A notable historie containing foure voyages made by certayne French captaynes vnto Florida vvherein the great riches and fruitefulnes of the countrey with the maners of the people hitherto concealed are brought to light, written all, sauing the last, by Monsieur Laudonniere, who remained there himselfe as the French Kings lieuetenant a yere and a quarter: newly translated out of French into English by R.H. In the end is added a large table for the better finding out the principall matters contayned in this worke.

THE FOVRTH VOYAGE of the French men into Florida, vn∣der the conduct of Captaine GOVRGVES, in the yeare, 1567. (Book 4)

CAptaine Gourgues a Gentleman borne in the country neére vnto Bordeaux incited with a de∣sire of reuenge, to repaire the honour of his nati∣on, borrowed of his friendes and soulde part of his owne goods to set foorth & furnish three ships of indifferent burthen with all things necessarie, hauing in them an hundred and fiftye Souldiers, and fourescore chosen Mariners vnder Captaine Cazenoue his Lieutenant, & Francis Bourdelois Master ouer the Mariners. He set foorth the two and twentieth of August 1567. And hauing endured con∣trary windes and stormes for a season at length hee arriued and went on shoare in the Isle of Cuba. From thence he passed to the Cape of Saint Antony at the ende of the Isle of Cuba, about two hundred leagues distant from Florida, where the Captaine disclosed vnto them his intention which hitherto hee had concea∣led from them, praying and exhorting them not to leaue him be∣ing so neére the enemie, so well furnished, & 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* 1.1 speédily discouered Florida, where the Spaniards saluted them with two Canons shotte from their fort, supposing that they had beéne of their Nation, and Gourgues saluted them againe to en∣tertaine them in this errour, that he might surprise them at more aduantage, yet sailing by them, and making as though he went to some other place vntill hee had sailed out of sight of the place so that about euening, he landed fifteén leagues from the fort, at the mouth of the Ryuer Tacata courou, which the Frenchmen cal∣led* 1.2 Seine, because they thought it to bee like Seine in France. Afterward perceiuing the shoare to bee couered with Sauages with their bowes and arrowes, (besides the signe of peace and a∣mitie which he made them from his ships) he sent his Trumpet∣tour,

to assure them, that they were come thither for none other end but to renue the amitie and auncient league of the French with them. The Trompettour did his message so well (by rea∣son he had beéne there before vnder Laudonniere) that he brought backe from king Satourioua, the greatest of al the other kings, a kidde and other meat to refresh vs, besides the offer of his friend∣ship and amitie. Afterward they retired daunsing in signe of ioy, to aduertise all the kings Satouriouaes kinsmen to repair thither the next daye to make a league of amitye with the French men. Whereupon in the meane space our generall went about to sound the chanel of the Riuer to bring in his shippes, and the better to trafficke and deale with the sauages, of whom the chiefe the next day in the morning presented themselues, namely the great king Satourioua, Tacatacourou, Halmacanir, Athore, Ha••paha,* 1.3 Helmacapé, Helicopilé, Molloua & others his kinsmē & allies, with their accustomed weapons. Then sent they to intreate the French Generall to come on shoare, which hee caused his men to doe with their swords & harquebusies, which he made them leaue behind them, in token of mutuall assuraunce leauing his men but their swordes onely, after that the sauages complaining thereof had left and likewise sent away their weapons at the request of Gourgues. This done Satourioua going to meéte him, caused him to sitte on his right hand in a seate of woode of lentisque co∣uered* 1.4 with mosse made of purpose like vnto his owne. Then two of the eldest of the companye pulled vp the brambles and other weédes which were before them, and after they had made the place very cleane, they all sate round about them on the ground. Afterwarde Gourgues beeing about to speake, Satourioua pre∣uented him, declaring at large vnto him the incredible* 1.5 wronges, and continuall outrages that all the sauages, their wiues and children had receaued of the Spaniards since their comming into the country 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 parti∣cular griefes, for the firme good will they alwaies had borne vnto the Frenchmen. Whereuppon Gourgues giuing them his faith, and making a league betweéne them and him with an oath gaue them certaine presentes of daggers, knyues, looking

glasses, hatchets, ringes, belles, and such other thinges trifles vnto vs, but precious vnto these kinges, which moreouer, seéing his great liberalitie, demaunded each one a shirt of him to weare onely on their festiuall daies, and to bee buried in at their death. Which things after that they had receaued, and Satourioua had giuen in recompense to Captaine Gourgues two chaines of sil∣uer* 1.6 graines which hung about his necke, and each of the kinges certaine Deares skinnes dressed after their manner, they retired themselues daunsing and very iocond, with promise to keépe all thinges secrete, and to bringe vnto the same place good compa∣nies of their subiects all well armed to be auenged throughly on the Spaniards. In the meane space Gourgues hauing narrow∣ly examined Peter de Bré borne in Newhauen, which being but* 1.7 a young stripling escaped out of the fort into the woods while the Spaniards murdered the rest of the French, and was afterward brought vp with Satourioua, which at that time bestowed him on our Generall, whose aduise stoode him in great steéde: Whereup∣on he sent to discouer the fort and the estate of the eminies by cer∣taine of his men, being guided by Olotacara Satouriouaes Ne∣phew which he had giuen him for this purpose and for assurance of Estam••es a gentleman of Cominges, and others which he sent to discry the state of the enemies. Moreouer he gaue him a sonne* 1.8 of his starke naked as all of them are, & his wife which he loued best of all the rest of eighteéne yeares olde apparelled with the mosse of treés, which for threé daies space were in the ships, vntill our men returned from discrying the state of the enemie, and the kings had furnished their preparation at the rende-vous. Their marching being concluded, and the sauages rende-vous beeing appointed them beyonde the riuer Salinacani, of our men called* 1.9 Somme, they all dranke with great solemnity their drinke called Cassine, made of the iuice of certaine hearbes (as they are wont to doe, when they goe to any place of daunger,) which hath such force, that it taketh from them hunger & thirst for foure & twenty houres, & Gourgues was fain to make as though he dranke ther∣of for company. Afterwarde they lift vp their handes & sware all that they would neuer forsake him. Olotocara followed him with pike in hand. Being all mette at the riuer of Sarauahi, not with∣out* 1.10 great trouble, by reason of the raine and places full of water

which they must neédes passe, which hindered their passage, they were distressed with famine finding nothing by the waye to eate, their Barke of prouision beeing not arriued, which was to come vnto him from the shippes, the ouersight and charge whereof hee had left vnto Burdelois with the rest of the Mariners. Now hee had learned that the Spaniards were foure hundred strong, de∣uided* 1.11 into thrée forts builded and flanked, and well fortified vpon the ryuer of May, the great fort especially begun by the French, and afterward repaired by them: vppon the most dangerous and principall landing place whereof, two leagues lower and neérer towarde the Ryuers mouth, they had made two smaller Fortes, which were defended, the Ryuer passing betweéne them, with sixe score souldiers, good store of artillerie and other munition, which they had in the same. From Saracary vnto these small forts was* 1.12 two leagues space, which hee found very painefull because of the had waies and continuall raynes. Afterward hee departed from the ryuer Cata couru with tenne shotte, to viewe the first fort, and to assault it the next daye in the morninge by the breake of daye, which he coulde not doe, because of the fowle weather and dark∣nes of the nighte. Kinge Helicopile seinge him oute of quiet in that he had failed of his purpose there, assured him to guide him a more easie waye, though it were farther aboute. In somuche as leading him through the woods, he brought him within sighte of the fort, where hee discerned one quarter which was but begun to bee entrenched. Thus after hee had sounded the small riuer that falleth downe thereby he stayed vntill tenne of the clocke in the morninge for an ebbe water that his men might passe ••uer there, vnto a place where hee had seene a little groue betwene the riuer and the fort (that he might not be seene to passe and set his soul∣diers in array) causing them to fastē their flasks to their Mori∣ons, and to hold vp their swords and kaliuers in their hands, for feare least y^• water, which reached vp to their girdles, should not wette them, where they found such aboundance of great oysters▪ & 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 ouer with a French courage they prepared themselues to the assault on the sonday eue next after Easter day in April 1568. In so much that Gourgues to employ the ardent

heat of this good affection, gaue twenty shotte to his Lieutenant Cazenoue, and tenne Mariners laden with pots and balles of wild fier to burne the gate: and then hee assaulted the Fort on an* 1.13 other side, after hee had made a short spéech vnto his men of the straunge treasons which the Spaniardes had plaide their com∣panions. But beeing discried as they came holding downe their heades within two hundred pases from the fort, the Gunner be∣ing vpon the terrace of the fort, after he had cryed, Arme, Arme, these bee French men, discharged twise vppon them a coluerine whereon the Armes of France were grauen, which had béene ta∣ken from Laudonniere. But as hee went about to charge it the third time, Olotocara, which had not learned to kéepe his ranke,* 1.14 or rather mooued with rage, lept on the platte forme, and thrust him through the bodie with his pike and slewe him. Whereupon Gourgues aduanced forward, and after he had heard Cazenoue cry, that the Spaniards which issued out armed at the cr•• of the alarme, were fled, hee drewe to that part, and so hemmed them in betwéene him and his Lieutenant, that of threéscore there escaped not a man, sauing only fifteén reserued vnto the same death which they had put the French vnto. The Spaniards of the other Fort in the meane while ceased not to play with their ordinance which much annoyed the assailants: although to answere them they had by this placed and oftentimes pointed the foure pieces founde in the first fort. Whereupon Gourgues beeing accompanied with* 1.15 fourescore shotte went abourd the barke, which mette him there to good purpose to passe into the wood neér vnto the fort, out of which he supposed the Spaniards woulde issue to saue themselues tho∣rough the benefite of the woodes in the great fort, which was not past one league distant from the same. Afterwarde the Sauages* 1.16 not staying for the returne of the barke, lept al into the water hol∣ding vp their bowes and arrowes in one hande and swymming with the other, so that the Spaniards seéing both the shoars co∣uered with so great a number of men, thought to fleé towards the woods: but being charged by the French, and afterward repulsed by the sauages, toward whom they would haue retired, they were sooner then they would bereft of their liues. To conclude they all* 1.17 there ended their daies sauing fifteéne of those which were reser∣ued to be executed for example of others. Whereupon Captaine

Courgues hauing caused al that he found in the second fort to be transported vnto the first, where he meant to strengthen himselfe to take resolution against the great fort, the state whereof he did not vnderstande: in fine a Sergeaunt of a band one of the priso∣ners assured him that they might bee there very neére threé hun∣dred well furnished vnder a braue Gouernour, which had fortifi∣ed there attending farther succours. Thus hauing obtained of him, the platforme, the height, the fortifications and passages vnto it, and hauing prepared eight good lathers, and raised all* 1.18 the country against the Spaniarde, that hee neither might haue newes, nor succours, nor retraicte on any side, he determined to march forward. In the meane while the Gouernour sent a Spa∣niard* 1.19 disguised like a Sauage to spie out the state of the French. And though he were discouered by Olotocara, yet he vsed all the cunning he coulde possibly to perswade them y^• he was one of the second fort, out of which hauing escaped, & seéing none but saua∣ges on euery side, he hoped more, as he said, in the Frenchmens then in their mercy, vnto whom he came to yeéld himselfe disgui∣sed like a sauage, for feare least, if he should haue béen knowen, he shoulde haue beéne massacred by those Barbarians: But the spie beeing brought face to face with the Sergeaunt of the band, and conuicted to be one of the great fort, was reserued vntill an other time: after that he had assured Gourgues that the bruit was that he had two thousand Frenchmen with him, for feare of whom the two hundred and threéscore Spaniardes which remained in the great fort, were greatly astonied. Whereupon Gourgues being resolued to set vpon them while they were thus amazed, and lea∣uing his standerd-bearer and a Captaine with fifteéne shotte to keépe the fort and the entrye of the riuer, he caused the sauages to depart by night to lye in ambush within the woodes on both sides of the riuer, then he departed in the morning, leading the Serge∣aunt and the spie fast bound along with him to shewe him that in deéde, which they had onely made him vnderstand before in payn∣ting. As they marched Olotocara a resolute sauage which neuer left the Captaine, saide vnto him, that hee had serued him faith∣fully and done whatsoeuer he had commaunded him, that he was assured to die in the conflict at the great fort, wherein neuerthe∣lesse hee woulde not faile though it were to saue his life: but hee

prayed him to giue that vnto his wife, if he escaped not, which he* 1.20 had meant to bestowe on him, that sheé might bury the same with him, that thereby he might be better welcome vnto the village of the soules or spirites departed. To whom Captaine Gourgues aunswered, after he had commended his faithful valure, the loue towarde his wife, and his noble care of immortall honour, that hee desired rather to honour him aliue then dead, and that by Gods helpe he woulde bring him home againe with victorie. Af∣ter the discouery of the fort the Spaniards were no niggards of their Canon shotte, nor of two double coluerines, which beeing mounted vppon a bulwarke commaunded all along the Ryuer, which made captain Gourgues to get to the hil couered w^t wood, at the foote whereof the Fort beginneth, and the forrest or woode continueth and stretcheth foorth beyond it: so that he had suffici∣ent* 1.21 couerture to approch thereunto without offence. He purposed also to remaine there vntill the morning wherein hee was resol∣ued to assault the Spaniardes by scaling their walles on the side toward the hill where the Trench seémed not sufficiently flanked for the defence of the courtaines, and from whence parte of his men might drawe them that were besieged, which shoulde shewe themselues to defend the rampart while the rest were comming vp. But the Gouernour hastened his vnhappye destinye, causing threéscore shotte to sallie foorth, which passing thorough the Tren∣ches aduaunced forwarde to discry the number and valure of the French, whereof twenty vnder the conduct of Cazenoue, getting betweéne the Fort and them which nowe were issued foorth, cutte of their repassage, while Gourgues commanded the rest to charge them in the front, but not to discharge but neére at hande, and so that they might be sure to hitte them, that afterwarde with more ease they might cutte them in pieces with their swords. So that turning their backes assoone as they were charged, and compas∣sed in by his Lieutenaunt, they remained all slaine vppon the* 1.22 place. Whereat the rest that were besieged were so astonied that they knewe none other meane to saue their liues, but by fleéing into the Wooddes adioyning, where neuerthelesse beéing en∣countred agayne by the Arrowes of the Sauages which lay in waight there for them (whereof one ranne thorough the target and bodie of a Spaniarde, which therewithall fell downe

starke deade) some were constrained to turne backe, choosing ra∣ther to die by the hand of the French, which pursued them: assu∣ring themselues that none of them could finde any fauour neither with the one nor the other Nation, whom they had alike and so out of measure cruelly entreated, sauing those which were reser∣ued to be an example for the time to come. The fort when it was taken was found well prouided of all necessaries: namely of fiue* 1.23 double coluerines, and foure mynions, with diuers other small pieces of all sorts, and eighteéne grosse cakes of gunnepowder, all sorts of weapons, which Gourgues caused with speéde to bee em∣barked, sauing the powder & other moueables, by reason it was all consumed with fire through the negligence of a sauage, which in seéthing of his fish, sette fire on a traine of powder which was made and hidden by the Spaniardes to haue feasted the French at the first assault, thus blowing vp the store house and the other houses built of pyne treés. The rest of the Spaniards being led away prisoners with the others, after that the General had shew∣ed them the wrong which they had done without occasion to all the French Nation, were all hanged on the boughes of the same treés whereon the French hunge: of which number fiue were hanged by one Spaniarde, which perceiuing himselfe in the like miserable estate confessed his fault, and the iust iudgement which God had brought vppon him. But in stéede of the writing which Pedro Melendes had hanged ouer them, emporting these words in Spanish, I doe not this as vnto French men, but as vnto Lutherans, Gourgues caused to bee imprinted with a seéring* 1.24 iron in a table of Firrewoode, I doe not this as vnto Spaniardes, nor as vnto Mariners, but as vnto Traiters, Robbers, and Mur∣therers. Afterward considering hee had not men inough to keépe his Forts which he had wonne, much lesse to store them, fearing also least the Spaniarde which hath dominions neére adioining should renew his forces, or the Sauages should preuaile against the French men, vnlesse his Maiestie would send thither, hee re∣solued to raze them. And in deéde, after hee had assembled, and in the end perswaded, all the sauage kinges so to doe, they caused their subiects to runne thither with such affection, that they ouer∣threwe all the threé Forts flatte euen with the ground in one day.* 1.25 This done by Gonrgues, that hee might returne to his shippes

which were left in the Ryuer of Seyne called Tacatacourou, fif∣teéne leagues distant from thence, he sent Cazenoue and the artillery by water, afterward with fourestore harquebusiers, armed w^t corslets, & matches light, folowed with forty Mariners bearing pikes, by reason of the small confidence he was to haue in so many sauages, hee marched by land alwaies in battaile ray, finding the* 1.26 waies couered with sauages, which came to honor him with pre∣sents & praises, as the deliueret of all the countries round about adioyning. An old woman among the rest said vnto him, that now sheé cared not any more to die, since sheé had seéne the Frenchmen once againe in Florida, & the Spaniards chased out. Briefly be∣ing arriued, and finding his shippes set in order, and euery thing readie to set sayle, he counselled the kings to continue in the ami∣tie and auncient league, which they had made with the king of Fraunce, which woulde defend them against all Nations: which they all promised, shedding teares because of his departure, O∣locotara especially: for appeasing of whom he promised them to returne within twelue Moones (so they count the yeares) and that his king woulde send them an army, and store of knyues for* 1.27 presentes, and all other thinges necessarye. So that after he had taken his leaue of them, and assembled his men, he thanked God of al his successe since his setting foorth, and prayed to him for an happy returne. The third of May 1568. all thinges were made* 1.28 readie, the rende-vous appointed, and the Ankers weighed to sette sayle, so prosperously, that in seuenteene dayes they ranne eleuen▪ hundred leagues, continuing which course they arriued* 1.29 at Rochell the sixth of Iune, the foure and thirtieth day after their departure from the Ryuer of May, hauing lost but a small Pinnesse and eight men in it, with a fewe gentlemen and others which were slaine in the assaulting of the Forts. After the cheere and good entertainement which hee receaued of those of Rochell, hee sayled to Bordeaux to enfourme Monsieur Monluc of the thinges aboue mentioned, albeit hee was aduertised of eighteene Pinnesses, and a great shippe of two hundred Tunnes full of Spaniardes, which beeing assured of the defeat in Florida, and that he was at Rochell, came as farre as Che-de Bay, the same* 1.30 day that hee departed thence, and followed him as farre as Blay (but he was gotten already to Bordeaux) to make him yeelde an∣other account of his voyage, then that where with he made many

Frenchmen right glad. The Catholicke king being afterwarde infourmed that Gourgues coulde not easilye be taken, offered a great somme of money to him that coulde bringe him his heade, praying moreouer king Charles to do iustice on him as of the au∣thour of so bloudye an art contrarye to their alliaunce and good leage of friendshippe. In so much as comming to Paris to pre∣sent himselfe vnto the king, to signifie vnto him the successe of his voyage, and the meanes which he had to subdue this whole coun∣try vnto his obedience, (wherein hee offered to employe his life, and all his goods,) he found his entertainement and aunswere so contrarye to his expectation, that in fine hee was constrained to hide himselfe a long space in the Court of Roan, about the yeare 1570. And without the assistaunce of President Marigny, in whose house hee remained certaine daies, and of the receiuer of Vacquieulx, which alwaies was his faithfull friende, hee had beene in great daunger. Which grieued not a little Dominicke de Gourgues, considering the seruices which hee had done as∣well vnto him as to his predecessours kinges of Fraunce. Hee* 1.31 was borne in Mount Marsan in Guyenne, and employed for the seruice of the most Christian kinges in all the armies made since these twentye fiue or thirtie yeares: at last hee had the charge and honour of a Captaine, which in a place neere vnto Siene, with thirty Souldyers sustained the brunt of a part of the Spanish Army, by which beeing taken in the assault, and hauing all his men cutte in pieces, hee was put into a galcy in token of the good warre and singular fauour which the Spaniarde is wont to shewe vs. But as the galey was going toward Sicil∣lie beeing taken by the Turkes, ledde away to Rhodes, and thence to Constantinople, it was shortly afterwarde recouered by Romeguas, commaunder ouer the army of Malta. By this meane returning home, he made a voyage on the coast of Affrica, whence hee tooke his course to Bresil, and to the south Sea. At length being desirous to repaire the honour of Fraunce he sette vpon Florida with such successe as you haue heard. So that be∣ing 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 Spaniard, and acceptable vnto the Queéne of England for the desert of his vertues. To conclude, he died in the yeare 1582. to the great grief of such as knew him.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The chanel of Bahama be∣tweene Flori∣da & the Isles of Lucayes.
• * 1.2

  The French mens landing at the Riuer Tacata courou
• * 1.3

  Eight sauage kings.
• * 1.4

  The kings seat
• * 1.5

  Complaints of the sauages against the Spaniards.
• * 1.6

  Two chaines of siluer giuen to Gourgues.
• * 1.7

  Peter de Bré had liued a∣boue two yeares with Satourioua.
• * 1.8

  Three pledges deliuered to Gourgues by Satourioua.
• * 1.9

  The Riuer of Salinacani, called Somme by the French.
• * 1.10

  The Riuer of Sarauahi.
• * 1.11

  The estate of the Spaniards in Florida.
• * 1.12

  The Ryuer of Saracary, or Sarauahi.
• * 1.13

  The assault & taking of the first Fort.
• * 1.14

  The valure of Olotocara.
• * 1.15

  The assault & taking of the second Fort.
• * 1.16

  The sauages great swim∣mers.
• * 1.17

  The Spani∣ards of the se∣cond Fort all slaine.
• * 1.18

  Note.
• * 1.19

  A notable Spanish sub∣tilty.
• * 1.20

  The cause why the Flo∣ridians bury their goods with them.
• * 1.21

  Note.
• * 1.22

  The slaughter of the Spani∣ards of the third Fort.
• * 1.23

  The taking of the third Fort.
• * 1.24

  The writings hanged ouer the French & Spaniards slain in Florida.
• * 1.25

  The three Forts razed.
• * 1.26

  Great honour done by the Sauages to Gourgues.
• * 1.27

  Kniues in great estima∣tion.
• * 1.28

  The third of May.
• * 1.29

  The arriuall of Gourgues at Rochel, the sixt of Iune.
• * 1.30

  Che-de Bay.
• * 1.31

  The birth, life and death of Captaine Gourgues.