a place called Etvora that is to say the Stone-house a very strong thing for it is a great huge Rock and it hath an Entrance like a great Door within it as any Hall in England The Indians say that there St. Thomas did preach to their Fore-fathers Hard by standeth a Stone as big as four great Canons and it standeth upon the ground upon four Stones little bigger than a man's Finger like Sticks the Indians say it was a Miracle which the Saint shewed them and that that Stone had been Wood. Likewise by the Sea-side there are great Rocks upon which are store of Prints of the footing of bare Feet all which Prints are of one Bigness they say they are the print of the Foot-steps of that Saint when standing upon the Rocks he called to the Fishes of the Sea and they heard him At the Antillus in Brasil they have a Bird which for the rareness and strangeness thereof deserveth to be had in Remembrance It is the finest Bird that can be imagined it hath a Cap on his Head to which no proper Colour can be given for on whatsoever side ye look on it it sheweth red green black and more Colours all very fine and shining and the Breast is so fair that on whatsoever side ye take it it sheweth all the Colours especially a yellow more finer than Gold the Body is gray it hath a very long Bill and the Tongue twice the length of the Bill they are very swift in Flight and in their Flight they make a noise like the Bee and they rather seem Bees in their Swiftness than Birds for they always feed flying without sitting on a Tree even as the Bees do fly sucking the Honey from the Flowers They have two beginnings of their Generation some are hatch'd of Eggs like other Birds others of little Bubles and it is a thing to be noted a little Buble to begin to convert it self into this little Bird for at one Instant it is a Buble and a Bird and so converts it self into this most fair Bird a wonderful thing and unknown to the Philosophers seeing one living Creature without Corruption is converted into another Also in this Country of Brasil a certain Tree groweth in the Fields and the Main of the Bay in dry places where no Water is very great and broad it hath certain Holes in the Branches as long as an Arm that are full of Water that in Winter nor Summer never runneth over neither is it known whence this Water cometh and drink as many or drink few of it it is always at the same stay and so it serveth not only for a Fountain but also for a great main River and it happeneth five hundred Persons to come to the Foot of it and there is harbour for them all they drink and wash all that they will and they never want Water it is very savory and clear and a great Remedy for them that travel into the Main when they can find no other Water John Lerius a French-man who lived in Brasil for some time writeth That the Barbarians much wondered to see French-men and other Strangers coming far off from remote Countries to take so much Pains to carry back their Ships laden with Brasil or Red Wood and therefore one of the ancientest of them questioned him in this manner concerning that matter What meaneth it that you Mair and Peros that is French-men and Portugals come so far to fetch Wood Doth your Country yield you no Wood for the Fire Then said I It yieldeth Fewel surely and that in great Plenty but not of that kind of Trees such as yours are especially Brasil which our men carry from hence not to burn as you suppose but for to dye Here he presently excepting But have you said he need of so great plenty of that Wood yea surely said I for seeing even one Merchant with us possesseth more Scarlet Cloaths more Knives and Scissers and more Looking glasses alledging known and familiar Examples unto him than all those which were ever brought hither unto you he only will buy all the Brasil to the end that many Ships might return laden from hence Ah! saith the Barbarian you tell me strange and wonderful things Then presently remembring what he had heard he proceeded to demand further Questions of me But saith he That great rich Man of whom you make Report doth he not die He dieth said I as also other men do Who then said he is Heir of those Goods which this man leaveth when he dieth His Children said I if he have any if he have none his Brethren Sisters or his next Kindred When I had said this Surely saith that my discreet old Fellow hereby I easily perceive that you Mair that is French-men are notable Fools for what needeth you so greatly to tire and turmoil your selves in sailing over the Sea in passing whereof as being here arrived you report to us you sustain so many Miseries Is it forsooth that you might get riches for your Children or living Kinsfolk Is not the Earth which hath nourished us sufficient also to maintain them We surely have both Children and Kinsfolk and them as you see we love dearly but seeing we confidently hope that it shall come to pass that after our death the same Earth which nourished us shall also relieve and cherish them therein we repose our selves and rest content One of these Islands on the South-part of the Streights is called Baldivia which took its name of a Spanish Captain so called whom afterwards the Indians took Prisoner and it is said they inquired of him the reason why he came to molest them and to take their Countrey from them having no Title or Right thereunto He answered to get Gold which the Barbarians understanding caused Gold to be molten and poured down his Throat saying Gold was thy desire glut thee with it When the Spaniards first began to inhabit the West-Indies Sancta Domingo was an Island as full of Indians as any place of that bigness in all America but by the cruelty of the Spaniards in their excessive labour in the Mines they were most of them destroyed which labour was so grievous that many of the surviving Indians would rather kill themselves than endure it It happened on a time that a Spaniard called certain of them to go work in the Mines which rather than they would do they proffer'd to lay violent hands on themselves which the Spaniard perceiving he said unto them Seeing you will rather hang your selves than to go and work I will likewise hang my self and go with you because I will make you work in the other World but the Indians hearing this said We will willingly work with you because you shall not go with us so unwilling they were of the Spaniards company so that of all the Inhabitants of this Island there was none escaped Death but only these few which was by the means of this Spaniard or else they would
seeking his Corps were lost in a Wood when calling one to another Where art Where art Where art the martyred Head answered Here Here Here. However God forbid that these Monkish Lies should make us under-value this worthy King and Martyr thus cruelly tortured to Death which by an old Author is thus accurately express'd Utque cruore suo Gallos Dionysius ornat Graecos Demetrius gloria quisque suis Sic nos Edmundus nulli virtute secundus Lux patet patriae gloria magna suae Sceptra manum diadema caput sua purpura corpus Ornat ei sed plus vincula mucro cruor As Denis by his Death adorneth France Demetrius Greece each Credit to his place So Edmund's Lustre doth our Land advance Who with his Vertues doth his Country grace Scepter Crown Robe his Hand Head Corps renowns More famous for his Bonds his Blood his Wounds And of these his Sufferings another Poet of middle time thus versifies of him Jam loca vulneribus desunt nec dum furiosis Tela sed hyberna grandine plura volant Though now no place was left for Wounds yet Arrows did not fail These furious Wretches still they fly thicker than Winter Hail His Shirt was kept at the Abbey of Bury for a precious Relick which Monks also bragged that they had certain Drops of St. Stephen's Blood thou canst not O Reader but believe it which sprung from him at such time as he was stoned and some of the Coles with which St. Lawrence was broiled Some few notable Histories of Parents crossing the Affections of their Children and the sad Effects attended thereon IN Verona a famous City in Italy lived a young Gentlewoman named Julietta of the noble House of the Montesches or Montacutes her Father being not willing that she should marry when both the decency of Time and aptness of her Years made tender of themselves therefore in her fairest Flower she espoused her self unknown to her Parents to a Gentleman's Son of another House and Family called the Capelets whose Name was Romeo those two Families being mortal Enemies one to the other This Marriage sorted unto the lamentable Death of both the Lovers as you shall briefly hear in this manner They being secretly married by the hand of a Cordelier or Franciscan Fryar a man most expert in the Secrets of Nature who took great Compassion on their earnest reciprocal Affection and daily Torments between them endured It happened on a certain day that an Uncle to Julietta in regard of the inveterate Hatred betwixt the two Families drew upon Romeo who in defending himself slew the said Uncle whereupon he was banished or at the least inforced to be absent from Verona The woeful Gentlewoman having made her moan unto the honest minded Fryar under the shadow of Confession concerning the irksome absence of her best esteemed Friend he gave her advice to receive a little Potion when she went to Bed which should cause her to sleep for more than thirty hours so that she should be verily supposed to be dead She boldly adventured on his Counsel and her Parents imagining her to be dead indeed caused her to be buried in the Tomb or Vault belonging to the House of her Predecessors From thence the Fryar purposed to fetch her at a certain hour of the Night and to conduct her in the Habit of a Novice to banished Romeo who lived in a Land of another Jurisdiction yet not far distant from the City all this was possible and easie to be performed for it was and is a common Custom there not to bury deceased Bodies in Graves as it is observed among us but in Grotts or vaulted Caves While these things were framing themselves according to premeditated purpose it fortuned that a Servant belonging to Romeo came to Verona to bring Letters of Recommendation to Julietta and being returned back to his Master reported the certain Tidings of her Death and that himself was present at her interring Romeo confounded with Grief and extremity of Passions found the means in a disguised Habit before the shutting up of Verona Gates to enter the City In the dead time of the Night also he compassed his Intent entering the Church with a lighted Torch in his hand having opened the doors by the help of his Servant and also the Tomb wherein she lay inclosed Then commanding the absence of his Servant he entered into the Vault and after infinite Kisses bestowed by him on Julietta whom he verily conceited to be dead he drank a most deadly Poyson which he had bought of a needy Apothecary and which immediately fell to Operation so slept he for ever by the body of Julietta Now after her Drink had wrought his full Power she awaked and by means of the burning Torch perceiving her Romeo to be quite dead she was thereat greatly enraged with Grief so that snatching a Ponyard that hung at his Girdle she therewith desperately slew her self Not long after the Fryar knowing the time expired for the waking of Julietta came likewise to the Vault but when he beheld that tragick woeful Spectacle let his Sorrow be censured by such as are able to judge of the same On the morrow after the death of these two Lovers was discovered and all matters rehearsed by Fryar Lawrence for so was the Cordelier named to the great Grief and Admiration of every one that heard it Another History of as sad effects take as followeth In the City of Rome not long while since there was a young Maiden named Lucretia Daughter to a rich Merchant secretly espoused to a young man called Paulo Son also to another Merchant the two Fathers being vowed Enemies and both alike envious of each others Fortune The Father of Paulo perceiving how fast aged Years came stealing on him determined a marriage for his Son acquainting him therewith that he had made choice of one meet for him commanding him also to fashion himself to good liking thereof because he would have it accomplished within very few days The Son deferred it off so long as well he could yet to declare some Obedience to his Father he craved Respite to consider thereof but in the mean while it was generally noised thorough the City of Rome that Paulo must be married unto another This News coming to the Ears of Lucretia she dissembled her inward conceived Displeasure verily imagining the matter to be already done Paulo coming as oftentimes he did when fit time favour'd him to visit his Lucretia in the night time so jocund and merry as at no time more after accustomed Kindnesses passed between them Paulo fell into a very sound Sleep Lucretia beholding him in that fearless Estate with a great Knife she gave him so many Stabs and deep Wounds both in the Breast and Belly that she deprived him of his Life and afterward committed the like Violence on her self This Act so full of Sorrow and sad Mischance came to the Ear of Pope Paulus the Fourth who would not allow them
have hanged themselves also The cruelty of the Spaniards to the Indians of Peru was so extraordinary great that those silly People would not believe that the Spaniards were born into the World like other men supposing that so fierce and cruel a Creature could not be procreated of Man and Woman They called them therefore Viracochie that is Sea-froth as if they thence had received their Original Nor can any alter this their Opinion so deeply rooted saying The Winds overthrow Trees and Houses Fire burns them but these Viracochie devour all things insatiably seeking Gold and Silver which as soon as they have gotten they play away at Dice War kill one another rob blaspheme wickedly forswear and deny God never speak truth and us they have spoiled of our Countrey and Fortunes and therefore they cursed the Sea which brought to the Land so fierce and dreadful an Issue Before the Spaniards conquered Peru the Tribute which the poor People were tied to pay to their Juca's or Kings was on certain dayes to give him so many Pipes of Lice so to acknowledge subjection and keep themselves clean Of the Tortoises in the West-Indies The Tortoise is reasonable toothsom and wholsom Meat of such largeness that one of them will make a dozen Messes appointing six to every Mess It is such a kind of Meat as a man can neither absolutely call Fish nor Flesh keeping most in the Water and feeding upon Sea-grass like an Heifer in the bottom of the Coves and Bayes and laying their Eggs of which we should find five hundred at a time in the opening of a she-one in the Sand by the Shoar-side and so covering them close leave them to the hatching of the Sun like the Monati at St. Dominick which made the Spanish Friars at their first arrival make some scruple to eat them on a Friday because in colour and taste the Flesh is like to Morsels of Veal Concerning the laying of their Eggs and the hatching of their Young Peter Martyr writeth thus in his Decads of the Ocean At such time as the heat of Nature moveth them to generation they come forth of the Sea and making a deep Pit in the Sand they lay three or four hundred Eggs therein when they have thus emptied their Bag of Conception they put as much of the same again into the Pit as may satisfie to cover the Eggs and so resort again to the Sea nothing careful of their succession At the day appointed of Nature to the procreation of these Creatures there creepeth out a multitude of Tortoises as it were Pismires out of an Ant-hill and this onely by the heat of the Sun without any help of their Parents Their Eggs are as big Goose-Eggs and themselves grown to Perfection bigger than great round Targets The Indians of Virginia at the first coming of the English thither were so simple and ignorant that having surprized some Gun-powder from the English their King caused it to be sown thinking it would grow up and increase as did Corn and other Seeds Throughout all the Mountains either of the Islands or firm Land of Nova Hispania Carthagena c. there are infinite numbers of Monkeys which are a kind of Apes but very different in that they have a Tayl a very long one And amongst them there are some kinds which are thrice yea four times bigger than the ordinary some are all black some bay some gray and some spotted Their agility and manner of leaping is admirable for that they seem to have Reason and Discourse to go upon Trees wherein they seem to imitate Birds My Author going from Nombre de Dios to Panama saw in Capira one of these Monkeys leap from one Tree to another which was on the other side of a River making him much to wonder They leap where they list winding their Tails about a Branch to shake it and when they will leap farther than they can at once they use a pretty device tying themselves by the Tails one of another and by this means make as it were a Chain of many then do they lanch themselves forth and the first holpen by the force of the rest takes hold where he list and so hangs to a Bough and helps all the rest till they be gotten up It were long to report the Fooleries Tricks Traverses and pleasant Sports they make when they are taught which seem not to come from brute Beasts but from a man-like understanding The same Author saw one in Carthagena in the Governours House so taught as the things he did seemed incredible They sent him to the Tavern for Wine putting the Pot in one hand and the Money in the other and they could not possibly get the Money out of his hand before he had his Pot full of Wine If any Children met him in the street and threw any stones at him he would set his Pot down on the one side and cast stones against the Children till he had assured his way then would he return to carry home his Pot and which is more although he were a good Bibber of Wine yet would he never touch it until leave was given him They told him moreover that if he saw any Women painted he would fall upon them pull off their Attire and would seek to bite them Several Rarities of divers Countreys THe Coco-tree is one of the most admirable Rarities in the whole World which Mr. Herbert in his Travels thus describes The Tree that bears the Coco is strait and lofty without any Branches save at the very top where it spreads its beautiful plumes and Nuts like Pearls or Pendants adorning them It is good Timber for Canoes Masts Anchors the leaves for Tents or Thatching the Rind for Sails Matteresses Cables and Linnen the Shells for Furniture the Meat for Victualling The Nut is covered with a thick rind equal in bigness to a Cabbage The Shell is like the Skull of a man or rather a Deaths-head the Eyes Nose and Mouth being easily discerned within it is contained a quart of sweet and excellent Liquor like new White-wine but far more aromatick tasted The Meat or Kernel is better relished than our Filberds and is enough to satisfie the Appetite of two reasonable men the Indian Nut alone Is Cloathing Meat and Trencher Drink and Can Boat Cable Sail Mast Needle all in one The Divine Du Bartas hath celebrated its praises unto the Life in these Verses translated by Joshua Sylvester The Indian Isles most admirable be In those rare Fruits call'd Coco's commonly The which alone far richer wonder yields Than all our Groves Meads Gardens Orchards Fields What would'st thou drink the wounded leaves drop Wine Lack'st thou fine Linnen dress the tender Rine Dress it like Flax spin it then weave it well It shall thy Cambrick and thy Lawn excell Long'st thou for Butter bite the pulpous part For never better came to any Mart. Do'st need good Oyl then bolt it to and fro And passing Oyl it soon becometh