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.

¶ The seconde booke of the fyrste Decade to Ascanius Ph••rcia, vicounte Cardinall. &c.

YOwe repete (ryghte honorable Prynce) that yowe are desirous to knowe what newes we haue in Spayne from the newe worlde: and that those thynges haue greatly delyted you which I wrote vnto yowre highnesse of the fyrste nauigation. Yowe shal now therefore receaue what hath succeded. Methymna Campi,* 1.1 is a famous towne in high Spayne in the respect from yowe, and is in that parte of Spayne whiche is called Castella Vetus:* 1.2 beynge distante from Gades about .xl. myles. Here the courte remayned, when aboute the .ix. of the kalendes of Aprell in this yere of nynetie and foure, there were postes sente to the kynge and queene, certifyinge them that there were .xii. ship∣pes come from the newe Ilandes and arryued at Gades.* 1.3 But the gouernoure of the shyppes sente worde to the kynge and quene that he had none other matter to certifie them of by the postes, but onely that the Admiral with fiue shippes and .iiii. score and tenne men remayned styll in Hispaniola, to searche the

secretes of the Ilande. And that as touching other matters, he hym selfe wolde shortly make ralation in theyr presence, by worde of mouthe. Therfore the daye before the nones of A∣prel, he came to the courte him selfe. What I learned of him and other faythefull and credible men whiche came with hym from the Admirall, I wyl reherse vnto yowe in such order as they declared the same to me when I demaunded them. Take it therfore as foloweth. The thyrde daye of the Ides of Oc∣tober, departynge from Ferrea,* 1.4 the laste of the Ilandes of Ca∣nariae, and from the costes of Spayne with a nauie of .xvii. ship∣pes, they sayled .xxi. dayes before they came to any Ilande: inclyning of purpose more towarde the lefte hand then at the fyrst viage, folowyng the northnortheast wynde: and arriued fyrst at the Ilandes of the Canibales,* 1.5 or Caribes of which, onely the fame was knowen to our men. Amonge these, they chaun¦sed fyrste vpon one, so beset with trees, that they coulde not se so muche as an elle space of bare earthe or stony grounde. this they called Dominica,* 1.6 bicause they found it on the sunday. They taried here no tyme, bycause they sawe it be deserte. In the space of these .xxi. dayes, they thynke that they sayled .viii. hundreth and .xx. leaques,* 1.7 the Northenortheast wynde was so full with them, and so fresshely folowed the sterne of theyr shyppes. After they hadde sayled a lyttle further, they espied dyuerse Ilandes replenysshed with sundrye kyndes of trees, from the whiche came fragrant sauours of spyces and sweete gummes. Here they sawe neyther man nor beaste, ex∣cept certayne lisartes of huge bignesse,* 1.8 as they reported whi∣che went alande to viewe the countrey. This Iland they cau¦led Galana, or Galanta.* 1.9 From the cape or poynt of this Iland, es∣pying a mountayne a farre of, they sayled thyther. Aboute .xxx. myles from this mountayne, they sawe a ryuer discēding whiche seemed to be a token of some great and large fludde. This is the fyrste lande whiche they founde inhabited from the Ilandes of Canariae, and is an Ilande of the Canibales,* 1.10 as they lerned by the interpretours whiche they tooke with them from Hispaniola into Spayne at theyr fyrste viage. Serchynge the Ilande, they founde innumerable villages of .xx. houses or .xxx. at the mooste, sette rounde abowte in order,* 1.11 ma∣kynge the streete in coompasse lyke a markette place. And for asmuch as I haue made mention of theyr houses, it shal not be

greately from my purpose to describe in what maner they are buylded. They are made rounde lyke belles or rounde pauy∣lions.* 1.12 Theyr frame is raysed of excedynge hyghe trees, sette close together and fast rampaired in the grounde, so standyng a slope and bending inward that the tappes of the trees ioyne together and beare one agaynste an other, hauynge also with∣in the house, certayne stronge and shorte props or postes whi∣che susteyne the trees from ••allynge. They couer them with the leaues of date trees and other trees strongly compact and hardened, wherewith they make them close from wynde and wether. At the shore postes or proppes with••n the hou••e, they t••e ropes of th•• ••ottō of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 trees,* 1.13 or other ropes made of certayne long and toughe ••••tes much lyke vnto the shrubbe called Sp••r••••m. wherof in olde tyme they vsed to make bondes for v••nes 〈…〉〈…〉 and rop•••• for shyppes. These they tye ouer 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the hou••e fro•• poste to poste. On these they ley as it 〈…〉〈…〉 matt••e••••es made of the cotton of the gos∣samp••ne tress, wh••che g••••we plentifully in these Ilandes.

Th••s cotton the Spani••••des call Algodon, and the Italians B••m••••sine. And thus they ••••eepe in hangynge beddes.* 1.14 At the enteraunce of one of theyr hou••es, they sawe two Images of woodde lyke vnto serpentes, wh••che they thoughte had byn such idoles as they honour. But they le••ned afterwarde that they were se••te there onely for cooml••nesse. For they knowe none other god then the Sunne and Moone, althoughe they make certaine Images of gossampine cotton to the similitude of such phantasies as they say appere to them in the nyghte.* 1.15 Our men found in theyr houses, all kyndes of erthen vessels, not muche vnlyke vnto oures. They founde also in theyr ki∣chens, mannes flesshe, duckes fless••e, and goose flesshe, al in one pot:* 1.16 and other on the spittes redye to be layde to the fire. Entrynge into theyr inner lodgynges, they founde faggottes of the bones of mennes armes and legges, which they reserue to make heades for theyr arrowes,* 1.17 bycause they lacke iron. The other bones they caste awaye when they haue eaten the flesshe. They founde likewise the heade of a yonge man faste∣ned to a poste and yet bledinge. They haue in some villages, one great haule or pallaice, aboute the whiche theyr common houses are placed. To this they resort, as often as they come together to playe. When they perceaued the commynge of

our men, they fledde, in theyr houses they founde also about xxx. chyldren and women captiues which were reserued to be eaten, but our men tooke them awaye to vse them for inter∣pretoures. Searchyng more diligently thynner partes of the Ilande, they founde .vii. other ryuers, bygger then this whi¦che we spake of before, runnyng throughe the Ilande, with fruitefull and pleasante banckes, delectable to beholde. This Ilande, they called Guadalupea, for the similitude that it hath to the mounte Guadalupus in Spayne,* 1.18 where the Image of the virgin MARIE is religiously honored. But the inhabitaun∣tes caul it Carucueria.* 1.19 or Queraquiera. It is the chiefe habitation of the Canibales. They brought from this Iland .vii. Popin∣payes, bygger then phesantes,* 1.20 muche differynge from other in coloure: hauynge theyr backes, brestes, and bealies of purple coloure, and theyr wynges of other variable coloures. In al these Ilandes is no lesse plentie of popingiayes then with vs of sparrowes or starlinges. As we brynge vp capons and hennes to francke or make them fatte, so do they these bigger kyndes of popyngaies for the same purpose. After that they hadde thus searched the Ilande and dryuen these Canibales to flyghte,* 1.21 (whiche ranne awaye at theyr fyrst approche as sone as they had espied them) they cauled theyr company together. And as soone as they had broken the Canibals boates or lygh∣ters (whiche they call Canoas) they lowsed theyr ankers the daye before the Ides of Nouember, and departed from Gua∣dalupea. Colonus the admirall, for the desyre he hadde to se his companions, whiche at his fyrst vyage he lefte the yere before in Hispaniola to searche the countrey, lette passe many Ilandes bothe on his righte hande and lefte hande, and sayled direct∣ly thyther. By the waye, there appeared from the Northe. A great Ilande which the captiues that were taken in Hispaniola, cauled Madanino, or Matinino:* 1.22 Affirmynge it to be inhabited only with womē: To whō the Canibales haue accesse at certen tymes of the yeare, as in owlde tyme the Thracians had to the Amazo∣nes in the Ilande of Lesbos. The men children, they sende to theyr fathers. But the women theye kepe with them selues. They haue greate and stronge caues or dennes in the ground, to the which they flye for safegarde if any men resorte vnto them at any other tyme then is appoynted. And there defende them selues with bowes and arrowes, ag••nst the violence of

suche as attempte to enuade them. They coulde not at this tyme approche to this Ilande, by reasō of the Northenorth¦east wynde which blewe soo vehemently from the same, wher as they nowe folowed the Eastesoutheaste. After they de∣parted frome Madanino, and sayled by the space of .xi. myles, they passed not farre frome an other Ilande which the cap∣tyues sayde to bee verye peopulous, and replenyshed with all thynges necessarie for the life of man. This they cauled Mons Serratus,* 1.23 bycause it was ful of mountaynes. The captyues fur∣ther declared that the Canibales, are wonte at some tyme to goo frome theyr owne coastes aboue a thousande myle to hunte for men.* 1.24 The daye folowynge, they sawe an other Ilande the whiche, bycause it was rownde, they cauled Sancta Maria Rotunda.* 1.25 The nexte daye, theye founde an other, which they cauled S. Marrini.* 1.26 Which they lette passe also bycause they had no leasure to tarye. Lykewyse the thirde daye they espyed an other, whose Diamerral syde extendynge frome the Easte to the weste, they iudged to bee a hundreth and fyftie myle.

Theye affirme all these Ilandes to be maruelous fayre and frutefull. This laste, they cauled Sancta Maria Antiqua.* 1.27 Saylyng yet forwarde, and leauynge many other Ilandes, after they had sayled aboute fortie myle, they chaunced vpon an other muche bygger then any of the reste, which thinhabitans caule Ay Ay, but they named it Insula crucis.* 1.28 Heare they cast anker to fetche fresshe water. The Admiral also commaunded .xxx. men to go a lande out of his owne shyp, and to search the Ilande Here they founde fowre dogges on the shore. The Inhabi∣tants are Canibales,* 1.29 and maruelous experte in shutinge, as well women as men: And vse to infecte theyr arrowes with poy∣son: when they had taryed there two dayes, they sawe a farre of, a Canoa, in the whiche were eight men and as manye women hauynge with them bowes and arrowes.* 1.30 They fearsly assayled owre men withoute all feare, and hurte sum of them with theyr venemous arrowes. Amonge these there was a certen woman to whome the other gaue reuerence and obeyde as though she were theyr queene. Her sonne wayted vppon her, beinge a younge man, strongly made, of terrible & frow∣nynge countenaunce and a lyons face.* 1.31 Owre men leaste they sholde take the more hurte by beinge wounded a farre of, thowght it beste to ioyne with them. Therfore with all spede

settinge forewarde with their ores the brigantine in whiche they were sette alande, they ouerturned their Canoa with a great violence, which beinge ouerwhelmed, they notwith∣stondinge, as well the women as the men swymminge, caste theyr dartes at owre men, thicke and threefowlde. At the lengthe, gatherynge them selues together vpon a rocke coue∣red with the water, they fowght manfully vntyll they were ouercome and taken, one being slayne, and the queenes sonne sore wounded. When they were browght into the Admirals shippe, they dyd no more put of their fiernes and cruell coun¦tenances,* 1.32 then do the Lyons of Libia when theye perceaue thē selues to be bownde in chaynes. There is no man able to be∣howlde them, but he shall feele his bowelles grate with a cer¦ten horroure, nature hath endewed them with soo terrible menacynge, and cruel aspecte. This coniecture I make of my selfe and other which often tymes wente with me to see them at Methymna Campi.* 1.33 But nowe to returne to the viage. Procea∣dinge thus further and further, more then fiue hundrethe myles, firste towardes the Westesoutheweste, then towarde the Southwest, and at the lengthe towarde the Weste northe¦weste, they entered into a mayne large sea hauinge in it in∣numerable Ilandes,* 1.34 maruelouslye differinge one from an o∣ther, for sum of them were verye frutefull and full of herbes and trees. Other sum, verye drye, barren, and rowgh with high rockye mountaynes of stone, wherof sum were of bright blewe or asurine coloure, and other glysteringe white: wher¦fore they supposed them by good reason to bee the mynes of metalles and precious stones.* 1.35 But the rowghnes of the sea, and mult••tude of Ilandes standinge so thicke togyther, hinde¦red them soo, that they cowlde caste no anker leaste the big∣ger vesselles shulde runne vppon the rockes. Therefore they deferred the searchinge of these Ilandes vntyl an other tyme They were so manye and stoode so thicke, that they coulde not number them. Yet the smauler vesselles which drewe no greate depthe, entered emonge them and numbered fortie and syxe Ilandes. But the bigger vesselles, kepte aloofe in the mayne sea for feare of the rockes. They caule the sea where this multitude of Ilandes are situate, Archipelagus.* 1.36 Frome this tracte proceadinge forrewarde, in the mydde waye there lyeth an Iland which thinhabitantes caule Burichena, or Buchona.

But they named it Insula. S. Iohannis,* 1.37 Dyuers of theym whome we had delyuered frome the Canibales, sayde that they were borne in this Ilande: affirminge it to be very peopulous and frutefull, hauinge also manye fayre wooddes and hauens. There is deadly hatred and continual battayle betwene them & the Canibales, They haue no boates to passe from their owne coastes to the Canibales. But if it bee their chaunce to ouercome them, when they make incursion into theyr countreye to seke their praye (as it sumtyme happeneth, the fortune of warre beinge vncerteyne) they serue them with like sause, requiringe deathe for deathe.* 1.38 For one of theym mangeleth an other in pieces, and roste them and eate them euen before their eyes. They taryed not in this Ilande. Yet in the weste angle ther¦of, a fewe of them went a lande for fresshe water, and fownd a greate and h••gh howse after the maner of their buylding, hauinge .xii. other of their vulgare cotages placed abowte the same:* 1.39 but were all lefte desolate, whether it were that they resorted to the mountaynes by reson of the heate which was that tyme of the yeare, and to returne to the playne when the ayre wareth cowlder, or els for feare of the Canibales which make incursion into the Ilande at certen seasons. In all this Ilande is only one kinge. The south syde hereof exten∣deth abowte two hundrethe myles. Shortlye after, they came to the Ilande of Hispaniola, beinge distante frome the firste Ilande of the Canibales, fyue hundrethe leaques.* 1.40 Here they fownde all th••nges out of order, and theyr felowes slayne whi••h they lefte here at their fyrste vyage. In the begin∣ninge of Hispaniola, (hauinge in it many regions and kynge∣domes as we haue sayde) is the region of Xamana whose kinge is named Gua••canarillus.* 1.41 This Guaccanarillus ioyned frendeshippe with owre men at the fyrste viage, and made a league with them: But in the absence of the Admirall, he rebelled, & was the cause of owre mens destruction, althowgh he dissimuled the same, and pretended frendship at the Admirales returne. As owre men sayled on yet a litle furthe••, they espied a longe Canoa with many ores, in which was the b••other of Guaccanaril∣lus with only one man waytinge on hym. He browght with hym two Images of goulde,* 1.42 which he gaue the Admirall in the name of his brother. And towlde a ••ale in his language as concerninge the deathe of owre men, as they proued after¦warde,

but at this tyme had no regarde to his communicati∣on for lacke of interpretours, which were eyther all deade, or escaped and stoulne awaye when they drewe nere the Ilan¦des. But of the .x.vii. dyed by change of ayre and dyer. The inhabitantes of these Ilandes haue byn euer soo vsed to liue at libert••e, in playe and pastyme,* 1.43 that they can hardely away with the yoke of seruitude which they attempte to shake of by all meanes they maye. And surely if they had receaued owre rel••gion, I wolde thinke their life moste happye of all men,* 1.44 if they might therwith enioye their aunciente libertie. A fewe thinges contente them, hauinge no delite in suche su∣per••luites,* 1.45 for the which in other places men take infinite paynes and commit manie vnlawfull actes, and yet are neuer satisfied, wheras many haue to muche, and none inowgh.* 1.46 But emonge these simple sowles, a fewe clothes serue the na¦ked: we••ghtes and measures are not needefull to such as can not skyll of crafte and deceyte and haue not the vse of pestife∣tous monye, the seede of innumerable myscheues. So that if we shall not be ashamed to confesse the truthe, they seeme to lyue in that goulden worlde of the whiche owlde wryters speake so much▪* 1.47 wherin men lyued simplye and innocentlye without inforcement of lawes, without quarellinge Iudges and libelles, contente onely to satisfie nature, without fur∣ther vexation for knowelege of thinges to come. Yet these na¦ked people also are tormēted with ambitiō for the desyre they haue to enlarge their dominions:* 1.48 by reason wherof they kepe warre & destroy one an other: frō the which plage I suppo••e the golden world was not free. For euen then also, Cede, non c••dam, that is, gyue place,* 1.49 & I wyll not giue place, had entred emonge men. But nowe to returne to the matter frō which we haue digressed. The admiral desyrous to knowe further of the death of his men, sent for Guaccanarillus to come to him to his ship, dissimulinge that he knew any thinge of the matter.* 1.50 After that he came aboord shyp, saluting the Admiral & his cō¦pany gyuing also certē golde to the Capetaynes and offycers, turned him to the womē captiues which not longe before our mē had deliuered frō the Canibales. And ernestly beholding one of them whome owre men cauled Catharyne, he spake gentel¦ly vnto her.* 1.51 And thus when he had seene and marueyled at the horses and suche other thinges as were in the shyppe, vn∣knowen

to them, and had with a good grace and merelye as∣ked leaue of the Admirall, he departed. Yet sum there were which counseyled the Admirall to kepe hym styll: that if they might by any meanes proue that he was consentinge to the deathe of owre men, he might bee punished accordinglie. But the Admirall considering that it was yet no tyme to incense thinhabitantes myndes to wrathe,* 1.52 dysmyssed hym. The next daye folowing, the kinges brother resortyng to the shyppes, eyther in his owne name or in his brothers, seduced the wo∣men. For on the next nyght about mydnight, this Katherine aswell to recouer her owne libertie as also her felowes, being suborned therto eyther by the kinge or his brothers promises attempted a much more difficulte and daungerous aduenture then dyd Cloelia of Rome,* 1.53* 1.54 which beinge in hostage with other maydes to the kynge Porcena, deceaued her kepers, and rode ouer the ryuer Tiber, with the other virgins which were pled∣ges with her. For wheras they swamme ouer the ryuer on horsebacke. This Katharyne with seuen other women, tru∣stynge onlye to the strengthe of theyr owne armes, swamme aboue three longe myles: and that also, at suche tyme as the sea was sumwhat rowghe. For euen soo farre of frome the shore, lay the shippes at rode, as nigh as they could coniecture But owre men folowinge them with the shippeboates, by the same light seene on the shore wherby the women were ledde, tooke three of them: supposinge that Katharyne with the o∣ther foure, wente to Guaccanarillus. For in the springe of the morninge, certen messengers beinge sente to hym by the Admi¦rall, had intelligence that he was fledde with all his familie and stuffe, and the women also. which thinge ministred fur∣ther suspection that he was consentinge to the death of owre men. Wherfore the Admirall sente forthe an armye of three hundrethe men, ouer the which he appoynted one Melchior to be capitayne, wylling hym to make diligent searche to fynde owte Guaccanarillus. Melchior therfore with the smauleste vessels enteringe into the countreye by the ryuers and scouringe the shores,* 1.55 chaunced into certen croked goulfes defended with .v lyttle & stiepe hilles, supposinge that it had byn the mouth of sum greate ryuer. He founde here also a verye commodious and safe hauen, and therefore named it Portus Regalis. They saye that the enteraunce of this is so crooked and bendinge,

that after the shippes are once within the same, whether they turne thē to the lefte hand, or to the ryght, they can not perceaue where they came in vntyll they returne to the mouth of the ryuer: Although it be there so brode that three of the byggeste vessels may sayle together on a froont. The sharpe & high hilles on the one syde and on the other, so brake the wynde, that they were vncerten howe to rule theyr sayles. In the myddle gulfe of the ryuer, there is a promontorie or point of the lande with a pleasaunte groue full of Popingayes and other byrdes which breede therein and singe verye sweetlye.* 1.56 They perceaued also that two ryuers of no smaule largenes fell into the hauen. Whyle they thus searched the lande be∣twene bothe, Melchior espied a high house a farre of, where supposinge that Guaccanarillus had lyne hyd, he made towarde it. And as he was goynge, there mette hym a man with a frownynge countenaunce and a grymme looke, with a hun∣dreth men folowynge hym, armed with bowes and arrowes, and long and sharpe staues like iauelynnes, made harde at the endes with fyre. Who approchyng towardes owre men, spake owte alowde with a terryble voyce, sayenge that they were Taini,* 1.57 (that is) noble men, and not Canibales. But when owre men had gyuen them signes of peace, they lefte bothe theyr weapons and fiercenes. Thus geuynge eche of them certen haukes belles,* 1.58 they tooke it for so greate a rewarde, that they desyred to enter bondes of nere frendeshyppe with vs, and feared not immediatly to submitte them selues vnder owre power, and resorted to our shyps with theyr presentes. They that measured the house (beinge made in rounde fourme fownde it to be from syde to syde .xxxii. greate paces,* 1.59 compa∣sed abowte with .xxx. other vulgare houses, hauinge in them many beames crosse ouer, and couered with reedes of sundry colours,* 1.60 wrethed and as it were weaued with maruelous art When owre men asked sum of them where they myght fynde Guaccanarillus. They aunswered that that Region was none of his. But theyr kynges beynge there presente. Yet they sayde they supposed that Guaccanarillus was gone from the playne to the mountaynes. Makynge therfore a brotherly league with this Caccicus,* 1.61 (that is to saye a kynge) they retourned to the Ad¦myrall to make relation what they hadde seene and harde.

whervppon he sent forth dyuers other Centurians with their

hundrethes to searche the countrey yet further. Emonge the which were Hoiedus and Gorualanus,* 1.62 noble younge gentlemen & of great courage. And as they went towarde the mountaines to seeke Guaccanarillus, dyuidinge the mountaynes betwene thē one of them fownde on the one syde therof foure ryuers fau∣lynge frome the same mountaynes: and the other founde .iii. on the other syde. In the sandes of all these ryuers is fownd great plentye of goulde,* 1.63 which thinhabitantes of the same I¦lande which were with vs, gathered in this maner. Making holes in the sande with theyr handes, a Cubette deape, and takynge vp sande with their lefte handes from the botome of the same,* 1.64 they picked out graynes of goulde with their ryght handes withowte any more arte or cunnynge.* 1.65 And so deliue∣red it to owre men: who affirme that many of them thus ga∣thered, were as bygge as tares or fytchis. And I my selfe sawe a masse of rude goulde,* 1.66 (that is to say, suche as was ne¦uer molten) lyke vnto suche stones as are founde in the bot∣tomes of ryuers, weighinge nyne ownces, which Hoieda him selfe fownde. Beinge contented with these signes, they retur¦ned to the Admirall to certifie him hereof. For the Admirall had commaunded vnder payne of punyshement that they shuld meddle no further then their commission: which was only to searche the places with their signes. For the fame went that there was a certeyne kynge of the mountaynes from whense those ryuers had their faule, whom they caule Cacicus Caunaboa that is, the lord of the house of golde.* 1.67 For they caule a house Boa, goulde, Cauni: and a kynge or Lorde, Cacicus, as we haue sayde before.* 1.68 They affirme that there can noo where be found better fysshe, nor of more pleasant tast, or more holsome then in these ryuers: also the waters of the same to be most holsom to drynke. Melchior hym selfe towld me, that in the moneth of December,* 1.69 the days and nyghtes bee of equal length among the Canibalis. But the sphere or circles of the heauen, agreeth not thervnto.* 1.70 Albeit that in the same moneth, sume byrdes make their nestes, and sume haue alredy hatched their egges by reason of the heate beinge rather continuall then extreme. He towlde me also when I questioned with hym as concer∣nynge the eleuation of the pole from the horizontal lyne,* 1.71 that al the sterres cauled Plastrum or charles wayne,* 1.72 are hydde vn∣der the Northe pole to the Canibales. And surely there retur∣ned none from thense at this viage, to whome there is more

credit to be gyuen, then to this man. But if he had byn skil¦full in Astronomye, he shulde haue sayde that the day was al¦moste equall with the night. For in no place towarde the stay of the sonne (cauled Solsticium) can the night be equall with the day. And as for them, they neuer came vnder the Equinoc••iall,* 1.73 for asmuch as they had euer the northe pole theyr guyde, and euer eleuate in sight aboue the Horizontal. Thus haue I briefe∣ly written vnto yowre honoure, as muche as I thought suffi∣ciente at this tyme. And shall shortly hereafter (by Gods fa∣uoure) wryte vnto you more largely of suche matters as shal∣be dayly better knowen. For the admirall hym selfe (whome I vse famylyerly as my verye frende) hathe promysed me by his letters, that he wyl gyue me knowlege of al such thynges as shall chaunce. He hath nowe chosen a stronge place where he may buyld a Citie nere vnto a comodious hauen. And hath alredy buylded many houses and a chapell in the whiche (as in a newe worlde heretofore voyde of all religion) god is day¦ly serued with .xiii. preestes accordinge to the maner of owre churches.* 1.74 When the tyme nowe approched when he promy∣sed to sende to the kynge and queene, and hauynge prospe∣rous wynde for that purpose, sent backe the .xii. Carauelles wherof we made mencion before it was no smaul hynderance and greefe, vnto hym: Especially consyderynge the death of his men whom he lefte in the Ilande at the fyrst vyage, wher¦by we are yet ignorant of many places & other secretes wher∣of we might otherwyse haue had further knowleage. But as tyme shall reueale them ageyne, so wyll I aduertyse yowe of the same. And that you may the better knowe by conference had with the Apothecaries and marchaunt strangers Sirophenici∣ans,* 1.75 what these Regions beare, and howe hotte theyr ground is, I haue sent you all kyndes of graynes, with the barke & inner partes of that tree whiche they suppose to bee the Cina¦mome tree.* 1.76 And yf it be your pleasure to taste eyther of the graynes, or of the smaule seedes the which you shoulde per∣ceaue to haue fawlen from these graynes, or of the wodde it selfe, touch them firste softely mouinge them to your lyppes. For although they bee not hurtefull, yet for theyr excesse of heate, they are sharpe and byte the tongue, yf they remayne any whyle theron. But if the tongue be blystered by tastynge of them, the same is taken away by drynkynge of water. Of

the corne also wherof they make theyr breade, this brynger shall delyuer sume graynes to your Lordeshyppe bothe whyte and blacke: And therwith also, a Trunke of the tree of Aloes The which if you cutte in peeces,* 1.77 you shall feele a sweete sa∣uoure to proceade from the same. Thus fare you hartely wel. From the courte of Methimna Campi. The thyrde day before the Calendes of May. Anno. Domini, M. CCCC. XCIIII.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Methymna Campi.
• * 1.2

  Castella ve∣tu••.
• * 1.3

  Gades
• * 1.4

  The Iland of Ferrea.
• * 1.5

  Ilands of the Canibales.
• * 1.6

  The Iland of Dominica.
• * 1.7

  viii. hundreth & .xx. leaques in .xxi. dayes.
• * 1.8

  Lysertes,
• * 1.9

  The Ilande of Galanta.
• * 1.10

  The Iland of Guadalupea.
• * 1.11

  Uilages of .xx or .••xx. houses.
• * 1.12

  The building of theyr hou∣ses.
• * 1.13

  ••••••ampine ••otton.
• * 1.14

  Bomba••e. han••in••e beddes.
• * 1.15

  Images.
• * 1.16

  Fyne cookery
• * 1.17

  Arrowe heds of bones▪
• * 1.18

  The mount Guadalupus••
• * 1.19

  Carucueria.
• * 1.20

  Popyngayes bygger then phesauntes
• * 1.21

  The Caniba∣les dry••en to flyght.
• * 1.22

  Matinino an I••ande of wo¦men.
• * 1.23

  The Ilandes of Mons Ser¦ratus.
• * 1.24

  hunt••nge for men.
• * 1.25

  Sancta Mari¦a Rotunda.
• * 1.26

  Sanctus Mar¦••inus.
• * 1.27

  Sancta Mari¦a Antiqua,
• * 1.28

  Insula crucis An Ilande of the Canibals
• * 1.29

  The Caniba∣les are ex∣pert archers.
• * 1.30

  Arrowes in∣fected with veneme.
• * 1.31

  A conflict ••ith the Ca∣nib••les.
• * 1.32

  The fierce∣nes and terri∣ble counte∣n••unce of the Canibales.
• * 1.33

  Methymna Campi.
• * 1.34

  Innumerable ilandes.
• * 1.35

  The mynes of Metales & precious sto∣nes.
• * 1.36

  The sea cau∣led Archipe∣lagus▪
• * 1.37

  Insula. S. Io∣hannes o•• Bu¦chena.
• * 1.38

  Death for d••athe
• * 1.39

  The moun∣taynes are coulder then the playnes.
• * 1.40

  From Domini¦ca to hi••pani∣ola fyue hun∣dreth leaques
• * 1.41

  The Spany∣••••des lefte in the Iland are s••ayne. kynge Guac∣canari••lus re¦belleth.
• * 1.42

  Two images of goulde.
• * 1.43

  Libertie and idlenes.
• * 1.44

  A happy kind of lyfe.
• * 1.45

  Superfluite.
• * 1.46

  many haue to much and none inough.
• * 1.47

  The goulden worlde
• * 1.48

  Naked men troubled with ambicion.
• * 1.49

  Gyue place.
• * 1.50

  The Admira sendeth for the kynge.
• * 1.51

  No horses in the Ilandes.
• * 1.52

  A tyme for all thynges.
• * 1.53

  A desperate aduenture of a woman.
• * 1.54

  Cloelia of Rome.
• * 1.55

  Guaccanaril∣lus is sought. ••••l••hior.
• * 1.56

  Popingayes and byrdes
• * 1.57

  Taini.
• * 1.58

  haukes bel∣les▪
• * 1.59

  A large hous
• * 1.60

  Reedes of sū∣dry colours.
• * 1.61

  Caccius.
• * 1.62

  ho••edus and Gorualanus.
• * 1.63

  Golde in ry∣uers faulinge from moun∣taynes.
• * 1.64

  The maner of gathering golde.
• * 1.65

  Graynes of golde.
• * 1.66

  A masse of rude go••de weighinge .ix ounces.
• * 1.67

  Cannaboa, kynge of the house of gold
• * 1.68

  hol••ome wa∣ter and plen∣tie of fysshe.
• * 1.69

  The day and nyght of e∣qual length in Decēber.
• * 1.70

  ••yrdes breed in December
• * 1.71

  The eleuati∣on of the po••e
• * 1.72

  The starres are cauled gardens of the pole,
• * 1.73

  The Equino∣tial lyne.
• * 1.74

  A chapel and preestes.
• * 1.75

  Marchaunts Sirophenici∣ans.
• * 1.76

  The Cyna∣mome tree.
• * 1.77

  Xiloaloes or lignū Aloes.