The fourth voyage of the Frenchmen into Florida, vnder the con∣duct of Captaine Gourgues, in the yeere, 1567.

CAptaine Gourgues a Gentleman borne in the Countrey neere vnto Bourdeaux incited with a desire of reuenge, to repaire the honour of his nation, borowed of his friends and sold part of his owne goods to set forth and furnish three ships of indifferent burthen with all things necessary, hauing in them an hundred and fiftie souldiers, and fourescore chosen Mariners vnder Captaine Cazenoue his lieutenant, and Francis Bourdelois Master ouer the Mariners. He set forth the 22 of August 1567. And hauing endured contrary winds and stormes for a season, at length hee arriued and went on shore in the Isle of Cuba. From thence he passed to the Cape of Saint Anto∣ny at the end of the Ile of Cuba, about two hundred leagues distant from Florida, where the cap∣taine disclosed vnto them his intention which hitherto he had concealed from them, praying and ex∣horting them not to leaue him being so neere the enemie, so well furnished, and in such a cause: which they all sware vnto him, and that with such courage that they would not stay the full Moone to passe the chanell of Bahama,* but speedily discouered Florida, where the Spanyards saluted them with two Canon shot from their fort, supposing that they had beene of their nation, and Gourgues saluted them againe to entertaine them in this errour, that hee might sur•rise them at more aduantage, yet sailing by them, & making as though he went to some other place vntil he had sailed out of sight of the place, so that about euening, hee landed 15 leagues from the fort, at the mouth of the Riuer Tacatacouru,* which the Frenchmen called Seine, because they thought it to bee like Seine in France. Afterward perceiuing the shore to bee couered with Sauages Page  357 with their vowes and arrowes, (besides the signe of peace and amitie which he made them from his ships) he sent his Trumpet•er, to assure them, that they were come thither for none other ende but to renew the amitie and ancient league of the French with them. The Trumpetter did •is message so well (by reason he had bene there before vnder Laudonniere) that he brought backe from king Satouriona, the greatest of all the other kings, a kidde and other meat to refresh vs, be∣sides the offer of his friendsh•p and amitie. Afterward they ret•red da•sing in signe of ioy, to ad∣uertise all the kings Satouriouaes kinsmen to repaire thither the next day to make a league of a∣mitie with the Frenchmen. Whereupon in the meane space our generall went about to sound the chanel of the riuer to bring in his ships, and the better to traffike and deale with the Sauages, of whom the chiefe the next day in the morning presented themselues, namely the great king Sa∣tourioua, Tacatacourou, Halmacanir, Athore, Harpaha, Helmacapé, Helicopilé, Mollo•a, and others his kinsmen and allies,* with their accustomed weapons. Then sent they to intreate the French general to come on shore, which he caused his men to do with their swords, and harqueb•∣sies, which he made them leaue behind them, in token of mutuall assurance, leauing his men but their swords only, after that the Sauages complaining thereof had left and likewise sent away their weapons at the request of Gourgues. This done Satourioua going to meet him, caused him to sit on his right hand in a seat of wood of lentisque couered with mosse made of purpose like vn∣to his owne.* Then two of the eldest of the company pulled vp the brambles & other weeds which were before them, and after they had made the place very cleane, they all sate round about them on the ground. Afterward Gourgues b•ing about to speake, Satourioua preuented him, declaring at large vnto him the incredible wrongs, and continuall outrages that all the Sauages,*their wiues and children had receiued of the Spanyards since their comming into the Countrey and massacring of the Frenchmen, with their continuall desire if we would assist them throughly to reuenge so shamefull a treason, aswell as their owne particular griefes, for the firme good will they alwayes had borne vnto the Frenchmen. Whereupon Gourgues giuing them his faith, and making a league betweene them and him with an othe gaue them certaine presents of daggers, kniues, looking glasses, hatchets, rings, belles, and such other things, trifles vnto vs, but precious vnto these kings: which moreouer, seeing his great liberality, demanded eche one a shirt of him to weare onely on their festiuall dayes, and to be buried in at their death. Which things after that they had receiued, and Satourioua had giuen in recompense to Captaine Gourgues two chaines of siluer graines which hung about his necke,* and ech of the kings certaine deere skinnes dressed after their manner, they retired themselues dansing and very iocond, with promise to keep all things secret, and to bring vnto the sayd place good companies of their subi•cts all well armed to be auenged throughly on the Spanyards. In the meane space Gourgues very narrowly ex∣amined Peter de Bré borne in Newhauen,* which being but a yong stripling escaped out of the fort into the woods while the Spanyards murdered the rest of the French, & was afterward brought vp with Satourioua, which at that time bestowed him on our generall, whose aduise stoode him in great steade: Whereupon he sent to discouer the fort and the estate of the enemies by certaine of his men, being guided by Olotacara Satourioua•s nephew which hee had giuen him for this pur∣pose and for assurance of Estampes a gentleman of Cominges, and others which he sent to discry the state of the enemies. Moreouer he gaue him a sonne of his starke naked as all of them are, and his wife which he loued best of all the rest, of eighteene yeeres olde, apparelled with the mosse of trees, which for 3 dayes space were in the ships,* vntil our men returned from discrying the state of the enemie, and the kings had furnished their preparation at their rende-uous. Their marching being concluded, and the Sauages rende-vous being appointed them beyond the riuer Salina∣cani, of our men called Somme,* they all dranke with great solemnitie their drinke called Cassine, made of the iuice of certaine hearbs (as they are wont to do, when they go to any place of danger,) which hath such force, that it taketh from them hunger and thirst for 24 houres, and Gourgues was faine to make as though he drank thereof for company. Afterward they lift vp their handes and sware all that they would neuer forsake him. Olotocara followed him with pike in hand. Be∣ing all met at the riuer of Sarauahi,* not without great trouble, by reason of the raine and places full of water which they must needes passe, which hindred their passage, they were distressed with famine •inding nothing by the way to eat, their Bark of prouision being not arriued, which was to come vnto him from the ships, the ouersight and charge whereof he had left vnto Burdelois with the rest of the Mariners. Now he had learned that the Spanyards were foure hundred strong,* de∣uided into three •orts builded and flanked, and well fortified vpon the riuer of May, the great fort especially begunne by the French, and afterward repaired by them: vpon the most dangerous and principall landing place whereof, two leagues lower and neerer towarde the Riuers mouth, Page  358 they had made two smaller Forts, which were defended, the riuer passing betweene them, with sixe score souldiers, good store of artillery and other munition, which they had in the same. From Saracary vnto these smal forts was two leagues space,* which he found very painful, because of the bad waies and continual raines. Afterward he departed from the riuer Catacouru with 10, shot, to view the first fort, and to assault it the next day in the morning by the breake of day, which hee could not doe, because of the foule weather, and darknesse of the night. King Helicopile seeing him out of quiet in that he had failed of his purpose there, assured him to guide him a more easie way, though it were farther abou•. Insomuch as leading him through the woods, he brought him within sight of the fort, where he discerned one quarter which was but begun to bee entrenched. Thus after he had sounded the small riuer that falleth downe thereby, hee stayed vntill ten of the clock in the morning for an ebbe water, that his men might passe ouer there, vnto a place where he had seene a litle groue between the riuer & the fort (that he might not be seene to passe and set his souldiers in array) causing them to fasten their flasks to their Morions, & to hold vp their swords and kaliuers in their hands, for feare least the water, which reached vp to their girdles, should not wet them: where they found such abundance of great oysters, and shels which were so sharpe, that many had their legs cut with them, and many others lost their shoes. Notwithstanding assoone as they were passed ou•r, with a French courage they prepared thems•lues to the assault on the sun∣day eue next after Easter day, in Aprill 1568. Insomuch that Gourgues to employ the ardent heat of this good affection, gaue twenty shot to his Lieutenant Cazenoue, and ten Mariners la∣den with pots and balles of wild fire to burne the gate: and then he assaulted the Fort on another side,* after he had made a short speech vnto his men of the strange treasons which the Spanyards had plaid their companions. But being discried as they came holding downe their heads within two hundred paces from the Fort, the Gunner being vpon the terrace of the Fort, after he had cri∣ed, Arme, Arme, these be French men, discharged twise vpō them a coluerine, wheron the Armes of France were grauen, which had bin taken from Laudonniere. But as he went about to charge it the third time, Olotocara,* which had not learned to keepe his ranke, or rather moued with rage, lept on the platforme, and thrust him through the bodie with his pike and slew him. Whereup∣on Gourgues aduanced forward, and after he had heard Cazenoue cry, that the Spaniards which issued out armed at the cry of the alarme, were fled, hee drew to that part, and so hemmed them in betweene him and his Lieutenant, that of threescore there escaped not a man, sauing only fifteene reserued vnto the same death which they had put the French vnto. The Spanyards of the other fort in the meanewhile ceased not to play with their ordinance, which much annoied the assailants: although to answere them they had by this placed and oftentimes pointed the foure pieces found in the first Fort.* Whereupon Gourgues being accompanied with fourescore shot went abord the barke which met him there to good purpose to passe into the wood neere vnto the Fort, out of which he supposed the Spanyards would issue to saue themselues thorow the benefit of the woods in the great fort, which was not past one league distant from y^e same. Afterward the Sauages not staying for the returne of the bark, lept al into the wat•r holding vp their bowes & arrowes in one hand, & swimming with the other,* so that the Spaniards seing both y^e shores couered with so great a number of men, thought to flee towards the woods: but being charged by the French, and after∣ward repulsed by the Sauages, toward whō they would haue retired, they were sooner then they would bereft of their liues. To conclude they al there ended their dayes sauing 15 of those which were reserued to be executed for the example of others.* Whereupon Captaine Gourgues hauing caused al that he found in the second fort to be transported vnto the first, where he ment to streng∣then himselfe to take resolution against the great Fort, the state whereof hee did not vnderstand: in fine a Sergeant of a band one of the prisoners assured him that they might be there very neere 300 wel furnished vnder a braue Gouernor, which had fortified there, attending farther succours. Thus hauing obtained of him the platforme, the height, the fortification and passages vnto it, and hauing prepared eight good lathers,* and raised all the Countrey against the Spanyard, that he neither might haue newes, nor succours, nor retract on any side, he determined to march forward. In the meane while the Gouernour sent a Spanyard disguised like a Sauage to spie out the state of the French.* And though he were discouered by Olorocara, yet he vsed all the cunning he could possibly to perswade them that he was one of the second fort, out of which hauing escaped, and seeing none but sauages on euery side, he hoped more in y^e Frenchmens then their mercy, vnto whom he came to yeeld himself disguised like a sauage, for feare lest if he should haue bin knowen, he should haue bin massacred by those Barbarians: but the spie being brought face to face with the sergeant of the the band, & conuicted to be one of the great fort, was reserued vntil an other time: after that he had assured Gourgues that the bruit was that he had 2000 Frenchmen with him for Page  259 feare of whom the 200 and threescore Spaniardes which remained in the great fort, were great∣ly astonied. Whereupon Gourgues being resolued to set vpon them, while they were thus ama∣zed, and leauing his Standrad-bearer and a Captaine with fifteene shot to keepe the Fort, and the entry of the Riuer, he caused the Sauages to depart by night to lye in ambush within the woods on both sides of the riuer, then he departed in the Morning, leading the Sergeant and the spy fast bound along with him, to shew him that in deede, which they had only made him vnderstand befor• in paynting. As they marched Olotocara a resolute Sauage which neuer left the Captaine, said vnto him, that he had serued him faithfully, and done whatsoeuer hee had commaunded him, that he was assured to dye in the conflict at the great Fort, wherein neuerthelesse he would not faile, though it were to saue his life: but he prayed him to giue that vnto his wife, if hee escaped not, which he had meant to bestow on him, that shee might bury the same with him,* that thereby hee might be better welcome vnto the village of the soules or spirits departed. To whom Captaine Gourgues answered, after he had commended his faithfull valour, the loue toward his wife, and his noble care of immortall honour, that he desired rather to honour him aliue then dead, and that by Gods helpe he would bring him home againe with victorie. After the discouerie of the Fort, the Spanyards were no niggards of their Canon shotte, nor of two double Coluerines, which be∣ing mounted vpon a Bulwarke, commaunded all along the Riuer, which made captaine Gor∣gues to get to the hill couered with wood, at the foot whereof the Fort beginneth, and the forrest or wood continueth and stretcheth foorth beyond it:* so that he had sufficient couerture to approch thereunto without offence. He purposed also to remaine there vntill the Morning, wherein hee was resolued to assault the Spaniards by scaling their walles on the side toward the hill, where the Trench seemed not sufficiently flanked for the defence of the courtains, and from whence part of his men might draw them that were besieged, which should shew themselues to defend the ram∣part while the rest were comming vp. But the Gouernour hastened his vnhappy destinie, cau∣sing threescore shotte to sallie foorth, which passing through the Trenches, aduaunced forward to descrye the number and valour of the French, whereof twentie vnder the conduct of Caze∣noue, getting betweene the Fort and them which now were issued foorth, cut off their repassage, while Gorgues commanded the rest to charge them in the Front, but not to discharge but neere at hand, and so that they might be sure to hitte them, that afterward with more ease they might cut them in pieces with their swordes. So that turning their backs assoone as they were char∣ged, and compassed in by his Lieutenant, they remayned all slaine vpon the place.* Whereat the rest that were besieged were so astonied, that they knew none other meane to saue their liues, but by fleeing into the Wooddes adioyning, where neuerthelesse being incountred •gaine by the ar∣rowes of the Sauages which lay in wayte there for them (whereof one ranne through the tar∣get and body of a Spanyard, which therewithall fell downe starke dead) some were constray∣ned to turne backe, choosing rather to dye by the hand of the French, which pursued them: assu∣ring themselues, that none of them could finde any fauour neyther with the one nor the other Na∣tion, whom they had alike and so out of measure cruelly intreated, sauing those which were re∣serued to be an example for the time to come. The Fort when it was taken,* was found well pro∣uided of all necessaries: namely of fiue double Coluerines, and foure Mynions, with diuers other small pieces of all sorts, and eighteene grosse c•kes of gunnepowder, all sorts of weapons, which Gourgues caused with speede to be imbarked, sauing the powder and other moueables, by reaso• it was all consumed with fire through the negligence of a Sauage, which in seething of his fish, set fire on a traine of powder which was made and hidden by the Spanyardes, to haue feasted th• French at the first assault, thus blowing vp the store house, and the other houses buylt of Pin•¦trees. The rest of the Spaniards being led away prisoners with the others, after that the Gene∣rall had shewed them the wrong which they had done without occasion to all the French Nation, were all hanged on the boughs of the same trees, whereon the French hung: of which number fiue were hanged by one Spaniard, which perceiuing himselfe in the like miserable estate, con∣fessed his fault, and the iust iudgement which God had brought vpon him. But in stead of the wri∣ting which Pedro Melendes had hanged ouer them,* importing these wordes in Spanish, I doe not this as vnto French men, but as vnto Lutherans, Gourgues caused to be imprinted with a searing iron in a table of Firrewood, I doe not this as vnto Spaniardes, nor as vnto Mariners, but as vnto Traitors, Robbers, and Murtherers. Afterward considering he had not men inough to keepe his Forts which he had wonne, much lesse to store them, fearing also lest the Spaniard which hath Dominions neere adioyning should renew his forces, or the Sauages should preuaile against the French men, vnlesse his Maiestie would send thither, hee resolued to raze them. And indeede, after he had assembled, and in the ende perswaded all the Sauage kings so to doe, they Page  362〈1 page duplicate〉Page  363〈1 page duplicate〉Page  360 caused their subiects to runne thither with such affection, that they ouerthrew all the three Forts flatte euen with the ground in one day.* This done by Gourgues, that hee might returne to his Shippes which were left in the Riuer of Sey•e called Tacatacourou, fifteene leagues distant from thence, he sent Caze•roue and the artillery by water: afterward with fourescore harqueb•∣siers, armed with corsi•ts, and matches light, followed with fortie Mariners bearing pikes, by reason of the small confidence he was to haue in so many Sauages, he marched by land alwayes in battell ray, finding the wayes couered with Sauages,* which came to honour him with presents and prayses, as the deliuerer of all the countreis round about adioyning. An old woman among the rest sayd vnto him, that now she cared not any more to dye, since she had seene the Frenchmen once againe in Florida, and the Spaniards chased out. Briefly being arriued, and finding his ships set in order, and euery thing ready to set sayle, hee counselled the kings to continue in the a∣mitie and ancient league which they had made with the king of France, which would defend them against all Nations: which they all promised, shedding teares because of his departure. Olotora∣ra especially: for appeasing of whom he promised them to returne within twelue Moones, (so they count the yeeres) and that his king would send them an army,* and store of kniues for presents, and all other things necessary. So that after he had taken his leaue of them, and ass•mbled his men• he thanked God of all his successe since his se•ting foorth, and prayed to him for an happy re∣turne. The third of May 1568. all things were made ready,* the Rendez-nous appoynted, and the Ankers weighed to set sayle so prosperously, that in seuenteene dayes they ranne eleuen hundred leagues: continuing which course they arriued at Rochel the sixt of Iune,* the foure and thirtieth day after their departure from the Riuer of May, hauing lost but a small Pinnesse and eight men in it, with a few gentlemen and others which were slaine in the assaulting of the Forts. After the cheere and good intertainment which he receiued of those of Rochel, hee sayled to Burdeaux to informe Monsieur Monluc of the things aboue mentioned, albeit hee was aduertised of eigh∣teene Pinnesses, and a great Shippe of two hundred Tunnes full of Spanyardes, which being assured of the defeat in Florida, and that he was at Rochel, came as farre as Che-de Bois,* the same day that he departed thence, and followed him as farre as Blay (but he was gotten already to Bordeaux) to make him yeeld another account of his voyage, then that, where with hee made many Frenchmen right glad. The Catholicke king being afterward informed that Gourgues could not easily be taken, offered a great summe of money to him that could bring him his head, praying moreouer king Charles to doe iustice on him as of the authour of so bloody an act con∣trary to their alliance and good league of friendshippe. In so much as comming to Paris to present himselfe vnto the King, to signifie vnto him the successe of his Uoyage, and the meanes which hee had to subdue this whole Countrey vnto his obedience, (wherein hee offered to imploy his life, and all his goods) hee found his entertainement and answere so contrary to his expecta∣tion, that in fine hee was constrayned to hide himselfe a long space in the Court of Road, about the yeere 1570 And without the assistance of President Matig•y, in whose house he remayned certaine dayes, and of the Receiuer of Vacquieulx, which alwayes was his faithfull friend, hee had beene in great danger. Which grieued not a litle Dominique de Gourgues, considering the seruices which hee had done aswell vnto him as to his predecessours kings of France. He• was borne in Mount Marsan in Guyenne, and imployed for the seruice of the most Christi∣an Kings in all the Armies made since these twentie fiue or thirtie yeeres:* at last he had the charge and honour of a Captaine, which in a place neere vnto Siene, with thirtie Souldyers sustayned the brunt of a part of the Spanish Armie, by which beeing taken in the assault, and hauing all his men cutte in pieces, hee was put into a Galley in token of the good warre and singular fauour which the Spanyard is woont to shewe vs. But as the Galley was going to∣ward Sicillie, beeing taken by the Turkes, ledde away to Rhodes, and thence to Constanti∣nople, it was shortly afterwarde recouered by Romeguas, commaunder ouer the Armie of Malta. By this meane returning home, hee made a Uoyage on the coast of Africa, whence hee tooke his course to Bresil, and to the South Sea. At length beeing desirous to repayre the ho∣nour of France, he set vpon Florida with such successe as you haue heard. So that being become by his continuall warlike actions both by Land and Sea no lesse valiant Captaine then skilfull Mariner, hee hath made himselfe feared of the Spanyard, and acceptable vnto the Queene of England for the desert of his vertues. To conclude, he dyed in the yeere 1582. to the great griefe of such as knew him.