safe This Lake containes almost foure score leagues thirtie five in length and fifteene in bredth at the largest place There are many Ilands which in olde time were inhabited and tilled but now lie waste It brings forth a great aboundance of reedes which the Indians call Totora which serves them to a thousand vses for it is meate for swine for horses and for men they make houses therewith fire and barkes To conclude the Vros in this their Totora finde all they have neede of These Vros be such dull and brutish people as they esteeme not themselves men It is reported of them that being demanded of what nation they were They answered they were not men but Vros as it were some kinde of beastes There are whole villages of these Vros inhabiting in the Lake in their boates of Totora the which are tied together and fastened to some rocke and often times the whole village changeth from place to place So as hee that would seeke them now whereas they were yesterday shall finde no shew nor remainder of them or of their village The current or issue of this Lake having runne above fiftie leagues makes another Lake but lesse then the first which they call Paria and containes in it some small Ilands but they finde no issue thereof Some imagine it runnes vnder the ground that it falles into the South sea giving out that there is a branch of a river which they see rise and enter into the sea neere the banke having no knowledge of the Spring But contrariwise I beleeve that the waters of this Lake dissolve and are dispearsed within the Lake it selfe through the heate of the Sunne This discourse seemes sufficient to prove that the Ancients had no reason to holde that the middle region was inhabitable for the defect of waters seeing there is such store both from heaven and on the earth Shewing the reason why the Sunne without the Tropicks causeth greatest quantitie of waters when it is farthest off and contrariwise within them it breedeth most when it is neerest CHAP. 7. COnsidering with my selfe often times what should cause the Equinoctial to be so moist as I have said to refute the opinion of the Ancients I finde no other reason but the great force of the sunne in those partes whereby it drawes vnto it a great aboundance of vapors from out of the Ocean which in those parts is very great and spatious and having drawne vnto it this great aboundance of vapours doth suddenly dissolve them into raine and it is approoved by many tryed experiences that the raine and great stormes from heaven proceed from the violent heat of the Sunne first as we have said before it raines in those countries whenas the Sunne casts his beames directly vpon the earth at which time he hath most force but when the Sun retyres the heat is moderate and then there falls no raine whereby we may conclude that the force and heat of the Sunne is the cause of raine in those Countries Moreover we observe both in Peru New Spaine and in all the burning Zone that the raine doth vsually fall in after-noone when as the sunne-beames are in their greatest force being strange to see it raine in the morning And therefore travellers fore-seeing it begin their iourneyes earely that they may end and rest before noone for they hold that commonly it raines after noone Such as have frequented and travelled those Countriâ—s can sufficiently speake thereof And there are that having made some abode there say that the greatest aboundance of raine is when the Moone is at the full but to say the trueth I could never make sufficient proofe thereof although I have observed it Moreover the dayes the yeere and the moneths shew the trueth hereof that the violent heate of the sunne causeth the raine in the burning Zone experience teacheth vs the like in artificiall thinges as in a Limbecke wherein they draw waters from hearbs flowers for the vehemencie of the fire forceth and driveth vp an aboundance of vapours which being pressed and finding no issue are converted into liquor and water The like wee see in gold and silver which wee refine with quicke-silver the fire being small and slow wee draw out almost nothing of the quicke-silver but if it bee quicke and violent it doth greatly evaporate the quick-silver which incountring the head above doth presently turne into liquor and begins to drop downe Even so the violent heate of the sunne produceth these two effects when it finds matter disposed that is to draw vp the vapours on high and to dissolve them presently and turne them into raine when there is any obstacle to consume them And although these things seeme contrary that one sunne within the burning Zone being neere should cause raine and without the Zone afarre off should breed the like effect so it is that all well considered there is no contrarietie A thousand effects in naturall causes proceede of contrarie things by divers meanes we drie linnen by the fire and in the aire and yet the one heats and the other cooles pastures are dried and hardened by the sunne and with the frost moderate exercise provokes sleepe being too violent it hindereth if you lay no wood on the fire it dieth if you lay on toâ— much it likewise quencheth for the onely proportion entertaines and makes it to continue To well discerne a thing it must not be too neere the eie nor too farre off but in a reasonable distance proportionable being too farre off from any thing we loose the sight and too neere likewise we cannot see it If the sunne beames be weake they draw vp no fogge from the rivers if they be violent having drawne vp the vapours they presently dissolve and consume them but if the heat be moderate it drawes vp and preserves it for this reason the vapours rise not commonly in the night nor at noone but in morning whenas the sunne begins to enter into his force There are a thousand examples of naturall causes vpon this subiect which we see do often grow from contrarie things whereby we must not wonder if the sunne being neere engenders raine and being farre off works the like effect but being of a moderate and proportionable distance causeth none at all Yet there remaines one doubt why the neerenes of the sunne causeth the raine vnder the burning Zone and without when it is farthest off In my opinion the reason is that in Winter without the Tropicks the sunne hath not force sufficient to consume the vapours which rise from the land and sea for these vapours grow in great aboundance in the cold region of the aire where they are congealed and thickened by the extremitie of the cold and after being pressed they dissolve and turne into water Therefore in Winter when the sunne is farthest off the daies short and the nights long his heat hath small force but when the sunne approacheth which is in the summer time his force is
and inviron this great masse of the earth the which was wrought by the wisedome of that great Architect They say the earth is built vpon the waters and vpon the sea but contrariwise the earth is rather vnder the waters for according to common iudgement and imagination that which is on the other part of the earth which we inhabite seemes to be vnder the earth and so by the same reason the waters and sea which doe compasse in the earth on the other part should be vnderneath and the earth aboue yet the very truth is that what is properly beneath that is alwaies in the midst of the vniversall but the holy scripture frames it selfe to our manner of conceiving and speaking Some may demaund seeing the earth is set vpon the waters as the scripture sayeth whereon the waters are placed or what support have they And if the earth and the water make one round globe how can all this monstrous masse be sustayned To this the holy scripture answereth them in another place giving vs greatest cause to admire the power of the Creator and saith in these wordes The earth extends towards the North vpon the Vast and stayes hanging vpon nothing The which in trueth is very well spoken for that really it seemes this heape of earth and water is set vpon nothing when we describe it in the middest of the ayre as in trueth it is But this wonder which men so much admire God himselfe hath not layd open demanding of the same Iob in these termes Tell mee if thou canst who hath layd the lyne or cast the lead for the building of the world and with what morter the foundations have beene layed and ioyned Finally to make vs vnderstand the fashion and modell of this admirable frame of the world the Prophet Dauid accustomed to sing and praise his divine works saies very well in a Psalme made of this subiect in these wordes Thou which hast built the earth vpon firmenes it selfe that it cannot stagger nor move for ever and ever Meaning to shew the cause why the earth set in the midst of the ayre falleth not nor staggereth from place to place for that by nature it hath sure foundations layed by the most wise Creator to the end it might sustaine it selfe without any other support Mans imagination is therefore deceived in this place seeking other foundations of the earth and for want thereof doth measure divine things according to humaine reason So that we neede not to feare how gâ—eat or heavy soever this masse of earth then hanging in the aire seemeth to be that it can fal or turne topsy turâ—y being assured vpon this point for that the same Psalmist saieth that it shall neuer be overthrowne Truly Dauid with reason after he had beheld and sung the wonderfull workes of the Lord doth not cease to praise him in the same saying O how great wonderfull are the workes of the Lord. It appeares that all spring from his knowledge And in truth if I shall freely speake my opinion touching this point often in my trauell passing the great gulfes of the Ocean and marching by other regions of so strange lands staying to behold and consider the greatnes of these workes of the Lord I felt a wonderfull consolation of the soveraigne wisedome and greatnes of the Creator who shines in his works in comparison whereof all the Pallaces Castells and princely buildings together with all the inventions of man seeme nothing yea are base and contemptible in respect thereof O how often hath come into my minde and mouth that place of the Psalme which sayeth thus Great comfort hast thou given me O Lord by thy workes I will not cease to reioyce in the contemplation of the workes of thy hands Really and in truth the workes of God haue I know not what secret hidden grace and vertve the which although they be often beheld yet do they still cause a new taste and content whereas contrariwise the workes of man although they be built with exquisite art yet often seene they are no more esteemed but breede a distaste be they most pleasant Gardins Pallaces or stately Temples be they Piramides of proud buildings Pictures carved images or stones of rare worke and invention or whatsoever else adorned with all the beauties possible Yet is it most certen that viewing them twice or thrice with attention the eye presently turnes away being glutted with the sight thereof But if you beholde the sea with attention or some steepe mountaine growing from a plaine to a strange heigth or the fieldes clad in their naturall verdure with pleasant flowres or the raging course of some river beating continually against the rocks finally what worke of nature soever although it be often viewed yet doth it still breede a new content and never gluttes the sight the which is like vnto a stately bancket of the divine wisedom which doth alwaies cause a new consideration without any lothing Containing an answere to that which is obiected out of the holy Scripture against the roundnes of the earth CHAP. 4. REturning then to the figure of heaven I know not out of what authoritie of the holy scripture they can prove that it is not round nor his motion circular neither do I see whereas S. Paul calles the heaven a Tabernacle or a Tent which God made not man how can it be applied to this purpose for although he telleth vs that it was made by God yet must we not therefore coniecture that the heaven covereth the earth like to a roofe on the one part only neither that the heaven was framed without motion as it seemes some would inferre The Apostle in this place treated of the conformity of the auncient Tabernacle of the lawe saying therevpon that the Tabernacle of the new law of grace is heaven into the which the great Priest Iesus Christ entred once by his bloud and thereby is vnderstood that there is as great preheminence of the new aboue the old as there is difference betwixt the author of the new which is God and of the olde which was man although it be most certen that the olde was built by the wisedome of God who instructed his workeman BeZeleell Neither must we imagine that these comparisons parables and allegories doe in all thinges agree with that wherevnto they are applyed as the happy Crysostome hath learnedly spoken vpon this point The other authoritie which S. Augustine saies is alleaged of some to shew that the heaven is not round is this The heavens stretch forth like vnto a skin Whereby he concludes that it is not round but flat on the vpper part wherevnto the same Doctor doth answere verie well and familiarly giuing vs to vnderstand that that place of the Psalme is not properly to be vnderstood of the figure of heaven but onely to shew with what facilitie God built so great a heaven being no more painefull for him to
build so huge a couer as the heaven is then to vnfould a double skin Or else the Psalmist pretending to shew vs the great maiesty of God to whome the heaven with his greatnes and beautie doth serve in like manner as our tents and pavilions in the field The which was well expressed by a Poet calling it The Tent of the cleere heaven In like sort the place of Isaii which sayeth Heaven serves mee as a chaire and the earth for a foote-stoole But if wee follow the error of the Antromorphites which did atribute corporall members vnto God according to his divinitie we should haue occasion vppon this last text to examine how it were possible the earth should be a foote-stoole to Gods feete and how the same God could hold his feete of the one part and the other and many heads round about seeing that hee is in all partes of the world which were a vaine and ridiculous thing Wee must therefore conclude that in the holy scriptures we ought not to follow the letter which killes but the spirit which quickneth as saith S. Paul Of the fashion and forme of Heaven at the new-found world CHAP. 5. MAny in Europe demaund of what forme and fashion Heaven is in the Southerne parts for that there is no certaintie found in ancient bookes who although they graunt there is a Heaven on this other part of the world yet come they not to any knowledge of the forme thereof although in trueth they make mention of a goodly great Starre seene in those partes which they call Canopus Those which of late dayes have sayled into these parts have accustomed to write strange things of this heaven that it is very bright having many goodly starres and in effect thinges which come farre are commonly described with encrease But it seemes contrary vnto me holding it for certaine that in our Region of the North there is a greater nomber and bigger Starres finding no starres in these partes which exceed the Fisher or the Chariot in bignesse It is true that the Crosse in these partes is very fayre and pleasing to behold wee call the Crosse foure notable and apparant starres which make the forme of a crosse set equally and with proportion The ignorant suppose this Crosse to be the southerne Pole for that they see the Navigators take their heigth thereby as we are accustomed to doe by the North starre But they are deceyved and the reason why Saylers doe it in this â—orte is for that in the South parts there is no fixed starre that markes the Pole as the North starre doth to our Pole And therefore they take their heigth by the starre at the foot of the Crosse distant from the true and fixed Pole Antarticke thirtie degrees as the North starre is distant from the Pole Articke three degrees or little more And so it is more difficult to take the heigth in those parts for that the sayd starre at the foote of the Crosse must bee right the which chanceth but in one houre of the night which is in divers seasons of the yeere in divers houres and often times it appeareth not in the whole night so as it is very difficult to take the heigth And therefore the most expert Pilots regard not the Crosse taking the heigth of the Sunne by the Astrolabe by which they know in what height they are wherein commonly the Portugals are more expert as a Nation that hath more discourse in the Arte of Navigation then any other There are also other starres in these southerne parts which in some sort resemble those of the North. That which they call the Milken way is larger and more resplendent in the south parts appearing therein those admirable blacke spots whereof wee have made mention As for other particularities let others speake of them with greater curiositle and let this which wee have sayde suffice for this time That there is Land and Seavader the two Poles CHAP. 6. IIt is no smal labour to have vnfolded this doubt with this knowledge and resolution that there is a Heaven in these parts of the Indies which doth cover them as in Europe Asia and Aâ—â—riâ—ke And this point serveth often against many Spaniards who beeing here sigh for Spaine having no discourse but of their countrie They wonder yea they grow discontented with vs imagining that we have forgotten make small accompt of our native soyle To whom we answere that the desire to returne into Spaine doth nothing trouble vs being as neere vnto Heaven at Peru as in Spaine as saint Ierome saith well writing vnto Paulinus That the gates of Heaven are as neere vnto Brittanie as to Ierusalem But although the Heaven doth compasse in the world of all paâ—ts yet must we not imagine that there is land necessarily on all parts of the world For being so that the two elements of earth and water make one globe or bowle according to the opinion of the most renowmed ancient Authors as Plutarch testifieth and as it is prooved by most certaine demonstrations wee may coniecture that the sea doth occupie all this part which is vnder the Antartike or southerne Pole so as there should not remaine any place in these partes for the earth the which saint Augustine doth very learnedly hold against them that maintaine the Antipodes saying that although it bee prooved and wee beleeve that the worlde is round like to a bowle wee may not therefore inferre that in this other part of the worlde the earth is vncovered and without water Without doubt saint Augustine speakes well vpon this point and as the contrary is not prooved so doth it not follow that there is any land discovered at the Antarticke Pole The which experience hath now plainely taught vs for although the greatest part of the worlde vnder the Pole Antarticke be sea yet is it not altogether but there is likewise land so as in all parts of the world the earth and water imbrace one another which truely is a thing to make vs admire and glorifie the Arte of the soveraigne Creator We know then by the holy Scripture that in the beginning of the worlde the waters were gathered together in one place so as the earth remayned vncovered Moreover the same holy Writte doth teach vs that these gatherings together of the water were called Sea and as there be many so of necessitie there must be many Seas And this diversitie of seas is not onely in the Mediterranean Sea whereas one is called Euxiâ—e another the Caspian an other the Erethean or redde Sea an other the Persian an other of Italie and so many others But also in the great Ocean which the holy Scripture doth vsually call a gulph although really and in trueth it be but a Sea yet in many and divers manners as in respect of Peru and all America the one is called the North Sea the other the South and at the East Indies the one is called
the Indian sea the other that of China And I have observed as well by my owne navigation as by the relation of others that the Sea is never divided from the Lande above a thousand Leagues And although the great Ocean stretcheth farre yet doth it never passe this measure I will not for all this affirme that wee sayle not above a thousand leagues in the Ocean which were repugnant to trueth being well knowne that the shippes of Portugal have sailed foure times as much and more and that the whole world may bee compassed about by sea as wee have seene in these dayes without any further doubt But I say and affirme that of that which is at this day discovered there is no land distant from an other firme land by direct line or from some Islands neere vnto it above a thousand leagues and so betwixt two firme lands there is no greater distance of sea accompting from the neerest parts of both the lands for from the end of Europe or Affricke and their coastes to the Canaries the Isles of Acores Cape Verd and others in the like degree are not above three hundred leagues or five hundred from the Mayne land From the saide Ilands running along to the West Indies there are scant nine hundred leagues to the Ilands of saint Dominick the Virgins the Happy Ilandes and the rest and the same Ilands runne along in order to the Ilandes of Barlovent which are Cuba Hispanâ—ola and Boriquen from the same Ilands vnto the Mayne land are scarce two or three hundred leagues in the neerest part farre lesse The firme land runnes an infinite space from Terraâ—Florida to the land of Patagons and on the other side of the South from the Straight of Maggellan to the Cape of Mendoce there runnes a long Continent but not very large for the largest is the Travers of Peru which is distant from Brasil about a thousand leagues In this South Sea although they have not yet discovered the ende towards the West yet of late they have found out the Ilands which they call Salomon the which are many and great distant from Peru about eyght hundred leagues And for that wee finde by observation that whereas there bee many and great Ilandes so there is some firme Land not farre off I my selfe with many others doe beleeve that there is some firme land neere vnto the Ilands of Salomon the which doth answere vnto our America on the West part and possibly might runne by the heigth of the South to the Straightes of Maggellan Some hold that Nova Guinea is firme Land and some learned men describe it neere to the Ilands of Salomon so as it is likely a good parte of the world is not yet discovered seeing at this day our men sayle in the South Sea vnto China and the Philippines and wee say that to go from Peru to those parts they passe a greater Sea then in going from Spaine to Peru. Moreover wee know that by that famous Straight of Maggellan these two Seas doe ioyne and continue one with an other I say the South sea with that of the North by that part of the Antarticke Pole which is in fiftie one degrees of altitude But it is a great question wherein many have busied themselvesâ— whether these two Seas ioyne together in the North part but I have not heard that any vnto this day could attayne vnto this point but by certaine likelihoods and coniectures some affirme there is an other Straight vnder the North opposite to that of Maggellan But it sufficeth for our subiect to knowe that there is a firme Land on this Southerne part as bigge as all Europe Asiae and Affricke that vnder both the Poles we finde both land and sea one imbracing an other Whereof the Ancients might stand in doubt and contradict it for want of experience To confute the opinion of Lactantius who holdes there be no Antipodes CHAP. 7. SEeing it is manifest that there is firme land vpon the South part or Pole Antartike wee must now see if it be inhabited the which hath bene a matter very disputable in former times Lactantius Firmian and S. Augustine mocke at such as hold there be any Antipodes which is as much to say as men marching with their feete opposite to ours But although these two authors agree in theis ieasts yet doe they differ much in their reasons and opinions as they were of very divers spirits and iudgements Lactantius followes the vulgar seeming ridiculous vnto him that the heaven should be round and that the earth should bee compassed in the midst thereof like vnto a ball whereof he writes in these tearmes What reason is there for some to affirme that there are Antipodes whose steppes are opposite to ours Is it possible that any should bee so grosse and simple as to beleeve there were a people or nation marching with their feâ—te vpwardes and their heades downwardes and that thinges which are placed heere of one sort are in that other part hanging topsie turvie that trees and corne growe downwardes and that raine snow haile fall from the earth vpward Then after some other discourse the same Lactantius vseth these words The imagination and conceit which some haue had supposing the heaven to be round hath bene the cause to invent these Antipodes hanging in the aire So as I knowe not what to say of such Philosophers whoe having once erred continue still obstinately in their opinions defending one another But whatsoever he saieth wee that live now at Peru and inhabite that part of the world which is oposite to Asia and their Antipodes as the Cosmographers do teach vs finde not our selves to bee hanging in the aire our heades downward and our feete on high Truly it is strange to consider that the spirit and vnderstanding of man cannot attaine vnto the trueth without the vse of imagination and on the other part it were impossible but he should erre and be deceived if hee should wholy forbeare it We cannot comprehend the heaven to be round as it is and the earth to bee in the middest of it without imagination But if this imagination were not controuled and reformed by reason in the end we should bee deceiued whereby we may certainely conclude that in our soules there is a certaine light of heaven whereby wee see and iudge of the interior formes which present themselves vnto vs and by the same we alow of or reiect that which imagination doth offer vnto vs. Hereby we see that the rationall soule is above all corporall powers and as the force and etenall vigour of truth doth rule in the most eminent part of man yea we plainely see that this pure light is participant and proceedes from that first great light that whoso knoweth not this or doubteth thereof we may well say that he is igmorant or doubtes whether he be a man or no. So if we shall demaund of our imagination what it thinkes of the roundnes of
vttermost bounds of the earth And in another place they say that the Gospell did flourish and increase through the vniversall world For the holy Scripture by an vsuall phrase calleth all the worlde that which is the greatest part thereof and was at that time discovered and knowne And the Ancients were ignorant that the East Indian Sea and that of the West were navigable wherin they have generally agreed By reason whereof Plinie writes as a certaine trueth that the seas which are betwixt two lands takes from vs a iust moitie of the habitable earth For saith he we cannot passe thither neyther they come hither Finally Tullie Macrobius Pomponius Mela and the ancient Writers hold the same opinion Of Aristotles opinion touching the new Worlde and what abused him to make him deny it CHAP. 9. BEsides all the former reasons there was yet an other which mooved the Ancients to beleeve it to be impossible for men to passe to this new world the which they held for that besides the vastnesse of the great Ocean the heate of that Region which they call the burning Zone was so excessive as it would not suffer any man how venturous or laborious so-ever to passe by sea or land from one Pole to an other For although these Philosophers have themselves affirmed that the earth was round as in effect it is and that vnder the 2. Poles there was habitable land yet could they not conceyve that the Region containing all that lyeth betwixt the two Tropickes which is the greatest of the five Zones or Regions by the which the Cosmographers and Astrologers divide the Worlde might be inhabited by man The reason they give to maintaine this Zone to be inhabitable was for the heat of the Sunne which makes his course directly over this Region and approcheth so neere as it is set on fire and so by consequence causeth a want of waters and pastures Aristotle was of this opinion who although he were a great Philosopher yet was hee deceyved in this poynt for the cleering whereof it shall be good to observe his reasons and to note wherein he hath discoursed well and wherein he hath erred This Philosopher makes a question of the Meridionall or Southerne winde whether wee should beleeve it takes his beginning from the South or from the other Pole contrary to the North and writes in these termes Reason teacheth vs that the latitude and largenesse of the habitable earth hath her boundes and limits and yet all this habitable earth cannot bee vnited and ioyned one to the other by reason the middle Region is so intemperate For it is certaine that in her longitude which is from East to West there is no immoderate cold nor heate but in her latitude and heigth which is from the Pole to the Equinoctiall Line So as we may well passe the whole earth in her longitude if the greatnesse of the Sea which ioynes lands together were no hinderance Hitherto there is no contradicting of Aristotle who hath great reason to affirme that the earth in her longitude which is from East to West runnes more equally is more proper for the life and habitation of man then in her latitude from North to South The which is true not onely for this foresaid reason of Aristotle that there is alwayes one temperature of the Heavens from East to West being equally distant both from the Northerne colde and the Southerne heate But also for an other reason for that travelling alwayes in longitude we see the dayes and nights succed one another by course the which falleth not out going in her latitude for of necessitie wee must come to that Region vnder the Pole whereas there is continuall night for sixe Moneths a very inconvenient thing for the life of man The Philosopher passeth on further râ—prooving the Geographers which described the earth in his time and saith thus Wee may discerne the trueth of that which I have sayd by the passages which may be made by land and the navigations by sea for there is a great difference betwixt the longitude and the latitude for the distance from the pillars of Hercules at the Straight of Gibraltar vnto the East Indies exceeds the proportion of above five to three the passage which is from Ethiopia to the lake of Meotis in the farthest confines of Scythia the which is confirmed by the account of iourneyes by land by sayling as we do now know by experience we have also knowledge of the habitable earth even vnto those partes which are inhabitable And truely in this point wee must pardon Aristotle seeing that in his time they had not discovered beyond the first Ethiopia called the exterior ioyning to Arabia and Affricke the other Ethiopia being wholy vnknowne in his age Yea all that great Land which we now call the Land of Prete Ian neyther had they any knowledge of the rest that lyes vnder the Equinoctiall and runnes beyond the Tropicke of Capricorne vnto the Cape of good Hope so famous and well knowne by the navigation of Portugals so as if wee measure the Land from this Cape vnto Scythia and Tartaria there is no doubt but this distance and latitude will proove as great as the longitude which is from Gibraltar vnto the East Indies It is certaine the Ancients had no knowledge of the springs of Nilus nor of the ende of Ethiopia and therefore Lucan reprooves the curiositie of Iulius Caesar searching out the springs of Nilus in these verses O Romaine what availes thee so much travell In search of Niles first source thy selfe to gravell And the same Poet speaking to Nile sayth Since thy first source is yet so vnrevealed Nile what thou art is from the world concealed But by the holy scripture we may conceive that this land is habitable for if it were not the Prophet Sophonias would not say speaking of these nations called to the Gospell The children of my dispersed so he calleth the Apostles shall bring me presents from beyond the bancks of Ethiopia Yet as I have said there is reason to pardon the Philosopher who beleeved the writers and Cosmographers of his time Let vs continue and examine what followes of the same Aristotle One part of the world saith he which lieth towards the North beyond the temperate zone is inhabitable for the exceeding cold the other part vpon the South is likewise inhabitable beyond the Tropicke for the extreame heate But the partes of the world lying beyond India on the one side and the pillers of Hercules on the other without doubt cannot bee ioyned and continued one with the other so as all the habitable earth is not conteined in one continent by reason of the sea which divides it In this last point he speakes truth then hee continues touching the other partes of the world saying It is necessarie the earth should have the same proportion with the Pole Antarticke as this our part which is habitable hath with the North and there
is no doubt but in that other world all things should be ordred as in ours especially in the growing and order of the winds And having alleaged other reasons to no purpose he concludes saying We must confesse of necessitie that the Southerne wind is that which blowes and comes from the burning zone the which being so neere the sunne wantes water and pastures This is Aristotles opinion and in truth mans coniecture can hardly passe any farther So as I do often consider with a Christian contemplation how weake the Philosophie of the wise of this world hath beene in the search of divine things seeing in humaine things wherein they seeme so well read they often erre Aristotle holds that the habitable earth of the Pole Antartike in longitude from East to West is very great and in latitude from the Pole Antartike to the Equiâ—â—cticall is very sâ—â—all â—â— the which is so contrary to the truth that in a maner all the habitation on this side the Pole Antartike is in latitude I meane from the Pole to the line and in longitude from East to West it is so small as the latitude exceedes in three partes or more In his other opinion he affirmeâ— that the middle region is inhabitable being vnder the burning zone burnt vp by the excessive heate caused by the neâ—renes of the sunne and by this reason hath neither waters nor pastures The which is in like soâ—t contrary for the greatest part of this new world is scituated betwixt the two Tropickes vnder the burning zone and yet is it found very well peopled and inhabited by men and other sortes of creaâ—ures being a region of all the world the most fruitfull of waters and pastures and very temperate in the greatest paâ—t which the will of God hath so appointed to shew that even in naturall things he hath confounded the wisedome of this world To conclude wee must beleeve that the burning zone is well inhabited although the auncients have held it impossible But the other zone or region which lyeth betwixt the burning zone and that of the Pole Antartike although it bee in a climate more commodious for the life of man yet is it smally peopled and inhabited seeing wee know no other dwelling in it but the Kingdome of Chile and a small portion ioyning to the Cape of good Hope The rest is possessed by the Ocean Although many be of opinion the which I likewise hold that there is much more land not yet discovered the which should be firme land opposite to the Kingdome of Chile which runnes beyond the circkle or Tropicke of capricorne And if there be any without doubt it is a land of an excellent temper being in the midst of two extreames and scituate in the same climate with the best regions in Europe And in this regarde Aristotles coniecture was good But speaking of what is discovered at this day in this zone it is little in regard of the large countries inhabited vnder the burning zone That Plinie and the auncients held the same opinion with Aristotle CHAP. 10. THis opinion of Aristotles hath bene held by Plinie who saith thus The temperature of the middle region of the world where the sunne continually runnes his course is scorched and burnt vp as with a neere fire Ioyning to the same region there are two others of eyther side which lying betwixt the heat of this burning zone the cruell cold of the other two extreams are very temperate and can have no communication one with another by reason of the excessive heate of the heaven which hath bene the opinion of the Ancients generally discribed by the Poet in these verses Heavens circuit is of fiue zones one whereof Which still the sunne burnes makes the earth below With flames intempestiue red hotte to glow And the same Poet in another place Heare this if any harbour in that seate Whose quarter vnder that large zone is set Amidst foure others by the sunne enlightned And another Poet speakes more plainely As many regions are there on the ground As are in heaven wherein fiue parts are found Whereof the midst through heate raisd from the rayes Of scorching sunne inhabitable staies The Auncients have grounded their generall opinion vpon one reason which seemed to them certaine and not to be confuted for finding that the more a region drew neere vnto the South the hotter it was the proofe whereof was so infallible in those regions as by the same reason in Italie Apulia is hotter then Tuscane and in Spaine Andelozia then Biscaie A thing so apparent that although there bee but eight degrees difference or lesse betwixt the one and the other yet do wee finde the one extreame hotte and the other very colde whereby they did inferre that the region so neere the South having the sunne so directly for zenith must of necessity bee continually scorched with heate They did likewise see that the divers seasons of the yeere as the Spring Summer Autumne Winter were caused by the neerenes and distance of the sunne finding also that although they were farre from the Tropicke by which the sunne doth passe in summer yet when it approched neere vnto them at the same season they felt great heate Whereby they did coniecture that if they had had the sunne so neere vnto them as to go directly over their heads the heate would have bene so insupportable as it would burne and consume men with the vehemency thereof The same reason moved the Auncients to thinke that the middle region was not habitable and therefore they called it the burning zone And in truth if visible experience did not vnfold this doubt we should yet confesse that this reason were very peremptorie and Mathematicall whereby we may see how weake our vnderstanding is to comprehend these naturall things But wee may say it is fallen out to the great good and happines of our age to have the knowledge of these two great wonders that is to know how easily we may saile through the great Ocean and that vnder the burning zone men inioy a very temperate heaven the which the Auncients could never beleeve Of the last of these two wonders touching the qualitie and habitation of the burning zone by the grace of God we will discourse amply thereof in the next book I thinke it therefore fit in this booke to treat of the maner of sailing through the Ocean for that it imports vs much for the subiect of this worke But before wee come to this point it shall be good to shew what the Auncients thought of these new men whome we call Indians That in ancient Bookes we finde some knowledge of this newe world CHAP. 11. LEt vs returne to that which hath beene formerly spoken Wee must necessarily conclude that the Ancients did beleeve that eyther there were no men beyond the Tropicke of Cancer as S. Augustine and Lactantius doe affirme or if there were any at the least they did not inhabite betwixt the two
Tropicks as Aristotle and Plinie have maintained and before them the Philosopher Parmenides the contrarie whereof is before sufficiently prooved both for the one and the other But many through curiositie may demaund if the Ancients had no knowledge of this trueth which to vs is now so apparent seeing that in trueth it seemeth very strange that this newe worlde which is so spacious as we doe visibly see it should be hidden from the Ancients by so many ages But some at this day seeking to obscure the felicitie of this age and the glory of our Nation strive to proove that the new found world was knowne to the Ancients And in trueth wee cannot deny but there was some apparency S. Ierome writing vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians sayth We seeke with reason what the Apostle meaneth in these wordes where he saith you have walked for a season according to the course of this world whether he would have vs to vnderstand that there is an other world which neither is nor depends of this world but other worldes whereof Clement writes in his Epistle the Ocean and the worldes which are beyond the Ocean These are the wordes of S. Ierome but in trueth I cannot finde this Epistle of S. Clement cited by S. Ierome yet I beleeve vndoubtedly that S. Clement hath written it seeing S. Ierome maketh mention thereof And with reason saint Clement saith that beyond the Ocean there is an other worlde yea many worldes as in trueth there is seeing there is so great distance from one newe worlde to an other new world I meane from Peru and the West Indies to China and the East Indies Moreover Plinie who hath beene so curious a searcher out of strange things reportes in his naturall Historie that Hannon a Captaine of the Carthaginians sayled through the Ocean from the Straight of Gibraltar coasting alongst the land even vnto the confines of Arabia and that hee left this his Navigation in writing If it bee as Plinie writes it followes that Hannon sayled as farre as the Portugals do at this day passing twice vnder the Equinoctiall which is a fearefull thing And the same Plinie reports of Cornelius Nepos a very grave Authour who saith that the same course hath beene sayled by an other man called Eudaxius but by contrary wayes for this Eudaxius following the King of Latyres passed by the redde sea into the Ocean and turning backe came to the Straight of Gibraltar the which Cornelius Nepos affirmes to have happened in his time And also other grave Authors do write that a ship of Carthage driven by force of winde into the Ocean came to a Land which vntill then was vnknowne and returning to Carthage kindled a great desire in the Citizens to discover and people this land the which the Senate perceyving did forbid this navigation by a rigorous decree fearing that with the desire of new lands they should leave to love their owne Countrie By all this wee may gather that the Ancients had some knowledge of the new world yet shall you hardly finde in the bookes of ancient Writers any thing written of our America and all the West Indies but of the East Indies I say there is sufficient testimonie not only of that on the other side but also of that on this side which then was farthest off going thither by a contrary way to that at this day Is it not easie to find Molaco in ancient bookes which they called the golden Chersonese the Cape of Comori which was called the Promontorie of Coci that great famous Iland of Sumatra so well knowne by the ancient name of Taprobana What shall wee say of the two Ethiopiaes the Brachmanes and that great Land of the Chinaes Who doubtes but there was often mention made thereof in ancient bookes But of the West Indies we find not in Plinie that in this navigation they passed the Ilands of the Canaries which he calleth Fortunate the principall whereof is sayd to be called Canarie for the multitude of dogs which are in it But there is scarce any mention in ancient books of the voyages which are made at this day beyond the Canaries by the Gulph which with reason they call great Yet many hold opinion that Seneca the Tragedian did prophecie of the West Indies in his Tragedie of Medea which translated saith thus An age shall come ere ages ende Blessedly strange and strangely blest When our Sea farre and neere or'prest His shoare shall farther yet extend Descryed then shall a large Land be By this profound Seas navigation An other World an other Nation All men shall then discovered see Thule accounted heretofore The worldes extreme the Northerne bound Shall be when Southwest parts be found A neerer Isle a neighbour shoare This Seneca reports in these verses we cannot wel deny but vnderstanding it litterally it is very true for if we reckon the many yeeres he speakes of beginning from the time of the Tragedian it is above a thousand and foure hundred yeeres past and if it were from the time of Medea it is above two thousand yeeres the which we see plainely now accomplished seeing the passage of the Ocean so long time hidden hath beene found out and that they have discovered a great land and a new world inhabited more spatious then all the Continent of Europe and Asia But therein may a question with reason be made whether Seneca spake this by divination or poetically and by chance And to speake my opinion I beleeve hee did divine after the manner of wise men and well advised for that in his time they vndertooke newe voyages and navigations by sea hee knew well like a Philosopher that there was an other land contrary and opposite vnto vs which they call Antichthon And by this ground he might conceyve that the industrie and courage of man might in the ende passe the Ocean and discover new lands and another world for that in Senecaes time they had knowledge of the Voyage which Plinie speaketh of whereby they passed the great Ocean The which seemes to bee the motive of Senecaes prophecie as he giveth vs to vnderstand by these former verses after the which having described the carefull life of the Ancients free from malice he followeth thus Now is it not as earst it was For whether the Ocean will or nill He traverst is by hardy will Which pastime makes time so to passe And a little after he saith thus Now every boat dares swimme and sport On surging Seas fearing no wracke Passengers seeking what they lacke So long a voyage thinke but short Nothing is nowe more to discover No place is now left to surprise Townes now that for defence devise With new fortifications cover All in the world turn'd round about No thing in place as t' was enured Nothing vnseene nothing assured This Circle vniverse throughout The Indian whom at home heate fries Drinkes of Araxis waters cold The Persian rich in
steede whereof they vse counting with their Quipocamayes the which is peculiar vnto them But which reckoning all they can report is not past 400. yeeres Instructing my selfe carefully of them to know from what land and what nation they passed to that where they â—ow live I have found them so farre vnable to give any reason thereof as they beleeve confidently that they were created at their first beginning at this new world where they now dwell But we have freed them of this error by our faith which teacheth vs that all men came from the first man There are great and apparant coniectures that these men for a long time had neither Kings nor common weales but lived in troupes as they do at this day in Florida the Chiriquanas those of Bresill and many other nations which have no certaine Kings but as occasion is offered in peace or warre they choose their Captaines as they please But some men excelling others in force and wit began in time to rule and domineere as Nembroth did so increasing by little and little they erected the kingdomes of Peru and Mexico which our Spaniards found and although they were barbarous yet did they farre surpasse all the other Indians Behold how the foresaid reason doth teach vs that the Indians began to multiply for the most part by savage men and fugitives which may suffice touching the beginning of these men we speake of leaving the rest vntill we treate of their Historie more at large THE SECOND BOOKE of the Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies That it is not out of purpose but necessarie to treate of the 〈…〉 CHAP. 1. FOR the well conceiving of things at the Indies it is necessarie to know the nature and disposition of that Region which the Ancients did call the burning Zone the which they held inhabitable seeing the greatest part of this new world which hath bin of late discovered lies and is scituate vnder this region in the midst of heaven And it seemes to me greatly to purpose which some do say that the knowledge of things at the Indies depends of the well vnderstanding the nature of the Equinoctiall for that the difference which is betwixt the one and the other world proceeds in a maner from the qualities of this Equinoctiall And we must note that all the space betwixt the two Tropickes must be properly taken and held for this middle line which is the Equinoctiall so called for that the Sunne running his course therein makes the daies nights even throughout the world yea they that dwell vnder this line inioy throughout the yeare the same equalitie of daies and nights In this Equinoctiall line we finde so many admirable qualities that with great reason mans vnderstanding doth studie and labour to search out the causes not moved therevnto so much by the doctrine of ancient Philosophers as by reason and certaine experience For what reason the Ancients held that the burning Zone was inhabitable CHAP. 2. EXamining this subiect from the beginning no man can denie that which we plainely see that the Sunne when it drawes neere doth heate and when it retyres groweth cold The daies and nightes with the Winter and Summer be witnesses heereof whose varietie with the heate and cold growes by the neerenes and distance of the Sunne Moreover it is certaine the more the Sunne approacheth and casteth his beames prependicularly the more the earth is scorched and burnt the which we see plainely in the heate of the South and in the force of Summer whereby we may iudge in my opinion that the farther a Countrie is distant from the course of the Sunne the more cold it is So we finde by experience that the Countries and Regions which approach neerest to the North are coldest and contrariwise those that lie neere the Zodiake where the Sunne keepes his course are most hot For this cause Ethiopia passeth Affrike and Barbarie in heate Barbarie exceedes Andalousia Andalousia Castile and Arragon surpasse Biscaie and Fraunce And the more they decline to the North the colder they are and so by consequence those which approach neerest to the Sunne and are beaten perpendicularly with his beames they do most feele the heate thereof Some vrge another reason to this effect which is that the motion of the heaven is very â—odaine and light towards the Tropikes but neere the Poles it is slow and heavie whereby they conclude that the region which the Zodiake circles and conteines is set on fire with heate for three causes and reasons the one for the neerenes of the Sunne the other for that his beames reflect directly and the third for that it doth participate and feele this swift and sodaine motion of the heaven See what reason and discourse teacheth vs touching the cause of heat and cold vpon the regions of the earth But what shall we say of the two other qualities wet and drie Even the same For the drought seemes to grow by the neerenes of the Sunne and moistnes being retired farre off for that the night being colder then the day is likewise more moist and the day which is drier is also hotter Winter whilst the Sun runnes his course farther off is more cold and rainie and Summer when the Sunne is neere is more hotte and drie for even as the fire hath the propertie to parch and burne so hath it to drie vp the moistnes These things therefore considered Aristotle and other Philosophers attribute vnto the regions of the South which they call burning an excessive heat and a drouth likewise And therefore they said this region is wonderfully scorched and drie so by consequence hath neither waters nor pastures whereby of necessitie it must be contrarie and vnfit for mans life That the burning Zone is very moist contrary to the opinion of the Ancients CHAP. 3. ALl that we have propounded seemes vndoubtedly true and to purpose and yet the conclusion they would draw from it is directly false for that the Region of the South which they call the burning Zone is peopled and inhabited by men and wee our selves have stayed long there beeing very commodious pleasant and agreeable If therefore it be so as we cannot denie it that from a true proposition we cannot draw a false conclusion and yet this conclusion should be false as indeed it is we must of necessitie returne backe the same way to examine this proposition more strictly whence the error should proceede we will first shew the trueth as assured experience doth teach vs then will we proove it although it be verie difficult and will endevour to give a reaâ—on following the termes of Philosophie The last point that wee propounded that the drought is greatest whenas the Sunne is neerest to the earth seemeth certaine and infallible and yet it is very false fâ—r there is never greater aboundance of raine in the burning Zone then whenas the Sunne goeth directly over them and is very neere Truely it is an admirable
the motion of the first motor which is the cause of day and night even so the difference which we see betwixt Winter and Summer proceeds from the neerenesse and distance of the Sunne according to the motion of the said Sunne which is the proper cause To speake trueth then it is Summer whenas the Sunne is neerest and Winter when it is farthest off Both heate and coldnesse and every other temperature growes of necessitie by the neerenesse and distance of the sunne but to raine or not to raine which is humiditie and drought doe not necessarily follow It is therefore easie to iudge besides this vulgar opinion that at Peru the Winter is cleere and without raine and the Summer full of showres and not otherwise as many beleeve that the winter is hotte and the summer cold They fall into the like error vpon the difference they make betwixt the Plaines and the Mountaines of Peru saying that when it is summer vpon the mountaine it is winter in the vallie which is in April Maie Iune Iuly and August for then the aire is very cleere vpon the mountaine without any raine or mistes and at the same season we commonly see fogges in the plaine which they call Guarva which is as it were a very sweet dew wherewith the sunne is covered But winter and summer as it is said are caused by the neerenesse and distance of the sunne Seeing then that throughout all Perâ— both vpon the Mountaines and on the Plaines the sunne approcheth and retyreth in one sort there is no reason to say that when it is summer in one part that it is winter in an other yet is it no mâ—tter of any importance to contend vpon the signification of words Let them terme them as they please and call that summer when it raines not although the heat be greater But that whereunto we must have greatest regard is the trueth of the subiect which is that drought and want of raine is not alwaies greatest when the sunne approcheth neerest as we see in the burning Zone That the burning Zone abounds with waters and pastures against the opinion of Aristotle who holds the contrarie CHAP. 6. BY the former Discourse wee may easily conceive that the burning Zone is not drie but abounding with waters the which is so true as it exceeds all the Regions of the world for store of waters except in some parts where there are sands and desart Countries as wee finde likewise in some other parts of the world As for water from Heaven wee have alreadie shewen that there is great aboundance of raine snow and haile which especially abound in the kingdome of Peru. But as for land-waters as rivers fountaines brookes springs floods and lakes I have not spoken thereof till now yet being an ordinarie thing that the waters below have a correspondencie with them above wee must not imagine that there can bee any want and in trueth there is so great store of springs and fountaines as you shall not finde in any Region or Countrie of the world so many lakes marishes and such store of rivers for the greatest part of America is almost inhabitable through too great aboundance of waters for that the rivers swelled with the great Raines in Summer doe often overflow their banckes with such furie as they breake all they incounter and in many places they cannot passe by reason of the mudde and myre of marishes and vallies for this cause those that live neere to Paraguen whereof wee have made mention foreseeing the rising of the River before it comes put themselves and their goods into Canoes and so preserve themselves and their goods fâ—oating vp and downe almost for the space of three moneths and when the River is returned within her boundes then they goe to their houses still wette and dropping with the â—â—ood And this River is so great as Nile Ganges Euphrates all together cannot equall it But what shall we say of the great river of Magdalaine which falles into the sea betwixt S. Martha and Carthagene and with reason is called the great river Sailing in those parts I was amazed to see her streame which was very cleere runne ten leagues into the sea being in breadth above two leagues not mingling noâ— vanquished with the violent waves of the Ocean But if we shall speake more of rivers that great floud called by some the river of Amazons by others Marannon and by some the river of Orellana which our Spaniards sailed in their discoveries ought to blemish all the rest and in truth I am in doubt whither I may tearme it a river or a sea It flowes from the mountaines of Peru from whence it receiâ—es a great aboundance of water both of raine and of rivers which it gathereth into it then passing by the great plaines of Pautiti Dorado and the Amazons in the end it falles into the Ocean almost right against the â—land of Marguerite and Trinidado It hath so large broad a channel specially in the last third part of her length as it contains in it many great â—lands And that which seemes incredible when you saile through the midst of it you shall see nothing but aire and water They say moreover that from the midst you cannot see nor discover with the eye many great and high mountaines which are vpon the bankes by reason of her great bredth We have learned from credible persons the great and wonderfull bredth of this river which in my opinion deserves well the name of Empresse and Queene of all flouds which was by the report of a brother of our company who being then yong sailed it in the company of Peter d'Orsua with whom hee was present at all the adventures of this strange entrie and discoverie and at the seditious and pernitious acts of that wicked Diego d' Aguirra from the which God delivered him to place him in our company Such are the rivers in that region which they call the burning Zone and the drie parcht vp countrie in the which Aristotle and the Ancients affirmed there were neither waters nor pastures But seeing I have made mention of the river of Marannon to shew the abundance of the waters that are in the burning zone it shall not be from the purpose to speake somewhat of that great Lake which they call Titicaca which is in the midst of the Province of Collao There are above ten great rivers which loose themselves entring into that Lake and yet hath it no issue but one small current of water although some hold it to be very deepe and of such a fashion as it is impossible to build a bridge over it for the depth of the water neither can they passe it by boate for the violence of the current They passe it by an artificiall and notable practice peculiar to the Indians with a bridge of straw laied vpon the water the which being of so light a substance sinkes not and yet this passage is very easie and
such as it drawes vp the vapors and suddenly consumes and disperseth them for the heat and the length of the daies grow through the neerenes of the sunne But within the Tropickes vnder the burning Zone the far distance of the sunne workes the same effects that the neerenes doth without the Tropiks by reason whereof it raines no more vnder the burning Zone when the sunne is farre off then without the Tropicks when it is neerest for that in this approaching and retyâ—ing the sunne remaines alwaies in one distance whence proceedes this effect of cleerenes But when the sunne is in the period of his force in the burning zone and that he cast his beames directly vpon the inhabitants heads there is neither cleerenes nor drienes as it seems there should be but rather great and strange showers for that by this violent heat he drawes vp suddenly a great aboundance of vapours from the Earth and Ocean which are so thicke as the winde not able easily to disperse them they melt into water which breedeth the cold raine in so great aboundance for the excessive heat may soone draw vp many vapours the which are not so soone dissolved and being gathered together through their great aboundance they melt and dissolve into water The which we may easily discerne by this familiar example rost a peece of porke mutton or veale if the fire be violent and the meate neere we see the fatte melts suddenly and droppes away the reason is that the violent heat drawes forth the humour and fatte from the meate and being in great aboundance cannot dissolve it and so it distills more away But when the fire is moderate and the meat in an equall distance we see that it rostes hansomely and the fatte drops not too suddenly for that the moderate heat drawes out the moistnes which it consumes suddenly And therefore Cookes make a moderate fire and lay not their meate too neere nor too farre off lest it melt away The like may be seene in another experience in candles of tallow or waxe if the wike bee great it melts the tallow or the waxe for that the heat cannot consume the moistnes which riseth but if the flame be proporcionable the waxe melts nor droppes not for that the flame doth waste it by little and little as it riseth The which seemeth to me the true reason why vnder the Equinoctiall and burning Zone the violence of the heat doth cause raine the which in other Regions growes through want thereof How wee should vnderstand that which hath been formerly spoken of the burning Zone CHAP. 8. IF in naturall and phisicall things we must not seeke out infallible and mathematicall rules but that which is ordinarie and tried by experience which is the most perfect rule wee must then beleeve what wee have said that there is more humiditie vnder the burning Zone then in other Regions and that it raines lesse there when the sunne is neerest must be taken and vnderstood after one sort as in truth it is the most common and ordinarie But this is not to hinder the exceptions which nature hath given to this rule making some Regions of the burning Zone extreamely drie The which is reported of Ethiopia and wee have seene it in a great part of Peru where all that land or coast which they call Plaines wants raine yea land waters except some vallies where rivers fall from the mountaines the rest is a sandie and barren soile where you shall hardly finde any springs but some deepe welles But with the helpe of God wee will shew the reason why it raineth not in these Plaines the which many demand for now I onely pretend to shew that there are many exceptions to naturall rules whereby it may happen that in some part of the burning Zone it raines not when the sunne is neerest but being farthest off although vnto this daie I have neither seene nor heard of it but if it be so wee must attribute it to the particular qualitie of the earth and also if sometimes the contrarie doth chance we must have regard that in naturall things there happens many contrarieties and leâ—s whereby they change and dissolve one another For example it may be the sunne will cause raine and that the winds will hinder it or else cause more aboundance then hath been vsuall The windes have their properties and divers beginnings by the which they worke divers effects the which are most commonly contrarie to that which the order season requires Seeing then in all places we see great varieties in the yeere which proceedes from the divers motions and aspectes of Planets it is not out of purpose to say that in the burning Zone wee may see and observe some things contrarie to that we have tried But to conclude that which we have spoken is a certaine and vndoubted truth which is that the great draught which the Ancients held to be in the middle region which they call the burning Zone is nothing at all but contrariwise there is great humiditie and then it raines most when the sunne is neerest That the Burning Zone is not violently hotte but moderate CHAP. 9. HItherto wee haue treated of the humiditie of the Burning Zone now it shall be fit to discourse of the other two qualities Hotte and Colde We have shewed in the beginning of this Discourse how the Ancients held that the burning Zone was hotte and exceeding drie the which is not so for it is hote and moist and in the greatest part the heat is not excessive but rather moderate which some would hold incredible if we had not tried it When I passed to the Indies I will tell what chaunced vnto mee having read what Poets and Philosophers write of the bâ—â—ning Zone I perswaded my selfe that comming to the Equinoctiall I should not indure the violent heate but it fell out otherwise for when I passed which was when the sun was there for Zenith being entered into Aries in the moneth of March I felt so great cold as I was forced to go into the sunne to warme me what could I else do then but laugh at Aristotles Meteors and his Philosophie seeing that in that place and at that season whenas all should be scorched with heat according to his rules I and all my companions were a colde In truth there is no region in the world more pleasant and temperate then vnder the Equinoctiall although it be not in all parts of an equall temperature but have great diversities The burning Zone in some parts is very temperate as in Quitto and on the plaines of Peru in some partes verie colde as at Potozi and in some very hote as in Ethiopia Bresill and the Molucques This diversitie being knowne and certaine vnto vs we must of force seeke out another cause of cold and heat then the sunne beames seeing that in one season of theyeere and in places of one height and distance from the Pole and Equinoctiall we finde so great diversitie
doth teach vs. But whether it be so or otherwise for I will not contradict Aristotle but in that which is most certaine in the end they agree all that the middle region of the ayre is colder than the lowest next to the earth as experience dooth shew vs seeing that in this middle region are congealed snowe haile frosts and other signes of extreame colde The middle region then which they call the burning Zone having on the one side the sea and on the other the mountaines we must hold them for sufficient causes to temper and coole the heate That the colde windes be the principall cause to make the burning Zone temperate CHAH. 13. THe temperature of this region ought chiefly to be attributed to the property of the wind that blows in that country the which is pleasant and fresh The providence of the great God Creator of al things hath bin such as he hath ordained fresh and coole windes in that region where the sunne makes his course which seemes should be burnt vp that by their coolenes the excessive heate of the sunne might be qualified And they are not farre from apparance of reason which held that the earthly Paradise was vnder the Equinoctiall If they had not deceived themselves in the cause of their opinion saying that the equalitie of the dayes and nights was sufficient of it selfe to make that Zone temperate to which opinion many others have beene opposite of which number was that renowmed Poet saying That coast incessantly by hotte beames tyred Of Phoebus who from thence never retyred The coolenesse of the night then is not sufficient to moderate and to correct the violent heate of the Sunne but rather this burning Zone receives so sweet a temperature by the benefite of the fresh and pleasant aire as notwithstanding it were held by the Ancients to be more hotte then a burning furnace yet those which inhabite there take it for a delightfull spring It appeares by arguments and very apparant reasons that the cause heereof consistes principally in the qualitie of the winde We see in one climate some regions and Citties hotter then others onely for that they feele lesse winde to refresh them The like is in other Countries where no winde blowes the which are all on fire like vnto a furnace There are many of these Villages and Townes in Bresill Ethiopia and Paraguen as every one knoweth and that which is more considerable wee see these differences not only on the Land but also on the Sea there are some seas where they feele great heat as they report of that of Mozambigus and Ormus in the East and of the Sea of Panama in the West the which for this reason engenders and brings forth great Lizards called Cayamans as also in the sea of Bresill There are other seas in the same degree of height very colde as that of Peru in the which wee were a cold as I have said before when we first sailed it which was in March when the Sunne was directly over vs. In truth on this continent where the land and sea are of one sort wee cannot imagine any other cause of this so great a difference but the qualitie of the winde which doth refresh them If wee shall neerely looke into the consideration of the winde whereof we have spoken wee may resolve many doubts which some obiect and which seeme strange and wonderfull wherefore the Sunne casting his beames vppon the burning Zone and particularly at Peru and that more violently then in Spaine in the Canicular daies yet they defend the heat with a light covering so as with a slender covering of mats or straw they are better preserved from the heate then in Spaine vnder a roofe of wood or a vault of stone Moreover why are not the nightes in summer at Peru as hotte and troublesome as in Spaine Wherefore on the highest tops of mountaines even amongst the heaps of snow you shall sometimes feele great and insupportable heat Wherefore in all the Province of Colao when ye come into the shade how little soever you feele cold But comming into the Sunne beames you presently finde the heate excessive Why is all the coast of Peru being ful of sands very temperate And why is Potozi distant from the silver Citie but eighteene leagues and in the same degree of so divers a temperature that the Countrie being extreamely colde it is wonderfully barren and drie And contrariwise the silver Citie is temperate inclining vnto heat and hath a pleasant and fertil soile It is more certaine that the winde is the principall cause of these strange diversities for without the benefite of these coole windes the heate of the Sunne is such as although it bee in the midst of the snow it burnes and sets all on fire but when the coolenes of the aire returnes suddenly the heat is qualified how great soever it be and whereas this coole winde raines ordinarie it keepes the grosse vapours and exhalations of the earth from gathering together which cause a heavie and troublesome heat whereof we see the contrarie in Europe for by the exhalation of these vapours the earth is almost burnt vp with the Sunne by day which makes the nights so hotte and troublesome as the aire doth often seeme like vnto a furnace for this reason at Peru this freshnes of the winde is the cause by the meanes of some small shade at the Sunnesetting that they remaine coole But contrariwise in Europe the most agreeable and pleasing time in summer is the morning and the evening is the most hotte and troublesome But at Peru and vnder all the Equinoctiall it is not so for every morning the winde from the sea doth cease and the Sunne beginnes to cast his beames and for this reason they feele the greatest heat in the morning vntill the returne of the same windes which otherwise they call the tide or winde of the sea which makes them first to feele cold We have tried al this whilst we were at the Ilands of Barlovante where in the mornings we did sweat for heat and at noone we felt a fresh aire for that then a North-easterly wind which is fresh and coole doth commonly blow That they which inhabite vnder the Equinoctiall live a sweete and pleasant life CHAP. 14. IF those which have held opinion that the earthly Paradise was vnder the Equinoctiall had beene guided by this discourse they had not seemed altogether deceived not that I will conclude that the delightfull Paradice whereof the Scripture speakes was in that place which were too great a temeritie to affirme it for certaine But I may well say if there be any Paradice on earth it ought to bee placed whereas they inioy a sweete and quiet temperature for there is nothing more troublesome or repugnant to mans life then to live vnder a heaven or aire that is contrarie troublesome or sicklie as there is nothing more agreeable then to inioy a heaven that is sound sweet
a quality as when it blowes in some country it causeth it to raine fleas and in so great aboundaunce as they trouble and darken the aire and cover all the sea shoare and in other places it raines frogges These diversities and others which are sufficiently knowne are commonly attributed to the place by the which these windes passe For they say that from these places they take their qualities to be colde hote drie or moyst sickly or sound and so of the rest the which is partly true and cannot be denied for that in a small distance you shall see in one winde many diversities For example the Solanus or Easterne winde is commonly hote and troublesome in Spaine and in Murria it is the coolest and healthfullest that is for that it passeth by the Orchards and that large champaine which wee see very fresh In Carthagene which is not farre from thence the same winde is troublesome and vnholesome The meridionall which they of the Ocean call South and those of the Mediterranean sea Mezo giorno commonly is raynie and boisterous and in the same Citie wherof I speake it is wholesome and pleasant Plinie reports that in Affricke it raines with a Northerne winde and that the Southerne winde is cleere Hee then that shall well consider what I have spoken of these windes hee may conceive that in a small distance of land or sea one winde hath many and diverse qualities yea sometimes quite contrary whereby we may inferre that he draweth his property from the place where it passeth the which is in such sort true although we may not say in 〈◊〉 as it is the onely and principall cause of the diversitie of the windes It is a thing we easely finde that in a river containing fiftie leagues in circuite I putte it thus for an example that the winde which blowes of the one parte is hote and moist and that which blowes on the other is colde and drie Notwithstanding this diversitie is not found in places by which it passeth the which makesmee rather â—o say that the windes bring these qualities with them whereby they give vnto them the names of these qualities For example we attribute to the Northerne winde otherwise called Cicrco the property to be colde and drie and to dissolve mists to the Southerne winde his contrary called Levâ—sâ—he wee attribute the contrary qualitie which is moist and hote and ingenders mists This being generall and common we must seeke out another vniversall cause to give a reason of these effects It is not enough to say that the places by which they passe give them these qualities seeing that passing by the same places we see contrary effects So as we must of force confesse that the region of the heaven where they blowe gives them these qualities as the Septentrionall is colde because it commes from the North which is the region farthest from the Sunne The Southerne which blows from the Midday or South is hote and for that the heate drawes the vapours it is also moist and raynie and contrariwise the north is drie and subtile for that it suffereth no vapours to congeale And in this maner wee may discourse of other windes giving them the qualities of the region where they blowe But looking more precisely into it this reason can not satisfie me I will therefore demaund What doth the region of the aire by which they passe if iâ— doth 〈◊〉 them their qualities I speake it for that in German in the Southerne winde is hote and moist and in Affrike the Northerne is cold and drie Notwithstanding it is most certaine that in what region soever of Germanie the Southerne winde is ingendred it must needes be more cold then any part of Affrike where the Northerne is ingendred And if it be so why is the Northerne winde more cold in Affrike then the Southerne in Germany seeing it proceeds from a hotter region Some may answer me that the reason is for that it blowes from the North which is colde but this is neither sufficient nor true for if it were so whenas the Northerne winde blowes in Affrike it should also runne and continue his motion in al the Region even vnto the North the which is not so For at one instant there blowe Northerne windes very colde in countries that are in fewer degrees and Southerne winds which are very hotte in countries lying in more degrees the which is most certaine vsuall and well knowne Whereby in my opinion wee may inferre that it is no pertinent reason to say that the places by which the winds do passe give them their qualities or that they be diversified for that they blowe from divers regions of the ayre although the one and the other have some reason as I have said But it is needefull to seeke further to knowe the true and originall cause of these so strange differences which we see in the windes I cannot conceive any other but that the same efficient cause which bringeth foorth and maketh the winds to grow dooth withall give them this originall qualitie for in trueth the matter whereon the windes are made which is no other thing according to Aristotle but the exhalation of the interior Elements may well cause in effect a great parte of this diversitie being more grosse more subtile more drie and more moist But yet this is no pertinent reason seeing that we see in one region where the vapours and exhalations are of one sorte and qualitie that there rise windes and effectes quite contrary We must therefore referre the cause to the higher and celestiall efficient which must be the Sunne and to the motion and influence of the heavens the which by their contrary motions give and cause divers influences But the beginnings of these motions and influences are so obscure and hidden from men and on the other part so mighty and of so great force as the holie Prophet David in his propheticall Spirite and the Prophet Ieremie admiring the greatnes of the Lorde speake thus Qui profert ventos dâ— thesauris suis. He that drawes the windes out of his treasures In trueth these principles and beginnings are rich and hidden treasures for the Author of all things holdes them in his hand and in his power and when it pleaseth him sendeth them foorth for the good or chastisement of men and sends foorth such windes as hee pleaseth not as that Eolus whome the Poets doe foolishly faine to have charge of the winds keeping them in a cave like vnto wild beasts We see not the beginning of these windes neyther do we know how long they shal continue or whither they shall goe But we see and know well the diverse effects and operations they have even as the supreme trueth the Author of all things hath taught vs saying Spiritus vbi vult spirat vocemeius audis nescis vnde venit aut qâ—â— vadit The spirit or winde blowes where it pleaseth and although thou feelest the breath yet doost
not so healthfull and at this day we see it lesse pâ—opled although in former times it hath beene greatly inhabited with Indians as it appeareth by the histories of New Spaine and Peru and where they kept and lived for that the soile was naturall vnto them being bred there They lived of fishing at sea of seeds drawing brooks from the rivers which they used for want of raine for that it raines little there and in some places not at all This lowe countrie hath many places inhabitable as wel by reason of the sands which are dangerous for there are whole mountaines of these sandes as also for the marishes which grow by reason of the waters that fall from the mountaines which finding no issue in these flatte and lowe landes drowne them and make them vnprofitable And in trueth the greatest parte of all the Indian sea coast is of this sort chiefly vppon the South sea The habitation of which coasts is at this present so wasted contemned that of thirtie partes of the people that inhabited it there wants twenty nine and it is likely the rest of the Indians will in short time decay Many according to the varietie of their opinions attribute this to diverse causes some to the great labour which hath beene imposed vppon these Indians others vnto the change and varietie of meates and drinks they vse since their commerce with the Spaniards others to their great excesse drinking and to other vices they have for my part I hold this disorder to be the greatest cause of their decay whereof it is not now time to discourse any more In this lowe countrey which I say generally is vnhealthfull and vnfit for mans habitation there is exception in some places which are temperate and fertile as the greatest part of the Plaines of Peru where there are coole vallies and very fertile The greatest part of the habitation of the coast entertaines all the traffike of Spaine by sea whereon all the estate of the Indies dependeth Vpon this coast there are some Townes wel peopled as Lima and Truxillo in Peru Panama and Carthagena vppon the maine land and in the Ilands S. Dominique Port Ricco and Havana with many other Townes which are lesse than these as the true Crosse in new Spaine Yca Arigua and others in Peru the ports are commonly inhabited although but slenderly The second sort of land is contrary very high and by consequent colde and drie as all the mountaines are commonly This land is neither fertile nor pleasant but very healthfull which makes it to be peopled and inhabited There are pastures and great store of cattell the which for the most parte entertaines life and by their cattell they supply the want they have of corne and graine by trucking and exchange But that which makes these landes more inhabited and peopled is the riches of the mines that are found there for that all obeys to golde and silver By reason of the mines there are some dwellings of Spaniards and Indians which are increased and multiplied as Potozi and Gancavelicqua in Peru and Cacatecas in new Spaine There are also through all these mountaines great dwellings of the Indians which to this day are maintained yea some will say they increase but that the labour of the mines dooth consume many and some generall diseases have destroyed a great part as the Cocoliste in new Spaine yet they finde no great diminution In this extreamitie of of high ground they finde two commodities as I have saide of pastures and mines which doe well countervaile the two other that are in the lower grounds alongest the sea coast that is the commerce of the sea the aboundance of wine which groweth not but in the hot landes Betwixt these two extreames there is ground of a meane height the which although it bee in some partes higher or lower one than other yet doth it not approach neyther to the heate of the sea coast nor the intemperature of the mountaines In this sorte of soile there groweth many kindes of graine as wheate barley and mays which grows not at all in the high countries but well in the lower there is likewise store of pasture cattel fruits and greene forrests This part is the best habitation of the three for health and recreation and therefore it is best peopled of any parte of the Indies the which I have curiously observed in manie voyages that I have vndertaken and have alwayes found it true that the Province best peopled at the Indies be in this scituation Let vs looke neerely into new Spaine the which without doubt is the best Province the Sunne dooth circle by what parte soever you doe enter you mount vp and when you have mounted a good height you beginne to descend yet very little and that land is alwayes much higher then that along the sea coast All the land about Mexico is of this nature and scituation and that which is about the Vulcan which is the best soile of the Indies as also in Peru Arequipa Guamangua and Cusco although more in one then in the other But in the end all is high ground although they descend into deepe valleies and climbe vppe to high mountaines the like is spoken of Quitto Saint Foy and of the best of the new kingdome To conclude I doe beleeve that the wisedome and providence of the Creator would have it so that the greatest parte of this countrey of the Indies should be hillie that it might be of a better temperature for being lowe it had beene very hotte vnder the burning Zone especially being farre from the sea Also all the land I have seene at the Indies is neere to the mountaines on the one side or the other and sometimes of all partes So as I have oftentimes saide there that I woulde gladly see any place from whence the horizon did fashion it selfe and end by the heaven and a countrey stretched out and even as we see in Spaine in a thousand champaine fields yet doe I not remember that I have ever seene such sightes at the Indies were it in the Ilands or vpon the maine land although I have travelled above seaven hundred leagues in length But as I have saide the neerenesse of the mountaines is very commodious in this region to temper the heate of the Sunne To conclude the best inhabited partes of the Indies are as I have saide and generally all that countrie aboundes in grasse pastures and forrests contrary vnto that which Aristotle and the Auntients did holde So as when wee goe out of Europe to the Indies wee woonder to see the land so pleasant greene and fresh Yet this rule hath some exceptions chiefly in the land of Peru which is of a strange nature amongst all others whereof wee will now proceede to speake Of the properties of the land of Peru. CHAP. 20. WEe meane by Peru not that great parte of the worlde which they call America seeing that therein is contained Bresil
land makes restitution casting his capes points and tongues farre into the sea piercing into the bowelles thereof In some partes one element ends and another beginnes yeelding by degrees one vnto another In some places where they ioyne it is exceeding deepe as in the Ilands of the South Sea and in those of the North whereas the shippes ride close to the land and although they sound three score and tenne yea foure score fadomes yet do they finde no bottome which makes men coniecture that these are pikes or poynts of land which rise vp from the bottome a matter woorthy of great admiration Heerevpon a very expert Pilote said vnto me that the Ilands which they call of Woolves and others that lie at the entry of the coast of New Spaine beeing called Cocos were of this manner Moreover there is a place in the midst of the great Ocean without the view of land and many leagues from it where are seene as it were two towers or pikes of a very high elevated rocke rising out of the middest of the sea and yet ioyning vnto it they finde no bottome No man can yet perfectly comprehend nor conceive the full and perfect forme of the land at the Indies the boundes being not wholy discovered to this day yet wee may ghesse that it is proportioned like a heart with the lungs The broadest of this heart is from Bresill to Peru the poynt at the straight of Magellan and the top where it ends is the firme land and there the continent begins by little and litle to extend itselfe vntill wee come to the height of Florida and the vpper landes which are not yet well discovered We may vnderstand other particularities of this land at the Indies by the Commentaries which the Spaniards have written of their successe and discoveries and amongest the rest of the Peregrination which I have written which in trueth is strange and may give a great light This in my opinion may suffice at this time to give som knowledge of things at the Indies touching the common elements of the which all parts of the worlde are famed THE FOVRTH BOOKE of the Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies Of three kindes of mixtures or compounds of the which I must intreate in this Historie CHAP. 1. HAving intreated in the former booke of that which concernes the Elements and the simples of the Indies in this present booke we will discourse of mixtures and compounds seeming fit for the subiect we shall treate of And although there be many other sundrie kindes yet we will reduce this matter into three which are Mettalls Plants and Beasts Mettalls are as plants hidden and buried in the bowels of the earth which have some conformitie in themselves in the forme and maner of their production for that wee see and discover even in them branches and as it were a bodie from whence they grow and proceede which are the greater veines and the lesse so as they have a knitting in themselves and it seemes properly that these minerales grow like vnto plants not that they have any inward vegitative life being onely proper to plants but they are engendered in the bowels of the earth by the vertue and force of the Sunne and other planets and in long continuance of time they increase and multiply after the maner of plants And even as mettalls be plants hidden in the earth so we may say that plants be living creatures fixed in one place whose life is maintained by the nourishment which Nature furnisheth from their first begnning But living creatures surpasse plants in that they have a more perfect being and therefore have neede of a more perfect foode and nourishment for the search whereof Nature hath given them a moving and feeling to discover and discerne it So as the rough and barren earth is as a substance and nutriment for mettalls and that which is fertile and better seasoned a nourishment for plants The same plants serve as a nourishment for living creatures and the plants and living creatures together as a nourishment for men the inferiour nature alwaies serving for the maintenance and sustentation of the superiour and the lesse perfect yeelding vnto the more perfect whereby we may see how much it wants that gold and silver and other things which men so much esteeme by their covetousnesse should be the happines of man wherevnto he should tend seeing they be so many degrees in qualitie inferior to man who hath been created and made onely to be a subiect to serve the vniversall Creator of all things as his proper end and perfect rest and to which man all other things in this world were not propounded or left but to gaine this last end Who so would consider of things created and discourse according to this Philosophie might draw some fruite from the knowledge and consideration thereof making vse of them to know and glorifie their Author But he that would passe on farther to the knowledge of their properties and profits and would curiously search them out hee shall finde in these creatures that which the Wiseman saies that they are snares and pitfalles to the feete of fooles ignorant into the which they fall and loose themselves daily To this intent therefore and that the Creator may be glorified in his creatures I pretend to speake of some things in this Booke whereof there are many at the Indies worth the report touching mettalls plants and beasts which are proper and peculiar in those parts But for that it were a great worke to treate thereof exactly and requires greater learning and knowledge yea much more leisure then I have my intent is only to treate of some things succinctly the which I have observed as well by experience as the report of men of credite touching these three things which I have propounded leaving to men more curious and diligent to treate more amply of these matters Of the aboundance and great quantitie of Mettall at the West Indies CHAP. 2. THe wisedome of God hath made mettalls for phisicke and for defence for ornament and for instruments for the worke of men of which foure things we may easily yeelde examples but the principall end of mettalls and the last thereof is for that the life of man hath not onely neede of nourishment as the beasts but also he must worke and labour according vnto the reason and capacitie which the Creator hath given him And as mans vnderstanding doth apply it selfe to divers artes and faculties so the same Author hath given order that hee should finde matter and subiect to diverse artes for the conservation reparation suretie ornament and exaltation of his workes The diversitie therefore of mettalls which the Creator hath shut vp in the closets and concavities of the earth is such and so great that man drawes profit and commoditie from everie one of them Some serve for curing of diseases others for armes and for defence against the enemies some are for ornament
buy withall but did change and trucke one thing for another as Homer and Plinie report of the Ancients They had some other things of greater esteeme which went currant amongst them for price and in steede of coine and vnto this day this custome continues amongst the Indians as in the Provinces of Mexico in steede of money they vse Cacao which is a small fruite and therewith buy what they will In Peru they vse Cocae to the same end the which is a leafe the Indians esteeme much as in Paraguay they have stampes of yron for coine and cotten woven in S. Croix of the Sierre Finally the maner of the Indians trafficke and their buying and selling was to exchange and give things for things and although there were great martes and famous faires yet had they no neede of mony nor of brokers for that every one had learned what he was to give in exchange for every kinde of marchandise Since the Spaniards entred the Indians have vsed gold and silver to buy withall and in the beginning there was no coine but silver by weight was theirprice and mony as they report of the ancient Romans Since for a greater benefite they have forged coine in Mexico and Peru yet vnto this day they have not in the West Indies coined any mony of copper or other mettall but onely of silver and golde for the richnes of that Countrie hath not admitted nor received such money as they call bullion nor other kindes of alloy which they vse in Italie and in other Provinces of Europe Although in some Ilands of the Indies as S. Dominique Port Ricco they vse coine of leather which is square the which are currant onely in those Ilands having little silver or gold I say little although there be much for that no man digges it and refines it But for that the riches of the Indies and their maner to labour in the mines consistes of golde silver and quickeâ—silver I will speake some thing of these three mettalls leaving the rest for this time Of golde which they digge and refine at the Indies CHAP. 4. GOld amongst other mettals hath bin alwayes held the most excellent and with reason beeing the most durable and incorruptible of all others for sire which consumes and diminisheth the rest amends it and brings it to perfection Golde which hath often passed through the fire keepes his colour and is most fine and pure which properly is called as Plinie saith Obriso wherof the Scripture makes so often mention vse which consumeth all other mettalles as the same Plinie saith dooth not any thing waste golde nor yet hurte it neither is it eaten nor groweth olde And although his substance and body be firme and solide yet dooth it yeelde and bow woonderfully the Beaters and Drawers of golde knowe well the force it hath to bee drawen out without breaking All which things well considered with other excellent properties will give men of iudgement to vnderstand wherefore the holie Scripture dooth compare Charitie to golde To conclude there is little neede to relate the excellencies thereof to make it more desirable For the greatest excellencie it hath is to be knowne as it is amongst men for the supreame power and greatnesse of the worlde Comming therefore to our subiect at the Indies there is great abundance of this mettall and it is wel knowne by approoved histories that the Inguas of Peru did not content themselves with great and small vessels of gold as pots cups goblets and flagons yea with kowles or great vessells but they had chaires also and litters of massie golde and in their Temples they had set vppe maine Images of pure golde whereof they finde some yet at Mexico but not such store as when the first Conquerours came into the one and the other kingdome who found great treasure and without doubt there was much more hidden in th earth by the Indians It would seeme ridiculous to reporte that they have made their horse shooes of silver for want of yron and that they have payd three hundred crownes for a bottle of wine and other strange things and yet in trueth this hath come to passe yea and greater matters They drawe golde in those partes after three sorts or at the least I have seene all three vsed For eyther they find gold in graines in powlder or in stone They do call golde in graines small morsels of gold which they find whole without mixture of any other mettall which hath no neede of melting or refining in the fire and they call them pippins for that commonly they are like to pippins or seeds of melons or pompions and that wherof Iob speakes when he saies Leve illius aurum though sometimes there be greater and such as I have seene weighed many poundes It is the excellencie of this mettall alone as Plinie affirmes to be found thus pure and perfect which is not seene in any other mettalles which are alwayes earthly and have a scumme and neede purging by the fire I have likewise seene silver naturall like to Yea there is an other kinde which the Indians call Papas and sometimes they find peeces very fiue and pure like to small round rootes the which is rare in that mettall but vsuall in gold They finde little of this golde in pippin in respect of the other kindes Golde in stone is a veine of gold that groweth or ingendereth within the stone or flint as I have seene in the mines of Curuma within the government of Salines very great stones pierced and intermixed with gold others that were halfe gold and halfe stone The golde which groweth in this manner is found in pittes or mines which have their veines like to the silver mines but it is very hard to drawe it foorth Agatarchides writes in his first booke of the Erithrean or red sea as Phocion reportes in his Bibliotheca of the manner and fashion to refine golde drawne out of stones the which the antient Kings of Egypt were wont to vse it is a strange thing to see how that which is written resembles properly to the manner they vse at this day in refining these mettalls of golde and silver The greatest quantitie of golde which is drawne at the Indies is that in powlder the which is found in streames and places wher much water hath passed because the slouds at the Indies abound in this kinde of golde As the Ancients for this occasion did celebrate the river of Tagus in Spaine Paâ—olus in Asia and Ganges in the East Indies and callâ—d theâ— Râ—menta auri the which we others call golâ—e in pâ—wlâ—er and of this sort is the greatest quantitie of golde they have at this day At this present in tâ—e â—lands of Barlovent Hispaniola Cuba and Port Ricco there hath beene and is great quantity in the rivers but they bring little from thence into Spaine for want of the naturall inhabitants of the country the difficultie to
earth and stone where it engenders they purge and purifie it seven times for in effect it passeth their handes seven times yea oftener vntill it remaines pure and fine so is it in the word of God where the soules must be so purified that shall inioy the heavenly perfection Of their Engines to grinde the mettall and of their triall of Silver CHAP. 13. TO conclude this subiect of silver and of mettalls there remaines yet two things to speake of the one is of their engins and milles the other of their essay or triall I have said before how they grinde their mettal for the receving of the quicksilver which is done with diverse instruments and engins some with horses like vnto hand-milles others like water-milles of which two sortes there are great numbers But for that the water they doe vse commonly is but of raine whereof they have not sufficient but three months in the yeare December Ianuary and February for this reason they have made Lakes and standing Pooles which containe inâ—circuite about a thousand and six hundred roddes and in deapth three stades there are seaven with their sluces so as when they have neede of any water they raise vp a sluce from whence runnes a little streame of water the which they stoppe vppon holy-dayes And when the Lakes and Pooles doe fill and that the yeare abounds with raine their grinding dooth then continue sixe or seaven moneths so as even for silvers sake men desire a good yeere of raine in Potozi as they doe in other places for bread There are some other engins in Tarapaya which is a valley three or foure leagues distant from Potozi whereas there runnes a river as in other parts The difference of these engins is that some goe with sixe pestels some with twelve and others with foureteene They grinde and beate the mettall in morters labouring day and night and from thence they carry it to be sifted vpon the bankes of the brooke of Potozi There are forty eight water-mills of eight ten and twelve pestells and foure on the other side which they call Tanacognugno in the Cittie of Tarapaya there are two and twenty engins all vpon the water besides there are thirty goe with horses in PotoZi and many others in diversâ—partes so great the desire of man is to get silver which is tryed by deputies appoynted by the King To give the alloy to every peece they cary the bars of silver vnto the Assay maister who gives to every one his number for that they carry many at once he cuttes a small peece of every one the which he weighs iustly and puttes them into a cruset which is a small vessell made of burnt bones beaten after hee placeth everie crusible in his order in the furnace giving them a violent fire then the mettall melteth and that which is lead goes into smoake and the copper and tinne dissolves the silver remayning most fine of the colour of fire It is a strange thing that being thus refined although it be liquide and molten yet it never spilles were the mouth of the crusible turned downewardes but it remaynâ—th fixed without the losse of a droppe The Assay maister knoweth by the colourâ— and other signes when it is refined then dooth he draw the crusibles from the fire and weighs every peece curiously observing what every one wants of his weight for that which is of high alloy wastes but little and that which is baser diminisheth much according to the waste he sees what alloy he beares according to the which he markes every barre punctually Their ballaunce and weights are so delicate and their graines so small as they cannot take them vppe with the hand but with a small paire of pincers and this triall they make by candle light that no ayre might moove the ballance For of this little the price of the whole barre dependeth In trueth it is a very delicate thing and requires a great dexteritie which the holy Scripture vseth in many places to shew how God prooves his chosen and to note the differences of the merites of soules whereas God gives the title of an Assay-maister to the Prophet Ieremie that hee may trie and declare the spirituall vertue of men and of his workes which is the proper worke of the Spirite of God being he that weighs the Soules of men We will rest content with what we have spoken touching silver mettalls and mines and will passe to the two other mixtures the which are plants and beasts Of Emeraldes CHAP. 14. IT shall not be from the purpose to speake somthing of Emeraldes both for that it is a pretious thing as golde silver as also for that they take their beginning from mines and mettalls as Plinie reportes The Emerald hath bin in old time in great esteeme as the same Author writes giving it the third place amongst all iewelles and pretious stones that is next to the diamond and pearle At this day they doe not so much esteeme the Emerald nor the pearle for the great aboundance is brought of these two sorts from the Indies onely the diamond holds the principality the which can not be taken from it Next the rubies come in price and other stones which they hold more pretious than the Emerald Men are so desirous of singularities rare things that what they see to be common they do not esteeme They report of a Spaniard who being in Italie when the Indies were first discovered shewed aâ— Emerald to a Lapidary who asking him the value thereof after he had well viewed it being of an excellent lustre and forme he prized it at a hundred ducats he then shewed him an other greater than it which he valued at three hundred ducats The Spaniard drunke with this discourse carried him to his lodging shewing him a casket full The Italian seeing so great a number of Emeralds sayde vnto him Sir these are well woorth a crowne a peece the like hath happened both at the Indies and in Spaine where the stones have lost their estimation for the great abundaunce they finde of them there Pliny reportes many excellencies of the Emerald amongst the which he saith that there is nothing more pleasing nor more healthfull for the sight wherein he hath reason but his authority importeth little seeing there is such store It is reported that Lelia a Romane Dame bestowed vppon a scoffion and a garment embroidered with pearle and emerald 400000. ducats the which at this day might be doone with lesse than forty thousand ducats yea two such In diverse partes of the Indies and the Kings of Mexico didde much esteeme them some did vse to pierce their nosthrils and hang therein an excellent Emerald they hung them on the visages of their idolles The greatest store is found in the New Kingdome of Grenado and Peru neere vnto Manta and port Vieil There is towardes that place a soile which they call the Land of Emeraldes for the knowledge they have
but much more for the exquisite effect it hath to cure woundes and divers other remedies as experience hath taught in the cure of diseases The Balme which comes from the West Indies is not of the same kind of right Balme which they bring from Alexandria or Caire and in old time was in Iudea which Iudea as Plinie writeth did of all the world possesse this greatnesse vntill the Emperor Vespasian broght it to Rome into Italie The reason why I say the liquor of the one and the other are not of one kinde is for that the trees from whence it comes are very different for the balme tree of Palestine was small and fashioned like to a Vine as Plinic reporteth who had seene it and those that at this day that have seene them in the East say as much As also the holy Scripture calles the place where the Balme thickens Vine of Enguaddy for the resemblance it hath to vine At the Indies I have seene the tree from whence they draw the Balme which is as bigge as a poungarnet tree and some thing neere the fashion and if my memory failes me not it hath nothing common with the vine although that Strabo writes that the ancient tree of Balme was of the bignes of a poungarnet tree But in their accidents and operations their liquors are alike as likewise they be in their admirable smells and in the cure and healing of wounds in colour and substance seeing they report of other Balmes that there is some white vermilion greene and blacke the which is likewise seene in that of the Indies And as they drew forth the ancient in cutting and making incisions in the barke to cause the liquor to distill out so do they with that at the Indies although it distilles in greater aboundance And as in the ancient there is one kinde which is pure the which they call Opobalsamum which be the very teares that distill so as there is another sort which is not so exquisite the which they drawe from the barke and leaves strained and boiled on the fire the which they call Xilobalssamum The like is also in the Indian Balmes there is one pure that distilles from the tree and others that the Indians draw out by straining and boiling the leaves and wood yea they do sophisticate and augment it with other liquors to make it increase It is not without reason they call it Balme for in truth it is so although it be not of the same kinde of the ancient yet it is much esteemed and should be more if the great aboundance were not the cause as in Emeraldes and Pearles That which importes most is the vse wherein it is imployed for creame and vnctions in the Church and in such veneration for that the Apostolike sea hath given libertie to give creame of Balme at the Indies and that they should vse it in confirmation and other ceremonies which they vse They bring Balme to Spaine from new Spaine from the Province of Guatimalla from Chiappa and other places where it aboundes most although the most esteemed be that which comes from the Iland of Tollu which is vpon the maine land not farre from Carthagene This Balme is white and commonly they holde the white to bee more perfect then the red although Plinie gives the first place to the vermilion the second to the white the third to greene and the last to blacke but it seemes that Strabo esteemed more the white Balmes as ours doe Monardes discourseth at large of the Indian Balme in the first and second part especially of that of Carthagene and Tollu which is all one I have not found that the Indians in olde time did much esteeme Balme nor yet imploy it in any important vse although Monardes saieth that the Indians cured their woundes therewith and from thence the Spaniardes learned it Of Amber and other Oyles Gums and Drugges which they bring from the Indies CHAP. 29. NExt to Balme Amber holdes the second place it is another liquor which is likewise sweete and medicinall but more thicke and turnes into a paste of a hote complexion and a good perfume the which they apply to woundes bruises and other necessities wherein I will referre my selfe to the Phisitions especially to Doctor Monardes who in his first Part hath written of this liquor and many others that are phisicall which comes from the Indies This Amber comes from new Spaine which hath that advantage above other Provinces in goomes liquors and iuyce of trees whereby they have such aboundance of matter for perfume and phisicke as is the Animé whereof there comes great store Copall or Suchicopal which is another kinde storax and encense which have excellent operations and have a very good smell fit for fumigations Likewise the Tacamahaca and Caranna which are also very medicinall They bring likewise from this Province oyle of Aspicke which the Phisitians and Painters vse much the one for plasters the other to vernish their pictures They bring also for the Phisitians Cassia fistule the which growes plentifully in S. Dominique It is a great tree which carries these canes as his fruite They brought in the fleete wherein I came from S. Dominique fortie eight quintalles of Cassia fistule Salcepareille is not lesse knowne for a thousand remedies wherein it is vsed There came in the same fleete fiftie quintalles from the same Iland There is much of this Saâ—ceparâ—ille at Peru and most excellent in the Province of Guaâ—aquill which is vnder the Line Many go to be cured into this Province and it is the opinion of some that the pure water onely which they drinke gives them health for that it passeth by rootes as I have said from whence it drawes this vertue so as there needes no great covering or garments to make a man sweate in that countrie The wood of Guayac which they call Lignum sanctum or Indian wood growes aboundantly in the same Ilands and is as heavie as yron so as it presently sinkes in the water heereof they brought in the same fleete 350. quintalls and they might have brought twentie yea a hundred thousand of this wood if there were vse for it There came in the same fleete and from the same Iland 130. quintalles of Bresill wood the which is fierie red so well knowne and much vsed in dying and other things There are at the Indies infinite numbers of other aromaticall woodes gummes oyles and drugges so as it is not possible to name them all neither doth it now much import I say onely that in the time of the Kings Inguas of Câ—sco and the Mexicaine Kings there were many great personages expert in curing of diseases with simples and did goodly cures having the knowledge of the many vertues and properties of hearbes rootes woodes and plants which grow there and whereof the Ancients of Europe have had no knowledge There are a thousand of these simples fit to purge as the rootes of Mechoaçan
Spaine and Italie we have seene admirable effects of this stone against the Tâ—verdette which is a kinde of plague but not so muchâ—s in Peru. They do apply it beaten and put into some liquor which may make it fit for the cure of melancholy the falling sickenes pestilent feavers many other diseases Some take it in wine others in vineger with water Dezahac of League de beufe borrage and other sortes as the Phisitians and Apoticaries can tell The Bezaar stone hath no proper savour as Rasis the Arabian doth testifie Wee have seene notable trialls and there is no doubt but the Author of this vniversall world hath given great vertues to this stone The Bezaar stones which comes from the East Indies have the first place of account they are of an olive colour the second are those of Peru and the third those of New Spaine Since that these stones were in request they say the Indians have made artificiall ones and many when they see these stones greater then the ordinarie they take them to be false and counterfait triall and experience is the best mistres to know them One thing is worthy admiration that they grow and are fashioned vpon very strange things as vpon the tagge of a point vpon a pinne or a peece of wood which they finde in the centre of this stone and yet do they not hold it false for that the beast might swallow it and the stone thicken vpon it and growes one vpon another and so it increaseth I did see in Peru two stones fashioned vpon Pignons of Castille which made vs to wonder much for that in all Peru we had not seene any pines or Pignons of Castille if they were not brought from Spaine which seemes to me very extraordinary This little may suffice touching the Bezaars stone They bring other phisicall stones from the Indies as the stone of Hyiada or of Rate the bloud stone the stones of milke and of the sea Those which they call Cornerinaâ— for the heart whereof there is no neede to speake having nothing common with the subiect of beastes whereof we have intreated which gives vs to vnderstand how the great Master and Author of all hath imparted his benefites and wonderfull secrets to all partes of the world for the which he is to be glorified for ever * ⎠* A Prologue to the Bookes following HAving intreated of the Natural Historie of the Indies I wil hereafter discourse of the Morall History that is to say of the deeds and customes of the Indies For after the heaven the temperature the scituation the qualities of the new world after the elements mixtures I mean mettals plants beasts whereof we have spoken in the former Bookes as occasion did serve both Order Reason doth invite vs to continue and vndertake the discourse of those men which inhabite the new world And therefore I pretend in the following bookes to speake what I thinke worthie of this subiect And for that the intention of this Historie is not onely to give knowledge of what hath passed at the Indies but also to continue this knowledge to the fruite we may gather by it which is to helpe this people for their soules health and to glorifie the Creator and Redeemer who hath drawne them from the obscure darkenes of their infidelitie and imparted vnto them the admirable light of his Gospel And therefore I will first speake in these bookes following what concernes their religion or superstition their customes their idolatries and their sacrifices and after what concernes their policie and government their lawes customes and their deedes And for that the memorie is preserved amongst the Mexicaine Nation of their beginnings successions warres and other things worthie the relation besides that which shall be handled in the sixt booke I will make a peculiar Discourse in the seventh shâ—wing the disposition and forewarnings this Nation had of the new Kingdome of Christ our Lord which should be extâ—nded in these Countries and should conquer them to himself as he hath doâ—e in all the rest of the world The which in truth is a thing worthie of great consideration to see how the divine providence hath appointeâ— that the light of his word should finde a passage in the furthest boundes of the world It is not my proiect at this time to write what the Spanâ—ardes have done in those partes for there are bookes enow written vpon this subiect nor yet how the Lordes servants have laboured and profited for that requires a new labour I will onely content my selfe to plant this Historie and relation at the doores of the Gospel seeing it is alreadie entered and to make knowne the Naturall and Morall things of the Indies to the end that Christianitie may be planted and augmented as it is expounded at large in the bookes we have written De procuranda Indiorum salute And if any one wonder at some fashions customes of the Indies wil scorne them as fooles or abhorre them as divelish and inhumane people let him remember that the same things yea worse have beene seene amongst the Greekes and Romans who have commanded the whole world as we may easily vnderstand not onely of our Authors as Eusebius of Cesarea Clement Alexandrine and others but also of their owne as Plinie Denis Halicarnassis and Plutarke for the Prince of darkenes being the head of all Infidelitie it is no new thing to finde among Infidells cruelties filthines and follies fit for such a Master And although the ancient Gentiles have farre surpassed these of the new world in valour and naturall knowledge yet may wee observe many things in them worthie the remembrance But to conclude they shew to be barbarous people who being deprived of the supernaturall light want likewise philosophie and naturall knowledge THE FIFT BOOKE of the Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies That the Pride and Malice of the Divell hath beene the cause of Idolatrie CHAP. 1. THE Pride and Presumption of the Divell is so great obstinate that alwaies hee seekes and strives to be honoured as God and doth arrogate to himselfe all hee can whatsoever doth appertaine to the most high God hee ceaseth not to abuse the blinde Nations of the world vpon whom the cleere light of the holy Gospel hath not yet shone Wee reade in Iob of this prowd tyrant who settes his eyes aloft and amongst all the sonnes of pride he is the King The holy Scripture instructes vs plainely of his vile intentions and his overweening treason whereby he hath pretended to make his Throne equall vnto Gods saying in Esay Thou diddest say within thy selfe I will mount vp to heaven and set my chaire vpon all the starres of heaven and I will sit vpon the toppe of the Firmament and in the sides of the North I will ascend above the height of the cloudes and will be like to the most High And in Ezechiel Thy heart was lifted vp and thou
hast said I am God and have set in the chaire of God in the midst of the sea Thus doth Sathan continually persist in this wicked desire to make himselfe God And although the iust and severe chastisement of the most high hath spoiled him of all his pompe and beautie which made him grow prowd being intreated as his fellonie and indiscretion had deserved as it is written by the same Prophets yet hath he left nothing of his wickednes and perverse practises the which hee hath made manifest by all meanes possible like a mad dogge that bites the sword wherewith he is strucken For as it is written the pride of such as hate God doth alwaies increase Hâ—nce comes the continuall and strange care which this enemie of God hath alwaies had to make him to be worshipt of men inventing so many kinds of Idolatries wherby he hath so long held the gretest part of the world in subiection so as there scarce remaines any one corner for God his people of Israel And since the power of the Gospel hath vanquished and disarmed him and that by the force of the Crosse hee hath broken and ruined the most important and puissant places of his kingdome with the like tyrannie hee hath begunne to assaile the barbarous people and Nations farthest off striving to maintaine amongst them his false and lying divinitie the which the Sonne of God had taken from him in his Church tying him with chaines as in a cage or prison like a furious beast to his great confusion reioycing of the servants of God as he doth signify in Iob. But in the end although idolatrie had beene rooted out of the best and most notable partes of the worlde yet he hath retired himself into the most remote parts and hath ruled in that other part of the worlde which although it be much inferiour in nobilitie yet is it not oflesse compasse There are two causes and chiefe motives for the which the divell hath so much laboured to plantidolatry and all infidelity so as you shall hardly finde any Nation where there is not some markes thereof The one is this great presumption and pride which is such that whoso would consider how hee durst affront the very Sonne of God and true God in saying impudently that he should fall downe and worship him the which he did although he knew not certainely that this was the very God yet had he some opinion that it was the Sonne of God A most cruell and horrible pride to dare thus impudently affront his God truely he shall not finde it very strange that hee makes himselfe to be worshipped as God by ignorant Nations seeing hee would seeke to be worshipped by God himselfe calling himselfe God being an abhominable and detestable creature The other cause and motive of idolatrie is the mortall hatred hee hath conceived for ever against mankinde For as our Saviour saith hee hath beene a murtherer from the beginning and holdes it as a condition and inseparable qualitie of his wickednesse And for that he knowes the greatast misery of man is to worship the creature for God for this reason hee never leaves to invent all sortes of Idolatries to destroy man and make him ennemy to God There are two mischiefes which the divell causeth in idolatry the one that hee denies his God according to the text Thou hast left thy God who created thee The other is that hee dooth subiect himselfe to a thing baser than himselfe for that all creatures are inferior to the reasonable and the divell although hee be superior to man in nature yet in estate he is much inferior seeing that man in this life is capable of Divinitie and Eternitie By this meanes God is dishonoured and man lost in all parts by idolatry wherwith the divell in his pride is well content Of many kindes of idolatry the Indians have vsed CHAP. 2. IDolatry saieth the holy-Ghost by the Wise man is the cause beginning and end of all miseries for this cause the enemy of mankinde hath multiplied so many sortes and diversities of idolatry as it were an infinite matter to specifie them all Yet we may reduce idolatry to twoo heades the one grounded vppon naturall things the other vpon things imagined and made by mans invention The first is divided into two for eyther the thing they worship is generall as the Sunne Moone Fire Earth and Elements or else it is particular as some certayne river fountaine tree or forrest when these things are not generaly worshipped in their kindes but onely in particular In this first kind of idolatry they have exceeded in Peru and they properly cal it Guaca The second kinde of idolatry which depends of mans invention fictions may likewise be divided into two sortes one which regards onely the pure arte and invention of man as to adore the Images or statues of gold wood or stone of Mercury or Pallas which neyther are nor ever were any thing else but the bare pictures and the other that concernes that which really hath beene and is in trueth the same thing but not such as idolatry faines as the dead or some things proper vnto them which men worshippe through vanitie and flatterie so as wee reduce all to foure kindes of idolatry which the infidells vse of all which it behooveth vs to speake something That the Indians have some knowledge of God CHAP. 3. FIrst although the darkenesse of infidelitie holdeth these Nations in blindenesse yet in many thinges the light of truth and reason works somewhat in them And they commonly acknowledge a supreame Lorde and Author of all things which they of Peru called Vnachocha and gave him names of great excellence as Pachacamac or Pachayachachic which is the Creator of heaven and earth and Vsapu which is admirable and other like names Him they did worship as the chiefest of all whom they did honor in beholding the heaven The like wee see amongest them of Mexico and China and all other infidelles Which accordeth well with that which is saide of Saint Paul in the Acts of the Apostles where hee did see the Inscription of an Altare Ignoto Deo To the vnknowne God Wherevpon the Apostle tooke occasion to preach vnto them saying He whome you worship without knowing him doe I preach vnto you In like sort those which at this day do preach the Gospel to the Indians find no great difficultie to perswade them that there is a high God and Lord over all and that this is the Christians God and the true God And yet it hath caused great admiration in me that although they had this knowledge yet had they no proper name for God If wee shall seeke into the Indian tongue for a word to answer to this name of God as in Latin Deus in Greeke Theos in Hebrew El in Arabike Alla but wee shall not finde any in the Cuscan or Mexicaine tongues So as such as preach or write to the Indians
go commonly to recreate themselves at the Narells or monasteries of these Monkes and returne in a manner alwayes drunke These monasteries commonly are without the townes and have temples within their close yet in China they are not greatly curious of idolles or of temples for the Mandarins little esteeme idolls and do hold it for a vaine thing and worthy to be laughed at yea they beleeve there is no other life nor Paradice but to be in the office of the Mandarins nor any other hel than the prisons they have for offendours As for the common sorte they say it is necessary to entertayne them with idolatry as the Philosopher himselfe reacheth his Governors and in the Scripture it was an excuse which Aaron gave for the idol of the Calfe that he caused to be made yet the Chinois vsed to tarry in the poupe of their shippes in little chapels a virgin imbosst set in a chaire with two Chinois before her kneeling in maner of Angels having a light burning there both day and night And when they are to sette saile they do many sacrifices and ceremonies with a great noyse of drummes and bells casting papers burnt at the poupe Comming to our religious men I doe not knowe that in Peru there is any proper houses for men but for the Priests and Sorcerers whereof there is an infinite number But it seemeth that in Mexico the divel hath set a due observation for within the circuit of the great temple there were two monasteries as before hath bin sayd one of Virgins whereof I have spoken the other of yoong men secluded of eighteene or twenty yeares of age which they called religious They weare shaved crownes as the Friars in these partes their haire alittle longer which fell to the middest of their care except the hinder part of the head which they let growe the breadth of foure fingers downe to their shoulders and which they tyed vppe in tresses These yoong men that served in the temple of Vitzliputzli lived poorely and chastely and did the office of Levites ministering to the priests and chiefe of the temple their incense lights garments they swept and made cleane the holy places bringing wood for a continual fire to the harth of their god which was like a lampe that still burnt before the Altar of their idoll Besides these yong men there were other little boyes as novices that served for manuall vses as to deck the temple with boughs roses and reeds give the Priests water to wash with give them their rasors to sacrifice and goe with such as begged almes to carry it All these had their superiors who had the governement over them they lived so honestly as when they came in publike where there were any women they carried their heads very lowe with their eyes to the ground not daring to beholde them they had linnen garments and it was lawfull for them to goe into the Citty foure or sixe together to aske almes in all quarters and when they gave them none it was lawful to go into the corne fields and gather the cares of corne or clusters of Mays which they most needed the Maister not daring to speake nor hinder them They had this liberty because they lived poorely and had no other revenues but almes There might not be above fifty live in penance rising at midnight to sound the cornets and trumpets to awake the people Every one watched the idoll in his turne left the fire before the Altare should die they gave the censor with the which the Priest at midnight incensed the idoll and also in the morning at noone and at night They were very subiect and obedient to their superiors and passed not any one poynt that was commaunded them And at midnight after the priesthad ended his censing they retired themselves into a secret place apart sacrificing drawing blood from the calfes of their legges with sharpe bodkins with this blood they rubbed their temples vnder their cares and this sacrifice finished they presently washt themselves in a little poole appoynted to that end These yong men did not annoint their heads and bodies with any Petum as the Priestes did their garments were of a course white linnen cloth they do make there These exercises and strictnesse of penance continued a whole yeare during which time they lived with great austeritie and solitarinesse In truth it is very strange to see that this false opinion of religion hath so great force among these yoong men and maidens of Mexico that they will serve the Divell with so great rigor and austerity which many of vs doe not in the service of the most high God the which is a great shame and confusion for those amongst vs that glory to have doone a small penaunce although this exercise of the Mexicaines was not continuall but for a yeare onely which made it the more tollerable Of Penance and the Strictnes the Indians have vsed at the Divells perswasion CHAP. 17. SEeing we are come to this point it shall bee good both to discover the cursed pride of Sathan and to confound it and somewhat to quicken our coldnes and slâ—th in the service of the great GOD to speake some thing of the rigor and strange penance this miserable people vsed at the Divells perswasion like to the false Prophets of Baal who did beate and wound themâ—elves with lancets drawing forth bloud or like those that sacrificed their sonnes and daughters vnto loathsome Belphegor passing them through the fire as holy Writ testifieth for Sathan hath alwayes desired to be served to the great hurte and spoyle of man It hath beene said that the priests and religious of Mexico rose at midnight and having cast incense before the idoll they retired themselves into a large place where there were many lights and sitting downe every one tooke a poynt of Manguay which is like vnto an awle or sharpe bodkin with the which or with some other kindes of launcets or rasors they pierced the calfes of their legges neare to the bone drawing foorth much blood with the which they annoynted their temples dipt these bodkins or lancets in the rest of the blood then set they them vpon the battlements of the Court stickt in gloabes or bowles of strawe that all might see and know the penance they did for the people they do wash off the blood in a lake appoynted for that purpose which they call Ezapangue which is to say water of blood There were in the Temple a great number of bodkins or lancets for that they might not vse one twice Moreover these Priests and Religious men vsed great fastings of five or ten daies together before any of their great feastes and they were vnto them as our foure ember weekes they were so strict in continence that some of them not to fall into any sensualitie slit their members in the midst and did a thousand thinges to make themselves vnable lest they should offend
their gods They drunke no wine and slept little for that the greatest part of their exercises were by night committing great cruelties and martiring themselves for the Divell and all to bee reputed great fasters and penitents They did vse to discipline themselves with cordes full of knottes and not they onely but the people also vsed this punishment and whipping in the procession and feast they made to the idoll TeZcalipuca the which as I have said before is the god of penance for then they all carried in their hands new cordes of the threed of Manguey a fadome long with a knot at the end and therewith they whipped themselves giving great lashes over their shoulders The Priests did fast five daies together before this feast eating but once a day and they lived apart from their wives not going out of the Temple during those five daies they did whip themselves rigorously in the maner aforesaid The Iesuites which have written from the Indies treate amply of the penances and exceeding rigor the Boncos vse all which was but counterfait and more in shew then in trueth In Peru to solemnize the feast of the Yta which was great all the people fasted two daies during the which they did not accompany with their wives neyther did they eate any meate with salt or garlike nor drinke Chica They did much vse this kinde of fasting for some sinnes and did penance whipping themselves with sharpe stinging nettles and often they strooke themselves over the shoulders with certaine stones This blinde Nation by the perswasion of the Divell did transport themselves into craggy mountaines where sometimes they sacrificed themselves casting themselves downe from some high rocke All which are but snares and deceites of him that desires nothing more then the losse and ruine of man Of the Sacrifices the Indians made to the Divell and whereof CHAP. 18. IT hath beene in the aboundance and diversitie of Offrings and Sacrifices taught vnto the Infidells for their idolatrie that the enemy of God and man hath most shewed his subtiltie and wickednes And as it is a fit thing and proper to religion to consume the substance of the creatures for the service and honour of the Creator the which is by sacrifice even so the father of lies hath invented the meanes to cause the creatures of God to be offered vnto him as to the Author and Lord thereof The first kinde of sacrifices which men vsed was very simple for Caine offered the fruites of the earth and Abell the best of his cattell the which likewise Noe and Abraham did afterwardes and the other Patriarkes vntil that this ample ceremony of Levi was given by Moses wherein there are so many sortes and differences of sacrifices of divers things for divers affaires and with divers ceremonies In like sort among some Nations hee hath beene content to teach them to sacrifice of what they had but among others hee hath passed farre giving them a multitude of customes and ceremonies vpon sacrifices and so many observances as they are wonderfull And thereby it appeares plainely that he meanes to contend and equall himselfe to the ancient law and in many things vsurpe the same ceremonies Wee may draw all the sacrifices the Infidells vse into three kindes one of insensible things another of beasts and the third of men They did vse in Peru to sacrifice Coca which is an hearb they esteeme much of Mays which is their wheate of coloured feathers and of Chaquira which otherwise they call Mollo of shelles or oysters and sometime gold and silver being in figures of little beasts Also of the fine stuffe of Cumbi of carved and sweete wood and most commonly tallow burnt They made these offerings or sacrifices for a prosperous winde and faire weather or for their health and to be delivered from some dangers and mishappes Of the second kinde their ordinary sacrifice was of Cuyes which are small beasts like rabbets the which the Indians eate commonly And in matters of importance or when they were rich men they did offer Pacos or Indian sheepe bare or with wooll observing curiously the numbers colours and times The maner of killing their sacrifices great or small which the Indians did vse according to their ancient ceremonies is the same the Moores vse at this day the which they call Alquible hanging the beast by the right fore legge turning his eyes towards the Sun speaking certaine wordes according to the qualitie of the sacrifice they flew for if it were of colour their wordes were directed to Chuquilla and to the Thunder that they might want no water if it were white smoothe they did offer it to the Sunne with certaine wordes if it had a fleece they did likewise offer it him with some others that he might shine vpon them and favour their generation If it were a Guanaco which is gray they directed their sacrifice to Viracocha In Cusco they did every yeare kill and sacrifice with this ceremony a shorne sheepe to the Sunne and did burne it clad in a red waste-coate and when they did burne it they cast certaine small baskets of Coca into the fire which they call Vilcaronca for which sacrifice they have both men and beasts appointed which serve to no other vse They did likewise sacrifice small birdes although it were not so vsuall in Peru as in Mexico where the sacrificing of quailes was very ordinarie Those of Peru did sacrifice the birdes of Puna for so they call the desart when they should go to the warres for to weaken the forces of their adversaries Guacas They called these sacrifices Cuzcovicca or Contevicca or Huallavicca or Sophavicca and they did it in this maner they tooke many kindes of small birdes of the desart and gathered a great deale of a thornie wood which they call Yaâ—lli the which being kindled they gathered together these small birdes This assembly they called Quiâ—o then did they cast them into the fire about the which the officers of the sacrifice went with certaine round stones carved whereon were painted many snakes lions toades and tigres vttering this word Vsachum which signifies let the victorie be given vnto vs with other wordes whereby they sayed the forces of their enemies Guacas were confounded And they drew forth certaine blacke sheepe which had beene kept close some daies without meate the which they called Vrca and in killing them they spake these words As the hearts of these beasts be weakened so let our enemies be weakned And if they found in these sheep that a certaine peece of flesh behind the heart were not consumed by fasting and close keeping they then held it for an ill augure They brought certaine black dogs which they call Appuros and slew them casting them into a plaine with certaine ceremonies causing some kinde of men to eate this flesh the which sacrifices they did lest the Ingua should be hurt by poison and for this cause they fasted from morning vntill the stars were vp
beganne to runne away supposing that the bridge which was of stone should presently fall but when they found it to stand firme and that the Spaniards went on it the Cacique saide to his companions It is reason we should serve these men who in trueth seeme to be the children of the Sunne The bridges they made were of reedes plaited which they tied to the bankes with great stakes for that they could not make any bridges ofstone or wood The bridge which is at this day vpon the current of the great lake Chiquitto in Collao is admirable for the course of that water is so deep as they can not settle any foundation and so broade that it is impossible to make an arch to passe it so as it was altogether impossible to make a bridge eyther of wood or stone But the wit and industry of the Indians invented a meanes to make a firme and assured bridge being only of strawe which seemeth fabulous yet is it very true For as we have said before they did binde together certaine bundles of reedes and weedes which do grow in the lake that they call Torora and being a light matter that sinkes not in the water they cast it vppon a great quantity of reedes then having tyed those bundles of weedes to either side of the river both men and beasts goe over it with ease passing over this bridge I have woondered that of so common and easie a thing they had made a bridge better and more assured than the bridge of boates from Seville to Triane I have measured the length of this bridge and as I remember it was above three hundred foote and they say that the depth of this current is very great and it seemes above that the water hath no motion yet they say that at the bottome it hath a violent and very furious course And this shall suffice for buildings Of the Inguas revenues and the order of Tributes they imposed vpon the Indians CHAP. 15. THe Inguas riches was incomparable for although no king did inherite the riches and treasure of his predecessor yet had he at commaund all the riches of his realmes aswell silver and gold as the stuffe of Cumbi and cattell wherein they abounded and their greatest riches of all was their innumerable number of vassalles which were all imployed as it pleased the King They brought out of every province what he had chosen for tribute The Chicas sent him sweete and rich woods the Lucanas sent Brancars to carry his Litter The Chumbilbicas dauncers and so the other provinces sent him what they had of aboundaunce besides their generall tribute wherevnto every one contributed The Indians that were noted to that end labored in the mines of golde and silver which did abound in Peru whom the Ingua intertained with all they needed for their expences and whatsoever they drew of gold and silver was for him By this meanes there were so great treasures in this kingdome as it is the opinion of many that what fell in the handes of the Spaniardes although it were very much as wee know was it not the tenth part of that which they hid and buried in the ground the which they could never discover notwithstanding all the search covetousnesse had taught them But the greatest wealth of these barbarous people was that their vassalles were all slaves whose labour they vsed at their pleasure and that which is admirable they imployed them in such sorte as it was no servitude vnto them but rather a pleasing life But to vnderstand the order of tributes which the Indians payed vnto their Lordes you must knowe that when the Ingua conquered any citties he divided all the land into three partes the first was for religion and ceremonies so as the Pachayachaqui which is the Creator and the Sunne the Chuquilla which is the Thunder the Pachamana and the dead and other Guacas and sanctuaries had every one their proper lands the fruits wherof were spoyled and consumed in sacrifices and in the nourishing of ministers and priests for there were Indians appoynted for every Guaca and sanctuary and the greatest parte of this revenue was spent in Cusco where was the vniversall and generall sanctuarie and the rest in that cittie where it was gathered for that after the imitation of Cusco there were in every Citie Guacas and Oratories of the same order and with the same functions which were served after the same manner and ceremonies to that of Cusco which is an admirable thing and they have found it by proofe in above a hundred townes some of them distant above twoo hundred leagues from Cusco That which they sowed or reapt vpon their land was put into houses as greniers or store-houses built for that effect and this was a great parte of the Tribute which the Indians payed I can not say how much this parte amounted vnto for that it was greater in some partes than in other and in some places it was in a manner all and this parte was the first they put to profite The second parte of these lands and inheritances was for the Iugua wherewith he and his housholde were entertained with his kinsfolks noblemen garrisons and souldiers And therefore it was the greatest portion of these tributes as it appeareth by the quantity of golde silver and other tributes which were in houses appoynted for that purpose being longer and larger than those where they keepe the revenues of the Guacas They brought this tribute very carefully to Cusco or vnto such places where it was needefull for the souldiers and when there was store that kept it tenne or twelve yeares vntill a time of necessitie The Indians tilled and put to profite the Inguas lands next to those of the Guacas during which time they lived and were nourished at the charges of the Ingua of the Sunne or of the Guacas according to the land they laboured But the olde men women and sicke folkes were reserved and exempt from this tribute and although whatsoever they gathered vpon those lands were for the Ingua the Sunne or the Guacâ—s yet the property appertayned vnto the Indians and their successors The third parte of these landes were given by the Ingua for the comminaltie and they have not yet discovered whether this portion were greater or lesse than that of the Ingua or Guacas It is most certaine they had a care and regarde it might be sufficient for the nourishment of the people No particular man possessed any thing proper to himself of this third portion neither didde the Indians ever possesse any if it were not by speciall grace from the Ingua yet might it not be engaged nor divided amongest his heires They every yeare divided these landes of the comminaltie in giving to every one that which was needfull for the nourishment of their persons and families And as the familie increased or diminished so did they encrease or decrease his portion for there were measures appoynted for every person The Indians
payed no tribute of that which was apportioned vnto them For all their tribute was to till and keepe in good order the landes of the Ingua and the Guacas and to lay the fruits thereof in their store-houses When the yeare was barren they gave of these fruits thus reserved to the needy for that there is alwayes superaboundance The Ingua did likewise make destribution of the cattell as of the landes which was to number and divide them then to appoynt the pastures and limites for the cattell belonging to the Guacas and to the Ingua and to everie Towne and therefore one portion of their revenues was for religion another for the Ingua the third for the Indians themselves The like order was observed among the hunters being forbidden to take or kill any females The troups of the Inguas and Guacas were in great numbers and very fruitfull for this cause they called them Capaëllama but those of the common and publike were few in number and of small valew and therfore they called them Bacchallama The Ingua took great care for the preservation of cattell for that it hath beene and is yet all the wealth of the Countrey and as it is sayd they did neither sacrifice any females nor kill them neither did they take them when they hunted If the mangie or the scurvie which they call Carache take any beast they were presently commaunded to bury it quicke lest it should infect others They did sheare their cattell in their season and distributed to every one to spinne and weave stuffes for the service of his familie They had searchers to examine if they did employ themselves in these workes and to punish the negligent They made stuffes of the wooll of the Inguas cattell for him and for his family one sorte very fine which they called Cumbi and another grosser which they likewise called Abasca There was no certaine number of these stuffes and garments appointed but what was delivered to every one The wooll that remayned was put into the storehouses whereof the Spaniards found them ful and with all other things necessary for the life of man There are few men of iudgement but doe admire at so excellent and well settled a governement seeing the Indians being neyther religious nor christians maintained after their manner this perfection nor to holde any thing proper and to provide for all their necessities entertaining with such aboundance matters of religion and that which concerned their King and Lord. Of artes and offices which the Indians did exercise CHAP. 16. THe Indians of Peru had one perfection which was to teach their young children all artes and occupations necessary for the life of man for that there were no particular trades-men as amongest vs taylers shoomakers weavers and the rest but every one learned what was needefull for their persons and houses and provided for themselves All coulde weave and make their garments and therfore the Ingua furnishing them with wooll gave them clothes Every man could till the ground and put it to profite without hyring of any labourers All built their owne houses and the women vnderstoode most they were not bred vppe in delights but served their husbands carefully Other arts and trades which were not ordinary and common for the life of man had their proper companies and workmen as goldsmiths painters potters watermen and players of instruments There were also weavers and workemen for exquisite workes which the noblemen vsed but the common people as hath beene said had in their houses all things necessary having no need to buy This continues to this day so as they have no need one of another for things necessary touching his person and family as shooes and garments and for their house to sowe and reape and to make yron woorkes and necessary instruments the Indians heerein doe imitate the institutions of the lesse auntient whereof is intreated in the life of the Fathers In trueth it is a people not greatly covetous nor curious so as they are contented to passe their time quietly and without doubt if they made choise of this manner of life by election and not by custome or nature we may say that it was a life of great perfection being apt to receive the doctrine of the holy Gospel so contrary an enimy to pride covetousnes and delights But the preachers give not alwayes good example according to the doctrine they preach to the Indians It is woorthy observation although the Indians be simple in their manner and habites yet do we see great diversitie amongest the provinces especially in the attire of their head for in some places they carried a long peece of cloth which went often about in some places a large piece of cloth which went but once about in some parts as it were litle morters or hattes in some others as it were high and round bonets some like the bottome of sacks with a thousand other differences They had a straight and inviolable lawe that no man might change the fashion of the garments of his province although hee went to live in another This the Ingua held to be of great importance for the order and good governement of his realme and they doe observe it to this day though not with so great a care as they were accustomed Of the Posts and Chasquis the Indians did use CHAP. 17. THere were many Posts and couriers which the Ingua maintened throughout his realme whom they called Chasquis and they carried commaundements to the Governours and returned their advises and advertisements to the Court These Chasquis were placed at every course which was a league and a halfe one fro an other in twoo small houses where were foure Indians of every country and they were changed monthly Having received the packet or message they ranne with all their force vntill they had delivered it to the other Chasquis such as were to runne being ready and watchfull They ranne fifty leagues in a day and night although the greatest parte of that countrey be very rough They served also to carry such things as the Ingua desired to have with speede Therefore they had always sea-fish in Cusco of two dayes old or litle more although it were above a hundred leagues off Since the Spaniardes entred they have vsed of these Chasquis in time of seditions whereof there was great need Don Martin the viceroy appoynted ordinary posts at everie foure leagues to carry and recarry dispatches which were very necessary in this realme though they runne not so swiftly as the auntients did neither are there so many yet they are well payed and serve as the ordinaries of Spaine to whom they give letters which they carry foure or five leagues Of the iustice lawes and punishments which the Inguas have established and of their marriages CHAP. 18. EVen as such as had done any good service in warre or in the governement of the common-weale were honoured and recompensed with publike charges with lands given them
Realme taking the government from his father and brother Then afterwardes he conquered and overthrew the Changuas and from that time commanded that Viracocha should be held for vniversall Lord and that the images of the Sunne and Thunder should do him reverence and honour And from that time they beganne to set the image of Viracocha above that of the Sunne and Thunder and the rest of the Guacas And although this Ingua Yupangui had given farmes landes and cattell to the Sunne Thunder and other Guacas yet did he not dedicate any thing to Viracocha saying that he had no neede being vniversall Lord and Creator of all things He informed his souldiers after this absolute victory of the Changuas that it was not they alone that had conquered them but certaine bearded men whome Viracocha had sent him and that no man might see them but himselfe which were since converted into stones it was therefore necessary to seeke them out whome he would know well By this meanes hee gathered together a multitude of stones in the mountaines whereof he made choice placing them for Guacas or Idolls they worshipped and sacrificed vnto they called them Pâ—ruraucas and carried them to the warre with great devotion beleeving for certaine that they had gotten the victory by their help The imagination and fiction of this Ingua was of such force that by the means thereof hee obtained goodly victories He founded the family called Yuacapanaca and made a great image of golde which hee called Indijllapa which hee placed in a brancard of golde very rich and of great price of the which gold the Indians tooke great store to carry to Xaxamalca for the libertie and ransome of Atahulpa when the Marquise Francis PiZarre held him prisoner The Licentiate Polo found in his house in Cusco his servants and Mamacomas which did service to his memorie and found that the body had beene transported from Patallacta to Totocache where the Spaniards have since founded the parish of Saint Blaise This body was so whole and preserved with a certaine rosin that it seemed alive he had his eyes made of a fine cloth of golde so artificially set as they seemed very naturall eyes he had a blowe with a stone on the head which he had received in the warres he was all grey and hairy having lost no more haire than if hee had died but the same day although it were seaventy and eight yeares since his decease The foresaid Polo sent this body with some others of the Inguas to the cittie of Lima by the viceroyes commaund which was the Marquise of Canette and the which was very necessary to root out the idolatry of Cusco Many Spaniards have seene this body with others in the hospitall of Saint Andrew which the Marquise built but they were much decayed Don Phillip Caritopa who was grand-childe or great grand-childe to this Ingua affirmed that the treasure hee left to his family was great which should be in the power of the Yanaconas Amaro Toto and others To this Ingua succeeded Topaingua Yupangui to whom his son of the same name succeeded who founded the family called Cupac Aillo Of the greatest and most famous Ingua called Guaynacapa CHAP. 22. TO this latter Ingua succeeded Guaynacapa which is to say a yoong man rich and valiant and so was he in trueth more than any of his predecessors or successors Hee was very wise planting good orders thorowout his whole realme hee was a bold and resolute man valiant and very happy in warre Hee therefore obtained great victories and extended his dominions much farther then all his predecessors had done before him he died in the realme of Quitto the which he had conquered foure hundred leagues distant from his court The Indians opened him after his decease leaving his heart and entrailes in Quitto the body was carried to Cusco the which was placed in the renowmed temple of the Sunne We see yet to this day many cawseies buildings fortresses and notable workes of this king hee founded the familie of Teme Bamba This Guaynacapa was worshipped of his subiects for a god being yet alive as the olde men affirme which was not doone to any of his predecèssours When he died they slew a thousand persons of his housholde to serve him in the other life all which died willingly for his service insomuch that many of them offered themselves to death besides such as were appoynted his riches and treasure was admirable And forasmuch as the Spaniards entred soone after his death the Indians laboured much to conceale all although a great parte thereof was carried to Xaxamalca for the ransome of Atahulpa his sonne Some woorthy of credite affirme that he hadde above three hundred sonnes and grand-children in Cusco His mother called Mamaoella was much esteemed amongst them Polo sent hir body with that of Guaynacapa very well imbalmed to Lima rooting out infinite idolatries To Guaynacapa succeeded in Cusco a sonne of his called Titocussigualpa who since was called Guaspar Ingua his body was burned by the captaines of Atahulpa who was likewise sonne to Guaynacapa and rebelled in Quitto against his brother marching against him with a mighty armie It happened that Quisquits and Chilicuchi captains to Atahulpa took Guaspar Ingua in the cittie of Cusco being received for Lord and king for that hee was the lawfull successor which caused great sorrowe throughout all his kingdome especially in his Court. And as alwayes in their necessities they had recourse to sacrifices finding themselves vnable to set their Lord at libertie as well for the great power the captaines had that tooke him as also for the great army that came with Atahulpa they resolved some say by the commaundement of this Ingua to make a great and solemne sacrifice to Viracocha Pachayachachic which signifieth vniversall Creator desiring him that since they coulde not deliver their Lord he would send men from heaven to deliver him from prison And as they were in this great hope vpon their sacrifice news came to them that a certaine people come by sea was landed and had taken Atahulpa prisoner Heerevpon they called the Spaniards Viracochas beleeving they were men sent from God as well for the small number they were to take Atahulpa in Xaxamalca as also for that it chaunced after their sacrifice done to Viracocha and thereby they began to call the Spaniards Viracochas as they doe at this day And in truth if we had given them good example and such as we ought these Indians had well applied it in saying they were men sent from God It is a thing very well worthy of consideration how the greatnesse and providence of God disposed of the entry of our men at Peru which had beene impossible were not the dissention of the two brethren and their partisans and the great opinion they hadde of christians as of men sent from heaven bound by the taking of the Indians countrey to labour to winne soules vnto Almightie God Of the
were those they doe call Tlacatecati which is to say circumcisers or cutters of men The third dignitie were of those which they called EZuahuacalt which signifies a sheader of blood All the which Titles and Dignities were exercised by men of warre There was another a fourth intituled Tlilancalqui which is as much to say as Lord of the blacke house or of darkenesse by reason of certaine incke wherewith the Priests annoynted themselves and did serve in their idolatries All these foure dignities were of the great Counsell without whose advise the king might not doe any thing of importance and the king being dead they were to choose another in his place out of one of those foure dignities Besides these there were other Counsells and Audiences and some say there were as many as in Spaine and that there were divers seates and iurisdictions with their Counsellers and Iudges of the Court and oâ—hers that were vnder them as Corrigidors chiefe Iudges captaines of Iustice Lievetenants and others which were yet inferiour to these with a very goodly order All which depended on the foure first Princes that assisted the king These foure onely had authoritie and power to condemne to death and the rest sent them instructions of the sentences they had given By meanes whereof they gave the king to vnderstand what had passed in his Realme There was a good order and settled policie for the revenues of the Crowne for there were officers divided throughout all the provinces as Receivers and Treasurers which received the Tributes and royall revenews And they carried the Tribute to the Court at the least every moneth which Tribute was of all things that doe growe or ingender on the land or in the water aswell of iewells and apparrell as of mear They were very carefull for the well ordering of that which concerned their religion superstition and idolatries and for this occasion there were a great number of Ministers to whom charge was given to teach the people the custome and ceremonies of their Lawe Heerevppon one day a christian Priest made his complaint that the Indians were no good Christians and did not profite in the lawe of God an olde Indian answered him very well to the purpose in these termes Let the Priest saide hee imploy as much care and diligence to make the Indians christians as the ministers of Idolles did to teach them their ceremonies for with halfe that care they will make vs the best christians in the worlde for that the lawe of Iesus Christ is much better but the Indians learne it not for want of men to instruct them Wherein hee spake the very trueth to our great shame and confusion How the Mexicaines made Warre and of their Orders of Knighthood CHAP. 26. THe Mexicaines gave the first place of honour to the profession of armes and therefore the Noblemen are their chiefe souldiers and others that were not noble by their valour and reputation gotten in warres came to dignities and honours so as they were held for noblemen They gave goodly recompences to such as had done valiantly who inioyed priviledgeâ— that none else might have the which did much incourage them Their armes were of rasors of sharpe cutting flints which they set on either side of a staffe which was so furious a weapon as they affirmed that with one blow they would cut off the necke of a horse They had strange and heavy clubbes lances fashioned like pikes and other maner of dartes to cast wherein they were very expert but the greatest part of their combate was performed with stones For defensive armes they had little rondaches or targets and some kind of morions or head-peeces invironed with feathers They were clad in the skinnes of Tigres Lions and other sauage beasts They came presently to hands with the enemie and were greatly practised to runne and wrestle for their chiefe maner of combate was not so much to kill as to take captives the which they vsed in their sacrifices as hath beene saide Moteçuma set Knighthood in his highest splendor ordaining certaine militarie orders as Commanders with certaine markes and ensignes The most honourable amongest the Knightes were those that carried the Crowne of their haire tied with a little red ribband having a rich plume of feathers from the which did hang branches of feathers vpon their shoulders roules of the same They carried so many of these rowles as they had done worthy deedes in warre The King himselfe was of this order as may be seene in Chapultepec where Moteçuma and his sonnes were attyred with those kindes of feathers cut in the rocke the which is worthy the sight There was another order of Knighthood which they called the Lions and the Tigres the which were commonly the most valiant and most noted in warre they went alwaies with their markes and armories There were other Knightes as the grey Knightes the which were not so much respected as the rest they had their haire cut round about the eare They went to the war with markes like to the other Knightes yet they were not armed but to the girdle and the most honourable were armed all over All Knightes might carry golde and silver and weare rich cotton vse painted and gilt vessell and carry shooes after their maner but the common people might vse none but earthen vessell neyther might they carry shooes nor attyre themselves but in Nequen the which is a grosse stuffe Every order of these Knightes had his lodging in the pallace noted with their markes the first was called the Princes lodging the second of Eagles the third of Lions and Tigres and the fourth of the grey Knightes The other common officers were lodged vnderneath in meaner lodgings if any one lodged out of his place he suffred death Of the great order and dilligence the Mexicaines vsed to instruct their youth CHAP. 27. THere is nothing that gives me more cause to admire nor that I finde more worthy of commendations and memory then the order and care the Mexicaines had to nourish their youth for they knew well that all the good hope of a common-weale consisted in the nurture and institution of youth whereof Plato treates amply in his bookes De Legibus and for this reason they laboured and tooke paines to sequester their children from delights and liberties which are the two plagues of this age imploying them in honest and profitable exercises For this cause there was in their Temples a private house for childeren as schooles or colledges which was seperate from that of the yong men and maides of the Temple whereof we have discoursed at largee There were in these schooles a great number of children whom their fathers did willingly bring thither and which had teachers and masters to instruct them in all commendable exercises to be of good behaviour to respect their superiors to serve and obey them giving them to this end certaine precepts and instructions And to the end they might be pleasing to Noblemen
aiding himselfe with his best iudgement being therevnto bound by the duetie and charge of a king Who will likewise beleeve that the great courage which thou hast alwaies valiantly shewed in matters of importance shuld now faile thee in matters of greatest need Who will not perswade himselfe but the Mexicane Empire is come to the height of their soveraignetie seeing the Lorde of things created hath imparted so great graces vnto thee that with thy looke onelie thou breedest admiration in them that beholde thee Reioyce then O happy land to whom the Creator hath given a Prince as a firme pillar to support thee which shall be thy father and thy defence by whom thou shalt be succoured at neede who wil be more than a brother to his subiects for his pietie and clemencie Thou hast a king who iâ— regard of his estate is not inclined to delights or will lie stretched out vpon his bed occupied in pleasures and vices but contrariwise in the middest of his sweete and pleasant sleepe hee will sodainely awake for the care he must have over thee and will not feele the taste of the most savourie â—eates having his spirites transported with the imagination of thy good Tell me then O happie realme if I have not reason to saie that 〈◊〉 oughtest reioyce having found such a King And thâ—â—â—â—ble Yong man and our most mightie Lorde be confident and of â— good courage that seeing the Lorde of things created hath given thee this charge hee will also give thee forâ—â— and courage to mannage it and thou maiest well hope thâ—â— he which in times past hath vsed so great bountie towardes thee wil not now denie thee his greater gifts seeing he hath given thee so great a charge which I wish thee to enioy maâ—â— yeares King Moteçuma was very attentive to this Discourse which being ended they say he was so troubled that indevouring thrice to answer him hee could not speake being overcome with teares which ioy and content doe vsually cause in signe of great humilitie In the end being come to himselfe he spake brieâ—ly I were too blinde good king of Tescuco if I didde not know that what thou hast spoken vnto me proceeded of meere favour it pleaseth you to shew me seeing among so mâ—nie noble valiant men within this realme you have made châ—â—â—â— of the leâ—st sufficient and in trueth I finde my selfe so incapable of a charge of so great importance that I know not what to doe but to beseech the Creator of all created things that hee will favour mee and I intreate you all to pray vnto him for me These wordes vttered hee beganne againe to weepe How Moteçuma ordered the service of his house and of the warre hee made for his coronation CHA. 21 HE that in his election made such shew of humilitie and mildenes seeing himselfe king beganne presently to discover his aspiring thoughts The first was he commaunded that no plebeian should serve in his house nor beare any royall office as his predecesfours had vsed till then blaming them that would be served by men of base condition commaunding that all the noble and most famous men of his realme shoulde live within his pallace and exercise the offices of his court and house Wherevnto an olde man of great authoritie who had sometimes beene his Schoolemaister opposed himselfe advising him to be carefull what hee did and not to thrust himselfe into the danger of a great inconvenience in separating himselfe from the vulgare and common people so as they should not dare to looke him in the face seeing themselves so reiected by him He answered that it was his resolution and that he would not allow the plebeians to goe thus mingled among the Nobles as they had do one saying that the service they did was according to their condition so as the kings got no reputation and thus he continued firme in his resolution Hee presently commanded his counsell to dismisse all the plebâ—ians from their charges and offices as well those of his houshold as of his court and to provide Knightes the which was done After he went in person to an enterprise necessary for his coronation At that time a province lying farre off towards the North Ocean was revolted from the crowne whether he led the flower of his people well appointed There hee warred with such valour and dexteritie that in the end he subdued all the province and punished the rebells severely returning with a great number of captives for the sacrifices and many other spoiles All the cities made him solemne receptions at his returne and the Lords thereof gave him water to wash performing the offices of servants a thing not vsed by any of his predecessors Such was the feare and respect they bare him In Mexico they made the feasts of his coronation with great preparations of dances comedies banquets lights and other inventions for many daies And there came so great a wealth of tributes from all his countries that strangers vnknowne came to Mexico and their very enemies resorted in great numbers disguised to see these feasts as those of Tlascalla and Mechovacan the which Moteçuma having discovered he commanded they should be lodged and gently intreated and honoured as his own person He also made them goodly galleries like vnto his owne where they might see and behold the feasts So they entred by night to those feasts as the king himselfe making their sportes and maskes And for that I have made mention of these provinces it shall not be from the purpose to vnderstand that the inhabitants of Mechovacan Tlascalla and Tapeaca would never yeelde to the Mexicans but did alwaies fight valiantly against them yea sometimes the Mechovacans did vanquish the Mexicans as also those of Tapeaca did In which place the Marquise Don Ferrand Cortes after that he and the Spaniards were expelled Mexico pretended to build their first cittie the which he called as I well remember Segura de la Frontiere But this peopling continued little for having afterwards reconquered Mexico all the Spaniards went to inhabite there To conclude those of Tapeaca Tlascalla and Mechovacan have beene alwaies enemies to the Mexicans although Motoçuma said vnto Cortes that he did purposesy forbeare to subdue them to have occasion to exercise his men of warre and to take numbers of captives Of the behaviour and greatnes of Moteçuma CHAP. 22. THis King laboured to be respected yea to be worshiped as a god No Plebeian might looke him in the face if he did he was punished with death hee did never set his foote on the ground but was alwaies carried on the shoulders of Noblemen and if he lighted they laid rich tapestry whereon he did go When hee made any voyage hee and the Noblemen went as it were in a parke compassed in for the nonce and the rest of the people went without the parke invironing it in on every side hee never put on a garment twice nor did eate or drinke in one vessell
lands and habitations Some peopling the lands they found and others seeking for newe in time they came to inhabite and people the Indies with so many nations people and tongues as we see By what meanes tame Beasts passed to the Indies CHAP. 21. THe signes and arguments which offer themselves to such as are curious to examine the Indians maners and fashions helpe much to maintayne the foresayd opinion for that you shall not finde any inhabiting the Ilands that are farre from the maine Land or from other Ilands as the Bermudes the reason whereof is for that the Ancients did never sayle but alongst the coast and in view of land whereupon it is reported that they have found no great Ships in any part of the Indies capable to passe such Gulphs but onely Balsae Barkes and Canoes which are all lesse then our long boates the which the Indians doe onely vse with the which they could not runne through so great a Passage without apparant danger of ship-wracke and although their shippes had beene sufficient yet had they no knowledge of the Astrolabe or Compasse If then they had beene but eight or tenne dayes at Sea withoutsight of land they must of necessitie loose themselves having no knowledge where they were wee know many Ilandes well peopled with Indians and their vsuall navigations the which was such as they may well performe in Canoes and boats without any Compasse to sayle by Whenas the Indians of Peru which remayne at Tombes did see our first Spanish shippes sayling to Peru and viewed the greatnesse of their sailes being spread and of the bodies of the ships they stoode greatly amazed not beeing able to perswade themselves that they were shippes having never seene any of the like forme and greatnesse they supposed they had beene rockes But seeing them advance and not to sincke they stood transported with amazement vntill that beholding them neerer they discovered men with beards that walked in them whom then they held for some gods or heavenly creatures Whereby it appeares how strange it was to the Indians to have great Ships There is yet an other reason which confirmes vs in the foresayd opinion which is that these beastes which we say are not likely to have been transported by Sea to the Indies remayne onely on the maine Land and not in any Ilands foure dayes iorney from the maine Land I have made this search for proofe thereof for that it seemes to me a point of great importance to confirme me in mine opinion that the confines of the Indies Europe Asia and Affricke have some communication one with another or at the least approch very neere together There are in America and Peru many wilde beastes as Lyons although they be not like in greatnesse fiercenesse nor of the same colour redde to the renowmed Lyons of Affrica There are also many Tygers very cruell and more to the Indians then to the Spaniardes there are likewise Beares but in no great aboundance of Boares and Foxes an infinite number And yet if wee shall seeke for all these kindes of beastes in the Ilands of Cuba Hispaniola Iamaica Marguerita or Dominica you shall not finde any So as in the sayde Ilands although they were very fertile and of a great circuit yet was there not any kind of beastes for service when the Spaniards arrived but at this day there are so great troopes of Horses Oxen Kyne Dogs and Hogges which have multiplied in such abundance as now the Kine have no certaine master but belong to him that shal first kil them be it on the mountaines or on the plaines which the Indians do onely to save their hides whereof they make great traffick without any regard of the flesh to eate it Dogges have so increased as they march by troopes and endammage the cattell no lesse then wolves which is a great inconvenience in these Ilands There wants not onely beastes in these Ilands but also birdes both great and small As for Parrets there are many that flie by flockes but as I have said there are few of any other kinde I have not seene nor heard of any Partriges there as in Peru. Likewise there are few of those beastes which at Peru they call Guancos and Vicunas like to wilde Goates very swifte in whose stomacke they find the Beezars stone which many do greatly value sometimes you shall finde them as bigge as a hens egge yea halfe as bigge againe They have no other kinde of beastes but such as we call Indian sheepe the which besides their wooll and flesh wherewith they clothe and feede themselves do serve them as Asses to beare their burthens They carrie halfe as much as a Moyle and are of small charge to their masters having neede neither of shooes saddle nor oates to live by nor of any furniture for that Nature hath provided them of all these wherein she seemes to have favoured these poore Indians Of all these creatures and of many other sortes whereof I will make mention the maine land at the Indies aboundes But in the Ilands there are not any found but such as the Spaniards have brought It is true that once one of our Friars did see a Tigre in an Iland as hee reported vnto vs vpon the discourse of his peregrination and shipwracke but being demanded how farre it was from the maine land he answered sixe or eight leagues at the most which passage Tigres might easily swimme over We may easily inferre by these arguments and others like that the first Indians went to inhabite the Indies more by land then by sea or if there were any navigation it was neither great nor difficult being an indibitable thing that the one world is continued and ioyned with the other or at the least they approach one neere vnto another in some parts That the linage of the Indies hath not passed by the Atlantike Iland as some do imagine CHAP. 22. SOme following Platoes opinion mentioned before affirme that these men parted from Europe or Affricke to go to that famous and renowmed Atlantike Iland and so passed from one Iland vnto another vntill they came to the maine land of the Indies for that Critias of Plato in his time discourseth in this maner if the Atlantike Iland wereas great as all Asia and Affrike together or greater as Plato saies it should of necessitie containe all the Atlantike Ocean and stretch even vnto the Ilands of the new world And Plato saieth moreover that by a great and strange deluge the Atlantike Iland was drowned and by that meanes the sea was made vnnavigable through the aboundance of banckes rockes and roughnesse of the waves which were yet in his time But in the end the ruines of this drowned Iland weresetled which made this sea navigable This hath been curiously handled and discoursed of by some learned men of good iudgement and yet to speake the truth being well considered they are ridiculous things resembling rather to Ovids tales then a Historie or
Philosophie worthy of accoumpt The greatest part of Platoes Interpreters affirme that it is a true Historie whatsoever Critias reports of the strange beginning of the Atlantike Iland of the greatnes thereof of the warres they had against them of Europe with many other things That which gives it the more credite of a true Historie be the wordes of Critias whom Plato brings in in his time saying that the subiect he meanes to treate of is of strange things but yet true The other disciples of Plato considering that this discourse hath more shew of a fable then of a true Historie say that we must take it as an allegorie and that such was the intention of their divine Philosopher Of this opinion is Procles and Porphire yea and Origene who so much regardes the writings of Plato as when they speake thereof they seeme to bee the bookes of Moses or of Esdras and whereas they thinke the writings of Plato have no shew of truth they say they are to be vnderstood mystically and in allegories But to say the truth I do not so much respect the authoritie of Plato whom they call Divine as I wil beleeve he could write these things of the Atlantike Iland for a true Historie the which are but meere fables seeing hee confesseth that hee learned them of Critias being a little childe who among other songs sung that of the Atlantike Iland But whether that Plato did write it for a true Historie or a fable for my part I beleeve that all which he hath written of this Iland beginning at the Dialogue of Time and continuing to that of Critias cannot be held for true but among children and old folkes Who will not accoumpt it a fable to say that Neptune fell in love with Clite and had of her five paire of twinnes at one birth And that out of one mountaine hee drew three round balles of water and two of earth which did so well resemble as you would have iudged them all one bowell What shall wee say moreover of that Temple of a thousand pace long and five hundred broade whose walles without were all covered with silver the seeling of gold and within ivorie indented and inlaied with gold silver and pearle In the end speaking of the ruine thereof he concludes thus in his time In one day and one night came a great deluge whereby all our souldiers were swallowed by heapes within the earth and in this sort the Atlantike Iland being drowned it vanished in the Sea Without doubt it fell out happily that this Iland vanished so suddenly seeing it was bigger then Asia and Affrike and that it was made by enchantment It is in likesort all one to say that the ruines of this so great an Iland are seene in the bottome of the sea and that the Mariners which see them cannot saile that way Then he addes For this cause vnto this day that Sea is not navigable by reason of the bancke which by little little is growne in that drowned Iland I would willingly demand what Sea could swallow vp so infinite a continent of land greater then Asia and Affrike whose confines stretched vnto the Indies and to swallow it vp in such sort as there should at this day remaine no signes nor markes thereof whatsoever seeing it is well knowne by experience that the Mariners finde no bottome in the Sea where they say this Iland was Notwithstanding it may seeme indiscreete and farre from reason to dispute seriously of those things which are reported at pleasure or if we shall give that respect to the authoritie of Plato as it is reason we must rather vnderstand them to signifie simply as in a picture the prosperitie of a Citie and withall the ruine thereof For the argument they make to prove that this Atlantike Iland hath bene really and indeede saying that the sea in those parts doth at this day beare the name of Atlantike is of small importance for that wee knowe Mount Atlas whereof Plinie sayes this sea tooke the name is vpon the confines of the Mediterranean Sea And the same Plinie reportes that ioyning to the said Mount there is an Iland called Atlantike which he reportes to be little and of small accompt That the opinion of many which holde that the first race of the Indians comes from the Iewes is not true CHAP. 23. NOw that wee have shewed how vnlikely it is that the first Indians passed to the Indies by the Atlantike Iland there are others holde opinion that they tooke the way whereof Esdras speakes in his fourth booke in this manner And whereas thou sawest that he gathered an other peaceable troope vnto him thou shalt know those are the ten tribes which were caried away captives out of their own land in the time of king Ozeas whom Salmanazar king of the Assyrians tooke captives and ledde them beyond the river so were they brought into an other land but they tooke this counsell to themselves to leave the multitude of the heathen and go forth into a farther countrie where never mankind dwelt that they might there observe their statutes which they could not keepe in their owne land and they entred by the narrowe passages of the river Euphrates for then God shewed his wonders and stayed the springs of the flood vntill they were passed over for the way vnto that Countrie is very long yea of a yeere and a halfe and this Region is called Arsareth then dwelt they there vntill the latter time and when they come forth againe the most Mightie shall hold still the springs of the river againe that they may goe through for this cause sawest thou this multitude peaceable Some will apply this text of Esdras to the Indies saying they were guided by God whereas never mankinde dwelt and that the land where they dwelt is so farre off as it requires a yeere and a halfe to performe the voyage beeing by nature very peaceable And that there are great signes and arguments amongst the common sort of the Indians to breed a beleefe that they are descended from the Iewes for commonly you shall see them fearefull submisse ceremonious and subtill in lying And moreover they say their habites are like vnto those the Iewes vsed for they weare a short coat or waste-coat and a cloake imbroidered all about they goe bare-footed or with soles tied with latchers over the foot which they call Oiotas And they say that it appeares by their Histories as also by their ancient pictures which represent them in this fashion that this attire was the ancient habite of the Hebrewes and that these two kinds of garments which the Indians onely vse were vsed by Samson which the Scripture calleth Tunicam and Sidonem beeing the same which the Indians terme wast-coat and cloake But all these coniectures are light and rather against them then with them for wee know well that the Hebrewes vsed letters whereof there is no shew among the Indians they were great