greene chestnutte They haue also an other kynde of rootes whiche they call Iucca wherof they make breade in lyke manâ—â— Iucca Breade of rootes They vse Ages more often rosted or sodden then to make breade therof But they neuer eate Iucca excepte it be firste sliced and pressed for it is ful of lycoure and then baked or sodden But this is to be marueled at that the iuyce of this roote is a poyson as strong as Aconitum an herbe of a straungâ— nature so that if it be dronke it causeth present death and yet the breade made of the â—aâ—e therof is of good taste and holsome as all they haue proued They make also an other kynde of breade of a certayne pulse called â—anicum Maâ—â—â—um muche lyke vnto wheate wherof is great pleÌ„tie in the dukedome of Mylane Spayne and Granatum But that of this countrey is longer by a spanne somewhat sharpe towarde the ende and as bygge as a mannes arme in the brawne The graynes wherof are sette in a maruelous order and are in fourme somwhat lyke a pease While they be soure and vnripe they are white but when they are ripe they be very blacke When they are broken they be whyter then snowe This kynde of grayne they call Maizium Golde is of some estimation among them â—olde in estiâ—ation for some of them hange certain small pieces therof at theyr eares and nosethrilles A lyttell beyonde this place our men wente a lande for fresshe water where they chaunced vpon a Ryuer whose sande was myxed with muche golde Golde in the sandes of ryuers They founde there no kindes of foure foted beastes excepte three kyndes of lyttell conyes These Ilandes also nourishe serpentes Serpentes without vemâ—ne but such as are without hurt Lykewise wylde geese turtle doues and duckes Turtle doues Duckes much greater then ours and as whyte as swannes with heades of purple coloâ—re Also Popiniaies Popingiayes of the whiche some are greene some yelowe and some lyke them of India with yelowe rynges about theyr neckes as Plinie describeth them Plini Of these they broughte fortie with them of moste liuely and delectable coloures hauyng three fethers entermengled with greene yelowe and purple whiche varietie deliteth the sense not a litle Thus muche thought I good to speake of Potingiaies ryghte noble Prynce specially to this intente that albeit the opinion of Christophorus Colonus who affirmeth these Ilandes to be parte of India dothe not in all poyntes agree with the iudgement of auncient wryters as touchynge the bignesse of the Sphere and compasse of the Globe as concernynge the nauigable portion of the same beynge vnder vs These Ilandâ—s are parte of India The Indians are Antipodes to the spaniardes yet the Popingiaies and many other thynges brought from thence doo declare that these Ilandes sauoure somâ—hat of India eyther beynge nere vnto it or elles of the same nature forasmuche as Aristotle also Aristotle about the ende of his booke De Câ—elo et Mundo and likewise Seneca Seneca with diuerse other authours not ignorant in Cosmography do affirme that India is no longe tracte by sea distante from Spayne by the weste Ocean India not far from Spaine for the soyle of these Ilandes bryngeth forthe Mastir Mastir Aloes Aloe and sundrye other sweete gummes and spyces as doth India Cotton also of the gossampine tree Gossampyne cotton or boâ—base as in India in the countrey of the people called Seres Seres ¶ The languages of all the nations of these Ilandes The laÌ„guage of these Indians maye well be written with our Latine letters For they cal heauen Turâ—i A house Boa Golde Cauni A good man Taino nothing Mayani All other wordes of theyr language they pronounce as playnely as we doo the Latine tongue In these Ilandes they founde no trees knowen vnto them but pyne appe trees and date trees Trees and frutes vnknowen to vs. And those of maruelous heyght and exceding harde by reason of the greate moystnesse and fatnesse of the grounde Far moyste grounde with continuall and temperate heate of the sonne heate continuall and temperate whiche endureth so all the hole yere They playnely affyrme the Ilande of Hispaniola to be the most fruiteful lande that the heauen compasseth aboute The fruâ—tfulnes of hispaniola as shall more largely appere hereafter in the particular description of the same whiche we intende to sette foorthe when we shall be better instructed Thus makynge a leage of frendshyppe with the kynge and leauynge with hym .xxxviii. men to searche the Ilande he departed to Spayne takynge with hym .x. of the inhabitauntes to lerne the Spanishe tongue to the intent to vse them afterwarde for interpretours Colonus therfore at his returne was honorably receaued of the kyng and queene who caused him to sytte in theyr presence whiche is a token of great loue and honoure amonge the Spaniardes He was also made Admirall of the Ocean and his brother gouenoure of the Iland Towarde the second viage The seconde viage of Colonus he was furnished with .xii. shippes wherof there were great caractes of a thousand tunne xii were of that sorte whiche the Spaniardes call Carauelas without deckes and twoo other of the same sorte somewhat bygger and more apte to beare deckes by reason of the gretnesse of theyr mastes He had also a thousand and two hundreth armed footemen well appoynted Amonge whiche were many artificers as smythes carpenters myners and suche other Certayne horsemen also wel armed Likewise mares shiepe heyghfers and such other of bothe kindes for incrase Lykewise all kynde of pulse or grayne and corne as wheate barlye rye beanes and pease and suche other as well for food as to sowe Come and sedes to sowe Besyde vynes plantes and seedes of suche trees fruites and herbes as those countreyes lacke And not to be forgotten sundry kindes of artillery iron tooles Tooles and artillery as bowes arrowes crossebowes bylles hargabuses brode swoordes large targettes pikes mattockes shâ—ouelles hammers nayles sawes ares and suche other Thus beynge furnished accordyngely they set forwarde from the Ilandes of Gadâ—s nowe called Cals the .vii. day before the calendes of October in the yere of Christe .1493 and arriued at the Ilandes of Canarie at the calendes of October Of these Ilandes the laste is called Ferrea in whiche there is no other water that maye be drunke but onely that is gathered of the dewe whiche continually distilleth from one onely tree growynge on the hâ—ghest backe of the Ilande water droppyng from a tree continually and falleth into a rounde trenche made with mannes hande We were infourmed of these thynges within fewe dayes after his departure what shal succede we wyl certifie yowe hereafter Thus fare ye well from the courte at the Ides of Nouember .1493 ¶ The seconde booke of the fyrste Decade to Ascanius Phâ—rcia vicounte Cardinall c. YOwe repete
Seleucus Nicanor whiche attempted to cutte in sundre certeyne places cauled Isthmi beinge narowe portions of lande so diuidynge twoo seas that there is no passage from the one to the other and yet neuer finisshed that they tooke in hande beinge hyndered eyther by deathe The rewarde of noble enterprises warres or other chaunces The auncient Romans Greekes gaue such glorye vnto them that had eyther well deserued of the common welthe or otherwyse attempted such great enterprises as might bee profitable for mankynde that after theyr death they caused Images of golde syluer brasse Iuery and marble to bee made to theyr lykenesse and the same to be placed in theyr solemne haules palaices or temples with certeyne verses made to the comnendation of them whom the Images represented And thâ—s no lesse to prouoke and encorage other forwarde natures to themulaâ—ion of their vertues then alâ—o to geue them the due honoure of theyr iust desertes And surely if â—uer sence the begynnynge of the worlde any enterpryse haue deserued greate prayse as a thynge atchyued by men of heroicall vertue doubtlesse there was neuer any more woorthy commendation and admiration then is that whâ—che owre nation haue attempted by the north seas to discouer the mightie and riche empire of Cathay The vyage to Caâ—hay by the north seas by whâ—ch vyage not only golde syluer precious stones and spices may be browght hether by a safer and shorter way but also much greater matters may hereof enâ—ewe in tyme if it shall please God to gyue vnto Christian men such passage into those regions whereby such familiaritie may further growe betwene the ChristiaÌ„ princes of Europe and the greate emperoure of Cathay that as wryteth Haytho De societate Christianorum et Tartarorum there can nothynge be imagined more effectuall for the confusion of the Turke if the great Cham of Cathay and the Sophie of Persia on the one syde Societie betwene the Tâ—eâ—aâ—s and the Christians The Turke The Sophie and the Christian Princes on the other syde shulde with one consent inuade his dominions as dyd Tamburlanes Themperoure of the Tartars who abowte the Tambulanes Baiasetes yeare of Christe M. CCC.lxxxxviii toke prisoner Baiasetes Ottomanus Themperoure of the Turkes and slewe .xx. thousande of his men in one battayle besyde many other great victories as yowe may further reade in this booke in the hystorie of Paulus Iouius And to haue sayde thus muche in maner of a preface it may suffice ¶ To the moste noble Prince and Catholike kynge Charles Peter Martyr of Angleria wysheth perpetuall felicitie THe diuine prouidence frome the tyme that he fyrste created the worlde hathe reserued vnto this day the knowleage of the great and large Ocean sea The largenes of the Ocean vnknowen to this day In the which tyme he hath opened the same chiefely vnto yowe moste mightie Prince by the good fortune and happie successe of yowr grandfather by yowr mothers syde The same prouidence I knowe not by what destenie hath brought me owt of my natiue countrey of Milane and owt of the citie of Rome where I continued almost .x. yeares into Spaine that I myght particularlye collecte these marueylous and newe thynges which shoulde otherwyse perhappes haue line drowned in the whirlepoole of obliuion forasmuch as the Spanyardes men woorthy greate commendation had onely care to the generall inuentions of these thynges Notwithstandinge I doo not chalenge vnto me only the thankes of the trauaile bestowed herein wheras the chiefe rewarde therof is due to Ascanius vicounte Cardinal Cardinal Ascanius who perceauynge that I was wylling to departe owt of the citie to be present at the warres of Granatum The warres of Granatum ageynst the Moores dissuaded me from my purpose But seing that I was fully resolued to departe exhorted and required me to wryte vnto hym such newes as were famous in Spayne and woorthy to be noted I tooke therfore my iorney into Spaine chiefely for the desyre I had to see thexpedition whiche was prepared ageynst the enemies of the fayth forasmuche as in Italye by reason of the dissention amonge the Princes I coulde fynde nothynge wherewith I myght feede my wytte beinge a younge man desyrous of knowleage and experience of thynges I was therefore presente at the warres frome whense I writte to Cardinal Ascanius and by sundry epistels certifyed hym of such thynges as I thought moste woorthye to be put in memorie But when I perceaued that his fortunâ— was turned from a naturall moother to a steppedame I ceased from wrytynge Yet after I sawe that by thouerthrowe of the enemies of owre faythe Spayne was pourged of the Moores as of an euyll weede plucked vp by the rootes Leaste I shulde bestowe my slippery yeares in vnprofitable Idlenesse I was mynded to returne to Italie But the singuler benignitie of bothe the Catholyke kynge and queene nowe departed and theyr large promises towarde me vppon my returne frome my legacie of Babilon deteyned me frome my purpose The autour was â—ent ambassadour to the Soltane of Alcayr in Egypte Yet dooth it not repent me that I drewe backe my foote Aswel for that I see in no other place of the worlde at this time the lyke woorthy thinges to bee done As also that in maner throwgh owt all Italy by reason of the discorde of the Christian Princes I perceaued all thynges to runne headelonge into ruine Italy disquiâ—ted with warres the countreys to be destroyed and made fatte with humane bludde The cities sacked virgines and matrones with theyr gooddes and possessions caried away as captâ—ues and miserable innocentes without offence to be slayne vnarmed within theyr owne houses Of the which calamities The sequeles of water I dyd not onely heare the lamentable owtcryes but dyd also feele the same For euen the bludde of mine owne kinsfolkes and frendes was not free from that crueltie As I was therfore musynge with my selfe of these thynges the Cardinal of Arragonie after that he had seene the two fyrste bookes of my Decades wrytten to Ascanius required me in the name of kynge Frederike his vncle Kynge Frederike to put foorth the other eyght epistell bookes In the meane tyme also while I was voyde of all care as touchynge the matters of the Ocean the Apostolicall messengers of the bysshopppe of Rome Leo the tenth Leo the tenth â–ª byshoppe of Rome by whose holsome counsayle and autoritie we truste the calamities of Italy shal be fynysshed raysed me as it were frome sleape and encoraged me to proceade as I had begunne To his holynesse I writte two Decades coÌ„prysed in short bokes after the maner of epistels and added them to the fyrst which was printed withowt myne aduise as shall further appeare by the preface folowynge But nowe I returne to yow most noble Prince from whom I haue sumwhat digressed Spayne subdued from the Moores Therfore wheras yowr graundefathers by yowre moothers syde haue subdued all Spayne
were borne in this Ilande affirminge it to be very peopulous and frutefull hauinge also manye fayre wooddes and hauens There is deadly hatred and continual battayle betwene them the Canibales They haue no boates to passe from their owne coastes to the Canibales But if it bee their chaunce to ouercome them when they make incursion into theyr countreye to seke their praye as it sumtyme happeneth the fortune of warre beinge vncerteyne they serue them with like sause requiringe deathe for deathe Death for dâ—athe For one of theym mangeleth an other in pieces and roste them and eate them euen before their eyes They taryed not in this Ilande Yet in the weste angle therof a fewe of them went a lande for fresshe water and fownd a greate and hâ—gh howse after the maner of their buylding hauinge .xii. other of their vulgare cotages placed abowte the same The mountaynes are coulder then the playnes but were all lefte desolate whether it were that they resorted to the mountaynes by reson of the heate which was that tyme of the yeare and to returne to the playne when the ayre wareth cowlder or els for feare of the Canibales which make incursion into the Ilande at certen seasons In all this Ilande is only one kinge The south syde hereof extendeth abowte two hundrethe myles Shortlye after they came to the Ilande of Hispaniola beinge distante frome the firste Ilande of the Canibales fyue hundrethe leaques From Dominica to hiâ—paniola fyue hundreth leaques Here they fownde all thâ—nges out of order and theyr felowes slayne whiâ—h they lefte here at their fyrste vyage In the beginninge of Hispaniola hauinge in it many regions and kyngedomes as we haue sayde is the region of Xamana whose kinge is named Guaâ—canarillus The Spanyâ—â—des lefte in the Iland are sâ—ayne kynge Guaccanariâ—lus rebelleth This Guaccanarillus ioyned frendeshippe with owre men at the fyrste viage and made a league with them But in the absence of the Admirall he rebelled was the cause of owre mens destruction althowgh he dissimuled the same and pretended frendship at the Admirales returne As owre men sayled on yet a litle furtheâ— they espied a longe Canoa with many ores in which was the bâ—other of Guaccanarillus with only one man waytinge on hym He browght with hym two Images of goulde Two images of goulde which he gaue the Admirall in the name of his brother And towlde a â—ale in his language as concerninge the deathe of owre men as they proued afterwarde but at this tyme had no regarde to his communication for lacke of interpretours which were eyther all deade or escaped and stoulne awaye when they drewe nere the Ilandes But of the x.vii dyed by change of ayre and dyer The inhabitantes of these Ilandes haue byn euer soo vsed to liue at libertâ—e in playe and pastyme Libertie and idlenes that they can hardely away with the yoke of seruitude which they attempte to shake of by all meanes they maye And surely if they had receaued owre relâ—gion I wolde thinke their life moste happye of all men A happy kind of lyfe if they might therwith enioye their aunciente libertie A fewe thinges contente them hauinge no delite in suche superâ—luites Superfluite for the which in other places men take infinite paynes and commit manie vnlawfull actes and yet are neuer satisfied wheras many haue to muche and none inowgh many haue to much and none inough But emonge these simple sowles a fewe clothes serue the naked weâ—ghtes and measures are not needefull to such as can not skyll of crafte and deceyte and haue not the vse of pestifetous monye the seede of innumerable myscheues So that if we shall not be ashamed to confesse the truthe they seeme to lyue in that goulden worlde of the whiche owlde wryters speake so much â–ª The goulden worlde wherin men lyued simplye and innocentlye without inforcement of lawes without quarellinge Iudges and libelles contente onely to satisfie nature without further vexation for knowelege of thinges to come Yet these naked people also are tormeÌ„ted with ambitioÌ„ for the desyre they haue to enlarge their dominions Naked men troubled with ambicion by reason wherof they kepe warre destroy one an other froÌ„ the which plage I suppoâ—e the golden world was not free For euen then also Cede non câ—dam that is gyue place Gyue place I wyll not giue place had entred emonge men But nowe to returne to the matter froÌ„ which we haue digressed The admiral desyrous to knowe further of the death of his men sent for Guaccanarillus to come to him to his ship dissimulinge that he knew any thinge of the matter The Admira sendeth for the kynge After that he came aboord shyp saluting the Admiral his coÌ„pany gyuing also certeÌ„ golde to the Capetaynes and offycers turned him to the womeÌ„ captiues which not longe before our meÌ„ had deliuered froÌ„ the Canibales And ernestly beholding one of them whome owre men cauled Catharyne he spake gentelly vnto her No horses in the Ilandes And thus when he had seene and marueyled at the horses and suche other thinges as were in the shyppe vnknowen to them and had with a good grace and merelye asked leaue of the Admirall he departed Yet sum there were which counseyled the Admirall to kepe hym styll that if they might by any meanes proue that he was consentinge to the deathe of owre men he might bee punished accordinglie But the Admirall considering that it was yet no tyme to incense thinhabitantes myndes to wrathe A tyme for all thynges dysmyssed hym The next daye folowing the kinges brother resortyng to the shyppes eyther in his owne name or in his brothers seduced the women For on the next nyght about mydnight this Katherine aswell to recouer her owne libertie as also her felowes being suborned therto eyther by the kinge or his brothers promises attempted a much more difficulte and daungerous aduenture then dyd Cloelia of Rome A desperate aduenture of a woman Cloelia of Rome which beinge in hostage with other maydes to the kynge Porcena deceaued her kepers and rode ouer the ryuer Tiber with the other virgins which were pledges with her For wheras they swamme ouer the ryuer on horsebacke This Katharyne with seuen other women trustynge onlye to the strengthe of theyr owne armes swamme aboue three longe myles and that also at suche tyme as the sea was sumwhat rowghe For euen soo farre of frome the shore lay the shippes at rode as nigh as they could coniecture But owre men folowinge them with the shippeboates by the same light seene on the shore wherby the women were ledde tooke three of them supposinge that Katharyne with the other foure wente to Guaccanarillus For in the springe of the morninge certen messengers beinge sente to hym by the Admirall had intelligence that he was fledde with all his familie and stuffe and the women
Admirall of the Ocean returning as he supposed from the continent or firme lande of East India Easte India had aduertisement that his brother Boilus one Peter Margarita an owld familier of the kinges and a noble man with diuers other of those to whom he had left the gouernemeÌ„t of the Iland The Spanyardeâ— rebelle in the Admirâ—ls absence were of corrupted mynde ageynst him departed into Spayne Wherfore as wel to purge him of such crimes as they shuld ley to his charge as also to make a supply of other men in the place of them which were returned especially to prouyde for vitailes as wheat wyne oyle and such other which the Spanyardes are accustomed to eate bycause they coulde not yet well agree with such meates as they fownde in the Ilandes determined shortly to take his vyage into Spayne But what he dyd before his departure I wyll brefely rehearse The kynges of the Ilandes which had hytherto lyued quietly and content with theyr lyttle whiche they thowght abundante The kynges of the Ilande rebell wheras they nowe perceaued that owre men began to fasten foote within theyr Regions and to beare rule amonge them tooke the matter so greuously that they thowght nothynge elles but by what meanes they myght vtterly destroy them and for euer abolysshe the memory of theyr name For that kynde of men the Spanyardes I meane which folowed the Admirall in that nauigation The Spaniardes mâ—sbehauour was for the most parte vnruly regardynge nothinge but Idlenes playe and libertie And wolde by no meanes absteyne from iniuries Rauyshynge the womeÌ„ of the Ilandes before the faces of their husbandes fathers and brethrene By which theyr abhomynable mysde maynour they disquieted the myndes of all thinhabitantes In so much that where so euer they fownde any of owre men vnprepared they slewe them with suche fyercenes and gladnes as thowgh they had offered sacryfyce to God Intendynge therefore to pacifie their troubled myndes and to punyshe them that slew his men before he departed from thense he sent for the kynge of that vale which in the booke before we descrybed to bee at the foote of the mountaynes of the Region of Cibaua This kynges name was Guarionexius Guarionexius the kynge of the greatyale Didacus the interpretour who the more streyghtly to concyle vnto hym the frendeshyppe of the Admirall gaue his syster to wyfe to Didacus a man from his chyldes age browght vp with the Admiral whom he vsed for his interpretoure in the prouinces of Cuba After this he sent for Caunaboa cauled the lorde of the howse of goulde that is of the mountaynes of Cibaua For this Caunaboa Caunaboa the kynge of the house of golde he sent one capitayne Hoieda whom the ditionaries of Caunaboa had enforced to keepe his howlde bysiegeinge for the space of .xxx. dayes the fortresse of saynte Thomas in the which Hoieda with his fyftie souldiers stoode at theyr defence vntyll the comminge of the Admirall Whyle Hoieda remayned with Caunaboa Capitayne hoieda many ambassadours of the kynges of dyuers Regions were sent to Caunaboa persuadinge hym in no condicion to permitte the Christians to inhabite the Ilande except he had rather serue then rule On the other partie Hoieda aduertised Caunaboa to goo to the Admirall and to make a league of frendeship with hym But the ambassadours on the contrary part threatened hym that yf he wolde soo doo the other kynges wolde inuade his Region But Hoieda aunswered theym ageyne that wheras they conspired to maynteyne their libertie they shuld by that meanes be browght to seruitude destruction if they entended to resist or keepe warre ageinst the Christians Thus Caunaboa on the one syde and the other kynge Caunaboa â—ad sâ—ain the Spanyardeâ— beinge troubeled as it were a rocke in the sea beaten with contrary fluddes much more vexed with the stormes of his gyltie conscience for that he had priuilie slaine .xx. of owre men vnder pretence of peace feared to coome to the Admirall But at the length hauing excogitated this deceyte Caunaboa coÌ„spireth the Admiralleâ— death to haue slayne the Admirall and his coompany vnder the colour of frendshippe if oportunitie wold soo haue serude he repayred to the Admiral with his hole familie and many other wayting on hym armed after theyr maner Beinge demaunded why he browght soo greate a rout of men with hym he aunswered that it was not decente for soo great a prince as he was to goo foorth of his howse without suche a bande of men But the thinge chaunced much otherwyse then he looked for For he fell into the snares which he had prepared for other For wheras by the way he began to repente hym that he came foorthe of his howse Hoieda with many fayre wordes and promyses Fayre worde make fooles fayne browght hym to the Admirall At whose commaundement he was immediatly taken put in prison So that the sowles of owre men were not longe from their bodies vnreuenged Thus Caunaboa with all his familie beinge taken the Admirall was determined to runne ouer the Ilande But he was certified that there was such famine amonge thinhabitantes Famine in the Ilande of hispaniola that there was alredye fyftie thousande menne deade therof And that they dyed yet dayly as it were cotton sheepe The cause wherof was wel knowen to bee theyr owne obstinacie and frowardnes For where as they sawe that owre men entended to choose them a dwelling place in the Ilande supposinge that they myght haue driuen them from thence if the vytailes of the Ilande shoulde fayle they determyned with them selues not only to leaue sowing and plantyng but also to destroy and plucke vp by the rootes euery man in his owne region The hunger of golde causeth great famine that whiche they had alredye sowen of both kyndes of breade wherof we made mencion in the fyrst booke But especially amonge the mountaynes of Cibaua otherwyse cauled Cipanga for as muche as they hadde knoweleage that the golde which abundeth in that Region was the cheefe cause that deteyned owre men in the Ilande In the meane tyme he sent foorth a Capitayne with a bande of men to searche the sowthe syde of the Ilande Who at his returne reported that throwghe out all the Regions that he trauayled there was suche scarsenes of breade that for the space of .xvi. dayes he eate nowght elles but the rootes of herbes and of younge date trees or the fruites of other wylde trees But Guarionexius the kynge of the vale lyinge beneth the mountaynes of Cibaua whose kyngedoome was not soo wasted as the other gaue owre menne certeyne vytayles Within a fewe dayes after bothe that the iourneys myght bee the shorter and also that owre men myght haue more safe places of refuge if the inhabitantes shuld hereafter rebell in lyke maner he buylded an other fortesse whiche he cauled the towre of CoÌ„ception betwene the citie of
date trees singinge and daunsinge They were all naked sauynge that theyr pryuie partes were couered with breeches of gossampine cotton But the virgins hauynge theyr heare hangynge downe abowte their shulders tyed abowte the foreheade with a fyllet were vtterly naked well fauered women They affirme that theyr faces brestes pappes handes and other partes of theyr bodyes were excedynge smoothe and well proportioned but sumwhat inclyning to a louely browne They supposed that they had seene those most beawtyfull Dryades Dryades or the natyue nymphes or fayres of the fontaynes wherof the antiquites speake so muche The branches of date trees which they bore in theyr right handes wheÌ„ they daunced they delyuered to the Leauetenaunt with lowe curtesy and smylynge countenaunce Thus enteringe into the kynges howse they fownde a delycate supper prepared for them after theyr maner A delicate supper When they were well refreshed with meate the nyght drawinge on they were browght by the kynges officers euery man to his lodginge accordyng to his degree in certeyne of theyr howses abowte the palaice where they rested them in hangynge beddes after the maner of the countrey hanginge beddes wherof we haue spoken more largely in an other place ¶ The daye folowyng they browght owre men to their common haule A common haule into the whiche they coome together as often as they make any notable games or triumphes as we haue said before Here after many daunsynges synginges maskinges runnynges wrestlynges and other tryinge of mastryes soodenly there appered in a large plaine nere vnto the haule .ii. greate armies of men of warre whiche the kynge for his pastyme had caused to bee prepared A pretie pastyme as the Spaniardes vse the playe with reedes whiche they caule Iuga de Canias As the armies drewe neere together they assayled the one the other as fiersely as if mortal ennemies with theyr baners spleade shulde fight for theyr goodes theyr landes theyr lyues their libertie theyr countrey theyr wyues and theyr chyldren Soo that within the momente of an howre foure men were slayne Foure men slaine in â—port and many wounded The battayle also shoulde haue contynued longer if the kynge had not at the request of owre men caused them to cease The thyrde day the Lieuetenant conselynge the kynge to sowe more plentie of gossampine vppon the bankes nere vnto the waters syde that they myghte the better paye theyr tribute priuately accordynge to the multitude of theyr howses he repayred to Isabella to vysite the sicke men whiche he had lefte there and also to see howe his woorkes wente forwarde In the tyme of his absence .xxx. of his men were consumed with diuerse diseases Prouision for diseased men Wherfore beinge sore trowbled in his mynde and in maner at his wyttes ende what he were best to doo for as muche as he wanted al thynges necessarie as well to restore them to healthe whiche were yet acrased as also vitayles to mayntaine the hole multitude where as there was yet no shippe coome from Spaine as at the length he determyned to sende abrode the sicke men here and there to sundrye Regions of the Ilande and to the castelles which they had erected in the same for directly from the citie of Isabella to saynt Dominikes towre that is from the north to the south The castels or towres of hispaniola throwgh the Iland they had buylded thus many castelles Fyrste .xxxvi. myles distante from Isabella they buylded the castell of Sperantia from Sperantia xxv myles was the castell of saynte Catharine from saynte Catharines .xx. myles was saynt Iames towre Other .xx. miles from saynte Iames towre was A stronger fortresse then any of the other which they cauled the towre of Conception which he made the stronger bicause it was situate at the rootes of the golden mountaynes of Cibaua The golden mountaynes of Cibaua in the greate and large playne soo fruitefull and well inhabited as we haue before described He buylded also an other in the mydde waye betwene the towre of Conception saynt Dominikes towre The which also was stronger then the towre of Conception bycause it was within the lymittes of A great kynge hauing vnder his dominion fiue thowsande men whose chiefe Citie and heade of the Realme beynge cauled Bonauum Bonauum he wylled that the castell shulde also bee cauled after the same name Therfore leauynge the sicke men in these castels and other of the Ilande howses nere vnto the same he hym selfe repayred to saynte Dominikes Tribute eractinge tributes of all the kynges whiche were in his waye When he had taryed there A fewe dayes there was a rumor spredde that all the kynges abowte the borders of the towre of Conception had conspyred with desperate myndes to rebell agenste the Spaniardes The kynges rebelle When the Lieuetenaunte was certified hereof he tooke his iorneye towarde them immediately not beyng discoraged eyther by the lengthe of the waye or feeblenesse of his souldyers beynge in maner forweried with trauayle As he drewe nere vnto them he had aduertisement that kynge Guarionexius was chosen by the other prynces to bee the Capitayne of this rebellion Guarionexius capitaine of the conspiracie And that he was enforsed therto halfe vnwilling beynge seduced by theyr perswasions and prouocations The whiche is more lykely to be trewe for that he had before had experience of the power and policie of owre men They came together at a daye appoynted accoompanied with .xv. thousande men An army of xv thouâ—ande Barbarians armed after their maner once agen to proue the fortune of warre Here the Lieuetenaunte consultynge with the Capitayne of the fortresse and the other souldiers of whoÌ„ he had the conducte determyned to sette vpon them vnwares in their owne howses before they coulde prepare theyr army He sent foorthe therfore to euery kynge a Centurian that is a capitaine of a hundreth which were commaunded vppon a sudden to inuade theyr howses in the night and to take theÌ„ sleepinge beefore the people beinge scattered here and there might assemble togyther Thus secreatly enteringe into their vylages not fortified with waules trenches or bulwarkes they broke in vppon them tooke them bounde them The kynges are taken pâ—â—soners and led away euery man his prisoner according as they were coÌ„maunded The Lieuetenaunt hym selfe with his hundreth men assayled kynge Guarionexius as the woorthier personage whom he tooke prysoner as dyd the other capitaynes theyr kynges at the same howre appoynted Foureteene of theym were browght the same nyght to the towre of Conception Shortlye after when he had put to death two of the kynges which were the chiefe autours of this newe reuolte and had suborned Guarionexius and the other kynges to attempte the same least the people for sorowe of theyr kynges shulde neglecte or forsake their countrey which thinge myght haue byn greate incommoditie to owre men who by thincrease of theyr seedes and
Death for death Then with the Canibales owne clubbe he layde on hym al that he might dryue with hande and foote grinninge and fretinge as it had byn a wylde bore Thinkynge that he had not yet sufficiently reuenged the death of his companyons when he had beaten owte his braynes and guttes When he was demaunded after what sorte the Canibales were woont to inuade other contreys howe the canibales fortifie their caÌ„pe he answered that they euer vsed to carye with them in theyr Canoas a greate multitude of clubbes The whiche where soo euer they lande they pitche in the grownde and encampe them selues within the coompasse of the same to lye the more safely in the nyght season In Curiana they fownde the head of a capitaine of the Canibales nailed ouer the doore of a certeyne gouernoure for a token of victorie as it hadde byn the standerde or helmette taken from the enemye in battayle In these coastes of Paria is a Region cauled Haraia Haraia in the whiche greate plentie of salte is gathered after a strange sorte For the sea beinge there tossed with the poure of the wyndes dryueth the salte waters into a large playne by the sea syde Salte engendred of the water of the sea where afterward when the sea waxeth câ—ulme and the soonne begynnethe to shyne the water is congeled into moste pure and whyte salte wherewith innumerable shyppes might bee laden if men doo resorte thether for the same beefore there faule any rayne For the rayne meltethe it and causeth it to synke into the sande and soo by the pores of the earthe to returne to the place from whense it was dryuen Other say that the playne is not fylled from the sea but of certeine springes whose water is more sharpe and salt theÌ„ the Sprynges of of salt water water of the sea Thinhabitantes doo greatlye esteeme this bay of salte Which they vse not only for theyr owne commoditie but also woorkinge the same into a square forme lyke vnto brickes they sell it to strangers for exchaunge of other thynges whiche they lacke In this Region they stretche and drye the deade bodies of theyr kinges and noble men The bodies of princes dryed reserued layinge the same vpon a certeyne frame of woodde much lyke vnto a hurdle or grediren with a gentell fyre vnder the same thus by lyttle and lyttle consuminge the flesshe and keepinge the skynne hole with the bones inclosed therein These dryed carcases they haue in greate reuerence and honour them for theyr householde and famylier goddes They say that in this place they sawe a man and in an other place a woman thus dryed and reserued When they departed from Curiana the .viii day of the Ides of February to returne to Spayne they had three score and .xvi. poundes weight after .viii. vnces to the pownde of perles which they bought for exchange of owre thynges amountinge to the value of fyue shyllinges Threescore xvi poundes weight of perles for .v. shillynges Departinge therfore they consumed three score dayes in theyr iourney althowgh it were shorter then frome Hispaniola by reason of the contynuall course of the sea into the weste The course of the sea toward the weste whiche dyd not only greately stey the shippe but also sumtymes dryue it backe But at the length they came home soo laden with perles that they were with euery maryner in maner as common as chaffe But the master of the shyppe Petrus Alphonsus perles as coÌ„moÌ„ as chaffe â—etrus AlphoÌ„sus in prison beinge accused of his coompanyons that he had stowlen a great multitude of precious perles and defrauded the kynge of his portion which was the fyueth parte was taken of Fernando de Vega a man of greate lerninge and experience and gouernour oâ— Gallecia where they arryued and was there kepte in pryson a longe tyme. But he styll denyethe that euer he deteyned anye parte of the perles Many of these perles were as bygge as hasell nuttes Orient perles as bygge as hasel nuttes and oriente as we caule it that is lyke vnto them of the Easte partes Yet not of soo greate price by reason that the holes therof are not soo perfecte When I my selfe was presente with the ryght honorable duke of Methyna and was bidden to dyner with hym in the citie of Ciuile they browght to hym aboue a hundreâ—h and twentie vnces of perles to be soulâ—e which surely did greatly delyte me with their fayrenes and brightnes Sum saye that Alphonsus hadde not these perles in Curiana being distante from Os Draconis more theÌ„ a hundreth and twentie leaques Curiana Os Draconis but that he had them in the Regions of Cumana and Manacapana Cumana Manacapana nere vnto Os Draconis and the Ilande of Margarita The Iland of Margarita For they deny that there is any perles fownde in Curiana But sithe the matter is yet in controuersie we wyll passe to other matters Thus muche yowe haue whereby yowe maye coniecture what commoditie in tyme to coome may bee looked for from these newe landes of the west Ocean wheras at the fyrste discoueringe they shewe such tokens of greate ryches Thus fare ye well ¶ The .ix. booke of the fyrst Decade to Cardynall Lodouike VIncentiagnes Pinzonus and also Aries Pinzonus The nauigation of vincentius and Aries Pinzonus his neuie by his brothers syde which accompanyed the Admiral Colonus in his fyrste vyage and were by him appoynted to bee masters of twoo of the smaule shippes which the Spaniardes caule Carauelas beinge mooued by the greate ryches and amplytude of the new landes furnyshed of theyr owne charges foure carauels in the hauen of theyr owne countrey which the Spanyardes caule Palos bortheringe on the weste Ocean Hauynge therfore the kynges licence and passeporte to departe Licence and passeporte they loosed froÌ„ the hauen abowte the Calendes of December in the yeare 1499. This hauen of Palos is three score and twelue myles distant from Gades commonly cauled Cales and three score and foure myles from Ciuile Cales Ciuile All thinhabitantes of this towne not one excepted are greately gyuen to searchinge of the sea and continually exercysed in sayling They also directed their vyage fyrst to the Ilandes of Canarie by the Ilandes of Hesperides The Ilandes of Canarie nowe cauled Cabouerde Cabouerde which sum caule Gorgodes Meducias Saylinge therfore directly towarde the southe frome that Iland of the Hesperides which the Portugales being possessers of the same caule Sancti Iacobi and departinge frome thense at the Ides of Ianuary they folowed the southwest wynde s. Iames Ilande beinge in the myddest betwene the south and the weste When they supposed that they had sayled aboute three hundrethe leaques by the same wynde they say that they loste the syght of the Northe starre The North pole owte of syght and were shortelye after tossed with excedinge tempestes
bothe of wynde and sea and vexed with intollerable heate Yet sayled they on further not without greate daunger for the space of twoo hundrethe and fortie leaques folowing yet the same wynde by the lost pole Wherfore whether habitable Regions bee vnder the Equinoctiall lyne or not habitable Regions vnder the Equinoctial lyne let these men and the owlde wryters aswel Philosophers as poetes and cosmographers discusse For these men affirme it to bee habitable and maruelouâ—ly replenished with people and they that it is vnhabitable by reason of the soone beames dependinge perpendicularly or directlye ouer the same Yet were there many of the oulde wryters whiche attempted to proue it habitable These maryners beinge demaunded if they sawe the south pole they answered that they knewe no starre there lyke vnto this pole that myght be decerned aboute the poynte But that they sawe an other order of starres and a certeyne thicke myst rysynge from the horizontall lyne An other order of starres A thycke mist which greatly hyndered theyr syght They contende also that there is a great heape or rysynge in the myddest of the earth A rysinge in the myddest of the earth which taketh away the syght of the southe pole vntyll they haue vtterly passed ouer the same But they verely beleue that they sawe other images of starres muche differinge from the situation of the starres of owre hemispherie or halfe circle of heauen Howe soo euer the matter bee as they informe vs wee certifie yowe At the lengthe the seuenth day of the calendes of Februarye they espied lande a farre of And seinge the water of the sea to bee troubelous soundinge with theyr plummet they founde it to bee .xvi. fathames deepe Goinge a lande and tarienge there for the space of twoo dayes they departed bycause they saw no people steringe althowghe they fownde certeyne steppes of men by the sea syde Thus grauinge on the trees and the stones nere vnto the shore the kynges name and theyrs and the tyme of theyr comming thether they departed Not farre froÌ„ this station folowynge the fyers on the lande by nyght they founde a nation lyinge vnder the open fyrmamente after the maner of warre Owre men thought it not beste to trowble them vntyll the morninge Therefore at the rysinge of the soonne fortie of owre men well armed wente toward them ageynst whom came furth .xxxii. of them with bowes slinges and dartes euen redy to the feyght The other coompanye folowed them armed after the same maner Owr men affirme that they were of hygher stature then eyther the Almaynes or Pannonians People of hygh stature They behelde owre men with frownynge and threatenynge countenaunce But owre men thought it not good to faule to bickeringe with them vncerteyne whether it were for feare or bycause they wolde not dryue theÌ„ to flight Wherfore they went aboute to allure them by faire meanes rewardes But they refused all kynde of gentelnes stoode euer in a redines to feight declaringe the same by signes and tokens Thus owr men resorted to theyr shippes and they to the place from whence they came without any further busynes The same nyght abowte mydnyght they fledde and left the place voyde where they lay in campe Owre men suppose them to bee a vagabunde and wanderinge nacion lyke vnto the Scythians A vagabunde kynde of men withowte houses or certeyne dwellinge places lyuinge onely with the fruites of the earth hauing theyr wyues and chyldren folowinge them Such as measured their footesteppes in the sande affirme with greate othes that one of theyr feete is almost as longe as twoo feete of owre men of the meane sorte Saylinge on yet further Giantes they founde an other ryuer but not of deapth sufficient to beare the carauels They sent therfore the foure shippe boates to lande ful of armed men to search the countrey They espyed vppon a hyghe hyll nere vnto the sea syde a greate multitude of people to whom owre coompany sent furthe one man with certeyne of owre thynges to allure them to exchaunge And when he had cast a haukes bell towarde them they cast downe a wedge of golde a cubette longe The which as he stouped to take vppe they soodenly inclosed hym and caryed hym awaye But he was shortly after rescued by his coompanyons to sum of their paynes for they slewe eyght of owre men and wounded many a farre of with theyr arrowes and dartes made of wood hardened at the endes with fyre After this they encoompased owre shippe boates within the ryuer and came rasshelye within the reache of owre men Desperate bouldenes layinge houlde on the boates sydes where they were thrust throwgh and hewen in peeces as it had byn sheepe by reason they were naked Yet wolde they not for al this gyue ouer but tooke from owre men one of their boates hauing noo men in it For the gouernour therof being slayne with an arrowe the other fledde and escaped And thus they lefte this fierce and warlyke people saylinge towarde the northweste alonge by the same coastes with sorowfull hartes for the death of theyr coompanyons When they had sayled abowte .xl. leaques they chaunced into a sea of suche fresshe water A sea of fresshe water that they fylled theyr barelles and hogges heades therwith Searching the cause hereof they vnderstoode that a vehement course of ryuers discended with great violence from the toppes of certeyne greate hylles They say also that there lyeth within the sea many fortunate and fruitfull Ilandes Many fruitefull Ilandes and well inhabyted And that thinhabitantes of this tracte are men of meeke nature and suche as doo not refuse strangers humane people Yet lyttle profytable to them bycause they had noo marchandyes for their purpose as golde or precyous stones For lacke wherof they broughâ— frome thense thyrtie captiues to sell for slaues Thinhabitantes caule this Region Mariatambal MariataÌ„ball The Region of the easte parte of that ryuer is cauled Camomorus Camomorus And that of the weste parte Paricora Paricora in the midlande wherof thinhabitantes signified that there is greate plentie of golde For folowynge this ryuer directly toward the Northe as the bendynge of the shore requyred they recouered ageyne the syght of the north pole All the coaste of this tracte perteyneth to Paria Regions of Paria the which as we sayd before was fyrst founde by Colonus hym selfe Golde and perles and hath in maner in euery place greate abundaunce of pearles They saye that these coastes are adioynynge vnto and all one with Os Draconis Os Draconis and also bortherynge vppon the Regions of Cumana Cumana Manacapana Manacapana Curiana Curiana Cauchieta and Cuchibachoa Wherfore they thought it to bee parte of the firme lande of India beyonge the ryuer of Ganges For the greate and large coompaâ—se therof dothe not permit that it shulde bee an Ilande Albeit the hole earth vncouered with
trees And that as they attempted to take these beastes women are slippery cattayle they slypped owte of their handes as they had byn yeles Where vppon they consulted and determyned bythaduice of the elders Al wisedome gothe not by age that al suche shulde bee sowght foorthe amonge them as were scabbyd and leprous to thintente that with theyr rowghe and harde handes they myght theselyer take holde of them These men they caule Caracaracoles And sente them foorthe a huntinge to take these beastes But of many which they tooke they coulde keepe but only foure The whiche as they wolde haue vsed for women they fownde that they lacked womans priuities Wherefore caulinge thelders ageyne to counsayle to consult what were beste to bee done in this case here nedeth sum tropologicall interpretour theyr aduice was that the byrde which wee caule the Pye shuld bee admitted with his byll to open a place for that purpose whyle in the meane tyme these men cauled Caracaracoles shulde hould fast the womens thighes abrode with theyr rowgh handes Full wysely therfore was the pye put to this office and opened the womens priuities and hereof the women of the Ilande haue theyr original and ofspringe But nowe doo I cease to marueyle that the owlde Grekes dyd fable and wryte so manye bookes of the people cauled Myrmidones Myrmidones which they fayned to bee engendred of antes or pissemeres These and suche lyke the sagest and wysest of the people Preachers for the deuyl preache continually to the simple sorte and reherse the same as moste holy oracles But it is yet more chyldysshe that they fable as touchinge thoriginall of the sea For they saye that there was once in the Ilande a man of greate power whose name was Iaia whose only soonne being dead he buryed hym within a greate gourde A vengeable greate gourd This Iaia greuouslye takyng the death of his soonne after a fewe moonthes came ageyne to the gourde The which when he had opened there isshewed foorth many great whales and other monsters of the sea The originall of the sea where vppon he declared to suche as dwelt abowte hym that the sea was enclosed in that gourde By which report foure brethren borne of one woman who dyed in her trauail beinge moued came to the gourde in hope to haue many fysshes The whiche when they had taken in theyr handes and espied Iaia comming who oftentymes resorted to the gourd to viset the boones of his soonne fearing least he shulde suspecte them of thefte and sacrileage sodaynely let the gourde faule owte of theyr handes which beinge broken in the faule the sea furthwith brake owte at the ryftes therof and so fylled the vales ouerflowed the playnes that only the mountaynes were vncouered whiche nowe conteyne the Ilandes which are seene in those coastes The originall of Ilandes And this is the oppinion of theyr wyse men as concernynge thoriginall of the sea But nowe most noble prince you shall heare a more pleasaunt fable There is a certeyne caue cauled Iouanaboina in the territorye of a certeyne kynge whose name is Machinnech This caue they honour more religiously then dyd the Grekes in tyme paste Corinth Cyrrha or Nysa A holy caue And haue adourned it with pictures of a thousand fasshions In thenterance of this caue they haue twoo grauen Zemes wherof the one is cauled Binthaitel and the other Marohu Images Beinge demaunded why they had this caue in soo greate reuerence they answered ernestly bycause the Soonne and the Moone came fyrst owt of the same to gyue lyght to the worlde The originall of the soone and moone They haue religious concourse to these caues as wee are accustomed to goo on Pylgramage to Rome or Uaticane Pylgramage Compostele or Hierusalem and most holye and heade places of owre Religion They are also subiect to an other kynde of superstition walkynge sprytes For they thinke that deade folkes walke in the nyght and eate of the fruite cauled Guannaba vnknowen vnto vs and sumwhat lyke vnto a quynse Affirmynge also that they are conuersant with lyuing people Incubi euen in theyr beddes and to deceaue women in takynge vppon them the shape of men shewynge them selues as thowgh they wolde haue to doo with them But when the matter coÌ„meth to actual deede soodenly to vanysshe away A remedye ageynst walkyng sprites If any doo suspecte that a deade body lyeth by hym when he feeleth anye straunge thynge in the bedde they say hee shal be owt of dout by feelynge of the belly therof affirmyng that the spirites of deade men may take vppon them al the members of mans body sauinge only the nauell If therfore by lacke of the nauell he doo perceaue that a deade body lyeth by hym the feelynge is immediatly resolued They beleue verely that in the nyght and often tymes in theyr iourneys and especially in common and hygh wayes deade men doo meete with the lyuynge Ageynste whome if any man bee stoute and owte of feare the phantasye vanyssheth incontinentely Phantasies proceadynge of feare But yf anye feare the phantasy or vysion doth soo assaute hym and stryke hym with further feare that manye are thereby astonysshed and haue the lymmes of theyr bodyes taken Thinhabytantes beinge demaunded of whom they had those vayne supersticions Al is not good that is owlde they answered that they were lefte them of theyr forefathers as by discent of inheritance And that they haue had the same before the memory of man composed in certeine rymes and songes which it was lawful for none to lerne but onely the kynges soonnes who commytted the same to memorye Syngynge playinge bycause they hadde neuer any knoweleage of letters These they synge beefore the people on certeyne solemne and festiuall dayes as moste religious ceremonies whyle in the meane tyme they play on a certeyne instrumente made of one hole peece of woodde sumwhat holowe lyke a tymbrell Their preestes and diuines whom they caule Boitios instructe them in these superstitions Preestes and diuines These preestes are also phisitians Phisitians diuisinge a thousande craftes and subtylties howe to deceaue the simple people which haue them in greate reuerence For they persuade them that the Zemes vse to speake with theym familierlye Ignorance is noryshed with superstâ—tion and tel them of thynges to come And if any haue bin sicke are recouered they make them beleue that they obteyned theyr healthe of the Zemes. These Boitii bynde them selues to muche fastinge and owtewarde clenlynes and pourgeinges Fastynge and outward clenlynes Especially when they take vppon them the cure of any Prince For then they drynke the pouder of a certeyne herbe by whose qualitie they are dryuen into a furye At whiche tyme as they say they lerne many thynges by reuelation of the Zemes. A pouder of maruelous effecte Then puttinge secreatly in theyr mouthes eyther a stone
of the motions of the Ocean sea to and fro this shal suffyce Let vs now therfore reherse what they write of Dariena of their habitation there which they caule Sancta Maria Antiqua Sancta Maria Antiqua the fyâ—st habitation of the spaniardes in the fyrme lande planted on the sea bankes of Dariena The situation of the place hath no natural munition or defense And the ayer is more pestiferous then in Sardus Sardus the Ilande of Sardinia The Spanyshe inhabitours are all pale yelowe lyke vnto them that haue the yelowe gianndyes Whiche neuerthelesse commeth not of the nature of the region as it is situate vnder the heauen For in many regyons beyng vnder the selfe same degree of latitude hauyng the pole of the same eleuation The variety of regions lynge vnder one paralel they fynd holsome temperate ayer in such places where as the earth bryngeth forth fayre sprynges of water or where holsome ryuers runne by bankes of pure earthe without mudde but moste especyally where they inhabyte the sydes of the hylles and not the valleyes But that habytation whiche is on the bankes of the ryuer of Dariena is sytuate in a deepe valley and enuironed on euery syde with hyghe hylles By reason wherof it receaueth the soonne beames at noonetyde directly perpenticular ouer their heades and are therfore sore vexed by reflection of the beames bothe before behynde and from the sydes For it is the reflection of the soonne beames whiche causeth feruente heate By what meanes the â—onne beames are cauâ—e of feruent heate â–ª and not their accesse or nerenesse to the earth Forasmuche as they are not passyble in them selues as dothe manyfestly appeare by the snowe lyinge contynually vnmolten vpon certeyne hygh montaynes as yowre holynesse knoweth ryghte well The soonne beames therfore faulyng on the montaynes are reflected downewarde into the valley by reason of thobiecte of the declynynge sydes of the hylles as it were the faule of a greate rounde stoone rowled frome the toppe of a montayne The valley therfore receaueth both those beames whiche faule directly theron and also those whiche are reflected downwarde from euery syde of the montaynes Their habitation therfore in Dariena The pernicious ayer of Darienâ— is pernicious and vnholsome onely of the particular nature of the place not by the sytuation of the regyon as it is placed vnder the heauen or â—â—eare to the soonne The place is also contagious by the nature of the soyle by reason it is coompased aboute with muddy and stynkynge marysshes thinfection wherof is not a lyttle encreased by the heate The vyllage it selfe is in a maryshe and in maner a standynge puddle where of the droppes faulyng from the handes of the bond men whyle they water the pauementes of their houses Toades and flees engendered of droppes of water toades are engendered immediately as I my selfe sawe in an other place the droppes of that water turne into flees in the soomer season Furthermore where so euer they dygge the grounde the deapthe of a handefull and a halfe there springeth owte vnholsome and corrupte water of the nature of the ryuer which runneth through the deepe muddy chanel of the valley and so fauleth into the sea Now therfore they consulte of remouyng their habytation Necessytie caused them fyrst to fasten their foote heare Necessytie hath no â—awâ— bycause that they whiche fyrst arryued in those landes were oppressed with suche vrgente hunger that they had no respecte to chaunge the place althoughe they were thus vexed by the contagion of the soyle and heate of the soonne besyde the corrupte water and infectious ayer by reason of venemous vapours and exhalations rysynge from the same An other great incommoditie was that the place was destitute of a commodious hauen beynge three leaques distante from the mouthe of the goulfe The waye is also roughe and diffyculte to brynge vyttayles and other necessaries from the sea But lette vs nowe speake sumwhat of other particular thynges whiche chaunsed Therfore shortly after that they weare arryued there happened many thynges wherof they had no knowledge before A certayne well learned phisytion of Ciuile whome partely thautorytie of the bysshoppe of Dariena and partely the desyre of golde had allured to those landes was so scarred with lyghtnynge in the nyghte season lyinge in bedde with his wyfe that the house and all the stuffe therin beynge sette on fyer and burnte A houâ—e sette on fyer with lyghtnynge he and his wyfe beynge bothe soore scorched ranne foorthe cryinge and almoste naked hardely escapynge the daunger of deathe At an other tyme as certayne of them stoode on the shoore a great Crocodyle sodenly caryed awaye a masty of a yeare and a halfe owlde A dogge deuoured of a crocodyle as a kyte shulde haue snatched vppe a chicken Tanquam canis e Nilo And this euen in the presence of theym all where the myserable dogge cryed in vayne for the helpe of his mayster In the nighte season they were tormented with the bytynge of battes whiche are there soo noysome that if they byte any man in his sleape The byting of battes they putte hym in daunger of lyfe onely with drawynge of bludde In so muche that summe haue dyed therof faulynge as it were into a consumption through the malyciousnesse of the venemous wounde If these battes chaunce to fynde a cocke or a henne abrode in the nyght season they byte them by the combes and so kyll them They also whiche wente laste into these regions do wryte that the lande is troubeled with Crocodyles Lyons and Tigers Lyons and tygers But that they haue nowe deuised artes and ingens howe to take them Lykewyse that in the houses of their felowes they founde the hydes and cases of suche Lyons and Tygers as they had kylled They wryte furthermore that by reason of the rankenesse and frutefulnesse of the grounde kyne swyne and horses doo maruelously increase in these regions and growe to a muche bygger quantitie then they whiche weare of the first broode Beastes wer bygger in theâ—r kynde Of the excedynge hyghnesse of the trees with their fruites of the garden herbes fruites plantes and seedes whiche owre men broughte from Spayne and sowed and set the same in these regyons lykewyse of the hertes and other foure footed beastes bothe tame and wylde also of dyuers kyndes of foules byrdes and fysshes they write euen as we haue declared in the decades before Careta the kynge of the regyon of Cioba how the gouernour enterteyned kyng Careta was with them for the space of three dayes whome when they had frendly enterteyned and shewed hym the secreate places of their shyppes their horses also with their trappars bardes and other furnimentes besyde many other thinges whiche seemed straunge to hym and had further delited his mynd with the harmony of their musycall instrumentes and gyuen hym many rewardes they dysmyssed hym halfe amased
thynges neceâ—sary they tooke their vyage directly towarde the west by the prouidence whâ—che thinhabitauntes caule Comi and Mâ—iâ—m Comi Maiâ—m They ouer passed these regions takyng onely freshe water and fuel in the same The barbarians both men women and châ—ldren flocked to the sea syde astonysshed greatly to behold the huge bygnesse of the shyppes Owre men marueyled in maner no leâ—se to viewe their buyldynges and especially their temples sytuate neare vnto the sea and erected after the maner of towers Thus at the length hauyng sayled about a hundreth and ten myles they thought it good to ley anker in a prouince named Campechium Campechium whose chiefe towne consysteth of three thousande houses A towne of three thousand howses Thinhabitauntes came swymmynge to the shyppes marueylyng excedyngly at the maner of saylinge and at the sayles and other tackelynges But when they hard the thunder of the gunnes sawe the smoke and smelte the sauour of brimstone and fyer they supposed that thunderboultes and lyghtnynges had byn sente from god The kynge receaued owre men honorably and broughte them into his pallayce where he feasted them well after his maner They are accustomed to eate fleshe and haue great plentie of beastes and foules Plentie of beastes and foules as peacockes and other whiche they francke and feede in their houses Also dyuers kyndes of wylde foules of the mountaines wooddes and waters Likewise partriches quailes turtle dooues duckes and geese Of beastes they haue connies woolues lyons tigers foxes wylde boores hartes and hares After this banquet the kyng with his traine and famylie brought owre men into a brode crosse way where many streates do meete Theyr Idoles and Idolatry In this they shewed them as it were a great and highe aulter buylded foure square of marble compacte together partly with the toughe cleye of Babilon cauled Bitumem and partly with smaule stoones It had on euery syde foure steares Uppon the altare was an Image of a man made of marble and fast by it the Images of two beastes of vnknowen shape whiche seemed as thoughe they wolde with yanynge mouthes haue torne in sunder the bealy of the mannes Image On the other syde stoode a great serpent compacte of the sayde toughe cleye and smaule stoones This serpent beynge in length .xlvii. foote and of the bygnesse of a large oxe seemed to deuour a lyon of marble and was al by sparcled with freshe bludde Harde by the altare were thre postes fastned in the ground the which three other trauersed and were susteined with stones In this place offenders were put to death In token wherof they sawe innumerable arrowes steined with bludde sum scatered sum lyinge on heapes and sum broken Also a great number of mennes bones lying in a court or yarde nere vnto this funestal place Their houses are here also builded of lime and stone houses of lyme stone They named this king Lazarus bicause they arriued at this lande on saint Lazarus day Departing froÌ„ hense directing theyr course styl toward the West for the space of .xv. myles they came to a prouince named Aquanil The prouince Aquinall whose chiefe towne is cauled Moseo Moseo the kynge thereof Cupoton He behelde owre men with a frowarde countenaunce and fought occasion to doo them sume priuie mischiefe whyle they sought for fresshe water For he made signes vnto them that on the further syde of the nexte hyll they shulde fynde sprynges of water intendyng to haue assayled them in that narowe passage But by the colouryng of theyr forheades as they are accustomed in theyr warres and by the bearynge of theyr bowes and other weapons owr men perceaued theyr wylynes and refused to go any further Yet a thousande of the Barbarians assayled theym vnwares and vnprepared By reason wherof they were put to flyght and dyuers of them slayne in the chase The Spanyardes are put to flyght and many slayne Many that fledde to warde the shippes were entangeled in the mudde and maryshes nere vnto the shore Twentie and two were slayne with arrowes and the resydewe for the most parte wounded Franciscus Fernandes the gouernour of the nauie receaued in this conflicte three and thirtie woundes And in maner none escaped without hurt If they had gonne to the hylles whiche were appoynted them they had byn slayne euery man They therfore that escaped returned to the Ilande of Fernardina frome whense they came where they were receaued of theyr felows with heauie chere But when Diegus Velasquen the gouernoure of the Ilande had intelligence hereof An other expedition he immediatly furnyshed a newe nauie of foure Caraueles with three hundreth men Of this nauie he appoynted Iohn Grisalua his neuie to be the gouernour And assigned for vnder capitaynes Alphons Auila Frances Montegio and Peter Aluarado For the pylot he assigned Antonie Alamino who had the regiment of the fyrst nauie They attempted the same vyage ageyne but declyned sumwhat more towarde the South about threscore and tenne myles Before they sawe any lande they espyed a towre a farre of by the viewe wherof they came to an Ilande named Cozumella The Iland of Cozumella from the whiche they smelte sweete sauours proceadynge with the wynde Sweete sauours before they approched to the lande by the space of three myles They founde the Ilande to be fortie and fiue myles in circuite It is playne and of maruelous frutefull sâ—yle A frutefull Ilande There is also golde in it but it is not engendered there but brought thether from other regions It aboundeth with hony fruites and herbes And hath also great plentie of foules and foure footed beastes Theyr order and maner of lyuyng is in al thynges lyke vnto theyrs of Iucatana Towres and â—emples Lykewyse theyr howses temples streates and apparell In many of theyr houses are great postes of marble after the maner of owre buyldynge They founde there the fouÌ„dations of certeyne owlde towres ruinate And one especially with .xviii. steares ascendynge to it after the maner of solemne temples They marueyled greatly at owre shippes and maner of saylynge At the fyrst they wolde admyt no straungers but shortly after receaued them gentelly Theyr chiefe ruler whom owre men supposed to bee a preeste led them vp to the toppe of the towre where they erected a banner and addicted the Ilande to the dominion of the kynge of Castyle namynge it Sancta Crux Cozumella named Sancta Crux bycause they entered into the same in the nones of Maye beinge then the feaste of the holye crosse They saye that it was cauled Cozumella of kynge Cozumellaus whose auncestours were the fyrst that inhabited the Ilande Idoles lyke beares In the towre they founde many chambers furnyshed with Images made both of earthe and marble to the similytude of beares These they caule vppon with a houlynge and lamentable songe Idolatry perfumyng them with sweete odours and other wyse honourynge them as
came a great coompanye of armed men towarde theym demaundyng what they had to do thus to wander in other mennes landes Owr men made answere by Aquillaris that they desyred peace vyttayles and golde for exchaunge of other thinges They answered ageyne that they wolde nother peace nor warre with them But threatned them to auoyde the lande excepte they woolde bee distroyed euery manne Owre men sayde that they woulde not departe withowte suffyciente vyttayles to mayntayne their souldyers They appoynted the day folowynge to brynge them more vytayles but they brooke promesse Yet perceauing the second day that owre men were encamped on the sande and had reposed there that nyght they brought them as much more vytayles and commaunded them in the name of theyr kynge to departe Owre men sayde that they were desyrous to see the towne and to haue yet more store of vytayles The Barbarians denyed theyr request and therewith departed whisperynge and mutterynge amonge them selues In the meane tyme owre men were styll so oppressed with hunger that they were enforced to seeke for meate The gouernoure therefore sent his vnder capitaynes to lande with a hundreth and fyftie men A conflâ—cte As they went dispersed in dyuers companyes about the vyllages of the country the Barbarians met with one of theyr bandes and put them to great distresse But when theyr felowes beinge not farre from them harde the noyse of theyr alarome they came with all possible haste to theyr rescue The gouernour on the other syde placinge his ordinance in the brygantines and shippe boates approched to the shore with the residue of his souldiers The Barbarians lykewise beinge redy furnyshed to the battayle came runnynge to the sea syde to disturbe theym that they shulde not coome alande And with theyr arrowes wounded manye a farre of vnprepared The gouernoure discharged aboute .xx. pieces of ordinaunce ageynste them The Barbarians are put to flyght With the slaughter and terrible thunder wherof with the flame of fyer and smel of brimstone they were so astonished and put to such feare that they fled and disparcled lyke wylde beastes whom owre men persuinge entered into the towne which thinhabitantes forfooke in maner for feare of theyr owne men whom they sawe so dismayde On the banke of this ryuer there is a towne of such portentous byggenes as I dare not speake The great towne of Postanchana or Uictoria But Alaminus the pylot sayth that it conteyneth in circuite fyue hundreth myles and that it consisteth of .xxv. thousande houses A towne of xxv thouâ—aÌ„d houses Sume make it sumwhat lesse But they all agree that it is exceadynge great and notable The houses are diuided with gardens and are buylded of lyme and stone verye artificially and of cunnynge woorkemanshippe To theyr haules chambers parlers or other places of habitation they ascende by tenne or twelue steares And haue certeyne spaces betwene euery house so that it is not lawful for any to lade his neighbours waules with rafters or beames Theyr houses are sepâ—rate one from an other by the space of three houses And are for the more parte couered with reede and thetche And many also with slate or other stone The barbarians them selues confessed that they were that day fortie thousande men at the battayle which were vanquished of a fewe by reason of the newe and vnknowen kynde of feyght with gunnes and horses Gunnes and horses For the gouernour had vnbarked .xvi. horses which were also at the battayle and so fiercely assayled the Barbarians on the backehalfe that they brake theyr array and scattered them as it had byn flockes of sheepe ouerthrowing woundynge and kyllynge them on euery syde Whiche thynge thâ— seely wretches so imputed to a miracle that they had not the poure to occupie theyr wepons For wheras before they had neuer seene any horses they thought that the man on horsebacke and the horse had byn all one beaste The man the horse thought to be one beast as the antiquitie dyd fable of the monster Centaurus Centaurus Owr men possessed the towne .xxii. dayes where they made good chere vnder couert whyle the owners of the houses lay vnder the firmament and durst not assayle owre men who had placed them selues in the strongest parte of the towne where sume kepte continuall watche least the Barbarians shulde soodenly inuade theim whyle other gaue them selues to reste and sleepe Thinhabitantes caule this towne Potanchana But owre men for the victorie which they obteyned here named it Victoria It is a maruelous thynge to consider the greatenes magnifiâ—ence and finenes of the buyldinge of certeyne palaices they haue in the countrey to the which they resorte sumtymes for theyr solace and pastyme â—alaices of maruelous bygnes and â—el buylded These are curiously buylded with many pleasaunt diuises as galeries solars tâ—rrettes portals gutters with chambers boorded after the maner of owre waynscotte and well flowred Foure of owr Spanyardes went into one of them of such greatnes that they wandered in the same for the space of foure houres before they coulde fynde the waye owt At the length by thinterpretours and certeyne captiues owre men sent for the kynge and suche rulers as were nexte vnder hym in autoritie wyllyng them to submyt them selues and to coome into the towne vnarmed Gyuinge the messengers further in commaundement to certifie them that in their so doinge they wolde commen with them as concernynge conditions of peace and restore them theyr towne They came gladly and entered euery man into his owne house vppon condition that they shulde euer thereafter absteyne from such cerimonies and horrible sacrifices of mans fleshe to deuils the mortal enemies to mankynd whose Images they honoured And to directe the eyes of theyr myndes to Christe owre god the maker of heauen and earth They receue owre religioÌ„ who was borne into this world of a virgin and suffered death on the crosse for the redemption of mankynde And fynally to professe them selues subiectes to the great Christian kynge of Spayne They promysed both and were instructed as farre as the shortenes of tyme wolde permitte Beinge thus restored they recompensed owre men with many rewardes Supposynge suche men to be sent from heauen which being so fewe in number durst attempte battayle ageynst so great a multitude They gaue owre men also certeyne golde and twentie slaues Departing therefore from hense and coastynge styll alonge by the same shore they came ageyne to the goulfe whiche Alaminus the pylot founde before vnder Grisalua This they named Bian Sancti Iohannis that is Saynt Iohns goulfe For Bian in the Spanyshe tonge signifieth a goulfe Here thinhabitantes resorted to them peaceably Aboute a myle frome the shore was a towne of a thousande and fyue hundreth houses situate vppon a hyll A towne of a thousand fyue hundred houses They profered owre men halfe the towne if they wolde dwel with them for euer This perhaps they dyd the rather eyther
wheele or circle of blacke in the myddest intermyxtâ— with shyning fethers and sparkes of golde lyke starres They brought also cloth of Aras or Uerdure of marueylous woâ—kmanshyppe Cloth of arras Lekewise a souldiers clâ—ke suche as their pryncâ—s weare in the warres A souldyers clâ—cke with certeyne priuye coates of sence and sundrye tirementes perteynyng to their heades with also many suche other thynges more bewtifull to the eye then ryche or precious wherof to entreate particularly it shoulde be more tedious then profytable I lette passe here also to speake of many particular nauigations and of the trauaâ—les and daungers whiche they susteyned in the samâ— with the monsters and secreates of nature they sawe â—hiche are all conteyned in the regesters of owre Seâ—â—te of thâ—ffayres of India Regâ—stere of thaffâ—yres of India owte of the whiche I haue selectâ—d theâ—e feâ—â— aâ—â—â—tations suche as seemed to me moste meete to bee â—uâ—lisâ—â—â—d Notwithstandyng these ryche and goodly presentes yet were they that brought them and also Cortesius the gouernour of the nauye and autour of erectinge their newe colonie in those remote regions Thaâ—toritie of the Lieuetenaunt adiudged by the Senate to haue doen ageinst ryght and equitie in that they attempted the same withowte thaduice of the gouernour of the Ilande of Cuba who sente them foorthe by the kynges auctoritie where as they dyd other thinges besyde their commyssyon ye althoughe they wente to the kynge not fyrst knowynge his pleasure whom the kyng had substitute his Lieuetenaunt in that Ilande In so muche that by his procuratour he accused them before the Senate as fugitiue theeues and traytours They on the other parte alleaged that they had dooen the kyng better seruyce then he And that they had shewed suffycient obedience in appealyng to the kyng as the hygher Iudge But the gouernour required by the vertue of his commission and the kinges letters pattentes that they myght be headed for their disobedience ageinst hym whom they knewe to be autorised by the kynge They ageine replied that they had not offended the kyng but rather deserued rewarde for their great dangiers and trauailes Bothe the rewarde and punishment were deferred and a daye appointed when bothe parties shoulde bee harde Leete vs nowe therfore coome to the Spaniardes of Dariena The Spanyardes of Dariena thinhabitours of the goulfe of Vraba in the supposed Continent We haue sayde before that Dariena is a ryuer runnynge towarde the Weste syde of the goulfe of Vraba On the banke of this ryuer the Spaniardes planted their fyrst colonie or habitation after they had vanquisshed kynge Chemaccus This colonie they named Sancta Maria Antiqua Sancta Maria Antiqua by reason of a vowe whiche they made to the virgine Marie in the tyme of the battaile ageynst Chemaccus To these as wee haue madâ— mention in the ende of owre decades was Petrus Arias sente with a thousande and two hundreth men at the request of Vaschus Nunnez Balboa Petrus Arias whom the Spanyardes name Pediaâ—ias who was then the gouernour of Dariena and the fyrst that found and discouered the large South sea heretofore vnknowen This sea the spanyardes â—aule â—ardel 〈◊〉 Wee haue also declared how at the arriual of Petrus Arias the newe gouernour he deuided his armye into Centurions that is capitaines ouer hundrethes whom hee sent foorth dyuers waies What tragedies folowed hereof I wyll absolue in fewe woordes bycause all are horrible and vnpleasaunte For sence we fynyshed owre Decades Contention betwene Uaschus and Petrus Arias there hath byn none other then kyllynge sleyinge murtherynge and accusinge The kynge made Vaschus gouernoure but durynge his pleasure His courage was such and his factes so notorious that he coulde not longe abyde the hautynes of Petrus Arias To bee breefe theyr faulynge owte and discord confounded al thynges Iohn Cacedus the pulpitte fryer of the order of saynt Frances dyd his vttermoste endeuour to make them frendes promysynge vnto Vaschus the dowghter of Petrus Arias to wyfe But no meanes coulde be founde howe these two which bore the chiefe rule myght bee brought to agreement At the length the matter grewe to such extremitie that Petrus Arias fyndynge occasion of querelynge ageynste Vaschus Petrus Arias commandeth that Uaschus be put to death sent processe to the maiestrates of the towne wherby he commaunded them to strangle Vaschus and fyue other which were chiefe capitaynes vnder hym Alleagynge that they and their confetherates conspired to rebel in the South sea And that Vaschus hym selfe for that intente had buylded and furnished foure shippes to search the south coastes of the supposed continent Also that to his three hundreth souldiers and companions which he had with hym he shulde speake woordes of this effecte as foloweth My frendes and felowes of my longe peynes and trauayles Uaschus is accused Howe longe shall we be subiecte to the commaundement of other sythe wee haue bydden the brunt and ouercumme thenterprise for the whiche this newe gouernour was sent with so great a multitude Who can any longer abyde his pryde and insolentie Lette vs therefore folowe these coastes whyther so euer fortune shall dryue vs And amonge these so many pleasaunt and fruteful prouinces of this large lande let vs chose one in the whiche wee maye with libertie spende that portion of owre lyues which yet remayneth Who can fynde vs or shal be able to profer vs vyolence When these or the lyke woordes were declared to Petrus Arias he sente to the Southe partes for Vaschus wyllynge hym by the vertue of his commission to repayre to him foorth with Vaschus obeyed and at his commynge was caste in pryson yet constantly denyinge that euer he entended any suche thynge Wytnesses were brought ageynst hym and his wordes rehearsed from the begynnynge Uaschus is put to death To conclude he was iudged woorthy death and was put to execution And this is the rewarde wherwith the blynde goddesse oftentymes recompenseth such as haue susteyned great trauayles and daungiours to bee hyghly in her fauoure Petrus Arias leauynge his wyfe in Dariena Petrus Arias embarked hym selfe in the shippes left of Vaschus to thintent to searche those coastes But whether he be returned or not we haue yet no certeyne knoweleage He hath also his fortune Yet is there an other gouernour assigned whose name is Lupus Sosa Lupus Sosa the viceroye of the Ilandes of Canarie What stomake Petrus Arias may haue yf he returne let good men iudge There was nothyng doone vnder hym woorthy glorie Sume thynke that he was at the begynnyng to slacke and negligent in his office and not seuere in correctynge errours and misorders But we wyll leaue him and rehearse sumwhat wherof we haue byn lately informed as touchynge the great and diepe ryuer of Dabaiba The great ryuer of Dabaiba or Grandis the whiche for the greatnes and largenes therof owre men named Grandis that
they take this with them to begyn with all vntyl Tuyra who maketh them all these fayre promisses prouyde them of greater quantitie This haue I my selfe sene in the toppe of the mountaynes of Guaturo where hauynge in pryson the kynge of that prouince who rebelled from thobedience of yowre maiestie and demaundynge of hym to whom perteyned those sepultures or graues whiche I sawe in his houâ—e he answered that they were of certeyne Indians whiche â—â—ewe them selues at the death of his father And bycause they are oftentymes accustomed to burye greate quantities of wrought golde with them I caused twoo graues to bee opened wherein was nothynge founde but a vessell full of the grayne of Maizium and a bundell of Iucca as I haue sayde And demaundyng the cause hereof of the kinge and the other Indians they aunswered that they that were buryed there were the labourers of the grounde and men skylful in sowynge of seedes and makynge of breade and seruauntes to the kynges father And to th ende that theyr soules shoulde not dye with theyr bodyes they slewe them selues at the deathe of the kynge theyr master to lyue with hym in heauen And to thintent that they myght seene him there in the same office they reserued that Maizium and Iucca to sowe it in heauen Wherunto I aunswered them in this maner Beholde howe your Tuyra deceaueth yowe And howe all that he teacheth yow is false Yowe see how in so long a tyme sence they are deade they haue not yet taken awaye this Maizium and Iucca which is nowe putrified and woorth nothynge and not lyke to bee sowen in heauen To this the kynge replyed sayinge In that they haue not taken it away nor sowen it in heauen the cause is that they chaunced to fynde enowgh there by reason wherof they had no neade of this To this errour manye thynges were sayde which seemed of lyttle force to remoue hym from his false opinion and especially any such as at that age are occupyed of the deuyll whom they paynt of the selfe same forme and coloure as he appereth vnto theym in dyuers shapes and formes They make also Images of golde copper and woodde to the same similitudes in terrible shapes and so variable as the paynters are accustomed to paynt them at the feete of saynte Mychaell tharchangell or in anye other place where they paynt them of most horrible portiture Lykewyse when the deuyll greatly intendeth to feare theym he threteneth to sende them great tempestes which they caule Fuâ—acanas or Haurachanas and are so vehement that they ouerthrowe many howses and great trees And I haue seene in montaynes full of many and greate trees thâ—t for the space of three quarters of a league the mâ—untayne hathe byn subuerted and the trees ouerâ—hrowen and plucked owte of the earthe with the rootes a thynge doubtelesse so fearefull and terryble to behold that it may verely appere to be doen by the hand of the deuyll And in this case the Christian men ought to consider with good reason that in al places where the holy sacrament is reserued the sayd tempestes are no more so owtragious or so perelous as they were wonte to bee ¶ Of the temperature of the regions vnder or neare to the burnt lyue cauled Torrida zona or the Equinoctiall and of the dyuers seasons of the yeare THe landes and regions that are neare about the clymes of the Equinoctiall lyne are naturally hotte althowghe they bee otherwise temperate by the diuine prouidence And therfore suche flesshe or fyshe as is taken and kylled in these regions can not bee preserued from putrefaction except it be tosted sodden or perboylde the same daye that it is kylde And wheras I haue sayde that such regions are naturally hot and yet temperate by the prouidence of god it is so in deede And therfore not without cause the auncient autours were of opinion that the burnte lyne or Torrida zona where passeth the lyne of the Equinoctiall shulde be vnhabitable by reason the soonne hath greater dominion in that place then in any other of the sphere remaynynge continually betwene the two tropykes of Cancer and Capricorne For when in these regions the earth is opened or dygged froÌ„ the superficial parte therof to the depth of a mans heyght it is founde temperate And within this space the trees and plantes fasten and spreade their rootes and no dieper Extendynge the same as farre in breadth in the ground as do theâ—r braunches in the ayer And enter no dieper into the grounde then I haue sayde bycause that beneth the depth of the said space of a mans heyght the earth is verye hotte the vppâ—r parte beinge temperate and verye moyste aswell by reason of thaboundaunce of water whiche fauleth from heauen vppon that earth at certeyne ordinarie seasons of the yeare as also for the multitude of great ryuers brokes sprynges and marysshes wherby the myghtie and supreme lorde which made theâ—e landes hath moste prudently prouyded for the preseruation of the same R. E. As touchynge this poynt whiche was vnknowen to the owlde wryters and withowt consideration wherof reaâ—on can not perfectly conceaue howe temperate regione shulde be vnder the Equinoctiall lyne I haue thought good for the better manifestynge of this â—ecreate woorke of nature to note owte of Cardanus his booke de Elementis howe all waters haue theyr courâ—e toward the South as to the lowest part of the earth he wayteth therefore as foloweth The water was made of lesse quantitie then the earth and only in maner in the superficiall parte therof that place might bee lefte for the habitation of beastes and that water by his couldnesse myght temperate and not destroy the lyfe of beastes And bicause this generation of lyuynge creatures was only necessary on the superficiall partes of the earth in comparison to the hole therfore was the water made to occupie onely the superficiall parte in the which metals plantes beastes and fysshes shulde bee nuryshed And bycause there was great perell least it shulde be to much conâ—umed by the ayer and heate of the soonne continuall mouinge was ioyned to it wherby it gathereth couâ—denes and is preserued from sodeyne resolution For suche waters as doo not moue â–ª doo soone putrifie and are easely resolued into ayer By reason wherof nature prouyded for the generation of water in couâ—de places as vnder the coles and mountaynes And whereas the earth vnder the Equinoctiall shuâ—de otherwiâ—e for lacke of moyster haue bin to much burned and scorched â–ª nature also prouyded that that parte of the earth shulde bee lowest by reason whâ—reof all waters haue theyr course towarde the South to mitigate with moyster thextremitie of heate which otherwise shulde haue byn intollerable in that câ—yme And by this reason the famous ryuer of Nilus in Egypte albeit it haue his originall and â—prynge owt of the mountaynes of the mone cauled Montes Lunae nere vnto the cyrcle of Capricoâ—ne yet runnynge with all his braunches vnder and
that when they haue caused the sayde ryndes and leaues to boyle togyther they make in the same vessell without any chaunge as I haue sayde as many colours as them lysteth Whiche thynge I suppose to coomme to passe by the disposition of the coloure whiche they haue fyrste gyuen to the thynge that they intende to dye or colour whether it bee threede webbe or clothe or any thynge that they intende to coloure ¶ Of venemous apples wherwith they poyson theyr arrowes THe apples wherewith the Indian Canibales inueneme theyr arrowes growe on certeyne trees couered with many braunches and leaues beinge very greene and growyng thicke They are laden with abundaunce of these euyll frutes and haue theyr leaues lyke the leaues of a peare tree but that they are lesse and rounder The frute is much lyke the muscadell peares of the Ilande of Sicilie or Naples in forme and byggenesse And are in sum partes steyned with redde spottes and of very sweete sauours These trees for the moste parte growe euer by the sea coastes and neare vnto the water And are so fayre and of pleasaunte sauour that there is no man that seethe theym but wyll desyre to eate therof In so much that if it may bee spoken of any frute yet growynge on the earth Note I wolde saye that this was the vnhappy frute wherof owre fyrste parentes Adam and Eue tasted wherby they both lost theyr felicitie and procured death to them theyr posteritie Of these frutes and of the greate antes whose bytynge causeth swellynge whereof I haue spoken els where and of the eutes or lysartes and vypers and such other venemous thynges the Canibales which are the chyefe archers amonge the Indians Canibales archiers are accustomed to poyson theyr arrowes wherwith they kyll all that they wounde wherwith they inuenymther arrowes These venemes they mengle togyther and make thereof a blacke masse or composition which appeareth lyke vnto very blacke pytche Of this poyson I caused a great quantitie to be burnt in Sancta Maria Antiqua in a place two leaques and more within the lande with a greate multitude of theyr inuenemed arrowes and other munition with also the house wherein they were reserued This was in the yeare .1514 at suche tyme Pâ—trus Arias as tharmy arriued there with capitayne Pedrarias da villa at the commaundemente of the Catholyke kynge Don Ferdinando But to returne to the hystory These apples as I haue said growe neare vnto the sea And wheras the Christians which serue yowr maiestie in these parties suppose that there is no remedy so profytable for such as are wounded with these arrowes as is the water of the sea if the wounde be much wassted therwith The water of the sea by which meanes sum haue escaped although but fewe yet to saye the trewthe albeit the water of the sea haue a certeyne caustike qualitie agenyst poyson it is not a sufficient remedy in this case nor yet to this day haue the Christian perceaued that of fiftie that haue byn wounded three haue recouered But that yowr maiestie may the better consyder the force of the veneme of these trees yowe shall further vnderstande that yf a man doo but repose hym selfe to sleepe a lyttle whyle vnder the shadow of the same he hath his head and eyes so swolne when he ryseth that the eye lyddes are ioyned with the chekes And if it chaunce one droppe or more of the dewe of the sayde tree to faule into the eye it vtterly destroyeth the syght The pestilent nature of this tree is such that it can not bee declared in fewe woordes Of these there groweth greate plentie in the goulfe of Vraba towarde the North coast on the Weste and Easte syde The goulf of vraba The wood of these trees when it burneth maketh so greate a stynke that noo man is able to abyde it by reason it causeth so great a peyne in the headde Amonge other trees which are in these Indies as well in the Ilandes as in the firme lande there is an other kynde which they caule Xagua Xagua wherof there is great plentie They are very hygh and streyght and fayre to beholde Of these they vse to make pykes and iauelyns of dyuers lengthes and byggenesse They are of a fayre colour betwene russette and whyte This tree bryngeth foorth a greate frute as bygge as Papauer or poppie and much lyke therunto It is very good to be eaten when it is â—ype Owte of this they gette a very cleare water wherwith they wasshe theyr legges and sumetymes all theyr boddyes when they feele theyr flesshe werye faynt or loose The which water bysydâ— that it hath a byn dynge qualitie it hath also thâ—s propertie thâ—t what so euer it toucheth it steyneth it blacke by lyâ—tle and lyttle vntyll it bee as blacke as giete which coloure can not be taken away in lesse space then tenne or twelue dayes And if the nayle bee but touched therwith it is so steined that it can by no meanes bee taken away vntyll it eyther faule of or growe owte and bee clypped away by lyttle and lyttle as I my selfe haue oftentymes seene by experience There is an other kynde of trees whith they caule Hobi. Hobi. These are very great and fayre Sum thynke these to be miâ—obalanes cause holsome ayer where they growe and a pleasaunt shadow and are founde in great abundaunce Theyr frute is very good and of good tast and sauoure and much lyke vnto certeyne damsons or prunes beinge lyttle and yelowe But theyr stone is very great by reason wherof they haue but lyttle meate Theyr barke or rynde boyled in water maketh a holsome bathe for the legges bycause it bindeth and steyeth the loosenesse of the flesshe so sencibly that it is a marueyle to consyder It is suerly a holsome and excellent bathe ageynst such fayntnesse And is the beste tree that may bee founde in those parties to sleepe vnder For it causeth no heauinesse of the headde as doo dyuers other trees Whiche thynge I speake bycause the Christians are muche accustomed in those regions to lye in the fyeldes It is therfore a common practice amonge them that where so euer they fynd these trees there they spreade theyr mattresses and beddes wherin they sleepe There are also a kynde of hyghe date trees and full of thornes Date trees The woodde of these is moste excellent beinge very blacke and shynynge and so heauy that no parte thereof can swymme aboue the water but synketh immediatly to the bottome Of this woodde they make theyr arrowes and dartes Also iauelyns speares and pykes And I saye pykes bycause that in the coastes of the sea of Sur Thinhabitanâ—es of the sea of Sur. beyonde Esquegus and Vracha the Indians vse great and longe pykes made of the woodde of these date trees Of the same lykewyse they make clubbes and swoordes and dyuers other weapons Also vesselles and housholde stuffe
The needle of the coompase and turned euer towarde the pole Artike Neuerthelesse had no suche force as when it is in these partes of the pole Artike In so muche that it was neceâ—sarie to helpe the needle with the lode stone commonly cauled the adamant before they could saile therwith The lode stone bycause it mouâ—d not as it doothe when it is in these owre partes When they were in the myddest of the goulfe they sawe a crosse of fiue cleare starres directly toward the West eand of equall distance the one from the other ⧠The order of the starres abowt the pole Antartike summe haue figured in this maner A. The pole Antartike B. The Crosse. In these dayes they sayled betwene the West and South so farre that they approched to the Equinoctiall line The Equinoctial line were in longitude from the place from whense they fyrst departed a hundreth and twentie degrees In this course they sayled by two Ilandes of exceadynge height wherof the one named Cipanghu is .xx. degrees from the pole Antartike And the other named Sumbdit .xv. degrees The Ilandes of Cipanghu and Sumbdit When they were past the Equinoctiall line they sayled betwene the West and Southwest at the quarter of the West towarde the Southwest more then a hundreth leaques changinge theyr sayles to the quarter of the Southwest vntyll they came to the .xiii. degrees aboue the Equinoctial towarde the pole Artyke intendyng as much as were possible to approche to the cape cauled of the owlde wryters Cartigara The whiche is not founde as the owlde Cosmographers haue discribed it but is towarde the north abowt .xii. degrees as they afterwarde vnderstode When they had thus sayled .lxx. leaques of this vyage in the .xii. degree aboue the Equinoctial and C.xlvi degrees of longitude as I haue sayde the syxte day of March they discouered a lyttle Ilande towarde the northweste and two other towarde the southweste but the one was hygher and bygger then the two other In the byggest of these the generall capitayne wolde haue rested hym selfe a whyle but he coulde â—ot by reason the people of these Ilands resorted continually to the shippes with theyr canoas and stole nowe one thynge and nowe an other in such sorte that owr men could take no reste and therfore demaunded of the capitayne that they myght stryke theyr sayles to brynge the shyppes to land But the Capitayne beinge prouoked to anger wente alande with fortie armed men and burnte about fiftie of theyr houses with many of theyr Canâ—as And slewe also abowt seuen men and recouered a shyppe boate whiche the Barbarians had stolne and so departed folowynge his vyage The Capitayne named these Ilands Insulae Latronum that is Insule LatronuÌ„ the Ilands of theeues When owr men had so wounded summe of thâ—ym with arrowes that they were stryken throughe bothe sydâ—s they pulled furth the arrowes not ceaâ—yng to marueyle at theÌ„ tyll they â—ell downe deade And yet coulde not the other â—o depart but styll folowed â—he shyppes with more then two hundâ—eth of theyr boates approchynge as nere to the shyppes as they coulde and profâ—rynge owre men certeyne fysshee As the sâ—yppes passed with full sayle in â—he myddeste of theyr bâ—ates they sawe in sum of them certeyne womâ—n lamâ—nâ—ing and tearynge theyr heare which â—wre men thought they did for the death of theyr husbandes As farre as they could perceaue these people lyue at theyr owne libertie without anye ruler or gouernour They go naked and haue blacke beardes and blacke heate on theyr heades whiche they weare longe downe to theyr wastes People with longe heare They are of the same staâ—ure that we are and well made of coloure lyke vnto an olyue Theyr women are well fauored with blacke and thicke heare on theyr heades reachynge to the grownde The menne coloure theyr teeth redde and blacke They coloure theyr teethe which they esteeme a coomely thynge They annoynt theyr bodies and heare with the oyle of Cocus Theyr boates are sum all blacke sum whyte and sum redde and haue sayles made of the broade leaues of date trees sowd togyther In the steade of a rudder they vse a certeyne brode boo dâ— with a staffe in the toppe and maye when they wyll make the stâ—rne the forecastell or the forecastell the sterne They sayle to swyftely that they seeme a farre of lyke Delphyns swymmynge aboue the water The tenth day of â—arch in the yeare .1521 they wente alande vppon a lyttle Ilande named Zamal .xxx. leaques dystant from the Ilande of theâ—ues The Ilande of zamail Bycause this Ilande was not inhabyted they rested here a whyle where the capitayne caused a pauilion to bee pytched for the sicke and crased men and a hogge to bee kylde The .xviii. day of Marche they sawe a boate with nyne men commynge towarde them shewynge theim selues ioyfull and reioysynge of theyr commynge They brought many presentes with them and seemed to bee people of much humanitie They gaue the capâ—tayne a great fyshe and a great vessel of the wyne of those date trees whiche beare the frute Cocus wyne of date trees They made also signes that within the space of foure dayes they wolde bryng rysse and dyuers foules and beasts as they dyd in deede This Cocuâ— is a frute of certeyne date trees whereof they make breade The maruelous frute Cocus wyne oyle and vineger They make wyne in this maner They cutte a bygge braunche of the tree hange therat a reede as bigge as a mans legge into the which droppeth a sweete liâ—â—ur from the tree lyke vnto newe whyte wine sumwhat â—arâ— let the reede continewe there from mornynge tyll euenynge and from euenynge to mornynge The frute of this tree cauled Cocus is as bygge as the head of a â—an or more The fyrste rynde of this is greene and of the thyckenesse of two fyngers hauynge in it certeyne threedes wherof they make cordes with the which they tye theyr boates Under this rynde there is a thicke shell whiche they burne and make pouder therof and vse it as a remedie for certeyne diseases Under this shell is a whyte substaunce lyke the carnell of a nutte being a fynger in thickenesse which they eate with flesshe and fysshe as wee doo breade It hath the taste of an almonde and is vsed in the steade of breade when it is dryed In the myddest of this carnell is a cleare and sweete water beinge very holsome and cordiale This water sumtyme congeleth and lyeth within the shell lyke an egge When they intende to make oyle hereof they ley it to putrifie in water and boyle it vntyll it bee lyke oyle or liquide butter When they intende to make vineger they suffer only the water to putrifie and then set it to the soonne where it becommeth vineger lyke vnto that which is made of whyte wyne And when they mengle the carnell with the water which is in the myddest of the
from the Ilandes Of the Ilandes of Galanta or Galana and Guadalupea and of the trees which beare that kynde of cotton whiche the Italians caule Bombasine and the Spanyardes Algadon Of dyuers kyndes of popingiayes And of the Iland of Matinino or Madanino being inhabited only with women Also of dyuers other frutefull Ilandes And of a conflicte which the Spanyardes had with the Canibales Of certeyne Ilandes in the which are seene the mynes of metals and precious stones and of the frutefull and peopulous Ilande cauled Burichena or Boriquen or Insula S. Iohanuis Howe all the Admirals men whiche at his fyrst vyage he lefte in Hispaniola were slayne in his absence by the rebellion of Guaccanarillus kynge of the Region of Xamana and of the free kynde of lyfe which they leade that haue not the vse of money Of the .vii. maydens which swamme .iii. myles in the sea And of the maner of gatheryng of gold in the sands of riuers ¶ The Contentes of the thyrde booke Fol. 10. ¶ A particular description of the Ilande of Hispaniola whiche Colonus thynketh to be Ophir from whense kynge Salomon had his great ryches of golde Of the maruelous frutefulnes of Hispaniola and of the suger canes growynge there Of the golden regions of Cipanga or Cibaua and of the ryuers in whose sandes is founde great plentie of golde Of certeyne graines of gold of exceadyng great quantitie Of wylde vines of pleasaunt taste and of grasse which in foure dayes groweth as hygh as wheate Of the Ilande of Iohanna or Cuba beinge the ende of the East and the West And of the frutefull and peopulous Ilande of Iamaica Howe the Admirall thought that he had sayled abowte the lowest hemispherie or halfe circle of the earth and of a secreate of Astronomie touchynge the same matter Howe the Admirall gaue names to .vii. hundreth Ilandes and passed by three thousande unnamed Of certeyne serpentes lyke vnto Crocodiles of .viii. foote longe whose flesshe is delicate to be eaten and of certeyne trees which beare gourdes Of the ryuer whose water is very hotte and of the huntynge fysshe which taketh other fysshes Of great abundaunce of Tortoyses as bygge as targets and of a frutefull mountayne well inhabited Of dogges of deformed shape and dum And of whyte and thicke water Of wooddes of date trees and pynepaple trees and of certeyne people appareled like white friers Of certeyne trees whiche beare spices and of cranes of exceadynge bignes Of stocke doues of more pleasaunte taste then partriches An oration of a barbarous gouernoure as touchinge the immortalitie of the sowle Also of the rewarde of vertue and punysshmente of vice A similitude of the golden worlde and of prouision with owte care Howe the admirall fell sicke by reason of to much watchynge And of a sedition which rose among the Spaniardes in the Ilande of Hispaniola ¶ The Contentes of the fourth booke Fol. 18. Howe the Kynges of the Ilande of Hispaniola were by the Spaniardes mysbehauoure prouoked to Rebellion And howe the admirall sent for them Howe kinge Caunaboa the Lorde of the house of golde that is of the mountaynes of Cibaua conspired the Admirals death and how he with his familie were takeÌ„ prisoners Of a greate famine that chaunced in the Iland of Hispaniola and howe the Admiral builded certeyne fortresses Of a piece of rude golde waighinge .xx. vnces and of the myne of the riche metall cauled Electrum Of the mountayne in the whyche is founde greate plentye of Amber and orpemente And of the wooddes of brasile trees Howe thinhabitauntes are put to they re tribute And howe the nature of the Region disposethe the maners of the people Howe the brother of kinge Caunaboa came ageynste the Admiral with an army of fiue thowsand naked men and how he was taken and his amry put to flyght Of the frutfull vale Magona in the sandes of whose ryuers is founde great plentie of golde and of certeyne whirlewyndes and tempestes Howe the Admirall sente foorthe his brother Bartholomeus Colonus with an army of meÌ„ to search the gold mines of the fosses which he found to haue bin digged in old tyme ¶ The Contentes of the .v. booke Fol. 22. Howe the Lieuetenaunt builded a fortresse in the golde mynes And prepared instrumentes for the pourginge and fyninge of the golde Howe certeyne shyppes laden with vyttayles came frome Spayne And howe the Lieuetenaunt sent the kynges which rebelled with three hundreth captiues into Spayne Howe the Liefetenaunte remoued his habytacion And buylded a fortresse which he cauled saynt Dominickes towre Also howe he passed ouer the ryuer Naiba and entered into the wooddes of brasyle trees Howe the great kynge Beuchius Anacauchoa frendely enterteyned the Lieuetenaunt and browght hym to his pallayce where the kynges wyues and concubines receaued him honorably with pompes and triumphes Of the fortresses which were erected in Hispaniola And howe the Lieuetenaunt exacted tribute of the kynges whiche rebelled ageyne Howe the Lieuetenaunt sette vppon the kynges vnwares in the nyght season and tooke .xiiii. of them prysoners Howe kynge Guarionexius capitayne of the conspiracie was pardoned howe he persuaded the people to obedience Howe kynge Beuchius Anacauchoa sente messingers to the Lieuetenaunt to repayre to his pallayce where he founde xxxii kinges redy with theyr tributes And howe the queene Anacaona entysed hym to eate of the serpentes flesshe Howe the serpentes flesshe is prepared to be eaten And how delicate meate theyr egges are yf they be sodden Howe queene Anacaona syster to kynge Beuchius Aâ—acauchoa enterteyned the Liefetenaunt and gaue hym muche housholde stuffe and many vessels of Hebene woodde artificially wrought and carued Howe kynge Anacauchoa and the queene his syster went aboorde the Liefetenaunt his shyppe and howe greately they were amased to beholde the furniture therof Howe Roldanus Xeminus a Spaniarde rebelled in the Lieuetenauntes absence by whose mysdemeanour also kinge Guarionexius was prouoked to a newe conspiracie with hym Maiobanexius the kynge of the mountaynes ☞ The contentes of the syxte boke Foli 28. ¶ The thyâ—de vyage of Colonus and howe he diuerted from his accustomed rase by the Ilandes of Canarie to the Ilande of Madera for feare of certayne frenche pirates and rouers Of the .xiii. Ilandes which in olde tyme were cauled Hesperides and are nowe cauled the Ilandes of Caput Uiride or Cabouerde Also of the Tortoyses of the Ilande of Bonauista wherwith the leaper is healed Howe the Admirall founde contagious ayre and extreme heate nere the Equinoctial where the north pole was eleuate onely fyue degrees And how sailyng from thence westward he founde the starres placed in other order and the sea rysynge as it were the backe of a mountayne Howe the Admyrall saylynge westwarde and neuer passyng owte of the clyme or paraleles of Ethiope founde a temperate Region and people of goodly corporature And what difference is betwene the natures of Regions beyng vnder one paralele and one eleuation of the pole