the linages These six linages did alwayes entertaine amitie together marrying their children one with another and dividing their limites quietly then they studied with an emulation to encrease and beautifie their common-weale The barbarous Chichimecans seeing what passed beganne to vse some governement and to apparrell themselves being ashâ—med of what had passed for till then they had no shame And having abandoned feare by their communication with these other people they beganne to learne many things of them building small cottages having some pollicie and governement They did also choose Lordes whom they did acknowledge for their superiours by meanes whereof they did in a manner quite abandon this brutish life yet did they alwayes continue in the Mountaines divided from the rest Notwithstanding I hold it for certaine that this feare hath growne from other Nations and Provinces of the Indies who at the first were savage men who living onely by hunting piercing the rockie and rough countries discovering a new world the inhabitants whereof were almost like savage beasts without coverings or houses without tilled landes without cattell without King Law God or Reason Since others seeking better and new lands inhabited this fertile Countrey planting pollitike order and a kinde of common-weale although it were very barbarous After the same men or other Nations that had more vnderstanding then the rest laboured to subdue and oppresse the lesse mighty establishing Realmes and great Empires So it happened in Mexico at Peru and in some partes where they finde Citties and Common-weales planted among these Barbarians That which confirmes me in my opinion whereof I have amply discoursed in the first booke that the first inhabitants of the West Indies came by land and so by consequence that the first continent of the Indies ioynes with that of Asia Europe and Afsrike and the new world with the old although they have not yet discovered any countrey that toucheth and ioynes with the other world or if there be any sea betwixt the two it is so narrow that wilde beasts may easily swim over and men in small boates But leaving this Philosophie let vs returne to our history Of the Mexicaines departure of their iourney and peopling the Province of Mechovacan CHAâ— 4. THree hundred and two yeares after the former two linages had left their Country to inhabite new Spaine the Country being now well peopled and reduced to some forme of government Those of the seaventh cave or line arrived which is the Mexicaine Nation the which like vnto the rest left the Province of AZtlan and Teuculhuacan a pollitike courtlike and warlike Nation They did worship the idoll VitZliputZli whereof ample mention hath beene made and the divell that was in this idoll spake and governed this Nation easily This idoll commanded them to leave their Country promising to make them Princes and Lords over all the Provinces which the other six Nations did possesse that hee would give them a land abounding with gold silver pretious stones feathers and rich mantells wherevpon they went forth carrying their idoll with them in a coffer of reedes supported by foure of their principall priests with whom he did talke and reveale vnto them in secret the successe of their way and voyage advising them of what should happen He likewise gave them lawes and taught them the customes ceremonies and sacrifices they should observe They did not advance nor moove without commandement from this idoll He gave them notice when to march and when to stay in any place wherein they wholy obeyed him The first thing they did wheresoever they came was to build a house or tabernacle for their false god which they set alwaies in the middest of their Campe and there placed the Arke vppon an altare in the same manner as they have vsed in the holy Christian Church This done they sowed their land for bread and pulses which they vsed and they were so addicted to the obedience of their god that if he commanded them to gather they gathered but if he commanded them to raise their campe all was left there for the nourishment of the aged sicke and wearie which they lest purposely from place to place that they might people it pretending by this meanes that all the land should remaine inhabited by their Nation This going forth and peregrination of the Mexicaines will happily seeme like to that of Egypt and to the way which the children of Israell made seeing that they as well as those were warned to go forth and to seeke the land of promise and both the one and the other carried their god for their guide consulted with the arke and made him a tabernacle and he advised them giving them lawes and ceremonies and both the one and the other spake many yeares in their voyage to their promised land where we observe the resemblance of many other things as thehistories of the Mexicaines do report and the holy scripture testifie of the Israelites And without doubt it is a true thing that the Divell the prince of pride hath laboured by the superstitions of this Nation to counterfaite imitate that which the most high God did with this Nation for as is said before Satan hath a strange desire to compare and make himselfe equal with God so as this mortall enemy hath pretended falsely to vsurpe what communication and familiaritie he hath pleased with men Was there ever divell found so familiarly conversant with men as this divell VitzliputZli We may wel iudge what he was for that there was never seene nor heard speake of customes more superstitious nor sacrifices more cruel and inhumane then those which he taught them To conclude they were invented by the enemy of mankinde The chiefe and Captaine whome they followed was called Mexi whence came the name of Mexico of the Mexicaine Nation This people marching thus at leisure as the other six Nations had done peopling and tilling the land in divers partes whereof there is yet some shewes ruines after they had endured many travells and dangers in the end they came to the Province of Mechovacan which is as much to say as a land of fish for there is great abundance in goodly great lakes where contenting themselves with the scituation and temperature of the ground they resolved to stay there Yet having consulted with their idoll vpon this point and finding him vnwilling they demanded license to leave some of their men to people so good a land the which he granted teaching them the meanes how to do it which was that when the men and women should be entred into a goodly lake called Pascuaro to bathe themselves those which remained on land should steale away all their clothes and then secretly raise their campe and depart without any bruite the which was effected and the rest which dreamt not of this deceit for the pleasure they tooke in bathing comming forth and finding themselves spoiled of their garments and thus mocked and left by their companions they
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
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
Indies have discovered and peopled after the same sort as wee do at this day that is by the Arte of Navigation and aide of Pilots the which guide themselves by the heigth and knowledge of the heavens and by their industrie in handling and changing of their sailes according to the season Why might not this well be Must we beleeve that we alone and in this our age have onely the Arte and knowledge to saile through the Ocean Wee see even now that they cut through the Ocean to discover new lands as not long since Alvaro Mendana and his companions did who parting from the Port of Lima came alongâ—t the West to discover the land which lieth Eastward from Perâ— and at the end of three moneths they discovered the Ilands which they call the Ilands of Salomon which are many and very great and by all likelehood they lie adioyning to new Guinnie or else are very neere to some other firme land And even now by commandement from the King and his Counsell they are resolved to prepare a new fleete for these Ilands Seeing it is thus why may we not suppose that the Ancients had the courage and resolution to travell by sea with the same intent to discover the land which they call Anticthoâ— opposite to theirs and that according to the discourse of their Philosophie it should be with an intent not to rest vntill they came in view of the landes they sought Surely there is no repugnancie or contrarietie in that which wee see happen at this day and that of former ages seeing that the holy scripture doth witâ—es that Solomon tooke Masters and Pilots from Tyre and Sidon men very expert in Navigation who by their industry performed this voiage in three yeeres To what end thinke you doth it note the Arte of Mariners and their knowledge with their long voiage of three yeeres but to give vs to vnderstand that Solomons sleete sailed through the great Ocean Many are of this opinion which thinke that S. Augustine had small reason to wonder at the greatnes of the Ocean who might well coniecture that it was not so difficult to saile through considering what hath been spoken of Solomons Navigation But to say the truth I am of a contrary opinion neither can I perswade my selfe that the first Indians came to this new world of purpose by a determined voiage neither will I yeeld that the Ancients had knowledgein the Art of Navigation whereby men at this day passe the Ocean from one part to another where they please the which they performe with an incredible swiftnes and resolution neither do I finde in all Antiquities any markes or testimonies of so notable a thing and of so great importance Besides I finde not that in ancient bookes there is any mention made of the vse of the Adamant or Loadstone nor of the Compasse to saile by yea I beleeve they had no knowledge thereof And if we take away the knowledge of the compasse to saile by we shall easily iudge how impossible it was for them to passe the great Ocean Such as haue any knowledge of the sea vnderstand me well for that it is as easie to beleeve that a Mariner in full sea can direct his course where hee please without a compasse as for a blinde man to shew with his finger any thing be it neere or farre off And it is strange that the Ancients have bene so long ignorant of this excellent propertie of the Adamant stone for Plinie who was so curious in naturall causes writing of this Adamant stone speakes nothing of that vertue and propertie it hath alwaies to turne the iron which it toucheth towards the North the which is the most admirable vertue it hath Aristotle Theophrastes Dioscorides Lucretius nor any other Writers or naturall Philosophers that I have seene make any mention thereof although they treate of the Adamant stone Saint Augustine writing many and sundry properties and excellencies of the Adamant stone in his bookes of the Citie of God speakes nothing thereof And without doubt all the excellencies spoken of this stone are nothing in respect of this strange propertie looking alwaies towards the North which is a great wonder of nature There is yet another argument for Plinic treating of the first inventers of Navigation and naming all the instruments yet he speakes nothing of the compasse to saâ—e by nor of the Adamant stone I say onely that the art to know the starres was invented by the Phaeniciens And there is no doubt but whatsoever the Ancients knew of the Art of Navigation was onely in regard of the starres and observing the Shoares Capes and differences of landes And if they had once lost the sight of land they knew not which way to direct their course but by the Stars Sunne and Moone and that sailing as it doth often in a darke and cloudie season they did governe themselves by the qualitie of the winds and by coniecture of the waies which they had passed Finally they went as they were guided by their owne motions As at the Indies the Indians saile a long way by sea guided only by their owne industrie naturall instinct And it serues greatly to purpose that which Plinie writes of the Ilanders of Taprobana which at this day we call Sumatra speaking in this sort when as he treates of the art and industrie they vse in sailing Those of Taprobana see not the North to saile by which defect they supply with certaine small birdes they carrie with them the which they often let flie and as those birdes by a naturall instinct flie alwaies towards the land so the Mariners direct their course after them Who doubtes then if they had had any knowledge of the compasse they would not have vsed these little birdes for their guides to discover the Land To conclude this sufficeth to shew that the Ancients had no knowledge of the secrets of the Loadstone seeing that for so notable a thing there is no proper word in Latine Greeke or Hebrew for a thing of such importance could not have wanted a name in these tongues if they had knowne it Wherevpon the Pilots at this day to direct him his course that holds the helme sit aloft in the poope of the Shippe the better to obserue the compasse where as in olde time they sat in the prow of the Shippe to marke the differences of lands and seas from which place they commaunded the Helme as they vse at this day at the entrie or going out of any Port or haven and therefore the Greekes called Pilots Proritaes for that they remained still in the prow Of the properties and admirable vertue of the Adamant stone for Navigation whereof the Ancients had no knowledge CHAP. 17. BY that which hath been formerly spoken it appeares that the Navigation to the Indies is as certaine and as short as wee are assured of the Adamant stone And at this day we see many that
lies all to the north and by that land thereafter discovered a sea on the other side the which they called the South sea for that they decline vntill they have passed the Line and having lost the North or Pole articke they called it South For this cause they have called all that Ocean the South sea which lieth on the other side of the East Indies althogh a great part of it be seated to the north as al the coast of new Spaine Nuaragna Guatimala and Panama They say that hee that first discovered this sea was called Blasconunes of Bilbo the which he did by that part which we now call maine land where it growes narrow and the two seas approach so neere the one to the other that there is but seaven leagues of distance for although they make the way eighteene from Nombre de Dios to Panama yet is it with turning to seeke the commoditie of the way but drawing a direct line the one sea shall not be found more distant from the other Some have discoursed and propounded to cut through this passage of seaven leagues and to ioyne one sea to the other to make the passage from Peru more commodious and easie for that these eighteene leagues of land betwixt Nombre de Dios and Panama is more painefull and chargeable then 2300. by sea wherevpon some would say it were a meanes to drowne the land one sea being lower then another As in times past we finde it written that for the same consideration they gave over the enterprize to win the red sea into Nile in the time of King Sesostris and since in the Empire of the Othomans But for my part I hold such discourses and propositions for vaine although this inconvenient should not happen the which I will not hold for assured I beleeve there is no humaine power able to beat and breake downe those strong and impenetrable mountaines which God hath placed betwixt the two seas and hath made them most hard rockes to withstand the furie of two seas And although it were possible to men yet in my opinion they should feare punishment from heaven in seeking to correct the workes which the Creator by his great providence hath ordained and disposed in the framing of this vniversall world Leaving this discourse of opening the land and ioyning both seas together there is yet another lesse rash but very difficult and dangerous to search out Whether these two great gulphes do ioyne in any other part of the world which was the enterprize of Fernando Magellan a Portugall gentleman whose great courage and constancie in the research of this subject and happy successe in the finding thereof gave the name of eteâ—nall memory to this straight which iustly they call by the name of the discoverer Magellan of which straight we will intreate a little as of one of the greatest wonders of the world Some have beleeved that this Straight which Magellan had discovered in the South sea was none or that it was straightned as Don Alonso d' Arsille writes in his Auracane and at this day there are some that say there is no such straight but that they are Ilands betwixt the sea and land for that the maine land endes there at the end whereof are all Ilands beyond the which the one sea ioynes fully with the other or to speake better it is all one Sea But in turth it is most certaine there is a straight and a long and stretched out land on eyther side although it hath not yet beene knowne how farre it stretcheth of the one side of the straight towards the South After Magellan a shippe of the Bishoppe of Plaisance passed the straight Don Guiâ—ieres Carvaial whose maste they say is yet at Lima at the entrie of the palace they went afterwards coasting along the South to discover the Straight by the commandement of Don Garcia of Mendoce then governer of Chille according to that which Captaine Ladrillero found it and passed it I have read the discourse and report he made where he saieth that he did not hazard himselfe to land in the Straight but having discovered the North sea he returned back for the roughnes of the time winter being now come which caused the waves comming from the North to grow great and swelling and the sea continually foming with rage In our time Francis Drake an Englishman passed this straight After him Captaine Sarmiento passed it on the South side And lastly in the yeere 1587. other Englishmen passed it by the instruction of Drake which at this time runne along all the coast of Peru. And for that the report which the master Pilot that passed it made seemeth notable vnto me I will heere set it downe Of the Straight of Magellan and how it was passed on the South side CHAP. 11. IN the yeere of our Lord God one thousand five hundred seaventy nine Francis Drake having passed the Straights that runne alongest the coast of Chille and all Peru and taken the shippe of Saint Iean d' Anthona where there was a great number of barres of silver the Viceroy Don Francis of Toledo armed and sent foorth two good shippes to discover the Straight appoynting Peter Sarmiento for Captaine a man learned in Astrologie They parted from Callao of Lima in the beginning of October and forasmuch as vpon that coast there blowes a contrary winde from the South they tooke the sea and having sailed litle above thirty days with a favourable winde they came to the same altitude of the Straight but for that it was very hard to discover they approched neere vnto the land where they entred into a great Bay in the which there is an Archipelague of Ilands Sarimento grew obstinate that this was the Straight and staied a whole moneth to finde it out by diverse wayes creeping vppe to the high mountaines But seeing they could not discover it at the instance of such as were in the army they returned to sea The same day the weather grew rough with the which they ranne their course in the beginning of the night the Admiralls light failed so as the other shippe never see them after The day following the force of the winde continuing still being a â—ide wind the Admiralles shippe discovered an opening which made land thinking good to enter there for shelter vntill the tempest were past The which succeeded in such sort as having discovered this vent they found that it ranne more and more into the land and coniecturing that it should be the Straight which they sought they tooke the height of the Sunne where they found themselves in fiftie degrees and a halfe which is the very height of the Straight and to be the better assured they thrust out their Brigandine which having run many leagues into this arme of the sea without seeing any end they found it to be the very Straight And for that they had order to passe it they planted a hie Crosse there with letters thereon
to the end that if the other ship should chance to arrive there they should have newes of their Generall and follow They passed the Straight in a favourable time without difficultie and passing into the north sea they came to certaine vnknowne Ilandes where they tooke in fresh water and other refreshings From thence they tooke their course towardes Cape de Vert from whence the Pilote maior returned to Peru by the way of Carthagene and Panama carrying a discourse of the Straight to the Viceroy and of all their successe of whom he was well rewarded for his good service But Captaine Peter Sarmiento sailed from Cape Vert to Seville in the same ship wherewith he had passed the Straight and went to Court where his Maiestie rewarded him and at his instance gave commaundement to prepare a great army which he sent vnder the commaund of Diego Flores de Valdes to people and fortifie this Straight But this army after variable successe spent much and profited little Returning now to the Viceadmiralles shippe which went in company of the Generall having lost him in the storme they tooke the sea but the wind being contrary and stormy they looked all to perish so as they confessed themselves and prepared for death This tempest continued three dayes without intermission and hourely they feared to runne on ground but it fel out contrary for they went still from land vntill the ende of the third day that the storme ceased and then taking the height they found themselves in fiftie sixe degrees but seeing they had not crossed and yet were farre from land they were amazed whereby they surmized as Hernando Lamero tolde me that the land which is on the other side of the Straight as wee goe by the south sea runnes not the same o romer that it doth to the Straight but that it turneth to the East for else it were impossible but they shoulde have touched land having runne so long time with this crosse winde but they passed on no further neyther coulde they discover the lands end which some holde to be there whether it were an Iland on the other side of the Straight where the two seas of North and South doe ioyne together or that it did runne vppe towardes the East and ioyne with the land of Vesta as they call it which answers to the Cape of Good Hope as it is the opinion of some The trueth hereof is not to this day well knowne neither is there any one found that hath discovered that land The Viceroy Don Martin Henrique saâ—de vnto me that he held this report for an â—nvention of the English that the Straight should prâ—senâ—lie make an Iland and that the two seas did ioyne together for that beeing Viceroy of New Spaine hee had diligently examined the Portugall Pilote who had bin left there by Francis Drake and yet had no knowledge of any such matter by him But that was a very Straight and a maine land on either side Returning then to the saide Viceadmirall they discovered this Straight as the saide Hernando Lamero reported vnto mee but by another mouth or entrie and in a greater height by reason of a certaine great Iland which is at the entrie of the Straight which they call the Bell for the forme it carries And as he saide hee woulde have passed it but the Captaine and souldiers woulde not yeelde therevnto supposing that the time was too farre spent and that they were in great daunger And so they returned to Chille and Peru without passing it Of the Straight which some holde to be in Florida CHAP. 12. EVen as Magellan found out this Straight vppon the South so some have pretended to discover another Straight which they say is in the north and suppose it to be in Florida whose coast runs in such sort as they knowe no end thereof Peter Melendez the Adelantade a man very expert at sea affirmeth for certaine that there is a Straight and that the King had commanded him to discover it wherein he shewed a great desire he propounded his reasons to proove his opinion saying that they have seene some remainders of shippes in the North sea like vnto those the which the Chinois vse which had beene impossible if there were no passage from one sea vnto another Moreover he reported that in a certaine great Bay in Florida the which runnes 300. leagues within the land they see Whales in some season of the yeere which come from the other sea Shewing moreover other likelihood he concludes that it was a thing agreeing with the wisedome of the Creator and the goodly order of nature that as there was communication and a passage betwixt the two seas at the Pole Antartike so there should in like sort be one at the Pole Artike which is the principall Pole Some will say that Drake had knowledge of this Straight and that he gave occasion so to iudge whenas he passed along the coast of new Spaine by the South sea Yea they hold opinion that other Englishmen which this yeere 1587. tooke a shippe comming from the Philippines with great quantitie of gold and other riches did passe this straight which prize they made neere to the Calliphornes which course the ships returning from the Philippines and China to new Spaine do vsually observe They confidently beleeve that as the courage of man is great and his desire infinite to finde new meanes to inrich himselfe so within few yeeres this secret will be discovered And truly it is a thing worthie admiration that as the Ants do alwaies follow the trace of other so men in the knowledge and search of new things never stay vntill they have attained the desired end for the content and glorie of men And the high and eternall wisedome of the Creator vseth this curiositie of men to communicate the light of his holy Gospell to people that alwaies live in the obscure darkenesse of their errors But to conclude the straight of the Artike Pole if there be any hath not been yet discovered It shall not therefore be from the purpose to speake what we know of the particularities of the Antartike straight already discovered and knowne by the report of such as have seene and observed it Of the properties of the Straight of Magellan CHAP. 13. THis Straight as I have said is iust fiftie degrees to the South and from one sea to another fourscore and ten or a hundred leagues in the narrowest place it is a league and little lesse wherâ— it was intended the King should build a Fort to defend the passage It is so deepe in some places that it cannot be sounded and in some places they finde grovnd at 18. yea at 15. fadomes Of these hundred leagues which it containes in length from one sea vnto the other it is plainely seene that the waves of the South sea runne 30. leagues and the other 70. are possessed with the billowes and waves of the North sea But there is this difference
black soever It is a strange thing that the iuice or water that commeth from this roote when they straine it which makes the Cacavi is a deadly poison and killes any that drinkes thereof but the substance that remaineth is a very wholesome bread and nourishment as we have saide There is another kinde of Yuca which they call sweet and hath not this poyson in the iuyce this is eaten in the roote boyled or roasted and is good meate Cacavi will keepe long and therefore they carry it to sea in steede of biscuit The place where they vse most of this bread is at the Ilands of Barlovente which are S. Dominicke Cuba Port Ricco Iamaique and some others thereabouts for that the soile of these Ilands will neither beare wheate nor Mays for whenas they sowe wheate it comes vp well and is presently greene but so vnequally as they cannot gather it for of the seede sowen at one instant some is spindled some is in the eare and some doth but bud one is great and an other little one is in the grasse and another in the graine and although they have carried labourers thither to see if there were any tillage or Art to be vsed yet could they finde no remedy for the quality of the earth They carry meale from New Spaine or the Canaries which is so moist that hardly can they make any profitable bread or of good taste The wafer cakes wherewith they say Masse did bend like to wet paper by reason of the extreame humiditie and heate which are ioyntly in that countrey There is an other extreame contrary to this which hinders the growing of mais or wheate in some parts of the Indies as on the height of the Sierre of Peru and the provinces which they call of Colao which is the greatest parte of this Realme where the climate is so colde and drie as it will not suffer any of these seedes to growe in steede thereof the Indians vse an other kinde of roote which they call Papas these rootes are like to grownd nuttes they are small rootes which cast out many leaves They gather this Papas and dry it well in the Sunne then beating it they make that which they call Chuno which keepes many daies and serves for bread In this realme there is great trafficke of Chuno the which they carry to the mines of Potozi they likewise eate of these Papas boyled or roasted there is one sweete of these kindes which growes in hot places whereof they do make certaine sawces and minced meates which they call Locro To conclude these rootes are the bread of that land so as when the yeare is good they reioyce much for that oftentimes they freeze in the earth so great is the cold of that Region they carry Mays from the valley or sea coast and the Spaniardes which are dainty carrie likewise from the same places wheate meale whereof they doe make good breade because that the land is drie In other partes of the Indies as at the Philippines they vse Rice insteade of bread whereof there growes very good and in great aboundance in all that countrey and in China and it is of good nourishment they seethe it in purcelaines and after mix it hote with the water amongest other meates In many places they do make their wine and drinke of this Rice steeping and then after boyling it as they do the beere in Flaunders or the Acua in Peru. Rice is a meate not much lesse common and generall throughout the world than wheate or mays and perchaunce more for besides that they vse it in China Ioppon and the Philippines and in the greatest parte of the East Indies it is a graine most common in Affrike and Ethiopia It requires a wet ground almost overflowne like to a medow In Europe Peru and Mexico where they have the vse of wheate they eate Rice as a meate and not for bread they seethe it with milke or with broth or in some other sorte The most exquisite Rice commeth from the Philippines and China as hath beene sayde And this may suffice to vnderstand what they eate generally at the Indies in steade of bread Of divers Rootes which growe at the Indies CHAP. 18. ALthough in these parts the Land be more aboundant and fertile in fruites that growes vpon the earth by reason of the great diversitie of fruite trees and plants we have yet for rootes and other things that grow vnder the earth the which they vse for meates in my opinion there is greatest aboundance there for of these kindes of plants we have readishes turneps parsneps carrots liekes garlike and some other profitable rootes But in those countries they have so many divers sortes as I cannot reckon them those which I now remember besides Papas which is the principall there is Ocas Yanococas Camotes Vatas Xiquimas Yuca Cochuâ—ha Cavi Totora Mani and an infinite number of other kindes as the Patattres which they eate as a delicate and toothsome meate They have likewise carried fruites to the Indies from these parts the which prosper better there then the Indian plants do brought into Europe the reason in my opinion is for that there is greater variety of temperatures then in these partes by meanes whereof the plants in those regions do rise and prosper better fitting themselves to the temperature they require And the rootes and plants which grow there and were not transported from hence are better then they be heere for onions garlike and parsnips are not in Spaine as they be at Peru and as for turnips there is so great abundance as they have increased in so me places in such sort that as they have affirmed to me they could not destroy the aboundance which grew vp for to sowe corne there Wee have seene redish rootes as bigge as a mans arme very tender and of a good taste and of these tootes I have spoken some serve for ordinatie meate as the Camores which being rosted serve as pulse There are other rootes that serve them for dainties as the Cochuchâ— it is a small sweete roote which some preserve for more delight There are other rootes fit to coole as the Piquima which is in qualitie very cold and moist and in summer it refresheth and quencheth the thirst but the Papas and Ocas be the chiefe for nourishment and substance The Indians esteeme garlike above all the rootes of Europe and hold it for a fruite of great force wherein they want no reason for that it comforts and warmes the stomacke for that they eate it with an appetite rawe as it comes out of the ground Of divers sortes of greene Hearbes and Pulses and of those they call Concombres Pines or Pine Apples small fruites of Chille and of Prunes CHAP. 19 SEâ—ing wee have begunne with the lesser Plants I might in few words touch that which concernes Flowers and Pot-hearbes and that which the Latines call Arbusta without any mention of trees There are some kindes
grow wonderfully fatte to have the grease which they vse for want of oyle in some places they make gâ—mons as in Tollâ—ca of new Spaine and in Paria at Peru. Returning then to such beasts as are pecullar there even as the Sainos are like vnto swine though somewhat lesse even so the Dante 's resemble small kine but more vnto mules having no hornes The hides of these beasts are much esteemed for jerkins and other coverings they are so hard as they resist any blow whatsoever And as the Dante 's be defended by the hardnes of their hides so those which they call Armadillos are by the multitude of their scales which open and shut as they please like to a curasse There be litle beasts which go thorow the woods called Armadillos by reason of the defence they have hiding themselves within their scales and opening when they list I have eaten of them and doe not holde it for a meate of any great woorth but the flesh of the Yguanas is a better meate but more horrible to the eye for they are like to the very Lizardes of Spaine although they be of a doubtfull kinde for that they go to the water comming to land they climbe the trees vpon the bankes and as they cast themselves from the trees into the water the boates watch vnderneath to receive them The Chinchilles is an other kind of small beasts like squirrels they have a woonderfull smoothe and soft skinne which they weare as a healthfull thing to comfort the stomacke and those partes that have neede of a moderate heate they make coverings and rugges of the haire of these Chinchilles which are found on the Sierre of Peru where there is likewise a small beast very common which they call Cuyes and which the Indians hold for a very good meate and they are accustomed often to offer these Cuyes in their sacrifices They are like small conies and have their borows iâ— the ground and in some places they have vndermined all the land some are grey some white and some speckled There are other small animalles which they call Viscachas and are like to hares although they be bigger they hunt them and eate the flesh Of common hares there are great store in some parts There are also connies in the realme of Quitto but the good are come from Spaine There is another strange beast the which for his great heavinesse and slownesse in mooving they call Perico-ligero or the little light dogge hee hath three nailes to every hand and mooves both hand and feete as it were by compasse and very heavily it is in face like to a monkie and hath a shrill crie it climeth trees and eates Ants. Of Micos or Indian Monkies CHAP. 39. THroughout all the mountaines eyther of these Ilands of the firme land or of the Andes there are infinite numbers of Micos or Monkies which are a kind of apes but very different in that they have a taile yea a very long one And amongest them there are some kinds which are thrise yea foure times bigger than the ordinary some are all blacke some bay some grey and some spotted Their agilitie and maner of doing is admirable for that they seeme to have reason discourse to go vpon trees wherein they seeme to imitate birds Going from Nombre de Dios to Panama I did see in Capira one of these monkies leape from one tree to an other which was on the other side of a river making me much to wonder They leape where they list winding their tailes about a braunch to shake it and when they will leape further than they can at once they vse a pretty devise tying themselves by the tailes one of another and by this meanes make as it were a chaine of many then doe they launch themselves foorth and the first holpen by the force of the rest takes holde where hee list and so hangs to a bough and helpes all the rest till they be gotten vp It were long to report the fooleries trickes traverses and pleasant sportes they make when they are taught which seeme not to come from bruit beasts but from a manlike vnderstanding I sawe one in Carthagenâ— in the Governours house so taught as the things he did seemed incredible they sent him to the Taverne for wine putting the pot in one hand and the money in the other and they could not possibly gette the money out of his hand before he had his pot full of wine If any children mette him in the streete and threw any stones at him he would set his pot downe on the one side and cast stones against the children till he had assured his way then would he returne to carry home his pot And which is more although hee were a good bibber of wine as I have oftentimes seene him drinke when his maister hath given it him yet would he never touch it vntill leave was given him They told me moreover that if hee sawe any women painted he would fall vppon them pull off their attire and would seeke to bite them This may be an addition which I have not seene but I doe not thinke there is any beast in the world approacheth so neare the conversation of a man as this monkey doth They report so many things which for feare I shoulde be thought to give credite to fables or they should be so esteemed I thinke best to omitte blessing the Author of all creatures in that hee would createa kinde of beast onely for the recreation and delight of man Some report that they carried these Micos or Monkies to Solomon from the Weast Indies but for my parte I holde it was from the East Indies Of Vicugnes and Tarugnes of Peru. CHAP. 40. AMongst the most remarkable things at the Indies of Peru be the Vicugnes and sheepe of the countrie as they call them which are tractable beasts and of great profite the Vicugnes are wilde and the sheepe are tame Some thinke that the Vicugnes are those which Aristotle Plinie and other Authors call Capreas which are wilde goates and in truth they have some resemblance for the lightnes they have in the woodes and mountaines but yet they are no goates for the Vicugnes have no hornes as those have whereof Aristotle makes mention neither are they the goates of the East Indies from whom they draw the Bezar stone for if they be of that kinde it were a diverse one as in the race of dogges the mastie is divers from the greyhound The Vicugnes of Peru are not those beasts which carrie the Bezar stone in the Province of new Spaine which there they cal BeZaars for that they are a kind of Stagges and Venison yet do I not know in any part of the world there be any of these beasts but in Peru and in Chille which are countries ioyning one to another These Vicugnes are greater then goates and lesse then calves Their haire is of the colour of dried roses somewhat cleerer they
or terrasse which they call Tloteloli where they inhabited calling it Tlatellulco which signifies place of a terrasse This was the third division of the Mexicaines since they left their Country That of Mechovacan being the first and that of Malinalco the second Those which seperated themselves and went to Tlatellulco were famous men but of bad disposition and therefore they practised against the Mexicaines their neighbours all the ill neighbourhood they could They had alwaies quarrells against them and to this day continues their hatred and olde leagues They of Tenoxtiltan seeing them of Tlatellulco thus opposite vnto them and that they multiplied feared that in time they might surmount them heerevpon they assembled in counsell where they thought it good to choose a King whome they should obey and strike terror into their enemies that by this meanes they should bee more vnited and stronger among themselves and their enemies not presume too much against them Being thus resolved to choose a King they tooke another advise very profitable and assured to choose none among themselves for the avoyding of diffentions and to gaine by their new King some other neighbour nations by whom they were invironed being destitute of all succours All well considered both to pacifie the King of Culhuacan whom they had greatly offended having slaine and flead the daughter of his predecessor and done him so great a scorne as also to have a King of the Mexicaine blood of which generation there were many in Culhuacan which continued there since the time they lived in peace amongst them they resolved to choose for their King a yong man called Acamapixtli sonne to a great Mexicaine Prince and of a Ladie daughter to the King of Culhuacan Presently they sent Ambassadors with a great present to demand this man who delivered their Ambassage in these tearmes Great Lord we your vassalls and servants placed and shut vp in the weedes and reedes of the Lake alone and abandoned of all the Nations of the world led onely and guided by our god to the place where we are which falles in the iurisdiction of your limits of Ascapusalco and of Tescuco Although you have suffered vs to live and remaine there yet will we not neither is it reason to live without a head and lord to command correct and governe vs instructing vs in the course of our life and defending vs from our enemies Therefore we come to you knowing that in your Court and house there are children of our generation linckt and alied with yours issued from our entrailes and yours of our blood and yours among â—he which we have knowledge of a grand-child of yours and ours called Acamapixtli We beseech you therefore to give him vs for Lord we will esteeme him as hee deserves seeing hee is of the linage of the Lords of Mexico and the Kings of Culhuacan The king having consulted vppon this poynt and finding it nothing inconvenient to be alied to the Mexicaines who were valiant men made them answer that they should take his grandchilde in good time adding therevnto that if he had beene a woman hee woulde not have given her noting the foule fact before spoken of ending his discourse with these wordes Let my grand-childe go to serve your God and be his lievetenant to rule and govâ—rne his creatures by whom we live who is the Lord of night day and windes Let him goe and be Lord of the water and land and possesse the Mexicaine Nation take him in good time and vse him as my sonne and grand-child The Mexicaines gave him thanks all ioyntly desiring him to marry him with his owne hand so as he gave him to wife one of the noblest Ladies amongst them They conducted the new King and Queene with all honour possible and made him a solemne reception going all in generall foorth to see the king whom they led into pallaces which were then but meane and having seated them in royall throanes presently one of the Antients and an Orator much esteemed amongest them did rise vp speaking in this manner My sonne our Lord and King thou art welcome to this poore house and citty amongest these weedes and mudde where thy poore fathers grandfathers and kinsfolkes endure what it pleaseth the Lord of things created Remember Lord thou commâ—st hither to be the defence and support of the Mexicaine Nation and to be the resemblance of our God Vitzliputzli whervpon the charge and governement is given thee Thou knowest we are not in our country seeing the land we possesse at this day is anothers neither know we what shall become of vs to morrowe or another day Consider therefore that thou commest not to rest or recreate thy selfe but rather to indure a new charge vnder so heavie a burden wherein thou must continually labour being slave to this multitude which is fallen to thy lotte and to all this neighbour people whome thou must strive to gratifie and give them contentment seeing thou knowest we live vpon their lands and within their limites And ending hee repeated these wordes Thou art welcome thou and the Queene our Mistris to this your realme This was the speech of the old man which with other orations which the Mexicaine histories do celebrate the children did vse to learne by hart and so they were kept by tradition some of them deserve well to be reported in their proper termes The king aunswering thanked them and offered them his care and diligence in their defence aide in all he could After they gave him the othe and after their maneâ— set the royall crown vpon his head the which is like to the Crowne of the dukes of Venice the name of Acamapixtli their first king signifies a handfull of reeds and therfore they carry in their armories a hand holding many arrows of reedes Of the strange tribute the Mexicaines paied to them of Azcapuzalco CHAP. 9. THe Mexicaines happened so well in the election of their new king that in short time they grew to have some form of a common-weale and to be famous among strangers wherevpon their neighbours moved with feare practised to subdue them especially the Tapaneâ—ans who had Azcapuzalco for their metropolitane citty to whome the Mexicaines payed tribute as strangers dwelling in their land For the king of AzcapuZalco fearing their power which increased soght to oppresse the Mexicanes and having consulted with his subiects he sent to tel king Acamapixtli that the ordinary tribut they payed was too little and that from thencefoorth they should bring firre trees sapines and willowes for the building of the citty and moreover they shoulde make him a garden in the water planted with diverse kindes of hearbes and pulses which they should bring vnto him yearely by water dressed in this maner without failing which if they did not he declared them his enemies and would roote them out The Mexicaines were much troubled at this commaundement holding it impossible and that this demaund was to no other end but to
some occasions many complaints griefs and iealosies grew on either side The which Cortes finding that the Indians mindes began to be distracted from them he thought it necessary to assure himself in laying hand vpon king Moteçuma who was seazed on and his legs fettered Truly this act was strange vnto all men like vnto that other of his to have burnt his ships and shut himselfe in the midst of his enemies there to vanquish or to die The mischiefe was that by reason of the vnexpected arrival of Pamphilo Narvaes at the true crosse drawing the country into mutiny Cortes was forced to absent himselfe from Mexico to leave poore Motecuma in the handes of his companions who wanted discretion nor had not moderation like vnto him so as they grew to that discention as there was no meanes to pacifie it Of the death of Moteçuma and the Spaniards departure out of Mexico CHAP. 26. WHenas Cortes was absent from Mexico he that remained his lievetenant resolved to punish the Mexicans severely causing a great number of the nobilitie to be slaine at a maske which they made in the pallace the which did so far exceede as all the people mutined in a furious rage tooke armes to be revenged and to kil the Spaniards They therefore besieged them in the pallace pressing them so neere that all the hurt the Spaniards could do them with their artillery and crosse-bowes might not terrifie them nor force them to retyre from their enterprise where they continued many daies stopping their victualls nor suffering any one to enter or issue forth They did fight with stones and cast dartes after their maner with a kinde of lances like vnto arrowes in the which there are foure or six very sharpe rasors the which are such as the histories report that in these warres an Indian with one blow of these rasors almost cut off the necke of a horse as they did one day fight with this resolution furie the Spaniards to make them cease shewed forth Motâ—cuma with another of the chiefe Lords of Mexico vpon the top of a platform of the house covered with the targets of two souldiers that were with them The Mexicanes seeing their Lord Moteçuma staied with great silence Then Moteçuma caused the Lord to advise them to pacifie themselves and not to warre against the Spaniards seeing that hee being a prisoner it could little profite him The which being vnderstood by a yong man called Quicuxtemoc whom they now resolved to make their king spake with a loude voice to Moteçuma willing him to retyre like a villaine that seeing he had bin such a coward as to suffer himselfe to be taken they were no more bound to obey him but rather should punish him as he deserued calling him woman for the more reproach and then hee beganne to draw his bowe and to shoote at him and the people beganne to cast stones at him to continue their combate Many say that Motecuma was then hurt with a stone wherof he died The Indians of Mexico affirme the contrarie that he died as I will shew hereafter Alvaro the rest of the Spaniards seeing themselves thus pressed gave intelligence to Captaine Cortes of the great danger they were in who having with an admirable dexteritie valour given order to Narvaes affaires and assembled the greatest part of his men he returned with all speede to succour them of Mexico where observing the time the Indians rest for it was their custom in war to rest every fourth day He one day advanced with great policy courage so as both he and his men entred the pallace whereas the Spaniards had fortefied themselves they then shewed great signes of ioy in discharging their artillery But as the Mexicans furie increased being out of hope to defend themselves Cortes resolved to passe away secretly in the night without bruite Having therefore made bridges to passe two great and dangerous passages about mid-night they issued forth as secretly as they could the greatest part of his people having passed the first bridge they were discovered by an Indian woman before they could passe The second who cried out their enemies fled at the which voice all the people ran together with a horrible furie so as in passing the second bridge they were so charged and pursued as there remained above three hundred men slaine hurt in one place where at this day there is a smal hermitage which they vnproperly cal of Martyrs Many Spaniards to preserve the gold iewells which they had gotten perished others staying to carry it away were taken by the Mexicans cruelly sacrificed to their idols The Mexicans found king Moteçuma dead wounded as they say with poiniards and they hold opinion that that night the Spaniards shew him with other Noblemen The Marquise in his relation sent to the Emperour writes the contrary that the Mexicans killed him that night with a son of Moteçuma which he led with him amongst other noblemen saying that all the treasure of gold stones and silver fell into the lake was never more seene But howsoever Moteçuma died miserably paied his deserts to the iust iudgement of our Lord of heaven for his pride tyranny his body falling into the Indians power they would make him no obsequies of a king no not of an ordinarie person but cast it away in great disdaine rage A servant of his having pittie of this Kings miserie who before had bene feared and worshipped as a God made a fier thereof and put the ashes in a contemptible place Returning to the Spaniards that escaped they were greatly tyred and turmoiled the Indians following them two or three daies very resolutely giving them no time of rest being so distressed for victualls as a few graines of Mays were divided amongst them for their meate The relations both of the Spaniards Indians agree that God delivered them here miraculously the Virgin Mary defending them on a little hill whereat this day three leagues from Mexico there is a Church built in remembrance thereof called our Lady of succour They retyred to their antient friends of Tlascalla whence by their aide the valour pollicie of Cortes they returned afterwards to make war against Mexico by water and land with an invention of brigantines which they put into the lake where after many combates and above threescore dangerous battailes they conquered Mexco on S. Hippolitus day the 13. of August 1521. The last king of the Mexicans having obstinately maintained the wars was in the end taken in a great canoe whereinto he fled who being brought with some other of the chiefest noblemen before Fernando Cortes this pettie king with a strange resolution and courage drawing his dagger came neere to Cortes and said vnto him Vntill this day I have done my best indevour for the defence of my people now am I no farther bound but to give thee this dagger to kill me therewith Cortes answered
vnder the Equinoctiall line is sufficient to guide a ship 137 Alcos little dogges whereof the Indians are very carefull 301 Amarro Ingua put to death by the Spaniards in Cusco 481 Amber a kinde of physicall and sweet gumme 287 Almonds growing in Cocos 281 Almonds of Chacapoias helde for the rarest fruit in the world ibid. The Auntients could not make a determind voyage without the Compasse 57 Th'Antients went only with oares 60 Antient Doctors more studious of the Scriptures than of Philosophie â— Annona a fruit called by the Spaniards Almond butter by reason of some resemblance 278 Apopanaca the overseer of the Monasteries of women 367 Apachitas toppes of hilles that were worshipped 540 Arches in buildings vnknowne to the Indians 460 Aristotle not refuted by Lactantius as touching the place of the earth 22 Armes of the Mexicans 488 Army of the ayre foretelling a great ruine 561 Arte of warre much honoured by the Mexicans 488 Arte to know the Starres invented by the Phenicens 54 Ashes issuing in great aboundance out of the Vulcans 195 Advantage which the Christians had of the Indians to plant the faith there 389 S. Augustine doubts whether the heaven invirons the earth of all parts 3 Attire for the head very divers in sundry provinces at the Indies 467 Austeritie practised by the Indians to keepe themselves chaste 373 Axi a kinde of Indian pepper 168 B. BAllance wherein the Divell made the Iapponois confes themselves 401 Barkes at the Indies called Canoes 68 Battell without bloudshed made only for a ceremony at the yeelding of Tescuco 539 Balme of Palestina and that of the Indiâ—s very different 285 Bezars stone found in the stomacke of some beasts soveraigne against poison how it growes and which are the most excellent 323 Beasts carefully preserved by the Inguâ—s 464 Beasts worshipped by the Indians why 340 Beasts being venomous converted by divelish artes into good norishment 510 Beasts that are perfect cannot bee ingendred as those that are imperfect according to the order of nature 65 Beasts of sundry sorts at the Indies that are not in Europe 3â—7 Birds remaine willingly in the water and why 305 Birds some exceeding small others wonderfull great 309 Birds very profitable for the dung 311 Bisexte vnknowne to the Indians 437 Bochas and Suchâ—s notable fishes in the Lake of Titicaâ—a 170 Bâ—ncos the divelles Ministers at the Indies 370 Bridge of strawe very firme to passe over a swift streame 93 Brises and lower winds are two generall names which comprehend the windes of either side 132 Bodies being dead wonderfully well preserved 478 Burthen of the Indian sheepe and what iournies they make so laden 321 C CAcao a fruite much esteemed at the Indies serves them for mony 271 Cacavi bread made of a roote 257 Calibasses or Pompions at the Indies and of their greatnesse 264 Calculation of the Indians very witty and ready 456 Camey the second moneth of the Indians 412 Canes of sugar of great revenews 298 Canopus a star seene at the new world 16 Cap of Comorni sometimes called the promontory of Cory 37 Carthaginians did forbid the sayling to vnknowne lands and why 36 Care of the Mexicaines to teach their children their superstitious idolatry 486 Cattle in troupes without maisters in the Ilands of Cuba Iamaica and others 70 Cattle at the Indies killed onely for their hides ibid. Caymans or Lizards like vnto Crocodiles whereof Pliâ—ie speakes 165 Ceremony of the Mexicans in drawing bloud from divers parts 551 Ceremonies of the Indians in the buriall of their dead 348 Ceremonies at the sacrificing of men 382 Chachalmua the chiefe priests and their attire at their sacrifices ibid. Chasquis Indian posts that caried news to all places 452 Chica a drinke very wholesome for the backe 255 Chichimequas auntient Inhabitants of Nâ—w Spaine and of their barbarous life 501 Chicocapote a fruit like vnto mermelade 278 Chille a country of the same temperature with Spaine 87 Chinchilles small beasts that have exquisite skinnes 314 Chocholate the Indians drinke wherof they make great account 271 Cinabrium or vermilian called by the Indians Limpi 238 Coca a leafe which the Perusians vsed for money 210 Coca a small leafe whereof the Indians make great traffike it doth incourage and fortifie 271 Cocas Indian palmes and of their rare properties 280 Cochâ—nille a graine that growes vppon the Tunall trees 275 Colleges ordained at Mexico to teach their young children to pronounce Orations 447 Combate betwixt a Caymant and a Tyger 166 Comedies very ordinary in China 444 Combate betwixt an Indian and a Caymant 167 Comets in the ayre moove from East to Weast 137 Communion imitated by the slaves of Satan 393 Comparison to prove the naturall effect of raine in the burning zone 95 Crowne of the kings of Mexico like to that of the duke of Venice 518 Crimes punished with death by the Indians 469 Corriers at the Indies very swift being but footemen 452 Coya the Inguas chiefe wife whose son succeeded after the vncle 455 Crosse a notable starrâ— at the new found world 16 Crowning of the kings of Mexico perfourmed with great solemnitie and the shedding of much mans bloud 541 Covetousnes of a certaine priest thinking to drawe gold out of a vulcan 195 Councell of Lima dissolved the marriage betwixt brother and sister and why 471 Cotton growes vppon trees it serves to make linnen cloth 276 Colde in the burning zone makes Aristotles opinion ridiculous 101 Corage of men at the passage of Pongo 176 The Continent of lands is ioyned in some part or else it is very neere 68 Before the Creation there was neither time nor place a matter harde to imagine â—4 Crueltie of the Indians in their sacrifices 382 Cruell ceremony to sprinckle the Embassadours with bloud thinking thereby to have a better answer 571 Cu the great Temple of Mexico and the singularities thereof 361 Cugno a kinde of bread at the Indies made of rootes 186 Cuschargui a dried flesh which the Indians vsed 320 Cusco the auntient habitation of the kings of Peru. 128 D DAies and nights equall al the yeere vnder the liquinoctiall 83 Daies in summer very shorte at Peru. 103 Five Daies in the yeere superfluous wherein the Indians did nothing 434 Dancing and publike recreations necessary in every coÌ„mon-wealâ— 492 Dauncing in Mexâ—â—o where the King himselfe dâ—unced 489 Daâ—tes wilde beâ—sts almost like vnto moiles and of their skinnes 313 Dâ—luge pretended by the Indians whereof there is some likelâ—hood 79 Dâ—vision of the lands of Azcaâ—â—zalco after the victory obtained by â—scoalt 533 Discovery of the west Indies prophecied by Senecâ— 38 Discovery of new lands made more by tempest of weather than otherwise 62 Disseine of the Author 82 The Divell jealous against God and hates men mortally 329 The Divell didde speake in the Indies Guacas or Oratories 351 Difference of letters pictures characters 439 Difficultie to know whence the Indians come for that they have vsed no letters 79
570 Integritie of women greatly honored by the Mexicaines 409 Inventions of Iupanguy Ingua to deprive his father and brother of the kingdome 476 L. LAke exceeding hote in the middest of a colde land 171 Lake of Mexico having two kindes of water 172 Lakes on the tops of mountaines and how they growe 171 Lactantiâ— laughes at the Perepatetiks touching the heaven 2 Lactantius conâ—uted touching the Antipodes 21 Ladders of leather to come out of the mines 230 Landes of excellent temperature not yet discovered 190 Lawyers have erred 432 Liberalitie of Autzol the eight king of Mexico 551 Litters of massie golde 212 Lions of Peru vnlike to them of Afftrike 70 the Indians hunt them 303 M. MAlaca formerly called the golden Châ—rsonesus 37 Mamacoâ—as antient women as it were mothers to the virgins secluded 366 Mameys a fruit like vnto peaches 276 Manati a monstrous fish that feedes in the fields it is like to flesh when ye eate it 164 Mandarins Indian officers how hard it is to bee capable of those offices 440 Mangocapa the fiâ—â—t Ingua and what they faine of him 474 Maguey a tree of woonders and to what vse it serves 273 Mandarin tongue is the writing of the Indians and is done by characters 441 Many rare things in nature knowne more by chance thaÌ„ by industry 63 Mans bloud drunke by the slave that should be sacrificed 425 Marriage of the Indians how celebrated 408 Marriage amongst the Indians defended onely in the first degree 469 Marriage of the Inguas with their sisters vnlawful 170 Marks of some navigations of the Antients 61 Mattins at midnight practised by the Divells ministers 365 Mays Indian corne howe they eate it and make drinke thereof 253 Mechoacanes enimâ—es to the Mexicans and why 506 Men how they might passe to the Indies 51 and how they might people it 7â— Men and women sacrificed at the death of the Inguas to serve him in the other worlde 346 Men made gods and then sacrificed 357 Men beeing sacrificed eaten by the Priests 385 Mineralles imitate plants in their maner of growing 203 Mines some wandering some fixt 217 Mines in olde time very rich yet nothing neere to them of Potozi 224 Mines exceeding painefull 228 Mines of quickesilver in Spaine 238 Middle region of the ayre colde and why 108 Milles to grinde â—ettalls 246 Mettall poore and rich what they be 217 Mettall the neerer that it is to the superficies of thâ— earth the richer 229 Mettalls why created 205 Mettalles are noâ— found but in barren grounds 209 Mâ—xi chiefe of the people that came from Mexico from whom they took their name 506 Mexico a Citty built in a Lake 170 Mockery of the Mexicains against the Tlatelulcos afâ—et they had vanquished them 548 Moneth at the Indies of twenty daies 434 Morning most pleasant in Europe and most troublesome in Peru. 113 Mulberie trees planted in new Spaine have greatly profited for silkworms 298 Muttons or sheepe of Peru serving â—or assâ—s to carry their burthens profitable above all other beasts 319 N. NAvatalcas people that reformed new Spaine 498 Navigation at this day very easie 56 Navigation of Salomon what it might be 60 New Spaine what it is 187 New world lying almost all vnder the burning zone 82 Nights in summer very fresh at Peru in respect of Europe 112 Nights of six months vnder the Pole 29 Night how it comes 6 Nobilitie of Mexico murdered in dancing by the Spaniardes 576 Nostril of the kings of Mexico pierced to hang an emerald 545 Nutts at the Indies vnpleasant called by them imprisoned 280 O. OBiection against Aristoâ—lâ— not resolved 28 Occasion of warre betwixt the Tapâ—necans and Mexicans 526 Ocean at the Indies divided into the north and south seas 207 Ointment which the Indians did vse to make themselves fitte to speake with the Divell the which made them cruell and without feare 403 Ophir is at the east Indies 41 Opinion of some that the earthly Paradise is vnder the Equinoctiâ—ll not without reâ—son 114 Orders of priests in Mexico and their ordinary offices 365 Ordâ—â—s of Knâ—ghts in Mexico and the markes they carried 488 Oration of the Mexicains to the king of Culhuacan 516 Oration that an old man made to Acamaâ—â—xtlâ— first king of Mexico 517 Oration of a Mexicaine knight to retaine the people incensed for the murther of their king 526 Oration of an olde Mexicaine for the election of a new king 527 Oration of the K. of Tescuco made to Moteçuma vpon his election 555 P. PAchacamac the great Sanctuarie of the Indies 334 Pacos wilfull beasts and how they be governed 319 Pallaces of recreation and affliction 563 Palisadoe horrible to beholde all of dead mens heads 362 Papas rootes whereof some Indians make a bread called Cugno 186 Papas a kinde of bread 259 Papas in Mexico were the soveraigne priests of the Idols 365 Paraguâ—y a river in America which overflowes like vnto Nile 88 Passage of Pariacaca very daungerous by reason of the winde 146 Passage of Pariacaca one of the highest partes of the earth ibid. Pâ—ste of Mays called by the Indians the flesh of their god Vuziliputzlâ— which they eate 393 Pastures at the Indies lie common which makes flesh good cheap 299 Paltas a delicate fruite and good for the stomacke 277 Painting the booke of fooles 439 Penance inioyned by the Indian Confessors 401 Partriges none in Peru. 70 Pericolâ—â—gero a very heavie beast 314 Parrots flie by stockes like vnto Pigeons 70 Pearles in olde time more esteemed than now 251 Peru abounding in wine 187 Peru abounds more in gold and silver then all the rest of the Indies 207 Peru what part of the world it is 183 Peru a name derived from a river of that country not of Ophir as some thinke 42 Perusiens very carefull to preserve their History by tradition without letters or characters 449 Pleasant manner of fishing at the Indies 168 Pâ—lots why at this day they sit on the poope and not on the prowe as in olde time 55 Phisitions in former times very cunning at the Indies 289 Pines or pine apples at the Indies 262 Pinchao an idoll of the Sunne with what arte he was framed 361 Pleasant act of a Portugall whereby hee freed himselfe from sacrificing 346 Plane brings forth fruit all the yeare 267 Plane leafe fit to write on 268 Planets moove not of themselves in a corruptible body 7 Plants why they profite more at the Indies than in Europe 261 Plebeians excluded from the Kings presence and from all office by Moteçuma 557 Pliny died in too curious a search 196 Pole at the south not marked by anie sixed starre 16 Pongo the most daungerous passage in the worlde vppon the river of Amazons 176 Portugalles very expert in the Arte of navigation 17 Potâ—zi a mountaine famous for the rich mines and howe they were discovered 219 Presages threatning the ruine of states not to be contemned as vain things 560 Priestes which every Indian Nobleman had like
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
Tropicks as Aristotle and Plinie have maintained and before them the Philosopher Parmenides the contrarie whereof is before sufficiently prooved both for the one and the other But many through curiositie may demaund if the Ancients had no knowledge of this trueth which to vs is now so apparent seeing that in trueth it seemeth very strange that this newe worlde which is so spacious as we doe visibly see it should be hidden from the Ancients by so many ages But some at this day seeking to obscure the felicitie of this age and the glory of our Nation strive to proove that the new found world was knowne to the Ancients And in trueth wee cannot deny but there was some apparency S. Ierome writing vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians sayth We seeke with reason what the Apostle meaneth in these wordes where he saith you have walked for a season according to the course of this world whether he would have vs to vnderstand that there is an other world which neither is nor depends of this world but other worldes whereof Clement writes in his Epistle the Ocean and the worldes which are beyond the Ocean These are the wordes of S. Ierome but in trueth I cannot finde this Epistle of S. Clement cited by S. Ierome yet I beleeve vndoubtedly that S. Clement hath written it seeing S. Ierome maketh mention thereof And with reason saint Clement saith that beyond the Ocean there is an other worlde yea many worldes as in trueth there is seeing there is so great distance from one newe worlde to an other new world I meane from Peru and the West Indies to China and the East Indies Moreover Plinie who hath beene so curious a searcher out of strange things reportes in his naturall Historie that Hannon a Captaine of the Carthaginians sayled through the Ocean from the Straight of Gibraltar coasting alongst the land even vnto the confines of Arabia and that hee left this his Navigation in writing If it bee as Plinie writes it followes that Hannon sayled as farre as the Portugals do at this day passing twice vnder the Equinoctiall which is a fearefull thing And the same Plinie reports of Cornelius Nepos a very grave Authour who saith that the same course hath beene sayled by an other man called Eudaxius but by contrary wayes for this Eudaxius following the King of Latyres passed by the redde sea into the Ocean and turning backe came to the Straight of Gibraltar the which Cornelius Nepos affirmes to have happened in his time And also other grave Authors do write that a ship of Carthage driven by force of winde into the Ocean came to a Land which vntill then was vnknowne and returning to Carthage kindled a great desire in the Citizens to discover and people this land the which the Senate perceyving did forbid this navigation by a rigorous decree fearing that with the desire of new lands they should leave to love their owne Countrie By all this wee may gather that the Ancients had some knowledge of the new world yet shall you hardly finde in the bookes of ancient Writers any thing written of our America and all the West Indies but of the East Indies I say there is sufficient testimonie not only of that on the other side but also of that on this side which then was farthest off going thither by a contrary way to that at this day Is it not easie to find Molaco in ancient bookes which they called the golden Chersonese the Cape of Comori which was called the Promontorie of Coci that great famous Iland of Sumatra so well knowne by the ancient name of Taprobana What shall wee say of the two Ethiopiaes the Brachmanes and that great Land of the Chinaes Who doubtes but there was often mention made thereof in ancient bookes But of the West Indies we find not in Plinie that in this navigation they passed the Ilands of the Canaries which he calleth Fortunate the principall whereof is sayd to be called Canarie for the multitude of dogs which are in it But there is scarce any mention in ancient books of the voyages which are made at this day beyond the Canaries by the Gulph which with reason they call great Yet many hold opinion that Seneca the Tragedian did prophecie of the West Indies in his Tragedie of Medea which translated saith thus An age shall come ere ages ende Blessedly strange and strangely blest When our Sea farre and neere or'prest His shoare shall farther yet extend Descryed then shall a large Land be By this profound Seas navigation An other World an other Nation All men shall then discovered see Thule accounted heretofore The worldes extreme the Northerne bound Shall be when Southwest parts be found A neerer Isle a neighbour shoare This Seneca reports in these verses we cannot wel deny but vnderstanding it litterally it is very true for if we reckon the many yeeres he speakes of beginning from the time of the Tragedian it is above a thousand and foure hundred yeeres past and if it were from the time of Medea it is above two thousand yeeres the which we see plainely now accomplished seeing the passage of the Ocean so long time hidden hath beene found out and that they have discovered a great land and a new world inhabited more spatious then all the Continent of Europe and Asia But therein may a question with reason be made whether Seneca spake this by divination or poetically and by chance And to speake my opinion I beleeve hee did divine after the manner of wise men and well advised for that in his time they vndertooke newe voyages and navigations by sea hee knew well like a Philosopher that there was an other land contrary and opposite vnto vs which they call Antichthon And by this ground he might conceyve that the industrie and courage of man might in the ende passe the Ocean and discover new lands and another world for that in Senecaes time they had knowledge of the Voyage which Plinie speaketh of whereby they passed the great Ocean The which seemes to bee the motive of Senecaes prophecie as he giveth vs to vnderstand by these former verses after the which having described the carefull life of the Ancients free from malice he followeth thus Now is it not as earst it was For whether the Ocean will or nill He traverst is by hardy will Which pastime makes time so to passe And a little after he saith thus Now every boat dares swimme and sport On surging Seas fearing no wracke Passengers seeking what they lacke So long a voyage thinke but short Nothing is nowe more to discover No place is now left to surprise Townes now that for defence devise With new fortifications cover All in the world turn'd round about No thing in place as t' was enured Nothing vnseene nothing assured This Circle vniverse throughout The Indian whom at home heate fries Drinkes of Araxis waters cold The Persian rich in
gems and gold Wash in the Rhine and Elbe likewise Seneca did coniecture this by the great courage of men as that which shall happen last saying It shall fall out in the latter age c. as hath bin before mentioned Of the opinion which Plato held of the West Indies CHAP. 12. IF any one hath treated more particularly of the west Indies the honor belongs to Plato who in his time faith thus In those dayes they could not sayle this Gulph meaning the Atlantike Sea which is the Ocean which meetes at the Straight of Gibraltar for that the passage was stopt at the mouth of the pillars of Hercules which is the same Straight of Gibraltar and this Iland was in those dayes ioyned to the foresaid mouth and was of that bignesse as it exceeded all Asia and Affricke together and then was there a passage to goe from these Ilands to others and from those others Ilandes they went to the firme Land the which was neere invironed with the very Sea This is reported by Critias in Plato And such as beleeve that this narration of Plato is a true Historie delivered in these termes say that this great Atlanticke Iland the which did exceed both Affricke and Asia in greatnesse did then comprehend the greatest part of the Ocean called Atlantike which the Spaniards nowe sayle in and that those other Ilands which he sayde were neere vnto this great one are those which wee now call the Ilands of Barlovante that is Cuba Hispaniola S. Iohn de Port ricco Iamaica and other Ilands of that Countrie and that the maine Land whereof hee maketh mention is the same wee now call firme Land that is Peru and America and that Sea which he sayth is adioyning to the firme Land is the South sea the which he calleth the very Sea for that in comparison of her greatnesse all other Seas both Mediterranean yea and the Atlantike Sea are small in regard thereof Hereby in trueth they give a cunning and wittie interpretation to these words of Plato But whether this interpretation should be held for true or not I am resolved to declare in an other place That some have held opinion that in places of holy Scripture whereas they speake of Ophir is to be vnderstood of our Peru. CHAP. 13. SOme hold opinion that mention is made of the West Indies in the holy scripture taking the region of Peru for that Ophir which so famous Robert Steevens or to say more truely Francis Vatable a man well seene in the Hebrew tong as I have heard our master report who was his disciple saith in his annotations vpon the 9. chapter of the 3. booke of Kingsâ— that the Iland of Hispaniola which Christopher Colombus found out was that of Ophir from whence Solomon caused to bee brought foure hundred and twentie or foure hundred and 50. talents of most fine and pure golde for that the golde of Cibao which our men bring from Hispaniola is of the same fashion and qualitie And there are many others which affirme that our Peru is Ophir deriving one name from another who beleeve that when as the booke of Paralipomenon was written they called it Peru grounding it vpon that which the holy scripture saith that they brought from Ophir pure gold precious stones and wood which was rare and goodly which things abound in Peru as they say But in my opinion it is farre from the truth that Peru should be Ophir so famous in the Bible For although in this Peru there be good store of gold yet is there not such aboundance as it may be equalled with the fame of the riches that was in auncient time at the East Indies I finde not that in Peru there are such precious stones or such exquisite woods as the like have not bend seene at Ierusalem For although there be exquisite Emeralds and some hard trees of Aromaticall wood yet do I not finde any thing ofso great commendation as the scripture giueth vnto Ophir Moreover it seemes not likely that Solomon would leave the East Indies most rich and plentifull to send his fleetes to this farther land whether if they had come so often as it is written we had surely found more signes and testimonies thereof Moreover the Etimologie of the name of Ophir and the change or reduction thereof to Peru seemes to me of small consideration being most certaine that the name of Peru is not very auncient nor common to all that countrie It hath beene vsuall in the discoverie of the new world to give names to lands and portes of the sea according to the occasions presented at their ariuall and I beleeve that the name of Peru hath bene so found out and put in practise for we find heere that the name hath bene given to all the countrie of Peru by reason of a river so called by the inhbitants of the countrie where the Spaniards arived vpon their first discoverie Whereby we maintaine that the Indians themselves bee ignorant and do not vse this name and appellation to signifie their land It seemeth moreover the same Authors will say that Sepher spoken of in the scripture is that which we now call Andes which are most high mountaines in Peru. But this resemblance of names and appellations is no sufficient proofe If that were of force we might as well say that Iectan is Iecsan mentioned in the holy scripture Neither may we say that the names of Titus and Paul which the Kings Inguas of Peru do vse come from the Romans or Christians seeing it is too weake an argument to draw a conclusion of great matters We see plainely that it is contrarie to the intention of the holy scriptures which some have written that Tharsis and Ophir were one and the same Province conferring the 22 chapter of the 4. booke of the Kings with the 20. chapter of the second booke of Paralipomenon for that in the booke of the Kings it is said that Iosaphat prepared a fleete of shippes in Asiongaber to fetch golde at Ophir and in Paralipomenon it is written that the same fleete was furnished to go vnto Tharsis Whereby it may be supposed that in these fore-said bookes where the scripture speakes of Tharsis and Ophir that it meanes one thing Some one may demaund what region or Province that Ophir was whether Solomons fleete went with the Mariners of Hyram King of Tyre and Sidon to fetch hold And whether King Iosaphats fleete pretending to go did suffer shipwracke and perish in Asiongaber as the holy scripture doth testifie In this I do willingly agree with the opinion of Ioseph in his books of Antiquities where he saith that it is a Province of the East Indies the which was found by that Ophir the sonne of Iectan wherâ—of mention is made in the 10. of Genessis and that Province did abound with most fine gold Thereof it comes they did so much extol the gold of Ophir or of Ophas or as some wil
Philosophie worthy of accoumpt The greatest part of Platoes Interpreters affirme that it is a true Historie whatsoever Critias reports of the strange beginning of the Atlantike Iland of the greatnes thereof of the warres they had against them of Europe with many other things That which gives it the more credite of a true Historie be the wordes of Critias whom Plato brings in in his time saying that the subiect he meanes to treate of is of strange things but yet true The other disciples of Plato considering that this discourse hath more shew of a fable then of a true Historie say that we must take it as an allegorie and that such was the intention of their divine Philosopher Of this opinion is Procles and Porphire yea and Origene who so much regardes the writings of Plato as when they speake thereof they seeme to bee the bookes of Moses or of Esdras and whereas they thinke the writings of Plato have no shew of truth they say they are to be vnderstood mystically and in allegories But to say the truth I do not so much respect the authoritie of Plato whom they call Divine as I wil beleeve he could write these things of the Atlantike Iland for a true Historie the which are but meere fables seeing hee confesseth that hee learned them of Critias being a little childe who among other songs sung that of the Atlantike Iland But whether that Plato did write it for a true Historie or a fable for my part I beleeve that all which he hath written of this Iland beginning at the Dialogue of Time and continuing to that of Critias cannot be held for true but among children and old folkes Who will not accoumpt it a fable to say that Neptune fell in love with Clite and had of her five paire of twinnes at one birth And that out of one mountaine hee drew three round balles of water and two of earth which did so well resemble as you would have iudged them all one bowell What shall wee say moreover of that Temple of a thousand pace long and five hundred broade whose walles without were all covered with silver the seeling of gold and within ivorie indented and inlaied with gold silver and pearle In the end speaking of the ruine thereof he concludes thus in his time In one day and one night came a great deluge whereby all our souldiers were swallowed by heapes within the earth and in this sort the Atlantike Iland being drowned it vanished in the Sea Without doubt it fell out happily that this Iland vanished so suddenly seeing it was bigger then Asia and Affrike and that it was made by enchantment It is in likesort all one to say that the ruines of this so great an Iland are seene in the bottome of the sea and that the Mariners which see them cannot saile that way Then he addes For this cause vnto this day that Sea is not navigable by reason of the bancke which by little little is growne in that drowned Iland I would willingly demand what Sea could swallow vp so infinite a continent of land greater then Asia and Affrike whose confines stretched vnto the Indies and to swallow it vp in such sort as there should at this day remaine no signes nor markes thereof whatsoever seeing it is well knowne by experience that the Mariners finde no bottome in the Sea where they say this Iland was Notwithstanding it may seeme indiscreete and farre from reason to dispute seriously of those things which are reported at pleasure or if we shall give that respect to the authoritie of Plato as it is reason we must rather vnderstand them to signifie simply as in a picture the prosperitie of a Citie and withall the ruine thereof For the argument they make to prove that this Atlantike Iland hath bene really and indeede saying that the sea in those parts doth at this day beare the name of Atlantike is of small importance for that wee knowe Mount Atlas whereof Plinie sayes this sea tooke the name is vpon the confines of the Mediterranean Sea And the same Plinie reportes that ioyning to the said Mount there is an Iland called Atlantike which he reportes to be little and of small accompt That the opinion of many which holde that the first race of the Indians comes from the Iewes is not true CHAP. 23. NOw that wee have shewed how vnlikely it is that the first Indians passed to the Indies by the Atlantike Iland there are others holde opinion that they tooke the way whereof Esdras speakes in his fourth booke in this manner And whereas thou sawest that he gathered an other peaceable troope vnto him thou shalt know those are the ten tribes which were caried away captives out of their own land in the time of king Ozeas whom Salmanazar king of the Assyrians tooke captives and ledde them beyond the river so were they brought into an other land but they tooke this counsell to themselves to leave the multitude of the heathen and go forth into a farther countrie where never mankind dwelt that they might there observe their statutes which they could not keepe in their owne land and they entred by the narrowe passages of the river Euphrates for then God shewed his wonders and stayed the springs of the flood vntill they were passed over for the way vnto that Countrie is very long yea of a yeere and a halfe and this Region is called Arsareth then dwelt they there vntill the latter time and when they come forth againe the most Mightie shall hold still the springs of the river againe that they may goe through for this cause sawest thou this multitude peaceable Some will apply this text of Esdras to the Indies saying they were guided by God whereas never mankinde dwelt and that the land where they dwelt is so farre off as it requires a yeere and a halfe to performe the voyage beeing by nature very peaceable And that there are great signes and arguments amongst the common sort of the Indians to breed a beleefe that they are descended from the Iewes for commonly you shall see them fearefull submisse ceremonious and subtill in lying And moreover they say their habites are like vnto those the Iewes vsed for they weare a short coat or waste-coat and a cloake imbroidered all about they goe bare-footed or with soles tied with latchers over the foot which they call Oiotas And they say that it appeares by their Histories as also by their ancient pictures which represent them in this fashion that this attire was the ancient habite of the Hebrewes and that these two kinds of garments which the Indians onely vse were vsed by Samson which the Scripture calleth Tunicam and Sidonem beeing the same which the Indians terme wast-coat and cloake But all these coniectures are light and rather against them then with them for wee know well that the Hebrewes vsed letters whereof there is no shew among the Indians they were great
safe This Lake containes almost foure score leagues thirtie five in length and fifteene in bredth at the largest place There are many Ilands which in olde time were inhabited and tilled but now lie waste It brings forth a great aboundance of reedes which the Indians call Totora which serves them to a thousand vses for it is meate for swine for horses and for men they make houses therewith fire and barkes To conclude the Vros in this their Totora finde all they have neede of These Vros be such dull and brutish people as they esteeme not themselves men It is reported of them that being demanded of what nation they were They answered they were not men but Vros as it were some kinde of beastes There are whole villages of these Vros inhabiting in the Lake in their boates of Totora the which are tied together and fastened to some rocke and often times the whole village changeth from place to place So as hee that would seeke them now whereas they were yesterday shall finde no shew nor remainder of them or of their village The current or issue of this Lake having runne above fiftie leagues makes another Lake but lesse then the first which they call Paria and containes in it some small Ilands but they finde no issue thereof Some imagine it runnes vnder the ground that it falles into the South sea giving out that there is a branch of a river which they see rise and enter into the sea neere the banke having no knowledge of the Spring But contrariwise I beleeve that the waters of this Lake dissolve and are dispearsed within the Lake it selfe through the heate of the Sunne This discourse seemes sufficient to prove that the Ancients had no reason to holde that the middle region was inhabitable for the defect of waters seeing there is such store both from heaven and on the earth Shewing the reason why the Sunne without the Tropicks causeth greatest quantitie of waters when it is farthest off and contrariwise within them it breedeth most when it is neerest CHAP. 7. COnsidering with my selfe often times what should cause the Equinoctial to be so moist as I have said to refute the opinion of the Ancients I finde no other reason but the great force of the sunne in those partes whereby it drawes vnto it a great aboundance of vapors from out of the Ocean which in those parts is very great and spatious and having drawne vnto it this great aboundance of vapours doth suddenly dissolve them into raine and it is approoved by many tryed experiences that the raine and great stormes from heaven proceed from the violent heat of the Sunne first as we have said before it raines in those countries whenas the Sunne casts his beames directly vpon the earth at which time he hath most force but when the Sun retyres the heat is moderate and then there falls no raine whereby we may conclude that the force and heat of the Sunne is the cause of raine in those Countries Moreover we observe both in Peru New Spaine and in all the burning Zone that the raine doth vsually fall in after-noone when as the sunne-beames are in their greatest force being strange to see it raine in the morning And therefore travellers fore-seeing it begin their iourneyes earely that they may end and rest before noone for they hold that commonly it raines after noone Such as have frequented and travelled those Countriâ—s can sufficiently speake thereof And there are that having made some abode there say that the greatest aboundance of raine is when the Moone is at the full but to say the trueth I could never make sufficient proofe thereof although I have observed it Moreover the dayes the yeere and the moneths shew the trueth hereof that the violent heate of the sunne causeth the raine in the burning Zone experience teacheth vs the like in artificiall thinges as in a Limbecke wherein they draw waters from hearbs flowers for the vehemencie of the fire forceth and driveth vp an aboundance of vapours which being pressed and finding no issue are converted into liquor and water The like wee see in gold and silver which wee refine with quicke-silver the fire being small and slow wee draw out almost nothing of the quicke-silver but if it bee quicke and violent it doth greatly evaporate the quick-silver which incountring the head above doth presently turne into liquor and begins to drop downe Even so the violent heate of the sunne produceth these two effects when it finds matter disposed that is to draw vp the vapours on high and to dissolve them presently and turne them into raine when there is any obstacle to consume them And although these things seeme contrary that one sunne within the burning Zone being neere should cause raine and without the Zone afarre off should breed the like effect so it is that all well considered there is no contrarietie A thousand effects in naturall causes proceede of contrarie things by divers meanes we drie linnen by the fire and in the aire and yet the one heats and the other cooles pastures are dried and hardened by the sunne and with the frost moderate exercise provokes sleepe being too violent it hindereth if you lay no wood on the fire it dieth if you lay on toâ— much it likewise quencheth for the onely proportion entertaines and makes it to continue To well discerne a thing it must not be too neere the eie nor too farre off but in a reasonable distance proportionable being too farre off from any thing we loose the sight and too neere likewise we cannot see it If the sunne beames be weake they draw vp no fogge from the rivers if they be violent having drawne vp the vapours they presently dissolve and consume them but if the heat be moderate it drawes vp and preserves it for this reason the vapours rise not commonly in the night nor at noone but in morning whenas the sunne begins to enter into his force There are a thousand examples of naturall causes vpon this subiect which we see do often grow from contrarie things whereby we must not wonder if the sunne being neere engenders raine and being farre off works the like effect but being of a moderate and proportionable distance causeth none at all Yet there remaines one doubt why the neerenes of the sunne causeth the raine vnder the burning Zone and without when it is farthest off In my opinion the reason is that in Winter without the Tropicks the sunne hath not force sufficient to consume the vapours which rise from the land and sea for these vapours grow in great aboundance in the cold region of the aire where they are congealed and thickened by the extremitie of the cold and after being pressed they dissolve and turne into water Therefore in Winter when the sunne is farthest off the daies short and the nights long his heat hath small force but when the sunne approacheth which is in the summer time his force is
such as it drawes vp the vapors and suddenly consumes and disperseth them for the heat and the length of the daies grow through the neerenes of the sunne But within the Tropickes vnder the burning Zone the far distance of the sunne workes the same effects that the neerenes doth without the Tropiks by reason whereof it raines no more vnder the burning Zone when the sunne is farre off then without the Tropicks when it is neerest for that in this approaching and retyâ—ing the sunne remaines alwaies in one distance whence proceedes this effect of cleerenes But when the sunne is in the period of his force in the burning zone and that he cast his beames directly vpon the inhabitants heads there is neither cleerenes nor drienes as it seems there should be but rather great and strange showers for that by this violent heat he drawes vp suddenly a great aboundance of vapours from the Earth and Ocean which are so thicke as the winde not able easily to disperse them they melt into water which breedeth the cold raine in so great aboundance for the excessive heat may soone draw vp many vapours the which are not so soone dissolved and being gathered together through their great aboundance they melt and dissolve into water The which we may easily discerne by this familiar example rost a peece of porke mutton or veale if the fire be violent and the meate neere we see the fatte melts suddenly and droppes away the reason is that the violent heat drawes forth the humour and fatte from the meate and being in great aboundance cannot dissolve it and so it distills more away But when the fire is moderate and the meat in an equall distance we see that it rostes hansomely and the fatte drops not too suddenly for that the moderate heat drawes out the moistnes which it consumes suddenly And therefore Cookes make a moderate fire and lay not their meate too neere nor too farre off lest it melt away The like may be seene in another experience in candles of tallow or waxe if the wike bee great it melts the tallow or the waxe for that the heat cannot consume the moistnes which riseth but if the flame be proporcionable the waxe melts nor droppes not for that the flame doth waste it by little and little as it riseth The which seemeth to me the true reason why vnder the Equinoctiall and burning Zone the violence of the heat doth cause raine the which in other Regions growes through want thereof How wee should vnderstand that which hath been formerly spoken of the burning Zone CHAP. 8. IF in naturall and phisicall things we must not seeke out infallible and mathematicall rules but that which is ordinarie and tried by experience which is the most perfect rule wee must then beleeve what wee have said that there is more humiditie vnder the burning Zone then in other Regions and that it raines lesse there when the sunne is neerest must be taken and vnderstood after one sort as in truth it is the most common and ordinarie But this is not to hinder the exceptions which nature hath given to this rule making some Regions of the burning Zone extreamely drie The which is reported of Ethiopia and wee have seene it in a great part of Peru where all that land or coast which they call Plaines wants raine yea land waters except some vallies where rivers fall from the mountaines the rest is a sandie and barren soile where you shall hardly finde any springs but some deepe welles But with the helpe of God wee will shew the reason why it raineth not in these Plaines the which many demand for now I onely pretend to shew that there are many exceptions to naturall rules whereby it may happen that in some part of the burning Zone it raines not when the sunne is neerest but being farthest off although vnto this daie I have neither seene nor heard of it but if it be so wee must attribute it to the particular qualitie of the earth and also if sometimes the contrarie doth chance we must have regard that in naturall things there happens many contrarieties and leâ—s whereby they change and dissolve one another For example it may be the sunne will cause raine and that the winds will hinder it or else cause more aboundance then hath been vsuall The windes have their properties and divers beginnings by the which they worke divers effects the which are most commonly contrarie to that which the order season requires Seeing then in all places we see great varieties in the yeere which proceedes from the divers motions and aspectes of Planets it is not out of purpose to say that in the burning Zone wee may see and observe some things contrarie to that we have tried But to conclude that which we have spoken is a certaine and vndoubted truth which is that the great draught which the Ancients held to be in the middle region which they call the burning Zone is nothing at all but contrariwise there is great humiditie and then it raines most when the sunne is neerest That the Burning Zone is not violently hotte but moderate CHAP. 9. HItherto wee haue treated of the humiditie of the Burning Zone now it shall be fit to discourse of the other two qualities Hotte and Colde We have shewed in the beginning of this Discourse how the Ancients held that the burning Zone was hotte and exceeding drie the which is not so for it is hote and moist and in the greatest part the heat is not excessive but rather moderate which some would hold incredible if we had not tried it When I passed to the Indies I will tell what chaunced vnto mee having read what Poets and Philosophers write of the bâ—â—ning Zone I perswaded my selfe that comming to the Equinoctiall I should not indure the violent heate but it fell out otherwise for when I passed which was when the sun was there for Zenith being entered into Aries in the moneth of March I felt so great cold as I was forced to go into the sunne to warme me what could I else do then but laugh at Aristotles Meteors and his Philosophie seeing that in that place and at that season whenas all should be scorched with heat according to his rules I and all my companions were a colde In truth there is no region in the world more pleasant and temperate then vnder the Equinoctiall although it be not in all parts of an equall temperature but have great diversities The burning Zone in some parts is very temperate as in Quitto and on the plaines of Peru in some partes verie colde as at Potozi and in some very hote as in Ethiopia Bresill and the Molucques This diversitie being knowne and certaine vnto vs we must of force seeke out another cause of cold and heat then the sunne beames seeing that in one season of theyeere and in places of one height and distance from the Pole and Equinoctiall we finde so great diversitie
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
Gallies go and come daily coasting along the shoare In some partes of the Ocean they may not looke for any other winde then that which blowes for that commonly it continues long To conclude that which is good to go by is not fit to returne with for in the sea beyond the Tropicke and within the burning Zone the Easterly windes raine continually not suffering their contraries In the which region there are two strange things the one is that in that Zone being the greatest of the five into the which the world is divided the Easterly windes which they call Brises do raine not suffering the Westerne or Southerne which they call lower windes to have their course at any season of the yeere The other wonder is that these Easterly windes never cease to blow and most commonly in places neerest to the line where it seemes that calmes should be more frequent being a part of the world most subiâ—ct to the heate of the Sunne but it is contrarie for you shall hardly finde any calmes there and the winde is cold and continues longer which hath been found true in all the navigations of the Indies This is the reason why the voyage they make from Spaine to the West Indies is shorter more easie and more assured then the returne to Spaine The fleetes parting from Siville have more difficultie to passe the Canaries for that the gulph of Yegues or of Mares is variable being beaten with divers windes but having passed the Canaries they saile with a westerne winde vntill they come to the burning Zone where presently they finde an Easterly winde and so they saile on with full windes so as they have scant any neâ—de to touch their sailes in the whole voiage for this reason they called this great gulph the gulph of Dances for the calmenes and pleasantnes thereof Then following their course they come to the Ilands of Guadelupe Dominique Desirâ—e Marigualante and the rest which in that place be as it were the suburbs of the Indies There the fleetes seperate and divide themselves whereof some which go to new Spaine take to the right hand towards Hispaniola and having discovered Cape S. Anthonie they passe vnto S. Ihon Delua alwaies vsing the same Easterly windes Those for the maine Land take the left hand discovering the high mountaine of Tayrone then having touched at Carthagene they passe vnto Nombre de Dios from whence they go by land to Panama and from thence by the South sea to Peru. But when the fleetes returne to Spaine they make their voiage in this sort The fleete of Peru discovers Cape S. Anthonie then they enter into the Havana which is a goodly Port in the Iland of Cuba The fleete of new Spaine doth likewise touch at the Havana being parted from the true Crosse or from the Iland of S. Ihon Delua the which is not without difficultie for that commonly Easterly windes blow there which is a contrarie winde to go to the Havana These fleetes being ioyned together for Spaine they seeke their height without the Tropicks where presently they finde Westerly winds which serve them vntill they come in view of the Acores or Terceres and from thence to Seville So as their voiage in going is of a small height not above twentie degrees from the line which is within the Tropickes But the returne is without the Tropickes in eight and twentie or thirtie degrees of height at the least for that within the Tropickes the Easterne winds continually blow the which are fittest to go from Spaine to the West Indies for that their course is from East to west and without the Tropickes which is in three and twentie degrees of height they finde westerly winds the which are the more certaine and ordinarie the farther you are from the line and more fit to returne from the Indies for that they are windes blowing from the South and West which serve to runne into the East and North. The like discourse is of the Navigation made into the South sea going from new Spaine or Peru to the Philippines or China and returning from the Philippines or China to new Spaine the which is easie for that they saile alwaies from East to West neere the line where they finde the Easterly windes to blow in their poope In the yeere 1584. there went a shippe from Calloâ— in Lima to the Philippines which sailed 2000. and 700. leagues without sight of land and the first it discovered was the Iland of Lusson where they tooke port having performed their voiage in two moneths without want of winde or any torment and their course was almost continually vnder the line for that from Lima which is twelve degrees to the South he came to Menilla which is as much to the North. The like good fortune had Alvaro de Mandana whenas he went to discover the Ilands of Soloman for that he had alwaies a full gale vntill he came within view of these Ilands the which must be distant from that place of Peru from whence he parted about a thousand leagues having runne their course alwaies in one height to the South The returne is like vnto the voiage from the Indies vnto Spaine for those which returne from the Philippines or China to Mexico to the end they may recover the Westerne windes they mount a great height vntill they come right against the Ilands of Iappon and discovering the Caliphornes they returne by the coast of new Spaine to the Port of Acapulco from whence they parted So as it is proved likewise by this navigation that they saile easily from East to West within the Tropickes for that their Easterly windes do raine but returning from West to East they must seeke the Westerne windes without the Tropickes in the height of seven and twentie degrees The Portingales prove the like in their navigations to the East Indies although it be in a contrarie course for that going from Portugall the voiage is troublesome but their returne is more easie for that in going their course is from the West to the East so as they must of necessitie mount vntill they have found their generall windes which they hold to be above the seven and twentith degree And in their returne they discover the Terceres but with more ease for that they come from the East where the Easterly or Northerne windes do serve them Finally the Marriners hold it for a certaine rule and observation that within the Tropickes continually raine Easterly windes and therefore it is very easie to saile to the West But without the Tropickes there are in some seasons Easterly windes and in some and more ordinarie Westerne windes by reason whereof they which saile from West to East labour alwaies to be out of of the burning Zone to put themselves in the height of seven and twentie degrees And for this reason men have indangered themselves to vndertake strange Navigations and to seeke out farre Countries vnknowne Of the differences of the Brises or
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
sittes firme and to give him full payment for this trouble he beates another stake into the other vent or nosthrill so as he stoppeth him quite and takes away his breathing then hee betakes him to his Canoe which he holdes tied with a corde to the whales side and goes to land having first tied his corde to the whale the which hee lettes runne with the whale who leapes from place to place whilest he finds water enough being troubled with paine in the end hee comes neere the land and remaines on ground by the hugenesse of his body vnable any more to moove then a great number of Indians come vnto the Conqueror to gather his spoiles they kill him and cut his flesh in peeces the which is bad enough this do they drie and beate into powlder vsing it for meate it dooth last them long wherein is fulfilled that which is spoken in another Psalme of the whale Dedisti eum escam populis Aethiopum Peter Mendez the Adelantade did often speake of this kinde of fishing Whereof Mâ—nardes makes mention in his booke There is an other fishing which the Indians do commonly vse in the sea the which although it be lesse yet is it worthy the report They make as it were faggots of bul-rushes or drie sedges well bound together which they call Baâ—sas having carried them vppon their shoulders to the sea they cast them in and presently leape vppon them being so set they lanch out into the deepe rowing vp and downe with small reedes of eyther side they goe a league or two into the sea to fish carrying with them their cordes and nettes vppon these faggots and beare themselves thereon They cast out their nettes and do there remaine fishing the greatest parte of the day and night vntill they have filled vp their measure with the which they returne wel satisfied Truely it was delightfull to see them fish at Callao of Lima for that they were many in number and every one set on horsebacke cutting the waves of the sea which in their place of fishing are great and furious resembling the Tritons or Neptunes which they paint vppon the water and beeing come to land they drawe their barke out of the water vpon their backes the which they presently vndoe and lay abroade on the shoare to drie There were other Indians of the vallies of Yca which were accustomed to goe to fish in leather or skinnes of sea-wolves blowne vp with winde and from time to time they did blowe them like balles of winde lest they should sinke In the vale of Canete which in olde time they called Guaroo there were a great number of Indian fishers but bicause they resisted the Ingua when he came to conquer that land he made shew of peace with them and therefore to feast him they appoynted a solemne fishing of manie thousand Indians which went to sea in their vessels of reeds at whose returne the Ingua who had layde many souldiers in ambush made a cruell butcherie of them so as afterward this land remained vnpeopled although it be aboundant and fertile I did see an other manner of fishing wherevnto Don Francis of Toledo the Viceroy didde leade mee yet was it not in the sea but in a river which they call great in the Province of Charcas where the Indians Chiraquanas plunged into the water and swimming wyth an admirable swiftnesse followed the fish where with dartes and hookes which they vse to carry in their right hand only swimming with the left they wound the fish and so hurt they brought them foorth seeming in this more like vnto fishes then men of the land But now that we have left the sea let vs come to other kinde of waters that remaine to be spoken of Of Lakes and Pooles that be at the Indies CHAP. 16. IN place of the Mediterranean Sea which is in the old world the Creator hath furnished this new with many Lakes whereof there are some so great as they may be properly called seas seeing the Scripture calleth that of Palestina so which is not so great as some of these The most famous is that of Titicaca which is at Peru in the Province of Callao the which as I have said in the former booke containes neere fourscore leagues in compasse into the which there runnes ten or twelve great rivers A while since they began to saile in it with barkes and shippes wherein they proceeded so ill that the first shippe was split with a tempest that did rise in the Lake The water is not altogether sower nor salt as that of the sea but it is so thicke as it cannot be drunke There are two kindes of fishes breed in this Lake in great aboundance the one they call Suches which is great and savorous but phlegmatike and vnwholesome and the other Bogos which is more healthfull although it be lesse and fuller of bones there are great numbers of wilde-duckes and wigens Whenas the Indians will feast it or shew delight to any one that passeth along the two banckes which they call Chucuyto and Omasugo they assemble a great number of Canoes making a circle and invironing the fowle vntill they take with their hands what they please and they call this maner of fishing Chaco On the one and the other banke of this Lake are the best habitations of Peru. From the issue thereof there growes a lesser Lake although it be great which they call Paria vpon the bankes whereof there are great numbers of cattell especially swine which grow exceeding fatte with the grasse vpon those banks There are many other Lakes in the high mountains whence proceede brooks rivers which after become great flouds Vpon the way from Arequippa to Callao there are two Lakes vpon the mountains of th' one other side the way from th' one flowes a brooke which growes to a â—loud and falles into the South sea from the other they say the famous river of Aporima takes her beginning from the which some hold that the renowned river of Amazos otherwise called Maragnon proceedes with so great an assembly and aboundance of waters which ioyne in these mountaines It is a question may be often asked why there are so many Lakes in the toppes of these mountaines into the which no river enters but contrariwise many great streames issue forth and yet do we scarce see these Lakes to diminish any thing at any season of the yeere To imagine that these Lakes grow by the snow that melts or raine from heaven that doth not wholy satisfie me for there are many that have not this aboundance of snow nor raine and yet we see no decrease in them which makes me to beleeve they are springs which rise there naturally although it be not against reason to thinke that the snow and raine helpe somewhat in some seasons These Lakes are so common in the highest toppes of the mountaines that you shall hardly finde any famous river that takes not his beginning from one of
Yucay which ioyning with another runnes into the North sea with a violent and furious course This spring when it comes out of the rocke Bilcanota as I have said is of the colour of lie having an asshie colour and castes a fume as a thing burnt the which runs farre in this sort vntill the multitude of waters that runne into it quench this smoake and fire which it drawes from the spring In new Spaine I have seene a spring as it were inke somewhat blew in Peru another of colour red like bloud wherevpon they call it the red river Of Rivers CHAP. 18. AMongst all Rivers not onely at the Indies but generally through the world the River Maragnon or of Amazons is the chiefe whereof we have spoken in the former booke The Spaniards have often sailed it pretending to discover the lands which by report are very rich especially those they call Dorado and Paytiti Iean de Salnies the Adelantade made a memorable entrie though of small effect There is a passage which they call Pongo one of the most daungerous in all the worlde for the river being there straightned and forced betwixt two high steepe rockes the water falles directly downe with so great a violence that comming steepe downe it causeth such a boyling as it seemeth impossible to passe it without drowning yet the courage of men durst attempt to passe it for the desire of this renowmed Dorado they slipt downe from the top to the bottome thrust on with the violence and currant of the floud holding themselves fast in their Canoes or barkes and although in falling they were turned topsie turvie and both they and their Canoes plunged into the deepe yet by their care and industry they recovered themselves againe and in this sort the whole army escaped except some few that were drowned And that which is more admirable they carried themselves so cunningly that they neyther lost their powlder nor munition In their returne having suffered many troubles and daungers they were forced in the end to passe backe that same way mounting by one of those high Rockes sticking their poniards in the rocke Captaine Peter d' Orsua made an other entry by the same river who being dead in the same voyage and the souldiers mutined other Captaines followed the enterprise by an arme that comes into the north sea A religious man of our company told vs that being then a secular man he was present in a manner at all that enterprise and that the tides did flowe almost a hundred leaguâ—s vp the river and whereas it enters into the sea the which is vnder the Line or very neere it hath 70. leagues breadth at the mouth of it a matter incredible and which exceedes the breadth of the Mediterranean sea though there be some others who in their descriptions give it but twenty five or thirty leagues bredth at the mouth Next to this river that of Plata or of Silver holdes the second place which is otherwise called Paraguâ—y which runnes from the mountaines of Peru into the sea in thirty five degrees of altitude to the South it riseth as they say like to the river of Nile but much more without comparison and makes the fields it overflowes like vnto a sea for the space of three moneths and after returneth againe to his course in the which ships do saile many leagues against the streame There are many other rivers that are not of that greatnes and yet are equall yea they surpasse the greatest of Europe as that of Magdalaine neere to Saint Marthe the great river and that of Alvarado in new Spaine and an infinit number of others Of the south side on the mountains of Peru the rivers are not vsually so great for that their current is not long and that many waters cannot ioyne together but they are very swift descending from the mountaines and have sodaine falles by reason whereof they are very dangerous and many men have perished there They increase and overflowe most in the time of heate I have gone over twenty and seaven rivers vpon that coast yet did I never passe any one by a foord The Indians vse a thousand devises to passe their rivers In som places they have a long cord that runs fro one side to th' other thereon hangs a basket into the which he puts himselfe that meanes to passe and then they drawe it from the bancke with another corde so as hee passeth in this basket In other places the Indian passeth as it were on horse backe vppon a bottle of straw and behinde him hee that desires to passe and so rowing with a peece of a boorde carries him over In other places they make a floate of gourds or pompions vppon the which they set men with their stuffe to carry over and the Indians having cordes fastned to them goe swimming before and drawe this floate of pompions after them as horses doe a Coach others goe behinde thrusting it forward Having passed they take their barke of pompions vppon their backe and returne swimming this they doe in the river of Saint at Peru. We passed that of Alvarado in new Spaine vpon a table which the Indians carried vpon their shoulders and when they lost their footing they swamme These devises with a thousand others wherewith they vse to passe their rivers breede a terrour in the beholders helping themselves with such weake and vnsure means and yet they are very confident They do vse no other bridges but of haire or of straw There are now vppon some rivers bridges of stone built by the diligence of some governours but many fewer then were needfull in such a country where so many men are drowned by default thereof and the which yeeldes so much silver as not onely Spaine but also other strange Countries make sumptuous buildings therewith The Indians do drawe from these floudes that runne from the mountaines to the vallies and plaines many and great brooks to water their land which they vsually doe with such industry as there are no better in Murcia nor at Millan it selfe the which is also the greatest and onely wealth of the Plaines of Peru and of many other partes of the Indies Of the qualitie of the land at the Indies in generall CHAP. 19. WE may know the qualitie of the land at the Indies for the greatest parte seeing it is the last of the three Elements whereof wee have propounded to treate in this Booke by the discourse we have made in the former Booke of the burning Zone seeing that the greatest part of the Indies dooth lie vnder it But to make it knowne the more particularly I have observed three kindes of lands as I have passed through those Regions whereof there is one very lowe another very high and the third which holds the middle of these two extreames The lower is that which lieth by the sea coasts whereof there is in all partes of the Indies and it is commonly very hote and moist so as it is
experience that the course of rivers being turned the welles have beene dried vp vntill they returned to their ordinarie course and they give this reason for a materiall cause of this effect but they have another efficient which is no lesse considerable and that is the great height of the Sierre which comming along the coast shadowes the Lanos so as it suffers no winde to blowe from the land but above the toppes of these mountaines By meanes whereof there raines no winde but that from the Sea which finding no opposite doth not presse nor straine forth the vapors which rise to engender raine so as the shadowe of the mountaines keepes the vapors from thickning and convertes them all into mistes There are some experiences agree with this discourse for that it raines vpon some small hilles along the coast which are least shadowed as the rockes of Atico and Arequipa It hath rained in some yeeres whenas the Northern or easterly windes have blowen yea all the time they have continued as it happened in seventie eight vpon the Lanâ—s of Trugillo where it rained aboundantly the which they had not seene in many ages before Moreover it raines vpon the same coast in places whereas the Easterly or Northerne windes be ordinarie as in Guayaquil and in places whereas the land riseth much and turnes from the shadow of the mountaines as in those that are beyond Ariqua Some discourse in this maner but let every one thinke as he please It is most certaine that comming from the mountaines to the vallies they do vsually see as it were two heavens one cleere and bright above and the other obscure and as it were a graie vaile spread vnderneath which covers all the coast and although it raine not yet this mist is wonderfull profitable to bring forth grasse and to raise vp and nourish the seede for although they have plentie of water which they draw from the Pooles and Lakes yet this moisture from heaven hath such a vertue that ceasing to fal vpon the earth it breedes a great discommoditie and defect of graine and seedes And that which is more worthy of admiration the drie and barren sandes are by this deaw so beautified with grasse and flowers as it is a pleasing and agreeable sight and verie profitable for the feeding of cattell as we see in the mountaine called Sandie neere to the Cittie of Kings Of the propertie of new Spaine of the Ilands and of other Lands CHAP. 22. NEw Spaine passeth all other Provinces in pastures which breedes infinite troopes of horse kine sheepe and other cattell It aboundes in fruite and all kinde of graine To conclude it is a Countrie the best furnished and most accomplished at the Indies Yet Peru doth surpasse it in one thing which is wine for that there growes store and good and they daily multiplie and increase the which doth grow in very hote vallies where there are waterings And although there bee vines in new Spaine yet the grape comes not to his maturitie fit to make wine The reason is for that it raines there in Iulie and August whenas the grape ripens and therefore it comes not to his perfection And if any one through curiositie would take the paines to make wine it should be like to that of Genua and Lombardie which is very small and sharpe having a taste like vnto veriuice The Ilands which they call Barlovente which be Hispaniola Cuba Port Ricco others there abouts are beautified with many greene pastures and abound in cattell as neate and swine which are become wilde The wealth of these Ilands be their sugar-workes and hides There is much Cassia fistula ginger It is a thing incredible to see the multitude of these marchandizes brought in one fleete being in a maner impossible that all Europe should waste so much They likewise bring wood of an excellent qualitie and colour as Ebone others which serve for buildings and Ioyners There is much of that wood which they call Lignum Sanctum or Guage fit to cure the pox All these Ilands and others there abouts which are many have a goodly and pleasant aspect for that throughout the yeere they are beautified with grasse greene trees so as they cannot discerne when it is Autumne or Summer by reason of continuall moisture ioyned to the heate of the burning Zone And although this land be of a great circuite yet are there few dwellings for that of it selfe it engenders great Arcabutos as they call them which be Groves or very thicke Coppeses and on the plaines there are many marishes and bogges They give yet another notable reason why they are so smally peopled for that there have remained few naturall Indians through the inconsideratenesse and disorder of the first Conquerors that peopled it and therefore for the most part they vse Negros but they cost deere being very fit to till the land There growes neither bread nor wine in these Ilands for that the too great fertilitie and the vice of the soile suffers them not to seede but castes all forth in grasse very vneaqually There are no olive trees at the least they beare no olives but manie greene leaves pleasant to the view which beare no fruite The bread they vse is of Cacave whereof we shall heereafter speake There is gold in the riuers of these Ilands which some draw foorth but in small quantitie I was little lesse then a yeere in these ilands and as it hath beene told me of the maine land of the Indies where I have not been as in Florida Nicaraqua Guatimala and others it is in a maner of this temper as I have described yet have I not set downe every particular of Nature in these Provinces of the firme land having no perfect knowledge thereof The Countrie which doth most resemble Spaine and the regions of Europe in all the West Indies is the realme of Chille which is without the generall rule of these other Provinces being seated without the burning Zone and the Tropicke of Capricorne This land of it selfe is coole and fertile and brings forth all kindes of fruites that be in Spaine it yeeldes great aboundance of bread and wine and aboundes in pastures and cattell The aire is wholesome and cleere temperate betwixt heate and cold winter and summer are very distinct and there they finde great store of very fine gold Yet this land is poore and finally peopled by reason of their continuall warre with the Auricanos and their associates being a rough people and friends to libertie Of the vnknowne Land and the diversitie of a whole day betwixt them of the East and the West CHAP. 23. THere are great coniectures that in the temperate Zone at the Antartike Pole there are great and fertile lands but to this day they are not discovered neither do they know any other land in this Zone but that of Chille and some part of that land which runnes from Ethiopia to the Cape of Good Hope as
hath been said in the first booke neither is it knowne if there be any habitations in the other two Zones of the Poles and whether the land continues and stretcheth to that which is towards the Antartike or South Pole Neither do we know the land that lies beyond the straight of Magellan for that the greatest height yet discovered is in fiftie â—ix degrees as hath beene formerly saide and toward the Artike or Northerne Pole it is not knowne how farre the land extendes which runnes beyond the Cape of Mendocin and the Caliphornes nor the bounds and end of Florida neither yet how farre it extendes to the West Of late they have discovered a new land which they call New Mexico where they say is much people that speake the Mexicaine tongue The Philippines and the following Ilands as some report that know it by experience ranne above nine hundred leagues But to intreate of China Cochinchina Syam and other regions which are of the East Indies were contrary to my purpose which is onely to discourse of the West nay they are ignorant of the greatest part of America which lies betwixt Peru and Bresill although the bounds be knowne of all sides wherein there is diversitie of opinions some say it is a drowned land full of Lakes and waterie places Others affirme there are great and florishing kingdomes imagining there be the Paytiti the Dorado and the Caesars where they say are wonderfull things I have heard one of our company say a man worthy of credite that hee had seene great dwellings there and the waies as much beaten as those betwixt Salamanca and Villadillit the which he did see whenas Peter d'Orsua and after those that succeeded him made their entrie and discoverie by the great river of Amazons who beleeving that the Dorado which they sought was farther off cared not to inhabitâ— there and after went both without the Dorado which they could not finde and this great Province which they left To speake the truth the habitations of America are to this day vnknowne except the extreamities which are Peru Bresill and that part where the land beginnes to straighten which is the river of Silver then Tucuman which makes the round to Chille and Charcâ— Of late we have vnderstood by letters from some of ours which go to S. Croix in the Sierre that they go discovering of great Provinces and dwellings betwixt Bresill and Peru. Time will reveile them for as at this day the care and courage of men is great to compasse the world from one part to another so wee may beleeve that as they have discovered that which is now knowne they may likewise lay open that which reâ—â—nes to the end the Gospell may be preached to the whole world seeing the two Crownes of Portugall and Caâ—â—ille have met by the East and West ioyning their discoveries together which in truth is a matter to be observed that the one is come to China and Iappan by the East and the other to the Philippines which are neighbours and almost ioyning vnto China by the West for from the Ilands of Lusson which is the chiefe of the Philippines in the which is the Citie of Mamillâ— vnto Macan which is in the I le of Cauton are but foure score or a hundred leagues and yet we finde it strange that notwithstanding thâ—â— small distance from the one to the other yet according to their accoumpt there is a daies difference betwixt them so as it is Sunday at Macan whenas it is but Saterday at Mamille and so of the rest Those of Macan and of China have one day advanced before the Philippines It happened to father Aloâ—â—â— Sanches of whom mention is made before that parting from the Philippines he arrived at Macan the second day of Maie according to their computation and going to say the Masse of S. Athanasius he found they did celebrate the feast of the invention of the holy Crosse for that they did then reckon the third of Maie The like happened vnto him in another voyage beyond it Some have found this alteration and diversitie strange supposing that the fault proceedes from the one or the other the which is not so but it is a true and well observed computation for according to the difference of waies where they have beene we must necessarily say that when they meete there must bee difference of a day the reason is for that sailing from West to East they alwaies gaine of the day finding the sunne rising sooner and contrariwise those that saile from East to West do alwaies loose of the day for that the Sunne riseth later vnto them and as they approach neerer the East or the West they have the day longer or shorter In Peru which is westward in respect of Spaine they are above sixe houres behinde so as when it is noone in Spaine it is morning at Peru and when it is morning heere it is mid-night there I have made certaine proofe thereof by the computation of Eclipses of the Sunne and Moone Now that the Portugalls have made their navigations from West to East and the Castillans from East to West when they came to ioyne and meete at the Philippines and Macan the one have gained twelve houres and the other hath lost as much so as at one instant and in one time they finde the difference of twentie houres which is a whole day so as necessarily the one are at the third of Maie whenas the others accoumpt but the second and whenas the one doth fast for Easter eve the others eate flesh for the day of the resurrection And if we will imagine that they passe farther turning once againe about the world vsing the same computation when they should returne to ioyne together they should finde by the same accoumpt two daies difference for as I have saide those that go to the Sunne rising accoumpt the day sooner for that the Sunne riseth to them sooner and those that go to the setting accoumpt the day later for that it goes from them later finally the diversitie of the noone tide causeth the divers reckoning of the day And now for as much as those that doe saile from East to West change their noone tide without perceiving it and yet still follow the same computation they did when they parted of necessitie having made the compasse of the worlde they must finde the want of a whole day in their computation Of the Volcans or Vents of fire CHAP. 24. ALthough we finde vents of fire in other places as mount Aetna and Wesuvio which now they call mount Sâ—ma yet is that notable which is found at the Indies Ordinarily these Volcans be rockes or pikes of most high mountaines which raise themselves above the toppes of all other mountaines vpon their toppes they have a plaine and in the midst thereof a pitte or great mouth which discends even vnto the foote thereof a thing verie terrible to beholde Out of these mouthes there issues smoake and sometimes
land makes restitution casting his capes points and tongues farre into the sea piercing into the bowelles thereof In some partes one element ends and another beginnes yeelding by degrees one vnto another In some places where they ioyne it is exceeding deepe as in the Ilands of the South Sea and in those of the North whereas the shippes ride close to the land and although they sound three score and tenne yea foure score fadomes yet do they finde no bottome which makes men coniecture that these are pikes or poynts of land which rise vp from the bottome a matter woorthy of great admiration Heerevpon a very expert Pilote said vnto me that the Ilands which they call of Woolves and others that lie at the entry of the coast of New Spaine beeing called Cocos were of this manner Moreover there is a place in the midst of the great Ocean without the view of land and many leagues from it where are seene as it were two towers or pikes of a very high elevated rocke rising out of the middest of the sea and yet ioyning vnto it they finde no bottome No man can yet perfectly comprehend nor conceive the full and perfect forme of the land at the Indies the boundes being not wholy discovered to this day yet wee may ghesse that it is proportioned like a heart with the lungs The broadest of this heart is from Bresill to Peru the poynt at the straight of Magellan and the top where it ends is the firme land and there the continent begins by little and litle to extend itselfe vntill wee come to the height of Florida and the vpper landes which are not yet well discovered We may vnderstand other particularities of this land at the Indies by the Commentaries which the Spaniards have written of their successe and discoveries and amongest the rest of the Peregrination which I have written which in trueth is strange and may give a great light This in my opinion may suffice at this time to give som knowledge of things at the Indies touching the common elements of the which all parts of the worlde are famed THE FOVRTH BOOKE of the Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies Of three kindes of mixtures or compounds of the which I must intreate in this Historie CHAP. 1. HAving intreated in the former booke of that which concernes the Elements and the simples of the Indies in this present booke we will discourse of mixtures and compounds seeming fit for the subiect we shall treate of And although there be many other sundrie kindes yet we will reduce this matter into three which are Mettalls Plants and Beasts Mettalls are as plants hidden and buried in the bowels of the earth which have some conformitie in themselves in the forme and maner of their production for that wee see and discover even in them branches and as it were a bodie from whence they grow and proceede which are the greater veines and the lesse so as they have a knitting in themselves and it seemes properly that these minerales grow like vnto plants not that they have any inward vegitative life being onely proper to plants but they are engendered in the bowels of the earth by the vertue and force of the Sunne and other planets and in long continuance of time they increase and multiply after the maner of plants And even as mettalls be plants hidden in the earth so we may say that plants be living creatures fixed in one place whose life is maintained by the nourishment which Nature furnisheth from their first begnning But living creatures surpasse plants in that they have a more perfect being and therefore have neede of a more perfect foode and nourishment for the search whereof Nature hath given them a moving and feeling to discover and discerne it So as the rough and barren earth is as a substance and nutriment for mettalls and that which is fertile and better seasoned a nourishment for plants The same plants serve as a nourishment for living creatures and the plants and living creatures together as a nourishment for men the inferiour nature alwaies serving for the maintenance and sustentation of the superiour and the lesse perfect yeelding vnto the more perfect whereby we may see how much it wants that gold and silver and other things which men so much esteeme by their covetousnesse should be the happines of man wherevnto he should tend seeing they be so many degrees in qualitie inferior to man who hath been created and made onely to be a subiect to serve the vniversall Creator of all things as his proper end and perfect rest and to which man all other things in this world were not propounded or left but to gaine this last end Who so would consider of things created and discourse according to this Philosophie might draw some fruite from the knowledge and consideration thereof making vse of them to know and glorifie their Author But he that would passe on farther to the knowledge of their properties and profits and would curiously search them out hee shall finde in these creatures that which the Wiseman saies that they are snares and pitfalles to the feete of fooles ignorant into the which they fall and loose themselves daily To this intent therefore and that the Creator may be glorified in his creatures I pretend to speake of some things in this Booke whereof there are many at the Indies worth the report touching mettalls plants and beasts which are proper and peculiar in those parts But for that it were a great worke to treate thereof exactly and requires greater learning and knowledge yea much more leisure then I have my intent is only to treate of some things succinctly the which I have observed as well by experience as the report of men of credite touching these three things which I have propounded leaving to men more curious and diligent to treate more amply of these matters Of the aboundance and great quantitie of Mettall at the West Indies CHAP. 2. THe wisedome of God hath made mettalls for phisicke and for defence for ornament and for instruments for the worke of men of which foure things we may easily yeelde examples but the principall end of mettalls and the last thereof is for that the life of man hath not onely neede of nourishment as the beasts but also he must worke and labour according vnto the reason and capacitie which the Creator hath given him And as mans vnderstanding doth apply it selfe to divers artes and faculties so the same Author hath given order that hee should finde matter and subiect to diverse artes for the conservation reparation suretie ornament and exaltation of his workes The diversitie therefore of mettalls which the Creator hath shut vp in the closets and concavities of the earth is such and so great that man drawes profit and commoditie from everie one of them Some serve for curing of diseases others for armes and for defence against the enemies some are for ornament
buy withall but did change and trucke one thing for another as Homer and Plinie report of the Ancients They had some other things of greater esteeme which went currant amongst them for price and in steede of coine and vnto this day this custome continues amongst the Indians as in the Provinces of Mexico in steede of money they vse Cacao which is a small fruite and therewith buy what they will In Peru they vse Cocae to the same end the which is a leafe the Indians esteeme much as in Paraguay they have stampes of yron for coine and cotten woven in S. Croix of the Sierre Finally the maner of the Indians trafficke and their buying and selling was to exchange and give things for things and although there were great martes and famous faires yet had they no neede of mony nor of brokers for that every one had learned what he was to give in exchange for every kinde of marchandise Since the Spaniards entred the Indians have vsed gold and silver to buy withall and in the beginning there was no coine but silver by weight was theirprice and mony as they report of the ancient Romans Since for a greater benefite they have forged coine in Mexico and Peru yet vnto this day they have not in the West Indies coined any mony of copper or other mettall but onely of silver and golde for the richnes of that Countrie hath not admitted nor received such money as they call bullion nor other kindes of alloy which they vse in Italie and in other Provinces of Europe Although in some Ilands of the Indies as S. Dominique Port Ricco they vse coine of leather which is square the which are currant onely in those Ilands having little silver or gold I say little although there be much for that no man digges it and refines it But for that the riches of the Indies and their maner to labour in the mines consistes of golde silver and quickeâ—silver I will speake some thing of these three mettalls leaving the rest for this time Of golde which they digge and refine at the Indies CHAP. 4. GOld amongst other mettals hath bin alwayes held the most excellent and with reason beeing the most durable and incorruptible of all others for sire which consumes and diminisheth the rest amends it and brings it to perfection Golde which hath often passed through the fire keepes his colour and is most fine and pure which properly is called as Plinie saith Obriso wherof the Scripture makes so often mention vse which consumeth all other mettalles as the same Plinie saith dooth not any thing waste golde nor yet hurte it neither is it eaten nor groweth olde And although his substance and body be firme and solide yet dooth it yeelde and bow woonderfully the Beaters and Drawers of golde knowe well the force it hath to bee drawen out without breaking All which things well considered with other excellent properties will give men of iudgement to vnderstand wherefore the holie Scripture dooth compare Charitie to golde To conclude there is little neede to relate the excellencies thereof to make it more desirable For the greatest excellencie it hath is to be knowne as it is amongst men for the supreame power and greatnesse of the worlde Comming therefore to our subiect at the Indies there is great abundance of this mettall and it is wel knowne by approoved histories that the Inguas of Peru did not content themselves with great and small vessels of gold as pots cups goblets and flagons yea with kowles or great vessells but they had chaires also and litters of massie golde and in their Temples they had set vppe maine Images of pure golde whereof they finde some yet at Mexico but not such store as when the first Conquerours came into the one and the other kingdome who found great treasure and without doubt there was much more hidden in th earth by the Indians It would seeme ridiculous to reporte that they have made their horse shooes of silver for want of yron and that they have payd three hundred crownes for a bottle of wine and other strange things and yet in trueth this hath come to passe yea and greater matters They drawe golde in those partes after three sorts or at the least I have seene all three vsed For eyther they find gold in graines in powlder or in stone They do call golde in graines small morsels of gold which they find whole without mixture of any other mettall which hath no neede of melting or refining in the fire and they call them pippins for that commonly they are like to pippins or seeds of melons or pompions and that wherof Iob speakes when he saies Leve illius aurum though sometimes there be greater and such as I have seene weighed many poundes It is the excellencie of this mettall alone as Plinie affirmes to be found thus pure and perfect which is not seene in any other mettalles which are alwayes earthly and have a scumme and neede purging by the fire I have likewise seene silver naturall like to Yea there is an other kinde which the Indians call Papas and sometimes they find peeces very fiue and pure like to small round rootes the which is rare in that mettall but vsuall in gold They finde little of this golde in pippin in respect of the other kindes Golde in stone is a veine of gold that groweth or ingendereth within the stone or flint as I have seene in the mines of Curuma within the government of Salines very great stones pierced and intermixed with gold others that were halfe gold and halfe stone The golde which groweth in this manner is found in pittes or mines which have their veines like to the silver mines but it is very hard to drawe it foorth Agatarchides writes in his first booke of the Erithrean or red sea as Phocion reportes in his Bibliotheca of the manner and fashion to refine golde drawne out of stones the which the antient Kings of Egypt were wont to vse it is a strange thing to see how that which is written resembles properly to the manner they vse at this day in refining these mettalls of golde and silver The greatest quantitie of golde which is drawne at the Indies is that in powlder the which is found in streames and places wher much water hath passed because the slouds at the Indies abound in this kinde of golde As the Ancients for this occasion did celebrate the river of Tagus in Spaine Paâ—olus in Asia and Ganges in the East Indies and callâ—d theâ— Râ—menta auri the which we others call golâ—e in pâ—wlâ—er and of this sort is the greatest quantitie of golde they have at this day At this present in tâ—e â—lands of Barlovent Hispaniola Cuba and Port Ricco there hath beene and is great quantity in the rivers but they bring little from thence into Spaine for want of the naturall inhabitants of the country the difficultie to
drawe it There is great aboundance in the kingdome of Chille of Quitto and in the new Realme of Grenado The most famous golde is that of Caranava in Peru and of Valdivia in Chille for that it riseth with his alloy and perfection which is twenty three carrats and a halfe and sometimâ—s more They make accompt likewise of the gold of Veraâ—â—a to be very fine They bring much golde to Mexico from the Philippines and China but commonly it is weake and of base alloy Golde is commonly found mixt with silver or with copper but that which is mixed with silver is commonly of fewer carraâ—s then that which is mixed with copper If there bâ—â—a siâ—e partâ— of silver Plinie saieth it is then properly called Flâ—â—â—â— which hath the property to shine more at the light of the fire then fine gold or fine silver That which is incorporate with copper is commonly of a higher value They refine powldred golde in basens washing it in many waters vntill the sand falles from it and the golde as most heavie remaineth in the bottome They refine it likewise with quicke-silver and strong water for that the allume whereof they make this water hath the vertue to separate gold from drosse or from other mettalls After it is purified and molten they make brickes or small barres to cary it vnto Spaine for being in powlder they cannot transport it from the Indies for they can neither custome it marke it nor take say vntill it be molten The foresaide Hisâ—â—riaâ— grapher reporteth that Spaine above all other Countries of the world did abound in gold and silver especially Galitia and Portugall above all the Asturiaâ—s whence hee saieth they brought every yeere twenty thousand pounds of golde and that they found not so great aboundance in any other place The which is confirmed in the booke of Macabees where it is saide that amongest the great riches of the Romans they had in their power the golde and silver of Spaine At this day the great treasure of Spaine comes from the Indies wherein the divinâ— Providence hath appoynted one Realme to serve another which doe imparte their wealth to participate their governement for the good the one of the other in communicating mutually the goodes and graces they doe inioy wee can not value nor esteeme the quantitie of golde that is brought from the Indies but we may well say it is much more then that which 〈◊〉 reports was brought yeerely from Spaine to Româ— In the fleete where I came which was in the yeâ—re 1585. the declaratiâ—n of the firme land was of of twelve cassons or chests of golde every casson at the least weied foure Arobes that is a hundred weight and a thousand fifty and sixe mares from New Spaine which was for the King only besides that which came for Merchants and private men being registred and much that came vnregistred This may suffice touching the golde of the Indies and now we will speake of silver Of the Silver at the Indies CHAP. 5. WE reade these wordes in the Booke of Iob Siluer hath certain beginnings and roots in his veins and golde hath a setled place where it ingenders and thickens yron with digging is drawne out of the earth and stone molten with heate is turned into copper Hereby he wisely shewes in few words the nature of silver golde yron copper We have spoken something of the places where golde is ingendered and congealed which is either of the foresaide stones in the deapth of mountaines and in the bowells of the earth or in the sand of rivers and where brookes have runne or else on the toppes of mountaines the which golde in powlder runnes downe with the water And this is the common opinion they holde at the Indies Wherevppon many of the common sort believe that the deluge having drowned all even to the highest hills hath beene the cause that at this day they finde this golde in the rivers and in places so farre off Now we wil shew how they discover the mines of silver their veines rootes and beginnings whereof Iob speakes And first I will say that the reason why they give silver the second place among all other mettalles is for that it approacheth neerer to golde then any other being more durable and lesse indomaged by the fire and more maniable then any other yea it passeth golde in brightnesse beauty and sound the which is cleere and agreeable for the colour is more conformable and resembling the light and the sound more percing more lively and more delicate Likewise there are some places where they value silver more then golde It is yet an argument to iudge that gold is more pretious rhen all other mettalls for that it is found with greater difficultie and Nature seemes more sparing in bringing it foorth although there be countries as they say of Chine where they finde golde more easily then silver yet it is more common and ordinarie to finde silver with more facilitie and greater abundance then gold The Creator hath furnished the Weast Indies with so great a treasure of silver as all that which we reade of in antient Histories and that which is spoken of the mines of Spaine and other provinces is not comparable to that we see in those partes The mines of silver are commonly found in mountaines and high rockes very desart although they have sometimes bin found in Plaines and Champaines There are two different kindes the one they call stragling the other fixed and setled The straggling are peeces of mettall found in certaine places the which drawne away there is no more found But the fixed veines are those which have a continuance in depth and length like to great branches and armes of trees and when they find anie one of them they commonly finde many in the same place The maner to purge refine silver which the Indians have vsed was by melting in dissolving this masse of mettall by fire which casts the earthly drosse aparte and by his force separates silver from lead tinne from copper and other mettalls mixt To this end they did build small furnaces in places whereas the winde did commonly blow and with wood and cole made their refining the which furnaces in Ptru they call Guayras Since the Spaniards entred besides this manner of refining which they vse to this day they likewise refine silver with quicke-silver and draw more by this means then in refining it by fire For there is some kind of silver mettall found which can by no meanes be purged and refined by fire but onely with quickesilver But thiâ— kinde of mettall is commonly poore and weake the which vsually they finde in greatest aboundance They câ—l that poore which yields least silver and great quantitie of other mettall and that rich which yieldes mâ—st silver It is strange to see not onely the difference betwixt the refining of mettall by fire and without it by quicke-silver but also that some of
earth and stone where it engenders they purge and purifie it seven times for in effect it passeth their handes seven times yea oftener vntill it remaines pure and fine so is it in the word of God where the soules must be so purified that shall inioy the heavenly perfection Of their Engines to grinde the mettall and of their triall of Silver CHAP. 13. TO conclude this subiect of silver and of mettalls there remaines yet two things to speake of the one is of their engins and milles the other of their essay or triall I have said before how they grinde their mettal for the receving of the quicksilver which is done with diverse instruments and engins some with horses like vnto hand-milles others like water-milles of which two sortes there are great numbers But for that the water they doe vse commonly is but of raine whereof they have not sufficient but three months in the yeare December Ianuary and February for this reason they have made Lakes and standing Pooles which containe inâ—circuite about a thousand and six hundred roddes and in deapth three stades there are seaven with their sluces so as when they have neede of any water they raise vp a sluce from whence runnes a little streame of water the which they stoppe vppon holy-dayes And when the Lakes and Pooles doe fill and that the yeare abounds with raine their grinding dooth then continue sixe or seaven moneths so as even for silvers sake men desire a good yeere of raine in Potozi as they doe in other places for bread There are some other engins in Tarapaya which is a valley three or foure leagues distant from Potozi whereas there runnes a river as in other parts The difference of these engins is that some goe with sixe pestels some with twelve and others with foureteene They grinde and beate the mettall in morters labouring day and night and from thence they carry it to be sifted vpon the bankes of the brooke of Potozi There are forty eight water-mills of eight ten and twelve pestells and foure on the other side which they call Tanacognugno in the Cittie of Tarapaya there are two and twenty engins all vpon the water besides there are thirty goe with horses in PotoZi and many others in diversâ—partes so great the desire of man is to get silver which is tryed by deputies appoynted by the King To give the alloy to every peece they cary the bars of silver vnto the Assay maister who gives to every one his number for that they carry many at once he cuttes a small peece of every one the which he weighs iustly and puttes them into a cruset which is a small vessell made of burnt bones beaten after hee placeth everie crusible in his order in the furnace giving them a violent fire then the mettall melteth and that which is lead goes into smoake and the copper and tinne dissolves the silver remayning most fine of the colour of fire It is a strange thing that being thus refined although it be liquide and molten yet it never spilles were the mouth of the crusible turned downewardes but it remaynâ—th fixed without the losse of a droppe The Assay maister knoweth by the colourâ— and other signes when it is refined then dooth he draw the crusibles from the fire and weighs every peece curiously observing what every one wants of his weight for that which is of high alloy wastes but little and that which is baser diminisheth much according to the waste he sees what alloy he beares according to the which he markes every barre punctually Their ballaunce and weights are so delicate and their graines so small as they cannot take them vppe with the hand but with a small paire of pincers and this triall they make by candle light that no ayre might moove the ballance For of this little the price of the whole barre dependeth In trueth it is a very delicate thing and requires a great dexteritie which the holy Scripture vseth in many places to shew how God prooves his chosen and to note the differences of the merites of soules whereas God gives the title of an Assay-maister to the Prophet Ieremie that hee may trie and declare the spirituall vertue of men and of his workes which is the proper worke of the Spirite of God being he that weighs the Soules of men We will rest content with what we have spoken touching silver mettalls and mines and will passe to the two other mixtures the which are plants and beasts Of Emeraldes CHAP. 14. IT shall not be from the purpose to speake somthing of Emeraldes both for that it is a pretious thing as golde silver as also for that they take their beginning from mines and mettalls as Plinie reportes The Emerald hath bin in old time in great esteeme as the same Author writes giving it the third place amongst all iewelles and pretious stones that is next to the diamond and pearle At this day they doe not so much esteeme the Emerald nor the pearle for the great aboundance is brought of these two sorts from the Indies onely the diamond holds the principality the which can not be taken from it Next the rubies come in price and other stones which they hold more pretious than the Emerald Men are so desirous of singularities rare things that what they see to be common they do not esteeme They report of a Spaniard who being in Italie when the Indies were first discovered shewed aâ— Emerald to a Lapidary who asking him the value thereof after he had well viewed it being of an excellent lustre and forme he prized it at a hundred ducats he then shewed him an other greater than it which he valued at three hundred ducats The Spaniard drunke with this discourse carried him to his lodging shewing him a casket full The Italian seeing so great a number of Emeralds sayde vnto him Sir these are well woorth a crowne a peece the like hath happened both at the Indies and in Spaine where the stones have lost their estimation for the great abundaunce they finde of them there Pliny reportes many excellencies of the Emerald amongst the which he saith that there is nothing more pleasing nor more healthfull for the sight wherein he hath reason but his authority importeth little seeing there is such store It is reported that Lelia a Romane Dame bestowed vppon a scoffion and a garment embroidered with pearle and emerald 400000. ducats the which at this day might be doone with lesse than forty thousand ducats yea two such In diverse partes of the Indies and the Kings of Mexico didde much esteeme them some did vse to pierce their nosthrils and hang therein an excellent Emerald they hung them on the visages of their idolles The greatest store is found in the New Kingdome of Grenado and Peru neere vnto Manta and port Vieil There is towardes that place a soile which they call the Land of Emeraldes for the knowledge they have
of these shrubbes at the Indies which are of very good taste The first Spaniards named many things at the Indies with such Spanish names as they did most resemble as Pines Concombres and Prunes althogh they be very different fruites to those which are so called in Spaine The Pines or Pine-aples are of the same fashion and forme outwardly to those of Castlle but within they wholy differ for that they have neither aples norscales but are all one flesh which may be eaten when the skinne is off it is fruite that hath an excellent smell and is very pleasant and delightfull in taste it is full of iuyce and of a sweete and sharpe taste they â—ate it being cut in morcells and steeped a while in water and salt Some say that this breedes choler and that the vse therâ—of is not very healthfull But I have not seenâ— any experience thereof that might breede beleefe They grow one by one like a cane or stalke which riseth amongst many leaves like to the lillie but somewhat bigger The apple is on the toppe of every cane it growes in hote and moist groundes and the best are those of the Ilands of Barlovente It growes not in Peru but they carry them from the Andes the which are neither good nor ripe One presented one of these Pine-apples to the Emperour Charles the fift which must have cost much paine and care to bring it so farre with the plant from the Indies yet would he not trie the taste I have seene in new Spaine conserves of these Pines which was very good Those which they call Concombres are no trees but shrubbes continuing but one yeere They gave it this name for that some of this fruite and the most part is in length and roundnes like to the Concombres of Spaine but for the rest they differ much for they are not greene but violet yellow or white neither are they thornie or rough but pollished and even having a very different taste and farre better then that of Spaine for they have a sharpe sweete taste very pleaasant when it is ripe yet is it not so sharpe as the Pine They are very coole full of liquor and of easie digestion and in time of heate fit to refresh They take away the rinde which is white and all that remaines is meat They grow in a temperate soile and require watering And although for the resemblance they call them Concombres yet are there many of them round and others of a different fashion so as they have not the figure of Concombres I do not remember to have seene this kinde of fruite in new Spaine nor at the Ilands but vpon the Lanos of Peru. That which they call the little fruite of Chille is of the same sort very pleasant to eate comes neere the taste of cheries but in all other things it differs much for that it is no tree but an hearbe which growes little and spreades vpon the earth casting forth this little fruite the which in colour and graines resembles almost the mulbery when it is white and not ripe yet is it more rough and bigger then the mulbery They say this little fruite is naturally found in the fieldes of Chille where I have seene of them They set it vpon plants and branches and it growes like any other shrubbe Those which they call Prunes are verily the fruites of trees and have more resemblance then the rest to our plumbs There are divers sorts whereof they call some Prunes of Nicaragua the which are very red and small and have little meat vpon the stone but that little is of an exquisite taste and of a sharpenes as good or rather better then cheries They hold this fruite to be very holesome and therefore they give it to sicke folkes especially to provoke an appetite There are others that be great and of a darke colour they have much meat but it is grosse and of no taste like to the Chavacanas which have every one two or three small stones But to returne to pot-hearbs I finde not that the Indians had any gardins of divers hearbs and plants but did onely till the land in some partes for pulses which they vse as those which they call Frâ—solles and Palares which serve them as our lentils beanes or tares neither have I knowne that these pulses or any other kinds that be in Europe were there before the Spaniards entred who carried plants and pulses from Spaine thither where they now grow and increase wonderfully and in some places exceede greatly the fertilitie of these partes As if we speake of mellons which grow in the vallie of Yuca in Peru whose roote becomes a stalke that continues many yeeres carrying mellons yeerely and they trimme it like vnto a tree a thing which I do not know to be in any part of Spaine But that is more monstrous of the Calibasses or Indian Pompions and the greatnes they have as they grow especially those which are proper to the Countrie which they call Capallos the which they eate most commonly in Lent boiled and trimmed with some other sawce There are a thousand kindes of Calibasses some are so deformed in their bignes that of the rinde cut in the middest and clensed they make as it were baskets to put in all their meat for their dinner Of the lesser they make vessells to eate and drinke in and do trimme them hansomely for many vses I have spoken this of small plants wee will now speake of greater but first of their Axi which is of the lesser Of Axi or Indian Pepper CHAP. 20. THey have not found at the West Indies any kinde of Spices proper or peculiar to them as pepper cloves cinamon nuâ—megges or ginger although one of our company who had travelled much and in diverse partes tolde vs that in the desarts of the Iland of Iamaique he had found trees where pepper grewe But they are not yet assured thereof neither is there anie trade of these spices at the Indies The ginger was carried from the Indies to Hispaniola and it hath multiplied so as at this day they know not what to do with the great aboundaunce they have In the fleete the yeare 1587. they brought 22053. quintalls of ginger to Seville but the naturall spice that God hath given to the weast Indies is that we call in Castill Indian pepper and in India Axi as a generall worde taken from the first land of the Ilands which they conquered In the language of Cusco it is called Vchu and in that of Mexico Chili This plant is well knowne and therefore I will speake alittle onely wee must vnderstand that in olde time it was much esteemd amongst the Indians which they carried into places where it grew not as a marchandise of consequence It growes not vpon cold grounds as on the Sierre of Peru but in hote valleis where it is often watered There is of this Axi of diverse colours some is greene some red some yellow and some
stalke for that it beares but one and never but once but as I have saide the stalke remaines and castes forth new sienes or stalkes vntill it growes olde and dies This Plane continues many yeares and requires much moisture and a very hote ground They put ashos at the foote of it for the better â—â—tertaining therâ—f and they make small groves and very thicke which are of great profit and revenue vnto them for that it is the fruite they vse most at the Indies and is generall in all places although they say the first beginning comes from Ethiopia And in trueth the Negros vse them much and in some places they serve them as bread yea they make wine of them They eate this fruite rawe like other fruits they likewise roast it and make many sorts of potages and conserves and in all thinges it serveth very well There is a kinde of small Planes white and very delicate which in Hispaniola they call Dominiques There are others which are stronger and bigger and red of colour There growes none in the kingdome of Peru but are brought from the Indies as from Mexico Cuernavaca and other vallies Vpon the firme land and in some Ilands there are great store of Planes like vnto thicke groves If this plant were fit for the fire it were the most profitable of all others but it is nothing fit for neither the body noâ— the boughs will burne and much lesse will it serve for building being a sappy wood and without force Yet Don Alonze Darzilla as it is said vsed the leaves of this tree dried to write a parte of the Auricana and in truth it may serve for want of paper seeing that the leafe is as broade as a sheet of paper or little lesse and foure times as long Of Cacao and Coca CHAP. 22. ALthough the Plane be the most profitable yet that Cacao is most esteemed at Mexico and the Coca in Peru in which two trees they have great superstition The Cacao is a fruit little lesse than almonds yet more satte the which being roasted hath no illâ—taste It is so much esteemed amongest the Indians yea and among the Spaniards that it is one of the richest and the greatest traffickes of new Spaine for being a drie fruite and that keepes long without corruption they carry whole shippes loaden from the province of Guatimalla The last yeare an English Pirat did burne in the Port of Guatulco in new Spaine above a hundred thousand charges of Cacao They vse it in steede of money for with five Cacaos they buy one thing with thirtie an other and with a hundred an other without any contradiction and they vse to give it to the poore that beg for almes The chiefe vse of this Cacao is in a drincke which they call Chochâ—laté whereof they make great accompt in that Country foolishly and without reason for it is loathsome to such as are not acquainted with it having askumme or froth that is very vnpleasant to taste if they be not very well conceited thereof Yet it is a drinke very much esteemed among the Indians wherewith they feast noble men as they passe through their Country The Spaniards both men and women that are accustomed to the Countrey are very greedy of this Chocholaté They say they make diverse sortes of it some hote some colde and some temperate and put therein much of that Chili yea they make paste thereof the which they say is good for the stomacke and against the Catarre Whatsoever it be such as have not been nourished there are not very curious thereof The tree whereon this fruite growes is of reasonable bignesse and well fashioned it is so tender that to keepe it from the burning of the Sunne they plant neere vnto it a great tree which serves onely to shadow it and they call it the mother of Cacao There are places where they are like to the Vines and Olive trees of Spaine The province where there is greatest abundance for the traffike of Marchandise is Guatimalla There growes none in Peru but Coca wherein they hold an other great superstition which seemes to be fabulous In trueth the trafficke of Coca in Potozi doth yearely mount to above halfe a million of peeces for that they vse fourescore and tenne or foure score and fifteene thousand baskets every yeare In the yeare one thousand five hundred eighty three they spent a hundred thousand A basket of Coca in Cusco is woorth two peeces and a halfe and three and in Potozi it is readily worth foure peeces and five Tomines and five peeces tried It is a kinde of marchandise by the which all their Markets and Faires are made with great expedition This Coca whereof they make such account is a small greene leafe which groweth vpon small trees about a fadome high and in hote and moyst grounds every foure moneths it casts forth this leafe which they call Tresmitas or Tremoy it requires great care in planting beeing very tender and much more to keepe it when it is gathered They laie it in order in long narrow baskets and so lade theyr sheepe of the Country which go in troopes with one two or three thousand baskets of this marchandise They bring it commonly from the Andes and vallies where there is an extreame heate and where it raines continually the most part of the yeare wherein the Indians endure much labour and paine to entertaine it often many die for that they go from the Sierre and colde places to till and gather them in the Andes And therefore there hath beene great question and diversity of opinions among learned men whether it were more expedient to pull vp these trees or to let them growe but in the end they remained The Indians esteeme it much and in the time of their Kings Inguas it was not lawfull for any of the common people to vse this Coca without licence from the Governor Their vse is to cary it in their mouthes chawing it and sucking out the iuyce but they swallow it not They say it gives them great courage and is very pleasing vnto them Many grave men holde this as a superstition a meere imagination for my part and to speake the truth I perswade not my selfe that it is an imagination but contrariwise I thinke it works and gives force and courage to the Indians for we see the effects which cannot be attributed to imagination as to go some daies without meate but onely a handfull of Coca and other like effects The sawce wherewith they doe eate this Coca is proper enough whereof I have tasted and it is like the taste of leather The Indians mingle it with the ashes of bones burnt and beat into powlder or with lime as others affirme which seemeth to them pleasing and of a good taste and they say it dooth them much good They willingly imploy their money therein and vse it as money yet all these things were not inconvenient were not the hazard of
but much more for the exquisite effect it hath to cure woundes and divers other remedies as experience hath taught in the cure of diseases The Balme which comes from the West Indies is not of the same kind of right Balme which they bring from Alexandria or Caire and in old time was in Iudea which Iudea as Plinie writeth did of all the world possesse this greatnesse vntill the Emperor Vespasian broght it to Rome into Italie The reason why I say the liquor of the one and the other are not of one kinde is for that the trees from whence it comes are very different for the balme tree of Palestine was small and fashioned like to a Vine as Plinic reporteth who had seene it and those that at this day that have seene them in the East say as much As also the holy Scripture calles the place where the Balme thickens Vine of Enguaddy for the resemblance it hath to vine At the Indies I have seene the tree from whence they draw the Balme which is as bigge as a poungarnet tree and some thing neere the fashion and if my memory failes me not it hath nothing common with the vine although that Strabo writes that the ancient tree of Balme was of the bignes of a poungarnet tree But in their accidents and operations their liquors are alike as likewise they be in their admirable smells and in the cure and healing of wounds in colour and substance seeing they report of other Balmes that there is some white vermilion greene and blacke the which is likewise seene in that of the Indies And as they drew forth the ancient in cutting and making incisions in the barke to cause the liquor to distill out so do they with that at the Indies although it distilles in greater aboundance And as in the ancient there is one kinde which is pure the which they call Opobalsamum which be the very teares that distill so as there is another sort which is not so exquisite the which they drawe from the barke and leaves strained and boiled on the fire the which they call Xilobalssamum The like is also in the Indian Balmes there is one pure that distilles from the tree and others that the Indians draw out by straining and boiling the leaves and wood yea they do sophisticate and augment it with other liquors to make it increase It is not without reason they call it Balme for in truth it is so although it be not of the same kinde of the ancient yet it is much esteemed and should be more if the great aboundance were not the cause as in Emeraldes and Pearles That which importes most is the vse wherein it is imployed for creame and vnctions in the Church and in such veneration for that the Apostolike sea hath given libertie to give creame of Balme at the Indies and that they should vse it in confirmation and other ceremonies which they vse They bring Balme to Spaine from new Spaine from the Province of Guatimalla from Chiappa and other places where it aboundes most although the most esteemed be that which comes from the Iland of Tollu which is vpon the maine land not farre from Carthagene This Balme is white and commonly they holde the white to bee more perfect then the red although Plinie gives the first place to the vermilion the second to the white the third to greene and the last to blacke but it seemes that Strabo esteemed more the white Balmes as ours doe Monardes discourseth at large of the Indian Balme in the first and second part especially of that of Carthagene and Tollu which is all one I have not found that the Indians in olde time did much esteeme Balme nor yet imploy it in any important vse although Monardes saieth that the Indians cured their woundes therewith and from thence the Spaniardes learned it Of Amber and other Oyles Gums and Drugges which they bring from the Indies CHAP. 29. NExt to Balme Amber holdes the second place it is another liquor which is likewise sweete and medicinall but more thicke and turnes into a paste of a hote complexion and a good perfume the which they apply to woundes bruises and other necessities wherein I will referre my selfe to the Phisitions especially to Doctor Monardes who in his first Part hath written of this liquor and many others that are phisicall which comes from the Indies This Amber comes from new Spaine which hath that advantage above other Provinces in goomes liquors and iuyce of trees whereby they have such aboundance of matter for perfume and phisicke as is the Animé whereof there comes great store Copall or Suchicopal which is another kinde storax and encense which have excellent operations and have a very good smell fit for fumigations Likewise the Tacamahaca and Caranna which are also very medicinall They bring likewise from this Province oyle of Aspicke which the Phisitians and Painters vse much the one for plasters the other to vernish their pictures They bring also for the Phisitians Cassia fistule the which growes plentifully in S. Dominique It is a great tree which carries these canes as his fruite They brought in the fleete wherein I came from S. Dominique fortie eight quintalles of Cassia fistule Salcepareille is not lesse knowne for a thousand remedies wherein it is vsed There came in the same fleete fiftie quintalles from the same Iland There is much of this Saâ—ceparâ—ille at Peru and most excellent in the Province of Guaâ—aquill which is vnder the Line Many go to be cured into this Province and it is the opinion of some that the pure water onely which they drinke gives them health for that it passeth by rootes as I have said from whence it drawes this vertue so as there needes no great covering or garments to make a man sweate in that countrie The wood of Guayac which they call Lignum sanctum or Indian wood growes aboundantly in the same Ilands and is as heavie as yron so as it presently sinkes in the water heereof they brought in the same fleete 350. quintalls and they might have brought twentie yea a hundred thousand of this wood if there were vse for it There came in the same fleete and from the same Iland 130. quintalles of Bresill wood the which is fierie red so well knowne and much vsed in dying and other things There are at the Indies infinite numbers of other aromaticall woodes gummes oyles and drugges so as it is not possible to name them all neither doth it now much import I say onely that in the time of the Kings Inguas of Câ—sco and the Mexicaine Kings there were many great personages expert in curing of diseases with simples and did goodly cures having the knowledge of the many vertues and properties of hearbes rootes woodes and plants which grow there and whereof the Ancients of Europe have had no knowledge There are a thousand of these simples fit to purge as the rootes of Mechoaçan
water Even so we may say that the fowle which bee at this present vppon the maine land and in the Ilands at the Indies might passe the sea resting themselves in some small Ilands or vpon some land which they discovered by a naturall instinct as Plinie reporteth of some or peradventure falling into the water when they were weary of flying and after beganne their flight a new when they had alittle rested As for the fowles which we see in the Ilands where there are no beasts I beleeve certainly that they passed by one of the foresayde meanes But for other birdes which we finde vppon the maine land especially those whose flight is shorte it is more credible that they came thither as the beasts did which are of the same kindes that wee have in Europe For at the Indies there are great birds very heavy as Estridges whereof there are many in Peru which doe vse sometimes to terrifie the Indian sheepe as they do goe with their burthens But leaving these birds that govern themselves without the care of man but onely for hawking let vs now speake of tame fowle I wondered at hennes seeing there were som at the Indies before the Spaniards came there the which is well approoved for they have a proper name of the country and they call a henne Gualpa and the egge Pâ—nto and they vse the same proverb wee doe to call a coward a henne Those that were at the discovery of the Ilands of Soloman do report that they have seene hennes there like vnto ours wee may conceive that the henne being so tame a fowle and so profitable men might carry them with them when they passed from one place to another as we see at this day the Indians in their travel carry their henne with them or chicken vpon the burthen they have on their shoulders and likewise they carry them easily in their cages of reedes or wood Finally there be at the Indies many kindes of beasts and birdes such as we have in Europe as I have specified and other sortes which I leave to others to discourse of How it spould be possible that at the Indies there should be anie sortes of beasts whereof the like are no where else CHAP. 36. IV were a matter more difficult to shew and prove what beginning many sundry sorts of beasts had which are found at the Indies of whose kindes we have none in this continent For if the Creator hath made them there wee may not then alleadge nor flie to Noahs Arke neither was it then necessary to save all sorts of birds and beasts if others were to be created anew Moreover wee could not affirme that the creation of the world was made and finished in sixe dayes if there were yet other new kinds to make and specially perfit beasts and no lesse excellent than those that are knowen vnto vs If we say then that all these kindes of creatures were preserved in the Arke by Noah it followes that those beasts of whose kindes we finde not any but at the Indies have passed thither from this continent as we have saide of other beasts that are knowne vnto vs. This supposed I demand how it is possible that none of their kinde shoulde remaine heere and how they are found there being as it were travellers and strangers Truly it is a question that hath long held me in suspens I say for example if the sheep of Peru and those which they call Pacos and Guanacos are not found in any other regions of the worlde who hath carried them thither or how came they there seeing there is no shew nor remainder of them in all this worlde If they have not passed from some other region how were they formed and brought foorth there It may be GOD hath made a new creation of beasts That which I speake of these Pacos and Guanacos may be said of a thousand different kindes of birdes and beasts of the forrest which have never beene knowne neither in shape nor name and whereof there is no mention made neither among the Latins nor Greekes nor any other nations of the world We must then say that though all beasts came out of the Arke yet by a naturall instinct and the providence of heaven diverse kindes dispersed themselves into diverse regions where they found themselves so well as they woulde not parte or if they departed they did not preserve themselves but in processe of time perished wholy as we do see it chaunce in many things For if we shall looke precisely into it we shall finde that it is not proper and peculiar alone to the Indies but generall to many other Nations and Provinces of Asia Europe and Affrike where they say there are certaine kindes of creatures that are not found in other regions at the least if they be any where else they are knowne to be carried from thence Seeing then these creatures came out of the Arke as for example the elephant which we finde only in the East Indies and from thence have beene imparted to other regions wee may say as much of these creatures of Peru and of others of the Indies which are not found in any other part of the world Wee may likewise consider well vppon this subiect whether these beasts differ in kind and essentially from all others or if this difference be accidentall which might growe by diverse accidents as we see in the linages of men some are white others blacke some giants others dwaâ—fes and in apes some have no taile others have and in sheepe some are bare others have fleeces some great and strong with a long necke as those of Peru others weake and little having a short necke as those of Castille But to speake directly whoso would by this Discourse shewing only these accidentall differences preserve the propagation of beasts at the Indies and reduce them to those of Europ he shal vndertake a charge he will hardly discharge with his honor For if we shall iudge the kindes of beasts by their properties those of the Indies are so diverse as it is to call an egge a chesnut to seeke to reduce them to the knowne kinds of Europe Of Fowles that are proper to the Indies CHAP. 37. THere are many kindes of notable fowles at the Indies eyther of the same sort that ours be or of different They bring certaine birds from China that have no feete and all their bodies are almost feathers They sit not vpon the ground but hang vpon boughs by strings or feathers which they have and so rest themselves like flies or aierie things In Peru there are birdes which they â—â—ll Tómineios so small that often times I have doubted seeing them flie whether they were bees or butter-flies but in truth they are birdes Contrariwise those which they call Condores be of an exceeding greatnes and of such a force that not onely they will open a sheepe and eate it but also a whole calfe Those which they call Auras and
others PoullaZes which in my opinion are of the kinde of ravens are of a strange lightnes and have a very quicke sight being very fit to clense Citties for that they leave no carion nor dead thing They passe the night on trees or vpon rockes and in the morning they come to the cities and townes sitting on the toppes of the highest buildings where they attend their prey Their yong have white feathers as they report of ravens and so change into blacke The Guacamayac be birdes bigger then Parrets resemble them somthing they are esteemed for the varietie of their feathers which be very faire pleasing In new Spaine there are aboundance of birdes with excellent feathers so as there be not any found in Europe that comes neere them as we may see by the images of feathers they bring from thence the which are with great reason much valued and esteemed giving cause of admiration that with the feathers of birdes they should make so excellent a worke and so perfectly equall as they seeme properly to be the true coloures of a painter and have so lively and pleasing a regard as the Painter cannot exceede it with his pencill and colours Some Indians which are good and expert workemen in this Art will represent perfectly in feathers whatsoever they see drawne with the pencill so as the Painters of Spaine have in this point no advantage over them Don Philip the Prince of Spaine his schoolemaster did give vnto him three figures or poâ—traitures made of feathers as it were to put in a Breviary His Highnes did shew them to King Philip his father the which his Maiesty beholding attentively said that hee had never seene in so small a worke a thing of so great excellency and perfection One day as they presented to Pope Sixtus quintus another square bigger then it wherein was the figure of St. Francis and that they had told him it was made of feathers by the Indians he desired to make triall thereof touching the table with his fingers to see if it were of feathers for that it seemed strange to see them so properly fitted that the eye could not iudge nor discerne whether they were naturall colours of feathers or artificiall done with the pencill It is a goodly thing to see the lustre which a greene an orange tawny like gold and other fine colours do cast and beholding them another way they seeme dead colours They make the best and goodliest figures of feathers in the Province of Mechovacan and in the village of Pascaro The manner is with small delicate pinsors they pul the feathers from the dead fowles and with a fine paste they cunningly ioyne them together They take the smal delicate feathers of those birds which in Peru they call Tâ—mineyâ—s or others like vnto them which have the most perfect colours in their feathers The Indians besides these images did vse feathers in many other most excellent workes especially for the ornament of Kings and Noblemen their Temples and Idolls There are also other great birdes which have excellent and fine feathers whereof they make plumes of sundry colours especially when they go to warre inriching them with gold and silver very artificially which was a matter of great price They have the same birdes still but they are not so curious neither do they make so many gentill devises as they were wont There are other birdes at the Indies contrarie to these of so rich feathers the which besides that they are ill favovred serve to no other vse but for dung and yet perchance they are of no lesse profite I have considered this wondering at the providence of the Creator who hath so appointed that all creatures should serve man In some Ilands or Phares which are ioyning to the coast â—of Peru wee see the toppes of the mountaines all white and to sight you would take it for snow or for some white land but they are heapes of dung of sea fowle which go continually thither and there is so great aboundance as it riseth many elles yea many launces in height which seemes but a fable They go with boates to these Ilands onely for the dung for there is no other profit in them And this dung is so commodious and profitable as it makes the earth yeelde great aboundance of fruite They cal this dung Guano whereof the valley hath taken the name which they call Limaguaâ—a in the valleys of Peru where they vse this dung and it is the most fertile of all that countrie The quinces poungranets and other fruites there exceede all other in bountie and greatnes and they say the reason is for that the water wherewith they water it passeth by a land compassed with this dung which causeth the beautie of this fruite So as these birdes have not only the flesh to serve for meate their singing for recreation their feathers for ornament and beautie but also their dung serves to fatten the ground The which hath bin so appointed by the soveraigne Creator for the service of man that he might remember to acknowledge and be loyall to him from whom all good proceedes Of Beasts for the Chases CHAP. 38. BEsides the Beasts of Chase whereof we have spoken which be common to the Indies and Europe there are others which I doe not remember to have seene heere vnlesse perhappes they have been brought from thence There are beasts called Sainos made like small hogges which have this singular to themselves to have their navill vppon the ridge of their backes these go by troupes through the woods they are cruell and nothing fearefull but contrariwise they assaile and have their tallents sharpe as rasors wherewith they make dangerous wounds and incisions if such as hunt them put not themselves in safetie Such as hunt them for the more safer killing of them they climbe vp into trees whither the Sainos or hogges come presently in troupes biting the tree when they cannot hurte the man and then with their launces they kill what they will They are very good to eate but they must of necessitie cut off the round peece where the navil growes vpon the backe for otherwise within a day they corrupt There is another kinde of little beast like to sucking pigges and they call them Guadatinaias I am in doubt whether there were any swine at the Indies â—efore the Spaniardes came thither like to these in â—paine for that in the discoverie of the Ilands of Soloman it is said they found hennes and swine of Spaine But howsoever it be it is most certaine that this cattell hath greatly multiplied at the Indies They eate the flesh fresh and hold it to be as holesome and as good as if it were of mutton as in Carthagene in some partes they are become wilde and cruell the which they hunt like wilde boares as we see in S. Dominique and other Ilands where the beasts live in the forrests In some places they feede them with the graine of Mays and they
in Peru a confession of sinnes brought by an Indian written in the same forte with pictures and characters painting every one of the tenne Commandementes after a certaine manner where there were certaine markes like ciphers which were the sinnes hee had committed against the Commaundements I nothing doubt but if any of the most sufficient Spaniards were imployed to make memorialles of the like things by their images and markes they would not attaine vnto it in a whole yeare no not in tenne Of Registers and the manner of reckoning which the Indians of Peru vsed CHAP. 8. BEfore the Spaniardes came to the Indies they of Peru had no kinde of writing either letters characters ciphers or figures like to those of China and Mexico yet preserved they the memory of their Antiquities and maintaine an order in all their affairs of peace warre and pollicie for that they were carefull observers of traditions from one to another and the yoong ones learned and carefully kept as a holy thing what their superiors had tolde them and taught it with the like care to their posteritie Besides this diligence they supplied the want of letters and writings partely by painting as those of Mexico although they of Peru were very grose and blockish and partely and most commonly by Quippos These Quippos are memorialls or registers made of bowes in the which there are diverse knottes and colours which do signifie diverse things and it is strange to see what they have expressed and represented by this meanes for their Quippos serve them insteede of Bookes of histories of lawes ceremonies and accounts of their affaires There were officers appointed to keepe these Quippos the which at this day they call Quipocamayos the which were bound to give an account of every thing as Notaries and Registers doe heere Therefore they fully beleeved them in all things for according to the varietie of businesse as warres pollicie tributes ceremonies and landes there were sundry Quippos or braunches in every one of the which there were so many knottes little and great and strings tied vnto them some red some greene some blew some white and finally such diversitie that even as wee derive an infinite number of woordes from the foure and twenty letters applying them in diverse sortes so doe they drawe innumerable woordes from their knottes and diversitie of colours Which thing they doe in such a manner that if at this day in Peru any Commissary come at the end of two or three yeares to take information vppon the life of any officer the Indians come with their small reckonings verified saying that in such a village they have given him so many egges which hee hath not payed for in such a house a henne in an other two burdens of grasse for his horse and that he hath paied but so much mony and remaineth debtor so much The proofe being presently made with these numbers of knottes and handfulls of cords it remaines for a certaine testimony and register I did see a handfull of these strings wherein an Indian woman carried written a generall confession of all her life and thereby confessed herselfe as well as I could have done it in written paper I asked her what those strings meant that differed from the rest she aunswered mee they were certaine circumstaunces which the sin required to be fully confessed Beside these Quippos of thred they have an other as it were a kinde of writing with small stones by meanes whereof they learne punctually the words they desire to know by heart It is a pleasant thing to see the olde and the impotent with a wheele made of small stones learne the Pater noster with another the Ave Maria with another the Creede and to remember what stone signifies Which was conceived by the holy-ghost and which Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate It is a pleasant thing to see them correct themselves when they doe erre for all their correction consisteth onely in beholding of their small stones One of these wheeles were sufficient to make mee forget all that I do knowe by heart There are a great number of these wheeles in the Church-yardes for this purpose But it seemes a kinde of witchcraft to see an other kinde of Quippos which they make of graines of Mays for to cast vp a hard account wherein a good Arithmetitian would be troubled with his penne to make a division to see how much every one must contribute they do drawe so many graines from one side and adde so many to another with a thousand other inventions These Indians wil take their graines and place five of one side three of another and eight of another and wil change one graine of one side and three of another So as they finish a certaine account without erring in any poynt and they sooner submitte themselves to reason by these Quippos what every one ought to pay then we can do with the penne Hereby we may iudge if they have any vnderstanding or be brutish for my parte I think they passe vs in those things wherevnto they do apply themselves Of the order the Indians holde in their writings CHAP. 9. IT shal be good to adde heerevnto what we have observed touching the Indians writings for their maner was not to write with a continued line but from the toppe to the bottome or in circle-wise The Latines and Greeks do write from the left hand vnto the right which is the vulgar and common manner we do vse The Hebrewes contrariwise beganne at the right to the left and therefore their bookes beganne where ours did end The Chinois write neither like the Greeks nor like the Hebrews but from the toppe to the bottome for as they be no letters but whole wordes and that every figure and character signifieth a thing they have no neede to assemble the parts one with an other and therefore they may well write from the toppe to the bottome Those of Mexico for the same cause did not write in line from one side to another but contrarie to the Chinois beginning below they mounted vpward They vsed this maner of writing in the account of their daies and other things which they observed Yet when they did write in their wheels or signes they beganne from the middest where the Sunne was figured and so mounted by their yeeres vnto the round and circumference of the wheele To conclude wee finde foure different kindes of writings some writte from the right to the left others from the left to the right some from the toppe to the bottome and others from the foote to the toppe wherein wee may discover the diversity of mans iudgement How the Indians dispatched their Messengers CHAP. 10. TO finish the maner they had of writing some may with reason doubt how the Kings of Mexico and Peru had intelligence from all those realmes that were so great or by what meanes they could dispatch their affaires in Court seeing they had no vse of any letters nor to write pacquets wherein
neere to the instruments wherein the Auntients and Noblemen did sing and daunce with a softe and slowe motion and the other was of the rest of the people round about them but a good distance from the first wherein they daunced two and two more lightly making diverse kindes of pases with certaine leapes to the measure All which together made a very great circle They attired themselves for these dances with their most pretious apparrell and iewelles every one according to his abilitie holding it for a very honorable thing for this cause they learned these daunces from their infancie And although the greatest parte of them were doone in honor of their Idolles yet was it not so instituted as hath bin said but only as a recreation and pastime for the people Therefore it is not convenient to take them quite from the Indians but they must take good heed they mingle not their superstitions amongest them I have seene this Mittotte in the court of the Church of Topetzotlan a village seaven leagues from Mexico and in my opinion it was a good thing to busie the Indians vpon festivall dayes seeing they have neede of some recreation and because it is publike and without the preiudice of any other there is lesse inconvenience than in others which may be done privately by themselves if they tooke away these We must therfore conclude folowing the counsel of pope Gregory that it was very convenient to leave vnto the Indians that which they have had vsually of custom so as they be not mingled nor corrupt with their antient errors that their feasts and pastimes may be to the honor of God and of the Saints whose feasts they celebrate This may suffice in generall of the maners and politike customes of the Mexicaines And as for their beginning increase and Empire for that it is an ample matter and will be pleasant to vnderstand from the beginning we will intreate thereof in the Booke following THE SEVENTH BOOKE of the Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies That it is profitable to vnderstand the actes and geasts of the Indians especially of the Mexicaines CHAP. 1. EVery History wel written is profitable to the reader For as the Wise man saith That which hath bin is and that which shall be is that which hath beene Humane things have much resemblance in themselves and some growe wiâ—e by that which happneth to others There is no Nation how barbarous soever that have not something in them good and woorthy of commendation nor Commonweale so well ordered that hath not something blame-worthy and to be â—â—nâ—rollâ—d If therefore there were no other fruite in the Historic and Narration of the deedes and gests of the Indians but this common vtilitie to be a Relation or Historiâ— of things the which in the effect of truth have happened it deserveth to be received as a profitable thing neither ought it to be reiected for that it concernes the Indians As we see that those Authors that treate of naturall things write not onely of generous beasts notable and rare plants and of pretious stones but also of wilde beasts common hearbs and base and vulgar stones for that there is alwayes in them some properties worthy observation If therefore there were nothing else in this Discourse but that it is a Historie and no fables nor fictions it were no unwoorthy subiect to be written or read There is yet an other more particular reason which is that wee ought heerein to esteeme that which is woorthy of memorie both for that it is a Nation little esteemed and also a subiect different from that of our Europe as these Nations be wherein wee should take most pleasure and content to vnderstand the ground of their beginning their maner of life with their happy and vnhappy adventures And this subiect is not onely pleasant and agreeable but also profitable especially to such as have the charge to rule and governe them for the knowledge of their acts invites vs to give credite and dooth partely teach howe they ought to be intreated yea it takes away much of that common and foolish contempt wherein they of Europe holde them supposing that those Nations have no feeling of reason For in trueth wee can not cleere this errour better than by the true report of the actes and deedes of this people I will therefore as briefely as I can intreate of the beginning proceedings and notable deedes of the Mexicaines whereby wee may know the time and the disposition that the high God woulde choose to send vnto these Nations the light of the Gospel of Iesus Christ his only sonne our Lord whome I beseech to second our small labour that it may be to the glory of his Divine greatnes and some profite to these people to whome hee hath imparted the lawe of his holy gospel Of the antient Inhabitants of New Spaine and how the Navatlacas came thither CHAP. 2. THe antient and first Inhabitants of those provinces which wee call New Spaine were men very barbarous and savage which lived onely by hunting for this reason they were called Chichimecas They did neither sowe nor till the ground neither lived they together for all their exercise was to hunt wherein they were very expert They lived in the roughest partes of the mountaines beastlike without any pollicie and they went all naked They hunted wilde beasts hares connies weezles mowles wilde cattes and birdes yea vncleane beasts as snakes lizards locusts and wormes whereon they fed with some hearbs and rootes They slept in the mountaines in caves and in bushes and the wives likewise went a hunting with their husbandes leaving their yoong children in a little panier of reeds tied to the boughs of a tree which desired not to suck â—ntill they were returned from hunting They had no superiors nor did acknowledge or worship any gods neyther hadde any manner of ceremonies or religion There is yet to this day in New Spaine of this kinde of people which live by their bowes and arrowes the which are very hurtfull for that they gather together in troupes to doe mischiefe and to robbe neither can the Spaniards by force or cunning reduce them to any policie or obedience for having no townes nor places of residence to sight with them were properly to hunt after savage beasts which scatter and hide themselves in the most rough and covered places of the mountaines Such is their maner of living eveâ— to this day in many Provinces of the Indies In the Bookes De procuranda Indiorum salute they discourse chiefly of this sort of Indians where it is saide that they are to be constrained and subiected by some honest force and that it is necessary first to teach them that they are men and then to be Christians Some will say that those in New Spaine which they call Ottomies were of this sort being commonly poore Indians inhabiting a rough and barren land and yet they are in good numbers and live
together with some order and such as do know them find them no lesse apt and capable of matters of christian religion than others which are held to be more rich and better governed Comming therefore to our subiect the Chichimecas and Ottomies which were the first inhabitants of New Spaine for that they did neyther till nor sowe the land they left the best and most fertile of the country vnpeopled which Nations that came from farre did possesse whome they called Navatalcas for that it was a more civill and politike Nation this word signifies a people that speakes well in reâ—pect of other barbarous nations without reason These sâ—cond peoplers Navatalcas came from other â—arre countries which lie toward the north where now they have discovered a kingdome they call New Mexico There are two provinces in this countrey the one called AZtlan which is to say a place of Herons the other Tuculhuacan which signifies a land of such whose grandfathers were divine The Inhabitants of these provinces have their houses their lands tilled gods customes and ceremonies with like order and governement to the Navatalcas and are divided into seaven Tribes or Nations and for that they have a custome in this province that every one of these linages hath his place and private territory The Navatalcas paint their beginning and first territory in figure of a cave and say that they came forth of seaven caves to come and people the land of Mexico whereof they make mention in their Historie where they paint seaven caves and men comming forth of them By the supputation of their bookes it is above eight hundred yeeres since these Navatalcas came foorth of their country reducing which to our accompt was about the yeere of our Lord 720. when they left their country to come to Mexico they stayed foure score yeares vpon the way and the cause of this their long stay in their voyage was that their gods which without doubt were divells and spake visibly vnto them had perswaded them to seeke new lands that had certaine signes And therefore they came discovering the whole land to search for these tokens which their Idolls had given them and in places where they found any good dwellings they peopled it and laboured the land and as they discovered better countries they left those which they had first peopled lâ—aving still some especially the aged sicke folkes and the weary yea they did plant and build there whereof we see the remainders at this day In the way where they passed they spent fourescore yeares in this manner of leisurely travell the which they might have done in a moneth By this meanes they entred the land of Mexico in the yeare nine hundred and two after our computation How the six Linages of Navatlacas peopled the land of Mexico CHAP. 3. THese seaven Linages I have spoken of came not forth all together the first were the Suchimilcos which signifie a Nation of the seedes of flowers Those peopled the bankes of the great lake of Mexico towards the South and did build a cittie of their name and many villages Long time after came they of the second linage called Chalcas which signifies people of mouthes who also built a cittie of their name dividing their limmits and territories with the Suchimilcos The third were the Tepanecans which signifies people of the bridge they did inhabite vpon the banke of the lake towards the West and they increased so as they called the chiefe and Metropolitane of their Province AzcapuZalco which is to say an Ants nest and they continued long time mighty After them came those that peopled Tescuco which be those of Culhua which is to say a crooked people for that in their Countrey there was a mountaine much bending And in this sort this lake was invironed with these foure Nations these inhabiting on the East and the Tepanecas on the North. These of Tescuco were held for great Courtiers for their tongue and pronountiation is very sweete and pleasant Then arrived the Tlalluicans which signifies men of the Sierre or mountaine Those were the most rude and grosse of all the rest who finding all the plaines about the lake possessed even vnto the Sierre they passed to the other side of the mountaine where they found a very fertile spatious warme countrey where they built many great villages calling the Metropolitane of their province Quahunachua which is as much to say as a place that sounds the voice of an Egle which our common people call by corruption Quernavaca and at this day they call this province the Marquisate Those of the sixt generation which are the Tlascaltecans which is to say men of bread passed the mountaine towards the east crossing all the Sierre or mountaine of Menade where that famous Vulcan is betwixt Mexico and the citty of Angells where they did finde a good country making many buildings They built many townes and citties whereof the Metropolitane was called by their name Tlascala This is the nation which favoured the Spaniards at their entrie by whosâ— help they did winne this country and therefore to this day they pay no tribute but enioy a generall exemption When all these Nations peopled these countries the Chinchimecans being the antient inhabitants made no resistance but fledde and as people amazed they hid themselves in the most obscure of the rockes But those that inhabited on th' other side of the mountaine where the Tlascaltecans had planted themselves did not suffer them in quiet as the rest of the Chichimecans had done but they put themselves in defâ—nce to preserve their country and being giants as the Histories report they sought to expell the last commers but they were vanquisht by the policy of the Tlascaltecans who counterfetting a peace with them they invited them to a great banquet and when they were busiest in their drunkennes there were some laide in ambush who secretly stole away their weapons which were great clubbes targets swords of wood and other sucâ— armes Then did they sodainely set vpon them and the Chichimecas seeking to defend themselves they did want their armes so as they fled to the mountaines and forrests adioyning where they pulled downe trees as if they had beene stalkes of lettices But in the end the Tluscaltecans being armed and marching in order they defeated all the giants not leaving one alive We must not holde this of the giants to be strange or a fable for at this day we finde dead mens bones of an incredible bignes When I was in Mexico in the yeare of our Lorde one thousand five hundred eighty sixe they found one of those giants buried in one of our farmes which we call Iesus du Mont of whom they brought a tooth to be seene which without augmenting was as big as the fist of a man and according to this all the rest was proportionable which I saw and admired at his deformed greatnes The Tlascaltecans by this victory remained peaceable and so did the rest of
seeke occasion to ruine them But their god Vitzliputzli comforted them appearing that night to an olde man commaunding him to say to the king his sonne in his name that hee should make no difficultie to accept of this tribute he would help them and make the meanes easie which after happened for the time of tribute being come the Mexicanes carried the trees that were required and moreover a garden made and floating in the water and in it much Mays which is their corne already grained and in the eare there was also Indian pepper beetes Tomates which is a great sappy and savourie graine french pease fâ—gges gourds and many other things al ripe and in their season Such as have not seene the gardines in the lake of Mexico in the middest of the water will not beleeve it but will say it is an inchantment of the Divell whom they worship But in trueth it is a matter to be done and there hath beene often seene of these gardens floating in the water for they cast earth vpon reedes and grasse in such sort as it never wastes in the water they sowe and plant this ground so as the graine growes and ripens very well and then they remove it from place to place But it is true that to make this great garden easily and to have the fruites grow well is a thing that makes men iudge there was the worke of VitziliputZli whome otherwise they call Patillas specially having never made nor seene the like The king of Azcapuzalco wondred much when he sawe that accomplished which he held impossible saying vnto his subiects that this people had a great god that made all easie vnto them and hee sayd vnto the Mexicaines that seeing their God gave them all things perfit hee would the yeare following at the time of tribute they shoulde bring in their gardine a wilde ducke and a heron sitting on their egges in such sorte that they should hatch their yoong ones as they should arrive without failing of a minute vpon paine of his indignation The Mexicans were much troubled and heavy with this prowde and strict commaunde but their god as he was accustomed comforted them in the night by one of his priests saying that he would take all that charge vpon him willing them not to fear but beleeve that the day would come whenas the Azcapuzalcos should pay with their lives this desire of new tributes The time being come as the Mexicans carried all that was demaunded of their gardins among the reeds and weeds of the gardin they found a ducke and a heron hatching their egges and at the same instant when they arived at AzcapuZalco their yong ones were disclosed Whereat the king of AzcapuZalco wondring beyond measure he said againe to his people that these were more than humane things and that the Mexicans beganne as if they would make themselves lordes over all those provinces Yet did he not diminish the order of this tribute and the Mexicans finding not themselves mighty enough endured this subiection and slavery the space of fifty yeeres In this time the king Acamapixtli died having beautified the Citty of Mexico with many goodly buildings streets conduits of water and great aboundance of munition Hee raigned in peace and rest forty yeares having bin alwayes zealous for the good and increase of the common-weale As hee drew neare his end hee did one memorable thing that having lawfull children to whom he might leave the succession of the realme yet would he not do it but contrariwise hee spake freely to the common-weale that as they had made a free election of him so they should choose him that should seeme fittest for their good government advising them therein to have a care to the good of the common-weale and seeming grieved that he left them not freed from tribute subiection hee died having recommended his wife and children vnto them he left all his people sorowfull for his death Of the second King and what happened in his raigne CHAP. 10. THe obsequies of the dead king performed the Antients the chiefe of the realme and some part of the people assembled together to choose a King where the Antients propounded the necessitie wherein they were and that it was needefull to choose for chiefe of their citty a man that had pity of age of widows and orphans and to be a father of the commonweale for in very deede they should be the feathers of his wings the eie-browes of his eyes and the beard of his face that it was necessarie he were valiant being needefull shortly to vse their forces as their god had prophesied Their resolution in the end was to chuse a sonne of the predecessor vsing the like good office in accepting his sonne for successor as hee had done to the common-weale relying thereon This young man was called Vitzilovitli which signifieth a rich feather they set the royall crowne vpon his head and annointed him as they have beene accustomed to doe to all their Kings with an ointâ—â—nt they call Divine being the same vnction wherewith they did annoynt their Idoll Presently an Orator made an eloquent speech exhorting him to arme himselfe with courage and free them from the travells slavery and misery they suffered being oppressed by the AzcapuZalcos which done all did him homage This king was not married and his Counsell helde opinion that it was good to marry him with the daughter of the king of Azcapuzalco to have him a frind by this aliance and to obtain some diminution of their heavy burthen of tributes imposed vpon them and yet they feared lest he should disdaine to give them his daughter by reason they were his vassalls yet the king of AzcapuZalco yeelded therevnto having humbly required him who with curteous wordes gave them his daughter called Ayanchigual whom they ledde with great pompe and ioy to Mexico and performed the ceremony and solemnity of marriage which was to tie a corner of the mans cloke to a part of the womans vaile in signe of the band of marriage This Queene broght foorth a sonne of whose name they demaunded advise of the king of AzcapuZalco and casting lots as they had accustomed being greatly given to soothsayings especially vpon the names of their children he would have his grand-childe called Chimalpopoca which signifies a target casting smoke The Queene his daughter seeing the contentment the King of AzcapuZalco had of his grand-child tooke occasion to intreat him to releeve the Mexicaines of the heavy burthen of their tributes seeing he had now a grand-child Mexicaine the which the King willingly yeelded vnto by the advise of his Counsell granting for the tribute which they paid to bring yeerely a couple of duckes and some fish in signe of subiection and that they dwelt in his land The Mexicaines by this meanes remained much eased and content but it lasted little For the Queene their Protectrix died soone after and the yere following likewise Vitzilovitli the king of Mexico died
leaving his sonne Chimalpopoca tenne yeares olde hee raigned thirteene yeeres and died thirty yeeres old or little more Hee was held for a good king and carefull in the service of his gods whose Images hee held kings to be and that the honour done to their god was done to the king who was his image For this cause the kings have beene so affectionate to the service of their gods This king was carefull to winne the love of his neighbours and to trafficke with them whereby hee augmented his citty exercising his men in warrelike actions in the Lake disposing them to that which he pretended as you shall see presently Of Chimalpopoca the third king and his cruell death and the occasion of warre which the Mexicaines made CHAP. 11. THe Mexicaines for successor to their deceased king did choose his sonne Chimalpopoca by common consent although he were a child of tenne yeeres old being of opinion that it was alwayes necessary to keepe the favor of the king of AzcapuZalco making his grand-childe king They then set him in his throane giving him the ensignes of warre with a bowe and arrowes in one hand and a sword with rasours which they commonly vse in the right signifying thereby as they do say that they pretended by armes to set themselves at liberty The Mexicaines had great want of water that of the Lake being very thicke and muddy and therefore ill to drincke so as they caused their infant king to desire of his grandfather the king of Azcapuzalco the water of the mountaine of Chapultepec which is from Mexico a league as is saide before which they easely obtained and by their industry made an aqueduct of faggots weeds and flagges by the which they brought water to their citty But because the Cittie was built within the Lake and the aqueduct did crosse it it did breake forth in many places so as they could not inioy the water as they desired and had great scarcitie whervpon whether they did expresly seeke it to quarrell with the Tapanecans or that they were mooved vppon small occasion in the end they sent a resolute ambassage to the king of AzcapuZalco saying they could not vse the water which he had gratiously granted them and therefore they required him to provide them wood lime and stone and to send his workmen that by their meanes they might make a pipe of stone and lime that should not breake This message nothing pleased the king and much lesse his subiects seeming to be too presumptuous a message and purposely insolent for vassals to their Lord. The chiefe of the Counsell disdaining thereat said it was too bold that not content with permission to live in an others land and to have water given them but they would have them goe to serve them what a matter was that And whereon presumed this fugitive nation shut vp in the mud They would let them know how fit they were to worke and to abate their pride in taking from them their land and their lives In these termes and choller they left the king whom they did somwhat suspect by reason of his grandchild and consulted againe anew what they were to doe where they resolved to make a generall proclamation that no Tapanecan should have any commerce or trafficke with any Mexicaine that they should not goe to their Cittie nor receive any into theirs vpon paine of death Whereby we may vnderstand that the king did not absolutely commaund over his people and that he governed more like a Consul or a Duke than a King although since with their power the commaund of Kings increased growing absolute Tyrants as you shal see in the last Kings For it hath beene an ordinarie thing among the Barbarians that such as their power hath beene such hath beene their commaund yea in our Histories of Spaine we finde in some antient kings that manner of rule which the Tapanecans vsed Such were the first kings of the Romans but that Rome declined from Kings to Consuls and a Senate till that after they came to be commaunded by Emperours But these Barbarians of temperate Kings became tyrants of which governements a moderate monarchy is the best and most assured But returne we now vnto our historie The king of Azcapuzalco seeing the resolution of his subiects which was to kil the Mexicans intreated them first to steale away the yong king his grand-childe and afterwards do what they pleased to the Mexicans All in a manner yeelded heerevnto to give the king contentment and for pitty they had of the child but two of the chiefest were much opposite inferring that it was bad counsell for that Chimalpopoca although hee were of their bloud yet was it but by the mothers side and that the fathers was to be preferred and therefore they concluded that the first they must kill was Chimalpopoca king of Mexico protesting so to doe The king of AzcapuZalco was so troubled with this contradiction and the resolution they had taken that soone after for very griefe he fell sicke and died By whose death the Tapanâ—cans finishing their consultation committed a notable treason for one night the yong King of Mexico sleeping without guard or feare of any thing they of Azcapuzalco entred his pallace and slew him sodainly returning vnseene The morning being come when the Nobles wâ—nt to salute the King as they were accustomed they found him slaine with great and cruell wounds then they cried out and filled all their cittie with teares and transported with choller they presently fell to armes with an intent to revenge their Kings death As they ranne vppe and downe full of fury and disorder one of their chiefest knightes stept foorth labouring to appease them with a grave admonition Whither goe you saide hee O yee Mexicaines quiet your selves consider that things done without consideration arâ— not well guided nor come to good end suppresse your griefe considering that although your king be dead the noble blood of the Mexicaines is not extinct in him Wee have children of our kings deceased by whose conduct succeeding to the realme you shall the better execute what you pretend having a leader to guide your enterprise go not blindely surcease and choose a king first to guide and encourage you against your enâ—mies In the meane time dissemble discreetly performing the funeralls of your deceased king whose body you see heere present for heereafter you shall finde better meanes to take revâ—nge By this meanes the Mexicans passed no farther but stayed to make the obsequies of their King wherevnto they invited the Lords of Tescuco and Culhuacan reporting vnto them this foule and cruell fact which the Tapanecans had committed moving them to have pitty on them and incensing them against their ennemies concluding that their resolution was to die or to bee revenged of so great an indignitie intreating them not to favour so vniust a fact of their enemies and that for their part they desired not their aide of armes or men but onely to
bee lookers on of what should passe and that for their maintenance they would not stoppe nor hinder the comerce as the Tapanecans had done At these speeches they of Tescuco and Culhuacan made them great shewes of good will and that they were well satisfied offâ—ing them their citties and all the commerce they desired that they might provide vittaile and munition at their pleasure both by land water After this the Mexicanes intreated them to stay with them and assist at the election of their King the which they likewise granted to give them contentment Of the fourth King called Izcoalt and of the warre against the Tapanecans CHAP. 12. THe Electors being assembled an old man that was held for a great Orator rose vp who as the histories report spake in this manner The light of your eyes O Mâ—xicaines is darkened but not of your hearts for although you have lost him that was the light and guide of the Mexicaine Common-weale yet that of the heart remaines to consider that although they have slaine one man yet there are others that may supply with advantage the want we have of him the Mexicaine Nobilitie is not extinguished thereby nor the blood royall decaied Turne your eyes and looke about you you shall see the Nobilitie of Mexico set in order not one nor two but many and excellent Princes sonnes to Acamapixtli our true and lawfull King and Lord. Heere you may choose at your pleasure saying I will this man and not that If you have lost a father heere you may finde both father and mother make account O Mexicaines that the Sunne is eclipsed and darkened for a time and will returne suddenly If Mexico hath beene darkened by the death of your King the Sun will soone shew in choosing another King Looke to whom and vpon whom you shall cast your eyes and towards whom your heart is inclined and this is hee whoâ— your god Vitzliputzli hath chosen And continuing a while this discourse he ended to the satisfaction of all men In the end by the consent of this Counsell Izcoalt was chosen King which signifies a snake of rasors who was sonne to the first King Acamapixtli by a slave of his and although he were not legitimate yet they made choyce of him for that he exceeded the rest in behaviour valour and magnanimitie of courage All seemed very well satisfied and above all these of Tescuco for their king was mâ—rried to a sister of Iscoalts After the King had beene crowned and set in his royall seat another Orator stept vp discoursing how the king was bound to his Common-weale and of the courage he ought to shew in travell speaking thus Bâ—hold this day we depend on thee it may be thou wilt let fall the burthen that lies vpon thy souldiers and suffer the old man and woman the orphlin and the widowe to perish Take pittie of the infants that go creeping in the ayre who must perish if our enemies surmount vs vnfold then and stretch forth thy cloake my Lord to beare these infants vpon thy shoulders which be the poore and the common people who live assured vnder the shadowe of thy wings and of thy bountie Vttering many other words vpon this subiect the which as I have said they learne by heart for the exercise of their children and after did teach them as a lesson to those that beganne to learne the facultie of Orators In the meane time the Tapanecans were resolute to destroy the Mexicaines and to this end they had made great preparations And therefore the new King tooke counsell for the proclaiming of warre and to fight with those that had so much wronged them But the common people seeing their adversaries to exceede them farre in numbers and munition for the warre they came amazed to their King pressing him not to vndertake so dangerous a warre which would destroy their poore Cittie and Nation wherevpon being demaunded what advise were fittest to take they made answer that the King of AzcapuZalco was very pittifull that they should demand peace and offer to serve him drawing them forth those marshes and that he should give them houses and lands among his subiects that by this meanes they might depend all vppon one Lord. And for the obtaining heereof they should carry their god in his litter for an intercessor The cries of the people were of such force having some Nobles that approved their opinion as presently they called for the Priests preparing the litter and their god to performe the voyage As this was preparing and every one yeelded to this treatie of peace and to subiect themselves to the Tapanecans a gallant yong man and of good sort stept out among the people who with a resolute countenance spake thus vnto them What meanâ—s this O yee Mexicaines are yee mad How hath so great cowardise crept in among vs Shall we go and yeeld our selves thus to the Azcapuzalcans Then turning to the King he said How now my Lord will you endure this Speake to the people that they may suffer vs to finde out some meanes for our honour and defence and not to yeelde our selves so simply and shamefully into the hands of our enemies This yong man was called Tlacaellec nephew to the King he was the most valiant Captaine and greatest Counsellor that ever the Mexicaines had as you shall see heereafter Izcoalt incouraged by that his nephew had so wisely spoken retained the people saying they should first suffer him to try another better meanes Then turning towards his Nobilitie he said vnto them You are all heere my kinsmen and the best of Mexico hee that hath the courage to carrie a message to the Tapanecans let him rise vp They looked one vpon another but no man stirred nor offered himselfe to the word Then this yong man Tlacaellec rising offered himselfe to go saying that seeing he must die it did import little whether it were to day or to morrow for what reason should he so carefully preserve himselfe he was therefore readie let him command what he pleased And although all held this for a rash attempt yet the King resolvâ—d to send him that he might thereon vnderstand the will and disposition of the King of Azcapuzalco and of his people holding it better to hasten his nephâ—ws death then to hazard the honour of his Comâ—on-weale Tlacaelies being ready tooke his way and being come to the guards who had commandement to kill any Mexicaines that came towards them by cunning or otherwise he pâ—rswaded them to suffer him to passe to the king who wondered to see him and hearing his ambassage which was to demand peace of him vnder honâ—st conditions answered that hee would impart it to his subiects willing him to returne the next day for his answer then Tlacaâ—llec demanded a pasport yet could he not obtaine any but that he should vse his best skill With this he returned to Mexico giving his words to the guards to returne And although the King
of Azcapuzalco desired peace being of a milde disposition yet his subiects did so incense him as his answer was open warre The which being heard by the messenger he did all his King commanded him declaring by this ceremony to give armes and anointing the King with the vnction of the dead that in his Kings behalfe he did defie him Having ended all the King of Azcapuzalco suffering himselfe to be anointed and crowned with feathers giving goodly armes in recompence to the messenger wishing him not to returne by the pallace gate whereas many attended to cut him in peeces but to go out secretly by a little false posterne that was open in one of the courts of the Pallace This yong man did so and turning by secret waies got away in safetie in sight of the guards and there defied them saying Tapanecans and Azcapuzalcans you do your office ill vnderstand you shall all die and not one Tapanecan shall remaine alive In the meane time the guardes fell vpon him where he behaved him selfe so valiantly that hee â—lew some of them and seeing many more of them come running hee retyred himselfe gallantly to the Cittie where he brought newes that warre was proclaimed with the Tapanecans and that hee had defied their King Of the battell the Mexicaines gave to the Tapanecans and of the viâ—torie they obtained CHAP. 13. THe defie being knowne to the Commons of Mexico they came to the king according to their accustomed cowardise demaunding leave to departe the Citty holding their raigne certaine The king didde comfort and incourage them promising to give them libertie if they vanquished their enemies willing them not to feare The people replied And if we be vanquished what shall we doe If we be overcome aunswered the king we will be bound presently to yeeld our selves into your hands to suffer death eate our flesh in your dishes and be revenged of vs. It shall be so then saide they if you loose the victorie and if you obtaine the victorie we do presently offer our selves to be your Tributaries to labour in your houses to sowe your ground to carrie your armes and baggage when you goe to the warres for ever wee and our descendants after vs. These accordes made betwixt the people and the nobilitie which they did after fully performe eyther willingly or by constraint as they had promised the king namd for his captain generall Tlacaellec the whole campe was put in order and into squadrons giving the places of captaines to the most valiant of his kinsfolkes and friends then did hee make them a goodly speech whereby he did greatly incorage them being now wel prepared charging all men to obey the commaundement of the Generall whome he had appoynted he divided his men into two partes commanding the most valiant and hardie to give the first charge with him that all the rest should remaine with the king Izcoalt vnâ—il they should see the first assaile their enemies Marching then in order they were discovered by them of Azcapuzalco who presently came furiously foorth the citty carrying great riches of gold silver and armes of great value as those which had the empire of all that country IZcoalt gave the signall to battaile with a little drumme he carried on his shoulders and presently they raised a general showt crying Mexico Mexico they charged the Tapanecans and although they were farre more in number yet did they defeate them and force them to retire into their Cittie then advaunced they which remained behinde crying Tlacaellec victorie victorie all sodainely entred the Citty where by the Kings commandement they pardoned not any man no not olde men women nor children for they slew them all and spoyled the Citty being very rich And not content heerewith they followed them that fled and were retired into the craggy rocks of the Sierres or neere mountaines striking and making a great slaughter of them The Tapanecans being retired to a mountaine cast downe their armes demaunding their lives and offering to serve the Mexicans to give them lands and gardins stone lime and timber and to hold them alwayes for their Lordes Vpon this condition Tlacaellâ—c retired his men and ceased the battell graunting them their lives vpon the former conditions which they did solemnely sweare Then they returnâ—d to AzcapuZalco and so with their rich and victorious spoiles to the cittie of Mexico The day following the king assembled the nobilitie and the people to whom he laid open the accord the Commons had made demaunding of them if they were content to persist therin the Commons made answer that they had promised and they had well deserved it and therfore they were content to serve them perpetually Wherevpon they tooke an othe which since they have kept without contradiction This done IZcoalt returned to Azcapuzalco by the advise of his counsell he divided all the lands goods of the conquered among the conquerours the chiefest part fell to the King then to Tlacaellec and after to the rest of the Nobles as they best deserved in the battell They also gave land to some plebeians having behaved themselves valiantly to others they distributed the pillage making small account of them as of cowardes They appointed lands in common for the quarters of Mexico to every one his part for the service and sacrifices of their gods This was the order which after they alwayes kept in the division of the lands and spoyles of those they had vanquished and subdewed By this meanes they of AzcapuZalco remained so poore as they had no lands left them to labor and which was worse they tooke their king from them all power to chuse any other then him of Mexico Of the warre and victory the Mexicans had against the Cittie of Cuyoacan CHAP. 14. ALthough the chiefe Cittie of the Tapanecans was that of AzcapuZalco yet had they others with their private Lordes as Tâ—cuba and Cuyoacan These seeing the storme passed would gladly that they of Azcapuzalco had renewed the warre against the Mexicans and seeing them danted as a nation wholy broken and defeated they of Cuyoacan resolved to make warre by themselves to the which they laboured to draw the other neighbor nations who would not stirre nor quarrell with the Mexicans In the meane time the hatred and malice increasing they of Cuyoacan beganne to ill intreate the women that went to their markets mocking at them and doing the like to the men over whom they had power for which cause the king of Mexico defended that none of his should goe to Cuyoacan and that they should receive none of them into Mexico the which made them of Cuyoacan resolve wholy to warre but first they would provoke them by some shamefull scorne which was that having invited them to one of their solemne feasts after they had made them a goodly banquet and feasted them with a great daunce after their manner they sent them for their fruite womens apparell forcing them to put it on and so to returne home
subdued the city of Cuitlavaca with children the news and consideration whereof opened the eyes of those of Tescâ—co a chiefe and very cunning Nation for their manner of life So as the king of Tescuco was first of opinion that they should subiect themselves to the king of Mexico and invite him therevnto with his cittie Therefore by the advise of his Counsell they sent Ambassadors good Orators with honorable presents to offer themselves vnto the Mexicans as their subiects desiring peace and amitie which was gratiously accepted but by the advise of Tlacaellec he vsed a ceremony for the effecting thereof which was that those of Tescuco should come forth armed against the Mexicans where they should fight and presently yeelde which was an act and ceremony of warre without any effusion of bloud on either side Thus the king of Mexico became soveraigne Lord of Tescuco but hee tooke not their king from them but made him of his privie counsell so as they have alwayes maintained themselves in this manner vntill the time of Motecuma the second during whose raigne the Spaniards entred Having subdued the land and citty of Tescuco Mexico remained Lady and Mistris of all the landes and citties about the Lake where it is built Izcoalt having enioyed this prosperitie and raigned twelve yeeres died leaving the realme which had beene given him much augmented by the valour and counsell of his nephew Tlacaellec as hath afore beene saide who held it best to choose an other king then himselfe as shall heereafter be shewed Of the fift King of Mexico called Moteçuma the first of that name CHAP. 16. FOrasmuch as the election of the new King belonged to foure chiefe Electors as hath been said and to the King of Tescuco and the King of Tacubu by especiall priviledge Tlacaellec assembled these six personages as he that had the soveraigne authoritie and having propounded the matter vnto them they made choise of Moteçuma the first of that name nephew to the same Tlacaellec His election was very pleasing to them all by reason whereof they made most solemne feasts and more stately then the former Presently after his election they conducted him to the Temple with a great traine where before the divine harth as they call it where there is continuall fire they set him in his royall throne putting vpon him his royall ornaments Being there the King drew blood from his eares and legges with a griffons tallents which was the sacrifice wherein the divell delighted to be honoured The Priests Antients and Captaines made their orations all congratulating his election They were accustomed in their elections to make great feasts and dances where they wasted many lightes In this Kings time the custome was brought in that the King should go in person to make warre in some province and bring captives to solemnize the feast of his coronation and for the solemne sacrifices of that day For this cause King Moteçuma went into the province of Chalco who had declared themselves his enemies from whence having fought valiantly he brought a great number of captives whereof he did make a notable sacrifice the day of his coronation although at that time he did not subdue all the province of Chalco being a very warlike nation Many came to this coronation from divers provinces as well neere as farre off to see the feast at the which all commers were very bountifully entertained and clad especially the poore to whom they gave new garments For this cause they brought that day into the Cittie the Kings tributes with a goodly order which consisted in stuffes to make garments of all sorts in Cacao gold silver rich feathers great burthens of cotten cucumbers sundry sortes of pulses many kindes of sea fish and of the fresh water great store of fruites and venison without number not reckoning an infinite number of presents which other kings and Lords sent to the new king All this tribute marched in order according to the provinces and before them the stewards and receivers with divers markes and ensignes in very goodly order so as it was one of the goodliest things of the feast to see the entry of the tribute The King being crowned he imploied himselfe in the conquest of many provinces and for that he was both valiant and vertuous hee still increased more and moâ—e vsing in all his affaires the counsell and industry of his generall Tlacaellec whom he did alwaies love and esteeme very much as hee had good reason The warre wherein hee was most troubled and of greatest difficultie was that of the province of Chalco wherein there happened great matters whereof one was very remarkable which was that they of Chalcas had taken a brother of Moteçumaâ—s in the warres whome they resolved to choose for their king asking him very curteously if he would accept of this charge He answered after much importunity still persisting therein that if they meant plainely to choose him for their king they should plant in the market place a tree or very high stake on the toppe whereof they should make a little scaffold and meanes to mount vnto it The Chalcas supposing it had beene some ceremony to make himselfe more apparent presently effected it then assembling all his Mexicaines about the stake he went to the toppe with a garland of flowers in his hand speaking to his men in this maner O valiant Mexicaines these men will choose mee for their King but the gods will not permit that to be a King I should committee any treason against my countrie but contrariwise I wil that you learne by me that it behoveth vs rather to indure death then to ayde our enemies Saying these words he cast himselfe downe and was broken in a thousand peeces at which spectacle the Chalcas had so great horror and dispits that presently they fell vpon the Mexicaines and slew them all with their launces as men whom they held too prowde and inexorable saying they had divelish hearts It chanced the night following they heard two owles making a mornefull cry which they did interpret as an vnfortunate signe and a presage of their neere destruction as it succeeded for King Moteçuma went against them in person with all his power where he vanquished them and ruined all their kingdome and passing beyond the mountaine Meâ—ade hee conquered still even vnto the North sea Then returning towards the South sea hee subdued many provinces so as he became a mighty King all by the helpe and counsell of Tlacaellec who in a manner conquered all the Mexicaine nation Yet hee held an opinion the which was confirmed that it was not behoovefull to conquer the province of Tlascalla that the Mexicaines might have a fronter enemy to keepe the youth of Mexico in exercise and allarme and that they might have numbers of captives to sacrifice to their idols wherein they did waste as hath beene said infinite numbers of men which should bee taken by force in the warres The honour must be given to
aiding himselfe with his best iudgement being therevnto bound by the duetie and charge of a king Who will likewise beleeve that the great courage which thou hast alwaies valiantly shewed in matters of importance shuld now faile thee in matters of greatest need Who will not perswade himselfe but the Mexicane Empire is come to the height of their soveraignetie seeing the Lorde of things created hath imparted so great graces vnto thee that with thy looke onelie thou breedest admiration in them that beholde thee Reioyce then O happy land to whom the Creator hath given a Prince as a firme pillar to support thee which shall be thy father and thy defence by whom thou shalt be succoured at neede who wil be more than a brother to his subiects for his pietie and clemencie Thou hast a king who iâ— regard of his estate is not inclined to delights or will lie stretched out vpon his bed occupied in pleasures and vices but contrariwise in the middest of his sweete and pleasant sleepe hee will sodainely awake for the care he must have over thee and will not feele the taste of the most savourie â—eates having his spirites transported with the imagination of thy good Tell me then O happie realme if I have not reason to saie that 〈◊〉 oughtest reioyce having found such a King And thâ—â—â—â—ble Yong man and our most mightie Lorde be confident and of â— good courage that seeing the Lorde of things created hath given thee this charge hee will also give thee forâ—â— and courage to mannage it and thou maiest well hope thâ—â— he which in times past hath vsed so great bountie towardes thee wil not now denie thee his greater gifts seeing he hath given thee so great a charge which I wish thee to enioy maâ—â— yeares King Moteçuma was very attentive to this Discourse which being ended they say he was so troubled that indevouring thrice to answer him hee could not speake being overcome with teares which ioy and content doe vsually cause in signe of great humilitie In the end being come to himselfe he spake brieâ—ly I were too blinde good king of Tescuco if I didde not know that what thou hast spoken vnto me proceeded of meere favour it pleaseth you to shew me seeing among so mâ—nie noble valiant men within this realme you have made châ—â—â—â— of the leâ—st sufficient and in trueth I finde my selfe so incapable of a charge of so great importance that I know not what to doe but to beseech the Creator of all created things that hee will favour mee and I intreate you all to pray vnto him for me These wordes vttered hee beganne againe to weepe How Moteçuma ordered the service of his house and of the warre hee made for his coronation CHA. 21 HE that in his election made such shew of humilitie and mildenes seeing himselfe king beganne presently to discover his aspiring thoughts The first was he commaunded that no plebeian should serve in his house nor beare any royall office as his predecesfours had vsed till then blaming them that would be served by men of base condition commaunding that all the noble and most famous men of his realme shoulde live within his pallace and exercise the offices of his court and house Wherevnto an olde man of great authoritie who had sometimes beene his Schoolemaister opposed himselfe advising him to be carefull what hee did and not to thrust himselfe into the danger of a great inconvenience in separating himselfe from the vulgare and common people so as they should not dare to looke him in the face seeing themselves so reiected by him He answered that it was his resolution and that he would not allow the plebeians to goe thus mingled among the Nobles as they had do one saying that the service they did was according to their condition so as the kings got no reputation and thus he continued firme in his resolution Hee presently commanded his counsell to dismisse all the plebâ—ians from their charges and offices as well those of his houshold as of his court and to provide Knightes the which was done After he went in person to an enterprise necessary for his coronation At that time a province lying farre off towards the North Ocean was revolted from the crowne whether he led the flower of his people well appointed There hee warred with such valour and dexteritie that in the end he subdued all the province and punished the rebells severely returning with a great number of captives for the sacrifices and many other spoiles All the cities made him solemne receptions at his returne and the Lords thereof gave him water to wash performing the offices of servants a thing not vsed by any of his predecessors Such was the feare and respect they bare him In Mexico they made the feasts of his coronation with great preparations of dances comedies banquets lights and other inventions for many daies And there came so great a wealth of tributes from all his countries that strangers vnknowne came to Mexico and their very enemies resorted in great numbers disguised to see these feasts as those of Tlascalla and Mechovacan the which Moteçuma having discovered he commanded they should be lodged and gently intreated and honoured as his own person He also made them goodly galleries like vnto his owne where they might see and behold the feasts So they entred by night to those feasts as the king himselfe making their sportes and maskes And for that I have made mention of these provinces it shall not be from the purpose to vnderstand that the inhabitants of Mechovacan Tlascalla and Tapeaca would never yeelde to the Mexicans but did alwaies fight valiantly against them yea sometimes the Mechovacans did vanquish the Mexicans as also those of Tapeaca did In which place the Marquise Don Ferrand Cortes after that he and the Spaniards were expelled Mexico pretended to build their first cittie the which he called as I well remember Segura de la Frontiere But this peopling continued little for having afterwards reconquered Mexico all the Spaniards went to inhabite there To conclude those of Tapeaca Tlascalla and Mechovacan have beene alwaies enemies to the Mexicans although Motoçuma said vnto Cortes that he did purposesy forbeare to subdue them to have occasion to exercise his men of warre and to take numbers of captives Of the behaviour and greatnes of Moteçuma CHAP. 22. THis King laboured to be respected yea to be worshiped as a god No Plebeian might looke him in the face if he did he was punished with death hee did never set his foote on the ground but was alwaies carried on the shoulders of Noblemen and if he lighted they laid rich tapestry whereon he did go When hee made any voyage hee and the Noblemen went as it were in a parke compassed in for the nonce and the rest of the people went without the parke invironing it in on every side hee never put on a garment twice nor did eate or drinke in one vessell
him that they were more then men for that nothing might hurt them notwithstanding all their coniurations and inchantments Then Moteçuma advised him of another pollicie that faining to be very well contented with their comming he commanded all his countries to serve these celestiall gods that were come into his land The whole people was in great heavinesse and amazement and often newes came that the Spaniards inquired for the King of his maner of life of his house meanes He was exceedingly vexed herewith some of the people other Negromanciers advised him to hide himselfe offering to place him whereas no creature should ever finde him This seemed base vnto him and therefore he resolved to attend them although it were dying In the end he left his houses and royall pallaces to lodge in others leaving them for these gods as he said Of the Spaniards entrie into Mexico CHAP. 25. I Pretend not to intreate of the acts and deedes of the Spaniards who conquered New Spaine nor the strange adventures which happened vnto them nor of the courage and invincible valour of their Captaine Don Fernando Cortes for that there are many histories and relations thereof as those which Fernando Cortes himselfe did write to the Emperour Charles the fift although they be in a plaine stile and farre from arrogancie the which doe give a sufficient testimony of what did passe wherein he was worthy of eternall mery but onely to accomplish my intention I am to relate what the Indians report of this action the which hath not to this day beene written in our vulgar tong Moteçuma therefore having notice of this Captaines victories that he advanced for his conquest that hee was confederate and ioyned with them of Tlascalla his capitall enemies and that he had severely punished them of Cholola his friends he studied how to deceive him or else to try him in sending a principall man vnto him attyred with the like ornaments and royall ensignes the which shuld take vpon him to be Moteçuma which fiction being discouered to the Marquise by them of Tlascalla who did accompany him he sent him backe after a milde and gentle reprehension in seeking so to deceive him wherevpon Moteçuma was so confounded that for the feare thereof he returned to his first imaginations and practises to force the christians to retyre by the invocation of coniureâ—s and witches And therefore he assembled a greater number then before threatning them that if they returned without effecting what he had given them in charge not any one should escape wherevnto they all promised to obey And for this cause all the divells officers went to the way of Chalco by the which the Spaniards should passe when mounting to the top of a hill Tezcalipuca one of their principall gods appeared vnto them as comming from the Spaniards campe in the habite of Chalcas who had his pappes bound about eight folde with a cord of reedes hee came like a man beside himselfe out of his wits and drunke with rage furie Being come to this troupe of witches and coniurers he staied and spake to them in great choller Why come you hether what doth Moteçuma pretend to doe by your meanes He hath advised himselfe too late for it is now determined that his Kingdome and honour shall be taken from him with all that he possesseth for punishment of the great tyrannics he hath committed against his subiects having governed not like a Lord but like a traitour and tyrant The inchanters and coniurers hearing these words knew it was their idoll and humbling themselves before him they presently built him an altar of stone in the same place covering it with flowers which they gathered thereaboutes but he contrariwise making no account of these things beganne againe to chide them saying What come you hether to do O yee traitours Returne presently and behold Mexico that you may vnderstand what shall become thereof And they say that turning towards Mexico to behold it they did see it flaming on fire Then the divell vanished away and they not daring to passe any farther gave notice thereof to Moteçâ—ma whereat hee remained long without speaking looking heavily on the ground then he said what shall we doe if god and our friends leave vs and contrariwise they helpe and favour our enemies I am now resolute and we ought all to resolve in this point that happen what may we must not flie nor hide our selves or shew any signe of cowardice I onely pittie the aged and infants who have neither feete nor hands to defend themselves Having spoken this he held his peace being transported into an extasie In the end the Marquiâ—e approaching to Mexico Moteçuma resolved to make of necessitie a vertue going three or foure leagues out of the cittie to receive him with a great maâ—â—â—ty carried vpon the shoulders of foure Noblemen vnder a rich canapie of gold and feathers when they mette Moteçuma discended and they saluted one another very curteously Don Fernando Cortes said vnto him that he should not care for any thing and that he came not to take away his real me noâ— to diminish his authoritie Moteçuma lodged Cortes and his companions in his royall pallace the which was very stately and he himselfe lodged in other private houses This night the souldiers for ioy discharged their artillery wherewith the Indians were much troubled being vnaccustomed to heare such musicke The day following Cortes caused Motâ—çuma and all the Nobles of his Court to assemble in a great hall where being set in a high chaire he said vnto them that hee was servant to a great prince who had sent them into these countries to doe good workes and that having found them of Tlâ—scalla to be his friendâ—s who complained of wrongs and greevances done vnto them daily by them of Mexico he would vnderstand which of them was in the blame and reconcile them that heereafter they might no more afflict and warre one against another and in the meane time he and his bretheren which were the Spaniards would remaine still there without hurting them but contrariwise they would helpe them all they could He laboured to make them all vnderstand this discourse vsing his interpterers truchmen The which being vnderstoode by the King and the other Mexicane Lords they were wonderfully well satisfied and shewed great signes of love to Cortes his company Many hold opinion that if they had continued the course they began that day they might easily have disposed of the king his kingdome and given them the law of Christ without any great effusion of bloud But the iudgements of God are great and the sins of both parties were infinite so as not having followed this course the busines was deferred yet in the end God shewed mercy to this nation imparting vnto them the light of his holy Gospel after he had shewed his iudgement and punished them that had deserved it and odiously offended his divine reverence So it is that by
would favour their cause and partie even for the good of the Infidells who should bee converted vnto the holy Gospel by this meanes for the waies of God are high and their paths admirable Of the maner how the Divine providence disposed of the Indies to give an entrie to Christian Religion CHAP. 28. I Will make an end of this historie of the Indies shewing the admirable meanes whereby God made a passage for the Gospel in those partes the which we ought well to consider of and acknowledge the providence and bountie of the Creator Every one may vnderstand by the relation and discourse I have written in these bookes as well at Peru as in New Spaine whenas the Christians first set footing that these Kingdomes and Monarchies were come to the height and period of their power The Inguas of Peru possessing from the Realme of Chille beyond Quitto which are a thousand leagues being most aboundant in gold silver sumptuous services and other things as also in Mexico Moteçuma commaunded from the North Ocean sea vnto the South being feared and worshiped not as a man but rather as a god Then was it that the most high Lord had determined that that stone of Daniel which dissolved the Realmes and Kingdoms of the world should also dissolve those of this new world And as the lawe of Christ came whenas the Romane Monarchie was at her greatnes so did it happen at the West Indies wherein we see the iust providence of our Lord For being then in the world I meane in Europe but one head and temporall Lord as the holy Doctors do note whereby the Gospel might more easily beimparted to so many people and nations Even so hath it happened at the Indies where having given the knowledge of Christ to the Monarkes of so many Kingdomes it was a meanes that afterwards the knowledge of the gospell was imparted to all the people yea there is herein a speciall thinge to bee observed that as the Lordes of Cusco and Mexico conquered new landes so they brought in their owne language for although there were as at this day great diuersitie of tongues yet the Courtlie speeche of Cusco did and doth at this day runne above a thousand leagues and that of Mexico did not extend farre lesse which hath not beene of small importance but hath much profited in making the preaching easie at such a time when as the preachers had not the gift of many tongues as in olde tymes He that woulde knowe what a helpe it hath beene for the conversion of this people in these two greate Empyres and the greate difficultie they haue founde to reduce those Indians to Christ which acknowledge no Soueraigne Lorde let him goe to Florida Bresill the Andes and many other places where they have not prevailed so much by their preaching in fiftie yeares as they have done in Peru and newe Spaine in lesse then five If they will impute the cause to the riches of the countrie I will not altogether denie it Yet were it impossible to have so great wealth and to bee able to preserve it if there had not beene a Monarchie This is also a worke of God in this age when as the Preachers of the gospell are so colde and without zeale and Merchants with the heat of covetousnes and desire of commaund search and discouer newe people whether wee passe with our commodities for as Saint Austin saith the Prophesie of Esaie is fulfilled in that the Church of Christ is extended not onely to the right hand but also to the left which is as he declareth by humaine and earthly meanes which they seeke more commonly then Iesus Christ. It was also a great providence of our Lord that whenas the first Spaniardes arrived there they founde ayde from the Indians them selves by reason of their partialities and greate diuisions This is well knowne in Peru that the division betwixt the two brothers Atahulpa and Guasca the great King Guanacapa their father being newly dead gave entry to the Marquise Don Francis Pizarre and to the Spaniards for that either of them desired his alliance being busied in warre one against the other The like experience hath beene in New Spaine that the aide of those of the province of Tlascalla by reason of their continuall hatred against the Mexicaines gave the victory and siegniory of Mexico to the Marquise Fernando Cortes and his men and without them it had beene impossible to have wonne it yea to have maintained themselves within the country They are much deceived that so little esteeme the Indians and iudge that by the advantage the Spaniards have over them in their persons horses and armes both offencive and deffencive they might easily conquer any land or nation of the Indies Chille standes yet or to say better Aranco and Tuâ—â—â—pel which are two citties where our Spaniards could not yet winne one foote of ground although they have made warre there above five and twenty yeares without sparing of any cost For this barbarous nation having once lost the apprehention of horse and shotte and knowing that the Spaniards fall as well as other men with the blow of a stone or of a dart they hazard themselves desperately entring the pikes vppon any enterprise How many yeares have they levied men in New Spaine to send against the Chychymequos which are a small number of naked Indians armed onely with bowes and arrowes yet to this day they could not bee vanquished but contrariwise from day to day they grow more desperate and resolute But what shall wee say of the Chucos of the Chiraguanas of the Piscocones and all the other people of the Andes Hath not all the flower of Peru beene there bringing with them so great provision of armes and men as we have seene What did they With what victories returned they Surely they returned very happy in saving of their lives having lost their baggage and almost all their horses Let no man thinke speaking of the Indians that they are men of nothing but if they thinke so let them go and make triall Wee must then attribute the glory to whom it appertaines that is principally to God and to his admirable disposition for if Moteçuma in Mexiço and the Ingua in Peru had bin resolute to resist the Spaniards and to stoppe their entrie Cortes and Pizarre had prevailed little in their landing although they were excellent Captaines It hath also beene a great helpe to induce the Indians to receive the law of Christ the subiection they were in to their Kings and Lords and also the servitude and slaverie they were helde in by the divells tyrannies and insupportable yoake This was an excellent disposition of the Divine Wisedome the which drawes profite from ill to a good end and receives his good from an others ill which it hath not sowen It is most certaine that no people of the West Indies have beene more apt to receive the Gospel then those which were most subiect to
remedy and all they finde is to stoppe their noses their eares and their mouthes as much as may be and to cover themselves with cloathes especially the stomacke for that the ayre is subtile and piercing going into the entrailes and not onely men feele this alteration but also beasts that sometimes stay there so as there is no spurre can make them goe forward For my part I holde this place to be one of the highest parts of land in the worlde for we mount a wonderfull space And in my opinion the mountaine Nâ—vade of Spaine the Pirences and the Alpes of Italie are as ordinarie houses in regarde of hie Towers I therefore perswade my selfe that the element of the aire is there so subtile and delicate as it is not proportionable with the breathing of man which requires a more grosse and temperate aire and I beleeve it is the cause that doth so much alter the stomacke trouble all the disposition The passages of the mountaines Nâ—vade and other of Europe which I have seene although the aire be colde there and doth force men to weare more clothes yet this colde doth not take away the appetite from meate but contrariwise it provokes neyther dooth it cause any casting of the stomacke but onely some paine in the feete and handes Finally their operation is outward But that of the Indies whereof I speake without molesting of foote or hand or any outward parte troubles all the entrailes within and that which is more admirable when the sunne is hote which maketh mee imagine that the griefe wee feele comes from the qualitie of the aire which wee breathe Therefore that is most subtile and delicate whose colde is not so sensible as piercing All this ridge of mountains is for the most part desart without any villages or habitations for men so as you shall scarce finde any small cotages to lodge such as do passe by night there are no beasts good or bad but some Vicunos which are their countrey muttons and have a strange and wonderfull property as I shall shew in his place The grasse is often burnt and all blacke with the aire and this desart runnes five and twenty or thirty leagues overthwart and in length above five hundred leagues There are other desarts or places inhabited which at Peru they call Punas speaking of the second poynt we promised where the quallitie of the ayre cutteth off mans life without feeling In former time the Spaniardes went from Peru to the realme of Chille by this mountaine but at this day they do passe commonly by sea and sometimes alongst the side of it And though that way be laborious and troublesome yet is there not so great daunger as by the mountaine where there are Plaines on the which many men have perished and died and sometimes have scaped by great happe whereof some have remained lame There runs a small breath which is not very strong nor violent but proceedes in such sorte that men fall downe dead in a manner without feeling or at the least they loose their feete and handes the which may seeme fabulous yet is it most true I have knowne and frequented long the Gennerall Ierome Costilla the auntient peopler of Cusco who had lost three or foure toes which fell off in passing the desart of Chille being perished with this aire and when he came to looke on them they were dead and fell off without any paine even as a rotten Apple falleth from the tree This Captaine reported that of a good army which hee had conducted by that place in the former yeeres since the discoverie of this kingdome by Almagro a great part of the men remained dead there whose bodies he found lying in the desart without any stink or corruption adding thervnto one thing very strange that they found a yong boy alive and being examined how hee had lived in that place hee saide that hee laie hidden in a little cave whence hee came to cutte the flesh of a dead horse with a little knife and thus had he nourished himselfe a long time with I know not how many companions that lived in that sort but now they were all dead one dying this day and another to morrow saying that hee desired nothing more then to die there with the rest seeing that he found not in himselfe any disposition to goe to any other place nor to take any taste in any thing I have vnderstoode the like of others and particularly of one that was of our company who being then a Secular man had passed by these desarts and it is a strange thing the qualitie of this colde aire which killes and also preserves the dead bodies without corruption I have also vnderstoode it of a reverend religious man of the Order of Saint Dominike and Prelate thereof who hadde seene it passing by the desarts and which is strange hee reported that travelling that way by night was forced to defend himselfe against that deadly winde which blowes there having no other meanes but to gather together a great number of those dead bodies that lay there and made therof as it were a rampire and a bolster for his head in this manner did he sleepe the dead bodies giving him life Without doubt this is a kinde of cold so piercing that it quencheth the vitall heate cutting off his influence and being so exceeding colde yet doth not corrupt nor give any putrifaction to the dead bodies for that putrifaction groweth from heate and moystnesse As for the other kinde of ayre which thunders vnder the earth and causeth earthquakes more at the Indies then in any other Regions I wil speake thereof in treating the qualities of the land at the Indies We wil content our selves now with what wee have spoken of the wind and aire and passe to that which is to be spokâ—n of the water Of the Ocean that invirons the Indies and of the North and South Seas CHAP. 10. AMongst all waters the Ocean is the principall by which the Indies have beene discovered and are invironed therewith for either they be Ilands of the Ocean sea or maine land the which wheresoever it ends is bounded with this Ocean To this day they have noâ— discovered at the Indies any mediterranian sea as in Europe Asia and Affrike into the which there enters some arme of this great sea and makes distinct seas taking their names from the Provinces they bathe and almost all the mediterranean Seas continue and ioyne together and with the Ocean itselfe by the straight of Gibraltar which the Ancients called the Pillers of Hercules although the red sea being separated from the mediterranean seas enters alone into the Indian Ocean and the Caspian sea ioynes not with any other so that at the Indies wee finde not anie other sea then this Ocean which they divide into two the one they call the north sea and the other the south for that the Indies which were first discovered by the Ocean and reacheth vnto Spaine