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 .ix. booke of the fyrst Decade to Cardynall Lodouike.

VIncentiagnes Pinzonus, and also Aries Pinzonus,* 1.1 his neuie, by his brothers syde, which accompa∣nyed the Admiral Colonus in his fyrste vyage, and were by him appoynted to bee masters of twoo of the smaule shippes which the Spani¦ardes caule Carauelas, beinge mooued by the greate ryches and amplytude of the new lan¦des, furnyshed of theyr owne charges, foure carauels in the hauen of theyr owne countrey which the Spanyardes caule Palos, bortheringe on the weste Ocean. Hauynge therfore the kynges licence and passeporte to departe,* 1.2 they loosed frō the hauen, abowte the Calendes of December, in the yeare 1499. This hauen of Palos is three score and twelue myles distant from Gades, commonly cauled Cales: and three score and foure myles from Ciuile.* 1.3 All thinhabitantes of this towne, not one excepted, are greately gyuen to searchinge of the sea, and continually exercysed in sayling. They also directed their vyage fyrst to the Ilandes of Canarie by the Ilandes of Hespe¦rides,* 1.4 nowe cauled Cabouerde,* 1.5 which sum caule Gorgodes Meducias. Saylinge therfore directly towarde the southe frome that I∣land of the Hesperides which the Portugales (being possessers of the same) caule Sancti Iacobi, and departinge frome thense at the Ides of Ianuary, they folowed the southwest wynde,* 1.6 be¦inge in the myddest betwene the south and the weste. When they supposed that they had sayled aboute three hundrethe leaques by the same wynde, they say that they loste the syght

of the Northe starre:* 1.7 and were shortelye after, tossed with excedinge tempestes bothe of wynde and sea, and vexed with intollerable heate. Yet sayled they on further (not without greate daunger) for the space of twoo hundrethe and fortie leaques, folowing yet the same wynde by the lost pole. Wher∣fore, whether habitable Regions bee vnder the Equinoctiall lyne or not,* 1.8 let these men and the owlde wryters, aswel Phi¦losophers as poetes and cosmographers discusse. For these men, affirme it to bee habitable, and maruelou••ly replenished with people: and they, that it is vnhabitable by reason of the soone beames dependinge perpendicularly or directlye o∣uer the same. Yet were there many of the oulde wryters, whi∣che attempted to proue it habitable. These maryners beinge demaunded, if they sawe the south pole, they answered that they knewe no starre there lyke vnto this pole, that myght be decerned aboute the poynte. But that they sawe an other or∣der of starres, and a certeyne thicke myst rysynge from the ho¦rizontall lyne,* 1.9 which greatly hyndered theyr syght. They con¦tende also, that there is a great heape or rysynge in the myd∣dest of the earth,* 1.10 which taketh away the syght of the southe pole, vntyll they haue vtterly passed ouer the same. But they verely beleue that they sawe other images of starres, muche differinge from the situation of the starres of owre hemisphe∣rie or halfe circle of heauen. Howe soo euer the matter bee, as they informe vs, wee certifie yowe. At the lengthe, the se∣uenth day of the calendes of Februarye, they espied lande a farre of. And seinge the water of the sea to bee troubelous, soundinge with theyr plummet, they founde it to bee .xvi. fa∣thames deepe. Goinge a lande, and tarienge there for the space of twoo dayes, they departed bycause they saw no peo∣ple steringe, althowghe they fownde certeyne steppes of men by the sea syde. Thus grauinge on the trees and the stones nere vnto the shore, the kynges name and theyrs, and the tyme of theyr comming thether, they departed. Not farre frō this station, folowynge the fyers on the lande by nyght, they founde a nation lyinge vnder the open fyrmamente after the maner of warre. Owre men thought it not beste to trowble them vntyll the morninge. Therefore, at the rysinge of the soonne, fortie of owre men well armed, wente toward them: ageynst whom came furth .xxxii. of them, with bowes, slinges

and dartes, euen redy to the feyght. The other coompanye folowed them, armed after the same maner. Owr men affirme that they were of hygher stature then eyther the Almaynes or Pannonians.* 1.11 They behelde owre men with frownynge and threatenynge countenaunce. But owre men thought it not good to faule to bickeringe with them, vncerteyne whether it were for feare, or bycause they wolde not dryue thē to flight. Wherfore they went aboute to allure them by faire meanes & rewardes. But they refused all kynde of gentelnes, & stoode euer in a redines to feight, declaringe the same by signes and tokens. Thus owr men resorted to theyr shippes, and they to the place from whence they came, without any further busy∣nes. The same nyght abowte mydnyght, they fledde, and left the place voyde where they lay in campe. Owre men suppose them to bee a vagabunde and wanderinge nacion lyke vnto the Scythians,* 1.12 withowte houses or certeyne dwellinge pla∣ces, lyuinge onely with the fruites of the earth, hauing theyr wyues and chyldren folowinge them. Such as measured their footesteppes in the sande, affirme with greate othes, that one of theyr feete is almost as longe as twoo feete of owre men of the meane sorte. Saylinge on yet further,* 1.13 they founde an o∣ther ryuer, but not of deapth sufficient to beare the carauels. They sent therfore the foure shippe boates to lande, ful of ar∣med men to search the countrey. They espyed vppon a hyghe hyll nere vnto the sea syde, a greate multitude of people, to whom owre coompany sent furthe one man with certeyne of owre thynges to allure them to exchaunge. And when he had cast a haukes bell towarde them, they cast downe a wedge of golde a cubette longe. The which as he stouped to take vppe, they soodenly inclosed hym, and caryed hym awaye. But he was shortly after rescued by his coompanyons, to sum of their paynes: for they slewe eyght of owre men, and wounded ma∣ny a farre of, with theyr arrowes, and dartes made of wood hardened at the endes with fyre. After this, they encoompa∣sed owre shippe boates within the ryuer, and came rasshelye within the reache of owre men,* 1.14 layinge houlde on the boates sydes, where they were thrust throwgh and hewen in peeces as it had byn sheepe, by reason they were naked. Yet wolde they not for al this, gyue ouer: but tooke from owre men one of their boates, hauing noo men in it. For the gouernour ther¦of

being slayne with an arrowe, the other fledde and escaped. And thus they lefte this fierce and warlyke people, saylinge towarde the northweste alonge by the same coastes, with so∣rowfull hartes for the death of theyr coompanyons. When they had sayled abowte .xl. leaques, they chaunced into a sea of suche fresshe water,* 1.15 that they fylled theyr barelles and hog¦ges heades therwith. Searching the cause hereof, they vnder¦stoode that a vehement course of ryuers discended with great violence from the toppes of certeyne greate hylles. They say also that there lyeth within the sea, many fortunate and fruit¦full Ilandes,* 1.16 and well inhabyted: And that thinhabitantes of this tracte are men of meeke nature and suche as doo not refuse strangers:* 1.17 Yet lyttle profytable to them, bycause they had noo marchandyes for their purpose, as golde or precyous stones. For lacke wherof, they brough•• frome thense thyrtie captiues to sell for slaues. Thinhabitantes caule this Region Mariatambal.* 1.18 The Region of the easte parte of that ryuer, is cau¦led Camomorus:* 1.19 And that of the weste parte, Paricora:* 1.20 in the mid¦lande wherof, thinhabitantes signified that there is greate plentie of golde. For, folowynge this ryuer directly toward the Northe (as the bendynge of the shore requyred) they reco¦uered ageyne the syght of the north pole. All the coaste of this tracte, perteyneth to Paria,* 1.21 the which (as we sayd before) was fyrst founde by Colonus hym selfe,* 1.22 and hath in maner in euery place, greate abundaunce of pearles. They saye that these coastes are adioynynge vnto, and all one with Os Draconis,* 1.23 and also bortherynge vppon the Regions of Cumana,* 1.24 Manacapana,* 1.25 Cu∣riana,* 1.26 Cauchieta, and Cuchibachoa. Wherfore they thought it to bee parte of the firme lande of India beyonge the ryuer of Ganges. For the greate and large coompa••se therof, dothe not permit that it shulde bee an Ilande. Albeit, the hole earth vncouered with water, largely taken, may bee cauled an Ilande.* 1.27 From the poynte of that land where they lost the sight of the north pole, saylynge by a continuall tracke abowte three hundreth leaques towarde the weste syde of Paria, they say that almoste in the mydde way, they chaunced into a ryuer cauled Maragno∣num,* 1.28 which they affirme to bee of such excedinge breadth, that it myght seeme incredible, if the antiquitie dyd not make men¦tion of the lyke. Beinge demaunded of me if it were not salte water where it diuided the lande, they answered, that the wa¦ter

therof was very fresshe and sweete: And that the further it ranne, to bee soo muche the fressher: Also full of Ilandes & homsome fyshe. They bare auouche the breadth therof, to bee more then thirtie lea••ues. Yet if wee well weighe and consy∣der the largenes and wydenes of Boriostomea and Spiriosiomea, the mouthes of the famous ryuer of Ister (nowe cauled Danubius) & howe farre they violate or corrupte the salte water with their freshenes,* 1.29 wee shall cease to marueile, althowgh this other ry¦uer bee greater. For, who can diminysshe the poure of nature, but that it may make this bigger then the other, and an other bygger then this. And I suppose this to bee the ryuer wher∣of Colonus the Admirall made mention in the discription of his vyage in these coastes. But wee shall hereafter haue further knowleage hereof. Let vs nowe therfore returne to the com∣modities of these Regions. They fownde in many Ilandes a¦bowte Paria,* 1.30 great wooddes of brasile trees: And brought a∣waye with them, three thousande poundes weight thereof. They say that the brasile of Hispaniola, is muche better then this, to dye clothe with a more fayre and durable colour. Frō hense, folowynge the wynde (whiche the Spanyardes caule Norduest, and the Italians Graeco) they passed by many Ilandes very fruitefull, yet lefte desolate and wasted by reason of the crueltie of the Canibales.* 1.31 For they went alande in many pla∣ces, and fownde the ruines of many destroyed howses. Yet in sum places, they founde men, but those exceadinge fearefull, flyinge to the mountaynes, rockes, and wooddes at the sight of euery straunger or shippe, and wanderinge without houses or certeyne abydinge places, for feare of the Caniballes lay∣inge wayte and huntinge after them.* 1.32 Here they founde those great trees which of thē selues in dyuers places bringe furth the fruite or spice whiche the Apothecaries caule Cassia f••stula:* 1.33 And that of noo lesse goodnes then that which the phisitians minister to such as bee diseased with the ague. Bu•• it was not ripe at theyr beinge there. They affirme that there are trees of suche byggenes,* 1.34 that .xvi. men ioyninge handes togyther and standinge in coompasse, can scarsely embrase sum of them. E∣monge these trees is fownde that monstrous beaste with a snowte lyke a foxe, a tayle lyke a marmasette,* 1.35 eares lyke a batte, handes lyke a man, and feete lyke an ape, bearing her whelpes abowte with her in an owtwarde bellye muche lyke

vnto a greate bagge or purse. The deade carkas of this beast, you sawe with me, and turned it ouer and ouer with yowre owne handes, marueylynge at that newe belly and wonder∣full prouision of nature. They say it is knowen by experience, that shee neuer letteth her whelpes goo owte of that purse, ex¦except it bee eyther to play, or to sucke, vntyl suche tyme that they bee able to gette theyr lyuing by them selues. They tooke this beaste with her whelpes: But the whelpes dyed shortely after in the shyppes. Yet the damme liued certeyne moonethes: But at the length, not beinge able to abyde soo greate altera¦tion of ayer, and chaunge of meate,* 1.36 shee dyed also in the way. But of this beaste, wee haue sayde enowgh. Let vs now ther¦fore returne to the autoures of these thynges. These twoo Pin¦zoni, the vncle and the neuie, susteyned manye great trowbles and horrible tempestes and perilles in this nauigation. For when they had nowe sayled by the coastes of Paria abowte .vi. hundreth leaques, and (as they supposed) beyonde the citie of Cathay and the coastes of Easte India beyonde the ryuer of Ganges,* 1.37 there rose soodenly soo fierce a tempeste in the moo∣neth of Iuly, that, of the foure carauels which they had with them, twoo were drowned euen beefore theyr eyes:* 1.38 and the thyrde lyenge at anker, with lyke soodennes caryed owte of theyr syght throwgh the violence of the tempeste: The fourth also lyinge at anker, was soo shaken and broosed, that al the seames therof were almost loosed. Yet came they to lande owt of this laste shyppe, but vtterlye despayrynge of the shyppe. Wherfore consultynge with them selues what was best to bee doone in soo extreeme a case, and how to prouide them a safe dwellinge place in those Regions beinge owt of al hope how to departe from thense,* 1.39 they determined to sley all the inhabi¦tantes of the contrey nere abowte them, leaste they with the other shulde conspire togyther to kyl them, but theyr fortune was better. For the carauell which the tempeste had caryed a way, was coome to them ageyne. This had in it .xviii. men: And the other that remayned, was saued and repayred. With these two therfore, they tooke theyr vyage directly to Spaine And thus beinge tossed with tempestes and vexed with aduer¦sities, they returned to theyr natiue contrey of Palos, to theyr wyues and children, the day before the Calendes of October, with the losse of many of theyr dere frendes and neighbours.

they browght with them Cinamome and gynger:* 1.40 but not ve∣ry good, bycause they were not there fully seasoned with the heate of the soone before they brought them frō thense. They browght also, certeyne precious stones, whiche Baptista Elysius. that excellent philosopher and yowre lordeshippes phisitian, affirmeth to bee trewe Topases.* 1.41 After these mens returne, o∣ther of theyr neighbours beinge moued thereto by a certeyne emulation, to proue yf theyr fortune wolde bee anye better, lyke men of good corage,* 1.42 beinge nothing discomforted by the harde fortune of theyr neighboures, knowinge that it often tymes chaunceth that that which is one mans vndoinge is an other mans makynge, attempted a newe vyage towarde the sowthe by the coastes of Paria,* 1.43 folowynge the steppes of Colo∣nus the Admiral, who had fyrst discouered the same. They also browght with them greate plentie of Cassia fistula: And fownde that precious medecine cauled of the Spanyardes, Animae album,* 1.44 whose perfume is of most excellent effect to heale the reumes, murres, and heauines of the heade. As touchinge this vyage, as yet I knowe noo other newes that I thought worthy to certifie yowe of. Wherfore, I wyl nowe make an ende of this booke, bycause yow put me so often in rememberance of your departure. Yet to accomplysshe the Decade, I wyll declare sumwhae of the superstitions of Hispaniola.* 1.45 Yowe shall nowe therfore vnderstand the illusions wherwith the people of the Ilande haue byn seduced after the errours of the owlde gen∣tilitie,* 1.46 and wandered in the ignorance and blyndenes of hu∣mane nature corrupted by the disobedience of owr fyrst paren¦tes, which hath remayned in all nations vpon the face of the earth, except where it hath pleased god by the lyght of his spi¦rite by his woorde, to poure vppon his electe the grace of re∣nouation,* 1.47 by the lyght wherof the naturall darkenes recea∣ueth sume clearenes as in a glasse, vntyll imperfection shalbe abolyshed. Owre men therefore, were longe in the Ilande of Hispaniola, before they knewe that the people thereof honorede any other thynge thē the lyghtes of heauen, or had any other Religion. But when theye had byne nowe longe conuersante with them, and by vnderstandyng their language, drewe to a further familiaritie, they had knowleage that they vsed dy∣uers rytes and superstitions. I haue therfore gathered these fewe thynges folowynge, owte of a booke wrytten by one

Ramonus an heremyte,* 1.48 whom Colonus had lefte with certeyne kynges of the Ilande to instruct them in the Christian fayth. And bycau••e in maner their hole religion is none other thing then Idolatry, I wyll begynne at theyr Idoles.* 1.49 It is therfore apparente by the Images which they honour open∣ly and commonly, that there appere vnto them in the nyghte seasons certeyne phanta••ies and illusions of euyll spirites,* 1.50 seducinge them into many fonde and folyshe errours. For they make certeyne Images of gossampine cotton foulded or wre∣thed after theyr maner,* 1.51 and harde stopped within. These I∣mages they make sytting, much lyke vnto the pictures of spri¦tes and deuelles which owr paynters are accustomed to pa••nt vppon waules. But forasmuch as I my selfe sent yowe foure of these Images, yowe may better presently signifie vnto the kynge yowre vncle, what maner of thynges they are, & howe lyke vnto paynted deuelles, then I can expresse the same by wrytynge. These Images, thinhabitantes caule Zemes:* 1.52 wher¦of the leaste, made to the lykenes of younge deuels,* 1.53 they bind to theyr forheades when they goo to the warres ageynst their enemies: And for that purpose haue they those strynges han∣gynge at them which yowe see. Of these, they beleue to ob∣teyne rayne if rayne be lackyng, and lykewyse fayre wether. For they thinke that these Zemes are the mediatours and mes¦sengers of the greate god,* 1.54 whom they acknowleage to be on∣ly one, eternall,* 1.55 withowte ende, omnipotent and inuisible. Thus euery kynge hath his particuler Zemes which he honou¦reth.* 1.56 They caule the eternall god, by these twoo names, Iocau¦na, and Guamaonocon, as theyr predicessours tawght them. Affir¦minge that he hath a father cauled by these fyue names:* 1.57 that is, Artab••ra, Mamona, Cuacarapita, Liella, Guimazoa. Nowe shall yowe heare what they fable on the earth as touchinge the originall of man.* 1.58 There is in the Ilande a Region cauled Caunana, wher they fayne that mankynde came fyrst owte of twoo caues of a mountayne: and that the byggest sorte of men, came furth of the mouth of the byggest caue, and the least sorte owte of the leaste caue. The rocke in the which these caues are, they caule Cau••a. The greatest denne, they name Cazibaxagua, and the lesse Amaiauna.* 1.59 They say, that before it was lawful for men to come foorth of the caue, the mouth of the caue was kepte and wat¦ched nyghtly by a man whose name was Machochael. This Ma∣chochael,

departinge sumwhat farre from the caue to thintente to see what thynges were abrode, was soodenly taken of the soonne (whose sight he was forbydden) and was turned into a stone. They fayne the lyke of dyuers other, that whereas they went foorthe in the nyghte season a fysshynge, so farre from the caue that they coulde not returne before the rysynge of the soone (the which it was not lawful for them to behold) they were transformed into myrobalane trees,* 1.60 which of them selues growe plentifully in the Ilande. They saye further∣more, that a certeyne ruler cauled Vagoniona, sent one furth of the caue to goo a fysshynge, who by lyke chaunce was turned into a nyghtyngale bycause the soonne was rysen beefore he came ageyne to the caue:* 1.61 And that yearelye abowte the same tyme that he was turned into a byrde, he dothe in the nyght with a moornynge songe bewayle his mysfortune, and caule for the helpe of his maister Vagoniona. And this they thynke to bee the cause why that byrde singeth in the night season. But Vagoniona, beinge sore troubled in his mynd for the losse of his familier frende whom he loued soo intierly, leauinge the men in the caue, brought foorth onely the women with theyr suc∣kynge chyldren, leauinge the women in one of the Ilandes of that tracte, cauled Mathinino,* 1.62 and caryed the chyldren awaye with hym: which poore wretches oppressed with famine, fain¦ted and remained on the banke of a certeine ryuer where they were turned into frogges,* 1.63 and cryed toa, toa, that is, mama, ma∣ma, as chyldren are wont to crye for the mothers pappe. And hereof they say it commeth that frogges vse to cry so pytiful∣ly in the sprynge tyme of the yeare: And that men were scat∣tered abrode in the caues of Hispaniola withowte the companye of women. They say also, that whereas Vagoniona hym selfe, was accustomed to wander in dyuers places, and yet by a spe¦ciall grace,* 1.64 neuer transformed, descended to a certeyne fayre woman whom he sawe in the bottome of the sea, and recea∣ued of her certeyne pibple stones of marble (whiche they caule Cibas) and also certeine yelowe and bright plates of laton, whi¦che they caule Cuaninos. These thynges to this day are had in greate estimation amonge the kynges, as goodly iewels and most holy reliques.* 1.65 These men whiche we sayde before were lefte in the caues withowte women, went furth in the nyght (as they say) to wasshe them selues in a ponde of raine water

and sawe a farre of by the way a greate multitude of certeine beastes in shape sumwhat lyke vnto women, creping as thicke as antes aboute the myrobalane trees: And that as they at∣tempted to take these beastes,* 1.66 they slypped owte of their han∣des as they had byn yeles. Where vppon they consulted, and determyned bythaduice of the elders,* 1.67 that al suche shulde bee sowght foorthe amonge them, as were scabbyd and leprous, to thintente that with theyr rowghe and harde handes, they myght theselyer take holde of them. These men, they caule Caracaracoles: And sente them foorthe a huntinge to take these beastes. But of many which they tooke, they coulde keepe but only foure: The whiche as they wolde haue vsed for women, they fownde that they lacked womans priuities. Wherefore caulinge thelders ageyne to counsayle, to consult what were beste to bee done in this case,* 1.68 theyr aduice was that the byrde which wee caule the Pye, shuld bee admitted with his byll to open a place for that purpose, whyle in the meane tyme these men cauled Caracaracoles, shulde hould fast the womens thighes abrode with theyr rowgh handes. Full wysely therfore was the pye put to this office, and opened the womens priuities, and hereof the women of the Ilande haue theyr original and ofspringe. But nowe doo I cease to marueyle that the owlde Grekes dyd fable and wryte so manye bookes of the people cauled Myrmidones,* 1.69 which they fayned to bee engendred of an∣tes or pissemeres. These and suche lyke, the sagest and wysest of the people,* 1.70 preache continually to the simple sorte, and re∣herse the same as moste holy oracles. But it is yet more chyl∣dysshe that they fable as touchinge thoriginall of the sea. For they saye that there was once in the Ilande, a man of greate power, whose name was Iaia: whose only soonne being dead, he buryed hym within a greate gourde.* 1.71 This Iaia, greuouslye takyng the death of his soonne, after a fewe moonthes, came ageyne to the gourde: The which when he had opened, there isshewed foorth many great whales and other monsters of the sea:* 1.72 where vppon he declared to suche as dwelt abowte hym, that the sea was enclosed in that gourde. By which report, foure brethren (borne of one woman who dyed in her trauail) beinge moued, came to the gourde in hope to haue many fys∣shes. The whiche when they had taken in theyr handes, and espied Iaia comming, (who oftentymes resorted to the gourd

to viset the boones of his soonne, fearing least he shulde sus∣pecte them of thefte and sacrileage, sodaynely let the gourde faule owte of theyr handes: which beinge broken in the faule the sea furthwith brake owte at the ryftes therof, and so fyl∣led the vales, & ouerflowed the playnes, that only the moun∣taynes were vncouered, whiche nowe conteyne the Ilandes which are seene in those coastes.* 1.73 And this is the oppinion of theyr wyse men as concernynge thoriginall of the sea. But nowe (most noble prince) you shall heare a more pleasaunt fa∣ble. There is a certeyne caue cauled Iouanaboina, in the territo¦rye of a certeyne kynge whose name is Machinnech. This caue they honour more religiously then dyd the Grekes in tyme paste, Corinth, Cyrrha, or Nysa:* 1.74 And haue adourned it with pictures of a thousand fasshions. In thenterance of this caue they haue twoo grauen Zemes, wherof the one is cauled Bin∣thaitel, and the other Marohu.* 1.75 Beinge demaunded why they had this caue in soo greate reuerence, they answered ernestly, by∣cause the Soonne and the Moone came fyrst owt of the same to gyue lyght to the worlde.* 1.76 They haue religious concourse to these caues, as wee are accustomed to goo on Pylgramage to Rome or Uaticane,* 1.77 Compostele, or Hierusalem, and most ho∣lye and heade places of owre Religion. They are also subiect to an other kynde of superstition.* 1.78 For they thinke that deade folkes walke in the nyght, and eate of the fruite cauled Guan∣naba, vnknowen vnto vs, and sumwhat lyke vnto a quynse. Affirmynge also that they are conuersant with lyuing people,* 1.79 euen in theyr beddes, and to deceaue women in takynge vp∣pon them the shape of men, shewynge them selues as thowgh they wolde haue to doo with them: But when the matter cō∣meth to actual deede, soodenly to vanysshe away.* 1.80 If any doo suspecte that a deade body lyeth by hym when he feeleth anye straunge thynge in the bedde, they say hee shalbe owt of dout by feelynge of the belly therof: affirmyng that the spirites of deade men may take vppon them al the members of mans bo∣dy, sauinge only the nauell. If therfore by lacke of the na∣uell he doo perceaue that a deade body lyeth by hym, the fee∣lynge is immediatly resolued. They beleue verely, that in the nyght, and often tymes in theyr iourneys, and especially in common and hygh wayes, deade men doo meete with the ly∣uynge. Ageynste whome, if any man bee stoute and owte of

feare, the phantasye vanyssheth incontinentely.* 1.81 But yf anye feare, the phantasy or vysion doth soo assaute hym and stryke hym with further feare, that manye are thereby astonysshed and haue the lymmes of theyr bodyes taken. Thinhaby∣tantes beinge demaunded of whom they had those vayne su∣persticions,* 1.82 they answered that they were lefte them of theyr forefathers as by discent of inheritance: And that they haue had the same (before the memory of man) composed in certeine rymes and songes, which it was lawful for none to lerne but onely the kynges soonnes, who commytted the same to me∣morye,* 1.83 bycause they hadde neuer any knoweleage of letters. These they synge beefore the people on certeyne solemne and festiuall dayes, as moste religious ceremonies: whyle in the meane tyme they play on a certeyne instrumente made of one hole peece of woodde sumwhat holowe lyke a tymbrell. Their preestes and diuines (whom they caule Boitios) instructe them in these superstitions.* 1.84 These preestes, are also phisitians,* 1.85 di∣uisinge a thousande craftes and subtylties howe to deceaue the simple people which haue them in greate reuerence. For they persuade them that the Zemes vse to speake with theym familierlye,* 1.86 and tel them of thynges to come. And if any haue bin sicke & are recouered, they make them beleue that they ob∣teyned theyr healthe of the Zemes. These Boitii, bynde them selues to muche fastinge and owtewarde clenlynes and pour∣geinges:* 1.87 Especially when they take vppon them the cure of any Prince. For then they drynke the pouder of a certeyne herbe, by whose qualitie they are dryuen into a furye: At whi¦che tyme (as they say) they lerne many thynges by reuelation of the Zemes.* 1.88 Then, puttinge secreatly in theyr mouthes, ey∣ther a stone, or a bone, or a piece of fleshe, they coomme to the sicke person, commaundinge al to departe owte of that place,* 1.89 excepte one or twoo, whom it shall please the sicke man to ap∣poynt. This doone, they goo about hym three or foure tymes, greatly deforminge theyr faces, lyppes, and nosethrils with sundry fylthy giestures:* 1.90 blowynge, breathinge, and suckyng the forheade, temples, and necke of the pacient, wherby (they saye) they drawe the euyll ayer from hym, and sucke the di∣sease owt of his veynes. Then rubbinge hym about the shoul∣ders, thyghes, and legges, and drawynge downe theyr han∣des close by his feete, holdinge them yet faste togyther, they

runne to the dore beinge open, where they vnclose and shake theyr handes, affirminge that they haue dryuen away the di∣sease, and that the pacient shall shortely bee perfectly restored to health. After this, commynge behynde hym, he conueygh∣eth the piece of fleshe owte of his owne mouth like a iuggeler, and sheweth it to the sicke man, sayinge, behoulde what you haue eaten to muche: you shall nowe bee hole, bycause I haue taken this from you. But if he intende yet further to deceaue the pacient, he persuadeth hym that his Zemes is angry,* 1.91 ey∣ther bycause he hath not buylded hym a chapell, or not hono∣red hym religiously, or not dedicated vnto him a groue or gar¦den. And if it soo chaunce that the sicke person dye, his kins∣folkes by wytchecrafte enforce the deade to confesse whether he dyed by naturall destenye,* 1.92 or by the neglygence of the Boi∣tius, in that he had not fasted as he shulde haue doone, or not mynistred a conuenient medicine for the disease. Soo that yf this phisitian bee founde fautie, they take reuenge of hym. Of the stones or bones which these Boitii carye in theyr mouthes, yf the women can coome by them, they keepe them religiously beleauinge them to bee greatly effectuall to helpe women whi¦che trauayle with chylde: And therfore honoure them as they doo theyr Zemes. For dyuers of thinhabitantes, honour Zemes of dyuers fasshions. Sume make theim of woodde,* 1.93 as they were admonyshed by certeyne visions apperinge vnto them in the wooddes. Other, whiche haue receaued answere of them amonge the rockes, make thē of stone and marble. Sum they make of rootes to the similitude of suche as appeare to them when they are gathering the rootes cauled Ages, wherof they make theyr breade, as we haue sayde before. These Zemes, they beleue to send plentie and frutefulnes of those rootes, as the antiquitie beleued suche fayries or spirites as they cauled Dryades, Hamadryades, Satyros, Panes, and Nereides,* 1.94 to haue the cure and prouidence of the sea, wooddes, sprynges and fountaynes, assigninge to euery thynge, theyr peculier goddes.* 1.95 Euen soo doo thinhabitantes of this Ilande attribute a Zemes to euery thynge, supposinge the same to gyue eare to theyr inuocati∣ons. Wherfore, as often as the kynges aske counsaile of their Zemes as concerning their warres,* 1.96 increase of fruites or scars∣nes, or health and sickenes, they enter into the house dedicate to theyr Zemes, where, snuffinge vp into theyr nosethryls the

pouder of the herbe cauled Cohobba (wherwith the Boitii are dry¦uen into a furye) they say that immediatly they see the houses turne topsy turnye,* 1.97 and men to walke with theyr heeles vp∣warde: of suche force is this pouder vtterly to take away all sense. As soone as this maddenes ceaseth, he embraseth his knees with his armes, holdynge downe his heade. And whē he hath remayned thus a whyle astonysshed, he lyfteth vp his heade as one that came newe owt of sleepe: And thus loking vp towarde heauen, Fyrst he fumbeleth certeyne confounded woordes with hym selfe. Then certeyne of the nobilitie or chiefe gentelmen that are about him (for none of the common people are admytted to these mysteries) with lowde voyces gyue tokens of reioysing that he is returned to them from the speache of the Zemes,* 1.98 demaundynge of hym what he hathe seene. Then hee openinge his mouthe, doateth that the Zemes spake to hym duryng the tyme of his traunce: declaring that he had reuelations eyther concerninge victorye or destruction:* 1.99 famyne or plentie: health or syckenes, or what soo euer hap∣peneth fyrst on his toonge. Nowe (moste noble Prince) what neede you hereafter to marueyle of the spirite of Apollo soo sha¦kynge his Sibylles with extreme furie?* 1.100* 1.101 Yowe had thowght that the superstitious antiquitie hadde peryshed. But nowe wheras I haue declared thus much of the Zemes in generall, I thowght it not good to lette passe what is sayde of them in particuler. They saye therefore, that a certeyne kynge cauled Guamaretus,* 1.102 had a Zemes whose name was Corochotum: who (they say) was often tymes woonte to descende frome the hygheste place of the house where Guamaretus kepte hym faste bounde. They affirme, that the cause of this his breakynge of his ban¦des and departure, was eyther to hyde hym selfe, or to goo seeke for meate,* 1.103 or els for the acte of generation: And that sumtymes beinge offended, that the kynge Guamaretus had byn negligent and slacke in honouringe hym, he was woont to lye hyd for certeyne dayes. They say also that in the kynges vy∣lage there are sumtyme chyldren borne hauing twoo crownes which they suppose to bee the children of Corochotum the Zemes.* 1.104 They fayne lykewyse, that Guamaretus beinge ouercome of his enemies in the battayle, and his vylage with the palaice con∣sumed with fyer, Corochotus brake his bandes and was after∣warde founde a furlonge of, safe and withowte hurte. He

hath also an other Zemes cauled Epileguanita, made of woodde, in shape lyke a foure footed beaste: who also is sayde,* 1.105 often tymes to haue gonne from the place where he is honoured, in to the wooddes. As soone as they perceaue him to bee gonne, a great multitude of them gather togyther to seeke hym with deuoute prayers: And when they haue fownde hym, brynge hym home religiously on theyr shulders to the chapell dedica∣ted vnto hym. But they coomplayne that sence the commynge of the Christian men into the Ilande, he fledde for all togy∣ther, and coulde neuer sence bee founde, wherby they diuined the destruction of theyr countrey. They honoured an other Ze¦mes in the lykenes of a woman, on whom wayted twoo other lyke men, as they were ministers to her. One of these, execu∣ted thoffice of a mediatour to the other Zemes which are vnder the power and commaundement of this woman,* 1.106* 1.107 to rayse wyn¦des, cloudes, and rayne. The other is also at her commaunde¦mente a messenger to the other Zemes whiche are ioyned with her in gouernaunce, to gather togyther the waters whiche faule from the hygh hylles to the valleys, that beinge loosed, they may with force brust owte into greate fluddes and ouer∣flowe the countrey if the people doo not gyue due honoure to her Image. There remayneth yet one thynge woorthy to bee noted, wherwith we wyll make an ende of this booke. It is a thynge well knowen, and yet fresshe in memory amonge the inhabitantes of the Ilande, that there was sumetyme twoo kynges (of the which one was the father of Guarionexius of whō we made mention before) which were woont to absteyne fyue dayes togyther continually from meate and drinke,* 1.108 to knowe sumwhat of theyr Zemes of thynges to coome:* 1.109 And that for this fastynge beinge acceptable to theyr Zemes, they receaued answere of them, that within fewe yeares, there shuld coome to the Ilande a nation of men couered with apparell, which shulde destroye al the customes and cerymonyes of the Iland. and eyther sley all theyr chyldren,* 1.110 or brynge them into serui∣tude. The common sort of the people, vnderstoode this oracle to bee mente of the Canibales. And therefore when they had any knowleage of theyr commyng, they euer fledde, and were fully determyned neuer more thaduenture the battayle with them. But when they sawe that the Spanyardes had entered into the Ilande, consultinge amonge them selues of the mat∣ter,

they concluded that this was the nation which was mēt by thoracle.* 1.111 Wherin, theyr opinion deceaued them not. For they are nowe all subiecte to the Christians, all suche beinge slayne as stoobernely resisted. Nor yet remayneth there anye memory of theyr Zemes: for they are al brought into Spayne, that we myght bee certified of theyr illusions of euyl spirites and Idoles, the which yowe yowre selfe (most noble Prince) haue seene and felte when I was presente with yowe. I let passe many thynges bycause yow put me in remembrance that to morowe yowe take yowre iorney towarde yowre countrey, to brynge home the queene yowre aunte, whom yowe accoom∣panyed hether at the commaundemente of kynge Frederyke yowre vncle. Wherfore I byd yowe farewel for this tyme, de∣syrynge yowe to remember yowre Martyr, whome yowe haue compelled in the name of the kynge yowre vncle, to gather these fewe thynges owte of a large feelde of hystoryes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The nauigati¦on of vincenti¦us and Aries Pinzonus.
• * 1.2

  Licence and passeporte.
• * 1.3

  Cales. Ciuile.
• * 1.4

  The Ilandes of Canarie
• * 1.5

  Cabouerde.
• * 1.6

  s. Iames I∣lande.
• * 1.7

  The North pole owte of syght.
• * 1.8

  habitable Re¦gions vnder the Equinoc∣tial lyne.
• * 1.9

  An other or∣der of starres A thycke mist
• * 1.10

  A rysinge in the myddest of the earth.
• * 1.11

  People of hygh stature.
• * 1.12

  A vagabunde kynde of men
• * 1.13

  Giantes.
• * 1.14

  Desperate bouldenes.
• * 1.15

  A sea of fres∣she water.
• * 1.16

  Many fruite∣full Ilandes.
• * 1.17

  humane people.
• * 1.18

  Mariatāball.
• * 1.19

  Camomorus.
• * 1.20

  Paricora.
• * 1.21

  Regions of Paria.
• * 1.22

  Golde and perles.
• * 1.23

  Os Draconis.
• * 1.24

  Cumana.
• * 1.25

  Manacapana.
• * 1.26

  Curiana
• * 1.27

  The hole earth largely tak••••▪ maye bee cauled an Ilande.
• * 1.28

  Maragnonus a ryuer of ex∣cead••nge bread••h and full of Ilands looke decade ••i. liber. ix.
• * 1.29

  Boriostomea, and Spirio∣s••omea▪ mou∣thes of the ryuer of Da∣nubius,
• * 1.30

  The commo∣dities of the Regions and Ilandes a∣bout Paria. Brasile.
• * 1.31

  Mani fruitful Ilandes lefte desolate.
• * 1.32

  Canibales.
• * 1.33

  Trees of Cas¦sia fistula.
• * 1.34

  Trees of mar¦uelous bygge¦nes.
• * 1.35

  A monstrou•• be••ste.
• * 1.36

  Alteracion of ayer & chāge of meate
• * 1.37

  Cathay in In¦dia beyonde the ryuer of Ganges
• * 1.38

  A shipwracke by tempest.
• * 1.39

  Extreme re∣medie in a desperat case
• * 1.40

  Cinamome and gynger
• * 1.41

  Topases.
• * 1.42

  Men of noble corage.
• * 1.43

  A nother vyage
• * 1.44

  Animae album.
• * 1.45

  The supersti∣tions of his∣paniola.
• * 1.46

  The errours of the owlde gentilitie.
• * 1.47

  The grace of renouation.
• * 1.48

  Ramonus an heremyte.
• * 1.49

  Ido••atry and Idoles.
• * 1.50

  Illu••ions of euyl spirites.
• * 1.51

  Images of gossamp••ne cotton.
• * 1.52

  zemes.
• * 1.53

  younge de∣uyls.
• * 1.54

  Mediatours.
• * 1.55

  Only one god eternall.
• * 1.56

  The names of god.
• * 1.57

  The father of god.
• * 1.58

  The originall of man kynde
• * 1.59

  Fables much lyke Ouide his transfor∣mations.
• * 1.60

  The original of Miroba∣lane trees.
• * 1.61

  The nightin∣gale.
• * 1.62

  The Iland of Mathinino.
• * 1.63

  Children tur∣ned into frog¦ges.
• * 1.64

  A speciall grace.
• * 1.65

  holy reliques
• * 1.66

  women are slippery cat∣tayle.
• * 1.67

  Al wisedome gothe not by age.
• * 1.68

  here nedeth sum tropolo∣gicall inter∣pretour.
• * 1.69

  Myrmidones
• * 1.70

  Preachers for the deuyl.
• * 1.71

  A vengeable greate gourd.
• * 1.72

  The originall of the sea.
• * 1.73

  The originall of Ilandes.
• * 1.74

  A holy caue.
• * 1.75

  Images.
• * 1.76

  The originall of the soone and moone.
• * 1.77

  Pylgramage.
• * 1.78

  walkynge sprytes.
• * 1.79

  Incubi.
• * 1.80

  A remedye a∣geynst wal∣kyng sprites.
• * 1.81

  Phantasies proceadynge of feare.
• * 1.82

  Al is not good that is owlde
• * 1.83

  Syngynge & playinge
• * 1.84

  Preestes and diuines.
• * 1.85

  Phisitians.
• * 1.86

  Ignorance is noryshed with super∣st••tion.
• * 1.87

  Fastynge and outward clen¦lynes.
• * 1.88

  A pouder of maruelous effecte.
• * 1.89

  Iuggelynge.
• * 1.90

  A strange ma¦••er of curing
• * 1.91

  Angery gods
• * 1.92

  They make the deade to speake.
• * 1.93

  Diuers Idols of sundry shape.
• * 1.94

  Fayries or spi¦rites of the gentyles.
• * 1.95

  Peculier goddes.
• * 1.96

  They aske cō¦saile of Ido••s
• * 1.97

  The ••ouder of the herbe Cohobba.
• * 1.98

  Secreate mi∣steries.
• * 1.99

  Reuelations.
• * 1.100

  The spirite of Apollo.
• * 1.101

  The Sibilles
• * 1.102

  I haue harde the lyke of o∣ther in Eng∣lande.
• * 1.103

  hungery and ••echerous Gods.
• * 1.104

  Childrē with two crownes
• * 1.105

  wanderinge Images.
• * 1.106

  Mediatours,
• * 1.107

  A woman ze∣mes of great poure.
• * 1.108

  Fyue dayes fastinge.
• * 1.109

  A maruelous il••usion of the deuyll.
• * 1.110

  The deuyll sumtyme tel∣leth truth.
• * 1.111

  The Idols abolyshed.