that if the Imperial Court was not kept in St. Domingo to which belong'd Cumana and Coro that City and Island and Hispaniola it self would soon be left desolate Hoorn therefore Sail'd by the Promontory St. Cruiz being a low Point overgrown with Trees into the Bay twenty Leagues from the Mouth whereof lie the Isles Jardin de la Reyna Before Corientes he took a Barque with three hundred and six Guns sent from Havana the Men whereof inform'd him That the Governor of Havana call'd Laurence de Cabrera having Intelligence of the Dutch Fleets approach rais'd many Men and gave notice to the Ships in all the Harbors thereabouts after which he took another rich Prize and joyn'd at last with Paters Fleet which now consisted of twenty Sail with which he Steer'd for the Soundings of Tortugas where the Fleet met with a dreadful Tempest wherein a Thunderbolt splitting the Main-Yard of the Hunter Frigat fell down by the Mast and rowl'd out at one of the Port-holes kill'd the Purser and wounded two more in the Head great showers of Rain fell daily when Samuel Lucas and Captain Outger Minne brought seven Sail of Ships more to the Fleet with which Paters put in for fresh Provisions into the spacious and secure Haven De Cabannas where several Isles lie formerly inhabited by Shepherds and Carpenters From hence Paters Sail'd by Havana mended the Port-holes of his lower Deck and took off the Top-gallant Masts because in September the usual Storms begin here and seeing that he could not do any Exploit with so great a Fleet he sent nine Ships home and with the rest went to Barbados where at that time there were about fifteen hundred English that Planted Tobacco Paters Sailing from hence ran to the Main Continent of America inspected the River Oronoque where he quenched the Town St. Thomas that had been set on fire by the fled Inhabitants and brought aboard all what they had left Henrick Lonque 's Expedition During his fruitless Expedition the West-India Company Rigg'd out twenty seven Sail under the Command of Henrick Lonque Peter Ita and Joost Bankart the Land-Soldiers being Commanded by Diederick van Waerdenberg Lonque coming to St. Vincent stay'd a long time at Anchor there for in regard the Spaniard in the Low Countreys rang'd on the Veluwe and had taken Amersfoort the States of the United Netherlands were forc'd to keep those Men in their Service which the West-India Company had rais'd but so soon as Wesel was re-taken and the Hartogen-Bosch won by Frederick Henrick Prince of Orange thirty six Sail were sent to Lonque's assistance of which some came sooner to him than others at St. Vincent where he had stay'd four Moneths without doing any remarkable Exploit On St. Steven's Day he set Sail with fifty two Ships thirteen â—loops and two Prizes all Mann'd with seven thousand Men which meeting with contrary Winds and Calms lay a great while under the Line the Scurvey began to encrease amongst them daily insomuch that above twelve hundred lay sick and three hundred dy'd since they set Sail from St. Vincent yet at last Lonque getting sight of Olinda sent Waerdenberg on the fourth of February with sixteen Ships carrying three thousand Men to Pavo Morello a Wood lying two Leagues Northward from Olinda where he suddenly Landed notwithstanding the Portuguese guarded the Shore with two thousand Men whom Waerdenberg after a short Skirmish putting to flight was the whole Night in Arms and the next day became Master of Olinda Takes Olinda by breaking in on the North at the same time when Colonel Schutte Storm'd on the South Moreover the Enemy surrendred the two Forts on Reciffa and forsook the Island About the middle of March nine Ships which were wanting to make up Lonque's Fleet came to an Anchor by him having brought him above six hundred Soldiers many Guns all manner of Ammunition under the Command of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Seton and the three Adjutants John de Bruine Philip Serooskerken and Horatius Calandryn who immediately order'd the Cloyster on Antonio Vaes to be fortifi'd and built a Fort with four Bulwarks at the Entrance of Pozo in the Countrey Reciffa Seton also set fire on the Suburbs of Olinda in which the Enemy had Lodg'd the Night before and endeavor'd to poyson the fresh Water on Antonio Vaes when on a sudden the Netherlanders fell upon them two which drank of the Water dy'd and others fell into great Fits of Sicknesses and it wanted little but that the Admiral Lonque with a Company of fifty Musquetteers had been kill'd returning from Reciffa to Olinda he being unawares set upon by two Companies of Portugueses and Brasilians who kill'd above thirty six of his Men and dangerously wounded six more so that he brought off but eight Men unhurt The like Misfortune befell the Wood-cutters on Antonio Vaes surpris'd by the Portuguese from an Ambuscade Whilest Affairs stood thus about Olinda there first arriv'd two Ships from the United Netherlands at Reciffa not long after four more Commanded by John Walbeek and eight more under the Admiral Dirik van Uitgeest who was follow'd by the Noahs Ark. About the same time Dirk de Ruiter set Sail with six Ships and Peter Ita with ten to Cruise at Sea Ita being set upon by the Enemy escapes very narrowly About the beginning of February Lonque having put all things in good order prepar'd to return home and weigh'd Anchor with nine Ships But Ita going from Reciffa to Olinda to take his leave of the Council there was
Ground about the City St. Jago del Estero formerly call'd Vares being the Bishop's See and Residence of the Governors is brackish and sandy The Citizens are most of them Weavers the Natives go Cloth'd and are of an affable Temper and Disposition The River Estera yearly overflows the Countrey which being dung'd with Mud produces abundance of Maiz Barley Wheat and all manner of Fruits The Stream Salado runs the same Course as the Estera from the West to the East through a Plain-Countrey but hath brackish Water and abundance of Fish Between The Expedition of Garcias Loaysa Alcazova and others Magaglianus was follow'd Anno 1525. by Garcias Loaysa who Sailing into the Straights near the Promontory Virgines endur'd great Colds in the Haven St. George he found store of green Cinamon The People he reported to be of so monstrous a stature that they might well be accounted Giants some of whom went naked others wore a Net of Feathers made fast about their Wastes and others a loose Garment all over their Bodies Loaysa gave this Countrey inhabited by Giants the Denomination of Terra del Patagoni He judg'd the Straights of Magellan to be a hundred and ten Spanish Miles long between the two Promontories Virgines at the North Sea and Deseado at the Southern Ocean Within lie three Inlets which have seven Leagues in breadth Simon Alcazova Sailing hither nine years after Loaysa shunn'd the Land on the left-side of the Straights because it lay most under Water and was forc'd by his Men to return to the Haven Leones where he and all his Seamen were put to death Not long after the Bishop of Placentia fitted out three Sail which entring the Straights Anno 1540. lost their Admiral the Vice-Admiral Wintering at the Inlet Las Zorras so call'd because they took many Foxes on a Champain Countrey without Trees return'd to Spain without any farther success the third Ship with much ado arriv'd also at Arequipa The Voyages of Hawkins Drake and Candish The English Captain Richard Hawkins also Sailing hither found the Land on the South side of the Straights most broken and in some places a few Huts Anno 1578. Sir Francis Drake Sailing hither along the Coast of Brasile Landing on an Island in the Mouth of the Straights kill'd above three thousand Birds Sailing from hence he was miserably toss'd in the South Sea and discover'd about the middle of the Straights that the Current out of the Southern and Northern Ocean met at the place where a great Bay bends Southwardly To three Isles he gave the Name of Elizabeth Bartholomew and George and drove three Weeks without making any Sail in snowy misty and rainy Weather falling amongst dangerous Rocks and at last Anchor'd in the Haven Health which he so call'd because his sick and wearied Men being refresh'd there he set Sail from thence and return'd home Captain Thomas Candish following Sir Francis Drake eight years after found near a Creek within the City Philip-stadt built there by the Spaniards to secure the Passage out of the Northern to the Southern Ocean for themselves to which purpose they held four hundred Men in Garrison in the said City which lying near a pleasant Wood was defended by four Bulwarks each fortifi'd with a Brass Gun But the Spaniards not being able to endure the Cold nor get in their Harvest which was continually spoil'd by the Natives were so pinch'd with Hunger that after three years stay many of them dy'd in their Houses which caus'd a filthy Stink and consequently a vile Distemper not unlike the Small-pox at last twenty three of them amongst whom were two Women judg'd it convenient to bury their great Guns and march away with their Musquets a whole Year they travell'd in great want feeding on the Leaves of Trees wild Roots and Fowls which they now and then kill'd at last they resolv'd to travel by Land to Rio de la Plata but never any news was heard what became of them onely one Spaniard call'd Ferdinand being stray'd from the rest was taken by Candish to whom he gave the foremention'd Relation Candish entring Philip-stadt found a Gibbet on which hung a Malefactor in Chains a Church the Houses full of famish'd Bodies and four Brass Guns which he digg'd out of the Ground From hence he ran to a fresh-water River which disembogues into the Straights whose Banks are inhabited by cruel Cannibals and the Countrey all about plain Pasture Grounds whereas most part of the Shore in the Straights is very mountainous Candish Landing found Spanish Knives and Stilletto's amongst the Man-eaters and lay a whole Moneth at Anchor in the western Mouth of Magellanica by reason of great Storms feeding on Mussles Cockles and Fowl and from thence Sail'd about the World returning home at last with a Booty of twenty Tun of Gold Anno 1599. Simon de Cordes Commanding five Netherland Vessels entring the Straights of Magellan found in the green Bay Mussles of a Span long abundance of Ducks and Geese and a great many Trees not unlike Laurel they being onely bigger and had a sharp biting Shell The Wind blew exceeding hard here over the Rocks insomuch that they were sometimes driven from four Anchors A few Moneths after Oliver van Noord follow'd Cordes and Anchor'd near the Pinguyn Isles the biggest whereof is calll'd Castemme and the least Talke the Inhabitants thereof dwell in Caverns under Ground and feed on the Birds Pinguyns of whose Skins they make Mantles These Birds weigh generally fifteen or sixteen Pound have black Backs white Bellies very thick Skins long Bills like Ravens The Bird Pinguyn short thick Necks two plum'd Fins in stead of Wings black Feet like a Goose and delicate Flesh notwithstanding they feed on Fish after which they swim very swift with the fore-mention'd Fins which hang down on each side along their Bodies when they walk upright on the Shore they sit generally four together in their Holes made after such a manner that a Man which knows not of them may ere he be aware sink up to the Knees in the same and be bitten terribly by the Legs Cordes his Seamen got in two hours time above nine hundred of these Birds whilest he discover'd the salvage People Enoo which inhabit the Countrey Cossi and are divided into the Families Kemenetes Kennekas and Caraike the first inhabited the Territory Carray the second Caramay and the third Morine all of them Paint their Cheeks and Forehead Farther into the Countrey dwell the Trimenes a gigantick sort of People eleven Foot high who maintain continual Wars with their Neighbors Great Discoveries of Netherlanders about the Magellan Straights Moreover Noord discover'd several Inlets full of Ice and fresh Water in the Straights of Magellan whither the United Netherlands have since sent the Admirals William Schouten Joris Spilbergen and Jaques le Heremite The common opinion that the Countrey on the South side of Magellan is of the Main Continent Experience hath manifested for
Damp and against bad Weather a thundering noise On the Mountains grow exceeding large Trees especially Oak Here Pismires which are of an extraordinary bigness are brought to Market amongst other Provisions 2. St. Salvador forty Leagues distant from Guatimala Eastward and seated upon the River Guacapa and having about it a small Territory which by some is accounted a distinct Countrey or Province 3. Acaputla a Town of the Natives situated at the Mouth of the River and being as it were the Port-Town to St. Salvador 4. Trinidad a Town of great resort being the greatest Empory and Place of Traffick for all sorts of Commodities betwixt the People of New Spain and those of Peru. 5. St. Michaels two or three Leagues distant from the Bay Fonseca upon the South Sea 6. Xeres de la Frontera on the Confines of this Province towards the Borders of Nicaragua besides several Villages which we shall have occasion to mention In the middle of a Lake within this Territory is an Island on which the Indians had a Tradition That a Man no sooner set his Foot but he died immediately which Opinion of theirs was chang'd when the Spaniards went thither in Boat-fulls and return'd safe again with Relation that they had seen a large Stone Image resembling a Woman before which lay the Ashes and Bones of slain People Round about the Village Guaymoco grow great Balsom-Trees which afford Timber of fifty five Foot long From this Village leads a Way to the City Salvador near which the fore-mention'd River Guachapa runs with so many windings that the Traveller is forc'd to cross the same several times before he can come to the Foot of a Mountain which formerly cast out terrible Flames but now the combustible Matter being consum'd there appears onely a great Hole on the top with Ashes in a large compass round about it At the Foot of the same are two Pits one of which smoaks continually in such a manner that it stifles all those that approach it yet the Mountain is well overspread with Cedars and Pine-Trees Three Leagues farther lies the Village Nixapa and not far from thence the Hill Elmal Pais which consists of great Stones and Ashes wonderfully mixt together No less wonderful is a Brook which flows in the Night till Morning and then sinks into the Ground And in the Countrey Choluteca is another which hides it self at Noon and appears again towards Night The Cavern which formerly produc'd Fire and Smoke now affords good Water to the Village Curcatan and City Salvador Near the Village Yztepegve are five Springs which cast up Allom and Sulphur The Natives Chontales which speak several Languages flock to the Village Mimilla to make Offerings not far from hence are two Pits one of which is full of boyling Water and the other as cold as Ice Moreover Cocori lies near a high Mountain on the top of which is a very turbulent Lake The chiefest Haven of this Countrey Havens which lies along the South-Sea is Bahia de Fonseca Discover'd by Gonsalves Davila Anno 1522. and so nam'd from Joan Rodrigas de Fonseca Bishop of Burgos In the middle thereof appears the Island Petronella with nine others of which four are inhabited by Indians The good conveniency of the Haven Fonseca induc'd some of the Spaniards to make a new Passage from the side of the Southern Ocean to the Northern viz. from Panama to Nombre de Dios designing it to reach from the said Haven Fonseca unto Puerto de Carellos which are distant one from the other forty five Leagues most of it good way except some over-grown Mountains which might be made passable with little trouble to which purpose they built the Town Buena Esperanca yet nevertheless the Work remain'd unprosecuted There are moreover reckon'd as appertaining to Guatimala the small Provinces Soconusco Suchitepec and Chilulteca the chief of them being Soconusco to which belongs the Town of Gevetlan where the Spanish Governor hath his Residence the rest seem to be onely small Territories about Towns of the same Name in like manner as St. Salvador and St. Miguel before-mention'd CHAP. V. The Kingdom of Mexico or New-Spain Bounds of New-Spain NEw Spain the chiefest part of the Northern America reckons in length from the East-Point of Yucatan to the place where Mechoacon juts against Guadalajara three hundred and sixty Leagues and in breadth from the Northern parts of Panucos to the Southern Ocean a hundred and eighty Leagues besides a great part which lies to the Northward behind inaccessable Mountains and Wildernesses inhabited by the Tepecuaenes Guachucules Cacatequas Tecaxquines and others and was before the Spaniards Conquer'd and Dismember'd it much larger than now it is for as much as it comprehended the whole Province of New-Gallicia and reach'd from the furthest Point of the Peninsula of Jucatan Southward as far as New-Biscay and the Confines of California Northward containing in length seven hundred Leagues and more and about half as much in breadth But since the Conquest by Hernando Cortez and his Followers the whole Countrey of New-Gallicia is taken from it and made a distinct Government or Audiencia as the Spaniards call it of it self â—VA HISPANI â—OVA GALICIA GVATIMALA The Original The Natives of the Countrey are of the Race of the Chichimecae a Salvage and Wilde sort of People of the Province of New-Gallicia especially in the Parts of New-Biscay living in Forests and in deep Caves under Ground whose Posterity do still at this day much trouble and annoy the Countrey thereabouts notwithstanding all the endeavors of the Spaniards and the Garrisons which they keep in those parts on purpose to destroy them About five hundred years ago or more according to the account of the Mexican Annals divers Hoards as they are call'd of these Chichimecae weary it seems of their Woods and subterraneous dwellings issu'd out into the more open Air and fell down in huge multitudes into these Southerly parts of America which are now call'd Mexico and New-Spain not all at once but at several times and under several names viz. of the Suchimilci Chalcae Tepanecae Tlascaltecae and others who subduing or driving out the People they found in those parts Seated themselves in their room And though at first every Nation or Company of them as they came seiz'd upon some Province apart by themselves and held it as it were in Soveraignty to themselves without acknowledgement of any dependance or subjection to their Neighbors or those that were there before them yet in Tract of time and by fortune of the Wars which they made one upon another they fell under the Government of one King viz. the King of Mexico which was the chief City of the Province The state of the Mexican Kingdom before the Spaniards arrival This Kingdom at the time that the Spaniards first Discover'd the Countrey was Govern'd by a Prince nam'd Motezuma one who by his Valor and good success in the Wars
had in a few years of his Reign before the Spaniards came thither subdu'd the better part of a hundred Cities and great Towns to his Dominion and held in actual submission to his Government and Tributary to him no less than thirty several Casiques or petty Princes every one of which paid him Tribute and were able upon occasion to bring into the Field an hundred thousand Men He is said to have been for his Person a wise and good Prince just affable and tender of his Subjects good but by reason of some heavy exactions which his own power and the Practise of his Ancestors before him gave him the confidence to Impose upon the Conquer'd People a great part of his Subjects liv'd but unwillingly under his Obedience and rather by constraint than otherwise being also further exasperated against him by one barbarous Custom which the Mexicans frequently us'd viz. the Sacrificing of Men. Their manner was whensoever they had any solemn occasion of doing Honor to their Devil-god Vitzilopuchtli as they call him to send out an Army of Men from Mexico into some of the subdu'd Provinces in case they had no Enemies nearer Hand and to fetch in as many Men as they thought good to be Sacrific'd whose flesh likewise afterwards they did eat in a solemn Banquet This being a business of their Satanical Religion and Motezuma a Prince extremely Superstitious and Devoted to the Service of his gods it is said that he Sacrific'd commonly one year with another twenty thousand Men and some years upon extraordinary occasions not less than fifty thousand So great and grievous a Tyranny by the just Judgement and Permission of Almighty God for their great and unnatural sins did the Enemy of Mankind exercise upon them He was likewise much given to Women but it was onely to such as were counted his Wives of which he is said to have had no less than a hundred and fifty with Child by him at one time The bounds of the Mexican Kingdom The Bounds of this Kingdom at present are thus on the East it hath a large Arm of the Sea which they call The Bay of New-Spain or The Gulf of Mexico On the West it hath some parts of New-Gallicia and Mare del Zur on the North the rest of New-Gallicia and part of Florida and on the South Mare del Zur again and part of Guatimala It extendeth it self in length from Jucatan South-East to the Borders of New Gallicia Northward above eight hundred Italian Miles and in breadth from Panuco to the South Sea about half so much It lieth wholly under the Torrid Zone nor is it a Countrey generally so mountainous or high seated as some others of America are but for the most part level or low yet is it so fann'd for three parts at least of four by the cooling Blasts of the Sea and the Heats otherwise so moderated with frequent Rains which it hath constantly three Moneths in the Year viz. June July and August that the Air is rendred thereby exceeding temperate and the Climate not unhealthful especially to temperate Bodies and such as are never so little us'd to it Riches of Mexico A goodly Countrey it is of inexhaustible Wealth and Riches whether we regard the Mynes of Gold Silver Brass Iron c. of all which it hath many and very good or the Fruits of the Earth abundance of Cattel plenty of Corn and Grain of which they have two Harvests or any other Commodities and Endowments of Nature which serve for the enriching of the World Amongst other things it affords Cassia the Fruit whereof is a thing well known and much commended by the Apothecaries for its use in Physick especially in Purgations and removing of all Obstructions of Phlegm Choler c. Such store of Balm Amber all sorts of Gums and precious Liquors as no Countrey in the World is better furnish'd with excellent Perfumes and Physick than the Kingdom of New Spain Among the many other sorts of Trees which this Countrey produces the most remarkable is their Tunas Tunas Treâ— of which there being five kinds one is call'd Cumbeba from whence proceeds that admirable Tincture commonly known by the Name of Cochinele which is thus made On the top of this Tree is found a Worm which hath the bigness and shape of a great Louse which so increases that in one years time a hundred Trees shall be stock'd from the seed of one of these Animals The Worm it self being white after the Skin is carefully pull'd off put in cold Water or Ashes and so dry'd becomes Cochinele The best sort of it is to be had in Tlascala and that in so great a quantity that no less than five or six hundred Arrobes of Spanish Measure each Arrobe is as much as five English Bushels is yearly Transported thence The other sort which grows on the Mountains and that which is not so carefully gather'd call'd Chichimecas Dyes not so well as the right Cochinele The Tunas also bears a Fruit long and whitish with a smooth Shell and full of little Seeds like Figs The red which are inferior in taste to the white colours the Urine red Pine-Apples The Pine-Apples which grow here differ from the Spanish for the Pulp is not inclos'd in a Shell They have a pleasant smell and a Pulp which if eaten much of causes an Appetite it being of a tartish taste they keep good a long time when Salted The Spaniards to make Chocolate mix Maiz by the Mexicans call'd Tlaolli either whole or Ground or boyl'd before with Chalk Moreover they put the red Kernels also in the Drink which grow in the Fruit of the Achiote-Tree Of the Kernels which are dry and cooling boyl'd in Water and stirr'd till it comes to a Pap they make Cakes which mix'd with the Chocolate gives it a cleansing power and takes away all tastes that cause vomiting The Pepper Mecaxochite which grows creeping along the Earth with long and fragrant Leaves round Stalks hairy Roots and three long Cods which shoot upwards This Pepper tempers the over-cooling property of the Chocolate Lastly it consists also of Xochinacatlis Tlilxochitle and the Rozenish Gum Holli The Xocinacatli is a Tree with small Leaves and great Flowers hanging on long Stalks that bend downwards within of a purple and without of a dark-green colour of a sweet smell and resembling an Ear and this Flower also gives a pleasant taste and wholsom operation to the Chocolate The Tlilxochitle runs up to the tops of Trees like Ivy the Flowers of a darkish brown colour cleanse the Nerves strengthen the Brain and take away the rawness of the Stomach The Holli drops out of the Holquabuytle a smooth barky Tree full of Moisture which at first appearance is white then yellowish and lastly black which kneaded into round Balls and Roasted is a remedy against a Loosness and soreness of the Bowels Nature of the People The Natives of the Countrey are very