left 38 men and a captaine called Roderigo de Arana to learne the language and customes of the countrey They brought from thence musters and shewes of gold pearles and other things which that countrey yéelded and ten Indians also whereof sixe died the rest were brought home and baptized Hereupon there grewe such a common desire of trauaile among the Spanyards that they were ready to leape into the sea to swim if it had béen possible into those new found parts The aforesaid company of Columbus at their comming home tooke in their way the Isles of the Açores and the 4. day of March in the yéere 1493. they entred into the bar of Lisbon which discouerie pleased not the king of Portugall Whereupon rose a contention betwéene those two kings Christopher Columbus being arriued went presently into Castile with the newes of all things and acquainted the king Fernando with the discontentednes of the king of Portugall whereupon he and the Quéene Isabella his wife sent streight word thereof vnto Pope Alexander the 6. whereat he and the Italians were in great admiration maruailing that there was any more land besides that which was vnder the Romanes But the end of this matter was this Alexander the Pope gaue these countreies by his iudgement vnto the kingdomes of Leon and Castile with this condition That they should labour to extirpate idolatrie and plant the Holy faith in those countreyes Fernando the king hauing receiued this answere was glad of it and sent Christopher Columbus againe on the former voiage hauing made him Admirall and giuen him other honors with particular armes and a posie written about his armes to this effect For Castile and for Leon A new world found out Colon. In the yéere 1493. the 25. of the moneth of October Christopher Columbus went backe vnto the Antiles and froÌ„ Cadiz he tooke his course hauing in his companie 17. ships and 1500. men in them with his brethren Bartholomew Columbus and Diego Columbus with other knights gentlemen men of law and religious men with chalices crosses rich ornaments and with great power and dignitie from Pope Alexander the 10. day after their setting foorth they arriued at the Canaries from thence in 25. or 30. daies they sailed vnto the Antiles the first Island that they saw standeth in 14. degrées towards the north due west from Cape Verde on the coast of Africa They say that the distance from thence to the Canaries is 800. leagues The name they gaue it was Deseada that is the Desired or wished Island for the great desire which the companie had to come to sight of land After that they discouered many more which they named the Virgines which the naturals of the countrey call the Caribas for that the men of that countrey are good warriers and shoote well in bowes They poison their arrowes with an herbe whereof he that is hurt dieth biting himselfe like as a mad dog doth From these Islands and others they went vnto the principall Island there which they of the countrey doe call Boriquen and the Spanyards call it S. Iohn and thence to Hispaniola or Isabella where they found all the men dead which there they had left Here the Admirall left the most part of the people to plant it and appointed his brethren to be gouernours there and so tooke two ships and went to discouer the other side of the Island of Cuba and from thence to Iamaica All these Islands stand from 16. vnto 20. degrées of northerly latitude In the meane time that the Admiralâ— sailed about his brethren and they that were left with them were much troubled because the Sauages did rise against them So that Christopher Colon went backe againe into Spaine to tell the king and Quéene of his aduentures In the yéere 1494. and in the moneth of Ianuarie there was an agréement made of the differences which were betwéene the two kings of Spaine and Portugall For the which agréement there were sent out of Portugall Ruy de Soâ—a and Don Iohn his sonne and the Doctor Ayres de Almada and for the king of Spaine there were Don Henry Henriques Don Iohn de Cardenas and the Doctor Maldonado All these met in the towne of Tordesillas and they deuided the world froÌ„ the north to the south by a meridian which standeth west from the Islands of Cape Verde 300. leagues so that the one halfe which lay vnto the east should belong vnto Portugall and that which lay to the west to the king of Spaine whereby notwithstanding libertie to trauell was left equall vnto both In the yéere following 1495. Iohn king of Portugall died and Emmanuel his cosen began to reigne In the yéere 1496. there was a Venetian in England called Iohn Cabota who hauing knowledge of such a new discouerie as this was and perceiuing by the globe that the Islands before spoken of stood almost in the same latitude with his countrey and much néerer to England then to Portugall or to Castile he acquainted king Henrie the seuenth then king of England with the same wherewith the saide king was greatly pleased and furnished him out with two ships and thrée hundred men which departed and set saile in the spring of the yéere and they sailed westward til they came in sight of land in 45. degrées of latitude towards the north and then went straight northwards till they came into 60. degrées of latitude where the day is 18. howers long and the night is very cléere and bright There they found the aire cold and great Islands of ice but no ground in an hundred fathoms sounding and so from thence finding the land to turne eastwards they trended along by it discouering all the Bay and riuer named Deseado to see if it passed on the other side Then they sailed backe againe till they came to 38. degrées towards the Equinoctiall line and from thence returned into England There he others which say that he went as far as the Cape of Florida which standeth in 25. degrées In the yéere 1497. The king of Spaine Don Fernando sent out Christopher Columbus with sixe ships and he himselfe prouided two ships at his owne cost and sending his brother before he made saile from the Bay of Cadiz carrying with him his sonne Don Diego Colon It was then reported that he went to take the Island of Madera because he mistrusted the French men and therefore sent thither thrée ships others say it was to the Canaries But howsoeuer it was this is true that he and thrée more went vnto the Islands of Cape Verde and ran along by the line finding great calmes and raine and the first land which they came vnto of the Antiles was an Island standing in 9. degrées of latitude towards the north ioining fast vnto the maine land which they called La Trinidada and so he entred into the Gulfe of Paria and came out of
latitude they found a Straight and passing through it towards the west they arriued in the Empire of India and fought with the king of Cathay and so came backe againe vnto the citie of Rome Which thing howsoeuer it may séeme either possible or not possible true or not true yet so I finde it left to vs recorded in the * histories of that time In the 100. yéere after the incarnation of Christ the Emperour Traiane prepared an armie by sea vpon the riuers Euphrates and Tigris and departed from them and sailed to the Islands of Zyzara and passing the straight of Persia entred into the Ocean sea and sailed towards India all along the coast till he came to that place where Alexander had béen and there he tooke certaine ships which came from Bengala of whom he learned the state of that countrey But because he was then in yéeres and wearie with his trauaile but especially because he found there small reliefe for his armie he returned backe After that the Romanes had gotten the most part of the world there were in that age made many and notable discoueries But then came the Gothes Moores and other barbarous nations and destroied all For in the yéere 412. after the incarnation of Christ they tooke the citie of Rome And the Vandales came out of Spaine and conquered Africa And in the yeere 450. the king called Atila destroied many cities in Italie at which time the citie of Venice began And in this age the Frankes and Vandals entred into France In the yéere 474. the Empire of Rome was lost and fell from the Romanes to the Gothes And after this came the Lombards into Italie namely in the yéere 560. Also about this time the sect of the Arrians preuailed greatly and at this time one Merline of England was famous for his prophecies To be short in the yéere 611. sproong vp the Mahumetane sect and Morisco regiment which by force inuaded both Africa and Spaine By all this it may appéere that in that age all the world was in an hurly burly and all places very tumultuous In so much that trafficke and marchandise ceased for no nation durst trade one with another neither by sea nor land nothing as then remained stedfast neither in monarchies nor kingdomes signiories religions lawes artes sciences nor nauigations Nor so much as the records and writings of such things did remaine but were all burnt and consumed by the barbarous crueltie and vnbrideled power of the Gothes who became so couetous and ambitious that they purposed of themselues to begin a new world and to roote out the memorie and blot out the knowledge of all other nations besides But they that succéeded after these times in the gouernment of things perceiuing the great and huge losse that the Christian world had by the want of trafficke and ceasing of nauigation whereby those commodities and marchandises could not be spent which before went ordinarily from one nation to another by the vse of trade to the end that this decay and losse might be repaired and the treasures of the East might be imparted with the West as it was woont in the times of quietnes and peaceable liuing they began to deuise a way to passe to India which was not as the former way was by the Red sea and the riuer Nilus but a way of farther sailing farther length and cost also For they brought their ware vp the riuer Indus and there vnladed it carrying it by land through the countrey of Paropanisus by Carauans vnto the prouince of Bactria and then shipped it in barks on the riuer Oxus which falleth into the Caspian sea and so sailed ouer that sea vnto an hauen of the riuer Rha named Citracan or Astracan and so vpwards in the said riuer which now is called Volga and as it appéereth they carried it to the citie of Nouogrode in the prouince of Resan which now belongeth to the great Duke of Moscouia standing toward the north in 54. degrées of latitude therehence they trauailed ouer land vnto the prouince of Sarmatia vnto the riuer Tanais which is the diuision of Europe from Asia where they againe laded it in barks and caried it downe the riuer into the lake Maeotis and to the citie of Caffa which in ancient time was called Theodosia which then belonged to the Genowais who came thither for those wares in their galliasses or great ships It is also left written that the trade this way endured vntill the raigne of Commodita Emperour of Armenia who prouided for a better course and commanded this trafficke of the spices to be conueied by the Caspian sea and so through the kingdome of Hiberia which now is called Georgiana and from thence they entred by the riuer Phasis now Phasso into Pontus Euxinus and so vnto the city of Trapezunda standing in 40. and odde degrées of northerly latitude And to that place came shipping for the marchandises out of Europe and Africa It is further left recorded concerning this way of trafficke that Nicanor determined or had already begun to open aboue 120. miles of land which lieth betwéene the Caspian sea and Pontus Euxinus that they might come and goe by water with their spices drugs and other commodities there vsed But in the meane time this mischiefe happened that Ptolemey Ceraunos killed him and by his death this woorthy and famous enterprise ceased without effect But the other way being also at last lost by reason of the wars of the Turks it pleased God to open another way to these marchandises from the Isle of Samatra the citie of Malacca and the Island of Iaua vnto Bengala and so carrying them vp the riuer Ganges vnto the citie of Agra from whence they trauailed ouer land vnto another citie standing néere the riuer Indus named Boghar where they discharged bicause the citie of Cabor standeth too farre within the land being the principall citie of the Mogores From thence they went forward to the great citie of Samarcand standing in the countrey of Bactria and there the marchants of India Persia and Turkie met bringing thither their seuerall commodities as cloth of gold veluets chamolets scarlet and woollen clothes which were carried to Cathay and the great kingdome of China wherehence they brought againe gold siluer precious stones pearles silke muske and many other things of great value and much rubarbe After this these marchandise drugs and spiceries were carried in ships vpon the Indian sea vnto the streight of Ormus and to the riuers Euphrates and Tigris and were vnladen in the citie of Balsara standing in 31. degrées towards the north and from thence they were caried ouer land vnto the cities of Aleppo Damascus and Barutti standing on the same side in 35. degrées And there the Venetian gallies or galliasses which transported pilgrims into the holy land came and receiued of those goods In the yéere 1153.
and came to an anker in an hauen of it called Guliguli where they went on land and tooke a village standing by the riuer where they found dead men hanging in the houses for the people there are eaters of mans flesh Here the Portugals burnt the ship wherein Francis Serrano was for she was old and rotten They went to a place on the other side standing in 8. degrées toward the south where they laded cloues nutmegs and mace in a Iunco or barke which Francis Serrano bought here They say that not farre from the Islands of Banda there is an Island where there bréedeth nothing else but snakes and the most are in one caue in the middest of the land This is a thing not much to be woondred at for as much as in the Leuant sea hard by the Isles of Maiorca and Minorca there is another Island of old named Ophiâ—sa and now Formentera wherein there is great abundance of these vermine and in the rest of the Islands lying by it there are none In the yéere 1512. they departed from Banda toward Malacea and on the baxos or flats of Luçapinho Francis Serrano perished in his Iunke or barke from whence escaped vnto the Isle of Mindanao nine or ten Portugals which were with him and the kings of Maluco sent for them These were the first Portugals that came to the Islands of Cloues which stand from the Equinoctiall line towardes the north in one degrée where they liued seuen or eight yeeres The Island of Gumnape now called Ternate is much to be admired for that it casteth out fire There were some princes of the Moores and couragious Portugals which determined to goe néere to the firie place to sée what it was but they could neuer come néere it But Antonie Galuano hearing of it vndertooke to goe vp to it and did so and found a riuer so extreme cold that he could not suffer his hand in it nor yet put any of the water in his mouth And yet this place standeth vnder the line where the sunne continually burneth In these Islands of Maluco there is a kinde of men that haue spurres on their ankles like vnto cocks And it was told me by the king of Tydore that in the Islands of Batochina there were people that had tailes and had a thing like vnto a dug betwéen their cods out of the which there came milke There are smal hennes also which lay their egges vnder the ground aboue a fathome and an halfe and the egges are bigger then ducks egges and many of these hennes are blacke in their flesh There are hogs also with hornes and parats which prattle much which they call Noris There is also a riuer of water so hot that whatsoeuer liuing creature coÌ„meth into it their skins will come off and yet fish bréede in it There are crabs which be very swéete and so strong in their clawes that they will breake the iron of a pikâ—axe There be others also in the sea little and hairie but whosoeuer eateth of them dieth immediately There be likewise certaine oisters which they doe call Bras the shels whereof haue so large a compasse that they doe Christen in them In the sea also there are liuely stones which doe grow and increase like vnto fish whereof very good lime is made and if they let it lie when it is taken out of the water it looseth the strength and it neuer burneth after There is also a certaine trée which beareth flowers at the sunne set which fall downe as soone as they be growne There is a fruit also as they say whereof if a woman that is conceaued of childe eateth the childe by by mooueth There is further a kinde of herbe there growing which followeth the sunne and remooueth after it which is a very strange and maruailous thing In the yéere 1512. in the moneth of Ianuarie Alfonsus de Albuquerque went backe from Malaca vnto Goa and the ship wherein he went was lost and the rest went from his companie Simon de Andrada and a few Portugals were driuen vnto the Islands of Maldiua being many full of palme trées and they stand lowe by the water which staied there till they knew what was become of their gouernour These were the first Portugals that had séene those Islands wherein there growe Cocos which are very good against all kinde of poison In this yéere 1512. there went out of Castile one Iohn de Solis borne in Lisbon and chiefe pilot vnto Don Fernando And he hauing licence went to discouer the coast of Brasill He tooke the like course that the Pinsons had done he went also to the Cape of S. Augustine and went forwards to the south coasting the shore and land and he came vnto The Port De Lagoa and in 35. degrées of southerly latitude he found a riuer which they of Brasill call Parana-guaçu that is The great Water He sawe there signes of siluer and therefore called it Rio de Plata that is The Riuer of siluer And it is said that at that time he went farther because he liked the countrey well but he returned backe againe into Spaine and made account of all things to Don Fernando demaunding of the king the gouernment thereof which the king granted him Whereupon he prouided thrée ships and with them in the yéere 1515. he went againe into that kingdome but he was there slaine These Solisses were great discouerers in those partes and spent therein their liues and goods In the same yéere 1512. Iohn Ponce of Leon which had béene goueruour of the Isle of S. Iohn armed two ships and went to séeke the Isle of Boyuca where the naturals of the countrey reported to be a Wel which maketh old men yoong Whereupon he laboured to finde it out and was in searching of it the space of sixe monethes but could finde no such thing He entred into the Isle of Bimini and discouered a point of the firme land standing in 25. degrées towards the north vpon Easter day and therefore he named it Florida And because the land séemed to yeeld gold and siluer and great riches he begged it of the king Don Fernando but he died in the discouerie of it as many more haue done In the yéere 1513. Vasco Nunnes de Valboa hearing spéech and newes of The south sea determined to goe thither although his companie dissuaded him from that action But being a man of good valure with those soldiers that he had being 290. he resolued to put himselfe into that ieoperdie He went therefore from Dariene the first day of September carrying some Indians of the countrey with him to be his guides and he marched ouerthwart the land sometimes quietly sometimes in war and in a certaine place called Careca he found Negroes captiues with curled haire This Valboa came to the sight of the South Sea on the 25. day of the said
came on land in Iucatan standing in 20. degrées of latitude at a point which they called Punta de las Duennas that is to say The point of Ladies which was the first place wherein they had séen Temples and buildings of lime and stone The people here goe better apparelled then in any other place They haue crosses which they worship setting them vpon their tombes when they be buried Wherby it séemeth that in times past they had in that place the faith of Christ among them And some say that thereabouts were The seuen Cities They went round about it towards the north which is on the right hand from whence they turned backe vnto the Island of Cuba with some examples of gold and men which they had taken And this was the first beginning of the discouerie of New Spaine In the yéere 1518. Lopez Suares commanded Don Iohn de Silueira to goe to the Islands of Maldiua and he made peace with them and from thence he went to the citie of Chatigam situated on the mouth of the riuer Ganges vnder the Tropicke of Cancer For this riuer and the riuer Indus which standeth an hundred leagues beyond the citie of Diu and that of Canton in China doe all fall in t the sea vnder one parallele or latitude And although before that time Fernan Perez had béen commanded to goe to Bengala yet notwithstanding Iohn de Silueira ought to beare away the commendation of this discouerie because he went as captaine generall and remained there longest learning the commodities of the countrey and maners of the people In the said yéere 1518. the first day of May Diego Velasques gouernour of the Island of Cuba sent his nephew Iohn de Grisalua with fower ships two hundred soldiers to discouer the land of Iucatan And they founde in their way the Island of Cosumel standing towards the north in 19. degrées and named it Santa Cruz because they came to it the third of May. They coasted the land lying vpon the left hand of the Gulfe and came to an Island called Ascension because they came vnto it vpon Ascension day They went vnto the end of it standing in 16. degrées of latitude from whence they came backe because they could finde no place to goe out at and from hence they went round about it to another riuer which they called The riuer of Grisalua standing in 17. degrées of latitude the people thereabout troubled them sore yet notwithstanding they brought from thence some gold siluer and feathers being there in great estimation and so they turned backe againe to the Island of Cuba In the same yéere 1518. one Francis Garay armed thrée ships in the Isle of Iamaica at his owne charges and went towards the point of Florida standing in 25. degrées towards the north séeming to them to be an Island most pleasant thinking it better to people Islands then the firme land because they could best conquere them and kéepe them They went there on land but the people of Florida killed many of them so that they durst not inhabite it So they sailed along the coast and came vnto the riuer of Panuco standing 500. leagues from the point of Florida in sailing along the coast but the people resisted them in euery place Many of them also were killed in Chila whom the Sauages flaied and eate hanging vp their skinnes in their Temples in memoriall of their valiantnes Notwithstanding all thiâ— Francis de Garay went thither the next yéere and begged the gouernment of that countrey of the Emperour because he sawe in it some shew of gold and siluer In the yeere 1519. in the moneth of Februarie Fernando Cortes went from the Island of Cuba to the land which is called Noua Spania with 11. ships and 550. Spanyards in them The first place where he went on land was the Island of Cosumel where they immediately destroied all the Idols and set crosses on the altars and the images of the virgine Marie From this Island they went and arriued on the firme land of Iucatan at the point De las Duenâ—as or the point of Ladies and went thence to the riuer of Tauasco and set vpon a citie fast by called Potoncian inuironed with wood and the houses were built with lime and stone and couered with tile they fought there egarly and there appeered vnto them S. Iames on horsebacke which increased their courage They called that citie Victoria and they were the first people which were subdued to the Spanyards obedience in all Newe Spaine From hence they went discouering the coast till they came vnto a place named S. Iohn de Vllhua distant as they said from Mexico where the king Muteçuma was 60. or 70. leagues and there was a seruant of his that gouerned that prouince named Tendilli which gaue them good entertainment although they vnderstood not one another But Cortes had 20. women whereof one was called Marine borne in thaâ— countrey They were the first that were baptized in New Spaine And from that time forward Marine and Aguilar serued as interpreters Tendilli presently gaue knowledge of this vnto Muteçuma that a kinde of bearded people were arriued in his countrey for so they called the Castillians But he was troubled vpon that newes for his Gods which are to be thought to be diuels had told him that such people as the Spanyards were should destroy his law and countrey and be Lords thereof And therefore he sent gifts vnto Cortes in value 20. thousand ducats but would not come to him Because S. Iohn de Vllhua was then no place for a nauie to ride in Cortes sent Francis de Montâ—io and the pilot Antonie Alaminos in two brigandines to discouer that coast who came to a place where they might ride without danger They came to Panuco standing in 23. degrées northward from whence they came backe vpon an agreement to goe vnto Culuacan being an hauen of more safetie They set saile but Cortes went by land westward with the most part of his men on horsebacke and they came vnto a citie called Zempoallan where they were well receiued And from thence he went to another towne called Chiauitztlan with the Lord of which towne as with all the countrey besides he made league to be against Muteçuma And when he knew that his ships were come he went vnto them and there builded a towne and called it Villa rica de la vera cruz From whence he sent vnto Charles the Emperour a present and made report of all that he had done and how he determined to goe to Mexico and to visite Muteçuma and besought the Emperour to giue him the gouernment of that countrey And because his people should not rise in mutinie as they began he destroied all his ships Cortes presently went from Villa rica de la vera Cruz leauing there 150. Spanish horsemen and many Indians to serue
other things of the countrey and they of Tecoantepec did the like and not long after this Casique sent for aide to Cortes against his neighbours which did warre against him In the yéere 1523. Cortes sent vnto him for his aide Peter de Aluarado with two hundred soldiers footemen and fortie horsemen and the Caciques of Tecoantepec and Quahutemallan asked them for the monsters of the sea which came thither the yéere past meaning the ships of Gil Gonsales de Auila being greatly amazed at the sight of them and woondring much more when they heard that Cortes had bigger then those and they painted vnto them a mightie Carake with sixe masts and sailes and shroudes and men armed on horsebacke This Aluarado went through the countrey and builded there the city of Sant Iago or Saint Iames and a towne which he called Segura leauing certaine of his people in it In the same yeere 1523. in the moneth of May Antonie de Britto being captaine of the Isles of Maluco sent his cosen Simon de Breu to learne the way by the Isle of Borneo to Malaca They came in sight of the Islands of Manada and Panguensara They went through the straight of Treminao and Taguy and to the Islands of Saint Michael standing in 7. degrées and from thence discouered the Islands of Borneo and had sight of Pedra branca or the White stone and passed through the straight of Cincapura so to the citie of Malaca In this same yéere 1523. Cortes went with 300. footemen and 150. horsemen and 40000. Mexicans to Panuco both to discouer it better and also to inhabite it and withall to be reuenged vpon them which had killed and eaten the soldiers of Francis Garay They of Panuco resisted him but Cortes in the end ouerthrew them and conquered the countrey And hard by Chila vpon the riuer he built a towne and named it Santo Stephano del puerto leauing in it 100. footemen and thirtie horsemen and one Peter de Vallâ—io for lieutenant This iourney cost him 76. thousand Castillians besides the Spanyards horses and Maxicans which died there In this yéere 1523. Francis de Garay made nine ships and two brigandines to goe to Panuco and to Rio de las Palmas to be there as gouernour for that the Emperour had granted vnto him from the coast of Florida vnto Panuco in regard of the charges which he had béene at in that discouerie He carried with him 850. soldiers and 140. horses and some men out of the Island of Iamaica where he furnished his fléet with munition for the warre and he went vnto Xagua an hauen in the Island of Cuba where he vnderstood that Cortes had peopled the coast of Panuco and that it might not happen vnto him as it did to Pamphilus de Naruaez he determined to take another companion with him and desired the Doctor Zuazo to goe to Mexico and procure some agréement betwéene Cortes and him And they departed from Xagua each one about his busines Zuazo came in great ieoperdie and Garay went not cléere without Garay arriued in Rio de las Palmas on S. Iames his day and then he sent vp the riuer one Gonsaluo de Ocampo who at his returne declared that it was an euill and desert countrey but notwithstanding Garay went there on land with 400. footemen and some horsemen and he commanded one Iohn de Grijalua to search the coast and he himselfe marched by land towards Panuco and passed a riuer which he named Rio montalco he entred into a great towne where they found many hennes wherewith they refreshed themselues and he tooke some of the people of Chila which he vsed for messengers to certaine places And after great trauaile comming to Panuco they found no victuailes there by reason of the warres of Cortes and the spoile of the soldiers Garay then sent one Gonçalo de Ocampo to Sant Isteuan del puerto to know whether they would receiue him or no. They had a good answere But Cortes his men priuily by an ambushment tooke 40. of Garayes horsemen alleaging that they came to vsurpe the gouernment of another and besides this misfortune he lost fower of his ships whereupon he left off to procéede any farther While Cortes was preparing to set forward to Panuco Francis de las Casas and Roderigo de la Paz arriued at Mexico with letters patents wherein the Emperour gaue the gouernment of Nueua Spagna and all the countrey which Cortes had conquered to Cortes and namely Panuco Whereupon he staied his iourney But he sent Diego de Ocampo with the said letters patents and Pedro de Aluarado with store of footemen and horsemen Garay knowing this thought it best to yéeld himselfe vnto Cortes his hands and to go to Mexico which thing he did hauing discouered a great tract of land In this yéere 1523. Gil Gonçales de Auila made a discouerie and peopled a towne called San Gil de buena vista standing in 14. degrées toward the north and almost in the bottome of the Bay called the Ascension or the Honduras He began to conquere it because he best knew the secrets thereof and that it was a very rich countrey In this yéere 1523. the sixt day of December Peter de Aluarado went from the citie of Mexico by Cortes his commandement to discouer conquere Quahutemallan Vtlatlan Chiapa Xochnuxco and other townes toward the South sea He had with him thrée hundred soldiers 170. horsemen foure field péeces and some noble men of Mexico with people of the countrey to aide him as well in the warre as by the way being long He went by Tecoantepec to Xochnuxco and other places aboue said with great trauaile and losse of his men but he discouered and subdued all the countrey There are in those parts certaine hils that haue Alume in them and out of which distilleth a certaine liquor like vnto oile and sulphur or brimstone whereof the Spanyards made excellent gunpowder He trauailed 400. leagues in this voiage and passed certaine riuers which were so hot that they could not well endure to wade through them He builded a citie calling it Sant Iago de Quahutemallan Peter de Aluarado begged the gouernment of this countrey and the report is that it was giuen him In the yeere 1523. the 8. day of December Cortes sent Diego de Godoy with 100. footemen and 30. horsemen two field péeces and many of his friends Indians vnto the towne Del Espiritu santo He ioined himselfe with the captaine of that towne and they went to Chamolla the head citie of that prouince and that being taken all the countrey grew quiet In the yéere 1524. in Februarie Cortes sent one Roderigo Rangel with 150. Spaniards and many of the Tlaxcallans and Mexicans against the Zapoteeas and Nixticas and vnto other prouinces and countreyes not so well discouered
of the Canaries and went to Brasill where they found an Island in two degrées and named it S. Matthew and it seemed to be inhabited because they found in it orenge trées hogs and hennes in caues and vpon the rindes of most of the trées there were grauen Portugall letters shewing that the Portugals had béene there 17. yéeres before that time A patache or pinnesse of theirs passed the streight of Magellane hauing in her one Iohn de Resaga and ran all along the coast of Peru and Noua Spagna They declared all their successe vnto Cortes and told him that frier Garsia de Loaisa was passed to the islands of cloues But of this fléete the Admirall onely came thither wherein was captaine one Martine Mingues de Carâ—houa for Loaisa and the other captaines died by the way All the Moores of Maluco were found well affectioned to the Spaniards In the same yéere 1525. the pilot Stephen Gomes went from the port of the Groine toward the north to discouer the streight vnto the Malucos by the north to whom they would giue no charge in the fléete of frier Garsia de Loaisa But yet the Earle Don Fernando de Andrada and the Doctor Beltram and the marchant Christopher de Sarro furnished a gallion for him and he went from the Groine in Galicia to the Island of Cuba and to the point of Florida sailing by day because he knew not the land He passed the bay Angra and the riuer Enseada and so went ouer to the other side It is also reported that he came to Cape Razo in 46. degrées to the north from whence he came backe againe to the Groine laden with slaues The newes hereof ran by and by through Spaine that he was come home laden with cloues as mistaking the word and it was carried to the Court of Spaine but when the truth was knowne it turned to a pleasant iest In this voiage Gomes was ten monethes In this yéere 1525. Don George de Meneses captaine of Maluco and with him Don Garcia Henriques sent a foyst to discouer land towards the north wherein went as captaine one Diego de Rocha and Gomes de Sequeira for pilot In 9. or 10. degrées they found certaine Islands standing close together and they called them the Islands of Gomes de Sequeira he being the first pilot that discouered them And they came backe againe by the Island of Batochina In the yéere 1526. there went out of Siuill one Sebastian Cabota a Venetian by his father but borne at Bristol in England being chiefe pilote to the Emperour with fower ships toward Maluco They came to Pernambuco and staied there thrée monethes for a winde to double the Cape of Saint Augustine In the Bay of Patos or of ducks the Admirall ship perished and being without hope to get to the Isles of Maluco they there made a pinnesse to enter vp the riuer of Plate and to search it They ran 60. leagues vp before they came to the barre where they left their great ships and with their small pinnesses passed vp the riuer Parana which the inhabitants count to be the principall riuer Hauing rowed vp 120. leagues they made a fortresse and staied there aboue a yéere and then rowed further till they came to the mouth of another riuer called Paragioa and perceiuing that the countrey yéelded gold and siluer they kept on their course and sent a brigandine before but those of the countrey tooke it and Cabote vnderstanding of it thought it best to turne backe vnto their forte and there tooke in his men which he had left there and so went downe the riuer where his ships did ride and from thence he sailed home to Siuill in the yéere 1530. leauing discouered about two hundred leagues within this riuer reporting it to be very nauigable and that it springeth out of a lake named Bombo It standeth in the firme land of the kingdome of Peru running through the vallies of Xauxa and méeteth with the riuers Parso Bulcasban Cay Parima Hiucax with others which make it very broad and great It is said also that out of this lake runneth the riuer called Rio de San Francesco and by this meane the riuers come to be so great For the riuers that come out of lakes are bigger then those which procéede from a spring In the yéere 1517. one Pamphilus de Naruaez went out of S. Lucar de Barameda to be generall of the coast and land of Florida as farre as Rio de las Palmas and had with him fiue ships 600. soldiers 100. horses besides a great summe and quantitie of victuailes armour clothing and other things He could not goe on land where his desire was but went on land somewhat néere to Florida with thrée hundred of his companie some horses and some victuailes commanding the ships to goe to Rio de las Palmas in which voiage they were almost all lost and those which escaped passed great dangers hunger and thirst in an Island called Xamo and by the Spaniards Malhada being very drie and barren where the Spaniards killed one another and the people also of the countrey did the like Naruaez and those which went with him sawe some golde with certaine Indians and he demanded of them where they gathered it and they answered that they had it at Apalachen They therefore searched this gold and in searching came to the said towne where they found no gold nor siluer they saw many Bay trées and almost all other kinde of trées with beasts birds and such like The men and women of this place are high and strong very light and so swift runners that they will take déere at their pleasure and will not grow wearie though they run a whole day From Apalachen they went to a towne called Aute and from thence to Xamo a poore countrey with small sustinance These people bring vp their children very tenderly and make great lamentation when any of them dieth they neither wéepe nor lament at the death of any olde bodie Here the people desired the Spanyards to cure their sicke folks for they had many diseased and certaine of the Spanyards being in extreme pouertie assaied it and vsed praier and it pleased God that they did indéede recouer as well those that were hurt as those which were otherwise diseased in so much that one which was thought verily to be dead was by them restored to life as they themselues reporte They affirme that they passed through many countreies and many strange people differing in language apparell and customes And because they plaied the physitions they were as they passed greatly estéemed and held for Gods and the people did no hurt vnto them but would giue them part of such things as they had Therefore they passed quietly and trauailed so farre till they came to a people that vse continually to liue in heards with their cattel as the Arabians doe They be
Gastro arriued at the Island of Mindanao sixe kings receiued the water of Baptisme with their wiues children and subiects and the most of them Antonie Galuano gaue commandement to be called by the name of Iohn in remembrance that king Iohn the third raigned then in Portugall The Portugals and Spaniards which haue béene in these Islands affirme that there be certaine hogs in them which besides the téeth which they haue in their mouthes haue other two growing out of their snouts and as many behinde their eares of a large span and an halfe in length Likewise they say there is a tree the one halfe whereof which standeth towards the east is a good medicine against all poyson the other side of the trée which standeth toward the west is very poison and the fruite on that side is like a bigge pease and there is made of it the strongest poyson that is in all the world Also they report that there is there another trée the fruite whereof whosoeuer doth eate shall be twelue houres besides himselfe and when he commeth againe vnto himselfe he shall not remember what he did in the time of his madnes Moreouer there are certaine crabs of the land whereof whosoeuer doth eate shall be a certaine space out of his wits Likewise the countrey people declare that there is a stone in these Islands whereon whosoeuer sitteth shall be broken in his bodie It is farther to be noted that the people of these Islands do gild their téeth In the yéere 1539. Cortes sent thrée ships with Francis Vlloa to discouer the coast of Coludean northward They vient from Acapulco and touched at S. Iago de buqna sperança and entred into the gulfe that Cortes had discouered and sailed till they came in 32. degrées which is almost the farthest end of that gulfe which place they named Ancon de Sane Andres because they came thither on that saints daie Then they came out a long the coast on the other side and doubled the point of California and entred in betwéene certaine Islands and the point and so sailed along by it till they came to 32. degrées from whence they returned to newe Spaine enforced thereunto by contrarie windes and want of victuals hauing béene out about a yéere Cortes according to his account spent 200000. ducates in these discoueries From Cabo del Enganno to another cape called Cabo de Liampo in China there are 1000. or 1200. leagues sayling Cortes and his captaines discouered new Spaine from 12. degrées to 32. from south to the north being 700. leagues finding it more warme then cold although snow do lie vpon certaine mountaines most part of the yéere In new Spaine there be many trées flowers and fruits of diuers sorts and profitable for many things The principall trée is named Metl It groweth not very high nor thicke They plant and dresse it as we do our vines They say it hath fortie kinde of leaues like wouen clothes which serue for many vses When they be tender they make conserues of them paper and a thing like vnto flaxe they make of it mantles mats shooes girdles and cordage These trées haue certaine prickles so strong and sharpe that they sewe with them The roots make fire and ashes which ashes make excellent good lie They open the earth from the roote and scrape it and the iuice which commeth out is like a sirrupe If you do féeth it it will become honie if you purifie it it will be sugar Also you may make wine and vineger thereof It beareth the Coco The rinde rosted and crushed vpon sores and hurts healeth and cureth The iuice of the tops and roots mingled with incense are good against poyson and the biting of a viper For these manifold benefits it is the most profitable trée knowne to growe in those parts Also there be there certaine small birds named Vicmalim Their bill is small and long They liue of the dewe and the iuice of flowers and roses Their feathers be verie small and of diuers colours They be greatly estéemed to worke golde with They die or sléepe euerie yéere in the moneth of October fitting vpon a little bough in a warme and close place they reuiue or wake againe in the moneth of Aprill after that the flowers be sprung and therefore they call them the reuiued birds Likewise there be snakes in these parts which sound as though they had bels when they créepe There be other which engender at the mouth euen as they report of the viper There be hogges which haue a nauell on the ridge of their backs which assoone as they be killed and cut out will by and by corrupt and stinke Besides these there be certaine fishes which make a noyse like vnto hogs and will snort for which cause they be named snorters In the yéere 1538. and 1539. after that Diego de Almagro was beheaded the Marques Francis Pisarro was not idle For he sent straight one Peter de Baldiuia with a good companie of men to discouer and conquere the countrey of Chili He was wel receiued of those of the countrey but afterwards they rose against him and would haue killed him by treason Yet for all the warre that he had with them he discouered much land and the coast of the sea toward the southeast till he came into 40. degrées and more in latitude While he was in these discoueries he heard newes of a king called Leucengolma which commonly brought to the field two hundred thousand fighting men against another king his neighbour and that this Leucengolma had an Island and a temple therein with two thousand priestes and that beyond them were the Amazones whose Quéene was called Guanomilla that is to say The goldeu heauen But as yet there are none of these things discouered About this time Gomez de Aluarado went to conquer the prouince of Guanuco and Francis de Chauez went to subdue the Conchincos which troubled the towne of Truxillo and the countreyes adioyning Peter de Vergara went to the Bracamores a people dwelling toward the north from Quito Iohn Perez de Vergara went against the Ciaciapoians Alfonsus de Mercadiglio went vnto Mulubamba Ferdinando and Gonzaluo Pisarros went to subdue Collao a countrey very rich in gold Peter de Candia went to the lower part of Collao Peranzures also went to conquer the said countrey And thus the Spanyards dispersed themselues and conquered aboue seuen hundred leagues of countrey in a very short space though not without great trauailes and losse of men The countreyes of Brasill and Peru stand east and west almost 800. leagues distant The néerest is from the Cape of Saint Augustine vnto the hauen of Truxillo for they stand both almost in one parallele and latitude And the farthest is 950. leagues reckoning from the riuer of Peru to the streits of Magellan which places lie directly north south through which countrey passe certaine mountaines named the