The decades of the newe worlde or west India conteynyng the nauigations and conquestes of the Spanyardes, with the particular description of the moste ryche and large landes and ilandes lately founde in the west ocean perteynyng to the inheritaunce of the kinges of Spayne. ... Wrytten in the Latine tounge by Peter Martyr of Angleria, and translated into Englysshe by Rycharde Eden.

❧ Of the maners and customes of the Indians of the firme lande, and of theyr women.

THe maners and customes of these Indians, are dyuers in diuers prouinces. Sum of them take as many wyues as them lyste, and other lyue with one wyfe whome they forsake not with∣out consent of both parties, which chauncethe especially when they haue no chyldren.* 1.1 The no¦bilitie aswel men as women, repute it infamous to ioyne with any of base parentage or strangers, except Christians, whom they count noble men by reason of theyr valientnes, although they put a difference betwene the common sorte and the other to whom they shewe obedience, countynge it for a great mat∣ter and an honorable thyng yf they bee beloued of any of thē. In so much that yf they knowe any Christian man carna••ly, they keepe theyr fayth to hym, so that he bee not longe ab∣sent farre from them. For theyr intent is not to bee widowes or to lyue chast lyke religious women. Many of theym haue this custome, that when they perceaue ••hat they are with chylde, they take an herbe wherwith they destroy that is con¦ceaued. For they say that only wel aged women shulde beare chyldren, and that they wyl not forbeare theyr pleasures and deforme theyr boddies with bearynge of chyldren, wherby theyr teates becoome loose and hangynge which thynge they greatly disprayse. When they are delyuered of theyr chyldren they go to the ryuer and washe them. Whiche doone, theyr bludde and purgation ceaseth immediatly. And when after this they haue a few days absteyned frō the company of men, they becomme so strayght as they say which haue had carnall familiaritie with them, that such as vse them, can not with∣out much difficultie satis••ie theyr appetite, They also whiche neuer had chyldren, are euer as byrgins.* 1.2 In sum partes they

weare certeyne lyttle apernes rounde about them before and behy••de as lowe as to theyr knees and hammes, wherwith they couer theyr priuie partes, and are naked all theyr boddie bysyde. The principal men beare theyr priuities in a holowe pype of golde: but the common sorte haue theym inclosed in the shelles of certeyne great welkes, and are bysyde vtterly naked. For they thynke it no more shame to haue theyr cods seene then any other parte of theyr boddies. And in many pro¦uinces bothe the men and women go vtterly naked without any such couerture at al. In the prouince of Cueua they caul a man Chuy, and a woman Ira: which name is not greately disagreeable to many both of theyr women and of owres.

These Indians gyue great honour and reuerence to theyr Cacique (that is) theyr kynges and rulers. The principall Ca∣cique,* 1.3 hath twelue of his most stronge Indians appoynted to beare hym when he remoueth to any place, or gothe abrod for his pleasure. Two of them cary hym syttyng vppon a longe piece of woodde which is naturally as lyght as they can fynd The other tenne folowe nexte vnto hym as foote men. They keepe continually a trottynge pase with hym on theyr shul∣ders. When the twoo that cary hym are wery, other twoo coomme in theyr places without any disturbance or stey. And thus if the way bee playne, they cary hym in this maner for the space of .xv. or .xx. leaques in one day. The Indians that are assigned to this office, are for the moste parte slaues or Naboriti, that is, such as are bounde to continuall seruice.

I haue also noted that when the Indians perceaue them selues to bee troubled with to much bludde,* 1.4 they lette theym selues blud in the calfes of theyr legges & brawnes of theyr armes, This doo they with a very sharpe stone, and sum∣tymes with the smaule toothe of a vyper, or with a sharpe reede or thorne

All the Indians are commonly without beardes:* 1.5 In so much that it is in maner a maruayle to see any of them eyther men or women to haue any downe or heare on theyr faces or other partes of theyr boddies. Albeit, I sawe the Cacique of the prouince of Catarapa who had heare on his face and other partes of his boddie, as had also his wyfe in suche places as women are accustomed to haue.* 1.6 This Cacique had a great part of his body paynted with a blacke colour which neuer fadeth: And is much lyke vnto that wherwith the Mores paynt them

selues in Barberie in token of nobilitie. But the Moores are paynted specially on theyr vysage and throte and certeyne other partes. Likewyse the principall Indians vse these payntynges on theyr armes and brestes, but not on theyr vy∣sages, bycause amonge them the slaues are so marked. When the Indians of certeyne prouinces go to the battayle (especi∣ally the Caniball archers) they cary certeyne shelles of greate welkes of the sea which they blowe and make therwith great sounde muche lyke the noyse of hornes.* 1.7 They carye also cer∣teyne tymbrels which they vse in the steade of drummes. Also very fayre plumes of fethers, and certeyne armure of golde:* 1.8 especially great and rounde pieces on theyr ••restes, and splin¦tes on there armes. Lykewyse other pieces whiche they put on theyr heades and other partes of theyr bodyes.* 1.9 For they esteeme nothynge so much as to appeare galante in the wars, and to go in most coomely order that they can deuyse, glyste∣rynge with precious stones, iewelles, golde, and fethers. Of the leaste of these welkes or perewincles, they make certeyne lyttle beades of diuers sortes and colours. They make also little brass••lets whiche they mengle with gaud••es of golde.* 1.10 These they rowle about there armes frome the elbowe to the wreste of the hande. The lyke also doo they on theyr legges from the knee to the soles of theyr feete in token of nobilitie. Especially theyr noble women in dyuers prouinces are accu∣stomed to weare such Iewelles, and haue theyr neckes in ma¦ner laden therwith. These beades and Iewels and such other trynkettes, they caule Caqu••ras. Bisyde these also, they weare certeyne rynges of golde at theyr cares and nostrelles which they bore ful of holes on both sides, so that the ringes hange vppon theyr lyppes. Sum of these Indians, are poulde and rounded. Albe••t, commonly both the men and women take it for a decent thynge to weare longe heare, which the women weare to the myddest of theyr shulders and cut it equally, es∣pecially aboue theyr browes. This doo they with certeyne harde stones which they keepe for the same purpose. The prin¦cipall women when theyr teates faule or becoome loose, beare them vp with hartes of golde of the length of a••spanne and a halfe,* 1.11 wel wrought, and of such byggenesse that sum of them way more then two hundreth Castilians or ducades of golde. These barres haue holes at both thendes, whereat they tye

two smaul cordes made of cotton at euery ende of the barres. One of these cordes goth ouer the shulder, and the other vn∣der the arme holes where they tye both togyther, so that by th••s meanes the barre beareth vp theyr teates. Sum of these chiefe women go to the battayle with theyr husbandes, or when they themselues are regentes in any prouinces, in the which they haue all thynges a•• commaundement and execute thoffice of generall capitaynes, and cause them selues to bee caryed on mens backes in lyke maner as doo the Caciques of whom I haue spoken before.

These Indians of the firme lande are muche of the same stature and coloure as are they of the Ilandes.* 1.12 They are for the most part of the colour of an olyue. If there bee any other difference, it is more in byggenesse then otherwyse. And espe¦cially they that are cauled Coronati are stronger and bygger then any other that I haue seene in these parties,* 1.13 except those of the Ilande of giantes whiche are on the south syde of the Ilande of Hispaniola:* 1.14 nere vnto the coastes of the firme lande: And lykewyse certeyne other which they caule Yucatos which are on the north syde.* 1.15 All which chiefely, although they bee no giantes, yet are they doubtelesse the byggeste of the Indy∣ans that are knowen to this day, and commonly bygger then the Flemynges: and especially many of them aswell women as men, are of very hyghe stature, and are all archiers bothe men and women. These Coronati inhabite thirtie leaques in length by these coastes from the poynt of Canoa to the greate ryuer which they caule Guadalchibir nere vnto Sancta Maria de gra∣tia. As I trauersed by those coastes, I fylled a butte of freshe water of that ryuer syxe leaques in the sea frome the mouthe therof where it fauleth into the sea. They are cauled Coronati (that is crowned) bycause theyr heare is cutte round by theyr rares, and poulde lower a great compase abowte the crowne much lyke the fryers of saynt Augustines order. And bycause I haue spoken of theyr maner of wearynge theyr heare, here commeth to my rememberaunce a thynge which I haue often∣tymes noted in these Indians. And this is, that they haue the bones of the sculles of theyr heades foure tymes thycker and much stronger then owres.* 1.16 So that in comm••ng to hand strokes with them, it shalbe requisite not to strike them on the heades with swoordes. For so haue many swoordes bynne

broken on theyr heades with lyttle hurt doone. And to haue sayde thus much of theyr customes and maners, it shal suffice for this tyme, bycause I haue more largely intreated herof in my generall hystorie of the Indies. Yet haue I nother there nor here spoken much of that parte of the firme lande whiche is cauled Noua Hispania (that is, newe Spayne whereof the I∣lande of Iucatana is part) forasmuche as Ferdinando Cortese hath wrytten a large booke thereof.* 1.17

Of the houses of these Indians,* 1.18 I haue spoken sufficient¦ly elswhere. Yet haue I thought good to informe yowr ma¦iestie of the buyldynge and houses which the Christians haue made in dyuers places in the firme lande. They buylde them nowe therfore with two solars or loftes, and with loopes and wyndowes to open and shutte. Also with stronge tymber and very fayre bordes. In suche sorte that any noble man maye wel and pleasauntly bee lodged in sum of them. And amonge other, I my selfe caused one to bee builded in the citie of Sancta Maria Antiqua in Dariena whiche coste me more then a thousande and fyue hundreth Castelians:* 1.19 being of such sort that I may well interteyne and commodiously lodge, any Lorde or noble man, reseruynge also a parte for my selfe and my famelie. For in this may many householdes bee kepte both aboue and be∣nethe. It hath also a fayre garden with many orange trees bothe sweete and sowre: Ceders also, and Lemondes,* 1.20 of the which there is nowe great plentie in the houses of the Chry∣stians. On one syde of the gardeyne, there runneth a fayre ry¦uer. The situation is very pleasaunte, with a good and hol∣some ayer, and a fayre prospecte abowte the ryuer. In fine, owre truste is that in fewe yeares al thynges in these regions shall growe to a better state accordynge to the holy intention of yowre maiestie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Indian women.
• * 1.2

  The men of India.
• * 1.3

  The kynge is borne on mēs b••ckes.
• * 1.4

  Lettinge of bludde.
• * 1.5

  They haue no beardes.
• * 1.6

  They paynte theyr bodies.
• * 1.7

  The Caniba∣les.
• * 1.8

  Armure of golde.
• * 1.9

  Their galant∣nes in the warres.
• * 1.10

  Their Iuell••
• * 1.11

  howe the wo¦men beare vp their s••a••es, wy••h barres of golde.
• * 1.12

  The stature & coloure of the Indians.
• * 1.13

  The Indians cauled Coro∣nati.
• * 1.14

  The Ilande of giantes.
• * 1.15

  Iucato••.
• * 1.16

  The sculles of the Indiās heades.
• * 1.17

  New Spaine.
• * 1.18

  The house•• of the Christi¦ans in India
• * 1.19

  Darien••.
• * 1.20

  Garde••••.