and other great fyshes The nauigation is not open to this Iland but in sommer season and that only for the space of foure monethes by reason of the colde and Ise whereby the passage is stopped If any stryfe or debate aryse on the sea among the mariners for the commoditie of the hauen the gouernour of the place although he haue knowledge thereof yet doeth he not punyshe them forasmuche as it apperteyneth not to his office to decerne such thinges as are done on the sea but only on the lande Ships are there oftentymes in great peryll by reason of Whales such other monsters of the sea except the Mariners take good heede and keepe them far from the shyps with the noyse of Drummes and emptie barrels cast into the sea There are many Mynstrels and other that play on instruments with the sweete noyse wherof they vse to allure foules and fyshes to their nettes and snares Many also lye lurkyng in caues and dennes to auoyd the sharpnesse of cold as the Affricanes doe the lyke to defend them selues from the heate On the top of a certaine mountayne called Weyszarch lying betweene Island and Gruntland or Greonland is erected a shypmans quadrant of marueylous bygnesse made by two Pirates named Pinnigt and Pothorst in fauour of suche as sayle by those coastes that they may thereby auoyde the daungerous places lying towarde Greonland The myddest of the Ilande 7 0 65 30. The citie Harsol c. 7 40 60 42. Laponia THe region of Laponia was so named of the people that inhabite it For the Germanes call all suche Lapones as are simple or vnapte to thinges This people is of small stature and of suche agilitie of bodie that hauyng theyr quyuers of arrowes gerte to them and theyr bowes in theyr handes they can with a leape cast themselues through a circle or hope of the diameter of a cubite They fight on foote armed with bowes and arrowes after the maner of the Tartars They are exercised in hurlyng the darte and shootyng from theyr youth insomuche that they gyue theyr chyldren no meate vntyll they hyt the marke they shoote at as dyd in olde tyme thynhabitauntes of the Ilandes called Baleares They vse to make theyr apparell streight and close to theyr bodyes that it hynder not theyr woorke Theyr wynter vestures are made of the whole skynnes of Seales or Beares artificially wrought and made supple These they tye with a knotte aboue theyr heads leauyng onely two holes open to looke through and haue all the residue of theyr bodyes couered as though they were sowed in sackes but that this beyng adopted to all partes of theyr bodyes is so made for commoditie and not for a punyshment as the Romanes were accustomed to sow paricides in sackes of leather with a Cocke an Ape and a Serpent and so to hurle them alyue altogeather into the ryuer of Tyber And heereby I thynke it came to passe that in olde tyme it was rashly beleeued that in these regions there were men with rough heary bodyes like wylde beastes as parte made relation through ignoraunce parte also takyng pleasure in rehearsall of suche thinges as are straunge to the hearers The Lapones defended by this arte and industry goe abrode and withstand the sharpenesse of wynter and the North wyndes with all the iniuryes of heauen They haue no houses but certayne Tabernacles lyke tentes or hales wherewith they passe from place to place and chaunge their mansions Some of them lyue after the maner of the people of Sarmatia called in olde tyme Amaxobii which vsed waynes in the steade of houses They are much giuen to huntyng and haue suche plentie of wylde beastes that they kyll them in maner in euery place It is not lawfull for a woman to goe foorth of the tent at that doore by the which her husbande went out on huntyng the same day nor yet to touche with her hande any parte of the beast that is taken vntyll her husbande reache her on the spytte suche a portion of fleshe as he thynketh good They tyll not the grounde The region nourysheth no kynde of Serpentes yet are there great and noysome Gnattes They take fyshe in great plentie by the commoditie whereof they lyue after the maner of the Ethiopians called Ichthiophagi For as these drye theyr fyshe with feruent heate so doe they drye them with colde and grynde or stampe them to pouder as small as meale or floure They haue suche aboundaunce of these fyshes that they hourd great plentie thereof in certeyne store houses to carry them vnto other landes neare about them as Northbothnia and whyte Russia Theyr shyppes are not made with nayles but are tyde togeather and made fast with cordes and wythes With these they sayle by the swyft ryuers betweene the mountaynes of Laponia beyng naked in sommer that they may the better swymme in the tyme of perill and geather togeather such wares as are in daunger to be lost by shypwracke Parte of them exercyse handie craftes as imbroderyng and weauyng of cloth interlaced with golde and syluer Suche as haue deuised any necessary Arte or doe increase and amende the inuentions of other are openly honoured and rewarded with a vesture in the which is imbrodered an argument or token of the thyng they deuised And this remayneth to the posteritie of theyr famelie in token of theyr desartes They frame shyppes buylde houses and make dyuers sortes of housholde stuffe artificially and transporte them to other places neare about They buye and sell both for exchaunge of wares and for money And this only by consent of both parties without communication yet not for lacke of wytte or for rudenesse of maners but bycause they haue a peculiar language vnknowen to theyr borderers It is a valiant nation and lyued long free and susteyned the warres of Norway and Suetia vntyll at the length they submitted them selues and payde ryche furres for theyr tribute They chose them selues a gouernour whom they cal a kyng But the kyng of Suetia gyueth him aucthoritie and administration Neuerthelesse the people in theyr suites and doubtful causes resorte to Suetia to haue theyr matters decised In theyr iourneys they goe not to any Inne nor yet enter into any house but lye all nyght vnder the firmament They haue no horses but in the steade of them they tame certayne wylde beastes which they call Reen beyng of the iust bygnesse of a Mâ—le with rough heare lyke an Asse clouen feete and braunched hornes lyke a Harte but lower and with fewer antlettes They will not abyde to be rydden But when theyr peytrels or drawyng collers are put on them and they so ioyned to the Chariotte or steade they runne in the space of .xxiiii. houres a hundred and fyftie myles or .xxx. Schoenos the whiche space they affyrme to chaunge the horizon thryse that is thryse to come to the furthest signe or
the hart A man worthy to serue any prynce and most vilely vsed And of seuenscore men came home to Plymmowth scarsely fourtie and of them many dyed And that no man shoulde suspect these wordes whiche I haue sayd in commendation of Pinteado to be spoken vppon fauour otherwyse then truth I haue thought good to ad hereunto the coppie of the letters which the kyng of Portugale and the infant his brother wrote vnto hym to reconcyle hym at suche tyme as vppon the kyng his maisters displeasure and not for any other cryme or offence as may appeare by the sayde letters he was only for pouertie inforced to come into Englande where he fyrst persuaded our merchauntes to attempt the sayde vyages to Guinea But as the kyng of Portugale to late repented hym that he had so punyshed Pinteado vppon malicious informations of suche as enuied the mans good fortune euen so may it hereby appeare that in some cases euen Lions them selues may either be hyndred by the contempt or ayded by the helpe of the poore myse accordyng vnto the fable of Esope The copie of Antoni Anes Pinteado his letters patentes wherby the king of Portugale made him knyght of his house after al his troubles and imprisonment which by wrong information made to the king he had susteined of long time being at the last deliuered his cause knowen and manifested to the kyng by a grey fryer the kynges confessour I The kyng do geue you to vnderstande lorde Frances Desseosa one of my counsaile and ouerseer of my house that in consideration of the good seruice which Antonie Anes Pinteado the sonne of Iohn Anes dwellyng in the towne called the porte hath done vnto me my wyl and pleasure is to make him knight of mi house alowing to him in pension seuē hundred reis monethly and euery day one alcayre of barly as long as he keepeth a horse and to be payde accordyng to the ordinaunce of my house Prouydyng alwayes that he shal receyue but one mariage gifte And this also in such condition that the tyme which is excepted in our ordinaunce forbiddyng such men to marry for gettyng suche chyldren as myght succeede them in this alowance which is syxe yeeres after the makyng of this patent shal be fyrst expired before he do mary I therfore commaund you to cause this to be entred in the booke called the Matricola of our housholde vnder the title of knyghtes And when it is so entred let the clarke of y e Matricola for the certaintie thereof wryte on the backsyde of this Aluala or patent the number of the leafe wherin this our graunt is entered Which doone let him returne this writing vnto the said Anthonie Anes Pinteado for his warrant I Diego Henriques haue wrytten this in Almarin the twenty and two day of September in the yeere of our Lorde .1551 And this beneuolence the kyng gaue vnto Anthonie Anes Pinteado the twentie and fyue day of Iuly this present yeere Rey. The secretaries declaration written vnder the kynges graunt YOur Maiestie hath vouchsafed in respect consideration of the good seruice of Anthonie Anes Pinteado dwellyng in the port and sonne of Iohn Anes to make hym knyght of your house with ordinarie allowance of seuen hundred Reys pension by the moneth and one Alcayr of Barley by the day as long as he kepeth a Horse and to be payde accordyng to the ordinance of your house with condition that he shall haue but one mariage gyft and that not within the space of .vi. yeeres after the makyng of these letters patentes The secretaries note Entered in the booke of the Matricola Fol. 683. Francisco de Siquera The coppie of the letter of Don Lewes the infant and brother to the kyng of Portugale sent into England to Anthonie Anes Pinteado ANthonie Anes Pinteado I the infant brother to the kyng haue me hartely commended vnto you Peter Gonsalues is gone to seeke you desiring to bryng you home againe into your countrey And for that purpose hath with hym a safe conduct for you graunted by the kyng that thereby you maye freelye and without all feare come home And allthough the weather be foule and stormye yet fayle not to come For in the tyme that his Maiestie hath geuen you you maye do many thynges to your contentation and gratyfiyng the king whereof I woulde be ryght glad and to bryng the same to passe wyll do all that lyeth in me for your profite But forasmuche as Peter Gonsalues wyl make further declaration hereof vnto you I say no more at this present Wrytten in Luxburne the eyght day of December Anno. M.D.LII. The infant Don Lewes AL these forsayde wrytynges I sawe vnder seale in the house of my frende Nicholas Liese with whom Pinteado left them at his vnfortunate departyng to Guinea But notwithstandyng all these freendly letters and fayre promises Pinteado durst not attempt to goe home neyther to keepe company with the Portugales his countrey men without the presence of other forasmuch as he had secrete admonitions that they entended to sley hym yf tyme and place myght haue serued theyr wicked entent The second viage to Guinea AS in the fyrst viage I haue declared rather the order of the historie then the course of the nauigation wherof at that time I could haue no perfect information so in the discription of this seconde viage my cheefe intent hath been to 〈◊〉 the course of the same accordyng to the obseruation and ordinary custome of the maryners and as I receyued it at the handes of an expert Pilot beyng one of the cheefe in this viage who also with his owne handes wrote a briefe declaration of the same as he founde and tryed al thynges not by coniecture but by the art of saylyng and instrumentes parteynyng to the mariners facultie Not therefore assumyng to my selfe the commendations due vnto other neyther so bolde as in any part to change or otherwyse dispose the order of this viage so well obserued by arte and experyence I haue thought good to set foorth the same in suche sort and phrase of speache as is commonly vsed among them and as I receyued it of the sayd pilot as I haue said Take it therefore as foloweth In the yeere of our lorde .1554 the .11 daye of October we departed the ryuer of Temmes with three goodly shyppes the one called the Trinitie a ship of the burden of seuenscore tun the other called y e Barthelmew a shyppe of the burden of lxxxx the thyrd was the Iohn Euangelist a shyp of seuenscore tunne With the sayde shyppes and two pynnesses whereof the one was drowned in the coast of Englande we went forwarde on our vyage and stayed at Douer .xiiii. dayes We stayed also at Rye three or foure dayes Moreouer last of all we touched at Darthmouth The fyrst day of Nouember at .ix of the clocke at nyght departyng from the coaste of Englande we sette of the stert bearyng southwest al that nyght in the
I knowe not from whence The thyrd kynd is named Bochor The saide Christian merchants tolde vs also that none of the fyrst and best kynde of Aloes is brought vnto vs because it commeth from the kyngdomes of Cathay Chini Macym Sarnau and Grauay countreys muche rycher then ours hauyng muche greater abundance of golde and kynges of greater power and rychesse then are ours And also that the sayde kynges take great pleasure in such kynd of sweete sauoures and vse them muche more then our princes do So that by this meanes the true kynde of Aloes is woorth euen in the citie of Sarnau tenne crownes the pounde weyght Howe the gummes of Aloes and Laserpitium are proued Cap. 21. WE came by certaine experience to the knowledge of the two sweete gummes of Aloes and Laserpitium as we were taught by the sayd Christian merchants our companyons For one of them had a certayne portion of them both and had of that best sorte of Aloes named Calampat about the quantitie of two ounces Of the which my companion takyng a peece in his hande and holdyng it fast and close for the space that one may thryse saye the Psalme of Miserere mei Deus the Aloes thereby beyng heat at the openyng of his hande gaue a sauoure of incredible sweetenesse and suche as I neuer felte of any other thyng He tooke also of the common Laserpitium or Belzoe the quantitie of a Walnutte and agayne halfe a pounde of that whiche commeth from the citie of Sarnau to compare the one to the other And so puttyng them both in sundry chafyng dyshes with burnyng coles in a close chamber that whiche was of the byggnesse of a Walnutte in sweete sauour far exceeded the other which was halfe a pounde in weight and woulde doubtlesse so haue done though it had ben of two pounde weight In this region is also founde Lacca or Lacta wherewith is made a shynyng redde colour It is the gumme of a tree not muche vnlyke our Walnutte tree There are also sundrye kindes of beastes suche as we haue Of diuers merchantes in the Ilande of Sumatra or Taprobana Cap. 22. IN the sayde citie of Pyder in the Ilande of Sumatra I sawe many curious workes very artificially wrought as fyne Cophines or baskets garnished with golde solde for two crownes the peece I sawe also there in one streate fyue hundred exchangers there are so many bankers Hither as to a famous mart resort innumerable merchantes The inhabitantes weare Mantels of sylke and Syndone made of Bombasine The region hath plentie of wood and trees very commodious to make such shippes as they cal Gunchos hauyng three mastes two fore partes and also two sternes or gouernals on both sydes When they sayle in the Ocean and haue nowe geuen wynde to the sayles yf afterwarde it shal be needefull to haue more sayles not changyng the fyrst they go backward without turnyng the ship and vsyng only one mast They are most expert swymmers and haue skyll to make fyre in an instant Theyr houses are of stone and very lowe In the place af couerynges or tyles they vse the skynnes or hydes of a fyshe called Tartaruca founde in that sea of India I saw so hugious a hyde of this monster that it wayed a hundred three poundes I sawe there also great teeth of Elephantes as one waying three hundred thirtie pounde weight Lykewise Serpentes of incredible bygnesse and muche bygger then in Calecut Here our companions the Christian merchants for affayres they had to do other wayes woulde haue taken their leaue of vs. Then my companion the Persian spake vnto them in this maner Although my frendes I am not your countreyman yet beyng all brethren and the chyldren of Adam I take God to witnesse that I loue you as yf you were myne owne brethren begotten of the same parentes and therfore consyderyng how frendly we haue kept company togeather so long tyme I assure you I can not without great greefe of mynde beare your departyng from vs. And although you woulde depart from me wyll you nowe forsake this my companion a man of your fayth and religion Then sayde the Christians Howe hath this man beyng no Persian receyued our fayth Then sayde my companion Truely he is now a Persian and was once bought at Ierusalem When the Christians hearde the holy name of Ierusalem they lyfted vp theyr handes to heauen and prostratyng them selues on the grounde kyssed it thryse then rysyng they asked him of what age I was when I was brought from Ierusalem Of the age of fyfteene yeeres sayde my companion Then sayde they agayne He may then remember his countrey Then aunswered my companion He dooth remember it in deede and I haue taken great pleasure of suche thynges as he hath tolde me of his countrye Then sayde the merchauntes Although of long time we haue desyred to returne to our countrey beyng more then three hundred myles hence neuerthelesse at your request we wil beare you company to the place whyther you desyre to go Preparyng therefore all thynges parteynyng to the voyage we tooke shyppyng and in .xv. dayes saylyng came to an Ilande named Bandan Of the Ilande of Bandan where Nuttemegs and Mace are founde Cap. 23. IN this voyage to the Ilande of Bandan we founde about .xx. Ilandes some inhabited and some desarte This Ilande is very saluage barren and very lowe and conteyneth a hundred myles in circuite It hath neyther kyng nor gouernour but is inhabited with a rascall and beastly kynde of men lyuyng without lawe order or gouerment They haue lowe houses or rather cotages of wood rysyng but litle from the ground Their apparell is onely a sherte They go bareheadded and barefooted with theyr heare hangyng downe and haue brode and rounde forheaddes They are of coloure inclynyng to whyte and of despicable stature They are Idolaters and woorse then are the inhabitantes of Calecut called Poliar and Hyrana They are also of dull wytte and litle strength and in kynde of lyuyng altogeather beastly The soyle beareth no fruites excepte onely Nuttemegges the bodye of the Nuttemegge tree is lyke to the bodye of a Peache tree and hath lyke branches and leaues but the leaues are somewhat narower Before these Nuttes come to rypenesse the Mace florysheth lyke vnto a redde rose but when the Nutte waxeth rype the Mace closeth it selfe and embraseth the Nutte and shel and are so geathered togeather without order or distribution by scamblyng catche that catche may for y t al things are there common The tree yeeldeth fruite of his owne fruitefulnesse without graffyng or cuttyng or any other art These Nuttes are solde by weyght and .xxvi. pounde weyght is solde for the value of three souses that is halfe a Carline of such money as is vsed in Calecut This people hath none other order of iustice then by the lawe of nature and therfore they lyue without
and had large communication of many thynges The Captayne persuaded them to the Christian fayth whiche they gladly embrased and tooke such pleasure in hearyng the articles of our beliefe that the teares fell from theyr eyes for ioye They were baptised and shortly after all the people of the Ilande They esteeme nothing more precious then drynkyng glasses of Uenice woorke When they came to the citie they founde the kyng in his Pallace sitting vppon a floore or storie made of the leaues of Date trees wrought after a curious deuise lyke a certayne kynde of mattes He had vppon his body none other apparell but only a cloth of Bombasine cotton hangyng before his priuie partes On his head he had a vayle of needle worke and about his necke a chayne of great price At his eares hung two Rynges of gold wherein were inclosed many precious stones He was but of small stature but somewhat grosse and had the residue of his body paynted with dyuers colours whereof some were lyke vnto flamyng fyre Before him he had two vesselles made of the fine earth called Porcellana with sodden egges Also foure vesselles of Porcellana full of wyne made of Date trees and couered with many odoriferous hearbes The Prince brought them to his house where he had foure daughters very wel fauoured and whyte lyke ours Hee caused them to daunce all naked and therewith to sing and playe on certayne Tymbrelles made of metall At this tyme it so chaunced that one of the Spanyardes dyed in one of the shyppes and when certayne of theyr company desired the kyng to gyue them leaue to burie him on the land he answered that forasmuche as he and all his were at the commaundement of theyr kyng and maister howe muche more ought the grounde so to bee They greatly marueyled at the ceremonies parteynyng to the maner of our funeralles and honoured the crosses whiche were set at both the endes the graue They lyue with iustice and vse weightes and measures Their houses are made of Tymber and sawne boordes and are so builded aboue the grounde vppon proppes and pyles that they ascende to the same by certayne stayers Under theyr houses they keepe theyr Hogges and Hennes When they came to barteryng they gaue golde Ryse Hogges Hennes and dyuers other thynges for some of our tryfles of small value They gaue tenne Pesos of golde for sixtiene poundes weyght of Iron One Pesus is in value a ducate and a halfe The Sunday folowyng the kyng was baptysed with great solemnitie at which tyme the Captayne admonyshed him before not to be afrayde at the shootyng of of the ordinance bycause it was theyr custome so to doe at such solemne feastes After this the Captayne caused them to breake all theyr Idoles and to set vp the crosse in dyuers places praying to the same both mornyng and euenyng kneelyng on theyr knees and holdyng vp theyr handes ioyned togeather The kyng in his baptisme was named Charles after the Emperours name and the Prince Ferdinando after the name of his maiesties brother The kyng of Messana was named Iohn the Moore Christopher To all other they gaue suche names as are commonly vsed in Christendome And thus before masse was begunne were fyue hundred men baptised When masse was finyshed the Captayne inuited the Kyng to dyne with him in his shyppe and at his commyng caused the ordinaunce to be discharged The Queene was also baptised with fourtie of her gentlewomen and her daughter the princes wyfe The Queene was very young and fayre hauyng her bodie couered with a whyte cloth Her lyppes were redde and she had on her head a Hatte on the toppe wherof was a triple crowne much lyke the Popes this crowne and the Hat were made of the leaues of Date trees Within the space of eyght dayes the inhabitantes of the Ilande were baptised excepte one village of Idolatours who would not herein obey the kynges commaundement Wherevppon the Captayne sent certayne of his men thyther who burnt the towne and erected a crosse in that place bycause the people of the vyllage were Gentyles that is Idolaters But if they had been Moores that is Machumetistes they woulde haue erected a pyller of stone bycause the Moores are more stubberne and harder to be conuerted then are the gentiles When the Queene came to the place where she should heare masse shee came foorth with great pompe and solemnitie hauyng going before her three young damosels and three men with their Cappes in their hands whom she folowed apparelled in whyte and blacke with a great vayle of silke vppon her head fringed about with golde which couered her hatte and hung downe to her shoulders She had also a great trayne of women folowyng her beyng all barefooted and naked excepte that vppon theyr heades and priuie partes they wore certayne vayles of silke and had theyr heare spredde Before the kyng of Zubut was baptised he was named Raia Humabuon When the Captayne demaunded of him why all the Idolles in the Ilande were not burnt accordyng to his promyse he answered that they esteemed them no more as goddes but only made sacrifice to them for the Princes brother who was very sicke and as noble and wittie a man as was in the Ilande The Captayne answered that if he would burne all his Idoles and beleeue faythfully in Christ and be baptised he should bee immediately restored to health and that he would els giue them leaue to stryke of his head By these woordes and persuasions of the Captayne he conceyued suche hope of health that after he was baptised hee felte no mare greefe of his disease And this was a manifeste myracle wrought in our tyme whereby diuers Infidelles were conuerted to our fayth and theyr Idolles destroyed and also theyr Altars ouerthrowen on the which they were accustomed to eate the sacrificed fleshe The people of the Ilande paye the kyng a portion of victualles for theyr tribute by all theyr cities and vyllages Not farre from this Ilande of Zubut is the Ilande of Mathan whose inhabitantes vse marueylous ceremonies in theyr sacrifices to the sonne and burying the dead They weare ringes of golde about their priuie members The Iland is gouerned by two Princes whereof the one is named Zula and the other Cilapulapu And whereas this Cilapulapu refused to paye tribute to the kyng of Spayne the Captayne went agaynst him in his owne person with .60 of his men armed with coates of mayle and Helmets Cilapulapu diuided his army into three battayles hauyng in euery battayle two thousand fyftie men with armed bowes arrowes dartes and Iauelins hardened at the poyntes with fyre This continued long and sharpe But the Captayne being a valiaunt man and preasing him selfe in the brunte of the battaile was sore wounded and slaine forasmuche as the most of the Barbarians directed all their force agaynst him Besyde the Captayne were slayne of our men about .viii. or .ix. Of the
vp sande with theyr left handes from the bottome of the same they pycked out graynes of golde with theyr ryght handes without any more art or cunnyng and so deliuered it to our men who affirme that many of them thus geathered were as bygge as tares or fytches And I mee selfe sawe a masse of rude golde that is to say suche as was neuer moulten lyke vnto suche stones as are founde in the bottomes of ryuers weighyng niene ounces whiche Hoieda hym selfe founde Beyng contented with these signes they returned to the Admirall to certifie hym hereof For the Admirall had commaunded vnder payne of punyshment that they shoulde meddle no further then theyr commission whiche was only to searche the places with theyr signes For the fame went that there was a certayne kyng of the mountaynes from whence those ryuers had theyr fall whom they cal Cacicus Caunaboa that is the lord of the house of golde for they cal a house Boa golde Cauni and a kyng or lorde Cacicus as we haue sayde before They affirme that there can no where be founde better fyshe nor of more pleasant taste or more holsome then in these riuers also the waters of the same to be moste holsome to drynke Melchior him selfe tolde me that in the moneth of December the dayes nyghtes be of equal length among the Canibales but the sphere or circles of the heauen agreeth not thereunto albeit that in the same moneth some byrdes make theyr nestes and some haue alredye hatched theyr egges by reason of the heate beyng rather continuall then extreme He tolde me also when I questioned with him as concerning y e eleuation of the pole frō the horizontal line that al the starres called Plastrum or charles wayne are hyd vnder the North pole to the Canibales And surely there returned none from thence at this vioage to whom there is more credit to be geuen then to this man But if he had byn skilfull in Astronomie he shoulde haue sayde that the day was almoste equall with the night For in no place towarde the stay of the sonne called Solsticium can the night be equall with the day And as for them they neuer came vnder the Equinoctial forasmuch as they had euer the North pole theyr guyde and euer eleuate in sight aboue the Horizontal Thus haue I briefely written vnto your honour as muche as I thought sufficient at this tyme and shall shortly hereafter by Gods fauoure wryte vnto you more largely of such matters as shal be dayly better knowen For the Admiral hym selfe whom I vse famyerly as my very frende hath promised me by his letters that he wyl geue me knowledge of al such thinges as shall chaunce He hath nowe chosen a strong place where he may build a citie neare vnto a cōmodious hauen and hath alredy buylded many houses and a chapel in the which as in a newe worlde heretofore voyde of all religion God is dayly serued with .xiii. priestes accordyng to the maner of our churches When the tyme nowe approched that he promysed to sende to the king and queene and hauyng prosperous winde for that purpose sent backe the .xii. Carauelles wherof we made mention before which was no smal hynderance and greefe vnto hym especially consyderyng the death of his men whom he lefte in the ilande at the fyrst voyage wherby we are yet ignorant of many places and other secretes wherof we myght otherwyse haue had further knowledge but as tyme shall reueale them agayne so wyll I aduertyse you of the same And that you may the better knowe by conference had with the Apothecaries and marchaunt strangers Sirophenicians what this Regions beare how hot theyr ground is I haue sent you all kyndes of graines with the barke and inner partes of that tree whiche they suppose to be the Cinamome tree And yf it be your pleasure to taste eyther of the graynes or of the smal seedes the whiche you shoulde perceaue to haue fallen from these graynes or of the wood it selfe touch them fyrst softly moouyng them to your lyppes for although they be not hurtfull yet for theyr excesse of heate they are sharpe and byte the tongue yf they remayne any while thereon but yf the tongue be blystered by tastyng of them the same is taken away by drynkyng of water Of the corne also whereof they make theyr bread this brynger shall deliuer some graynes to your lordshyp both whyte and blacke and therwith also a trunke of the tree of Aloes the whiche yf you cut in peeces you shall feele a sweete sauour to proceede from the same Thus fare you hartily well from the Court of Methymna Campi the thyrde day before the Calendes of May. Anno Dom. 1494. The thyrde booke of the first Decade to Lodouike Cardinall of Aragonie and Neuiewe to the kyng YOu desyre that foolyshe Phaeton shoulde agayne rule the chariots of the Sunne and contende to drawe sweete licours out of the harde flynt wheras you require me to discribe vnto you the newe world found in the west by the good fortune and gouernaunce of the Catholique princes Ferdinandus and Elizabeth your Uncle and Aunte shewyng me also the letters of kyng Frederike your Uncle written to me in that behalfe But syth you haue layde this burden on my backe in whose power it is to commaunde me to take vppon me more then I am well able ye both shall receiue this precious stone rudely closed in lead after my manner of workemanshyp Wherefore when you shal perceiue the learned sort frendly the malitious enuiously and the backbyters furiously to bende theyr slaunderous dartes agaynst our fayre Nimphes of the Ocean you shall freely protest in howe short tyme and in the myddest of what troubles and calamities you haue enforced me to wryte of the same Thus fare you wel from Granata the nienth day before the Calendes of May. We haue declared in the booke herebefore how the Admiral passed by the coastes of the Canibales to the ilande of Hispaniola with his whole nauie But nowe we entende further to shewe what he founde as concernyng the nature of this ilande after that he had better searched the secretes of the same Lykewyse of the ilande of Cuba neare vnto it whiche he supposed to be the fyrme lande Hispaniola therefore whiche he affirmeth to be Ophir whereof we reade in the thyrde booke of the kynges is of latitude fyue south degrees hauyng the north pole eleuate on the north syde .xxvii. degrees and on the south syde as they say xxii degrees it reacheth in length from East to West seuen hundred and fourescore myles it is distant from the ilandes of Gades called Cales xlix degrees and more as some say the fourme of the ilande resembleth the leaffe of a Chesnutte tree Upon a hygh hyll on the North syde of the ilande he buylded a citie because this place was most apt for
resolued into sande This masse of golde I mee selfe sawe in Castile in the famous Citie of Metbymna Campi where the Court lay al that wynter I sawe also a great peece of pure Electrum of the which belles and Apothecaries morters many suche other vesselles and instrumentes may be made as were in olde tyme of copper the citie of Corinthus This peece of Electrum was of suche weight that I was not only with both my handes vnable to lift it from the ground but also not of strength to remoue it eyther one way or other they affirmed that it weyed more then three hundred pounde weyght after eyght ounces to the pounde it was founde in the house of a certayne prynce and left hym by his predecessours and albeit that in the dayes of the inhabitauntes yet lyuyng Electrum was no where digged yet knewe they where the myne thereof was but our men with muche adoo coulde hardely cause them to shewe them the place they bore them suche priuie hatred yet at the length they brought them to the myne beyng now ruinate and stopped with stones and rubbyshe it is muche easyer to dygge then is the iron myne and might be restored agayne yf myners and other workmen skylful therein were appoynted thereto Not farre from the towre of Conception in the same mountaynes is founde great plentie of Amber and out of certaine rockes of the same distilleth a substance of the yelowe colour whiche the Paynters vse Not farre from these mountaynes are many great woods in the whiche are none other trees then Brasile which the Italians cal Verzino But here perhaps ryght noble prynce you woulde aske what should be the cause that where as the Spanyardes haue brought out of these Ilandes certayne shyppes laden with Brasile somewhat of Gossampine cotton a quantitie of Amber a lytle golde some spyces why they haue not brought suche plentie of golde and suche other ryche marchaundizes as the fruitefulnesse of these regions seeme to promyse To this I aunswere that when Colonus the Admirall was lykewyse demaunded the cause hereof he made aunswere that the Spanyardes whiche he tooke with hym into these regions were geuen rather to sleepe play and idlenesse then to labour and were more studious of sedition and newes then desirous of peace and quietnesse also that being geuen to licenciousnesse they rebelled forsooke him findyng matter of false accusation against hym because he went about to represse theyr outragiousnesse by reason whereof he was not yet able to breake the power of the inhabitauntes and freelye to possesse the full dominion of the Ilande and these hynderaunces to be the cause that hytherto the gaynes haue scarsely counteruayled the charges albeit euen this yeere whyle I wrote these thyngs at your request they geathered in two monethes the summe of a thousande and two hundred poundes weyght of gold But because we entende to speake more largely of these thynges in theyr place we wyll nowe returne from whence we haue digressed When the inhabitauntes perceiued that they coulde by no meanes shake the yoke from theyr necks they made humble supplication to the Admiral that they myght stande to theyr tribute and applye them selues to reincrease the fruites of theyr countrey beyng nowe almost wasted He graunted them theyr request and appoynted suche order that euery region shoulde pay theyr tribute with the commodities of theyr countreys accordyng to theyr portion and at suche tyme as they were agreed vpon but the violent famine did frustrate al these appoyntmentes for al the trauayles of theyr bodyes were scarcelye able to suffise to fynde them meate in the wooddes whereby to susteyne theyr lyues beyng of long tyme contented with rootes and the fruites of wylde trees yet many of the kynges with theyr people euen in this extreme necessitie brought part of theyr tribute most humblye desyryng the Admiral to haue compassion of their calamities and to beare with them yet a whyle vntyl the Ilande were restored to the olde state promysyng further that that whiche was nowe wantyng shoulde then be double recompenced But fewe of the inhabitauntes of the mountaynes of Cibaua kept theyr promise because they were sorer oppressed with famine then anye of the other They say that the inhabitantes of these mountaynes dyffer no lesse in language and manners from them whiche dwel in the playnes then among vs the rusticalles of the countrey from the gentlemen of the courte wheras notwithstanding they lyue as it were both vnder one portion of heauen and in many thinges much after one fashion as in nakednesse and rude simplicitie But nowe let vs returne to Caunaboa the king of the house of golde beyng in captiuitie When he perceiued hym selfe to be â—ast in prison frettyng and gratyng his teeth as it had been a Lion of Libia and dayly and nyghtly deuysyng with hym selfe howe he myght be delyuered beganne to perswade the Admiral that forasmuche as he had nowe taken vnto his dominion the region of Cipanga or Cibaua wherof he was king it shoulde be expedient to sende thyther a garrison of Christian men to defende the same from the incursions of his olde enimies and borderers for he sayde that it was signified vnto him that the countrey was wasted and spoyled with suche incursions By this craftie deuise he thought to haue brought to passe that his brother whiche was in that region and the other his kynsfolkes and frendes with theyr adherentes should haue taken eyther by sleight or force as many of our men as myght haue redeemed hym But the Admiral vnderstandyng his craftie meanyng sent Hoieda with suche a companye of men as myght vanquishe the Cibauians yf they shoulde moue warre agaynst them Our men had scarcelye entred into the region but the brother of Caunaboa came agaynst them with an armie of fyue thousande naked men armed after theyr manner with clubbes arrowes tipt with bones and speares made harde at the endes with fyre He stole vpon our men beyng in one of theyr houses and encamped rounde about the same on euery syde This Cibauian as a man not ignorant in the discipline of warre about the distaunce of a furlong from the house diuided his armie into fyue battayles appoyntyng to euery one of them a circuite by equall diuision and placed the froont of his owne battayle directly agaynst our men When he had thus set his battayles in good aray he gaue certayne signes that y e whole armie should marche forwarde in order with equall paces and with a larome freshly assayle theyr enimies in such sort that none might escape But our men iudging it better to encountre with one of the battayles then to abyde the brunt of the whole armie gaue onset on the mayne battayle aranged in the playne because that place was most commodious for the horsmen When the horsmen therefore had geuen the charge they ouerthrewe them with the brestes of theyr horses and slue as
Date trees and diuers other of the Ilande fruites so plentifullye that as they sayled along by the shore oftentymes the braunches thereof laden with flowres and fruites hong so ouer theyr heades that they might plucke them with theyr handes also that the fruitfulnes of this ground is eyther equall with the soyle of Isabella or better In Isabella he lefte only certayne sicke men and shippe wryghtes whom he had appoynted to make certayne carauels the residue of his men he conueighed to the south to saynt Dominickes towre After he had buylded this fortresse leauyng therin a garryson of .xx. men he with the remanent of his souldiers prepared them selues to searche the inner partes of the West syde of the Ilande hytherto knowen onely by name Therefore about .xxx. leagues that is fourescore and tenne myles from the fortresse he chaunced on the ryuer Naiba whiche we sayde to defende from the mountaynes of Cibaua ryght towarde the south by the myddest of the ilande When he had ouerpassed this ryuer with a companye of armed men diuyded into .xxv. decurions that is tenne in a company with theyr capitaynes he sent two decurions to the regions of those kynges in whose landes were the great woodds of brasile trees Inclyning towarde the lefte hande they founde the wooddes entred into them and felled the high and precious trees which were to that day vntouched Eche of the decurions filled certayne of the ilande houses with the trunkes of brasile there to be reserued vntil the shippes came which should cary them away But the Lieutenaunt directing his iourney towarde the right hande not farre from the bankes of y e riuer of Naiba founde a certaine kyng whose name was Beuchius Anacauchoa encamped against thinhabitantes of the prouince of Naiba to subdue them vnder his dominion as he had done many other kings of the iland borderers vnto him The palace of this great king is called Xaragua is situate toward the West ende of the ilande distant from the ryuer of Naiba .xxx. leagues All the prynces which dwell betwene the West ende his palace are ditionaries vnto him All that region from Naiba to the furthest marches of the west is vtterly without golde although it be full of mountaynes When the kyng had espied our men laying a part his weapons geuyng signes of peace he spake gentelly to them vncerteyne whether it were of humanitie or feare and demaunded of them what they woulde haue The Lieuetenaunt aunsweared That he should paye tribute to the Admirall his brother in the name of the Christian kyng of Spayne To whom he sayde Howe can you requyre that of me whereas neuer a region vnder my dominion bringeth forth golde For he had heard that there was a strange nation entred into the ilande whiche made great search for golde But he supposed that they desyred some other thyng The lieutenaunt answeared agayne God forbydde that we shoulde enioyne any man to paye such tribute as he myght not easely forbeare or such as were not engendered or growing in the region but we vnderstande that your regions bryng foorth great plentie of Gossampine cotton and hempe with such other wherof we desyre you to geue vs parte When he heard these woordes he promysed with cherefull countenaunce to geue hym as much of these thynges as he woulde requyre Thus dismissing his army and sending messengers before he him selfe accompanied the Lieutenaunt and brought him to his palace being distant as we haue sayde .xxx. leagues In al this tracte they passed through the iurisdiction of other princes beyng vnder his dominion Of the whiche some gaue them hempe of no lesse goodnes to make tackelinges for shyppes then our wood Other some brought bread and some gossamppne cotton And so euery of them payde trybute with suche commodities as theyr countreys brought foorth At the length they came to the kinges mansion place of Xaragua Before they entered into the palace a great multitude of the kynges seruauntes subiectes resorted to the court honorably after their maner to receyue their kyng Beuchius Anacauchoa with the strangers which he brought with him to see the magnificence of his court But now shal you heare howe they were intertained Among other triumphes and syghtes two are especially to be noted Fyrst there mette them a company of .xxx. women beyng al the kynges wyues and concubines bearyng in theyr handes branches of date trees singyng and daunsyng they were all naked sauyng that theyr pryuie partes were couered with breeches of gossampine cotton but the virgins hauyng theyr heare hangyng downe about their shoulders tyed about the forehead with a fyllet were vtterly naked They affirme that theyr faces breastes pappes handes and other partes of theyr bodyes were exceedyng smothe and well proportioned but somwhat inclynyng to a louely broune They supposed that they had seene those most beutyfull Dryades or the natyue nymphes or fayres of the fountaynes whereof the antiques spake so muche The braunches of date trees which they bore in theyr right handes when they daunced they delyuered to the Lieuetenaunt with lowe curtesy and smylyng countenaunce Thus enteryng into the kynges house they founde a delycate supper prepared for them after theyr maner When they were well refreshed with meate the nyght drawyng on they were brought by the kynges officers euery man to his lodgyng according to his degree in certayne of theyr houses about the pallaice where they rested them in hangyng beddes after the maner of the countrey wherof we haue spoken more largely in an other place The day folowyng they brought our men to their common hall into the whiche they come togeather as often as they make any notable games or triumphes as we haue sayde before Here after many daunsynges synginges maskinges runnynges wrestlyngs and other trying of mastryes sodaynly there appeared in a large plaine neere vnto the hal two great armies of men of warre whiche the kyng for his pastyme had caused to be prepared as the Spaniardes vse the playe with reedes which they call Iuga de Canias As the armies drewe neere togeather they assayled the one the other as fiersely as if mortall enimies with theyr baners spleade should fight for theyr goodes theyr landes theyr lyues theyr libertie theyr countrey theyr wyues theyr children so that within the momente of an houre foure men were slayne and many wounded The battayle also shoulde haue contynued longer yf the kyng had not at the request of our men caused them to ceasse The thyrde day the Lieuetenant counsaylyng the kyng to sowe more plentie of gossampine vppon the bankes neere vnto the waters syde that they myght the better paye theyr trybute pryuately accordyng to the multitude of theyr houses he prepayred to Isabella to vysite the sycke men whiche he had lefte there and also to see howe his woorkes went forwarde In the tyme of his absence .xxx. of his men were consumed with diuerse diseases Wherefore
beyng sore troubled in his mynde and in maner at his wyttes ende what he were best to doo for as muche as he wanted al thynges necessarie as wel to restore them to health whiche were yet acrased as also vitayles to mayntayne y e whole multitude where as there was yet no shyppe come from Spayne at the length he determyned to sende abrode the sicke men here and there to sundrye Regyons of the ilande and to the castelles whiche they had erected in the same For directly from the citie of Isabella to saynt Dominikes towre that is from the north to the south through the ilande they had buylded thus many castles Fyrst xxxvi myles distant from Isabella they buylded the castell of Sperantia From Sperantia .xxv. myles was the castell of saynt Katharine From saynt Katharines .xx. myles was saynt Iames towre Other .xx. myles from saynt Iames towre was a stronger fortresse then any of the other whiche they called the towre of Conception which he made the stronger because it was situat at the rootes of the golden mountaynes of Cibana in the great and large playne so fruiteful and well inhabited as we haue before described He buylded also an other in the mydde waye betwene the towre of Conception saynt Dominikes towre the whiche also was stronger then the towre of Conception because it was within the lymittes of a great kyng hauyng vnder his dominion fiue thousande men whose chiefe citie and head of the Realme beyng called Bonauum he wylled that the castell should also be called after the same name Therefore leauyng the sicke men in these castels and other of the ilande houses nere vnto the same he hym selfe repayred to saynt Dominikes exacting trybutes of al the kynges whiche were in his way When he had taryed there a fewe dayes there was a rumour spredde that all the kynges about the borders of the towre of Conception had conspyred with desperate myndes to rebell agaynst the Spaniardes When the Lieutenaunt was certified hereof he tooke his iourney towarde them immediately not beyng discoraged eyther by the length of the waye or feeblenesse of his souldyers beyng in maner foreweried with trauayle As he drewe nere vnto them he had aduertysement that kyng Guarionexius was chosen by other prynces to be the Capitayne of this rebellion and that he was enforsed therto halfe vnwyllyng beyng seduced by perswasions and prouocations the whiche is more lykely to be true for that he had before had experience of the power and policie of our men They came togeather at a daye appoynted accompanyed with .xv. thousande men armed after their manner once agayne to proue the fortune of warre Here the Lieutenaunt consultyng with the Captayne of the fortresse and the other souldiers of whom he had the conducte determyned to sette vpon them vnwares in their owne houses before they coulde prepare theyr army He sent foorth therefore to euery kyng a Centurion that is a captayne of a hundred which were commaunded vpon a sudden to inuade theyr houses in the nyght and to take them sleepyng before the people being scattred here there myght assemble togeather Thus secretly enteryng into their vyllages not fortified with walles trenches or bulwarks they broke in vpon them toke them bound them led away euery man his prisoner according as they were commaunded The Lieuetenant hym selfe with his hundred men assayled kyng Guarionexius as the worthier personage whom he tooke prysoner as did the other captaines theyr kings and at the same houre appoynted Foureteene of them were brought the same nyght to the towre of Conception Shortlye after when he had put to death two of the kynges whiche were the chiefe autours of this newe reuolte and had suborned Guarionexius the other kynges to attempt the same least the people for sorowe of theyr kinges shoulde neglecte or forsake their countrey whiche thyng myght haue ben great incommoditie to our men who by thincrease of theyr seedes and fruites were oftentymes ayded he freely pardoned and dismissed Guarionexius and the other kynges the people in the meane tyme flocking togeather about the towre to the number of fyue thousande without weapons with pitiful houling for the deliuerance of their kinges The ayre thundered the earth trembled through the vehemencie of theyr outcry The Lieutenaunt warned Guarionexius and the other kynges with threatenynges with rewardes and with promyses neuer thereafter to attempt any suche thyng Then Guarionexius made an oration to the people of y e great power of our men of theyr clemencie towarde offenders liberalitie to suche as remaine faithfull desyring them to quiet theyr mindes and from thencefoorth neyther in deede nor thought to interpryse any thyng agaynst the Chrystians but to obeye and serue them excepte they woulde dayly bryng them selues into further calamities When the oration was fynyshed they tooke hym vp and set hym on theyr shoulders and so caryed hym home to his owne pallace and by this meanes this Region was pacifyed for a whyle But our men with heauy countenaunce wandered vp and downe as desolate in a strange countrey lackyng vittailes and worne out of apparell whereas .xv. monethes were nowe passed sence the Admirals departure duryng which tyme they coulde heare nothyng out of Spayne The Lieuetenaunt comforted them all that he coulde with fayre wordes and promyses In the meane tyme Beuchius Anacauchoa the kyng of the West partes of the Region of Xaragua of whom we spake before sent messengers to the Lieuetenaunt to signifye vnto hym that he had in a redynes the gossampine cotton and suche other thynges as he wylled hym to prepare for the payment of his trybute Whereupon the Lieuetenaunt tooke his iourney thyther and was honorably receiued of the kyng and his syster somtyme the wyfe of Caunaboa the kyng of Cibana bearyng no lesse rule in the gouernaunce of her brothers kyngdome then he hym selfe For they affirmed her to be a wyse woman of good maners pleasaunt in company She earnestly perswaded her brother by thexample of her husband to loue and obey the Christians This woman was called Anacaona He founde in the palace of Beuchius Anacauchoa .xxxii. kyngs which had brought theyr tributes with them and abode his comming They brought with them also besyde theyr tribut assigned them further to demerite y e fauour of our men great plentie of vitailes as both kindes of bread cunnies and fishes alredy dried because they should not putrifie Serpentes also of that kynde which we sayd to be estemed among them as most delicate meat and lyke vnto Crocodiles sauing in bygnes These serpentes they cal Iuannas which our men learned somwhat to late to haue ben engendred in the ilande For vnto that day none of them durst aduenture to tast of them by reason of theyr horrible deformitie and lothsomnes Yet the Lieuetenant being entysed by the pleasantnes of the kynges syster determined to tast of the serpentes But when
he felte the fleshe thereof to be so delycate to his tongue he fel to amayne without al feare the whiche thyng his companions perceiuing were not behinde hym in greedynesse insomuch that they had now none other talke then of the sweetenesse of these serpentes which they affyrme to be of more pleasaunt taste then eyther our Phesantes or Partriches but they lose theyr taste except they be prepared after a certayne fashion as doo Peacockes and Phesantes except they be enterlaâ—ded before they be rosted They prepare them therefore after this manner Fyrst taking out theyr bowelles euen from the throte to the thyghes they washe and rubbe theyr bodyes very cleane both within without then rolling them together on a circle inuolued after the manner of a sleepyng snake they thruste them into a pot of no bigger capacitie then to holde them only this done putting a litle water vnto them with a portion of the Ilande Pepper they seethe them with a soft fyre of sweete wood and suche as maketh no great smoke Of the â—atte of them beyng thus sodde is made an exceedyng pleasant broth or pottage They say also that there is no meate to be compared to the egges of these serpentes which they vse to seethe by them selues they are good to be eaten as soone as they are sodde and may also be reserued many dayes after But hauyng sayde thus much of their entertaynement and dayntie fare let vs nowe speake of other matters When the Lieuetenaunt had fylled one of the Ilande houses with the Gossampine cotton which he had receiued for tribute the kynges promysed furthermore to geue hym as muche of theyr bread as he woulde demaunde he gaue them hartie thankes and gently accepted theyr frendly proffer In the meane tyme whyle this bread was a geatheryng in sundry regions to be brought to the pallace of Beuchius Anachaucoa kyng of Xaragua he sent messengers to Isabella for one of the two Carauelles whiche were lately made there intendyng to send the same againe thither laden with bread The Maryners glad of these tydynges sayled about the Ilande and in shorte space brought the shyppe to the coastes of Xaragua The syster of kyng Beuchius Anacauchoa that wyse and pleasaunt woman Anacuona the wyfe sometyme of Caunaboa the kyng of the golden house of the mountaynes of Cibana whose husbande dyed in the way when he shoulde haue ben caryed into Spayne when she hearde say that our shyppe was arriued on the shore of her natiue countrey perswaded the king her brother that they both myght goe together to see it for the place where the shyppe lay was not paste .vi. myles distant from Xaragua They rested all nyght in the midway in a certayne vyllage in the which was the treasurie or iewel house of Anacaona Her treasure was neither golde siluer or pretious stones but only thynges necessary to be vsed as chayres stooles settels disshes potingers pottes pannes basons treyes and such other housholde stuffe and instrumentes workemanly made of a certayne blacke and harde shyning wood which that excellent learned phisition Iohn baptist Elisius affirmeth to be Hebene Whatsoeuer portion of wit nature hath geuen to the inhabitantes of these ilandes the same doth most appeare in these kynde of woorkes in which they shewe great art and cunnyng but those which this woman had were made in the iland of Guanabba situate in the mouth of the west syde of Hispaniola In these they graue the lyuely images of such phantasies as they suppose they see walke by nyght which the antiques called Lemures Also the images of men serpents beastes what so euer other thing they haue once seene What woulde you thinke moste noble prince that they coulde doo if they had the vse of Iron and steele For they only fyrst make these soft in the fyre afterwarde make them holowe and carue them with a certayne stone which they fynd in the ryuers Of stooles and chayres she gaue the Lieuetenaunt fourteene and of vesselles partayning to the table and kitchen shee gaue hym threescore some of wood and some of earth also gossampyne cotton redye spunne foure great bottomes of exceeding weight The day folowing when they came to the sea side where was an other village of the kynges the Lieuetenaunt commaunded the shyppe boate to be brought to the shore The kyng also had prepared two Canoas paynted after theyr maner one for hym selfe and certayne of his gentelmen an other for his sister Anacaona and her wayting women but Anacaona desyred to be caried in the shippe boate with the Lieuetenaunt When they nowe approched neare vnto the shippe certayne great peeces of ordinaunce were discharged of purpose the sea was fylled with thunder and the ayre with smoke they trembled and quaked for feare supposyng that the frame of the worlde had ben in daunger of fallyng but when they sawe the Lieuetenant laugh and looke chearefully on them they called agayne theyr spirites and when they yet drewe nearer to the shyp and hearde the noyse of the fluites shawlmes and drummes they were wonderfully astonied at the sweete harmonie thereof Entryng into the shyppe and beholdyng the foreshyp and the sterne the toppe castel the maste the hatches the cabbens the keele and the tacklynges the brother fyxyng his eyes on the syster and the syster on the brother they were both as it were dumme and amazed and wyste not what to say for to muche woondryng Whyle beholdyng these thyngs they wandered vp and downe the ship the Lieutenaunt commaunded the ankers to be loosed and the sayles to be hoysed vp Then were they further astonyshed when they saw so great a mole to mooue as it were by it selfe without ores and without the force of man for there arose from the earth suche a wynde as a man woulde haue wyshed for of purpose Yet furthermore when they perceiued the shippe to mooue sometime forwarde and sometyme backward sometyme toward the right hande and sometyme towarde the lefte and that with one winde and in manner at one instant they were at theyr wyttes ende for to much admiration These thynges finished and the shippes laden with bread and suche other rewardes they beyng also recompenced with other of our thynges he dismissed not onely the kyng Beuchius Anachauchoa and his syster but lykewise all theyr seruauntes women replenished with ioye wondering After this he hym selfe tooke his iorney by foote with his souldiers to the citie of Isabella where he was aduertised that one Roldanus Ximenus a noughty felowe whom before beyng his seruant he had preferred to be capitayne of the myners and labourers after made hym a Iudge in causers of controuersie had vsed hymselfe outragiously and was maliciously mynded against hym and further the cause of much mischiefe in his absence For kyng Guarionexius who a whyle before was pardoned of his former rebellion and persuaded the people to obey
hym selfe and they which were his companions in this byoage beyng men of good credit and perceauing my dilygence in searchyng for these matters tolde me yet of a greater thyng that is that for the space of .xxvi. leagues amountyng to a hundreth and foure myles he sayled euer by freshe water insomuch that the further he proceaded especially towarde the west he affirmed the water to be the fresher After this he came to a highe mountayne inhabited onely with Monkeyes or Marmasits on that part towarde the East For that syde was rowgh with rockye and stony mountaynes and therefore not inhabited with men Yet they that went a lande to searche the countrey founde nere vnto the sea many fayre fieldes well tylled and sowen but no people nor yet houses or cotages Parhappes they were gone further into the countrey to sowe theyr corne and applye theyr husbandry as wee often see our husbandemen to leaue theyr stations and villages for the same purpose In the west syde of that mountayne they espyed a large playne whither they made hast and cast anker in the brode ryuer As soone as the inhabitantes had knowledge that a strange nation was arryued in theyr coastes they came flockyng without all feare to see our men We vnderstode by theyr sygnes and poyntynges that this Region was called Paria and that it was very large in so muche that the further it reacheth towarde the weste to be so muche the better inhabited and replenished with people The Admiral therfore takyng into his shippe foure of the men of that lande searched the west partes of the same By the temperatenes of the ayer the pleasaūtnes of the ground and the multitude of people which they sawe daily more more as they sayled they coniectured that these thynges portended some great matter as in deede their opinion failed them not as we will further declare in his place The sonne not yet rysen but beginnyng euen nowe to ryse being one day allured by the pleasauntnes of the place and sweete sauours whiche breathed from the lande to the shyppes they went a lande Here they founde a greater multytude of people then in any other place As our men approched towarde them there came certeine messengers from their Cacici that is the kinges of the countrey to desyre the Admirall in the name of theyr princes to come to theyr palaces without feare and that they and al theyrs shoulde bee at his commaundement When the Admirall had thanked them and made his excuse for that tyme there came innumerable people with theyr boates to the shyppes hauyng for the most parte cheynes about theyr neckes garlandes on theyr heades and braselettes on theyr armes of pearles of India and that so commonlye that our women in playes and tryumphes haue not greater plentie of stones of glasse and crystall in theyr garlands crownes girdels and suche other tyrementes Beyng asked where they gathered them they poynted to the next shore by the sea bankes They signified also by certeyne scornefull iestures whiche they made with theyr mouthes and handes that they nothyng esteemed pearles Taking also baskettes in their handes they made signes that the same myght be fylled with them in shorte space But because the corne wherwith his shyppes were laden to be caryed into Hispaniola had taken hurt by reason of the salt water he determined to deferre this marte to a more conuenient tyme Yet he sent to land two of the shyp boates laden with men to thintent to fetch some garlands of pearles for exchange of our thynges and also somwhat to searche the nature of the Region and disposition of the people They enterteyned our men gentelly and came flocking to them by heapes as it had ben to beholde some strange monsters Fyrst there came to meete our men two men of grauitie whom the multitude folowed One of these was well in age and the other but young They thinke it was the father with his sonne whiche should succeede hym When the one had saluted and embrased the other they brought our men into a certeyne rounde house neere vnto the whiche was a great courte Hyther were brought many chayers and stooles made of a certeyne blacke wood and very cunnyngly wrought After that our men and theyr Princes were sette theyr waytyng men came in laden some with sundry delycate dysihes and some with wyne But theyr meat was only fruites and those of dyuers kyndes and vtterly vnknowen to vs. Theyr wyne was both whyte and redde not made of grapes but of the lycour of dyuers fruites and very pleasaunte in drynkyng After this banquet made in the olde mans house the young man brought them to his tabernacle or mantion place where was a great company both of men and women but they stoode disseuered the one from the other They are whyte euen as our men are sauing suche as are much conuersant in the sunne They are also very gentle and full of humanitie towarde strangers They couer theyr priuie partes with gossampine cotton wrought with sundry colours and are besyde all naked There was fewe or none that had not eyther a coller a chayne or a bracelet of golde and pearles and many had all Beyng asked where they had that golde they poynted to certayne mountaynes seemyng with theyr countenaunce to disswade our men from goyng thither For putting theyr armes in theyr mouthes and grynnyng as though they bytte the same styll poyntyng to the mountaynes they seemed to insinuate that men were eaten there but whether they meant by the Canibales or wylde beastes our men coulde not wel perceiue They tooke it exceedyng greeuouslye that they coulde neyther vnderstande our men nor our men them When they whiche were sent to lande were returned to the shyppes about three of the clocke at after noone the same day bryngyng with them certayne garlandes and collers of pearles they loosed theyr ankers to departe mindyng to come agayne shortlye when all thynges were set in good order in Hispaniola but he was preuented by another whiche defeated him of the rewarde of his trauayle He was also hyndered at this time by reason of the shalownesse of the sea violent course of the water which with continuall tossyng bruised the greatest shippe as often as any great gale of wind arose To auoyde the daungers of suche shalowe places and shelfes he euer sent one of the smallest Carauelles before to trye the way with soundyng and the byggest shyppes folowed behynde The regions beyng in the large prouince of Paria for the space of CCxxx myles are called of the inhabitants Cumana and Manacapana from these regions distant lx leagues is there an other region called Curiana When he had thus passed ouer this long tract of sea supposing styl that it had ben an Ilande doubtyng that he myght passe by the West to the North directly to Hispaniola he chaunced into a ryuer of .xxx. cubits deapth and of suche breadth as hath
Ilande not yet knowyng what his aduersaries and accusers had layde to his charge before the kyng of Spaine who being disquieted with theyr quarelinges and accusations and especially for that by reason of theyr discention of so greate abundance of golde and other thynges there was as yet but lyttle brought into Spayne appoynted a newe gouernour which shoulde see a redresse in these thynges and eyther to punyshe such as were fautie or els to sende them to him What was founde agaynst the Admirall and his brother or agaynst his aduersaries which accused hym I do not well knowe But this I am sure of that both the brethren are taken brought and caste in prison with theyr goodes confiscate But as soone as the king vnderstode that they were brought bounde to Cales he sent messengers in poste with commaundement that they should be loosed and come freely to his presence wherby he declared that he toke their troubles greeuously It is also said that the new gouernour sent letters to the kyng written with the Admiralles hand in straunge and vnknowen sypheringes to his brother the Lieuetenaunt being absent wyllyng hym to be in a redynes with a power of armed men to come and ayd hym if the Gouernoure should proffer hym any violence Wherof the gouernour hauing knowledge as he sayth beyng also aduertised that the Lieuetenaunt was gone to his brother before the men whiche he had prepared were in a redines apprehended them both vnwares before the multitude came togeather What wyl folowe tyme the most true and prudent Iudge wyll declare Thus fare ye well ¶ The eygth booke of the fyrst Decade to Cardinall Lodouike THe great ryche and plentifull Ocean sea heretofore vnknowen and nowe founde by Christophorus Colonus the Admiral by thautoritie furtherance of the Catholyke king I haue presented vnto your honour ryght noble Prince like a golden chayne vnworkmanly wrought but you shal now receiue a pretious iewell to be appendaunt therto Therefore among such as were pylottes or gouernours vnder the admyrall and had dyligently marked the courses dyfferences of the windes many had lycences graunted them of the kyng to seeke further at theyr owne charges vpon condition to pay hym faythfully his portion which is the fyfte part But because amonge all other one Petrus Alphonsus called Nignus by his surname sayled towarde the south with more prosperous fortune then any of the other I thinke it best first to speake somewhat of his voyage He therfore with only one shyp well furnished at his owne charges after that he had his passeporte with commaundement in no case to cast anker past fyftye leagues distant from anye place where the Admirall had touched sayled fyrst to Paria where the Admiral founde both the men and women so laden with cheines garlandes and braselettes of pearles as we haue sayde before Coastyng therfore along by the same shore accordyng to the kings commaundement yet leauing behynd hym the regions of Cumana and Manacapana he came to the regions which thinhabitantes therof cal Curiana where he found a hauen as he saith much lyke the port of Gades or Cales into the which enteryng he sawe a farre of certayne houses one the shore and perceyued when he drewe neere that it was a village of only eyght houses Proceading yet further for the space of three myles he espied an other village well replenyshed with people where there met hym fyftye naked men on a company hauing with them a certayne ruler who desyred Alphonsus to come to theyr coastes He brought with hym at thys tyme many haukes belles pynnes nedels braselettes cheynes garlandes and rynges with counterfet stones and glasses and such other tryfelles the which within the moment of an houre he had exchaunged for fyfteene ounces of theyr pearles which they wore aboute theyr neckes and armes Then they yet more ernestly desyred hym to sayle to theyr coastes promysyng hym that he shoulde there haue as many pearles as he woulde desyre He condiscended to theyr request and the day folowing came to the place where they appoynted hym Lying there at anker a great multitude of people resorted to hym instantly requyring hym to come alande But when he consydered the innumerable multitude of people which was there assembled and he had only .xxxiii. men in his company he durst not commit hym selfe to theyr handes but gaue them to vnderstand by sygnes and tokens that they shoulde come to the shyp with their Canoas for their boates which the men of the iland cal Canoas are made only of one whole peece of wood as in the Ilandes yet more rude and not so artificially as theyrs are these they call Gallitas These swarmed therfore to the shyp as faste as they might bringyng with them greate plenty of pearles which they cal Tenoras exchanging the same for our marchaundies He founde this people to be of gentyll nature simple and innocent being conuersant with them in theyr houses for the space of xx dayes Theyr houses are made of wood couered with the leaues of date trees Their meate for the moste parte is the shelfyshes in the which the pearles are engendered wherof their sea costes are full They haue also greate plenty of wyld beastes as hartes wyld bores and connies like vnto hares both in coloure and bignesse stocke doues also and turtle doues lykewyse geese and duckes which they norishe in theyr houses as we doo Peacockes flee aboute in maner in euery wood and groue but they are not distinct with sundry colours as ours are for the cockes are like vnto the hennes These people of Curiana are craftie hunters and exceding cunning archers so that they will not lyghtly misse any beaste or byrde that they shoote at Our men consumed certayne dayes heare very plesauntely duryng which time whosoeuer brought them a peacocke had for the same foure pinnes he that brought a pheasaunte had two and for a stocke doue or turtle doue one and for a goose a smale looking glasse or a litle stone of glasse Thus they bought and solde with profering and bydding denying and refusing as it had byn in a greate market When pinnes were profered them they asked what they shoulde do with them being naked But our men satisfied them with a craftie answere declaring by tokens that they were very necessary to picke theyr teeth and to pull thornes out of theyr fleshe But aboue al thynges haukes belles were most esteemed among them for theyr sound faire colour and woulde therfore geue much for one of them Our men lodging in their houses heard in the nyght season horrible noyses rorynges of wild beastes in the wooddes whiche are full of exceding great and hygh trees of sundrye kindes but the beastes of these woodes are not noysome to men for the people of the countrey goo daylye a huntyng naked with theyr bowes and arrowes yet hath it not ben harde of that any man hath ben
blowing breathyng and suckyng the forehead temples and necke of the patient whereby they say they drawe the euyl ayre from him and sucke the disease out of his vaynes then rubbyng hym about the shoulders thyghes and legges and drawyng downe theyr handes close by his feete holdyng them yet faste togeather they runne to the doore beyng open where they vnclose and shake theyr handes affyrmyng that they haue dryuen away the disease and that the pacient shall shortly be perfectlye restored to health After this commyng behynde hym he conueigheth a peece of fleshe out of his owne mouth lyke a iuggeler and sheweth it to the sycke man saying Beholde you haue eaten to muche you shal nowe be whole because I haue taken this from you But yf he entende yet further to deceiue the patient he perswadeth hym that his Zemes is angry eyther because he hath not buylded hym a chappell or not honoured him religiously or not dedicated vnto hym a groue or garden And if it so chaunce that the sycke person dye his kynsfolks by witchcrafte enforce the dead to confesse whether he dyed by naturall desteny or by the negligeÌ„ce of the Boitius in that he had not fasted as he shoulde haue done or not ministred a conuenient medicine for the disease so that if this phisition be founde fautie they take reuâ—nge of hym Of these stones or bones whiche these Boitii cary in theyr mouthes yf the women can come by them they keepe them religiously beleeuyng them to be greatly effectuall to helpe women trauaylyng with chylde and therefore honour them as they do theyr Zemes. For diuers of the inhabitantes honour Zemes of diuers fashions some make them of wood as they were admonyshed by certayne visions appearing vnto them in the woods Other whiche haue receiued aunswere of them among the rockes make them of stone and marble Some they make of rootes to the similitude of suche as appeare to them when they are geatheryng the rootes called Ages whereof they make theyr bread as we haue sayd before These Zemes they beleue to send plentie fruitfulnes of those rootes as the antiquitie beleued such fayries or spirites as they called Dryades Hamadryades Satyros Panes and Nereides to haue the cure prouidence of the sea woods sprynges and fountaynes assignyng to euerye thing their peculier goddes Euen so do thinhabitantes of this Ilande attribute a Zemes to euery thyng supposyng the same to geue eare to theyr inuocations Wherefore as often as the kyngs aske counsel of theyr Zemes as concernyng their warres increase of fruites or scarcenes or health and sicknesse they enter into the house dedicate to theyr Zemes where snuffing vp into theyr nosthryls the pouder of the herbe called Cohobba wherwith the Boitii are dryuen into a furie they say that immediatly they see the houses turned topsye turuie and men to walke with theyr heeles vpward of such force is this pouder vtterly to take away al sence As soone as this madnesse ceasseth he embraceth his knees with his armes holdyng downe his head And when he hath remayned thus a whyle astonyshed he lyfteth vp his head as one that came newe out of sleepe and thus lookyng vp toward heauen fyrst he fumbleth certaine confounded woordes with hym selfe then certayne of the nobilitie or cheefe gentlemen that are about him for none of the common people are admitted to these mysteries with loude voyces geue tokens of reioycing that he is returned to them from the speach of the Zemes demaundyng of hym what he hath seene Then he openyng his mouth doateth that the Zemes spake to hym duryng the tyme of his traunce declaryng that he had reuelations either concerning victorie or destruction famine or plentie health or syckenesse or whatsoeuer happeneth fyrst on his tongue Nowe most noble Prince what neede you hereafter to marueyle of the spirite of Apollo so shakyng his Sibylles with extreme furie you had thought that the superstitious antiquitie had peryshed But nowe wheras I haue declared thus muche of the Zemes in general I thought it not good to let passe what is sayde of them in particuler They say therefore that a certayne kyng called Guamaretus had a Zemes whose name was Corochotum who they say was oftentimes woont to descend from the hyghest place of the house where Guamaretus kept hym fast bound They affirme that the cause of this his breakyng of his bandes and departure was eyther to hyde hym selfe or to goe seeke for meate or els for the acte of generation and that sometymes beyng offended that the kyng Guamaretus had ben negligent and slacke in honouring hym he was woont to lye hyd for certayne dayes They say also that in the kynges vyllage there are sometyme chyldren borne hauyng two crownes whiche they suppose to be the children of Corochotum the Zemes. They fayne likewyse that Guamaretus being ouercome of his enimies in battayle and his village with the pallace consumed with fyre Corochotus brake his bands and was afterwarde founde a furlong of safe and without hurte He hath also another Zemes called Epileguanita made of wood in shape lyke a foure footed beast who also is sayde often tymes to haue gonne from the place where he is honoured into the wooddes As soone as they perceiue hym to be gone a great multitude of them geather togeather to seeke him with deuout prayers and when they haue founde hym bryng hym home religiously on theyr shoulders to the chappel dedicated vnto hym But they complayne that sence the commyng of the Christian men into the Iland he fled for altogeather and coulde neuer sence be founde wherby they diuined the destruction of theyr countrey They honoured an other Zemes in the lykenes of a woman on whom wayted two other lyke men as they were mynisters to her One of these executed thoffice of a mediatour to the other Zemes which are vnder the power and commaundement of this woman to raise wyndes cloudes and rayne The other is also at her commaundement a messenger to the other Zemes which are ioyned with her in gouernaunce to geather togeather the waters which fall from the hygh hylles to the valleies that being loosed they may with force bruste out into greate floodes and ouerflowe the countrey yf the people do not geue due honoure to her Image There remayneth yet one thing worthy to be noted wherwith we will make an end of this booke It is a thing well knowen and yet freshe in memory among the inhabitantes of the iland that there was somtime two kings of the which one was the father of Guarionexius of whom we made mention before which were woont to absteyne fyue daies togeather continualy from meate drinke to know somewhat of their Zemes of thinges to come and that for this fasting beyng acceptable to their Zemes they receyued answere of them that within few yeeres there shoulde come to the ilande a nation of men couered with apparell
thyrde day of the Ides of Ianuary in the yeere of Christe M.D.XI. What chaunced to hym in this voyage we wyll declare in place conuenient But let vs now returne to them whiche remayned in Vraba After the dismissyng of Valdiuia beyng pricked forwarde with outragious hunger they determined to searche the inner partes of that gulfe in sundry places The extreeme angle or poynt of the same gulfe is distant from the enterance thereof about fourescore myles This angle or corner the Spaniardes call Culata Vaschus hym selfe came to this poynt with a hundred men coasting along by the gulfe with one brygandine and certayne of the boates of those regions whiche the Urabians call Vru lyke vnto them whiche thinhabitauntes of Hispaniola call Canoas From this poynt there falleth aryuer from the East into the gulfe ten times bigger then the ryuer of Dariena which also so falleth into the same Saylyng along by the ryuer about the space of thyrtie myles for they cal it niene leagues and somewhat enclynyng towarde the ryght hande Southwarde they founde certayne vyllages of thinhabitauntes the kyng whereof was called Dabaiba Our men also were certified before that Cemacchus the kyng of Dariena whom they put to flyght in the battayle fledde to this Dabaiba but at the commyng of our men Dabaiba also fledde It is thought that he was admonyshed by Cemacchus that he shoulde not abyde the brunte of our men He folowed his counsayle forsooke his villages and left all thynges desolate yet our men founde heapes of bowes and arrowes also muche housholde stuffe and many fyshyng boates But those maryshe groundes were neyther apt for sowyng of seedes or plantyng of trees by reason whereof they founde there fewe suche thynges as they desyred that is plentie of vyttualles for the inhabitauntes of this region haue no bread but such as they geat in other countreys neare about them by exchange for their fyshe onlye to serue theyr owne necessitie yet founde they in the houses of those whiche fledde golde wrought and grauen amountyng to the summe of seuen thousande of those peeces whiche we sayde to be called Castellani also certaine Canoas of the whiche they brought away two with them and great plentie of theyr houshold stuffe with certaine bundels of bowes arrowes They say that from the maryshes of that riuer there come certayne battes in the nyght season as bygge as turtle doues inuadyng men and bytyng them with a deadly wounde as some of them testifie whiche haue ben bytten of the same I mee selfe communing with Ancisus the Lieuetenant whom they reiected and among other thynges askyng hym of the venemous byting of these battes he tolde me that he hym selfe was bytten by one of them on the heele his foote lying vncouered in the nyght by reason of the heate in sommer season but that it hurte hym no more then if he had ben bitten by any other beast not venemous Other say that the byting of some of them is venemous yet that the same is healed incontinently yf it be washed with water of the sea Ancisus tolde me also that the venemous woundes made by the Canibales arrowes infected with poyson are healed by washing with water of the sea and also by cauterisyng with whot irons and that he had experience thereof in the region of Caribana where many of his men were so wounded They departed therefore from the poynt of the gulfe of Vraba not wel contented because they were not saden with victualles In this theyr returne there arose so great a tempest in that wyde gulfe that they were enforced to cast into the sea al the houshold stuffe whiche they tooke from the poore wretches whiche liued only by fyshyng The sea also swalowed vp the two boates that they tooke from them wherewith the men were lykewyse drowned The same tyme that Vaschus Nunnez attempted to searche the poynt of the gulfe towarde the south euen then by agreement dyd Rodericus Colmenaris take his voyage toward y e mountaines by the east with threescore men by the riuer of the other gulfe About fourtie myles distant from the mouth of the other ryuer for they cal it twelue leagues he founde certayne vyllages situate vpon the bankes of the ryuer whose Chiui that is kyng they cal Turui With this kyng dyd Colmenaris yet remayne when Vaschus after his returne to Dariena saylyng by the same ryuer came to hym Here refreshyng theyr whole companye with the vittuals of this Turui they departed from thence togeather Other fourtie myles from hence the ryuer encompasseth an Iland inhabited with fyshermen In this because they sawe great plentie of trees whiche beare Cassia fistula they named the Ilande Cannafistula They found in it .lx. villages of ten cotages apeece On the ryght syde of the Ilande there runneth another riuer whose chanel is of deapth sufficient to beare Brigandines This riuer they called Riuum Nigrum frō the mouth wherof about .xv miles distant they found a towne of fiue C. houses seuered whose Chebi that is kyng was called Abenamachei They al forsooke theyr houses as soone as they heard of our mens commyng but when they saw that our men pursued them they turned againe ran vpon them with desperate mindes as men driuen from their owne possessions Theyr weapons are swoords of wood long staues lyke iauelins hardened at the ende with fyre but they vse neyther bowes nor arrowes nor any other of the inhabitauntes of the West syde of the gulfe The poore naked wretches were easyly dryuen to flyght with our weapons As our men folowed them in the chase they tooke the kyng Abenamachei and certaine of his noble men A common souldier of ours whom the kyng had wounded commyng to hym when he was taken cut of his arme at one stroke with his swoorde but this was done vnawares to the captaynes The number of the Christian men whiche were here was about an hundred and fyftie the one halfe whereof the captaynes left here and they with the residue rowed vp the riuer agayne with twelue of the boates of those regions whiche they cal Vru as they of Hispaniola cal them Canoas as we haue sayde From the ryuer of Riuus Niger and the Ilande of Cannafistula for the space of threescore and ten myles leauyng both on the right hande and on the left many riuers falling into it bygger then it selfe they entred into one by the conductyng of one of the naked inhabitauntes beyng appoynted a guyde for that purpose Uppon the banke of this ryuer next vnto the mouth of the same there was a kyng called Abibeiba who because the region was ful of maryshes had his pallace buylded in the toppe of a hygh tree a new kind of buildyng and seldome seene but that lande bryngeth forth trees of such exceeding height that among theyr branches a man may frame large houses as we reade the lyke in diuers auctours howe in many regions where the Ocean
sea riseth and ouerfloweth the lande the people were accustomed to flee to the hygh trees and after the fall of the water to take the fyshe left on the lande This maner of buyldyng is to lay beames crosse ouer the branches of the trees fast bounde togeather and thereupon to rayse theyr frame strongly made agaynst wynde and weather Our men suppose that they builde theyr houses in trees by reason of the great floods and ouerflowyng of riuers whiche oftentymes chaunce in those regions These trees are of suche heyght that the strength of no mans arme is able to hurle a stone to the houses buylded therein And therfore do I geue the better credit to Plinie and other auctours whiche write that the trees in some places in India are so high by reason of the fruitefulnes of y e ground abundance of water and heate of the region that no man is able to shoote ouer them with an arrowe and by iudgement of all men it is thought that there is no fruitefuller grounde vnder the sunne then this is whereof we nowe entreate Our men measuryng manye of these trees founde them to be of suche bignes that seuen men yea sometimes eight holdyng hande in hande with theyr armes stretched foorth were scarsely able to fathame them about yet haue they theyr cellers in the grounde well replenyshed with such wynes wherof we haue spoken before For albeit that the vehemencie of the winde is not of power to cast downe those houses or to breake the branches of the trees yet are they tossed therewith and swaye somwhat from syde to syde by reason whereof the wyne shoulde be muche troubled with moouing All other necessarye thinges they haue with them in the trees When the kyng or any other of the noble men dyne or suppe in these trees theyr wyues are brought them from the cellers by theyr seruauntes whiche by meanes of exercise are accustomed with no lesse celerytie to runne vp and downe the staires adherente to the tree then doo our wayting boyes vppon the playne grounde fetche vs what wee call for from the cobbarde besyde our dyning table Our men therefore came to the tree of kyng Abibeiba and by thinterpretoures called hym foorth to communication geuing hym signes of peace and thereuppon wylling hym to come downe But he denyed that he woulde come out of his house desyring them to suffer hym to lyue after his fashion but our men fell from fayre woordes to threatning that except he woulde descende with all his familie they woulde eyther ouerthrowe the tree or elles set it on fyre When he had denied them agayne they fell to hewing the tree with theyr axes Abibeiba seeing the chippes fall from the tree on euery syde chaunged his purpose and came downe with only two of his sonnes Thus after they had entreated of peace they communed of geatheryng of golde Abibeiba aunsweared that he had no golde and that he neuer had any neede therof nor yet regarded it any more then stones But when they were instante vppon hym he sayde vnto them If you so greatly desyre golde I wyll seeke for some in the next mountaynes and bryng it vnto you for it is plentifully engendred in those mountaynes Then he appoynted a daye when he woulde bring this golde But Abebeiba came neyther at the day nor after the day appointed They departed therfore from thence well refreshed with his vittuals and wyne but not with golde as they hoped yet were they enfourmed the like by Abibeiba and his ditionaries as concernyng the golde mynes and the Canibales as they hearde before of kyng Comogrus Saylyng yet further about thyrtie myles they chaunced vpon certayne cotages of the Canibales but vtterly voyde without men or stuffe for when they had knowledge that our men wandered in the prouinces neere about them they resorted to the mountaynes carying all theyr goodes and stuffe with them The fyfte booke of the seconde Decade of the supposed continent IN the meane tyme whyle these thynges were done along by the shores or bankes of the ryuer a certayne Decurian that is a captayne ouer tenne of the companye of those which Vaschus and Colmenaris had left for a garryson in Riuo Nigro in the dominion of kyng Abinamachei whether it were that he was compelled through hunger or that his fatal day was nowe come he attempted with his souldiers to searche the countreys neere thereabout and entred into the vyllage of a king called Abraiba This captaynes name was Raia whom Abraiba slue with two of his felowes but the residue fledde Within a fewe dayes after Abraiba hauyng compassion on the calamitie of his kynsman and neyghbour Abenamacheius beyng driuen from his owne possessions whose arme also we sayd before that one of the souldiers cut of at the riuer of Riuo Nigro and now remaynyng with Abraiba to whom he fled by stealth after he was taken went to Abibeiba thinhabitour of the tree who had nowe likewyse forsaken his countrey for feare of our men and wandered in the desolate mountaynes and woods When he had therfore founde hym he spake to hym in this effect What thyng is this oh vnfortunate Abibeiba or what nation is this that so tormenteth vs that we can not enioy our quiet libertie howe long howe long I say shall we suffer theyr crueltie were it not much better for vs to dye then to abide suche iniuries and oppressions as you as Abinamacheius our kinsman as Cemacchus as Careta as Poncha as I and other prynces of our order doo susteyne Can anye thyng be more intollerable then to see our wyues our chyldren and our subiectes to be ledde away captiues and our goodes to be spoyled euen before our faces I take the gods to witnesse that I speake not so much for mine owne part as I do for you whose case I lament for albeit they haue not yet touched me neuertheles by thexample of other I ought to thinke that my destructiō is not farre of Let vs therfore if we be men trye our strength prooue our fortune agaynst them which haue dealt thus cruelly with Abenamacheius and driuen him out of his countrey let vs set on them with al our power and vtterly destroy them And if we can not slay thē al yet shal we make them afraide either to assayle vs agayne or at the least diminishe their power for whatsoeuer shal befall nothyng can chaunce woorse vnto vs then that which we nowe suffer When Abibeiba heard these words such otherlyke he condescended to do in al things as Abraiba woulde require whereupon they appoynted a day to bryng theyr conspiracie to passe but the thyng chaunced not accordyng to their desyre for of those whiche we sayd to haue passed to the Canibals there returned by chaunce to Riuus Niger the night before the day appoynted to woorke their feate thirtie men to the ayde of them whiche were left there yf any sedition should rise as
also by conference with Baccia the lawyer who ran ouer a great part of those coastes lykewyse by relation of Vincentius Annez â–ª the patrone of the shyps and Alphonsus Nignus both being men of great experience and wel trauailed in those parties beside many other of whom we haue made mention in other places for there came neuer any from thence to the court but tooke great pleasure to certifie me of al thynges eyther by worde of mouth or by wrytyng Of many thynges therefore whiche I learned of them I haue geathered such as to my iudgment seme most worthy to satisfie them that take delyte in histories But let vs nowe declare what folowed after the commyng of the procuratours of Dariena Therfore before theyr arryual there was a rumor spred in the court that the cheefe gouernours and Lieuetenantes Nicuesa and Fogeda also Iohannes de la Cossa a man of such reputation that by the kinges letters patentes he was named the great maister of the kyngs shyppes were al peryshed by mischaunce and that those fewe whiche yet remayned alyue in Dariena were at contention and discorde among them selues so that they neither endeuoured theyr diligence to allure those symple nations to our fayth nor yet had regarde to searche the natures of those regions In consyderation whereof the kyng was determined to sende a newe captayne thyther which should restore and set al thynges in good order and put them out of aucthoritie whiche had vsurped the Empire of those prouinces without the kynges speciall commaundement To this office was one Petrus Arias assigned a man of great prowesse and a citizen of Segoâ—ia but when the procuratours of Dariena had publyshed in the courte howe great a matter it was and of what moment many laboured earnestly to the kyng to take the office out of his handes but the Bishop of Burges beyng the kyngs cheefe chaplayne and one of the Commissioners appoynted by hym in these matters beyng aduertised hereof came immediatly to the king and spake to hym in this effect May it please your hyghnesse to vnderstande most catholique prynce that wheras Petrus Arias a man of valiant courage and great seruice hath offred him selfe to aduenture his life in your maiesties affaires vnder vncertayne hope of gayne and most certayne peryls yet that notwithstandyng some other haue ambiciously maliced his felicitie and preferment laboring for the office wherto he is elected It may please your grace herein so to shew him your fauour and permit hym to enioy his sayde office as your maiestie do knowe hym to be a woorthy and meete man for the same hauyng in tyme past had great experience of his prowesse and valyantnesse aswel in behauyng him selfe as orderyng his souldiers as your hyghnesse may the better consyder yf it shal please you to call to remembraunce his dooynges in the warres of Aphryca where he shewed him selfe both a wise Captaine and a valiant souldier As concernyng his manners and vsages otherwayes they are not vnknowen to your maiestie vnder whose wyng he hath of a chylde ben brought vp in the Courte and euer founde faythfull toward your highnesse Wherfore to declare my opinion vnder your graces fauour whom it hath pleased to appoynt me a Commissioner in these affayres I thynke it were vngodly that he shoulde be put from his office at the suite of any other especially beyng thereto mooued by ambition and couetousnesse who perchaunce would prooue them selues to be the same men in the office if they should obteyne it as they now shew them selues in the ambitious desyryng of the same When the Bishop had sayd these woordes the kyng confirmed the election of Petrus Arias in more ample manner then before wyllyng the byshop to appoynt hym a thousande and two hundred souldiers at his charges makyng hym a warrant to the officers of his Exchequer to delyuer hym money in prest for the same purpose Petrus Arias therfore beyng thus put in office and aucthorised by the kinges letters patentes vnder his brode seale chose a great number of his souldiers in the court and so departed from Valladoleto about the Calends of October in the yere .1513 and sayled first to Ciuile beyng a very ryche citie and wel replenished with people where by the kynges magistrates he was furnyshed with men and vyttualles and other necessaries parteynyng to so great a matter for the kyng hath in this citie erected a house seruyng only for the affayres of the Ocean to the whiche al they that goe or come from the newe landes and Ilandes resorte to geue accomptes aswel what they cary thyther as what they bryng from thence that the kyng may be truely answered of his custome of the fyft part both of golde and other thynges as we haue sayde before This house they cal the house of the Contractes of Indi Petrus Arias founde in Ciuile aboue two thousand young men whiche made great suite to goe with hym lykewyse no smal number of couetous olde men of the whiche many offered them selues to goe with him of their owne charges without the kings stipende But lest the ships shoulde be pestered with to great a multitude or lest vittuals shoulde fayle them the libertie of free passage was restraynt It was also decreed that no stranger myght passe without the kynges licence Wherefore I doo not a lytle maruayle at Aloisius Cadamustus a Uenetian and wryter of the Portugales voyages that he was not ashamed to wryte thus of the Spanyardes nauigations we went we sawe we dyd whereas he neuer went nor any Uenetian sawe but he stole certayne annotations out the three first bookes of my fyrst Decade wrytten to Cardinal Ascanius Arcimboldus supposyng that I would neuer haue publyshed the same It myght also happen that he came by the copie therof at the hand of some ambassadour of Uenice for I haue graunted the copie to many of them was not daungerous to forbyd them to communicate the same to other Howe so euer it be this honest man Aloisius Cadamustus feared not to chalenge vnto hym the fruite of another mans labour Of the inuentions of the Portugales whiche surely are woonderful whether he haue written that which he hath seene as he saith or likewise bereaued other men of the iust commendations of theyr trauayles I wyl not iudge but am content to let hym lyue after his manner Among the company of these souldiers there were none embarked but such as were liceÌ„ced by the king except a few Italians Genues who by frendshyp and suite were admitted for the Admiralles sake young Colonus sonne and heyre to Christophorus Colonus the fyrst fynder of those landes Petrus Arias therfore toke shipping in the riuer Betis now called Guadalqueuir running by the citie of Ciuile about the begynnyng of the yeere of Christ .1514 But he loosed anker in an euyl houre for such a tempest folowed shortly after his departure that it rent in peeces
as also to cary his baggages and open the strayghtes through the desolate places and craggie rockes ful of the dennes of wylde beastes for there is seldome any entercourse of buying and sellyng betweene these naked people because they stande in neede of fewe thynges and haue not the vse of money but yf at any tyme they exercise any barteryng they doo it but neere hande exchangyng golde for houshold stuffe with their confines which somwhat esteme y e same for ornament when it is wrought Other superfluities they vtterly contemne as hynderaunces of theyr sweete libertie forasmuche as they are geuen only to play and idlenes And for this cause y e high wayes which lye betwene theyr regions are not muche worne with manye iourneyes yet haue theyr scoutes certayne priuie markes wherby they knowe the way the one to inuade the others dominions and spoyle and infest them selues on both sydes with mutual incursions priuily in the nyght season By the helpe therefore of theyr guides and laborers with our Carpenters he passed ouer the horrible mountaynes and many great ryuers lying in the way ouer the which he made brydges either with pyles or trunks of trees And here doo I let passe many thynges whiche they suffered for lacke of necessaries being also in maner ouercome with extreme labour lest I shoulde be tedious in rehearsing thinges of small value But I haue thought it good not to omyt suche dooynges as he had with the kynges by the way Therefore or euer he came to the toppes of the high mountaynes he entred into a region called Quarequa and mette with the king thereof called by the same name with a great bande of men armed after theyr manner as with bowes and arrowes long and brode two handed swoordes made of wood long staues hardened at the endes with fyre dartes also and slynges He came proudely and cruellye agaynst our men and sent messengers to them to bydde them stande and proceede no further demaundyng whyther they went and what they had to doo there Herewith he came foorth and shewed hym selfe beyng apparelled with al his nobilitie but the other were al naked Then approching towarde our men he threatned thē with a Lions countenance to depart from thence except they woulde be slayne euery mothers sonne When our men denyed that they woulde goe backe he assayled them fiercely but the battayle was soone finished for assoone as they hearde the noyse of the hargabusies they beleeued that our men caryed thunder and lyghtnyng about with them Many also beyng slayne and sore wounded with quarrels of crossebowes they turned theyr backes and fledde Our men folowing them in the chase hewed them in peeces as the Butchers doo fleshe in the shambles from one an arme from another a legge from hym a buttocke from another a shoulder and from some the necke from the bodye at one stroke Thus syxe hundred of them with theyr kyng were slayne lyke bruite beastes Vaschus founde the house of this kyng infected with moste abominable and vnnaturall lechery for he founde the kynges brother and many other young men in womens apparell smoothe and effeminately decked whiche by the report of suche as dwelt about hym he abused with preposterous venus Of these about the number of fourtie he commaunded to be geuen for a pray to his dogges for as we haue sayd the Spanyardes vse the helpe of dogges in theyr warres agaynst the naked people whom they inuade as fiercely and rauenyngly as yf they were wilde bores or Hartes insomuche that our Spanyardes haue founde theyr dogges no lesse faythful to them in al dangers and enterprises then dyd the Colophonians or Castabalences whiche instituted whole armies of dogges so made to serue in the warres that beyng accustomed to place them in the forefronte of the battayles they neuer shronke or gaue backe When the people had hearde of the seuere punyshment whiche our men had executed vpon that fylthy kynde of men they resorted to them as it had ben to Hercules for refuge by violence bryngyng with them all suche as they knewe to be infected with that pestilence spyttyng in theyr faces and crying out to our men to take reuenge of them and rydde them out of the worlde from among men as contagious beastes This stynkyng abomination had not yet entred among the people but was exercised onlye by the noble men and gentlemen But the people lyftyng vp theyr handes eyes toward heauen gaue tokens that God was greeuously offended with suche vyle deedes affyrmyng this to be the cause of theyr so many thunderynges lyghtnyng and tempestes wherewith they are so often troubled and of the ouerflowyng of waters which drowne theyr sets and fruites whereof famyne and diuers diseases ensue as they symply and faythfully beleue although they knowe none other GOD then the sunne whom only they honour thinkyng that it doth both geue and take away as it is pleased or offended Yet are they very docible and easie to be allured to our customes and religion if they had any teacher In theyr language there is nothyng vnpleasaunt to the eare or harde to be pronounced but that all theyr woordes may be wrytten with latine letters as we sayde of the inhabitauntes of Hispaniola It is a warlyke nation and hath ben euer hytherto molestous to theyr borderers but the region is not fortunate with fruiteful grounde or plentie of golde Yet is it full of great barren mountaynes beyng somewhat colde by reason of their height and therefore the noble men and gentlemen are apparelled but the common people liue content only with the benefites of nature There is a region not past two dayes iourney distant from Quarequa in whiche they founde only blacke Moores and those exceedyng fierce and cruel They suppose that in tyme past certayne blacke Moores sayled thyther out of Ethiopia to robbe and that by shypwracke or some other chaunce they were dryuen to those mountaynes The inhabitaunts of Quarequa lyue in continual warre and debate with these blacke men Here Vaschus leauing in Quarequa many of his souldiers which by reason they were not yet accustomed to such trauayles and hunger fel into diuers diseases tooke with hym certayne guides of the Quarequatans to conduct hym to the toppes of the mountaynes From the pallace of kyng Poncha to the prospect of the other south sea is only sixe dayes iourney the which neuerthelesse by reason of many hinderances chaunces and especially for lacke of vittuals he coulde accomplishe in no lesse then .xxv. dayes But at the length the seuenth day of the Calendes of October he behelde with woonderyng eyes the toppes of the hygh mountaynes shewed vnto hym by the guides of Quarequa from the whiche he myght see the other sea so long looked for and neuer seene before of any man commyng out of our worlde Approching therfore to the toppes of the mountaynes he commaunded his armye to
grouth Lykewyse whether pearles be harde within the shel or soft our men haue as yet no certayne experience but I trust or it be long to knowe the trueth hereof for our men are euen nowe in hand with the matter Also as soone as I shall be aduertised of the aryuall of Petrus Arias the captayne of our men I wyll desire hym by my letters to make diligent search for these thynges and certifie me therof in all poyntes I knowe that he wyll not be slacke or omit any thyng herein for he is my verye freende and one that taketh great pleasure in consideryng the workes of nature And surely it seemeth vnto me vndecent that we shoulde with silence ouerslyp so great a thyng which aswel in the olde tyme as in our dayes hath and yet doth drawe both men and women to the immoderate desire of superfluous pleasure Spayne therfore shal be able hereafter with pearles to satisfie the greedy appetyte of such as in wanton pleasures are lyke vnto Cleopatra and Asopus So that from hencefoorth we shall neyther enuie nor reuerence the nice fruitefulnesse of Stoidum or Taprobana or the red sea But let vs now returne to our purpose Vaschus therfore determined with the fyshers of Chiapes to proue what myght be doone in his fishe pooles or stations of sea muscles Chiapes to shewe hym selfe obedient to Vaschus his request although the sea were boysteous commaunded thyrtie of his fyshers to prepare them selues and to resort to the fishyng places Vaschus sent onely sixe of his men with them to beholde them from the sea bankes but not to commit them selues to the daunger of the sea The fishyng place was distant from the pallace of Chiapes about tenne myles They durst not aduenture to dyue to the bottome by reason of the furie of the sea Yet of the muscles whiche lye hyghest and of such as were dryuen to the shore by the violence of the water they brought syxe great fardelles in the space of a fewe dayes The pearles of these were but lyttle about the bygnesse of small fytches yet verye fayre and beautifull by reason that they were taken newely out of the fyshe beyng yet rawe And that they should not be reproued of lying as concernyng the bygnesse of these sea muscles they sent many of them into Spayne to the kyng with the pearles the fyshe beyng taken out We thynke veryly that there may in no place bygger be founde These shel fyshes therefore beyng thus founde here in so many places in that sea and gold in maner in euery house doo argue the ryche treasurie of nature to be hydde in those coastes forasmuche as great ryches haue ben founde as it were in the litle fynger of a giauntes hande What then may we thynke of the whole hande of the giaunt for hytherto they haue onlye benne in hande with the confines of Vraba when they shall haue throughlye searched all the coastes and secretes of the inner partes of all that large lande But Vaschus contented with these signes and ioyfull of his good successe in these enterpryses determined by another way to returne to his felowes in Dariena where also they haue golde mynes about tenne myles from the vyllage He gaue therefore kyng Chiapes leaue to depart and to folowe hym no further counsaylyng hym to continue faythful vnto the christian king his lord and maister Thus embracing the one the other ioyning handes Chiapes departed with teares declaring the good minde which he bore to our men Vaschus leauing his sicke men with Chiapes went forward on his iourney with the residue hauyng also with hym for guides three of Chiapes Maryners He conueyghed his armie ouer a great riuer into the dominion of a certayne king called Teaocha who beyng aduertised of the commyng of our men of whose famous actes he had hearde muche before was very glad thereof and enterteyned them honourably so that for a token of his frendly affection toward them he gaue Vaschus twentie pounds weight of wrought golde after eyght ounces to the pounde also two hundred bygge pearles but not fayre by reason they were taken out of the muscles after they had ben sodden After they had ioyned hands Vaschus recompenced him with certayne of our thinges lykewyse rewarding his guides the seruantes of Chiapes he dismissed them with commendations to their lord King Teaocha at the departure of our men from his pallace dyd not only appoynt them guides to conduct them in the way but also gaue them certayne slaues in the steede of beastes to cary theyr vittuals because they should passe through many desartes barren and rough mountaynes and terrible woods ful of Tigers and Lions He sent also one of his sonnes with these slaues lading them with salted and dried fishe bread of those regions made of the rootes of Maizium and Iucca He also commaunded his sonne not to depart from our men vntil he were licensed by Vaschus By theyr conductyng therfore Vaschus came to the dominion of an other kyng whose name was Pacra a cruel tyrant fearefull to the other kynges his borderers and of greater power then any of them This tyrant whether it were that his giltie conscience for his mischeuous actes put him in feare that our men woulde reuenge the same or that he thought him selfe inferiour to resist them fled at their comming Vaschus writeth that in these regions in the moneth of Nouember he was sore afflicted with great heate and intollerable thirst by reason that side of the mountaynes hath little water Insomuche that they were in daunger to haue perished but that certayne of thinhabitantes shewed them of a spring which was in y e secret place of a wood whither Vaschus with all speede sent two quicke strong young men of his companions with theyr gourdes and such water vessels as Teaocha his men brought with them Of thinhabitantes there durst none depart from theyr company because the wyld beastes do sone inuade naked men For in those mountaines and especially in the woods neare vnto the spring they say that they are somtimes taken out of theyr houses in the night except they take good heede that the doores be well sparde It shal not be from my purpose heere to declare a particuler chaunce before I enter any further in this matter They say therfore that the last yeere the region of Dariena was no lesse infested and troubled with a fierse Tiger then was Calidonia in tyme past with a wild Boore and Nemea with a horrible Lion For they affyrme that for the space of syxe whole monethes there passed not one nyght without some hurt doone so that it kylled nyghtly eyther a Bullocke a Mare a Dogge or a Hogge and sometymes euen in the hygh wayes of the vyllage For our men haue nowe great heardes of cattayle in those regions They say also that when this Tyger had whelpes no man myght safelye goe
foorth of his doores because shee spared not men yf shee mette fyrste with them But at the length necessitie enforced them to inuent a policie howe they myght be reuenged of suche bloodshed Searchyng therfore dilygently her footesteppes and folowyng the pathe whereby she was accustomed in the nyght season to wander out of her denne to seeke her praye they made a great trenche or pyt in her walke coueryng the same with hurdels whereupon they caste parte of the earth and dispearsed the resydue The dogge Tyger chaunced fyrst into this pitfall and fel vpon the poyntes of sharpe stakes and such other engins as were of purpose fyxed in the bottome of the trench Beyng thus wounded he rored so terrybly that it grated the bowels of suche as harde hym and the wooddes and mountaynes neare about rebounded the noyse of the horryble crye When they perceiued that he was layde fast they resorted to the trenche and slue hym with stones dartes and pykes With his teethe and clawes he brake the dartes into a thousande chyppes Beyng yet dead he was fearefull to all such as behelde hym what then thynke you he woulde haue doone beyng alyue and loose One Iohannes Ledisma of Ciuile a neare frende to Vascus and one of the companions of his trauayles tolde me that he hym selfe dyd eate of the fleshe of that Tyger and that it was nothyng inferiour to beefe in goodnes Beyng demaunded howe they knewe it to be a Tyger forasmuch as none of them had euer seene a Tyger they answeared that they knewe it by the spottes fiercenes agilitie and suche other markes and tokens wherby auncient writers haue described the Tyger For some of them had before tyme seene other spotted wylde beastes as Libardes and Panthers The dogge Tiger beyng thus kylled they folowyng the trase of his steppes towarde the mountaynes came to the denne where the bytche remayned with her two young suckyng whelpes But she was not in the denne at their commyng They fyrst caryed away the whelpes with them But afterwardes fearyng lest they shoulde dye because they were young entendyng when they were bygger to send them into Spaine they put cheynes of iron about theyr neckes and caryed them agayne to their denne whither returnyng within a fewe dayes after they founde the denne emptie and they cheynes not remoued from theyr place They suppose that the damme in her furye tore them in peeces and caryed them away lest any shoulde haue the fruition of them For they playnely affirme that it was not possible that they shoulde be loosed from the chayne 's alyue The skynne of the dead Tyger stuffed with drye hearbes and straws they sent to Hispaniola to the Admiral and other of the cheefe rulers from whom the newe landes receiue their lawes and succour It shall at this tyme suffise to haue written thus muche of the Tygers as I haue learned by report of them which both suâ—teyned domage by their rauenyng and also handled the skynne of that whiche was slayne Let vs nowe therfore returne to king Pacra from whom we haue digressed When Vaschus had entred into the houses forsaken of Pacra he sent messengers to reconcile him as he had doone the other kynges At the first he refused to come but after threatnynges he came with three other kynges in his company Vaschus writeth that he neuer sawe a more monstruous defourmed creature and that nature hath only geuen hym humane shape and otherwyse to bee worse then a bruite beast with maners accordyng to the liniamentes of his body He abused with most abominable lechery the daughters of foure kynges his borderers from whom he had taken them by violence Of the fylthy behauiour of Pacra of his crueltie and iniures doone by hym many of the other kyngs made greeuous complayntes to Vaschus as vnto a hygh Iudge and iust reuenger most humbly beseechyng hym to see suche thynges punyshed forasmuche as they tooke hym for a man sent of God for that purpose Herevppon Vaschus aswell to wyn their good wylles as also to shewe an example of terrour to such as vsed lyke fasshions commaunded that this monstrous beast with the other three kynges whiche were subiecte to hym and of lyke conditions shoulde be geuen for a pray to his fyghtyng dogges and their torne carkases to bee burned Of these dogges whiche they vse in the warres they tell marueylous thynges for they say that they runne vppon thinhabitauntes armed after their maner with noo lesse fiercenes then if they were Hartes or wylde Bores if the Spaniardes doo but onely poynt towarde them with theyr fyngers Insomuche that oftentymes they haue had no neede to dryue their enemyes to flyght with swoordes or arrowes but haue doone the same only with dogges placed in the forefront of theyr battayle and lettyng them slyppe with theyr watche woorde and priuie token whereupon the barbarians strycken with feare by reason of the cruell countenances of theyr masties with theyr desperate boldenesse and vnaccustomed howlyng and barkyng haue disparckled at the first onsette and brake theyr array Yet it chaunceth otherwyse when they haue any conflycte agaynst the Canibales and the people of Caramairi for these are fiercer and more warlyke men also so expert archers that they can moste certaynely direct theyr venemous arrowes agaynst the dogges with suche seleritie as yf they were thunderboltes by reason whereof they sometymes kyll many of them Thinhabitauntes of these mountaynes doo not keepe warre with bowes and arrowes but vse only Macanis that is certayne long and brode swoordes made of wood also slynges long pykes and dartes hardened at the endes with fyre Whyle kyng Pacra yet lyued no man coulde knowe of hym neyther by fayre meanes nor by fowle where he had the golde whiche was founde in his house for our men founde in his iewell house fiftie poundes weyght of golde Beyng therfore demaunded where he had it he aunswered that they which geathered the same in those mountaynes in his fathers dayes were all dead and that sence he was a chylde he neuer esteemed golde more then stones More then this they coulde not geat of hym By this seuere punyshment executed vpon Pacra Vaschus concyled vnto hym the myndes of all the other kynges of that prouince and by this meanes it came to passe that when he sent for the sycke men whiche he left behynde hym with kyng Chiapes another kyng whiche was in the mydde way whose name was Bononiama enterteyned them gentelly and gaue them twentie pounde weight of pure wrought golde besyde great plentie of vittualles And not this onlye but also accompanyed them hym selfe vntyll he had brought them safely from his pallace into the dominion of Pacra where takyng eche of them by the ryght handes he delyuered them to Vaschus hym selfe as a faythfull pledge committed to his charge and therewith spake to Vaschus in this effecte Moste myghtie and valyaunt
victourer beholde I heere delyuer vnto you your companions in suche plight as I receiued them wishyng that I had ben aswell able to gyue them health as they were hartyly welcome to suche poore entertaynement as I was able to shewe them For the fauoure and gentelnesse whiche I haue founde both in you and them he shall rewarde you whiche sendeth thunderyng and lyghtnyng to the destruction of myscheuous men and of his clemencye gyueth vnto good men plentie of Iucca and Maizium in due season As he spake these woordes he lyfted vp his handes and eyes towarde the Sonne whom they honour as God Then he spake further to Vaschus saying In that you haue destroyed and slayne our violent and proude enemies you haue brought peace and quietnesse to vs and our familyes and bounde vs for euer to loue and obey you You haue so ouercome and tamed wylde monsters that we thynke you to bee sent from heauen for the punyshement of euyll men and defence of innocentes that vnder the protection of your myghtie swoorde we maye hereafter leade our lyues without feare and with more quietnesse geue thankes to the geuer of all good thynges for his mercie shewed vnto vs in this behalfe When the interpretoure had tolde Vaschus that the kyng Bononiana had sayde these woordes and suche lyke Vaschus rendered hym lyke thankes for his humanitie declared towarde our men and rewarded hym as he had doone other in whom he founde lyke gentilnesse Vaschus wryteth that he learned manye thynges of this kyng as concernyng the great rychesse of these regions but that he woulde at this present speake nothing thereof and rehearseth the same as thinges lyke to haue good successe What this implicate Hiperbole or aduauncement meaneth I do not well vnderstand but he plainly seemeth hereby to promise many great thynges And suerly it is to be thought that accordyng to his hope great riches may be loked for For they came in maner into none of thinhabitaunts houses but that they founde in them eyther bresteplates or curettes of golde or elles golden ouches iewels or garlandes to weare about their heades neckes or armes I coniecture therfore thus by a similitude of our houses If among vs any man of great power were moued with the desyre to haue great plentie of Iron and woulde enter into Italie with a mayne force as dyd the Gothes in tyme past what abundance of Iron shoulde he haue in theyr houses whereas he shoulde fynde in one place a fryingpan in another a caldron here a triuet and there a spitâ—e and these in manner in euery poore mans house with suche other innumerable whereby any man may coniecture that iron is plentifully engendred in suche regions where they haue so great vse thereof Our men also perceiued that the inhabitauntes of these regions do no more esteeme golde then we do iron nor yet so much after they sawe to what vse iron serued vs. Thus much haue I thought good to write to your holynesse of suche thynges as I haue geathered out of the letters of Vaschus Nunnez and learned by woorde of mouth of suche as were his companions in these affayres As we receiue them so we geue them vnto you Tyme whiche reuealeth al secretes shal hereafter minister larger argument of wrytyng They coulde at this tyme do no great thyng in searchyng the golde mynes forasmuche as of a hundred fourescore and tenne men which Vaschus brought with him from Dariena there remayned only threescore and ten or at the most fourescore whose ayde he nowe vsed in these daungerous aduentures leauing euer the crased men behynde hym in the kynges houses all the way that he went but they moste especially fel into sundry diseases whiche came lately from Hispaniola for they were not able to abyde such calamities as to lyue only contented with the bread of those regions and wylde hearbes without salt drynkyng none other then riuer water and that oftentymes eyther lackyng or vnholsome where as before theyr stomackes had ben vsed to good meates But the olde souldiers of Dariena were hardened to abyde all sorowes exceedyng tollerable of labour heate hunger watchyng insomuche that merily they make theyr boast that they haue obserued a longer sharper Lent then euer your holynesse enioyned for they say that for the space of foure whole yeeres they ate none other then hearbes and fruites except nowe and then perhappes fyshe and very seldome fleshe yea and that sometyme for lacke of all these they haue not abhorred from mangie dogges and fylthy toades as we haue sayde before The olde souldiers of Dariena I call those whiche fyrste folowed the captaynes Nicuesa and Fogeda to inhabite the lande of the whiche nowe fewe were lyuyng But let vs nowe omyt these thynges and returne to Vaschus the vyctourer of the mountaynes The thyrde booke of the thyrde Decade WHen Vaschus had remained thyrtie dayes in the palace of kyng Pacra concilyng vnto him the mindes of the inhabitauntes and prouidyng thynges necessarie for his companions As he departed froÌ„ thence by the conduct of certayne of kyng Teaocha his men and came to the banke of the riuer Comogrus wherof the region and kyng thereof are named by the same name he found the sydes of these mountaynes so rude and barren that there was nothyng apt to be eaten but wilde rootes and certayne vnpleasaunt fruites of trees Two kynges beyng neere of blood inhabited this vnfortunate region which Vaschus ouerpassed with all speede for feare of hunger One of these poore kynges was named Cotochus and the other Ciuriza He tooke them both with him to guyde hym the way and dismissed Teaocha his men with vittuals and rewards Thus for the space of three dayes he wandered through many desart woods craggy mountaynes muddie marishes ful of suche quamyres that men are oftentimes swalowed vp in them if they loke not y e more warely to their feete also through places not frequented with resort of men and suche as nature had not yet opened to theyr vse forasmuche as the inhabitauntes haue seldome entercourse betweene them but only by sundry incursions the one to spoyle and destroy the other beyng otherwyse contented to lyue onlye after the lawe of nature without al worldly toyle for superfluous pleasures Thus entryng at the length into the territorie of another kyng whose name was Bechebâ—ea they founde all thynges voyde and in scilence for the kyng and his subiectes were al fledde to the woods When Vaschus sent messengers to fetche hym he dyd not onlye at the fyrst submit hym selfe but also promise his ayde with all that he myght make Protestyng furthermore that he fledde not for feare that our men woulde doo them iniurie but that he hyd hym selfe for verye shame and greefe of mynde for that he was not able to receiue them honorablye accordyng vnto theyr dignitie because his store of vitayles was consumed Yet in
a token of obedience and frendeshyppe he sent our men many vesselles of golde desyring them to accepte them as the gifte of a frend whose good wyll wanted not in greater thynges if his abilitie were greater By whiche woordes the poore man seemed to insinuate that he had ben robbed and otherwyse cruelly handled of his borderers by reason whereof our men were enforced to depart from thence more hungerly then they came As they went forwarde therefore they espyed certayne naked men commyng downe from a hyll towarde them Vaschus commaunded his armye to stay and sent his interpretours to them to knowe what they woulde haue Then one of them to whom the other seemed to geue reuerence spake in this effect Our lorde and kyng Chiorisus greeteth you well wyllyng vs to declare that he harde of your puissaunce and vertue whereby you haue subdued euyll men and reuenged the wronges doone to innocentes For the whiche your noble factes and iustyce as he doth honour your fame so woulde he thynke hym selfe most happie if he myght receiue you into his palace But forasmuch as his fortune hath ben so euyll as he imputeth it that beyng out of your way you haue ouerpassed hym he hath sent you this golde in token of his good wyll and frendshyppe toward you And with these woordes he deliuered to Vaschus thirtie dishes of pure golde addyng hereunto that when so euer it shoulde please hym to take the paynes to come to theyr kyng he shoulde receaue greater gyftes He declared further that a kyng whiche was their borderer and mortall enimie was very ryche in golde and that in subduyng of hym they shoulde both obtayne great rychesse and also delyuer them from dayly vexations whiche thyng myght easily be doone by their helpe because they knewe the countrey Vaschus put them in good comfort and gaue them for rewarde certayne Iron axes whiche they more esteemed then great heapes of gold For they haue they haue lytle neede of golde hauyng not the vse of pestiferous money but he that may geat but one axe or hatchet thynketh hym selfe richer then euer was Crassus For euen these naked men doo perceiue that an axe is necessarie for a thousande vses and confesse that golde is desyred only for certayne vayne and effeminate pleasures as a thyng whiche the lyfe of man may lacke without any inconuenience for our gluttony and superfluous sumptuousnesse hath not yet corrupted them By reason whereof they take it for no shame to lacke cobordes of plate whereas the pryde and wantonnesse of our tyme doth in maner impute it to vs for ignominie to be without that whereof by nature we haue no neede But theyr contentation with the benefites of nature doth playnely declare that men may leade a free and happye lyfe without tables table clothes carpets napkyns and towels with such other innumerable wherof they haue no vse except perhaps the kynges furnysh theyr tables with a fewe golden vessels But the common people driue away hunger with a peece of theyr bread in the one hand and a peece of broyled fyshe or some kynde of fruite in the other hand for they eate flesh but seldome When theyr fyngers are imbrued with any ounctuous meates they wype them eyther on the soles of theyr feete or on theyr thyghes ye and sometimes on the skyns of theyr priuie members in the steede of a napkyn and for this cause do they oftentymes washe them selues in the riuers Our men therfore went forwarde laden with gold but sore afflicted with hunger Thus they came at the length to the dominion of kyng Pocchorrosa who fled at their commyng Here for the space of thyrtie dayes they fylled their emptye bellies with bread of the rootes of Maizium In the meane tyme Vaschus sent for Pocchorrosa who beyng allured with promises and fayre wordes came and submmitted hym selfe bryngyng with hym for a present fyfteene poundes weight of wrought golde and a fewe slaues Vaschus rewarded hym as he had doone other before When he was mynded to depart he was aduertised that he shoulde passe through the dominion of a certayne kyng whose name was Tumanama This is he whom the sonne of kyng Comogrus declared to be of so great power and fearefull to all his borderers and with whom many of Comogrus familiars had ben captyue but our men now perceyued that they measured his power by theyr owne For theyr kynges are but gnattes compared to Elephantes in respect to the power policie of our men Our men were also enfourmed by such as dwelt neare about Tumanama that his region was not beyond the mountaynes as they supposed nor yet so ryche in golde as young Comogrus had declared Yet consulted they of his subduing whiche they thought they myght the easeliar bryng to passe because Pocchorrosa was his mortal enemie who most gladly promised them his aduice and ayde herein Vaschus therfore leauyng his sicke men in the vyllage of Pocchorrosa tooke with hym threescore of his most valyant souldiers and declared vnto them howe kyng Tumanama had often tymes spoken proude and threatnyng wordes agaynst them Lykewyse that it nowe stood them in hand of necessitie to passe through his dominion and that he thought it best to set vpon hym vnwares The souldiers consented to his aduice and exhorted hym to geue the aduenture promising that they woulde folow hym whyther soeuer he went They determined therfore to goe two dayes iourney in one day that Tumanama not knowyng of theyr sodayne commyng myght haue no leysure to assemble an army and the thyng came to passe euen as they had deuised For in the first watche of the nyght our men with the Pocchorrosians inuaded the village and pallace of Tumanama where they tooke hym prysoner suspectyng nothyng lesse He had with hym two young men whiche he abused vnnaturally also fourescore women whiche he had taken violently from diuers kynges lykewyse a great number of his gentlemen subiectes were taken straglyng in other vyllages neere about his pallace For theyr houses are not adherent togeather as ours be because they are oftentymes troubled with vehement whirlewyndes by reason of the sodayne chaunges and motions of the ayer caused by the influence of the planettes in the equalitie of the day and nyght beyng there in maner both of one length throughout all the yeere forasmuch as they are neere vnto the Equinoctiall line as we haue sayde before Theyr houses are made of trees couered and after theyr maner thatched with the stalkes of certayne rough hearbes To the pallace of Tumanama was only one house adherent and that euen as bygge as the pallace it selfe Eyther of these houses were in length a hundred and twentye paces and in breadth fiftie paces as our men measured them In these two houses the kyng was accustomed to muster his men as often as he prepared an army When Tumanama therfore was thus taken captiue with all his Sardanapanicall familie the Pocchorrosians
bragged and threatened hym beyng now bound that he shoulde shortly be hanged the other kynges also his borderers reioyced at his mysfortune Whereby our men parceyued that Tumanama was no lesse troublesome to his neyghbours then was Pacra to the kynges of the south syde of the mountaynes Vaschus also the better to please them threatened hym greeuouslye but in deede entended no euyll towards hym He spake therfore sharply vnto hym with these woords Thou shalt now suffer punishment thou cruell tyrant for thy pryde and abhominations Thou shalt knowe of what power the Christans are whom thou hast so contemned and threatned to drawe by the heare of theyr heades to the next ryuer and there to drowne them as thou hast oftentimes made thy vaunt among thy naked slaues But thou thy selfe shalt fyrst feele that whiche thou hast prepared for others And heerewith commaunded hym to be taken vp Neuerthelesse geuyng a pryuie token of pardon to them whiche layde handes on hym Thus vnhappy Tumanama fearyng and beleeuyng that Vaschus had ment in ernest as he commaunded fell prostrate at his feete and with teares desired pardon Protesting that he neuer spake any suche wordes but that perhaps his noble men in theyr drunkennesse had so abused theyr tongues whiche he coulde not rule For theyr wynes although they be not made of grapes yet are they of force to make men drunken He declared furthermore that the other kynges his borderers had of malice surmised such lyes of hym enuying his fortune because he was of greater power then they most humbly desyryng Vaschus that as he tooke hym to be a iust victourer so to geue no credite vnto theyr vniust and malicious complayntes Addyng heereunto that if it woulde please hym to pardon hym not hauyng offended he woulde bryng hym great plenty of golde Thus laying his ryght hande on his breast he swore by the Sonne that he euer loued and feared the Christians sence he fyrst hearde of theyr fame and victoryes especyally when he harde say that they had Michanas that is swordes sharper then theyrs and suche as cutte in peeces all thinges that come in theyr wayes Then directyng his eyes towarde Vaschus who had his sworde in his hand he spake thus Who except he were out of his witte dare lyft vp his hande agaynst this sworde of yours wherewith you are able with one strooke to cleaue a man from the head to the nauell Let no man therfore perswade you O most myghtye victourer that euer such wordes proceeded out of my mouth As Tumanama with tremblyng spake these wordes therwith swalowyng downe the knot of death Vaschus seemed by his teares to be moued to compassion and speakyng to hym with chearfull countenance commaunded hym to be loosed This doone he sent immediatly to his pallace for thyrtye poundes weyght of pure golde artificyally wrought into sundry ouches whiche his wyues and concubines vsed to weare Also the thyrde daye folowyng his noble men and gentlemen sent threescore poundes weyght of gold for theyr fine and raunsome Tumanama beyng demaunded where they had that gold he answeared that it was not geathered in his dominions but that it was brought his auncestours from the riuer Comogrus towarde the south But the Pocchorrosians and other his enemies sayde that he lyed affirmyng that his kyngdome was ryche in golde Tumanama on the contrary part instantly protested that he neuer knewe any golde myne in all his dominions yet denied not but that there hath sometymes been found certayne small graynes of golde to the geathering whereof he neuer had any regard because they could not get it without great long labour While these things were doing the sicke men which Vaschus had left in the vyllage of Pocchorrosa came to hym the .viii. day of the Calendes of Ianuary in the yeere of Christ M.D.XIII bryngyng with them certayne labourers from the kynges of the south with sundrye instrumentes to dygge the grounde and geather gold Thus passing ouer the day of the natiuitie of Christ without bodylye labour vpon Saynt Stephens day he brought certayne miners to the syde of a hyll not farre distant from the pallace of Tumanama where as he sayth he perceyued by the coloure of the earth that it was lyke to bryng foorth golde When they had dygged a pyt not past a hand breadth and a halfe and syfted the earth thereof they founde certayne small graynes of golde no bygger then lintell seedes amountyng to the weyght of twelue graynes as they proued with theyr balances of assaie before a notarie and wytnesse that the better credite myght bee geuen thereto Whereby they argued that the rychenesse of that land was agreeable to the report of the borderers although Vaschus coulde by no meanes cause Tumanama to confesse the same They suppose that he nothyng esteemed so small a portion but other say that he denyed his countrey to be fruiteful of golde least by reason thereof the desyre of golde myght intyse our men to inhabyte his kyngdome as in deede the seely kyng was a prophet in so thynkyng For they chose that and the region of Pocchorrosa to inhabite and determyned to buylde townes in them both if it should so please the kyng of Castile aswel that they myght be baytyng places and vittailyng houses for suche as shoulde iourney towarde the south as also that both the regions were fruiteful and of good ground to beare fruites and trees Intendyng nowe therefore to depart from thence he tryed the earth by chaunce in an other place where the colour of the ground with certayne shynyng stones seemed to be a token of golde where causyng a small pyt to be dygged litle beneath the vpper crust of the earth he founde so muche golde as weyghed the peece of golde whiche the Spaniardes call Castellanum aureum and is commonly called Pesus but not in one graine Reioycyng at these tokens in hope of great riches he bad Tumanama to be of good comfort promysyng hym that he woulde be his freende and defender so that he troubled not any of the kynges whiche were frendes to the Christians He also perswaded hym to geather plentie of golde Some say that he ledde away all Tumanama his women and spoyled hym least he shoulde rebell Yet he delyuered his sonne to Vaschus to be brought vp with our men to learne theyr language and religion that he myght heareafter the better vse his helpe aswell in all thynges that he shoulde haue to doo with our men as also more politikely rule and obtayne the loue of his owne subiectes Vischus at this tyme fell into a vehement feuer by reason of excesse of labour immoderate watchyng and hunger insomuche that departyng from thence he was fayne to be borne vpon mens backes in sheetes of gossampyne cotton lykewyse also manye of his souldiers which were soo weake that they could nother go nor stande To this purpose they vsed the helpe of thinhabitantes who shewed them selues
departed fyrst from Dariena with fourescore souldiours wel appoynted whom Lodouicus Mercado folowed with fyftye To Bezerra were also fourscore assigned and threescore and tenne to Valleius Whether they shall arryue at safe and commodious hauens or fall into vnfortunate stations he onely knoweth whose prouidence ruleth all for as for vs men wee are included within the knowledge of thinges after they haue chaunced Let vs now therefore come to other matters The seuenth booke of the third decade PEtrus Arias the gouernour of the supposed continent was scarsly entred into the mayne sea with his nauye onwarde on his vyage to Dariena but I was aduertised that one Andreas Moralis a pilot who had oftentymes ouerrunne the coastes of these new seas and the Ilandes of the same was come to the court to sell such marchaundies as he brought with him from thence This man had diligently searched the tracte of the supposed continent and especially thinner regions of the Ilande of Hispaniola whereunto he was appoynted by his brother Nicolaus Ouandus the gouernour of the Ilande and chiefe Commendator of the order of the knyghtes of Alcantara bycause he was a wytty man and more apt to search suche thinges then any other so that with his owne handes he drewe faire cardes and tables of such regions as he discouered Wherein as he hath been founde faythfull of such as haue since had better tryall hereof so is he in most credite amongst the best sorte He therefore resorted to me as all they are accustomed to doe which returne from the Ocean What I learned of him and dyuers other of thinges heretofore vnknowen I will now declare The beginnyng of this narration shal be the perticular description of the Ilande of Hispaniola forasmuch as it is the heade and as it were y e principall marte of all the liberalitie of the Ocean hath a thousand againe a thousand faire pleasant beautiful ryche Nereides which lye about it on euery syde adournyng this their ladie mother as it were an other Tethis the wyfe of Neptunus enuyroning her about attēding vpon her as their queene patronesse But of these Nereiades that is to saye the Ilandes placed about her we wyll speake more hereafter Let vs in the meane tyme declare somewhat of the Ilande whiche our men named Margarita Diues whiche the Spanyardes call De las perlas beyng nowe well knowen and lying in the south sea in the gulfe called Sinus Sancti Michaelis that is saint Michaels gulfe This Ilande hath presently brought to our knowledge many straunge and woonderfull thynges and promiseth no small hope of greater thynges in tyme to come In this is founde great plentie of pearles so fayre and great that the sumptuous queene Cleopatra myght haue seemed to weare them in her crownes chaynes and braslettes Of the shelfyshes wherein these are engendered we wyll speake somewhat more in th end of this narration But let vs nowe returne to Hispaniola most lyke vnto the earthly paradyse In the description hereof we wyll begynne of the imposition of dyuers names then of the fourme of the Ilande temperate ayre and beneficial heauen and finally of the deuision of the regions Therefore for the righter pronunciation of the names your holynesse must vnderstande that they are pronounced with thaccent as you may knowe by the verge set ouer the heddes of the vowels as in the name of the Ilande Matinino where the accent is in the last vowell and the lyke to be vnderstoode in all other names They saye therefore that the fyrst inhabitours of the Ilande were transported in theyr Canoas that is boates made of one whole peece of wood from the Ilande of Matinino beyng lyke banyshed men dryuen from thence by reason of certayne contrary factions and deuisyons among them selues lyke as we reade howe Dardanus came from Corytho and Teucrus from Creta into Asia and that the region where they placed their habitation was afterward called Troianum The like we reade howe the Tyrians and Sidonians arriued with their nauie in Libya by the fabulous conduction of Dido These Matinians in like maner being banyshed from their owne countrey planted their fyrst habitation in that parte of the Iland of Hispaniola which they call Cahonao vppon the banke of the ryuer named Bahaboni as is redde in the begynnyng of the Romanes that Eneas of Troy arryued in the region of Italy called Latium vppon the bankes of the ryuer of Tiber. Within the mouth of the ryuer of Bahaboni lyeth an Ilande where it is sayde that thinhabitantes buylded theyr fyrst house whiche they named Camoteia This house they consecrated shortly after and honoured the same reuerently with continual gyftes and monumentes euen vntyll the commyng of our men lyke as the Christians haue euer religiously honoured Ierusalem the fountayne and originall of our fayth As also the Turkes attribute the lyke to the citie of Mecha in Araby and the inhabitantes of the fortunate Ilandes called the Ilandes of Canarie to Tyrma buylded vppon a hygh rocke from the whiche many were wont with ioyfull myndes and songes to cast them selues downe headlong beyng perswaded by theyr priestes that the soules of all such as so dyed for the loue of Tyrma shoulde thereby enioye eternall felicitie The conquerours of the Ilandes of Canarie founde them yet remaynyng in that superstition euen vntyll our tyme nor yet is the memory of theyr sacrifyces vtterly worne away the rocke also reserueth the olde name vnto this daye I haue also learned of late that there yet remayneth in the Ilande some of the faction of Betanchor the Frencheman and fyrst that brought the Ilandes to good culture and ciuilitie beyng thereto lycenced by the kyng of Castile as I haue sayde before These do yet for the most part obserue both the language and maners of the Frenche men although the heyres and successours of Betanchor had solde the two subdued Ilandes to certayne men of Castile Yet thinhabitours whiche succeded Betanchor and builded them houses and encreased their families there do contynue to this day and lyue quietly and pleasauntly with the Spanyardes not greeued with the sharpe colde of Fraunce But let vs nowe returne to thinhabitantes of Matinino and Hispaniola The Iland of Hispaniola was first named by the first inhabitours Quizqueia and then Haiti and this not by chaunce or at the pleasure of suche as diuised these names but of credulitie and beleefe of some great effecte For Quizqueia is as muche to say as A great thyng and that so great that none may be greater They interprete also that Quizqueia sygnifieth large vniuersall or all in lyke signification as the Greekes named theyr god called Pan bycause that for y e greatnes therof these simple soules supposed it to bee the whole worlde and that the Sonne beames gaue lyght to none other worlde but onely to this Ilande with the other adiacent about the same and therevppon
the superficiall or vppermost parte freshe in the myddest myxte of salte and freshe and in the lowest parte salte and soure They thincke that the salt water of the sea issueth out softly and the freshe to spryng out of the mountaynes The one falleth downe and the other ryseth and are not therefore so vniuersally myxte whereby the one may vtterly corrupte thother If any man laye his eare to the grounde neere to any of these sprynges hee shall perceyue the grounde there to bee so hollow that the reboundyng noyse of a horseman commyng may bee hearde for the space of three myles and a footeman one myle In the last region toward the South named Guaccaiarima in the lordship of Zauana they say there are certaine wylde men which lyue in the caues and dennes of the mountaynes contented onely with wylde fruites these men neuer vse the company of any other nor will by any meanes become tame They lyue without any certayne dwellyng places and without tyllage or culturyng of the grounde as wee reade of them which in olde tyme lyued in the golden age They say also that these men are without any certayne language They are sometymes seene but our men haue yet layde handes on none of them If at anye tyme they come to the syght of men and perceyue any makyng towarde them they flee swifter then a Harte Yea they affyrme them to bee swifter then Grehoundes What one of these solitarie wanderers dyd it is worth the hearyng So it is that our men hauyng granges adioyning neere vnto the thicke woods certaine of them repaired thither in the moneth of September in the yeere M.D.xiiii in the meane tyme one of these wylde men came leapyng out of the wood approchyng somewhat towarde them with smyling countenaunce sodeinly snatched vp a chylde of theyrs being the sonne of the owner of the grange which he begot of a woman of the Ilande Hee ranne away with the chylde and made signes to our men to folowe hym Many folowed aswell of our men as of the naked inhabitantes but all in vayne Thus when the pleasaunt wanderer perceyued that the Christians ceassed to pursue hym hee left the chylde in a crosse way by the which the swyneheardes were accustomed to dryue the swyne to theyr pasture Shortly after a swynehearde founde the chylde and brought him home to his father yet tormenting him selfe for sorowe supposing that wylde man to haue been one of the kynde of the Canibales and that his sonne was now deuoured In the same Ilande they geather pytch which sweateth out of the rockes being muche harder and sourer then the pytche of the tree and is therefore more commodious to calke or defende shyppes agaynst the woormes called Bromas whereof wee haue spoken largelye before This Ilande also bryngeth foorth pytche in two kyndes of trees as in the Pyne tree and an other named Copeia I neede not speake of the Pyne tree bycause it is engendred and knowne in maner euery where Let vs therefore speake somewhat of the other tree called Copeia Pitche is lykewyse geathered of it as of the Pyne tree although some say that it is geathered by distyllyng or droppyng of the wood when it is burnt It is a straunge thyng to heareof the leafe thereof and howe necessary prouision of nature is shewed in the same It is to be thought that it is the tree in the leaues whereof the Chaldeans beyng the fyrst fynders of letters expressed theyr myndes before the vse of paper was knowen This leafe is a spanne in breadth and almost rounde Our men wryte in them with pynnes or nedles or any suche instrumentes made of metall or wood in maner as well as on paper It is to be laughed at what our men haue perswaded the people of the Ilande as touchyng this leafe The symple soules beleeue that at the commaundement of our men leaues do speake and disclose secretes They were brought to this credulitie by this meanes One of our men dwellyng in the citie of Dominica the cheife of the Ilande delyuered to his seruaunt beyng a man borne in the Ilande certayne rosted Connies whiche they call Vtias beyng no bygger then myse wyllyng him to cary the same to his frende whiche dwelt further within the Ilande This messenger whether it were that he was thereto constrayned through hunger or entysed by appetite deuoured three of the Connies by the way He to whom they were sent wrote to his freende in a leafe howe many he receyued When the maister had looked a whyle on the leafe in the presence of the seruaunt he sayde thus vnto hym Ah sonne where is thy fayth Coulde thy greedie appetite preuayle so muche with thee as to cause thee to eate the Connies committed to thy fidelitie The poore wretche tremblyng and greatly amased confessed his faulte and therewith desyred his maister to tell hym howe he knewe the trueth thereof This leafe quod he whiche thou broughtest me hath tolde me all Then he further rehearsed vnto hym the houre of his commyng to his frende and lykewyse of his departyng when he retourned And thus they meryly deceyue these seely soules and keepe them vnder obedience insomuche that they take our men for Goddes at whose commaundement leaues do disclose suche thynges as they thynke most hyd and secrete Both the sydes of the leafe receyueth the fourmes of letters euen as dooth our paper It is thycker then double parchement and marueylous tough Whyle it is yet floryshyng and newe it sheweth the letters whyte in greene and when it is drye it becommeth whyte and harde lyke a table of wood but the letters wexe yelowe It dooth not corrupt or putrify nor yet looseth the letters though it bee wet nor by any other meanes except it be burnt There is an other tree named Xagua the iuice of whose soure apple beyng of a darke redde coloure stayneth and coloureth whatsoeuer is touched therewith and that so fyrmely that no washyng can take it away for the space of twentie dayes When the apple is full rype the iuice looseth that strength The apple is eaten and of good tast There is an hearbe also whose smoke as we haue rehearsed the lyke before of a certayne wood is deadly poyson On a tyme when the kynges assembled togeather and conspired the destruction of our men where as they durst not attempt thinterprise by open warre theyr deuise was priuilye to lay many bundels of those hearbes in a certayne house whiche shortly after they intended to set on fyre to thintent that our men makyng hast to quench the same myght take theyr death with the smoke thereof But theyr purposed practyse beyng bewrayed the aucthours of the deuise were punyshed accordyngly Nowe most holy father forasmuche as your holynesse wryteth that whatsoeuer we haue wrytten of the newe worlde dooth please you ryght well we wyll rehearse certayne thynges out of order but not greatly from
enemies to this kyng of the Ilande got the vpper hande by reason they assayled the kyng sodeinly and vnawares Yet was he determined to assemble a greater power and once agayne to attempt the fortune of warre but that he was otherwyse perswaded by the kynges his borderers whiche counselled him to geue ouer and submit him selfe sometyme by thexample of them selues other threatnyng the destruction of his flooryshyng kyngdome and otherwhyles declaryng vnto him the humanitie and gentlenesse of our men by whose friendship hee might obteyne honour and quietnesse to him and his willyng him furthermore to consider what chaunced vnto them which the yeere before resisted and aduentured the hasarde of the battayle as dyd these kynges Poncha Pocchorrosa Quarequa â—hiapes and Tumacchus with such other By these persuasions the kyng submitted him selfe and came friendly to our men whom he conducted to his palace which they say to bee marueylously adourned and princelyke As soone as they entred into the pallace hee brought foorth a basket of curious workemanshyp and full of pearles which he gaue them The summe of these pearles amounted to the weight of a hundred and ten poundes after .viii. vnces to the pounde being agayne rewarded of our men with such tryfles as they brought with them of purpose as garlandes of Christall and glasse and other counterfet stones of dyuers colours with lookyng glasses also and laton belles and especially two or three Iron hatchets whiche they more esteeme then great heapes of golde hee thought him selfe abuntdantly recompenced They laugh our men to scorne that they will depart with so great and necessarie a thing for any summe of golde affyrmyng an axe or hatchet to bee profitable for many vses of men and that golde serueth onely for wanton pleasures and not to be greatly necessary Beyng therefore ioyfull and glad of the friendship of our men he tooke the captayne by the hande and brought him with certayne of his familiars to the hyghest towre of his palace from whence they might prospecte the mayne sea then castyng his eyes about him on euery syde and lookyng towarde the East he sayde vnto them Beholde heere lyeth open before you the infinite sea extended beyonde the sunne beames then turnyng hym towarde the South and West he signified vnto them that the lande which laye before their eyes the toppes of whose great mountaynes they myght see was exceedyng large then commyng somewhat neerer hee sayde Beholde these Ilandes on the ryght hande and on the left which all obey vnto our empyre and are ryche happye and blessed if you call those landes blessed whiche abounde with golde and pearle We haue in this Ilande litle plentie of golde but the deepe places of all the seas about these Ilandes are full of pearles whereof you shall receyue of mee as many as you will requyre so that yee persist in the bonde of friendshyp which you haue begunne I greatly desyre your friendshyp and woulde gladly haue the fruition of your thinges whiche I set muche more by then millions of pearles You shall therefore haue no cause to doubt of any vnfaythfulnesse or breache of friendshyp on my behalfe Our men gaue hym lyke friendly wordes and encouraged him with many fayre promyses to doe as hee had sayde When our men were now in a readynesse to depart they couenaunted with him to paye yeerely to the great kyng of Castyle a hundred pounde weyght of pearles Hee gladly agreed to theyr request and tooke it for no great thyng nor yet thought him selfe any whit the more to become tributarie With this kyng they founde suche plentie of Hartes and Cunnies that our men standyng in theyr houses myght kyll as many as them lyst with their arrowes They lyue heere very pleasauntly hauyng great plentie of all thinges necessary This Iland is scarsely sixe degrees distant from the Equinoctiall lyne They haue the same maner of bread made of rootes and the graine of Maxium and wyne made of seedes and fruites euen as they haue in the region of Comogra and in other places aswell in the Ilandes as in the firme lande This kyng is now baptised with all his family and subicctes His desyre was at his baptisme to bee named Petrus Arias after the name of the gouernour When our men departed he accompanied them to the sea syde and furnyshed them with boates to returne to the continent Our men diuided the pearles among them reseruyng the fift portion to bee delyuered to thoffycers of the kynges Excheker in those parts They say that these pearles were maruelous precious faire orient exceeding byg insomuch that they brought many with them bygger then hasell nuttes Of what pryce value they myght bee I consider by one pearle the which Paulus predicessour to your holines bought at the second hand of a marchant of Uenice for foure fourtie thousand ducates Yet among those which were brought from this IlaÌ„d there was one bought euen in Dariena for a thousand two hundred Castellans of gold this was almost as byg as a meane walnut came at y t length to the handes of Petrus Arias the gouernour who gaue it to that noble and faythfull woman his wyfe of whose maner of departure with her husbande we haue made mention before We must then needes thinke that this was very precious whiche was bought so deare among such a multitude of pearles where they were not bought by one at once but by poundes and at the least by ounces It is also to be thought that the Uenecian marchaunt bought his for no great summe of money in the East partes But he solde it the dearer for that he chaunced to lyue in those lasciuious and wanton dayes when men were giuen to such nyse and superfluous pleasures and met with a marchant for his purpose But let vs now speake somewhat of the shelfyshes in the which pearles are engendred It is not vnknowne to your holynesse that Aristotle and Plinie his folower were of dyuers opinions as concernyng the generation of pearles But these Indians and our men rest onely in one assertion not assentyng to them in any other as eyther that they wander in the sea or that they moue at any tyme after they are borne They will therefore that there be certayne greene places as it were meadowes in the bottome of the sea bringing foorth an hearbe much lyke vnto Tyme and affyrme that they haue seene the same and that they are engendred noryshed and growe therein as wee see thincrease and succession of Oysters to grow about them selues Also that these fyshes delyghteth not in the conuersation or company of the sea dogges nor yet to bee contented with onely one two or three or at the most foure pearles affyrmyng that in the fyshyng places of the kyng of this Ilande there was founde a hundred pearles in one fyshe the whiche Caspar Moralis the captayne him selfe and his
fourscore myles for they call it threescore leagues He spent certaine daies heere in idlenesse for he coulde neither by fayre meanes nor by foule allure the kyng of the region to come to hym Whyle he lay thus idelly there came to hym other fyftie men sent from Dariena vnder the gouernaunce of captayne Lodouicus Mercado who departed from Dariena in the calendes of May to the intent to searche the inner partes of those regions When they met togeather they determined after consultation to passe ouer the mountaynes lying towarde the South euen vnto the South sea lately founde Beholde nowe a wonderfull thyng that in a lande of suche marueylous longitude in other places they founde it here to be onely about fyftie myles distant to the South sea for they count it .xvii. leagues as the maner of the Spanyardes is to recken and not by myles Yet saye they that a league consysteth of three myles by lande and foure by sea as we haue noted before In the toppes of the mountaynes and turnyng of the waters they founde a kyng named Iuana whose kyngdome is also named Coiba as is the region of king Careta of whom we haue made mention elswhere But for as muche as the region of this Iuana is rycher in golde they named it Coiba Dites that is Coiba the rych For wheresoeuer they dygged the grounde whether it were on the drye lande or in the wet chanelles of the ryuers they founde the sande whiche they cast foorth myxt with golde Iuana fledde at the commyng of our men and coulde neuer be brought agayne They spoyled all the countrey neare about his palace yet had they but litle golde for he had caryed all his stuffe with hym Here they founde certayne slaues marked in the faces after a straunge sorte For with a sharpe prycke made eyther of bone or els with a thorne they make holes in theyr faces and foorthwith sprinklyng a powder thereon they moiste the pounced place with a certayne blacke or redde iuice whose substaunce is of suche tenacitie and clamminesse that it wyll neuer weare away They brought these slaues away with them They say that this iuice is of suche sharpenesse and putteth them to suche payne that for extreme doloure they haue no stomacke to theyr meate certayne dayes after The kynges whiche take these slaues in theyr warres vse theyr helpe in seekyng for golde and in tyllage of the grounde euen as doo our men From the pallace of Iuana folowyng the course of the water about tenne myles towarde the South they entred into the dominion of an other kyng whom our men named the olde man bycause he was olde not passyng of his other name In the region of this kyng also they founde golde in all places both on the lande and in the ryuers This region is very fayre and fruitefull and hath in it many famous ryuers Departyng from hence in fyue dayes iourney they came to a lande lefte desolate They suppose that this was destroyed by ciuile discorde forasmuche as it is for the most parte fruitefull and yet not inhabited The fyfth day they sawe two men commyng a farre of these were laden with bread of Maizium whiche they caryed on theyr shoulders in sackes Our men tooke them and vnderstoode by them that there were two kynges in that tract the one was named Periquete who dwelt neere vnto the sea the others name was Totonoga This Totonoga was blynde and dwelt in the continent The two men which they met were the fyshers of Totonoga whom he had sent with certayne fardelles of fyshe to Periquete and had agayne receyued bread of hym for exchaunge For thus do they communicate theyr commodities one with an other by exchaunge without the vse of wycked mony By the conductyng of these two men they came to kyng Totonoga dwellyng on the West syde of saint Michaels gulfe in the South sea They had of this kyng the summe of syxe thousand Castellans of golde both rude and artifycially wrought Among those groumes of rude or natyue golde there was one founde of the weyght of two Castellans whiche argued the plentifull rychenesse of the grounde Folowyng the same coast by the sea syde towarde the West they came to a kyng whose name was Taracuru of whom they had golde amountyng to the weyght of eyght thousande Pesos We haue sayde before that Pesus is the weyght of a Castelane not coyned From hence they went to the dominion of this kynges brother named Pananome who fledde at their commyng and appeared no more afterwarde They say that his kyngdome is ryche in golde They spoyled his pallace in his absence Syxe leagues from hence they came to another king named Tabor From thence they came to the kyng of Cheru He frendly entertained our men and gaue them foure thousand Pesos of golde He hath in his dominion many goodly salt bayes the region also aboundeth with golde About twelue myles from hence they came to another king called Anata of whom they had xv thousande Pesos of golde whiche he had gotton of the kynges his borderers whom he had vanquished by warre A great part of this gold was in rude fourme bycause it was molten when he set the kinges houses on fyre whom he spoyled For they robbe and slay the one the other sackyng fyryng theyr villages and wasting theyr countreyes They keepe warre barbarously and to vtter destruction executyng extreeme crueltie agaynst them that haue the ouerthrowe Gonsalus Badaiocius with his felowes wandred at libertie vntyll they came to this kyng and had geathered great heapes of golde of other kynges For what in braslettes collers earerynges brest plates helmettes and certaine barres wherewith women beare vp theyr brestes they had geathered togeather in gold the summe of fourscore thousand Castellans which they had obtayned partly by exchange for our things where they founde the kynges theyr frendes otherwise by forcyble meanes where they founde the contrary They had gotten also fourtie slaues whose helpe they vsed both for cariage of their victualles and baggagies in the steede of Moyles or other beastes of burden also to releeue such as were sick and forweeried by reason of theyr long iourneies and hunger After these prosperous voyages they came by the dominion of kyng Scoria to the palace of a kyng named Pariza where fearyng no suche thing Pariza enclosed them with a great armie and assayled them straggelyng and vnwares in such sort that they had no leasure to put on theyr armure He slue and wounded about fyftie and put the resydue to flyght They made suche hast that they had no respect eyther to the golde they had geathered or to theyr slaues but left all behynde them Those fewe that escaped came to Dariena The opinion of all wyse men as concernyng the variable and inconstant chaunces of fortune in humane things were false if all thynges shoulde haue happened vnto them prosperously For such
consisteth of three thousande houses Thinhabitantes came swimmyng to the shippes marueylyng exceedingly at the maner of saylyng and at the sayles and other tackelynges But when they hearde the thunder of the gunnes sawe the smoke and smelte the sauour of brimstone and fyre they supposed that thunderbolts and lyghtnynges had been sent from God The kyng receyued our men honourably and brought them into his pallace where hee feasted them well after his maner They are accustomed to eate fleshe and haue great plentie of beastes and foules as Peacockes and other whiche they francke and feede in theyr houses also dyuers kyndes of wylde foules of the mountaynes wooddes and waters lykewyse Partriches Quailes Turtle dooues Duckes and Geese Of beastes they haue Connies Woolues Lions Tigers Foxes wylde Boores Hartes and Hares After this banquet the kyng with his trayne and famylie brought our men into a brode crosse way where many streates do meete In this they shewed them as it were a great and high alter buylded foure square of marble compacte togeather partly with the tough cleye of Babilon called Bitumem and partly with small stones it had on euery syde foure stayres Upon the altare was an Image of a man made of marble and fast by it the images of two beastes of vnknowen shape which seemed as though they woulde with yanyng mouth haue torne in sunder the belly of the mans Image On the other syde stoode a great Serpent compact of the sayde tough cleye and small stones This Serpent beyng in length .xlvii. foote and of the bygnesse of a large Oxe seemed to deuour a Lion of marble and was al besparcled with freshe blood Harde by the altare were three postes fastnes in the grounde the which three other trauersed and were susteyned with stones In this place offenders were put to death in token wherof they sawe innumerable arrowes stayned with blood some scattred some lying on heapes some broken also a great number of mens bones lying in a court or yarde neere vnto this funestal place their houses are here also buylded of lyme and stone They named this kyng Lazarus because they arriued at this lande on saint Lazarus day Departing from hence and directing their course stil toward the West for the space of .xv. myles they came to a prouince named Aquanil whose chiefe towne is called Mosco and the king therof Cupoton He behelde our men with a frowarde countenaunce and sought occasion to do thē some priuy mischiefe while they sought for freshe water For he made signes vnto them that on the further syde of the next hyl they should fynde sprynges of water entending to haue assailed them in that narowe passage But by the colouring of theyr forheades as they are accustomed in theyr warres and by the bearing of theyr bowes other weapons our men perceyued theyr wylynes and refused to go any further Yet a thousande of the Barbarians assayled them vnwares and vnprepared by reason whereof they were put to flyght and dyuers of them slayne in the chase Many that fledde towarde the shyppes were entangled in the mudde and maryshes neere vnto the shore Twentie and two were slayne with arrowes and the resydue for the most part wounded Franciscus Fernandes the gouernour of the nauie receyued in this conflicte three and thirtie woundes and in maner none escaped without hurt If they had gone to the hylles whiche were appoynted them they had ben slaine euery man They therfore that escaped returned to the Ilande of Fernardina from whence they came where they were receyued of theyr felowes with heauie cheare But when Diegus Velasquen the gouernour of the Ilande had intelligence hereof he immediatly furnyshed a newe nauie of foure Caraueles with three hundreth men Of this nauie he appointed Iohn Grisalua his nephue to be y e gouernour assigned for vnder captaynes Alphons Auila Frannces Montegio and Peter Aluarado For the pylot he assigned Antonie Alamino who had the regiment of the fyrst nauie They attempted the same viage agayne but declined somwhat more towarde the South about threescore and tenne myles Before they sawe any lande they espyed a towre a farre of by the viewe whereof they came to an Ilande named Cozumella from the whiche they smelt sweete sauours proceedyng with the wynde before they approched to the lande by the space of three myles They founde the Ilande to be xlv myles in circuitie it is playne and of maruelous fruitefull soyle there is also golde in it but it is not engendred there but brought thither from other regions It aboundeth with hony fruites and hearbes and hath also great plentie of foules and foure footed beastes Theyr order and maner of lyuyng is in al thynges lyke vnto theyrs of Iucatana lykewyse theyr houses temples streates and apparell In many of theyr houses are great poastes of marble after the maner of our buyldyng They found there the fundations of certayne olde towres ruinate and one especially with .xviii. stayres ascendyng to it after the maner of solemne temples They marueyled greatly at our shyppes and maner of saylyng At the fyrst they woulde admit no straungers but shortly after receiued them gentlye Theyr cheife ruler whom our men supposed to bee a priest led them vp to the toppe of the towre where they erected a banner and addicted the Ilande to the dominion of the kyng of Castyle namyng it Sancta Crux because they entred into the same in the nones of Maye being then the feast of the holye crosse They saye that it was called Cozumella ▪ of kyng Cozumellaus whose auncestours were the fyrst that inhabited the Ilande In the towre they found many chambers furnished with Images made both of earth and marble to the similitude of Beares these they cal vpon with a houling and lamentable songue perfuming them with sweete odours and otherwyse honouring them as theyr domesticall goddes they are also circumcised The kyng was in fayre apparell made of gossampine cotton curiously wrought he was lame on the one foote by reason that as he once exercised hym selfe in swymmyng a deuouryng fyshe called Tuberon byt of all the toes of one of his feete he entreated our men very frendly and made them great cheare After they had been heere three dayes they departed and saylyng styll towards the West they espied great mountaynes a farre of but as they drewe neare they perceyued it to be the Ilande of Iucatana being distant from Cozumella only fyue myles Directyng therfore theyr course towards the south syde of Iucatana they compassed it on that syde which lyeth nearest to be supposed continent yet coulde they not saile round about it by reason of the multitude of rocks shalowe places and shelfes of sande Then Alaminus the pilot turned his sayles to the North syde whereof he had better knowledge Thus at the length they came to the towne Campechium and kyng Lazarus with whom they
are also other Ilands situate about this Coluacana or Galuacam the which are inhabited onely with women lyuing without the companye of men after the maner of the Amazones But they that ponder the matter more wysely thynke them rather to be certayne women whiche haue vowed chastitie and professed a solitarie life as the Nunnes do with vs or as the virgins called Vestales or Bonae Deae were accustomed to do among the gentiles in olde tyme. At certayne tymes of the yeere men of the other Ilandes resorte vnto them not for thintent of generation but moued with pitie to helpe them to dresse theyr gardens and tyll theyr grounde The reporte goeth lykewyse that there are other Ilandes of corrupt women to whom men resort for carnall copulation and that they cut of one of the pappes of theyr women children lest it shoulde hynder theyr shootyng also that they keepe only the women children and send away the men children Our men therefore drewe neare to the shore of Coluacana where they quietly exercised marchandies with thinhabitantes The king gaue them a great Pot of golde also braselettes chaynes brooches with many other iewels and all of golde Our men agayne on the other part satisfied hym with such stuffe as they had done other before Heere would they gladly haue planted a new colonie or habitation but that the gouernour woulde not permit them wherat they grudged not a litle The houses and other edifices of this prouince are builded lyke vnto Towres It hath also fyfteene great townes in it Of these they affyrme that they haue seene some consistyng of more then twentie thousand houses not ioyning togeather but disseuered with courtes and gardens They haue also certayne large market places encompassed with walles and streates wel paued likewise fornaces ouens made of lime and bricke furthermore al sortes of handie craftes men and very cunning artificers This kynges name was Potanchanus and the region is called Palmaria The towne where the kyng keepeth his court conteyneth .xv. thousand houses When they receyue any straungers make a league of frendship with them they are accustomed with a knyfe made of a sharp stone to let them selues blood in the tongue hande arme or some other part of the bodie and this euen in the syght of them whom they admit to frendship in token that they are redy to shed theyr blood in theyr frendes causes Theyr priestes professe a vertuous lyfe and lyue vnmaried What it is to haue do to w t women no man knoweth before he be maried Fornication and adulterie which seldome chaunceth among them they count abhomination The women are of marueilous chastitie Euery noble man after that he haue had one wife may haue as many concubines as hym lysteth but a maried woman taken in adulterie is solde of her husband but this onely to the prince at whose handes it shal be lawfull for her kynsfolke to redeme her It is not lawefull for suche as are not maried to syt at the same table with them that are maried or to eate of the same dyshe or drynke of the same cup. In the moneth of August and September they absteyne .xxxv. dayes not onely from fleshe whereof they haue great plentie but also from fyshe and all other thynges that lyue by blood and duryng these dayes lyue onely with hearbes and fruites They recken twentie dayes to the moneth and twentie monethes to the yeere Our men consumed certayne dayes heere very pleasauntly When they departed coasting stil by the same shore they came to an other kyng whom they named Ouandus When he had intelligence that our men desired gold he brought foorth certaine plats of molten gold But when the gouernour signified vnto hym by the interpretours that he desired great plentie of that metall the day folowing he brought him a mans image of gold beyng a cubite in length also a fanne of golde and an Idole of one of his domestical gods of curious woorkmanship likewyse garlandes of stones of sundrye colours with many brest plates brooches and other kyndes of ornamentes and all of golde He gaue hym furthermore abundaunce of delicate meates well salted and powdred with spices When he had required our men to come alande he commaunded his seruauntes with all speede to prepare a great multitude of braunches of trees and to wayte vppon our men to his pallace As they went thus in order some behynde and some before on both sydes they seemed so to shadow our men with bowes as though they had gone in a continuall arbour The kyng hym selfe hauyng a Septer in his hande dyd set them in theyr arraye and some tyme stryke suche as were negligent in bearyng theyr bowes They shewed them selues obedient in all thynges and with graue countenaunce humbled them selues to receyue his strypes When he was demaunded where he had suche plentie of golde he poynted with his fynger to the next mountaynes and to the riuers descending from the same They are so accustomed to the riuers and exercised in swymmyng that it is all one to them to lyue in the water and on the lande When they desire togeather golde they plunge them selues in the riuers and bryng from the bottome therof both theyr handes full of sande whiche syftyng from hande to hande they geather out the graynes of golde And by this meanes in the space of two houres they fyll a reede as bygge as a mans fynger Of the sweete sauours of these lands many thinges might be spoken the which bycause they make rather to theffeminatyng of the myndes of men then for any necessary purpose I haue thought best to omit them The kyng also gaue the gouernour a young virgine of twelue yeeres of age adourned with ryche and fayre iewelles Of the stones whiche hee had of this kyng one was valued at two thousande Castellanes of golde Thus at the length they departed from this kyng laden with golde and precious stones Grisalua the gouernour sent one of the Carauelles to his vncle Diego Velasquen gouernour of the Ilande of Cuba with messengers to delyuer him the golde iewelles and other ornaments the resydue in the meane tyme styll folowed the tracte towarde the West One of them in the whiche Frauncis Montegius the vnder gouernour was caryed sayled harde by the shore and the other two kepte aloofe within prospecte of the lande Thinhabitauntes of these coastes also no lesse marueylyng at the shyppes then dyd the other came with twelue Canoas to Montegius desyryng him by thinterpretours to come alande promysyng in the name of theyr kyng that hee should bee honourably entertayned But Montegius answered that hee coulde not assent to theyr request bycause his companions were so farre from him Yet dyd hee gyue them certayne of our thinges straunge vnto them and thankes for their gentlenesse Shortly after espying a great towne they directed their course thither Thinhabitauntes prohibyted them to
nauie of ten Carauelles and fyue hundred men with two small brigantines as it were in the steade of lyght horsemen or forerunners whose ayde they myght vse as scoutes to search the wayes for daunger of rockes and shalow sandes or shelfes They shipte also certayne horses as fyue stoned horses and .xxvi. mares apt for the warres For theyr generall gouernour and Admirall of the nauy they elected Fernando Cortesius who at y t tyme was y e chief ruler of the citie of Sanctiago For vnder Capitaynes they appoynted Alfons Portucareius Francis Montegius Alfons Auila Aluerado Spatense Iohn Velasquen and Diegus Ordassus They styll folowed the same wynde from the last angle of Cuba towarde the West Assoone as Francis Fernandes of Corduba and then Iohn Grisalua came within prospecte of the Ilande of Sacrifyces whereof wee haue made mention before sodeinly a tempest of contrary wynde prohibited them to take lande and droue them backewarde to Cozumella lying on the East syde of Iucatana this Ilande hath onely one hauen named sainct Iohns porte and hath in it onely syxe townes also none other water then in welles and cesternes bycause it lacketh ryuers and sprynges by reason it is playne conteynyng onely .xlv. myles in circuite At the commyng of our men thinhabitauntes fledde to the thicke woods and forsooke theyr townes for feare Our men entred into theyr houses where they founde plentie of vittayles and many ornamentes parteynyng to the furnyshyng of theyr houses as hanginges and carpettes of dyuers colours sheetes also of gossampine cotton whiche they call Amaccas and muche apparell They haue furthermore innumerable bookes of the which with many other thinges sent to our newe Emperour wee will speake more largely heereafter The souldiers wandered about the Ilande and viewed all thinges diligently keepyng them selues styll in battayle raye least they myght bee sodeinly inuaded They founde but a fewe of thinhabitauntes and onely one woman in theyr company By thinterpretours of Cuba and other which the Spaniardes tooke first from Iucatana they perswaded the woman to call the kynges that were absent They came gladly and made a league of friendshyp with our men whereby they were restored to theyr houses and a great parte of their stuffe They are circumcised Idolatours and sacrifyce children of both kyndes to their Zemes which are the Images of their familiar and domesticall spirites whiche they honour as goddes When I enquired of Alaminus the pilot also of Francis Montegius and Portucarerius from whence they had the children they offered in sacrifyce they answered that they bought them in the Ilandes thereabout by exchaunge for golde and other of their trafycke For in all this so large a space of land the deuilyshe anxietie for the desyre of wicked money hath not yet oppressed thinhabitauntes They say the same also of the Ilandes lately founde whereof two are named Destam and Sestam whose inhabitants go naked and for scarcenesse of children sacrifice dogges which they nouryshe aswell for that purpose as also to eate as wee doe Cunnies these dogges are dumme can not barke hauing snoutes lyke vnto Foxes Suche as they destinate to eate they gelde while they are whelpes whereby they waxe very fat in the space of foure monethes They reserue all the bytches for increase and but fewe dogges Our men diswaded them from these superstitions declaryng howe they were abhominable and detested of God They were soone perswaded and desyred a lawe which they myght folowe Our men therfore declared vnto them that there was onely one God which made heauen and earth the giuer of all good thinges beyng of one incomprehensyble substaunce vnder triplicitie of person Assoone as they heard these wordes they broke their Zemes and pared scraped and washed the pauements and walles of their temples Our men gaue them a paynted picture of the blessed virgine which they placed reuerently in their temple about it a crosse to be honoured in the remembraunce of God and man and the saluation of mankynde They erected also an other great crosse of wood in the toppe of the temple whyther they oftentymes resorte togeather to honour the Image of the virgine Thinhabitauntes signifyed by thinterpretours that in the Ilande of Iucatana not farre from them there were seuen Christians captiues which in tyme past were driuen thither by tempest The Ilande of Cozumella is onely fyue myles distant from Iucatana The gouernour Cortesius being aduertised hereof furnished two Carauels with fiftie men willing them incōtinent to direct their viage thither to make search for these mē They tooke w t them iii. interpretors of Cozumella whose lāguage agreeth w t theirs with letters to the Christians if any might be founde He further declared vnto them howe goodly a matter they should bryng to passe if they coulde bryng away any of them For hee no wayes doubted but that by their information he should be fully certified of the commodities of all those tractes the maners of thinhabitauntes Thus they departed with commaundement to returne within the space of six dayes But when they had remayned there now .viii. dayes heard no word of their Cozumellane interpretours whom they had sent alande with the message and letters our men returned to Cozumella without them suspectyng that they were either slaine or deteyned And where as the whole nauie was now determined to depart from Cozumella but that they were hyndered by contrary wynde they sodeinly espied towarde the west a Canoa commyng from Iucatana and in it one of the Christian captiues named Hieronimus Aquillaris who had lyued seuen yeeres in that Ilande With what ioye they embrased the one the other the chaunce may declare They were no lesse desyrous to heare then he to tell of the mysfortune which befell to him and his companions And heere it shall not bee greatly from my purpose briefely to rehearse howe the thing chaunced In my Decades I haue made mention of a certayne noble man named Valdiuia whom the Spanyardes which inhabited Dariena in the supposed continent of the gulf of Vraba sent to the Iland of Hispaniola to Colonus the Admirall and viceroy with the residue of the Senate and counsaile there to whom parteyneth the redresse and orderyng of all thinges in these new landes to signifie vnto them in what extreme necessitie and penurie they lyued Unhappy Valdiuia therefore takyng this matter in hande in an euyll houre was with a sodeine and violent whirle wynde dryuen vppon certayne quickesandes in the prospecte of the Ilande of Iamaica lying on the South syde of Hispaniola and Cuba These blynde and swalowyng sandes the Spaniardes call vypers and that by good reason bycause in them many shyppes are entangled as the Lisertes are implycate in the tayles of the vypers While the Carauell thus wresteled with the water it was so burst in sunder that Valdiuia with thirtie of his felowes could scarcely with
the recordation of such pleasaunt thynges And yet do not such thinges as are sauerie engender tediousnesse so that a pretious matter be adiourned with a pretious vesture A breefe rehearsal of the contentes of the bookes of the fyrst Decade and so folowyng of all the other Decades Folio 8. IN the fyrst booke is declared howe Christophorus Colonus otherwyse called Columbus persuaded Fernando and Elizabeth princes of Spayne to further his attempt in searchyng newe and vnknowen landes in the West Ocean Also of the .vii. Ilandes of Canaria by whom they were found and conquered Howe Colonus founde the Ilandes of Hispaniola and Cuba and of the fierce people called Canibales or Caribes which are accustomed to eate mans fleshe Of the rootes called Ages Iucca and the grayne Maizìum whereof the people of the Ilandes made theyr bread Of the golde found in the sandes of ryuers of the Serpents which are without hurt also of turtle doues ducks popingaies Of Mastix and Aloe with dyuers fruites and trees vnknowen to vs and of the fruitefulnesse of the Ilande of Hispaniola which the Spanyardes call Spagnuola Of the seconde viage of Colonus into these regions and howe he was furnished with .xvii. shyppes and a thousande and two hundred souldiers with all kynde of artillarie artificers and grayne to sowe and of the tree from the which water droppeth continually into a trenche made by mans hande The contentes of the seconde booke Fol. 12. HOwe Colonus departing from the Ilandes of Canarie sayled viii hundred twentie leagues in .xxi. daies came to Dominica an Iland of the Canibales of the fragrant sauoure of spices whiche proceded from the Ilandes Of the Ilandes of Galanta or Galana and Guadalupea and of the trees which beare that kynd of cotton which the Italians call Bombasine and the Spanyardes Algadon Of dyuers kyndes of Popingiayes and of the Ilande of Matinino or Madanino beyng inhabited onely with women also of dyuers other fruitefull Ilandes and of a conflicte whiche the Spanyardes had with the Canibales Of certayne Ilandes in the whiche are seene the mynes of metals and precious stones and of the fruitfull and populous Iland called Burichena or Boriquen or Insula S. Iohannis Howe all the Admirals men whiche at his fyrst viage he left in Hispaniola were slaine in his absence by the rebellion of Guaccanarillus kyng of the region of Xamana and of the free kynde of lyfe whiche they leade that haue not the vse of money Of the seuen maydens which swam three miles in the sea and of the maner of geathering of gold in the sands of riuers The contentes of the thyrd booke Fol. 17. A Particuler discription of the Iland of Hispaniola whiche Colonus thynketh to be Ophir from whence kyng Salomon had his great ryches of golde Of the marueylous fruitfulnesse of Hispaniola and of the suger canes growyng there Of the golden regions of Cipanga or Cibaua of the ryuers in whose sandes is founde great plentie of golde Of certayne graynes of gold of exceeding great quantitie Of wilde vines of plesaunt taste and of grasse which in foure dayes groweth as hygh as wheate Of the Ilande of Iohanna or Cuba being the end of the East and the West and of the fruitfull populous Iland of Iamaica How the Admirall thought that he had sayled about the lowest Hemisphere or half circle of the earth and of a secrete of Astronomie touching the same matter Howe the Admirall gaue names to seuen hundred Ilandes and passed by three thousand vnnamed Of certaine serpentes like vnto Crocodiles of eight foote long whose flesh is delicate to be eaten and of certayne trees whiche beare Gourdes Of the riuer whose water is very hotte and of the huntyng fyshe which taketh other fyshes Of great abundaunce of Tortoyses as bygge as targets and of a fruitfull mountayne well inhabited Of dogges of deformed shape and dumbe and of white and thicke water Of woods of Date trees and Pyneapple trees and of certayne people apparelled lyke whyte fryers Of certaine trees which beare spices and of Cranes of exceedyng bygnesse Of stocke doues of more pleasaunt taste then partriches An oration of a barbarous gouernour as touching the immortalitie of the soule Also of the rewarde of vertue and punishment of vice A similitude of the golden worlde and of prouision without care Howe the Admirall fell sicke by reason of to muche watcheyng and of a sediâ—ion whiche rose among the Spaniardes in the Ilande of Hispaniola The Contentes of the fourth booke Fol. 25. HOw the Kynges of the Ilande of Hispaniola were by the Spaniardes mysbehauiour prouoked to rebellion and howe the Admirall sent for them Howe kyng Counaboa the Lorde of the house of gold that is of the mountaines of Cibaua conspired the Admirals death and how he with his familie were taken prisoners Of a great famine that chaunced in the Ilande of Hispaniola and howe the Admirall builded certayne fortresses Of a peece of rude gold wayghing twentie vnces and of the myne of the rich metall called Elestrum Of the mountayne in the whiche is founde great plentie of Amber and Orpement and of the woodes of Brasyle trees Howe the inhabitantes are put to theyr tribute and how the nature of y e Region disposeth the maners of the people How the brother of kyng Caunaboa came agaynst the Admirall with an armie of fyue thousand naked men and howe he was taken and his armie put to flyght Of the fruitfull vale Magona in the sandes of whose ryuers is founde great plentie of golde and of certayne whirlewindes and tempests How the Admirall sent foorth his brother Bartholomeus Colonus with an armie of men to searche the golde mynes and of the Fosses which he founde to haue been dygged in old tyme. The Contentes of the .v. booke Fol. 27. for 29. HOwe the Lieuetenaunt builded a fortresse in the golde mines and prepared instrumentes for the purging and finyng of the golde Howe certayne shyppes laden with vittayles came from Spayne And howe the Lieuetenaunt sent the kynges whiche rebelled with three hundred captiues into Spayne Howe the Liefetenaunt remoued his habitation and buylded a fortresse whiche he called saint Dominickes towre also howe he passed ouer the ryuer Naiba and entred into the wooddes of Brasyle trees Howe the great kyng Beuchius Anacauchoa frendelye entertayned the Lieuetenaunt and brought hym to his pallace where the kynges wyues and concubines receyued hym honorably with pompes and triumphes Of the fortresses whiche were erected in Hispaniola and howe the Lieuetenaunt exacted tribute of the kynges whiche rebelled agayne Howe the Lieuetenaunt set vppon the kynges vnwares in the nyght season and tooke .xiiii. of them prysoners Howe kyng Guarionexius captayne of the conspiracie was pardoned and howe he persuaded the people to obedience Howe kyng Beuchius Anacauchoa sent messengers to the Lieuetenaunt to repayre to his pallace where he founde .xxxii. kyngs redy with theyr tributes And howe the queene Anacaona entysed hym
sentence against him and how apt the Barbarous nations are to embrase the Christian fayth The contentes of the seuenth booke Fol. 81. HOwe Quicedus and Colmenaris the procuratours of Dariena were honourably enterteyned at the court and brought to the kynges presence and howe theyr complexion was chaunged by alteration of the ayre Howe Petrus Arias a noble man was elected gouernour and Lieuetenaunt of Dariena and howe other of the court laboured for the same office also howe the bishop of Burges spake to the kyng in his behalfe Howe Petrus Arias had a thousande and two hundred souldyers appoynted him at the kynges charges and of the kynges custome house in the citie of Ciuile called the house of the contractes of India Howe a great number of Spanyardes profered them selues to goe at theyr owne charges and of a restraint made that no straunger myght passe without the kyngs licence also how the aucthour reproueth Aloisius Cadamustus a wryter of the Portugales viages Howe Petrus Arias shortly after his departure from Ciuile lost two of his shyppes and was dryuen backe agayne by tempest and howe beyng newly furnyshed he passed the Ocean with more prosperous wyndes The thyrd viage of Vincentius Pinzonus and howe he came to the regions of Paria where encountryng with thinhabitauntes he put them fyrst to flyght but after fallyng to intreatie of peace they gaue him great plentie of golde and abundaunce of masculine frankensence with dyuers other princely presentes Of the great multitude of Popingiayes whiche are in the region of Paria and howe thinhabitours are apparelled also of the fyue kynges that made a league of friendshyp with Vincentius Howe Vincentius sayled Eastwarde by the tracte of the region of Paria vntyl he came to the poynt of that long lande which the aucthour supposeth to be the great Ilande Atlantike wherof the olde wryters make mention The contentes of the .viii. booke Fol. 86. A Contention betweene the Castilians and Portugales as concernyng the diuision of the new founde landes and howe the controuersie was fynished by the bishop of Rome Howe Don Christopher the gouernour of the Ilande of Sancti Iohannis was slayne by the Caniballes and the bishop put to flyght also of the other bishops of the Ilandes Howe the Caniballes of the Ilande of Sancta Crux slue and ate a kyng with certayne of his men beyng friendes to the Christians and made faggottes of theyr bones and howe quarellyng with our men they put them to silence The contentes of the .ix. booke Fol. 87. OF the marueylous fruitfulnesse of the regions of Beragua Vraba and Dariena and of the dyuers kyndes of trees and fruites also of the pleasaunt taste of swynes fleshe beyng fedde with the fruites of Mirobalane trees Of Lions and Tygers and other wylde beastes and of a beast of straunge fourme Of the ryuers of the gulfe of Vraba as the ryuer of Dariena and Rio Grandis and howe the great serpentes called Crocodiles are founde in other ryuers besyde Nilus in Egypt also howe thaucthour of this booke was sent Ambassadour to the Soldane of Alcayr in Egypt Of the Portugales nauigations and of the ryuer Senega found by them to bee a chanell of Nilus also of the multitude of byrds and foules being in the maryshes of Dariena A phylosophicall discourse of thoriginall and generation of sprynges and ryuers and of the breadth of the lande diuydyng the North and South Ocean Of the great ryuer Maragnonus and of the earthly Paradyse and how springs are engendred by cōuertion of ayre into water Of the often fall of rayne vnder the Equinoctiall line and of the pores of the sea opened by the South wyndes Of the great ryuers of Tanais Ganges Danubius and Eridanus famous to the olde wryters and howe certayne ryuers runnyng through the caues of the earth breake foorth into spryngs a farre of The contentes of the .x. booke Fol. 91. HOwe the newe founde landes discouered by the Spanyards in the West Ocean are eyght tymes bygger then Italie besyde that which the Portugales possesse and of the cardes of the sea drawen by Colonus and Americus Vesputius The order of measuryng the lande and howe a league conteyneth foure myles by sea and but three by lande The Nauigation of Iohannes Dias and of the sundry eleuations of the pole starre Of the Ilande of Boiuca or Agnaneo and of the spryng whose water being drunke causeth olde men to looke young How Nicuesa and his souldyers were so oppressed with famine that they were driuen to eate mangie dogges Toades and dead men and howe a broth made of a dogge skynne was solde for many peeces of golde The Contentes of the bookes of the thyrd Decade The contentes of the fyrst booke Fol. 94. OF the desperate aduenture and good fortune of Vaschus and howe with a hundred fourescore and ten men hee brought that to passe for the which Petrus Arias was sent with a thousand and two hundred freshe souldyers Howe Iron serueth for more necessary vses then golde and howe superfluities hynder libertie Howe Vaschus in one conflicte slue sixe hundred Barbarians with theyr kynges and howe he founde the house of kyng Quarequa infected with vnnaturall lechery commaundyng that the kyng and fourtie such as he kept for that purpose should bee gyuen for a pray to his dogges which he vsed to serue in the warres agaynst these naked people Of a region of blacke Moores and howe Vaschus came to the toppes of the mountaynes where gyuyng thankes to God hee behelde the newe South Ocean neuer before seene nor knowne to men of our world Howe Vaschus put kyng Chiapes to flyght and after made a league of friendshyp with him and how the kyng gaue him .iiii. hundred poundes weyght of wrought golde Howe kyng Coquera was put to flyght who also being receyued to friendshyp gaue Vaschus sixe hundred and fyftie poundes weyght of wrought golde Of the gulfe called Sinus S. Michaelis beyng full of inhabited Ilandes and of the manly courage and godly zeale of Vaschus also of the rysyng and fallyng of the South sea Howe kyng Tumacchus beyng dryuen to flyght and afterwarde reconciled gaue Vaschus sixe hundred and fourtiene peeses of golde and two hundred and fourtie of the greatest and fayrest pearles and howe the kyng caused his men to fyshe for pearles Of the Ilande called Margaritea Diues and of the abundance of fayre and great pearles founde therein Of habitable regions vnder the Equinoctiall line and of the Portugales nauigations to the Antipodes inhabityng the fyue and fyftie degree of the South pole also a declaration of Antipodes and of the starres about the South pole The contentes of the seconde booke Fol. 101. OF the maner of fyshyng for pearles and of the three kyndes thereof also dyuers other questions concernyng pearles Of the multitude of the shell fyshes wherein pearles are ingendred and founde in maner in all places in the South sea and of abundaunce of golde founde almost in
and calleth the spirite with loude voyce by certayne names whiche no man vnderstandeth but hee and his disciples After he hath done thus a whyle if the spirite yet deferre his commyng hee drynketh of the sayde water and therewith waxeth hotte and furious and inuerteth and turneth his inchauntment and letteth him selfe blood with a thorne marueilously turmoylyng him selfe as wee reade of the furious Sybilles not ceassyng vntyl the spirit be come who at his comming entreth into him and ouerthroweth him as it were a greyhound should ouerturne a Squerell then for a space hee seemeth to lye as though hee were in great payne or in a rapte woonderfully tormentyng him selfe duryng whiche agonie the other disciple shaketh the siluer bell continually Thus when the agonie is past and he lyeth quietly yet without any sense or feelyng the kyng or some other in his stead demaundeth of him what he desireth to know and the spirit answereth by the mouth of the rapte Piaces with a directe and perfecte answere to all poyntes Insomuche that on a tyme certayne Spanyardes beyng present at these mysteries with one of the kynges and in the Spanyshe tounge demaundyng the Piaces of their shyppes which they looked for out of Spayne the spirite answered in the Indian tounge and tolde them what day and houre the shyppes departed from Spayne how many they were and what they brought without fayling in any poynte If he be also demaunded of the eclypse of the Sunne or Moone which they greatly feare and abhorre he giueth a perfect answere and the lyke of tempestes famin plentie warre or peace and such other thinges When all the demaundes are finished his disciples call him aloude ryngyng the siluer bell at his eare and blowyng a certayne powder into his nosethrilles whereby he is raysed as it were from a dead sâ—eape beyng yet somewhat heauy headed and faynte a good whyle after Thus beyng agayne rewarded of the kyng with more bread hee departeth agayne to the desartes with his disciples But since the Christian fayth hath been dispearsed throughout the Ilande these deuyllyshe practises haue ceassed and they of the members of the deuyll are made the members of Christ by baptisme forsakyng the deuyll and his workes with the vayne curiositie of desyre of knowledge of thinges to come whereof for the most parte it is better to be ignorant then with vexation to know that which can not be auoyded Furthermore in many places of the firme lande when any of the kynges dye all his householde seruauntes aswell women as men whiche haue continually serued him kyll them selues beleeuyng as they are taught by the deuyll Tuyra that they whiche kyll them selues when the kyng dyeth goe with him to heauen and serue him in the same place and offyce as they dyd before on the earth whyle hee lyued and that all that refuse so to doe when after they dye by theyr naturall death or otherwyse theyr soules to dye with theyr bodyes and to bee dissolued into ayre and become nothyng as doe the soules of Hogges Byrdes Fyshes or other bruite beastes and that only the other may enioy the priuiledge of immortalitie for euer to serue the kyng in heauen And of this false opinion commeth it that they which sowe corne or set rootes for the kynges bread and geather the same are accustomed to kyll them selues that they may enioy this priuiledge in heauen and for the same purpose cause a portion of the graine of Maizium and a bundle of Iucca whereof theyr bread is made to be buryed with them in their graues that the same may serue them in heauen if perhappes there should lacke seedes to sowe and therefore they take this with them to begyn withall vntil Tuyra who maketh them all these fayre promises prouyde them of greater quantitie This haue I my selfe seene in the toppe of the mountaynes of Guaturo where hauing in pryson the kyng of that prouince who rebelled from thâ—bedience of your maiestie and demaundyng of him to whom parteyned those sepultures or graues which I sawe in his house hee answered that they were of certayne Indians which slue them selues at the death of his father And because they are oftentimes accustomed to bury great quantities of wrought gold with them I caused twoo graues to be opened wherein was nothyng founde but a vessell full of the graine of Maizium a bundle of Iucca as I haue sayde And demaundyng the cause hereof of the kyng and the other Indians they answered that they that were buryed there were the labourers of the grounde and men skylfull in sowyng of seedes and makyng of bread and seruauntes to the kynges father and to the ende that their soules should not dye with theyr bodyes they slue them selues at the death of the kyng theyr maister to lyue with hym in heauen and to the intent that they myght serue him there in the same offyce they reserued that Maizium and Iucca to sowe it in heauen Wherevnto I aunswered them in this maner Beholde howe your Tuyra deceyueth you and howe all that hee teacheth you is false You see howe in so long a tyme since they are dead they haue not yet taken away this Maizium and Iucca which is nowe putrified and woorth nothyng and not lyke to bee sowen in heauen To this the kyng replyed saying in that they haue not taken it away nor sowen it in heauen the cause is that they chaunced to fynde enough there by reason whereof they had no neede of this To this errour many thinges were sayd which seemed of litle force to remoue him from his false opinion and especially any such as at that age are occupyed of the deuyl whom they paynt of the selfe same fourme and colour as hee appeareth vnto them in dyuers shapes and fourmes They make also Images of golde copper and wood to the same similitudes in terrible shapes and so variable as the paynters are accustomed to paynt them at the feete of sainct Michaell tharchangell or in any other place where they paynte them of most horrible portiture Lykewyse when the deuyll greatly intendeth to feare them hee threatneth to sende them great tempestes whiche they call Furacanas or Haurachanas and are so vehement that they ouerthrow many houses and great trees And I haue seene in mountaynes full of many and great trees that for the space of three quarters of a league the mountayne hath been subuerted and the trees ouerthrowen and plucked out of the earth with the rootes a thing doubtlesse so fearefull and terrible to beholde that it may veryly appeare to bee done by the hande of the deuyll And in this case the Christian men ought to consider with good reason that in all places where the holy sacrament is reserued the sayde tempestes are no more so outragious or so perilous as they were wont to bee Of the temperature of the regions vnder or neare to the burnt lyne called Torrida Zona or the Equinoctiall and of the dyuers seasons of
they haue foules and fruite They make theyr houses of tymber whereof they haue great plentie and in the steade of tiles couer them with the skinnes of fishes and beastes It is sayde also that there are Gryfes in this lande and that the Beares and many other beastes and foules are whyte To this and the Ilandes about the same the Britons are accustomed to resort as men of nature agreeable vnto them and borne vnder the same altitude and temperature The Norwayes also sayled thyther with the pilot called Iohn Scoluo and the Englyshe men with Sebastian Cabot The coaste of the lande of Baccallaos is a great tract and the greatest altitude thereof is .xlviii. degrees and a halfe Sebastian Cabot was the first that brought any knowledge of this land For beyng in England in the dayes of kyng Henrye the seuenth he furnyshed two shyps at his owne charges or as some say at the kynges whom he perswaded that a passage myght be founde to Cathay by the North seas and that spyces myght be brought from thence sooner by that way then by the viage the Portugales vse by the sea of Sur. He went also to knowe what maner of landes those Indies were to inhabite He had with hym three hundred men and directed his course by the tract of Islande vpon the Cape of Laborador at fyftie and eight degrees affirming that in the moneth of Iuly there was such cold heapes of Ise that he durst passe no further also that the daies were very long and in maner without nyght and the nyghtes very cleare Certayne it is that at the threescore degrees the longest day is of eighteene houres But considering the cold and the strangenesse of the vnknowen lande he turned his course from thence to the West folowing the coast of the land of Baccallaos vnto the thirtie eight degrees from whence he returned to Englande To conclude the Britons and Danes haue sayled to the Baccallaos and Iaques Cartier a french man was there twise with three Galeons as one in the yeere .xxxiiii. and the other in the .xxxv. and chose the land to inhabite from the .xlv. degrees to the .li. beyng as good a land as Fraunce and all thynges therin commune to suche as fyrst possesse the same Of these landes Iacobus Gastaldus wryteth thus The new land of Baccallaos is a colde region whose inhabitauntes are Idolatours and praye to the Sonne and Moone and dyuers Idoles they are whyte people and verye rusticall for they eate fleshe and fyshe and all other thynges rawe Sometymes also they eate mans fleshe priuilie so that theyr Cacique haue no knoweledge thereof The apparrel of both the men and women is made of Beares skynnes although they haue Sables and Marternes not greatlye esteemed because they are litle Some of them go naked in sommer and weare apparrell only in winter The Britons and Frenchmen are accustomed to take fyshe in the coastes of these landes where is founde great plentie of Tunnies which thinhabitantes cal Baccallaos wherof the land was so named Northward from the region of Baccallaos is the lande of Laborador all full of mountaynes and great woods in which are many Beares wild Bores The inhabitantes are Idolatours and warlyke people apparelled as are they of Baccallaos In al this new land is neyther citie or castell but they lyue in companies like heardes of beastes The discouering of the land of Florida THe gouernour of the Ilande of Boriouena â–ª Iohn Ponce of Leon beyng discharged of his office and very ryche furnished sent foorth two Carauels to seeke the Ilands of Boiuca in the which the Indians affirmed to be a fountayne or spryng whose water is of vertue to make old men young Whyle he trauayled syxe monethes with outragious desire among many Ilandes to fynde that he sought and coulde fynde no token of any suche fountayne he entred into Bemini and discouered the lande of Florida in the yeere 1512. on Easter day whiche the Spaniards cal the floryshing day of Pascba wherby they named that lande Florida And supposyng that great ryches myght be brought from thence he returned into Spayne and couenanted with king Ferdinando as touchyng the trade and by the intercession of Nicolas de Ouando and Peter Nunnez de Gusman the kyng dyd not only make hym gouernour of Bemini and Florida but also sent foorth with hym three shyppes from Sciuile towards his second viage in the yeere 1515. He touched in the Ilande of Guaccana otherwyse called Guadalupea and sent to lande certayne of his men with the Laundresses of the shyppes whom the Canibales lying in ambushe assayled with theyr inuenomed arrowes and slaying the most part caried away the women With this euill beginning Iohn Ponce departed from hence to Boriquen and from thence to Florida where he went alande with his souldyers to espie a place most commodious to inhabite and plant a colonie But the Indians commyng foorth agaynst him to defende the entrance assayled the Spanyardes fiercely and slue and wounded many of them At whiche conflicte also hee him selfe beyng wounded with an arrowe dyed shortly after in the Ilande of Cuba and so endyng his lyfe consumed a great parte of the rychesse hee had before gotten at sainct Iohans of Boriquen This Iohn Ponce had before sayled with Christopher Colon to the Ilande of Hispaniola in the yeere 1493. Hee was a gentle souldyer in the warres of this Ilande and captayne of the prouince of Higuei for Nicolas de Ouando that conquested the same The region of Florida is a poynt or cape of lande reachyng into the sea lyke vnto a tongue beyng a famous and notorious place among the Indians by reason of many Spanyardes that haue been slayne there But whereas by fame this Florida was esteemed a ryche lande many valiant and noble men desyred the conquest thereof among whom Ferdinando de Soto who had before been a captayne in Peru and greatly inryched by the imprisonment of kyng Atabaliba attempted a viage thither with a good bande of men and spent fyue yeeres in seekyng of golde mynes supposyng that this land had been lyke vnto Peru. In fine hee dyed there and was the destruction and vndoyng of all that went with him without inhabytyng that lande in the whiche the conquestours had hytherto neuer good successe forasmuche as these Indians are valiant archers and strong hardy men But the valiant myndes of the Spanyardes not discouraged by these misaduentures after the death of Ferdinando Soto many woorthie gentlemen desyred this conquest in the yeere .1544 among whom was Iulian Samano and Peter de Abumada beyng bretherne and men of sufficient abilitie for such an enterprise But neyther the Emperour beyng then in Germanie neyther the prince Don Philip his son who gouerned all the kyngdomes of Castile and Aragonie neyther yet the counsayle of the Indies would in any
whan any of them calleth his name he answereth Syr and as we doe say that the kyng hath made some gentleman so say they that there is made a Loutea And for that amongest them the degrees are diuers both in name and office I will tell you onely of some principalles beyng not able to aduertise you of all The maner howe gentlemen are created Louteas and doe come to that honour and title is by the gyuyng of a broad gyrdle not like to the rest a cap at the commaundement of the kyng The name Loutea is more generall and common vnto moe than equalitie of honour therby signified agreeth withall Such Louteas that doe serue their prince in weightie matters for iustice are created after triall made of their learning but the other whiche serue in smaller affayres as Capitaynes Constables Sergeantes by lande and sea Receyuers and such lyke wherof there be in euery citie as also in this very many are made for fauour the chiefe Louteas are serued kneelyng The whole prouince China is diuided as I haue sayde into thirtiene shyres in euery shyre at the least is one gouernour called there Tutan in some shyres there be two Chiefe in office nexte vnto them be certayne other named Chians that is hygh Commissioners as you would say or visiters with full aucthoritie in suche wyse that they doe call vnto an accompt the Tutanes them selues but their aucthoritie lasteth not in any shyre longer than one yeere Neuerthelesse in euery shyre beyng at the least seuen cities yea in some of them fyftiene or sixtiene beside other Boroughes townes not well to be numbred these visiters where they come are so honoured and feared as though they were some great princes At the yeeres ende their circuit done they come vnto that citie which is chiefe of others in the shyre to doe iustice there finally busiyng them selues in the searchyng out of such as are to receyue the order of Louteas whereof more shall be sayde in an other place Ouer and besydes these officers in the chiefe citie of eche one of these aforesayde thirtiene prouinces is resident one Ponchiassi Capitayne thereof and Treasurer of all the kynges reuenues This Magistrate maketh his abode in one of the foure greatest houses that be in all these head cities And although the principall parte of his function be to be Capitayne to be Treasurer of the reuenues in that prouince to sende these reuenues at appoynted tymes to the Court yet hath he notwithstandyng by his office also to meddle with matters apperteynyng vnto iustyce In the seconde great house dwelleth an other Magistrate called Anchiassi a great offycer also for he hath dealynges in all matters of iustice Who although hee bee somewhat inferior in dignitie vnto the Ponchiassi yet for his great dealynges and generall charge of iustice whosoeuer seeth the affayres of the one house and the other myght iudge this Anchiassi to be the greater Tuzi an other officer so called lyeth in the thyrd house a magistrate of importance specially in thinges belongyng vnto warfare for thereof hath he charge There is resident in the fourth house a fourth officer bearyng name Taissu In this house is the principall pryson of all the citie Eche one of these Magistrates aforesayde may both laye euyll doers in pryson and deliuer them out agayne except the facte be heynous and of importance in suche a case they can doe nothing except they doe meete altogeather And if the deede deserue death all they togeather can not determine thereof without recourse made vnto the Chian wheresoeuer he bee or to the Tutan and eftsones it falleth out that the case be referred vnto hygher power In all cities not onely chiefe in eche shyre but in the rest also are meanes founde to make Louteas Many of them doe studie at the prince his charges wherfore at the yeeres ende they resort vnto the head cities whyther the Chians doe come as it hath been earst sayde as well to gyue these degrees as to sit in iudgement ouer the prysoners The Chians goe in circuit euery yeere but suche as are to be chosen to the greatest offices meete not but from three yeeres to three yeeres and that in certayne large halles appoynted for them to be examined in Many thynges are asked them wherevnto if they doe aunswere accordingly and be found sufficient to take their degree the Chian by and by graunteth it them but the Cappe gyrdle wherby they are knowen to be Louteas they weare not before that they be confirmed by the kyng Theyr examination done and tryall made of them such as haue taken their degree wont to be giuen them with all cerimonies vse to banket and feast many dayes together as the Chineans fashion is to end all their pleasures with eatyng and drinkyng and so remayne chosen to doe the kyng seruice in matters of learnyng The other examinates founde insufficient to proceede are sent backe to their studie againe Whose ignoraunce is perceiued to come of negligence default such a one is whipped and sometymes sent to pryson where wee lying that yeere whan this kynde of acte was we found many thus punished and demaundyng the cause therof they sayde it was for that they knew not howe to answere vnto certayne thinges asked them It is a worlde to see howe these Louteas are serued and feared in suche wise that in publyke assemblies at one shryke they gyue all the seruitors belongyng vnto iustice tremble thereat At their being in these places whan they lyst to moue be it but euen to the gate these seruitors do take them vp and carry them in seates of beaten golde After this sort are they borne whan they goe in the citie eyther for their owne businesse abrode or to see eche other at home For the dignitie they haue and office they doe beare they be al accompanyed the very meanest of them all that goeth in these seates is vshered by two men at the least that cry vnto the people to gyue place howbeit they neede it not for that reuerence the common people hath vnto them They haue also in theyr company certayne Sergeantes with their Maces eyther siluered or altogeather siluer some two some foure other six other eight conueniently for eche one his degree The more principall and chiefe Louteas haue going orderly before these Sergeantes many other with staues and a great many catchpoules with roddes of Indishe canes dragged on the grounde so that the streetes beyng paued you may heare a farre of as well the noyse of the roddes as the voyce of the cryers These felowes serue also to apprehende others and the better to be knowen they weare liuery redde girdles and in their cappes Pecockes feathers Behynde these Louteas come such as doe beare certayne tables hanged at staues endes wherein is written in siluer letters the name degree and office of that Loutea whom they folowe In lyke maner they
as theyr maner of clothes and that kynde of hat the Saracenes do weare The Moores affirmed that where the kyng lyeth there be many Tartares and Mogorites that brought into China certayne blewes of great valewe al we thought it to be Vanil of Cambaia woont to be sold at Ormus So that this is the true situation of that countrey not in the Northpartes as many tymes I haue harde saye confynyng with Germanie As for the Bremes we haue seene in this citie Chenchi certaine men women amongst whom there was one that came not long since hauyng as yet her heare tyed vp after the Pegues fashion this woman and other moe with whom a blacke Moore damsell in our companye had conference and dyd vnderstande them well ynough had dwelte in Peghu This newe come woman imaginyng that we ment to make our abode in that citie byd vs to be of good comforte for that her countrey was not distant from thence aboue fiue dayes iourney and that out of her countrey there laye a hygh way for vs home into our owne Beyng asked the way she aunsweared that the fyrst three dayes the way lyeth ouer certayne great mountaynes and wyldernesse afterwarde people to be mette withall agayne Thence two dayes iorney more to the Breames countrey Wherfore I doo conclude that Chenchi is one of the confynes of this kyngdome seperated by certayne huge mountaynes as it hath been already sayd that lye out towardes the South In the residue of these mountaynes standeth the prouince Sian the Laoyns countrey Cambaia Chinapa and Cochinchina This citie cheefe of other syxteene is situated in a pleasaunt playne aboundyng in thynges necessarie sea fysh only excepted for it standeth farre from the sea of freshe fyshe so muche store that the market places are neuer emptie The walles of this citie are very strong and hygh one day dyd I see the Louteas thereof go vpon the walles to take the viewe thereof borne in theyr seates I spake of before accompanied with a troupe of horsemen that went two and two It was tolde me they myght haue gone three and three We haue seene moreouer that within this aforesayde citie the kyng hath moe than a thousand of his kynne lodged in great pallaces in diuers partes of the citie theyr gates be redde and the entrye into theyr houses that they may be knowen for that is the kyng his colour These gentlemen accordyng to theyr nearenesse in blood vnto the kyng as soone as they be maried receiue theyr place in honour this place neither encreaseth nor diminisheth in any respect as long as the kyng lyueth the kyng appoynteth them theyr wyues and familie allowyng them by the Moneth al thynges necessarie abundantly as he doth to his gouernours of shyres and cities howebeit not one of these hath as long as he lyueth any charge or gouernment at al. They geue them selues to eatyng and drinkyng â–ª and be for the most part burly men of bodie insomuche that espiyng any one of them whom we had not seene before we myght knowe hym to be the kyng his cosyn They be neuerthelesse very pleasaunt courteous and fayre conditioned ne dyd we finde al the time we were in that citie so much honour and good entertaynement any where as at theyr handes They byd vs to theyr houses to eate and drynke and when they founde vs not or were not wyllyng to go with them they byd our seruantes slaues causing them to syt down with the first Notwithstanding the good lodging these gentlemen haue so commodious that they want nothyng yet are they in this bondage that duryng lyfe they neuer goe abrode The cause as I dyd vnderstand wherefore the kyng so vseth his cousynes is that none of them at anye tyme may rebell agaynst hym and thus he shutteth them vp in three or foure other cities Most of them can play on the Lute and to make that kynde of pastyme peculier vnto them only all other in the cities where they do lyue be forbydden that instrument the Curtisans and blynde folke only excepted who be musitions and can play This king furthermore for the greater securitie of his realme and the auoydyng of tumultes letteth not one in al his countrey to be called Lord except he be of his blood Many great estates and gouernours there be that duryng theyr office are lodged Lordlyke and do beare the port of myghtie Princes but they be so many tymes displaced and other placed a newe that they haue not the whyle to become corrupt True it is that duryng theyr office they be well prouided for as afterwarde also lodged at the kynges charges and in pension as long as they liue payde them Monethly in the cities where they dwel by certaine officers appoynted for that purpose The kyng then is a Lorde only not one besydes hym as you haue seene except it be suche as be of his blood A Nephewe lykewyse of the kyng the kyng his systers sonne lyeth continually within the walles of the citie in a strong pallace built Castelwyse euen as his other cousins do remaynyng alwayes within doores serued by Eunuches neuer dealyng with any matters Their festiuall dayes newe Moones and ful Moones the magistrates make great bankets so do such as be of the king his blood The king his Nephewe hath name Vanfuli his pallace is walled about the wall is not high but foure square and in circuit nothing inferiour to the walles of Goa the outside is painted red in euery square a gate ouer each gate a tower made of timber excellently wel wrought before the principal gate of the foure that openeth into the high streat no Loutea be he neuer so great may passe on horsbacke or carried in his seat Amydde this quadrangle standeth the pallace where that gentleman lieth doubtlesse worth the sight although we came not in to see it By report the roofes of the towers and house are glased greene the greater part of the Quadrangle set with sauage trees as Okes Chestnuttes Cypres Pineapples Cedars and other suche lyke that we do wante after the maner of a wood wherin are keapt Stagges Oxen and other beastes for that Lorde his recreation neuer goyng abrode as I haue sayde One preheminence this citie hath aboue the reste where we haue been and it of ryght as we do thynke that besydes the multitude of market places wherein all thynges are to be solde through euery streate continually are cryed all thynges necessarie as fleshe of all sortes freshe-fyshe hearbes oyle vineger meale rise in summa al thinges so plentifully that many houses neede no seruauntes euery thing beyng brought to theyr doores Most part of the merchantes remayne in the suburbes for that y e cities are shut vp euery night as I haue sayde The merchantes therefore the better to attende theyr businesse do chuse rather to make theyr abode without in the suburbes then within the citie I haue seene in this ryuer a
pretie kynde of fyshyng not to be omitted in my opinion and therefore wyll I set it downe The kyng hath in many ryuers good store of barges full of sea crowes that breede are fedde and do dye therein in certayne cages allowed monethly a certayne prouision of ryse These barges the kyng bestoweth vppon his greatest magistrates geuyng to some two to some three of them as he thynketh good to fyshe therewithall after this maner At the houre appoynted to fyshe all the barges are brought togeather in a circle where the ryuer is shalowe and the crowes tyed togeather vnder the wynges are let leape downe into the water some vnder some aboue worth the lookyng vppon eche one as he hath filled his bagge goeth to his owne barge and emptieth it whiche done he retourneth to fyshe agayne Thus hauyng taken good store of fyshe they set the crowes at libertie and do suffer them to fyshe for theyr owne pleasure There were in that citie where I was twentie barges at the least of these aforesayde crowes· I wente almost euery day to see them yet coulde I neuer be throughly satisfied to see so straunge a kynde of fyshyng ¶ Of the Ilande Giapan and other litle Isles in the East Ocean By R. Wylles THe extreme part of the knowen worlde vnto vs is the noble Ilande Ciapan written otherwyse Iapon and Iapan This Iland standeth in the East Ocean beyonde all Asie betwixte Cathayo the West Indies 36. degrees Northwarde from the aequinoctial line in the same clime with the South part of Spayne and Portugall distant from thence by sea .6000 leagues the trauayle thyther both for ciuile discorde great piracie and often shipwrackes very daungerous This countrey is hylly and pestred with snowe wherefore it is nether so warme as Portugall yet very poore as farre as we can learne wantyng oyle butter cheese mylke egges suger honny vyneger saffarne cynamome and pepper Barly branne the Ilanders do vse in steede of salte medicinable thinges holsome for the body haue they none at al. Neuerthelesse in that Iland sundry fruites do grow not much vnlike the fruites of Spayne great store of Syluer mynes are therin to be seene The people tractable ciuile wyttye courteous without deceyte in vertue and honest conuersation exceedyng all other nations lately discouered but so muche standyng vppon theyr reputation that theyr chiefe Idole may be thought honour The contempte therof causeth among them much discord and debate manslaughter and murther euen for theyr reputation they do honour theyr parentes keepe theyr promises absteyne from adultery and robberyes punyshing by death the least robbery done holdyng for a prynciple that whosoeuer stealeth a tryfle wyll if he see occasion steale a greater thing It may be thefte is so seuerely punished of them for that the nation is oppressed with scarcitie of al thynges necessarye and so poore that euen for miserie they strangle theyr owne chyldren preferring death before want These felowes do nether eate nor kyll any foule They lyue chiefely by fyshe hearbes and fruites so healthfully that they dye very olde Of Ryce and Wheate there is no great store No man is ashamed there of his pouertie ne be theyr gentlemen therfore lesse honored of the meaner people ne wyl the poorest gentleman there ▪ matche his chylde with the baser sort for any gayne so muche they do make more accompt of gentry then of wealth The greatest delyght they haue is in armorie eache boy at fourteene yeeres of age be he borne gentle or otherwyse hath his swoorde and dagger very good archers they be contempnyng all other nations in comparison of theyr manhood and prowesse puttyng not vp one iniurie be it neuer so small in worde or deede among them selues They feede moderately but they drynke largely The vse of vines they knowe not theyr drinke they make of Ryce vtterly they do abhorre dyse and all games accomptyng nothyng more vyle in a man then to geue hym selfe vnto those thynges that make vs greedie and desirous to get other mens goodes If at any time they do sweare for that seldome they are wont to do they sweare by the Sunne many of them are taught good letters wherfore they may so much the sooner be brought vnto Christianitie Eche one is contented with one wyse they be all desirous to learne and naturally enclined vnto honestie and curtesie godly talke they lysten vnto wyllinglye especially when they vnderstand it throughlye Theyr gouerment consisteth of three estates The fyrst place is due vnto the hygh priest by whose lawes and decrees al publique and priuate matters apparteynyng vnto religion are decided The sectes of theyr cleargie men whom they do call Bonzi be of no estimation or aucthoritie except the high priest by letters patent do confyrme the same he confyrmeth and alloweth of theyr Tundi who be as it were Byshops although in many places they are nominated by sundrye Princes These Tundi are greatly honoured of all sortes they do geue benefices vnto inferiour ministers and doo graunt licences for many thynges as to eate fleshe vppon those daies they go in Pilgrimage to theyr Idoles with suche lyke priuileges Finallye this hygh priest wont to be chosen in China for his wisdome and learnyng made in Giapan for his gentry and byrth hath so large a Dominion and reuenewes so great that eftsones he beardeth the pety Kinges and Princes there Theyr seconde principall Magistrate in theyr language Vo is the cheefe Herehaught made by succession and byrth honored as a God This gentleman neuer toucheth the grounde with his foote without forfaytyng of his office he neuer goeth abrode out of his house nor is at all tymes to be seene At home he is eyther carried about in a lytter or els he goeth in woodden Choppines a foote hygh from the grounde commonly he sitteth in his Chayre with a swoord in one syde and a bowe and arrowes in the other next his body he weareth blacke his outwarde garment is redde all shadowed ouer with Cipresse at his cap hang certayne Lambeaux much lyke vnto a Bishops Myter his forehead is paynted whyte and red he eateth his meate in earthen Dishes This Herehaught determineth in all Giapan the diuers tytles of honour whereof in that Iland is great plentie eache one perticularly knowen by his badge commonly seene in sealyng vp theyr letters and dayly altered accordyng to theyr degrees About this Vo euery noble man hath his Soliciter for the nation is so desirous of prayse and honour that they stryue among them selues who may brybe hym best By these meanes the Herehaught groweth so ryche that although he haue neyther lande nor any reuenewes otherwyse yet may he be accompted the wealthyest man in al Giapan For three causes this great Magistrate may loose his office first if he touch the ground with his foote as it hath been alreadie sayd next if he kyl anye body thyrdlye yf he be founde an enemie vnto peace and quietnesse howebeit neyther of
these aforesayde causes is sufficient to put hym to death Theyr thyrd cheefe officer is a Iudge his office is to take vp to end matters in controuersie to determine of warres peace that which he thynketh ryght to punyshe rebelles wherein he may commaunde the noble men to assist hym vpon paine of forfettyng theyr goodes neuerthelesse at all tymes he is not obeyed for that many matters are ended rather by might and armes than determined by law Other controuersies are decided either in the Temporal Court as it seemeth good vnto the Princes or in the Spiritual consistorie before the Tundi Rebelles are executed in this maner especially yf they be noble men or officers The kyng looke what daye he geueth sentence agaynst any one the same day the partie wheresoeuer he be is aduertised thereof and the day tolde him of his execution The condempned person asketh of the messenger where that it may be lawfull for him to kyll him selfe the which thing whan the kyng doeth graunt the partie takyng it for an honour putteth on his best apparell and launcyng his body a crosse from the brest downe all the belly murdreth him selfe This kynde of death they take to be without infamy ne doe their children for theyr fathers crime so punished lose theyr goods But if the king reserue them to be executed by the Hangman than flocketh hee togeather his children his seruantes and friendes home to his house to preserue his lyfe by force The kyng committeth the fetchyng of him out vnto his chiefe Iudge who first setteth vppon him with bow and arrowes afterward with pykes swoords vntyll the rebell and all his family be slayne to theyr perpetuall ignominie and shame The Indyshe wryters make mention of sundry great cities in this Iland as Cangoxima a Hauen towne in the South parte therof and Meaco distant from thence .300 leagues northward the royall seat of the kyng and most wealthy of all other townes in that Ilande The people thereabout is very noble and theyr language the best Iaponishe In Meaco are sayde to be nienetie thousande houses inhabited and vpwarde a famous Uniuersitie and in it fyue principall Colledges besydes closes and cloysters of Bonzi Leguixil and Hamacata that is Priestes Monkes and Nunnes Other fyue notable Uniuersities there be in Giapan namely Coia Negru Homi Frenoi and Bandu The fyrst foure haue in them at the least .3500 schollers in the fyft are many moe For Bandu prouince is very great and possessed by sixe princes fyue whereof are vassalles vnto the sixt yet he him selfe subiecte vnto the Iaponish kyng vsually called the great king of Meaco lesser scholes there be many in diuers places of this Ilande And thus muche specially concernyng this glorious Ilande among so many barbarous nations and rude regions haue I geathered together in one summe out of sundry letters written from thence into Europe by no lesse faithful reporters thā famous traueylers For confirmation whereof as also for the knowledge of other thinges not conteyned in the premisses the curious readers may peruse these foure volumes of Indishe matters written long agoe in Italian and of late compendiously made latin by Petrus Maffeius my olde acquaynted friend entitulyng the same De rebus Iaponicis One whole letter out of the fyft booke thereof specially entreatyng of that countrey haue I done into Englyshe word for word in suche wyse as foloweth Aloisius Froes ▪ to his companyons in Iesus Christ that remayne in China and Indie THe last yeere deare brethren I wrote vnto you from Firando howe Cosmus Turrianus had appoynted me to traueyle to Meaco to help Gaspar Vilela for that there the haruest was great the labourers fewe and that I should haue for my companyon in that iourney Aloisius Almeida It seemeth now my parte hauing by the helpe of God ended so long a voyage to signifie vnto you by letter suche thinges specially as I myght thinke you woulde most delyght to knowe And because at the begynnyng Almeida and I so parted the whole labour of wrytyng letters betwixt vs that he should speake of our voyage and suche thinges as happened therein I should make relation of the Meachians estate and wryte what I could well learne of the Giapans maners and conditions settyng asyde all discourses of our voyage that whiche standeth me vppon I wil discharge in this Epistle that you consideryng howe artificially how cunningly vnder the pretexte of religion that craftie aduersary of mankynde leadeth and draweth vnto perdition the Giaponish myndes blynded with many superstitions and cerimonies may the more pitie this nation The inhabiters of Giapan as men that neuer had greatly to doe with other nations in their Geography diuided the whole world into three partes Giapan Sian and China And albeit the Giapans receyued out of Sian and China their superstitions and cerimonies yet doe they neuerthelesse contemne all other nations in comparison of them selues standyng in their owne conceite doe far preferre them selues before all other sortes of people in wisedome and policie Touching the situation of the countrey nature of the soyle vnto the thinges eftsones erft written this one thing wil I adde in these Ilandes the sommer to be most hot the winter extreame colde In the kyngdome of Canga as we call it falleth so muche snow that the houses being buried in it y e inhabiters keepe within doores certaine moneths of the yeere hauing no way to come foorth except they breake vp the tiles Whirlewyndes most vehement Earthquakes so common that the Giapans dreade suche kinde of feares litle or nothing at all The countrey is full of siluer mines otherwyse barren not so much by fault of nature as through the slouthfulnes of the inhabiters howebeit Oxen they keepe that for tillage sake onely The ayre is wholsome y e waters good the people very fayre well bodied bare headed commonly they go procuring baldnes with sorow teares eftsoones rooting vp w t pinsars al the heare of their heads as it groweth except it be a litle behind the which they knot and keepe with al diligence Euen from their chyldehood they weare daggers and swoords the which they vse to lay vnder their pillows whan they goe to bedde in shew curteous and affable in deede haughty and proude They delight most in warlyke affayres and their greatest studie is armes Mennes apparell dyuersly coloured is worne downe halfe the legges and to the elbowes womens attyre made hansomely lyke vnto a vayle is somewhat longer all maner of dysyng and theft they doe eschue The merchant although he bee wealthie is not accompted of Gentlemen be they neuer so poore retayne theyr place most precysely they stande vppon theyr honour and woorthynesse cerimoniously stryuyng among them selues in curtesies and fayre speaches Wherein if any one happely bee lesse carefull than hee should bee euen for a trifle many tymes hee getteth euyll will Want though it trouble most of them so muche they doe deteste that
poore men cruelly takyng pietie of theyr infantes newly borne especially gyrles doe many tymes with theyr owne feete strangle them Noble men and other lykewyse of meaner calling generally haue but one wyfe a peece by whom although they haue issue yet for a trifle they diuorse themselues from their wiues and the wiues also sometimes from their husbands to marry with others After y e seconde degree coosins may there lawfully marry Adoption of other mens children is much vsed among them In great townes most men and women can write and reade This nation feedeth sparely theyr vsuall meate is ryse and salattes and neare the sea syde fyshe They feast one an other many tymes wherein they vse great diligence especially iâ— drinkyng one to an other insomuch that the better sorte least they myght rudely commit some fault therin doe vse to reade certaine bookes written of dueties and cerimonies apperteynyng vnto bankettes To be delicate and fine they put theyr meat into their mouthes with litle forkes accompting it great rudenes to touch it with theyr fingers wynter and sommer they drynke water as hot as they may possible abyde it Theyr houses are in daunger of fyre but finely made and cleane layde all ouer with straw pallettes wherevppon they doe both sit in steede of stooles and lye in theyr clothes with billets vnder theyr heades For feare of defilyng these pallettes they goe eyther barefoote within doores or weare strawe pantofles on theyr buskynnes whan they come abroade the which they laye asyde at theyr returne home agayne Gentlemen for the most parte doe passe the nyght in banketting musike and vayne discourses they sleepe the day tyme. In Meaco and Sacaio there is good store of beddes but they be very litle and may be compared vnto our pues In bryngyng vp theyr children they vse wordes onely to rebuke them admonishyng as diligently and aduisedly boyes of six or seuen yeeres age as though they were olde men They are giuen very much to entertayne strangers of whom most curiously they loue to aske euen in trifles what forreyne nations doe and theyr fashions Suche argumentes and reasons as be manifest and are made playne with examples doe greatly persuade them They detest all kynde of theft whosoeuer is taken in that faulte may be slayne freely of any body No publike prisons no common gayles no ordinary Iusticers priuately eche householder hath the hearyng of matters at home in his owne house and the punishyng of greater crymes that deserue death without delaye Thus vsually the people is kept in awe and feare About foure hundred yeeres agoe as in theyr olde recordes we fynde all Giapan was subiecte vnto one Emperor whose royall seate was Meaco in the Giaponishe language called Cubucama But the nobilitie rebellyng agaynst him by litle and litle haue taken away the greatest parte of his dominion howbeit his title continually remayneth and the residue in some respect doe make great accompt of him stil acknowledging him for theyr superior Thus the Empyre of Giapan in tymes past but one alone is now diuided into sixtie sixe kyngdomes the onely cause of ciuile warres continually in that Iland to no small hynderaunce of the Gospell whilest the kynges that dwell neare togeather inuade one an other eche one couetyng to make his kyngdome greater Furthermore in the citie Meaco is the pallace of the high priest whom that nation honoureth as a God he hath in his house .366 Idolles one whereof by course is euery nyght set by his syde for a watcheman He is thought of the common people so holy that it may not be lawfull for him to goe vppon the earth if happely he doe set one foote to the grounde he looseth his office He is not serued very sumptuously he is maynteined by almes The heads and beards of his ministers are shauen they haue name Cangues and theyr aucthoritie is great throughout all Giapan The Cubucama vseth them for Embassadours to decide controuersies betwixte princes and to ende theyr warres whereof they are wont to make very great gayne It is now two yeeres since or there about that one of them came to Bungo to entreat of peace betwixt the kyng thereof and the kyng of Amanguzzo This Agent fauouring the kyng of Bungo his cause more than the other brought to passe that the foresayde kyng of Bungo should keepe two kingdomes the which he had taken in warres from the king of Amanguzzo Wherefore he had for his rewarde of the kyng of Bungo aboue thirtie thousande Ducattes And thus farre heereof I come now to other superstitions and ceremonies that you may see deare brethren that whiche I sayde in the beginnyng howe surlye the deuyll hath deceyued the Giaponishe nation and howe diligent and ready they be to obey and worshyp him And first all remembrance and knowledge not onely of Christ our redeemer but also of that one God the maker of all thinges is cleane extinguished vtterly abolished out of the Giapans hartes Moreouer theyr superstitious sectes are many wheras it is lawfull for eche one to folow that which lyketh him best but the principall sectes are two namely the Amidans and Xacaians Wherfore in this countrey shall you see many monasteryes not onely of Bonzii men but also of Bonziae women diuersly attyred for some doe weare whyte vnder and blacke vpper garments other goe apparelled in ashe colour theyr Idole hath name Denichi from these the Amidanes differ very muche Agayne the men Bonzii for the most parte dwell in sumptuous houses and haue great reuenues These felowes are chast by commaundement marry they may not vnder payne of death In the mydst of theyr Temple is erected an Aulter whereon standeth a wodden Idole of Amida naked from the gyrdle vpwarde with holes in his eares after the maner of Italian Gentlewomen sittyng on a woodden rose goodly to beholde They haue great libraries and halles for them all to dyne and suppe togeather and belles wherewith they are certayne houres called to prayers In the euenyng the Superintendent gyueth eche one a theame for meditation After mydnyght before the Aulter in theyr Temple they doe say Mattens as it were out of Xaca his last booke one quier one verse the other quier an other Early in the mornyng eche one gyueth him selfe to meditation one houre they shaue theyr heades and beardes Theyr Cloysters be very large and within the precincte thereof Chappelles of the Fotoquiens for by that name some of the Giapanish Sainctes are called theyr holydayes yeerely be very many Most of these Bonzii be Gentlemen for that the Giaponish nobilitie charged with many children vse to make most of them Bonzii not being able to leaue for eche one a patrymony good ynough The Bonzii most couetously bent know all the wayes howe to come by money They sell vnto the people many scroles of paper by the helpe whereof the common people thinketh it selfe warranted from all power of the deuylles They borowe lykewyse money to bee
marke that they see a far of Which doubtlesse is a token both of the marueylous swyftnesse great strength of these beastes beyng able to continue runnyng for so great a space in the meane whyle also spendyng some tyme in feedyng I suppose that this thyng was somewhat knowen to the olde wryters although receyued in maner by an obscure and doubtfull fame For they also wryte that certayne Scythians doe ryde on Hartes They neyther folow the Christian religion nor yet refuse it or are offended therewith as are the Iewes but doe sometymes receyue it fauourably to gratifie the princes to whom they obey And that no more of them imbrase the Christian fayth the faulte is somewhat to be imputed to the Byshoppes and Prelates that haue eyther reiected this cure charge of instructyng the nation or suffered the fayth of Christ to bee suffocate euen in the fyrst spryng For vnder the pretence of religion they would haue aduaunced theyr owne reuenues and ouerburdened the people by an intollerable example none otherwyse here then in all Christendome which thyng is doubtlesse the cause of most greeuous defections I heard Iohn a byshop of Gothlande say thus We that gouerne the churche of Vpsalia and haue vnder our diocesse a great parte of that nation lyke as it is not conuenient to declare many thinges of our vigilance and attendaunce ouer the flocke committed to our charge euen so absteynyng from myscheeuous couetousnesse whereby religion is abused for luker we doe in all places our diligent endeuour that wee minister none occasion whereby this nation as offended by our sinnes may be the lesse wyllyng to embrase the Christian fayth This is the state of the religion among the Lapones although of theyr owne institution and custome receyued of theyr predicessours they are Idolatours honouryng that lyuyng thyng that they meete fyrst in the mornyng for the God of that day and diuinyng thereby theyr good lucke or euyll They also erecte Images of stone vppon the mountaynes whiche they esteeme as Goddes attributyng to them diuine honour They solemne mariages and begyn the same with fyre and flynt as with a mysterie so aptely applyed to the Image of stone as if it had been receyued from the myddest of Grecia For in that they adhibite a mysterie to fyre as they doe not this alone forasmuch as the Romanes obserued the same custome euen so are they herein partly to be commended in that they vse the ceremonies of so noble a people The mysterie of the flinte is no lesse to be praysed both forasmuch as this is domesticall philosophie and hath also a neare affinitie and signification to these solemnities For as the flynt hath in it fyre lying hyd whiche appeareth not but by mouyng force so is there a secrete lyfe in both kynds of man and woman which by mutuall coniunction commeth foorth to a lyuyng byrth They are furthermore experte inchaunters They tye three knottes on a stryng hangyng at a whyp When they lose one of these they rayse tollerable wynds When they lose an other the wynde is more vehement but by losyng the thyrd they rayse playne tempestes as in olde tyme they were accustomed to rayse thunder and lyghtnyng This arte doe they vse agaynst such as sayle by theyr coastes and staye or moue the ryuers and seas more or lesse as they lyst to shew fauour or displeasure They make also of leade certayne shorte magicall dartes of the quantitie and length of a fynger These they throwe agaynst such of whom they desyre to bee reuenged to places neuer so farre distant They are sometymes so vexed with the canker on theyr armes or legges that in the space of three dayes they dye through the vehemencie of the payne The Sunne falleth very lowe in these regions and prolongeth one continuall nyght for the space of three monethes in wynter duryng whiche tyme they haue none other lyght but lyke vnto the twilight of eueninges morninges This is very cleare but continueth but fewe houres and is lyke the bryght shynyng of the Moone Therefore that day that the Sunne returneth to the hemispherie they keepe holy day and make great myrth with solemne festiuitie And these are the maners of this nation not so brutyshe or saluage as woorthy therefore to be called Lapones for theyr vnaptenesse or simplicitie as when they lyued vnder theyr owne Empyre and vsed no familiaritie or entercourse with other nations knew not the commoditie of their owne thinges neyther the pryce and estimation of theyr furres in our regions by reason whereof they solde great plentie of them for some of our wares of small value The boundes or limittes of Laponia beyng the extreme land of Scondia knowen towarde the North pole are extended towarde this parte of the North to the world yet vnknowen to vs And furthermore towarde the same parte of the vttermost sea accordyng to this description The fyrst coast 70 72. The coast folowyng 80 7. That that yet foloweth 90 70. From the fyshyng places and store houses of this sea they carry foorth to Nordbothnia and whyte Russia landes confinyng to them great plentie of fyshe Whereby we may coniecture that this sea is extended on euery syde towarde the North. Towarde the West it is limitted with the most inwarde gulfe at the Castle of Wardhus at the degree .54 70 30. Towarde the South it is limitted by a lyne drawen from thence vnto the degree .90 69. Norwegia or Norway NOrdway is as muche to say as the Northway This was sometyme a floryshyng kyngdome whose dominion comprehended Denmarke Friselande and the Ilandes farre about vntyll the domesticall Empyre was gouerned by the succession of inheritaunce In the meane tyme whyle this gouernance ceassed for lacke of due issue it was instituted by consent of the nobilitie that the kynges should be admitted by election supposing that they would with more equitie execute that office forasmuche as they were placed in the same by suche auctoritie and not by obteynyng the kyngdome by fortune and newe aduauncement But it came so to passe that as euery of them excelleth in rychesse ambition and fauoure by consangiuitie so were they in greater hope to obteine the kyngdome and were by this meanes diuided into factions attemptyng also occations to inuade foraigne realmes whereby they myght strenghten theyr parties It is therefore at this present vnder the dominion of the Danes who do not onely exact intollerable tributes but also bryng al theyr ryches and commodities into Denmarke constitutyng the continuance of theyr gouernaunce in thinfirmitie and pouertie of the subiectes whiche exemple some other princes do folowe at this day in the Christian Empire For after that the princes had forsaken such vertues as should haue shyned in them as to be Patres patriae that is the fathers of their countreys and that in the place hereof onely the proude countenaunce of
called Samoged that is such as eate them selues They haue great increase of foules byrdes and dyuers kyndes of beastes as Sables Marternes Beuers Otters Hermelines Squirrels and in the Ocean the beast called Mors Also Uesse whyte Beares Wolues Hares Equiwoduani great Whales and fysh called Semfi with dyuers other The people of these nations come not to Moscouia For they are wylde and flee the company and societie of other men From the mouthes of Stzuchogora saylyng vp the ryuer vnto Poiassa Artawische Cameni and Poiassa the greater is three weekes vyage Furthermore the ascendyng to the mounte Camen is three dayes iourney from the which descendyng they come to the ryuer Artawischa and from thence to the ryuer Sibut from whence they passe to the Castell of Lepin and from Lepin to the ryuer Sossa The people that inhabite the region by this ryuer are called Vuogolici Leauyng Sossa on the ryght hande they come to the great ryuer Obi that spryngeth out of the lake Kitaisko the whiche with all the haste they coulde make they coulde scarcelye passe ouer in one day the ryuer beyng of suche breadth that it reacheth fourescore Werstes The people also that dwell about this ryuer are called Vuogolici and Vgritzschi From the Castle of Obca ascendyng by the ryuer of Oby vnto the ryuer Irtische into the which Sossa entereth is three monethes iourney In these places are two Castles named Ierom and Tumen kepte by certayne Lordes called Knesi Iuhorski being tributaries to the great Duke of Moscouia as they say Heere are dyuers kyndes of beastes and furres From the mouth of the ryuer Irtische to the Castle of Grustina is two monethes iourney from whence to the lake Kitai by the ryuer Oby which I sayde to haue his springes in this lake is more then three monethes iourney From this lake come many blacke men lackyng the vse of common speech They bryng with them dyuers wares and especially pearles and precious stones which they sell to the people called Grustintzi and Serponowtzi These haue theyr name of the Castle Serponow situate in the mountaynes of Lucomorya beyonde the ryuer Obi. They say that to the men of Lucomorya chaunceth a marueylous thing and incredible For they affyrme that they dye yeerely at the .xxvii. day of Nouember beyng the feast of Sainct George among the Moscouites and that at the nexte spryng about the .xxiiii. day of Aprill they reuyue agayne as doe Frogges With these also the people of Grustintzi and Serponowtzi exercise a newe and straunge kynde of trade For when the accustomed tyme of theyr dying or rather of sleapyng approcheth they leaue theyr wares in certayne places appoynted which the Grustintzi and Serponowtzi carry away leauyng other wares of equall value in theyr places which if the dead men at the tyme of theyr reuyuyng perceyue to be of vnequall pryce they requyre theyr owne agayne by reason whereof much stryfe and fighting is betweene them From the ryuer of Obi descendyng towarde the lefte hande are the people called Calami whiche came thyther from Obiowa and Pogosa Beneath Obi about Aurea Anus that is the golden olde wyfe are the ryuers Sossa Beres Vua Danadim all which spryng out of the mountaynes Camen Bolschega Poiassa and the rockes ioynyng to the same All the nations that inhabite from these ryuers to Aurea Anus are subiecte to the prince of Moscouia Aurea Anus called in the Moscouites tongue Slata Baba is an idol at the mouthes of Obi in the prouince of Obdora standyng on the furthest banke towarde the sea Along by the bankes of Obi and the riuers neare there about are here and there many castles and fortresses all the lordes whereof are subiect to the prince of Moscouia as they say They say also or rather fable that the idoll called Aurea Anus is an image lyke vnto an olde wyfe hauyng a chylde in her lappe and that there is nowe seene another infant whiche they say to be her nephewe Also that there are certayne instrumentes that make a continuall sounde lyke the noyse of Trumpettes the whiche yf it so be I thynke it to be by reason of the wynde blowing continually into the holowe places of those instrumentes The riuer Cossin falleth out of the mountaynes into Lucomoria In the mouth of this is a castle whither from the springes of the great riuer Cossin is two monethes viage Furthermore from the springes of the same riuer the riuer Cassima hath his original whiche runnyng through Lucomoria falleth into the great riuer Tachnin beyonde the whiche as is sayde dwel men of prodigious shape of whom some are ouergrowen with heare lyke wilde beastes other haue heades lyke dogges and their faces in their brestes without neckes and with long handes also and without feete There is lykewyse in the ryuer Tachnin a certayne fysh with head eyes nose mouth handes feete and other members vtterly of humane shape and yet without anye voyce and pleasant to be eaten as are other fyshes All that I haue hytherto rehearsed I haue translated out of the sayde iourney whiche was delyuered me in the Moscouites tongue In the whiche perhappes some thynges may seeme fabulous and in maner incredible as of the dombe men and the dead reuiuyng the Aurea Anus also and the monstrous shapes of men with the fyshe of humane fourme whereof although I haue made diligent inquisition yet coulde I knowe nothyng certayne of anye that had seene the same with their eyes neuerthelesse to geue further occasion to other to searche the trueth of these thynges I haue thought good to make mention hereof Noss in the Moscouites tongue signifieth a Nose and therefore they cal all capes or poyntes that reache into the sea by the same name The mountaynes about the riuer of Petzora are called Semnoi Poyas or Cingulus mundi that is the gyrdle of the worlde or of the earth Kithai is a lake of whom the great Cane of Cathay whom the Moscouians call Ezar Kithaiski hath his name For Chan in the Tartars language signifieth A Kyng The places of Lucomoria neare vnto the sea are saluage ful of woods and inhabited without anye houses And albeit that the aucthor of this iourney sayde that manye nations of Lucomoria are subiecte to the prince of Moscouia yet for as muche as the kyngdome of Tumen is neare therevnto whose prince is a Tartar and named in their tongue Tumenski Czar that is a king in Tumen and hath of late doone great domage to the prince of Moscouia it is moste lyke that these nations shoulde rather be subiect vnto hym Neare vnto the riuer Petzora whereof mention is made in this iourney is the citie and castle of Papin or Papinowgorod whose inhabitantes are named Papini and haue a priuate language differyng from the Moscouites Beyonde this ryuer are
Moscouia to Cathay THe great and large prouince of Permia is distant from Moscouia two hundred and fyftie or as some sai three hundred leagues directly betwene the East and North and hath a citie of the same name by the ryuer Vischora which runneth .x. leagues beneth Camam The iorney by land can scarsely be trauailed thither but in winter by reasō of mani riuers marishes ▪ and fens But in sommer this iorney is dispatched with more facilitie in boates or smal ships by Vuolochda Vstiug and the ryuer Vitzechda which runneth into Duina .xii. leagues from Vstiug But they that go from Permia to Vstiug must sayle vp the ryuer Vischora agaynst the course of the streame and passyng ouer certayne ryuers sometymes also conueying theyr boates into other ryuers by land they come at the length to Vstiug three hundred leagues distant from the citie of Permia There is smal vse of bread in this prouince For theyr yeerely tribute they pay to the Prince furres and horses They haue a priuate language and letters of theyr owne which one Stephen a Byshop who confirmed them yet waueryng in the fayth did inuent For before beyng yet infantes in the faith of Christ they slewe and fleyde an other Byshop that was appoynted to instruct them This Stephen afterward when Demetrius the sonne of Iohn reygned was taken for a Sainct among the Ruhens Of these people there yet remayne many Idolatours here and there in the woods whom the Munkes and Heremites that go thyther do not cease to conuert from theyr vaine errour In the winter they iorney to Artach as they do in many places of Russia Artach are certaine long patentes of wood of almost six handfulles in length which they make fast to theyr feete with Latchets and therwith perfourme theyr iorneis with great celeritie They vse for this purpose great Dogges in the steade of other beastes with the which they carry theyr fardels on sleades as other do with Hartes in other places as we wyl further declare hereafter They say that the prouince toward the East confineth with the prouince called Tumen parteining to the Tartars The situation of the prouince of Iugaria is apparent by that which we haue sayd before The Moscouites call it Iuhra with an aspiration and call the people Iuhrici This is that Iugaria from whence the Hungarians came in tyme past possessed Pannonia and vnder the conduct of Attila subdued many prouinces of Europe wherein the Moscouites doo greatly glorye that a nation subiect to them inuaded and wasted a great part of Europe Georgius Paruus a Greeke borne and a man of reputation with the Prince of Moscouia wyllyng to ascribe to the ryght of his Prince the great Dukedome of Lithuania and the kyngdome of Polonie ▪ with certayne other Dominions tolde me that the Iuhgarici or Iuhgarie beyng subiects to the great Duke of Moscouia came foorth of theyr owne countrey and fyrst inhabited the regions about the Fennes of Meotis and then Pannonie which was afterward called Hungarie by the ryuer of Danubius Also that in fine they possessed the region of Morauia so named of the ryuer and lykewyse Pollonie so called of Polle whiche signifieth a playne Furthermore that Buda was so called after the name of the brother of Attila They say also that the Iuhgarie vse the same tongue that do the Hungarians the whiche whether it be true or not I do not know For although I haue made diligent inquisition to knowe the trueth hereof yet could I fynde no man of that region with whom my seruaunt beyng expert in the Hungarian tongue might speake They also pay furres for theyr tributes to the Prince of Moscouia And albeit that pearles and precious stones are brought from thence to Moscouia yet are they not geathered in theyr Ocean but in other places especially about the coast of the Ocean neare vnto the mouthes of Duina The prouince of Sibier confineth with Permia and Vuiathka the whiche whether it haue anye castels or cities I do not yet certaynely knowe In this the ryuer Iaick hath his originall and falleth into the Caspian sea They say that this region is desart because it lyeth so neare the Tartars or that yf it be in any part inhabited the same to be possessed of the Tartar Schichmamai Thinhabitantes haue a peculiar language and haue theyr cheefe gaynes by the furres of Marternes whiche in fairnesse and greatnesse excel al the furres of that kynd that are found in any other prouinces Yet could I haue no greate plentie of them in Moscouia at my beyng there Note that long after the wrytyng of this historie at Richard Chaunceler his fyrst bryng in Moscouia Duke Iohn Vasiliuiche that nowe reygneth subdued all the Tartars with theyr regions and prouinces euen vnto the great citie and mart towne of Astrachan the Caspian sea At the same tyme also there was in the Dukes Court an ambassadour that came from this prouince of Sibier who declared that his father had been sent Ambassadour to the great Chan of Cathay and that the great citie of Cambalu where the great Chan kepeth his Court in wynter was in maner distroyed by Nigromancie and Magicall Artes wherein the Cathyans are very expert as wryteth Marcus Paulus Venetus There was also at the same tyme thambassadour of the kyng of Pertia called the great Sophie This Ambassadour was apparelled al in Scarlet and spake muche to the Duke in the behalfe of our men of whose kyngdome and trade he was not ignorant The people called Czeremisse dwell in the wooddes beneth Nouogradia the lower They haue a peculiar language and are of the secte of Machumet They were sometyme subiecte to the kyng of Casan but the greater part of them are nowe subiecte to the prince of Moscouia Many of them at my beyng there were brought to Moscouia as suspected of rebellion This nation doth inhabite a large region without houses from Vuiathka and Vuolochda to the ryuer of Rama All the nation aswell women as men are very swifte of foote and expert archers wherin they so delyght that theyr bowes are in maner neuer out of their handes and geue theyr chyldren no meate vntyll they hyt the marke they shoote at Two leagues distaunt from Nouogradia the lower were many houses to the similitud of a citie or towne where they were accustomed to make salte These a fewe yeeres since beyng burnt of the Tartars were restored by the commaundement of the prince Mordwa are people inhabytyng by the ryuer of Volga on the south banke beneth Nouogradia the lower and are in al thinges lyke vnto the Czeremisses but that they haue more houses And here endeth Thempire of the Moscouites Note here that Matthias of Michou in his booke of Sarmatia Asiatica writeth that the dominion of the Duke of Moscouia reacheth from the northwest to the southeast fyue hundred myles of Germanie
of that countrey is rawe silke and the greatest plentie thereof is at a towne three dayes iourney from Shamaki called Arashe and within three dayes iourney of Arashe is a countrey named Groysine whose inhabitauntes are Christians are thought to be they which are otherwise called Georgians there is also much silke to be solde The chiefe towne of that countrey is called Zeghaui from whence is carryed yeerely into Persia an incredible quantitie of hasell Nuttes all of one sorte and goodnesse and as good and thyn shaled as are our Fylberdes Of these are caryed yeerely the quantitie of 4000. Camelles laden Of the name of the Sophie of Persia and why he is called the Shaugh and of other customes THe Kyng of Persia whom here we call the great Sophi is not there so called but is called the Shaugh It were there daungerous to call him by the name of Sophi bycause that Sophi in the Persian tongue is a begger and it were as much as to call him the great begger He lyeth at a towne called Casbin whiche is situat in a goodly fertile valley of three or foure dayes iorney in length The towne is but euyll buylded and for the most part all of brycke not hardened with fyre but onely dryed at the Sunne as is the most part of the buyldyng of all Persia. The kyng hath not come out of the compasse of his owne house in .xxxiii. or .xxxiiii. yeeres whereof the cause is not knowen but as they saye it is vppon a superstition of certayne prophesies to whiche they are greatly addicted he is nowe about fourescore yeeres of age and very lustie And to keepe hym the more lustye he hath foure wyues alwayes and about three hundred concubynes And once in the yeere he hath all the fayre maydens and wyues that may bee founde a great way about brought vnto hym whom he diligently peruseth feelyng them in all partes takyng suche as he lyketh and puttyng away some of them which he hath kept before And with them that he putteth away he gratifieth some suche as hath doone hym the best seruice And if he chaunce to take any mans wyfe her husbande is very glad thereof and in recompence of her oftentymes he geueth the husbande one of his olde store whom he thankfully receyueth If any straunger beyng a Christian shall come before hym he must put on a newe payre of showes made in that countrey and from the place where he entereth there is dygged as it were a causye all the way vntyll he come to the place where he shall talke with the kyng who standeth alwayes aboue in a gallerye when he talketh with any strangers and when the stranger is departed then is the causye cast downe and the grounde made euen agayne Of the religion of the Persians THeyr religion is all one with the Turkes sauyng that they dyffer who was the ryght successor of Mahumet The Turkes saye that it was one Homer and his sonne Vsman But the Persians saye that it was one Mortus Ali whiche they woulde proue in this maner They say there was a counsayle called to decide the matter who shoulde be the successour and after they had called vppon Mahumet to reuele vnto them his wyll and pleasure therein there came among them a litle lizarde who declared that it was Mahumetes pleasure that Mortus Ali should be his successour This Martus Ali was a valiant man and slewe Homer the Turkes prophet He had a swoorde that he fought withall with the whiche he conquered all his enimies and kylled as many as he stroake When Mortus Ali dyed there came a holy prophet who gaue them warnyng that shortly there woulde come a whyte Camell vppon the which he charged them to lay the body and swoorde of Mortus Ali and to suffer the Camell to carye it whether he woulde The whiche beyng perfourmed the sayde whyte Camell caryed the swoorde and body of Mortus Ali vnto the sea syde and the Camell goyng a good way into the sea was with the swoorde and bodye of Mortus Ali taken vp into heauen for whose returne they haue long looked for in Persia. And for this cause the kyng alwayes keepeth a horse redye sadled for hym and also of late kepte for hym one of his owne daughters to be his wyfe but she dyed in the yeere of our Lorde .1573 And saye furthermore that yf he come not shortly they shal be of our beleefe much lyke the Iewes lookyng for theyr Messias to come and reigne among them lyke a worldly kyng for euer and deliuer them from the captiuitie which they are nowe in among the Christians Turkes and Gentyles The Saugh or Kyng of Persia is nothyng in strength and power comparable vnto the Turke for although he hath a great Dominion yet is it nothyng to be compared with the Turkes neyther hath he any great Ordinaunce of Gunnes or Harkebuses Notwithstandyng his eldest sonne Ismael about twentie and fyue yeeres past fought a great battayle with the Turke and sleue of his armye about an hundred thousande men who after his returne was by his father cast into pryson and there continueth vntyl this daye for his father the Shaugh had hym in suspition that he would haue put hym downe and haue taken the regiment vppon hym selfe Theyr opinion of Christ is that he was an holy man and a great Prophet but not lyke vnto Mahumet saying that Mahumet was the last Prophet by whom all thynges were finished and was therefore the greatest To proue that Christ was not Goddes sonne they saye that God had neuer wyfe and therefore coulde haue no sonne or chyldren They goe on pylgrymage from the furthest part of Persia vnto Mecha in Arabia and by the way they visite also the sepulchre of Christ at Ierusalem whiche they nowe call Couche Kalye The most part of Spyces whiche commeth into Persia is brought from the Iland of Ormus situate in the gulfe of Persia called Sinus Persicus betweene the mayne lande of Persia and Arabia c. The Portugales touche at Ormus both in theyr viage to East India and homewarde agayne and from thence bryng all suche Spyces as is occupied in Persia and the regions there about for of Pepper they bryng verye small quantitie and that at a verye deare pryse The Turkes oftentymes bryng Pepper from Mecha in Arabia whiche they sell as good cheape as that which is brought from Ormus Sylkes are brought from noo place but are wrought all in theyr owne countrey Ormus is within two myles of the mayne lande of Persia and the Portugales fetche theyr freshe water there for the whiche they paye trybute to the Shaugh or kyng of Persia. Within Persia they haue neyther golde nor syluer mynes yet haue they coyned money both of golde and syluer and also other small moneys of Copper There is brought into Persia an incredible summe of Duche Dolours which for the most part is there
employed in rawe sylke They haue few bookes and lesse learnyng and are for the most part very brutyshe in all kynde of good sciences sauing in some kynde of sylke workes and in suche thynges as parteyne to the furniture of Horses in the which they are passyng good Theyr lawes are as is theyr religion wicked and detestable And yf any man offend the Prince he punysheth it extreamely not only in the person that offendeth but also in his chyldren and in as many as are of his kynne Theft and murder are often punished yet none otherwyse then pleaseth hym that is ruler in the place where the offence is committed and as the party offendyng is able to make frendes or with money to redeeme his offence There is often tymes great mutenye among the people in great townes whiche of Mortus Ali sonnes was greatest Insomuche that sometymes in the towne two or three thousand people are togeather by the eares for the same as I haue seene in the towne of Shamaky and Ardaruill and also in the great citie of Teueris where I haue seene a man comming from feightyng in a brauerie bryngyng in his hande foure or fyue mens heades carrying them by the heare of the head for although they shaue theyr heades most commonly twyse a weeke yet leaue they a tuft of heare vpon the crowne about two foote long I haue enquired why they leaue that tuft of heare vppon theyr heades They answere that thereby they may easlyer be caryed vp into heauen when they are dead For theyr religion they haue certayne priestes who are apparelled lyke vnto other men They vse euerye mornyng and afternoone to go vp to thetoppes of theyr churches and tell there a great tale of Mahumet and Mortus Ali and other preachyng haue they none Their Lent is after Christmas not in abstinence from flesh only but from al meates drynkes vntill the day be of the skye but then they eate sometimes the whole night And although it be against theyr relygion to drynke wyne yet at nyght they wyll take great excesse thereof and bee dronken Theyr lent begynneth at the newe Moone and they do not enter into it vntyll they haue seene the same Neyther yet doth theyr lent ende vntill they haue seene the next new Moone although the same through close weather shoulde not be seene in long tyme. They haue among them certayne holy men whom they call Setes counted holy for that they or any of theyr auncestours haue been on pilgrimage at Mecha in Arabia for whosoeuer goeth thyther on pilgrimage to visite the sepulchre of Mahumet both he and all his posteritie are euer after called Setes and counted for holy men and haue no lesse opinion of them selues And if a man contrarye one of these he wyll saye that he is a sayncte and therefore ought to be beloued and that he can not lye although he lye neuer so shamefully Thus a man may be to holy and no pryde is greater then spirituall pride of a mynde puffed vp with his owne opinion of holynesse These Setes do vse to shaue theyr headdes all ouer sauyng on the sydes a litle aboue the temples the whiche they leaue vnshauen and vse to brayde the same as women do theyr heare and weare it as long as it wyll growe Euery mornyng they vse to worshyppe God Mahumet and Mortus Ali and in praying turne them selues towarde the South because Mecha lyeth that way from them When they be in trauayle on the way many of them wyll as soone as the Sunne ryseth lyght from theyr horses turnyng them selues to the South and wyll laye theyr gownes before them with theyr swoordes and beades and so standyng vpryght worshyp to the South And many tymes in theyr prayers kneele downe and kysse theyr beades or somewhat els that lyeth before them The men or women do neuer go to make water but they vse to take with them a poâ—te with a spout and after they haue made water they flashe some water vppon theyr pryuie partes and thus do the women aswell as the men and this is a matter of great religion among them and in making of water the men do cowre downe as well as the women When they earnestly affirme a matter they wyll sweare by God Mahumet or Mortus Ali and sometymes by all at ones as thus in theyr owne language saying Olla Mahumet Ali. But if he sweare by the Shaughes head in saying Shaugham basshe you may then beleeue hym if you wyll The Shaugh keepeth a great magnificence in his courte and although sometymes in a moneth or syxe weekes none of his nobilitie or counsayle can see hym yet go they dayly to the courte and tary there a certayne tyme vntyll they haue knowen his pleasure whether he wyll commaund them any thyng or not He is watched euery nyght with a thousand of his men whiche are called his Curshes who are they that he vseth to sende into the countreys about his greatest affayres When he sendeth any of them if it be to the greatest of any of his nobilitie he wyll obeye them although the messenger shoulde beate any of them to death The Shaugh occupieth hym selfe alwayes two dayes in the weeke in his Bathestoue and when he is disposed to go thither he taketh with hym fyue or syxe of his concubines more or lesse and one day they consume in washyng rubbyng and bathyng hym and the other day in paryng his nayles and other matters The greatest part of his lyfe he spendeth amongst his wyues and concubines He hath nowe reigned about fyftie and foure yeeres and is therefore counted a very holy man as they euer esteeme theyr kynges if they haue reigned fyftie yeeres or more for they measure the fauoure of God by a mans prosperitie or his displeasure by a mans misfortune or aduersitie The great Turke hath this Shaugh in great reuerence because he hath reigned kyng so long tyme. I haue sayde before that he hath foure wyues and as many concubynes as hym lysteth and if he chaunce to haue any chyldren by any of his concubines and be mynded that any of those chyldren shall inherite after hym then when one of his wyues dyeth the concubine whom he so fauoureth he maketh one of his wyues and the chylde whom he so loueth best he ordayneth to be kyng after hym What I hearde of the maner of theyr mariages for offending of honest consciences and chaste eares I may not commit to wrytyng their fastyng I haue declared before They vse Circumcision vnto chyldren of seuen yeeres of age as doo the Turkes Theyr houses as I haue sayde are for the most part made of Brycke not burned but only dryed in the Sunne In theyr houses they haue but litle furniture of housholde stuffe except it be theyr Carpets and some Copper worke for all theyr Kettles and Dyshes wherein they eate
are of Copper They eate on the grounde sittyng on Carpets crosse legged as do taylers There is no man so symple but he sytteth on a Carpet better or worse and the whole house or roome wherein he sytteth is wholy couered with Carpets Theyr houses are all with flatte roofes couered with earth and in the sommer tyme they lye vpon them all nyght They haue many bonde seruauntes both men and women â–ª Bond men and bond women is one of the best kinde of merchandies that any man may bryng When they bye anye maydes or young women they vse to feele them in all partes as with vs men do horses when one hath bought a young woman yf he lyke her he wyll keepe her for his owne vse as long as hym lysteth and then selleth her to an other who doth the like with her So that one woman is sometymes solde in the space of foure or fyue yeeres twelue or twentie tymes If a man keepe a bonde woman for his owne vse and yf he fynde her to be false to hym and geue her body to any other he may kyll her yf he wyll When a merchant or trauailer commeth to any towne where he entendeth to tarry any time he hyreth a woman or sometimes two or three duryng his abode there And when he commeth to an other towne he doth the lyke in the same also for there they vse to put out theyr women to hyre as wee doo here hackneye Horses There is a verye great ryuer whiche runneth through the playne of Iauat whiche falleth into the Caspian sea by a towne called Backo neare vnto whiche towne is a strange thyng to beholde For there ishueth out of the grounde a marueilous quantitie of Oyle which Oyle they fetch from the vttermost boundes of al Persia it serueth all the countrey to burne in theyr houses This Oyle is blacke and is called Nefte they vse to cary it throughout all the countrey vpon Kyne and Asses of which you shal oftentymes meete with foure or fyue hundred in a company There is also by the sayde towne of Backo an other kinde of Oyle whiche is whyte and very precious and is supposed to be the same that here is called Petroleum There is also not farre from Shamaky a thyng lyke vnto Tarre and ishueth out of the grounde whereof we haue made the proofe that in our shyps it serueth well in the steade of Tarre In Persia are Kyne of two sortes the one lyke vnto ours in these partes the other are marueylous euil fauoured with great bones and very leane and but little heare vppon them theyr milk is walowish sweete they are like vnto them which are spoken of in the scripture which in the dreame of Pharao signified the seuen deare yeeres for a leaner or more euill fauoured beast can no man see In the countrey of Sheruan sometyme called Media if you chaunce to lye in the fieldes neare vnto any village as soone as the twylyght begynneth you shall haue about you two or three hundred Foxes whiche make a marueylous wawelyng or howlyng and yf you looke not well to your victuales it shall scape them hardly but they wyll haue part with you The Caspian sea doth neyther ebbe nor flowe except sometymes by rage of wynde it swelleth vp very hygh the water is very salt Howbeit the quantitie of water that falleth out of the great ryuer of Volga maketh the water freshe at the least twentie leagues into the sea The Caspian sea is marueylous full of fyshe but no kynde of monstrous fysh as farre as I coulde vnderstande yet hath it sundry sortes of fyshes whiche are not in these parties of the worlde The Mutton there is good and the Sheepe great hauyng verye great rumpes with much fat vppon them Ryse and Mutton is theyr cheefe victuale Of the Empire of the Persians and of theyr originall THe kyngdome or Empire of the Persians as it was in auncient tyme most famous euen so is it at these dayes mightie glorious comprehendyng many great large regions For all the tracte of Asia which is betweene the riuer of Tigris the gulfe of Persia and the Indian sea sometime called the sea Indus and the ryuer Iaxartes at this day called Chefell euen vnto the Caspian sea is at this day vnder the dominion of the Sophie of Persia. Of the originall of the Sophies thus writeth Caelius Curio in his Saracenicall historie In the yeere of our Lord .1369 was a certayne Prince among the Persians who possessed the towne of Ardenelim his name was Sophi glorified him selfe to discende of the rase and progenie of Alis Muamedis by Musan Cazin his Neuie He after the death of Calyfa the Soltan of Babilon and the contrary faction which the Turkes defended suppressed also of the Tartars began more boldly and freely to professe his opinion and sentence of theyr religion And bycause that Ocemus the sonne of Alis from whom he glorified him selfe to descend had twelue children willyng to adde to them of his secte a certayne signe whereby they myght be knowen from other ordeyned that they that would embrace his secte and profession should were on their heads a high cappe of purple vnder a vele wherwith all the Turkes inuolue theyr heades and in theyr language call it Tulibante hauing in the middest of it .xii. plumes or shappe toppes After his death succeeded his sonne Guines who in all the East partes obteyned so great opinion of wisedome and holinesse that most famous Tamerlanes Emperour of the Parthians who before had taken Bayazetes kyng of the Turkes made a iourney into Persia to visit him as a most holy man of whom Guines had so much fauour that he obteyned of him the libertie of .xxx. thousande Captiues which he brought with him whom also Guines addicted to his faction and his sonne Secaidar vsed them in his warres For with these after the death of Guines he made warre to certayne people of Scythia named Georgians his borderers beyng Christians afflicted them very greeuously Thus much of the originall of the Sophie of Persia they keepe continually warres with the Turkes for the religion of Mahumet For the Sophians or Persians folowe one maner of interpretation of Mahumettes religion and the Turkes an other the which interpretations neuerthelesse are so differyng one from the other that the one of them esteemeth the other for heretikes The Persians are of liberall nature of muche ciuilitie and curtesie greatly esteeming artes and sciences they acknowledge a certaine worthinesse or nobilitie among men wherin they differ much from the Turkes which make no difference betweene slaues and worthier men or Gentelmen Of the Region of Persia and the maners of the Persians Marcus Paulus Venetus writeth thus Cap. xix Lib. 1. PErsia is a great and large prouince was once noble and of great fame but nowe devastate and ouerrun by the Tartars it is of
where Themperour is accustomed to remayne in the sommer season There is lykewyse a great citie named Barbaregaf and Ascon from whence it is sayde that the Queene of Saba came to Hierusalem to heare the wysedome of Salomon This citie is but little yet very fayre and one of the chiefe cities in Ethiope In the sayde kyngdome is a prouince called Manicongni whose kyng is a Moore and tributarie to Themperour of Ethiope In this prouince are manie exceedyng hygh mountaynes vppon the which is sayde to be the earthly Paradyse and some say that there are the trees of the Sunne and Moone whereof the antiquitie maketh mention yet that none can passe thyther by reason of great desartes of a hundred dayes iourney Also beyond these mountaynes is the cape of Bona Speranza And to haue sayde thus much of Afrike it may suffice The first vyage to Guiena IN the yeere of our Lord .1553 the .xii. day of August sayled from Porchmouth two goodly shyppes the Primrose and the Lion with a pynnesse called the Moone being all well furnished aswel with men of the lustiest sorte to the number of seuen score as also with ordinaunce and vyttayles requisite to such a viage hauyng also two Captaynes the one a stranger called Antoniades Pinteado a Portugale borne in a towne named the porte of Portugale a wyse discreete and sober man who for his cunnyng in saylyng beyng as well an experte pylot as politike Captayne was sometyme in great fauour with the kyng of Portugale and to whom the coastes of Brasile and Guinea were commytted to be kepte from the Frenchmen to whom he was a terrour on the sea in those partes and was furthermore a Gentelman of the kyng his maisters house But as fortune in maner neuer fauoureth but flattereth neuer promiseth but deceiueth neuer rayseth but casteth downe agayne and as great wealth and fauour hath alwayes companions emulation and enuie he was after many aduersities and quarels made agaynst him inforced to come into Englande where in this golden vyage he was euil matched with an vnequal companion and vnlyke matche of most sundrie qualities and conditions with vertues fewe or none adourned Thus departed these noble shyppes vnder sayle on their vyage But first Captayne Wyndam puttyng foorth of his shyp at Porchmouth a kynseman of one of the head merchants and shewyng herein a muster of the tragicall partes he had conceyued in his brayne and with suche small begynnynges nouryshed so monstrous a byrth that more happie yea and blessed was that young man being lefte behynde then if he had been taken with them as some doe wishe he had done the lyke by theyrs Thus sayled they on their vyage vntyl they came to the Ilandes of Madera where they tooke in certayne wynes for the store of their shippes and payde for them as they agreed of the price At these Ilandes they met with a great Galion of the kyng of Portugale ful of men and ordinance yet such as could not haue preuayled if it had attempted to withstande or resist our shippes for the which cause it was set foorth not only to let and interrupte these our shippes of their purposed viage but all other that should attempte the lyke yet chiefly to frustrate our vyage For the Kyng of Portugale was sinisterly informed that our shyppes were armed to his castell of Mina in these parties whereas nothyng lesse was ment After that our shyppes departed from the Ilandes of Madera forwarde on theyr vyage began this woorthie Captayne Pinteados sorowe as a man tormented with the company of a terrible Hydra who hytherto flattered with him and made him a fayre countenaunce and shewe of loue Then dyd he take vppon him to commaund all alone settyng nought both by Captayne Pinteado with the reste of the merchante factours sometymes with opprobrious woordes and sometymes with threatnynges most shamefully abusing them taking from Pinteado the seruice of the boyes certaine mariners that were assigned him by the order and direction of the woorshipfull merchauntes and leauyng him as a common mariner whiche is the greatest despite and greefe that can be to a Portugale or Spanyarde to be diminishte theyr honour which they esteeme aboue all riches Thus saylyng forwarde on theyr vyage they came to the Ilands of Canarie continuing theyr course from thence vntyll they arryued at the Ilande of Saincte Nicolas where they vyttayled them selues with freshe meate of the fleshe of wylde Goates whereof is great plentie in that Ilande and in maner of nothing els From hence folowyng on theyr course and tarying heere and there at the desarte Ilandes in the way bycause they would not come to tymely to the countrey of Guinea for the heate and tarying somewhat to long for what can be well mynistred in a common wealth where inequalitie with tyrannie will rule alone they came at the length to the fyrst lande of the countrey of Guinea where they fell with the great ryuer of Sesto where they myght for theyr merchandies haue laden their shyppes with the graynes of that countrey whiche is a very hot fruite and muche lyke vnto a fygge as it groweth on the tree For as the fygges are full of small seedes so is the sayde fruite full of graynes which are lose within the codde hauyng in the myddest thereof a hole on euery syde This kynde of spyce is much vsed in colde countreys and may there be solde for great aduantage for exchaunge of other wares But our men by the persuasion or rather inforcement of this tragicall Captaine not regardyng and settyng lyght by that commoditâ—e in comparison to the fine golde they thirsted sayled an hundred leagues further vntyll they came to the golden lande where not attemptyng to come neare the Castell parteynyng to the kyng of Portugale which was within the ryuer of Mina made sale of theyr wâ—re onely on this syde and beyond it for the golde of that countrey to the quantitie of an hundred and fyftie poundes weyght there beyng in case that they myght haue dispatched all theyr ware for golde if the vntame brayne of Wyndam had or could haue gyuen eare to the counsayle and experience of Pinteado For when that Wyndam not satisfied with the golde whiche he had and more might haue had if he had taried about the Mina commaundyng the sayde Pinteado for so he tooke vppon him to leade the shyppes to Benin beyng vnder the Equinoctiall lyne and a hundred and fyftie leagues beyonde the Mina where he looked to haue theyr shyppes laden with pepper and beyng counsayled of the sayde Pinteado consideryng the late tyme of the yeere for that tyme to goe no further but to make sale of their wares suche as they had for golde whereby they myght haue ben great gayners But Wyndam not assentyng herevnto fell into a sodayne rage reuilyng the sayde Pinteado callyng him Iewe with
other opprobrious woordes saying This horson Iewe hath promysed to bryng vs to suche places as are not or as he can not bryng vs vnto but if he doe not I will cut of his eares and nayle them to the mast Pinteado gaue the foresayde counsayle to goe no further for the safegarde of the men theyr liues whiche they shoulde put in daunger if they came to late for the rossia whiche is theyr wynter not for colde but for smotheryng heate with close and cloudie ayre and storming wether of suche putrifying qualitie that it rotted the coates of theyr backes or els for commyng to soone for the scorching heate of the sunne whiche caused them to lynger in the way But of force and not of wyll brought he the shyppes before the ryuer of Benin where rydyng at an Anker sent theyr pinnesse vp into the riuer fyftie or threescore leagues from whence certayne of the merchauntes with Captayne Pinteado Francisco a Portugale Nicolas Lambert Gentelman and other merchauntes were conducted to the courte where the kyng remayned ten leagues from the ryuer syde whyther when they came they were brought with a great company to the presence of the Kyng who being a blacke Moore although not so blacke as the reste sat in a great houge hal long and wyde the walles made of earth without windowes the roofe of thynne boordes open in sundry places lyke vnto louers to let in the ayre And here to speake of the great reuerence they gyue to theyr kyng being suche that if we would gyue as muche to our sauiour Christ we should remoue from our heades many plagues which we dayly deserue for our contempte and impietie So it is therfore that when his noble men are in his presence they neuer looke him in the face but sit couryng as wee vppon our knees so they vppon theyr buttockes with theyr elbowes vppon theyr knees and theyr handes before theyr faces not looking vp vntyll the Kyng commaunde them And when they are commyng towarde the Kyng as farre as they doe see him doe they shewe suche reuerence syttyng on the grounde with theyr faces couered as before Likewise when they departe from him they turne not theyr backes towarde him but goe creeping backwarde with lyke reuerence And nowe to speake somewhat of the communication that was betweene the Kyng and our men you shall fyrst vnderstande that hee him selfe coulde speake the Portugale tongue whiche he had learned of a chylde Therefore after that he had commaunded our men to stande vp and demaunded of them the cause of theyr commyng into that countrey they aunswered by Pinteado that they were merchauntes traueylyng into those parties for the commodities of his countrey for exchange of wares whiche they had brought from theyr countreys beyng such as should bee no lesse commodious for him and his people The Kyng then hauyng of olde lying in a certayne store house thirtie or fourtie kyntalles of pepper euery kyntall beyng an hundred weyght wyllyng them to looke vppon the same and agayne to bryng him a sight of suche merchaundies as they had brought with them And therevppon sent with the Captaine and the merchauntes certayne of his men to conducte them to the waters syde with other to bryng the ware from the pinnesse to the courte Who when they were returned and the wares seene the kyng grewe to this ende with the merchantes to prouyde in thirtie dayes the ladyng of all theyr shyppes with pepper And in case theyr merchaundies would not extende to the value of so muche pepper he promised to credite them to theyr next returne and therevppon sent the countrey rounde about to geather pepper causing the same to be brought to the courte So that within the space of thirtie dayes they had geathered fourescore tunne of pepper In the meane season our men partly hauyng no rule of them selues but eatyng without measure of the fruites of the countrey and drinkyng the wyne of the Palme trees that droppeth in the nyght from the cutte branches of the same and in suche extreeme heate runnyng continually into the water not vsed before to suche sodayne and vehement alterations then the which nothyng is more daungerous were thereby brought into swellynges and agues insomuche that the later tyme of the yeere comming on caused them to dye sometimes .iii. somtimes .iiii. or .v. in a day Then Windam perceiuing the time of the .xxx. dayes to be expired his men dying so fast sent to the courte in poste to captaine Pinteado and the rest to come away and to tary no longer But Pinteado with the rest wrote backe to him againe certifying him of the great quantitie of pepper they had alredy geathered and looked dayly for much more Desiring him furthermore to remember the great praise and name they should wyn if they came home prosperously and what shame of the contrarie With which answere Wyndam not satisfied and many of their men dying dayly willed and commaunded them againe either to come away furthwith or els threatened to leaue them behynde When Pinteado hearde this aunsweare thynkyng to persuade hym with reason tooke his way from the courte towarde the shyppes beyng conducted thyther with men by the kynges commaundement In the meane season Windam all rageyng brake vp Pinteados Cabin brake open his chestes spoyled such prouision of colde stylled waters and suckettes as he had prouided for his health and lefte hym nothing neither of his instrumentes to saile by nor yet of his apparell and in the meane tyme fallyng sycke hym selfe dyed also Whose death Pinteado commyng abrode lamented as muche as if he had ben the deerest frende he had in the worlde But certayne of the maryners and other officers dyd spette in his face some callyng hym Iewe saying that he had brought them thyther to kyll them and some drawyng theyr swoordes at hym makyng a shewe to slay hym Then he perceyuyng that they would needes away desyred them to tary that he myght fetch the rest of the merchauntes that were lefte at the courte But they woulde not graunt his request Then desyred he them to geue hym the shyppe boate with as muche of an olde sayle as myght serue for the same promisyng them therewith to bryng Nicolas Lambert and the rest into England But al was in vayne Then wrote he a letter to the courte to the merchants informyng them of all the matter and promisyng them if God would lende hym lyfe to returne with al hast to fetch them And thus was Pinteado kept a bordeshyppe agaynst his wyll thrust among the boyes of the shyppe not vsed lyke a man nor yet like an honest boy but glad to fynde fauour at the cookes hande Then departed they leauing one of theyr shyppes behynd them which they sonke for lacke of men to cary her After this within syxe or seuen dayes saylyng dyed also Penteado for very pensiuenesse and thought that stroke hym to
slender lyke a fawne or hynde the hoofes of the fore feete are diuided in two much like the feete of a Goat the outwarde part of the hynder feete is very full of heare This beast doubtlesse seemeth wylde and fierce yet tempereth that fiercenesse with a certaine comelinesse These Unicornes one gaue to the Soltan of Mecha â–ª as a most precious and rare gyfte They were sent hym out of Ethiope by a kyng of that countrey who desired by that present to gratifie the Soltan of Mecha Of diuers thynges which chaunced to me in Mecha And of Zida a port of Mecha Cap. 20. IT may seeme good here to make mention of certayne thynges in the which is seene sharpenesse of witte in case of vrgent necessitie which hath no lawe as sayeth the prouerbe for I was dryuen to the poynt howe I myght priuely escape from Mecha Therefore whereas my Captayne gaue me charge to buy certaine thyngs as I was in the market place a certayne Mamaluke knewe me to be a Christian. And therefore in his owne language spake vnto me these woordes Inte mename That is whence arte thou To whom I answered that I was a Mahumetan But he sayde Thou sayest not truely I sayde agayne By the head of Mahumet I am a Mahumetan Then he sayde agayne Come home to my house I folowed him willingly When we were there he began to speake to me in the Italian tongue and asked me agayne from whence I was affyrmyng that he knewe me and that I was no Mahumetan Also that he had been sometyme in Genua and Venice And that his woordes myght be the better beleeued rehearsed many thinges whiche testified that he sayde trueth When I vnderstoode this I confessed freely that I was a Romane but professed to the fayth of Mahumet in the citie of Babylon and there made one of the Mamalukes Whereof he seemed greatly to reioyce and therefore vsed me honourably But because my desyre was yet to goe further I asked the Mahumetan whether that citie of Mecha was so famous as all the world spake of it and inquired of him where was the great aboundaunce of pearles precious stones spices and other rich merchandies that the bruite went of to be in that citie And all my talke was to the ende to grope the mynde of the Mahumetan that I might know the cause why such thinges were not brought thyther as in tyme paste But to auoyde all suspition I durst here make no mention of the dominion which the Kyng of Portugale had in the most parte of that Ocean and of the gulfes of the redde sea and Persia. Then he began with more attentyue mynde in order to declare vnto me the cause why that marte was not so greatly frequented as it had been before and layde the only faulte therof in the kyng of Portugale But when he had made mention of the Kyng I began of purpose to detracte his fame least the Mahumetan might thinke that I reioyced that the Christians came thyther for merchandies When he perceyued that I was of profession an enemy to the Christians he had me yet in greater estimation and proceeded to tell me many thynges more When I was well instructed in all thinges I spake vnto him friendly these woordes in the Mahumets language Menaha Menalhabi That is to say I pray you assist mee He asked me wherein To helpe me sayde I howe I may secretly departe hence Confirmyng by great othes that I would goe to those Kinges that were most enemies to the Christians Affirmyng furthermore that I knewe certayne secretes greatly to be esteemed whiche if they were knowen to the sayde kynges I doubted not but that in shorte tyme I shoulde bee sent for from Mecha Astonyshed at these woordes he sayde vnto mee I pray you what arte or secrete doe you knowe I answered that I would gyue place to no man in makyng of all maner of Gunnes and artillerie Then sayde hee Praysed be Mahumet who sent thee hyther to do him and his Saintes good seruice and willed me to remayne secretly in his house with his wyfe and requyred me earnestly to obtayne leaue of our Captayne that vnder his name he myght leade from Mecha fiftiene Camelles laden with spices without paying any custome for they ordinarily paye to the Soltan thirtie Saraphes of golde for transportyng of such merchandies for the charge of so many Camelles I put him in good hope of his request although he would aske for a hundred affyrmyng that that myght easily be obteyned by the priuileges of the Mamalukes and therefore desired him that I myght safely remayne in his house Then nothyng doubtyng to obtayne his request he greatly reioyced and talkyng with me yet more freely gaue me further instructions and counsayled me to repayre to a certayne Kyng of the greater India in the kyngdome and realme of Decham whereof we will speake hereafter Therfore the day before the Carauana departed from Mecha he willed me to lye hydde in the most secrete parte of his house The day folowyng early in the mornyng the trumpetter of the Carauana gaue warning to all the Mamalukes to make readie their horses to directe their iourney toward Syria with proclamation of death to all that shoulde refuse so to doe When I hearde the sounde of the Trumpet and was aduertised of the streight commaundement I was marueylously troubled in mynde and with heauy countenaunce desired the Mahumetans wyfe not to bewraye me and with earnest prayer committed myselfe to the mercie of God On the Tuesday folowyng our Carauana departed from Mecha and I remayned in the Mahumetans house with his wyfe but he folowed the Carauana Yet before he departed he gaue commaundement to his wyfe to bryng me to the Carauana which should departe from Zida the porte of Mecha to goe into India This porte is distant from Mecha .xl miles Whilest I laye thus hyd in the Mahumetans house I can not expresse how friendly his wife vsed me This also furthered my good interteynement that there was in the house a fayre young mayde the Niese of the Mahumetan who was greatly in loue with me But at that tyme in the myddest of those troubles and feare the fyre of Uenus was almost extincte in mee and therefore with daliaunce of fayre woordes and promises I styll kepte my selfe in her fauour Therefore the Fryday folowyng about noone tyde I departed folowyng the Carauana of India And about mydnyght we came to a certayne village of the Arabians and there remayned the rest of that nyght and the nexte day tyll noone From hence we went forwarde on our iourney towarde Zida and came thyther in the silence of the nyght This citie hath no walles yet fayre houses somewhat after the buyldyng of Italie Heere is great aboundaunce of all kynde of merchandies by reason of resorte in maner of all nations thyther excepte Iewes and Christians to whom it is not lawfull to come thyther Assoone as
about theyr neckes and therefore when they come to any citie they blowe theyr hornes all at once to make the inhabitantes afrayde as do they that with vs keepe Crowes or Rookes out of the corne Then commyng to talke with the citizens they demaund victuales and what soeuer other thynges they stande in neede of Whyle the kyng any tyme resteth a whyle in one place almost all the whole armye gardyng his person about his pauylion fyue or syxe hundred in the meane tyme raunge abroade togeather to geat what they can They tarry not past three dayes in one place but are euer wanderyng after the maner of the vagabunde Egyptians Arabians Tartars The region is not fruiteful but rough with craggie mountaines The houses of the citie are despicable the citie is also without walles This kyng is enemie to the Soltan of Machamir vexeth hym greatly with diuers incursions Of the citie of Ceull and the maner of the people Cap. 3. DEpartyng from Cambia in twelue dayes iorney I came to a citie named Ceull the land that lieth betweene them both is called Guzerat The kyng of this citie is an Idolatour they are of darke yealowe colour or Lion tawnye some were suche slender apparrell as they whom wee haue spoken of before other are naked coueryng onlye theyr pryuyties They are prompt to the warres and vse swordes bowes dartes slynges and rounde targettes They haue engines to beat downe walles to make great slaughter in an armie the citie hath walles and is distant from the sea but three myles A fayre ryuer runneth by the citie by the whiche much merchandies is brought thyther The soyle beareth almost all maner of fruites except Uynes Walnuttes and Chestnuttes It hath also Wheate Barlie and other kyndes of corne Here is made great plentie of Bombasyne cloth They are such Idolatours as are they of Calecut of whom we wyl speake hereafter yet are there in the citie many merchants Mahumetans They exercise iustice The kyng entertayneth but a small armie There are many horses and kyne Two dayes iorney from hence is a citie named Dabuly hauyng a great ryuer runnyng by it It hath walles after the maner of ours The soyle is fruiteful and the citie beautifull There are innumerable merchauntes Mahumetans The kyng is an Idolater and hath an armye of .xxx. thousande men They are in maners lyke vnto the other and of the same colour Of Goga an Ilande of India Cap. 4. DEpartyng from hence I came to the Iland of Goga not past a myle destant from the continent This payeth yeerely trybute to the kyng of Dechan a thousand peeces of golde of the value of the Saraphes of Babylon hauyng on the one syde the Image of the dyuell and on the other syde certayne vnknowen caractes Uppon the sea coaste of one syde of this Ilande is a towne buylded after the maners of ours The gouernour is a certayne Captayne of soldiers named Sauain he hath in his regiment foure hundred Mamalukes and is also a Mamaluke hym selfe and therefore when he fyndeth any whyte men he entertayneth them frendly and geueth them stypende of twentie Saraphes of golde euery moneth But he fyrst maketh profe of their strength and valiantnesse by wrestlyng and if they be not founde meete for the warres he putteth them to handy craftes This Captayne with onely his foure hundred Mamalukes greatly vexeth the kyng of Narsinga Departyng from hence in eyght dayes iorney by lande I came to the citie of Dechan Of Dechan a very fayre citie of India Cap. 5. THe kyng or Soltan of Dechan is a Mahumetan of whom the foresayde captayne Mamaluke is entred in wages This citie is beautifull in syght and the soyle very fruitefull and plentifull in maner of all thynges necessarie The kyng is accompted a Mamaluke and with hym .xxxv. thousande men of his dominion of horsemen and footemen The citie is beautified with a marueylous fayre pallace and the pallace adourned with many fayre roomes for before you come to the kynges chamber you must passe by .xliiii. other chambers for the sollers of the chambers are so orderly disposed that one chamber styll geueth entrye into an other vntyll you come to the last The citie is compassed with a wal after the maner of the Christians The houses are not vncomely The kyng vseth incredible pompe and regal magnificence They that wayte vppon his person weare vppon theyr shooes or starpins Rubies and Diamondes and such other precious stones What ouches and iewelles they weare in theyr earynges and Condalijs Carkenettes colours let wittie men iudge comparyng the feete to the more noble partes of the bodie Sixe miles from the citie is a mountayne where Diamondes are digged It is compassed with a wall and kept with a Garrison The region hath plentie of all thynges The people are Mahumetans Theyr apparel for the most part is of sylke or at the least the sherte or inmost vesture They weare also thyne buskynnes and hose lyke gregascos or maryners slops Theyr women after the maner of the women of Damasco haue theyr faces couered The kyng keepeth in maner continual war with y e king of Narsinga The most part of his souldiers are strangers enterteyned for wages They are white men but the inhabitantes of the coloure of the other Indians The kyng is marueylous ryche and liberall He hath also a great nauie of shyps He hateth the Christians as much as any other Thus hauyng traueled this part of the region I toke my iorney towarde a citie named Bathacala fyue dayes iorney from Dechan The inhabitantes are Idolaters except certayne Mahumetan merchaunts which resort thither for marchandise It hath abundaunce of Ryse Sugar Fygges Walnuttes Wheate Corne and many other fruites and rootes vnknowen to vs. They haues Beeues Kyne Bulfes Sheepe Goates and dyuers other beastes but no Horses Mules or Asses Of certayne other goodly cities of India Cap. 6. DEpartyng from hence I tooke my iorney towarde a citie named Centacola one dayes iorney from Bathacala The prince of this citie is no lord of great richesse There is neuerthelesse abundaunce of fleshe Ryse and other suche fruites as growe in India many Mahumetans resort hyther for merchaundies The kyng is an Idolater and of Lion tawny colour They go starke naked and weare nothyng on theyr heades This prince is subiecte to the kyng of Barthacal Departyng from hence two dayes iorney I came to an Ilande named Onor whose kyng is an Idolater and serueth the deuyll and is subiect to the kyng of Narsinga He is very gentle and familier he maynteyneth eyght foystes which make excursions and lyue by rouyng and pyracie He is in great frendshyppe with the kyng of Portugale The inhabitantes couer their priuities with a sindone and are besyde all naked The soyle beareth plentie of Ryse as in other partes of India There are in
spices The last and basest sort named Neraui are they that sowe and geather Ryse These as the inferiour tribe of men are in such subiection to the Bramini and Naeri that in payne of death they may approche no nearer vnto them then .l. pases And therefore they lye lurkyng in certayne shadowes and darke places and maryshes lest they shoulde suddenly chaunce to meete with them Wherefore when they come abrode that they may be hearde a farre of they crye with loude voice I wotte neare what that they may be hearde of the sayde Bramini and Naeri least beyng soddenly betrapped they shoulde be put to death Of the apparell of the kyng queene and Inhabitantes of the citie of Calecut And of their maner of feedyng Cap. 6. THe apparell of the kyng and queene is litle or nothyng differyng from the other Idolaters among the whiche the Mahumetans as strangers are not to be accompted They couer onely theyr priuie partes with bombasine cloth or sylke and are besyde all naked barefooted also and beareheadded But the Mahumetans weare single apparell reachyng only vnto the nauel The women are apparelled euen as are the men sauyng onely that they lette theyr heare growe very longe The kyng and nobilitie of the citie eate no fleshe except they fyrst aske counsayle of the Priestes But the common people may eate what fleshe they wyll excepte the fleshe of Kyne Bin they of the basest sorte named Nirani and Poliar may eate onely fyshes dryed at the Sunne Of theyr custome after the death of the kyng Cap. 7. AFter the death of the kyng if he haue any male chyldren lyuyng or brethren or brothers chyldren they succeede not in the kyngdome For of auncient lawe and custome the septer pertayneth to the kynges systers sonnes of whiche if there be none it commeth to the next of the blood And this for none other cause as they saye but that the priestes haue defloured the queene When the kyng goeth abrode or on huntyng the priestes be they neuer so young keepe the queene at home and remayne neere about her For there is nothyng more acceptable to the kyng then that the priestes shoulde so keepe companye with the queene And therefore the kyng may well thynke that the chyldren borne of her are not to be numbred amongst his chyldren and therefore taketh the chyldren of his systers to be neerest of his blood and ryght inheritours to the crowne When the kyng is dead all his subiectes by cuttyng theyr beardes and shauyng theyr headdes testifie how greeuously they take his death Yet hearein they vse not all one fashion for some cutte onely part of the heare of theyr chynne and some parte of the heare of theyr head and other all and so euery man as he doth phantasie Duryng the tyme that they celebrate the funerals of the kyng they that lyue by fyshyng forbeare fyshyng for the space of eyght dayes And when any of the kynges wyues dye they obserue the lyke ceremonyes as for the death of the kyng The kyng sometyme by a certayne supersticion absteyneth from venery or the company of women for the space of a yeere and lykewyse forbeareth to eate certayne leaues whiche they call Betolas beyng the leaues of Assyrian apples whiche they vse not onely for dilicates but also because theyr propertie is to moue men greatly to wanton lustes For the same purpose also they eate a certayne fruite named Coffolo somewhat lyke vnto Dates Of theyr chaungyng of wyues Cap. 8. THe gentelmen merchauntes to shew great curtesie and frendshyp one to the other vse somtime to chaunge wiues and therein vse this maner of speache My freende we haue nowe of long tyme lyued togeather as faythfull frendes and therefore for the laste accomplyshement of our frendeshyppe if it so please thee lette vs chaunge wyues Content sayth the other for I beare thee euen as good wyll The wyues refuse not to agree to the condition herein also to please theyr husbandes Then the one bryngeth his wyfe to the other saying Woman this man shall hereafter be thy husbande The other sayth the lyke to his wyfe also Thus all partes beyng agreed they depart with frendly embrasyng But the chyldren remayne with the fyrst husbande These Idolatars haue also diuers other customes For among some of them one woman is maryed to seuen husbandes of the whiche euery of them hath his nyght by course appoynted to lye with her And when she hath brought foorth a chylde she may geue it or father it to whiche of them she lysteth Who may in no case refuse it The maner of feedyng of the common people of the Idolatars and of theyr Iustice. Cap. 8. LYing along on the grounde they eate theyr meate out of a traye of copper For spoones they vse certayne leaues of trees Theyr meate commonly is Ryse fyshe spices and fruites of the commoner sort The labouryng men or ruder sorte eate so fylthyly that puttyng theyr foule handes in the potte they take out ryse by handfuls and so thrust it in theyr mouthes They vse this kynde of Iustice for homicide Where any hath slayne a man he is thus punyshed They haue a kynde of galows made in maner of a double crosse where whyle the murtherer is tyed fast one thrusteth a stake through his bodye where the poore wretche so hangeth vntyl he be dead But they that wounde or hurt any man redeeme the faulte for mony payde to the kyng They that are in debte are thus enforced to paye the same The creditour fyrst demaundeth his monye and if it be founde that the debitour breake promysse then he to whom the mony is owyng goeth to one of the kynges scriueners whiche are sayde to be a hundred and before hym makyng dewe proofe of the debte receiueth of hym a greene wande of a tree with aucthoritie to prosecute his debitour vntil he haue found hym where when he hath arrested him with these woordes go no further before thou paye me thryse rehearsed he sayth furthermore thus I charge thee by the head of Bramini and by the head of the kyng not to sturre from this place before thou paye me There is no shyfte but eyther to paye incontinent or there to loose his lyfe But if he be found alone and escape after the sayd woords he is euer after adiudged a rebell and therefore shall it be lawefull for any man to kyll hym whersoeuer he is founde within the kynges dominions Of the honoring of Idolles Cap. 9. WHen they praye to theyr Idolles in the mornyng before the Sunne ryse they resorte to the pooles or ryuers to washe them And so at their commyng home to theyr houses where they keepe theyr Idolles they touch nothyng before they praye to the Idolles prostrate on the grounde secreatly while they praye they make certayne deuylyshe gesticulations lyke mad men so maruelously defourmyng theyr faces eyes and mouthes
theyr spices and Iewelles by weyght Of the inhabitantes of Poliar and Hiraua and how they nourysh their children Cap. 19. THe women weane theyr children when they come to the age of three monethes and afterward nourysh them with Goates milke and when in the morning they haue giuen them milke they tomble them in the sandes all foule filthie where they let them lye all the day and are so scorched of the Sunne that farre of they seeme like Bufles Calues I neuer sawe more deformed or filthie creatures at euenyng theyr mothers gyue them milke agayne By this kinde of wylde bringing vp they become men of marueylous dexteritie in swiftnesse of runnyng and other thinges of great agilitie as to walke vppon ropes swymmyng leapyng vaultyng and such lyke Of foure footed beastes foules and birdes of Calecut Cap. 20. THere are many beastes and kyndes of birdes as Lions wilde Bores Hartes Hyndes Bufles Kyne Goates and Elephantes yet not all engendred there but brought thyther partly from other places There are also parottes of sundry colours as greene purple other mixte colours There is such multitude of them that there are men appointed to keepe them from the Ryse in the fieldes as we vse to keepe Crowes from the corne They are marueylous crying and chattering and of small price as one solde for two pense or halfe a souse There are many other birdes much vnlyke to ours which euery mornyng and euenyng make so great a noyse sweete singing that nothing can be more pleasant or delectable to heare and therfore the inhabitantes lyue in great pleasure and in maner as it were in an earthly Paradyse in continuall spryng and florishyng of floures hearbes trees all the yeere long besyde also the goodly and holsome temperatenesse of the ayre being neither extreme hotte nor colde but in maner in temperature of continuall spring tyme. That region hath also Monkeys which are there of small price These are very hurtfull to husbandmen and such as liue by tillage of the grounde for they clyme the trees of those goodly Indian Nuts precious fruite wherof we haue spoken here before of the which they make wyne which these beastes do spill and cast downe the vesselles that are made faste there to receyue the sayde liquor of wyne Of certayne Serpentes which are seene in Calecut Cap. 21. THere are certayne Serpentes of suche bignesse that they are equal to swine theyr heads are much greater then the heads of Bores they are foure footed and of the length of foure cubites and are engendred in marishes The inhabitantes say that they are without poison and doe not otherwyse hurt then by byting There are furthermore three kindes of Serpentes of the which some are of so strong poison that if they drawe neuer so litle blood present death foloweth whiche thing chaunced oftentymes whilest I was there Of these kindes of serpentes some are of the bignesse of an Aspe many much bigger Of these there are a very great number The cause wherof they say is this That the kyng of Calecut of a certaine foolishe superstition maketh so great accompt of these Serpentes that he causeth litle houses or cottages to be made for them beleeuyng that they haue vertue against ouer much raine ouerflowing of riuers and therfore if a man kill any of them he is punished with death as though he had killed a man and the like punishment is also for him that killeth a cowe They greatly esteeme these Serpents bicause as they say they came from heauen and therfore they take them for heauenly spirites which they affirme for that only with touching they bring present death And this is y e cause that there are many serpentes being thus permitted by the commaundement of the king These serpents know the Idolaters inhabitants from Mahumetans or other strangers and wil sooner venture vppon them When I was there I came into a house where eight men laye dead and greatly swolne whiche the day before were killed by these serpents yet doe they esteeme it for good lucke when going abrode they meete with any of them Of the lightes and Lampes which are seene in the Pallace of the kyng of Calecut Cap. 22. IN the kynges Courte or Pallace are diuers mansions and very many chambers and therefore in the euenyng when it waxeth darke there are seene innumerable burning Lampes In the hall of the pallace are seene ten or twelue candelstickes of laton very fayre and of cunnyng workemanshyp muche lyke vnto goodly fountaynes and of the heyght of a man In eche of them are dyuers vesselles and in euery vessel three candels light of two spannes length and great plentie of oyle In the first vessell are many Lampes made of cordes of bombasine cotten In the myddle part is seene a narower vessel also full of lampes and lightes In the lowest vessell also the like number of lightes But in an other vessel in the toppe of all the candelsticke are in maner innumerable lightes mainteyned with oyle and haue matches of bombasine cotton At the angles or corners of these candelsticks are the Images of deuils whiche also holde the lightes that are in the kinges presence When any of the kinges blood dyeth hee sendeth for all the Bramini or priestes of his realme commaund them to mourne for the space of a yeere At theyr commyng hee banqueteth them three dayes togeather and at theyr departyng giueth eche of them fyue peeces of golde Of the great multitude of Idolaters which resort to Calecut for pardon of their sinnes Cap. 23. NOt farre from the citie of Calecut is a certayne churche or Temple compassed about with water lyke an Iland builded after an auncient fashion hauing a double order of pillars much lyke the Temple of sainct Iohn De Fonte in the citie of Rome In the middest of the Temple is an Altar of stone where the people sacrifice to Idolles Betweene the pillars on hygh is a Boate of the length of two pases and full of oyle Also rounde about the Temple are many trees with an innumerable multitude of Lampes lightes hanging on them The temple also it selfe is as ful of lyghtes The .xxv. day of December resorteth thyther an infinite multitude of people from all partes euen for the distance of .xv. dayes iorney and especially of the priestes to whom parteyneth the order of sacrificeyng But they do not sacrifice vnto theyr Idolles before they washe them selues in the water whiche is about the Temple When the priestes assende to the place whereas is the boate fylled with oyle as we haue said they spryncle the people with the sayd oile but annoynte onely their heads Who beyng so annoynted may then proceede to the sacrifice On the one syde of the altar where they sacrifice is seene a most horrible fourme of a deuyl to whom the people prostrate
affyrme by this coniecture that there is yet seene the print of the steppes of his feete of the length of almost two spannes The inhabitants are subiect to the kyng of Narsinga and paye hym tribute The region is of temperate ayre although it be situate in maner vnder the Equinoctiall lyne The people are of darke tawny colour Theyr apparell are certayne single clokes of bombasine cloth whiche they weare bearyng euer the ryght arme out all naked as is the maner of all the Indians They are no warrelyke men neyther haue they the vse of Iron Here my companyon solde to the kyng muche Saffran and Coralles Of Paleachet a citie of India Cap. 5. DEpartyng from the Ilande of Zailon in three dayes saylyng we came to a citie named Paleachet subiecte to the kyng of Narsinga It is a famous marte of ryche merchaundies and especially of iewels and precious stones brought thyther from Zailon and Pego. There is also great plentie of spices There dwell in the citie many Mahumetan merchauntes where we beyng receiued in one of theyr houses tolde hym from whence we came and what merchaundies we brought as Saffran and Coralles whereof he was very glad The citie hath great scarsnesse of corne but plentie of Ryse and in other fruitefulnesse of the soyle and maner of the people much lyke vnto Calecut But because they were at dissention with the kyng of Tarnassari and prepared warres agaynst hym we departed from thence and in .xiii. dayes saylyng arryued at the citie of Tarnassari a hundred myles distant Of Tarnassari a citie of India Cap. 6. THis citie is not farre from the sea and situate on a meetly equall grounde well walled hauyng also a famous porte and a very fayre ryuer runnyng on the North syde of the citie The kyng is an Idolatour and a prince of great power He keepeth continuall warre with the kyngs of Narsinga and Bangella He bryngeth to the feelde a hundred Elephantes of the fayrest and byggest that euer I sawe He hath an armie of an hundred thousand pencionarie footmen as many horsemen Theyr weapons are swoordes rounde targettes peltes bowes dartes and iauelins of great and long reedes They are also armed with iackes made of bombasine cotton wrought very harde and closely couched Theyr houses are walled and continent in order as ours are The region bryngeth foorth wheate bombasine sylke of sundrye kindes of colours Brasile and sundrye kyndes of fruites muche lyke vnto ours Also apples of Assiria Oranges Limons Citrons Gourdes Cucumbers c. Of the wylde and tame beastes of the citie of Tarnassary Cap. 7. THis region bryngeth foorth many beastes both wyld and tame The tame beastes are Oxen Kyne Sheepe Gotes Hogges Hartes and Hyndes The wylde beastes are Lions Wolues Cattes of the mountayne and also Muskecattes In the feeldes are many Peacockes and those kynde of Egles whiche we call Falcons Popingays also or Parrottes marueylous fayre of the which some are white and other of seuen colours There is lykewyse great plentie of Hares and Partriges and diuers other sortes of great byrdes liuyng by praye muche bygger then Eagles for of the vpper parte of their beckes they make hafâ—es for swoordes The becke is of yelowe colour distincte with crimsine very fayre and beautifull to be seene But the byrde is blacke and purple with certayne whyte feathers intermyxt There are also the byggest Hennes and Cockes that euer I sawe and therefore thinhabitants and Mahumetans which dwell there take muche pleasure in Cockefyght and laye great wagers in that kynde of sporte I haue seene them fyghte for the space of syxe houres and yet sometymes they kyll one an other at the fyrst stroke There are certayne Gotes farre exceedyng ours in byggenesse and muche fayrer these are so fruitefull that at one byrth they bryng forth foure young kyddes There is so great abundaunce of beastes that twelue weathers are sold for one peece of golde to the value of a crowne or pistoleâ— There are also certayne weathers or rammes with hornes lyke vnto buckes hornes and are muche bygger and fyercer then ours Theyr Buffles are not so fayre as ours The region hath also abundaunce of fyshe very bygge and good and of small price These people eate all maner of beastes excepte Kyne They eate on the grounde without carpet or other cloth yet haue they vessells of woodde artificially made Theyr drynke is water and suger theyr beddes are raysed from the grounde after the maner of ours Theyr couche is of bombasine cotton and the couerynges of sylke Theyr apparell is a cloke or mantell of bombasine or sylke with one arme out all bare But some of the merchauntes weare inner vestures or shirtes of sylke or bombasine cloth They go all barefooted except the priestes whiche weare on theyr heads certayne rayles or crestes of two spannes long with a knotte on the crowne lyke vnto an Acorne and sparkled with golde They delyght also in earinges but weare neyther rynges nor braslettes The colour of the inhabitantes inclyneth to whyte for the temperature of the climate or ayre is colder then at Calecut Theyr maner of tyllage and geatheryng of fruite is lyke vnto ours Of the maner which the kyng of Tarnassarie vseth when he permitteth his wyfe to be defloured of white men Cap. 8. THis kyng vseth not to geue his wyfe to the priestes to be defloured as doth the kyng of Calecut but committeth this facte to whyte men as to the Christians or Mahumetans for he wyll not suffer the Idolaters to do this The inhabitantes lykewyse haue not to do carnally with theyr wyues before some whyte man of what so euer nation haue fyrst the breakyng of them The maner of burnyng dead bodyes in the citie of Tarnassary Cap. 9. WHen the kyng or any of the priestes or gentlemen dye their bodies are burnt in a great fyre made of a pile of wood then all the whyle they sacrifice vnto the deuyll Their asshes are reserued in certayne pottes of the earth of Samos and buryed in theyr houses They sacrifice in y e shadows of trees as do they of Calecut Whilst the bodyes are burnyng they cast in the fyre all maner of sweete sauoures as Aloes Myrre Frankensence Storax Sandals Corall and innumerable suche other sweete gummes spices and trees These make the fyre muche greater encreasyng the flame by reason of theyr gummositie in the meane tyme also they neuer ceasse to make a great noyse with Trumpettes Pipes Drummes Tambarells and suche other instruments not muche vnlyke the ceremonies which in olde tyme were vsed among the gentiles in canonisyng theyr saintes Furthermore duryng these funeralls there are .xv. or .xx. disguised lyke deuyls whiche continually walke rounde about the fyre with many strange gesticulations after the maner of reioycyng The wyfe also of the burned kyng or priest standeth by the tyre alone without the companye of any other woman lamentyng and beatyng her
specially a great braunche of Corall they earnestly desired him to goe with them to a certayne citie where they promised him that by theyr procurement he shoulde sell his ware at great auantage if he would buye Rubie stones and that he might therby easily geat aboue tenne thousande peeces of golde Affirming that those kynde of stones were of muche greater value in Turkey Wherevnto my companion answered that he woulde goe with them if they would departe in shorte space We will sayde they departe euen to morow for here is a Foist whiche departeth hence to morowe and taketh her viage to the citie of Pego whyther we desyre to bryng you My companion consented the rather to his request bicause he was aduertised that he should fynde there certayne Persians his countrey men Therefore with this good companie departyng from the citie of Bangella and saylyng ouer a great gulfe lying on the South syde wee came at the length to the citie of Pego a thousande myles distaunt from Bangella Of Pego a famous citie of India Cap. 15. THe citie of Pego is not farre from the sea and is situate vppon the continent or fyrme lande A very fayre ryuer runneth by the citie by the which merchandies are caried to and fro The kyng of the citie is an Idolater The inhabitauntes in apparell liuyng and maners are lyke vnto them of Tarnassari but of whiter colour as in a colder region somewhat lyke vnto ours The citie is walled and the houses well buylded and very fayre of stone and lyme The kyng hath a myghtie armie both of footemen and horsemen and hath in his armie Pensionarie Christians borne euen in the same region Theyr wages is euery moneth sixe of those peeces of golde which they cal Pardaios is payde them out of the Kynges treasury They haue abundance of corne and flesh as in Calecut Here are but fewe Elephantes yet other beastes and foules as in Calecut Here are also trees for buyldyng and to make shyppes the fayrest that euer I sawe Also exceedyng great Reedes as byg as the bodie of a grosse man or a tubbe Here are likewyse siuit Cattes or Muske Cattes and of small pryce as three for one peece of golde There are fewe merchandyes in this citie except precious stones and specially Rubies which neuerthelesse are brought thyther from an other citie named Capela beyng towarde the East thirtie dayes iourney where are also founde precious stones named Smaragdes or Emeraldes When we arryued at Pego the kyng was absent fyue twentie dayes iourney in a place where he kepte warre agaynst the kyng of Aua. But shortly after he returned with great tryumphe for the victorie which he had agaynst his enemie Of the munificence humilitie and great richesse of the Kyng of Pego Cap. 16. THis kyng vseth not suche pompes and magnificence as doeth the kyng of Calecut But is of suche humanitie and affabilitie that a chylde may come to his presence and speake with him being neuerthelesse very ryche It is in maner incredible to speake of the ryche Iewelles precious stones pearles and especially Rubies which he weareth surmounting in value any great citie His fingers be full of Ringes and his armes all full of braselettes of golde all beset and moste gloriously shinyng with suche precious stones His legges also and feete beyng garnyshed in lyke maner His eares lykewyse are so laded with suche Iewelles that they hang downe halfe a handfull The splendour or shinyng of these Iewelles is so great that if one see the king in the darke night he shineth in maner as it were the beames of the sunne At good oportunitie the Christian merchantes spake to the kyng and certified him that my companion had brought sundry merchaundies of great estimation The kyng answered that they shoulde come to him the day folowyng bycause that that present day he shoulde sacrifice to the deuyll Therefore the nexte day he sent for vs willyng that my companion should bryng with him suche merchandies as he had The which the kyng toke great pleasure to behold and not without good cause for among other thinges there were two great branches of corrall of such bignesse and fayrenesse as no man there had euer seene the lyke The kyng astonished at these thinges asked the Christians what men we were They answered that we were Persians Then sayde the kyng to his interpretour Aske them if they will here make sale of theyr merchandies To whom then my companion sayde thus Most honorable Prince all these are yours take them and vse them at your pleasure Then sayde the kyng agayne These two yeeres paste I haue kepte continuall warre with the kyng of Aua and therfore my treasure of money is consumed But if you will bargaine by the way of exchaunge for precious stones and especially Rubies I will so deale with you that it shall not repent you Then sayde my companion to the Christians I pray you gyue the kyng to vnderstande that I desire none other thyng then the beneuolence of his highnesse and therefore that I desire him to take of my merchaundies what lyketh him best and that without money or permutation of any other thing When the kyng hearde this he answered that he had hearde by reporte that the Persians were very curtuous and liberall men and that he neuer knewe so liberall a man as this was and swore by the head of the deuyll that by this occasion he would proue which of them two should be most liberall and therefore callyng vnto him a Page of his chamber commaunded him to fetche a casket of precious stones This casket was of the breadth of a spanne and a halfe euery way square and full of Rubies hauyng also within it sundry receptacles or boxes where the stones were sorted in order When he had opened the casket he commaunded it to be set before the Persian willing him to take of those precious stones as many as he would But my companion the Persian yet more moued to liberalitie by this the Kinges munificence spake to the kyng these woordes O most honourable Prince I perceyue your beneuolence to be suche towarde me that I sweare by the holy head of Mahumet and all the mysteries of his religion wherevnto I am professed that I freely and gladly gyue vnto you all my merchaundies For I doe not trauayle about the worlde for gaynes of richesse but rather of desyre to see the worlde In the which thereto I neuer founde any thyng wherein I so greatly reioyced as in the beneuolence and fauour which your maiestie hath shewed me The kyng answered Wylt thou yet contende with mee in liberalitie And with those woordes tooke out of the casket of euery boxe some as many Rubies as he coulde holde in his hande with this rewarde whiche was two hundred Rubies shewed his kyngly munificence and beneuolence towarde the Persian saying vnto
beganne a sturre and mutinie in maner of a tumulte Whiche when the gouernour vnderstoode commauÌ„ded al his Captaines souldiers other officers to plaâ—â— their artilerie order all thynges in redynesse least the 〈◊〉 sudden rage should attempte any thing agaynst the 〈…〉 al thynges were pacified in shorte tyme. Then 〈…〉 takyng me by the hande brought me into 〈…〉 and there demaunded of me what the kyng 〈…〉 of Calecut imagined or deuised to do 〈…〉 I infourmed hym of all thynges as 〈…〉 hauyng diligently searched to vnderstand all 〈…〉 When the gouernour was thus by me 〈…〉 secretes he appoynted a galley to bryng 〈…〉 who was then in the citie of Cusin The 〈…〉 the gallie was named Iohannes Seranus â–ª When 〈…〉 saw me he receiued me very fauourably I 〈…〉 also of al thynges Saying furthermore vnto hym 〈◊〉 myght by his fauoure obteyne pardon and assurance for 〈◊〉 sayde two Italians Peter Antonie and Iohn Maria which 〈…〉 made artillarie for the infidel princes I woulde procure that they shoulde returne to the Christians and do them ryght good seruice and that I was well assured that they dyd that by constraint Also y t they desyred none other thing then safe conduct and mony for theyr charges He was glad of this and graunted my request Whereuppon within three dayes after he sent me with letters to his sonne the gouernour in the citie of Canonor with commaundement to deliuer me as muche mony as shoulde suffice for the charges of the Christian exploratours or espions of the citie of Calecut I went therefore incontinent to Canonor where I agreed with one of the idolatours who for pouertie had gaged his wife children to cary letters to Calecut to Iohn Maria and Peter Antonie The content of which letters was that the Uiceroye had graunted them pardon and safe conducte and also mony for theyr charges Aduertisyng them to make none priuie of this thyng and especially to beware least it shoulde be knowen to theyr slaues or concubines For eche of them had a concubine a child a slaue Furthermore to leaue al their goods behynd them except thynges of great price as mony iewelles For they had a very fayre Diamond of the weyght of .xxxii. caractes esteemed to be woorth .xxxv. thousande crownes They had also a pearle of the weyght of .xxiiii. caractes Furthermore 〈◊〉 thousande rubies of the whiche some were of the weyght 〈…〉 and some of one and a halfe They had also .lxiiii. 〈…〉 garnyshed with many iewelles lykewyse in redye 〈…〉 and fyue hundred peeces of golde But see 〈…〉 much couetousnesse Whyle they thought to haue 〈…〉 all and theyr lyues therewith For not contentyng 〈…〉 with the aforesayde ryches they woulde needes also 〈…〉 notwithstandyng the aduertisement we had geuen 〈…〉 Gunnes three Munkeis two Muskecattes and two of 〈…〉 wherwith precious stones are polyshed All whiche 〈…〉 the onely cause of theyr death For whereas so many 〈…〉 not be secretly conueyed one of theyr slaues 〈…〉 〈…〉 of Calecut heereof who at the fyrst woulde scarsely 〈…〉 〈…〉 for the good opinion he had conceyued of them Yet sent foure 〈◊〉 his garde of them whiche are called Naery to 〈…〉 true But the slaue perceyuyng that the kyng woulde 〈◊〉 fauourably with them went to the hygh priest or Bishop of the fayth of the Mahumetans whom they call Cady and tolde hym all that before he had tolde the kyng of Calecut Addyng moreouer that the sayde Christians had disclosed theyr secretes to the Portugales When the Bishop vnderstode these thynges he called a counsayle of all the Mahumetan merchauntes wyllyng them of the common treasurie to geue a hundred peeces of golde to the kyng of Gioghi who was then at Calecut and to speake to hym in this maner It is not vnknowen to you most noble prince howe a fewe yeeres past when your maiestie came hither we receiued you with more honorable enterteinement then we are nowe able to do The cause whereof is no lacke of good wyl or knowledge of our deuetie towarde your hyghnesse but rather the great and manyfolde iniuries and oppressions whiche we haue susteyned and do dayely susteyne by our mortal enimies the Christians whereof we haue at this present example of two Christian traytors of this citie whiche haue disclosed to the Portugales al our secretes and therefore we make most humble petition vnto you to take of vs a hundred peeces of golde to commaund them to be slayne When the kyng of Gioghi hearde these woords he consented to theyr petition and forthwith appoynted two hundred men to commyt the murder And that they might be the lesse suspected of the Christians meanyng soddenly to kyll them in theyr house came by tenne and tenne as though they came to demaunde theyr accustomed rewarde But when the Christians sawe so great a company assembled about theyr house they suspected that they sought somewhat elles then theyr rewarde or offeryng and therefore incontinent takyng theyr weapons they fought so manfully at the wyndowes and doores of theyr house that they slue syxe men and woounded fourtie But at the length some of y e Gioghi shot at them certaine iron arrowes out of crosse bowes with the which they were both slayne the one beyng sore wounded in the head the other in the bodie As soone as they sawe them fall downe they cutte theyr throtes and takyng the hotte blood in the palmes of theyr handes drunke it vp with contumelious woordes agaynst the Christians After this murder the concubine of Iohn Maria came to Canonor with her young sonne whom I bought of her for eyght peeces of golde and causyng hym to be baptysed named hym Laurence because it was saint Laurence daye But within a yeere after he dyed of the frenche poxe whiche disease had then dispersed almost through all the worlde For I haue seene many infected with it foure hundred myles beyonde Calecut They call it Pua And they affyrme that this disease was neuer seene there past xvii yeeres before It is there more greeuous and outragious then with vs. Of the Nauie of the citie of Calecut and of the memorable conflicte betwene the Christians and Mahumetans In the whiche the Portugales with incredible valiantnesse gaue theyr enimies the ouerthrowe And howe the kyng of Canonor reioyced at their victorie Cap. 38. IN the yeere of our Lorde .1506 the fourth daye of March woorde was brought vs of the death of the sayde Christians The same daye from the cities of Calecut Pauan Capagot Pandaram Trompatam departed a great nauie of two hundred and eyght shippes of the whiche fourescore and foure were great shippes or shippes of burden and the rest were dryuen with Ores after the maner of Foystes whiche they call Parao The Nauie was manned with in maner innumerable Mahumetans shewyng themselues very braue in apparel of purple sylke and Bombasine with also theyr hygh and sharpe cappes after
do bread It hath the taste of an Almonde and is vsed in the steade of bread when it is dryed In the myddest of this carnell is a cleare and sweete water beyng very holsome and cordiale This water sometyme coniealeth and lyeth within the shell lyke an egge When they intende to make oyle hereof the laye it to putrifie in water and boyle it vntyll it be lyke oyle or liquide butter When they intende to make vineger they suffer onely the water to putrifie and then set it to the Sunne where it becommeth vineger lyke vnto that which is made of whyte wyne And when they mingle the carnell with the water whiche is in the myddest of the fruite and strayne it through a cloth they make a mylke thereof lyke vnto Goates mylke These Date trees are lyke vnto them that beare Dates but are not so full of knottes With the iuice of two of these Date trees a whole familie of tenne persons may be mentayned with wyne vsyng one .viii. dayes and the other other .viii. dayes for they shoulde els be dryed and wythered These trees continue for the space of a hundred yeeres This Ilande where they founde this humane and gentle people is called Zuluan and is not very bygge About this Ilande they founde many other Ilandes and therefore named this sea Archipelago di San Lazaro that is the great sea of saint Lazarus beyng tenne degrees aboue the Equinoctiall towarde our pole and C.lxi. from the place from whence they departed The people of this Ilande are Caphranita that is Gentiles They go naked sauyng that they couer theyr priuie partes with a cloth made of the rynd of a certaine tree The chiefest men haue about theyr heades a sylken cloth of needle woorke They are grosse and brode set and of the coloure of an Olyue They annoynt theyr bodies with the oyle of Cocus to defende them agaynst the heate of the Sunne and drynesse of the wynde The .xxv. daye of Marche they departed from hence and directed theyr course beteweene the West and southwest and sayled betweene foure Ilandes named Cenalo Huinanghan Hibusson and Abarien â–ª c. The .xxviii. daye of Marche they came to the Ilande of Buthuan where they were honorably entertayned of the Kyng and the Prynce his sonne who gaue them muche golde and spices The Captayne gaue the Kyng a vesture of red cloth and an other of yelowe made after the Turkyshe fasshion and also a redde cappe and gaue lykewyse to other that came with hym certayne knyues glasses and beades of Crystall After that the Captayne had shewed the Kyng the secretes of his shyp and suche merchaundies as he had therein he caused a peece of ordinaunce sodenly to be shotte of whereat the kyng was greatly amased vntyl the Captayne comforted hym Then the Captayne commaunded one of his men to be armed from the head to the foote and caused three other to stryke hym with theyr swoordes whereat the kyng marueyled greatly and sayde to thinterpretour who was a slaue borne in Malacha that one of those armed men was able to encounter with a hundred of his men But he marueyled much more when the Captayne tolde hym by thinterpretoure howe he founde the strayght by the compasse and lode stone and howe many dayes they were without syght of any lande Then askyng lycence to depart the Captaine sent two of his men with hym of y t which Antonie Pigafetta was one When the kyng sawe Antonie Pigafetta wryte the names of many thynges and afterwarde rehearsed them againe he marueyled yet more makyng sygnes that such men descended from heauen The kyng brought them fyrst to his pallace where he interteyned them honorably and gaue them many gyftes as dyd also the Prince in his pallace beyng in an other Ilande named Caleghan As they syfted a certeyne myne of earth in the kynges Iland they founde peeces of golde some as bygge as Nuttes and other as bygge as Egges All the kynges vesselles were of gold and his house well furnyshed In al the whole nation there was no man of comelyer personage then the kyng he had his heare long downe to his shulders and very blacke with a vaile of sylke rouled about his head and two great rynges of golde hangyng at his eares He had about his myddle a cloth wrought of cotten and sylke impaled with golde and reachyng downe to his knees On his one syd he had a long daggar with a hafte of gold and the sheathe of a fayre kynde of carued woodde He had on euery finger three rynges of golde and had his bodie annoynted with oyle of storax and Beniamin The natural coloure of his face was lyke vnto the coloure of an Oliue and all his body besyde paynted with diuers colours The kynges name was Raia Colambu and the prince was called Raia Siagu The last day of Marche neare vnto Easter the Captayne caused his priest to say Masse and sent to the kyng by the interpretour that his comming a land at that tyme was not to dyne with hym but only to heare Masse The Captayne came aland with fyftie of his men in theyr best apparel without weapons or harnesse and all the residue well armed Before the boates came to lande he caused sixe peeces of ordinaunce to be shot of in token of peace and so came alande where the two kynges imbrased hym and accompanied hym to the place appoynted for Masse to be sayde not farre from the sea syde Somewhat before the begynnyng of Masse the Captayne sprynkled the kynges with Damaske water When the priest was at myd Masse at the offertorie the kinges profered them selues to go to kysse the crosse with the Captayne but offered nothyng At the tyme of sacryng when the priest lyfted vp the body of Christe and the Christians kneeled downe and helde vp theyr handes ioyned togeather the kynges dyd the lyke also with great reuerence In the meane tyme whyle certayne of the Christians were at the Communion a handgunne was shot of to signifie vnto them that were in the shippes to discharge al theyr ordinaunce When Masse was finished the Captayne caused certayne of his men to put on their harnesse and to make a cumbat with theyr naked swoordes whereat the kynges tooke great pleasure This doone the Captayne caused a crosse to be brought foorth with nayles and a crowne of thornes geuyng commaundement to all his men to gyue reuerence therevnto and signifying to the kynges by the interpreter that that banner was gyuen hym by the Emperour his lorde and maister with commaundement to leaue the same in all places where he came to the great commoditie and profyte of al such as woulde reuerendly receyue it as an assured token of frendship and that he woulde therfore leaue it there aswel to accomplishe his lordes commaundement as also that yf at any tyme any ships of Christians shoulde chaunce to come that way myght by seyng that crosse perceyue
Barbarians were .xv. slayne many sore wounded After the death of the Captayne they chose two other in his place of the which one was Odoardo Barbessa a Portugale and the other Iohn Serrano â–ª who was shortly after betrayde by the interpretour and taken prisoner with dyuers other Certaine dayes before the captaines death they had knowledge of the Ilandes of Molucca whiche they chiefely sought Departyng therefore from the Ilande of Mathan they sayled farre and came to the Cape of an other Ilande named Bohol In the myddest of this mayne sea which they named Archipelagus they consulted to burne the shyppe named Conception bycause they were nowe fewe in number and to furnyshe the other two shyppes with the artillerie thereof Thus directyng theyr course towarde Southwest they came to an other Ilande named Pauiloghon where they founde blacke men lyke vnto the Sarasins Shortly after they arryued at an other great Ilande whose kyng named Raia Calauar intreated them very friendly in all thynges as dyd the kyng of Massana This Ilande is ryche in golde and hath plentie of Rysse Gynger Hogges Goates Hennes and dyuers other thynges It is named Chippit and is viii degrees aboue the Equinoctiall lyne towarde our pole and in longitude from the place from whence they first departed .170 degrees and about .50 leagues from Zubut Departyng from hence they came to an other Ilande named Caghaian beyng .40 leagues from Chippit as they sayled betweene the Weste and Southwest This Ilande is very great and in maner vnhabited The people are Moores and were banished out of the Ilande of Burnei which some call Porne From this Ilande about .xxv. leagues betweene the Weste and Northweste they founde a marueylous fruitfull Ilande named Pulaoan beyng towarde our pole aboue the Equinoctiall niene degrees and a thirde parte and C.lxxix degrees and a thirde parte in longitude from the place of their departyng From this Ilande .x. leagues towarde the Southwest they sawe an other Ilande whiche seemed to them sometymes to mount as they sayled by the coastes thereof As they were entering into the port there arose a boystuous dark tempest which ceassed assoone as the fyres of the three saintes whereof we haue spoken before appeared vpon the cables From the beginning of this Iland to the porte are fyue leagues This Ilande is great and ryche and the chiefe citie thereof conteyneth .xxv. thousande houses The Kyng enterteyned our men very friendly and sent them besyde many other presentes two Elephantes trapped with silke to bryng them to his Pallace that brought the presentes which the Captayne 's sent him He hath a magnificall Courte and a great garde also a multitude of concubynes He is a Moore and is named Raia Siripada He is a kyng of great power and hath vnder him many other kynges Ilands and cities This Ilande of Burnei is aboue the Equinoctiall towarde our pole fyue degrees and a quarter and in longitude from the place of theyr departyng C.lxxvi degrees and two third partes Departyng from Burnei they came to an Ilande called Cimbulon beyng .viii. degrees aboue the Equinoctiall lyne Heere they remayned .xl. dayes to calke theyr shyppes and furnysh them with freshe water and fuell which was to them great payne and trauayle bycause they were in maner all bare footed their shooes and in maner their other apparel being worne by reason of the long vyage In the woods of this Iland they found a tree whose leaues as soone as they fall on the ground doe sturre and remoue from place to place as though they were alyue they are muche lyke the leaues of a Mulbery tree and haue on euery syde as it were two short blunt feete When they are cut or broken there is no blood seene come foorth of them Yet when any of them are touched they sodaynly moue and starte away Antoni Pigafetta kept one of them in a platter for the space of .viii. dayes and euer when he touched it it ranne rounde about the platter He supposeth that they lyue only by ayre Departyng from hence they directed theyr course by the West quarter towarde the Southeast to fynde the Ilandes of Molucca and sayled not farre from certayne mountaynes where they founde the sea full of great weedes and hearbes From hence they came to the Ilandes of Zolo and Taghima in the which are founde pearles of exceedyng bygnesse Folowyng theyr course towarde the Northeast they came to a great citie named Mangdando lying aboue the Ilandes of Butbuan and Calaghan where they tooke a Canoa of certayne of the inhabitantes by whom beyng infourmed of the Ilandes of Molucca they lefte theyr course towarde the Northeast and folowed the Southeast neare vnto a Cape of the Ilande of Buthuan they were aduertised for certentie that on the bankes of a certayne ryuer there dwelt men ouergrowen with heare and of hygh stature Folowyng styll theyr course by the Southeast and passyng by many small Ilandes they came to the Ilandes of Molucca the sixte day of Nouember and the .xxvii. moneth after their departure out of Spayne Beyng therefore ioyfull and gyuyng thankes vnto God they discharged all theyr ordinaunce In the coaste of all these Ilandes euen vnto the Ilandes of Molucca soundyng with theyr plummet they founde the deapth of the sea to be no lesse then a hundred and two yardes which is contrary to the saying of the Portugales who affyrme that no shyppe can passe that way without great daunger by reason of the shalownesse and rockes or shelues and for the darkenesse which the cloudes cause in the heauen All which things they fayned to the intent that none other should haue knowledge of theyr viages The eyght day of Nouember in the yeere 1521. before the rysing of the Sunne they entered into the porte of the Ilande of Tidore beyng one of the chiefe Ilandes of Molucca where they were honorably interteyned of the kyng who declared that he had long before seene a signe in heauen that certayne shyppes shoulde come from a farre countrey to the Ilandes of Molucca And that whereas for the better certificate thereof he considered the stations of the Moone he sawe therein the commyng of our shyppes and that we were the men whom he seemed to see in the same Wherevppon he profered him selfe to enter into league of friendshyp with the kyng of Spayne and to accepte our men as his brethren and chyldren wyllyng them to come alande as into theyr owne houses Also that for theyr commyng that Ilande shoulde no more bee called Tidore but Castile for the great loue whiche he bore to theyr Kyng whom he reputed as his Lorde and maister This Kyng is a Moore and is named Raia Sultan Mauzor The Ilandes of Molucca are fyue in number and are thus named Tarenate Tidore Mutir Macchian and Bacchian Of these Tarenate is the cheefest Directly agaynst the
Ilande of Tidore there is an other great Ilande named Gilolo inhabited of Moores and Gentiles The Moores haue two Kynges of the whiche one hath sixe hundred chyldren and the other sixe hundred and fyftie The Gentyles keepe not so many women as doe the Moores nor yet lyue in suche superstitions They pray to the first thyng that they meete in the mornyng when they goe foorth of theyr houses and honour that as theyr God for that day The Kyng of the Gentyles is very ryche in golde In the sayde Ilande of Gilolo are Reedes as byg as a mans legge and full of cleare water holsome to be drunke The .xii. day of Nouember the kyng of Tidore appoynted our men a warehouse in the citie where they myght sell theyr merchaundies Theyr maner of exchaunge was in this sorte For tenne yardes of good redde cloth they had one Babar of Cloues which amounteth to foure Cantari and six pound weight And one Cantar is a hundred pounde weyght For .xv. yardes of cloth somewhat woorse then the other they receyued in Cambie one Bahar For .xxxv. drynkyng cuppes of glasse they had one Bahar For .xvii. Cathyls of quicke siluer one Bahar They came dayly to the shyppes with many of theyr Barkes full of Goates Hennes fygges of a spanne long also the fruite called Cocus with dyuers other kyndes of victualles in suche quantitie that it was a marueylous thyng to beholde They furnyshed also theyr shyppes with freshe water which is hotte as it issueth out of the spryng but is very colde when it hath stoode a whyle in an other place It spryngeth from the mountaynes on the which the cloue trees growe They sawe a cloude ryse in maner dayly whiche compasseth about the sayde mountaynes The kyng of the Ilande of Bacchian sent the kyng of Spaine two dead byrdes of straunge fourme They were of the bygnesse of Turtle Dooues with little heades and long bylles also long and small legges and no wynges but in the steede thereof certayne long feathers of diuers colours and tayles lyke Turtle Dooues all the other feathers are of one colour much lyke vnto tawny excepte those of the wynges they flee not but when the wynde bloweth These Moores are of opinion that these byrdes come from the heauenly Paradyse and therefore call them Manuccodiata that is the byrdes of God When they were determyned to departe from the Ilandes of Molucca certayne kynges of the Ilandes accompanied them with theyr Canoas and conducted them to an Ilande called Mare where they refreshed theyr shyppes with freshe water and fuell The kynges sent the Emperours maiestie many presentes and embrasing our men departed with the teares in theyr eyes and our men for theyr laste farewell shot of all their ordinance When in the Ilande of Mare they perceyued that one of theyr shyppes leaked and tooke water very sore wherby they were inforced to tarrie there three dayes But seeyng that they coulde fynde no remedie for the same but in long tyme they determined to leaue it gyuyng order that if afterwarde it coulde bee repayred they should returne into Spayne as well as they could In all the Ilandes of Molucca is founde Cloues Ginger bread of the roote of Sagu Ryse Goates sheepe Hennes Figges Almondes sweete Pomegranates and sowre Oranges Lemondes and hony which is made of certayne flyes lesse then Antes Also canes of suger oyle of Cocus Mellons Gourdes and a marueylous colde fruite whiche they name Camulicai and dyuers other fruites Furthermore whyte and red Popingayes and other of variable colours It is not paste fiftie yeeres since the Moores fyrst inhabited any of these Ilandes whiche were before inhabited only with Gentiles The Ilande of Tidore is aboue the Equinoctiall line toward our pole about .27 minutes and in longitude from the place from whence they departed .171 degrees and from the Archipelagus in the which is the Ilande of Zamal whiche our men named the Ilande of theeues .ix. degrees and a halfe and runneth to the quarter of South Southwest and North Northeast Terenate is vnder the Equinoctiall lyne foure minutes vnder the pole Antartike Mutir is directly vnder the Equinoctiall lyne Macchian is .xv. minutes towarde the pole Antartike and Bacchian one degree These Ilands are lyke iiii sharpe mountaines except Macchian which is not sharpe The biggest of all these is Bacchian Departyng from the Ilande of Mare and directyng theyr course toward the Southwest with only .xlvi. men in theyr shyppe and .xiii. Indians they passed by the Ilandes of Chacouan Lagoma Sico Gioghi Caphi Sulacho Lumatola Tenâ—tum Buâ—u Ambon Budia Celaruri Benaia Ambalao Bandon Zorobua Zolot Noceuamor Galian and Mallua with dyuers other Ilands both great and small of Moores Gentiles and Canibales Our men remayned .xv. dayes in the Ilande of Mallua to repayre theyr shyppe in certayne places where it tooke water All the feeldes of this Ilande is full of long and rounde Pepper and is situate towarde the pole Antartike vnder the Equinoctial line .viii. degrees and a halfe and is in the longitude of .169 degrees and .40 minutes The Pilot whiche our men brought out of the Ilandes of Molucca tolde them that not farre from thence was an Ilande named Arucetto in the whiche are men and women not past a cubite in heyght hauyng eares of suche byggenesse that they lye vppon one and couer them with the other But our men would not sayle thyther both because the wynde and course of the sea was agaynst them and also for that they gaue no credite to his reporte The .xxv. daye of Ianuarie in the yeere .1522 they departed from Mallua and the day folowyng arryued at a great Ilande named Timor beyng fyue leagues distant from Mallua betweene the south and southwest In this Ilande is found the wood of whyte Saunders and Gynger and dyuers kyndes of fruites Also sundry kyndes of beastes and plentie of vittaile and golde They of the Ilandes of Giaua Molucca and Lozon resorte to this Iland for Saunders The inhabitantes are gentyles They saye that when they go to cutte the wood of Saunders the deuyl appeareth to them in dyuers fourmes and asketh them what they haue neede of And that after this vision many of them are long sicke In al y e Ilands of this Archipelagus rayneth the disease of saint Iob whiche we call the frenche poxe more then in any other place in the worlde Farre from this Ilande betweene the west and northwest they came to an Ilande named Eude in the whiche groweth great plentie of Sinamome In this tracte are founde many Ilandes lying in order as it were one directly behynde an other euen vnto the Iland of the greater Giaua named Giaua maior and vnto the cape of Malacha beyng in East India Giaua the lesse is as bygge as the Ilande of Madera and is but halfe a league
vnto it lye foure wayes or walles built vp out of the water two Speares length brode commodiously for suche as trayuayle thyther by lande with sundrye draught brydges by the way to cut of inuasions if neede were Of these foure wayes one was that where Cortesius met with kyng Muteezuma In one of these walles or bridges freshe water is brought from the lande into the citie by two gutters no lesse in quantitie then hoggesheades the one thereof serueth when y e other is either stopped or musty The streats are streight many in number built much after the maner of Uenice both to go by lande and by water The brydges ouer the water in this citie be made of woodde of suche breadth that tenne may passe ouer them togeather so many in number that it were a thyng almost infinite to recken them The number of houses therein amounteth to .60 thousande Amongest other one streate is very large sumptuously buylte and famous for all sortes of merchaundies that prouince yeeldeth wont to be solde there .60 thousande merchauntes as it is thought dayly haunt that streat There are solde sundry sortes of mettales iewelles fruites foule hearbes and all other necessaries seruyng for meates clothes warfar buyldings and pleasure For euery speciall kynde of merchaundies is appoynted a speciall standyng by it selfe They sell by tale and measure the vse of weyghtes as yet they haue not Theyr mony is a kynde of Nutte shels of the kyrnell it selfe is made theyr drynke The tree is planted vnder the bowes of some other for defence vntyl it be growen strong hable to abyde the heate of the Sunne then is the fense tree cut downe and that let to continue many Lordes haue thereof great reuenewes in that countrey Steele and Iron they want in steede whereof they vse to make theyr instrumentes of a kynde of harde stone wherewith they woorke golde syluer copper brasse exellently wel in what fourme or shape so euer they lyste You can not shewe them any kynde of thyng but they wyll drawe it and set it out most lyuely in metall so cunnyng artificers they be To the markets all thinges are brought eyther by water in Canoaes or on slaues backes There standeth a goodly palace in the market place for iudgement There be resydent alwayes .x. or .xii. graue senators to see good order kept in that streate to decide controuersies happenyng there to punyshe offenders Other see what is to be solde in the market and what measure is made Many gorgeous temples be in this citie many goodly towers buylte where noble men haue ben buryed with gallant chappelles to theyr Idolles many princely palaces for that all the nobilitie of that countrey lyeth some parte of the yeere in the citie and the best citizens great ryche men The good order and policie in so barbarous a nation is wonderfull to beholde Concernyng their abhominable Idolatry Cortesius is worthy of great commendation for the throwyng downe the Idoles where he came beyng a stranger though the princes of that prouince and Meteezuma also tooke it not well principally in the palace persuadyng them that it was not seemely for a kyng to worshyppe that whiche a knaue or slaue of his had made Euery noble man hath besydes the palaces in the citie his castle souldiers receyuers other officers in the countrey and neere the court gallant houses for recreation with pleasaunt gardens orchardes pondes other the lyke delightes The noble men and Gentlemen of this countrey can not be fewe in number whereas dayly the court is furnished with fyue hundred young gentlemen besydes the multititude of seruyng men that attende on them And the fashion in this countrey is of all the nobilitie to sende theyr sonnes for education sake vnto the Court although many of them dwel an hundred and fyftie or two hundred leagues of So large so myghtie is the kyngdome of Mexico yet so well gouerned the kyng so duetyfully obeyed of all his subiectes aswel absent as present eche shyre yeeldyng and duely paying vnto hym the commodities therof according to theyr custome that Cortesius thinketh no prince in the world to be more feared reuerenced of his people The kyng hath sundry goodly pallaces and in them many ryche and costly ornamentes of golde of syluer of feathers so artificially wrought that neyther any sort of needle worke nor kynde of picture may seeme to make the lyke shewe Among the rest three special houses of recreation the kyng hath in his palace In one of them are a number of moustrous and defourmed persons dwarfes crookebackes syngyng men by nature twoo headed monsters and others with theyr keepers The second house is so large that in it commodiously two kynges may be resident The place is set foorth with many Alabaster Marble pyllers ten goodly pondes therin well stored with fyshe and foule of al sortes that eyther do lyue in the water or on the lande with their keepers and diuersities of meates for theyr diuers natures In this place kept he also young chyldren that had whyte heades were of fayre complexion aswel boyes as gyrles The thyrde house serued for Lions Tygers Wolues Foxes and other the lyke wylde beastes eche sort in theyr seueral dennes The least of these three houses is so well buylt that the kyng at his pleasure may lodge therein with all his court The prince is thus serued Fyue hundred gentlemen at the least with theyr folowers gyue attendaunce at the court al the day long though they come not alwayes in the kynges syght These gentlemen syt downe to dynner when the kyng sytteth and do fare as well as he their folowers haue theyr reuersion The buttrey cellar pantry and other offices neuer shut come in who wyll meate drynke he can not want The hall wherein the kyng dyneth is matted vnder foote his meate is brought vp by .300 young men pensioners fleshe fyshe fruites salates of all sortes vppon chaffyng dyshes in the wynter to keepe the meates warme These wayters neuer come neere the boord for the kyng sytteth on a leather cushyng artificially wrought at a table raylled about within the precincte whereof standeth his Sewer to set hym downe those meates he lyketh of best At his ryght hande syxe olde men syt downe vnto whom the kyng hym selfe carueth The kyng washeth before meate and after he is serued in earthen dyshes his cuppes be of the same mettall he shyfteth hym selfe foure tymes a daye Whatsoeuer he hath once vsed be it apparell â–ª napery or any other kynde of housholde stuffe it is neuer brought hym any more to vse but bestowed by hym vpon his seruauntes or frendes at conuenient tymes For honour sake eche one commeth into the palace barefoote in most humble wyse they come before the king when they are called bowing downe theyr heads theyr eies to the ground It were great presumption to looke the king in the face when he talketh with any of them
Priuilegio Kyng of Portugale Algarbs Lorde of Guinea of the coÌ„quest nauigation and trafike into Ethiopia Arabia Persia India The first part the first Decadâ— The second Decade The third Decade The fourth Decade The seconde part The thyrde part The fourth part A harde begynyng The Pylot that fyrst founde the Indies Mina Colon was not much learned Colon conferred with learned men Kyng Henry the seuenth Barnarde knewe not all thynges The conquest of Granada The archbâ—shop of Toledo The colour of the East Indians The coloure of the west Indians Gods wysedome power is seene in his workes Thyle is Islande The largenesse of the Ocean vnknowen to this day Cardinal Ascanius The warres at Granatum agaynst the Moores Italy disquieted with warres The sequeles of warre Kyng Frederike Spayne subdued from the Moores The kyngdome of Naples The temperatnesse of the Equinoctiall vnknowen to the olde wryters Continent or fyrme lande as bygge as three Europes Riches are the instruments of conquestes The rewardâ— of vertue The Ilandes of the West Ocean Christophorus Colonus India The fyrst voyage of Colonus The Ilandes of Canarie Gades or Calsmals A league what it conteyneth by sea The fortunate Ilandes Capo Verde The .vii. Ilandes of Canarie Betanchor a Frenche man subdued the Ilandes of Canarie c. Alphonsus Lugo Colonus men rebel agaynst hym Fayre woordes and promises Hispaniola Iohanna Nightingales syng in Nouember The Ilande of Ophir The Ilandes of Antilia A shypwracke The people of the Ilande Naked people Expert swymmers Gold for earth and glasse Many kynges Religious and humane people Canoas Monoxyla They haue no iron Canibales or Caribes Anthâ—opophagi The crueltie of the Canibales Ages Rootes in the steede of meate Iucca Bread of rootes In hearbe of strange nature Maizium Golde in estimation Golde in the sandes of riuers Serpentes without venime Turtle doues Duckes Popiniayes Plini These Ilandes are part of India The Indians are Antipodes to the Spanyardes Aristotle Seneca India not farre from Spayne Mastyx Aloe Gossampine cotton or bombase Seres The language of these Indians Trees fruites vnknoweÌ„ to vs Fat and moyst grounde Heate continual temperate The fruitefulnesse of Hispaniola The seconde voyage of Colonus Corne seedes to sowe Tooles and artyllerie Water droppyng from a tree continuallye Methymna Campi Castella Vetus Gades The Ilandâ— of Ferrea Ilandes of the Canibales The Ilande of Dominica Lysartes The Ilande of Galanta The Iland of Guadalupea Villages of .xx. or .xxx. houses The buildyng of theyr houses Gossampine cotton Bombase Hangyng beddes Images Fine cookerie Arrowheades of bones The mount Guadalupus Carucueria Popiniayes bygger then Phesantes The Canibales driueÌ„ to flyght Matinino an Ilande of women The Ilandes of Mons Serratus Huntyng for men Sancta Maria Rotunda Sanctus Martinus Sancta Maria Antiqua Insula crucis an Ilande of the Canibales The Canibales are expert Archers Arrowes inâ—ected with â—enime A conflict with the Canibales The fiercenesse terrible countenance of the Canibales Methymna Campi Innumerable Ilandes The mynes of mettals precious stones The sea called Archipelagus Insula S. Iohannes or Buchena Death for death â—he mounâ—â—ynes are colâ—er then the â—â—aynes â—rom Domiâ—â—ca to Hispaâ—â—ola fiue hunâ—â—ed leagues â—he Spaniarâ—s left in the â—ande are â—yne â—yng Guaccaâ—â—rillus reâ—â—leth Two images of golde Libertie and idlenesse A happie kinde of lyfe Superfluitie Many haue to much and none yenough The golden worde Naked men troubled with ambition Geue place The Admirall sendeth for the kyng No horses in the Ilandes A tyme for all â—ynges A desperate aduenture of a woman Cloelia of Rome Guaccanarillus is sought Melchior Popyngiayes and byrdes Taini Haukes belles A large house Reedes of sundry colours Caccius Hoiedus and Gorualanus Gold in riuers â—allyng from mountaynes The manner of gathering gold Graynes of golde A masse of rude gold weyghing ix ounces Caunaboa â–ª kyng of the house of golde Holsome water and plentie of fyshe The day and nyght of equall length in December Byrdes breede in December The eleuation of the pole The starres are called guardens of the pole The Equinoctial line A chappell and priestes Marchantes Syrophenicians The Cinamome tree Xiloaloes or Lignum Aloes Hispaniola Ophir whither Solomons shyps sayled for Golde Isabella A token of marueilous fruitefulnesse Hearbes greene al the whole yeere Suger reedes Plantes and vines Corne grayne ripe twyse a yeere The region of Cipanga or Cibana Golde The golden region of Cibana The vale of Cibana Golde for haukes bels Graynes and pibble stones of golde They passe not for golde in that it is golde onely but. c. Stones of golde as big as the head of a childe Spices Wilde vines of plesaunte taste Fruitful mountaynes Golde in the lande of ryuers falling from the mountaynes Libertie and idlenes The mountaynes are colde The ilande of Cuba Least any other prince c. Discention betweene the Portiugales and Spaniardes The ilandes of cobouerde or Hesperides The Portugales vâ—ages The ende of the easte and weste Note India not far from Spaine Sainte Nicolas porte The iland of Iamaica Quicke witted people The compassing of the earth Aurea Chersonesus or Malaccha A secreate of Astronomie The riuer of Ganges Daungerous streightes by reason of many Ilandes A large hauen Rosted fishe and serpents of viii foote longe Crocodiles of Egipte The kinges fishers Serpentes esteemed for delicate meaâ—â— Blossomes fruites both at one time Trees which beare gourds A multitude of Ilandes Hotte water A straunge kinde of fisshing Abundance of Tortoyses Fisher men The fishe Guaicanum Humane people A mountayne fruitfull and well inhabited Dogges of strange shape and dumme white and thicke water Wooddes of â—ate trees Men appareâ—â—d like white â—â—yers â—pparelled â—en Natiue vines Trees bearyng spices sweete fruites Diuers languages in the Ilande of Cuba Pearles in shelfyshes The sea entangled with Ilandes A multitude of great Tortoyses A gulfe of white water The humanitie of a reuerende olde gouernour An oration of the naked gouernour Theyr opinion of the soule of man Desyre of gold founde that which religion coulde not â—ynde Virtus post nummos c. The lande as common as â–ª the sunne and water Simple dyet Hispaniola The Canibales Sickenesse of to much Watching Easte India The Spaniardes rebell in the Admirals absence The kinges of the ilande rebell The Spaniardes misbehauiour A iust reuenge Capitayne Hoieda Caunaboa conspireth the Admirals death Famine in the ilande of hispaniola The hunger of golde causeth greate famine The tower of conception Electrum is a metall naturally mixt of one portion of golde an other of siluer being of propertie to bewraye poyson and was therfore in olde time in greater estimation then golde The mine of Electrum An other kinde of amber is taken out of greate whale fishes Orpement oâ— oker Wooddes of brasile trees Licentiusnes of to much libertie And this only geathered and not dygged out of the bodye of the mine The nature of the region disposeth the maner of
Weakenesse of hunger Cape Marmor Nomen Dei The nauigation of Rodericus Colmenaris An exceedyng high mountayne couered with snowe Apparelled men Spanyardes slayne with venemous arrowes A remedie agaynst venemous arrowes The hauen of Vraba Nicuesa is founde in a miserable case Insolencie oftâ— muche felicitie The death of Nicuesa Famine enforseth them to fal to spaylyng Careta kyng of Coiba Kyng Careta is taken and spoyled Mine thine the seedes of al myscheefe Ancisus Lieuetenant for Fogeda is cast in pryson Ancisus taketh his voyage to Hispaniola The reuengâ— of God The inconueniences of discorde King Poncha Swordes of wood Kyng Careta conspireth with the Spaniards agaynst kyng Poncha The region of Comogra distant from Dariena .xxx. leagues Kyng Comogrus The kynges pallace Wine syder Blacke wine The carcasses of men dâ—yed The distribution of golde Young Comogrus his oration The hunger of golde A region flowing with golde Kyng Tumanama Canibales The golde mines of the mountaynes Vnwrought golde not estemed Abundance of golde Housholde stuffe of golde Naked people tormented with ambition A vehement perswasion A token of hunger Kyng Comogrus is baptised with his familie Horrible thunder and lyghtnyng in the moneth of Nouember Maryshe grounde Ancisus bitten of a Batte A tempest King Turui The Ilande of Cannafistula King Abibeiba dwelleth in a tree The rysyng of the Ocean sea Trees of marueilous height Plinie Fruitefull grounde Abibeiba the kyng of the tree yeeldeth to Vaschus Golde no more esteemed then stones Canibales Men good yenough yf they had iron Captiues A garryson of thirtie men Eightene Spanyardes slayne and drowned The kinges which conspired the death of the Christians A straunge chaunce Women can keepe no counsayle An armie of an hundred Canoas and fyue M. men Triumph before victorie Affection corrupteth true iudgement The conspiracie of the kyngs is detected Kyng Cemaechus conspireth the death of Vaschus Vaschus pursueth the kings with threescore and ten men Colmenaris sacketh the vyllage of Tichiri Fyue rulers hanged shot through with arrowes Iohan. Quicedus is sent to Spayne A wife is a hinderaunce The death of aldiuia Hurt of lauyshnesse of the tongue The calamities and death of Fogeda Maladies and famine The prosperous voyage of Ancisus A king of Cuba baptised by the name of Commendator A marueylous hystorie howe God wrought myracles by the simple faith of a Maryner Be not rashe in iudgement A Chappell builded to the pycture of the virgin Marie One superstititious religion turned into an other holdeth stil many thinges of the fyrst Zeale without knowledge is neuer godly Marke this blyndnesse This ignorance is to be lamented The deuil dissembleth to keepe his in blyndnesse styll A notable lye of a papistical heretike One blasphemie vpon another The deuyll appeareth in his lykenesse What likenes A strange myracle not to be credited Another myracle Wise men Math. xiiii This is another matter The deuyl appeareth againe The virgin Mary in her owne person ouercommeth the deuyl The priestes rewarde Why name you Capons Ancisus voiage to Spayne Ancisus complayneth of Vaschus Marke to whoÌ„ this fayned myraculous storie was written The procuratours of Dariena are honourably receiued at the court The great master of the kings ships Petrus Arias is elected gouernour of Dariena The oration of the Byshop of Burges in the defence of Petrus Arias The warres of Aphryca A house in Ciuile appoynted to the affayres of India Perulariae The Portugales inuentions The nauigation of Petrus Arias A shipwracke Americus Vesputius A notable example of a valiant woman The wyfe of Petrus Arias Plentie of pearles The vse of gunnes Great abundance of gold frankencense â–ª Olibanum Sabea is a couÌ„trey in â—rabia which bringeth foorth Frankencense Rulers for one yeere The great gulfe of Paria The great Iland Atlantike Contention betweene the Castilians Portugales for the newe landes The bishop of Rome diuideth the lande The golden regioÌ„ of Ciamba The Ilande of S. Iohannis Fyue byshops of the Ilande made by the bishop of Rome The Canibales of the Iland of Sancta Crux The ryuers of Vraba The fruitfulnesse of Vraba The fruitefulnes of Dariena Swynes fleshe of better taste more holsome then mutton Fruites putrified on the sea Betatas Lions and Tygers A strange beast The ryuers of Vraba A league is xxiiii furlonges Danubius A Crocodile is muche lyke a Neute but of exceedyng kygnesse The Portugales nauigations A philosophical discourse as concerning thoriginal of springes and ryuers The breadth of the lande at Vraba from the North Ocean to the South sea The sea The lande enclosed with two seas Conuersion of ayre into water in the caues of mountaynes The often fal of rayne and continuall spryng tyme. The Equinoctiall The pores of the sea and the south wynde The fludde Eridanus The ryuer Alpheus Longe caues in the mountaines The length and forme of the Iland Cardes of the sea The carde of Americus Vesputius The carde of Colouns The carde of Iohannes de la Cossa The carde of Andreas moralis The maner of measuring the cardes A league The nauigation of Iohannes Dias The eleuation of the pole The iurisdiction of the Portugales Hercules pyllers The Ilande Boiuca or Agnaneo The renouation of age A water of marueilous vertue The accidentes of age may be hydden Extreme hunger This was at the siege of Hierusalem Many dogges eaten A mangie dog â—â—are solde Broth of a mangie dogs skynne Toades eaten A dead man eaten Note Petrus Arias whoÌ„ the Spanyardâ—s call Pedâ—arias Vaschus Nunnez gouernor of Dariena The new south Ocean Commendation of the Spanyardes A valiant mynd can not be ydle Vaschus his voyage toward the golden mountaynes â–ª Careta kyng of Coiba King Poncha Strange thinges are counted precious Lacke of Iron A stone in the steede of Iron Superfluities hynder libertie Carpenters Brydges The region of Quarequa kyng Quarequa is dryuen to flyght Hargabusies Crossebowes vi C. Barbarians are slaine The vse of dogges in the warre agaynst the naked Barbarians Natural hatred of vnnatural sinne I woulde al men were of this opinion The haruest is great and the woorkemen but fewe Warlyke people The higher the colder A region of blacke Moores Diseases of change of ayre and dyet The south sea Prayer God rayseth the poore from the dounghyl Hanniball of Carthage King Chiapes A battayle Chiapes is driuen to flyght Vaschus sendeth for kyng Chiapes Chiapes submitteth hym selâ—e to Vaschus A gulfe of threescore myles Saint Michaels gulfe The manly corage and godly zeale of Vaschus Ryches are the synewes of warre The faythfulnes of kyng Chiapes A tempest on the sea The increasing of the South sea The Northe Ocean Hard shyft in necessitie The region Tumacca Kyng Tumaccus is driuen to flyght Golde and pearles Muscles of the sea Fyshyng for pearles The thyrst of golde Ambition among naked men A kyng of greaâ— power Byg pearles Cleopatra queene of Egypt resolued a pearle in vineger drunke it Price fiue
thousande pounde of our money The starres about the south pole A similitude declaryng Antipodes The maner of of fyshyng for pearles Petrus Arias Wanton and superfluous pleasures The fyshyng place of kyng Chiapes Gold in maner in euery house The rych treasury of nature The golde mynes of Dariena King Teaocha enterteyneth Vaschus frendly Twenty pound weyght of wrought gold Desartes ful of wylde beastes Dryed fyshe Kyng Pacra a tyraunt Great heate in the moneth of Nouember Hurt by wylde beastes A Tyger Calidonia is a forrest in Scotlande Nemea is a wood in Greece Tigers whelpes Thus the Egiptians take Crocodiles The dogge tyger taken The roryng of the tyger Tigers flesh eaten The biâ—the tyger Tigers whelpes A straunge thyng Kyng Pacra Natural hatred of vice Foure Kynges deuoured of dogges The vse of dogges in warre against naked men The Canibales are expert archers Swoordes of wood Fiftie pound weight of gold Kyng Bononiama frend to the christians Wrought gold The oration of kyng Bononiama The sparke of the lawe of nature is the lawe written in the hartes of men Great plenty of golde A symilitude for the profe of plentye of golde Chaunge of dyet is daungerous Old souldiers A long lent Comogrus Two poore kynges Desartes Vessels of golde kyng Chiorisus sendeth Vaschus xxx dyshes of pure golde Axes of Iron more esteemed then any golde Plenty of gold and scarcenesse of meate A good policie The cause of vehement windes neere the Equinocciall Vaschus his Wordes to King Tumanama Oderuut quem metuunt Xxx. pounde weight of wrought gold Threescore poundes weight of gold They abhorrce labour The coloure of the golden earth and a triall of the same Tokens of great plentle of gold Feeblenesse of hunger and watching The riuer Comogrus Vaschus returneth to Dariena The good fortune of Vaschus O flatteryng fortune looke his death in the booke of the Iland lately found The earth is our generall mother The cout of infernal Pluto Manhuntees The fyersnessâ— of the Canibales Our duty to god and naturall loue to mankinde The office of Christian princes The haruest is great The fourth nauigation of Colonus the Admiral From Spaine to Hispaniola a thousande and two hundred leagues Simple people A great marchaunt Gentle people The regions of Tuia Maia Seuen kyndes of date trees Wilde vines Mirobalanes Byrdes and foules People of goodly stature They poynt theyr bodyes The swyft course of the sea from the East to the West Freshe water in the sea Fayre ryuers Great reedes Great Tortoyses Quatuor tempora The region of Quicuri The hauen of Cariai or Mirobalanus Ciuile and humane people Trees growing in the sea after a strange sort Plinie A strange kynd of Monkeys A Monkey fyghteth with a man A conflyct betwene a Monkey and a wyld Bore The bodyes of kynges dryed and reserued Crownes of beastes clawes Spytefull people Guns make peace Seuen golden ryuers Note wher the plentie of gold endeth Crocodiles of sweet sauour Alcayr or Babylon in Egypt Shyppes eaten with wormes Alexandria in Egypt Howe the kyng of Beragua entertayned the Lieuetenant Their reuereÌ„ce to their kyng Slynges and dartes Libertie more esteemed then ryches The Spanyardes are dryuen to flyght A miserable case Necessitie hath no lawe Howe farre life is to be estemed Sanctus Dominicus Landes founde by Colonus Themperat regions and holsome ayre Expert miners A godly nature in golde Golden haruest High and great mountaynes Tirrhenum is nowe called Tuscane The mouÌ„tayns of Beragua higher then the cloudes Mountaynes of fiftie myles heyght Ianus otherwase called Iaphet the son of Noe. By this coniecture the way shoulde open to Cathai by the Hiperboreans Looke the nauigation of Cabote Deca iii. lib. vi The great riuer Maragnonus The great riuer Dabaiba or sancti Iohannes The riuers haue theyr increase from the sprynges of the mountaynes The ryuer of Nilus in Egypt Maryshes and desolate wayes A superstitious opinion of the originall of the mountaynes of Dabaiba Dragons and Crocodiles in the maryshes The hauen Cerabaro Twentie golden ryuers Precious stones A precious Diamond of exceeding bignes Topasis The nauigation of Petrus Arias The Ilande of Canarie Prouision of freshe water and fuel The sea of hearbes These mountaines are called Montes Niuales or Serra Neuata Decade .ii. lib. 1. and .ii. Mountaynes couered with snowe The stoutnes of the Barbarians The Canibales fight in the water The vse of gunnes The generation of thunder and lyghtning Plentie of fysh Cunning fyshers Tapistrie This is he whom Cardanus praiseth Precious stones The Smaradge is the true Hâ—merode Another kynde of Amber is founde in Whales Golde and Brasile Marchasites are flowres of mettals by the colours whereof the kyndes of mettals are knowen These Locustes burne the corne with touching and deuoure the residue They are in India of three foote length Gardens Insubres are nowe called Lumbardes and Hetruci Tuscans One myriade is ten thousande The manner of plantyng the roote Iucca Earth turned into rootes Howe bread is made of rootes Panicum is a grayne somewhat lyke mil The Italians cal it Melica He meaneth the equal length of day and nyght which is continualy in regions vnder the Equinoctiall line Holsome ayre Gossampine Cotton Fethers Bowes and arrowes Dead bodies reserued Gonzalus Ouiâ—dus sayeth that they gylt marueylously with the iuce of a certayne hearbe White marble The great riuer Maragnonus This ioyneth with the mighty riuer called Flumen Amazonum founde of late Clokes of fethers The swift course of the water Fourtie leagues in one nyght Sundry opinions why the sea runneth with so swyft course from the East into the West The Equinoctial line Why al waters moue towarde the south or Equinoctial read Cardanus ae subtilit liber ii de elementis Strayghtes As by the strayght of Magelanus The north landes The frosen sea Sebastian Cabot The voyage of Sebastian Cabot from Englande to the frosen sea Demogorgon is the spirite of the earth People couered with beastes skynnes The Ilandes of the Canybales The Ilande Fortis Salte A strange thing Howe Vaschus receiued the newe gouernour Habitable regions vnder the Equinoctiall line Where the new gouernour planteth his habitation A passinger shyp Decurians are officers deuided into tennes c. The gold mines of Dabaiba An errour The region of Saturma The Ilande of Dominica Difficult saylyng agaynst the course of the sea The daungerous straightes of Scylla and Charibdis The vehement course of the sea from the east to the west By what meanes the Sonne beames are cause of feruent heate The pernitious ayre of Dariena Toades and Flees engendred of drops of water Necessitie hath no lawe A house set on fyre with lightnyng A dogge deuoured of a Crocodile Tanquam canis de Nilo The bytyng of Battes Lions and Tygers Beastes waxe higher in theyr kynde Note Broma or Bissa are wormes which destroy shyppes A venemous tree Perhaps their venemous arrows are made of this wood A preseruatiue against poison The Ilandes of the
Cerabaro Decade iii.li.iiii The South sea A league contayneth foure myles by sea and but three by lande The golden region Coiba Dites Sande myxt with golde Howe theyr slaues are marked in the face Golde A fruitefull region left desolate by ciuile discorde Syxe thousand Castellans of golde kyng Taracuru Foure thousand pesos of gold Salte Theyr maner of warre Gonsalus Badaiocius hath the ouerthrowe and is spoiled of great riches of gold The inconstancie of fortune The expedition of Fraunces Bezarra aganst the Canibales Gunnes Valleius repulsed of his enemies The Ilands of the South sea In this sea lye the Ilandes of Mollucca most fruitfull of spyces Collacutea Cochinus and Camemorus from whence the Portugales haue their spyces He meaneth by the streight of Magellanus Howe they take Hartes and wylde Bores Stocke doues Theyr maner of foulyng Popingiayes are easily taken A straunge kynde of foulyng Fyshes and worms engendred of slyme Foules Gourdes of the tree Later opinions of the swyft course of the Ocean toward the West The continent or fyrme lande The vyages of Diegus Colonus The viage from the new lands to Spain The contrary course of waters The poynt of the pole starre The golde mynes of Dariena and the maner of geatheryng golde Our inclosers would leaue no such commens Auri sacra Fames The dropsie of couetousnesse Looke Decade 3. Liber 10. Cities fortifyed with walles The Ilande of Cuba or Fernandina The Spaniards of Cuba attempt new vyages The West angle of Cuba Note The Ilande of Iucatana A great citie well buylded Temples Humane people Cunnyng artifycers Apparelled people Circumcised Idolaters Campechium A towne of three thousand houses Plentie of beastes and foules Theyr Idoles and Idolatry Houses of lime and stone The prouince Aquanil Mosco The Spanyardes are put to flyght and many slayne An other expedition The Ilande of Cozumella Sweete sauoures A fruitefull Ilande Towres and temples Cozumella named Scancta Crux Idles lyke Beares Idolatry Gentle people Iucanata but fyue myles from Cozumella The Barbarians make resistance A conflict The length of Iucatana The region of Caluacam or Oloan. The riuer Grisalua 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 Armur of gold Expert artificers Fyshe hokes of golde The Ilandes of Sacrifice Chyldren sacrificed to Idols Theyr Idoles of marble Golde and precious stones A stone of great price Ilandes of women Golde Houses lyke Towres .xv. great townes in the prouince of Coluacana Townes of .xx. thousand houses The region of Palmaria A token of frendshyp Priestes Chastitie The punishment of adulterie Mariage is honoured Fasting Kyng Ouandus Idoles iewels and ouches of golde Gold in mountaynes and riuers Theyr maner of geathering golde Sweete sauours A stone of great price Other viages from Cuba oâ— Fernandina Many Ilands betweene Cuba and the fyrme lande Sanctiago the chiefe citie of Cuba The Barbarians slep the Spaniardes with theyr own weapons The chiefe citie of the supposed continent The Spanyardes are slaine againe with their owne weapons The Barbarians are slayne and put to flyght A multitude of Ilandes Archipelagus â–ª An other viage xxvi Ilandes about Hispaniola Cuba Images of golde Rasers of stone Instruments and tooles Landes lyke vnto the earthly Paradyse An other vyage of ten Carauels and fyue hundred men Horses and mares Fernando Cortesius The Ilande of Cozumella Carpettes and sheetes Innumerable bookes Circumcised Idolaters They Sacrifyce Children The Ilandes of Destam and Sestam The sacrifice of dogges They are soone perswaded to our religion This people leauing one kynde of Idolatry be taught another An other viage Aquillaris .vii. yeeres captiue in the Ilande of Iucatana Valdiuia The shipwrack of Valdiuia The quicke sandes called vypers The course of the sea toward the West Valdiuia is sacrificed to Idoles How Aquillaris escaped Kyng Taxmarus The mouth of a ryuer stopped with sande Turky Hens A conflicte The Barbarians arâ— put to flyght The great towne of Potanchana or Victoria A towne of xxv thousande houses Gunnes and horses The men and the horse â–ª thought to be one beast Palaces of maruelous bygnes and well buylded They receyue our religion A towne of a thousand and fyue hundred houses Another voiage of two brigantines and fyftie men Where the sea runneth swyftly from the East to the West A conflict betweene the waters comming from the West and from the South A dangerous and payneful vyage The lande of Coluacana The lande of Baccalaos oâ— Baccalearum Rych presentes of golde and pretious stones A newe colonie This Cortesius hath written a booke of these thynges They weare rynges and plates at theyr lyppes The dyuers phantasies of men Syluer Note where golde and syluer are engendred I thinke this Laton to be some kynde of pure Copper or els Copper that holdeth golde For Laton is an artificial metall and hath no natural myne Theyr bookes Theyr letters What is conteyned in theyr bookes Temples richely adourned Prayer They sacrifice children and captiues A wrong way to heauen Bloody gods Villa Ricca Siuilla Noua The force of an old errour Theyr priests lyue chast Faggotes of bones A figure of baptisme The presentes sent into Spayne to the kyng Two Images of golde and siluer Two cheynes of golde marueylously beset with precious stones and iewelles Buskyns Myters How can we then call them beastly or Barbarous If they had chaunged theyr golde for our Iron â–ª they had not so soone been subdued Quylles Helmets A byrd Speares A scepter A braselet Shooes Glasses Bâ—â—ds foules and fyshes of golde A crowne of golde Images of beastes Sheetes Cloth of Arras A souldyers cloake Registers of th affayres of India Thaucthoritie of the Lieuetenaunt The Spanyardes of Dariena Sansta Maria Antiqua Petrus Arias whom the Spanyardes name Pediarias This sea the Spanyardes call Mardelser Contention betweene Vaschus and Petrus Arias Petrus Arias commaundeth that Vaschus be put to death Vaschus is accused Vaschus is put to death Petrus Arias Lupus Sosa The great ryuer of Dabaiba or Grandis The gulfe of Vraba The ryche mountaynes of Dabaiba Fierce waclyke people Dartes Swoordes of heauy wood Hispaniola Ouiedus wryteth that there are now fyue monasteries Newe and straunge diseases The suger of Hispaniola Suger of Valentia A token of marueylous fruitfulnes Wheat Vines Cassia Fistula Brasyle Myrobalanes Cap. 5. August A marke is a pounde of viii ounces summa xvi.li weyght .viii. ounces after xii ounces to the .li. Of this reade more largely in the decades By the computation of Venice foure granes make a Caract Doctrine not worthy for a christian man Vipers Adders Dragons Spiders Crabbes Serpentes called Iuanni Beâ—res Antes â–ª A strange beast which seemeth a kind of Cameleon Foules and byrdes Alcatraz Panama Passere sempie Picuti Folyshe sparowes Cazzuole Pintadelli Great foules Cocus I haue seene one of these fruites opened the whiche when it was whole if it were shaken the water was harde shogge therein as it were in a bottle but in tyme it consumed and was partly congeled into a saâ—te
Artawischa Sibut Lepin Sossa Obi. Kitaisko Vuogolici Irtische Ierom. Tumen Grustina Kitai Blacke men without speech Serponow Lucomorya Men that yeerely dye and reuyue A straunge trade of marchaundies Obi. Calami Ryuers â–ª Aurea Anus Obdora Cossin Cassima Tachnin People of moÌ„strous shape A fyshe lyke a man Plinie writeth of the lyke fysh Mountaynes The great Chane of Cathay Lucomoria Tumen Petzora Papin Hygh mountaynes supposed to be Hyperborei and Rhiphei Engreonland Stolp Cathay The fruitfull prouince of Rezan Iaroslaw Hony Donco Asoph Capha Constantinople Tanais diuideth Europe from Asia The sprynges of Tanais A great lake The ryuer Schat Casan Astrachan Meotis Tulla Achas Fruitefull regions about Tanais Plentie of wyld beastes Fyre and salt Where Tanais is fyrst nauigable Asoph The marte of Asoph Libertie allureth straungers The altars of Alexander and Cesar. The holy mountaynes Tanais the lesse From Moscouia to Asoph Moscouia in Asia and not in Europe The prouince of Permia Maryshes in sommer Duina Vstiug Tribute Furres and Horses Munkes and Heremites Patentes Marcus Panlus wryteth that these doggs are almost as byg as Asses that they vse six to one sleade Iugaria Hungaria Pannonia Attila The hygher or 〈…〉 called Auâ—tria Polonie Buda Furres Pearles precious stones Sibier Aspreolos I thynke to bee Marternes yet some thinke them to be Squirels Gesnerus wryteth that the kinges of the Tartars haue their tentes couered without with the skimes of Lions within with the skynnes of Sables and Ermines Czeremisse Habitation without houses Salte The Tartars of Casan Horda Besermani The stature of the Tartars They absteine from hogges fleshe Abstinence Voracitie So do the Turkes Iorneing by the pole starre Mares milke Horse fleshe eaten Clenly Horse heades deyntie meates The Tartars horses Saddels and styrrops of wood The Tartars women The Tartars curse No iustice among the Tartars The Tartas are theeues and poore They reioyce in spoylyng The feelde Tartars A meery tale Casan The kynge of Casan Archers Waryners The towne Tartars Moscouia inuaded by the Tartars The prince of Moscouia tributary to the Tartars Duke Basilius army agaynst the Tartars The kyng of Casan submitteth hym selfe The Iland of marchauntes The Caspian sea Persia. Armenia Astrachan The Tartars neare to the Caspian sea Nogai The possession of three bretherne The kynges called Sawolhenses A maruelous frute lyke a lambe Wandeuile Barnacles of the Orkeneys Barack Soltan Cathay Nouogradia Suecia vnder the kyng of Denmarke Dwina Potiwlo Hygh mountaynes neare the north Ocean Finlappia The wylde Lappians The region of Nortpoden The cape called the holy nose A whyrlpoole oâ— swalowing goulfe Such whyrlepooles are cauled vipers The stone called Semes Superstition Sacrifice to the stone Semes The cape Motka The castel of wardhus The region of the wylde Lappones Dront Iourneying on Sleades How the Harts draw Sleades Twentye leagues in one day The citie of Berges in Norway A shorter iourney Rostowe Pereaslaw Castromow Vuolochda Sucâ—ana Dwina Hafnia Koppenhagen Liuonia Werst is almost an Italian myle Paulus Iouius Ryuers fallyng into the frosen sea wynde Ise. I se of many yâ—eres The sea Baltheum Where the Sunne falleth not in .xl. days The wyld Lappones are tributares to the Moscouites Furres and fyshe Expert archers Good felowshyp Necessarie wares No vse of mony Theyr cotages Mountaynes continually burnyng The ryuer Petzora The beast called Mors. The prouidence of nature The frosen sea Engreonland or greonland Iiar I would reade Mair that is in the Sarasen language mixt of Turkish Egiptian February interpreted by them the moneth to set shyps to the sea A werst is theyr myle and is three quarters of an Englyshe myle Media nowe called Sharuan Armenians Christians A marueylous long wall builded by great Alexander The magnificence of Abdalaca kyng of Media Haukyng and huntyng The Turkes Ambassadours resist maister Ienkinson Great holinesse in shooes Christians called Frankes The Turkes sonne beheaded Christians Georgians Hasell Nuttes Casbin The kynges Concubines How straungers are vsed Haly A goodly and well grounded religion Theyr opinion of Christ. Theyr money Theyr bookes and learnyng Such was the lawe of the Macedons for Treason Dissention for religion Shauing Theyr pryestes and preaching Theyr Lent Abstinence froÌ„ wyne but not from drunkennes Theyr saintes and holy men Pilgrimage Theyr prayer and worshiping of God and Mahumet Washyng and outward clenlenesse Their swearing The kynges magnificence Pursiuantes The kynges companie with his wyues and concubines A very Sardanapalus The succession of the kyngdome Mariage Circumcisâ—on Theyr houses maner of eateyng Bond men bond women Women bougth solde and let to hire Abundance of Oyle ishuing out of the ground Oleum Petroleum Two sortes of Kyne Foxes in great plentie Abraham Oâ—tilius Tamerlanes Thamurlanes Tamburlanes or Tamurthlam Georgians Christians Contention for religion betweene Turkes and Persians Persians Turkes Anno. do 1280. Phison is thought to be Ganges Sarasins that is Mahumetans Abraham Ortelius Babilon of Chaldea and not of Egypt Tauris or Teueris Ismael they pronounce Smael Mortus Ali. Enukes or gelded men Londro London The Venetians trafique in England English cloths carses fyne wool Busor men be they that forsake theyr faith and receyue the religion of Mahumet Kyssell Bashe are the gentlemen that weare red cappes The commoditie which Englishe merchants may haue by the trade into Persia. Oxen and kyne beare burdens Ambision Africa The coast of Guinea Tunes Bugia Tripoli Numidia Ilandes of Tunes Malta The desartes of Libia Barbarie Mauritania The kinkdoms of Fes and marrocko Tremisen Oram Massaquiber Salla Azamor The Ilandes of Canarie Guinea Ethiopians Marrocko Fes Tremisen Guinea Africa the great Affricke the leasse Carthage Prester Iohn Cape de Buona Speranza The sea of sande Alcair From whence the queene of Saba came Manicongni The earthly Paradice The trees of the Sunne and Moone The Primrose The Lion The Moone Pinteado Brasile Guinea The flatteryng of fortune The Ilandes of Madera A galeon of the kyng of Portugale The Castell of Mina The Ilandes of Canarie The Ilande of S. Nicolas Guinea The ryuer of Sesto Graynes The thirst of golde The Castell of Mina The quantitie of golde Benin Pepper Furie admitteth no counsayle The Rossia Rottyng heate Scorchyng heate Benin Francisco Nicolas Lamberte The kyng of Banin his courte Reuerence towarde the kyng The communication betweene the kyng of Benin and our men Pepper The kynges gentelnesse towarde our men The disorder and death of our men The death of wyndan Pinteado euyll vsed of the maryners This Lambart was a LoÌ„dener borne whose father had been Lorde mayre of London and this Lambart sometyme a knyght of the rodes one as he was vnmaried so he liued in the feare of God and was the fyrst of that order that forsoke the Pope and claâ—e to Gods holy worde The death of Pinteado Seuen hundred reis are .x. s. Alcayre is halfe a bushell The I le of Madera The I le of palmes Teneriffa The Canaries From Madera
Abyssins Iustice good lawes Sheepe with great tayles Palearia Kyne with Hartes hornes Kyne with only one horne â–ª Diuobanderrumi The Soltan of Cambaia Goa Giulfar Meschet Ormus Pearles Fyshyng for Pearles Dyuers vnder the water Chorazani or Chorashan Great abundaunce of silke Plentie of corne Rubarbe of smal price The riuen Euphrates Schira Precious stons The stone Eranon â–ª A Turques Balascam Castoreum The profe of true CastoreuÌ„ Comendation of the Persians Squilaâ— Sainct Bragant An armie of threescore thousand horsemen War betweene the Sophieâ— of Persia and the Turke for their religion The Turkes holde of Mahumet and his felowes The Persians hold of Mahumet and Hali or Mortus Hali. A sure friend in necessitie Cheo The ryuer Indus The citie of Cambaia Note the increse of ryuers contrarye to ours xl shippes ladeÌ„ with sylke and bombasine Pithagorici Good people They may see me the successours of Darius and Poâ—us The great pompe of the kyng of Cambaia Elephantes Monstruos great lyppes A straunge historie of a kyng accustomed to eate poyson A venomus kyng Belyke he getteth no chyldren Great fruitfulnesse abundance of merchandies Plentie of sylke The kyng of Ioga an Idolatour Continuall progresse Wyues and concubines The colour of the Indians Hornes Wanderyng nations Feelde men Guzerat Idolatours Dabuly Idolaters Tribute Coyne Mamalukes white men A fayre palace Great pompe and magnificence Where Diamuntes are founde Womens faces couered White men The kyng of Decham hateth the Christians The citie Bathacala Centacola Idolatars Barthacal The Ilande of Onor A kyng a pirate Naked men Ryse Beastes Byrdes and foules Flowers all the yeere longe â–ª Longe lyfe Myngolor Ryse Afterwarde he became frende to the Portugales 〈…〉 â—ranges Ryse Spyces Straunge fruites An army of fyftie thousand gentelmen Gunnes Dromedares Elephantes A triple wall Hawkyng and huntyng An army of foure thousand horsemen Horses of great price Foure hundred Elephantes Dromedary Camelles Howe the Elephantes are prepared to the warres Seuen men fyght vpon one Elephant Howe the Elephant is armed The Elephant vnderstandeth the voyce of his keeper The Elephant can not abyde fyre The strength of the Elephant The Elephants haue ioyntes in their legges The hande of the Elephant The teeth of the Elephant is Iuery The bygnesse of the Elephant The naturall shamefastnesse of Elephantes The pissell of an Elephant Men of lesse vnderstandyng then Elephantes The riches of the kyng of Narsinga A great tribute by the day Idolaters A riche cloke The magnificence of the kyng of Narsinga Coyne of golde and siluer Daunger of Lyons The kyng of Narsinga friend to the kyng of Portugale The citie of Trompata Mahumetans Pandara Capagot Calecut The kyng of Calecut a God on the earth The citie of Calecut Houses diuided Uery lowe houses Houses of small price Idolatry and seruyng of the deuyll One God Pseudoplatonici The deuyll Prince of this worlde Deumo quasi Daemon The Chapell of the deuyll The deuyls chayre of maiestie Difference betweene the Popes crowne and the deuylles A well fauoured Prince The deuylles ordinary dyet and deâ—tie meate Bramini Brachmani The maner of sacrifice to the deuyll Gallus Esculapio A goodly priest the deuylles Chaplen A counterfeete Aaron Offeryng of wheate The deuyll is serued before the Kyng Chaplens of honour I thinke the Priestes take parte with the Crowes Crowes esteemed holy The priestes euer prouide for them selues A goodly office for a byshop Priestes and gentelmen Poore men haue no soules They are not troubled with garderobes or makyng them redye mornyng and euenyng The kynges children succeed not to inherite the kyngdome What paynes the priestes take for theyr liuyng and what seruice they do the kyng Bastordes Moornyng for the death of the kyng Chastitie and abstinence Meates that moue to echerie Great frendshyppe Diogenistae The punyshement of murtherers Beatyng A straunge maner to demauÌ„d debte Death for debte Outward clenlynesse 〈…〉 Clenly women Maisters of fence The kynges army Their weapons The kynges ensigne The priestes â–ª are haroldes A chalenge to cumbatte A great battayle and litle bloodshed â–ª Minstrells Blacke teeth The dead gentelmen are burnt but the poore men are buryed Coyned mony Merchauntes resorte to Calecut Mahumetans of Calecut Theyr shippes Ankers of marble on euery syde two Seasons of the yeere contrarie to ours Dyuers fashions of shippes and other vessells A goodly palaice Images of the deuyll to garnysh the kinges palaice The ryche iewels which the king weareth The kyng of Portugales warres agaynst the kyng of Calecut The frenche Poxe among precious iewells Unestimable treasure Pepper The pepper tree Clusters of pepper Genger Fruites vnlyke ours A philosophical consideration of the difference of thinges of one kynde A great fruite growyng out of the body of the tree Rype fruites in December A fruite of sundry tastes One fruite within an other A tree with very brode leaues A very goodly fruite Two hundred fruites on euery slyppe A tree that neuer beareth fruit but once Fruites and floures geathered at all tymes of the yeere This tree in the west India is called Coccus Ten commodities of one tree Nux Indica They are as big as a mans fyâ—t and some bygger Very sweete and cleare water within a Nutte Oile made of water Wyne of cutte branches of a tree A tree that beareth fruite continually all the whole yeere Oile Ploughing of the grounde A daunce of deuylles Solem suum oriri facit super bonos et malos c. The deuyll a Phisitian Such a Phisitian such phisicke A remedie 〈◊〉 surfetyng Fyne weightes and balances A straunge experiment to know the fyne golde from base Proxeneta A superstitious maner of buying and selling Litle payne or cost for noursing of children Funambuli Popingayes or Parottes A great noyse of birdes An earthly Paradyse Continuall spring and temperate ayre Monkeys doe much hurte Crocodiles without poison Three kyndes of Serpentes Serpentes superstitiously kepte and nourished Death for kyllyng a Serpent or a Cowe Bycause they goe naked Superstition Goodly candelstickes of laton Polyxines et Polychni Innumerable lyghtes and Lampes The deuyll serueth in the kynges chamber Mourning the space of a yeere The Temple of sacrifyce to Idolles Trees behanged with Lampes Washyng before sacrifice Holy oyle in the steade of holy water Sacrifice to the deuyll for forgeuenesse of synnes Sanctuary Large is the way that leadeth to perdition c. The kyng of Portugals warres in the citie of Calecut Caicolon Pepper Christians of the profession of saint Thomas Colon. An armie of .xx. thousande horsmen Pearles Zeilon Comerin The bodie of Thomas the Apostle The kyng of Narsinga frende to the Portugalls A miracle at the sepulchre of S. Thomas Foure kynges in one Iland Elephantes Rubie stones Precious stones Howe Cinamome is geathered A denne where Adam lyued in penance Temperate regions vnder the Equinoctiall lyne Saffran and Corall Elephants An armie of a hundred thousende footmen Fruites Wylde beastes Peacockes Falcons Popingayes A great and fayre foule Cocke
Mare pacificum The Giants died for heate Capo Desiderato Short nightes in the moneth of October Fleeing fyshes The Giantes language The Giant is baptised Three moneths saylyng without the sight of lande Extreme famyne Diseases of famyne Vnfortunate Ilandes What they sayled dayly The starres about the South pole The needle of the compase The lode stone The Equinoctiall line The Ilands of Cipanghu and Sumbdit Insulae Latronum People with long heare The Ilande of zamall Wyne of Date trees The maruilous fruite Cocus The Iland of zuluan The sea called Archipelago di san Lazaro Gentiles Foure Ilands The Iland of Buthuan The Ilande of Caleghan Plenty of gold The kyng of Buthuan A combatte Moores and Gentiles Mani Ilands The Iland of Messana Battes as byg as Eagles Fowles with hornes Egges hatched in sande The Ilande of zubut A shyppe laden with gold and slaues Calecut Malacha Sheaddyng of blood is a token of frendshyp The kyng of zubut is baptised The kyng of Zabut his apparell Well fauoured women Barteryng Pesus what it is They breake theyr Idolles and erecte the Crosse. Fyue hundred men baptised The Queene of Zabut The Queenes apparell A miracle The Ilande of Mathan The Captayne Magellanus is slayne The Ilande of Bohol They burnt one of theyr shyppes Blacke men The Ilande of Chippit The Ilande of Caghaian The Ilande of Pulaoan The Ilande of Burnei or Porne A great citie Elephantes The Ilande of Cimbulon Leaues of trees which seeme to lyue A sea full of weedes Pearles Men ouergrowen with heare The Ilandes of Molucca The Portugales are reproued Tidore one of the Ilandes of Molucca A vision in the Planettes The fyue Ilandes of Molucca Tarenate The Ilande of Gilolo Moores and Gentyles Golde Water in Reedes Theyr maner of barteryng Water of a straunge qualitie Byrdes of a straunge fourme They leaue one of theyr shippes behinde them The Ilandes of Molucca Hony of flyes Popingayes The Ilande of Tidore Terenate Mutir Macchian Bacchian Many Ilands The Iland of Mallua Pepper Litle men with long eares The Ilande of Timor White Saunders and Gynger The dyuell appeareth Saint Iob his disease Cinamome The Ilandes of Giana Malaccha The great gulfe of China The cape of Malacha The names of many regions Rubarbe The great kyng of China The greater India The beast called Linx The punishment of rebels The kyng is not seene but at a glasse A thyng of strange workemanshyp The kyng marieth his syster His palace A marueylous garde Women serue the kyng Foure maruelous haulles The people of China The great kyng of Mien Cathay The sea of Lantchidol Malacha The Iland of Sumetra Pegu. Bangala Calecut Canonor Coa Cambala Ormus East India Cap. de Buona Speranza The port of Monzambique The ingratitude of the Portugales The port of S. Lucar neere vnto Siuile What became of the other shyppe Dariena The Cape of Cattigara The voyage hardly performed They bye slaues for lacke of helpe Maryners woorthy immortal fame Iohn Sebastian The trade of spices parteineth to Themperour Iohn kyng of Portugale The trade of Spices The controuersie determined by Cosmographers and Pilots The arbytrers on the Emperours syde Sebastian Cabote Instruments of Cosmographie The Ilandes of Maluca The Arbitrers on the Portugales syde The place where they mette The order of theyr proces The Portugales Contention for drawyng the lyne of the diuision Howe the Portugales were deceyued The Spanyardes allegations Samatra Malacha China Magallanes Buena Vista The Ilandes of Cabo Verde The Portugales cauillations The lyne of diuision The sentence The Portugales threaten death to the Castilians The line of the last diuision The great Ilande of Samotra The lande of Brasile parteyneth to the Portugales A mery tale The gold mine of Guinea Alonso kyng of Portugale Golde for thinges of small value Contention for the kingdome of Castile Warre against the Moores of Granada The conquests of the Portugales in Affrike Pope Alexander The Pope maâ—keth the diuision The kyng of Portugale refuseth to stande to the Popes Bull. The agreement of the last diuision Wherein the Portugales were deceyued Sebastian Cabote The Emperour and the kyng of Portugale ioyned in aliance by maryage The Portugales robbe the Castilians The coronation of the Emperour The gagyng of â—he Ilandes of Malucas Zamatra and Malaca Tascalteca Churultecal Kyng Metuzuma his oration to the Spanyards A note A note Mexico Themestitan The Courtiers The kynges houses The seruice of the kyng Corteâ—ius returneth to Themistitan Muteezuma slayne A Parle Cortesius fleeeth out of Themistitan Cortesius returneth to the siege of Themistitan Themistitan conquered agayne The fyrst part The second part The third part