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
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
lovers of silver these make no care of it the Iewes if they were not circumcised held not themselves for Iewes and contrariwise the Indians are not at all neyther did they ever vse any ceremonie neere it as many in the East have done But what reason of coniecture is there in this seeing the Iewes are so careful to preserve their language and Antiquities so as in all parts of the world they differ and are known from others and yet at the Indies alone they have forgotten their Linage their Law their Ceremonies their Messias and finally their whole Iudaisme And whereas they say the Indians are feareful cowards superstitious and subtill in lying for the first it is not common to all there are some nations among the Barbarians free from these vices there are some valiant and hardy there are some blunt and dull of vnderstanding As for ceremonies and superstitions the Heathen have alwayes vsed them much the manner of habites described which they vse being the plainest and most simple in the world without Arte the which hath been common not onely to the Hebrewes but to all other Nations seeing that the very History of Esdras if wee shall beleeve the Scriptures that bee Apocrypha make more against them then for their purpose for hee saith in that place that the ten tribes went from the multitude of the Heathen to keepe their faith and ceremonies and we see the Indians given to all the Idolatries in the world And those which holde this opinion see well if the entries of the River Euphrates stretch to the Indies and whether it be necessary for the Indies to repasse that way as it is written Besides I know not how you can name them peaceable seeing they be alwaies in warre amongst themselves To conclude I cannot see how that Euphrates in Esdras Apocrypha should be a more convenient passage to goe to the new world then the inchanted fabulous Atlantike Iland of Plato The reason why we can find no beginning of the Indians CHAP. 24. IT is easier to refute and contradict the false opinions conceyved of the Originall of the Indians then to set downe a true and certaine resolution for that there is no writing among the Indians nor any certaine remembrances of their founders neyther is there any mention made of this new world in their bookes that have knowledge of letters our Ancients held that in those parts there were neyther men land nor heaven So as hee should seeme rash and presumptuous that should thinke to discover the first beginning of the Indians But we may iudge a farre off by the former discourse that these Indians came by little and little to this newe world and that by the helpe and meanes of the neerenesse of lands or by some navigation the which seemes to mee the meanes whereby they came and not that they prepared any armie to goe thither of purpose neyther that they have been caried thither by any ship-wracke or tempest although some of these things may chance in some part of the Indies for these Regions beeing so great as they containe Nations without number we may beleeve that some came to inhabite after one sort and some after an other But in the ende I resolve vpon this point that the true and principall cause to people the Indies was that the lands and limits thereof are ioyned and continued in some extremities of the world or at the least were very neere And I beleeve it is not many thousand yeeres past since men first inhabited this new world and West Indies and that the first men that entred were rather savage men and hunters then bredde vp in civill and well governed Common-weales and that they came to this new world having lost their owne land or being in too great numbers they were forced of necessitie to seeke some other habitations the which having found they beganne by little and little to plant having no other law but some instinct of nature and that very darke and some customes remayning of their first Countries And although they came from Countries well governed yet is it not incredible to thinke that they had forgotten all through the tract of time and want of vse seeing that in Spaine and Italie we find companies of men which have nothing but the shape and countenance onely whereby we may coniecture in what sort this new world grew so barbarous and vncivill What the Indians report of their beginning CHAP. 25. IT is no matter of any great importance to know what the Indians themselves report of their beginning being more like vnto dreames then to true Hiries â—hey make great mention of a deluge happened in their Countrie but we cannot well iudge if this deluge were vniversall whereof the scripture makes mention or some particular inundation of those regions where they are Some expert men say that in those Countries are many notable signes of some great inundation and I am of their opinion which thinke that these markes and shewes of a deluge was not that of Noe but some other particular as that which Plato speakes of or Deucalions floud which the Poets sing of whatsoever it be the Indians say that al men were drowned in this deluge and they report that out of the great Lake Titicaca came one Viracocha which staied in Tiaguanaco where at this day there is to bee seene the ruines of ancient and very strange buildings and from thence came to Cusco and so began mankinde to multiply They shew in the same Iland a small Lake where they faine that the sunne hid himselfe and so was preserved and for this reason they make great sacrifices vnto him in that place both of sheepe and men Others report that sixe or I know not what number of men came out of a certaine cave by a window by whome men first began to multiplie and for this reason they call them Pacaritampo And therefore they are of opinion that the Tambos is the most ancient race of men They say also that Mango Capa whom they acknowledge for the founder and chiefe of their Inguas was issued of that race and that from him sprang two families or linages the one of Havan Cusco the other of Vrni Cusco They say moreover that when the Kings Inguas attempted warre and conquered sundrie Provinces they gave a colour and made a pretext of their enterprise saying that all the world ought to acknowledge them for that all the world was renued by their race and Countrie and also that the true religion had been reveiled to them from heaven But what availeth it to speake more seeing that all is full of lies and vanitie and farre from reason Some learned men write that all which the Indians make mention of is not above 400. yeeres old and whatsoever they speake of former ages is but a confusion full of obscuritie wherein we find no truth The which may not seeme strange they having no vse of bookes or writing in
THE NATVRALL and Morall Historie of the East and West Indies Intreating of the remarkeable things of Heaven of the Elements Mettalls Plants and Beasts which are proper to that Country Together with the Manners Ceremonies Lawes Governements and Warres of the Indians Written in Spanish by Ioseph Acosta and translated into English by E. G 〈…〉 LONDON Printed by Val Sims for Edward Blount and William Aspley 1604. To the right Honorable Sir Robert Cicill Knight Baron of Essingden Vicount Cranborne principall Secretary to his Maiestie master of the Court of Wardes and Liveries and one of his Highnesse most honourable Privie Counsell RIght Honorable If it appeare presumption in me to shew my love my dutie betraies me to it The advantage I have gleaned from idle houres in exchanging this Indian History from Spanish to English is commended to your Honors Patronage whose first father Ioseph Acosta hath with great observation made worthie the over-looking A greater motive then that you are your selfe needed not to excite me to this dedication I beseech you my good Lord take it into shelter and receive that which is not for that which I would it were Let my insufficiencie be measured by my good will So shall my poore abilities thrive vnder your incouragement and happily leade me on to some stronger vndertaking wherein I shall bee bound to thanke you for mine owne paines and for ever remaine Your Lordships most devoted E. G. The Authors advertisement to the Reader MANY have written sundry bookes and discourses of the New World at the West Indies wherein they describe new and strange things discovered in those partes with the actes and adventures of the Spaniards which have conquered and peopled those Countries But hitherto I have not seene any other Author which treates of the causes and reasons of these novelties and wonders of nature or that hath made any search thereof Neither have I read any booke which maketh mention of the histories of the antient Indians and naturall inhabitants of the New World In truth these two things are difficult The first being the works of Nature contrarie to the antient and received Philosophy as to shew that the region which they call the burning Zone is very moist and in many places very temperate and that it raines there whenas the Sunne is neerest with such like things For such as have written of the West Indies have not made profession of so deepe Philosophie yea the greatest part of those Writers have had no knowledge thereof The second thing it treats of is of the proper historie of the Indians the which required much conference and travaile among the Indians themselves the which most of them that have treated of the Indies could not doe either not vnderstanding the language or not curious in the search of their Antiquities so as they have beene contented to handle those things which have beene most common and superficiall Desiring therefore to have some more particular knowledge thereof I have beene carefull to learne from men of greatest experience and best seene in these matters and to gather from their discourses and relations what I have thought sit to give knowledge of the deedes and custome of these people And for that which concernes the nature of those Countries and their properties I have learned it by the experience of many friends and by my dilligence to search discover and conferre with men of iudgement and knowledge In my opinion there are many advertisements which may serve and benefit better wits for the searching out of the truth or to proceede farther in finding that pleasing which is conteined heerein So as although this new World be not new but old in respect of the much which hath beene written thereof yet this historie may in some sort be hâ—ld for new for it is partly historicall and partly philosophicall as well for that they are the workes of nature as of free-will which are the deedes and customes of men the which hath caused mee to name it the Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies Containing these two things In the first two bookes mention is made of that which concernes the heavens temperature and habitation of the world which books I had first written in Latine now I have translated them into Spanish vsing more the liberty of an author then the strict bonds of a translator to apply my self the better to those for whom it is written in the vulgar tong In the two following books is treated of that which concernes the Elements and naturall mixtures as Mettalls Plants Beasts and what else is remarkable at the Indies The rest of the bookes relate what I could certainely discover and what I thought worthie memory of the Indians themselves their Ceremonies Customs Governments Wars Adventures In the same Historie shall be spoken as I could learne and comprehend of the figures of the antient Indians seeing they had no writing nor characters as we have which is no small industry to have preserved their Antiquities without the vse of letters To conclude the scope of this worke is that having knowledge of the workes of nature which the wise Author of all nature made we may praise and glorifie the high God who is wonderfull in all things and all places And having knowledge of the Indians customes we may helpe them more easily to follow and persever in the high vocation of the Gospel to the knowledge whereof the Lord would draw this blinde nation in these latter daies Besides al these things every one may sucke out some profit for himselfe for that the wise do alwaies draw forth some good out of the smalest subiect as we finde deepe Philosophie in the least and basest creatures I must onely advertise the Reader that the two first bookes of this historie or discourse were written in Peru and the other five since in Europe dutie binding me to returne into these partes so as some speake of matters of the Indies as of things present and others as being absent And therefore I have thought it good to advertise the Reader heereof that this diversitie of speach may not be troublesome vnto him Farewell A Table of the most remarkable things contained in this Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies A. Abundance of waters vnder the burning zone folio 93 Absurditie of Platoes Atlantike Iland 73 Abuse of the Spaniards at Peru taking winter for summer 89 Acamapach first king of Mexico 482 Accord betwixt the king of Mexico his subiects before they attempted a warre 532 Adlaguagi a kind of mummery of women 367 Acts of Ferdinand Cortez 574 Adimant makes a path in the Sea 57 The Adamant impartes a vertue to yron to looke alwayes towards the north 58 Vse of the Adamant to saile by not antient 59 Adoration of the dead begunne and augmented 340 Adultery punished with death 469 Agilitie of monkies 315 Aire how necessary for the life of man 114 The Aire stirred with the motion of the heauens
immoveable The which seemeth to me easie to comprehend and will be to all others if it may be lawfull to imagine that which my fancy doth conceive for if we suppose that every star and planet be a body of it selfe that it be led guided by an Angell as Habacuc was carried into Babilon who I pray you is so blind but seeth that all the diverse aspects which we see appeare in planets starres may proceede from the diuersity of motion which he that guides them doth voluntarily giue them We cannot then with any reason affirme but that this space region by which they faine that stars do continually march and rowle is elementarie and corruptible seeing it divides it selfe when they passe the which vndoubtedly do not passe by any void place If then the region wherein the starres and planets move be corruptible the stars and planets of their owne motion should be by reason likewise corruptible and so by consequence they must alter change and be finally extinct for naturally that which is conteined is no more durable then that which conteineth And to say that the Celestiall bodies be corruptible it agreeth not with the psalme That God made them for euer And it is lesse conformable to the order preservation of this vniversall world I say moreover to confirme this truth that the heauens move and in them the starres march in turning the which we cannot easily discerne with our eyes seeing we see that not onely thestarres do moue but also the regions whâ—le parts of heaven I speake not onely of the shining and most râ—splendent parts as of that which we call Via lactea and the vulgar S. Iaques way but also of the darker and obscurer parts in heaven For there we see really as it were spots and darkenes which are most apparent the which I remember not to haue seene at any time in Europe but at Peru and in this other Hemisphere I haue often seene them very apparant These spots are in colour and forme like vnto the Eclips of the Moone and are like vnto it in blacknes and darkenes they march fixed to the same starres alwaies of one forme and bignes as we haue noted by infallible observation It may be this will seeme strange to some they will demand whence these spots in heaven should grow To the which I cannot answere otherwise at this time but as the Philosophers do affirme that this Via lactea or milken way is compounded of the thickest parts of the heaven and for this cause it receiues the greater light and contrariwise there are other parts very thinne and transparent the which receiuing lesse light seeme more blacke obscure Whether this be the true reason or no I dare not certenly affirme Yet is it true that according to the figure these spots have in heaven they moue with the same proportion with their starres without any separation the which is a true certaine and often noted experience It followeth then by all that we haue said that the heaven containeth in it all the parts of the earth circling continually about it without any more doubt How the holy Scripture teacheth vs that the earth is in middest of the world CHAP. 3. ALthough it seemes to Procopius Gaza and to some others of his opinion that it is repugnant to the holy Scripture to place the earth in the middest of the world and to say that the heaven is round yet in truth this doctrine is not repugnant but conformable to that which it doth teach vs. For laying aside the tearmes which the Scripture it selfe doth vse in many places The roundnesse of the earth And that which it sayeth in an other place that whatsoever is corporeall is vnvironed and compassed in by the heavens and conteyned within the roundnes thereof at the least thy cannot deny but that place of Ecclesiastes is very plaine where it is said The Sunneriseth and sets and returnes to the same place and so begins to rise againe he takes his course by the South turning towards the North this spirit marchâ—th compassing about all thinges and then returnes to the same place In this place the paraphrase and exposition of Gregorie Neocesarien or Nazianzene sayeth The Sunne hauing runne about the whole earth returnes as it were turning to the same point That which Solomon saveth being interpreted by Gregorie could not be trve if any part of the earth were not invironed with the heaven And so S. Ierome doth vnderstand it writing vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians in this sort The most common opinion affirmes agreeing with Ecclesiastes That the heaven is round mooving circularly like vnto a bowle And it is most certaine that no round figure conteyneth in it eyther longitude latitude heigth or depth for that all parts are equall Whereby it appeares according to S. Ierome That those which hold the heaven to be round are not repugnant to the holy Scripture but conformable to the same And although that S. Basile especially and S. Ambrose who doth vsually imitate him in his bookes called Hexameron seeme somewhat doubtfull of this point yet in the end they grant that the world is round It is true that S. Ambrose doth not yeelde to this quintessence which Aristotle attributes to the heavens without doubt it is a goodly thing to see with what a grace and excellent stile the holy Scripture treates of the scituation and firmenes of the earth to breed in vs a wonderfull admiration and no lesse content to behold the vnspeakable power and wisedome of the Creator For that in one place God himselfe saies that it was hee which planted the pillers which support the earth giving vs to vnderstand as S. Ambrose doth well expound it that the vnmeasurable weight of the whole earth is held vp by the hands of the divine power The holy Scripture doth commonly so call them and vseth this phrase naming them the pillers of heaven and earth not those of Atlas as the Poets faine but of the eternall word of God who by his vertue supports both heaven and earth Moreover the holy Scripture in an other place teacheth that the earth or a great part thereof is ioyned to and compassed in by the Element of water speaking generally that God placed the earth vpon the waters And in another place that hee framed the roundnes of the earth vpon the Sea And although S. Augustine doth not conclude vpon this text as a matter of faith that the earth and the water make one globe in the midst of the world pretending by this meanes to give another exposition to the words of the Psalme yet notwithstanding it is most certaine that by the words of the psalme we are given to vnderstand that we haue no other reason to imagine any other ciment or vniting to the earth then the Element of water the which although it be pliant and moveable yet doth it support
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
heaven without doubt she will answere vs as Lactantius doth That if the heaven were round the Sun starres should fall when as they move and change their places rising towards the South Even so if the earth did hang in the ayre those which inhabite the other part should go with their feete vpwards and their heades downward and the raine which falles from above should mount vpward with many other ridiculous deformities But if we consult with the force of reason she will make small accoumpt of all these vaine imaginations nor suffer vs to beleeve them no more than a foolish dreame But Reason will answer with this her integritie and gravitie that it were a very grosse error to imagine the whole world to be like vnto a house placing the earth for the foundation and the heaven for the covering Moreover she will say that as in all creatures the head is the highest part and most elevated although all creatures have not heades placed in one and the same sctuation some being in the highest part as man some athwart as sheepe others in the middest as spiders even so the heaven in what part soeuer it be remaines above and the earth likewise in what part soever remaines vnderneath Our imagination therefore is grounded vpon time and place the which she cannot comprehend nor conceive in generall but in particular It followeth that when wee shall raise it to the consideration of things which exceede the time and place which are knowne vnto her then presently she shrinkes and cannot subsist if reason doth not support her In like sort we see vpon the discourse of the creation of the worlde our imagination straies to seeeke out a time before the creation thereof and to build the world she discribes a place but shee comes not to consider that the worlde might bee made after another fashion Notwithstanding reason doth teach vs that there was no time before there was a motion whereof time is the measure neyther was there any place before the vniversall which comprehendes within it all place Wherein the excellent Philosopher Aristotle doth plainely satisfie and in few wordes that argument made against the place of the earth helping himselfe with our vse of imagination when hee saâ—eth and with trueth That in the world the same place of the earth is in the midst and beneath and the more a thing is in the middest the more it is vnderneath The which answer being produced by Lactantius Firmian yet hee doth passe it over without confutation by reason saying that he cannot stay thereon and omitte the handling of other matters The reason why S. Augustine denied the Antipodes CHAP. 8. THe reason which moved S. Augustine to deny the Antipodes was other then that formerly alleadged being of a higher iudgement for the reson before mentioned that the Antipodes should go vpwards is confuted by the same Doctor in his booke of sermons in these words The ancients hold that the earth of all parts is beneath and the heaven above by reason whereof the Antipodes which they say go opposite vnto vs have like vnto vs the heaven above their heads Seeing then S. Augustine hath confessed this to bee conformable to good Philosophie what reason shall we say did move so learned and excellent a man to follow the contrary opinion Doubtlesse he drew the motive and cause from the bowels of divinitie whereby the holie Writ doth teach vs that all mankinde doth come from the first man Adam and to say that men could passe to that new world crossing the great Ocean were vncredible and a meere lye And in truth if the successe an experience of what we have seene in these ages had not satisfied vs in this point we had yet held this reason to bee good And although we know this reason neither to be pertinent nor true yet will we make answere therevnto shewing in what sort and by what meanes the first linage of men might passe thither and howe and by what meanes they came to people and inhabite the Indies And for that wee meane heereafter to intreat briefly of this subiect it shall be fit now to vnderstand what the holy Doctor Augustine disputes vppon this matter in his bookes of the cittie of God It is no point that we ought to beleeve as some affirme that there are Antipodes that is to say men which inhabite that other part of the earth in whose region the Sunne riseth when it sets with vs and that their steppes be opposite and contrarie to ours seeing they affirme not this by any certaine revelation which they have but onely by a Philosophicall discourse they make whereby they conclude that the earth being in the middest of the world invironed of all parts and covered equallie with the heaven of necestitie that must be in the lowest place which is in the midst of the world Afterwardes hee continues in these words The holie Scripture doth not erre neither is deceived in anie sort the truth whereof is well approved in that which it propoundeth of things which are passed for as much as that which hath benefore-told hath succeded in every point as we see And it is a thing voide of all sense to say that men could passe from this continent to the new found world cut through the Vast Ocean seeing it were impossible for men to passe into those parts any other way being most certain that almen desceÌ„d from the first man Wherein we see that all the difficultie S. Augustine hath found was nothing else but the incomparable greatnes of this vast Ocean Gregorie Nazianzene was of the same opinion assuring as a matter without any doubt that it was not possible to saile beyond the Straights of Gibraltar and vpon this subiect he writes in an Epistle of his I agree well with the saying of Pindarus That past Cadiz that Sea is not nauigable And hee himselfe in the funerall Sermon he made for saint Basil saith It was not tollerable for anie one sailing on the Sea to passe the Straight of Gibraltar And it is true that this place of Pindarus where he saith That it is not lawfull neyther for wise men nor fooles to know what is beyond the Straight of Gibraltar hath beene taken for a Proverbe Thus we see by the beginning of this Proverbe how the Ancients were obstinately setled in this opinion as also by the bookes of Poets Historiographers and ancient Cosmographers that the end and bounds of the earth were set at Cadiz in Spaine where they plant the pillars of Hercules there they set the limits of the Romane Empire and there they describe the boundes of the world And not onely prophane writers speake in this sort but also the holy Scripture to apply it selfe to our phrase saith That the edict of Augustus Caesaâ— was published to the end that all the world should be taxed and of Alexander the great that he stretched forth his Empire even to the end and
that some are invironed with heat some with cold and others tempered with a moderate heat Plato placeth his most renowmed Atlantike Iland vnder the burning Zone then he saieth that at certaine seasons of the yeere it hath the sunne for Zenith and yet it was very temperate fruitfull and rich Plinie saieth that Taprobana which at this day they call Sumatra is vnder the Equinoctiall as in effect it is writing that it is not onely happie and rich but also peopled with men and beasts whereby we may easily iudge that although the Ancients held the heate of the burning Zone to be insupportable yet might they well vnderstand that it was not so great as they had spoken The most excellent Astrologer and Cosmographer Ptolome and the worthie Philosopher and Physitian Avicen were of a better resolution being both of opinion that vnder the Equinoctiall there were verie commodious habitations That the heat of the burning Zone is temperate by reason of the rayne and the shortnes of the dayes CHAP. 10. SInce the discoverie of this newe worlde wee have found by experience that which late Writers have held for trueth But it is a naturall thing whenas any matter beyond our conceit is made knowne vnto vs by experience we by and by examine the cause Therefore wee desire to know the reason why a Region where the sunne approacheth neerest is not onely temperate but in many parts cold Considering this matter generally I finde two general causes which maketh this Region temperate the one is that before mentioned for that this Region is very moist and subiect to raine and there is no doubt but the rayne doth refresh it for that the water is by nature cold and although by the force of the fire it be made hotte yet doth it temper this heat proceeding onely from the sunne-beames The which we see by experience in the inner Arabia the which is burnt with the Sunne having no showres to temper the violence thereof The clouds and mists are the cause that the sunne offends not so much and the showers that fall from them refresh both the ayre and the earth and moisten likewise how hot soever it be They drinke raine water and it quencheth the thirst as our men have well tried having no other to drinke So as reason and experience doth teach vs that raine of it selfe doth temper the heat and having by this meanes shewed that the burning Zone is much subiect vnto raine it appeares that there is matter in it to temper the violence of the heat To this I will adde an other reason which deserves to be knowne not only for this matter but for many others for although the Sunne be very hotte and burning vnder the Equinoctiall yet is it not long so as the heate of the day being there shorter and of lesse continuance it causeth not so violent a heate the which it behooves to specifie more particularly Such as are practised in the knowledge of the Spheare teach very well that the more the Zodiake is oblique and traversing our Hemisphere the more vnequall are the daies and nights and contrariwise where the sphere is straight and the signes mount directly there the dayes and nights are equalâ— And therefore in all that Region which is betweene the two Tropicks there is lesse inequality then without them and the more we approch the Line the lesse inequalitie we finde the which we have tryed in those parts Those of Quitto for that they are vnder the line have not throughout the whole yeere the dayes and nights more short at one season then at an other but are continually equall Those of Lima beeing distant almost twelve degrees finde some difference betwixt the dayes and the nights but very little for that in December and Ianuarie the dayes increase an houre or little lesse Those of PotoZi finde much more difference both in winter and in summer being almost vnder the Tropicke But those that live without the Tropikes find the dayes in winter shorter and in summer longer the more remote they are from the Equinoctial and come neere the Pole as we see in Germany and in England the daies are longer in summer then in Italie and in Spaine It is a thing which the Sphere doth teach and experience doth plainely shew vs. We must adde an other proposition which is likewise true and very considerable for all the effectes of nature to vnderstand the perseverance and continuation of the efficient cause to worke and moove This presupposed if any one demaund of me why vnder the Equinoctiall Line the heat is not so violent in summer as in some other Regions as in Andelousiae in the moneths of Iuly and August I will answere that in Andelousia the dayes are longer and the nights shorter and as the day being hot inflames and causeth heat so the nights being cold and moist give a refreshing According to the which at Peru there is no such great heat for that the dayes in summer are not long nor the nights short so as the heate of the day is much tempered by the freshnesse of the night And although the burning Zone be neerer the Sunne then all other Regions yet doth not the heate continue there so long It is a naturall thing that a small fire continued heats more then a greater that lastes but little especially if there bee any thing to refresh it He therefore that shal put these two properties of the Zone in one ballance that it is most rainie in the time of greatest heate and that the dayes are shortest there he shall perchance finde them to equall the other two contrarieties which bee that the Sunne is neerer and more directly over them then in other Regions That there be other reasons besides the former mentioned which shew that the burning Zone is temperate especially alongst the Ocean CHAP. 11. BEing a thing concluded that the two forenamed properties are common and vniversal to all the region of the burning Zone and yet in the same there are found some places very hote and other exceeding colde Also that the temperature is not there equall in all places but vnder one climate one part is hote another colde and the third temperate all at one season we are forced to seeke out other reasons whence this great diversitie should proceede in the burning Zone Discoursing therefore vpon this question I do finde threeapparant and certaine causes and a fourth more obscure and darke The apparant and certaine causes be The first is the Ocean the second the scituation of the land and the third the nature and propertie of many and sundry windes Besides these three which I holde for manifest I beleeve there is a fourth hidden and lesse apparant which is the propertie of the same land inhabited and the particular influence of the heavens Whoso woulde neerely consider the causes and generall reasons before mentioned shall finde them insufficient for the full resolution of this point observing that
thou not knowe whence it commeth nor whither it shall goe To teach vs that conceiving a little of matters which are present common vnto vs wee should not presume to vnderstand that which is so high and so hidden as the causes and motives of the Holy-ghost It is therefore sufficient that wee knowe his operations and effectes the which are plainely discovered in his greatnes and perfections and to have treated alitle philosophically of the windes and the causes of their differences properties and operations which wee have produced into three the place by which they passe the regions where they blowe and the celestiall virtue the beginning and motive of the windes Of certaine properties of windes which blowe at the new worlde CHAP. 3. IT is a question much disputed by Aristotle whether the Southerne winde which we call Abreguo blowes from the pole Antartike or onely from the Equinoctiall lineâ— which is properly to demaund if beyond the Equinoctiall it holde the same qualitie of hote and rainie as we see here It is a point whereof we may with reason stand in doubt for although it passe the Equinoctiall yet is it still the Southerne wind seeing it comes from the same parte of the worlde as the Northerne winde which comes to the contrary continues stil the same winde although it passe the burning Zone and Equinoctiall line And it seemes hereby that these two windes should hold their first properties the one to be hote and moist the other colde and drie the South to breede mists and raine and the North to disperse them and to make a cleere Skie Notwithstanding Aristotle leanes to the contrary opinion for that in Europe the Northerne winde is colde because it comes from the Pole a region extreamely colde and the Southerne winde contrariwise is hotte because it comes from the South which is the region the Sunne dooth most heate By this reason then we should believe that the South winde should be colde to them that inhabite on the other side of the line and the Northerne wind should be hote for in those partes the Southerne wind comes from the Pole the Northerne from the Line And though it seemes by this reason that the Southern winde should be more colde there than the Northern is heere for that they holde the region of the South Pole to be more colde then that of the North by reason that the Sunne stayeth seaven dayes every yeere in the Tropike of Cancer more then it dooth in the Tropicke of Capricorne as it appeareth by the Equinoxes and Solstices he makes in the two Circles wherein it seemeth that Nature would shew the preheminence and excellencie of this moity of the worlde which is in the North above the other parte in the South so as it seemeth there is reason to beleeve that these qualities of the windes doe change in passing the Line but in trueth it is not so as I could comprehend by the experience I had some yeeres being in those partes of the Indies which lie on the South of the other side of the Line It is true that the Northerne winde is not vsually colde and cleere there as heere In some parts of Peru as at Lima and on the Plaines they find the Northern windes troublesome and vnwholesome and all along the coast which runs above five hundred leagues they holde the Southerne windes for healthfull and coole and which is more most cleere and pleasant yea it never raines contrary to that wee see in Europe and of this side the Line Yet that which chaunceth vpon the coast of Peru is no generall rule but rather an exception and a wonder of Nature neuer to raine vpon that coast and ever to have one winde without giving place to his contrary whereof we will heereafter speake our minde Now let vs stand vpon this point that the Northerne winde beyond the line hath not the same properties which the Southerne winde hath on this side although they both blow from the midday to regions and parts of the world which be opposite and contrarie For it is no generall rule there that the Northerne winde is neither hote nor rainie there as the South winde is on this side but contrariwise it raines whenas the South winde blowes there as we see in all the Sierre or mountaine of Peru in Chile and in the Countrie of Congo which is on the other side of the line and farre advanced into the Sea And in Potozi likewise the winde which they call Tomahani which is our North if my memorie faile me not is extreamely cold drie and vnpleasant as it is heere with vs. Yet doth not the Northerne winde disperse the cloudes vsually there as it doth heere but contrariwise if I be not deceived it doth often cause raine There is no doubt but the windes do borrow this great diversitie of contrarie effects from the places by which they passe and the neere regions where they are bred as we see by daily experience in a thousand places But speaking in generall of the qualitie of the windes we must rather looke to the coastes or partes of the world from whence they proceede then to observe whether they be on this side or beyond the line as it seemes the Philosopher held opinion These capitall windes which be the East and West have no such universall qualities nor so common in this continent nor in the other as the two former The Solanus or Easterne winde is commonly here troblesome vnholsome the Westerne or Zephirus is more milde and healthfull At the Indies and in all the burning Zone the Easterne winde which they call Brise is contrariwise very healthfull and pleasant Of the West I cannot speake any thing certaine or generall for that it blowes not at all or very seldome in the burning Zone for in all the navigation betwixt the two Tropikes the Easterne winde is ordinary And for that it is one of the admirable workes of Nature it shall be good to vnderstand the cause and the beginning thereof That the burning Zone the Brises or Easterly windes do continually blowe and without the Zone the westerne and that the Easterly are ordinarie alwaies there CHAP. 4. THe waies at Sea are not as at Land to returne the sameway they passe It is all one way saieth the Philosopher from Athens to Thebes and from Thebes to Athens but it is not so at Sea for we go one way and returne by another The first which discovered the East and weast Indies laboured much with great difficultie to finde out their course vntill that Experience the mistris of these secrets had taught them that to saile through the Ocean is not like the passage in Italie through the Mediterranean sea where in their returne they observe the same Ports and Capes they had sight of in their passage attending still the benefite of the winde which changeth instantly and when that failes they have recourse to their owers and so the
hath been said in the first booke neither is it knowne if there be any habitations in the other two Zones of the Poles and whether the land continues and stretcheth to that which is towards the Antartike or South Pole Neither do we know the land that lies beyond the straight of Magellan for that the greatest height yet discovered is in fiftie â—ix degrees as hath beene formerly saide and toward the Artike or Northerne Pole it is not knowne how farre the land extendes which runnes beyond the Cape of Mendocin and the Caliphornes nor the bounds and end of Florida neither yet how farre it extendes to the West Of late they have discovered a new land which they call New Mexico where they say is much people that speake the Mexicaine tongue The Philippines and the following Ilands as some report that know it by experience ranne above nine hundred leagues But to intreate of China Cochinchina Syam and other regions which are of the East Indies were contrary to my purpose which is onely to discourse of the West nay they are ignorant of the greatest part of America which lies betwixt Peru and Bresill although the bounds be knowne of all sides wherein there is diversitie of opinions some say it is a drowned land full of Lakes and waterie places Others affirme there are great and florishing kingdomes imagining there be the Paytiti the Dorado and the Caesars where they say are wonderfull things I have heard one of our company say a man worthy of credite that hee had seene great dwellings there and the waies as much beaten as those betwixt Salamanca and Villadillit the which he did see whenas Peter d'Orsua and after those that succeeded him made their entrie and discoverie by the great river of Amazons who beleeving that the Dorado which they sought was farther off cared not to inhabitâ— there and after went both without the Dorado which they could not finde and this great Province which they left To speake the truth the habitations of America are to this day vnknowne except the extreamities which are Peru Bresill and that part where the land beginnes to straighten which is the river of Silver then Tucuman which makes the round to Chille and Charcâ— Of late we have vnderstood by letters from some of ours which go to S. Croix in the Sierre that they go discovering of great Provinces and dwellings betwixt Bresill and Peru. Time will reveile them for as at this day the care and courage of men is great to compasse the world from one part to another so wee may beleeve that as they have discovered that which is now knowne they may likewise lay open that which reâ—â—nes to the end the Gospell may be preached to the whole world seeing the two Crownes of Portugall and Caâ—â—ille have met by the East and West ioyning their discoveries together which in truth is a matter to be observed that the one is come to China and Iappan by the East and the other to the Philippines which are neighbours and almost ioyning vnto China by the West for from the Ilands of Lusson which is the chiefe of the Philippines in the which is the Citie of Mamillâ— vnto Macan which is in the I le of Cauton are but foure score or a hundred leagues and yet we finde it strange that notwithstanding thâ—â— small distance from the one to the other yet according to their accoumpt there is a daies difference betwixt them so as it is Sunday at Macan whenas it is but Saterday at Mamille and so of the rest Those of Macan and of China have one day advanced before the Philippines It happened to father Aloâ—â—â— Sanches of whom mention is made before that parting from the Philippines he arrived at Macan the second day of Maie according to their computation and going to say the Masse of S. Athanasius he found they did celebrate the feast of the invention of the holy Crosse for that they did then reckon the third of Maie The like happened vnto him in another voyage beyond it Some have found this alteration and diversitie strange supposing that the fault proceedes from the one or the other the which is not so but it is a true and well observed computation for according to the difference of waies where they have beene we must necessarily say that when they meete there must bee difference of a day the reason is for that sailing from West to East they alwaies gaine of the day finding the sunne rising sooner and contrariwise those that saile from East to West do alwaies loose of the day for that the Sunne riseth later vnto them and as they approach neerer the East or the West they have the day longer or shorter In Peru which is westward in respect of Spaine they are above sixe houres behinde so as when it is noone in Spaine it is morning at Peru and when it is morning heere it is mid-night there I have made certaine proofe thereof by the computation of Eclipses of the Sunne and Moone Now that the Portugalls have made their navigations from West to East and the Castillans from East to West when they came to ioyne and meete at the Philippines and Macan the one have gained twelve houres and the other hath lost as much so as at one instant and in one time they finde the difference of twentie houres which is a whole day so as necessarily the one are at the third of Maie whenas the others accoumpt but the second and whenas the one doth fast for Easter eve the others eate flesh for the day of the resurrection And if we will imagine that they passe farther turning once againe about the world vsing the same computation when they should returne to ioyne together they should finde by the same accoumpt two daies difference for as I have saide those that go to the Sunne rising accoumpt the day sooner for that the Sunne riseth to them sooner and those that go to the setting accoumpt the day later for that it goes from them later finally the diversitie of the noone tide causeth the divers reckoning of the day And now for as much as those that doe saile from East to West change their noone tide without perceiving it and yet still follow the same computation they did when they parted of necessitie having made the compasse of the worlde they must finde the want of a whole day in their computation Of the Volcans or Vents of fire CHAP. 24. ALthough we finde vents of fire in other places as mount Aetna and Wesuvio which now they call mount Sâ—ma yet is that notable which is found at the Indies Ordinarily these Volcans be rockes or pikes of most high mountaines which raise themselves above the toppes of all other mountaines vpon their toppes they have a plaine and in the midst thereof a pitte or great mouth which discends even vnto the foote thereof a thing verie terrible to beholde Out of these mouthes there issues smoake and sometimes
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
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
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
or dish above once all must be new giving to his attendants that which had once served him so as commonly they were rich and sumptuous He was very carefull to have his lawes observed And when he returned victor from any waâ—â—e he fained sometimes to go and take his pleasure then would he disguise himselfe to see if his people supposing if he weare absent would omitte any thing of the feast or reception If there were any excesse or defect he then did punish it rigorously And also to discerne how his ministers did execute their offices he often disguised himselfe offering guistes and presents to the iudges provoking them to do in iustice If they offended they were presently punished with death without remission or respect were they Noblemen or his kinsmen yea his owne bretheren He was little conversant with his people and seldome seene retyring himselfe most commonly to care for the government of his realme Besides that hee was a great iusticier and very noble hee was very valiant and happy by meanes whereof hee obtained great victories and came to this greatnes as is written in the Spanish histories whereon it seemes needelesse to write more I will onely have a care heereafter to write what the bookes and histories of the Indies make mention of the which the Spanish writers have not observed having not sufficiently vnderstood the secrets of this country the which are things very worthy to be knowne as we shall see heereafter Of the presages and strange prodigies which happened in Mexico before the fall of their Empire CHAP. 23. ALthough the holy Scripture forbids vs to give credite to signes and vaine prognostications and that S. Ierome doth admonish vs not to feare tokens from heaven as the Gentiles do Yet the same Scripture teacheth vs that monstrous and prodigious signes are not altogether to bee contemned and that often they are fore-runners of some generall changes and chasticements which God will take as Eusebius notes well of Cesarea For that the same Lord of heaven and earth sendes such prodiges and new things in heaven in the elements in beasts and in his other creatures that this might partly serve as an advertisement to men and to be the beginning of the paine and chastisement by the feare and amazement they bring It is written in the second booke of Macabees that before that great change and persecution of the people of Israel which was caused by the tyranny of Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes whome the holy Scriptures call the roote of sinne there were seene for forty dayes together thorowout all Ierusalem great squadrons of horsemen in the ayre who with their armour guilt their lances and targets and vppon furious horses with their swordes drawne did strike skirmish and incounter one against the other and they say that the Inhabitants of Ierusalem seeing this they prayed to our Lord to appease his wrath and that these prodegies might turne to good It is likewise written in the booke of Wisedome That when God would drawe his people out of Egypt and punish the Egyptians some terrible fearefull visions appeared vnto them as fires seene out of time in horrible formes Ioseph in his booke of the Iewishwarres sheweth many and great wonders going before the destruction of Ierusalem and the last captivitie of his wicked people whome God iustly abhorred and Eusebius of Cesarea with others alleadge the same texts authorizing prognostications The Histories are full of like observations in great changes of states and common-weales as Paulus Orosius witnesseth of many and without doubt this observation is not vaine nor vnprofitable for although it be vanitie yea superstition defended by the lawe of our God lightly to beleeve these signes and tokens yet in matters of great moment as in the changes of nations kingdoms and notable laws It is no vaine thing but rather certaine and assured to beleeve that the wisedome of the most High dooth dispose and suffer these things fo retelling what shoulde happen to serve as I have saide for an advertisement to some and a chasticement to others and as a witnes to all that the king of heaven hath a care of man who as he hath appointed great and fearefull tokens of that great change of the world which shall bee the day of iudgement so doth it please him to send wonderful signes to demonstrate lesser changes in divers partes of the world the which are remarkeable whereof he disposeth according to his eternall wisedome Wee must also vnderstand that although the divell be the father of lies yet the King of Glorie makes him often to confesse the trueth against his will which hee hath often declared for very feare as hee did in the desart by the mouth of the possessed crying that Iesus was the Saviour come to destroy him as he did by the Pythonisse who saide that Paul preached the true God as when he appeared and troubled Pilates wife whom he made to mediate for Iesus a iust man And as many other histories besides the holy Scripture gave diverse testimonies of idols in approbation of christian religion wherof Lactantius Prosperus and others make mention Let them reade Eusebius in his bookes of the preparation of the Gospel and those of his demonstrations where he doth amply treate of this matter I have purposely spoken this that no man should contemne what is written in the Histories and Annales of the Indies touching Presages and strange signes of the approching end and ruine of their kingdome and of the Divelles tyranny whom they worshipped altogether Which in my opinion is worthy of credite and beliefe both for that it chanced late and the memory is yet fresh as also for that it is likely that the Divell lamented at so great a change and that God by the same meanes beganne to chastice their cruell and abhominable idolatries I will therefore set them downe heere as true things It chanced that Moteçuma having raigned many yeers in great prosperity and so pufft vp in his conceit as hee caused himselfe to be served and feared yea to be worshipped as a god that the Almighty Lord beganne to chastice him and also to admonish him suffering even the very Divelles whome he worshipped to tell him these heavy tidings of the ruine of his kingdome and to torment him by visions which had never bin seen wherewith hee remained so melancholy and troubled as hee was voyde of iudgement The idoll of those of Cholola which they called Quetzacoalt declared that a strange people came to possesse his kingdomes The king of Tescuco who was a great Magitian and had conference with the Divell came one day at an extraordinarie house to visite Moteçuma assuring him that his gods had tolde him that there were great losses preparing for him and for his whole realme many witches and sorcerers went and declared as much amongst which there was one did very particularly foretell him what should happen and as
their Lords and which have beene charged with the heaviest burthens as well of tributes and services as of customes and bloodie practises All that which the Mexicane Kings and those of Peru did possesse is at this day most planted with Christian religion and where there is least difficultie in the government and ecclesiasticall discipline The Indians were so wearied with the heavy and insupportable yoake of Sathans lawes his sacrifices and ceremonies whereof wee have formerly spoken that they consulted among themselves to seeke out a new law and another God to serve And therefore the law of Christ seemed vnto them and doth at this day seeme iust sweete cleane good and full of happinesse And that which is difficult in our law to beleeve so high and soveraigne Misteries hath beene easie among them for that the Divell had made them comprehend things of greater difficultie and the selfe-same things which he had stolen from our Evangelicall law as their maner of communion and confession their adoration of three in one and such other like the which against the will of the enemy have holpeâ— for the casie receiving of the truth by those who before had imbraced lies God is wise and admirable in all his workes vanquishing the adversatie even with his owne weapon hee takes him in his owne snare and kills him with his owne sword Finally our God who had created this people and who seemed to have thus long forgot them when the hourâ— was come hee would have the same divells enemies to mankinde whom they falsly held for gods should give a testimony against their will of the true law the power of Christ and the triumph of the crosse as it plainely appeares by the presages prophesies signes and prodiges heere before mentioned with many others happened in divers partes and that the same Ministers of Sathan Sorcerers Magitians and other Indians have confessed it And we cannot deny it being most evident and knowne to all the world that the Divell dareth not hisse and that the practises oracles answers and visible apparitions which were so ordinary throughout all this infidelitie have ceased whereas the Crosse of Christ hath beene planted where there are Churches and where the name of Christ hath beene confessed And if there be at this day any cursed minister of his that doth participate thereof it is in caves and on the toppes of mountaines and in secret places farre from the name and communion of Christians The Soveraigne Lord be blessed for his great mercies and for the glory of his holy name And in truth if they did governe this people temporally and spiritually in such sort as the law of Iesus Christ hath set it downe with a milde yoake and light burthen and that they would impose no more vppon them then they can well beare as the letters pattents of the good Emperour of happy memorie doe command and that they would imploy halfe the care they have to make profite of these poore mens sweats and labours for the health of their soules it were the most peaceable and happy Christan part of all the world But our sinnes are often an occasion that God doth not impart his graces so aboundantly as he would Yet I will say one thing which I holde for truth that although the first entry of the Gospel hath not beene accompanied in many places with such sinceritie and christian meanes as they should have vsed yet God of his bountie hath drawne good from this evill and hath made the subiection of the Indians a perfect remedie for their salvation Let vs consider a little what hath beene newly converted in our time to the Christian Religion as well in the East as in the West and how little suretie and perseverance in the faith and Christian Religion there hath beene in places where the new converted have had full libertie to dispose of themselves according to their free will Christianitie without doubt augments and increaseth and brings forth daily more fruite among the Indian slaves and contrariwise decreaseth and threatens a ruine in other partes where have beene more happy beginnings And although the beginnings at the West Indies have beene laboursome yet our Lord hath speedily sent good worke-men and his faithfull Ministers holy men and Apostolicall as Friar Martin of Valence of the order of S. Francis Friar Dominicke de Gerancois of the order of S. Dominicke Friar Iohn de Roa of the order of S. Austen with other servants of our Lord which have lived holily and have wrought more then humaine things Likewise Prelates and holy Priests worthy of memory of whom we heare famous miracles and the very acts of the Apostles yea in our time we have knowne and conferred with some of this qualitie But for that my intention hath beene onely to touch that which concernes the proper history of the Indians themselves and to come vnto the time that the father of our Lord Iesus Christ would communicate the light of his word vnto them I will passe no farther leaving the discourse of the Gospel at the west Indies for another time and to a better vnderstanding Beseeching the Soveraigne Lord of all and intreating his servants humbly to pray vnto his Divine Maiestie that it would please hiâ— of his bountie often to visit and to augment by the guifts of heaven this new Christendome which these last ages have planted in the farthest boundes of the earth Glory Honour Empery be to the King of worlds for ever and ever Amen FINIS Chrysost. homil 14 17. in epist and Hebre. Chrys. hom 6.13 in Genâ—s hom 12 ad pop Antioch Theodoreâ— Theophil in capitul 8. ad Hebre Lact. lib. 3. divin inst ca. 24. Iev in epist. aâ— Ephes. â—â—â— 2. â— 4. Sixtuâ— Senens lib. 5. biblio annot at 3. Aug. lib. 2. de Gen. ad lit c. 9. Id. Psal. 35. Sapien. 13. Rom. 1. Aug. lib. 2. de Genes ad lit cap. 10. Aug. ep 109. ad Ianuarium cap. 4. August lib. de Genes ad litteram cap. 19. Dan. 14. Psal. 148. Hest 13. Sap. 1.27.11.18 Psal. 91.7.23.39.97 Iob 37. Eccles. 1. Ierom. cap. 3. ad Ephes. Basil. hom li. 1. Hexam prope finem Amb. lib. 10. Hexam cap. 6. Psal. 74. Amb. 1. Hexa Iob. 9 26. Heb. 1. Aug. in Ps. 13â— Iob. 26. Iob 38. Psal. 103. Psal. 103. Heb. 8. Exo. 36. Chrisost. in 20. cap. Psal. 103. Aug. 2. de Gen. ad litterans ca. 9. Isaie 66. 2. Coriâ— â— 2 Plin. lib. 6. câ—p 22. Via lactea Plut. â—li.de placâ—tis â—hil cap. 9. 1â— Aug. lib. 16. de câ—vit cap. 9. Gâ—â—es 1. Lact. lib. 7. inâ—â— divin cap. 23. Aug. lib. 16. de â—uâ—tate c. â— 9 Arist. 1. dd Cel. ca. 3. Aug lib. Categoriacum c. 10. in tomâ— 1. Lib. 16. câ—p 9 Nazian epist. 27. ad Pâ—stumiâ—num Arist. 2. Meta â—ap 5. Lucan 10. Pharsal Soph. â—â— 3 Plin. lib. â— cap. 61. Plutarch 3. de placitis phil cap. 11. S Ierom. super ap