and reuerend Diuine Doctor LAYFIELD his Lordships Chaplaine and Attendant in that expedition very much abbreuiated §. I. The Shippes emploied in the Voyage and accidents on the Coasts of Spaine in the Canaries and the Nauigation thence to Dominica HIs Lordship being authorised by Letters Patents giuen at Westminster the foureteenth of Ianuary to leuie Forces seruiceable by Sea and Land came downe to Portesmouth the eight of February wherein nothing memorable happened till Munday being the thirteenth of March. While we were at Morning Prayer his Lordship happened to see a Gallant of the company purposely I name him not reading of Orlando Furioso to whom himselfe in person went presently after Seruice all the Company being by and hauing told him that we might looke that God would serue vs accordingly if we serued not him better bad him be sure that if againe he tooks him in the like manner he would cast his Booke ouer-boâ—â—d and turne himselfe out of the Ship The next day by obseruation it was found that towards the euening we had runne within fiue or sixe and twenty leagues of the North Cape whereupon his Lordship gaue direction to the Vice-admirall that he should carry his Flagge in the Maine-top and with a peece of Ordnance should hale in the rest of the Fleete to his Lee and that they all with him as their Admirall for the time should this night winde South and by West and there they should ride off and on scattering themselues to the North and South in the height of the Burlings till his Lordshippe should come to them In the meane season himselfe attended onely with the Guiana and the Scourges scoâ—t run to fall in with the North Cape meaning by the taking of some Caruell or some Fisherman to haue some certaine intelligence in what forwardnesse the fiue Carracks were which at this very time his Lordship knew were outwards bound The defect of his maine Maste caused him to stand in for the Burlings The Burlings is an Iland something longer then broad and by the violent beating of the Sea it selfe almost made two Ilands and within few yeares it will be so exceeding rockie it is and barren aboue measure We found no liuing thing in it but Lysards and some few Conies Vpon thursday being the thirteenth of Aprill we had sight of the Ilands The first that was within kenning was Alegrança the most Northerly of the Canaries we left it on the star-boord side as also three little hils rather then the Islands hauing all one name of the Grange In the afternoone we had Lancerota one of the six great Canaries in cleere kenning The next morning twixt fiue and six we were come to an anchor in the Roade which beareth East South-east of the Iland His Lordship had taken colde with watching the last night whereupon he found himselfe so ill the next morning being good Friday that he kept his Cabbin and was glad to take some strong Physicke He sent therefore for Sir Iohn Barkley his Lieutenant generall and gaue him order to land with certaine Companies to the number of betweene fiue and six hundred men They were in their March by ten that morning and marched the next way as they thought to the chiefe Towne of the Iland but their foremost desire was if they might to haue surprised the Marquesse who commandeth both that and the next Iland called Fortenentura as his owne possession The Towne is from the place they landed at as they coniecture some ten miles at the least By fiue in the afternoone they entered the Towne which besides the expectation they found clearely quitted of the enemy and nothing in a manner left sauing good store of very excellent Wine and Cheese After the Towne was assured Sir Iohn sent a troope to a strong Hold some halfe a mile of from the Towne called the Castle a place which the Marquesse had fortified with good store of Munition and Ordnance When our Troopes were come vp the Hill they found twixt 80 and 100. Ilanders and Spaniards within and about the house but without fight they quitted the place so that our men entered it without losse or danger They found in it a dozen or more cast Peeces of Brasse the least Bases the most whole Culuering and Demiculuering and an innumerable company of Stones laid in places of greatest aduantage The House it selfe built of squared stone flanked very strongly and cunningly both for defence and offence the entrance thereunto not as in our Forts of equall height with the foundation and ground but raised about a Pikes length in height so that without the vse of a Ladder there could be no entrance there I haue heard sundry of our wisest Commanders say that if they had drawne in their Ladder and onely shut the doore twenty men victualled might haue kept it against fiue hundred The Towne consisteth of somewhat more then a hundred houses whose building is rude being commonly but of one Storie their Roofes flat and something sloping to cast of raine couered onely with Canes or Straw laid vpon a few rafters and very dirt cast vpon all which being hardned by the Sunne becommeth of showre-proofe The Inhabitants are of very able and actiue bodies their stature commonly tall of swiftnesse in that Mountainous Countrie not farre behinde their Horses and Cammels their Armes are Pikes and Stones when a Peece is presented to them so soone as they perceiue the cocke or match to fall they cast themselues flat to the ground and the report is no sooner heard but they are vpon their feete their stones out of their hands and withall they charge with their Pikes and this in scattered incounters or single fight for either they know not or neglect orderly baâ—talion oftner giueth then receiueth hurt The Iland it is not round but stretched somewhat in length to the North-east and South-west parted by a ridge of Hils from end to end as Italie is by the Mountaines Apennine These hils are barren otherwise then that in prettie store they feede flocks of Sâ—eepe and Goates Their Vallies promise no fruitfulnesse being very sandy and dry something like Rye-fields in England and yet they yeelde passing good Barley and Wheate Their beasts be Sheepe and Goates few Neate many Asses fewer Camels but fewest Gennets and these of no great stature The Iland is thought to exceede the Wight both in breadth and length of the Temper a man may iudge besides that it lyeth in 28. degâ—ees and some minutes by the complexion of the Inhabitants which is blackish and by their Haruest-time which was past before the middest of Aprill and looke for a second about Michaelmas their landing there was vpon good Friday The next day the fifteenth of Aprill Sir Iohn Barkeley being out of hope to finde the Marquesse not knowing where to seeke him whom feare had taught to hide himselfe closely marched backe to the Nauie without farther
we first crept into the world my chiefe companion both in Armes and trauels I tooke also with mee his Brother Unton Fisher Master Cradle the Masters mate of my ship and about sixe more I followed the Coast to the Westward steering during West and passing by the Riuer of Meccooria I lodged that night in the mouth of the Riuer Courwo which hath a narrow deepe entrance and within affoordeth a good Harbour which may in time to come for some speciall purpose be of great vse The next day and the night following I proceeded Westward with full saile and passing the Riuers of Manmanury Sâ—nammara Oorassowini Coonannonia Vracco and Amanna I arriued the twentie fiue day at the Riuer of Marrawini which openeth a faire Riuer but is shoale vpon the Barre which lieth two or three leagues off at Sea hauing but two fathome water within the Barre the Channell is three foure fiue and sixe fathome deepe Fiue leagues within the riuer we passed by certaine Ilands called Curowapory not inhabited for at the rising of the waters they are alwayes ouer-flowne of which sort the Riuer hath very many we lodged that night a little beyond these first Ilands at a Village called Moyemon on the left hand the Captaine thereof is called Maperitaka of the Nation of the Paragotos a man very louing and faithull to our Nation whereof we haue had good proofe The next day wee proceeded vp the Riuer three leagues and stayedat a Towne called Coewynay on the right hand at the house of Minapa the chiefe Charib of that Signiorie to pouide two Canoes to prosecute our iourney for the Discouerie of this Riuer The twentie eight day we went forward passing many Villages any Townes which I forbeare to name and hauing gone about twentie leagues from the Sea wee found the Riuer in a manner barred vp with Rockes ouer which the water falleth with great violence yet notwithstanding we aduentured to proceed and the further wee went the more dangerous wee found the ouer-fals and more in number but when wee had passed the first Mountaine towards the high Countrey of Guiana called Sapparow and discouered farre off before vs other high Mountaines called Matawere Moupanana and had proceeded sixe dayes iourney vp the Riuer which was more then fortie leagues we met with such shoale rockie streame and great ouer-fals that there to our griefe our iourney ended Being thus for that time debarred from our intended Discouerie we prepared our selues with patience to returne towards our ships and the third day of September we turned downe the Riuer shooting the ouer-fals with more celeritie then when we came vp dispatching three dayes iourney in one and the fifth day returned safe to Moyemon but before I departed thence Captaine Fisher told me of certaine Plants which hee had then found much like vnto Rose-trees growing about halfe a yard in height whereof for the strangenesse of them I cannot forbeare to adde a word or two These Plants or little trees had assuredly the sence of feeling as plainly appeared by touching them for if you did but touch a leafe of the tree with your finger that leafe would presently shrinke and close vp it selfe and hang downe as if it were dead and if you did cut off a leafe with a paire of Cizzers then all the other leaues growing vpon the same tree would instantly shrinke and close vp themselues and hang downe as if they were dead and withered and within halfe a quarter of an houre would by degrees open themselues againe and flourish as before and as often as you did either touch or cut off any of them they would doe the like which did euidently shew a restriction of the Spirits inuincibly arguing a Sense Howsoeuer this may seeme strange and incredible to your Highnesse and to them that haue not seene it yet forasmuch as Scaliger and Bartas make mention of the like I dare be bold to affirme it vpon my credit hauing seene and shewed it to fortie others I gathered two of the Plants and did set them in pots in their owne earth and carried them aboord my ship where I kept them fairely growing almost a fortnight vntill they were destroyed by certaine Monkeyes that brake loose and pulled them in pieces which might haue beene preuented but that I was constrained to set them in the open aire the better to preserue them The seuenth day I went to Wiawia a great Towne of Paragotos and Yaios foure leagues to the West of Marrawini whereof Maperitaka aboue mentioned and Arapawaka are chiefe Captaines At this Towne I left my Cousin Vnton Fisher and Humfrey Croxton an Apothecary to beare him company and one seruant to attend him called Christopher Fisher hauing first taken order with Maperitaka for their diet and other necessaries both for trauell and other wise who euer since according to his promise hath performed the part of an honest man and faithfull friend I gaue directions to my Cousin Fisher to prosecute the Discouerie of Marrawini and the inland parts bordering vpon it when the time of the yeere and the waters better serued and if it were possible to goe vp into the high Countrey of Guiana and to finde out the Citie of Manoa mentioned by Sir Walter Raleigh in his Discouerie He followed my directions to the vttermost of his abilitie being of a good wit and very industrious and enabled to vndergoe those imployments by obtaining the loue and gaining the Languages of the people without which helpes there is little or no good to be done in those parts When the waters of Marrawini were risen and the Riuer passable much differing from the Riuer of Wiapoco which is not to be trauelled but in the lowest waters Hee began his iourney for the Discouerie thereof in company of the Apothecarie his seruant Fisher the Indian Maperitaka and eighteene others and proceeded eleuen dayes iourney vp the Riuer to a Towne of Charibes called Taupuramune distant from the Sea aboue an hundred leagues but was foure dayes iourney short of Moreshego which is also a Towne of Charibes situate vpon the Riuer side in the Prouince of Moreshegoro the chiefe Captaine thereof is called Areminta who is a proud and bold Indian much feared of all those that dwell within his Territories hauing a rough skin like vnto Buffe Leather of which kind there be many in those parts and I suppose proceedeth of some infirmitie of the bodie He vnderstood by relation of the Indians of Taupuramune and also of Areminta that six dayes iourney beyond Moreshego there are diuers mightie Nations of Indians hauing holes through their Eares Cheekes Nostrils and neather Lips which were called Craweanna Pawmeeanna Quikeanna Peewattere Arameeso Acawreanno Acooreo Tareepeeanna Corecorickado Peeauncado Cocoanno Itsura and Waremisso and were of strength and stature farre exceeding other Indians hauing Bowes and Arrowes foure times as bigge what the Indians also report of the greatnesse of
Starboord side we dissembogued through the broken Ilands on the North side of Anguilla vpon S. Lukes day where I thinke neuer Englishman dissembogued before vs for we found all our Sea-charts false concerning that place those broken Ilands being placed therein to the Southward of Anguilla betweene it and Saint Martins and we found them scituate to the Northward thereof On the eleuenth day of Nouember wee had sight of Fayal one of the Ilands of the Terceras which we left on our starboord side and fleeted away for England the winde continuing faire vntill the twenty foure day But then it changed first to the East by North and then to the East South-east and became so violent and furious that for three dayes space we were not able to beare our saile but did driue before the winde at the least three leagues a watch out of our course and the first land we made was Cape Cleere in the South-west part of Ireland where against our wils we arriued at Crooke Hauen the twenty nine of Nouember During the time of my Voyage we lost but one Land-man who died in Guiana and one Sailer and an Indian Boy who died at Sea in our returne and during the space of these three yeares last past since the voyage of all the men which I left in the Countrey being in number about thirty there died but six whereof one was drowned another was an old man of threescore years of age and another tooke his death by his owne disorder the rest died of sicknesse as pleased God the giuer of life for such small losse his holy name be blessed now and euer The names of the Riuers falling into the Sea from Amazones to Dessequebe and of the seuerall Nations inhabiting those Riuers RIVERS NATIONS 1 Amazones 2 Arrapoco a branch of Amazones 3 Arrawary Charibs 4 Maicary 5 Connawini Yaios and Charibes 6 Cassipurogh 7 Arracow Arracoories 8 Wiapoco 9 Wianary a creeke or inlet of thesea Yaios and Arwaccas 10 Cowo not inhabited 11 Apurwacca 12 Wio 13 Caiane 14 Meccooria 15 Courwo 16 Manmanury 17 Sinammara Charibs 18 Oorassowini not inhabited 19 Coonannoma 20 Uracco Arwaccas 21 Marrawini Paragotos Yaios Charibs Arwas 22 Amanna 23 Camoâ—re or Comawin a branch of Selinama 24 Selinama or Surennamo 25 Surammo 26 Coopannomy 27 Eneccare Charibs 28 Coretine 29 Berebisse Arwaccas and Charibs 30 Manhica 31 Wapary 32 Micowine 33 Demeerare Arwaccas 34 Motooronnes 35 Quiowinne branches of Dessequebe Charibs 36 Dessequebe Arwaccas and Charibs Euery house hath Cocks Hennes and Chickens as in England and the variety of fish is wonderfull without compare but the chiefest comfort of our Country-men is this that the Beast called Maypury and the fish called the Sea-Cow being seuerally as bigge as a Heifer of two years old and of which kinde there are very many are in eating so like vnto our English Beefe that hardly in taste we can distinguish them and may as well as Beefe be salted and kept for our prouision There is also a Beast in colour like a Fawne but fuller of white spots in stature somewhat lesse then a small Sheepe and in taste like Mutton but is rather better meate the Baremo is also of the same taste I haue the Copie of Master Harcourt his Patent and he published also certaine Articles for the Aduenturers c. which for breuity are omitted CHAP. XVII A Relation of the habitations and other Obseruations of the Riuer of Marwin and the adioyning Regions Townes in the Riuer of Marwin INprimis Marracomwin a little Village so called where the Arwaccas dwell whose chiefe Captaine is Coretan and is at the foot of the Riuer of Marwin in a creake on the left hand going vp the Riuer Secondly Russia a little Village so called where likewise Arwaccas dwell being likewise at the foote of the Riuer on the right hand going vp the Riuer Thirdly Moyyemon a large Towne where are some twentie houses all builded very lately inhabited by Parawagotos and Yaios whose chiefe Captaine is Maperitacca being the Captaine with whom the Generall left vs and with whom we continue being on the left hand of the Riuer Fourthly Kiawarie a Towne inhabited by Careebees almost right against Moyyemon whose Chiefetaine is Fiftly Tonorima a little Village aboue Kiawary inhabited by Careebees being on the same side of the Riuer who be gouerned by the Captaine of Quuenow Sixtly Quuenou a Towne some quarter of a mile distant from Tonorima inhabited by Careebees whose Chiefetaine is Vcapea hauing a lame hand Seuenthly Arowatta a Towne situate on the same side of the Riuer whose inhabitants be Careebees but a good prettie way beyond whose Chiefetaine is Seepane Eightly Comurraty a Towne situate beyond Arowatta on the other side of the Riuer whose Inhabitants be Careebees and Chiefetaine is Parapane Ninthly Pasim a Towne situate beyond Comurratiâ— on the same side of the Riuer whose Inhabitants bee Careeb and Chiefetaine is Tanatweya Tenthly Paramaree a Towne situate beyond Pasim on the other side of the Riuer inhabited by Careabees whose Chiefetaine is Iuara There is beyond Paramaree a lone house beeing situate some dayes iourney from Paramaree on the same side of the Riuer being inhabited by Careebees Eleuenthly about some eleuen daies iourney beyond the lone house there is a towne called Tauparamunni whose Inhabitants be Careebees Twelfthly a daies iourney from thence is another Towne called Moreesheego whose Inhabitants be Careebees About some twentie daies iourney beyond Moreesheego is a Towne called Aretonenne whose Inhabitants bee Careebees hauing verie long eares hanging to their shoulders and they are reported to bee a very gentle and louing uing people Some twentie daies farther is the head of the Riuer Marwin where dwell Parawagatos Arwaccas and Suppay and after a daies iourney in the Land they report the way to be very faire and Champian ground with long grasse Townes from the foot of Marwin on the Northside along the Sea FIrst Equiwibone a Towne inhabited by Arwaccas and Parawagotos Secondly Caycooseooâ—ooro inhabited by Arwaccas whose Chiefetaine is Woaccomo Thirdly Amypea inhabited by Arwaccas Fourthly about six mile within Land is Careebee inhabited by Arwaccas whose Chiefetaine is Aramea Fiftly Wia Wiam about two miles from the Sea a Towne inhabited by Yaios Parrawagotos and Arwaccas whose Chiefetaine is Araponaca Sixtly Soorry Soorry some two mile directly farther toward the Sea side inhabited by Parawagotos whose Chiefetaine is Resurrima Seuenthly Amiebas a little distant from Soory Soory inhabited by Parawagotos Eightly Uieguano some sixe mile beyond Soory Soory inhabited by Yaos and Parawagotos Ninthly Vrarinno adioyning to Vicguano inhabited by Arwaccas and Parawagotos Tenthly Surarer a daies iourney beyond Wia Wiam vp into the Land inhabited by Arwaccas Eleuenthly Simarra some sixe miles distant from Wia Wiam inhabited by Arwaccas Twelfthly Caâ—ri a Towne adioyning to Simarra inhabited by Arwaccas Thirteenthly Conâ—oere a Towne adioyning to Cauri inhabited by Parawagotos and
ioynts a fathome long others whereof they make their Arrowes and are esteemed Others so long that they haue three or foure Lances in length these growe among the Woods and as there are many so there are many and long beds of Canes of many leagues and as they growe among the trees they goe to seeke the Sunne and therefore are so long §. VI. Of the Fishes that swimme in the salt water also Shel-fishes Trees and Fowles of the Sea of Riuers and the Creatures which liue therein and the Beasts and Plants brought thither out of Portugall THe Oxe-fish in these parts is a Royall fish esteemed aboue all other fishes very healthfull in eating and of a good taste either salted or fresh And it rather seemeth Beefe then Fish and some doubts there were because it was eaten on fish dayes the flesh is all grained like Beefe and so it is cut in slices and they dresse it at the smoake like Bacon or hanged Beefe In the taste if it be eaten or sodden with Cabidge or other herbes it tasteth like Beefe and drest in sowce it tasteth like Mutton and rosted both in smell taste and fatnesse it is like Porke and hath fat also The Fish in his making seemeth a land creature and chiefly an Oxe the head is altogether of an Oxe with skinne and haire eares eyes cheekes and tongue the eyes are exceeding small for the bodie it hath he shutteth and openeth them when hee listeth which other fishes doe not ouer the ventsit hath two skinnes wherewith he closeth them and by them he breatheth and it cannot bee long vnder water without breathing it hath no more nor other finnes but the taile which is all round and close the bodie is of a great bignesse all full of yellow haires it hath two armes of a cubite long with two hands like round peeles and on them he hath fiue fingers all close one to another and euery finger hath his nayle like a mans nayle Vnder these armes the female haue two paps wherewith shee bringeth vp her young she beareth but one at once the inward part and the inwards of this fish are like an Oxes with liuer and lights c. In the head ouer the eyes neere the braines it hath two stones of a good bignesse white and heauie they are of great esteeme and are the onely remedie for the Stone for beaten to powder and dranke in wine or water it causeth to void the stone as it happened that giuing it to a person to drinke leauing other many experiences within one houre hee voided a stone as bigge as an Almond and remained sound being before at the point of death The bones of this fish are all massie and white like Iuorie They make of it great store of Butter they take two leaues as from a hogge and the most of the Butter it hath in the taile which being of a yard or more in length it melteth all into Butter it hath a good taste and for to dresse or frie fish and for light It is verie good also for Medicines as the Hogges Grease it is white and smelleth well it hath no smell of fish This fish is taken with Harping-Irons it is found in the salt Riuers neere the fresh water it feedeth on an herbe that groweth by the borders and within the Riuers and where this herbe groweth and neere the Springs of fresh water whereof hee onely drinketh They are verie great some weigh tenne others fifteene hundred and such a fish hath beene taken that an hundred men could not get it out of the water but they broke it vp there where it was killed The fish Beijupira is like the Sturgeon of Portugall and so it is held and esteemed of heere as a royall fish it is very healthfull fat and of a good taste they bee infinite and some of their towes are a span in compasse about these fishes are taken in the broad Sea with a hooke and line it is six or seuen spannes long the bodie is round blacke on the backe and the belly white The Oxe-eie is like the Tunnyes of Spaine as well in bignesse as in making inward as outward it is verie fat it hath sometime betweene leafe and leafe courses of â—at as thicke as a Portugall Tester they are cut in backes and bellies like the Tunnâ—es and of them is made great store and verie good Butter it hath leaues like a Hogge is a fish esteemed and of a good taste it deserueth well the name of One fish as well in his beautie as his bignesse the eies are properly like an Oxe and therefore it hath this name The fish Camurupi is also a royall fish and esteemed in these parts the graine of it all in flakes enterlarded with fat and grease and of a good taste it hath many bones through all the bodie and is dangerous in eating It hath a finne on the backe which it carries alwaies raised vpwards it is of two or threâ— quarters long the fish is long of twelue and thirteene quarters in length and of a good bignesse and two men haue much adoe to lift vp one of them they are taken with Harping Irons there are many of them and much Oile is made of them This wilde fish which the Indians call Piraâ—mbu that is a fish that snorteth the reason is because wheresoeuer it is is heard by his snorting is of a good bignesse about eight or nine spannes it is of a good taste and esteemed it hath in the mouth two stones as broad as a hand exceeding strange with them they breake the Wilkes whereof they feed the Indians esteeme the stones and weare them about their neckes as a Iewell There are many other fishes of sundrie kinds that are not in Spaine and commonly of a good taste and healthfull Of the fishes of Portugall in these parts are also many to wit a fish called Tainhas and a great multitude and it hath beene tried that the Tainha beeing fresh and laid to the stinging of a Snake is another Vnicorne There want no Sea-breames a fish called Chicharros it is like a Mackerill Pargos or great Sea-breames Sâ—rgâ—s other Sea-breames Garazes Darados the Needle-fish Cod-fishes but these are rare Pilchards like them of Spaine are found at sometimes in the Riuer of Ianuarie and the most parts of the South Scates and Rayes these Rayes some haue in their mouth two bones and breake with them the Wilkes All these fishes are so healthfull that in these parts they are eaten after Milke after flesh and all a whole Lent without Oile or Vineger and it causeth no scabs nor other diseases as in Europe but rather it is giuen to the sicke though they haue a Feuer or be very weake Because this Coast is full of many Bayes Nookes and Creekes there came great store of Whales to these Concaues chiefly from May to September when they spawne and bring vp their young and also because
remedie of broyling for the preseruing of them Therefore although they had taken thirty wilde beasts in one day such as we will describe in this Chapter they would lay them all cut in pieces vpon those Grates as soone as it might be done lest they should be tainted and corrupted and there being often turned they are sometimes broyled and scorched aboue foure and twenty houres together vntill the inside of the flesh be as well rosted as the outside and by this meanes they are all preserued from corruption Nor is there any other manner of dressing or preseruing fish which when they haue gotten they dry them in great plenty to make Meale especially those which in their Country language they call Piraparati which are the very true and naturall Mullets of the which I shall hereafter speake in another place And these Grates among the Barbarians are rightly to bee accounted the Shambles and Store-house and therefore you shall scarce come to their Villages but you may see them laden with the flesh of wilde beasts and fishes and it vsually happeneth also very often as wee shall hereafter speake if you come vnto the Barbarians that you shall behold these Grates filled with mans flesh which I thinke they bring as spoyles taken from the conquered enemies to be slaine and eaten But that I may prosecute the intended description of wilde beasts the second degree of bignesse seemeth to be giuen vnto a certaine kinde of Deere which they name Seouassou but herein they dâ—ffer from ours both that they are much lower and haue lesser hornes and also in this that they haue as long shagged haire as our Country Goates But the American Boare which they call Taiassou is very like in shape vnto those which are bred with vs in bulke of body eares head and feet very hurtfull also through his long and sharpe teeth yet seeing hee is more leane and slender and terribly gnasheth and grindeth his teeth together hee is notorious also through that deformitie He hath an hole in the backe by nature as the Sea-swine haue in the head whereby he draweth in breath and letteth it out These three are their greatest beasts There is also among the Americans a certaine red wilde beast which they name Agouti of the height of a weaned Pig of thirty dayes old with a clouen foot a very short tayle and with the nose and eares almost of an Hare most delightfull to the taste There are also others of two or three kindes which they call Tapitis not much vnlike our Hares but somewhar of a reddish haire They catch great Rats also in the Woods of the bignesse and haire of Squirrels which come neere vnto the delicate taste of Conies Pag or Pague for after what manner they pronounce it you can scarce or not at all vnderstand is a wilde beast of the indifferent height of an Hound with a deformed head the flesh comming neere vnto the taste of Veale with a very faire skinne distinguished with white russet and blacke spots so that it would be of great price with vs if they were to be gotten There is another also found which they call Sarigoy which the Barbarians eate not by reason of the noysome stinke thereof but flaying some of them and taking away the fat of the kidneyes whence that stinke proceeded wee eate them without loathing for they are both tender and also excellent flesh There is also that which they call Tatou this is not very well able to runne yet as Hedge-hogs with vs creeping through the bryars and bushes shee is armed with very hard scales so that shee cannot be pierced with a sword if also you wrap the skinne together being taken off wherewith the Barbarians make very many Chists which they call Caramenos you would say they were warlike Gauntlets It is of a white flesh and of an excellent taste Moreouer vnto these beasts which are most common with the Americans Crocodiles called Iacare are added of the bignesse of a mans thigh and proportionable length but they are so farre from doing any hurt that the Barbarians houses are full of these Iacare and the little children play with them without any danger Those Crocodiles which I happened to see had a very wide mouth long legs with a tayle neither round nor sharpe but very small at the end and whether as some haue written they moue the vpper chap I freely confesse that I haue not obserued Moreouer the Americans take Lizards they call them Touous not greene but russet and of a spotted skinne like our Countrie small Lizards And although they bee foure or fiue foote long and proportionable in bignesse and therefore of a terrible forme yet notwithstanding like Frogs they abide in the Riuers and Marishes hurtfull vnto none Furthermore the skinne being plucked off if they be bowelled and sodden they are very delicate meate so that I haue not tasted any thing more sweet in America For they are of as white a flesh as Capons are with vs delicate tender and sweet that nothing excelleth them yet in the beginning I abhorred the taste thereof but afterward when I had tasted them better as touching meates the Lizards were chiefly commended of mee The Tououpinambaultij haue also very great Toads which they eate being rosted without bowelling But seeing both Physicians teach and it is also commonly knowne and apparent that the flesh and corrupt bloud and whatsoeuer else belongeth to the Toade is deadly any one although I hold my peace may easily coniecture that by reason of the temperatenesse of that Countrie or some other cause whereof I am ignorant it happeneth that Toades there are not venomous and dangerous at all as they are with vs. They eate Serpents also of the bignesse of a mans arme fiue foote long almost Moreouer I haue obserued that the Barbarians as I mentioned concerning Crocodiles brought home a certaine kinde of them party-coloured with blacke and red and cast them downe among their wiues and children so secure that they handled them with their hands These monstrous Land-Eeles they cut into pieces and dresse but they are vnsauoury and of very little taste Diuers kindes of Serpents also are bred with them and specially in the Riuers where they appeare greene like pot-herbes long and slender whose stinging is very hurtfull There are also Lizards in the Woods besides those which we mentioned before very dangerous as it shall manifestly appeare by the discourse which I will here set downe When therefore I sometimes trauelled to see the Countrie with two Frenchmen in my companie and that as the manner was wee had not the Barbarians to guide vs in the way and therefore wandred in the Woods and passed through a deepe Valley hearing the noise of a certaine beast comming towards vs supposing it to bee some timerous and harmelesse wilde beast notwithstanding proceeding on our intended Iourney wee were
imitating blue and yeeldeth the smell of the fruit of the Idean Bramble so that by the smell they were easily found of vs wandring in the Woods and other places where they grow they are of so sweet and pleasant a taste that none of our preserued fruits excell them Therefore I thinke it to bee the best fruit of all America I sometimes wrung one of them out of the which I drew a Cruze of juice which vnto me seemed nothing inferiour vnto the Wine which they call Malmesey Lastly as I haue said that among the Americans no foure-footed beasts birds fishes nor any liuing creatures in all things resemble ours of Europe so I now affirme as much as I could finde by experience wandring through the Woods and Fields that there are no Trees or Herbes and lastly no fruits which are not vnlike to ours except these three Plants Purslane Basill Royall and Fearne which grow in certaine places §. II. Of the Warre Battailes Fortitude and Weapons of the Barbarians and of their Religion ALthough our Tououpinambaultij Tonpinenquin make immortall warre against diuers bordering Nations after the manner of all the rest of the Barbarians Notwithstanding they contend not by warre to inlarge their bounds for they possesse more â—ands then they need or thinke of the getting of Riches by the spoiles ransomes and armes of the conquered For as they all confesse they are prouoked through no other affection then that they might most seuerely auenge the death of their Parents and Friends long since taken and deuoured by the enemie Moreouer when war is first proclaimed betweene certaine of these people all of them agreeing in this that the enemie vnto whom injurie is done will perpetually thinke on the reuenging of the same and therefore that it is to be attributed to cowardiâ—e if being brought into their power they suffer him to escape vnpunished their enmities are so inueterate and of such continuance that they can neuer be reconciled each to other But the manner whereby our Tououpinambaultij assemble being readie to goe to the warres is this as much as I could obserue Although they haue no Kings or Princes among them but are almost equall in dignitie yet this is giuen them by nature which also was most exactly in former times obserued by the Lacedemonians that they admire and reuerence the elder sort whom they call Peoreru Picheh for their experience of things therefore in euerie Village no contemptible seruice and obedience is performed vnto them These occasions being offered either walking or sitting in their Cotton hanging beds exhort the rest with these or the like words What say they speaking by turne without interruption of speech were our Ancestors who not only fought against so many enemies but also vanquished slue and deuoured them an Example vnto vs that wee should perpetually lye lurking heere at home Shall wee suffer our Nation which in former times was so great a terrour to all the rest that they could not in any sort indure their sight to be so much reproached to eur great disgrace that our enemies should assaile vs by Warre euen in our owne houses Shall we through our cowardize cause that the Margaites and Peros-ergaipa that is thâ—se wicked Nations assault vs first Then that Orator clapping his shoulders and buttocks with his hands addeth these words with exclamation Erima Erima Tououpinambaults Câ—nomâ—ouâ—ssou Tan Tan c. that is to say My Countrimen and most valiant young men wee are not so to doe but rather let vs prepare vs for the fight and bequeathe our selues to death and slaughter or auenge our people With these Orations therefore of the elders which sometimes are prolonged for six houres the hearers who most attentiuely hearken so that they forget not so much as one syllable being increased both in strength and courage speaking each to other in euerie Village assemble as speedily as they may at the prefixed place in great multitudes But before wee bring our Tououpinambaultij to the Battaâ—le wee are to declare with what Weapons they are furnished And first surely they haue Tacapes that is Clubs or Swords made some of redde and some of blacke wood they are commonly of the length of fiue or sixe feete round at the ends or of an ouall shape of the breadth of a foote and of the thicknesse of a Thumbe in the middest but the edges are verie finely sharpened for they are made of verie heauie wood such as Boxe is and are little inferiour to the edge of a verie sharpe Axe so that I easily beleeue that one Tououpinambaultian armed with such a Clubbe and inraged with furie would bee able to put two of our Countrie Fencers to much trouble and driue them to their shifts Moreouer they haue Bowes which they call Orapats made of the same kinde of wood to wit redde and blacke and they exceed ours so much in length and thicknesse that none of our men is able either to bend or vnbend them insomuch as they are of necessitie to vse all their strength for the bending of the Bowes of Children of tenne yeeres old They vse the herbe called Tocon for strings which although it bee verie slender yet is it of so great a strength that it may indure the force of an Horse Their Arrowes are of the length of an Ell made with three ioynts the middle part consisting of a Cane or Reede and the other two of blacke wood and those pieces are so aptly bound together with certaine barkes of Trees that they could not bee more firmely glued They apply two little feathers vnto them of the length of a foote which they binde together with a Cotton Thread because Glue is not in vse with them they aptly ioyne very sharpe bones on the ends sometimes a piece of a drie Reed of the length of a mans hand cut smooth after the manner of a Surgeons Launce and somtimes the verie end of the taile of the fish Raye which as I haue elsewhere said is verie venemous But since the Frenchmen and the Portugals came into those Countreyes the Barbarians after their manner haue accustomed to strengthen their Arrowes with Iron heads or at the least with verie sharpe Nailes We haue alreadie spoken what their dexteritie is in handling their Clubs but as touching the Bowes I hope that all they who haue seene the Barbarians will confirme that with their naked armes they shoot so speedily and so certainly that bee it spoken by the Englishmens leaue who are yet accounted the most skilfull Archers putting their Arrowes in the hand wherewith they hold their Bow twelue may sooner bee shot by them then sixe by the Englishmen Lastly they haue Targets of the Hide of Tapiroussou which I mentioned before broad plaine and round like to the bottome of a Germane Dâ—umme with these they couer not themselues in fight after the manner that our Souldiers vse but fighting receiue the Arrowes of
into that Cottage As soone as wee saw that the Barbarians were not moued through our presence which thing the Interpreter suspected would haue been done and that they kept their order very well and proceeded with their Verses we went apart into a certaine corner and beheld them without feare These are their gestures in dansing They were ordered in a round circle standing close each to other yet so they tooke not one another by the hand stooping with their bodie somwhat bending downward shaking onely one of their legs to wit the right with their right hand laid vpon their buttockes and the left hanging downe and after this fashion they both dansed and sung All that whole multitude made three such round Circles in the middle whereof were three or foure Caraibes attired with Caps Garments and Bracelets of feathers Each of them in either hand carried Maraca that is that rattle of a fruit exceeding the bignesse of an Estridges egge whereof we haue made mention before for that vse as they said that the Spirit might speake out of them and that they might rightly consecrate them they continually shooke them Moreouer those Caraibes dansing sometimes went forward and sometimes backward and did not continually stand still in the same place as the rest Further I obserued that with a very long Cane wherein they put the herbe Petum set on fire they often turned themselues hither and thither and blew out the fume of that herbe vpon them that stood round about them with these words Receiue the spirit of fortitude whereby you may all ouercome your enemies And this was often done by these Caraibes The celebrating of these Rites and Ceremonies was prolonged for the space of two houres those men continually dansing and singing And their tunable singing was so sweet that to the vnskilfull it is scarce credible how excellently well that harmonie agreed especially seeing the Barbarians are vtterly ignorant of the Art of Musike And surely although in the beginning I was stricken with a certain feare as I lately mentioned yet contrarily I was then so much ouer-ioyed that I was not only rauished out of my selfe but also now as often as I remember the tunable agreement of many voices both my minde reioycâ—th also mine eares seeme continually to ring therewith but especially the burden of the song yeelded a pleasing sound vnto the eares which at the end of euery Verse they sung after this manner Heu heura heura heura heura heura heura heura oueck Being about to make an end of that tunable singing shaking the ground with the right foote more vehemently then before they all spit also and all with one voice and that hoarse sing this Song often repeated He he hua he hua hua hua Then because I did not yet plainly vnderstand their Language and conceiued not many things which had beene spoken by them I intreated the Interpreter that hee would declare them vnto me He signifieth that these men first lamented their dead Ancestors who were most valiant but in the end were hereby comforted in that they hoped that after death they should at length go vnto them beyond the Mountaines and dance with them and celebrate merrie meetings and that afterward they most grieuously threatned the O 〈…〉 tes which are a people not farre remooued from them with whom they haue perpetuall enmitie whom also they could neuer ouercome and foretold that it should shortly come to passe that they should be taken and deuoured as the Caraibes luckily ghessed Moreouer I know not what they intermingled with their Songs concerning a floud that the waters in times past so ouerflowed that they couered the whole earth and that through that inundation all men perished except only their Ancestors who climbed vp into exceeding high Trees Which last thing commeth very neere vnto the sacred Historie and I neuer once heard it from them before The same day they were sumptuously receiued by the Barbarians for they liberally entertained both with most exquisite meates and plentifull drinke Canoin I also with my companions who were present at those Feasts of Bacchus vnexpected were most honourably entertained by our Moussacat that is the Masters of the house who giue food to their guests But beside those things which haue bin spoken by me those daies being past wherein these solemne meetings are celebrated euery third or fourth yeere among the Tououpinambaultij sometimes also before they came thither those Caraibes goe about from Village to Village and command three or foure of those Rattles which they call Maraca to bee decked with the best feathers in euery Family which being so decked they sticke the longer part of the staffe wherewith they are thrust through in the ground and then command meate and drinke to be set before them Whereby it commeth to passe that those miserable people through the perswasion of those Impostors beleeue that those hollow fruits decked after that manner deuoure the meats Wherefore euery Moussacat carefully setteth before them not only meale with flesh and fish but also Caouin Moreouer they serue those Maracas being so stucke in the ground for fifteene whole daies together with very great diligence Lastly those miserable people after that so great bewitching of those Maraca which they continually carrie in their hands conceiue an opinion attributing holinesse vnto them that while they are shaken by them a certaine Spirit speaketh with them from the middest thereof And they were so bewitched with those delusions that if we trauelling that way seeing some more delicate meates which they had set before their Maraca tooke them to eate which we oftentimes did the Barbarians supposing that some great misfortune would thereby happen vnto vs were offended Moreouer if taking occasion thereby to discouer their errours we signified that they were deceiued by the Caraibes not only because they taught them that Maraca did eate and drinke but especially in this that they most falsly vaunted that through their meanes the fruits and great Roots which they eate increased and grew which only was to be attributed vnto God from whom wee were to beleeue that wee had receiued the same these things I say were of so great moment with them as if any here should speake against the Pope or at Paris denie that the Image of Genouef would procure raine For which cause those Impostors the Caraibes did no lesse hate vs then sometimes the false Prophets of Baal did Elias detecting their delusions And therefore they shunned our sight But although our Tououpinambaultij as hath beene declared by mee in the beginning of this Chapter neither honour their Caraibes nor Maraca with any externall rite no not with kneeling vnto them nor worship any thing created much lesse adore it or call vpon it for helpe I will adde an example of those Relikes of Religion which I obserued among them When by chance I was sometimes with other Frenchmen in a
all the yeare long found in the fields for before one reape and gather the one into the barne another is ready for the haruest And this also being reaped and gathered it is time to so we another Turning aside thence we came into another Towne whose inhabitants when they saw vs at hand fled all away This towne is foure leagues distant from the foresaid Mapais Departing hence and trauailing six leagues in two dayes iourney we light on another Nation called Tobanna but we found no men here but great plenty of foode The men of this Countrie also are subiect to the Mapais Going from hence we met with no Nation in our iourney in foure dayes space But the seuenth day we came to a Nation called Peionas foureteene leagues distant from the former Tobanna In this Countrie a great number of people came together and their Captaine came forth to meete vs guarded with a great multitude of men yet peaceably and earnestly besought our Generall not to enter into their Towne but that we should stay without in the place where he came to meete vs and our Generall would not consent but directly marched forward will he nill he entred into the Towne We staied with these Peionas three dayes and our Generall demanded many things of them concerning the nature and condition of this Countrey When we were to depart these Peionas gaue vs an Interpreter and a guide that we might finde water to drinke for there is great scarcity of water in this Country hauing trauailed foure leagues we came to a Nation called Mayegory and staying one onely day there taking an Interpreter againe and a guide we marched forward And these people were gentle and curteous Departing also from these people when we had marched eight leagues we came to a Nation whose people which were many in number were called Marronos They also gently and curteously entertained vs we abode here two dayes and receiuing a relation of the nature and condition of the place taking also a guide with vs we went further forward Departing foure leagues from these we came to another Nation yet not so populous called Paronios This Countrie aboundeth not with victuall and foode yet notwithstanding it is 3000. strong of men able for warre In this Countrie we rested one day onely Hauing trauailed twelue leagues from this place we came to a Nation whose people are called Symamios where a great multitude of men came together Their towne is situate vpon an high hill and compassed round about with Bryar bushes as with a wall 46. We trauailed sixteene leagues further in foure daies iourney and at length were brought vnto a certaine Nation called Barconos the men thereof seeing our comming chanced to them beyond their expectation and opinion presently betooke themselues to flight as soone as wee came neere their towne yet they could not escape out of our power But when we onely craued foode of them being very ready they willingly gaue vs Hens Geese Sheepe Estridges Stags and other foode abundance Departing thence the third day after we came to a Nation whose people were called Leyhannos They dwell twelue leagues remoued from the former These people had but little foode for the Grashoppers had corrupted almost all their fruites Therefore resting one onely night with them after hauing trauailed sixteene leagues in foure dayes iourney we came to another Nation called Carchconos The Grashoppers also had done them great displeasure but had not so much hurt them as they had done the former abiding with them one day we vnderstood ths of the condition and quality of the Countrie that we should finde no water in foure and twenty or thirty leagues space we approached to these Suboris in six dayes space But many of our men died of thirst although with these Carchconos we had furnished our selues with indifferent store of water for this iourney But in this iourney we found a roote aboue ground hauing great and broad leaues where in water remaineth as it were in some vessels nor is it powred out thence nor also so easily consumed and one of these rootes containeth about halfe a measure of water These Suboris had great scarcitie of water also neither had they any other thing besides to drink and it had not now rained for three whole moneths yet of the roote called Mandepore they make drinke after this manner They gather together the said roote into a Morter and out of them being stamped they wring forth a iuice like milke if water may be had wine also may be made of these rootes In this Village there was one Well onely which was to be kept by a watchman So that we were not much troubled with the desire either of Siluer or Gold but the common complaint of all men would be for want of water In this Countrie farre and wide also noriuer waters are to be found beside these but they vse onely that water which they gather in the cisternes These Suboris make warre with the bordering Indians onely for water The Suboris who should haue shewed vs the way by night priuily stole away We were therefore now to seeke out the way our selues and at length we light vpon those people called Peisennos they refusing our friendship withstood vs by armes but got little at our hands We tooke some of these Peisennos who told vs that there had bin three Spaniards in their towne whereof one called â—kiâ—ronimus was a trumpeter whom Iohn Eyollas who was sent by Don Petro Mendoza to discouer these Countries left sicke there as we haue at large before rehearsed They said therefore that the Peisennos had slaine these three Spaniards foure daies before our comming thither being aduertised thereof by the Suboris but they should deerely pay for this fact of theirs Abiding foureteene daies in their towne we sought them round about vs euerie where till at last taking them vnawares in a wood but not al we partly slew them partly led them away captiues 47. Taking our iourney at length we came to the Maigenes but the people thereof resisting vs with strong hand wouâ—d not entertaine vs as friends Their Towne being situate vpon an hill was compassed round on euerie side with a thicke and broad quickset hedge as high as a man might reach with his Sword Wee Christians therefore with our Carios began to assault this Towne in two diuers places But in this assault twelue Christians together with some few of the Carios were slaine and they put vs to a great deale of trouble before we could take and win this towne Eight daies after the Towne taken fiue hundred of our Carios taking their Bowes and Arrowes departing secretly and without our priuitie about two or three leagues from our Campe seeke out the Maigenos who were fled On whom when they lighted these two Nations fought with so great and constant resolution that more then three
should be taken out of her and her men diuided amongst our other ships the Hull remayning to be sunke or burned To which I neuer spake word till I saw it resolued being my part rather to learne then to aduise But seeing the fatall sentence giuen and suspecting that the Captaine made it worse then it was rather vpon policie to come into another ship which was better of sayle then for any danger they might runne into with as much reason as my capacitie could reach vnto I disswaded my Uncle priuately And vrged that seeing wee had profited the Aduenturers nothing we should endeauour to preserue our principall especially hauing men and victuals But seeing I preuayled not I went further and offered to finde out in the same ship and others so many men as with me would be content to carrie her home giuing vs the third part of the value of the ship as â—hes should be valued at at her returne by foure indifferent persons and to leaue the Vice-admirall which I had vnder my charge and to make her Vice-admirall Whereupon it was condescended that wee should all goe aboord the ship and that there it should be determined The Captaine thought himselfe somewhat touched in Reputation and so would not that further triall should be made of the matter saying that if another man was able to carrie the ship into England he would in no case leaue her neither would he forsake her till shee sunke vnder him The Generall commended him for his resolution and thanked me for my offer tending to the generall good my intention being to force those who for gaine could vndertake to carrie her home should also doe it gratis according to their Obligation Thus this leake-ship went well into England where after she made many a good Voyage in nine yeeres As the weather gaue leaue wee entertained our selues the first dayes in necessarie affaires and workes and after in making of Coale with intent the winde continuing long very contrarie to see if wee could remedie any of our broken Anchours a Forge I had in my ship and of fiue Anchors which we brought out of England there remained but one that was seruiceable In the Ilands of Pengwins we lost one in Crabbis Coue another a third vpon another occasion we broke an arme and the fourth on the Rocke had the eye of his Ring broken This one day deuising with my selfe I made to serue without working him a new Which when I tooke first in hand all men thought it ridiculous but in fine we made it in that manner so seruiceable as till our ship came to Callaw which is the Port of Lyma shee scarce vsed any other Anchor and when I came from Lyma to Panama which was three yeeres after I saw it serue the Admirall in which I came a ship of aboue 500. tuns without other arte or addition then what my owne inuention contriued And for that in the like necessitie or occasion others may profit themselues of the industrie I will recount the manner of the forging our eye without fire or Iron It was in this sort From the eye of the shanke about the head of the crosse we gaue two tunnes with a new strong Halser betwixt three and foure inches giuing a reasonable allowance for that which should be the eye and serued in stead of the Ring then we fastned the two ends of the Halser so as in that part it was as strong as in any other and with our Capsten stretched the two bightes that euery part might beare proportionably then armed we all the Halser round about with sixe yarne Synnets and likewise the shanke of the Anchor and the head with a smooth Mat made of the same Synnet this done with an inch Rope we woolled the two bightes to the shanke from the crosse to the eye and that also which was to serue for the Ring and fitted the stocke accordingly This done those who before derided the inuention were of opinion that it would serue for need onely they put one difficultie that with the fall or pitch of the Anchor in hard ground with his waight he would cut the Halser in sunder on the head for preuention whereof we placed a panch as the Mariners terme it vpon the head of the Anchor with whose softnesse this danger was preuented and the Anchor past for seruiceable Some of our idle time we spent in gathering the barke and fruit of a certaine Tree which we found in all places of the Straits where we found Trees This Tree carrieth his fruit in clusters like a Hawthorne but that it is greene each berry of the bignesse of a Pepper-corne and euery of them contayning within foure or fiue granes twice as bigge as a Musterd-seed which broken are white within as the good Pepper and â—ite much like it but hotter The barke of this Tree hath the sauour of all kinde of Spices together most comfortable to the stomack and held to bee better then any Spice whatsoer And for that a learned Countriman of ours Doctor Turner hath written of it by the name of Winters Barke what I haue said may suffice The leafe of this Tree is of a whitish greene and is not vnlike to the Aspen leafe Otherwhiles we entertained our selues in gathering of Pearles out of Muscles whereof there are abundance in all places from Cape Froward to the end of the Straits The Pearles are but of a bad colour and small but it may be that in the great Muscles in deeper water the Pearles are bigger and of greater value of the small seed Pearle there was great quantitie and the Muscles were a great refreshing vnto vs for they were exceeding good and in great plentie And here let mee craue pardon if I erre seeing I disclaime from beeing a Naturalist by deliuering my opinion touching the breeding of these Pearles which I thinke to be of a farre different nature and qualitie to those found in the East and West Indies which are found in Oysters growing in the shell vnder the ruffe of the Oyster some say of the dew which I hold to be some old Philosophers conceit for that it cannot be made probable how the dew should come into the Oyster and if this were true then questionlesse we should haue them in our Oysters as in those of the East and West Indies but those Oysters were by the Creator made to bring forth this rare fruit all their shels being to looke to Pearle it selfe And the other Pearles found in our Oysters and Muscles in diuers parts are ingendred out of the fatnesse of the fish in the very substance of the fish so that in some Muscles haue bin found twentie and thirtie in seuerall parts of the fish and these not perfect in colour nor cleernesse as those found in the Pearle-oysters which are euer perfect in colour and cleernesse like the Sunne in his rising and therefore called Orientall and not as is supposed because out of
well esteemed and so are fine linnen woollen cloth Haberdashers wares edge-tooles and Armes or Mâ—nition It hath his Gouernour and Audiencia with two Bishops the one of Saint Iago the other of the Imperiall all vnder the Vice-roy Audiencia and Primate of Lyma Saint Iago is the Metropolitan and Head of the Kingdome and the seate of Iustice which hath his appellation of Lyma The people are industrious and ingenious of great strength and inuincible courage as in the warres which they haue sustained aboue fortie yeeres continually against the Spaniards hath beene experienced For confirmation whereof I will alledge onely two proofes of many the one was of an Indian Captaine taken prisoner by the Spaniards and for that hee was of name and knowne to haue done his deuoire against them they cut off his hands thereby intending to disenable him to fight any more against them but he returning home desirous to reuenge this iniurie to maintain his liberty with the reputation of his nation and to helpe to banish the Span. with his tongue intreated incited them to perseuere in their accustomed valor and reputation abasing the enemie and aduancing his Nation condemning their contraries towardlinesse and confirming it by the cruelty vsed with him and others his companions in their mishaps shewing them his armes without hands naming his brethren whose halfe feet they had cut off because they might be vnable to sit on horsebacke with force arguing 〈…〉 t if they feared them not they would not haue vsed so great inhumanitie for feare produceth crueltie the companion of cowardise Thus encouraged he them to fight for their liues limbes and libertie choosing rather to die an honourable death fighting then to liue in seruitude as fruitlesse members in their Common-wealth Thus vsing the office of a Sergeant Maior and hauing loden his two stumpes with bundles of Arrowes succoured those who in the succeeding battell had their store wasted and changing himselfe from place to place animated and encouraged his Countri-men with such comfortable perswasions as it is reported and credibly beleeued that hee did much more good with his words and presence without striking a stroke then a great part of the Armie did with fighting to the vtmost The other proofe is that such of them as fight on horsebacke are but slightly armed for that their Armour is a Beasts hide fitted to their body greene and after worne till it be drie and hard He that is best armed hath him double yet any one of them with these Armes and with his Launce will fight hand to hand with any Spaniard armed from head to foot And it is credibly reported that an Indian being wounded through the bodie by a Spaniards Launce with his own hands hath crept on vpon the Launce and come to grapple with his Aduersarie and both fallen to the ground together By which is seene their resolution and inuincible courage and the desire they haue to maintayne their reputation and libertie This let me manifest that there haue beene and are certaine persons who before they goe to Sea either robbe part of the prouisions or in the buying make penurious vnwholsome and aâ—arâ—ious penicworths and the last I hold to be the least for they robbe onely the Victuallers and owners but the others steale from owners victuallers and companie and are many times the onely ouer throâ—ers of the Voyage for the companie thinking themselues to be stored with foure or sixe moneths Uictuals vpon suruay they finde their Bread Beefe or Drinke short yea perhaps all and so are forced to seeke home in time of best hopes and employment This mischiefe is most ordinarie in great actions Lastly some are so cunning that they not onely make their Voyage by robbing before they goe to Sea but of that also which commeth home Such Gamesters a wise man of our Nation resembled to the Mill on the Riuer of Thames for grinding both with floâ—d and ebbe So these at their going out and comming home will be sure to robbe all others of their shares But the greatest and most principall robberie of all in my opinion is the defranding or the detayning of the Companies thirds or wages accursed by the iust God who forbiddeth the hire of the labourer to sleep with vs. To such I speake as either abuse themselues in detayning it or else to such as force the poore man to sell it at vile and lowe prices And lastly to such as vpon fained caâ—ils and suits doe deterre the simple and ignorant sort from their due prosecutions which being too much in vse amongst vs hath bred in those that follow the Sea a iealousie in all employments and many times causeth mutinies and infinitâ— inconueniences To preuent this a Chist with three lockes was appointed I kept one the Master another the third one chosen by the Companie No losse worthie reformation are the generall abuses of Mariners and Souldiers who robbe all they can vnder the colour of Pillage and after make Ordnance Cables Sayles Anchors and all aboue Deckes to belong vnto them of right whether they goe by thirds or wages this proceedeth from those pilfering warres wherein euery Gall 〈◊〉 that can arme out a Ship taketh vpon him the name and office of a Captaine not knowing what to command or what to execute Such Commanders for the most part consort and ioyne vnto themselues disorderly persons Pirates and Ruffians vnder the title of men of valour and experience they meeting with any Prize make all vpon the Deckes their of dutie c. In the time of warre in our Countrie asâ— also in others by the lawes of Oleron which to our ancient Sea-men were fundamentall nothing is allowed for Pillage but Apparell Armes Instruments and other necessaries belonging to the persons in that ship which is taken and these to when the ship is gained by dint of sword with a prouiso that if any particular Pillage exceed the value of sixe crownes it may be redeemed for that value by the generall stocke and sold for the common benefit If the prize render it selfe without forcible entrie all in generall ought to be preserued and sold in masse and so equally diuided yea though the ship be wonne by force and entrie yet whatsoeuer belongeth to her of takling Sayles or Ordnance is to be preserued for the generalitie saying a Peece of Artillerrie for the Captaine another for the Gunner and a Cable and Anchor for the Master which are the rights due vnto them and these to be deliuered when the ship is in safety and in harbour either vnloden or sold which Law or Custome well considered will rise to be more beneficiall for the Owners Uictuallers and Companie then the disorders newly â—rept in and before remembred For the Sayles Cables Anchors and Hull being sold euery one apart yeeld not the one halfe which they would doe if they were sold all together besides the excusing of charges and robberies in the vnloding
fauour to seeke and discouer new Countries But the greatest and most notable discouery that hath beene from those parts now of late was that of the Isles of Salomon which were found in manner following The Licenciate Castro being gouernour of Peru sent forth a Fleete of Ships to discouer certaine Islands in the South Sea vpon the coast of Peru appointing as Generall of the same Fleete a kinsman of his called Aluares de Mendanio and Pedro Sarmiento as Lieutenant and in the Viceadmirall went Pedro de Ortega This Fleete departing forth of the hauen of Lima and sailing 800. leagues Westward off the coast of Peru found certaine Islands in eleuen degrees to the South of the Equinoctiall inhabited with a kinde of people of a yellowish complexion and all naked whose weapons are Bowes and Arrowes and Darts The Beasts that they saw here were Hogs and little Dogs and they found some Hens Here also they found a muster of Cloues Ginger and Sinamon although the Sinamon were not of the best and here appeared vnto them likewise some shew of Gold The first Island that the Spaniards discouered they named Santa Izabella and here they built a small Pinnace with the which and with their Ships Boate they found out betweene nine and fifteene degrees of Southerly latitude eleuen great Islands being one with another of eightie leagues in compasse The greatest Island that they discouered was according vnto the first finder called Guadalcanal on the coast whereof they sailed 150. leagues before they could know whether it were an Island or part of the maine land and yet they know not perfectly what to make of it but thinke that it may be part of that continent which stretcheth to the Streights of Magellan for they coasted it to eighteene degrees and could not finde the end thereof The Gold that they found was vpon this Island or maine land of Guadalcanal whereas they landed and tooke a towne finding small graines of Gold hanged vp in the houses thereof But because the Spaniards vnderstood not the language of the Countrey and also for that the Indians were very stout men and fought continually against them they could neuer learne from whence that Gold came nor yet what store was in the Land These Indians vse to goe to Sea in great Canoas that will carrie one hundred men a piece wherein they haue many conflicts one against another howbeit vnto the Christians they could doe no great hurt for that with a small Pinnace and two Falcons a few may ouercome one hundred of them At this place foureteene men mistrusting nothing rowed to land to take in fresh water whom on the sodaine certaine Indians in foure Canoas set vpon tooke the Ships Boate and slew all the men therein wherefore a man cannot goe on shore too strong nor yet be too warie in a strange land Hereupon the Spaniards went on shore in their Pinnace and burnt the Towne and in this towne they found the small graines of Gold before mentioned They were discouering of these Islands from one to another about foureteene moneths at the end of which time because that vpon the coast where they were the winde continuing still in one place might be an occasion of longer tarrying they consulted which way to returne Southward they durst not goe for feare of great tempests which are that way vsuall wherefore sayling to the North of the line they fell with the coast of Nueua Espanna on which coast they met with such terrible stormes that they were forced to cut their maine masts ouer-boord and to lye nine moneths beating it vp and downe in the Sea before they could get into any harbour of the Christians In which time by reason of euill gouernment and for lacke of victuals and fresh water most of the men in their Admirall dyed for fiue whole dayes together they had neither water nor meate but in the other Ships they behaued themselues so well that the greater part of them came safe vnto the land He that passeth the Straits of Magellan or saileth from the coast of Chili directly for the Malucos must needes runne in sight of some of these Islands before spoken of At which Islands lying so conueniently in the way to the Malucos you may furnish your selfe with plenty of victuals as Hogs Hennes excellent Almonds Potatos Sugar-canes with diuers other sorts fit for the sustenance of man in great abundance Also among these Islands you shall haue some quantity of Gold which the Indians will giue you in trucke for other commodities For the Spaniards in their discouery of these Islands not seeking nor being desirous of Gold brought home notwithstanding 40000. pezos with them besides great store of Cloues and Ginger and some Sinamon also which is not so good as in other places The discouerer of these Islands named them the Isles of Salomon to the end that the Spaniards supposing them to be those Isles from whence Salomon fetched Gold to adorne the Temple at Ierusalem might be the more desirous to goe and inhabit the same Now the same time when they thought to haue sent colonies vnto these Islands Captaine Drake entered the South Sea whereupon commandement was giuen that they should not be inhabited to the end that such Englishmen and of other Nations as passed the Straits of Magellan to goe to the Malucos might haue no succour there but such as they got of the Indian people CHAP. XII Briefe extracts translated out of IEROM BENZOS three Bookes of the New World touching the Spaniards cruell handling of the Indians and the effects thereof ANno 1641. Ierom Benzo went from Millaine to Siuill in Spaine and thence to the New World where he was entertained of the Spaniards and practised with them the huntings of the Indians which they did by lurking in couerts till some of the Natiues came within their reach by bribing the Cacikes with trifles to procure captiues and other meanes Peter Chalice came while we were there to Amaracan with aboue 4000. slaues and had brought many more but with labour wearinesse hunger and griefe for losse of their Countrie and friends many had perished in the way Many also not able to follow in the Spaniards swift march were by them killed to preuent their taking armes A miserable spectacle to see those troopes of slaues naked with their bodies rent maimed starued the mothers dragging or carrying on their shoulders their children howling the neckes of all armes and hands chained not any growne Maide amongst them which the spoilers had not rauished with so profuse lust that thence grew contagion and pernicious diseases The Spanish horsemen in those warres vsed quilted Iackes with Launces and Swords the footemen Sword Shield and Crosse-bow with lighter Iackes The moisture and great dewes made Peeces vnseruiceable in those parts The Islanders in Hispaniola seeing no hope of better or place for worse killed their children and then hanged themselues The women
with the Rebels and their wiues and children pardoning them and prouiding for the Widowes and Orphans Hee was receiued with great Iubilee in Cozco and thence went to the Straits of Muyna to visit his Father which seemed malcontent They spake some words in priuate and the Prince came forth and said that his Father would not returne to Cozco This whether true or false was enough and in vaine had he now gainsaid it so that a Pallace of pleasures was there built for the Father to spend the rest of his dayes his Sonne taking the Diademe This Vision of Virachoca with a beard and clothed to the foot whereas the beardlesse Natiues are clothed but to the knees was the cause that the Spaniards at their first comming were called Virachoca and for that they tooke and killed the Tyrant Atahuallpa which had slaine Huascar the right Heire and wrought so many cruelties Which caused that six Spaniards alone of which was Soto and Barco went to Cozco two or three hundred leagues without harme They called them also Incas Sonnes of the Sunne That which some say that they were called Virachoca because they came by Sea saying that the word signifieth the fat or scumme of the Sea they are deceiued for Virachoca is the Sea of fat or tallow Vira sebo cocha mar so that it appeares to be a proper name and not compounded I conceiue further that the Artillery was the cause that they were called Virachoca This Inca Uiracocha by his victorie and vision was so esteemed that in his life time they worshipped him as a God sent by the Sunne for reparation of things amisse reuerenced him beyond his predecessors He bâ—ilt a Temple for memoriall of that Vision to Uiracocha in Cacha therein imitating as much as was possible the place where hee saw the same and therefore without a roofe it was an hundred and twenty foot long and eighty wide of stone fairely wrought with foure doores the Easterne onely open with his figure â—n a Chappell somewhat resembling those Images which wee make of the Apostles The Spaniards destroyed it as they did other famous workes which they found in Peru scarsely any Monument remayning which they did to search for â—â—easure vnder them He made also two hâ—ge Birds called Câ—ntures so great that some haue beene found with the extremes of their wings extended fiue Varas or Spanish yards asunder they are fowles of prey so fierce that their dammes breake their talons â—he beake so strong that at once they will breake the hide of a Cow Hee made the picture of these two Birds one representing his father in mysterie fleeing from Cozco the other Uiracoch He sought to gratifie his Commanders and Subiects and sought new conquests Hee sent Pahnac â—â—y tâ— Inca his brother against Caranca Ullaca Llipi Chicha and Ampara These two last worshipped the ranke of Hills for their heigth and for the Riuers which tâ—ey yeeld These were all subiected and Eastward to the Sierra or snowy Hâ—ll Southwards to the furthest Prouince of Charcas two hundred leagues from Cozco So that the Sea and the Hills on each hand and Southward the Defarts betwixt them and Chili bounded the Empire Northwards hee went with thirty thousand warriours to Huamanca and other Nations which hee subiected Hee made a water-passage twelue foot in the channell to run an hundred and twenty leagues from betwixt Pareu and Picuy to Rucanaâ— and another thorow all the diuision Cuntisuyu from South to North one hundred and fifty leagues from the high Sierras to the Quechuas which may be ranked with the Wonders of the world considering the Rockes they brake thorow without instruments of steele and onely by stones with force of hands Neither know they to make arches but were driuen to goe about The Spaniards haue suffered them all to perish as they haue permitted two third parts of those which were to water the Corne grounds to be lost also Embassadours came from Tucma the Spaniards call it Tucuman to the Inca offering vassalage whom hee made to drinke in his presence an inestimable fauour and promised so much better respect as his course deserued Hancohuallu not withstanding all his kinde vsage left his Countries to goe seeke new and the Inca sent Colonies to the Chancas This Inca they say had a foretelling of the Spaniards comming Hee died and left his sonne Pachacâ—â—ec Inca his heire It is supposed that he raigned aboue fiftie yeeres Anno 1560. I saw his body in Cozco in the possession of Licenciate Polo with foure others this with white haires the second of Tâ—pac Incâ— Tupanqui the third of Huayna Capac which two were hoary but not white the two other were Qâ—eens Mama Rantu wife to Viracocha and Mama Ocllo mother of Huayna Capac They were so whole that there wanted not haire eie-brows nor haire on the eie-lids They had their garments ribands diadems as while they liued They were set as the Indians vse with their hands acrosse on their breasts the right hand ouer the left their eyes downwards as looking on the ground and seemed as if they had beene aliue and full fleshed The Indians would neuer tell the Spaniards their embalming arte They weighed so little that they were easily carried to the Gentlemens houses which desired to see them The Indians by the way kneeled to them with sighs and tears When the Inca had conquered any Prouince and setled the gouernment hee improued the lands which would beare Mayz sending Enginers to that purpose for conueyance of waters without which they sowed no Mayz in those hot Countries They also made plaine the fields and layd them in squares the better to receiue the water They made plaine the Mountaines which were capable of seed as it were in scales or steppes one plaine subordinate to another therefore called Andenes Hauing thus improued the Land they diuided it to each Towne their share by themselues each subdiuided into three parts one for the Sunne a second for the King and the third for the Naturals with that prouision that alway the Naturals should haue sufficient and if the people increased the Sunnes and Incas part were lessened that they should not want The like diuision they made of the grounds which needed not such watering sowed with other seeds The Andenes commonly belonged in greatest part to the Sunne and the Inca. The Mayz grounds they sowed euery yeere heartning them with dung as Gardens They first husbanded the Sunnes grounds next that of Widowes and Orphanes and of the old and sicke all which were holden for poore and had peculiar men in euery Towne appointed Officers for that purpose They had seed also if they wanted out of the Store-houses Each man was tied to husband enough for prouision to his owne houshold The lands of those which serued in the warres were prouided as those of the poore their wiues for that time being respected as
and of the Cloister Where the Idoll of the Sunne was there is now the blessed Sacrament and in the Cloister are Processions and yeerely Festiuals in the Couent of Saint Domingo Hee sent his sonne in another Expedition who comming to the Valley entred Pachacamacs Temple but without Sacrifices or verball Orisons onely professing mentall adoration He visited also the Temple of the Sunne with rich offerings and then the Idoll Rimac and after marched to Huamac where Chimu a great Lord reigned from thence to Truxillo in the Vallies Parmunca Huallmi Santa Huarapu and Chimu Here while Chimu would admit no new Gods a bloudy warre followed which at last ended in his vassallage The Inca now hauing enlarged his estate aboue an hundred and thirty leagues North and South and in breadth from the Hills to the Sea some sixtie or seuenty leagues fell to founding Townes Temples Stâ—re-houses and reformed the Empire ennobled the Schooles augmented the Schoole-masters caused all the Caracas and all Officers to learne the Cusco Language as common and much enlarged Cozco Hee reigned about fiftie yeeres or as others aboue sixtie and left Ynca Yupanqui his successor leauing aboue three hundred sonnes and daughters The Spanish Authours confound the father and the sonne Many of his sentences and lawes are recorded by the authour here omitted as likewise the transplanting of Colonies order of bringing vp the Curacas heires in the Court the common or Court Tongue the description of Cozco the Schooles and the three Royall Palaces Almes c. for all these I remit the curious to the Authour fearing blame for this our length Yet their chiefe Feast of the Sun rites of triall and installing of Knights I haue added Cozco was another Rome in which the Sunne had foure Festiuall solemnities obserued the principall in Iune which they called Yntip Raymi as it were The Sunnes Easter and absolutely Raymi in acknowlegement of the Sunnes Deity ouer all and his being Father of the Incas Manco and his descendants All the principall Captaines which were not then in the warres came to it and all the Curacas not by precept but of deuotion in adoration of the Sunne and veneration of the Inca. And when age sicknesse distance or businesse in the Kings affaires detained them they sent their sonnes or brethren with the chiefe of their kindred to that solemnitie The King did performe the first ceremonies as Chiefe Priest for although they had a high Priest alwaies of the bloud Royall Brother or Vncle to the King legitimate by Father and Mother yet in this Feast proper to the Sunne the King himselfe as first-borne of the Sunne was the principall Solemnâ—zer The Curacas came in their greatest brauerie and best deuises some like Hercules in Lions skinnes with their heads in the Lions head-skinne as boasting of descent from a Lion some like Angels with great wings of a Cuntur fourteene or fifteene foot distant in the extremes stretched out as descended of that Fowle some with vizors of most abominable and deformed formes and those are the Yuncas others with golden and siluer ornaments and others with other inuentions Euery Nation carried the armes which they vsed in fight as Bowes and Arrowes Dâ—rts Slings Clubs Lances Axes c. the pictures also of whatsoeuer exploits they had done in the seruice of the Sunne oâ— Incas Once all came in their best accoultrements and brauerie that they were able They prepared themselues to this festiuitie with a rigorous Fast in three dayes eating nothing but a little white raw Mayz and a few herbs with water not kindling a fire in the Citie or accompanying with their wiues all that time The Fast ended or the night before the Feast the Priests Incas made ready the Sacrifices and Offerings which euery Nation is to prouide The women of the Sunne make that night a great quantity of dowe of Maiz called çancu whereof they make little loues as bigge as a common Apple Neyther do these Indians euer eat their Maiz made into bread but at this Feast and at another called Citua then eating two or three bits at the beginning of the meale their ordinary meales in stead of bread haue çara parched or boyled in graine The Virgins of the Sunne prepare this bread for the Inca and those of his bloud for the rest innumerable other women are appointed which make it with Religious care In the morning early the Inca goeth accompanied with all his kindred 〈…〉 ed according to their age and dignitie to the chiefe street of the Citie called Haucapata and there expect the Sunne rising all barefooted looking to the East with great attention as soone as he peepes forth fall on their elbowes which is as kneeling here adoring him with their armes open and their hands before their faces giuing kisses to the ayre as in Spaine it is the vse to kisse a mans owne hand or the Princes garment so acknowledging him their God The Curacas set themselues in another street next thereto called Cussipata and make the same adoration After this the King riseth on his feet others remaning on their elbowes and taketh two great vessels of Gold full of drinke the one in his right hand as in the name and steed of the Sunne as if he did drinke to his kindred this was their greatest courtesie of the Sâ—perior to the Inferior and amongst friends to giue them drinke and powres it into a pipe of Gold by which it runneth into the house of the Sunne After this he drinketh part of that in his left hand giuing the rest to the Incas in a small Cup or out of the same vessell this sanctifying or giuing vertue to all that is brought forth euery man drinking a draught The Curacas drinke of that which the women of the Sunne haue made This done they went all in order to the House of the Sunne and two hundred paces before they came at the doore they put off their shooes only the King stayed till hee came at the doore Then the Inca and his entred in and adored the Image of the Sunne as naturall Sonnes The Curacas abode in the street before the Temple The Inca offered with his owne hands the vessels in which he had done that ceremony the other Incas gaue their vessels to the Priests for they which were not Priests might not doe the Priestly office although they were of the bloud The Priests hauing receiued the Incas offered vessels went forth to receiue those of the Curacas which brought them in order of their antiquity as they had bin subiect to the Empire they gaue also other things of Gold and Silâ—er with Sheep Lizards Toads Snakes Foxes Tigres Lions variety of Birds and whatsoeuer most abounded in their Countries The offerings ended they returned to their streets in order Then the Incas Priests bring sorth great store of Lambes barren Ewes and Rams of all colours for sheep
in those parts are of al colours as Horses in these all being the Câ—â—tle of the Sun They take a black Lambe which they esteeme the holiest colour for Sacrifices and the Kings weare commonly black and offer that first for Soothsaying a thing vsed by them in all things of moment in peace and warre looking into the heart and lungs for prognostications they set the head to the East not tying any of his feet open him aliue being holden by three or foure Indians and that on the left side to take out his heart and entrals with their hands without cutting The best Augury was if the lungs mooued when they were taken forth the worst if the Sacrifice in the opening arose on the feet ouercomming those which held it If one prooued vnluckie they assayed another of a Ram and another of a barren Ewe if all prooued vâ—â—ucky they gaue ouer keeping the Feast and said the Sunne was angry for some fault which they had done and expected wars Dearth Murrayne c. After this Augury they opened not the other Sacrifices aliue but cut off their heads offering the bloud and heart to the Sun The fire which they vsed must bee new giuen them as they said by the hands of the Sunne which they did by the force of the Sunne beames shining thorow a Iewell which the High Priest held in his hand as by a burning Glasse on Cotton With this fire they burned the Sacrifice and rosted that dayes flesh and carried thereof to the Temple of the Sunne and to the house of Virgins to keepe all the yeere And if the Sunne did not shine they made fire with motion of two smooth round stickes but this absence or refusall of the Sunne they esteemed vnlucky All the flesh of those Sacrifices was rosted openly in the two streets aforesaid they parted it amongst the Incas Curacas and common people which were at the Feast giuing it with the bread çancu After this they had many other Viands and when they had done eating they fell to drinking in which vice they exceeded though now the Spaniards example haue that way done good and this vice is infamous amongst them The Inca sitting in state sends his Kinsmen to the principall in his name to make them drinke first the valorous Captaynes next the Curacas which haue not bin Commanders in war then to Cozco-Incas by priuiledge the manner was this the Inca which brought the drinke said the Capa Inca sends thee banketting drinke and I come in his name to drinke with thee The Captaine or Curaca tooke the Cup with great reuerence and lifted vp his eyes to the Sunne as giuing him thankes for such a fauour and hauing drunke returned the Cup to the Inca with shew of adoration not speaking one word Hee sends to the Captaines in generall but to some speciall Curacas only the rest the Incas in their owne name and not in the Kings cause to drinke The Cups were holden in great veneration because the Capa Inca had touched them with his hands and lips After this beginning they fell to freer drinking one to another and after that to dancing the Feast continuing nine dayes with great iollity but the Sacrifices held but the first and after they returned to their Countries Now for their Knights till they had that order they were not capeable of the dignities of warre or peace The youths of the Royall bloud for none else might be in election from sixteene yeeres old vpwards first made experiments of themselues in rigorous tryals whether they could indure the hard Aduentures of warre Euery yeere or each other yeere these noble youths were shut vp in a house where old Masters examined them They were to fast seuen dayes strictly with a little raw 〈…〉 ne and water to try their endurance of hunger and thirst Their Parents and brethren al 〈…〉 ed for them to intreate the Sunne to fauour them They which could not sustaine this fast were reiected as vnsufficient After this they heartned them with meate and tryed their actiuitie in running of a certaine Race a league and halfe long where was a Banner set which he that first came at was Captaine of the rest others also to the tenth were subordinately honoured Their next tryall was in skirmish one halfe to keepe the other to get a Fort and they which were now keepers were another day besiegers where eagernesse and emulation sometimes cost some their liues in that ludicrous warre Then followed wrestling betwixt equals leaping throwing small and great stones also a Launce and a Dart and other Armes shooting casting with a sling and exercise in all weapons of warre They caused them to watch ten or twelue nights as Centinels comming suddenly on them at vncertaine houres shaming those which they found sleeping They tryed with wands how they could indure stripes beating them cruelly on the armes and legs where the Indians goe bare and if they made any sad remonstrance of sorrow they reiected them saying how would they beare their enemies weapons They were to bee in manner vnsensible A Fencer also made semblance with a two hand Club called Macana another while witâ— a Pike to hit or strike them and if they shrugged or in their eyes or body made shew of feare they were reiected Next they made triall whether they had skill to make their armes of all sorts and shooes called Vsuta like those which the Franciscans weare After all these the Captaines and Masters of these Ceremonies tell them of their pedigree from the Sunne the noble Acts of their Ancestors and instruct them in courage clemency and mildenesse to the poore with other parts of morality The Heire apparant indured no lesse rigorous tryals then others except in running for the Banner and all that tryall time which was from one New Moone to another he went in poore and vile habit to teach him to pity the poore These things done the King solemnly attended made a Speech to them and each on their knees receiued at his hand the first Ensigne of dignity which was to boare a hole in their eares The New Knight kissed his hand and the next person to the Inca put off his Vsutas and put him on gallant shooes of Wooll Then did he goe to another place where other Incas put him on breeches as the token of manhood which before he might not weare after which they put on his head two kinds of flowres and a leafe of another herbe which will long keepe greene No other men might weare those flowres The Prince had the same Ensignes and differed only in his yellow fringe of Wooll which none but he and that first after his tryall might weare and an Axe of Armes with a kinde of Iaueline aboue a yard long which when they put in his hand they said Aucunapac that is for tyrant Traytors The Kings fringe was coloured he ware besides on his head two feathers of a Bâ—rd called Coreqâ—enque which are
rather to please him causing to vndermine and cut the Hills to execute that dismall fate more terribly After some bickerings with the Spaniards hee fled to the Antis and there perished miserably Manco Inca Brother of Huascar came to the Spaniards at Cozco to demand the repossession of the Empire by inheritance due to him They made him faire semblance and he offered to promote the Gospell according to his Fathers testament as a better Law and the Spanish affaires Articles were agreed on and they granted him a Diadem with great solemnitie buâ— so farre short of the wonted that the old men cried as fast for the want of that as the yong boyes shouted for ioy of this When afterwards he propounded the accomplishment of those Articles which had beene made betwixt the Spaniards and the Indians that the Naturals might liue in quiet and knowe what seruice to performe to the Spaniards with the reall restitution of his Empire the Gouernour Pizarro and his brethren excused themselues by the broyles and stirres which had growne amongst themselues which hither to permitted not the accomplishment They further expected answer from the Emperor their Lord of whom he might hope for al good the Articles being good for both parts to whom they had giuen account of the capitulations his brother Hernando being shortly to returne with answere But when he was aâ—riued at Tumpiz the Maâ—quesse tooke occasion to rid himselfe of the Incas importunitie and with many faire words intreated him to returne to his Fortresse till things might be perfected which he doing they held him there Prisoner fearing his haughty courage The Indians seeing their Inca Prisoner were much grieued but he comforted them saying that he and they ought to obey the Spaniards for so Huayna Capac had commanded in his Testament and that they should not be weary till they had seene the last issue of these things Hee hoped that this his imprisonment would turne into greater liberalitie with him these Utracochas being a Nation comne from Heauen The Marquesse dismissed himselfe of the Inca whose person and guard hee commended to his brethren Iuan and Gonzalo and went to the Citie of Kings to people and eâ—large it The Inca Manco with much obsequiousnesse to all the Spaniards and many presents of Gold Siluer Gemmes Fruits c. making no shew of griefe for his imprisonment obtayned his libertie which he had laboured the rather hearing that Hernando Pizarro was comming to gouerne in Cozco Hee gate leaue to goe to Yucay which was the Garden of the Kings to which place he summoned his Captaines and complained of the Spaniards breach of promise in not performing the Capitulations which they had made with Titu Autauchi his brother and that they had laid him in prison with Iron fetters that he had perceiued their ill mindes from the beginning but suffered it to iustifie his cause with God and with the world that none might obiect to him the disturbing of the peace But now he could no further relie on their vaine promises well knowing that the Spaniards shared the Land amongst themselues in Cusco Rimac and Tumpiz whereby it well appeared that they intended not the restitution of the Empire to him and that he was loth to make further triall of their fetters and therefore required their best aduice intending with Armes to recouer his right trusting in Pachacamac and his father the Sun that they would not herein forsake him They told him that he might looke for like reward at the hands of those strangers as Atahuallpa had found notwithstanding the payment of his ransome and it was Pachacamacs great grace they had not dealt with his Royall Person likewise c. Thus Manco raised forces so that 200000. Indians came to Cozco and shot Arrowes with fire on them on all the houses of the Citie generally without respect of the Royall houses only they reserued the Temple of the Sunne with the Chappels within it and the house of the Virgins which two they spared thogh their wealth was gone not to commit any sacrilegious act against their Religion Three Hals also they reserued wherein to make their feasts in time of raine one of which was in the house that had belonged to the first Inca Manco Capac The author proceedes in the particular fights and seege of the Spaniards too long here to rehearse In diuers places they killed seuen hundred Spaniards But at last Manco was driuen to forsake the Countrey by the inequality of the Spaniards horses Guns and other offensiue and defensiue armes against which they had no experiments to make resistance In the ciuill-vnciuill broiles and warres of the Spaniards in Peru some of them fled to Manco Inca to auoide the Viceroies seuerity one of which was Gomez Perez a cholericke man which playing at Bowles with the Inca would stand so stiffely on measuring of his cast and the earnest folly of play that forgetting all good manners he one day vsed the Inca as if he had beene an Indian slaue wherewith the Inca prouoked gaue him a blow with his fist on the breast whereupon Gomez with his Bowle strooke the Inca on the head so great a blowe that hee fell downe dead Whereupon the Indians set on the Spaniards which first fled into the house to defend themselues there but were fired out and the Indians hauing killed them with enraged furie had purposed to eate vp their flesh raw but after left them to the birds and wilde beasts for foode Thus died Manco by the hands of those whom hee had preserued from death and had kindly vsed in those wilde Mountaines of Uillca campa which hee had chosen for his securitie I was present when some Incaâ— present at the act with teares recounted this to my Mother which came afterwards from these Mountaines with the Inca Sayri Tupac the sonne of that vnfortunate Prince by order of the Viceroy Mendoza Marquesse of Canete This Vice-roy vsed to perswade that comming in of the Inca the Ladie Beatriz his Fathers Sister which so wrought with his Guard hee being then too young to take the Diademe that vpon promise of certaine conditions hee came and rendted himselfe to the Vice-roy and after went to Cusco and was baptised by the name of Don Diego together with his wife Cusci Huarcay grandchilde to Huascar Inca Anno 1558. Shee was a faire woman but somewhat pale as are all the women of that Countrie about sixteene yeeres olde I went in my mothers name to visite the Inca and to kisse his hand which vsed mee courteously and two small vessels of gilt Plate were brought forth of which he dranke one I the other He spent his time one day visiting one part and another another part of the Citie Hee adored the Sacrament calling it Pachacamac Pachacamac He went thence to the Valley of Yucay and there remayned till his death which was about three yeeres after leauing no issue but a daughter which
was married to Martin Garcia de Loyola His brother Tupac Amaru tooke the Mountaines Francisco de Toledo second sonne to the Earle of Oropesa being Vice-roy determined to bring from the Mountaines of Uillca campa the Prince Tupac Amaru the lawfull Heire of that Empire after his said brothers death without issue male Hee sought to doe it by faire and gentle perswasions sending Messengers to that purpose promising him maintenance from his Maiestie for his person and familie His kindred and friends told him that his brother had receiued small recompense from them or society with them and therefore counselled him not to goe it being better for him to liue there then to die with his enemies The Spaniards counselled the Vice-roy to force him alledging that his Indians robbed the Merchants hoping also by his imprisonment to recouer the treasures which his progenitours had hidden Such robberies were indeed committed in his father Mancos time but seldome they being forced thereto of necessitie for want of victuals which the Mountaines yeeld not But after his death there was no such matter The Vice-roy sent Martin Garcia Loyola with two hundred and fiftie Souldiers well prouided agâ—inst the 〈◊〉 â—he strength of those passages was abated and the wayes plained after the issue of Sayri Tupac so that the Prince Tupac Amaru fled and the Spaniards pursued and hee being guilty to himselfe of no crime yeelded himselfe with his wife two sonnes and a daughter and all his Indians looking for no ill measure but maintenance at their hands The Vice-roy framed a processe against the Prince and against all the Incas of his kindred and against the Mestizos begotten of that stocke by the Spaniards some of which were condemned to be tortured that so they might finde some clearer matter against them One of their mothers came to the prison and cried out that they had got that reward for that their Fathers had conquered the Countrey for which their Children should be all hanged Why did they not as well kill their Mothers for whose sinnes Pachacamac had suffered this which had beene traytors to the Inca for loue of the Spaniards with other outcries of vengeance in this world and the next from Gods hand Thus went shee crying in the street which made the Vice-roy surcease his purpose he proceeded not to put any to death but banished them to liue a lingring death in diuers parts of the world out of that which their Fathers had conquered Some he sent to Chili one of which was the sonne of Barco aforesaid which had beene with Huascar others to the new Kingdome of Granada to the Iles of Barlouent to Panama to Nicaragua and some hee sent to Spaine one of which was Iuan Arias Maldonado who liued there an exile ten yeeres and recounted these things to mee hee after got leaue of the supreme Councell of the Indies to returne to Peru for three yeeres to recouer his goods and then to returne to Spaine there to end his dayes All the rest perished in banishment The Indians of the bloud Royall which were sixe and thirtie of the principall of the bloud Royall he exiled and confined to the Citie of Kings and with them the two sonnes and daughter of the poore Prince the eldest not ten yeeres old the Archbishop of Rimac or The Kings pitied the young gâ—â—le and brought her vp the two sonnes with three and thirtie more died in little aboue two yeeres comming out of a cold hilly Countrie to the hot Plaines by the Sea The three remayning were Don Carlos my School-fellow sonne of Don Christouall Paullu and two others which were sent home to their houses but died all in a yeere and halfe after Of Don Carlos sonne we haue said before that hee came into Spaine in hope of great rewards which in Peru were promised him He died Anno 1610. at Alcala de Henares of griefe to see him selfe shut vp in a Monastery and left one sonne with three daughters The sonne died being a childe of little more then a yeere old and so the Rent granted by the Contractation house at Siuill to his father ceassed Now for the Prince Tupac aforesaid to returne to him they sentenced him to lose his head which was executed the Crier proclayming his treason and tyrannies against the Catholike Maiestie of King Philip the second King of Spaine and Emperour of the New Word They told the Inca that he was sentenced to lose his head without any particular cause mentioned hee answered hee had done nothing worthie of death that the Vice-roy might send him prisoner to Spaine to kisse the hands of his Soueraigne King Philip which would be securitie enough And if his father were not able with 200000. Indians to subiect 200. Spaniards in Cozco what needed the Vice-roy now feare any new commotion The religious hastened to instruct him for baptisme to which he was willing he said his Grandfather Huayna Capac hauing commended the Christian Law as better then theirs He was Christened by the name of Don Philip with as much griefe of those which were present as was ioy made at the baptising of Saiti Tupac The Spaniards did not imagine that the sentence should be executed being so contrarie to humanitie and disagreeable to the Maiestie of King Philip. It was performed on a Scaffold in the chiefe Street of Cozco Many sought to petition the Vice-roy which knowing their errand would admit none to audience They set the Prince on a Mule with a rope about his necke his hands tied one going before to proclaime his treason He not vnderstanding Spanish asked the Friers and hearing that he proclaimed him Auca called him to him and said to him Say not so for thou knowest it is a lye and I neuer did or thought treason as all the world knoweth but â—ar that I must die for the Vice-roys pleasure and not for my faults against him or the King I appeale to Pachacamac that this is true The multitude crying and lamenting they feared some stirre there being 300000. soules assembled in the streets they hasted to set him on the Scaffold The Priests prayed him to still the clamours and out-cries of the people Hee stretched out his arme with his hand open which hee layd on his eare thence letting it fall by degrees to his thigh whereupon followed a sudden silence as if there had not beene a man left in the Citie Which made the Spaniards to wonder and the Vice-roy amongst others which stood at a window to see the execution Thus died the Inca with great magnanimitie as the Incas haue beene in such cases accustomed he worshipping the Images of our Sauiour and of the Vargin as the Priests taught him The Vice-roy returned with great wealth and with 500000. Pezos in gold and siluer and going to kisse the Kings hand he had him get him to his house he had not sent him to Peru to kill Kings but to serue Kings The
Councell of Indies receiuing information against him arrested all his treasure aforesaid which filled him with such griefe that hee died within few dayes after Loyola which had taken him and was husband to his brothers daughter was sent generall to Chili where the Araucans hauing spies on him when hee had sent most of his Souldiers to garrisons with voices of birds and beasts gaue signes to their fellowes which came in with a great power of Indians and killed him and all his Spaniards Anno 1603. Thus haue wee fleeted the creame of the Incas Historie of the Incas the Spaniards whose acts hee principally handleth in his second part haue enough of their owne to relate their acts some of which also follow and others haue gone before to shew how they conquered and vsed their conquests of and in the New World The greatnesse of that State and strangenesse of the rising proceeding and ruine of the Incas made mee the larger though all this be not so much in words as one of the seuenteene Bookes out of which it is gathered It may bee of good vse both to vnderstand the Spanish Indian Historians as Acosta c. and in many things in which for want of Language and acquaintance with the Incas they haue receiued and deliuered errours to amend them and in this kinde for antiquities is a iewell such as no other Peru Merchant hath set to sale If I haue seemed confused and without exact method I haue followed my Authour who setting forth the former part Anno 1608. published the other 1617. hauing receiued of some later occurrents better intelligence Wee will now leaue this Inca-Spaniard and briefly recount from the Spanish Actors and Authors what passed in those first and great mutations Ramusio published these three following Discourses at large which wee haue thus contracted CHAP. XV. Briefe Notes of FRANCIS PIZARRO his conquest of Peru written by a Spanish Captaine therein employed A Certaine Spanish Captaine whose name is not added to his Tractate writeth that in Februarie 1531. he went with Pizarro from Panama who arriued and stayed three moneths at Tumbez and thence went to Tangarara and founded Saint Michaels where he heard of Atabalipa or Atahualpa and his warres with his brother Cusco who sent a Spie thither and as hee marched presents to Pizarro Hee with tortures learned of two Indians what and where Atabalipa was They marched on he sayth to Caxâ—malca a Citie foure miles in circuit entred with two Gates On one side of the Citie is a great Palace walled about with a great Court planted with trees This they call the House of the Sunne whom they worship putting off their Shooes when they enter And such there are in euery great Towne There were two thousand houses in streets straight as a Line the walls of strong stone three paces or fathoms high within are faire Fountaines of water and in the midst a greater street then any in Spaine walled about before which is a Fortresse of stone with staires from the Street to the Fort. On one side of this Street is the Palace of Atabalipa with Gardens and Lodgings the houses all painted with diuers colours in one roome were two great Fountaines adorned with plates of Gold in one of which runnes water so hote that a man cannot indure his hand therein the other being very cold The people are neate the women are honest weare a wrought Girdle on their long garments aboue that a Mantle which couereth them from the head to the midst of the thigh The men weare white Frockes without sleeues The women in a Palace made Chicha for the Armie After the Armies approached a Frier of the Order of Saint Dominike went and told him that the Christians were his friends The Cacique Atabalipa or Atabuallpa answered that first hee would haue them restore all that they had taken in his Land and after hee would doe as hee should see cause The Frier with a Booke in his hand beganne to speake to him the things of God hee demanded the booke and the Father gaue it him and he threw it downe about his people The Indian Interpreter ranne and tooke it vp and gaue it the Father who suddenly returned crying Come forth Christians come forth and set on these Enemies Dogs which will not accept the things of God whose Prince hath throwne on the ground the Booke of our holy Law Thereupon the Gouernour sounded the Trumpets and gaue a token to the Gunner to discharge the Ordnance and the Spaniards on foot and horsebacke rushed on with such furie that the Indians hearing the dreadfull thunders of the Artilerie and seeing the force of the Horses fled the Gouernour went directly to the Litter in which Atabalipa was whom hee tooke many Indians whose hands were cut off bearing the same Litter on their shoulders Sixe or seuen thousand were slaine besides many which had their Armes cut off and other wounded Atabalipa by an Indian sent to the other Indians that they should not flee for hee was still aliue in the Christians hands whom hee commended for a good Nation and commanded his to serue them Hee was about thirtie yeeres old a personable man somewhat grosse with thicke lips and eyes incarnate with bloud his speech graue The next day the Spaniards got fiftie thousand Pezos of Gold each worth one Ducket and two Carolines and seuen thousand Markes of Siluer and many Emeralds wherewith the Cacique seemed content and said that he would giue him as much Gold as would fill a roome to such a marke higher then a tall man could reach by a spanne the roome being twenty fiue foot long and fifteene broad The Gouernour asked how much Siluer hee would giue he said that hee would haue tenne thousand Indians which should make a partition in the midst of the Palace and fill it with vessels of Siluer of diuers sorts all which he would giue for his ransome The Gouernour promised him his libertie on this condition and to worke no treason against the Christians Fortie dayes were set and twentie passed in which came no Gold Then we learned that he had taken his brother Cusco his brother by the father a greater man then himselfe He had told some that Atabalipa promised the Gold which he had and hee would giue the Christians foure times as much as the other had promised which being told to Atabalipa he caused him suddenly to bee dispatched Hee killed another of his brothers which had said he would drinke in Atabalipas skull but contrariwise he drunke in his which I my selfe saw and all that went with Hernando Pizarro I saw the head with the skinne the flesh drie and the haires on and his teeth closed and betwixt them a Pipe of Siluer and on the top a Cup of Gold fastned to the head with a hole going into it His Slaues put Chicha into the Cup which ranne by the mouth into that pipe whence Atabalipa drunke
to Cassamalca and ascended a great Mountaine the horsemen leading vp their horses sometimes mounting as it were by staires there being no other way till they came to a fortresse of Stone walled with and founded on the rocks As they proceeded in this Mountaine they found it very cold The waters on the top were very cold that without heating they could not drinke them and they set vp their tents and made fires when they staid because of the cold Here came messengers with ten Sheep for a present from Atabalipa which told Pizarro of the great victories which he had had against his brother But hee answered that his Emperour was King of Spaine and of the Indies and Lord of the whole world had many seruants which were greater Lords then Atabalipa and he had sent him into these Countries to draw the people to the knowledge of God to his subiection and with these few Christians said he I haue ouercome greater Lords then is Atabalipa If he will haue friendship I will helpe him in his wars leaue him in his estate but if he choose warre I will doe to him as to the Cacikes of Puna and Tumbez The Indian which Pizarro had sent returned from Caxamalca and related that Atabalipa there abode with an armie and would haue slaine him had hee not said that the like should be done to his Messengers then being with the Spaniards that he could not speake with him but an Vncle of his which had enquired of the Christians and their armes all which he extolled to the vtmost The Gouernor came to Caxamalca the fifteenth of Nouember 1532. Atabalipa sent other messengers with presents Fernando Pizarro was sent to his campe with another Captain which did his message to him but he did not once looke on him but was answered by a principall man till the other Captain signified that he was brother to the Gouernor then the tyrant lifted vp his eyes and obiected the reports of their ill vsage of his Caciques but for his part he would be friend to the Christians taking them to be good men They promised helpe against his enemies He said he would employ them against a Cacique which had rebelled together with his Soldiers Pizarro answered ten of their horsemen would be enough to destroy him without helpe of your Indians Atabalipa laughed and bad they should drinke saying he would the next day see his Brother They to excuse drinking said they fasted but he importuned them and women came forth with vessels of gold full of drinke of Mayz Hee looked on them without speaking a word and they went againe and brought greater vessels of gold whereof they dranke and were licenced to depart There seemed to be 30000. men in the Campe they stood without their tents with lances in their hands like to Pikes The next morning being Saturday came a Messenger from Atabalipa saying that he would come to see him with his people armed He answered that he should vse his pleasure The Gouernour had placed his horse and foote couertly in great houses that they should not stirre forth till opportunity serued the signe being giuen and the Ordnance thereupon discharged then to rush out suddenly from diuers parts assault the Indians And seeing Atabalipa staid so long till neere night he sent a Messenger to him signifying his desire to see him Hereupon he moued to the town with his armie in squadrons singing dancing richly adorned with gold and siluer The Gouernors purpose was to take him aliue therefore expected his entrance into that walled or closed stree of Caxamalca which the Indians had forsaken with the fortresse left to him It was late before he came into the town and being come into the streete he made a stand The Gouernor sent Frier Vincent to him with a Crosse in one hand and a Bible in the other being entred where Atabalipa was he said by an Interpreter I am a Priest of God and teach the Christians things diuine and come likewise to instruct you that which the great God hath taught vs and is written in this Booke And therefore on Gods behalfe and of the Christians I pray you to become their friend for God commands it and it shall be well for you and come to speake with the Gouernor which expects you Atabalipa asked for his Booke which he gaue him shut He not knowing which way to open it the Frier stretched forth his hand to doe it and he with great disdaine hit him on the arme and at last opened it himselfe And without wondring at the letters or paper as other Indians vse cast it a way fiue or six paces from him and to the words which the Frier had said to him he answered with great pride I well wot what thou hast done in this voiage and how thou hast handled my Caciques and taken away their goods The Frier answered the Christans haue not done this but some Indians without the Gouernours knowledge who knowing it caused them to make restitution Atabalipa replied I will not depart hence till they bring it all to me The Frier carried this answer to the Gouernor and that he had throwne the holy Scripture on the ground who presently set on the Indians and came to the litter where Atabalipa was and tooke him by the left arme crying Saint Iames S. Iames. The Ordnance plaied the trumpets founded the horse and foot set forth the Indians fled the horsemen pursuing slaying the footmen killing all in the streete the Gouernour got a wound on the hand in sauing his prisoner In all this hurliburly there was not an Indian which lifted vp his armes against the Christians Pizarro bid his prisoner not be amased at his captiuity for with these Christians though few I haue subiected greater Lords then thou art to the Emperor whose vassall I am who is Lord of Spaine and of all the world aâ—d by his order I am come to conquer these lands that you may come to the knowledge of God c. adding many words of their pitie to the conquered and his good parts and acts The Spaniards had no harme onely one horse had a small wound whereupon the Gouernor thanked God for thebmiracle The Sun was down before they began and the battell lasted halfe an houre 2000. Indians were killed besides those which were wounded and 3000. taken In the stree of Caxamalca Pizarro caused to build a Church for the Masse and fortified the place against all occurrents Atabalipa promised for his ransome to fill a roome 22. foot long and 17. wide with gold vp as high as the middle of the roome higher by one halfe then a mans height in pots and other vessels plates peeces and the same roome twice filled with siluer in two moneths space But so much not comming in so soone the Gouernor sent three men to Cusco February 15. 1533. commanding one of them in the name of his Maiesty presence of
two daies wherein we staied there certaine Indians of Susolas came vnto vs and intreated Castiglio that hee would goe to cure one that was wounded and other sicke men saying that among them there was one who was readie to die Castiglio was a verie fearefull Physitian especially when the cures were grieuous and dangerous and beleeued that his sinnes would haue caused that all the cures should not succeed well The Indians said vnto mee that I should goe to heale them because they wished mee well and remembred that I had sometimes healed them where the nuts grew and that for the same they had giuen me nuts and hides and this was when I came to ioyne my selfe with the Christians wherefore I agreed to goe with them and Dorante and Estevamico went with me And when we were come neere vnto the Cottages which they haue I saw the sicke man whom we went to cure who was now dead and about him stood many people lamenting and his house plucked downe which among them is a signe that the master thereof is dead So when I came I found his eyes distorted and that he had no pulse and had all the tokens of a dead man and as it seemed to mee it was so and Dorante affirmed the same vnto me I tooke vp the matt which he had vpon him to couer him and the best I could I prayed vnto the Lord that he would giue mee grace to giue health vnto that sicke men and to all the rest that had need thereof And after I had blessed him and blowne vpon him many times they brought me his Bow and gaue it vnto me and a chest of Tune and brought me to cure many other who were ill at ease with giddinesse and gaue me two other chests of Tune which I gaue vnto our Indians which came with vs and hauing done this wee returned vnto our lodgings and our Indians to whom I gaue the Tune remained there and at night returned to their houses also and said that hee who was then dead whom I had cured in their presence arose vp and was well and walked and eate and spoke with them and so all the rest which I cured remained sound without any feuer and very cheerfull This caused very great admiration and feare and throughout that whole Countrey they speake of nothing else All they to whom this report went came to seeke vs that we might heale them and blesse their children and when the Indians who abode in the company of our men who were the Catalcuchi were to go thence they gaue vs all the Tune that they had for their iourney without leauing any for themselues and gaue vs fire-stones of an handfull and an halfe in length with the which they cut and among them they are held in great estimation They intreated vs that we would remember them and pray vnto God that they might alwaies be in health and we promised them to doe it and with this they went away the most contented men in the world hauing giuen vs all the best of that which they had So we staied with those Indians Auauares eight moneths and this account we made by the Moone In all this time many people came to seeke vs and said certainly that wee were the children of the Sunne Dorante and the Negro vntill then had not healed any but through the great importunitie of so many people which flocked together from all parts we became all Physitians although for the assurance to vndertake euery cure I was most noted amongst them all and we neuer vndertooke to cure any who told vs not that hee was sound and well And they had so great confidence in vs that they thought they could not be healed but by our hands and they beleeued that as long as wee staied with them not one of them could die They and those who are further behind them declared a very strange matter vnto vs and by the signes which they made it appeared that it fell out fifteene or sixteene yeeres since and this it is they say that a man went about that Countrey which they call an Euill thing which was of a little bodie and had a beard although they could neuer cleerely see his countenance And when he came to any house all their haire who were within stood vpright and they trembled and presently at the doore of the house appeared a flaming fire-brand and then that man entred into the house and tooke from them whatsoeuer he would and gaue them three great cuts vpon the flanke with a fire-stone very sharpe as broad as a mans hand and two handfulls long and put his hand vpon those gashes and drew out their bowells and cut them about an handfull and that piece which he cut he put vpon the coales to broile and presently gaue them three other cuts in one arme and then smote them where he had lanced them and disioynted their arme and a little after returned to set it againe and put his hand vpon their wounds and they say that they became suddenly whole And that many times while they danced that Euill thing appeared among them sometimes in the habite of a woman and at another time like a man And sometimes he tooke away an house or a cottage and tooke it vp on high and a little after fell downe againe together with it and gaue a great blow Moreouer they told vs that they giue him meat but he neuer eateth and that they asked him whence he came and in what part his house was so he shewed them a cleft of the earth and said that his house was vnder that At these things which they told vs we laughed exceedingly and made a iest thereof who seeing wee beleeued it not they brought vs many of them whom that man had taken and we saw the signes of the cuts which he had giuen them in the places which they had told vs. Wherefore wee said vnto them that he was a wicked man and after the best manner we could we gaue them to vnderstand that if they would beleeue in our Lord God and become Christians as we were they should not need to feare him and that he durst not come to doe those things vnto them and that they should hold it for a certaintie that while wee staied in that Countrie hee durst not appeare there with this they remained verie well contented These Indians told vs that they had seene Austuriano and Figheroa with others who abode on the coast beyond whom we called those of the Fig-trees All this Nation knew not the times by the Sunne nor Moone nor keepe any account of the moneths or the yeere but know the difference of the times according as the fruits come to bee ripe and by the mouing of the fishes and appearing of the Stars wherein they are verie wise and well experienced With them we were alwaies well intreated although we were faine to dig that which we had to eate
sometimes one Crosse-bow shot sometimes two Crosse-bow shot ouer The branches are very broad and both of them may be waded ouer There were all along them very good Medowes and many fields sowne with Maiz. And because the Indians stayed in their Towne the Gouernour only lodged in the houses of the Cacique and his people in the fields where there was euer a tree euery one tooke one for himselfe Thus the Campe lay separated one from another and out of order The Gouernour winked at it because the Indians were in peace and because it was very hot and the people should haue suffered great extremitie if it had not beene so The horses came thither so weake that for feeblenesse they were not able to carry their Masters because that from Cutifa-chiqui they alwayes trauelled with very little Prouender and were hunger-starued and tired euer since they came from the Desert of Ocute And because the most of them were not in case to vse in battell though need should require they sent them to feed in the night a quarter of a league from the Campe. The Christians were there in great danger because that if at this time the Indians had set vpon them they had beene in euill case to haue defended themselues The Gouernour rested there thirtie dayes in which time because the Countrie was very fruitfull the horses grew fat A Cacique of a Prouince called Coste came to this Towne to visit the Gouernour After he had offered himselfe and passed with him some words of tendring his seruice and courtesie the Gouernor asking him whether he had notice of any rich Countrie he said yea to wit that toward the North there was a Prouince named Chisca and that there was a melting of Copper and of another metal of the same colour saue that it was finer and of a far more perfect colour and far better to the sight and that they vsed it not so much because it was softer And the selfe same thing was told the Gouernour in Cutifa-chiqui where we saw some little Hatchets of Copper which were said to haue a mixture of Gold But in that part the Countrie was not wel peopled and they said there were Mountaines which the horses could not passe and for that cause the Gouernour would not goe from Cutifa-chiqui directly thither And he made account that trauelling through a peopled Countrie when his men and horses should bee in better plight and hee were better certified of the truth of the thing he would returne toward it by Mountaines and a better inhabited Countrie whereby he might haue better passage He sent two Christians from Chiaha with certain Indians which knew the Countrie of Chisca and the language thereof to view it and to make report of that which they should find where he told them that he would tarrie for them In seuen dayes he came to Coste The second of Iuly he commanded his Campe to be pitched two Crosse-bow shot from the Towne and with eight men of his guard he went where hee found the Cacique which to his thinking receiued him with great loue As he was talking with him there went from the Campe certaine Footmen to the Towne to seeke some Maiz and not contented with it they ransacked and searched the houses and took what they found With this despite the Indians began to rise and to take their armes and some of them with cudgels in their hands ranne vpon fiue or sixe Christians which had done them wrong and beat them at their pleasure The Gouernour seeing them all in an vprore and himselfe among them with so few Christians to escape their hands vsed a stratagem farre against his owne disposition being as he was very franke and open and thought it grieued him very much that any Indian should bee so bold as with reason or without reason to despise the Christians he tooke vp a cudgell and tooke their parts against his owne men which was a meanes to quiet them And presently hee sent word by a man very secretly to the Campe that some armed men should come toward the place where he was and he tooke the Cacique by the hand vsing very milde words vnto him and with some principall Indians that did accompany him he drew them out of the Towne into a plaine way and vnto the sight of the Campe whither by little and little with good discretion the Christians began to come and to gather about them Thus the Gouernour led the Cacique and his chiefe men vntill he entred with them into the Campe and neere vnto his Tent hee commanded them to be put in safe custodie and told them that they should not depart without giuing him a guide and Indians for burthens and till certaine sicke Christians were come which he had commanded to come down the Riuer in Canoes from Chiaha and those also which he had sent to the Prouince of Chisca for they were not returned and he feared that the Indians had flaine the one and the other Within three dayes after those which were sent to Chisca returned and made report that the Indians had carried them through a Countrie so poore of Maiz and so rough and ouer so high Mountaynes that it was impossible for the Armie to trauell that way and that seeing the way grew very long and that they lingred much they consulted to returne from a little poore Towne where they saw nothing that was of any profit and brought an Oxe hide which the Indians gaue them as thin as a calues skin and the haire like a soft wool betweene the course and fine wooll of sheepe The Cacique gaue a guide and men for burdens and departed with the Gouernours leaue The Gouernour departed from Coste the ninth of Iuly and lodged at a Towne called Tali The Cacique commanded prouision necessary for two dayes while the Gouernour was there to be brought thither and at the time of his departure he gaue him foure women and two men which he had need of to beare burthens The Gouernour trauelled sixe dayes through many Townes subiect to the Cacique of Coça and as he entred into his Countrie many Indians came vnto him euery day from the Cacique and met him on the way with messages one going and another comming He came to Coça vpon Friday the sixe and twentieth of Iuly The Cacique came forth to receiue him two Crosse-bow shot from the Towne in a chaire which his principall men carried on their shoulders sitting vpon a cushion and couered with a garment of Marterns of the fashion and bignesse of a womans Huke hee had on his head a Diadem of feathers and round about him many Indians playing vpon Flutes and singing There was in the Barnes and in the fields great store of Maiz and French Beanes The Countrie was greatly inhabited with many great Townes and many sowne fields which reached from the one to the other It was pleasant fat full of good Meadowes vpon Riuers There were
either of a great number of ships with the which he consumed as with fire and lightning flashing from Heauen all those peoples Of new Spaine and Panuco and Xalisco AFter the exceeding cruelties and slaughters aforesaid and the others which I haue omitted which haue beene executed in the Prouinces of New Spaine and Panuco there came to Panuco another Tyrant cruell and vnbrideled in the yeere 1â—25 Who in committing very many cruelties and in branding many for slaues after the manner aforesaid which were all free and in sending very many ships laden to Cuba and Hispaniola where they might best make merchandise of them he atchieued the desolation of this Prouince And it hath come to passe in his time that there hath beene giuen for one Mare eight hundred Indians soules partakers of reason And this man from this roome was promoted to be President of Mexico and of all the Prouince of New Spaine and there were promoted with him other Tyrants to the offices of Auditorships in the which dignities they set forward also this Countrie into so extreme a desolation that if God had not kâ—pt them by meanes of the resistaâ—ce of the religious men of Saint Francis Order and if that there had not beene prouided with all speed a Court of Audience and the Kings Counsell in those parts friend to all vertue they had layd waste all New Spaine as they haue done the I le of Nispaniola There was a man amongst those of the companie of this Captaine who to the end to enclose a Garden of his with a wall kept in his workes eight thousand Indians without paying them ought nor giuing them to eate in manner â—hat they died falling downe suddenly and hee neuer tooke the more thought for the matter After that the chiefe Captaine which I spake of had finished the laying waste of Panuco and that hee vnderstood the newes of the comming of the Kings Court of Audience hee aduised with himselfe to proceed farther into the innermost parts of the Realme to search where hee might tyrannize at his ease and drew by force out of the Prouince of Mexico fifteene or twentie thousand men to the end that they should carrie the loades and carriages of the Spaniards which went with him of whom there neuer returned againe two hundred the others being dead on the high-wayes He came at the Prouince of Mechuacham which is distant from Mexico fortie leagues a Region as blissefull and full of Inhabitants as is that of Mexico The King and Lord of the Countrey went to receiue him with an infinite companie of people which did vnto them a thousand seruices and curtesies He apprehended him by and by for that he had the bruit to be very rich of Gold and siluer and to the end that he should giue him great treasures he beganne to giue him the torments and put him in a paire of stockes by the feet his body stretched out and his hands bound to a stake he maketh a flashing fire against his feet and there a boy with a basting sprinkle soked in Oyle in his hand stood and basted them a little and a little to the end to well rost the skinne There was in one side of him a cruell man the which with a Cros-bow bent aymed right at his heart on the other side another which held a Dog snarling and leaping vp as to runne vpon him which in lesse then the time of a Credo had beene able to haue torne him in pieces and thus they tormented him to the end hee should discouer the treasures which they desired vntill such time as a religious man of Saint Francis Order tooke him away from them notwithstanding that hee died of the same torments They tormented and slue of this fashion very many of the Lords and Cacikes in these Prouinces to the end that they should giue them Gold and Siluer At the same time a certaine tyrant found that certaine Indians had hid their Idols as those which had neuer beene better instructed by the Spaniards of any better God hee apprehended and detayned prisoners the Lords vntill such time as that they would giue them their Idols supposing all this while they had beene of Gold or of Siluer howbeit they were not so wherefore he chastised them cruelly and vniustly But to the end he would not remayne frustrate of his intent which was to spoyle he constrayned the Cacikes to redeeme their said Idols and they redeemed them for such Gold and Siluer as they could finde to the end to worship them for Gods as they had beene wont to doe aforetime This great Captaine passed farther from Mechuacham to the Prouince of Xalisco the which was all whole most full of people and most happie For it is one of the most fertilest and most admirable Countrie of the Indies which had Burrowes contayning in a manner seuen leagues As he entred this Countrey the Lord with the Inhabitants according as all the Indians are accustomed to doe went to receiue him with presents and ioyfulnesse Hee began to commit his cruelties and mischieuousnesse which hee had learned and all the rest had beene accustomed to practise which is to heape vp Gold which is their God Hee burned Townes hee tooke the Cacikes prisoners and gaue them torments Hee made slaues all that hee tooke Whereof there died an infinite number tyed in chaines The women new deliuered of child-birth going laden with the stuffe of euill Christians and being not able to beare their owne children because of trauell and hunger were faine to cast them from them in the wayes whereof there died an infinite An euill Christian taking by force a young Damsell to abuse her the mother withstood him and as shee would haue taken her away the Spaniard drawing his Dagger or Rapier cut off her hand and slue the young girle with slashes of his weapon because shee would not consent to his appetite Amongst many other things he caused vniustly to be marked for slaues foure thousand and fiue hundred soules as free as they men women and sucking babes from of a yeere and a halfe old vnto three or foure yeeres old which notwithstanding had gone before them in peace to receiue them with an infinite number of other things that haue not beene set downe in writing His Stewards slue very many of the Indians hanging them and burning them aliue and casting some vnto the Dogs cutting off their feet hands head and tongue they being in peace onely to bring them into a feare to the end they should serue him It is said of him that he hath destroyed and burned in this Realme of Xalisco eight hundred Burrowes which was the cause that the Indians being fallen desperate and seeing those which remayned how they perished thus cruelly they lift vp themselues and went into the Mountaines slaying certaine Spaniards howbeit by good right And afterwards because of the wickednesses and outrages of other tyrants now being which passed by that way to
and a sayler in two places of the body very dangerous After they had spent their Arrowes and felt the sharpnesse of our shot they retired into the Woods with a great noise and so left vs. The seuen and twentieth day we began to build vp our Shallop the Gentlemen and Souldiers marched eight miles vp into the Land we could not see a Sauage in all that march we came to a place where they had made a great fire and had beene newly a rosting Oysters when they perceiued our comming they fled away to the Mountaines and left many of the Oysters in the fire we eat some of the Oysters which were very large and delicate in taste The eighteenth day we lanched our Shallop the Captaine and some Gentlemen went in her and discouered vp the Bay we found a Riuer on the Southside running into the Maine we entered it and found it very shoald water not for any Boats to swim Wee went further into the Bay and saw a plaine plot of ground where we went on Land and found the place fiue mile in compasse without either Bush or Tree we saw nothing there but a Cannow which was made out of the whole tree which was fiue and fortie foot long by the Rule Vpon this plot of ground we got good store of Mussels and Oysters which lay on the ground as thicke as stones wee opened some and found in many of them Pearles Wee marched some three or foure miles further into the Woods where we saw great smoakes of fire Wee marched to those smoakes and found that the Sauages had beene there burning downe the grasse as wee thought either to make their plantation there or else to giue signes to bring their forces together and so to giue vs battell We past through excellent ground full of Flowers of diuers kinds and colours and as goodly trees as I haue seene as Cedar Cipresse and other kindes going a little further we came into a little plat of ground full of fine and beautifull Strawberries foure times bigger and better then ours in England All this march we could neither see Sauage nor Towne When it grew to be towards night we stood backe to our Ships we sounded and found it shallow water for a great way which put vs out of all hopes for getting any higher with our Ships which road at the mouth of the Riuer Wee rowed ouer to a point of Land where wee found a channell and sounded six eight ten or twelue fathom which put vs in good comfort Therefore wee named that point of Land Cape Comfort The nine and twentieth day we set vp a Crosse at Chesupioc Bay and named that place Cape Henry Thirtieth day we came with our ships to Cape Comfort where wee saw fiue Sauages running on the shoare presently the Captaine caused the shallop to be manned so rowing to the shoare the Captaine called to them in signe of friendship but they were at first very timersome vntil they saw the Captain lay his hand on his heart vpon that they laid down their Bowes and Arrowes and came very boldly to vs making signes to come a shoare to their Towne which is called by the Sauages Kecoughtan Wee coasted to their Towne rowing ouer a Riuer running into the Maine where these Sauages swam ouer with their Bowes and Arrowes in their mo 〈…〉 When we came ouer to the other side there was a many of other Sauages which directed vs to their Towne where we were entertained by them very kindly When we came first a Land they made a dolefull noise laying their faces to the ground scratching the earth with their nailes We did thinke that they had beene at their Idolatry When they had ended their Ceremonies they went into their houses and brought out mats and laid vpon the ground the chiefest of thē sate all in a rank the meanest sort brought vs such dainties as they had of their bread which they make of their Maiz or Gennea wheat they would not suffer vs to eat vnlesse we sate down which we did on a Mat right against them After we were well satisfied they gaue vs of their Tabacco which they tooke in a pipe made artificially of earth as ours are but far bigger with the bowle fashioned together with a piece of fine copper After they had feasted vs they shewed vs in welcome their manner of dancing which was in this fashion one of the Sauages standing in the midst singing beating one hand against another all the rest dancing about him shouting howling and stamping against the ground with many Anticke tricks and faces making noise like so many Wolues or Deuils One thing of them I obserued when they were in their dance they kept stroke with their feet iust one with another but with their hands heads faces and bodies euery one of them had a seuerall gesture so they continued for the space of halfe an houre When they had ended their dance the Captaine gaue them Beades and other trifling Iewells They hang through their eares Fowles legs they shaue the right side of their heads with a shell the left side they weare of an ell long tied vp with an artificiall knot with a many of Foules feathers sticking in it They goe altogether naked but their priuities are couered with Beasts skinnes beset commonly with little bones or beasts teeth some paint their bodies balcke some red with artificiall knots of sundry liuely colours very beautifull and pleasing to the eye in a brauer fashion then they in the West Indies The fourth day of May we came to the King or Werowance of Paspihe where they entertained vs with much welcome an old Sauage made a long Oration making a foule noise vttering his speech with a vehement action but we knew little what they meant Whilst we were in company with the Paspihes the Werowance of Rapahanna came from the other side of the Riuer in his Cannoa he seemed to take displeasure of our being with the Paspihes he would faine haue had vs come to his Towne the Captaine was vnwilling seeing that the day was so far spent he returned backe to his ships for that night The next day being the fift of May the Werowance of Rapahanna sent a Messenger to haue vs come to him We entertained the said Messenger and gaue him trifles which pleased him Wee manned our shallop with Muskets and Targatiers sufficiently this said Messenger guided vs where our determination was to goe When wee landed the Werowance of Rapahanna came downe to the water side with all his traine as goodly men as any I haue seene of Sauages or Christians the Werowance comming before them playing on a Flute made of a Reed with a Crown of Deares haire colloured red in fashion of a Rose fastened about his knot of haire and a great Plate of Copper on the other side of his head with two long Feathers in fashion of a paire of Hornes placed in the midst
with wood headed with splinters of Christall or some sharpe stone the spurs of a Turkey or the bill of some Bird. For his Knife he hath the splinter of a reede to cut his feathers in forme With this Knife also he will ioynt a Deere or any Beast shape his shooes buskins Mantels c. To make the noch of his Arrow he hath the tooth of a Beuer set in a sticke wherewith he grateth it by degrees His Arrow head he quickly maketh with a little bone which he euer weareth at his bracer of any splint of a stone or glasse in the forme of a hart and these they glew to the end of their Arrowes With the sinewes of Deere and the tops of Deeres hornes boiled to a ielly they make a glew that will not dissolue in cold water For their warres also they vse Targets that are round and made of the barkes of trees and a sword of wood at their backes but oftentimes they vse for swords the horne of a Deere put through a peece of wood in forme of a Pickaxe some a long stone sharpened at both ends vsed in the same manner This they were wont to vse also for Hatchets but now by trucking they haue plenty of the same forme of Iron And those are their chiefe instruments and armes Their fishing is much in Boates. These they make of one tree by burning and scratching away the coles with stones and shels till they haue made it in forme of a Trough Some of them are an elle deepe and forty or fifty foote in length and some will beare forty men but the most ordinary are smaller and will beare ten twenty or thirty according to their bignesse Instead of Oares they vse paddles and stickes with which they will rowe faster then our Barges Betwixt their hands and thighes their women vse to spin the Barkes of trees Deere sinewes or a kinde of grasse they call Pemmenaw of these they make a thred very euen and readily This thred serueth for many vses about their housing apparell as also they make nets for fishing for the quantity as formally braded as ours They make also with it lines for angles Their hookes are either a bone grated as they nocke their Arrowes in the forme of a crooked pin or fish hooke or of the splinter of a bone tied to the clift of a little sticke and with the end of the line they tye on the baite They vse also long Arrowes tyed in a line wherewith they shoote at fish in the Riuer But they of Accawmack vse staues like vnto Iauelins headed with bone With these they dart fish swimming in the water They haue also many artificiall wares in which they get abundance of fish In their hunting fishing they take extreame paines yet it being their ordinary exercise from their infancy they esteemed it a pleasure and are very proud to be expert therein And by their continuall ranging and trauell they know all the aduantages and places most frequented with Deere Beasts Fish Fowle Rootes and Berries At their huntings they leaue their habitations and reduce themselues into companies as the Tartars doe and goe to the most desert places with their families where they spend their time in hunting and fowling vp towards the Mountains by the heads of their Riuers where there is plenty of game For betwixt the Riuers the grounds are so narrow that little commeth there which they deuoure not It is a marâ—ell they can so directly passe these desarts some three or foure daies journie without habitation Their hunting houses are like vnto Arbours couered with maâ—s These their women beare after them with Corne Acornes Morters and all bag and baggage they vse When they come to the place of exercise euery man doth his best to shew his dexteritie for by their excelling in those qualities they get their wiues Forty yards will they shoote leuell or very neere the marke and one hundred and twenty is their best at random At their hunting in the desarts they are commonly two or three hundred together Hauing found the Deere they enuiron them with many fires and betwixt the fires they place themselues And some take their stands in the midst The Deere being thus feared by the fires and their voices they chace them so long within that circle that many times they kill six eight ten or fifteene at a hunting They vse also to driue them into some narrow point of land when they finde that aduantage and so force them into the Riuer where with their Boates they haue Ambuscadoes to kill them When they haue shot a Deere by land they follow him like Bloud-hounds by the bloud and straine and oftentimes so take them Hares Partridges Turkies or Egges fat or leane yong or old they deuoure all they can catch in their power In one of these huntings they found Captaine Smith in the discouery of the head of the Riuer of Chickahamania where they slew his men and tooke him prisoner in a Bogmire where he saw those exercises and gathered these obseruations One Sauage hunting alone vsed the skinne of a Deere slit on the one side and so put on his arme through the necke so that his hand comes to the head which is stuffed and the hornes head eies eares and euery part as artificially counterfeited as they can deuise Thus shrowding his body in the skin by stalking he approacheth the Deere creeping on the ground from one tree to another If the Deere chance to finde fault or stand at gaze hee turneth the head with his hand to his best aduantage to seeme like a Deere also gazing and licking himselfe So watching his best aduantage to approach hauing shot him he chaseth him by his bloud and straine till he get him When they intend any Wars the Werowances vsually haue the aduise of their Priests and Coniurers and their allies and ancient friends but chiefely the Priests determine their resolution Euery Werowance or some lusty fellow they appoint Captaine ouer euery Nation They seldome make Warre for lands or goods but for women and children and principally for reuenge They haue many enemies namely all their Westernely Countries beyond the Mountaines and the heads of the Riuers Vpon the head of the Powhatans are the Monacans whose chiefe habitation is at Russawmeake vnto whom the Moubemenchughes the Massinnacacks the Manahassanuggs and other Nations pay tributes Vpon the head of the Riuer of Toppahanocke is a people called Mannahoacks To these are contributers the Tauxsnitanias the Shackaconias the Outponcas the Tegoneaes the Whonkentyaes the Stegarakes the Hassiâ—nungas and diuers others all confederates with the Monacans though many differ in language and be very barbarous huing for most part of wilde Beasts and fruies Beyond the Mountaines from whence is the head of the Riuer Patawomeke the Sauages report inhabit their most mortall enemies the Massawomckes vpon a great salt water which by all likelihood is
c. In his returne hee discouered and kindly traded with the Weraskoyks in the meane time those at the Fort so glutted the Sauages with their commodities as they became not regarded Smith perceiuing notwithstanding their late misery not any regarded but from hand to mouth the company being well recouered caused the Pinnace to bee prouided with things fitting to get prouision for the yeere following but in the interim he made three or foure iournyes and discouered the people of Chickahamine yet what hee carefully prouided the rest carelesly spent Wingfield and Kendall liuing in disgrace seeing all things at randome in the absence of Smith The Companies dislike of their Presidents weaknesse and their small loue to Martins neuer-mending sicknesse strengthened themselues with the Sailers and other confederates to regaine their former credit and authoritie or at least such meanes aboard the Pinnace being fitted to saile as Smith had appointed for trade to alter her course and to goe for England Smith vnexpectedly returning had the plot discouered vnto him much trouble hee had to preuent it till with store of Fauken and Musket shot hee forced them to stay or sinke in the Riuer which action cost the life of Captaine Kendall The President and Captaine Archer not long after intended also to haue abandoned the Countrey which proiect also was curbed and suppressed by Smith And now the Winter approaching the Riuers became so couered with Swans Geese Ducks and Cranes that wee daily feasted with good Bread Virginia Pease Pumpions and Putchamins Fish Fowle and diuers sorts of wild Beasts as fat as wee could eate them so that none of our Tuftaffatie humorists desired to goe for England But our Comaedies neuer endured long without a Tragedie some idle exceptions being muttered against Captaine Smith for not discouering the head of Chickahamine riuer taxed by the Councel to be too slow in so worthy an attempt The next voyage hee proceeded so far that with much labour by cutting off Trees in sunder hee made his passage but when his Barge could passe no farther hee left her in a broad Bay out of danger of shot commanding none should goe ashoare till his returne himselfe with two English and two Sauages went vp higher in a Canowe but hee was not long absent but his men went ashoare whose want of gouernment gaue both occasion and opportunity to the Sauages to surprize one George Casson and much failed not to haue cut off the Boate and all the rest The Sauages hauing drawne from George Casson whither Captaine Smith was gone followed him with three hundred Bowmen conducted by Opechankanough the King of Pamaunke who searching the diuisions of the Riuer found Robinson and Emery by the fire side whom they shot full of Arrowes and slew Smith being assaulted slew three of them and so galled the rest that they would not come neere he vsed the Sauage his guide as a shield hauing bound him to his arme with his garters and thinking to haue recouered his Boate hauing more eye to them in his march then to his way he slipped vp to the middle in an ozie creeke and his Sauage with him yet durst they not come to him till he threw away his armes being neere dead with cold Then according to composition they drew him forth and led him to the fire where his men were slaine Diligently they chafed his benummed limbes and he gaue Opechankanough a round Iuory double compassed Diall They much maruelled at the playing of the flye which they could see and not touch by reason of the Glasse couer but when he had read a Cosmographicall lecture to them of the Skies Earth Day and night with the varietie of Nations and such like they were all amazed notwithstanding which sudden wonder they tide him to a tree within an houre after as many as could stand about him prepard their fatall Arrowes to his death which were all laid downe when Opechankanough held vp the said Diall and they led him in a kinde of triumph to Oropaxe Their order was this drawing themselues all in file the King in the midst had all their Peeces and Swords borne before him Captaine Smith was led after him by three great lubbers holding him fast on each side went six in file with their Arrowes nocked When they arriued at the Towne which was of thirty or forty hunting houses made of Mats remoued at pleasure as Tents with vs the women and children came to stare on him the Souldiers in file had their Sargiants to keepe them in order A good while they thus continued and then cast themselues into a ring dancing in seuerall postures and singing hellish noates strangely painted each hauing his Quiuer of Arrowes and at his backe a Clubbe on his arme a Foxes or Otters Skinne for his vambrace their heads and shoulders painted red with Oyle and Pocones mingled together his Bowe in his hand and the Skinne of a Bird with her wings abroad dried tied on his head with a peece of Copper a white Shell a long Fether and a small Rattle growing at the taile of their Snakes or some such toy fastened thereto All this while Smith stood with the King guarded in the midst till three dances being done they departed Then did they conduct Smith to along house where thirty or forty men guarded him and soone after was brought more Bread and Venison then would haue serued twenty what he left they put in Baskets and tied ouer his head which about midnight they againe set before him none of them eating ought with him till hauing brought as much more the next morning they did eate the old and reserued the new in like manner Hee thought they intended to fat and eate him One Maocassater in requitall of Beads which he had giuen him brought him his Gowne to defend him from the cold Another was possessed with a contrary humour and would haue slaine him for the death of his sonne had not the guard preuented to him yet breathing his last they brought him to recouer him Smith told them that at Iames Towne he had a water that would doe it if they would let him fetch it But they prepared to assault Iames Towne promising him liberty and women if he would assist them In part of a Table Booke he writ his minde to those which were at the Fort that they should send such things mentioned They went in bitter weather for Frost and Snow and seeing men sally out as he had before told them they fled but comming againe in the night to the place which he had appointed for an answer they found things ready and speedily returned as if either he had diuined or the paper had spoken After this they led him to the Youghtanunds the Matapanients the Payankatiks the Nantaughtacunds the Onanmanients vpon the Riuers of Rapahanocke and Patanomecke and backe againe by diuers other Nations to the Kings habitation at Pamaunk where they
entertained him with strange coniurations Earely in a morning a great fire was made in a long house a Mat spred on each side on one of which he was set the guard went out and in came a great grim fellow skipping all painted with cole mingled with Oyle many Snakes and Weesels skins stuffed with Mosse their tailes tied together and meeting on the crowne of his head round about the tassell was a coronet of Fethers the skins hung round about his head shoulders backe and face With a hellish voyce strange gestures and passions with a Rattle in his hand hee began his inuocation and enuironed the fire with a circle of Meale After this three such other diuels rushed in with like trickes painted halfe blacke halfe red all their eyes painted white with some red stroakes along their cheekes These hauing danced a prettie while three more came in as vgly as the rest with red eyes and white stroakes ouer their blacke faces At last they all sat downe right against him the chiefe Priest in the midst and three on each hand All then with their Rattles began a song which ended the chiefe Priest laid downe fiue Wheate cornes and straining his armes and hand with such violence that he swet and his veines swelled hee began a short Oration at the conclusion whereof they gaue a short groane and then laid downe three graiues more Now they began their Song againe and then another Oration euer laying downe so many cornes as before till they had twice encircled the fire That done they take a bunch of little stickes prepared for that purpose and at the end of euery Song and Oration laid downe a sticke betwixt the diuisions of the Corne. Till night neither he nor they did eate or drinke and then they feasted merrily with their best prouisions Three dayes they vsed this Ceremonie thereby to know as they said whether hee intended them well or no. The circle of meale signified their Countrey the two circles of Corne the Sea-bounds and the stickes his Countrey They imagined the World to be flat and round like a trencher and themselues in the midst After this they brought him a bigge of Powder which they carefully preserued till the next spring to plant as they did their Corne because they would be acquainted with the nature of that sâ—ede Opitchapam the Kings brother inuited him to his house where hee welcommed him with as many Platters of Bread Fowle and wilde Beasts as did encompasse him but not any would eate with him reseruing the remainders in Baskets At his returne to Opechankanoughs all the Kings women and their children flocked about him as for their customary due to be merry with such fragments At last they brought him to Werowocomoco to Pohatan where aboue two hundred of his Courtiers stood wondring on him till Pohatan and his traine had put themselues in their greatest brauery Before a fire hee sat on a seate like a bedsted couered with a great robe made of Rarowcun Skinnes all the tailes hanging by on each hand did sit a yong wench of sixteene or eighteene yeeres of age along on each side the house two rowes of men and behinde them as many women with all their heads and shoulders painted red many of their heads bedecked with the white downe of Birds euery one adorned with some thing a great chaine also of white Beades about their neckes At his entrance before the King all the people gaue a great shout The Queene of Appanatucke was appointed to bring water to wash his hands another brought him a bunch of Feathers instead of a Towell to drie them Hauing feasted him in their best manner the held a consultation in conclusion whereof two great stones were brought before Pohatan and as many as could lay hold on him dragged him to them and thereon laid his head being ready with their clubbes to beate out his braines Pocahuntas the Kings dearest Daughter when no intreatie would preuaile got his head into her armes and laid her owne vpon his to saue him from death whereupon the Emperour was contented hee should liue to make him Hatchets and Beads Bels and Copper for her For they thought him like themselues of all occupations the King himselfe making his owne Robes Shooes Bowes Arrowes Pots Planting also Hunting and doing Offices no lesse then the rest Two dayes after Pohatan hauing disguised himselfe in the dreadfullest manner caused Captaine Smith to be brought forth to a great house in the woods and there vpon a Mat by the fire to bee left alone Not long after from behinde a Mat which diuided the house was made the dolefullest noise that euer hee had heard After this Pohatan with twenty more as blacke as himselfe came vnto him and told him that they were now friends and presently hee should goe to Iames Towne to send him two great Gunnes and a Grindstone for which hee would giue him the Countrey of Capahowolick and for euer esteeme hiâ— as his Sonne Nantaquaus Hee sent him thither with twelue guides When they came to the Fort Smith vsed the Sauages kindely and shewed Rawhunt Pohatans trusty seruant two Demiculuerius and a Milstone to carry to Pohatan somewhat too heauie for their carriage But when they saw him discharge them loden with stones on the boughes of a great tree hanging full of isickles the Ice and boughes comming downe with such furie the Sauages were halfe dead with feare and at last returning contented with toies and presents for Pohatan his women and childred This his returning safe to the Port once more staied the Pinnace her flight for England which till his returne could not set saile so extreame was the weather and so great the Frost His relation of the plenty he had seene especially at Werowocomoco where inhabited Powhatan that till that time was vnknowne so reuiued againe their dead spirits as all mens feare was abandoned Powhatan hauing sent with this Captaine diuers of his men loaded with prouision hee had conditioned and so appointed his trustie Messengers to bring but two or three of our great Ordnances but the Messengers being satisfied with the sight of one of them discharged ran away amazed with feare till meanes were vsed with gifts to assure them our loues ALL this time our cares were not so much to abandon the Countrie but the Treasurer and Counsell in England were as diligent and carefull to supply vs. Two tall Shippes they sent vs with neere one hundred men well furnished with all things could be imagined necessary both for them and vs. The one commanded by Captaine Newport the other by Captaine Nelson an honest man and an expert Marriner but such was the leewardnesse of his Ship that though he were within sight of Cape Henry by stormy contrary windes was forced so farre to Sea as the West Indies was the next land for the repaire of his Masts and reliefe of wood and water But Captaine
you would remember the memorable Historie of Sir Ralfe Lane how his company importuned him to proceed in the Discouerie of Morattico alleaging they had yet a Dogge that beeing boyled with Saxafras leaues would richly feed them in their returnes what a shame would it bee for you that haue beene so suspicious of my tendernesse to force me returne with a moneths prouision scarce able to say where we haue beene nor yet heard of that we were sent to seeke you cannot say but I haue shared with you of the worst is past and for what is to come of lodging diet or whatsoeuer I am coâ—tented you allot the worst part to my selfe as for your feares that I would lose my self in these vnknown large waters or be swallowedvp in some stormie gust abandon those childish feares for worse then is past cannot happen and there is as much danger to returne as to proceed forward Regaine therefore your old spirits for returne I will not if God assist me till I haue seene the Massawomekes found Patawomeck or the head of this great water you conceit to be endlesse Three or foure dayes we expected wind and weather whose aduerse extremities added such discouragements to our discontents as three or foure fell extreme sicke whose pittifull complaints caused vs to returne leauing the Bay some ten miles broad at nine or ten fathome water The sixteenth of Iune we fell with the Riuer of Patawomeck feare being gone and our men recouered we were all contented to take some paines to know the name of this nine miles broad Riuer we could see no Inhabitants for thirtie miles sayle then we were conducted by two Sauages vp a little bayed Creeke toward Onawmament where all the Woods were laid with Ambuscadoes to the number of three or foure hundred Sauages but so strangely painted grimed and disguized shouting yelling and crying as we rather supposed them so many Deuils they made many brauadoes but to appease their furie our Captaine prepared with as seeming willingnes as they to encounter them the grazing of the bullets vpon the Riuer with the Eccho of the woods so amazed them as downe went their Bowes and Arrowes and exchanging hostage Iames Watkins was sent sixe miles vp the Woods to their Kings Habitation wee were kindly vsed by these Sauages of whom we vnderstood they were commanded to betray vs by Powâ—atans direction and he so directed from the discontents of Iames Towne The like incounters we found at Patawomecke Cecocawne and diuers other places but at Moyaones Nacothtant and Taux the people did their best to content vs. The cause of this Discouerie was to search a gilistering Mettall the Sauages told vs they had from Patawomeck the which Newport assured that hee had tryed to hold halfe siluer also to search what Furres Metals Riuers Rockes Nations Woods Fishings Fruits Victuals and other Commodities the Land affoorded and whether the Bay were endlesse how farre it extended The Mine we found nine or ten miles vp in the Country from the Riuer but it proued of no value to which he marched leading his hinds in Chaines which they were to haue for their paines and so returning loded with that Ore they had Some Otters Beuers Martins Lizards and Sabels we found and in diuers places that abundance of fish lying so thicke with their heads aboue the water as for want of nets our Barge driuing amongst them we attempted to catch them with a Frying-pan but wee found it a bad instrument to catch fish with Neither better fish more plenty or variety had any of vs euer seene in any place swimming in the water then in the Bay of Chesabeack but there not to be caught with Frying-pans To expresse all our quarrels treacheries and incounters amongst those Sauages I should be too tedious but in briefe at all times we so incountred them and curbed their insolencies as they concluded with presents to purchase peace yet wee lost not a man At our first meeting our Captaine euer obserued this order to demand their Bowes and Arrowes Sword Mantles or Furs with some childe for hostage whereby he could quickly perceiue when they intended any villanie Hauing finished this discouery though our victuall was neere spent he intended to haue seene his imprisonments acquaintance vpon the Riuer of Toppahannocke But our Boate by reason of the ebbe chansing to ground vpon a many shoules lying in the entrance wee spied many fishes lurking amongst the weedes on the Sands our Captaine sporting himselfe to catch them by nailing them to the ground with his Sword set vs all a fishing in that manner by this deuise we tooke more in an houre then we all could eate but it chanced the Captaine taking a fish from his Sword not knowing her condition being much of the fashion of a Thornebacke with a longer taile whereon is a most poysoned sting of two or three inches long which shee strooke an inch and halfe into the wrist of his arme the which in foure houres had so extreamely swolne his hand arme shoulder and part of his body as wee all with much sorrow concluded his funerall and prepared his graue in an I le hard by as himselfe appointed which then wee called Stingeray I le after the name of the fish Yet by the helpe of a precious Oyle which Doctour Russells applied ere night his tormenting paine was so well asswaged that hee eate the fish to his supper which gaue no lesse ioy and content to vs then ease to himselfe Hauing neither Surgeon nor Surgery but that preseruatiue Oyle we presently set saile for Iames Towne passing the mouth of Pyankatanck and Pamaunke Riuers the next day we safely arriued at Kecoughtan The simple Sauages seeing our Captaine hurt and another bloudy which came by breaking his shin our number of Bowes Arrowes Swords Targets Mantles and Furres would needes imagine wee had bin at warres the truth of these accidents would not satisfie them but impatiently they importuned vs to know with whom wee fought finding their aptnesse to beleeue we failed not as a great secret to tell them any thing that might affright them what spoyle wee had got and made of the Masawomeckes this rumour went faster vp the Riuer then our Barge that arriued at Weraskoyack the twentieth of Iuly where trimming her with painted streamers and such deuises we made the Fort iealous of a Spanish Frigot where we all safely arriued the twenty one of Iuly There we found the last supply all sicke the rest some lame some bruised all vnable to doe any thing but complaine of the pride and vnreasonable needelesse cruelty of their silly President that had riotously consumed the store and to fulfill his follies about building him an vnnecessary Pallace in the Woods had brought them all to that misery That had not we arriued they had as strangely tormented him with reuenge But the good newes of our discouery and the good hope we had
the order of watch renued the squadrons each setting of the watch trained The whole Company euery Saturday exercised in a field prepared for that purpose the Boates trimmed for trade which in their iourney encountred the second supply that brought them backe to discouer the Countrey of Monacan How or why Captaine Newport obtained such a priuate Commission as not to returne without a lumpe of Gold a certainty of the South-Sea or one of the lost Company of Sir Walter Rawley I know not nor why he brought such a fiâ—e pieced Barge not to beare vs to that South-Sea till wee had borne her ouer the Mountaines which how farre they extend is yet vnknowne as for the Coronation of Powhatan and his Presents of Bason Ewer Bed Cloathes and such costly nouelties they had bin much better well spared then so ill spent For we had his fauour much better onely for a poore peece of Copper till this stately kinde of soliciting made him so much ouerualue himselfe that he respected vs as much as nothing at all as for the hiring of the Poles and Dutch to make Pitch and Tarre Glasse Mils and Sope-ashes was most necessary and well But to send them and seuenty more without victuall to worke was not so well considered yet this could not haue hurt vs had they bin two hundred though then we were one hundred and thirty that wanted for our selues For wee had the Sauages in that order their haruest being newly gathered that we feared not to get victuall sufficient had wee bin fiue hundred Now was there no way to make vs miserable but to neglect that time to make our Prouision whilst it was to be had the which was done to performe this strange Discouery but more strange Coronation to loose that time spend that victuall wee had tire and starue our men hauing no meanes to carry victuall munition the hurt or sicke but their owne backes how or by whom they were inuented I know not But Captaine Newport we onely accounted the author who to effect these proiects had so gilded all our hopes with great promises that both Company and Councell concluded his resolution I confesse wee little vnderstood then our estates to conclude his conclusion against all the inconueniences the foreseeing President alleadged There was added to the Counsell one Captaine Waldo and Captaine Winne two ancient Souldiers and valiant Gentlemen but ignorant of the businesse being newly arriued Ratcliffe was also permitted to haue his voyce and Master Scriuener desirous to see strange Countries so that although Smith was President yet the Counsell had the authority and ruled it as they listed as for cleering Smiths obiections how Pitch and Tarre Wanscot Clapboord Glasse and Sope-ashes could be prouided to relade the Ship or prouision got to line with all when none was in the Countrey and that which we had spent before the Shippes departed The answere was Captaine Newport vndertooke to fraught the Pinnace with Corne in going and returning in his Discouery and to refraught her againe from Werowocomoco also promising a great proportion of victuall from his Ship inferring that Smiths propositions were onely deuises to hinder his iourney to effect it himselfe and that the cruelty Smith had vsed to the Sauages in his absence might occasion them to hinder his designes For which all workes were left and one hundred and twenty chosen men were appointed for his guard and Smith to make cleere these seeming suspitions that the Sauages were not so desperate as was pretended by Captaine Newport and how willing hee was to further them to effect their proiects because the Coronation would consume much time vndertooke their message to Powhatan to intreate him to come to Iames Towne to receiue his Presents accompanied onely with Captaine Waldo Master Andrew Buckler Edward Brinton and Samuell Collier with these foure hee went ouer land against Werawocomoco there passed the Riuer of Pamaunke in the Sauages Canoaes Powhatan being thirty miles off who presently was sent for in the meane time his women entertained Smith in this manner In a faire plaine field they made a fire before which he sitting vpon a Mat suddenly amongst the woods was heard such a hideous noise and shriking that they be tooke them to their armes supposing Powhatan with all his power came to surprise them but the beholders which were many men women and children satisfied the Captaine there was no such matter being presently presented with this anticke thirty yong women came naked out of the woods onely couered behinde hefore with a few greene leaues their bodies all painted some white some red some blacke some party colour but euery one different their leader had a faire paire of Stagges hornes on her head and another Skinne at her girdle another at her arme a quiuer of Arrowes at her backe and Bowes and Arrowes in her hand the next in her hand a Sword another a Clubbe another a Pot-sticke all hornd alike the rest euery one with their seuerall deuises These Feinds with most hellish cries and shouts rushing from amongst the trees cast themselues in a ring about the fire singing and dancing with excellent ill variety oft falling into their infernall passions and then solemnely againe to sing and dance Hauing spent neere an houre in this Maskarado as they entred in like manner they departed Hauing reaccommodated themselues they solemnly inuited Smith to their lodging but no sooner was hee within the house but all these Nimphes more tormented him then euer with crowding and pressing and hanging vpon him most tediously crying Loue you not mee This salutation ended the feast was set consisting of Fruite in Baskets Fish and Flesh in woodden Platters Beanes and Pease there wanted not for twenty Hogges nor any Sauage daintie which their inuention could deuise some attending others singing and dancing about them this mirth and banquet being ended with Firebrands instead of Torches they conducted him to his lodging The next day came Powhatan Smith deliuered his Message of the Presents sent him and redeliuered him Namontacke desiring him to come to his Father Newport to accept those Presents and conclude their reuenge against the Monacans whereupon the subtill Sauage thus replyed If your King haue sent mee presents I also am a King and this my land eight dayes I will stay to receiue them your Father is to come to mee not I to him nor yet to your Fort neither will I bite at such a baite as for the Monacans I can reuenge my owne in 〈…〉 ies and as for Aaquanuchocke where you say your Brother was slaine it is a contrary way from those parts you suppose it But for any salt water beyong the Mountaines the relations you haue had from my people are false whereupon he began to draw plots vpon the ground according to his discourse of all those Regions many other discourses they had yet both desirous to giue each other content in Complementall curtesies
report of some Sauages who did affirme vnto him that at the further end thereof they did finde Salt water and that they had seene great Vessels which made Champlein beleeue that a passage might be there to the Bay of California or to some part of the South Sea which would proue an inestimable benefit for the Inhabitants of these parts opening a neere way to China which hath bin so many sundry wayes with so great charges so long sought for Howsoeuer in regard of the season and for want of necessary prouisions Champleine did returne backe at that time with a purpose to goe againe another yeare which if hee hath done is not yet knowne but this is most certaine that the Riuer of Canada hath a long course and through many goodly Countries some of these great Lakes by sending forth or by receiuing great Riuers doe afford meanes of commerce as farre as to some parts of Terra Florida as may be gathered by Champleines discouery c. THus haue I giuen thee Others trauells to Virginia and the Summer Ilands I will conclude with mine owne trauells for them I see many likely to bee disheartened by the slender growth of the Virginian Plantation which for the time might haue beene not onely a safe but a rich and blessed Mother of a numerous thriuing generation branching farre into other Colonies and yet is But why doe I intercept your eyes and diuert your thoughts suspend them at best from that which for my Countries good and zeale to Virginia without partiall respect on the right hand or on the left with a candid right hand I here present and forbid all sinister hands to meddle with Tros Tyriusve mihi I side no where but embrace Virginia with a right heart my pen directed my hands erected for her good which can doe â—ee no other good but in reference to the publike whose I am and whom vnder God and his Maiestie I serue and obserue with all that I haue am and can I had written it as a tractate by it selfe at the request of some worthy friends but here haue abridged it in some such things as the other parts of these Volumes containe CHAP. XX. Virginias Verger Or a Discourse shewing the benefits which may grow to this Kingdome from American English Plantations and specially those of Virginia and Summer Ilands GOd is the beginning and end the Alpha and Omega that first and last of whom and for whom are all things The first and last thing therefore in this Virginian argument considerable is God that is whether we haue Commission from him to plant and whether the Plantation may bring glory to him This in regard of vs and our scope That in regard of it and the lawfulnesse thereof To begin with this In the beginning God created heauen and earth all things therefore are his by a higher name then right this rule and the things ruled being his creatures of both which Man onely amongst Visible creatures was created capable which Moses deliuereth in these words that God created him after his owne Image which is spoken not onely of the spirituall immortall substance of his soule whose vnity shineth with that created Trinity of Vnderstanding Will Memory in it selfe and that of Vegetation Sense Reason exercised in and by bodily motion but more especially in regard of the Creator a conformity to him in righteousnesse holinesse of truth the whole Man shining with a borrowed light as the Moone is the image and reflexion of the Sunne and in regard of the Creature a iust dominion ouer the same as the holy words manifest replenish the Earth and subdue it and haue dominion ouer the Fish of the Sea and ouer the Fowle of the ayre and ouer euery liuing thing that moueth vpon the earth Although Mans rebellion had forfeited this Naturall Charter yet was the same in the repeopling of the World renewed to Noah and his Sons which euer since haue beene in actuall possession and as Adam gaue names as humaine earemarks to â—he liuing creatures so Noahs heires haue since giuen names to Seas and Lands and other creatures quite thorow the knowne World Neither did the Fall of Man so cracke this earthen vessell that all his created excellence ran out for neither were the substance or faculties of the soule extinct nor his prerogatiue ouer the visible creatures the spirituall creature naturally excelling the bodily and the reasonable and liuing the sensitiue vegetatiue and torpid these receiued a wound the other his spirituall and religious conformitie in these to God as a purer water of the purest life ran forth irrecouerably and as our naturall parts were weakned and wounded so of those supernaturall wee were vtterly robbed till that good Samaritan vndertooke the restitution of that in redemption whereunto in creation he had giuen first institution God hath laid vpon him the iniquitie of vs all and in his stripes wee are healed our Charter is renued and now made so compleat that whereas the deuills thought to rob man of Earth and Paradise Hee which taketh the wise in his craftinesse hath restored him nay that is little hath added Heauen Himselfe that as the Israelites entred vpon the houses Cities and possessions of the cursed Canaanites so Christians into those Thrones and celestiall Dominions which those spirituall Thrones and Dominions lost and there haue God himselfe and the Lambe to be their Temple and All in all vnto them for euer Amen Hence is it that Christians such as haue the Grace of the Spirit of Christ and not the profession of his merit alone haue and hold the world and the things thereof in another tenure whereof Hypocrites and Heathens are not capable These haue onely a Naturall right by the reliques of the Law of Nature left in Man by the Creators goodnesse for the conseruation of the face of a world in the world the same further improued with a warrantization Contra omnes gentes our euidences dialect by the Law of Nations vnto Nations and Lawes Politicke and Ciuill in each Nation allotting to the members thereof the publike and priuate ciuill rights and tenures which either publike or priuate persons or corporations held therein This tenure comparatiuely that Christian is by our Lord himselfe called a tenure in villenage that of sonnes the seruant hath his time and abides not in the house for euer but the sonne is heire in see simple fide simplici for euer Neither yet is it lawfull for Christians to vsurpe the goods and lands of Heathens for they are villains not to vs but to our and their Lord nor hath the sonne in nonage power to dispossesse villaines nor are wee sonnes by nature but by adoption and a later Euangelicall Charter which doth not disannull the former the Truth or Word of the Gospel receiued by Faith makes vs free free Tenants to our Lord not Lordly subuerters of others tenures which may with a good
and great riches confessed that they had taken three Portugall prizes The Spaniards at first receiued them on good conditions but some villaines seeing their wealth murthered them for which this Auditor had sentenced Roderigo de Fuentes with others as his Letter to the King of Spaine importeth Now had there then beene a Virginian or Bermudan Plantation how easily might they haue attained thither the Boat at least and escaped that butchery I could hither adde instructions from the English Indian Ships 1604. and 1608. from Captaine Fenton 1582. from the Earle of Cumberlands Voyages before related in the yeares 86. 89. 91. 93. 96. 97. and from Master Candish Master Dauis and others But we haue made too long a Virginian Voyage hauing no better freight then Arguments which the Times doe now promise if not worthy wise mens approbation yet good mens indulgence where in a weake body and manifold weighty imployments the willingnesse of a heart truely English sincerely Christian may seeme tolerable if not commendable pardonable if not plausible Another labour remaines to set downe rules and proiects of best fecibility and accomplishing this noble worke but I am onely a Freeman no Councellour of that Plantation and haue neither Lands there nor other aduenture therein but this of my loue and credit which with the allegiance to my Soueraigne and desire of the publike good of this Kingdome is more to me then all the treasures of America I seeke the good and not the goods of England and Virginia I follow the hand of God which haue giuen England so many rights in Virginia right naturall right nationall right by first discouery by accepted trade by possession surrendred voluntarily continued constantly right by gift by birth by bargaine and sale by cession by forfeiture in that late damnable trechery and massacre and the fatal possession taken by so many murthered English Gods bounty before his iustice now hath giuen vs Virginia that we should so in iudgement remember mercy as to giue Virginia againe to God in Christian acknowledgement of his goodnesse and mercy of his word and workes and in our owne more serious conuersion to prepare that of Virginia God goeth before vs in making this designe honorable to Religion to Humanity to our Ancestors to our King to our Kingdome God goeth before vs and hath giuen Virginia so rich a portion to allure and assure our loues in multiplying our people and thereby our necessities enforcing a vent in endowing Virginia with so large a iointure so temperate so commodious for the climate compared with other Countries beyond other Countries in her own diuersified Lands Seas Riuers in so fertile a soyle in so strong sweete stately delicate Woods and Timbers in her naturall hopes of Wines of Silkes of the bodies of Natiues seruile and seruiceable in Drugges Irons and probability also of other Mines in all materials for Shipping and other buildings God goeth before vs in offering that meane to saue that which wee seeke and spend in other perhaps enemies Countries to breede vp Marriners to train vp Souldiers to exercise labourers by transportation of English and Europaean creatures to plant another England in America enriched with the best things of Europe to giue vs Fish Tobacco and other present improuements as earnest of future better hopes and that in these times which haue so manifold necessities thereof in regard of monies men and trades decayed in regard of neighbour plantations in the probabilities of a South-Sea glory and in the case of obtruded warre obtruding on vs absolute necessity and including and concluding euery way so manifold vse God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost which goe before vs in these things if not in miraculous fire and cloudy pillars as when Israel went to Canaan yet in the light of reason and right consequence of arguments come into vs and fillvs with the spirit of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirit of counsell and of fortitude the spirit of knowledge and the feare of the Lord I may adde the spirit of vnity and counsell that he may vouchsafe to goe with vs and we with him and after him to Uirginia Amen O Amen Be thou the Alpha and Omega of Englands Plantation in Virginia O GOD. The end of the ninth Booke ENGLISH DISCOVERIES AND PLANTATIONS IN NEW ENGLAND AND NEW-FOVND-LAND WITH THE PATENT AND VOYAGES TO NEW-SCOTLAND Relations also of the Fleets set forth by Queene Elizabeth against the Spaniards THE TENTH BOOKE CHAP. I. A briefe Relation of the Discouerie and Plantation of New-England and of sundry Accidents therein occurring from the yeere of our Lord 1607. to this present 1622. Published by the President and Councell and dedicated to the Princes Highnesse here abbreuiated WHen this Designe was first attempted some of the present Company were therein chiefly interessed who being carefull to haue the same accomplished did send to the discouery of those Northern parts a braue Gentleman Cap. Henry Challons with two of the Natiues of that Territorie the one called Maneday the other Assecomet But his misfortunes did expose him to the power of certaine strangers enemies to his proceedings so that by them his Company were seized the ships and goods confiscated and that Voyage wholly ouerthrowne This losse and vnfortunate beginning did much abate the rising courage of the first Aduenturers but immediately vpon his departure it pleased the Noble Lord Chiefe Iustice Sir Iohn Popham Knight to send out another shippe wherein Captayne Thomas Hanam went Commander and Martine Prinne of Bristow Master with all necessary supplyes for the seconding of Captayne Challons and his people who arriuing at the place appointed and not finding that Captayne there after they had made some Discouerie and found the Coasts Hauens and Harbours answerable to our desires they returned Vpon whose Relation the Lord Chiefe Iustice and we all waxed so confident of the businesse that the yeere following euery man of any worth formerly interessed in it was willing to ioyne in the charge for the sending ouer a competent number of people to lay the ground of a hopefull Plantation Hereupon Captaine Popham Captaine Rawley Gilbert and others were sent away with two ships and an hundred Landmen Ordnance and other prouisions necessary for their sustentation and defence vntill other supply might be sent In the meane-while before they could returne it pleased God to take vs from this worthy member the Lord Chiefe Iustice whose sudden death did so astonish the hearts of the most part of the Aduenturers as some grew cold and some did wholly abandon the businesse Yet Sir Francis Popham his Sonne certaine of his priuate friends and other of vs omitted not the next yeere holding on our first resolution to ioyne in sending forth a new supply which was accordingly performed But the ships arriuing there did not only bring vncomfortable newes of the death of the Lord Chiefe Iustice together with the death of Sir Iohn Gilbert the elder
amount vnto being onely for victuals which our Country yeeldeth I hold it not fit here to set down lest I should be accused by some therein And withall it is to be considered that the trade thither as now it is doth yearely set on worke and relieue many numbers of people as Bakers Brewers Coopers Ship-Carpenters Smiths Net-makers Rope-makers Line-makers Hooke-makers â—â—lly makers and many other trades which with their families haue their best meanes of 〈◊〉 from these New-found-land Voyages Adde vnto them the families or seruants of 〈◊〉 Owneâ—â— and Masters of such Ships as goe thither and Mariners with their families hereby 〈…〉 ied and maintained c. THe Natiues of the Countrey haue great store of red Oaker which they vse to colour their Bodies Bowes and Arrowes and Cannowes withall which Cannowes are built in shape like the Wherries on the Riuer of Thames but that they are much longer made with the rinds of Birch trees which they sew very artificially and close together and ouerlay euery seame with Turpentine and in like manner they sew the rindes of Spruce trees round and deepe in proportion like a Brasse Kettle to boyle their meate in which hath beene well proued by three Mariners of a Ship riding at Anchor by me who being robbed in the night by the Sauages of their apparell and diuers prouisions did the next day seeke after them and came suddenly where they had set vp three Tents and were feasting hauing three Canoas by them and had three Pots made of such rindes of trees standing each of them on three stones boyling with twelue Fowles in each of them euery Fowle as bigge as a Widgeon and some so bigge as a Ducke they had also many such pots so sewed and fashioned like the leather Buckets that are vsed for quenching of fire and those were full of the yolks of Egges that they bad taken and boiled hard and so dried small which the Sauages vsed in their broth as Sugar is vsed in some meates they had great store of the Skins of Deere Beuers Beares Seales Otters and diuers other fine skins which were well dressed as also great store of seuerall sorts of flesh dried and by shooting off a Musket towards them they all ran away naked without any apparell but onely their hats on their heads which were made of Seales skins in fashion like our hats sewed handsomely with narrow bands about them set round with fine white shels such as are carried from Portugall to Braseile where they passed to the Indians as ready monie All their three Canoas their Flesh Skins Yolks of Egges Targets Bowes and Arrows and much fine Okar and diuers other things they tooke brought away and shared it amongst those three that tooke it and brought to me the best Canoa Bowes and Arrowes and diuers of their Skins and many other things worth the noting which may seeme to inuite vs to finde out some other trades with them Now also I will not omit to relate something of a strange Creature that I first saw there in the yeere 1610. in a morning early as I was standing by the water side in the Harbour of Saint Iohns which I espied verie swiftly to come swimming towards me looking cheerefully as it had beene a woman by the Face Eyes Nose Mouth Chin eares Necke and Forehead It seemed to be so beautifull and in those parts so well proportioned hauing round about vpon the head all blew strakes resembling haire downe to the Necke but certainly it was haire for I beheld it long and another of my companie also yet liuing that was not then farre from me and seeing the same comming so swiftly towards mee I stepped backe for it was come within the length of a long Pike Which when this strange Creature saw that I went from it it presently thereupon diued a little vnder water and did swim to the place where before I landed whereby I beheld the shoulders and backe downe to the middle to be as square white and smooth as the backe of a man and from the middle to the hinder part pointing in proportion like a broad hooked Arrow how it was proportioned in the forepart from the necke and shoulders I know not but the same came shortly after vnto a Boat wherein one William Hawkridge then my seruant was that hath bin since a Captaine in a Ship to the East Indies and is lately there imploied againe by Sir Thomas Smith in the like Voyage and the same Creature did put both his hands vpon the side of the Boate and did striue to come in to him and others then in the said Boate whereat they were afraid and one of them strooke it a full blow on the head whereat it fell off from them and afterwards it came to two other Boates in the Harbour the men in them for feare fled to land This I suppose was a Mermaide Now because diuers haue written much of Mermaides I haue presumed to relate what is most certaine of such a strange Creature that was seene at New-found-land whether it were a Mermaide or no I know not I leaue it for others to iudge c. R. W. CHAP. IX The names of diuers honorable persons and others who haue vndertaken to helpe aduance his Maiesties â—laviation in the New-found-land written by the said R. W. with extracts of certaine Letters written from thence THe right Honorable Henry Lord Cary Viscount of Fanlke-land Lord Deputie for the Kingdome of Ireland hath vndertaken to plant a Colonie of his Maiesties Subiects in the New-found-land and is well pleased to entertaine such as are willing to be Aduenturers with him therein vpon such Conditions as may appeare in the latter part of this Booke And in his Lordships absence hee hath authorized this Agent Master Leonard Wellsted by warrant vnder his hand and Seale to ratifie whatsoeuer shall be by him concluded therein The said Master Wellsteds Chamber is neere one Master Garlands house at the lower end of Saint Mar 〈…〉 lane in the fields The right Honorable Sir George Calâ—ert Knight one of the principall Secretaries vnto his Maiestie hath also vndertaken to planta large Circuit of that Countrie who hath already sent thither this yeare and the former yeare a great number of men and women with all necessarie prouisions fit for them where they liue pleasantly building of Houses 〈…〉 sing of Land for Corne and Meddowes Cabage Carrets Turneps and such like as also for Wood and Tobacco Likewise they are there preparing to make Salt for the prel 〈…〉 tion of fish another yeere and for diuers other seruices And his Honor is likewise well plâ—aled to entertaine such as will aduenture with him therein vpon very fit conditions The Worshipfull Iohn Slany of London Merchant who is one of the vndertakers of the New-found-land Plantation and is Treasurer vnto the pat 〈…〉 of that Societie who haue maintained a Colonie of his Maieâ—â—â—es subiects there about twelue yeeres and they
out of diuers Regiments All these Companies being in Armes and the assault intended to be giuen in all places at an instant fire was put to the traine of the Mine by reason the Powder brake out backwardes in a place where the Caue was made too high there could be nothing done in either place for that day During this time Captain Hinder was sent with some chosen out of euery Company into the Country for prouisions wherof he brought in good store and returned without losse The next day Cap. Anthony Sampson was sent out with some fiue hundred to fetch in pouisions for the Army who was encountred by them of the Country but he put them to flight and returned with good spoile The same night the Miners were set to worke againe who by the second day after had wrought very well into the foundation of the wall Against which time the Companies aforesaid being in readinesse for both places Generall Drake on the other side with two or three hundred men in Pinnacet making proffer to attempt a strong Fort vpon an Iland before the Towne where he left more then thirtie men fire was giuen to the traine of the Mine which blew vp halfe the Tower vnder which the Powder was planted The assailants hauing in charge vpon the effecting of the Mine presently to giue the assault performed it accordingly but too soone for hauing entred the top of the breach the other halfe of the Tower which with the first force of the Powder was onely shaken and made loose tell vpon our men vnder which were buried about twentie or thirtie then being vnder that part of the Tower This so amazed our men that stood in the breach not knowing from whence that terror came as they forsooke their Commanders and left them among the ruines of the Mine The two Easignes of Generall Drake and Captaine Anthony Wingfield were shot in the breach but their colours were rescuedâ— the Generails by Captaine Sampsons Lieutenant and Captaine Wingfields by himselfe Amongst them that the wall fell vpon was Cap. Sydenâ—am pittifully lost who hauing three or foure great stones vpon his lower parts was held so fast as neither himselfe could stirre nor any reasonable company recouer him Not withstanding the next day being found to be aliue there was ten or twelue lost in attempting to relieue him The breach made by the Canon was wonderfully well assaulted by them that had the charge thereof who brought their men to the push of the Pike at the top of the breach And being readie to enter the loose earth which was indeede but the rubbish of the outside of the wall with the weight of them that were thereon slipped outwardes from vnder their feet Whereby did appeare halfe the wall vnbattered For lâ—t no man thinke that Culuerin or Demy-canon can sufficiently batter a defensible rampire and of those Peeces which we had the better of the Demy-canons at the second shot brake in her carriages so as the battery was of lesse force being but of three Peeces In our retreat which was from both breaches thorow a narrow lane were many of our men hurt and Captaine Dolphin who serued very well that day was hurt in the very breach The failing of this attempt in the opinion of all the beholders and of such as were of the best iudgement was the fall of the Mine which had doubtlesse succeeded the rather because the approch was vnlooked for by the enemy in that place and therefore not so much defence made there as in the other which made the Generall grow to a new resolution for finding that two daies battery had so little beaten their wall and that he had no better preparation to batter withall he knew in his experience there was no good to be done that way which I thinke he first put in proofe to try if by that terror hee could get the vpper Towne hauing no other way to put it in hazzard so speedily and which in my conscience had obtained the Towne had not the defendants bin in as great peril of their liues by the displeasure of their King in giuing it vp as by the Bullet or Sword in defending the same For that day before the assault in the view of our Armie they burnt a Cloister within the Town and many other houses adioyning to the Castle to make it more defensible whereby it appeared how little opinion themselues had of holding it against vs had not God who would not haue vs suddenly made proud laied that misfortune vpon vs. The next day the Generall hearing by a prisoner that was brought in that the Conde de Andrada had assembled an Armie of eight thousand at Puente de Burgos sixe miles from thence in the way to Petance which was but the beginning of an Armie in that there was a greater leauy ready to come thither vnder the Conde de Altomira either in purpose to relieue the Groine or to encampe themselues neere the place of our embarking there to hinder the same for to that purpose had the Marquesse of Seralba written to them both the first night of our landing as the Commissary taken then confessed or at the least to stop our further entrance into the Countrey for during this time there were many incursions made of three or foure hundred at a time who burnt spoiled and brought in victualls plentifully the Generall I say hearing of this Armie had in purpose the next day following to visite them against whom hee carried but nine Regiments in the Vantguard were the Regiment of Sir Roger Williams Sir Edward Norris and Colonell Sidney in the Battaile that of the Generall of Colonell Lane and Colonell Medkerk and in the Râ—aseward Sir Henry Norris Colonell Huntley and Colonell Brets Regiments leauing the other fiue Regiments with Generall Drake for the guard of the Cloister and Artiâ—lery About ten of the clocke the next day being the sixt of May halfe a mile from the Campe wee discouering the enemy Sir Edward Norris who commanded the Vantguard in chiefe appointed his Lieutenant Colonell Captaine Anthony Wingfield to command the shot of the same who diuided them into three troupes the one he appointed to Captain Middleton to be conducted in away on the left hand another to Captain Erâ—ngton to take the way on the right hand and the bodie of them which were Mosquetiers Captaine Wingfield tooke himselfe keeping the direct way of the march But the way taken by Captaine Middleton met a little before with the way held by Captaine Wingfield so as he giuing the first charge vpon the enemy was in the instant seconded by Captaine Wingfield who beat them from place to place they hauing very good places of defence and crosse Walles which they might haue held long till they betooke them to their Bridge which is ouer a creeke comming out of the Sea builded of Stone vpon Arches On the foot of the further side whereof lay the Caâ—â—pe of the
And description ibid. Etapusick a place in the Indies with singular mynes of gold 1222 Etechemins Savages of New-France that are theeues and treacherous 1626 Etoica a River in Brasile its dangerous Navigation 1240 Euill-peace a towne so named by the Spaniards in Florida and the reason thereof 1533 Europa a River that commeth into Orenoco 1248 Example prevaileth more then precept 1743 F. FAls of water very violent and strange 1610 False-heartednesse how auoided in the treacherous Indians by Spanish policie 1552 False-heartednesse of the Savages called Massacheusets 1859 Of the Indians towards Master Westons men 1865 Famine very vrgent in the Indies 1214. Miserable in the same countrey 1258 Famine among the French-men 1325. Among the Dutch and Spaniards at the River of Plate the vnnaturall effects thereof 1348. Famine among Spaniards 1401 1477 1508. Among the Indians and some few hungry Spaniards 1517 1518. Incredible famine 1526. Famine and mortalitie of the English in Virginia 1690. Famine in great extremitie enforcing man-slaughter and man-eating 1732 Famishing strangely escaped by Andrew Hillyard all his fellowes perishing 1802 1803 Faraon a towne burnt vp by the English in their returne from Cadiz 1934 Fast publikely instituted and observed by the English in New England being in distresse for want of raine 1867 Fasts instituted in England and Zeland for Gods gracious deliverance in 88. 1911 Father Martin Perez of the societie of Iesus his relation of his travels and description of Ginoloa 1562 1563 seq His baptizing many Indians and instructing them in a knowne tongue c. 1564. What kinde of Christianitie hee taught them 1564 1565 Fayael one of the Ilands of the Azores the description and taking thereof by the Earle of Cumberland 1672. Their feare of the English Nauy 1676 The Feags a strange sicknesse in the Bermudas much annoying the English 1797 Feare the cause of Tyrannie 1437 Feare causing death in the Indians 1522 Feasts of Savages 1607 Feathers vsed for cloathes 1212 Feuers how eased by plants 1311 How gotten in hot Countries and auoided 1370 1371 Febacco Iland 1266 Ferdinando Gorge his employment in the plantation of New-Scotland 1842 Captaine Fenton his expedition and ouerthrow 1141 1142 Fernambue aport in America 1190 1202 1438 Fernandes Gires his discouery of a Land in the south Sea with the rare commodities thereof 1422 Fetherstons Bay in Virginia why so called 1716 Figs of Brasile 1332 Fight betweene the English and and Spaniards in Saint Iohn Port-Ricco 1161. Betweene English and Indians with Portingals 1197. Fighting against a natiue countrie rewarded 1404 Fighting betweene two Indian nations in Peru very extreame and bloody 1458. Betweene the English and Spaniards in the narrow Seas 1906. A fight betweene the English and Spaniards before Greeueling 1908. A fight by sea betweene the English and Spanish before Cadiz 1930 Fire burning in the woods for the space of three dayes 1890. Great danger by fire 1145 1918 A Fish endangering a boat and men 1142. Fishes flying 1157 1314 Their danger of deuouring in Sea or Ayre 1376 Fishing of New England very commodious to the plantation of Virginia 1842 Fishing how commodious and especially to the Hollanders 1821 Fishing with swords 1714 Fishing with golden hookes 1216 Fishing with wood 1251 Fish great store in Guiana 1275. A fish with foure eyes two aboue water and two vnder a fish also with warme blood like flesh ibid. Fish made drunke with wood 1276 Fish like beefe in taste and proportion 1283. It is called the Ox-fish the description thereof at large 1313 1314. It hath eyes which it may close and shut at will armes and hands in his head it hath 2 stones of approued soueraignnesse for the stone in the body ibid. A Fish that snorteth and thereby is apprehended ibid. A fish that hath two broad stones in his mouth ibid. fish good against the poison of a Snake and very wholesome 1313. Fish that maketh the holders hands benummed or shaking as one that hath the palsie Fish that maketh all that touch it to sticke fast vnto it Fishes like men and women their fearfulness to the Indians their manner of killing men Fish that dyes the water and euadeth the Fisher Fish that proues a remedy for the Spleene a Fish that easts his mouth shell and feet 1314 1315 seq A Fish with fingers and vttering a squeaking sound 1331 Fish so plentifull that it may bee kild in the water with clubs 1549 Fishes that haue voices like Owles 1639. Good fishing 1640 Fits-Morrice slaine in Ireland 1893 Flatterers base kind of people 1957 A Flemmish Ship burnt at the fight before Cadiz 1930 Flores a place in the Azores 1144 The description thereof 1175 1672 Florida possessed by the Spaniards 1501. The inhabitants many of them tall of stature and expert archers 1503. The townes and inhabitants thereof variously described 1503 1504. seq Florida hath gold and pretious stones on the sea coast 1554. The distance of sundry places one from the other necessary for trauellers 1556. Losse of inhabitants in Florida by Spanish cruelty 1589. The great age of some men there 1604. They liue in the woods 3 months in the yeare vpon hunting 1604. English men the first discouerers of Florida 1813 Flutes made of Reedes 1687 Fluxes stayed by fruits as Guianas Papaias and wild Grapes 1172. by a berry 1276 1308. by a plant 1311 Fooles-coat a liuery of the Spanish Inquisition 1179 Forests trauelled by compasse 1636 Fort Mora summond befieged and taken by the Lord of Cumberland 1163 1164. The strength and danger of passage for ships by it 1164 Fort St. Iohn of the Spaniards in Florida 1182 Fortileza a towne in Port-Ricco 1164 Fountaines of pitchy substance very hot that serue to calke ships withall 1481 A Fountaine that turneth wood into stone 1670 Fox-Iland on the north of Virginia 1654 Francis Bouadilla chiefe Marshall of the Fleet in 88 sent for England 1901 Francisco de Zeres his relation of the conquest of Peru and Cusco called New Castile 1491. sequ Francisco Pizarro a Spaniard his discouery of Peru and successe 1444 1451 1452 1489 1490 1491 1492 1493 1494. St. Francis a riuer in America â—â—23 A towne there with Châ—â—â—ery Bishop Deane and Uniuersity of Spaniards 1421 Franciscan Fryers of great esteeme in the West Indies 1242 French-Bay in New France 1621 French-Pox cured with Sassafras 1655 French nauigations to the north America 1603. Their discouery of Cape Francois the Riuer Moy taking possession there and discouering eight riuers more their dissention and ouerthrow ibid. French famine on the Seat their miserable distressed scarcity in Florida mutiny and ease by Sir Iohn Hawkins 1604. Fâ—â—nchmen remoue their plantation from St. Croix to Port Royall 1626. Frenchmen settle themselues within the limits of the English in the Newfound-Land though to their small aduantage 1828. FrenchmeÌ„s courtesie to the English nation 1834. Frenchmens couetousnesse and their infamy in that regard 1638. Frenchmens mutiny against their Captaine discouered and reuenged
their leaues in the Winter moneths as withered or burnt with the cold blasts of the North winde especially those that grow to the Seaward and in March there Burgen new in their roome fresh and tender Other kindes of high and sweet smelling Woods there bee and diuers colours blacke yellow and red and one which beares a round blew Berry much eaten by our owne people of a stiptick qualitie and rough taste on the tongue like a Slow to stay or binde the Fluxe which the often eating of the luscious Palme berry would bring them into for the nature of sweet things is to clense and dissolue A kinde of Pease of the bignesse and shape of a Katherine Peare wee found growing vpon the Rockes full of many sharpe subtill prickes as a Thistle which wee therefore called The Prickle Peare the outside greene but being opened of a deepe murrie full of iuyce like a Mulberry and iust of the same substance and taste wee both eate them raw and baked Sure it is that there are no Riuers nor running Springs of fresh water to bee found vpon any of them when wee came first wee digged and found certaine gushings and soft bublings which being either in bottoms or on the side of hanging ground were onely fed with raine water which neuerthelesse soone sinketh into the earth and vanisheth away or emptieth it selfe out of sight into the Sea without any channell aboue or vpon the superficies of the earth for according as their raines fell we had our Wels and Pits which we digged either halfe full or absolute exhausted and dry howbeit some low bottoms which the continuall descent from the Hills filled full and in those flats could haue no passage away we found to continue as fishing Ponds or standing Pooles continually Summer and Winter full of fresh water The shoare and Bayes round about when wee landed first afforded great store of fish and that of diuers kindes and good but it should seeme that our fiers which wee maintained on the shoares side draue them from vs so as wee were in some want vntill wee had made a flat bottome Gundall of Cedar with which wee put off farther into the Sea and then daily hooked great store of many kindes as excellent Angell-fish Salmon Peale Bonetas Stingray Cabally Senappers Hogge-fish Sharkes Dogge-fish Pilcherds Mullets and Rock-fish of which bee diuers kindes and of these our Gouernour dryed and salted and barrelling them vp brought to sea fiue hundred for he had procured Salt to bee made with some Brine which happily was preserued and once hauing made a little quantity he kept three or foure pots boyling and two or three men attending nothing else in an house some little distance from his Bay set vp on purpose for the same worke Likewise in Furbushers building Bay wee had a large Sein or Tramell Net which our Gouernour caused to be made of the Deere Toyles which wee were to carry to Virginia by drawing the Masts more straight and narrow with Roape Yarne and which reached from one side of the Dock to the other with which I may boldly say wee haue taken fiue thousand of small and great fish at one hale As Pilchards Breames Mullets Rocke-fish c. and other kindes for which wee haue no names Wee haue taken also from vnder the broken Rockes Creuises oftentimes greater then any of our best English Lobsters and likewise abundance of Crabbes Oysters and Wilkes True it is for Fâ—sh in euerie Coue and Creeke wee found Snaules and Skulles in that abundance as I thinke no Iland in the world may haue greater store or better Fish For they sucking of the very water which descendeth from the high Hills mingled with iuyce and verdor of the Palmes Cedars and other sweet Woods which likewise make the Herbes Roots and Weeds sweet which grow about the Bankes become thereby both fat and wholsome As must those Fish needes bee grosse slimy and corrupt the bloud which feed in Fennes Marishes Ditches muddy Pooles and neere vnto places where much filth is daily cast forth Vnscaled Fishes such as Iunius calleth Molles Pisces as Trenches Eele or Lampries and such feculent and dangerous Snakes wee neuer saw any nor may any Riuer bee inuenomed with them I pray God where I come I forbeare to speake what a sort of Whales wee haue seene hard aboard the shoare followed sometime by the Sword-fish and the Thresher the sport where of was not vnpleasant The Sword-fish with his sharpe and needle Finne pricking him into the belly when hee would sinke and fall into the Sea and when hee startled vpward from his wounds the Thresher with his large Fins like Flayles beating him aboue water The examples whereof giues vs saith Ouiedus to vnderstand that in the selfe same perill and danger doe men liue in this mortall life wherein is no certaine security neither in high estate nor low Fowle there is great store small Birds Sparrowes fat and plumpe like a Bunting bigger then ours Robbins of diuers colours greene and yellow ordinary and familiar in our Cabbins and other of lesse sort White and gray Hernshawes Bitters Teale Snites Crowes and Hawkes of which in March wee found diuers Ayres Goshawkes and Tassells Oxen-birds Cormorants Bald-Cootes Moore-Hennes Owles and Battes in great store And vpon New-yeeres day in the morning our Gouernour being walked foorth with another Gentleman Master Iames Swift each of them with their Peeces killed a wild Swanne in a great Sea-water Bay or Pond in our Iland A kinde of webbe-footed Fowle there is of the bignesse of an English greene Plouer or Sea-Meawe which all the Summer wee saw not and in the darkest nights of Nouember and December for in the night they onely feed they would come forth but not flye farre from home and houering in the ayre and ouer the Sea made a strange hollow and harsh howling Their colour is inclining to Russet with white bellies as are likewise the long Feathers of their wings Russet and White these gather themselues together and breed in those Ilands which are high and so farre alone into the Sea that the Wilde Hogges cannot swimme ouer them and there in the ground they haue their Burrowes like Conyes in a Warren and so brought in the loose Mould though not so deepe which Birds with a light bough in a darke night as in our Lowbelling wee caught I haue beene at the taking of three hundred in an houre and wee might haue laden our Boates. Our men found a prettie way to take them which was by standing on the Rockes or Sands by the Sea side and hollowing laughing and making the strangest out-cry that possibly they could with the noyse whereof the Birds would come flocking to that place and settle vpon the very armes and head of him that so cryed and still creepe neerer and neerer answering the noyse themselues by which our men would weigh them with their
hand and which weighed heauiest they tooke for the best and let the others alone and so our men would take twentie dozen in two houres of the chiefest of them and they were a good and well relished Fowle fat and full as a Partridge In Ianuary wee had great store of their Egges which are as great as an Hennes Egge and so fashioned and white shelled and haue no difference in yolke nor white from an Hennes Egge There are thousands of these Birds and two or three Ilands full of their Burrowes whether at any time in two houres warning wee could send our Cock-boat and bring home as many as would serue the whole Company which Birds for their blindnesse for they see weakly in the day and for their cry and whooting wee called the Sea Owle they will bite cruelly with their crooked Bills Wee had knowledge that there were wilde Hogges vpon the Iland at first by our owne Swine preserued from the wrack and brought to shoare for they straying into the Woods an huge wilde Boare followed downe to our quarter which at night was watched and taken in this sort One of Sir George Summers men went and lay among the Swine when the Boare being come and groueled by the Sowes hee put ouer his hand and rubbed the side gently of the Boare which then lay still by which meanes hee fastned a rope with a sliding knot to the hinder legge and so tooke him and after him in this sort two or three more But in the end a little businesse ouer our people would goe a hunting with our Ship Dogge and sometimes bring home thirtie sometimes fiftie Boares Sowes and Pigs in a weeke aliue for the Dog would fasten on them and hold whilest the Hunts-men made in and there bee thousands of them in the Ilands and at that time of the yeere in August September October and Nouember they were well fed with Berries that dropped from the Cedars and the Palmes and in our quarter wee made styes for them and gathering of these Berries serued them twice aday by which meanes we kept them in good plight and when there was any fret of weather for vpon euery increase of wind the billow would be so great as it was no putting out with our Gundall or Canow that we could not fiâ—h nor take Tortoyses then wee killed our Hogs But in February when the Palme Berries began to be scant or dry and the Cedar Berries failed two moneths sooner True it is the Hogs grew poore and being taken so wee could not raise them to be better for besides those Berries we had nothing wherewith to franke them but euen then the Tortoyses came in againe of which wee daily both turned vp great store finding them on Land as also sculling after them in our Boate strooke them with an Iron goad and sod baked and roasted them The Tortoyse is reasonable toothsom some say wholsome meate I am sure our Company liked the meate of them verâ—e well and one Tortoyse would goe further amongst them then three Hogs One Turtle for so we called them feasted well a dozen Messes appointing sixe to euery Messe It is such a kind of meat as a man can neither absolutely call Fish nor Flesh keeping most what in the water and feeding vpon Sea-grasse like a Heifer in the bottome of the Coues and Bayes and laying their Egges of which wee should finde fiue hundred at a time in the opening of a shee Turtle in the Sand by the shoare side and so couering them close leaue them to the hatching of the Sunne like the Manati at Saint Dominique which made the Spanish Friars at their first arriuall make some scruple to eate them on a Friday because in colour and taste the flesh is like to morsells of Veale Concerning the laying of their Egges and hatching of their young Peter Martyr writeth thus in his Decades of the Ocean at such time as the heate of Nature moueth them to generation they came forth of the Sea and making a deepe pit in the sand they lay three or foure hundred Egges therein when they haue thus emptied their bag of Conception they put as much of the same againe into the Pit as may satisfie to couer the Egges and so resort againe vnto the Sea nothing carefull of their succession At the day appointed of Nature to the procreation of these creatures there creepeth out a multitude of Tortoyles as it were Pismyers out of an Ant-hill and this only by the heate of the Sunne without any helpe of their Parents their Egges are as big as Geefe Egges and themselues growne to perfection bigger then great round Targets §. II. Actions and Occurrents whiles they continued in the Ilands Rauens sent for Virginia Diuers mutinies PAINE executed Two Pinnaces built SO soone as wee were a little setled after our landing with all the conueniencie wee might and as the place and our many wants would giue vs leaue wee made vp our long Boate as your Ladyship hath heard in fashion of a Pinnace fitting her with a little Deck made of the Hatches of our ruin'd ship so close that no water could goe in her gaue her Sayles and Oares and intreating with our Masters Mate Henry Rauens who was supposed a sufficient Pilot wee found him easily wonne to make ouer therewith as a Barke of Auiso for Virginia which being in the height of thirtie seuen degrees fiue degrees from the Iland which we were might bee some one hundred and fortie leagues from vs or thereabouts 〈…〉 koning to euery degree that lies North-east and Westerly twentie eight English leagues who the twentie eight of August being Munday with sixe Saylers and our Cape Merchant Thomas Whittingham departed from vs out of Gates his Bay but to our much wonder returned againe vpon the Wednesday night after hauing attempted to haue got cleere of the Iland from the North North-eath to the South-west but could not as little water as shee drew which might not bee aboue twentie inches for shoales and breaches so as he was faine to go out from Summers Creeks and the same way we came in on the South South-east of the Ilands and from thence wee made to Sea the Friday after the first of September promising if hee liued and arriued safe there to returne vnto vs the next new Moone with the Pinnace belonging to the Colony there according vnto which instructions were directed vnto the new Leiftenant Gouernour and Councell from our Gouernour here for which the Ilands were appointed carefully to be watched and fiers prepared as Beacons to haue directed and wafted him in but two Moones were wasted vpon the Promontory before mentioned and gaue many a long and wished looke round about the Horizon from the North-east to the South-west but in vaine discouering nothing all the while which way soeuâ—r we turned our eye but ayre and sea You may please excellent Lady to know the reason which moued our Gouernour to dispatch this