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 syxte booke of the seconde decade of the supposed continente.

THese thinges, thus fynysshed, assemblinge all their company togither they determined with one consente, that a messynger shulde foorth with bee sente to Hispaniola (from whense they haue their lawes and ayde) to declare the hole order of all these affayres, fyrste to the admirall and gouernoure of the Ilande, and afterwarde to the Kinge of Spayne, and to persuade hym to sen••e those thousand men which younge Comogrus said to bee expediente to passe ouer the mountaynes lying betwene them and the golden regions towarde the Southe.* 1.1 Vaschus him selfe dyd greatly affecte this embasage: But neyther woolde the resydewe of his felowes electe hym therto, nor his factiona∣ries suffer hym to departe: Aswell for that therby they thou∣ght they shulde bee left desolate, as also that they murmured that if Vaschus shulde once goo from theym, he wolde neuer re∣turne to suche turmoyles and calamities, by thexemple of Val∣diuia and zamudius,* 1.2 who had byn now absente sence the mooneth of Ianuary, in soo muche that they thowght they woolde ne∣uer coomme ageine. But the matter was otherwise then they tooke it, as I wyl shewe in his place. For they were perissh••d. At the lengeth after many scrutinies, they elected one Iohn Quicedus,* 1.3 a graue man well in yeares, & treasourer of the kings escheker in those prouinces. They had conceaued a good opi∣nion of this Quicedus that all thynges shulde bee well browght to passe by his meanes, aswell for his wysdome, as also that they were in good hop of his returne, bycause he had brought his wiffe with hym to those regions, whome he lefte with his felowes for a pledge of his comminge ageyne. When they had thus elected Quicedus, they were ageyne of diuers opinions whome they might ioyne with hym for assistance: Affirminge

that it were a daungerous thinge to committe soo weightye a matter to one mans handes. Not that they mistrusted Quice∣dus. but bycause the life of man is frayle, and the chaunge of the ayer perelous,* 1.4 especially to theym hauynge nowe of longe tyme byn accustomed to the temperature nere vnto the Equinoc∣••iall, if they shulde bee compelled to returne to the North with alteratiō of ayer & dyet. They thowght it therfore good to ap¦poynt a cōpaniō to Quicedus, that if ••y chance the one shuld fayl the other might remayne: And that if they both escaped, the king shuld gyue the better credit to the relation of both: After longe consultatiō therfore, they chose Rodericus Colmenaris a man of good experience,* 1.5 of whō we haue often tymes made mēcion. For from his youth, he had trauayled ouer al Europe by land and by sea, and was present at the doinges of all thynges in Italy ageynst the Frenchemen: Of whose returne also, they had noo smaule hope bycause he had many fermes and h••dde tylled and sowne much grounde in Dariena, by thincrease wher¦of he might get much gold by sellyng the same to his felows. He lefte therfore the charge of al his affayres in Dariena, with his partener Alphonsus Nunnez, a Iudge of the lawe, who also was lyke to haue byn chosen procuratoure of this vyage be∣fore Colmenaris if one had not put theim in remembraunce that he had a wyfe at Matritis:* 1.6 fearyng least beinge ouercoome with her teares, he woolde no more returne. Colmenaris therefore, a free man and at libertie being associate assistant with Quicedus they tooke shyppyng togyther in a brigantine, the fourth day of the Calendes of Nouember, in the yeare of Christ .1512.

In this vyage, beinge tossed with sundry tempestes, they were by the violence of the wynde, cast vppon the Weste coa∣stes of that large Ilande whiche in the fyrste Decade we cau∣led Cuba,* 1.7 supposed to haue byn fyrme lande. They were sore oppressed with hunger. For it was nowe three moonethes sence they departed from theyr felowes.* 1.8 By reason whereof, they were enforced to take lande to proue what ayde they coulde gette amonge the inhabitantes. Theyr chaunce there∣fore, was to arryue in that part of the Ilande, where Valdiuia was dryuen alande by tempest. But oh yowe wretched men of Dariena? Tary for Valdiuia whom yowe sent to prouide to h••lpe yowre nece••sities?* 1.9 Prouyde for yowre selues rather and trust not to them whose fortune yowe knowe not. For when he ar¦ryued

in Cuba, thinhabitantes slewe him with al his felowes, and lefte the carauell wherin they were caried, torne in pieces and halfe couered with sande on the shore: where Quicedus and Colmenaris fyndyng the fragmentes therof, bewayled their fe∣lowes mysfortune. But they founde none of theyr carkeses: supposinge that they were eyther drowned, or deuoured of the Canibals, which oftentymes make incursions into that I¦lande to hunte for men. But at the length, by twoo of the I∣lande men which they had taken, they had knowleage of Val¦diuia his destruction: And that thinhabitantes the more gree∣dely attempted the same,* 1.10 for that they had harde by the bab∣lynge of one of his felowes that he had great plentie of gold. For they also take pleasure in the bewtie of gold, which they forme artificially into sundry ouches. Thus owre men stry∣ken with pensyuenes for the cruell destenie of theyr felowes, and in vayne seekynge reuenge for theyr iniuries, determyned to forsake that vnfortunate lande, departynge from those co∣uetous naked barbarians with more sorowe and necessitie then they were in before. Or euer they had passed the South syde of Cuba, they fel into a thousande mysfortunes: and had intellygence that Fogeda arryued thereaboute,* 1.11 leadynge a my∣serable lyfe, tossed and turmoyled with tempestes and vexed with a thousand perplexities: Soo that departing from thense almost alone, his felowes beinge for the most parte all consu∣med with maladies and famyn,* 1.12 he came with much difficultie to Hispaniola, where he dyed by force of the poyson of his vene∣mous wound which he had receaued in Vraba as we haue said before. But Ancisus elected Lieuetenaunt,* 1.13 sayled by all those coastes with much better fortune. For as he hym selfe toulde me, he founde prosperous wyndes in those parties, and was well enterteyned of thinhabitantes of Cuba. But this special∣ly in the dominion of a certeyne kynge whose name was Com∣mendator.* 1.14 For wheras he desyred of the Christian men whiche passed by, to bee baptised, demaundynge the name of the go∣uernour of the Ilande next vnto Hispaniola, beinge a noble man and a knyght of thorder of Galatraua of which order al are cau¦led Commendatores, this kynges desyre was to bee named after hym. Kynge Commendator therfore, frendely receaued Ancisus, and gaue hym greate abundance of al thynges necessarie. But what Ancisus lerned of theyr religion durynge the tyme of his* 1.15

remaynynge there, I haue thowght good to aduertyse yowre holynes. Yowe shall therefore vnderstande,* 1.16 that certeyne of owre men saylinge by the coastes of Cuba, lefte with kynge Commendator▪ a certeyne poore maryner beinge diseased. Who in shorte space recoueringe his health, and hauynge nowe sum∣what lerned theyr language, beganne to growe into great esti¦mation with the kynge and his subiectes, in soo muche that he was oftentymes the kynges Lieuetenaunt in his warres a¦geynst other princes his bortherers. This mans fortune was soo good, that all thynges prospered well that he tooke in hande. And albeit that he were not lerned, yet was he a ver¦tuous and well meanynge man accordynge to his knowleage, and dyd religiously honoure the blessed virgin, bearynge euer about with hym her picture fayre paynted vpon paper & sowd in his apparell nere vnto his breste:* 1.17 Signifyinge vnto the kyng, that this holynes was the cause of al his victories: per∣suadynge hym to doo the lyke, and to cast away all his Zemes which were none other then the symilitudes of euyll spirites,* 1.18 moste cruell enemyes and deuourers of owre sowles: And to take vnto hym the holy virgin and moother of god to bee his patronesse if he desyred all his affayres aswell in warre as in peace to succede prosperously. Also that the blessed virgyn woolde at noo tyme fayle hym, but bee euer redy to helpe him and his, if they woolde with deuoute hartes caule vppon her name. The maryner had soone persuaded the naked nation: And there vppon gaue the kynge (who demaunded the same) his pycture of the virgin, to whom he buylded and dedicate a chapell and an altare,* 1.19 euer after contemnynge and reiectynge his Zemes. Of these Zemes made of gossampine cotton to the similitudes of sprytes walkynge in the nyght which they of∣tentymes see, and speake with them familierly, wee haue spo¦ken sufficiently in the nynth booke of the fyrst Decade. Fur∣thermore, accordynge to the institution of this maryner; when the soonne draweth towarde the faule, this kynge Commenda∣tor with all his famely bothe men and women, resorte daylye to the sayde chapell of the virgin Marie,* 1.20 where kneelyng on theyr knees and reuerently bawyng downe theyr heades, hol¦dynge theyr handes ioyned togyther, they salute thimage of the virgin with these woordes: Aue Maria, Aue Maria. For fewe of them can rehearse any more woordes of this prayer. At

Ancisus his beinge there, they tooke hym and his felowes by the handes, and ledde them to this chapell with reioysinge, sayinge that they woolde shewe theym maruelous thynges. When they were entered,* 1.21 they poynted with theyr fyngers to the Image of the virgin altobeset and hanged abowte with ouches and iewels and many earthen pottes, fylled sum with sundry meates, and sume with water, rownde aboute all the tabernacle. For these thynges they offer to the image in the sleede of sacrifice, accordynge to theyr owlde supersticion to¦warde theyr Zemes. Beinge demaunded why they dyd thus, they answered,* 1.22 leaste the image shulde lacke meate if perhaps it shuld be a hungerd. For they most certenly beleue that ima∣ges may hunger, and that they doo eate and drynke.

But what ayde and helpe they confesse that they haue had of the godly poure of this image, that is of the blessed virgin, it is a thynge woorthy to be harde, and most assuredly to bee ta¦ken for a truthe. For by the report of owre men, there is such feruēt godly loue & zeale in these simple men toward the holy virgin, that to them beinge in the daungers of warre ageynst theyr enemies, they doo in maner (yf I may soo terme it) com¦pel her to descende from heauen to helpe them in theyr neces∣sities.* 1.23 For such is the goodnes of god, that he hath lefte vn∣to men in maner a pryce wherby wee may purchase hym with his holy angels and sayntes, that is to wytte, burnyng loue, charitie & zeale. Howe therfore can the blessed virgin at any time be absent frō thē which cal for her helpe with pure faith & feruent loue? Commendator him selfe, with al his noble mē and gentelmen, doo testifie with one voyce, that in a fought bat∣tayle in the which this maryner was capitayne, bearyng with hym this picture of the virgin Marie,* 1.24 the Zemes of theyr ene∣mies turned their backes and trembeled in the presence of the virgins Image and in the syght of them all. For euery of thē brynge theyr Zemes to the battayle, hopynge by theyr helpe to obteyne the victorie. Ye they say further, that duryng the tyme of the battayle, they sawe not only an Image, but a liue¦ly woman clothed in fayre and whyte apparel, aydynge them ageinst theyr enemies: whiche thynge also the enemyes them selues acknowleaged,* 1.25 confessynge that on the contrary parte shee appeared to them, shakynge a septer in her hande with threatenynge countenaunce, whiche caused theyr hartes to

shake and faynt for feare. But after that this maryner depar∣ted from them, beinge taken into a shyppe of certeyne Christi∣ans passynge by those coastes, Commendator declared that he with all his subiectes, continually obserued his institucions: In soo muche that beinge at contention with an other prince, which of theyr Zemes were moste holy and of greateste poure, the matter grewe to suche extremitie that they tryed it with hande strokes: And that in all these attemptes, the blessed virgin neuer fayled hym, but was euer presente in the brunte of the battayle, and gaue hym easye victorie with a smaule poure of men, ageynst a mayne armye of his enemies. Beinge demaunded with what woordes they cryed vppon the virgin Mary when they assayled theyr enemies, they answered that they had lerned noo other woordes of the mariners doctrine, but Sancta Maria adiuua nos, Sancta Maria adiuua nos: That is, holy Ma¦ry helpe vs, holy Marye helpe vs: And this also in the Spa∣nysshe tonge. For he had lefte these woordes in the mouthes of all men.* 1.26 Whyle they murthered and destroyed them selues thus on bothe sydes, they fell to entreatie of peace and agre∣ed to trye the matter, not hande to hande by combatte of cer∣teyne chosen for bothe parties as the maner was amonge the Romaynes and dyuers other nations in the owlde tyme, or by any slyght or policie, but that twoo younge men shulde bee chosen, for eche partie one, with theyr handes bounde fast be∣hynde them in the playne fielde, bothe parties beinge sworne to acknowleage that Zemes to bee the better, which fyrst loo∣sed the bandes of the younge man whiche stoode bounde for the tryall of his religion. Thus diuidinge them selues,* 1.27 and placeinge the sayde younge men before them in the syght of them al, with theyr handes fast bounde by theyr enemyes, the contrary parte cauled fyrst on theyr Zemes (that is, the deuyll to whose similitude theyr Images are made) who immediatly appered in his lykenes aboute the younge man that stoode bounde in the defence of Sathans kyngedome.* 1.28

But as soone as Commendator with his coompanye cryed Sancta Maria adiuua nos, Sancta Maria adiuua nos, forthwith there appeared a fayre virgin clothed in whyte, at whose presence the deuell vanquisshed immediatly. But the virgin hauinge a longe rod in her hande, & putting the same on the bandes of the younge man that stoode for Commendator, his handes were loosed imme¦diatly

in the syght of them all, and his bandes founde about the handes of hym that stoode for the other partie,* 1.29 in somuch that they them selues fownde hym dowble bounde. But for all this, were not the enemies satissyed: querelinge that this thynge was doone by sum slyght or diuise of man, and not by the poure of the better Zemes. And there vppon requyred for thaduoydynge of all suspection, that there myght bee eyght graue and sage men appoynted, for eche syde foure, whiche shulde bynde the men in the syght of theim all, and also gyue iudgemente whether the thynge were doone withowte crafte or gyle. Oh pure simplicitie and constant fayth: Oh golden and blessed confidence. Commendator and his familiers, doubted not to graunte theyr enemies theyr requeste with lyke faythe wherwith the diseased woman obteyned healthe of the fluxe of her bludde,* 1.30 and wherby Peter feared not to walke on the sea at the syght of his master Christe. These younge men ther¦fore were bounde in the presence of these eight graue men, and were placed within theyr lystes in the syght of bothe parties. Thus vppon a signe gyuen, when they cauled vppon theyr Zemes, there appered in the syght of them all,* 1.31 a deuyll with a longe tayle, a wyde mouthe, greate teeth, and hornes, resem∣blyng the similitude of the Image which the kyng being ene¦mye to Commendator, honoured for his Zemes. As this deuyl at∣tempted to loose the bandes of his cliente, the blessed virgin was immediatly presente as before at the caule of Commendator and his subiectes,* 1.32 and with her rodde loosed the bandes of her suppliant, which were ageyne lykewyse founde fast tyed aboute the handes of hym that stoode for the contrarye parte. The enemies therefore of Commendator, beinge stryken with greate feare and amased by reason of this greate miracle, con¦fessed that the Zemes of the virgin was better thē their Zemes. For the better profe wherof, these pagans beinge bortherers to Commendator,* 1.33 which had euer before byn at continuall warre and enmitie with hym, when they had knowleage that Ancisus was arryued in those coastes, they sente ambasadoures vnto hym, to desyre hym to send them preestes of whom they might bee baptised: Where vppon he sent them twoo which hee had with hym there at that present. They baptised in one day a hundreth and thirtie of thinhabitantes, sumtyme enemyes to Commendator, but now his frendes & ioyned with him in aliance.

All suche as came to bee baptised, gaue the preestes of theyr owne liberalitie,* 1.34 eyther a cocke or a henne. But no capons: for they can not yetskyl how to carue theyr cocke chyckēs to make them capons. Also certeyne salted fysshes, and newe fyne ca∣kes made of theyr breade: likewise certeyne foules franked and made fatte. When the preestes resorted to the shippes, syxe of these newe baptysed men accoompanied theym laden with vitailes, wherwith they ledde a ioyfull Easter. For on the Sunday two dayes before saynte Lazarus day, they depar∣ted from Dariena, and touched at that tyme, onely to the cape or angle of Cuba nere vnto the Easte syde of Hispaniola. At the requeste of Commendator, Ancisus lefte with hym one of his coom∣panie, to thintente too teache hym and his subiectes wyth o∣ther his bortherers, the salutacion of the angell whiche we caule the Aue Maria.* 1.35 For they thinke them selues to be soo much the more beloued of the blessed virgin, as they can reherse the more woordes of that prayer. Thus Ancisus takinge his leaue of kynge Commendator, directed his course to Hispaniola, from whiche he was not farre. Shortely after, he tooke his viage to Spayne,* 1.36 and came to Valladoleto to the kynge, to whom he made greuous complaint of the insolencie of V••schus N••nnes,* 1.37 in so muche that by his procuremente, the Kynge gaue sentence a∣geynste hym. Thus muche haue I thowght good (moste holy father) wherof to aduertyse yowr holynes as concernyng the religiō of these nations, not only as I haue byn instructed of Ancisus (wyth whom I was dayly couersante in the court and vsed hym familiarlye) but also as I was enformed of dyuers other men of greate autoritie, to thintente that yowre excel∣lencie may vnderstande howe docible this kynde of men is, and wyth what facilitie they may bee allured to embrase owr religion. But this can not bee doone soodenlye.* 1.38 Yet we haue greate cause to hope that in shorte tyme they wilbe all drawen by litle and litle to the euan¦gelicall lawe of Christe, to the great en∣crease of his flocke. But let vs nowe returne to the messengers or pro¦curatours as concerniynge the affayres of Dariena.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The golden region•• on the south side the moun∣taynes.
• * 1.2

  The death of Ualdiuia and zamudius.
• * 1.3

  Iohannes Quiced••s is sent to Spain
• * 1.4

  Chaunge of the ayer is daungerous.
• * 1.5

  Rodericus Colmenaris assist••nt wi•••• Quicedus.
• * 1.6

  A wyfe is a hynderance
• * 1.7

  Cub••.
• * 1.8

  Three moo∣••eth•••• ••rom 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to Cuba, by rea∣••on of tepest••
• * 1.9

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.10

  hurt of la∣uyshenes of the tonge.
• * 1.11

  The calami∣tie & death of Fogeda.
• * 1.12

  Maladies & famen.
• * 1.13

  The prospe∣rous vyage of Ancisus.
• * 1.14

  A kyng of Cu¦ba ••aptised by the name of Commen∣dator.
• * 1.15

  Ancisus
• * 1.16

  A maruelou•• historie howe God wrought miracles by the simple fayth of a maryner.
• * 1.17

  Be not rashe in iudgement
• * 1.18

  Zemes,
• * 1.19

  A chapel buil¦ded to the pic¦ture of the virgin Mary
• * 1.20

  God re••pec∣teth the infan¦cie of fa••the for zeles sake
• * 1.21

  One Religion turned into an other, hol∣deth styl ma∣ny th••nges of the fyrst.
• * 1.22

  A strange fan¦tasie.
• * 1.23

  The effect of godly zeale.
• * 1.24

  A miracle in the tyme of the battayle
• * 1.25

  The virgin Mary▪ is pre∣sent at the battayle.
• * 1.26

  A maruelus experience of fayth
• * 1.27

  Muche lyke vnto this, is redde in. Reg. xviii.
• * 1.28

  The deuil ap¦peareth in his lykenes
• * 1.29

  An other mi∣racle.
• * 1.30

  Math. 14.
• * 1.31

  The deuyl ap¦pereth agein.
• * 1.32

  The Uirgin Mary ouer∣commeth the deuyll.
• * 1.33

  Infidels con¦uerted by mi∣racle▪ and baptised.
• * 1.34

  The preeste & rewarde.
• * 1.35

  Aue Maria.
• * 1.36

  Ancisus vy∣age to Spain
• * 1.37

  Ancisus com∣playneth of Uaschuz.
• * 1.38

  The haruest is grea••, but the labourers are fewe.