white marble whereby they thynke that in tyme past some straungers haue come to those landes whiche haue dygged marble out of the mountaynes and lefte those fragmentes on the playne There our men learned that the ryuer Maragnonus descendeth from the mountaynes couered with snowe called Montes Niuales or Serra Neuata and the same to be encreased by many other ryuers whiche fall into it throughout all the lowe and waterly regions by the which it runneth with so long a tract from the sayd mountaynes into the sea and this to be the cause of the greatnesse thereof These thynges being thus brought to passe the gouernour commaunded the trumpeter to blowe a retraite Wheruppon they which were sent to lande beyng fiue hundred in number making a great shout for ioy of theyr victory set them selues in order of battayle and so keepyng theyr array returned to the shyppes laden with spoyle of those prouinces and shynyng in souldiers clokes of feathers with fayre plumes and crestes of variable colours In this meane tyme hauyng repaired theyr shyppes and furnyshed the same with all necessaries they loosed anker the .xvi day of the Calendes of Iuly directyng their course to the hauen of Carthagena in the whiche voyage they destroyed and wasted certaine Ilandes of the Canibales lying in the way accordyng as they were commaunded by the kyng But the swift course of the water deceiued both Iohannes Sarranus the chiefe Pilot of the gouernours shippe and all the other although they made their bost that they perfectly knewe the nature therof For they affyrme that in one night they were caried fourtie leagues beyond their estimation The syxte booke of the thyrde Decade HEere must we somewhat digresse frō Cosmography make a philosophical discourse to searche the secrete causes of nature For whereas they all affirme with one consent that y e sea runneth there from the east to the west as swiftely as it were a ryuer fallyng from hygh mountaynes I thought it not good to let suche matter slyppe vntouched The which whyle I consyder I am drawen into no small ambiguitie and doubt whyther those waters haue theyr course whiche flowe with so continuall a tract in circuite from the East as though they fledde to the west neuer to returne and yet neyther the west thereby any whit the more fylled nor the East emptied If we shall say that they fall to theyr centre as is the nature of heauie thynges and assigne the Equinoctiall line to bee the centre as some affyrme what centre shall we appoynt to be able to receiue so great abundance of water Or what circumference shall be founde wet They whiche haue searched those coastes haue yet founde no lyke reason to be true Many thynke that there shoulde bee certayne large straightes or entrances in the corner of that great lande whiche we described to be eyght tymes bygger then Italye and the corner thereof to be full of gulfes whereby they suppose that some strayghtes shoulde passe through the same lying on the west syde of the Ilande of Cuba and that the sayde strayghtes shoulde swalowe vp those waters and so conuey the same into the west and from thence agayne into our East Ocean or north seas as some thynke Other wyll that the gulfe of that great lande be closed vp and the lande to reache farre towarde the north on the backe syde of Cuba so that it embrace the north landes whiche the frosen sea encompasseth vnder the north pole and that all the lande of those coastes shoulde ioyne togeather as one firme lande Whereby they coniecture that those waters shoulde be turned about by the obiecte or resistaunce of that land so bendyng towarde the north as we see the waters turned about in the crooked bankes of certayne ryuers But this agreeth not in all poyntes For they also whiche haue searched the frosen sea and sayled from thence into the west do lykewyse affyrme that those north seas flowe continually towarde the west although nothyng so swiftely These north seas haue ben searched by one Sebastian Cabot a Uenetian borne whom beyng yet but in maner an infant his parentes caryed with them into Englande hauyng occasion to resort thither for trade of marchandize as is the maner of the Uenetians to leaue no part of the worlde vnsearched to obtaine rychesse He therfore furnished two shyppes in England at his owne charges And fyrst with three hundreth men directed his course so farre towarde the north pole that euen in the moneth of Iuly he founde monstrous heapes of Ise swymming on the sea and in maner continuall day lyght Yet sawe he the lande in that tract free from Ise whiche had ben moulten by heat of the Sonne Thus seeyng suche heapes of Ise before hym he was enforced to turne his sayles and folowe the west so coastyng styll by the shore that he was thereby brought so farre into the south by reason of the lande bendyng so muche southwarde that it was there almost equall in latitude with the sea called Fretum Herculeum hauyng the north pole eleuate in maner in the same degree He sayled lykewyse in this tract so farre towarde the west that he had the Ilande of Cuba on his left hande in maner in the same degree of longitude As he traueyled by the coastes of this great lande whiche he named Baccallaos he sayth that he founde the lyke course of the waters toward the west but the same to runne more softly and gentelly then the swifte waters whiche the Spanyardes founde in their nauigations southwarde Wherefore it is not onely more lyke to be true but ought also of necessitie to be concluded that betwene both the landes hitherto vnknowen there shoulde be certayne great open places wherby the waters should thus continually passe from the East into the west whiche waters I suppose to be dryuen about the globe of the earth by the vncessaunt mouyng and impulsion of the heauens and not to beswalowed vp and cast out agayne by the breathyng of Demogorgon as some haue imagined bycause they see the seas by increase decrease to flow reflow Sebastian Cabot hym selfe named those landes Baccallaos bycause that in the seas therabout he founde so great multitudes of certayne bygge fyshes muche like vnto Tunnies which thinhabitants cal Baccallaos that they somtymes stayed his shyppes He founde also the people of those regions couered with beastes skynnes yet not without the vse of reason He also sayth there is great plentie of Beares in those regions whiche vse to eate fyshe For plungeyng them selues into the water where they perceiue a multitude of these fyshes to lye they fasten theyr clawes in theyr scales and so drawe them to lande and eate them So that as he sayth the Beares beyng thus satisfied with fyshe are not noysome to men He declareth further that in many places of these regions he sawe great plentie of laton among the inhabitauntes
commodities that it seemeth in a maner an earthly Paradise it hath diuers kynds of beastes and yet none hurtful or of rauenyng kynde Theyr sheepe are of suche heyght that they vse them in steede of Horses some write that they are as bygge as the young Foles of Camelles and that theyr wooll is verye softe and fyne also that the Ewes bryng foorth Lambes twyse a yeere The people are wyttie and of gentle behauiour cunnyng also in artes faythfull of promise and of maners not greatly to be discommended saue only that they are ignorant of Christ who neuerthelesse is now knowen vnto them in many places as our hope is he shal be daylie more and more yf all Princes wyll herein put theyr helpyng handes to the plowe of our Lorde and send labourers into his vineyarde Of the great ryuer called Rio de la Plata that is the ryuer of siluer THis ryuer reacheth very farre in length breadth and is called Vruai in the Indian tongue Into this falleth an other riuer named Paraue The first that sayled into the riuer of Plata was Iohn Dias Solis whom the ryght noble kyng of Spaine Ferdinandus made Admirall of these seas In the ryuer lyeth an Ilande whiche Iohn Dias named Martinus Gratias because a pilot of his so called was buried there This Ilande is situate in the myddest of the ryuer and is distant from the mouth of the same about fourtie leagues As the sayde Admyrall attempted to expugne the Ilande he was sodenly oppressed and slayne of the Indians that priuylye assayled hym Wherewith neuerthelesse theyr barbarous crueltie was not satisfied vntyll they had torne hym in peeces and deuoured hym But many yeeres after the Emperours Maiestie and Kyng of Spayne Charles the fyfte sent foorth Sebastian Cabot a man of great courage skylful in Cosmographie and of no lesse experience as concernyng the Starres of the sea with commaundement to discouer and subdue the Indians of Tharsis Ophir Cipango and Coi Cathai Receyuyng therefore his commission and proceedyng forwardes on his viage he arriued by chaunce at this Ilande the cause whereof was that the principall vessell was lost by shypwracke and the men that saued theyr lyues by swymmyng were receyued into our shyppes Perceyuyng therefore that by reason of this chaunce he coulde by no meanes perfourme his viage attempted he entended to expugne the sayde Ilande and thereupon to conueygh his victuals to land to prepare his souldiers to the inuasion to plant colonies to erect fortresses by the riuers side wherby the Spaniards might be defended from the violence of the Barbarians But before he attempted this he was aduertised that the Ilande was rich in gold siluer Which thing did so encorage him that without respecte of peryl he thought best to expugne it by one meanes or other wherein his boldenesse tooke good effecte as often tymes chaunceth in great affayres Furthermore as touchyng the ryuer Sebastian Cabote made relation that he neuer sawe any comparable vnto this in breadth and deapth For whereas it falleth into the sea it conteyneth .xxv. leagues in breadth From the mouth of the ryuer Cabote sailed vp the same into the lande for the space of three hundred and fiftie leagues as he wryteth in his owne carde That it is of great deapth may hereby be consydered that many great ryuers fall into it so that the chanell can not be shalowe that conteyneth such aboundance of water and suche plentie of good and great fyshes For there is in maner no fyshe in the sea that is not founde in this ryuer Assoone as the Spanyardes were set alande they made a proofe if the soyle were fruitefull to beare corne Takyng therefore fyftie graynes of wheate and committyng the same to the earth in the moneth of September they geathered thereof two thousand and fiftie at December next folowyng wherin some being deceyued and mistakyng the thyng haue written in the steade of two thousande and fiftie fiftie thousande and two the lyke fertilitie is there of all other grayne and pulse Furthermore thinhabitauntes declared that not farre from that place there are great and hygh mountaines in the which is founde great plentie of golde and no great distance from the same to be other mountaynes no lesse fruitefull of syluer and many other thinges long to rehearse Thinhabitauntes are paynefull men and tyll the grounde diligently wherein they take great pleasure and haue therefore great plentie of bread of Maizium There are sheepe of such byggenesse that they compare them to young Camels or Asses as some say theyr wooll is very fine and nearest vnto the fynenesse of sylke There are also beastes of diuers kyndes Among men there is this difference that such as liue in the mountaynes are whyte and for the most part lyke vnto the men of our regions but they that dwell aboue the ryuer as though they tooke theyr colour thereof are blackyshe or purple of the coloure of fine Iron or Steele This also chaunceth to many of them that theyr feete and legges are lyke the legges and feete of the foule called the Oystreche Of the landes of Laborador and Baccalaos lying west and northwest from England and being part of the firme lande of the VVest Indies MAny haue traueyled to search the coaste of the lande of Laborador aswell to thintent to knowe howe farre or whyther it reacheth as also whether there be any passage by sea through the same into the sea of Sur and the Ilandes of Molucca whiche are vnder the Equinoctiall lyne thynkyng that the way thyther should greatly be shortened by this viage The Spanyardes as to whose ryght the sayde Ilandes of spices parteyne dyd fyrst seeke to fynde the same by this way The Portugales also hauyng the trade of spices in theyr handes dyd trauayle to fynde the same although hytherto neyther any suche passage is founde or the ende of that lande In the yeere a thousande and fiue hundreth Gasper Cortesreales made a viage thyther with two Carauelles but found not the streight or passage he sought At his being there he named the Ilands that lye in the mouth of y e gulfe Quadrado after his name Cortesreales lying in the fyftie degree and more brought from that land about threescore men for slaues He greatly marueyled to behold the huge quantitie of snowe Ise for the sea is there frosen exceedingly Thinhabitantes are men of good corporature although tawny lyke the Indies and laborious They paynt theyr bodyes and weare braselettes and hoopes of syluer and copper theyr apparell is made of the skynnes of Marternes dyuers other beastes whiche they weare with the heare inwarde in winter and outwarde in sommer This apparell they gyrde to theyr bodyes with gyrdels made of cotton or the fynewes of fyshes and beastes They eate fyshe more then any other thyng and especially Salmons although
in Affrik and the beare in Sarmatia are fierce as in theyr present strength and vigoure but translated into a contrary heauen are of lesse strength and courage The foule called Ciconia which some thynke to be the Storke doth not tary the wynter yet do the Cranes come at that tyme. The Scythian wyll accuse the Romane heauen as inducyng feuers whereas neuerthelesse there is none more holsome Such as haue been tenderly brought vp if they come suddeynely into the campe can not away with hunger watchyng heate passages through ryuers battayles sieges and assaultes But the olde souldier exercised in the warres vseth these as meditations of the fielde as hardened therto by long experience He that hath been accustomed to the shadowe of the citie and wyll attempte the saying of the poet Uirgil Nudus ara sero nudus that is naked and bare without house and home shal to his peryl make an end of the verse Habebis frigora febram that is he shal haue the colde ague Suche thynges therfore as seeme hard vnto vs beyng accustomed by litle and litle become more tollerable Insomuch that this exercise of sufferaunce by such degrees doth oftentimes growe to prodigious effectes farre beyond our expectation And thus we seeme to haue made sufficient demonstration by heauen nature and art wherby it may appeare that no part of the land or sea is denied to liuing creatures The reader may also perceiue howe large matter of reasons and examples may be opened for the declaryng of our opinion wherin we rest Let therfore thauctoritie of the auntient auctours geue place and the consent of the newe writers agree to this history not as nowe at the length comprehended wheras before many hundred yeeres Germanie and Scondia had entercouse of merchandies not seuered by the large gulfe of Gothia but as nowe by our commentaries brought to lyght and hauyng sayde thus muche in maner of a preface we wyll nowe proceede to wryte of the North regions Schondia SCondia Schondania or Schondenmarchia is as muche to saye as fayre Dania or fayre Denmarke Plinie in one place nameth it Scandia and in an other Scandinauia if there be no faute in thexemples It was named Schondia by reason of the fayrenesse and fruitefulnesse thereof And this aswell for that in beneficiall heauen fertilitie of grounde commoditie of hauens and marte townes abundaunce of ryuers and fyshe plentie of beastes great quantitie of metall as golde syluer copper and leade diligent culturyng the grounde with townes and cities well â—nhabited and gouerned by ciuile lawes it geueth place to none other fortunate region This was in maner vnknowen to the olde Greekes and Latins as may appeare by this argument that with one consent they affirmed that in these north regions the colde Zone or clime was condemned to perpetuall snowe intollerable to al lyuyng creatures For fewe of them haue made mention hereof as to be inhabited Among whom Plinie as one of the chiefe saith in his fourth booke that Schondania is of vnknowen biggenesse and onely that portion thereof to be knowen which is inhabited with the nation of the Hilleuiones in fiftie villages Neither yet is Eningia lesse in opinion Other more auncient then Plinie haue placed most fortunate regions with men of long lyfe which the Greekes call Macrobios and of most innocent behauour vnder the tracte of those landes and that there came from thence to Delphos certayne religious virgines with vowes and giftes consecrated to Apollo And furthermore that that nation obserued this institution vntyll the saide virgins were violated of them of whom they were receiued as straungers These are most cleare testimonies of Antiquitie both of the greatnesse of Schondia and the people that inhabite the same although they were since vnknowen as lykewyse the Gothes departyng from these North landes although they obteyned Thempire of the regions about the maryshes of Meotis and the coastes of the sea Euxinus with the realme of Denmarke wherof that is thought to be a portion whiche is nowe called Transiluania and the bankes of the ryuer of Danubius and in fine inuaded the Romane Empire yet were not the regions well knowen from whence they tooke theyr originall Therefore lyke as part of the olde wryters are vnsufficient witnesses to testifie of our narrations as touchyng these landes vnknowen to them Euen so the other parte whiche excluded the same as vnhabitable are to be conuinced leaste theyr authoritie beyng admitted shoulde engender opinions not agreeable or conuenient to the nature of places Sigismundus Liberus in his commentaries of Moscouia writeth thus Scandia or Scondia is no Ilande as some haue thought but part of the continent or firme land of Suetia which by a long tract reacheth to Cothland and that nowe the kyng of Denmarke possesseth a great part thereof But whereas the writers of these thynges haue made Scondia greater then Suetia and that the Gothes and Lumbardes came from thence they seeme in my opinion to comprehend these three kyngdomes as it were in one bodie only vnder the name of Scondia forasmuch as then that part of land that lyeth betweene the sea Baltheun which floweth by the coastes of Finlandia and the frosen sea was vnknowen and that by reason of so manye maryshes innumerable riuers and intemperatenesse of heauen it is yet rude vncultured and litle knowen Which thyng hath been the cause that some iudged al that was called by the name of Scondia to be one great Iland Gronelande GRonelande is interpreted greene land so called for the great encrease and fruitfulnesse of pasture By reason whereof what great plentie of cattaile there is it may hereby appere that at such time as shippes may passe thither they set foorth great heapes of Cheese and Butter to be solde whereby we coniecture that the lande is not rough with barren mountaynes It hath two Cathedrall Churches vnder the Ordination of Nidrosia To one of these was of late yeeres a Byshop appoynted only by the title of a Suffragane in consideration that while the Metropolitane doth neglect the direction of religion for the distance of the place and difficult nauigation the people is in maner falne to gentilitie being of them selues of moueable wittes geuen to magicall artes For it is sayd that they as also the people of Laponia do rayse tempestes on the sea with magicall inchauntmentes and bryng such shyps into daunger as they entend to spoyle They vse litle ships made of Leather and safe agaynst the brusing of the sea and rockes and with them assaile other shyps Peter Martir of Angleria writeth in his Decades of the Spanysh nauigations that Sebastian Cabot saylyng from England continually towarde the North folowed that course so farre that he chaunced vpon great flakes of yse in the Mooneth of Iuly and that diuertyng from thence he folowed the coast by the shore bendyng toward the South vntyll he came to the clyme
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
many as abode the ende of the fight the residue beyng strycken with feare disparcled and fledde to the mountaynes and rockes from whence they made a pitifull howlyng to our men desyryng them to spare them protestyng that they woulde neuer more rebell but doo what so euer they woulde commaund them yf they woulde suffer them to lyue in theyr owne countrey Thus the brother of Caunaboa beyng taken the Admiral licenced the people to resort euerye man to his owne these thynges thus fortunately atchiued this region was pacified Among these mountaynes the vale whiche Caunaboa inhabited is called Magâ—na and is exceeding fruitful hauing in it many goodly springes and riuers in the sande whereof is founde great plentie of golde The same yeere in the moneth of Iune they say there arose such a boystous tempest of winde from the Southwest as hath not lightly ben heard of the violence wherof was such that it plucked vp by the rootes whatsoeuer great trees were within the reache of the force therof When this whyrlewynde came to the hauen of the citie it beat downe to the bottome of the sea three shyppes whiche lay at anker and broke the cables in sunder and that whiche is the greater marueyle without any storme or roughnesse of the sea only turnyng them three or foure tymes about The inhabitauntes also affyrme that the same yeere the sea extended it selfe further into the lande and rose hygher then euer it dyd before by the memorie of man by the space of a cubit The people therefore muttered among them selues that our nation had troubled the elementes caused suche portentous signes These tempestes of the ayre whiche the Grecians call Tiphones that is whyrlewyndes they call Furacanes whiche they say doo often tymes chaunce in this Ilande but that neyther they nor theyr great graundfathers euer sawe suche violent and furious Furacanes that plucked vp great trees by the rootes neyther yet such surges and vehement mocions on the sea that so wasted the land as in deede it may appeare forasmuche as wheresoeuer the sea bankes are neere to any playne there are in maner euery where floryshyng medowes reaching euen vnto the shore but nowe let vs returne to Caunaboa As kyng Caunaboa therefore and his brother shoulde haue ben brought into Spayne they dyed by the way for very pensiuenesse and anguish of minde The Admiral whose shippes were drowned in the foresayd tempest perceiuing him selfe to be nowe enclosed commaunded forthwith two other shyppes whiche the Spaniardes cal Carauelas to be made for he had with hym all manner of Artificers parteyning thereunto Whyle these thynges were dooyng he sent foorth Bartholomeus Colonus his brother beyng Lieuetenant of the Ilande with an armie of men to searche the golde mynes beyng distant threescore leagues from the citie of Isabella whiche were founde by the conducte of certayne people of the Ilande before the mynes of Cipanga or Cibana were knowen In these mynes they founde certayne deepe pittes which had ben dygged in old time out of these pyttes the Admiral who affirmeth this Ilande of Hispaniola to be Ophir as we sayde before supposeth that Solomon the kyng of Hierusalem had his great ryches of golde whereof we reade in the olde Testament and that his shyppes sayled to this Ophir by the gulfe of Persia called Sinus Persicus But whether it be so or not it lyeth not in me to iudge but in my opinion it is farre of As the myners dygged the superficial or vppermost part of the earth of y e mynes duryng for the space of sixe myles in dyuers places syfted the same on the drye lande they founde suche plentie of golde that euery hyred labourer could easily finde euery day the weight of three drammes These mynes beyng thus searched founde the Lieuetenant certified the Admirall hereof by his letters the which when he had receiued the fifth day of the Ides of March Anno. 1495. he entred into his newe shyppes and tooke his voyage directly to Spayne to aduertise the kyng of all his affayres leauyng the whole regiment of the Ilande with his brother the Lieuetenant The fift booke of the fyrst Decade to Lodouike Cardinall of Aragonie AFter the Admirals departing into Spaine his brother the Lieuetenaunt buylded a fortresse in the golde mines as he had commaunded hym this he called the golden towre because the labourers founde golde in the earth and stone wherof they made the walles of the fortresse He consumed three monethes in makyng the instrumentes wherewith the golde shoulde be geathered washed tryed and moulten yet was he at this tyme by reason of wante of vittualles enforced to leaue al thynges imperfecte and to goe seeke for meate Thus as he with a bande of armed men had entred threescore myles further within the land the people of the countrey here and there resortyng to hym gaue hym a certayne portion of theyr bread in exchaunge for other of our thynges but he coulde not long tary here because they lacked meate in the fortresse whyther he hasted with such as he had now gotten Leauyng therefore in the fortresse a garrison of ten men with that portion of the Ilande bread whiche yet remayned leauyng also with them a Hounde to take those kyndes of lytle beastes whiche they call Vsias not muche vnlyke our Conies he returned to the fortresse of Conception This also was the moneth wherein the kyng Guarionexius and also Manicautexius borderer vnto hym shoulde haue brought in theyr tributes Remaynyng there the whole moneth of Iune he exacted the whole tribute of these two kynges vyttualles necessary for hym and such as he brought with hym whiche were about foure hundred in number Shortly after about the Kalendes of Iuly there came three Carauels from Spayne bringing with them sundrye kyndes of vyttualles as wheate oyle wine bakon Martelinas beefe whiche were diuided to euery man accordyng as neede required some also was lost in the caryage for lacke of good lookyng to At the aryual of these shyppes the Lieutenaunt receiued commaundement from the kyng and the Admiral his brother that he with his men should remoue their habitation to the south syde of the Ilande because it was nearer to the golde mynes Also that he shoulde make diligent searche for those kinges whiche had slayne the Christian men and to sende them with theyr confederates bounde into Spayne At the next voyage therefore he sent three hundred captiues with three kynges and when he had diligently searched the coastes of the south syde he transported his habitation and buylded a fortresse there vpon the toppe of a hyll neare vnto a sure hauen this fortresse he called saint Dominikes towre Into this hauen runneth a riuer of wholsome water replenished with sundry kyndes of good fyshes they affyrme this ryuer to haue many benefites of nature for where so euer it runneth all thinges are exceedyng pleasaunt and fruitefull hauyng on euery syde groues of
recourse to those regions and can no lesse then declare the same albeit it may seeme incredible to some ignorant persons not knowing the power of nature to whom Plinie was perswaded that nothing was impossible We haue therefore thought it good to make this discourse by the way of argument lest on the one syde men of good learnyng and iudgement and on the other syde suche as are studious to finde occasions of quarellyng in other mens wrytynges shoulde iudge vs to be so vndiscrete lightly to geue credite to euery tale not being consonant to reason but of the force and great violence of those freshe waters whiche repulsyng the sea make so great a gulfe as we haue sayde I thynke the cause thereof to be the great multitude of floods and riuers whiche beyng geathered togeather make so great a poole and not one ryuer as they suppose And forasmuch as the mountaines are exceeding high and steepe I thinke the violence of the fall of the waters to be of suche force that this conflict betweene the waters is caused by thimpulsion of the poole that the salt water can not enter into the gulfe But here perhaps some wyll marueyle at me why I should marueyle so muche hereat speakyng vnto me scornefully after this manner Why doth he so marueyle at the great riuers of those regions Hath not Italie his Eridanus named the kyng of ryuers of the old wryters Haue not other regions also the lyke as we reade of Tanais Ganges and Danubius which are sayde so to ouercome the sea that freshe water may be drawen fourtie myles within the same These men I would satisfie with this aunswere The famous ryuer of Padus in Italie whiche they nowe call Po and was of the Greekes called Eridanus hath the great mountaynes called Alpes diuiding Fraunce Germanie and Pannonie from Italie lying at the backe therof as it were bulwarkes agger full of moysture and with a long tracte receiuyng Ticinam with innumerable other great ryuers falleth into the sea Adriatike The lyke is also to be vnderstoode of the other But these ryuers as our men were enfourmed by the kynges fall into the Ocean sea with larger and fuller channels neere hande and some there are whiche affirme this lande to be very large in other places although it be but narowe here There commeth also to my remembraunce another cause the whiche although it be of no great force yet do I entende to wryte it Perhaps therefore the length of the lande reachyng farre from the East to the West if it be narowe may be a helpe hereunto for as we reade that the ryuer Alpheus passeth through the holowe places vnder the sea from the citie of Elis in Peloponeso and breaketh forth at the fountayne or spryng Arethusa in the Iland of Sicillia so is it possible that these mountaines may haue such long caues parteynyng vnto them that they may be the receptacles of the water passing through the landes beyng farre distant and that the same waters commyng by so long a tracte may in the way be greatly encreased by the conuersion of ayre into water as we haue sayde Thus much haue I spoken freely permitting both to them which do frendly interprete other mens dooyngs and also to the malitious scorners to take the thing euen as them lysteth for hytherto I can make no further declaration hereof but when the trueth shal be better knowen I wil do my diligence to commit the same to wrytyng Nowe therfore forasmuch as we haue spoken thus muche of the breadth of this lande we entende to describe the length and fourme of the same The tenth booke of the seconde Decade of the supposed continent THat lande reacheth foorth into the sea euen as doth Italy although not lyke the legge of a man as it doth But nowe I compare a Pigmean or a dwarfe to a Giant for that part thereof whiche the Spanyardes haue ouer runne from the sayd East poynt which reacheth towarde the sea Atlantike the ende not beyng yet founde towarde the West is more then eyght tymes longer then Italie And by what reason I am moued to say eyght tymes your holynesse shall vnderstande From the tyme therefore that I fyrste determined to obeye theyr requestes who wylled me fyrst in your name to wryte these thinges in the Latine tongue I did my endeuour that al things myght come foorth with due tryal and experience whereupon I repayred to the Bishop of Burges beyng the cheefe refuge of this nauigation As we were therfore secretely togeather in one chamber we had many instruments parteining to these affaires as globes and many of those maps whiche are commonly called the shipmans cardes or cardes of the sea Of the which one was drawen by the Portugales wherunto Americus Vesputius is said to haue put to his hande beyng a man most expert in this facultie and a Florentine borne who also vnder the stipende of the Portugales had sayled towarde the South pole many degrees beyonde the Equinoctiall In this carde we founde the first front of this lande to be broder then the kynges of Vraba had perswaded our men of theyr mountaynes To another Colonus the Admiral while he yet lyued and searched those places had geuen the beginning with his owne handes whereunto Bartholomeus Colonus his brother and Lieuetenaunt had added his iudgement for he also had sayled about those coastes Of the Spanyardes lykewyse as many as thought them selues to haue anye knowledge what parteyned to measure the land the sea drewe certayne cardes in parchment as concernyng these nauigations Of all other they moste esteeme them whiche Iohannes de la Cossa the companion of Fogeda whom we sayde to be slayne of the people of Caramairi in the hauen of Carthago and another expert pylote called Andreas Moralis had set foorth And this aswel for the great experience which they both had to whom these tractes were aswel knowen as the chambers of theyr owne houses as also that they were thought to be cunninger in that part of Cosmographie which teacheth the discription and measuring of the sea Conferring therfore al these cardes togeather in euery of the whiche was drawen a lyue expressing not the myles but leagues after the maner of the Spanyardes we tooke our compasses began to measure the sea coastes after this order From that poynt or fronte whiche we sayde to be included within the lyue parteynyng to the Portugales iurisdiction beyng drawen by the paralelles of the Ilandes of Cabouerde but a hundred leagues further towarde the West whiche they haue nowe also searched on euery syde we founde three hundred leagues to the entraunce of the riuer Maragnonum and from thence to Os Draconis seuen hundred leagues but somwhat lesse by the discription of some for they doo not agree in al poyntes exquisitely The Spanyards wyl that a league conteyne foure myles by sea and but three by lande From Os Draconis
in deede they were Departyng therfore from the large region of Quiriquetana the .xiii. day of the calendes of September when he had sayled thyrtie leagues he found a ryuer within the mouth wherof he drewe freshe water in the sea where also the shore was so cleane without rockes that he founde grounde euery where where he myght aptly cast anker He writeth that the swift course of the Ocean was so vehement and contrary that in the space of fourtie dayes he coulde scarcely sayle threescore and tenne leagues and that with much dyfficultie with many fetches and compassynges fyndyng him selfe to be some tymes repulsed and dryuen farre backe by the violent course of the sea when he woulde haue taken lande towarde the euening leaste perhaps wanderyng in vnknowen coastes in the darcknesse of the nyght he myght be in daunger of shypwracke He wryteth that in the space of eyght leagues he found three great and fayre ryuers vpon the banckes whereof there grewe reedes bygger then a mannes thygh In these riuers was also great plenty of fyshe and great Tortoyses Lykewyse in many places multitudes of Crocodyles lying in the sande and yanyng to take the heate of the sonne besyde dyuers other kyndes of beastes wherunto he gaue no names He sayeth also that the soyle of that lande is verye diuers and variable beyng somewhere stonye and full of rough and craggie promontories or poyntes reachyng into the sea and in other places as fruitefull as may be They haue also diuers kynges and rulers In some places they call a kyng Cacicus in other places they call hym Quebi and somewhere Tiba Such as haue behaued them selues valyantlye in the warres agaynst theyr enemies and haue theyr faces full of scarres they call Cupras and honour them as the antiquitie dyd the gods whiche they called Heroes supposed to be the soules of suche men as in theyr lyfe tyme excelled in vertue and noble actes The common people they call Chiui and a man they call Homem When they say in theyr language take man they say Hoppa home After this he came to an other ryuer apt to beare great shippes before the mouth whereof lye foure small Ilandes full of floryshyng and fruitfull trees these Ilandes he named Quatuor tempora From hence sayling toward the East for the space of .xiii. leagues styl against the violent course of the water he found twelue other small Ilandes in the which because he founde a new kind of fruites much like vnto our Lemonds he called them Limonarâ—s Wanderyng yet further the same way for the space of .xii. leagues he founde a great hauen entryng into the lande after the maner of a gulfe the space of three leagues and in maner as brode into y e which fel a great riuer Here was Nicuesa lost afterward when he sought Beragua by reason whereof they called it Rio de los perdidos that is the ryuer of the lost men Thus Colonus the Admiral yet further continuyng his course agaynst the furye of the sea founde manye hygh mountaynes and horrible valleys with dyuers ryuers and hauens from all the which as he sayth proceeded sweete sauours greatly recreatyng and comfortyng nature Insomuche that in al this long tract there was not one of his men diseased vntyll he came to a region whiche thinhabitantes call Quicuris in the whiche is the hauen called Cariai named Mirobalanus by the Admirall bycause the Mirobalane trees are natiue in the regions thereabout In this hauen of Cariai there came about two hundred of thinhabitantes to the sea syde with euerye of them three or foure dartes in theyr handes yet of condition gentle yenough and not refusyng straungers Their commyng was for none other purpose then to knowe what this newe nation meant or what they brought with them When our men had geuen them sygnes of peace they came swymmyng to the shyppes and desyred to barter with them by exchaunge The Admiral to allure them to frendshyppe geue them many of our thynges But they refused them suspecting some disceyt thereby bycause he would not receiue theirs They wrought all by sygnes for one vnderstoode not a woord of the others language Suche gyftes as were sent them they left on the shore and woulde take no part thereof They are of suche ciuilitie and humanitie that they esteeme it more honorable to geue then to take They sent our men two young women beyng virgines of commendable fauour and goodly stature sygnifying vnto them that they myght take them away with them if it were their pleasure These women after the maner of their countrey were couered from their ancles somwhat aboue their priuye partes with a certayne cloth made of gossampine cotton but the men are all naked The women vse to cut their heare but the men let it growe on the hynder part of their heades and cut it on the fore part Their long heare they bynde vp with fyllettes and wynde it in sundry rowles as our maydes are accustomed to do The virgines whiche were sent to the Admirall he decked in fayre apparell and gaue them many gyftes and sent them home agayne But lykewyse all these rewardes and apparel they left vppon the shore bycause our men had refused their giftes Yet tooke he two men away with hym and those very wyllyngly that by learnyng the Spanyshe tongue he myght afterward vse them for interpretours He considered that the tractes of these coastes were not greatly troubled with vehement motions or ouerflowynges of the sea forasmuche as trees growe in the sea not farre from the shore euen as they doo vppon the bankes of ryuers the whiche thyng also other do affirme whiche haue latelyer searched those coastes declaryng that the sea ryseth and falleth but litle therabout He sayth furthermore that in the prospect of this land there are trees engendred euen in the sea which after that they are growen to any height bend downe the toppes of theyr braunches into the ground whiche embrasyng them causeth other braunches to spring out of the same and take roote in the earth bryngyng foorth trees in theyr kynd successiuely as dyd the fyrst root from whence they had theyr oryginall as do also the settes of vines when onely both the endes thereof are put into the grounde Plinie in the twelfth booke of his natural historie maketh mention of suche trees describyng them to be on the lande but not in the sea The Admiral wryteth also that the lyke beastes are engendred in the coastes of Cariai as in other prouinces of these regions and such as we haue spoken of before Yet that there is one founde here in nature muche differyng from the other This beast is of the bygnesse of a great Monkey but with a tayle much longer and bygger it lyueth in the wooddes and remoueth from tree to tree in this maner Hangyng by the tayle vppon the braunche of a tree and geatheryng strength by swaying her body twyse
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
is the nature of this blynde goddesse that she oftentymes delyteth in the ouerthrowe of them whom she hath exalted and taketh pleasure in confounding hygh thynges with lowe and the contrary We see this order to be impermutable that who so wyl apply hym selfe to geather rootes shal sometymes meete with sweete Lyqueresse and other whyles with sowre Cockle Yet wo vnto Pariza for he shall not long sleepe in rest The gouernour him selfe was of late determined with three hunndred fiftie choise souldiers to reuenge the death of our men but where as he by chaunce fel sicke his power went forwarde vnder the conducting of his Lieuetenaunt Gaspar Spinosa a Iudge in cases of lawe in Dariena At the same tyme other were sent foorth to the Iland of Dites to exact the portion of pearles limited to the kyng for his tribute What shal succeede time wyl bring to our knowledge The other two attempted thinhabitauntes beyond the gulfe Franciscus Bezerra passyng ouer the corner of the gulfe the mouthes of the riuer of Dabaiba with two other captaines and a hundred and fiftie souldiers wel appoynted went to make warre vpon the Canibales euen in Caribana theyr owne cheefest dominion towards the village of Turufy wherof we haue made mention before in the commyng of Fogeda They brought also with them diuers engins of warre as three peeces of ordinaunce whose shot were bygger then egges lykewyse fourtie archers and .xxv. hagbutters to the entent to reach the Canibales a farre of to preuent theyr venomed arrowes But what became of him his company or where they arriued we haue yet no perfect knoweledge Certayne which came of late from Dariena to Spaine reported that at theyr departure they of Dariena stoode in great feare lest they also were tossed with some misfortune The other captaine Valleius obteyned the fore part of the gulfe but he passed ouer by an other way then did Bezerra for he tooke the beginning of Caribana Bezarra the end Valleius returned againe But of the threescore and ten men which he conueighed ouer with hym he left fourtie and eight slayne among the Canibales These are the newes which they bryng that came last from Dariena There came to me the day before the Ides of October in this yeere 1516. Rodericus Colmenares of whom we haue made mention before one Franciscus Delapuente This Franciscus was one of the vnder captaines of this band whose cheefe captaine was Gonsalus Badaiocius who hardly escaped the handes of king Pariza These two captaines therfore Rodericus Franciscus who departed from Dariena immediatly after y e misfortune which befel to Badaiocius his company do both affirme the one that he hath hard the other that he hath seene that in the South sea there are diuers Ilandes lying westward from the Iland of Dites and Sainct Michaels gulfe in many of the which are trees engendred noorished which bring foorth y e same arromatical fruites as doeth the region of Collacutea This lande of Collacutea with the regions of Cochinus and Camemorus are the chiefe marte places from whence the Portugales haue their spices And hereby doe they coniecture that the lande where the fruitfulnesse of spice beginneth should not be farre from thence insomuche that many of them which haue ouerrunne those coastes do onely desire that leaue may be graunted them to searche further and that they will of their owne charges frame and furnysh shyppes and aduenture the vyage to seeke those Ilandes and regions They thinke it best that these shippes should be made and prepared euen in sainct Michaels gulfe and not to attempt this vyage by sainct Augustines point which way were both long and difficult and full of a thousande daungers and is sayde to reache beyonde the fourtieth degree of the pole Antartike The same Franciscus being partener of the trauayles and daungers of Gonsalus saith that in ouerrunning those landes he founde great heardes of Hartes and wylde Bores and that he tooke many of them by an arte which thinhabitantes taught him which was to make pittes or trenches in their walkes and to couer the same with boughes By this meanes also they deceyue all other kyndes of wylde foure footed beastes But they take foules after y e same maner that we do As stocke doues w t an other tame stocke doue brought vp in their houses These they tye by a stryng and suffer them to flee a litle among the trees to the which as other birdes of their kynde resort they kill them with their arrowes Otherwyse they take them with nettes in a bare place purged from trees bushes scattering certayne seedes round about y t place in y e middest wherof they tye a tame foule or byrd of the kynde of them which they desyre to take In lyke maner doe they take Popingiayes and other foules But they say that Popingiayes are so simple that a great multitude of them wyll flee euen into the tree in whose boughes the fouler sitteth and swarme about the tame chatteryng Popingiay sufferyng them selues to bee easily taken For they are so without feare of the sight of the fouler that they tary whyle he cast the snare about their neckes the other beyng nothyng feared heereby though they see him drawe them to him with the snare and put them in the bagge which hee hath about him for the same purpose There is an other kynde of foulyng heeretofore neuer hearde of and pleasant to consider Wee haue declared before howe that in certayne of the Ilandes and especially in Hispaniola there are dyuers lakes or standyng pooles In some of these being no deeper then men may wade ouer them are seene great multitudes of water foules as well for that in the bottome of these lakes there growe many hearbes and weedes as also that by reason of the heate of the Sunne pearsyng to the naturall place of generation and conception where being doubled in force by reflection and preserued by moyster there are engendred of the slyminesse of the earth and water and by the prouidence of the vniuersall creator innumerable little fyshes with a thousand sundry kyndes of frogges wormes gnattes flyes and such other The foules which vse these lakes are of dyuers kyndes as Duckes Geese Swannes sea Newes Gulles and such other We haue sayde also that in theyr Orchardes they noryshe a tree which beareth a kynde of great Gourdes Of these Gourdes therfore well stopped least any water should enter in at theyr ryftes cause them to sinke they cast many in the shalowe pooles where by theyr continuall wanderyng and waueryng with the motions of the wynde and water they put the foules out of suspection feare the fouler in the meane tyme disguising him selfe as it were with a visour putteth a great gourde on his head much lyke to a helmet with two holes neere about his eyes his face
greater respect to luker and gaynes then diligently to search the workes of nature whervnto I haue ben euer naturally inclined haue therfore with all possible endeuour applyed myne eyes intelligence to fynde the same And this present Summarie shall not be contrary or dyuers from my larger historie wherein as I haue sayde I haue more amply declared these thinges but shal onely more breefely expresse theffect thereof vntyl such tyme as God shall restore me to myne owne house where I may accomplyshe and fynyshe my sayde generall hystorie Whervnto to gyue the fyrst principle I say that Don Christopher Colonus as it is well knowen beyng the fyrst Admirall of this India discouered the same in the dayes of the Catholyke kyng Don Ferdinando and the lady Elizabeth his wyfe graundfather and graundmother vnto your maiestie in the yeere .1491 and came to Barzalona in the yeere .1492 with the fyrst Indians and other shewes and proofes of the great ryches and notice of this west Empire The which gyft and benefite was suche that it is vnto this day one of the greatest that euer any subiecte or seruaunt hath done for his prince or countrey as is manifest to the whole worlde And to say the trueth this shall doubtlesse bee so commodious and profytable vnto the whole realme of Spayne that I repute him no good Castilian or Spanyarde that doeth not recognise the same And as I haue sayde before forasmuche as in my sayde generall historie I haue more largely intreated of these thinges I intende at this present only briefely to rehearse certayne especiall thinges the whiche surely are very fewe in respecte of the thousandes that myght be sayde in this behalfe Fyrst therefore I will speake somewhat of the nauigation into these parties then of the generation of the nations which are founde in the same with theyr rytes customes â–ª and ceremonies also of beastes foules byrdes woormes fyshes seas ryuers sprynges trees plantes hearbes and dyuers other thinges whiche are engendered both on the lande and in the water And forasmuche as I am one of thorder and company of them that are appoynted to returne into these regions to serue your maiestie if therefore the thinges conteyned in this booke shall not be distincte in suche order as I promised to perfourme in my greater woorke I desyre your maiestie to haue no respect herevnto but rather to consider the noueltie of such straunge thinges as I haue herein declared whiche is the chiefe ende that moued mee to wryte Protestyng that in this Summarie I haue written the trueth of suche thinges as came to my remembraunce whereof not onely I my selfe can testifie but also dyuers other worthy and credible men which haue been in those regions and are now present in your maiesties courte And thus it shall suffyse to haue sayde thus much vnto your maiestie in maner of a proheme vnto this present worke whiche I most humbly desyre your maiestie as thankefully to accept as I haue written it faythfully Of the ordinary nauigation from Spayne to the west Indies THe nauigation which is commonly made from Spayne to the west India is from Siuile where your maiestie haue your house of contraction for those partes with also your offycers therevnto parteynyng of whom the captaynes take theyr passeporte and lycence The patrones of suche shippes as are appoynted to these viages imbarke them selues at San Luca di Barameda where the riuer Cuadalchiber entreth into the Ocean sea and from hence they folow their course toward the Ilands of Canarie Of these seuen Ilandes they commonly touche two that is eyther Grancanaria or Gomera and here the shyppes are furnyshed with freshe water fuell cheese beefe and suche other thinges which may seeme requisite to bee added to suche as they bryng with them out of Spayne From Spayne to these Ilandes is commonly eyght dayes sayling or little more or lesse and when they are arryued there they haue sayled two hundred and fyftie leagues whiche make a thousand myles accompting foure myles to a league as is their maner to recken by sea Departing from the sayd Ilands to folow their course the shyppes tary .xxv. dayes or a litle more or lesse before they see the fyrst lande of the Ilandes that lye before that whiche they call La Spagnuola or Hispaniola and the lande that is commonly fyrst seene is one of these Ilandes which they call Ogni sancti Marigalante or Galanta La Desseada otherwise called Desiderata Matanino Dominica Guadalupea San Christoual or some other of the Ilandes wherof there are a great multitude lying about these aforesayde Yet it sometymes so chaunceth that the shyppes passe without the sight of any of the sayd Ilandes or any other that are within that course vntill they come to the Ilande of Sancti Iohannis or Hispaniola or Iamaica or Cuba which are before the other It may also chaunce that they ouerpasse all these lykewyse vntyll they fall vppon the coastes of the firme lande But this chaunceth when the pilot is not well practised in this nauigation or not perfect in the true carde But makyng this viage with experte maryners whereof there is nowe great plentie one of the sayde fyrst Ilandes shall euer bee knowen And from the Ilandes of Canarie to one of the fyrst of these the distaunce is niene hundred leagues by sayling or more and from hence to the citie of sainct Dominike which is in the Iland of Hispaniola is a hundred and fyftie leagues so that from Spayne hitherto is a thousande and three hundred leagues Yet forasmuche as sometymes the nauigation proceedeth not so directly but that it chaunceth to wander euer on the one syde or on the other we may well say that they haue now sayled a thousand and fyue hundred leagues and more And if the nauigation bee slow by reason of some hynderaunce it commonly chaunceth to be fynished in xxxv or .xl. dayes and this happeneth for the most parte not accomptyng the extremes that is eyther of them that haue slowe passage or of them that arryue in very short tyme for we ought to consyder that which chaunceth most commonly The returne from those partes to Spayne is not fynished without longer tyme as in the space of fiftie dayes or a litle more or lesse Neuerthelesse in this present yeere of .1525 there came foure shyppes from the Ilande of San Dominico to sainct Luca in Spayne in .xxv. dayes But as I haue sayde we ought not to iudge of that which chaunceth seldome but of that which happeneth most ordinarily This nauigation is very safe and much vsed euen vnto the sayde Iland And from this to the firme land the shyppes trauerse diuers wayes for the space of fyue sixe or seuen dayes saylyng or more accordyng to the partes or coastes whither they directe theyr viages forasmuch as the sayde fyrme lande is very great and large and many nauigations and viages are directed to dyuers partes of the same Yet to the firme land which
as do other fishes or els that they are engendred and encrease in certaine ordinarie places This Iland of Cumana Cubagua where they fyshe for these pearles is in the twelfe degree of the part of the said coast which inclineth toward the North. Likewise pearles are founde and geathered in the South sea called Mare del Sur the pearles of this sea are very big yet not so big as they of the Iland of pearles called de las perlas or Margaritea which the Indians cal Terarequi lying in the gulfe of Sainct Michael where greater pearles are founde â–ª and of greater pryce then in any other coast of the North sea â–ª in Cumana or any other part I speake this as a trewe testimonie of syght hauing been long in that South sea and makyng curious inquisition to be certaynely enfourmed of al that parteyneth to the fyshyng of pearles From this Ilande of Terarequi there was brought a pearle of the fashyon of a Peare weighing thyrtie and one Caractes which Petrus Arias had among a thousand and so many poundes weyght of other pearles whiche he had when captayne Gaspar Morales before Petrus Arias passed to the sayde Ilande in the yeere .1515 whiche pearle was of great pryce From the sayde Ilande also came a great and very rounde pearle which I brought out of the sea this was as bygge as a smal pellet of a Stonebowe and of the weyght of twentie and syx Caractes I bought it in the citie of Panama in the sea of Sur and payde for it syx hundred and fyftie tymes the weyght therof of good golde and had it three yeeres in my custodie and after my returne into Spayne sold it to the Earle of Nansao Marquesse of Zenete great Chamberlayne to your Maiestie who gaue it to the Marquesse his wyfe the Lady Mentia of Mendozza I thynke veryly that this pearle was the greatest fayrest and roundest that hath been seene in those partes For your maiestie ought to vnderstand that in the coaste of the sea of Sur there are founde a hundred great pearles rounde after the fashyon of a Peare to one that is perfectly rounde and great This Ilande of Terarequi which the Christians call the Ilande of pearles and other call it the Ilande of Flowres is founde in the eight degree on the South syde of the fyrme land in the prouince of golden Castyle or Beragua and these are the coasts of the fyrme lande where pearles are founde euen vnto this day I vnderstande also that there are pearles founde in the prouince and Ilandes of Cartagenia And since your maiestie appoynted me a gouernour and captayne I haue made further searche and am aduertysed that pearles are founde in diuers other places as about the Ilande of Codego whiche lyeth agaynst the mouth of that port of the Ilande of Cartagenia which the Indians cal Coro the which Ilande and port are on the North syde in the tenth degree of the coastes of the fyrme lande Of the familiaritie which certayne of the Indians haue with the deuyll and howe they receyue answere of him of thinges to come WHen the Indians begyn theyr battayle or goe to any combat or attempt any other great matter they haue certayne elect men whom they reuerendly esteeme call them Tequinas which in theyr tounge is as much to say as maisters notwithstandyng that they call euery man that is cunnyng in any science by the same name as fyshers foulers hunters or makers of nettes These Tequinas therefore they call the maisters of theyr aunsweres because they speake with Tuyra that is the deuyll and bryng them aunswere what he sayeth eyther as touchyng such thinges as they haue to doe or shall chaunce to them the day folowyng or many dayes to come For the deuyll beyng so auncient an Astronomer knoweth the tymes of thinges and seeth howe they are naturally directed and inclyned and maketh them beleeue that they come so to passe by his ordinaunce as though he were the Lorde and mouer of all that is and shal be and that hee gyueth the day lyght and rayne causeth tempest and ruleth the stations of tymes gyuyng lyfe or takyng away lyfe at his pleasure By reason whereof the Indians beyng deceyued of hym and seeyng also suche effectes to come certaynely to passe as hee hath tolde them before beleeue hym in all other thinges and honour him in many places with sacrifyces of the blood and lyues of men and odoriferous spices And when God disposeth the contrary to that whiche the deuyll hath spoken in oracle whereby he is proued a lyer he causeth the Tequinas to perswade the people that hee hath chaunged his mynd and sentence for some of their sinnes or deuiseth some such lye as lyketh him best beyng a skylful maister in such subtile and craftie deuises to deceyue the simple and ignorant people which hath small defence agaynst so mightie and craftie an aduersarie And as they call the deuyll Tuyra so doe they in many places call the Christians by the same name thynkyng that they greatly honour them thereby as in deede it is a name very fitte and agreeable to many of them hauyng layde aparte all honestie and vertue lyuyng more lyke Dragons then men among these symple people Before thinhabitauntes of the Ilande of Hispaniola had receiued the Christian fayth there was among them a secte of men whiche liued solitarily in the desartes and woods led theyr lyfe in silence and abstinence more straightly then euer dyd the phylosophers of Pithagoras secte absteinyng in lyke maner from the eatyng of all thinges that lyue by blood contented onely with such fruites hearbes and rootes as the desartes and woods mynistred vnto them to eate The professours of this secte were called Piaces They gaue them selues to the knowledge of naturall thinges and vsed certaine secrete magicall operations and superstitions whereby they had familiaritie with spirites which they allured into theyr owne bodyes at such tymes as they would take vppon them to tell of thinges to come whiche they dyd in maner as foloweth When any of the kynges had occasion to call any of them out of the desartes for this purpose theyr custome was to sende them a portion of theyr fyne bread of Cazabbi or Maizium and with humble request and suite to desyre them to tell them of suche thinges as they woulde demaunde After the request graunted and the place and day appoynted the Piaces commeth with two of his disciples waytyng on hym whereof the one bryngeth with him a vessell of a secrete water and the other a litle syluer bell When he commeth to the place he sitteth downe on a rounde seate made for hym of purpose where hauyng his disciples the one standyng on the one hande and the other on the other euen in the presence of the kyng and certayne of his nobles for the common people are not admitted to these mysteries and turnyng his face towarde the desarte he begynneth his inchauntment
litle these are called Volatori that is fleeyng fyshes they ryse by great companies and flockes in suche multitudes that it is an astonyshment to behold them Sometimes they ryse but litle from the water as it chaunceth continue one flyght for the space of an hundred paces and sometimes more or lesse before they fall agayne into the sea sometymes also they fall into the shyppes And I remember that on an euenyng when al the company in the shyp were on theyr knees syngyng Salue regina in the hyghest part of the Castell of the poupe and sayled with a full wynde there passed by vs a flocke of these fleeyng fyshes and came so neare vs that many of them fell into the shyppe among the whiche two or three fel hard by me whiche I tooke alyue in my hand so that I myght well perceyue that they were as bygge as Sardines and of the same quantitie hauyng two wynges or quilles growing out of theyr synnes lyke vnto those wherewith all fyshes swym in ryuers these wynges are as long as the fyshes them selues As long as theyr wynges are moyst they beare them vp in the ayre but assoone as they are drye they can contynue theyr flyght no further then as I haue sayde before but fall immediatlye into the sea and so ryse agayne and flee as before from place to place In the yeere a thousand fyue hundred and fyfteene when I came fyrst to enfourme your Maiestie of the state of the thynges in India and was the yeere folowyng in Flaunders in the tyme of your most fortunate successe in these your kyngdomes of Aragonie and Castyle whereas at that viage I sayled aboue the Ilande Bermuda otherwyse called Garza beyng the furthest of all the Ilandes that are founde at this daye in the worlde and arryuyng there at the deapth of eyght yardes of water and distaunt from the lande as farre as the shotte of a peece of Ordinaunce I determyned to sende some of the shyp to lande aswell to make searche of suche thynges as were there as also to leaue in the Iland certayne Hogges for encrease But the tyme not seruing my purpose by reason of contrary wynde I coulde bryng my shyppes no nearer the Ilande beyng twelue leagues in length and syxe in breadth and about thyrtie in circuite lying in the three and thyrtieth degree of the North syde Whyle I remayned heere I saw a stryfe and combat betweene these fleeing fyshes and the fyshes named Gylt heades the foules called Seamewes and Cormorantes which surely seemed vnto me a thyng of as great pleasure and solace as coulde be deuised while the Gylt heades swam on the brymme of the water and sometymes lyfted theyr shoulders aboue the same to rayse the fleeyng fyshes out of the water to dryue them to flyght and folowe them swymmyng to the place where they fal to take and eate them sodenly Againe on the other side the Seamewes and Cormorantes take many of these fleeyng fyshes so that by this meanes they are neyther safe in the ayre nor in the water In the selfe same peryll and danger doo men lyue in this mortall lyfe wherein is no certayne securitie neyther in hyghe estate nor in lowe Which thyng surely ought to put vs in remembraunce of that blessed and safe restyng place whiche God hath prepared for suche as loue hym who shall acquiete and fynishe the trauailes of this troublous worlde wherein are so many dangers and bryng them to that eternall lyfe where they shall fynde eternall securitie and rest But to returne to the hystorye these byrdes and foules whiche I sawe were of the Ilande of Bermuda neere vnto the whiche I sawe these fleeyng fyshes for they coulde be of no other lande forasmuche as they are not accustomed to wander farre from the coastes where they are bredde Of thincrease and decrease that is rysyng and fallyng of our Ocean sea and South sea called the sea of Sur. I Wyll nowe speake of certayne thynges whiche are seene in the Prouince or at the least in the citie of golden Castyle otherwyse called Beragua and in the coastes of the North sea of the South sea called the sea of Sur not omitting to note one synguler and marueylous thyng whiche I haue consydered of the Ocean sea wherof hytherto no Cosmographer Pilot or Maryner or any other haue satisfyed me I say therefore as it is well knowen to your maiestie and all such as haue knowledge of the Ocean sea that this great Ocean casteth from it selfe the sea Mediterraneum by the mouth of the strayght of Gibilterra in the which the water from th end furthest part of that sea euen vnto the mouth of the sayde strayght eyther in the East toward the coaste commonly called Leuante or in any other part of the sayde sea Mediterraneum the sea doth not so fall nor increase as reason woulde iudge for so great a sea but increaseth very litâ—e and a small space Neuerthelesse without the mouth of the â—trayght in the mayne Ocean it increaseth and falleth very muche and a great space of grounde from syxe houres to syxe houres as in all the coastes of Spayne Britanâ—â— Flaunders Garmanie and England The selfe same Oâ—ean sâ—a in the firme lande newly founde in the coastes of the same lying towarde the North doth neyther ryse nor fall nor lykewyse in the Ilandes of Hispaniola and Cuba and al the other Ilandes of the same lying towarde the north for the space of three thousande leagues but onely in lyke maner as dooth the sea Mediterraneum in Italy which is in maner nothyng in respecte to that increase and decrease whiche the sayde Ocean hath in the coastes of Spayne and Flaunders But this is yet a greater thyng that also the selfe same Ocean in the coastes of the sayde fyrme lande lying towarde the South in the citie of Panama and also in the coast of that lande whiche lyeth towarde the East and West from that citie as in the Ilande of pearles or Margaritea whiche the Indians call Tarrarequi and also in Taboga and Otoque and in all other Ilandes of the south sea of Sur the water ryseth and falleth so muche that when it falleth it goeth in maner out of syght whiche thyng I my selfe haue seene oftentymes And here your maiestie may note an other thing that from the north sea to the south sea being of such difference the one from the other in rysyng and fallyng yet is the lande that deuideth them not past eyghteene or twentie leagues in breadth from coaste to coaste So that both the sayde seas beyng all one Ocean this strange effecte is a thyng worthy greatly to be consydered of all suche as haue inclination and desyre to knowe the secrete woorkes of nature wherein the infinite power and wysedome of God is seene to be suche as may allure al good natures to reuerence and loue so diuine a maiestie And whereas by y e demonstrations 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
of the Iland of Hispaniola aboue Cuba an Ilande of the Canibales Which narration hath geuen me occasion to extende Groneland beyond the promontorie or cape of Huitsarch to the contynent or fyrme lande of Lapponia aboue the castell of Wardhus whiche thyng I dyd the rather for that the reuerende Archebyshop of Nidrosia constantly affirmed that the sea bendeth there into the fourme of a crooked Elbowe It agreeth herewith also that the Lapones consent with them in the lyke Magicall practises and do neyther embrace the Christian religion nor refuse it wherby I haue thought this lykenesse of customes to be betweene them because they ioyne togeather in one continent The distance lykewyse seemeth not to disagree For beetweene both these people the distance is not full two hundred Schoeni euery one beyng a space of ground conteining threescore furlonges which make seauen myles a halfe It furthermore agreeth with this coniecture that Cabot chaunced into such yse And albeit as touching the Moneth of Iuly I wyll contend it is not well rehearsed no although he had sailed vnder the poole for such reasons as we haue declared before to the contrary neuerthelesse that at some tyme he sailed by yse this testifieth in that he sayled not by the mayne sea but in places neare vnto the land comprehending embrasing the sea in fourme of a gulfe whereas for the same cause the gulfe of Gothland is frosen because it is streyght and narrow ▪ in the which also the litle quantitie of salte water is ouercome by the abundance of fresh water of many and great ryuers that fall into the gulfe But betweene Norway and Island the sea is not frosen for the contrary cause forasmuch as the power of freshe water is there ouercome of the abundance of the salte water There is a fame but of vncertayne aucthoritie that the Spaniardes sayle at this present to Gronelande and to an other lande whiche they call Terra Viridis that is the greene lande bringyng from thence suche wares as are founde in Gronelande Towards the North ▪ it reacheth to the vnknowen land vnder the pole from whence also the theeues and robbers of the Pigmei come into this lande Which is an argument that the regions vnder the pole are inhabited almost enuironed with the sea as are they whiche the Cosmographers call Chersonnesi or Peninsulae that is almost Ilandes The description of Gronlande The description of the East syde which lyeth towarde Norway Wardhus Castle 54.  70. 30. Towarde the North. 53. 30. 71. 30. The fyrst extention 40.  71. 40. The second extention 28.  72.  Huitsarch promont 22.  67.  The extention 5.  61. 45. It is continued from thence by the coastes of the lande of Baccallaos 356. 60.   Towarde the West and North it is termined with an vnknowen ende of landes and seas     Islande ISlande is interpreted the land of Ise and is called of the olde wryters Thyle It is extended betweene the South and the North almost two hundred schoenes in longitude It is for the most parte full of mountaynes and vncultured But in the playnes it hath such fruitfull pastures that they are fayne sometymes to dryue the beastes from theyr feedyng least they should be suffocate with to much fatnesse This Ilande is famous by the strange myracles of nature of the whiche Saxo Grammaticus in his hystorie of Denmarke and Olanus Gothus in his description of the North landes doe make mention There are in it three mountaynes of marueylous height the toppes whereof are couered with perpetuall snowe but the nether partes of them are of lyke nature to the mountayne Etna in the Ilande of Sicilie boylyng with continuall flames of fyre and castyng foorth brymstone One of these is named Helga and the other Mons Crucis that is the mounte of the crosse The thyrd is named Hecla whose flames neyther consume flaxe or tow matters most apte to take fyre nor yet are quenched with water And with lyke force as the shot of great artillerie is driuen foorth by violence of fyre euen so by the commixtion and repugnance of fyre colde and brymstone great stones are heere throwne into the ayre Neare vnto these mountaynes are three chynkes or open places in the earth of huge bygnesse and such depth especially at the mount Hecla that no sight can attayne thereto But to such as looke into them there first appeare men as though they were drowned and yet breathyng foorth theyr soules who beyng exhorted by theyr friendes to resorte to theyr owne they answere with mournyng voyce and greeuous sighes that they must departe from thence to the mount Hecla and therewith sodaynely vanyshe out of sight He floweth about the Ilande for the space of seuen or eight monethes makyng by runnyng togeather a certayne miserable waylyng and gronyng noyse not vnlyke the voyce of man Thinhabitauntes thynke that in this Ise and the mount Hecla are the places where the euyll soules of theyr people are tormented If any man take a great portion of this Ise and keepe it as diligently as may be in a close vessell or cofer the same doeth so vanyshe at the tyme when the other Ise about the Ilande dissolueth that not so much as one droppe of water or Ise can thereof be founde Not farre from these mountaynes reachyng towarde the sea coastes are foure sprynges of water of most dyuers and contrary nature The fyrst by reason of his perpetuall and feruent heate sodaynely turneth all bodyes that are cast therein into stones reseruyng neuerthelesse theyr fyrst forme and shape The seconde is of intollerable coldnesse The thyrd is sweeter then hony and most pleasaunt to quench thyrst The fourth is playne poyson pestilent and deadly There is furthermore in these sprynges suche aboundaunce of brymstone that a thousande pounde weight thereof is bought for litle as for the tenth parte of a ducate Theyr chiefe wares are dryed fyshe as Soles Maydens Playces Salpas Stockefyshes and such other whiche they exchange for wheat and such other thinges as are brought thyther from Lubecke Hamborowe and Amsterdam For they haue oftentymes such scarsenesse of corne that they vse dryed fysh in the steade of bread although in sommer the Iland so florysheth with greene and fruitfull medowes that they are fayne somtimes to dryue theyr beastes from pasture least they should suffocate for to much fatnesse as I haue sayde before They make very good butter and apte to be vsed in matters of phisicke There are found diuers kindes of good Haukes as Faulcons Gerfaulcons Lanners and Sperhaukes Also Rauens Crowes Beares Hares and Foxes both white and blacke They haue most swift horses and such as run .xxx. miles continually without rest or baite They haue many churches houses builded of the bones of Whales
honest rooume and vittayles for theyr mony 18 Item the sayde merchauntes may in any place where they shall thynke best buylde or bye any house or houses to theyr owne vses And no person to molest or trouble them and to stande in any Carauan where they wyll or shal thinke good THe commodities whiche the merchauntes may haue by this trade into Persia are thought to be great and may in tyme perhappes be greater then the Portugalles trade into the East Indies forasmuch as by the way of Persia into Englande the returne may be made euery yeere once wheras the Portugalles make the returne from Calecut but once in two yeeres by a long and daungerous vyage all by sea for whereas the citie and Ilande of Ormus lying in the goulfe of Persia is the most famous marte towne of all East India whyther all the merchaundies of India are brought the same may in shorter time and more safely be brought by land ryuers through Persia euen vnto the Caspian sea and from thence by the countreys of Russia or Moscouia by ryuers euen vnto the citie of Yeraslaue and from thence by lande a hundred and fourescore myles to Vologda and from thence agayne al by water euen vnto England The merchaundies whiche be had out of Persia for the returne of wares are sylke of all sortes and colours both rawe and wrought Also all maner of spices and drugges Pearles and precious stones likewyse carpettes of dyuers sortes with diuers other ryche merchaundies whereof you may reade more here before in the Chapter entituled Of the trafique of Persia with other countreys It was tolde me of them that came last from Persia that there is more sylke brought into some one citie of Persia then is of cloth brought into the citie of London Also that one village of Armenia named Gilgat doth carie yeerely fyue hundred and sometyme a thousande mules laden with sylke to Halepo in Sorya of Turkye beyng foure dayes iorney of Tripoli where the Uenetians haue their continuall abidyng and send from thence sylkes which they returne for English carses and other clothes into al partes of Christendome The maner howe the Christians become Busor men and forsake their religion I Haue noted here before that if any Christian wyll become a Busor man that is one that hath forsaken his fayth and be a Mahumetan of their religion they geue him many giftes and somtyme also a liuyng The maner is that when the deuil is entred into his hart to forsake his fayth he resorteth to the Soltan or gouernoure of the towne to whom he maketh protestation of his diuilyshe purpose The gouernoure appoynteth hym a horse and one to ryde before hym on an other horse bearyng a swoorde in his hande and the Busor man bearyng an arowe in his hand and rydeth in the citie cursyng his father and mother and if euer after he returne to his owne religion he is giltie of death as is signified by the swoorde borne before hym A young man a seruaunt of one of our merchauntes because he woulde not abyde the correction of his maister for his faultes was mynded to forsake his fayth But as God woulde he fell sodaynely sicke and dyed before he gaue hym selfe to the deuil If he had become a Busor man he had greatly troubled the merchauntes for if he woulde then haue sayd that halfe their goods had ben his they would haue geuen credite vnto hym For the auoydyng of whiche inconuenience it was graunted in the priuileges that no Busor man c. as there appeareth In Persia in diuers places oxen and kine beare the tentes and housholde stuffe of the poore men of the countrey which haue neither Camelles nor horses Of the tree whiche beareth Bombasine cotton or Gossampine IN Persia is great abundance of Bombasine cotton and very fyne this groweth on a certayne litle tree or bryer not past the height of a mans waste or litle more the tree hath a slender stalk like vnto a brier or to a carnation gyleflour with very many braunches bearyng on euery braunch a fruite or rather a codde growyng in round fourme conteynyng in it the cotton and when this budde or codde commeth to the bygnesse of a wallnut it openeth and sheweth foorth the cotton which groweth styll in bygnesse vntyll it be lyke a fleece of wooll as byg as a mans fyst and beginneth to be loose and then they geather it as it were the rype fruite The seedes of these trees are as byg as peason and are blacke and somewhat flatte and not rounde they sowe them in plowed grounde where they growe in the fieldes in great aboundance in many countreys in Persia and diuers other regions The writing of the Persians ARthur Edwardes shewed me a letter of the Sophie written in theyr letters backward subsigned with the handes both of the Sophie his secretarye The Sophies subscription was only one word his name I suppose of Shaugh wrytten in golden letters vpon red paper The whole letter was also wrytten on the same peece of red paper beyng long and narrowe about the length of a foote and not past three inches brode The priuate signet of the Sophie was a rounde prynted marke about the byggenesse of a Ryall only prynted vpon the same paper without any waxe or other seale the letters seeme so myshapen and disordered that a man woulde thynke it were somewhat scribled in maner at aduentures Yet they say that almost euery letter with his pricke or circumflexe signifieth a whole worde Insomuch that in a peece of paper as bygge as a mans hand theyr wryting doth conteyne as much as doth ours almost in a sheete of paper ¶ The two viages made out of Englande into Guinea in Affricke at the charges of certayne merchantes aduenturers of the citie of London in the yeere of our Lord ▪ 1553. BEing desired by certayne of my freendes to make some mention of these viages that some memory thereof myght remayne to our posteritie yf eyther iniquitie of tyme consumyng all thynges or ignoranuce creepyng in by barbarousnesse and contempt of knowledge shoulde hereafter bury in obliuion so worthy attempts so much the greatlyer to be esteemed as before neuer enterprysed by Englyshe men or at the least so frequented as at this present they are and may be to the great commoditie of our merchantes yf the same be not hyndred by the ambition of such as for the conquesting of fourtie or fyftie myles here there and erectyng of certayne fortresses or rather blockehouses among naked people thynke them selues worthy to be lordes of halfe the world enuying that other shoulde enioy the commodities which they them selues can not wholy possesse And although suche as haue been at charges in the discoueryng and conquestyng of suche landes ought by good reason to haue certayne priuileges preheminences and tributes for the same yet to speake vnder correction it may seeme somewhat rigorous and agaynst good reason and conscience
and the kyng of Portugale These Iudges gaue sentence vppon this matter callyng the contrary parte before them vppon the brydge of Caya in the yeere .1524 The Portugales could neyther disturbe or deferre the sentence nor yet would they allowe it to be iust and accordyng to ryght Saying that there was not sufficient processe made that they should passe to the giuyng of sentence and so departed threatenyng to sleye the Castilians as many as they should fynde in the Ilandes of the Malucas For they knewe ryght well that theyr countreymen the Portugales had already taken the shyppe called the Trinitie and had also taken the Castilians in Tidore Then also departed our men takyng theyr iourney to the Courte gyuyng vp to the Emperour all their writinges and declaration what they had done And according to this declaration must be signed and marked all Globes and Mappes whiche good Cosmographers maisters doe make The line also of the repartition and last diuision of the newe world of the Indies ought to passe litle more or lesse by the poyntes of Humos and Buen Abrigo as I haue sayde in an other place And thus shall it appeare euidently that the Ilandes of spices and also the great Ilande of Samotra doe parteyne to Castile But the lande of Brasile parteyneth to the kyng of Portugale where the Cape of sainct Augustine is being .viii. degrees beneath the Equinoctiall This lande reacheth from the poynte of Humos to the poynte of Buen Abrigo and is in length North and South .viii. hundred leagues being also some way two hundred leagues East and West And heere after these serious matters wee will rehearse one mery thyng whiche was this It so chaunced that as Frances de Melo Diego Lopes of Sequeyra and other of those Portugales of this assembly walked by the ryuers syde of Guadiana a litle boye who stoode keepyng his mothers clothes which shee had washed demaunded of them whether they were those men that parted the worlde with the Emperour And as they answered yea he tooke vp his sherte and shewed them his bare arse saying Come and drawe your lyne heere through the myddest Which saying was afterward in euery mans mouth and laughed at in the towne of Badaios yea euen among the Commissioners them selues of whom some were angry and some marueyled at the saying of the chylde The cause and aucthoritie whereby they diuided the Indies THe Castilians and Portugales had long debated and reasoned about the golde myne of Guinea which was found in the yeere of our Lorde .1471 in the tyme of the raigne of Don Alonso kyng of Portugale y e fyrst of that name This was a matter of great importaunce For the Negros or blacke Moores for thinges of no value gaue golde by whole handfulles whiche was at that tyme when the sayde kyng of Portugale pretended title and clayme to the kingdome of Castile in the ryght of his wife Queene Ioane called the excellent agaynst the Catholyke Princes Isabel and Don Fernando whose it was in deede But that stryfe was ended as soone as Don Fernando had vanquished Don Alonso at a place called Temulos nor farre from Toro whiche place Don Fernando chose rather to make warre agaynst the Moores of Granada then to buye and sell with the blacke Moores of Guinea And thus the Portugales remayned with the conqueste of Affryke from the streightes forwarde which beganne where the infante of Portugale Don Henrique sonne to Kyng Iohn the bastarde and maister of Auis dyd begyn to enlarge it When Pope Alexander the .vi. beyng a Ualentinian borne had knowledge hereof hee mynded to gyue the Indies to the kynges of Castile without any preiudice to the Portugales who had conquered the sea coastes of Affryke These Indies the Pope gaue of his owne mynde without the motion of any other with this burden charge that they should conuerte the Idolatours to the fayth of Christ and commaunded a lyne or meridian to bee drawen North and South from one hundred leagues Westward beyonde one of the Ilandes of Capo Verde towarde the Weste bycause the Spanyardes should not meddle in Affrike parteynyng to the conquest of the Portugales to the auoydyng of all stryfe betweene them Kyng Iohn of Portugale the seconde of that name was greatly offended when he red the Bull and donation of the pope although his owne Ambassadours had made the selfe same request vnto his holinesse He also founde him selfe agreeued with the Catholyke princes Isabel and Fernando that they had shortened the course of the landes he had discouered depriuyng him of the rychesse which belonged to him and therefore refused to stande to the Popes Bull in this case desiryng the Catholyke princes Isabel and Fernando to graunt him three hundred leagues more to the West besyde the one hundred which they had graunted before and thâ—rewith sent his shyppes to keepe the coastes of Affryke The princes Catholyke were content to satisfie his mynd and to please him according to theyr gentle nature and for the aliance that was betweene them And in fine with the consent agreement of the Pope graunted two hundred sixtie leagues more then the Bull made mention of at Tordesillas the seuenth day of Iune in the yeere of our Lorde .1494 And wheras our kynges thought that they shoulde haue loste grounde in graunting so many leagues that way they woon by that meanes the Ilandes of the Malucas with many other ryche Ilandes The kyng of Portugale also herein deceyued him selfe or was deceyued of his whom he put in trust hauyng no certayne knowledge of the situation of the Ilandes of the ryche Spicery in demaundyng that which the kyng dyd demaunde For it had ben better for him to haue requested the three hundred and sixtie leagues rather Eastwarde from the Ilandes of Capo Verde then towarde the Weste And yet for all that I doubt whether the Malucas should haue fallen within his conquest accordyng to the ordinarie accoumpte and dimension which the Pylottes and Cosmographers doe make And after this maner they diuided the Indies betweene them by aucthoritie of the Pope for the auoydyng of further stryfe and contention Howe and by what occasion the Emperour layde the Ilandes of Maluccas to pledge to the kyng of Portugale WHen the Kyng of Portugale Don Iuan the thyrd of that name had knowledge that the Cosmographers and pylottes of Castile had drawen the lyne from the place before named and that he could not deny the trueth fearyng also thereby to leese the trade of spices made suite request to the Emperour that he should not sende foorth Louisa nor Sebastian Cabote to the Malucas and that the Castilians should not attempte the trade of spices nor see suche euylles and miseries as his Captaynes had shewed in those Ilandes to them that aduentured that viage with Magallanes which thyng he greatly couered although he payde
reade them ouer to your Honours recreation as one of the principall causes wherefore at this tyme they were set foorth If varietie of matter occurrents out of forraigne countryes newes of newe founde landes the sundry sortes of gouernement the different manners fashions of diuers nations the wonderfull workes of nature the sightes of straunge trees fruites foule and beastes the infinite treasure of Pearle Golde Siluer ioyes may recreate and delight a mynde trauelled in weighty matters weeried with great affayres credit me good Madam in listning vnto this worke shall you haue recreation you shall finde delight in reading ouer these relations wherein so newe so straunge so diuers so many recreations and delightes of the mynd are expressed Your Honours good lykyng thereof wyll be to me no small contentation for this worke paynefully doone a good occasion spedyly to finish the rest of my owne labours concerning this faculty a great encouragement and comfort to bestow my whole time hereafter only in that study wherewith all my former knowledge in Philosophy and Geography may ende The whiche conueniently now I am in good hope to perfourme with my Lorde and your Ladyshyps good leaue and continuance of my duety and effectuall desire to doe your Honours the better seruice At London the 4. day of Iuly 1577. Your Honors seruaunt humbly at commaundement Richarde VVilles R. VVilles Preface vnto the Reader wherein is set downe a generall summe as it were of the whole worke THis greate and large bolume consisteth principally of foure partes agreeable vnto those foure corners of the worlde whereunto the skilfull seamen and merchauntes aduenturers of late yeeres haue chiefely traueiled and yet specially are wont to resorte The first part conteyneth foure Decades written by P. Martyr a learned graue counseller of Charles the Emperour fifte of that name concernyng the Spanyardes voyages Southwestwarde theyr famous exploites doone in these newly discouered partes of the worlde the whiche vsually wee now call the west Indies Hereunto haue we added Gonzalus Eerdinandus Ouiedus breefe historie touching the same matter so that the first part of our volume hath fiue particular bookes In the first whereof cap 1.2.3 4 and 5. P. Martir describeth Columbus first and second nauigations and discoueries of certaine Ilandes made by hym specially and his brother In the 6. chapter or booke thereof for both names we finde is set foorth Columbus third voiage and the discouery of Peru in the maigne west Indish lande In the seuenth his troubles both in the west Indies and retourne into Spaigne with his brother being both prisoners The 8. is of P. Alfonsus voyages that same way In the 9. are declared the trauailes of Vincent and Peter Pinzoni and other Spaniards likewise thither from Palos The 10. is a conclusion of the whole Decade with particuler mention of some special nouelties Colūbus fourth voiage beganne So that in the first Decade you haue historically set downe the discouerye of the west Indies taken in hande about the yeere of our Lorde .1492 by Columbus and his companions vntill the yeere 1510. as P. Martir witnesseth fol. 8. 43 47. and 54. This worthy trauayler and skilfull seaman died at Validolid in Spaigne An. dom 1506. as Lopez reporteth cap. 25. in his generall historie de las Indias The second Decade conteyneth Peru matters entituled by P. Martir Creditus Cortinens that is a continent or maigne lande as in deede it is of it selfe with the rest of America in lyke maner as Europe Affryk Asia be one continent or maigne lande vnited togeather In the fyrst and seconde chapters of this Decade shall you reade the voyages of Fogeda and Nicuesa to Dariena In the thyrd Colmenaris trauayles Nicuesa his death and the Indishe kyng Comogrus beneuolence In the fourth Vasquez Nunnez doynges in Vraba gulfe His conquest of rebellious Barbarian kyngs in the fifte In the syxt Quicedus Colmenaris ambassage out of Dariena to Hispaniola and the religion of king Commendator in Cuba The seuenth booke conteineth Petrus Arias iorney to Paria in Peru. The .8 the dissention betwixt the Spaniardes and Portugales for theyr boundes and makyng of fyue Bishops in these newely founde partes of the worlde In the 9 are shewed the ryuers of Darien and philosophically the causes of so great waters there That countrey is described in the .10 and the extreme hunger abydden by the companions of Nicuesa set forth In the fyrst second and thyrd chapters of the thyrde Decade is conteyned an abridgement of Vascus Nunnez relations concerning his voyage to the south sea for it lyeth south from Darien vsually termed nowe a dayes Mar del zur and may also be called the wyde east Indyshe Ocean The discouery thereof made by Nunnez the kyng subdued by hym especially kyng Commogrus christenyng by the name of Charles and the wynnyng of kyng Tumanama or Tubanama and his countrey In the fourth chapter shal you fynd Columbus fourth vyage began An. do 1502 to the mayne west Indyshe lande with the description of some part therof lying betwyxt our Atlantike or westerne Ocean and the aforesayde Mar del zur as Vraba and Beragua In respecte of the history and course of yeeres this booke myght haue been placed before the seconde Decade but it shoulde seeme that these reportes came no sooner to P. Martyr his handes wherefore he began this fourth booke ryght well thus I was determined c. The fyfth booke conteyneth P. Arias iorney mentioned dec 2 lib. 7. to the north syde of Peru wherein Carthagena and S. Martha two famous hauens do stande with a description of the countrey and people thereof In the syxt you haue a disputation touchyng the Leuant streame or easterne surge of the sea the discouery of Baccalaos done by Cabot P. Arias arriuall in Darien the buildyng of S. Maria antiqua there with other fortresses finally the commodities and vnwholesomnesse of Darien In the .7 8. .9 bookes shal you haue a description of Hispaniola Cuba and other Ilandes thereabout done by Andreas Moralis And in the .10 shall you reade of the Ilande Diues in Mar del zur of the kyng therof subdued by Andreas Moralis of Pearles the finding therof of Petrus Arias Captaynes doinges agaynst the Caniballes of the Barbares fowlyng the manner of the geatheryng of gold in Dariena The fourth Decade for so was it named in the Spanyards edition of P. Martyr his woorkes set forth at Alcala in Spayne An. do 1530. though the Basile and Cullen printers haue entituled it De insulis nuper inuentis that is of Ilandes lately found out to wyt after Columbus voyages this booke I say was by P. Mar. culled out of the Indian registers conteynyng speciall notes that seemed vnto hym most meete to be publyshed as the discouery of certayne Ilandes and creekes namely Iucatan done by Fernandes of Corduba his companions Cozumella the Ilands of Sacrifice the Ilandes of women the prouince Coluacan
not openly publyshyng any memorie thereof neyther of the place or what it was called or in what yeere it was founde Albeit the fault was not theyrs but rather the malyce of other or the enuie of that which we call fortune I do not therfore marueyle that the auncient histories affyrme that great thynges proceede and increase of small and obscure begynnynges syth we haue seene the same veryfied in this fynding of the Indies being so notable and newe a thyng We neede not be curious to seeke the name of the Pilot syth death made a shorte ende of his doynges Some wyl that he came from Andaluzia and traded to the Ilandes of Canaria and the Iland of Madera when this large and mortal nauigation chaunced vnto hym Other say that he was a Byscanne and traded into Englande and Fraunce Gther also that he was a Portugale that either he went or came from Mina or India which agreeth well with the name of these newe landes as I haue sayd before Agayne some there be that say that he brought the Carauel to Portugale or to the Iland of Madera or to some other of the Ilandes called De los Azores Yet do none of them affyrme any thyng although they al affirme that the Pilot dyed in the house of Christopher Colon with whom remayned all suche writynges and annotations as he had made of his voyage in the sad Carauell aswell of such thynges as he obserued both by land and sea as also of the eleuation of the pole in those landes whiche he had discouered VVhat maner of man Christopher Colon otherwyse called Columbus was and how he came fyrst to the knowledge of the Indies CHristopher Colon was borne in Cugureo or as some say in Nerui a vyllage in the territorie of Genua in Italie He descended as some thynke of the house of the Pelestreles of Placentia in Lumbardie He beganne of a chylde to be a maryner of whose arte they haue great exercise on the ryuer of Genua He traded many yeeres into Suria and other partes of the East After this he became a maister in makyng cardes for the sea whereby he had great vantage He came to Portugale to know the reason description of the south coastes of Affrica and the nauigations of the Portugales thereby to make his cardes more perfecte to be solde He maryed in Portugale as some say or as many say in the Ilande of Madera where he dwelt at suche tyme as the sayd Carauell arryued there whose Pilot soiorned in his house and dyed also there bequeathyng to Colon his carde of the description of suche newe landes as he had found whereby Colon had the fyrst knowledge of the Indies Some haue thought y t Colon was wel learned in y e Latine tongue and the science of Cosmographie and that he was thereby fyrst moued to seeke the lands of Antipodes and the rych Ilande of Cipango wherof Marchus Paulus wryteth Also that he had redde what Plato in his dialoges of Timeus and Cricias writeth of the great Ilande of Atlantide and of a great land in the west Ocean vndiscouered beyng bygger then Asia and Affrica Furthermore that he had knowledge what Aristotell and Theophrastus saye in theyr bookes of maruayles where they wryte that certayne merchauntes of Carthage saylyng from the streyghtes of Gibraltar towarde the West and South founde after many dayes a great Ilande not inhabited yet replenyshed with al thynges requisite and hauing many nauigable ryuers In deede Colan was not greatly learned yet of good vnderstanding And when he had knowledge of the sayde newe landes by the information of the dead Pilot made relation thereof to certeyne learned men with whom he conferred as touching y e like thinges mentioned of olde autours He communicated this secrete and conferred chiefely with a fryer named Iohn Perez of Marchena that dwelt in the monastery of Rabida So that I veryly beleeue that in maner all that he declared and many thynges more that he leaft vnspoken were written by the sayde Spanyshe Pilot that dyed in his house For I am persuaded that if Colon by science atteined to the knowledg of the Indies he would long before haue communicat this secreate to his owne countrey men the Genueses that trauayle all the worlde for gaynes and not haue come into Spayne for this purpose But doubtelesse he neuer thought of any such thyng before he chaunced to be acquainted with the sayde Pilot who founde those landes by fortune accordyng to the saying of Plinie Quod ars docere non potuit casus inuenit That is That arte coulde not teache chaunce founde Albeit the more Christian opinion is to thynke that God of his singuler prouidence and infinite goodnesse at the length with eyes of compassion as it were lookyng downe from heauen vppon the sonnes of Adam so long kept vnder Sathans captiuitie intended euen then for causes to hym onely knowen to rayse those wyndes of mercy whereby that Carauell herein most lyke vnto the shyppe of Noe whereby the remnante of the whole world was saued as by this Carauel this newe worlde receyued the fyrst hope of theyr saluation was dryuen to these landes But we wyll now declare what great thynges folowed of this small begynnyng and howe Colon folowed this matter reuealed vnto hym not without Gods prouidence VVhat labour and trauayle Colon tooke in attemptyng his fyrst voyage to the Indies AFter the death of the Pilot maryners of the Spanyshe Carauell that discouered y e Indies Christopher Colon purposed to seeke the same But in howe muche more he desyred this the lesse was his power to accomplyshe his desyre For besyde that of hym selfe he was not able to furnyshe one shyppe he lacked also the fauoure of a kyng vnder whose protection he myght so enioye the ryches he hoped to fynde that none other myght take the same from hym or defeate him therof And seyng the kyng of Portugale occupied in the conquest of Africa and the Nauigations of the East whiche were then fyrst attempted the kyng of Castyle lykewyse no lesse busyed in the warres of Granada he sent to his brother Bartholomewe Colon who was also priuie to this secrete to practise with the kyng of England Henry the seuenth beyng very ryche and without warres promysyng to bryng hym great ryches in short tyme if he woulde shewe hym fauour and furnyshe hym with shyps to discouer the newe Indies whereof he had certayne knowledge But neyther here beyng able to bryng his sute to passe he caused the matter to be moued to the kyng of Portugale Don Alonso the fyfth of that name at whose handes he founde neither fauour nor mony forasmuch as the Licenciat Calzadilla the bishop of Viseo and one maister Rodrigo men of credite in the science of Cosmographie withstoode hym and contended that there neither was nor coulde any golde or other ryches be founde in the west as Colon affirmed By reason whereof he was very sad and pensiue but
yet was not discouraged or despaired of the hope of his good aduenture which he afterwarde founde This doone he tooke shyppyng at Lisburne and came to Palos of Moguer where he communed with Martin Alonso Pinzon an expert Pilot who offered hym selfe vnto hym After this disclosyng the whole secretes of his mynd to Iohn Perez of Marchena a fryer of thorder of saint Frances in Rabida well learned in Cosmographie and declaryng vnto hym howe by folowyng the course of the Sunne by a temperate voyage rych and great landes myght be founde the fryer greatly commended his interpryse and gaue him counsayle to breake the matter to the Duke of Medina Sidonia Don Enrique of Guzman a great lorde and very rych and also to Don Luis of Cerda the Duke of Medina Celi who at that time had great prouision of shyps wel furnyshed in his hauen of Santa Maria. But whereas both these Dukes tooke the matter for a dreame and as a thyng deuised of an Italian deceyuer who as they thought had before with lyke pretence deluded the kynges of Englande and Portugale the fryer gaue hym courage to go to the courte of the Catholyke princes Don Ferdinando and lady Isabell princes of Castyle affyrmyng that they woulde be ioyful of suche newes And for his better furtherance herein wrote â—etters by hym to fryer Ferdinando of Talauera the queenes confessor Christopher Colon therefore repayred to the courte of the Catholyke princes in the yeere .1486 and delyuered vnto theyr handes the petition of his request as concernyng the discoueryng of the new Indies But they beyng more careful and applying al theyr mynde howe they myght dryue the Moores out of the kyngdome of Granada whiche greate enterprise they had alredy taken in hande dyd lyttle or nothyng esteeme the matter But Colon not thus discouraged founde the meanes to declare his sute to suche as had sometymes priuate communication with the kyng Yet because he was a straunger and went but in simple apparell nor otherwyse credited then by the letter of a gray frier they beleeued hym not neyther gaue eare to his woordes whereby he was greatly tormented in his imagination Onely Alonso of Quintanilia the kynges chiefe auditour gaue hym meate and drynke at his owne charges and hearde gladly such thynges as he declared of the landes not then founde desyryng hym in the meane tyme to be content with that poore enterteynment and not to despayre of his enterpryse puttyng hym also in good conforte that he should at one tyme or other come to the speache of the Catholyke princes And thus shortly after by the meanes of Alonso of Quintanilia Colon was brought to the presence and audience of the Cardinall Don Pero Gonzales of Mendoza archbishop of Toledo a man of great reuenues and authoritie with the kyng and queene who brought hym before them after that he well perceiued and examined his intent And by this meanes was his sute hearde of the Catholyke princes who also redde the booke of his memorials whiche he presented vnto them And although at the fyrst they tooke it for vayne and false that he promysed neuerthelesse they put hym in good hope that he shoulde be well dispatched when they had fynyshed the warres of Granada whiche they had nowe in hande With which answere Colon began to reuyue his spirites with hope to be better esteemed and more fauorably to be hearde among the gentelmen noble men of the courte who before tooke hym onely for a craftie felowe and deceyuer and was nothyng dismayde or discouraged when soeuer he debated the matter with them although many iudged hym phantasticall as is the maner of ignorant men to cal all suche as attempt any thyng beyonde theyr reache and the compasse of theyr knowledge thynkyng the worlde to be no bygger then the cagies wherein they are brought vp and lyue But to returne to Colon. So hotte and vrgente was the siege of Granada that they presentely graunted hym his demaunde to seeke the newe landes and to bryng from thence golde syluer pearles precious stones spices and suche other ryche thynges They gaue hym also the tenth part of all the reuenues and customes due vnto the kyng of all such landes as he shoulde discouer not doyng preiudice in any thyng to the kyng of Portugale The particulars of this agreement were made in the towne called Sancta Fe and the priuiledge of the rewarde in Granada the .xxx. daye of Apryll the same yeere that the citie was woonne And whereas the sayde Catholyke princes had not mony presently to dispatch Colon Luis of S. Angel the kynges secretary of accomtes lent them syxe Quentes of Maraz whiche in a grosse summe make .xvi. thousande ducades In the scutcheon of armes geuen to Columbus by Don Ferdinando and queene Isabella these verses were written Por Castella y por Leon. Nueuo mondo hallo Colon. For Castile and for Leon. A newe worlde founde was by Colon. VVhy they were called Indies SOme thynke that the people of the newe world were called Indians bycause they are of the colour of the east Indians And although as it semmeth to me they dyffer much in colour and fashions yet is it true that of India they were called Indians India is properly called that great prouince of Asia in the whiche great Alexander kepte his warres and was so named of the ryuer Indus and is diuided into many kyngdomes confinyng with the same From this great India called the East India came great companyes of men as wrytteth Herodotus and inhabited that part of Ethiopia that lyeth betweene the sea Bermeia otherwyse called the red sea or y e gulfe of Arabia and the ryuer of Nilus all whiche regions that great Christian prince Prester Iohn doth nowe possesse The said Indians preuayled so muche that they vtterly chaunged the customes and name of that lande and called it India by reason whereof Ethiopia also hath of long tyme ben called India And hereupon came it that Aristotle Seneca and certayne other olde authours sayd that India was not farre from Spayne After this also of later dayes our west India was so called of the sayde India of Prester Iohn where the Portugales had theyr trade For the Pilot of the Carauell that was fyrst dryuen by forcible wynde to an vnknowen lande in the west Ocean called the same India because the Portugales so called such landes as they had lately discouered eastward Christophor Colon also after the sayd Pilot called the west landes by the same name Albeit some that take Colonus for an expert Cosmographer thynke that he so named them of the East India as to be the furthest and vnknowen ende thereof reachyng into the West vnder the other hemispherie or halfe globe of the earth beneath vs affirming that when he fyrste attempted to discouer the Indies he went chiefly to seeke the ryche Ilande of Cipango whiche falleth on the part of great China or Cathay as wryteth Marcus Paulus Venetus and other And that he shoulde
sooner come thyther by folowyng the course of the Sunne Westward then agaynst the same Of the colour of the Indians ONe of the marueylous thynges y t God vseth in the composition of man is coloure whiche doubtlesse can not be consydered without great admiration in holdyng one to be whyte and an other blacke beyng colours vtterly contrary some lykewyse to be yealowe whiche is betweene blacke and white and other of other colours as it were of diuers liueries And as these colours are to be marueyled at euen so is it to be considered howe they dyffer one from an other as it were by degrees forasmuch as some men are whyte after dyuers sorts of whitnes yelowe after diuers maners of yelowe blacke after dyuers sorts of blackenes how from white they go to yelow by discolouring to browne red and to blacke by ashe colour murry somwhat lighter then blacke tawny like vnto the west Indians which are altogether in general either purple or tawny lyke vnto sodde Quinses or of the colour of Chestnuttes or Olyues which colour is to them naturall and not by theyr goyng naked as many haue thought albeit theyr nakednesse haue somewhat helped therevnto Therefore in lyke maner and with suche diuersitie as men are commonly whyte in Europe and blacke in Affrike euen with lyke varietie are they tawney in these Indies with diuers degrees diuersly inclinyng more or lesse to blacke or whyte No lesse marueyle is it to consider that men are white in Siuile and blacke at the cape of Buena Speranza and of Chestnut colour at the ryuer of Plata being all in equall degrees from the Equinoctiall lyne Lykewyse that the men of Affrike and Asia that lyue vnder the burnt line called Zona Torrida are blacke and not they that lyue beneath or on this syde the same lyne as in Mexico Iucatan Quauhtema Lian Nicaragua Panama Santo Domingo Paria Cape Sainct Augustine Lima Quito and other landes of Peru which touche in the same Equinoctiall For in all the tracte of these coastes certayne blacke men were founde only in Quarequa when Vaschus Nunnez of Balboa discouered the sea of Sur. By reason whereof it may seeme that such varietie of colours proceedeth of man and not of the earth which may wel be although we be al borne of Adam Eue know not the cause why God hath so ordeyned it otherwise then to consider that his diuine maiestie hath done this as infinite other to declare his omnipotencie and wisedome in such diuersities of colours as appeare not only in the nature of man but the like also in beasts byrdes and floures where diuers and contrary colours are seene in one litle feather or the leaues growyng out of one litle stalke An other thing is also greatly to be noted as touching these Indians and this is that their heare is not curld as is the Moores and Ethiopians that inhabite the same clime neyther are they balde excepte very â—ildome and that but litle All whiche thynges may gyue further occasions to Philosophers to searche the secretes of nature and complexions of men with the nouelties of the newe worlde ⧠A most auncient testimonie of the VVest Indies by the writing of the diuine Philosopher Plato PLato in his famous and diuine Dialogue named Timeus where he entreateth of the vniuersall nature and frame of the whole worlde taketh for his principle the moste auncient hystorie of an Ilande in tyme of great antiquitie named Athlantides makyng also mention of the kyng people and inhabitantes of the same and that they kept warre agaynst the Atheniens and were ouercome of them Plato also there inducing the sayde hystorie to be rehearsed by one named Critia who affirmed that he had often hearde it of his Uncle who was in the tyme of Solon one of the seuen sages of the Grekes This Critia declared that when Solon went into Egypt to a certayne citie named Sâ—im situate vpon the riuer of Nilus where the diuision and recurryng of the riuer maketh the Ilande Delta he there spake with certayne learned priestes very skylful in knowledge of antiquities of many worldes past Insomuch that they made mention of manye thinges that were before the flood of Noe or Deucalion and also before the vniuersal conflagration or burning of the worlde in the tyme of Phaeton forasmuche as the warres betweene the people of the sayde Ilande of Athlantides and the Atheniens was long before the general flood and the conflagration aforesayde Plato induceth the priest speaking to Solon in maner as foloweth Thinges most marueylous and true O Solon remayne in auncient writynges and memorie of our predecessours and olde ages long before our tymes But aboue all thynges one exceedeth al admiration for the greatnesse and singularitie thereof whiche is this It is in our recordes of moste antiquities that in times past your citie of Athens hath oftentymes kepte warres agaynst an innumerable multitude of nations whiche came from the sea Athlantike in maner into al Europe and Asia whereas nowe appeareth no suche nation forasmuche as the sayde sea is nowe al ouer nauigable And yet at that tyme had in the mouth and as it were in the entrie where you place the Columnes of Hercules an Ilande whiche was sayd to be much greater then al Africa and Asia and that from thence was passage to many other Ilandes neare thereabout and from the sayde Ilandes to the continent or fyrme lande whiche was right ouer agaynst it neare vnto the sea Yet that within the mouth there was a litle gulfe with a porte the deepe sea without was the true sea and the lande without was the true continent This Ilande was named Athlantides and in it was a kyng of marueylous great power and myght who had the dominion of the sayde Ilande and many other and also a great part of the continent lande whereof we haue spoken and muche more towarde our partes also forasmuche as they were dominatours of the thyrde part of the worlde conteynyng Africa Egypt and Europe euen vnto the sea Tirrhenum The power therefore of them beyng then so great they came to inuade both your countrey and ours and all other that are within the Columnes of Hercules Then O Solon the vertue of your citie shewed it selfe famous in magnanimitie and feates of armes with the assemblance of the other Grecians in resystyng theyr great power vntyl you had driuen them out of our lands and restored vs to our libertie But shortly after that this enterprise was atchiued befel a marueylous great earthquake and exundation or ouerflowing of the sea which continued for the space of one day and nyght In the whiche the earth opened it selfe and inglutted all those valiant and warlike men and the sayde Ilande Athlantides sunke into the bottome of the sea whiche was the occasion that neuer from that tyme forwarde any shyp coulde sayle that way by reason of the great mudde and slyme whiche remayned of the drowned
consyder what newe landes and countreys what newe seas what sundry nations and tounges what golde mynes what treasuries of perles they haue lefte vnto your hyghnesse besyde other reuenues The whiche what they are and howe greate these three Decades shall declare Come therfore most noble Prince elected of God and enioye that hyghe estate of thinges not yet vnderstode to men We offer vnto you the Equinoctiall lyne hytherto vnknowen and burnte by the furious heate of the sonne and vnhabitable after the opinion of the olde wryters a fewe excepted but nowe founde to be most replenished with people faire fruiteful and most fortunate with a thousande Ilandes crowned with golde and bewtifull pearles besydes that greate portion of earth supposed to be parte of the firme lande excedyng in quantitie three Europes Come therfore and embrase this newe world and suffer vs no longer to consume in desyre of your presence From hence from hence I say most noble young Prince shal instrumentes be prepared for you wherby al the worlde shal be vnder your obeysance And thus I byd your maiestie farewell to whose taste if I shal perceaue the fruites of this my tyllage to be delectable I wyll heareafter do my endeuoure that you may receaue the same more abundauntly From Madrid the day before the Calendes of October In the yere of Christ M.D.XUI The fyrst Booke of the Decades of the Ocean written by Peter Martyr of Angleria Milenoes counsaylour to the king of Spayne and Protonotarie Apostolicall to Ascanius Sphorcia Vicount Cardinal c. THe reuerende and thankful antiquitie was accustomed to esteeme those men as gods by whose industrie and magnanimitie such landes and regions were discouered as were vnknowen to theyr predecessours But vnto vs hauyng only one God whom we honour in triplicitie of person this resteth that albeit we do not worship that kinde of men with diuine honour yet do we reuerence them and woorthyly marueyle at theyr noble actes and enterpryses Unto kynges and princes we geue due obeysaunce by whose gouernance and furtherance they haue ben aided to perfourme their attempts we commend both and for theyr iust desartes woorthyly extol them Wherefore as concerning the Ilandes of the west Ocean lately discouered and of the auctours of the same whiche thyng you desyre by your letters to knowe I wyl begyn at the fyrst aucthour thereof lest I be iniurious to any man Take it therefore as foloweth Christophorus Colonus otherwyse called Columbus a gentleman of Italie borne in the citie of Genua perswaded Fernando and Elizabeth catholike prynces that he doubted not to fynde certayne Ilandes of India nere vnto our Ocean sea if they woulde furnyshe hym with shyppes and other thynges apparteynyng affyrmyng that therby not onely the Christian religion myght be enlarged but Spayne also enryched by the great plentie of golde pearles precious stones and spices whiche myght be founde there At the length three shyppes were appoynted hym at the kinges charges of the whiche one was a great caracâ—e with deckes and the other two were light marchaunte shyppes without deckes whiche the Spaniardes call Carauelas Thus he departed from the costes of Spaine about the calendes of September in the yeere of Christe .1492 and set forwarde on his viage being accompanied with CC.xx. Spanyardes The fortunate Ilandes as manye thynke them to be whiche the Spaniardes call Canariae found but of late dayes are distaunte from the Ilandes of Gades a thousande and two hundreth myles accordyng to theyr accomptes for they say they are distant three hundred leagues whereas suche as are expert sea men affirme that euery league conteineth foure miles after theyr supputations These Ilandes were called fortunate for the temperate ayre whiche is in them For neyther the coldnesse of wynter is sharpe vnto them nor the heate of sommer intollerable Yet some men are of opinion that those were in olde tyme called the fortunate Ilandes whiche the Portugales call Capo Verde Colonus therfore sayled fyrst to the Ilandes of Canariae to the intente there to refreshe his shyppes with freshe water and fuell before he committed hym selfe to this so laborous a viage And because I haue heare made mention of the Ilandes of Canariae it shal not be muche from my purpose to declare howe of vnknowen they became knowen and of sauage and wilde better manured For by the long course of many yeeres they were forgotten and remayned as vnknowen These seuen Ilandes therefore called the Canaries were founde by chaunce by a frenche man called Betanchor by the permission of queene Katharine protectrixe of king Iohn her sonne while he was yet in his nonage about the yeere of Christe M. CCCC.U This Betanchor inuaded two of these Ilandes called Lancelotus and Fortisuentura which he inhabited brought to better culture He being dead his sonne and heire solde bothe the sayde Ilandes to certayne Spaniardes After this Farnandus Peraria and his wyfe inuaded Ferrea and Gomera The other three were subdued in our time Grancanaria by Petrus de Vera citizen of the noble citie of Xericium and Michael of Moxica Palma and Tenerifen by Alphonsus Lugo at the kings charges Gomera and Ferrea were easily subdued But the matter went harde with Alphonsus Lugo For that naked and wylde nation fyghtyng only with stones and clubbes droue his armie to flight at the first assaulte and slue about foure hundred of his men But at the length he ouercame them And thus all the Ilandes of Canariae were added to the dominion of Spayne From these Ilandes Colonus directyng his voyage towarde the west folowyng the falling of the sunne but declining somewhat towarde the left hande sayled on forwarde .xxxiii. dayes continually hauyng only the fruition of the heauen and the water Then the Spanyardes whiche were accompanyed with hym began fyrst to murmure secretely among them selues and shortly after with wordes of reproche spake euil of Colonus theyr gouernour and consulted with them selues eyther to rydde hym out of the way or els to cast hym into the sea ragyng that they were deceyued of a stranger an outlandyshe man a Ligurian a Genues and brought into suche daungerous places that they might neuer returne agayne And after .xxxiii. dayes were past they furiously cryed out against him and threatned him that he shoulde passe no further But he euer with gentle wordes and large promises appeased their furie and prolonged day after day some tyme desyryng them to beare with hym yet a whyle and some time putting them in remembrance that yf they shoulde attempt any thing against him or otherwyse disobey hym it would be reputed for treason Thus after a fewe dayes with cheareful harts they espied the lande long looked for In this fyrst nauigation he discouered .vi. ilandes wherof two were exceedyng great Of whiche the one he called Hispaniola and the other Iohanna But at that tyme he knewe not perfectly that Iohanna
otherwyse called Cuba was an ilande As they coasted along by the shore of certayne of these ilandes they hearde Nyghtyngales syng in the thycke wooddes in the moneth of Nouember They founde also great ryuers of freshe water and naturall hauens of capacitie to harbour great nauies of shippes Sayling by the coastes of Iohanna from the north poynt to the west he rode litle lesse then eight hundred miles for they cal it a hundred and fourescore leagues supposing that it had ben the continent or fyrme lande because he coulde neither fynde the landes ende nor any token of the ende as farre as he could iudge with his eye wherfore he determined to turne backe agayne beyng partly thereto enforced by the roughnesse of the sea for the sea bankes of the ilande of Iohanna by sundrye wyndynges and turnynges bende them selues so muche towarde the north that the northnortheast winde roughly tossed the shyps by reason of the winter Turning therfore the stemmes of his shyppes towarde the East he affyrmed that he had found the ilande of Ophir whither Solomons shippes sayled for golde But the discription of the Cosmographers well considered it seemeth that both these and the other ilandes adioynyng are the ilands of Antilia This ilande he called Hispaniola on whose north syde as he approched neare to the lande the keele or bottome of the biggest vessell ranne vpon a blynde rocke couered with water and cloue in sunder but the playnenesse of the rocke was a helpe to them that they were not drowned Makyng haste therfore with the other two shyps to helpe them they brought awaye al the men without hurte Here comming fyrst a land they sawe certayne men of the Ilande who perceiuyng an vnknowen nation comming toward them flocked togeather and ranne al into the thycke woods as it had ben hares coursed with grehoundes Our men pursuing them tooke onely one woman whom they brought to the ships where fylling her with meate and wyne and appareling her they let her depart to her companye Shortly after a greate multitude of them came runnyng to the shore to behold this newe nation whom they thought to haue discended from heauen They cast them selues by heapes into the sea came swimming to the shyppes brynging gold with them whiche they chaunged with our men for earthen pottes drinking glasses poyntes pinnes hawkes bels looking glasses such other trifles Thus growing to further familiaritie our men were honorably entertained of the king of that part of the iland whose name was Guaccâ—narillus for it hath many kyngs as when Eneas arriued in Italy he found Latium diuided into many kingdoms and prouinces as Latium Mezeutium Turnum and Tarchontem which were separated with narowe boundes as shal more largly appeare hereafter At the euen tide about the falling of the sonne when our men went to prayer and kneeled on their knees after the maner of y e Christians they dyd the lyke also And after what maner so euer they sawe them pray to the crosse they folowed them in al poyntes as wel as they coulde They shewed much humanitie towards our men and helped them with theyr lyghters or smal boates which they cal Canoas to vnlade their broken shyppe and that with suche celeritie and cherefulnesse that no frende for frende or kynseman for kynseman in such case moued with pitie coulde do more Theyr boates are made only of one tree made holowe with a certaine sharpe stone for they haue no yron and are very long and narowe Many affirme that they haue seene some of them with fortie ores The wilde and myscheuous people called Canibales or Caribes whiche were accustomed to eate mans fleshe called of the olde writers Anthropophagi molest them exceedyngly inuading their countrey takyng them captiue kyllyng eatyng them As our men sayled to the ilandes of these meke and humane people they left the ilands of the Canibales in maner in the middest of theyr viage toward the south They complayned that theyr ilands were no lesse vexed with the incursions of these manhuntyng Canibales when they goe forth a rouyng to seeke theyr pray then are other tame beastes of Lions and Tigers Such chyldren as they take they geld to make them fat as we do cocke chickens and young hogges and eate them when they are wel fedde of suche as they eate they fyrst eate the intralles and extreme partes as handes feete armes necke and head The other most fleshye partes they pouder for store as we do pestels of porke and gammondes of bakon yet do they absteyne from eatyng of women and counte it vyle Therfore suche young women as they take they kepe for increase as we do hennes to leye egges the olde women they make theyr drudges They of the ilandes which we may nowe cal ours bothe the men and y e women when they perceiue the Canibales commyng haue none other shyft but onely to flee for although they vse very sharpe arrowes made of reedes yet are they of small force to represse y e furie of the Canibales for euen they them selues confesse that ten of the Canibales are able to ouercome a hundred of them if they encountre with them Theyr meate is a certayne roote which they cal Ages muche lyke a nauewe roote in fourme and greatnesse but of sweete tast much lyke a greene chestnutte They haue also an other kynde of rootes which they call Iucca whereof they make bread in kyke maner They vse Ages more often rosted or sodden then to make bread thereof But they neuer eate Iucca except it be first sliced and pressed for it is full of lycoure and then baked or sodden But this is to be marueyled at that the iuice of this roote is a poyson as strong as Aconitum so that if it be drunke it causeth present death and yet the bread made of the masse thereof is of good taste and holsome as they all haue prooued They make also another kynde of bread of a certayne pulse called Panicum muche like vnto wheate whereof is great plentie in the Dukedome of Millane Spayne and Cranatum But that of this Countrey is longer by a spanne somewhat sharpe towarde the ende and as bygge as a mans arme in y e brawne the graynes wherof are set in a marueylous order are in fourme somewhat lyke a Pease Whyle they be soure and vnripe they are whyte but when they are ripe they be very blacke when they are broken they be whiter then snowe this kynde of grayne they call Maizium Golde is of some estimation among them for some of them hang certayne small peeces thereof at theyr eares and nosethrylles A litle beyonde this place our men went a lande for freshe water where they chaunced vpon a riuer whose sande was myxed with muche golde They founde there no kindes of foure footed beastes except three kindes of litle conies These ilandes also nouryshe
serpentes but suche as are without hurt Likewise wilde geese turtle doues and duckes muche greater then ours and as white as swannes with heades of purple colour Also Popiniayes of the whiche some are greene some yelowe some lyke them of India with yelowe rynges about theyr neckes as Plinie describeth them Of these they brought fourtie with them of moste lyuely and dilectable colours hauyng theyr feathers entermingled with greene yelowe and purple whiche varietie delyghteth the sense not a litle Thus muche thought I good to speake of Popyniayes ryght noble prince specially to this intent that albeit the opinion of Christophorus Colonus who affyrmeth these ilandes to be part of India doth not in all poyntes agree with the iudgement of auncient wryters as touchyng the bygnesse of the Sphere and compasse of the Globe as concernyng the nauigable portion of the same being vnder vs yet the Popiniayes and many other thynges brought from thence doo declare that these Ilandes sauour somewhat of India eyther beyng neare vnto it or els of the same nature forasmuche as Aristole also about the ende of his booke de Caelo Mundo and likewyse Seneca â–ª with diuers other aucthours not ignoraunt in Cosmographie do taffirme that India is no long tracte by sea distant from Spaine by the west Ocean for the soyle of these ilandes bryngeth foorth Mastyx Aloes and sundry other sweete gummes and spyces as doth India Cotton also of the Gossampine tree as in India in the countrey of the people called Seres The languages of all the nations of these ilandes may well be wrytten with our Latine letters For they cal heauen Turei A house Boa Golde Cauni A good man Taino Nothing Mayani Al other words of theyr language they pronounce as plainly as we do the Latine tongue In these ilandes they founde no trees knowen vnto them but Pine apple trees and Date trees and those of marueylous heyght and exceedyng harde by reason of the great moystnesse and fatnesse of the grounde with continual and temperate heate of the sunne whiche endureth so al the whole yere They playnely affirme the ilande of Hispaniola to be the moste fruitefull lande that the heauen compasseth about as shall more largely appeare hereafter in the particuler description of the same which we entende to set foorth when we shal be better instructed Thus makyng a league of frendshyp with the king and leauing with hym .xxxviii. men to searche the ilande he deparâ—ed to Spayne takyng with hym tenne of the inhabitauntes to learne the Spanishe tongue to the intent to vse them afterward for interpretours Colonus therfore at his returne was honourably receiued of the kyng and queene who caused hym to syt in theyr presence whiche is a token of great loue and honour among the Spanyardes He was also made Admiral of the Ocean and his brother gouernour of the ilande Toward the second voyage he was furnished with .xvii. ships wherof three were great caractes of a thousande tunne .xii. were of that sort which the Spaniards cal Carauelas without deckes and two other of the same sorte somewhat bygger and more apt to beare deckes by reason of the greatnesse of theyr mastes He had also a thousande and two hundred armed footemen well appoynted among which were many artificers as smythes Carpenters myners and suche other certayne horsmen also well armed Lykewyse mares sheepe heyghfers and suche other of both kindes for encrease Lykewise al kinde of pulse or grayne and corne as wheate barley rye beanes and pease and suche other aswel for foode as to sowe besyde vines plantes and seedes of suche trees fruites and hearbes as those countreyes lacke and not to be forgotten sundry kyndes of artyllerie and iron tooles as bowes arrowes crosbowes bylles hargabusses brode swoordes large targettes pykes mattockes shouelles hammers nayles sawes axes and suche other Thus beyng furnished accordyngly they set forward from the Ilandes of Gades nowe called Cales the seuenth day before the Calendes of October in the yeere of Christ .1493 and ariued at the ilandes of Canarie at the Calendes of October Of these ilandes the last is called Ferrea in whiche there is no other water that may be drunke but only that is geathered of the deawe which continually distylleth from one only tree growyng on the hyghest bancke of the ilande and falleth into a rounde trenche made with mans hande we were enfourmed of these thynges within fewe dayes after his departure What shall succeede we wyl certifie you hereafter Thus fare ye well from the courte at the Ides of Nouember .1493 The seconde booke of the first Decade to Ascanius Sphorcia Vicount Cardinal c. YOu repeate ryght honourable prince that you are desyrous to knowe what newes we haue in Spayne from the newe worlde and that those things haue greatly delyted you whiche I wrote vnto your hyghnesse of the fyrst Nauigation You shal nowe therefore receiue what hath succeeded Methymna Campi is a famous towne in high Spayne in respect from you and is in that parte of Spayne whiche is called Castella Vetus beyng distant from Gades about .xl. myles Here the courte remayned when about the .ix. of the Calendes of Apryll in this yeere of ninetie and foure there were postes sent to the king and queene certifiyng them that there were twelue shyppes come from the newe ilandes and ariued at Gades but the gouernour of the shyppes sent woorde to the kyng and queene that he had none other matter to certifie them of by the postes but only that the Admiral with fiue shyppes and fourescore and ten men remayned styll in Hispaniola to searche the secretes of the ilande and that as touchyng other matters he hym selfe would shortly make relation in theyr presence by woorde of mouth therefore the day before the Nones of Apryl he came to the Courte hym selfe What I learned of hym and other faythfull and credible men whiche came with hym from the Admirall I wil rehearse vnto you in suche order as they declared the same to me when I demaunded them take it therefore as foloweth The third day of the Ides of October departyng from Ferrea the laste of the ilandes of Canariae and from the coastes of Spayne with a Nauie of seuenteene shippes they sayled .xxi. dayes before they came to any ilande inclining of purpose more towarde the left hand then at the fyrst voyage folowing the north northeast winde and arriued fyrst at the ilandes of the Canibales or Caribes of whiche only the fame was knowen to our men Among these they chaunced fyrst vpon one so beset with trees that they coulde not see so muche as an elle space of bare earth or stonie grounde this they called Dominica because they found it on the Sunday They taried here no time because they saw it to be desart In the space of these .xxi. dayes they thynke that they sayled eyght
hundred xx leagues the north northeast wynde was so ful with them and so freshly folowed the sterne of theyr shyppes After they had sayled a lytle further they espied diuers ilandes replenyshed with sundry kindes of trees from the whiche came fragrant sauours of spyces and sweete Gummes here they sawe neyther man nor beast except certayne Lysartes of huge bygnesse as they reported which went aland to viewe the countrey This iland they called Galana or Galanta from the cape or poynt of this ilande espying a mountayne a farre of they sayled thyther About .xxx. myles from this mountayne they sawe a ryuer dessendyng which seemed to be a token of some great and large flood This is the fyrst lande whiche they founde inhabited from the ilandes of Canariae and is an ilande of the Canibales as they learned by the interpretours whiche they tooke with them from Hispaniola into Spayne at theyr fyrst voyage Searching the ilande they found innumerable villages of .xx. houses or .xxx. at the most set rounde about in order makyng the streete in compasse lyke a market place And forasmuche as I haue made mention of theyr houses it shall not be greatly from my purpose to describe in what manner they are buylded They are made rounde lyke belles or rounde pauilions Theyr frame is raysed of exceedyng high trees set close togeather and fast rampaired in the ground so standing aslope and bending inwarde that the toppes of the trees ioyne togeather and beare one agaynst another hauyng also within the house certaine strong and short proppes or postes whiche susteyne the trees from fallyng They couer them with the leaues of date trees and other trees stronglye compact and hardened wherwith they make them close from winde and weather At the shorte postes or proppes within the house they tye ropes of the cotton of gossampine trees or other ropes made of certayne long rough rootes much lyke vnto the shrubbe called Spartum wherof in old tyme they vsed to make bandes for vines and gables and ropes for shyppes These they tye ouerthwarte the house from poste to poste on these they lay as it were certaine matresses made of the cotton of gossampine trees whiche growe plentifully in these ilandes This cotton the Spanyards cal Algodon and the Italians Bombasine and thus they sleepe in hangyng beddes At the entrance of one of theyr houses they sawe two images of wood lyke vnto serpentes whiche they thought had been suche idols as they honour but they learned afterwarde that they were set there onlye for comelynesse for they knowe none other god then the sunne and moone although they make certaine images of gossampine cotton to y e similitude of suche phantasies as they say appeare to them in the nyght Our men found in theyr houses al kindes of earthen vessels not muche vnlyke vnto ours They founde also in theyr kytchens mans fleshe duckes fleshe goose fleshe al in one pot and other on the spyts redy to be layde to the fyre Entring into their inner lodgynges they founde faggottes of the bones of mens armes and legges whiche they reserue to make heades for theyr arrowes because they lacke iron the other bones they cast away when they haue eaten the fleshe They founde lykewyse the head of a young man fastened to a poste and yet bleedyng They haue in some vyllages one great hall or pallace about the whiche theyr common houses are placed to this they resort as often as they come togeather to playe When they perceiued the commyng of our men they fledde In theyr houses they founde also aboue thirtie children captiues whiche were reserued to be eaten but our men tooke them away to vse them for interpreters Searching more diligently the inner parts of the iland they founde seuen other ryuers bygger then this whiche we spake of before runnyng through the ilande with fruitefull and pleasaunt bankes delectable to beholde This ilande they called Guadalupea for the similitude that it hath to the mount Guadalupus in Spayne where the image of the virgin Marie is religiously honoured but the inhabitauntes call it Carucueria or Queraquiera It is the cheefe habitation of the Canibales They brought from this iland .vii. Popiniayes bigger then Phesants muche dyfferyng from other in colour hauyng theyr backes brestes and bellies of purple colour and theyr wynges of other variable colours in al these ilands is no lesse plentie of Popyniayes then with vs of sparrowes or starelynges As we bring vp capons and hennes to franke and make them fat so doo they these bigger kindes of Popyniayes for the same purpose After that they had thus searched the ilande and driuen these Canibales to flight whiche ran away at theyr fyrst approche as soone as they had espied them they called their company togeather and as soone as they had broken y e Canibales boates or lighters whiche they cal Canoas they loosed theyr ankers the day before the Ides of Nouember and departed from Guadalupea Colonus the Admiral for the desyre he had to see his companions whiche at his fyrst voyage he left the yeere before in Hispaniola to search the countrey let passe many ilandes both on his ryght hande left hande and sayled directly thyther By the way there appeared from the north a great iland which the captiues that were taken in Hispaniola called Madanino or Matinino affirming it to be inhabited only with women to whoÌ„ the Canibales haue accesse at certayne tymes of the yeere as in olde tyme the Thracians had to the Amazones in the ilande of Lesbos the men chyldren they sende to theyr fathers but the women they keepe with them selues They haue great and strong caues or dennes in the grounde to the whiche they flee for safgarde if any men resorte vnto them at any other tyme then is appoynted and there defende them selues with bowes and arrowes agaynst the violence of suche as attempte to inuade them They coulde not at this tyme approche to this ilande by reason of the North northeast wynde which blewe so vehemently from the same wheras they nowe folowed the East southeaste After they departed from Madanino and sayled by the space of .xl. myles they passed not farre from an other ilande which the captyues sayde to be verye populus and replenyshed with al thynges necessarie for the life of man This they called Mons Serratus because it was full of mountaynes The captyues further declared that the Canibales are woont at some time to goe from theyr owne coastes aboue a thousande myles to hunt for men The day folowing they sawe an other ilande the whiche because it was rounde they called Sancta Maria Rotunda The next day they founde an other whiche they called S. Martini whiche they let passe also because they had no leasure to â—arrye Lykewyse the thirde daye they espied an other whose Diametral syde extendyng from the Easte
to the west they iudged to be a hundred fyftie myle They affirme all these ilandes to be maruelous fayre and fruitefull This last they called Sancta Maria Antiqua Saylyng forwarde and leauyng many other ilandes after they had sayled about fourtie myles they chaunced vpon an other much bygger then any of the rest which thinhabitans call Ay Ay but they named it Insula crucis Here they cast anker to fetche freshe water The Admiral also commaunded .xxx. men to goe a lande out of his owne shyp and to search the ilande Here they founde foure dogges on the shore The Inhabitants are Canibales and maruelous experte in shooting as wel women as men and vse to infect their arrowes with poyson When they had taried there two dayes they sawe a farre of a Canoa in the whiche were eight men and as many women hauyng with them bowes and arrowes They fiercely assayled our men without all feare and hurt some of them with theyr venemous arrowes Among these there was a certayne woman to whom the other gaue reuerence and obeyed as though she were theyr queene Her sonne wayted vppon her beyng a young man strongly made of terrible and frownyng countenance and a Lions face Our men leaste they shoulde take the more hurte by beyng wounded a farre of thought it beste to ioyne with them Therfore with al speede setting forward with their ores the brigandine in whiche they were sette alande they ouerturned their Canoa with a great violence whiche being ouerwhelmed they notwithstanding as wel the women as the men swymming caste theyr dartes at our men thicke and threefolde At the length geatheryng them selues togeather vpon a rocke couered with the water they fought manfully vntyll they were ouercome and taken one beyng slayne and the queenes sonne sore wounded When they were brought into the Admirals shippe they dyd no more put of their fiercenes and cruel countenaunces then do the Lions of Lybia when they perceiue them selues to be bounde in chaynes There is no man able to beholde them but he shall feele his bowels grate with a certayne horrour nature hath endued them with so terrible menacing and cruell aspect This coniecture I make of mee selfe other which oftentymes went with me to see them at Methymna Campi but nowe to returne to the voyage Proceeding thus further and further more then fyue hundred myles fyrste towarde the west southwest then towarde the southwest and at the length towarde the west northwest they entred into a mayne large sea hauyng in it innumerable ilandes marueylously dyfferyng one from another for some of them were very fruitefull and full of hearbes and trees other some very drye barren and rough with high rockye mountaynes of stone whereof some were of bryght blewe or asurine colour and other glysteryng whyte wherefore they supposed them by good reason to be the mâ—nes of mettalles and precious stones but the roughnesse of the sea and multitude of ilandes standyng so thycke togeather hyndered them so that they coulde cast no anker lest the bigger vesselles shoulde runne vppon the rockes therefore they deferred the searchyng of these ilandes vntyll another tyme they were so manye and stoode so thycke that they coulde not number them yet the smaller vesselles whiche drewe no great deapth entred among them and numbred fourtie and syxe ilandes but the bygger vessels kept aloofe in the mayne sea â–ª for feare of the rockes They call the sea where this multitude of ilandes are situate Archipelagus From this tracte proceding forward in the midde way there lyeth an ilande whiche thinhabitantes call Burichina or Buchena but they named it Insula S. Iohannis Dyuers of them whom we had delyuered from the Canibales sayde that they were borne in this ilande affirming it to be verye populous and frutefull hauing also many faire wooddes and hauens Ther is deadly hatred and continual battayle betwene them and the Canibales They haue no boates to passe from their owne coastes to the Canibales but if it be their chaunce to ouercome them when they make incursion into theyr countrey to seeke their praye as it sometyme happeneth the fortune of warre being vncertayne they serue them with like sause requiting death for death For one of them mangeleth an other in pieces and roste them and eate them euen before their eyes They taryed not in this ilande Yet in the west angle therof a fewe of them went a lande for freshe water and founde a great and high house after the maner of their buyldyng hauing .xii. other of their vulgare cotages placed about the same but were all lefte desolate whether it were that they resorted to the mountaynes by reason of the heate which was that tyme of the yeere and to returne to the playne when the ayre waxeth coulder or els for feare of the Canibales whiche make incursion into the ilande at certayne seasons In al this ilande is only one kyng The south syde hereof extendeth about two hundreth myles Shortly after they came to the ilande of Hispaniola being distante from the firste ilande of the Canibales fyue hundreth leagues Here they founde al thinges out of order and theyr felowes slayne whiche they lefte here at their fyrst voyage In the begynnyng of Hispaniola hauing in it many regions and kyngdomes as we haue sayde is the region of Xamana whose kyng is named Guaccanarillus This Guaccanarillus ioyned frendship with our men at the fyrst voyage and made a league with them but in the absence of the Admirall he rebelled and was the cause of our mens destruction although he dissimuled the same and pretended frendship at the Admirales returne As our men sayled on yet a litle further they espied a long Canoa with many ores in whiche was the brother of Guaccanarillus with only one man wayting on hym He brought with him two images of golde whiche he gaue the Admyrall in the name of his brother and tolde a tale in his language as concernyng the death of our men as they prooued afterwarde but at this tyme had no regarde to his communication for lacke of interpretours whiche were eyther all dead or escaped and stolne away when they drewe neare the ilandes But of the ten seuen dyed by chaunge of ayre and dyet The inhabitauntes of these ilandes haue ben euer so vsed to lyue at libertie in play and pastyme that they can hardly away with the yoke of seruitude which they attempte to shake of by all meanes they may And surely yf they had receiued our religion I woulde thynke theyr lyfe moste happie of all men yf they myght therewith enioye theyr auncient libertie A fewe thinges contente them hauyng no delyte in suche superfluities for the whiche in other places men take infinite paynes and commit manye vnlawfull actes and yet are neuer satisfied whereas manye haue to muche and none yenough But among these symple
mountaynes be cutte it groweth agayne within the space of foure dayes hygher then wheate And forasmuche as many showres of rayne doo fall in this region whereof the ryuers and flooddes haue theyr encrease in euery of the whiche golde is founde myxt with sande in all places they iudge that the golde is dryuen from the mountaynes by the vehement course of the streames whiche fall from the same and runne into the ryuers The people of this region are geuen to idlenesse and play for suche as inhabite the mountaynes syt quakyng for colde in the Wynter season and had rather to wander vp and downe idelly then take the paynes to make them apparell where as they haue wooddes full of Gossampine cotton but suche as dwell in the valles or playnes feele no colde in Wynter When the Admirall had thus searched the beginning of the region of Cibana he repayred to Isabella for so he named the citie where leauyng the gouernaunce of the Ilande with his deputies he prepared hym selfe to search further the limittes of the Ilande of Cuba or Iohanna whiche he yet doubted to be the firme lande and distant from Hispaniola only .lxx. myles This dyd he with more speedye expedition callyng to remembraunce the kynges commaundement who wylled hym fyrst with al celeritie to ouerrunne the coastes of the new Ilandes lest any other prince shoulde in the meane time attempt to inuade the same for the kyng of Portugale affirmed that it parteyned only to him to discouer these vnknowen landes but the bishop of Rome Alexander the sixt to auoyde the cause of this dissention graunted to the kyng of Spayne by the aucthoritie of his leaden bulles that no other prince shoulde be so bolde as to make any voyages to any of these vnknowen regions lying without the precinct of a direct lyne drawen from the North to the South a hundred leagues Westwarde without the paralels of the Ilandes called Capud Viride or Cabâ—uerde whiche we thinke to be those that in olde tyme were called Hesperides these parteyne to the kyng of Portugale and from these his Pylotes whiche do yeerely searche newe coastes and regions directe theyr course to the East saylyng euer towarde the left hande by the backe of Aphrike and the seas of the Ethiopians neyther to this day had the Portugales at any tyme sayled Southwarde or Westwarde from the Ilandes of Cabouerde Preparing therfore three shyppes he made haste towarde the Ilande of Iobanna or Cuba whyther he came in short space and named the poynt therof where he fyrste arryued Alpha and O that is the fyrste and the last for he supposed that there had ben the ende of our East because the sonne falleth there and of the West because it ryseth there For it is apparant that Westwarde it is the beginning of India beyonde the ryuer of Ganges and Eastwarde the furthest ende of the same whiche thyng is not contrary to reason forasmuche as the Cosmographers haue left the lymittes of India beyond Ganges vndetermined where as also some were of opinion that India was not farre from the coastes of Spaine as we haue said before Within the prospect of the beginnyng of Cuba he founde a commodious hauen in the extreme angle of the Ilande of Hispaniola for in this part the Ilande receiueth a great goulfe this hauen he named Saint Nicholas porte beyng scarcely twentie leagues from Cuba As he departed from hence and sayled Westward by the South syde of Cuba the further that he went so muche the more the sea seemed to be extended in breadth and to bende towarde the South On the South syde of Cuba he founde an Ilande whiche the inhabitauntes call Iamaica this he affirmeth to be longer broder then the Iland of Scicile hauyng in it only one mountaine which on euery part beginning from the sea ryseth by litle and litle into the myddest of the Ilande and that so playnely without roughnesse that such as goe vp to the toppe of the same can scarcely perceiue that they assende This Ilande he affyrmeth to be very fruiteful and ful of people aswel in thinner partes of the same as by the shore and that the inhabitantes are of quicker wytte then in the other Ilandes and more expert Artificers and warlyke men For in many places where he woulde haue aryued they came armed against him and forbode him with threatnyng wordes but beyng ouercome they made a league of frendshyp with hym Thus departing from Iamaica he sayled toward the West with a prosperous wynde for the space of threescore and tenne dayes thynking that he had passed so farre by the compasse of the earth being vnderneath vs that he had ben neare vnto Aurea Chersonesus nowe called Malaccha in our east India beyonde the begynnyng of Persides for he playnely beleeued that he had left only two of the twelue houres of the sunne which were vnknowen to vs for the olde wryters haue left halfe the course of the sunne vntouched where as they haue but only discussed that superficial parte of the earth whiche lyeth betweene the Ilandes of Gades and the ryuer of Ganges or at the vttermost to Aurea Chersonesus In this Nauigation he chaunced on many furious seas running with a fall as it had ben the streames of floods also many whyrlepooles and shelfes with many other dangers and strayghtes by reason of the multitude of ilandes whiche lay on euery syde But not regardyng al these perylles he determined to proceede vntil he had certaine knowledge whether Cuba were an ilande or firme lande Thus he sayled forward coastyng euer by the shore toward the West for the space of CC.xxii leagues that is about a thousande and three hundred myles and gaue names to seuen hundred ilandes by the way leauyng also on the left hande as he feared not to report three thousande here and there But let vs nowe returne to suche thynges as he founde woorthy to be noted in this nauigation Saylyng therefore by the syde of Cuba and searchyng the nature of the places he espyed not farre from Alpha and O a large hauen of capacitie to harborowe many shyppes whose entraunce is bendyng beyng inclosed on both sydes with capes or poyntes whiche receiue the water this hauen is large within and of exceedyng deapth Saylyng by the shore of this porte he sawe not farre from the same two cotages couered with reedes and in many places fyre kyndled Here he sent certayne armed men out of the shyppes to the cotages where they founde neyther man nor woman but rostemeate yenough for they founde certayne spyttes of wood lying at the fyre hauyng fyshe on them about a hundred pounde weight and two serpentes of eyght foote long apeece whereat marueylyng and lookyng about if they could espye any of the inhabitauntes and that none appeared in syght for they fledde al to the mountaynes at the commyng of our men
great fertilitie of the same Thinhabitauntes of this mountaine brought to our shyp bread gossampine cotton cunnies sundry kyndes of wyldfoule demaundyng relygiously of thinterpretours if this nation descended not from heauen The kyng of this people and dyuers other sage men that stoode by him informed hym that that lande was no Ilande Shortly after entring into one of the ilandes being on the lefte hande of this lande they founde no body therin for they fledde al at the comming of our men Yet founde they there foure dogges of maruelous deformed shape suche as coulde not barke This kynd of doggs they eate as we do goates Here is great plentie of geese duckes and hearons Betwene these ilandes and the continent he entered into so narowe streyghtes that he coulde scarsely turne backe the shyppes and these also so shalowe that the keele of the shyppes somtyme rased on the sandes The water of these streyghtes for the space of fourtie myles was white and thycke lyke vnto mylke and as though meale had ben sparkeled throughout al that sea And when they had at the length escaped these strayghtes and were nowe come into a mayne and large sea and had sayled theron for the space of fourescore myles they espyed an other exceding hygh mountayne whyther the Admirall resorted to store his shyppes with freshe water and fuel Heare among certayne wooddes of Date trees pyneapple trees of excedyng height he founde two natiue sprynges of freshe water In the meane tyme whyle the woodde was cuttyng and the barrelles fyllyng one of our archers went into the wood to hunt where he espyed a certayne man with a whyte vesture so lyke a fryer of thorder of saynt Marye of Mercedis that at the fyrste sight he supposed it had ben the Admirals priest which he brought with hym beyng a man of the same order but two other folowed him immediatlye out of the same wooddes Shortly after he sawe a farre of a whole company of men clothed in apparel being about xxx in number Then turning his backe and crying out to his felowes he made haste to the shyppes with all that he myght dryue These apparelled men made sygnes and tokens to hym to tary and not to be afrayd but that notwithstandyng he ceassed not to flee The Admirall beyng aduertysed hereof and not a lytle reioycyng that he had founde a ciuile people incontinently sent foorth armed men with commaundement that yf neede should so requyre they shoulde enter fourtie myles into the ilande vntyl they myght fynde eyther those apparelled men or other inhabitauntes of that countrey When they had passed ouer the wood they came into a great playne ful of grasse and hearbes in whiche appeared no token of any pathway Here attemptyng to goe through the grasse and hearbes they were so entangled and bewrapt therein that they were scarselye able to passe a myle the grasse beyng there lytle lower then our ripe corne beyng therefore weeryed they were enforced to returne agayne finding no pathway The day folowyng he sent foorth xxv armed men another way commaundyng them to make diligent search and inquisition what manner of people inhabited the lande Who departyng when they had found not farre from the sea side certayne steps of wyld beastes of the which they suspected some to be of Lions feete beyng strycken with feare returturned backe agayne As they came they founde a wood in the whiche were many natiue vines here and there creepyng about hygh trees with many other trees bearyng aromatical fruites and spyces Of these vines they brought with them into Spaine many clusters of grapes very ponderous and ful of licour but of the other fruites they brought none because they putrified by the way in the shyp were cast into the sea They say also that in the landes or medowes of those wooddes they sawe flockes of great Cranes twyse as bygge as ours As he went forward and turned his sayles towarde certayne other mountaynes he espied two cotages on the shore in the whiche he sawe only one man who being brought to the shippe signified with head fyngers and by al other signes that he coulde deuise that the lande whiche lay beyonde those mountaynes was very full of people and as the Admiral drew neare the shore of the same there met him certayne Canoas hauyng in them many people of the countrey who made signes and tokens of peace and frendshyp But here Didacus the interpretour which vnderstoode the language of thinhabitantes of the beginning of Cuba vnderstode not them one whit whereby they consydered that in sundry prouinces of Cuba were sundry languages He had also intelligence that in the inlande of this region was a king of great power accustomed to weare apparell he sayde that all the tracte of this shore was drowned with water and ful of mudde besette with manye trees after the maner of our maryshes Yet whereas in this place they went alande for freshe water they founde many of the shelfyshes in the whiche pearles are geathered But that coulde not cause the Admirall to tracte the tyme there entending at this viage only to proue howe many landes seas he could discouer according to the kinges commaundement As they yet proceded forwarde they sawe here and there al the way along by the shore a great smoke rysing vntyll they came to an other mountayne foure score myles distant there was no rocke or hyll that coulde be seene but the same was all of a smoke But whether these fyres were made by thinhabitantes for their necessary busynes or as we are wont to sette beacons on fyre when we suspecte thapproche of our enimies thereby to geue warning to theyr neyghbours to be in a redines geather togeather if perhaps our men shoulde attempt any thyng against them or otherwyse as seemeth most lykely to cal them togeather as to a wonder to beholde our shyppes they knowe yet no certentie In this tracte the shores bended somtyme towarde the South and sometyme towarde the West and west southwest and the sea was euerye where entangled with Ilandes by reason whereof the keeles of the shyppes often times rased the sandes for shalownesse of the water So that the shyppes being very sore bruised and appayred the sayles cables and other tackelinges in maner rotten and the vytailes especially the biskette bread corrupted by takyng water at the ryftes euyll closed the Admirall was enforced to turne backe agayne This laste poynte where he touched of Cuba not yet being knowen to be an ilande he called Euangelista Thus turning his sayles towarde other ilandes lying not farre from the supposed continent he chaunced into a mayne sea where was suche a multitude of great Tortoyses that somtyme they stayed the shyppes Not long after he entred into a gulfe of whyte water lyke vnto that wherof we spake before At the length fearing the shelfes of the ilands he returned to the shore of
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
slayne of any wylde beast As many hartes or wylde bores as our men woulde desyre them to bryng they woulde kyll in the woodes with their arrowes and not to fayle to bryng them They lacke kyne goates and sheepe Theyr bread is made of rootes as is theyrs of the Ilands This nation hath blacke heare grosse and somwhat curlde yet long also They keepe theyr teeth very whyte and for that purpose vse to cary a certaine herbe betwene theyr lyppes for the most part of the day and to washe theyr mouthts when they cast it away The women doo all theyr busynes at home in theyr howses and haue also the cure of tyllage of the grounde but the men apply them selues to the warres and huntyng to playe syngyng and daunsyng They haue sundry kyndes of water pottes iugges and drinkyng cuppes made of earth in other places about them and brought thyther for exchaung of other thynges For they vse fayres and markettes for the same purpose and are greatly desyrous of such thynges as are not brought forth or made in theyr countrey as nature hath geuen a disposytion to al men to desyre and be delyted with newe and strang thynges Many of them had hangyng at theyr pearles the images of certeine beastes and birdes very artifitiously made of golde but not pure these also are brought them from other places for exchang of other thynges The golde wherof they are made is natiue and of much lyke finenes to that wherof the florens are coyned The men of this countrey inclose theyr priuie members in a gourde cutte after the fashioÌ„ of a coddepice or els couer the same with the shell of a tortoyse tyed about theyr loynes with laces of gossampine cotton In other places of that tract they thrust the synew within the sheeth therof and bynde the skinne fast with a string The great wylde beastes wherof we spake before and many other thynges which are not found in any of the Ilandes testifie that this region is parte of y e continet or firme lande But the chiefest coniecture wherby they argue the same is that by the coastes of that lande from Paria towarde the west they sayled about three M. myles findyng no signe or token of any ende These people of Curiana whiche some call Curtana being demaunded where they had such plentie of golde signified that it was brought them from a region called Canchieta or Cauchieta beyng distant from them sixe sunnes that is sixe dayes iourney westwarde and that theyr images of golde were made in the same region Whereupon our men directed theyr voyage thyther immediatly and aryued there at the Kalendes of Nouember in the yeere of Christe a thousande and fyue hundred The people of the countrey resorted to them without feare bryngyng with them of the golde whiche we sayde to be natiue in that region This people had also collers of pearles about theyr neckes which were brought them from Curiana for exchaunge of theyr marchandises None of them woulde exchaunge anye of those thynges whiche they had out of other countreys as neyther the Curians golde nor the Canchietans pearles yet among the Canchietans they founde but lytle golde redy geathered They toke with them from thence certayne very fayre Marmasets or Munkeyes and many Popyngayes of sundrye coloures In the moneth of Nouember the ayre was there most temperate and nothyng colde The guardens of the north pole were out of syght to both these people they are so neare the Equinoctial Of the degrees of the pole they can geue none other accompte These people are wel disposed men of honest conditions and nothyng suspitious for almost al the nyght long they resorted to the shyppe with theyr boates and went aboorde shyppe without feare as dyd the Curians They call pearles Corixas They are somewhat ielous for when anye straungers come among them they euer place theyr women behynde them In this region of Canchieta the gossampine trees growe of them selues commonly in many places as doo with vs elmes wyllowes and sallowes and therefore they vse to make breeches of cotton wherewith they couer theyr priuie partes in many other regions thereabout When they had yet sayled on forwarde by the same coastes there came forth against them about two thousande men armed after theyr manner forbyddyng them to come alande These people were so rude and sauage that our men coulde by no meanes allure them to familiaritie Our men therefore contented only with theyr pearles returned backe y e same way they came where they remained with the Curians continually for the space of .xx. dayes fylled theyr bellies wel with good meate And here it seemeth to me not farre from my purpose to declare what chaunced vnto them in theyr returne when they came now within the sight of the coast of Paria They happened therfore in the way at Os Draconis and the gulfes of Paria wherof we spake before to meete with a nauy of xviii Canoas of Canibales which went a rouing to hunt for men who assoone as they had espied our men assailed their ship fiercely without feare enclosed y e same disturbing our men on euery side with their arrowes but our men so feared them with theyr gunnes that they fled immediatly whoÌ„ our men folowing with the shyp boate tooke one of theyr Canoas and in it only one Canibal for the other had escaped and with him another man bounde who with teares runnyng downe his cheekes and with gesture of his handes eyes and head signified that sixe of his companions had ben cruelly cut in peeces and eaten of that mischeuous nation and that he shoulde haue ben likewyse handled the day folowyng wherefore they gaue hym power ouer the Canibal to do with him what he would Then with the Canibals owne clubbe he layde on hym al that he might dryue with hande and foote grinning and fâ—etting as it had ben a wyld bore thinkyng that he had not yet sufficiently reuenged the death of his companions when he had beaten out his braynes and guttes When he was demaunded after what sort the Canibales were woont to inuade other countreys he answered that they euer vsed to carye with them in theyr Canoas a great multitude of clubbes the whiche wheresoeuer they do lande they pytch in the grounde and encampe them selues within the compasse of the same to lye the more safely in the nyght season In Curiana they founde the head of a captayne of the Canibales nayled ouer the doore of a certayne gouernour for a token of victorye as it had ben the standerde or helmet taken from the enimie in battayle In these coastes of Paria is a region called Haraia in the which great plentie of salt is geathered after a strange sorte for the sea beyng there tossed with the power of the wyndes dryueth the salte waters into a large playne by the sea syde where afterwarde when the sea waxeth calme and the
sunne begynneth to shine the water is coniealed into most pure and whyte salte wherewith innumerable shyypes myght be laden yf men dyd resort thether for the same before there fale any rayne For the rayne melteth it and causeth it to synke into the sande and so by the poores of the earth to returne to the place from whence it was dryuen Other say that the playne is not fylled from the sea but of certeine sprynges whose water is more sharpe and salt then the water of the sea Thinhabitantes do greatlye esteeme this bay of salt whiche they vse not only for theyr owne commoditie but also woorking the same into a square forme lyke vnto brickes they sell it to strangers for exchaunge of other thynges whiche the lacke In this Region they stretche and drye the dead bodies of theyr kinges and noble men laying the same vpon a certayne frame of woodde muche lyke vnto a hurdle or grediren with a gentell fyre vnder the same by lyttle and lyttle consumyng the fleshe and keping the skynne hole with the bones inclosed therein These dryed carcases they haue in great reuerence and honour them for theyr houshoulde and famylier gods They say that in this place they sawe a man in an other place a woman thus dryed and reserued When they departed from Curiana the .viii. day of the Ides of February to returne to Spayne they had threescore and .xvi. poundes weight after .viii. vnces to the pounde of pearles which they bought for exchange of our thinges amounting to the value of fyue shillinges Departing therfore they consumed threescore dayes in theyr iourney although it were shorter then from Hispaniola by reason of the continuall course of the sea in the west which dyd not only greatly stey the shippe but also somtymes dryue it backe But at the length they came home so laden with pearles that they were with euery maryner in maner as common as chaffe But the master of the shyppe Petrus Alphonsus being accused of his companyons that he had stowlen a great multitude of pretious pearles and defrauded the kyng of his portion whiche was the fifth parte was taken of Fernando de Vega a man of great lerning and experience gouernour of Gallecia where they aryued and was there kept in pryson a long tyme. But he styll denyeth that euer he deteyned any part of the pearles Many of these pearles were as bygge as hasell nuttes and as oriente as we call it as they be of the East partes Yet not of so great pryce by reason that the holes thereof are not so perfecte When I my selfe was present with the right honorable duke of Methyna and was biddē to dynner with him in the citie of Ciuile they brought to hym aboue a hundred and twentie ounces of pearles to be solde whiche surely dyd greatly delyte me with their fayrenes and brightnes Some say that Alphonsus had not these pearles in Curiana being distant from Os Draconis more then a hundred twentie leagues but that they had them in the regions of Cumana and Manacapana nere vnto Os Draconis and the ilande of Margarita for they deny that there is any pearles founde in Curiana But sith the matter is yet in controuersie we wyl passe to other matters Thus muche you haue whereby you may coniecture what commoditie in tyme to come may bee looked for from these newe landes of the west Ocean whereas at the fyrst discouering they shewe suche tokens of great ryches Thus fare ye well ¶ The .ix. booke of the fyrst Decade to Cardinal Lodoutke VIncentiagnes Pinzonus also Aries Pinzonus his neuiew by his brother syde whiche accompanyed the Admiral Colonus in his fyrst vyage were by him appoynted to be maisters of two of the small shippes which the Spaniards call Carauelas being moued by the great ryches amplitude of the new landes furnyshed of theyr owne charges foure Carauels in the hauen of theyr owne countrey which the Spanyardes cal Palos bordering on the west Ocean Hauing therfore the kings licence passeport to depart they loosed from the hauen about the Calendes of December in the yeere .1499 This hauen of Palos is threescore twelue myles distant from Gades commonly called Cales and .lxiiii. myles from Ciuile All thinhabitantes of this towne not one excepted are greatly geuē to searching of the sea and continually exercised in sayling They also directed their viage fyrst to the iland of Canarie by the ilands of Hesperides now called Cabouerde which some cal Gorgodes Meducias Sayling therfore directly toward the south from that ilande of Hesperides whiche the Portugales beyng possessers of the same cal Sancti Iacobi and departing from thence at the Ides of Ianuary they folowed the southwest wynde beyng in the myddest betwene the south and the west When they supposed that they had sayled about three hundreth leagues by the same wynde they say that they lost the syght of the Northe starre and were shortely after tossed with excedyng tempestes bothe of wynde and sea and vexed with intollerable heate Yet sayled they on further not without great daunger for the space of two hundred fortie leagues folowing yet the same wynd by the lost pole Wherfore whether habitable regions be vnder the Equinoctiall lyne or not let these men and the oulde wryters aswel Philosophers as poetes and cosmographers discusse For these mē affirme it to be habitable and meruelously replenished with people and they that it is vnhabitable by reason of the sonne beames depending perpendicularly or directlye ouer the same Yet were there many of the olde wryters whiche attempted to proue it habitable These maryners being demaunded if they saw the south pole they answered that they knew no starre there like vnto this pole that might be decerued about the poynt but that they sawe an other order of starres and a certeyne thicke myst rysyng from the horizontall lyne whiche greatly hyndered theyr syght They contende also that there is a great heape or rysyng in the myddest of the earth whiche taketh away the syght of the south pole vntyll they haue vtterly passed ouer the same but they verely beleeue that they sawe other images of starres muche differing from the situation of the starres of our hemispherie or halfe circle of heauen Howe so euer the matter be as they informe vs we certifie you At the length the seuenth day of the calendes of Februarye the espied lande a farre of and seeing the water of the sea to be trobelous sounding with theyr plummet they founde it to be .xvi ▪ fathames deepe Going a lande and tarying there for the space of two dayes they departed bycause they sawe no people stering although they founde certeyne steppes of men by the sea syde Thus grauing on the trees the stones nere vnto the shore the kynges name and theyrs and the tyme of theyr commyng thether they departed Not farre from this station folowyng
the fyers on the land by nyght they founde a nation lying vnder the open fyrmament after the maner of warre Our men thought it not best to trouble them vntyll the mornyng There fore at the rysyng of the sonne fortie of our men well armed wente towarde them agaynst whom came forth .xxxii. of them with bowes slynges and dartes euen redy to fyght The other companye folowed them armed after the same maner Our men affirme that they were of hygher stature then eyther the Almaynes or Pannonians They beheld our men with frownyng threatenyng countenaunce but our men thought it not good to fal to bickering with them vncertayne whether it were for feare or bycause they would not dryue them to flight Wherfore they went about to allure them by faire meanes rewards but they refused all kynde of gentelnes and stoode euer in a redines to fight declaring the same by signes and tokens Thus our men resorted to theyr shyppes and they to the place from whence they came without any further busines The same nyght about mydnyght they fledde left the place voyde where they lay in the campe Our men suppose them to be a vagabund and wandering nation lyke vnto the Scythians without houses or certeyne dwelling places lyuing only with the fruites of the earth hauing theyr wyues and chyldren folowing them Suche as measured their footesteppes in the sande affirme with great othes that one of theyr feete is almost as long as two feete of our men of the meane sorte Sayling on yet further they founde an other riuer but not of deapth sufficient to beare the Carauels they sent therefore the foure shippe boates to lande full of armed men to search the countrey They espyed vppon a hygh hyll nere vnto the sea syde a greate multitude of people to whom our company sent foorth one man with certeyne of our thynges to allure them to exchange And when he had cast a haukes bell towarde them they cast downe a wedge of golde a cubit longe the which as he stoâ—ped to take vp they sodenly inclosed hym and caryed hym away But he was shortly after rescued by his companions to some of their paynes for they slue eyght of our men wounded many a farre of with theyr arrowes and dartes made of wood hardened at the endes with fyre After this they encompassed our shippe boates within the ryuer and came rashly within the reache of our men laying holde on the boates sydes where they were thrust through and hewen in peeces as it had ben sheepe by reason they were naked Yet woulde they not for al this geue ouer but tooke from our men one of their boates hauing no men in it for the gouernour thereof being slayne with an arrowe the other fledde and escaped And thus they lefte this fierce and warlyke people saylyng toward the northwest along by the same coastes with sorowfull hartes for the death of theyr companyons When they had sayled about .xl. leagues they chaunced into a sea of suche freshe water that they fylled theyr barelles and hoggesheades therewith Searching the cause hereof they vnderstoode that a vehement course of riuers discended with great viâ—â—â—nce from the toppes of certayne great hylles They say also that there lyeth within the sea manye fortunate and fruitfull Ilandes and well inhabited and that thinhabitantes of this tracte are men of meeke nature and suche as doo not refuse straungers yet lyttle profytable to them because they haue no marchandyes for their purpose as golde or precious stones for lacke whereof they brought from thence thyrtie captiues to sell for slaues Thinhabitantes call this region Mariatambal The region of the east part of that ryuer is called Camomorus and that of the west part Paricora in the midlande whereof thinhabitantes signifyed that there is great plentie of golde For folowing this riuer directly toward the North as the bending of the shore requyred they recouered againe the syght of the north pole All the coaste of this tracte parteyneth to Paria the which as we sayd before was fyrst found by Colonus hym selfe and hath in maner in euery place great abundaunce of pearles They say that these coastes are adioynyng vnto and all one with Os Draconis and also borderyng vppon the regions of Cumana Manacapana Curiana Cauchieta and Cuchibachoa Wherfore they thought it to be part of the firme lande of India beyonde the riuer of Ganges For the great large compasse therof doth not permit that it shoulde be an ilande albeit the whole earth vncouered with water largely taken may be called an Ilande From the poynt of that land where they lost the sight of the north pole saylyng by a continuall tracte about three hundred leagues towarde the west syde of Paria they say that almost in the mid way they chaunced into a riuer called Maragnonum whiche they affirme to be of suche exceedyng breadth that it might seeme incredible yf the antiques dyd not make mention of the lyke Beyng demaunded of me yf it were not salt water where it diuided the lande they answeared that the water therof was very freshe and sweete and that the further it ranne to be so muche the fresher also ful of Ilandes and wholsome fyshe they dare auouche the breadth therof to be more then thirtie leagues Yet yf we wel weigh and consyder the largenesse and widenesse of Boriostomea and Spiriostomea the mouthes of the famous riuer of Ister nowe called Danubius and howe farre they violate or corrupt the salt water with their freshnesse we shal ceasse to marueyle although this other riuer be greater for who can diminish the power of nature but that it may make this bigger then the other and another bygger then this And I suppose this to be the ryuer whereof Colonus the Admirall made mention in the description of his voyage in these coastes But we shal hereafter haue further knowledge hereof let vs nowe therefore returne to the commodities of these regions They found in many Ilands about Paria great wooddes of Brasile trees and brought away with them three thousande poundes weyght thereof They say that the Brasile of Hispaniola is muche better then this to dye cloth with a more fayre and durable colour From hence folowing the winds which the Spaniards cal Northuest and the Italians Graeco they passed by many Ilandes very fruiteful yet left desolate and wasted by reason of the crueltie of the Canibales for they went alande in many places they founde the ruines of many destroyed houses yet in some places they founde men but those exceedyng fearefull fleeyng to the mountaynes rockes and wooddes at the syght of euery straunger or shyppe wanderyng without houses or certayne abydyng places for feare of the Caniballes laying wayte and huntyng after them Here they found those great trees whiche of them selues in dyuers places bryng forth that fruite or spice which the Apothecaries cal Cassia Phistula
which should destroy al the customes and cerimonies of the iland and eyther slay al theyr chyldren or bring them into seruitude The common sort of the people vnderstode this oracle to be ment of the Canibales therfore when they had any knowledge of theyr comming they euer fled and were fully determined neuer more to aduenture the battayle with them But when they saw that the Spanyardes had entered into the Ilande consultyng among them selues of the matter they concluded that this was the nation whiche was ment by thoracle Wherin theyr opinyon deceyued them not for they are nowe all subiect to the Chrystians all such beyng slayne as stobernely resysted Nor yet remayneth there anye memorye of theyr Zemes for they are all brought into Spayne that we myght be certyfyed of theyr illusions of euyll spyrites and Idolles the which you your selfe most noble Prynce haue seene and felt when I was present with you I let passe many thynges because you put me in remembrance that to morowe you take your iorney towarde your countrey to bryng home the queene your aunt whom you accompanyed hyther at the commaundement of kyng Frederike your vncle Wherfore I byd you farewell for this time desyryng you to remember your Martyr whom you haue compelled in the name of the kyng your vncle to geather these fewe thynges out of a large feelde of hystories The tenth and last booke of the fyrst Decade as a conclusion of the former bookes wrytten to Inacus Iopez Mendocius Countie of Tendilla viceroy of Granata AT the fyrst begynning and newe attempte when Colonus had taken vpon hym the enterpryse to searche the Ocean sea I was earnestly moued and required by the letters of certaine of my frendes and noble men of Rome to wryte those thinges as shoulde happen For they whispered with great admiration that where as there were many newe landes founde and nations which liued naked and after the lawe of nature they could heare no certentie therof being greatly desyrous of y e same In this meane time had fortune ouerthrowne Ascanius his brother Lodouike being cast out of Millane by the frenchmen whose auctoritie would not suffer me to be idle but euer to haue my pen in hand To him I wrote the two first bookes of this decade beside many other of my hid cōmentaries which you shal see shortly but fortune dyd no lesse withdraw my minde from wryting then disturbe Ascanius from power As he was tossed with contrary stormes and ceassed to perswade me euen so slacked my feruentnesse to enquire any further vntil the yere of Christ ▪ 1500 when the Court remained at Granata where you are viceroy At whiche tyme Lodouike the Cardinal of Aragonie neuiew to king Frederike by his brothers syde beyng at Granata with the queene Parthenopea the sister of our Catholique kyng brought me king Frederikes letters whereby he exhorted me to finishe the other bookes which folowed the two epystell bookes which I wryte to Ascanius For they both acknowledged that they had the copye of al that I wrytte to cardinall Ascanius And albeit that euen then I was sicke as you knowe yet tooke I the burden vppon me and applyed my selfe to wryting I haue therfore chosen these fewe thynges out of a greate heape of such as seemed to me most worthy to be noted among the large wrytynges of the aucthoures and searchers of the same Wherfore forasmuch as you haue endeuored to wrest out of my handes the whole example of all my woorkes to adde the same to the innumerable volumes of your lybrarie I thought it good nowe to make a breefe rehersall of those thynges which were done from that yeare of a thousand and fiue hundred euen vnto this yeare which is the tenth from that For I entend to wryte more largely of these thynges heareafter if god graunt me lyfe I had written a whole booke by it selfe of the superstytions of the people of the iland supposyng therwyth to haue accomplyshed the whole Decade consisting of ten bookes But I haue added this to the tenth as a perpendyculer lyne and as it were a backe guide or rerewarde to the other So that you may knytte the fyrst tenth to the nynth impute this to occupye the place of the tenth to fyll vp the Decade This order haue I appoynted lest I shoulde be compelled often times to wryte ouer the whole worke or send you the same defaced with blottes and interlyning But now let vs come to our purpose The shyppe maisters and mariners ran ouer many coastes during these ten yeares But euer folowed such as were fyrst found by Colonus For rasyng continually alonge by the tract of Paria which they beleue to be part of the firme land or continent of east India some of them chaunced vppon certaine new landes towarde the east and some towarde the west in which they founde both gold and frankensence For they brought from thence manye iewells and ouches of golde and greate plentie of frankensence which they had of the people of those countreyes partlye for exchaunge of some of our thynges and partlye by force ouer commyng them by warre Yet in some places although they be naked they ouercame our men and slewe whole armyes For they are exceedyng fyerce and vse venemous arrowes and long staues lyke iauelens made hard at the ende with fire They founde many beastes both creepyng and foure footed much dyfferyng from ours varyable and of sundrye shapes innumerable yet not hurtfull except Lions Tigers and Crocodiles This I meane in sundry regions of that greate lande of Paria but not in the ilandes no not so muche as one for all the beastes of the ilandes are meeke and without hurte except men which as wee haue sayde are in many ilandes deuourers of mans fleshe There are also dyuers kyndes of foules And in many places battes of such bygnes that they are equall with turtle doues These battes haue oftentymes assalted men in the night in theyr sleepe and so bytten them with theyr venemous teeth that they haue ben therby almost dryuen to madnes in so much that they haue ben compelled to flee from such places as from rauenous Harpies In an other place where certaine of them slept in the night season on the sands by the sea syde a monster commyng out of the sea came vpon one of them secretelye and caryed hym away by the myddest out of the syght of his felowes to whom he cryed in vayne for helpe vntyl the beast leapt into the sea with her pray It was the kynges pleasure that they shoulde remayne in these landes and buylde townes and fortresses whereunto they were so well wyllyng that diuers profered them selues to take vpon them the subduyng of the lande makyng great suite to the kyng that they myght be appoynted thereto The coast of this tracte is exceedyng great and large and the regions and landes thereof extende marueylous farre so that they
affirme the continent of these regions with the Ilandes about the same to be thryse as bygge as al Europe beside those landes that the Portugales haue founde southwarde whiche are also exceedyng large Therfore doubtlesse Spayne hath deserued great prayse in these our dayes in that it hath made knowen vnto vs so many thousandes of Antipodes whiche lay hid before and vnknowen to our forefathers and hath thereby ministred so large matter to wryte of to suche learned wyttes as are desyrous to set foorth knowledge to the commoditie of men to whom I opened a way when I geathered these things rudelye togeather as you see the whiche neuerthelesse I truste you wil take in good part aswell for that I can not adourne my rudenesse with better vesture as also that I neuer toke penne in hande to wryte lyke an hystoriographer but only by epistles scribeled in haste to satisfie them from whose commaundementes I myght not drawe backe my foote But nowe I haue digressed yenough let vs nowe therefore returne to Hispaniola Our men haue founde by experience that the bread of the Ilande is of smal strength to suche as haue ben vsed to our bread made of wheate and that theyr strengthes were muche decayed by vsyng of the same wherefore the kyng hath of late commaunded that wheate shoulde be sowen there in diuers places and at sundry tymes of the yeere It groweth into holow reedes with few eares but those very bygge and fruitefull They fynde the lyke softnesse and delicatenesse to be in hearbes whiche growe there to the height of corne Neat or cattel become of bygger stature and exceedyng fat but theyr fleshe is more vnsauerie and theyr bones as they say eyther without marow or the same to be very wateryshe but of hogges and swyne they affirme the contrary that they are more wholsome and of better taste by reason of certayne wylde fruites whiche they eate beyng of much better nourishment then maste There is almost none other kynde of fleshe commonly solde in the market The multitude of hogges are exceedyngly encreased and become wylde as soone as they are out of the swyneheardes keepyng They haue suche plentie of beastes and foules that they shal hereafter haue no neede to haue any brought from other places The increase of al beastes grow bigger then the broode they came of by reason of the ranknes of the pasture although theyr feeding be only of grasse without eyther barley or other grayne But we haue sayd yenough of Hispaniola They haue nowe founde that Cuba which of long tyme they thought to haue ben firme lande for the great length thereof is an Ilande yet is it no maruayle that the inhabitants them selues tolde our men when they searched the length therof that it was without ende For this nation beyng naked and content with a lytle and with the limittes of theyr owne countrey is not greatly curious to knowe what theyr neyghbours doo or the largenesse of theyr dominion nor yet knewe they yf there were any other thyng vnder heauen besyde that whiche they walked on with theyr feete Cuha is from the East into the West muche longer then Hispaniola and in breadth from the North to the South muche lesse then they supposed at the fyrst for it is very narowe in respect of the length and is for the most part very fruitefull and pleasaunt Eastwarde not farre from Hispaniola there lyeth an Iland lesse then Hispaniola more then by the halfe whiche our men called Sancti Iohannis beyng in manner square in this they founde exceedyng ryche golde mynes but beyng nowe occupyed in the golde mynes of Hispaniola they haue not yet sent labourers into the Iland But the plentie and reuenue of golde of al other regions geue place to Hispaniola where they geue them selues in manner to none other thyng then to geather golde of whiche worke this order is appointed To euery such wittie and skilful man as is put in trust to be a surueyour or ouerseer of these workes there is assigned one or more kings of the Iland with their subiects These kings accordyng to theyr league come with theyr people at certayne tymes of the yeere and resort euery of them to the golde myne to the whiche he is assigned where they haue al manner of dygging or mining tooles delyuered them and euery king with his men haue a certayne rewarde alowed them for theyr labour For when they depart from the mynes to sowyng of corne and other tyllage wherunto they are addict at certaine other tymes lest theyr foode should faile them they receiue for their labour one a ierkin or a dublet another a shyrt another a cloke or a cap for they nowe take pleasure in these thyngs and goe no more naked as they were woont to doo And thus they vse the helpe and labour of the inhabitauntes both for the tyllage of theyr ground and in theyr golde mynes as though they were theyr seruantes or bondemen They beare this yoke of seruitude with an euyll wyl but yet they beare it they cal these hyred labourers Anaborias yet the kyng dooth not suffer that they shoulde be vsed as bondemen and only at his pleasure they are set at libertie or appoynted to worke At suche tyme as they are called togeather of theyr kynges to woorke as souldiers or pyoners are assembled of theyr centurions many of them stele away to the mountaynes and wooddes where they lye lurkyng beyng content for that tyme to lyue with wylde fruites rather then take the paynes to labour They are docible and apte to learne and haue nowe vtterly forgotten they re olde superstitions They beleue godly and beare well in memory such thynges as they haue learned of our â—ayth Theyr kyngs children are brought vp with the chiefest of our men and are instructed in letters and good maners When they are growen to mans age they sende them home to theyr countreyes to be example to other and especially to gouerne the people yf theyr fathers be dead that they may the better set forth the Christian religion and keepe theyr subiectes in loue and obedience By reason wherof they come now by faire meanes gentel perswasions to the mines which lye in two regions of the ilande about thyrtie myles dystaunt from the cytie of Dominica wherof the on is called Sancti Christophori and the other beyng distant aboute fourscore and tenne myles is called Cibaua not farre from the cheefe hauen called Portus Regalis These regions are very large in the which in many places here and there are founde somtyme euen in the vpper crust of the earth and somtyme among the stones certayne rounde pieces or plates of golde sometime of smale quantytie and in some places of great wayght in so much that there hath byn founde rounde pieces of three hundred pounde weyght and one of three thousande three hundred and tenne pounde weyght the whiche as you harde was sent
whole to the kyng in that shyp in the which the gouernour Boadilla was commyng home into Spaine the shyp with all the men beyng drowned by the way by reason it was ouer laden with the weyght of gold multitude of men albeit there were mo then a thousande persons which saw and handeled the piece of gold And wheras here I speake of a pounde I do not meane the common pounde but the summe of the ducate of gold with the coyne called Triens which is the third part of a pounde which they call Pesus The summe of the weight hearof the Spanyardes call Castelanum Aureum All the gold that is digged in the mountaines of Cibaua and Port Regale is caried to the tower of Conception where shoppes with al thinges appertayning are redy furnished to fine it melt it and caste it into wedges That doone they take the kynges portion therof which is the fyfte parte and so restore to euery man his owne which he gotte with his labour But the gold which is founde in saynt Christophorus myne and the regions there about is caryed to the shoppes which are in the vyllage called Bonauentura In these two shops is moulten yeerely aboue three hundred thousand pound wayght of gold Yf any man be knowen deceytfullye to keepe backe any portion of golde whereof he hath not made the kynges officers priuie he forfeyteth the same for a fyne There chaunceth among them oftentymes many contentions and controuersies the whiche vnlesse the magistrates of the Ilande do fynyshe the case is remoued by appellation to the hygh counsayle of the court from whose sentence it is not lawfull to appeale in al the dominions of Castyle But let vs nowe returne to the newe landes from whence we haue digressed They are innumerable diuers and exceedyng fortunate Wherefore the Spanyardes in these our dayes and theyr noble enterpryses do not geue place eyther to the factes of Saturnus or Hercules or anye other of the auncient prynces of famous memory which were canonized among the goddes called Heroes for theyr searchyng of newe landes and regions and bryngyng the same to better culture and ciuilitie Oh God howe large farre shal our posteritie see the Christian religion extended howe large a campe haue they now to wander in whiche by the true nobilitie that is in them or mooued by vertue wyll attempt eyther to deserue lyke prayse among men or reputation of well doyng before God What I conceiue in my mynde of these thynges I am not able to expresse with penne or tongue I wil now therfore so make an end of this perpendiculer conclusion of the whole Decade as myndyng hereafter to search and geather euery thyng particulerly that I may at further leysure wryte the same more at large For Colonus the Admiral with foure ships and a hundred threescore and ten men appoynted by the kyng discouered in the yeere of Christe .1520 the lande oueragaynst the West corner of Cuba distant from the same about a hundred and thirtie leagues in the myddest of whiche tracte lyeth an Ilande called Guanassa From hence he directed his voyage backwarde toward the East by the shore of that coast supposyng that he shoulde haue founde the coastes of Paria but it chaunced otherwise It is sayde also that Vincencius Agnes of whom we haue spoken before and one Iohannes Daiz with diuers other of whose voyages I haue as yet no certayne knowledge haue ouerrunne those coastes but yf God graunt me lyfe I trust to knowe the trueth hereof and to aduertise you of the same Thus fare ye well The ende of the fyrst Decade The fyrst booke of the seconde Decade to Leo Bishop of Rome the tenth of that name of the supposed continent or firme lande SInce the tyme that Galeatius Butrigarius of Bononie and Iohannes Cursius of Florence most holy father came to the Catholique kyng of Spayne the one of your holinesse ambassage and the other for the affayres of his common wealth I was euer for the moste parte in theyr companye and for theyr vertues and wysedome had them in great reuerence And whereas they were greatlye geuen to studie and continuall reuoluing of diuers auctours they chaunced vpon certayne bookes negligently let slyppe out of my handes entreatyng of the large landes and regions hytherto lying hyd and almost West Antipodes founde of late by the Spanyardes Yet being allured and delyted with the newnesse and straungenesse of the matter although rudely adourned they commended the same therewith earnestly desyryng me in theyr owne names and requiring me in the name of your holynesse to adde hereunto al such thynges as were founde after that tyme and to geue them a copie therof to sende to your holynesse that you myght thereby vnderstande both howe great commodities is chaunced to the progenie of mankynde as also encrease of the millitant congregation in these our dayes by the fortunate enterpryses of the kynges of Spayne For lyke as rased and vnpaynted tables are apte to receiue what fourmes soeuer are fyrst drawen thereon by the hande of the paynter euen so these naked and simple people doo soone receyue the customes of our religion and by conuersation of our men shake of theyr fierce and natiue barbarousnesse I haue thought it good therfore to satisfie the request of these wyse men espetially vsyng thaucthorytie of your name wherunto not to haue obeyed I shoulde esteeme my selfe to haue commytted a heynous offence Wherfore I wyll nowe briefly rehearse in order what hyd coastes the Spanyardes ouerran who were thaucthours therof where they rested what further hope they brought and finallye what greate thynges those tractes of landes do promyse in time to come In the declaration of my decade of the ocean which is nowe prynted and dyspersed throughout Chrystendome vnwares to me I described howe Christophorus Colonus founde those ilandes wherof wee haue spoken and that turnyng from thence towarde the left hande southward he chaunced into greate regions of landes and large seas dystant from the Equinoctiall lyne onely from fyue degrees to tenne where he founde brode ryuers and exceeding hygh mountaynes couered with snowe and harde by the sea bankes where were manye commodious and quyet hauens But Colonus being now departed out of this lyfe the kyng beganne to take care how those lands might be inhabited with Christian men to thincrease of our fayth Wheruppon he gaue lycence by his letters patentes to al such as would take the matter in hand and espetially to two wherof Diego Nicuesa was one the other was Alphonsus Fogeda Wherfore about the Ides of December Alphonsus departing fyrst with three hundred souldiers from the ilande of Hispaniola in the which we sayd the Spaniardes had builded a cytie planted theyr habitation saylyng in maner ful south he came to one of the hauens found before which Colonus named Portus carthaginis both because of the iland
standyng agaynste the course of the streame and also that by reason of the largenesse of the place and bendyng sydes it is much lyke to the hauen of Spayne called Carthago The inhabytantes call the Ilande Codego as the Spanyardes cal the Ilande of theyr hauen Scombria This region is called of the inhabitantes Caramairi in the whiche they affyrme both the men and women to bee of goodly stature but naked The men haue theyr heare cutte rounde by theyr eares but the women were it long both the men and women are very good archers Our men founde certayne trees in this prouince which bore great plenty of sweete apples but hurtful for they turne into woormes when they are eaten Especially the shadowe of the tree is contagious for such as sleepe vnder it any tyme haue theyr heades swolne and lose their sight but if they sleepe but a while theyr sight commeth agayne after a fewe dayes This porte is distant foure hundred fyftie sixe myles from that port of Hispaniola whiche the Spanyardes call Beata in the whiche also they furnishe them selues when they prepare anye voyage to seeke other newe landes When Fogeda had entred into the hauen he enuaded slue and spoyled the people whom he founde naked and scattered for they were geuen him for a pray by the kynges letters patentes because they had ben before tyme cruell agaynst the Christians and coulde neuer be allured to permytte them quietlye to come within theyr dominions Here they founde golde but in no great quantitie nor yet that pure they make of it certayne brest plates and brooches whiche they weare for comelynesse But Fogeda not content with these spoyles vsyng certayne captiues which he had taken before for guydes entred into a vyllage twelue myles dystant from the sea syde further into the lande into the which they were fled when he fyrst enuaded Here he found a naked people but apte to warre for they were armed with targettes shieldes long swoordes made of wood and bowes with arrowes typt with bone or hardened with fyre As soone as they had espyed our men they with theyr ghestes whō they had receiceyued assayled them with desperate myndes beyng therto more earnestly prouoked beholdyng the calamitie of these whiche fled vnto them by the violence done to theyr women and chyldren in the spoyle and slaughter In this conflyct our men had the ouerthrowe in the which one Iohannes de Lacossa being in aucthoritie next vnto Fogeda the captayne and also the fyrste that geathered gold in the sandes of Vraba was slaine with fiftie souldiers for these people infecte their arrowes with the deadlye poyson of a certayne herbe The other with theyr captayne Fogeda beyng discomfited fledde to the shyppes Whyle they remayned thus in the hauen of Carthago sorowful and pensiue for the losse of theyr companions the other captayne Diego Nicuesa whom they left in Hispaniola preparyng hym selfe towarde the voyage in the hauen Beata came to them with fyue shippes and seuen hundred fourescore and fyfteene men For the greater number of souldyers folowed Nicuesa bothe because free lybertye was geuen them to choose which of the capytaynes them lyst and also that by reason of his age he was of greater aucthorytie But esspetially because the rumoure was that Beragua being by the kyngs commission appoynted to Nicuesa was rycher in golde then Vraba assygned to Alphonsus Fogeda Therfore at the arryual of Nicuesa they consulted what was best to be doone and determyned fyrste to reuenge the deathe of theyr felowes Wheruppon settyng theyr battayle in araye they marched in the nyght towarde them whiche slue Cossa with his companyons Thus stealyng on them vnwares in the laste watche of the nyght and encompassyng the vyllage where they lay consystyng of a hundred houses and more hauyng also in it thryse as many of theyr neyghbours as of them selues they set it on fyre with diligent watche that none myght escape And thus in short time they brought them and theyr houses to ashes and made them paye the raunsome of blood with blood for of a great multitude of men and women they spared only syxe chyldren all other beyng destroyed with fyre or swoord except fewe whiche escaped priuily they learned by these reserued chyldren that Cossa and his felowes were cut in peeces and eaten of them that slue them By reason whereof they suppose that these people of Camairi tooke theyr original of the Caribes otherwyse called Canibales Here they founde some golde among the ashes For the hunger of golde dyd no lesse incourage our men to aduenture these peryls and labours then dyd the possessyng of the landes These thinges thus finished and the death of Cossa and his felowes reuenged they returned to the hauen After this Fogeda whiche came fyrst fyrst lykewyse departyng with his armie to seeke Vraba committed to his gouernaunce sayled by an Ilande called Fortis lying in the mydway betweene Vraba and the hauen of Carthago into the whiche dessending he founde it to be an Ilande of the Canibales bryngyng with hym from thence two men and seuen women for the residue escaped Here he founde in the cotages of them that fledde a hundred fourescore and tenne drammes of golde caste and wrought in dyuers fourmes Saylyng forwarde from hence he came to the East coastes of Vraba whiche the inhabitauntes call Carihana from whence the Caribes or Canibales of the Ilandes are sayd to haue theyr name and originall Here he began to builde a fortresse and a vyllage neere vnto the same therein intendyng to place theyr fyrst habitation Shortly after beyng instructed by certayne captyues that there was about twelue myles further within the lande a certayne vyllage called Tirufi hauyng in it a ryche golde myne he determined to destroy the village to the which when he came he founde the inhabitantes redy to defende theyr ryght and that so stoutlye that encounteryng with them he was repulsed with shame and domage for these people also vse bowes and venemous arrowes Within a fewe dayes after beyng enforced for lacke of vittualles to inuade another village he hym selfe was strycken in the thygh with an arrowe Some of his felowes say that he was thus wounded of one of the inhabitauntes whose wyfe he had ledde away captiue before They say also that he had fyrst frendlye communed with Fogeda for redeeming of his wife and had appoynted a day to bring a portion of golde for her raunsome and that he came at the day assigned not laden with golde but armed with bowes and arrowes with eyght other confederate with hym which had ben before partakers of the iniuries done to them fyrst at the hauen of Carthago and afterward at the burnyng of the vyllage in reuenge wherof they had desperately consecrated them selues to death But the matter beyng knowen the captayne of this conspiracie was slayne of Fogeda his companions and his wyfe deteyned in captiuitie Fogeda
troubled as often as they passed by his dominions to geue them vyttualles But Careta denyed that he coulde geue them any at that tyme alleagyng that he had oftentymes ayded the Christians as they passed by those coastes by reason whereof his store was nowe consumed also that by the meanes of the continuall warre whiche he kept euer from his childes age with a kyng whose name was Poncha borderyng vpon his dominion he and his familie were in great scarcenesse of al thynges But Vaschus woulde admyt none of these excuses and thereupon tooke Careta prisoner spoyled his vyllage and brought him bounde with his two wyues and chyldren and all his familie to Dariena With this kyng Careta they found three of the felowes of Nicuesa the which wheÌ„ Nicuesa passed by those coastes to seeke Beragua fearing punishment for theyr euil desertes stole away from the shippes lying at anker And when the nauie departed committed them selues to the mercie of Careta â–ª who enterteyned them very frendly They had nowe ben there eighteene monethes and were therefore as vtterly naked as the people of the countrey Duryng this tyme the meate of thinhabitantes seemed vnto them delicate dishes princely fare especially because they enioyed the same without any stryfe for mine and thyne whiche two thynges mooue and enforce men to suche harde shyftes and miseries that in lyuyng they seeme not to lyue Yet desyred they to returne to theyr olde cares of suche force is education and naturall affection towarde them with whom we haue ben brought vp The vyttuals which Vaschus brought from the vyllage of Careta to his felowes left in Dariena was rather somewhat to asswage theyr present hunger then vtterly to take away theyr necessitie But as touching Ancisus beyng Lieuetenaunt for Fogeda whether it were before these thyngs or after I knowe not but this I am sure of that after the reiecâ—yng of Nicuesa many occasions were sought against Ancisus by Vaschus and his factionaries Howsoeuer it was Ancisus was taken and cast in pryson and his goodes confiscate the cause hereof was as Vaschus alleaged that Ancisus had his commission of the Lieuetenauntshyp of Fogeda only whom they said to be now dead and not of the kyng saying that he woulde not obey anye man that was not put in offâ—ce by the kyng him selfe by his letters patentes Yet at the request of the grauest sort he was somewhat pacified and dealt more gentelly with hym hauyng some compassion on his calamities and thereupon commaunded him to be loosed Ancisus beyng at libertie tooke shyppe to depart from thence to Hispaniola but before he had hoysed vp his sayle al the wisest sort resorted to him humblye desyryng hym to returne agayne promysyng that they woulde doo their diligence that Vaschus being reconciled he myght be restored to his full aucthoritie of the Lieuetenauntshyp but Ancisus refused to consent to theyr request and so departed Yet some there were that murmured that God and his angels shewed this reuenge vpon Ancisus because Nicuesa was reiected through his counsayle Howe so euer it be the searchers of the newe landes fall headlong into ruine by theyr owne follie consumyng them selues with ciuile discorde not weighing so great a matter nor employing theyr best endeuour about the same as the woorthynesse of the thyng requireth In this meane tyme they determined all with one agreement to sende messengers into Hispaniola to the yong Admiral and viceroy sonne and heyre to Christophorus Colonus the fynder of these landes and to the other gouernours of the Ilande from whom the newe landes receiue theyr ayde and lawes to signifie vnto them what state they stoode in and in what necessitie they liued also what they had founde and in what hope they were of greater thyngs if they were furnished with plentie of vyttualles and other necessaries For this purpose they elected at the assignement of Vaschus one Valdiuia being one of his faction and instructed by hym agaynst Ancisus and to be assystant with hym they appoynted one Zamudius a Cantabrian so that commaundement was geuen to Valdiuia to returne from Hispaniola with vittuals Zamudius was appoynted to take his voyage into Spayne to the kyng They toke ship both togeather with Ancisus hauyng in mind to certifie the king howe things were handled there much otherwise then Zamudius information I mee selfe spake with both Ancisus Zamudius at their comming to the court Whyle they were occupied about these matters those wretched men of Dariena loosed Careta the king of Coiba vpon condition that he shoulde ayde them in their warres agaynst his enimie and theyrs kyng Poncha borderyng vpon his dominions Careta made a league with them promising that as they passed by his kingdome he woulde geue them all things necessarie meete them with an armie of men to goe forward with them to the battaile against Poncha Theyr weapons are neyther bowes nor venomed arrowes as we sayde thinhabitauntes to haue whiche dwel eastward beyonde the gulfe They fyght therefore at hande with long swordes whiche they call Macanas made of wood because they haue no Iron They vse also long staues lyke iauelyns hardened at the endes with fyre or typt with bone also certayne slynges and dartes Thus aftet the league made with Careta both he and our men had certayne dayes appoynted them to tyll theyr grounde and sowe theyr seedes This done by the ayde of Careta and by his conduction they marched towarde the pallace of Poncha who fled at theyr comming They spoyled his vyllage and mitigated theyr hunger with such vyttuals as they founde there yet coulde they not helpe theyr felowes therewith by reason of the farre distance of the place although they had great plentie for the vyllage of Poncha was more then a hundred myles dystant from Dariena whereas was also none other remedie but that the same shoulde haue ben caryed on mens backes to the sea syde beyng farre of where they left theyr shyppes in the whiche they came to the village of Careta Here they founde certayne poundes weight of gold grauen wrought into sundry ouches After the sackyng of this vyllage they resorted toward the ships intending to leaue the kynges of the inlande vntouched at this tyme and to inuade only them which dwelt by the sea coastes Not farre from Coiba in the same tracte there is a region named Comogra and the king thereof called Comogrus after the same name To this kyng they came fyrst next after the subuertion of Poncha and founde his pallace situate in a fruiteful playne of .xii. leagues in breadth at the rootes of the further syde of y e next mountaynes Comogrus had in his courte a certaine noble man of neere consanguitie to kyng Careta whiche had fled to Comogrus by reason of certayne dissentions which was betwene Careta hym these noble men they cal Iura This Iura therefore of Coiba met our men by the way
tooke the gouernour thereof prisoner and hanged him on the tree in whiche he dwelt him selfe commaundyng hym to be shotte through with arrowes in the syght of thinhabitantes and with hym foure other rulers to be hanged on gibbets to the example of other rebelles This punyshment thus executed vppon the conspiratours stroke the hartes of all thinhabitantes of the prouince with such feare that there is not nowe a man that dare styrre his fynger agaynst the wrath of our men They lyue nowe therefore quietly and the other kyngs by theyr example do the gladlyer lyue in subiection with lesse offence bearyng the yoke which they can by no meanes shake of The syxte booke of the seconde Decade of the supposed continent THese thynges thus fynyshed assembling al theyr company togeather they determined with one consent that a messenger shoulde foorthwith be sent to Hispaniola from whence they haue theyr lawes and ayde to declare the whole order of al these affayres fyrst to the Admiral and gouernour of the Ilande and afterward to the Kyng of Spayne and to perswade hym to sende those thousande men whiche young Comogrus sayde to be expedient to passe ouer the mountaynes lying betwene them and the golden regions toward the South â–ª Vaschus hym selfe dyd greatlye affect this embassage but neither would the residue of his felowes electe hym therto nor his factionaries suffer hym to departe aswell for that thereby they thought they should be left desolate as also that they murmured that if Vaschus should once go from them he woulde neuer returne to suche turmoyles and calamities by the example of Valdiuia and Zamudius who had ben now absent sence the moneth of Ianuary in so much that they thought they woulde neuer come agayne but the matter was otherwyse then they tooke it as I wyll shewe in his place for they were perished At the length after many scrutinies they elected one Iohn Quicedus a graue man wel in yeeres and treasourer of the kynges Exchequer in those prouinces they had conceiued a good opinion of this Quicedus that all thynges shoulde be well brought to passe by his meanes aswell for his wysdome as also that they were in good hope of his return because he had brought his wife with hym to those regions whom he left with his felowes for a pledge of his comming againe When they had thus elected Quicedus they were againe of diuers opinions whom they might ioyne with him for assistance affirming that it were a daungerous thing to committe so weightie a matter to one mans handes not that they mistrusted Quicedus but because the life of man is fraile the change of the ayre perillous especially to them hauyng now of long time ben accustomed to the temperature neere vnto the Equinoctial if they should be compelled to returne to y e North with alteration of ayre diet They thought it therfore good to appoynt a companion to Quicedus that if by chaunce the one should faile thother might remaine that if they both escaped the king should geue y e better credit to the relation of both After long consultation therfore they chose Rodericus Colmenaris a man of good experience of whom we haue oftentimes made mention for from his youth he had trauailed ouer al Europe by lande and by sea and was present at the doynges of al things in Italie agaynâ—â— the Frenche men of whose returne also they had no smal hope because he had many farmes and had tylled and sowne much grounde in Dariena by the increase wherof he myght get much gold by selling the same to his felowes He left therfore the charge of al his affayres in Dariena with his partner Alphonsus Nunnez a iudge of the lawe who also was lyke to haue ben chosen procuratour of this voyage before Colmenaris yf one had not put them in remembrance that he had a wife at Matritis fearing lest being ouercome with her teares he woulde no more returne Colmenaris therfore a free man at libertie being associate assystant with Quicedus they tooke shyppyng together in a Brigandine the fourth day of the Calendes of Nouember in the yeere of Christe .1512 In this voyage beyng tossed with sundry tempestes they were by the violence of the winde cast vpon the West coastes of that large Iland which in the fyrst Decade we called Cuba supposed to haue ben firme land They were sore oppressed with hunger for it was nowe three monethes synce they departed from theyr felowes by reason whereof they were enforced to take lande to prooue what ayde they coulde get among the inhabitauntes Theyr chaunce therefore was to arryue in that part of the Ilande where Valdiuia was dryuen aland by tempest But oh you wretched men of Dariena tary for Valdiuia whom you sent to prouide to helpe your necessities prouyde for your selues rather and trust not to them whose fortune ye knowe not For when he arryued in Cuba the inhabitantes slue hym with al his felowes and left the Carauel wherin they were caryed torne in peeces and halfe 〈◊〉 with sande on the shore where Quicedus and Colmenaâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the fragmentes thereof bewayled theyr felowes myâ—fortune but they founde none of theyr carcasses supposyng that they were eyther drowned or deuoured of the Canibales which oftentimes make incursions into that Ilande to hunt for men But at the length by two of the Ilande men which they had taken they had knowledge of Valdiuia his destruction and that the inhabitauntes the more greedily attempted the same for that they had heard by the babblyng of one of his felowes that he had great plentie of golde for they also take pleasure in the beautie of golde whiche they fourme artificially into sundry ouches Thus our men stricken with pensiuenesse for the cruell destenie of theyr felowes and in vayne seekyng reuenge for theyr iniuries determined to forsake that vnfortunate lande departyng from those couetous naked barbarians with more sorowe and necessitie then they were in before Or euer they had passed the South syde of Cuba they fel into a thousande mysfortunes and had intelligence that Fogeda arryued therabout leadyng a miserable lyfe tossed and turmoyled with tempestes and vexed with a thousande perplexities so that departyng from thence almost alone his felowes beyng for the most part al consumed with maladies and famine he came with much difficultie to Hispaniola where he dyed by force of the poyson of his venemous wounde which he had receiued in Vraba as we haue sayde before But Ancisus elected Lieutenant sayled by al those coastes with much better fortune for as he hym selfe tolde me he founde prosperous wyndes in those parties and was wel enterteyned of thinhabitantes of Cuba but this specially in the dominion of a certayne kyng whose name was Commendator for wheras he desyred of the Christian men whiche passed by to be baptised demaundyng the name of the gouernour of the Ilande next vnto Hispaniola beyng a
two of his ships and so tossed the other that they were enforced to heaue ouerboorde part of theyr vyttualles to lyghten them All suche as escaped sayled backe agayne to the coastes of Spayne where beyng newly furnyshed and refreshed by the kyngs officers they went forward on theyr voyage The master Pylote of the gouernours shyp was Iohannes Vesputius a Florentine the neuiew of Americus Vesputius who left him as it were by discent of inheritance thexperience of the Maryners facultie and knowledge of the sea carde and compasse But we were aduertised of late by certayne whiche came from Hispaniola that they had passed the Ocean with more prosperous winde for this marchaunt shyppe commyng from Hispaniola founde them landing at certaine Ilands neere therabout But in the meane time whyle my importunate callers on Galeaceus Butrigarius and Iohannes Cursius men studious by al meanes to gratifie your holynesse ceassed not to put me in remembrance that they had one in a redines to depart into Italy taried only to cary with him vnto your holines these my fayre Nereides although rudely decked lest I shoulde bestow much tyme in vayne I haue let passe many things wil reherse only such as seeme in my iudgement moste worthy memory although somwhat disordered as occasion hath serued So it is therefore that this Petrus Arias hath a wife named Helisabetha Boadilla beyng niese by the brothers syde to the marques of Boadilla whiche rendred the citie of Segouia to Fernando and Helisabeth princes of Spayne at suche time as the Portugales inuaded the kingdome of Castile by reason wherof they were encouraged fyrst to resyst and then with open warre to assayle and expulse the Portugales for the great treasure whiche kyng Henry brother to queene Helisabeth had geathered togeather there This marquesse while she liued did euer shewe a manly and stoute mynde both in peace and warre so that by her counsayle many noble thinges were brought to good effecte in Castile vnto this noble woman the wyfe of Petrus Arias was niese by her brothers syde She folowyng the magnanimitie of her aunt perceiuyng her husband nowe furnyshyng hym selfe to depart to the vnknowen coastes of the newe worlde and those large tractes of lande and sea spake these wordes vnto hym My most deare and welbeloued husbande we ought not nowe to forgeat that from our young yeeres we haue ben ioyned togeather with the yoke of holy matrimonie to thintent that we shoulde so lyue togeather and not asunder duryng the tyme of our natural lyfe wherefore for my part to declare my affection herein you shal vnderstande that whither soeuer your fatall destenie shall dryue you eyther by the furious waues of the great Ocean or by the manyfolde and horrible daungers of the lande I wyl surely beare you company there can no peryll chaunce to me so terrible nor any kynde of death so cruell that shal not be muche easyer for me to abyde then to liue so farre separate from you It were muche better for me to dye and eyther to be cast into the sea to be deuoured of the fyshes or on the lande to the Canibales then with continual mournyng and bewaylyng to liue in death and dye lyuyng whyle I consume in lookyng rather for my husbandes letters then for hym selfe This is my ful determination not rashly nor presently excogitate nor conceiued by the lyght phantasie of womans brayne but with long deliberation and good aduisement Nowe therefore choose to whether of these two you wyll assent eyther to thruste your swoorde in my throte or to graunt me my request As for the children which god hath geuen vs as pledges of our inseparable loue for they had foure sonnes and as many daughters shall not stay me a moment let vs leaue vnto them such goodes and possessions as haue ben left vs by our parentes and freendes whereby they may lyue among the woorshypfull of theyr order for other thynges I take no care When this noble matrone of manly vertue had finished these woordes her husbande seeyng the constant mynde of his wyfe and her in a redynesse to do accordyng to her woordes had no hart to denye her louyng petition but embracing her in his armes commended her intent and consented to her request She folowed hym therfore as did Ipsicratea her Mithridates with her heare hangyng loose about her shoulders for she loued her husband as dyd Halicarnassea of Caria hers being dead and as dyd Artemisia her Mausolus We haue also had aduertisment since theyr departure that she beyng brought vp as it were amōg soft fethers hath with no lesse stoute courage susteyned the roringes and rages of the Ocean then dyd eyther her husbande or any of the Maryners brought vp euen among the sourges of the sea But to haue sayde thus muche hereof this shall suffise let vs nowe speake of other thynges no lesse worthy memorie Therfore wheras in the first Decade we haue made mention of Vincentius Annez Pinzonus ye shal vnderstand ▪ that he accōpanied Christophorus Colonus the Admiral in his first voyage and afterwarde made an other voyage of his owne charges with only one shyppe Agayne the fyrst yeere after the departyng of the Captayne 's Nicuesa and Fogeda he ran ouer those coastes from Hispaniola and searched al the South syde of Cuba from the East to the West and sayled rounde about that Iland whiche to that day for the great length thereof was thought to haue ben part of the continent or firme land although some other say that they dyd the lyke Vincentius Annez therefore knowyng nowe by experience that Cuba was an Ilande sayled on further and found other landes Westwarde from Cuba but suche as the Admiral had first touched Wherfore beyng in manner encompassed with this newe lande turning his course towarde the left hande and rasing the coastes of that lande by the East ouerpassing also the mouthes of the gulfes of Beragua Vraba and Cuchibachoa he arryued at the region whiche in the first Decade we called Paria and Os Draconis and entred into the great gulfe of freshe water which Colonus discouered beyng replenyshed with great abundance of fyshe and famous by reason of the multitude of Ilandes lying in the same beyng distant Eastwarde from Curiana about an hundred and thirtie myles in the which tracte are the regions of Cumana and Manacapana whiche also in the sixt booke of the fyrst Decade we sayd to be regions of the large prouince of Paria where many affyrme to be the greatest plentie of the best pearles and not in Curiana The kynges of these regions whom they cal Chiacones as they of Hispaniola cal them Cacici beyng certified of the comming of our men sent certayne spyes to enquire what new nation was arryued in theyr coastes what they brought and what they would haue and in the meane tyme furnyshed a number of theyr Canoas whiche they call Chichos with men armed after theyr manner for they were
not a lytle astonyshed to beholde our shippes with the sayles spread whereas they vse no sayles nor can vse but small ones yf they woulde by reason of the narownesse of theyr Canoas Swarmyng therefore about the shyppe with theyr Canoas whiche we may wel cal Monoxyla because they are made of one whole tree they feared not to shoote at our men beyng yet within their shyppes and keepyng them selues vnder the hatches as safely as yf they had ben defended with stone walles But when our men had shotte of certayne peeces of ordinaunce agaynst them they were so discomfited with the noyse and slaughter thereof that they droue them selues to flyght Being thus disparcled our men chased them with the ship boate toke many and slue many When the kynges heard the noyse of the gunnes and were certified of the losse of theyr men they sent ambassadours to Vincentius Agnes to entreate of peace fearyng the spoyle of theyr goodes and destruction of theyr people yf our men should come alande in theyr wrath and furie They desyred peace therefore as coulde be coniectured by theyr signes and poyntynges for our men vnderstoode not one woord of theyr language And for the better proofe that they desyred peace they presented our men with three thousande of those weyghtes of gold that the Spanyardes call Castellanum Aureum whiche they commonly call Pesum Also a great barrel of wood ful of moste excellent masculine Frankencense weighing about two thousande and sixe hundred poundes weight after eight ounces to the pounde whereby they knewe that that lande brought foorth great plentie of Frankencense for there is no entercourse of marchaundies betweene the inhabitauntes of Paria and the Sabeans being so farre distant wheras also they of Paria knowe nothing without theyr owne coastes With the golde and Frankencense whiche they presented to our men they gaue them also a great multitude of theyr peacockes both cockes and hennes dead and alyue aswel to satisfie theyr present necessitie as also to carry with them into Spayne for encrease lykewyse certayne carpettes couerlettes table clothes and hangyngs made of Gossampine silke finely wrought after a strange deuice with pleasant and variable colours hauyng golden belles and such other spangles and pendauntes as the Italians call Sonaglios and the Spanyardes Cascaueles hangyng at the purfles therof They gaue them furthermore speakyng popyngayes of sundry colours as many as they woulde aske for in Paria there is no lesse plentie of popyngayes then with vs of doues or sparows Thinhabitants of these regions both men women are apparelled with vestures made of gossampine cotton the men to the knees and the women to the calfe of the legge The fashion of theyr apparel is simple and playne muche lyke vnto the Turkes but the mens is double and quilted like that which the Turkes vse in the warres The princes of Paria are rulers but for one yeere but theyr auctoritie is no lesse among the people both in peace and warre then is thauctoritie of other kyngs in those regions Their villages are builded in compasse along by the bankes of al that great gulfe Fyue of theyr princes came to our men with theyr presentes whose names I thought woorthy to be put in this historie in remembrance of so notable a thing Chiaconus Chiauaccha that is the prince of Chiauaccha for they cal princes or kings Chiaconus Chiaconus Pintiguanus Chiaconus Chamailaba Chiaconus Polomus ▪ and Chiaconus Potto The gulfe beyng first found of the Admiral Colonus they cal Baia Natiuitatis because he entred into the same in the day of y e natiuitie of Christ but at that time he only passed by it without any further searchyng and Baia in the Spanyshe tong signifieth a gulfe Whē Vincentius had thus made a league with these princes folowyng his appoynted course he founde many regions toward y e East desolate by reason of diuers floods and ouerflowyngs of waters also many standyng pooles in diuers places and those of exceeding largenesse He ceassed not to folowe this tracte vntyl he came to the poynt or cape of that most long lande This poynt seemeth as though it would inuade the mount Atlas in Aphrica for it prospecteth towarde that part of Aphrike which the Portugales cal Caput bonae Sperantiae The poynte◠or capes of the mount Atlas are rough and sauage neere vnto the sea The cape of Bona Speranza geathereth thyrtie and foure degrees of the South pole called the pole Antartike but that poynt only seuen degrees I suppose this lande to be that whiche I fynde in olde wryters of Cosmographie to be called the great Ilande Atlantike without any further declaryng eyther of the situation or of the nature thereof The eight booke of the seconde Decade of the supposed continent WHen Iohn the king of Portugale liued whiche was predecessour to him that nowe raigneth there arose a great contention betweene the Castilians and the Portugales as concernyng the dominion of these newe founde landes The Portugales because they were the fyrst that durst attempt to searche the Ocean sea synce the memorie of man affirmed that al the nauigations of the Ocean ought to parteyne to them only The Castilians argued on the contrary part that whatsoeuer God by the ministration of nature hath created on the earth was at the begynnyng common among men and that it is therefore lawful to euery man to possesse such lands as are voyde of Christian inhabitours Whyle the matter was thus vncertaynelye debated both parties agreed that the controuersie shoulde be desyded by the byshop of Rome and plighted fayth to stande to his arbitrement The kyngdome of Castile was at that tyme gouerned by that great queene Helisabeth with her husband for the Realme of Castile was her dowrie She also and the kyng of Portugale were cosyn germanes of two systers by reason whereof the dissention was more easyly pacified By the assent therfore of both parties Alexander the bishop of Rome the .vi. of that name by thaucthoritie of his leaden bull drewe a right lyne from the North to the South an hundred leagues Westwarde without the paralels of those Ilandes whiche are called Caput Viride or Cabouerde within the compasse of this lyne although some denye it falleth the poynt of this lande whereof we haue spoken whiche they cal Caput Sancti Augustini otherwyse called Promontorium Sancti Augustini that is saint Augustines cape or poynt and therefore it is not lawful for the Castilians to fasten foote in the begynnyng of that land Vincentius Annez therefore departed from thence beyng aduertised of the inhabitantes that on the other syde of the hygh mountaynes towarde the South lying before his eyes there was a region called Ciamba whiche brought forth great plentie of golde Of certayne captiues whiche he tooke in the gulfe of Paria whiche certaynely parteyneth to the dominion of Castile he brought some with him to Hispaniola and left
them with the young Admirall to learne our language but he hym selfe repayred to the court to make earnest suite to the kyng that by his fauour he myght be gouernour of the Iland of Sancti Iohannis otherwise called Burichena being distant from Hispaniola only .xxv. leagues because he was the fyrst finder of golde in that Ilande Before Vincentius made suite for this office one Don Christopher a Portugale the sonne of the countie of Camigna was gouernour of the Iland whom the Canibales of the other Ilandes slue with al the Christian men that were in the same except the Bishop and his familiers whiche fled and shyfted for them selues forsakyng the churche and al the ornamentes thereof for your holynesse hath consecrated fiue byshops in these Ilands at the request of the most catholique king In Sancto Dominico the chiefe citie of Hispaniola Garsia de Padilla a reguler Fryer of the order of saint Frauncis is byshop In the towne of Conception doctor Petrus Xuares of Deza and in the Ilande of saint Iohn or Burichena Alphonsus Mansus a licenciate being both obseruantes of the institution of saint Peter The fourth is Fryer Barnarde of Mesa a man of noble parentage borne in Toledo a preacher bishop of the Ilande of Cuba The fift is Iohannes Cabedus a fryer preacher whom your holynesse annoynted minister of Christe to teache the Christian fayth among the inhabitantes of Dariena The Canibales shal shortlye repent them and the blood of our men shal be reuenged and that the sooner because that shortly after they had commytted this abominable slaughter of our men they came agayne from theyr owne Ilande of Sancta crux otherwise called Ay Ay to the Ilande of Sancti Iohannis and slue a kyng whiche was a freende to our men and ate hym and al his family vtterly subuertyng his village vpon this occasion that violating the law of hostage he had slayne seuen Canibales whiche were left with hym by composition to make certayne Canoas because the Ilande of Sancti Iohannis beareth greater trees and apter for that purpose then doth the Iland of Sancti crux the cheefe habitatiō of the Canibales These Canibales yet remaynyng in the Iland certaine of our men saylyng from Hispaniola chaunced vpon them The thyng beyng vnderstoode by the interpretours our men quarelling with them and calling them to accompt for that mischeuous deede they immediatly directed theyr bowes and venemous arrowes against them and with cruell countenances threatned them to be quiet lest it shoulde repent them of theyr commyng thyther Our men fearyng theyr venemous arrowes for they were not prepared to fyght gaue them signes of peace Beyng demaunded why they destroyed the vyllage and where the king was with his familie they answered that they rased the vyllage and cut the kyng with his familie in peeces and ate them in the reuenge of theyr seuen woorkmen and that they had made faggottes of theyr bones to cary them to the wiues and children of theyr slayne woorkemen in wytnesse that the bodyes of theyr husbandes and parentes lay not vnreuenged and therewith shewed the faggottes of bones to our men who beyng astonyshed at theyr fiercenesse and crueltie were enforced to dissemble the matter and holde theyr peace quarellyng no further with them at that tyme. These and suche other thynges doo dayly chaunce the whiche I do let passe lest I should offende the eares of your holynesse with such blooddy narrations Thus haue we sufficiently digressed from the regions of Beragua and Vraba beyng the cheefest fundations of our purpose We wyll now therfore entreate somewhat of the largenesse and deapth of the ryuers of Vraba also declare both what they and the landes which they runne through do bryng foorth lykewyse of the greatnesse of the lande from the East to the West and of the breadth thereof from the South to the North and what theyr opinion and hope is of thynges yet vnknowen in the same We wil therefore begyn at the newe names wherwith the Spanyardes haue named these prouinces synce they were vnder the dominions of the Christians The nienth booke of the second Decade of the supposed continent BEragua therfore they called Castella Aure◠▪ that is golden Castile and Vraba they named Andalusia noua that is newe Andalusia And lyke as of many Ilandes whiche they subdued they chose Hispaniola for the cheefe place of theyr habitation so in the large tracte of Paria they appoynted theyr colonie or biding place in the two regions of Vraba and Beragua ▪ that al suche as attempt any voyages in those coastes may resort to them as to safe portes to be refreshed when they are weerie or dryuen to necessitie Al our seedes and plantes do now marueylously encrease in Vraba lykewyse blades settes slippes graffes suger canes and suche other as are brought from other places to those regions as also beastes and foules as we haue sayd before O marueylous fruitefulnesse Twentie dayes after the seede is sowen they geather rype cucumbers and such lyke but Colwoortes Beetes Lettuse Borage are rype within the space often dayes Gourdes Melones and Pompions within the space of .xxviii. dayes Dariena hath many natiue trees and fruites of diuers kinds with sundry tastes holsome for the vse of men of the which I haue thought it good to describe certaine of the best They nouryshe a tree whiche they call Guaiana that beareth a fruite muche resemblyng the kinde of Citrones which are commonly called Limones of taste somwhat sharpe myxt with sweetenes They haue also abundance of nuts of pinetrees and great plentie of Date trees which beare fruites bigger then the Dates that are knowen to vs but they are not apt to be eaten for theyr to much sowrenesse Wilde barren Date trees grow of them selues in sundry places the branches wherof they vse for beesomes and eate also the buddes of the same Guarauana being hygher and bygger then the orange tree bryngeth foorth a great fruite as bygge as pome Citrons There is another tree much like to a chestnut tree whose fruite is like to the bigger sorte of fygs beyng holsome and of pleasant taste Mameis is another tree that bringeth forth fruite as bygge as an orange in taste nothing inferior to the best kindes of Melones Guananala beareth a fruite lesse then any of the other but of sweete sauour like spice and of dilectable taste Houos is another tree whose fruite both in shape and taste is muche lyke to prunes but somewhat bygger they are surely perswaded that this is the Myrobalane tree These growe so abundantly in Hispaniola that the hogges are fedde with the fruite therof as with mast among vs. The hogges like this kynde of feedyng so wel that when these fruites waxe ripe the swineheards can by no meanes keepe them out of the woods of these trees by reason whereof a great multitude of them are become wilde They also affirme that in Hispaniola swines flesh is
to the cape or poynt of Cuchibacoa whiche being passed there is a gulfe on the left hande we measured three hundred leagues in one Carde much thereabout in another From this poynt of Cuchibacoa to the region of Caramairi in whiche is the hauen Carthago whiche some cal Carthagena we found about a hundred seuentie leagues From Caramairi to the Iland Fortis fyftie leagues From thence to the gulfes of Vraba among the whiche is the vyllage called Sancta Maria Antiqua where the Spanyards haue appoynted theyr habitation only .xxxiii. leagues From the ryuer of Vraba in the prouince of Dariena to y e riuer of Beragua where Nicuesa had intended to haue fastened his foote if God had not otherwyse decreed we measured a hundred and thirtie leagues From Beragua to that riuer which we said of Colonus to be called Sancti Matthei in the which also Nicuesa loosing his Carauel wandered in great calamities we founde in our Cardes only a hundred and fourtie leagues Yet many other whiche of late tyme haue come from these partes haue described many mo leagues in this tract from the ryuer of Sancti Matthei in whiche also they place diuers ryuers as Aburema with the Iland called Scutum Cateba lying before it whose kyngs name is Facies combusta Likewise another ryuer called Zobraba after that Vrida and then Duraba in the which golde is founde Furthermore many goodly hauens as Cerabaro and Hiebra so called of the inhabitauntes And thus yf your holynesse wyll conferre these numbers togeather you shall fynde in this accompt a thousand fyue hundred twentie and fiue leagues which amount to fyue thousande seuen hundred miles from the poynt of Sancti Matthei whiche they cal Sinum perditorum that is The gulfe of y e lost men But we may not leaue here for after this one Astur Ouetensis otherwyse named Iohannes Dias de Solis borne in Nebrissa whiche bryngeth foorth many learned men sayling from this riuer towarde the West ouerranne many coastes and leagues but the middest of that shore bendeth towarde the North and is not therefore directly placed in order with the other yet may we geather by a diameter or right lyne about three hundred leagues Hereby may you geather what is the length of this lande but of the breadth perhaps we shal hereafter haue further knowledge Let vs nowe speake somewhat of the varietie of the degrees of the eleuation of the pole starres This lande therefore although it reache foorth from the East into the West yet is it crooked and hath the poynt bendyng so towarde the South that it looseth the syght of the North pole and is extended beyonde the Equinoctial lyne seuen degrees towarde the South pole but the poynt hereof parteyneth to the iurisdiction of the Portugales as we haue sayde Leauing this poynt and saylyng towarde Paria the North starre is seene againe is so much the more lifted vp in how much the region enclineth more towarde the West The Spanyardes therfore haue diuers degrees of eleuations vntyll they come to Dariena being theyr cheefe station and dwelling place in those landes for they haue forsaken Beragua where they founde the North pole eleuate .viii. degrees but from hence the land doth so much bend towarde the North that it is there in manner equal with the degrees of the strayghtes of Hercules pyllers especially yf we measure certaine landes founde by them toward the North syde of Hispaniola among the which there is an Iland about three C. and .xxv. leagues frō Hispaniola as they say which haue searched the same named Boiuca or Agnaneo in the which is a continuall spring of running water of such marueilous vertue that y e water thereof being drunke perhaps with some diet maketh olde men young agayne And here must I make protestation to your honesse not to thynke this to be sayde lyghtly or rashly for they haue so spread this rumour for a trueth throughout al the courte that not onlye al the people but also many of them whom wysedome or fortune hath diuided from the common sort thynke it to be true but yf you shal aske my opinion herein I wyl answere that I wyll not attribute so great power to nature but that God hath no lesse reserued this prerogatiue to hym selfe then to searche the hartes of men or to geue substaunce to priuation that is beyng to no beyng except we shall beleeue the fable of Colchis of Eson renouate to be as true as the wrytynges of Sibylla Erythrea Albeit perhaps the scooles of Phisitions and natural philosophers wyll not muche stycke to affyrme that by the vse of certayne secrete medicines and dyet the accidentes of age as they cal them may be long hydden and deferred whiche they wyl to be vnderstoode by the renouation of age And to haue sayde thus much of the length and breadth of these regions and of the rough and hugious mountaynes with theyr waterye caues also of the diuers degrees of that lande I thinke it sufficient But I thought it not good to let passe what chaunced to these miserable men among theyr generall calamities I remember that when I was a chylde me thought my bowelles grated and that my spirites were marueylously troubled for very pitie when I read in the poete Uirgyl howe Achemenides was left of Vlysses vpon the sea bankes among y e giantes called Cyclopes where for the space of many dayes from the departyng of Vlysses vntyl the comming of Eneas he eate none other meate but only berries and hawes But our vnfortunate Spanyards whiche folowed Nicuesa to inhabite Beragua would haue esteemed hawes berries for great delicates What should I heare speake of the head of an asse bought for a great pryce and of such other extremities as men haue suffered in townes besieged After that Nicuesa had determined to leaue Beragua for the barrennesse of the soyle he attempted to searche Portum Bellum and then the coastes of the poynt called Marmor yf he myght there fynde a place more fortunate to inhabite In this meane tyme so greeuous famine oppressed his souldiers that they neyther absteined frō eating of mangie dogges which they had with them aswel for theyr defence as for huntyng for in the warre agaynst the naked people dogges stoode them in great steade nor yet sometyme from the slaine inhabitauntes for they found not there any fruitful trees or plentie of foules as in Dariena but a barren ground and not meete to be inhabited Here certaine of the souldiers made a bargayne with one of their felowes for the pryce of a leane dogge who also was almost dead for hunger they gaue the owner of the dogge many of those peeces of gold which they cal Pesos or golden Castellans Thus agreeing of the pryce they flayed the dogge to be eaten and cast his mangie skinne with the bones of the head hangyng thereto among the bushes The day folowyng a certayne
other hauyng in it but onely one kyng and hym of so great power that at suche tymes of the yeere as the sea is calme he inuadeth theyr dominions with a great nauie of Culchas spoylyng and cariyng away for a praye all that he meeteth This Ilande is distant from these coastes only twentie myles So that the promontories or poyntes thereof reachyng into the sea may be seene from the hylles of this continent In the sea neere about this Ilande sea muscles are engendred of such quantitie that many of them are as brode as bucklers In these are pearles founde beyng the hartes of those shell fysshes oftentymes as bygge as beanes somtymes bygger then Olyues and suche as sumptuous Cleopatra myght haue desyred Although this Ilande be so neere to the shore of this firme lande yet is the begynnyng thereof in the mayne sea without the mouth of the gulfe Vaschus beyng ioyful and mery with this rych communication fantasyng nowe in maner nothing but princes treasures beganne to speake fierce and cruell woordes against the tyrant of that Ilande meanyng hereby to wynne the myndes of the other kynges and bynde them to hym with a neerer bonde of frendeshyp Yet therefore raylyng further on hym with spytefull and approbrious woords he swore great othes that he woulde forthwith inuade the Ilande spoylyng destroying burnyng drownyng and hangyng sparyng neyther swoorde nor fyre vntyll he had reuenged theyr iniuries and therewith commaunded his Culchas to be in a redynes But the two kynges Chiapes and Tumaccus â–ª exhorted hym frendly to deferre this enterprise vntil a more quiet season bycause that sea was nor nauigable without great danger beyng nowe the begynnyng of Nouember Wherein the kynges seemed to saye true For as Vaschus hym selfe wryteth great roring of the sea was heard among the Ilands of the gulfe by reason of the ragyng and conflict of the water Great ryuers also descendyng from the toppes of the mountaynes the same tyme of the yeere and ouerflowyng theyr bankes dryuyng downe with theyr violence great rockes and trees make a marueylous noyse Lykewise the furie of the South and Northeast wyndes associate with thunder and lyghtnyng at the same season dyd greatly molest them Whyle the wether was fayre they were vexed in the night with colde and in the day tyme the heat of the Sonne troubled them wherof it is no marueyle forasmuche as they were neere vnto the Equinoctial line although they make no mention of the eleuation of the pole for in suche regions in the nyght the Moone and other colde planettes but in the day the Sonne and other hotte planettes doo cheefely exercyse theyr influence although the antiquitie were of an other opinion supposyng the Equinoctiall circle to bee vnhatable and desolate by reason of the heate of the Sonne hauyng his course perpendiculerly or directly ouer the same except a fewe of the contrary opinion whose assertions the Portugales haue at these dayes by experience proued to be true for they sayle yeerely to thinhabitantes of the south pole beyng in maner Antâ—podes to the people called Hyperborei vnder the North pole and exercise marchaundize with them And here haue I named Antipodes forasmuche as I am not ignorant that there hath ben men of singuler witte and great learnyng whiche haue denyed that there is Antipodes that is suche as walke feete to feete But it is most certaine that it is not geuen to any one man to knowe all thynges for euen they also were men whose propertie is to erre and be deceiued in many thynges Neuerthelesse the Portugales of our tyme haue sayled to the fyue and fyftie degree of the south pole where compassyng about the poynt therof they myght see throughout all the heauen about the same certeyne shynnyng whyte cloudes here and there among the starres lyke vnto them which are seene in the tract of heauen called Lactea via that is the mylke whyte way They say there is no notable starre neare about that pole lyke vnto this of oures which the common people thynke to be the pole of it selfe called of the Italians Tramontana and of the Spanyardes Nortes but that the same falleth beneath the Ocean WheÌ„ the Sonne descendeth from the myddest of the exiltree of the worlde from vs it ryseth to them as a payre of ballances whose weyght enclinyng from the equall payse in the myddest towarde eyther of the sydes causeth the one ende to ryse as much as the other falleth When therfore it is Autumne with vs it is spring tyme with them and sommer with vs when it is wynter with them But it suffiseth to haue sayde thus much of strange matters Let vs nowe therefore returne to the historie and to our men The seconde booke of the thyrde Decade VAschus by thaduice of king Chiapes and Tumaccus determined to deferre his voyage to the sayde Ilande vntyll the next spryng or sommer at which tyme Chiapes offered him selfe to accompany our men and ayde them therin al that he myght In this meane tyme Vaschus had knowledge that these kynges had nettes and fysshyng places in certeyne stations of that sea neare vnto the shore where they were accustomed to fyshe for sea muscles in the which pearles are engendred and that for this purpose they had certeyne dyuers or fysshers exercised from theyr youth in swimmyng vnder the water But they doo this onely at certeine tymes when the sea is calme that they may the eassier come to y e place where these shel fishes are wont to lye for the bygger that they are so much lye they the deeper neerer to y e bottome but the lesser as it were daughters to thother are neerer the brimme of the water likewise the least of al as it were their nieses are yet neerer to the superficial part therof To them of the byggest fort whiche lye lowest the fysâ—hers descende the depth of three mens heyght and somtyme foure but to the daughters or nieses as their succession they descende only to the mydde thygh Somtimes also after that the sea hath ben disquieted with vehement tempestes they fynde a great multitude of these fishes on the sandes beyng dryuen to the shore by the violence of the water The pearles of these which are founde on the sande are but lytle the fyshe it selfe is more pleasaunt in eatyng then are our oysters as our men report But perhaps hunger the sweete sause of all meates caused our men so to thynke Whether pearles be the hartes of sea muscles as Aristotle supposed or the byrth or spawne of their intrals as Plinie thought or whether they cleaue continually to the rockes or wander by companies in the sea by the guyding of the eldest whether euery fysshe bryng foorth one pearle or more at one byrth or at dyuers also whether they be fyled from the rockes wherunto they cleaue or may be easely pulled away or otherwyse fall of by them selues when they are come to theyr full
the woorkemen are but fewe As we haue sayde at the begynnyng your holynesse shal hereafter nouryshe many myriades of broodes of chyckens vnder your wynges But let vs nowe returne to speake of Beragua beyng the West syde of Vraba and first found by Colonus the Admiral then vnfortunately gouerned by Diego Nicuesa and nowe left in maner desolate with the other large regions of those prouinces brought from theyr wylde and beastly rudenesse to ciuilitie and true religion The fourth booke of the thyrde Decade I Was determined moste holy father to haue proceeded no further herein but y e one fyery sparke yet remaynyng in my minde would not suffer me to ceasse Whereas I haue therfore declared how Beragua was fyrst founde by Colonus me thynke I should commit a haynous crime if I shoulde defraud the man of the due commendations of his trauayles of his cares and troubles and finally of the daungers peryls whiche he susteyned in that nauigation Therfore in the yeere of Christ 1502. in the .6 day of the Ides of May he hoysed vp his sayles and departed from the Ilandes of Gades with foure shyppes of fyftie or threescore tunne a peece with a hundred threescore and ten men and came with prosperous wynde to the Ilandes of Canariae within fyue dayes folowyng From thence arryuyng the .16 day at the Ilande of Dominica being the cheefe habitation of the Canibales he saâ—led from Dominica to Hispaniola in fiue other dayes Thus within the space of .26 dayes with prosperous wynde and by the swyfte fall of the Ocean from the East to the West he sayled from Spayne to Hispaniola whiche course is counted of the mariners to be no lesse then a thousand and two hundred leagues He taryed but a whyle in Hispaniola whether it were wyllyngly or that he were so admonished of the Uice Roy. Directyng therefore his voyage from thence toward the west leauyng the Ilandes of Cuba and Iamaica on his ryght hand towarde the north he wryteth that he chaunced vppon an Ilande more southwarde then Iamaica whiche thinhabitantes call Guanassa so floryshyng and fruitefull that it might seeme an earthlye Paradyse Coastyng along by the shores of this Iland he mette two of the Canoas or boates of those prouinces whiche were drawne with two naked slaues agaynst the streame In these boates was caryed a ruler of the Iland with his wyfe and chyldren all naked The slaues seeyng our men a lande made signes to them with proud countenaunce in theyr maisters name to stand out of the way and threatned them if they woulde not geue place Their symplenes is such that they neyther feared the multitude or power of our men or the greatnes and straungenes of our shyppes They thought that our men woulde haue honoured theyr maister with lyke reuerence as they dyd Our men had entelligence at the length that this ruler was a great marchant which came to the marte from other coastes of the Ilande for they exercyse bying and sellyng by exchaunge with their confines He had also with hym good store of suche ware as they stand in neede of or take pleasure in as laton belles rasers knyues and hatchettes made of a certayne sharpe yellowe bryght stone with handles of a strong kinde of wood also many other necessary instrumentes with kytchen stuffe and vesselles for all necessary vses lykewyse sheetes of gossampine cotton wrought of sundrie colours Our men toke hym prysoner with al his family but Colonus commaunded hym to be loosed shortly after and the greatest part of his goodes to bee restored to wynne his frendshyppe Beyng here instructed of a land lying further toward the south he tooke his voyage thyther Therfore litle more then tenne myles distant from hence he founde a large land whiche thinhabitants called Quiriquetana but he named it Ciamba When he went a lande and commaunded his chaplaine to say masse on the sea bankes a great confluence of the naked inhabitantes flocked thither symply and without feare bringyng with them plenty of meate and freshe water marueylyng at our men as they had ben some straunge miracle When they had presentted theyr giftes they went somwhat backward and made lowe curtesy after theyr maner bowyng their heades and bodyes reuerently He recompensed their gentilnes rewardyng them with other of our thynges as counters braslettes and garlands of glasse and counterfet stones lookyng glasses needelles and pynnes with suche other trashe whiche seemed vnto them pretious marchandize In this great tracte there are two regions whereof the one is called Tuia and the other Maia He writeth that all that lande is very fayre and holsome by reason of the excellent temperatnesse of the ayre And that it is inferiour to no land in fruitefull ground beyng partly full of mountaynes and partly large playnes also replenyshed with many goodly trees holsome hearbes continuyng greene and floryshyng al the whole yeere It beareth also very many holly trees and pyneaple trees Also .vii. kyndes of date trees wherof some are fruitefull and some baren It bryngeth foorth likewyse of it selfe Pelgoras and wilde vines laden with grapes euen in the wooddes among other trees He sayth furthermore that there is such abundaunce of other pleasunt and profitable fruites that they passe not of vines Of one of those kindes of date trees they make certayne long and brode swoordes and dartes These regions beare also gossampyne trees here and there commonly in the woods Lykewise Mirobalanes of sundry kyndes as those which the phisitians call Emblicos and Chebulos Maizium also Iucca Ages and Battatas lyke vnto those which we haue sayd before to be founde in other regions in these coastes The same noorysheth also Lions Tygers Hartes Roes Goates and dyuers other beastes Lykewyse sundry kyndes of byrdes and foules among the whiche they keepe onely them to franke and feede which are in colour bygnes and tast muche lyke vnto our Pehennes He sayth that thinhabitantes are of hygh and goodly stature well lymmed and protioned both men and women coueryng theyr priuy partes with fyne breeches of gossampyne cotton wrought with diuers colours And that they may seeme the more comely and beautifull as they take it they paynt theyr bodies redde and blacke with the iuice of certayne apples whiche they plant in theyr gardens for the same purpose Some of them paynt theyr whole bodyes some but part and other some drawe the portitures of hearbes floures and knottes euery one as seemeth best to his owne phantasie Theyr language differeth vtterly from theyrs of the Ilandes neere about them From these regions the waters of the sea ran with as full a course towards the West as if it had byn the fail of a swift riuer Neuerthelesse he determined to searche the East partes of this land reuoluyng in his minde that the regions of Paria Os draconis with other coastes founde before towards the East shoulde be neere there about as
or thryse to and fro she casteth her selfe from branche to branche and so from tree to tree as though she flewe An archer of ours hurt one of them who perceiuyng her selfe to be wounded leapt downe from the tree and fiercely set on him whiche gaue her the wound in so much that he was fayne to defend hym selfe with his swoorde And thus by chaunce cuttyng of one of her armes he tooke her and with much a do brought her to the shyppes where within a while she waxed tame Whyle she was thus kept and bounde with cheynes certayne other of our hunters had chased a wylde Bore out of the maryshes neere vnto the sea syde for hunger and desyre of fleshe caused them to take double pleasure in huntyng In this meane tyme other which remayned in the shyppes goyng a lande to recreate them selues tooke this Monkie with them who assoone as she had espyed the Bore set vp her brystels and made towarde him The Bore lykewyse shooke his bristels and whet his teeth The Monkie furiously inuaded the Bore wrappyng her tayle about his body with her arme reserued of her victourer helde him so fast about the throte that he was suffocate These people of Cariai vse to drie the dead bodyes of theyr princes vppon hurdels and so reserue them inuolued in the leaues of trees As he went forwarde about twentie leagues from Cariai he founde a gulfe of suche largenes that it contayned .xii. leagues in compasse in the mouth of this gulfe was foure litle Ilandes so neere togeather that they made a safe hauen to enter into the gulfe This gulfe is the hauen whiche we sayde before to be called Cerabaro of thinhabitantes But they haue nowe learned that only the land of the one syde therof lying on the ryght hande at the enteryng of the gulfe is called by that name but that on the left syde is called Aburema He sayth that all this gulfe is full of fruitefull Ilandes wel replenished with goodly trees and the grounde of the sea to be very cleane without rockes and commodious to cast anker lykewyse the sea of the gulfe to haue great abundance of fyshe and the lande on both the sydes to bee inferyor to none in fruitfulnes At his fyrst arryuyng he espyed two of thinhabitantes hauyng cheynes about theyr neckes made of ouches whiche they call Guauines of base golde artificially wrought in the fourmes of Eagles and Lions with dyuers other beastes and foules Of the two Cariaians whiche he brought with hym from Cariai he was enfourmed that the regions of Cerabaro and Aburema were rych in golde and that the people of Cariai haue al theyr gold from thence for exchaunge of other of theyr thynges They tolde hym also that in the same regions there are fiue villages not farre from the sea syde whose inhabitants apply them selues onely to the geathering of gold The names of these villages are these Chirara Puren Chitaza Iureche Aâ—amea All the men of the prouince of Cerabaro go naked are painted with diuers colours They take great pleasure in wearing garlandes of floures and crownes made of the clawes of Lions Tygers The women couer only theyr priuie partes with a fyllet of gossampine cotton Departing from hence coasting styll by the same shore for the space of xviii leagues he came to another ryuer where he espyed about three hundred naked men in a company When they sawe the shyppes drawe neare the lande they cryed out aloude with cruel countenaunces shakyng theyr woodden swoordes and hurlyng dartes takyng also water in theyr mouthes and spouting the same agaynst our men whereby they seemed to insinuate that they woulde receiue no condition of peace or haue ought to do with them Here he commaunded certayne pieces of ordinaunce to be shot of cowarde them yet so to ouershoote them that none myght be hurt thereby For he euer determined to deale quietly peaceably with these newe nations At the noyse therefore of the gunnes and syght of the fyre they fel downe to the grounde and desyred peace Thus enteryng into further frendshyp they exchaunged theyr cheynes and ouches of golde for glasses and haukes belles and suche other marchandies They vse drummes or tymbrels made of the shelles of certaine sea fyshes wherewith they encorage them selues in the warres In this tract are these seuen ryuers Acateba Quareba Zobroba Aiaguitin Vrida Duribha Beragua in all the whiche golde is founde They defende them selues agaynst rayne and heat with certayne great leaues of trees in the steade of clokes Departyng from hence he searched the coastes of Ebetere and Embigar into the whiche fall the goodly ryuers of Zohoran and Cubigar And here ceasseth the plentie and fruitfulnes of gold in the tract of fiftie leagues or there about From hence only three leagues distant is the rocke whiche in the vnfortunat discourse of Nicuesa we sayde was called of our men Pignonem but of thinhabitantes the Region is called Vibba In this tract also about fyre leagues from thence is the hauen whiche Colonus called Portus Bellus wherof we haue spoken before in the region which thinhabitants cal Xaguaguara This region is very populous but they goe all naked The kyng is paynted with blacke colours but all the people with redde The kyng and seuen of his noble men had euery of them a litle plate of golde hangyng at theyr nosethrylles downe vnto theyr lyppes and this they take for a comely ornament The men inclose theyr priuie members in a shell and the women couer theyrs with a fyllet of gossampine cotton tyed about theyr loynes In theyr gardens they noryshe a fruite muche lyke the nut of a pine tree the which as we haue sayde in an other place groweth on a shrubbe muche lyke vnto an hartichoke but the fruite is much softer and meate for a kyng also certayne trees whiche beare gourdes whereof we haue spoken before this tree they call Hibuero In these coastes they met sometymes with Crocodiles lying on the sandes the whiche when they fled or tooke the water they left a very sweete sauoure behynde them sweeter then muske or Castoreum When I was sent ambassadoure for the catholyke kyng of Castile to the Soltane of Babylon or Alcayre in Egypt thinhabitantes neere vnto the ryuer of Nilus tolde me the lyke of theyr female Crocodiles affyrmyng furthermore that the fat or shewet of them is equall in sweetnes with the pleasaunt gummes of Arabie But the Admirall was nowe at the length enforced of necessitie to depart from hence aswell for that he was no longer able to abyde the contrarie and violent course of the water as also that his shyppes were dayly more and more putrified and eaten through with certayne wormes which are engendred of the warmenesse of the water in al those tractes neere vnto the Equinoctiall line The Uenetians call these wormes Bissas The same are also engendred in two hauens of the
beyng enfourmed of the matter appoynted hym two shyppes wherewith he returned to his maister and companions As he founde them so came they to Hispaniola very feeble and in maner naked What chaunced of them afterwarde I knowe not as yet Let vs now therefore leaue these particulers and speake somwhat more of generals In al those tracts whiche we sayd here before to haue been founde by Colonus the Admiral both he hym selfe writeth and all his companions of that voyage confesse that the trees hearbes and fruites are floryshyng and greene all the whole yeere and the ayre so temperate holesome that of al his companie there neuer fel one man sycke nor yet were vexed eyther with extreme colde or heate for the space of fyftie leagues from the great hauen of Cerabaro to the ryuers of Hiebra and Beragua Thinhabitantes of Cerabaro and the nations whiche are betwyxt that the sayde ryuers applie not them selues to the geatheryng of gold but only at certayne tymes of the yeere and are very expert and cunnyng herein as are our myners of syluer and Iron They knowe by long experience in what places golde is most abundantly engendred as by the colour of the water of the ryuers and such as fall from the mountaynes and also by the colour of the earth and stones They beleeue a certayne godly nature to be in golde forasmuche as they neuer geather it except they vse certayne religious expiations or purgyng as to absteyne from women and all kyndes of pleasures and delicate meates and drinkes during all the tyme that their golden haruest lasteth They suppose that men do naturally liue and die as other beastes do and therfore honour none other thyng as God Yet do they pray to the Sonne and honour it when it ryseth But let vs nowe speake of the mountains and situation of these landes From all the sea bankes of these regions exceedyng great and hygh mountaynes are seene towarde the South yet reaching by a continual tract from the East into the west by reason wherof I suppose that the two great seas wherof I haue spoken largely before are deuided with these mountaynes as it were with bulwarkes least they shoulde ioyne and repugne as Italie diuideth the sea called Tirrhenum from the sea Adriatike whiche is nowe commonly called the gulfe of Uenice For whiche way so euer they sayled from the poynt called Promontorium S. Augustini whiche parteyneth to the Portugales and prospecteth against the sea Atlantike euen vnto Vraba and the hauen Cerabaro and to the furthest landes founde hitherto westward they had euer great mountaynes in syght both neere hande and also farre of in all that long rase These mountaynes were in some place smooth pleasaunt and fruitfull full of goodly trees and hearbes and somwhere hygh rough ful of rockes and barren as chaunceth in the famous mountayne of Taurus in Asia and also in dyuers coastes of our mountaynes of Apennini such other of like bygnesse The rydgies also of these mountaynes are diuided with goodly and fayre valleys That part of the mountaynes which includeth the limittes of Beragua is thought to be hygher then the cloudes insomuch that as they say the tops of them can seldome be seene for the multitude of thicke cloudes whiche are beneath the same Colanus the Admiral the fyrst fynder of these regions affirmeth that the toppes of the mountaines of Beragua are more then fiftie myles in heyght He sayth furthermore that in the same region at the rootes of the mountaynes the way is open to the south sea compareth it as it were betwene Uenice and Genua or Ianua as the Genues wyl haue it called whiche fable that theyr citie was builded of Ianus He affirmeth also that this land reacheth forth toward the south and that from hence it taketh the begynning of breadth lyke as from the Alpes out of the narowe thygh of Italie we see the large and mayne landes of Fraunce Germanie and Pannonie to the Sarmatians and Scithians euen vnto the mountaynes and rockes of Riphea and the frosen sea and embrase therewith as with a continuall bonde al Thracia and Grecia with all that is included within the promontorie or poynt of Malea and Hellespontus southwarde and the sea Euzinus and the marysshes of Meotis in Scithia northwarde The Admiral supposeth that on the left hande in saylyng towarde the west this lande is ioyned to India beyonde the ryuer of Ganges and that on the ryght hande towarde the North it is extended to the frosen sea beyonde the Hyperboreans and the North pole So that both the seas that is to meane that south sea which we sayd to bee founde by Vaschus and our Ocean shoulde ioyne and meete in the corners of that lande and that the waters of these seas do not onely inclose and compasse the same without diuision as Europe is inclosed with the seas of Hellespontus and Tanais with the frosen Ocean and our sea of Tyrrhenum with the Spanyshe seas But in my opinion the vehement course of the Ocean toward the west doth signifie the let that the sayd two seas shoulde not so ioyne togeather but rather that that lande is adherent to the firme landes towarde the North as we haue sayde before It shall suffice to haue sayde thus muche of the length hereof Let vs nowe therefore speake somwhat of the breadth of the same We haue made mention before howe the south sea is diuided by narowe limittes from our Ocean as it was proued by thexperience of Vaschus Nunnez and his companions which fyrst made open the way thyther But as dyuersly the mountaynes of our Alpes in Europe are somwhere narowe and in some place brode euen so by the lyke prouidence of nature this land in some part therof reacheth farre in breadth and is in other places coarcted with narowe limittes from sea to sea with valleys also in some places whereby men may passe from the one syde to the other Where we haue described the regions of Vraba and Beragua to be situate these seas are diuided by small distaunce Yet ought we to thynke the region whiche the great ryuer of Maragnonus runneth through to be very large if we shall graunt Maragnonum to be a ryuer and no sea as the freshe waters of the same ought to perswade vs. For in suche narowe caues of the earth there can be no swalowyng gulfes of suche bygnesse as to receiue or nooryshe so great abundance of water The lyke is also to be supposed of the great ryuer of Dabaiba whiche we sayde to be from the corner of the gulfe of Vraba in some place of fourtie fathomes depth and somwhere fiftie also three myles in breadth and so to fall into the sea We must needes graunt that the earth is brode there by the which the ryuer passeth from the high mountaines of Dabaiba from the East and not from the west They
to be his assystantes as Alfonsus de Ponte Diegus Marques and Iohannes de Tauira confyrmed the same letters and subscribed them with theyr names The nauigation therefore of Petrus Arias was in this maner The day before the Ides of Apryl in the yeere of Christe .1514 he hoysed vp his sayles in the towne of saint Lucar de Barrameda situate in the mouth of the ryuer Baetis which the Spanyardes nowe cal Guadalchebir The seuen Ilandes of Canaria are about foure hundred myles distant from the place where this riuer falleth into the sea Some thynke that these are the Ilandes whiche the olde wryters dyd call the fortunate Ilandes but other thynke the contrary The name of these Ilandes are these The two that appeare fyrst in sight are named Lanzelota and Fortisuentura On the backhalfe of these lyeth Magna Canaria or Grancanaria Beyond that is Teuerif and Gomera somewhat towarde the north from that Palma and Ferrea lye behynde as it were a bulwarke to al the other Petrus Arias therfore arriued at Gomera the eyght day after his departure with a nauie of seuenteene ships a thousand and fiue hundred men although there were only a thousand and two hundred assigned hym by the kynges letters It is sayd furthermore that he left behynde hym more then two thousande very pensiue and sighing that they also myght not be receiued proferyng them selues to goe at theyr owne charges He taryed xvi dayes in Gomera to the intent to make prouision of fuel and freshe water but cheefely to repayre his shyppes beyng sore broosed with tempestes and especially the gouernours shyppe which had lost the rudder For these Ilandes are a commodious restyng place for al suche as intende to attempt any nauigations in that maine sea Departing from hence in the Nones of May he sawe no more lande vntyll the thyrde day of Iune at the whiche he arryued at Dominica an Ilande of the Canibales being distant from Gomera about eight hundred leagues Here he remained foure dayes makyng newe prouision of freshe water and fuell duryng whiche tyme he sawe no man nor yet anye steppes of men but founde plenty of sea Crabbes and great Lisarts From hence he sayled by the Ilandes of Matinina otherwyse called Madanino Guadalupea and Galanta otherwyse called Galana of al which we haue spoken in the fyrst Decade He passed also through the sea of hearbes or weedes continuing a long tract Yet neyther he nor Colonus the Admiral who fyrst found these Ilandes and sayled through this sea of weedes haue declared any reason how these weedes should come Some thynke the sea to be verye muddye there and that these weedes are engendred in the bottome thereof and so beyng loosed to ascende to the vppermost part of the water as we see oftentymes chaunce in certayne standyng pooles and sometymes also in great ryuers Other suppose that they are not engendred there but to be beaten from certayne rockes by the violence of the water in tempestes And thus they leaue the matter in doubt Neyther haue they yet any certayne experience whether they stycke fast and geue place to the shyppes or wander loose vpon the water But it is to be thought that they are engendred there for otherwyse they shoulde be dryuen togeather on heapes by the impulsion of the shyppes euen as a beasome geathereth the sweepynges of a house and shoulde also let the course of the shyppes The fourth day after that he departed from Dominica the hyghe mountaynes couered with snowe whereof we haue spoken in the seconde Decade appeared vnto hym They say that there the seas runne as swyftly towarde the west as it were a ryuer fallyng from the toppes of hygh mountaynes although they fayled not directly toward the west but inclined somewhat to the south From these mountaynes falleth the ryuer of Gaira famous by the slaughter of our men at such tyme as Rodericus Colmenares passed by those coastes as we haue sayde before Lykewyse many other fayre ryuers haue theyr original from the same mountaynes This prouince in the which is also the region of Caramairi hath in it two notable hauens of y e which our men named the one Carthago or Carthagena and thother Sancta Martha the region wherof thinhabitants call Saturma The port of Sancta Martha is nerer to the mountaynes couered with snow called Montes Niuales for it is at the rootes of the same mountaines but y e hauen of Carthago is more westward about fyftie leagues He wryteth marueylous things of the hauen of Sancta Martha whiche they also confirme that came lately from thence Of the which young Vesputius is one to whom Americus Vesputius his vncle beyng a florentine borne left the exact knowledge of the mariners facultie as it were by inheritance after his death for he was a very expert maister in the knowledge of his carde his compasse and the eleuation of the pole starre with all that parteyneth therto This young Vesputius was assigned by the kyng to be one of the maisters of the gouernours shyp because he was cunnyng in iudging the degrees of the eleuation of the pole starre by the quadrant For the charge of gouerning the rudder was cheefly committed to one Iohannes Serranus a Spaniard who had oftentymes ouerrunne those coastes Vesputius is my very familier frende and a wittie young man in whose company I take great pleasure and therfore vse hym oftentymes for my ghest He hath also made many voyages into these coastes and diligentlye noted suche thynges as he hath seene Petrus Arias therfore wryteth and he confirmeth the same that thinhabitantes of these regions tooke theyr originall of the Caribbes or Canibales as appeared by the desperat fyersnesse and crueltie which they oftentimes shewed to our men when they passed by theyr coastes Suche stoutnesse and fortitude of mynde is naturallie engendred in these naked Barbarians that they feared not to assayle our whole nauy and to forbyd them to come a lande They fyght with venemous arowes as we haue sayde before Parceyuyng that our men contemned theyr threatnynges they ranne furyously into the sea euen vp to the breastes nothyng fearyng eyther the bygnesse or multitude of our shyppes but ceased not contynuallie beyng thus in the water to cast dartes and to shoote theyr venemous arrowes as thycke as hayle Insomuch that our men had byn in great daunger yf they had not bin defended by the cages or pauisses of the shippes and their targettes Yet were two of them wounded which died shortely after But this conflict continued so sharp that at the length our men were enforced to shoote of theyr greatest pieces of ordinaunce with hayleshoote at the slaughter and terrible noyse wherof the Barbarians beyng sore discomfited and shaken with feare thynkyng the same to be thunder and lyghtnyng turned theyr backes and fledde amayne They greatly feare thunder because these regions are oftentimes vexed with thunder and lyghtnynges by reason
by these monstrous bloodsuckers We wyll nowe therfore speake somwhat of the rootes whereof they make theyr bread forasmuche as the same shal hereafter be foode to Christian men in steade of bread made of wheate and in the steade of radyshe with such other rootes as they haue been accustomed to eate in Europe We haue oftentymes sayd before that Iucca is a roote whereof the best and most delicate bread is made both in the firme lande of these regions and also in the Ilandes but howe it is tylled or husbanded howe it groweth and of how dyuers kyndes it is I haue not yet declared Therfore when they entende to plant this Iucca they make a hole in the earth knee deepe and rayse a heape of the earth taken out of the same fashionyng it lyke a square bedde of niene foote breadth on euery syde settyng twelue trunkes of these roots beyng about a foote and a halfe long a peece in euery of the sayd beddes contaynyng three rootes of a syde so layde a slope that the endes of them ioyne in maner togeather in the center or middest of the bedde within the ground Out of the ioyntes of the rootes and spaces betwene the same spryng the toppes and blades of newe rootes whiche by litle and litle encreasyng growe to the bygnes and length of a mans arme in the brawne and oftentymes as bygge as the thygh so that by the tyme of theyr full rypenes in maner all the earth of the heape is conuerted into rootes But they say that these rootes are not rype in lesse then a yeere and a halfe and that the longer they are suffered to grow euen vntyl two yeeres complete they are so much the better and more perfecte to make bread thereof When they are taken foorth of the earth they scrape them and slyse them with certayne sharpe stones seruyng for the same purpose And thus laying them betwene two great stones or puttyng them in a sacke made of the stalkes of certaine tough hearbes and smal reedes they presse them as do we cheese or crabbes to drawe out the iuice thereof and so let them drye a daye before they eate them The iuice or liquour they cast away for as we haue sayde it is deadly poyson in the Ilandes Yet is the iuice of suche as growe in the firme land wholesome yf it be sodde as is the whey of our mylke They say that there are many kyndes of this Iucca wherof some are more pleasaunt and delicate then the other and are therefore reserued as it were to make fyue Manchet for the kynges owne table But the Gentlemen eate of the meaner sort and the common people of the basest The finest they call Cazabbi whiche they make rounde lyke cakes in certayne presses before they seethe it or bake it They say furthermore that there are lykewyse diuers kyndes of the rootes of Ages and Battata But they vse these rather as fruites and dyshes of seruice then to make bread thereof as we vse Rapes Radishes Mushromes Nauies Persnippes and suche lyke In this case they moste especiallye esteeme the best kynde of Battatas which in pleasant taste and tendernesse farre exceedeth our Mushromes It shal suffise to haue sayd thus much of rootes We wyl nowe therefore speake of another kynde of their bread We declared before that they haue a kynde of grayne or Pulse muche lyke vnto Panicum but with somewhat bygger graynes which they beate into meale vpon certaine great hollow stones with the labour of theyr handes when they lacke Iucca and of this is made the more vulgar or common bread It is sowen thryse a yeere so that the fruitefulnesse of the ground may beare it by reason of the equalitie of the tyme whereof we haue spoken sufficiently before In these regions they founde also the grayne of Maizium and sundry kyndes of fruites of trees diligentlye planted and wel husbanded The way betweene the regions of Caramairi and Saturma is fayre broode and ryght foorth They founde here also sundry kyndes of water pottes made of earth of diuers colours in the whiche they both fetche and keepe freshe water Lykewyse sundry kyndes of iugges godderdes drynkyng cuppes pottes pannes dyshes and platters artificially made When the gouernour had geuen commaundement by proclamation that the inhabitauntes should eyther obey the Christian kyng and embrace our religion or els to depart out of theyr countrey they answered with venemous arrowes In this skyrmyshe our men tooke some of them whereof clothyng the moste parte in fayre apparell they sent them againe to their owne company But leading the residue to the shyppes to thintent to shewe them the power and magnificence of the christians that they might declare the same to theyr companions therby to wynne their fauour they appareled them lykewyse and sent them after theyr felowes They affyrme that in all the ryuers of these coast they sawe great argumentes and tokens of golde They founde here and there in their houses good store of Harts flesh Bores fleshe wherwith they fedde them selues delicately They also haue great plentie of sundry kyndes of byrdes and foules whereof they bryng vp many in their houses some for necessarye foode and other for dayntie dyshes as we do Hennes and Partriches Our men hereby coniecture that the ayre of these regions is very holsome forasmuche as slepyng all nyght vnder the fyrmament on the bankes of the ryuers none of them were at any tyme offended with reumes or headache by reason of any noysome humour or vapour proceedyng from the earth ayre or water Our men furthermore founde there many great botomes of gossampyne cotton redy spunne and fardelies of dyuers kyndes of fethers whereof they make them selues crestes and plumes after the maner of our men of armes also certeine clokes whiche they esteeme as most comely ornamentes They founde lykewyse an innumerable multitude of bowes and arrowes Thinhabitants also of these regions in some places vse to burne the carkases of their princes when they are dead and to reserue their bones buryed with spyces in certayne hylles In other places they onely drye them and imbawme them with spyces and sweete gummes and so reserue them in sepulchers in theyr owne houses Somewhere also they dry them spyce them adourne them with precious iewelles and ouches and so reuerently place them in certayne tabernacles made for the same purpose in theyr owne palaces When our men had many of theyr tablets braselettes collers and suche other ouches whiche they call Guanines they founde them rather to be made of laton then of golde whereby they suppose that they haue vsed to exchaunge theyr ware with some craftie straungers whiche brought them those counterfeyt ouches to defraude them of theyr golde For euen our men perceiued not the deceyte vntyll they came to the meltyng Furthermore certayne of our buylâ—ers wanderyng a litle way from the sea coastes chaunced to â—ynde certayne peeces of
of the corner of the gulfe of Vraba as we haue largely declared before The common report is that all the land of his dominions is ryche in gold The pallace of kyng Dabaiba is fyftie leagues distant from Dariena The inhabitantes saye that from the pallace the gold mynes reache to the borders on euery syde Albeit our men haue also golde mynes not to be contemned euen within three leagues of Dariena in the whiche they geather golde in many places at this present Yet do they affirme greater plentye to be in the mynes of Dabaiba In the bookes of our fyrst fruites written to your holynesse we made mention of this Dabaiba wherein our men were deceyued and mystooke the matter For where they founde the fyshermen of kyng Dabaiba in the marishes they thought his region had been there also They determined therfore to send to kyng Dabaiba three hundred choyse young men to be chosen out of the whole army as most apt to the warres and well furnyshed with all kyndes of armour and artyllerie to the intent to go vnto hym and wyll hym eyther frendly and peaceably to permit them to inhabite part of his kyngdome with the fruition of the golde mynes or els to byd hym battayle and dryue hym out of his countrey In theyr letters they oftentymes repeate this for an argument of great ryches to come that they in a maner dygged the ground in no place but found the earth myxt with sparkes and small graynes of golde They haue also aduertised the kyng that it shal be commodious to place inhabitours in the hauen of Sancta Martha in the region of Saturma that it may be a place of refuge for them that sayle from the Ilande of Dominica from the whiche as they saye it is but foure or fyue dayes saylyng to that hauen of the region of Saturma and from the hauen but three dayes saylyng to Dariena But this is to be vnderstoode in goyng and not in returnyng For the returnyng from thence is so laborious and difficulte by reason of the contrary course of the water that they seeme as it were to ascende hyghe mountaynes and stryue agaynste the power of Neptunus This swyft course of the sea towards the west is not so violent to them whiche returne to Spayne from the Ilandes of Hispaniola and Cuba although they also do labour agaynst the fall of the Ocean The cause whereof is that the sea is heere very large so that the waters haue theyr full scope But in the tract of Paria the waters are constrayned togeather by the bendyng sydes of that great land and by the multitude of Ilandes lying agaynst it as the lyke is seene in the strayghtes or narrow seas of Scicile where the violent course of the waters cause the daungerous places of Scilla and Caribdis by reason of those narrowe seas which conteyne Ionium Libicum and Tirrhenum Colonus the fyrste fynder of these regions hath left in wrytyng that saylyng from the Ilande of Guanassa and the prouinces of Iaia Maia and Cerabaro beyng regions of the west marches of Beragua he founde the course of the water so vehement and furious agaynst the foreparte of his shyp whyle he sayled from those coastes towarde the East that he coulde at no time touche the grounde with his soundyng plummet but that the contrary violence of the water woulde beare it vp from the bottome He affyrmeth also that he coulde neuer in one whole day with a meetely good wynde wynne one myle of the course of the water And this is the cause why they are oftentymes enforced to saile fyrst by the Ilandes of Cuba and Hispaniola and so into the mayne sea towarde the North when they returne to Spayne that the North wyndes may further theyr voyage whiche they can not bryng to passe by a direct course But of the motions of the Ocean sea to and fro this shal suffise Let vs nowe therefore rehearse what they wryte of Dariena and of theyr habitation there whiche they cal Sancta Maria Antiqua planted on the sea bankes of Dariena The situation of the place hath no natural munition or defence and the ayre is more pestiferous then in Sardus The Spanishe inhabitours are al pale and yelowe lyke vnto them whiche haue the yelowe iaundies which neuerthelesse commeth not of the nature of the region as it is situate vnder the heauen For in many regions beyng vnder the selfe same degree of latitude hauing the pole of the same eleuation they fynd holsome temperate ayre in such places where as the earth bryngeth foorth fayre sprynges of water or where holsome riuers runne by bankes of pure earth without mudde but most especially where they inhabite the sides of the hyls and not the valleys But that habitation whiche is on the bankes of the ryuer of Dariena is situate in a deepe valley and enuironed on euery syde with hygh hylles By reason wherof it receyueth the Sonne beames at noonetyde dyrectly parpendicular ouer theyr heades and are therefore sore vexed by reflection of the beames both before behynde and from the sydes For it is the reflection of the sonne beames whiche causeth feruent heate and not theyr accesse or neerenesse to the earth forasmuche as they are not passyble in themselues as doth manifestly appeare by the snowe lying contynually vnmoulten vpon certayne hygh mountaynes as your holynesse knoweth ryght well The sonne beames therfore fallyng on the mountaynes are reflected downwarde into the valley by reason of the obiect of the declining sydes of the hylles as it were the fall of a great round stone rowled from the toppe of a mountayne The valley therefore receyueth both those beames whiche fall directly thereon and also those whiche are reflected downewarde from euery syde of the mountaynes Theyr habitation therefore in Driena is pernicious and vnholsome onely of the particuler nature of the place and not by the situation of the region as it is plased vnder the heauen or neare to the sonne The place is also contagious by the nature of the soyle by reason it is compassed about with muddy and stynkyng marishes the infection whereof is not a lytle encreased by the heate The vyllage is selfe is in a marishe and in maner a standyng puddle where of the droppes fallyng from the handes of the bondemen whyle they water the pauementes of theyr houses Toades are engendred immediately as I my selfe saw in an other place the droppes of that water turne into flees in the sommer season Furthermore wheresoeuer they dygge the grounde the deapth of a handful and a halfe there spryngeth out vnholsome and corrupt water of the nature of the ryuer whiche runneth through the deepe and muddye chanell of the valley and so falleth into the sea Nowe therfore they consult of remouyng theyr inhabitations Necessitie caused them fyrst to fasten theyr foote heere because that they whiche fyrst arryued in those landes were oppressed with suche
are now I abhorre to rehearse We will therfore let this passe and returne to the pleasures of Hispaniola In the mountaynes of Cibaua which are in maner in the myddest of the Ilande in the prouince of Caiabo where we sayde to bee the greatest plentie of natyue golde there is a region named Cotobi situate in the cloudes enuironed with the toppes of hygh mountaynes and well inhabited it consisteth of a playne of .xxv. myles in length and .xv. in breadth This playne is hygher then the toppes of other mountaynes so that these mountaynes may seeme to bee the chiefe progenitours of the other This playne suffereth alterations of the foure tymes of the yere as the Spring Sommer Autumne and wynter Heere the hearbes waxe wythered the trees loose theyr leaues and the medowes become hoare the whiche thinges as wee haue sayde chaunce not in other places of the Ilande where they haue onely the Spring and Autumne The soyle of this playne bryngeth foorth fearne and bramble busshes bearyng blacke berries or wylde raspes which two are tokens of colde regions Yet is it a fayre region for the colde thereof is not very sharpe neyther doeth it afflicte thinhabitantes with frost or snowe They argue the fruitfulnesse of the region by the fearne whose stalkes or steames are bygger then a speare or Iauelyn The sydes of those mountaynes are ryche in golde yet is there none appoynted to dygge for the same bycause it shal be needefull to haue apparelled myners and such as are vsed to labour For thinhabitants lyuyng contented with little are but tender and can not therefore away with labour or abyde any colde There are two ryuers which runne through this region and fall from the toppes of the present mountaynes One of these is named Comoiayxa whose course is towarde the West and falleth into the chanell of Naiba the other is called Tirecotus which runnyng towarde the East ioyneth with the ryuer of Iunna In the Ilande of Creta now called Candie as I passed by in my legacie to the Soldane of Alcayr or Babylon in Egypt the Uenetians tolde mee that there lay such a region in the toppes of the mountaynes of Ida whiche they affirme to bee more fruitefull of wheate corne then any other region of the Ilande But forasmuch as once the Cretences rebelled against the Uenetians and by reason of the streight and narrow way to the toppes thereof long defended the region with armes against thaucthoritie of the Senate and at the length being foreweryed with warres rendred the same the Senate commaunded that it should be left desarte and the streightes of thentraunces to be stopped least any should ascend to the region without their permission Yet in the yeere of Christ M.D.ii. licence was graunted to the husbande men to tyll and manure the region on such condition that no such as were apte to the warres myght enter into the same There is also an other region in Hispaniola named Cotoby after the same name this diuideth the boundes of the prouinces of Vbabo and Caiabo It hath mountaynes vales and playnes but bycause it is barren it is not muche inhabited Yet is it richest in golde for the originall of the abundaunce of golde beginneth herein insomuch that it is not geathered in small graines and sparkes as in other places but is founde whole massie and pure among certaine softe stones and in the vaynes of rockes by breakyng the stones whereof they folowe the vaynes of golde They haue founde by experience that the vayne of golde is a lyuing tree and that the same by all wayes that it spreadeth and springeth from the roote by the softe pores and passages of the earth putteth foorth branches euen vnto the vppermost parte of the earth and ceasseth not vntill it discouer it selfe vnto the open ayre at which tyme it sheweth foorth certaine beautifull colours in the steede of floures rounde stones of golden earth in the steede of fruites and thynne plates in steede of leaues These are they which are disparcled throughout the whole Ilande by the course of the ryuers eruptions of the springes out of the mountaynes and violent falles of the flooddes For they thincke that such graines are not engendred where they are geathered especially on the drye land but otherwise in the riuers They say that the roote of the golden tree extendeth to the center of the earth and there taketh norishment of increase For the deeper y t they dygge they fynde the trunkes thereof to be so much the greater as farre as they may folowe it for abundaunce of water springing in the mountaines Of the branches of this tree they fynde some as small as a thread other as bygge as a mans fynger accordyng to the largenesse or straightnesse of the ryftes and clyftes They haue sometymes chaunced vpon whole caues susteyned borne vp as it were with golden pyllers and this in the wayes by the which the branches ascende the which beyng fylled with the substaunce of the trunke creepyng from beneath the branche maketh it selfe waye by whiche it maye passe out It is oftentymes diuided by encountryng with some kynde of harde stone Yet is it in other clyftes noorished by the exhalations and vertue of the roote But nowe perhaps you will aske mee what plentie of golde is brought from thence You shall therfore vnderstand that onely out of Hispaniola the summe of foure hundred and sometymes fyue hundred thousande ducates of golde is brought yeerely into Spayne as may be geathered by the fyfth portion due to the kynges Excheker which amounteth to the summe of a hundred and fourescore or fourescore and tenne thousande Castellan 〈◊〉 of golde and sometymes more What is to be thought of the Ilande of Cuba and Sancti Iohannis otherwise called Burichena being both very rych in golde we will declare further hereafter to haue sayde thus much of golde it shall suffyse We will now therefore speake somewhat of salt wherewith wee may season and reserue suche thinges as are bought with golde In a region of the prouince of Bainoa in the mountaynes of Daiaguo about twelue myles distant from the salt lake called Caspius there are salte bayes in the mountaynes in a maner as harde as stones also clearer and whyter then cristall There are lykewyse such salt bayes which grow wonderfully in Laletania now called Cataloma in the territorie of the duke of Cadona the chiefe ruler in that region but suche as knowe them both affyrme that these of Bainoa are most notable They say also that this can not bee cleft without wedges and beetelles of Iron But that of Laletana may easly bee broken as I my selfe haue prooued They therefore compare this to suche stones as may easily bee broken and the other to marble In the prouince of Caizimu in the regions of Iguanama Caiacoa and Guariagua there are springes whose waters are of marueylous nature being in
systers If she fayle to theldest of the seconde syster and so of the thyrde if the seconde also fayle For they are out of doubte that those chyldren come of theyr blood but the chyldren of theyr owne wyues they counte to be not legitimate If there remayne none of theyr systers chyldren they leaue thinheritaunce to theyr brothers and if they fayle it descendeth to theyr owne sonnes Last of all if all these faile they assigne it to the woorthiest as to him that is of greatest power in all the Ilande that he may defende theyr subiectes from their auncient enimies They take as many wyues as them lysteth They suffer the best beloued of the kynges wyues and concubines to be buryed with hym Anachaona the syster of Beuchius the kyng of Xaragua being a woman of such wisedome and cunnyng that in makyng of rhymes and balattes she was counted a prophetisse among the best commaunded that among all the wyues and concubines of the kyng her brother the fayreest whose name was Guanahattabenechina shoulde be buried alyue with hym and two of her waytyng maydes with her She would surely haue appointed diuers other to that offyce if she had not been otherwyse perswaded by the prayers of certayne fryers of saint Fraunces order whiche chaunced then to be present They saye that this Guanahattabenechina had none in all the Ilande comparable to her in beautie She buryed with her all her iewels and twentie of her best ornamentes Their custome is to place besyde euery of them in their sepultures a cuppe full of water a portion of the fyne bread of Cazabbi In Xaragua the region of this kyng Beuchius and in Hazua part of the region of Caiabo also in the fayre vale of salt and freshe lakes and lykewyse in the region of Yaquino in the prouince of Bainoa it rayneth but seldome In al these regions are fosses or trenches made of olde tyme whereby they conueye the waters in order to water theyr fieldes with no lesse art then do thinhabitours of newe Carthage and of the kingdome of Murcien in Spartaria for the seldome fall of rayne The region of Maguana diuideth the prouince of Bainoa from Caiabo and Zauana from Guaccaiarima In the deepe vales they are troubled with rayne more often then nedeth Also the confines of the chiefe citie named saint Dominike are moister thē is necessary In other places it raineth moderatly There are therfore in the Iland of Hispaniola diuers and variable motions of the elementes as we reade the lyke of many other regions Of theyr colonies or mantions which the Spaniardes haue erected in this Iland we haue spoken sufficiently before They haue since that tyme builded these villages Portus platae Portus Regalis Lares Villanoua Azuam and Salua terra Hauing sayde thus much of the Iland of Hispaniola the mother and lady of the other Ilandes and as it were Tethys the most beautifull wyfe of Neptunus the god of the sea let vs nowe entreate somewhat of her Nymphes and fayre Nereides which wayte vppon her and adourne her on euery syde We wyll therfore begyn at the nearest called the newe Arethusa so named of the fountaine Arethusa in the Iland of Sicilie This is famous by reason of a spring but otherwyse vnprofitable Our men named it of late Duas Arbores because it hath onlye two trees growing in it neere vnto the which is a fountayne that commeth from the Iland of Hispaniola through the secrete passages of the earth vnder the sea and breaketh foorth in this Inde as the ryuer Alpheus in Achaia runneth vnder the sea from the citie of Elde and breaketh foorth in y e Iland of Sicilie in the fountayne Arethusa That the fountayne of this newe Arethusa hath his originall from the Ilande of Hispaniola it is manifest heereby that the water issuyng out of the fountayne bryngeth with it the leaues of many trees whiche growe in Hispaniola and not in this Iland They saye that the fountayne hath his originall from the ryuer Yiamiroa in the region of Guaccaiarima confinyng with the lande of Zauana This Ilande is not past a myle in circuite and commodious for fishermen Directly towards the East as it were the porter keepyng the entrye to Tethys lieth the Ilande of Sancti Iohannis otherwyse called Burichena whereof we haue spoken largely before this aboundeth with gold and in fruitefull soile is equall with her mother Hispaniola in this are many colonies or mansions of Spaniardes which apply them selues to geatheryng of golde Towards the west on the North syde great Cuba for the longnesse thereof long supposed to be continent or fyrme lande wardeth our Tethys on the backe halfe This is much longer then Hispaniola and from the East to the west is diuiuided in the middest with the circle called Tropicus Cancri Hispaniola and the other lying on the South syde of this are encluded almost in the mydde space betweene the sayde Tropike and the Equinoctiall line which many of the olde wryters supposed to be vnhabitable and defart by reason of the feruent heate of the Sonne in that clyme as they coniectured but they were deceyued in theyr opinion They affirme that rycher golde mynes are founde in Cuba then in Hispaniola They say also that euen now whyle I wryte these thynges there is golde geathered togeather redy to the meltyng amountyng to the quantitie of a hundred and fourescore thousand Castellans of golde an argument surely of great rychesse Iamaica is more towards the South then these and is a pleasaunt and fruitful Ilande of soyle apt for corne graffes and settes it consisteth of onely one mountayne the inhabitantes are warrelyke men and of good wyt Colonus compared it to Scicilie in bygnesse They whiche of late searched it more exactly say that it is somewhat lesse but not muche It is thought to be without golde and precious stones as the lyke was supposed of Cuba at the begynning The Ilande of Guadalupea fyrst named Caraqueira lying on the South syde of Hispaniola is foure degrees nearer the Equinoctiall It is eaten and indented with two gulfes as we reade of great Britanie nowe called England and Calidonia nowe called Scotland beyng in maner two Ilandes It hath famous Portes In this they founde that gumme whiche the Apothecaries call Animae Album whose fume is holsome agaynst reumes and heauinesse of the head The tree whiche engendreth this gumme beareth a fruite much like vnto a Date beyng a spanne in length When it is opened it seemeth to conteyne a certayne sweete meale As our husbandmen are accustomed to reserue Chestnuts and such other harde fruites all the winter so do they the Dates of this tree beyng muche lyke vnto a Fygge tree They founde also in this Ilande Pyne trees of the best kynde and such other dayntie dyshes of nature whereof we haue spoken largelye before Yea they
thynke that the inhabitauntes of other Ilandes had theyr seedes of so many pleasaunt fruites from hence For the Cambales beyng a wylde and wanderyng people and ouerrunnyng all the countreye about them to hunte for mans fleshe were accustomed to bryng home with them whatsoeuer they founde straunge or profytable in anye place They are intractable and will admit no straungers It shall therefore bee needefull to ouercome them with great power For as well the women as men are experte archers and vse to inuenome theyr arrowes When the men go foorth of the lande a man huntyng the women manfully defend their coastes agaynst suche as attempt to inuade the same And hereby I suppose it was thought that there were Ilandes in the Ocean inhabited onely with women as Colonus the Admiral him selfe perswaded mee as I haue sayde in the fyrst Decade This Ilande hath also fruitefull mountaynes and playnes and notable ryuers It nourysheth hony in trees and in the caues of rockes as in Palma one of the Ilandes of Canarie hony is geathered among the bryers and bramble bushes About .xviii. myles Eastward from this Ilande lyeth an Ilande which our men named Desiderata beyng .xx. myles in circuite and verye fayre Also about tenne myles from Guadalupea towarde the South lyeth the Ilande of Galanta beyng thirtie myles in circuite and plaine It was so named for the neatenesse and beautifulnesse therof Niene myles distant from Guadalupea towarde the East there are sixe small Ilandes named Todos Sanctos or Barbata these are full of rockes barren yet necessary to be knowen to such as vse to trauayle the seas of these coastes Agayne from Guadalupea .xxxv. myles towarde the North there is an Ilande named Monsserratus conteynyng in circuite fourtie myles hauyng also in it a mountayne of notable heyght The Ilande named Antiqua distante from Guadalupea thirtie myles is about fourtie myles in circuite Diegus Colonus the sonne and heyre of Christiphorus Colonus tolde me that his wyfe whom he lefte in the Ilande of Hispaniola at his comming into Spayne to the courte did wryte vnto him that of late among the Ilandes of the Canibales there is one founde which aboundeth with golde On the lefte syde of Hispaniola towarde the South neere vnto the hauen Beata there lyeth an Ilande named Portus Bellus they tell marueilous thinges of the monsters of the sea about this Ilande and especially of the Tortoyses for they say that they are bygger then great rounde targettes At suche tyme as the heate of nature moueth them to generation they come foorth of the sea and makyng a deepe pyt in the sande they lay three or foure hundred egges therein When they haue thus emptied theyr bagge of conception they put as muche of the sande agayne into the pyt as may suffyse to couer the egges and so resorte agayne to the sea nothyng carefull of theyr succession At the day appoynted of nature to the procreation of these beastes there creepeth out a multitude of Tortoyses as it were pyssemares swarmyng out of an ant hyll and this onely by the heate of the Sunne without any helpe of theyr parentes They say that theyr egges are in maner as bygge as Geese egges They also compare the fleshe of these Tortoyses to bee equall with veale in taste There are besyde these innumerable Ilandes the whiche they haue not yet searched nor yet is it greatly necessary to syft this meale so fynely It may suffyse to vnderstande that there are large landes and many regions which shall heereafter receyue our nations tounges and maners and therewith embrase our religion The Troyans dyd not sodeinly replenyshe Asia the Tyrians Libya nor the Greekes and Phenices Spayne As touchyng the Ilandes whiche lye on the North syde of Hispaniola I haue let passe to speake For albeit they are commodious for tyllage and fyshyng yet are they lefte of the Spanyardes as poore and of small value We will nowe therefore take our leaue of this olde Tethis with her moyst and watery Nymphes and receyue to our new acquayntance the beautifull lady of the South sea rychly crowned with great pearles the Ilande of Dites beyng ryche both in name and in treasure In my Epistle booke which I sent vnto your holynesse this last yeere I declared howe Vaschus Nunnez Balboa the Captayne of them which passed ouer the daungerous mountaynes toward the South sea learned by report that in the prospecte of those coastes there laye an Ilande aboundyng with pearles of the greatest sort and that the kyng thereof was ryche and of great power infestyng with warres the other kynges his borderers and especially Chiapes and Tumacchus Wee declared further howe at that tyme it was left vntouched by reason of the ragyng tempestes which troubled that South sea three monethes in the yeere But it is now better knowne to our men who haue now also brought that fierce kyng to humanitie and conuerted him from a cruell Tyger to one of the meeke sheepe of Christes flocke sanctifyed with the water of baptisme with all his family and kyngdome It shall not therefore bee from our purpose to declare by the gouernaunce of what captaines or by what meanes these thinges were so happyly atchyued The tenth booke of the thyrde Decade AT the arryuall of Petrus Arias the newe gouernour of Dariena he gaue commaundement that one Gasper Moralis should take in hande thexpedition to the Iland of Dites He therfore tooke his vyage first to Chiapes and Tumacchus kings of the South whom Vaschus before had conciled and left friends to the Christians They friendly and magnifically enterteyned our men who prepared them a nauie of the kyngs boates to passe ouer into this Ilande which they call Dites not Margarita or Margaritea although it abounde with pearles which in the latin tonge are called Margaritae For they first called an other by this name which lyeth next to the mouth of Os Draconis in the region of Paria in the which also is found great plenty of pearles Gasper brought with him onely .lx. armed men to the Ilande for that hee could conuey ouer no greater number by reason of the smalnesse and narownes of their boates or barkes which they call Culchas made of one whole peece of timber as we haue sayd before The kyng of y e Iland came foorth agaynst them fiercely w t cruell and threatning countenance with a great bande of armed men crying in maner of a larome in token of the battaile Guazzauara Guazzauara which is as much to say as battayle against y e enemy is as it were a watch word to giue thonset wherwith also they threw their darts for they haue not thuse of bowes They were so obstinate desperate that they assailed our men w t foure Guazzauaras that is battayles At the length our men with certaine of Chiapes and Tumacchus men being olde
companions diligently numbred For it pleased the kyng at theyr beyng there and in their presence to commaunde his dyuers to goe a fyshyng for those kynde of fyshes They compare the matrices of these fyshes to the places of conception in Hennes in the whiche theyr egges are engendred in great multitudes and clusters and beleue that these fyshes bryng foorth theyr byrth in lyke maner For the better proofe whereof they say that they founde certayne pearles commyng foorth of their matrices as beyng nowe come to the tyme of theyr full rypenesse and moued by nature to come out of theyr moothers wombe openyng it selfe in tyme conuenient lykewyse that within a whyle after they sawe other succeede in lyke maner So that to conclude they sawe some commyng foorth and other some yet abydyng the tyme of theyr perfection which beyng complete they also became loose and opened the matrice They perceyued the pearles to bee inclosed in the myddest of theyr bellyes there to bee nourished and increase as an infant sucking his moothers pappes within her wombe before hee moue to come foorth of her priuie places And if it chaunce any of these shelfyshes to bee founde scattered in the sande of the sea as I my selfe haue seene Oysters disparcled on the shores in dyuers places of the Ocean they affyrme that they haue been violently dryuen thither from the bottome of the sea by force of tempestes and not to haue wandered thither of them selues But that they become whyte by the clearenesse of the mornyng deawe or waxe yelowe in troubled weather or otherwyse that they seeme to reioyce in fayre weather and cleare ayre or contrarywyse to bee as it were astonyshed and dymme in thunder and tempestes with suche other the perfect knowledge hereof is not to bee looked for at the handes of these vnlearned men whiche handle the matter but grossely and enquyre no further then occasion serueth Yet doe they affyrme by thexperience and industrie of the dyuers that the greatest pearles lye in the deepest places they of the meane sort hygher and the least hyghest of all and neerer to the brymme of the water And say therfore that the greatest doe not wander but that they are created nouryshed and increase in the deepest places of the sea whyther fewe dyuers and that but seeldome dare aduenture to diue so deepe to geather them aswell for feare of the sea crabbes whiche wander among these pearle fyshes to feede of them and for feare of other monsters of the sea as also least their breath should fayle them in to long remayning in the water And this they say to bee the cause why the oldest therfore byggest sea muscles inhabite y e deepest places from whence they are not lightly moued by tempestes Furthermore how much the bygger older these fyshes are they say that in their larger matrices the greater number bigger pearles are founde that for this cause there are fewer founde of the byggest sort They thinke also that when they first fall from their fyshes in the deepe places they are deuoured of other fyshes bycause they are not yet hearde Againe the smallest differ from the byggest in a certaine swelling or impostumation which y e Spaniardes call a tympany For they deny that to be a pearle which in olde muscles cleaueth faste to the shell but that it is a wart which being rased from the shell with a fyle is rounde bryght but onely of one syde and not precious being rather of the nature of the fyshe it selfe then of a pearle They confesse that they haue seene certayne of these muscles cleauyng on rockes yet these but fewe and nothyng woorth It is also to bee thought that the pearle fyshes or sea muscles which are founde in India Arabia the redde sea or Taprobana are ruled in suche order as the aforenamed famous aucthours haue written For their opinion herein is not vtterly to bee reiected forasmuch as they were learned men and trauayled long in the searchyng of these thinges But wee haue nowe spoken sufficiently of these sea fyshes and of their egges which the fonde nysenesse and wantonnesse of men haue made deerer then the egges of hennes or geese Let vs therefore entreate somewhat of other perticular thinges which are come to our knowledge of late Wee haue elswhere largely described the mouthes of the gulfe of Vraba with sundry and variable regions diuided with the manifolde gulfes of that sea But as concernyng the West coastes in the which our men haue buylded houses and planted their habitations on the bankes of Dariena I haue no newe matter to wryte Yet as touchyng the East partes of the gulfe I haue learned as foloweth They say that the vniuersall lande of the East region of the gulfe from the corner thereof farre reachyng into the sea and from the extreme or vttermoste mouth of the same receyuyng the waters of the sea whiche fall into it euen vnto Os Draconis and Paria is by one generall name called Caribana of the Caribes or Canibales whiche are founde in euery region in this tract But from whence they had theyr perticuler originall and howe leauyng theyr natiue soyle they haue spredde theyr generation so farre lyke a pestiferous contagion we wyll nowe declare Therefore from the fyrst front reachyng foorth into the sea in whose tract we sayde that Fogeda fastened his foote towarde the corner about niene myles distant there lyeth a village of Caribana named Futcraca three myles distant from this is the village of Vraba of the whiche it is thought that the whole gulfe toke his name bycause this village was once the head of the kyngdome About syxe myles from this is Feti Niene myles from Feti is Zerema And about twelue myles from this Sorache Our men founde all these villages full of people al the whiche gyue them selues onely to manhuntyng Insomuche that if they lacke enimies agaynst whom they may keepe warre they exercise crueltie agaynst them selues and eyther slaye the one the other or els dryue the vanquyshed to flyght Whereby it is apparant that by these theyr continuall warres and dryuyng the one the other out of theyr countreys this infection hath gone so farre not onely on the fyrme lande but also into the Ilandes I was also aduertised of an other thyng the whiche to my iudgement seemeth woorthy to be put in memorye One Coruales a iudge in causes of lawe among the Spanyardes of Dariena sayth that on a tyme walkyng abrode with his booke in his hande he met by the way with a fugityue whiche had fledde from the great landes lying farre towarde the west and remayned here with a Kyng with whom he was entertayned When this man perceyued the lawyer lookyng on his booke marueylyng thereat he came runnyng vnto hym and by interpretours of the kyng whom he serued spake thus vnto hym Haue you also bookes wherein you may reserue thynges in
perpetual memory and letters whereby you may declare your mynde to suche as are absent And herewith desyred that the booke myght be opened vnto hym supposyng that he shoulde therein haue founde the letters of his owne countrey But when he sawe them vnlyke he sayde further that in his countrey there were cities fortified with walles and gouerned by lawes and that the people also vsed apparell but of what religion they were I dyd not learne Yet had our men knowledge both by the woordes and signes of this fugitiue that they were circumcised What nowe thynke you hereby most holy father Or what do you diuine may come hereof when tyme shall subdue all these vnder your throne Let vs nowe entermyngle certayne small thynges among these great matters I haue not thought good to pretermit that which chaunced to Iohannes Solisius who to searche the South syde of the supposed continent departed with three shyppes from the port Ioppa not farre distant from the Ilandes of Gades or Cales in the Ocean the fourth day of the Ides of September in the yeere M.D.xv. or what successe Iohannes Pontius had whom the newe gouernour Petrus Arias appoynted to vanquyshe and destroy the Caribes or Canibales deuourers of mans fleshe also to what ende the voyages of the other captaines came which were sent foorth diuers waies at the same tyme as Gonzalus Badaiocius Franciscus Bezarra and Valleius Iohannes Solicius tooke the matter in hand in an euyll houre He sayled beyond the point of saint Augustine which they cal Cabo S. Augustini toward the South side of the supposed continent beyond the Equinoctial line For as we haue said before that poynt reacheth Southwarde to the seuenth degree of the South pole called the pole Antartike He proceeded in that vyage syxe hundred leagues and found the lande from the poynt to extende so farre towarde the South beyonde the Equinoctial that he came to the thirtieth degree of y e South pole As he sayled thus forwarde hauyng nowe on his backe halfe the starres named Caput Draconis that is the Dragons head and the regions of Paria lying northwarde from hym prospectyng towarde the pole Artyke he chaunced to fall into the handes of the filthy Canibales For these craftie foxes seemed to make signes of peace when in theyr myndes they conceyued a hope of a daintie banquet espying their enimies a farre of began to swalowe theyr spettle as their mouth watered for greedines of theyr pray As vnhappy Solisius descended with as many of his company as coulde enâ—er into the boate of the byggest shyppe sodenly a great multitude of thinhabitantes brust foorth vppon them and â—lue them euery man with clubbes euen in the syght of theyr felowes They caried away the boate and in a moment broke it all to fytters not one escaping Theyr furie not thus satisfied they cut the slayne men in peeces euen vppon the shore where theyr felowes myght behold this horrible spectacle from the sea But they beyng stricken with feare through this example durst not come foorth of their shyppes or deuise how to reuenge the death of theyr Captayne and companyons They departed therefore from these vnfortunate coastes and by the way ladyng theyr shyppe with brasell returned home agayne with losse and heauie cheare Of these thynges I was aduertised of late by theyr owne letters What they haue els doone I shall haue more perticular knowledge heereafter Iohannes Pontius was also repulsed by the Canibales in the Iland of Guadalupea beyng one of the chiefe Ilandes of theyr habitation For when they sawe our men a farre of on the sea they lay in ambushe sodenly to inuade them when they shoulde come alande Our men sent foorth a fewe foote men and with them theyr Laundresses to washe theyr shertes and sheetes For from the Iland of Ferrea beyng one of the Ilandes of Canarie euen vnto this Iland for the space of foure thousand and two hundred myles they had seene no land where they myght fynde any fresh water forasmuche as in all this large space the Ocean is without Ilandes At theyr commyng therefore to lande the Canibales assayled them caried away the women and put the men to suche distresse that fewe of them escaped By reason whereof Pontius beyng greatly discomfited durst not inuade the Canibales fearyng theyr venomed arrowes which these naked man-hunters can direct most certaynely Thus good Pontius fayling of his purpose was fayne to geue ouer the Canibales whom being safe vnder the house roofe he threatned to vanquish and destroy Whyther he went from thence or what new thyngs he founde I haue as yet no further knowledge By these mysfortunes Solisius lost his lyfe Pontius his honour Let vs nowe speake of an other whose enterpryse came to lyke purpose the same yeere Iohannes Aiora borne in the citie of Corduba a man of noble parentage sent in steade of the Lieuetenant as we haue saide more couetous of gold then careful of his charge or desirous of prayle for well deseruing sought occasions of quarelyng agaynst the kynges and spoyled many violentlye extortyng gold of them agaynst ryght equitie and further handeled them so extremely that of frendes they became most cruel enemies insomuch that they ceassed not with desperat myndes by al meanes they coulde to slay our men openly or priuilie By reason whereof it is come to passe that where before they bartered quietly exchanging ware for ware they are nowe fayne to do all thynges by force of armes When he had thus exacted a great quantitie of golde of them as it is sayde he fled priuilye and tooke away a shyp with hym by stealth as the common rumour goeth nor yet hytherto haue we hard whyther he went or where he is arryued Some suspect that Petrus Arias the gouernour should consent to his departure because this Iohannes Aiora is brother to Gonsalus Aiora the kynges historiographer a man both learned and expert in the discipline of warre and so much the gouernours frend that these two among a fewe may be counted examples of rare amitie I my selfe also am greatly bounde vnto them both and haue long enioyed theyr frendshyp yet shall I desire them both to pardon me in declaring my phantasie heerein that in al the turmoyles and tragical affayres of the Ocean nothyng hath so muche displeased me as the couetousnesse of this man who hath so disturbed the pacifyed myndes of the kynges Nowe among these troublous chaunces let vs rehearse the variable fortune of Gonsalus Badaiocius and his felowes whose prosperous begynninges ended with vnfortunate successe Gonsalus therfore in the moneth of May in the yeere of Christ .1515 departed from Dariena with fourscore armed men directing his voyage toward the South and resting in no place vntyll he came to the region of Cerabaro which our men named Gratia Dei distaunt from Dariena about a hundred and
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
had been that attempted the first voyage the yeere before At the fyrst they were gentlye receiued and required to resort to the towne but shortly after they repented that they had bydden them and thereupon willed them to stay about a stones cast from the towne and to proceede no further When our men desired that they myght make prouision for freshe water before theyr departure they assigned them to a certayne well whiche they had left behynde them declaring further that it shoulde be lawfull for them to take water there or els no where Our men rested that nyght in the feelde adioyning to the well the whiche thyng the Barbarians suspectyng assembled an army of three thousand men and encamped not farre from them Both partes passed a way the nyght without sleepe they fearyng lest our men shoulde breake into the towne and our men lest the Barbarians shoulde inuade them sodenly on the one part with Trumpettes and on the other syde with the noyse of Tymbrels kept them styll wakyng that were disposed to sleepe At the spryng of the day the Barbarians approched to our mens campe and called for the interpretours of Cuba whose language is much agreable vnto theirs They had deuised to lyght a Torche of franckensence and to place the same betweene both the armies to the intent that yf our men dyd not depart before the Torche were consumed to stand to theyr peryll The Torche was wasted and the matter came to hand strokes They slue only one of our men with an arrowe because his Target failed him but many were wounded After this conflict our men resorted to theyr ordinaunce whiche they had planted neere vnto the wel When they had discharged certayne peeces the Barbarians fled backe into the towne and our men were of fierse and greedie courrage to haue pursued them but that Grisalua the gouernour would not suffer them From thence they proceeded to the last ende of Iucatana which they founde to reach more then two hundred myles from the East to the West Here they founde a commodious hauen and named it Portus desideratus From hence they sailed to other landes came to the region next to Iucatana Westward which they doubt whether it be an Iland or part of the fyrme lande but thinke it rather to be annext to y e continēt in this there is a gulfe whiche they suppose to be incompassed with both the landes but of this there is no certentie The inhabitauntes call this region Caluacam or otherwise Oloan. They found here also a great riuer whiche by his violent course and fall driueth freshe water two myles into the sea this they called Grisalua after the name of the gouernour The Barbarians marueylyng at the huge greatnesse and mouing of our shyps came swarmyng on the bankes of both sydes the riuer to the number of syxe thousande men armed with targettes and brest plates of golde bowes and arrowes brode swoordes of heauie wood and long iauelyns hardened at the endes with fyre Thus standyng in battayle raye to defende theyr coastes and with proude countenaunces forbyddyng our men to come alande both parties watched all that nyght in armes In the dawne of they daye our men espyed about a hundred Canoas whiche we haue sayde to bee theyr boates full of armed men Here also the language of thinterpretours of Cuba agreed well yenough with theirs When they had admitted the peace profered them by thinterpretours al the Canoas staied except one which approched towarde the shyppes A certayne ruler that was in this Canoa demaunded of our men what they sought in other mens landes They answeared Gold and that for permutation of other ware and not of gift or violently The Canoa returned and the ruler certified the king hereof who came gladly to the shippes When he had saluted the gouernor he called his chamberlaine vnto him commaundyng hym to bryng his armur and other ornamentes of gold wherewith he armed Grisalua from the toppe of the head to the sole of the foote insomuche that what so euer any man of armes armed at all partes is among vs accustomed to weare of Iron or steele when he commeth into the fielde all such kynde of furnitures made of golde and wrought with woonderfull art the kyng gaue to the gouernour He recompenced hym with vestures of sycke cloth lynnen and other of our thynges In the begynnyng of this Iucatana when they sayled to Cozumella they chaunced vpon a Canoa of fishermen to the number of niene fyshyng with hookes of golde they tooke them all prysoners One of them was knowen to this kyng who promysed the day folowyng to send the gouernour as much gold for his raunsome as the man hym selfe waighed But the gouernour denied that he could release hym without the consent of his felowes and therefore kept hym styll to proue what he coulde further knowe of hym Departyng from hence and saylyng styll westwarde they founde a great gulfe in the which three small Ilandes were situate Of these they went to the byggest But oh abhominable crueltie oh most corrupted myndes of men and diuilyshe impietie Let euery godly man close y e mouth of his stomake lest he be disturbed They offer young chyldren of both kyndes to their Idoles of marble earth Among their Idoles of marble there standeth a Lion hauyng a hole through the necke into the whiche they poure the blood of the miserable sacrifyce that it may from thence runne downe into a syncke of marble Let vs nowe declare with what ceremonies they sacrifice the blood of these poore wretches They cut not theyr throtes but open the very brestes of these seelye soules and take out theyr hartes yet pantyng with the hot blood whereof they annoynt the lippes of theyr Idoles and suffer the resydue to fall into the syncke This doone they burne the harte and bowels supposyng the smoke thereof to be acceptable to theyr goddes Of theyr Idoles one is made to the shape of a man bowyng downe his head and lookyng towarde the syncke of blood as it were acceptyng the offeryng of the slayne sacrifyce They eate the fleshe of the armes thyghes and legges especially when they sacrifice an enimie taken in the warres They founde a streame of coniealed blood as though it had runne from a boochery For this mischeuous purpose they bring these wretches from the next Ilandes They sawe also innumerable heades and trunkes of bodies thus mangled besyde many other yet remainyng whole and couered with certayne mattes Al the tractes of these regions abound with gold and pretious stodes One of our men wandryng in the Ilande chaunced to fynde two water pottes of alabaster artificially wrought and full of litle stones of dyuers colours They say also that they founde a stone of the value of two thousande Castellans of golde which the sent to the gouernour This Iland they named the Iland of sacrifice Thinhabitauntes are circumcised There
come alande and came foorth agaynst them with bowes and quiuers full of arrowes broad swoordes made of heauy wood and Iauelins hardned at the ende with fyre They shot at our men a farre of and our men discharged certayne peeces of ordinaunce against them The Barbarians astonished at the noyse of the gunnes fled amayne and desyred peace Here our mens vitayles began to fayle them and theyr shyppes were broosed with long viages Hauyng therefore founde and done these thinges whereof wee haue spoken Grisalua returned to the Ilande of Eernandina well contented but so were not his companions We muste nowe diuerte somewhat from this matter and speake of an other nauigation and from thence will wee returne to these landes whiche our men haue founde So it is therefore that Diegus Velasquen the gouernour of the Ilande of Fernandina about the same tyme that he had sent foorth this nauie of foure Carauelles he prepared an other nauigation of onely one Carauell and one brygantine with fourtie and fyue men These exercised violent handes against thinhabitauntes of those regions where they arryued thynkyng that they myght forceably drawe them to the dyggyng of golde bycause they were Caffranite Idolaters and circumcised There are at the sea syde not farre from the supposed continent many litle Ilandes of most fortunate and fruitefull soyle whereof three are thus named Guanapan Guanguan and Quitilla Out of one of these which they named Sansta Marina they violently caryed away three hundred men women which they thrust into the Carauell and returned immediatly to Fernandina leauyng the brigantine with .xxv. of theyr felowes to thintent to hunt for more men The hauen where the Carauell fyrst arryued is called Carenas beyng distant from the angle of Cuba and the chiefe citie of Sanctiago two hundred and fyftie myles For this Ilande of Cuba is very long reachyng in length from the East to the West and situate directly vnder the circle called Tropicus Cancri as we haue sayd before Nowe shall you heare howe fortune sought the reuenge of these poore wretches Therfore as their keepers went aland and few remained in the Carauel they perceiuing occasion ministred whereby they myght recouer their libertie sodeinly snatched vp our mens weapons and slue sixe of them which yet remained in the Carauell whyle the residue leapte into the sea And by this meanes the Barbarians possessed the Carauell whiche they had soone learned to rule and thus returned to their owne countreys But they sayled fyrst to the nexte Ilande where they burnt the Carauel and caryed away the weapons with them From hence they conueyed them selues to their owne countreys with the Canoas of this Ilād Here in lyke maner they priuily assailed them that were left with the brigantine and slue many of them also The residue that escaped fledde to the brigantine where they bewayled theyr felowes deathes and counted theyr owne escape a victorie On the shore not farre from the place where they suffered this misfortune there is a tree in the toppe whereof they set vp a crosse and graued this inscription in the barke of the tree Vannuis Aldarieci There is a ryuer named Darien on the banke whereof standeth the chiefe citie of the supposed continent The gouernour therefore hauyng intelligence heereof sent with all speede two shippes of warre well furnished to the ayde of them that were left but they were wyse to late Yet folowing the viewe of the crosse they came to the shore and red the letters grauen on the tree but durst not attempt fortune Thus with all theyr hardie souldiers departyng from hence with dispayre they sayled to the nexte Ilande out of the whiche they caryed away by violence fyue hundred men and women supposyng lykewyse that they myght lawfully so doe bycause they were Idolaters and circumcised But the lyke chaunce happened vnto them when they landed at Eernandina For the Barbarians espying oportunitie set vppon the Spanyardes in one of the shyppes with theyr owne weapons and slue theyr keepers the residue that escaped castyng them selues into the sea swamme to the next Carauell and with theyr felowes assayled the Carauell that was taken from them This conflicte was so sharpe that for the space of foure houres it was doubtfull whether parte should obteyne the victorie The Barbarians both men and women fought very fiercely aswell to recouer their libertie as also to holde fast the praye which they had gotten But in fine the Spanyardes had the vpper hande by reason they were more experte in handlyng of theyr weapons rulyng of their Carauell The Barbarians beyng thus ouercome leapt into the sea but the Spanyardes tooke them agayne with the shyppe boates About a hundred of the Barbarians perished being partly drowned and partely slayne with the swoorde and but fewe of the Spanyardes These thinges thus pacified the resydue of the Barbarians were caryed to the towne of Sanctiago and condemned to labour in the golde mynes Shortly after they made out a newe viage to an other of the Ilandes which lye there about so thicke that they commonly call the number of them Archipelagus as they in our sea of Ionicum are called Symplegades Here our men were cruelly handled and as many of them as came alande eyther slayne or wounded This Ilande they named Florida bycause they arryued there on Easter day whiche the Spaniards call the floryshyng day of the resurrection They say also that in this tracte they sawe .xxvi. Ilandes which Colonus had ouerpassed and the same so to lye about Hispaniola and Cuba as though they warded them from the furie of the Ocean In many of these they founde natiue golde of lyke goodnesse to that which is founde in Granatum Thinhabitauntes also weare many iewelles and haue many Images of theyr domesticall goddes made both of golde artificially wrought and also of wood gylted Frauncis Cheregatus brought one of theyr Idols with him wherby may bee considered of what wytte and aptnesse they are It is a marueylous thyng to see what maner of rasers they haue made of certayne yelowe stones cleare and transparent lyke vnto christall with these they shaue and carue as though they were made of fyne steele When the edges are blunt with long exercyse they sharpen them not with a whetstone or powder or any other stone but temper them onely with water They haue also a thousande kyndes of instrumentes or tooles and such other thinges of fyne deuice which were to long to rehearse Let vs therefore returne from whence wee haue digressed as to Cozumella Iucatana Coluacana or Olloa being all landes lately founde and so rych fruitfull and pleasaunt that they may in maner bee compared to the earthly Paradyse Therefore after that it was knowen to our men of howe great moment these tractes were the Spaniards which inhabited the Ilande of Cuba Annunstus being the gouernour of the Ilande furnished a new
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
and many also with slate or other stone The Barbarians them selues confessed that they were that day fourtie thousande men at the battayle which were vanquished of a fewe by reason of the newe and vnknowen kynde of feyght with gunnes and horses For the gouernour had vnbarked .xvi. horses which were also at the battayle and so fyercely assayled the Barbarians on the backehalfe that they brake theyr array and scattered them as it had ben flockes of sheepe ouerthrowing woūding killing them on euery syde Which thing the seely wretches so imputed to a miracle that they had not y e power to occupie their weapones For wheras before they had neuer seene any horses they thought that y e man on horsebacke and the horse had ben all one beaste as the antiquitie dyd fable of the monster Centaurus Our men possessed the towne .xxii. dayes where they made good cheare vnder couert whyle the owners of the houses lay vnder the fyrmament and durst not assayle our men who had placed them selues in the stroungest part of the towne where some kept contynual watch lest the Barbarians shoulde sodenly inuade them whyle other gaue them selues to rest and sleepe The inhabitauntes call this towne Potanchana but our men for the victorie which they obteyned here named it Victoria It is a marueilous thyng to consider the greatnesse magnificence finenesse of the building of certayne palaces they haue in the countrey to the which they resort somtymes for theyr solace and pastyme These are curiously builded with many pleasaunt diuises as galeries solars turrettes portals gutters with chambers boorded after the maner of our waynescot and well floored Foure of our Spaniardes went into one of them of such greatnesse that they wandred in the same for the space of foure houres before they coulde fynde the way out At the length by the interpretours and certayne captiues our men sent for the kyng and suche rulers as were next vnder hym in aucthoritie wyllyng them to submyt them selues and to come into the towne vnarmed geuyng the messengers further in commaundement to certifie them that in theyr so doyng they woulde commune with them as concerning conditions of peace and restore them theyr towne They came gladly and entred euery man into his owne house vpon condition that they shoulde euer thereafter absteyne from such ceremonies and horrible sacrifices of mans fleshe to deuils the mortal enemies to mankinde whose Images they honoured to direct the eyes of theyr myndes to Christ our God y e maker of heauen and earth who was borne into this worlde of a virgin and suffred death on the crosse for the redemption of mankynde and finally to professe them selues subiectes to the Christian kyng of Spayne They promised both and were instructed as farre as the shortnesse of tyme woulde permit Beyng thus restored they recompensed our men with many rewardes supposyng suche men to be sent from heauen whiche beyng so fewe in number durst attempt battayle agaynst so great a multitude They gaue our men also certayne golde and twentie slaues Departyng therefore from hence and coasting styll along by the same shore they came agayne to the gulfe whiche Alaminus the pilot founde before vnder Grisalua This they named Bian Sancti Iohannis that is Saint Iohns gulfe for Bian in the Spanishe tounge signifieth a gulfe Heere the inhabitantes resorted to them peaceably About a myle from the shore was a towne of a thousand and fyue hundred houses situate vpon a hyll They profered our men halfe the towne if they would dwel with them for euer This perhaps they dyd the rather eyther fearyng the example of the inhabitantes of Potanchana the fame whereof myght haue come to theyr eares or els hopyng that vnder the shadowe of suche valiaunt men they myght obteyne ayde and succour agaynst theyr enemies and borderers For as I haue sayde before they destroy one an other with contynuall warre for the desire to enlarge theyr dominions Our men refused parpetuall habitation and accepted theyr frendly proffer for a tyme. As they came alande the people folowed them on euerye syde with bowes in theyr handes whiche they helde ouer our mens heades to defend them from the rayne as though they had walked in a continuall arbour Heere they encamped And lest the residue left in the shyps shoulde in the meane tyme waxe slouthfull with Idlenesse the gouernour gaue commaundement to Alaminus the pilot and Francis Montegius to searche the West partes of that land while he releeued the weeried souldiers and healed such as were wounded To them that went forward on this viage he assigned two brigantines with fyftie men Unto this gulfe the course of the water was gentle enough and moderate but when they had sailed a litle further toward the West they founde the sea running with so swift a course as if it were a great riuer fallyng from the toppes of hygh mountaynes insomuch that in a short space of tyme it caried them fiftie myles from theyr felowes When they were now entred into this violent streame of water they saw on their left hande a large plaine sea which met with the course of the other waters falling from the West And lyke as two great riuers that runne contrarye waies make a vehement conflict where they meete so seemed the waters comming from the South to resyst these waters as enemies that had entred into the ryght or possession of an other On the contrary part they sawe the lande reachyng farre both on the left hande and on the ryght In this stryfe betwene the waters they were so tossed on both sydes and entangled with whirlepoles that they long wrestled without hope of lyfe At the length with muche difficultie turnyng the stemmes or forpartes of theyr shyppes agaynst the streame from whence they came and labouryng all that they myght with theyr ores and sayles they coulde scarsely ouercome the rage of the water insomuche that were as they thought that they had in one nyght sayled two myles they founde that they were dryuen backe foure myles Yet at the length with gods helpe they ouercame this daungerours conflycte They spent xxii dayes in this litle space of sea And when they were nowe returned to theyr felowes declared vnto them that that ende was the lande of Coluacana whiche they adiudged to be part of the supposed continent The lande whiche they sawe a farre of before theyr face they suppose eyther to be annexed to our continent ▪ or to be ioyned to the large North regions called Baccalaos whereof we haue made mention in our Decades in the voiage of Sebastian Cabote This matter is yet doubtefull but we trust it shall once be better knowen While Alaminus and Montegius searched these secretes the kyng of the prouince whose name was Multoxumam sent our men by one of his chiefe officers beyng also his Lieuetenaunt of the sayde towne many ryche and goodly presentes of golde
syluer and precious stones set and wrought after a marueylous straunge deuice and with no lesse cunnyng woorkemanshyp Heere they determined to sende messengers to our newe Emperour to knowe his pleasure that they myght in this prouince plant a newe colonie or habitation and this dyd they without the aduise of Diegus Velasquen the gouernour of the Iland of Cuba or Fernandina who fyrst sent them foorth with commaundement to returne agayne after they had searched these regions and obtayned plentie of golde While they consulted herof they were of diuers opinions but the most part alleaged that in this case it was not requisite to make the gouernour of theyr counsayle forasmuch as y e matter shoulde be referred to a higher Iudge as to the king of Spaine hym self When they were thus agreed they receyued vittayles of the gentle king of the prouince and assigned the place of their colonie twelue myles from the saide towne in a fruiteful holsome soile For theyr generall gouernoure they elected Cortesius the gouernour of the nauie agaynst his wyll as some saye For other magistrates to gouerne the citie which they intended to builde he chose Portucarerius and Montegius of whom we haue made mention before They chose also certayne messengers to send to the kyng by the conduction of Alaminus the pilot Furthermore foure of the princes of this prouince offered them selues wyllyngly to go with our men into Spayne to thintent to see our landes and that kyng whose power is so great and whose auctoritie reacheth so farre They brought lykewyse two women with them whiche serued and obeyed them in all thinges after the maner of their countrey The people of this nation is of browne or yelowyshe colour Both the men and the women haue pendauntes of gold pretious stones hanging at their eares The men also bore theyr neather lippes full of holes from the vppermost part of the lippe euen vnto the neathermost part of the gumme At these they hang certayne rynges and plates of golde and syluer fastned to a smal and thynne plate lying within betwene the lip the gumme At the biggest hole in the middest of the lippe there hangeth a rounde plate of syluer as brode as the coyne called a Carolyne as thicke as a mans finger I do not remember that euer I sawe any thyng that seemed more fylthy in myne eye Yet do they thynke that there is nothyng more comly vnder the circle of the moone whereby we may see howe vainely mankynde wandereth in his owne blyndnesse The Ethiopian thincketh the blacke colour to be fayrer then the white and the white man thinketh otherwise They that are powled thynke that more decent then to weare a bushe and they that weare beardes iudge it a deformitie to be shauen As appetite therfore moueth and not as reason perswadeth men runne after vanities and euery prouince is ruled by theyr owne sense as writeth saint Ierome From whence they haue their gold we haue spoken sufficiently before But as our men marueyled where they had theyr syluer they shewed them certayne high mountaines which are continually couered w t snowe sauing that at certaine times of the yeere the only toppes are seene bare bicause the snow is there molten by reason of y e thicke and warme cloudes The plaines therfore or milde softe pleasaunt mountaines seeme to bring foorth golde and the rough craggie mountaynes with theyr colde valleyes are the places where syluer is engendred They haue also Laton whereof they make such Mases and Hammers as are vsed in the warres dygging Mattockes also and Spades for they haue neyther Iron nor steele But let vs nowe speake of the presentes sent into Spayne to the kyng and fyrst of the bookes These procuratours therefore of the newe colonie of the prouince of Coluacana among other their presentes brought also a great number of bookes the leaues whereof are made of the inner ryndes or barkes of trees thinner then eyther that of the Elme or of y e Salowe these they smeere or anoynt with the pitche of molten Bitumem and whyle they be soft extend them to what fourme them lysteth When they bee cold and harde they rubbe them ouer with a certayne playster It is to be thought that they beate the playster into fyne floure and so temperyng it with some byndyng moysture to make a crust therewith vppon the leaues whereon they wryte with anye sharpe instrument and blot the same agayne with a spunge or some suche other thyng as marchaunt men and noble mens stewards are accustomed to do with their wryting tables made of the woodde of figge trees The leaues of theyr bookes are not set in order after the maner of ours but are extended many cubittes in length The matters whiche they write are conteyned in square tables not lose but so bound togeather with the tough flexible clay called Bitumem that they seeme lyke woodden tables whiche had been vnder the handes of cunnyng Bookbynders Which way so euer the booke lieth open there are two leaues seene and two sydes wrytten with as many lying vnder them except the booke be vnfoulded in length For vnder one leafe there are many leaues ioyned togeather The fourmes of theyr letters are nothyng lyke vnto ours but are muche more crooked and entangled lyke vnto fyshhookes knottes snares starres fyles dyse and suche other muche lyke vnto the Egyptian letters and wrytten in lines lyke vnto ours Heere and there betweene the lines are pictured the shapes of men and diuers beastes and especyally the Images of kynges and other noble men Whereby it is to be thought that in such bookes the factes of theyr kinges are conteined as we see the lyke among vs how our printers expresse the summe of histories in pictures that men may therby be the more allured to bye suche bookes The coueringes of theyr bookes are also artificially wrought and paynted When they are shut they seeme to differ nothing from ours in fourme In these bookes are furthermore comprehended theyr lawes rytes of ceremonies and sacrifyces annotations of Astronomie accomptes computations of tymes with the maner of graffyng sowing and other thynges parteynyng to husbandry They begyn the yeere from the goyng downe of the seauen starres called Vergiliae or Pleiades and count theyr monethes accordyng to the mones They name a moneth Tona of the Moone for in theyr language they call the Moone Tona They recken the dayes by the sonnes therefore as many dayes as they name they saye so manye sonnes the Sonne in theyr tongue is called Tonatico They distribute the yeere without any reason why into twentie monethes and the moneth into as many dayes The temples whiche they frequent they adourne with golden hangynges and other ornamentes of golde and syluer with precious stones intermyxt At the spryng of the day they perfume theyr temples with frankensence and make theyr prayers before they take in hand any other busynesse
shall dryue vs and among these so many pleasaunt and fruitfull prouinces of this large lande let vs choose one in the whiche wee maye with libertie spende that portion of our lyues which yet remayneth Who can fynde vs or shal be able to profer vs violence When these or the lyke wordes were declared to Petrus Arias hee sent to the South partes for Vaschus wyllyng him by the vertue of his commission to repayre to him foorthwith Vaschus obeyed and at his commyng was cast in pryson yet constantly denying that euer hee entended any such thyng Witnesses were brought agaynst him and his wordes rehearsed from the begynnyng To conclude hee was iudged woorthy death and was put to execution And this is the rewarde wherewith the blynde goddesse oftentymes recompenseth such as haue susteyned great trauayles and daungers to bee hyghly in her fauour Petrus Arias leauyng hys wyfe in Dariena embarked him selfe in the shippes left of Vaschus to thintent to search those coastes But whether hee bee returned or not wee haue yet no certayne knowledge He hath also his fortune Yet is there an other gouernour assigned whose name is Lupus Sosa the viceroye of the Ilandes of Canarie What stomake Petrus Arias may haue if he returne let good men iudge There was nothing done vnder him woorthy glorie Some thynke that hee was at the beginnyng to slacke and negligent in his office and not seuere in correctyng errours and misorders But we will leaue him and rehearse somewhat whereof we haue been lately infourmed as touchyng the great and deepe ryuer of Dabaiba the whiche for the greatnesse and largenesse thereof our men named Grandis that is great as we haue noted in our Decades This ryuer falleth into the furthest corner of the gulfe of Vraba by seuen portes or mouthes as doth the ryuer of Nilus into the Egyptian sea whose large description you may also reade in our Decades That the mountaynes on euery syde about this ryuer are ryche in golde wee haue learned by thinformation of thinhabitauntes of whom wee made diligent inquisition Vaschus and besyde him other gouernours and Lieuetenauntes haue fouretymes entred into this ryuer with theyr armies in battayle array and with dyuers kyndes of shippes fyrst for the space of fourtie myles then fyftie and at the last fourescore and at an other tyme also ouerthwarte the ryuer Oh shamefull chaunce and detestable cowardnesse of our men A naked nation encountryng with them that had apparell the armed against the vnarmed had the ouerthrow in maner in all conflictes and were either all slayne or wounded They vse inuenomed arrowes and are such experte archers that if they espy any place of theyr enimie bare or vnarmed they will not lyghtly fayle to stryke him there They vse also many dartes which in the tyme of the battayle they hurle so thicke a farre of that they take the lyght of the sunne from theyr enemies as it were with a cloude They haue lykewise brode long swoordes made of a heauy and harde kynde of wood wherewith they fight fiercely neare at hand Vaschus him selfe receiued many woundes in encountryng with them And thus by reason of the fiercenesse of these Barbarians the ryuer of Dabaiba is yet left vnsearched Wee will nowe speake somewhat more of the Ilande of Hispaniola which the Spanyardes call Spagnuola the mother and chiefe of all other landes or Ilands wherof we entended to write In it the Senate is now restored and fyue Iudges assigned to giue lawes to all thinhabitauntes of those tractes But in short tyme they shall ceasse geathering of gold although there bee great plentie by reason they shall lacke labourers and myners forasmuch as thinhabitauntes whose helpe they vsed heerein are brought to a small number consumed partely by warre and many more by famine that yeere that they dygged vp the rootes whereof they made theyr best bread and lefte of sowyng their grayne of Maizium which is their common foode supposing hereby to haue dryuen our men out of the Ilande who had vittayles sent them from Spayne A great number of them also dyed of new and straunge diseases which in the yeere of Christ a thousande fyue hundred and eightiene consumed them lyke rotten sheepe And to say the trueth our mens vnsaciable desyre of golde so oppressed these poore wretches with extreme labour and toyle where as before they lyued pleasauntly and at libertie gyuen onely to playes and pastymes as daunsyng fyshyng foulyng and huntyng of little Cunnies that many of them peryshed euen for very anguyshe of mynde the which with theyr vnaccustomed labour are thinges of them selues sufficient to engender many newe diseases But the kyng and the Senate haue nowe determyned that they bee reduced to a people and to gyue them selues onely to increase and tyllage of the grounde and that onely suche as are bought or taken out of other regions be appoynted to labour in the gold mynes But it shall suffyse to haue sayde thus muche of the pestiferous hunger of golde therfore I wil speake of other matters It is a marueylous thyng to consider how all thinges increase and prosper in this Ilande There are nowe .xxviii. suger presses wherewith great plentie of suger is made The canes or reedes wherein the suger groweth are bygger and hygher then in any other place and are as bygge as a mans arme in the brawne and hygher then the stature of a man by the halfe This is more wonderfull that where as in Ualentia in Spayne where a great quantitie of suger is made yeerely where so euer they applye them selues to the great increase thereof yet doeth euery roote bryng foorth not past fyue or syxe oâ— at the most seuen of those reedes whereas in Hispaniola oâ—e roote beareth twentie and oftentymes thirtie Foure footed beastes and cattayle are marueylously increased in this Ilande And albeit that the rauenyng hunger of golde hath hitherto greatly hyndered our men from tyllage of the grounde yet is there great plentye of wheate whiche prospereth so well that it yeeldeth some tyme a hundred folde and this especially on the hylles or rydges of the mountaynes prospectyng towarde the North Uines doo also encrease here with no lesse fruitefulnesse What shoulde I speake of the trees that beare Cassia fistula brought fyrst into this Ilande from the other Ilandes neere vnto the supposed Continent as we haue noted in our Decades There is nowe suche plentie hereof that after a fewe yeeres we shall haue a pounde of the pryce that we paye nowe for an ounce Of the Brasyle and Mirobalane trees with other innumerable prerogatiues and benefytes which nature hath plentifully geuen to this blessed Ilande we haue spoken sufficiently in our Decades Yet haue I thought good to repeate parte of the same because I thynke that the wittes of many readers haue diuerted from the weight of great affaires to
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
euery house also howe the treasurie of nature is in those coastes and of the golde mynes of Dariena Howe kyng Teaocha gaue Vaschus .xx. poundes weyght of wrought golde and two hundred pearles also of desartes full of wylde beastes and howe Vaschus was troubled with great heate in the moneth of Nouember Howe a dogge Tyger was taken and his whelpes tyed in cheynes and torne in peeces also how Vaschus gaue .iiii. kynges to his dogges to be deuoured Of the vse of dogges in theyr warres and of the fiercenesse of the Caniballes How kyng Bononiana fauoured the Christians gaue Vaschus xx pound weyght of wrought golde also his oration to Vaschus A similitude prouyng great plentie of golde in the regions of the South sea and of the trauayles which olde souldyers are able to susteyne The contentes of the thyrd booke Fol. 105. HOwe kyng Buchibuea submitted him selfe to Vaschus sent him certayne vesselles of golde also how kyng Chiorisus sent him .xxx. dyshes of pure golde Howe Iron serueth for more necessary vses then golde also an example of the lyfe of our fyrst parentes Howe kyng Pocchorrosa submitted hym selfe and gaue Vaschus fyftiene pounde weyght of wrought golde also how Tumanama the great kyng of the golden regions towarde the South sea is taken prysoner lykewyse howe he gaue Vaschus .xxx. pounde weyght of pure and wrought golde and his noble men .lx. pounds weyght of golde Of the cause of vehement wyndes neere vnto the Equinoctiall lyne and of the coloure of the earth of the golden mynes Of the large and fruitefull playne of Zauana and of the ryuer Comogrus also howe kyng Comogrus baptised by the name of Charles gaue Vaschus .xx. pounde weyght of wrought golde Of the good fortune of Vaschus and howe he was turned from Goliath to Elizeus from Anteus to Hercules with what facilitie the Spaniardes shall hereafter obtayne great plentie of golde and pearles Of the Spanyardes conquestes and fiercenesse of the Canibales also an exhortation to Christian princes to set forwarde Christes religion The contentes of the fourth booke Fol. 110. THe fourth viage of Colonus the Admiral from Spayne to Hispaniola and to the other Ilandes and coastes of the firme lande also of the floryshyng Ilande Guanassa Of the seuen kyndes of Date trees wylde vines and Mirobalanes also of byrdes and foules Of people of goodly stature whiche vse to paynt theyr bodyes and of the swyfte course of the sea from the east to the west also of freshe water in the sea Of the large regions of Paria Os Draconis and Quiriquetana and of great Tortoyses and reedes also of the foure fruitefull Ilands called Quatuor Tempora and .xii. Ilands called Limonares Of sweete sauoures and holsome ayre and of the region Quicuri and the hauen Cariai or Mirobalanus also of certayne ciuil people Of trees growyng in the sea after a straunge sort and of a straunge kynde of Monkyes whiche inuade men and feyght with wylde Bores Of the great gulfe of Cerabaro replenished with many fruitefull Ilandes and of the people whiche weare cheynes of golde made of ouches wrought to the similitude of dyuers wylde beastes and foules Of fyue villages whose inhabitauntes geue them selues onely to geatheryng of golde and are paynted vsyng to weare garlandes of Lions and Tygers clawes also of seuen ryuers in al the which is founde great plentie of golde and where the plentie of gold ceasseth Of certayne people whiche paynt theyr bodyes and couer theyr priuie members with shelles hauyng also plates of gold hangyng at theyr nosethrylles Of certayne woormes whiche beyng engendred in the seas neere about the Equinoctial eate holes in the shyppes and howe the Admirals shyppes were destroyed by them Howe the king of Beragua entertayned the Lieuetenaunt and of the great plentie of golde in the ryuer of Duraba and in al the regions there about also in rootes of trees and stones and in maner in al ryuers Howe the Lieuetenaunt and his company woulde haue erected a colonie besyde the ryuer of Beragua was repulsed by thinhabitauntes Howe the Admiral fel into the handes of the Barbarians of the Iland of Iamaica where he liued miserably the space of tenne monethes and by what chaunce he was saued and came to the Ilande of Hispaniola Of holsome regions temperate ayre and continual spryng al the whole yeere also of certayne people which honour golde religiously duryng theyr golden haruest Of the mountaynes of Beragua beyng fyftie myles in length and higher then the cloudes also the discription of other mountaynes and regions thereabout comparyng the same to Italy Colonus his opinion as touchyng the supposed continent and ioynyng of the north and south Ocean also of the breadth of the sayde continent or firme lande Of the regions of Vraba Beragua and the great ryuer Maragnonus and the ryuer of Dabaiba or Sancti Iohannis also of certayne maryshes and desolate wayes and of Dragons and Crocodiles engendred in the same Of .xx. golden ryuers about Dariena and of certayne precious stones especially a Diamonde of marueylous byggnesse bought in the prouince of Paria Of the heroical factes of the Spanyardes and howe they contemne effeminate pleasures also a similitude prouing great plentie of golde and precious stones The contentes of the fyft booke Fol. 119. THe nauigation of Petrus Arias from Spayne to Hispaniola and Dariena and of the Ilandes of Canarie also of the Ilands of Madanino Guadalupea and Galanta Of the sea of hearbes mountaynes couered with snow also of the swyft course of the sea towards the West Of the ryuer Gaira the region Caramairi and the port Carthago and Sancta Martha also of Americus Vesputius and his expert cunnyng in the knowledge of the carde compasse and quadrant How the Canibales assayled Petrus Arias with his whole nauie and shot of theyr venomous arrowes euen in the sea also of theyr houses and housholde stuffe How Gonsalus Ouiedus founde a Saphire bygger then a goose egge also Emerodes Calcidonies Iaspers and Amber of the mountaynes Of woods of Brasyle trees plentie of gold and marchasites of metals founde in the regions of Caramairi Gaira and Saturma also of a straunge kynde of marchaundies exercised among the people of Zunu That the region of Caramairi is lyke to an earthy Paradise of the fruitfull mountaynes and pleasaunt gardens of the same Of many goodly countreis made desolate by the fiercenesse of the Canibales and of diuers kyndes of bread made of rootes also of the maner of plantyng the roote of Iucca whose iuise is deadly poyson in the Ilandes and without hurt in the continent or fyrme lande Of certayne golden ryuers Hartes wylde Boores foules gossampine whyte marble and holsome ayre also of the great ryuer Maragnonus discending from the mountaynes couered with snowe called Serra Neuata How Petrus Arias wasted certaine Ilands of the Canibales how by the swyft course of the sea his shyps were caried in one night fourtie
of the habitable regions vnder the Equinoctiall and of the ryche golde mynes of the Ilande of Cuba Of the Gumme called Animae Album and of the Canibales also wherby it was thought that there were Ilandes of women Of hony founde in trees and rockes and of the generation of great Tortoyses and of theyr egges The contentes of the tenth booke Fol. 146. OF the expedition agaynst the kyng of the Ilande Dites in the South sea and howe after foure conflictes submitting hym selfe he gaue our men an hundred ten pounde weyght of great pearles also howe he agreed to paye yeerely a hundred pounde weyght of pearles for a tribute Howe axes and hatchettes are more esteemed then golde or pearles and of great plentie of Hartes and Cunnies also howe the kyng of Dites and his familie were baptised Of pearles of great pryse and howe Paule the Bishop of Rome bought a pearle for foure and fortie thousand ducades Diuers opinions of the generation of pearles and of a hundred pearles founde in one shel fyshe also of the birth of pearles Of the regions of the East syde of the gulfe of Vraba and of the originall of the Canibales Of certayne circumcised people which haue the knoweledge of letters and vse of bookes and what chaunced of the captaynes which Petrus Arias sent foorth diuers wayes also howe Iohn Solisius was slayne of the Canibales and of theyr fiercenesse Howe Iohn Pontius was repulsed of the Canibales and of the lewde behauiour of Iohn Aiora Of the variable fortune of Gonsalus Badaiocius and howe after he had geathered great ryches of gold he had the ouerthrow and was spoyled of all Of the golden region of Coiba Dites and how theyr slaues are marked in the face Of the Ilandes of the South sea and of the regions from whence the Portingales fetche theyr spyces Of a straunge kynde of fowlyng and of the trees that beare Gourdes Of the later opinions as touching the swift course of the Ocean towarde the West and of the continent or fyrme lande also of the viage from the newe landes to Spayne Of the golde mynes of Dariena and of the maner of geatheryng of golde in the same also of the dropsie of couetousnesse which is not satisfied with ryches For the contentes of the booke of the Ilandes of the West Indies seas reade the margent notes of the same FINIS ⧠Gonzalus Ferdinandus Ouiedus of the west Indies R. E. To the Reader ALthough among dyuers which haue written of the Ocean and VVest Indies there is none to be compared to Peter Martyr of Angleria in declaryng by philosophicall discourses the secrete causes of naturall affectes both as touchyng the lande the sea the starres and other straunge workes of nature yet forasmuch as of later dayes those countreys haue been better knowne and searched and dyuers such particuler and notable thinges founde as are conteyned in the histories of later writers among the number of whom Conzalus Ferdinandus Ouiedus whom learned Cardanus compareth to the ancient writers is doubtlesse the chiefe I haue therefore thought good to ioyne to the Decades of Peter Martyr certayne notable thinges which I haue geathered out of his booke intituled the Summarie or abridgement of his generall hystorie of the west Indies written in the firme lande of the same in the citie of Sancti Maria Antiqua in Dariena where he dwelt was gouernor many yeeres and dedicated to Themperours maiestie as may appeare by the Epistle folowyng To the most hygh and myghtie prince Charles the fyft o◠that name Emperor of Rome Kyng of Spaine of the two Cicilies of both the sydes of the streyght of Faro Kyng of Hierusalem and Hungarie Duke of Burgonie and Earle of Flaunders Lord and inheritour of the firme lande and Ilandes of the VVest Ocean c. Gonzalus Ferdinandus Ouiedus his most humble seruaunt wysheth health and perpetuall felicitie THe thinges which principally preserue and mayntayne the workes of nature in the memories of men are hystories and bookes composed of the same among the whiche certes those are esteemed most true and autentyke which haue been wrytten by wyttie and expert men well traueyled in the world as faythfull witnesses of such thinges as they haue partly seene and been partly informed by credible persons Of this mynde and opinion was Plinie who better then any other aucthor hath written in .xxxvii. bookes all that parteyneth to the naturall historie conteyned all in one volume dedicated to Vespasian Themperour Wherin as a prudent historiographer he declareth such thinges as hee had heard attributing the second authoritie to such as he had redde in aucthours that wrote before him And thyrdly ioyned to the same hystorie such thinges as he him selfe had seene as most certayne testimonie Whose example I folowyng will in this my breefe summarie reduce and represent to your maiesties memorie such thinges as I haue seene in your Empyre of the West Indies aswell in the Ilandes as in the firme lande of the Ocean sea where I haue serued now more then twelue yeeres in the place of surueyer of the golde mynes by the commaundement of the Catholyke kyng Don Fernando the fyft of that name and graundfather vnto your maiestie to whom God gaue great fame and glorie Since whose death also I haue lykewyse serued and trust whyle the rest of my lyfe yet remayneth to serue your maiestie as shall please you to commaunde As touchyng whiche thinges and suche other lyke I haue more largely written in an hystorie begun assoone as my age was rype to take such matters in hande Wherein furthermore I haue made mention of suche thinges as haue chaunced in Spayne from the yeere .1494 vnto this tyme addyng also therevnto suche thinges woorthy memorie as I haue obserued in other realmes and prouinces where I haue trauayled and haue lykewyse particulerly wrytten the lyues and worthy actes of the catholyke Princes of famous memorie Don Ferdinando and Lady Elizabeth his wyfe to theyr last dayes After whose fruition of heauenly Paradyse I haue noted such thinges as haue chaunced in your most fortunate succession not omittyng particulerly to wryte a large booke of suche thinges as haue seemed most woorthy to bee noted as touchyng your maiesties Indies But forasmuch as that volume remayneth in the citie of San. Dominico in the Ilande of Hispaniola where I dwell and am placed in housholde with wyfe chyldren and famylie I haue brought no more with me of that my writyng then I beare in memorie determynyng notwithstandyng for your maiesties recreation to make a breefe rehearsall of certayne notable thinges wherof I haue more largely entreated in my sayd generall historie and such as may seeme most woorthy to be redde of your maiestie Of the which although a great parte haue been written by other who haue also seene the same yet perhappes they are not so exactly and particulerly described as of mee forasmuche as in maner all that trauayle into these Indies haue
crude and of a baser alay and caract and doth wast so muche the more in meltyng and remayneth more brickle Sometymes there are founde graines of golde of great quantitie and of great weyght aboue the earth and sometymes also vnder the earth And the greatest of all other that was founde to this day in the Indies was that whiche was lost in the sea about the Ilande Beata whiche weyghed three thousande and two hundred Castellans of gold which are in value foure thousand a hundred thyrtie and eyght ducades of golde whiche weigh one Arroua and seuen pounde or thyrtie and two pounde after twelue ounces to the pounde whiche make threescore and foure markes of golde And I sawe in the yeere .1515 in the handes of Mychel Passamonte treasurer to your maiestie two graines of the whiche one wayed seuen poundes which are .xiiii. markes and are in value about threescore and fyue ducades of golde euery marke the other was of .x. markes whiche are fyue poundes of lyke value and of very good golde of .xxii. caractes and better There are also founde many other great graynes although not equall vnto these in bygnesse And forasmuch as I haue spoken of gold I haue thought good to declare somewhat howe the Indians can very excellently gylte suche vesselles of copper and base golde as they make for they can geue them so fayre and floryshyng a coloure that al the masse which they gylt appeareth as though it were golde of .xxii. caractes and better This colour they geue with a certayne hearbe as though it were wrought by y e art of any goldsmith of Spayne or Italie and woulde of them bee esteemed as a thyng of great ryches and a secrete maner of gyldyng And for as muche as I haue spoken sufficiently of the mynes of golde I wyl nowe speake somewhat of copper because I haue made mention thereof This metal is founde in many of the Ilandes of the Indies and also in the firme lande and is founde dayly in great quantitie holdyng somewhat of golde But for the desyre that our men haue to golde they nothyng esteeme the copper although there myght great commoditie and profyt be had thereby and also by other metals whiche they nothyng regarde except syluer which is founde abundantly in that parte of the firme lande whiche is called newe Spaine But of this it shal suffise to haue saide thus muche because I haue more particulerly entreated of these thynges in my generall hystory of India Of the maner of fyshyng for pearles THe Indians exercise this kynde of fyshyng for the most part in y e coastes of the North in Cubagua and Cumana and many of them which dwell in the houses of certayne particular lords in the Ilandes of San Dominico and Sancti Iohannis resort to the Ilande of Cubagua for this purpose Theyr custome is to go fyue syxe or seuen or more in one of theyr Canoas or barkes earely in the mornyng to some place in the sea thereabout where it appeareth vnto them that there should be great plentie of those shell fyshes which some call Muscles and some Oysters wherein pearles are engendred there they plunge them selues vnder the water euen vnto the bottome sauyng one that remayneth in the Canoa or boate which he keepeth styll in one place as neare as he can lookyng for theyr returne out of the water And when one of them hath ben a good whyle vnder the water he ryseth vp and commeth swymmyng to the boate entryng into the same and leauyng there al the Oysters which he hath taken and brought with hym for in these are the pearles found and when he hath there rested hym selfe a whyle and eaten part of the Oysters he returneth agayne to the water where he remayneth as long as he can endure and then ryseth agayne and swymmeth to the boate with his pray where he resteth hym as before and thus continueth course by course as do all the other in lyke maner beyng al most expert swymmers and dyuers and when the night draweth neare they returne to the Ilande to theyr houses and present all the Oysters to the maister or stewarde of the house of theyr lorde who hath the charge of the sayde Indians and when he hath geuen them somewhat to eate he layeth vp the Oysters in safe custodie vntyll he haue a great quantitie therof then he causeth the same fysher men to open them and they fynd in euery of them pearles other great or small two or three or foure and sometymes fyue or syxe and many small graines accordyng to the liberalitie of nature They saue the pearles both smal and great whiche they haue founde and eyther eate the Oysters if they wyl or cast them away hauyng so great quantitie thereof that they in maner abhorre them These Oysters are of harde fleshe and not so pleasaunt in eatyng as are ours of Spayne This Iland of Cubagua where this maner of fyshing is exercised is in the North coaste and is no bygger then the Ilande of Zeland Oftentymes the sea increaseth greatly and much more then y e fishers for pearles would because where as the place is very deepe a man can not naturally rest at the bottome by reason of the abundaunce of ayry substaunce whiche is in hym as I haue oftentymes prooued For although he may by violence and force discende to the bottome yet are his feete lyfted vp agayne so that he can contynue no tyme there and therefore where the sea is very deepe these Indian fyshers vse to tye two great stones about them with a cord on euery syde one by the weyght whereof they discende to the bottome and remayne there vntyll them lysteth to ryse agayne at whiche tyme they vnlose the stones and ryse vp at theyr pleasure But this theyr aptenesse and agilitie in swymmyng is not the thyng that causeth men most to marueyle but rather to consyder howe many of them can stande in the botome of the water for the space of one whole houre and some more or lesse accordyng as one is more apt heereunto then an other An other thyng there is whiche seemeth to me very straunge and this is that where as I haue oftentimes demaunded of some of these Lordes of the Indians yf the place where they are accustomed to fyshe for pearles beyng but litle and narrowe wyll not in short tyme be vtterly without Oysters yf they consume them so fast They all answered me that although they be consumed in one part yet if they goe a fyshyng in an other part or an other coaste of the Ilande or at an other contrary wynde and contynue fyshyng there also vntyll the Oysters be lykewyse consumed and then returne agayne to the first place or any other place where they fished before and emptied the same in lyke maner they finde them agayne as full of Oysters as though they had neuer been fyshed Wherby we may iudge that these Oysters eyther remoue from one place to an other
therewith vntyl the yeere next folowyng when the rayne and moysture encrease at whiche tyme they are seene agayne Neuerthelesse at this present there is no such quantitie of them as was wont to be by reason that as the lande is better cultured by the Christians aswell by the fellyng of wooddes and shrubbes as also by the pasture of Kyne Horses and other beastes so is it apparent that this poyson diminisheth daylye whereby that region becommeth more holsome and pleasaunt these Toades syng after three or foure sortes for some of them syng pleasauntly other lyke ours of Spayne some also whystle and other some make an other maner of noyse they are lykewyse of diuers coloures as some greene some russet or gray and some almost blacke but of all sortes they are great and fylthy and noyous by reason of theyr great multitude yet are they not venemous as I haue sayde There are also a straunge kynde of Crabbes whiche come foorth of certayne holes of the earth that they them selues make the head and bodie of these make one rounde thyng muche lyke vnto the hood of a Faulkon hauyng foure feete commyng out of the one syde as many out of the other they haue also two mouthes like vnto a payre of small Pinsers the one bygger then the other wherewith they byte but doo no great hurt because they are not venomous theyr skynne and bodie is smooth and thynne as is the skynne of a man sauyng that it is somewhat harder theyr coloure is russet or whyte or blewe and walke sydelong they are very good to be eaten insomuche that the Christians trauaylyng by the fyrme lande haue been greatly nouryshed by them because they are founde in maner euery where in shape and fourme they are muche like vnto the Crabbe whiche we paynt for the signe Cancer and like vnto those whiche are founde in Spayne in Andalusia in the ryuer Guadalchiber where it entreth into the sea and in the sea coastes there about sauyng that these are of the water and the other of the lande they are sometymes hurtfull so that they that eate of them dye but this chaunceth only when they haue eaten any venomous thyng or of the venomous apples wherewith the Canible archers poyson theyr arrowes whereof I wyll speake hereafter and for this cause the Christians take heede how they eate of these Crabbes yf they fynde them neare vnto the sayd apple trees Furthermore in these Indies aswel in the fyrme lande as in the Ilandes there is founde a kynde of Serpentes whiche they call Y. V. anas whiche some cal Iuannas these are terrible and feareful to syght and yet not hurtful they are very delicate to be eaten and it is not yet knowen whether they be beastes of the lande or fyshes because they lyue in the water and wander in the wooddes and on the lande they haue foure feete and are commonly bygger then Connies and in some places bygger then Otters with tayles lyke Lysartes or Eutes theyr skynne is spotted and of the same kynde of smothnesse or barenesse although of dyuers colours vpon the rydge of theyr backes they haue many long prickes theyr teeth are very sharpe and especially theyr fanges or dogge teeth theyr throtes are long and large reachyng from theyr beardes to theyr breastes of the lyke skynne to the resydue of theyr bodyes they are dumbe and haue no voyce or make any noyse or crye although they bee kept tyed to the foote of a cheste or any other thyng for the space of .xx. or .xxv. dayes without any thyng to eate or drynke except they geue them nowe and then a litle of the bread of Cazabbi or some suche other thyng they haue foure feete and theyr fore feete as long as a mans fynger with clawes lyke the clawes of a byrde but weaker and suche as can not grasple or take holde of any thyng they are muche better to bee eaten then to beholde for fewe that see them wyll haue desyre to eate of them by reason of theyr horrible shape except suche as haue ben accustomed to the beastes of these regions whiche are more horrible and feareful as this is not but onely in apparence theyr fleshe is of muche better tast then the fleshe of Connies and more holsome for it hurteth none but onely suche as haue had the frenche poxe insomuche that if they haue been touched of that infirmitie although they haue ben whole of long tyme neuerthelesse they feele hurte and complayne of the earyng of these Iuannas as hath been oftentimes prooued by experience There are founde in the fyrme lande certayne byrdes so litle that the whole body of one of them is no bygger then the toppe of the byggest fynger of a mans hande and yet is the bare body without the feathers not halfe so bygge This byrde besyde her litlenesse is of suche velocitie and swyftnesse in fleeyng that who so seeth her fleeyng in the ayre can not see her flap or beate her winges after any other sort then do the Dorres or humble bees or Beetels so that there is no man that seeth her flee that would thynke her to be any other then a Dorre they make their nestes accordyng to the proportion of their bygnes and I haue seene that one of these byrdes with her nest put in a payre of golde weights altogeather hath waide no more then .2 Tomini which are in poise .24 graines with the feathers with out the which she shoulde haue wayed somwhat lesse And doubtlesse when I consider the fynenesse of the clawes feete of these byrdes I knowe not whereunto I may better lyken them then to the litle byrdes whiche the lymners of bookes are accustomed to paynte on the margent of churche bookes and other bookes of diuine seruice Theyr feathers are of many fayre colours as golden yelowe and greene besyde other variable colours theyr beake is very long for the proportion of theyr bodies and as fyne and subtile as a sowyng nedle they are very hardy so that when they see a man clime y e tree where they haue their nests they flee at his face stryke hym in the eyes commyng goyng and returnyng with such swyftnes that no man woulde lyghtly beleeue it that hath not seene it and certaynly these byrdes are so litle that I durst not haue made mention hereof if it were not that diuers other which haue seene them as wel as I can beare witnes of my saying they make their nestes of flockes and heare of cotton wherof there is great plentie in these regions and serueth wel for theyr purpose But as touchyng the byrdes foules and beastes of these Indies because they are innumerable both litle and great I intende not to speake muche heere because I haue spoken more largely hereof in my generall hystorye of the Indies There is an other kynde of beastes seene in the firme lande whiche seemeth very strange and marueylous to the Christian men to beholde and much
the earth whiche by that vncessant rubbyng and chafyng are in shorte space kyndeled and take fyre I haue also thought good heare to speake somewhat of suche thynges as come to my remembraunce of certayne trees whiche are founde in this lande and sometyme also the lyke haue been seene in Spayne These are certayne putrifyed trunkes whiche haue lyne so long rottyng on the earth that they are very whyte and shyne in the nyght lyke burnyng fyrebrandes and when the Spanyardes fynde any of this woodde and intende priuily in the nyght to make warre and inuade any prouince when case so requyreth that it shal be necessary to goe in the nyght in such places where they knowe not the way the formost Christian man whiche guydeth the way associate with an Indian to directe hym therein taketh a litle starre of the sayde woodde whiche he putteth in his cappe hangyng behynde on his shoulders by the lyght whereof he that foloweth next to hym directeth his iourney who also in lyke maner beareth an other starre behynde hym by the shynyng whereof the thyrde foloweth the same way and in lyke maner do al the rest so that by this meanes none are loste or stragle out of the way And forasmuch as this lyght is not seene very farre it is the better policie for the Christians because they are not therby disclosed before they inuade theyr enimies Furthermore as touchyng the natures of trees one particuler thyng seemeth woorthy to be noted whereof Plinie maketh mention in his naturall hystorye where he sayth that there are certayne trees whiche contynue euer greene and neuer lose theyr leaues as the Bay tree the Cedar the Orange tree the Oliue tree with such other of the whiche in altogeather he nameth not past fyue or syxe To this purpose I say that in the Ilandes of these Indies and also in the fyrme lande it is a thyng of muche difficultie to fynde two trees that lose or cast theyr leaues at any tyme For although I haue diligently searched to knowe the trueth hereof yet haue I not seene any that lose theyr leaues eyther of them whiche we haue brought out of Spayne into these regions as Orange trees Limons Cedars Palmes or Date trees and Pomegranate trees or of any other in these regions except onely Cassia whiche loseth his leaues and hath a greater thyng appropriate to it selfe onely whiche is that whereas all other trees and plantes of India spreade theyr rootes no deeper in the earth then the deapth of a mans heyght or somewhat more not descendyng any further into the grounde by reason of the great heate whiche is founde beneath that deapth yet dooth Cassia pearle further into the ground vntyll it fynd water whiche by the Phylosophers opinion shoulde be the cause of a thynne and watery radicall moysture to suche thynges as drawe theyr nouryshement thereof as fat and vnctuous groundes with temperate heate yelde a fast and firme moysture to suche thynges as growe in them whiche is the cause that suche trees lose not theyr leaues as the sayde thynne and wateryshe moysture is cause of the contrarie as appeareth by the sayde effecte whiche is seene onely in Cassia and none other tree or plant in all these parties Of Reedes or Canes I Haue not thought it conuenient in the chapiture before to speake of that wherof I intend nowe to intreate of reedes or canes to thintent that I woulde not myngle them with plantes or trees being thinges of them selues woorthy to be particulerly obserued So it is therfore that in the firme land there are many sorts of reedes so that in many places they make their houses thereof coueryng them with the toppes of the same and makyng theyr walles of them in lyke maner as I haue sayde before and among these kyndes of reedes there is one so great that the canes therof are as bigge as a mans legge in y e knee and three spanns in length from ioynt to ioynt or more insomuch that euery of them is of capacitie to contayne a litle bucket of water In this kynde there are founde some greater and some lesse of the whiche some they vse to make quyuers for arrowes There is founde an other kynde whiche suerly is marueylous beyng litle bygger then a Iauelyn the canes whereof are longer then two spannes these reedes growe one farre from an other as some tymes twentie or thirtie pases and sometymes also two or three leagues they growe in maner in all prouynces in the Indies and growe neere to very hyghe trees whereunto they leane and creepe vp to the toppes of theyr braunches whiche they imbrase and discende agayne downe to the earth Theyr canes are full of most cleare water without any maner of tast or sauour eyther of the canes or of any other thyng and suche as yf it were taken out of the freshest spryng in the worlde nor yet is it knowen that euer it hurt any that drunke therof For it hath oftentymes so chaunced that as the Christian men haue trauayled in these regions in desolate wayes where for lacke of water they haue been in great daunger to die for thirst they haue escaped that peryl by reason that they founde the sayd reedes of the water of whose canes they haue drunke a great quantitie without any hurt thereof ensuing Therfore when they fynde these in any place they make water vessels of the canes thereof and carry as many of them full of water as may suffice for one dayes iorney and sometime they cary so many that they take for euery man two or three quartes of water which may serue them for many dayes because it doth not corrupt but remayneth styll freshe and good There are also certayne plantes whiche the Christians call Platani These are as hygh as trees and become as byg in the trunke as the knee of a man or more From the foote to the toppe they beare certayne long and large leaues beyng more then three spannes in largenesse about ten or twelue in length the whiche when they are broken of the wynde the stalke remaineth whole in the myddest In the myddest of this plant in the highest part therof there groweth a cluster with fourtie or fyftie platans about it euery of them beyng a spanne and a halfe in length and as byg as a mans arme in the small or more or lesse accordyng to the goodnesse of the soyle where they growe they haue a rynde not very thycke and easye to be broken beyng within altogeather ful of a substaunce lyke vnto the mary of the bone of an Oxe as it appeareth when y e rinde or barke is taken from the same This cluster ought to be taken from the plant when any one of the platans begin to appeare yelowe at which tyme they take it and hang it in theyr houses where all the cluster waxeth rype with all his platans This cluster is a very good fruite and when it is
to poyson theyr arrowes wherewith they kyll all that they wounde These venomes they mingle togeather and make thereof a blacke masse or composition whiche appeareth lyke vnto very blacke pytch Of this poyson I caused a great quantitie to be burnt in Sancta Maria Antiqua in a place two leagues and more within the lande with a great multitude of theyr inuenomed arrowes and other munition with also the house wherein they were reserued This was in the yeere .1514 at suche tyme as the army arryued there with captayne Pedrarias da villa at the commaundement of the Catholyke kyng Don Ferdinando But to returne to the hystory These Apples as I haue sayde growe neare vnto the sea And whereas the Christians whiche serue your maiestie in these parties suppose that there is no remedy so profytable for such as are wounded with these arrowes as is the water of the sea if the wound be much washed therwith by which meanes some haue escaped although but fewe yet to say the trueth albeit the water of the sea haue a certaine caustike quality against poyson it is not a sufficient remedy in this case nor yet to this day haue the Christians perceyued that of fyftie that haue been wounded three haue recouered But that your maiestie may the better consider the force of the venome of these trees you shal further vnderstand that if a man doe but repose him selfe to sleepe a litle whyle vnder the shadow of the same he hath his head eyes so swolne when he ryseth that the eye lyddes are ioyned with the cheekes and if it chaunce one droppe or more of the deawe of the sayde tree to fall into the eye it vtterly destroyeth the syght The pestilent nature of this tree is suche that it can not be declared in fewe wordes Of these there groweth great plentie in the gulfe of Vraba towarde the North coast on the West and East syde The wood of these trees when it burneth maketh so great a stynke that no man is able to abyde it by reason it causeth so great a payne in the head Among other trees whiche are in these Indies aswell in the Ilandes as in the firme lande there is an other kynde whiche they call Xagua whereof there is great plentie they are very hygh and streyght and fayre to beholde Of these they vse to make â—ykes and Iauelyns of dyuers lengthes and bygnesse they are of a fayre colour betweene russet and whyte this tree bryngeth foorth a great fruit as bygge as Papauer or Poppie and muche lyke therevnto it is very good to bee eaten when it is rype Out of this they get a very cleare water wherewith they washe their legges and sometymes all theyr bodyes when they feele theyr fleshe weery faynt or loose the which water besyde that it hath a byndyng qualitie it hath also this propertie that whatsoeuer it toucheth it steyneth it blacke by litle and litle vntyll it bee as blacke as gete which colour can not bee taken away in lesse space then tenne or twelue dayes And if the nayle bee but touched therewith it is so steyned that it can by no meanes bee taken away vntyll it eyther fall of or grow out and bee clypped away by litle litle as I my selfe haue oftentymes seene by experience There is an other kynde of trees which they call Hohi these are very great and fayre and cause holesome ayre where they growe and a pleasaunt shadowe and are founde in great aboundaunce theyr fruit is very good and of good tast and sauour and much lyke vnto certayne damsons or prunes beyng litle and yelowe but theyr stone is very great by reason whereof they haue but litle meate theyr barke or rynde boyled in water maketh a holesome bathe for the legges because it byndeth and stayeth the loosenesse of the fleshe so sensibly that it is a marueyle to consider It is surely a holesome and excellent bathe agaynst suche fayntnesse and is the best tree that may be founde in those parties to sleepe vnder For it causeth no heauinesse of the head as doe dyuers other trees which thyng I speake because the Christians are muche accustomed in those regions to lye in the fieldes It is therefore a common practise among them that wheresoeuer they fynde these trees there they spreade theyr mattresses and beddes wherein they sleepe There are also a kynde of hygh Date trees and full of thornes the woodde of these is most excellent beyng very blacke and shynyng and so heauye that no parte thereof can swymme aboue the water but synketh immediatly to the bottome Of this woodde they make theyr arrowes and dartes also Iauelyns speares and pykes and I say pykes because that in the coastes of the sea of Sur beyonde Esquegua and Vracha the Indians vse great and long pykes made of the wood of these Date trees Of the same lykewyse they make clubbes and swoordes and dyuers other weapons Also vesselles and housholde stuffe of dyuers sortes very fayre and commodious Furthermore of this wood the Christians vse to make dyuers musicall instrumentes as Claricymballes Lutes Gitterns and suche other the which besyde theyr fayre shynyng colour lyke vnto gete are also of a good sounde and very durable by reason of the hardnesse of the wood After that I haue sayde thus much of trees and plants I haue thought good also to speake somewhat of hearbes You shal therfore vnderstand that in these Indies there is an hearbe much like vnto a yelow Lilie about whose leaues there growe and creepe certayne cordes or lases as the lyke is partly seene in the hearbe which we call lased sauery but these of the Indies are much bigger and longer and so strong that they tye theyr hangyng beds thereby whiche they call Hamacas whereof we haue spoken elsewhere these cordes they call Cabuia and Henequen whiche are all one thyng sauyng that Henequen is lesse and of a fyner substance as it were line and the other is grosser lyke the weeke or twyst of hempe and is imperfect in comparison to the other they are of colour betweene whyte and yelow lyke vnto abarne and some also whyte With Henequen whiche is the most subtyle and fyne threede the Indians sawe in sunder fetters cheynes or barres of Iron in this maner They moue the threed of Henequen vppon the Iron which they intende to sawe or cutte drawyng the one hande after the other as doe they that sawe puttyng euer nowe and then a portion of fyne sande vppon the threede or on the place or parte of the Iron where they continue rubbyng the sayde threed so that if the threed be worne they take an other and continue in theyr worke as before vntyll they haue cutte in sunder the Iron although it be neuer so bygge and cut it as if it were a tender thyng and easy to be sawne And forasmuche as the leaues of trees may bee counted among
hearbes I will heere speake somewhat of the qualitie of the leaues of certayne trees whiche are founde in the Ilande of Hispaniola These trees are so full of thornes that there is no tree or plant that seemeth more wylde and deformed so that I can not well determyne whether they be trees or plantes they haue certayne branches full of large and deformed leaues which branches were fyrst leaues lyke vnto the other As the branches made of these leaues grow foorth in length there commeth other leaues of them so that in fine it is a difficult thing to describe the fourme of these trees except the same should be done by a paynter wherby the eye might conceyue that wherein the tongue fayleth in this behalfe The leaues of this tree are of suche vertue that beyng well beaten and spred vppon a cloth after the maner of a playster and so layde to a legge or arme that is broken in many peeces it healeth it in fyftiene dayes maketh it as whole as though it had neuer been broken Duryng the tyme of this operation it cleaueth so fast to the fleshe that it can not without much difficultie be taken away but assoone as it hath healed the sore and wrought his operation it looseth it selfe from the place where it was layde as I my selfe and dyuers other which haue proued it know by experience Of fyshes and of the maner of fyshyng IN the sea coastes of the firme lande there are dyuers sundry kyndes of fishes muche differing in shape fourme And although it be impossible to speake of all yet will I make mention of some And first to begin at Sardines you shall vnderstand that there is found a kinde of these fishes very large and with red tayles being a very delicate fyshe The best kyndes of other fishes are these Moxarre Diahace Brettes Dahaos Thorne-backes Salmons All these and dyuers other which I doe not now remember are taken in great quantitie in ryuers There are likewise taken very good Creuyshes There are also found in the sea certayne other fishes as Soles Mackerels Turbuts Palamite Lizze Polpi Chieppe Xaibas Locustes Oysters exceedyng great Tortoyses Tiburoni of marueilous bygnesse also Manates and Murene and many other fyshes which haue no nâ—mes in our language and these of suche diuersitie and quantitie as can not be expressed without large wrytyng and long tyme. But to let passe to intreate particulerly of the multitude of fyshes I intende to speake chiefely and somewhat largely of three sortes of most notable fyshes whereof the fyrst is the great Tortoyses the seconde is called Tiburon and the thyrd Manate And to begin at the fyrst I say that in the Ilande of Cuba are found great Tortoyses which are certayne shell fyshes of suche byggenesse that tenne or fyfteene men are scarsely able to lyfte one of them out of the water as I haue been infourmed of credible persons dwellyng in the same Iland But of that which I my selfe haue seene I can testifie that in the fyrme lande in the village of Acla there are of this sort some taken and kylled of suche byggenesse that syxe men with muche difficultie coulde scarsely drawe them out of the water and commonly the least sort of them are as much as two men may carry at a burden that whiche I sawe lyfted vp by syxe men had her shell a yarde and a quarter in length and in breadth more then fyue yardes The maner of takyng them is this It sometymes chaunceth that in theyr great nettes whiche they call shoote nettes there are founde certayne Tortoyses of the common sort in great quantities and when they come out of the sea and bryng foorth theyr egges and goe togeather by companyes from the sea to feede on the lande the Christians or Indians folowe theyr steppes which they fynde in the sande and soone ouertake them because they are very heauy and slowe in goyng although they make all the hast they can to returne to the sea assoone as they espie any bodie When they that pursue them haue ouertaken them they put a stake or staffe vnder theyr legges and ouerturne them on theyr backes as they are yet runnyng so that they can goe no further nor yet ryse agayne or turne and thus they suffer them to lye styll whyle they folowe after the rest which they ouerturne in lyke maner and by this meanes take very many at suche tymes as they come foorth of the sea as I haue sayde This fyshe is very excellent and holsome to be eaten and of good tast The seconde of the three fyshes wherof I haue spoken is the Tiburon this is a very great fyshe and very quycke and swyft in the water and a cruell deuourer these are oftentymes taken aswell when the shippes are vnder sayle in the Ocean as also when they lye at anker or at any other tyme and especially the leaste kynde of these fyshes When the shyppes are vnder sayle the byggest sorte are taken after this maner When the Tiburon seeth the shyppe saylyng he foloweth it swymmyng behynde the whiche thinges the mariners seeyng cast foorth all the fylth of the shyppe into the sea for the fyshe to eate who neuerthelesse foloweth them with equall pase although they make neuer suche haste with full wynde and sayles and waloweth on euery syde and about the shyp and thus foloweth it sometyme for the space of a hundred fyftie leagues and more and when the mariners are disposed to take them they cast downe by the sterne of the shyppe a hooke of Iron as bygge as the byggest fynger of a mans hande of three spannes in length and crooked lyke a fyshehooke with beardes accordyng to the bygnesse thereof and fastened to an Iron cheyne of fyue or syxe lynkes neare vnto the ende and from thence tyed with a great rope fastnyng also on the hooke for a bayte a peece of some fyshe or hogges fleshe or some other flesh or the bowels and intralles of an other Tiburon which they haue taken before whiche may easily be done for I haue seene niene taken in one day and if they would haue taken more they myght also Thus when the Tiburon hath pleasauntly folowed the shyppe a long viage at the length he swaloweth the bayte with the hooke and aswell by his stryuyng to flee or escape as also by the swyft passage of the shyppe the hooke ouerthwarteth and catcheth holde of his chappes the whiche fyshe when it is taken it is of such huge byggenesse that twelue or fyfteene men are scarsely able to drawe it out of the water and lyft it into the shyppe where one of the mariners gyueth it many knockes on the head with a club or beetle vntyll hee haue slayne it they are sometymes founde of tenne or twelue foote long and of fyue sixe or seuen spannes in breadth where they are brodest they haue very great and wyde mouthes to the proportion of the rest of theyr
learned men I am not satisfyed of the naturall cause hereof I content my selfe to knowe and beleeue that he whiche hath made these thynges dooth knowe this and many other which he hath not graunted to the reason of man to comprehende muche lesse to so base a wyt as myne is They therefore that are of greater vnderstandyng shall search the cause hereof for them and for me forasmuche as I haue onely put the matter in question as a wytnesse that haue seene thexperience of the thyng Of the strayght or narrowe passage of the land lying betweene the North and South sea by the which spyces may much sooner and easlyer be brought from the Ilandes of Molucca into Spaine by the VVest Ocean then by that way whereby the Portugales sayle into the East India IT hath been an opinion among the Cosmographers and Pilottes of late tyme and other whiche haue had practyse in thynges touchyng the sea that there shoulde be a strayght of water passing from the North sea of the fyrme into the South sea of Sur which neuerthelesse hath not been seene nor founde to this day And surely yf there be any such strayght we that inhabite those partes do thynke the same should be rather of land then of water For the fyrme land in some partes thereof is so strayght and narrowe that the Indians say that from the mountaynes of the prouince of Esquegua or Vrraca which are betweene the one sea and the other if a man ascend to the top of the mountaines and looke toward the North he may see the water of the North sea of the prouince of Beragua againe looking the contrary way may on the other syde towards the South see the sea of Sur and the prouinces which confine with it as do the territories of the two Lordes or kynges of the sayde prouinces of Vrraca and Esquegua And I beleeue that yf it be as the Indians say of all that is hytherto knowen this is the narrowest strayght of the fyrme land whiche some affirme to be full of rough mountaynes Yet do I take it for a better way or soo short as is that whiche is made from the port called Nomen Dei whiche is in the North sea vnto the newe citie of Panama beyng in the coast and on the bancke of the sea of Sur whiche way is lykewyse very rough full of thycke wooddes mountaynes ryuers valleyes and very difficult to passe through and can not be done without great labour trauaile Some measure this way in this part to be from sea to sea eighteene leagues whiche I suppose to be rather twentie not for that it is any more by measure but because it is rough and difficult as I haue sayde and as I haue founde it by experience hauyng now twise passed that way by foote countyng from the port and village of Nomen Dei vnto the dominion of the Cacique of Iuanaga otherwyse called Capira eyght leagues and from thence to the ryuer of Chagre other eyght leagues So that at this riuer beyng sixteene leagues from the sayde port endeth the roughnesse of the way then from hence to the marueilous brydge are two leagues and beyonde that other two vnto the port of Panama So that altogeather in my iudgement make twentie leagues And yf therefore this nauigation may be founde in the South sea for the trade of spyces as we trust in God to be brought from thence to the sayde port of Panama as is possible enough they maye afterwarde easely passe to the North sea notwithstandyng the difficultie of the way of the twentie leagues aforesayde Which thyng I affirme as a man wel trauayled in these regions hauyng twyse on my feete passed ouer this strayght in the yeere 1521. as I haue said It is furthermore to be vnderstoode that it is a marueilous facilitie to bryng spices by this way which I wil now declare From Panama to the ryuer of Chagre are foure leagues of good and fayre way by the which cartes may passe at pleasure by reason that the mountaines are but few and litle and that the greatest part of these foure leagues is a playne grounde voyde of trees and when the cartes are come to the sayde ryuer â–ª the spyces may be caried in Barkes and pynnesses For this riuer entreth into the North sea fyue or syxe leagues lower then the port of Nomen Dei and emptieth it selfe in the sea neere vnto an Iland called Bastimento where is a verye good and safe port Your maiestie may now therfore consyder howe great a thyng â–ª and what commoditie it may be to conuey spices this way forasmuch as y e riuer of Chagre hauing his originall only two leagues from the South sea continueth his course and emptieth it selfe into the other North sea This riuer runneth fast and is verye great and so commodious for this purpose as may be thought or desired the marueylous brydge made by the worke of nature beyng two leagues beyond the sayde ryuer other two leagues on this syde the port of Panama so lying in the mydde waye betweene them both as framed naturally in suche sort that none which passe by this viage doth see any such brydge or thinke that there is any such buyldyng in that place vntyll they be in the top thereof in the way towarde Panama But assoone as they are on the brydge lookyng towarde the ryght hande they see a litle ryuer vnder them whiche hath his chanell distant from the feete of them that walke ouer it the space of two speares length or more The water of this ryuer is very shalowe not passyng the deapth of a mans legge to the knee and is in breadth betweene thyrtie and fourtie pases and falleth into the ryuer of Chagre Towarde the ryght hand standyng on this brydge there is nothing seene but great trees The largenesse of the brydge conteyneth fyfteene pases and the length thereof about threescore or fourescore pases The arche is so made of most harde stone that no man can beholde it without admiration beyng made by the hygh and omnipotent creatour of all thinges But to returne to speake somewhat more of the conueying of spices I say that when it shall please almyghtie God that this nauigation aforesayde shall be founde by the good fortune of your maiestie and that the spyces of the Ilandes of the South sea whiche may also be otherwyse called the Ocean of the East India in the which are the Ilandes of Molucca shal be brought to the sayd coast and the port of Panama and be conueyed from thence as we haue sayde by the fyrme lande with cartes vnto the ryuer of Chagre and from thence into this our other sea of the North from whence they may afterwarde be brought into Spayne I say that by this meanes the viage shal be shortned more then seuen thousand leagues with muche lesse daunger then is by the viage nowe vsed by the
way of Commendator of Aysa captayne vnder your maiestie who this present yeere attempted a viage to the place of the sayd spyces and not only the way is thus muche shortned but also a thyrd parte of the tyme is abbreuiate To conclude therefore if any had hytherto attempted this viage by the sea of Sur to seeke the Ilandes of spyces I am of firme opinion that they shoulde haue been founde long since as doubtlesse they may bee by the reasons of Cosmographie Howe thinges that are of one kynde dyffer in fourme and qualitie accordyng to the nature of the place where they are engendred or grow and of the beastes called Tygers IN the firme lande are founde many terrible beastes which some thinke to bee Tygers Whiche thing neuerthelesse I dare not affirme considering what aucthours do wryte of the lyghtnesse and agilitie of the Tyger wheras this beast being otherwyse in shape very like vnto a Tiger is notwithstandyng very slowe Yet true it is that according to the marueiles of the worlde and differences which naturall thinges haue in dyuers regions vnder heauen and dyuers constellations of the same vnder the which they are created we see that some suche plantes and hearbes as are hurtfull in one countrey are harmelesse and holsome in other regions And byrdes whiche in one prouince are of good taste are in other so vnsauery that they may not bee eaten Men lykewyse whiche in some countreys are blacke are in other places whyte and yet are both these and they men Euen so may it bee that Tygers are lyght in some region as they wryte and may neuerthelesse be slow and heauy in these Indies of your maiestie wherof we speake The sheepe of Arabie drawe their tayles long and bigge on the ground and the Bulles of Egypt haue theyr heare growyng towarde theyr heades yet are those sheepe and these bulles Men in some countreys are hardy and of good courage and in other naturally fearefull and bruityshe All these thinges and many more whiche may bee sayde to this purpose are easie to bee proued and woorthy to bee beleeued of suche as haue read of the lyke in aucthours or traueyled the worlde whereby theyr owne sight may teache them the experience of these thinges whereof I speake It is also manifest that Iucca whereof they make theyr bread in the Ilande of Hispaniola is deadly poyson if it bee eaten greene with the iuâ—se and yet hath it no such propertie in the firme lande where I haue eaten it many times and found it to be a good fruit The Bats of Spaine although they bite yet are they not venomous but in the firme land many dye that are bytten of them And in this fourme may so many thinges be sayd that tyme shall not suffice to write whereas my intent is only to prooue that this beast may bee a Tyger or of y e kynd of Tygers although it be not of such lightnesse and swiftnesse as are they wherof Plinie other aucthours speake discrybyng it to bee one of the swyftest beastes of the lande and that the ryuer of Tigris for the swyft course thereof was called by that name The fyrst Spanyardes whiche sawe this Tyger in the firme lande dyd so name it Of the kynde of these was that which Don Diego Columbo the Admirall sent your maiestie out of newe Spayne to Toledo Theyr heades are lyke to the heades of Lions or Lionesses but greater the rest of all theyr bodyes and theyr legges are full of blacke spottes one neere vnto an other and diuided with a circumference or fryndge of redde colour shewyng as it were a fayre woorke and correspondent picture about their croopes or hynder partes they haue these spottes byggest and lesse and lesse towarde theyr bellies legges and heades That which was brought to Toledo was young and but litle and by my estimation of the age of three yeeres but in the firme lande there are many founde of greater quantitie for I haue seene some of three spans in height and more then fiue in length They are beastes of great force with strong legges and well armed with nayles and fanges which wee call dogge teeth they are so fierce that in my iudgement no reall Lion of the byggest sort is so strong or fierce Of these there are many found in the firme lande which deuour many of the Indians doe much hurt otherwyse but since the comming of the Christians many haue been kyld with Crossebowes after this maner Assoone as the archer hath knowledge of the haunt of any of these Tigers he goeth searching their trase with his crossebow with a litle hound or begle and not with a greyhounde because this beast would soone kyll any dog that would venter on him When the hounde hath founde the Tyger he runneth about him baying continually and approcheth so neare him snappyng and grynnyng with so quycke fleeyng and returnyng that he heereby so molesteth this fierce beast that hee driueth him to take the next tree at the foote wherof he remaineth styll baying and the Tyger grynnyng and shewyng his teethe whyle in the meane tyme the archer commeth neare and .xii. or xiiii pases of stryketh him with the querell of his crossebowe in the brest and fleeth incontinent leauyng the Tyger in his trauayle for lyfe and death bytyng the tree and eatyng earth for fiercenesse then within the space of two or three houres or the day folowyng the archer returneth thyther and with his dogge fyndeth the place where he lyeth dead In the yeere .1522 I with the other rulers and magistrates of the citie of Sancta Maria Antiqua in Dariena tooke order in our counsayle a rewarde of foure or fyue peeces of golde to bee giuen to euery man that kylled any of these Tygers by reason whereof many were kyld in shorte space both with crossebowes and also with dyuers snares and ingens But to conclude I will not obstinately stand in opinion whether these beastes be Tygers or Panthers or of the number of any other suche beastes of spotted heare or also peraduenture some other newe beast vnknowen to the olde wryters as were many other whereof I haue spoken in this booke Of whiche thyng I doe not greatly marueyle forasmuche as vnto our tyme this great part of the worlde was vnknowen to the antiquitie insomuche that none of the wryters of that age nor yet Pcolome in his Cosmographie or any other since him haue made any mention heereof vntyll the fyrst Admyrall Don Christopher Colonus discouered the same A thing doubtlesse without comparyson muche greater then that which is sayde of Hercules that he fyrst gaue the entrance of the sea Mediterraneum into the Ocean whiche the Grekes coulde neuer doe before him And heereof ryseth the fable that the mountaynes of Calpe and Abila whiche are directly one agaynst an other in the strayght of Gibilterra the one beyng in Spayne and the
splintes on their armes Lykewyse other peeces which they put on theyr heades and other partes of theyr bodies For they esteeme nothyng so muche as to appeare galant in the warres and to goe in most comely order that they can deuyse glysteryng with precious stones Iewels golde and feathers Of the least of these welkes or perewincles they make certayne litle beades of dyuers sortes and colours they make also litle bracelets which they myngle with gaudies of golde these they rowle about theyr armes from the elbowe to the wrest of the hande The lyke also doe they on theyr legges from the knee to the soles of theyr feete in token of nobilitie especially theyr noble women in dyuers prouinces are accustomed to weare suche Iewelles and haue theyr neckes in maner laden therewith these beades and Iewelles and suche other trynkets they call Caquiras Besyde these also they weare certaine rynges of golde at theyr eares and nostrelles whiche they bore full of holes on both sydes so that the rynges hang vppon theyr lyppes Some of these Indians are poulde and rounded albeit commonly both the men and women take it for a decent thyng to weare long heare whiche the women weare to the myddest of theyr shoulders cut it equally especially aboue their browes this doe they with certayne harde stones whiche they keepe for the same purpose The pryncipall women when theyr teates fall or become loose beare them vp with barres of gold of the length of a spanne and a halfe well wrought and of suche byggenesse that some of them weygh more then twoo hundred Castelans or Ducades of golde these barres haue holes at both the endes whereat they tye two small cordes made of cotton at euery ende of the barres One of these cordes goeth ouer the shoulder and the other vnder the arme holes where they tye both togeather so that by this meanes the barre beareth vp theyr teates Some of these chiefe women goe to the battayle with theyr husbandes or when they them selues are regentes in any prouinces in the whiche they haue all thinges at commaundement and execute the office of generall captaines and cause them selues to bee caryed on mens backes in lyke maner as doe the Caciques of whom I haue spoken before These Indians of the firme lande are muche of the same stature and colour as are they of the Ilands they are for the most part of the colour of an olyue if there be any other difference it is more in bignesse then otherwise especially they that are called Coronati are stronger and bygger then any other that I haue seene in these parties except those of the Ilande of Giantes which are on the South side of the Ilande of Hispaniola neare vnto the coastes of the firme land and likewise certaine other which they call Iucatos which are on the North syde All which chiefly although they bee no Giantes yet are they doubtlesse the byggest of the Indians that are knowen to this day commonly bygger then the Flemynges and especially many of them aswell women as men are of very hygh stature and are all archers both men and women These Coronati inhabite thyrtie leagues in length by these coastes from the poynt of Canoa to the great ryuer which they call Guadalchiber neere vnto Sancta Maria de gratia As I trauersed by those coastes I fylled a butte of freshe water of that ryuer syxe leagues in the sea from the mouth thereof where it falleth into the sea They are called Coronati that is crowned because theyr heare is cutte rounde by theyr eares and poulde lower a great compase about the crowne much lyke the fryers of saint Augustines order And because I haue spoken of theyr maner of wearyng theyr heare heere commeth to my remembraunce a thyng which I haue oftentymes noted in these Indians and this is that they haue the bones of the sculles of theyr heades foure tymes thycker and much stronger then ours so that in commyng to handstrokes with them it shal be requisite not to strike them on the heads with swoords for so haue many swoordes been broken on theyr heades with litle hurte doone And to haue sayde thus much of theyr customes and maners it shall suffise for this tyme because I haue more largly intreated herof in my general historie of the Indies Yet haue I neyther there nor here spoken muche of that part of the firme lande whiche is called Noua Hispania that is newe Spayne whereof the Iland of Iucatana is part forasmuche as Ferdinando Cortesie hath written a large booke therof Of the houses of these Indies I haue spoken sufficiently els where Yet haue I thought good to infourme your maiestie of y e building and houses which the Christians haue made in diuers places in the firme lande They buylde them nowe therefore with two solars or loftes and with loopes and wyndowes to open and shutte also with strong tymber and very fayre boordes in suche sorte that any noble man may well and pleasauntly be lodged in some of them And among other I my selfe caused one to be builded in the citie of Sancta Maria Antiqua in Dariena which cost me more then a thousand and fiue hundred Castelans beyng of such sort that I may well entertayne and commodiously lodge any Lord or noble man reseruing also part for my selfe and my famylie for in this may many householdes be kept both aboue and beneath It hath also a fayre garden with many Orange trees both sweete and sowre Cedars also and Limons of the which there is nowe great plentie in the houses of the Christians On one syde of the garden there runneth a fayre riuer The situation is very pleasaunt with a good and holsome ayre and a fayre prospecte about the ryuer In fine our trust is that in fewe yeeres al thinges in these regions shal growe to a better state accordyng to the holy intention of your maiestie Of the chiefe Ilandes Hispaniola and Cuba THe Indians which at this present inhabite the Ilande of Hispaniola are but fewe in number and the Christians not so many as they ought to be forasmuche as many of them that were in this Iland are gone to other Ilandes and to the fyrme lande For beyng for the most parte young men vnmaried and desirous daily to see newe things wherin mans nature deliteth they were not willing to continue long in one place especially seeing daily other newe landes discouered where they thought they might sooner fill their purses by being present at the fyrst spoyle Wherin neuerthelesse their hope deceiued many of them and especially such as had houses habitations in this Ilande For I certainly beleeue confyrming my selfe herein with the iudgement of many other that if any one Prince had no more seignories then only this Ilande it shoulde in short tyme be such as not to geue place either to Sicilie or England wheras
throughout al the valley within the earth as in a mine whiche they dygge and take out suche as they neede of al sortes The other marueylous thyng of this Ilande is this That farre from the sea there ishueth out of a mountayne a certayne lycour muche lyke the Cley of Babylon called Bitumen or lyke vnto pytche in great quantitie and suche as is very commodious for the calkyng of shyppes this falleth continually from the rocke and runneth into sea in suche aboundaunce that it is seene flotyng aboue the water on euerye syde of the sea there about as it is dryuen from place to place by the wynde or course of the water Quintus Cursius wryteth in his historie that great Alexander came to the citie of Memi where is a great Caue or Denne in the whiche is a spryng or fountayne that contynually auoydeth a great quantitie of Bitumen in suche sort that it is an easy thyng to beleeue that the stones of the walles of Babylon might be laid therewith according as the said auctour writeth I haue seene this myne of Bitumen not only in the Iland of Cuba but also such an other in new Spaine whiche was founde of late in the prouince of Panuco where it is much better then the other of Cuba as I haue seene by experience in calkyng of shyppes Of the lande of Baccalaos called Terra Baccalearum situate on the North syde of the firme lande SHortly after that your maiestie came to the citie of Toledo there arriued in the moneth of Nouember Steuen Gomes the pilot who the yeere before of .1524 by the commaundement of your maiestie sailed to y e North partes and founde a great part of lande continuate from that which is called Baccalaos discoursyng toward the West to the .xl. and .xli. degree from whence he brought certayne Indians for so call we all the nations of the newe found landes of the which he brought some with him from thence who are yet in Toledo at this present and of greater stature then other of the firme lande as they are commonly theyr coloure is muche lyke the other of the firme lande they are great archers and go couered with the skinnes of diuers beastes both wylde and tame In this lande are many excellent furres as Marterns Sables and such other ryche furres of the which the sayd pilot brought some with him into Spayne they haue syluer and copper certayne other metals they are Idolaters and honour the Sonne and Moone and are seduced with such superstition and errours as are they of the firme And to haue wryten thus much it may suffice of suche thynges as haue seemed to me most worthy to be noted in the Summarie of Gonzalus Ferdinandus wrytten to Themperours maiestie Particularly of newe Spayne called Noua Hispania or Mexico NEwe Spayne is that part of the continent or firme lande that lyeth West and South from the land of Florida this was subdued to thempire of Castile by the ryght noble gentelman Ferdinando Cortese y e marquesse of the vale of Quaraca In this lande are many prouinces conteynyng in them in maner innumerable cities among which that is the chiefe whiche the Indians cal Mexico or Temixtitan consystyng of more then fiue hundred thousand inhabitauntes It standeth in the middest of a lake of salte water as doth Uenece in the sea the lake conteyneth fourtie Persian miles called Parasange euery one consysting of .xxx. furlonges and more as some say In these regions is found great plentie of gold syluer pretious stones with innumerable other thynges both necessary for the lyfe of man pleasant as Silke Bombasine cotton Alame Safferne Woad with diuers other thinges wherwith cloth and Silke is dyed There is also such abundaunce of suger that certaine Spanishe shippes are yeerely fraighted therwith and bring the same into Smile from whence it is caryed in maner to al partes of Christendome Thinhabitantes of Mexico are subtile people and vse much craft in theyr bargaining they haue not the vse of gold and syluer mony but vse in the steade thereof the halfe shelles of Almonds which kind of Barbarous mony they cal Cacoa or Cacanguate In maner al kinds of corne are there very good cheape especially barly and wheate They haue great plentie of Hartes wylde Bores Lions Leopardes and Tigers whiche beastes wander in maner in euery place The region is most commodious for haukyng and huntyng for the great abundaunce it hath of beastes and foules But the people exercise al theyr cunnyng in makyng the images of their idolatry and in painting Theyr women are valiant and sumptuous in theyr apparell and other tyrementes for they so rychely frynge and beset the same with pearles precious stones and golde that nothyng can be more excellent they haue a kynde of paper greatly differyng from ours in this they expresse their mindes by certayne figures for they haue not otherwyse thuse of letters The nation is desyrous of warre and doth not long keepe the conditions of peace vnuiolated but delyteth rather in ciuile and most cruell battayle among them selues then to liue in peace and quietnesse Such as in the warres fal by any meanes into the handes of theyr enimies eyther by submyssion or otherwyse are partly sacryfised to the Idoles and the resydue geuen to the souldiers to be eaten in lyke maner as we rewarde dogges and haukes with part of theyr pray They haue innumerable Idoles whiche euery one maketh for his particuler god after the phantasie of his owne brayne and geueth therto diuine honour albeit at this day they do by litle and litle leaue of theyr barbarous fyercenesse with our religion imbrace better maners For they nowe professe the fayth of Christ and in his name pray vnto God the Father Of Peru. THe prouince called Peru was also named Noua Castilia by them that fyrst founde it This region is the West part of America and is situate in the longitude of .290 degrees proceeding from the West to the East and Southward begynneth fyue degrees beyonde the Equinoctiall line and is extended very farre into the South This is taken to be the rychest land in golde siluer pearles precious stones and spices that euer was founde yet to this day For gold is there in suche plentie that they make pyspots therof and other vessels applied to fylthy vses But this is more to be marueyled at that in a citie called Collâ—o was founde a house al couered with massie plates of gold In theyr warres also theyr harnesse is of gold and siluer Theyr weapons are bowes arrowes slyngs dartes and pykes The inhabitauntes are warrelyke people and of great agilitie They haue cities defended with lawes and armes The region is exceeding fruitfull and yeldeth corne twyse in the yeere It is so floryshyng with many fayre woods mountaynes ryuers and other both pleasaunt necessarie
northerne lande but suche a one that ether is not to be traueyled for the causes in the first Obiection alleaged or cleane shut vp from vs in Europe by Groenland the South ende whereof Moletius maketh firme lande with America the north parte continent with Lapponlande and Norway Thyrdly the greatest fauourers of this voyage can not deny but that if any such passage be it lyeth subiect vnto Yse and snow for the most parte of the yeere whereas it standeth in the edge of the frostie zone Before the Sunne hath warmed the ayre and dissolued the Yse eche one well knoweth that there can bee no saylyng the Yse once broken through the continuall abode the Sunne maketh a certayne season in those partes how shall it be possible for so weake a vessell as a shyppe is to holde out amyd whole Ilandes as it were of Yse continually beatyng on eche syde and at the mouth of that goulphe issuyng downe furiously from the North safely to passe whan whole mountaynes of Yse and Snow shal be tombled downe vpon her Wel graunt the west Indies not to continue continent vnto the Pole graunt there be a passage betwyxt these two landes let the goulph lye neare vs than commonly in cardes we fynde it set namely betwyxt the .61 .64 degrees north as Gemma Frisius in his Mappes and Globes imagineth it and so left by our countriman Sebastian Cabote in his table the which my good Lorde your father hath at Cheynies and so tryed this last yeere by your Honours seruaunt as hee reported and his carde and compasse doe witnesse Let the way bee voyde of all difficulties yet doeth it not folowe that we haue free passage to Cathayo For examples sake You may trende all Norway Finmarke and Lapponlande and than bow Southwarde to sainct Nicolas in Moscouia you may lykewyse in the Mediterranean sea fetche Constantinople and the mouth of Tanais yet is there no passage by sea through Moscouia into Pont Euxine now called Mare Maggiore Agayne in the aforesayde Mediterranean sea we sayle to Alexandria in Egypt the Barbares bryng theyr pearle and spices from the Moluccaes vp the read sea and Arabian goulph to Sues scarsely three dayes iourney from the aforesayde hauen yet haue we no way by sea from Alexandria to the Moluccaes for that Isthmos or litle streicte of lande betwyxt the two seas In lyke maner although the northerne passage bee free at .61 degrees latitude and the West Ocean beyonde America vsually called Mar del zur knowen to be open at .40 degrees eleuation for the Ilande Giapan yea .300 leagues northerly aboue Giapan yet may there bee lande to hynder the through passage that way by sea as in the examples aforesayde it falleth out Asia and America there beyng ioyned togeather in one continent Ne can this opinion seeme altogeather friuolous vnto any one that diligently peruseth our Cosmographers doynges Iosephus Moletius is of that mynde not onely in his playne hemispheres of the worlde but also in his sea carde The French Geographers in lyke maner bee of the same opinion as by their Mappe cut out in fourme of a harte you may perceyue as though the West Indyes were parte of Asie Whiche sentence well agreeth with that olde conclusion in the scholes Quidquid praeter Africam et Europam est Asia est Whatsoeuer land doeth neyther appertayne vnto Afrike nor to Europe is parte of Asie Furthermore it were to small purpose to make so long so paynefull so doubtfull a voyage by such a new founde way if in Cathayo you should neyther be suffred to lande for silkes and siluer nor able to fetche the Molucca spices and pearle for piracye in those seas Of a lawe denying all Aliens to enter into China and forbiddyng all the inhabiters vnder a great penaltie to let in any stranger into that countreys shall you reade in the report of Galeotto Perera there imprisoned with other Portugalles as also in the Giaponyshe letters howe for that cause the woorthie traueyler Xauierus bargayned with a Barbarian Marchaunt for a great sum of Pepper to be brought into Cantan a porte in Cathayo The great and daungerous piracie vsed in that seas no man can be ignorant of that listeth to reade the Giaponishe and East Indian historie Finally all this great labour would bee lost all these charges spent in vayne if in the ende our traueylers myght not be able to returne agayne and bryng safely home into theyr owne natyue countrey that wealth and ryches they in forreyne regions with aduenture of goodes and daunger of theyr lyues haue sought for By the Northeast there is no way the Southeast passage the Portugalles doe hold as Lordes of that seas At the Southwest Magellanus experience hath partly taught vs and partly we are persuaded by reason howe the Easterne currant stryketh so furiously on that streicte and falleth with such force into that narrow goulphe that hardely any shyppe can returne that way into our West Ocean out of Mar del zur The which if it be true as truly it is than may we say that the aforesayde Easterne currant or leuant course of waters continually folowyng after the heauenly motions looseth not altogeather his force but is doubled rather by an other currant from out the Northeast in the passage betwyxt America and the North lande whyther it is of necessitie carryed hauyng none other way to maintaine it selfe in circular motion and consequently the force and fury thereof to be no lesse in the streict of Aniaâ— where it striketh South into Mar del zur beyond America if any such streicte of sea there be than in Magellane frete both streictes beyng of lyke breadth as in Belognine Zalterius table of new France and in Don Diego Hermano di Toledo his carde for nauigation in that region we doe fynde precisely set downe Neuerthelesse to approue that there lyeth a way to Cathayo at the Northwest from out of Europe we haue experyence namely of three brethren that went that iourney as Gemma Frisius recordeth and left a name vnto that streicte whereby nowe it is called Fretum trium Fratrum We do reade againe of a Portugal that passed this streicte of whom M. Furbisher speaketh that was imprisoned therefore many yeeres in Lesbona to veryfie the olde Spanyshe prouerbe I suffer for doyng wel Likewise An. Vrdaneta a fryer of Mexico came out of Mar del zur this way into Germanie his Carde for he was a great discouerer made by his owne experience and trauayle in that voyage hath been seene by gentelmen of good credite Now yf the obseruation and remembrance of thyngs breedeth experience and of experience proceedeth art and the certeine knowledge we haue in al faculties as y e best Philosophers that euer were do affyrme truly the voyage of these aforesayd trauaillers that haue gone out of Europe into Mar del zur and returned thence at the Northwest doo moste euidently conclude that way to be nauigable and that
passage free So much the more we are so to thynke for that the fyrste principle and chiefe grounde in all Geographie as great Ptolome sayth is the historie of trauel that is reportes made by trauaylers skylfull in Geometrie Astronomie of al suche thinges in their iourney as to Geographie do belong It only then remaineth that we now answeare to those argumentes that seemed to make against this former conclusion The fyrste obiection is of no force that generall table of the worlde set foorth by Ortelius or Mercator for it greatly skilleth not being vnskylfully drawen for that poynt as manifestly it may appeare vnto any one that conferreth the same wiâ—h Gemma Frisius vniuersal mappe with his round quartered carde â–ª with his globe with Sobastian Cabota his table and Ortelius generall Mappe alone worthily preferred in this case before all Mercator and Ortelius other doinges for that Cabota was not only a skilful sea man but a long trauailer such a one as entred personally that streicte sent by king Henry the seuenth to make this aforesayd discouery as in his owne discourse of nauigation you may reade in his carde drawen with his owne hande the mouth of the northwesterne streict lieth neare the .318 Meridian betwixt .61 and .64 degrees in eleuation continuyng the same breadth about .10 degrees west where it openeth southerly more and more vntyll it come vnder the tropike of Cancer and so runneth into Mar del zur at the least .18 degrees more in breadth there then it was where it fyrst began otherwyse I coulde as well imagine this passage to be more vnlykely then the voyage to Moscouia and more impossible then it for the farre situation and continuance thereof in y e frosty clime as nowe I can affyrme it to be very possible and most lykely in comparison thereof for that it nether coasteth so farre north as the Moscouian passage doth nether is this streicte so long as that before it bowe downe southerly towardes the Sonne agayne The seconde argument concludeth nothing Ptoleme knewe not what was aboue .16 degrees south beyonde the equinoctiall lyne he was ignorant of all passages northwarde from the eleuation of .63 he knewe no Ocean sea beyonde Asia yet haue the Portugalles trended y e Cape of good hope at the south poynte of Afrike and trauayled to Giapan an Ilande in the east Ocean betwixt Asia America our marchants in y e time of king Edward the syxt discouered the Moscouian passage farther north then Thule and shewed Groenlande not to be continent with Lapponlande and Norway the lyke our northwesterne trauaylers haue done declaryng by theyr nauigation that way the ignorance of all Cosmographers that ether do ioyne Groenlande with America or continue the west Indies with that frosty region vnder the north pole As for Virgil he sange accordingly to y e knowledge of men in his time as an other Poete dyd of the hotte Zone Quarum quae media est non est habitabilis aestu Imaginyng as most men then dyd Zonam torridam the hot Zone to be altogeather dishabited for heat though presently we knowe many famous and worthy kingdomes and cities in that part of the earth and the Iland of saint Thomas neare Aethiopia and the welthy Ilands for the which chiefly al these voyages are taken in hande to be inhabited euen vnder the equinoctial lyne To answere the third obiection besides Cabota al other trauaylers nauigations y e only creadit of M. Furbisher may suffise who lately through al these Ilands of Ise and mountaines of snowe passed that way euen beyond the gulphe that tumbleth downe from the North and in some places though he drewe one ynche thick Ise as he returning in August dyd came home safelye agayne The fourth argument is altogeather friuolous vayne for neyther is there any isthmos or streict of land betwixt America and Asia ne can these two landes ioyntly be one continent The fyrst part of my answere is manifestly allowed of by Homer whom that excellent Geographer Strabo foloweth yeldyng hym in this facultie the prise The aucthour of that booke lykewyse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Alexander attributed vnto Aristotle is of y e same opinion that Homer and Strabo be of in two or three places Dionisius in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So dooth the Ocean sea runne rounde about the worlde speakyng only of Europe Africke and Asie as then Asie was trauayled knowen With these Doctoures may you ioyne Pomponius Mela Cap. 2. lib. 1. Plinius lib. 2. Cap. 67. and Pius 2. Cap. 2. in his description of Asie All the whiche writers do no lesse confirme the whole Easterne side of Asie to be compassed about with sea then Plato doth affirme in Timaeo vnder the name Atlantide the West Indies to be an Ilande as in a speciall discourse thereof R. Eden writeth agreable vnto the sentence of Proclus Marsilius Fiâ—inus and others Out of Plato it is gathered that America is an Ilande Homer Strabo Aristotle Dionisius Mela Plinie Pius 2. affirme the continent of Asie Afrike and Europe to be enuironned with the Ocean I may therefore boldly say though later intelligences therof had we none at all that Asie and the West Indies be not tied togeather by any isthmos or streict of land contrary to the opinion of some new Cosmographers by whom doubtfully this matter hath been brought in controuersie And thus muche for the first part of my aunswere vnto the fourth obiection The second part namely that America Asie cannot be one continent may thus be prooued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The most riuers take downe that way their course where the earth is most holowe deepe wryteth Aristotle and the sea sayth he in the same place as it goeth farther so is it founde deeper Into what goulphe do the Moscouian ryuers Onega Duina Oby and Rha powre out their streames Northwarde out of Moscouia into the sea Whiche way dooth that sea stryke The South is mayne lande the Easterne coast waxeth more and more shalowe from the North ether naturally because that part of the earth is higher Aristot. 2. met c. 1. or of necessitie for that the forcible influence of some Northerne Starres causeth the earth there to shake of the sea as some Philosophers do thynke or finally for the great store of waters engendred in that frostie and cold clyme that the banckes are not able to holde them Alber. in 2. Meteo Cap. 6. From the North I say contynually falleth downe great abundaunce of water So that this Northeasterne currant must at the length abruptly â—owe toward vs South on the West syde of Fynmarke and Norwaye or els stryke downe Southwest aboue Groneland or betwixt Groneland and Iseland into the Northwest streict we speake of as of congruence it doth yf you marke the situation of that region and by the report of M. Furbisher experience teacheth
al their merchandise and wares for India Ethiope and Arabie as appeareth by the wrytyng first of Strabo who wryteth that he was in Egypt and then by Plinie who was in the tyme of Domitian Strabo also speaking of the saide fosse or trenche whiche was made towarde the redde sea wryteth thus There is a trenche that goeth towarde the red sea the gulfe of Arabie and to the citie of Arsinoe whiche some call Cleopatrida and passeth by the lakes named Amari that is bytter because in deede they were fyrste bytter but after that this trenche was made and the ryuer entred in they became sweete and are at this present ful of foules of the water by reason of their pleasantnesse This trenche was fyrste begunne by king Sesostre before the battaile of Troy Some say that it was begunne by king Psammiticus while he was a childe and that by reason of his death it was left imperfect also that afterwarde king Darius succeeded in the same enterprise who woulde haue finished it but yet brought it not to the ende because he was enfourmed that the redde sea was higher then Egypt and that if this lande diuiding both the seas were opened all Egypt shoulde be drowned thereby King Ptolomeus woulde in deede haue finished it but yet left it shut at the head that he myght when he woulde sayle to the other sea and returne without peryll Here is the citie of Arsinoe and neare vnto that the citie called Heroum in the vttermost parte of the gulfe of Arabie towarde Egypt with many portes and habitations Plinie likewise speaking of this trenche sayth In the furthest part of the gulfe of Arabie is a porte called Danco from whence they determined to bryng a nauigable trenche vnto the riuer of Nilus whereas is the firste Delta Betweene the saide sea and Nilus there is a streict of lande of the length of .lxii. miles The firste that attempted this thing was Sesostre king of Egypt after him Darius king of the Persians whom Ptolomeus folowed who made a trenche a hundred foote large and thirtie foote deepe being CCC miles in length vnto the lakes named Amari and durst proceede no further for feare of inundation hauing knowledge that the red sea was higher by three cubites then all the countrey of Egypt Other say that this was not the cause but that he doubted that yf he shoulde haue let the sea come any further all the water of Nilus shoulde haue been thereby corrupted whiche onely ministreth drynke to all Egypt But notwithstanding all these thinges aforesayde all this viage is frequented by lande from Egypt to the redde sea in whiche passage are three Causeyes or hygh wayes The fyrst begynneth at the mouth of Nilus named Pelutio All whiche way is by the sandes insomuche that if there were not certayne hygh Reedes fyxt in the earth to shew the ryght way the Causey could not be found by reason the wynde euer couereth it with sand The seconde Causey is two myles from the mountayne Cassius And this also in the ende of threescore myles commeth vpon the way or Causey of Pelusius inhabited with certayne Arabians called Antei The thyrde begynneth at Gerro named Adipson and passeth by the same Arabians for the space of threescore miles somewhat shortter but full of rough mountaynes and great scarcenesse of water Al these Causeyes leade the way to the citie of Arsinoe builded by Ptolomeus Philadelphus in the gulfe Carandra by the redde sea This Ptolomeus was the fyrst that searched all that part of the red sea whiche is called Trogloditica Of this trench described of Strabo and Plinie there are seene certeyne tokens remaynyng at this present as they do affyrme whiche haue been at Sues beyonde the citie of Alcayr otherwyse called Babylon in Egypt But the merchauntes that of later dayes trauayle this viage by lande ryde through the drye and barren desartes on Camels both by day and by nyght directyng theyr waye by the starres and compasse as do mariners on the sea and carying with them water sufficient for many dayes iorneys The places of Arabie and India named of Strabo and Plinie are the selfe same where the Portugales practyse theyr trade at this day as the maners and customes of the Indians doo yet declare for euen at this present their women vse to burne them selues alyue with the dead bodyes of their husbandes Whiche thyng as wryteth Strabo in his .xv. booke they dyd in olde time by a lawe for this consyderation that sometyme being in loue with other they forsooke or poysoned their husbandes And for as muche as accordyng to this custome the olde Poet Propertius who lyued about an hundred yeeres before the incarnation of Christ hath in his booke made mention of the contention that was among the Indian women whiche of them shoulde be burned aliue with theyr husbandes I haue thought good to subscribe his verses whiche are these Faelix Eois lex funeris vna maritis Quos aurora suis rubra colorat equis Namque vbi mortifero iacta est fax vltima lecto Vxorum fusis stat pia turba comis Et certamen habent lethi quae viua sequatur Coniugium pudor est non licuisse mori Ardent victrices flammae pectora praebent Imponuntque suis ora perusta viris As touchyng these viages both by sea and by lande to East India and Cathay many thinges are wrytten very largly by diuers autours which I omit because they parteyne not so much vnto vs as doth the viage attempted to Cathay by the north seas and the coastes of Moscouia discouered in our tyme by the viage of that excellent young man Rychard Chaunceller no lesse learned in al mathematicall sciences then an expert pilotte in the yeere of our Lorde .1554 As concernyng this viage I haue thought good to declare y e communication which was betweene the sayd learned man Galeatius Butrigarius and that great philosopher and noble gentleman of Italie named Hieronimus Fracastor as I fynd written in the Italian histories of nauigations As they were therefore conferryng in matters of learnyng and reasoning of the science of Cosmographie the saide learned man hauyng in his hand an instrument of Astronomie declared with a large oration howe much the worlde was bound to the kinges of Portugale rehearsing the noble factes done by them in India and what landes and Ilandes they had discouered and howe by theyr nauigations they made the whole worlde to hang in the ayre He further declared of what partes of the ball the earth remayned yet vndiscouered and sayde that of the landes of the inferior hemispherie or halfe compase of the ball towarde the pole Antartike there was nothyng knowen but that litle of the coaste of Brasilia vnto the streyght of Magellanus also a part of Peru also a litle aboue Affrike towarde the cape of Bona Speranza Also
these Barbarians of singular faith grauitie tolde vs of a marueylous in maner incredible thing that is seene among these Tartars And that his father being sent by the prince of Moscouia to the kyng of Sawolhense saw while he was in that legacie a certaine seede in that Iland somewhat lesse rounder then the seeds of Melones Of the which being hyd in the ground there groweth a fruite or plante very lyke a Lambe of the height of fiue spannes and is therefore called in theyr tongue Boranetz whiche signifieth a litle Lambe For it hath the head eyes eares and all other partes like vnto a Lambe newly eyued with also a very thyn skyn wherewith dyuers of the inhabitauntes of those regions are accustomed to lyue theyr cappes and hattes and other tyrements for theyr heades Many also confirmed in our presence that they had seene these skynnes He saide furthermore that that plant yf it may be called a plant hath blood and no fleshe but hath in the steade of fleshe a certayne substaunce lyke vnto the fleshe of Creuishes The hooffes also are not of horne as are the Lambes but couered with heare in the same fourme The roote cleaueth to the nauyl or myddest of the belly the plant or fruite lyueth vntil al the grasse hearbes growing about it being eaten the roote wythereth for lacke of nouryshment They say that it is very sweete to be eaten and is therfore greatly desyred and sought for of the Woolues and other rauenyng beastes And albeit I esteeme all that is sayde of this plant to be fabulous yet forasmuche as it hath been tolde me of credible persons I haue thought good to make mention hereof Of this strange fruite Mandeuile maketh mention where in the .lxxxiiii. Chapter of his Booke he wryteth thus Nowe shal I say of some landes countreys and Isles that are beyonde the lande of Cathay therefore whoso goeth from Cathay to India the hygh and the lowe he shall goe through a Kyngdome that men call Cadissen and is a great lande There groweth a manner of fruite as it were Gourdes and when it is rype mâ—n cut it asunder and fynde therein a beast as it were of fleshe bone and blood as it were a litle Lambe without wooll and men eate that beast and the fruite also whiche is a great marueyle neuerthelesse I sayde vnto them that I helde that for no marueyle for I sayde that in my countrey are trees that beare fruite that become byrdes fleeing which are good to be eaten and that that falleth into the water lyueth and that that falleth on the earth dyeth And they had great marueyle of this c. From the prince of Schidacke proceedyng twentye dayes iourney towarde the East are the people which the Moscouites cal Iurgenci whose prynce is Barack Soltan brother to the great Chan of Cathay In tenne dayes iourney from Barack Soltan they come to Bebeid Chan. And this is that great Chan of Cathay Names of dignities among the Tartars are these Chan signifieth a Kyng Soltan the sonne of a Kyng Bij a Duke Mursa the sonne of a Duke Olboud a noble man or counseller Olboadulu the sonne of a noble man Seid the hygh priest Ksi a priuate person The names of offices are these Vlan the seconde dignitie to the Kyng for the Kynges of the Tartars haue foure principal men whose counsell they vse in all their weyghtie affayres Of these the firste is called Schirni the seconde Barni the thyrde Gargni the fourth Tzipsan And to haue sayde thus muche of the Tartars it shal suffise Marcus Paulus wryteth that the great Chan is called Chan Cublai that is the great Kyng of Kynges as the great Turcke wryteth hym selfe in lyke maner as I sawe in a letter wrytten by hym of late in the citie of Ragusa in the whiche he vseth this subscription Soltan Soliman desclim Cham Signore de Signori en sempiterno The Nauigation by the frosen Sea AT my beyng in Moscouia when I was sent thyther by king Ferdinando my lorde and maister it so chaunced that Georgius Istoma the Duke of Moscouia his Interpreter a man of great experience who had before learned the latine tongue in the court of Iohn king of Denmarke was there present at the same tyme. He in the yeere of Christe .1496 beyng sent of his prince with maister Dauid a Scotte borne and then Ambassadour for the kyng of Denmarke whom also I knewe there at my firste legacie made me a breefe information of al the order of his iourney the which forasmuch as it may seeme difficult and laborious as wel for the distance as daungerous places I haue thought good to describe the same as I receyued it at his mouth Fyrst he sayde that beyng sent of his prince with the sayde Dauid they came fyrst to Nouogradia the great And whereas at that tyme the kyngdome of Suecia reuolted from the Kyng of Denmarke also the Duke of Moscouia was at discention with the Suetians by reason whereof they could not passe by the most accustomed way for the tumultes of warre they attempted theyr iourney by an other way longer but safer and came fyrst from Nouogradia to the mouthes of the ryuer of Dwina and Potiwlo by a very diffâ—cult and paynfull iourney For hee sayd that this iourney which can not be to muche detested for such labours and traueyles continueth for the space of three hundred leagues In fine takyng foure small shyppes or barkes at the mouthes of Dwina they sayled by the coast on the right hand of the Ocean where they sawe certayne hygh and rough mountaynes and at the length saylyng .xvi. leagues and passyng a great gulfe folowed the coast on the lefte hande and leauyng on the right hande the large sea whiche hath the name of the ryuer Petzora as haue also the mountaynes adiacent to the same they came to the people of Finlappia who although they dwell here there in low cottagies by the sea syde and leade in maner a beastly lyfe yet are they more meeke and tractable then the wylde Lappians He sayde that these also are tributaries to the prince of Moscouia Then leauing the lande of the Lappians and saylyng fourescore leagues they came to the region of Nortpoden vnder the dominion of the kyng of Suecia This the Moscouites call Kaienska Semla and the people Kaieni Departyng from hence and saylyng along by the coast of a wyndyng and bendyng shore reachyng towarde the ryght hande they came to a promontorie or cape called the Holy nose being a great stone reachyng farre into the sea to the similitude of a nose vnder the which is seene a caue with a whyrlepoole which swaloweth the sea euery syxe houres and castyng foorth the same agayne with terryble roaryng and violence causeth the sayde whyrlepoole Some call this the Nauell of the sea and other name it Charibdis He affyrmeth that the violence of this
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
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
sea and the next day all day and the next nyght after vntyl the thyrde day of the sayde moneth about noone makyng our way good dyd runne .60 leagues Item from .xii. of the clocke the thyrde daye tyll .xii. of the clocke the .iiii. day of the sayde moneth makyng our way good southest dyd runne euery three houres two leagues which amounteth to .xvi. leagues the whole Item from xâ—i of the clocke the .iiii. day to .xii. of the clocke the .v. day running southwest in the sea dyd runne .xii. leagues Item runnyng from .xii. of the clocke the .v day vntyll .xii. of the cloke the .vi. day runnyng southeast dyd runne xviii leagues And so from .xii. of the clocke the .vi. day vntyll .xii. of the clocke the .vii. day runnyng southsouthwest dyd runne euery houre .ii. leagues which amount to .xlviii. leagues the whole Item from .xii. of the clocke the .vii. day tyll .iii. of the clocke the .viii. day southsouthwest runnyng in the sea dyd runne .xxx. leagues Item from three of the clocke the .viii. day vntill .iii. of the clocke the .ix. day runnyng southsouthwest dyd runne .xxx. leagues Item from .iii. of the clocke the .ix. day tyll .iii. of the clocke the .x. daye dyd southsoutheast in runnyng in the sea the summe of .xxiiii. leagues Also from .iii. of the clocke the .x. day vntyll .xii of the clocke the .xi. daye dyd runne southsouthwest the summe of .xii. leagues and from .xii. of the clocke tyll .vi of the sayde daye dyd runne vi leagues Running south and by west in the sea from .vi. of the clocke the xi day til .vi. of the clocke the xii day dyd runne .xxxvi. leagues From .vi. of the clocke at after noone the .xii. daye tyll .vi. of the clocke the .xiii. daye at after noone dyd runne .xiii. leagues Item from .vi. of the clocke the .xiii. daye tyll .vi. of the clocke the .xiiii. day at after noone we were becalmed that we coulde lye southwest with a sayle And the .xv. daye in the mornyng the wynd came to the East and Eastnortheast The .xvii. daye in the mornyng we had syght of the I le of Madera whiche doth ryse to hym that commeth in the northnortheast part vpryght lande in the west part of it and very hygh and to the southsoutheast a lowe long lande and a long poynt with a saddle thorough the myddest of it standeth in the .xxxii. degrees and in the west part many sprynges of water runnyng downe from the mountayne and many whyte fieldes lyke vnto corne fieldes and some whyte houses to the southeast parte of it and the toppe of the mountayne sheweth very ragged if you may see it and in the northeast part there is a byght or bay as though it were a harborowe Also in the sayd part there is a rocke a litle distance from the shore and ouer the sayde byght you shall see a great gap in the mountayne The .xix. day at .xii. of the clocke we had syght of the I le of Palmes and Teneriffa and the Canaries The I le of Palme riseth round and lyeth southeast and northwest and the northwest part is lowest In the south is a round hyll ouer the head land and an other round hyll aboue that in the land There is betwene the Southeast part of the I le of Madera and the northwest part of the I le of Palme .lvii. leagues This I le of Palme lyeth in the .xxix. degrees And our course from Madera to the I le of Palme was south south and by west so that we had sight of Teneriffa of the Canaries The southeast part of the I le of Palme and the northnortheast of Teneriffa lieth southeast and northwest and betweene them is twentie leagues Teneriffa and the great Canarie called Grancanaria and the West part of Fortisuentura standeth in .xxvii. degrees and a halfe Gomera is a fayre Iland and very ragged and lyeth West Southwest of Teneriffa And who so euer wyll come betweene them two Ilandes must come South and by East and in the South part of Gomera is a towne and a good rode in the sayde parte of the Ilande and it standeth in twentie and seuen degrees and three terces Teneriffa is an hygh land a great hygh pycke lyke a suger loafe and vpon the said picke is snow throughout al the whole yeere And by reason of that pycke it may be knowen aboue al other Ilandes and there we were becalmed the .xx. day of Nouember from syxe of the clocke in the mornyng vntyl foure of the clocke at after noone Betweene Gomera and Cape de las Barbas THe .xxii. day of Nouember vnder the Tropyke of Cancer the Sunne goeth downe West and by South Upon the coast of Barbarie .xxv. leagues by North Cape blanke at three leagues of the mayne there is .xv. fadome and good shelly grounde sand among and no streames and two small Ilandes standyng in the .xxii. degrees a terce From Gomera to Cape de las Barbas is an hundred leagues and our course was South and by East The sayde Cape standeth in xxii and a halfe and all that coast is flatte .xvi. or xvii fadome deepe Uii. or .viii leagues of frâ—m the ryuer de Oro to cape de las Barbas there vse many Spanyardes and Portugales to trade for fyshyng duryng the moneth af Nouember and al that coast is very lowe landes Also we went from cape de las Barbas southsouthwest and southwest and by south tyl we brought our selues in .xx. degrees and a halfe reckonyng our selues .vii. leagues of and that was the least sholes of cape Blanke Then we went South vntil we brought our selues in thyrtene degrees reckonyng our selues twentie and fyue leagues of And in fyfteene degrees we did reare the crossiers and we myght haue reared them sooner if we had loked for them They are not ryght a Crosse in the moneth of Nouember by reason of the nyghtes are short there Neuerthelesse we had the syght of them the .xxix. day of the sayde moneth at nyght The fyrst of December out thyrteene degrees we set our course South and by East vntyl the fourth day of December at twelue of the clocke the same day Then we were in niene degrees and a terce reckonyng our selues thyrtye leagues of the sholes of the ryuer called Ria Grande beyng West Southwest of them the whiche sholes be thyrtie leagues long The fourth of December â–ª we began to set our course Southeast we beyng in syxe degrees and a halfe The nienth day of December we set our course East Southeast the fourteenth day of the sayde moneth we set our course East we beyng in fyue degrees and a halfe reckonyng our selues thyrtie and syxe leagues from the coast of Guinea The .xix. of the sayde moneth we set our course East and by North reckoning our selues .xvii. leagues distant from Cape Mensurado the sayde Cape beyng East Northeast of vs and the ryuer of
Sesto beyng East The .xxi. day of the sayde moneth we fel with Cape Mensurado to the Southeast about two leagues of This Cape may be easely knowen by reason the rysyng of it is like a Porpose head Also toward the Southeast there are three trees whereof the Eastermost tree is the hyghest and the myddlemost is lyke a hie stacke and the Southermost lyke vnto a Gibet and vppon the mayne are foure or fyue hygh hylles rysyng one after an other lyke rounde hoommockes or hyllockes And the Southeast of the three trees is three trees lyke a brandierwyse and all the coast along is whyte sand The sayde Cape standeth within a litle in syxe degrees The .xxii. of December we came to the ryuer of Sesto and remayned there vntyll the .xxix. day of the sayde moneth Here we thought it best to send before vs the pynnesse to the ryuer of Dulce called Rio Dulce that they myght haue the begynnyng of the market before the commyng of the Iohn At the ryuer of Sesto we had a Tunne of graynes This riuer standeth in .vi. degrees lackyng a terce From the ryuer of Sesto to Rio Dulce is .xxv. leagues Rio Dulce standeth in fyue degrees and a halfe The ryuer of Sesto is easye to be knowen by reason there is a ledge of rockes on the Southeast parte of the Rode And at the entryng into the hauen are fyue or sixe trees that beare no leaues This is a good harborowe but very narow at the entrance into the ryuer There is also a rocke in the hauens mouth ryght as you enter And all that coast betweene Cape de Monte and cape de las Palmas lyeth Southeast and by East Northwest and by West being three leagues of the shore And you shall haue in some places rockes two leagues of and that betweene the riuer of Sesto and cape de las Palmas Betweene the ryuer of Sesto the ryuer Dulce is .xxv. leagues and the high lande that is betweene them both is called Cakeado being eight leagues from the ryuer of Sesto And to the Southeastwarde of him is a place called Shawgro and an other called Shyawe or Shauo where you may get freshe water Of this Shyawe lyeth a redge of rockes and to the Southeastwarde lyeth a hedlande called Croke Betweene Cakeado and Croke is .ix. or ten leagues To the Southeastwarde of is a harborowe called saint Vincent Ryght ouer agaynst sainct Vincent is a rocke vnder the water two leagues and a halfe of the shore To the Southeastwarde of that rocke you shall see an Ilande about three or foure leagues of this Ilande is not paste a league of the shore To the East Southeast of the Ilande is a rocke that lyeth aboue the water and by that rocke goeth in the ryuer of Dulce which you shall know by the sayde ryuer and rocke The Northwest syde of the hauen is flatte sande and the Southeast syde thereof is lyke an Ilande and a bare platte without any trees and so is it not in any other place In the Rode you shall ryde in xiii or .xiiii. fadomes good owes and sande beyng the markes of the Rode to bryng the Ilande and the Northeast lande togeather and here we Ankered the last of December The third day of Ianuary we came from the riuer of Dulce Note that cape de las Palmas is a fayre high lande but some lowe places thereof by the water syde looke lyke redde cliffes with whyte strakes lyke wayes a cable length a peece this is to the East parte of the cape This cape is the Southermost lande in all the coast of Guinea and standeth in foure degrees and a terce The coast from Cape de las palmas to Cape Trepoyntes or the tres Puntas is fayre and cleare without rocke or other daunger Twentie and fyue leagues from Cape de las Palmas the lande is hygher then in any place vntyl we come to Cape Trepoyntes And about ten leagues before you come to Cape Trepoyntes the land ryseth styll hygher and hygher vntyl you come to Cape Trepoyntes Also before you come to the sayde Cape after other fyue leagues to the Northwest part of it there is certayne broken grounde with two great rockes and within them in the byght of a bay is a castel called Arra parteining to the kyng of Portugale You shal know it by the sayd rockes that lye of it for there is none suche from Cape de las Palmas to cape Trepoyntes This coast lyeth East by North West by South From Cape de las Palmas to the sayd castel is fourscore and fyfteene leagues And the coast lyeth from the sayd castel to the westermost point of the Trepoyntes Southeast and by South Northwest and by North. Also the westermost poynt of the Trepoyntes is a low land lying halfe a myle out in the sea and vppon the innermoste necke to the land ward is a tuft of trees there we arryued the eleuenth day of Ianuary The twelf day of Ianuary we came to a towne called Samma or Samua beyng .viii. leagues from Cape Trepoyntes toward East Northeast Betweene Cape Trepoyntes and the towne of Samua is a great ledge of rockes a great way out in the sea We continued foure dayes at that towne the captayne therof would needs haue a pledge a shore But when they receiued the pledge they kept him still would trafficke no more but shot of theyr ordinance at vs. They haue two or three peeces of ordinance and no more The .xvi. day of the sayde mooneth we made reckonyng to come to a place called Cape Corea where captayne Don Ihon dwelleth whose men entertayned vs frendly This Cape Corea is foure leagues Eastwarde of the castell of Mina other wyse called La mina or Castello de mina where we arryued the .xviii. day of the moneth Here we made sayle of all our cloth sauing two or three packes The .xxvi. day of the same moneth we weighed anker and departed from thence to the Trinitie whiche was .vii. leagues Eastwarde of vs where she solde her wares Then they of the Trinitie wylled vs to go Eastwarde of that .viii or .ix. leagues to sell part of theyr wares in a place called Perecow and an other place named Perecow Grande beyng the eastermost place of both these whiche you shall knowe by a great rounde hyll neere vnto it named Monte Rodondo lying westward from it and by the water syde are many hygh palme trees From hence dyd we set forth homewarde the .xiii. day of February and plyed vp alongest tyll we came within .vii or .viii. leagues to Cape Trepointes About .viii. of the clocke the .xv. day at afternoone we dyd cast about to seawarde and beware of the currantes for they wyl deceiue you sore Whosoeuer shall come from the coaste of Mina homewarde let hym be sure to make
maner rounde It is of largenesse from syde to syde .lx. Italian myles that is to say one degree The horizontall line of the Ilande passeth by the two poles Artike and Antartike and hath euer the day equall with the nyght without any sensible difference whether the Sunne be in Cancer or in Capricorne The starre of the pole Artike is there inuisible but the wardens are seene somewhat to moue about the starres called the Crosse are seene very hygh Of this Ilande with the other landes and Ilandes lying betweene Portugale and the same a certeyne pylotte of Portugale hath written a goodly vyage to Conte Rimondo FINIS The Nauigation and vyages of Lewes Vertomannus Gentelman of the citie of Rome to the regions of Arabia Egypte Persia Syria Ethiopia and East India both within and without the ryuer of Ganges c. In the yeere of our Lorde .1503 Conteynyng many notable and straunge thinges both hystoricall and naturall Translated out of Latine into Englyshe by Richarde Eden In the yeere of our Lord .1576 The Preface of the Authour THere haue ben many before me who to know the miracles of the worlde haue with diligent studie read dyuers Authours which haue written of such thinges But other giuing more credite to the lyuely voyce haue been more desirous to know the same by relation of such as haue traueyled in those countreys seene such thinges whereof they make relation for that in many bookes geathered of vncertaine aucthoritie are myxt false thinges with true Other there are so greatly desirous to know the trueth of these thinges that they can in no wyse be satisfied vntyll by theyr owne experience they haue founde the trueth by voyages and peregrinations into straunge countreys and people to know theyr maners fashions and customes with dyuers thinges there to be seene wherein the only readyng of bookes could not satisfie their thirst of suche knowledge but rather increased the same in so much that they feared not with losse of goods and daunger of lyfe to attempte great vyages to dyuers countreys with witnesse of theyr eyes to see that they so greatly desired to knowe The whiche thyng among other chaunced vnto me also For as often as in the bookes of hystories and Cosmographie I read of such marueylous thinges whereof they make mention especially of thinges in the East partes of the world there was nothyng that coulde pacifie my vnquiet mynde vntyll I had with myne eyes seene the trueth thereof I knowe that some there are indued with hygh knowledge mountyng vnto the heauens whiche will contempne these our writinges as base and humble bycause we doe not here after their maner with high and subtile inquisition intreate of the motions and dispositions of the starres and gyue reason of theyr woorkyng on the earth with their motions retrogradations directions mutations epicicles reuolutions inclinations diuinations reflexions and suche other parteynyng to the science of Astrologie which certeynely we doe not condempne but greatly prayse But measuryng vs with our owne foote we will leaue that heauie burden of heauen to the strong shoulders of Atlas and Hercules and only creepyng vppon the earth in our owne person beholde the situations of landes and regions with the maners and customes of men and variable fourmes shapes natures and propriettes of beastes fruites and trees especially suche as are among the Arabians Persians Indians and Ethiopians And whereas in the searchyng of these thinges we haue thanked be God satisfied our desire we thinke neuerthelesse that we haue done little excepte we should communicate to other such thinges as we haue seene and had experience of that they lykewyse by the readyng thereof may take pleasure for whose sakes we haue written this long and dangerous discourse of thinges which we haue seene in dyuers regions and sectes of men desiryng nothyng more then that the trueth may be knowen to them that desyre the same But what incommodities and troubles chaunced vnto me in these viages as hunger thirst colde heate warres captiuitie terrours and dyuers other suche daungers I will declare by the way in theyr due places The first Chapter of the nauigation from Venice to Alexandria in Egypte IF any man shall demaunde of me the cause of this my vyage certeynely I can shewe no better reason then is the ardent desire of knowledge which hath moued many other to see the worlde and miracles of God therin And forasmuch as other knowen partes of the world haue heretofore ben sufficiently traueyled of other I was determyned to visite and describe suche partes as here before haue not been sufficiently knowen and therefore with the grace of God and callyng vppon his holy name to prosper our enterprise departyng from Uenice with prosperous wyndes in fewe dayes we arryued at the citie of Alexandria in Egypte where the desyre we had to knowe thinges more straunge and further of would not permit vs to tarrie long And therefore departyng from thence and saylyng vp the ryuer of Nilus we came to the citie of new Babylon commonly called Cayrus or Alcayr Of the citie named Babylon or Alcayr a citie of Nilus in Egypt Cap. 2. WHen we arryued there I marueyled more then I am able to say yet when I approched so neare the citie that I myght wel see into it it seemed to me much inferior to the reporte and fame that was thereof for the greatnesse thereof seemed nothyng agreeable to the bruite and appeared no more in circuite then the citie of Rome although muche more peopled and better inhabited But the large fieldes of the suburbes haue deceyued many beyng dispersed with in maner innumerable villages whiche some haue thought to haue been part of the citie whiche is nothyng so For those villages and dispersed houses are two or three myles from the citie and round about it on euery syde Neyther is it here needefull to spende muche tyme in declaryng of theyr maners or religion forasmuch as it is well knowen that all the inhabitantes of those regions are Mahumetans and Mamalukes whiche are suche Christians as haue forsaken theyr fayth to serue the Mahumetans and Turkes Although commonly they that serued the Soltan of Babylon in tyme past before the Soltan was ouercome by the Turke were called Mamaluchi as they that serue the Turke are called Ienetzari But these Mamaluke Mahumetans are subiecte to the Soltan of Syria Of the cities of Berynto Tripoli and Antioch Cap. 3. THe riches fayrenesse and magnificence of Babylon aforesayde and the straunge souldiers Mamalukes as things knowen we will now pretermit Therfore departyng from Babylon and returnyng to Alexandria where we agayne entered into our sea we came to Berynto a citie on the sea coast of Syria Phoenicia where we spent many dayes This is inhabited of Mahumetans and plentifull of all thinges The sea beateth on the walles of the towne it is not compassed with walles but on the West syde towarde the sea Here founde we nothyng
I entered into the citie I went to their Temple or Meschita where I sawe a great multitude of poore people as about the number of .xxv. thousande attendyng a certayne Pilot who should bryng them into their countrey Heere I suffered muche trouble and affliction beyng enforced to hyde my selfe among these poore folkes faynyng my selfe very sicke to the ende that none should be inquisityue what I was whence I came or whyther I would The Lord of this citie is the Soltan of Babylon brother to the Soltan of Mecha who is his subiecte The inhabitauntes are Mahumetans The soyle is vnfruitfull and lacketh freshe water The sea beateth agaynst the towne There is neuerthelesse aboundance of all thinges but brought thyther from other places as from Babylon of Nilus Arabia Foelix and dyuers other places The heate is here so great that men are in maner dryed vp therewith And therefore there is euer a great number of sicke folkes The citie conteyneth about fyue hundred houses After fyftiene dayes were past I couenaunted with a pilot who was ready to departe from thence into Persia and agreed of the price to goe with him There laye at Anker in the hauen almost a hundred Brigantines and Foistes with diuers boates and barkes of sundry sortes both with Ores and without Ores Therefore after three dayes gyuyng wynde to our sayles we entred into the redde sea otherwyse named Mare Erythraeum Of the red sea and why it can not be sayled in the nyght Cap. 21. IT is well knowen to wyse men that this sea is not red as some haue imagined but is of the colour of other seas We continued therefore our vyage vntyll the goyng downe of the Sunne For this sea is nauigable only in the day tyme and therefore in the nightes the maryners rest them vntyll they come to the Ilande named Chameran from whence they proceede forwarde more safely Why this sea can not be sayled in the nyght they say the cause to be that there are many daungerous sandes rockes and shelues and therefore that it is needefull of diligent and long prospecte from the toppe Castell of the shyppe to foresee the dangerous places The seconde booke entreating of Arabia Foelix That is the happie or blessed Arabia Of the citie of Gezan and the fruitfulnesse thereof Cap. 1. FOrasmuche as hytherto wee haue spoken somewhat of the maners of the people and cities of Arabia Foelix it may nowe seeme conuenient to finishe the reste of our vyage with such thinges as we haue seene in the sayde countrey of Arabia Therefore after sixe dayes saylyng we came to a citie named Gezan It hath a commodious porte and very fayre where we found about fourtie and fyue Brigantines and Foistes of dyuers regions The citie is harde by the sea syde and the Prince thereof is a Mahumetan The soile is fruitful lyke vnto Italie It beareth Pomegranates Quinses Peaches Apples of Assyria Pepons Melons Oranges Gourdes and dyuers other fruites Also Roses and sundry sortes of floures the fayrest that euer I sawe It seemeth an earthly Paradyse The moste parte of the inhabitauntes go naked â–ª In other thinges they lyue after the maner of the Mahumetans There is also great abundance of fleshe wheate barley the grayne of whyte Millet or Hirse whiche they call Dora whereof they make very sweete bread Of certayne people named Banduin Cap. 2. DEparting from the citie of Gezan the space of .v. dayes sayling towarde the lefte hande hauyng euer the coast of the lande in sight we came to the sight of certayne houses where about .xiiii. of vs went alande hopyng to haue had some victuals of the inhabitans But we lost our labour for in the steede of victuals they cast stones at vs with stinges They were about a hundred that fought with our men for the space of an houre Of them were slayne .xxiiii. The rest were dryuen to flyght they were naked and had none other weapons then slynges After theyr flyght we brought away with vs certayne hens and Calues very good Shortly after a great multitude of the inhabitauntes shewed them selues to the number of fyue or syxe hundred but we departed with our praye and returned to the shyppes Of an Ilande of the red sea named Camaran Cap. 3. THe same day saylyng forwarde we came to an Iland named Camaran which conteyneth ten myles in circuite In it is a towne of two hundred houses the inhabitantes are Mahumetans it hath aboundaunce of freshe water and fleshe and the fayrest salte that euer I sawe The porte is eight myles from the continent it is subiecte to the Soltan of Amanian of Arabia Foelix After we had remayned here two dayes we tooke our way towarde the mouth of the red sea in the space of two dayes saylyng This sea may here be sayled both day and nyght For as we haue sayde before from this Ilande vnto the porte of Zida the red sea is not safely nauigable by nyght When we came to the mouth of the sea we seemed to be in maner inclosed for that the mouth of the sea is there very streyght and no more then three myles ouer Towarde the right hande the continent lande is seene of the heyght of ten pases the soile seemeth rude and not cultured At the lefte hande of the sayde mouth ryseth a very hygh hyll of stone In the myddest of the mouth is a litle Ilande vnhabited named Bebmendo and is towarde the lefte hande to them that sayle to Zeila But they that goe to Aden must keepe the way to the lefte hande All this way we had euer the lande in our sight from Bebmendo to Aden in the space of two dayes and a halfe Of the citie of Aden and of their maners and customes towarde straungers Cap. 4. I Doe not remember that I haue seene any citie better fortified then this It standeth on a soyle not much vnequall it is walled on two sydes The reste is inclosed with mountaynes hauyng on them fyue fortresses The citie conteyneth sixe thousande houses Theyr exercise of bying and sellyng begynneth the seconde houre of the nyght by reason of extreeme heate in the day tyme. A stone cast from the citie is a mountayne hauyng on it a fortresse The shyppes lye neare the foote of the mountayne it is certaynely a very goodly citie and the fayrest of all the cities of Arabia Foelix To this as to the chiefe marte the merchauntes of India Ethiopia and Persia haue recourse by sea and they also that resorte to Mecha Assoone as our Brigantines came into the hauen immediately the customers and searchers came aborde demaundyng what we were from whence we came what merchaundies we brought and howe many men were in euery Brigantine Beyng aduertised of these thinges immediately they tooke away our maste sayles and other tackelynges of our shyppes that we should not departe without paying of custome The day after our arryuyng there the Mahumetans tooke mee and put shackles on
in the midde waye I founde an exceedyng hygh and large mountayne where is great pentie of wylde beastes and especially of Monkeys whiche runne about the mountayne euery where There are also many Lions very noysome to men and therefore it is not safe to iorney that way but when a multitude of men goe togeather at the least to the number of a hundred I passed this way with a great companie and yet were we in daunger of the Lions and other wylde beastes which folowed vs for we were sometimes constrayned to fyght with them with dartes slyngs and bowes vsyng also the helpe of dogges and yet escaped hardly When I came to the citie I fayned my selfe sicke and in the day tyme lurked in the temple and went foorth only in the night to speake with the pilot of the shyp of whom I haue made mention before and obteyned of hym a foist or barke to depart thence secretly Of certayne places of Ethiopia Cap. 14. IN the syxt chapter here before I haue made mention howe departing from the queene I went to the citie of Aden where I couenaunted with a certayne pilot to goe with hym into India and that he woulde not go thyther before he had fyrst made a viage into Persia and that at my fyrst beyng in the citie of Aden he coulde not yet for the space of a moneth depart from thence Duryng whiche tyme I traueyled the regions and cityes whereof I haue spoken vnto this my returne to Aden Nowe therfore accordyng to our agreement to trauayle diuers countreys and regions committing our selues to the sea we were by inconstant fortune and sundry tempestes deterred from that viage for whereas we were nowe syxe dayes sailyng on our waye to Persia a sodayne contrary tempeste droue vs out of our waye and cast vs on the coast of Ethiope Our barkes were laden with rubricke that is a certayne redde earth which is vsed to dye cloth for yeerely from the citie of Aden departe fyfteene or twentie shyps laden with rubricke which is brought out of Arabia Faelix Beyng therefore thus tossed with stormes we were dryuen into a port named Zeila where we remayned fyue dayes to see the citie and tarrye vntyll the sea were more quiet Of the citie Zeila in Ethiopia and the great fruitfulnesse therof and of certayne straunge beastes seene there Cap. 15. IN this citie is great freequentation of merchandies as in a most famous mart There is marueylous abundance of gold and Iuerye and an innumerable number of blacke slaues solde for a small pryce these are taken in warre by the Mahumetan Mores out of Ethyopia of the kyngdome of Presbiter Iohannes or Preciosus Iohannes whiche some also call the kyng of Iacobins or Abyssins beyng a Christian and are caried away from thence into Persia Arabia Faelix Babylonia of Nilus or Alcair and Mecha In this citie iustice and good lawes are obserued the soyle beareth Wheate and hath abundaunce of flesh and diuers other commodious thynges It hath also Oyle not of Olyues but of some other thyng I knowe not what There is also plentie of Hony and Waxe there are lykewyse certayne sheepe hauyng theyr tayles of the weyght of syxeteene pounde and exceedyng fatte the head and necke are blacke and all the rest whyte There are also sheepe altogeather whyte hauyng tayles of a cubite long hangyng downe lyke a great cluster of grapes and haue also great lappes of skynne hangyng from theyr throtes as haue Bulles and Oxen hangyng downe almost to the grounde There are also certaine Kyne with hornes lyke vnto Hartes hornes these are wylde and when they bee taken are geuen to the Soltan of that citie as a kyngly present I sawe there also certayne Kyne hauyng only one horne in the middest of the forehead as hath the Unicorne and about a spanne of length but the horne bendeth backwarde they are of bryght shynyng red colour But they that haue Hartes hornes are enclynyng to blacke colour Conye is there good cheepe The citie hath an innumerable multitude of merchants the walles are greatly decayed and the hauen rude and despicable The kyng or Soltan of the citie is a Mahumetan and entertayneth in wages a great multitude of foote men and horsemen They are greatly geuen to warres and weare onlye one loose syngle vesture as we haue sayde before of other They are of darke ashye colour enclining to blacke In the warres they are vnarmed and are of the sect of Mahumet Of Barbara an Ilande of Ethiope Cap. 16. AFter that the tempestes were appeased wee gaue wynde to our sayles and in shorte tyme arryued at an Ilande named Barbara the Prince whereof is a Mahumetan The Ilande is not great but fruitfull and well peopled it hath abundance of flesh The inhabitants are of colour enclynyng to blacke Al theyr ryches is in heardes of cattayle We remayned here but one day and departyng from hence sayled into Persia. The thyrde booke entreateth of Persia and of certayne townes and partes of Persia. Cap. 1. WHen we had sayled the space of twelue dayes we aryued at a citie called Diuobanderrumi that is to say the holy porte of Turkes It is but a litle way from the continent when the sea ryseth with hye tydes it is an Iland enuironed with water but at a lowe fludde or decrease of the sea one may go thyther by land it is subiect to the Soltan of Cambaia The Gouernour is named Menacheas It is a marte of great merchandies There dwell about it foure hundred merchants of Turky it is well walled round about and defended with al sorts of engins They haue barkes and brygantines somewhat lesse then ours we remained here two daies Departyng from hence we came to an other citie named Goa in the space of three dayes iorney this also aboundeth with merchandies and is a mart greatly frequented The soyle is fruitefull with plentie of all thynges necessary the inhabitantes are Mahumetans Neare vnto this are two other fayre cities and portes named Giulfar and Meschet Of the Iland and citie of Ormus or Armusium and of an Iland of Persia where pearles are found Cap. 2. PRoceedyng on our viage we came to a citie named Ormus verye fayre This is seconde to none in goodlye situation and plentie of pearles it is in an Ilande dystaunt from the continent twelue myles It hathe great scarcenesse of freshe water and corne From other regions is brought thyther all victualles that nouryshe the inhabitauntes Three dayes saylyng from thence are geathered those muscles which bryng foorth the fayrest and byggest pearles they are taken as I will nowe declare There are certayne men that get theyr lyuing by fyshyng These hauing small Boates cast into the sea a great stone fastened to a corde and this on both sydes of the Boate to make it as stedfast and immoueable as a shyppe lying at an Anker The Boate
him Take these I pray thee for thou shalt not refuse them He gaue also to eche of the Christians two Rubies whiche were woorth a thousand crownes to be solde but those which he gaue the Persian were esteemed woorth a hundred thousand crownes This kyng therefore doubtlesse in munificence passeth all the kynges of the worlde and in maner no lesse in richesse for he receyueth yeerely of his subiectes two hundred thousand peeces of golde This region bryngeth foorth all sortes of colours and great plentie of bombasine and silke but these great riches the kyng consumeth on his souldiers Not long after newes were brought that the kyng of Aua was commyng with a myghtie force whom the kyng in maner with an innumerable army went to resist Here also in certayne places we sawe women burned aftâ—r the maner of Tarnassari Of the citie of Melacha and the great ryuer of Gaza Cap. 17. VVIthin two dayes after taking ship we sailed westwarde towarde the citie of Melacha and arryued there in eight dayes saylyng Not farre from this citie is a famous ryuer named Gaza the largest that euer I sawe conteynyng xxv myles in breadth On the other syde is seene a very great Ilande whiche they call Sumetra and is of olde writers named Traprobana The inhabitauntes say that it conteyneth in circuite fyue hundred myles When wee came to the citie of Melacha which some call Melcha we were incontinent commaunded to come to the Soltan being a Mahumetan and subiecte to the great Soltan of Chini and payeth him tribute Of whiche tribute they say the cause is that more then fourescore yeeres past that citie was buylded by the kyng of Chini for none other cause then only for the commoditie of the hauen being doubtlesse one of the fayrest in that Ocean and therefore it is lykely that many shyppes should resorte thyther for merchandies The region is not euery where fruitefull yet hath it sufficient of wheate and fleshe and but little wood They haue plentie of foules as in Calecut but the Popingays are much fayrer There is also founde Sandalum and Tynne Lykewyse Elephantes horses sheepe kyne Pardalles Bufles Peacockes and many other beastes and foules They haue but fewe fruites and therefore there is no merchandies to be solde but spices and silke The people are of blackyshe ashe colour Theyr apparell is like to the Mahumetans of the citie Memphis otherwise named Cayr Alchayr or Babylon of Nilus They haue very large foreheades rounde eyes and flatte noses It is dangerous there to goe abrode in the night the inhabitantes are so giuen to murder and robbery for they kill one another lyke dogges and therefore the merchantes remayne in their shyppes all the nyght The people are fierce of euyll condition and vnruly for they will obey to no gouernour being altogeather giuen to sedition and rebellion and therefore say vnto theyr gouernours that they will forsake the countrey if they stryue to bynde them to order whiche they say the more boldly bycause they are neare vnto the sea and may easily departe into other places For these causes we spent no long tyme here but hyring a Brigantine we sayled to the Ilande of Sumatra where in fewe dayes saylyng we arryued at a citie of the Ilande named Pyder distaunt about fourescore myles from the continent or firme lande Of the Ilande of Sumatra or Taprobana Cap. 18. WE haue sayd here before that the Ilande of Sumatra conteyneth in circuite fyue hundred myles The citie where we fyrst arryued in the Iland is named Pider hauyng a very fayre port I beleeue veryly this Ilande to be Taprobana as also most autours do agree It is gouerned by foure kynges and all Idolaters in fashions apparell and maner of lyuyng not muche differyng from the kyng of Tarnassari The women burne them selues after the death of theyr husbandes as do they of whom we haue spoken before They are of whityshe coloure with large forheades rounde eyes and of brasyll colour They weare theyr heare long and haue very brode and flatte noses and are of despicable stature Iustice is there well obserued Their mony is of golde syluer and tynne The golde coyne hath on the one syde the grauen head of a deuyl and on the other syde a wagon or charrette drawen with Elephantes The syluer mony hath the lyke coyne tenne of these are valued for one of golde But of the tynne coyne .xxv. make the value of one of golde Here are seene more Elephantes bygger and fayrer then in any other place that I haue been This people hath no experience of warres but are geuen altogeather to gaynes and merchandies They are hospitable and enterteyne strangers frendly Of an other kynde of Pepper Also of sylke and the precious gumme called Laserpitium or Belzoe Cap. 19. IN the sayde Iland is a kynde of long Pepper in great abundance Pepper in theyr language is called Molaga is much longer whiter then that which is brought hither yet lighter hotter it is sold there not by weight but bi measure as wheat with vs. It is there in so great abundaunce that there is caryed from hence yeerely twentie shyppes laden with Pepper This is caryed to Cathay and is there well solde by reason of the coldnesse of the region The tree that beareth this kynde of pepper hath a greater body and larger and fatter leaues then the pepper tree of Calecut This Ilande beareth also plentie of sylke whiche for the most parte is made after our maner There is an other sorte which the trees bryng foorth of them selues in the wooddes and feeldes without menage or dressyng but this is woorse then the other Here also groweth the Laser tree whiche bryngeth forth the precious gumme named Laserpitium or Belzoe as the inhabitantes and merchauntes tolde vs but because I haue not seene it I wyll speake no more of it Of three sortes of the tree of Aloes Cap. 20. FOrasmuch as varietie delighteth and the wel disposed mind can neuer be satiate with contemplation of the marueylous and sundry woorkes of God in nature therfore that the reader may take the more pleasure or at the least feele lesse tediousnesse in the reading of these thyngs I haue thought good to wryte somewhat more of suche thynges as I haue seene You shall therefore vnderstande that there is no great plentie of true Aloes or Laserpitium brought to vs because it is brought hyther from the furthest partes of the worlde Understande furthermore that there are three kyndes or sortes of Aloes greatly differyng in goodnesse The perfectest they call Calampat whiche the aforesaide Ilande bryngeth not forth But it is brought from the citie of Sarnau not farre from the place where the sayde Aloes Calampat is engendred as the Christian merchauntes or companions tolde vs. There is an other kynde of Aloes named Iuba or Luba brought hyther by this ryuer
warres who in theyr language sayde thus vnto me Are you our friende Yea sayde I. Then we pray you in the way of friendship shewe vs that Christian which is muche hygher and stronger then any other of the Christians and kylled in maner euery day about twentie of the Mahumetans and resisted the dartes of fiftie Naeros these are of the garde and escaped without hurte I answered that that Christian was not nowe in the citie but was gone to Cucin to the Uiceroye But when I better considered the matter I sayde thus vnto them Are you my friendes Yea we are sayde they Then sayde I That souldier that fought so valiauntly in the battayle was no Portugale Then sayde they Of what countrey was he then I answered agayne that he was the God of the Portugales and the great God of all the world Then sayde they Uerily you speake the trueth For we heard the Mahumetans say that it was not the Portugales but the Portugales God that gaue them the ouerthrowe and therefore we thynke your God to bee better then theyrs although we know him not And by this meanes it was bruiâ—ed ouer all the countrey that the Mahumetans were ouercome rather by the assistaunce of God then by the strength of men For these people are very simple and ignoraunt and astonyshed in maner at euery thyng For some when they sawe one of our company hauyng a little bell in his hande and hearde the noyse of the bell when he moued his hand and no noyse when he set it downe they tooke it for a myracle saying one to an other doubtlesse theyr God is the greatest God for when they touche the bell it speaketh and when they touche it not it sayeth nothyng They tooke pleasure and admiration to beholde the solemnities of the Masse And when the priest lyfted vp the holy bread or host I sayde vnto them beholde here the God of the Portugales and of all the worlde Then sayde they You say truly but we can not perceyue it This haue I sayde that you may hereby knowe what simple and ignorant people these are yet are they very great inchaunters and can inchaunte Serpentes whose poyson is so strong that they kyll only with touchyng They are also of incredible agilitie and therefore excell in vautyng leapyng runnyng swymmyng tumblyng walkyng on ropes and such other exercises of lyghtnesse and agilitie The seuenth booke entreating of the viage or Nauigation of Ethiopia Cap. 1. THey that will take vppon them to wryte any hystorie had neede to beare well in memorie what they haue promysed and taken in hande lest for theyr paynes and well meanyng they be rewarde with shame and rebuke and therfore whereas in the beginnyng of this booke I promysed to wryte of the Nauigation of Ethiope I will with the description of this viage make an ende of my long traueyle and speake of such thinges as I sawe there by the way in my returne from India into my long desired countrey in the company of the Portugales Of diuers and many Ilandes of Ethiope Cap. 2. THerefore the seuenth day of December we directed our iourney towarde Ethiope trauersing fyrst the great gulfe and saylyng foure hundred myles came to an Ilande named Monzambrich vnder the dominion of the kyng of Portugale But before we arryued there we sawe by the way many townes parteining to the Portugales and also many strong fortresses in the kyngdomes of Melinda and Mombaza The kyng of Portugale hath also certayne fortresses in Monzambrich and Zaphala But if I should here speake of the memorable factes of the valiant knyght Tristan dè Cugna at his returne from India I should take in hande a thyng farre aboue my reache beyng suche as deserue rather the commendations of Homer Uirgil for he inuaded and subdued the great cities of Gogia Pati and Craua with also the goodly Ilande of Sacutara where the kyng of Portugale hath erected certayne fortresses and omit also to speake of many other Ilandes whiche we sawe in the way as the Ilande of Cumeris and sixe other which beare plentie of ginger suger dyuers other goodly fruites and abundance of fleshe also the most fruitfull Iland of Pende likewise subiect to the kyng of Portugale Of the Ilande of Monzambrich and the inhabitantes thereof Cap. 3. THis Ilande as we haue sayde is subiecte to the kyng of Portugale as is also Zaphala From the Ilande of Monzambrich is brought much golde and oyle but is brought thyther from the firme lande The Ilande is not byg and is inhabited with blacke Mahumetans lyuyng in maner in necessitie of all thinges yet hath it a commodious porte They haue no corne but that is brought from the continent where also we went alande to see the countrey where we sawe nothyng but a vagabunde and rascall kynde of blacke men coueryng only theyr priuities with leaues of trees and are besyde naked and the women in lyke maner Theyr lyppes are two fingers thicke theyr foreheades very large theyr teeth great and as white as snow They are fearefull at the sight of euery thyng and especially when they see armed men Therefore seeing theyr fearefulnesse knowing them to be without weapons that can doe any great hurte only sixe of vs well armed â–ª bearyng also with vs Hargabuses and hauyng in our companie a blacke slaue that somewhat knewe the countrey we began to enter further into the lande and when we had gone forwarde one dayes iourney we founde many heardes of Elephantes Here the slaue that was our guyde gaue vs counsayle to take fyrebrandes in our handes bycause these beastes feare fyre aboue all thinges But we once chaunced to fynde three Female Elephants which had very lately brought foorth theyr Calues and therefore feared not the fyre but without all feare folowed vs so farre that we were fayne to flee to a mountayne to saue vs from the beastes When we had entred about tenne myles into the land we found a certayne denne on the syde of a mountayne where some of the blacke inhabitauntes lurked These spake so confoundedly and chatteringly lyke Apes that I am not able to expresse theyr maner of speeche Yet to goe the nearest thereto that I can theyr speach is lykest to the euyll fauored voyce which the Muleters of Sicilia vse when they dryue theyr Mules and suche maner of blabberyng vse these people in theyr speache Heere the Pilot of the shyppe asked vs if wee woulde buye any kyne saying that here we should haue them good cheape But we thinking that eyther he had mocked vs or that agreeing with the inhabitauntes whom he knewe before he woulde haue deceyued vs of our money and wares sayde that we had no money Then sayde he vnto vs These people desire nothyng lesse then money hauyng muche more plentie of golde then we haue which is founde not farre hence
Then sayde we to him What desyre they then They loue sayde he despicable thynges and of small value as pynnes knyues sysers lookyng Glasses Haukes belles bagges or boxes to keepe theyr golde in copper Rynges iangelinges to hang at theyr Tymberelles bosses laces broches copper chaynes carkenettes braselettes and suche other tryfles to trymme theyr wyues and children We aunswered that we were content to gyue them suche wares for theyr kyne if they woulde bryng them to the nexte mountayne Then sayde our Pilot agayne They will bryng them with vs to the mountayne but no further in any condition Therefore speake what you will gyue Then one of our companions sayde that he had a bosse of grauen copper and also a little bell But I bycause I had no suche merchaundies yet beyng desirous to eate fleshe sayde that I woulde sell one of my shertes for kyne Then sayde the Pilot Let mee alone with the matter Then callyng vnto him fyue or sixe of the Inhabitauntes he shewed them our goodly Iewelles and demaunded for them three hundred kyne But the inhabitantes not muche differyng from beastes made signes that they would gyue only fyftiene In fyne we agreed yet suspectyng some deceite neuerthelesse they kept theyr promyse and sent vs fyftiene kyne by two of theyr companions We were scarsely departed but we hearde a noyse and tumulte in theyr dennes and were partly afrayde lest these Troglodites woulde folowe vs and therefore leauyng our kyne we tooke vs to our weapons But they made signes vnto vs to feare nothyng Then our pilot tolde vs that their tumulte was only which of them should haue the bosse of copper Then recouering our kyne we droue them forward to the toppe of the mountaine and there dismissed the two blacke slaues that came with them Whyle wee were thus driuyng our kyne by the syde of a little wood we met agayne with the Elephantes whereof beyng in great feare we forsooke our kyne and trusted to our feete Therefore departyng from hence we returned to the Ilande where makyng prouision for our vyage we sayled towarde the Cape called Caput Bonae Spei passyng the Ilande of Saincte Laurence otherwyse named Madagascar beyng fourescore leagues distant from the nearest continent or firme land I suppose that in shorte tyme the kyng of Portugale will be Lorde of this Ilande For hauyng nowe burned and destroyed many villages and townes of the Ilande his name is fearefull among them And as farre as I can coniecture by my peregrinations of the worlde especially of India and Ethiopia I thynke that the kyng of Portugale if hee continue as he hath begunne is lyke to bee the rychest kyng in the worlde and doubtlesse not vnwoorthily for the dignitie and godly zeale of so noble a prince as by whose meanes the Christian fayth is dayly greatly increased For it is certayne that in India and especially in the citie of Cucin where the Uiceroye remayneth euery holy day tenne or twelue Idolaters or Mahumetans are professed to our religion whereby we may conceyue good hope that in tyme our fayth shall there bee greatly enlarged by the grace of God who hath there gyuen suche supernaturall victories to the Christians and therefore all professers of Christes holy name ought to pray to almyghtie God to assyst hym in so godly an enterprise Of the Cape called Caput Boneae Spei That is the Cape of good hope Cap. 4. DEpartyng from the Cape named Caput Bonae Spei when we had nowe sayled aboute two hundred myles there rose suddenly a tempest with contrarye wynde The cause whereof was that we had on the lefte hande the Ilande of Saint Laurence and many other litle Ilandes from whence bloweth for the most part a great gale of wynde And therefore for the space of seuen dayes beyng here daungerously tossed to and fro by the rages of the sea and wynde at the length we escaped by the grace of God But proceedyng about two hundred leagues a newe tempest rysyng so scattred our shyppes in the space of syxe dayes that we mette not togeather agayne vntyll we arryued at Luxburne in Portugale I was in the shyppe of Barthelmewe a Florentine citizen of Luxburne The shyppe was named Saint Uincent a vessell of exceedyng capacitie laden with seuen thousande tonnes of all sortes of spyces In the way we passed also by an other Iland named the Iland of saint Helen where we sawe certayne fyshes of suche enorme and monstrous byggenesse that one of them was as bygge as a great house When they ryse aboue the water they yane or gape so wyde that y e vpper iawe couereth al the forehead as it were a souldier in shynyng harnesse Agayne when they swymme on the brymme of the water the forhead is seene the breadth of three great paces And when they swymme in the sea they so trouble the water and come so neare the shyps that we were fayne to discharge al our artillarye to dryue them away Shortly after we founde an Ilande named the Ilande of Ascention where we sawe many fowles about the byggnesse of our Duckes so symple without suspicion or feare that we tooke them with our handes but shortly after they were taken they shewed an incredible fiercenesse I thynke veryly that they neuer sawe any man before they so behelde vs before they were taken and were as styll as if they had ben astonyshed For in that Ilande we sawe no lyuyng creature saue onely innumerable fyshes and the sayd byrdes After we had passed this Ilande many dayes sayling as though we were nowe come to our owne worlde the North starre and guardions of our maryners appeared vnto vs. And here oportunitie serueth well to confute the opinion of them that thynke that men maye not sayle in regions subiect to the pole Antartike or south pole by the guide of the north starre For it is certayne that the Portugales sayle by the guyde of the north starres although they be vtterly out of syght by the eleuation of the pole Antartike Yet do they sometymes refreshe the vertue of the needle with the stone whiche euer naturally respecteth the north pole A fewe dayes after we arryued at the fayre region where are seene many Ilandes named the Ilandes of Astures so named for the multitude of those Egles whiche we commonly call Astures These Ilandes are diuersely named for some are named Pici Martij some Dè Coruo also De Floribus Sancti Georgij Gratiosa and Feial Departyng from hence we came to the Ilande of Tertiera where we remayned two dayes All these Ilandes are marueylous fruitefull and haue plentie of all thynges necessary for mans lyfe Departyng from hence in seuen dayes saylyng we came to y e goodly citie of Luxburne or Vlisbona in Portugale A◠my commyng thyther I was brought to the kynges presence whose handes kissing with most humble reuerence I thanked his maiestie for the great fauour I had
in Calecut Fanan .30 One of two Carattes Fanan .65 Of three Carattes Fanan .150 Of three Carattes and a halfe Fanan .200 Of foure Carattes Fanan .300 Of foure Carattes and a halfe Fanan .350 Of fyue Carattes Fanan .400 Of fyue Carattes and a halfe Fanan .450 Of syxe Carattes Fanan .530 Of syxe Carattes and a halfe Fanan .560 Of seuen Carattes Fanan .630 Of seuen Carattes and a halfe Fanan .660 One of .viii. Carattes that hath ben well prooued in the fyre is woorth Fanan .800 Of .viii. Carattes and a halfe Fanan .900 One suche of tenne Carattes Fanan .1300 One of .x. Carattes and a halfe Fanan â–ª 1600 Of .xii. Carattes Fanan .2000 Of .xiiii. Carattes Fanan 3000 Of .xvi. Carattes Fanan 6000 Of the kynd of Rubies called Spinelle THere is also founde an other kynde of Rubies which we call Spinelle and the Indians Caropus They growe in the selfe same countrey of Pegu where as are the fyne Rubies are found in the mountaines in the vpper crust or floure of the earth These are not so fine nor of so good colour as are the true Rubies but haue somewhat the colour of a Granate which we commonly call a Garnet yet of these suche as are perfect in theyr colour are of value halfe lesse then true Rubies Of the Rubies called Balassi BAlassi are of the kyndes of Rubies but are not so hard their colour is somewhat lyke a Rose and some are in maner whyte they growe in Balassia whiche is a region within the firme lande aboue Pegu and Bengala and are brought from thence by merchants of the Moores to Calecut where they are wrought and pullyshed and are solde of the same price that are Spinel Of the Diamondes of the old myne THese Diamondes are founde in the first India in a kyngdome of the Moores named Decan from whence they are brought to other regions There are also founde other Diamondes whiche are not so good but somewhat whyte and are called Diamondes of the newe myne whiche is in the kyngdome of Narsinga They of the olde myne are not pullyshed in India but in other places There are made lykewyse in India other false Diamondes of Rubies Topases and whyte Saphires whiche appeare to be fyne and are also founde in the Ilande of Zeilam these stones differ in none other sauyng that they haue lost theyr natural colour Of these some are found that haue halfe the colour of Rubies other of Saphires other also of the colour of a Topase other haue al these colours myngled togeather They bore a fine hole in these through the middes whereby they appeare lyke the eyes of a Catte Of the whytest they make many small Diamondes whiche can not be knowen from the true sauyng by touchyng of such as are skylful in that practise They are solde by a poyse or wayght whiche they call Mangiar whiche weyeth two Tarre and two thirdes whiche amount to two thirdes or third partes of one Carat for foure Tarres wey one Fanan which is about two Carattes Eyght Diamondes that wey one Mangiar whiche is two third partes of a Carat are in value Fanan â–ª xxx whiche are three crownes of golde Sixe Diamundes that weigh one Mangiar Fanan .40 Foure that weigh one Mangiar Fanan .60 Two that weigh one Mangiar Fanan .80 One that weygheth one Mangiar Fanan .100 One of one Mangiar and a quarter Fanan .165 One of one Mangiar and a halfe Fanan .180 Of one Mangiar and three quarters Fanan .220 Of two Mangiars Fanan .320 Of two Mangiars and a quarter Fanan .360 Of two Mangiars and a halfe Fanan .380 Of two Mangiars three quarters full perfect Fanan .420 Of three Mangiars of lyke perfection Fanan .450 Of three Mangiars and a halfe Fanan .480 Of foure Mangiars Fanan .550 Of fyue Mangiars Fanan .750 Of sixe Mangiars Fanan .800 Of seuen Mangiars Fanan .1200 Of eight Mangiars Fanan .1400 And thus they proceede increasyng the price as they increase in weyght Of Saphires IN the Ilande of Zeilam are founde the beste and moste true Saphires being very hard and fine and of the colour of Azure They are of price as foloweth One that weigheth one Caratte is of value which are about two Marcels of siluer Fanan .2 One of the weyght of two Carattes Fanan .5 Of three Carattes Fanan .10 Of foure Carattes Fanan .15 Of fyue Carattes Fanan .18 Of sixe Carattes Fanan .28 Of seuen Carattes Fanan .35 Of eight Carattes Fanan .50 Of niene Carattes Fanan .60 Of tenne Carattes Fanan .65 Of eleuen Carattes Fanan .70 Of twelue Carattes Fanan .75 Of .xiii. Carattes in all perfection of colour Fanan .115 Of .xiiii. Carattes Fanan .160 Of .xv. Carattes Fanan .180 Of .xvi. Carattes Fanan .200 Of .xviii. Carattes Fanan .250 One that weigheth a Mitigall which is .xi. Fanans and a quarter that is about .xxiii. Carattes Fanan .350 Lykewyse in the Ilande of Zeilam is founde an other sorte of Saphires which they call Quinigelinam These are not so strong of darker colour and of much lesse value then are the other of the best kynd wherof one is woorth thirtiene of these of equal poyse Also in the kyngdome of Narsinga in a mountayne aboue Bacanor and Mangalor is found an other sorte of Saphires more tender and of woorse colour which they call Cinganloam These are somewhat whyte and of small value So that the most perfecte of this kynde weighing .xx Carattes is not woorth one Ducate Theyr colour is inclynyng somewhat to yelowe There is lykewyse founde an other kynde of Saphires vppon the sea coastes of the kyngdome of Calecut in a place named Capucar These the Indians call Carahatonilam They are of a darke Azure colour not shynyng but in the cleare ayre They are also tender brickle and of small estimation among the Indians They seeme on the one sydâ— lyke glasse Of Topasies THe naturall Topasies growe in the Iland of Zeilam and are named of the Indians Purceragua It is a harde and fine stone and of equall estimation with the Rubie the Saphire bycause all these three are of one kynde The perfecte colour of this is yelowe lyke vnto fine beaten gold and if it be perfecte and cleane whether it be great or litle it is woorth in Calecut as much fine gold as it weigheth But if it be not perfect it is woorth the weight of golde the Fanan which is lesse by the halfe And if it be in maner whyte it is woorth much lesse And of these are small Diamundes counterfecte Of Turquesses TUrquesses are founde in Exer a place of Siech Ismaell Theyr Mine is a drye earth that is founde vppon a blacke stone which the Moores take of in small peeces and carry them to the Ilande of Ormus from whence they are brought to diuers partes of the worlde by sea and by lande The Indians call them Perose They are soft stones of small weight and not much colde to know that they are good true in
as sayled behynd the Sunne towarde the West dyd greatly lengthen the daye And albeit that the sayde booke of Peter Martyr is peryshed yet hath not fortune permytted that the memorie of so woorthy and marueylous an enterpryse shoulde vtterly be extincte forasmuche as a certayne noble gentelman of the citie of Vincenza in Italie called master Antonie Pigafetta who beyng one of the companie of that voyage and after his returne into Spayne in the shyppe Victoria was made knyght of the Rhodes wrote a particular and large booke thereof whiche he gaue to Themperours Maiestie and sent a copie of the same into Fraunce to the lady Regent mother vnto the French king who committed it to an excellent philosopher called master Iacobus Faber hauing long studied in Italy wyllyng hym to translate it into the Frenche tongue This booke therefore was printed fyrst in the Frenche tongue and then in the Italian with also an epistle to the Cardinall of Salsepurge as touchyng the same voyage written by Maximilian Transiluane secretarie to Themperours Maiestie in the yeere 1522. And doubtlesse among all the cities of Italie the citie of Vincenza may herein muche glorie that besyde the auncient nobilitie and many excellent and rare wyttes whiche it hath brought foorth aswell in learnyng as discipline of warre it hath also had so woorthy and valiaunt a gentleman as was the sayde master Antonie Pigafetta who hauyng compassed about the ball or globe of the worlde hath lykewyse described that voyage particularly For the whiche his so noble and wonderfull an enterprise so happily atchiued if the same had ben done in the olde tyme when Th empyre of the Greekes and Romans floryshed he shoulde doubtlesse haue ben rewarded with an Image of marble or gold erected in a place of honour in perpetuall memorie and for a singular example of his vertue to the posteritie In fine this may we boldly affyrme that the antiquitie had neuer such knowledge of the worlde whiche the Sunne compasseth about in .xxiiii. houres as we haue at this present by the industrie of men of this our age But before I speake any thyng of the vyage I haue thought it good fyrst to adde hereunto the Epistle of Maximilian Transiluane which he wrote to the Cardinall of Salsepurge as a preface to his sayde booke ¶ The Epistle of Maximilian Transiluane secretarie to the Emperours Maiestie written to the ryght honorable and reuerende lorde the lord Cardinal of Salepurge of the marueylous and woonderfull nauigation made by the Spanyardes rounde about the worlde in the yeere of Christ M.D.xix. IN these dayes my most honorable and reuerend lord returned one of those fiue ships whiche the yeere before Themperours beyng at Saragosa in Spaine were at his maiesties commaundement sent to the newe worlde heretofore vnknowen vnto vs to seeke the Ilandes of spices For albeit the Portugales bryng vs great quantitie of Spyces from that part of East India whiche in olde tyme was called Aurea Chersonesus where is nowe thought to be the great rych citie of Malaccha yet in East India growe none of those Spyces except Pepper For other Spyces as Sinamome Cloues Nuttemegs and Mase whiche is the huske that couereth the shell of the Nut are brought from other farre countreys and from Ilandes scarsely knowen by theyr names from the whiche Ilandes they are brought in shyppes or barkes made without any Iron tooles and tyed togeather with cordes of Date trees with rounde sayles lykewyse made of the small twigges of the branches of Date trees weaued togeather These barkes they call Giuâ—che with the whiche barkes and sayles they make theyr viage with only one wynde in the stearne or contrarywyse Neyther yet is it a thyng greatly to be marueiled at that these Ilands where the Spices growe haue ben vnknowen so many worlde 's past vnto our tyme forasmuch as all suche thynges as vnto this daye haue ben wrytten of old autours of the places where spices growe are all fabulous and false Insomuch that the countreys where they affyrme them to growe are nowe certaynely founde to be further from the place where they growe in deede then we are from them For lettyng passe many other thynges that are wrytten I wyll speake more of this which Herodotus otherwise a famous auctoure affirmeth that Sinamome is founde in the toppes of the nestes of certayne byrdes and foules that bryng it from farre countreys and especially the Phenyx the whiche I knowe no man that euer hath seene But Plinie who might more certaynely affyrme thinges by reason that before his tyme many thynges were knowen and discouered by the nauigations of great Alexander and other sayth that Sinamome groweth in that part of Ethiope which the people inhabit called Trogloditi Neuerthelesse it is now found that Sinamome groweth very far from all Ethiope now much further from the Trogloditi which dwel in caues vnder the ground But to our men which are now returned from those partes and the Ilandes of spices hauyng also good knowledge of Ethiope it was necessarie to passe far beyond Ethiope before they come to these Ilands and to compasse about the whole worlde and many tymes vnder the greatest circumference of heauen The which nauigations made by them beyng the most marueylous thyng that euer was done by man vppon the earth sence the fyrst creation of the worlde and neuer founde before or knowen or attempted by any other I haue deliberated faythfully to wryte to your honorable lordeshyppe and to declare the whole successe thereof As touchyng which matter I haue with all diligence made inquisition to knowe the trueth aswell by relation of the Captayne of that shyppe as also by conference with euery of the maryners that returned with hym All whiche gaue the seâ—fe same information both to Themperours Maiestie and diuers other And this with such faythfulnesse and sinceritie that not onely they are iudged of all men to haue declared the trueth in all thynges but haue thereby also geuen vs certaine knowledge that al that hath hitherto ben sayd or wrytten of olde autours as touchyng these thynges are false and fabulous For who wyl beleeue that men are founde with onely one legge Or with suche feete whose shadowe couereth theyr bodyes Or men of a cubite heyght and other suche lyke beyng rather monsters then men Of the whiche neyther the Spanyardes who in our tyme saylyng by the Ocean sea haue discouered all the costes of the lande towarde the West both vnder and aboue the Equinoctiall nor the Portugales who compassyng about all Affryke hath passed by all the East and lykewyse discouered all those costes vnto the great gulfe called Sinus Magnus nor yet the Spaniardes in this theyr last nauigation in the which they compassed about the whole earth dyd neuer in any of theyr viages wryte of such monsters which doubtlesse they would not haue omytted if they myght haue had certayne
hundred leagues distant The first of these Ilandes is from the Equinoctiall towarde the pole Antartike xv degrees and the other fiue Their sayling was in such sorte that they sayled dayly betweene l.lx. to .lxx. leagues So that in fine if God of his mercy had not gyuen them good weather it was necessary that in this so great a sea they should all haue dyed for hunger Which neuerthelesse they escaped so hardly that it may be doubted whether euer the lyke viage may be attempted with so good successe They considered in this Nauigation that the pole Antartike hath no notable starre after the sorte of the pole Artike But they sawe many starres geathered togeather which are lyke two cloudes one separate a little from an other somewhat darke in the myddest Betweene these are two starres not very byg nor much shynyng which moue a little and these two are the pole Antartike The needell of their compasse varied somwhat and turned euer towarde the pole Artike neuerthelesse had no suche force as when it is in these partes of the pole Artike Insomuch that it was necessarie to helpe the needle with the lode stone commonly called the Adamant before they coulde sayle therewith bycause it moued not as it doeth when it is in these our partes When they were in the myddest of the gulfe they sawe a crosse of fyue cleare starres directly towarde the Weste and of equall distance the one from the other The order of the starres about the pole Antartike some haue figured in this maner A. The pole Antartike B. The Crosse. In these dayes they sayled betweene the West and South so farre that they approched to the Equinoctiall lyne and were in longitude from the place from whence they first departed a hundred and twentie degrees In this course they sayled by two Ilandes of exceedyng heyght whereof the one named Cipanghu is twentie degrees from the pole Antartike and the other named Sumbdit fyftiene degrees When they were paste the Equinoctiall line they sayled betweene the West Southwest at the quarter of the West towarde the Southwest more then a C. leagues changing their sayles to the quarter of the southwest vntyll they came to the thirtiene degrees aboue the Equinoctiall towarde the pole Artyke intending as much as were possible to approch to the Cape called of the olde writers Cattigara the whiche is not founde as the olde Cosmographers haue discribed it but is towarde the north about .xii. degrees as they afterward vnderstoode When they had thus sayled .lxx. leagues of this voyage in the xii degree aboue the Equinoctiall and C.xlvi degrees of longitude as I haue sayde the syxt daye of March they discouered a litle Ilande towarde the northwest and two other towarde the southwest but the one was hygher and bygger then the other In the byggest of these the generall captayne woulde haue rested hym selfe a whyle but he coulde not by reason the people of these Ilandes resorted continually to the shyppes with theyr Canoas and stole nowe one thyng nowe an other in suche sorte that our men coulde take no rest and therefore demaunded of the captaine that they myght stryke theyr sayles to bryng the shyppes to lande But the captayne beyng prouoked to anger went aland with fourtie armed men and burnt about fyftie of theyr houses with many of theyr Canoas and slue also about seuen men and recouered a shyppe boate whiche the Barbarians had stolne and so departed folowyng his voyage The Captayne named these Ilandes Insulae Latronum that is the Ilandes of theeues When our men had so wounded some of them with arrowes that they were stryken through both sydes they pulled foorth the arrowes not ceassyng to maruayle at them tyll they fell downe dead And yet coulde not the other so depart but styll folowed y e ships with more then two hundred of their boates approching as nere to the shyppes as they coulde and proferryng our men certayne fishes As the shyps passed with ful sayle in the middest of theyr boates they sawe in some of them certayne women lamentyng and tearyng theyr heare whiche our men thought they dyd for the death of theyr husbandes As farre as they coulde perceyue these people lyue at theyr owne lybertie without any ruler or gouernour They go naked and haue blacke beards and blacke heare on theyr heades whiche they weare long downe to their wastes They are of the same stature that we are and well made of colour like vnto an Oliue Their women are wel fauored with blacke thycke heare on theyr heades reachyng to the grounde The men colour theyr teeth redde and blacke which they esteeme a comely thyng They annoynt theyr bodyes and heare with they oyle of Cocus Theyr boates are some all blacke some white and some redde and haue sayles made of the brode leaues of Date trees sowed togeather In the steade of a rudder they vse a certayne brode boorde with a staffe in the top and may when they wyll make the sterne the fore castell or the forecastell the sterne They sayle so swyftely that they seeme a farre of lyke Delphyns swymmyng aboue the water The tenth daye of Marche in the yeere .1521 they wente alande vppon a litle Ilande named Zamal .xxx. leagues dystant from the Ilande of theeues Because this Ilande was not inhabited they rested here a while where the captayne caused a pauilion to be pitched for the sycke crased men and a hogge to be kylled The .xviii. daye of Marche they sawe a boate with nyne men commyng towarde them shewyng them selues ioyfull and reioysyng of theyr commyng They brought many presentes with them and seemed to be people of muche humanitie They gaue the Captayne a great fyshe and a great vessell of the wyne of those Date trees whiche beare the fruite Cocus They made also signes that within the space of foure dayes they woulde bryng Ryse and dyuers foules and beastes as they dyd in deede This Cocus is a fruit of certayne Date trees whereof they make bread wyne oyle and vineger They make wyne in this maner They cutte a bygge branche of the tree and hange thereat a reede as bygge as a mans legge into the whiche droppeth a sweete licoure from the tree like vnto whyte wyne somwhat tart and let the reede continue there from mornyng tyl euenyng and from euenyng to mornyng The fruite of this tree called Cocus is as bygge as the head of a man or more The fyrst rynde of this is greene and of the thyckenesse of two fyngers hauyng in it certayne threedes whereof they make cordes with the whiche they tye theyr boates Under this rynde there is a thycke shell which they burne and make pouder therof and vse it as a remedy for certayne diseases Under this shell is a white substance lyke the carnel of a Nut being a fynger in thycknesse which they eate with fleshe and fyshe as we
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
that our men had been wel enterteyned there and would therfore not only absteine from doing them any hurt or displeasure but also helpe to ayde them against their enemies and that therefore it shoulde be requisite to erect that crosse vppon the toppe of the hyghest mountayne that myght be seene from the sea on euery syde also to pray vnto it reuerently and that in so doyng they should not be hurt with thunder lyghtnyng and tempestes When the kynges hearde these wordes they gaue the captaine great thankes promisyng gladly to obserue and fulfyl al such thynges as he required Then the Captaine demaunded whether they were Moores or Gentiles They aunswered that they had none other kinde of religion but that lyftyng vp theyr handes ioyned togeather and theyr faces towarde heauen they called vpon theyr God Abba Which aunswere lyked the Captayne very well because the Gentiles are sooned perswaded to our fayth then the Moores Departyng from hence they came to the Ilandes of Zeilon Zubut Messana and Calaghan by the conduct of certayne Pilots of the sayde kynges Of these Zubut is the best and hath the trade of best trafique In the Ilande of Messana they founde Dogges Cattes Hogges Hennes Goates Ryse Gynger Cocus Myll Panicke Barly Fygges Oranges Waxe and Golde in great quantitie This Ilande is aboue the Equinoctial towarde our pole niene degrees two thirde partes and 162. degrees from the place from whence they departed They remayned in this Ilande for the space of eyght dayes and then directed their viage toward the Northwest and passed betweene these fyue Ilandes Zeilon Bohol Canghu Barbai and Catighan In this Iland of Catighan are certayne great Battes as bygge as Eagles of the whiche they tooke one they are good to be eaten and of taste much lyke a Henne There are also Stocke Doues Turtle Doues Popingays certaine fowles as big as Hennes these fowles haue litle hornes lay great egges whiche they couer a cubit deapth in the sand by the heate wherof vertue of the Sonne they are hatched the young birdes crepe out of the sand by themselues From the Iland of Messana to Catinghan are 20. leagues saylyng toward the West And because the kyng of Messana coulde not folowe the shippes they taryed for him about the Ilandes of Polo Ticobon and Fozon where the Captayne toke hym into his shippe with certayne of his principal men and so folowed theyr viage toward the Ilande of Zubut which is about fyftie leagues distant from Catighan The seuenth day of Apryll about noone they entred into the port of Zubut And passing by many villages and habitations in trees they came to the citie where the Captayne gaue commaundement to the maryners to stryke theyr sayles and to set them selues in order in maner of battayle raye causyng all the ordinaunce to be shotte of wherewith all the people were put in great feare After this the Captayne sent an ambassadour with thinterpretoure to the kyng of Zubut When they approched neere to the citie they found the kyng with a great company of men sore astonyed at the noyse of the gunnes But thinterpretour aduertised them that it was the custome of our men in all suche places where they come to discharge theyr ordinaunce in token of frendshyppe and to honour the lord of the citie With which wordes the kyng and his companye were well quieted After this the interpretour declared that his master was the Captayne of the shyppes of the greatest Prince in the worlde and that they went to discouer the Ilandes of Molucca And further that hearyng of his good name and fame by the report of the kyng of Messana they determyned to visite him to haue vittailes for exchange of their merchaundies The kyng answered that he was wel content therewith and that they were hartyly welcome Neuerthelesse that it was a custom in that place that al such shyps as entered into that hauen should pay tribute And that there were not many dayes past sence a shyp laden with golde and slaues dyd so paye In token whereof he caused to come before hym certayne merchauntes of that company which yet remayned with hym To this thinterpretour answeared that forasmuche as his lorde was the Captayne of so myghtie a Prince he neuer payde tribute to any kyng in the worlde and would not nowe begyn Wyllyng hym to take this for a resolute answeare that if he woulde accepte the peace that was profered him he shoulde enioy it and if he rather desyred warre he should haue his handes ful When thinterpretour had sayde these woordes one of the sayde merchauntes who was a Moore spake to the kyng in this maner Catacaia Chitae that is Take heede syr For these men are they that haue conquered Calecut Malacha and all the greater India and are of suche power that if you intreate them otherwyse then wel you may to late knowe what they are able to do more then they haue done at Calecut and Malaca When thinterpretoure hearde these woordes he sayde that the kyng his Lorde was of much greater puissaunce and more dominions and lorde of more shyppes then was the kyng of Portugale declaryng further that he was kyng of Spayne and Emperour of all Christendome Addyng hereunto that if he woulde not be his frende he woulde hereafter sende thyther suche a power of armed men as shoulde destroy his countrey The Moore conferred al these woordes with the king who sayde that he woulde further deliberate with his counsayle and geue them a full aunsweare the daye folowyng In the meane tyme he sent them certayne vyttayles and wyne When all these thynges were declared to the kyng of Messana who was the chiefest thereabout next vnto him and lord of many Ilandes he went a lande and repayred to the kyng of Zubut and declared vnto hym the great humanitie and curtesie of the generall Captayne Shortly after the Captayne sente certayne of his men with thinterpretour to the kyng of Zubut to knowe his pleasure and what aunsweare he woulde make them As they went towarde the courte they met the kyng commyng in the streate accompanyed with many of his chiefe men He caused our men to syt downe by hym and demaunded of them if there were any more then one Captayne in theyr companie and whether it were theyr request that he should paye tribute to Themperour They aunsweared that they desyred none other thyng but that they myght exercise merchaundies with them and to barter ware for ware The kyng made aunsweare that he was well content therewith wyllyng the Captayne in token of frendshyp to sende hym a litle blood of his ryght arme affyrmyng that he woulde do the lyke c. After this the kyng of Messana with the kyng of Zubut his neuie who was the prince and certayne other of his gentelmen came to the shippes and brought the Captayne many goodly presentes They entred into great amitie
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
distant from Giaua maior Here they were informed that aboue Giaua maior towarde the north is a great gulfe called the gulfe of China in the whiche are trees of exceedyng byggnesse inhabited with foules of such greatnesse that they cary great beastes in the ayre The fruites of these trees are as byg as Cucummers The cape of Malacha is one degree and a halfe aboue the Equinoctiall line toward the pole Artike On the east syde of this cape runneth a very long coast in the which are many regions cities wherof some are called by these names Cingaporla whiche is the cape Also Pahan Calantan Patani Braalin Benu Longon and Odia wherin is the citie in the whiche dwelleth the kyng of Sian named Zacabedera Theyr cities are buylded as ours are and subiect to the kyng of Sian After the realme of Sian are the regions of Iamgoma and Campaa where Reubarbe groweth of the whiche are diuers opinions some supposyng it to be a roote and other a putrified tree affyrming that if it were not putrified it should not haue so great a sauour They call it Calama Next vnto this is founde the great China whose kyng is thought to be the greatest prince in the worlde and is named Santoa Raia Furthermore all that is written hereafter of this kyng and these regions they learned by thinformation of a Moore that was in the Iland of Timor He affirmed that the sayd kyng hath threescore and tenne crowned kynges vnder his empyre and hath a port in the sea named Canthan and two principall cities named Nauchin and Connulaha where he remaineth hym selfe and hath euer foure of his chiefe princes lying about his palace on euery syde towarde the east west north and south geuyng dilygent attendaunce what is done in euery of theyr quarters All the princes of the greater India called India Maior and of that whereof I haue spoken before are obedient to this kyng And in token that they are true subiectes they keepe in theyr palaces which are in the myddest of theyr cities the beast called Linx beyng fayrer then a Lion and is the great kynges signet whiche all such as intende to go to China beare with them sealed in waxe or on a peece of Iuerye for theyr safe conducte without the whiche they may not enter into the hauen When any of his kynges rebell or are disobedient he causeth them to be flayen and salted and dryed at the Sunne then to be stuffed with chaffe and set vp on some hygh thyng in the myddest of the chiefe streate of the citie where al the people may see it He neuer suffereth his owne person to be openly seene to any man But when his noble men of the courte are desyrous to see hym he commeth downe from his palace into a ryche pauilion accompanyed with syxe of his principall concubines apparelled with lyke vestures as he hym selfe is All this way he is not seene by reason of the pauilion When he hath passed through the pauylyon he entereth into a Serpent named Nagha beyng the most marueylous and ryche woorke of the worlde and placed in the greatest courte of the palace When the kyng entereth into this with the women to the intent that he may not be knowen among them he causeth the sayde noble men onely to looke in at a glasse whiche is in the breste of the Serpent where they see the kyng among the women but can not discerne whiche is he He ioyneth in maryage with his syster that the blood royall be not myxte with any other His palace is enuironed with seuen large walles the one beyng farre distant from the other and hath in euery suche circuite tenne thousand men for the garryson of his palace who haue theyr waytyng dayes appoynted them course by eourse with fresshe men in theyr places and thus keepe theyr watche continually both day and nyght In this palace are .lxxix. haules in the whiche is an infinite number of women that serue the kyng hauyng euer lyght torches in theyr handes for the greater magnificence He that woulde see all the palace shoulde spende a whole daye therein Among other there are foure principal haules where somtimes the kyng geueth audience to his noble men Of these one is couered both aboue and beneath with metall an other all ouer with syluer the thyrde with golde and the fourth with pearles precious stones These people of China are whyte men appareled as we are and eate theyr meate on tables as we do They haue the crosse in some estimation but knowe not the cause whye Beyonde the coaste of China are dyuers other nations and people as Cheneby where Pearles and Sinamonie are founde also the people named Lickij where reigneth the great kyng of Mien hauyng vnder hym .xxii. kynges and is subiecte to the kyng of China Here is also founde the great citie of Cathay â–ª in the East and dyuers other nations in the sayde fyrme lande of the which some are bruityshe and beastiall whiche vse to kyll and eate theyr parentes when they be olde thynkyng thereby that they shall reuyue in them All these people are Gentyles The .xi. daye of February in the yeere .1522 they departed from the Ilande of Timos and were ingulfed by chaunce in the great sea called Lantchidol and tooke theyr course betweene the west and southwest leauyng the north coastes on theyr ryght hande fearyng least if they shoulde sayle towarde the firme land they myght be seene of the Portugales who are of great power in Malacha and therefore dyrected theyr course without the Ilande of Sumatra called in olde tyme Taprobana leauyng also on theyr ryght hand vppon the fyrme lande the prouinces and regions of Pegu Bengala Calecut Canonor Coa Cambaia the gulfe of the Iland of Ormus and all the coastes of the greater India And more safely to passe the cape of Buona Speranza beyng aboue Affrike they sayled about .xlii. degrees towarde the pole Antartike remayned seuen weekes about that cape with many fetches compassyng the wynde with theyr sayles continually alofte because they had a west and northwest wynde in the proos of theyr shyppe whiche woulde not suffer them to passe The cape of Buona Speranza is toward the pole Antartike beneath the Equinoctiall line .34 degrees and a halfe and .1600 leagues from the cape of Malacha and is the greatest and most daungerous cape that is founde at this daye in all the worlde When they had by these peryls ouerpassed this cape certaine of them aswell for lacke of vyttayles as also by reason of syckenesse were mynded to sayle to a hauen of the Portugales named Monzambique aboue Affryke But the other answeared that they woulde rather dye then go to any other place then directly to Spayne They folowed theyr course therefore saylyng toward the Southwest two monethes continually without touchyng at any port in
whiche tyme there dyed about .xxi. of theyr company whom they cast into the sea And suerly if God of his infinite mercie had not preserued the residue in tyme they had all dyed of famyn In fine beyng inforced of necessitie and halfe of theyr companye dead they sayled to one of the Ilandes of Capo verde called Insula Sansti Iacobi that is sainte Iames Ilande parteynyng to the kyng of Portugale Where as soone as they arryued they sent certayne a lande in the shyppe boate for vittayles declaryng to the Portugales with all loue and fauour what necessitie they were dryuen to and what miseries and trauayles they had susteyned infourmyng them furthermore of theyr marueylous voyage and such thynges as they had seene in both the East and West India with suche other gentle woordes whereby they obteyned certayne measures of Ryse But when afterward xiii of them returned for more Ryse they were deteyned Wheruppon the rest whiche remayned in the shyppe fearyng the lyke chaunce departed with full sayles and the .vii. day of September with the helpe of God entred into the hauen of San Lucar neere vnto Siuile where dischargyng all theyr ordinaunce for ioy they wente immediatly to the great churche in theyr shiertes and barefooted with a torche before them to geue thankes to almyghty God who had brought them safe to theyr owne country and restored them to theyr wyues and chyldren As touching the ende of this voyage Transiluanus wryteth somewhat more largely as foloweth The other shyppe whiche they left behynde them to be repared returned afterwarde by the Archipelagus afore sayde and by the great sea to the coastes of the fyrme of the West India and arryued at a region of the same beyng agaynst Dariena where the South sea of Sur is separate but by a litle space of lande from the west Ocean in the which are the Ilands of Hispaniola Cuba and other Ilandes of the Spanyardes The other shyppe whiche returned into Spayne by compassyng about the whole bowle of the world by the coastes of East India and Affrike departing from the Ilande of Tidore and saylyng euer on this syde the Equinoctial dyd not fynde the cape of Cattigara being about Asia and by the description of Ptolome reachyng many degrees beyonde the Equinoctiall But hauyng sayled many dayes by the mayne sea they came to the cape of Buona Speranza and from thence to the Ilandes of Capo verde where theyr shyppe beyng soore broosed by reason of the long voyage leaked and tooke water in suche sorte that the maryners beyng nowe but fewe in number and those also weake and feeble by reason of long sickenesse hunger were not able both to drie the pompe continually and otherwyse gouerne the shyppe and were therefore of necessitie inforced to go alande at the Ilande of saint Iames to bye them certayne slaues to helpe them But beyng destitute of mony accordyng to the custome of the maryners they profered them cloues for theyr slaues The whiche thyng when it came to the eares of the Portugale that was Captayne of that Ilande he cast .xiii. of them in prison Whereby the resydue that remayned in the shyppe beyng nowe but .xviii. in number were put in such feare that they departed immediatly without rescuing theyr felowes sailed continually both by day by night by the coastes of Afrike came in fine to Spaine y t .vi. day of September in the yeere of our lorde .1522 and arryued at the port nere vnto Siuile the .xvi. moneth after they departed from the Iland of Tidore Maryners doubtlesse more woorthy to be celebrate with eternall memory then they whiche in olde tyme were called Argonauti that sayled with Iason to wyn the golden fleese in the region of Cholchis the ryuer of Phasis in the great sea of Pontus And the shyppe it selfe more worthy to be placed among the starres then that olde Argo whiche departyng out of Grecia sayled to the ende of that great sea For this our marueylous shyppe takyng her voyage from the straightes of Gibelterra and saylyng by the great Ocean towarde the South and pole Antartike and turnyng from thence to the West folowed that course so farre that passyng vnder the great circumference of the world she came into the East and from thence agayne into the West not by returnyng backewarde but styll sayling forward so compassing about the ball of the worlde vnder the whole circumference of heauen vntyll she were myraculously restored to her natiue region of Spayne and house of Siuile ¶ The debate and stryfe betweene the Spanyardes and Portugales for the Diuision of the Indies and the trade of Spyces and also for the Ilandes of Molucca which some call Malucas VVritten in the Spanishe tongue by Francisco Lopes de Gomara THe Emperours maiestie was very glad that the Malucas and Ilandes of the Spycery were discouered and that he myght passe vnto them through his owne countreys without any preiudice or hurt to the Portugales and because also that Almanzor Lusfu and Corala whiche were the lordes of the Spycerie shewed them selues to be his freendes and became tributaries to hym He also gaue certayne gyftes and rewardes to Iohn Sebastian for his great paynes and good seruice forasmuche as he craued a rewarde for the good newes that the Ilandes of the Malucas and other Ilandes rycher and greater then they were found to be in his part of those countreys which parteyned vnto hym accordyng to the Popes Bull. And hereby it came to passe that there was great contention and stryfe betweene the Spanyardes and the Portugales about the Spycery and the diuision of the Indies by reason of the returne of Iohn Sebastian and the information whiche he gaue thereof who also affirmed that the Portugales had neuer any entraunce before that tyme into those Ilandes Hereupon the counsayle for the Indies aduertised the Emperour to maynteyne his fleete for those partes and to take the trade of Spyces into his owne hande forasmuche as it was his owne of duetie aswell for that those Ilandes fell on his part as also that he had nowe found passage and way through his West Indies into those regions and finally to consyder that he shoulde thereby obteyne and geat to hym selfe great reuenues besyde the inrychyng of his subiectes and realmes and that with small cost and charge The Emperour beyng thus aduertised of the trueth tooke it for good counsayle commaunded all thynges herevnto apperteynyng to be furnyshed accordyngly In this meane tyme when kyng Iohn of Portugale had knowledge what the Emperour determined to do and the speedy haste his counsayle made for the perfourmaunce hereof and of the commyng home of Iohn Sebastian of Cane with thinformation he made what of stoutnes of mynde and what for griefe was puffed vp with anger as were also the reste of the Portugales stormyng as though they would haue plucked downe the skye with theyr handes
is the chiefe that the Catholyke fayth and Christian religion specially in this our tyme may in all places be exalted amplified and enlarged whereby the health of soules may be procured and the Barbarous nations subdued and brought to the fayth And therefore whereas by the fauour of Gods clemencie although not without equall desertes we are called to this holy seate of Peter and vnderstanding you to be true Catholyke princes as we haue euer knowen you and as your noble and woorthy factes haue declared in maner to the whole world in that with all your studie diligence and industry you haue spared no trauayles charges or peryls aduenturyng euen the shedyng of your owne blood with applying your whole myndes and endeuours herevnto as your noble expeditions achyued in recouering the kyngdom of Granata from the tyrrany of the Sarracens in these our dayes do plainly declare your factes with so great glory of the diuine name For the whiche as we thynk you worthy so ought we of our owne free wyl fauorably to graunt you al thynges whereby you may dayly with more feruent myndes to the honour of God and enlargyng the Christian Empire prosecute your deuout and laudable purpose most acceptable to the immortall God We are credibly infourmed that whereas of late you were determyned to seeke and fynde certayne Ilandes and fyrme landes farre remote and vnknowen and not heretofore founde by any other to the intent to bryng the inhabitantes of the same to honor our redeemer to professe the catholike fayth you haue hytherto been much occupied in the expugnation and recouerie of the kyngdome of Granata by reason wherof you coulde not bryng your sayde laudable purpose to the ende desyred Neuerthelesse as it hath pleased almyghtie God the foresayde kyngdome beyng recouered wyllyng to accomplishe your sayde desyre you haue not without great labour peryls charges appoynted our welbeloued sonne Christopher Colonus a man certesse wel commended as most worthy and apt for so great a matter well furnyshed with men and shippes and other necessaries to seeke by the sea where hytherto no man hath sayled suche firme landes and Ilandes farre remote and hytherto vnknowen who by Gods helpe makyng diligent searche in the Ocean sea haue founde certayne remote Ilandes firme landes whiche were not heretofore found by any other in the whiche as is sayde many nations inhabite lyuyng peaceably and goyng naked not accustomed to eate fleshe and as farre as your messengers can coniecture the nations inhabytyng the foresayd landes and Ilandes beleeue that there is one God creator in heauen and seeme apt to be brought to the imbrasyng of the catholyke fayth and to be imbued with good maners by reason wherof we may hope that yf they be well instructed they may easyly be induced to receyue the name of our sauiour Iesus Christe We are further aduertised that the forenamed Christopher hath now buylded and erected a fortresse with good munition in one of the foresayde principall Ilandes in the whiche he hath placed a garryson of certayne of the Christian men that went thyther with hym aswell to thintent to defende the same as also to searche other Ilandes and firme landes farre remote and yet vnknowen We also vnderstande that in these landes and Ilandes lately founde is great plentie of Golde and Spyces with diuers and manye other precious thynges of sundrye kyndes and qualities Therfore all thynges diligently consydered especially the amplyfying and enlargyng of the catholike fayth as i◠behoueth catholike princes folowyng the examples of your noble progenitours of famous memorie whereas you are determined by the fauour of almyghtie God to subdue and bryng to the catholyke fayth thinhabitantes of the aforesayde landes and Ilandes We greatly commendyng this your godly and laudable purpose in our Lorde and desyrous to haue the same brought to a due ende and the name of our sauiour to be knowen in those partes do exhort you in our Lorde and by the receiuyng of your holy baptysme wherby you are bound to Apostolical obedience earnestly require you by the bowels of mercie of our Lord Iesu Christ that when you intende for the zeale of the Catholyke fayth to prosecute the sayde expedition to reduce the people of the forsayde landes and Ilandes to the Christian relgion you shall spare no labours at any tyme or be deterred with any peryls conceiuyng fyrme hope and confidence that the omnipotent God wyll geue good successe to your godly attemptes And that beyng auctorysed by the priuilege of the Apostolycall grace you may the more freely and boldly take vppon you thenterpryse of so great a matter we of our owne motion and not eyther at your request or at the instant petition of any other person but of our owne mere liberalitie and certayne science and by the fulnesse of Apostolycall power do geue graunt and assigne to you your heyres and successours all the fyrme landes and Ilandes found or to be foūd discouered or to be discouered toward y e west south drawing a lyne from the pole Artik to y e pole Antartike that is from the North to the South Contaynyng in this donation whatsoeuer fyrme landes or Ilandes are founde or to be founde towarde India or towarde any other part what so euer it be beyng distant from or without the foresayde line drawen a hundred leagues towarde the West and South from any of the Ilandes whiche are commonly called De los Azores and Capo verde All the Ilandes therefore and fyrme landes founde and to be founde discouered and to be discouered from the sayde line towarde the West and South such as haue not actually ben heretofore possessed by any other Christian kyng or prynce vntyll the daye of the natiuitie of our Lorde Iesu Christ laste paste from the whiche begynneth this present yeere beyng the yeere of our Lorde M. CCCC.lxxxxiii when so euer any such shal be founde by your messengers and captaynes we by the aucthoritie of almyghty GOD graunted vnto vs in saint Peter and by the office whiche we beare on the earth in the steede of Iesu Christ do for euer by the tenor of these presentes geue graunt assigne vnto you your heyres and successours the kynges of Castyle and Legion all those landes and Ilandes with theyr dominions Territories cities castels towres places and villages with all the ryght and iurisdictions thereunto parteynyng constitutyng assignyng and deputyng you your heyres and successours the lordes thereof with full and free power aucthoritie and iurisdiction Decreeyng neuerthelesse by this our donation graunt and assignation that from no Christian Prince which actually hath possessed the foresayde Ilandes and fyrme landes vnto the daye of the natiuitie of our Lord beforesayd theyr ryght obteyned to be vnderstoode hereby to be taken away or that it ought to be taken away Furthermore we commaunde you in the vertue of holy obedience as you haue promysed and as we doubte not you wyll do vppon mere deuotion and princely
magnanimitte to sende to the sayde fyrme landes and Ilandes honest vertuous and learned men suche as feare GOD and are able to instruct thinhabitantes in the Catholyke fayth and good maners applying all theyr possible deligence in the premisses We furthermore streightly inhibite all maner of persons of what state degree order or condition soeuer they be although of Imperiall and regall dignitie vnder the payne of the sentence of excommunicatiō which they shal incurre if they do to the contrary that they in no case presume without speciall lycence of you your heyres and successours to trauayle for merchaundies or for any other cause to the sayde landes or Ilandes founde or to be founde discouered or to be discouered towarde the West and South drawyng a lyne from the pole Artyke to the pole Antartike whether the firme landes and Ilandes founde and to be founde be situate toward India or toward any other part beyng distant from the line drawen a hundred leagues toward the west from any of the Ilands commonly called De los Azores and Capo Verde Notwithstandyng constitutions decrees and Apostolycall ordinaunces whatsoeuer they are to the contrary In hym from whom Empyres dominions and all good thynges do proceede Trustyng that almyghtie GOD directyng your enterprices if you folowe your Godly and laudable attemptes your labours and trauayles herein shall in shorte tyme obtayne a happie ende with felicitie and glory of all Christian people But forasmuche as it shoulde be a thyng of great difficultie these letlers to be caryed to all suche places as shoulde be expedient we wyll and of lyke motion and knowledge do decree that whyther so euer the same shal be sent or wheresoeuer they shal be receiued with the subscription of a common notarie thereunto requyred with the seale of any person constitute in ecclesiasticall dignitie or suche as are aucthorised by the Eclesiasticall court the same fayth and credite to be geuen thereunto in iudgement ▪ or els where as shoulde be exhibyted to these presentes It shal therefore be lawefull for no man to infrynge or rashly to contrary this letter of our commendation exhortation request donation graunt assignation constitution deputation decreee commaundement inhibition and determination And if any shall presume to attempte the same he ought to know that he shal therby incurre the indignation of almyghty God and his holy Apostles Peter and Paule Geuen at Rome at saint Peters In the yeere of thincarnation of our lorde M. CCCC.lxxxxiii The fourth day of the nones of Maye the fyrst yeere of our seate An Abridgement of P. Martyr his .5.6.7 and .8 Decades and particulerly of Ferd. Cortesius conquest of Mexico by R. VV. THe fyrst foure Decades of P. Martyr you haue already seene done into Englyshe by R. Eden as also certayne parcelles of the foure last P. Martir made eight decades of the west Indish newes in lesse labour these may be run ouer speciall regarde being had vnto that Decade wherein the more principall matter is expressed I meane the fyrst and that chiefly for the famous conquest of the citie Themistitan in Mexico prouince yea of all that great region we doe nowe vsually call newe Spaine As for the sixte Decade it conteyneth very little matter woorth the rehearsal except it be certeine reportes of the Spaniards how they found where they traueyled in the West Indies plough stuffe of gold that the prince of Nicoragua with his family became christian that certaine beardles Indians greatly feare suche men as haue beardes that they vse to sacrifice lyue men vnto their Idolles eyther taken in the warres or fatted vp at home bountefully for that purpose that Nicoragua Mere for the greatnesse and vnknowen length thereof for the ebbes and fluddes and many Ilandes therin myght woorthely be called a freshe water sea This freshet hath ben thought to run into the Northwesterne streicte rather of ignorance the course therof being not throughly knowen than that it so falleth out in deede as P. Martyr wryteth Finally in the .9 .10 bookes of the sixt Decade newes is sent to Rome of the controuersie betwixt the Spaniardes Portugales concernyng the Moluccaes handled more effectually in more ample maner by R. Eden Fol. 448. than P. Martyr in this place penned it Wherfore it were a needlesse woorke and actum agere in deede to trouble the reader therewith any further especially whereas in this volume mention hath ben made therof euen by P. Martyr him selfe as you haue already seene The lyke opinion am I also of touching the .vii. .viii. decades some parcels wherof the Aucthour doth repeate out of his former writinges as Dec. 7. c. 2. the ruine of the Ilandes Iucaies out of his fourth Dec. c. 3. Item out of the second Decade c. 10. the nature of that spring in the Ilande Boiuca otherwyse called Agnaneo the water whereof who so drinketh by reporte of an old man becommeth young agayne is in many woordes repeated by P. Martyr Dec. 7. c. 7. the whole summe of whose seconde discourse thereof is expressed in the former place by R. Edens addition of this clause Perhappes with some diet the which woordes are not in P. Martyr his texte to be shorte the two kindes of breade the Indians doe make of the rootes Iucca and a kynd of graine called Maiz suffitiently declared Dec. 1. lib. 1. Dec. 3. lib. 5. lib. 9. Dec. 3. be repeated againe Dec. 8. c. 3. Other parcelles of these aforesayd Decades wherein the subtelties of theyr Magicians and Coniurers Peaces or Pages are discribed their Tigres crueltie their sundry kindes of wylde beastes foule Serpents their diuers sortes of trees and fruites partly may you reade of in the breuiarie of Gonzal Ferd. Ouiedus historie as of the fountayne of pytch the stone pellets naturally made for Gunnes Fol. 224. out of the .7 Decade c. 7. and the Glowoormes out of the same c. 9. partly in R. Eden his notes of newe Spayne Peru Rio de la Plata Baccaleos and Florida set downe in this volume Fol. 225. as particulerly of the Nutshelles vsed in steede of money taken out of P. Mart. Dec. 8. c. 4. Partly in Theuetus woorkes of the newe founde worlde Englished long since and finally in those bookes which sundry learned Simplicistes haue lately written principally to ayde the Phisitians of our tyme. Some other curiosities there be conteyned in P. Martyr his two last Decades namely the Iucaien women to be so fayre that for theyr loue other countrey Barbares seeke to inhabite those Ilandes Dec. 7. c. 1. The Spanyardes well vsed of the Iucaiens contrary to all curtesie to haue carried away many of those Ilanders into slauery and misery Agayne certayne traueylers to haue ben seene there that had tayles lyke fyshe Dec. 7. c. 2. Fonde fantasies of mens soules departed Dec. 7. c. 3. wandring first North and than South about the worlde afterwarde to growe young agayne in iolitie Agayne other to imagine that the departed
Turquestan it lyeth Northeast from the Caspian sea Item Phison is thought to be Ganges it should rather seeme to be some braunche of Tigris Fol. 331. Deli. al. Dalangar Caraconi al. â—orassan His chief mansion place it was so but now it is not Fol. 322. Fol. 337. Potofarina reade Portofainra Boua reade â—ona Fol. 345. We made sayle Reade sale Fol. 354. inclinations diuinatioÌ„s Read diuiations or wandryng Fol. 358. Stranger solgiers reade Soldyers Fol. 375. In the meane tyme. This is the later ende of the sixte Chapter the residue whereof the Printer hath for modestie lefte out And Eden him selfe hath in this translation also lefte out many thinges to be seene in the latin copye eyther as superfluous or vnseemely I am not willyng to defraude Vartomannus Eden or the Printer of theyr due Fol. 382. Condaliis I would reade Sandaliis as it may seeme in the letter folowing meanyng thereby a kynde of high shooe or buskyn Fol. 394. Rime Reade rine Fol. 429. It was lost and not founde vntill this day It may be that P. Martyr dyd wryte the historie thereof at large in Pope Clement the .7 his time that happely was loste at the sacke of Rome but his abridgement of the aforesayd viage shall you finde written to Pope Adrian afterwarde in his fyft Decade Cap. 7. Out of the which woorke togeather with the reportes of other traueylers that went the aforesayd vyage this present Pamflet hath been taken Fol. 429. A day lost in three yeeres and one moneth I doe not thinke but that in very deede these Spanyardes that sayled thus rounde about the world folowyng continually the west dyd lose on day in theyr iourney In lyke maner I am of opinion that if the Portugales folowed continually the Easte rounde about the worlde they should fynde at theyr iourneyes ende one day to many I meane it thus Let two passengers depart from Lisbona the one Westward the other Eastwarde rounde about the worlde and both returne home agayne that daye whiche we do call Mydsommer daye I saye that day woulde be to the Easterne passengers the next day after Mydsommer daye to the westerne traueylers but Mydsommer euen My reason is for that euery .xv. degrees of the great circle East or West maketh difference one houre wherefore Eastward after fyfteene degrees you shal begyn your daye one houre sooner after fyfteene degrees Westward you shall ende your daye one houre later then you dyd in that place whence you dyd set foorth The whole circle than of the worlde conteynyng precisely .360 degrees that is foure and twentie tymes .xv proportionably to the .24 hours of the day how can it be otherwise but that these passengers traueylyng styll eyther Westwarde rounde about the worlde or Eastwarde shoulde either mysse a daye at theyr iorneyes ende or elles fynde one to many Fol. 430. The epistle of Maximilian Transiluane This preface is to be founde in the tome of the nauigations wrytten in Latine Fol. 524. Fol. 436. The pole Antartike Of these starres and the order therof about the Antartike pole may you reade more at large in Albericus Vesputius nauigations Cap. 119. to be seene in the volume of nauigations written in Latine Fol. 91. The Table RYcharde Willes Epistle dedicatorye to the Countes of Bedforde The Preface for the whole woorke The fyrst discoueryng of the west Indies Fol. 1 What maner of man Christopher Colombus was Fol. 1 What labour Columbus tooke Fol. 2 Why they were called Indians Fol. 3 Of the colour of the Indians Fol. 4 Plato his testimony of the west Indies Fol. 5 Seneca his testimony thereof Fol. 6 P. Martyrs Epistle to Charles the Emperour Fol. 30 The fyrst Decade Fol. 8 The seconde Decade Fol. 57 The thyrde Decade Fol. 94 The .4 Decade otherwyse entituled of the west Indish Ilandes Fol. 155 A briefe rehearsall of the contentes of the aforesayde Decades Fol. 173 R. Edens preface Gonzalus Ferdinandus Ouiedus Epistle to Charles the 5. concernyng his historie of the west Indies Fol. 185 The ordinarie nauigation from Spayne to the West Indies Fol. 187 Of two notable thynges as touchyng the west Indies and of the great ryches brought from thence into Spayne Fol. 188 Of the golde mines and manner of woorkyng in them Fol. 188 The maner of fyshyng for pearles Fol. 191 The familiaritie that the Indians haue with the deuyll Fol. 193 Of temperate and habitable regions vnder the Equinoctial line Fol. 195 Of dyuers particular thynges as Woormes Serpentes beastes foules Fol. 198 Of trees fruites and plantes Fol. 204 Of Reedes or Canes Fol. 207 Of the venomouse apples wherewith the Canibales inuenome theyr arrowes Fol. 209 Of fyshes and the maner of fyshyng Fol. 211 Of the rysyng and fallyng of our Ocean sea and the south sea called Mar del zur Fol 215 Of the stricte of lande betweene the north sea and Mar del zur Fol. 216 Howe thynges of one kynd differ by the nature of the place and of the beastes called Tigers Fol. 217 Of the manners and customes of the Indians of the firme lande and of their women Fol. 219 Of the Ilandes Hispaniola and Cuba Fol. 221 Of the Ilande Cuba and other Fol. 224 Of the land of Baccallaos Fol. 225 Particularly of newe Spayne called Noua hispania or Mexico Fol. 225 Of Peru. Fol. 226 Of the ryuer called Rio de la Plata that is the ryuer of syluer Fol. 226 Of the landes of Laborador and Baccaleos lying west and northwest from England and beyng part of the fyrme lande Fol. 227 The description of the lande Florida Fol. 228 For maister Cap. Furbysheys passage by the northwest Fol. 230 Reportes of the prouince China Fol. 237 Of the Ilande Giapan and other litle Isles in the east Ocean Fol. 251 â—oysins Frâ—es letters touchyng Giapan Fol. 253 Of 〈◊〉 Isles betwixte China and the Moluccaes Fol. 260 A discourse oâ— dyuers voyages and wayes by the whiche Spices precious stoâ—es and golde were brought in olde tyme from India into Europe 〈◊〉 parâ—es of the worlde also of the voyage to Cathayo and east India by the north sea of the voyages lykewyse of Sebastian Cabote and particularly of Moscouia Fol. 254 A bâ—ieâ—e discription of Moscouia by Munster and Gastaldus Fol. 271 A discription of the north regions and howe they are habitable contrary to the opinion of the olde wryters Fol. 275 Schondia Fol. 279. Swecia or Sweth land Fol. 287. Bothnia Fol. 187 Groenland Fol. 280. Gothia or Gothlande Fol. 288 Islande Fol. 281. Futland with Emingia Fol. 288 Laponia Fol 282. Norway Fol. 284. The difference of regions and causes of great cities Fol. 288 Paulus Iouius historie of the Moscouian ambassage Fol. 289 Other notable thynges concernyng Moscouia geathered out of Sigismunde Baron of Herbestein Fol. 301 A discription of the regions and people lying north and east from Moscouia to the ryuer Petzora and the prouince of Iugra and Oby euen to Cathayo Fol. 305 Of the famouse
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
the people Kyng Caunaboa in captiuitie Caunaboa his brother rebelleth A conflict betwene the Cibanians and the Spaniards A greate tempest in the moneth of Iune Whirle windes Furacanes The death of king Caunaboa and his brother The golde mines of Salomon Gold in the superficiall partes of the earth The golden tower Lacke of vitayles Vittualles brought from Spayne Saint Domiâ—ikes towre Isabella The Riuer of Naiba Wooddes of Brasile trees Mountaynes without golde The kinges wiues Well fauored women Driades A pretie pastyme Foure men slayne in sport Prouision for diseased men The castels or towers of hispaniola The golden mountaynes of Cibana The kinges rebell An army of xv thousand Barbarians The kinges are taken prisoners king Guarionexius is pardoned Lacke of vytayles xxxii kinges Serpentes eaten The dressing of serpentes to be eaten Serpentes egges eaten Gossopine cotton Queene Anacaona The treasurie of Queene Anacaona Hebene wood The Ilande of Guanabba Cunnyng Artificers A stone in the steede of Iron Gunnes Musical instrumentes Ignorance causeth admiration The intemperancie malice of a seruile wit aduaunced Ciguanians Licenciousnesse in libertie Hercules pyllers A violent perswasion The furie of Guarionexius The thyrd voyage of Colonus the Admiral Frenche men pyrates The iland of Madera Healing of the leper Contagious ayre and extreeme heate The iland of Puta People of comly corporature and long heare neere the Equinoctial The higher the colder Musical instrumentes The violent course of the water from the East to the West The gulfe called Os Draconis A sea of fresh water Marmasets Monkeyes The fayre and large region of Paria Humane people Chayers and stooles of Hebene Whyte men neere the Equinoctiall Shalownesse of the sea The vse of Carauels or Brigandines A riuer of marueylous deapth and breadth The eleuation of the Pole aâ— Paria Note a secrete as concernyng the Pole starre An experience A marueylous secrete Time reuealeth â—l thynges The Spaniardes rebell in the Admiralles absence The Spaniardes accuse the Admiral The Admiralâ— answere These had the custodies of the temples A cruel deuillyshe pastyme Heare made long blacke by arte Kyng Maiobanexius An army of eight thousand Ciguauians Kyng Guarionexius Naturall hatred of vyce The Lieuetenaunts gentelnesse toward Maiobanexius A rare faithfulnesse in a barbarous kyng The Lieuetenauntes messengers are slayne The Spaniardes are painfull in the warres A desperate aduenture with thirtie men A pollicie A beautifull woman The kynges submit them selues to the Lieuetenaunt A newe gouernour of the Ilande The Ocean sea heretofore vnknowen The nauigation of Petrus Alphonsus Pearles for tryfles Great plentie of pearles Shel fyshes in which pearles are engendred Theyr manner of bargayning The vse of pynnes Haukes belles in great estimation Roring of wild beastes Hartes and wylde bores Cunnyng artificers Base golde Tokens of the continent or firme lande The golden region of Canchieta The Equinoctial line Gossampine trees Canibales in the gulfes of Paria Death for death Howe the Canibales fortifie their campe Haraia Springes of salt water The bodyes of prynces dryed and reserued Orient pearles â—s bygge as â—asel nuts The Ilande of Margarita The nauigation of Vincentius and Aries Pinzonus The Ilandes of Canarie Cabouerde S. Iames Ilande The north pole out of sight Habitable regions vnder the Equinoctial lyne People of high stature A vagabounde kynde of men Giantes Desperate â—oldnesse A sea of freshe water Many fruitful Ilandes Humane people Regions of Paria Gold pearles The commodities of the regions Ilands about Paria Brasile Canibales Trees of Cassia fistula A monstrous beast Extreme remedie in a desperate case Cinamome and Ginger Topases Men of noble courage Another voyage Animae album The superstitions of Hispaniola The errours of the olde gentilitie Idolatrie and idolles Illusions of euil spirites Images of gossampine catton Young deuyls Fables muche lyke Ouide his transformations The Nyghtyngale The Ilande of Mathinino Children turned into Frogs A special grace Holy reliques A holy caue The original of the sunne and moone Walkyng spirites A remedie agayest walking spirites Priestes and diuines Phisitions Ignorance is norished with superstition A powder of marueylous effect A strange maner of curyng Angry gods They make the dead to speake Fayries or spirites of the gentiles much like to the papistes The pouder of the herbe Cohobba Secrete mysteries Reuelations The spirite of Apollo The Sibylles Children with two crownes Wandering images A woman Zemes of great power Mediatours A marueylous illusion of the deuyll The idolles abolyshed Millane in the handes of the french men The history folowyng conteyneth the actes of ten yeeres Paria part of the fyrme lande of East India Golde Frankencense The fiercenesse of the naked people A man deuoured of a monster of the sea Note the largenesse of the new Ilandes Antipodes The nature of the place altereth the formes and qualities of thynges Plentie of beastes and foule Cuba is an Ilande The 〈◊〉 of Cuba The Ilande of Burichema of S. Iohannis Golde mynes Tyllage They abhorre labour They are docible The kynges chyldren The two cheefe golde mynes of Hispaniola A costly shypwracke Pesus The fynyng and distributing of gold Three hundred thousaÌ„d weight of gold molten yeerely in Hispaniola The newe landes Enlargyng of the Christian religion The original of true nobilitie The Ilande of Guanassa The voyage of Iohannes Diaz West Antipodes The encrease of the Christian congregation Of landes distant from the Equinoctiall from fyue degrees to ten The death of Colonus A generall licence The nauigation of Alphonsus Fogeda The region of Caramairi Apples whiche turne into wormes A tree whose shadowe is hurtful Warlyke people Arrowes infected with poyson The nauigation of Diego Nicuesa The regions of Vraba and Beragua The Spanyardes reuenge the death of theyr companions A great slaughter Canibales The hunger of golde The Ilande Fortis Wrought gold Nicuesa The gulfe Coiba Barnardino de Calauera Fogeda returneth to Hispaniola Famine A Brigandine drowned with the stroke of a fyshe The region of Cuchibacoa Serra Neuata Os Draconis Riche in golde and poore in bread The vse of targets agaynst venemous arrowes The barbarians haue respect to iustice Salted fyshe Wine of fruites and seedes Artyllerie Ancisus shypwracke A groue of date trees Wylde bores Apples of a strange kyndâ— Cedars of Libanus Men of desperate boldenesse The gulfe of Vraba The great riuer of Darien The souldiers make an othe The barbarians are dryuen to flyght The riuer of Darien but vii degrees from the Equinoctial lyne Golde founde in a thycket of reedes Brest plates of golde The golden regions are for the most part barren Lupus Olanus Petrus de Vmbria The ryuer Lagartos The golden ryuer of Beragua The enterpryse death of Petrus de Vmbria The daungerous place of Scilla in the sea of Cicile The miserable case of Nicuesa The riuer of S. Matthei The rigocousnesse of Nicuesa Corne waxeth rype euerye fourth moneth The commendation of a young man brought vp with Colonus Portus Bellus
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
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
substaunce Great trees A marueylous tree Kyndlyng of fyre without fyre Putrified woodde shynyng in the nyght Plinie Trees whiche continue euer greene Cassia A secrete thyng Radycall moysture Platani Fygges Tunas Bihaos Hauas Dying of cotton A strange thyng Note Caniballes archers Wherwith they inuenome theyr arrowes Petrus Arias The water of the sea The gulfe of Uraba Xagua Hohi Some thinke these to be mirobalanes Date trees Thinhabitauntes of the sea of Sur. An hearbe that beareth cordes Cabuia and Henequen A strange thing Leaues A leafe of great vertue Tiburons Manates Great Tortoyses Tiburons Plinie Crocodiles Manates The fyshe Manate A remedy agaynst the stone The swoorde fyshe Tunnye Turbut Note Fleeyng fyshes The Iland of Bermuda Not to hie for the Pye nor to lowe for the Crowe Beragua The west Ocean The sea Mediterraneum Hispaniola Cuba The South sea The power and wysedome of God is sene in his creatures Esquegua and Vrraca Nomen Dei Panama The ryuer of Chagre The Ilande Bastimento The marueylous brydge The Ilandes of Molucca The commoditie of this viage Tigers Plantes and hearbes Birdes Men. Sheepe Bulles Iucca Battes Plinie The Tiger The huntyng of Tigers A rewarde for kyllyng of Tygers Colonus compared to Hercules The pyllers of Hercules The strayghtes of Gibilterra Note Plus Vltra Howe farre the Emperours maiestie excelleth Hercules A Tyger made tame The Indian women The men of India The kyng is borne on mens backes Lettyng of blood They haue no beardes They paynte their bodies The Canibals Armure of golde Their galantnesse in the Warres Theyr Iuelles Howe the women beare vp theyr teates with barres of golde The stature colour of the Indians The Indians called Coronati The Ilande of Giantes Iucatos The sculles of the Indians heades Newe Spaine The houses of the Christians in India Dariena Gardens Men are desirous of newe thynges The commodities of Hispaniola Englande and Sicilie Golde mynes Cotton Cassia Suger Plantes and hearbes Great thynges hyndred by respect of present gaynes Oranges Pomegranats Fygges all the yeere Dates Beastes Great heardes of cattayle Good pasture The effect of continuall and moderate heate The cause of fat nouryshment Beastes of long lyfe in regions about the Equinoctial line Trees whose leaues do not wyther The canker of the tree Long lyued men in India Paradise neare the Equinoctiall line Sheepe and Hogges Dogges and Cattes become wylde The situation of Hispaniola The citi of San Domenico The ryuer Ozama The Hauen A cathadrall churche and monasteris in Hispaniola An Hospitall The people Glowormes Crowes stinkyng sweete Sainct Iohn his Ilande â–ª Iamaica Partriches Pellettes for Gunnes wrought by nature A fountayne of the pytche of Bitumen Quintus Cursius Bitumen of Babylon Panuco Baccalaos Indians Ryche furres and syluer Idolaters The citie of Mexico or Temixtitan Golde and syluer Sylke Cotton Alame Woade Suger Shelles for mony Corne. Beastes Haukyng and huntyng Payntyng WomeÌ„ sumptuously appareled A warlyke nation Captiues sacrificed to Idoles Peru is the rychest land that is knowen A house couered with golde Harnesse of golde A fruitfull region Great sheepe The dutie of Christian Princes Paraue Iohn Dias Solis The Iland Martinus Gratias The viage of Sebastian Cabot to the riuer of Plata Charlis Ophir Cipango Cathay The ryuer of Plata Marueylous fruitefulnes Mountaynes conteynyng golde and syluer Great sheepe Theyr colour Men with deformed legges The way to the Ilandes of Molucca by the north sea The Spanyardes Gasper Cortesreales Insula Cortesreales Snowe and Ise. Furres Fyshe Gryfes Beares The Britons Sebebastian Cabot The lande of Baccallaos The viage of Cabot in the dayes of king Henry the seuenth I se in Iuly Baccallaos Brytons Danes Iaques Cartyre The people of Baccallaos Fyshing for Tunnies Laborador Iohn Ponce Water of great vertue of this reade in the Decades Bemini Guaccana The Canibales Boriquen The death of Iohn Ponce The lande of Florida Ferdinando de Soto The valiant myndes of the Spanyardes The thyrd attempt of the conquest of Florida Certayne Fryers attempt the conquest onely with wordes but with euyll successe The Fryers are slayne and eaten A newe kynde of disgradyng 1. By the southeast 2. By the southwest 3. By the northeast Ortel tab Asiae 3. 4. By the Northwest Ob. 1. In Theatro Ob. 2. Ob. 3. Ob. 4. 5. Ob. Ob. 6. Cic. i. de orat Arist. pri Metaph. Lib. i. Geog. Cap. 2. Sol. i. Sol. 2. Oued 1. Meta. Sol. 3. Sol. 4. Lib. Geog. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 2. Meteor Cap. 1. Plin. lib. 2. Cap. 67. Sol. 5. Sol. 6. Luc. lib. 1. Pharsal VVhat the easterne currant is Lib. 1. Geog. Cap. 2. Fuquien Cinceo Cantan Chequeam Xutiamfu Chelim Quianci rather Quinzi Pachin al. Pochang Theyr monethes Loutea Chian al. Chaen Ponchiassi Anchiassi al. Hexasi Tuzi Taissu Licentiates Doctors Dutch lyke We that is the Italians and Spaniardes After the Dutch fation Pithigorian lyke The Italians call it the strapadâ— A pylleâ—â— boorde Of like the first lenders be the more welthier Fuquieo Hereof to fore Parai Tamen the proper name of China Pochang al. Theyr enemies Maryage of the kynges children He speaketh not here of all China but of the cities for in other places there be beggers as you haue seene already swarmyng out of trees He speaketh of Fuquien shyre Aliis Cenchi The kynges reuenues Parai That is theyr temples It shoulde seeme by their voyage to be Cardandan in Ortelius It seemeth they came vp the riuer from the Caspian sea At cacan Ali. Auoins Tartares Mounte Vsont Mogorites Bremes Southwarde from Chenchi to the sea Auoins Chenchi Goa is a citie of the Portugales in East Indie Theyr gouernement Tundi P. 231. But his almes are very good Inambuxu Genguis The Giaponish Funerals Ainan 〈…〉 Santianum The Romane Empyre 4. hundreth yeeres of ignoraunce East India well knowen in olde time Strabo The great rychesse of Egypt The citie of Alexandria Marueylous rychesse The gouernaunce and reuenues of the Romanes Trogloditica and India The gulfe of Arabia Ethiope Rych customs The rychesse whiche were brought in olde time from India and the redde sea The commision of Themperours Marcus and Comodus The great riches the kings of Egypt had by customes The noble enterpryses of the kings of Egypt Arsinoe Damiata Pelusio Nilus Copto Berenice A nauigable trenche made from Egypt to the red sea Lacus amari King Sesostre King Psammiticus Kyng Darius Kyng Ptolomeus The citie Heroum What Plinie writeth of the nauigable trenche The largenesse and length of the trenche The viage by land from Egypt to the red sea What kyng Ptolomeus discouered Alcayre The viage to East India frequented in olde tyme. The customes and maners of the Indians The voyage to Cathay Rycharde Chaunceler A learned descourse of dyuers voyages The voyages of the Portugales The worlde hangyng in the ayre What is knowen of the lower hemispherie The lande of Brasile Peru. The charg and dutie of Christian princes Note
Hercules and Alexander The colonies of the Romans in regions subdued The great Ilande of Saynct Laurence or Madagascar The Ilands of Taprobana or Giaua Plinie The historie of Cornelius Nepos Shyps of India driuen into the sea of Germanie An enterprise wherby Princes may obtayne true fame and glory Cathay discouered by Marcus Paulus The citie of Lubyke The kyng of Polonie The Duke of Moscouia An ambassadour from the Duke of Moscouia The woordes of the Ambassadour of Moscouia The way from Moscouia to the North Ocean Cathay Volochda Vstiug Iug. Succana Duina Colmogor The North Ocean Great woods Gothlande The Moscouites haue knowledge of the great Cam of Cathay Permia Pescora Catena mundi Obdora Vecchiadoro Obo The lake Chethay The Tartars The citie of Cambalu Note this secrete Difficult traueylyng in Moscouia Commendation of the Spanyardes and Portugales The hystorie of Paulus Centurio 〈◊〉 his reade more at large in the booke of Paulus Iomus Malice may doe more with some then vertue The Caspian sea Riga The Tartars of Lordo Desartes The vyage by the North sea The woorthinesse of this vyage The vyages of the Frenchmen to the lande of Baccalaos Pleasaunt countreys New France Apostrophe to to the Christian Princes Great ryuers A thyng woorthy to be searched The way to Cathay and the Ilandes of Molucca by the Northwest A notable enterpryse The noble enterprise of Antonie di Mendoza viceroy of Mexico The discoueryng of the Northwest partes Shyppes saylyng from Cathay by the North Hyperboream sea to the coastes of the Northwest parte of the lande of Baccaleos Cathay The sea from newe Fraunce or Tarra Britonum to Cathay A notable booke A great and glorious enterprise Sebastian Cabote the grand pylot of the West Indies Commendation of Sebastian Cabote Sebastian Cabote tolde me that he was borne in Brystow â–ª that at .iiii yeeres olde he was carryed with his father to Venice and so returned agayne into England with his father after certayne yeeres whereby he was thought to haue ben borne in Venice The fyrst vyage of Sebastian Cabote The lande of Florida The seconde vyage of Cabote to the land of Brasile and Rio della Plata Cabote tolde me that in a region within this ryuer he sowed .50 graynes of wheate in September and geathered therof .50 thousande in December as writeth also Francisco Lopes The viage to Moscouia The hystory of Moscouia The dyuers names of Moscouia Roxolani Rosolanâ— Ruthem The ryuer Mosco The ryuer Boristhenes Themperour of Cathay The frosen sea Lacus Cromicus Saturnus Amaltheum The dominion of the Duke of Moscouia The citie of Moscouia The chiefe cities of Moscouia The Duke of Moscouia Emperour of Russia The duke of Moscouia his tytle Duke Basilius Theyr power Theyr obedience to theyr prynce Theyr warres conquestes Gunnes Only the Moscouites haue not felt the commodiâ—â—s of peace Theyr language Dalmatia Pannonia Hungarie Their original The Sclauion tongue reacheth farre Great woods white beares and blacke woolues Abundance of hony and waxe Rych furres Theyr maner of bargayning Rude wylde people Tartares Ciuile people in cities Theyr money They embrase the Christian faith which they receyued of the Apostles The counsayle of Nicene Basilius Magnus Chrisostomus Their constancie in theyr religion The bishops define controuersies in religion Theyr bishops The Archbishop The patriarke of constantinople A notable example of a Christian Prince Theyr religion A monasterie of ccc Munkes Priestes Masse A misterie The primatiue churche A strange custome Sarmatia Asiatica The Scythian Ocean The ryuer of Volga Lacus albus The Caspian sea Theyr chiefe cities The wylde Tartars Hordas The bygnes of the citie of Moscouia Syluer The region of Moscouia Beastes A fayre and stronge castel in the citie of Mosca The Dukes pallaice Theyr drynke They are geuen to drunkennesse Corne and grayne Stoues The famous ryuer of Tanais The marishes of Meotis Volga Ocha The sea Euxinum The forest of Hircania Vri. Alces They trauayle in winter on sleades Causeys of tymber Trees and fruites Corne and graynes Hony in wods and trees Lakes or pooles of Hony A man almost drowned in hony A merueylous chaunce Beares feede of hony bees Beares inuade Bulles The Beares byrth The Beares denne Beares lyue without meate xl dayes The sleape of Beares The religion of the Moscouites The Scythians subiect to the Duke of Moscouia It was then an opinion that all ryuers sprong out of mountaynes The fruitfull region of Colmogora The great ryuer Diuidna Wheate without plowing The ryuer of Iuga Vstiuga Furres The naturall cause of much hony in colde regions Gummes and spyces in hoote countreys Floures in colde regions Floures of trees Blossomes of trees An example of the degrees of heate The generation of floures by moderate heate Long dayes and shorce nyghtes Bramble and fearne Spyces The sauour of floures What Plinie wryteth of hony Sirius is otherwyse called Canicula that is the Dogge of whom the canicular dayes haue theyr name What is hony Howe hony is corrupted â—ony of great quantitie in North regions Hot nyghtes in colde regions A simiâ—itude Naturall heat doeth subtyle and digest all thinges Subtyle vapours digested by heate Colde regions Ziglerus Ziglerus The qualitie of sommer in colde regions The course of the Sunne Vapours Short and warme nyghts Gothlande One day of .vi. monethes Howe the sommer is increased in colde regions Rome Colde nyghtes in hot regions The Romane wynter Our night of vi monethes Obiections The twylightes The lyght of the Moone The nyght vnder the pole A demonstration The Moone Remedies of nature art The olde writers persuaded by coniecture A brasen potte broken with frost Fyshes of the North seas The North sea The qualitie of water The land The diuine prouidence in moderatyng the elementes The nature of the sea Salt Generatyue heate Outward colde is cause of inwarde heate Metals Vapoures and exhalations Whales Beastes Hereby may be considered the cause of the death of our men that sayle directly to Guinea No passage from our extremitie to an other but by a meane Caues and Dennes Valleis The best furres Sables Beastes that lye hyd in wynter All beasts haue the nature of the place where they are engendred What exercise may do Vse maketh masteries Scondia Scone is fayre in the duch tongue The fertilitie of Schondia He meaneth Diodorus Siculus Thinuasions of the Gothes Transiluania The Gothes Lumbardes Fruitfull pasture Religion neglecteâ— Inchaunteâ—â— The viage of Sebastian Cabot to the frosen sea Gronelande Wardhus Lapponia and Gronelande Schoeni Cabot tolde me that this I se is of fresh water not of the sea A commixtion of salt water fresh The sea between Norway and Island Terra Viridis Pigmei Baccallaos Islande called Thyle Schoene is lx furlonges Myracles of nature in Islande Three marueylous mountaynes Helga Hecla Straunge visions Ise. A straunge thyng Foure spryngs oâ— contrary nature Aboundaunce of brymstone Dryed fyshe Scarsenesse of corne Haukes White Rauens
fyghting Fruitefull Gotes Rammes with buckes hornes Canonisyng of saintes The wyfe burneth her selfe after the death of her husband Daunsyng deuylles Sacrifice to the deuyll The hygh way to hell Great respecte of fame and honestie Writyng Mecha The citie of Bangella An army of two hundred thousand men Spices and silke Riche merchantes Precious stones Christians Lignum Aloes Laserpitium Belzoi Castoreum Christian Princes vnder the great Cham of Cathay Christian Princes neare the Turkes dominions Corall of great pryce Rubies Pego. Idolaters White men Christians Great Reedâ—â— â–ª Muske catteâ— â–ª Precious stones and spices Capela Smaragdes or Emeraldes Great riches of Iewelles and precious stones A kyng shinyng with earthly starres The kyng sacrifyceth to the deuyll Corall The kyng and the merchant contende of liberalitie Commendation of the Persians A casket full of Rubies A Princely gyfte Colours A ryuer of .xxv. myles brode The Ilande of Sumetra or Taprobana Chini or China Popingayes Sandalum Tyn. Spices and silke Vnruly people Anarchia The Ilande of Samatra or Samotra Foure kynges in one Iland Women burns them selues Iustice. Coyned mony of golde syluer and tynne Elephantes Long Pepper Cathay or Catai a colde region Sylke of the trees Laserpitium or Belzoe Litle true Aloes or Laserpitium Sarnau Cathay and other rych countreys Aloes of very sweete sauour The proofe of Laserpitium Lacca merchantes waxe Shyppes of a straunge fashion Swymmers Great hydes of fyshes Great teeth of Elephantes Great Serpentes The name of Hierusalem in reuerence Anarchia Lawlesse people Idolaters The Nuttemegge tree Mace All thynges common Nuttemegges of small price The lawe of nature These Ilandes of spyces are called Moluccdae and in them is seene the rare byrde named Manucodiata or paradisea The Cloue tree Cloues dearer then Nutmegs The Ilande of Gyaua Bornei â–ª Veronica or Vernacle The headdes of Peter and Paule The Ilande of Bornei Idolaters Camphora The north star The starres about the pole Antartike The lode stone serueth in the south regions beyonde the Equinoctiall line Antipodes Idolaters The Image of the deuyll Sylke of trees Smaragdes Golde Copper Whyte men good people Byrdes and foules Impoysoned arrowes Trunkes Anthropophagi eate mans fleshe In the West India they are called Caniballes A straunge pittie Rather to butchers then woormes Emeraldes of great price Gelded children Sana Seuen thousande Ilandes Malacha or Melacha Colon. Portugales Two Christians of Milan in Calecut The Christians haue made a rodde for their owne arsse The Nauie of Portugale A great peece of ordinaunce A Iewe that made Gunnes and shyppes was drowned Repentaunce Predestination A fortresse of the Portugales in the citie of Canonor Hipocrisie A Sainct by hipocrisie A glister A straunge ministring of a glister More good happe then cunnyng Sely soules Trumpettes in the steede of belles Not all thac say Lord Lord. c. Some of them say that he is rysen God the father The virgin Marie Merchantes of Calecut Noeros are gentlemen of the kynges garde The Gouernoure of Portugales fortresse The Viceroy of the kyng of Portugall in India Concubineâ— and slaues 〈…〉 Beware of couetousnesse The Byshop of the Mahumetans The Mahumetans conspire the death of the Christians An Oration The death of Iohn Maria and Peter Antonye The frenche poxe The nauie of the kyng of Calecut agaynst the Portugals â–ª The Mahumetan soldiers The oration of the gouernour to the Christian soldiers The nauie of the Mahumetans The Admirall of the Christians The quarel and occasion of the warre The Mahumetans geue the onset The valyantnesse of the Admirall A great slaughter of the mahumetans The valiantnesse of Iohn Seranus Fewe Chrians slayne The valiantnesse of Simon Martin A Stratageme Tenne Mahumetan shyps soonke with the shot of great artillerie The Christians had the victorie An other great conflicte The Mahumetans slayne in swimming The Mahumetans experte in swimmyng The kyng of Canonor The valiantnesse of the Portugales The death of the kyng of Canonor A newe expedition against the Christians Long warres Great oddes The Mahumetans artillerie The order of the Mahumetans Campe. Instrumentes Outragious out crye The arryuyng of a newe Nauie of Portugales The Mahumetans seeke to make peace with the Christians The peace concluded A pleasaunt fable Sainct Christopher the Christian Giant The enemyes confesse that God gaue the victorie Simple and ignorant people Messis multa sed operarii pauci c. The Masse No more can wyser men then they Inchaunters and of great agilitie The Ilande of Monzambrich Melinda The kyng of Portugales dominion in Ethiopia The conquestes of Tristan dè Cugna Sacutara Cumeris Pendè Zaphala Golde Blacke Mahumetans Trogloditae Ethiopes Heardes of Elephantes Elephantes are afrayde of fyre An Apyshe language Rych merchandies for golde Kyne very good cheape Trogloditae Cabo dè Buena Speranza The Ilande of Sainct Laurence or Madagascar The kyng of Portugale The Christian religion spreadâ—th in India Tempest An exceedyng great shyppe and great ryches of spyces Great Whale fyshes The Ilande of Ascention Saylyng by the north starre in regioÌ„s beneath the Equinoctiall lyne Malacha Tachola The Ilandes of Malucha The Alande of Samotra Spices Calecut Ceilam Cathay China Pretious stones Sylke Cantan One caratte is iiii graynes â–ª Which is one crowne of golde Which are .iii. crownes of golde A Marcell is a siluer coyne of Venice of .xi. vnâ—es iii.d with 〈◊〉 wherof .x. make an ounce Don Peter Martyr Rome sacked A daye lost in three yeeres one moneth It is now found with one master Harold a prebend in wyndsor Antonie Pigafetta Iacobus Faber Maximilian Transiluane The rewarde of noble enterprise The antiquitie had no such knowledge of the world as we haue The Ilandes of Molucca Aurea Chersonesus Malaccha Spices The Ilandes of Spices vnknowen in olde tyme. The Phenix Plinie The nauigations of great Alexander Ethiope Trogloditi The nauigation about the worlde The olde autours Monsters The wages of the Spanyards and Portugales Sebastian Munster The Ilandes of Molucca Controuersie betweene the Spanyardes and Portugales Ferdinando Magalianes The Cape of saint Vicent The Ilandes of Canarie Water engendred of a clude The Iland of S. Thomas Capo verde Guinea in Ethiope Fyshes and monsters of the sea The fyre of S. Helene and S. Nicolas A tempest The natural cause of suche fyres as fall in the shyppes Cardanus Two kyndes of fiers engendred of exhalations True fyre and false fyre Castor and Pollux The lightes of Sainct Peter and Sainct Nicolas They lost the sight of the North starre The Ilande of Brasile The South pole Suger The greatnesse of the lande of Brasile Caniballes Giantes Insulae gemmarum Cap. S. Marie The pole Antartike Geese Sea woolues The .xlix. degree of the South pole Giantes The bygnesse of the Giantes An other Giant Foure other Giantes Two Giantes are taken by a pollicie The deuyll Setebos Deuyls appeare to the Giantes when they dye Patagoni The Giantes feeding They conspire against theyr Captayne Confession The straight of Magellanus The South sea
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
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
euen at this present there is nothyng wherefore it shoulde malice theyr prosperitie not beyng inferiour to them in any felicitie that in maner the heauens can graunt to any lande beyng furthermore suche as mâ—y inryche many prouinces and kyngdomes by reason of many ryche golde mynes that are in it of the beste golde that is founde to this day in the worlde and in greatest quantitie In this Iland nature of her selfe bryngeth foorth suche abundance of cotton that if it were wrought and mayntayned there shoulde be more and better then in any part of the world There is so great plentie of excellent Cassia that a great quantitie is brought from thence into Spaine from whence it is caried to diuers partes of the worlde It encreaseth so muche that it is a marueylous thyng to consider In this are many ryche shoppes where Suger is wrought and that of suche perfectnesse and goodnesse and in such quantitie that shyps come laden therewith yeerely into Spayne All such seedes settes or plantes as are brought out of Spayne and planted in this Ilande become muche better bygger and of greater encrease then they are in any part of our Europe And yf it chaunce otherwyse that sometymes they prosper not so well the cause is that they which should tyl and husband the ground sowe and plant in due seasons haue no respect heereunto beyng impatient whyle the wheat and vines waxe rype beyng geuen to wanderyng and other affayres of present gaynes as I haue sayde as searchyng the golde mynes fyshyng for pearles and occupying marchaundies with suche other trades for the greedy folowyng whereof they neglect and contempne both sowyng and plantyng Suche fruites as are brought out of Spayne into this Iland prosper marueylously and waxe rype all tymes of the yeere as hearbes of al sortes very good and pleasaunt to be eaten Also many Pomgranates of the best kynde and Oranges both sweete and sowre Lykewyse many fayre Limons and Cedars and a great quantitie of all such as are of sharpe sowre and bytter tast There are also many Fygge trees which bryng foorth theyr fruite all the whole yeere Lykewyse those kynde of Date trees that beare Dates and diuers other trees and plantes which were brought out of Spayne thyther Beastes do also encrease in lyke abundaunce especially the heardes of Ryne are so augmented both in quantitie and number that there are now many patrons of cattaile that haue more then two thousand heades of Neate and some three or foure thousande and some more Besyde these there are very many that haue heardes of foure or fyue hundred And trueth it is that this Iland hath better pasture for suche cattayle then any other countrey in the worlde also holsome and cleare water and temperate ayre by reason whereof the heardes of such beastes are much bygger fatter and also of better tast then ours in Spayne because of the ranke pasture whose moisture is better digested in the hearbe or grasse by the continuall temperate heate of the Sonne wherby beyng made more fat and vnctuous it is of better and more stedfast nouryshment For contynuall and temperate heate doth not only drawe much moysture out of the earth to the nouryshment of such thynges as growe and are engendred in that clime but doth also by moderation preserue the same from resolution and putrifaction digesting also and condensatyng or thycknyng the sayde moyst nouryshment into a gummie and vnctuous substaunce as is seene in all suche thynges as growe in those regions and this is the only naturall cause aswell that certayne great beastes and of long lyfe as the Elephant Rhinoceros with suche other are engendred only in the regions neare vnto the Equinoctiall as also that the leaues of suche trees as growe there do not wyther or fall vntyll they be thrust out by other accordyng to the verse of the poet whiche sayeth Et nata pira piris et ficus in ficubus extant this is in effect Peares growing vpon Peares and Fygges vpon Fygges Plinie also wryteth that suche trees are neuer infected with the disease of trees that the Latines call Caries whiche we may call the worme or canker beyng but a certayne putrifaction by reason of a watrishe nouryshment not well consolidate The same thyng hath been the cause that certayne Philosophers considering aswell that man is the hottest and moystest beast that is whiche is the best complexion as also that men lyue longest in certayne partes of India neare the Equinoctiall where yet to this day some liue to the age of an hundred and fyftie yeeres were of opinion that yf mankynde had any beginning on the earth that place ought by good reason to be vnder or not farre from y e Equinoctial line for the causes aforesayde Some of the Diuines also vpon lyke consideration haue thought it agreable that theyr Paradise shoulde be about the same within y e precinct of those riuers which are named in the booke of Genesis But to let passe these thyngs to returne to the historie In this Iland furthermore are manye Sheepe and a great number of Hogges of the whiche as also of the Ryne many are become wylde and lykewyse many Dogges and Cattes of those whiche were brought out of Spayne These and especially the Dogges do much hurt among the cattayle by reason of the negligence of the heardmen There are also many Horses Mares and Mules and such other beastes as serue the vse of men in Spayne and are muche greater then they of the fyrst broode brought thyther out of Spayne Some places of the Ilande are inhabited although not so many as were requisite Of the which I wyl say no more but that al the regions of the Ilande are so well situate that in the course of tyme all thynges shall come to greater perfection by reason of the rychnesse pleasauntnesse of the countrey and fertilitie of the soyle But nowe to speake somewhat of the principall and chiefe place of the Ilande whiche is the citie of San Domenico I saye that as touchyng the buildinges there is no citie in Spayne so much for so much no not Barsalona which I haue oftentymes seene that is to be preferred before this generally For the houses of San Domenico are for the most parte of stone as are they of Barsalona or of so strong wel wrought earth that it maketh a singuler and strong bynding The situation is much better then that of Barsalona by reason that the streates are much larger and plainer and without comparison more directe and streyght foorth For being builded nowe in our tyme besyde the commoditie of the place of the fundation the streetes were also directed with corde compase and measure wherin it excelleth al the cities that I haue seene It hath the sea so neere that of one syde there is no more space betwene the sea
dominion remayned whiche opened licentiousnesse to thiniurie of the subiectes this folowed thereof that whereas the Danes by this occasion had no further trust or ayde in the loue of the people they prouided for thindempnitie of theyr owne estate by forcible extenuatyng the goods and power of them whom they desired to keepe in subiection This is the fortune of Norway whose edefices townes and cities can not defende theyr auncient amplitude and dignitie neyther is there any hope of repayryng theyr state For there are no consultations admitted for the redresse of the common welth No man dare shewe his aduice or attempte any thyng vncertayne of the myndes and consent of other To this difficultie is added the qualitie of the place For the Danes haue in theyr power al the nauigations of Norway wherby it may exercise no trade by sea neyther cary forth wares to other places So that in fine it may seeme most vnfortunate as lackyng the fauoure of heauen the sea and the lande From hence is brought into all Europe a fyshe of the kyndes of them whiche we call haddockes or hakes indurate and dried with cold and beaten with clubbes or stockes by reason whereof the Germans call them stockefyshe The takyng of these is most commended in Ianuarie that they may be sufficiently dryed and hardened with colde For suche as are taken in the more temperate monethes do corrupt and putrifie and are not meete to be caryed forth The description of the west coaste with the part thereof lying most towarde the north Wardhus that is the watche house or watche towre 54.70.30 It is a stronge Castell or fortresse appoynted to the Lapones The coaste folowyng .48.50.70 Matthkur c. All the coast from hence and the places neere about vnto the degree .45.69 beyng sometyme lefte desolate by the sedition and destruction of Norway the Lapones chose for their habitations as comming to amore beneficial heauen From y e castel of Wardhus vnto the degree .40.30.64.10 al the coast in the spring tyme is daungerous to passe by reason of whales of such huge byggenesse that some of them growe to an hundred cubites for these fyshes at that tyme of the yeere resort togeather for generation Such shyppes as chaunce to fall eyther vppon theyr bodies or into suche whyrlepooles as they make by theyr vehement motions are in great peryll The remedie to auoyde this daunger is to power into the sea Castoreum that is oyle made of the stones of the beaste called the Beuor myngeled with water For with this the whole hearde of whales vanysheth suddeynely to the bottome of the sea They make a terrible roryng and haue two breathyng places in the hyghest part of theyr forheads standyng foorth ryght a cubite in length and are brode at the endes beyng couered with a skynne through the whiche they blowe waters lyke showers or stormes of raine The prickes of theyr backes are founde conteynyng three els in circuite and euery knotte betwene them of one ell They are at the leaste of .lx. cubites in length and are salted and kept in store houses The greatest are vnprofitable to bee eaten by reason of theyr ranke and vnsauery taste whiche can not be qualified Nidrosia standyng vppon the south syde of the sea banke was the chiefe citie and Metropolitane churche throughout all Norway Iselande Gronlande and the Ilandes there about This citie was noble at the fyrst vnder the floryshyng Empire of Norway conteynyng in circuite .xxiiii. paryshes but it is now brought in maner to a village and is called in the Germane tongue Truthaim as the house of the Dryides There remayneth at this day a Cathedrall churche in token of the auncient felicitie beyng such that in bygnesse and workmanshyp of wrought stone the lyke is not in all Christendome The greeses or compasse about the Altar was destroyed by fyre and repared at the same time that we wrote this historie The charge of the reparation was esteemed to be seuen thousand crownes by which small portion an estimate may be made of the excellencie of the whole Churche The tract of all the sea coastes of Norway is very quiet and meeke the sea is not frosen the snowes endure not long This lande hath also a peculiar pestilence which they call Leem or Lemmer This is a litle foure footed beaste about the byggenesse of a Ratte with a spotted skynne these fall vppon the grounde at certayne tempestes and soddeyne showres not yet knowen from whence they come as whether they are brought by the wyndes from remote Ilandes or otherwyse engendred of thycke and feculent clowdes But this is well knowen that as soone as they fall downe greene grasse and hearbes are found in theyr bowels not yet digested They consume al greene thyngs as do Locustes and such as they only byte wyther and dye This pestilence lyueth as long as it doth not tast of the grasse newely sproong They come togeather by flockes as do Swalows and at an ordinarie time either die by heapes with great infection of the land as by whose corruption y e aire is made pestiferous and molesteth the Noruegians with swymmyng in the head and the Iaundies or are consumed of other beastes named Lefrat Towards the East it is included within the lyne that is drawen by the mountaynes whose endes or vttermoste boundes they are that lye toward the South aboue the mouthes of the riuer Trolhetta but that part that lieth toward the North passeth by the castel of Wardhus and is extended to the vnknowen lande of the Lapones The Lake called Mos and the Ilande of Hosfuen in the myddest therof is in the degree .45 30 61. In this Lake appeareth a straunge monster whiche is a serpent of huge byggenesse And as to all other places of the worlde blasing starres do portend thalteration and chaunge of thynges so doth this to Norway It was seene of late in the yeere of Christ .1522 appearyng farre aboue the water rowlyng lyke a great pyller and was by coniecture farre of esteemed to be of fyftie cubites in length Shortly after folowed the reiectyng of Christiernus kyng of Denmarke Suche other monstrous thyngs are sayd to be seene in diuers places of the world And doubtlesse except we should thynke that the diuine prouidence hauyng mercy vpon mortall men and hereby warnyng them of theyr offences doth send such strange thynges as also blasing starres and armies fyghtyng in the ayre with suche other portentous monsters whereof no causes can be founde by naturall thynges we myght els suspect that such syghtes were but imaginations of the sense of man deceyued On the East syde are exceedyng rough mountaynes which admit no passage to Suetia The sea betweene Norway and the Ilandes is called Tialleslund Euripus or the streyghtes The Iland of Lofoth whose middest .42 67 10. Langanas whose middest .41 67 Vastrall whose middest .41 30 67 30. The sea betwene these
three Ilands is called Muscostrom that is boyling At the flowing of the sea it is swalowed into the Caues and is blowne out agayne at the reflowing with no lesse violence then the streames of ryuers fall from mountaines This sea is nauigable vntyl it be lower then the mouthes of the rockes Such as chaunce into it out of due time are caried headlong into Whyrpooles The fragmentes of the lost shyps are seldome cast vp agayne But when they are cast vp they are so brused and fretted against the rockes that they seeme to be ouergrowne with hoare This is the power of nature passing the fabilous Simpleiades the fearful Malea with the dangerous places of Silla and Caribdis and all other miracles that nature hath wrought in any other sea hytherto knowen to man The Ilands about Norway are of such fruitful pasture that they bryng not theyr beastes into the stables before the moneth of Nouember and do in many places wynter them abrode Suecia or Suethlande SVecia is a kyngdome ryche in Golde Syluer Copper Leade Iron fruite cattayle and exceedyng increase of fyshe of the ryuers lakes and the sea and hath no lesse plentie of such wylde beastes as are taken with huntyng Towarde the West it is ended with the mountaynes of Norway from the Castel of Wardhus vnto th ende .51.63.40 Towarde the South with the line from this ende vnto the degrees 53.30.61 And from thence vnto the degrees 61.60.30 Aboue the gulfe of Suecia towarde the north with the south end of Lapponia from the castel of Wardhus vnto the ende .62.70 Towarde the East it is ended with the line from this ende vnto the degree .63.69 c. Stokholme the chiefe citie .64.61 This is the chiefe mart towne of Suecia and is strongly defended by art and nature It is situate in maryshes after the maner of Uenice and was therfore called Stokholme forasmuch as beyng placed in the water the fundation is fortified with stockes or piles The sea entreth inâ—o it with two armes or branches of such largenesse and depth that shyps of great burden and with maine sayles may enter by the same with theyr ful fraight This suffered of late yeeres greeuous spoile and destruction to the singular exemple of cruel hostilitie and such as the lyke hath not been lyghtly shewed to any other citie receiued by league and composion In al the tract from Stokholme to the lake aboue the ryuer of Dalekarle whiche is in the degree .56 30 63 50. are mountaynes fruiteful of good syluer copper and lead They get great ryches by the salmons and plentie of other fyshes whiche they take in certayne great lakes The dukedome of Agermannia occupieth the north syde to the confines of Laponia This tract is ful of wods in the which they hunt the beastes called Vros or Bisontes which in theyr tongue they call Elg that is wylde Asses These are of such heyght that the hyghest part of theyr backes are equal with the measure of a man holdyng vp his armes as hygh as he may reach c. Vpsalia the chiefe citie .62.62.30 here is buryed the body of saint Henricus kyng and martyr Copperdalia that is the copper valley is a Dukedome southwarde from the Dukedom of Iemptia Under this is the valyant nation of the people called Dalekarly Oplandia is a Dukedome and the nauil or myddest of Scondia The citie of Pircho on the North syde of the lake of Meler â–ª was once a great citie and able to arme .xiiii. thousande men to the warres but is nowe brought to a vyllage All the tracte of Oplandia hath mynes of Syluer Copper and Steele Of the Ilandes and rockes that lye about Suecia the myddest is .67.30.61.30 These were called of the olde writers Done the reason of which name remayneth vnto this daye For there are in these innumerable multitudes of byrdes insomuch that thinhabitauntes of the next coast sayle thyther in the moneth of May whyle the byrdes syt on theyr egges which they steale and reserue them in salt for a long tyme. Bothnia BOthnia is so named of the pretious furres of all sortes that are caryed from thence into foraigne regions For by these and theyr fyshyng they haue great commoditie Salmons of the best sort are taken in these seas are great riches among these nations Bothnia is diuided into two partes as Northbothnia South Bothnia called Ostrobothhia Northbothnia is termined with the South ende of the Lapones vnto the ende .78.30.69 Towarde the East it is termined with this ende and vnto the degree .78.30.68.20 Towarde the West with the line terminyng the East syde of Suecia And towarde the South with the residue of the gulfe of Suecia from th ende that hath degrees .63.69 Ostrobothnia towarde the East is termined from the sayde ende of the most East coast And towarde the South with a line extended by the mountaynes from this ende vnto the degree .71 66 Towarde the North and West with part of the gulfe of Suecia c. Gothia or Gothlande GOthia is by interpretation good For the holy name of God is in the Germane tongue Goth that is Good At what tyme the Gothes vpon a generall consent sent foorth theyr ofspring or sucession to seeke new seates or countreys to inhabite and when they possessed the coastes of Meotis and Asia none of the olde wryters haue made mention as farre as I know But they haue been knowen since the tyme that the Romanes dilated theyr Empire by Illirium now called Slauonie vnto the ryuer of Danubius and were also famous from the time of Cesar Dictator and Octauianus Augustus by reason of their great warres at Danubius being the vtermost bound of Thempire Neuerthelesse in that renowme what Gothia was vnder what part of heauen it was scituate or of whom the Gothes tooke their original it hath been vnknowen almost to this age This is termined toward the North with the South ende of Suetia and towarde the West with the other mountaynes of Norway whiche continue from the boundes of Suetia to the mouthes of the ryuers of Trolheta c. It hath many goodly Townes Cities Castles Mines c. The citie of Visba being in the degree .61.30.54.15 was an ancient and famous mart Towne as is Genua in Italie at this day but afterward being afflicted by y e incursions of the Pirates of the Danes and Moscouites it was left desolate There remayne to this day certayne ruines whiche testifie the auncient nobilitie In this place were the firste stations of the Gothes that possessed Meotis It is at this day of fruiteful soyle and famous by many goodly and strong Castles Monasteries There is among other a Monasterie of the order of Saint Benedict in the whiche is a librarie of about two thousande bookes of old auctors About the yeere of Christe fourescore and eyght the Gothes vnto whom resorted