To make Peace and Alliance with mighty Princes was the true Foundation of wise Government But the Pope must needs be senseless devoy'd of all reason and withal highly unjust to give away what was none of his own viz. other mens Kingdoms in which he never had the least or smallest concern Moreover he would not desert that Religion which he and his Ancestors had maintain'd so many Ages and the rather because there are no apparent or sufficient Testimony of the truth of Christianity The latter clause was thus answer'd saying This Book O King which I hold in my hand proves and declares all that you question Attabaliba looking upon it turn'd it over Leaf by Leaf then look'd more intentively upon the Print which done he clap'd it to either Ear and at last as altogether unsatisfi'd in disdainful manner threw it away But Pizarro gaining time while the King and Bishop thus discours'd had drawn his Men in Battel-Array his sixty Horse he divided into three Wings Commanded by his three Brothers Ferdinand John and Gonzalvo Pizarro left the Captains Sotto and Bavalcazar in an Ambuscade Peter de Canada march'd in the Van and he himself in the main Body leaving Sotto in the Rear The two Captains Sotto and Peter del Baro being sent away to that purpose met after some days Journey with one of Attabaliba's Leaders who was bringing the King's Brother Guascar with a Party Prisoner to Caxamalca Guascar had now a fair opportunity to crave assistance of the Spaniards telling them that he and Attabaliba were the Sons of Guaynacava so that the Kingdom was to be divided betwixt both But Attabaliba had by force made himself Master of all whereas he being the youngest ought to be satisfi'd with that share which Guascar being the eldest would assign him for the right of Inheritance belong'd justly to him and yet he was carry'd away bound to slaughter But if Pizarro would do justice in delivering him out of his Brothers bloody Hands he would raise him thrice as much Gold as Attabaliba had promis'd To which purpose he desir'd Sotto and Baro to put off their Journey to Cusco which they not daring to do went on their way Burns his Brother Guascar alive and Guascar descending the Valley Sucsuhuana was burnt alive by Attabaliba's Soldiers Mean while Almagro came with fresh Forces to Taxamalca which occasion'd no small trouble in Pizarro who was onely thirsty after Gold On the other side Almagro as greedy grew jealous that Pizarro should keep the promis'd Hall full of Gold for himself and he should have no share because Attabaliba was his Prisoner therefore he earnestly desir'd that Attabaliba might privately be made away and that the Booty might be divided to one as well as the other An incredible sum of Money given to the Soldiers Pizarro to prevent all inconveniencies that might happen from his dissenting gave in the presence of the King to every private Soldier a thousand Duckets in Gold and six thousand five hundred twenty five Silver Crowns the inferior Officers receiv'd four and thirty thousand Crowns and the others sixty thousand the fifth part of the Booty he reserv'd for the Emperor And notwithstanding Attabaliba perform'd his promise in filling the Hall full of Gold yet he had the sentence of Death pronounc'd against him neither would his excuse of Innocency serve or his Requests to be sent to Spain there to clear himself before the Emperor but sighing and lamenting his misfortunes was ty'd to a Post and Strangled in the presence of Pizarro Attabaliba strangled For whose Death though a Heathen Divine Vengeance pursu'd these cruel and unjust Arbitrators that thus made their Will a Law none of them dying a natural Death Moreover it was observ'd that a few days before this Execution a blazing Star appear'd which Attabaliba seeing presaging sadly of himself said That a great Prince would die in a short time but Pizarro's chief pretences for the Kings just suffering was that he had cruelly murder'd his Brother Guascar But this was a meer blind for that that incens'd them against Attabaliba was that he knowing where the unvaluable treasure lay which Guascar had bury'd would not discover it to them Attabaliba before his death desir'd that he might be bury'd in the Territory Quito by his Father Guaynacava whom the Peruvians for his great Justice and Prudence in Government believed that he would arise and settle the World so troubled and full of disorder in peace and quiet The Corps was accordingly carry'd thither in great State after their manner Cruelty of Ruminagui attended by his Brother whom Illescas Ruminagui which ran from Attabaliba in the Battel where he lay in ambush when he might have done them good service in the way to his entertainment receiv'd with all shews of sorrow but when they were feasted to excess bury'd in sleep and Wine he Massacred and flea'd Illescas the Kings Brother alive and made a Taber of his Skin Whilst Attabaliba's Funeral was thus bloodily solemniz'd Pizarro puts Quizquiz to slight his General Quizquiz rais'd a great Army which Pizarro encountring after a valiant resistance totally routed then marching victoriously to Cusco And takes Cusco he saw great Fires in the City and the Citizens fighting with the Spaniards sent before but the Horse breaking in upon them most of them fled the next morning to the Mountains Thus the Spaniards became Masters of the City where they inflicted the most cruel tortures on all Sexes by that means to force them to discover if they knew of any hidden Treasures being not satisfi'd with what they found there although they had gotten a greater Treasure in Cusco than that that they had extorted from Attabaliba before Unvaluable Treasures taken Nay they gave those that were murther'd for Food to their Dogs Among the rest Didacus Salazar having a very fierce Dog call'd Bezerril had also an old Indian Woman his Prisoner to whom he gave a Letter to deliver to the General Pizarro the Woman had not gone many Paces before the was set upon by Bezerril whom Salazar let loose that he might delight himself in seeing the Dog tear the poor old Woman but she observing him come runing at her with so great fierceness fell down upon her Knees and holding forth the Letter Remarkable passage of a Dog cry'd Good my Lord good my Lord Dog I must carry this Letter to General Pizarro whereupon the furious Curr having more compassion than the Spaniard stood still a little and at last lifted up his Leg in a scornful manner Urin'd upon her and returned satisfi'd at which sportive behavior of the Cur and the Chrone Salazar laughing was so well pleas'd that he gave the Woman her life Almagro's unhappy Journey After Cusco had been sufficiently Plunder'd Pizarro made Almagro Governor thereof with the Territories belonging to it and built near the River Lima a Town King's Town which they call'd Los Reyes Mean
is said to have left the greatest part of his Men dead behind him But this is chiefly towards the Andes and on the Sea-Coast the more Inland parts of it though mountainous also in some parts yet are more temperate and being also well water'd with Rivers are much more fruitfull than the other affording both Wheat and Maiz and likewise other Grain excellent Pasturage in many places and great store of Cattel Wine Honey and not without many and rich Mines both of Gold and Silver The Natives of this Countrey were found to be the most stout and warlike of all the Americans that the Spaniards had hitherto met withal fighting with them and oftentimes defeating them in the open Field surprizing and sacking their Towns and last of all taking their Captain and Commander in Chief Prisoner This was Pedro Baldivia one of those good Men that consented to the death of Attabaliba the last King of Peru after a greater Ransom accepted and paid then perhaps the King of Spain could well raise on a sudden if he had occasion to use it for himself Pedro Baldivia taken Prisoner and put to death by the Arucans The Arucans for so are the People call'd that had him Prisoner are said to have Entertain'd him for a while with great Jollity and Feasting but for his last Draught gave him a Cup of melted Gold which the poor Man was forc'd to take down and so died a cruel though costly Death The whole Province generally is divided first into Chile specially so call'd and secondly Magellanica or that part which lieth more Southward down to the Straights of Magellan SECT II. Chile properly so call'd The Bounds of Chile specially so call'd CHile specially so call'd is border'd Northward with the Desart and barren Countrey of Acatama above mention'd on the South with Magellanica on the West with Mare del Zur Eastward and to the North-East with some parts of Paraguay or rather with some undiscover'd Countreys lying betwixt them both The length of it from North to South is reckon'd to be little less than three hundred Leagues and generally of a fruitful Soil affording besides abundance of Gold and Silver both Corn Cattel Vineyards and divers sorts of Fruits equal both for kind and plenty to Spain it self and sundry other parts of Europe The Air likewise temperate and the People in their Manners and Conditions come much nearer to the Civility and likewise subtilty of the Europeans than other Americans did which doubtless may be attributed to the conformity of the Climates under which they lie agreeable to those of Europe though otherwise in respect of the Sphere and Seasons of the Year there be a diametrical difference betwixt us As for Example their Spring beginning in September which is our Autumn and their Autumn in March which is our Spring their longest Day being that of St. Lucy on the eleventh of December which is our shortest and their shortest being St. Barnabas viz. the eleventh of June which is our longest c. Towns and Places of Importance The Towns of chiefest note and importance in this Province are 1. Gopiapo an old Town in the most Northerly parts of this Province towards the Sea where it hath a very commodious Haven belonging to it 2. La Serena a Town situate on the Banks of Coquimbo a pleasant River a little above its Influx into the Sea built by Baldivia in the Year 1544. the Countrey about very rich in Mines of Gold and the Town it self so well Garrison'd for fear of the Natives that when the English under Sir Francis Drake about fourscore years since attempted the gaining of the Place they found hot Service of it being stoutly resisted and beaten back again to their Ships by a Sally of no less than three hundred good Horse and two hundred Foot 3. St. Jago the principal Town of the Province a Bishop's See and the ordinary Residence of the Governor lying on the Banks of the River Tapocalma in the thirty fourth Degree of Southern Latitude fifteen Leagues distant from the South Sea at which it hath a very commodious and much frequented Haven which they call Valparayso and where the English met with better fortune as hath been said already in the report of Sir Francis Drake's Voyage TABULE MEGELLANICA QUA TIERRAE DEL FUEGO 〈…〉 5. Los Confines a Fronteer Town built by the aforesaid Baldivia for defence of the rich Mines of Gold at Angol a Place near adjoyning 6. La Imperiale another strong Garrison of this Place on the Banks of the River Cauten near to which that great Battel was fought where Baldivia with divers other Soldiers were taken Prisoners who were no otherwise overcome but by being over-wearied with killing of their Enemies and by that means not able to make their Retreat 7. Villarica another Colony of the Spaniards in these Parts sixteen Leagues distant from Imperiale and twenty five from the Sea 8. Baldivia so nam'd from the Commander Pedro Baldivia who built it in the Valley of Guadallanquen two or three Leagues distant from the Sea where it hath a good and capacious Port but nearer to it the best Mines of Peru so rich that 't is said they yielded Baldivia every day so long as he could enjoy them twenty five thousand Crowns 9. Osorno a Town lying in the Bay of Chilue in a barren Soil but otherwise neither less rich nor less populous than Baldivia it self These three last mention'd Towns viz. Baldivia Imperiale and Osorno were in the Years 1596 1699 and 1604 surpriz'd by the Araucanes and other Salvages confederate with them sack'd and burnt and though the Spaniards be said to have recover'd and Garrison'd some of them with fresh Soldiers yet how long they were able to hold them or whether they be Masters of them at this day we cannot say 10. Castro the most Southerly Town of the whole Province built on a certain Island within the Bay of Chilue 11. Mondoza and 12. St. Juan de la Frontera both which lie towards Paraguay and Rio de la Plata but on the other side of the Andes forty Leagues distant from any of those we have spoken of and perhaps more not above a hundred from Buenos Ayres and the Atlantick Ocean SECT III. Magellanica Situation and Description of Magellanica MAgellanica the other part of this Province is bounded Northward with Chile abovesaid and some parts of the Countrey De la Plata on the South with the narrow Sea call'd Magellans Straights having Mare del Zur on the West and on the East the Atlantick Ocean It contains in length from the Borders of Chile to the Mouth of the Straights a hundred Leagues and in breadth from the North to the South Sea somewhat more viz. towards Chile and the North-West parts of it for towards the South and South-West it straitens still more and more insomuch that they who resemble the Southern part of America to the form of a
being depress'd the Navigator might know where he was and in what height so guessing what distance they were from this or that Countrey they accordingly Club'd Learning and by their great Study found out what since hath prov'd so useful and beneficial to Seamen the Astrolabe For the Northern Constellation the Astrolabe was in use long before which help having obtain'd the Sailers encourag'd more frequently ventur'd into remote and unknown Seas After these King John of Portugal sent Jaques Cano with a Fleet who Sailing found the River Zaires where he erected a Pillar with an Inscription Latin and Portuguese signifying by whom and in what Kings Reign these African Coasts were discover'd Here he also met some of the Natives who more civiliz'd than the rest told him That they had a mighty King who Raigning over them kept his Court some few days Journey up in the Countrey to whom Cano sending his Agents detain'd four Africans as Pledges which he carry'd with their free consent to Portugal promising to bring them back in fifteen Months who before that time having got some smatterings of their Tongue inform'd them Remarkable passage of Jaques Cano. that their Native Soyl was call'd Congo whither returning by the appointed time they were according to their agreement exchang'd for the Portuguese and Cano address'd himself with rich Presents to their King whom he found sitting in their manner on an Ivory Throne being from the middle upward Naked his nether parts cover'd with long Silken Skirts Dâ—scovery of Congâ— a Golden Armlet on his left Arm athwart his Shoulders hung a Horses Tail their Badge of Royal Dignity Cano humbly laid the Presents down at the Kings Feet amongst which was a Gilded Flag or Pennon with a Cross which Pope Innocent the Eighth had Consecrated with great Ceremony After this many of that Nation became Christians and the King himself receiv'd Baptism But in short time by the Instigations of their Diabolical Priests and others Christianity loosing ground grew out of countenance Mean while John the Second seekâ— to discover India by water King John the Second vigorously Prosecuted the business of Discovery sending Jews and Christians by Land from Alexandria and other parts of Egypt to India and from thence to explore the Coasts on the Eastern side of Africa to the Great-Cape if so a way might be found fit for Navigators having doubled that Point to Traffick with the Oriental parts of the World Vasque de Gama his expedition After this Princes Death the Work lay still a while but in short time King Emanuel his Successor freshly undertook the business once more sending Vasques Gama with four Ships who passing through many Dangers with great Difficultties Anchor'd at last before Calecut and was the first of the Europeans that found a way to the East-Indies Christopher Columbuâ—'s But Chistopher Columbus five Years before Gama's Expedition to the East had been employ'd in Western Discoveries which prov'd so very successful that he found no less than another World which soon after from Americus Vesputius was call'd America So that the Division of the World by the Antients Dividing of the earth concerning which they had so long err'd and were utterly mistaken was now made manifest by Experience and undisputable Demonstration for formerly the whole World was known by no other names than Asia Africa and Europe but now those three are found to make but one Part of what incircles the Universal Globe because in the South lies a second known no further than by its Coastings and Superficial Margents the third part being the New-World our America A query if America was known to the Ancients Here it will not seem amiss having prov'd that Africa was more than Coasted by the Ancients to ingage and search with some scrutiny concerning this America First Whether at any time 't was known by the Ancients And next by what People and when first Inhabited About the former the Learned of these later times Jangle amongst themselves for some of them will needs ascribe so much Honor to Antiquity declining the Worthy Praise of those that made so wonderful a Discovery as if they of old and many Ages before had done the same or at least that this New-World to them was not unknown maintaining this their bold Assertion from the Authority of what they find both in Ancient Greek and Latin Authors First especially in the Learned Plato who as you know at large Atlantica Plato in Criâ—iâ— Timaeo describes a New Atlantis lying beyond the Straights of Gibraltar whose Coast is surrounded with two vast Seas that are Sow'd thick with scatter'd Islands By these Seas they understand the Atlantick and Southern-Sea by the many Isles Cuba Hispaniola Jamaica California and others which lie sprinkled along the Coasts of America But it cannot be made out that Plato describes ought but a Fancy his own Idea not a Countrey that ever was is or shall be though he sets it forth so Accurately and with such Judgment as if he had taken a Survey of the place and found such a Land indeed In like manner Diodorus Siculus undertakes to prove Diod. Sic. lib. 6. That America Was known to the Antients telling a Story how the Phenicians were driven by a Storm from the Coasts of Africa West-ward falling at last upon a great and altogether unknown Island which our late Expositors take for America Must it therefore be so Surely not for it is onely a bare Story without any Proof or the least Testimony Arist de Mirandis in Naturâ— auditis They endeavor to make Aristotle bolster up their opinion that he had a knowledge of this New-World which with no small pains they pump from these Words Beyond the Herculean Pillars certain Carthaginian Merchants penetrated the Atlantick Ocean so far that at last they found a vast yet un-inhabited Island producing nothing but Herbage Plants and Wild-Beasts yet interlac'd with many Meandring Rivers abounding with several sorts of Fish lying some days Sail from the Continent they Landing found a Soyl so fertile and Air so temperate that there they setled and were the first Planters of that Isle But the Carthaginians having intelligence thereof Prohibited all Persons whatsoever upon Pain of Death to go thither fearing the place being so much commended all the People would be ready to flock thither and desert their own and so utterly unfurnish and debilitate their then growing Common-wealth But how could the Carthaginians find America without the use of the Compass How happen'd it that they were so taken with the fertility of this their New-found-Land when the Adjacent Countreys and Fields about Carthage are every where Flourishing and most Luxurious So that it may better be suppos'd that what Aristotle found so long since may rather be the Canary-Isles or Great-Brittain than America The Greeks having then also made some Inspection into the Brittish-Isles They would also make you believe that Virgil
being tam'd presently after the death of King Francis whether negligently or on purpose let loose ran into the Woods and near Orleans devour'd a great number of People and Cattel Gesner saith That some Womens bodies were found who were untouch'd onely their Breasts eaten by the Leopards as if they took them for the daintiest part which is not unlike the antient Jeres who according to Saint Hierom Adv Jovin l. 2. entertain'd their Guests as a most delicious Dish with Womens Breasts and Mens Buttocks Roasted Besides the devouring nature of these Wilde Beasts what profit could Tygers Lions Wolves Bears and the like advantage the Transporter And how came Serpents Adders and other Reptiles thither over the Ocean that with no Art whatsoever can be made tame Were the small Vessels just laden with such terrible Creatures when against their wills they were by Storm driven on a new Coast By these impossibilities we may easily judge that the Americans came thither by Land and no other way but how and upon what occasion must be our next enquiry SECT II. Two reasons wherefore the people remove from their Countreys ¶ HIstories generally gives us onely two accounts Why People remov'd from one Countrey to another either not or thinly inhabited whether driven by force or of their own accord so to unburthen and give ease to their too Plethorick Countreys Thus the banish'd Japanners forsook their Native Countrey and setled themselves in a desolate Soyl since a flourishing Empire shining with Riches and Crown'd with stately Cities So the Batavians took possession of the uninhabited Isle lying between the Rhyne and the Wael being driven out of Hessen by Civil-Wars and preserv'd the memory of the place from whence they had their Original on the utmost Point of the Island in the Villages of Cattenwyck for the Hessens formerly went by the name of Catti others that remov'd did not onely fall upon their Neighbors but made a way by force of Arms chosing their Habitations under a temperate Climate and in a fruitful Soyl. After which manner the Franks enter'd Gaul and afterwards the Normans set upon France so that the Conquer'd Countreys have ever since from the Conquerors been call'd France and Normandy But although it cannot punctually be said how the Inhabitants of America remov'd yet it is without contradiction that they first found an empty Countrey The Flood acknowledg'd by the Americans and other Heathens but mysteriously The Opinions which they have themselves concerning it are full of idle Fancies First they question their Original from the Floud which is so well rooted in the memory of all Nations that the blindest and most ignorant know something of it though deformedly alter'd and vary'd tack'd up with additional fabulous Stories the truth it self known onely to us but to all others lost in Oblivion Who hath not heard of Deucalion's Flood how his Wife Pyrrha and he only escap'd in a little Boat and as 't is Fabl'd landing on a Mountain from thence Peopled the World again by throwing Stones backwards over their Heads Something of this seems to hint the true Story of Noah his Wife and Children from whom the desolated World was replenish'd The same they relate of Prometheus concerning whom thus Diodorus Siculus They say that the Nyle breaking through his Dams and over-flowing his Banks drown'd all Egypt especially that part where Prometheus Rul'd where all the Inhabitants were swallow'd by the Deluge None can imagine but that Diodorus by this makes mention of a particular Flood and not the general one in Noah's time for as the Greeks ascrib'd all things to their Heroes so the Egyptians in like manner did the same to theirs Therefore they have of the general Flood made a particular one in Egypt though perhaps it never was So that what is Fabled of Prometheus is nothing but a Part of the Universal Deluge which the Name Prometheus proves because it signifies Prometheus and Noah are the same Sprung from Heaven and is the same with Noah whom they hold to be the first Father of all Mankind since the Flood born of or regenerated from his Wife Asia and Asia signifies Earth or The Mother of all things and so espousing Noah being sprung from God to Ararat from whence descended the Generations of Mankind and by degrees spread over the whole surface of the Earth The Chineses East-Indians Japanners and other People of Asia and Africa have also some knowledge of a very ancient Flood but hood-wink't under many idle Fancies not unlike that which the Americans relate from whom several Learned Persons find no obscure Confessions of the Deluge Acosta l. 1. c. 25. which thus mystically they have wrapp'd up That one Viracocha came out of the great Lake Titicaca and setled his Residence upon Tiaguanaco where yet remain the Ruines of ancient Walls built after a wonderful manner At length removing from Tiaguanaco to Cusco he began to multiply the Generation of Mankind They shew in the foremention'd Lake a small Island under which the Americans say Strange Opinion of the Americans concerning the Flood the Sun sav'd himself from the Flood wherefore in ancient Times they superstitiously observ'd that place heightning their Bloody Sacrifices with Humane Slaughter Others relate That six Persons leap'd through a Hole out of a Window from whence all Men were since Extracted and from that new Increase the place after the Inhabitants of the Old World were all drown'd got the Denomination of Pacari Tampo and therefore they hold the Tampo's to be the most ancient Families From hence Mangocapam deriv'd Original of the American Kings and the Custom being the Primogenitor of the Ynca's or Kings from whom sprung two Generations Hanon Cuzco and Urim Cuzco They tell us also That their Ynca's when they make War upon any People say that the occasion as they pretend was because all Territories are Tributary to them justly from whom they were deriv'd and restor'd being the first Planters of the New World and withal That the true Religion was declar'd to them from Heaven This Relation though mix'd with Fables shews but very darkly that they have some knowledge of the Flood Americans Flood is taken out of the Scripture For who are those six else that leap'd out of a Window to replenish the Generations of Mankind but Shem Ham and Japhet with their Wives The Americans can give but a little better Account of their first Original and indeed it is no wonder because for want of Books they can relate nothing certain but only what they have Registred in their usual Quipocamagos which is not above four hundred years old Acosta asking what Original they judg'd they were of Peruvians Opinion and from what Countrey and People deriv'd receiv'd no other Answer but that America only was their native Countrey and that they were deriv'd from no other elsewhere But though the Peruvians are of this Opinion yet the Mexicans are of another mind
to England Not many Months after he renew'd his Voyage Queen Elizabeth having rigg'd out and sent under his Command one Frigat and two Ketches Mann'd with a hundred and forty Men The twenty sixth of May hâ— weigh'd Anchor and sail'd to the Orkenies lying to the North of Scotland where landing he found the poor Islanders fled out of their Huts into Caves and Dens among the Rocks From thence he steer'd North-North-West through abundance of floating Pieces of Timber which oftentimes gave him great stops The fourth of July he made Friezland where he met with a great Storm of Hail mix'd with Snow Before the Shore lay a great Ridge of Ice which hindred for a while their Landing Here he saw several Wild People but could not come to speak with them for upon the least approach they fled yet when they saw any advantage made resistance At last three of them came unarm'd to the Shore beckoning Forbisher to come to them which he had done had not great numbers of the Natives appear'd too soon from an Ambuscade in a Wood and behind a Hill who seeing themselves discover'd march'd up into the Countrey three onely staying on the Shore of whom the middlemost feigning to be lame at last fell down whom his Companions took up and carried a little way but then forsook by which the English observing their Design shot that the Sand flew all about him whereupon forgetting his Lameness he ran as swift as a Deer up a Hill Forbisher's Men had by this time fill'd two Barrels with a Mineral not unlike Gold but was afterwards found to be of little value Nothing else of Remark did he find here except great long-hair'd Men who being exceeding salvage subtilly plot nothing else but to murder lurking for Men like Wild Beasts for their Prey whom when caught they tear in pieces Close fitted to their Bodies they wore the Skins of several Wild Beasts priding in the Tails which hung down betwixt their Legs Their Tents are of conjoyn'd Whalebones cover'd over with the like Skins the Entrance always facing the South They use Bowes Arrows Slings and two sorts of Boats In the biggest they can carry seventeen Men which are made of several Wooden Planks clinch'd together and cased on both sides with Leather The smallest ones are cover'd just in the same manner much resembling a Weavers Shuttle having in the middle a Hole wherein a Man sits who drawing the Cover of the Boat about his Waste by Strings with one Oar makes swift Passage The Countrey it self is barren yet feeds abundance of Deer Hares Wolves Bears and Dogs like Wolves whose Flesh serves the Inhabitants for Food This Countrey seems to be exceedingly troubled with great Earthquakes because several pieces of Rocks and whole Mountains rent asunder may be seen in divers places Sir Francis Drake's Expedition At the same time when Forbisher sail'd Northerly Sir Francis Drake also fitted out by Queen Elizabeth steer'd another Course sailing by Cape Blanko and Cape Verde along the African Coast to Brasile where he caught several Sea-Wolves and Anchoring in the River La Plata furnish'd himself with Fresh Water Then proceeding on his Voyage through the crooked Straights of Magellan he came to an Anchor before Moucha wash'd by the South Sea The Islanders receiv'd him very courteously because they were inform'd that the English were at great Wars with the Spaniards to avoid whose Cruelties they had deserted the main Continent and setled on Moucha One of these Mouchaners going aboard serv'd them for a Pilot to the Haven Valparizo where Drake burnt the St. Jago a small Village and plundring all the Countrey about it got together a great Treasure of Gold and Silver Before Arica he took three Spanish Ships richly laden and before Lima four more having an unvaluable Treasure of Pearls and Gold aboard them Thus inrich'd he steer'd his Course Northerly to forty two Degrees but the Cold forcing him to fall four Degrees to the Southward he discover'd a very pleasant and inhabited Coast the People whereof shew'd him great kindness The King himself coming aboard with a great Train set a Crown of Gold upon Drakes Head and gave him a Golden Scepter and an Ivory Chain After this he inspected the Islands Tidor Ternata Java Zeilon and Cape de Bona Esperanza from whence after a three Years Voyage having encompass'd the World he came safe to London where he rested not long for sailing Anno 1585. to America he took great Prizes from the Cities St. Jago St. Domingo St. Augustin and Carthagena setting them all on Fire Thus again returning home victoriously and after the famous defeat of the Spanish Armado he rigg'd out a new Fleet having for his Vice-Admiral Captain Hawkins Their Design was to have sail'd to Panama but both dying and so the Commission ceasing the expected great and golden Project also died with them Candish his Expedition A Year after the death of these famous Navigators Captain Thomas Candish Mann'd with a hundred and twenty Men and Provisions for two Year setting sail in a lucky Hour a second time encompass'd the World passing the Straights of Magellan in which Voyage having got above ten times the value of his Charge by taking the Spanish Carrack St. Anna valued at twenty Tun of Gold and at last freighted with a Mass of Treasure he came safe into the River of Thames But much worse success had Captain John Smith Smith's Voyage who weigh'd Anchor Anno 1614. with two Ships fitted out by several Merchants in London for New England and on the Island Monachigga to load Copper Gold and other Minerals that were to be had there and also to fish for Whales But there were no such Minerals to be found there nor any Whales to be taken on the Coast because the time of the Year was past so that he return'd home without Success However not long after they undertook the same Expedition a second time but with worse Fortune for being gotten in sight of Virginia he was treacherously set upon and taken by the French who accus'd him that he had destroy'd the Plantations in Nova Francia and unless he would make satisfaction for the Damage they threatned him with death He was carried Prisoner to Rochel in a French Ship but not far from thence surpris'd by a mighty Storm Smith finding an opportunity leap'd into the Boat and driving betwixt the Waves at last half dead was thrown upon the Island of Oleron whom afterwards having lost all an English Ship took in and brought to his Native Countrey SECT XV. Netherland Expedition by Jaques Mahu and Simon de Cordes FIve Ships being fitted out at Rotterdam Mahu's Voyage the Command of them was given to Jaques Mahu and Simon de Cordes who on the twenty seventh of June Anno 1598. weigh'd Anchor from the Goree and sail'd on an immense Voyage at last landing at the Island St. Jago they won a strong Castle there and took two Barques
shot the stoutest Sachem amongst the Indians as he was reaching an Arrow from his Quiver which the rest seeing fled into the Woods and Thickets The same Year the Merchant-Advenurers in England sent forth store of Servants to provide against the Wants of that place amongst whom came over a mix'd Multitude who setled themselves in the Bosom of the Cape now call'd Gloucester About the Year 1651. there fled to the English at Water-town the Indians that dwelt thereabouts for protection against the Tarratines a sort of cruel and salvage Cannibals by whom near the Town of Saugust in the very dead time of the Night one Lieutenant Walker being on a sudden alarm'd was shot through his Coat and Buff Jacket with two Indian Arrows That Night the English stood upon their Guard and the next Morning sent word to other parts who gather'd together and taking counsel how to quit themselves of these Indians agreed to discharge their great Guns whose redoubled noise ratling in the Rocks struck terror into the Indians and caus'd them to betake themselves to flight The Autumn following others of the Indians who till then had held a good correspondence with the Planters began to quarrel about the Bounds of their Land but a great Mortality by the raging of the Small-Pox breaking out amongst them put an end to that Controversie There died amongst the rest one of the chief of the Sagamores of the Mattachusets call'd Sagamore John who before his Death had been instructed in the Christian Faith and took care that his two Sons should be nurtur'd therein In the Year 1635. there arrived several Ships with great plenty of Provisions and many Persons of good Quality and amongst the rest Sir Henry Vane The same Year the People of Cambridge otherwise call'd New-town hearing of a fertile place upon the River Canectico remov'd thither and erected anew Corporation by the Name of Banectico being encourag'd thereunto by the Lord Say and the Lord Brooks and planting a Forrest at the mouth of the River call'd it Saybrook Forrest About the Year 1638. the Pequods a stout and Warlike Nation lying to the South-West of the Mattachusets were discover'd upon their March within some few Miles of Hartford Their coming very much terrifi'd all that inhabited thereabouts but they took onely three Women and return'd one of whom making a violent resistance had her Brains beaten out the other two they carried away with them without abusing their Persons as it was suppos'd they would for they esteem'd their own Shaws being black beyond our Women Their chief Design was to learn to make Gunpowder which seeing they could not effect they look'd upon their Prize as nothing so precious as they imagin'd A little after another Indian War threatning the English they resolv'd together to send an Ambassador to Cannonicus chief Sachem of the Naragansits endeavoring to prevent him from confederating with the Pequods who as they had Intelligence were about sending to him to joyn with them Cannonicus being grown old had resign'd the Government to his Nephew Mantinemo a stern Man and of a cruel Nature The Ambassadors arriving at his Court which was about eighty Miles from Boston the Indian Prince assembled his chief Councellors and having Entertain'd the Ambassadors Magnificently and Feasted them Royally gave them Audience in his State-house where the Sachem to manifest his greater State lay along upon the Ground with all his Nobility sitting about him with their Legs doubled up and their Knees touching their Chin The English Interpreter having made his Speech in the Name of the rest both Cannonicus and the young King gave discreet Answers signifying their Resolutions to keep a fair Correspondence with the English and yet not to fall out with the Pequods Who a little after making also their Addresses to the same King he disswaded them by many Reasons from making War with the English and to deliver into their hands those Persons that had murther'd any of them The Pequods nevertheless though they seem'd inclinable to his Counsel yet they acted as Enemies for when the English sent a Company of Soldiers into their Countrey to treat with them about delivering up the Murtherers they made shew of willingness but spying their advantage betook themselves to their Heels and whomsoever they took stragling by surprise they revil'd and insulted over in a most cruel manner vilifying the Christian Religion and uttering all the Blasphemies they could invent Whereupon they rais'd fresh Souldiers for the War to the number of four score out of the several Towns in the Mattachusets and with some Indian Guides came to their Fort within which they had pitch'd their Wigwams the Entrance being on two sides with intricate Meanders to enter at which were plac'd Indian Bowe-men who shot the foremost of the English yet they had little to boast of in the end for the English rushing in through the winding Ways and placing themselves round the Wigwams made a very prosperous Shot by directing the Muzzles of their Musquets against the Indians which lay sleeping on the Ground In the midst of which rouzing terror and confusion they were defeated with little ado most of them being either wounded kill'd or taken The English thus animated with the first Victory send their Prisoners to the Pinnaces and prosecute the War in Hand marching against the next Body of the Indians which lay Encamp'd on a Hill about two Miles distant where they gave them a second Overthrow slaying many more than in the first Engagement the rest flying to a very thick inaccessible Swamp or Bog were there besieg'd by the English and skulking up and down as they saw their opportunity they would Shoot at them with their Arrows and then suddenly fall flat along in the Water at last the English finding out a Passage into the Swamp utterly defeated them and put an end to the War with the loss of few Mens Lives and not many wounded In the Year 1640. there came over a fresh Supply of People into New England and finding no place to settle in within any of the former erected Colonies they repair'd to a place call'd Long Island sever'd from the Continent of New-Haven about sixty Miles off the Sea The Year following the four Colonies namely the Massachusets Plymouth Canectico and New-Haven taking into consideration the many Nations that were on all sides of them as the French Dutch Jews and native Indians as also how the three first went to lay claim to Lands they never had any right to and the last to be continually quarrelling and contending where they saw any hopes of prevailing by Commissioners chosen from the respective Colonies concluded a firm Confederation to assist each other in all just and lawful Wars upon which there came in certain Indian Sachems as Pomham Miantonemo Soccanocoh and Uncas who not onely submitted to the English Government but also if occasion were in matters of Controversie submitted to their Arbitration But the Contest between
the help of the Master of their diabolical Art and though they escap'd themselves yet their Wives and Children were all put to death upon the King's Command Soon after which appear'd a mighty Comet or blazing Starfor a whole year together the great Temple Cu was set on Fire and burnt to the Ground none knew how the Water which was thrown on the same to quench it burnt like Brimstone in the Skie appear'd three fiery Heads at noon-day and out of a long Tail shot Sparks on the Earth the Laguna between Mexico and Texcuco began to swell into a Tide which turn'd some Houses topsie-turvy a shrill Voice was heard in the Night crying on the Water Children your ruine is at hand whither shall I carry you that you may not be lost A miraculous Story of a Bird. No less strange is what d' Acosta relates of a Bird presented to Muteczuma not unlike a Crane which the Fishermen had taken on the Laguna on the shining Forehead of which there appear'd the resemblance of two Armies Engag'd and one defeated by the other and that whilst the Sages call'd to interpret the meaning hereof sat in Consultation the Bird vanish'd Another of a Country-man Moreover there goes a Tradition That a Countrey-man being at his Labor was taken up by an Eagle and carried through the Air into a gloomy Cave where a Man lay fast asleep snoaring when on a sudden he heard a Voice afar off saying Do you know that Man whereupon the Countrey-man taking special notice of the dormant Man knew him by the Royal Apparel to be Mutexuma after which the Voice was heard again saying How soundly doth he sleep the time is coming which provides Punishments for many Crimes burn the Snoarer with the Torch which he holds in his Hands he will feel no pain Not long after he being inform'd hereof and looking on his Thigh found the same burnt to his no small amazement News of the arrival of the the Spanish Fleet. Having now possess'd the Throne fourteen years he receiv'd news of a Fleet and therewith a Draught of the Men and Vessels painted on Cloth This startling him he immediately advis'd with his Council who judg'd it convenient to secure the Coast along the Southern Ocean with strong Watches yet nevertheless Ferdinand Cortesius Landed with five hundred Foot and sixty Horse took the City Potanchanum march'd through the Countrey Sicuchimalar to Tascalleca where they had a sharp Conflict in which the Spaniards were in great danger and had not they had six Field-Pieces with them which did as much affright as hurt the Indians they had without doubt been cut off there In Chiurutecal they were in as much danger for certainly the Spanish Army had been set upon in the Night had not a Woman inform'd them of it Mean while Muteczuma consulted with his Sorcerers to destroy Cortesius by Charms who then was marching through Chalco whereupon a considerable number of Sorcerers went thither to the top of a high Mountain where as they were beginning their Incantations and Charms their Idol Tezcalipuca appear'd to them and in an angry manner told them That Monteczuma should lose his Crown and Life and to confirm his words he shew'd them a dreadful spectacle for looking about they saw the City in a light flame This being told to Muteczuma he resolv'd to make himself as secure as he could and went to meet Cortesius with costly Presents delivering him the Crown in the presence of all his Council to which purpose he took one Marina experienc'd in the Castilian Tongue with him for his Interpreter all things then seeming to end in Friendship But they continu'd not long in that state for Cortesius whose whole Design was to bring Mexico under the Spaniards Subjection not long after accus'd Muteczuma that Coalcopoca had on his Commands storm'd the new Spanish City Vera Crux which he could no way excuse and notwithstanding Muteczuma deliver'd him Coalcopoca Muteczuma committed to Prison by Cortesius with fifteen of his Nobles Prisoners who were all burnt with green Wood yet he was committed Prisoner to the great discontent of the Mexicans who said That they were now come to a fine pass to be thus fool'd by a few Strangers who had imprison'd their King trampled upon their ancient Images endeavor'd to murther them all and in despite of them brought their mortal Enemies the Tascaltecans and Guazuzingans into Mexico Cortesius marches against Velasquez's Party About this time there were certain Ships come to Vera Crux which was a new Port-Town of this Countrey that the Spaniards had built since their coming thither and had Landed near upon a thousand Men which was an Accident that had like to have spoil'd the Design of Cortesius and all his Company at Mexico these Men being sent by James Velasquez Governor of Cuba expressly against Cortesius and his Men upon pretence that they had acted not conformably to the Commission which they had receiv'd from him and gave him no account of their proceedings which in a great measure was true for it must be confess'd that Cortesius and his Men finding themselves to have fall'n upon an Adventure that was certainly rich and good and having got such footing and interest in the Countrey already by their Success and Victories and chiefly by their Confederacy with so many of the Natives and People of the Countrey revolted to them did almost at first by a general consent renounce their Commission and dependency upon Velasquez and profess'd to act immediately from and for the King of Spain What pretences they had for such a Resolution seemingly at least irregular is not so well known Whatever they were they proceed in it and the whole Company excepting onely some few who yet went along with the rest chuse Cortesius anew for their Commander in chief and appoint likewise by common consent all other Officers of Justice both Civil and Military among themselves and to give the better colour at Court to their Proceedings they send Portocorrero and Monteio two of their Principals into Spain with a rich and noble Present to the Emperor both to make report of the State of the Countrey and to procure immediate Commission from his Majesty to proceed after which they advance towards Mexico as hath been said Velasquez being at Cuba and understanding their Proceedings labor'd to intercept both their Messengers and Present but could not and therefore sent Pamphilius Narvaez with eleven Ships and about nine hundred or a thousand Men to apprehend Cortesius and oppose his Proceedings This hapned about the time that the Differences were but newly calm'd betwixt the Spaniards and the People of Mexico and though it oblig'd Cortesius to leave the City in a wavering and unsetled condition yet he took such order that Muteczuma still remain'd under the Guard of the Spaniards as before assisted with thousands of their Friends of Tlascalla and he himself taking the rest and some few Spaniards
Cape and Port is St. Nicholas from whence North-East and by East lieth the Island of Tortuga near the Coast of Hispaniola It is of five Leagues length Farther along the Coast is Monte Christo the West Cape of Natividad to the East of which there is a great Bay call'd Port Real This Island is so full of Harbours that he that will Coast it cannot well miss of one where he pleaseth most of which afford fresh Meat and good Water Moreover Hispaniola hath many brave Rivers the chiefest of which are Hayna Nizao along whose Shore the first Sugar-Canes were planted Neyba a great River Yaquimo Yaqui which Columbus call'd Rio de Oro because the Ground thereof glitter'd like Gold and lastly the Rivers Nicayagua amongst whose Sands is Gold Nigua which borrows its Denomination from the fore-mention'd leaping Insect the swift Stream Juno whose Banks are crown'd with handsom Houses and Jaquin which hath many Salt-pans The Rivers Itabo Ocoa Cepi Bia Cazui Sanate de Plata and Chiabon have some one others more Sugar-Mills upon them But the chiefest River is Ozama broad and so deep that the biggest Vessel may lie close by the Shore and also washes St. Domingo Description of the City of St. Domingo This City the Metropolis of all the Isles round about was built by Bartholomeus Columbus and was peopled Anno 1494. after which it flourish'd eight years when a terrible Storm blowing the same down to the Ground Nicholas Olanda remov'd it to the Western Shore of Ozama that the Spaniards who had for the most part setled towards the West might not be necessitated to Ferry over but the first place stood much more conveniently being not onely provided of a Fountain of sweet Water but also freed of those unwholsom Vapours which daily rise with the Sun at this new-built City To prevent the inconvenience of crossing to the foremention'd Fountain of which the Inhabitants found themselves oftentimes in great want Olanda went about to lead the neighboring River Hayna into the Ozama but the Design not being prosecuted bereav'd Domingo of the onely thing which would have made it able to stand in competition with any City in the World for it lies on a Plain the South side whereof is wash'd by the Sea the East side by the River on the North and West are many delightful Fields The City which in a manner is built square is divided into long straight Streets full of fair Houses after the Spanish manner in the middle thereof is a square Market-place with a handsom Church the Yard whereof is encompass'd with a high Wall which upon occasion would serve for a place of great Defence The Collectors of the King of Spain's Revenue dwell in stately Palaces and the Dominicans Franciscans and Monks De la Merced have brave Cloysters besides two more for the Nuâ—s The Latine School and Hospital belonging to the City are Endow'd with great yearly Revenues The Arch-bishop of St. Domingo hath Command over the Bishoprick of Conception La Vega Cuba Venezuela and Porto Rico. The City is surrounded with a Stone Wall and fortifi'd with a Castle which with two Bulwarks reaches to the River Ozama and within them two Half-Moons On the utmost Shore stands a round Tower near the Southern Bulwark Before the new discover'd Countreys entic'd away many People from St. Domingo and the Silver Fleet put into Havana the Inhabitants drove a great Trade in Hides Tallow Sugar Cassia Horses and Hogs Anno 1586. Sir Francis Drake Landed here with twelve hundred English-men took the City by Storm staid a whole Moneth in the same and upon Composition with the Spaniard left it undestroy'd Other chief Towns of Hispaniola Other chief Towns in Hispaniola are 1. Salvaleon twenty eight Leagues distant from St. Domingo towards the East 2. Zeybo 3. Cotny formerly inhabited by those that work'd in the Gold-Mines the last especially was once a rich Town and much frequented but now in a manner deserted 4. Azua or New Compostella eight Leagues distant from St. Domingo famous for the Sugar-Mills not far from it and one of the Ports before-mention'd 5. Yaguana for its brave Harbour also call'd Maria del Puerto in the more Western parts of the Island a small Town not above a League distant from the Sea It was burnt by Captain Christopher Newport URBS DOMINGO IN HISPANIOLA 6. Conception de la Vega adorn'd with a Cathedral and Cloysters of Fryers and lying twenty or thirty Leagues Northward of St. Domingo It was built by Columbus and from thence he had his Title of Duke de la Vega. 7. Sant Jago de los Cavalleros a very pleasant Place ten Leagues Northward of St. Domingo 8. Puerto de Plata or The Silver Haven four Leagues distant from St. Domingo towards the North It hath been counted the second Place of Trading and Wealth in the whole Island being commodiously seated on an Arm of the Sea and fortifi'd with a Castle 9. Monte Christo one of the Ports also above-mention'd It lies fourteen Leagues Westward of Plata and extends it self along the Northern Coast it is wash'd by the River Yagui on whose Banks are many Salt-pans The Island dispeopled by the cruelty of the Spaniards All those Cities are much decay'd and thinly inhabited the Spaniards being most of them drawn by the temptation of new discover'd Gold and Silver Mines in other places and the first Inhabitants having been miserably destroy'd The Bishop De las Casas an Eye-witness relates That the King Gauccanarillo secur'd the Goods of a stranded Ship of which Columbus was Commander and receiv'd the Spaniards very courteously but not being able to continue supplying them with that quantity of Gold they requir'd wanting Men to gather so much out of the Streams and Mines and seeing no way to rid himself from the Spaniards Oppressions fled to the Province of Ciguayos the Casique of which was his Deputy whereat the Spaniards were so enrag'd that they burnt all that they could meet with neither sparing young nor old and at length taking Guaccanarillo put him in Irons Their barbarous usage of Guaccanarillo and others and thought to have carried him to Madrid but the Ship in which he went suffering Shipwrack he with many others was cast away being before almost dead with grief for his Consort who had been Ravish'd by a Spanish Commander Likewise Anacoana Sister to the Casique or Governor of the Province Xarana and Partner with him in the Government seeing three hundred of her Councellors burning in a great House set on fire by the Spaniards and her Subjects torn by Dogs or cut in pieces hung her self out of despair The same Death died Higuanama Queen of Huguey Others say that Anacoana was put to death together with her Brother in a most barbarous and cruel manner by Nicholas de Olanda who succeeded Diego de Arana in the Government of this Island Many Women and Children were kept alive onely to Manure the
granted the Company their Request and gave them a new Patent by virtue of which they now Trade to Africa and the Caribbee-Islands since they were forc'd to quit all they had possess'd in Brasile SECT XII The Journey of Rodulphus Baron with the Description of the Customs and Manners of the Tapuyans ROdulphus Baron to make a Discovery of the Countrey upon the Encouragement of Grave Maurice who allow'd him to that purpose a yearly Revenue undertook a remarkable Journey accompany'd with three Tapuyans who goings out of the Village Caneri without any store of Provisions left the Mountains Cupaeva on the right-hand and went seventy Leagues into the Countrey without meeting with any People onely he found one Mountain of Fossile Glass from whence he went Southward to the Villages of the Waripebares and Caripati who having courteously Entertain'd him appointed certain Persons to accompany him from one Village to another with Orders to Complement Grave Maurice who sent them home with several Gifts The Waripebares and Caripati inhabit fourteen Villages on the Mountains which Bound Brasile Westward live by Hunting and Fishing eat wild Honey and all manner of Fruit and maintain continual Wars against a mighty People which inhabit the Western Plains The Customs and Manners of the Tapuyans As for the Tapuyans they range up and down between the Rivers Grande Quoauguho Ocioro Upameoma and Voiroguo without having any setled Abodes they are a strong People stern of Countenance and black Hair'd In stead of Circumcising their Children they cut them which is done after this manner The Priests stand on a row Dancing and Singing whilest one of them swings the Child round about his Head before all the Multitude and then runs away with it at last returning sets it in his Lap whilest another Priest cutting a Hole in the Ears and Lips thereof puts little Bones into the same and the Mother cries and howls after a terrible manner At these Ceremonies which end with Dancing and Singing their King is always present So soon as a Woman is gotten with Child by her Husband she lies no more with him but he is permitted to enjoy his other Wives whose number is either more or less according to every ones pleasure The Women after Delivery eat their After-birth Adultery is free for Men but if Women be taken in the Act they are immediately put to Death After they have done Soweing and Planting the King calls all his People and Subjects together and appears to them hung round with Garlands and all of them have their Bodies Painted and stuck full of divers colour'd Feathers Strange kind of Prognostication The Priests when they go about to foretel future Events either Sing or Pipe and at the same time hold up their Heads towards the Skie and stand gazing as if they saw some strange Vision in the Air on some of their Backs hangs a Bundle of Ostriches Feathers some throw Feathers in the Air to see which way the Wind blows When the Waters overflowing Brasile did much harm Anno 1641. the Priests being Consulted brought forth the King 's Calabash in which lay their sacred Stones call'd Cohuterak and Titscheyouh and began to Dance and Sing next six Priests were plac'd in a row which were to Prognosticate whereupon the first taking up a Stone said The Netherlanders have given Battel to those in St. Salvador but are now about an Agreement The second held up a Blossom of Indian Wheat and foretold that there would be plenty of that Grain The third holding a white Pebble-stone promis'd store of Milk The fourth grasp'd a Stone like Bread telling them that the Countrey should produce much Bread The fifth holding up a Bowe and Arrow hung full of Feathers cry'd aloud This is a Gift of the Angels Birds shall flie thicker than these Feathers hang together The sixth having a lump of Wax foretold that there would be plenty of Honey made by the Bees that year They worship the Constellation Ursa Minor They observe a very strange way of Purging for with a Stick they thrust sharp Leaves down their Throats into their Stomach which they turn so long till they vomit Blood Their manner of Wrestling In the Summer they have a general Meeting for Wrestling and other Exercises which lasts three days The Wrestlers are strangely attir'd for they are all over their Bodies beset with divers sorts of Feathers and in stead of Boots or Buskins wear the Barks of Trees about their Legs their Hair besmear'd with Honey and ty'd in a Tuft hangs down behind on their Crowns they wear a Plume of Feathers about their Necks a Band or Gorget of Feathers at their Arms they tie the Wings of the Birds Kohitub and on their Backs a green Bough their whole Bodies Painted with divers Colours and their Hair all Red Thus accoutred they Engage one with another and if there be an old Grudge between them then they Fight in earnest and often kill one another The Victor with strange Actions upbraids the Vanquish'd with Cowardise and ever after enjoys his Wife and Children They eat the Serpent Manuab being four Yards long and on the Tail having a Horn which with a push it thrusts into Man or Beast as it lights then winds it self about the Body and sucks till it hath suck'd the last drop of Blood Here are also Serpents which are so poysonous that the least Wound receiv'd by them is mortal unless the part bitten be either immediately cut out or off The Priests cut the deceased Bodies into pieces which are roasted by old Women the Bones are taken out and at the next publick Feast are stamp'd mix'd with Water and Drank But the Bodies of Noblemen are to be eaten by none but Persons of that Rank Their manner Crowning their Kings They also Crown their Kings after a strange manner viz. The Priests who are best with Feathers anoint him with sweet-smelling Oyl or Balsam and put a Crown of divers colour'd Feathers on his Head after which they all fall a Singing and Dancing but if any one happen to speak a word of the deceased King they all begin to howl and cry The Kings Authority consists more in Advising than Commanding Their Opinions concerning the Soul They believe that the Souls of those who die a natural Death are immortal but those that are kill'd by their Enemies devour'd by ravenous Beasts or poyson'd are totally extinguish'd both Soul and Body for ever They say likewise that Hell is Westward near a dark Pool where the Devil Examines every Soul how they liv'd on Earth and what Death they dy'd the Good are Ferry'd over to a delightful Valley where there is plenty of Fish Honey and Flesh but the Wicked are miserably tormented The Natives live peaceably amongst themselves their Law being for those that have not to ask and for those that have to give They never Travel in the Night for fear of Serpents and other ravenous Beasts
1241. as Jacob Planensis and Benedictus Sarmata two Monks sent by Pope Innocent to Hoccata witness The great number of the Tartars or Scythians may appear by the several people spread far and near over Tartary Pliny reckons some of them viz. Auchetes Neuri Geloni Thussagetes Budini Basilides Agathyrsi Nomades Anthropophagi Hyperborei Arimphei Cimmerij Cicianthi Georgi Sacores and others What number would the Inhabitants make up that live in America in Teneneuf Virginia Florida New Spain Guadalaiara Guatemala Terra firma New Granada Peru Chili Rio de la Plata Brasil Guaiana New Andaluzai It will be worth our time to compare the likeness between the Scythians and Northern Americans both of them are differenc'd with special Marks of a more than ordinary and natural distance between the Eyes which much alters the whole Air of the Face and the plumpness and swelling of their Cheeks summits above the Cheek-bone most of these are of a middle stature having downy Hair upon their Chin like the Callow Feathers of an unfledg'd Bird. Lastly as the Tartars they differ amongst themselves in their Customs yet in several things they agree one with another according as they are govern'd by others and yet other Princes some powerful and some weaker according as every ones power be more or less The Inhabitants of Lucaja bear so great a respect and stand so much in awe of their Governor that if commanded to leap from a Rock and break their Necks they instantly obey The same is observ'd by the Tartars the first King Canguista Commanded the seven Princes of his Realm to Murder their Sons with their own Hands which they all readily performed In Popaina they live to this day like some Tartars Costitutions of the Tartars and Americans agree without Laws or Law-givers who change their places by turns from the great increase or the Tartars the Americans no ways differ Bartholomeus de las Casas writ to Charles the Fifth That the Spaniards in few years onely on the Islands Cuba Hispaniola Naco Hondures in Venezuela and New Spain destroy'd above 2600000. Men besides the slaughter that was made in Peru Brafil Rio de la Plata and other places which far exceed the foremention'd numbers Polygamy is still in use both among the Tartars and Americans both adknowledge the Immortality of the Soul both like Cannibals Eating and Sacrificing Mans flesh How famous amongst the Antients was the Altar of Diana in Taurica Chersonesus where several Men were daily Sacrificed How delicate according to Sabellicus did the Tartars account their Dishes Sauc'd and serv'd with humane Gore Strabo relates Grogr l. 11. q. 7. That the antient People account it an honourable Death to be chop'd in pieces and their flesh serv'd up in Commons Those that die by Age a natural death are despis'd like Malefactors and as a punishment according to their Demerits left in the open Fields a prey to Birds and Beasts some delight in that loathsome gorging themselves with Mens flesh others on the contrary not onely detest humane but all manner of flesh And just so the Americans are distinguish'd for although the Caribes Brasilians the Inhabitants of New Spain New Granada St. Martha and others Sacrifice and eat Men yet as many abhor and detest that odious Diet and abominable Custom Giles Flesher Queen Elisabeths Agent in Muscow relates That Anno 1588. Kinach Morsey Grandson to the Governor of the Chrim Tartars made his entrance there with a Retinue of three hundred Noblemen and two Ladies of which one was the Widow of his deceased Brother The great Prince inform'd of their coming sent him two slaughter'd Horses whose sides and Hanches they feasted on as we on Fallow Deer Most of the Tartars use no manner of Letters or Characters in the Voyage made into Persia they first learn'd to make Letters just so it is in America their bemoaning of the dead ends in one Moneth both by the Tartars and Americans with a Person of Quality the Tartars bury a live Servant the same Custom is observ'd by some of the Americans and so much do they agree in a salvage and rude life that Merchandizing and Mechanicks are little regarded Ayson the American acknowledges the Tartars for a rude People in their Religion Habits and Dwellings and yet in all these the Americans differ but very little Lastly How common is it amongst them to worship the Devil Devil-worship in Amerrica Along the River Sagadahoc the Inhabitants are every new Moon miserably tormented by an Evil Spirit call'd Tanto In the Temples in Virginia remain yet the horrible Images of the Devils Oka and Menetto Not a House in Mexico but hath a peculiar Chappel set apart for this their suppos'd holy but damnable Adoration of the Devil Others in Virginia believe That there is a great and supreme Deity which is Everlasting and for ever The Tartars also are of the like perswasion But this Opinion Grotius hath laid a strong and dangerous Battery against that America could not be Peopled by the Tartars because the Americans before the Spaniards coming thither had never seen any Horses whereas the Tartars use no Beast more either in Peace or War nor can less want For the Tartarian Forces do not only consist in Horse Tartarian Horses but the Wealth of this Countrey is reckon'd up in the numerous Breeds of Horses and several Studs of Mares Some of the Nobless keep a thousand Horse none though never so poor but keep two or three and Beggars there mounted crave Alms and Charity of the People When they remove their Habitations their Horses carry their Provisions and Tents If Provisions grow short they eat Mares Milk high gusted with Garlick which satisfies Hunger and Thirst and the red Liquor which they tap warm from their Veins serves them to help Digestion and heighten their Humor instead of the Blood of the Grape our sweet Wine The swiftest Rivers though raging and precipitated with Land-floods they dare adventure swimming their Horses over hanging naked by their Manes and guiding them by a slipp'd Rein whither they please To their Tails they tie their Saddles and other Necessaries bound up in Rushes When a Person of Quality prepares to cross any River they tie two Horses Tail to Tail and athwart both their Backs fasten a Mat pleited of Rushes to sit on When they are stopp'd at any broad River or standing Lake they kill and flea their worst Horses then turning the Skins inside out and well Liquoring they stretch them open with the Ribs which stand like the Bayles of a Tilted Wherry and thus furnish'd serves them for a Boat to carry eight Persons When they take the Field going to War not any but musters three Horses which makes their Armies when drawn out in Campain shew much bigger than indeed they are And though many of them are kill'd in the Wars or slain for Food yet the European Tartars pay yearly forty thousand Horses to the Russians from whence
very bad and the Cold intollerable the Storms swelling the Waves into the bigness of Mountains Vesputius left the Coast des Patagones and the Streights afterwards call'd Magellan behind him burnt one of his Ships before Cape Sierra Leona and brought two safe to Lisbon Vesputius having left this desolate Isle three hundred Leagues a Stern enter'd a Haven to which he gave the name of St. Abdy where he stay'd two Months expecting the return of those which he had sent into the Countrey but seeing it in vain to wait any longer he proceeded on his Journey and Sailing in between the Abrelhos in the River Curubabo he built a strong Fort Garrison'd it with twenty four Men twelve pieces of Ordnance and Provisions for six Moneths Five Moneths Vesputius had spent in the building this Castle when he return'd home with one Ship laden with Brasill Wood where approaching Lisbon beyond all expectation the Inhabitants of the City ran to Congratulate his happy return And from this Americus Vesputius the New World is to this day call'd America SECT VII The Expedition of Alphonso Fogeda Diego Nicuesa Ancisus and Roderick Colmenares AMericus Vesputius was scarce fitted out in Lisbon when Fogeda set Sail with three hundred Men from Beata the chiefest Haven of Hispaniola to the Island Codego inhabited by Naked People but of comely Personage and withal expert and most excellent Archers Here he found a very strange Tree Wonderful Tree on Codego which bears a Fruit not unpleasing to the Palate yet deadly Poyson and besides whoever chances to sleep under their shadow loose both their understanding and Eye-sight and never attain to their former Sences except they take some Opiates as dangerous and so by long sleep recover Fogedo's cruelty and destruction Here Fogeda set upon a poor Village near the Sea-side where without mercy he put them all to the Sword except a few Youths which were onely saved that they might inform Fogeda what was become of the slain and taken Spaniards Who told him that according to their Custom they had Roasted the dead and also their living Prisoners and feasted on their Flesh Here having burnt the Houses and sifting the Ashes Nicuesa found some Gold But now they began to be distress'd for Provisions for prevention of which Nicuesa had given order to Ancisus Marshal in Hispaniola that he should follow with a Ship of Victual Famine for the Army to Codega But he being kept back by inconveniencies most of the Spaniards were famish'd so that the three hundred Men which Codega brought from Hispaniola were reduced to sixty And he was already under-Sail to Hispaniola when Ancisus Anchor'd in the Haven of Codegoos and sent some Men ashore to mend his Boat and fetch fresh Water which whilst they were doing the Natives came flocking about them Three days they fac'd one another Strange accident using no Hostility when at last a Spaniard that understood the Codegan Tongue adventuring to fetch Water he was immediately encompassed when speaking to them and informing them in their own Language That he was none of Fogedas or Nicuesas People which not long since had committed so great slaughter they left him and the rather because he told them that Ancisus would take revenge on them if they did any wrong to him Thus quieted they brought all sorts of Provisions Aboard Mean while Ancisus Sail'd to the Main Continent Uraba Ancisus escapes great danger where in the Mouth of a Haven he ran his Vessel a-ground which was bilg'd the Sea-men taking some Arms along with them sav'd their lives by swimming ashore where their first sustenance they found was store of Peaches and Cherries which was a great refreshment in those hot Countreys but yet had undoubtedly been starv'd but that in searching the Wood for Fruits they found Wild-Swine which preserv'd their lives yet they were not free from apparent danger having to deal with a Salvage People into whose hands they were so unfortunately cast by Shipwrack however Ancisus set a good face on the business marching with a hundred Men up into the Countrey where some of the Urabanners from an ambuscade unawares with their Arrows wounded several of his Men hereupon they retreated to the Shore of the River Daria whither also they had brought the small Boats sav'd from the Wreck where whilst they were in consultation how to return to Hispaniola the Inhabitants having muster'd themselves and making a Body of five hundred Men set upon them who after a sharp Conflict made them retreat and at last to flie whom Ancisus pursuing found in a Thicket of Canes or Reeds a great Treasure of Gold Mean while Nicuesa Sail'd to the plentiful Golden Countrey Veragua with three Ships of which he lost two the one Commanded by Lupus de Olana and the other by Peter Umbria Olana which was stranded in the River Veragua which gives name to the whole Island but he built a new Carvil whereas that of Lupus Olana was bilg'd among the Rocks Little better success had Nicuesa whose Ship over-turning with a Tempest he with a few of his Men made land upon Veragua where he rang'd up and down in a miserable condition on a barren and in a manner desolate Shore seventy days All that time finding no other Food than Wild Roots who wandring up and down at last met with Olana a little before cast away on the same Isle whom he secur'd because he presum'd to usurp the Title and be prime Commander of that Countrey Upon which the Spaniards being divided some for Ancisus some for Olana the difference more and more encreasing would not be reconcil'd till the Famine over-powering master'd both so that not being able to handle their Arms the Salvages slew them at their pleasure by this means in a short time of seven hundred eighty five remain'd scarce ninety yet did not all this misery work any thing upon the ambitious humor of Vasques Nunnez who rebelling against Ancisus split that small remainder of Men and with the help of those he had drawn over to his Party made himself Governor of Uraba not possible to be long enjoy'd without speedy supply which soon after they receiv'd for Colmenares Sailing from Hispaniola with Provisions Colmenares Expedition arriv'd there the 15. of October Anno 1510. having been toss'd twenty three days at Sea then making into the River Gaira to furnish himself with fresh Water he lost forty seven Men for whilst they were filling their Casks seven hundred of the Salvages came down upon them and with their Poyson'd Arrows wounded and kill'd most of them His strange reception Colmenares came in a good time to the remainder under Ancisus Command being in danger of death for want of Provisions and finding the factions that were among them about Superiority he thought it fit consulting with some of the chiefest of them to find out Nicuesa who was indeed the Governor that had the Grant from the King This agreed
otherwise they believ'd their Idols would devour the Souls of the Dead and this though Christians they did not forget Nay further when he went to War he carry'd the Image of the Virgin Mary with him in the Front of his Army often saying Ave Maria and this was the end of that Voyage But afterwards Ancisus complain'd against Vascus Nunnez in the Spanish Court where he receiv'd a Sentence very prejudicial to him Colmenares and Quicedo had also Audience there whereupon matters being settled a firm Government was establish'd in Uraba SECT VIII Peter Arias his Expedition and remarkable Passages of Vascus Nunnez PEter Arias Knight accompany'd with his Wife Elizabeth Boadilla set Sail Anno 1514. but surpriz'd by a violent Storm lost two Ships and return'd to Spain yet not long after began his Voyage afresh notwithstanding he had lately had such bad success and heard of the great hardship which Nicuesa suffer'd Nicuesa suffers hunger having not onely kept himself alive a considerable time by feeding on flesh of Dogs and other such like Creatures a great Frog being sold in Veragua for a lump of Gold Nunnez immediately resolv'd to Sail thither notwithstanding it was the middle of October when the South-East Winds make such a turbulent and hollow Sea as many times wash'd away Trees and pieces of Rocks Besides the Weather was more terrible by continual Lightning and great Thunder-Claps the Nights very cold the Days exceeding hot yet all these difficulties could not prevail for Nunnez would not stay to expect fairer Weather but went on and coming thither he saw how the Indians Fish for Pearls Manner of Fishing for Pearls which was Diving for Oysters but the Weather being rough and foul they durst not venture for the best which lay far from the Shore Nunnez returns But Nunnez leaving his sick and weary'd Men with Chiapes March'd quite another way back than he came and crossing a great River was receiv'd by Prince Teaocha who furnish'd him with Gold Pearls Provisions and Guides which carry'd his Luggage and Goods Pacra a great Oppressor of all his Neighbors hearing of the approach of Nunnez fled but terrifi'd with threats return'd with three other Princes which were all so Deform'd that more horrible Monsters were never seen scarce any part about them resembling those of a Man Pacra a tyrannous King his horrible death The Guides which Teaocha had provided for the Spaniard desir'd that he might be put to Death for the Cruelties which he had long committed whose Request being granted he with the other three Princes were given as a Breakfast to the Spanish Doggs Mean while the Spaniards were in danger to have perish'd for want of Water yet at last in a Thicket of Brambles they found a small Brook but none of the Indians durst venture to go to it for fear of Tygers and other Wild Beasts relating That the Tygers took many people in the nights out of their Huts if they were not careful in making fast their Doors Strange relation of Tyger John Ledesma had himself eaten part of a Tyger which for six Moneths together had every night feasted on Mans flesh or Beasts which they caught in this manner In the Path along which he pass'd coming out of his Den to seek for Prey a deep Pit was digg'd and cover'd very sleightly on the top into which the Tyger fell yet though taken so fiercely withstood the Pikes Darts and Stones thrown at him that every one was amaz'd to see the fury of the Beast After that they sought for the Female but found onely two young ones without a Dam which taking along with them they put Iron Collars about their Necks intending to carry them to Spain but seeing no likelyhood of breeding them up they brought them back again purposing to fetch them away when grown somewhat older and accordingly coming afterwards to look for them they found the Den empty so that it was supposed they had been devour'd by their Dam. Nunnez further Journey into the Countrey very remarkable In the Province of Bononiama the Spaniards inrich'd themselves with Chains and Breast-Plates of Gold which in great plenty hung on the Walls in every House At the River Comogrus they discharg'd Teaocha's Guides and made use of Cotog and Ciuriza two Governors of a barren Tract of Land full of Hills and Mountains which they left on their right Hand and wandred three days over a Morasse in which they often sunk to their Knees In all these Travels Victual was so scarce that they were much weaken'd by their wants and though they took fresh courage when they got footing on King Buchebua's Jurisdiction yet they found nothing but empty Huts and the like in the Countrey of Chiorisus both having a little before been pillag'd by their more powerful neighboring Enemies But although they could not furnish Nunnez with Provisions they presented him with weighty Ingots of Gold but this rich Metal not able to purchase the least morsel of Bread drove them into a great strait and indeed they had without doubt been all famished had not Pocchorosa mother King fed them forty days together with stamp'd Roots Thus refresh'd and instigated by Pocchorosa they broke by night in Tubunama's Palace and took him Prisoner with eighty Concubines who fearing to be put to death gave an incredible Treasure of Gold to purchase his Ransom Nunnez thus enriched came at last to his People which he had left on the River Daria where two Ships sent from Hispaniola rode at an Anchor Peter Arias his Voyage and Fight in the Haven St. Martha Whilst things were thus carry'd in America Peter Arias Sail'd with fifteen Ships Mann'd with fifteen hundred Men to New Andalusia by the Islands Martinina Guadalupe and Galanta all in America a considerable time he Sail'd through the Sea overgrown with Weeds Afterwards anchoring in the Haven St. Martha he receiv'd a great repulse from the Natives who no ways daunted at the bigness of the Ships waded up to their Breasts in the Sea and shot many great flights of poisonous Arrows at the Spaniards of whom two being wounded immediately died Arias sending some of his Men ashore they found many Boats lying full of Nets made of tough Weeds and Ropes pleited of Rushes In the Haven St. Martha being three Leagues wide are abundance of Fish which may be seen under Water twenty Fathom deep But now the Spaniards that were ashore breaking into the Houses and taking Women and Children Prisoners the Americans prepar'd for another Fight which at the beginning was very fierce but at last they were forc'd to quit the Field Strange Houses and Houshold-stuff Their Houses and Furniture in them are worthy of observation their Cielings being cover'd with Shells strung on small Thred which make a pleasing noise when mov'd by the least breath of Wind. The Walls are hung with fine Stuffs woven full of Imagery as Cranes Lyons Tygers and
on his lawful King is presently Executed Once a Year he takes his Progress accompanied with a dozen of his best Subjects to view his Countrey to recreate himself and establish good Orders When he enters into any of their Houses without any more Complement he is desir'd to sit down on the Ground for they use neither Stools nor Cushions and after a little respite all that are present come in and sit down by him one of his Seniors pronouncing an Oration gratulatory to his Majesty for love and the many good things they enjoy under his peaceful Government A King of large Dominions hath his Vice-Roys or inferior Kings under him to agitate his State Affairs and keep his Subjects in good Decorum Other Officers there are but how to distinguish them by Name is something difficult For their Laws as their Vices come short of many other Nations so they have not so many Laws though they are not without some which they inflict upon notorious Malefactors as Traitors to their Prince inhumane Murtherers and some say Adulterers for Theft as they have nothing to steal worth the Life of a Man therefore they have no Law to Execute for Trivials a Subject being more precious in the Eye of his Prince than where Men are so scarce to be cast away upon so sleight a matter A Malefactor having deserv'd Death and being apprehended is brought before the King and some other of the wisest Men where they enquire out the original of the thing after proceeding by aggravation of Circumstances he is found Guilty and Cast by the Jury of their strict Inquisition he is Condemn'd and Executed in the following manner The Executioner comes in who blind-folds the Party sets him in the publick view and Brains him with a Tamahauke or Club which done his Friends bury him Of their Marriages Now to speak something of their Marriages the Kings and the Powwows or great Doctors may have two or three Wives but seldom use it Men of ordinary Rank having but one which dilproves the report that they had eight or ten Wives apiece When a Man hath a desire to Marry he first gets the good will of the Maid or Widow after the consent of her Friends for her part and for himself if he be at his own disposing and if the King will the Match is made her Dowry of Wampompeage paid the Sagamore or King who for every Marriage hath a Fathom of Wampompeage which is about the value of seven or eight shillings joyns their Hands never to part till Death unless she prove a Whore for which they may put away their Wives Of their Worship Invocations and Conjurations As it is natural to all Mortals to worship something so do these People but exactly to describe to whom their Worship is chiefly bent is very difficult They acknowledge especially two Ketan some say Tantum their good God and Hobamocco some say Squantum their evil God to Ketan they Sacrifice as the ancient Heathens did to Ceres after their Garners be full with a good Crop They likewise Invocate this God for fair Weather for Rain in time of Drought and for the recovery of their Sick but if they do not hear them then they verrifie the old Verse Flectere si nequeo Superos Acheronta movebo their Powwows betaking themselves to their Exorcismes and Necromantick Charms by which they bring to pass strange things if we may believe the Indians who report of one Pissacannaw that he could make the Water burn the Rocks move the Trees dance and metamorphose himself into a flaming Man In Winter when there is no green Leaves to be got he would out of the Ashes of an old Leaf calcin'd and put into the Water produce a new green Leaf And of a dead Snakes Skin a living Snake both to be seen felt and heard The manner of their action in their Conjuration is thus The Parties that are sick or lame being brought before them the Powwow sitting down the rest of the Indians giving attentive audience to his Imprecations and Invocations and after the violent expression of many a hideous bellowing and groaning he makes a stop and then all the Auditors with one voice utter a short Canto which done the Powwow still proceeds in his Invocations sometimes roaring like a Bear other times groaning like a dying Horse foaming at the Mouth like a chased Boar smiting on his naked Brest and Thighs with such violence as if he were mad Thus will he continue sometimes half a day spending his Lungs sweating out his Fat and tormenting his Body in this diabolical Worship Sometimes the Devil for requital of their Worship recovers the Party to nuzzle them up in their devillish Religion But since the English upon whom and in whose presence it is said the Powwows could never work their Witchcrafts frequented those Parts they daily fall from his Colours relinquishing their former Fopperies and acknowledge the Power of the English-man's God as they call him And it is reported of them that at the very first they were so tractable to the Christian Religion that they would say King James was good and his God good but their Tanto nought though of their two Gods he was accounted the good one Of their Wars They use no other Weapons in War than Bowes and Arrows saving that their Captains have long Spears on which if they return Conquerors they carry the Heads of their chief Enemies that they slay in the Wars it being the Custom to cut off their Heads Hands and Feet to bear home to their Wives and Children as true tokens of their renowned Victory When they go to their Wars it is their Custom to paint their Faces with diversity of Colours some being all black as Jet some red some half red and half black some black and white others spotted with divers kinds of Colours being all disguis'd to their Enemies to make them more terrible to their Foes putting on likewise their rich Jewels Pendents and Wampompeage to put them in mind that they Fight not onely for their Children Wives and Lives but likewise for their Goods Lands and Liberties Being thus Arm'd with this Warlike Paint the antique Warriors make towards their Enemies in a disorder'd manner without any Soldier-like Marching or Warlike Postures being deaf to any word of Command ignorant of falling off or on of doubling Ranks or Files but let flie their winged Shaftsmen without either fear or wit Their Artillery being spent he that hath no Arms to Fight finds Legs to run away Their Games and Sports of activity They have two sorts of Games one call'd Puim the other Hubbub not much unlike Cards and Dice being no other than Lottery Puim is fifty or sixty small Bents of a Foot long which they divide to the number of their Gamesters shuffling them first between the Palms of their Hands be that hath more than his Fellow is so much the forwarder in his Game Many other Whimsies
so made are in Force there till His Majesty thinks fit to alter them The Chief Court of Judicature is call'd The Quarter-Court because it is held every quarter of a Year where all Causes Criminal and Civil are heard and determin'd and the Judges of this Court are the Governor and Council The present Governor in this Year 1671. is Sir William Berkley who was made Governor by King Charles the First of Great Brittain c. in the Year 1640. And those of the Council are Sir Henry Chichesly who is one of the greatest and most considerable Planters there and Mr. Edward Diggs before-mention'd Mr. Thomas Ludwel Secretary Major-General Robert Smith and divers other worthy Gentlemen That part of the Countrey where the English are Planted is divided into nineteen Counties viz. Northampton-County in Acomack on the Eastern shore and on the Western shore Corotuck Lower-Norfolk Nansemund Isle of Wight Surry Warwick Henerico James Charles York New-Kent Gloucester Middlesex Lancaster Northumberland Westmoreland Rappahanock and Harford-Counties In every one of these Counties there are inferior County-Courts kept every Moneth these take no Cognizance of Causes relating to Life or Member or exceeding a certain limited Value such being refer'd to the Quarter-Courts only to which likewise there lie Appeals from their Inferior Courts There are Sheriffs Justices of the Peace and other Officers in every respective County appointed by the Governor for the Administration of Justice who sit there according to his Order and whereof these County-Courts are chiefly compos'd There are few Towns as yet erected in this Colony the Principal Seat of the English there is at a place call'd James-City in Honor of King James of Great Brittain c. This is situated in a Peninsula on the North side of James-River and has in it many fair Brick and other good Houses In this place are held the Quarter-Courts General Assemblies the Secretary's Office and all other Affairs and greatest Concerns of the Colony are here dispatch'd On the same side nearer the Mouth of this River stands Elizabeth-City containing also several good Houses of Brick and Timber Sir William Berkley the present Governor resides at a place somewhat distant from James-City call'd Green-Spring a fair Brick House which he himself caus'd to be built The other Towns of Note belonging to the English only Henricopolis or Henry's-Town so nam'd from Prince Henry then living built in a very convenient place more within Land about eighty Miles distant from James-City and Dale's-Gift so nam'd and Planted at the Charges of Sir Thomas Dale Deputy-Governor of the Countrey about the Year 1610. Of the Indians of Virginia The Indians of Virginia in Stature Complexion and Disposition differ very little from those of Mary-land Their Laws and Customs their way of Living and Apparel their Religion Money and manner of Burial are the same in both places all which are more particularly express'd in the precedent Description of that Province to which we refer the Reader Yet these Indians far exceed those of Mary-land in Treachery and Cruelty to the English there as will appear by this following Relation of their Proceedings towards them since the first Seating of that Colony wherein nevertheless the Civility of some particular Persons at their first Landing is not to be omitted Transactions between the English and the Natives Upon the first arrival of Captain Amidas and Captain Barlow in Wingandacoa now Virginia they were accosted by Granganimeo the King's Brother of that Countrey who attended with a Train of forty or fifty Men came in a very civil manner to Treat about a Commerce of Trade and Traffick which immediately began between them and several Barters were made Granganimeo who was very just of his Word and always kept his promis'd Day of meeting fancying most a Pewter Dish gave twenty Deer-skins for it and boring a Hole therein hung it about his Neck for a Breast-plate afterwards he with his whole Company and his Wife and Children frequently and familiarly did eat and drink aboard the English Ships the King himself call'd Wingina lying sick at his chief Town six days Journey off of a dangerous Wound which he had receiv'd from a neighboring King his mortal Enemy Some of the English going to Land upon the Isle of Roanoack were met by Granganimeo's Wife who her Husband being absent commanded her Servants some to draw their Boat ashore some to carry them on their Backs to Land others to carry in their Oars into the House for fear of stealing and having caus'd a great Fire to be made to warm them and to dry those that had been wet in their Voyage she afterwards Entertain'd them with a very plentiful Feast or Banquet after that Countrey fashion and when they took alarm at the coming of two or three of her Men with Bowes and Arrows she caus'd the Bowes to be broken and the Men to be beaten out of the House besides several other demonstrations of extraordinary civility and when notwithstanding all this they could not be perswaded to Lodge any where but in their Boat she us'd all means imaginable to make them quit their jealousie and accept of a Lodging in the House In the Year 1585. a Company that went over with Sir Richard Greenvill burnt the Town of Aquascogoc by reason of a Silver Cup that was stoln by some of the Indians took Prisoner Menatonon King of Chawonoc who gave a large Relation of another King about three days Journey off who possess'd an Island wonderfully rich in Pearl which was taken in great abundance in a deep Water that inviron'd it Going towards the Countrey of the Mangoacks among whom in the Province of Chaunis Temoatan they heard of a Mine of strange Copper call'd Wassador with Skiko the King of Chowonock's Son and Manteo a faithful Salvage for their Guide they were treacherously dealt with by Wingina alias Pemissapan for so his Brother Granganimeo being lately dead he had alter'd his Name who endeavor'd to stir up a Confederacy of the Chawonocks Moratocks and Mangoacks against them yet by the urgent perswasions of Ensenore his Father the truest Friend the English had after the death of Granganimeo and seeing them safe return'd from their Journey wherein he thought they had all perish'd and especially upon Menatonon's sending Messengers to them with Pearl and Okisco King of Weopomeock to yield himself Vassal to the Queen of England his Hatred was somewhat cool'd but Ensenore deceasing soon after he return'd to his old treacherous Practises again and in the end while he was contriving mischief against the Planters he himself was shot taken Prisoner and beheaded After the Company left upon Virginia by Sir Richard Greenwill for he himself was return'd tir'd out with hunger hardship and the many extremities they were at last reduc'd to had deserted the Place and obtain'd Passage for England through the civility of Sir Francis Drake pitying their distress fifty Men more were Landed upon Roanoack-Isle by the
same Person who how they were surpris'd and destroy'd by the Natives was discover'd at large to the Supply that was sent over in the Year 1587. by Mr. White A Party of those that went over with Captain Bartholomew Gosnol Captain John Smith c. were by the Indians set upon as they were raising a Fort near Cape Henry where they Landed seventeen Men hurt one slain and all in danger to have been utterly destroy'd had not a Shot happily made from the Ships by chance frighted away the Salvages Another small Party under Captain Smith going down the River to Keconghean were very fiercely assaulted by sixty or seventy Indians but their Musquet-shot did such Execution amongst them that they fled into the Woods and left behind them the Image of their God which had been carried before them as their Standard and not long after sent one of their Queiongcasocks to offer Peace and to redeem their Okee which Smith granting on condition six onely of them would come unarm'd and load his Boat with Provisions and promising moreover to become their Friend and furnish them with Beads Copper and Hatchets They accepted the Condition and brought him Venison Turkies wild Fowl Bread and what else they had Singing and Dancing in sign of Friendship till they departed In his Return he discover'd the Town and Countrey of Warraskayock and the People of Chickahamania In his next Voyage for the discovery of the Head of Chickamahania River he was through neglect of his Sea-men who were sent to watch the Booty taken Prisoner in which condition he was kept a whole Moneth then being released he got Provisions for the People in James-Town which had they not timely receiv'd they had all abandon'd the Place and return'd to England While Affairs stood thus in a mean condition Captain Newport arriving there with a Ship and sixty Men to strengthen the Plantations he went to Weromocomoco where King Powhatan kept his Court King Powhatan and found him sitting on a Bed of Mats and an Embroider'd Leather Cushion Cloth'd in Deer-skins at his Feet fat a young Maiden and on each side of the House twenty Concubines his Head and Shoulders were painted red and a Chain of white Beads hung about his Neck Newport to oblige him gave him an English Youth in requital whereof he receiv'd Powhatan's bosom Friend Mamontak with whom returning he found a sad Accident for the Fire had not onely burnt the Houses of the new Planters but also the Pallisado's about James-Town made for a Defence against the Enemies Assaults James-Town burnt and most of their Store which was so much the worse because it hapned in the Winter and indeed had prov'd very fatal had not a Ship which was suppos'd to be lost happily arriv'd there with a considerable quantity of Provisions Smith's Voyage Whilst the Town was rebuilding Smith set Sail in an open Barque with fourteen Men and discover'd two Isles before Point Charles to which he gave his Name then ran into the Inlet Chesapeack in the midst of which lay several Islands His remarkable Exploits by the Sea-men call'd Russels Before the River Wighcomoco they found a disturbed Sea and more Northerly a Bay with fresh and hot Water and at last he met with two Virginians which conducted the English along a Creek to Onawmoment where some hundreds of them lay in Ambuscade according to Powhatan's appointment to cut off Smith who leaping forth on a Hidden appear'd like Devils all painted but the Bullets flying about made them all run away Smith whose Design was onely to discover the Countrey and the Silver Mine of Patawomeck ten Leagues up into the Countrey found the Metal to be of little value so that he return'd with little Success being newly cur'd of a poysonous Wound in the Arm which was given him by a Fish not unlike a Shark whilst he lay aground near Toppahanock A while after being inform'd of Powhatan's Design to destroy the English though he had been lately Presented by Newport with a Silver Basin a rich Chair Bed and Furniture belonging to it with other things of value he to prevent him chose forty eight out of two hundred Men which were Garrison'd in James-Town then going to Werowocomoco Landed with much trouble the River being frozen above half a Mile from the Shore A German Soldier amongst Smith's Company giving private notice to Powhatan of the Design of the English made his Escape by flight But Smith going on to Pamaunke found King Opechancangough with seven hundred Men in Arms threatning a fierce Battel but Smith making directly up to him set his Pistol on his Breast and forc'd him to lay down his Arms. Powhatan by this time provided with Swords and Musquets by two Dutch-men also began to bestir himself afresh but his Intentions being too soon known he was again quieted and forc'd a second time to send Smith a String of Pearl after which a Peace was concluded between all the Natives and the English Many other Quarrels and Encounters there were in the Infancy of the Plantation between the Indians and the English wherein it would be endless to recount all the Treacheries and Ambuscades of the Salvages some of which had prov'd very pernicious to the Planters had they not been betray'd to Captain Smith by Pocahonta King Powhatan's Daughter who upon all occasions shew'd her self a great Friend to the English having sav'd the Captain 's Life when being her Father's Prisoner he was just brought to Execution This Lady was afterwards brought into England Christned by the Name of Rebekah and Married to one Mr. Rolf and died at Gravesend in an intended Voyage back to her own Countrey Nor did their Cruelties and Treacheries end when the Plantation came to be more setled for on the two and twentieth of March about the Year 1621. in the time of Sir Francis Wyat's Government they generally combin'd to destroy all the English there and carried on this devilish Design with such dissimulation and dexterity that in one day they cut off seven hundred Men Women and Children there being at that time not above fifteen hundred in the Countrey Since which time in the Year of our Lord 1643. there hapned another bloody Massacre wherein near five hundred English were in one Night miserably butcher'd by those barbarous and perfidious Salvages whose Blood the present Governor Sir William Berkley nobly and justly reveng'd the Year following utterly destroying most of them and taking Prisoner their chief Emperor Opichancono who died not long after in Prison Having given but a small hint in its proper place of the Story of Captain Smith's Imprisonment by Powhatan and his deliverance from Death by Pocahonta we have thought not improper to reserve the Story of it being very remarkable for a particular Relation before we conclude our Description of Virginia since otherwise we should have interrupted the Series of our former Discourse The Relation of Captain Smith's being taken Prisoner by Powhatan
and of his being deliver'd from Death by his Daughter Pocahonta THe Salvages having drawn from one George Cassen whither Captain Smith was gone prosecuting that opportunity they follow'd him with three hundred Bowe-Men conducted by the King of Pamaunkee who in divisions searching the turnings of the River found two of his Men by the fire side whom they shot full of Arrows and slew Then finding the Captain who as is said us'd the Salvage that was his Guide as his Shield three of them being slain and others sore gall'd the rest would not come near him Thinking thus to have return'd to his Boat regarding them as he march'd more than his way he slipp'd up to the middle in an Osier-Creek and his Salvage-with him yet durst they not come to him till being near dead with cold he threw away his Arms Then according to their composition they drew him forth and led him to the Fire where his Men were slain diligently they chaf'd his benumm'd Limbs he demanding for their Captain they shew'd him Opechankanough King of Pamaunkee to whom he gave a round Ivory double compass Dyal Much they marvel'd at the playing of the Fly and Needle which they could see so plainly and yet not touch it because of the Glass that cover'd them but when he demonstrated by that Globe-like Jewel the roundness of the Earth and Skies the Sphere of the Sun Moon and Stars and how the Sun did chase the Night round about the World continually the greatness of the Land and Sea the diversity of Nations variety of Complexions and how we were to them Antipodes and many other such like matters they all stood as amaz'd with admiration Notwithstanding within an hour after they ty'd him to a Tree and as many as could stand about him prepar'd to shoot him but the King holding up the Compass in his Hand they all laid down their Bowes and Arrows and in a triumphant manner led him to Orapaks where he was after their manner kindly Feasted and well us'd Their order in conducting him was thus Drawing themselves all in Fyle the King in the midst had all their Bowes and Swords borne before him Captain Smith was led after him by three great Salvages holding him fast by each Arm and on each side six went in Fyle with their Arrows nocked But arriving at the Town which was but onely thirty or forty Hunting Houses made of Mats which they remove as they please as we our Tents all the Women and Children staring and gazing at him the Souldiers first all in Fyle wheel'd off to the Rear in good Order on each Flank were Officers like Serjeants to see them keep their Postures A good time they continu'd this Exercise and then cast themselves in a Ring Dancing in such several Postures and singing and yelling out such hellish Notes and Screeches being strangely Painted every one his Quiver of Arrows and at his Back a Club on his Arm a Fox or an Otters-skin or some such matter for his vambrace their Heads and Shoulders Painted red with Oyl and Pocones mingled together which Scarlet-like colour made an exceeding handsome show his Bowe in his Hand and the Skin of a Bird with her Wings abroad dry'd ty'd on his Head a piece of Copper a white Shell a long Feather with a small Rattle growing at the Tails of their Snaks ty'd to it or some such like Toy All this while Smith and the King stood in the midst guarded as before is said and after three Dances they all departed Smith they conducted to a long House where thirty or forty tall Fellows did guard him and e're long more Bread and Venison was brought him than would have serv'd twenty Men I think his Stomack at that time was not very good what he left they put in Baskets and ty'd over his Head About midnight they set the Meat again before him all this time none of them would eat a bit with him till the next Morning they brought him as much more and then did they eat all the old and reserv'd the new as they had done the other which made him think they would feed him for slaughter Yet in this desperate estate to fend him from the cold one Maocassater brought him his Gown in requital of some Beads and Toys Smith had given him at his first arrival in Virginia Two days after a man would have slain him but that the Guard prevented it for the death of his Son to whom they conducted him to recover the poor man then breathing his last Smith told them that at James-Town he had a Water would do it if they would let him fetch it but they would not permit that but made all the preparations they could to assault James-Town craving his advice and for recompence he should have Life Liberty Land and Women In part of a Table-book he writ his mind to them at the Fort what was intended how they should follow that direction to affright the messengers and without fail send him such things as he writ for and an Inventory with them The difficulty and danger he told the Salvages of the Mines great Guns and other Engines exceedingly affrighted them yet according to his Request they went to James-Town in as bitter weather as could be of Frost and Snow and within three days return'd with an Answer But when they came to James-Town seeing Men sally out as he had told them they would they fled yet in the night they came again to the same place where he had told them they should receive answer and such things as he had promis'd them which they found accordingly and with which they return'd with no small expedition to the wonder of them all supposing that he could either Divine or the Paper could speak then they led him to the Youthtanunds the Mattapanients the Payankatanks the Nantaughtacunds and Onawmanients upon the Rivers of Rapahanock and Patawomek through intricate ways and back again by divers other several Nations to the Kings Habitation at Pamaunkee where they entertain'd him with most strange and fearful Conjurations Not long after early in the Morning a great fire was made in a long House and a Mat spread on each side thereof on the one they caus'd him to sit and all the Guard went out of the House and presently there came skipping in a great grim Fellow all Painted over with Coal mingled with Oyl and many Snakes and Wesels skins stuff'd with Moss and all their Tails ty'd together so as they met on the Crown of his Head in a Tassel and round about the Tassel was a Coronet of Feathers the Skins hanging round about his Head Back and Shoulders and in a manner cover'd his Face with a hellish voice and a Rattle in his Hand With most strange gestures and passions he began his Invocation and environ'd the fire with a Circle of Meal which done three more such like Devils came rushing in with the like antique Tricks Painted half black half red
but all their Eyes were Painted white and some red strokes like Mutchato's along their Cheeks round about him those Fiends Danc'd a pretty while and then came in three more as ugly as the rest with red Eyes and white strokes over their black Faces at last they all sate down right against him three of them on the one hand of the chief Priest and three on the other then all with their Rattles began a Song which ended the chief Priest laid down five Wheat Corns then stretching his Arms and Hands with such violence that he sweat and his Veins swell'd he began a short Oration at the conclusion they all gave a short groan and then laid down three Grains more after that began their Song again and then another Oration ever laying down so many Corns as before till they had twice incircled the Fire that done they took a bunch of little Sticks prepared for that purpose continuing still their Devotion and at the end of every Song and Oration they laid down a Stick between the Divisions of Corn rill night neither he nor they did either eat or drink and then they feasted merrily with the best Provisions they could make Three days they us'd this Ceremony the meaning whereof they told him was to know if he intended them well or no. The Circle of Meal signifi'd their Countrey the Circles of Corn the bounds of the Sea and the Sticks his Countrey They imagin'd the World to be flat and round like a Trencher and they in the midst After this they brought him a Bag of Gun-powder which they carefully preserv'd till the next Spring to Plant as they did their Corn because they would be acquainted with the nature of that Seed Opitchapam the King's Brother invited him to his House where with as many Platters of Bread Fowl and wild Beasts as did environ him he bid him wellcome but not any of them would eat a bit with him but put up all the remainder in Baskets At his return to Opechancanoughs all the Kings Women and their Children flock'd about him for their Parts as a due by Custom to be merry with such Fragments At last they brought him to Meronocomoco where was Powhatan their Emperor Here more than two hundred of those grim Courtiers stood wondering at him as he had been a Monster till Powhatan and his Train had put themselves in their greatest Braveries Before a Fire upon a seat like a Bedsted he sat cover'd with a great Robe made of Rarowcun-Skins and all the Tails hanging by On either hand did sit a young Maid of sixteen ox eighteen years of Age and along on each side the House two rows of Men and behind them as many Women with all their Heads and Shoulders Painted red many of their Heads bedeck'd with the white Doun of Birds but every one with something and a great Chain of white Beads about their Necks At his entrance before the Emperor all the People gave a great shout The Queen of Appamatuck was appointed to bring him Water to wash his Hands and another brought him a bunch of Feathers in stead of a Towel to dry them Having Feasted him after their barbarous manner as well as they could a long consultation was held but in conclusion two great Stones being brought before Powhatan as many as could laid Hands on him dragg'd him to them and thereon laid his Head when being ready with their Clubs to beat out his Brains Pocahontas the Emperors dearest Daughter seeing no intreaty could prevail got his Head in her Arms and laid her own upon his to save him from death whereat the Emperor was contented he should live to make him Hatchets and her Bells Beads and Copper for they thought him a Man of all Occupations like themselves for the King himself will make his own Robes Shoes Bowes Arrows Pots Plant Hunt or do any thing as well as the rest Two days after Powhatan having disguis'd himself in the most fearful minner he could caus'd Captain Smith to be brought forth to a great House in the Woods and there upon a Mat by the Fire to be left alone Not long after from behind a Mat that divided the House was made the most doleful noise he ever heard then Powhatan more like a Devil than a Man with about two hundred more as black as himself came unto him and told him That now they were Friends and presently he should go to James-Town to send him two great Guns and a Grindstone for which he would give him the Countrey of Capahowosick and for ever esteem him as his Son Nantaquoud So to James-Town with twelve Guides Powhatan sent him That Night they Quarter'd in the Woods he still expecting as he had done all this long time of his Imprisonment every hour to be put to one Death or other for all their Feasting but Almighty God by his Divine Providence had mollifi'd the Hearts of those stern Barbarians with compassion The next Morning betimes they came to the Fort where Smith having us'd the Salvages with what kindness he could he shew'd Rawhunt Powhatan's trusty Servant two Demi-Culverins and a Milstone to carry to Powhatan they found them somewhat too heavy but when they saw him Discharge them they being loaded with Stones amongst the Boughs of a great Tree loaded with Isickles the Ice and Branches came so tumbling down that the poor Salvages ran away half dead with Fear But at last we regain'd some Conference with them and gave them some Toys and sent to Powhatan's Women and Children such Presents as gave them in general full content SECT V. Carolina Situation and Description of Carolina CArolina is that part of Florida which lies between twenty nine and thirty six Degrees and thirty Minutes of Northern Latitude It is wash'd on the East and South with the Atlantick Ocean on the West with Mare Pacificum or the South Sea and on the North bounds on Virginia A Countrey wherein Nature shews how bountiful she can be without the assistance of Art the Inhabitants excepting a little Maiz which their old Men and Women Plant depending meerly on the natural and spontaneous Growth of the Soil for their Provisions the Woods furnishing them with store of Fruit and Venison and the Rivers with plenty of several sorts of wholsom and savory Fish This Maintenance which without forecast or toil they receive from the natural fruitfulness of the Countrey will if we consider either the largeness of their Growth or the duration of their Lives be thought neither scanty nor unhealthy their Stature being of a larger size than that of English-men their Make strong and well proportion'd a crooked or mis-shapen Person being not to be found in the whole Countrey and where the chance of War which they are almost continually engag'd in one against another in their little Governments spares any of them they live to an incredible old age so that when the English came there they found some of their Kings
The Entrance being thus taken by he Spaniards Casquin return'd home After which Sottus concluded a Peace with Capahaes the Governor and took up his Quarters in the Village Vitangue where he receiv'd continual Sallies but taking fifteen Casiques Prisoners threatned to burn them alive unless they would procure them some Gold yet not being able to get any they had only their Hands cut off and were sent away Moreover Sottus help'd the Guachacoya's to ruine those of Anilco which Design prov'd successful yet not according to Sottus's desire for he found not the Gold-Mines which he expected but spent in this five years Progress the great Treasure which he took out of Atibaliba's Palace and the Pearls which he got in Florida for the Oysters being open'd against the Fire and the Pearls drill'd through with a hot Iron lost much of their lustre neither would his People consent to build a City in the Haven Achusi Sottus dies In the midst of these Transactions Sottus died of the Bloody-flux and his Body was Interr'd in the River El Grande After which his Successor Ludovicus de Alvarado had worse success for half of the Army being wasted by the excessive heat the rest resolv'd to desert Florida utterly despairing to be ever able to resist the valiant Natives In the Province of Auche they procur'd a Guide whom because he mis-led them in their Way they caus'd to be torn in pieces by their Dogs after which they march'd without a Guide through such bad Ways that they lost a hundred of their Men and eighty Horses besides many Floridans that carried their Luggage At last coming to the River El Grande they conquer'd two Villages which fortifying they took up their Winter Quarters in them But this being the fourteenth year in which the River us'd generally to overflow and drown all the adjacent Countreys on a sudden to their great amazement the Wood which they had gather'd for the building of Barques to carry them home was wash'd away their Provisions spoil'd and their Habitations drown'd and to this inconvenience was added another yet greater for the Governors round about rais'd all the Forces they could possibly to revenge themselves on the Spaniards for their great oppression But Alvarado being inform'd of this Design by the Casique Anilco caus'd thirty of the Abettors of the Plot to have their Hands cut off Not long after this the Spaniards set Sail when a thousand Canoos that came to Engage them lay sixteen days amongst them Strange Fight killing and wounding several of the Seamen and sunk a Barque with forty eight Men and also kill'd many Horses which were yet on the Shore the Prisoners they took were strappado'd to death and the Horses shot yet some of them got safe from Panuco to Mexico Expedition of Ahumada and Samano These above-mention'd Expeditions to Florida notwithstanding they fell out unfortunately nevertheless by the permission of Philip the Second King of Spain Peter Ahumada and Julius Samano with five Dominican Monks made another Attempt and Landed with several great Crosses that thereby they might reduce the Floridans whose Language they understood not to their Faith But they fearing treachery resisted them and kill'd the Monks with Clubs flay'd them and hung their Skins in their Temples The Expedition of Menendez Notwithstanding these and many worse Accidents that hapned yet the Spanish King ventur'd once more and sent Peter Menendez to Florida whither he was follow'd by three Jesuits from Rome viz. Peter Martinius Joan Roger and Francis Villaregius The Master of the Ship in which they went being ignorant where he was judg'd it convenient to Land whereupon nine Netherlanders and four Spaniards amongst which was Martinius went ashore on Florida whilst a Storm arising drove the Ship to Cuba by which means those that were Landed were left in a miserable condition having no Food but wild Herbs on which they fed twelve days so that this Expedition also came to nothing Voyage of Ribald and Ladoniere At last the French following the foot-steps of the Spaniards John Ribald and Renâ— Laudoniere having Sail'd several times to Florida discover'd several Coasts but their Men were often set upon by the Spaniards and cut off The Expedition of Dominicus Gurgius Anno 1567. Dominicus Gurgius set Sail thither with three Ships which carried two hundred Soldiers and eighty Sea-men with which entring the River Tacatucouru he Landed and found a Youth call'd Peter du Bre who escap'd when the Spaniards cruelly massacred the French in the Garrison Carolina after which du Bre ranging up and down at last serv'd Saturiona Governor of Florida whom deserting and now meeting with the French his Countrey-men he brought several Casiques to joyn with them against the Spaniards Valiant Exploit of Gurgius whom they drove out of three Forts which were all by the Command of Gurgius dismanteled Florida is call'd by the Natives Irquasa The Spaniards have built two Forts on the same the one erected on the Promontory Helena is Consecrated to the Apostle Matthew City Angustine The City and the Fort Angustine lies near the River May. Both City and Fort stand on a Hill which is pleasant and well set with Trees Between the Foreland is a deep and wide Channel which washes the City and Fort it is eight-square at each corner there stands a round Tower in which the Soldiers keep Guard the Countrey is water'd by two Rivers which gliding between the Main and the Foreland are great Safeguards to the Fort. The City is almost square onely against the Fort it is much closer built than in any other place and divided into four Streets The Church stands without of the City and before it the Augustine Cloyster PAGUS HISPANORUM in Florida Floridans differ amongst themselves The Floridans differ amongst themselves very much for those that inhabit the Province Panuca which borders upon New Spain are valiant and cruel People Offering their Prisoners to their Idols and eating them The Men pluck up the Hair of their Beards by the Root make holes through their Nose and Ears and Marry not till their fortieth Year Next to these follow the Realms of Aranaris and Albardaosia inhabited by a People which exceed all others in subtilty The Natives of Jaquazia run faster than a Deer and tire not though they travel a whole day The best Swimmers are found in Alpachia Authia and Someria where the Women Swim through deep and great Rivers with their Children in their Arms. Here also are many Hermophrodites Hermophrodites which carry all the Luggage when an Army is upon a March. We find mention'd also two other Provinces of note viz. Colas which lies near the Point call'd Cape Florida and Tegista or Florida properly so call'd being that long Peninsula which pointing upon the Isle Cuba by the Cape Los Martyres stretcheth it self North and South about a hundred Leagues in length but not above thirty in breadth where it is
upon the place and was content himself to march quietly away with the rest 3. Ochalis a Town consisting of about five or six hundred Sheds and Cottages likewise of the Natives 4 Vittacuche a Burrough of two hundred Houses There is also on the the Eastern Shore of this Peninsula St. Matthews a Place possess'd and well fortifi'd by the Spaniards and St. Augustines on the same Shore but lying somewhat more Southerly than the other at the Mouth of a River of the same Name taken and sack'd by Sir Francis Drake in the Year 1585. SECT II. Jucatan YUCATAN Conventus Iuridici Hispaniae Novae Pars Occidâ—â—talis et GUATIMALA CONVENTUS IURIDICUS St. FRANCISCO DE CAMPECHE The chief Towns of the Province are 1. Merida in the Navel of the Countrey and the Seat of the Governor twelve Leagues distant from the Sea on either side 2. Valladolidt thirty Leagues distant from Nerida 3. Campeche a great Town consisting of about three thousand Houses or more when first conquer'd by the Spaniards who found such Monuments of Art and Industry in it as did clearly argue that the Place had been once possess'd by some People that were not barbarous It is now call'd St. Francisco and was surpriz'd in the Year 1596. by Captain Parker an English-man who took the Governor himself and some other Persons of Quality with him together with a Ship richly laden with Gold and Silver besides other Commodities of good value 4. Tabasco by the Spaniard now call'd Villa de Nuestra Sennora de Victoria and commonly Victoria onely in memory as 't is thought of the first great Victory which Cortez otain'd over these People at the Battel of Potonchan as hath been said 5. Cintla 6. Potonchan 7. Salamanca All along the Coast of this Countrey there lie certain Islands some within the Bay or Gulph call'd Honduras pertaining to the next Province as 1. La Zarza 2. La Desconescida 3. Vermeia 4. Los Negrillos and some without it as 1. Zaratan 2. Pantoia 3. De Mugeres or The Island of Women so nam'd by the Spaniards who at their first Discovery of these Parts for a long time together could meet with none but Women The chief of them is call'd Acusamil commonly Cozamul and is fifteen Leagues in length and about five in breadth and was as it were the Thoro-wfare or Common Road of the Spaniards when they first discover'd the Countreys of New Spain For first here Landed Ferdinando de Corduba after him John de Grialva and others and last of all the fortunate Cortez It is now call'd St. Crux CHAP. IV. Guatimala It s Situation and Bounds GUatimala stretcheth to the Isthmus or Neck of Land which as we said joineth the Northern and Southern parts of the New World together This Countrey is bounded Northward with the Peninsula of Jucatan abovesaid and part of the Gulph or Bay of Honduras on the South with Mare del Zur on the East and South-East it hath Castella Aurea and on the West New Spain The length of it lieth upon the Coast of Mare del Zur and is said to be little less than three hundred Leagues but the breadth not half so much and in some places very narrow It is generally a fertile and good Countrey in all respects but especially abounding in Cattel and good Pastures it is subdivided into seven inferior Provinces or Countreys which are 1. Chiapa 2. Verapaz 3. Honduras 4. Nicaragua 5. Veragua 6. Costa Rica and 7. Guatimala specially so call'd all differing in Language and Customs one from another The Bishoprick as it is now call'd of Chiapa is border'd on the West with New Spain on the East with Vera Paz and on the South with Mare del Zur It is a Countrey much shaded with Woods and those replenish'd with many fair and goodly Trees of divers sorts and of the largest size as Oaks Pines Cedar Myrtle and Cypress-Trees besides others which yield them a good kind of Rozen precious Gums c. also several sorts of Balsom as white red green and black not onely pleasant to the Scent but an excellent Remedy for all manner of green Wounds the best of it drops out of the cut Bodies of the Trees and the worst is press'd out of the Wood and Leaves Trees and Plants There are also proper to this Countrey several other kinds of Trees and Plants as that whose Fruit tastes like Pepper and Cloves being of a great heighth a Tree whose Leaves cure all ulcerated Sores or the bitings of any poysonous Beast There is a sort of Cabbage call'd Ilantas which grows to the heighth of a Tree so that Birds make their Nests in them they are eaten likewise like other common Cabbages There is also an Herb with narrow Leaves which is no sooner touch'd but it shrinks up to nothing but at the going away of those which touch it it obtains its former vigour Here are likewise Quails Birds Ducks Geese Pheasants Parrots Turtle-Doves Pigeons and the like in great abundance Amongst the several sorts of Falcons which breed in this Countrey there is one sort which hath one Foot proper to its kind the other like that of a Goose it feeds on Fish along the Rivers The Bird Toto-Queztall which is somewhat smaller than a Pigeon with green Feathers and a long Tail is taken onely for its Tail which when the Indians have pull'd out they let the Bird fly again there being a Law amongst them that whosoever kills one of them is to suffer death The Cranes here are of a dark Gray the biggest of them have a tuft of Feathers like a Crown upon their Heads The Birds Guacamayes which are red and blue are like a Peruan Goose Birds Moreover the Countrey yields brave Horses Goats Sheep Rabbets and Foxes Beasts also wild Dogs Leopards Lyons and Tygers The wild Hogs which breed here have their Navels on their Backs and have no Tails they smell exceeding strong and feed together in great Companies The Taquatrin a certain Beast proper to those Parts hath a Bag under its Belly in which it generally carries seven or more young ones and hath also a bald Tail it creeps into Houses in the Night to steal Hens Here is also a certain Beast whose Name we find not about the bigness of a Rabbet and like a Rat and carries its young ones on its back whensoe're it comes abroad The Serpents which are very numerous here trouble the Inhabitants exceedingly especially near the Village Ecatepeque where there are such an abundance on two little Hills that none dares approach them some of them are very poysonous for if touch'd with a Stick the Poyson runs up the same and whoever are anointed with the Blood of a dead Serpent die a lingring Death John de Laet relates that the Indians took one which carried thirty young ones which being a Finger long crep up and down immediately and the old one being above twenty Foot long serv'd the Natives
along with him with undaunted courage and resolution marches against Narvaez and such was his good fortune that not onely Narvaez became his Prisoner without much blood-shed but likewise all his Men joyn'd with him in his Design through the favour of the Chancery or supream Court of St. Domingo and by the procurement of the Licentiat Vasquez de Ayllon a Judge of it who was sent with Narvaez to accommodate the Differences With this Recruit Cortesius marches back again to Mexico but at his coming finds things in a very bad condition for the Citizens gather'd together under the Command of one Quicuxtemoc had recourse to Arms and for three days and three Nights vex'd the Spaniards with continual Stormings notwithstanding what-ever Commands they had to the contrary from their imprison'd King who at last looking out of a Window endeavoring to appease them was hurt with a Stone of which he soon after died as they say who would not have the Spaniards thought to have murder'd him as the Mexicans say they did with divers other Noble-men and some of his Children the very Night they fled However it were not long after his Death out of extream necessity and chiefly for want of Victuals the Spaniards were forc'd to leave the City in the night-time and with the loss of four hundred and fifty of their Men who were either slain or taken Prisoners at the passing of a Draw-bridge the rest making a heavy Retreat to their Friends at Tlascalla There is standing at this day in Mexico upon the place where so many of them were kill'd a certain Hermitage which they call Los Martyres or The Hermitage of the Martyrs though but improperly if upon that occasion as one of their own Writers confesses though he alledges no other reason This Retreat of the Spaniards out of Mexico hapned to be upon the tenth of July after mid-night in the Year 1520. which the Spaniards at Mexico call The Doleful Night Nevertheless the undaunted Cortesius being got though with much difficulty and trouble by reason of the pursuit of the Mexicans for a good part of the Way to his sure Friends of Tlascalla neither lost his Courage nor gave over his Resolution of yet gaining Mexico especially the way being now laid open and sufficient occasion given by the Death of Muteczuma and the provocations of the Mexicans themselves to make himself absolute and sole Lord of the Place wherefore having sent for and procur'd a competent Supply of fresh Soldiers from Santo Domingo or Hispaniola Almeria Cuba and other places being in all nine hundred Foot eight hundred Horse and seventeen Pieces of Ordnance he joyns himself with the Auxiliary Forces of Tlascalla which were no less than a hundred thousand Men Arm'd with Bowes and Arrows and with this Army marches again towards Mexico and Besieges it both by Land and Water viz. with the help of thirteen Brigantines or Galliots which he had built upon the Lake and six thousand Canoos or little Boats which his Friends and Confederates had procur'd him By which means and by his Army on Land in a short time he cut off all Provision from the City and after a Siege of full three Months or more and a most stout and obstinate resistance made by the People within in which they are said to have lost above a hundred thousand Men beside those which perish'd by Famine Sickness or otherwise Mexico taken by the Spaniards he took it by Storm upon Tuesday the thirteenth of August 1521. Sackt it first and then burnt it to the Ground yet afterwards he caus'd it to be Re-built again far more Beautiful than at first it was as in due place we shall further see They speak not of above fifty Spaniards slain during the whole Siege six Horses and not many Tlascaltecans In this manner and with so little Charges to the Conqueror there fell to the Crown of Spain the richest and goodliest Kingdom one of them of the whole World viz. the Kingdom of Mexico which the Conquerors presently nam'd New Spain and in reference to which name the Catholick King hath ever since stil'd himself in the plural number Hispaniarum Rex or King of both Spains and all by the Valor Prudence Cortez advanc'd to Honors admirable Resolution and happy Conduct of Cortez who was at first but a private Adventurer in the American Plantations and Discoveries though otherwise a Gentleman of a good Family in Spain born at Medellin in the Country of Estramedura The Emperor Charles the Fifth who was also then King of Spain for his great Services endow'd him deservedly with many great and rich Territories in the Provinces of Tlascalla Mechoacan and other parts thereabouts made him Marquess of the Valley viz. of Guaxata which is his chief Title a rich and flourishing Province of that Countrey Captain General or Commander in Chief of all the Military Forces of New-Spain and General Discoverer of all the Maritime parts and Coasts of America towards the South-Sea assigning him in propriety the twelfth part of whatsoever should be discover'd to him and his Heirs for ever but deny'd him the Government of Mexico out of reason of State though 't is said he much desir'd it Among the famous Havens which lie along the South Sea and Northern Ocean the chiefest is Acapulco before-mention'd The grand Haven Acapulco whither all Merchandize is sent to be transported to China which is above two thousand Leagues distant from thence in which Voyage they generally spend fourteen Months four Sail each of eight hundred Tun appointed for this Trade generally two of them set Sail to China in March and returning in Summer have no sooner drop'd their Anchors but the other two set out from Acapulco from whence the way by Land to Mexico is seventy two Leagues over steep Mountains dangerous Rocks and several Rivers the chiefest whereof are first Del Papagayo or De las Balsas which runs exceeding strong which the Indians cross on bundles of Canes ty'd upon Callabashes Next San Francisco which though the biggest yet hath many shallow places to wade over The Mustichoes are no small Plagues to those that travel this way for their Poysonous Stings are the occasions of many Ulcerated Wounds and oft-times Death it self In this way lies also the Countrey del Valle from which Ferdinand Cortesius receiv'd the Title of Earl PORTUS ACAPULCO The Mouth of the Haven Acapulco gapes a full League North and South and within exceeding large hath a nook call'd Boca Grande where the Ships Ride safe at an Anchor More Easterly appears a Land Inlet by the Spaniards call'd Puerto del Marques secur'd against all Winds near which is the City of San Diego to which belongs a Fort with six Bulwarks lying on a Promontory the main of the City is one large Street consisting of fair and stately Houses and leading directly to the Haven the Church which is of an oblong square hath a high Steeple in the middle
to the several pronunciations one word hath divers significations but the Mystery of their oldest Language they will discover to none It is very observable that the Caribbeean Men speak several words which though the Women understand yet are never spoken by them and also the antient People use several Sayings which the younger never mention and the Youths such likewise as are never spoken by the Antient which being spoken apart by each in the time of War are understood by none but their Soldiers that so their Designs may the better be kept secret But their mix'd Language hath many of the European words especially of the Spanish which they speak whensoe're they converse with the Europeans Moreover though the Caribbeeans on the least occasion laugh aloud yet they are of a dull Spirit stubborn and nothing to be got out of them but by fair means Their Employment is Hunting Their Manners Fishing Tilling Building of Houses and the like Theft is not known amongst them so that no Man is suspicious of his Neighbor wherefore they leave their Huts open both Night and Day They are also seldom at Variance one with another but generally Love sways amongst them yet if a Quarrel doth happen then the injur'd Person revenges himself to the heighth Persons that profess Chastity are much honor'd amongst them and here Youth bears great respect to Age. They are also very ignorant in natural Knowledge Their Ignorance insomuch that when the Moon is Eclips'd they suppose that it is devour'd by Maboya and wheresoe're they smell any ill scent they believe the Devil to be not far from thence Gunpowder they suppose to be a Grain and are very fearful of Fire-Arms Though they have many brave Salt-pits yet they use no Salt nor eat any Swines-flesh though all those Islands abound in that sort of Animal fearing that if they should eat the same it would cause them to have little Eyes which they account very homely though it is a property generally incident to them neither will they eat any Tortoise because they would not be so gross as that Creature Lastly they know now no greater Number than they reckon on their Fingers and Toes for what exceeds twenty is to them innumerable They hold that good Spirits whom they call Akamoue residing in Heaven never trouble themselves with Earthly Affairs Their Offerings consist in Cassave and the first of their Fruits which are set at the end of their Huts in Vessels on small Tables cover'd with Leaves or Rushes without uttering any Prayers for they never Pray but in publick in company of the Boyez or Priests and that either for revenge against Injuries or for recovery from Sickness or that they may know the Events of War or for Protection against the Maboya Each Boye hath his peculiar God which Singing with a conjuring Verse he calls to him in the Night whilst he Smoaks a Pipe of Tobacco Their Fear of the Maboya Some have been of Opinion that this Conceit of the Maboya proceeds from the phlegmatick Nature of the Caribbeeans who in their melancholy Dreams imagine themselves to be grievously beaten by the said Maboya But there are sufficient testimonies to prove that these Heathens have often really suffer'd much by this Maboya often appearing to them in such horrid shapes that the poor Caribbeeans would sweat and quake at the sight thereof and inflicting such sad Pinches and bloody Stripes all over their Bodies that they liv'd in perpetual fear of this evil Spirit and yet notwithstanding these cruel Sufferings they shew'd no manner of Worship to Maboya onely they believ'd that they had some ease when they wore little Pictures about their Necks made resembling the Shapes in which Maboya appear'd to them but their best Remedy was to flye to the Christians Their Consultations about the Death of any Relation They believe their Boyez able to resolve any Question they ask of them particularly when any one dies the nearest ally'd to him asks the Boye this Question Who is the occasion of his Death to which if the Boye names any one they never rest till they have dispatch'd him to the other World Concerning their original brutish way of living they give much credit to an antient Fable which is to this effect The most antient Caribbeeans Fabulous Tradition living under no other Roof than the Canopy of Heaven fed on nothing but what the Fields naturally produc'd which salvage Life an old Man much beamoan'd when a certain Deity clad in white Apparel descending down on the Earth said That he would have come sooner to have shew'n them the way of a civil Life had they requested it before Moreover the Angel shew'd them a place along the Shore where there lay sharp-cutting Stones with which he told them they might cut down Trees and with the Timber build themselves Houses and cover them with the Leaves of the Palm-Tree to keep out the Rain which said he broke his Staff into three pieces which being Planted soon after produc'd the Root Manioe which stamp'd and dry'd made good Bread Their Opinion concerning the Soul The Caribbeeans have also a strange Opinion concerning the Soul that is to say That every one hath as many Souls as he hath Pulses but the chiefest is the Heart it self which after Death removes with Jeheizi that is every ones peculiar God or Genius to the Company of the other Deities where they live after the same manner as here on Earth wherefore those that are Persons of Quality give Charge at their Deaths that their Servants may be kill'd and buried with them that so they may serve them in the other World That the other Souls which are the Pulses are of two sorts whereof the first call'd Maboya's range through Woods and Wildernesses and the other call'd The Oumekous reside along the Sea and over-turn the Ships that Sail by That the Souls of Heroes remove to pleasant and delightful Islands where they are serv'd by the Arovages That Cowards at their Death go behind a high Mountain where they become perpetual Slaves to the Arovages So soon as they hear a clap of Thunder they run into their Huts and place themselves on little Stools round the Fire cover their Faces and laying their Heads on their Knees make a doleful noise as supposing that Maboya is exceedingly enrag'd against them Their manner of Dwelling Their Huts for the most part built near Rivers and Streams are of an oval fashion their Roofs made of Palm-Tree Leaves or Sugar-Canes the Walls nothing but Boughs set in the Ground and pleited together and the Floor of sifted Earth or Sand ramm'd in and kept very even and smooth besides a Room wherein they Sleep and Entertain their Friends they have also a Kitchin to dress their Meat and a place to lay their Bowes Arrows Clubs and the like in they use Mats in stead of Walls to separate one Apartment from the other Their Houshold-stuff is
flight up into the Mountain Vilcabamba where he Setling his Successors Reign to this day secur'd from any Invasion by the natural strength of the Place But the Inga Saritopa coming from the fore-mention'd Mountain submitted himself to the Spaniards who allow'd him the Valley Yucay to dwell peaceably in but the rest of the Family of the Inga's that fell into the Hands of the Spaniards were all of them kill'd in Cusco not without great grief of the old Inhabitants to see so antient and noble a Family by which they had been Govern'd in great State for three hundred years together put to death by common Executioners Cusco the Residence of the Peruvian Kings The City Cusco which was the Royal Seat of all the Peruvian Kings was made more splendid than ever before by Guayanacava of whom Augustine de Tarrate describing his Magnificence relates That when his Queen was Deliver'd of a Son who was to succeed in the Throne Guayanacava kept a great Feast for twenty days together and on that day when the Child was to be Nam'd a Golden Chain each Link of which was as big as a Hand and contain'd in all seven hundred Foot in length was carried by twenty Peruvians to the Temple The Manner of the Succession of their Kings The Succession of the Inga's was after this manner The Inga's keeping many Concubines had many Children by them none of which could lay claim to the Peruvian Crown but onely the Son begotten on the Coya or Queen being generally the Kings own Sister whom they accounted lawful for them to Marry as in antient times did the Egyptian Kings Inherited the Realm unless the Inga had a lawful Brother who Inherited before the Son though born of a Coya or if the said Brother had a Son he obtain'd the deceased Uncles Crown before him who in apparence was the elder Heir The same Succession was also observ'd by other Governors which the Peruvians call Curaca's Their Burials and disposal of their Treasure The Burials of their Kings were perform'd with great solemnity and the Treasures which they left behind were bestow'd in building of magnificent Guaha's which were Temples or religious Houses where a kind of solemn Worship was to be perform'd to celebrate the Memory of the Deceased Some part of the Treasure was also distributed amongst the Inga's Servants but the Successor inherited not the least Mite of what his Predecessor had gotten but was forc'd according to an antient Law to build himself a new Palace and purchas'd anew every thing else belonging to it Their Crown Their Crown or Diadem was onely a fine red woollen Coif with a Tassel that hung down over their Foreheads which other meaner Princes wore hanging on their right Ear. Their Coronations Their Coronations were also kept in great Pomp and State the Nobility and Priests coming from all parts of the Countrey to Cusco besides an innumerable multitude of common People The Noblemens Presents to the Inga's consisted chiefly of Gold and Silver Vessels fine Cloth call'd Cumbi all sorts of Sea-shells and stately Plumes of Feathers of inestimable value Thousands of Sheep differing in colour serv'd for Offerings moreover the Chief Priest sacrific'd a Child before the Image of Viracocha on whom with great Reverence he cry'd O great God Viracocha we Offer you this Child that you may keep our Realm in Peace aid us in time of War prosper our Inga in all his Undertakings make him more powerful and greater than any of his Predecessors and grant him wisdom to Govern this vast Countrey Their exact Form of Government No People in the World can be more respective and shew greater Reverence to their Kings than the Peruvians for there were never any heard of in this Countrey that ever Rebell'd against their Prince the reason of which was chiefly because they always Govern'd with great Justice and Mildness placing Governors over the respective Countreys and Provinces according to their several Divisions greater or lesser with subordinate Power one under another so that they Rul'd with great strictness punishing with Death both Drunkenness and Theft Moreover the Ingas observ'd a prudent way in Government viz. They kept their Subjects continually employ'd The ordinary sort of Persons of subdu'd Provinces were sent to remote Countreys and the Governors thereof kept at the Court in Cusco and Princes Descended of the Royal Blood sent in their Places to Govern the new gotten Dominions they divided the Inhabitants into Companies plac'd one to Command over ten another over a hundred and a greater Officer over a thousand and at last a Prefect or Major-General over ten thousand every one of which Officers were to bring in an Account every Week to the supream Governor who was always of the Inga's Family what Men dy'd of their number or how many were born a present Estimate of every ones Stock in Cattel or otherwise and all remarkable Transactions that hapned On the high Feast-day they were all to appear at Court and to bring in the Revenues gather'd out of their Substitute Countreys The main Division of the Countrey was into four grand Provinces call'd Tahucantinsuyos according to the four Ways that went from Cusco through the whole Realm viz. Chinchasuyo towards the North Coclasuyo towards the South Andesuyo towards the East and Condesuyo towards the West The Collectors were divided into Hanansayos Upper-Collectors and Urinsayos or Under-Collectors The Quipocomayos or Accomptants could â—ast up exactly with Buttons not onely what every Province but also what each Man was to pay and that according to the ability of the Countrey and Person Their stately Structures Many were the stately Temples invincible Castles magnificent Palaces and other wonderful Structures built by the Ingas the chiefest whereof stood in Cusco Tiaguanaco and Tambo the Builders whereof were sent for by turns out of the adjacent Countreys from which they brought exceeding great Stones most of them thirty eight Foot long eighteen broad and six thick which were so neatly joyn'd together with Mortar or Iron-work that a whole Edifice seem'd to be one entire Stone Their Bridges that led cross the Rivers were made of Flags and Rushes fastned to each Shore with great Ropes The like Bridge lay cross the deep Mouth of the Lake Chicuito on which great Bundles of the Rushes Toto being ty'd together and cover'd with Straw so strengthen'd the Bridge that great Loads were safely carried over the same The great Riches of the Ingas No Prince ever possess'd so much Riches and Splendor as an Inga of Peru each Countrey presenting him with what was most esteem'd amongst them the Chiches bringing Sweet-woods the Lucanas strong Sedan-Carriers the Chumbibilcas brave Dancers and so accordingly every Countrey provided him with what they best esteem'd besides the usual Tributes which they paid Those which digg'd the Gold and Silver out of the Mines had Meat Drink and Clothing from the Inga though at other times he enjoy'd
brought out which for that reason they call'd Urca whose Hearts having torn out they began their Prayers afresh saying Mighty Viracocha thus do thou pull out the Hearts of our Enemies For the prosperity of the Ingas they kill'd in an open Field black Dogs by them call'd Appurucos whose Flesh was eaten with many Ceremonies by People appointed for that purpose They made Offerings also to the Fountains Rivers Brooks and Sea-shells under pretence that those Shells were Daughters of the Ocean and the Ocean the Father of Streams and Springs when they had Sow'n their Fields their Priests chose to that Office went from House to House to gather such Offerings as every one was pleas'd to give which they laid at the Banks of several Sluces at the time when the Water began to rise there thinking by that Oblation to keep them from over-flowing their Lands and washing away their Seed In all places where two Rivers joyn'd together they wash'd themselves having first bedaub'd themselves all over with stamp'd Maiz and afterwards look'd upon themselves as well purg'd from Sin which power they ascrib'd to their Baths To strangle Children between four and ten years of Age was never us'd unless upon the Inga's being sick or when he receiv'd the Royal Tassel that from the death of the Children he might receive Health or Reign prosperously The fore-mention'd Nuns that were chose to attend on the King 's were also strangled when the Inga was sick nay sometimes a Father would Offer his Son to Viracocha on the Sun-Priest's suggestion That by his Son's death he would recover from his Sickness Praying to the foremention'd Deity that they would be pleas'd to save the sick Father because the Son had with his Death paid for his Fathers This kind of Cruelty the Devil seem'd to prompt the Heathens to by making use of Abraham's Example who prepar'd his Son Isaac for a Sacrifice on Mount Moria and that it was a Practice amongst the antient Ammonites and Moabites and other Heathens by which even the Children of Israel were apt to be seduc'd appears from the Scripture it self the Ceremonies of which bruitish Customs with the seven Brazen Chambers of Moloch may be seen describ'd by Rabbi Solomon At the fore-mention'd Chasquis a course was taken to carry all that desir'd to every Temple through the whole Kingdom of Peru where the Inhabitants receiv'd them with great Reverence having before confess'd all their sins to their Yahuries or Father-Confessors Their manner of Confessions who being chosen to that Office with a great deal of Ceremony impos'd greater or lesser Penances according to the sins of the Penitent those that were suspected to have conceal'd any of their sins were put to cast Lots or had the Entrails of the Beasts which they had kill'd to that purpose consulted about them and thereby were discover'd if they had conceal'd any of their sins which whenever it hapned the Priests falling upon the false Penitents thump'd them with a Stone on their Backs so long till they had confess'd all their Faults which the Priest was not to reveal on pain of Death but to make Expiatory Offerings The sins about which they were Examin'd were chiefly Theft Murder Adultery preparing of Poyson or sleighting their Inga or Gods for each of which Transgressions they had several kinds of Punishments When the Inga fell sick all People in general were forc'd to come and make Confession of their sins also every one went to his Confessor when he was in trouble or expected some Misfortune to befall him The Inga himself Confess'd his sins to none but the Sun which he desir'd to relate to Viracocha and to beg pardon of him for the same which done he bath'd himself in a running Stream and cry'd I have made my sins known to thee O Sun do thou O River wash away mine Iniquities and discharge them into the Sea that they may never be more laid to my charge which custom of Bathing call'd Opacuna waâ— also us'd by all other Penitents Their Penances A Father losing his Son by Death was censur'd for a great Sinner wherefore he could not be permitted to be Confess'd before he had been whipp'd with Nettles by a cetain ill-look'd Officer appointed for that end after which their Fathers Ychuris enjoyn'd such Penances as they thought fit some were order'd to fast several days others to pay rich Garments Silver Gold or the like others receiv'd a certain number of Blows some were condemn'd to live on the Mountains excluded from the society of all Men. If their Sorcerers at any time foretold a Fathers Death then he immediately Sacrifis'd his Son that with his Death he might buy his own Life The Esteem of their Soothsayers No People were more respected than their Soothsayers as Men that could discover private Thefts Accidents that hapned in remote Countreys and also future Events and so far their Credit amongst the Vulgar carried them that they undertook to tell the Spaniards when their Countrey-men should be Conquerors and when defeated in the War they maintain'd against the Netherlanders There were also cunning Women who making themselves dead Drunk with Chica with which they mix'd the Herb Viloa and afterwards coming to themselves again answer'd all the Questions that were proposed to them Their monthly Feasts The Peruvians kept two sorts of Feasts the first at certain times the others on special occasions the set-Feasts were kept Monethly on the first Moneth Rayme agreeing with our last Moneth December as aforesaid they kept the great Feast Capacrayme on which they brought Multitudes of Sheep and Lambs for Burnt-offerings besides Silver and Gold Not far from the Fire stood three Carv'd Images of the Sun and three others representing Thunder and this was generally the Day of the Installation of the young Inga's which was after this manner The chief Priest boring a Hole through his Ear cover'd the upper part of his Body with the holy Cloth Guaras whilest the inferior Priests whipt him with knotted Cords and painted his Face with the Blood During these Ceremonies no Stranger was suffer'd to remain in Cusco but after the Feast was ended they all return'd and as before receiv'd Cakes bak'd of Maiz and Blood as a testimony that they lov'd and honor'd the Inga The Destruction of the old Empire of Peru foretold As to the Prognostications and Fore-runners of the destruction of the old Empire of Peru it is reported that Guaynacava Father of the last King Attabaliba lying on his Death-bed in Quito said to his Princes This Realm at present rais'd to the highest top of Eminency is hastning towards its Ruine and though our Kingdom remain as yet freee from foreign Invasion the Countreys round about are already conquer'd and in Slavery The Gods have call'd strange People from unknown Regions who by degrees will reach us also With me who am the twelfth Inga dies the Dominion of the mighty Peru. A People of other Fashions and
could possibly thereabouts but were forc'd to retire from thence to Quito at the same time that the Councellor Tejada being sent by Pizarro to the Emperor came to an Anchor there where they were courteously Entertain'd as also in St. Michael where they got daily more and more Assistants of which Pizarro being inform'd went thither with five hundred Men and forcing the Vice-Roy to flye from thence pursu'd him above thirty Leagues Is put to flight and pursu'd by Pizarro Hanging up all those whom he could take of his Party After many Rencounters and Hardships suffer'd by both Parties Pizarro exceedingly wearied return'd to Quito where he minded nothing but all manner of Debaucheries not in the least regarding the Vice-Roy's Designs which it concern'd him to have narrowly look'd into for he having got five hundred Men on his side resolv'd to venture a Battel It was towards Evening when the two Parties had sight of one another Pizarro having not onely more Men but also better Exercis'd in Arms than the Vice-Roy who being sensible thereof went silently about Midnight from his Station along a narrow by Path so to fall behind upon the Rere of the Enemy who mistrusted nothing by reason the Vice-Roy's Dogs kept a continual Barking in his old Station and the Peruvian Sentinels were heard calling to one another and making great Fires all the Night long but because the Way was over-grown and farther about than it was suppos'd the Vice-Roy finding the Night too far spent went back to Quito out of which he Sallied as soon as he had sight of Pizarro's Forces against whom being clad in a white Riding Coat through the Slits of which appear'd a Cloth of Tissue Doublet he came Riding on a Bay Gelding in the Head of his Party with which breaking in amongst the Enemies Ranks he made a considerable slaughter amongst them till Hernand Tores coming near him gave him a Blow on the Had with a Battel-Ax The Vice-Roy slain by Carvayales that fell'd him to the Ground which the Lawyer Carvayales seeing ran immediately out of desire to revenge his Brother's Death whom the Vice-Roy had murder'd and chopp'd off his Head Thus Pizarro being absolute Master of the Field began to shew his tyranny upon the Prisoners some he took away by Poyson others he Executed with the Sword and Halter others he banish'd to the remote Countrey Chili Pizarro's Luxury and Tyranny and spent his time in all manner of Vice in Quito where amongst other leud Actions making Love to another Man's Wife he hir'd one Vincent Paul to murder her Husband which said Vincent was afterwards Hang'd at Valladolid in Spain The Adulteress also was afterwards Got with Child by her own Father and both of them put to death for Incest and murdering of their Child Pizarro being receiv'd as King in Los Reyos grew every day more proud than other insomuch that his Friends themselves began to hate and envy him and wanted onely a convenient opportunity to rid themselves of this high-minded Tyrant A strange Accident among others had done him great hurt had it not been timely discover'd viz. Joan de la Torre a Soldier formerly belonging to the Vice-Roy found accidentally a Grave in the Valley Hica which by the Peruvians had been worshipp'd above two Ages before and in it so much Offer'd Gold and Silver as amounted to above eighty thousand Crowns in Gold besides many Emeraulds and Turcoises all which Treasure he was puzled how to carry away and possess securely partly fearing the Emperor's Displeasure if he should arrive thus rich in Spain the rather because he had sided with Pizarro and also knowing it was impossible to convey it on Ship-board without one or others knowledge at last after many Contrivances he judg'd it convenient to put the Money in a small Vessel and Sail with the same to Nicaragua there to raise Men to oppose Pizarro in those Parts that so he might re-gain the Emperor's Favor This Undertaking seem'd to be threatned by many Dangers he not having a sufficient Spirit to Command or at least Experience to officiate the Place of a Captain Vela Nunnez and La Torre Plotting against Pizarro are taken and Executed In the mean time Vela Nunnez Brother to the slain Vice-Roy taken in the Battel at Quito had so much priviledge allow'd him from Pizarro that he went a Hunting and other such Exercises distant from the Camp who meeting with La Torre took him in his arms and embrac'd him with great joy which so wrought upon La Torre that he discover'd the Secret of his discover'd Treasure took an Oath of him that he would be faithful to him and take Revenge of Pizarro for all the Injuries receiv'd from him but before according to their Agreement they could set Sail from thence their Plot being discover'd both Nunnez and Torre were Executed and their Riches fell into the Hands of Pizarro Peter Gasca sent to settle Affairs in Peru. Whilest the Peruvian Affairs were in this confusion and disorder Peter Gasca impower'd by the Emperor Charles the Fifth arriving there endeavor'd to settle all things in Peace and Quiet and sent by Peter Hernandes besides the Emperor's Letter another which he writ himself to Pizarro the Contents of which were to this purpose Gasca's Letter to Pizzaro THe Peruvian Soyl hath drunk up the Spanish Blood long enough and the ruin'd Realm gapes for Rest The Emperor proffers Pardon for all past Crimes Repeals the new Laws which the Vice-Roy Vela during his Government enjoy'd the Spaniards to observe If Pizarro aims at the general Welfare he may easily see that Arms must first be laid aside which he now depends on in vain all his Associates being ready to forsake him because no Soldier can take up Arms against the Emperor without being guilty of high Treason Pizarro's Designs against him Pizarro confounded with this Letter call'd a Council of War who differ'd very much from one another in their Votes some judging that it would be best privately to destroy Gasca others were for an open Engagement but most thought of another way viz. to get his Person into their custody and keep him under a strong Guard on the Island Puna under pretence that the Peruvian Princes were sent for to come and acknowledge him as supream Governor which because the Cities lay so remote one from another could not be done in less than two years Mean while an Embassy was to be sent to the Court at Madrid which should enjoyn Gasca to remain in Panama and not offer to come to Peru till such time as the Emperor commanded the same a second time at the return of the Agents His Party generally fall off to Gasca But Hieronimus Loaisa chief Bishop of Los Reyos Thomas Martin Provincial of the Dominicans Gomes Solis Pizarro's Steward Laurence Aldana who were design'd for this Embassy to the Emperor Charles never went their Journey but staid in Panama with
mention'd which part at the East end of the City are pass'd over with divers Bridges The narrow Streets are full of Stone Houses built in good Order In several places are Vaulted Cellars under Ground in some of which are buried great Treasures they had been formerly the Habitations for Necromancers and Soothsayers for this sort of People were once in great esteem amongst the Inhabitants who coming from Chili Pasto Bocamores Topona Bombon Charcas Collao Chiachiapoias Conchucos and other Peruvian Countreys receive great benefit from the fresh Water and from the Corn-Mills built on the Streets through the City The ancient Places and other stately Structures in Cusco The stately Palaces which the Peruvian Nobility have at several times built in Oren-Cusco being one part of the City are very wonderful the Owners whereof were forc'd by the Ingas to appear at Court at Set-times that so he might prevent all Insurrections Also he caus'd the Children of the prime Lords to be brought up in Cusco under pretence that they might learn the Cuscoan Tongue perfectly in which the Ingas would always be spoken to whenas their Design was to keep them as Hostages in their own Jurisdictions that their Fathers might not rebel by which means it hapned that in most places of Peru which amongst the several Tribes and Principalities had several Languages the Cuscoan Tongue was understood and spoken But the Spaniards who are the present Possessors thereof have alter'd and repair'd most of the ordinary Houses which are now neatly built of Stone Above all the old Structures the Palace of the Ingas and the Temple of the Sun are the most magnificent the Palace lies inclos'd within a square quadruple Wall each corner whereof is adorn'd and strengthned with a Tower The Palace it self is built round and with Arches but that which chiefly amazes the Beholder is to see how the Stones which are so big that forty Horses are notable to stir one of them out of its place were brought thither by the Labor of the Builders from the neighboring Mountains for the Peruvians never made use of any laboring Beast except their Sheep Pacos not knowing the use of Horses Camels Oxen Elephants or the like before the Spaniards coming thither The Halls within the Palace were Wainscoted with Golden Plates yet the Inga's Apparel was not answerable to the rest of his Pomp for in stead of a Crown they bound their Heads about with a red woollen Sash with which they almost cover'd their Eyes at the end of the Sash hung certain Ribbands which they gave the Governor as occasion offer'd that by this Sign as by a Commission they might exercise their Offices the sight of which String caus'd such Obedience that if the Inga had commanded the Inhabitants of a Town or Countrey to murder themselves none durst deny The Inga was generally carried by a hundred of his Noble-men of whom if any one had accidentally chanc'd to stumble he was immediately put to death No man durst presume to look him in the Face or speak to him without a Present The Temple Curicanche The Temple Curicanche Dedicated to the Sun was certainly the most rich and sumptuous that ever the World boasted it being Govern'd by the Chief Priest Villanoa The Inga Guainacava spent an invaluable Treasure in the building of this Structure for he cover'd the Roof and Walls with thick Plates of massie Gold and Silver At his return home from the Conquest of the Province of Quito from whence the Inhabitants according to an antient Custom of the Ingas were carried to one of the remotest Countreys in Peru. But Guainacava enamor'd of a Quitoan Maid staid a considerable time in the City Quito and kept a splendid Wedding at the Marriage of his Bride who bare unto him the famous Attabaliba whom he lov'd beyond all his other Children and a little before his death made him King of Quito But Huascar after Guainacava's Decease would not suffer his Brother to live in the late conquer'd Kingdom of Quito A cruel Battel between two Brothers but gave him Battel in the Plain of Tomebamba which lasted three days and three Nights and after much Blood-shed Attabaliba being defeated was taken Prisoner and not long after making his Escape by the help of an antient Woman whilest Huascar's Commanders and Soldiers rejoyc'd with Cups full of Chica for their gotten Victory he made his Subjects in Quito believe that he being transform'd into a Serpent crept through a little Hole out of the Prison and that he had a Promise from Heaven to obtain Conquest over Huascar which being believ'd stirr'd up all his Subjects to take up Arms and valiantly to go and meet the Enemy whom they not onely defeated but took Huascar Prisoner Huscar being destroy'd by Attabaliba and Attabaliba by Pizarro Mango Inga their youngest Brother took the Government upon him made continual Sallies upon the Spaniards from inaccessible Mountains and at his Decease left the remaining part of Peru to his Son Zaires Topa Zaires the Son of Mango Inga submitâ— to the Spaniards who seeing no good to be done by force of Arms submitted himself freely to the King of Spain's Jurisdiction in the Year 1557. since which the Spaniards have been sole Masters There are at this day four great Churches in Cusco Also the Dominicans Franciscans Augustines and the Monks De la Merced have each of them stately Cloysters here but the Jesuits Structure exceeds all the other Above forty thousand Peruvians pay annual Tribute to this City In the Valley about the City feed abundance of Cattel also Wheat and all manner of Herbs grow here in great plenty The Gold and Silver-Mines have not that resort which they had formerly most of the Workmen being remov'd to Potosi Concerning the Service which they perform'd in the fore-mention'd Temple of the Sun and their superstitious Opinions about their Idol Con they are much of the same ridiculous nature with what hath been already Discours'd of in other places Five Leagues Southwardly from Cusco lies the Valley Yucay between high snowy Mountains under a temperate Climate and pleasant Soil Not far from hence the Ingas built a most invincible Castle on a Rock which was surrounded with many cliffy Walls one above another these Walls were also Carv'd with Images of Lyons Tygers and other wild Beasts which held Lances in their Paws the â—op of the Rock was crown'd with a Royal Structure built of Stone through which ran Golden Veins joyn'd together with a certain Gum by some call'd Jews-Lime To the Province of Condesuyo belong the valiant People Chumbibalcas and Ubinas In the County Pomatambo they make Carpets of fine Wooll curiously Painted 8. The City Francisco de Vittoria which lies in the rough Valley Vilcabamba and is inclos'd by the Mountains Andes belonging to the Jurisdiction of the Province Andesuyo 9. The Village Juan del Oro which is the chief Place of the Countrey Caravaya and so call'd by the Spaniards
through their Ears and Lips is done whilest they are Children after this manner The Boys who undergo this Ceremony come to the Place appointed where the whole Multitude Dance and Sing and the Conjurers who are the onely Priests they have sit in two rows opposite to one another one of them starting up takes a Boy by the Head ties him Hand and Foot that he cannot stir at all which done a second Sorcerer comes to his assistance and with a sharp-pointed Stick bores Holes through his Ears and Lips whilest the Mother of the Boy makes a sad Lamentation Women refuse to have any familiarity with their Husbands as soon as they perceive themselves to be with Child and as soon as any Woman is Deliver'd she runs into a neighboring Wood where with a Shell she cuts off the Childs Navel which boyling she eats with the After-birth then washes her self and the Child every Morning and Evening in cold Water as long as she gives Suck her Husband lies not with her unless it be a Man that hath but one Wife If a Woman commit Adultery her Husband beats her out of his House but if he takes her in the Act it is lawful for him to kill both In the middle of the King's Tent stands a great Calabash full of Stones call'd Kehnturah cover'd with the corner of a Mat which none dares approach without the King's leave unless it be to smoak the same with Tobacco or to lay Venison or Honey before it Strangemanner of curing the Sick amongst the Tapuyans It is also remarkable how the Sorcerers deal with their Sick the aforesaid Jacob Rabbi an Eye-witness relates That the King Drarugh being extreamly troubled with pains in his Sides and Legs and finding no help amongst his Sorcerers who pretended to be Physicians went to the neighboring King of the Tapuyans where three undertook to cure him which they did after this manner One of them blew Tobacco-smoak on his Body suck'd his Knees roar'd like a Lyon and after much ado vomited a little Eel into his Hand which he pretended had put the King to so much pain whilest the second suck'd his Belly and also roar'd exceedingly and vomited forth at last a Stone on which appear'd a Rose the third suck'd his left Side till he vomited something like a Root after which the King is said immediately to have recover'd Their Feasting in honor of the Stars There is but little Ceremony of Religion to be found amongst the Tapuyans onely they shew Reverence to the Seven-stars when the Fruits of the Field are ripe after this manner First they spend three days in Dancing and Singing then the Youths prepare themselves to Fight with Lances and Clubs tie tough Twigs about their Legs pour Honey on their Heads tie their Hair behind in Knots after it is powder'd with red Powder Paint their Faces and Bodies with several Colours stick a long Feather in their Necks betwixt their Hair and on their Heads set Garlands of red Feathers pleited down their Backs hang Bundles of Branches like Tails and have their Arms adorn'd with the Wings of the Bird Kosetug thus dress'd they fight three days at the end whereof the Conquerors shew great joy It deserves special observation what the Learned Gerard Vossius relates of them from the Mouth of Christopher Arcisseusky a Polish Nobleman famous for his hetoick Exploits for the United Netherlands in Brasile Arcisseusky's Relation of the Manners of the new Married The Tapuyans saith he are a People that range up and down never staying long in one place between Siara and Meranthon a vast Tract of Land and go almost naked having onely a slight Covering about their Middle When the Hollanders gave them Clothes they admir'd the strange Fashion thereof and after two days return'd them again In their Lips Nostrils Ears and Cheeks they hung Ornamentals of Wood Bones Feathers or Stones a great Club and a strong Bowe made of hard Wood serve them for Arms Gold and Silver they esteem'd not wherefore they barter'd whole Chests full buried there by the Portuguese and discover'd by them with the Hollanders for Greyhounds They judge themselves to be better than other Man-eaters because they eat not the Flesh of their Enemies but of their own Relations and those neither kill'd in the Wars nor dying a natural Death by which they pretend to express their exceeding love to the Deceased who else would say they be eaten by the Worms and rot wherefore they rather chuse to eat them that they may receive the nourishment themselves The same Author relates also That he saw a Tapuyan yield up the Ghost not far from the Castle Rio Grande after which his nearest Relations taking the Body wash'd the same together with the Entrails and cutting the Corps into several pieces roasted the same on a Spit preserving the Fat that dropt from it in Pans and eat the Flesh with a greedy Appetite None were admitted to this Feast but his chief Relations and that which they could not eat as the Hair Teeth Nails and Bones they burnt to Ashes which gathering up they mix'd with their Liquor till it was all drunk up The Religion of the Tapuyans The Tapuyans acknowledge two Deities the one good and the other bad to the good they shew no Reverence because say they he is bountiful of himself and doth them no hurt whereas on the contrary they zealously call upon their Devil-Deity because they think he destroys all those who worship him not Their foretelling of things to come They never Travel nor go to War before they have consulted with their angry God and that not without great Ceremonies whereupon they ascribe to themselves the knowledge of future things and indeed they often foretel future things which are beyond humane apprehension as a testimony whereof that may serve which Sapo Amama a Friezland Gentleman found by experience for he keeping Guard before Conjahu with a Troop of Horse against the Portuguese had several Tapuyans in his Service who foretold That the following day the Lieutenant Amama and a Trooper should be kill'd by a Shot from a great Gun which though slighted was confirm'd by the exact fulfilling of the Prediction The like Passages hapned daily and amongst many Arcisseusky relates one very remarkable Accident viz. He remov'd a considerable number of Men out of the Garrison Rio Grande to surprize the Spanish Fort Barra-Canium and nothing could more promote the Design than secrecy but fifty Tapuyans having joyn'd with the Hollanders Arcisseusky fear'd they might discover his Plot wherefore he charg'd them that they should not stir a foot from his Company which they accordingly promis'd and having march'd three days through By-ways they daily perform'd their Devotion in open view and Arcisseusky desir'd that they would call him when their Devil appear'd which they granted on promise that he should not do him any hurt On the third day the Army being sufficiently refresh'd he being
they not been hindred by the Prudence of Prince Henrick The Ambassador pretending to be ignorant of the fore-mention'd Passages proffer'd to make what Satisfaction the West-India Company should require But the States not satisfi'd with Excuses when the Actions plainly manifested what their Intentions were Complain'd to the French King of the unthankful and malicious Dealings of the Portuguese Crown and meeting but with small Redress A new Fleet sent by the States to Brasile they prepar'd to right themselves by force of Arms and to that end rais'd several Regiments of Land-Soldiers besides Seamen to send to Brasile The Fleet design'd thither consisting of twenty two Sail after it had been frozen up before Flushing three Moneths set Sail at last in the beginning of February Anno 1646. with the Lord Schonenburgh a Member of the States the Councellor Goch The Dutch Fleet set out for Brasile Treasurer Beaumond Men very well experienc'd in Governing of Countreys To these were added the eminent Merchants of Amsterdam Haeks and Trovire to keep the West-India Companies Accounts and Le Heremiet for their Secretary Sigismond Schuppe bore the chief Command over the Militia and the Admiral Bankert over the Fleet which suffer'd the greatest hardship imaginable for being driven by tempestuous Winds into the Downs two of them driving from their Anchors were call away on the Flats The Fleet getting out again was once more forc'd by a Storm to put in at the Isle of Wight from whence by reason of continual Gusts they could not stir in nine Weeks time During this tedious waiting for a fair Wind the Brasile Frigat valu'd at 20000 l. was split in pieces against a Rock of the Island and of three hundred Men thirty onely were sav'd A Pink which came in two Moneths from Reciffa brought also sad tydings to the Fleet viz. That the Town was in such a Condition that without doubt the Fleet would come too late to their assistance whereupon they making the more haste endeavor'd not without great trouble to weigh Anchor again whilest the Wind rose higher and higher and the Waves going very hollow drove the Ships down towards Portland Coast full of Rocks to which they were so near that they saw a Scotchman split in pieces against them and had not the Wind come about and abated of its fury the Fleet had undoubtedly perish'd No sooner was this Danger past but another succeeded for the Soldiers in the Admirals Ship complaining of the small allowance they had of Cheese Brandy and Tobacco had made themselves Masters of the Store-room and threatned to kill the Lords Goch and Beaumond but they assisted with Men from the other Ships who came in at the Cabbin Windows so order'd the Mutineers that they ask'd forgiveness which for many Reasons was granted onely they were distributed by seven in a Ship throughout the whole Fleet. After a great Contest between Goch and Beaumond about carrying the Flag which could not be decided Goch was left by the rest of the Fleet who Steer'd another Course and getting near the Line lay becalm'd six days in which time he lost very many of his Men by a strange kind of Scorbute which rag'd amongst them at last Sailing along the Promontory of St. Augustine he came to an Anchor before Reciffa which he found in the greatest Exigency imaginable insomuch that it was resolv'd upon the next day to surrender the Place up to the Portuguese on promise of Quarter onely which Resolution none oppos'd more than the Jews for the Portuguese swore that they would burn them alive if ever they became Masters of Reciffa which made them resolve to die with the Sword in their Hands and sell their Lives at a dear rate Six Weeks after Gochs Arrival the remaining part of the Fleet escaping many dreadful Storms in which besides the two that were lost in the Downs they lost five Ships and five hundred Men arriv'd also at Reciffa where the Commissioners appointed Officers to distribute to every one their certain allowance of Victuals The prime Councellor Schonenburgh also decided the Difference between Beaumond and Goch as also between Haeks and Trovire about their Places in the Assembly viz. that they should sit above one another by Turns The old Governors Hamel Bassi and Bullestraet were blam'd by every one for the decay of Brasile and being sent to Holland were receiv'd with frowning Looks and rail'd against in Pamphlets as faithless Persons who sought nothing but their own advantage and were threatned to be call'd to an Account It was also laid to their charge that they had not given a true Account of the State and Condition of Brasile that the State was much more decay'd than they had made known by which means the present Power prov'd too weak to do any thing to the Enemy Garstman â—â—'d and Disgrac'd upon King Dary's Complaint Amongst other Misfortunes which befell the West-India Company the Revolt of the Tapuyans and other Brasilians was not the least which hapned upon the occasion of Garstman's putting to Death of Jacob Rabbi a German and indeed their chief Ringleader in all Robberies and Villanies but Dary their then King alledging that Rabbi was wrongfully Executed by Garstman and that his Tryal belong'd to him as King prosecuted Garstman so vigorously that he and his Ensign Jacob Boulan his Accessory in the Fact had their Goods and Salary confiscated and they themselves were sent home in disgrace The Portuguese Invitation prevails above the Netherlanders Mean while the Council seeing that there was not much good to be done by force of Arms endeavor'd by mild ways to invite the revolted Portugueses who were all promis'd Pardon for their Insurrection in an Edict which was publish'd in all places onely Viera Almado De Rouche Antonio Calvantelca and Hoogenstraet for whom great sums of Money were offer'd were excepted The Portuguese on the contrary publish'd That they would receive all those Netherlanders into favor that would come over to them and pay the Debts which they ow'd to the West-India Company and also Transport them whither they pleas'd These Promises written in English Dutch French and Portuguese and hung every where on the Boughs of Trees and other publick Places operated much more than the Privy-Councils Edicts for in stead of one Portuguese that came to them several ran to the Portuguese from Reciffa notwithstanding a strict Guard was kept to prevent them besides the great mortality amongst the Soldiers and Inhabitants through several raging Distempers and want of fresh Provisions Which general Calamity it seems very much cow'd the Spirits of those that were left for in a Sally meeting with five hundred Portugueses notwithstanding they were equal in number yet they made a shameful Retreat yea though Schuppe came with eight hundred Men to their assistance yet he could not prevail with them to face about either by fair means or foul for with his own hand he Ran-through an Ensign Sergeant and two
Hangman return'd to his Business cutting off the Portuguese's Nose Ears Privy-Members and tearing out his Heart which he threw to two Dogs who devour'd the same then dividing the Body into Quarters which were set up at the four Corners of the City for an Example The same Punishment receiv'd a Mulatto who endeavor'd to fire two of the Hollanders best Ships in the Haven Notwithstanding these Punishments the Soldiers ran away daily the blame whereof might justly be laid on the Magistrates who took no notice of the Soldiers just Complaints of their Officers cheating them of a third part of their Provision and inflicting severe Punishments upon them as Mutineers when they had real cause of Complaint Schuppe was at the same time shrewdly put to it for want of Men who either dy'd of the then reigning Disease or ran away to the Enemy so that he was forced to leave the Island Taperica and inclose himself within his new rais'd Sconce Admiral Bankert gains a great Victory over the Portuguese Fleet. The Admiral Bankert had better success for Cruising up and down before the Inlet Todos los Sanctos after the taking and sinking of several Ships as they came in his way he at last set upon the Portuguese Fleet consisting of seven great Ships of which one got to St. Salvador another was sunk and the other five were taken being valu'd at twenty Tuns of Gold or 200000 l. Sterl In this Engagement were kill'd above four hundred Portugueses besides two hundred and fifty who were taken Prisoners and sent Shackled to Reciffa Amongst them was the new Vice-Roy of Brasile the Admiral Vice-Admiral three Monks and several other Persons of note Marshal Hous arrives at Reciffa with a fresh Supply This Victory began to give some Breath to Reciffa when at the same time Marshal Hous arriv'd there with seven Ships Mann'd with five hundred Soldiers This Hous on the seventeenth of August Anno 1645. had been taken Prisoner at the Engenho having fought so long till all his Powder was spent so that he was forc'd to surrender himself upon promise of Quarter to Vidal who after he had taken an Oath upon the Bible to spare the Lives of all the Hollanders and Brasilians fell upon the Brasilians and slew them being a hundred in all in Cold-blood who yet sold their Lives at no easie rate Being carry'd Prisoner together with Captain Bristow Listry Wildschut Blar and two hundred more by Viera to Casa de Prugar he was thence sent to Portugal where being releas'd be brought News to the States of the mean Condition of the West-India Company and that all things must needs be lost if they did not speedily take the Business into Consideration Whereupon he was furnish'd with a Supply of Ships and Men with which he set Sail for Brasile where being arriv'd most part of the Soldiers he brought with him were Transported to Taperica to assist Schuppe who as soon as they came to him march'd into the Countrey where being set upon by a thousand Portugueses he lost sixty Men. Soon after Hoogenstraet receiving Orders from the Governor of St. Salvador who was inform'd by some Prisoners that Schuppe had not above twelve hundred fighting Men to fall upon him with three thousand made a furious Assault upon the Sconce in two places and Storming the same for two hours together lost four hundred Men which made him draw off a little before Day-break In the interim nine Privateers fitted out by several Merchants of Holland and Zealand came to Cruise up and down before the Coast of Brasile which the States the rather allow'd of because the West-India Company was not able to send any more Supplies thither Nor was it long ere they took five Portuguese Prizes and afterwards joyning with Bankert four more laden full of Sugar in the Haven Todos los Sanctos where they threw a hundred and twenty Portuguese and fifty revolted Hollanders overboard Reciffa being at that time reduc'd to very great straits earnestly implor'd Aid from the States but to little purpose by reason of the Differences amongst themselves which hapned upon this occasion The Spanish King by his Agent in the Hague made Overtures of Peace and proffer'd to fall upon the Portuguese in Brasile to which Proposition when as the rest of the States seem'd inclinable those of Zealand would no ways hearken being resolv'd to have nothing to do with Spain The Council of Reciffa sent over Messengers to represent the sad condition of the Place The news of this Dissention exceedingly perplex'd the Council at Reciffa especially when to that news was added that Bankert the onely terror to the Enemy at Sea was Commanded home by the States of Zealand which yet the General States strictly forbad Whereupon they thought fit to send one of their Assembly to the Hague to make the States acquainted with the miserable Condition of Brasile and to Expostulate with them for their insensibility of their Condition and to let them understand that ten thousand Men would not restore Brasile to its former Condition Every one strove to be the Messenger of these sad tydings but especially their President Schonenbergh wish'd it might be his lot to leave the unhappy Countrey of Brasile but because his departure would not have been without great murmuring of the People Haeks was sent in his stead Together with him went Hinderson who was in no esteem since the Destruction on Rio Grande they both Embarqu'd on Bankert's Ship and five others which in stead of being laden with rich Commodities and ballasted with Sugar as heretofore were fraught with discontented Seamen decrepid and sick Soldiers unserviceable Jews poor Travellers Portuguese Prisoners and onely ten Weeks Provisions whereas all other Vessels at their Return from Brasile us'd to have Provision for three Moneths which at this time could not be spar'd The Council also made Orders what Persons should go with the fore-mention'd Ships viz. None but those whose Names were written in the Lists which had stuck six Weeks at every Church Door that by that means no Creditor might suffer by his Debtors going away nor any Criminal escape his deserved punishament Bankert had scarce been a Week at Sea when he dy'd of the Palsie Bankert's Death and Character he was a Man who for his valiant Exploits was from a Fore-mast Man preferr'd to be Captain which Office he perform'd with great Prudence and Valor but that which first made him most eminently taken notice of was his Engaging with thirteen Dunkirkers of which he sunk three and being boarded by three more and fir'd at by the rest he refus'd to surrrender his Ship on promise of Quarter but plac'd his eldest Son with a lighted Match in the Powder-room commanding him on pain of Death to blow up the Ship with the three Dunkirkers as soon as he gave the Word which valorous Resolution so amaz'd the Enemy that they let him go He also behav'd himself bravely in the Downs
when he went to visit sick or wounded Men. Their manner of curing the Sick and bewailing the Dead The Distempers in America differ much from the European not onely in the Signs of any Distemper but also in the Cure for when a Distemper cannot be cur'd by the prescribed Medicines a Father or Mother sends for the Neighbors to know if they can find any means to cure the Disease which Custom was anciently observ'd amongst the Greeks They also strictly observe a Rule in their Diet and take care to keep the Patient out of the Sun in the Day and cold Winds in the Night however if their Fathers and Mothers be sick nevertheless they leave not off their usual Dancing and Singing but if the sick Person die especially a Father they lament and cry over the Corps like Wolves calling to one another with a quavering Voice and uttering these Expressions The strong Man is deceas'd who carry'd so many Prisoners for a brave Dinner to his House Oh what a quick Hunter and subtil Fisher hath Death bereav'd us of we shall see him no more till our Souls are carry'd beyond the high Mountains where our valiant Predecessors Dance in Rings The Women make the greatest noise and in the midst of their howling embrace one another which lasts six hours and then they put the Body upright into a Grave made like a Hogshead hanging about it divers colour'd Feathers and other things in which the Deceased delighted most when living upon the Grave the nearest Relations place Dishes of Meat both Flesh and Fish and the Liquor Cauou-in that their evil Spirit call'd Aygnan may be reconcil'd by these Offerings and not carry away the Body but when they remove from thence they cover the Grave with the Herb Pindo This Custom is not observ'd by all Brasilians for some eat up their deceased Relations Sect. XIII Grave Maurice his Account of Brasile so far as it concern'd the West-India Company BRasile so far as it concerns the West-India Company extends from the River Real which divides Seregippa and the Lordship of St. Salvador to Maragnan Seregippa it self reaches along the Sea-Coast thirty two Leagues and was first brought under the King of Spain's Jurisdiction by Christovan de Barros Cardoso who being order'd by the King of Spain to Plant this new Countrey invited many People from St. Salvador who built four Sugar-Mills and a Town consisting of a hundred Houses and four hundred Sheds for Cattel but the Town being destroy'd hath nothing left but Heaps of Rubbish and the Cattel either fell into the Netherlanders hands or were devour'd by Tygers the Inhabitants fled back to St. Salvador Many troubles have prevented the re-building of it The fertility of Pernambuco Pernambuco may for its fruitfulness stand in competition with any Place in the World except in those parts where the Soil is sandy and stonie The Fields feed abundance of excellent Cattel the Woods Deer and Fowl the Ocean and Rivers all manner of good Fish It is inhabited but eight Leagues into the Countrey because the nearer the Sea the more convenient it is for Importing and Exporting of Goods neither could the Portuguese by reason of their small number spread themselves farther as also in regard they found great resistance from the Brasilians The Negro's that work in the Sugar-Mills between the River Grande and Francisco amount to four thousand The Cape Verde Mina Angola Ardra and Calabaria generally provide three thousand in a year to supply the number of the Sick or those that run away SECT XIV The Councellor Dussen's Relation of so much of Brasile as concerns the West-India Company THat part of Brasile which the West-India Company have subdu'd by force of Arms on the Continent of America is divided into six Counties viz. Seregippa Pernambuco Itamarica Parayba Rio Grande and Siara The Expedition undertaken by Gysseling and Schuppe made Seregippa desolate the Inhabitants wheof remov'd to the Coast Todos los Sanctos Also Siara which the Portuguese formerly possess'd was thinly inhabited and had a mean Fortress there whither some few Brasilians came now and then to the Netherlanders assistance Pernambuco lying between the Rivers Francisco and Tamarica excells the other Countrey in fruitfulness and pleasantness The Brasilians compare it to a hollow Rock under which fresh Water flows Havens of Pernâ—mbuco Moreover Pernambuco hath several Havens viz. the outermost Road before Reciffa which being in the open Sea is somewhat dangerous but the innermost is secure against all Storms also at the Promontory St. Augustine where the Mouth of the Haven is narrow and dangerous by reason of the Rocks and shallow Grounds the Island Alexio is very fit to Crain Ships in Barra Grande hath a large and safe Inlet convenient for all manner of Vessels yet it is inferior to Cororipa lastly the Havens Jaragoa and Franco are very eminent Amongst the Rivers the chief are Jangades Serinhain Formosa Porto Calvo Rivers Camarigibi Antonio Michael and Francisco Pernambuco also is divided into six Jurisdictions the first and most ancient is Igarazu the second and biggest Olinda the third Serinbain the fourth Porto Calvo the fifth the Alagoas and the sixth Rio Francisco which is the Boundary of Pernambuco on the South Towns of Pernambuco Pernambuco also boasts five Towns viz. Garasu Olinda Maurice-stadt to which also belongs Reciffa Bella Pojuca and Formosa The Villages Moribeca St. Laurence Antonio Amaro and others are also not inferior to little Towns The Countrey is for the most part Hilly but is exceeding fruitful in the Valleys and near the Rivers especially in Sugar-Canes Here are also a hundred and twenty Sugar-Mills of which a great number stand still for want of Negro's Next Pernambuco lies Tamarica which hath onely one Haven one City and twenty three Sugar-Mills of which thirty are onely employ'd This Island produces excellent Grapes and Melons yet is for the most part barren by reason of the Pismires The Countrey Parayba hath its Denomination from the River which washeth it being deep and without any Rocks or Sands on the Banks thereof stand twenty Sugar-Mills two of which are still standing In the Lordship of Rio Grande stands the Town Puntael whose Buildings were ruin'd in the Wars after which the Inhabitants had leave to build them another City on a fruitful Soil The Countrey hereabouts us'd formerly to be very full of Cattel but was not onely bereav'd thereof by the Hollanders and Portuguese but also for the most part made desolate The River which washes the Castle Ceulen affords a convenient and safe Harbor for all sorts of Vessels This Lordship of Rio Grande boasts onely two Sugar-Mills of which one is decay'd so that in all those Parts in Brasile which belong to the West-India Company are a hundred and sixty Sugar-Mills constantly employ'd besides forty six which are about repairing It is scarce to be reckon'd how much Sugar they make yearly in regard through the
to the Sea thereabouts Not having the use of the Mariners Compass he made use of Ravens for the steering of his Course and having sent forth two without success by the guidance of the third he had sight of the Eastern side of the Island and Steering Southward he found a very wide Bay between the Promontories Renkanes and Snaefesness which Bay from Faxa a Scottish Mariner that accompany'd him he nam'd Faxaos that is The Mouth of Faxa though from its many Havens it came afterwards to be term'd Hafnafiordur Sailing along the West side of the Island he entred the Bay Bredafiord and took up his Quarters at Watnesfiordur a Haven in the Province Bardostraund for by these Names these Places came afterwards to be known Having stay'd here two Winters he return'd back into Norway and is said to have been the first that gave this Countrey the Name of Iseland from the great quantities of Ice which fill'd the Seas thereabouts he also gave it the Name of Rafnaftock from the Ravens which serv'd him in stead of a Compass A Plantation setled in Ise by Ingulphus and Hiorleifus The last and most considerable Adventurer was Ingulfus the Son of Orn Duke of Fyrdafilace in Norway who together with his Cousin Hiorleifus that Marry'd his Sister Helca being adjudg'd to Banishment by Halsten to the Award of whose Judgment they had submitted themselves upon the slaughter of his two Brethren Holmsten and Hersten these three Brethren were the Sons of Atlas one of the prime Noblemen of Norway in a Quarrel wherein Halsten was chosen Umpire and also detesting the Tyranny of Haraldus Pulchricomus King of Norway went over Gonfaloniere or chief Leader of a great Colony of People whom he rais'd for the setling of a Plantation in some foreign Countrey Accompany'd with his Cousin Hiorleifus he took Shipping for Iseland in the Year of our Lord 854. having been over to visit it about four years before he Landed at a Promontory on the South Shore which from him took the Name of Ingulfholde and Reicharwick setled his Habitation while Hiorleifus seated himself at the Promontory by him call'd Hiorleifholda where he built two very large Houses each being about a hundred and thirty Foot long then he set himself to Manure and Till the Ground employing in that Work ten Slaves whom he brought with him for that purpose out of Norway but it was not long ere they traiterously set upon him and slew him by an Ambuscade which they had laid for him after which they betook themselves to certain little Isles which were nam'd Westmafyar where before they had well nestled themselves the whole Race of them were rooted out by Ingulphus in revenge of his Kinsman's Death After this the Island grew daily more and more populous by the coming over of new Families from Norway so that at this day it is a Place not the least considerable belonging to the Kings of Denmark The ancient Inhabitants of this Place for it is to be suppos'd that there were People here before the coming over of Ingulfus were call'd Papae or Pappae and the East side of the Island Papey which agrees very well with the Names of two little Islands on the Coast of Scotland Pappa and Westrepappa from which many conjecture as also from several Crosses and Bells found upon the Place that there hath been in former Ages a resort of the Irish and of the People of the North-West parts of Scotland The Division of Iseland The Eastern bound of Iseland is call'd Austurborn the Western Randesandur the Northern Langanes and the Southern Reicranes The Island being divided according to the four Quarters of the World North-Island is sever'd from East-Island by the aforesaid Promontory of Langanes from West-Island by Rutafiordur Bay from South-Island by vast and unpassable Desarts Between South-Island and East-Island runneth the River Jocolsu through the Desarts of Solseimasande Between South-Island and West-Island a famous River nam'd Albis which emptieth it self into the Bay of Bargarfiord Schetland the Thule of the Ancients 'T is a vulgar Opinion that this Island is the same which the Ancients call'd Thule but upon consideration it will appear that by the Ultima Thule taken notice of by Virgil Claudian Statius Pythias Massiliensis Pliny Seneca Solinus Tacitus and others is meant one of the British Isles amongst which were comprehended the Isles on the North of Scotland as the Orcades and some others the utmost of which we call Schetland and is very probable to be this Ultima Thule of the Ancients Nova Zembla when first discover'd Nova Zembla lying under seventy six Degrees of Northern Latitude and a hundred and twelve Degrees and twenty five Minutes of Longitude and being reckon'd above two hundred Miles in length was together with the River Puora and Straights of Weygats discover'd and as it is thought first of all by Stephen Burrough who was sent out by the Muscovia Company in the Year 1556. to find out a Way to Cathay by the North-East Afterwards one Oliver Burel a Dutch-man mov'd with the hope of Gain went from Enkhuissen to Pecora where having first discover'd Costinfarca in Nova Zembla he lost all by Shipwrack The States-General nothing discourag'd with the little success of these two Voyagers sent forth two Ships under the Command of Hugo Linschot to the Straights of Weygats and two others under William Barrents who were to go directly Northwards for Nova Zembla Linschot went fifty Miles beyond the Straights but the Northerly Winds and late Season of the year forc'd him to hasten back with all possible speed William Barents and his Company were necessitated in the Year 1596. being not able to get off in regard the Ice increas'd upon them more and more to take up their Winter Quarters there in a Cottage which they made a shift to cast up for their present necessity having much ado to defend themselves against the Bears that continually assaulted them Dâ—scription of the Countrey This Countrey is generally deliver'd to be a barren and desart Countrey full of Wood indeed but the Boughs as bare of Leaves as the Ground of Grass also very incommodious to be travell'd through by reason of its desartness and the danger of Bears great fierce Foxes and such like ravenous Beasts which feed onely upon Flesh and which are the onely Beasts this Countrey harbors In a Journal of Mr. Henry Hudson there is to be found a much more favorable Description of the Countrey Generally saith he the Land of Nova Zembla that we have seen is to a Man's Eye a pleasant Land much Main High-land with no Snow on it looking in some places green and Deer feeding thereon and the Hills partly cover'd with Snow and partly bare It should seem to have beery a receiv'd Opinion from the first Discovery of Nova Zembla that it was inhabited by Pygmies it being several times in the Journals of some Voyages mention'd particularly by the Name of
Enemy by Water whilst himself falling upon them by Land put the Lord of Tlatellulco with his whole Army to flight which was so closely pursu'd that they forc'd their way into the City with them put the Governor to Death and laid the Town in Ashes those which went by Water having had no less success Autzol succeeds him Axayaca after eleven years Reign Deceasing bequeath'd his Crown to Autzol who sought to promote his Election by ingaging with the mighty Province Quaxutatlan whose Inhabitants though but a little before they had been so bold as to demand Tribute of the Mexicans yet terrifi'd at the approach of Autzol's Army fled over an Arm of the Sea where they had been secure had not Autzol invented a floating Isle of Planks by which he got over his whole Army upon which the amaz'd Quaxututlans immediately submitted themselves to the Mexicans who pursuing their Victory extended their Dominions to Guatimala over a Tract of three hundred Leagues Autzol's Generosity and Mrgnificence The new King having now subdu'd all his Enemies and made himself glorious by his Victories was also ambitious to be as much extoll'd for his Generosity and Magnificence to which purpose he distributed all the Wealth which was brought unto him from the neighboring Countreys amongst the Poor and the Nobility to the first he gave Clothes and Provisions to the last Plumes of Feathers and Arms. Moreover he caus'd all mean Houses to be pull'd down and new ones to be built in their places Lastly he consulted how to bring fresh Water into Mexico which was plac'd in a brackish Soil Upon this Design he was so bent that when one of his Sages disswaded him from it alledging That the Water would drown the City he in stead of following his Advice banish'd him his Presence and upon his flying to Cuyaocun caus'd him to be fetch'd from thence and Executed Then prosecuting his Design he cut the Ditch before Cuyaocun by which means great store of fresh Water came flowing into the Lake Laguna which the Priests welcom'd with strange Ceremonies for some perfum'd the Water others Offer'd Quails Blood whilst others play'd on several Musical Instruments with many other Ceremonies which are at large describ'd in the ancient Mexican Chronicles kept in the Vatican Library at Rome But the Prophecy of the Executed Sorcerer was in a manner fulfill'd for the Water overwhelm'd a great part of Mexico and divided the City into Isles But to prevent farther Mischief Autzoll caus'd Banks to be rais'd and Channels digg'd and not long after in the eleventh Year of his Reign he deceas'd After which the Mexican Kingdom tended towards its period as the ensuing Story will declare Amongst the Mexican Nobility Mutexuma a melancholy Man yet very prudent who resided in a stately Apartment near the great Temple Cu that there he might the better converse with Viztlipuztli was elected King which he no sooner heard but fled from hence but being found out he was against his will led to the Grand Assembly and from thence to the holy Hearth where for an Offering he drew Blood out of his Cheeks Ears and Legs and according to an ancient Custom the Council of State boring a Hole in his Nose hung an Emerauld in the same after which the Lord of Tescuco saluted him with a Speech which since it is mention'd by Joseph d' Acosta together with several other Speeches of Congratulation to their Kings which were taught to Schollars to make them expert in their Language it will not be amiss to be annexed here that of many this one may serve for a pattern of the Mexicans Eloquence which is as followeth The Lord of Tescuco his Speech to Muteczuma THe great happiness most noble Muteczuma which is befall'n this Realm by your Election may easily be conjectur'd from the general joy none besides your self being able to undergo an Office in the management whereof so much Prudence is requir'd It is a most certain testimony that God loves Mexico that he hath given its Inhabitants understanding to make such a Choice Who can doubt but that you who have expatiated through the Heavens and convers'd with Viztlipuztli may easily Govern us Mortals on Earth Who can despair but that the Vertue inclos'd within your Breast will extend to the Widows and Orphans Therefore rejoyce O Mexico the Heavens have granted us a Prince without Vice Merciful and not a Violator of the Laws Affable not despising common Conversation And you O King let not this great Preferment occasion any alteration in your so long known Vertues The Crown breeds care for the publick good the troubles thereof must extend over the whole Realm and every one in the Realm Preparationâ— for the Coronation of Muteczuma Muteczuma having heard out the Speech would willingly have answer'd the same but could not utter a word for Tears which gush'd from his Eyes Before he went out to fetch Prisoners for Offerings at his Coronation he first setled his Houshold Affairs And whereas till this time the Kings had been serv'd in their Palaces by ordinary Citizens he took Knights and the chiefest of the Nobility intending thereby to make a distinction between the Nobility and the common People and add more Majesty to the Royal Dignity This done Muteczuma marching against a certain rebellious Province fetch'd a considerable number of People to be Offer'd to Viztupuztli At his Return the Coronation Day was appointed against which thousands of People came to Mexico even their very Enemies of Tlascala Mechoacan and Tepeaca which were never conquer'd by the Mexicans flock'd thither in great numbers All those Countreys which were under Tribute bringing unvaluable Treasures came in vast Multitudes which so throng'd the City that the very tops of the Houses were fill'd with Spectators no King in Mexico ever going to the Throne in such splendor His Grandeur nor was ever any King so much fear'd by his Subjects none of the common People daring to look in his Face neither did he ever set Foot on the Ground but was always carried in a Chair on the Shoulders of his prime Nobility he never wore a Suit of Clothes but once nor ever us'd a Cup or Dish after it was once foul'd he strictly maintain'd the Laws which he had made and often went himself in a Disguise to make a strict enquiry after all Affairs whatsoever by which means the Mexican Power was now arriv'd to the highest top but as other Realms grown top-heavy with good Fortune turn at last topsie-turvy just such a Misfortune befell Mexico but not without several fore-running signs of its destruction The ruine of the Mexican Empire prognosticated for in the City Cholola their God Quezalcoalt inform'd them that a strange People were coming to take possession of the Mexican Dominions and their Soothsayers prognosticated the same for which Muteczuma committed them all to Prison and doubtless had put them all to death had not they escap'd with