and inviron this great masse of the earth the which was wrought by the wisedome of that great Architect They say the earth is built vpon the waters and vpon the sea but contrariwise the earth is rather vnder the waters for according to common iudgement and imagination that which is on the other part of the earth which we inhabite seemes to be vnder the earth and so by the same reason the waters and sea which doe compasse in the earth on the other part should be vnderneath and the earth aboue yet the very truth is that what is properly beneath that is alwaies in the midst of the vniversall but the holy scripture frames it selfe to our manner of conceiving and speaking Some may demaund seeing the earth is set vpon the waters as the scripture sayeth whereon the waters are placed or what support have they And if the earth and the water make one round globe how can all this monstrous masse be sustayned To this the holy scripture answereth them in another place giving vs greatest cause to admire the power of the Creator and saith in these wordes The earth extends towards the North vpon the Vast and stayes hanging vpon nothing The which in trueth is very well spoken for that really it seemes this heape of earth and water is set vpon nothing when we describe it in the middest of the ayre as in trueth it is But this wonder which men so much admire God himselfe hath not layd open demanding of the same Iob in these termes Tell mee if thou canst who hath layd the lyne or cast the lead for the building of the world and with what morter the foundations have beene layed and ioyned Finally to make vs vnderstand the fashion and modell of this admirable frame of the world the Prophet Dauid accustomed to sing and praise his divine works saies very well in a Psalme made of this subiect in these wordes Thou which hast built the earth vpon firmenes it selfe that it cannot stagger nor move for ever and ever Meaning to shew the cause why the earth set in the midst of the ayre falleth not nor staggereth from place to place for that by nature it hath sure foundations layed by the most wise Creator to the end it might sustaine it selfe without any other support Mans imagination is therefore deceived in this place seeking other foundations of the earth and for want thereof doth measure divine things according to humaine reason So that we neede not to feare how gâ—eat or heavy soever this masse of earth then hanging in the aire seemeth to be that it can fal or turne topsy turâ—y being assured vpon this point for that the same Psalmist saieth that it shall neuer be overthrowne Truly Dauid with reason after he had beheld and sung the wonderfull workes of the Lord doth not cease to praise him in the same saying O how great wonderfull are the workes of the Lord. It appeares that all spring from his knowledge And in truth if I shall freely speake my opinion touching this point often in my trauell passing the great gulfes of the Ocean and marching by other regions of so strange lands staying to behold and consider the greatnes of these workes of the Lord I felt a wonderfull consolation of the soveraigne wisedome and greatnes of the Creator who shines in his works in comparison whereof all the Pallaces Castells and princely buildings together with all the inventions of man seeme nothing yea are base and contemptible in respect thereof O how often hath come into my minde and mouth that place of the Psalme which sayeth thus Great comfort hast thou given me O Lord by thy workes I will not cease to reioyce in the contemplation of the workes of thy hands Really and in truth the workes of God haue I know not what secret hidden grace and vertve the which although they be often beheld yet do they still cause a new taste and content whereas contrariwise the workes of man although they be built with exquisite art yet often seene they are no more esteemed but breede a distaste be they most pleasant Gardins Pallaces or stately Temples be they Piramides of proud buildings Pictures carved images or stones of rare worke and invention or whatsoever else adorned with all the beauties possible Yet is it most certen that viewing them twice or thrice with attention the eye presently turnes away being glutted with the sight thereof But if you beholde the sea with attention or some steepe mountaine growing from a plaine to a strange heigth or the fieldes clad in their naturall verdure with pleasant flowres or the raging course of some river beating continually against the rocks finally what worke of nature soever although it be often viewed yet doth it still breede a new content and never gluttes the sight the which is like vnto a stately bancket of the divine wisedom which doth alwaies cause a new consideration without any lothing Containing an answere to that which is obiected out of the holy Scripture against the roundnes of the earth CHAP. 4. REturning then to the figure of heaven I know not out of what authoritie of the holy scripture they can prove that it is not round nor his motion circular neither do I see whereas S. Paul calles the heaven a Tabernacle or a Tent which God made not man how can it be applied to this purpose for although he telleth vs that it was made by God yet must we not therefore coniecture that the heaven covereth the earth like to a roofe on the one part only neither that the heaven was framed without motion as it seemes some would inferre The Apostle in this place treated of the conformity of the auncient Tabernacle of the lawe saying therevpon that the Tabernacle of the new law of grace is heaven into the which the great Priest Iesus Christ entred once by his bloud and thereby is vnderstood that there is as great preheminence of the new aboue the old as there is difference betwixt the author of the new which is God and of the olde which was man although it be most certen that the olde was built by the wisedome of God who instructed his workeman BeZeleell Neither must we imagine that these comparisons parables and allegories doe in all thinges agree with that wherevnto they are applyed as the happy Crysostome hath learnedly spoken vpon this point The other authoritie which S. Augustine saies is alleaged of some to shew that the heaven is not round is this The heavens stretch forth like vnto a skin Whereby he concludes that it is not round but flat on the vpper part wherevnto the same Doctor doth answere verie well and familiarly giuing vs to vnderstand that that place of the Psalme is not properly to be vnderstood of the figure of heaven but onely to shew with what facilitie God built so great a heaven being no more painefull for him to
not dissemble nor hide their offences By this meanes they all demanded no other thing of their god but to have their offences concealed powring foorth many teares with great repentaunce and sorrow offering great store of incense to appease their gods The couragious and valiant men and all the olde souldiers that followed the Arte of Warre hearing this flute demaunded with great devotion of God the Creator of the Lorde for whome wee live of the sunne and of other their gods that they would give them victorie against their ennemies and strength to take many captives therewith to honour their sacrifices This ceremonie was doone ten dayes before the feast During which tenne dayes the Priest did sound this flute to the end that all might do this worship in eating of earth and demaund of their idol what they pleased they every day made their praiers with their eyes lift vp to heaven and with sighs and groanings as men that were grieved for their sinnes and offences Although this contrition was onelie for feare of the corporal punishment that was given them and not for any feare of the eternall for they certainely beleeved there was no such severe punishment in the other life And therefore they offered themselves voluntarily to death holding opinion that it is to all men an assured rest The first day of the feast of this idoll TeZcalipuca being come all they of the Citty assembled together in a court to celebrate likewise the feast of the Kalender whereof wee have already spoken which was called Toxcoalth which signifies a drie thing which feast was not made to any other end but to demaund raine in the same manner that we solemnise the Rogations and this feast was alwayes in Maie which is the time that they have most neede of raine in those countries They beganne to celebrate it the ninth of Maie ending the nineteenth The last day of the feast the Priestes drew foorth a litter well furnished with curtins and pendants of diverse fashions This litter had so many armes to holde by as there were ministers to carry it All which came forth besmeered with blacke and long haire halfe in tresses with white strings and attyred in the livery of the idoll Vpon this litter they set the personage of the idoll appoynted for this feast which they called the resemblance of their God TeZcalipâ—â—â— and taking it vpon their shoulders they broght it openly to the foote of the staires then came forth the yong men and maidens of the Temple carrying a great cord wreathed of chaines of roasted mays with the which they invironed the Litter putting a chaine of the same about the idolles necke and a garland vppon his head They called the cord Toxcalt signifying the drought and barrennesse of the time The yoong men came wrapped in redde curtines with garlands and chains of roasted mays The maides were clothed in new garments wearing chaines about their neckes of roasted mays and vpon their heads myters made of rods covered with this mays they had their feete covered with feathers and their armes and cheekes painted They brought much of this roasted mays and the chiefe men put it vpon their heads and about their neckes taking flowers in their handes The idoll beeing placed in his litter they strewd round about a great quantitie of the boughes of Manguey the leaves whereof are large and pricking This litter being set vpon the religious mens-shoulders they carryed it in procession within the circuite of the Court twoo Priests marching before with censors giving often incense to the idoll and every time they gave incense they lifted vp their armes as high as they could to the idoll and to the Sunne saying that they lifted vp their praiers to heaven even as the smoke ascended on high Then all the people in the Court turned round to the place whither the idoll went every one carrying in his hand new cords of the threed of manguey a fadome long with a knotte at the end and with them they whipped themselves vppon the shoulders even as they doe heere vppon holy Thurseday All the walles of the Court and battlements were full of boughs and flowers so fresh and pleasaunt as it did give a great contentment This procession being ended they brought the idoll to his vsual place of abode then came a great multitude of people with flowres dressed in diverse sortes wherewith they filled the temple and all the court so as it seemed the ornament of an Oratory All this was putte in order by the priests the yoong men administring these things vnto them from without The chappell or chamber where the idoll remayned was all this day open without any vaile This done every one came and offered curtines and pendants of Sandally precious stones iewells insence sweete wood grapes or eares of Mays quailes and finally all they were accustomed to offer in such solemnities Whenas they offered quailes which was the poore mans offering they vsed this ceremonie they delivered them to the priestes who taking them pulled off their heads and cast them at the foote of the Altare where they lost their bloud and so they did of all other things which were offered Every one did offer meate and fruite according to their power the which was laid at the foote of the altar and the Ministers gathered them vp and carried them to their chambers This solemne offering done the people went to dinner every one to his village or house leaving the feast suspended vntill after dinner In the meane time the yong men and maidens of the temple with their ornaments were busied to serve the idoll with all that was appointed for him to eate which meate was prepared by other women who had made a vow that day to serve the idoll And therefore such as had made this vow came by the point of day offering themselves to the Deputies of the Temple that they might command them what they would have done the which they did carefully performe They did prepare such varietie of meates as it was admirable This meate being ready and the houre of dinner come all these virgins went out of the Temple in procession every one carrying a little basket of bread in her hand and in the other a dish of these meates before them marched an old man like to a steward with a pleasant habite he was clothed in a white surples downe to the calves of his legges vpon a dublet without sleeves of red leather like to a iacket hee carried wings insteede of sleeves from the which hung broade ribbands at the which did hang a small Calibasse or pumpion which was covered with flowers by little holes that were made in it and within it were many superstitious things This old man thus attyred marched very humbly and heavily before the preparation with his head declining and comming neere the foote of the staires he made a great obeisance and reverence Then going on the one side the virgins drew neere with the meate
circular motion of the Heaven is contrarie and repugnant to the holy Scriptures But whatsoever the Ancients say or holde touching this point it must not trouble vs for that it is wel knowne and verified that they have not beene so studious in the knowledge and demonstrations of Philosophie beeing busied in other studies of farre greater importance But that which is more to be admired is that S. Augustine himselfe so well seene in all naturall Sciences yea very learned in Astrologie and Physicke remaynes yet still in doubt not able to resolve whether the Heaven did compasse in the earth on all parts What care I saith he if we suppose the Heaven doth inviron the earth on all parts like vnto a bowle beeing in the middest of the world as a bottome is compassed with threed or that we say it is not so and that the Heaven covereth the earth of one part onely as a great Basin that hangs over it In the same place he seemeth to shew nay hee speaketh plainely that there is no certaine demonstration to proove the figure of the world to be round but onely by simple coniectures In which places cited and others they hold the circular motion of the Heaven very doubtfull But wee ought not to take it offencively nor esteeme lesse of the Doctors of the holy Church if in some points of Philosophie and naturall knowledge they have varied in opinion from that which is helde for good philosophie seeing all their studie hath been to know preach and serve the Creator of all things wherein they have bin excellent and having well imployed their studies in causes of greater waight it is a small matter in them not to have knowen all particularities concerning the creatures But those vaine Philosophers of our age are much more to bee blamed who having attayned to the knowledge of the being and order of the creatures and of the course and motion of the Heavens have not yet learned wretched as they are to knowe the Creator of all things but busying themselves wholly in his workes have not yet mounted by their imaginations to the knowledge of the Soveraigne Author thereof as the holy Scripture teacheth vs or if they have knowne him they have not served and glorified him as they ought blinded with their imaginations whereof the Apostle doth accuse and blame them That the Heaven is round on all parts mooving in his course of it selfe CHAP. 2. BVt comming to our subiect there is no doubt but the opinion which Aristotle and the other Peripateticks held with the Stoicks that the figure of Heaven was round and did moove circularly in his course is so perfectly true as we which doe now live in Peru see it visibly Wherin experience should be of more force then all Philosophicall demonstrations being sufficient to proove that the Heaven is round and comprehends and contaynes the earth within it of al parts And to cleere any doubt that might grow it sufficeth that I have seene in this our Hemisphere that part of Heaven which turnes about this earth the which was vnknowne to the Ancients and have observed the two Poles whereon the Heavens turne as vpon their Axeltrees I say the Articke or North Pole which those of Europe beholde and the other Antarticke or Southerne Pole whereof saint Augustine is in doubt the which we change and take for the North here at Peru having passed the Equinoctiall line Finally it sufficeth that I have sayled neere 70. degrees from North to South that is forty of the one side of the line and 23. on the other omitting at this present the testimony of others which have sayled much farther then my selfe in a greater height comming neere 70. degrees towards the South Who will not confesse but the ship called the Victoriâ— worthie doubtlesse of eternall memorie hath wonne the honor and praise to have best discovered and compassed the round earth yea that great Chaos and infidite Vast which the ancient Philosophers affirmed to bee vnder the earth having compassed about the worlde and circled the vastnesse of the great Oceans Who is hee then that will not confesse by this Navigation but the whole earth although it were bigger then it is described is subiect to the feet of man sâ—eing he may measure it Thus without doubt the Heaven is of a round and perfect figure and the earth likewise imbracing and ioyning with the water makes one globe or round bowle framed of these two elements having their bounds limits within their own roundnes greatnes The which may be sufficiently proved by reasons of Philosophie and Astrologie leaving al subtil definitions commonly obiected That to the most perfect body which is the Heaven we must give the most perfect figure which without doubt is round whose circular motion could not be firme nor equall in it selfe if it had any corner or nooke of any side or if it were crooked as of necessitie it must be if the Sun Moone stars made not their course about the whole world But leaving all these reasons it seemes that the Moone is sufficient in this case as a faithfull witnesse of the Heaven it selfe seeing that her Eclypse happens but when as the roundnesse of the earth opposeth it selfe diametrally betwixt her and the Sunne and by that meanes keepes the Sunne-beames from shining on her The which could not chance if the earth were not in the midst of the world compassed in and invironed by the whole Heaven Some haue doubted whether the light of the Moone were borrowed from the brightnes of the Sunne but it is needlesse seeing there can bee found no other cause of the Eclipses full and quarters of the Moone but the communication of the beames which proceed from the Sunne In like sort if wee will carefully examine this matter we shall finde that the darkenesse of the night proceedes from no other cause but from the shadow which the earth makes not suffering the light of the sunne to passe to the other parte of the heaven where his beames shine not If then it be so that the sunne passeth no farther neyther doth cast his beames on the other part of the earth but onely turnes about and returnes to his setting making a ridge vpon the earth by his turning the which he must of force confesse that shall denie the roundnes of the heaven seeing according to their saying the heaven as a basen doth onely couer the face of the earth it should then plainly follow that wee could not obserue the difference betwixt the daies and nights the which in some regions be short and long according to the seasons and in some are alwaies equall the which S. Augustine noteth in his bookes De Genes ad litter am That we may easily comprehend the oppositions conversions elevations descents and all other aspects and dispositions of Planets and starres when we shall vnderstand they move and yet notwithstanding the heaven remaines firme and
immoveable The which seemeth to me easie to comprehend and will be to all others if it may be lawfull to imagine that which my fancy doth conceive for if we suppose that every star and planet be a body of it selfe that it be led guided by an Angell as Habacuc was carried into Babilon who I pray you is so blind but seeth that all the diverse aspects which we see appeare in planets starres may proceede from the diuersity of motion which he that guides them doth voluntarily giue them We cannot then with any reason affirme but that this space region by which they faine that stars do continually march and rowle is elementarie and corruptible seeing it divides it selfe when they passe the which vndoubtedly do not passe by any void place If then the region wherein the starres and planets move be corruptible the stars and planets of their owne motion should be by reason likewise corruptible and so by consequence they must alter change and be finally extinct for naturally that which is conteined is no more durable then that which conteineth And to say that the Celestiall bodies be corruptible it agreeth not with the psalme That God made them for euer And it is lesse conformable to the order preservation of this vniversall world I say moreover to confirme this truth that the heauens move and in them the starres march in turning the which we cannot easily discerne with our eyes seeing we see that not onely thestarres do moue but also the regions whâ—le parts of heaven I speake not onely of the shining and most râ—splendent parts as of that which we call Via lactea and the vulgar S. Iaques way but also of the darker and obscurer parts in heaven For there we see really as it were spots and darkenes which are most apparent the which I remember not to haue seene at any time in Europe but at Peru and in this other Hemisphere I haue often seene them very apparant These spots are in colour and forme like vnto the Eclips of the Moone and are like vnto it in blacknes and darkenes they march fixed to the same starres alwaies of one forme and bignes as we haue noted by infallible observation It may be this will seeme strange to some they will demand whence these spots in heaven should grow To the which I cannot answere otherwise at this time but as the Philosophers do affirme that this Via lactea or milken way is compounded of the thickest parts of the heaven and for this cause it receiues the greater light and contrariwise there are other parts very thinne and transparent the which receiuing lesse light seeme more blacke obscure Whether this be the true reason or no I dare not certenly affirme Yet is it true that according to the figure these spots have in heaven they moue with the same proportion with their starres without any separation the which is a true certaine and often noted experience It followeth then by all that we haue said that the heaven containeth in it all the parts of the earth circling continually about it without any more doubt How the holy Scripture teacheth vs that the earth is in middest of the world CHAP. 3. ALthough it seemes to Procopius Gaza and to some others of his opinion that it is repugnant to the holy Scripture to place the earth in the middest of the world and to say that the heaven is round yet in truth this doctrine is not repugnant but conformable to that which it doth teach vs. For laying aside the tearmes which the Scripture it selfe doth vse in many places The roundnesse of the earth And that which it sayeth in an other place that whatsoever is corporeall is vnvironed and compassed in by the heavens and conteyned within the roundnes thereof at the least thy cannot deny but that place of Ecclesiastes is very plaine where it is said The Sunneriseth and sets and returnes to the same place and so begins to rise againe he takes his course by the South turning towards the North this spirit marchâ—th compassing about all thinges and then returnes to the same place In this place the paraphrase and exposition of Gregorie Neocesarien or Nazianzene sayeth The Sunne hauing runne about the whole earth returnes as it were turning to the same point That which Solomon saveth being interpreted by Gregorie could not be trve if any part of the earth were not invironed with the heaven And so S. Ierome doth vnderstand it writing vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians in this sort The most common opinion affirmes agreeing with Ecclesiastes That the heaven is round mooving circularly like vnto a bowle And it is most certaine that no round figure conteyneth in it eyther longitude latitude heigth or depth for that all parts are equall Whereby it appeares according to S. Ierome That those which hold the heaven to be round are not repugnant to the holy Scripture but conformable to the same And although that S. Basile especially and S. Ambrose who doth vsually imitate him in his bookes called Hexameron seeme somewhat doubtfull of this point yet in the end they grant that the world is round It is true that S. Ambrose doth not yeelde to this quintessence which Aristotle attributes to the heavens without doubt it is a goodly thing to see with what a grace and excellent stile the holy Scripture treates of the scituation and firmenes of the earth to breed in vs a wonderfull admiration and no lesse content to behold the vnspeakable power and wisedome of the Creator For that in one place God himselfe saies that it was hee which planted the pillers which support the earth giving vs to vnderstand as S. Ambrose doth well expound it that the vnmeasurable weight of the whole earth is held vp by the hands of the divine power The holy Scripture doth commonly so call them and vseth this phrase naming them the pillers of heaven and earth not those of Atlas as the Poets faine but of the eternall word of God who by his vertue supports both heaven and earth Moreover the holy Scripture in an other place teacheth that the earth or a great part thereof is ioyned to and compassed in by the Element of water speaking generally that God placed the earth vpon the waters And in another place that hee framed the roundnes of the earth vpon the Sea And although S. Augustine doth not conclude vpon this text as a matter of faith that the earth and the water make one globe in the midst of the world pretending by this meanes to give another exposition to the words of the Psalme yet notwithstanding it is most certaine that by the words of the psalme we are given to vnderstand that we haue no other reason to imagine any other ciment or vniting to the earth then the Element of water the which although it be pliant and moveable yet doth it support
heaven without doubt she will answere vs as Lactantius doth That if the heaven were round the Sun starres should fall when as they move and change their places rising towards the South Even so if the earth did hang in the ayre those which inhabite the other part should go with their feete vpwards and their heades downward and the raine which falles from above should mount vpward with many other ridiculous deformities But if we consult with the force of reason she will make small accoumpt of all these vaine imaginations nor suffer vs to beleeve them no more than a foolish dreame But Reason will answer with this her integritie and gravitie that it were a very grosse error to imagine the whole world to be like vnto a house placing the earth for the foundation and the heaven for the covering Moreover she will say that as in all creatures the head is the highest part and most elevated although all creatures have not heades placed in one and the same sctuation some being in the highest part as man some athwart as sheepe others in the middest as spiders even so the heaven in what part soeuer it be remaines above and the earth likewise in what part soever remaines vnderneath Our imagination therefore is grounded vpon time and place the which she cannot comprehend nor conceive in generall but in particular It followeth that when wee shall raise it to the consideration of things which exceede the time and place which are knowne vnto her then presently she shrinkes and cannot subsist if reason doth not support her In like sort we see vpon the discourse of the creation of the worlde our imagination straies to seeeke out a time before the creation thereof and to build the world she discribes a place but shee comes not to consider that the worlde might bee made after another fashion Notwithstanding reason doth teach vs that there was no time before there was a motion whereof time is the measure neyther was there any place before the vniversall which comprehendes within it all place Wherein the excellent Philosopher Aristotle doth plainely satisfie and in few wordes that argument made against the place of the earth helping himselfe with our vse of imagination when hee saâ—eth and with trueth That in the world the same place of the earth is in the midst and beneath and the more a thing is in the middest the more it is vnderneath The which answer being produced by Lactantius Firmian yet hee doth passe it over without confutation by reason saying that he cannot stay thereon and omitte the handling of other matters The reason why S. Augustine denied the Antipodes CHAP. 8. THe reason which moved S. Augustine to deny the Antipodes was other then that formerly alleadged being of a higher iudgement for the reson before mentioned that the Antipodes should go vpwards is confuted by the same Doctor in his booke of sermons in these words The ancients hold that the earth of all parts is beneath and the heaven above by reason whereof the Antipodes which they say go opposite vnto vs have like vnto vs the heaven above their heads Seeing then S. Augustine hath confessed this to bee conformable to good Philosophie what reason shall we say did move so learned and excellent a man to follow the contrary opinion Doubtlesse he drew the motive and cause from the bowels of divinitie whereby the holie Writ doth teach vs that all mankinde doth come from the first man Adam and to say that men could passe to that new world crossing the great Ocean were vncredible and a meere lye And in truth if the successe an experience of what we have seene in these ages had not satisfied vs in this point we had yet held this reason to bee good And although we know this reason neither to be pertinent nor true yet will we make answere therevnto shewing in what sort and by what meanes the first linage of men might passe thither and howe and by what meanes they came to people and inhabite the Indies And for that wee meane heereafter to intreat briefly of this subiect it shall be fit now to vnderstand what the holy Doctor Augustine disputes vppon this matter in his bookes of the cittie of God It is no point that we ought to beleeve as some affirme that there are Antipodes that is to say men which inhabite that other part of the earth in whose region the Sunne riseth when it sets with vs and that their steppes be opposite and contrarie to ours seeing they affirme not this by any certaine revelation which they have but onely by a Philosophicall discourse they make whereby they conclude that the earth being in the middest of the world invironed of all parts and covered equallie with the heaven of necestitie that must be in the lowest place which is in the midst of the world Afterwardes hee continues in these words The holie Scripture doth not erre neither is deceived in anie sort the truth whereof is well approved in that which it propoundeth of things which are passed for as much as that which hath benefore-told hath succeded in every point as we see And it is a thing voide of all sense to say that men could passe from this continent to the new found world cut through the Vast Ocean seeing it were impossible for men to passe into those parts any other way being most certain that almen desceÌ„d from the first man Wherein we see that all the difficultie S. Augustine hath found was nothing else but the incomparable greatnes of this vast Ocean Gregorie Nazianzene was of the same opinion assuring as a matter without any doubt that it was not possible to saile beyond the Straights of Gibraltar and vpon this subiect he writes in an Epistle of his I agree well with the saying of Pindarus That past Cadiz that Sea is not nauigable And hee himselfe in the funerall Sermon he made for saint Basil saith It was not tollerable for anie one sailing on the Sea to passe the Straight of Gibraltar And it is true that this place of Pindarus where he saith That it is not lawfull neyther for wise men nor fooles to know what is beyond the Straight of Gibraltar hath beene taken for a Proverbe Thus we see by the beginning of this Proverbe how the Ancients were obstinately setled in this opinion as also by the bookes of Poets Historiographers and ancient Cosmographers that the end and bounds of the earth were set at Cadiz in Spaine where they plant the pillars of Hercules there they set the limits of the Romane Empire and there they describe the boundes of the world And not onely prophane writers speake in this sort but also the holy Scripture to apply it selfe to our phrase saith That the edict of Augustus Caesaâ— was published to the end that all the world should be taxed and of Alexander the great that he stretched forth his Empire even to the end and
or dish above once all must be new giving to his attendants that which had once served him so as commonly they were rich and sumptuous He was very carefull to have his lawes observed And when he returned victor from any waâ—â—e he fained sometimes to go and take his pleasure then would he disguise himselfe to see if his people supposing if he weare absent would omitte any thing of the feast or reception If there were any excesse or defect he then did punish it rigorously And also to discerne how his ministers did execute their offices he often disguised himselfe offering guistes and presents to the iudges provoking them to do in iustice If they offended they were presently punished with death without remission or respect were they Noblemen or his kinsmen yea his owne bretheren He was little conversant with his people and seldome seene retyring himselfe most commonly to care for the government of his realme Besides that hee was a great iusticier and very noble hee was very valiant and happy by meanes whereof hee obtained great victories and came to this greatnes as is written in the Spanish histories whereon it seemes needelesse to write more I will onely have a care heereafter to write what the bookes and histories of the Indies make mention of the which the Spanish writers have not observed having not sufficiently vnderstood the secrets of this country the which are things very worthy to be knowne as we shall see heereafter Of the presages and strange prodigies which happened in Mexico before the fall of their Empire CHAP. 23. ALthough the holy Scripture forbids vs to give credite to signes and vaine prognostications and that S. Ierome doth admonish vs not to feare tokens from heaven as the Gentiles do Yet the same Scripture teacheth vs that monstrous and prodigious signes are not altogether to bee contemned and that often they are fore-runners of some generall changes and chasticements which God will take as Eusebius notes well of Cesarea For that the same Lord of heaven and earth sendes such prodiges and new things in heaven in the elements in beasts and in his other creatures that this might partly serve as an advertisement to men and to be the beginning of the paine and chastisement by the feare and amazement they bring It is written in the second booke of Macabees that before that great change and persecution of the people of Israel which was caused by the tyranny of Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes whome the holy Scriptures call the roote of sinne there were seene for forty dayes together thorowout all Ierusalem great squadrons of horsemen in the ayre who with their armour guilt their lances and targets and vppon furious horses with their swordes drawne did strike skirmish and incounter one against the other and they say that the Inhabitants of Ierusalem seeing this they prayed to our Lord to appease his wrath and that these prodegies might turne to good It is likewise written in the booke of Wisedome That when God would drawe his people out of Egypt and punish the Egyptians some terrible fearefull visions appeared vnto them as fires seene out of time in horrible formes Ioseph in his booke of the Iewishwarres sheweth many and great wonders going before the destruction of Ierusalem and the last captivitie of his wicked people whome God iustly abhorred and Eusebius of Cesarea with others alleadge the same texts authorizing prognostications The Histories are full of like observations in great changes of states and common-weales as Paulus Orosius witnesseth of many and without doubt this observation is not vaine nor vnprofitable for although it be vanitie yea superstition defended by the lawe of our God lightly to beleeve these signes and tokens yet in matters of great moment as in the changes of nations kingdoms and notable laws It is no vaine thing but rather certaine and assured to beleeve that the wisedome of the most High dooth dispose and suffer these things fo retelling what shoulde happen to serve as I have saide for an advertisement to some and a chasticement to others and as a witnes to all that the king of heaven hath a care of man who as he hath appointed great and fearefull tokens of that great change of the world which shall bee the day of iudgement so doth it please him to send wonderful signes to demonstrate lesser changes in divers partes of the world the which are remarkeable whereof he disposeth according to his eternall wisedome Wee must also vnderstand that although the divell be the father of lies yet the King of Glorie makes him often to confesse the trueth against his will which hee hath often declared for very feare as hee did in the desart by the mouth of the possessed crying that Iesus was the Saviour come to destroy him as he did by the Pythonisse who saide that Paul preached the true God as when he appeared and troubled Pilates wife whom he made to mediate for Iesus a iust man And as many other histories besides the holy Scripture gave diverse testimonies of idols in approbation of christian religion wherof Lactantius Prosperus and others make mention Let them reade Eusebius in his bookes of the preparation of the Gospel and those of his demonstrations where he doth amply treate of this matter I have purposely spoken this that no man should contemne what is written in the Histories and Annales of the Indies touching Presages and strange signes of the approching end and ruine of their kingdome and of the Divelles tyranny whom they worshipped altogether Which in my opinion is worthy of credite and beliefe both for that it chanced late and the memory is yet fresh as also for that it is likely that the Divell lamented at so great a change and that God by the same meanes beganne to chastice their cruell and abhominable idolatries I will therefore set them downe heere as true things It chanced that Moteçuma having raigned many yeers in great prosperity and so pufft vp in his conceit as hee caused himselfe to be served and feared yea to be worshipped as a god that the Almighty Lord beganne to chastice him and also to admonish him suffering even the very Divelles whome he worshipped to tell him these heavy tidings of the ruine of his kingdome and to torment him by visions which had never bin seen wherewith hee remained so melancholy and troubled as hee was voyde of iudgement The idoll of those of Cholola which they called Quetzacoalt declared that a strange people came to possesse his kingdomes The king of Tescuco who was a great Magitian and had conference with the Divell came one day at an extraordinarie house to visite Moteçuma assuring him that his gods had tolde him that there were great losses preparing for him and for his whole realme many witches and sorcerers went and declared as much amongst which there was one did very particularly foretell him what should happen and as
Discourse vpon the discoverie of Magellan by Sarmiento 154 Division of Peru into Lanos Sierres Andes 184 Division of the people 456 Division of the Cittie of Mâ—xico into foure quarters made by the commaundement of their God 512 Divinations practisâ—d by the Indians and how 406 Divorces practised amongst the Mexicaines and how 409 Death the punishment of Virgins that were incontinent 367 Death of Chimalpopoca the yoong king of Mexico slâ—ine treacherously by the Tapanecanâ— 526 Death of Moâ—esuma the lâ—st king of Mexico 576 Doctors of the holy church not to be reprooved differing in opinion of Philosophie 2 Dogges as dangerous as wolves 301 Dogges daungerous in the Ilands of Cuba Hispaniola and others 70 Drake an Englishman didde passe the straight of Magellan in our time others since 154 Duckes in great aboundaunce in the Lake of Titicaca and how they doe hunt them 171 Drought followes not the neerenesse of the Sunne 85 E. EAgle vppon a Tunall the Armes of Mexico and why 513 Earthquakes very strange and the cause 197 Earth how it is sustained 10 The Earth vnder the pole Antartike is not all covered with waters 18 The Earth in longitude is all of one temperature but not in latitude 29 The Earth with the water make one globe ibid. Eclipse of the Moone a certain proofe of the roundnesse of the heavens 6 Effectes naturall proceede from contrary causes 96 Elements participate with the motion of the first moover 138 Electours of the king of Mexico were commonly his kinsmen 485 Election of the kings of Mexico the feastes at their instalment ibid. Election of the first Kâ— of Mexico 515 Entry of the Spaniards into new Spain in the yeere 1518. 558 Entrie of Cortez into Mexico 574 Errour of imagination 23 Esaies passage expounded by the exemplification of the Gospel 208 Emerauldes more esteemed in former time then now 249 Exercises wherin they instructed their youth 487 Explication of a passage of saint Paule against the roundnes of the earth 14 Explication of the 110 Psalme vppon the same subiect 15 F. FAmiliar reasons to teach an Indian that the Sunne is no god â—42 Fasting of the Indians before the feaâ—â— of Ita not accompanying with their wives 374 A Father loosing his children was held for a great sinner hâ— would kil his childreÌ„ to save his own life 399 Fertâ—litie vnfruitefull in the Ilandes of new Spainâ— 187 Feasts of Merchants made with many sportes 424 Feast of the Idoll of Tlascalla 355 Feasts for to have raine 411 Feasts for every moneth 412 Fâ—re drawne out of two stickes rubbd one against another by the Indians 119 Fire in hell different from ours 195 Fire from heaven consumed for their sinnes 63 Fish flying 165 Fountaine casting vp hote water the which turnes into a rocke 173 Figge tree whereof the one halfe carries fruite at one season the other at another 297 â—loures of Europe grow best at the Indies 283 â—loridians had no knowledge of golde 207 Flowing and ebbing of the sea is no local motion but an alteration and fervâ—â— of the waters 162 Flowing and ebbing of the seas divers ibid. Fountaine of salt in Cuscâ— 174 Forrests wonderfull thicke at the Indies 291 Forrests of orange trees at the Indies 294 Forme of that which is discovered at Peru. 201 Frâ—â—ciâ— Hâ—â—nandes the Author of a rarâ— booke of plants rooteâ— and physicall hearbes at the Iâ—dies â—90 Fruites of Europe much incrâ—ased aâ— the Indies 294 G. GArlicke much esteemed aâ— thâ— Indieâ— 261 Gardinâ— vppon the water in the midst of a Lake 172 Gardins artificially made vppon the water tâ— remove where they please 519 Giantâ— came in anâ—ient time to Peru. 62 Golde found in three sortes 212 Gold of Caravana most famous at Pâ—ru 214 Gold and silver esteemed throughout the whole world 206 Golde silver served the Indians but for ornament 209 Gold why esteemd above other mettalles 212 Golde how refined into powlder 214 Goomes with physicall and odoâ—ifâ—rous oyles with their names 287 Gonzales Pziarre vanquished and defeated his crueltie against the Indians 475 Governors of provinces how estâ—blâ—shed by the Inguas 455 Guacas or Sanctuaries very well maintained 463 Guancos and Vicunaâ— wilde goates 70 Guayaquil an Indian oake and verie sweete 292 Guayavos an Indian fruite 277 Guaynacapa the great and valiant Ingua and his life he was worshipped as a god in his life 479 Guayras furnaces to refine gold 233 Gospel preached to the Indians when their Empire was at the hâ—ghest even aâ— to the Romans 583 H. HAtunâ—â—squi Ayâ—â—râ—y the sixâ— mâ—neth of the Indians which answereth vnto Maie 413 Harts of men pulld out and sacrificed how that ceremony beganne 509 Haire of the prieâ—â—s horribly long and annoynted with rozen 403 Heaven is round and turnâ—â— vppon two Poles prooved more by experience than demonstration 5 Heaven no farther from the earth of the one side than of the other 18 Hennes found at the Indies at the fâ—â—st discovery which they called Gualpa and their egges Ponto 306 Hercules Pillers the limites of the Roman Empire of the old world 27 Hipocrisie of Mâ—tesuma last King of Mâ—xico 554 Historie of the Indies not to bee contemned and why 495 Historie of Mâ—xico kept in the Librarie of Vatican 550 Historie of Mexico how framed 446 Horses goodly and strong at the Indies 301 Horse-shooes of silver for want of yâ—on 212 House admirably filled with all sortes of beasts like to another Noes Arke 484 Humor of the Iewes contrary to that of the Indians 76 I. IEalousie of the Indies one against an other for renowme of valour 472 Idlenesse bannished by the Inguas as dangerous for the subiects 457 Idoll carried by foure Priestes for a guide whenas the Mexicaines did seek a new land like to the children of Israel 504 Idolls of the kings Inguas reverenced as themselves 356 Iland of Suâ—atra now called Taprobaâ—a 37 Iland â—tlâ—nâ—ikâ— of Plaâ—â— a meere fabâ—e 72 Iland of fagots made with exceeding labour to passe an army vppon the sea 550 Ilandâ—s very farre from the firme land noâ— inhabiâ—ed â—9 Iâ—nmortalitie of the soule beleeved by the Indies 347 Indies what it signifieth and what we vnderstand by that word 47 Weast Indies most popular governements in the which there were but two kingdomes 453 Indians not greatly desirous of silver 76 Indians have lived in troups as those doe of Florida Brâ—sill and other places 80 Indians good swimmers 168 Indians had no proper word to signifie God 334 The Indians know all Artes necessarie for mans life without any need one of another 466 Infants sacrificed to the Sunne 336 Inguas kings of Peru worshipped after their deaths 344 The Inguas empery continued above 300. yeares 471 Inguas married their sisters 455 Inundation of Nile a naturall thing though it seeme supernaturall 88 Iustice by whome executed in Mexico 486 Indian bookes how they can be made without letters 440 Iustice severely executed by Motesuma the last king of Mexico
Châ—lle beare good wine 296 Vines of the vallie of Yâ—a which doe growe and are never watered with any raine and how ibid Vines that carry grapes every moneth in the yeere ibid. Viracoâ—hâ— the name which the Indians gave to their supreme god with others of great power 333 Vuziliputzli the chiefe idoll of Mexico and his ornaments 352 Vittells set vppon the tombes of dead men to feede them 347 Voyce heard foretelling the ruine of Moteçuma 565 Volcan of Guatâ—mala more admirable than all the rest 194 Volcans how entertained 196 Voyage of Hannon the Carthaginâ—an admirable in his time 36 Vros bruâ—ish people which esteeme not themselves 94 Vtilitie of all naturall histories 117 Vnction of Vuzilovitli the second king of Mexico 521 W. WAy by which the Spaniards go to the Indies and their returne 128 Waters of Guayaquil most soveraigne for the French disease 174 Warres of the Mexicans most commonly to take prisoners 483 Westerne windes hurtefull to silke-wormes 144 Westerne windes blowe not in the burning zone 126 Whales how taken by the Indians and how they eate them 167 Windes very daungerous which kill and preserve the dead bodies without corruption 147 Windes called Brises in the burning zone which come from the east 127 Windes how many and their names 133 Windes of the land in the burning zone blow rather by night than by day and those of the sea contrary and why 142 Winde corrupts yron 144 Windes that blowe southerly make the coast habitable 125 One Winde hath diverse properties according to the place where it raignes and the cause 120 Winde doth cause strange diversities of temperature 112 Wisedome of this world weake in divine yea in humane things 31 Winter and summeâ— and the cause 90 Woods rare and sweete at the Indies 292 Words of a man which had his heart pulled out 390 Writing of the Chinois was from the toppe downeward and the Mexicans from the foote vpward 447 X. XAmabusis pilgrimes forced to confesse their sinnes vpon the toppe of a rocke 400 Y. YCa and Arica and their manner of sayling in skinnes 63 Yearâ— at the Indies divided into eighteene moneths 432 Youth very carefully instructed in Mexico 489 Yeare at Peru approaching neerer to ours than that of Mexico 437 Ytu a great feast at the Indies which they made in their necessitie 416 Yupanguâ— Ingua was in Peru like to an other Numa in Rome for the making of Lawes 261 Z. ZEphiruâ— a pleasant and wholesome winde 126 Zone which they call burning the Antients held inhabitable 30 Burning zone in some partes temperate in others colde and in others hote 101 Burning Zone peopled and pleasaunt contrary to the opinion of Philosophers 86 Burning Zone why temperate 105 In the burning Zone they saile easily from east to weast and not contrarie and why 132 In the burning Zone the neerenesse of the Sunne dooth not alwaies cause raine 100 The end of the Table Errata 111.22 for Paraguen reade Paraguay 120.30 for River reade Region 135.32 for to reade in 141.28 for the motion reade without any â—otion 148.33 for inhabited reade not inhabited 164.17 for greene reade great 198.23 for hundred reade five hundred 213.21 for Curuma reade Cucuma 229.17 for to reade and 235.11 for it reade that 241.8 for it reade his 253.12 for maces reade markes 274.8 for little reade like 278.19 for is no reade is a 351.25 for many reade in many 368.2 for possession reade profession 397.14 for to the communion reade to the people in manner of a communion 514.21 for partiall reade particular 324.32 for convenient in a maner reade in a convenient manner 335.3 for of reade to 347.25 for neither reade in their Gentle Reader from the folio 225. line 14 16 19 20. where you finde peeces reade pezoes till you come to folio 322. line 22. THE FIRST BOOKE of the Naturall and Morall Historie of the East and West Indies Of the opinions of some Authors which supposed that the Heavens did not extend to the new-found world The first Chapter THE Ancients were so farre from conceypt that this new-found world was peopled by any Nation that many of them could not imagine there was any land on that part and which is more worthie of admiration some have flatly denyed that the Heavens which we now beholde could extend thither For although the greatest part yea the most famous among the Philosophers have well knowne that the Heaven was round as in effect it is and by that meanes did compasse and comprehend within it self the whole earth yet many yea of the holy doctors of greatest authoritie have disagreed in opinion vpon this point supposing the frame of this vniversall world to bee fashioned like vnto a house whereas the roofe that covers it invirons onely the vpper part and not the rest inferring by their reasons that the earth should else hang in the middest of the ayre the which seemed vnto them voyd of sense For as we see in every building the ground-worke and foundation on the one side and the cover opposite vnto it even so in this great building of the world the Heaven should remaine above on the one part and the earth vnder it The glorious Chrysostome a man better seene in the studie of holy Scriptures then in the knowledge of Philosophie seemes to be of this opinion when in his Commentaries vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes he doth laugh at those which hold the heavens to be round And it seemes the holy Scripture doth inferre as much terming the Heavens a Tabernacle or Frame built by the hand of God And hee passeth farther vpon this point saying that which mooves and goes is not the Heaven but the Sunne Moone and Starres which moove in the heaven even as Sparrowes and other birds moove in the ayre contrary to that which the Philosophers hold that they turne with the Heaven itselfe as the armes of a wheele doe with the wheele Theodoret a very grave Authour followes Chrysostome in this opinion and Theophilus likewise as hee is accustomed almost in all thinges But Lactantius Firmian above all the rest holding the same opinion doth mocke the Peripatetickes and Academickes which give the heaven a round forme placing the earth in the middest thereof for that it seemeth ridiculous vnto him that the earth should hang in the ayre as is before sayde By which his opinion hee is conformable vnto Epicurus who holdeth that on the other part of the earth there is nothing but a Chaos and infinite gulph And it seemeth that S. Ierome draweth neere to this opinion writing vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians in these wordes The naturall Philosopher by his contemplation pierceth to the height of heaven and on the other part he findeth a great vast in the depth and bowels of the earth Some likewise say that Procopius affirmes the which I have not seene vpon the booke of Genesis that the opinion of Aristotle touching the forme and
build so huge a couer as the heaven is then to vnfould a double skin Or else the Psalmist pretending to shew vs the great maiesty of God to whome the heaven with his greatnes and beautie doth serve in like manner as our tents and pavilions in the field The which was well expressed by a Poet calling it The Tent of the cleere heaven In like sort the place of Isaii which sayeth Heaven serves mee as a chaire and the earth for a foote-stoole But if wee follow the error of the Antromorphites which did atribute corporall members vnto God according to his divinitie we should haue occasion vppon this last text to examine how it were possible the earth should be a foote-stoole to Gods feete and how the same God could hold his feete of the one part and the other and many heads round about seeing that hee is in all partes of the world which were a vaine and ridiculous thing Wee must therefore conclude that in the holy scriptures we ought not to follow the letter which killes but the spirit which quickneth as saith S. Paul Of the fashion and forme of Heaven at the new-found world CHAP. 5. MAny in Europe demaund of what forme and fashion Heaven is in the Southerne parts for that there is no certaintie found in ancient bookes who although they graunt there is a Heaven on this other part of the world yet come they not to any knowledge of the forme thereof although in trueth they make mention of a goodly great Starre seene in those partes which they call Canopus Those which of late dayes have sayled into these parts have accustomed to write strange things of this heaven that it is very bright having many goodly starres and in effect thinges which come farre are commonly described with encrease But it seemes contrary vnto me holding it for certaine that in our Region of the North there is a greater nomber and bigger Starres finding no starres in these partes which exceed the Fisher or the Chariot in bignesse It is true that the Crosse in these partes is very fayre and pleasing to behold wee call the Crosse foure notable and apparant starres which make the forme of a crosse set equally and with proportion The ignorant suppose this Crosse to be the southerne Pole for that they see the Navigators take their heigth thereby as we are accustomed to doe by the North starre But they are deceyved and the reason why Saylers doe it in this â—orte is for that in the South parts there is no fixed starre that markes the Pole as the North starre doth to our Pole And therefore they take their heigth by the starre at the foot of the Crosse distant from the true and fixed Pole Antarticke thirtie degrees as the North starre is distant from the Pole Articke three degrees or little more And so it is more difficult to take the heigth in those parts for that the sayd starre at the foote of the Crosse must bee right the which chanceth but in one houre of the night which is in divers seasons of the yeere in divers houres and often times it appeareth not in the whole night so as it is very difficult to take the heigth And therefore the most expert Pilots regard not the Crosse taking the heigth of the Sunne by the Astrolabe by which they know in what height they are wherein commonly the Portugals are more expert as a Nation that hath more discourse in the Arte of Navigation then any other There are also other starres in these southerne parts which in some sort resemble those of the North. That which they call the Milken way is larger and more resplendent in the south parts appearing therein those admirable blacke spots whereof wee have made mention As for other particularities let others speake of them with greater curiositle and let this which wee have sayde suffice for this time That there is Land and Seavader the two Poles CHAP. 6. IIt is no smal labour to have vnfolded this doubt with this knowledge and resolution that there is a Heaven in these parts of the Indies which doth cover them as in Europe Asia and Aâ—â—riâ—ke And this point serveth often against many Spaniards who beeing here sigh for Spaine having no discourse but of their countrie They wonder yea they grow discontented with vs imagining that we have forgotten make small accompt of our native soyle To whom we answere that the desire to returne into Spaine doth nothing trouble vs being as neere vnto Heaven at Peru as in Spaine as saint Ierome saith well writing vnto Paulinus That the gates of Heaven are as neere vnto Brittanie as to Ierusalem But although the Heaven doth compasse in the world of all paâ—ts yet must we not imagine that there is land necessarily on all parts of the world For being so that the two elements of earth and water make one globe or bowle according to the opinion of the most renowmed ancient Authors as Plutarch testifieth and as it is prooved by most certaine demonstrations wee may coniecture that the sea doth occupie all this part which is vnder the Antartike or southerne Pole so as there should not remaine any place in these partes for the earth the which saint Augustine doth very learnedly hold against them that maintaine the Antipodes saying that although it bee prooved and wee beleeve that the worlde is round like to a bowle wee may not therefore inferre that in this other part of the worlde the earth is vncovered and without water Without doubt saint Augustine speakes well vpon this point and as the contrary is not prooved so doth it not follow that there is any land discovered at the Antarticke Pole The which experience hath now plainely taught vs for although the greatest part of the worlde vnder the Pole Antarticke be sea yet is it not altogether but there is likewise land so as in all parts of the world the earth and water imbrace one another which truely is a thing to make vs admire and glorifie the Arte of the soveraigne Creator We know then by the holy Scripture that in the beginning of the worlde the waters were gathered together in one place so as the earth remayned vncovered Moreover the same holy Writte doth teach vs that these gatherings together of the water were called Sea and as there be many so of necessitie there must be many Seas And this diversitie of seas is not onely in the Mediterranean Sea whereas one is called Euxiâ—e another the Caspian an other the Erethean or redde Sea an other the Persian an other of Italie and so many others But also in the great Ocean which the holy Scripture doth vsually call a gulph although really and in trueth it be but a Sea yet in many and divers manners as in respect of Peru and all America the one is called the North Sea the other the South and at the East Indies the one is called
the Indian sea the other that of China And I have observed as well by my owne navigation as by the relation of others that the Sea is never divided from the Lande above a thousand Leagues And although the great Ocean stretcheth farre yet doth it never passe this measure I will not for all this affirme that wee sayle not above a thousand leagues in the Ocean which were repugnant to trueth being well knowne that the shippes of Portugal have sailed foure times as much and more and that the whole world may bee compassed about by sea as wee have seene in these dayes without any further doubt But I say and affirme that of that which is at this day discovered there is no land distant from an other firme land by direct line or from some Islands neere vnto it above a thousand leagues and so betwixt two firme lands there is no greater distance of sea accompting from the neerest parts of both the lands for from the end of Europe or Affricke and their coastes to the Canaries the Isles of Acores Cape Verd and others in the like degree are not above three hundred leagues or five hundred from the Mayne land From the saide Ilands running along to the West Indies there are scant nine hundred leagues to the Ilands of saint Dominick the Virgins the Happy Ilandes and the rest and the same Ilands runne along in order to the Ilandes of Barlovent which are Cuba Hispanâ—ola and Boriquen from the same Ilands vnto the Mayne land are scarce two or three hundred leagues in the neerest part farre lesse The firme land runnes an infinite space from Terraâ—Florida to the land of Patagons and on the other side of the South from the Straight of Maggellan to the Cape of Mendoce there runnes a long Continent but not very large for the largest is the Travers of Peru which is distant from Brasil about a thousand leagues In this South Sea although they have not yet discovered the ende towards the West yet of late they have found out the Ilands which they call Salomon the which are many and great distant from Peru about eyght hundred leagues And for that wee finde by observation that whereas there bee many and great Ilandes so there is some firme Land not farre off I my selfe with many others doe beleeve that there is some firme land neere vnto the Ilands of Salomon the which doth answere vnto our America on the West part and possibly might runne by the heigth of the South to the Straightes of Maggellan Some hold that Nova Guinea is firme Land and some learned men describe it neere to the Ilands of Salomon so as it is likely a good parte of the world is not yet discovered seeing at this day our men sayle in the South Sea vnto China and the Philippines and wee say that to go from Peru to those parts they passe a greater Sea then in going from Spaine to Peru. Moreover wee know that by that famous Straight of Maggellan these two Seas doe ioyne and continue one with an other I say the South sea with that of the North by that part of the Antarticke Pole which is in fiftie one degrees of altitude But it is a great question wherein many have busied themselvesâ— whether these two Seas ioyne together in the North part but I have not heard that any vnto this day could attayne vnto this point but by certaine likelihoods and coniectures some affirme there is an other Straight vnder the North opposite to that of Maggellan But it sufficeth for our subiect to knowe that there is a firme Land on this Southerne part as bigge as all Europe Asiae and Affricke that vnder both the Poles we finde both land and sea one imbracing an other Whereof the Ancients might stand in doubt and contradict it for want of experience To confute the opinion of Lactantius who holdes there be no Antipodes CHAP. 7. SEeing it is manifest that there is firme land vpon the South part or Pole Antartike wee must now see if it be inhabited the which hath bene a matter very disputable in former times Lactantius Firmian and S. Augustine mocke at such as hold there be any Antipodes which is as much to say as men marching with their feete opposite to ours But although these two authors agree in theis ieasts yet doe they differ much in their reasons and opinions as they were of very divers spirits and iudgements Lactantius followes the vulgar seeming ridiculous vnto him that the heaven should be round and that the earth should bee compassed in the midst thereof like vnto a ball whereof he writes in these tearmes What reason is there for some to affirme that there are Antipodes whose steppes are opposite to ours Is it possible that any should bee so grosse and simple as to beleeve there were a people or nation marching with their feâ—te vpwardes and their heades downwardes and that thinges which are placed heere of one sort are in that other part hanging topsie turvie that trees and corne growe downwardes and that raine snow haile fall from the earth vpward Then after some other discourse the same Lactantius vseth these words The imagination and conceit which some haue had supposing the heaven to be round hath bene the cause to invent these Antipodes hanging in the aire So as I knowe not what to say of such Philosophers whoe having once erred continue still obstinately in their opinions defending one another But whatsoever he saieth wee that live now at Peru and inhabite that part of the world which is oposite to Asia and their Antipodes as the Cosmographers do teach vs finde not our selves to bee hanging in the aire our heades downward and our feete on high Truly it is strange to consider that the spirit and vnderstanding of man cannot attaine vnto the trueth without the vse of imagination and on the other part it were impossible but he should erre and be deceived if hee should wholy forbeare it We cannot comprehend the heaven to be round as it is and the earth to bee in the middest of it without imagination But if this imagination were not controuled and reformed by reason in the end we should bee deceiued whereby we may certainely conclude that in our soules there is a certaine light of heaven whereby wee see and iudge of the interior formes which present themselves vnto vs and by the same we alow of or reiect that which imagination doth offer vnto vs. Hereby we see that the rationall soule is above all corporall powers and as the force and etenall vigour of truth doth rule in the most eminent part of man yea we plainely see that this pure light is participant and proceedes from that first great light that whoso knoweth not this or doubteth thereof we may well say that he is igmorant or doubtes whether he be a man or no. So if we shall demaund of our imagination what it thinkes of the roundnes of
vttermost bounds of the earth And in another place they say that the Gospell did flourish and increase through the vniversall world For the holy Scripture by an vsuall phrase calleth all the worlde that which is the greatest part thereof and was at that time discovered and knowne And the Ancients were ignorant that the East Indian Sea and that of the West were navigable wherin they have generally agreed By reason whereof Plinie writes as a certaine trueth that the seas which are betwixt two lands takes from vs a iust moitie of the habitable earth For saith he we cannot passe thither neyther they come hither Finally Tullie Macrobius Pomponius Mela and the ancient Writers hold the same opinion Of Aristotles opinion touching the new Worlde and what abused him to make him deny it CHAP. 9. BEsides all the former reasons there was yet an other which mooved the Ancients to beleeve it to be impossible for men to passe to this new world the which they held for that besides the vastnesse of the great Ocean the heate of that Region which they call the burning Zone was so excessive as it would not suffer any man how venturous or laborious so-ever to passe by sea or land from one Pole to an other For although these Philosophers have themselves affirmed that the earth was round as in effect it is and that vnder the 2. Poles there was habitable land yet could they not conceyve that the Region containing all that lyeth betwixt the two Tropickes which is the greatest of the five Zones or Regions by the which the Cosmographers and Astrologers divide the Worlde might be inhabited by man The reason they give to maintaine this Zone to be inhabitable was for the heat of the Sunne which makes his course directly over this Region and approcheth so neere as it is set on fire and so by consequence causeth a want of waters and pastures Aristotle was of this opinion who although he were a great Philosopher yet was hee deceyved in this poynt for the cleering whereof it shall be good to observe his reasons and to note wherein he hath discoursed well and wherein he hath erred This Philosopher makes a question of the Meridionall or Southerne winde whether wee should beleeve it takes his beginning from the South or from the other Pole contrary to the North and writes in these termes Reason teacheth vs that the latitude and largenesse of the habitable earth hath her boundes and limits and yet all this habitable earth cannot bee vnited and ioyned one to the other by reason the middle Region is so intemperate For it is certaine that in her longitude which is from East to West there is no immoderate cold nor heate but in her latitude and heigth which is from the Pole to the Equinoctiall Line So as we may well passe the whole earth in her longitude if the greatnesse of the Sea which ioynes lands together were no hinderance Hitherto there is no contradicting of Aristotle who hath great reason to affirme that the earth in her longitude which is from East to West runnes more equally is more proper for the life and habitation of man then in her latitude from North to South The which is true not onely for this foresaid reason of Aristotle that there is alwayes one temperature of the Heavens from East to West being equally distant both from the Northerne colde and the Southerne heate But also for an other reason for that travelling alwayes in longitude we see the dayes and nights succed one another by course the which falleth not out going in her latitude for of necessitie wee must come to that Region vnder the Pole whereas there is continuall night for sixe Moneths a very inconvenient thing for the life of man The Philosopher passeth on further râ—prooving the Geographers which described the earth in his time and saith thus Wee may discerne the trueth of that which I have sayd by the passages which may be made by land and the navigations by sea for there is a great difference betwixt the longitude and the latitude for the distance from the pillars of Hercules at the Straight of Gibraltar vnto the East Indies exceeds the proportion of above five to three the passage which is from Ethiopia to the lake of Meotis in the farthest confines of Scythia the which is confirmed by the account of iourneyes by land by sayling as we do now know by experience we have also knowledge of the habitable earth even vnto those partes which are inhabitable And truely in this point wee must pardon Aristotle seeing that in his time they had not discovered beyond the first Ethiopia called the exterior ioyning to Arabia and Affricke the other Ethiopia being wholy vnknowne in his age Yea all that great Land which we now call the Land of Prete Ian neyther had they any knowledge of the rest that lyes vnder the Equinoctiall and runnes beyond the Tropicke of Capricorne vnto the Cape of good Hope so famous and well knowne by the navigation of Portugals so as if wee measure the Land from this Cape vnto Scythia and Tartaria there is no doubt but this distance and latitude will proove as great as the longitude which is from Gibraltar vnto the East Indies It is certaine the Ancients had no knowledge of the springs of Nilus nor of the ende of Ethiopia and therefore Lucan reprooves the curiositie of Iulius Caesar searching out the springs of Nilus in these verses O Romaine what availes thee so much travell In search of Niles first source thy selfe to gravell And the same Poet speaking to Nile sayth Since thy first source is yet so vnrevealed Nile what thou art is from the world concealed But by the holy scripture we may conceive that this land is habitable for if it were not the Prophet Sophonias would not say speaking of these nations called to the Gospell The children of my dispersed so he calleth the Apostles shall bring me presents from beyond the bancks of Ethiopia Yet as I have said there is reason to pardon the Philosopher who beleeved the writers and Cosmographers of his time Let vs continue and examine what followes of the same Aristotle One part of the world saith he which lieth towards the North beyond the temperate zone is inhabitable for the exceeding cold the other part vpon the South is likewise inhabitable beyond the Tropicke for the extreame heate But the partes of the world lying beyond India on the one side and the pillers of Hercules on the other without doubt cannot bee ioyned and continued one with the other so as all the habitable earth is not conteined in one continent by reason of the sea which divides it In this last point he speakes truth then hee continues touching the other partes of the world saying It is necessarie the earth should have the same proportion with the Pole Antarticke as this our part which is habitable hath with the North and there
is no doubt but in that other world all things should be ordred as in ours especially in the growing and order of the winds And having alleaged other reasons to no purpose he concludes saying We must confesse of necessitie that the Southerne wind is that which blowes and comes from the burning zone the which being so neere the sunne wantes water and pastures This is Aristotles opinion and in truth mans coniecture can hardly passe any farther So as I do often consider with a Christian contemplation how weake the Philosophie of the wise of this world hath beene in the search of divine things seeing in humaine things wherein they seeme so well read they often erre Aristotle holds that the habitable earth of the Pole Antartike in longitude from East to West is very great and in latitude from the Pole Antartike to the Equiâ—â—cticall is very sâ—â—all â—â— the which is so contrary to the truth that in a maner all the habitation on this side the Pole Antartike is in latitude I meane from the Pole to the line and in longitude from East to West it is so small as the latitude exceedes in three partes or more In his other opinion he affirmeâ— that the middle region is inhabitable being vnder the burning zone burnt vp by the excessive heate caused by the neâ—renes of the sunne and by this reason hath neither waters nor pastures The which is in like soâ—t contrary for the greatest part of this new world is scituated betwixt the two Tropickes vnder the burning zone and yet is it found very well peopled and inhabited by men and other sortes of creaâ—ures being a region of all the world the most fruitfull of waters and pastures and very temperate in the greatest paâ—t which the will of God hath so appointed to shew that even in naturall things he hath confounded the wisedome of this world To conclude wee must beleeve that the burning zone is well inhabited although the auncients have held it impossible But the other zone or region which lyeth betwixt the burning zone and that of the Pole Antartike although it bee in a climate more commodious for the life of man yet is it smally peopled and inhabited seeing wee know no other dwelling in it but the Kingdome of Chile and a small portion ioyning to the Cape of good Hope The rest is possessed by the Ocean Although many be of opinion the which I likewise hold that there is much more land not yet discovered the which should be firme land opposite to the Kingdome of Chile which runnes beyond the circkle or Tropicke of capricorne And if there be any without doubt it is a land of an excellent temper being in the midst of two extreames and scituate in the same climate with the best regions in Europe And in this regarde Aristotles coniecture was good But speaking of what is discovered at this day in this zone it is little in regard of the large countries inhabited vnder the burning zone That Plinie and the auncients held the same opinion with Aristotle CHAP. 10. THis opinion of Aristotles hath bene held by Plinie who saith thus The temperature of the middle region of the world where the sunne continually runnes his course is scorched and burnt vp as with a neere fire Ioyning to the same region there are two others of eyther side which lying betwixt the heat of this burning zone the cruell cold of the other two extreams are very temperate and can have no communication one with another by reason of the excessive heate of the heaven which hath bene the opinion of the Ancients generally discribed by the Poet in these verses Heavens circuit is of fiue zones one whereof Which still the sunne burnes makes the earth below With flames intempestiue red hotte to glow And the same Poet in another place Heare this if any harbour in that seate Whose quarter vnder that large zone is set Amidst foure others by the sunne enlightned And another Poet speakes more plainely As many regions are there on the ground As are in heaven wherein fiue parts are found Whereof the midst through heate raisd from the rayes Of scorching sunne inhabitable staies The Auncients have grounded their generall opinion vpon one reason which seemed to them certaine and not to be confuted for finding that the more a region drew neere vnto the South the hotter it was the proofe whereof was so infallible in those regions as by the same reason in Italie Apulia is hotter then Tuscane and in Spaine Andelozia then Biscaie A thing so apparent that although there bee but eight degrees difference or lesse betwixt the one and the other yet do wee finde the one extreame hotte and the other very colde whereby they did inferre that the region so neere the South having the sunne so directly for zenith must of necessity bee continually scorched with heate They did likewise see that the divers seasons of the yeere as the Spring Summer Autumne Winter were caused by the neerenes and distance of the sunne finding also that although they were farre from the Tropicke by which the sunne doth passe in summer yet when it approched neere vnto them at the same season they felt great heate Whereby they did coniecture that if they had had the sunne so neere vnto them as to go directly over their heads the heate would have bene so insupportable as it would burne and consume men with the vehemency thereof The same reason moved the Auncients to thinke that the middle region was not habitable and therefore they called it the burning zone And in truth if visible experience did not vnfold this doubt we should yet confesse that this reason were very peremptorie and Mathematicall whereby we may see how weake our vnderstanding is to comprehend these naturall things But wee may say it is fallen out to the great good and happines of our age to have the knowledge of these two great wonders that is to know how easily we may saile through the great Ocean and that vnder the burning zone men inioy a very temperate heaven the which the Auncients could never beleeve Of the last of these two wonders touching the qualitie and habitation of the burning zone by the grace of God we will discourse amply thereof in the next book I thinke it therefore fit in this booke to treat of the maner of sailing through the Ocean for that it imports vs much for the subiect of this worke But before wee come to this point it shall be good to shew what the Auncients thought of these new men whome we call Indians That in ancient Bookes we finde some knowledge of this newe world CHAP. 11. LEt vs returne to that which hath beene formerly spoken Wee must necessarily conclude that the Ancients did beleeve that eyther there were no men beyond the Tropicke of Cancer as S. Augustine and Lactantius doe affirme or if there were any at the least they did not inhabite betwixt the two
doth teach vs. But whether it be so or otherwise for I will not contradict Aristotle but in that which is most certaine in the end they agree all that the middle region of the ayre is colder than the lowest next to the earth as experience dooth shew vs seeing that in this middle region are congealed snowe haile frosts and other signes of extreame colde The middle region then which they call the burning Zone having on the one side the sea and on the other the mountaines we must hold them for sufficient causes to temper and coole the heate That the colde windes be the principall cause to make the burning Zone temperate CHAH. 13. THe temperature of this region ought chiefly to be attributed to the property of the wind that blows in that country the which is pleasant and fresh The providence of the great God Creator of al things hath bin such as he hath ordained fresh and coole windes in that region where the sunne makes his course which seemes should be burnt vp that by their coolenes the excessive heate of the sunne might be qualified And they are not farre from apparance of reason which held that the earthly Paradise was vnder the Equinoctiall If they had not deceived themselves in the cause of their opinion saying that the equalitie of the dayes and nights was sufficient of it selfe to make that Zone temperate to which opinion many others have beene opposite of which number was that renowmed Poet saying That coast incessantly by hotte beames tyred Of Phoebus who from thence never retyred The coolenesse of the night then is not sufficient to moderate and to correct the violent heate of the Sunne but rather this burning Zone receives so sweet a temperature by the benefite of the fresh and pleasant aire as notwithstanding it were held by the Ancients to be more hotte then a burning furnace yet those which inhabite there take it for a delightfull spring It appeares by arguments and very apparant reasons that the cause heereof consistes principally in the qualitie of the winde We see in one climate some regions and Citties hotter then others onely for that they feele lesse winde to refresh them The like is in other Countries where no winde blowes the which are all on fire like vnto a furnace There are many of these Villages and Townes in Bresill Ethiopia and Paraguen as every one knoweth and that which is more considerable wee see these differences not only on the Land but also on the Sea there are some seas where they feele great heat as they report of that of Mozambigus and Ormus in the East and of the Sea of Panama in the West the which for this reason engenders and brings forth great Lizards called Cayamans as also in the sea of Bresill There are other seas in the same degree of height very colde as that of Peru in the which wee were a cold as I have said before when we first sailed it which was in March when the Sunne was directly over vs. In truth on this continent where the land and sea are of one sort wee cannot imagine any other cause of this so great a difference but the qualitie of the winde which doth refresh them If wee shall neerely looke into the consideration of the winde whereof we have spoken wee may resolve many doubts which some obiect and which seeme strange and wonderfull wherefore the Sunne casting his beames vppon the burning Zone and particularly at Peru and that more violently then in Spaine in the Canicular daies yet they defend the heat with a light covering so as with a slender covering of mats or straw they are better preserved from the heate then in Spaine vnder a roofe of wood or a vault of stone Moreover why are not the nightes in summer at Peru as hotte and troublesome as in Spaine Wherefore on the highest tops of mountaines even amongst the heaps of snow you shall sometimes feele great and insupportable heat Wherefore in all the Province of Colao when ye come into the shade how little soever you feele cold But comming into the Sunne beames you presently finde the heate excessive Why is all the coast of Peru being ful of sands very temperate And why is Potozi distant from the silver Citie but eighteene leagues and in the same degree of so divers a temperature that the Countrie being extreamely colde it is wonderfully barren and drie And contrariwise the silver Citie is temperate inclining vnto heat and hath a pleasant and fertil soile It is more certaine that the winde is the principall cause of these strange diversities for without the benefite of these coole windes the heate of the Sunne is such as although it bee in the midst of the snow it burnes and sets all on fire but when the coolenes of the aire returnes suddenly the heat is qualified how great soever it be and whereas this coole winde raines ordinarie it keepes the grosse vapours and exhalations of the earth from gathering together which cause a heavie and troublesome heat whereof we see the contrarie in Europe for by the exhalation of these vapours the earth is almost burnt vp with the Sunne by day which makes the nights so hotte and troublesome as the aire doth often seeme like vnto a furnace for this reason at Peru this freshnes of the winde is the cause by the meanes of some small shade at the Sunnesetting that they remaine coole But contrariwise in Europe the most agreeable and pleasing time in summer is the morning and the evening is the most hotte and troublesome But at Peru and vnder all the Equinoctiall it is not so for every morning the winde from the sea doth cease and the Sunne beginnes to cast his beames and for this reason they feele the greatest heat in the morning vntill the returne of the same windes which otherwise they call the tide or winde of the sea which makes them first to feele cold We have tried al this whilst we were at the Ilands of Barlovante where in the mornings we did sweat for heat and at noone we felt a fresh aire for that then a North-easterly wind which is fresh and coole doth commonly blow That they which inhabite vnder the Equinoctiall live a sweete and pleasant life CHAP. 14. IF those which have held opinion that the earthly Paradise was vnder the Equinoctiall had beene guided by this discourse they had not seemed altogether deceived not that I will conclude that the delightfull Paradice whereof the Scripture speakes was in that place which were too great a temeritie to affirme it for certaine But I may well say if there be any Paradice on earth it ought to bee placed whereas they inioy a sweete and quiet temperature for there is nothing more troublesome or repugnant to mans life then to live vnder a heaven or aire that is contrarie troublesome or sicklie as there is nothing more agreeable then to inioy a heaven that is sound sweet
Easterne windes and the Westerne and likewise of other windes CHAP. 5. ALthough that which we have spoken be generall and well approoved yet there remaines still a desire in me to learne the cause of this secret why vnder the burning Zone we saile alwaies from East to Weast with so great facilitie and not from Weast to East Which is as much as if wee should demaund why the Easterly windes raine there and not the Weasterly for that according to good Philosophie that which is perpetuall vniversall and of it selfe as the Philosophers say must have a proper cause and of it selfe But before I stay at this question which seemes remarkeable it shal be necessary to shew what we vnderstand by Brises or Easterly windes and Weasterly for that it will serve much for this subiect and for many other matters touching windes and navigations The Pilotes make two and thirty poynts of windes for that to bring their ship to the desired haven they must make their account as punctually and as strictly as they can for bending to the one side or the other never so little in the end of their course they should finde themselves farre from their pretended place And they reckon but twoo and thirty quarters of the windes for that more woulde confound the memorie But with reckoning as they accompt two and thirty windes so may they reckon three score and foure one hundred twenty and eight and two hundred fifty and six Finally multiply these partes to an infinite for the place where the shippe is being as it were the centre and all hemisphere in circumference what should let but wee may accompt lines without number the which comming from this centre drawe directly to these lineall circles in so many partes which might cause as many diverse windes seeing that the winde comes from all partes of the hemisphere which we may divide into as many parts as we will imagine yet the wisedome of man conformable to the holy Scripture observes foure windes the principall of all others and as it were the foure corners of the worlde the which they ioyne in making a crosse with two lines whereof the one goes from one Pole to another and the other from one Equinoctiall to the other Of the one side the North or Aquilon and the Southerne winde or mid-day opposite and on the other side the East which comes from the Sunne rising and the Weast from his setting And although the holy Scripture in some places speakes of other diversities of windes as of Eurus and Aquiloâ— which those in the Ocean sea call Nordest they of the mediterranean sea Gregual whereof there is mention made in Saint Paulâ— navigation yet the same holy Scripture makes mention of those foure notable windes which all the worlde knowes which areas is saide North South East and Weast But for that we finde three differences in the rising of the Sunne from whence the name of East comes that is the two greatest declinings which he doth vsually make and the meane betwixt them both as hee dooth rise in diverse places in winter in summer and in that which holdes the middle of these two seasons For this reason they have reckoned two other windes the East of summer and the East of winter and by consequence two Weasts the one of summer and the other of winter their contraries So as there are eight windes in eight notable poyntes of heaven which are the two Poles the two Equinoxes the two Solstices and their opposites in the same Circle the which are called by divers names and appellations in every place of the sea and land Those which saile the Ocean doe vsually call them thus They give the name of North to those windes that blowe from our Pole which carrieth the same name and Northeast that which is neerest and comes from the summer East They call East that which comes directly from the rising Equinoctiall and Southeast that which comes from the winter rising To the Mid-day or Pole Antartike they give the name of Southwest and to that of the winters setting the name of Southwest to the right setting Equinoctiall the name of West and to the summers setting Northweast They divide amongst them the rest of the winds and give them their names as they participate and approach to others as North-northweast North-north-east East-northeast East-southeast South-southweast Weast-southwest Weast-norwest so as by their names we know whence they proceed In the Mediterranean sea although they follow the same division and maner of reckoning yet doe they give them other different names they call the North Tramontana and his contrary the South MeZo-giorno or Mydy the East they call Levant and the Weast Povant and those which crosse these foure they call thus Southeast is by them named Xirocque or Xaloque and his opposite which is Norwest Mestrall they call the northeast Greâ— or Greguall and the Southweast his contrary Levesche Libique or Affricaine In Latine the foure knowne winds be Sâ—ptentrio Auster Subsolanus Favonius and those which be interlaced are Aquilo Vulturnus Affricus and Corus according vnto Plinie Vulturnus and Eurus is the same winde that Southeast or Xaloque Favonius is the Weast or Ponâ—nt Aquilo and Boreas is Nortest or Gregual or Tramontana Affricus and Libique is the Southweast or Levesche Auster and Notus is the South or Midday Corus and Zephirus the Northwest or Mestral and to the Northeast or Gregual they give no other name then Phenicien Some divide them after an other maner but for that it is not now our purpose to repeate the Latine and Greeke names of all the windes lette vs onely shew which be those amongst these windes that the Mariners of the Indian Ocean call Brises and lower winds I was long in some difficulty about these names seeing them to vse them very diversly vntill I found that these names were more generall then proper and peculiar They call Brises those which serve to goe to the Indies the which blowe in their poope which by this meanes comprehend all the Easterly windes and those which depend of them And they do call lower windes those which are fitte to returne from the Indies which blowe from the South to the summer-weast so as they be as it were two Esquadrons of windes of eyther side the Corporalles be of oneside Northeast or Greguall on the other Southweast or Levesche But you must vnderstand that of the number of eight windes and differences which we have counted five are proper to saile by and not the other three I say that when a ship sailes at sea he may make a long voyage with one of these windes although they serve him not equally but he cannot vse any of the other three As if a shippe goe to the South he shall saile with the North Northeast Northweast and with East and Weast for side-windes serve to goe or to come But with a Southerne wind he cannot saile being directly contrary nor with with his two Collaterals
these mettalles which are refined by the fire can not well be molten with any artificiall winde as with bellowes but when it is kindled and blowen with the naturall ayre or naturall winde The mettall of the mines of Porco is easily refined with bellowes and that of the mines of Potozi cannot be molten with bellowes but only by the breath of their Guayras which are small furnaces vpon the sides of the mountaines built expresly where the winde lies within the which they melt this mettal and though it be hard to yielde a reason for this difference yet is it most certaine and approoved by long experience so as the greedie desire of this mettall so much valued amongst men hath made them seek out a thousand gentle inventions and devises whereof wee will heereafter make mention The chiefe places of the Indâ—â—s from whence they drawe silver aâ—e Nâ—w Spainâ— and Pâ—ru but the mines of Pâ—ru farre surpasse the rest and amongst all others of the worlde those of Potozi whereof wee will intreate alittle at leasure being the most famous and remarkeable things at the Indies Of the mountaine or hill of Potozi and the discovery thereof CHAP. 6. THe mountaine or hill of Potozi so famous scituate in the Province of Charcas in the kingdome of Peru distant from the Equinoctiall towardes the South or Pole Antartike 21. degrees and two thirds so as it falles vnder the Tropicke bordering vpon the burning Zone and yet this region is extreamely cold yea more then old Castill in the kingdome of Spaine and more then Flanders it selfe although by reason it should be hote or temperate in regard of the height and elevation of the Pole where it is seated The reason of this so cold a temperature is the height of the mountaine whereas colde and intemperate windes continually blow especially that which they call Thomahavi which is boistrous and most cold It raines most commonly in Iune Iulie and August The ground and soile of this mountaine is drie cold and very vnpleasant yea altogether barren which neither engenders nor brings forth any fruite grasse nor graine it is naturally inhabitable for the intemperature of the heaven and the barrennes of the earth But the force of silver which drawes vnto it the desire of all things hath peopled this mountaine more then any other place in all these Kingdomes making it so fruitfull of all kindes of meats as there wantes nothing that can be desired yea in great aboundance and although there be nothing but what is brought by carriage yet every place aboundes so with fruite conserves exquisite wines silkes all other delicats as it is not inferiour to any other part This mountaine is of colour darke red and is in forme pleasing at the first sight resembling perfectly the fashion of a pavilion or of a sugar loafe It exceedes all other hilles and mountaines about it in height The way whereby they ascend is very rough and vneven and yet they go vpon horse-backe It is round at the top at the foote it hath a league in circuite It containes from the toppe to the bottome 1680. common yardes the which reduced to the measure of Spanish leagues makes a quarter of a league At the foote of this mountaine there is another small hill that riseth out of it in the which there hath beene sometimes mines of mettall dispearsed which were found as it were in purses and not in fixed or continued veines yet were they very rich though few in number This small rocke was called by the Indians Guayna Potozi which is yong Potozi at the foote whereof beginnes the dwellings of the Spaniards and Indians which are come to the riches and worke of Potozi which dwelling may containe some two leagues in circuite and the greatest trafficke and commerce of all Peru is in this place The mines of this mountaine were not digged nor discovered in the time of their Inguas which were the Lordes of Peru before the Spaniardes entred although they had digged and opened the mines of Porco neere to Potozi distant onely sixe leagues The reason might be the want of knowledge thereof although some do report I know not what fable that having sometimes laboured to open those mines a voyce was heard commaunding them not to touch it being reserved for others In trueth they had no knowledge of Potozi nor of the wealth thereof till after twelve yeeres that the Spaniards were entred into Peru the discovery whereof was made in this manner An Indian called Gualpa of the Nation of Chumbibilca which is a Province of Cusco going one day to hunt for venison passing towardes the weast whither the beast was fled he begâ—â—ne to runne vppe against the rocke which at that time was covered and planted with certaine trees they call Quinua and with thick bushes and as he strived to gette vp a way which was somewhat rough and vneasie hee was forced to lay holde vpon a braunch which issued from a veine of a silver mine which since they have called Rich which he pulled vp perceiving in the hole or roote thereof mettall the which hee knew to be very good by the experience hee had of the mines of Porco and after finding vpon the ground certaine peeces of mettall which lay broken and dispersed neere to this veine being scarse well able to iudge thereof for that the colour was spoyled and changed by the Sunne and raine He carried it to Porco to trie by the Guayras which is the triall of mettall by fire and having thereby found the great riches and his happy fortune he secretly digged and drew mettall out of this veine not imparting it to any man vntil that an Indian called Guanca of the valley of Xaura which is vpon the bordures of the Cittie of Kings who remaining at Porco neere vnto Gualpa of Chumbibilca perceved one day that he made a refining and that his wedges and brickes were greater then such as were vsually made in those places and also increasing in his expence of apparrell having till then lived but basely For this reason and for that the mettall his neighbour refined was different from that of Porco he thought to discover this secret and wrought so that although the other kept it as secret as hee could yet thorow importunitie he was forced to carry him vnto the rocke of Potozi having enioyed this rich treasure full two months And then Gualpa the Indian willed Guanca for his part to take a veine which he had discovered neare to the rich veine which at this day is called the veine of Diego Centeno that was not lesse rich but more hard to digge and to drawe foorth and so by agreement they divided betweene them the richest rocke in the world It chaunced after the Indian Guanca finding some difficulty to digge and drawe foorth his mettall being most hard and the other Gualpa refusing to impart any of his mine vnto him they fell at debate so as Guanca of Xaura grieved
of aboundance to be there and yet vnto this day they have not conquered that Land The Emeralds grow in stones like vnto cristall I have seene them in the same stone fashioned like a veine and they seeme by little and little to thicken and refine I have seene some that were halfe white and halfe greene others all white and some greene and very perfite I have seene some of the bignesse of a nut and there have bin some greater found but I have not knowen that in our time they have found any of the form and bignesse of the platt or iewel they have at Genes the which they esteeme and with reason to be a iewell of great price and no relique yet without comparison the Emerald which Theophrastus speakes of which the King of Babilon presented to the King of Egypt surpasseth that of Genes it was foure cubites long and three broade and they say that in Iupiters Temple there was a needle or pyramide made of foure Emeralds stones of forty cubits long and in some places foure broade and in others two and that in his time there was in Tir in Hercules Temple a pillar of an Emerald It may be as Plinie saieth it was of some greene stone somewhat like to the Emerald and they called it a false Emerald As some will say that in the Cathedrall Church of Cordoü◠there are certaine pillars of Emeraldes which remaine since it was a Mesquite for the Kings Miramamolins Moores which raigned there In the fleete the yeare one thousand five hundred eighty and seven in the which I came from the Indies they brought twoo chests of Emeraldes every one weighing at the least foure Arobes whereby wee may see the aboundaunce they have The holy Scripture commends these Emeralds as pretious iewells they number them amongest the pretious stones which the hie Priest carried on his Ephod or breast-plate as those which did beautifie the walles of the heavenly Ierusalem Of Pearles CHAP. 15. NOw that we intreat of the great riches that comes from the Indies it were no reason to forgette the Pearle which the Ancients called Marguerites and at the first were in so great estimation as none but royall persons were suffered to weare them but at this day there is such aboundance as the Negres themselves do weare chaines thereof they growe in shells or oysters in eating whereof I have found pearles in the middest of them These oisters within are of the colour of heaven very lively In some places they make spoones the which they call mother of Pearle The pearles do differ much informe in bignes figure colour and polishing so likewise in their price they differ much Some they call Ave Mariaes being like the small graines of beades others are Pater nosters being bigger Seldome shall you finde two of one greatnesse forme and colour For this reason the Romans as Pliny writeth called them Vnions Whenas they doe finde two that are alike in all poyntes they raise the price much especially for carerings I have seene some payres valued at thousands of ducats although they were not like to Cleopatraes two pearles whereof Pliny reportes either of them being woorth a hundred thousand ducats with the which this foolish Queene wonne a wager she hadde made against Marc Anthony to spend in one supper above an hundred thousand ducats so at the last course shee dissolved one of these pearles in strong vineger dranke it vp They say the other pearle was cutt in two and placed in the Pantheon at Rome at th'â—ares of the image of Venus Esope reportes of Clovis the sonne of a Comedian who in a banquet presented to every one of his ghests amongest other meates a rich pearle dissolved in vineger to make his feast the more royall and sumptuous These were the follies of those ages and those at this day are nothing lesse for that we see not onely hattes and bandes but also buskins and womens pantofles yea of base condition imbrodred all over with pearle They fish for pearles in diverse partes of the Indies the greatest aboundaunce is in the south Seas neere vnto Panama where the Ilandes of pearles be as they call them But at this day they finde greatest store and the best in the north Sea the which is neare to the rive of Hatch I did see them make their fishing the which is done with great charge labor of the poore slaves which dive sixe nine yea twelve fadomes into the sea to seeke for oysters the which commonly are fastened to the rockes and gravell in the Sea they pull them vp and bring them above the water to their canoes where theâ— open them drawing forth the treasure they have within them The water of the Sea in this parte is verie colde but yet the labor and toile is greatest in holding of their breath sometimes a quarter yea halfe an houre together being vnder the water at their fishing And to the end these poore slaves may the better continue and holde their breaths they feede them with drie meates and that in small quantitie so as covetousnesse makes them abstaine and fast thus against their willes They imploy their pearles to diverse workes and they pierce them to make chaines whereof there is great store in every place In the yeere of our Lorde one thousand five hundred eighty one I did see the note of what came from the Indies for the King there were eighteen maces of pearle besides three caskets and for particulars there were twelve hundred threescore and foure marks and besides them seaven caskets not pierced which heeretofore we would have esteemed and helde for a lie Of the Indian Bread and of Mays CHAP. 16. IN our discourse of Plants wee will beginne with those which are proper and peculiar to the Indies and after with the rest that are common to the Indies and Europe and forasmuch as plants were chiefly created for the nourishment of man and that the chiefe whereof he takes his nourishment is bread it shall be good to shew what bread the Indians vse and whereon they live for want thereof They have as we have heere a proper name whereby they note and signifie bread which at Peru they call Tanta and in other places by another name But the qualitie and substance of the bread the Indians vse differs much from ours for we finde not they had any kinde of wheat or barly nor any other kinde of graine which they vse in Europe â—o make bread withall insteede whereof they vsed other kindes of graines and rootes amongst the which Mays holds the first place and with reason in Castile they call it Indian wheat and in Italie they call it Turkey graine And even as wheat is the most common graine for the vse of man in the regions of the old world which are Europe Asia and Affrike So in the new found worlde the most common graine is Mays the which is found almost in all the kingdomes of the West
disturbing one another The Indians did commonly vse their idolatries in these trees so strange and deformed even as did the antient Gentiles as some Writers of our time doe report Of Plants and fruits which have bin carried out of Spaine to the Indies CHAP. 31. THe Indians have received more profit and have bin better recompensed in plants that have bin broght from Spaine than in any other marchandise for that those few which are carried from the Indies into Spaine growe little there and multiply not and contrariwise the great number that have beene caried from Spaine to the Indies prosper wel multiplie greatly I know not whether I shall attribute it to the bounty of the plants that goe from hence or to the goodnesse of the soile that is there Finally there is at the Indies any good thing that Spaine brings foorth in some places it is better in some worse as wheate barley hearbes and all kindes of pulses also lettuce colewortes radishes onions garlike parsley turneps parseneps Becengenes or apples of love siccorie beetes spinage pease beanes vetches and finally whatsoever groweth heere of anie profite so as all that have voyaged thither have beene curious to carry seedes of all sorts and all have growen although diversly some more some lesse As for those trees that have most aboundantly fructified be orange trees limons citrons and others of that sort In some partes there are at this day as it were whole woods and forrests of orange trees the which seeming strange vnto mee I asked who had planted the fields with so many orange trees they made mee answer that it did come by chaunce for that oranges being fallen to the ground and rotten their seeds did spring and of those which the water had carried away into diverse partes these woods grew so thicke which seemed to me a very good reason I have saide that this fruite hath generally increased most at the Indies for that I have not beene in any place but I finde orange trees for that all their soyle is hote and moist which this tree most desires There growes not any vppon the Sierre or mountaine but they carry them from the vallies or sea coast The conserve of oranges which they do make at the Ilands is the best I have seene anie where peaches presses and apricockes have greatly multiplied especially in New Spaine At Peru there growes few of these kindes of fruites except peaches and much lesse in the Ilands There growes apples and peares yet but scarcely there are but few plumbs but aboundance of figges chiefly in Peru. They finde quinces in all the country of the Indies and in New Spaine in such aboundance as they gave vs fifty choice ones for halfe a riall There is great store of pomegranets but they are all sweete for the sharp are not there esteemed There are very good melons in some partes of Peru. Cherries both wilde and tame have not prospered well at the Indies the which I do not impute to want of temperature for that there is of all sorts but to carelesnesse or that they have not well observed the temperature To conclude I do not finde that in those partes there wants any dainty fruite As for grosse fruites they have no Beillottes nor chesnuttes neither doe I finde that any have growne there to this day Almonds growe there but rarely They carry from Spaine for such as are dainty mouthed both almonds nuttes and filberds but I have not knowne they had any medlers or servises which importes little In my iudgement this may suffice to shew that there wanteth no delightfull fruites Now let vs speake somewhat of plants that profit and which have been carried from Spaine and so will ende that Treatise beeing too troublesome Of grapes vignes olives mulberies and kanes of sugar CHAP. 32. I Meane by profitable plants those which besides that which they eate in the house bring silver to theyr maisters the chiefe of these is the vigne whereof commeth wine vinegar grapes greene and dry veriuyce and sirrope But the wine is the best There growes no wine nor grapes in the Ilandes nor firme land but in new Spaine there are some vignes which beare grapes and yet make no wine The cause is for that the grape ripens not well by reason of the raine that falles in the months of Iuly and August which hinders their ripening so as they serve onely to eate They carry wine out of Spaine and from the Canaries to all partes of the Indies except Peru and the realme of Chillé where there are vignes that yeelde excellent wine which increase daily both in quantity for that it is a great riches in that country and in beauty for that they are become with time and practise more expert vignerous The vignes of Peru are commonly in hote vallies where there are waters which they water with the hand because there falles no raine at all from heaven and vppon the Lanos and Sierre it comes not in time There are some places where the vignes are not watered neither from heaven nor earth and yet they increase in great aboundance as in the valley of Yca and in the ditches that they call VillacuZi in which places they finde ditches or th' earth suncke downe amongest the dead sands which are thorowout the yeare of a woonderfull coolenesse and yet it raines not there at any time neither is there any maner of meanes to water it artificially the reason is because the soile is spongious and suckes vp the water of the rivers that fall from the mountaine which moisten these sands or else it is the moistnesse of the sea as others suppose which passing over this sand is the cause why it is not barren nor vnprofitable as the Philosopher teaches The vignes have so increased there as for this cause onely the tithes of the Churches are multiplied five or sixe times double within these twentie yeares The most fertile vallies for vignes be Victor neare to Arequipa Yca in the territory of Lima and Caraguato in the Countrey of Chuquiavo they carry this wine to Potozi Cusco and divers partes which yeeldes a great revenue for notwithstanding all the aboundance they have a bottle or arobe is there woorth five or sixe duckats and if it be Spanish wine as they commonly carry in their fleetes it is woorth tenne or twelve They make wine like to that of Spaine in the realme of Chille being in the same climate but it corrupteth being carried to Peru they eate the grape where they cannot drink the wine And it is strange that in the citty of Cusco you shall finde ripe grapes all the yeare long the reason is as they say for that those valleis bring foorth fruits in diverse moneths of the yeare either for that they cutte their vignes in diverse seasons or that this varietie proceedes from the quality of the soyle but whatsoever it be it is most certaine there are some vallies which carry fruit all the yeare If
hast said I am God and have set in the chaire of God in the midst of the sea Thus doth Sathan continually persist in this wicked desire to make himselfe God And although the iust and severe chastisement of the most high hath spoiled him of all his pompe and beautie which made him grow prowd being intreated as his fellonie and indiscretion had deserved as it is written by the same Prophets yet hath he left nothing of his wickednes and perverse practises the which hee hath made manifest by all meanes possible like a mad dogge that bites the sword wherewith he is strucken For as it is written the pride of such as hate God doth alwaies increase Hâ—nce comes the continuall and strange care which this enemie of God hath alwaies had to make him to be worshipt of men inventing so many kinds of Idolatries wherby he hath so long held the gretest part of the world in subiection so as there scarce remaines any one corner for God his people of Israel And since the power of the Gospel hath vanquished and disarmed him and that by the force of the Crosse hee hath broken and ruined the most important and puissant places of his kingdome with the like tyrannie hee hath begunne to assaile the barbarous people and Nations farthest off striving to maintaine amongst them his false and lying divinitie the which the Sonne of God had taken from him in his Church tying him with chaines as in a cage or prison like a furious beast to his great confusion reioycing of the servants of God as he doth signify in Iob. But in the end although idolatrie had beene rooted out of the best and most notable partes of the worlde yet he hath retired himself into the most remote parts and hath ruled in that other part of the worlde which although it be much inferiour in nobilitie yet is it not oflesse compasse There are two causes and chiefe motives for the which the divell hath so much laboured to plantidolatry and all infidelity so as you shall hardly finde any Nation where there is not some markes thereof The one is this great presumption and pride which is such that whoso would consider how hee durst affront the very Sonne of God and true God in saying impudently that he should fall downe and worship him the which he did although he knew not certainely that this was the very God yet had he some opinion that it was the Sonne of God A most cruell and horrible pride to dare thus impudently affront his God truely he shall not finde it very strange that hee makes himselfe to be worshipped as God by ignorant Nations seeing hee would seeke to be worshipped by God himselfe calling himselfe God being an abhominable and detestable creature The other cause and motive of idolatrie is the mortall hatred hee hath conceived for ever against mankinde For as our Saviour saith hee hath beene a murtherer from the beginning and holdes it as a condition and inseparable qualitie of his wickednesse And for that he knowes the greatast misery of man is to worship the creature for God for this reason hee never leaves to invent all sortes of Idolatries to destroy man and make him ennemy to God There are two mischiefes which the divell causeth in idolatry the one that hee denies his God according to the text Thou hast left thy God who created thee The other is that hee dooth subiect himselfe to a thing baser than himselfe for that all creatures are inferior to the reasonable and the divell although hee be superior to man in nature yet in estate he is much inferior seeing that man in this life is capable of Divinitie and Eternitie By this meanes God is dishonoured and man lost in all parts by idolatry wherwith the divell in his pride is well content Of many kindes of idolatry the Indians have vsed CHAP. 2. IDolatry saieth the holy-Ghost by the Wise man is the cause beginning and end of all miseries for this cause the enemy of mankinde hath multiplied so many sortes and diversities of idolatry as it were an infinite matter to specifie them all Yet we may reduce idolatry to twoo heades the one grounded vppon naturall things the other vpon things imagined and made by mans invention The first is divided into two for eyther the thing they worship is generall as the Sunne Moone Fire Earth and Elements or else it is particular as some certayne river fountaine tree or forrest when these things are not generaly worshipped in their kindes but onely in particular In this first kind of idolatry they have exceeded in Peru and they properly cal it Guaca The second kinde of idolatry which depends of mans invention fictions may likewise be divided into two sortes one which regards onely the pure arte and invention of man as to adore the Images or statues of gold wood or stone of Mercury or Pallas which neyther are nor ever were any thing else but the bare pictures and the other that concernes that which really hath beene and is in trueth the same thing but not such as idolatry faines as the dead or some things proper vnto them which men worshippe through vanitie and flatterie so as wee reduce all to foure kindes of idolatry which the infidells vse of all which it behooveth vs to speake something That the Indians have some knowledge of God CHAP. 3. FIrst although the darkenesse of infidelitie holdeth these Nations in blindenesse yet in many thinges the light of truth and reason works somewhat in them And they commonly acknowledge a supreame Lorde and Author of all things which they of Peru called Vnachocha and gave him names of great excellence as Pachacamac or Pachayachachic which is the Creator of heaven and earth and Vsapu which is admirable and other like names Him they did worship as the chiefest of all whom they did honor in beholding the heaven The like wee see amongest them of Mexico and China and all other infidelles Which accordeth well with that which is saide of Saint Paul in the Acts of the Apostles where hee did see the Inscription of an Altare Ignoto Deo To the vnknowne God Wherevpon the Apostle tooke occasion to preach vnto them saying He whome you worship without knowing him doe I preach vnto you In like sort those which at this day do preach the Gospel to the Indians find no great difficultie to perswade them that there is a high God and Lord over all and that this is the Christians God and the true God And yet it hath caused great admiration in me that although they had this knowledge yet had they no proper name for God If wee shall seeke into the Indian tongue for a word to answer to this name of God as in Latin Deus in Greeke Theos in Hebrew El in Arabike Alla but wee shall not finde any in the Cuscan or Mexicaine tongues So as such as preach or write to the Indians
vse our Spanish name Dios fitting it to the accent or pronounciation of the Indian tongues the which differ much whereby appeares the small knowledge they had of God seeing they cannot so much as name him if it be not by our very name yet in trueth they had some little knowledge and therefore in Peru they made him a rich temple which they called Pachacamac which was the principall Sanctuarie of the realme And as it hath beene saide this word of Pachacamac is as much to say as the Creator yet in this temple they vsed their idolatries worshipping the Divell and figures They likewise made sacrifices and offrings to Viracocha which helde the chiefe place amongst the worships which the Kings Inguas made Heereof they called the Spaniards Virocochas for that they holde opinion they are the sonnes of heaven and divine even as others did attribute a deitie to Paul and Barnabas calling the one Iupiter and the other Mercurie so woulde they offer sacrifices vnto them as vnto gods and as the Barbarians of Melite which is Malté seeing that the viper did not hurt the Apostle they called him God As it is therefore a trueth conformable to reason that there is a soveraigne Lorde and King of heaven whome the Gentiles with all their infidelities and idolatries have not denyed as wee see in the Philosophy of Timee in Plato in the Metaphisickes of Aristotle and in the Aesculape of Tresmigister as also in the Poesies of Homer Virgil. Therefore the Preachers of the Gospel have no great difficultie to plant perswade this truth of a supreame God be the Nations of whome they preach never so barbarous and brutish But it is hard to roote out of their mindes that there is no other God nor any other deitie then one and that all other things of themselves have no power being nor workeing proper to themselves but what the great and only God and Lord doth give and impart vnto them To conclude it is necessarie to perswade them by all meanes in reproving their errors as well in that wherein they generally faile in worshipping more then one God as in particular which is much more to hold for Gods and to demand favour and helpe of those things which are not Gods nor have any power but what the true God their Lord and Creator hath given them Of the first kinde of Idolatrie vpon naturall and vniversall things CHAP. 4. NExt to Viracocha or their supreme God that which most commonly they have and do adore amongst the Infidells is the Sunne and after those things which are most remarkable in the celestiall or elementarie nature as the moone starres sea and land The Guacas or Oratories which the Inguas Lords of Peru had in greatest reverence next to Viracocha and the sunne was the thunder which they called by three divers names Chuquilla Catuilla and Intiillapa supposing it to bee a man in heaven with a sling and a mace and that it is in his power to cause raine haile thunder and all the rest that appertaines to the region of the aire where the cloudes engender It was a Guaca for so they called their Oratories generall to all the Indians of Peâ—â— offering vnto him many sacrifices and in Cusco which is the Court and Metropolitane Cittie they did sacrifice children vnto him as to the Sunne They did worship these three Viracocha the Sunne and Thunder after another maner then all the rest as Pollo writes who had made triall thereof they did put as it were a gauntlet or glove vpon their hands when they did lift them vp to worshippe them They did worshippe the earth which they called Pachamama as the Ancients did the goddessâ— Tellus and the sea likewise which they call Mamacocha as the Ancients worshipped Thetis or Neptune Moreover they did worship the rainebow which were the armes and blazons of the Ingua with two snakes stretched out on either side Amongst the starres they all did commonly worship that which they called Colca and we heere Cabrille They did attribute divers offices to divers starres and those which had neede of their favour did worship them as the shepheard did sacrifice to a starre which they called Vrcuhillay which they hold to be a sheepe of divers colours having the care to preserve their cattell and they imagine it is that which the Astronomers call Tyra These shepheards worshippe two other starres which walke neere vnto them they call them Catâ—chillay and Vrcuchillay and they faine them to be an Ewe and a Lambe Others worshipped a starre which they called Machacuâ—y to which they attribute the charge and power over serpents and snakes to keepe them from hurting of them They ascribe power to another starre which they called Chuguinchinchay which is as much as Tigre over Tigres Beares and Lyons and they have generally beleeved that of all the beasts of the earth there is one alone in heaven like vnto them the which hath care of their procreation and increase And so they did observe and worship divers starres as those which they called Chacana Topatarca Mamanan Mirco Miquiquicay and many other So as it seemed they approached somewhat neere the propositions of Platoes Idees The Mexicaines almost in the same maner after the supreame God worshiped the Sunne And therefore they called Hernando CorteZ as he hath written in a letter sent vnto the Emperour Charles the fift Sonne of the Sunne for his care and courage to compasse the earth But they made their greatest adoration to an Idol called Vitzilipuztli the which in all this region they called the most puissant and Lord of all things for this cause the Mexicaines built him a Temple the greatest the fairest the highest and the most sumptuous of all other The scituation beautie thereof may wel be coniectured by the ruines which yet remaine in the midst of the Cittie of Mexico But heere the Mexicaines Idolatrie hath bin more pernicious and hurtfull then that of the Inguas as wee shall see plainer heereafter for that the greatest part of their adoration and idolatrie was imployed to Idols and not to naturall things although they did attribute naturall effects to these Idolls as raine multiplication of cattell warre and generation even as the Greekes and Latins have forged Idolls of Phoebus Mercurie Iupiter Minerva and of Mars To conclude whoso shall neerely looke into it shall finde this manner which the Divell hath vsed to deceive the Indians to be the same wherewith hee hath deceived the Greekes and Romans and other ancient Gentiles giving them to vnderstand that these notable creatures the Sunne Moone Starres and Elements had power and authoritie to doe good or harme to men And although God hath created all these things for the vse of man yet hath he so much forgotte himselfe as to rise vp against him Moreover he hath imbased himselfe to creatures that are inferiour vnto himselfe worshiping and calling vpon their workes forsaking his Creator As the Wise man saieth
originall and beginning was in the valley of Cusco where by little little they conquered the lands which we call Peru passing beyond Quitto vnto the river of Pasto towardes the North stretching even vnto Chille towardes the South which is almost a thousand leagues in length It extended in breadth vnto the South sea towardes the West and vnto the great champains which are on the other side of the Andes where at this day is to be scene the Castell which is called the Pucara of the Ingua the which is a fortresse built for the defence of the frontire towards the East The Inguas advanced no farther on that side for the aboundance of water marshes lakes and rivers which runne in those partes These Inguas passed all the other Nations of Amarica in pollicy and government and much more in valour and armes although the Canaries which were their mortall enemies and favoured the Spaniardes would never confesse it nor yeelde them this advantage so as even at this day if they fall into any discourse or comparisons and that they be a little chased and incensed they kill one another by thousands vpon this quarrell which are the most valiant as it hath happened in Cusco The practise and meanes which the Inguas had to make themselves Lords of all this Countrie was in faining that since the generall deluge whereof all the Indians have knowledge the world had beene preserved restored and peopled by these Inguas and that seven of them came forth of the cave of Pacaricambo by reason whereof all other men ought them tribute and vassalage as their progenitors Besides they said and affirmed that they alone held the true religion and knew how God should be served and honoured and for this cause they should instruct all men It is a strange thing the ground they give to their customes and ceremonies There were in Cusco above foure hundred Oratories as in a holy land and all places were filled with their mysteries As they continued in the conquests of Provinces so they brought in the like ceremonies and customes In all this realme the chiefe idolls they did worship were Viracocha Pachâ—yacâ—achic which signifies the Creator of the world and after him the Sunne And therefore they said that the Sunne received his vertue and being from the Creator as the other idolls do and that they were intercessors to him Of the first Ingua and his Successors CHAP. 20. THe first man which the Indians report to be the beginning and first of the Inguas was Mangocapa whom they imagine after the deluge to have issued forth of the cave of Tambo which is from Cusco about five or six leagues They say that he gave beginning to two principall races or families of the Inguas the one was called Hanancusco and the other Vrincusco of the first came the Lords which subdued and governed this Province and the first whom they make the head and steame of this family was called Ingaroca who founded a family or Aillo as they call them named Viçaquiquirao This although he were no great Lord was served notwithstanding in vessell of gold and silver And dying he appointed that all his treasure should be imployed for the service of his body and for the feeding of his family His successor did the like and this grew to a generall custome as I have said that no Ingua might inherite the goods and house of his predecessor but did build a new pallace In the time of this Inguarâ—ca the Indians had images of gold and to him succeeded Yaguarguaque a very old man they say he was called by this name which signifies teares of blood for that being once vanquished and taken by his enemies for griefe and sorrow he wept blood Hee was buried in a village called Paullo which is vpon the way to Omasugo he founded a family called Aocuillidanaca To him succeeded his sonne Viracocha Ingua who was very rich and made much vessell of gold and silver hee founded the linage or family of Câ—copanaca GonZales PiZarre sought out his body for the report of the great treasure was buried with him who after he had cruelly tormented many Indians in the end he found it in Xaquixaquana whereas they said PiZarrewas afterwards vanquished taken and executed by the President Guasca Gonsales Pizarre caused the body of Viracocha Ingua to be burnt the Indians did afterwardes take the ashes the which they preserved in a small vessell making great sacrifices therevnto vntill Pollo did reforme it and other idolatries which they committed vpon the bodies of their other Inguas the which hee suppressed with an admirable diligence and dexterity drawing these bodies out of their hands being whole and much imbalmed whereby he extinguished a great number of idolatries which they committed The Indians tooke it ill that the Ingua did intitle himselfe Viracocha which is the name of their God and he to excuse himselfe gave them to vnderstand that the same Viracocha appeared to him in his dreame commanding him to take this name To him succeeded Pachacuti Ingua Yupangui who was a very valiant conquerour a great Polititian and an inventer of a great part of the traditions and superstitions of their idolatrie as I will presently shew Of Pachacuti Ingua Yupangui and what happened in his time vnto Guaynacapa CHAP. 21. PAchacuti Ingua Yupangui rained seventy yeares and conquered many Countries The beginning of his conquests was by meanes of his eldest brother who having held the government in his fathers time and made warre by his consent was over-throwne in a battle against the Changuas a Nation which inhabites the valley of Andaguayllas thirty or forty leagues from Cusco vpon the way to Lima. This elder brother thus defeated retyred himselfe with few men The which Ingua Yupangui his yonger brother seeing devised and gave forth that being one day alone and melancholie Viracocha the Creator spake to him complaining that though he were vniversall Lord and Creator of all things and that hee had made the heaven the Sunne the world and men and that all was vnder his command yet did they not yeelde him the obedience they ought but contrariwise did equally honour and worship the Sunne Thunder Earth and other things which had no virtue but what he imparted vnto them giving him to vnderstand that in heaven where hee was they called him Viracocha Pachayachachic which signifieth vniversall Creator and to the end the Indians might beleeve it to be true he doubted not althogh he were alone to faise men vnder this title which should give him victory against the Changuas although they were then victorious and in great numbers and make himselfe Lord of those realmes for that he would send him men to his aide invisibly whereby he prevaâ—led in such sort that vnder this colour and conceit hee beganne to assemble a great number of people whereof he made a mighty armie with the which he obtayned the victorie making himselfe Lord of the whole
that he would not kill him neither was it his intention to hurt them but their obstinate folly was guiltie of all the misery afflictions they had suffered neither were they ignorant how often he had required peace and amity at their hands He then commanded them to be intreated curteously Many strange admirable things chanced in this conquest of Mexico for I neither hold it for an vntruth nor an addition which many write that God favoured the Spaniards by many miracles for else it had bin impossible to surmount so many difficulties without the favour of heaven and to subiect this nation with so few men For although we were sinners vnworthy so great a favour yet the cause of our God the glorie of our faith the good of so many thousands soules as were in these countries whome the Lord had predestinate wrought this change which wee now see by supernaturall meanes and proper to himselfe which calles the blinde and prisoners to the knowledge of himselfe giving them light and libertie by his holy Gospel And to the end you may the better vnderstand this and give credite therevnto I will aleadge some examples which in my opinion are fit for this history Of some miracles which God hath shewed at the Indies in favour of the faith beyond the desert of those that wrought them CHAP. 27. SAint Croix of the mountaine is a very great province and farre from the Kingdome of Peru neighbour to diverse infidell nations which have not yet any knowledge of the Gospel if since my departure the fathers of our company which remane there have not instructed them Yet this province of S. Croix is christned and there are many Spaniards and great numbers of Indians baptized The maner how Christianitie entred was thus A souldier of a lewd life resident in the province of Charcas fearing punishment being pursued for his offences went farre vp into the countrie and was received curteously by this barbarous people The Spaniard seeing them in a great extremity for water and that to procure raine they vsed many superstitious ceremonies according to their vsuall maner he said vnto them that if they would do as he said they should presently have raine the which they willingly offered to performe Then the souldier made a great crosse the which he planted on a high and eminent place commanding them to worship it and to demand water the which they did A wonderful thing to see there presently fel such aboundance of raine as the Indians tooke so great devotion to the holy crosse as they fled vnto it in all their necessities and obtained all they demanded so as they brake downe their idolls and beganne to carry the crosse for their badge demanding preachers to instruct and to baptise them For this reason the province to this day hath beene called S. Croix de la Sierre But to the end we may see by whom God wrought these miracles it shall not be vnfit to shew how that this souldier after he had some yeares done these miracles like an Apostle and yet nothing reformed in his lewd course of life left the province of Charcas and continuing in his wicked courses was publikely hanged at Potozi Polo who knew him wel writes all this as a notable thing happened in his time Cabeca de Vaca who since was governour of Paraguey writes what happened vnto him in his strange peregrination in Florida with two or three other companions the onely remainder of an army where they continued ten yeares with these Barbarians traveling and searching even vnto the South sea being an author worthy of credite he saieth that these Barbarians did force them to cure certaine diseases threatning them with death if they did it not they being ignorant in any part of phisicke and having nothing to apply forced by necessitie made evangelicall medicines saying the praiers of the Church and making the signe of the crosse by meanes whereof they cured these diseases which made them so famous as they were forced to exercise this office in all townes as they passed the which were innumerable wherein our Lord did aide them miraculously and they themselves were thereat amazed being but of an ordinarie life yea one of them was a Negro Lancero was a souldier of Peru of whom they knew no other merit but to be a souldier he spake certaine good wordes vpon wounds and making the signe of the crosse did presently cure them so as they did say as in a proverbe the psalme of Lancero Being examined by such as held authority in the Church his office works were approved Some men worthy of credite report and I have heard it spoken that in the cittie of Cusco whenas the Spaniards were besieged and so straightly pressed that without helpe from heaven it was impossible to escape the Indians casting fire on the tops of the houses whether the Spaniards were retyred in which place the great Church is now built although the covering were of a kind of straw which they call Chicho and that the fire they cast was of the wood of fat slimy firre-trees yet nothing was set on fire nor burnt for that there was a woman did quench it presently the which the Indians did visibly see as they confessed afterwards being much amazed It is most certaine by the relations of many and by the histories which are written that in divers battailes which the Spaniards had as well in New Spaine as in Peru the Indians their enemies did see a horse-man in the aire mounted on a whit horse with a sword in his hand fighting for the Spaniards whence comes the great reverence they beare at the Indies to the glorious Apostle Saint Iames. Other whiles they did see in some battailes the image of our Ladie from whom the Christians have received in those partes incomparable favours and benefites if I should particularly relate all the workes of heaven as they happened it would make a very long discourse It sufficeth to have said this by reason of the favour which the Queene of glorie did to our men when they were pressed and pursued by the Mexicans the which I have set downe to the end we may know how our Lord hath had a care to favour the faith and Christian religion defending those that maintained it although happily by their workes they deserved not so great favours and benefites from heaven And therefore we ought not to condemne all these things of the first Conquerours of the Indies as some religious and learned men have done doubtlesse with a good zeale but too much affected For although for the most part they were covetous men cruell and very ignorant in the course that was to be observed with the Infidels who had never offended the Christians yet can we not deny but on their part there was much malice against God and our men which forced them to vse rigor and chastisement And moreover the Lord of all although the faithfull were sinners