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 chiefe Ilandes Hispaniola and Cuba.

THe Indians which at this present inhabite the Ilande of Hispaniola, are but fewe in num∣ber, and the Chrystyans not so many as they ought to bee forasmuche as many of them that were in this Ilande, are gonne to other Ilan∣des and to the fyrme lande. For beynge for the

moste parte younge men vnmaried, and desirous dayly to see newe things wherin mans nature deliteth,* 1.1 they were not willinge to continewe longe in on place: especially seeing dai¦lie other newe landes discouered where they thowght theye might sooner fylle there purses by beinge present at the firste spoyle. Wherin neuerthelesse their hope deceaued many of them, and especially suche as bad houses and habitations in ••hys Ilande, For I certeynly beleue, confyrmynge my selfe herein with the Iudgement of many other, that if any one Prynce had no more signiores then only this Ilande, it shuld in shorte tyme bee suche as not to giue place eyther to Sicilie or Englande:* 1.2 wheras euen at this present there is nothynge wherefore it shulde malice their prosperitie not beinge inferi¦oure to them in any filicite that in maner the heauens can graunte to any lande: being furthermore suche as maye in∣riche many prouinces and k••ngedomes by reason of manye riche golde mynes that are in it of the beste golde that is founde to this day in the worlde,* 1.3 and in greatest quantitie. In this Ilande, nature of her selfe bringeth furthe suche a∣boundance of cotton that if it were wrought and maynteyned there shuld be more and better then in any parte of the world.* 1.4 There, is so greate plentie of excellent Cassia that a gr••ate quā¦titie is brought from thense into Spayne:* 1.5 from whense it is caried to dyuers partes of the worlde. In increaseth so muche that it is a meruelous thynge to consider. In this are many ryche shoppes wher suger is wrought:* 1.6 and that of such perfectenes and goodnes, and in suche quantitie that shippes come laden therwith yearly into Spayne.* 1.7 All suche sedes, sertes, or plantes, as are brought out of Spayne and planted in this Ilande, becoomme muche better, bygger, and of grea¦ter increase then they are in any parte of owre Europe. And if it chaunce otherwyse that sumetymes they prosper nor so well, the cause is that they which shulde tyll and husband the grounde,* 1.8 and sowe and plant in dewe seasons, haue no respect hereunto, being impacient whyle the wheate and vynes waxe rype, beinge gyuen to wanderynge and other affayres of pre∣sent gaynes (as I haue sayde) as searchynge the gold mines, fyshynge for pearles, and occupyinge marchaundies, with such other trades, for the greedy folowyng wherof, they neg∣lecte and contempne both sowynge and plantynge. Suche frutes as are brought owt of Spayne, into this Ilande, pros∣per

maruelously and waxe rype all tymes of the yeare: as her¦bes of all sortes very good and pleasaunt to bee eaten. Also many pomegranates of the best kynde, and oranges bothe sweete and sower.* 1.9 Lykewyse many fayre Lymones & ceders: and a great quantitie of all such as are of sharpe, sowre, and bytter taste. There are also many fygge trees whiche brynge furth theyr frute all the hole yeare.* 1.10 Lykewyse those kynd of date trees that beare dates:* 1.11 and dyuers other trees and plan¦tes which were brought owt of Spayne thyther.

Beastes doo also increase in lyke abundaunce:* 1.12 and especi¦ally the heardes of kyne are so augmented both in quantitie and number, that there are nowe many patrones of cattayle that haue more then two thousand heades of neate:* 1.13 and sum three or foure thousande, and sum more. Bysyde these, there are very many that haue heardes of foure or fyue hundrethe. And trewth it is, that this Iland hath better pasture for such cattayle then any other countrey in the worlde:* 1.14 also holsome and cleare water and temperate ayer, by reason whereof the heardes of such beastes are much bygger, fatter, and also of better taste then owres in Spayne bycause of the ranke pa∣sture whose moysture is better digested in the herbe or grasse by the continuall and temperate heate of the soonne,* 1.15 wherby being made more fatte and vnctuous, it is of better and more stedfast nuryshement.* 1.16 For continuall and temperate heate, dooth not only drawe muche moysture owt of the earth to the nuryshement of such thynges as growe and are engendered in that clyme, but dooth also by moderation preserue the same from resolution and putrefaction, digestynge also and conden¦satynge or thyckenynge the sayde moyste nuryshemente into a gummie and vactuous substaunce as is seene in all suche thin¦ges as growe in those regions. And this is the only naturall cause aswell that certeyne great beastes and of longe lyfe (as the Elephante and Rhinoceros with such other) are engende¦red only in regions nere vnto the Equinoctiall,* 1.17 as also that the leaues of such trees as growe there, doo not wyther or faule,* 1.18 vntyll they bee thruste owt by other, accordynge to the verse of the poete which sayth: Et nata pira piris, et ficus in ficubus ex∣tant. That is in effecte: peares growynge vppon peares, and fygges vppon fygges. Plinie also wryteth, that suche trees are neuer infected with the disease of trees that the Latines

caule Caries, which we may caule the worme or canker,* 1.19 being but a certeyne putrifaction by reason of a wateryshe nuryshe∣ment not well consolidate. The same thynge hath bynne the cause that certeyne Phylosophers considerynge aswell that man is the hottest and moystest beast that is (which is the best complexion) as also that men lyue longeste in certeyne partes of India nere the Equinoctiall (where yet to this day summe liue to thage of a hundreth and fiftie yeares) were of opinion that yf mankynde had any begynnynge on the earthe,* 1.20 that place owght by good reason to be vnder or not farre from the Equinoctiall lyne for the causes aforesayde.* 1.21 Sum of the di∣uines also vppon lyke consideration haue thought it agreable that theyr Paradyse shulde bee about the same within the pre∣cincte of those ryuers which are named in the booke of Gene∣sis. But to lette passe these thynges and to returne to the hystorie.

In this Ilande furthermore, are many sheepe and a great number of hogges:* 1.22 of the which (as also of the kyne) manye are becoome wyld: And lykewyse many dogges and cattes of those which were brought owt of Spayne.* 1.23 These (and espe∣cially the dogges) doo much hurte amonge the cattayle by rea¦son of the negligence of the hearde men.

There are also many horses, mares, and mules, and suche other beastes as serue thuse of men in Spayne, and are much greater then they of the fyrst brode brought thether owt of Spayne.* 1.24 Sum places of the Ilande are inhabyted, although not so many as were requisite: Of the whiche I wyll saye no more but that all the regions of the Ilande are so well situate that in the course of tyme all thynges shall coomme to grea∣ter perfection by reason of the rychnesse and pleasauntnesse of the countrey and fertilitie of the soile.

But nowe to speake sumwhat of the principall and chiefe place of the Ilande, which is the citie of San Domenico:* 1.25 I saye that as touchynge the buildynges, there is no citie in Spaine so muche for so muche (no not Barsalona whiche I haue often∣tymes seene) that is to bee preferred before this generallye. For the houses of San Domenico, are for the moste parte of stone as are they of Barsalona: or of so stronge and well wrought earth that it maketh a singuler & stronge byndyng. The situa¦cion is muche better thē that of Barsalona by reason that the

are much larger and playner▪ and without comparyson more directe and streyght furth. For beinge buylded nowe in owr tyme, bysyde the commoditie of the place of the foundation, the streates were also directed with corde, compase and mea∣sure, wherin it excelleth al the cities that I haue sene. It hath the sea so nere, that of one syde there is no more space betwen the sea and the citie then the waules. And this is about fyftie pases where it is furthest of. On this syde, the waters of the sea beate vppon the naturall stones and fayre coaste. On the other parte, harde by the syde and at the foote of the hou¦ses, passeth the ryuer Ozama whiche is a marueylous porte wherin laden shyppes ryse very nere to the lande and in ma∣ner vnder the house wynd••wes,* 1.26 & no further from the mouth of the ryuer where it entereth into the sea, then is frome the foote of the hyll of Monyuye to the monastery of saynt Frances or to the lodge of Barsalona. In the myddest of this space in the citie, is the fortresse and castle, vnder the which and twen¦tie pases distant from the same, passe the shippes to aryse sum what further in the same ryuer. From the enteraunce of the shyppes vntyll they cast anker, they sayle no further from the houses of the citie then thyrtie or fortie pases, bicause of this syde of the citie the habitacion is nere to the ryuer. The port or hauen also,* 1.27 is so fayre and commodious to defraight or vn∣lade shyppes, as the lyke is founde but in fewe places of the worlde. The chymmeis that are in this citie, are abowt syxe hundreth in number, and such houses as I haue spoken of be¦fore: Of the which sum are so fayre and large that they maye well receaue and lodge any lorde or noble manne of Spayne with his trayne and famelie. And especially that which Don Diego Colon viceroy vnder your maiestie hath in this citie, is suche that I knowe no man in Spayne that hath the lyke by a quarter in goodnesse consyderynge all the commodities of the same. Lykewyse the situation thereof, as beinge aboue the sayde porte and altogyther of stone and hauynge many faire and large roomes with as goodly a prospect of the lande and sea as may be deuysed, seemeth vnto me so magni∣ficall and princelyke that yowr maiestie maye bee as well lod∣ged therin as in any of the mooste exquisite builded houses of Spayne. There is also a Cathedrall churche buylded of late where aswell the byshop accordyng to his ••ignitie,* 1.28 as also the canones are wel indued. This church is wel buylded of stone

and lyme, and of good woorkemanshyppe. There are further∣more three monasteries bearyng the name of saynt Dominike, saynt Frances, and saynt Marie of Mercedes: The whiche are all well buylded althoughe not so curiouslye as they of Spayne. But speakynge without preiudice of any other reli¦gious monasterie, yowre maiestie may bee well assured that in these three monasteries, god is as wel serued as in any other religious house with men of holy lyuynge and vertuous exem¦ple. There is also a very good hospitall for the ayde and suc∣cour of pore people,* 1.29 whiche was founde by Michaell Passa∣ment threasurer to yowr maiestie. To conclude, this citie frō day to day increaseth in welth and good order, aswel for that the sayde Admyrall and viceroy with the lorde Chaunceloure and counsayle appoynted there by yowr maiestie, haue theyr continuall abydynge here, as also that the rychest men of the Ilande resort hyther for theyr moste commodious habitation and trade of such marchaundies as are eyther brought owt of Spayne or sent thyther from this Iland which nowe so abun¦deth in many thynges that it serueth Spayne with m••ny com¦modities, as it were with vsury requityng such benefites as it fyrst receaued from thense.

The people of this Ilande are commonlye of sumewhat lesse stature then are the Spanyardes, and of a shynynge or cleare browne coloure. They haue wyues of theyr owne, and absteyne from theyr dowghters, systers, and mothers. They haue large forheades, longe blacke heare, and no beardes or heare in any other parts of theyr bodies aswel mē as women,* 1.30 except very fewe as perhaps scarsely one amonge a thousand. They go as naked as they were borne, excepte that on the partes which may not with honestie bee seene, they weare a certeyne leafe as brode as a mans hande, which neuerthelesse is not kepte close with suche diligence but that sumtymes a man may see that they thynke sufficiently hydde.

In this Iland are certeyne glo woormes that shyne in the nyght as doo owres.* 1.31 But are muche bygger and gyue a grea∣ter lyght: In so much that when the men of the Ilande goo any iorneys in the nyght, they beare summe of these woormes made fast abowt theyr fiete and heade, in suche sorte that he that shulde see them a farre and ignorant of the thinge, wolde bee greatly astonyshed therat. By the lyght of these also, the

women woorke in theyr houses in the night. These woormes they caule Cleuas. Theyr lyght lasteth for the space of three dayes, and diminissheth as they begynne to drye vp.

There is also a kynd of crowes whose breath stynketh in the mornynge and is sweete at after noone.* 1.32 The excremente which they auoyde, is a lyuynge worme.

As touchynge other thynges of this Ilande whereof Pe∣ter Martyr hath more largely intreated in his Decades, I haue thought it superfluous to repeate the same ageyne owte of this hystorie of Gonzalus Ferdinandus: but haue here gathered only suche thynges as eyther are not touched of Peter Mar∣tyr or not so largely declared: as I haue doone the lyke in all other notable thynges which I haue collected owt of this Summarie of Gonzalus.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Men are desi∣rous of newe thinges.
• * 1.2

  The commo∣dities of his∣paniola-Englande and Sicilie.
• * 1.3

  Golde mines.
• * 1.4

  Cotton.
• * 1.5

  Cassia.
• * 1.6

  Suger.
• * 1.7

  Plantes and Herbes.
• * 1.8

  Greate thyn∣ges hindered by respecte of presente gay∣nes.
• * 1.9

  Orangies. Pomegrana∣tes.
• * 1.10

  Figges al the yeare.
• * 1.11

  Dates.
• * 1.12

  Beastes.
• * 1.13

  Greate hear∣des of catta••l.
• * 1.14

  good pasture.
• * 1.15

  The effecte of continual and moderate heate.
• * 1.16

  The cause of fatte nurisshe¦mente.
• * 1.17

  Beastes of longe lyfe ••n regions a¦bowte the E∣quinoctiall line
• * 1.18

  Trees whos leaues doe not wither
• * 1.19

  The cancar of the tree
• * 1.20

  Longe lyu••de men in India.
• * 1.21

  Paradise beare the e¦quinoctial line
• * 1.22

  Shepee and hogges
• * 1.23

  Dogges and cattes becom wylde
• * 1.24

  The situation of hispaniola.
• * 1.25

  The citie of sandomenico
• * 1.26

  The riuer ••¦zama
• * 1.27

  The hauen
• * 1.28

  A cathedrall churche and monasterie in hispaniola.
• * 1.29

  An hospitale.
• * 1.30

  The people
• * 1.31

  Glo wormes
• * 1.32

  Crowes sty••¦kynge and sweete.