The historie of the great and mightie kingdome of China, and the situation thereof togither with the great riches, huge citties, politike gouernement, and rare inuentions in the same. Translated out of Spanish by R. Parke.

A Commentarie or short discourse of all such notable thinges as be betwixt Spaine till you come vnto the kingdome of China, and from China vnto Spaine, returning by the Orientall or east Indias, after that they had almost compassed the whole world. Wherein is con∣tayned all the rites, ceremonies and customes of the people, the riches, fertilitie and strength of many kingdomes: and the descrip∣tion of them.

Made and set forth by the Author of this book as well by that which he hath seene, as also by true relation that he had of the religious and barefoot Fryers of the order of Saint Francis, who trauailed the same the yeare 1584.

CHAP. I. A Commentarie of the new world.

SAint Lucas de Barrameda, and the Citie of Cadiz from whence ordina∣rily goeth foorth all such fléetes and shippes that go vnto the occident or west Indias, are distant the one from the other onely fiue leagues, and in thirtie seuen degrées of altitude: from whence vnto the Ilandes called the Canarias is two hundred and thirtie leagues,* 1.1 and alwayes doo Rut to the southwest, and is ordinarily sailed in eight or ten dayes. The seas are rough: which causeth great waues, for which cause it is called the gulfe of the Ieguas.

These Ilands which in ancient time were called Fortuna∣das,* 1.2 are at this day called by the Spaniards y^e Canarias, which is deriued of Canes or dogs, for that there was in them at such time as the Spaniardes did discouer them, great quantitie of dogges, very bigge fierce and braue. There are of them seuen

Ilands which are called Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Palma, Go∣mera, Yerro, Lancarote, and Forte Ventura, and are in alti∣tude twentie eight degrees,* 1.3 lacking very little, and haue in them many particular thinges, of which I will declare some of them in briefe.

In the Iland of Tenerife, at the farther part therof towards the north west, there is a mountain called El Pico de Tereyra, which vnto the iudgement of thē who haue séene it, is the high∣est in all the worlde, and is plainely seene before you come to it thrée score leagues: so that a ship going from Spaine vnto those Ilandes doth discouer that mountaine first. None can ascende or go vp that mountaine but in the moneths of Iuly & August, for that all other moneths of the yeare there is very much snow on it,* 1.4 although in all those Ilandes it doth neuer snowe, and to mount the height thereof is three daies worke, on the top of the same there is a round & plaine place, and being thereon at such tune as it is faire weather and the seas calme and in quiet, you may sée all the seuen Ilands, and euerie one of them will séeme but a small thing in respect, yet some of them are distant from that more than fiftie leagues, & it hath as much more in cōpasse as that. In the two monethes aforesaid they do gather in the toppe thereof all the brimstone that is brought from that Iland vnto Spaine which is much in quantitie.* 1.5 This mountaine be∣longeth to the duke of Maqueda by particular gift of the king.

In one of these seuē Ilands aforesaid, called the Hierco there is a continuall woonder, which in my iudgement is one of the greatest in all the worlde, and worthie to be knowen amongest all mē, wherby they may exalt the mightie prouidence of God, and giue him thankes for the same. This Iland being the grea∣test amongest the seuen, is a countrie very asper and vnfruitfull and so drie,* 1.6 that there is no water to be found in all the Iland, but on the sea side, and that in fewe places, but very farre di∣stant from the inhabitance of that Ilande. But there naturall necessitie is remedied by the diuine prouidence of heauen (as aforesaide) and by a strange meanes, which is, there is a great and mightie trée (vnknowen, and the like hath not beene seene in any part of all the whole world) whose leaues are narrowe and long, and are continually gréene like Iuie, vpon the which trée is séene continually a small cloud, which neuer augmen∣teth

nor diminisheth, with the occasion that the leaues conti∣nually without ceasing, doth distill drops of water, very cleere and fine, which doth fall into certaine ses••ernes, which the in∣habitantes of the townes haue made for the conseruation there∣of, to remedie their necessities, and to sustaine thereby not one∣ly themselues, but also their cattell and beastes, and is suffici∣ent for them all: yet doo they not knowe the originall and be∣ginning of this continuall and strange miracle.

One hundreth leagues distant from these Ilandes towards the right hand, there is an other thing of little lesse admiration then the other y^t we haue spoken of, which is: that many times there is séen an Iland, which they cal S. Borandon. Many be∣ing lost at the sea haue chaunced vpon the same Iland, & do say that it is a very fresh and gallant Iland, with great abundance of trées and sustinence, & inhabited with Christian people, yet can they not say of what nation or language. The Spaniards many times haue gone with intent to séeke it, but neuer could finde it,* 1.7 which is y^e occasion that there be diuers opinions touch∣ing the same. Some doo say that it is an inchanted Iland, and is seene but certaine daies assigned or appointed: & others say that there is no other let or impediment for the finding therof, but because it is so little, and is continually couered with great cloudes, & that there runneth from it riuers which haue so great a current that it maketh it difficult to come vnto it. My opini∣on is (if it be any thing worth) y^t being true, that which so ma∣ny haue spoken of this Iland according vnto the common opi∣nion which they haue in all the seuen Ilands of Canaria, it can not be without some great mysterie: for he which can cause it to be all in a cloud, & the swift current of the riuers to be an im∣pediment to the finding therof, can find remedie for the inhabi∣tants to come forth (if it be so for them y^t be without at the sea not to go into it) yet can it not be, for thē within the Iland, but at some time there should haue some come soorth by chance, and haue bin séene of some there abouts, & declared vnto thē y^e secret of y^e mysterie: frō whence I do gather, that either this Iland is imagined or inchaunted, or else there is in it other some great mysterie, for the which to giue credite vnto it, or to varie from the truth, it shal be wisedome not to proceed any further, but to conclude in y^t which toucheth y^e Ilandes of Canarias aforesaid▪

The clyme and temperature of them all is excellent good, and hath abundance of al necessary sustenance for mans life. There is gathered in them verie much wheate, and other séedes, and wine: there is also made verie much sugar: there is nourished and brought vp great store of cattell and that verie good. But in especiall Camelles,* 1.8 whereof there is great store. Also all kinde of sustenance is better cheape there then in Spaine.

All these Ilandes are inhabited with Spaniardes whereas they doo liue verie pleasantly, amongest whome, at this day, there be some that be naturall of the Guanchas aforesaid, who be verie much Spaniarde like. The principall of all these se∣uen Ilandes is the Gran Canaria, in the which is a bishoppe and a Cathedrall Church, and counsell of the inquisition and royall audience, from the which dependeth the gouernement of all the other sixe Ilands.

CHAP. II. They do depart from the Ilands of Canaria for the Ilande of Santo Domingo otherwise called Hispaniola, and do declare of certaine things in the way thitherward.

AFt••r that the fléetes or shippes had taken refreshing in the Ilandes of Canarias aforesayde, they departed from thence sayling by the same Rutter, vntill they come vnto an Ilande called the Desseada which is fiftéene degrées from the Equinoctiall,* 1.9 eyght hundreth and thirtie leagues from the Ca∣narias: all which is sayled without séeing any other land, they are sayling of the same ordinarily eight and twentie and thir∣tie dayes.

This Iland Desseado, was called by that name, by reason that the gul••e is great, and so many daies sayling, that when they do sée it, is that after that they haue verie much desired the same (so that Desseado is as much to say, as desired. This I∣land hath nigh & about it many other Ilandes, one of the which is that which is called La Dominica,* 1.10 which is peopled and in∣habited by certaine Indians who are called Caribes, by such as do nauigate that way, which are a kind of people that doo eate humaine flesh: they are very expert archers, & very cruell: they do annoint their arrowes with a deadly earth, & so ful of poison,

that the wound the which is made therewith can not be healed by any humaine remedie. This Ilande is in fiftéene degrées. It is verie little and not of much people, yet notwithstanding it hath béene the death of many Spaniardes both men and wo∣men: such as haue come thither in shippes, not knowing the daunger thereof, haue gone a shore for fresh water, or else to wash their lynnen, and vppon a soddaine vn looked for, haue béene be set by the Indios, who haue slaine them, and after ea∣ten them: and they say that it is very sweete flesh and sauorie, so that it be not of a Fryer, for of fryers by no meanes they will eate, nor would not after that happened vnto them as hereaf∣ter followeth.

There was a ship that was bound vnto the firme land, and did arriue at that Ilande, in the which went two religious Fryers of the order of Saint Francis, and hauing no care as aforesayde, but very desirous to be a lande, they went a shore without any feare or suspition of any harme that might hap∣pen vnto them, and being at a riuer side sporting themselues with great recreation, by reason of the freshnesse thereof, ea∣sing themselues of the long and painefull nauigation which they had comming from the Ilandes of the Canarias vnto that place, when the Caribes did sée them without any feare, vp∣on a soddaine they descended from a mountayne, and did kill them all, without leauing any person aliue. Many dayes they made great feastes and bankets, eating of those bodies which they had slaine, some sodde and some roasted, as their pleasure was. So on a day they would amongest them eate one of the fathers, who was very faire and white,* 1.11 but all that did eate of him in a little space did swell marueilously, and did die madde, with great gaspings that it was woonderfull to sée: so that from that time, they remaine as warned neuer for to eate any more of the like flesh.

Of these euils they haue committed an infinite number, and haue at this day with them many Spaniardes both men and women, whose liues they pardoned for to serue their vses, or euilles because they were verie young, of the which they say that some haue fled away. They go naked like vnto the In∣dians, and doo speake their language, and are almost con∣uerted vnto their nature. This great inconuenience might

be remedied, if that it did please his maiestie to command some generall that were bound vnto the firme land, or vnto the new Spaine, to make abode there a fewe dayes, and to roote ••ut and make cleane that Ilande of so euill & wicked people which were a good déede, and they doo well deserue it, and to giue liber∣tie vnto the poore Christians that are there captiue a great com∣panie of them. And it is saide of a truth that some of them be of good calling. There can none goe a lande on this Ilande but straightwayes they are discouered by such ordinarie spyes as they doo put to watch. And if they do sée that those which doo come a land are many in number, and that they can not hurt them, they doo remaine in the highest part of the mountayne, or else amongest the thickest of woods and bushes, till such time as the shippes do depart, which is so soone as they haue taken fresh water or fire wood. They are great traytors, and when they sée oportunitie they giue the assalt, in the manner as hath béene tolde you, and doo very much harme.

Nigh vnto this Ilande Dominica towardes the northwest is the Ilande of S. Iohn de Puerto rico the which is in eigh∣téene degrées: it is fortie and sixe leagues long and fiue & twen∣tie leagues brode, and in compasse about an hundred and fiftie leagues.* 1.12 There is in it great store of kyne, verie much sugar, and ginger, and yéeldeth very much wheate. It is a lande of verie much golde, and is not laboured nor taken out of the earth for lacke of people, it hath verie good hauens and portes towardes the south, and towardes the north onely one, the which is sure and good, in respect whereof the Spaniardes did giue the name vnto the whole Ilande, Puerto rico, taking the name of the port or hauen. In it there is foure townes of Spa∣niardes, a bishoppe and a cathedrall church, and he that is pre∣lat at this day, is the reuerend father don fryer Diego de Sa∣lamanca of the order of S. Austin.

When the Spaniardes went first vnto this Ilande, accor∣ding vnto y^e report of the reuerende father de Las Casas bishop of Chiapa,* 1.13 was in the yeare 1509. This Iland was so full of trées and fruite that they gaue it the name of the Guertas, and there were in it sixe hundreth thousande Indios of the which at this day there remaineth not one.

From this Ilande vnto the Ilande of Santo Domingo,

is foure score leagues, I say from one port vnto an other and from poynt to point but twelue leagues. They doo ordinari∣lie go from one port to an other in thrée dayes, but to returne they are more than a moneth, for because the winde is contra∣rie.

CHAP. III. Of the Iland of Santo Domingo called Hispaniola and of their properties.

THe Iland Hispaniola,* 1.14 which by an other name is called Santo domingo by reason that it was discouered as that day, it is in eightéene degrées, and was the first that was discouered in the Indias, by the captaine Christopher Colon, worthie of immortall memorie, it was inhabited in the yeare of 1492. This Iland is in compasse more than sixe hun∣dreth leagues, it is diuided into fiue kingdomes, the one of thē is now called the Vega, which at the time that it was discoue∣red was called Neagua, it hath foure score leagues in com∣passe, and stretcheth all of them from the north vnto the south out of the which sea, as doth testifie the reuerende of Ciapa in his booke, doth enter onely into the kingdome,* 1.15 thirtie thousand riuers and running brookes, twelue of them as great, as Ebro, Duero, & Guadalquiuir in Spaine. The foresaide bishop doth also speake of an other maruaile, which is, that the most part of these riuers, those which do distil and run from the mountaines which is towardes the west, are very rich of gold, and some of it very fine, as is that which is takē out of the mynes of Cibao, which is very well knowen in that kingdome, & also in spaine, by reason of the great perfectiō therof: out of y^e which myne ha••h béene taken out a péece of virgin golde so bigge as a twopennie wheaten loafe,* 1.16 and did weigh three thousand and sixe hundred Castillianos, the which was sonke and lost in the sea, in carry∣ing of it into Spaine, as doth testifie the aforesaid reuerend bi∣shop. In this Ilande there is greater quantitie of cattell than in the other Iland of Puerto rico, & there is made much sugar,* 1.17 and gathered much ginger, and Cannafistula and also manie sortes of fruits, such as is in Spaine, as others different of the countrie, & that in abundance: there are also great store of hogs

whose fleshe is as holesome and as sauorie as is mutton in Spaine, and is verie good cheape: a heyfor is bought for eight ryalles of plate, and all other thinges of that countrie after the rate, although that the marchandice of Spaine is verie deere. It is a countrie of verie much golde, if there were people for to take it out:* 1.18 and manie pearles. In all this Ilande they ga∣ther no wheate, but in the bishopricke of Palensuela, although in many other places the ground would yéeld it very well, if they would sowe it. But nature, which was woont to sup∣plie necessities, dooth accomplish the lacke of wheate to giue them in stéede thereof a roote, which dooth growe in that Ilande in great quantitie & abundance, and dooth serue them for bread, as it did vnto the naturall people of that countrie,* 1.19 when the Spaniards went thither. It is white, and is called Casaue, the which being grinded & brought into meale they doo make bread thereof for their sustinence, the which although it is not so good as that which is made of wheat meale, yet may they passe ther∣with and sustaine themselues.

This countrie is verie hoat, by reason whereof their victuals are of small substance. The principall citie of that Ilande is called Santo Domingo, (for the reason abouesaid) in the which is an arch-bishop & a royall audience, or chauncerie: this Citie is built on the sea side, and hath to it a great riuer, the which dooth serue them for their port or hauen••, and is verie secure. There is in it thrée monasteries of religious friers and two of Nunnes.

In this Ilande (as saith the reuerende bishop of Chiapa in his booke) there were whē as the Spaniards came first thether thrée millions of men naturall Indians, of the which at this day there is not two hundred left,* 1.20 and yet the most part of them be sonnes vnto Spaniardes, and blacke mores borne of the In∣dians women. All their sugar milles and other places are in∣habited with negros, of the which there may be in that Ilande about twelue thousand. It is a holsome countrie vnto thē that dwell therein. The sea is ful of whales, and that in abundance, which are séene by such as do come in their ships, & many times they are in feare of them. But aboue all other there is an infi∣nit nūber of great fishes called Tiburones,* 1.21 & are in great skule: they are marueilously affected vnto humaine flesh, & wil folow

a shippe fiue hundred leagues, without leauing of it one day. Many times they haue taken of the fishes and do finde in their bellies all such filth as hath béene throwne out of their shippe in many dayes sailing, and whole shéepes heads with hornes and all: If they chance to finde a man in the waters side he wil eate him all: if not, all that he doth fasten on, he doth sheare it cleane away, be it a legge or an arme, or half his body, as many times it hath béene séene, and they doo it very quickly, for that they haue many rowes of téeth in their heads, which be as sharpe as Rasers.

CHAP. IIII. Of the way and the Ilandes that are betwixt this Iland of Santo Domingo, and the kingdome of Mexico.

THe first Ilande that is after you are departed from Santo Domingo, is that which ordinarily is called Nauala,* 1.22 the which is one hundred and twelue leagues from y^e cittie of San∣to domingo, and is seuentéene degrees, and is but a small Iland:* 1.23 and nigh vnto that is another which is called Iamayca of fiftie leagues in Longitude, and fourtéene in Latitude: there was wont to be about them many Vracanes,* 1.24 which are spowts of water, with many blustering winds. This word Vracan in the Indian tongue of those Ilands, is as much to say, as the ioy∣ning of all the foure principall winds togither, the one forcing against the other: the which ordinarily dooth blow vppon this coste, in the monethes of August, September and October, by reason whereof such fléetes as are bound vnto the Indies doo procure to passe that coast, before these thrée monethes or after, for that by experience they haue lost many ships in those times. From this Iland they go vnto the Ilande of Cuba,* 1.25 which is in twenty degrées, in the which is the port of Hauana, which is called the Cape of San Anton: they doo put two hundreth and fiue and twenty leagues of Longitude, and of Latitude sixe and thirty, it is inhabited with Spaniards, who conuerted all the rest vnto the faith of Christ: there is in it a bishop, and mo∣nasteries of religious Friers.

When that any ships do go vnto Noua Espania, they haue sight of them, & likewise when they do returne, all those which

do come from the Peru do enter into the foresaid port of the Ha∣uana, which is a very good port and sure, and there is to be had all kind of prouision necessary and belonging vnto the fleetes and ships, some which the Ilande dooth yéeld it selfe, and other some brought from other places: but in particular, there is great store of very good timber, as wel for the repairing of ships as for other thinges, with the which they do ordinarily balest their ships that come for Spaine. The kinges maiesty hath in this a gouernor and a captaine with very good souldiers for the defence therof, and of a fort which is in the same harbor, the best that is in all the Ilands.

This Iland of Cuba was discouered in the yeare 1511. and was in it (being of the bignesse aforesaid) a great number of na∣turall people, and now but a very fewe: it hath a riuer where∣in is very much gold, according vnto the opinion of the natural people, and was tolde by the fathers vnto their children, the which was cast into that riuer by the natural people in this or∣der following.

There was a Casique called Hatuey, who for feare that hée had of the Spaniards, came from the Iland Hispaniola, vnto this Iland with many of his people, and brought al their riches with much golde amongst them, who by the relation of other Indians of Santo Domingo (wheras he had béen king) vnder∣stood that the Spanyardes were comming vnto that Iland, whereupon he gathered togither all his people and many of that Iland, and made a parley vnto them, saying: It is said of a cer∣teintie, that the Christians doo come into this Iland, and you doo well vnderstand by experience, what they haue done by the people of the kingdome of Aytim (which was the Iland Hispa∣niola) the like will they doo here by vs, but doo you know wher∣fore they doo it: they answered and saide, because they were of their owne nature cruel. The Casique saide no, that they did it not therefore,* 1.26 but because they had a God whom they did wor∣ship, & because they will haue him from vs, they doo kil vs: and in saying these words he tooke forth a basket with golde & iew∣els which he brought thither in secret, and shewed it vnto thē saying, this is their God that I spake off, let vs make vnto them Ateytos, the which are sports and dances, and possible we shall please them, & then wil they command their people not to do vs

any harme. For y^e accomplishing & furnishing of the same, euery one of them brought that which they had in their houses, & made therof a great mountaine of wheate, and danced rounde about the same till they were werie: then the Casique saide,* 1.27 I haue thought with my self whilest we were dancing, that howsoeuer it be, these that do come wil kil vs: for whether we do kéep our treasure or giue it vnto them, with couetousnes to séeke more from vs we shall die: therefore let vs throw it into this riuer, the which they did with a common consent and good will.

From thir point or cape of Sant Anton,* 1.28 they saile to the port of San Iuan de Lua which is on the firme land of Mexico, two hundreth and thirtie leagues from the said point: in all that bay there is great fishing, but in especial of one kind of fish which is called Mero, the which are so easie to be taken, that in one day they may lade not shippes but whole fléetes, and many times it happeneth that they bring so many to their ships that that they throw them again into the sea, for lack of salt to salt them with.* 1.29 They passe in sight of an Iland called Campeche the which is a gallant & fresh country, & nigh vnto the kingdom of Mexico: in it is great store of victuals, but specially hony and waxe,* 1.30 and is thrée hundreth leagues compasse: al the people of that Iland are conuerted vnto the law of our Lord Iesus Christ. There is in it a bishop and a cathedrall Church, a gouernor for his ma∣iestie, and monasteries of Friers. Within few dayes after they depart from this Ilande and come vnto the port of saint Iohn de Lua, in the which by reason that it hath many flats, it is re∣quisite to be carefull for to enter into it: his maiestie hath in it a fort which is good and strong. Fiue leagues from this port is the Cittie of the Vera Cruz whereas is the whole trade & tra∣ficke,* 1.31 and there is resident the kings officers: it is a hot country by reason that it is in ninetéene degrées, but well replenished of all kinde of victuals: it was wont to be vnholesome, but now they say it is not so much, they know not what shoulde bee the occasion, whether it bee by the moouings of the heauens, or by the good gouernement and discretion of them that do dwel in it. This cittie is from the citie of Mexico, y^e which is metropolitā of al that kingdom and by whom al the rest is gouerned, seuen∣tie leagues, al y^e way inhabited & ful of townes both of Indians Spaniards, & so great store of prouision y^t it seemeth to be y^e land

of promission. It is mauellous temperate, in such sort that al∣most throughout al the whole yeare, it is neither whot nor cold neither dooth night excéede the day, nor the day the night, but a very little, by reason that it is almost vnder the Equinoctiall line. The mightinesse of this kingdome, and some particulari∣ties, you shall vnderstand of in the Chapter following.

CHAP. V. Of the bignesse of the kingdome of Mexico, and of some particular and notable things that are in it.

* 1.32THis kingdome of Mexico is the firme land: on the one side it hath the North sea, and on the other side the South sea: it is not possible to declare the bredth and length thereof, for that vnto this day it is not all discouered. Euery day they doo finde and discouer new countries, as in the yeare of fourescore and thrée you may perceiue by the entry which was made by Anto∣nio de Espeio, who with his companions did discouer a coun∣trie, in the which they found fiftéene prouinces, al ful of townes which were full of houses of foure and fiue stories high, the which they did name Nueuo Mexico, for that it doth resemble the old Mexico in many thinges.* 1.33 It is towards the North, and they do beleeue that that way, by inhabited place, they may come vnto that country which is called of the Labrador (of which shal be spoken more at large hereafter.)

This kingdome towards the Orient dooth ioyne vnto the country of Peru,* 1.34 and so running by the North sea, and reacheth vnto Nombre de Dios, which is a port of the saide kingdome, and from thence vnto Acapulco, which is a port in the king∣dome of Mexico: and in the South sea it reacheth vnto Pana∣ma, a port of the said Peru, and in the same sea it extendeth nigh vnto the straights of Magellanes, and not farre from the riuer of Plata and Brasill.

To conclude, this kingdome is so great that vnto this day they cannot find the end therof: but euery day doth discouer new countries, whereas all the Indians that they do finde are verie easie to bee reduced vnto the Catholike faith, for that they are people very docible, ingenious, and of a good vnderstanding. There is amongst them diuers languages, and verie different

climes, although all generally doo vnderstande the Mexican tongue, which is most common. There are many prouinces in∣habited by Indians and Spaniards, that euery one of them is as bigge as a reasonable kingdome, yet the greatest and most principall is that of Mexico, whereas are many Indians and Spaniards which doo excéed all the rest in number: the names of them are Honduras, Guatimala, Campeche, Chiapa, Guaiaca, Mechuacan, Nueua galicia, Nueua Viscaya, Gua∣diana and others mo, which I leaue out because I woulde not be tedious: in all the which, they haue either a royall audience and gouernors, or other Iustices all Spaniards.

The naturall people whereof, neuer since they were conuer∣ted haue béene found in any heresie, nor in any thing contrarie vnto the Romish faith. All these prouinces are subiect and doo acknowledge that of Mexico as the principall: there whereas his maiestie hath his vizroy, an inquisition, an archbishop and a royall audience or court of Chancerie.

This Cittie of Mexico is one of the best that is in all the whole world, and is situated vpon water after the manner and fashion of Uenice in Italie: in all this kingdome almost you cannot know when it is winter, or when it is summer, for that in al the whole yeare, there is smal difference betwixt the daies and the nights, by reason of the temperature of the countrie, the fieldes are gréene almost all the whole yeare, and trées beare fruit also almost all the whole yeare: for when it is winter in Europa, then doo their fall dewes from heauen which dooth cause all things to budde and flowre, and in the summer it doth ordinarily raine, but especially in the monethes of Iune, Iuly,* 1.35 August and September in the which monethes it is a maruel when it raineth not euery day, and it is to bee wondred at, for that almost it neuer rayneth but from noone forwards, and ne∣uer passeth midnight, so that it neuer troubleth them that doo trauell by the way, for that they may beginne their iourney at midnight, and trauell vntill the next day at noone. It raineth vnreasonably and with so great furie and force, that the time that it dooth indure, it is requisite to flie from the showers, for that many times they are so hurtfull that one sole shower ta∣keth away the life of a man.

Almost all the whole yeare in this kingdome they do sowe

and gather as wel whea••e (wherof they haue great abundance) as Maiz, which is the ordinary sustentation of al the Indians, blacke moores & horse,* 1.36 of the which they haue great abundance very gallant & good, both to y^e eye, & indéed, as in any kingdom in al the whole world that is knowne vnto this day. The brood of them was carried out of Spaine thither, when first they did discouer that country, & for that effect were chosen the best that could bee found: and for that they doo eate all the whole yeare greene grasse & Maiz, which is wheat of y^e Indians, is the occa∣sion that they do deserue to haue the praise aboue all other. In fine, this kingdome is one of y^e fertilest of victuals of al that euer we haue heard off, and of riches, for that there is in it an infinite number of siluer mines,* 1.37 out of the which is taken great abun∣dance, as it is to be séene euery yeare when as the shippes doo come vnto Syuell. It is vnder the Torrida Zona, yet not∣withstanding it is of the temperature as I haue said, contrarie vnto the opinion of ancient Philosophers, who said that it was not inhabited. But now to excuse them, it shal not be from our purpose to declare the cause wherefore they were deceiued, and is, that in the foure monethes aforesaide, wherein the sunne hath his most force, it doth continually rayne, which is the oc∣casion that the country is so temperate: and besides this, God doth prouide that it is visited with fresh windes, which come both out from the South and North sea, and is so ordinarie a thing, that it is a maruell to see it calme, by reason whereof the whole kingdome is of that propertie, and although the sunne be very strong and causeth great heate: yet putting himselfe vnder any shadowe, although it bee but little, they straight∣wayes feele a fresh and comfortable winde, by reason of the temperature of the heauen in the manner aforesaid.

The inhabitants of this kingdome throughout al the whole yeare, néede not to augment nor diminish their apparell, nei∣ther their beddes. Also the aire and clime is so holesome, that you may lie and sléepe in the fieldes without any thing vppon you, as in any house be it neuer so well hanged and close.

All that is discouered of this kingdome (except it be the lande of the Chichimecos, which is a kind of Indians that liueth as the Alarbes do in Africa without any house or towne) all the rest I say are in peace and quietnes baptised and doctrined, and

furnished with many monasteries of diuers orders of religious men, as of the order of S. Dominicke, of S. Francis of S. Au∣sten, & of Iesuits, besides a great number of priests that are re∣parted in al parts of that kingdome, so that the one and the other are continually occupied in doctrining of the naturall people and other Spaniards that are in that kingdome, of whome, al∣though they be but a few in respect of the Indians, yet do they surmount in number more then fiftie thousand. In the princi∣pall citie of this kingdome,* 1.38 which is that of Mexico as afore∣said, there is a vniuersitie, and in it be many schooles, whereas is red any facultie, as is in Salamanca, & that by men of great sufficiencie, whose trauel is gratified with great rentes & honor. There bee also in it many great hospitals as well of Spani∣ards as of Indians, wheras the sicke men are cured with great charitie & comfort, for that euery one of them haue great rents and reuenues. I do not intreat of the Churches and monaste∣ries both of Friers and Nunnes which are in that cittie, nor of other particular thinges, for that thereof there is written a large historie, and my intent is to declare by way of a comen∣tary that which the said father Costodio & Frier Martin Igna∣cio did comon with me by word of mouth, and that I saw writ∣ten and vnderstood of him at his returne from trauelling almost the whole world, and of other things that I my selfe haue expe∣rimented in certaine parts of it: so that this my discourse may more properly be called an Epitome or Itinerario then a histo∣rie. In this kingdome there are bred and brought vp more cat∣tell then in any other parts knowne in all the world, as wel for the good climate and temperature of the heauen, as also for the fertility of the country. The kine and shéepe many times bring foorth twise a yeare, and the goates ordinarily thrise a yeare: so that because they haue many fields in that countrie, and much people that doo giue themselues vnto that kinde of g••t∣tings (as grasiers) is the occasion that there is so great abun∣dance, and solde for a small price, and manie times it happe∣neth that the bringers vp of them doo kill tenne thousand head of them onely to profite themselues with the skinnes, in sen∣ding of them into Spaine, and leaue the flesh in the fieldes to féede the foules of the ayre, without making any more ac∣count thereof.

There is great aboundance of many sorts of fruites, some of them very different from those which are gathered in our Eu∣ropa, & the most part of them: but amongst all notable things which are to be considered off in that kingdome (which are ma∣nie) one of them is a plant called Mag••ey, and an ordinarie thing in all those prouinces & townes, of the which they make so many things for the seruice and vtilitie of them that do dwel therin,* 1.39 that it is hard to be beléeued of them that haue not séene it (although in al places you haue many witnesses to it). They take out of this plant wine, which is that which the Indians doo drinke ordinarily, and the Negros: also excellent good vi∣neger, honie, a kinde of thride or yarne, wherewith they doo make mantels to apparel the naturals, and for to sow the same apparell: the leafe haue certaine pricks whereof they do make needels wherewith they sow their apparel, their shooes and slip∣pers. The leaues of that plaint ouer and aboue that, they are medicinal, they do serue to couer there in the place of tyles, and being dipped in the water, they make thereof a certaine thing like hempe which serueth for many thinges, and make thereof repasse, and the trunke of this plant is so bigge and strong, that it serueth for ioystes and beames whereon they doo build their houses, which commonly is couered with strawe, or else with brode leaues of trées, as is that of this plant. All this although it séemeth much, yet in respect it is nothing considering y^e great profite that is made of this plant, as shalbe declared vnto you, when we come to intreat of the Ilands Philippinas, where as there is great aboundance of them, as I refer it vnto the iudg∣ment of the reader.

CHAP. VI. This Chapter doth prosecute in the things of the kingdom of Mexico.

THe Indians of this kingdome are maruellous ingenious and doo sée nothing but they imitate the same,* 1.40 whereof com∣meth that they are very good singers and plaiers vpon all sorts of instruments, yet their voices doo heale them nothing. They are very much affectioned vnto matters touching ceremonies of the Church, and giuen vnto the deuine culto, and therein

they doo very much excéede the Spaniards. In euery towne there are singers appointed, which repaire euery day vnto the Church to celebrate the offices vnto our Lady, the which they do with great consort and deuotion. Touching the dressing and adorning of a church with flowers and other curiosities, they are maruellous politike: they are reasonable good painters in some places: they make images of the feathers of small birdes which they call in their language Cinsones, which haue no féete, and féede of nothing else, but of the dewe that falleth from heauen, and is a thing greatly to be séene, and was wont in Spaine to cause great admiration, but in especiall vnto such as were famous painters,* 1.41 to sée with what curiositie and sub∣tiltie they did make their pictures, in applying euery colour of the feathers in his place. They are people of great charitie, but in especiall vnto the Ecclesiasticals: which is the occasion that one of them may trauell from sea to sea (which is more then fiue hundred leagues) without the spending of one riall of plate in victuals, or in any other thing, for that the naturals doo giue it them with great good will and affection, for the which in all their common places of resort, which is an Inne for strangers: they haue men appointed for to prouide for all Ecclesiastical men that doo trauel, of all that they haue néede, and likewise vnto the common people for their money. They doo not onely receiue great content with them, but they them∣selues doo go and request them to come vnto their townes, at the entrie whereof they make them great entertainement: they go all foorth of the towne both small and great in procession, and manie times more then halfe a league, with the sounde of trumpets, flutes and hoybuckes. The principallest amongst them go forth with bowes and nosegayes in their hands, of the which they doo make a present vnto such religious as they doo receiue: and sometimes they cast them more flowers then they woulde willingly they shoulde. Generally, they doo reuerence all Ecclesiasticals, but in particular, those of such religious houses, which in that kingdome were the first that did conuert them, and baptise them, & they do it in such sort, that if the reli∣gious man will for any offence punish or whippe any of them, they do it with such facilitie, as a master of a schoole doth beate his schollers that he doth learne.

This great reuerence and subiection, was planted amongst them by the worthy captaine Hernando Cortes,* 1.42 marques del Valle, hee who in the name of the Emperor Charles the fift of famous memorie, did get and made conquest of that mightie kingdome. He who amongst other vertues that be spoken of him (and doo indure vnto this day in the memory of the natu∣rall people of that countrie, & as I do beléeue his soule is moun∣ted many degrées in glory for the same) hee had one that sur∣mounted the other in excellency, which was, that he had great reuerence and respect vnto priestes, but in especial vnto religi∣ous men, & his will was that the same should bée vsed amongst the Indians: at all times when hee did talke with any religi∣ous person, he did it with so great humilitie and respect, as the seruant vnto his master. If he did at any time méete with any of them in the stréete, he being on foote, a good space before hée came vnto them, hée woulde put off his cappe, and when hee came vnto them hee would kisse their handes: and if hee were on horsebacke, hee had the like preuention, and woulde alight and doo the like. By whose example, the naturall people of that countrie doo remaine with the same custome, and is obser∣ued and kept in all that countrie vnto this day, and with so great deuotion, that in what towne so euer that any Ecclesi∣asticall, or religious man doth enter, the first that doth sée them before they enter therein, doo runne vnto the Church and ring the bell, which is a token knowne amongst them all, that a religious man is comming, so that foorthwith all the wo∣men go forth into the stréete whereas they do passe, with their children in their armes, and bringe them before the religious men, that they should blesse them, although he be on horseback, and do passe a long thorow the towne.

In all this countrie there is great aboundance of victuals and fruit, that the mony being of so small estimation (by rea∣son they haue so much) a ryall of plate is no more woorth there then a Quartillo in Spaine: you shall buy there a verie ••••ire heafor for twelue rials of plate, and fiftie thousand if you will at the same price, and a calfe for sixe or eight rials of plate, a whole shéepe for foure rials, and two hennes, such as you haue in Spaine for one riall, and of Ginny hennes, otherwise called Turkey cockes, and in Spanish Pauos, you shall haue

an hundred thousande (if you please) for a riall and a halfe of plate a péece, and after this rate all other sortes of victuals whatsoeuer you will buy, although they be neuer so good: wine and oyle is very deare, for that it is brought out of Spaine, not for that the countrie will not yéeld thereof, and that in great a∣boundance (as hath béene séene by experience, but they wil not consent to it for diuers respectes.* 1.43 There be thorough out all the whole kingdome many hearbes that are medicinall, and the Indians very much experimented in them, and do always cure with them, in such sort that almost there is no infirmitie but they haue a remedy for the same, and do minister it, by reason whereof they do liue very healthfull, and do die verie seldome, but of leanenes, or when the radicall moistnesse is consumed. They vse little lettings of bloode,* 1.44 and lesse of compounded pur∣gations, for that they haue amongst them other simples which they bring out of the fielde, wherewith they do euacuate their humors, applying them vnto the pacient. They bee for little trauell, and doo passe with little meate, and verie seldome sléepe but on a matte vpon the ground, but the most part in the fields in the open aire, which as wee haue saide hurteth not, neither themselues nor yet the Spaniards. But now to speake in few words that which requireth a great discourse & many words, and yet notwithstanding not expresse well that which might be said of this mightie kingdome: I will conclude in comparing it vnto the most greatest and richest of all that is now knowne in all the world, except that of China, of the which in this histo∣rie hath béene mentioned so many thinges, and shall be more spoken off, when as we shall come to intreate of it, for that wée will intreat of the new Mexico, as I haue promised in the fift Chapter, and because it is a new thing, I do beléeue it wil be of great content.

CHAP. VII. Of the new Mexico, and the discouering thereof, and what they do know of it.

IN the said Chapter I said that in the yeare 1583. there was discouered fifteene prouinces,* 1.45 the which the discouerers ther∣of doo call the newe Mexico vppon the firme lande of Nueua

Espania, and I did promise to giue notice of the discouering thereof, the which I will do with as much breuitie as is possi∣ble, for that if I shoulde difusely declare all that they did see and knowe, it were requisite to make of it a newe historie: the substance thereof is, that in the yeare of our Lord 1581 hauing notice there of a religious man, of the order of saint Francis, who was called Frier Austen Ruyz, who dwelt in the valley of saint Bartholmew, by the relation of certaine Indians cal∣led Conchos, who did communicate with others their neigh∣bors called Pasaguates, who said that towards the parts of the North (trauelling continually by lande) there were certaine Ilandes very great, and neuer knowne nor discouered by the Spaniards, who being remoued with great zeale of cha∣riti••, for the saluation of those soules, did aske licence of the Counte of Corunnia, Uizroy of the saide Nueua Espania, and of his owne superious for to go togither, and to procure to learne their language: and knowing it necessarie to baptise and preach vnto them the holie Euangelist, hauing obtai∣ned the licence of the aforesaide persons, taking with him other two companions of the same order, with eight other soul∣diers, who of their owne good wil would beare them company, he departed to put in execution his Christian zeale and intent: who after a few dayes that they had trauelled, they came into a prouince which was called of y^e Tiguas, distant from the mines of saint Bartholmew (from whence they began their iourney) two hundred and fiftie leagues towardes the North,* 1.46 in the which by a certaine occasion the naturall people thereof did kill one of the Friers companions: who, as also the souldiers that went with him, séeing and perceiuing the successe, and likewise fearing that thereof might happen some other greater danger, they determined with a common consent to returne vnto the mines from whence they departed, with consideration, that the company which went with him were very fewe to make resi∣stance against such successes as might happen, being so farre distant from the dwellings of the Spaniards, and from their necessarie succour. The two religious men which remained did not onely refuse their determination, but rather sée∣ing good occasion to put their good desire in execution, and so much ripe Mies, or dainties for the Lordes table, and

séeing they could not perswade y^e souldiers to procéed forwards in the discouering thereof: they alone remained in the said pro∣uince with their Indian boyes, and a Mestizo that they carried with them, thinking that although they did remaine alone, yet were they there in securitie, by reason of the great affabilitie and loue wherewith the naturall people did intreat them.

So when the eight souldiers came vnto the place that they desired, they straight wayes sent the newes of al that happened vnto the Cittie of Mexico, vnto the vizroy, which is distant from the mines of Saint Barbora one hundred and thrée score leagues. But the Friers of S. Francis were very much agrée∣ued, for the remaining there of their brethren, and fearing least they should be slaine for that they were there alone, they began to moue the hearts & minds of other souldiers, that were in the company of another religious Frier of that order, called Frier Bernardino Beltran, for to returne to the said prouince, to deli∣uer the aforesaide two religious men out of danger, and from thence to prosecute & go forwards with their enterprise begun.

At this time there were at the said mines by a certaine occa∣sion, an inhabitant of the Cittie of Mexico called Antonio de Espeio, a very rich man of great courage and industrie, and verie zealous in the seruice of the maiestie of king Philip: hée was naturally borne of Cordoua, who when that he vnderstood the great desire of the saide Friers, and howe much it did im∣port, did offer himselfe to go on that iournay, and to spend ther∣on part of his substance, besides the venturing of his life. So licence being granted vnto him to prosecute the same by some that did represent the kings person, and was procured by the saide Friers, there was appointed and giuen him for captaine Iohn de Ontiueros (who was chiefe bayley for his maiestie, in the townes which are called the foure Cienegas which are in the gouernement of the new Biscay, seuenty leagues from the aforesaid mines of S. Barbora) and he to go with him, and gather togither men and souldiers, such as he could, for to ac∣company him, and helpe to follow their Christian intent.

The said Antonio de Espeio was so earnest in this matter, that in a few dayes he had ioyned togither souldiers, and made prouision necessarie for the iourney, and spent therein a great part of his substance, and departed altogether from the valley

of saint Bartholmew the tenth of Nouember 1582. and carry with him (for whatsoeuer should happen) one hundred and fif∣téene horses and mutes, great stoare of weapons and muniti∣on, with victuals and certaine people of seruice in this iourney necessarie. He directed his iourney towards the North, and at two dayes iourney they came whereas were a great companie of Indians,* 1.47 of those which be called Conchos: they were in ra∣ches and in houses made of straw, who when they vnderstoode of their comming, by relation of long time before, they went forth and entertained them with shewes of great ioy. The fee∣ding of these people & of al the rest of that prouince,* 1.48 the which is great, is of Conyes ••lesh, Hares & venison, of y^e which they haue great aboundance. They haue great store of Maiz, which is wheat of the Indians, pompines & mellons very good and in a∣boundance. They haue many riuers full of fish very good and of diuers sorts: they go almost al naked, and the weapons that they doo vse, are bowes and arrowes, and liue vnder the go∣uernement and lorship of Caciques, as they of Mexico: they found no Idols amongst them, neither could they vnderstande that they did worship any thing, for the which they did easilie consent that the Spaniards should set vp crosses, and were very well content therewith, after that that they were informed by the Spaniards the signification thereof, the which was done by interpreters that they carried with them, & by whose meanes they vnderstood of other inhabitances, whether as y^e said Con∣chos did conduct thē, & did beare thē company more then foure and twenty leagues: all which way was inhabited with people of their owne nation, and in al places whereas they came, they were receiued with peace, by aduice that was giuen by the Ca∣ciques from one towne to another. So hauing passed the foure and twenty leagues aforesaide, they came vnto another nation of Indians called Passaguates,* 1.49 who liue after the manner and fashion of the other aforesaid Conchos their borderers, who did vnto them as the others did, conducting them forwarde other foure dayes iourney, with aduice of the Caciques as afore. The Spaniards found in this iourney many mines of siluer (accor∣ding to the iudgement of them that vnderstand that faculty) & of very rich mettall.* 1.50 One iourney from this they came to ano∣ther nation called the Tobosos,* 1.51 who when they discouered the

Spaniards, they fled vnto the mountaines & left their townes & houses void: but more after they vnderstood, y^t certain yeares past, there came vnto that place certaine souldiers for to seeke mines, & carried with them captiue certaine of the natural peo∣ple of that country, for which occasion they remaine as scared & feareful. The captain forthwith gaue order, that they should be called backe again, with assurance that there should be no hurt done to them, & did so much that many of thē returned▪ of whom they made much on▪ and gaue them giftes, declaring vnto them by the interpreter, that they came not thither to do hurt to any, with the which they all returned and were in quiet, and consen∣ted that they should set vp crosses, and declare the mysterie of them, and they made shew that they were content therewith, and did accompany them, as the other their borderers did, vntil they had brought them into the inhabitance of another differēt nation, which was distant from them twelue leagues. They vse bowes and arrowes, and do go naked.

CHAP. VIII. Here he doth prosecute the discouering of the new Mexico

THe nation that the saide Tobosos did conduct them to are called Iumanos,* 1.52 who by another name are called by the Spaniards Patara Bueyes, their prouince is very and full of townes w^t much people: their houses made of lime & stone, and their townes traced in very good order: al the men & womē haue their faces raced, & their legs & armes: they are corpulent peo∣ple & more decent then any that they had séene vntil that time: they haue great store of prouision, and hunt, both of beasts and foules: great store of fish, by reason of mightie riuers that com∣meth from the North, & some of them as big as Guadalquiuiz y^e which doth enter into y^e North sea: they haue many lakes of salt water which in certaine times of y^e yeare do congeale, and they do make therof good salt.* 1.53 They are warlike people, & made shew thereof presently, for the first night y^t the Spaniards had placed thēselues, with their arrowes they slew fiue horse, & hurt as many more, and would haue left not one aliue, if they had not béene defended by the guarde. When they had done this mischiefe, they left the town, & went to a mountain which was

harde by, whether as presently in the morning went their cap∣taine with other fiue souldiers well armed with an interpreter called Peter, a naturall Indian borne, and with faire words and perswasions, he quieted them, and made peace, and caused them to descend into their towne and houses and perswaded them to giue aduice vnto their neighbours, that they were men that would hurt no bodie, neither came they thither to take a∣way their goods, the which he obtained easely by wisedome, and in giuing vnto the Caciques certaine glasse beades and hartes which they carryed for that purpose, & other trifles: so with this and with the good intretement done vnto them, there went many of them in the company of the Spaniardes many dayes alwayes traueling alongst the riuer side aforesayde, where as were many townes of Indians of this nation, the which indu∣red twelue dayes iourney: in all the which the Caciques gaue aduice from one towne to another, out of the which they came forth and entertained the Spaniards without their bowes and arrowes, and brought with them victuals and other prouision and gifts, but in especiall hides and shamway skins very well dressed, so that those of Flanders do nothing excéed them. These people are all clothed, & they found that they had some light of y^e holy faith, for that they made signe vnto God, looking vp vnto heauen, and they do cal him in their language Apalito, and doo acknowledge him for Lord, by whose mightie hand and mercie they confesse to haue receiued life, & to be a natural man, and al temporall goods. There came many of them with their wiues & children to the religious Frier (that came with the captaine and souldiers, of whom we haue spoken off) for to crosse & blesse thē, of whom being demanded, from whence & of whom they had y^e knowledge of God: they answered that of thrée christians & one Negro that passed that way, & remained there certaine daies a∣mongst them, who according to the signes & tokens they gaue them, should be Aluar Nunnez Cabesa de Vaca & Dorantes, & Castillo Maldonado & one Negro, the which escaped out of y^e fléete wherewith Panfilo de Naruaz entred into Florida, & af∣ter that they had bin many dayes captiue & slaues, they escaped & came vnto these townes, wheras God by them did shew many myracles in healing (by the onely touching with their handes) many diseases & sicke persons, by reason thereof they left great

fame in all that countrie. All this Prouince remained in peace and quietnesse, by which demonstration they did accompanie and serued the Spaniardes certaine dayes trauelling alongest the riuer side aforesaide.

Within few dayes after they came vnto a great inhabitati∣on of Indians, where they came foorth to receiue them, by newes that they had of their neighbours, and brought with thē many curious thinges made of feathers of different colours and many mantles made of cotton, barred with blewe and white, like vnto them that are brought from China, to truck for other thinges. All of them as well the men as women and children were clothed with shamway skins, very good and well dressed, yet could the Spaniardes neuer vnderstande what nation they were, for lacke of an interpreter that vnderstood their language they dealt with them by signes, and they shewed vnto thē cer∣taine stones of rich metall, and being demaunded if they had of the same in their countrie: they answered by the same signes, that fiue dayes iourney from thence towardes the north west, there was great quantitie thereof, and howe that they would conduct them thether, and showe it vnto them, as afterwardes they did performe, & did beare them companie two and twen∣tie leagues, the which was all inhabited with people of the same countrie.

So following the saide riuer, they came vnto an other inha∣bitance of much more people than the other past, of whom they were well receiued, and welcomed with many presents, espe∣cially of fish, for that they haue great store by reason of certaine great lakes not farre from thence, wherein is bred great abun∣dance. They were amongest these people thrée dayes, in the which both day and night they made before them many dances according vnto their fashion, with a particular signification of great ioy. They knew not how this nation was called, for lack of an interpreter: But yet they vnderstoode that it extended ve∣ry farre, and was very great. Amongest this nation they found an Indian, a Concho by nation, who tolde, and made signes that fiftéene iourneyes from thence towardes the north west, there was a lake which was verie broad, and nigh vnto it very great townes and in thē houses of thrée and foure stories high, the people well apparelled, and the countrie full of victuals and

prouision, who did offer himselfe to bring them thether, wher∣at the Spaniards reioyced, but left to giue the enterprise, only for that they would accomplish their intent and begon voiage, which was to go to the north to giue ayde vnto the two religi∣ous men aforesaide. The chiefe & principall thing that they no∣ted in this prouince, was, that it was of a good temperature, and a rich countrie, great store of hunt, both of foot and wing, many rich metals and other particular thinges of profite.

From this prouince they folowed their iourney for the space of 15. daies, without méeting any people: they trauelled amōgst high & mightie pine trées like those of Spaine, at the end wher∣of, after they had traueiled to their iudgmēts four score leagues▪ they came vnto a small village of very few people, very poore, & their houses made of strawe: they had great quantity of déere skins as well dressed as those y^t are brought out of Flanders, great store of excellent white & good salt. They gaue them good intertainment for the space of two daies y^t they remained there, after the which they did beare thē companie 12. leagues, vnto certaine great habitations, alwayes trauelling alongst the ri∣uer side towarde the north as aforesaide, till such time as they came vnto the countrie which is called the new Mexico. All a∣longst this riuer side was planted full of white salow trées, and in some place, it was foure leagues brode. Likewise there was many walnut trées, and peare trées like vnto those in Spaine.

In the ende of two dayes trauaile amongest these trées, they came vnto tenne townes the which were situated alongst this riuer side on both partes, besides others that appeared, but farther distant. It seemed vnto them to haue much people, and as appeared to be more than tenne thousande soules.

In this Prouince they did receiue them courteously, and car∣ried them vnto their townes whereas they gaue them great store of prouision and hennes of the countrie, with many other things, and that with a great good will. In these townes were houses of foure stories high, verie well wrought and gallant chambers,* 1.54 and most of them had steuues or hote houses for the winter. They are all apparelled with cotton and of deares skinnes. the manner and apparell both of the men and of the women, is much like vnto the Indians, of the kingdome of Mexico. But that which did cause them most for to woonder,

was, to sée both men and women to weare both bootes and shooes of very good lether, with thrée sooles of neates leather: a thing which they haue not séene but onely there. The women go without any thing vpon their heades, but their haire trim∣ly kembed and dressed. Euerie one of these townes had Caci∣ques by whom they were gouerned, as amongest the Indians in Mexico with sergeantes and officers to execute their com∣mandement, who goe through the stréetes of the towne, and declare with a loude voice the will of the Caciques, the which is straight wayes put in vre.

In this prouince the Spaniardes sounde many Idolles that they worshipped,* 1.55 and in euery house they had a temple where∣in they do worship the diuell, wheras ordinarily they do carrie him to eat. Likewise as amongst Christians in the high wayes they doo put crosses, so haue they chappelles, whereas they say, the diuell doth recreate and rest himselfe, when as he tra∣uelleth from one towne to an other: the which chappelles are maruellously well trimmed and painted.

In all their tyllages and ploughed groundes, of the which they haue many and very great: they haue on the one side of them, a portall or shedde built vppon foure pillers, whereas the labourers doo eate and passe away the heate of the day, and are people verie much giuen to labour, and doo continually oc∣cupie themselues therein: it is a countrie full of mountaynes and woods of pine trées. Their weapons are strong bowes and arrowes with their heads or pointes made of flint stone, wher∣with they will pierce and passe a shirt of mayle or plate coate. They vse also Macans the which is a staffe of half a yeard long made of flint and verie smoth, wherewith they may cut a man a sunder in the midst, they vse also bucklers and targets made of rawe hides.

CHAP. IX. Still doth hee prosecute the new Mexico, and declareth of such things as were there seene.

SO after they had béene foure dayes in this prouince, they de∣parted, & not farre distant from the same, they came vnto an

other, which was called the prouince of the Tiguas, in the which they found sixtéene townes, in the one of the same called Poa∣la, they vnderstood that the Indians had slaine the two Friers Francisco Lopez and Frier Augustine, whome they went to seeke: and with them thrée boyes & a Mestizo. But when they of this towne & their neighbours vnderstoode, being pricked in conscience, & fearing that the Spaniards came to plague them, and to be reuenged for the death of the saide fathers, they durst not abide, but left their houses voide, and fled vnto the moun∣taines that were nighest hande, from whence they could neuer cause them to descende, neither by giftes nor policie. They founde in their houses great store of victualles and an infinite number of hennes of the countrie, diuers sortes of metals, and some of them séemed to be very good: they could not perfectly vn∣derstande the number of people that were in that countrie, for that they were fled vnto the mountaines, as aforesaid.

Being fully certified of the death of them that they went to séeke for, they entred into counsell to determine whether they should returne vnto new Bizcaya, from whence they came, or to procéede forwarde: in the which there were diuers opinions. But by reason that they vnderstoode there, that towardes the port of the orient from that place, and not farre distant from that prouince, there were very great townes and rich, and fin∣ding themselues so nigh them, the captaine Antonio de Espe∣ro with the consent of the religious Fryer aforesaide called Bernardino Beltran, and the most part of his souldiers & com∣panions, determined to procéede forwardes in the discouerie thereof, till such time as they did sée to what end it would come. that they might the better giue perfect and iust notice therof vn∣to his maiestie, as witnesses that had séene it.

So being in conformitie they determined, they remayning there sentenela, or royall companie, the captaine with other two companions with him should go forwardes in the demand of their desire, which foorthwith they put in execution. So at the end of two dayes of their trauaile, they came vnto a pro∣uince, where they discouered aleuen townes, and much peo∣ple in them, which in their iudgement did passe fortie thousand soules. It was a countrie very well replenished & fertile, whose confines are ioyned vnto the lande of the Cibola, whereas is

great store of kyne, of whose skins they do apparell themselues and with cotton, hauing the vse of gouernement amongest thē, as their neighbours haue: there are signes and tokens of many rich mynes, and found in their houses certaine mettalles, these Indians do worship Idols: they receiued the Spaniardes with peace, and gaue them to eate. Seéing this and the disposition of the countrie they returned vnto their sentenela from whence they departed, to giue notice vnto their companions of all that hath béene saide.

So when they were come vnto their companions aforesaid, they had notice and vnderstanding of an other prouince called the Quires, which was vp the riuer on the north, sixe leagues distant. So they departed thitherwardes, and when they came within a league of the place: there came foorth in peace a great companie of Indians, and requested that they would goe with them vnto their townes: the which they did, and were verie well entertayned and had great cheare. In this prouince they sawe but onely fiue townes, in the which there was a great number of people, which vnto their iudgement did passe fiftéene thousand soules, and doo worship Idolles as their n••ighbours doo. They found in one of these townes a Pye in a cage, as is the vse in Spaine, & Tirasoles as those which are brought from China, and painted on them the sunne & the moone with many starres: and taking the altitude thereof, they founde it to be in seuen and thirtie degrées and a halfe vnder the north poole.

They departed from this prouince, and trauelling by the same course or Rutter, fourtéene leagues from thence, they came to an other prouince called the Cunames, whereas they discouered other fiue townes: and that which was the principal and biggest of them, is called Cia, which was of such huge big∣nesse y^t it had in it eight places: their houses be plastered with lyme, and painted with diuerse colours, much better than they had séene in any prouince past. It séemed that the people that were there did passe in number twentie thousande soules: they gaue presentes vnto the Spaniardes with many curious man∣telles, and of victualles to eate maruellously well dressed, and iudged the people to be more curious and of more estimation of themselues, than any that thitherto they had séene, and of greater gouernement. They shewed vnto them rich metalles,

and the mountaines that were hard by,* 1.56 whereas they did take it out. Here they had notice of an other prouince which was to∣wards the north west, and determined to go thither.

So after they departed frō thence, & had trauailed sixe leagues, they came to y^e said prouince, which was called Arneias, in the which was seuē great townes, & in thē according to their iudg∣ment, thirtie thousand soules: they said that one of these seuen townes was very great & faire, the which they would not go to see, for y^t it was situated behinde a mountaine, as also they fea∣red some euill successe, if that they should be deuided the one frō the other. They are people after y^e fashion of the other prouince their neighbors, with as much prouision and as well gouerned. Fiftéene leagues from this prouince, trauelling cōtinually to∣wards y^e northwest, they came to a great towne called Acoma: it had in it more than sixe thousande soules: it was situated and placed vpon a high rock, the which was more than fiftie fadam in height, and had no other entry but by a payre of staires, the which was made & cut out of the same rocke, a thing the which did cause great admiration vnto the Spaniardes: all the water that they had in this towne was in cesterns. The principallest hereof came with peace for to sée the Spaniards, & brought thē many mantles, and shamwayes very well dressed, and great quantitie of prouision, they haue their corne fields two leagues from that place, and for to water them they take water out of a small riuer there harde by. Upon the saide riuer side they sawe many fields with roses, like vnto those that are in Spain: there are many mountaines which shewe to haue mettals, although they went not vp to sée it, for that the Indians be many, & very warrelike people. The Spaniards remained in this place thrée daies, in one of the which the naturall people thereof did make vnto them a solemne dance, & came foorth in the same with gal∣lant apparell and with maruellous ingenious pastimes with the which they reioyced excéedingly. So four & twentie leagues from this place, they came vnto a prouince called in their natu∣rall language Zuny, and the Spaniards do call it Cibola, there is in it a great number of Indians. In the which was Fran∣cisco Vazquez Coronado, and left there erected many crosses and many other signes and tokens of christendome, which con∣tinually did remaine standing. They found there three christe∣ned

Indians, which were left there at that time, whose names were, Andres de Cuyoacon, Gasper de Mexico, and Anto∣nio de Guadalaiara, who had almost forgotten their own lan∣guage, & could speake very well that of this countrie: yet with a little vse after they had talked with thē they did easily vnder∣stand them. Of these they vnderstood that thrée score iourneyes from thence was there a lake very great about the which was situated many excellent good townes, & that the natural people thereof had very much gold, & it séemed to be true for that they did all weare braslets & eareringes of the same. The foresaide Francisco Vazques Coronado hauing certaine intelligence of the same he departed from this prouince of Cibola, & went that way: and hauing trauelled twelue iourneyes, his water did faile him, so y^t he determined to returne backe againe as he did, with pretence to returne an other time, whē better oportunity should be had: the which afterwards he did not put in executiō, for that by death all his determinations & pretēces were cut off.

CHAP. X. Still doth he prosecute the discouery of the new Mexico.

VPon the newes of this great riches aforesaide, the sayde captaine Antonio de Espeio, determined to go thether, where were of his opiniō the most part of his cōpanions: but y^e religious fryer was of the contrarie opinion, & sayd that it was high time to returne vnto new Bizcaya frō whence they came, for to giue notice of all that they had séene, the which they did put in execution within few daies after, the most part of them: and left the captain with alonely nine companions that would follow him. Who after that hee had fully certified himselfe of the riches aboue said, and of the great quantitie of good metals, that were there. He departed out of this prouince with his com∣panions, and trauelled towardes the northwest.

So after that they had trauelled eight and twentie leagues, they came into an other prouince the which was very great, in the which to their iudgmēt were more thā fifty thousand soules: whose inhabitants, when they vnderstood of their cōming they sent thē a messenger, which said, y^t if they would not be slaine of them, y^t they should not approch any nearer vnto their townes.

Unto the which the said captaine answered, that they came not thether to do them any harme as they should well perceiue, and also did request them that they would not disturbe them in the prosecuting of their pretence, and gaue vnto the messenger certaine things such as they carryed with them, who did praise so much the Spaniards, that he did appease the troubled minds of the Indians, in such sort, that they did of their owne good wil grant them licence for to enter into their townes. The which they did with one hundreth and fiftie Indians their friends, of the Prouince of Cibola aforesaide, and with the thrée Indians of Mexico, of whom we made mention.

Before they came vnto the first towne by a league, there went foorth to méete and receiue the Spaniards more than two thousande Indians laden with victualles and prouision, vnto whome our Captaine did giue thinges of small price: yet it seemed vnto them to be of great estimation more than golde. So when they came nigher vnto the towne called Zaguato, there came foorth to receiue them a great number of Indians, and amongest them their Caciques, and made a great showe of mirth and ioy, and threw vppon the ground much flower of Maiz that their horse might tread vpon it. With these feastes, ioy and pleasure, they entred into the towne, whereas they were very well receiued, lodged, and made much of: the which the captaine did partly recompence, in giuing vnto all the prin∣cipallest amongest them, hattes, and glasse beades, and many other thinges more, which they carried with them to serue the like oportunitie.

The Caciques did foorthwith dispatch and send aduice vnto all those of that prouince, giuing them to vnderstande of the comming of their new guestes, and how that they were verie curteous men, & did no harme. Which was occasion sufficient to cause them all to come laden with presentes vnto the Spani∣ardes, and did request them for to goe vnto their townes to sport and recreate themselues: the which they did, but alwaies with great care and respect of what so euer might happen. For the which t••e captaine did vse a policie with them, which was, that he tolde vnto the Caciques, that for so much as his horse were verie fierce and furious, and that they had told them that they would kill them, therefore for to shunne the damage and

harme that might happen vnto the Indians, it were requisite to make a fort with lyme and stone, to put them in. The Caci∣ques did giue such credite vnto his words that in a few houres they had ioyned together so much people, that they made a fort according as the Spaniardes did request, & that with an incre∣dible breuitie. Besides this when the captaine sayd y^t he would depart, they brought vnto him a present of fortie thousand mā∣tles of cotton, some white, and some painted: and a great quan∣titie of hand towels with tassels at the corners, and many other thinges, and amongst them rich metals, which shewed to haue much siluer. Amongst these Indians they had great notice and knowledge of the lake aforesaid, & they were conformable vnto the other, in that touching the great riches & abundance of gold.

The captaine hauing great confidence in this people and of their good dispositions, he determined after certaine daies y^t he had bin there, to leaue fiue of his companions and the rest of the Indians his friends, that they might returne vnto the prouince of Zuny with all their bagage: and hee himselfe with the other four that remained, would go more at quiet to discouer certaine very rich mynes, of the which he had true notice. So according vnto his determination he departed with the guides he had, and hauing trauelled toward the northwest fiue & forty leagues, he came vnto the saide mynes, and tooke out of the same with his owne hands rich metals, and very much siluer:* 1.57 the mynes had a great & brode veine, it was vpon a rocke whereas they might go vp to it with great ease, for that there was a way open to y^t effect: nigh therunto were certain townes of Indians amongst the mountaines, who shewed friendship vnto them, and came foorth to receiue them with crosses in their hands, & other signes and tokens of peace: nigh vnto the same they saw two reasona∣ble riuers, vppon whose hankes there were many vines full of excellent good grapes, great walnut trées, and very much flaxe, like vnto that of Spaine, and it was tolde them by signes, that on the other side of the saide mountaines there was a riuer of 8. leagues brode But they could not vnderstand how nigh it was, yet did they make demonstration, that it did run his course to∣wards the north sea, and vpon both sides thereof was situated many townes, and of so huge bignes, that in comparison those wherein they were, were but suburbes in respect.

So after the Captaine had taken all this relation hee depar∣ted towardes the prouince of Zuny, whither he had cōmanded his other companions to goe, and at their comming thether in health, which was by an other excellent way, he found therwith his o••her fiue companions: the father Fryer Bernardino with the souldiers that were determined to returne backe agayne (as aforesayde) for as yet they were not departed from thence for certayne occasions. Unto whom the naturals of the coun∣trie had giuen good intertaynement and all thinges necessa∣rie, and that in abundance: and afterwardes did the like vnto the sayde Captaine and vnto them that came with him, and went foorth to receiue him with demonstration of great ioy, and gaue them great store of prouision for their iourney pretended, requesting him to returne againe with breuitie, and to bring with him many Castillas (for so they doo call the Spaniardes) and they would giue them all to eate: for the which (the better to accomplish the same) they had sowed that yeare more wheate and other graine, then they had done in any other yeare past.

At this present the sayde religious Fryer and the rest of the souldiers did ratifie their first determination aforesaide, and concluded to returne vnto the Prouince from whence they came, with the pretence before spoken of, and there ioyned with him in that iourney, Gregorio Hernandez, who was standert bearer in that attempt.

So when they were departed the captain who remained but with eight souldiers, did fully resolue himselfe to prosecute his begun pretence, & to take his course vp alongst the north riuer: which being but in execution, and hauing trauelled about 60. leagues towards the prouince of Quires aforesaid, 12. leagues frō thence towards the orient, they came vnto a prouince called Gubates, whereas the Indians receiued them with peace, and gaue thē great store of prouision▪ and also notice▪ that not far frō thence there were certaine rich mynes, the which they founde, and tooke out of them glystering metale and very good, with the which they returned to the towne from whence they departed.

They iudged this prouince to haue nigh vpon fiue & twentie thousande soules, all well apparelled with painted mantles of cotton, & shamwayes skins very well dressed. There are many

mountaynes and woodes of pine ceder trées, and their houses of foure and fiue stories hie. Héere had they notice of an other prouince that was but one daies iourney frō thence which was called of the Tamos, in the which was more thā fortie thousand soules, but when they came thether the inhabitants would not giue them any victuals, neyther permit thē to enter into their townes▪ for the which, to auoyde the danger wherin they were, being but a few souldiers (as aforesaid) and some of them sicke, they determined to depart thence towardes the countrie of chri∣stians, the which they put in execution the beginning of Iuly in the yere 1583. and were conducted by an Indian that went with them, who carried them by a contrarie way and different from that they came, downe alongest the riuer side, which they called of the Vacas. By reason that there was great store of kine all alongest the same. By the which they trauelled one hundred and twentie leagues. From thence they came vnto the riuer of the Conchas there whereas they first entred, and from thence vnto the vale of S. Bartolmew from whence they departed to begin this discouerie. And when they came thether they vnderstood that many dayes before were arriued there in health, frier Bernardino Beltran and his companions, & were gonefrom thence vnto the village of Guadiana. In this towne the captaine Antonio de Espeio made a certaine & true infor∣mation of all this aforesaide, the which presently he sent vnto the Earle of Corunnia, viceroy of that kingdome: and he sent it vnto his maiestie, and vnto the Lords of the royall counsell of the Indians, that therin they might ordaine that which séemed them best, the which they haue done with great care. I beséech the Lord God if it be his pleasure that it may go forwardes in such order, that so many soules redéemed by his precious bloud be not condemned: whose wits & vnderstanding do farre excéed those of Mexico & Peru, as by y^e information of those y^t haue delt with thē appeareth, wherby we may presume that with great facilitie they will imbrace the law of the gospell, and leaue the Idolatrie that the most part of them do vse, which God for his mercies sake permit, so it may be for his glorie, and exalting of the catholike faith

I haue bin tedious in this relation, more than a commen∣tarie doth require, but I haue doone it by reason it is a newe

thing and little abrode as yet, and it séemeth to mee not to giue discontent vnto the reader. And now me thinketh it shall bee well that I doo returne vnto my matter first begunne, and to procéede and go forwardes in the voyage and description of the new worlde, returning vnto the citie of Mexico, there where as I did digresse for to declare the discouerie of the newe Mexi∣co,

CHAP. XI. Departing from the citie of Mexico, they go vnto the port of Acapulco in the south sea, whereas they doo imbarke themselues from the Ilandes Philippinas, they passe by the Ilandes of theeues, and do declare the rites and con∣dition of that people.

FRom the citie of Mexico they go to imbarke themselues or take shipping at the port of Acapulco which is in the south sea, and is eleuated from the poole nineteen degrées, and ninetie leagues from the citie of Mexico: in al which way there be ma∣ny townes inhabited with Indians and Spaniards.

Being departed from this port they sayle towards the south west, till they come into twelue degrées & a halfe, to séeke pro∣sperous wind to serue their turne, which the marriners do call Brizas, and are northerly windes, which are there of such con∣tinuance & so fauourable, that being in the moneths of Nouem∣ber, December, and Ianuarie, they haue no néede to touch their sayles, which is the occasion that they do make their voy∣ages with so great ease. So that for that, & for the fewe stormes that happened in that passage, they do cal it the mar de Damas (which is the sea of Ladies).* 1.58 They sayle alwayes towards the west, following the sunne when as she departeth from our he∣mispherie. In this south sea they sayle fortie daies without séeing anie lande: at the end whereof they came to the Ilandes of Velas, which by an other name are called de los Ladrones: there are seuen or eight of them, they do lye north and south, and are inhabited with much people, in the order as you shall vnderstand.

These Ilands are in 12. degrées, but there are different opi∣nions of the leagues y^t are betwixt the port of Acapulco & those

Ilands, for vnto this day there is none that hath vnderstood the cert••••ntie thereof, for that their nauigation lieth from the east vnto the west, whose degrées there haue bin none y^t ••uer could measure. Some say, this iourney hath a thousande and seuen hundred leagues, others a thousand and eight hundred, but the opinions of the first we vnderstand to be most certaine.

All these Ilands are inhabited with white people of comely faces, like vnto those of Europa, but not of their bodies,* 1.59 for that they are as bigge as gyants, and of so great force and strength: for one of them hath taken two Spaniardes of a good stature, the one by one foot and the other by the other with his handes, & hath lifted them both from the grounde with so great ease, as though they had bin two children. They go naked from top to too, as well women as men, yet some of them were woont to weare an aporne made of a deares skinne before them of halfe a yeard long, for honesties sake, but they are but a fewe in nū∣ber, in respect of those y^t weare nothing before them. The wea∣pons which they do vse be s••inges, & darts hardened in the fire, and are with both the one and the other very expert throwers.

They do maintaine themselues with fish which they do take on the coast, and of wild beasts which they do kill in the moun∣taines, in ouertaking of them by swiftnesse of foot.

In these Ilands there is one the strangest custome that euer hath bin heard of or séene in all the whole world, which is, that vnto the young men there is a time limited for them to marrie in (according vnto their custome) in all which time, they may fréely enter into the houses ofsuch as are married, and be there with their wiues, without being punished for y^e same, although their proper husbands should sée them: they doo carrie in their handes a staffe or rodde, & when they do enter into the married mans house they doo leaue it standing at the doore, in such sort, that if any do come after, they may plainly sée it: which is a to∣ken, that although it be her proper husband, he cannot enter in till it be taken away. The which custome is obserued and kept with so great rigour and force, that whosoeuer is against this lawe, all the rest do kill him.

In all these Ilands there is not as yet knowen neyther king nor lord, whom the rest should obey,* 1.60 which is the occasion that euery one do liue as he list and at his pleasure. These Ilandes

were woont to haue warre the one with the other, when occa∣sion did force them: as it happened at such time as the Spani∣ardes were there in the port of the said Iland: there came abord their ships to the number of two hundred small barkes or botes in the which came many of the inhabitants thereof, to sell vnto them of the ships, hens, & nuts called cocos, patatas, and other thinges of that Iland, and to buy other such things as our peo∣ple did carrie with them, but in especiall yron (vnto the which they are very much affectionated) and vnto things of chrystall and such like of small estimation. But there grew a great con∣tention amongest them, which people of what Ilande should first come vnto the shippes, and was in such order that they fell vnto blowes, and wounded the one the other maruellously more liker beastes than men: of the which there were many slaine in the presence of the Spaniards, and would neuer leaue off their contention a good while, till in the end by way of peace they consented a conclusion amongest themselues, but with a great noyse, which was, that those of one Iland should go to the larbord of the ship, and those of the other Iland should go to the starbord, with the which they were pacified, and did buy and sel at their pleasure. But at their departure from our people, in re∣compence of their good intertainment they threw into the ship of their dartes hardened with fire, with the which they did hurt many of thē that were aboue hatches: yet went they not away scotfrée, for that our people with their hargabushes did paye them in readie money their bold attempt.

* 1.61These people do more estéeme yron than siluer or golde, and gaue for it fruites nnames patatas, fish, rise, ginger, hennes, and many gallant mattes very well wrought, and all almost for nothing.

Th••se Ilandes are verie fertile and healthfull, and very ea∣sie to bee conquered vnto the fayth of Christ. If that at such time as the ships doo passe that way vnto Manilla they would leaue there some religious men, with souldiers to garde them till the next yeare, and might be doone with small cost. It is not as yet knowen what ceremonies and rites they do obserue, for that there is none that doo vnderstande their language, nei∣ther hath any béene on those Ilandes, but onely as they haue passed by, which is the occasion that they cannot be vnderstood.

The language which they doo vse, to any mans iudgement is easie to be learned, for that their pronunciation is verie plaine, they call ginger asno, and for to say (take away your harga∣bush) they say arrepeque. The pronunciation of their wordes is neither in the nose nor in the throte. It is vnderstood that they be all Gentiles, by certaine signes and tokens that our people haue seene them do, and that they doo worship Idols, and the diuell, vnto whom they do sacrifice such as they do take in the warres of their borderers. It is thought that they doo descend of the tartares, by some particularities that is found amongst thē, the which do draw very nigh vnto some that they do vse.

These Ilandes are south & north with the land of Labrador, which is nigh vnto the new found lande, and not farre distant from the Ilande of Iapon. It is knowen for a trueth that they do deale with the Tartares, and that they do buy yron for to sell it vnto them. The Spaniards did giue name vnto these Ilandes as they passed by, the Ilandes of Ladrones (which is of théeues) for that they are very bolde and subtile in their s••ea∣linges, in the which facultie, the Egyptians that are in our Europa may go to schoole with them for the verie facultie ther∣of. I will declare vnto you one thing that happened in the pre∣sence of many Spaniardes, the which did cause them greatly to maruaile, which is, there was a marriner commanded by the captaine of the ship, to kéepe the sterneborde side, & not to suffer any of them to enter therein, and being as one amased to sée so many Canoas that came thether, (the which be small barkes or botes made all of one péece) one of them diued downe vnder the water, till he came there whereas the marriner was (vn∣mindfull of any such matter should happen) & vpon a soddaine without séeing the other, he snatched his sword out of his hand, & went vnder the water againe therwith, the marriner made a noise & declared the knauerie that y^e Ilander had done vnto him. whervpon there were certaine souldiers y^t made their hargubu∣shes ready to shoot at him when he appeared frō vnder y^e water. This Ilander perceiuing it, came foorth & swimmed aboue the water, shewing his handes, & made signes y^t he had nothing in thē, which was the occasion that they did not shoot at him.

So after a while that he had beene there resting of himselfe, he returned and diued vnder the water againe, & swam so farre

as he thought that the bullet of the hargubush could not reach to hurt him, and finding himselfe in securitie, he tooke the sword from betwixt his legges whereas he did carrie it in secret, and beganne to florish with the same, mocking our people whom he had so easily deceiued.

This kind of stealing, and many others which they had done and that with great subtiltie, is the occasion that they beare the names of théeues, and all the Ilandes whereas they doo dwell doo beare the name thereof, the which they will easily pardon, if they might ordinarily finde, where as they might execute their inclination.

CHAP. XII. They depart from the Ilandes of the Ladrones, and come vnto them of Luzon, or Philippinas by an other name, and doo declare the particular thoughts of those Ilandes.

FRom this Iland of Ladrones nauigating towards y^e west, almost two hundred leagues, till they came to a mouth cal∣led of the holy ghost,* 1.62 they straightwaies doo enter into the Ar∣chipelago, (which is an infinite number of Ilands) almost all inhabited with their own naturall people. But many conque∣red by the Spaniardes, eyther by force of warre or friendship. Four score leagues from this is the citie of Manilla,* 1.63 which is vpon the Iland of Luzon, there whereas ordinarily dwelleth the gouernor of all those Ilandes, & the officers of his maiestie, therein is a bishop and a cathedrall church. This citie standeth in fourtéen degrées & a quarter, and round about the same there are so many Ilandes, that vnto this day there is none that euer could number them: they do extend all of them northwest and southwest, & north & south, in so much that the one part stretch∣eth vnto the straight of Sincapura which is fiue and twentie leagues from Malaca, and the other part vnto the Malucos, & other Ilandes, whereas they gather a great number of cloues, pepper, & ginger, of the which there are great mountaines full. The first that discouered these Ilands were Spaniards,* 1.64 which came to thē in the cōpany of y^e famous Magellanes, & made no conquest of thē, for that they knew better to nauigate then to

conquer, by reason whereof, after they had discouered and pas∣sed the straight (which vnto this day beareth the title of his name) and came vnto the Ilande of Zubu, whereas they did baptise certaine of the inhabitance, and afterwards in a banket, the same Ilanders did kill him, and other forty of his compani∣ons, which was the occasion that Sebastian de Guetaria, a na∣turall Biskin borne, for to escape with his life, did put himselfe in a shippe that remained of the voyage (which afterwards was named the victorie) and in her and with a few people that helped him, with the fauour of God he came vnto Siuell, ha∣uing compassed the whole world, from the Orient vnto the Po∣nient, a thing which caused vnto all men great admiration, but in particular vnto the Emperor Charles the fift of famous me∣morie, who after he had giuen many gifts and fauours vnto the said Sebastian de Guetaria, hee gaue order that a new armie should be made ready, and to returne againe in demande of the said Ilands, and to discouer that new world.

So when all things were in a redinesse for to depart on their voyage (the which was done with great breuitie) they ordained for generall of all that sleete one Villa Lobos, commanding him to go by the Nueua Espania. This Villa Lobos, arriued at the Ilands of Malucas, and at those of Terrenate & at other Ilands ioyning vnto them, the which Ilands were laid to gage by the aforesaid Emperor vnto the crowne of Portugal.

In these Ilands they had great wars by meanes of the Por∣tugals, and séeing themselues with little helpe and small resi∣stance, for to go forwards with their conquest, they left it off, and went to the most part of them with the aforesaide Portu∣gals vnto the India of Portugall, from whence afterwards they sent them as prisoners vnto the said king of Portugall, as offenders, that had entred his Ilands without his licence: who did not onely leaue to do them any harme, but did intreat them very well and sent them vnto their owne country of Spaine, & gaue them al thinges necessary for their iourney, and that in a∣boundance.

Then certaine yeares after, Don Philip king of Spaine be∣ing very willing that the discouering shoulde go forwards, which the Emperor his father had so earnestly procured, sent and commanded Don Luys de Velasco, who was his vizroy of

the Nuoua Espania, that he would ordaine an army, and peo∣ple for to returne and discouer the said Ilands, and to sende in the said fléete for gouernor of all that should bée discouered Mi∣guel Lopez de Legaspi, who did accomplish all that his maie∣stie had commanded, and made the discouerie thereof in such order, as the first relation of the entrie of the fathers of the order of Saint Austen into the China dooth more at large appeare.

Of ancient time these Ilandes were subiect vnto the king of China, vntill such time as hee did deliuer them vp of his owne frée will, for such reasons as were spoken off in the first part of this historie: & that was the occasion that when y^e Spaniards came vnto them, they were without Lorde or heade, or anie other to whom they shoulde shewe duetie, but hee which had most power and people did most command: so that this (and that there were so many of equal power) was the occasion that ciuill warres continued, without any respect of nature, kin∣red, or any other duety, but like vnto brute beasts, killing, spoi∣ling and captiuing one another, the which was a great help•• vnto the Spaniards for to subiect that countrie with so great ease vnto the king, and called them the Ilands Philippinas in respect of his name. They did vse amongst them to make cap∣tiues and slaues such as they did take in vnlawfull wars, and for trifling matters, the which God did remedie by the going thither of the Spaniards: for you should haue a man with for∣tie or fiftie other friends in his company, or seruants, that vpon a sodaine would go and set vpon a small village of poore people and vnprouided, and take and binde them all, and carrie them away for slaues without any occasion or reason, and make thē to serue them all the dayes of their life, or else sell them to other Ilands. And if it so chanced that one did lende vnto another a basket or two of Rice (the which might bee woorth a ryall of plate) with condition to returne it againe within ten dayes: if the debter did not pay it the same day, the next day following he should pay it dooble, and afterward to double it euery day so long as he did kéepe it, which in conclusion the debt would grow to be so great, that to pay the same, he is forced to yéeld himselfe for captiue and slaue.

But vnto all such as were captiued in this order, or in such

like, the king of Spaine hath commanded to giue libertie, yet this iust commandement is not in euery point fulfilled and ac∣complished, because such as should execute the same haue inte∣rest therein. All these Ilandes were Gentiles and Idolaters, but now there is amongst them many thousands baptised, vnto whom the king hath shewed great mercie, in sending vnto thē the remedie for their soules in so good time: for if the Spaniards had stayed any more yeares, they had béene all Moores at this day, for th••t there were come vnto the Ilande of Barneo some of that sect that did teach them, and lacked little, for to worship that false prophet Mahomet, whose false, peruerse and corrupt memory, was with the Gospell of Christ easily rooted out.

In al these Ilands they did worshippe the sunne and moone, and other second causes, figures of men and women, which are called in their language Maganitos, at whose feastes (which they do make ve••y sumptuous, with great ceremonies and su∣perstition) they doo call Magaduras. But amongst them all, they haue in most veneration an Idoll, whome they called Ba∣tala, the which reuerence they had for a tradition, yet can they not say what should be the occasion that he should deserue more then any of the rest, to bee had in so great estimation. In cer∣taine Ilands not farre off, called the Illocos,* 1.65 they did worship the diuell, and made vnto him many sacrifices, in recompence, of a great quantitie of gold hee had giuen vnto them, but nowe by the goodnesse of God, and the great diligence put and done by the fathers of the order of saint Austen (who were the first that passed into those parts, and liued worthely) and also by the friers of saint Francis, which went thither tenne yeares after, all these Ilands or the most part of them are baptised, and vn∣der the ensigne of Iesu Christ: and the rest which doo remaine and are not, is more for lacke of ministers and preachers, then for any obstinacie of their parts. There is nowe gone thither certaine fathers of the order called Iesuits, who will be a helpe vnto them with their accustomed zeale and labour. And nowe goeth thither many other religious men, very well learned and apostolike, of the order of saint Dominicke, who will doo their indeuour to conu••rt them vnto Christ, as it behooueth Chri∣stians to do.

CHAP. XIII. Here is declared of some notable things that are, and haue beene seene in these Ilands Philippinas.

THey of these Ilandes were accustomed to celebrate their feastes aforesaid, and to make sacrifices vnto their Idols, by the order of certaine women which were witches,* 1.66 whome they do call in their language Holgoi, y^t were had in as great estimation amongst thē, as be the priests amongst Christians. These did talke ordinarily with the diuell, and many times in publike, and do diuellish witchcrafts both in words and déeds: into whom it is to be beléeued that the diuell did enter, for that straightwayes they did answere vnto all things that were de∣manded of them, although for the most part they woulde tell a lie, or els such wordes that might bee giuen diuers interpre∣tations of, and of diuers vnderstandings. They did also vse to cast lottes, in such sorte as hath bene declared in the first part of this history: they were great Agorismers or obseruers of times: in so much that if they begin any iourney, and at the beginning they méete with a Cayman or lyzarde, or any other sauage worme, they know it to be a signe of euill fortune, whereupon they would straightwayes leaue off their iourney, although it did import them very much, and returne vnto their houses, saying, that the heauen will not that they shoulde go forwards on that iourney: but all these lies and falsenes which béene taught them, & they perswaded to by the diuell, is ouerthrowne and taken away by the law of the Gospel (as aforesaide) & haue now amongst them many monasteries full of religious men, of the order of saint Austen, saint Francis, and of Iesuits. Accor∣ding vnto the common opinion, at this day there is conuerted and baptised more then foure hundred thousand soules, which is a great number: yet in respect of the quantitie that are not as yet conuerted, there are but a few. It is left vndone (as afore∣said) for want of ministers, for that, although his maiesty doth ordinarily send thither without any respect of the great charge in doing the same, yet by reason that there are so many Ilands, and euerie day they doo discouer more & more, and being so far off, they cannot come vnto them all, as necessitie requireth.

Such as are baptised, doo receiue the fayth with great firme∣nesse, and are good Christians, and would be better, if that they were holpen with good ensamples: as those which haue béene there so long time are bounde to doe: that the lacke thereof doth cause some of the inhabitantes so much to abhorre them, that they would not sée them once paynted vpon a wall. For proofe whereof (and for to moue such as haue power and au∣thoritie to put remedie in the same, I will declare vnto you here a strange case, the which Royally did passe of a trueth in one of these Ilandes, and is verie well knowne amongst them: that is, there chanced to die an Ilander, a principall man a∣mongst them, a few dayes after that he was baptised, being ve∣ry contrite for his sinnes the which hee had done against God before he was baptised, and after hee died. So after by the de∣uine permission of God he appeared vnto many of that Ilands whom he did perswade forthwith to receiue the baptisme, with reasons of great efficacie, and declared vnto them (as one that had experienced the same) the rewarde of that good déede which without all doubt shoulde bee giuen vnto them, if they would receiue the same, and liue after conformable, and according vn∣to the commandements of Christ▪ for the which he told them and said that forthwith so soone as he was dead, he was carried by the Angels into glorie, there whereas all things were of de∣lite, pleasure, and content, and did communicate onely in the sight of God, and that there was none that entred therein, nei∣ther coulde enter, except hee were baptised, according vnto the preaching of the Spaniards, of whome and of others that were like vnto them, there was an infinite number. Therefore if so be that they would go and inioy of those benefites and delights▪ it is necessarie that first they should be baptised, and afterwards to obserue and kéepe the commandements that be preached vn∣to them by the fathers, that are amongst the Castillas, and therewith he vanished away,* 1.67 and they remained treating a∣mongst themselues concerning that which they had hearde, and was the occasion that some of them forthwith receiued the bap∣tisme, and that others did delay it, saying, that because there were Spaniard souldiers in glory, they would not go thither, because they would not be in their company.

All this hurt is done by one peruerse or impious man, and

with one euill ensample, the which amongst many good, as you haue in those parts: but in especiall amongst them in par∣ticular, it ought to bée reprehended and punished seuéerely with rigour.

These Ilands at the first discouery of them, had the fame to bée Mal Sanos, or vnholesome, but since experience hath shewed and prooued it to the contrarie: It is a countrie mar∣uellous fertill, and yeeldeth very much Rice, wheate, goates, hennes, deere, buffes, kine, and great stoare of hogges, whose flesh is so sauorie as the mutton they haue in Spaine: there be also manie cattes that yeelde siuet, great stoare of fruites which be very good and sauorie:* 1.68 great aboundance of Honie, and fish, and all solde at so small a price, that almost it is solde for nothing.* 1.69 Also there is great stoare of Synamom, but no Oile of Oliues, but that which is carried thither out of the Nuoua Espania:* 1.70 they haue much Oyle of Algongoli and of Flaxe s••ede, the which they doo spende ordinarily in that coun∣trie, so that the Oyle of Oliues is not missed with them.

* 1.71There is great stoare of Cloues, Saffron, Pepper, Nut∣megges and many other drugges: great stoare of cotton and silke of all colours, the which is brought vnto them by mer∣chants of China, euerie yeare a great quantitie, from whence commeth more then twenty shippes laden with péeces of silkes of all colours, and with earthen vessell, powder, saltpeter, Iron, stéele, and much quicke-siluer, brasse, copper, wheate flower, walnuts, bisket, dates, linnen cloth, counting chestes very gallantly wrought, calles of networke, Buratos, Espu∣millas, basens and ewres made of tinne, parchment lace, silke fringe, and also of golde, the which is spunne and twisted after a fashion neuer s••ene in all Christendome, and manie other thinges of great curiositie, and all this aforesaide is solde verie good cheape. Likewise such things as the Ilands do yéelde, are sold very good cheape, for you shall haue foure roues of wine which commeth of the Palme trée for foure rials of plate (the which for lacke of that made of grapes is very good) twelue ha∣neges of Rice for eight rials of plate, three hennes for one rial, a whole hogge for eightéene rials, a whole buffe for foure rials, a deere for t••o rials, and yet it must be both great and good, fo••re roues of suger for sixe rials, a ••otiia of Oile made of Al∣gongoli

for thrée rials, two baskets of saffron for two rials: sixe pounds of pepper or cloues for one riall, two hundred nut∣megs for one rial, a roue of synamum sixe for rials, a kintal of iron or stéele for tenne rials, thirtie dishes of very fine earth foure rials, and all other things after this rate.

But amongst all other notable thinges that these Spaniards haue séene, in those Ilands, and in the kingdome of China, and other places whereas they passed: there is one thing which hath caused them most to maruel at, and to haue it most in me∣mory, which is a trée, ordinarily called Palma de Cocos, but doth differ from that which beareth the dates, and with great reason, for that it is a plant so full of mysterie and profite, that there hath come a ship vnto these Ilands, and the said ship, and all that was in her to be sold, with ropes, cords, masts, sailes, and nailes were made of this trée, and the merchandice that she brought was mantels made of the rind of the saide trée, with great subtiltie and fine works. Likewise all the victuals that was in the said ship for the sustentation of thirtie mē that came in her, yea their water was of the same trée.

The merchants that came in this ship did certifie of a truth, in all the Iland of Maldiuia from whence they came, they haue no other sustainment, but onely that which this tree yeeldeth: they do make houses hereof, and tyles for to couer the same, the fruit doth yéeld a Meollio or curnell, which is very sauory and healthfull, the sauor thereof is much like to gréene hasell nuts, and if you do cut the branch there whereas the Coco commeth forth is the principall fruite, and euery one of them hath ordi∣narily a pinte of water, the which is very swéet & delicate al the said substance doth returne into the trunke of the tree, whereas they doo bore a hole, and thereat they do draw out all that wa∣ter, which is much: and mingling it with other thinges they make thereof good wine, the which is drunk in al those Ilands and in the kingdome of China. Of the same water they make vineger, and of the Meollio kernell aforesaid, oile verie medi∣cinall, milke like vnto Almon milke: hony and suger very sa∣uorie. These and many other vertues hath this palme, whereof I haue declared part, for that they are notable, & do cause admi∣ration vnto all men that passe into those partes: I doo leaue to declare the rest because I would not be tedious. Nigh to y^e cittie

of Manilla, on the other side of the riuer there is a towne of Chinos that be baptized, such as haue remained there to dwell to inioy the libertie of the gospel. There are amongst them ma∣ny handicrafts men, as shoomakers, taylors, goldsmiths, black∣smiths, and other officers, and some merchants.

CHAP. XIIII. The barefoote Friers depart from the Iland of Luzon, vnto China, and is declared such as was there seene.

FOr that the principall intent of these religious men when they went out of Spaine, was for to go vnto the mightie kingdome of China for to preach the holy gospell, and did perseuer continually with that desire, they woulde neuer in∣treat of any other thing, but onely to put it in execution: and for the accomplishing of the same, they sought many meanes and waies, sometimes in requesting the gouernor of his aide and helpe to procure the same, for that it was an easie thing to be performed, hauing continually ships of the merchants of China in the port of Manilla.

The gouernor did driue them off with many reasons, but principally he laid before them that rigorous lawe, which they knew was established against such as did enter into that king∣dome without particular licence, yet notwithstanding all this was not sufficient to abate the louing desire of those Friers, which was onely setled in their mindes for to go and preach the holy gospel in that kingdome by one meanes or other, although it were to put their liues in hazard: and for the prosecuting hereof, the comissary of those Ilands, who was Frier Geroni∣mo de Burgos did elect sixe religious men for the same pur∣pose: amongst them was the father Ignatio, of whome I (as I haue said) vnderstood by writing and relation, many thinges, the which is declared in these Itinerario or comentarie: so that there was with him seuen religious men, all seruants of God, and very desirous of the saluation of soules, which was the oc∣casion that they put themselues in so long and tedious a iour∣ney, leauing their owne countrie and quietnesse. These seuen with the good will of the gouernor Don Gonsalo Ronquillo, and of the bishop, whom they did ouercome and winne with re∣quests

and perseuerance, and carried in their company a Spa∣niard their friende, called Iohn De Feria, of Andolozia, and other two souldiers that went with pretence to become friers, one Portugall and sixe Indian Ilanders: all the which the eight day after Corpus Christi, which was the one and twen∣tie day of Iune, in anno 1582. they departed from the port of Cabite, whereas they did imbarke themselues in a barke of the saide Iohn De Feria, and making saile at fiue of the clocke in the afternoone, in the morning betimes they founde them∣selues twentie leagues ouerthwart the port that is called Del Fraile, whereas they determined to go to sea, leauing the coast of the Ilande of Manilla, which lieth North and South with China: from the which Cittie which is (as I haue saide) in fourtéene degrées and a halfe, vnto the Cape of Boxeador which is in ninetéene, it is one hundreth leagues sailing, and from this Cape to the firme land of China, they count it scarce fourescore leagues. And God was so pleased, although they had two dayes calme, the seuenth day, which was the day before the apostle saint Peter and saint Paule, at eight of the clocke in the morning, they discouered the firme lande of China: then straightwaies vpon the sight thereof, the comissarie commaun∣ded to bring foorth the habites which hee carried readie made for to put vpon the Friers, for that when the Chinos shoulde see that they were all Friers, they should be voide of all suspi∣tion, to thinke them to be spies, as they thought when the first Friers went thither (as hath beene tolde you,) and not con∣tented herewith, hee threw all the souldiers apparell into the sea, and one hargabus of Iohn De Feria, with the Flaske wherein he carried his powder, and all other thinges such as he thought woulde be a hurt and hindrance vnto them, if it should so fall out that they shoulde erre out of the port whereas the Portugals doo vse, and fall vppon the coast, as afterwards it fell so out, they left nothing but a match which they forgot, which lacked very little to haue cost them full deere. But when they had sight of the lande, they did not well knowe it, for that they had neuer séene it before, & were also ignorant of the ports, although they were very neere to y^e bay of Canton, they tooke their course vnto the Northwest, wheras they should haue gone to the Southwest, which was y^e occasion y^t they came vnto the

prouince of Chincheo. This day at fiue a clocke in the after∣noone they discouered a port that was not farre from them, whi∣ther they sailed and entred in, and came to an anker on the outmost side, yet with great feare and dread, for that they knew not the secu••itie thereof, neither the trouble that might hap∣pen.

They were not so soone at an anker, but they saw come forth of the said port many barkes, both small and great, and in them many souldiers with hargabusses, lances, swordes and targets, and in their soreshippe some small péeces of ordinance. And when they came nigh vnto the barke wherein the Spaniards were, within musket shot, they stayed and discharged great stoare of hargabus shot. But they who carried no armor to of∣fende others, neither to defende themselues, the answere that they gaue vnto the shot, was making of many signes of peace, calling them with their handes to come nearer vnto them, that they might sée and vnderstand that they came not thither with any pretence to do harme: Yet all was not sufficient to cause them to leaue off their shooting, neither to come any nearer vn∣to their barke. At this present there was amongst the souldiers one Chino that had béene at Luzon, and did knowe the Spani••rds, being of God inspired: hee made signes vnto the rest, to leaue off their shooting, which presently they did: and hee came with his Brigantine vnto their barke, and af∣ter him all the rest: who when they sawe that they had ney∣ther armour nor weapon, neither will to flie from them, they entered into the barke, and with their naked swordes in their hands flourishing with them ouer the heads of the Spaniards, with a great noise and tumult, they carried them into the port, which was called Capsonson, whereas was a generall of a great armie of shippes that were at an anker in the saide port, who straightwaies commanded that there should be carried on borde his admirall foure of the Spaniards, the which they vnderstoode was doone to take their liues from them: for the which, by reason they did not name any person, foure religious men did offer themselues to goe, and after they had confessed themselues, they tooke their leaue of their companions, and car∣ried euery one of them a crosse in his hande, and his breuiarie, without any other thing else.

So when they came before the captaine, they founde him more meeker and milder then they thought to haue done (sure∣ly a worke done by God in recompence of the great perill that those his seruants did put themselues in to doo his seruice and commandement). He asked of them, from whence they came, and wherefore, with many other questions in effect: but when that hee was certified of the truth, hee commanded them to re∣turne againe vnto their barke, without doing vnto them anie other harme, yet with a straite precept that they should not go forth without his expresse licence.

So with this commandement they remained in their barke thrée dayes, guarded with many barkes and souldiers: and the last of them, the Captaine sent for two of the religious men, and when they came before him, he commanded them to be car∣ried before a Iustice, a friend of his there hard by. These Iusti∣ces did talke with them with so great grauitie, and signes of cruelty, that euery time they came before them, they thought verely that forthwith they would command them to be carried to be executed: and without all doubt, either they had wil to do it, or else to put them in great feare of death, for that it was plainely seene in diuers things they commanded: but especially in one day there came vnto them a Iudge, with many armed men, and compassed their barke round about with a great num∣ber of Brigandines, with plaine signes to giue thē assalt, or else to sinke them: but within a little while they were all in quiet, and the Iudge entred into a shippe that was thereby at anker, and being set in a rich chaire, guarded with many souldiers about him, hée commanded the rest that were in the Brigan∣dines forthwith to go to visite and search their barke, and sent with them an interpreter, one of Chincheo, who did a little vnderstande the Portugall tongue. These souldiers carried in their handes blacke banners, and other heauie and sorow∣full signes (which is vsed in that kingdome, when at any time they doo execute anie person.) So after they had made their v••sitation, although they founde in their barke not anie pro∣hibited thing, but one••y the match which I haue spoken off▪ they commaunded that they shoulde for••h••ith hée imbarked two and two into the Brigandines whereas the armed soul∣diers were, who did direct their foreshippes towardes a

towre, which was a prison, wherein was put all such sheeues as, were taken vpon the coast, out of the which there commeth none ••••rth but vnto execution. But when the Indians of the Ilands saw it, they wept bitterly, which mooued the Spaniards vnto great compassion, although they were themselues in the same trance and perill, and as nigh their death, & made no other reckoning insomuch that two of the religious men séeing them so nigh ••he towre (although when as they were farre off, they made shewe as though they cared not for it) yet at that time they were so farre from all reason and vnderstanding, that al y^e night one of them knewe not what he did, without any know∣ledge of the people wherin he was, but lay as a deade man: and the other with pure imagination & melancholike humor fel into a great infirmitie, whereof within a few dayes after he died in the cittie of Canton: but in conclusion the stowtest of them all had feare enough, & would haue giuen his life for a small mat∣ter, for that he was without all hope••, and thought verely that they carried them vnto execution: which was the occasion that a Spaniard, one of them that went with pretence to be a frier, & the habite on, hauing in his power •• thousand & sixe hundred rials of plate, he threw them into the sea, saying, seeing that I am going to dye, I wil that it be in the habite of saint Francis, with the pouerty in which the glorious saint liued and died, for to follow him in his steps aright. With this feare aforesaid they were carried towards the tower: but when they came nigh to it, there followed after the souldiers that carried them a skiffe, with many oares, in great hast, & called a loud vnto thē saying, y^t the captaine general commanded y^t they should bring back a∣gaine those prisoners to his shippe, the which forthwith they ac∣complished: & after he had demanded of them certain questions, he commanded to carry them to the said tower, the which was done, as they could perceiue, for to put them in more feare. So after they had feared & scared them with this rigorous tētation. The saide captaine himselfe went into one of y^e Brigandines, & went with them on land, whereas presently when he came on shoare, hee carryed the Spaniards into a temple of their Idols, vnto whome hee did his accustomed reuerence, yet the religi∣ous men, although they were with great feare of death as afore saide, they woulde not imitate him, but turned their faces

from their Idols, and did spit at them, giuing the captain to vn∣derstand by signes, that he should not worshippe them, for that they had no more goodnesse in them, then was giuen by man, so that by good reason, to the contrary, those Idols should giue re∣uerence vnto men because they made them, and to whome they ought to giue their true worship, is vnto the true God, the crea∣tor of heauen and earth.

By this act it is plainely to bee séene the gift of strength, the which the holy Ghost doth giue vnto his baptized Christians as in these religious men, that were at deathes doore, yet had they strength and spirit for to resist and reprehende them that could take away their liues. The captaine although he made a shew that he was offended with that which hee had séene them do, yet hee did them no harme, but presently brought them out of the temple, and commanded the souldiers to remaine there and guard them all that night: the which they passed lying vp∣on the grounde, and yet thought themselues happie, and gaue thankes to God for that hee had deliuered them from the death that was so nigh vnto them.

CHAP. XV. Here hee doth prosecute in things which the saide fathers did see, and vnderstand, the second time they entred into the kingdome of China, and of the troubles they passed.

THe next day in the morning the Priest of the Idols did open the temple, whereas presently they put in the Spa∣nish religious men, who sawe him and his ministers lighting of little candels, and making perfumes vnto their Idols, with manie superstitious ceremonies, the which being done, they cast certaine lottes (a thing much vsed amongst them) as they vnderstoode it was done for to consult with the diuel (who was within those Idols) to know what they should do with them, yet this they could not perfectly vnderstand, but straightwaies they were carried out of the temple, and brought by the souldi∣ers before a iudge, who was the chiefe and principall of all the sea of that prouince, and was sixe leagues from the place in a Cittie called Quixue: the way thither was very plaine and

brode, and paued, and vpon both sides there were fields both of corne and flowers. So with the helpe of God, the Spaniards came before the presence of this general in eight days, although it was with great trauell, by reason they had neither force nor strength for to trauell, for that they had lost it with the heauie and sorowfull newes as aforesaid.

Yet notwithstanding at their comming to the citty Quixue, the souldiers had them in continuall guard and kéeping, till the next day following, then they were carried before the generall, where he was in a very great & faire house, the which had two cou••ts, one of them was next vnto the doore of the stréete, and the other was towards the farther partes of the house, both of them were railed round about in manner of grates: they were planted full of diuers sortes of great trées, wherein did féed a great number of déere and other wilde beasts, but yet as tame as sheepe. Right ouer against the inwarde court there was a gallerie, whereon was many soulidiers which did guarde and kee••e the person of the generall, who was in a mightie great and gallant hall, set in an Iuorie chaire with great maiestie. Before they entred into the seconde court, there was dischar∣ged within, both artilerie and habagus shot, and played vpon a drum, which was as bigge as those which they vse in Spaine: that being doone, there was a great sounde of hoybuckes and trumpets, and of many other instruments: the which being doone, they straightwayes opened the gates of the innermost court, whereas the gallerie was aforesaide, from whence they might sée the throne whereas the generall was set. There was before him a table whereon was paper and other necessaries for to write (a thing commonly vsed in all that countrie:) the souldiers that were his guarde were, all in one liuerie of silke, & were in so gallant consort, & had so great sylence, which made the Spaniards greatly to maruell: The first order was of the hargabushes, and the seconde were pikes, and betwixt the one and the other, was placed a sworde and a target, there might be about foure hundred souldiers. Behinde them were placed the officers of iustice or executioners, with their instru∣ments for to whippe and punish offenders: and in the midst of them were the scriueners and proctors.

About thirtie paces more or lesse from the chaire where the

generall was set, was placed certaine Gentlemen, and to the number, of a dosen pages bare headed, verie gallantlie apparelled in silke and golde. In the middest amongst these souldiers were the Spaniards carried, and before them such tokens and shewes, as they doo vse when as they doo present be∣fore the Iudges such as bee condemned vnto death. A good way before they came nigh vnto the place whereas the general was, they caused them to knéele downe: at which instant there was brought foorth certaine Chinos that were prisoners to be iudged, and so soone as their inditement was read, and iudgement giuen, the executioners did execute the rigour of the sentence in the presence of the Spaniards, first pulling off their apparell, and then making fast their hands and féete verie fast with cordes, in such sort, that they shriked that the noise reached vnto heauens: they kept them so bounde vntill they sawe farther what the Iudge woulde commaunde. who when hee had heard his inditement, if hee woulde that hee should bée whipped, hée striketh a blow with his hand vppon the table that is before him: then the executioners doo strike fiue blowes vppon the calues of the legges of the offender with a broad cane, in the order as hath béene saide, and is so cruell that none can suffer fiftie of them but he dieth. The blowe being giuen vppon the table by the generall, straightwayes one of the proctors maketh a crie or noise, where at presently commeth the executioner for to execute his office. And if the offender dooth deserue more, then the Iudge dooth strike another blowe vppon the table: then is there giuen him other fiue blowes, and in this sort dooth the Iudge so manie times as his offence dooth deserue. At the lamentations and shrikes that these miserable offenders doo giue, the Iudges shewe no more signe of pittie then if they were stroken vppon a stone. So the audience being concluded and doone with the naturals of the countrie, the generall commaunded that the Spanyardes shoulde come a little nearer, and looked and searched their garments and all the rest, as also their Breuia∣rios & books: that being done, they were informed by those that brought them, how and in what order they were apprehended, and of all other thinges touching their comming into that kingdome: vnderstanding thereof, hee commaunded them to

be carried vnto prison, where they were put in sure holde, and with great watch and guard for certaine dayes, in the which time they passed incredible trouble, as well of hunger as of thirst and heat, which was the occasion that the most part of them fell sicke of agues, and of the laske.

So after these dayes that they were in prison, they were car∣ried once againe to the audience, and many other more were brought forth to be visited, all people beléeuing that the Spani∣ards should no more returne, but bee executed, for the which they receiued great cōtent, to be cleared by one death, of so ma∣ny as dayly they had before their eyes. In the conclusion of this audience the generall did decrée, that they should be carried by sea vnto the Cittie of Canton, whereas was the vizroy of that prouince, and he to commande them to be executed or punished according as hee thought best, according vnto the penalty put vppon whatsoeuer straunger that should enter into that king∣dome without licence (as they did enter). But when they saw that they were carried out of the prison vnto the sea, they ve∣relie beléeued that it was to drowne them therin, for the which (hauing a newe confessed themselues, and commended them∣selues vnto God) they did animate one another, with the re∣presentation of the reward which was prepared for them: but when they came vnto the barre whereas they should imbarke themselues, vppon a suddaine the sea beganne to waxe verie loftie and troublesome, that it séemed almost a myracle, and it increased in such sort, that the souldiers and mariners said, that neuer before they had séene the like torment, the which endured the space of tenne dayes: the which was the occasion that they did not imbarke themselues, and that the generall did change his pretence, and determined that they shoulde be carried by lande vnto the great Cittie of Saucheo Fu, the which was presently put in vre: they were manie dayes on this iourney, with fiftie souldiers that did guarde them: in the which they sawe so manie curious thinges, and of so great riches, that they iudged it to bée the best countrie in all the world.

So when they came vnto the citty, with so small trouble and werinesse, by reason of their long iourney and euill intrea∣tings by the souldiers, they were presently carried (as might

be sayde) from Herode to Pylate, and escaped not one day, but they were carried to the publike audience, or else before some particular Iudge. This citie was very fresh both within and without, and full of many orchards, whereas were an infinite number of fruite, with gardens, stanges of water, and other thinges of great recreation. This citie is thrée times so bigge as Siuell, and compassed about with a mightie strong wall, their houses are very great and well wrought, their stréetes are excéeding faire, brode and long and so straight that from the one end vnto the other they may sée a man. In equall distance the one from the other, there are built many triumphall arkes: (which is an ordinarie and common thing vsed in the cities of that kingdome) vpon their gates there are little towers, wher∣on is planted all the artilerie that they haue for the defence of the citie (as hath béen said) all the which is inuironed and com∣passed about with a riuer which is great and faire, on the which is ordinarily sayling an infinite number of barkes and brigan∣dines, and is of so great depth, they may come & lye harde vnto the wall, yea ships of great burden. On the one side of the citie there is a little Iland of great recreation, vnto the which they do passe by a very faire bridge, the one halfe made of stone and the other of timber, and is of so great a length, that on the part that is made of stone, the father fryer Ignacio did tell thirtie Innes or victualing houses wheras was to be bought, not only flesh and fish, but also great store of marchandice, of great esti∣mation and valure, as amber, musk e, péeces of silke and cloth of golde.

CHAP. XVI. The Spaniardes are sent vnto the citie of Hucheofu, & doo declare what happened there vnto them.

FRom the citie of Saucheofu they were sent vnto Hucheo∣fu the which is more principall and great than the first, al∣wayes hauing with them in companie and garde the number of souldiers aforesaid: sometimes they trauailed by lande and sometimes by water, whereas they saw so many rich thinges, which in respect to them, all that they had séene vnto that time was nothing. Of the which, although I haue had particular

relation of many of them, I leaue off heere the declaring there∣of, for that of an Itinerario or commentarie I will not make a historie. But principally for that many of them doo séeme to be incredible, and will be more vnto those that haue not had any notice of the mightinesse of this kingdome.

In the discourse of this their iourney, the cities and townes they sawe, were many and verie bigge, and all compassed with strong walles: and at one of them there was a migh∣tie riuer, on the which was edified more than fiue hundreth engynes or whéeles, and they were made with so much art, that alonely with the violence of the streame of the riuer, that dooth force them, they water all the groundes there abouts for the space of two leagues and more, without any other helpe or humaine force.

In this citie they were certaine daies in visiting, and comple∣mentes, after the which they were commaunded to goe vnto Canton, of the which in the two relations before, is made par∣ticular mention. So when they came vnto the Citie they were carried vnto the prison of the Thequixi, which is where∣as are put such as are condemned to die, the which they plaine∣ly perceiued. There they remayned verie manie dayes, and the most part of them were carried vnto the tribunall seate of the Iudges, in companie with others that were condem∣ned to die.

At this time there was in the citie, the Tutan, who was the viceroye of the prouince: and the Chacu, who is the generall visitor, and that was at such time as was doone great Iustice for to cleare the prisons, whereas were thousandes of men, and some that had béene there more than tenne yeares. There was some day at that time that in the presence of our people, were brought foorth to be iudged two thousand prisoners, some to the death, and others to be whipped, and other to be banished with other kinde of penalties, according vnto the disposition & rigor of their lawes. That day wherein they make capitall audience, they vse particular ceremonies, as shooting of certaine péeces of artilerie, and to shut the gates of the citie, not permitting anie to enter in, neither go foorth, till such time as that act and Iu∣stice be finished, and many other things as hath béene declared in the first part of this historie.

The Spaniards being in the citie at this time of so great ca∣lamitie, it so fell out that the same time there was a gentleman of Portingall called Arias Gonsalo de Miranda, chiefe cap∣taine of the citie of Machao (very deuout vnto religious men, and a friende vnto Spaniardes) who vnderstanding the great trouble and danger wherein they were, hee tooke order by all meanes possible to set them at libertie, and had so great care therein, that hee went through with his intent, in such sort that they were deliuered out of pryson, and from the great feare in which they were, and all by the intercession of this gen∣tleman, who did vse so good persuasions for the loue he did bears vnto them, that he made voyde the euill opinion they had a∣gainst them, and with compulsion to reuoke the rigorous sen∣tence of death pronounced against them. I do not here in par∣ticular treate of such thinges as happened vnto these religious men the seruants of God, as well in the prison, as on their iour∣ney, for that they were many, and to declare them, is requisite a long time, and to make a new historie.

And although in the bookes before, haue béen declared the ri∣ches of that kingdome, and all thinges in particular, yet for the better certification, I thought it good (and not without pur∣pose) to declare in the chapter following, some of th••se which the father fryer Martin Ignatio did communicate with me, v∣sing in the treating thereof so much breuitie that it shall séeme rather an Epilogo, then a new relation. And for a more veri∣fication of the truth, whereby better credite may be giuen ther∣vnto, séeing that the persons who did sée it doo agrée in that which shall be here declared, and againe, for that the saide fa∣ther and his companions did sée more thinges than the others, whose relations be alreadie set downe. The occasion where∣fore they put confidence in them, and to let them sée and vn∣derstand many secretes, was for that they were sentenced and condemned to die: for without all doubt if they had vnderstood that they should haue returned out of the kingdom, they should neuer haue séene them, for they haue great care that any other nations should know their secrets, their manner of gouern••∣ment and liuing.

CHAP. XVII. Here it doth intreat of the mightinesse, goodnesse, riches, and fortitude of the kingdome of China.

THis kingdome is vnder the tropike of Capricorne, and stretched foorth on the sea coast, south west and north∣east, more than fiue hundreth leagues: it hath on the partes south west the kingdome of Cochinchina, and on the north east, it dooth confine on Tartaria, a kingdome which dooth compasse the most part of the lande, on the other part to the northwest, there is an other mightie kingdome of white people, which is beyonde the kingdome of Persia, it is called Catay: there be in it Christians, and the king thereof is called Manuell. It is sayd of a truth that from the furthest part of this kingdome vnto Ierusalem is sixe moneths trauaile by lande,* 1.72 the which they vnderstoode by certaine Indians which came from that kingdome by Persia, whose testimonials were made in Ierusalem sixe moneths before, wherein was declared how that they had trauelled by Arabia felix, and passed the red sea. The other fourth part of this kingdome is compassed with a verie asper and high mountaine, which is fiue hundreth leagues vpon a right line: but nature had left certaine places open towards the northwest, which might be fourscore leagues little more or lesse, towards the sea of Iapon which is towards the Septentrion. The great riches of this countrie, and the great number of people that be therein, did supplie the same (as in the first part of this historie is more at large declared). And for that the king of this countrie séeing himselfe oppressed and troubled by the mightie Tartaro & seemed that easily he might defende himselfe from him, in shutting vp of those gates which nature had left open betwixt the mountaines, he did shut it vp with the death of many thousande of people, for that hee vsed therein great tyrannie, which afterwardes was the occasion of his owne death.

This mountaine, with the supply by man is the famous wall of the kingdom of China, that is of fiue hundred leagues long, yet you must vnderstande it in the manner aforesaide, the better to giue credite thereunto, for alonely f••ure score leagues were

made by mans handes with great industrie, and there is vpon it an infinite number of bulwarkes, which maketh it the more fayrer and stronger: But yet not so strong as is the other four hundreth and twentie leagues which were made by nature.

Nigh vnto the same there is a great desert full of ditches and lakes of water,* 1.73 which is the occasion that this kingdome hath béene conserued for more than two thousand yeares, as doth ap∣peare by their owne histories, which they holde to bee verie true.

All is imparted into fiftéene prouinces with that of Aynao, and euerie one of them hath a principall Citie of the which it beareth the name. In the middest of this kingdome there is a great lake,* 1.74 out of the which proceedeth many great and mightie riuers, which runne through all the kingdome, and are so big that there sayleth vp and downe in them barkes, sregats, bri∣gandines, and many other vessels of an other kinde of making. This great abundance of water is the occasion that it is so ser∣tile, and so well prouided of all thinges, and againe the most part of their cities and townes are situated on the riuers side, so that by them the one prouince doth communicate with an o∣ther, carrying the one vnto the other, great store of marchan∣dice and other thinges of great curiositie, and is done with little cost, for that all things are done very good cheape.

This sea cost of this kingdome is the biggest and the best that is knowen in all the world, there is vpō it fiue prouinces which be these, of Canton, Chincheo, Liampon, Nanquin and that of Paquian, which is the furthest towardes the northwest, in the which is resident the king and his counsel with all his court ordinarily, and the most part of the men of warre that it hath, for that this prouince doth confine vpon the Tartaros their eni∣mies. Some will say, that the kings ordinarie dwelling there, is for that it is the best and most fertilest of all the kingdome. But I beleeue (according to the saying of some of the Chinos) that he doth it not but because it is so nigh vnto Tartaria, and to finde himselfe there, whereas hee may supply all necessities which might happen vpon a soddaine by his enimies. In these riuers there are certaine Ilandes, the which are very profita∣ble vnto all the kingdome, for that there is nourished & brought vp in them great store of deare, hogges and other beasts, which

is the occasion that the cities are so well prouided and serued.

But one of the things which causeth most admiration to thē that go to this kingdome, is to see so infinite a number of ships, and barkes that be in euerie port thereof, and are so many, that there hath béene a man in the citie of Machao that hath layde a wager,* 1.75 that alonely in the riuer of Canton, there be more ships and vessels than in all the cost of Spaine.

One thing I may affirme, that I haue heard declared by persons of great credite, that haue béene in that kingdome (but in especiall of the father Ignacio whom I do follow in this Iti∣nerario) that it is an easie thing in any one of these fiue pro∣uinces that be vpon the sea cost, to ioyne together a thousande ships of warre and all of them (as they say in Spaine) dedicated for that purpose. The occasion why there be so many, is alrea∣die declared in his proper chapter. There are diuers opinions touching the greatnesse of this kingdome: but the most are con∣formable with the father fryer, Martin de Herrada, who like a good Geomatrician and Mathematician went nighest the pricke. This opinion is declared in the first part of this historie, whereunto I referre me, and in that which toucheth in particu∣lar, things of that kingdom, for that it is there declared at large as it was taken out of their bookes. But one thing I cannot let passe but declare, for that it séemeth woorthie to make thereof a particular memorie: and I vnderstood it, by the mouth of the said father Ignacio, which is that he doth affirme it to bee cer∣taine true & approued,* 1.76 that euery day in the yeare one with an other (besides wars and the plague, the which in this countrio they remember not to haue any, neither do they find written in their histories for 2000. yeares, neither by famin nor any o∣ther accidentall occasions to consume the people) yet doth there die many thousands of people both smal & great, in al the fiftéen prouinces of this kingdome: which is no small griefe vnto thē, who with a christian zeale doth consider this heauie tribute of so many soules that the diuell doth recouer eueri•• day, and car∣rie them vnto his mansion or dwelling.

All this kingdome is so fertile, as well for the ordinarie wa∣tring as also for the temperature of the heauen, that almost all the whole yeare they do gather fruits, but in especiall of wheat and rice: so that both the one and the other are very good cheape,

that our people in the discourse of their trauaile or pilgrymage did buy one pyco of rice or of wheate meale, which is fiue rou••s of Spaine for one ryall and a halfe, & according vnto this rate, al other thinges beare their prices, as hath béene before declared. They say that in this countrie there be many elephants, lyons, tygres, ownses, & other brute breastes, of the which these friers sawe verie few aliue, but many skins of them, which is a signe that it is of truth. There are many beasts whereof come the muske, the which are, of the tygres & like vnto a litle dogge, the which they do kill & put them vnder the ground certaine dayes, and after that it is putrified & rotten, the flesh and bloud is con∣uerted into that swéete powder. There be also many cyuet cats & little worth, a great number of horse. & although those which the said friers did sée were litle, yet is it a common voice & fame that in some of the fiftéene prouinces there are very good: but they were not there, so that they can not say they had seene thē. But the hens, géese, duckes, and other poultrie that are in all partes of this kingdome are without number, which is the oc∣casion that they are of small estimation: the abundance of fish ia no lesse, as well of the sea as of the riuers, in the which they are conformable. All they that do declare of the thinges of this countrie, and the small price that it is solde for, is such, that the saide Frier doth affirme, and others that haue bin in that king∣dome, that for the value of sixe marauadies (which is a pennie) may four companions eat very wel of flesh, fish, rice, and fruits, and drinke good wine of that countrie.

In all this kingdome there are many mynes both of gold and siluer, and all verie rich:* 1.77 but the king will not let them be labo∣red but with great lymitation (saying) that which is in those mynes be in his house, and that they should procure to bring it from other kingdomes: yet notwithstanding the abundance is so great both of the one and the other, and so cōmon, that there is no man, although he be of an occupation, but hee hath in his house things both of gold and siluer, and other very rich iewels. They do estéeme for his value more the siluer than the golde:* 1.78 and they say the cause is, for that the prices of golde are varia∣ble, as in Italie: but the siluer is alwaies at one s••aye and price.

There are great store of pearles, but in especiall in the Iland

of Aynao, and great abundance of quickesiluer, copper, yron, steele, laton, tyn, lead, salt peter, brimstone, and other things which were woont to beautifie a kingdome, but aboue all, there is very much muske and amber gryce.* 1.79

The king of this kingdome, besides the great rent the which he hath, it is saide that he hath great treasories in all the princi∣pall cities, those which are the head cities of the prouinces, for the confirmance thereof, it was affirmed vnto the saide fryer for a verie certaintie, that in the citie of Canton, all the money that hath entred into the same for y^e space of fiue hundred yeres (as well by way of the Portingals, as by those of the kingdom of Cyan,* 1.80 and others their borderers, and all the tributes of that prouince) is altogether in the kings treasure house of that citie, which amounteth vnto by good account, many more millions than may be well numbred for to giue credite thereunto. It is as common for the people of this countrie to weare silke, as in Europe to weare lynnen, yea they do make their shooes there∣of, some of satten, and many times of cloth of golde, of verie gallant colours: the cause is by reason of the great abundance that they haue therof, and is of so great quantitie that it is car∣ried from the Citie of Canton vnto the Protingall Indians more than thrée thousand kintals euery yeare, besides a great quantitie which is carried vnto Iapon, and ordinarily more than ••iftéene ships laden for the Ilandes of Luzon.* 1.81 The Sianes and other nations doo also carrie away a great quantitie: and although there are carried away ordinarily as afore saide, yet there remaineth so great quantity in that kingdome, that many fleetes may be laden therewith.

There is also great store of ••laxe, cotton, and other kinde of webstrie, and also good cheape, that the aforesaide Fryer dooth affirme, that he hath seene solde a canga, which is fiftéene fa∣dam for foure ryals of plate. The fine earthen dishes that are in this countrie, cannot be declared without many wordes. But that which is brought from thence into Spaine is verie course, although vnto them that hath not séene the finer sort, it seemeth excellent good: but they haue such with them, that a cubba••d thereof amongest vs would be esteemed as though it were of golde. The finest cannot be brought foorth of the king∣dome vpon paine of death, neyther can any haue the vse therof,

but onely the Loytias,* 1.82 which be there gentlemen (as hath béen tolde you). There is great quantitie of sugar, honie, and waxe, and verie good cheape as aforesaide. And in conclusion I say, that they liue with so great abundance, that all things do flow so that they lacke nothing necessarie for their bodies: but for their soules which is the principallest, they do lack (as you haue vnderstoode in the discourse of this historie) God remedie the same at his pleasure.

The rent which the king of this kingdome hath, is declared vnto you in a proper chapter of it selfe, so that in this I will de∣clare that which the sayde fryer tolde me,* 1.83 and is onely of one ri∣uer, which is called the riuer of the salt, and is in the prouince of Canton, and is worth vnto him euerie yeare a million and a halfe. And although the ordinarie rent the which he hath euery yeare, dooth exceede the greatest king that is nowe knowen in all the world in quantitie: yet in his treasories which be ga∣thered together and kept (if it be true that the Chinos do say) in euery principall citie of these fiftéene prouinces, is more than a great number of kings togither haue or can procure, no nor come nigh vnto it by a great deale.

All the cities and townes of this kingdome are walled about with stone walles, and at euerie fiftéene paces a bulwarke,* 1.84 and without the wall commonly all of them haue a riuer or else a great déepe moote, wherein they may bring water at all times, with the which they are very strong: they doo vse no fortes, neyther haue they any, but onely ouer the gates of the Cities, towers (as hath béene declared) and in them is put all the ar∣tilerie the which is for the defence of that citie or towne.

They vse many sortes of weapons,* 1.85 but in especiall hargabu∣shes, bowes, lances of thrée or foure manners, swords like vn∣to faunchers, & with them targets. All the souldiers when they go to fight, they weare long garments down to their knées, ve∣ry wel stuffed with cotton wooll,* 1.86 the which doth resist the thrust of a lance, or a stabbe: all such souldiers as haue the kings ryall pay weare in token thereof red and yellowe hats, of the which there is so great a number, as well horsemen as foot men, that almost it is impossible to number them. And it is a cōmon opi∣nion of all them that haue bin in this kingdome, and haue séene them, that all Spaine, France, and the great Turke hath not

so many as this kingdome hath. They haue amongst them cap∣taines of ten souldiers,* 1.87 some of a hundreth souldiers, some of a thousand, of ten thousand, of twentie thousand, & in this sort to a hundred thousand. The number of souldiers y^t these captains do leade, are knowen by certain ensignes that they beare. They muster and make show of their people euery new moone, & the same day they do pay thē royally, & their pay must be in siluer & in no other money. It is saide by such as haue seene this pay, but especially the aforesaid father, fryer Ignacio, that they giue them a péece of siluer, which may weigh so much as a ryall and halfe of Spaine, and is as much worth there as foure crownes amongest vs, in respect of the value of all things. But both in the one and in the other kingdom, that day that they do receiue their pay, euery one must make a show of some act in armes, the which is done in the presence of viewers or mustermasters: and such as are found that doe not his exercise with dexteritie, they are reprehended and cruelly punished: they doo skirmish with great consort, and in that which toucheth obedience to their cap∣taines, & vnto the ensignes the which they do vse in their wars, they may compare with all nations of the world.

CHAP. XVIII. This chapter doth treat of certaine rites & ceremonies, and other signes & tokens which be found, and do show that they haue had notice of the holy law of the gospell.

SUch ceremonies as vnto this day haue bin séene amongst the people of this kingdom, are gentilicas, without any mixture with the Moores nor with any other sect: yet there is found amongst thē, that is a sufficient i••dition, that they haue had in some time past, some particular notice of the euangelicall law, as is plainly séene by certaine pictures which haue béene found and séene amongest them, whereof we haue made particular mention, the which they beléeue was knowen by the preaching of the Apostle S. Thomas, who passed through this kingdome when as he went vnto the Indians, & from thence to the city of Salamina,* 1.88 which in their language is called Malipur, whereas he was martyred for the name & faith of Iesus Christ: of whō at this day they do remember in that kingdome, by the traditiō

of their antecessors, who said, that many yeares past there was in that kingdome a man that did preach vnto them a new law. whereby they might goe vnto heauen: who after that hee had preached certaine daies, & saw little fruit thereof (for that they were all occupied in ciuill wars) he departed from thence vnto the Indians. But first he left certaine disciples behind him that were baptised and well instructed in matters of faith that they might preach vnto them whē as occasion did serue for the same. In many places they do worship the diuell, only for y^t he should do them no harme, and so the said fryer did tell me, for that he•• was diuers times in presence whē as they did obsequies of cer∣taine Chinos that lay a dying: and he saw that they had pain∣ted before y^e dead man, a furious diuell, hauing in his left hand the sunne, and in his right hande a dagger, with the which he made a show as though he would strike him. This picture was put before him at the point that hee should yeelde vp the ghost, strengthening him, that he should put great trust thereon.

And as the fryer did demand of them what reason they had to do the same: some of them answered, and saide, because the diuell should do no harme vnto the dead man in the other world they put his picture before him, that he might knowe him, and take him for his friend.

That which is vnderstood of these Chinos is, that although they haue amongst them many errors of the Gentiles, yet with great ease they would be reduced vnto our faith, if they might haue libertie for to preach, and they to receiue it.

When as the sunne and the moone is in eclypse, they be∣léeue verily, that the prince of the heauen will destroye them, and for verye feare they put them selues in that colour: the people generally doo worshippe vnto them, and beléeue ve∣rily that the sunne is a man and the moone a woman. And therefore, when as they beginne to bee eclypsed, they make great sacrifices and inuocations vnto the prince afore said, d••si∣ring him not to kill nor destroy them, for the great necessitie they haue of them. All generally beléeue the immortalitie of the soule, and that in the other world they shall be rewarded or punished, according as they liued in this worlde in cōpany of y^e bodie. And therfore they do vse to make in the fields sepulchres wherin they command thēselues to be buried after they be dead.

When they should be buried, they command to kill all their seruants, or their wiues, those that best he loued in his life, say∣ing y^t they do it, that they should go with them to serue them in the other world, wheras they beléeue they shall liue eternally & die no more. They put with them into their sepulchres things to be eaten, & great riches, beléeuing that they do carry the same into the other world, & there to serue their necessities. In this error were the Indians of the Peru of old antiquity, as y^e Spa∣niards haue séene by experience. There is in this kingdom ma∣ny vniuersities, & colleges, wherein is taught philosophie, both naturall & morall, and the lawes of the countrie, for to learne to gouerne by thē, vnto the which the king doth send ordinarily visitors to sée & vnderstand, the order that is amongst them, & to reward or punish the students according vnto the desert of ey∣ther of them. They are greatly ashamed when they sée any euil thing committed, although they bee not punished for the same, and a•••• people that do permit with ease correction, as the father Ignacio and his companions did sée by experience, who going alwayes as condemned men to die, yet at all times when they did sée them do reuerence vnto their Idols or vnto the diuell or any other euill thing, they did reprehend thē with great liberty who did not onely séeke to hurt thē for the same, but did great∣ly reioyce to heare their reasons wherewith they did prohibite or forbid them. The said frier did tell me, that one day passing by an hermitage, whereas dwelled an hermite, who had vpon the altar in the same, an Idoll for his saint: before whom was there a Chino a principall man, worshipping the same, the said father without any feare went vnto him, & began to reprehende him, and to spit at the Idoll, & caused him therewith to leaue off his worshipping, whereof he was greatly amased both he & all the rest of his companie, to sée with what boldnes it was done, and no harme done vnto him for the same, eyther they suppo∣sed that y^e Chino did thinke him to be a mad man or else (which is most to be beléeued) y^t God did worke with his seruant wher∣by he would giue him his reward for thatwhich he had done, in returning for his honor, in mittigating the furie of that man, & to giue him vnderstanding, y^t he was reprehended with reason. There are many Chinos conuerted to the faith as well in the Ilands Philippinas, as in the citie of Machao, and they baptise

of them daily, who giuetokens and outwarde showes to bee good christians, and say that the greatest difficultie for to con∣uert all the whole kingdome, will be in them that doo gouerne in the same, for they had néede of a particular ayde and helpe of the mercie of God, to bring them vnto the faith: for that they are had in reuerence and obeyed as Gods vpon the earth. Be∣sides this they do giue themselues to all delightes,* 1.89 that any hu∣maine creature can imagine, for that they put all their felicitie therein, and doo it with so great extremitie, that it is suppo∣sed there is no people in all the worlde, that may be compared vnto them.

For besides that they are alwayes carried in little chayres, and vpon mens shoulders, which are couered with silke & golde, yet are they giuen much vnto bankets wherein they haue so many different sortes of meates, as their appetites doo require. And it is greatly to bee maruailed at,* 1.90 that the women of this kingdome are marueilous chast and secret as any whatsoeuer, and to the contrarie the men are as vicious, but in especiall the Lords and Gouernors: and for that our faith do reprehend with rigor and terror the excesse of these thinges, it is to be beleeued that it will be a great impediment to the entrie of the gospell a∣mongst them: yet God may so touch them, and in such sort, that there will be no difficultie. Amongest the common people there will be no such impedimēt, but rather they will embrace with great content our holy law, for y^t it will be an occasion to cleare & set them at libertie from the tyrannie of the diuell, and from their Iudges and Lords, who do intreate them as slaues. This is the opinion of all them that haue entred into this kingdome, and haue intreated of this matter with the Chinos. They haue amongest them some good thinges, and woorthie to be imitated and folowed, of the which I will here set downe two, which are thinges of great purpose to my iudgement. The one is, that vnto none they do giue the office to gouerne, by no manner of wayes nor meanes, although they be suborned by friendship: but onely by his owne merites, and sufficient abilitie. The seconde, that none can be viceroy, gouernour, nor Iudge of a prouince or citie in the which hee is naturall borne, the which they say is done to take away the occasion of dooing any iniu∣stice, beeing carried away or led by parentes or friendshippe.

All other thinges of this kingdome I do remit vnto that which hath bin before declared, for to passe vnto the rest, the which in this Itinerario is promised to be mentioned and declared.

CHAP. XIX. This chapter doth treate of the Ilands of Iapon, and of o∣ther thinges in that kingdome.

THe Ilandes of Iapon are many, and altogether make a mightie kingdome, y^t is diuided amongest many lords: it is distant frō the firme land of China,* 1.91 thrée hundred leagues, & in the middest betwixt both kingdoms is the prouince of Lan∣quin, which is one of the fiftéene afore named, although going frō Machao a city of the Portingals, & ioyning vnto Canton, which is of the proper China, they do make it but 250 leagues, trauelling towards the north, & commonly they do account the same leagues frō the Ilands of Luzon or Philippinas, vnto the said Ilands of Iapon: whereunto they may go by noua hispa∣nia, for y^t it is the better & surer nauigation, and shorter voyage, for according vnto the reckoning of the pylots that do nauigate those seas, they make it no more thē 1750. leagues, which is not halfe of that which the Portingals make in their nauigation.

These Ilands are many (as afore said) yet are they populared with much people, who in their bodies & faces differ very little frō the Chinos, although not so politike: by the which it séemed to be true, y^t which is found written in the histories of the king∣dom of China, saying that these Iapones in old time were Chi∣nas, & that they came from that mightie kingdome vnto these Ilands, wheras they do now diuell for this occasion folowing. A kinsman of a king of China, a man of great countenance and valour, hauing conceiued within his brest, for to kill the king, & thereby to make himselfe lorde of the countrie, the better to put this in execution, he gaue to vnderstand of his euill intent vnto others of his friends, requesting their fauour to execute y^e same, promising that he would do his best. This being done, & hauing them alwaies for his especiall friends, vnto whom it seemed no difficult thing, and againe moued with ambition, they did pro∣mise him: and for the better confirmation thereof, they began to prepare souldiers & to haue thē readie against y^e day appointed.

And for y^t this their pretence could not be brought to effect with such secrecie as the matter required, their treason came to be dis∣couered vnto the king, at such good oportunitie y^t he might very well séeke remedie for his owne safegar•• at his pleasure, vnloo∣ked for of his kinsman, & the rest of his followers, who were all taken with great ease. Then was it determined, by those of the royall councell, that all the traitors should haue their throts ••ut according vnto the lawes of the countrie: but when their sen∣tence was carried vnto the king to be confirmed, (he vnderstan∣ding y^t they much repented, & were sorie for their sin and treason that they had pretended against him) he determined to remedie the same with lesse damage, fearing what might happē by their deaths, so y^t he cōmanded they should not die,* 1.92 but be banished for euer out of the kingdome, with precise band, y^t they their wiues, & children, & al that should come of them, should for euer liue on those Ilands that are now called Iapon, which were at y^t time desert & without people. This sentence was executed, & the of∣fenders did accept the same for mercie. So they were caried to y^e said Ilands, wheras when they saw thēselues out of their natu∣rall countrie, & without any possibility euer to returne againe, they ordained their cōmon wealth as a thing to last for euer: di∣recting all their lawes which were for their conseruation & go∣uernment contrarie vnto the Chinos from whence they came. But in particular they made one, wherin they did prohibite for euer, their descendents to haue any frindship with the Chinos, & did admonish them to do them all the euill that was possible, which is obserued & kept vnto this day inuiolable, shewing thē∣selues their contraries in all they may, euen in their apparell, spéech, & customes: for the which there is no nation so abhorred of the Chinos, as is the Iapones, so that they are payd their ha∣tred with the like. And although at that time the said Iapones were subiectes and tributaries vnto the king of China, and so continued long time after, now at this day they are not, but do all harme that may be vnto those of that kingdome.

They haue much siluer, but not so fine as that is of our Indi∣ans, likewise great abundance of rice and flesh, and in some parts wheate▪ & although they haue all this, with many fruits, and herbes, & other things which be their ordinary victuals: yet are they not so well prouided as are their cōfines or neighbors,

and no default in the lande, for that it is verie good and fruite∣full. But that the naturall people do giue themselues verie lit∣tle vnto the tilling and sowing thereof, for that they are more affectioned vnto the warres, then vnto that: and this is the rea∣son that many times they do lack prouision and victuals, which is the verie same reason that the naturall people & others do re∣port of them.* 1.93 There be in these Ilandes thrée score & sixe king∣doms or prouinces, and many kings, although it may be better said, rulers or principals, such as the Spaniardes found in the Ilands of Luzō▪ for which cause, although they be called kings, yet are they not, neither in their cōtractation nor rent, for they haue verie little in respect of the multitude of people. The king Nobunanga who died in the yeare 1583. was the most prin∣cipall and greatest Lord amongst them all, as well of people, as of riches: who was slaine by a captaine of his, and punished by God by this meanes for his luciferine pride, for that it did farre excéede that of Nabuchadonozor, and was come vnto that point that he would haue béene worshipped for a God: for the which he commanded to make a sumptuous temple, and to put in it thinges that did well declare and showe his follie: of the which that you may sée how farre it did extend, I will de∣clare here onely that which he did promise vnto them that did visite his temple.

* 1.94First the rich men that came vnto the saide temple, and did worshippe his picture, should be more richer: and those that were poore should obtaine great riches: and both the one and the other, that had no successors to inherite their goods, should also obtaine them, and also long life for to enioy the same, with great peace and quietnesse.

The second, that their life should be prolonged to 80. yeares.

The third, that they should bee hole of all their infirmities and diseases, and shall obtaine full accomplishment of all their desires with health and tranquillitie. And the last he comman∣ded that euery month they should celebrate a feast for his birth day, and therein to visite his temple, with certification that all those that did beléeue in him, and in that which hee promised, should without all doubt sée it accomplished, and those which in this life were faultie and did not doo in effect his commaun∣dement, in the other they should goe the way to perdition.

And the better to accomplish this his will, he commaunded to be put in this temple, al the Idols in his kingdomes that were most worshipped, such as to whom frequented most pilgrimes: the which being done, he presently forbad rhat not one of them all should be worshipped, but he onely that was the true Foto∣que and vniuersall God, the author and creator of nature.

This foolishnesse did this proud king a little before his mise∣rable death, and many other more, that I do leaue out for feare that I should be too tedious in this Itinerario. There did succéed this proude king in the kingdome his sonne called Vozequixa∣ma, who for that he is very yong, at this day it is gouerned by a worthy captaine called Faxiuandono.

All men that are borne in this land are naturally inclined to warres and robberies, and it is vsed ordinarily amongst them∣selues, alwayes he that hath most power and strength, doth car∣ry away the best part, and yet he doth inioy it with little secu∣ritie, for that as the prouerbe saith (he findeth a last for his shoo, or the length of his foote is found) and another commeth (when he thinketh least off) and carrieth away their spoile with victo∣rie, reuenging iniuries the one for the other, without being re∣quested thereunto: which is the occasion that they are neuer without ciuill warres, & that séemeth to bée the influence of the clime of that land. This and the continual exercise in armes, and in robberies hath giuen them the name of warriers, and do terrifie all their borderers and neighbors.

They vse many weapons, but especially hargabusses, swords and lances, and are very expert in them. On the firme land of China they haue done many suddaine robberies and thefts, and haue gone thorough therewith at their pleasure: and would haue done the like at the Ilands of Luzon, & vsed for the same all meanes possible, but yet it fell out contrary vnto their mea∣nings, and returned their backes full euill against their wils, with their hands vpon their owne heads.

On a time they came vnto the Illocos, who with the fauour of the Spaniards (whose vassals they are) did desende them∣selues worthily: that the Iapones thought it best to returne vnto their houses and to leaue their begun pretence, with de∣termination neuer to put themselues in the like perill, for that they had lost many of their companie. Not many yeares since

there happened vnto them the like disgrace in China, there went tenne thousande of them to robbe and steale, and at their going on lande, they did sacke a cittie with little hurt, and smal resistance, who with the content of that pray, forgot them∣selues and did not preuent the harme that might chance vnto them: the Chinos being offended did compasse them about in such sort, that when the Iapones remembred, themselues, they were in that case that they were constrained to yéelde vnto their enimies, who at their willes did repay themselues very well of the iniurie receiued, and a very good warning vnto all those that shall heare thereof, to slie from putting themselues into the like trance: so the Chinos were very wel reuenged of the iniury by them receiued.

The faith of Christ is very well planted in some of these I∣lands, by the good diligence and trauell of the fathers and Ie∣suites, but in particular, by that which was doone by master Francisco Xabier, one of the tenne companions of the father Ignacio de Loyola founder of the saide religion: hee trauelled with great zeale, in the conuerting of the saide Ilands, and that which was a great helpe vnto the same, was his holy doctrine and apostolike life, as vnto this day the Iapones doo confesse, attributing vnto him (next vnto God) the goodnesse that hath come vnto them by receiuing the baptisme, whome the fathers of that companie haue followed in all pointes, such as remai∣ned after his death, as also such as haue gone thither since that time.

So that vnto them may bee attributed the thankes for the mollifying of such adamantine hearts, as are those of y^e natural people of these Ilandes, whose wittes (although they be good and subtill) are naturally knowne to be inclined vnto warres, robberies and doing of euill: and at this day, being Christians, they do followe their euill inclinations, yet notwithstanding, by the good doctrine and ensample of the saide fathers, they are much better Christians then those of the Orientall or East In∣dians.

I do not set downe here the number of those that are baptised in these Ilands, for that there are therein diuers opinions, as also for that the fathers of the name of Iesus or Iesuits doo di∣stinctly declare in their letters. The Portugals say that in re∣spect

of the number of people that are to bée conuerted, the number that are baptised are very fewe, and that there are ma∣ny that are not, for lacke of ministers and preachers: the which may easily be remedied, in commaunding to go thither, more religious men of other orders, for to aide and helpe the saide Iesuites, the which shoulde be vnto them a particular content and comfort as I doo beléeue, as hath béene seene by experi∣ence in all partes of the Indians, whereas haue come religious men vnto places of their doctrine, for that the quantitie of peo∣ple is so great that are in these Ilandes, that although there shoulde go thither many laborers of the Gospell, and all the or∣ders of religious men, the one shoulde not be a let or hinderance vnto the other, and they shoulde all of them finde enough to oc∣cupie themselues, especially if that the successor of Nobunan∣ga were conuerted with his subiectes. All the men of these I∣lands are well set and well proportioned, and go well apparel∣led, although not in so good order as those of China: they liue verie healthfully and long, by reason that they doo vse verie fewe diuersities of meates: they doo not suffer amongst them any Phisitians, and doo not cure themselues, but with simples.

They haue amongst them many priests of their Idols, whom they do call Bonsos, of the which there be great couents. Like∣wise they haue amongst them, great witches, who do ordinari∣ly talke with the diuell,* 1.95 and are not a small impediment for thē to receiue the lawe of God in that kingdome. The women or wiues of these Iapones do kéepe themselues very close, and ve∣ry seldome go forth of their houses, in the which they do resem∣ble those of China much (as hath béene said) yet haue they ma∣ny wiues, for that by their lawes it is lawfull for them to haue as they please, & can sustaine, yet are they so prudent, that they do restraine themselues, and liue in great peace. Both men-ser∣uants and women-seruants do serue their masters, as though they were slaues, & they may kill them at their pleasure with∣out incurring any penalty of their lawes: a thing far different from any good policie. Many other things more could I declare of this kingdome, the which I do let passe, for the reason afore∣said: and againe for that the fathers of the company of Iesus, haue intreated thereof at large and vere truely.

* 1.96Not farre from these Ilands of Iapon, they haue discouered of late certaine Ilandes which are called of the Amazones, for that they are all inhabited by women, whose ordinary wea∣pons are bowes and arrowes, and are very expert in the same: they haue their right brest drie, the better to exercise their bow. Unto these Ilands in certaine monethes euery yeare goeth cer∣taine shippes from Iapones with merchandice, and they bring from thence such as they haue there: in the which time the men do deale with the Amazones as with their own proper wiues, & for to avoide dangers that might happen amongst themselues they deale in this order following.

* 1.97After that their shippes are aryued, there goeth on shore two messengers for to giue aduice vnto the quéene of their arriuall, and of the number of men that are in their shippes, who dooth appoint a day when they shall all come on shoare: the which day shee doth carrie to the waters side the like number of wo∣men, as they bee of men, but the saide women doo first come thither before the men doo disembarke themselues, and euery one of them dooth carry in their hande a paire of shooes, or a paire of slippers, and on them their owne seuerall marke, and do leaue them on the sands at the waters side, without any con∣fort or order, and presently departe from thence. Then the men come on shoare, and euery one take the first paire of shooes that he commeth vnto, and put them on: then presently the wo∣men come forth, and euery one of them carryeth with her him who hath fallen vnto her by lot, to put on her shooes, and ma∣keth him her guest, without any other particularitie, although it chanceth vnto the most vilest of them all to méete with the quéenes shooes, or otherwise to the contrarie.

So when the monethes are expired set downe by the quéene, in the which are permitted the men aforesaid, they doo depart, euerie one leauing with his hostis his name, and the towne where hee dwelleth, for that if it so fall out that they bee with child, and be deliuered of a sonne, that hee may bee carried the yeare following vnto his father, but the daughters do remaine with them.

This is very doubtfull to bee beléeued, although I haue bin certified by religious men, that haue talked with persons that within these two yeares haue béene at the saide Ilands, & haue

séene the said women, and that which causeth me more to stand in doubt, is for that the fathers of the companie that dwell at the Iapones, haue not in their letters made any particular mention of them: therefore let euery one giue credite to this as liketh him best.

CHAP. XX. They haue notice of certaine kingdomes borderers vnto these Ilands of Iapon, and it treateth of some thinges of them, according vnto the truest intelligence that hath come from those parts, & of certaine miracles that hap∣pened in the kingdome of Cochinchina, that were no∣table.

FRom the Cittie of Machao, which is inhabited by Portu∣gals, and situated on the skirt of the firme lande of China, in two and twentie degrées, the aforesaide father Ignacio did trauell for Malaca, passing by the gulfe of Aynao, which is an Ilande and prouince of China, and fiue leagues from the firme lande, and from the Philippinas one hundreth and foure∣score. It is a very rich prouince and of great prouision, and in the straight that is betwixt them and the firme lande, there is great fishing of pearles and Aliafar,* 1.98 and those which are there founde do in many killats excéede them that are brought from Bareu, which is on y^e coast of Arabia, or those that are brought from Manar, which is another kingdome, from whence is brought many vnto that of China.

This prouince of Aynao is very good and strong, and the peo∣ple thereof very docible and well inclined. From this Ilande to the kingdome of Cochinchina, is fiue and twenty leagues, and from Machao, one hundreth and twentie fiue: it is a migh∣tie kingdome and is in sixtéene degrées of altitude, and the one part therof is ioyned with the firme land of China. The whole is deuided into thrée prouinces. The first dooth enter forty leagues into the lande, and hath in it a mightie king. The se∣cond is more farther within the land, and he that is Lord there∣of is a king of greater power then the first, and ioyning vnto the sun more towards the Septentrion is the thirde, the which is more greater and of more riches, whose king in respect of the

other two, is an Emperor, and is called in their language Tun∣quin, which doth signifie the same. Unto him be subiect y^e other two kings: yet notwithstanding his mighitinesse, and called emperour, hee is subiect vnto the king of China, and dooth pay him tribute and parias.* 1.99 It is a countrie very well proui∣ded of victuals, and as good cheape as in China. There is great stoare of a wood called Palo de Agnila, and of another woode called Calambay, and both of them are verie odorife∣rous.

* 1.100Great aboundance of silke and gold, and of other things very curious: all these kingdomes are at a very point to be reduced vnto our faith, for that the principall (he whom they giue title of Emperor) hath sent diuers times to Machao, and vnto other parts whereas are Christians, and haue requested to send them persons both learned and religious, for to instruct them in the law of God, for that they are all determined to receiue it, and be baptised: and do desire it with so great feruentnesse, that in ma∣nie citties they haue the timber ready to build & edifie churches, and in a redinesse all other kind of necessaries for the same.

There was in Machao a religious man of the order of bare∣foote Friers of saint Francis, who vnderstanding the great and good desire of this king, did send him by certaine Portugal mer∣chants that did trade into his countrie, a cloth whereon was painted the day of iudgement, and hell, and that by an excellent workeman, and also a letter, wherein hee did signifie vnto him the great desire he had with some other of his companions to go into his kingdome to preach the Gospel. The which being re∣ceiued by the said king, and informed the signification of the pi∣cture, and of the religious man that sent it him, he reioyced very much with the present, and did send in returne of the same an other that was very good, vnto the same religious man, and a letter of great curtesie, & did accept the offer that hee sent in his letter, and did promise that all that went thither shoulde haue good entertainement, and that he would presently make them a house next vnto his.

This religious man, although h•• had a desire to put in execu∣tion the kings will, yet at that time hee coulde not, by reason that he had but few companions: the which the king did vnder∣stande, and caused him to sende vnto the bishoppe of Machao

thrée or foure letters, requesting him to send him the saide reli∣gious men, with certification that hauing them there, both hee and all the rest of his kingdome woulde receiue the faith of Christ and the holy baptisme: vnto the which letters they did alwaies make answere with promises that he would send them vnto him: but after because they did not accomplish the same, the king did complaine of him vnto certaine Portugall mer∣chants with great griefe saying: this your bishop of Machao doth greatly lye: for that I haue requested him by foure letters to send me religious men for to preach the law of the gospell, & he consenting vnto my wil, did neuer accomplish nor performe his word. Unto this day they haue not accomplished this de∣sire, for the great lacke they haue of such ministers as they doo demande, & are requisite in those parts, and cannot supply their want and necessitie, except they should leaue them vnprouided that bee already baptised. They doo driue them off with faire words & promises, that with as great breuity as is possible, their desire shalbe satisfied. And this was the answere that was giuē in Machao vnto certaine messengers or ambassadors that were sent by the aforesaid king, for the same demand, the which was required with great instance. The which messengers for their comfort & for his who sent thē, did carry with thē al such Ima∣ges as they might haue, but specially that of the crosse, in which form & likenes (as hath bin informed) they haue made in y^e king∣dome an infinite number, and set them in all their stréets, high∣wayes, & houses, wheras they are worshiped & reuerenced with great humilitie, as well for that it is in an ensigne of Christ, whose faith they do desire to receiue, as also for a notable mira∣cle which happened in that kingdome, worthy to make thereof a particular mention, the which I will set downe here, in such sort as the ambassadors aforesaide did declare in publike before the inhabitants of Machao, when as they came to demande re∣ligious men for to instruct them in the gospel.

There was a man naturally borne in this kingdome,* 1.101 who for certaine occasions went forth of the same, and came & dwelt amongst the Portugals, who séeing the Christian ceremonies and being touched with the hand of God, was baptised, and re∣mained certaine yeares in the same towne, giuing outw••rde shewes to bee a good Christian, and one that feared God, at

the end thereof, hee changed his minde, and determined to re∣turne vnto his owne countrie, and there to liue according vn∣to that which he had learned of the Christians, the which he be∣léeued to doo with ease, without any gainesaying or contradic∣tion. Whereas when hée came thither, hee did obserue all such things as a Christian was bounde to doo: but amongst other signes and tokens of the same, he made a crosse and set it by the doore of his house, wherunto he did reuerence at all times when he passed by the same with great deuotion. His neighbours when as they saw that signe, a thing of them neuer séene before, and howe that that Christian did make particular reuerence, they beganne to mocke and scorne him, and the crosse, and pulled it downe from the place whereas it was set, & did other things in dispite thereof, and of him that had set it there in that place, whose hatred and discourtesie was so much, that they determined in their minds to burne it, and to put the same in execution, who at the same instance did all miraculously die, I say those that would haue burnt the same, the which was séene of many other, who haue giuen sufficient testimony therof. And within fewe dayes after, all the whole linage of those dead per∣sons did follow the same way, and not one escaped. This mira∣cle being spread throughout all the kingdome, the naturals thereof did set vp many crosses in all parts.

This they say was the principall motion that God put into their hearts for to moue them to demande for such as shoulde baptise them, and preach the holy gospell. Likewise a great helpe vnto the same was the declaration of the painted cloth, which the aforesaid religious man did send to the king. Since that time there hath gone vnto the Cittie of Machao certaine naturals of that kingdome, who being affectioned vnto our faith were baptised there: with the which, and with the hope aforesaid, they are all sustained, till such time as it is y^e pleasure of God to send them the remedie for their soules, the which hée hath caused them to desire, which cannot be long, according vn∣to that which hath béene séene, and the miracles that God doth worke, the more for to kindle their desire, as the myracle of the crosse before spoken off, and others the which certaine Cochin∣chinos did declare in the Cittie of Machao, in anno, 1583. and happened the same yeare, and was very fresh in the memo∣rie

of all those of the saide kingdome. The one of them was, that one of the Christians aforesaid went to visite a principall man that had the palsie, and kept his bed many yeares before:* 1.102 and conferring with his long sickenesse, he told of certaine my∣racles, such as he had vnderstanding that was done by Christ our redéemer, when that he was man amongst men whome hée redéemed: but in particular those which he did in the healing of the like infirmities, such as he lay sicke of: alonely with his de∣uine vertue, in touching of them with any part of his garmēts, or shadow. The Iudge hearing this, hee had a particular faith & deuotion to him that had doone these myracles that the chri∣stian had told him, & asked what his name was, & what signes & tokens he had: he told him that his name was Iesus of Naza∣reth redéemer of the worlde, the sauiour and glorifier of men. And the better to declare vnto him his signes, he shewed to him an Image or picture that he had of his, y^t which was giuen him such time as he was baptised, printed in paper: & of Iesu Christ when he ascended vp into heauen, the which for lacke of Chur∣ches, and other of greater volume, hee should haue continually with him & make his praiers thereunto. This sicke man tooke it, and fixed his eies thereon with so great deuotion and faith, in requesting him to giue him his health, & that he would present∣ly beleeue in him, & bée baptised. At the same instant in the sight of them all, he felt himselfe whole of y^e infirmitie that he had suf∣fered so many yeares before, and neuer could find any humaine remedy for the same, although he had prooued an infinite num∣ber. He straightwayes willed the Christian to baptise him, vnto whome hée gaue a great summe of monie, the which hee receiued against his will, and spent it in workes of mercie, and with part thereof he bought a bigge barke in the which at this day he dooth passe people thorough a riuer, whereas they were wont to passe great perill and danger, and hee doth it for Gods sake, and receiueth nothing for the same.

A fewe dayes after in another part of this kingdome, there happened another myracle of no lesser substance then the first, that is, there was a Cochinchina in the said citie of Machao, who did aske to bee baptised of a barefoote Frier, which after y^t hee had catechised sufficiently, hée gaue it vnto him: and after a great time that hee had béene in his company, and had expe∣rience

of his Christianitie & deuotion, he gaue him licence for to returne vnto his country, with a good token, that at his com∣ming thither he would procure to augment the desire of Chri∣stianitie, the which God had begunne to kindle in their brest.

This good new christian did procure the same with so great care, that he did profite very much (being holpen with the fauor of God, who made him his instrument) hee healed certaine in∣firmities, in shewing vnto the patients an Image of our ladie, the which he had continually about his necke, and had therun∣to great deuotion, and woulde declare to them with great zeale the Lords prayer, or Pater noster. His fame was so much spred abrode in all parts of this prouince, wherein he dwelled, that it came vnto the eares of a Mandarin, or principall Iudge of the same, who was many dayes in his bedde a leaper, both of handes and féete, and neuer coulde finde any phisition nor me∣decine, that could giue him his health, nor any other humaine remedie: who being verie desirous to be healed, hée sent ••or the saide Christian, and asked if hée would take vppon him to heale him of that infirmitie, as it was affirmed that hee had done by others of greater importance. The Christian saide hée would, then the Iudge did promise vnto him for the same, great giftes and rewardes, but hee made no account thereof, but oneli•• requested of him for reward, that after hee should bee hole, that he would be baptised and become a Christian: the which he did accept, and principally he shewed vnto him the Image that hée had of our lady, saying: If thou wilt beléeue in this lady, that is heere ingraued, and in her most holy sonne Iesus Christ the redéemer of the whole world, thou shalt presently be made hole. This Mandarin or Iudge did beholde the same with great at∣tention, and thought on the words which he had heard spoken. And in determining with himselfe to beléeue the same, at the very point that he did put it in execution, he was healed of al his infirmitie, a thing which caused great admiration in all that prouince.

These myracles and that of the crosse, in a short time being knowne abrode, haue caused such a desire vnto the inhabitants of that kingdome to become Christians, that by all manner of meanes possible they do procure the same: the which is not fol∣lowed for lacke of ministers, as aforesaid, and is no smal griefe

vnto them that Christianly doo put themselues to consider how the diuel our aduersary doth carry vnto his infernal man∣sion, those soules which séeme to bee well disposed for to inioy the benefite of God, and his eternal goodnesse: all the which is for lacke of ministers, and not for any other default. God reme∣die the same for his mercies sake.

The said father Ignacio (whom as I haue said, I do follow in many things of this Itinerario) did tell me, that as he passed by this kingdome for to go vnto Spaine, he saw the deuotion of the people thereof, and the great desire they had to bee Christi∣ans, and how that the people were ready and bent for to receiue the holy Gospell, very humble and of good vnderstanding. Hee would haue tarried for to baptise them, and would haue done it, onely for charity and compassion, séeing with what deuotion they did demand the same, and the great number of soules that were condemned: but hee was constrained by force to go vnto Malaca, and againe it séemed vnto him, that amongst so many people, his smal force might do little good: and that it were bet∣ter for him to go vnto Spaine, and to procure more compani∣ons to helpe him, as he did, and returned with them, and with many other rewards, of Pope Gregory the thirtéenth receiued: and he also receiued great fauours of the king of Spaine, and with great hope, that his maiestie will giue his particular aide, for to go thorow with this enterprise, which will not be of small effect. I do beléeue of a truth, that in small time all that king∣dome shall bee subiect vnto the Catholike saith of Rome, and to be the gate, whereby to enter the lawe of the Gospel into the mightie kingdome of China, for that this of Cochinchina is vpon the same firme land, and their language and customes are almost in one manner.

They are verie white people of this kingdome, and are ap∣parelled like vnto those of China: their women are verie ho∣nest and shamefast,* 1.103 and their apparell is very curius and gal∣lant. The men weare their haire dispersed, and doo combe and trim it with too much care. In all the countrie almost, all of them are apparelled in silke, for that they haue there verie much, and excellent good: the countrie is verie holesome, and full of old folkes and children, which is a sufficient proofe for the goodnesse thereof.

They say that they neuer had amongst them neither pesti∣lence nor hunger,* 1.104 which is the like as we haue said of the king∣dome of China.

Let him that can, do it in such sort that so great and infinite a number of soules that at this day are vnder the tyranny of the diuell, may see them in the Christian libertie, and in the other life inioy their creator.

CHAP. XXI. In this chapter is declared of such kingdomes as are adioy∣ning vnto that of Cochinchina, and of some notable thinges in them, with the rites and customes of the in∣habitants.

* 1.105NIgh vnto this kingdome of Cochinchina, there is another called Champa, that although it be poore of gold and siluer, yet is it very rich of drugges and gallant wood, and great stoare of prouision. This kingdome is very great and full of people, & they somewhat whiter then those of Cochinchina, they are as nigh & as willing to become Christians as their neighbors but for the performance thereof, they doo lacke that which the other doo. They haue the same lawes and ceremonies as well the one as the other, and are all Idolaters, and doo worship the second causes, in the same order as the Chinos do, vnto whom likewise they do make one manner of acknowledging.

From this Iland you may go with ease vnto Malaca, lea∣uing on the right hand a kingdome which is called Camboia,* 1.106 the which is great & very full of people, and all of them affectio∣ned to go to sea, and nauigation, by reason whereof they haue an infinite number of vessels: It is a very fertill country, with great stoare of prouision: there are Elephants in great number & Abadas, which is a kind of beast so big as two great buls, and hath vppon his snowt a little horne. At this day there is one of them at Madrid, the which was brought out of the Indians to his maiesty, and many do go to sée it for a strange thing, and ne∣uer the like séene in Europe, whose skinne is so hard (according vnto the report) that no man although he be of great force and strength can passe it with a thrust. Some haue saide that it is an Unicorne, but I take it for the contrarie, and they are

of my opinion almost all those that haue béene in those partes, and haue séene the true Unicorne.

In this kingdome there is a religious man of the order of S. Dominicke, called frier Siluester, whome God did carrie into those parts for to remedy the soules that are therein: hee dooth imploy himselfe to learne their naturall language, and to preach the holy gospell in the same tongue, and hath them like∣wise prepared, that if he had any companions for to help hym, they should obtayne much fruite for the heauens: he hath sent and requested for some vnto the India of Portingall, but they would neuer send him anie, peraduenture by some sinister in∣formation, by men which the diuell doth marke as instru∣ments, for to stay and let the saluation of those soules, for euer to remayne in his tirannicall power. This fryer did write a letter vnto Malaca vnto fryer Martin Ignacio, and vnto o••her religious men, intirely requesting them for the loue of God, to giue such order that hee might be holpen with some religious men, of what order soeuer, with certification that therein they shall doe great seruice vnto God, and put remedie in those soules, whome he dare not baptise, for feare that after lacking the euangelical refreshing, to water and cherish them, they re∣turne to bring forth that euill fruit of Idolatrie. This petition did not take effect according to his desire, for y^t there was not to serue his turne, nor any that was vnoccupied. They vnder∣stood of him that brought this letter, that the king of that king∣dome had in great veneration the sayd father Siluestro, in so ample manner, as was the patriarck Ioseph in Egipt: hee had in all that kingdome the seconde place, and euery time that the king would speak with him, he gaue him a chaire: and gaue him great priuiledges, and licence for to preach the holy gos∣pell throughout all the kingdome without any contradiction, and for to edifie the churches and all other thinges whatsoeuer he thought necessarie: this king himselfe helping thereunto, by giuing of great gifts and charitie. He said also that in al y^e king∣dome there were erected many crosses, and were had in great reuerence. And for y^e confirmation of the truth hereof, the afore∣said frier Ignacio did sée in Malaca a present y^t the king of this kingdome of Camboia did send vnto another friend of his: and amongst many things contained therin of great riches & curio∣sitie:

there were two crosses very great and wel made, of a gal∣lant wood & very swéete, and all garnished very richly with sil∣uer and gold, with their titles enamiled.

* 1.107Nigh vnto this kingdome is that of Sian, in the hight of four∣téene degrées from the pole Artike, and thrée hundred leagues from Machao, wheras the Portugals do go to trade: It is the mother of all Idolatrie,* 1.108 and the place from whence hath procée∣ded many sectes, vnto Iapon, China and Pegu. It is a flouri∣shing countrie and well replenished of all such things as be re∣quisite for to merite the name to be good. There be in it mani•• Elephants and Abadas, and other beasts that are nourished in that countrie: besides this, it is very rich of mettals, and gal∣lant swéete woode.* 1.109 The people of this kingdome for the most part are faint-hearted or cowards, for which occasion although they are infinite in number, yet are they subiect vnto the king of Pegu, who ouercame them long time since, in a battell (as afterwards shall be declared:) and they doo pay him ordinarily great and heauy tributes. They would be conuerted very eas••∣ly vnto the faith of Iesu Christ, and would leaue their Idols, if they had any to preach vnto them: yea, & would subiect them∣selues vnto any king or Lord that woulde fauour them, and not vnto this whom now they do obey, for that hee dooth intreate them tyrannously. They haue amongst them many religious men after their fashion, who doo liue in common, and leade an asper and sharp life: for the which they are had of al the rest in great veneration. The penance which they do is wonderfull & strange, as you may iudge by some things that I will declare here: amongst a great number that be tolde of them, there are none of them that can marrie, neither speake to any woman, & if by chance he do, they arewithout remissiō punished by death. They go alwayes barefoote, & very poorely apparelled, & do eate nothing but rice & gréene herbes, and this they do aske for cha∣ritie euery day, going from doore to doore with their wallet at their backes, alwayes with their eyes looking on the ground, w^t such modesty & honesty, that it is to be wondred at: they doo not craue their charity, neither take it with their hands, nor do any other thing but cal or knocke, & stand still, till such time as they giue them their answer, or put some thing into their wallets. It is told them for a truth, that many times for penance they

do put themselues starke naked in the heate of the sunne, which is there very great, for that y^e country is in twenty sixe degrees of the Equinoctiall, whereas they are much troubled there with gnats, whereof there is an infinite number, and is a thing that if they did passe it for Gods sake: it is a kinde of martyr∣dome of great desert. God for his mercy lighten them with his grace, that this which they do smally vnto the profite of their soules, may bee the occasion that after they are baptised, they may deserue for the same many degrées of glory.

Likewise in secreat they doo great penance, and doo rise vp at midnight to praie vnto their Idols, and they do it in quiers, as is vsed amongst vs Christians. It is not permitted them any rentes, nor any other kinde of contractation: and if they bée séene to deale in any, they are detested and hated, as an he∣retike is amongst vs.

For this kind of asper liuing (the which they do, according vnto the report) for the loue of the heauen, and that with great zeale: they are respected of the common people for saints, and for such they do reuerence them, and do commit them vnto their praiers, when they are in any trouble or infirmity. These and many other things mo be declared of them in like order, which may serue for to confound vs, that confessing, we do not obserue & kéepe, hauing for the same our sure reward, not of humain in∣terest, but that which God hath prepared for the good in heauē.

The law of the Gospell in this kingdome would bring foorth much fruite, for that the people are charitable, and louers of vertue, and of them that haue it. This experience had the father Ignacio and his companions in China, at such time as they were prisoners, where there were in a city certain ambassadors from the king of Syan, who were bound to the court, and there they vnderstood that the Spaniards were sentenced to death for entring into that country without licence: they went to visite them, & when they saw them with their asper habites and very poore, & did resemble very much the habit of their religious men, they had so great affection vnto them, that ouer and aboue they sent thē good charity, the which was two bags of rice, much fish & fruits: they did offer to thē al the mony they would desire, & to ransome them in al that the Iudges would demand ••or them: in recompēce of this good wil they shewed vnto y^e Spaniards, they

did verifie that aforesaide, that they are great louers of vertue.

CHAP. XXII. Of many other kingdomes that are in this new world, and of their names and properties, but in espiciall, of that fa∣mous Cittie of Malaca.

* 1.110NIgh vnto this kingdome of Syan there are two kingdomes togither, the one of them is called Lugor, and the other Patane, they belong both vnto one king, who is a Moore and of the linage Malaya, yet notwithstanding the people of these kingdomes are Gentiles, and do•• vnderstande in them to haue great good will to become Christians, if they had anie to preach vnto them the Gospell.* 1.111 The lande is very rich of golde, Pepper and of drugges, but the people faint hearted and cowards, and for little▪ for which occasion they are more gi∣uen vnto thinges of contentment and pleasure, then vnto wars or brawlings.

* 1.112At the ende of this kingdome is the straite of Malaca, in the which there are two small kingdomes, the one of them is called Paon and the other Ior: the people of the first are the most trai∣terous that are in all the whole worlde, as the Portugals haue many times experimented, and those of the second kingdome: sometimes they are in peace, and sometimes in warre with the said Portugals. They will haue peace when they do sée them∣selues in necessity of the same, but war ordinarily. These two kingdomes are halfe Moores, by reason whereof it séemeth that with an euil wil they wil be reduced vnto the law of the gospel, if that by the help of God they be not mollified of their hearts.

This straight of Malaca is vnder the Equinoctiall line, and is accounted from the kingdome of Cochinchina vnto it,* 1.113 376. leagues: this is an euill straight and very dangerous for ships that passe thorough it, for very few times it is without stormes or some other greater danger, as it happened vnto a verie great shippe in the mouth of the straight, in the presence of Frier Martin Ignacio, the which in verie little space, was swallowed vp with the sea, & in it more thē thrée hundred thou∣sand ducats in merchandice that was within her, although the

successe thereof our people did attribute it more vnto the iust iudgement of God than vnto the storme, for that according as they were informed, they had committed grieuous offences, at the time when she sanke: for being very nigh with his shippe in the which he went, and many other more, they felt not, neither had any suspition of any danger. From this straight to go vnto Malaca, you coast alongest the sea, fiue and twentie leagues: all which coast is full of great mightie and thicke woods: by rea∣son whereof, as also for that it is not inhabited, there are many tygers, elephants and mightie great lysards, and other furious beastes.

The citie of Malaca in our pole articke is eleuated from the equinoctiall onely one degrée: of ancient time it was the most principallest citie of all these kingdomes, and resident therein a mightie king a Moore, but after it was conquered by the Por∣tingals, who in these wars did wonderfull things of great force & courage: they did driue foorth all the Moores out of the same, and out of all the borders, and made of their Mezquita or tem∣ple, (which was a singular péece of worke) a high church, as it doth remaine vnto this day: there are also thrée monasteries of religious men, one of S. Dominicke, an other of S. Francis, and the third of the companie of Iesus, or Iesuites. It is a ve∣rie temperate countrie being so nigh the equinoctiall line: the reason is, for that euery wéeke ordinarily it rayneth thrée or foure times, (which is the greatest cause of health in all that countrie) and thereby is made woonderfull fruitfull, and with great abundance of prouision, but particularly of fruites, for there is great store, and some sortes neuer séene in Europe, a∣mongst the which there is one, y^t is called in the Malaca tongue Durion, and is so good that I haue heard it affirmed by manie that haue gone about the worlde, that it doth excéede in sauour all others that euer they had séene, or tasted: it is in forme like vnto a mellon, whose ryne is somewhat harde, and hath vpon it little white prickes which séemeth like haire, and within the fruite be partitions, which be of the colour like vnto maniar blanco, and of so good sauour and tast as it,* 1.114 Some do say that haue séene it, that it séemeth to be y^t wherwith Adam did trans∣gresse, being carried away by the singular sauour. The leaues which this trée yéeldeth, are so bigge that a man may couer him∣selfe

with one of them, which mee thinketh is but coniecture or defining: but there is Cannafistola for to lade fléetes very bigge and good,* 1.115 and of a singular effect, one of the notablest things in this kingdome, & is a maruellous trée of an admirable vertue, the which putteth foorth so many rootes of so contrarie vertue, that those which grow towards the orient be good against poy∣son, agues, and many infirmities that do war against humaine life,* 1.116 & those rootes that growe ••owards the west, be ranke poy∣son, & in effect, all cleane contrarie vnto the first. So that it see∣meth here to be founde two contraries in one subiect, a thing which in philosophie they were woont to count impossible.

This citie is of great contractation, for that there come the∣ther all the kingdomes that we haue spoken of, and from many other more that are nigh thereabouts: but in particular a great number of great ships from the Indians, Canton, Chincheo, and frō many other places, likewise the Iapones carry thether their siluer to sell, & those of the kingdome of Syan carry many things very curious, but especially cloues, and pepper of the I∣land Malucas, and those of Burneo bring much sanders & nut∣megs, and those of Iaba & Pegu, bring the wood of aguila, and those from Cochinchina & Cham bring great store of wrought silke, drogges, and spicerie, and those of Samatra or Trapoua∣na much golde and wrought things & fine cloth of Vengalas & Coromandel. All these and other thinges, make this citie fa∣mous and plentifull, as also very much enlarged of the Portin∣gals that go thether ordinarily euery yeare, and traficke there.

CHAP. XXIII. Of some kingdomes of the newe worlde, and of particular things that haue beene seene in them, and treateth of the citie and riuer of Ganies.

OUer against this famous citie of which so many thinges may be spoken of, is that mightie kingdome and Iland of Samatra,* 1.117 called by the anciēt cosmogrosers Trapouana, which is (as some say) the Iland of Ophir, whether y^e fléet went which king Salomon sent▪ of which there is particular mention made in the scripture, in the third booke of the kings cap. 9. & 10. and in the Paralipomenon cap. 9. that went & returned againe ladē

with gold & rich tymber for to adorne the temple of Ierusalem, and of many other curious things, whose memorie doth remain vnto this day amongst the naturall people, although diffusedly. But not so much as those that haue it out of the holy scripture, neither so true. This Iland is vnder the equinoctial line, so that the one halfe doth extend vnto the pole artick & the other halfe vnto the poole antarticke. It hath in longitude 230. leagues, and in latitude three score & seuen leagues: and is so nigh vnto Malaca, that in some parts it is lesse than ten leagues. In this kingdom there are many lords & rulers, yet he y^t hath the grea∣test part thereof is a Moore, and is called Achan, it is one of the richest Ilands in al the world,* 1.118 for y^t it hath many mynes of fine golde, of the which (although there is a law y^t they cannot take out of thē more than is necessarie) yet there is great abundance carried from thence to Malaca, Turkie and many other places. There is gathered vpon this Iland great abundance of pepper and beniewyn of Boninas in great quantity, out of whose trées (whereof there is great woods) there come foorth so swéet a smel that it seemeth an earthly paradice, and was wont to be smelled twenty leagues at sea, for which respect the ships that saile that way do come so nigh the lande as they may to haue the comfort of that smell. There is also much Camphora and all kinde of spices, by reason wherof there commeth vnto this kingdome to traficke, many Turkes that come in ships and foystes out of the red sea, Also there doth traficke thether those of the kingdom of Sunda, Iaua the great, and Ambayno, and others that are there nigh vnto them. Unto this Iland came certaine Portin∣gals to buy and sell, whereas they were all slaine, and some for the profession of the faith, for the which they are holden for mar∣tyrs of Iesu Christ, by the opinion of christians that doo dwell nigh, when they vnderstood y^e cause. The most part of this king∣dome are Moores, & therefore they do abhor the christians, & do make with them all the warr•• they can, but in especiall with them that dwell in Malaca, whom many times they haue put in great danger of their liues, and losse of their goods.

Running frō this kingdome of Malaca by the north & north∣west cost is the mightie kingdome of Pegu, the which is in big∣nes greater thē Samatra, & equall in riches, especially of pearls and al sorts of stones, & very fine christall: there is great store of

prouision and an infinite number of people, and the king there∣of is mightie: to whō (as we haue said) y^e king of Cyan doth pay tribute, because he ouercame him in a battaile which he had w^t him, in the yeare 1568. according vnto the common opinion: the occasion was, that vnderstanding, how that the saide king of Syan had in his power a white Elephant▪ (whome those of the kingdome of Pegu do worship for God) the king sent to buy the same, and to giue for it so much as he would estéeme or va∣lue it: but he vtterly denied the same, and saide that he would not let him haue it for all that he had in his kingdom: the which caused so great anger vnto the king, that hee called together all the souldiers that he could make, with determination to get by force of armes, that which he could not by faire meanes and great ritches: in the which he did so great diligence, that in a fewe dayes hee had ioyned together an armie of a million and sixe hundreth thousande of men of warre,* 1.119 with whome hee de∣parted vnto the saide kingdome of Syan, which was from his kingdome two hundreth leagues, and did not onely performe his pretence in bringing away the white Elephant, but did al∣so make the king tributarie, as he is vnto this day, as hath bin declared vnto you.

The rites of the people and priestes of this countrie, doo re∣semble much those of the kingdome of Syan: they haue amongst them many monasteries of men that liue honestly, solitarie, & with great penance, and people verie apt to receiue the holy gos∣pell. For ouer and aboue that they are docible and of a good vn∣derstanding, they are men which do studie philosophie and are well inclyned and charitable, and haue a particular affection vnto vertue, and vnto such as they do knowe that haue vertue, and very friendly to remedie the necessitie of their poore neigh∣bours.

Going from this kingdome towardes the north is the king∣dome of Arracon, verie plentifull of prouision, but few things of contractation or marchandice,* 1.120 which is the occasion that it is not well knowen to the Spaniardes, for that they haue not gone thether. They doo vnderstand of the naturall people, and of their customes, that they are very apt to receiue the holie gospell.

From this kingdome alongst the same coast, you came vnto

the kingdome of Vangala,* 1.121 through the which doth passe the ri∣uer Ganges, one of the foure that comme foorth of paradice terrenall, the which being vnderstood by a certaine king of this kingdome, he determined to cause some to ascend vp that riuer, till such time as he had found the head spring or head thereof, and therewith paradice: for the which effect he commanded to be made diuers ••ortes of barkes both small and great, and sent in them vp the riuer certaine men (of whose diligence hee had long experience, & were prouided with victuals for many daies, and gaue commandement that presently after that theyhad dis∣couered that which hee desired, that they should returne with great spéede, far to giue him particular and true relation, with pretence foorthwith to go himselfe to inioy the things which he thought necessarie to be séene, and woorthie to be desired, of his trauaile, and in a place so delightfull.

These men did nauigate vp the riuer many monethes, and came vnto a place whereas the water came foorth so softly and with so small noyse, which gaue them to vnderstande that they were not farre from the first head thereof, which should be pa∣radice that which they went to séeke. They gaue to vnderstand that in this place, after they had séene so many tokens, & com∣forted themselues with maruellous swéete smels, and aires of great delight, they thought verily that they had bin in the para∣dice terrenall. And more, when as they came vnto that place, where as the riuer did runne so peaceable, and the ayre so deli∣cate and swéet, there entred into the hearts of them all, so great and extraordinarie ioy, that they séemed to be in the true para∣dice, and forgot all the trauaile that they had passed for to come thether, and of any other thing that did signifie paine or griefe. But when they did intend to go forwardes with this their pre∣tence and intent, and thereunto did put all diligence possible, they found by experience that all their trauaile was in vaine, and howe that they remained alwaies in one place: and coulde not vnderstand from whence did come or procéede that contra∣diction, they could not find in the waters by reason of the peace∣ablenesse thereof.

This experience being done, attributing it vnto a miserie be∣cause they could not get a shore, they returned backe againe by the same riuer, till they came to their owne kingdome, wheras

they arriued in a very short time, and gaue their king to vn∣derstand (who sent them) all as afore saide▪ and many other thinges more, the which I do leaue out for that I do take it a∣pocripha. They hold it for a certaintie that the riuers Eufrates and Tygris are not far from this riuer Ganges, and it séemeth to be true for both of them doo discharge their currents or wa∣ter into the Persian sea, the which is not farre distant from this kingdome.

The people of this kingdome haue this riuer in great reue∣rence, which is the occasion, that they neuer enter into the same but with great respect and feare. And when they doo washe or bath themselues in it, they haue it for a certainetie that they remaine cleare from all their sinnes. Likewise this kingdome with great ease might be conuerted vnto the catho∣like faith as it séemeth, for that they haue amongst them, many morall rites, ceremonies, and vertues.

CHAP. XXIIII. Of the kingdome of Coromandel and others his borde∣rers, and of the citie of Salamina, whereas was and died the glorious Apostle S. Thomas, and of the power and riches of the king of this kingdome, & the order of their buryinges, and other thinges of great curiositie.

RUnning alongest the coast from Vengala, is the kingdome of Masulapatar, and certaine other kingdomes nigh vnto the same: they be all Gentiles as the rest of their borderers yet it is vnderstood, with great facilitie they would leaue their opi∣nions. It is a kingdome that hath great abundance of proui∣sion, and lacke of things of contractation or marchandice, which is the occasion that they are little knowen.

Trauailing a little forwardes, is the kingdome of Coro∣mandel whose chiefe citie is called Calamina, and nowe vul∣garly Malipur, and is there whereas was martyred the hap∣pie Apostle S. Thomas. And they say that at this day there remaineth some of his relickes, by whom God did many myra∣cles. The naturall people therefore haue a particular memory vntill this day of that saint.

This citie at this day is populared with Portingals and with the naturall people▪ there is in it a church, wherein is compre∣hended the house whereas was, and died the holy Apostle: this countrie belongeth vnto the king of Visnaga, who although he be a Gentile, he hath great reuerence and respect vnto the house of the holy Apostle, and for particular deuotion he doth giue e∣uerie yeare a certaine charitie. There is in this citie two co∣uentes of religious men, the one of the companie of Iesus, and the other of the order of S. Francis.

From this citie of Calamina to that of Visnaga there wher∣as the king is, it is fiue and thirtie leagues by land. This king is mightie, and his kingdome very great and full of people, and hath great rentes. They say that onely the rent he hath of fine gold, is worth vnto him thrée millions, of the which he spendeth but one onely, and doth keepe euerie yeare two millions in his treasorie, the which according vnto the report & fame, is at this day with many millions. He hath twelue principall or chiefe captaines, and euerie one of them hath the gouernement of an infinite number of people & hath great rent for the same, for he that hath least rent hath sixe hundred thousand ducats yearely. Euerie one of them are bound to giue the king to eate, and all the people of his house, one month in the yeare: so that by this account the twelue captaines which are the lordes of the king∣dome (and as wee might say) dukes, doo beare his cost all the whole yeare. The million the which he doth spend, is in giftes and in extraordinarie thinges. The king hath in his house, what with wiues, seruants and slaues, nigh about fourtéene thousand persons, and in his stable ordinarily a thousand horse, and for his seruice and garde eight hundreth Elephants, of whō he doth spend euerie day eight hundreth ducats. The garde of his person is ••oure thousand horsemen, to whō he giueth great wages. He hath also in his house thrée hundreth wiues besides a great number of concubines: they goe all gallantly apparel∣led, and with rich iewels, of the which there are of great esti∣mation in y^e kingdome, they do almost euerie three daies change newe colors of apparell. They do ordinarily vse colors of pre∣cious stones, such as are called in spaine ojo de gato cats eies. They haue great store of saphires, pearles, diamonds, rubies, & many other stones, y^t are in that kingdome in great abundance.

Amongest all these wiues there is one that is as legitimate, whose children doo inherite: and if it so fall out that she is bar∣ren, the first that is borne of any of y^e other doth inherite: which is the occasion that they neuer lacke a successor in that king∣dome.

When the king of this kingdome doth die, they do carrie him foorth into a mightie fielde, with great sadnesse and mourning apparell, and there in the presence of those twelue péeres a fore saide, they do burne his bodie with wood of Sandalo, which is of a great smell, with the which they do make a great fire.

After that the bodie of the king is burned and consumed, they throwe into the same the wiues that hee best loued, with seruants and slaues, those that he most estéemed in his life time: the which they do with so great content, that euery one dooth procure to be the first for to enter into the fire, and they that are last, do thinke themselues vnhappie. All these do say that they go to serue the king in the other life, whereas they shalbe with great ioy. This is the occasion that they goe with so good a will to die, and carrie with them the most richest and festiuall appa∣rell they haue. Of this is gathered that they do beléeue the im∣mortalitie of the soule, for that they doo confesse there is an o∣ther life, and that thither they do returne and liue for euer with∣out ende. They are people that would be conuerted with the like facilitie vnto the holy gospell as their neighbours, if there went any thether to preach.

Thrée score and tenne leagues from this citie, there is a Pa∣gode or temple of Idols, whereas is a rich faire euery yeare, it is a very sumptuous building, and edified in a place so high, that it may be séene many leagues before you come vnto it.

It hath ordinarily foure thousande men of garde, who are paide with the rent of the temple, the which is rich and verye good. There is nigh vnto the same many mynes of golde and precious stones, and that is taken out of them is rent vnto the temple. There is in it a pr••est of the Idolles, whom they call in their language brama, and is as the high priest in that coun∣trie. All the people of the land do come vnto him, to vnderstand the doubtes of their manner of liuing, and he doth dispence with them in many things that be prohibited by their lawes, y^e which he may do according vnto the sayd lawes, and manie times he

doth dispence with certaine of thē. But here one to be laughed, at, which is that when a woman cannot suffer the condition of her husbande, or is wearie of him for other occasions, she goeth vnto this Brama, and giuing vnto him a péece of golde,* 1.122 which may be to the value of a ducat in Spaine, he doth vnmarry thē, and setteth her at libertie that she may marry with an other, or with many if she please: & in token of this she is giuen a marke with an yron vpon her right shoulder, so that with that alone she remaineth at libertie, and her husband cannot do vnto her any harme for the same, neither compell her to returne againe to his company.

There are in this kingdome many mynes of verie fine dia∣monds, and are had in great estimation, and very well knowen in Europe. There hath béene found in them a stone so fine and of so great value, that but few yeares past, the king did sell the same vnto an other mightie king his borderer, called Odialcan for a million of golde,* 1.123 besides other thinges of value that hee gaue him ouer and aboue. It is a healthfull countrie, with ve∣ry go••d and fresh ayres, rich of prouisions, and of all other neces∣saries, not only for the humaine life: but also for curiositie and delightes that be therein. It is in fourtéene degrées towardes the pole artico. All the people therein are faint hearted and cowards, and for little trauaile, which is the occasion that they are nothing affectionate vnto warres, and is vnderstoode, with great facilitie they would receiue the gospell.

Nigh vnto the same there is an other little kingdome called Mana, in the which there is a towne with Portingals, y^e which is called in their language Negapatan, there is in the same a couent of the order of S. Francis, whose religious fryers, al∣though they are but a few, do occupie themselues in the conuer∣ting of the naturall people thereof, and it is to be beléeued that they shall reape much fruite and doo good, for they haue giuen showes of the same: for that about thrée yeares past the prince of that countrie was conuerted, by the preaching of the same fryers, who went now to receiue the holy baptisme with great and incredible ioy vnto the christians. All the rest of the king∣dome (as it is beléeued) will shortly imitate him. In this I∣land there are many pearls and aliofer, al very good, round and fine.

CHAP. XXV. This chapter treateth of manie kingdomes of that newe worlde, the rites and customes of the inhabitants, and of some curious thinges.

THe afore saide father, Martin Ignacio departed with his companions from this cost, and went towards the Ilands of Nicobar, wheras are many Moores & gentiles, al ming∣led the one with y^e other.* 1.124 They did not stay there, but presently passed to the town of Cuylan, which is inhabited with Portin∣gals, & from Malaca 416. leagues. This Iland is situated frō sixe vnto ten degrées vnder our pole, & hath in longitude, thrée score and sixe leagues, and nine and thirtie of latitude. Of old•• time it was an Iland much celebrated, & in those partes had in great reuerence, for that it is saide that there dwelt & died there in times past men, whose soules are in heauē, and are celebra∣ted & honored by thē of the countrie as though they were gods, with many sacrifices and orations, the which they do ordinari∣ly. There come from other kingdomes bordering therupon, vn∣to this Ilande, many pilgrimes, but our people could neuer vn∣derstand the ground & occasion thereof, neither how they liued, whom they doo hold for saints. There is vpon the same Iland a very high mountaine which is called Pico de adan which fa∣ther Martin did sée, & did heare the naturall people thereof say, that it had that name, for that by the same. Adam went vp into heauen: but what Adam it was they could not declare.

There is on this Pico like a monasterie, the which the natu∣rall people doo call Pagode: At one time they had therein an Apes to••th,* 1.125 the which they did worship for their God: and ther•• came thither vnto that effect, some two hundred and thrée hun∣dred leagues. It so happened in the yeare 1554. the vizroy of India, called Don Pedro Mascarenas sent an army vnto this kingdome, with many Portugals, with intent to reduce them vnto the obedience of the king of Portugall, all of that country, as they were before, who few yeares past, did rise against them, and tooke away and denied their fewter. The souldiers did sack that Pagode or monastery, and thinking to finde some treasure therein, they broke it, and beat it downe vnto the foundation:

and there they found the aforesaid apes tooth, the which they did worship, put in a chest of golde and stones, and carried it vnto Goa, vnto the said vizroy. When that this was vnderstood and knowne to other kings their borderers, and vnto him of Pegu, of this losse (the which of them was iudged to bee great) they sent their Ambassadors to the said vizroy, that they might in the name of them all, demaunde the saide tooth, the which they did worship, & to offer for the ransome thereof seuen hundred thou∣sand ducats of gold. The viceroy woul•• haue giuen it them for that quantitie of gold which they did offer, & would haue done it in effect, if it had not bin for the archbishop of Goa, who was called Don Gaspar, & other religious mē, who did disturbe him putting great scrupulositie, & laide vnto his charge the hurt that come by their Idolatrie, in giuing them the same, of the which he should giue a straight account vnto God. The which did so much in him, y^t he dispatched away the embassador: without a∣ny regard of the gold y^t they would haue giuen him in their pre∣sence, he did deliuer y^e same vnto the said archbishop & religious men, & they before their eies did break it, & burnt it, & threw the dust thereof into the sea, which was not a little woonder vnto the said embassadors, to sée how little they did estéeme so great a quantitie of golde, and for a thing which they estéemed not, but threw it into the sea with so great liberalitie.

This Ilande is fertile, peaceable, & healthfull, and all full of woods, and there are mountaines very thicke of orenge trees, si∣ders, Limas, Plantanos, & Palmas, and many synamon trées, which be the best in all the world, & of most strength & effect, for y^e which they go to buy, for to bring it vnto Europe, & they giue it for a small price. Likewise there is pepper, but the naturall people did pull vp certaine hils that were ful of it, & of sinamon, because they saw there came from farre to buy these two cōmo∣dities, & fearing y^t it would be an occasion y^t their country would be taken from them. It is a countrie of great prouision, & doth bring foorth mightie elephants, and they say that there is many mynes of diamōds, rubies, & other stones y^t are called girasolis. In no part of this orientall Indies, there was none of so good a beginning in the cōuersion of the soules, as was in this Iland, for that certaine religious friers of the order of S. Francis did labor very much, and did baptise in a few daies more than fiftie

thousand soules, which gaue to vnderstand that with a verie good will they did receiue the law of the gospell, and had edi••ted many churches, and fourtéene monasteries of the same religi∣on: but few yeares past, a king of that kingdome, being weary of certaine things, which in all that Indians are very publicke. he forsooke the religion & faith he had receiued, and did rase & de∣stroy many portingals y^t where there inhabited, thrusting forth all y^e religious men that did baptise, & minister the sacraments. This euill king was called Raxu. Many of them y^t were chri∣stened, & content w^t the faith of Iesu Christ they had receiued, detesting y^t which this tirannous king had done, they went & dwelt in y^e company of the portingals, & others did build a town the which is called in their language Columbo, whereas is a great number of them: vnto this day do indure throughout al that kingdom the crosses, in token of their ancient christianitie: alongst all the coast they doe vse many Galiotas or gallyes, & goe with them, robbing and spoyling al thereaboutes. The na∣turall people doo say, that with a good will they would againe returne and receiue the law of the gospell, if they had it there preached. From this Iland after they had passed a little gulfe, they came vpon the coast of a kingdome called Tutucuriu, and ran all alongest the cost of the same, running from the cape of Comerin to Cuylan. Here there is a Pagode or temple of their gods very great and rich, thether come all the Gentiles of that kingdom, at certain feasts in y^e yeare with great deuotion: there is in is it a triumphant chariot, so great that 20. horse cannot mooue it, they bring it foorth in publike vpō their festiual daies, & is carried by elephants, & by an infinite number of men, who voluntarily do hale and pull at certaine roapes y^t are made fast therunto. Upon the highest of this chariot is made a tabernacle very richly adorned, and within the same an Idol, whom they do worship: then immediatly vnder the same are y^e kings wiues that go singing. They doo bring it forth with much musick•• & reioysings, & do carry it a good way in procession, and amongest many thinges of honor that they doo vnto it, they do vse one so brute and beastly as the reader may well iudge thereof, which is,* 1.126 that many of them doo cut péeces of their owne fleshe and doo throwe it vnto the Idoll, and the other not contented with this, doo throwe them selues on the grounde that the

chariot may passe ouer them, and there they remaine all to pée∣ces. Those that do die in this sort, they account them for great saints, and are had in singular veneration. Many other maners and fashions of idolatrie is declared of this kingdome, and more beastly than this we haue spokē of, the which I let passe, because I would not be tedious in this Itinerario. All the people of this kingdom, be very bad and ill inclined, for which cause y^e fathers of the company of Iesus, that are in certaine townes nigh vnto the same, cannot as yet bring them out of their errors, although they haue put therein great care and diligence.

Upon the same cost, & a litle distant from this kingdom there is a towne of Portingals called Coulan, and 25. leagues fur∣ther a citie which is called Cochin, in the which there are reli∣gious men of S. Francis, of S. Dominicke, of S. Austin, & of the companie of Iesus, who haue there a very good studie, or se∣minarie, whereas they do bring foorth much fruite. Nigh vnto this citie is Santo Tome, whereas are many baptised and good christians, very abstinent and chast, vnto whom the patriarkes of Babylon doo prouide them of bishops: the authoritie where with they do it, is not knowen, nor whence they haue it, for that as I do vnderstand, the seat apostolicke did neuer giue it them. About the same matter, at this present there is in Rome a bishop of this kingdome, and one of the kingdome of Pimien∣ta, with whom I haue talked diuers times, and is come the∣ther to giue his obedience vnto the Pope and to knowe of him the order that his pleasure is should be obserued, in recei∣uing of those bishops which come thether by the cōmandement of the patriarke. In this kingdome there are many kings, but the principallest of them is he of Cochin, and next vnto him, he of Coulan, & nigh vnto them are many petie kings, as is hee of Mangate & Cranganor, and are all Gentils, although amongst them there are mixed many Moores. There hath bin found in this kingdome certaine Iewes, that haue gone frō Palestina & those parts. There is in this countrie vniuersally, a lawe verie strange and little heard of, which is, that the sonnes doo not in∣herite after their fathers, but his brothers sonne, and the reason they giue for the same, is, for y^t they haue no certaintie of their children, for that they haue no wiues proper nor appointed to thēselues, I promise you it séemeth to me, their reason to be as

barbarous as their law, for that the like inconuenience doth fo∣low their brothers children. They haue many rites & blindnes amongst thē, but one aboue all the rest, which is, y^t in certaine feastes amongst them: they do vse bathes, & after that they are bathed, they say that they remaine frée & cleare from all their sinnes They haue many augorismes, of whom I will not in∣treat, for that they are not worthy of memorie. In this country is gathered most of the pepper that is brought into Europe, for which cause this kingdome is called that of the Pimienta.

CHAP. XXVI. The chapter doth treate of many kingdomes of the newe world, and of the particular and curious things of them.

THe aforesaid father went from Cochin to the kingdome of Cananor, & passed by Tanaor & Calicut which is called of the naturall people Malabar they are litle kingdomes,* 1.127 but in them much people. In that of Cananor there are inhabited many Portingals, and religious mē of the order of S. Francis: it is a countrie in all things like vnto Cochin, for which cause, and for that they obserue & kéepe one maner of customs & rites, I remit the touching of this kingdome to the other aforesaide.

Then forwards on there are other two small kingdoms the one is called Barcelor, & the other, Mangalor, there be in them some christians: it is a good countrie & rich, and hath it for cer∣taine, that within a little time, they will be all baptised. From this kingdome they went vnto Goa, a principall citie, and in∣habited with Portingals, & is as the metropolitane of all those kingdomes: it is in fiftéen degrées of height▪ and is set from Co∣chin vnto it a hundreth leagues, this citie is situated in a little Iland compassed round about with water, and in compasse but onely foure leagues, and is deuided from the firme land of O∣dialcan by a mightie riuer. It is a good countrie & peaceable, and doth inioy a very faire and pleasant riuer. In this Citie ordinarily is resident the viceroy of the India, and the arch∣bishoppe: there are many Churches and couents, & besides the high church, there are fourtéene parish churches, besides fiftéen hermitages that are within and without the citie: there be four couents, all very sumptuous, of S. Dominicke, of S. Austin,

of saint Francis, and of the company of Iesus. And without the cittie there is another of Recoletos Franciscanos reformed Francis friers.

Nigh vnto this Iland are those of Salcete and Barde••,* 1.128 there whereas the religious men of saint Francis, and the companie of Iesus haue certaine christian townes. Few yeares past, the Gentiles of Sancete did kill certaine fathers of the company of Iesus, in abhorring the faith, who died with great spirite and strength▪ so that I beleeue they went into ioy with God.

Beyonde Goa on the same coast towardes the North,* 1.129 is in eightéene degrées and a halfe from y^e towne of Chaul, & beyond that Basayn, & nigh thereunto Damaun: all these three townes are inhabited with Portugals, and the farthest is the prouince of Cambaya, subiect vnto the grand Tartar, or Mogor, by an other name. Two and fort••e leagues beyond that,* 1.130 is the cit∣tie called Diu, whereas is a very faire and good fortresse of Por∣tugals, with a very great hauen and sure, whose name doth ex∣tend thoroughout all Turkey.

Two hundred and seuentie leagues beyond that,* 1.131 is the Citie of Oromuz on the ••oast of Persia, and in the same hath y^e saide Portugals; an other fortresse, much better then that of Diu, and more inexpugnable: it is the biggest in al the Indians, but not of so great name as that of Diu. In this cittie of Oromuz they gather nothing else but salt, and that in great aboundance, yet notwithstanding▪ it is replenished of all that may be imagined, for that there is brought thither from Persia, and Arabia, great prouision and many other curiosities. They say, that from this place they may easily go to Uenice, taking their way to Aleph, and to Tripoli in Soria.

All this coast of the Indias vnto Persia, is inhabited with many and mightie kingdomes, in the which there an infinite number of people: one of them is that of Odialon;* 1.132 the which is very rich, and of much people, and all Moores. Nigh vnto this is another called Disamaluco, harde by the kingdome of the great Tartar, which in their language is called Mogor,* 1.133 the which, next vnto that of China, (I doo thinke) is the greatest in all the world, as may be collected in that which is declared of the mightinesse thereof, both in ancient and latter histories. On the other side of Oromuz is the kingdome of Persia,* 1.134 whose king

is Xactamas, or Ismael Sophi, great Soldan of Egypt, descen∣ding by lyneall desent from the Soldan, Campson Gaurio, whom Selim, Emperor of the Tartaros did ouercome in bat∣tell, nigh vnto Damasco, in the yeare 1516.

All those of this kingdome are Moores, although they & the Turkes are as the Christians and heretikes, for that the Per∣sians do follow the interpretation of the lawe of Mahomet, of certaine Alie••▪ or doctors. And the Turkes go a different way, and do follow others. This contractation and different inter∣pretation of the lawe, is the occasion that betwixt the one and the other: there is ordinarily cruell warres: and it is the great mercy of God, for that the Turke may not haue any space, to come and do euil vnto his Christians, or if he do come, he shalbe ouertaken with the Persians, his enimy the Sophi, and intrap∣ped with all the euill they can do vnto him: who that although he be a Moore, and of the sect of Mahomet, yet he is a friend vn∣to Christians.

CHAP. XXVII. Of other kingdomes and notable things that are vntill you come into Spaine, and to conclude, the compassing of the world.

* 1.135NEere vnto the straite of Oromuz is Arabia Felix, where as all the inhabitants are of the sect of Mahomet, and doo follow the same interpretatiō that the Sophi doth. So running a long by Arabia,* 1.136 you come straight vnto the red sea, or Ara∣bico, the which hath foure hundred and fiftie leagues of Lon∣gitude, and in some partes it is of a mightie depth: the water thereof seemeth to bee red, although taking it out thereof, it is white: the cause thereof is, for that the ground vnder the water is of the same colour. By reason whereof, when as the sun doth shine thereon, it séemeth red, and thereby it hath got the name the which it hath vnto this day. By this sea, and by that of Ba∣sora, the great Turk doth carrie much spiceri••, silkes, and cloth of golde, and all riches out of the Orientall Indias, the which may easily be disturbed,* 1.137 but the way how, is not for this place nor time. On the other side is the land of Abexin, which is that of Prester Iohn, a kingdome although it is very great, yet it ex∣tendeth

very litle on this coast.* 1.138 From this kingdome or poynt going to the southwest is six hundreth leagues to Mazaubique whereas there is inhabitance of Portingals. All this coast is blacke people, gentiles and Idolaters, and is in fiftéene degrées in altitude towardes the south, and in the same maner are all the rest that are inhabited from Mazaubique vnto the cape of Buena Esperansa. They are without memorie of the prea∣ching of the gospel, if that God for his mercy doe not take pitie on them, and put into the heartes of some to goe thither and to procure the remedie of so infinite number of soules.

So after the sayd father had informed himselfe of all that is sayde, and of many other thinges more, which is left out for to euitate tediousnes, till such time as of them may bee made a particular historie, hee departed from Goa and Co∣chin towardes Portingall, and passed by the Ilandes of Mal∣diuia which are many, & all are inhabited with Moores,* 1.139 nigh vnto the which they doe enter the poole Antartico, crossing the equinoctiall from the coast of Arabia, from thence they sayled with a faire winde till they came right against the Iland of sainct Lorenso, which is very great,* 1.140 for that it hath two hun∣dreth seuentie and fiue leagues of longitude, and fourescore and tenne of latitude. All inhabited with much people, very quiet and ciuill: the faith of Christ was neuer preached amongest them, yet I doe beleue that if it were, they would quietly re∣ceiue the same. Passing from this Ilande, they came vnto the Cape of Buena Esperansa, y^t which is another very good Iland,* 1.141 whose inhabitants and dwellers are much like to those of saint Lorenso: it is in the temperate Zona, & nigh vnto the straights of Magellanes. This Cape of Buena Esperansa is called by another name the Cape Tormentorio: it is fiue and thirtie degrées large from the pole Antartico. And from Cochin vnto this Cape, they put one thousand thrée hundred, fiftie and eight leagues, that way which they do ordinarliy Nauigate. When they doo passe by this cape, they were wont to haue great and strong winds. They go from thence to the Iland of S. Elena,* 1.142 which is beyond the Cape forwards, fiue hundred and seuentie leagues. It is not inhabited with people, but ful of swine, goats, and great aboundance of partriges, and in all the coast is great store of fish, the which is taken with great ease: it is but a little

Iland, and hath circuit no more then fiue l••••gues.

From this Ilande they do Nauigate foure hundred leag••es vntill they come vnder the Equinoctial,* 1.143 vpon the coast of Gui∣nea, returning vnto the pole Artike, in foure and forty degrées in altitude (which was almost at the same place from whence he departed at his going foorth) after hee compassed the world. They passed in sight of the lande, and from thence they sailed forwards, and sawe other land vntill they came vnto Lisborne, hauing (after they had crossed the equinoctiall) sayled a thou∣sand foure hundred and fifty leagues. So that after the afore∣said father, frier Martin Ignacio had made his account of all that he had trauelled, from the time he departed from Siuel, til he returned vnto Lysborne, in compassing the world, he found that it was nine thousand and forty leagues by sea & by lande, besides many other leagues that he trauelled in China, and in other parts, of the which hee dooth make no account. All these leagues, are full of mightie kingdomes, and al or the most part of them, are subiect vnto the tyranny of lucyfer. God for his in∣finite mercy conuert them, and take pittie on them, as hee did when that he came from heauen vppon the earth to die for all, & put into the heart of the king of Spaine, that amongst other good workes, the which with his most Christian zeale dooth in∣tend and do, for to procure this, which will bee, so much vnto the glory of God, and great desert of honor vnto himselfe, the which he may do very commodiously, being as he is at this day Lord of all the Indies, and of the biggest part of all that newe world.

This petition is worthy, that all we Christians doo desire of God, for that his holy name in all the world may be praised and exalted, and the sonnes of Adam, who for their sinnes are so di∣spersed and forgotten of God, and first beginning, they may go and inioy the happy and glorious kingdome, for the which they were created.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Canarias.
• * 1.2

  Fortunadas.
• * 1.3

  The names of the Cana∣rias.
• * 1.4

  Much snow.
• * 1.5

  Great quan∣titie of brim∣stone.
• * 1.6

  Thedropping from a tree doth seruethe whole Iland with water.
• * 1.7

  Opinions of this Iland.
• * 1.8

  Camelles.
• * 1.9

  The Iland called Dessea∣da.
• * 1.10

  The Iland Dominica.
• * 1.11

  They which did eatefriers flesh did die madde.
• * 1.12

  Much kine, sugar, & gin∣ger: wheat and gold.
• * 1.13

  Of sixe hun∣dred thou∣sand Indi∣ans there re∣maineth none
• * 1.14

  The Iland Hispaniola or Santo Do∣mingo.
• * 1.15

  Mightie ri∣uers in spain.
• * 1.16

  A peece of virgin gold so bigge as a two pennie wheaten loaf.
• * 1.17

  Cannafistola.
• * 1.18

  Gold and pearles.
• * 1.19

  Bread of a roote called Casaue.
• * 1.20

  Of three mil∣lions of men not two hun∣dred left.
• * 1.21

  Tiburones.
• * 1.22

  The Ilande of Nauala.
• * 1.23

  The Iland of Iamayca
• * 1.24

  Uracans.
• * 1.25

  The Iland of Cuba, an•• the port Ha∣uana,
• * 1.26

  The Spani∣••rds God is ••old.
• * 1.27

  The Indi∣ans throwe all their gold and iewels into the riuer
• * 1.28

  The port of saint Iohn de Lua.
• * 1.29

  The Iland of Campeche
• * 1.30

  Hony & wax••
• * 1.31

  The Citie of Vera Cruz,
• * 1.32

  The king∣dome of Mexico.
• * 1.33

  New Mexico
• * 1.34

  Peru. Nombre de Dios. Acapulo. Panama.

  The straites of Magella∣nes.
• * 1.35

  It rayneth almost euery day.
• * 1.36

  The best horses in all the world.
• * 1.37

  An infinite number of siluer mines.
• * 1.38

  An Uniuersi∣tie in Mexico▪
• * 1.39

  A strange kind of tree.
• * 1.40

  Properties of the Indi∣ans.
• * 1.41

  Pictures made of fethers.
• * 1.42

  Hernando Cortes.
• * 1.43

  Medicinall hearbes.
• * 1.44

  They vse no compounds.
• * 1.45

  New Mexico
• * 1.46

  The prouince of Tiguas
• * 1.47

  The prouince of Conchas.
• * 1.48

  Great store of Conies, Hares and venison.
• * 1.49

  Passaguates.
• * 1.50

  Mines of siluer.
• * 1.51

  Tobosos
• * 1.52

  Iumanos▪
• * 1.53

  Good salt.
• * 1.54

  Houses of 4. tories high.
• * 1.55

  They wor∣ship the diuel
• * 1.56

  ich metals.
• * 1.57

  Rich metals.
• * 1.58

  The sea of Ladies.
• * 1.59

  White people as bigge as gyants.
• * 1.60

  without king or gouernor,
• * 1.61

  Iron more esteemed than siluer or gold.
• * 1.62

  Archipelago.
• * 1.63

  The Iland of Luzon, and citie of Ma∣nilla.
• * 1.64

  Geeat moun∣tains of pep∣per, cloues, and ginger.
• * 1.65

  The diue•••• was wor∣shiped▪
• * 1.66

  Vitches.
• * 1.67

  The Indi∣ans would not go into heauen be∣cause there were spanish souldiers.
• * 1.68

  Siuit. Honie.
• * 1.69

  Sinamum.
• * 1.70

  Linseed Oile.
• * 1.71

  Cloues. Saffron. Pepper. Nutmegs. Cotton and Silke. Powder. Saltpeter. Iron. Steele. Quicksiluer. Brasse. Copper.
• * 1.72

  Sixe months trauaile from Ierusalem vnto China.
• * 1.73

  Great dit∣ches & lakes.
• * 1.74

  A mightie lake.
• * 1.75

  More ships in one port than in all Spaine.
• * 1.76

  They neuer had the plague.
• * 1.77

  Mynes of golde & siluer.
• * 1.78

  Siluer for his value more esteeme•• than gold.
• * 1.79

  Amber gryce
• * 1.80

  Wonderfull treasure▪
• * 1.81

  Fleetes may be laden with silke.
• * 1.82

  Sugar. ho ny and waxe.
• * 1.83

  A riuer that yeeldeth a million and a halfe euery yeare in sal••.
• * 1.84

  All cities are walled.
• * 1.85

  They vse har¦gabushes, bowes, and lances.
• * 1.86

  Englande, France, Spaine and the Turke hath not so many souldi∣ers as this kingdome.
• * 1.87

  Captaines of few and ma∣ny souldiers.
• * 1.88

  Salamina where S. Thomas was martred.
• * 1.89

  Giuen to de∣lightes.
• * 1.90

  Their womē are chast, but their men are vicious.
• * 1.91

  Iapon is 300 leagues from China.
• * 1.92

  The first in∣habiting of the Iapon.
• * 1.93

  In the Ia∣pones are 66. kingdomes.
• * 1.94

  A luciferine pride.
• * 1.95

  Many w••••ches,
• * 1.96

  Ilands of Amazones.
• * 1.97

  A strange custome.
• * 1.98

  Great fishing of Pearles.
• * 1.99

  ••arias is a ••uetie for the ••inges owne ••erson.
• * 1.100

  Aboundance ••f silk & gold.
• * 1.101

  A myracle▪
• * 1.102

  Another my¦racle.
• * 1.103

  Their womē are honest & shamefast▪
• * 1.104

  They neuer had plague, pestilence nor hunger.
• * 1.105

  The king∣dome of Champa Rich of drugs.
• * 1.106

  The king∣dome of C••mboia.
• * 1.107

  The king∣dome of Sian.
• * 1.108

  The mother of Idolatrie.
• * 1.109

  Faint hear∣ted people.
• * 1.110

  The king∣dome of Lu∣gor, and that of Patone.
• * 1.111

  Gold, pepper and drugs.
• * 1.112

  The king∣domes of Pa∣on and Ior.
• * 1.113

  The straight of Malaca is vnder the l••ne.
• * 1.114

  A daint••e kind of mea••.
• * 1.115

  A tree of a wonderfull e••f••et.
• * 1.116

  Two contra∣ries in one subiect.
• * 1.117

  The Iland of Samatra sup∣posed to be the Iland of Ophir.
• * 1.118

  The richest Iland in the world.
• * 1.119

  An armie of a million and sixe hundred thousand mē.
• * 1.120

  The king∣dome of Arra∣con.
• * 1.121

  The king∣dome of Van∣gala.
• * 1.122

  A strange custome.
• * 1.123

  A diamond sold for a mil∣lion of gold.
• * 1.124

  ••landes of Nicobar.
• * 1.125

  Anapes tooth for their God
• * 1.126

  •• brutish vse.
• * 1.127

  The king∣dome of Cananor, Tanaor, and Calic••t.
• * 1.128

  Ilandes Sal∣cete & Bardes.
• * 1.129

  The towns of Chaul, Basayn. Damaun. Cambaya.
• * 1.130

  The cittie of Diu.
• * 1.131

  The cittie of Oromuz.
• * 1.132

  Odialon,
• * 1.133

  Mogor.
• * 1.134

  Persia.
• * 1.135

  Arabia Felix.
• * 1.136

  The red sea.
• * 1.137

  The lande of Abexin, that of Prester Iohn.
• * 1.138

  Mazaubique.
• * 1.139

  The Ilands of Maldiuia.
• * 1.140

  The Iland•• of S. Lo∣renso.
• * 1.141

  The Cape o•• Buena. Esperansa.
• * 1.142

  The Iland•• of S. Elena,
• * 1.143

  Guinea.