i*;< ..;.''V^V 'r J/-^J LIBRA.RY OF THE 1 Theo logical S eminary , PRINCETON, N-J- Kareboe^ i Case,_ Djxl ^ion...O_C«..W- , Shelf. Sec; ,o..JJM.. Iiook,__ . ._ Na , l^ To the ^ader. Hofb committe themfelues vn- to the huge,and mayne Oce/iK,m a fmiill veffell , may fooner ex- ped to be fwallowed in that va- ftity o f watersjthrough the rage and furie of the Sea, then hope to gaine thedefired, and inten- ded hauen. And feeing my felfe may well bee compared to that fmall veflelljbeingbutalitleboate, and no barke of any burthen, to fiiyle thetempcftuous Seaj^^euirtjro t.x"''^us O- cean of this Hiflory : I will therefore C'-cr>*nntries\ -^hull Nauigators of former ages ) rather coait lu qji^Jf'; rhe ftioares,then Ipreade niy iayles vnto the enuioui ^ i.^des in adaungerous Sea, through any arrogant preiiimption of mine owne ftrength, hoping therby,to gaine the more fecuritie, when ( ftrll within the viewe ofiande ) I may /afely put into euery harbour, and £o^ auoide the innu- merable peri lies, which might otherwifeinfue. For this Hiflory comprehcndeth a large , and copious difcourle , full ofall variety , extending iticlfein that exceeding length, thatlmightiboner weary, and loofe my felfe in the narration, then giue full fatisfadion to the Reader. Yet, thatlmayyeelde them due content, I purpofeto giue fome fmall taft ofthe contents of the whole,and for the reftj'referre them to i:he body, and fubjftance of the bookc, whereof this fmall £/>/y> -/>/, B together To the ^adef, together with the lubiec"tJon,aiid conqueft therof.Wher- in, wcarechiefeiy to coiirider,thc mduftiy,and trauailes ofcheSpanyarde, their exceeding charge in furnifhing £> many fliippes, for this intended expedition,their con- tinunJiiuppJyestpfurther their attemptes, and their ac- tiue.and:viidaunte4 rpirites, in executing matters of that quahcie, dnd difficaitie, and jaftly, their conftant refolu- tion of Plantation. Ail whiche, may bee exemplary vnto vs, to performe the like in ouv^Virginea^ whiche beeing once throughly planted,and inhabited with our people, may returne as gr^ate beneiitte to our Nation in another kinde, as the Indies doe vnto the Spanyard; for although ityeeldnofe o 1 o <^yet, is n a fruitfull pleafant countrey, rcplenii .^.ai good thinges , necelTary for the li fe of mai; .cie^ be induftrious, who inkabite it . But wee leaiie this to them, who haue authoritie , and good pur- ies, to further a matter of fuche important conlequence, and returne to our puf pofe. Beiides the Hrft difcouery of this countrie of the Weft Indies^this hiClorie likewife (je- clareth theconqueft, and ftibie^aion of the people, the manner howe, and what myriades of millions of poorc naked Indians were flaughtered, andiiibdued through theconqueringrworde, and the number of the Spany- ardes, that attempted, and performed the iiime.Where- in,the chiefe men of note, & principall Commaunders , haue their particular names let down,as chrift. Columhm Eem.Cortes J Fern. Magagliams, -dndthe rc9[y whome the Authorhathexprcirely mentioned,to their arternall cd- mendation ; and for the incitement, and prouocation of the liuing,to the like honourable, and high attemptes. Here alio, are the people defcribed, by their (euerall Na- tions, their particular rites, ceremonies, andcuftomes, by their habite, and attyre, eyther in warre, or peace: al- Co, by thciri'elf giori, iacrificcs, and oclKjydcnaemiurc, &l geftures whatioeucr : fo that to reade the particulars,dil- courlcd there at large, which I bricfely mention heere, will fo allure the reader, that nothing mayfeeme more pleafing, ordelightfull: for, as in fashions of apparell, and ordinary diet wee like extraordinary varietie , and change, though bath tranfgrefle the rules of modeftie, and iobrietie, yet either of thefe pleafe th^ appetite, and vntempp rate deiires ; fb doth varietieofhiftoHeyeeld^ more pleafure,and contentment, whir^h- (being a thing of more indifFcrencie, and asftrong a motiue in another kinde ) cannot butaffed the fences, and intelleduall fa- culties, with fnrre greater del ighc . Hefetfrt mhe addeth thefpeciali .delcription ofthe feuerall coiintries , with their particular fituation,boundes, abuttments,and qua- litie ofthefpyle .-together witJi their Mountaines,hilles, riuers,meddowes,paftares^wo(>ddes, forrefls, valleyes, • playnes, and champions : m>d Whar goodly citties, and fortified to wnes are there ercded, with the mattter, and manner of their architedufe, and building, withallthe ornament, and elegancie thereof; their hugcPallaces, and houfes ofpleaiiire, farre exceeding many Chriftian Princes courtes ; their orchardes, gardens, and other inclofures for wilde beaftes and foules of diuers kindes, beautified with wonderful art,and curiofitiertheir migh- tie Lakes, (whereof fome are littteinferiourto the Ei^- Ar/>^^i'^^}aboundingwith excellent fi(h,and whatfbeuer elfe the diuinebountie might beftowe vppon a blefled countrey, toinrichthem with all earthly felicitie. And laftlyhce largely deicribeth, what thofe Mountaynes, hilles, valleyes, and champions, ryuers, and Lakes in- gender, and bring foorth : whatmineralles,as gold,and (iluer, and what pearle, and precious ftones; what wilde B 2 te aftes, To the ^ader. beaftes, prodigious and ftraunge, what foule, and fiihe, flyes, and wormes of the earth, 6^ other noylbme things, are brcdde there : and of the nature , and quahtie of all thefe. Ail which,thls Hijlormn moft learnedly in a more large, and ample maner,dircourreth, then this my (hort narration can ne report, whicheleaft itexcecde theiull meafureofdue limittes, and boundes, I willingly per- fvvade thercader,to haiie recourfe vnto the Author him- felfe, from whence he (hall receiue. a raoreperfedl fatis- fadion touching particulars then this generalitie doth include. Thus hoping the courteous, anddi/creet, will mildly excule , ifnotapproue, whati hauc rudely dowQ^ I fubmir my felfe to euery hu- mor, and exped differing cenfures anfwerable to thedi/Ibnant opinions,& variable in.- clination of eu€» rie Reader. M.Lok. DifcoHeringef the Indies, \ Qertame Treambles here foilorfie^ ga^ theredhy R . Eden heretofore ^ for the better yn^ derllanding of the whole worke. * of thefirfi difcoHering of the Wefi Indies. ACertayneCarauell fayling in the Weft Ocean, about the ^ ^^^^ , „. coaftes ofSpayne, hadd a forcible and continual] windc ning. ^^^^'^ from the £aft, whereby it was driuen to aland vnknowne, andnotdelcribedmanyMaporCarde of the Sea, and was driuen ft ill along by thecoafteof thcfamefor thefpaceof many daies, vntill it came to a hauen, where in a fliort time the moft part of the mariners,beinglong before very weake and fe- ble by reafon of hunger and trauayle, dyed : fo that onely the Pilot, with three or foure other, remayned aliue. And not only they that dyed, did not enioy the Indies whiche they firft di/co- uered to their misfortune, but the refiduealfo that liued had in maner as litle fruition of the famemot leauing^or at the leaft not openly publifliing any memorie thereof,ney ther of the place,or what it was called, or in whatyeere it was foundetAJbeft, the fault was not theirs5but rather the malice of others, ortheenuie of that which we cal fortune.I do not thet fore marueilejthat the auncienthiftoriesaffirme, that great thingesproceede and in- creafe ok fmall and obfcure beginninges, iith we haucfcenc ihz fame verified in this finding of the Indies, being fo notable and newe a thing. We necde not be curious to feeke the name of the Pilot, iith death made a (liorte ende of his doinges. Some will, that he came from ^ndaluz^ia^and traded to the Ilandes of Cam- xhe P ! h ria, and the Hand ok Madera, when this large and mortal! naui- firft found\h« gationchauncedvntohim. Other lay that hce was a l^)/?^^;/^ Indies, and traded mtoEnglande and France. Other a]fo,that hce was a Portugall, & that either he went or came from Mim or India : ^^'"*» whiche agreeth well with the name ofthefe newe landes , as I haue fayd bcfore.Againe,fome there be that fay that he brought the Carauellto Portugall, or the llande ofMndtra, or to fome B 3 other lyku m^n colon was, other ofthc Kandes called D?tia in Lumhardie . He began ne of a chy !de to bee a maryner : ofwhofe arte they haue great exercife on the ryuer of Genua. He traded many yeercs into Sariaj and other parts ofthe Eaft. After this, hee became a maifter in maUngcardes for the fea, whereby hee hadde great vantage. Hee came to Portugall to know the reafon and defcription ofthe South coalts of Anri- ca, and the nauigations ofthe PortugalIes,thereby to make his cardesmorepcrfedtobeefoldc. Hee maryed in Portugall, as fbme fay :or as many fay,in the Hand oH Madera^\\\z'it he dwelt at fuch time as the faide Carauell arryued there, whofe Pilot fb- iorned in his houfe, and dyed alfo there, beequeathingto Colon his carde ofthe defcription of fuch newe landes as he had found, whereby Colon hadde the firft knowledge ofthe Indies. Some haue thought that Cp/i?,^ was well learned in the Latine tongue and the fcience of Cofmographie : and that he was thereby firft moued to feekc the lands of Antipodes, ^nd the rich Hand of O- p.'ingOyWfhcicof Af.tnhiis PW^j writeth. Alio that he had reade ^\ hat Plato in his dialogues ol Timeus and Cnci^, writeth of the. great Ilande or Atlintide^sind of a great lande in the well Ocean vndifcouered, being bigger then Alia and AfFrica. Furthermore that he had knowkd^z wh^t Anjlotle and Thcopbrafius faye in their bookes of Maruayles , where they write that ccrtayne naarchauntej of Carthage, fayling from the ftrayghtcs of G/- braltAt ir^/r^rtowardc the WclUnd South, founcle after manydaies a great liandc not inhabited , yxt rcpknilhed with all thinges ^°'°" *?" requilite, and hauing many nauigable ryucrs. In decdc CoIcni^^^nZ. was notgreatly karned : yet of good vnderltanding . And Colon confer when he had knowledge of the Tayde ncwe jandes by the infbr- ' cd with lear- niation of the deade Pilotte, made relation thereof to certayne "*'* ^^'■^* learned nienne, with whome lie conferred as touching the Jykc thinges mentioned of olde authors . Hce communicated this fecrete and conferred chiefeiy with a Fryar, n?,med lokn Pere^ G^LMitrchefM, t\\^t.d\\t\t'mx\icUMomfieryo[RM(Lu So that I veriJy bcieeue, that in manner all that hcc declared , and ma- nic thinges more thathee kft vnfpoken, were written by the fayde Spany llie Pilotte that dyed in his houfe. For 1 am per- fwadedjjthat x'i Colon by icience atteincd to the knowledge of the Indies, hce woulde long beeforchaue communicated this fc- cretetohis ownc counirey-mennetiieG£'»«^»/^j',that trauayle alltheworldeforgaynes, and not hauc come into Spayne for thispurpofe. But doubtlclle hce neuer thought of any fuchc thing, beefore hce chaunced xo bee acquainted with thefaydc Pylotte , who foundc tholeiandcs by fortune , according to the fayinge of Plinie, ^jtod ars docere Wft potnit, cajhn iriHemt, That is, That arte coulde not teache, chaunce foundc. Albeit, the more Chriftian opinion is , to thmke that G O D of his fingularprouidence and infinitte goodneire,'at the length with cyesof compaflion as it were looking down e from hcauen vp- pon thc^onnes of Adam , fo long kept vnder Sathanscapti- uitie , intended euenthen(forcaufes to him onelie vnknowne ) to rayfethofewindes of mercy whereby that Carauell ( here- in molt lyke vnto tne (hyppc o^Noe, whereby the remnant of the whole worlde was faued , as by this Carauell this newe woride recey ued the firft hope cf their faluation ) was driuen to thcfe landcs. But wee will nowe declare what great thinge* followed of this fmall begynn/ng, and howe Colon followed this matter > reuealed vnto him not without GODS pro- uidence. B 4 ?yba$ The Attemft of Colon, JVhatlahoHr undtrMoyle Colon tookein *ittemfti»g hisfirfi voyage to the ladies, AFtcrthe death of the Pilot & marryncrs of the Spanyflic Carauell that diicouered the IndiQSjChriJlopher Colon pur- pofed to feeke the lame. But in hovve much more hee de- firedthis, thelelFewashis power to accompliihehisdc- fire. For, beeiide thatofhimlelieheewas notable to iurniihe one ftiyppe, he lacked alfo the f'auour of a King, vnder whofe protedion he might To enioy the riches hee hoped to finde^that none other myght take the fame from him,or defeate him there of. And ieeing the kingof Portugal occupied in the conqueft of Africa, and the NauigationsoftheEaft, which were then fii ft attempted , the King of Ca fty le likewife no lelle buihed in the w^LVXtio^ Granada, hee fent to his brother Bartholomewe Coloh (who was alfopriuieto this fecrete ) to practile with the King K''\9 Hcnrv t)f Engiande (Henry the feuenth ) being verie rich and without thekuemho warrcs, promiling to bring him great riches inlhortetime, if hcc woulde ihevve him fauour, and furnillie him with Ihippes to dilbouerthenewelndies, whereof he had certaine knowledge. But ney ther here being able to bring his fuite to palfe, he caufed the matter to be moued to the king of Portugal Don ^/o^jthe Barnade fifth of that name : at whofe hands he found neither fauour nor knevve not niony/oraimuch as the Licentiat Calzadilla the biiliop ofphfeoy allthingcs. ^.^j ^,^^ m^iikQT Rodngo,mtn ofcredite in the fcience of Cofmo- graphie, withftoode him, and contended that there neither was nor coulde any golde or ether riches bee founde in the Wefl:,as (^olon affirmed. By reafon whereof he was veiy fad and penfiue ; but yet was not difcouraged, or dcfpaired of ^ hope oi his good aduenture, which hee arterwarde founde. This done, he tooke ihyppingat Lt/hiyne, 2iVyd c^mQ to P^los ot A^ogner -, where hee comriuined widi MeU princes of Calhlc , affirming that they wouidc bee ioyfull offuchenewes ; And for his better furtherance herein, wrote letters by him to Fryar FerAwando oiTa/muera the Queencs con- fellor. Chrtjiopher Colon therefore, repay red to the Court of the Catholike princes, in the yeerei48<5. and deliuered vnto their handes the petition of his requeff,as concerning the dilcouenng of the new Indies. But they being more careful), and applying ail their my nde,howe they might dryuetheMporcs out of the The conquci kingdome of Granada^ whiche great entcrprife they had already ^^ Granada, taken in hande, did little or nothing efteeme the matter . But C';'/, aud Europe €uen vnto the fea Tirrhenum .The power therefore ofthem be- ing then fo great, they came to inuade both your couptreyand ours, and all other that are within the Columnes of KerculaeL Then {O Solon ) the vertue of your citty Qiewed it felfefamouis in magnanimitie and feates of armes, with the allemblance of the other Grecians, in refiftynge their great power, vntyj you had driuen them out of our lands,and reftored vs to ouriibertic But fhortly after that this enterprife wasatchiu£d,befelamar- ueylous great eardiquake,andexundation or ouer flowing of the fea,which continued for the fpace of one day and night:, In the which the earth opened it ielf e , and inglutted all thpfe vali » ant and warlike men, and the fayde Ilande Ath/amdesCuakQ into the bottome of the fea, which was the occafion that neuer from that tyme forwarde,any fliyp coulde (xylc that way,by rea fon of the great mudde and llynae which remayned of the drow- ned Ilande. . Thisisthefummeof thofe thinges which olde Critia fayde be hsid vndevi^oodc of So/on. And certaincly thefe wordes of P/atoofthtCnyd IIand,hauecaufcd great contention amongma ny great Philofophers,wh^ch haue written commentaries vpon thefaydc Dialogue of Ttmeus compofed by Plato-. Infbmucil that the fame in thofe dayes being vtterly vnknown, many haue taken this narration ofSolon^ for an allegoricall fable, and haue interpreted the fame in diuers fenfes and raeanynges . But it ma/ <5 many adw well appcarethc true meaning hcrcofto be this,thac P/aro intending co wryte ofthevniucrrall frame of the worlde, the wiiich he knewe to be made an habitation [or thediuine be(l man, and alfo bclioldyngthcrin the great ornament and beaut/ oftheheauenand (tarrcs, whereby man might knowe his God and^t:eatour,it might iceme to him a thing to farre from rea- (bn, thatoncJy two partes thereof fhould be inhabited , and the other part defolate and dcpriued of men : and that the Sunne & ftarres might feeme to (hewe their light onely halfe their courfe without proHtejDi in ing only vponthefea & defolate pla- te5,deftitute of man & other liuinge creatures. And therefore Pfato had in great admiration the hiftorye of the fayde Egypti- an priefl, making mention of an other part of the world bciide ^fiajEf^rope,and Africa, and thought it woorthy to be rehearled in the beginning of his diuine Dialogue aforefayde. We ought therefore certainely to thmkeourfelues moft bound vnto God, that in.thefe our times it hath plealed him to reueale and difco- uer this fecrete in the finding of this new worlde , whereby wee avecertaynely alTuredjthatvnder our Pole ftarre,aodvnderthe ft/£^«/w^w//Iine, are moft goodly and ample regions, as well and commodioully mhabited , as are other partes of the worlde beft known vnto vs. '<^J^'^f3*' ■'^vAi:\.A The tefiimome of the Poet Seneca in his Tragedie De Medea, rvhereby thefpirite of P oeticallf fine fie fajth, fff^ietit mnis SecnUferfSyt^uihiis Oceattus VincuU rerum laxet^ et tngem Pat eat tellm.^'jphifquenoHof Detegat Orhes^ Nee fit terrtsyvltima Thjle. Which may be thus Engl ifhed. In late yeeres new worldes nialbefounde, And newc landes (hall then appe are on the groundc, Whea The Epiftlc ofPcter Martyr. When 7?/>^wNauigation new worldes ihail iinde out, Then Ihall notThylc forlaft be left out» Tbyle is an fgy then fliall the Ocean dilFoluc his large bandes. And (hewc foorth newe worldes, regions, and iandes, 5^ 71? themo/l noble prince and ca* tholike King, QharlesJPeter Martyr of An^ £erk wiftieth perpetuall felicitic. The largenes of the Ocean vnknowncto this day. He diuinc prouidcncc, from the time that he firft created f world,hath referued vnto this day the knowledge of the great & large Ocean Tea; In the which tyme he hath opened ]^ fame chiefeiy vnto you ( mod mighty Prince) by g ^____ _ good fortune & happy fuccelle of your grand- 1 ather by your mother fide . The fame prouidence ( I know notbywhatdeftinie) hath brought me out of my natiue coun- trcy of Millane,and out of the cittie of Rome (where I continu- ed almoft. X. yeeresj into Spaine that Imight, paiticularly col- lecfle thefc marueilous and newe thinges , which fhoulde other* wile pcrhappes haue lien drowned in the whirlepoole of obhui- on, forafmuche as the Spanyardes{men worthy greatcommen- dation)had only care to the general! inuentions of thelethinges. NotwithftandingjI do not chalenge vnto me only, the thankes of the traaaile beftowed hereinjwhereas the chiefe rewarde ther- of is due to AJcamus Vtcont CardinalyViho pcrceyuing that I was willing to depart out of the citty to bee prefent at the Warres oi Gmmtum., dillwadcd mc from my purpofe: But The warres at feeing that I was fully refblued to depart,exhorted and required Granatuma- j^^eto write vnto him fuch newes as were famous in Spaine, & wortiiy to be npted.I tooketherfore my iourncy into Spaine chiefeiy for the defire I hadd to fee thexpedition which was prepared againft the enimies of the faith , forafmuch as in Itaiye , hy reafon of the diifcntion amonge the Princes , I coulde fi n'e nothing wherewith I might feede my witte, being a ycufr ge man defuous of knowledge and experience ■ ■~" of Cardinal Af- canius* gainftth* Moores. Th^Epiftlc of Peter Martyr, 7 of thingcs, I vMis therefore prtjfent at the warres , from whence I write to CaidinallAfcanius, andbyfundryEpiftlcs certifyed him of fuch thinges as 1 thought moft worthy to bee putinmemorie. But when I perceiued that his fortune, was curncd from a naturall mother toaftepdamc, IcealPed from writing. Yet after I fawe, that by ouerthrowe of the enemies of our faith, Spainewas purged of the Moores, asofaneuill wcedc plucked vppc bytherootes, leafl: I Ihould beftowe my ilipperyyeeresin vnprofitabie idlenelle, I was minded to re- turnc to Italie. But the lingular benignitie of both the Catho- like king and qucene now departed : and their large promife* towarde meevpponmy returnefrom my legacie of Babylon dctcyned me from my purpofe. Yet doth it not repent me that I drew backe my foot, afwell for that I lee in no other place of the worideatthis time the likewoorthie things to bee done: as alfo ., , that in manner throughout Italie, by reafon of the dilcorde of t^'yyjth^^^.* Chriftian Princes, I perceiued all thinges to runne headlong into ruine , the countryes to bee deft royed and made fatte w ith humane bloodc, the Citties Tacked, virgins and matrones with Thcfequclc« tl;eir goods and polfeflions carryed away as Captiues,and mi- of vyarrc. ferable innocents without oflence to bee llayncvnarmed within their ownehoufes. Of the which calamities, I did not onely heare the lamentable outcryes, but did alfo fecit the fame : For euen the blonde of mine owne kinffolkes and friendes, was not free from that crueitie. As I was therefore muling with my Cdfc ofthefethinges, the Cardinallof Arragone, after that he hadfeenethet\vo.f]rll: bookes of my Decades written to Afca- nius, required mee in the name of king Frederike his vncle, to KingFrcde- putfoorth the other eyght epiftle bookes. In the mean e time "'^^* aifb, while I was voyde of all cares as touching the matters of the Oceaujthe Apoftolicall mellengers of the billiop of Rome, Leo the tenth ( by whole holfoniecounfayle and authority wc truft the calamities ofltalielhall bee finifhed) rayfed mee as it were from fleepe, and encoragcd me toproceedas I had begun. To his holinelle I write two Decades, compryfed infhort bookes,aftcr the maner ofepiftles, and added them to tfie firft, which was printed without mine aduife, as fhall further appeare by the preface following. But nowe I retume to you (moft C nobic The Epiftle of Peter. Martyr. noble Prince) from whom I haue fomewhat digrelled. There- S^aincfubdu. fore wheras yourgradfathers by your mothersiidejliauefubdu- ^d from the gj ^1 Spaine vnder your dominiojCxcept qnly one corner ofthe The kYncdom ^^^-"'^3 ^"^ ^^"^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^ kingdome of Naples, with the •f Naples. fruitfuU Ilandes of our feas, it is furely a great thing and worthy to bee noted in our Cronicles. But not oifending the reuerencc due to our predeceirours, vvhatfoeuer from the beginning of the world hath beene done or written to this day^to my iudgement feemeth but little, ifvveeconiidcr what new landesandcoun- treys, what newe Teas , what iundry nations and tongues,what goide mynes, what treafui ies of pearles they haue kft vnto your highnelfe, befide other reuenues. The which, what they are, andhowe great, the(e three Decades Hiall declare.Come there- fore mo ft noble Prince eleded of God, and enioy that high eftate of thinges not yet vnderftood to men. We offer vnto you J^' "the E ^^ ^^^^ £^///»of/W/ lyne hitherto vnknowne, and burnt by the furf- quLoaiai vn- ous hcate ofthe funne,and vnhabitable after the opinionof the knowne to the olde writers, a few excepted : butnowcfoundetobeemoftre- ©Idc writers, plenillied with people, faiie, fruitful!, and moft fortunate, with a thoufand Ilandes crowned with goldeandbeautifull pearles, beiidesthat grcate portion ofearthfuppofed to be part ofthe Continent or ^rme lande, exceeding in quantitie three Europes. Come ther- firmc bnd as fore and embrafe this new world, and iiiffer vs no longer to con- bigge as three fimie in defire of your preience. From hence, from hence liay luropcs. ( moft noble young Prince) fhall in ftrumentes bee prepared Riches are the you, whereby all the world (hail be vnderyour obeyfance. And jnllruments of ^\^^^^^ J bid your Maieftie farewell : to whofe taft if X . iQoqiieflcs. fhallperceiue the fruitesof this my tyllagc to bee delegable, I will hereafter doe my endeuour that you may rcceiue the{ame more a- bundantlyTrom Madridjthe day before theCalends of 0urs • Butvntovs, hauingonely one God, whom weehonour in triplicitieofperfon, this re- fteth, that albeit we do iiotworfliip that kind of "men with diuinc honour, yet wee doe reucrencc them, and worthily marueile at theirnobleadesandenterprifes. Vnto kinges and princes wee giue due obeyfancc, by whofe gouernance and furtherance they haue beenaydedio performe their attcmptsrwe commend both and for their iull: defectes worthily extoll them. Wherefore, as concerning the Ilandes of the well Ocean,IateIy dilcoLiered,and The Hands of the authours ofthe fame (which thing youdefire by your^'^^^'^ letters to kno\v)I will begin at the firft author thercof^Icaftl bee ■ "**** iniurious to any man . Take it therefore as foJloweth. Chrifiophortts Colonus (otherwile called O/^^w^/zj-) a gentle chriftoplj* man of Italic, borne in thecitie oiGenu a, perfv^aded Fernando ru$ Colo- and Elizabeth, catholike priiKCs, that he doubted not to find ""s* certainellandes o^ India ^ neere vnto our Ocean fea, if they i^^{^^ wouldc furnifli him with fliippes and other thinges appertey- ning : affirming that thereby not onely the Chriftian religion might be enlarged, but Spainealfo enriched by the great plen- tieofglod,!pearles, precious (tones, and fpiccs, which might he found there. At the length three fhippes were appoyntcd him at the kinges charges : of the which one was a great caracie with deckes, and the "other two were light march ant lliippcs without deckes, which the Spanyardes call C^4- u^l ter mannered :For by the long courfe of many yeeres they were forgottcn,and remained as vnknowen. Thele feuen Iiandes( therefore ) called the Camries , were- Th? 7.11ands found by chaunce by a french man c^Wltd^Betanchor by the per- Beta^ho^'a i"'^o" of qucene Katharine, protedrixc of king lohn her fon, Frenchman while he was yet in his non^e, about the yeere of Chrid 1 405. I'ubdueo the I This Bcumchor inuaded two of thele Ilandes called Lancelotus & knd$ of Cina portifHeKtt^ra^whid). he inhabited and brought to better cuItL]re„ ric.Scc. j^^ beingdead, his Ihnne and heife folde both the fayd Ilandes to.certaine Spanyardes. After thhyFar/;(iiidfis Perariaznd his wife, inuaded Ferrca and Gcmem. The otiier three were fubdued in our time. Grmcanaria^ by Petrus de V<:ra^^i\zti\ of the noble citic of Xericiumy and h\\- (:h:!iZ\o^ MoxLca. riamaZ.i'idTe}ienfe-fij hy AlfhonfHs Lugo^ at the kmgcs charges. Gomera and Ferrea were ealiiy fiibdued :But the Alphonftis matter vvent hafde with AlfhonfUs Lu^o^ For that naked and Lu^o,' wilde nation, fighting onelywith ftoncs and clubbes, droue his armie to fiight at tke firit airault, and flue about foure hundred ofiiis ii)cn : But atthe length hee oucrcame them. And thus al j the Thefirfi Decade. 9 thellaiidcsorCrf;?^^ were added to the dominion ofSpainc. From thefe Ilandes Cdoms dired:ing his voyage torvaide the weft, following the failing of therunnc, but declining fcniewhae tow aide the left hand, laylcd on forward xxxiii.daycs continu- ally,hauing oncly the fruition of the heaucn and the water. \hti\ tlic Spanyardes which were accompany ed with h.m, bcganne firft to munnure lecretly among themlelues, and Oiortly after Colonuj men with woordesofreprochfpakeeuill of CWw/^x their gouernour,rfbehgainft and confulted with thcmfeiues, eyther to rydde him out of the "^ way,ore]6 tocaft him intothefea : raging that they were de- cciued of a ftranger, an outlandilh man, a Ligurian, a Genues, aiid brought into ilich daungerous places, that they might neuer returne againe. And after y.y.^\\\. dayes were paftjthey fu- riouilycryedoutagainllhim,andthreatnedhimthathelhould Fairewordsfc palfe no further. But hee euer with gentle wordes and large pro- promiUs. mi&3,appeafed their fury, andprolongcd day after day, fome- time deliring them to beare with him yet a while, andfome- time putting them in remembrance thatifthey Ihoulde attempt any thing againll: him, or otherwife dilbbey him, it would be re- puted for trealbn. Thus after a few dayes, with chearefulj hearts they efpied the I ande long looked for. In this firft nauigation, Jie difcouered vi,Ilandes, whereof two w ere exceeding great : Ol v'hich, the one he called ////^^;^i&/<«, andtheother/o^^w;?^. But Hifpanlokp -at that time hee knewe notperfedly that Johanm { otherwife ^°^^""^» ..called Cuha) was an Ilande.As they coafted along by the fliore of certaine of thefe Ilandes, they hearde. Nightingales fing in thethickewoodesin themoneth of Noucmber. They found Jj^'^j^'JI alfo great riuers of fireihe water, and naturail hauens, of capa- ucmbc citie to harbour great nauiesofftiippes.Saylingby the coaftes of /£?^<^r;7;r^from the north poynt to the weft, hee rode iittleleire then eight hundred miles(for they cal it a hundred & fourefcorc leagues) fuppofing that it had been the continent or firme land, becaufe hee coulde neither find the landes end,nor any token of the endjas farre as he could iudge with his eye : wherefore he de- termined to turne backe againe, being partly thereto enforced bythe roundnelfeofthefea, for the lea bankes ofthellande o^Iohama, byfundry wyndinges and tumingcs, bende them Tdues fo much to ward the North^tliat the nortlinortheaft wind C 3 roughly )er. Thefirfi Decade. f oughly tolted the (hyps by reafon of the winter. Turning ther- foretheftemmesofhislhippestowardetheEaft, hee a(hrmed O hi> *^ '^^^ ^^ ^^"^ '^^^'^^ the Hand oF Ophir^ whither Solomons iliips * fayled for gold. But the defcription of the Cofmographers well confideredjit feemeth that both thefe, and the other Ilands ad- The llandcs ioyiii^g? ^^^ ^^^^ Hands o^AHtU'm. This Hand he called Hifpani- of Antilia, oU^on whofe north lidc as hee approched neere to the Iland,the keele or bottome of the biggefl: velleli ranne vpon a blind rocke Afhipwrackc. couered with water, and clone in funder : but the pjainenelfe of the rocke was ahelpe to them that they were not drowned. Ma- king haft therefore with the other two Ihips to helpc thein,they brought away all the men without hurt. Heere commmg firlt a T^^i?^°H land, theyfawecertainemenofthellande, whoperceiuingan * ^ ^ vnknowen nation comming toward them,flockedtogethcr,and Naked people ^^"11^ ^^^ '^^o the thicke woodes,as it had bin hares courfed with grcyhoundes.Our men purfuing thcm,tooke onely one woman, whom they brought to the Ihips : where filling her with meate and wine,and apparelling her, they let her depart to her compa- nie. Shortly after a great multitude of them came running to the Oiore to behold this new nation,whom they thought to haue descended from heauen.They caft themfelues by heaps into the Expert ^T^Alu- fea,&cams fwimming to the ihippes, bringing gold with them, mers. " whichtheychaunged with ourmen for earthen pottes,drinking GoM fcrearth gIaires,poyntes,pinnes,hawkesbeIs, lookinggla(fes,&fiicho- and glafse. ^^^^ trines. Thus growing to further familiaritie, our men were J, J , . honorably entertained ofthe king of that part of the Ilad,whoie ^^ name was Gnacea.narillus-.'ioi it hath many kings^as when in»ca« of thefe xxi. daies,they thinke that they fayied eight hundred & xx.ieaguesjthe north northeaft winde was Co full with them,and fo frefliiy followed the fterne of their fliips. After they had fay- led a litle further, they efpied diuers Ilandes replenifhed with (undry kindes of trees, from the which came fragrant fauoures of (pices and fvvcetegummes : here theyfaweneythermanne nor beaft, except certainc Lyfaites of huge bignclfc, as they re- Lyfartcs. ported which went aland to view thecountrey. This Hand they called Gdam, or Galanta : from the cape or poynt of this Hand, "^^^ l^&n^ of efpying a mountaine farrc of, they fayied thither. About, xxx. ^^'^"*^- myles from this mountainc , they faweariuer defcending, which feemed to be a token of fome great and large flood.This is the firft lande which they found inhabited from the Hands The Hand of oCCanark, and is an Ilande of the Cambales,3iSt\\ty learned Guadalupea*. bytheinterpretours which they tooke with them from Htfia- moWmto Spaine at their firft voyage. Searching the Ilande, they The firfi Decade. ^ they found innumerable villages of xx.houre.';,or 3 o. at the moft ^xxl^on^s*. ^^^ '^^""^ ^owt. in order, making the ibeete m compalFe irke ' a market place. And forafmuch as I haue made mention of tiieir houfes5it fhal not begrcatly from my purpofc to de/cribc ThebuiMing Jnwhat mannertheyare buildcd: They are made rcui^dlikc of their houfes. belies or round pauiiions. Their frame is ray led oF exceeding high trees5ict dole together, and fall rampaired in the ground, ib Handing afiope, and bending inward,that the toppes oFthc trees ioyne together,and beare one agaiidl another, hauing alfo within the houfc certain ftrong and fliortproppes or polls which fuffcyne the trees from falling. They couer them with thcleaucsofdatetrees,and other trees llrongly compadl and hardened,wherwith they make them ciofe from winde and wea- ther. At the lliorte polls or proppes within the houfc, they tie ropes of the cotton of goirampinetrees,or other ropes made of ©offamplne certaine long & rough roots, much like vnto the Ihi ubbe called cotton, Shartum-) wherof in old time they v/ed to make bands for vines, and gables and ropes for Ihippes. Thcle they tye ouerthwart the houfe from poll to poll, on thefe they lay as it were cer- taine matrellcsmade of the cotton of goilampine trees, which , growe plentifully in thefe Ilandes. This cotton the Spanyards Hanoing'bcds ^^^ ■^^g'^'^^'^'-y and the \Kz\{^Vi%B(nnbitfme- and thus they Ueepe "in hanging beddes. At the entrance of one of their houfes,they fawe two Images of woodelike vTito ierpentes, which they -thought had bcene fuch idoles as they honour:but they learned afterwarde that they were fet there onely for comelmelle, for they know none other God then the funncSc moonejalthough Imagcfr, tliey make certaine images ofgoifampine cotton tothelimili- tude of inch phantafies as they fay appeare to them in the night Our men found in their houfes, all kmds of earthen velfels, net muchvnlike vnto ours. They founde alfb in their kytchens., FiaecoGkcric mans flelh, duckes flelh,^ goo/e flelh,aliin one pot, and other on thefpits ready to be layd to the fire. Entring into their inner Jodginges, they founde faggottes of the bones ol mens amies Arrowhcadcs andlegges, which they referue to make headesfortheirAr- •f homes. rowes, becaufe they lacke iron, the other bones they cafl away when they haue eaten the.Jflefti. They found Jikewi/e th& head ©fa yong man faftcnedtoa poft, and yet bleeding.They haue Thefirfl Decade, ^ \ in fomc villages, one great IialJ or pallace, about the which their commcm houfcs are placed . to this they re/brt5as often as ^ty come together to play. When they pcrceiued the com- mingofourmen, they lied de. In their houfes they fbunde alfo aboiie thirtie children captiuc«, which were referued to bee eaten, l)ut our men tooke thein away to vfethem for inter- preters. S-'archingmore diligently the innci parts otthellandc, they Found i'euen other riuers, bigger then this which wee Ipakeoi before, running through tliellande, with fruitefull and pleafant bankes, delegable to beholde, This Ilande tliey called Gmdalu^en^^ox the limilitude that it hath to the mout The mount Grnddn^Hs m'^^ywQ.^ whercthe image oFthe virgine Marie Guadaiiipus; \^ religioufly honoured, but the inhabitantcs call it Carucueria, (-gr^,cueria. ox ^eraquieTA : It is the chiefe habitatio of the C(imbtiles^\\<^y brought from this Hand vii,Popiniayes,bigger then Phelantes, Popmiaycs much differing from other 'w\ colour, hauing their backcs, bjggerthen breftes, and bellies of purple colour, and their winges of other ^ '^^"'^*^*' variable coloursrin all thefc Hands is no lelle plentie of Popyn- iayes, then with vs of fparrowes or ftarelinges. As wee bring vp capons and hennes to franke and make them fat, fo do they thefe bigger kindes of Popmiaycs for the fame parpofe . After that they had thus fearched the Iland,and driu6n thefc Cmibales -,, ' ,, . to flight ( which ran away at their fii ft approche, as foone as j^juc to flight, they had efpyed them) they called theircompanie together, and aslooneas theyhadde broken the C^w^-^/w boates or lighters (which they call C and hurt fome of them with their venemous arrowef. acdwithvc- Amongthefetherewasa certainewoman, to whom the other wac» gaucrcuercnce, and obeyed as though fhee were their queene. lierfonne way ted vpon her, beeing a young man; ftrongly made Thefirft Decide, inadej of terrible and frowning countenance^and a Lions facf , Oiirmenne, lead they fliould take the more hurt by beeing wounded a farre of, thought it beft to ioy ne with them . There- fore with all fpecdjfctting forward with their ores the brigadine ^ coflidl wkh in which they werefeta lande, they ouerturned their (r^;?^?^, tjjc Canibaks with agreat violence, which being ouenvhelmed, they notwith- •itanding, as well the women as the men, fwimming, caft their dartcs at our men tiiicke and threefoide. At the length, ga- thering themfelues vpon a rocke couered with the water, they fought manfully vntill they were ouercome and ta-i" ken,one Seeing flaync, andthequeenes fonne (ore wounded. When they were brought into the Admirals lliippe,they did no more put of thcirficrcenes and cruel countcnances,then do the Theficrccnw Lions of Z^i^r^ when theyperceiuethemfelues to bee bound in and terrible chaynes. There is no man able to behold them,but he iliall ^°"j",' ca„"",. fcele his bowels grate with acertayne horrour, nature hath i„^ endued them with fo terrible menacing and cruel! al-ped. This coniedure I makeofmyfelfe,& others which oftentimes went vithmetofeetliemat Methjmna Campi '. but nowe to returne Methymna to the voyage . Proceeding thus further and further,more then Cainpi. iiue hundred myles, firfttowarde the weft fouthwcll, then towarde the fouthwefl:, and at the length towarde the weft northweft, they cntred into a mainc large lea, hauing in it in- numerable Ilaiides, marueilouflydiifering one from another Innumerable for fomeofthem were very fmitefull, and full of hearbes and '*. trees, other fome, verydrie, barren, andrough,withhieroc-' kye mountaines of ftone , whereof Ibme were of bright blew, or afurine colour, and other gliftering white; wherefore they fuppoied them,by good rea/on,to be the mynes of mettalles & xheMyneso! preciou5 ftone ; but the roughneffe of the fea,and multitude of mettals& pre- llandes ftandingfo thicke togeather, hindered them Co, that ciousftonefc they could caft no anker,!eaft the bigger veilcllcs Ihould runne vpon the rockes : therefore they deferred the fearching of thefellandcs vntill another time : they were lb many ,' and ftoodefotiucke, that they coulde not number them, yet the fmallerveirelleswhichdrewe no great deapth, entred among them, and numbredfourtie and fixe Ilandes, but the biggef veltelskept aloofein the maynelea, for fcare tjf the rockes. They The firft Decide, They callthefea where this multitude of Ilandcs are fituate', The feaealled ^rchiPe/agus.'Ftom this tra(?le proceeding forward, in the midde ArchipcUgus. ^^y tJ^^r^ lyeth an Hand which the inhabitants call ^//m-/?wor Lordftiip,both white and blacke, and therewith alfo a trunke of U^num Aiocs. th? tree diAloes^^ the whicji.ifyou cut in p'eeces, you fiull feeie a fweetcfauour to proceedefrom the fame. Thus fare you hartijy welljfrom the Q.QWix.-o'i Mefhymna Camp , the tfeird day before the Calendcs ofMay.^M9(? jDozw. 1494^ The.tliirdehookeofthefiyfi Decade, to :• JiOdouike CaydiiM/ZofATZ^onic, and Netiievge to the King, Ou defire that foolifh Phaeton ihould againc rule the chariots of the Sunnc, and con- tf(f<7;?, you Ihall freely pfoteft in howe fliort time, and in the midded of what troubles and ca- lamities youhaue enforced me to write of the fame. Thus fere you wellj from. (7^^?^?^ the ninth day belore the ClJendcscf May. VVc haue declared io the bookc here before, how the Admi- Hirpanlola, ^^^ palled by the coads of the CambalsJiQ. the Hand of Hi/f^imoU w ith . The firjl Decade, 18 with his whole nauic : But nowc wee cntendc further to fhcwc whathec found as conccrningthe nature of this IJande, after that he had better fearched the fecretes of the fame : Likewifc of the Hand oiCuba neare vnto it, which he fuppofcd to be the lirmelande. HifpanieU therefore ( which heeathrir.cth tobec Ophtry whereof wee reade m the thirde booke of the kinges ) is th/rSdom " ot latitude fiue South degrees, hauingthe North pole eleuate fliipsfiyiea on the North lide xxvii. degrees,and on the South lide (as they for Golde. fay) \^\\. degrees, it reacheth in length from Eaft to Weft, (c- uen hundred and fourefcore myles, it is diftant from the Hands of Gindcs ( called Calcs) xlix. degrees,and more,asfome fay ; the fourme of the Ilande relembleth the leafe of a Chefnuttetrce. Vpon a high hill on the North fide of the Ilande, heebuilded a cittie,becaufe this place was moft apt for that purpofe, by rea- ifabcUa; fonof a myne of ftones which was neare vnto the fame, ier- uing well both to buildc with, and alfo to make Lyme : at the bottome of this hill, is there a great playne of threelcorc myles m length, and in breadth fomewherexilfomwherexx. myles where it is broadcft, & fixe myles where k is narroweft:through this play nerunne diucrs fay re riuers of wholefbmc waters, but the greatett of them, which is nauigable,falleth into the hauen of the citie forthe (J5acc of halfe a furlong : how fertile and fruit- ful thts valley is, youfliall vndcrftande by thele thinges which followc. On the Ihore of this riuer, they haue limitted and en- clofed certaine ground, to make gardens and orchyardes, in the ^ '°''*" °^™^ which allkinde of bigger hearbes, as radilhe, letufe, coleworts ^^{^^q '""*" borage, & fuch other, waxc ripe wkhin xvi. dayes after the feed- is fowen, likewifc Melones, Gourdes, Cucumcrs, and ^^^ Hcarbsoreenc other, within the Ipacc of xxxvi. dayes, thefc garden hearbes all the whole they haue frefh and greene all the whole yeere. Alfo the roots of yccrc, the canes or recdes of the licour whereof fugar is made, growe acubitehigh wKhin thefjjaceof xv. dayes, but the licour is ^"gc'^fc'^w, not yet hardened The like they affirmcofplantes or fliroudcs ^^ '*^"*^*iitctis : the thirde toward the North, named lachem the laft reacheth into the South, and is called iV<«;^rf.The day before the Ides, of March, the Admiral] himfelfc, with all his horfemen, and foure hundred footemen,marched dirtdcly to- warde the South lide of the golden Region, Thus palling ouer the riuer, the playne, and the mountaine which enuironed the other fide of the playne, hee chaunced vpon another vale,'with a riuer much bigger then the fir ft, and many other meane riueis running through.When he had aljb conueighed his acmy ouer the riuer, and paifed the ieconde vale, which was in no partin- feriour to the fir(V,he made away tiif ough the thirde moirntaine where was no palTage before, and dcfcended into another vale, which was nowethe beginning of C/^vw,z. Through this alio mniie maiiy fioudcs and riuets out ofeuery hiii, and in the fandes of them all i s founds great ■ plentitr of goldc. And when beehaddcnowe entfed thrcelcpre andtvvdue mylcs into the golden Regi(>n from the ciitky heentcndcd to huilc.'e a fortreiTe, vppon rhc toppe of a hill, Handing by the ihcre of a ceitaine great riucr,that>hee might the better and more fafcly f.:arch the %retesof the inner partes of the Region :this hee called the fortrelle "Xhe golJen TSgionoi Ci Tfeevalcof The frfl Decade. . \g fortrcirc of ia:nt Thomas, the which in the meanc time, while ^ hee was building, the inhabitantes beeing defirous ofhawlccs ^^^j^^^^^^jj^g^ beJJeSjand other of our thingcs, reforted daily thither,to whom the Adnairall declared, that if they would bring goldc, they fiiould haue what(beuer they woulde aske. Foorthwith turning their backcs, and turning to the flioreofthencxtriuer, they returned in alhortetimc, bringing with them their haadcsfuil ofguld^. Amongfta!] other,thcro came an. olde man, bringing Gravncs.tnd with him two pibbie Hones uf goJde, weighing an ounce, dc(i- p»l>bI«ftoncs -> ring them to giue him a bell for the fame : who when hec fawe ^^ ^^ '^' our men marueyle at the bigncilc thereof, he made (ignes that they were but fmall and of no value in rcfpecfVc offome that he ' had feene, and taking in his hande foure (tones, the lead where- of was as bigge as a Walnut,- andthebiggeft asbiggeas an Orange, hee fayd that there was founde pecces of gold fo bigge in his count rey, being but halfeadayes iourneyfrom thence, and 'that they had no regarde to the gathering thereof,whcrcby '^^^J ps^se we perceiucd that they pallc not much for golde, inaHnuch as "°V .^°''^^ iti^ golde only, but fo farre efteeme it,.as the hande of the Aiti- golde onely^ ficerhath fafliioncdit m any comely fourme. For who doth but,&c« . greatly edeeme rough marble, or vnwrought luorie.^but if they be wrought with the cunning hande of Phidias or Fr^xiuUsjVA^; fbapedtothefimilitudeofrhefaire Nimphes or Fairies of the fea(called Nereuides)ov the Fayries of the wood s (called HamA- driades)t\\Qy (hall ncuer lacke buyers. Befide this old man,there cameaifo diuers other, bringing with them pybble ftoncs of golde, wcighmg x.orxii.dramines3& feared not to confcircjthaf m the place where they gathered that golde, there were found fomctime (tones ofgolde as bigge as the head ofa child. When Stoncjofms^3. noble yog "^ ^f ^' *^* gentleman. With a few armed men,ro fearch all the partes of this cblde^* regicn:who arhis returnc, reported that the inhabitants (hewei himgrcaterthingesthen we hauefpoken ofherebefore, but he did openly declare nothing thereof, whch they thought was done by the Admiralscommandemcnt, Thcv haue woods ful of ccrtaine fpices,but not fuch as wee com nionly vfc :fhcf: they. Spj. gather euen asthey doe gold, that is, as much as wil ! f;rue for rheir purpofcpcueryman for himfelfcjto exchange the fa-nc with the- a; Thsfirft Decade. the inhabitants of #thercoiintreys adioyningto thcm/orfuch thinges as they lacke, as dy Ihes, pottes, ftooies, and fuch other iieceiraries. AsZ«^^f*dVirde, or Cabouerde, whidiwec ofcaboucrde thinke tOfbc thofe whichin old time were called He/peruies:thcCc or Htfpcrides. pcrtainc to the King of Portugalc, and from thcfe his Pylotes, which doe yeerely feaich newc coaftes and regions, direcft thcircoiirfctothcEail:, faylingeuer towarde the left hande by the backe of Aphrike, and the feas of the Ethiopians : neither to this day had the Portugalcsatany time fayled SouthwardeTH«Porm* or Weftwardc from the Ilandes oC Caamerde. Preparing there- gal«*>^oj'»£"'* fore three Ibippes, he made hafl: towarde the llande o^Iohama or Ctiha, whither became in Ihortfpace, and named the point thereof^ where hee.firftarriued, Alfha^ndOy that is, their ft andthelaftiforhefuppofcdthat there had beene the end of our Eaft, becaufe the fiinnefalleth there, and of the Weft, becaufe itrifeth there. For it is apparant, that Weftwarde, it is the be- ginning of /W/^ beyondethc riuer q{ Ganges^ andEaftwarde,Thecn(Jofthe the furtheft ende of the fame : which thing is notcontrary to Halt and Wtft . reafon, forafmuch as the Cofmographers haue leftthelimittcs of I»dia beyond Ga»£es vndetermined, whereas alfo fome were of opinion, that I^ia was not farre from the coaftes of Spaine, Note. as we haue faid before. Within the profped of the beginning of ^^" "°' ^^^ Cuha, bee found a commodious hauen in the extreme angle of ^ the llande of Hifp^jnioUy forin this parte the llande receiueth agreatgoulfe: this haucn hce named Saint Nicolas porte, be- s^j^j Nicho- ingfcarfely twentie leagues from Cuba* As hee departed from lasporte, hence,and fayled Weftwarde by the South fide ofCpiha^t\\t fur- ther that he went, fb much the more thefeafeemed to be exten- ded in breadth, and to bendc towarde the South.On the South fide of Ctiha, hee foundc an llande which the inhabitantes call ' lAmaica, this he affirmeth to be longcr& broder then the Hand of *$'«W/f', hauing in it only one mountaine,wHich on cuery part ^"*^ ''^"^ o* • beginning from the fea, ryfcth by lide and litle into"the middc ft ofthe Ilande,and that fo playnely without roughnellejthatilich as goe vppe to the toppe of the fame, can icarfely perceiue that they afcendc: This llande hee.affirmeth to be very fruitful and full of people, afu ell in the inner partes of the fame, as by the Q„:cke>^t-- fliore, and that the inhabitants are of quicker witt^ then the o- tedpecpJc, ther lljindes, and mori&,expert Artificers,and warlike men;For iii in many places where hec would hauc arriued, they came:ar- med againft him,and torbode him with threatning wordes : but being oucrcome, they made a league of friendlhip with him. Thus departing from LaMaica^ht Ikyled toward the WcJ^, with a profperous winde, for the fpace ot thrcefcore and tennc daics thinking that he had palled fo far by the compaire of the earth vheingvnderncathvsjthathehadbinneerc vnto Aurea Cherft- nefus (now called Mulncchd) in our eaft India, beyond the bee- ginning oiPerfides : for he plainely beleeued that i)e had left on- ly two of the tweluffhoures of tlie funne, which were vnknoweii to vs,for the oldc writers haue left halfe the courle of the funne vntouchedjwheras they haue butonly difculled that fuperficial parte of the earth which lycth bctwcene the Ilandes of Gades-y and the riuer o^GangeSy or at the vttermoll:, to At4ren Cher/one- fus. In this Nauigation, hechaunccdon manie furious feas, running with a tall as it had beene the rtreames of floudes, alfo many whirle-pooies, and lhelfes,withmany other dangers.and itrayghts, by reafonofthe multitude of Ilandes which lay on euerylidc. But not regarding all thc(e perilks, hee determined to proccedjvntil he had certaine knowledge whether C/^^4 were an Ilande, or firme lande. Thus hciayled fonvard,coafting euer by the Ihore toward the Weft for the fpace of CC.xxii. leagues that ii^ about a thoufande and three hundred myles, and gaue names to feuen hundred Ilandes by the way, leaning alfc) on ttic left hande ( as he feared not to report) three thoufmd here and there. Butletvsnowereturnetofuch thingcsas hee foundc woorthy to be noted in this Nauigation. Saylingdierefore by thcfide oiCuhA^ and fearching the nature of the piaccsjhe efpy- rAIakrgfhauen. cd not farre from ./^//?/; : of thefe trees, fome were full of blof- frmtcs both at f^^-^^^ ^^-^^ flowres, and other laden with fruitcs. Beyonde the ^ * ■ hauen,the lande is more fertile and populousjwhofe inhabitants are more gentle, and morcdciirous or ourthingcs : for as foonc as they had efpied our Ihippes, they flocked all to thclhore, bringing with them fuch breade as they are accuftomed to eatc and gourdes f iili of water, offering them vnto our men,and fur- ther,deliring them to come alande. In all thefe Ilandes is a cer- Trees which tainekindeoftrecsas biggc as Elmcs, which beare Gourdes kcarc gourde*, j^-j jj^^, fteedc of fruites, thefe they vie onely for drinking pottes, and to fetch water in,but not for meatc, for the inner fubftancc of them is fowrer then gall, and the barkc as harde as any Ihell, At the Ides of May,the watchmen looking out of the top caftle of the (hippe, towarde the fouth, iawe a multitude of Ilandes (landing thicke together, being all well replenilhed with trees graire,and hearbcs, and well inhabitedrin the fiiore of the conti- nent, hee chaunced into a nauigable riuer , whofe water was fo hot, that no man might endure to abidehishand therein any time. The day f bilowing,efpying a farre of a Canoa of fifhermen of the inhabitantcsjfearing lead they flioulde flee at the light of our men, he commanded certainc to alfaylcthempriuily with the ftiip-boates : but they fearing nothing,taryed the comming of our men. Nowefliall you heare a newe kindcof fiihing. Like as wee with Greyhoundcs doe hunt Hares in the playne ficldes, fodoothey, as it were with a hunting filhe, take other filhes : this filli was of fliapc or fourmc vnknowen to vs, but t.he body thereof not much vnlike a great yecle, hauing on the hinder parte ofthe head a very tough skinne,like vnto a great bagge or purfe : this fi fh is tyed by the fide of the boatc with acorde, Ictdownefo farre into the water, that the filh ma/ A multitude ofllandcs. Hotte vTater« Aftrangc kindc of fif- ThefirfiDecatfe. 22 may lie clofe hid by the kecic or bottomc of the fame, for fliec may in no cafe abide the fight of the ayre. Thus when they efpie any great filli,Tortoyfe ( whereof there is great abiindance,big- Abundance of ger then great targettes ) they let the corde at lcngth,but when Tortoyfes, ihefeelethherlelfcloofed, Ihe inuadetlithefilhorTortoyfeas (wiftly as an arrowe,and where Oie hath once faftened her hold, Ihecafteththepurfe ofskinne, whereof we fpake before, and by drawing thefame together, Ibgrafpeleth her pray, that no mans ftrength is rLi[ricient to vnloole the fame, exci'pt by little and litle drawing the lyne, Ihce bee lifted fomewh at aboue the brimrae of the water, for then, as foone as Ihe feeth the bri^ht- nelfe of the ayre, fhee letteth goe her holde.The pray therefore beeingnowedrawen ncere to the brimme of the water, there leapethfodenly outoftlieboateintothefcajfomanyfilliers as pi(}j„.,„g„^ may fuffice to holde faft the pray,vnti]i the reli of the company haue taken it into the buate. Which thing done, theyloofe fo much of the corde, that the hunting fiih may againe returiie to her place within the water, whereby another corde, they let downc to her a peece of the pray, as we v{e to rewardc greyhoundes after they haue killed their game. This ^ihy—, g^ they cal Guaicammjbut our men call it ReHerfum.lLhty gaue our Gaaicannm> men foureTortoyfes taken by this meanes, and thofe of fuch biggenelfe, thatthey almoft filled their fifliing boate : for thefefiflies are eftcemed among them for delicate meatc.. Our men recompenced them againe with other rewardes, and lb let them depart. Being asked ofthe compaifeofthatlande, they anfweredthatithad noendc Weftwarde. Mod inftantly they defired the Admirall to comealande, or in his name to fend Humane pc»- one with them to (alute thei r C^^ifw, (that is) theirking, af-pl«»^ firming that hce woulde giue our men many prefentes, if they would goe tohim.But the Admirall, leaft he (liould be hindered of the voyage which he had begunne, refulcd to goe with them. Then they defired to knowc his name, and tolde our men like- wife the name of their king. Thus fayling on yet further euer towarde the Weft, within fewe dayes he came ncere vnto a cer- . y, taine exceeding high mountaine,weI inhabited by reafon of the fntit^ii"&'^cl great fertiiitie of the fame. The inhabitantes of this mountaine, inhabited, brought to our fliip, bread, gollkmpinc cotton,conie^,& fundry '* kindes Do?ecs of ftrangeClTipc and dummc. White and thicke water. Woodcsof iatc trees. Men apparel - kdlikcvrhitc fryers. Apparelled men. The firfi Decade. kindes of wilde Foule, demaunding religioiifly of the interprc- toures, if this nation defcended not troni heauen. The king of this people , and diucrs other fage men that ftbod by hinijin- formed him that thatll^nd was no Hand. Sliortiy after,entring into one of the Ilaiides being on the kk hande of this Hand they found nobodietherein,for they ded all at the commingof our men : Yet iounde they there foure dogges of maruelous de- formed lljape,&luch as couldc notbarke. This kind of dogges, they eate as we doe goates,Here is great plenty ofgeefc^duckes, andhearons. Betvveene thefe Ilandes and the continentjhe en- tered into Co narrowes ftreightes, that hee coulde fcarfely turnc backe the Ihippes, and thefe alfo fo llialowjthat the keele of the ihips fometime rafed on thefands. The water of thefe ftreights, for the ipace of fourtic myles, was u'hite and thicke, likevnto mylke, and as though mcale liad beene fparkled thoughout all that fea. And when they hadde at the length efcaped thefe i{:raights,&: were now come into a maine & large fea, and h'^dde iayled thereon for the ipace of fourefcore myles, they cfpied au otherexceeding high monntaine,whether the Admiral reforte'd toftorehisfhippes with^frefli water and fuell. Heere among certaine woodes oi Date trees, & pyne apple trees of exceeding height, hee founde two nauie fpringes of frelh water. In the meahetime, while the woode was cutting, and the barrelles filling, one ofour archers went into.the woode to hunt, where heefpyeda certaine man with a white vefture, (alike a try er of the order offaynt Marie of Mcrcedis^ thatatthehrfl: light he fuppofed it had bin the Admirals priert, which he brought with liinijbeing a man ofthcfam^ ordei;:but two other followed him immediately out of the fame Woodes. Shortly after,heefa\vea far of a whoieccmpanieof men clothed in apparel,being about XXX. in number. Then turning hisbacke,and crying out to his fellowes, hee made haft to the Ihippeswith all that he might ilriue* Thefe apparell men, madeiigncs and tokens to him t6 tary,and not to be afraid,but that not withftandinghe ceafed not to flee. TheAdmirail being aduertiled hereof^ and not a little reioycing that hee hadde founde a ciulle people, in- continently lent foorth armed menne, with commandement tliat \i ncedc Ihouldc fo require,they ihouU enter fourtie myles into T he firjl Decade. 2} into the IlandCjVntill they might finde eytherthofe apparelled men, or other inhabitauntes ofthatcountrey.When they had palled ouer the wood, they came into a great plaine Ful of grade and hearbco, in which appeared no token ot any pathway.Here attempting to goe through the gralFe and hearbcs, they were lb entangled and bewrapt therein, that they were fcarfeiy able to pallc a myle, the gralie bceing there litle lower then our ripe come : being therefore weary cd, they were enforced toreturne agayne, finding no pathway. The day following he fcnt foorth xxv.armcd men another way, commanding them to make dili- gent fearch and inquilitionwhatmanerofpeoplc mhabitedthc land : Who departing,when they had found, not farre from the fcafide,certaineftcpsohviidebeaftes, of the which they fufpc- beftttc with many trees, E after after the manner of our mariOies : Yet whereas in this place- Pearks in fl^.d ^ijey ^cnt alande for t relhe water, they found many of the fhel iiihes in the which pearles are gathered. But that couide nor caufe the Admirall totracle the t.me there, cntending atthis vcyagepnly to proue how many lands & feas he could difcouer according to the kings commandcment. As they yet proceeded forwarce, they (aw here and there all the way along by the fliore, agreatfmoakeryling, vntill they came to another mountains fourcfcore myles diftant^ there was no rockc or hill that- coulde be kcnc, but the fame was all of a fiiioake. But whether the fires were m.ade by the inhabitantes for their necelfarie biidneire, or ( as wee are wont to lette beacons on £re when we fuipe^ the approch of our enemies ) thereby to giue wairing to ^ their neighbcuri, to bee in a readinetrc,& gather together, if per- haps uurmcn {houlde attempt any thing againft tliem,or other- wile as(lcemeth mod vnlikeiy)to cal them togcther,as to a won- der, to beholde our fhippes, they knowe yet no certainty.In this trac^c, the lliores bended fbmetime toward the South,and fometime tcwafue the Weft and weft fbuthvveft, and the lea Tticfca cntan ^^ euery where entangled with Ilandes , bj reafon whereof «»lcd with I- the keeles of the fiiippes oftentimes rafed the iandes for llialow- Sad««« neile of the water : So that the ihippesbeeing very fore brui/ed and appayred,rhe iayicsjcablesjand other tackelingcs, in mancr lotten, and the vitai les(cipecialiy the bifkette breade)cornipted by taking water at the ryfzes cuill clofed, the Admirall was en- forced to turne backe againe : This laft poynte where hc£ touched ot Culra(nct yet being known to be an I)and)he called Eie with his owne handesjWhen the Admirall haddegendely entertained him, deiiring leaue to ipcakcjhe made an oration in the prefence o^DidacHs the inter- prcter,to this effedj haue bin aducrtifed ( moft mighty prince) An Aratlon oC that you haue of late with great power fubdued many lands and ^^^ "*^«<^ &•: -Regions, hitherto vnknowne to you, and haue brought no Ii- rle fcare vppon all the people and inhabitantes of thefame : the whichyourgood fortune, you fliall beare withlelTe infolen(^,if you remember that the foules ofmcn haue two iourneyes after ' thty are departed from this bodie.Thcone,foule and darke,prc- Thrfr opiniom pared for fiich as are iniurious and cruelitomankinde ; the ofdicfouleof other , plea/ant and delegable, ordcmed for them which intheir *"*"• life time loued peace and t^uietnes. If therfore you acknowledge your felfe to be mortal,and confider that cucry man flial receiuc x:ond;gne rewarde or punifhmcnt for fuch thinges as hee hath done in this life, you will wrongful !y huit no man. When hee had faidc thefe wurdes and other like,which were declared to the Admirall by the interpretation, he marueiling at the iudgment of the naked oldc man,anfwered that he was gladde to heare hit opinion as touching the fundry iourneies and rewards of foules departedfrom their bodycs, luppofing that neither he, or any other of the inhabitantesof thofc Regions, had had any know- ledge thereof : declaring further, that the chiefecaufe of his E » comniing The firfi Decade, ^ , comming thitherj was to inftrud them in fuch gadly knc^vledg "^ I ° hot ^"^^ ^ '^^^ religion ; apd tliat he was fent into thole countreics by which rcli^i- the Chrirtian kipg of Spaine(his Lord and mafter)for the fan-se oncouldcnoi purpofc-, and fpcciaily to fubdueand punidithe Cambahs^^nd fi"''^' i^LJcn other mifchieuous peoplcjand to deknd innocents againrt Yn-tHs fojt, jj^g violence ofeuill dooers, willing him, and all other fuch ?^«;!^;»7W5#^.^5jnlbracevertue, in no cafe to bee afraide, but rather to open hismindevntohim, ifeytherhe, or any other fuch quiet men as he was, hadfufteined any wrong of theirneighbourcs, and that he would fee the fame reuenged.Thefe comfortable words of the Admiral! fo pleafed die olde man, that^potwithftanding his extreme age, he would gladly hauc gone with the Admirail^ ,, as he had done indeede, if his wife and cliildrenhad not hin- dered him of his purpofe:but he maruejied notalittle, that the Admiral 1 was vnder the dominion of another : and much more when the interpretpur tolde him of the glorie, magnificences pompe, great power, and furnimeiites of warre of our kinges, and of the multitudes of cities andtowries which were vnder their dominions. Intending therefore to haue gone with the Admirall, his wife and children fell proftrate at his fectc, with tearcs dehring him not to forfakc them and Ic^uethefn defblate «, atwhofepitifiiilrec]iLieftes,the worthy olde man beeingmouedj remained at home to thecomfort of his people and familie, (a- tiffiyng rather them then himfelfe : for not yet ceafing to woonder, and ofheauie countenance becaufe he might not de- part, hee demaundcd oftentimes i^ tha t lande was not hc^aiien, . which brought foorth fuchakinde of men ? Foritiscertaine Thclande.aj j^at amongthem the lande k as common as funneiand wa-i (Common as ^^^^ and that Mine and T.hinc (thcfeedcsof all mifchiefe) water""* ^" ^^"^ "° F^^^^ ^^'^^ them. They are contentwith fo litle, that in fo large a countrey they hauc rather fuperfluitic then fcarcC' nelfe : fo that (as we haue fayde before) they ieeme to line in the golden worlde without toylc,.Iiuing in open gardens, but intrenched with ditche.s,diuided with hedges, or defended with walles : they deale traely one with another withcutlawes, with- out booke, and without iudges: they take him for an euill and mifchieuous n\an, which takcth pleafure in dooing hurt too- ther. And albeit that they delight not in fuperfluiries,yet make they The firfi Decade. if they prouifion for the incrca(c oFfuch rootswhcrcof they make their bread, as Mai^umylHcca, and Ages, contented with fiich iimpledyet, whereby health is prefcrued, and difeafes auoydcd f Implc dyet, The Admiral therefore departing from thence, and minding to returne againe ihortly after, chaunced to come againe to the JUndcotlamoica) being on the iouth lide thereof, and coafted ail along by the fhore of the fame from the Weil to the Eaft, from whofe Jaft: corner on the caft lide, when hee fawe towardc the North lide on his left hande certaine high muiintaines, hec kneweat the length that it was the South hde of the Ilande of Htfpaniola, which hee hadde not palled by. Wherefore at the H'^P^r.ioIsio ■Calendes of September, entring into the hauen of the fame Ilande, called faint Nicholas liauen, he repay red his fliippcs, to the intent that he might againe wall and Ipoylc the Ilandes of the CanthaleSf and burne all their C^w^j-,that thofe rauening Wolues might no longer pcrfecute and deuoure the innocent ^^^C*ni? /lieepe : but he was at this time hindered of his purpofe,by reafon of a difeafe which hee had gotten by too much watching. Thus beingefeeble,andweake,hee waslcdde of the Mariners to the ^j^-jj^pj ^^ ^^ cittie o^Ifahella, where,with his two brethercn which were there, much Wat- and other of his familiars, hec recouered his health in fhorte ching. ^ fpacc : yetcouldeheenotatthist;meaiIaylethcC^ anfwered them againc, that whereas they confpiredto mainteyne their libertie,thcy lliould by thatmeanes be brought to feruitude & deftrudion, if they entended to refrfl or kcepc waragainfttheChirftians'Thus Caunahoa onth& one fide and the other being troubled,as it were a rocke in the fea beaten with contrary floudes, and much more vexed with the ftormes ofhisguiltieconfcienccjfor that he hadpriuily flame xx. of our men vnderpretece ofpeace,fearedtocometothe Admirah but at the lengthjhauing excogitated his deceyt, to haue (kine the ^jy^^j,^. -■ Admiral! and his companic, vnder the colour of friendlliip, if fpi^cth the ad-* opportunitie would fo haue femed, he repayred to the Admiral, mirals death, with his whole family ,and To many other waiting on him,armed after their maner»Bcing demaunded why hec brought fo great a rout of men with him, he anfwercd j that it was not decent for (b great a Prince as hee was, to goe out of his houfe without fuch abande of men : but the thing chaunced much otherwife then he looked for, for he fell into the fnares which he had prepared for other, for wheras by the way he began to repent him that he came forth of his houfe, HotetU with many faire words and pro- mifes brought him to the Admiral!, at whofecommandement he was immediatly taken and put in pryfon, fo that the foules of ourmen were not long from their bodies vnrcuenged. Thus Caumboamth^M hisfamilie being taken, the Admi rail was de- termined to runne ouerthe Ilandc, but hec was certified that there was (uch famine among the inhabitauntes, that there Famine iaAe was already fiftie thoufande men dead thcreofiandthar they dy- Handcof Iwf. cd yet daily, as it were rotten flieepe, the caufe whereof j was ^^^^ ** well knowne to be their owne obftmacic and frowardnes : for whereas they faw that our men entended to choofc them a dwcl* ling place in the Ilande, fuppofmg that they might haue dry- ucn them fromthence if the viAu^dies of the Hand IhouM faile, E 4 " ~' dicy The hunger ofgoWccau- icth great fa« miac. ThefirflBefAde. they determined with themfeluesjnot only to leaue fowing and planting, but alio to dcftroy and plucke vp by the rootes euery man in his owne region? that which they had already fbwne,of- both kindes of breade, whereof wee made mention in the firil booicCj buteipecially among the monntaines o'iCibarui-) other- wile called Ciyfir.ga, forafmuch as they hadde knowledge thaf- the golde which aboundeth in that region, was^ the chiete caufe that deteyned our men in the Hand. In the meane time, hee fent : foorth a Captayne with a bande of men, to fearch the South fide of the Ilande, who at hisretume, reported that throughout all the regions that hee trauayied,, there w as fuch fcarcenelle of . bread, thatforthefpaccofxvi.dayes, he eatc nothing but thc- rootes ofhearbes,and of young date tF<;es,or the fruites of other wilde trees : but Guio-ionexius the king of the vale, lying beneath the mountaynesofO^% whofekingdome was. not fb wafted as the other,, gaueour mennecertainevidiualles. Within a, fewc dayes after, both that the iourneyes might be the fhorter, andalfo that our men might haue more fafe places of refuge, iftheinhabitantesftioulde hereafter rebell in like manner, nee builded another fortreire ( which hee called thcTowre of con- fibs tower of ception)betweene the citie diljabella^ and Saint Thomas for=. soacepijono trellc, in the marches of the kingdome of this Guarionexins^ within the precinde ofCikwa, vponthe fide of a' h ill, h suing afayreriuer of wholefbme water running harde by thelame. Thus when the inhabitantes fawenewc buildinges to bee daily «re(5led,and our lliippes lying in the haaen rotten and halfe bro» ken, they began to dilj?ayre of any hope of liberty,and wandred vpand downewith heauie cheare. From the Towre of Concep- tion, fearching diligently the inner partes of the m.ountaynes of O^^/M, there was.a certaineking which gauc them a malTe of rude golde as bigge as a mans fy ft,Vr'eighing xx.ounces • this golde was not found in the banke of that riuer,but in a heape of ilry earth, and was like vmto the ftone called Tophus, which js foone refolued into fande. This malfe of golde I mvfdfe fawe in Caftile, in the famous Citk oi^ Methjmm Gi?»pi, where the Courtlay all that wi nter. I fawe alfoa great peeceofpurc ^leilmntjohht which b^ls, and Apothecaries morters^& rqany %h other veilelles and inftrumientcs may bee made, as jvere in ■ ' oide The jirfi Decade, 29 ©Idctimcofcoppcrinthc Citie of Owrf^/^/.This pcccc oiE- EJcftramwa. leBrftmv/Asof Tuch weight, that I was not oncly with both my mcullnatu- handes vnable to lift it from the ground,but alfo not of ftrength ""y ^ixr of to rcmoue it ey ther one way or other : they afh'rmed that it wei- °f'*^j5w"*nda cd more then three hundred poundc weight, after eight ounces oihc^r offilucr* tothepounde, itwasfoundeintlie houleof a.certainePrince, being ofpro-' andlekhim byhispredeceirours : and albeit that in the dayes perric to be- ef the inhabitantes}-«tliuing, - Eie^rum Was no where digged, ^'"j^P"^!'^"' yet knewe they where the myne thereof was, but our men with f^j.^ • ^^ ^j j"' much adoo coulde hardly caufe them to Ihewe them the place^ titrc in grea- they bore them fuch, priuie hatred, ya. at the length they ter cftimation brought them to the myne,being now ruinate and 'flopped with E{1^" S°!*^^- ftones and rubbifli e r it is much eaiyer to diggc then is the yron Elc(amm ^ ° mync, and might be reftorcd againc, ifmyners and other work^ men fkilfull therein were appoynted thereto. Not farrefrom Another the Tower of Conception, in the fame mountaine,- is founde kindeofAm- great plentie of Amber, and but of certaine rockes ofthe fame, ^^^ is taken diftillethafubftance ofthe yelowe colour which the Paynters ^^3°^ !({,"/ vfe. Not farrefrom thefemonntaines arc many great woodcs, OrpemcntoV in the which are none othertrees then Brafile, which the Itali- oker. ans Q^WVerzino. But here perhaps ( right noble Prince ) you Woodcs of wouldeaske,whatfliould be the caufe, that where as the Spany- brafile trees* - ardcs hauc brought out of thefe Ilandes certaine fliippes laden with Brafile, fomewhatofGoirampine cotton, aquantitie of Amber, a litkgoldc, & jfbmc fpices,why haue they not brought- fuch plentie of golde, andfuch other rich marchaundizes, a« the fruitfulnellc of thefe Regions feeme to promife ? To this Ianf\vere, that when C ^"^" ^^** X^^^^ while I wrote thcfc thingcs atyourrequcft, notdtggcd out thcy gathered intwomonethes thelumme oFa thoufande and of the body of two hundred poundes weight of golde. But becaiifc we cntendc thcinine, to fpcake more largely of thcfe thingcs in their place, wee will nowe returnc from whence we hauc digrelFed. When the inha- bitantcs percciucd that thcy coulde by no meanes fliake the yoke From their necks,they made humble fuppjicatio to the Ad- mirall, that thcy might llande to their tribute, and apply them- lelues to increafe the f ruites of their countrey, beeing now al- moft wafted. Hce granted them their requelt, ^and appoynted fuch order that euery Region flioulde pay their tribute, with . thecommodities of their countreyes, according to their porti- on, and atluchtimeas thcy were agreed vpon : but the violent famine did fruftrate all theic appoyntments, for all the trauailcs of their bodies , were fcarcciy able to fuffice to finde them mcatcinthewoodcs, whereby to (ufteyne-their lines, beeing of long time contented with roote&andthc fruitesof wyldc trees : yet many of the kinges with their people, euen in thisex- trcamcneceflitic, brought parte of their tribute, mod humbly deliring the Admirall to haue compaflion of their calamities and to bcarc with them yet a while, vntillthellandew^rcrefto- redtothcoldeftate, promifing further, that that which was nowc wanting, ihoulde then be double recompenced. Butfewe ofthcinhabitantesofthc mountaines of Cibana kept their pro- mile, becaule they were forcropprelled with famine then anie of the other. Thcy fay that the inhabitants of thcfe moutaines differ no lellc in language and manners from them whichc Sre^lon dK- ^"^^^^ '" ^^^ playnes, then among vs the rufticallcs of the coun- pofcth the ma- trey, from the gentlemen of the court:whereas notwithftanding ncrof thepco-they liuc as it were bothvndcr one portion of hcaucn,and in ma- ple, nythingesmuch after one fafhion, asinnakedncile, and rude fimplicitic. But nowe \tx\^ returnc to CatuMboa, the king of KingCaun*- (hcj^oufe of goldc, being in captiuitic.Whcnhee percciucd him ^^ncapa- ^jfgfQbegcaftinpryfbn, fretting and grating his teeth, as it hadbceneaLionofi#^w,anddaylyand nightly deuifing with himlelfehowe hce might bee dcliuercd, beegannctopcrfwadc the Admirall , that foraTmuch as he hadde nowe taken vnto hie dominioa r he firft Decade, 2% dbminion the region ofCip^w^a or C/^4»<«(\vheroflic was king) it iliouldc be expedient to fcnde thither a garryfon of Chriftian men.to defend the fanie from the incuriions of his old enemies and borderers : for he layde, that it was lignified vnto hinijthat the countrey was wafted and (poy led with fuchincurfions.By this craftiedeuife, hee thought to hauc brought to palle, that his brother which was in that region, and the other his kinP foikes and friendes with their adher entes^ihould haiK taken, cy- ther by fleight or force, as many of our men as might haue re^ deemed him. Butthc Admirallvnderftandinghiscraftie mea- ning, fent Hoieda with Tuche a companic of men, as might vanquiHic the Ctbfinifms, if they ihoulde mouc warre againfte them. Our menne had fcarcelye entred into the region,but the brother of Crf//»^^<7^ came againft them with an armieof fyuej^*""*^*^j* thoufande naked men, armed after their manner, with dubbes, j ^^^''" "*>«'* arrowestiptwith bones, andfpcarcs madehardc at the cnde» with fire. He ftole vpon our men beeing in one of their houfes, and encamped rounde about the fame on eucry fide.This (iha~ ma», asaman not ignorant in the difcipline of varrc, about the diftaunce of a furlong from the houie, diuidcdhis armi© into fiuc battayles, appoynting to euery one of them a circuite byequalldeuifion, and placed the froont of his ownebattayJc dircd-ly again ft our men. When he had thus fet his battayles in good aray,hc gaue certaine fignes that the whole army iliould - „.^ , marche forwarde in order with cquall paces, and with a Jarome twcenc the Cil freflily alTayk their enemies,in fuch fort that none might efcape banians & the But our men iudging it better to encounter with one ofthebat-^panyardcs. tayles, then to abide the brunt of the whole armic, gaue oncfet *, on the maine battayle aranged in the playne,becaufe that place was moft commodiousfor the hor/men. When thehorfmcn therefore had gjuen the charge, they ouerthrewe them with the breftes of their horfcs, and flue as many as abode the end of the fight, the refidue being ftricken with feare, difparcled, and fled tothe mountainesandrockes: from whence they made a piti- full howling to our men, defiringthera tofpare them, pro- tefting that they woulde neucr more rcbeii, but doe wliat fo c- werthey woulde commaundc them, if they woulde fjffer them to liue in their owne countrey. Thus the bruther oiCftKttahoa^ being The firfiD fade. being taken, the Admir all licenced the people to refbrt cucry man to his ownc : thefethingcsthus fortunately atchiued, this Region was pacified. Among thefe mountaines,the vale which Caumboa'\uu9Lh\it(i, nczllid Magvruty and is exceeding fruit- full, hauing in it many goodly fpringcs and riuers, in the fandc whereofistoundc great plentie of goldc. The fame yeere in A gtcattem- the moneth of lune, they fay there arofe fuch a boy ftrous tem- peft in ehe pgft of wind from the Southweftjas hath not lightly been heard mottshof June of^the violence wherofwas fuch, that it plucked vp by the roots whatfocuer^reat trees were within the reach of the force there- of. When this why rlewinde came to the hauen of thecitie, it beate downc to the bottome of the fca three Ihippcs, which lay at anker, and broke the cabl^ in funder, and that(which is the greater marueyle)without any (tormeor roughnellc of the fea, onelyturning them three or foure times about. Theinha- bitantes alfo affimie, that the fame yeere the fea extended it felfe further into the landc, and rof e higher then euer it did bee- fore by the memorie of man, by theipace ot a cubite. The peo« pie therefore muttered among? themfelues,that ournation had troubled the clementes, & caufed fuch portentous fignes.Thefc tempeftesoftheayre ( which the Grecians c^iMTif hones, that "^l^i*^*^"^*^*- is, whirlewindes)they czW Fftracanes, which they fay, doe often FuraaQce times chaunce in this Ilande : bu t that neyther they, nor their great graund-fathers, euer fawefuch violent and innousFm^a- cattesyXh^t plucked vp great trees by the rootes, neither yet fuch furges and vehement motions on the fea^that fo waited the land as in deede it may appeare, forafmuch aswherefoeuer the fea bankes are neere to any plaine,there arc in amanercueric where florifhing mcdowes reaching euen to the (hore ; butnowelet wstziuincto Cauiuhoa, As king C^^^^^c^ therefore and his The deatljof brother (hould haue been brought into Spaine,they dyed by the u'^^^ju"*' way, for very penfiuenelle and anguifh ofminde. The Admiral brother. wliOfe Ihippes were drowned in the fore/aide tempcft.perceiuing himfelfetobenowenclofed, commaunded fbrthwithtwo other l])ippes(which the Spaniardes call C^rf«^/^)to bee made : for hee had with him all manner of Artificers perteyning thereun- to. While thefe thinges were dooing, heelentfoorth^- king o\^Hwnfalem had his great riches of gold, whereof wcxead mon* in the oldcTeftament, and that his lliips/ayJedto this Ophir by the goulfe ofPcrfd, called Sinw Perficus. But whether it be fb or not, it lietb not in me to iudge, but in my opinion it is far of. As the myners digged the fuperficiall or vppcrmoft part of the GolcJe in the^ earth of the mynes, during for the IJDace of lixe mylcs,and in di- ^''P^ffi'^'^ll uers places fiftcd the fame on the drie knd, they found fuch plen earth! ° * tic of" golde, that euery hyred labourer could eafily finde eueric day the weightof three drammes. The/emines beeing thus/ear- ched and found,the Lieuetenant certified the Admirall hccreof by his letters, the which when he he had receiucd, the fift day of the Ides ofMarch,y^»w. i495.heentrcd into his new fliips,and. tooke his voyage dircdly to Spaine, to aduertife the king of all his affaircsjeauing the whole regiment of theEaiidwith hisbior - (^er the Lieuetenant.- The fift if^ks •fthe firfi Decade^ t^ Lodouike C^^W^Aragonie, ^ Ftcr the Admirals departing into Spaynehis brother the Lieuetenant builded a fortrelfe in the golde mynes, as hee hadde com- maunded him ; this hee called the golden towrc, beecaule the labourers founde golde ^'''8°''^cn in the earth,a:nd (lone whereof they made the *'^^^'^* walles ofthc fortrelfe. Hee confumed three moncthes in making the inftrumentes wherewith the golde fhoulde bee gathered, waihed, tryed, andmoulten : yet was hee at this time, by reafon of wanteofvidiJaUcs, enforced to leaue all j^^^j^^ ,. thinges imperfe(fte , and to gocfeeke for meate. Thus as he, taylcj« with a bande of armed menne, hadde entred threcfcoie myles furtli§.r The firfi Decade. further within the Iand,thc people of the country here and there rcfortingtohim, gauehima certainc portion of their breade, incxchange for other of our thinges : but hcccoulde not long tary here, becau(e they lacked meate in the fortrelIe,whither hec . halted with fuch as he iiad now gbtten.Leauing therefore m the fortrelle a garrifbn often men, with that portion of the I'ande breade which yet remained, leaning alfowith themaHoundc ■ to takethofekindcs of little beaftes which they call ;^)7^, not much vnlike our Conies, hec returned to theibrtrcile of Con- ception. This alfo was the moneth wherein the king Guartonc X(us,SindsdCo Afamcifit^xtMs borderer vnto him, ihouldehauc brought in their tributes. Remaining there the whole moneth ofIune,heexadted the whole tribute of the two kinges, andvi- ftuailes necelfary for him and fuch as he brought with him, ll Jht from ^^^'^^ ^^^^ about foure hundred ia number. Shortly afterjabout Spainc* ^^^ Calcndes of Iuly,there carne three Caraueles from Spayne, bringing with- them lundry kindes of viffluailes, as wheate, oyle,wine, bakon,&Martelmasbecfc, which were diuidedto cuery man according a« ncedc required, fome aifowasloft in the caryage for lack of good looking to. At the arnuall of thefc ihippes, the Lieutenant recciued commaunaement from the King and the Admirall his brother,J:liat he with his men fliouldf remouc thcirhabitation to the South fide of the IIande,becau'fc itwasnecrcrtothegoldcmynes : AJibthat hee ihouldeniake diligent fearch for thofe Kmgcs which had Haync the Chrifli- anmcn, and to fende them with their confederates bound into Spaine. At the next voyage therefore he fcnt three hundred cap- tjucs, with three kinges, and when hee had. diligently fearched 8fiincD9ffli. thecoaftes of the South fide, he tranfported his hab:tation,and Qkk«towcff. buildcd a fortrelFe there, vppon the toppe of an hill neare vnto a fure haucn : this fortrelfe hee called faint Dominickes tower. Into thishauen runneth a riuer ofwholfome water, replenilhcd withfundry kindesof good fillies : they-affinnc this riuer to haue many bcnefites of nature, for where fo cucr it runneth, all thinges are exceeding pleafaunt and fruitefull, hauing on eucry (idegroues of Date trees, and diueis other of the -Ilande rruites fo plentifully ,that as they fayled along by the ihorc, oftentimes the braunches thereof^ laden with flowres and *J$efirJl Beeade. 50 and fiLiites, . hong To oucr their hcades, that they might plucke them vv;th their handcs : alfo that the fruitfiilnes of this ground, .. , .. is eyther equall with the foyle. oi Ifabella, or better. In Ifabella ^"^^^'*' hee left onely certaine fickemen, and iliippe wrightes, whoms, hec had appoynted to make certaine carauels, the refidue of his men,hecconueighedtothe South, to faint Dominickes tower. After hec had buiidcd this fortrclfc, leaning therein agarrifon ofxx. men, hee with the remnant of his ibuldiers, prepared ^^ themfcloiis to learch the inner partes of the Welt fide of the Ilande , hitherto knowne onely by name . Therefore about XXX. leagues, (that is) fourefcore and tennc myles from the fbrcreire , lice cliaunced on the ryucrA^^;^^, which Thena€rt)f wee (ayde to dcfccnde from the mountaiiks of O^v?«^,nghtto- Naiba. warde the South, by the middeft of the Ilande. When he had ouerpalfed this riacr with a companie of armed mcnne diuided into xxv. dccurions,ihatis,tennein acompaniejwiththcirca- pitaines, hcfenttwodecurlons to the regions ofthofe Kinges inwhofelandcs were the great woodes of brafile tree. Incly- ningtowarde the left hande, they founde thewoodts, entr^d *^°?°*'* ^'^^ '■ into them,and felled the high and precious trees, which were to that day vntouched.Each ofthe decurions f41ed certaine of tlic Ilande houics with the trunkcs of braille, there to bee referued vntiil the (Iiippcs came which fliouldcary them away. But the. Lieutenant direding his ioumey towarde the right feande, not farre from the bankes of theriucr o^ Naiha foun6 a certain king whofe name was Beuchius Atiacanche^y encamped againft the in- habitants ofthe prouincc ofNailfo^to fubduethem vnder his do sninion,as he had don many other kings ofthe Hand, borderers vnto him. The palace of this great king,is called X^agua, &is fituate towarde tne Weft end ofthe Ilande, diftant from die ri- uer of iV^;^^,xxx.kagues. All the princes which dwell betweene the Weft ende & liis palace, are dicionaries vnto him. All that region from I>^aih,totht furtheft marches ofthe weltjis vtterly without golde,altliough it be full of mountaines.. When the j^ king hadcfpicd ourmen, laying apart his weapons, andg;uing vvithoutTolde fignes ofpeace, he fpake gentlely to them ( vncertaine whether itwere oi humanitie or fcare ) and demanded of them what they wculdc haue. The Lieutenant anfvveared. That hee Ihould paie Thefirfi Decctde, ^y tribute to the Admiral 1 his brother, in the name of the Chriftian King of Spay ne. Towhonihefayde, How can you require that ofme, whereas ncuera region vnder my dominion bringeth forth golde ?For he had heard,that there was a ftrangc nation-entred into the Hand , which made great fearch for gold; .'jBut he fuppofed that they deiired fome other thing. The lieu- ttenant anlwcred againe, God forbiddc that wee flioulde en- ioyne any manne to pay fuch tribute as he migiit not calily for- '-beare, orfuch as were not engendered or growing in the region butweevnderftande thatyour regions bring foorth^reatplen- f^t ie of Golfampine cotton- and hempe, with fuch otherjwhereof -wee defire you to,giue vs parte. When he heard thefe woordes, -he promiied with chearefulJ countenance, to giue him as much of thcfe thinges as hee woulde require. Thus difmifling hi« army, and fending melfengers before,he himfelfe accompanied the Lieutenant, and brought him to his palace, being diftant (as we hauefayde) xxx. leagues. In all thistrad:e , they paifed through- the iurifdidion of other princes,bcing vnder his domi- nion : Of the which, fome gauc them hempe, of no Jelfe good- nelFe to make tackelingei for lliippes then our woode : Other fome brought breade, and fome Golfampine cotton. And fo €ucry of them payde tribute with fuch commodities as their countries brought forth. At the length they came to the kinges manlion place o^ Xaragua^ Before they cntred into tiie pa- lace, a great multitude of the kinges feruantes and fubiedes re- iorted to the court,honorably(aftertheir maner)to receiue their Jdng^tf«f/»'w^«^ becingjn maiMier forewcaricd. with trauayle. As hee drewe ne^re viitothem, he haddc aduertyfement that king Guaria^('^'iHs \v^&cho(hn by other Princes to bee the Capitayno of this rebellion, and that hee was enforced thereto halfcvnwil ^ing J. bceing feduc?d by pcrfwalions and prouocatiosts ; the which T'^hefirjt Decide, 3 2 vi;hich is more likely to be truc/or that hce haddc becforc haddc experience ofthe power and policie ofourmen. They came to feather at a day appoyntcd, accompanied with xv. thoufandc ^^ u'"^i**f iiicn, armed aftertheir manner, once a^ainetoprouethefor- g^^b^r";^" tune of vvarrc, Hecre the: Licutenantyconrulting with the Cap^ taine ofthe fbrtrelfc and the other fouldiers of whom he had the condu(^, determined to fette vpon them viiwares in their ownc houfes, before they coulde prepare their armie. He fent forth ' therefore to cuery king a Centurion, that is, a captaync oi 4 hundredjwhich were commanded vpon a fuddcn to inuadetheir ■ houfes in the n!ght,and to take them fleepingjbeforc the pcopk (beingfcattercd here and thcre)might allemble together, -Thus fecretly entering into their villages, not fortified with walles, Thekingw ' trenches, or bulwarkesjthey broake in vpon thcm^ tookc them, arc taken pry* bound thcm,and led away cuery man his prifoncr according as f°^"s, - they were commanded . The Lieutenant himfclfe with his hun- : dredjuen^alfay led king jG'«/»*fc»fA-m as the worthier perfonage, whom he tookepryfoner^as didthe other captaines their kings, - and at the fame houre appoynted. Foureteene of them were brought the fameiMght tothe tower of Conception. Shortly after, when he had put to death two ofthe Kinges whichc were the chiefe authors of this new r€Uolte,and had fuborned Quarto- j^. -^ , . fiexius^n^. the other kings to attempt the fame, Icaft the people ^nefius^iT" for forowc of their kinges (houlde negled or forlake their coun- pardontd. trey, -which thing might haue bin great incommoditie to our nicn^ who by the incrcafc of their fccdes and fruites were often times ayded, he freely pardoned and ^{{xa^zdLCMariomxms and the other kinges, the people in the mcane time flocking togea- ther about the tower, to the number of fiue thoufandc without weapons, with pitifullhouling for the deliuerance of their kings The ay re thijndered,& the earth trembled through the vehemc- cie of their outcry. The Lieutenaunt warned . Cutiriottexifts and the other kinges, with thrcatningcs, with rcwardcs, and with . promJfes, neuer hereafter to attempt any fuch thingo Then CfMriwexiHs made an oration to the people, of the great power ©four mcn,of their cleniencie toward offenders, &iiberalitic to iiichc as remaine faithfull, defiringthem to quiet their myndcs, And from thenceforth neither indeed nor thoyghtto enterprifc 'F 2 'any Thefirjl Deende, any t^ifng againft the Chriftians,. but to obey and Icrue them, except tiiey woulde dayly bring themfelucs into further cala- mities . VVhen the oration was Hnillied, they tooke him v^ppe, aiud fct him on their lliouiders, and fo caryed him home to his owne pallace : and by this mcanes , this Region was paci- fyed for a while. But our menne, with heauic countenance „ , P wandered vp and do'.vne, as defolate in a Itrange countrey,lack- tac^c o vy. jng vidailes>.and worne out of apparcll, whereas.xv. monethes were nowe palled lince the Admirals departure, duryng which time, they couldeheare nothing out of Spayne. The Lieue- tenaiit comforted them all that heeeoulde with fayrc words and promifes. In the meane time, Beuchms AmcAuchoa ( the king oftheVy'eft partes of phe Region diXamgua ( of whome wee fpake be^pie) leiit melfengers to the Lieuctenanr, to (igni- fie vnto him, that hee had in a readines the gollampine cotton,, and fuch other thinges as he willed him to prepare:for the payment ot his trybute. Wei/ay for one of the two Caraueiles whiche were lately made there, intending to fende the fame thither againe laden with bread. The Manners glad of thefe tydinges, fayled about the Ilande, and in fliortc ipace brought the fhippe to the coaftes o(Xara^ua, The Tifter oikiu^BeHchitis Anacauchoa, that wife and plcafaunt woman Amcaana ( the wife fometime of Crf^»<«^(7^ the king of the gol- den houfe of the mountaynes of 0<^^«(«, whofe husband died in QP^*"e Ana- dic way when he Ihoulde haue bcene caryedinto Spaync)when ^*®"*' F 3 ihe ThefirfiDecAde. (he heard fay that our ftiyppe was arriued on the fliore of her na-i tiue countrey,perfvvadedthe king her brother, that they both myght go€ together to Tee it: for the place where the ftiyppe lay was not parte, vi. myles diftant from Xearagua. They refted liX night in the midway, in a certaine village in the which was the ifOu^Vnc"^ treafurie or iewelhoufeof^^^r^w^. Hertreafurc was neither Anacaana. golde iiluer,or pretiousjftonesjbut only thinges necelfary to be vfed, as chayres, ftooles, fettels, di flies, potingers, pottes, pannes, bafons, trey es, and fuch other houlholde ftutfe and in- lirumentes, workemanly made of a certaine blacke and hardc fliyning wood,which that excellent learned phi(ition,Iohn,bap- i'SkElfws^ affirnieth to be Hebene. Whatfoeuer portion of wit Hebcnc weod nature hath giuen to the inhabitantes of thele Ilandes the fame doth mod appcare in thefe kinde ofworkes, in which they fhewe great art and cunnyng , but thoic which this woman had were made in the Hand oWuanabhay fituatc iu the mouth of the The Ilandc of weft fide ofHi/pamoIa: In thefe they graue the liuely images Guanabba. of fiich phantalies as they fuppofe they fet walke by nighty which the antiquescalledZf«;«rfi9scomZyhttiknt(ot RoldanusXemitJHs, who with /lich as followed him, lay in certaineofthe Hand villages, xii. mylcs diftant from the fortrclfe. At his comming, the Lieuetenant afked him what all thefe ftirres and tumui tes meant/'Hcc anfwc- red without abaftiment, Your brother the Admirall hath to do therewith, and rhaliaunf\vere for the fame before the king, for we perceiue that t\\Q king hath fo put him in truft, that he hath hadnoregardetovs : here wee perifh for hunger, while wee foliowcyou, and are dryuen to /eeke our vnhappie food in the dcfertes; Your brother al/baftigned mec affiftaunt with you in gouefning the Ilande. Wherefore lith you haue no more rcfpcft The firfl Decade, 35 fcfpcft vnto vs,we arc determined no longer to bee vndcr your obedience. When i Healing of theleapcr. Contagious ayreand ex- trcemeheate, The firjl Decade, Thefixt hoke cfthe firfl Decade y t0 Lodouikc CardiiMl of Arsigonk, OloftHs the Admirall, the thirde day of the Ga- Icndesoflune, inthcyeareofCnrifte 1498. hoyfed vp his fayles in the hauen of the townc BarramedabaSy not farre diftant from Cales,&c fet forward on his voyage with eight fhips la- den with vidualies and otherneceiraries. He diuerted from his accuftomed race, which was by the Ilandes of Canarie^y reafon ofcertaine frenchmen pyrates and roucrs on the fea,which lay in the right way to meete with him. In the way from Qales to the Hands oi Cmane^&bout fourefcore and tenne myles toward the left hand,is the Hand ofMadera^ more fouth- ward then the city of Cif*i/e by foure degrees/or the pole Artikc is eleuate to Ciui/e xxxvi.dcgrces, but to this Ilande(as the Ma- riners fay)oneIy xxxii.He fayled therefore firf t to Madera, and fending from thence divc^ly to Htjpaftio/a the relidue of the Ihippes laden with viAualles and other necetfaries, hehimfelfc with one ftiippe with deckes, and two Marchant Carauelles, coafted toward the South to come to the Equinodiail lync, and fo forth to followe the trade of the fame towarde the Weft, to the intent to fearch the natures of fuch places as he coulde finde vnder or near vnto the (ame^Ieauing Hiffaniola on the north fide Onhis right hande. In the middle of this race, \yt yi\\\. Ilandes of the Portugales, whiche were in olde time called Hefferides, and are nowe called Caput finde, or Cabouerde, thefe are fitiiate in thefea,right ouer againft the inner partes of Ethiope, Weft- warde two daycs fayling. One of thefe the Portugales call Benauifia, With the SnaileSjOr rather the Toitoyfcs of this I- lande, many leprous men are healed and denied of their lepro- fie.Departingfbdainly from hcnce,by reafon of the contagjouf nelfe of the aire,he fayled. CCCClxxx. myles toward the Weft fouthweft, whiche \s in the middeft betweene the Weft and the South. There was he fo vexed with maladies and hcate (for it was in the moneth of Iune)that his fliips were almoft ikt on fire : The hoopes of his barrels cracked and brake, and the frefh wa- ter ranne out : the men alfo complained that they were not able to The firft Decade, 36 to abide that cxtrcmitie of heat.Hcrc the north pole was eleuatc onely.v. degrees from the Horizontall. For the fpace of viii. dayes, in the which he futFercd thefc extremities^ onely thcfirlt day was fay re, but all the other, dowdy and raynyc, yet ncuer thelelleferuenthottc : Wherefore it oftentimes repented him not a Iitle,that euer he tooke that way. Being toiled in thtCt dan- fers and vexations eyght continual! dayes, at the length an aftroutheaft wynde arofe, and gaue a profperoua blafte to his faylcs. Which wynde following directly towarde the weft, he founde the ftarres ouer that- paralel placed in other order , and another kinde of ayre, as the Admirall himfelfe toldc me. And they all affirmc, that within three dayes fayling, they founde molt temperate and plcafauntayre. The Admirall al- (b affirmeth,that from theclime of the great heat & vnholfbme ayre, hee euer afcended by thebackeofthe/ea, as it were by a highmountayne towardeheaucn, yet in all this tyme, couldc he not once fee any land : But at tho. length, the day before the Calcndcs ofTuly,thc watchman looking forth of the topcaftell of the greateft fliip, cried out aloudc forioy that he tfykd three exceeding high mountaines,exhorting hisfellows to be of good cheare, & to put away all penfiuenes;For they were very heauic and{brrowful,a(welfor thegriefe which they fufteyned byrea- fon of the intollcrable hcate, as alfo that their frefh water faylcd thcm,which ranne out at theryf^es of the barrels, caufed by cx- treame heate.as we haue fayd. Thus being well comforted,they drew to the land,but at their firft approch they could not arryuc by reafo of the fhalownes of the fea neere thefliorerYct looking out oftheirfiiippes, they might well perceiue tharthe Region was inhabited, and well cultured, for they fawe veryfaire gar- dens, and pleaiant medowes:from the trees and hearbes where- of, when the morning dewesbeeganne to rife, there proceeded manie f.veetefauoures. Twcntie mylcsdiltantfrom hence, they chaunced into a hauen, very apte to harborowe fhippes butithadno ryuer running into it. SayJingonyet fomewhat further,hc found at the length acommodious hauen,wherein he might repay re hi sfliippes, and make prouifion of fre flic water and fuel. Arcnalis calleth this land Pnta. They found no houfes The Hand o£- nccre vnto the hauen, but innumerable fteppes of certaine wild Putac beaftes The fir fi Decide, bcaftesfcctc, ofthe which they foundc one deade, much like « goatcThc day following, they fawc a Canoa ccoiming a farrs People of com of^auing in it fourcand twenty young men of goodly corpora- ly corporature tutc and high ilature,alJ armed withtargetSjbowes and arrowcss and longhairc the hay re of their heades was long and plaync, and cutte on the "'ft* U ^ ^****' forehead much after the manner of the Spanyardes,their priuic parteswerecouered with fyiletsotGolfampine cotton, ofUm- dry colours enterlaced, &: were belide all ouer naked. Here the AdmiralJjConfidering with himfeif e the corporature of this peo- ple,and nature of the land, he beJeeued the fame to be fo much the neerer heauen,then other regions of the lame paralel,& fur- Thc higher , thcr remoued from the grolTe vapours of the vaJes, & maryflies, «h«co\der« howe much the highclt toppes of the biggeft mountaynes are diftant from the dcepe vaies.For he carnelliy affirmeth,that in all that nauigation, he neuer went out of the paralels of Ethi- ope : So great difference \% there between the nature ofthc inha- bitanfe8,andofthefoylesofdiuers regions,allvnder one clime or paralel, as \& to lee betweene the people and regions beeing in the firme landc of Ethiope, and them of the llandes vnder the fame clime, hauing the pole ftarre eleuate in the fame degree For the Ethiopians are all bJacke, hauing their hayre curled, more like wool then haire :but thcfe people ofthc IJand oiFuta. (being as Ihauefaydevnder the dime of Ethiope) afe whytc, with longhayrc,and of yeiow colour. Wherefore it is apparant, the caufe of this fo great difference,to be rather by the dilpofitio of the earth, then conftitution of heauen. For wee knowc that fnowe falleth on the mountaynes of the EquinodialJjOr burnt lyne, and the fame to endure there continually : wee knowe likewise, that the inhabitantes of the regions farre di- ftant from that line toward the north, are molefted with great heate. The Admirall , that he might alure the young men to him with gentlenelle, fliewedthem looking glalles, fayre and bright velIelsofcopper,hawkes belles, and luch other thingcs vnknownc to them. But the more they were called , fo much the more they fufpeded craft and dcccyt, andfledde backe- wardc : Yet did they with their great admiration behold our .' mcnne and their thingesj. but ftill hauing their ores in their handes ready to flee. When the Admirall fawe that he could ^7 Thefrji Detade, 57*- by no mcanes allure them by giftes, hee thought to prone what hce coulde doc with mulicall in(lrumentes, and therefore com- maundedthat they which were in thegrcatcft ihip, ILouldpIay MufjcalJi** "on their drummes and fliawh-nes. But the young men fuppo- ftrmmnw^ fingthis to be a token of battaylc, left their oreSj&.in the twine- ': '. ling ofan eye hadde their arrowes in their bowes, and their tar- gets on their amies : and thus dire(5ling tlieir arrowes towardc our men, ftoode in exped:ation to know what this noyfe might meane. Our menne likewii'e preparing their bowes and ar- rowes, approched towarde them by litlc and litle. But they de- parting from the Admirals fliippe,and trufting to the dexter.tic oftheirores, camcfonecreoneoftheieirefliippes, thatoneof them plucked the clokcfrom thegcuernour ofthefhippe,and as well as they coulde byfignes required himtocomealandej promifing faith that they woulde commuiic withhim of peace But when tliey fawe him goc to the Admirals Ihip, whither hee - went to aske leaue that he might comunc with them, fufpecfling hcerebyfbmc further deceitvihey leapt immediatly into the Ca- noa, and flcdde as iwif c as the windcj £0 that to conclude, they could by no meaneshe allured to familiarity :Wncrfore the Ad mirall thought it not conuenicnt to bellow any long time there at this voyage. No great fpaceirom this Ilande, euer towardc The vio?ena the Weft, the Admiral faith he found [o outragious a fal of wa- f ourfe of t!?c ter, running with fuch a violence from the Eaft to the Weft, vvatcrfromih^ that it was nothing infenour to r^niightieftreame falling from y^.f^ high mountaynes. Hee alio confelled, that fince the firft day that eucrhee knewc whatthe fea meant, hee was neuer in fuch fearc . Proceeding yet fomcv^hat further in this daungerous voyage, he founde cejtaine goulfes of eight myles, as it had bin the entraunce of fbme great hauen, into the which the fayde violent ftreames did fall. Thele goulfes or ftreyghtes hee cdX- hdOsDracoms, that is, theDragones mouth: and the Hand Thc^uirecal-: diredly ouer againft the fame, hee called Margarita. Out of led d$ Dra^ thele ftrayghtes, ilfucd noleilc force offreliie water, whiche conis-, encountering with the Talt, dyd ftriuc to palTc foorth, [o that beetweene both the waters, was no fmall conflid : But entering into thegoulfe, at the length hee founde the water thereof very freih and good todrinke. The Admiral] him^ y'A feaofCrefh water. Macmafets. :M«Bke7ef. The firjl Decide. fcimlclfc, and they which were his companfont in this voyagf, beeing men of good crcdite^ and pcrcciuing my diligence in leaTcliing forthefe matters, tolde mee yet of* greater thing, that is, that for tlicfpace of xxvi, leagues, amountyng to a hundrcth and fourc myles, hee iayled eucr byfreili water, info- much that the further he proceedcd,e(pecialIy towarde the weft, . hee affirmed the water to bee the frciher. Afterthis, hee came ; to a high mountaine inhabited oncly with Monkeyes or Mar- . mafets, oathat parte towarde the EaftrFor that fide was rough withi:ockicandAoniemountayncs,andtherfore not inhabited withmen. Yet they that went aJande to fearche the countrey, foundeneerevntothe fea, maniefayrefieldcs, wcHtilledand (bwen, but no people , nor yet houfes or cotages ; Perh appcs ithey were gone furdier into thcLcpuntrey, to ibwe their cornc and applye their husbandrie,:a* we often ice our husbandemen to leaue their ftations and villages for the fame- pwrpofc. In the Weft fide of that mountaine, they elpycd-alarge piayne, whither they made haft, andcaft ankerinthebroaderiuer.As fboncasthcinhabitanteshad knowledge that a ftrange nation Thtfavreand^*^ arryued in their coaftcs, they came flocking without all fcare toiee cwr men. Wee vnderftoode by their ligncs and poyntinges, that this Region was called Porta, and that it Vf as very large : infomucir that the further it rcacheth toward the Weft, to beefo much the better inhabited and rcplenifhcd with people.The Admirall therefore, taking into his (hip fourc of the men of that lande, fearched the Wcftpartes ofthe fame By the temperatencs ofthe aire,thepleafiintnes ofthe ground, and the multitude of people whichthey faw daily more & more as thcy'fayled, they conic<^urcd that thefethinges portended fome great matter :as indeedc their opinion failed them not, as wcwilliiuther declare in his place. Thefunnenotyetrifen,but beginning euen now to ri/c, being one day allured bythe p[ca< fantncilc ofthe place, and^ecte fauours which breathed from the lande to the ftiippesj they went alande : Herethey found a greater multitude of people, then in any other place. As our men approched towarde them, there came certaine mellcngers from-theirC<<^/«5that is, the kings ofthccountrey,todefire the Admiral! in the name of their J^rinccstacomc to thdrpalacet vwithk large region oiPasia. Humane people. without fcarc,and that thcyandall theirs Hioiildc be athiscom- mauiidcment. When the Admirall hadde thanked them, and made hiscxcufe for that time, there came in numerable people with their boatcs to the ihippes, hauing for the molt parte cheyncs about their neckes, gariandcs on their headcs, and brafeletteson their armes ofpearlc oflndia, and that fo com- monly, that ouFwomen inplayesandtriumphes, haue not- greater pkntie ot ftones of glalFe and cryftall in their garlandes crownes, girdels, , and fuch other tyrementcs. Beeing afkcd where they gathered them,they pointed to the next fhore by the fcabankes. They (agnifiedalfo,by ccrtayncfcornefuU gefturcs whieh they made with their mouthcs and handes, that they no- thing e deemed pearles* Taking alfo bafkettcs in their handes>> they madeiigncs that the fame might bee filled with them in Ihorte/paGC. But bccaufe the cornq wherewith his fliippes^ were laden to be earycd into HiffomoU^hid taken hurt by reafo ofthc fait watw^jhe determined to dcfcrrc this marte to a more conuc- nicnt timciYct he lent to land two of the ihip boatcs laden with- men^to the intent to fetch fomc garlands of pearles for cxchagc ofourthingc$,andfolbmewhattofearchthe natnce ofthc Re- gie^ and diipofition of thepeople.They entcrtayncdourmcn- gentkly, andcamc flocking to them by hcapcs,as it had becnc tobcholdefomeftraagemoiiftcrs. . Firft there came to mccte our men, two men ofgrauitie, whome the multitudefbllowed 5 Oncofthefewaswellinage^ and the other but young. They-' thinkcit was the father, with his forme which ihouldefuccccd - him. When the one had faluted and embraced the other,thcy brought our mcnneinto a certaine round houfc,neercvnto the whiche wasa greaticourte. Hither were brough t many chaycrs and ftooles made of a certaine blackc wood,and very cunningly ft ^^'^VlS' wrought . After thatour men and their Princes were fettc, bene"** ^' their way ting men came in kden, fome with fundiy.dclycatc dy(hes,andj(omc with wyne; But their meate, was onely fruitei ■- and thofe of diuers kindes, and vtterly vnknowne to vs. Their wine was both white and rcdde, not made of grapes> but of thcIycour<>f dyuwsfruitesj, and very pleafaunte in drinking After thi« banquette made in the oldemans houfe, the young man brought themto his tabernacle or mantion place, where WJt« w*s X great companie both of men and women, "but they ftoo3 Wiitemen dilleuercd the one from the other. They are white, euen as Bcetcthc Equi our men arc, fauing fuch as arc much conuerfant in the funnc, no^aH, They are alfo very gentle, and full of hum anitie toward fti an- gers. They couer their priuie partes with Golfampine cotton, wrought with iundry colours, and arc bcfide all naked. There was fcwe, or none, that had not eyther acollcr, achayne, ora bracelet of golde and pearles, and many had all, -^Beeingaf- ked where they had that goltie, they poynted to certainc moun- taines, feeming witii thcircountenaunceto diirwadeourmennc . from going thither : For p^-'tting their annes in their mouthes , and grynning as though they bytte the fame, i\i\\ poynting - to themountaines, they feemed toinlirtuatcthatmenne were catenthere:but whether tliey meant by the Canibalcs, orwildc beaftes, our mencouldc not well percciue. They tooke it excee- ding grieuoufly, that they coulde neither vnder{}ande our men,nor our men them. When they whiche were fent to lande, verc returned to thefhippes about three of the clockeat after noonethe fame day, bringing with them certaine ^arlandes, and eollers of pearles, they loofcd their ankers to departe, min- ding to come againe fiiortly, when all thinges were fette in good order in BifianioU i but hce was preuented by another, which defeated him oftherewardeofhistrauayle. Hec wasal- g. . - fo hindered at this time by f eafon of the fhalownelfe ofthc fea,& •fSie fea* * violent courfc of the \vatcr,which with continuall tofling,bmifcd the greateft fhippc as often as any great gale of wind arofe. To auoyde the daungers of fuche Jhalowe places and lliclfes, ThevfeofCa hcCfeuerfent one of thefmalleftCarauclIesbcefore totrythc jrauelsorBri- way with founding, and the biggefi: ftiippes followed bee- gandincs. hinde. The Regions being in the large prouince ofparia/or the Ipaceof CCxxx. myles,are called of the inhabitantS5G»»*?»(f,& Mofiacapai^a'.fTovn thefe regions diftant. xJ.lcagues, istiiere an other region cal led (}iriam. When he had thus palled ouer tl;is longtracft of fea,fuppofing fhll that it had binanlland,& doub tingthathe might palTc by the Weft to the North diredly to « . M Uiffmiola^ he chaunced into a rytier of xxx. cubites depth, and -O'vlousccpth ot fuch breadth as hath liot lightly bee- ie heard of. Forhee af- aadbtcadtli, fijuieth itco bee Jixviiio leagues. A little further towarde the jVcft Thefirjl Decide. -j^j Weft, ytt fome what more fouthwarde ,as the bcndyng of the /hote rcquyred , he entered into a Tea full ofherbes orwecdes The feede of the herbes which fwymmeonthe water, arc much like the berryes of the tree called Lentifctts , which bcar- eth the fweete gumme called Maflix', they grewe fo thycke, that they fometimes in maner flayed thefhippes. The Admiral reported, thathere there is not one day throughout all the yeere much longer or lliortcr then an other, and that theNorth pole is here eleuate oneiy fiue degrees as at Porta ^ invvhofe Thecleuawoa tracteailthefe coaftes lye. Healfb declared certayne thinges o^^l^cPoleac as concerning the varietie of the north pole : the which bccaufe theyfeemecontraryetoth'opinions of all the Aftronomers,! will touche them but with adryefoote, as fay th the prouerbe. Noteafccrcte But it is well knowen ( mod: noble prince ) that which wee call J^ co"«rning thepole ftarrc, or north ftarre( called of the Italians 7>,!?«?o«- ^ °^ ^"* tfma)k not the very poynt of the pole Artyke, vppon the which jhe axes or extremities ofheauens are turned about.The which thing may well be proued, if when the ftarresfirftappeare, Anexpcricnfe you behold the pole ftarre through any narowe hole : For fo, fipplyingyour inftrument therto in the morning,fomewhat be- fore the day fpring haue blemifhed their light, if then you lookc through the lame hole, you Ihall perceiue it to be mouedfrom the place where you fawc it firft. But how it cometh to pallejthat at the beginning of the euening twilight, it is eleuate in that Region oneiy fiue degrees in the moneth ;of June, and in the morning twylight to be eleuate. xv.degrees by the fame A mameylous quadrant, I doe not vnderftand, nor yet doe the reaibns ^^"^'^* which hee bryngeth , in any poynt fatisfie me. For he fayeth that he hereby coniectured,that the earth is not perfectly round but that when it was created , there was a certayne heape rayfed theron, much higher then the other partes of the fame. So that ( as he fay th) it is not rounde after the forme of an aplc or a bal(a3 other thinke)but rather like a peare as it hangeth on the tree , and that Paria is the Region which polTelleth the fuperminent or higheft port the reofnearcft vntoheauen:In/b much that he earneftly contendeth , the earthly Paradile to be . lytuate in the toppes of thofe three hiiles, which we fayde before, that the watchnian faw out of the toppe caftel of G the ThefirfiLeCiide, the fhippe,and that the outragious ftreames ofthe frcOie wateri which To violently ilfue out oF the fayd gulfes , and ftriue fo with the fait water, fall headlong from the tops of the faid mountaines: But of this matter, it lliall fuffice to haue (aid thus much. Let v$ nowe therefore returnc to die hyftorie from which wee haue digrellcd. When he perceiued himfelfc to be thus inwrapped in fo great a gulfe beyond hisexpeda- tion, fo thathe had now no hope to rinde any pallagc toward the north, wher eby he might fayle diredly to Htfpamola,\\t was cnformedtoturnebackethefameway by the which hce came, and direfted his vioage to HifpanioU by the north of that land lying toward the Eaft. They which afterwards fcarched this land more curioufly, will it to bee parte of the continent or firme land of India, and not oiCuha as the Admirall fuppofed: For there are many which a ffirme that they haue fayled round about Cuba. But whether it be fo or not, or whether enuying _, ^ the good fortune ofthisman,theyfeekeoccafion of quarreling IctbStS'nees againfthim,! can not iudge; But time fhallipeake, which 'in time appointedjeuealeth both truth &faIfehood. But whe^ therP^^rwbe continent or not, the Admirall doth not much contende,buthefuppofethitto bee continent: He alfb affir- tneththat faria is more fouthward then HifpanioUhy eyghc hundred fourelcore and two myles . At the length he came to He/^^itf/^ (to fee his fouldiers which he left with his brethren) the third day ofthecalendes of September, intheyearc.i49S but ( as often times chauncethin humane thinges) among his fo many profperous, pleafant , and luckie affayres, fortune mingled fome feedes of wormewood, and corrupted his pure come with the malicious wcedes of cockle. ^ The feauenth haoke ofthefirfi decddc , te the/amehodouikc Cardinall. ^c, ^^^^^^^^Hen the Admirall was nowe come tothel- ^^JIj&K^iland oi HifpanioU-i hee founde all thinges The Spani- '^b^^^M/fJ. I confounded and out of order. For Roldanus ardcsiebellin j^^^o^^^|(of whom wee fpake before) refufedinhis "^Sr^^^^^^^^'S^v/V^^yabfencetoobey his brother, tmftine to the tg'/i'WA'wj- lake : and further to exhort him Maiobanc- to deliuer him, exceptehe wouldprocurcthedcfl:ru(5lionboth '^'"*' ofhimfeifc, his people, and his country. When the melTenger was returned, Matobanexius alfembled the people, declaring vnto them what was done : but they crycdout on him to deliucc Guaricnexms^ and began to curie the day that euer they had re- ceiucdhim, thus to difturbe their quietnelle. MaiohAnexius^n- * ^ . , £». fwcredthem, that Guarionexws was a good man, & had well de- ncfsc in a bar- ferued of him,giuing him many princely prefeiites,and had alio barous iJog, taught both his wife and him to ling and dance, which thing he did not little efteeme, and was tlicrcf ore fully rclblued in no calc toforfakehim,oragaynft allhumanitieto betray his friend, which fled to hii» for fuccour,but ratiier to abide all extremities with him,then to mfniller occalion of obloquy to llauDdcrers,to reportethathehad betrayed his gheft,whcmhetookeinto his houfc with warranties. Thus dimiUing the people, fighing and with forrowfuli harts, he called GtMrionexius before him, promi- fing him agayne, that he would be partaker of his fortune, while li{t lafted :in [o much that he thought it not bcft to fend any fur therwoorde to the Lieutenant, but appoynted him whom bcc- forehe{cnttohim,tokecpethc way withagarrifonofmen,to the intent, that if any meilcngcrs fhouldc be fent from the Lkii- tenaunt,to ftay them by the way,&; admit none to communica- tion, or further cntrcatie of peace.In the meane time, the Lieue- tenaunt fent two,whereof the one was a captiue Ciguauian, and the other an Ilande man, of them which were friendes to our men: and they were both taken and llayne. The Lieutenant fol- TheLicute- lowed them onely with ten footmen & 1 bure horfemen,finding "g""**f|^^"" hismelfengersdeadeintheway, hce was further prouoked to " wrath, and determined more extreamely to dealc with Maioba- wxwsySc therfore went forward incortinently with his whole ar- my to his chiefe pallace oi^Capronfim,\vhQVQ he yet lay in campc. At his approch,all the kings fled,euery man his way,& forfookc their capitaine Maioi;a»ex:us ywho alio with all his family,fleddc to the rough mountaynes. Some ofthe Ciguauians (ought for G 4 Gfidywtf^xm The firfl Decide, Cuarioftexluj to ^^yhimy for that hee was thecaufeofall thcfc troubles : but his feete faued his life, for he fledde in time to the mountayneKjwhere he lurked in maner alone among the defo- late rockes. Whereas now the Lieutenantes fouldiers were fore- wearyed with long warre, with watching, labour, and hunger { for it was nowe three moneths lince the warres began ) many delired leaue to depart to the tower of Conception, where they had granges, & exercifed tillage.He gaue them their palfeport* with alowance of vidayles, and fo that oneiy thirtie remained with him. Thefe three monetheswarre, they continued verie TheSpany- painefullandmiferably :. So that during all that time, they ards are pain- had none other meate but only Caz.il^i,thiLt is/uch roots where' ^ul ia the wars of they make their bread, and that but feldome to their fill : al- fo yjiofj that is, little beaftes like Conies, if by chaunce nowc and then they tooke fome with their hounds. Their drinke was. none other then water, fuche as they found e, fometime fweet andfomtimemuddy/auoring of the mary flies . Among thefc delicares, that little lleepe that they had, waseuer for the moft Adefperatcad part abroad vnder the firmament, and that not without watch* uf nture with men, and in continuall remouing as the nature of warre requi- ^liktic men. reth. With thefe fe we therefore, the Lieutenant determind to fearch the mountaynes, dennes,andcaues, if he coulde in any place finde the (leppes oi Alawhanexitis or Guarionexins. In the meane time certaine of his men ( whome hunger enforced to goc a hunting, to proue if they could take any conies ) chanced vpon two of Miruobmexms familiars, which were fent tu certaine villages ofhis,to make prouilion of hread.Thefeheenforcedto declare where their lord lay hid,& vfedthe fame alfo for guides, to bring our men to die place.Twelue of our men tooke this en terpryfe in hand,painting themfelues after the maner of the Cig jtpollicjr.. uauians:So that by this itratagemeor poiicie,they came ibden- \yv}^Qi\\Mcnohmexiusy and tooke him pry (oner, with his wyfe, children, & famijy,and conueighed them totlie towre of Con- ception to the Lieutenant. Within a fewedayes after, hunger compelled Gucrionexim to come out of the denne, whome cer^i taineof the people fearing the Lieutenant, beewrayedto our hunters. The Lieutenant beeing certified hereof, fentfoorth abandeof foote men, commanding them to \yt in ambuih vn- T he firft Decade. 45 till fuch time as Cuam^exiHs went from the playnes to the mountaynes, and then fodenly to entrappehim. They went as they were commaunded,tooke him, and brought him away with them,and by this meanes were all tlie regions neare about pacified and quieted. A certayne noble woman ofneere kinred ^^to Matehancxius y and wife to another king, whofe dominion was ytt vntouched, followed him in all thel'e adueriities. They aftirme this woman to bee the fayreft and molt beautifull, that ^ bcadtiRit euer nature brought forth in the Hand: Whom, when the king woman, her husbande, who loued her molt ardently (as her beautiede- ferued) hearde fay that ihe was taken pr ilbner, hee wanderd vp and downe the delartes like a man out of his witte, not know- ing what to doe or fay . But at the length, he came to the Lieutenant, promilingmoft faithfully, that heewoulde fub- mit himfelfe and all that he coulde make, vnder his power, (b - that hee woulde reftore him his wife . The Lieutenant accep- ted the conditionj& reftored him his wife,with certain other ru lers and gentlemen which he had taken prifoners before u:har- gingthcm, and binding them with an othe, to be ready at his commaundemcnt . Shortly after, this king of his owne free inotion,cameagaynctothe Licutenaunt, bringing with him fiue thoufande men without weapofis,fauing onely (iich inftru- mentes as they vfe in tillage of their ground. He brought with him alfo feedes to fow, wherewith at his owne charge, hee cau- fedfuch plentie of their come and fruites to grow in fundry pla- ces ofthelarge vale, whereof we (pake before, that Oiortly after vvere feene many fayre and fruitfull ficldes that came thereof and for his gentlenelle beeing rewarded of the Lieutenaunt with certaine of our thinges, hee departed loyfully. When the report hereof came to the Cieuauians, itmooued the minds Jf^ if' "gc* r ,^ \ 1 r 1 " I I fiibmit them- ot the kinges to nope ot clcmencic, whereupon they came fducstothc together to the Lieutenant with humble fubmillion and faith- Licmcaaau full promife, euer after to bee vnder his obedience, defiring himtoEeftorevntothem their king with his familie. At their requeft, the Kinges wife v^nd his houilioldc was fctte at liber- tie, but the kingkept (till asaprifbncr. Thefe thinges did the Lieutenaunt in the Ilandc, notyet knowing what his aduer- farics and accufcts hadde layde to iiis charge before the king of Spayncj. The firfl Decade. Spaincwho being difquieted with their quarrellinges and accu^ (ations,and efpecially for that by reafon of their diirentionjoffo great abundance of golde and other thinges, there was as yet but little brought into Spaync, appoynted a newe gouernour, A nevT goucr- ^hi^h fliouide fee a rcdrelle in thele thingcs : and ey ther to pu- Sandc!^ * nilhefuch as were faultie, orelfcto fendethem to him. What was founde againU the AdmiraJl and his brother, or agalnft his aduerfaries which accufed him, I doe not well knowe. But this I am fure of, that both the brethcren are taken, brought, & caftcin pryfon, with their goods confifcate. But as foone as the king vndcrftood that they were brought bound to Cales,hc (cnt melfcngcrs in poft, with commaundement that they fhould be loofed andxome freely to his prcfence rwherby he de- clared that he tooke their troubles grieuoufly.lt is alfo /aid,that the new gouernour fent letters to the king, written with the Ad- miralleshandeinftraungcandvnknowne lyphcringes, to his brother the Lieutenaunt being ab/ent, willing him to bee in a rcadines with a power of armed men to come and aid him.jif the Gouernour fliouldc proffer him any violence. Whereof the go- uernour hauing knowledge (asheefayth)beejngairo aduertiied that the Lieutenaunt was gone to his brother before the mennc which hcc had prepared there in a readincs, apprehended them both vnwares, before the multitude came together. What will followe, tyme, thcmoft true and prudent iudge will declare Thus fare ye well. ^ lljeeight hooke of the firjl Decade , to Cftrdiml hodouiki. I'hi Ocean (ea heretofore tmbMwne. He great,rich, and plentifull Ocean fea, here- tofore vnknovvne,and now found by Chrtfio- phorusCo/oKusthe Admiral, bytheauthoritie & furtherance of the Catholike king, I haue prefcted vnto your honor(right nobleprince) _^__^ _ like a golden chaync vnworkman ly wrought: jutyouflial now receiue a precious iewel to be appendant ther- to.Therfore among fuch as were pylots or gouernors vndcr the Admiral,^ h^d diligetly marked the courfes & difFereccs of the windes. The firfi Decade, 44 wtnds,man>^ had lycences granted them of the king to fcckc fur- ther at their own charges, vponcoditi 6 to pay him faithfully his portion, which is the fift part .But becaufc amonge all other, OTitPetrHs AtfhonfHSyQzWtd Nigms by hisfurname, faylcd to- rp"'§**** ward the fouth with more profperous fortune then any of the Alphonfo. other, I thinke it beft firft to ipeake fomewhat of his voyage. He therefore with only one ihip,wel furnillied at his owne char- ges, after that he had his palfeporte, with commaundemcnt in no cafe to caft anker palt ^hit leagues diftant from any place where the Admirall had touched, fayled firft to P^w,where the Admiral found both the men and women fo laden with cheine« garlandes, and brafelettesofpearles, as we hauefaide before, Coafting therefore along by the fame fhore, according to the kings commandement ( yet leaning behind him the regions of CHtnana and Mamcapana he came to the regions which thinha- bitantis thcrof cal C«n4»^,wherehe found a h auen(as he faith) much like the porte o^Gades or Cnks:into the which ctering he fawe a farre of certayne houfes on thefliore, and perceiued, when hcc drewc necre,that i t was a village of onely eight houjfcs Proceeding yet further for the fpace of three mylcs, heefpied an other village well replenyfhedwith people, where there met him fiftie naked men on a company, hauing with them a cer- tainc ruler, who defircd Alphonfus to come to their coaftcs. He brought with him at this time, many haukes belles, pyn- ncs, needcls,brafelettcs,cheynes,garlandes, andrynges, with counterfet ftones and glalles, and fuch other tnfelles,thc which within the moment of an houre^he had cxchaunged for fifteenc ounces of their pearlcs, which they wore aboute their ncckes Pcarles fcr "• and armcs. Then they yet more earncftly defired him to fayle tryfles. totheircoaftes,promiiinghim that he Ihould there hauc as many Dearies as he would defire. Hee condifcended to their Great plcatk rcquelt: and the day folowing,came to the place where they ap of pearlc*^ poyntedhim: Lying there at anker,a great multitude of people iefoitedtohim,inftantIy requyring him to comealand. But when he confidered the innumerable multitude of peoplewhich was there alfembled, and he had only, xxxiii. men in his com- pany,he durft not commit himfeJfeto theirl la .cies, butgauc thcmtovnderftandby fignes and tokens, that they fhould come Thefirjl Decade, come to thelliip with their Qamas:^oi their boatcs (which the men of the Hand cat C^ bring, they would kill in the woods with their arrowcs, and^^ eoorcs. notfayle to bring them . They lacke kyne, goatcs and fhecpe. Their bread is made of rootcs, as is theirs oi the Ilandes. This nation,hathblackehayre,groireandfomwhat curld, yet long alfo. Theykcepe their teeth very white, and for that purpofc vfetocary acertaine hearbebetweenetheirlyppesforthcmoft part of the day, and to walli their mouthcs when they caft it away. The women doe all their bulines at home in their hou- ks^ and haue alfo the cure of tyllage of the'ground :but the men apply therafelues to the warres and hunting, to play, fyng- ing anddauniyng. They haue fundry kindes uf water pottes iugges, and drinking cuppes made of earth in other places about them, and brought thither for exchaunge ot other things For they vie fayres and marketres for the fame purpofe, and are greatly defirousotfuch thinges, as arc not brought foorth or made in their countrey, as natuichath giuenadifpofition to all men,to defire and be delighted with new and ftrangc thinges. Many of them had hanging at their pear les the images of ccr- teinebeaftes and birdes,very artificioufly made ofgold,butnot Cunning ai^ pure tthcfe alfo are brought them from other places forcxchag "ficcrs. ofother thinges. The gold whereof they arc made, is natiue and of much like finencsto that whereof the florensare coyned. '^ ^° ^* The menne of this country, encloie their piiuie members in a gourd, cut after the f afhi 6 of a coddepeice,or els couer the fame with the fhell of a tortoyfe, tyed about their loynes with laces of golfampine cotton: In other places ofthattracff-jthey thrufl: the iinewwithin the Iheath thereof,and binde thefkinnefaft with a ftring.The great wild beafts whereof we fpake beforc,and many other things which are not found in any of the Ilandes, teftifie thatthisregion ispartofthe continent or firmclande. Butthe chiefeftconiedurewhereby they areue the fame, is, that by the ^^ e"softl». coaftesofthatlande, fromP^m toward the Weft, theyiayled fj^raelanjk* about three M. my les, finding no figne or token of any end Thefc people o^Curtatm ( which fbmc call Cnrtma ) being de- maunded where they had fuch plenty of golde, hgnified that it wa? The firft Decade. The ooMen re was brought them from a region caDed CanchietOj or Canckietay gion of Can- being diftant from them fixe funncsjthat if, fixe dayes loumey chict^. wcftward ; and that their images ofgolde were made m the iame region. Whereupon our men direded their voyage thy- ther immediatJy, and arryued there at the Calcndes of No- uember, in the yeare of C H R I S T a thoufand and fiue hun- dred. The people of the country refortcd to them without feare, bringing with them of tiie goldc which wefaydtobee natiue in that region. This people hadde alio collers ofpearjes about their neckes, which were brought them from Curiana for exchaungc of their marchandifes . None of them would ex- chaunge any ofthofe thinges which they hadde out of other countryes; as neyther the Curians golde, nor the Canchietans pearles : yet among the Canchietans they found but litlegold ready gathered ;They tooke with them from thence certain very fayre Marmafcts or Munkeyes, and many Popingaycs of fun- dry coloures. In the moneth of Nouember, the ayre was there moft temperate, and nothing coide. Theguardens of the TheEquinoc^ north pole were out of fight to both the/e people, they are {o tialihne. nearc the Equinortial.Oftiie degrees of the pole, they can giue none other accompt. rhefc people are well difpofed men,of ho- ncft conditions, and nothing fufpitious,for almofl: all the night long they reforted to the ^["p^t with their boates, and went aboorde Ihippe without feare, as did the Curians. They call Goffjmpine pearlcs, (^arixas. They are fomevvhat iealous, for when any ttc€$, ftraungers come among them, they euer place their women bee- hind them. In this region o'i Canchieta^ the goifampine trees groweof thcmfelues commonly in many places, as doc with vs Elmes, Willowes, and Sallowes : and therefore they vfe to make breeches of cotton, wherewith they couer their priuic partes in many other Regions thereabout. When they had yet iayled on forward by the fame coaft es.there came forth againfl: them about two thoufand men, armed after their manner, for- byddingthem to come aland.Thefe people werefo rude and la- uage,that our men could by no meanes allure them to familiari- tie.Our men therfore, cotented only w ith their pcarles,returned backe the fame way they came, where they rcmayned with the Cunans continually forthefpace ofxx. dayeS; and filled their bellies wel with good meate. Andherc it feemeth'to me not farrc from my purpoTe,to declare what chaunced vnto them in their returne when they came now within the fight of the coaft oiPa- ria .They happened therefore in the way,at OsDraconisyiind. the guIfesof/'<^w(wherofwc fpeake before)to meete with a nauy of xviii.Canoas of Canibals,whicii went a rouing to hunt for men Csnibalcs in,6 who alfooneasthey had eipied our men^airailed their fliip fierce the gulfeso/ ly,& without feare enclofed the fame, difturbing ourmen on e- ^*^"^* ucry fide with their arrowes: but our men fo feared the with their gunnesjthat they tied immcdiatJyjwhom ourmen foiowing with therhippboate5tookeone oftheirCanoas,andmitoniy one Canibal( for the other had efcaped) and with him another man bounde,who with teares running downehischeekes, and with geftureofhishandes, eyes, and head, fignified that fixe of his companions had bin cruel Jy cut in peeces, and eate of that mi A cheiuous nation, and that he Ihould hauebin likewife handled the day foiowing : wherefore they gaue him power ouer the Canibal,to do with him what he would.Then with the Canibals Dcathfos owneclubbe,helaideonhimailthathe might driuc with hand ra.coms'a\oxouerde, which Comz czli Gorgodes Medncias. Sayling ofCanarie, therfore dircdly toward the fouth from that Hand of Hi?y^^*Ww ^^^joucrde. whichthePortuga!cs(^ being polTetfcrs ofthe lame cal *ye€dde. J. n Among thcfc trees is found that monftrous beaflc with a fnout hSsu ^^^ like a foxcja taylc hke a marmafettej eares like a bat, handes like a man, and feete like an ape, bearing her wheipes aboute with her in an outward bellie much like vnto a greate bagge or purfe. The deade carkalfe of this beaft, lyou fawe with mee, and turned it ouerand oucr with your owne handes, maruey- ling at that new beily,and wonderful prouifion of nature.They fay it is knowne by experience, that lliee neuer letteth her whei- pes goe out of that purfe, except it be either to play^or jo fuckc vntill fuch time that they bee able to gette their lining by themfelues. They tooke this bealte with her wheipes: But die wheipes died fliortly after in the fliippes , Yet the damme iiued certaine monethes : but at the length, not being able to a- b ide fo great alteration of ay re, and change ofmeat,(he diedal- fo in the way. But of this bealk, wee hauefaid enough. Letvs now therefore returnetotheaudlhoursofthefe thinges. Thefe two Pw^^'^/, the vncle and the neuiew, fufteined many greate troubles & horrible tempeftcs and periilesin this nauigation. For when they had now failed by the coaftes of ParM about (ixc hud red leagues,&(as they fuppofed)beyond xh^c\tt\to{ Cathaj and the coftesofEaft India beyond theriuerof Ganges, there rofe fodenly fo fierce a tempeft in the month of Iuly,that of the foureCarauelswhich they had with them, two weredrowned euen before their tyts: and the third lying at anker, with like* fodennes caried outof their fight through the violence of the tempeft:the fourth alfo lying at anker, was fofliakenandbroo fed, that all the feames thereof were alnioft loofed : Yet came they to land out of this laft f]iyp,but vttcrly defpairing of the- dfelnTHcf'e^^'P- Wherefore confulting with themfelues what was belt rate cafe. to bee done info extreemea cafe, and how to prouidethem a fafe dwelling place inthofe Regions, being out of all hope how to depart from thence, they determined to (lay all the in- habytauntesofthc country neeie about them, lealt they with the other fliouldconfpire together to kill them, but their for- tune was better ; For the Carauel which the temped had caried away, was come to them againe. This had in it. xviii, men: And the other that remained, wasfaued and repaired. With thefe two therfore,they tooke their voyage diredly to Spayne and. Thefirjl Decade. 5-0 and thus being toired with tcmpeftes, & vexed with aducrnties they returned to their natiue countrey ofPa/osy to their wyues and children, the day before the Calejides oi Odober^with the lolle of many of their deere trieds & neighbours.They brought with them Cinaraome and ginger: butnot very good, becaufc Cinamome they were not there fully feafoned with the heate of the funne,. ^'^ Gingcy. before they brought them from thence.Thcy brought al/b ccr- tayne precious ftones, which Bapttfia Efyjiw that excellent phi- loibpher, andyourLordfliippesPhihtionjaffirmethtobetruc Topafes. After thele mens returne, other of their neighbours ^P^'^'* being moued thereto by a certayne emulation, to prouc if their fortune would be any better,like men of good corage,bcing no Men ofnobia thing difcomforted by the harde fortune of their neighboures, courage, knowing that it oftentimes chaunceth, that that whiche is one mans vndoing,is another mans making,attempted a new voi- age toward the fouth by the coa{l:es of P<«n^5following the fteps ^"o'^cs ofC&/ecid€, Angry gods, taken this from you. But if he enteiid yet further to deceiuc the patient,heeperfwadeth him that his Z ernes isangry,eytherbe- caufe he hath not builded him a chappel],ornot honoured him religioufly, or not dedicated vnto him a groue or garden. And They makcthc if it fo chaunce that the ficke perfon die, his kinffolks,^by witch- dcadtofpeakc* craftc, enforce the dead to confelfe whether he died by naturall dcftey,or by the negligece of the Boitius^m that he had not faft- cd as he lliould haue done, or notminiitred a couenient medi- cine for the difeafe: fo that if this phifition be found faultie,thcy take rcucnge ot him.Of thefe (tones or bones which thefe Boitii cary in their mouthes, if the women can come by them^ they keepe them religioufly, belceuing them to be greatly effeduall tohelpc women traueling with childe,and therefore honour them as they do their Zfw«. For diuers cf the inhabitantes ho- nour Z^'/ww of diners fafliions : fomemake them of wood, as they were admonilhed by certainevifions appearing vnto tiiem in, the woods: Other, which haue rcceiued aunfwerof them among the rockes, make them of ftone and marble. Some they makeofrootesjto the hmilitude of iuch as appeareto them when they are gathering the rootes called Ages^ whereof they make their bread, as we haue faid before . Thefe Z ernes they be- Payries or fpi. Jeuc to fend plentie & fruitfulnes of thofe rootes,as the antiqui- ritcs ofthegcn (jg beleued fuch fayries or fpirits as they c^lledDrjadesyHamac^rj tilcs.miic ^^^^c ^^es.Satyros^VaneSj and Nereides^to haue the cure & prouidence ofthefea,woods,fpringes,and fountaines, afligning to eucry thing their peculiar goddes : Euen fo doe thinhabitants of this Hand attribute a Zfz^^rx to euery thing, fuppofing the fame to giue earc to their inuocations . Wherefore, as often as the kings afke coun/ell of their Z ernes as concerning their warres, increafeoffruites or fcarcenes,or health & ficknelfe, they enter intothe'houfe dedicate to their ^^^5!^/, where, fnuffingvp into ^^ Vi^T*^r^ their nofthryies the ponder of the herbe called Cohobba (wher- feobba. * ^^^^ ^^^ Boitii^it dryuen into a furie) they.fay that immediatly they fee the houfes turned topfie turuie, and men to walke with their hecles vpward,of fuch force is this pouder, vtterly to take away al fence. As fbone as this madnelfe cealfeth, he embraceth his knees withhis armes,holding downc hishead. And when hchathreniaynedthus awhile aftonyflied, hee lifteth vphis head Thefirfi Decdde, J* 3 head, as one that came newe out orfleepe:and thus looking vp toward heauen , fir ft he fumbleth certaine confounded wordcs with himfelfc, then certayneof the nobilitie or chiefe gentle- men that are about him(for none of the common people are ad- mittcd to thefe my fteries ) with ioude voyces giue tokens of re- .*c"^*«ro»«C'. ioycing that hee is returned to them from the fpcech oftheZf- zwf/jdemanding of him what he hath feene. Then hee opening his mouth, doateth that thtZ ernes fpake to him during the time of his trance,declaring that he had reueJations either cocerning Rcuchtions. viiftorie or deftruftion, famine or plentie, health or iickenellc or whatfoeuer happeneth firft on his tongue. Now ( moft noble Prince) what neede you hereafter to marueyle of the fpirite of ^/?o// Neat or cattel,become of bigger ftaturc and exceeding fat,but their fleflie is mure vnfauorie, and their bones (as they fay) either without marow, or the fame to be ve- ry wateriflie : but of hogges and fwyne, they affirme the contra ry,that they are morewhollbme, & of better tafte, by reafon of certaine wildc fruites which they catc, being of much better iiourifliment them made. There is almoft none other kind of fleflie commonly fold in the market. The multitude of hogges are exceedingly encreafed, and become wildeas fooneasthey are out of the fwineheardes keeping . They haue fuch plentic Plentie of of beaftes and foules,that they Ihali hereafter haue no neede to bcaftcs and haue any brought from other places. The increafe of all beaded ionic. grow bigger then the brood they came of,by reafon of the rank nes of the pa[lure,although their feeding be only ofgralfejwith out eythcf barley or other graine . But we haue faide enough Ctiba is an of Ht/paniola. They haue now found that Ctii'a ( which of long Ilande, time they thought to haue bin firme land.for the greatc length thereof) is an Hand: yet isit no maruaiJe that the inhabitants themfeluestold our men when they fearched the length ther- of, that it was without ende. For this nation being naked, and contentwith a little, and with the limittes oI~their owne coun- try, is not greatly curious to knowe what their neighbours doejorthelargenelfe of .their dominion, nor yet knewe they if tiheir were any other thing vnder heauen, bcfiue that v/hichtheywalkcdonwith their feete, O^^ is fromthe Bad into ThefirflDecAde. y6 into theWcft,much longer then Hifpamo/a, and in breadth from the North to the South, much Jetle then they ilippofed '^^^'^^J^^^pt'tt at the £rft : for it is very narrow e in reipe(fl of the length, and is ° " ** for the inoft part veric fruitefull and pleafaunt. Eafl:\vardc,not farre from Htfpamo/a, there lyeth an Ilande JelTc then Htfpamok more then by thehalfe, \vhicheourmenca]Jcd«5'^;z(t7*7(;/f?^«w/, Thellanaeof beeing in manner fquarc, in this they fcunde exceeding riche ^uf'fhenja. of goJde myncs : but being nowe occupied in the goldc mynes of ^ ^^J^*""". HifffimoUyXhty haue not yet fent J abourcrs into the Ilande. But ^y^^^- the pJentie and leuenueofgolde of all other regions, giue place to HiffanicU, wherethey giuethemfelues in manner to none other thing then to gather goldc, of which worke this order is appoynted.To euery fuch wittie and (kiifulman as is put in truft to be afurueyour or oucrfcer of thefe workes, there is afligned one or more kings otthcIland,with their fubiedes.Thcfe kings according to their league, come with their people at certayne times of theyeere, and reforte elicry of them to the gold mines to the which heeis affigned, where they haue all manner of dig- ging ormining tooles deliuered them, and euery king with his menne, haue a certayne rewarde alowed them for theirlabour. For when they departe from the mynes to fowing of corne, and other tyliage(w'herunto they are addid: at certaine other tymes, Tyllag#, Icaif their f oode fhould fade them)thcy receiue for tlieir labour, one a ierkin,or a dublet,another a lhirt,another a cloke or a cap for they now take pleafure in thefe thinges,andgoc no more na- ked as they were wont to doe. And thus they vie thehelpe and labour of the inhabitantes,both for the tyllage of their ground and in their goldc mynes, as though they were their feruauntes or bondemen . They bearc this yoke*of feruitude w ith an euill will, butyetthey bcareit : they call thefe by red labourers, ^»<^- horias : yet the king doth not lutfer that they fliouid bee vfed as bondemen, and onely at his pleadire, they are fet at libertie, or appoynt^d to worke. At fuche tyme as they are called together ot their kinges to worke ( as fouldiers or pyonersare alfem- — , bled of their centurions )many of them fteale away to the moun hbou/^ ^^''^ taynes and woodes, where they lyt lurking, beeing . con- tent for that time to liue with the wilde fruites,rather then take They are the paynes to labour. They are dociblc and apte to learnc, and dociblc. I i haue The firfi Decide. haue nowc vtterly forgotten their oldefuperftitions. They beleeue godly , and beare well in memory fiich thinges as they chvldrcii?^' haue learned of our faith. Their kings children are brought vp withthechiefeftofourmenj and are inftruAedin letters and good maners.Whea they are growen to mans age, thcyfende them home to their countryes to be example to other,and efpe - daily to gouerne the people, iftheirfathers be dead, that they may the better fet forth the Chriftian Religion,and keepe their fubiecfles \w loue and obedience. By reafon whereof^they come The two chief now by faire meanes & gentle perfwalions, tu the mines which |oldc mines of j^,g jj^^ j^q regions of the Ilande, about thirtie myles diftaunte 1 pa'" a. ^fQj^^ fl^g ^j(,e of Z)<7«zf';2ic4,wherof the one is called SanEiichrifli fhori : andthe other becingdillauntaboutefourfcore and ten myles, is called 0^^««, not farre from the chiefehauen called Portus Regalis. Thefe regions are very large , vol the whiche in many places here and there, are found fometime euen in the vp per cruft of the earth,and fometime among the ftones,certainc rounde pieces or plates of golde, fometime offmali quantytie, and in (bme places of great weight : \\\ fo much that there hath beene founde round pieces of three hundred pounde weight, and one of three thoufande, three hundred and tenne pounde weight, the whiche ( as you heard e)was itwx. whole to the King in that Ihip in the whiche thegouernour RoaMIU. was commyng Acoftty (hyp- home into Spaine,the fliip with all the men beeing drowned by wrackc. the way,by reafon it was ouer laden with the weight of gold and multitude of men, albeit, there were mo then a thoufand per~ fons which faw and handled the piece of gold. And wheras iicre I Ipeake of a pounde,! doe not meane the common pound, but l^t^vA. the fumme of the d ucatebf golde, with the coyne called Tnens, which is the third part of a pound, which they call Pefits. The fumme of the weight heereof, the Spanyardcs csll Cafie/aKum . ^y^ureum. All the gold that is digged in the monntaines of- Ciba and^diftrlbu- ^^ ^^^^ ^oit Regale, is caryed to the tower of Conception,wher tiiig of gold, rtioppes with all things appcrteining are ready furnilhed to fine it, melt it, and caft it into wedges. That doone, they take the kinges portion thereof, whiche isthefifte parte, andfore- ftoretoeueryman his owne whiche heegotte with his labour.. But the golde which is founde in faint Chriftophorus myne and TheftrfiDecdde. S7 and the regions there about, is caryed to the flioppes which are in the village called ^(7«4«(f»r«m. Inthefetwo fliops,is nioul- jhf^gjjy^ ten ycerely about three hundred thoufid pound weight of gold drcJ thoufand If any man bee knowen deceitfully to keepe backe any por- vreighc of tion of goide, whereof he hath not made the kinges officers pri- goWo'okcn uic ,he forfaiteth the fame for fine . There chaunccth among pan^oia'"^'^' them oftentimes many contentions & controuerlies, the which vnlelfe the magiftrates of the Hand doe finifhe, the cafe is remoucd by appellation to the high counfel of the court, from whofcfentence it is not lawfull to appealeinall the dominions ofCaftile. Butletvsnowe returnc tothencwc landes, from Thencvr* whence wee haue digrelfed. They are innumerable,diuers,and ""^^*' exceeding fortunate. Wherefore the Spaniardes inthefe our dayes,and their noble enterprifes, doe not giue place cither to the facfles of Saturnusy or Hercules , or any other of the ancient prirxes of famous memory, which were canonized among the" goddes, called Heroes, for their fearching of new landes and legions, and bringing the lame to better culture andciuilitie Oh God, how large & farre flial our poftcritie fee the Chriftian ^."^^l^"l **^ region cy.tendedfhow large acampchaue they now f^wander J^j^ l^^* '^ in, which by the true nobilitic that is in thcmj or moucd by ver- The original tue, will attenjpt ey ether to deicrue like prayfe am©ng men or of true nobility reputaton of well doing before God? What Iconceiue in my minde ofthefe thinges, I am not able to expretle with penne or tongue.I wil now therfore fb make an end ofthis perpendicular conclufion of the whole Decade.as minding hereafter to fearch and geathcr euery thing particularly, "that I may at further lea- fure write the fame more at large . For Coknus the Admiral, with foure iliipsjand ahundred,threcfcore,and ten men,appoin tedbythckingjdifcoucredin the yecrcof Chrifl:. 1520. the land oucragainll: the Weft corner of C/^^<*, diftantfirom the fame about a hundred and thirtic leagues, mthemiddeft of ThcIIandeof which tra(5le,licth an Hand called Gmmffa. From hence hec *^"**^^^*' dired:ed his voiage backwarde toward the Eaft, by the fliore of that coaft, fuppoling that he Ihould haue found the coaftcs of TheVoiage 0^ PartA . but itchaunced otherwife. It is fayd al/b that Vincencms lo hannes -/^^«(?j(ofwhom we haue fpokenbefore)and one lohannesDai:^ ^'^^ fwithdiuers other, ofwhofe voyages I haue asyetnoccrtaine- 1 3 knowlcdg 'ThefecondDeedde. knowlcckc) hauc ouerrunne thofe coaftes : but if God graunt me life, 1 truft to knowe the trueth hereof, and to aduertile you ofthefame. Thus fare ye well. The cndc of the firft Decade. ^efirftChapter of the feconde Decadent o Leo Bifhoj) ofRomey the tenth of that name, of t he fuppofed continent er firme lande, Ince the time that Galeatius Butri' garius of Bononie, and lohannes Cur- Jius of Florence ( moftholy father) came to the Catholiquc king of Spaynejthe one ofyourholinetle amballagCjand the other for the af- fayrcs of his common wealth , I was euer for the mofte part in ; their company , and for their ver- tues and wifdome had them in great reiierence. And where- as they were greatly giiien to ftudic , and continuail reuol- uingofdiucrsaudloursjthey chaunced vpon certayne bookcs negligently let flyppe out of my handcs entreatyng of the large landes and regions hitherto lying hid, andalmoft Weft Antipodes , found ot late by the Spany ardes. Yet being allured & delighted with thq newneire and llraungenede of "the matter although rudely adourned,they commended tliefame,therwith carneftly dcfning me in their owne names, and requiring mc in the name of your holinetre,to adde hereunto al fuch thinges aswerefound after that time,and to giue them a copie thereof, to fend to your holinelTe, that you might thereby vnderRand, both how great commodities is chaunced to the progenie of mankinde, as alfo incrcafe of the militarit congregation in thefe ourdaycs, by the fortunate enterpryfes of the kings ancongregati.^fSpayne. For like as rafedand vnpainted tables, are apte (Qreceiue what fourmes (beuer arc firlt drawne thereon by the hande of the painter , euen fo thefe naked and fimple peo- ple, doe foone receiuc the cuftomes ofour religion, and by Weft Anti- podes* The cncrcafc «f the Chrifti. ea conuerfation of our men , (hake of their fierce and natiue barbarouf^ The fecond Decade. yt barbaroufncire. I haue thought it good therefore to fatisfie the requeit of thefe wife mcnjcfpecialJy vfing thcauthoritie of your name, whereunto not to haue obeyedji Ihould efteeme my felfc to haue committed a haynous offence. Wherefore I will nowc briefely rehcarfe in order^what hid coaftes the Spanyards oucr- ran,who were the authours thereof, where they reftcdjwhat fur- ther hope they brought, and finally whatgreatethinges thole trades of lands doe promife in time to come.In the declaration of my decade of the Ocean, which is now printed and di/perfed throughout Chriftendome vnwares to mee, I defcribed howe ChriJiofhorHs Colonus f ounde thofe Ilandes whereof we haue 1J30- ken, and that turning from thence towarde the left hand fbuth- wardc, he chaunced into great regions of landcs, and large feas diftaunt from the Hquinodiall lyne5onely from fiue degrees to tcnne : where he found broad riuers and exceeding high moun- ?^'^^*^'' ^.*'* tayncscoueredwithfnowe, and harde by the feabankes, where Equ*no°i?ian * were many commodious and quiet hauens.But 0/^»wbeeing fromfyue de- nowe departed out of this life, the King begannc to take care, g'f f s to ten howthofe landsmightbeinhabitcdwith Chriftianmen, to the _, increafe of our faith: Wherupon hee gaue lycence by his letters Colon^ s patentcs to all fuch as would take the matter in hand,and eijxci- ally totvvo,whereofZ)i:if^£'iV/^//(?/iwasonc,&the otherwas At' A«»en€rall fhonfus Fogeda.W'i\Q.vt[.oxc about the Ides of December, >^^;(>o«- licence. fus departing firfl: with tlirec hundred fouldiers from the Ilande ^^^ nauigati-, o^Hify^nolai in the wi^ich wee faid the Spaniardes had builded ^" p^ "^'^ **^ a city ,8c planted their habitation ) ^fayling in maner full fouth °°^ ^* he came to one of the hauens found before, which Colonm na- med Portfisc^.rtha^ims,bQth bccauleof the Hand (lading againft the cour/e of the ftreamc, and alfo that by reafon ofthclargnes of the place and bending fides, it is much like to thehauen of Spay ne called Carthago. The inhabitauntes call the Ilande Codego , as the Spanyardes call the Ilande of their hauen Scombna. This region is called of the inhabitantes Caramam^ Thcrcgion ot* in the which they affir me both the menne and women to bee of Caramairi. goodly ft ature, but naked. The menne haue their hayrecuttC; roundebytheireares, but the women weare it long, both the men and women are very good archers. Our men foun d cer- tayne trees in this prouince, which beare great plentie of iwcetc 14 • applefj. Apples which turneinto woraies. A tree whofc (hadoweis hurtful. Warlykc people. Arrowcs in- fected With jjoyfon. The nsuigati on of Diego. Nicuefa, Thefecond Decide. apples, but hurtfull, for they turn e into woormcs when they arc eaten. Efpecially the fliaduwe of the tree is contagious^for fuch as ileepe vnder it any time , haue their heads fwoine, and loofe their fight : but iftheyfleepe but awhile, their light commcth agayne after a fewe dayes. This portc is diftantfoure hundred, fyftic,& lixe my ies from the portc ot Hi/pamo/a vvhiche the Spa- nyardes call Beata, in the whiche alfo they furnilhc themfelues when they prepare any voyage to feekc other newe landes. When Togeda had entrcd into the haucn, hee enuaded, flue,and fpoyled the people, whom hee founde naked and feattered :for they were giucn him for a pray by the Kinges letters patentes, bcecaufe they had bin before time cruell againft the Chriftiansj and couldeneuer bee allured to permitte them quietly to come within their dominions.Here they found golde, but in no great quantitie,nor yet that pure: they make ofitcertaine breft plates and brooches whiche they wcare for comelyneife. Yi\M]roged(i not content with thefe ipoyles, vfyng certay ne captiues, whiche hee hadde taken before, for guides, entred into a village twelue myles diftant from the fea fide further into the lande, into the which they were fled when he fird enuaded. Here he found a na- ked people, hue apte to warre : for they were armed with tar- gettes,fhieldes,Iongf\voordcsmadeofwoode, and boweswith arrowes typt with bone,or hardened with fire. As foone as they had efpied our men, they with their gheftes wh 6 they had recei- iied, allayled them with dcfperate myndes, being thereto more carneftly prouoked, beholding the calamitie of thefc which fled vntothera, by the violence done to their women and children in the (poyle and flau^iter. In this con Hid our men had the oucrthrowe : in the which, one lohannes de Lvi^^, and the hauen o^Coj-thago : into the which delcending,he found pon * it to bee an I!ande of the Canibales, bringing with him from thence two men andfcuenwomenjforthe refiduecfcaped.Here hee founde in the cotages of thetn that fledde, a liuridredjfour- icore, and tenne drammes of golde, caile and wrought m ay- Wroiighr g«Iii uersfourmes. Say'ingibrwardc from hence, hee came to the Eaft ninser The fecond Decade. Eafl coafles o^Vraba, whiche the inhabitauntes call (arihatui, from whence the Caribes or Canibales of the llandes are fayd to haue their names and originall.Here he began to buiJd a tot treire, and avillageneerevnto the fame, therein entending to placetheirfirft habitation. Shortly after, beeing in ft rudled by ccrtaynecaptiues, that there was about twclue myles further within the lande, a certaine village called Ttrnfi, hauing in it a xichcgoldcmyne, he determined to dcftroytnc village, to the which when he came,he found the inhabitantes ready to defend their right, andthatfo il:outly, that encountering with them, hewas rcpulfed with fhame and domage : for theie people alio vfebowesandvenemousarrowes. Within a fewc dayes after, being enforced for lacke of viftualles to inuade another village hee himfelfe was ftrycken in the thygh with an arrowe. Some of his fellowes fay, that he was thus wounded of one of the in- habitantes whofe wife he had ledde away captiue beefore.They fay alfo that he had firft: friendly communed with Fogeda for re deemingK>f his wife,and had appoynted a day to bring a porti 6 ofgoldefor her ranfome,and thatheecame attheday afligned, not laden with golde, but armed with bowes and arrowes,with eight other confederate with him which had beene before par- takers of the iniuries done to them firft at the hauen oiCartha^ ^<),and afterward at the burning of the village,in reuenge wher- of^ they had defpcrately confecrated themfclues tu death : But the matter being knowne, the captayne of this confpiracie was Hayne o^Fogeda his companions, and his wife deteined in cap- tiuitie. Fogeda alfo through the malicioufnelle of the venime, confumed and was dried vp by litle and litle. VVhiie thefe things ^. r chaunced thus,thcy efpied Nicuefa the other cap tain e, to whom JMicwea, ^^^o-at^ the region of the Weft iide of ;>;2^4 was affigned to inhabite. He gaue wind to his [^iyhs to take his voyage towarde *BeragHa, the day after that Fogeda departed out of the h^uen of Cdr^^^^^'.He with his armie that he brought with him, (jroafted The "ulfe ^^^^ along by the Ihore, vntill he came to the gulfe ^oiha,,\v\\ok. O^ba. kinges name is Careta ■ Here hee founde their language to bee in manner nothing like vnto that ofHifpamo/a, or of the hauen o^ Carthago ; whereby hee perceiued that in this trad:e,there are many languages differing from their ownc borderers. Nuuefa. de* The fecond Decade. 60 departing from Co/f^4, went to the prouince orLieuetenaunt- i\up oi Fo^^dahis compzniou. Within a fewdayes after, bee himfcife cntring into one oi thofe marchaunt lliippes which the Spaniardes call Camuelas, coniniaunded that the big- ger vellelslliouldfolowfarre behind. Hetuoke with him two Imal Hiippcs commonly called Bergandines or Brigandines. Ihaue thought itgooJ in al tiic difcour/c of thcfe bookcs,to vfe thecommon names of thinges, bccaufc Ihad rather beeplaine then curiuus, elpecially forafmuch as there doe daily arife ma- ny new thinges vnknowen to the anticjuitje, whereof they haue left no true names. After the departure oi NicHefa,xhci^ came a (hippe from HiffamoLi to Fogeda, the captaine whereof, was one „ ^ , Barmrdino de Calaf{er4,\jho had iiolne the fame from Ht/panio/a j ^ , with threefcore men, without Icaue or aduice of the Admiral & V ^ '^^ ^' the other gouernours. With the viftualles which thisfliippe brought, they ref relhed them felues , and ibmewhat recouered their flrengthes, much weakened for lacke of meat. Fogeda his companions whifpered and muttered again ft him daily more andmore,that he fedde them foorth with vainchope;for he had told them that he left AncifHsin Ht/fafiio/a {whom hec chofe by the kingcs commifTion to be a ludge in caufcs, becaule hee was learned in the law) to comefhortly after him with a lllip laden with vidualles, and that heemaruciled that hee was not come many dayes fince. And herein hcfaid nothing buttrueth for when he departed, he left Ancifiis halfe readie to tblowe him But his felowes fuppoiing that all that he had faide of Afianius had ben fained, fome of them determined priuiiy to fteale away the two Brigandines fr 6 /'o^fr<«iV(f/y4r^,wheO/o;?«j the firft finder of thofe regions palled by the fame. The fift day he fayled by ^ j^ ■ OsDracsftts, They whkh were in the Brigandine,toldey^«f^/ f rac nis. ^i^^^j-^^^^^as returned to Hiffamola : but Ancifm fiippofing that they had fained that taIe,commandcd them by thauthority of his commillion to turnc backe againe. The Brigandiners o- beicd acfolowcd him:yet made they humble fuite vnto him that hcc The fecdnd Decade, 61 he woultlegraunt them that with his fauourthey might eythcr goe agayiie to HifpAyiwU, or that he himfelfc would bring them to NtcHefiicLiid that they woulde for his geiitlenelle declared to- warde them in this bchalfe, rcwarde him with two thoufand drammes o fgoldc : for they were rich in golde, but poore in j^j^i^g j„ jj^ bread. But A»a/Hs alVented to neither oF their requeftes, af- andpoor«in firming that he might by no meanes goe any other way , then bread, to J'^raifa theprouincc afligned to Fogeda. Whereu}X)n, by their condud:,he tooke his voyage dired-jy towarde Vraha. Butnowe let it not feeme tedious to your holyneife^to heare of one thing worthy to be remembred, which chaunced to this Lieutenaunt ^ncifus as he came thither : for he alfo caft anker in the coafts of the region of Cara?n/iin, which we fayde to be famous,by rea- fon of the hauen ofCarthago,and of the goodly ftaturejftrengtk and beauty both of men and women being in the famc.Here he fent certaine to goe aland on the ihore both to fetch frefti water and alfo to repayre the lliip boate which was fore bruiied.In this meane time, a great multitude of the people of the countrey,ar- raed after their maner,came about our men, aj they were occu- pyed about their bulinelle,and flood in a readincllcto fight,for the (pace ofthreedayes continually, during whiche time, ncy- ther durft they fet vpo our men,nor our men allaile them.Thus both parties keeping their array, ftoode ftill three whole dayes, the one gafing on the other. Yet all this time our men applied their workc, placing the Ihipwrightes inthemiddeft of tlieir armfe. As they (loode thus amazed,tvvo of our company went to fill their water pottesat the mouth oftheriuer neerevnto them both,wherc fodenly there came forth again ft them a cap- tayneofthe barbarians with tenne armed men, which inclofed them, and with terrible countenance bent their arrowcs againft them, but Ihotte them not of. One of our men fledde,but the other remained, calling his fellowe againc , and rebuking him for hisfearefulnelle. Then he fpake to the barbarians in their owne language, which he'had learned being conuerfaunt with the captiues that were caiyed from thence along.beforc. They marueylingtohearc a ftrangerfpeakein their natiue tongue, put of their fiercenelfe, and fell to friendly communicadon,de- maunding who were the captaynes of that company whiche wer«: The fecond Becadf. were arrj'ued in their lande. Hee anfvvered that they were ftrangers palling byjand that he marueiied why they uouide at- tempt to driue tiiem from their coa ft es, and difturbe their fliips arguing them oi^oWy and crueltie, and turther threatning their ruineand deftrudion, except they wculde vfe themfelues more friendly towardethem. For hee aduertifed them that there wouidelhortly come into their Jande aimed men, in number like vnto the lands of the fea,and tliat to their v tter dcftrudion, not oneiy if they relifted them not,but alio except they receiued them, and entcrtayncd them honourably. In the meane time, 1 lioin^^' u4/?ci/»j was enfourmed that his men were dcteyned : wherefore venemous fufpcdiing fome deceite, hee brought foorth all his target men , arrowes* for feare of their venemous arrowes : and letting them in battel array, hee marched forwarde towarde them whiche ftayedhis men. But hee whiche communed with the barbarians, giuing him a f ignc with his handc to proceed no further,he ftayedjand calling to him the other, he knewe that ail was lafe : for the bar- barians profercd him peace, faecaufe they were not they whom they fuijjeded them to haue bin, meaning by Fogeda & Nicaefay who had fpoyled the village ftanding there by the fea fide, and caryed away many captiues, and alfo burnt another vill age fur- ^hc barbari- ti-^. -^jthin the lande. And therefore ( as they fayde ) the caule anshaucte;- of their comming thither, wastoreuengc thofe iniuries, if by pectto:a ice ^^^ j^^^^j^^g jj-jeycouldc,yet that they would not exerciie their weapons again ft the innocent : for they fayde, it was vngodly to Salted fiil>e. fight againft any, not being proiioked. Laying a part tiierefore their bowes and arrowes, they entertained our men gentlely Wine of fruits and gaue them great plenty ol faked fillie, and bread of their aadfecdes. countrey,and filled their veifcls with Sider made of their coun- trcy fruites and feedes, not inferior to wine i;i goodnelle. Thus Ancifus hauing entred into friendftiip, & made a league of peace with the inhabitants of C<«^^rziw«'f, which were before fore prouo kcd by other captaines^he lanched from that land, and dirc(fled his courfcto Vrabd by the liande oifortis^ hauing in his fhip a hundred and fiftiefreftimenne, which were fubftituted in the Artyllcriv. place of fuchc as were dead : alfo twelue Mares, and manie fwinc, and other bcaftes both males and females for encrea/e. Lykewife, iyixit pecccs of ordinauncc , with great multi- tude Thefeceni Decade. 6l tudc oftargcttes, fwordcs, iauclins , and fuch other weapons for the \varres,but ail this with euil fpeedc,and in an cuilj hourc: for as they were cucn now entring into the hauen, the gouer- nouroftheiliippe which fate at thehchne, ftrokethe ihippe^'Jcifiisflup- vpon the fan des, where it was fo fafl: cnclofed and beaten with ^'^^ ^ the wanes of the fea, that it opened inthemidde ft, and all loft that was therein, a thing fureiy mi/erablc to beholde : for of all the viduallcs that they hac],they faued only tweliie barrelles cfmealc,withfewechee/es,and a little bificct bread, for all the beaftes were drowned , and they thenifeiues efcaped hard- ly and halfe naked^ by helpe ofthe Brigandine and Ihip boate, carying with them oncly a fevve weapons. Thus they fell from one caiamitie into another, being nowe more carcfuil for their lines then for golde. Yet being brought aliue and in healtli to that land whicJi they fo greatly defired, they eoulddo nolclfc then to prouide for the iiilteymng of their bodies, becaufethey couldenot liue oneJy by ayre: and whcras their ovvne failed they muft needes liue by other mens. Yet among thefe fo many aduerlities,one good chaunce offered it felfe vntothe: for they foundc,not farre from thelea fide,a groue ofDate trecs,among ^ 5^°"^ «^ the which, and aifo among the rcckc or weedes of the mariihes, ^"*''^^^' they efpied a multitude of wilde bores, with whofe fleflie they \Yyi«ic fcorcs* fed thcfelues wel certaine day es. Thelc they (ay to be lelle then ours^and with fo fliort tayles that they thought they had ben cut of They ditferalfo from ours in their fettc : for their hinder feete are whole vndiuidcd,and alfo without any hoofe. But they affirmc that they haue prooued by cxpericncc,their fieilie to be of better tafte and more wholfomc then ours. During this time they fed alfo of Dates,^ the rootes of young Date trees, which they eate likewife in Ciuile and Gnwata, where they call the Palmitosphht leaucs wherof they make beefcmes in Rome Sometimes ai/o they eate of the apples of that region, which Applcsofa haue thctaftc of piuincs, and haue alio ftones in them, and are ftrangc kinds butlittlc and ofredde colour: I flippofc them to be of that kind wherof leate in thecitie o^ Alexandria in Egypt, in the month ofAprill, the trees whereof, the levvcs: that dwcile there, be- ing learned in the lawc o^Mofes, aflirme to bee the Cedars ^.^'^''■^of of Libanus, which beare old. frukes and newc all the yeerc, as Thefecond Decade. as doth the orange tree. Thefe apples are good to be eaten, aiid hauca certainc fweetncllc niixte with gcntiil IharpnetFe, as haue the fruitcs called ^yor^^j-.Th'inhabitantesplant thefe trees in their orchiardes and gardens, and noriQie them with greate diligence as we doe cheries, peaches, and quinfes. This tree in leaues, height, and trunke, is yery like vnto the tree that bea- rcth the fruite called Ziz^ipha, which the Apothecaries call iHtuba. But whereas now the wilde bores began tofailethem, they were againe enforced to conlliit and prouide for the time to come : Wherevppon with their whole armye , they entered further into the land/ The Canibales of this prouincCjaremoft expert archers. Afcanius had in his companye, a hundred men. Men of defpc- They metre by the way with only three men of thinhabitantes, rate bolJenet* naked, and armed with bowcs & venimous arrowes, who with- out all feare,airayled our men fiercely, wounded manye, and Huemanye, and when theycmptyed their quiuers, flcdde,as fwiftely as the wihde : For (as we banc faidi) they are exceeding fwifte of f oote by reafon oftheir loofe going from their childes age, they affirme that they lette flip no arrowe out oftheir bowes in vaine. Our men therefore returned the fame way that they camc,much more vnfortunate then they were before, and confulted among themfelucs to leaue the lad,efpecialy becaufe the inhabitantes had ouerthrowne the fbrtrelle which Fogeda^ builded, and had burnt thirtic houfes of the vjllage,as foone as PizArrHs and his company left o^FogedajXiid forlaked the land. By this occafion therefore, being driuen to feeke further, they had intelligence that the wefl fide of that goulfe o^ Vraba, was more fruitful & better to inhabite.Wherefore,they fent the one halfe oftheir men thither with the brigandine,and left the other nceretothefcafideonthc eaft part. This gulfe, is fourteenc miles in breadth, and howe much the further it entereth into the firme land, it is Co much the narower .Into thegulfeof Vrabd , there fall manyriuers, but one ( as they fay)more fortu - natc then the riuer of iVi/«/ in Egypt. Thisriuer is called D^- ric», vpon the bankes whereof, being very fruitfull of trees and gralTe, they cntcnded to plante their ncwe colonye or habita- tion. But the inhabytantcs marucyling at the brigandyne be- ing bigger then their canoas'j and fpecially at the Csiyks therof Tlie gulfc of Vraba, The great riucr ofDatiea. ThefecondDecdde, 6\ thereof, firft fcnt away their children and weakeft fort oftheir people with their baggage andhoufliould ftufFe,and allembled all iuch together both men and women, as were meete for the warres.Thus being armed with weapons and defperatemindes theyftoodein a readynelfe to fight, and taryed tfeecomming of our men vpon a little hill, as it were to take the aduauntage of the grounde:our men iudged them to be about fiue hundred in number. Then Anctfus the captayne o^ our men,and Lieue- tenaunt in the ft cede o^Fogeda, fejting his men in order of bat- tayle aray, and with his whole company kneeling on his knees, they all made humble prayers to G O D forthe vidorie, and a vowe to the image of the blelfed virgin which is honoured in Ciuile,by the name of San^a Maria Antrtjuoj promiling to (endc her many golden gyftes, and a ftraungerof that country nKo^tonzmtthtviWz^tSan^a Maria Antiqtia after hername; likcwile to erede a temple called by the fame name, or at the leaft to dedicate the king of that prouince his pallacetothat vfe, if it fliould pleafe her to aflift them in this dangerous enter- ^^^ (^y^x^ prife.This donejal thefouldiers toke anotb, that no manfhuld njjkean oihc. turnc his backe to his enemies. The the captaine commanding them to be in a readinelfe with their targets and iaiielyns, and thetrumpetterto blowe the battayle,tbey fiercely slfailed their enimies with alarome; but the naked barbarians, not long able The barbari- to abide the force of our men,were put to flight, with their king ans arc drtuci^ and captayne Cemaccus. Our men entred into thevillage,where'^ ^^ * they found plentie of meate,fuch as the people of the countrey vfe,fufficient to alTwagc their prefenthunger,as bread made of rootes,with certayne fruites vnlike vnto ours, which they referue forftore,aswe doe Cheftnuttes. Of thefc people, the men are vtterly naked, but the women, from the nauel downc warde are couered with a fine cloth made of golfampine cot- ton. This region is vtterly without any ftiarpneifc ofwynterThcrhicrof for the mouth of this riuer of Darieft, is onely eight degrees y^f dfg*f "' diftaunt from the £^»/w(5?w// line, fo that the common forte fj-o'^it^cEqul. of our men,fcarcely perceiuc any difference in length betweenc noftiallinc. the day and night all the whole yeere: but becaufe they are ig- norant in aftronomie, they can perceiuc no fmall difference. Therefore wee neede not much paife if tiie degree differ fome- K what ThefecmdDeade, whatfrom their opinion, forafmuchas the difference cannot bee great. The day after that they arriued at the Jande,they fay- led along bythe'riuer, where they found a great thycket of reedes, continuyng for the fpace of a myle in length, fuppofing ( as it chaunced in deede) that the borderers thereabout which had fled, had either lien lurking there, or els to haue hid theic ftuffe among thofe reedes; Whereupon, arming themfelues with their targets,for fcare of the people lying in ambunie,they fearched the thicket diligently, and found it without men, but repleniOied with houfholde ftuffe and golde. They founde alfo G olde founde a great multitude of llietes,made of the filke or cotto of the gbl^ in. athicket fampine tree: likewife diuers kindes of vetfels and tooles made of wood, and many of earth; alio many breft plates ofgold,and ouches wrought after their manner ,to the fumme of a hundred & two pound weight:for they alfo take pleafure in the beautie o^ goIde,and worke it very artificially, though it bee not the price of things among them as with vs.Thcy haue it out of other re- gions, for exchaange offuch thinges as their country bringeth forth;for fuch regions as haue plentie of bread and golfampinc lacke golde,and fuch as bring forth golde,are for the moft part rough with mountames and rockcs, and therefore barren:and thus they exercife marchandies without the vfe of money . Re- «gioiisarcfor ioycing therefore with double gladnelfe, afwell in that they fay barren. ^*" ^^^^^ likenelfe of golde,as alfo that fortune had offered themfb fayre and fruitefull a country, they fent for their felowes whom they had \dt before in the Eaft fide of the gulfe of Vraha, Yet fome fay,that the ayre is there vnwholfome becaufe that part of the region lieth in a lowe valley, cnuironed with mountaynes and maryihes. of rcedcj. Brcft plates ©f goldc. The Mid en The fecond Chapter ofthef^condeDccade, ofthefup-- tofed continent. Haue dcfctibed to your holynclle. where Fogeda with his company (to whom the large trafles of Fr^^^ was afligned to in- habitc) entended to faften their foote. Let vs now therefore leaue them of Vraha for y a while, and reiurne agaync to NicMffa^to whom; y ThefeeondDecdde, 5^ whom the gouernance and Lieutcnauntfliip of the moft large prouinccot-g^-rrf^/c^iCbcing the Weft Tide of theguJfeof praU) was appoy ntcd . Wee haue declared howe Nicuefa^ departing with one Carauel and twoBrigandines, from fraha theiurifdic- tion of his friend & companion Fogeda^diit&zd his courfe wcft- wardc to BeragHd^ltaiUm^ the bigger fliippes fomewhat behindc him, to follow e him a farr6 of, but hee tooke this deuice in an cuill houre, for he both loft his fellowes in the night, and went paft the mouth of the tyuer Beragua^ which hee chiefely fought. One LufHs Olanus a Cantabrian, and gouernourof one of the ^^^^ OU* great ftiyppes,had the condu^ of one of the Brigandines : hee *^^^' comming behinde, learned of the inhabitauntes> whiche was the way Eaftwarde to the gulfe oiBeragtMy ouerpalfed and left behinde Nicuefa. OUnus therefore direding his courfe towardc the Eaft, met with the other Brigandine, which hadde alfb wan- dered out of the way by reafon of the darknes of the night. The gouernourof this Brigandine, was out PetrusdeVnthria. Thus Petrmdc both being glad of their meeting, they confulted what was ^d ^m^ria* to bee done, and which way they could conie(flure their gouer- nourhad taken his voyage.After deliberation,they iudged that T^icuefa coulde no more lacke fome to put him in remembrance ofBeragHOy then they themfelues were mindfuil hereof,hoping alfb to finde him therc.Thcy fayled therefore towarde Beragua, where they found within xvi. myles diftant, a riuer whiche Co- Icms named Z^^^r/oj^becaufeit nouriflieth great Lyfards,which in the Spanifhe tongue are called Lagartos. Thefe hy^^idts y. are hurtful both vnto man and beaft,and in fliape much like vn LagaJtMT to the Crocodiles of the m\txNtlm in Egypt. In this ryuer they founde their companions and fellowes oftheirerrour, lying at anker with the great fhyppes, whiche followed behinde by thegouernours commandcment. Here the whole allembly be- ing carefull and difquieted by reafon of thegouernours errour ftfter"confuItation,by the aduice of the captaynes of the Brigan- dines,vvho had rafed neere vnto the coaftes o^Beragua^ they fai- ThcgoHen led diredly thither. Beragua^m the language of the inhabitants ""y"*^*^ °^^*" of the fame prouince,is as much to fay,as the golden ryuer.The ^ ^"** Region it felfe is alfb called by the fame name, taking name of the ryuer« In the naoutb- of this ryuer, the greateft veilelles K 2 €a(l Ths enttr- •-rus At rons^, iice of Sell a la the fieaofCicile. Thefecond Decade, raft anker, andconueighed all their vidualles and other necef^ iaries to lande with their Ihipboates, andclecftedZ^/j^f OUnns to bee the gouernour in fteade o^Ntcuefa whom they had lofte. By that aduice therefore o^Olanuf and the other vnder captains that all hope of departure might bee taken from the fouldiers which they had now brought thither,& to make them the more willing to inhabitc the lande, they vtterly forfooke and cade ofthofe Ihyppes beeing nowe rotten for age, and fuffered them to bee fhaicen and broofed of the furgcs of the Tea. Yet of their founded plankes, with other newe, made ofthe trees of that Region ( whiche they fay to bee exceeding bigge and high)they framed a newe carauell (hortely after, which they might vfe to fcrue for th'^Jr neceflitie. But Beragua was founde by the vnfor- tunate deftenye ofPetrm de Vrnbria. For hec, beeing a man of prompt wit and apt forwardnelle to attempte things( in whiche fometimc fortune will beare a ftroke notwithltanding our pro* uidcnce ) tooke vpon him that aduenture to fearch the fhorc, ta the intent to findc a way for his fellowes where they might beft come aland. For this purpofe, he choofe him xii. maryners, and went aboorde the (hip boate which feruedthegreateft ihyppes. The flowing ofthe fea, raged and roared there, with a horryblc V hurling, as we reade ofthe daungerous place o^ScylU in the fcaofCicilie, by rcafonof the huge & ragged rockes reaching into the fea, from which the wanes rebounding with violence , make a great noyle and roughnelfe oft the water, which rough- netfe or reflowing, the Spanyardes call Refacca, In thefe daun- gers wretched ;^^m wreftcled a while, butinfhorte/pace, a wane ofthe fea almoft as byggc as a mountayne, rebounding from the rockes,ouerwhelmed the boate, & deuoured the fame with th€ men,encn in the fight of their fellowes :So that ofthem all,onely one efcaped by reafon he was expert in fwimming.For getting holdeof the corner of a rocke, and fufteyning the rage of the Tea vntill the next day when it waxed calme, and the fhore was drye by the fall ofthe water, he efcaped and rcforted to his companie. But /^w^rw with the other eleuen, were vtterly caftaway. The refidue ofthe companie, durftnot cpmmitte themfclues to the fliyppc boate, but went alande with their brygantines. Where rcnia^nin|ja fewc dayes, and fayling flong The fecond Decade. 6$ along by the riuer jthey found ccrtaine villagesofthc inhabit tauntcsjwhich they call Afew«. Here they began to build a for- trellc, and to fewe feedes after the manner ot their countrcy, in a certaine vale of fruitcfull ground , becaufe in other places the region is barren. As theft things were thus doing ui Beragm. one of their company (landing vpon the top of a high rocke of efpecialli, and lifting his eyes towarde the Weft, began to crye, Lynnen faylesjiynnen fayles. And the neerer it drevve to- warde him, he perceiued it to be a lliip boate, comming, with a little fayle : yet receiued they xt with much reioycing,fbrit was the fi (her boate o^Nicuefa his Carauel, and of capacitie to cary only fine men, and had now but three in it , which had ftolne it from Nicuefa,hcczuk he refufed to giue credit to them that hehad palled ^vhere OlanHs ky,\vhomc at his commiiig he cad in.prifort. netleof Nicue & aceu/cdhimoftreafonjbecaurche vfurpcd the authority, of f.i. thcLieuetcnaunclhip-, and that for the delire he had to bearc rule and be in authontie, he tooke no care of his errours r alfo that he behaued himfclfe negligently, demanding kirthcrmore of him, what was the caufe of his long delay. Likewife hec fpake to all the vnder officers Iharply, & with a troubled mind^ and within fewedaj-^s after, commaunded them to trulle vp. their packes, and make ready to depart.. They defired him to quiet himfclfe,and toforbeare them awhile, vntill they had Cerne vtaxeth reaped the corne that they had fowen,which wouldiliortly bee I'f ^^'^''^ , ripe; for all kinde of corne waxeth ripe there euery fourth mo- neth after it is fowen. But hee vtterly denyed to taric any why t: but that hee would fourthwith depart from that vnfortunate landc, and plucked vp by the rootesall that euer was brought into the.guJfeof5ifr^^/^.i , and commanded them to diced their courfe ;towardes the Eaft. After they had fayled about the fpacc of fixteene myles, a certaine yong man , whofe name was Gre- gorie, a Genues borne, and of a child brought vp with Colonusy called to remembrance that there was a hauen not farre from thence -and to proouc his fayings true> hee gaue his felowes thefe tokens,that is that they fliould iinde vpon the fliore, an anker of aloft fhippe half e couercd with fand, and vnder a tree next vnto the hauenafpring of cleare water. They came to the lande. found the anker and the fpring, and commended Tbacommcn-thewitteand memorie of the yong man^ that he only among aation of 3 ipany of the Maryners which had fearched thofe coaftes with i^EorihTvp Colonm , bore the thing Co well in minde. This hauen Colonm with Colonu 3. called Portm Bellus, Whereas in this voyage for lacke of vi* i*cf^^j'^: Por^ ThefecoftdDecdde. 66 Tortus BellHs, hecntcndedto buildcafortreireharddbythefea iide, vpon the poynt or cape, which in time paft Colomi named A4artnor, but they were fo teeble by reafbn ot long hunger, that Cape iVwr* their (hcngth ierucdthcmnot tofudcync fuchelabour,yethe p^Qf.^ cred:ed a little towre , able to refill the firft alTaulte of the inha- bitantes : this towre he called JV(9z??i*;v?i. From dife time that ht\dt Bera^a^ what in the iourney among the fandic playnes NomcnDH, then alfo for hi5ger,while he builded the towre, of the few which rcmayncd alyue, hee loft two hundred. And thus by litle and litle, the multitude of feuen hundred, fourelcore, and fiue liiea was brought nowe to fcarcely one hundred. Whyle Nicuefa lyuedwi-tiuhelefewe mifcrable men, th2-^o(ea'Contdntion among them oU'raba, as concerning the Lieuetenauntfliyppc: for one Vafchus Nume^^ bytlTeiudgementofallmen^trufting more to his ftrength then wit, ft irred vp certayne light fellowes againft^A^t-z/ft'x,- faying that y^w'^/hadnot the kingcs letters patentesfor that oHice, and thiit if was libtfufficient that hcc was authoryfed by Fogeda^'a.nA therefore forbode that he fhould execute the office of the Lieuetenauntfliyp, and willed theni to choofc' certayne of their owne company, by whofc counfaylc and authoritie they might bee gouerned. Thus beeing diiiided into fadlions, by reaibn that J'o^^.^4 their captaine camei^bta* gaync, whom they Hippoled to be nowe dead ofhis veneinbus woundjthey contended whether it were beft to fubftitute Nkuc fa in his place . The wifeft forte , fuch as were familiar with Ni- atefa^bL could not beare the inlbiecy \^{V4,ifch»** iV«M»f/'?:./h ought it good that Nicuefa fnoulde bee fought out throughout althofc coaftes:for they had knowledge that he dcpartedfrom Beragua^ becaufe of the barrennelTc of the ground, and that by the t^^m' pk of y^nafus, and fuch other as had made lliipwrackc, it were poftible that hee might wander in fomefecrete place, and that they coulde not be quiet in their mindes, vntill they knewe the certaintie whether hee with his fellowes were aliue or dead . But yajchfis Numez,, fearinglcaftat thccommingof i\r?r»^, hcc Ihoulde not be had in authoritie among his fellowes, fayde they were mad men to thinke that Nicuefa lyucd, and although hcc wcrealiuc, yet that they hadde no neede of his helpe : for hcc auouched that there was none ofhis fellowes, that wcrjc not K 4 as ThefecondDecdde, is meetetoruleas Nkuefa. While they were thus rea/bning The oauigati- to and fwjOntRodencfis Qolmenans arryued in thofe coafts with onof Roderi-j^(,gj.gatlliippes, hailing in them threef core frelhe men, with cusColoQcna- gjgjtpientieof viduallesandapparelJ. Ofthenauigation of this ColmeYMrisj I entend to fpeake ibmewhat more.He therfore departed from thehauen ot Hifp>imo/aj called Beata (where they prepare and furniihc themfelues whiche make any voyage into thelelandes) about the Ides of Odoher, in the yeare. 1510. and landed the p.of Nouember in a region in the large prouincc ofparia, founde by Colonus betweene the hauen Carthago, & the tt^\ov\o'i Cm:hiktchoa, In this voyage, what by the roughncife of thefea,and fiercenelFe of the barbarians,he mffered many in- commodities ; for when his frclhc water fay led, he fay led to the mouth of acertayn riuer which the inhabitants call Gairajbcing apt to recciue Ihippes. This riuer liad his courle from the toppc A ctcccdine^*"'^^^'^^'^'^S^y§'^"^°"^^^^X"^ couered with fnowe,higher hbhmoun. then th|^ which , all the companions ofthiscaptayne Rodericus tayne couered fay, that they neucr fawe : And that by good realbn, if it were withfnowc, couered with Ciowe m that region, which is not part ten degrees diftant from the£^»i«o^A^/lyne. As they bcegan to draw watec out oftheirfiiipboate,accrtaine king made towardcthem, ap* Apparelled parelicd with veftures of GoiFampine cotton , hauing twentic *"*"* noble men in his company apparelled aiforwhich thing feeracd ftraunge to our men, and not feene before in thofe parties.Thc kinges apparel! hong loofe from his fhoulders to his elbowes, and from the girdle downevvarJc, it was muchlyke a womans ky f tic, reaching euen to his heeles. As hee drewe neere toward our men, he fcemed friendly to admony !h them to take none of the water of that ryuer,affirming it to be vnwholefome for men, and fliewed them that not farre from thence, there was a vy ucr, of good water. They came to the ryuer, and endeuouring to come neere the Ihore, they were dryuen backe by tempeft. Alfa the burbuling of the fand,declared the fea to be but fhalow thcr They were therefore enforced to returne to the firfte ryuer where they might i^^tly caft anker. This king layde wayte for our men : for as they were filling their barrellcs, hee fette on them with about ieuen hundred menne ( asourmeniud- gcd) armed after their manner, although they were naked: for The fecond Decade, 67 for onely the king and his nobled men were apparelled. They tooke away the Ihyp boate, and broke it in manner to chips :1b fiercely allayling our men with their venemous arrowes, that g . they line of them fourtic andfcucn, before thcycoulde couer flayn^^i»hhv« themfelues with their targets. For thatpoyfon is offuch force, ncmousar- that albeit the wounds were not great,yet they dyed thereof im- rowcj* mediately, for they yet knewc no remedie againft this kinde of poylbn, as they afterlearned of the Inhabitaiites ol Hif^mioU ; For this Ilandebringeth foorth anhearbe which cjuencheth& mortifieth the violent poyfon of the hearbe,wherewith their ar- p^ remedica- rowes are infeded, fo that \t be miniltredin time. Yet of our gainft vcnc- companiewhiche went for water, feuen elcaped that confly(R:e mousarrowc* and hydde themfelues m a hollowe tree, lurking there vntill night, yet elcaped they not the hands of their enemies : for the (liyppe departed from thence in the night feafon, and left them there, fuppofing that they had becne llaync. Thus by manye fiich perilles and dangers (which I lightly oucrpalfe, beecaufe I will not bee tedious to your holynelte) hee arryued at the length at the hauen of TmL, and call anker at the Eaft fide The haucn bif thereof,from whence notlong before our men departed to the ^"°^* Wert (idc, by reafon of the barrennelFe ofthatfoyle.Whenhc had continued a whylein the hauen, and Taw no man ftirring, marueyled at the filence of the places ( for hee fuppofed there to haue found his fellowes)he could not coniedure what this fliuld meanc r and thereupon began to fufpec!!; that ey ther they were dead, or that they had changed the place of their habitation.To knowe the certaintie hereof^ he commaundcd all the great ordi- naunce, and other fmall gunnes which he hadde in his ihyppes, to be charged,and fiers to be made in the night vpon the toppes of the rockes. Thus the fiers being kindled, hee commanded ^1 the gunnes to be Ihot uf at one inll:ant,by the horrible noiTe whereof^ thegulfeofFr^^^waslhaken, although it were xxiiii. myles diftant, for fo broade is the gulfe. This noyfe was hearde of their feilowes in Dariena , and they aunfwered them agayne with mutuall fyers. Wherefore,by the following of thefe fiers, Colmemris brought his fhyppes to the Weft fide. Here thofc wretched and miferable men o^ Dariena, wh iche nowe through famyne and fcebieneife, heldc their wearie loules in their teeth, ready The/ecmd Deade, r«adie to depart from their bodies, by reafon of the calamities which befell vnto them after Ancifus Ihipwrackcjlifting vp their handcs to hcaucn,with the teares running downc their cheekes both for ioy andforow, embraced Roderktts & his fclJowes with fuch kindeofreioycing, as their prefentneceffitiefeemed to re- quire : for whereas they were before his comming, without vy- ftuals,and almoft naked,he brought them abundance of meat, drinkc and appareJ. It rcfteth now (mod holy father)to declare what came ot the diifention among them o^frabn , as concer- ning the goucrnance after the loife of their captaynes. The thirde Chapter ofthefccondeDecade^ of thejuppofed centineyit^ LI the chiefc officers in Bera^ua, and fuch as were moll politike incounfayle, determined that Nicticfa flioulde bee fought outjiFby any meanes he could be tound.Whereupon they tooke from y^w^x the gouernour, refufmg the comming o^Nicuefa, a Brigandine which he made of his owne charges : and agreed, again 11 both the will of -<4»ci/»/,and the mailer offence Vafchm Nunnez., that Nicuefa ihuld be fought forth to take away the ftrife as touching the go- uemmcnt.They eleded therfore Colmimris{o^ whoxnwt fpake bcfore)to take this mattcrin hand, willing him to make diiigct fearch for Nicuefa'm thofe coafts where they fuppofed he erred: for they heard that he hadforfakcn ^eragm^ the region of an vnfruitefull ground. They gaue him therefore commandement to hnv^^Nicueft with him,and further declare vnto him that hqe ihould do rightgood fcruice to come thithcr,in taking away the occafion oftheirfeditions. CdminAris tooke the thing vpo him the more gladly,hecaufe Nicuefa was his very friend, fuppoiyrig his comming with vidualles ihouldebee nolclFethankefullto Niateft znd his company, then it was to them of yrai^a, Furni- Hiyng therefore one of his owne Oiippes which he brought with him, and alfo the Bngftndi ne taken from Ancifus^ he frayghted the The fecoftd Decade, 6S the /ame with part of the viduaies & other necelTaries w^hichiic brought with him before from Hif^MiolaioVnibay Thus cour- iing along by al the coalles and guJfes necre thereabout, at the leneth, at the poynt called Marmor , he found Nicncfa. of al iy- "^^^^f^ '» umg men molt intortunate, in manner dryedvp with extreme miferable cafe. hunger,nlthy and horrible to behold,\vith only thrcefcore men in his company, Jef\ aliuc of feuen hundred. They aireemedto him fo miicrable, that he no lelFe lamented their cafe, then if he had found them dead.But ColmtnarisQb'iQXitd his friend Nicue" y^, and embracing him with teares and checrefull words, relie- uedhisfpirites, and further encouraged him with great hope ofbetterfortunCjdecJaringalfo that his comming was looked for, and greatly defired of all tiie good men oi'Vraba^ for that they hoped that by his aud:horitic,thcir dilcord and contention (liouldbefinillied.iYff/^iry^ thanked his friend Colminaris after iuchiortas his calranitic required. Thus they tookc fhip to- gether, and,'railed diredly to F^'^^^^.Butfo variable andvncon- itant is the nature of man, that he ibone groweth out of vfcjbe- commeth infolentand vnmyndful of benciites after to much fe infolcncleof Jicitie:for Nkuefa after thus many teares and weepings, after tomuchfelici* diners bewailingcs of his infortunatcdeftinye, after fo manye "«• thank/giuings,yea after that he had fallen downe to tlie ground and killed the feete of Colmr/i^j^ishis fauiour,he began to quarel with him before he came yet at rnt^A,rcprouing him & them al for the alteration of the il:ate of thinges in Vrab(iydx\d for the ga- thering of gold, afHrmingithat none of them ought to haue laidehandof any goldc without the aduice of him or Fogeda his companion. When thcfe fay inges and fuch like, came to thceares of them otVralfa, they fo Itirred vp the mindes of An^ ciJhs Licuctenant for Fo^eda, and alfo of Vffihus Kunnez. of the contrary part , againft Ntcuefa^ that Ihortly after his ariuall with his threcfcore men , they commaunded him with threat- ning to depart from thence: but this picafed not the better fortiYet fearing left tumult fhould be among the pcople,whom V^fchis Nmnez. had ft irredto fadions, the beft part was faine to giue place to the grcateft.This wretched man tnerfore Nicue fa. thus drowned in miferies,was thruft into the Brigadine which hec himfelfe brought, and with himonely feuenteene men, of his The fecond Decade, his thrccfcorc which remained alyue. He tooke fliippc in the Calcndes of March, in the yeerc. 1 5 1 1 . intending to goe to HiffanioU to complayne of the ralhneile of Vafchus Nurmez^ and of the violence done to him by Amifus-. But he cntred into the Brigandme in an vnfortunate houre, for he was neuer /ecnc after. They fuppofed that the Brigandine was drowned with ail the men therein. And thus vnhappie Nkuefa fallyng headlong The death of quj. of one mifery into another,ended his life more milerablythc Nicuefa. heliued. iYifr//'^*^"^'=^^' haue bin brought vp.The visuals which V^^hus brought from the village ot Careta^ to his fellowes left in Darie/ia, was rather fomewhat to alTwagc their prefent hunger, then vtterly to take away their neccflitie. But as touching Ancifus^ becing Liciic- Andfus Lieu- tenauntfor Foge(U^\A\t\ihtx '\t were before thefe things, or after, tenantfor Fo- Iknowenot : but this lam fure of, thatafterthereiedingof8c<^3,iscaftin iVif«-^r^,both he and our men had certaine cofpireth with Jaycs appoynted them to tyll their grounde and fowe their fe'itinft kino"^* fecdes.This done,by the ayde of C^ff^,and by his condudion, g>oncha/"^ they marched towarde the palace of Poncho^ who fleddc at their comming. They fpoyled his village , and mitigated their hunger with fuch vidiigUes as they founde there: yet could they net Thefecond Bfeade, -70 not heipe their fdlowes therwithjby reafon ofthcfarre dittace of the place, although they had great plentie : for the village of Po?jcha,\^'SLs more then a hundred miles diftant from Dancnoy whereas was alfo none other remedie, but that the fame fhoulde haue bin caryed on mens backcs to the fea fide, being farre o^ where they left their iliippes in the which they came to the vil-. * lagcofCrfr^^^.Hcrc they fcund certaine poundes weight of goldjgrauen and wrought into Iiindry ouches. After the facking of this village, they reforted toward the ll]ips,intending to Jeaue the kinges of the mland vntouched at this time, and to inuadc only them which dwelt by 'the coaftes. Not farre from Coik^, in the fame trade,there is a region named Como^ra^ & the king J^' "1!°",*?^ thereof called Contogrusy^hti the fame name.To this king they ftanT^om' *" camefirft next after the fubuerfion o^ Poncba, and found his Daricna.xxx» pallace fituate in a fruitefull playne of xii.leagues in breadth, at leagues, therootes ofthe further fide of the next mountaines.Ow(?gr»x had in his court a certaine noble man of neere -cofanguinitie to king C^yff*?, which had fled to Comogrus by reafon of certaync dilfention which was betwecne Careta & him, thefe noble men, they cal lura. This lura therefore of C«^/»( whereof we /pake in the firft Decade )fo make Thejeconde Decade. tnakcthey their wine of the fruites of Date trees, and Sidcrof ether fruites and fcedes as do the Almaynes, FJeiningcs, En- glifh men, and our Spaniardes which inhabite the mountaines, as the Vftfcons and Aflurians : likewifc in the mountaines of i^t^^t^^^tNoricimsj Srvemans. and //(p/i«c«Ji|^i'b«tiip^jgfj^gjgQf^ which portion is due to the kinges Exchequer on ofgoldc. ^^ .^ .^ decreed, that the fift .part of both golde, pearlea , and jjretioi]^ Thefecond'Decddi, 7! -{Jrecious (loncs, fiiould bee aflignedto the kingcs trcafurcrs, and the reliduc to be diuided among themlelucs by compoliti- on. Here as brabbling and contention arofeamongourmen about the diuiding ofgold, this cldcft fonne of king Comogrm being prcfent> whomwc prayfedforhiswifedome, comming fomewhat with an angryc countenaunce toward him which heldetheballauncesjheftrokcthemwith his fiftc, and fcatte- rcdallthe gold that was therein about the porche, IliarpcJye Young Cing that king. 7>.»»^»/7»w, and all the other- HpiifliolJe, kingsbeyond the mountaines.had fuch & al other their houfe- iip^c of golde. hold fluffe ofgpldc,and that there was no lelfe plentie of gold ai mcng thofc. people of tlie South,, then of Iron withvs: for he knewe by relation of our men, whereof ou4' fwoordes and other weapons were made. Our captaines mameiling at the. oration of the naked yong man (for they had for intcrpreters- thofe three men which had ben before a yeere'and a halfe con- ijcrfaunt in thecourte of king C^^/-^)pondercd in their mindes andearneftlyconfidered hisiayinges, lb that his ralhnel3e in feattcfingthegGldcutofthe baiidunces, they turned to mirths and vrbauitie^commending his doing ana fayina tberein^Tlien they afked hmi friendly,vpo what certaine knowledge hefpake thofe tiiingesjor what he thought bell Jierein to be done, if they- HiOuld bring a greater fupp'y ofxnen^To this young ComoqrHs flaying a wiule vv.th himfejfe, as \t werean Oratouc prepartrlg himfelf e to fpeake o! r.me graue mattcr,and difpoling his body. to ageftureineetc to pcrf.adejfpakc thus in his mother tongue Gueearevnti>mejO youChriltians. Albeitthat the greedie Niifecetuall feare of our enemies. "After theft words,this prtidcntyoung Qomo^us held his peace,and our men Atokcn of nioucd with great hope and hunger of goldc, began agaync to hunger, ^iwajiowe downe their fpittle. Thefofirth Chapter of the fecondeDecadeiff thejuppofedcofitinentc Ftet- that they haddc taryed hecre a few^e .dayes, and baptXed CofMo^iHy with all ^^f^^bT^tt his familic, and named him by the name f^^j wublus'' of Charles, after the King of Spaync?, familic. they returned to their feilowes in Dariem^ leauing with him the hope of tl^e thou- L 2 Uiido Thefecond Decide. fendcfouldiers, whiche hisfonne required topafJeoiTcrthol^ mountaynrt-towarde the South lea. Thus eiuryng into th^ * village which they had chofen to inhabitc, they had knowledge t^^ValdiHta was returned within fixe nioncthes after his de- parture, but with no great plentie of vidualles, beecaufe hec brought but a (inalllhippe : yet with hope that (liortly aftcrg there Ihould be fentthemabundance of vidualltSj and a newc fupply of men. For young Colonus the Admirall^and viceroy of Ht/faniola^ and the other gouernours ofthc Iiande,acknowlcd- ged that hitherto they had no refped: to them o^D^iriena, bee- caufe they fuppofed that Ancifm the Lieutenant had fafely arri- - ucd there with his fliip laden with vidualles: willing them from henceforth to be of good chcare, and that they Ihould lacke no- - thing hereafter^but that at this prefent time they had no bigger Ihip whereby they might fend them greater plenty of neccllaries by ValdiHia . The vidiuals therefore which he brought/erued ra- ther fomwhat to mitigate their prefent neceffitie, then to fatisfie their lacke. Wherefore within a fewe dayes after yaldinia his returnc, they fell agayue into like fcarcenelFe tefpeciallyforaf- muche as a great ftorme and temped which came from the KorriMethin- hyghmountaynes, with horrible thunder and lightning in the ^eraiid lyghc- moneth ofNouembcrj broughtwith it f}jche a ftoude , that it - wScth^oi V^^'^^y carysd away, and partly drowned all the corne and feeds ^«>acmb«i. which they had fowen in the moiieth of September, in a fruitc- full grounde before they went to king ^<7W(?^w. The feeds whiche they of Hr/^/r;?^/^ C3^\ Afaiz,iHn^ andthcy of K^'-^^^call H^hha) whereof they make their bread, which c alio we layde to be rype thri/e euery yecrc, becaufe thofercgions are not bytten with the Iharpcnelle ofwinter byreafonoftkeir necrenelfe to the tquinG(!l:iall lync. It is alio agrccble to the principles of naturall philoi&phie,that this bread made o^Adai^Ms or Hebbai /houlde be more wholcfome for the inhabitants of thofe coun- treys then breade made of wheate, by reafon that.it is of cafier digeftion : for whereas colde is wariting, the naturall heate is not driucn from the outwarde partes into the inwarde partes and precordialles, whereby digeftion is muche ftrengthenedo B^ing therefore thus fruftrate of the increaie of their feedes, ^i^d thckinges ncere about them, Ipoyled of both vidualles and The f^ond Decide, 75 andgdldc, they were enforced to Tecke their meate further of andtherewitlitofignifieto the goueriioures o^ Hiffamola with what great neceffitie they were opprelled, and what they had learned oi Cemogrns as concerning the regions towarde the South, willing them in conlideration thereof, to aduertifethc king to fende them a thoufandc fouldicrs, by whofc heipe the/ niyght by force make way throughtlie mountaynes, diuiding the fea on both fides, if they coulde not bring the fame to pallc quietly. The fame Vtnldmia was ajfo fent on this mellage , cary- ingw^ith'him to thekinges treafurers (hauing their office of receipt in Hipnmola) three hundred poundes weight of goldc, after eyght ounces to the pounde, for the f ft portion due to the kinges'txchequer.This pound of eight ounces, the Spanyardes c^W Marcha, whichein weight aniounteth to fifne pecccs of golde called C;^raiba flue with two of his fellowcs, but the rcfiduc fled. Within A fcwe daycs after, Ah-zUba hauing compallion on the calamitJc of his kinfinan and neighbour Abemmachimsy bceing dryuen from his ownc polleilions ( whofe arme alfo we fay d before that •nc ofthe fouldiers cut of at the riuer ofMana iV/jrojand now re- maining with Abraiba, to whom he fied by Health after hce was taken, wcntto Abtberba the inhabitour ofthe tree, who had now likewise forfaken his countrey for feare of our men, and wande- red in the defolate mountaines and woodcs.When he had ther- forc founde him, hec fpakcto him in this effed. What thing is this, ohvnfortunate Abibeiba -, or what nation is this that fo t or- jnenteth vs,that we cannot cnioy our quiet libertie ; howe long, howe long liay, fhall we fuffer their cmeltie 5 were it not much better for vs to dk^ then to abideiiich iniuries and oppreflions asyou, as Ai'tiutmachem ouikin^mzn^ as Cemacchnsj as CaretOy as loncha, as I and other princes of our order doc fuftcyne f Cauneanie thing bee more iiitoHcrable, then tu fee ourwiuesj our The fecond Decade, 76 oiir childrcti, and our fubiedcsjto be leddc away captiucs: and ourgoodci to be fpv-syleJ euen before our faces: I take the gods to \vitnelle,that Ifpcake not fo much tor mine owiie pait as I do foryou,\vh ofe calc 1 Iament:for albeit they haue not yet touched memeuertheles by thcxupie of other,! ought to thinke that my deftr uction is not far of .Let vs therfore(if\ve be men). Men gcod «* trie our {lrcngthj& proue our fortune agaynft them which haue nough if tbcy dealt thus cruelly With Aben^imacheiHSyind driuen him out of his ^^^ "0"» countrcy, let vs fet on them with al our power,and vtterly de- ilroy them. And if we can not flay them aljyct ihal we make the afraide cither to allay le vs againc,or at the lead diminilhe their power: forwhatlbeuerflial befall, nothing can chaunce woorfe vnto vs then that which we nowciuffer. When -r^^f^«^^ heard thefe words Stfuch other like,hccondefccnded to do in al thingr as -/^^r^4 woulde require: whereupon they appoynted day to bring their confpiracie to palfcpbutthcthmg chaunced not according to their dcfirc: for ofthofewhichewe faidctohauc palled to the Canibals,therc returned by chaunce to RinHsNigcr the night before the day appointed to woorke their featejthiitic iiicn,to the aide of them wnichcwere Ic'it there, if any fcdition ihould rife as they fufpccted.Therfore at the dawning of theday the confederate Kings,with Hue hundreth of their ditionaries armed after their maner, befieged tiie village with atcrrible a- larome,knowing nothing of the new men whichecamctiiithcr thefamenight.Hcreourtargetmen camefoorth againft them, and firft alTailedthem a farre of with their arrowcs,then with their pykcs and lad with their fxvoordes : but the naked feely foules, pcrcciuinga greaternumber of their aduerfarics thca they looked for, were foonc driuen to flight,and flainc for the mod parte like fcattcring ilieepc* The kings clcaped,thcy llucmany,and tookc many capt;ues,whiche theyfcnttoZ)^-^*?*'"*^''" W . other communication which he hadde with his hfter whom hec loucd entirely,h€vttercd thefe wbrdes, My deare.and welbclo- iiediUler, giuc eare to myfayiiiges, and ieepc mollfecretely that ThefceoniBeende. fj tfiatwhichc I will declare vnto you, c '\^ you dcHre your' own© - wealth and mine, and the prufperitic of our countrey and kinfe- foIk.es. The infolciicie aad crucltie of thefe men whiche hauc dryuen vs out of our polleiiions, is ib intollerable^that the prin- ces of the landc are determined n® longer to luHeyne their op- prcfTions. By the conducting therefore of fyuc kinges ( whiche • , he named in order) they haue prepared ahundred great CarwM ap,",u™/* j with iiue thoufande roen of warre by landc and by^Tea, with vi- Canoas, and duals alfb in the village of T/^'/^/V// fufficientto maintayne fuch fyuc.M,men» an armie : declaring further, that the kinges by agreement^ had diuided among them t\\^ goodes and heads ^y'l our mennc^ and therefore admonillicd her , at the day appoyntcd by f bmc Trtritaph b«, occaiion toconueigh her feife out of the way,leaft fte (hould be **'^* vKionc. Hayne in the confuiion of the battaylc: For the fouldier vidou- rer, is not woontto (pare any that commeth in his race. And thus (hewing his filler the day afligned to the {laughter, hce de- parted. But the young woman ( for it is the fwoorde that wo- men feare,and obf^ruc more then thegrauitie ofCato ) whether Aff^fiiiyn cor^ it were for thelouc or feare that flie had to ^^^«^,forgcting her ruptethtrue parentcs, her kinffolkes, her countrey, and all her fricndes, yea iutlscmeat, and all the kinges into whofe throntcs Vajchus hadthruftehfs Ixvorde, Ihe opened all the matt-er vnto him and concealed none of thofe thingcs which her vndi/cret brother had declared to her When r^^«^ thcrforc had he^rd the mattcrjhe caufed P^/^ft?, ( for To had they named h€r)to fcnde for her brother, who came to her immedjatly, was taken,& enforced to tel the whole circQ'. ftanccs of the mattcnwherupon he plainely confeffed,that king Cemacchfishis Lord and maifter, fent thofe fburc Ganoas to the TIiec»n^a;a«* deflrucflion of our men, and that thefe new confpiracies were at- Jlnli i tempted by his counfayle : likewife that Cemacchm fought the dctidcd. deJ&rud:ionofF^^«jhimfelfe,whenhefenthimxl. men,vnder pretence offriendfhip,to tilland fowe^his grounde, after the ma- ner ofthe countrey,giuing them in commandement to flay Vaf- ihnsditAI^ns, whither he reforted to comfort his labourers, as ^j^^"*^,!"*^" the maner h ofal good husbandes, yet dur ft they at no time exe reth the death cut« their Lordescommaundementvpon him, becaufe f^^/jw ofVakbws. came ncuer among them a footeorvnarmed, butwasaccuflo- naed to ryde to them in harnellewith a iaudin in hi* hand,and afword* The fecond Decade. "ft fwoordc by his fide. Wherefore Ccmacchus being fruftratear hisparticular.counla/ie, tookethis lalt thing in hande, to his Vafthaipiir- ^wnedeftrudion and his neighbours ; forthe confpiracic be- fteth the kings ii^j^dstcdcdjVafch»s called threefcore and tenne rauidiers,com- witli threefcor iiianding them to follow hiii),but declared nothu\g vnto them •aodteaojca. whither he went,or what he extended to doc. Hevventforward therefore firft toward Cemacchnsy which lay from him onely ten . myles: but he had knowledge that he was Hedde to Dabathay the king oftliemary Dies of C«/<«^a fuppofed to haue ben firme land. They were .■:fore opprelfed with ^hunger, for it was now three morethes fince they departed from their feUowes: by rcafon whereof,they were enforced to take landjtoprooue what ayde they could get among the inhabitantes. Their chaunce therefore was to .arriue in that part of the Hand, where faUiuia was driucn aland by tempcft.But oh you wretched men of Z)rfr;f«*i,tary for Vaidittiay whom you fent to prouidc to helpe your nccellitie*, *f4i J«a£h«f prouide f©r your felucs rather, and trufl not to them whole T«liiui«» fortune yee know not. For when he arriued in Cuha the inhabi- tantes fiue him with his felowe?^ and \dz rhe Carauel wheieia they were caryed, torncin pecccs,and halfc couered with /and on the fiiore, where ^nicedus and Colmen^ns^-ivAing the frag- mentcs thereof, bewayled their fclowes miilbrtune: but they found none of their carcalIes,(lippoIing that they were cicher drowned, or dououred of the Canibals, which oftentimes make incurfion intothe Hand to hunt for men. But at the iength,by -two of the Hand men which tliey had taken, they had know- ledge of Valdima his deltrudion, and that the inhabitantes the more greedily attepted the fame,for that they had heard by the babbling of one of his felowcs, that hee had great plentie of fiurtof lauifli- golde: for they alfo take pleafurcinthe beautieofgolde, which aeficofdjc ^j^y fourmeartificially intafundry ouches.Thusourmen ftric- rfiey fei into a thouiande misfortiines,and had intelligence that Fogeda arriucd therabout, leading a miferablehfc, toifedand ^ij^^j^i^j ^^j^j^ turmoiled with tempefl:es,and vexed with a thoufande pci plexi- of Fogeda. ties:fofhat departing tronuhence aimort a'onc,his felovves being lor the u-soft part alconfumcd with maladies and famine Maladies and he came witii much diPiicultie to HiffamoLi, w here he died by f-"i^i"c. forceofthe poi^jnoHiisvenemouswounde which he had re- ceiuedinjm^^aswehauefaide before. But Jiiafiis elected cprofc- T- -lilt/- n I i.r roiisvojage Xjeutenantjlaiied by airhole ccaltes with much better fortune: ©f Ancifus. for as he him felfe tolde mc,hc founde profperous windes in thole partics,and\\ as wel eiiteiteined ofthinhabitantes ofC^- ^^jbutthjsfpecially in the dominion of a ceitaine kir.g who(c iname was CommendatorSot wheras he defired of the Chriftian men whiche palFed by,to be baptifed,demaunding the name of A king of- the gouernourofthe Hand nextvnto H//^4wWrf,being a noble CubabaptjfeJ man,and a knight of the oi&ti: oi Galatraua, ofwhiche order,aI oy^cname SiTC culled Commeftdatons this kings defirewas to be named af- n^gndator xcr him. King Commendator therefore friendly receiued JhcI/hs, & gaue him great abundance of al thinges nccellarie .But what Anctjlus learned of their religion during the time of his remay- ningthcre,IhauctiTought goodto aduertifcycur holinelle. You Ihaltherfore vnderltandc,thatcertaine of our men failing bythecoaftes o'i Cuba^kh with \!i\n^(^omv%cHdator^ certainc noorc Mariner being difeafcd,who in Ihort fpacc rccouering AmamcHous his health,and hauing now fumewhat learned their lansuaee, Ji,'^^"^ ^^"^^ 1 ^ fi ■ I I . • ° .r. God wrouohe began to growe mto great eltimation with thekmg and his niiraclcsby rubiectesjinfomuchc thdthewas oftentimes thekingesLicue- thcfimple tenant in his warres agatnft other princes his borderers. This ^*'*h of a mans fortune was fo good, that al thinges profpered well that ^*""*'* .'he tooke in hande: and albeit that he were not learned, yet was heavertuousand well meaning man , according to his know- ledge, and did religiouflie honour the blelFcd virgin,bearing Bcrotrafh eucr about with him her picture faire painted vpon paper, and iniudgcmeat, fowcd in his apparel ncere vntohisbreft/kgnifyin^vnto the ThefccoftdDecAde.'^ kingjthat this liolincs was thc-caufeofAl his victoria :pcr f\vadjngh!mtodcK the likcjand tocaft away all IwsZcmei^ Hvhich were none other then thefimilitudes ot euili ijpirits nioft cruell enimiesand deuourcrsof oar, rouies,audto takcvnto him the holy virgin and wothicr of God to be his patroncilc,. C hedeliredaJi hisatr'aires afwel inwarreasin peace to rucceede • profpcrouny.-alfo that the blelTed virgin woulde at no time railchim,butbeeiicrreadicto helpchim and hi5,ifihcywoi Ids : with deuouthartes call vppon hcniame. The mariner had foone pcrf\vaded the naked nation, and thereuppon gaueti.e. ACbappcIl ^"^8 ^^^^^ demanded the fame) his picture of the virgin,to bttildcdto ihc^^^^^*^^^^ buildcdand dedicated a chapell and an alter, cuer atr ptcttfTc of the ter contemning and reiccting hisZ^wr/.Ofthere^^^f/madcof v'iTgitx Marie, Golfampine cotton ,to the limilitudcs offpintes walking in the r^ight, which they oftentimes {^e,and fpeake with them Family- crly,we iiaiic fpoken iufficiently in tJie ninth chapter oftlic firft I>ecade . Fi!ithermore,according to theinllitLition of thisma- riner,whenthe/Linnedraweth towaramola,is eightdaycs fail-, ing, &romtimcs lelle with a proiperous.wind L yet ^H^tcedns and Colmmaris the p rocur atours o'l DariefM^by reafon oftempelies & contrary^ windes, could fcarcely iayle it in a hundred dayes. When they had taryed a fewe dayes in HifpaMit^/a.^hsA declared tfce caufc of the comming to tlie Ad- miral! and the odier gouernours,they tooke lliiping in two mar- chant fhips^being ready dirnilbed) which were alfo aGcuTtomed, to fayle to and fro bctwecne S^ ayne and the Hand of HtfprrnioU.. They departed from Z);*?r;>«^(as wefaid before)the fourth day of the Calends of Nouebcr,intheyeereofchrift I5i2i&camc not. «o the court beeforcthe Calendes of M^y in thcyeere following feeing. the ycerc of Chriih 1 5 13 .At their comming to the court^ Tih.nnesTo'fjfetnJio whom at the bcginiiing the charge cfthcfe affaires was committed, whome ailo for hij> taithi Uii lei ujce to- 7-},^ pronir», wardetheking^your holinelle-crcated geueral ComUiiliiiiC in roirs. fDa- thewarres agamd theMooies /'receiued tiiem h-c-nourabJyjas rjcii.i?»eho- men comming from the newc worldCjCrcm naked nat.ons,and '^■^^'^^'^^y jj landes vnknowiic co other men. By the piefermei.ttherefoie of" '^^^^^^ ^* the Bilhop of ^»r^»w,forthey are yelowCjlike veto them that iiane tiie yc- iowe iaundicsjand aifoiAvolne:but they afcribe the caufciicre ofjtothe hunger whichetl-iey iuLlcincd in times paft.Ihauc ben aduertifed ofthea(-i-aires oftiiis neweworlde,notonly by ^iitO^ procuratours o'li Darierut^vad. Ancifiis-fiA\A o hundred iluldiers at his charges, ma- king him a warrant to the oM.cers of his Exchequer, to deMucr him money in preft for the (amepurpoie.Pfr?-;^ Anas therforc becing thus put in office, and authonied by the kinges letters patentcsvndcrhisbroade feale, chofc a great number of his ibuldiers in the court jand fo departed from } '^I/ad»/ao,zhout the Calends of Oc^ober,in theyeere i4i3.andiaylediirrito Ciuiie becing a very rich citic, and well repleailhed witli people, where by the kings magiltrates, heewas turnillied with menne and vy- ^ualles, and other necellaries perteyn ng to fo great a matter : for the king hath in this citie erected a houfe, Icruing onely for the affaires of the Ocean,to the which all they that goc or come ^ ^^"'' '" ^'^ from the newe landcs and Ilandcs, reforte tociuc accomptes, "*\^PFoy«tcwrackc ^^r fuch a tempeft followed Ihortly after iiis departure^that it ret in peeces two of his Ihips, and fo tolfed the other^hat they were enforced to heaue ouerboorde part of their vidua! les to lighten them. All fuchc as efcaped, fayled backe againc to the cogfles of Spayne, where, being newiy furnifnedand refreflied by the kinges ofHcersjthey went forward on their voyage. The maiftcr Pylotteofthegouernoutsniippe, ynzsJohamesVefpfttius aFio- rentinc,the neuicw o'i Americas Fe/pf^tiHi,\vho.lCit him as it were by difcent ofinheritance,the experience of the marme^rs facultie and knowledge of the feajcarde and compatle.But wee were ad- uertifcd of late by ccrtaynewhiche came from HtfpamoU, that they had palfedthe Ocean with more profperous wind: for this niarchant fhyppe comming from H^fpumda, f oundethem lan- ding at ccrtayne Hands neere therabout.But in the meane time, while my importunate callers on, Caleacem Butrigarms, and lo' hames Cjfer/wJiien lludious by al meanes to gratmeyourholy- nclle,ceafcd not to put me in remembrance that they had one in a readines to depart into Italy5& taried only to cary wkhhim va toyourholincs thelc^my fa!rciV«r«<^j-,akhough rudely decked leaftlfhould beftow much time in vayne,Iiiauc let palfe many things,& wil rehearfe on jy fuch as fcemc in my iudgciiient mod worthy memory,althoughfomwhatdifordercd,asoccari6 hath ferued. So it is therefore, that this Petrns An^ hath a wife na mtA Hcl'fabetha BoadtlUy being niece by the brother fide to the marques o^Bo iddUj whiche rcidre J thecitie o'i Segoum to Fer- nando andHdifabethPrmccsofSpayaC; at fuclitime as the Porta- jimerkus an)»>!c rfava- ThefecondTjccdde, %m Portugales iniiadcd the kingdome of Ca{lik,by rea/bn whercJ^ they were encouraged hrlt to refjlljand tlien with open wanoto ailayle and expulfc the Portugales/or the great trcafdre whiehe King Henry brother to Quecnc Elizabeth haddegearhcred to- gether there . This m^rqiiefjc, while Ihc liued, did euer lliewe a manly and (loutmynde, bctiiia peace and warre,: ib that by her couniayle, many noble.things were brought to good cffed: ivx Callile : vntothis noble woman the wife ofP^/;-w^r/^j was. niece by her brother iide, She, following the magnanimitie of hciaunt,. perceiuing her husbande nowe kirnirhingh!m/elfe.to dcpartc to the vnknownc coades of thenewe woride, ai:d thofc large trades of lande and fea,fpake thefe wordes vntohim : My moit deare and welbeloucd husbande, we ought not now to for- The wife of- getthatfrom our young yeereswchaue becneioyned together PetrusAri?.5.> with the yoke of holy niatrimoniejto the intent that we fhouldc fo line together,and notafunder^during the tmeof our naturali life: whciefbreformy parte,to declare my atfcdion herein,you ftallyndcrllande, that whither foeuer your fatal] deftinie iliall driuc you, eyther by the furious waues of the great Ocean, ol by the manifolde and horrible daungers of tlie lande, I wil /ure- \y bcareyou companie : there cannc no peril! chaunce to me /q terrible^nor any kinde of death fo cruell, that fliall not be much, eafier for mee to abide, thentoliuc fofarre feparate from you, Itwere much better formeeto die, and eyther to b^cai^ into thefea, to be deuoured of the fiflies, or on the land to the Ca- nibalcs, then with contiiuialmourning and bewayling, toliuc. iadcath, and dye Jiuing, while I confiime in looking rather formyhusbandes letter.s, then for himfelfe. This is my fuJI determination, notraflily, nor piefcntly excogitate, nor con- ceiued by the lighjtphantafie of womans brayne, but with long, deliberation and good aduifement. Nowe therefore cboo/e to whether of thcfe two you willalfent, eyther tothrufte your ^ iworde in my throate, or to graunt me my requeft. As for the. childrea which God hath giucn vs as pledges of our mfcparable, louc ( for they had fourc ibnncs, and as many daughters ) fhall not flay me a moment : let vs leaue vnto them fuch goodcs and polleflions as wc haue beenclcft vs by our parentcs and friends whereby they may liue among the worftipfwU o^thcir orders. „, ._ _ ^- _ ... - . ... - . ^ ^^^ - ThefecandDecjide, for other thingesi take no care» When this noble matronc of manly vertue had finillied thcic woordes, her husbande feeing theconftant mynde of his wife, and her in a readinelle to do ac- cording to her wordes, had no heart to denye her louing petiti' on, but embracing her in h.s amies, commended her intent, And contented to h'fer requeft.She foiiovvcd him theretorc,as did Ipjicrateahtv Mithridutesy with her hay re iianging loofe about her Ihoulders : fov Iheioued her husbande, as did Halicarmffea of Carta hers, being dead, as did Artemijia her MuhjcIhs. Wee haue alfo had aduertifment iincetheir departUie,that.(he ( being brought vp as it were among foft i^ethers) hath with no les (Icut courage fuftcined the roarings and rages of the Ocean, then did cythcr her i}U$band,or any of the maryners brought vp euen a- mongthc fourges ot the lea. But to haue fayde thus much here- of, this Ihall fuhice : let vs nowe fpeakc ol other thingej> no lelTe worthie mcmorie.Thercfoie,wheras in the firll decade we haue made mention of Vinceraui-s Anne^Pinx^omts^yt fhal vnderftand that hee accompanied ChnJlofhcrHs Colonm tiie Admirall in his * firft voyage,and afterwarde made an other voyage of his ownc charges with onely one Ihip. Againe,thc firft yeere after the de- parting of the Captaynes Nicuefa and'/'^Tg^-f^-^, he ran ouer thofe coaftes from HiffamoU, and fearched tlie South iide of Cubay from the Eaft to the Weft,and fayled roundc about tliat liand, which to that day, for the great length thereof, was thought to haue bin part of the continent or firme landc, although (ome o- ther fay that they did the like. Vi-ncentms Anmsu therf ore, know- ing now by expenence that Ctda^vj^s an Iland,failed on further and founde other lands Weftwarde from Cuba, but fuch as the Admirall had firft touched. Wherfore,being in manner encom- palled with this nevve landc, turning his courfe towarde the left nande, and rafmg the coaftes of that landc by the Eaftjouerpaf" fing alio the mouthes of the gulfes of "Beragna jyaba,^nd Cuchi" hachaa, he arryued at the region whiche in the firft Decade wee trailed Porta and Os Draccnis , and entred into the great gulfe of frellie water, which Colonns difcouered, beeing rcplenilhcd with. great abundance of fifhe,and famous by reafon ofthe multitude ofllandes lying in the fame, beeii^gdiftaunttaftwardefrom CutMna about aii hundred andthirtie niyles, in the which tradl arc The fccmdVf cade, %e arc the regions o^Cumiim and MipMc^*wa , whiche ^Ko m the fjxt chapter orthe£ri I Decade wc faid to be regions oFthc large prouiiice of jP/^Wjwhere many alhrme to be the greatcft plentie ^^^""*®^ ofthebeftpearlesj and not in Cnrtam, The kinges of thcie re- ^"^ **' gions(whom they call Chkcones, as they ofHifj^anuiia call them Ca.Thc fif t is lohamcs Cnbedus, a Fryer preacher, whom your holyneife annoynted minilbr of Chrifte, to teach the Chriftian faith a- 4nong the inhabitantes ofD^riena. The Canibalcs lliall (hortly repent them, and the blonde of our men fhall be reuenged,and th.'it thcfooncrjbecaufc that (hortly after they hadde committed this The feeond Decade, ty "this abhominablc (laughter ofour men, they came agaircfrom their owne llande oi^San^acrHx{ otherwife called Ay Aji)io the -j-hp CanibaF* Ilande o^SanHt lohamn , and flue a king whiche was a f riende o the I !a d cf to our men, and eatehim, and ai his familie, vtterJy fubuc. nng Sai^da C*iu5» his viliage,vpon this occaiion,that violating tiiC law ofhoita^e, hee haude flayne icucn Car.ibaies whiche wtrclc'twith him by compolition to make certayne Ca oas, hccauic the Hand of SmUiIohmnis beareth greater trec5,and aptcr for tiiat pui pcfc, , then doth the Land oiSifin^icmx^xX^t chiete habitado ot tiie Ca ribales. TlicicCanibalcs yet remaining .n the Land, ccitaync of our men fayling from Htfpamola, chaunced vpon them.The thing being vndcrlloode by the interpretours, our men quarcl- Jing witi) them, & calling them to accompt for that mi/cheuous . deede,-thcy immediately direded their bowcs and venemous ar rowes again ft them, and withcrueilcountenaunces threatned tlicm to be qiiiet, leaft \t Ihouldc repent them of theircomming thither. Our men fearing their venemous arrowcs ( for ther were net prepared to fygBt)gaue them figncs of peace. Bceing dcmaunded why they del^royed the village,and where the king was with his familie, they anfwered, that they raied the village, and cut the king with his familie in ^^ttcts, and eate them in the reueiige of their feuen w orkemen -.andthat they had made fag- gottesof their bones, to carythemto the wiues and children of their fiaync workemen, in witnelle that the bodies of their husbandes and parcntcs lay not vnrcuenged, and therewith i}-.cwed the faggottes of bones to our men, who beeing aftoni- Ihed at their ficrccnclTe and crueltie, were enforced to diflemblc the matter, and holde their peace, quarrelling no further with them at tliat time. Thefe and fuche other thinges doe day ly chaunce,the which 1 dockt patTe,leaft I fhould offend the eares of your holy nelfe with fuch blouddie narrations. Thus haue we fufiiciently digretTed from the legions oiBa-agtM and yrd>a^c- ing the chiefeft foundationii of our purpofe.VVc will now there- fore cntrcatcfomewhat of the largcneffe and deapthofthe ry- Thcrhitrtfrf uers o^Vraba : alfo declare both what they and the lands which Vraba, they ranne through ^lo bring foorth : like wife of the greatnclTe of the iandc from theEaft tothe Wcft,andof the breadth ther- offrom the South to the North, and whatthcir opinion and N hope ThefecondDecule. bopc is ofthings yet vnknownc in the fame. Wc will therefore heginne at the newe.names, wherewith the Spany ardcs hauc na» sr.cd thefe prouiiiccijiince they were, vnder the domiiijons oithe Ckriihans. The menth Chitptey oftbefecoMd D ecade^ of the CMppofed continent. ErAgua, therefore they called (ajlelltii ^wv^jtbat isjgoldc Caftile, & Vraha ■. they named AndalnfmnoHa^ thatisy new AndaliiGa. And \ikz as of many lladswhich thc)'fubduedjtkeychcie Hi/pamo/ai'onht chiefe place oftkcir. habitationrib in the large tracb of Fa nay they appoynted their colonic or. biding place in the two regions ofl'- raba xud jbcraaKd^ tliat a.i lijche as attempt any voyages in thofc coafteSjmay refortio thciDjasto fafe f o'rtesto berefrcihcd when they are wearie or driuen to neceflitie. All our feedes and plants do nowmarueiloufly cncreafein p'ra^ayiikcmCc blades,fcts,flips, graftes, fuger canes, and fuch other as ar£ brought from other places to thofe regions, as alio beaftes and toules, as wee haue •nicfraitful- fayd before: Omarueilousfruitefiilneile. Twentic dayes after Biflc of Vraba the kcde is fowen, they gathered ry pc cucumbers,and fuch hke: but Colwoortes, Beetcs, Lettufe, Borage, are rype within the fpace often dayes. Gourdes, Melones, and Pompions within thefpaceot xxviii dayes. Dariena hath manynatiue trees and fruitesjof diners kindes^jV.'ithfundry tartes,&; holfome for the vie of men, of the which Itiaue thought it good to defcribc certain of the bell. They noury Che a tree which they call 6'%'«i^-w,that beareth a f ruite much refembling the kinde of Gitrones which are commonly called Limones, oftaft fomwhat lliarpe, myxt . with fweetnelle.They haue alfo abundance of nuts of pinetrecs, and great plcn tie of Date trees, which beare fruites bigger then the Dates that are knowne to vs,but they are not apt to be eate for their too much fowrenelTe. Wilde & barren Date trees grow of themfelues in fundry places,thc branches wherof they vfe to beefomesjand eate alfo the buds of the fame. GnarMiam-iQ^tin^ higher and bigger tl;ien rhe" orange tree, bringcth foorch a great fruitc Thejeco nd Became. 8 8 /mite as biggcas pomeC.trons. There is another tree much liketoadielhiut tree, whofc truite is like to the bigger Ibrte of figs, being holfome and of pleaTant tafte.-^riww, is another tree that bringeth forth fru te as biggc as an orangc,in talk no- thing inferior to the bed: kindcs of Melones. Guamnala, bcareth a fruite lellc then any of the other,biit of (\veete fauour jike lJ3;ce and of delectable taft-i^oAr^'j- is anothcrtrec,who(e huite both in fliape and t?cfte is muchc like to prunes,but feme what bigger: they are fureiy pcrixvadedtliatthis isxiiQMyrobalunetxzt. Thefe growcib abundartlyin////^'«m^/^, that the hogges arc fedde with the fruite therofjas with mart among vs.Thc hogges like thiskindc of feeding fo wel, that when thefefruiteswaxeripe the fwineheardscanby nomcaneskeepe them out ot the voods oFthefetrcesjby reafon whereof , a great multitude of them are Swlnesflcfhe become wilde.TheyalfoaffirrnCjthatinKf/^^wWrt! Twines fiefh ofbettcruR© \s of niuchc better talle and more wholfomc then mutton.- for it ^J^°thc °^^^ is not to be doubted, but-that diuerskindesofaieatesdoe en- ^^jq^^ gcnderfundry taftes and qualities in fuch as are nourifhed ther- with.The moft puitlant prince F^<^w^;^«/,declared that he had eaten of another fruite brought from thofe Iaudes,being full of fcaics,withkeics, much like a pineapple infourmcand colour, but in tendcrncs equal tomelowpcpons,aad in taite exceeding af garden fruites: (ot it is no tr^c,but an hearbc,much like vnta an artichoke , or Acantho: The king him k\h gaue the checftft commendation to this.1 haue eaten none of thefe fruits:for of a great number which they brouglitfrom thence,only one remai- Fruitetpuen%' nedvncorrupted,the other being putrified by reafo of the long fiedon thcfw^ voiage. A! fijche as haue eaten of tl=iem newly geathered in their natiue foilc,do marueiloufly commcndc their fwecteneire and pleafaunt tafte. Theydigge alfo outof thegroundc certainc rootesgrowing ofthemfelucs,whichethey c^lBetatas, muche ^^^^^^' hkc vnto the nauie rootcs of Millane, orthc great puffesor murtiromes df the earth. Howfoeucr they be drelfedjCyther fried or (bdde, they giuc place to no fuchc kindc ofmcate in plcafant tenderncs. The fkinneis fomwhat tougher then either the nauies ormuniromcs, ofearthic colour,but the inner mcatctherbfis very whitctThcle arc nouriflied in gardens,as v;efaidcof/wr«*'*• ning:This B'ealtis as bigge as anOxe, armed with a long^ faoLite like an Elephant,and yet noElephant, of the colour of an oxe, and yet no oxe,with the hoofe of a horre,&yct no horfcj witheares alfo muche like vntoan Elephant, but nodb open no! fo much hanging downe,yet muche wider then the eares of any other beaft, Otthe bcaft which bcarcthherwhelpes about with her in her fecond belly as in a purfc (bcingknowen to none oftlieoidc writers)! haue fpoken in the firft Decade, which I doubt not to haue come to the handes ofyour holineire. Let us, nowe therefore declare whatrefteth oftheflooddcs andriuers Theriuersof ^i^jy^y^ The riuerof jD^i>«4 falleth intothcgulfcoflr^^^, " ^* with a narow chanel,fcarccly able to beare the Canoas or Ligh- ters of that prouincej& runneihby the village where they chofc their dwelling place, but the riucrin the corner of the gulfe Aleague is which we faide that f^afchus palFed by, they founde to bc:xxiiii axiiii.fur- furlongs in breadth (which they call a lcague)and of exceeding longes. deapth,as of two hundred cubits/ailing into the gulfe by diuers inouthes.They fay tliat rhisi-iucr falletli intoi the gulfe offralfa, . like as tli£ riucr Jffer (othcrwife called DanHbtus,zx\d D^inowe) 'J^fttmhiHS. falJeth into the fea Pontikerand NUus'iuto thefeaofEgipt, wherefore they named it Grandis^th^t is,great;whichealfo they afFirme to noudlhe many and greatCiocodiIes,as the old wri- i^muchthkJafers teftifie of NUns, and efpecially as Ihaue learned by ex- Kcule,'^utof perience,hauing Ailed vp and downethe riuerof iVi/«j-,whcn exceeding I was fent Amba^fadour to the Souldane of Aicair,at the com- ^igftcrsc, niandement of the mod catliolique king. What I may there- fore gcather out of the wn tinges of fo many learned authours as concering the riuer of Nil*ts, I knowe not: for they fay that nature hath giuen tw© liucrs of that name to water the lande, whether they wil them to fpring out of the mountaines of the moone ThefecondBefitdf, 89 moonc or the runne,or out of the tops of the rough mountains of£f/7/«'/'M,afrinningoneofthe fame to fall into the gulfcof £- gypt tovvarde theNorth,and the otherinto thefouth Oceanfea What fliall wee fay m this place; OfthatM//// in Egypt there xj^cPora,. is no doubt. The Portugales alfo which /ayle by tlie coalles of gaics nauigao tlic Ethiopians called A^i^r/z^jand bythe kingdomc oi' A^lclinday tioru, palling vnder the Equinod:iaillyne , among their raaiucyious indentions haue found another toward the South,andcarnGftly aftirme the fame to bee alio deriucd from the mountains of the moone, & that '\t is another chanel of A^/Z/^jbccaiile it bringcth. forth Crocodiles, whereas it hath not bin read before time,that any other ry uer liouniljed Crocodiles fauing onely Ntlus. This riuer the Portugales call Senega. It runneth through the regioH cfthc A^/^/V^,being very fruitefull toward the North il:ore,but on the South lice fandie and rough. Crocodiles are alio engen- dredherein. What fliall we then lay of this thirde 5 yea I may well fay the fourth : for I fuppofe them alfo to bee Crocodiles, which Cfii/oww with his company founde, armed with fcales as hard as fhelles, in the ryucr called Delagartos, whereof wee haue made mention before. Shall we fay that thefe ry uers oiD^ric^a ^Ifo&Lyraha, haue their originall from the mcuntaynes of the inoone,wheras they fpring cut oftiic next mountains, & can by no meanes hane the fame originall with Nt/f^ in Egypt, or that Tn Nfgritapich tl>at in the kingdome ofArAconis. as he is fully perfwaded. They agree there- fore that there arc great caiics witliin tiicf c mountaynes, but it rcftcth to confjdcr from whece they are fyJied.K therfbre al the riuers of {-ireihc water, by the opinion of many, doc fb flow out of thefca, asdriucn and compelled through the pa'Jages orxije^r^v; ^pores ofthe earth, by the ponderous weight of \k\Q. f ca it lelfe , as wee fee them breakefoorth ofthe fpringes, and dired their cour/etothefcaagayne, then the thing it feifeto beemaruey- Jed at here,^then m otlier places : for wee haue not read that iw any other place, two fuch leas haue cnuironed any lande with The land e»4 fo narrows lymittes : for it hath on the right fide the great Ozo.- ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^n,vvhcrc the funne goeth dovvnc on theleft hande,and another on the other fide wliere the funne rifcth,nothing inferiour tothc ifirfl \v\ greatnefle, for they fuppofe it to bee myxte and ioyned as aJl one with thefeaof £aft India. This land therefore beeing burdened with fo great a weyght on the one fide, & on the ether ( if this opinion be of any value)is enforced tofwallowe vp fuche: deuoured waters, and againctocaflfoortti the famein open Ipringcs and flreames . But if wee fhalldenyethat the earth draweth humoares ofthe fea, and agree that all the fountaynes or fpringes are engendrcd ofthe conucrf ion or turning of ay re Conuerffon into water,diffilling within thcholow places ofthe mountaynes ofayre inta Xasthemoftpartthinke) wewilgiue place rather to the autho- water in the ritie of them whiche fiicke to thofe reafons, then that our fence "y " ° "* is fatisfied of the full trutii thereof. Yet do I not repugne,that in fomecaues of mountaynes, water is turned intoayrc ; for I my felfehauefcenc, howe in the caues of manye mountaynes inSpayne, in manner fhowres of rayns q.q>z fall continually and that the water gjithercd by this meaner, doothfcnd fortl* K 4 <«rt- in Feh^mefiy and breaketh forth at the fountainc or fpring Arethajh in the Ilande of SicilU fo is it poffible that thefe mountaines may haue fuch long caucs Longcauesia perteyning vnto them , that they may bcc the receptacles of tile water paffingthroughthe lander beeing farre dittant, and that thcfame waters comm.ng by folong a tra(^e, may in tlie way bee greatly encrealed ,by the conueriion of ay re into water, as we haue fay de. Thus much hauc I fpoken freely, permitting both to,them which do friendly interprete other mens dooinges andalfo the malicious fcorners, to take the thing euen as them lyfteth, for hitherto I can make no further declaration hereof but wlien the tructh flialbc better knowne, I wil do my diligence to commit the fame to writing. Nowq.therefore, forafiiiuch as we haue fpoken thus much of the breadth of this lande, wc cn- t5ndc to defcribe the length and fourme of the fame. Tke rmer Alpheus* cthcmoun Tae length aad forme of fhelhnd* The tenth Chapter efthefecoadc D ecade^ of thefupfofedcmPmeM. Hat land reachcth forth into thefea, cucn as doth Italy,akhough not like the leg of a man, as it doth.But newc I compare a Pigmean or a dwarfe^to a Giant : for that part therof which the Spaniardes haue ouerrunne/rom the faid Eaft poynt whiche reachcth towarde the fea Atiar^ikeTfthcend notbeingyet founde towarde the Welljis more thenci^h.t times longerthen Italic. And by what reafoa lam raouedto fay eight times,yourholineire (hail vndcrdande. From the time therefore that I fir ft determined to obey their reouefles, who willed mee firft in your ntmt to write thele thingcs ThefecondDecitdf. ^2 thingcs in tfce Latine tonguc;,! did my endct-iour that all thingcs' siL'ght come fborth with due try all and experience : wheriipon - IrepayredtotheByd^opoF^Afr^fj-, being the chiefe refuge of this nauigation. . As v\*c were therefore fccrctely togethcrin one chamber,\ve had many iuftrumentspcrceining to thci^:: affaires, as globes, and many ofthofemaps which are commonly calkid C.irdes ofthc the Ihipmans cardes, or cardes of tlie iea.Of the which, one was ^'^' drawne by the Portugales,whcreunto ylwemns Vejfutius is fayd- -t-l 1 r to haue put to his haiid, beeing a mannc moil: expert in this fa- a ir^erfcu/ cultic, and a Florentine borne,who alio vnder tlic ftipcnd of the Verpuuus* PortugaleS) haeifayledtowarde the South |X)iemani€ degrees' beyonde the Equinodtiall. In this cardc we found the firfl: front ofthislande to bee broader then thckingesof>r^2^Mi;had per- f\vaded our men of their mountaynes. To anothcr,0/af7^// the ~, Admiral,, while heyctliucd, andfcarched thofe places, had gi- Colonus ^ °^ uen the beginning with his owne handcs : wheieunto Btartholo'- meus Colomis his brother and Licuetcnant had added hisiudgc- ment, for he alfo had fayled about thofe coaRes, Of the Spany- ardcs likcwife, as many as thought themfeiucs to haue anic knowledge what pcrteyned to meafure the land and thciea,drew certayne cardes in parchment as conccraing thcfc naaigations. Of all other, they moflieftceme them which hhAftnesdeUThtciititoi Cfijpi thecompanion oiF9geda{ whom we fayde to be flaync of ^•^'^^'■"csdc the people o^Caramairi in the hauen o^Carthag6)bL another ex- ^°^^** pertpylotccalicd^i;^^/^- J/*r/?/;y-, had fct forth. And this af^, r a e wel for the great experiece which they both had (to wliom thefc fi,nlttzlm^ trades were afwel knowne as the chambers of their owne hou- talis* fej) as alio th.1t they were thoughtto be cunningcr in that part d'Cofinographie, which teachcth the defcription & meafurinr' of the fea. Conf erring therfore al thefe cardes togethcr,in eiiery ofthc which was drawne a lync, exprefiing not the myJes, . bu t • kagues,after the manner of the SpaHyards,wec tookcour com- Thcmaser of patles,& began to n:eafurc the fcaeoafles aftcrhi^ order. From "^«J^"f'"g <<^<«j among the whiche is the village c2i\W<\San^U Maria ArnqHUj where the Spaniardes haue appoynted their ha- bitation,onlyxxxiii. leagues. From the ryuer oifraha^in the pror uincc oiDarienay to the ryuer o^Beragua, where Nicuefa had in- tended to haue fafl:encdhisfoote,ifGodhad not otherwifede- creed,vve meafured a hundred and thirtic leagues»From Beragua to that riuci", which we fayd of Colonus to bee called SanVuMat^ thcif in the which alio Nicuefa looling his Caraucll, wandered in great calamiticsjwe found ioour Cardes only a hundred & four- tic leagues : Yet many other which of late time haue come from thefc partes^haue defcribed many mo leagues in this trad: from the ryuer o^San^tMatihei^ in whiche alf'o they place diuers ri- ucrs,as Aburema, with the Hand called Scutttm Cateha^ lying he- fore it, whofe kings name i« 'Fades cembufia. L ikewife another ryuer called Z»braba, after that, Vrida, and then Dtfraba^'in the whiche goldc is founde. Furthermore, many goodly hauens,as CtfT^ei-*?^*? and H/;jthatis,thegulfeofthe loft men.But we may not leaue here: f'lolMtfi" ' ^"^^ afterthis, one Ajlur Ouctenjis otherwife named Johannes Di' nes Dias»