together with some order and such as do know them find them no lesse apt and capable of matters of christian religion than others which are held to be more rich and better governed Comming therefore to our subiect the Chichimecas and Ottomies which were the first inhabitants of New Spaine for that they did neyther till nor sowe the land they left the best and most fertile of the country vnpeopled which Nations that came from farre did possesse whome they called Navatalcas for that it was a more civill and politike Nation this word signifies a people that speakes well in reâ—pect of other barbarous nations without reason These sâ—cond peoplers Navatalcas came from other â—arre countries which lie toward the north where now they have discovered a kingdome they call New Mexico There are two provinces in this countrey the one called AZtlan which is to say a place of Herons the other Tuculhuacan which signifies a land of such whose grandfathers were divine The Inhabitants of these provinces have their houses their lands tilled gods customes and ceremonies with like order and governement to the Navatalcas and are divided into seaven Tribes or Nations and for that they have a custome in this province that every one of these linages hath his place and private territory The Navatalcas paint their beginning and first territory in figure of a cave and say that they came forth of seaven caves to come and people the land of Mexico whereof they make mention in their Historie where they paint seaven caves and men comming forth of them By the supputation of their bookes it is above eight hundred yeeres since these Navatalcas came foorth of their country reducing which to our accompt was about the yeere of our Lord 720. when they left their country to come to Mexico they stayed foure score yeares vpon the way and the cause of this their long stay in their voyage was that their gods which without doubt were divells and spake visibly vnto them had perswaded them to seeke new lands that had certaine signes And therefore they came discovering the whole land to search for these tokens which their Idolls had given them and in places where they found any good dwellings they peopled it and laboured the land and as they discovered better countries they left those which they had first peopled lâ—aving still some especially the aged sicke folkes and the weary yea they did plant and build there whereof we see the remainders at this day In the way where they passed they spent fourescore yeares in this manner of leisurely travell the which they might have done in a moneth By this meanes they entred the land of Mexico in the yeare nine hundred and two after our computation How the six Linages of Navatlacas peopled the land of Mexico CHAP. 3. THese seaven Linages I have spoken of came not forth all together the first were the Suchimilcos which signifie a Nation of the seedes of flowers Those peopled the bankes of the great lake of Mexico towards the South and did build a cittie of their name and many villages Long time after came they of the second linage called Chalcas which signifies people of mouthes who also built a cittie of their name dividing their limmits and territories with the Suchimilcos The third were the Tepanecans which signifies people of the bridge they did inhabite vpon the banke of the lake towards the West and they increased so as they called the chiefe and Metropolitane of their Province AzcapuZalco which is to say an Ants nest and they continued long time mighty After them came those that peopled Tescuco which be those of Culhua which is to say a crooked people for that in their Countrey there was a mountaine much bending And in this sort this lake was invironed with these foure Nations these inhabiting on the East and the Tepanecas on the North. These of Tescuco were held for great Courtiers for their tongue and pronountiation is very sweete and pleasant Then arrived the Tlalluicans which signifies men of the Sierre or mountaine Those were the most rude and grosse of all the rest who finding all the plaines about the lake possessed even vnto the Sierre they passed to the other side of the mountaine where they found a very fertile spatious warme countrey where they built many great villages calling the Metropolitane of their province Quahunachua which is as much to say as a place that sounds the voice of an Egle which our common people call by corruption Quernavaca and at this day they call this province the Marquisate Those of the sixt generation which are the Tlascaltecans which is to say men of bread passed the mountaine towards the east crossing all the Sierre or mountaine of Menade where that famous Vulcan is betwixt Mexico and the citty of Angells where they did finde a good country making many buildings They built many townes and citties whereof the Metropolitane was called by their name Tlascala This is the nation which favoured the Spaniards at their entrie by whosâ— help they did winne this country and therefore to this day they pay no tribute but enioy a generall exemption When all these Nations peopled these countries the Chinchimecans being the antient inhabitants made no resistance but fledde and as people amazed they hid themselves in the most obscure of the rockes But those that inhabited on th' other side of the mountaine where the Tlascaltecans had planted themselves did not suffer them in quiet as the rest of the Chichimecans had done but they put themselves in defâ—nce to preserve their country and being giants as the Histories report they sought to expell the last commers but they were vanquisht by the policy of the Tlascaltecans who counterfetting a peace with them they invited them to a great banquet and when they were busiest in their drunkennes there were some laide in ambush who secretly stole away their weapons which were great clubbes targets swords of wood and other sucâ— armes Then did they sodainely set vpon them and the Chichimecas seeking to defend themselves they did want their armes so as they fled to the mountaines and forrests adioyning where they pulled downe trees as if they had beene stalkes of lettices But in the end the Tluscaltecans being armed and marching in order they defeated all the giants not leaving one alive We must not holde this of the giants to be strange or a fable for at this day we finde dead mens bones of an incredible bignes When I was in Mexico in the yeare of our Lorde one thousand five hundred eighty sixe they found one of those giants buried in one of our farmes which we call Iesus du Mont of whom they brought a tooth to be seene which without augmenting was as big as the fist of a man and according to this all the rest was proportionable which I saw and admired at his deformed greatnes The Tlascaltecans by this victory remained peaceable and so did the rest of
gems and gold Wash in the Rhine and Elbe likewise Seneca did coniecture this by the great courage of men as that which shall happen last saying It shall fall out in the latter age c. as hath bin before mentioned Of the opinion which Plato held of the West Indies CHAP. 12. IF any one hath treated more particularly of the west Indies the honor belongs to Plato who in his time faith thus In those dayes they could not sayle this Gulph meaning the Atlantike Sea which is the Ocean which meetes at the Straight of Gibraltar for that the passage was stopt at the mouth of the pillars of Hercules which is the same Straight of Gibraltar and this Iland was in those dayes ioyned to the foresaid mouth and was of that bignesse as it exceeded all Asia and Affricke together and then was there a passage to goe from these Ilands to others and from those others Ilandes they went to the firme Land the which was neere invironed with the very Sea This is reported by Critias in Plato And such as beleeve that this narration of Plato is a true Historie delivered in these termes say that this great Atlanticke Iland the which did exceed both Affricke and Asia in greatnesse did then comprehend the greatest part of the Ocean called Atlantike which the Spaniards nowe sayle in and that those other Ilands which he sayde were neere vnto this great one are those which wee now call the Ilands of Barlovante that is Cuba Hispaniola S. Iohn de Port ricco Iamaica and other Ilands of that Countrie and that the maine Land whereof hee maketh mention is the same wee now call firme Land that is Peru and America and that Sea which he sayth is adioyning to the firme Land is the South sea the which he calleth the very Sea for that in comparison of her greatnesse all other Seas both Mediterranean yea and the Atlantike Sea are small in regard thereof Hereby in trueth they give a cunning and wittie interpretation to these words of Plato But whether this interpretation should be held for true or not I am resolved to declare in an other place That some have held opinion that in places of holy Scripture whereas they speake of Ophir is to be vnderstood of our Peru. CHAP. 13. SOme hold opinion that mention is made of the West Indies in the holy scripture taking the region of Peru for that Ophir which so famous Robert Steevens or to say more truely Francis Vatable a man well seene in the Hebrew tong as I have heard our master report who was his disciple saith in his annotations vpon the 9. chapter of the 3. booke of Kingsâ— that the Iland of Hispaniola which Christopher Colombus found out was that of Ophir from whence Solomon caused to bee brought foure hundred and twentie or foure hundred and 50. talents of most fine and pure golde for that the golde of Cibao which our men bring from Hispaniola is of the same fashion and qualitie And there are many others which affirme that our Peru is Ophir deriving one name from another who beleeve that when as the booke of Paralipomenon was written they called it Peru grounding it vpon that which the holy scripture saith that they brought from Ophir pure gold precious stones and wood which was rare and goodly which things abound in Peru as they say But in my opinion it is farre from the truth that Peru should be Ophir so famous in the Bible For although in this Peru there be good store of gold yet is there not such aboundance as it may be equalled with the fame of the riches that was in auncient time at the East Indies I finde not that in Peru there are such precious stones or such exquisite woods as the like have not bend seene at Ierusalem For although there be exquisite Emeralds and some hard trees of Aromaticall wood yet do I not finde any thing ofso great commendation as the scripture giueth vnto Ophir Moreover it seemes not likely that Solomon would leave the East Indies most rich and plentifull to send his fleetes to this farther land whether if they had come so often as it is written we had surely found more signes and testimonies thereof Moreover the Etimologie of the name of Ophir and the change or reduction thereof to Peru seemes to me of small consideration being most certaine that the name of Peru is not very auncient nor common to all that countrie It hath beene vsuall in the discoverie of the new world to give names to lands and portes of the sea according to the occasions presented at their ariuall and I beleeve that the name of Peru hath bene so found out and put in practise for we find heere that the name hath bene given to all the countrie of Peru by reason of a river so called by the inhbitants of the countrie where the Spaniards arived vpon their first discoverie Whereby we maintaine that the Indians themselves bee ignorant and do not vse this name and appellation to signifie their land It seemeth moreover the same Authors will say that Sepher spoken of in the scripture is that which we now call Andes which are most high mountaines in Peru. But this resemblance of names and appellations is no sufficient proofe If that were of force we might as well say that Iectan is Iecsan mentioned in the holy scripture Neither may we say that the names of Titus and Paul which the Kings Inguas of Peru do vse come from the Romans or Christians seeing it is too weake an argument to draw a conclusion of great matters We see plainely that it is contrarie to the intention of the holy scriptures which some have written that Tharsis and Ophir were one and the same Province conferring the 22 chapter of the 4. booke of the Kings with the 20. chapter of the second booke of Paralipomenon for that in the booke of the Kings it is said that Iosaphat prepared a fleete of shippes in Asiongaber to fetch golde at Ophir and in Paralipomenon it is written that the same fleete was furnished to go vnto Tharsis Whereby it may be supposed that in these fore-said bookes where the scripture speakes of Tharsis and Ophir that it meanes one thing Some one may demaund what region or Province that Ophir was whether Solomons fleete went with the Mariners of Hyram King of Tyre and Sidon to fetch hold And whether King Iosaphats fleete pretending to go did suffer shipwracke and perish in Asiongaber as the holy scripture doth testifie In this I do willingly agree with the opinion of Ioseph in his books of Antiquities where he saith that it is a Province of the East Indies the which was found by that Ophir the sonne of Iectan wherâ—of mention is made in the 10. of Genessis and that Province did abound with most fine gold Thereof it comes they did so much extol the gold of Ophir or of Ophas or as some wil
buy withall but did change and trucke one thing for another as Homer and Plinie report of the Ancients They had some other things of greater esteeme which went currant amongst them for price and in steede of coine and vnto this day this custome continues amongst the Indians as in the Provinces of Mexico in steede of money they vse Cacao which is a small fruite and therewith buy what they will In Peru they vse Cocae to the same end the which is a leafe the Indians esteeme much as in Paraguay they have stampes of yron for coine and cotten woven in S. Croix of the Sierre Finally the maner of the Indians trafficke and their buying and selling was to exchange and give things for things and although there were great martes and famous faires yet had they no neede of mony nor of brokers for that every one had learned what he was to give in exchange for every kinde of marchandise Since the Spaniards entred the Indians have vsed gold and silver to buy withall and in the beginning there was no coine but silver by weight was theirprice and mony as they report of the ancient Romans Since for a greater benefite they have forged coine in Mexico and Peru yet vnto this day they have not in the West Indies coined any mony of copper or other mettall but onely of silver and golde for the richnes of that Countrie hath not admitted nor received such money as they call bullion nor other kindes of alloy which they vse in Italie and in other Provinces of Europe Although in some Ilands of the Indies as S. Dominique Port Ricco they vse coine of leather which is square the which are currant onely in those Ilands having little silver or gold I say little although there be much for that no man digges it and refines it But for that the riches of the Indies and their maner to labour in the mines consistes of golde silver and quickeâ—silver I will speake some thing of these three mettalls leaving the rest for this time Of golde which they digge and refine at the Indies CHAP. 4. GOld amongst other mettals hath bin alwayes held the most excellent and with reason beeing the most durable and incorruptible of all others for sire which consumes and diminisheth the rest amends it and brings it to perfection Golde which hath often passed through the fire keepes his colour and is most fine and pure which properly is called as Plinie saith Obriso wherof the Scripture makes so often mention vse which consumeth all other mettalles as the same Plinie saith dooth not any thing waste golde nor yet hurte it neither is it eaten nor groweth olde And although his substance and body be firme and solide yet dooth it yeelde and bow woonderfully the Beaters and Drawers of golde knowe well the force it hath to bee drawen out without breaking All which things well considered with other excellent properties will give men of iudgement to vnderstand wherefore the holie Scripture dooth compare Charitie to golde To conclude there is little neede to relate the excellencies thereof to make it more desirable For the greatest excellencie it hath is to be knowne as it is amongst men for the supreame power and greatnesse of the worlde Comming therefore to our subiect at the Indies there is great abundance of this mettall and it is wel knowne by approoved histories that the Inguas of Peru did not content themselves with great and small vessels of gold as pots cups goblets and flagons yea with kowles or great vessells but they had chaires also and litters of massie golde and in their Temples they had set vppe maine Images of pure golde whereof they finde some yet at Mexico but not such store as when the first Conquerours came into the one and the other kingdome who found great treasure and without doubt there was much more hidden in th earth by the Indians It would seeme ridiculous to reporte that they have made their horse shooes of silver for want of yron and that they have payd three hundred crownes for a bottle of wine and other strange things and yet in trueth this hath come to passe yea and greater matters They drawe golde in those partes after three sorts or at the least I have seene all three vsed For eyther they find gold in graines in powlder or in stone They do call golde in graines small morsels of gold which they find whole without mixture of any other mettall which hath no neede of melting or refining in the fire and they call them pippins for that commonly they are like to pippins or seeds of melons or pompions and that wherof Iob speakes when he saies Leve illius aurum though sometimes there be greater and such as I have seene weighed many poundes It is the excellencie of this mettall alone as Plinie affirmes to be found thus pure and perfect which is not seene in any other mettalles which are alwayes earthly and have a scumme and neede purging by the fire I have likewise seene silver naturall like to Yea there is an other kinde which the Indians call Papas and sometimes they find peeces very fiue and pure like to small round rootes the which is rare in that mettall but vsuall in gold They finde little of this golde in pippin in respect of the other kindes Golde in stone is a veine of gold that groweth or ingendereth within the stone or flint as I have seene in the mines of Curuma within the government of Salines very great stones pierced and intermixed with gold others that were halfe gold and halfe stone The golde which groweth in this manner is found in pittes or mines which have their veines like to the silver mines but it is very hard to drawe it foorth Agatarchides writes in his first booke of the Erithrean or red sea as Phocion reportes in his Bibliotheca of the manner and fashion to refine golde drawne out of stones the which the antient Kings of Egypt were wont to vse it is a strange thing to see how that which is written resembles properly to the manner they vse at this day in refining these mettalls of golde and silver The greatest quantitie of golde which is drawne at the Indies is that in powlder the which is found in streames and places wher much water hath passed because the slouds at the Indies abound in this kinde of golde As the Ancients for this occasion did celebrate the river of Tagus in Spaine Paâ—olus in Asia and Ganges in the East Indies and callâ—d theâ— Râ—menta auri the which we others call golâ—e in pâ—wlâ—er and of this sort is the greatest quantitie of golde they have at this day At this present in tâ—e â—lands of Barlovent Hispaniola Cuba and Port Ricco there hath beene and is great quantity in the rivers but they bring little from thence into Spaine for want of the naturall inhabitants of the country the difficultie to
Indies as at Peru new Spaine in the new kingdome of Granado in Gautimalla in Chille and vpon the maine land I do not finde that in old time in the Ilands of Barlovente as Cuba S. Dominique Iamaique and S. Iâ—an that they vsed Mays at this day they vse much Yuca and Cacavi whereof we will presently intreate I do not thinke that this Mays is any thing inferiour to our wheat in strength nor substance but it is more hote and grosse and engenders more bloud wherevpon they that have not bin accustomed therevnto if they eat too much they swell and become scabbed It growes vpon canes or reedes every one beares one or two grapes or branches to the which the graine is fastened and although the graine be bigge yet finde they great store thereof so as in some clusters I have told seven hundred graines They must plant it with the hand one by one and not very thicke it desires a hote and moist ground and growes in great aboundance in many places of the Indies It is not strange in those countries to gather 300. Fanegues or measures for one sowen There is difference of Mays as there is of wheat one is great and very nourishing another small and drie which they call Moroche the greene leaves and canes of Mays is a good foode for their mules and horâ—es and it serves them for straw when it is dried the graine is of more nourishment for horses then barly and therefore in those countries they vse to water their horses before they eate for if they should drinke after they would swell as when they eate wheat Mays is the Indians bread the which they commonly eate boiled in the graine hote and they call it Mote as the Chinois and Iopponois eate their Rice sodden with the hote water sometimes they eate it baked There is some Mays round and bigge as that of Lucanas which the Spaniards eate rosted as a delicate meat and hath a better taste then Buarbenses or rosted peason There is another kinde of eating it more pleasant which is to grinde the Mays and to make small cakes of the flower â—he which they put in the fire and then bring them hote to the table In some places they call them Arepaâ— They make also round bowles of this paste and so trimme them that they continue long eating it as a dainty dish They have invented at the Indies for friandise and pleasure a certaine kinde of paste they doe make of this flowe mixt with sugar which they call biscuits and mellinders This Mays serves the Indians not only for bread but also for wine for they do make their drinke thereof wherewith they are sooner drunke than with wine of grapes They make this wine of Mays in diverse sortes and maners calling it in Peru Acua and by the most common name of the Indies Chicha And the strongest is made like vnto beere steeping the graine vntill it breake After they boyle it in such sort that it growes so strong as alittle overthrowes a man In Peru they call this Sora it is defended by the Law for the great inconveniences that grow thereby making men drunke But this Lawe is ill observed for that they vse it still yea they spend whole dayes and nights in drinking carowse Pliny reporteth that this maner of beverage of graine stieped and after sodden wherewith they were drunke was in old time vsed in Spaine France and other Provinces as at this day in Flanders they vse ale made of mault There is another maner of making this Acua or Chicha which is to champe the mays and make a leven thereof and then boile it yea the Indians holde opinion that to make good leven it must bee champed by old withered women which makes a man sicke to heare and yet they doe drinke it The cleanliest manner the most wholesome and that which least harmeth is to roast the Mays which the most civil Indians doe vse and some Spaniardes yea for physicke For in effect they finde it a very wholesome drinke for the reines so as you shall hardly finde any one at the Indies complaine of paine in the backe for that they do drinke of this Chicha The Spanyards and Indians eate this Mays boyled and roasted for daintinesse when it is tender in the grape like milke they putte it into the pot and make sawces that are good to eate The buds of Mays are very fatte and serve insteede of butter and oyle so as this Mays at the Indies serves both for men and beasts for bread wine and oile For this reason the Viceroy Don Francisco de Toledo saide that Peru hadde two things rich and of great norishment which were Mays and the cattell of the countrey In truth he had reason for these two things did serve them as a thousand I will aske sooner than I can answer it whence Mays was first carried to the Indies and why they do call this profitable graine in Italie Turkie graine for in trueth I doe not finde that the Antients make any mention of this graine though that mil that Plinie writes to come from the Indies into Italie tenne yeares before he didde write it hath some resemblance vnto Mays for that it is a graine as he saies that growes in reede and covers it selfe with the leafe and hath the toppe like haires being very fertile all which things agree not with mill To conclude God hath imparted to ev'ry region what is needefull To this continent he hath given wheate which is the chiefe nourishment of man and to the Indians he hath given Mays which hath the second place to wheate for the nourishment of men and beasts Of Yucas Caçavi Papas Chunes and Ris. CHAP. 17. IN some partes of the Indies they vse a kinde of bread they call Cacavi which is made of a certaine roote they call Yuca This Yuca is a great and grosse roote which they cutte in small morsells they grate or scrape it and then put it in a presse to straine making a thinne and broade cake thereof almost ' like vnto a Moores target or buckler then doe they drie it and this is the breade they eate It hath no taste but is healthfull and of good nourishment For this reason we said being at S. Dominike that it was the proper foode for great eaters for that they might eate much without any feare of surffetting They must of necessitie water this Cacavi before they eate it it is sharpe and easely watered with water or broath wherein it is very good for that it swells much and so they make Capirotades but it is hardly stieped in milke in honny of canes or in wine for that these liquors cannot pierce it as it doth bread made of wheate Of this Cacavi there is one kind more delicate than any other which is that they make of the slower called Xauxau which they do much esteeme in those partes For my parte I esteeme more a morsell of bread how hard
stalke for that it beares but one and never but once but as I have saide the stalke remaines and castes forth new sienes or stalkes vntill it growes olde and dies This Plane continues many yeares and requires much moisture and a very hote ground They put ashos at the foote of it for the better â—â—tertaining therâ—f and they make small groves and very thicke which are of great profit and revenue vnto them for that it is the fruite they vse most at the Indies and is generall in all places although they say the first beginning comes from Ethiopia And in trueth the Negros vse them much and in some places they serve them as bread yea they make wine of them They eate this fruite rawe like other fruits they likewise roast it and make many sorts of potages and conserves and in all thinges it serveth very well There is a kinde of small Planes white and very delicate which in Hispaniola they call Dominiques There are others which are stronger and bigger and red of colour There growes none in the kingdome of Peru but are brought from the Indies as from Mexico Cuernavaca and other vallies Vpon the firme land and in some Ilands there are great store of Planes like vnto thicke groves If this plant were fit for the fire it were the most profitable of all others but it is nothing fit for neither the body noâ— the boughs will burne and much lesse will it serve for building being a sappy wood and without force Yet Don Alonze Darzilla as it is said vsed the leaves of this tree dried to write a parte of the Auricana and in truth it may serve for want of paper seeing that the leafe is as broade as a sheet of paper or little lesse and foure times as long Of Cacao and Coca CHAP. 22. ALthough the Plane be the most profitable yet that Cacao is most esteemed at Mexico and the Coca in Peru in which two trees they have great superstition The Cacao is a fruit little lesse than almonds yet more satte the which being roasted hath no illâ—taste It is so much esteemed amongest the Indians yea and among the Spaniards that it is one of the richest and the greatest traffickes of new Spaine for being a drie fruite and that keepes long without corruption they carry whole shippes loaden from the province of Guatimalla The last yeare an English Pirat did burne in the Port of Guatulco in new Spaine above a hundred thousand charges of Cacao They vse it in steede of money for with five Cacaos they buy one thing with thirtie an other and with a hundred an other without any contradiction and they vse to give it to the poore that beg for almes The chiefe vse of this Cacao is in a drincke which they call Chochâ—laté whereof they make great accompt in that Country foolishly and without reason for it is loathsome to such as are not acquainted with it having askumme or froth that is very vnpleasant to taste if they be not very well conceited thereof Yet it is a drinke very much esteemed among the Indians wherewith they feast noble men as they passe through their Country The Spaniards both men and women that are accustomed to the Countrey are very greedy of this Chocholaté They say they make diverse sortes of it some hote some colde and some temperate and put therein much of that Chili yea they make paste thereof the which they say is good for the stomacke and against the Catarre Whatsoever it be such as have not been nourished there are not very curious thereof The tree whereon this fruite growes is of reasonable bignesse and well fashioned it is so tender that to keepe it from the burning of the Sunne they plant neere vnto it a great tree which serves onely to shadow it and they call it the mother of Cacao There are places where they are like to the Vines and Olive trees of Spaine The province where there is greatest abundance for the traffike of Marchandise is Guatimalla There growes none in Peru but Coca wherein they hold an other great superstition which seemes to be fabulous In trueth the trafficke of Coca in Potozi doth yearely mount to above halfe a million of peeces for that they vse fourescore and tenne or foure score and fifteene thousand baskets every yeare In the yeare one thousand five hundred eighty three they spent a hundred thousand A basket of Coca in Cusco is woorth two peeces and a halfe and three and in Potozi it is readily worth foure peeces and five Tomines and five peeces tried It is a kinde of marchandise by the which all their Markets and Faires are made with great expedition This Coca whereof they make such account is a small greene leafe which groweth vpon small trees about a fadome high and in hote and moyst grounds every foure moneths it casts forth this leafe which they call Tresmitas or Tremoy it requires great care in planting beeing very tender and much more to keepe it when it is gathered They laie it in order in long narrow baskets and so lade theyr sheepe of the Country which go in troopes with one two or three thousand baskets of this marchandise They bring it commonly from the Andes and vallies where there is an extreame heate and where it raines continually the most part of the yeare wherein the Indians endure much labour and paine to entertaine it often many die for that they go from the Sierre and colde places to till and gather them in the Andes And therefore there hath beene great question and diversity of opinions among learned men whether it were more expedient to pull vp these trees or to let them growe but in the end they remained The Indians esteeme it much and in the time of their Kings Inguas it was not lawfull for any of the common people to vse this Coca without licence from the Governor Their vse is to cary it in their mouthes chawing it and sucking out the iuyce but they swallow it not They say it gives them great courage and is very pleasing vnto them Many grave men holde this as a superstition a meere imagination for my part and to speake the truth I perswade not my selfe that it is an imagination but contrariwise I thinke it works and gives force and courage to the Indians for we see the effects which cannot be attributed to imagination as to go some daies without meate but onely a handfull of Coca and other like effects The sawce wherewith they doe eate this Coca is proper enough whereof I have tasted and it is like the taste of leather The Indians mingle it with the ashes of bones burnt and beat into powlder or with lime as others affirme which seemeth to them pleasing and of a good taste and they say it dooth them much good They willingly imploy their money therein and vse it as money yet all these things were not inconvenient were not the hazard of
others PoullaZes which in my opinion are of the kinde of ravens are of a strange lightnes and have a very quicke sight being very fit to clense Citties for that they leave no carion nor dead thing They passe the night on trees or vpon rockes and in the morning they come to the cities and townes sitting on the toppes of the highest buildings where they attend their prey Their yong have white feathers as they report of ravens and so change into blacke The Guacamayac be birdes bigger then Parrets resemble them somthing they are esteemed for the varietie of their feathers which be very faire pleasing In new Spaine there are aboundance of birdes with excellent feathers so as there be not any found in Europe that comes neere them as we may see by the images of feathers they bring from thence the which are with great reason much valued and esteemed giving cause of admiration that with the feathers of birdes they should make so excellent a worke and so perfectly equall as they seeme properly to be the true coloures of a painter and have so lively and pleasing a regard as the Painter cannot exceede it with his pencill and colours Some Indians which are good and expert workemen in this Art will represent perfectly in feathers whatsoever they see drawne with the pencill so as the Painters of Spaine have in this point no advantage over them Don Philip the Prince of Spaine his schoolemaster did give vnto him three figures or poâ—traitures made of feathers as it were to put in a Breviary His Highnes did shew them to King Philip his father the which his Maiesty beholding attentively said that hee had never seene in so small a worke a thing of so great excellency and perfection One day as they presented to Pope Sixtus quintus another square bigger then it wherein was the figure of St. Francis and that they had told him it was made of feathers by the Indians he desired to make triall thereof touching the table with his fingers to see if it were of feathers for that it seemed strange to see them so properly fitted that the eye could not iudge nor discerne whether they were naturall colours of feathers or artificiall done with the pencill It is a goodly thing to see the lustre which a greene an orange tawny like gold and other fine colours do cast and beholding them another way they seeme dead colours They make the best and goodliest figures of feathers in the Province of Mechovacan and in the village of Pascaro The manner is with small delicate pinsors they pul the feathers from the dead fowles and with a fine paste they cunningly ioyne them together They take the smal delicate feathers of those birds which in Peru they call Tâ—mineyâ—s or others like vnto them which have the most perfect colours in their feathers The Indians besides these images did vse feathers in many other most excellent workes especially for the ornament of Kings and Noblemen their Temples and Idolls There are also other great birdes which have excellent and fine feathers whereof they make plumes of sundry colours especially when they go to warre inriching them with gold and silver very artificially which was a matter of great price They have the same birdes still but they are not so curious neither do they make so many gentill devises as they were wont There are other birdes at the Indies contrarie to these of so rich feathers the which besides that they are ill favovred serve to no other vse but for dung and yet perchance they are of no lesse profite I have considered this wondering at the providence of the Creator who hath so appointed that all creatures should serve man In some Ilands or Phares which are ioyning to the coast â—of Peru wee see the toppes of the mountaines all white and to sight you would take it for snow or for some white land but they are heapes of dung of sea fowle which go continually thither and there is so great aboundance as it riseth many elles yea many launces in height which seemes but a fable They go with boates to these Ilands onely for the dung for there is no other profit in them And this dung is so commodious and profitable as it makes the earth yeelde great aboundance of fruite They cal this dung Guano whereof the valley hath taken the name which they call Limaguaâ—a in the valleys of Peru where they vse this dung and it is the most fertile of all that countrie The quinces poungranets and other fruites there exceede all other in bountie and greatnes and they say the reason is for that the water wherewith they water it passeth by a land compassed with this dung which causeth the beautie of this fruite So as these birdes have not only the flesh to serve for meate their singing for recreation their feathers for ornament and beautie but also their dung serves to fatten the ground The which hath bin so appointed by the soveraigne Creator for the service of man that he might remember to acknowledge and be loyall to him from whom all good proceedes Of Beasts for the Chases CHAP. 38. BEsides the Beasts of Chase whereof we have spoken which be common to the Indies and Europe there are others which I doe not remember to have seene heere vnlesse perhappes they have been brought from thence There are beasts called Sainos made like small hogges which have this singular to themselves to have their navill vppon the ridge of their backes these go by troupes through the woods they are cruell and nothing fearefull but contrariwise they assaile and have their tallents sharpe as rasors wherewith they make dangerous wounds and incisions if such as hunt them put not themselves in safetie Such as hunt them for the more safer killing of them they climbe vp into trees whither the Sainos or hogges come presently in troupes biting the tree when they cannot hurte the man and then with their launces they kill what they will They are very good to eate but they must of necessitie cut off the round peece where the navil growes vpon the backe for otherwise within a day they corrupt There is another kinde of little beast like to sucking pigges and they call them Guadatinaias I am in doubt whether there were any swine at the Indies â—efore the Spaniardes came thither like to these in â—paine for that in the discoverie of the Ilands of Soloman it is said they found hennes and swine of Spaine But howsoever it be it is most certaine that this cattell hath greatly multiplied at the Indies They eate the flesh fresh and hold it to be as holesome and as good as if it were of mutton as in Carthagene in some partes they are become wilde and cruell the which they hunt like wilde boares as we see in S. Dominique and other Ilands where the beasts live in the forrests In some places they feede them with the graine of Mays and they
payed no tribute of that which was apportioned vnto them For all their tribute was to till and keepe in good order the landes of the Ingua and the Guacas and to lay the fruits thereof in their store-houses When the yeare was barren they gave of these fruits thus reserved to the needy for that there is alwayes superaboundance The Ingua did likewise make destribution of the cattell as of the landes which was to number and divide them then to appoynt the pastures and limites for the cattell belonging to the Guacas and to the Ingua and to everie Towne and therefore one portion of their revenues was for religion another for the Ingua the third for the Indians themselves The like order was observed among the hunters being forbidden to take or kill any females The troups of the Inguas and Guacas were in great numbers and very fruitfull for this cause they called them Capaëllama but those of the common and publike were few in number and of small valew and therfore they called them Bacchallama The Ingua took great care for the preservation of cattell for that it hath beene and is yet all the wealth of the Countrey and as it is sayd they did neither sacrifice any females nor kill them neither did they take them when they hunted If the mangie or the scurvie which they call Carache take any beast they were presently commaunded to bury it quicke lest it should infect others They did sheare their cattell in their season and distributed to every one to spinne and weave stuffes for the service of his familie They had searchers to examine if they did employ themselves in these workes and to punish the negligent They made stuffes of the wooll of the Inguas cattell for him and for his family one sorte very fine which they called Cumbi and another grosser which they likewise called Abasca There was no certaine number of these stuffes and garments appointed but what was delivered to every one The wooll that remayned was put into the storehouses whereof the Spaniards found them ful and with all other things necessary for the life of man There are few men of iudgement but doe admire at so excellent and well settled a governement seeing the Indians being neyther religious nor christians maintained after their manner this perfection nor to holde any thing proper and to provide for all their necessities entertaining with such aboundance matters of religion and that which concerned their King and Lord. Of artes and offices which the Indians did exercise CHAP. 16. THe Indians of Peru had one perfection which was to teach their young children all artes and occupations necessary for the life of man for that there were no particular trades-men as amongest vs taylers shoomakers weavers and the rest but every one learned what was needefull for their persons and houses and provided for themselves All coulde weave and make their garments and therfore the Ingua furnishing them with wooll gave them clothes Every man could till the ground and put it to profite without hyring of any labourers All built their owne houses and the women vnderstoode most they were not bred vppe in delights but served their husbands carefully Other arts and trades which were not ordinary and common for the life of man had their proper companies and workmen as goldsmiths painters potters watermen and players of instruments There were also weavers and workemen for exquisite workes which the noblemen vsed but the common people as hath beene said had in their houses all things necessary having no need to buy This continues to this day so as they have no need one of another for things necessary touching his person and family as shooes and garments and for their house to sowe and reape and to make yron woorkes and necessary instruments the Indians heerein doe imitate the institutions of the lesse auntient whereof is intreated in the life of the Fathers In trueth it is a people not greatly covetous nor curious so as they are contented to passe their time quietly and without doubt if they made choise of this manner of life by election and not by custome or nature we may say that it was a life of great perfection being apt to receive the doctrine of the holy Gospel so contrary an enimy to pride covetousnes and delights But the preachers give not alwayes good example according to the doctrine they preach to the Indians It is woorthy observation although the Indians be simple in their manner and habites yet do we see great diversitie amongest the provinces especially in the attire of their head for in some places they carried a long peece of cloth which went often about in some places a large piece of cloth which went but once about in some parts as it were litle morters or hattes in some others as it were high and round bonets some like the bottome of sacks with a thousand other differences They had a straight and inviolable lawe that no man might change the fashion of the garments of his province although hee went to live in another This the Ingua held to be of great importance for the order and good governement of his realme and they doe observe it to this day though not with so great a care as they were accustomed Of the Posts and Chasquis the Indians did use CHAP. 17. THere were many Posts and couriers which the Ingua maintened throughout his realme whom they called Chasquis and they carried commaundements to the Governours and returned their advises and advertisements to the Court These Chasquis were placed at every course which was a league and a halfe one fro an other in twoo small houses where were foure Indians of every country and they were changed monthly Having received the packet or message they ranne with all their force vntill they had delivered it to the other Chasquis such as were to runne being ready and watchfull They ranne fifty leagues in a day and night although the greatest parte of that countrey be very rough They served also to carry such things as the Ingua desired to have with speede Therefore they had always sea-fish in Cusco of two dayes old or litle more although it were above a hundred leagues off Since the Spaniardes entred they have vsed of these Chasquis in time of seditions whereof there was great need Don Martin the viceroy appoynted ordinary posts at everie foure leagues to carry and recarry dispatches which were very necessary in this realme though they runne not so swiftly as the auntients did neither are there so many yet they are well payed and serve as the ordinaries of Spaine to whom they give letters which they carry foure or five leagues Of the iustice lawes and punishments which the Inguas have established and of their marriages CHAP. 18. EVen as such as had done any good service in warre or in the governement of the common-weale were honoured and recompensed with publike charges with lands given them
is no doubt but in that other world all things should be ordred as in ours especially in the growing and order of the winds And having alleaged other reasons to no purpose he concludes saying We must confesse of necessitie that the Southerne wind is that which blowes and comes from the burning zone the which being so neere the sunne wantes water and pastures This is Aristotles opinion and in truth mans coniecture can hardly passe any farther So as I do often consider with a Christian contemplation how weake the Philosophie of the wise of this world hath beene in the search of divine things seeing in humaine things wherein they seeme so well read they often erre Aristotle holds that the habitable earth of the Pole Antartike in longitude from East to West is very great and in latitude from the Pole Antartike to the Equiâ—â—cticall is very sâ—â—all â—â— the which is so contrary to the truth that in a maner all the habitation on this side the Pole Antartike is in latitude I meane from the Pole to the line and in longitude from East to West it is so small as the latitude exceedes in three partes or more In his other opinion he affirmeâ— that the middle region is inhabitable being vnder the burning zone burnt vp by the excessive heate caused by the neâ—renes of the sunne and by this reason hath neither waters nor pastures The which is in like soâ—t contrary for the greatest part of this new world is scituated betwixt the two Tropickes vnder the burning zone and yet is it found very well peopled and inhabited by men and other sortes of creaâ—ures being a region of all the world the most fruitfull of waters and pastures and very temperate in the greatest paâ—t which the will of God hath so appointed to shew that even in naturall things he hath confounded the wisedome of this world To conclude wee must beleeve that the burning zone is well inhabited although the auncients have held it impossible But the other zone or region which lyeth betwixt the burning zone and that of the Pole Antartike although it bee in a climate more commodious for the life of man yet is it smally peopled and inhabited seeing wee know no other dwelling in it but the Kingdome of Chile and a small portion ioyning to the Cape of good Hope The rest is possessed by the Ocean Although many be of opinion the which I likewise hold that there is much more land not yet discovered the which should be firme land opposite to the Kingdome of Chile which runnes beyond the circkle or Tropicke of capricorne And if there be any without doubt it is a land of an excellent temper being in the midst of two extreames and scituate in the same climate with the best regions in Europe And in this regarde Aristotles coniecture was good But speaking of what is discovered at this day in this zone it is little in regard of the large countries inhabited vnder the burning zone That Plinie and the auncients held the same opinion with Aristotle CHAP. 10. THis opinion of Aristotles hath bene held by Plinie who saith thus The temperature of the middle region of the world where the sunne continually runnes his course is scorched and burnt vp as with a neere fire Ioyning to the same region there are two others of eyther side which lying betwixt the heat of this burning zone the cruell cold of the other two extreams are very temperate and can have no communication one with another by reason of the excessive heate of the heaven which hath bene the opinion of the Ancients generally discribed by the Poet in these verses Heavens circuit is of fiue zones one whereof Which still the sunne burnes makes the earth below With flames intempestiue red hotte to glow And the same Poet in another place Heare this if any harbour in that seate Whose quarter vnder that large zone is set Amidst foure others by the sunne enlightned And another Poet speakes more plainely As many regions are there on the ground As are in heaven wherein fiue parts are found Whereof the midst through heate raisd from the rayes Of scorching sunne inhabitable staies The Auncients have grounded their generall opinion vpon one reason which seemed to them certaine and not to be confuted for finding that the more a region drew neere vnto the South the hotter it was the proofe whereof was so infallible in those regions as by the same reason in Italie Apulia is hotter then Tuscane and in Spaine Andelozia then Biscaie A thing so apparent that although there bee but eight degrees difference or lesse betwixt the one and the other yet do wee finde the one extreame hotte and the other very colde whereby they did inferre that the region so neere the South having the sunne so directly for zenith must of necessity bee continually scorched with heate They did likewise see that the divers seasons of the yeere as the Spring Summer Autumne Winter were caused by the neerenes and distance of the sunne finding also that although they were farre from the Tropicke by which the sunne doth passe in summer yet when it approched neere vnto them at the same season they felt great heate Whereby they did coniecture that if they had had the sunne so neere vnto them as to go directly over their heads the heate would have bene so insupportable as it would burne and consume men with the vehemency thereof The same reason moved the Auncients to thinke that the middle region was not habitable and therefore they called it the burning zone And in truth if visible experience did not vnfold this doubt we should yet confesse that this reason were very peremptorie and Mathematicall whereby we may see how weake our vnderstanding is to comprehend these naturall things But wee may say it is fallen out to the great good and happines of our age to have the knowledge of these two great wonders that is to know how easily we may saile through the great Ocean and that vnder the burning zone men inioy a very temperate heaven the which the Auncients could never beleeve Of the last of these two wonders touching the qualitie and habitation of the burning zone by the grace of God we will discourse amply thereof in the next book I thinke it therefore fit in this booke to treat of the maner of sailing through the Ocean for that it imports vs much for the subiect of this worke But before wee come to this point it shall be good to shew what the Auncients thought of these new men whome we call Indians That in ancient Bookes we finde some knowledge of this newe world CHAP. 11. LEt vs returne to that which hath beene formerly spoken Wee must necessarily conclude that the Ancients did beleeve that eyther there were no men beyond the Tropicke of Cancer as S. Augustine and Lactantius doe affirme or if there were any at the least they did not inhabite betwixt the two
say this word of Obrise is thesame with Ophrise for finding there seven sortes or kindes of gold as S. Ierome reportes that of Ophir was held for the most fine as heere we esteeme the gold of Valdivia and Caramaya The chiefest reason which moves me to thinke that Ophir is at the East Indies and not in the West is for that Solomons fleete could not come hither without passing the East Indies all China and a great part of the sea being vnlikely they would passe over all the world to come thither for gold that continent especially lying in that sort as they could not come to the knowledge thereof by any voiage by land And hereafter we wil shew that the Ancients had never knowledge in thearte of Navigation without the which they could not runne so farre into the sea Finally in these matters when as there appeares no certaine proofes but onely light coniectures wee are not bound to beleeve but what we shall thinke good What Tharsis and Ophir signifie in the holy Scripture CHAP. 14. IF every mans coniecture and opinion may be allowed for my part I hold that in the holy scripture these words of Tharsis and Ophir most commonly do not signifie any certaine place but it is a word and signification generall to the Hebrewes as in our vulgar tongue this word of Indies is generall vnto vs in our vsuall maner ofspeech for wee meane by the Indies those rich countries which are farre off and strange vnto vs. So we Spaniards do indifferently call Indies the countries of Peru Mexico China Malaca and Bresil and from what parts soever of these any letters come wee say they bee from the Indies which countries be farre distant and different one from another Yet we cannot denie but that name of Indies is properly to be vnderstood of the East Indies And for that in olde time they did speake of these Indies as of a countrie farre off so likewise in the discoverie of other remote lands they have given them the names of Indies being distant from the rest and held as the end of the world Even so in my iudgement Tharsis in the holy scripture doth not signifie any certaine and determined place but onely regions a farre off and according to the vulgar opinion very rich and strange for that which Iosephus and some others would affirme that Tharsis is Tarso according to the meaning of the scripture in my opinion hath bene well refuted by S. Ierome not onely for that these wordes are written with divers letters the one with an aspiration the other without but also that many things are written of Tharsis which cannot agree with Tarso a Citie in Cilicia It is true that in some places of the scripture Tharsis is said to be in Cilicia the which you shall find in the booke of Iudith speaking of Holophernes who having passed the limits of Assyria he came to the great mountaines of Ange which perchance is Taurus which hilles be on the left hand of Cilicia and that he entred into all the Castells where he assembled all his forces having destroyed that famous Citie of Melothi he ruined all the children of Tharsis and of Israell which were ioyning vnto the desart and those which were in the South towards the land of Cellon and from thence passed Euphrates but as I have saide that which is so written of Tharsis cannot be applied to the Citie of Tharso Theodoret and some others following the interpretation of the 70. in some places they set Tharsis in Affrike saying it was the same Citie which was aunciently called Carthage and is now the kingdome of Thunis and they say that Ionas ment to go thether when as the scripture reports that hefled from the Lord into Tharsis Others pretend that Tharsis is a certaine countrie of the Indies wherevnto it seemes that S. Ierome is inclined I will not now decide these opinions but I holde that in this case the scripture doth not alwaies signifie one region or certaine part of the world It is true that the wise men or Kings that came to worshippe Christ were of the East and the scripture saith they were of Saba Epha and Madiem And some learned men holde that they were of Ethiopia Arabia and Persia and yet the Psalmist and the Church sings of them The Kings of Tharsis shall bring presents Wee agree then with S. Ierome that Tharsis is a word that hath many and divers significations in the scripture Sometimes it signifies the Crisolite or Iacinth stone sometimes a certaine region of the Indies sometimes the sea which is of the colour of a Iacinth by the reverberation of the sunne But the same Doctor doth with reason deny that Tharsis is any region of the Indies whether Ionas would fly seeing that parting from Ioppa it had beene impossible to saile vnto the Indies by that sea for that Ioppa which at this day wee call Iaffe is no port of the red Sea ioyning to the East Indian Sea but of the Mediterranean Sea which hath no issue into the Indian Whereby it doeth plainely appeare that the voyage which Solomons Fleet made parting from Asiongaber whereas the shippes of king Iosaphat were lost went by the redde Sea to Tharsis and Ophir the which is directly testified in the Scripture The which voyage was very different from that which Ionas pretended to Tharsis seeing that Asiongaber is the port of a Cittie of Idumea seated vpon the Straight whereas the red sea ioynes with the great Ocean From this Ophir they brought to Salomon gold silver Elephants teeth Monkies Indian Cocks and their voyage was of three yeeres all which without doubt ought to bee vnderstood of the East Indies which is fruitfull and aboundant of all these thinges as Plinie testifieth and our owne experience doth witnes From our Peru doubtlesse they could not bring any Elephants teeth those beastes beeing vnknowne there but they might well bring gold silver and pleasant monkies Finally the holy Scripture in my opinion doth commonly vnderstand by this word of Tharsis eyther the great Sea or farre and strange Regions So as he supposeth that the prophecies which speake of Tharsis seeing the spirit of prophecie may comprehend all things may often be applied to things of our new world Of the Prophecie of Abdias which some doe interpret to be the Indies CHAP. 15. MAny say and affirme that in the holy Scripture it was foretold long before that this new worlde should be converted to Iesus Christ by the Spanish nation and to this purpose they expound the text of the Prophecie of Abdias which sayth thus At the transmigration of this Oâ—t the children of Israel shall possesse all the the dwellings of the Cananites vnto Sarepte and the transmigration of Ierusalem which is at Bosphorus shall possesse the Citties of the South and they that shall save shall come vp to the hill of Sion to iudge the mount of Esau and the
the motion of the first motor which is the cause of day and night even so the difference which we see betwixt Winter and Summer proceeds from the neerenesse and distance of the Sunne according to the motion of the said Sunne which is the proper cause To speake trueth then it is Summer whenas the Sunne is neerest and Winter when it is farthest off Both heate and coldnesse and every other temperature growes of necessitie by the neerenesse and distance of the sunne but to raine or not to raine which is humiditie and drought doe not necessarily follow It is therefore easie to iudge besides this vulgar opinion that at Peru the Winter is cleere and without raine and the Summer full of showres and not otherwise as many beleeve that the winter is hotte and the summer cold They fall into the like error vpon the difference they make betwixt the Plaines and the Mountaines of Peru saying that when it is summer vpon the mountaine it is winter in the vallie which is in April Maie Iune Iuly and August for then the aire is very cleere vpon the mountaine without any raine or mistes and at the same season we commonly see fogges in the plaine which they call Guarva which is as it were a very sweet dew wherewith the sunne is covered But winter and summer as it is said are caused by the neerenesse and distance of the sunne Seeing then that throughout all Perâ— both vpon the Mountaines and on the Plaines the sunne approcheth and retyreth in one sort there is no reason to say that when it is summer in one part that it is winter in an other yet is it no mâ—tter of any importance to contend vpon the signification of words Let them terme them as they please and call that summer when it raines not although the heat be greater But that whereunto we must have greatest regard is the trueth of the subiect which is that drought and want of raine is not alwaies greatest when the sunne approcheth neerest as we see in the burning Zone That the burning Zone abounds with waters and pastures against the opinion of Aristotle who holds the contrarie CHAP. 6. BY the former Discourse wee may easily conceive that the burning Zone is not drie but abounding with waters the which is so true as it exceeds all the Regions of the world for store of waters except in some parts where there are sands and desart Countries as wee finde likewise in some other parts of the world As for water from Heaven wee have alreadie shewen that there is great aboundance of raine snow and haile which especially abound in the kingdome of Peru. But as for land-waters as rivers fountaines brookes springs floods and lakes I have not spoken thereof till now yet being an ordinarie thing that the waters below have a correspondencie with them above wee must not imagine that there can bee any want and in trueth there is so great store of springs and fountaines as you shall not finde in any Region or Countrie of the world so many lakes marishes and such store of rivers for the greatest part of America is almost inhabitable through too great aboundance of waters for that the rivers swelled with the great Raines in Summer doe often overflow their banckes with such furie as they breake all they incounter and in many places they cannot passe by reason of the mudde and myre of marishes and vallies for this cause those that live neere to Paraguen whereof wee have made mention foreseeing the rising of the River before it comes put themselves and their goods into Canoes and so preserve themselves and their goods fâ—oating vp and downe almost for the space of three moneths and when the River is returned within her boundes then they goe to their houses still wette and dropping with the â—â—ood And this River is so great as Nile Ganges Euphrates all together cannot equall it But what shall we say of the great river of Magdalaine which falles into the sea betwixt S. Martha and Carthagene and with reason is called the great river Sailing in those parts I was amazed to see her streame which was very cleere runne ten leagues into the sea being in breadth above two leagues not mingling noâ— vanquished with the violent waves of the Ocean But if we shall speake more of rivers that great floud called by some the river of Amazons by others Marannon and by some the river of Orellana which our Spaniards sailed in their discoveries ought to blemish all the rest and in truth I am in doubt whither I may tearme it a river or a sea It flowes from the mountaines of Peru from whence it receiâ—es a great aboundance of water both of raine and of rivers which it gathereth into it then passing by the great plaines of Pautiti Dorado and the Amazons in the end it falles into the Ocean almost right against the â—land of Marguerite and Trinidado It hath so large broad a channel specially in the last third part of her length as it contains in it many great â—lands And that which seemes incredible when you saile through the midst of it you shall see nothing but aire and water They say moreover that from the midst you cannot see nor discover with the eye many great and high mountaines which are vpon the bankes by reason of her great bredth We have learned from credible persons the great and wonderfull bredth of this river which in my opinion deserves well the name of Empresse and Queene of all flouds which was by the report of a brother of our company who being then yong sailed it in the company of Peter d'Orsua with whom hee was present at all the adventures of this strange entrie and discoverie and at the seditious and pernitious acts of that wicked Diego d' Aguirra from the which God delivered him to place him in our company Such are the rivers in that region which they call the burning Zone and the drie parcht vp countrie in the which Aristotle and the Ancients affirmed there were neither waters nor pastures But seeing I have made mention of the river of Marannon to shew the abundance of the waters that are in the burning zone it shall not be from the purpose to speake somewhat of that great Lake which they call Titicaca which is in the midst of the Province of Collao There are above ten great rivers which loose themselves entring into that Lake and yet hath it no issue but one small current of water although some hold it to be very deepe and of such a fashion as it is impossible to build a bridge over it for the depth of the water neither can they passe it by boate for the violence of the current They passe it by an artificiall and notable practice peculiar to the Indians with a bridge of straw laied vpon the water the which being of so light a substance sinkes not and yet this passage is very easie and
remedy and all they finde is to stoppe their noses their eares and their mouthes as much as may be and to cover themselves with cloathes especially the stomacke for that the ayre is subtile and piercing going into the entrailes and not onely men feele this alteration but also beasts that sometimes stay there so as there is no spurre can make them goe forward For my part I holde this place to be one of the highest parts of land in the worlde for we mount a wonderfull space And in my opinion the mountaine Nâ—vade of Spaine the Pirences and the Alpes of Italie are as ordinarie houses in regarde of hie Towers I therefore perswade my selfe that the element of the aire is there so subtile and delicate as it is not proportionable with the breathing of man which requires a more grosse and temperate aire and I beleeve it is the cause that doth so much alter the stomacke trouble all the disposition The passages of the mountaines Nâ—vade and other of Europe which I have seene although the aire be colde there and doth force men to weare more clothes yet this colde doth not take away the appetite from meate but contrariwise it provokes neyther dooth it cause any casting of the stomacke but onely some paine in the feete and handes Finally their operation is outward But that of the Indies whereof I speake without molesting of foote or hand or any outward parte troubles all the entrailes within and that which is more admirable when the sunne is hote which maketh mee imagine that the griefe wee feele comes from the qualitie of the aire which wee breathe Therefore that is most subtile and delicate whose colde is not so sensible as piercing All this ridge of mountains is for the most part desart without any villages or habitations for men so as you shall scarce finde any small cotages to lodge such as do passe by night there are no beasts good or bad but some Vicunos which are their countrey muttons and have a strange and wonderfull property as I shall shew in his place The grasse is often burnt and all blacke with the aire and this desart runnes five and twenty or thirty leagues overthwart and in length above five hundred leagues There are other desarts or places inhabited which at Peru they call Punas speaking of the second poynt we promised where the quallitie of the ayre cutteth off mans life without feeling In former time the Spaniardes went from Peru to the realme of Chille by this mountaine but at this day they do passe commonly by sea and sometimes alongst the side of it And though that way be laborious and troublesome yet is there not so great daunger as by the mountaine where there are Plaines on the which many men have perished and died and sometimes have scaped by great happe whereof some have remained lame There runs a small breath which is not very strong nor violent but proceedes in such sorte that men fall downe dead in a manner without feeling or at the least they loose their feete and handes the which may seeme fabulous yet is it most true I have knowne and frequented long the Gennerall Ierome Costilla the auntient peopler of Cusco who had lost three or foure toes which fell off in passing the desart of Chille being perished with this aire and when he came to looke on them they were dead and fell off without any paine even as a rotten Apple falleth from the tree This Captaine reported that of a good army which hee had conducted by that place in the former yeeres since the discoverie of this kingdome by Almagro a great part of the men remained dead there whose bodies he found lying in the desart without any stink or corruption adding thervnto one thing very strange that they found a yong boy alive and being examined how hee had lived in that place hee saide that hee laie hidden in a little cave whence hee came to cutte the flesh of a dead horse with a little knife and thus had he nourished himselfe a long time with I know not how many companions that lived in that sort but now they were all dead one dying this day and another to morrow saying that hee desired nothing more then to die there with the rest seeing that he found not in himselfe any disposition to goe to any other place nor to take any taste in any thing I have vnderstoode the like of others and particularly of one that was of our company who being then a Secular man had passed by these desarts and it is a strange thing the qualitie of this colde aire which killes and also preserves the dead bodies without corruption I have also vnderstoode it of a reverend religious man of the Order of Saint Dominike and Prelate thereof who hadde seene it passing by the desarts and which is strange hee reported that travelling that way by night was forced to defend himselfe against that deadly winde which blowes there having no other meanes but to gather together a great number of those dead bodies that lay there and made therof as it were a rampire and a bolster for his head in this manner did he sleepe the dead bodies giving him life Without doubt this is a kinde of cold so piercing that it quencheth the vitall heate cutting off his influence and being so exceeding colde yet doth not corrupt nor give any putrifaction to the dead bodies for that putrifaction groweth from heate and moystnesse As for the other kinde of ayre which thunders vnder the earth and causeth earthquakes more at the Indies then in any other Regions I wil speake thereof in treating the qualities of the land at the Indies We wil content our selves now with what wee have spoken of the wind and aire and passe to that which is to be spokâ—n of the water Of the Ocean that invirons the Indies and of the North and South Seas CHAP. 10. AMongst all waters the Ocean is the principall by which the Indies have beene discovered and are invironed therewith for either they be Ilands of the Ocean sea or maine land the which wheresoever it ends is bounded with this Ocean To this day they have noâ— discovered at the Indies any mediterranian sea as in Europe Asia and Affrike into the which there enters some arme of this great sea and makes distinct seas taking their names from the Provinces they bathe and almost all the mediterranean Seas continue and ioyne together and with the Ocean itselfe by the straight of Gibraltar which the Ancients called the Pillers of Hercules although the red sea being separated from the mediterranean seas enters alone into the Indian Ocean and the Caspian sea ioynes not with any other so that at the Indies wee finde not anie other sea then this Ocean which they divide into two the one they call the north sea and the other the south for that the Indies which were first discovered by the Ocean and reacheth vnto Spaine
the kingdome of Chille and that of Grenade and yet none of these kingdomes is Peru but onely that parte which lies to the South beginning at the kingdome of Quitto which is vnder the Line and runnes in length to the realme of Chille the which is without the Tropickes which were sixe hundred leagues in length and in breadth it containes no more then the mountaines which is fiftie common leagues although in some places as at Chachapayas it be broader This parte of the world which we call Peru is very remarkeable and containes in it strange properties which serveth as an exception to the generall rule of the Indies The first is that vpon all that coast it blowes continually with one onely winde which is South and Southweast contrary to that which dooth vsually blow vnder the burning Zone The second is that this winde being by nature the most violent tempestuous and vnhealthfull of all others yet in this region it is marvellous pleasing healthful and agreeable so as we may attribute the habitation of that part therevnto without the which it would be troublesome and inhabitable by reason of the heate if it were not refreshed with the winde The third propertie is that it never raines thunders snowes nor hailes in all this coast which is a matter worthy of admiration Fourthly that alittle distance from the coast it raines and snowes terribly Fiftly that there are two ridges of mountaines which runne the one as the other and in one altitude notwithstanding on the one there are great forrests and it raines the greatest part of the yeere being very hote and the other is all naked and bare and very colde so as winter and summer are divided on those two mountaines and raine and cleerenesse it selfe For the better vnderstanding hereof wee must consider that Peru is divided as it were into three partes long and narrow which they call Lanos Sierras and Andes the Lanos runnes along est the sea coast the Sierras be all hilles with some vallies and the Andes be steepe and craggie mountaines The Lanos or sea coast have some tenne leagues in breadth in some parts lesse and in some parts alittle more The Sierra containes some twentie leagues in breadth and the Andes as much sometimes more sometimes lesse They runne in length from north to south and in breadth from east to weast It is a strange thing that in so small a distance as fiftie leagues equally distant from the Line and Pole there should bee so great a contrarietie as to raine almost continually in one place and never in the other It never raines vpon the coast or Lanos although there falles sometimes a small dew which they call Guarva and in Castill Molâ—â—â—a the which sometimes thickens and falles in certaine droppes of water yet is it not troublesome nor such as they neede any covering Their coverings are of mattes with a little earth vpon them which is sufficient Vpon the Andes it raines in a manner continually although it be sometimes more cleere then other In the Sierra which lies betwixt both the extreames it raineth in the same season as it dooth in Spaine which is from September vnto Aprill but in the other season the time is more cleere which is when the Sunne is farthest off and the contrarie when it is neerest whereof we have discoursed at large in the former booke That which they call Andes and Sierra are twoo ridges of most high mountaines which runne above a thousand leagues the one in view of the other and almost equally There are an infinite number of Vicagues which breede in the Sierres and are properly like vnto wilde goates very nimble and swift There are also of those beasts which they call Guanacos and Pacos which are sheepe which we may wel terme the asses of that countrey whereof we shall speake in their place And vpon the Andes they finde Apes very gentle and delightfull and Parrots in great numbers There also they find the hearb or tree which they call Coca that is so greatly esteemed by the Indians and the trafficke they make of it is worthy much mony That which they call Sierre causeth vallies whereas it opens which are the best dwellings of Peru as is the valley of Xauxa of Andaguaylas and Yucay In these vallies there growes wheat mays and other sortes of fruits but lesse in one then in the other Beyond the Citie of Cusco the ancient Court of the Lordes of those Realmes the two ridges of mountaines seperate them selves one from the other and in the midst leave a plaine and large champian which they call the Province of Callao where there are many rivers and great store of fertile pastures there is also that great Lake of Titicaca And although it be a ful soile and in the same height and intemperature that the Sierre having no more trees nor forrests yet the want they have of bread is countervailed with the rootes they sowe the which they call Papas and they grow in the earth This roote is the Indians foode for drying it and making it cleane they make that which they call Chugno which is the bread and nourishment of those Provinces There are other rootes and small hearbes which they eate It is a healthfull soile best peopled and the richest of all the Indies for the aboundance of cattell they feed as well of those that are in Europe as sheepe neate and goates as of those of the Countrie which they call Guanacos and Pacos and there are store of Partridges Next to the Province of Callao is that of Charcas where there are hote vallies very fertile and very high rockes the which are very rich in mines so as in no part of the world shall you finde better nor fairer The reason why it raines on the Lanos along the Sea coast CHAP. 21. FOr that it is rare and extraordinarie to see a Countrie where it never raines nor thunders men desire naturally to know the cause of this strangenes The reason which some give that have neerely looked into it is that vpon that coast there rise no vapors sufficient to engender raine for want of matter but onely that there be finall and light vapors which cannot breede any other then mistes and dewes as we see in Europe oftentimes vapors do rise in the morning which are not turned into raine but into mistes only the which growes from the substance which is not grosse and sufficient enough to turne to raine They say the reason why that which happens but some times in Europe falles out continually vpon the coast of Peru is for that this region is very drie and yeeldes no grosse vapors The drinesse is knowne by the greâ— abundance of sandes having neither welles nor fountaines but of fifteene stades deepe which is the height of a man or more and that is neere vnto rivers the water whereof piercing into the land giues them meanes to make welles So as it hath been found by
make marchpanes and such other things They call them Almonds of the Andes for that these Cocos growe aboundantlie vpon the Andes of Peru they are so strong and hard as to open them they must beate them with a great stone when they fall from the tree If they chance to hit anie one on the head he hath no more need of any surgeon It is an incredible thing that within the hollowe of these Cocos which are no bigger than the rest or little more there are such a multiâ—â—de of these almonds But as touching almonds and other fruites all trees must yeelde to the almonds of Chachapoâ—â—s which I cannot otherwise call It is the most pleasing delicate and wholesome fruit of all that I have seene at the Indies yea a learned Physitian did affirme that amongest all the fruits at the Indies or in Spaine none came neere these Almonds in excellencie There are both greater and lesse than those of the Andes but all are fatter than those of Castille They are very tender to eate and they have much iuyce and substance and are oylie and very plesant they grow vpon high trees bearing great leaves And as it is a preâ—ious thing so nature hath given them a good covering and defence being in a huske somewhat bigger and more pricking than a chesnut Yet when this huske is drie they easily drawe foorth the graine They say that the Apes who are very greedie of this fruit and whereof there is aboundance in Chachapoyas of Peru which is the onely countrey to my knowledge where these trees doe growe fearing they should pricke them and yet desirous to draw forth the almond they cast them from the toppe of the tree against the stones and having broken the huske they open them to eate the fruite at their pleasure Of many and diverse flowers and of some trees which yeeld onely a flower and how the Indians do vse them CHAP. 27. THe Indians are great lovers of flowers and in new Spaine more than in any other part of the worlde therefore they are accustomed to make many kindes of nosegaies which there they call Suchilles with such prety varietie and art as nothing can be more pleasing They have a custome amongst them that the chiefest man offer their Suchillos or nosegayes in honour to Noblemen and to their ghests and they presented vs with such aboundance as we passed through that Country as we knew not what to doe with them and at this day they vse the principall flowers of Castill to that end for that they growe better there than heere as gilliflowers roses jasmins violets orange flowers and other sortes which they have transported ouâ—â—f Spaine The rose tree groweth too fast in some places so as they beare no roses It chaunced one day that a rose tree was burned and the siens which sprowted out presently bare aboundance of roses and thereby they learnd to prune them and to cut off the superfluous braunches so as at this day they yeeld reasonable store of rosâ—s But besids these kindes of flowers which have beene transported from hence There are many others whose names I do not know whereof some are red blew yellow violet and white with a thousand different colours which the Indians did vse to carry on their heads as feathers for ornament True it is that many of these flowers are onely pleasing to the sight having no good savour eyther they are grosse or else they have none at all and yet there be some of an excellent scent As those which growe vpon a tree termed by them Floripondio or carry flower which beares no fruit but onely these flowers which are greater than the Lillie and are like to little bells all white which have within them small threeds as we see in the lillie it leaves not all the yeare to beare these flowers whose smell is woonderfull sweete and agreeable especially in the coole of the morning The Viceroy Don Francisco de Toledo sent of these trees vnto King Philip as a thing woorthy to be planted in royall gardins In new Spaine the Indians esteeme much of a flower which they call Volosuchil which signifieth flower of the heart for that it beares the forme of a heart and is not much lesse There is likewise an other great tree which beares this kinde of flower without any fruite it hath a strong savour and in my opinion too violent the which may seeme to some more pleasing It is a thing well knowne that the flower which they call of the Sunne â—â—th the figure of the Sunne and turnes according to the motion thereof There are other kindes which they call gilleflowers of the Indies the which are like to a fine orange tawnie vellet or a violet those have no scent of any account but onely are faire to the eye There are other flowers which besides the beaâ—â—ie of the eye although they have no smell yet have they a savour like vnto cresses the which if you shoulde eate with outlooking of them you would iudge them to be no other The flower of Granadille is held for an admirable thing and they say it hath in it the markes of the passion and that therein they note the nailes the piller the whips and crowne of thornes and the woundes wherein they are not altogether without reason and yet to finde out and observe these things it requires some pietie to cause beleefe but it is very exquisite and faire to the eye although it have no smell The fruite which they also call Granadille is eaten and drunke or to speake more properly sucked for a refreshing this fruite is sweete and too sweete after some opinions The Indians have vsed in their feasts and dances to carry flowers in their handes and the Kings and Noblemen carry them for their greatnes For this reason we commonly see their ancient pictures with flowers in their hands as we see heere with gloves I thinke this sufficient touching flowers They vse BaZilic to this effect although it bee no flower but an hearbe onely which they were wonâ— to plant carefully in their gardins but now they regard it not so as it growes onely about their pooles and ponds Of Balme CHAP. 28. THe Soveraigne Creator hath not onely fashioned Plants to serve as meat but also for recreation for phisicke and for the cure of man I have spoken somewhat of those that serve for nourishment which is the chiefe and a little of those that serve for recreation and now we are to intreate of those which are proper for phisicke wherein I will speake something And although all plants are medicinall when they are well knowne and applied yet there are some things especially which wee see directly ordained by the Creator for phisicke and for the health of man as liquors oiles gummes and rozines which come from divers plants and hearbes and which easily shew by experience whereto they are proper Above all Baulme is with reason esteemed for the excellent smell
many places yea in many partes there are races found as good as the best in Spaine as well for passing of a carrier and for pompe as also for travell and therefore they vse horses most commonly although there be no want of moyles whereof there are many especially where they make their carriages by land There is no great numbers of asses having no great vse for them neither for travell nor service There are some few caâ—mells I have seene some in Peru that were brought from the Canaries and have multiplied there alittle In S. Dominique dogges have so multiplied in number and bignes as at this day it is the scourge and affliction of that Iland for they eate the sheepe and go in troupes through the fields Such that kill them are rewarded like to them that kill woolves in Spaine At the first there were no dogges at the Indies but some beasts like vnto little dogges the which the Indians call Alco and therefore they call all dogges that go from Spaine by the same name by reason of the resemblance that is betwixt them The Indians doe so love these little dogges that they will spare their meate to feede them so as when they travell in the countrie they carrie them with them vpon their shoulders or in their bosomes and when they are sicke they keepe them with them without any vse but onely for company Of some Beasts of Europe which the Spaniardes found at the Indies and how they should passe thither CHAP. 34. IT is certaine that they have carried from Spaine all these beasts whereof I have spoken of which kindes there were none at the Indies when they were first discovered about a hundred yeares since for besides that it may be wel approved by witnesses at this day living It is also a sufficient argument to see that the Indians in their toâ—gue have no proper words to signifie these beasts but they vse the same Spanish names although they be corrupted for being ignorant of the thing they tooke the word common to those places from whence they came I have found this a good rule to discerne what things the Indians had before the Spaniardes came there and what they had not for they gave names to those they had and knew before and have given new names to these that are newly come vnto them which commonly are the same Spanish names although they pronounce them after their maner as for a horse wine and wheate They found of some sortes of beasts that are in Europe were not carried thither by the Spaniards There are Lions Tigres Beares Boares Foxes and other fierce wilde beasts whereof we have treated in the first booke so as it was not likely they should passe to the Indies by Sea being impossible to swimme the Ocean and it were a follie to imagine that men had imbarked them with them It followes therefore that this worlde ioynes with the new in some part by which these beasts might passe and so by little and little multiplied this world The lions which I have seene are not red neither have they such haire as they vsually paint them with They are grey and not so furious as they seeme in pictures The Indians assemble in troupes to hunt the lion and make as it were a circle which they do call Chaco wherewith they inviron them and after they kil them with stones staves and other weapons These lions vse to climbe trees where being mounted the Indians kil them with launces and crossebowes but more easily with harquebuzes The Tygres are more fierce and cruell and are more dangerous to meete because they breake foorth and assaile men in treason They are spotted as the Historiographers describe them I have heard some report that these Tygres were very fierce against the Indians yet would they not adventure at all vppon the Spaniards or very little and that they would choose an Indian in the middest of many Spaniardes and carry him away The Beares which in Cusco they call Otoioncos be of the same kinde that ours are and keepe in the ground There are few swarmes of Bees for that their honniecombes are found in trees or vnder the ground and not in hives as in Castille The honny comhes which I have seene in the Province of Charcas which they call Chiguanas are of a grey colour having little iuyce and are more like vnto sweete strawe than to hony combs They say the Bees are litle like vnto flies and that they swarme vnder the earth The hony is sharp and black yet in some places there is better and the combes better fashioned as in the province of Tucuman in Chille and in Carthagene I have not seene nor heard speakâ— of wilde boares but of foxes and other wild beasts that eate their cattell and fowle there are more than their shepheards would willingly have Besides these beasts that are furious and hurtfull there are others that are profitable and have not beene transported by the Spaniardes as stagges and diere whereof there is groâ—t aboundance in all the forrests But the greatest parte is a kinde of diere without hornes at the least I have never seene nor heard speake of other and all are without hornes like vnto Corcos It seemes not hard to beleeve but is almost certain that all these beasts for their lightnesse and being naturally wilde have passed from one world to an other by some parts where they ioyne seeing that in the great Ilands farre from the maine land I have not heard that there are any though I have made diligent inquiry Of Fowles which are heere and are at the Indies and how they could passe thither CHAP. 35. WEe may more easily beleeve the same of birdes and that there are of the same kindes that wee have as partridges turtles pigeons stockdoves quailes and many sorts of falcons which they send from New Spaine and Peru to the noblemen of Spaine for they make great accompt of them There are also Herons and Eagles of diverse kindes and there is no doubt but these birds such like have sooner passed thither than lions tygres and stagges There are likewise at the Indies great numbers of parrots especially vpon the Andes of Peru and in the Ilands of Port Ricco and saint Dominique where they flee by flockes as pigeons do here To conclude birdes with their wings may goe where they will and truely many kindes might well passe the gulph seeing it is certaine as Plinie affirmeth that there are many that passe the sea and goe into strange regions although I have not read that any fowle hath passed by flight so great a gulph as is the Indian Ocean yet hold I it not altogether impossible seeing the common opinion of mariners that you shall finde them twoo hundred leagues and more from the land And as Aristotle dooth teach that birdes endure the water easely having little respiration as wee see in sea fowle which dive and remain long vnder the
grow wonderfully fatte to have the grease which they vse for want of oyle in some places they make gâ—mons as in Tollâ—ca of new Spaine and in Paria at Peru. Returning then to such beasts as are pecullar there even as the Sainos are like vnto swine though somewhat lesse even so the Dante 's resemble small kine but more vnto mules having no hornes The hides of these beasts are much esteemed for jerkins and other coverings they are so hard as they resist any blow whatsoever And as the Dante 's be defended by the hardnes of their hides so those which they call Armadillos are by the multitude of their scales which open and shut as they please like to a curasse There be litle beasts which go thorow the woods called Armadillos by reason of the defence they have hiding themselves within their scales and opening when they list I have eaten of them and doe not holde it for a meate of any great woorth but the flesh of the Yguanas is a better meate but more horrible to the eye for they are like to the very Lizardes of Spaine although they be of a doubtfull kinde for that they go to the water comming to land they climbe the trees vpon the bankes and as they cast themselves from the trees into the water the boates watch vnderneath to receive them The Chinchilles is an other kind of small beasts like squirrels they have a woonderfull smoothe and soft skinne which they weare as a healthfull thing to comfort the stomacke and those partes that have neede of a moderate heate they make coverings and rugges of the haire of these Chinchilles which are found on the Sierre of Peru where there is likewise a small beast very common which they call Cuyes and which the Indians hold for a very good meate and they are accustomed often to offer these Cuyes in their sacrifices They are like small conies and have their borows iâ— the ground and in some places they have vndermined all the land some are grey some white and some speckled There are other small animalles which they call Viscachas and are like to hares although they be bigger they hunt them and eate the flesh Of common hares there are great store in some parts There are also connies in the realme of Quitto but the good are come from Spaine There is another strange beast the which for his great heavinesse and slownesse in mooving they call Perico-ligero or the little light dogge hee hath three nailes to every hand and mooves both hand and feete as it were by compasse and very heavily it is in face like to a monkie and hath a shrill crie it climeth trees and eates Ants. Of Micos or Indian Monkies CHAP. 39. THroughout all the mountaines eyther of these Ilands of the firme land or of the Andes there are infinite numbers of Micos or Monkies which are a kind of apes but very different in that they have a taile yea a very long one And amongest them there are some kinds which are thrise yea foure times bigger than the ordinary some are all blacke some bay some grey and some spotted Their agilitie and maner of doing is admirable for that they seeme to have reason discourse to go vpon trees wherein they seeme to imitate birds Going from Nombre de Dios to Panama I did see in Capira one of these monkies leape from one tree to an other which was on the other side of a river making me much to wonder They leape where they list winding their tailes about a braunch to shake it and when they will leape further than they can at once they vse a pretty devise tying themselves by the tailes one of another and by this meanes make as it were a chaine of many then doe they launch themselves foorth and the first holpen by the force of the rest takes holde where hee list and so hangs to a bough and helpes all the rest till they be gotten vp It were long to report the fooleries trickes traverses and pleasant sportes they make when they are taught which seeme not to come from bruit beasts but from a manlike vnderstanding I sawe one in Carthagenâ— in the Governours house so taught as the things he did seemed incredible they sent him to the Taverne for wine putting the pot in one hand and the money in the other and they could not possibly gette the money out of his hand before he had his pot full of wine If any children mette him in the streete and threw any stones at him he would set his pot downe on the one side and cast stones against the children till he had assured his way then would he returne to carry home his pot And which is more although hee were a good bibber of wine as I have oftentimes seene him drinke when his maister hath given it him yet would he never touch it vntill leave was given him They told me moreover that if hee sawe any women painted he would fall vppon them pull off their attire and would seeke to bite them This may be an addition which I have not seene but I doe not thinke there is any beast in the world approacheth so neare the conversation of a man as this monkey doth They report so many things which for feare I shoulde be thought to give credite to fables or they should be so esteemed I thinke best to omitte blessing the Author of all creatures in that hee would createa kinde of beast onely for the recreation and delight of man Some report that they carried these Micos or Monkies to Solomon from the Weast Indies but for my parte I holde it was from the East Indies Of Vicugnes and Tarugnes of Peru. CHAP. 40. AMongst the most remarkable things at the Indies of Peru be the Vicugnes and sheepe of the countrie as they call them which are tractable beasts and of great profite the Vicugnes are wilde and the sheepe are tame Some thinke that the Vicugnes are those which Aristotle Plinie and other Authors call Capreas which are wilde goates and in truth they have some resemblance for the lightnes they have in the woodes and mountaines but yet they are no goates for the Vicugnes have no hornes as those have whereof Aristotle makes mention neither are they the goates of the East Indies from whom they draw the Bezar stone for if they be of that kinde it were a diverse one as in the race of dogges the mastie is divers from the greyhound The Vicugnes of Peru are not those beasts which carrie the Bezar stone in the Province of new Spaine which there they cal BeZaars for that they are a kind of Stagges and Venison yet do I not know in any part of the world there be any of these beasts but in Peru and in Chille which are countries ioyning one to another These Vicugnes are greater then goates and lesse then calves Their haire is of the colour of dried roses somewhat cleerer they
barres of silver and much mâ—re which is above three hundred thousand ducats without any other guard o rescort than some Indians which serve onely to guide these sheepe and to lade and vnlade them or at the most some few Spaniardes and they sleepe all night in the middest of the fieldes without other guarde and yet in so long a way and so weake a guarde they never finde want or losse of anie thing in so great a treasure of silver so safe is the way in Peru. The burthen which one of these sheepe dooth commonly carry is of foure or sixe arrobes when their voyage is long they goe not above two three or foure leagues at the most on a day Those that guide those troupes have their ordinary lodgings where they are assured to have water and pasture and there they vnlade and set vppe their tents making fire and dressing their meates which is not painefull although it be a â—leugmatike and slowe manner of travell When there is but one dayes iourney one of these sheepe will beare eight arobes in weight or more and beares this burthen eight or tenne leagues in a day as the poore souldiers were wont to doe when they marched through Peru. This kinde of cattell delights most in a cold aire and for this cause they live vpon the Sierre and die in the Lanos by reason of the heate Sometimes these sheepe are all covered with ice and frost and yet they continue sound and well The bare sheepe are pleasant to behold for they will stay vpon the way raising vppe their neckes and will looke vpon any one very wistly and so they remaine a long time without mooving or any shew of feare which giveth occasion of laughter seeing them thus to stand And yet sometimes they do growe amazed sodainely and runne away with their burthens even to the highest rockes so as not being able to come vnto them they are constraind to kil them with an harquebuze lest they should loose their barres of silver which they sometimes carry The Pacos will grow reasty vnder their burdens lying downe and will endure to be cutte in a thousand peeces before they wil rise when this humor takes them whereof the proverb growes in Peru to say that one is reastie to signifie he is obstinate for that when any of these beasts is moodie it is with excesse the remedy they have is to stay and sit downe by the Paco making much on him vntill the fit be past and that he rise and sometimes they are forced to stay two or three houres They have a disease like to scabbes which they call Carache whereof they commonly die The Antients had a remedy to bury them quicke that had the Carache lest they shoulde infect the rest being a very contagious disease and goes from one to another An Indian that hath one or two of these sheepe is not reputed poore for one of them is woorth sixe or seaven peeces of assay and more according to the time and places Of the BeZaars stone CHAP. 42. THe Bezaars stone is found in all these beasts before mentioned which are proper to Peru whereof some Authors of our time have written whole bookes which they may reade that desire to have a more particular knowledge For the present subiect it shall be sufficient to say that this stone which they call Bezaar is found in the stomacke and belly of this beast somtimes one alone sometimes two three and foure They are very different in forme greatnesse and colour for that some are small like filberds lesse others like walnuts some like pigeons egges and others as bigge as a hens egge and I have seene some as bigge as an orange in forme some are round others in fashion like to lentils and many other formes For their colour som are black some white some grey darke greene and others as if they had beene guilded It is no certaine rule to iudge the best and most fine by the colour or forme All these stones are made and fashioned of divers films and skins one vpon another In the province of Xaura and other provinces of Peru they find these stones in divers kinds of beasts both wild and tame as in the Guanacos Pacos Vicugnes and Tarugues some adde an other kind which they say are wilde goates which the Indians call Cypris These other kindes of beastes are very well knowen in Peru whereof wee have already discoursed The Guanacos or country sheepe or Pacos have commonly the lesser stones and blacke neither are they so much approoved for the vse of Physicke They draw the greatest Bezaar stones from the Vicugnes and they are grey or white or of a darke greene which are helde for the better They esteem those of the Tarugues for the most excellent whereof there are some reasonable bigge they are commonly white inclining to grey and they have the filmes commonly bigger and thicker than the rest They finde the Bezaar stone equally both in male and female All beasts that ingender it chaw the cuid and commonly feede vpon the snow and rockes The Indians reporte teach by tradition from their fathers and Antients that in the province of Xaura and in other provinces of Peru there are many herbs and venomous beasts which poison the water and the pastures where they eate and drinke and where they breathe amiddest which venomous hearbs there is one very well knowne of the Vicugne by a naturall instinct and of other beasts that ingender the Bezaar stone which eate this hearb and by meanes thereof they preserve themselves from the poisoned waters and pastures and they say that of this hearb the stone is compounded in the stomacke whence it drawes all the vertue against poyson and other woonderfull effects This is the opinion tradition of the Indians discovered by men of great experience in the kingdome of Peru which agrees with reason and with that which Plinie reports of the mountaine goates which are nourished and fed vpon poison without suffering any harme The Indians being demaunded why the sheepe kine goates and calves such as are in Castille have not the Bezaar stone seeing that they feede on the same rockes their answer is That they beleeve not that those beasts of Castille eate of that hearb or that they have found the Bezaar stone in stags and fallow diere This seemes to agree with our knowlege for that in new Spaine they find the Bezaar stone although there be no Vicugnes Pacos Tarugues nor Guanacos but only stags in some of which they finde these stones The principall vertue of the BeZaar stone is against poison and venomous diseases although there bee heerein divers opinions some hold it for a mockerie others for a miracle Howsoever it be it is most certaine that it is of a great operation when it is applied in time convenient in a maner as hearbes and to persons capable and disposed for there is no medicine that doth alwaies cure infallibly In
them I will speake heereafter of their vnction in Consecrating their Priestes In Peru the Priestes were entertained of the revenues and inheritance of their God which they called Chacaras which were many and also verie rich Of the monastery of Virgins which the divell hath invented for his service CHAP. 15. AS the religious life wherof many servants of God have made profession in the holy Church immitating Iesus Christ and his holy Apostles is very pleasing in the sight of his divine maiesty by the which his holy Name is so honoured and his Church beutified So the father of lies hath laboured to imitate and counterfeit him heerein yea as it were hath striven with God in the observance and austere life of his ministers There were in Peru many monasteries of Virgines for there are no other admitted at the least one in everie Province In these monasteries there were two sortes of women one antient which they called Mamacomâ—â— for the instruction of the yoong and the other was of yoong maidens placed there for a certaine time and after they were drawne foorth either for their gods or for the Ingua They called this house or monastery Aclâ—guagi which is to say the house of the chosen Every monastery had his Vicar or Governour called Appopanaca who had liberty and power to choose whome he pleased of what qualitie soever being vnder eyght yeares of age if they seemed to be of a good stature and constitution These Virgines thus shut vp into these monasteries were instructed by the Momacomas in diverse thinges needefull for the life of man and in the customes and ceremonies of their gods and afterwardes they tooke them from thence being above foureteene sending them to the Court with suregards whereof some were appoynted to serve the Guacas and Sanctuaries keeping their virginities for ever some others were for the ordinary sacrifices that were made of maidens and other extraordinary sacrifices they made for the health death or warres of the Ingua and the rest served for wives and concubines to the Ingua and vnto other his kinsfolkes and captaines vnto whome hee gave them which was a great and honourable recompence This distribution was vsed every yeare These monasteries possessed rents and revenues for the maintenaunce of these Virgins which were in great numbers It was not lawfull for any father to refuse his daughters when the Appopanaca required them for the service of these monasteries Yea many fathers did willingly offer their daughters supposing it was a great merit to be sacrificed for the Ingua If any of these Momacomas or Acllas were found to have trespassed against their honour it was an inevitable chasticement to bury them alive or to put them to death by some other kind of cruell torment The divell hath even in Mexico had some kind of religious women although their possession was but â—â—â— one yeare and it was in this sorte Within this greâ—â— circuit whereof we have spoken which was in the principall temple there were two houses like cloysteâ—s the one opposite to the other one of men the other of women In that of women they were virgines onely of twelve or thirteene yeares of age which they called the Maydes of Penaunce They wereas many as the men and lived chastly and regularly as virgins dedicated to the service of their god Their charge was to sweepe and make cleane the temple and every morning to prepare meate for the idoll and his ministers of the almes the religious gathered The foode they prepared for the idoll were small loaves in the forme of handes and feete as of marchpane and with this bread they prepared certayne sawses which they cast dayly before the idoll and his priests did eate it as those of Baal that Daniel speaketh of These virgins had their haire cutte and then they let them grow for a certaine time they rose at midnight to the idolls mattins which they dayly celebrated performing the same exercises the religious did They had their Abesses who imployed them to make cloth of diverse fashions for the ornament of their idolls and temples Their ordinary habite was all white without any worke or colour They did their penance at midnight sacrificing and wounding themselves and piercing the toppe of their eares they layde the blood which issued foorth vpon their cheekes and after to wash off the blood they bathed themselves in a poole which was within their monastery They lived very honestly and discreetly and if any were found â—o have offended although but lightly presently they were put to death without remission saying shee had polluted the house of their god They helde it for an augure and advertisement that some one of the religious man or woman had committed a fault when they saw a Ratte or a Mowse passe or a Bat in the chappell of their idoll or that they had gnawed any of the vailes for that they say a Catte or a Bat would not adventure to committe such an indignity if some offence had not gone before and then they beganne to make search of the fact and having discovered the offendor or offendors of what quality soever they presently put them to death None were receyved into this monastery but the daughters of one of the sixe quarters named for that purpose and this profession continued as I have sayd the space of one whole yeare during the which time their fathers and they themselves had made a vowe to serve the idoll in this manner and from thence they went to be married These virgins of Mexico especially they of Peru had some resemblance to the Vestall Virgins of Rome as the Histories shew to the end wee may vnderstand how the divell hath desired to be served by them that observe Virginitie not that chastitie is pleasing vnto him for he is an vncleane spirite but for the desire he hath to take from the great God as much as in him lieth this glory to be served with cleannesse and integrity Of the Monasteries of religious men that the divell hath invented for superstition CHAP. 16. IT is well knowne by Letters written by the fathers of our company from Iappon the number and multitude of religious men that are in those Provinâ—â—â— whome they call Boncos and also their superstitâ—â—â— customes and lies Some fathers that have been in those countries report of these Boncos and religious men of China saying that there are many Orders and of diverse sortes some came vnto them clad in white bearing hoodes and others all in blacke without haire or hoode and these are commonly little esteemed for the Mandarins or ministers of Iustice whippe them as they doe the rest of the people They make profession not to eate any flesh fish nor any thing that hath life but onely Rice and hearbes but in secret they do eate any thing and are worse than the common people They say the religious men which are at the Court which is at Paquin are very much esteemed The Mandarins
not dissemble nor hide their offences By this meanes they all demanded no other thing of their god but to have their offences concealed powring foorth many teares with great repentaunce and sorrow offering great store of incense to appease their gods The couragious and valiant men and all the olde souldiers that followed the Arte of Warre hearing this flute demaunded with great devotion of God the Creator of the Lorde for whome wee live of the sunne and of other their gods that they would give them victorie against their ennemies and strength to take many captives therewith to honour their sacrifices This ceremonie was doone ten dayes before the feast During which tenne dayes the Priest did sound this flute to the end that all might do this worship in eating of earth and demaund of their idol what they pleased they every day made their praiers with their eyes lift vp to heaven and with sighs and groanings as men that were grieved for their sinnes and offences Although this contrition was onelie for feare of the corporal punishment that was given them and not for any feare of the eternall for they certainely beleeved there was no such severe punishment in the other life And therefore they offered themselves voluntarily to death holding opinion that it is to all men an assured rest The first day of the feast of this idoll TeZcalipuca being come all they of the Citty assembled together in a court to celebrate likewise the feast of the Kalender whereof wee have already spoken which was called Toxcoalth which signifies a drie thing which feast was not made to any other end but to demaund raine in the same manner that we solemnise the Rogations and this feast was alwayes in Maie which is the time that they have most neede of raine in those countries They beganne to celebrate it the ninth of Maie ending the nineteenth The last day of the feast the Priestes drew foorth a litter well furnished with curtins and pendants of diverse fashions This litter had so many armes to holde by as there were ministers to carry it All which came forth besmeered with blacke and long haire halfe in tresses with white strings and attyred in the livery of the idoll Vpon this litter they set the personage of the idoll appoynted for this feast which they called the resemblance of their God TeZcalipâ—â—â— and taking it vpon their shoulders they broght it openly to the foote of the staires then came forth the yong men and maidens of the Temple carrying a great cord wreathed of chaines of roasted mays with the which they invironed the Litter putting a chaine of the same about the idolles necke and a garland vppon his head They called the cord Toxcalt signifying the drought and barrennesse of the time The yoong men came wrapped in redde curtines with garlands and chains of roasted mays The maides were clothed in new garments wearing chaines about their neckes of roasted mays and vpon their heads myters made of rods covered with this mays they had their feete covered with feathers and their armes and cheekes painted They brought much of this roasted mays and the chiefe men put it vpon their heads and about their neckes taking flowers in their handes The idoll beeing placed in his litter they strewd round about a great quantitie of the boughes of Manguey the leaves whereof are large and pricking This litter being set vpon the religious mens-shoulders they carryed it in procession within the circuite of the Court twoo Priests marching before with censors giving often incense to the idoll and every time they gave incense they lifted vp their armes as high as they could to the idoll and to the Sunne saying that they lifted vp their praiers to heaven even as the smoke ascended on high Then all the people in the Court turned round to the place whither the idoll went every one carrying in his hand new cords of the threed of manguey a fadome long with a knotte at the end and with them they whipped themselves vppon the shoulders even as they doe heere vppon holy Thurseday All the walles of the Court and battlements were full of boughs and flowers so fresh and pleasaunt as it did give a great contentment This procession being ended they brought the idoll to his vsual place of abode then came a great multitude of people with flowres dressed in diverse sortes wherewith they filled the temple and all the court so as it seemed the ornament of an Oratory All this was putte in order by the priests the yoong men administring these things vnto them from without The chappell or chamber where the idoll remayned was all this day open without any vaile This done every one came and offered curtines and pendants of Sandally precious stones iewells insence sweete wood grapes or eares of Mays quailes and finally all they were accustomed to offer in such solemnities Whenas they offered quailes which was the poore mans offering they vsed this ceremonie they delivered them to the priestes who taking them pulled off their heads and cast them at the foote of the Altare where they lost their bloud and so they did of all other things which were offered Every one did offer meate and fruite according to their power the which was laid at the foote of the altar and the Ministers gathered them vp and carried them to their chambers This solemne offering done the people went to dinner every one to his village or house leaving the feast suspended vntill after dinner In the meane time the yong men and maidens of the temple with their ornaments were busied to serve the idoll with all that was appointed for him to eate which meate was prepared by other women who had made a vow that day to serve the idoll And therefore such as had made this vow came by the point of day offering themselves to the Deputies of the Temple that they might command them what they would have done the which they did carefully performe They did prepare such varietie of meates as it was admirable This meate being ready and the houre of dinner come all these virgins went out of the Temple in procession every one carrying a little basket of bread in her hand and in the other a dish of these meates before them marched an old man like to a steward with a pleasant habite he was clothed in a white surples downe to the calves of his legges vpon a dublet without sleeves of red leather like to a iacket hee carried wings insteede of sleeves from the which hung broade ribbands at the which did hang a small Calibasse or pumpion which was covered with flowers by little holes that were made in it and within it were many superstitious things This old man thus attyred marched very humbly and heavily before the preparation with his head declining and comming neere the foote of the staires he made a great obeisance and reverence Then going on the one side the virgins drew neere with the meate
in proper with armes and titles of honour and in marrying wives of the Inguas linage Even so they gave severe punishments to such as were disobedient and offenders They punished murther thesâ— and adultery with death and such as committed incest with ascendants or descendants in direct line were likewise punished with death But they held it no adultery to have many wives or concubines neyther were the women subiect to the punishment of death being found with any other but onely she that was the true and lawfull wife with whome they contracted marriage for they had but one whome they did wed and receive with a particular solempnitie and ceremony which was in this maner the bridegroome went to the brides house and led her from thence with him having first put an Ottoya vppon her foote They call the shooe which they vse in those partes Ottoya being open like to the Franciscan Friars If the bride were a mayde her Ottoya was of wooll but if she were not it was of reedes All his other wives and concubines did honour and serve this as the lawfull wife who alone after the decease of her husband caried a mourning weed of blacke for the space of a yeare neither did she marry vntill that time were past and commonly she was yonger than her husband The Ingua himselfe with his own hand gave this woman to his Governors and captains and the Governors or Caciques assembled all the yongmen and maydes in one place of the Citty where they gave to every one his wife with the aforesaide ceremony in putting on the Ottoya and in this manner they contracted their marriages If this woman were found with any other than her husband shee was punished with death and the adulterer likewise and although the husband pardoned them yet were they punished although dispensed withall from death They inflicted the like punishment on him that did committeâ—â—â— with his mother grandmother daughter or grand-childe for it was not prohibited for them to maâ—â—â— together or to have of their other kinsfolkes for concubines onely the first degree was defended neither did they allow the brother to have the company of his sister wherein they of Peru were very much deceived beleeving that their Inguas and noble men might lawfully contract marriage with their sisters yea by father and mother for in trueth it hath beene alwayes helde vnlawfull among the Indians defended to contract in the first degree which continued vntill the time of Topa Ingua Yupangui father to Guaynacapa and grandfather to Atahualpa at such time as the Spaniards entered Peru for that Topa Ingua Yupangui was the first that brake this custome marrying with Mamaoello his sister by the fathers side decreeing that the Inguas might marry with their sisters by the fathers side no other This he did and by that marriage he had Guaynacapa and a daughter called Coya Cussillimay finding himselfe at the poynt of death hee commaunded his children by father and mother to marry together and gave permission to the noble men of his country to marrie with their sisters by the fathers side And for that this marriage was vnlawful and against the lawe of nature God would bring to an end this kingdome of the Iâ—guas during the raigne of Guascar Ingua and Atalmalpa Ingua which was the fruite that sprang from this marriage Whoso will more exactly vnderstand the manner of marriages among the Indians of Peru lette him reade the Treatise Polo hath written at the request of Don Ieronimo Loaisa Archbishop of Kings which Pâ—â—â— made a very curious search as he hath doone of diâ—ers other things at the Indies The which importes much to be knowne to avoyde the errour and inconveniences whereinto many fall which know not which is the lawfull wife or the concubine among the Indians causing the Indian that is baptized to marry with his concubine leaving the lawfull wife thereby also wee may see the small reason some have had that pretended to say that wee ought to ratifie the marriage of those that were baptized although they were brother and sister The contrary hath beene determined by the provinciall Synode of Lyma with much reason seeing among the Indians themselves this kind of marriage is vnlawful Of the Originall of the Inguas Lords of Peru with their Conquests and Victories CHAP. 19. BY the commandement of Don Phillip the Catholike King they have made the most dilligent and exact search that could be of the beginning customes and priviledges of the Inguas the which was not so perfectly done as was desired for that the Indians had no written recordes yet they have recovered that which I shall write by meanes of their Quippos and registers First there was not in Peru in olde time any King or Lord to whome all obeyed but they were comminalties as at this day there be in the realme of Chille and in a maner in all the Provinces which the Spaniards have conquered in those westerne Indies except the realme of Mexico You must therefore vnderstand that they have found three maner of governments at the Indies The first and best was a Monarchie as that of the Inguas and of Moteçuma although for the most part they were tyrannous The second was of Comminalties where they were governed by the advise and authoritie of many which are as it were Counsellors These in time of warre made choise of a Captaine to whome a whole Nation or Province did obey and in time of peace every Towne or Comminaltie did rule and governe themselves having some chiefe men whom the vulgar did respect and sometimes though not often some of them assemble together about matters of importance to consult what they should thinke necessary The third kinde of government is altogether barbarous composed of Indians without law without King and without any certaine place of abode but go in troupes like savage beasts As farre as I can conceive the first inhabitants of the Indies were of this kinde as at this day a great part of the Bresillians Chiraguanas Chunchos Ysoycingas Pilcocones and the greatest part of the Floridians all the Chichimaquas in new Spaine Of this kind the other sort of government by Comminalties was framed by the industrie and wisedome of some amongst them in which there is some more order holding a more staied place as at this day those of Auracano and of Teâ—â—pell in Chille and in the new kingdome of Grenado the Moscas and the Ottomittes in new Spaine and in all these there is lesse fiercenes and incivilitie and much more quiet then in the rest Of this kinde by the valure and knowledge of some excellent men grew the other government more mightie and potent which did institute a Kingdome and Monarchie It appeares by their registers that their government hath continued above three hundred yeares but not fully foure although their Seigniorie for a long time was not above five or 〈◊〉 leagues compasse about the Citty of Cusco their
originall and beginning was in the valley of Cusco where by little little they conquered the lands which we call Peru passing beyond Quitto vnto the river of Pasto towardes the North stretching even vnto Chille towardes the South which is almost a thousand leagues in length It extended in breadth vnto the South sea towardes the West and vnto the great champains which are on the other side of the Andes where at this day is to be scene the Castell which is called the Pucara of the Ingua the which is a fortresse built for the defence of the frontire towards the East The Inguas advanced no farther on that side for the aboundance of water marshes lakes and rivers which runne in those partes These Inguas passed all the other Nations of Amarica in pollicy and government and much more in valour and armes although the Canaries which were their mortall enemies and favoured the Spaniardes would never confesse it nor yeelde them this advantage so as even at this day if they fall into any discourse or comparisons and that they be a little chased and incensed they kill one another by thousands vpon this quarrell which are the most valiant as it hath happened in Cusco The practise and meanes which the Inguas had to make themselves Lords of all this Countrie was in faining that since the generall deluge whereof all the Indians have knowledge the world had beene preserved restored and peopled by these Inguas and that seven of them came forth of the cave of Pacaricambo by reason whereof all other men ought them tribute and vassalage as their progenitors Besides they said and affirmed that they alone held the true religion and knew how God should be served and honoured and for this cause they should instruct all men It is a strange thing the ground they give to their customes and ceremonies There were in Cusco above foure hundred Oratories as in a holy land and all places were filled with their mysteries As they continued in the conquests of Provinces so they brought in the like ceremonies and customes In all this realme the chiefe idolls they did worship were Viracocha Pachâ—yacâ—achic which signifies the Creator of the world and after him the Sunne And therefore they said that the Sunne received his vertue and being from the Creator as the other idolls do and that they were intercessors to him Of the first Ingua and his Successors CHAP. 20. THe first man which the Indians report to be the beginning and first of the Inguas was Mangocapa whom they imagine after the deluge to have issued forth of the cave of Tambo which is from Cusco about five or six leagues They say that he gave beginning to two principall races or families of the Inguas the one was called Hanancusco and the other Vrincusco of the first came the Lords which subdued and governed this Province and the first whom they make the head and steame of this family was called Ingaroca who founded a family or Aillo as they call them named Viçaquiquirao This although he were no great Lord was served notwithstanding in vessell of gold and silver And dying he appointed that all his treasure should be imployed for the service of his body and for the feeding of his family His successor did the like and this grew to a generall custome as I have said that no Ingua might inherite the goods and house of his predecessor but did build a new pallace In the time of this Inguarâ—ca the Indians had images of gold and to him succeeded Yaguarguaque a very old man they say he was called by this name which signifies teares of blood for that being once vanquished and taken by his enemies for griefe and sorrow he wept blood Hee was buried in a village called Paullo which is vpon the way to Omasugo he founded a family called Aocuillidanaca To him succeeded his sonne Viracocha Ingua who was very rich and made much vessell of gold and silver hee founded the linage or family of Câ—copanaca GonZales PiZarre sought out his body for the report of the great treasure was buried with him who after he had cruelly tormented many Indians in the end he found it in Xaquixaquana whereas they said PiZarrewas afterwards vanquished taken and executed by the President Guasca Gonsales Pizarre caused the body of Viracocha Ingua to be burnt the Indians did afterwardes take the ashes the which they preserved in a small vessell making great sacrifices therevnto vntill Pollo did reforme it and other idolatries which they committed vpon the bodies of their other Inguas the which hee suppressed with an admirable diligence and dexterity drawing these bodies out of their hands being whole and much imbalmed whereby he extinguished a great number of idolatries which they committed The Indians tooke it ill that the Ingua did intitle himselfe Viracocha which is the name of their God and he to excuse himselfe gave them to vnderstand that the same Viracocha appeared to him in his dreame commanding him to take this name To him succeeded Pachacuti Ingua Yupangui who was a very valiant conquerour a great Polititian and an inventer of a great part of the traditions and superstitions of their idolatrie as I will presently shew Of Pachacuti Ingua Yupangui and what happened in his time vnto Guaynacapa CHAP. 21. PAchacuti Ingua Yupangui rained seventy yeares and conquered many Countries The beginning of his conquests was by meanes of his eldest brother who having held the government in his fathers time and made warre by his consent was over-throwne in a battle against the Changuas a Nation which inhabites the valley of Andaguayllas thirty or forty leagues from Cusco vpon the way to Lima. This elder brother thus defeated retyred himselfe with few men The which Ingua Yupangui his yonger brother seeing devised and gave forth that being one day alone and melancholie Viracocha the Creator spake to him complaining that though he were vniversall Lord and Creator of all things and that hee had made the heaven the Sunne the world and men and that all was vnder his command yet did they not yeelde him the obedience they ought but contrariwise did equally honour and worship the Sunne Thunder Earth and other things which had no virtue but what he imparted vnto them giving him to vnderstand that in heaven where hee was they called him Viracocha Pachayachachic which signifieth vniversall Creator and to the end the Indians might beleeve it to be true he doubted not althogh he were alone to faise men vnder this title which should give him victory against the Changuas although they were then victorious and in great numbers and make himselfe Lord of those realmes for that he would send him men to his aide invisibly whereby he prevaâ—led in such sort that vnder this colour and conceit hee beganne to assemble a great number of people whereof he made a mighty armie with the which he obtayned the victorie making himselfe Lord of the whole
the linages These six linages did alwayes entertaine amitie together marrying their children one with another and dividing their limites quietly then they studied with an emulation to encrease and beautifie their common-weale The barbarous Chichimecans seeing what passed beganne to vse some governement and to apparrell themselves being ashâ—med of what had passed for till then they had no shame And having abandoned feare by their communication with these other people they beganne to learne many things of them building small cottages having some pollicie and governement They did also choose Lordes whom they did acknowledge for their superiours by meanes whereof they did in a manner quite abandon this brutish life yet did they alwayes continue in the Mountaines divided from the rest Notwithstanding I hold it for certaine that this feare hath growne from other Nations and Provinces of the Indies who at the first were savage men who living onely by hunting piercing the rockie and rough countries discovering a new world the inhabitants whereof were almost like savage beasts without coverings or houses without tilled landes without cattell without King Law God or Reason Since others seeking better and new lands inhabited this fertile Countrey planting pollitike order and a kinde of common-weale although it were very barbarous After the same men or other Nations that had more vnderstanding then the rest laboured to subdue and oppresse the lesse mighty establishing Realmes and great Empires So it happened in Mexico at Peru and in some partes where they finde Citties and Common-weales planted among these Barbarians That which confirmes me in my opinion whereof I have amply discoursed in the first booke that the first inhabitants of the West Indies came by land and so by consequence that the first continent of the Indies ioynes with that of Asia Europe and Afsrike and the new world with the old although they have not yet discovered any countrey that toucheth and ioynes with the other world or if there be any sea betwixt the two it is so narrow that wilde beasts may easily swim over and men in small boates But leaving this Philosophie let vs returne to our history Of the Mexicaines departure of their iourney and peopling the Province of Mechovacan CHAâ— 4. THree hundred and two yeares after the former two linages had left their Country to inhabite new Spaine the Country being now well peopled and reduced to some forme of government Those of the seaventh cave or line arrived which is the Mexicaine Nation the which like vnto the rest left the Province of AZtlan and Teuculhuacan a pollitike courtlike and warlike Nation They did worship the idoll VitZliputZli whereof ample mention hath beene made and the divell that was in this idoll spake and governed this Nation easily This idoll commanded them to leave their Country promising to make them Princes and Lords over all the Provinces which the other six Nations did possesse that hee would give them a land abounding with gold silver pretious stones feathers and rich mantells wherevpon they went forth carrying their idoll with them in a coffer of reedes supported by foure of their principall priests with whom he did talke and reveale vnto them in secret the successe of their way and voyage advising them of what should happen He likewise gave them lawes and taught them the customes ceremonies and sacrifices they should observe They did not advance nor moove without commandement from this idoll He gave them notice when to march and when to stay in any place wherein they wholy obeyed him The first thing they did wheresoever they came was to build a house or tabernacle for their false god which they set alwaies in the middest of their Campe and there placed the Arke vppon an altare in the same manner as they have vsed in the holy Christian Church This done they sowed their land for bread and pulses which they vsed and they were so addicted to the obedience of their god that if he commanded them to gather they gathered but if he commanded them to raise their campe all was left there for the nourishment of the aged sicke and wearie which they lest purposely from place to place that they might people it pretending by this meanes that all the land should remaine inhabited by their Nation This going forth and peregrination of the Mexicaines will happily seeme like to that of Egypt and to the way which the children of Israell made seeing that they as well as those were warned to go forth and to seeke the land of promise and both the one and the other carried their god for their guide consulted with the arke and made him a tabernacle and he advised them giving them lawes and ceremonies and both the one and the other spake many yeares in their voyage to their promised land where we observe the resemblance of many other things as thehistories of the Mexicaines do report and the holy scripture testifie of the Israelites And without doubt it is a true thing that the Divell the prince of pride hath laboured by the superstitions of this Nation to counterfaite imitate that which the most high God did with this Nation for as is said before Satan hath a strange desire to compare and make himselfe equal with God so as this mortall enemy hath pretended falsely to vsurpe what communication and familiaritie he hath pleased with men Was there ever divell found so familiarly conversant with men as this divell VitzliputZli We may wel iudge what he was for that there was never seene nor heard speake of customes more superstitious nor sacrifices more cruel and inhumane then those which he taught them To conclude they were invented by the enemy of mankinde The chiefe and Captaine whome they followed was called Mexi whence came the name of Mexico of the Mexicaine Nation This people marching thus at leisure as the other six Nations had done peopling and tilling the land in divers partes whereof there is yet some shewes ruines after they had endured many travells and dangers in the end they came to the Province of Mechovacan which is as much to say as a land of fish for there is great abundance in goodly great lakes where contenting themselves with the scituation and temperature of the ground they resolved to stay there Yet having consulted with their idoll vpon this point and finding him vnwilling they demanded license to leave some of their men to people so good a land the which he granted teaching them the meanes how to do it which was that when the men and women should be entred into a goodly lake called Pascuaro to bathe themselves those which remained on land should steale away all their clothes and then secretly raise their campe and depart without any bruite the which was effected and the rest which dreamt not of this deceit for the pleasure they tooke in bathing comming forth and finding themselves spoiled of their garments and thus mocked and left by their companions they
or terrasse which they call Tloteloli where they inhabited calling it Tlatellulco which signifies place of a terrasse This was the third division of the Mexicaines since they left their Country That of Mechovacan being the first and that of Malinalco the second Those which seperated themselves and went to Tlatellulco were famous men but of bad disposition and therefore they practised against the Mexicaines their neighbours all the ill neighbourhood they could They had alwaies quarrells against them and to this day continues their hatred and olde leagues They of Tenoxtiltan seeing them of Tlatellulco thus opposite vnto them and that they multiplied feared that in time they might surmount them heerevpon they assembled in counsell where they thought it good to choose a King whome they should obey and strike terror into their enemies that by this meanes they should bee more vnited and stronger among themselves and their enemies not presume too much against them Being thus resolved to choose a King they tooke another advise very profitable and assured to choose none among themselves for the avoyding of diffentions and to gaine by their new King some other neighbour nations by whom they were invironed being destitute of all succours All well considered both to pacifie the King of Culhuacan whom they had greatly offended having slaine and flead the daughter of his predecessor and done him so great a scorne as also to have a King of the Mexicaine blood of which generation there were many in Culhuacan which continued there since the time they lived in peace amongst them they resolved to choose for their King a yong man called Acamapixtli sonne to a great Mexicaine Prince and of a Ladie daughter to the King of Culhuacan Presently they sent Ambassadors with a great present to demand this man who delivered their Ambassage in these tearmes Great Lord we your vassalls and servants placed and shut vp in the weedes and reedes of the Lake alone and abandoned of all the Nations of the world led onely and guided by our god to the place where we are which falles in the iurisdiction of your limits of Ascapusalco and of Tescuco Although you have suffered vs to live and remaine there yet will we not neither is it reason to live without a head and lord to command correct and governe vs instructing vs in the course of our life and defending vs from our enemies Therefore we come to you knowing that in your Court and house there are children of our generation linckt and alied with yours issued from our entrailes and yours of our blood and yours among â—he which we have knowledge of a grand-child of yours and ours called Acamapixtli We beseech you therefore to give him vs for Lord we will esteeme him as hee deserves seeing hee is of the linage of the Lords of Mexico and the Kings of Culhuacan The king having consulted vppon this poynt and finding it nothing inconvenient to be alied to the Mexicaines who were valiant men made them answer that they should take his grandchilde in good time adding therevnto that if he had beene a woman hee woulde not have given her noting the foule fact before spoken of ending his discourse with these wordes Let my grand-childe go to serve your God and be his lievetenant to rule and govâ—rne his creatures by whom we live who is the Lord of night day and windes Let him goe and be Lord of the water and land and possesse the Mexicaine Nation take him in good time and vse him as my sonne and grand-child The Mexicaines gave him thanks all ioyntly desiring him to marry him with his owne hand so as he gave him to wife one of the noblest Ladies amongst them They conducted the new King and Queene with all honour possible and made him a solemne reception going all in generall foorth to see the king whom they led into pallaces which were then but meane and having seated them in royall throanes presently one of the Antients and an Orator much esteemed amongest them did rise vp speaking in this manner My sonne our Lord and King thou art welcome to this poore house and citty amongest these weedes and mudde where thy poore fathers grandfathers and kinsfolkes endure what it pleaseth the Lord of things created Remember Lord thou commâ—st hither to be the defence and support of the Mexicaine Nation and to be the resemblance of our God Vitzliputzli whervpon the charge and governement is given thee Thou knowest we are not in our country seeing the land we possesse at this day is anothers neither know we what shall become of vs to morrowe or another day Consider therefore that thou commest not to rest or recreate thy selfe but rather to indure a new charge vnder so heavie a burden wherein thou must continually labour being slave to this multitude which is fallen to thy lotte and to all this neighbour people whome thou must strive to gratifie and give them contentment seeing thou knowest we live vpon their lands and within their limites And ending hee repeated these wordes Thou art welcome thou and the Queene our Mistris to this your realme This was the speech of the old man which with other orations which the Mexicaine histories do celebrate the children did vse to learne by hart and so they were kept by tradition some of them deserve well to be reported in their proper termes The king aunswering thanked them and offered them his care and diligence in their defence aide in all he could After they gave him the othe and after their maneâ— set the royall crown vpon his head the which is like to the Crowne of the dukes of Venice the name of Acamapixtli their first king signifies a handfull of reeds and therfore they carry in their armories a hand holding many arrows of reedes Of the strange tribute the Mexicaines paied to them of Azcapuzalco CHAP. 9. THe Mexicaines happened so well in the election of their new king that in short time they grew to have some form of a common-weale and to be famous among strangers wherevpon their neighbours moved with feare practised to subdue them especially the Tapaneâ—ans who had Azcapuzalco for their metropolitane citty to whome the Mexicaines payed tribute as strangers dwelling in their land For the king of AzcapuZalco fearing their power which increased soght to oppresse the Mexicanes and having consulted with his subiects he sent to tel king Acamapixtli that the ordinary tribut they payed was too little and that from thencefoorth they should bring firre trees sapines and willowes for the building of the citty and moreover they shoulde make him a garden in the water planted with diverse kindes of hearbes and pulses which they should bring vnto him yearely by water dressed in this maner without failing which if they did not he declared them his enemies and would roote them out The Mexicaines were much troubled at this commaundement holding it impossible and that this demaund was to no other end but to
drawe it There is great aboundance in the kingdome of Chille of Quitto and in the new Realme of Grenado The most famous golde is that of Caranava in Peru and of Valdivia in Chille for that it riseth with his alloy and perfection which is twenty three carrats and a halfe and sometimâ—s more They make accompt likewise of the gold of Veraâ—â—a to be very fine They bring much golde to Mexico from the Philippines and China but commonly it is weake and of base alloy Golde is commonly found mixt with silver or with copper but that which is mixed with silver is commonly of fewer carraâ—s then that which is mixed with copper If there bâ—â—a siâ—e partâ— of silver Plinie saieth it is then properly called Flâ—â—â—â— which hath the property to shine more at the light of the fire then fine gold or fine silver That which is incorporate with copper is commonly of a higher value They refine powldred golde in basens washing it in many waters vntill the sand falles from it and the golde as most heavie remaineth in the bottome They refine it likewise with quicke-silver and strong water for that the allume whereof they make this water hath the vertue to separate gold from drosse or from other mettalls After it is purified and molten they make brickes or small barres to cary it vnto Spaine for being in powlder they cannot transport it from the Indies for they can neither custome it marke it nor take say vntill it be molten The foresaide Hisâ—â—riaâ— grapher reporteth that Spaine above all other Countries of the world did abound in gold and silver especially Galitia and Portugall above all the Asturiaâ—s whence hee saieth they brought every yeere twenty thousand pounds of golde and that they found not so great aboundance in any other place The which is confirmed in the booke of Macabees where it is saide that amongest the great riches of the Romans they had in their power the golde and silver of Spaine At this day the great treasure of Spaine comes from the Indies wherein the divinâ— Providence hath appoynted one Realme to serve another which doe imparte their wealth to participate their governement for the good the one of the other in communicating mutually the goodes and graces they doe inioy wee can not value nor esteeme the quantitie of golde that is brought from the Indies but we may well say it is much more then that which 〈◊〉 reports was brought yeerely from Spaine to Româ— In the fleete where I came which was in the yeâ—re 1585. the declaratiâ—n of the firme land was of of twelve cassons or chests of golde every casson at the least weied foure Arobes that is a hundred weight and a thousand fifty and sixe mares from New Spaine which was for the King only besides that which came for Merchants and private men being registred and much that came vnregistred This may suffice touching the golde of the Indies and now we will speake of silver Of the Silver at the Indies CHAP. 5. WE reade these wordes in the Booke of Iob Siluer hath certain beginnings and roots in his veins and golde hath a setled place where it ingenders and thickens yron with digging is drawne out of the earth and stone molten with heate is turned into copper Hereby he wisely shewes in few words the nature of silver golde yron copper We have spoken something of the places where golde is ingendered and congealed which is either of the foresaide stones in the deapth of mountaines and in the bowells of the earth or in the sand of rivers and where brookes have runne or else on the toppes of mountaines the which golde in powlder runnes downe with the water And this is the common opinion they holde at the Indies Wherevppon many of the common sort believe that the deluge having drowned all even to the highest hills hath beene the cause that at this day they finde this golde in the rivers and in places so farre off Now we wil shew how they discover the mines of silver their veines rootes and beginnings whereof Iob speakes And first I will say that the reason why they give silver the second place among all other mettalles is for that it approacheth neerer to golde then any other being more durable and lesse indomaged by the fire and more maniable then any other yea it passeth golde in brightnesse beauty and sound the which is cleere and agreeable for the colour is more conformable and resembling the light and the sound more percing more lively and more delicate Likewise there are some places where they value silver more then golde It is yet an argument to iudge that gold is more pretious rhen all other mettalls for that it is found with greater difficultie and Nature seemes more sparing in bringing it foorth although there be countries as they say of Chine where they finde golde more easily then silver yet it is more common and ordinarie to finde silver with more facilitie and greater abundance then gold The Creator hath furnished the Weast Indies with so great a treasure of silver as all that which we reade of in antient Histories and that which is spoken of the mines of Spaine and other provinces is not comparable to that we see in those partes The mines of silver are commonly found in mountaines and high rockes very desart although they have sometimes bin found in Plaines and Champaines There are two different kindes the one they call stragling the other fixed and setled The straggling are peeces of mettall found in certaine places the which drawne away there is no more found But the fixed veines are those which have a continuance in depth and length like to great branches and armes of trees and when they find anie one of them they commonly finde many in the same place The maner to purge refine silver which the Indians have vsed was by melting in dissolving this masse of mettall by fire which casts the earthly drosse aparte and by his force separates silver from lead tinne from copper and other mettalls mixt To this end they did build small furnaces in places whereas the winde did commonly blow and with wood and cole made their refining the which furnaces in Ptru they call Guayras Since the Spaniards entred besides this manner of refining which they vse to this day they likewise refine silver with quicke-silver and draw more by this means then in refining it by fire For there is some kind of silver mettall found which can by no meanes be purged and refined by fire but onely with quickesilver But thiâ— kinde of mettall is commonly poore and weake the which vsually they finde in greatest aboundance They câ—l that poore which yields least silver and great quantitie of other mettall and that rich which yieldes mâ—st silver It is strange to see not onely the difference betwixt the refining of mettall by fire and without it by quicke-silver but also that some of