was called Coccolucio because such as were troubled therewith were no otherwise troubled then in the throat like vnto Hennes which haue the pip after the which followed many pestilent feuers with diuers strange fits which continued not aboue foure dayes Not long before the plague was so great in Portingale that in two yeres space there died in Lisbone to the number of 80. thousand people after the which plague the saide disease ensued which wrought great destruction throughout the whole Countrie of Spaine The fift day of August in the same yeare hauing some vnderstanding in the Spanish tongue I placed my selfe with a Dutch gentleman who determined to trauaile into Portingal to sée the countrie and with him stayed to take a more conuenient time for my pretended voyage Vppon the first of September following we departed from Siuill passing through diuers Townes and Villages within eight dayes after we ariued at Badaios where I found my other Brother following the Court. At the same time died Anne de Austria Quéene of Spaine Sister to the Emperour Rodulphus and Daughter to the Emperour Maximilian the Kings fourth and last wife for whom great sorrow was made through all Spaine her body was conuaied from Badaios to the Cloyster of Saint Laurence in Escuriall where with great solemnitie it was buried We hauing stayed certaine dayes in Badaios departed from thence and passed through a Towne called Eluas about two or thrée miles off being the first towne in the kingdome of Portingale for that betwéene it and Badaios the borders of Spaine and Portingale are limited from thence we trauailed into diuers other places of Portingale and at the last ariued at Lisbone about the twenty of September following where at that time wee found the Duke of Alua beeing Gouernour there for the King of Spaine the whole Cittie making great preparation for the Coronation of the King according to the custome of their countrie Wee beeing in Lisbone through the change of aire and corruption of the countrie I fell sicke and during my sicknes was seauen times let blood yet by Gods help I escaped and being recouered not hauing much preferment vnder the gentleman I left his seruice and placed my selfe with a Marchant vntill I might attaine to better meanes About the same time the plague not long before newly begunne began againe to cease for the which cause the King till then had deferred his enterance into Lisbone which wholly ceased vppon the first day of May Anno 1581 hee entred with great triumph and magnificence into the cittie of Lisbone where aboue all others the Dutchmen had the best and greatest commendation for beautiful shews which was a Gate a Bridge that stood vppon the riuer side where the King must first passe as hee went out of his Gallie to enter into the cittie being beutified and adorned with many costly and excellent thinges most pleasant to behold euery stréet and place within the cittie being hanged with rich clothes of Tapistrie and Arras where they made great triumphes as the manner is at all Princes Coronations The same yere the twelfth of December the Duke of Alua died in Lisbone in the kings pallace being high steward of Spaine who during his sicknes for the space of fourtéene dayes receaued no sustenance but only womens milke his body beeing seared and spicen was conuaied into his countrie of Alua The same month the King beeing yet at Lisbone died Don Diego Prince of Spaine and Portingale the kings eldest son his body béeing inbalmed was conuaied to Madril after whose death the king had but one Sonne named Don Phillip and two Daughters liuing About the same time there ariued at Lisbone the kings sister widdow to the deceased Emperour Maximilian and with her one of her daughters who beeing lame was after placed in a Monasterie of Nuns they with great triumph were likewise receaued into the cittie After the death of Don Diego the kings eldest sonne all the Lordes and States of Spaine and Portingale as well spirituall as temporal assembled at Lisbone and there in the kings presence according to the ancient custome and manner of the countrie tooke their oathes of faith and allegiance vnto Don Phillip the young Prince of Spaine and next heire and lawfull successor of the lung his Father in his dominions of Spaine Portingale and other landes and countries The next yeare Anno 1582. a great nauie of ships was prepared in Lisbone whose generall was the Marquesse de sancta Cruce accompanied with the principall gentlemen and captaines both of Spaine and Portingal who at their own costs and charges therein to shew the great affection and desire they had to serue their Prince sayled with the said Nauie to the Flemmish Ilandes to fight with Don Antonio that lay about those Iles with a Fléet of frenchmen whose Generall was one Phillip Strozzi These two Fléets méeting together fought most cruelly to the great losse of both parts yet in the ende Don Antonio with his French men was ouerthrowne and many of them taken prisoners among the which were diuers gentlemen of great account in France who by the Marquis commandement were all beheaded in the Island of Saint Michaels The rest being brought into Spaine were put into the Gallies Don Antonio himselfe escaped in a small ship and the General Strozzi also who béeing hurt in y e battail died of the same wound By this victory the Spaniards were so proud that in Lisbone great triumph was holden for the same and the Marquis de Sancta Crus receiued therin with great ioy which done and all thinges being pacified in Portingale the King left his Sisters sonne Don Albertus Cardinall of Austria Gouernour of Lisbone and the whole Countrie and with the saide Cardinals mother returned and kept Court at Madrill in Spaine The 2. Chapter The beginning of my voyage into the East or Portingale Indies STaying at Lisbone the trade of Marchandize there not beeing great by reason of the newe fresh disagréeing of the Spaniards and Portingales occasion being offered to accomplish my desire there was at the same time in Lisbone a Monke of S. Dominicks order named Don frey Vincente de Fonseca of a noble house who by reason of his great learning had of long time béene Chaplen vnto Sebastian King of Portingale who beeing with him in the battaile of Barbari◠where King Sebastian was slain was taken prisoner and from thence ransomed whose learning and good behauiour beeing knowne to the King of Spaine hee made great account of him placing him in his own Chappel and desiring to prefer him the Archbishopricke of all the Indies beeing voide with confirmation of the Pope he inuested him therewith although he refused to accept it fearing the long and tedious trauaile hee had to make thether but in the end through the Kings perswasion hee tooke it vpon him with promise within foure or fiue yeares at the furthest to recall him home againe and to giue him
Iland but they may fréelie vse them vpon the firme land and secretly in their houses thereby to shunne and auoid all occasions of dislike that might be giuen to Christians which are but newlie baptised but touching the worldly policie or good gouernement of the countrie and executing of iustice as also for the ruling of the townes men in the citie it is common to them all and they are vnder the Portingales law and he that is once christened and is after found to vse any heathenish superstitions is subiect to the Inquisition what so euer he be or for any point of Religion what so euer The Iland hath nothing of it self to nourish it withall but onely some cattle hennes goates doues c. but very fewe because of the barrennesse and euil situation of the place which is a most hillie barren and wild countrie and full of wast ground all their necessaries as beastes hennes hogges egges milke c. come from Salsette and Bardes but most part out of the firme land Corne Rice and other grayne also Oyle and all other necessaries come from other countries and are brought in by the Riuer as frō Cambaia on the North side and from the coast of Malabar and other places as in the description of the coast we haue in part declared of wyne called wyne of palme trées they haue inough and so much that they haue to spare for other places They haue but little fresh water but only one Well called Banganiin which stādeth about a quarter of a mile with out the Cittie wherewith the whole towne is serued which the slaues fetch in pots sel it in the towne and is verie good to drinke for water to dresse meat wash and doe other thinges withall they commonly haue Wels within their houses the land of it self is verie stonie and drie hauing a kinde of red earth so that some Italian Alchymistes haue promised to get Copper Gold out of the same which neither y e king nor Vice-roy would euer cōsēt vnto fearing least the report of such treasure would be occasion of greater troble vnto them by their enemies that are round about them through the desire that they haue of riches and therefore they haue deferred to séeke for it by the mappe hereafter following you may sée the situation of the Iland and Towne of Goa with all the stréetes Churches and places liuely described The 29. Chapter Of the customes of the Portingales and such as are issued from them called Mesticos or half countrimen as wel of Goa as of all the Oriental countries THe Portingales in India are many of them marryed with the naturall borne women of the countrie and the children procéeding of them are called Mesticos that is half countrimen These Mesticos are commonlie of yelowish colour notwithstanding there are manie women among them that are faire and well formed The children of the Portingales both boyes and gyrls which are borne in India are called Castisos and are in all things like vnto the Portingales onely somewhat differing in colour for they draw towards a yealow colour the children of those Castisos are yealow and altogether like the Mesticos and the children of Mesticos are of colour and fashion like the naturall borne Countrimen or Decaniins of the countrie so that the posteritie of the Portingales both men and womē being in the third degrée doe séeme to be naturall Indians both in colour fashion Their liuings and daylie traffiques are to Bengala Pegu Malacca Cambaia China and euerie way both North and South also in Goa there is holden a daylie assemblie or méeting together as wel of the Citizens and Inhabitants as of all nations throughout India and of the countries bordering on the same which is like the méeting vpō the burse in Andwarpe yet differeth much from that for that hether in Goa there come as well Gentlemen as marchants and others and there are all kindes of Indian commodities to sell so that in a manner it is like a Faire This méeting is onely before Noone euerie day in the yeare except Sondayes and holie dayes it beginneth in y e morning at 7. of the clocke and continueth till 9. of the clocke but not in the heate of the day nor after Noone in the principal stréete of the Citie named the straight stréete and is called the Leylon which is as much to say as an outroop there are certain cryers appointed by the Citie for y e purpose which haue of al things to be cryed and sold these goe all the time of the Leylon or outroop all behangd about with all sorts of gold chaines all kindes of costly Iewels pearles rings and precious stones likewise they haue running about them many sorts of captiues and slaues both men and women young and old which are daylie sould there as beasts are sold with vs where euerie one may chuse which liketh him best euerie one at a certaine price There are also Arabian horses all kinde of spices and dryed drugges sweet gummes and such like things fine and costly couerlets and many curious things out of Cambaia Sinde Bēgala China c. and it is wonderfull to sée in what sort many of them get their liuinges which euery day come thether to buy wares and at an other time sel them again And when any man dieth all his goods are brought thether sold to the last pennie worth in the same outroop who soeuer they be yea although they were the Viceroyes goods and this is done to doe right and iustice vnto Orphanes widdows and that it may be sold with the first where euerie man may sée it so that euerie yeare there is great quantitie of ware sold within that Citie for that there die many men within the Towne by meanes of their disordered liuing together with the hotenes of the coūtry the like assemblie is holden in all places of India where the Portingales inhabite There are some married Portingales that get their liuings by their slaues both men and women wherof some haue 12 some 20 and some 30 for it costeth them but little to kéepe them These slaues for money doe labour for such as haue néede of their helpe some fetch fresh water and sell it for money about the stréetes the women slaues make all sorts of confectures and conserues of Indian fruites much fyne néedle worke both cut and wrought workes and thē their maister send the fairest and the youngest of them well drest vp with their wares about the stréetes to sell the same that by the neatnes bewtie of the said women slaues men might be moued to buy which happeneth more for the affection they haue to the slaues to fulfill their pleasure with them then for any desire to the conserues or néedle workes for these slaues doe neuer refuse them but make their daylie liuing thereby and with the gaines that they by that meanes bring home their maisters may well kéepe and maintaine them There are others that
to all that countrey This land is great and hath many people and countries vnder it but the principall and chiefe prouince which the Spanyardes holde therein is Mexicana also â—enustiran or Culhuacan as I saide before the other prouinces are Guatimala Xaliscus Hondura Cha'cos Taicâ— Chamoâ—la Claortomaca Huâ—cacholla and the kingdomes of Michuacan Tescuco Utazcalia Tenuacan Maxcalcinco and Mixâ—eâ—apan Mexico or Culhuacan was brought vnder the subiection of the kings of Spaine by Fernando Cortes Merches deila Valo in the yeere of our Lorde one thousand fiue hundred and eighteene which countrey is very rich of golde and siluer for that many riuers haue golde in the sand The Sea shore in those Countries yeeldeth manye pearles mustles or oysters wherein they finde the pearles whereof there is a great fishing and much traffike for them There are likewise in this countrey many lakes or meeres that are stil and haue no issue which by the heate of the Sunne tourne into salt There is likewise no lesse aboundance of Cassia Fistulâ— then in Egypt growing on trees with leaues like walnuts and yellow blossoms from whence the pipes or cases of Cassia do issue forth which are vsed to purge in hote feuers to coole and cleanse the gall and heart blood as also very good against the stone in the bladder and kidneys and other diseases There is likewise in that countrie a kinde of fruit that groweth in great abundance called Cacao altogether like an almond which is taken out of the huske and couered with a thinne skinne whereof the kernel is diuided into three or foure partes of a darke yellow with blacke veines being harsh in the mouth and of an euill taste but with them is much esteemed whereof being beaten with some of their countrey pepper they make a certaine drinke which they esteeme of great price giuing it vnto great Lordes and such as are their especiall friends as we esteeme of muscadel or maluesie The sea bordering vpon this countrey as also the riuers running through it are ful of fish wherein also they finde diuers Crocodiles as in Egypt the flesh whereof is so much esteemed before al other meates that they account it for a princely dish whereof some are aboue 20. foote long The country is full of hilles and stony rockes and great difference in their speeche so that they hardly vnderstand each other without Interpreters The places wherein the Spaniardes first placed their men were Compostella where the Bishop and the Kings counsell are resident and Colima which they call the Purification in new Galicia is the chiefe Guadalahara and the head or principall part of the kingdome Mecheocan also a Bishops sea Cacatula the towne of Angels a chiefe towne and bishopricke Mâ—xâ— a kingly citie and Queene of al cities in the new world lyeth vpon the border or side of a lake the market place of the Towne lying ful vpon the lake whereby they can not come at it but they must passe ouer bridges This lake is lâ—â—t and is in length sixe lucas or twelue miles and is in breadth tenne miles without fish onely a smal kind that may rather be called wormes than fishes from the which lake in summer time there ariseth such a stiâ—ke and infecteth the ayre in such manner that it is vnwholesome to dwel there notwithstanding it is inhabited by as many marchants as any towne in Europe the cittie is great at the least three miles in compasse wherein are so many temples that it is incredible the particularitte whereof before it be long shal be translated out of Spanish into our mother tongue by the author therof whereunto I referre you Not farre from this cittie lieth an other fresh lake very ful of fish whereon as also vpon the shore lie many townes When this towne was first taken by the Spaniards there raigned a king called Mâ—ntezâ—mâ— being the ninth in degree and as then the towne was but 140. yeares old which is to bee wondered at howe it is possible that so great a citie in so few yeers should be so famous The marchandises that are most carried out of this countrey are golde siluer pearle balsam cochenilia the white roote Macheocan which is good to purge Salla Pariglia and an other roote which maketh men sweate brimstone beasts skinnes and fish And thus much for new Spaine in generall and of Mexico in particular Not minding at this present time to make any longer discourse because that our Carde sheweth little thereof and now returning to our owne Carde you must vnderstand that the lower ende of Cuba hath an out Hooke called P. de Santa Anthonio which is very fitte for to take in fresh water and to calke and mend the shippes Sailing from this hooke sixtie fiue miles to the firme land you come to the hooke of Iucatan which runneth into the sea like a halfe Island Iectetan is in Indian speech I vnderstand you not for that vpon a time when certaine Spaniards put out of the hauen of Saint Anthony to discouer newe countries and arriued in that Island they made signes vnto the people to knowe the name of the country whereuppon the Indians answered them and saide O Tectetan Tectetan that is We vnderstand ye not and so the Spaniards corrupting the name Tectetan call that land Iucatan yet the furthest point therof in their spéech was called â—ecampi This point of Iucatan lyeth vnder 21. degrees vnder the which name a great countrey is comprehended by some called Peinsula that is a place almost compassed about with water for that the further this point reacheth into the sea the broader it is being in the narrowest part 80. or 90. Spanish miles broad for so farre it is from Xicalanco Therefore the sea Cardes that place this land nearer or smaller do erre much for that it is in length from East to West twoo hundred miles being discouered by Francisco Hernandez of Cordua in the yeare of our Lord 1517. but not al of it for that sailing from out of Cuba from Saint Iacobs to discouer new countries or as some say to fetch labourers to trauell in his mines he came about the Island Guanaxos herein called Caguan xâ— to the cape di Honduras where good honest ciuill and simple people dwelt being fishermen hauing no weapons nor vsed to the warres and proceeding further sayled to an vnknowne point of land where hee found certaine salt pannes whereunto he gaue the name of Donne that is women for that there were certaine stone towers with staires chappels couered with wood and straw wherein were placed diuerse Idols that shewed like women whereat the Spaniardes maruelled to finde stone houses which till then they had not seene and that the inhabitants were rich and well apparelled with shirtes and mantles of cotten white and coloured with plumes of feathers and iewels of precious stones sette in golde and siluer their women likewise appareled from the middle downewardes as also on the head and breast which
miles to Câ—uo di Camaron which are accounted in this manner first from the great riuer to the hauen of Higueras are 30. miles from Puerto Higueras to the hauen et Puerto di Caualloâ— other thirtie miles This is the second place by the Spaniards diuided into a colonie a dayes iournie from thence lieth Saint Pedro in a plaine field close to certaine hilles being the third Colonie of the Spaniardes not farre from thence runneth the riuer Vilua and the lake in the middle from whence he certaine hard groundes like Ilandes couered ouer with weedes which as the wind bloweth fleet from place to place From Puerto de Cauallas to Puerto del triumpho de la Crus are thirtie miles betweene the which lieth next to Guamareta Saint Iacob and Truxillo From Puerto del triumpho de la Crus to Capo de Honduras are 30. miles and from thence to Cabo del Camaron 20. miles from thence to Cabo de Gatias a dios lying vnder 14. degrées are accounted 70. miles this is likewise a Spanish colonie or towne builded by them and betweene them on the same coast lieth Carthago also a Spanish towne from Gracias a dios are 70. miles to del Aguadera which springeth out of the lake or sea of Nicaragua and is heere called Aguadaco now againe for a time we will leaue speaking of the coast to declare the Prouince and Countrie of Nicaragua Nicaragua DEparting from Fondura and passing the borders of Chiulutecca you come to the Prouince Nicaragua stretching towardes the south sea which is not verie great but rich fruitfull and pleasant but of so vnreasonable a heate that in Sommer time the heate cannot be indured in the day time but only in the night it raineth there for the space of 6. whole monthes together beginning in Maie The other sixe moneths are exceeding drie the day and night being all of a length honny waxe cotton wool and balsam growe there in great aboundaunce and many kindes of fruites which are not found in other prouinces neither yet in Hispaniola nor any other place and among the rest a kind of apple in forme much like a peare within it there is a round nut almost twice as bigge againe as one of our common nuttes very swéete and pleasant of taste the tree is great with small leaues There are few kine but many hogges which were brought out of Spaine to bréede therein The country is ful of Indian villages all with smal houses made of reedes and couered with strawe they haue no mettall yet at the first entraunce of the Spaniards the inhabitants had certaine common and base gold among them which was brought out of other places thither there are many parrats which doe great hurt vnto the seedes and would doe more were it not that they are driuen away by slings and other meanes The Spaniards at their arriuall in those countries by reason of the great abundance of al things called them the Paradise of Mahomet There are many Ginny hennes and a certaine fruit called Cacauate which they vse insteed of mony it groweth on an indifferent great tree and onely in warme and shadowe places as soone as the Sunne commeth vpon it it withereth and therefore it is sowed in woodes vnder trées and in moyst places and al little enough but the trées whereby it is planted must be higher than it and bound close together that they may defend and couer them from the heate of the sunne the fruit is like almonds and being taken out of their shels are couered with a thinne blacke skinne and the piths being taken out it may be diuided into two or thrée partes hauing browne and gray veines but of a hard taste When they make drinke thereof they drie it in a pot by the fire and then bruise it with stones which done they put it in a cullender or potte made with holes mixing it with water and putting thereto a litle of their pepper and so drinke it This drinke is somewhat bitter it cooleth the body not making them drunke and by them throughout all the country it is estéemed for a most pretious thing which they present to men of great account as we do maluesey or hypocrase The maners of this people are not different from those of Mexico they eate mans flesh their clokes and garments are without sléeues they kindle their fire by rubbing two péeces of wood one against an other which is their common custome throughout al India and although they haue great store of waxe yet they knew not how to vse it for that in steede of candles they vsed lights made of pine trée boughes their speech is diuerse but the Mexican spéech is the best and that is furthest knowen for that therewith men may trauell through the country aboue fiftéene hundred miles and is very easie to learne when they daunce they vse a very strange manner for they are at least three or foure thousand together sometimes more according to the number of inhabitants in the fielde where they wil daunce being all together they make the place very cleane then one of them goeth before leading the daunce commonly going backeward turning in and out all the rest following by three and foure together vsing the like apish toyes their minstrels and drummes singing and playing certaine songs whereunto hee that leadeth the daunce aunswereth and after him all the rest some bearing Wayerkens in their hands some rattles ful of stones wherewith they rattle others haue theyr heades al slucke with feathers some their legs and armes bound about with stringes full of shels some ouerthwart and some crooked turning their bodies some opening their legs some their armes some counterfeiting the deafe man and others the blind man some laughing others grinning with many strange deuises they keep their feasts al that day till night drinking nothing but Cocauate The ships that saile ouer the south sea to Nicaragua passe thorow the narow stream about fiue and twenty miles inwards towards the land til they come to a dorp called Reâ—lâ—gio where there are certaine reed houses inhabited by Spaniardes where the ships anker by reason of the good hauen and because of the wood A dayes iourney from this place eastward lieth Legio or Leoâ— the Bishops sea of Nicaragaa standing vpon the border of the lake of Francisco Fernandez as also Granaten and other Spanish townes lying vpon the same lake fifty miles from each other almost at the other ende where the lake issueth into the northerne sea Those two townes are both scarce fourescore houses part made of lime and stone and parte of reedes and strawe Fiue and thirtie miles from Leon lieth a hill that casteth out fire in such abundance that by night they may beholde at the least 100000. sparks of fire flying into the aire many Spaniards are of this opinion that therin must be gold which giueth the fire a continual essence wherby they haue sought many meanes to trie it but al in vaine
towne dwell on the other side the hill Carmenga where there stoode certaine small towers wherein they noted the course of the sunne in the middle where most of the people dwell was a great place from the which there passed foorth high wayes that went into the foure partes of the kingdome and this towne onely was orderly and fairely built with stone houses and richer and mightier then all the other Townes of Peru for that vpon paine of death no man might carrie any gold out of the same therein was the richest temple of the sunne in all the world which was called Curicanche in it was the high Priest by them called Villaona and part of this citie was inhabited by Mâ—timaes which are strangers that all were holden vnder good policie lawes ceremonies of their Idols most wonderfull to heare the Castle was made of so great foure squared stones that ten paires of oxen could hardly drawe one of them so that it cannot be imagined howe by mans handes those stones were brought thither hauing neither oxen horses nor any other beasts to draw withall The houses at this time inhabited by the Spaniards are most built by people of the countrie but are somewhat repaired and made greater in the time of their kings this citie was diuided into foure parts according to the foure partes of the worlde and hadde the names from the foure prouinces that lay vpon each corner of the Cittie and when the Kings were liuing no man dwelling in one quarter of the Citie might remooue houshold into another vppon great paine and punishments inflicted and although this Citie lyeth in a colde place yet it is very holsome and better prouided of all sortes of victuals and greater then any other thorowout all Peru round about it there vsed to be certaine mines of gold but now consumed and are left for the siluer mines of Potosi because now the profit is greater by siluer and lesse danger In this towne was great resort from the parts of Peru for till the nobilitie were forced to send their children thither vnder pretence of learning the speech and to serue the king but were there rather for pannes that in the meane time their fathers might not rise vp against the kings other people dwelling about it were forced to come thither to build houses to make cleane the Castles and to doo other kindes of workes whatsoeuer they should be commaunded about this Cittie there lyeth a great hil called Guanacaure of great account with the kings wher they offered both men and beasts and although in this Citie there were people of all nations as of Chile Pasto Cagnaâ—es Bâ—acamoâ—o Chacapoyas Guancas Charcas Collao c. yet euerie nation dwelt in a place by themselues appoynted for the purpose and helde the ceremonies of their auncetors onely that they were forced to pray vnto and honour the sun as the high God by them called Mocia There were likewise in this Cittie many great buildings vnder the earth wherein there dwelt certain coniurers southsayers and such as told fortunes who as yet are not all rooted out and in those holes there is daily found great quantities of treasor About the Citie are many temperate vallyes wherein there groweth certaine trees and corn although in times past euerie thing was brought thither in great aboundance Vpon the riuer that runneth through the towne they haue their corne milles nowe they haue likewise many Spanish capons and hens as good as any are in Spaine as also kine goates and other cattell although there are but fewe trees yet there groweth much pease beanes tares fitches and such like because therin was the most rich and sumptuous temple of the sunne and high priest I think it not vnconuenient to speak something of their Religion and of the Pettigree of the Kings of Peru and then in bréefe manner to go on with our course of shewing the â—ownes lying on hilles til you come to Arequipa as also the coast reaching to the straights of the Magellanes The Religion of the Peruuians TOuching their Religion they acknowledge and after their manner worshipped a creator of heauen and earth whome they caled Pachacama which signifieth creator a son of the Sun Moone like that in the vallie of Pachacama where they had made a great temple yet they accounted and held the Sun for the greatest God as a creator of all liuing creatures which in Cuscan speech they caled Ticebiracoce and although they had this knowledge and vnderstanding yet they vsed their olde customes not onely to pray vnto the Sunne and Moone but also to trées stones and other things the diuell through them giuing them answeres and because they had no certaine knowledge out of any writings or bookes of the scriptures or of the creation of the worlde neither yet of the floud therefore they obserue that which their forefathers told them which was that a notable and worthy man which they call Con in times past came out of the north into their countries with most swift pase that had no bones nor ioynts in his body neyther was it knit together by any kinde of substance that in one day could throwe downe or raise hilles and fill deep vallies and passe through a place where no wayes nor meanes to passe was found and that this man had made their predecessors giuing them hearbs and wilde fruits to liue vpon and that he being offended with the Peruuians inhabiting the plaine countrey conuerted their fruitfull land into sandie grounds and caused raine not to fall therein yet being moued with pittie because of the beasts and to water the drie fieldes hee opened diuers fountaines and riuers whereby the people might moisten theyr groundes This Con being sonne of the Sunne and Moone in times past they honoured for the highest God vntill an other came out of the south called Pachacama which signifieth Creator who also was ingendered by the Sunne and Moone and of greater power than Con at whose comming Con departed away and this Pachacama conuerted the people made by Con into Sea coltes Beares Lions Parats and other birdes and made other men that were the predecessors of the Peruuians now liuing and taught them the manner of planting and tilling the earth whome they after that esteemed for their God building Churches for him and praying vnto him and called a whole Prouince after his name Pachacama lying foure miles from Lyma as already is declared where in times past the Kings and noblemen of the land were commonly buried which theyr god Pachacama was long time worshipped by them til the comming of the Spaniardes into Peru and after that he was neuer séene Againe it is to be thought it was a Diuell who vsed that manner of subtiltie thereby to deceiue and blinde the people who in those times appeared in forme of a man as it is euident that before the Spaniards arriuall he shewd himselfe in that great costly temple in forme of a man and answered
way to know the land which you shall alwaâ—â— find at Macau if you find them noâ— in â—â—dia For other necessaries concerning to shippe you shall finde of all things sufficient in China The gaines and profits of all sortes of wares of China are verie great except rawe silke whereby they haue verie little gaine for there they rather desire it readie spunne and although there should bee much solde there yet that were no reason or cause why they should carrie much thither because it should not hinder the voiage and trafficke of them of Iapon into the East Indies for there are many other kindes of wares great store to carrie thither wherein there is much more profit then in silke Of the common wares and merchandises that the Spaniards in the Islands of Lucones or Phillippinas doe buy and yet they buy them much dâ—â—er there then they should buy them in China in newe Spaine they gaine but sixe for one and in Peru ten for one whereof they are sure for that the Portingales that haue gone from hence thither in the ship that came hither haue gained so much by the wares they carried with them that the time that they stayed for their returne séemed to them a thousand yéeres and as they repoâ—t the Viceroy of Noua Spaigna and all the other gouernours and gentlemen of the countrie haue a great desire to vse the trade and doe much looke after it Many are of opinion that to saile that way to Peru it would be a longer voiage for that when you are at Acapulco you must take another way and hold another course of 700. miles long from Acapulco to the Hauen of Callande Lyma which is the Metropolitane Cittie of Peru lying vnder ten degrées on the South side of the Equinoctiall and you should make your voiage in the same yeere and further it is a countrey of great charges and expences whereby you should loose and spend all that you should gaine more in that countrey then in new Spaine because the countrey of newe Spaine is more aboundant in all kinde of necessaries victuals then Peru and therefore your charges is lesse The 52. Chapter The true and perfect description of a voiage performed and done by Franciscus de Gualle a Spanish Captaine and Pilot for the Viceroy of new Spaine from the Hauen of Acapulco in new Spaine to the Islands of Iuâ—ones or Phillippinas in the Hauen of Manilla and from thence to the Hauen of Macau in China and from Macau backe againe to Acapulco accomplished in the yeere of our Lorde 1584. THe tenth of March in the yéere of our Lord 1582. wée set saile out of the Hauen of Acapulco lying in the country of new Spaine directing our course to the Islands of Lucones or Philippinas West Southwest running in that manner for the space of 25. miles till wee came vnder 16. degrees that so wée might shun the calmes by sailing close by the shore From thence forward we held our course West for the space of 30. miles and being there we ranne West West and by South for the space of 1800. miles to the Island called Ilha d'Engano which is the furthest Island lying in the South partes of the Islands called de los Ladrones that is the Islands of Rouers or Islas de las Vellas vnder 13. degrées and ½ in latitude Septentrional and 164. degrées in longitude Oriental vpon the fixed Meridional line which lieth right with the Island of Tercera From thence wée held our course westward for the space of 280. miles till we came to the point called El capo de Espirito Santo that is the point of the Holy Ghost lying in the Island Tandaya the first IslaÌ„d of those that are called Philippinas Lucones or Manillas which is a cuntry with few hils with some mines of brimstone in the middle thereof From the point aforesaid we sailed West for the space of eighteene miles to the point or entrie of the channell which runneth in betwéene that Island and the Island of Lucon This point or entrie lieth scarse vnder 12. degrées All the coast that stretcheth from the entry of the chanell to the point El capo del Spirito Santo is not very faire Eight miles from the said point lyeth a Hauen of indifferent greatnes called Bahya de Louos that is the Baye of Wolues hauing a small Island in the mouth thereof and within the Channell about halfe a mile from the end of the said Island lyeth an Island or Cliffe when you passe by the point in the middle of the channell then you haue 25. fadome déepe with browne Sand there we found so great a streame running westward that it made the water cast a skum as if it had béene a sand whereby it put vs in feare but casting out our Lead we found 25. fadome déepe From the aforesaid entrie of the channell North and North and by East about ten miles lyeth the Island of Catanduanes about a mile distant from the land of Lucon on the furthest point Eastward and from the same entrie of the channell towards the West and Southwest lyeth the Island Capuli about sixe miles from thence stretching West Southwest and East Northeast beeing fiue miles long and foure miles broad and as wée past by it it lay Northward from vs vnder 12. degrées and ¼ and somewhat high lande Foure miles from the aforesaid Island of Capuli Northwestward lyeth the thrée Islands of the Hauen of Bollon in the Island of Lucones stretching North and South about foure miles distant from the firme land about halfe a mile whereof the furthest Southward lyeth vnder 13. degrées In this channell it is twentie fadome deepe with white Sand and a great streame running Southeast wee passed through the middle of the channell From this Channell wée held our course Southwest and Southwest and by West for the space of twentie miles vntill wee came to the West end of the Island of Tycao which reacheth East and West 13. miles This point or hooke lieth vnder 12. degrees and 3 â— In the middle betweene this Island and the Island Capuli there lyeth three Islands called the Faranias and we ranne in the same course on the North side of all the Islands at the depth of 22. fadome with white sand From the aforesaid West point of the Island Tycao to the point of Baryaâ— it is East and West to saile about the length of a mile or a mile and a halfe we put into that channell helding our course south and south and by west about three miles vntill we were out of the channell at sixteene fadome deepe with halfe white and reâ—â—sh sande in the Channell and at the month thereof whereof the middle lyeth vnder 12. degrees and â— and there the sâ—reames runne Northward The Island of Bayas stretcheth northwest and Southeast and is lowe land whereof the Northwest point is about three miâ—es from the coast of Lucon but you can not passe between
defence maintenance of the said Countries and places so that the rents and reuenewes of the Crowne of Portingale doe amount vnto the sum of 220000 Duckets at 5. shillings 6. pence the Ducket amounteth vnto in English monie to the summe of sixe hundreth and fiue thousand poundes The 5. Chapter Of the yearely charges disbursed by the Kinges of Portingale THe fées and payments due to the ministers Iustices of the lawes and ordinances of the countrie of Portingale for the executing of their offices doth amount vnto yearely the summe of 100000 duckets The rentes which the King bestoweth yearely as giftes and rewardes vnto such as haue done him seruice which being dead returneth vnto him againe doe yerely amount vnto the summe of 300000 duckets The Iuros which are bought for monie and fee farme or continuall rents to bee paide out of the kinges reuenewes customes and other demaynes yearely and are neuer released but remaine from heire to heire are yerely 150000 Duckets The charges of Maintayning the castles and fortes in Africa and Barbarie doe yerely amount vnto the summe of 300000. duckets The charges of maintaining fiue Gallies yearely 50â—00 Duckets The charges of the armie that doth yerely conuay the Indian ships thither fetcheth them back againe amount vnto 300000. Duckets The Moradien that is the wages which the king payeth to his seruants called Mocos da Camara Caualheâ— Fidalgos and other titles as an honour to such as hee will shew fauour vnto or els in reward of anie former seruices or in respect their Ancetors were true and faithfull seruitors to the king with those titles they are called seruantes of the kinges house which is a great honour they doe receiue a yearely stipend although not much towardes their charges of finding prouision for their horses although they can hardly saue a paire of shooes and yet neuer come on horses backe all their life time but it is onely a token of the Kinges fauour and good will wherein the Portingales doe more glorie and vaunt themselues then of any thing in the world yet is it not of much importance and verie little paie it amounteth yearely to 80000. Duckets The charge of the king of Portingales house is yearely the summe of 200000. Duc. which was wont to be farmed as at this day it is for the charge of houshold of Don Alberto Cardinall of Austria Gouernour of Portingale for the defence and maintenance of the Castles and Forts of Portingale the summe of 200000. Duckets So that the charges aforesaid doe amount vnto in all the summe of 1680000. duckets at fiue shillinges sixe pence the ducket is in English monie the summe of foure hundereth sixtie and two thousand pounds which being deducted out of the receates of Portingale aforesaid that amount vnto 605000. poundes English monie there resteth yearely for the king of Spaine Coffers one hundreth fortie and three thousand pounds English monie The 6. Chapter Of the Towne of Lisbone THe towne of Lisbone hath â—2 parish Churches and aboue eleuen thousaÌ„d houses wherin there are aboue â—0 thousand dwelling places accounting the Court and the place thereunto belonging it hath in people aboue 120000. whereof 10000. of them at the least are Slaues and Mores which estimation is made according to the church bookes which the Parsons Vicars and Curats are bound to doe once euerie yeare euerie one in his parish among these are not accounted such as follow the Court neyther Cloysters Cobents Hospitalles nor any other houses of religion for that in all they would amount vnto as much as the houses of the citie also of other Churches Cloysters and Chappels of the virgin Marie and other Saints which are no parishes there are so many that they can not be numbred The Towne hath aboue 350. streetes besides crosse waies and lanes that haue no thorow fare which are likewise a great number The 7. Chapter A short discourse of the pettigrees of kinges of Portingale vntill Phillip now King of Spaine and Portingale Sonne of Charles the fift Emperour of Rome THe first king of Portingale was named Don Alfonso Henriques sonne of Earle Henry who as the Chronicles rehearse was sonne of the Duke of Lorraine others thinke hee was sonne of the king of Hungarie but the truest Histories doe report him to be of Lorrane and that he came into the King of Spaines Court being desirous to imploy himselfe in the warres of the Christians against the Mores which as then held the most part of the countrie of Spaine and the whole land of Lusitania or Portingale warring continually on the King of Spaine and other Christians bordering on the same in the which warres hee behaued himselfe so well and did so valiantly that the King knew not how or in what sort to recompence him better then by giuing him his daughter in mariage with her for a dowrie gaue him the countrie of Portingale that was as much as he had conquered and brought vnder his subiection with all the rest if he could win it with the name and title of Earle of Portingale his sonne aforesaid called Don Alfonzo was borne in Anno 1094. who wan the most part of the countrie of Portingale from the Mores after his fathers death was called Prince of Portingale which name and title he enioyed for the space of 27. yeares which title in Spaine no man may beare but the Kings eldest son and heire vnto the Crowne and being of the age of 45. yeares was crowned king of Portingale by the fauour speciall priuiledge of the Pope of Rome as then being by that meanes Portingale became a kingdome This first King maried when he was 52. yeares of age and had one sonne and 3. daughters and besides them one bastard son and a bastard daughter he raigned 46. yeres and died in the towne of Coyinbra his body being buried in the Cloyster of Santa Crus erected by him as also the Cloysters of Alcobaca and Saint Vincent without Lisbone called Saint Vincent de Fora This King first wonne the Towne of Lisbone from the Mores by the aide help of the Flemmings and Low countrimen which came thether with a Fleet of Ships being by stormie weather forced to put into the riuer that were sayling to the holy land whether for the furtherance of Christian religion they as then trauelled which as I suppose was about the time that the Christians won the great City of Damyate in the couÌ„trie of Palestina where those of Harlame did most valiantly defend themselues and shewd great valour as the Sword Armes as yet extant doe well bare witnes which Fleet being come thether at such time as the said king besieged the said towne of Lisbone hee vnderstanding that onely cause of comming was to imploy their forces against the Infidels and vnbeleeuing Christians friendly desired them séeing it was Gods will they should ariue there at so conuenient a time to aide him against his enemies shewing them that they might
of the Portingales into the East Indies from thence to Malacca China Iapon Iaua and Sunda And from China to the Westerne or Spanish Indies and all the Coast of Brasilia c. The Fourth and last Treatise is A most true exact Summarie of all the Rents Demaynes Tolles Taxes Imposts Tributes Tenths Third-pennies and generally all the Reuenues of the King of Spayne arising out of all his Kingdomes Lands Prouinces and Lordships as well of Portugall as of Spayne collected out of the Originall Registers of his seuerall Chambers of Accompts together with a briefe description of the gouernment and Pedegree of the Kinges of Portugall I doo not doubt but yet I doo most hartely pray and wish that this poore Translation may worke in our English Nation a further desire and increase of Honour ouer all Countreys of the World and as it hath hitherto mightily aduanced the Credite of the Realme by defending the same with our Wodden Walles as Themistocles called the Ships of Athens· So it would employ the same in forraine partes aswell for the dispersing and planting true Religion and Ciuill Conuersation therein As also for the further benefite and commodity of this Land by exportation of such thinges wherein we doe abound and importation of those Necessities whereof we stand in Neede as Hercules did when hee fetched away the Golden Apples out of the Garden of the Hesperides Iason when with his lustie troupe of couragious Argonautes hee atchieued the Golden Fleece in Colchos Farewell THE FIRST BOOKE CHAPTER I. The Voyage and trauailes of Iohn Hugen van Linschoten into the East or Portingales Indies Setting downe a briefe discourse of the said Landes and sea coastes with the principall Hauens Riuers Creekes and other places of the same as yet not knowne nor discouered by the Portingales Describing withall not onely the manner of apparrell of the Portingales inhabiting therin but also of the naturall borne Indians their Temples Idols houses trees Fruites Hearbes Spices and such like Together with the customes of those countries as well for their manner of Idolatrous religion and worshipping of Images as also for their policie and gouernment of their houses their trade and traffique in Marchandise how and from whence their wares are sold brought thether With a collection of the most memorable and worthiest thinges happened in the time of his beeing in the same countries very profitable and pleasant to all such as are welwillers or desirous to heare and read of strange thinges BEeing young and liuing idlelye in my natiue Countrie sometimes applying my selfe to the reading of Histories and straunge aduentures wherein I tooke no small delight I found my minde so much addicted to sée trauaile into strange Countries thereby to séeke some aduenture that in the end to satisfie my selfe I determined was fully resolued for a time to leaue my Natiue Countrie and my friendes although it gréeued me yet the hope I had to accomplish my desire together with the resolution taken in the end ouercame my affection and put me in good comfort to take the matter vpon me trusting in God that he would further my intent Which done being resolued thereupon I tooke leaue of my Parents who as then dwelt at Enckhuysen and beeing ready to imbarke my selfe I went to a Fléet of ships that as then lay before the Tassell staying the winde to sayle for Spaine and Portingale where I imbarked my selfe in a ship that was bound for S. Lucas de Barameda beeing determined to trauaile vnto Siuill where as then I had two bretheren that had continued there certaine yeares before so to helpe my selfe the better by their meanes to know the manner and custome of those Countries as also to learne the Spanish tongue And the 6. of December in the yere of our Lord 1576 we put out of y e Tassel being in all about 80. ships set our course for Spain and the ninth of the same month wee passed betwéene Douer and Callis within thrée dayes after wee had the sight of the Cape of Finisterra and the fiftéene of the same moneth we saw the land of Sintra otherwise called the Cape Roexent from whence the riuer Tegio or Tagus runneth into the maine Sea vppon the which riuer lieth the famous citie of Lisbone where some of our Fleet put in and left vs. The 17. day wee saw the Cape S. Vincent vppon Christmas day after we entred into the riuer of S. Lucas de Barameda where I stayed two or thrée dayes and then trauailed to Siuill the first day of Ianuarie following I entred into the citie where I found one of my brethren but the other was newly ridden to the Court lying as then in Madrill And although I had a speciall desire presently to trauaile further yet for want of the Spanish tongue without the which men can hardlie passe the countrie I was constrained to stay there to learne some part of their language meane time it chanced that Don Henry the last King of Portingale died by which meanes a great contention and debate hapned as then in Portingale by reason that the said King by his Will and Testament made Phillip King of Spaine his Sisters Sonne lawfull Heire vnto the Crowne of Portingal Notwithstanding y e Portingals alwaies deadly enemies to the Spaniards were wholly against it and elected for their king Don Antonio Prior de Ocrato brothers Son to the King that died before Don Henry which the King of Spaine hearing presently prepared himselfe in person to goe into Portingale to receaue the Crowne sending before him the Duke of Alua with a troupe of men to cease their strife and pacifie the matter so that in the end partly by force and partly by mony hee brought the Countrie vnder his subiection Whereupon diuers men went out of Siuill and other places into Portingale as it is commonlie séene that men are often addicted to changes and new alterations among the which my Brother by other mens counsels was one First trauelling to the borders of Spaine being a cittie called Badaios standing in the frontiers of Portingale where they hoped to finde some better meanes and they were no sooner ariued there but they heard news that all was quiet in Portingale and that Don Antonio was driuen out of the countrie and Phillip by consent of the Land receyued for King Wherevpon my Brother presently changed his minde of trauelling for Portingale and entred into seruice with an Ambassador that on the Kings behalfe was to goe into Italie with whome he rode and ariuing in Salamanca hee fell sicke of a disease called Tauardilha which at that time raigned throughout the whole Countrie of Spaine whereof many thousands died and among the rest my Brother was one This sicknesse being very contagious raigned not onely in Spaine but also in Italie Germany and almost throughout all Christendome whereof I my selfe was sicke being as then in Italie and by them it
which is very little their noses broad flat and thicke at the end great bigge lippes some haue holes both aboue vnder in their lippes and some times besides their mouthes through their cheekes wherein they thrust small bones which they esteeme a bewtifying there are some among them that haue their faces and all their bodies ouer rased and seared with irons and al figured like rased Sattin or Damaske wherein they take great pride thinking there are no fairer people then they in all the world so that when they see any white people that weare apparell on their bodies they laugh and mocke at them thinking vs to be monsters and vgly people and when they will make any deuelish forme and picture then they inuent one atfer the forme of a white man in his apparell so that to conclude they thinke and verily perswade themselues that they are the right colour of men and that we haue a false and counterfait colour There are among them that file their téeth as sharp as nedles which they likewise estéeme for a great ornament Many of them hold the law of Mahomet that is to say such as dwell on the coast of Abex or Melinde and round about those places as also in Mosambique by reason the red sea is so néere vnto them together with the Arabian Mahometans with whome they dayly traffique as they also did in al places IlaÌ„ds throughout the Orientall countries before the Portingales discouery and conquest of India whereby all the Orientall countrie where they trafficked was infected with their deuelish law and their poyson spread and throwne abroad in all places which is one of the principall occasions that the Gospell taketh no better effect in those countries their pestiserous law beeing as it were rooted and ingrafted in their mindes There are some of them that are become Christians since the Portingales came thether but there is no great paines taken about it in those couÌ„tries because there is no profite to be had as also that it is an infectious and vnholesome countrie and therefore the Iesuites are wary inough not to make any houses or habitations therein for they sée no great profite to be reaped there for them as they doe in India the Ilands of Iapan in other places where they find great quantities of riches with the sap whereof they increase much and fill their beehyues therewith to satisfy their thirsty insatiable desires most part of the Caffares liue like beastes or wild men yet they haue their houses in troups or heaps like couÌ„try vilages wher they asseÌ„ble dwel together and in euery Village they haue a Lord or King to whome they are subiect and obedient they are commonly in warres one with an other and one place or Village against an other and haue law and Iustice among them with some small Policie concerning their worldly affaires and gouernment but as concerning Religion and faith they know not what it meaneth but liue like beastes without any knowledge of God or any likelyhoode or shadow thereof they maintaine themselues by hunting which they doe in the woods where they take all that they finde they eate Elephants flesh and all other kind of wild beastes and of the Elephants téeth they make their weapons instéede of Iron and Stéele they doe commonly make warre one against the other and some of them eate mens flesh and some there are also that eate it not but such as deale with the Portingals When they take any man prisoner in the warres they sell him to the Portingales or exchaunge and barter him for Cotton linnen and other Indian wares They haue a custome among them that when they goe to warre against their enemies if they win the battaile or ouerthrow each other he that taketh or killeth most men is holden and accounted for the best and brauest man among them and much respected and to witnesse the same before their Kings of as many as they haue slaine or taken prisoners they cut off their priuâ—e members that if they bee let goe againe they may no more beget children which in processe of time might mischiefe them and then they drie them well because they should not rot which being so dried they come before their Kings with great reuerence in the presence of the principall men in the Village and there take these members so dried one by one in their mouthes and spit them on the ground at the Kings feete which the King with great thankes accepteth and the more to reward and to recompence their valour causeth them all to bee taken vp and giuen to them againe for a signe and token of honour whereby euer after from that time forwards they are accounted as Knights and they take all those members wherewith the King hath thus honoured them and tie them all vpon a string like a Bracelet or Chaine and when they marrie or go to any wedding or feasts the Bride or wiues of those knights doe weare that Chaine of mens members about their neckes which among them is as great an honour as it is with vs to weare the golden Fléece or the Garter of England and the Brides of such Knightes are therewith as proude as if they were the mightiest Queenes in all the world From Mosambique great numbers of these Caffares are caried into India and many times they sell a man or woman that is growne to their full strength for two or three Ducats When the Portingales ships put in there for fresh water and other necessaries then they are dearer by reason of the great numbers of buyers the cause why so many slaues and Captaines of all nations are brought to sell in India is because that euerie ten or twelue miles or rather in euery Village and towne there is a seuerall King and ruler of the people one of them not like an other neither in law spéech nor manners whereby most part of them are in warres one against the other and those that on both sides are taken prisoners they kéepe for slaues and so fell each other like beastes hee whose euill fortune is such that hee is one of the captiues must be patient wherein they shew not much dislike for when they are asked how they can content themselues with that yoke of bondage they answere that they can beare it well enough séeing their Planet will haue it so and for that their friends and neighbours shall reuenge their cause against those that haue done it Also in time of pouertie or dearth the fathers may sell their children as it happened in my time that there was such a dearth and scarsitie of victualls in the firme lande and countries bordering vppon Goa that the men of India came to Goa and other places where the Portingales are resident to sell their children in great numbers and for small prices to buy them victuals I haue séene Boyes of eight or ten yeares giuen in exchange for fiue or sixe measures of Rice and some
700. thousand Ducats in Golde which the Viceroy for couetousnesse of the money was minded to doe But the Archbishop of Goa called Don Gaspar my Lords predicessor disswaded him from it saying that they being Christians ought not to giue it them againe being a thing whereby Idolatrie might be furthered and the Deuill worshipped but rather were bound by their profession to roote out and abolish all Idolatrie and superstition as much as in them lay By which meanes the Viceroy was perswaded to change his mind and flatly denied the Ambassadours request hauing in their presence first burnt the Apes tooth the Ashes whereof hee caused to bee throwne into the Sea Whereupon the Ambassadors fearing some further mischief tooke their leaue and departed being much astonished that hee refused so great a summe of money for a thing which hee so little estéemed that hee burnt it and threw the Ashes into the Sea Not long after there was a Beniane as the Benianes are full of subtiltie that had gotten an other Apes tooth and made the Indians and Heathens belieue that hee had miraculously found the same Apes tooth that the Viceroye had and that it was reuealed vnto him by a Pagode in a visâ—on that assured him it was the same which hee said the Portingales thought they had burned but that he had béene there inuisible and taken it away laying an other in the place Which the Heathens presently belieued so that it came vnto the King of Bisnagars eares who thereupon desired the Beniane to send it him and with great ioy receiued it giuing the Beniane a great summe of Golde for it where it was againe holden and kept in the same honour and estimation as the other that was burnt had béene In the kingdome of Narsinga or the coast called Châ—ramandel there standeth a Pagode that is verie great excéeding rich and holden in great estimation hauing manye Pilgrimages and visitations made vnto it from all the countries bordering about it where euerie yeare they haue many faires feastes and processions and there they haue a Wagon or a Carte which is so great and heauie that thrée or foure Elephants can hardly draw it and this is brought foorth at faires feastes and processions At this Carte hang likewise many Cables or Ropes wherat also all the countrie people both men and women of pure deuotion doe pull and hale In the vpper part of this Carte standeth a Tabernacle or seate wherein sitteth the Idoll and vnder it sit the Kings wiues which after their manner play on all instruments making a most swéete melodie and in that sort is the Carte drawne foorth with great deuotions and processions there are some of them that of great zeale and pure deuotion doe cut péeces of flesh out of their bodies and throwe them downe before the Pagode others laye themselues vnder the whéeles of the Carte and let the Carte runne ouer them whereby they are all crushed to péeces and pressed to death and they that thus die are accounted for holy and deuout Martyrs and from that time forwardes are kept and preserued for great and holy Reliques besides a thousand â—ther such like beastly superstitions which they vse as one of my Chamber fellowes that had seene it shewed me and it is also wel knowne throughout all India Vpon a time I and certaine Portingales my friends hauing licence from the Viceroy were at a banket and méeting about fiue or sixe miles within the firme land and with vs wee had certaine Decanijns and naturall borne Indians that were acquainted with the countrie the chiefe cause of our going was to see their manner of burning the deade Bramene and his wife with him being aliue because we had béene aduertised that such a thing was to be done And there among other strange deuises that we saw wee came into some Villages and places inhabited by the Indians where in the way and at euerie hil stonie Rocke or hole almost within a Pater noster length wee found a Carued Pagode or rather Deuils and monsters in hellish shapes At the last wee came into a Village where stoode a great Church of stone wherein wee entered and found nothing in it but a great Table that hung in the middle of the Church with the Image of a Pagode painted therein so mishaped and deformed that more monsterous was neuer séene for it had many hornes and long téeth that hung out of his mouth down to the knées and beneath his Nauel and belly it had an other such like face with many hornes and tuskes Vppon the head thereof stoode a triple Crowned Myter not much vnlike the Popes triple crown so that in effect it séemed to be a monster such as are described in the Apocalips It hung before a Wall which made a partition from an other Chamber in manner of a Quier yet was it close made vp without windowes or any place for light in the middle whereof was a little narrow close doore and on both sides of the doore stoode a small Furnace made within the wall wherein were certaine holes or Lattisses thereby to let the smoke or sauor of the fire to enter into that place when any offering should bee made Whereof wee found some there as Rice Corne. Fruites Hennes and such like things which the Indians dayly offered but there came so filthie a smoke and stincke out of the place that whosoeuer went néere it was almost readie to choke the said place being all black smerie and foule there with Before this doore being shut in the middle of the Church there stoode a Calfe of stone whereon one of our companie leaped and laughing began to crie out which the Bramene that kept the Church perceiuing began to call and crie for helpe so that presently many of the neighbours ranne thether to sée what the cause might bee but before the thrung of people came we dealt so well with the Bramene acknowledging our fault saying it was vnaduisedly done that he was well content the people went home againe Then wee desired the Bramene to open vs the doore that stoode shut which after much intreatie he yeelded vnto offering first to throw certaine Ashes vpon our foreheads which we refused so y t before hee would open vs the doore wee were forced to promise him that we would not enter further in theÌ„ to the doore The doore of their Sancta Sanctorum or rather Diaboloâ—uÌ„ being opened it shewed within like a Lime kill being close vaulted round about ouer the heade without either hole or window to cast in light but onely at the doore neither was ther any light in al the Church but that which came in at the doore we entered by Within the said cell or vault there hung at the least 10â— burning Lamps in the middle whereof stoode a little Altar and couered ouer with cloth made of cotton wool ouer that with pure golde vnder the which as the Bramene told vs sat the Pagode being of
according to their manner and after many other wordes hee willed them to bring some Iron saying they should haue teeth for it which hauing done he brought forth his teeth This riuer as I saide is verie broad and full of Crocodiles and sea horses it hath many creekes and as they sailed from Crementun it lyeth Southeast where in the night they lauered 2. or 3. houres and came twice on ground and â—â— sayling forwardes they passed by an Island called Caraceâ—â—bo lying in the mouth of the riuer as there are many being verie low and flat land and ful of trees From that Island there came a Caâ—utien aboord their ship and in it eighteene persons and with them they had a smal drum of a hollow stocke whereon they played and being by the ship foure or fiue of them stept in whereof one of them vppon his face breast and armes was al white he bore a greene branch of a tree with a little bel and some whiting in his hand which hee strowed about the ship ringing the bel when they or any of our men spake hee made shewe as it were to consecrate and blesse the ship which done sirting downe and stammering in his words like a man possessed with some sprite or one that had a shaking feuer There was a great pot of Palme wine brought forth whereof they dranke one vnto the other which continued for the space of halfe an houre which done they went into their scâ—te rowed to land making signes to our men to come on shore and to barter with them for their wares which they did carrying them some Iron and other marchandise and went into the gouernors house being in a village where among other things they saw a little cottage about three foote high couered with straw and opeÌ„ on the side vnder the which stood a little gibet wheron hung a little horne with certaine stuffe therein which they would not lette them see by no meanes and vnder the gibet stood a staffe with a dead childes scul fixed vpon it hauing in the one eye a bone much like the bone that is founde in the head of a â—addocke whereof with vs they make horses bridles and collars for degs at the foote of the staff lay al sorts of bones both of fishes and beasts and among the rest the â—awes of a Prisâ—â— which in our countrey is called a sword fish without teeth which the master tooke away brought it vnto me our men asking what y t might signifie they said there lay a dead carcas and being in another village as they passed forwarde they sawe at the least twentie men sitting at the doore of one of their houses whereof some seemed to bee of the principal commanders and within that house there was a noyse of singing both by great and smal that it made them muse whereupon they asked what it meant they saide there was one dead The women being in trauel are not any thing ashamed but euery one both yong and old men and women run vnto her the doore standing wide open but one thing is to be wondered at that the children are al circumcised and yet they haue neither law order nor knowledge of God The countrey is fruitful and ful of al strange fruites and abounding in al kinds of beasts and birds of diners formes both great and smal There are some trees where vpon one branch there hang at the least 100. birdes nests altogether most pleasant to behold They hang by certaine strawes made fast vnto the boughes because snakes should not creepe in and suck their egges many of those nests were brought vnto me This shall suffice for the discription of the coast of Guinea after the which followeth the mightie kingdome of Congo The ancient writers helde opinion that this lande was not inhabited calling it Torriâ—â—am Zonam that is a place in the earth that through the heate of the sunne is burnt vp but they were altogether deceiued for as Odoardus Lopez a Portingale witnesseth hauing with many other Portingales long time inhabited therein There is good dwelling and the aire coÌ„trarie to al mens iudgements very temperate and that in winter there is no extreame cold but onely such weather as it is in haruest time at Rome They vse no linings nor shirte bandes nor change of clothes neither care they for the fire it is likewise no colder on the tops of the hilles then in the vallies but generally it is warmer with them in the winter then in the summer onely because of the continual raines specially about the middle of the day two houres before and as much after dinner which heat is very euill for our meÌ„ to endure The people of the countrie are black but part of the women fear what â—â—llow their haire for the most part is blacke and curled and some haue red haire they are of a mean stature therin not much vnlike the Portingales the balles of theyr eyes being of diuers colours blacke and sea colour their lips not so thicke as those of Nâ—bâ—a other Moores their faces of al proportions fat leane and indifferent betweene both like the Portingales and not like other Moores of Guinea that are foule and deformed The length of the day and night is in a maâ—er al one for that it differeth not one quarter of an houre to anie mans iudgement throughout the whole yeare their winter beginneth in our lent about the middle of March and their summer in the middle of September â— in winter it raigneth there continually for the space of fiue moneths that is Aprill May Iune Iuly August in which time there are but few faire daies and there the raine falleth in such great drops that it is wonderful which water is al dronke vp into the earth with the drienesse of the land in summer time wherein it raineth scarce once in sixe moneths with the raine likewise the riuer is filled with thick muddie water so that it floweth ouer the banks and moystneth the ground The windes that in summer doo continually blow in those countries are as Hippocrates and after him Iulius the first emperor of Rome naming them with a greek name Eâ—esâ—oâ— Northwest by the Portingales called Venâ—o Maestro or general wiâ—d as being ordinarie at that time of the yeare in all those countries which are likewise causes of the raines by driuing vp of mâ—stes and vapors vppon the tops of the hils which being there and resoluing into water doo fil the earth with raine and those continual raines are likewise causes of the growing and increasing of the great riuers that are in Egypt and Ethiopia as Niger and Nylus and al the riuers there abouts some running into the Mediterranean others into y e great Ocean seas by reason of their slime fattines and because in our sumer which is their winter for the most part it raineth throughout the countryes of Congo and Ethiopia it is not to be wondered at if the riuers be greater
be othâ—rwise and thâ—t they haue ioynts in their legs and can bow them lifting vppe their two â—egges against trees to eate the â—arizes as also stooping or kneeling down to the water â—o drinke therof of the which wants in their legs â—can shew you what more 〈◊〉 the discription of Elephants seing many authoâ—s haue made mention of them I esteeme it needelesse to speake more thereof in this place There are likewis◠〈◊〉 of the same form and â—n as 〈…〉 haue beene seene in 〈…〉 â—heweth a won◠〈…〉 beast which is 〈…〉 vpon a white man 〈…〉 that if a blacke and a 〈…〉 both together they 〈…〉 blacke man and not 〈…〉 â—ng hungrie they come aâ—â—â—â—oure the catrel although the houâ—◠〈…〉 be neuer so neare which they doâ—◠〈…〉 and no other kind of beastes 〈…〉 they spare not any kinde 〈…〉 Coâ—â— they are called Engoâ— and are â—â—uel beasts like Lions but of anâ— colour and speckled they are taken 〈…〉 being putte into flesh and other 〈…〉 being hot with arrowes 〈…〉 of the Tiger is 〈…〉 extreame poyson which 〈…〉 procureth presit death 〈…〉 â—â—ke them are punished 〈…〉 their skins without the 〈…〉 â—une prouince hath another kind of 〈◊〉 called 〈◊〉 altogethâ—◠〈…〉 only differing herein that 〈…〉 which the mâ—le doth not this 〈◊〉 of a verie strange hatre for that 〈◊〉 â—he backe downe to the bellâ—e it is all 〈◊〉 with thee coâ—ours white blacke and â—arke red eaâ—â—â—ripe orderly followâ— the othâ—r and thâ—â—â—ingers broade as 〈…〉 the book printed at 〈…〉 Of these beasts 〈…〉 breede 〈◊〉 yeare there are 〈…〉 and â—de and there◠〈…〉 whereby the Portin◠〈…〉 sâ—â—th to say a man or other tâ—â—â—g is as swâ—ft as a Zebra meaning thereby as swift as possible may be being tamed they would serue in place of horses both to ride vpon to draw as also in wars and other necessary affaires so that herein a man may wel see the great prouidence of God that hath enriched all countries with necessary prouisions both of beastes and other thinges as also with victuals but because in al the kingdome of Congo there are no horses and that they know not how to vse them many of them know how to make their oren taine wherof they haue great numbers and setting saddles on their backes with bridles in their mouthes they ride vpon them also in steede of beasts they vse men which are brought vp to the same vse and stande in the streetes readie to beare men either in field beds like the Indians in Palamkins or sitting vpon stooles or chaires as you may see in the same booke that was printed in Rome Therfore such as desire to make great haste as wee doo in riding post take diuers slaues to beare them and when one is wearie there changeth and taketh another as wee do horses and by that meanes make speedy tourmes There are likewise many other beasts sâ—me as great as an ore some lesse by them called Empalanga many wilde buffles and wolues that are good of smel and loue oyle which they sucke out of the Palme trees fores harts hindes goates comes and hares in great aboundance for that they are neither hunted nor killed There likewise are many muske Cats by them made tame whereby to gette the muske which they delight in Snakes and adders in those countries are of a strange forme in respect of ours and verie great for there are some that are at the least 25. palmes long and fiue in breadth with their bellies mouthes so great that they will deuoure a hart or any other beast of the same bignesse they feede vpon the land and in the water vsing both the elements hauing filled theyr bellies they do oftentimes lie in some darke place to sleepe and so are killed and by the countrey people eaten esteeming them as daintie a meate as we doo hens and capons There are many venomous adders which if they bite a man he dyeth within foure and twentie houres after at the furthest There are other beasts as big as a Rans Owle like Dragons hauing wings and a taile with a long mouth and many teeth they eate raw flesh they are of colour blew and greene and with a painted skinne and two feete some of the Moores pray vnto them There are likewise many Camelions as great as a horsleach with a high backe and foure féete changing into al colours Birds there are of diuers sorts as Indian hennes Peacocks geese ducks wilde and tame partriges fezants pigins and turtle doues in great aboundance also Eagles Falcons Hawkes Pellicans and such like birdes besides al these there are diuers parrats both greene and gray and verie red by them called Framenghi with an innumerable number of small birdes singing as pleasantly as Canare birdes The second prouince of Congo called Songo lyeth about the Riuer of Zaire and Loango and reacheth to the Riuer Ambrizi towardes the North vnder seauen degrees and a halfe and endeth at the red stone Rocks which lie vppon the borders of the kingdome of Loango in the middle of that prouince There is a towne called Songo wherein the gouernor dwelleth and of the same town the prouince taketh the name In this prouince are many Eelphants where they vse to exchange theyr teeth for Iron likewise apes and munkies both great and little of diuers kindes whereof many are verie pleasant and louing good to passe the tune withall doing whatsoeuer they see any man do in this prouince they make much linnen of the Indian Palme trees wherewith they haue great traffike whereof I haue many sorts they are rich of kine and of other beasts aforesayde for Religion they are heathens and pray to what thing soeuer they will they esteeme the sunne as husband and for the greatest God and the Moone as wife for the seconde God Their apparrell is like those of Congo and haue war with theyr neighbors the people of Anzicana Sundi the third prouince is the first as it were a parte of the kings owne inheritance and therfore it is ruled by the kings eldest sonne or a Prince of the bloud royall that is next heyre vnto the crowne it lyeth about the Citie of Congo by the portingals called S. Saluatoâ— and reacheth from thence about fortie Italian miles or eight Duch miles to the Riuer of Zaire The people of that countrey as also of Pango deale much with salte and coloured linnen by the Portingales brought out of India vsing schelpkeÌ„s for their money for the which wares they barter linnen made of Palme trees Elephants teeth sables Martires and some girdles made of the leaues of Palme trees much esteemed of in those countries whereof I can shew you in this prouince there groweth much Cristall and many kindes of mettals yet they esteeme of iron more then of al others mettals saying that other mettals are vnprofitable of iron they maâ—e kniues swords and other weapons with such like instruments necessarie for the vse of man Pango the fourth
of the Portingales voyage towards the Indies for that there are about 6000. Italian miles to saile before you com to compas this great cape for that from the riuer of Fernando Poo where the head first beginneth to iut into the sea to the furthest point which as I said is called Delli Aguglie that is the néedles the coast from north to south is accounted 2200. Italian miles and on the other side of the same hooke or corner to the point or cape Guarda fuâ— lying ouer against the Iland Socotora the coast from south to north is accounted 3300. Italian miles whereof 1000. Italian miles make 200. Dutch miles and is 660. Dutch miles so that from Lisbon sailing about the coast of Affrica the cape de Bona Speranza to the kingdome of Goa are about 15000. Italian miles and thence to Malacca China is as much againe so that not any people in the world did euer make so dangerous a voyage as the Portingales haue done except within these few yeares certain English gentlemen that not onelie haue performed this voyage but haue sayled round about the worlde This head is called the cape de Bona Speranza that is head of good Hope for that al the ships that saile to India or from India to Portingale do feare the passing of this cape thinking if they passe it to haue passed al danger Now to returne to our matter touching the coast of Affrica hauing passed the cape delli Aguglie there are diuers good hauens for ships to harbor in first Seno Formoso il Seno del Lago because in that place the sea makes a gulfe or entrance wherein are certaine Ilands and hauens alitle further the riuer called S. Christofer runs into the sea in the mouth whereof lieth iii. Ilands and somewhat further there comes a riuer out of the land which the Portingaâ—eâ— call â—eria della Natiuita that is the land of Christs birth bicause it was discouered on the same day downe to the cape de la Pescheria between this cape the riuer Mâ—gnice lieth the kingdome of Burtua which reacheth to the hils of the Moone and so to this riuer towardes the north where the country of Monomoâ—apâ— lieth and on the west side to the riuer Bauagul In this country are many gold veines the people being altogether like the men of Monometapa passing in this maner by the coast you sée y e riuer of Magnice by the which begins the kingdome of Sofala the country of Menomotapa This riuer springeth out of the same lake where Nilus issueth forth runneth into y e sea in the middle of the entrance betwéene two corners of land one called Della Pescheria the other Delli Correnti liyng vnder 23. degrees ½ on the south side of the pole vnder Tropicus Caneri Into this riuer not far from the sea run three other riuers whereof one is called S. Christopher and by the inhabitants of the country called Nagoa the second hath her name of a particular man called Lorenzo Marchoâ— because he found it first and in that country Toroa these two issue out of the hils of the Moone the third is called Aâ—râ—e springing out of the other side of the hills by the golde mines of Mone motapa in some places of this riuer they finde golde as small as sand These three riuers together with the riuer of Magnice running into the sea cast foorth great abundance of water and from the mouth of these three Riuers stretcheth the kingdome of Sosala to the riuer of Cuania which hath receiued hir name from a Castle of the same name inhabited by Mahometanes This riuer of Cuama diuideth it selfe into seuen partes besides the channel that floweth vpwardes al inhabited and very populous and floweth out of the same riuer from whence Nylus doeth issue so the kingdome of Sofala lieth betwéen these two riuers Magnice and Cuama on the sea side yet very small hauing but fewe townes or villages whereof the principall cittie is Sofala lying in an Island of the same riuer giuing the name to the whole country inhabited by Mahometanes their King being of that sect but subiect to the King of Portingale onely because they wil not be vnder the obedience of Monomotapa In the mouth of this riuer Cuama the Portingales haue a fort where there is much traffike for golde iuorie and amber which is found by the slaues vpon the coast bartering the same for linnen made of cotten and for silke brought from Cambaia The people as nowe inhabiting therein were not borne in that country but before the Portingales discouered the land they came out of Arabia Felix with small barkes to traffike there and being once brought in subiection by the Portingales doe nowe inhabite and dwell there being neither Turkes nor heathens In the inward parte of the countrey between those two riuers beginneth the kingdome of Monomotapa wherein are manie golde mines which is carried into all the places round about as well to Sofala as throughout Affrica some being of opinion that out of this country Solomon caused golde and iuorie to be brought into Ierusalem which seemeth not vnlikely for that in this Kingdome of Monomotapa were found many olde and princely buildings very costly both for timber stone chalke and wood which in the countries about it are not found The gouernement of Monomotapa is very great and reacheth ouer many warrelike people all Heathens and Pagans blacke of a middle stature and very swift in the which gouernment are many kings that are subiect to the same and doe often rebell their weapons are dartes and light targets This Emperour holdeth many armies in seuerall prouinces diuided into legions after the maner of the Romanes thereby to defend hys great countrey and to maintaine his estate amongst his men of warre the legion of women is the best which are greatly esteemed of by the King wherein consisteth his greatest power These women do burne theyr breastes because they shoulde not hinder them in shooting like the Amazons whereof the auncient Historiographers make mention these women are very swift expert and cunning in shooting out of their bowes In theyr fight they vse a certayne subtiltie which is that seeming to runne away and flee from their ennemies as being scattered vpon the sodayne returne agayne and do their ennemy great mischiefe especially when they thinke to haue gotten the victory and by that subtiltie are ouerthrowne These women haue places appointed them to dwell in by themselues and at certayne times haue the company of men that they may haue children which if they be boyes they send vnto their fathers if daughters they keepe them The countrey of Monomotapa is in maner of an Island formed in that order by the sea the riuer of Magnice and a parte of the lake from whence the riuer springeth together with the riuer Cuamâ— borduring on the south vppon the Lordes of the cape de Buona Speraâ—za and on the north vpon the kingdome of Monemugi Sayling
Portingales do yearely watch for the Turkish ships which saile with many costly wares not hauing licence of them they are boorded and spoyled of their wares by the Portingales presuming themselues to be lords of al the traffike in those coūtries not permitting any other to traffike therin but onely themselues or by theyr licence Hauing sailed about this Cape de Guarda Fuy and setting your course towardes the redde Sea there are other townes and hauens inhabited by the Mahometanes the first called Meth the other being somewhat further Barbora and there are the last white people from thence you finde al blacke people and beyond that you come to Ceila Dalaca Malaca Carachin which coast in their spéech is called Baragiam being al Moores and expert in armes their apparrell from the middle vpwarde being of cotten linnen The chéefe gouernours or nobles weare Cappoten which they cal Bermissi this countrey is rich of gold Iuory mettal and al kind of victuals From thence you come to the mouth of the red sea wherein lyeth an Island called Babelmandel on both sides wherof there runneth a channel into the red sea whereof the West side is almost fiftéene Italian that is three Duch miles broade through the which al the shippes doe passe both in and out the channel lying on the other side is shallow and ful of sandes and cliffes so that in al it is about sixe Duch miles broade whereof the one poynt lying in the Affrican shore is called Raibel and the other lying in the countrey of Arabia Felix is called Ara whereabouts also is the hauen of the rich towne of Aden in Arabia alreadie spoken of in this booke This water runneth inward vnto Swes being about 1200. Italian miles in lēgth on both sides altogether dry and verie shallow ful of Islandes déep only in the middle where the shippes do ordinarily saile which is onely by the great swift course of the water which scouring the channel kéepeth it cleane and déepe casting vp the sande on both sides Now to say something of Prester Iohn being the greatest and the mightiest prince in all Affrica his countrey beginneth from the enterance into the red sea and reacheth to the Island of Siene lying vnder Tropicus Cancri excepting the coast of the same sea which the Turke within these fiftie yeares hath taken from him so that his gouernment towards the Northwest and East lieth most part by the red sea and Northeast vpon Egypt and the desarts of Nubia and on the South side vpon Monomugi so that to set downe the greatnesse of all the countries which this Christian king hath vnder his commandement they are in compasse 4000. Italian miles The cheefe Cittie whereof and wherein he is most resident is called Belmalechi his gouernment is ouer many countries and kingdomes that are rich and aboundant in gold siluer and precious stones and al sorts of mettals his people are of diuers colours white blacke and betwéene both of a good stature and proportion The noblemen and gentlemen of the countrey apparrel themselues in silke Imbrodered with gold and other such like In this countrey they obserue lawes for wearing of apparrel by degrées as they do in Portingale for that some are not permitted to weare any other apparrel but Leather the people are Christians but hold certaine ceremonies of the Iewish lawe and vpon the day of the conception of the virgin Mary al the kings and Princes vnder his obedience do come vnto the saide towne of Belmalechi there to celebrate the feast euerie man bringing with him such treasor or yearely tribute as he is bound to pay and at the same feast the people come thither in pilgrimage to honour it wherevppon that day there is a great procession and out of the church from whence they come they bring an Image of the virgin Mary in form like a man of Massie gold and where the eyes should be it hath two great rubies the rest of the whole Image beeing wrought with excellent workmanship and set with many precious stones laying it on a beere of gold very cunningly wrought At this procession Prester Iohn himselfe is personally present either sitting in a Chariot of golde or riding on an Elephant most richly trapped himselfe apparrelled in most strange and costly cloth of golde al embrodered and set with pearles and stones most sumptuous to beholde to see this feast and Image the people runne in so great troupes that by reason of the prease many are thrust to death This Emperour Prestor Iohn is not rightly named for that his name is Belgian Bel signifying the highest perfectest and excellentest of all things and Gian Lorde or Prince which is proper to all that commaund or gouerne ouer others so then Belgian signifieth the chiefe or highest Prince which name being so ioyned is proper to none but to the king hauing also a surname of Dauid as our Emperours the name of Caesar or Augustus Here I must alittle discourse of the riuer Nylus which hath not her issue in Belgians land neither from the hilles of the Moone nor as Ptolomeus saith from the two lakes which he placeth in the midle between east and weast with the distance of almost foure hundred and fiftie Italian miles one from the other for that vnder the same pole wher in Ptolomeus placeth the saide two lakes lieth the two kingdoms of Congo and Angola towardes the weast and on the other side towards the east the kingdome of Monomotapa and Sofala with distance from the one sea to the other of about twelue hundred Italian miles and Odoardus saieth that in these countries there is but one lake which lieth on the bordures of Angola and Monomotapa which is in bignesse about a hundred ninety fiue Italian miles of the which lake wee are well assured and truely certified by those of Angola but on the east side of Sofala and Monomotapa there is no mention made of any other lake whereby it may be saide that vnder the same degrees there is no other lake True it is that there are yet two other lakes but they lie clean contrary to those whereof Ptolomeus writeth for hee as I saide before placeth his lakes right in the middle betweene east and weast and those whereof I speake lie right by direct line betweene north and south distant about foure hundred miles Some men in those countries are of opinion that Nilus springeth out of the first lake and then againe hideth it selfe vnder the earth and issue out againe in another place which some men deny and Odoardus saith that right the opinion therein is that Nylus passeth not vnder the earth but that it runneth through certayne fearefull and desart valleis where no man commeth or inhabiteth without anye certaine channell and so it is sayd that it runneth vnder the earth Therefore it is most certaine that Nyl◠floweth out of the first sake which lieth vnder twelue degrees by the pole antartike which lake is almost compassed
two streames like Englâ—nâ— and 〈…〉 so that it seemeth almost to be two Islands it hath many goodly hauens the naâ—◠〈◊〉 giuen it of our Lady of Guadalupe it is â—ul of villages each of twentie or thirtie houses all wood and rounde made of certaine great okes which they thrust into the earth and those serue for the doores of their houses then they place smaller which hold the rest from falling Their branches on the toppe being bound together like tents which they couer with Palme tree leaues to keep them from the raine within they fasten ropes made of cotten wool or of Bâ—esen wherupon they lay cotten mattresses and hanging beddes therein to sleepe This Island hath seuen faire riuers the inhabitants were called Caâ—ucâ—erum it hath verie great Parrots much differing from others being red both before and behind with long feathers the wings speckled with red some yellow some blew al mixed together whereof there are as great abundance as of Spree 〈…〉 er in our countryes there groweth in this Island a certaine gumme called A 〈…〉 m not much vnlike Amber the smoke or aire of this gumme being let vp into the head driueth out the colde the tree bringeth foorth a fruit like dates but of a spanne and a halfe long which beeing opened hath a certaine white and sweete meale This fruit they keepe for winter as we do chesnuts the trees are like figge trees they haue likewise in this Island al kind of orchard fruit and some are of opinion that al kindes of sweete fruites were first brought out of this Islande into the other Islandes round about it for they are hunters of men which hauing taken they eate them and for the same cause they trauaile abroade many hundreth miles both farre and neare and in their trauell whatsoeuer they finde they bring it home and plant it They are not friendly but fierce and cruell They indure no strangers among them both the men and the women are verie subtile and expert in shooting with their bowes and their arrowes being poysoned when the men are gone abroad the women keepe their places and countreyes most stoutly defending them from al inuasion to conclude al parts of that Islande both hils and dales are verie fruitfull and in the hollow trees and clifts of hilles and rocks they find home Desiada or Desiderataâ— ABout eighteene miles from Guadalupa towards the East lieth Desiada another Island being twentie miles great Desiada or Desiderata that is desire so called by reason of the fairenesse of the Island ten miles from Guadalupa towards the south lyeth Galanta being in compasse aboue thirtie miles it is an euen and faire country wherof the Island hath taken the name for Galanta in Spanish betokeneth faire Therein are diuers sweete smelling trees both in barks rootes leaues There are likewise many great Horsleaches Nine miles from Guadalupa towards the East there lieth six smal Ilands called Todos los Sanctos or al Saints and Barbara spokeÌ„ of before Those Islandes are verie full of cliffes stonie and vnfruitful which the Pilots are to looke vnto to auoyde the danger that may ensue A little further lyeth Dominica taking the name from the day because it was discouered vpon a sunday and also an Islande of Caniballes so ful and thicke of Trees that there is scant an elle of free land Thereabouts also is another Island called Madannina or the womens Islande where it is thought that women onely inhabited in maner of Amazons whither the Canibales often times resorted to lie with them and if they had daughters they kept them but boyes they sent vnto their fathers it lyeth fortie miles from Mons Serratu After that lyeth yet thrée Islands besides other little Islands and diuers cliffes called S. Vincent Granada and S. Lucia Comming further towards the coast of Florida where we left right against it there lyeth certaine smal cliffes called Martires and the little Ilands called Tortugas because they are like a Torteauxes From this poynt of Florida to Ancon Baxo are 100. miles and lyeth fiftie miles distant East and West from Rio Secco which is the breadth of Florida from Ancon Baxo 100. miles to Rio di Nieues from thence to the riuer Flores 20. miles and somewhat more from the riuer of Flores to the bay called Bahya del Spirito Sancto which is likewise called La Culata being in the entrance thereof thirtie miles broade from this Bahya which lyeth vnder 29. degrées are 70. miles to the riuer called Rio del Pescadores from Rio del Pescadores which lyeth vnder 28. degrees and halfe there is 100. miles to the Riuer called Rio de las Palmas from whence Tropicus Cancri beginnneth from Rio de las Palmas to the Riuer Panuco are 30. miles and from thence to Villa Rica or Vera Crus are seuentie miles in which space lyeth Almeria from Vera Crus that lyeth vnder 19. degrees to the riuer of Aluarado by the Island called Papa Doapan are thirtie miles from the riuer Aluarado to the riuer Coâ—zâ—coalco are fiftie miles from thence to the riuer Gritalâ—a are fortie miles The said two riuers lying about eighteene degrées from the riuer Gritalua to Cabo Redondo are eightie miles as the coast stretcheth along wherein are contained Champoton and Lazaro from Cabo Redondo to Cabo di Catoche or Iucatan are 90. miles and lyeth about 21. degrées so that there are in al nine hundred miles in the length of the coast of Florida to Iucatan which is another Cape or hooke which stretcheth from off the land northward and the further it reacheth into the sea the more it crooketh or windeth about and is sixtie miles from Cuba The Island whereof we haue alreadie spoken which doth almost inclose the sea that runneth betwéene Florida and Iucatan which sea by some men is called Golfo de Mexico of others Golfo de Florida and of some others Cortes the sea that runneth into this gulfe entreth betwéene Iucatan and Cuba with a mightie streame and runneth out againe betweene Florida and Cuba and hath no other course A breefe description of Noua Hispania or new Spaine THe second part of America is called Noua Spaigna or new Spaine it beginneth towards the North about the Riuer of Panuco vppon the borders of Florida on the South side it reacheth to the prouince Darienâ— where it is diuided from Peru on the East it hath the maine Sea and on the west the South sea called Mare Australe this whole Prouince was in times past by the Inhabitants called Cichemecan Cathuacan or Coâ—acan which peple came out of the land of Culhua which lieth aboue Xalisco made their habitation about the Moores of Tenuchtitlan where at this present lyeth the towne of Mexico which people hauing neither countrey nor dwelling place chose that for the best and most profitable therein building diuers houses and habitations and in that manner placed both their new and old villages vnder the commaundement of Culhuacan giuing the same name
great wood in a very vnwholesome place specially in winter time by reason of the greate heate and moystnesse of the earth as also because of the moorish ground that lieth on the west side of the towne whereby many of the Indians die the houses are built after the Spanish maner as also those of Panama wherein many Merchants dwel that sell their wares by the great the rest of the houses are for strangers like Innes as also for Grocers handicraftsmen and such like most part of the merchants of Nombre de Dios haue houses likewise in Panama for that the traffique out of Peru commeth to Panama and out of Spaine to Nombre de Dios and there they are continually resident vntill they become rich and then they goe to other places or else returne into Spaine On the north side of this towne lieth the hauen wherein many ships may aâ—ker touching such fruits as they bring 〈◊〉 of Spaine into those countries there gâ—â—â—eth some in that vntemperate and vnâ—some ayre as lemons oranges re 〈…〉 hes coleworts and lettuce but very small few not very good other victuals are brought thither out of Hispaniola Cuba and the prouince of Nicaragua as India wheat or maiz bread called Cazabâ— salt fish hogges batatas and from Panama kine and flesh vnsalted all other kind of wares are broght out of Spaine thither for that euery yeere there commeth shippes out of Spaine laden with wine meale bread bisket oliues oile figs reasins silks woollen and linnen cloth and such wares necessary for the sustenance of man which wares being arriued in that country are carried in little scutes through the riuer Chiara to a place called Ciuâ—ce fifteene miles distant from Panama where it is deliuered to a Spanish Factor which registreth all the wares and kéepeth them vntill they be carried by beasts vnto Panama a Towne lying on the other side of the Lake from whence by ships they are conueyed into other places thorow the whole country of Peâ—â— Câ—aâ—câ—s and Chila as also northward in the out places of the Spaniards The breadth of the country betweene Nâ—mbre de Dioâ— and Panama from the one side to the other is not aboue seuenteene miles whereby Peru is no Island The Spaniards compare this towne to Venice but I think they nere saw it for if they had doubtles they would be of another opinion But letting Panamâ— rest til another time I will proceede with the description of the coast from Nombre de Dios to Farallones del Darien lying vnder eight degrées are seuentie miles touching the towne of Dariene til you come to the old virgine Mary it heth in an vnwholesome place therefore all the inhabitants are of a pale yellow collour like those that haue the yellow iandise yet it proceedeth not from the nature of the land for that in places of the same height there is wholsome dwelling that is where they haue fresh water and cleere fountains and where vnder the same height they dwel vpon hilles and not as Dariene which lieth in a valley the sides of the riuer being compassed with high hilles and by that means they haue the sunne but at noone time only right ouer them and on both sides both before and behinde they are no lesse troubled with the reflexion of the sunne beams causing a most vnsupportable heat in such sort that the dwelling in Dariene is not hurtful by reason of the nature of the land but because of the situation thereof it is likewise deadly by reason of the moorishnesse of the ground beeing wholly compassed about with moorish stincking water the Towne it selfe being a very pitte or moorish plotte of ground and when they throwe water vpon the floores of their houses it doth presently ingender toades and when they do digge but a spanne and a halfe deepe in the earth presently there appeareth Adders out of the poysoned water that are within the filthy earth of the riuer which floweth with filth and full of durt Out of this deepe valley euen vnto the sea in Dariene are Tygars Lions and Crocadiles Oxen Hogges and Horses in great abundaunce and greater than those that are brought thither out of Spaine many great trees and fruit and all kindes of fruits and hearbs that are to be eaten the people are of colour betweene darke and red yellow of good proportion with little haire or beardes onely vpon the head and the eie-browes specially the women which with a certaine hearb make it fall off they goe all naked specially vpon their heades they haue their members hidden eyther in a shell or in a case or else they couer it with a cotten linnen the women are couered from the middle to the knees all the rest is naked and bare in that countrey there is no winter for that the mouth of the riuer Dariene lieth lesse than eight degrees from the equinoctiall so that day and night is there of a length from the furthest point that reacheth into the sea lieth a village in the Prouince of Caribana nine miles from Dariene called Futeraca and from thence about three miles lieth Vraba wherof the whole stream hath her name and in time past was the chiefe Towne of the kingdome sixe miles off lieth Feâ— from thence to Zereme are 9. miles from Zereme to Sorache are twelue miles These places were all full of Camballes and when they had no ennemies to fight withall they fought one against the other that they might deuoure the men The gulfe of Vraba is 14. miles long and in the entrie sixe miles broade and the nearer it runneth to the firme land the narrower it is into this riuer runne many waters and one that is muche more prosperous then the Riuer Nilus whatsoeuer is sowed or planted in Vraba it springeth very speedily for that within 28. daies they haue ripe Cucumbers Goardes Melons c. In Dariene and Vraba there groweth much fruit that is verie pleasant and sweete of taste much aboue our fruits whereof whosoeuer is desirous to know more let him reade the histories thereof as Peter Martir in his ninth book of the descriptioÌ„ of the firme land In the mouth of the gulfe of Vraba lyeth a small Island called Tortuga that is the Island of Torteaux because it is formed like a Torteaux or because there are many Torteauxes therein and further on the same coast lyeth the Island l. Fuerte which is in the middle betweene Vraba and Carthago wherein also are Canibals most cruell villaines and from thence you come to Puerto de Caribana the hauen of Caribana or of Cambals whereof the Caribes haue receiued their name From thence you come to the riuer de Guerra and then to the riuer of Zenu which is a great hauen the town being about seuen or eight spanish miles and a half from the sea wherin is great traffike of fish fine gold siluer works They gather gold out of the riuers in great floods rains placing great nettes in the
water wherein they stay the gold which is in great grains it was discouered by Roderigo de Bastidas in the yeere of our Lord 1502. And within two yeares after by Giouanni de la Cosa And then againe in the yeare of our Lorde 1509. by Don Ancisus and after him followed Alonso de Hoieda who desiring to discouer their sands or barter with the inhabitants as also to learne their speech and to know the riches of the country sought to come acquainted with them but the Indians withstoode them and determined to fight wherewith the Spaniardes shewed signes of peace causing an interpreter that Franciscus Pizairo had brought from Vraua to speake vnto them saying that hée and his companions the Spaniards were christians peaceable and quiet people and such as hauing by long voyages passed the great Ocean seas had as then need of all necessary prouisions and of golde desiring them to barter the same with them for other costly wares which they had neuer seene Wherevnto the Cariben of Zenu answered them that it might well be they were such quiet people but yet they shewed not the signs of peace and therefore they willed them presently to departe out of their countrey for they saide they were not minded to be mocked by them neither meant they to indure an enemies or straungers weapon within their country Wherevpon D. Ancisus replying answered them and saide that he could not with honour depart from thence before he hadde deliuered his message vnto them for the which he was sent thither making a long oration thereby to perswade them to the christian faith grounded onely vpon one God maker of heauen and earth and of all creatures therein in the end telling them that the holy Father the Pope of Rome Christs lieutenant throughout al the world hauing absolute power ouer mens soules religion had giuen their countrey to the mighty king of Spaine his master that he was purposely sent thither to take possession thereof wishing them therefore not to oppose themselues agenst him if they meant to become christians and subiects to so great a Prince onelie paying a small yeerely tribute of golde Whereunto they in iesting manner and smiling aunswered much after the same manner as it is written of Attabalipa that they liked well of his proposition touching one only God but as then they were not minded to argue therof neyther yet to leaue their religion that the Pope might well bee liberall of other mens goods that belonged not to him or at least that he should giue that which was in his power to deliuer as also that the king of Spaine was either very poore to desire that which was none of his or very bold to seeke that which he knew not and that if he came to inuade their countrey they would set his head vpon a stake as they had done manie other enemies his like but the Spaniardes not esteeming their words entred vpon the land and ouercame them From the gulfe Vraba to Carthagena are 70. miles betweene the which two places the hauens and riuers aforesaide do lie the partition being passed ouer as also Puerto de Naos that is the hauen of Ships it is from Carthagena to S. Martha fiftie miles Carthagena CArthagena was so named because that in the mouth of the hauen there lieth an Island in Indian speech called Codego as also new Carthago in Spaine Scombria or els bicause al the Spaniards dwelling therin came out of the Cittie of Carthago in Spaine the Island is about two miles long and a mile broad When the Spanyardes came first into that countrey they found it ful of Fishermen whereof at this time they can hardly find any remnant which is not to be wondered at for that not onely in this prouince but in al the other Islands wherin the Spaniards haue béene there is hardly any Indians left because the Indians as long as possibl they might wold neuer haue any dealings with the Spaniardes because of their tyranny This Countrey is rich of fish fruites and all kinde of victualles necessary for men they couer their priuy members with clothes of cotten wooll both men and women go to the wars for in the yeere of our Lorde 1509. as a Spaniard called Martinus Amisus made warre vppon those of Zenu bordering vpon Carthegena hee tooke an Indian woman of the age of twenty yeeres that with her owne hands hadde slaine 28. Christians their arrowes are poysoned and they eate their â—nueâ—â—tes flesh and spoiled many Spanyards at their feasts which in times past they vsed to hold they beautifie their bodies in the best maner they can deuise with iewells and golden bracelets mingled with pearles and stones called smaragdes wearing them about their faces armes legges and other parts of their bodies their chiefe merchandises are salt fish and pepper which groweth in great abundance all along the coast it is of forme long and sharper than the â—st Indian pepper and much sweeter and pleasanter of smell than the common Braâ—ilia pepper which wares they carrie into such places as want it where they barter for other things before they were vnder the subiection of the Spaniards they had many kindes of fruites and trees cotten wooll feathers golde bracelets gold many pearles smaragdes slaues and diuers rootes wherwith they traffiked bartering them without any respect desire or couetousnes vsing these wordes Take this and giue me some other ware for it but no ware was more esteemed with them than victualles but now they likewise beginne to couet after golde and other thinges whiche they haue learned of the Spaniards Benzo in his second booke of the Indian historie and fift chapter sheweth a notable example saying that vpon a time he being very hungry went into an Indians house praying him to sel him a chickin and the Indian askt him what hee would giue him he pulling foorth a spanish riall of siluer gaue it him which the Indian taking helde betweene his teeth and saide Then I perceue you would haue my victualles and giue mee that which no man can eate neither is it of any account therefore take you your peece of siluer and I wil keep my victualls Betweene Carthagena and saint Martha there runneth a great swift riuer called Rio Grande which standeth in our Carde which issueth with such force into the Sea specially in winter that it beats the stream of the sea backe againe whereby the shipps that passe by it may easily take in water Sayling vpwardes into this riuer to the kingdome of Bogota by the Spaniards called Granada there are certaine mines of emeraldes found in the valley of Tunia in this Carde called Tomana whereabouts the spaniards haue builded new Carthage The inhabitantes of the valley of Tunia and the people bordering on the same doe worship the sunne for their chife god with such reuerence that they dare not stare or once looke stedfastly vpon it they likewise worship the Moone but not so much as the
some narrower accounting the length from Quito to the towne Delia Platta in this country of Peru are thrée sorts of hilles wherein men cannot inhabite the first parte of the hilles are called Andes which are full of great Woods the country being vnfit and vnholsome to dwell in which likewise were not inhabited but beyonde the hilles the second parte of the hilles taketh her course from the Andes which are verie colde and are great snow hilles so that there also no man can dwell because of the great colde and aboundance of snow which maketh the ground so soft that nothing can grow therin The third parte of the hilles are the Sandie Downes which runne through the plaine land of Peru from Tumbez to Tarapaca where it is so hot that neither water trées grasse nor any liuing creature is seene thereon but onely certaine birdes that flye ouer them Nowe Peru beeing so long and scituate in this manner there are many wilde and desart places not inhabited for the causes before rehearsed and such as were inhabited were great vallies and dales that by reason of the hils are throwded and defended from the windes and snow wherby those vallies and great fields are verie fruitful so that whatsoeuer is plaÌ„ted therein yéeldeth fruit most aboundantly the woods about them bring vp manye beasts and birds the Peruuians that dwel betwéene these hils are wiser stronger and subtiller then those in the plaine countrey lying on the sea coast and apter to gouerne and for pollicy they dwel in houses made of stone whereof some are couered with earth others with strawe because of the raine whereof those in the plaine countrey by the sea side haue no care at all couering theyr houses thereby to keepe them from the sun with painted mattes or boughs of trees out of these vallies lying betweene the hilles there runneth many streames of good water into the south sea and moysten the plain countrey of Peru causing many fruitfull Trees corne and other things necessary for mans life to grow therein as I haue already declared Of the people and countries that are therein lieing from Pasto to Quito THe village of Pasto lieth in the vallie Atris which is in the land of Quillacinga people without shame and good manners as also they of Pasto little esteemed by their neighbours trauailing from Pasto you come to Funez and two miles and ¼ furder to Iles from thence to Gualnatan are two miles and a halfe and from thence to Ipiules two miles and a quarter in al these villages is very little maiz by reason of the colde although they are so neere vnto the line but much Papas and other rootes that are to be eaten from Ipiules you trauaile to Guaca but before you come at it you may see the Kings hie-way which is no lesse to be wondred at then the way that Hannibal made through the Alpes whereof hereafter I will speak also you passe hard by a riuer vpon the side whereof the King of Peru had made a fort from whence he made warre vpon those of Pasto and ouer this Riuer there is a bridge by nature so artificially made that arte coulde not possibly mend it it is of a high and thick rock in the midle whereof there is a hole through the which with great fury the streame passeth and vpon that rocke men may go ouer it this rocke in their speech is called Luâ—â—châ—ca that is a stone bridge about that place is a fountaine of warme water wherein a man cannot endure to holde his handes although the countrie about it and also the riuer are verie colde whereby it is hard trauailing by this bridge also the King of Peru ment to haue built another castle therin to keepe garrison but he was preuented by the Spaniardes ariuall in those countries in this countrie there groweth a certaine fruit as small as plumbs and blacke by them called Mortunnos whereof if any man eateth they are drunke and as it were out of their wittes for the space of foure and twentie houres From this small countrye of Guaca you come to â—usa where y e prouince of Pasâ—o endeth not farre from thence you come to a little hill wherevppon also the Kings of Peru had a castle much defended by the Peruuians and going furder you come to the riuer of Mira where it is very hot an there are many kinds of fruits and certaine faire melons good connies turtle doues and partriges great aboundance of corne barley and maiz from this riuer you trauaile downe to the rich and costly houses of Carangue before you come thither you must first passe ouer a lake in India called Aguarcocia in our speech the opeÌ„ sea because Guianacapa king of Peru at the Spaniards ariuall caused 20000. men of the places thereabout to be assembled destroyed them all because they had displeased him and threw their bodies into that lake making the water red with their blood The houses of CaraÌ„gue are in a little place wherin there is a goodly fountaine made of costly stone and in the same countries are many faire houses belonging to the kings of Peru all made of stone and also a Temple of the same wherein there was alone 200. maides that serued the temple and are verie narrowly looked vnto that they commit no vncleanes if they did they were cruelly punished and hanged or buried quicke with them also were certaine priests y t offered sacrifices and offerings according to their religious manner This Temple of the sunne in time of the kings of Peru was holden in great account being then very carefully looked vnto and greatly honoured wherein was many golde and siluer vessels iewels and treasure the walls being couered with plates of golde and siluer and although it is cleane destroyed yet by roums you may still behold the great magnificence thereof in times past the kings of Peru had their ordinary garison in the houses of Carangue with their Captaines who both in time of peace and warre continued there to punish offenders Departing from the houses of Carangue you come to Oâ—aballo which is also rich and mightie and from thence to Cosesqui and before you come thither you must passe certaine snowie hills where it is so colde that men trauaile ouer them with greate paine from Cosesqui you goe to Guallabamba which is three miles from Quito and because the countrie thereabout is lowe and almost vnder the line therefore it is there very hot yet not so hot that men cannot dwell therein or that it hindereth the fruitfulnes thereof by this discourse you may perceiue the eror of many ancient writers that say that vnder the line by reason of the great heate no man may dwell but to the contrary you see that after their maner they haue both summer and winter in some places colde and in some places hot as also that vnder it there dwelleth many people and there many fruites and seeds do grow In this way you passe
done or executed giuing that thrid vnto one of the Lordes that attended on them and by that commandement gouerned the prouinces and by that token they commaunded al whatsoeuer they would desire which by their subiects was with so great diligeÌ„ce and dutiful obedience fulfilled that the like was neuer knowen in any place throughout the world and if hee chanced to command that a whole prouince shuld be clean destroyed and vtterly left desolate both of men and all liuing creatures whatsoeuer both yong old if he sent but one of his seruants to execute the same although he sent no other power or aide of men nor other commission then one of the theerds of his Quispell it was sufficient and they willingly yeelded themselues to all dangers of death or destruction whatsoeuer These kings were borne in chariots or seats made of beaten golde borne on the shoulders of 1000. Lordes and councelours at times thereunto appointed wherof if any of them vnaduisedly stumbled staggered he was presently put to death and no man spake vnto the king at any time but they brought him certaine presents and if they went to speake with him ten times in a daie so often must they preseÌ„t him with new gifts it was likewise accounted for a great fault so looke y e king in the face Being in the wars and hauing ouercome any countrie or prouince they obserued the ancient custom of Rome which was to take the people with them that they might not rise vp or rebell against them yet with great diffrence from the Romaines for that hauing won â—ame land or prouince they tooke many or â—â—we out of it according to the number of people that were therein if these whom they had conquered inhabited in a hot countrie they were placed in another warme country if theirs were cold they likewise went into a cold countrie where they had the lands deuided among theÌ„ that each man might liue vpon it And it the naturall countâ—â—men of any prouince or place wâ— to â—â—bel against their prince the kings Liâ—tenants and CoÌ„maunders vsed the 〈◊〉 as â—hat is the strange people to keep them in subiection and to the contrarie if the Mitimaes seemed once to stirre or rise vp they kept them in subiection by the naturall inhabitants and by this policie they maintained their countrie in great peace and quietnesse Besides this they vsed another meanes not to bee hated of their subiects for that they neuer tooke the rule or authoritie of any people that were subdued by them from the Caciquen or Lords that were nobly borne if any of them disliked thereof they punished him yet gaue his office either to his children or to his brethren commaunding them to bee obedient when they went to hunt and take their pleasures which they call Chico they assembled many men together according to the scituation of the countrey some times foure or 5000. men whom they placed in a ring together that many times compassed at the least two or three miles and so singing a certain song they followed each other foote by foote vntil they were so neare togither that they might reach hands and yet nearer till they could imbrace each other the nerer they went together the closer they made the ring by which meanes al the beasts by them inclosed they killed as they thought good with so great a noyse and crie as seemed incredible not much vnlike the maner of the Duch Princes in their general huntings specially of the Wolues onely that they haue not so many men nor sing not yet make a great noyse The beasts that they take are wild Sheepe Rheen Foxes Lions blacke Beares Cattes many Hogges and other beasts foules as Turtle doues Quailes Spetchten Parrots Hawkes c. The tributes and talages that the kings receiued of their subiects were things of their owne increase out of the countreyes that were vnfruitfull they brought him Hoopwik of Crocadiles by them called Caymans and many other wormes This Guaynacapa renewed the temple of the sunne in the Citie of Cusco couering the wals and ruffes with plates of gold and siluer and as I said before the prouince and countrey of Quito was woon by him which countrey pleased him so well that for a time hee continued therein meane time leauing his eldest son Guascar Iuga Mango and other of his children in Cusco to gouerne the countrey and in Quito hee married another Wife daughter to the Lord of the same prouince and by hir he had Atabalipam a son whom he greatly loued and when he trauailed to Cusco hee left him and others in Quito yet before he dyed he went once againe to Quito partly because the country liked him so well and partly to sée his sonne Atabalipam and there before he dyed hee ordained that the countrey and towne of Quito shuld remaine to his sonne Atabalipam and his heires for euer as beeing taken from his forefathers which his sonne Guascar after his fathers death would not permitte and for the same cause raised warres against his brother which in the ende was the ouerthrow and subiection of Peru whereof as in the life of Gualcaâ— that after his fathers death ruled all the countrey vnto Quito it appeareth Guascar signifieth a cord or cable for that at the time of his birth the king caused a cable of gold to be made as great as two hundred Indians could carry hee vsed likewise a plate of golde whereon hee sate worth at the least 25000. duckets which after fell into the hands of Francisco Pizarro first gouernour of Peru and all his vessel was of golde whereby it appeareth that golde was likewise much esteemed by them The Kings in Cusco had many goldesmiths shoppes therein to make and worke al kinde of vessels Iewels and images of men beastes foules and hearbes of golde al in good proportion and although theyr Goldsmithes vsed not any iron tooles yet they make most excellent workmanshippe although somewhat groser and plainer then ours The manner of working was in this sort first they tooke the siluer or golde that they would melt and put it in rounde or long melting vessels made of cloath pasted about with earth and beaten colours which being drie they set it in the fire with as much golde and siluer therein as they would melt or as it would hold and so with fiue or sixe reedes blowe so long about it vntill the mettall melted and became redde hot and the skimme being taken off it being taken out of the melting vessell euerie man had his part which they sitting vppon the earth with blacke Keâ—ciâ—ick stones made in form like hammers they forged framed theyr images of Gods vessels and Iewels of gold chaines and formes of all kinde of beastes birdes and hearbes with all manner of things But to returne vnto our former matter the Sonnes of Guaynacaâ—a called Guascar and Atabalipa were the cause of the destruction ruine and ouerthrowe of the countrey of Peru by reason
of the wars by them made one against the other for the gouernment of the country which was so cruell that they once met fought for the space of thrée whole dayes together and neuer ceased where many people were slaine â— and Atabalipa taken in the battel and kept prisoner in the prouince of Tomebamba and there very straightly kept in one of the Kings Castles yet by subtiltie and intreatie made to certaine women he had a copper instâ—â—ment brought vnto him wherewith hee brake the walles of the Castle of Tomebamba and gote out of prison at the same time that his brothers souldiers and captaines were making good cheere drinking their Cicha whereunto they are much addicted and dauncing for ioy of the victorie and being at libertie he fled vnto Qâ—â—to telling his people that he was by his father conuerted into a snake and so crept out of prison at a little hole his father promising him victorie so that his men would once againe returne with him to battaylet whereby his people were so well incouraged that they went with him agayne into the fielde where Fortune fauouring him and being victorious hee tooke his brother Guascar prisoner to whome not long before he hadde beene prisoner and therewith obtained all the Countrey making himselfe chiefe ruler thereof keeping his brother prisoner within Cusco About the same time Franciscus Pizarrus arriued in Peru being Oyuaer of those two mightie kings and by reason of theyr dissension made him maister of so great and rich countries of gold Hee that desireth a larger description hereof may reade the Spannish Histories that write of the description of the new worlde Pizarius being in the Countrey made warre against Atabalipam and in th end ouercame him and for a time kept him prisoner and during his imprisonment hee agréed with Pizario for a certaine ransome and when it was ready hée caused his brother Guascar to be sent for out of Cusco and by the way before he came at him he caused him to be slaine fearing and not without a cause that if Guascar once came before the Spaniard and should declare his misfortune he would without all doubt offer a greater ransome as he had done then hée should pay and by that meanes he shoulde remaine in prison and his brother at libertie hauing hadde al the treasure of his predecessours as also his fathers But Aâ—tabalipa hauing brought his ransom which amounted vnto 3088235. gilderus was not long after by crueltie of the Spaniards without any cause and also against theyr othe and promise most shamefully by certaine Moores at the commaundement of Pizarius openly strangled in the Market place and as some write his body was after burned to ashes This was the 〈◊〉 able end of the mightie K. Atabalipa a man of a meane stature wise and high minded wholly giuen to rule Twenty dayes before his death there appeared a blazing starre which when he perceiued he prophecied that in shorte time after a grâ—at Prince of that country should die not thinking it to be himselfe Guascar and Atabalipa being both dead the gouernment fâ—l vnto Mango Inga the third brother who dying left his kingdome to his son Xaires Topa Inga that maried a wife caled Câ—ya daughter of a noble man called Cuxi Vâ—rcay Guascaris and he before he entred into the gouernement chaunged his name to Mango capa Pachuti Iupan withall making himselfe subiect vnto Philip King of Spaine which hapned 1557. on the sixt of Ianuary being Twelfe day Thus much touching the kings of Peru. A description of the places or townes lying among the hils THrée miles from Cusco lieth the valley Iucay a very pleasant valley lying betwéene two hilles very fresh and wholesome aire as being therin neither ouer hot nor colde and two miles beyond it lieth Tambo another valley wherein are seene great ruines of the kings munition houses And trauelling further you come to Condesuyo a prouince where in times past there dwelt certaine warlike people their townes standing betwéene high hils where there were many wilde and tame beasts Their houses were of stone couered with strawe therein also were many houses and pallaces of noble men They haue all one maner of liuing with the rest the Peruuians offering lambes and other beastes in their churches wherein at certaine times the diuell shewed himselfe the riuers are rich of golde and there are made certayne couerlets of fine wooll cunningly wrought in diuers colours This way before called Andes is very long for it runneth cleane through Peru to the straites of Magellanas wherein there lieth many prouinces and townes and diuers high trees some couered with snowe others with flames of burning brimstone whereby it is very hard to be trauelled specially because therein for the most part it commonly raineth Trauelling many miles further you come to the countrey called Collao wherein is the lake called Tiâ—icaca where there is an Island and therein a Temple of the Sunne wherein they sowed their maiz and kepe their treasure Round about this lake are many villages and therein much good fish is taken Somewhat further you come vnto the town of Plata which is a hundred and fiftie miles from Cusco in the prouince of Chaâ—cas in a colder aire then any other place in all the hilles there are but fewe inhabitants but such as are verie rich and most because of the mynes of Porco and Potosi for Potoâ—i is not aboue eighteene miles from the towne of Plata discouered by the company of Captaine Caruaial for that as some of the Indians with one Ian de Villa Roel a townsman of Plata trauelled thorow the countrey they found a high hil lying in a flat and euen vallie wherein perceiuing certaine tokens of siluer they melted a peece of the Minerall and found it so rich that one quintal made fourscore marks siluer the like whereof was neuer heard of This newes being come to Plata presently the cheefe gouernours of the towne went thither where they diuided vnto euerie man as much as he could doo or labour in whereby such resort came thither that in short time the place was inhabited by more then 7000. men the Indians working and making contract with the Spaniards their maisters how much siluer they wold weekly deliuer This mine is of a wonderfull strange nature because it wil not be molten by blowing with the bellowes neyther in fornaces like other mynes but only in smal furnaces by them caled Guairas which they sette vppon the highest parte of the hill placing the mouthes southwarde from whence the winde dooth continually blowe throwing into the mine fire coales and sheepes dongue whereby the winde made the fire to burne so hot and cleare as that not any bellowes or other instruments coulde doo more and the Peruuians working in this maner by so easie means had so great gain that some of them got weekly besids theyr maisters parte fortie thousande Pezos but by resort it became likewise to be scarse
also of all the Citties and countries of the whole kingdome of Spaine in particular with their proper names and by-names so that a man may thereby both shape vnto himselfe a representation and memoriall of those rents as well in grosse as in seuerall and also vnderstand the number of Cities and countries throughout all Spaine Hoping that it will be accepted in as courteous sort as it will be dilectable to all those that are desirous of nouelties A note or instruction what sorts of monies are vsed in Spayne wherewith they make their accountes FIrst you must vnderstande for the better explanation of y e matter ensuing that in Spaine they vse to reckeÌ„ by Marauedies as wel in great sums is in little and when they passe aboue a hundred thousand in number that is to say tenne times a hundreth thousande they call it a Quento which is properly a million of Marauedies Vnder which two names and diuisions the saide rentes reuenewes c. shal be set downe and declared according to the ordinances and customes vsed in the Kinges Chambers of accountes throughout the whole Countrey of Spain and you must know that 34. Maranedies are a Spanish Ryall of siluer being vi d. English money and 11. Spanish Rials are a Ducket which is fiue shillings vi d. English money and euery Quento or million of Marauedies is 2673. Duckets 8. Ryals and 26. Marauedies which is 735. l. v. sÌ„ x. d. ½ English money These Marauedies shal be written and set down after the Spanish manner that is when the summe amounteth aboue hundreths of Marauedies then they set this marke V. before beginning from the thousandes vpwardes so that thereby you may the better and more easily know them at the first sight which for your more ease and better intelligence I haue set downe as hereafter followeth and this I trust shall suffice for instruction herein The 1. Chapter The rents demaines and reuenews of the King in his kingdomes of Spaine Naples Sicilie Aragon c. and in all his Lordshippes except the kingdome iurisdiction of the Crowne of Portingall which we will hereafter report by themselues THe Salinas that is the salt landes belonging to the Crowne of Spaine are yearely taxed to pay vnto y e King ninety thrée Quentos 93. Quentos For the tenthes of the sea for marchandises that come out of Biscay and the Prouinces of Guipiscoa with the 4. hilly townes lying on the sea coast they pay for all wares sent from thence by land into Castilia after the rate of one in euery ten and is paid in the custome houses of Victoria Horduna and Valmas Ceda amounting yearely for the King vnto the summe of seuentie Quentos â—0 Quentos The tenth of the sea for wares that passe through the kingdome of Leon by the hauens of Sanabria and Villa Franca yéelde yearely the summe of one Quento 1. Quento The tenth of the sea for wares that passe out of the principality of Asturias by the towne of Ouieda pay yearely the summe of Q. 375 V 000. The rentes of the Prouostes office within the towne of Bilbau which is for thinges that come into the towne pay yearely for the King Q. 490 V 000. The 2. Chapter A declaration of the Alcauales and third-pennies which are paid in Spaine TLl the Alcauales thirdes and other rentes which the king of Spaine hath in all the Prouinces Townes villages and Countries of al his kingdomes and Lordshippes as also what euery towne with their territorie and precinctes doe seuerally pay that you may the plainelier sée and vnderstand you must first learne what these rents of Alcauales are and what they do signifie namely of all goods marchandises houses lands and of all other thinges whatsoeuer they may be none excepted it is the custome in Spaine to pay y e tenth pennie to the king and that at euery time and as often as such goods wares houses lands or whatsoeuer els are sold froÌ„ one to another this tenth pennie is called Alcaual likewise all handie crafts men Mercers Haberdashers and other trades that buy and sell in their said trades as also Butchers Fishmongers Inkéepers or any other trade occupation victualling or hand worke whatsoeuer must euery man pay a tenth pennie of all thinges whatsoeuer they sell and as oftentimes as they doe sell any thing where vpon euerie Citie towne c. doth compounde and agrée with the king for a yearely somme to be paide into his coffers so that there are certain which do farme the same of the king pay it yearely accordingly which summes are receyued cleerely into the kings coffers all costes and charges deducted To the same end there are in euery chiefe towne and prouince of the countrey diuers receyuers appointed to take all accounts and summes of money in the kings behalfe that arise of the said Alcaualaos and again to pay out of the same the Iuros that is such summes of money as the king by warrant appointeth to be paide vnto certaine persons as also other assignations appointed likewise to be paide which paymentes the said receyuers doe set downe in account for their owne discharge and thereof as also of their receipts do make a yearely and general account into the kings Exchequer Now to vnderstand what y e third pennie is it is thus that many yeares past the Cleargie of Spaine did of their owne frée willes giue and graunt vnto the King the thirde pennie of all spirituall liuings rentes and reuenewes which they did towards the aide maintenance and defence of the Catholike and Romish religion which is likewise receyued by the said receyuers and officers of the Alcaual and as I said is called Tercias and are likewise rented out and farmed by the said receiuers in euery seuerall Cittie and iurisdiction some of these Alcauals the King hath sold and others he hath bestowed vpon some men for rewardes whereof mention shall bee made as time and place requireth THe towne of Burgos w t the iurisdiction therof payeth yearly for Alcauala and Tertias the summe of 17 Q. 329 V 880 The Bayliwicke of Burgos which is called Bureba and lyeth close by Burgos payeth yearly the summe of 2 Q. 646 V 000 The hill of Oca payeth yearely the summe of 34 V 000 The Bayliwicke of the Prouince of Rioxa payeth yearly 3. Q. 757 V 000 The Bayliwicke of Hebro payeth yearely 2 Q. 346 V 000 The Bayliwick called the Hook of Hebro payeth yearely 1 Q 402 V 000 The towne of Victoria payeth yearly 269 V 000 The Prouince of Guipiscoa payeth yearly 1 Q 181 V 000 The Iron of the same Prouince of Guispiscoa payeth yearely custome 150 V 000. The seuen Bayliwickes which are of olde Castilia on the hils pay yearly 942 V 000 The valley of Mena which is in the same old Castilia payeth yearely the summe of 229 V 000 The Prouince of the towne
that is a fist on y e face yearely 1 Q 262 V 000 The townes of Cubas and Grennon which belong to Don Aluaro de Mendoça who receyueth the Alcauala payeth one-onely in Tertias 117 V 000 The towne of Galapagar belonging to the Duke of Infantadgo payeth yearely 16â— V 000 The towne of Ilescas and her iurisdiction payeth yearely 2 Q 297 V 000 The towne of Toledo and her iurisdiction payeth yearely â—3 Q 000 V 000 The rent of the hilles which is paid for pasturing of cattell which goeth to the country of 〈◊〉 emadura to be fed amouÌ„teth yearly to the king 19 Q 503 V 000 The villages of the Pryorie of S. Iohn pay yearelie 7 Q â—55 V 000 The towne of Almagro and her prouince which is called de Campo de Cala traua and is of the maistershippe of Calatraua payeth yearely 7 Q 120 V 000 The Alcauala of the Herbage and Pasturage in the said maistershippe is yearely to the king 3 Q 4â—8 V 000 The towne Cuidad Real payeth yearelie 4 Q 150 V 000 The villages lying in the countrey called the Archdeaconship of Talauera de la Reyna pay yearely 14 Q 326 V 000 The town of Placentia her iurisdiction y e villages y t are accounted of the Archdeaconshippe pay yearely 18 Q 475 V 000 The towne of Truxillo and her iurisdiction payeth yearely 12 Q 224 V 000 The towne of Caceres and her iurisdiction payeth yearelie 7 Q 850 V 000 The towne of Badaios and her prouince and iurisdiction pay yearlie 9 Q 972 V 000 The towne of Alcantara her iurisdiction prouince and is of the maistership of Alcantara paieth yearelie 9 Q 403 V 000 The Herbage of the same countrie whereon beastes doe pasture are yearely to the King 3 Q 481 V 000 The prouince of Serna of the maistership of Alcantara paieth yearly â— Q 570 V 000 The towne of Merida and her iurisdiction which is in the prouince of Leon being of the maistership of S. Iacob paieth yearelie 21 Q 234. V 000 The town of Fuente el Maestro her iurisdiction being in y e prouince of Leon and of the maistershippe of S. Iacob payeth yearely 6 Q 973 V 000 The towne of Guadalcana and her iurisdiction of the maistershippe of S. Iacob paieth yearelie 3 Q 305 V 000 The towne of Xeres de Badaios of the maistership of S. Iacob payeth yearelie 7 Q 100 V 000 The town of Siuillia her iurisdiction partition paieth yearely 182 Q 38â— V 000 The rentes of the Lordshippe of the same towne payeth yearely 2 Q 000 V 000 The townes of Palma and Guelues belonging to the Earles of Palma and Guelues pay yearely 235 V 000 The townes of Teuar and Ardales belonging to the Marquesse of Ardales pay yearelie 235 V 000 The towne of Ilerena and her iurisdiction which is in the Prouince of Leon and of the maistershippe of Saint Iacob paieth yearely 3 Q 125 V 000 The Towne of Cadiz payeth yearely 8 Q 452 V 000 The rent of Cadiz called the Almadrauas which is the fishing called Atun are worth yearely 3 Q 035 V 000 The towne of Gibraltar payeth onely the thirde pennie for they are free of Alcaualen by the Kinges licence payeth yearely 1 Q 500 V 000 The towne of Xeres de la Frontera and her iurisdiction yearely 21 Q 050 V 000 The towne of Catmona and her iurisdiction yearely 9 Q 450 V 000 The townes of Lora and Sete Filla paye yearely 680 V 000 The towne of Egija with the suburbes payeth 15 Q 500 V 000 The towne of Cordona and her iurisdiction payeth yearelie 48 V 995 V 000 The countrey called Rea lengos of Cordoua pay yearelie 17 Q 316 V 000 The towne of Anduxar and iurisdiction pay yearely 4 Q 800 V 000 The towne of Wieda and iurisdiction payeth yearelie 11 Q 640 V 000 The towne of Baesa and iurisdiction payeth yearlie 17 Q 316 V 000 The towne of Quexada payeth yearlie 1 Q 415 V 000 The gentilitie of Carcola payeth yearlie 6 Q 885 V 000 The Erledome of S. Esteuen payeth yearly 1 Q 340 V 000 The towne of Martos and her iurisdiction being of the maistershippe of Calatraua parte of Andolosia payeth yearely 11 Q 436 V 000 The towne of Iaen and her iurisdiction payeth yearely 15 Q 909 V 000 The towne of Granada and her iurisdiction paieth yearely 42 Q 910 V 000 The silke of the kingdome of Granada was wont to be worth before y e Moores were driuen out of the countrey 42 Quentos it is now but 22 Q 000 V 000 The rent which is called Aguella Auilles of Granada paieth yearly â— Q â—50 V 000 The townes of Loxa and Alhama in the kingdome of Granada paie yearelie 3 Q 650 V 000 The town of Baca in Granado her iurisdiction paieth yearlie 10 Q 626 V 000 The towne of Guadix in Granado and her iurisdiction payeth yearlie 6 Q 395 V 000 The towne of Almena in Granado and her iurisdiction paieth yearly 3 Q 080 V 000 The townes of Almunecar Mutril and Salabrena in Granado pay yearelie 2 Q 643 V 000 The towne of Malaga in Granado pay yearely 16 Q 269 V 000 The towne of Veles Malaga in Granada pay yearelie 5 Q 519 V 000 The towne of Pulchena payeth yearlie 410 V 000 The towne of Ronda and her iurisdiction pay yearly 5 Q 334 V 000 The Ilande of Carnaria payeth yearely 4 Q 850 V 000 The Island of Teneriffe payeth yearely 3 Q â—00 V 000 The Island of La Palma payeth yearely 2 Q 400 V 000 The dayly contribution that the kingdomes or countries of Spaine doe pay yearly vnto the King are worth 104. Quentos 305 V 000 Marauedies which contribution is gathered throughout all his Prouinces landes and townes of Spaine among the common sort of people or subiects that are euery man taxed to pay according to their habilities and giue yearely a certayne summe as their goodes doe amount vnto in value which doth rise vnto as I saide before yearely 104 Q 305 V 000 The custome of the tenth pennie for drie hauens which are passages within the lande of the kingdomes of Valencia Artagon and Nauarre which men pay vpon all goods that are carried out of Spaine into the saide countries and for such as are brought into the same countries out of Spaine paide one with the other the tenth pennie which tolle amounteth to in the yeare the summe of 49 Q 035 V 000 The drie hauens or passages within the land comming in or going out which border on the kingdome of Portingale and lie in part of Spaine called Caâ—hlia pay yearelie for the tenth