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 FYRST BOOKE OF THE SECONDE Decade, to Leo bysshop of Rome, the tenthe of that name, of the supposed Con∣tinent or firme lande.

SENSE the tyme that Galeatius Butrigarius of Bo∣nonie, and Iohannes Cursius of Florence (moste holye father) came to the catholyke kynge of Spayne, the one, of yowre holynes ambasage, and thother for thaffaires of his cōmon welth, I was euer for the moste parte in theyr coom∣panie, and for theyr vertues and wysedoome, had theym in greate reuerence. And wheras they were greatly gyuen to stu¦dye, and continuall reuoluinge of dyuers autours, they chaun¦ced vppon certeyne bookes negligently let slyppe owte of my handes, entreatinge of the large landes and Regions hether∣to lyinge hyd, and almost west Antipodes,* 1.1 fownde of late by the Spanyardes. Yet beinge allured and delited with the newe∣nes and strangenes of the matter althowgh rudely adourned, they commended the same: Therwith ernestely desyringe me

in theyr owne names, and requyring me in the name of yowr holynes, to adde here vnto all suche thynges as were fownde after that tyme, and to gyue them a copie thereof to sende to yowre holynes, that yowe myght therby vnderstande, bothe howe greate commoditie is chaunced to the progenye of man∣kynde, as also increase of the militante congregation in these owre dayes,* 1.2 by the fortunate enterpryses of the kynges of Spayne. For lyke as rased or vnpaynted tables, are apte to receaue what formes soo euer are fyrst drawen theron by the hande of the paynter, euen soo these naked and simple peo∣ple, doo soone receaue the customes of owre Religion, and by conuersation with owre men, shake of theyr fierce and natiue barbarousnes. I haue thowght it good therefore to satisfie the request of these wyse men, especially vsinge thautoritie of yowre name, wherunto not to haue obeyed, I shulde esteeme my selfe to haue commytted a heynous offence. Wherefore I wyl nowe brefely reherse in order, what hyd coastes the Spa¦nyardes ouerranne, who were the autours therof, where they rested, what further hope they browght, and fynallye what great thynges those tractes of landes doo promesse in tyme to coome. In the declaration of my decade of the Ocean, which is nowe printed and dispersed throwghowte Christendome vnwares to me, I described howe Christophorus Colonus fownde those Ilandes wherof we haue spoken,* 1.3 and that turnynge from thense towarde the lefte hande southwarde, he chaun∣ced into greate regions of landes, and large seas, distant frō the Equinoctial lyne, onely from fyue degrees to tenne:* 1.4 where he founde brode ryuers and exceadinge hygh mountaynes co∣uered with snowe and harde by the sea bankes, where were many commodious and quyet hauens. But Colonus being now departed owte of this lyfe,* 1.5 the kynge beganne to take care, howe those landes myght be inhabited with Christian men to thincrease of owre fayth: Where vppon he gaue licence by his letters patentes to al such as wolde take the matter in hand,* 1.6 and especially to twoo, wherof Diego Nicuesa was one, and the other was Alphonsus Fogeda.* 1.7 Wherfore aboute the Ides of De∣cember, Alphonsus departinge fyrst with three hundreth souldi¦ers from the Ilande of Hispaniola (in the which wee sayde the Spanyardes had builded a citie, and planted theyr habitaci∣on) and saylynge in maner full southe, he came to one of the

hauens founde before whiche Colonus named Portus Carthaginis,* 1.8 bothe bycause of the Ilande standynge ageynste the course of the streame, & also that by reason of the largenes of the place and bendynge sydes, it is muche lyke to the hauen of Spaine cauled Carthago. Thinhabitantes caule the Ilande Codego, as the Spanyardes caule the Ilande of theyr hauen, Scombria.

This Region is cauled of the inhabitantes Caramairi:* 1.9 In the which they affirme bothe the men and women to bee of good∣ly stature,* 1.10 but naked. The men haue theyr heare cutte rownde by theyr eares, but the women were it longe. Bothe the men and women are very good archers. Owre men fownde certen trees in this prouince, which bore greate plentie of sweete ap∣ples, but hurteful, for they turne into wormes when they are eaten.* 1.11 Especially the shadowe of the tree,* 1.12 is contagious, for suche as sleepe vnder it any tyme, haue theyr headdes swolne and lose theyr sight. But if they sleepe but a whyle, theyr syght commeth ageyne after a fewe dayes. This porte is dy∣stant foure hundreth fyftie and syxe myles from that parte of Hispaniola which the Spanyardes caule Beata, in the which also they furnysshe them selues when they prepare anye vyage to seeke other newe landes. When Fogeda had entered into the hauen,* 1.13 he inuaded, slewe, and spoyled the people, whome he founde naked and scattered. For they were gyuen hym for a praye, by the kynges letters patentes bycause they hadde bin before tyme cruel ageynst the Christians, and coulde neuer bee allured to permytte them quietly to coome within theyr domi∣nions. Here they founde gold, but in no greate quantitie, nor yet that pure. They make of it, certeyne brest plates and broo¦ches, which they weare for coomelynes. But Fogeda not con∣tent with these spoyles, vsinge certeyne captiues whiche he had taken before, for guydes, entered into a vyllage twelue myles distante frome the sea syde further into the lande, into the whiche they were fledde whom he fyrst inuaded.* 1.14 Here he founde a naked people, but apte to warre. For they were ar∣med with targettes, shieldes, longe swoordes made of wood, and bowes with arrowes typte with bone, or hardened with fyer. As soone as they had espyed owre men, they with their gestes whom they had receaued, assayled them with desperate myndes, beinge therto more ernestly prouoked, beholding the calamitie of these whiche fledde vnto theym, by the violence

doone to theyr women and chyldrē, in the spoyle and slawgh¦ter. In this conflicte owre men had the otherthrowe:* 1.15 In the which, one Iohannes de Lacossa (beinge in autoritie nexte vnto Fo¦geda the capitayne, and also the fyrste that gathered golde in the sandes of Vraba) was slayne with fyftie souldiers. For these people infecte theyr arrowes with the deadly poyson of a certeyne herbe.* 1.16 The other with theyr capitayne Fogeda be∣inge discomfited, fledde to the shyppes. Whyle they remayned thus in the hauen of Carthago sorowfull and pensyue for the losse of their companions, the other capitayne Diego Nicuesa,* 1.17 (whom they lefte in Hispaniola, preparyng hym selfe towarde the vyage in the hauen Beata) came to theim with fyue ship∣pes and seuen hundrethe foure score and fyfteene menne. For the greater number of souldyers, folowed Nicuesa, both bycause free libertie was gyuen them to choose which of the capytaynes them lyst, and also that by reason of his age, he was of greater autoritie: But especially bycause the ru∣moure was that Beragua beinge by the kynges commission ap∣poynted to Nicuesa,* 1.18 was rycher in golde then Vraba assigned to Alphonsus Fogeda. Therfore, at the arryuall of Nicuesa, they con∣sulted what was beste to bee doone: And determyned fyrste to reuenge the deathe of their felowes. Where vppon, settynge theyr battayle in arraye, they marched in the nyght towarde them whiche slewe Cossa with his coompanyons,* 1.19 Thus stea∣lynge on them vnwares in the last watche of the nyght, and encoompasinge the vyllage where they laye, consistynge of a hundreth howses and more, hauynge also in it thryse as ma∣ny of theyr neyghbours as of them selues, they set it on fyer, with diligent watche that none myght escape. And thus in shorte tyme they browght theym and theyr howses to asshes, and made them pay the raunsome of bludde with bludde.* 1.20 For of a greate multitude of men and women, they spared one∣ly syxe chyldren, al other being destroyed with fyer or sword except fewe which escaped priuilye. They lerned by the reser∣ued chyldren, that Cossa and his felowes were cutte in pieces and eaten of them that slewe them. By reason wherof, they suppose that these people of Caramairi tooke theyr originall of the Caribes otherwyse cauled Canibales.* 1.21 Here they founde sume golde amonge the asshes. For the hunger of golde,* 1.22 dyd noo lesse encorage owr men to aduenture these perels and labours

then dyd the possessynge of the landes. These thynges thus fynysshed, and the death of Cossa and his felowes reuenged, they returned to the hauen. After this, Fogeda whiche came fyrst, fyrst lykewyse departinge with his army to seeke Vraba, commytted to his gouernaunce, sayled by an Ilande cauled Fortis,* 1.23 lyinge in the mydwaye betwene Vraba and the hauen of Carthago. In to the which descendinge, he fownde it to bee an Ilande of the Canybales, brynginge with hym frome thense two men and seuen women: for the residue escaped. Here he fownde in the cotages of them that fledde, a hundrethe foure score and tenne drammes of golde, caste and wrought in dy∣uers formes.* 1.24 Saylynge forwarde from hense, he came to the Easte coastes of Vraba, whiche thinhabitantes caule Caribana,* 1.25 from whense the Caribes or Canibales of the Ilandes are sayde to haue theyr name and originall. Here he beganne to buylde a fortresse, and a vyllage nere vnto the same, therein intendynge to place theyr fyrst habitacion. Shortly after, be∣inge instructed by certeyne captyues that there was aboute twelue myles further within the lande, a certeyne vyllage cau¦led Tirufi, hauinge in it a ryche golde myne,* 1.26 he determyned to destroye the vylage. To the which when he came, he fownde thinhabitantes redye to defende theyr ryght:* 1.27 And that soo stoutly, that encounteryng with them, he was repulsed with shame and domage. For these people also, vse bowes and ve∣nemous arrowes. within a fewe dayes after, beinge enfor∣sed for lacke of vytales to inuade an other vyllage, he hym selfe was stryken in the thyghe with an arrowe.* 1.28 Sume of his felowes say, that he was thus wounded of one of thinhaby∣tantes whose wyfe he had ledde awaye captiue before. They say also that he had first frendly comoned with Fogeda for re¦demynge of his wyfe, & had appoynted a day to brynge a por¦tion of golde for her raunsome:* 1.29 And that he came at the daye assigned, not laden with golde, but armed with bowes and arrowes, with eyght other confetherate with hym, whiche had bin before partetakers of the iniuries doone to them first at the hauen of Carthago, and afterward at the burnyng of the vyllage. In reuenge wherof they had desperatly consecrated them selues to death. But the matter beinge knowen, the cap¦tayne of this conspiracie was slayne of Fogeda his coompany∣ons, and his wyfe deteyned in captiuitie. Fogeda also throwgh

the maliciousnes of the veneme, consumed and was dryed vp by lyttle & lyttle. Whyle these thynges chaunced thus, they espyed Nicuesa the other capitayne to whom Baragua the region of the weste syde of Vraba,* 1.30 was assigned to inhabite. He gaue wynde to his sayles to take his vyage towarde Beragua, the day after that Fogeda departed owte of the hauen of Car••hago.* 1.31 He with his army which he browght with hym, coasted euer alonge by the shore vntyll he came to the goulfe Coiba,* 1.32 whose kynges name is Careta. Here he founde theyr language to bee in maner nothynge lyke vnto that of Hispaniola or of the hauen of Carthago: wherby he perceaued that in this tracte there are many languages differinge from theyr owne bortherers.* 1.33 Nicue∣sa departinge frome Coiba, wente to the prouince or Lieuete∣nauntshippe of Fogeda his companion. Within a fewe dayes after he hym selfe enteringe into one of those marchaunt ship∣pes whiche the Spanyardes caule Carauelas, commaunded that the bygger vessels, shulde folowe farre behynde. He tooke with hym twoo smaule shyppes commenly cauled bergantines or brygantynes.* 1.34 I haue thowght it good in all the discourse of these bookes, to vse the common names of thinges, bicause I had rather bee playne then curious: especially forasmuche as there doo dayly aryse manye newe thynges vnknowen to the antiquitie, wherof they haue lefte noo trewe names. Af∣ter the departure of Nicuesa, there came a shyppe from Hispanio∣la to Fogeda, the capitayne wherof, was one Barnardino de Calaue¦ra,* 1.35 who had stoulne the same from Hispaniola with three score men, withowte leaue or aduice of the Admirall and the other gouernours. With the vytayles whiche this shippe browg••t they refresshed theym selues and sumewhat recouered theyr strengthes muche weakened for lacke of meate, Fogeda his companyons whyspered and muttered ageynste hym daylye more and more, that he fedde them furthe with vayne hope. For he had towlde them that he left Ancisus in Hispaniola (whō he chose by the kynges commission to bee a Iudge in causes,* 1.36 bycause he was lerned in the lawe) to coome shortly after him with a shippe laden with vytayles: And that he marueyled that he was not coome many dayes sense. And herein he said nothinge but trewth. For when he departed, he lefte Ancisus halfe redy to folowe hym. But his felowes supposinge that all that he sayde of Ancisus had byn fayned, sume of them de∣termyned

priuilie to steale away the twoo brigantynes frome Fogeda, and to returne to Hispaniola. But Fogeda hauing know∣leage hereof, preuented theyr diuise. For leauynge the custo∣die of the fortresse with a certeyne noble gentelman cauled Francisco Pizarro, he hym selfe thus wounded, with a fewe other in his companie, entered into the shyppe wherof we spake be∣fore, and sayled directly to Hispaniola,* 1.37 both to heale the wound of his thygh if any remedy myght bee found, & also to knowe what was the cause of Ancisus taryinge: Leauing hope with his felowes (which were nowe browght from three hundreth to three score, partly by famyne and partly by warre) that he wolde returne within the space of .xv. dayes:* 1.38 prescribyng al∣so a condition to Pizarro and his companions, that it shulde not bee imputed to them for treason to departe from thense if he came not ageyne at the day appoynted with vytayles and a newe supply of men. These .xv. dayes beinge nowe paste, whereas they coulde yet heare nothynge of Fogeda, and were dayly more and more oppressed with sharpe hunger, they en∣tered into the twoo brigantynes which were lefte, and depar¦ted from that land. And as they were nowe saylynge on the mayne sea towarde Hispaniola, a tempeste soodeynly arysynge,* 1.39 swalowed one of the brygantynes with all that were therein. Sum of theyr felowes affirme that they playnely sawe a fyshe of houge greatenes swymmyng abowte the brygantyne (for those seas brynge furthe greate monsters) and that with a stroke of her tayle, shee broke the rudder of the shyppe in pee∣ces: which faylynge, the brigantine beinge dryuen abowt by force of the tempest, was drowned not farre from the Ilande cauled Fortis,* 1.40 lyinge betwene the coastes of the hauen Carthago and Vraba. As they of the other brygantyne wolde haue lan∣ded in the Ilande, they were dryuen backe with the bowes and arrowes of the fierce barbarians. Proceadynge therfore on theyr vyage, they mette by chaunce with Ancisus betweene the hauen of Carthago,* 1.41 and the Region of Cuchibacoa in the mouthe of the ryuer whiche the Spanyardes cauled Boiū gatti,* 1.42* 1.43 that is, the house of the catte, bycause they sawe a catte first in that place: and Boium, in the toonge of Hispaniola, is a house. Ancisus came with a shyppe laden with all thynges necessarye, bothe for meate and drynke, and apparell, bryngynge also with hym an other brigantine. This is he for whose comming

the capitayne Fogeda looked for soo longe. He loosed anker from Hispaniola in the Ides of September: And the fourth day after his departure, he espyed certeyne hyghe mountaynes,* 1.44 the whiche for the abundance of snowe which lyeth continu∣ally in the toppes therof, the Spanyardes cauled Serra Neuata,* 1.45 when Colonus the fyrst fynder of those Regions passed by the same. The fyfte daye, he sayled by O•• Draconis.* 1.46 They whiche were in the brygantyne, towlde Ancisus that Fogeda was retur¦ned to Hispaniola. But Ancisus supposing that they had fayned that tale, commaunded them by thautoritie of his commission to turne backe ageyne. The brigantiners obeyed and folowed hym: yet made they humble sute vnto hym that he woolde graunte them that with his fauour they myght eyther goo a∣geyne to Hispaniola, or that he hym selfe woolde brynge theim to Nicuesa: And that they woolde for his gentelnes declared towarde them in this behalfe, rewarde hym with twoo thou∣sande drammes of golde. For they were ryche in golde, but poore in breade.* 1.47 But Ancisus assented to neyther of theyr re∣questes: affirmynge that he myght by no meanes goo anye o∣ther way then to Vraba the prouince assigned to Fogeda. Where vppon, by theyr conduct, he tooke his vyage directly toward Vraba. But nowe let it not seme tedious to yowre holynes to heare of one thyng worthy to bee remembred, which chaunced to this Lieuetenaunt Ancisus as he came thether. For he also cast anker in the coastes of the region of Caramairi whiche wee sayde to bee famous by reason of the hauen of Carthago:* 1.48 and of the goodly stature, strength, and beawty of both men and wo¦men beinge in the same. Here he sent certeyne to goo alande on the shore, both to fetche fresshe water, and also to repaire the shippe boate which was sore broosed. In this meane tyme A greate multitude of the people of the countrey armed after theyr maner,* 1.49 came aboute owre men as they were occupied a¦bowte theyr busynes, and stoode in a redynes to feight, for the space of three dayes contynually: durynge whiche tyme, neyther durst they set vppon owre men, nor owre men assayle them. Thus bothe parties keepynge theyr arraye, stoode styl three hole dayes the one gasynge on the other. Yet all this tyme owre men applyed theyr woorke, placinge the shippe∣wrightes in the myddeste of theyr armye.* 1.50 As they stoode thus amased, twoo of owre coompanye wente to fyll theyr water

pottes at the mouthe of the ryuer nere vnto them both, where soodenly there came furthe ageynste them a capitayne of the barbarians with ten armed men which inclosed them, & with terrible countenaunce bent theyr arrowes ageynste them, but shotte theym not of. One of owre men fledde: but the other remayned, caulynge his felowe ageyne and rebukynge hym for his fearefulnes. Then he spake to the barbarians in their owne language which he had lerned beinge conuersant with the captiues that were caryed from thense longe before. They marueylynge to here a straunger speake in their natiue tonge, put of theyr fiercenes and fell to frendly communication, de∣maundinge who were the capitaynes of that coompanie whi∣che were arryued in theyr lande. He answered that they were strangers passyng by: And that he marueyled why they wold attempte to dryue them from theyr coastes and disturbe theyr shyppes: arguinge theim of follye and crueltie, and further threatinge their ruine and destruction, except they woold vse them selues more frendely towarde them. For hee aduertised them that there wolde shortly coome into theyr lande armed men, in nōber lyke to the sandes of the sea: And that to theyr¦ter destruction, not only if they resysted them not, but also ex¦cepte they receaued them and enterteyned them honorably. In the meane tyme Ancisus was enformed that his men were de∣teyned. Wherefore suspectinge sume deceate, he browght furth al his target men for feare of theyr venemous arrowes:* 1.51 And settinge them in battell arraye, he marched forwarde to∣warde them which steyed his men. But he which communed with the barbarians, gyuinge him a signe with his hande to procede noo further, he steyed. And cauling to hym the other, he knewe that all was safe. For the barbarians profered him peace, bycause they were not they whom they suspected them to haue byn: meanynge by Fogeda and Nicu••sa, who had spoy∣led the vyllage standinge there by the sea syde, and caryed a∣way many captiues, and also burnte an other vyllage further within the lande. And therefore (as they sayde) the cause of theyr comminge thether, was to reuenge those iniuries, if by any meanes they coulde.* 1.52 Yet that they woolde not exercyse theyr weapons ageynste the innocente. For they sayde it was vngodly to feyght ageynst any, not beinge prouoked.

Layinge a parte therefore theyr bowes and arrowes, they

enterteyned owre men gentelly, and gaue them greate plentie of salted fysshe and breade of theyr contrey:* 1.53 And fylled theyr vessels with syder made of theyr contrey frutes and seedes,* 1.54 not inferiour to wyne in goodnes. Thus Ancisus hauinge en∣tered into frendshyp and made a league of peace with thinha∣bitantes of Caramairi whiche were before sore prouoked by o∣ther capitaynes, he lanched from that lande, and directed his course to Vraba by the Ilande Fortis,* 1.55 hauinge in his shippe a hundreth and fyftie fresshe men whiche were substitute in the place of suche as were deade. Also twelue mates, and manye swine, and other beastes both males and females for increase. Lykewyse,* 1.56 fyftie pieces of ordinaunce, with a greate multy∣tude of targettes, swoordes, iauelyns, and suche other wea∣pons for the warres. But all this with euyl speede and in an euyll houre. For as they were euen nowe enteringe into the hauen,* 1.57 the gouernour of the shippe which satte at the helme, stroke the shyppe vppon the sandes, where it was soo fast en∣closed, and beaten with the waues of the sea, that it opened in the myddes••e, and al lost that was therin. A thynge surely miserable to beholde. For of all the vytayles that they had, they saued onely twelue barels of meale, with a fewe chieses, and a lyttle bysket breade.* 1.58 For al the beastes were drowned: And they them selues scaped hardly and halfe naked by helpe of the brigantine & ship boate, caryeng with them only a fewe weapons. Thus they fell from one calamitie into an other, be¦inge nowe more carefull for theyr lyues then for golde. Yet beinge browght alyue and in health to that land which they soo greatly desyred, they coulde doo noo lesse then to prouide for the susteynynge of theyr bodyes, bycause they coulde not lyue onely by ayer. And wheras theyr owne fayled, they must needes lyue by other mens. Yet amonge these soo many aduer¦sities, one good chaunce offered it selfe vnto them. For they founde, not farre from the sea syde, a groue of date trees,* 1.59 a∣monge the which, & also amonge the reke or weedes of the ma¦ryshes, they espyed a multitude of wylde bores,* 1.60 with whose fleshe they fed the selues wel certeine dayes. These they say to bee lesse then owres: And with soo shorte tayles, that they thought they had byn cutte of. They dyffer also from owres in theyr feete: for theyr hynder feete are hole vndiuided, and also withowte any houfe. But they affirme that they haue

proued by experience theyr flesshe to bee of better taste & more holsoome then owres. Durynge this tyme, they fedde also of dates and the rotes of younge date trees, which they eate like wyse in Ciuile and Granata where they caule them Palmitos, of the leaues wherof they make biesomes in Rome. Sumetymes also, they eate of the appels of that Region,* 1.61 whiche haue the taste of prunes, and haue also stones in them, and are but lyt∣tle and of redde coloure. I suppose them to bee of that kynde wherof I eate in the citie of Alexandria in Egypt in the moneth of Aprell: The trees wherof, the Iewes that dwel there, be¦inge lerned in the lawe of Moyses, affirme to bee the Ceders of Libane,* 1.62 which beare owlde fruites and newe all the yeare as dothe the orange tree. These apples are good to bee eaten, and haue a certeyne sweetnes myxte with a gentell sharpnes, as haue the frutes cauled Sorbes.* 1.63 Thinhabitantes plant these trees in theyr orchyardes and garedens, and nooryshe theym with greate diligence as wee doo cheries, peaches, and quyn∣ses. This tree in leaues, heyght, and trunke, is verye lyke vnto the tree that beareth the frute cauled Zizipha, which the Apothecaries caule Iuiuba. But wheras now the wylde bores beganne to faile them, they were ageyne enforced to consulte and prouyde for the tyme to coome. Where vppon with theyr hole army, they entered further into the land. The Canibales of this prouince, are moste experte archers.* 1.64 Ano••sus had in his coompany, a hundreth men. They mette by the way with only three men of thinhabitantes, naked,* 1.65 and armed with bowes and venemous arrowes, who without al feare, assayled owr men fiercely, wounded manye, and slewe manye: And when they had emptied theyr quyuers, fledde as swyftely as the wynde: For (as we haue sayde) they are excedynge swyfte of foote by reason of theyr loose goinge frome theyr chyldes age They affirme that they lette slyppe no arrowe owte of theyr bowes in vayne. Owre men therfore returned the same waye that they came, much more infortunate then they were before and consulted amonge them selues to leaue that lande: espe∣cyally because thinhabitantes had ouerthrowne the fortresse which Fogeda buylded, and had burnte thirtie houses of the vyllage, as soone as Pizarrus and his company lefte of Fogeda, had forsaken the lande. By this occasion therefore, beinge dryuen to seeke further, they had intelligence that the weste

syde of that goulfe of Vraba,* 1.66 was more frutefull and better to inhabite. Wherfore, they sent the one halfe of theyr men thi∣ther with the brigantine, and lefte the other nere to the sea syde on the easte p••rt. This goulfe, is .xxiiii. myles in bredth: And howe muche the further it entereth into the firme lande, it is soo muche the narower. Into the goulfe of Vraba, there faule many ryuers: but one (as they say) more fortunate then the ryuer of Nilus in Egypte. This ryuer is cauled Darien,:* 1.67 vp∣pon the bankes whereof, beinge verye frutefull of trees and grasse, they entended to playnte their newe colonie or habita∣cion. But thinhabitantes maruelynge at the brygantine be∣inge bygger then theyr canoas, and specially at the sayles therof, fyrst sente away theyr chyldren and weakeste sorte of theyr people with theyr baggage and housholde stuffe, and as∣sembled all suche togyther bothe men and women, as were meete for the warres: Thus beinge armed with weapons and desperate myndes, they stoode in a redynes to feight, and ta∣ryed the comminge of owre men vppon a lyttle hyl, as it were to take thaduantage of the grounde. Owre men iudged them to bee aboute fyue hundreth in nomber. Then Ancisus the ca∣pitayne of owre men, and Lieuetenaunt in the steede of Fogeda, settinge his men in order of battayle array, and with his hole coompany kneelinge on his knees, they al made humble pray∣ers to god for the victorie, and a vowe to the Image of the blessed virgin whiche is honoured in Ciuile,* 1.68 by the name of Sancta Maria Antiqua, promysinge to sende her manye golden gyf∣tes and a straunger of that contrey: also to name the vyllage Sancta Maria Antiqua after her name: lykewyse to ••erecte a temple cauled by the same name: or at the leaste to dedicate the king of that prouince his palaice to that vse, if it shulde please her to assiste them in this daungerous enterpryse. This doone, al the souldiers tooke an othe,* 1.69 that noo man shulde turne his backe to his enemies. Then the capytayne commaundinge them to bee in a redines with theyr targets and iauelens, and the trumpyter to blowe the battayle, they fiercely a••sayled theyr enemyes with a larome. But the naked barbarians, not longe able to abyde the force of owre men, were putte to flyght,* 1.70 with theyr kynge and capitayne Cemaccus. Owre men entered into the vyllage, where they fownde plentie of meate suche as the people of the contrey vse, sufficiente to assuage

theyr present hunger, as breade made of rootes, with certeine fruites vnlyke vnto owres, whiche they reserue for store as wee doo chestnuttes.* 1.71 Of these people, the men are vtterly na∣ked: but the women from the nauell downewarde, are coue∣red with a fyne clothe made of gossampine cotton. This Re∣gion is vtterly withowte any sharpenes of wynter. For the mouthe of this ryuer of Darien, is onlye eyght degrees distante from the Equinoctiall lyne:* 1.72 So that the commone sorte of owre men, scarsely perceaue anye difference in lengthe betwene the day and nyght all the hole yeare. But bycause they are igno∣rant in astronomie, they can perceaue noo smaule difference. Therfore wee neede not much passe if the degree do differ sum what from theyr opinion, for asmuche as the difference can not bee greate. The day after that they arryued at the lande▪ they sayled alonge by the ryuer, where they founde a greate thicket of reedes continuinge for the space of a myle in length supposing (as it chaunced in deede) that the bortherers there aboute which had fledde, had eyther lyne lurkynge there, or els to haue hyd theyr stuffe amonge those reedes: Where vp∣pon, armynge them selues with theyr targettes,* 1.73 for feare of the people lyinge in ambusshe, they searched the thicket dily∣gently, and founde it withowte men, but replenyshed with householde st••ffe and golde. They fownde also a great multi∣tude of sheetes, made of the sylke or cotton of the gossampine tree.* 1.74 Lykewyse dyuers kyndes of vessels and tooles made of woodde, and many of earth: Also many breste plates of gold and ouches wrought after theyr maner,* 1.75 to the sum of a hun∣dreth and twoo pounde weight. For they also take pleasure in the bewtie of gold, and worke it very artificially, although it bee not the price of thynges amonge them as with vs. They haue it owte of other Regions for exchaunge of such thynges as theyr contrey bringeth furthe. For suche Regions as haue plentie of breade and gossampine, lacke golde: And suche as brynge furth golde, are for the most parte rowght with mon∣taynes and rockes, and therfore baren.* 1.76 And thus they exer∣cise marchandies withowte the vse of money. Reioysing ther¦fore with double gladdenes, aswell in that they sawe greate lykenes of golde, as also that fortune hadde offered them soo fayre and frutefull a contrey, they sent for theyr felowes whō they hadde lefte before in the easte syde of the goulfe of Vraba,

Yet sume saye that the ayer is there vnholsome, bycause that parte of the Region lyethe in a lowe valley enuironed with mountaynes and marysshes.

¶ The seconde booke of the seconde decade, of the supposed continente.

I Haue described to yowre holynes where Fo∣geda with his coompany (to whome the large tractes of Vraba was assigned to inhabite) in¦tended to fasten there foote.* 1.77 Lette vs nowe therfore leaue them of Vraba for a whyle, and returne ageyne to Nicuesa to whom the gouer∣naunce and Lieuetenaunteshippe of the moste large prouince of Beragua (beinge the weste syde of the goulfe of Vraba) was appoynted.* 1.78 We haue declared howe Nicuesa de¦partinge with one carauell and twoo brigantines frome Vraba the iurisdiction of his frende and companyon Fogeda, directed his course westwarde to Beragua, leauinge the bygger shippes sumewhat behynde hym,* 1.79 to folowe hym a farre of. But he tooke this diuise in an euyll howre. For he bothe loste his fe∣lowes in the nyght, and went past the mouth of the ryuer of Beragua, which he chiefely sowght. One Lupus Olanus a Can∣tabrian,* 1.80 and gouernoure of one of the greate shippes, had the conducte of one of the brigantines. He commynge behynde, lerned of thinhabitantes which was the waye Eastewarde to the goulfe of Beragua ouer passed and lefte behynde of Nicuesa. Olanus therfore directinge his course towarde the Easte, mette with the other brigantine which had also wandered owte of the way by reason of the darkenes of the nyght. The gouer∣nour of this brigantine, was one Petrus de Vmbria.* 1.81 Thus bothe beinge gladde of theyr meetinge, they consulted what was best to bee doone, and which way they coulde coniecture their gouernour had taken his vyage.* 1.82 After deliberation, they iud¦ged that Nicuesa could no more lacke sum to put him in remem∣beraunce of Beragua, then they them selues were myndful ther∣of, hopynge also to fynde hym there. They sayled therefore towarde Beragua: where they founde within .xvi. myles dy∣stant, a ryuer which Colonus named Lagartos, bycause it noo∣ryshethe greate lysardes whiche in the Spanysshe toonge are

cauled Lagartos.* 1.83 These lysertes are hurtfull bothe to man and beaste, and in shape muche lyke vnto the Crocodiles of the ry∣uer of Nilus in Egypte. In this ryuer, they founde theyr com¦panyons and felowes of theyr erroure lyinge at anker with the greate shippes which folowed behynde by the gouernours commaundement. Here the hole assemble beinge carefull and disquieted by reason of the gouernours erroure, after consul∣tacion, by thaduise of the capitaynes of the brigantines, who had rased nere vnto the coastes of Beragua, they sayled direct∣ly thether. Beragua, in the language of thinhabitantes of the same prouince, is as much to saye, as the golden ryuer.* 1.84 The region it selfe is also cauled by the same name, takynge name of the ryuer. In the mouth of this ryuer, the greatest vessels cast anker, and conueighed al theyr vytailes and other neces∣saries to lande with theyr shippe boates: and elected Lupus O∣lanus to bee theyr gouernour in the steede of Nicuesa whom they had loste. By thaduice therfore of Olanus and the other vnder capitaynes, that all hope of departure myght bee taken from the souldiers which they had nowe browght thether, and to make them the more wyllinge to inhabite that land, they vt∣terly forsooke and caste of those shyppes beinge nowe rotten for age, and suffered them to bee shaken and broosed of the surges of the sea. Yet of theyr soundeste plankes, with other newe, made of the trees of that Region (which they say to be excedinge bygge and hygh) they framed a newe carauel short∣ly after, whiche they myght vse to serue for theyr necessitie. But Beragua was founde by the vnfortunate destenie of Petrus de Vmbria.* 1.85 For he, beinge a man of prompt wytte and apt for∣wardenes to attempte thynges (in whiche sumetyme fortune wyll beare a stroke notwithstandinge owre prouidence) tooke vpon hym thaduenture to searche the shore to thintent to find a waye for his felowes where they myght beste coome alande. For this purpose, he chose hym twelue maryners, and wente aboorde the shippe boate whiche serued the greateste shyppes. The flowinge of the sea, raged and rored there, with a horri∣ble whurlinge as wee reede of the daungerous place of Scylla in the sea of Scicilie,* 1.86 by reason of the houge and ragged roc∣kes reachyng into the sea, from which the waues rebounding with violence, make a greate noyse and rowghnes on the wa¦ter, whiche rowghnes or reflowinge, the Spanyardes caule

Resacca. In these daungers wretched Vmbria wresteled a while. But in shorte space, a waue of the sea almoste as bygge as a mountayne, reboundinge from the rockes, ouerwhelmed the boate and deuoured the same with the men, euen in the sight of theyr felowes: So that of them all, onely one escaped by reason he was experte in swymmynge.* 1.87 For gettinge holde of the corner of a rocke, and susteynynge the rage of the sea vn¦tyll the nexte daye when it wexed caulme, and the shore was drye by the faule of the water, he escaped and resorted to his coompanye. But Vmbria with the other eleuen, were vtterlye caste away. The resydue of the coompany, durst not commite them selues to the shippe boates, but went alande with theyr brigantines. Where remaynynge a fewe dayes, and saylinge alonge by the ryuer, they founde certeyne vyllages of thinha¦bitantes, which they caule Mumu. Here they beganne to build a fortresse, and to sowe seedes after the maner of theyr coun∣trey, in a certeyne vale of frutefull grownde, bicause in other places the region is baren. As these thynges were thus doo∣inge in Beragua, one of their coompanye standynge vppon the toppe of a hyghe rocke of especiall, and lyftynge his eyes to∣warde the Weste, beganne to crye, Lynnyn sayles, lynnyn say∣les. And the nerer it drewe towarde hym, he perceaued it to bee a shyppe boate comminge with a lyttle sayle. Yet receaued they it with muche reioysinge: for it was the fyssher boate of Nicuesa his carauele,* 1.88 and of capacitie to carye onely fyue men, and had nowe but three in it, which had stoulne it from Nicu¦esa bycause he refused to gyue credit to theim that he had pas∣sed Beragua, and lefte it behynde hym Eastwarde. For they se∣inge Nicuesa and his felowes to consume dayely by famynne, thowght they woolde proue fortune with that boate, if their chaunce myght bee to fynde Beragua, as in deede it wss. De∣batinge therefore with theyr felowes, of these matters, they declared howe Nicuesa erred and loste the carauele by tempest,* 1.89 and that he was nowe wanderinge amonge the marysshes of vnknowen coastes, full of myserie and in extreeme penurie of all thynges, hauinge nowe lyued for the space of three score and tenne dayes, only with herbes and rootes, and syldoome with frutes of the countrey, contented to drinke water, and yet that often tymes faylynge, bycause he was instant to tra∣uayle westwarde by foote, supposing by that meanes to come

to Beragua. Colonus the fyrste fynder of this mayne lande, had coasted alonge by this tracte, and named it Gratia Dei: but the inhabitantes caule it Cerabaro.* 1.90 Throwghe this Region, there runneth a ryuer which owre men named Sancti Matthei,* 1.91 distante from the weste syde of Beragua aboute a hundrethe and thirtie myles. Here I lette passe the name of this ryuer, and of ma∣nye other places by the names which thinhabitantes vse, by∣cause owre men are ignorant thereof. Thus Lupus Olanus the conductor of one of the shippes of Nicuesa, and nowe also vice Leauetenaunt in his steede, after that he hadde receaued this information of the maryners, sente thether a brigantine vn∣der theyr guydynge, these maryners therfore, which came in the fyssher boate, founde Nicuesa,* 1.92 and browght hym to the place where Olanus laye, whome at his commynge he caste in pryson, and accused hym of treason bycause he vsurped thau∣toritie of the Lieuetenauntshippe, and that for the desyre he had to beare rule and bee in autoritie, he tooke no care of his errours: also that he behaued hym selfe negligently: demaun¦dinge further more of hym, what was the cause of his soo longe delay. Lykewyse he spake to al the vnder officers sharp¦lye and with a troubled mynde: And within fewe dayes after commaunded them to trusse vp theyr packes, and make them redye to departe. They desyred hym to quyet hym selfe, and to forbeare them a while vntyl they had reaped the corne that they had sowne, which wolde shortly bee rype. For all kynd of corne waxeth rype there euery fourth moonethe after it is sowne.* 1.93 But he vtterly denyed to tarye and whytte: but that he woolde foorthwith departe from that vnfortunate lande: And plucked vp by the rootes al that euer was browght into the goulfe of Beragua, and commaunded them to directe theyr course towarde the Easte. After they had sayled aboute the space of .xvi. myles, a certeyne younge man whose name was Gregorie, a Genues borne, and of a chylde browght vp with Colonus,* 1.94 cauled to rememberance that there was a hauen not farre frome thense: And to proue his sayinge trewe, he gaue his felowes these tokens: that is, that they shulde fynde vp∣pon the shore, an anker of a loste shyppe halfe couered with sande: And vnder a tree nexte vnto the hauen, a sprynge of cleere water. They came to the lande: founde the anker and the sprynge, and commended the wytte and memorye of the

younge man, that he only amonge many of the marynes whi∣che had searched those coastes with Colonus, bore the thynge soo well in mynde. This hauen, Colonus cauled Portus Bellus.* 1.95 Wheras in this vyage for lacke of vytayles they were sume∣tymes enforced to goo alande, they were euel entreated of the inhabitantes. By reason wherof, theyr strengthes were soo wekened with hūger,* 1.96 that they were not able to keepe warre ageynst naked men, or scarsely to beare theyr harnes on their backes. And therfore owre men loste twentie of theyr coom∣panie, which were slayne with venemous arrowes. They con¦sulted to leaue the one halfe of theyr felowes in the hauen of Portus Bellus: And the other parte Nicu••sa tooke with hym to∣warde the Easte: where abowte twentie and eyght myles frō Portus Bellus, he intended to buylde a fortresse harde by the sea syde vppon the poynte or cape which in tyme paste Colonus na∣med Marmor.* 1.97 But they were soo feeble by reason of longe hun¦ger, that theyr strength serued them not to susteyne suche la∣boure. Yet he erected a lyttle towre able to resyst the fyrst as∣saute of the inhabitantes. This towre he cauled Nomen Dei.* 1.98 From the tyme that he left Beragua, what in the iorney amonge the sandie playnes, then also for hunger whyle he buylded the towre,* 1.99 of the fewe which remayned a lyue, he loste twoo hundreth. And thus by lyttle and lyttle, the multitude of se∣uen hundreth foure score and fyue men, was nowe browght to scarsely one hundreth. Whyle Nicuesa lyued with these few miserable men, there arose a contētion amonge them of Vraba,* 1.100 as concerninge the Lieuetenantshippe. For one Vaschus Nunnez,* 1.101 by the iudgemente of all men, trustynge more to his strengthe then wytte, stoured vp certeyne lyght felowes ageynst Ancisus, sayinge that Ancisus had not the kynges letters patentes for that office: And that it was not sufficient that he was auto∣rised by Fogeda.* 1.102 And therfore forbodde that he shulde execute the office of the Lieuetenaunteshippe: And wylled theym to chuse certeyne of theyr owne coompanye, by whose coun∣sayle and authoritie they myght bee gouerned.

Thus beinge diuided into factions by reason that Fogeda, their capitayne came not ageyne, whom they supposed to bee nowe deade of his venemous wounde, they contended whether it were beste to substitute Nicuesa in his place. The wyseste sorte suche as were famylier with Nicuesa, and coulde not beare thin¦solencie

of Vaschus Nunnez, thowght it good that Nicuesa shuld bee,* 1.103 sowght owt throwgh owt all those coastes. For they had knoweledge that he departed from Beragua bycause of the ba∣rennes of the grounde: And that by thexemple of Ancisus, and suche other as had made shippewracke, it were possible that he might wander in sume secreate place: And that they coulde not be quiete in theire myndes vntyll they knewe the certētie, whether he with his felowes were alyue or deade. But Vas∣chus Nunnez, fearinge leaste at the commyng of Nicuesa he shulde not bee had in autoritie emonge his felowes, sayde they were mad men to thinke that Nicuesa lyued: And althowgh he were alyue, yet that they hadde noo neade of his helpe. For he auouched that there was none of his felowes, that were not as meete to rule as Nicuesa. While they were thus reasonynge too and froo, one Rodericus Colmenaris arryued in those coastes with two greate shippes hauinge in theym three score fresshe men,* 1.104 with greate plentie of vitailes and apparel. Of the na∣vigation of this Colmenaris,* 1.105 I intende to speake sumewhat more. He therfore departed from the hauen of Hispaniola cauled Beata (where they prepare and furnysshe theym selues whiche make any viage into these landes) aboute the Ides of Oc∣tober in the yeare .1510: And landed the .ix. of Nouember in a Region in the large prouince of Paria founde by Colonus betwene the hauen Carthago and the Region of Cuchibachoa.* 1.106 In this viage what by the rowghnes of the sea & fiercenes of the barbariās, he suffered many incommodities. For when his fresshe water fayled, he sayled to the mouthe of a certeyne riuer which thin¦habitantes caule Gaira,* 1.107 beinge apte to receaue shippes. This ryuer had his course from the toppe of an exceadinge hyghe mountayne couered with snowe,* 1.108 hygher then the which, all the coompanyons of this capitayne Rodericus, saye that they ne∣uer sawe. And that by good reason, yf it were couered wyth snowe in that Region which is not past ten degrees distante from the Equinoctial lyne. As they beganne to drawe water owt of their shippeboate, a certeyne Kynge made towarde theym appareled with vestures of gossampine cotton, hauinge twen∣tie noble men in his coompanye appareled also:* 1.109 Whyche thinge seemed straunge to owre men, and not seene before in those parties. The Kinges apparell, hunge loose from his shoulders to his elbowes: And from the ge••dle downewarde,

it was muche like a womans kertle, reachinge euen to his hee¦les. As he drewe neere towarde owre men, he seemed frendly to admonysshe theym to take none of the water of that ryuer, affirminge it to bee vnholsome for men: And shewed theym that not farre from thense, there was a ryuer of good water. They came to the ryuer. And endeuouringe to coome nere rhe shore, they were dryuen backe by tempeste. Also the burbulinge of the sande, declared the sea to bee but shalowe there. They were therefore enforced to returne to the fyrste ryuer where they myght safely caste anker. This Kinge layde wayte for owre men. For as they were fyllinge theire barrelles, he set on theym with abowt seuen hundreth men (as owre men iud∣ged) armed after theire maner, althowgh they were naked. For only the kynge and his noble men were appareled. They tooke away the shippeboate, and brooke it in maner to chips: soo fiercely assylynge owre menne with theyr venemous ar∣rowes,* 1.110 that they slewe of them fortie and seuen beefore they coulde couer them selues with theyr targettes. For that poy∣son is of such force, that albeit the woundes were not great, yet they dyed therof immediatly. For they yet knewe noo re∣medie ageynste this kynde of poyson,* 1.111* 1.112 as they after lerned of thinhabitantes of Hispaniola. For this Ilande bringeth foorth an herbe which quencheth and mortifieth the violent poyson of the herbe wherewith theyr arrowes are infected, soo that it bee ministred in tyme. Yet of owre coompany whiche went for water, seuen escaped that conflicte, and hyd them selues in a hollowe tree,* 1.113 lurkynge there vntyll nyght. Yet escaped they not the handes of theyr enemyes. For the shippe depar∣ted from thense in the nyght season and lefte them there, sup∣posinge that they had byn slayne. Thus by manye▪ suche pe∣rels and daungers (which I lyghtly ouerpasse bicause I wyl not bee tedious to yowre holynes) he arryued at the length at the hauen of Vraba,* 1.114 and cast anker at the easte syde therof, frō whense not longe before, owre men departed to the west syde by reason of the barennes of that soyle. When he had conty∣nued a whyle in the hauen, and sawe noo man stourynge, mar¦ueylinge at the silence of the places (for he supposed there to haue fowunde his felowes) he coulde not couiecture what this shulde meane: and there vppon beganne to suspecte that eyther they were deade, or that they had chaunged the place

of theyr habitacion. To knowe the certentie hereof, he com∣maunded all the greate ordinaunce and other smaule gunnes which he had in his shippes, to bee charged: And fyers to bee made in the nyght vppon the toppes of the rockes. Thus the fyers beinge kyndeled, he commaunded all the gunnes to bee shotte of at one instante: by the horrible noyse whereof, the goulfe of Vraba was shaken,* 1.115 althowghe it were .xxiiii. myles distante: for soo brode is the goulfe. This noyse was harde of theyr felowes in Dariena:* 1.116 And they aunswered them ageyne with mutual fyers. Wherfore, by the folowynge of these fy∣ers, Colmenaris browght his shippes to the Weste syde. Here those wretched and miserable men of Dariena which nowe tho rowgh famen and feeblenes helde theyr wery sowles in theyr teethe redy to departe from theyr bodies by reason of the cala¦mities which beefell vnto them after Ancisus shippewracke,* 1.117 lyf¦tinge vp theyr handes to heauen, with the teares runnynge downe theyr cheekes bothe for ioye and sorowe, embrased Ro¦dericus and his felowes with such kynde of reioysinge as their presente necessitie seemed to requyre. For whereas they were before his comminge, withowte vytayles and almoste naked, he brought them abundance of meate, drynke, and apparell. It restethe nowe (moste holy father) to declare what came of the dissention amonge them of Vraba,* 1.118 as concernynge the go∣uernaunce after the losse of theyr capitaynes.

¶ The thyrde booke of the seconde Decade of the supposed continent.

ALl the chiefe officers in Beragua,* 1.119 and such as were most politike in counsayle, determyned that Nicuesa shulde bee sowght owte if by a∣ny meanes he coulde bee founde. Where vp∣pon they tooke from Ancisus the gouernoure refusinge the commynge of Nicuesa, a brygan¦tyne whiche he made of his owne charges: And agreed, ageynst bothe the wyll of Ancisus, and the master of fence Vaschus Nunnez, that Nicuesa shulde bee sowght foorthe to take away the stryfe as touchinge the gouernement.* 1.120 They elected therfore Colmenaris (of whom we spake before) to take this matter in hande: wyllynge hym to make diligent search

for Nicuesa in those coastes where they supposed he erred. For they harde that he had forsaken Beragua, the region of an vn∣frutefull grounde. They gaue hym therfore commaundement to brynge Nicuesa with hym, and further to declare vnto hym that he shulde doo ryght good seruice to coome thether, in ta∣kyng away thoccasion of theyr seditions. Colmenaris tooke the thynge vppon hym the more gladly bycause Nicuesa was his ve¦ry frende: Supposinge that his commynge with vytayles shulde bee noo lesse thankefull to Nicuesa and his coompanie, then it was to them of Vraba. Furnysshynge therefore one of his owne shippes whiche he browght with hym and also the brigantyne taken frome Ancisus, he frayghted the same with part of the vytayles and other necessaries which he browght with hym before from Hispaniola to Vraba. Thus coursynge a∣longe by all the coastes and goulfes nere there abowte, at the length at the poynte cauled Marmor, he founde Nicuesa,* 1.121 of all lyuynge men most infortunate, in maner dryed vppe with ex∣treeme hunger, fylthye and horrible to beholde, with onely three score men in his company, lefte alyue of seuen hundreth. They al seemed to hym soo miserable, that he noo lesse lamen¦ted theyr case, then yf he had founde them deade. But Colme∣naris conforted his frende Nicuesa: and embrasinge hym with teares and cherefull woordes, relyued his spirites, and fur∣ther encoraged hym with greate hope of better fortune: decla¦rynge also that his commynge was looked for and greatelye desyred of al the good men of Vraba, for that they hoped that by his autoritie, theyr discorde and contention shulde bee fy∣nysshed. Nicuesa thanked his frende Colmenaris. after such sorte as his calamitie requyred. Thus they tooke shyppe to gyther, and sayled directly to Vraba. But so variable and vnconstant is the nature of man, that he soone groweth owte of vse, be∣commeth insolente and vnmyndful of benefites after to much felicitie.* 1.122 For Nicuesa, after thus many teares and weepynges after dyuers bewaylinges of his infortunate desteny, after so many thankes geuynge, ye after that he had faulen downe to the grounde and kyssed the feete of Colmenaris his sauioure, he beganne to quarel with hym before he came yet at Vraba, repro¦uinge hym and them all for thalteracion of the state of thyn∣ges in Vraba, and for the gatheringe of golde: Affirming that none of them owght to haue layde hande of any golde with

owte the aduice of hym or of Fogeda his coompanion. When these sayinges and suche lyke, came to the eares of theym of Vraba, they soo stoured vp the myndes of Ancisus Lieuetenaunte for Fogeda, and also of Vaschus Nunnez, of the contrary parte, a∣geinste Nicuesa,* 1.123 that shortely after his arryuall with his three score men, they commaunded hym with threatenynge to de∣parte frō thense. But this pleased not the better sort. Yet fea∣rynge least tumult shulde bee amonge the people whom Vaschus Nunnez had stered to factions, the best parte was fayne to giue place to the greatest.* 1.124 This wretched man therfore Nicuesa thus drowned in miseries, was thruste into the brigantyne whiche he hym selfe browght: and with hym only seuentene men, of his three score which remayned alyue. He tooke shyppe in the Calendes of Marche in the yeare .1511. intendynge to goo to Hispaniola to coomplayne of the rasshenes of Vaschus Nunnez, and of the violence doone to hym by Ancisus.* 1.125 But he entered into the brigantine in an vnfortunate houre: for he was neuer seene after. They suppose that the brigantine was drowned with all the men therin. And thus vnhappie Nicuesa faulynge headlonge owte of one miserye into an other, ended his lyfe more myserablye then he lyued. Nicuesa beinge thus vylely re∣iected,* 1.126 & al theyr vytayles consumed which Colmenaris browght them, faulynge in maner madde for hunger, they were enfor∣ced lyke raueninge woolues seakynge theyr praye, to inuade suche as dwelte abowte theyr confynes. Vas••hus Nunnez there∣fore,* 1.127 theyr newe capitayne of theyr owne election, assembling togyther a hundreth and thirtie men, and settinge them in or¦der of battell after his swoordeplayers fasshion, puffed vppe with pryde, placed his souldiers as pleased hym in the fore∣warde and rereward, and sume as pertisens abowt his owne person. Thus associatinge with hym Colmenaris, he wente to spoyle the kynges which were bortherers there abowte, and came fyrst to a Region abowte that coaste, cauled Coiba, (wher¦of we made mencion before) imperiously and with cruel coun∣tenaunce commaundinge the kynge of the region whose name was Careta,* 1.128 (of whome they were neuer troubled as often as they passed by his dominions) to gyue them vytayles. But Careta denyed that he coulde gyue them any at that tyme: al∣leagyng that he had oftentymes ayded the Christians as they passed by those coastes: by reason wherof his store was nowe

consumed: Also that by the meanes of the contynuall warre which he kepte euer from his chyldes age with a kyng whose name is Poncha, bortheringe vppon his dominion, he and his famelie were in greate scarsenes of all thynges. But Vaschus woolde admytte none of these excuses: And thervppon tooke Careta prisoner,* 1.129 spoyled his vyllage, and browght hym bownd with his twoo wyues and chyldren and all his famelie to Dari¦ena. With this kynge Careta, they founde three of the felowes of Nicuesa, the whiche when Nicuesa passed by those coastes to seeke Beragua, fearynge punysshement for theyr euyll desertes stoule away from the shyppes lyinge at anker: And when the nauie departed, commytted them selues to the mercie of Careta, who enterteyned them very frendely. They had nowe bynne there .xviii. moonethes, and were therefore as vtterly naked as the people of the contrey. Duringe this tyme, the meate of thinhabitances seemed vnto them delicate di••shes and prince∣ly fare:* 1.130 especially bycause they enioyed the same withowte a∣ny stryfe for myne and thyne,* 1.131 which twoo thynges moue and enforce men to such harde shyftes and miseries, that in lyuing they seeme not to lyue. Yet desyred they to returne to theyr owlde cares, of su••he force is education and natural effection towarde them with whom we haue byn browght vp. The vy¦tayles whiche Vaschus browght frome the vyllage of Careta to his felowes lefte in Dariena, was rather sumewhat to assuage theyr present hunger, and vtterly to take away theyr necessi∣tie. But as touchinge Anc••sus beinge Lieuetenaunt for Fogeda,* 1.132 whether it were before these thynges or after, I knowe not. But this I am sure of, that after the reiectinge of Nicu••sa, ma¦ny occasions were sought agenst Ancisus by Vascus and his fac∣tionaries. Howe soo euer it was, Ancisus was taken, and cast in pryson, and his goodes confiscate. The cause hereof was, (as Vaschus alleaged) that Ancisus hadde his commission of the Lieuetenauntshippe, of Fogeda onely whome they sayde to bee nowe deade, and not of the kynge. Sayinge that he woolde not obey any man that was not put in office by the kyng hym selfe by his letters patentes. Yet at the request of the graueste sorte, he was sumwhat pacified, and delt more gentelly with hym, hauinge sum compassion of his calamities. And thervp¦pon commaunded hym to bee loosed. Ancisus beinge at libertie, tooke shyppe to departe from thense to Hispaniola.* 1.133 But beefore

he had hoysed vppe his sayle, all the wysest sorte resorted to hym, humbly desyringe hym to returne ageyne: promysynge that they wolde doo theyr diligence, that Vaschus beinge recon¦ciled, he myght bee restored to his full autoritie of the Lieue∣tenauntshippe. But Ancisus refused to consent to theyr request and soo departed. Yet sume there were that murmured that god and his angels shewed this reuenge vpon Ancisus,* 1.134 bycau••e Nicuesa was reiected throwgh his counsayle. Howe soo euer it bee, the searchers of the newe landes, faule headlonge in∣to ruine by theyr owne follye, consuminge them selues with ciuile discorde,* 1.135 not weighinge soo greate a matter, nor em∣ployinge theyr beste endeuoure aboute the same as the woor∣thynes of the thynge requyreth. In this meane tyme, they de¦termyned all with one agreemente, to sende messengers into Hispaniola to the younge Admirall and viceroy, sonne and heyre to Christophorus Colonus the fynder of these landes,* 1.136 and to the o∣ther gouernoures of the Ilande (from whom the newe landes receaue theyr ayde and lawes) to signifie vnto thē what state they stoode in, and in what necessitie they lyued: also what they had founde, and in what hope they were of greater thin¦ges if they were furnyshed with plentie of vytayles and other necessaries. For this purpose they elected at the assignement of Vascus, one Valdiuia,,* 1.137 beinge one of his faction, and instruc∣ted by hym ageinst Anc••sus. And to bee a••sistant with hym, they appoynted one Zamudius a Cantabrian: So that commaunde∣ment was gyuen to Valdiuia to returne from Hispaniola with vy∣tayles: And Zamudius was appoynted to take his vyage into Spayne to the kynge.* 1.138 They tooke shippe both togyther with Ancisus, hauinge in mynde to certifie the kynge howe thynges were handeled there, muche otherwyse then Zamudius informa¦tion. I my selfe spake with both Ancisus and Zamudius at their commynge to the courte. Whyle they were occupied aboute these matters, those wretched men of Dariena loosed Carera the kynge of Coiba vppon condicion that he shulde ayde theym in theyr warres ageynst his enemy and theyrs, kynge Poncha bor¦theringe vpon his dominions.* 1.139 Careta made a league with thē, promysinge that as they passed by his kyngedome, he woolde gyue them all thynges nece••sarie, and meete them with an ar∣mie of men, to goo forwarde with them to the battaile agenst Poncha. Theyr weapons are nother bowes nor venemed ar∣rowes,

as we sayde thinhabitantes to haue which dwel east∣warde beyonde the goulfe. They feight therefore at hande, with longe swordes (which they caule Macanas) made of wood bycause they haue noo Iren.* 1.140 They vse also longe staues lyke ia••elens hardened at the endes with fyer, or typte with bone. Also certeyne stynges and dartes. Thus after the league made with Careta, bothe he and owre men had certeyne dayes ap∣poynted theym to tyll theyr grounde and sowe theyr seedes. This doone, by the ayde of Careta and by his conduction, they marched towarde the palaice of Poncha,* 1.141 who f••edde at theyr cō¦mynge. They spoyled his vyllage and mytigated theyr hun∣ger with such vytayles as they founde there. Yet coulde they not helpe their felowes therwith by reasō of the farre distance of the place, althowghe they had greate plentie. For the vyl∣lage of Poncha, was more then a hundreth myles distant from Dariena: wheras was also none other remedy but that the same shulde haue byn caryed on mens backes to the sea syde beinge farre of, where they left theyr shyppes in the which they came to the vyllage of Car••ta. Here they founde certeyne powndes weyght of gold, grauen & wrought into sundrye ouches.* 1.142 Af∣ter the sacking of this vyllage they resorted toward the ships intendyng to leaue the kinges of the inland vntouched at this tyme, & to inuade onely them which dwelt by the sea coastes. Not farre from Coiba, in the same tracte, there is a Region na∣med Comogra,* 1.143 and the Kinge thereof, cauled Comogrus after the same name. To this Kinge they came fyrst next after the sub∣vertion of Poncha: And founde his palaice situate in a frutefull playne of twelue leaques in bredthe, at the rootes of the fur∣ther syde of the nexte mountaynes. Comogrus had in his courte a certeyne noble man of nexe consanguinitie to Kynge Careta, whiche had fledde to Comogrus by reason of certeyne dissention whiche was betwene Careta and hym. These noble men, they caule Iura.* 1.144 This Iura therfore of Coiba, mette owre men by the way, and conciled Comogrus to them, bycause he was well kno∣wen to owr mē from the tyme that Nicuesa passed fyrst by those coastes. Owre men therefore went quietlye to the palaice of Comogrus beinge distante from Dariena thirtie leaques by a plaine waye abowte the mountaynes, This Kynge Comogrus, had se∣uen sonnes,* 1.145 younge men of comelye forme and stature, whiche he had by sundry wyues. His palaice was framed of postes

or proppes made of trees fastened togeyther after a straunge sorte, and of soo stronge bylding, that it is of no lesse strength then waules of stone. They which measured the length of the floure thereof, founde it to bee a hundreth and fyftie pases, and in breadthe, foure score foote: beinge roofed and paued with maruelous arte. They founde his store house, furnysshed with abundance of delicate vitailes after the maner of theyr countrey: And his wyne celler replenished with great vesselles of earth and also of woodde fylled with theyr kynde of wyne and syder.* 1.146 For they haue noo grapes. But lyke as they make theyr breade of those three kyndes of rootes cauled Iucca, agis, and Naizium, (whereof we spake in the fyrste decade) Soo make they theyr wyne of the frutes of date trees, and syder of other frutes and seedes, as doo the Almaynes, Flemynges Englysshe men, and owre Spanyardes whych inhabite the mountaynes, as the Uascons and Asturians: likewise in the mountaynes of the Alpes, the Noricians, Sueuians, and Hel∣uetians, make certeyne drynkes of barley, wheat, hoppes, and apples. They say also that with Comogrus, they droonk wynes of sundry tastes, both whyte and blacke.* 1.147 But nowe yow shall heare of a thynge more monstrous too behoulde. Enterynge therfor īto the inner partes of the palaice, they were browght into a chamber hanged aboute with the carkeses of men,* 1.148 tyed with ropes of gossampine cotton. Beinge demaunded what they ment by that superstition, they answered that those were the carkeses of the father, graundefather, and great graund∣father with the other auncestours of theyr Kyng Comogrus. De¦claringe that they had the same in greate reuerence, and that they tooke it for a godly thynge to honoure them religiously: And therfore appareled euery of the same sumptuouslye with golde and precious stones accordynge vnto theyr estate. After this sorte dyd the antiquitie honoure theyr Penates,* 1.149 whyche they thowght had the gouernaunce of their lyues. Howe they drye these carkeses vppon certeine instrumētes made of wood,* 1.150 like vnto hurdels, with a softe fyer vnder the same, so that onely the skynne remayneth to houlde the bones together, we haue described in the former decade. Of Comogrus his seuen soonnes, the eldest had an excellente naturall wytte.* 1.151 He ther∣fore thowght it good to flatter and please thys wandrynge kynde of men (owr men I meane) lyuynge onely by shiftes and

spoyle, least beinge offended and seekynge occasions ageynste hym and his familie, they shuld handle hym as they dyd other whiche sowght noo meanes howe to gratifie theym. Where∣fore, he gaue Vaschus and Colmenaris foure thousande ounces of golde artificially wrought,* 1.152 and also fyftie slaues whyche he had taken in the warres. For suche, eyther they sell for ex∣chaunce of other thinges, or otherwise vse them as theym ly∣steth▪ For they haue not the vse of money. This golde with as muche more which they had in an other place, owre men way∣ed in the porche of Comogrus his palaice to separate the fyfte parte thereof,* 1.153 whiche portion is due to the Kynges escheker. For it is decreed that the fyft parte of both golde, perles, and precious stones, shulde be assigned to the Kinges treasourers: And the resydue, to bee diuided emonge theym selues by com∣position. Here as brabblynge and contention arose emonge owr men abowt the diuidinge of gold, this eldeste soonne of Kynge Comogrus beinge presente, whome we praysed for his wysedome, commynge sume what wyth an angery counte∣naunce towarde hym whiche helde the balences, he strooke theym wyth his fyste, and scatered all the golde that was therein,* 1.154 abowte the porche, sharpely rebukynge theym with woordes in this effecte. What is the matter yowe Christian men, that yow soo greatly esteme soo litle a portion of golde more then yowr owne quietnes, whiche neuerthelesse yow en∣tend to deface from these fayre ouches and to melte the same into a rude masse. If yowre hunger of goulde bee soo insati∣able that onely for the desyre yowe haue therto,* 1.155 yowe disqui∣ete soo many nations, and yow yowre selues also susteyne soo many calamites and incommodities, lyuing like banished men owte of yowre owne countrey, I wyll shewe yowe a Region floweinge with goulde,* 1.156 where yowe may satisfie yowr raue∣ninge appetites. But yowe muste attempte the thynge with a greater poure: For it standeth yow in hande by force of armes to ouercome kynges of greate puissaunce, and rigorous defen∣ders of theyr dominions. For bysyde other, the greate kinge Tumanama will coome foorthe ageynste yowe,* 1.157 whose kengdome is moste ryche with golde, and distante from hense onely syx soonnes: that is, syx dayes: for they number the dayes by the sonne.* 1.158 Furthermore, or euer yowe canne coome thether, yow must passe ouer the mountaynes inhabited of the cruell Cany∣bales

a fierce kynde of men, deuourers of mans flesshe, lyuing withowte lawes, wanderinge, and withowte empire. For they also, beinge desyrous of golde, haue subdewed them vn¦der theyr dominion whiche before inhabited the golde mynes of the mountaynes,* 1.159 and vse them lyke bondemen, vsyng their laboure in dygginge and workynge theyr golde in plates and sundry Images lyke vnto these whiche yowe see here. For wee doo no more esteeme rude golde vnwrought,* 1.160 then we doo cloddes of earthe, before it bee formed by the hande of the workeman to the similitude eyther of sume vessell nece••sarie for owre vse, or sume ouche bewetifull to be worne. These thynges doo wee receaue of theim for exchaunge of other of owre thynges, as of prisoners taken in warre,* 1.161 whiche they bye to eate, or for sheetes and other thynges perteynynge to the furnyture of householde, suche as they lacke which inha¦bite the mountaynes: And especially for vitayles wherof they stande in greate neede by reason of the barrennes of the moun¦taynes. This iorney therfore, must bee made open by force of men. And when yowe are passinge ouer these mountaynes (poyntinge with his fynger towarde the southe mountaynes) yowe shal see an other sea, where they sayle with shyppes as bygge as yowres (meanynge the caraueles) vsinge both say∣les and ores as yowe doo,* 1.162 althowghe the men bee naked as wee are. All the waye that the water runnethe frome t••e mountaynes, and all that syde lyinge towarde the Southe, bryngeth foorth golde abundantly. As he sayde these woor∣des, he poynted to the vesselles in whiche they vse to serue theyr meate, affirmyng•• that kynge Tumanama, and all the o∣ther kynges beyonde the mountaynes, had suche and al their other householde stuffe of golde:* 1.163 And that there was noo lesse plentie of golde amonge those people of the Southe, then of Iren with vs. For he knewe by relation of owre men, wher∣of owre swoordes and other weapons were made. Owre ca∣pitaynes marueylyng at the oration of the naked younge man (for they had for interpretours those three men whiche had byn before a yere and a halfe conuersant in the court of kynge Careta) pondered in theyr myndes, & ernestly considered his say∣inges. Soo that his rasshenes in scatteringe the golde owte of the balances, they turned to myrth and vrbanitie, commen¦dynge his dooinge and sayinge therin. Then they asked hym

frendely, vppon what certeyne knoweleage he spake those thynges: Or what he thowght beste herein to bee doone yf they shulde brynge a greater supplye of men. To this, younge Comogrus, stayinge a whyle with hym selfe as it were an ora∣tour preparinge him selfe to speake of sume graue matter, and disposynge his bodye to a giesture meete to persuade, spake thus in his mother tonge. Gyue eare vnto me o yowe Chry∣stians. Albeit that the gredie hunger of golde hathe not yet vexed vs naked men,* 1.164 yet doo we destroy one an other by rea∣son of ambition and desyre to rule. Hereof springeth mortall hatred amonge vs, and hereof commethe owre destruction. Owre predicessours kepte warres, and soo dyd Comogrus my father with princes beinge bortherers abowte hym. In the which warres, as wee haue ouercoome, so haue wee byn ouer coome, as dothe appere by the number of bondemen amonge vs, which we tooke by the ouerthrowe of owre enemyes, of the whiche I haue gyuen yowe fiftie. Lykewyse at an other tyme, owre aduersaries hauinge thupper hande agenste vs, ledde away manye of vs captiue. For suche is the chaunce of warre. Also, amonge owre familiers (wherof a great number haue byn captiues with them) beholde here is one whiche of longe tyme ledde a paynefull lyfe in bondage vnder the yoke of that kynge beyonde the mountaynes, in whose kyngdome is suche abundance of golde. Of hym, and suche other innu∣merable, and lykewyse by the resort of free men on theyr syde comminge to vs, and ageyne of owre men resortinge to theim by safe conduct, these thynges haue byn euer as well knowen vnto vs,* 1.165 as owre owne possessions. But that yowe maye bee the better assured hereof, and bee owte of all suspection that yowe shal not bee deceaued, make me the guyde of this viage, byndynge me fast and keepyng me in safe custodie to bee han∣ged on the next tree, yf yowe fynde my sayinges in any point vntrewe. Folowe my counsayle therfore, and send for a thou¦sande Christian men apte for the warres, by whose power we may with also the men of warre of Comogrus my father armed after owre maner, inuade the dominions of owre enemyes: where, bothe yowe may bee satisfyed with golde, and we for owre conductinge and aydynge yowe in this enterpryse, shall thynke owre selues abun••antly rewarded, in that yowe shall helpe to delyuer vs from the iniuries and perpetuall feare of

owre enemies. After these woordes, this prudente younge Comogrus helde his peace. And owre men moued with greate hope and hunger of golde,* 1.166 beganne ageine to swalowe downe theyr spertle.

¶ The fourth booke of the seconde Decade, of the supposed Continent.

AFter that they had taryed here a fewe dayes and baptised Comogrus with all his famelie,* 1.167 and named hym by the name of Charles af∣ter the kynge of Spayne, they returned to theyr felowes in Dariena leauinge with hym the hope of the thousande souldyers, which his sonne requyred to passe ouer those moun¦taynes towarde the South sea. Thus enteringe into the vyl∣lage which they had chosen to inhabite, they had knowleage that Valdiuia was returned,* 1.168 within syxe moonethes after his departure: but with noo great plentie of vytayles, bycause he browght but a smaule shippe: yet with hope that shortely after, there shulde bee sent them abundance of vytayles with a newe supply of men. For younge Colonus, the Admiral and viceroy of Hispaniola, and the other gouernours of the Ilande, acknowleaged that hetherto they had noo respecte to theym of Dariena, bycause they supposed that Ancisus the Lieuetenant had safely arryued there with his shippe laden with vatayles: wyllynge them from hensefoorth to bee of good cheere, and that they shulde lacke nothynge hereafter: But that at this present tyme, they had noo bygger shippe wherby they myght sende them greater plentie of necessaries by Valdiuia. The vy∣tayles therfore which he browght, serued rather sumwhat to mytigate theyr present necessitie, then to satisfye theyr lacke. Wherfore within a fewe dayes after Valdiuia his returne, they fel ageine into lyke scarsnes: especially for asmuch as a great storme and tempest whiche came from the hyghe mountaynes with horrible thunder and lyghtnynge in the mooneth of No¦uember,* 1.169 browght with it suche a fludde, that it partely cary∣ed away and partly drowned all the corne and seedes whiche they had sowne in the moonethe of September in a frutefull ••rounde before they went to kyng Comogrus. The seedes which

they of Hispaniola caule Maizium,* 1.170 and they of Vraba caule Hobba: Wherof they make theyr bread, which also wee sayde to bee rype thryse euery yeare, bycause those Regions are not bytten with the sharpnes of wynter by reason of theyr nerenes to the Equinoctial lyne. It is also agreable to the principles of na∣turall philosophie, that this breade made of Maizius or Hobba, shulde bee more holsome for thinhabitantes of those contreys then breade made of wheate, by reason that it is of easyer di∣gestion.* 1.171 For wheras coulde is wantinge, the naturall heate is not dryuen frome the owtewarde partes into the inwarde partes and precordials, whereby digestion is much strengthe∣ned. Beinge therfore thus frustrate of the increase of theyr seedes, and the kynges nere abowte them spoyled of both vy∣tayles and golde, they were enforced to seeke theyr meate fur¦ther of:* 1.172 And therwith to signifie to the gouernours of Hispani¦ola with what great necessitie they were oppressed: And what they had lerned of Comogrus as concernynge the Regions to∣warde the Southe: wyllynge them in consideration therof to aduertyse the kynge to sende them a thousande souldiers,* 1.173 by whose helpe they myght by force make waye throwghe the mountaynes diuidynge the sea on bothe sydes, if they coulde not brynge the same to passe quyetly. The same Valdiuia was also sent on this message, caryinge with hym to the kynges treasourers (hauinge theyr office of recepte in Hispaniola) three hundreth poundes weyght of golde after eyght ounces to the pounde, for the fyfte portion dewe to the kynges escheker. This pounde of .viii. vnces, the Spanyardes caule Marcha,* 1.174 whiche in weyght amounteth to fyftie pieces of golde cauled Castellani. But the Castilians, caule a pound Pesum. We conclude therfore,* 1.175 that the sume hereof, was .xv. thousande of those peeces of golde cauled Castellani. And thus is it apparente by this accompte, that they receaued of the barbarous kynges, a thousande and fyue hundreth poundes of eyght ounces to the pounde.* 1.176 All the whiche they founde redy wrought in sundry kyndes of ouches, as cheynes, braselets, tablets, and plates, bothe to hange before theyr brestes, and also at theyr eares, and nosethryls. Valdiuia therefore tooke shyppinge in the same carauell in the whiche he came last, and returned also beefore the thyrde day of the Ides of Ianuary, in the yeare of Christ M.D.XI. What chaunced to hym in this vyage, wee wyll

declare in place conuenient. But let vs nowe returne to them which remayned in Vraba. After the dismissinge of Valdiuia, be∣inge pricked forwarde with owtragious hunger, they deter∣mined to searche the inner partes of that goulfe in sundry pla¦ces.* 1.177 The extreme angle or poynt of the same goulfe is distant from the enterance therof, aboute foure score myles. This an¦gle or corner, the Spanyardes caule Culata.* 1.178 Vaschus hym selfe came to this poynte with a hundreth men, coastynge alonge by the goulfe with one brygantine and certeyne of the boates of those regions, which the Urabians caule Vru,* 1.179 lyke vnto them whiche thinhabitantes of Hispaniola caule Canoas. From this poynt, there fauleth a ryuer from the East into the goulfe,* 1.180 ten tymes bygger then the ryuer of Dariena which al∣so fauleth into the same. Saylyng alonge by the ryuer about the space of thirtie myles (for they caule it nyne leaques) and sumwhat inclynynge towarde the ryght hande southwarde, they founde certeyne vyllages of thinhabitantes, the Kynge whereof, was cauled Dabaiba. Owre men also were certifyed before, that Cemacchus the kynge of Dariena whom they put to flyght in the battayle,* 1.181 fledde to this Dabaiba. But at the com∣mynge of owre men, Dabaiba also fledde. It is thowght that he was admonysshed by Cemacchus, that he shulde not abyde the brunte of owre men. He folowed his counsayle: for••ooke his vyllages, and lefte all thynges desolate. Yet owre men founde heapes of bowes and arrowes: Also much household stuffe and many fysshyng boates. But those maryshe groundes were neyther apte for sowinge of seedes or planting of trees.* 1.182 By reason wherof, they founde there fewe suche thynges as they desyred that is, plentie of vytayles. For thinhabitantes of this Region, haue noo breade but such as they get in other contreys nere abowte them by exchaunge for theyr fy••she, on∣ly to serue theyr owne necessitie. Yet founde they in the hou∣ses of them that fledde, golde wrought and grauen, amoun∣tynge to the sume of seuen thousande of those pieces whiche we sayde to bee cauled Castellani:* 1.183 Also certeyne canoas: of the which they brought away twoo with them, and great plentie of theyr hou••holde stuffe, with certeyne bundels of bowes and arrowes. They saye, that from the marysshes of that ryuer, there coome certeyne battes in the nyght season, as bygge as turtle dooues,* 1.184 inuadyng men and bytinge them with a deadly

wounde, as sume of them testifie whiche haue byn bytten of the same. I my selfe communing with Ancisus the Lieuetenant whom they reiected,* 1.185 and amonge other thynges askynge him of the venemous bytinge of these battes, he toulde me that he hym selfe was bytten by one of them on the heele, his foote ly¦inge vncouered in the nyght by reason of the heate in sommer season: But that it hurt hym noo more, then yf he hadde byn bytten by any other beaste not venemous. Other saye, that the bytynge of sume of them is venemous: Yet that the same is healed incontinently,* 1.186 if it be wasshed with water of the sea. Ancisus toulde me also, that the venemous woundes made by the Canibales arrowes infected with poyson, are healed by wasshynge with water of the sea, and also by cauterising with hotte Irens: And that he had experience thereof in the region of Caribana, where many of his men were so wounded. They departed therfore, from the poynte of the goulfe of Vraba, not well contented bycause they were not laden with vitailes. In this their returne, there arose soo greate a tempest in that wyde goulfe,* 1.187 that they were enforced to caste into the sea, all the householde stuffe whiche they tooke from the poore wret∣ches whiche lyued onely by fisshinge. The sea also swalowed vpp the two boates that they tooke from theym, wherewyth the men were likewise drowned. The same tyme that Vaschus Nunnez attempted to searche the poynte of the goulfe towarde the southe, euen then by agremente, dyd Rodericus Colmenaris take his viage towarde the mountaynes by the easte,* 1.188 with threscor¦men, by the ryuer of the other goulfe. Aboute fortie miles dis∣tante from the mouthe of the ryuer, (for they caule it twelue leaques) he founde certeyne vilages situate vppon the bankes of the ryuer, whose Chiui, (that is,) kinge, they caule Turui. With this kinge dyd Colmenaris yet remayne when Vaschus after his re∣turne to Dariena, sayling by the same ryuer, came to hym. Here refresshinge theyr hole coompany with the vitailes of this Tur∣ui,* 1.189 they departed from thense togyther. Other fortie myles from hense, the ryuer encoompaseth an Iland inhabited with fyssher men. In this, bycause they sawe greate plentie of the trees which beare Cassia f••stula, they named the Iland Cannafistula.* 1.190 They found in it, threescore villages of tenne cotages apiece. On the right syde of the Iland there runneth an other ryuer, whose chanell is of depth suffiente to beare brigantines. This

ryuer they cauled Riuum Nigrum:* 1.191 from the mouthe wherof about xv. myles distante they founde a towne of fyue hundreth hou∣ses seuered: whose Chebi, (that is,) kinge, was cauled Abenama∣chei. They all forsooke theyr houses as soone as they harde of owre mennes commyng. But when they sawe that owre men pursued them, they turned ageyne and ranne vppon them with desperate mindes, as men driuen from their owne possessi¦ons. Theyr wepons, are swordes of wod, and long staues like iauelens, hardened at the ende with fyer: But they vse ney∣ther bowes nor arrowes: nor any other of thinhabitantes of the weste syde of the goulfe.* 1.192 The pore naked wretches were easely dryuen to flight with owre weapons. As owre men fo∣lowed theym in the chase, they tooke the kinge Abenamachei and certeine of his noble men.* 1.193 A common souldier of owres whom the kynge had wounded, coomminge to hym when he was ta∣ken, cutte of his arme at one stroke with his swoorde. But this was doone vnwares to the capitaynes. The number of the Christian men which were here, was aboute a hundrethe and fiftie: the one halfe whereof, the capytaynes lefte here, and they with the resydue, rowed vpp the ryuer ageyne with twelue of the boates of those Regions, whiche they caul. Vru, as they of Hispaniola caule them Canoas, as we haue sayde. From the ryuer of Riuus Niger and the Iland of Cannafistula,* 1.194 for the space of threescore and ten myles, leauing both on the right hande & on the lefte many riuers faulinge into it bigger then it selfe, they entred into one by the conductynge of one of the naked inhabitantes, beinge appoynted a guyde for that purpose. Uppon the banke of this ryuer next vnto the mouthe of the same, there was a kynge cauled Abibeiba:* 1.195 who, bycause the Region was full of marysshes, had his palaice buylded in the toppe of a highe tree, a newe kynde of byldynge and seldome seene. But that lande beareth trees of suche exceding heigth,* 1.196 that emonge theyr branches, a man may frame large houses: As wee reede the like in diuers autoures howe in many Regi∣ons where the ocean sea rysethe and ouerflowethe the lande, the people were accustomed to flye to the high trees, and after the faule of the water, to take the fysshe lefte on the lande.* 1.197 This maner of buyldinge, is to laye beames crosse ouer the branches of the trees, faste bownde togyther, and there vp∣pon to rayse theyr frame, strongly made ageynste wynde and

wether. Owre men suppose that they buylde theyr houses in trees, by reason of the greate fluddes and ouerflowinge of ry¦uers whiche often tymes chaunce in those Regions. These trees are of suche heighth,* 1.198 that the strength of no manes arme is able to hurle a stone to the houses buylded therein. And therfore doo I gyue the better credit to Plinie and other au∣tours whiche wrytte that the trees in sume places in India are soo high by reason of the frutefulnes of the grounde,* 1.199 abun∣dance of water, and heate of the Region, that noo man is able to shute ouer theym with an arrowe. And by iudgemente of all men, it is thowght that there is noo frutfuller ground vn∣der the soonne,* 1.200 then this is whereof wee nowe entreate. Owr men measuringe manye of these trees, founde theym to bee of suche biggnes, that seuen men, ye sumetymes eight, holdinge hande in hande with theyr armes streached furthe, were scar∣sely able too fath••me them aboute. Yet haue they theyr cel∣lers in the grounde,* 1.201 well replenysshed with such wynes wher¦of wee haue spoken beefore. For albeit that the vehemencie of the wynde, is not of poure to caste downe those houses, or to breeke the branches of the trees, yet are they tossed there∣with, and swaye sumwhat from syde to syde, by reason wher¦of, the wyne shulde bee muche troubeled with moouinge. All other necessarye thinges, they haue with theym in the trees. When the kynge or any other of the noble men, dyne or suppe in these trees, theyr wyues are browght theym from the cel∣leres by theyr seruantes, whyche by meanes of exercise, are accustomed with noo lesse celeritie to runne vppe and downe the steares adherente to the tree, then doo owre waytynge bo∣yes vppon the playne grounde, fetche vs what wee caule for from the cobbarde bysyde owr dyninge table. Owre men ther¦fore, came to the tree of kinge Abibeiba, and by thinterpretoures cauled hym foorthe to communication, gyuinge hym signes of peace, and there vppon willinge hym to coomme downe. But he denyed that he woolde coomme owte of his house: Desy∣ringe them to suffer hym to lyue after his fasshion. But owre men fell from fayre woordes to threateninge, that excepte he wolde descende with all his famelie, they wolde eyther ouer∣throwe the tree, or elles set it on fyer. When he had denied them ageyne, they fell to hewinge the tree with theyr axes. Abibeiba seeinge the chippes faule from the tree on euery syde,* 1.202

chaunged his purpose, and came downe with only two of his soones. Thus after they had entreated of peace, they commu∣ned of gatheringe of golde. Abibeiba answered that he had noo golde, and that he neuer had any neede therof, nor yet regar∣ded it any more then stones. But when they were instante vppon hym, he sayde vnto them.* 1.203 If yowe soo greatly desyre golde, I will seeke for sume in the nexte mountaynes, and bringe it vnto yowe. For it is plentifully engendred in those mountaynes. Then he appointed a day when he wold bringe this golde. But Abibeiba came neyther at the day, nor after the daye appoynted. They departed therfore from thense well re¦fresshed with his vitailes and wyne, but not with goulde as they hoped. Yet were they enformed the like by Abibeiba and his ditionaries as concerninge the golde mynes and the Cani¦bales, as they harde before of kinge Comogrus. Saylinge yet further aboute thirtie myles, they chaunced vppon certeyne cotages of the Canibales:* 1.204 But vtterly voyde with owte men or stuffe. For when they had knowleage that owre men wan¦dered in the prouinces nere aboute theym they resorted to the mountaynes, caryinge al theyr goodes and stuffe wyth them.

¶ The fyfte booke of the seconde Decade of the supposed continent.

IN the meane tyme whyle these thynges were doone alonge by the shores or bankes of the ryuer, a certeyne Decurian, that is a capy∣tayne ouer tenne, of the coompanye of those which Vascus and Colmenaris had lefte for a gar¦ryson in Riuo Nigro in the dominion of kynge Abinamachei, whether it were that he was com¦pelled throwgh hunger, or that his fataule dayes was nowe coome, he attempted with his souldiers to searche the coun∣treys nere there about, and entered into the vyllage of a king cauled Abraiba.* 1.205 This capitaynes name was Raia: whom Abrai∣ba slewe, with twoo of his felowes: but the resydue fledde. Within a fewe dayes after, Abraiba hauinge compassion of the calamitie of his kynseman and neyghbour Abenamacheius being dryuen from his owne possessions (whose arme also we sayd before that one of the souldiers cut of at the riuer of Riuo Nigro

and nowe remaynynge with Abraiba to whome he fledde by stelth after he was taken, went to Abibeiba thinhabitour of the tree, who had nowe lykewyse forsaken his contrey for feare of owre men, and wandered in the desolate mountaynes and wooddes. When he had therfore founde him, he spake to him in this effecte.* 1.206 What thynge is this Oh vnfortunate Abibeiba? or what nation is this that soo tormenteth vs that wee can not enioye owre quyet lybertie? Howe longe, howe longe I say shall wee suffer theyr crueltie? were it not much better for vs to die, then to abide such iniuries and oppre••sions as yow, as Abinamacheius owre kynseman, as Cemacchus, as Careta, as Pon∣cha, as I and other princes of owr order doo susteyne? Canne any thinge bee more intollerable then to see owre wyues, owre chyldren, and owre subiectes, to bee ledde awaye cap∣tiues, and owre goodes to be spoyled euen before owre faces.

I take the goddes to wytnes, that I speake not soo much for myne owne part as I doo for yowe whose case I lament. For albeit they haue not yet touched me, neuer••helesse, by the example of other, I owght to thynke that my destruction is not farre of.* 1.207 Let vs therfore (yf wee bee men) trye owre stren∣gthe and proue owre fortune ageynst them whiche haue delte thus cruelly with Abenam••cheius, and dryuen hym owte of his contrey. Let vs set on them with all owre poure, and vtterly destroy them And yf wee can not sleye them al, yet shall wee make them afrayde eyther to assayle vs ageyne, or at the least dimynysshe theyr poure. For what soo euer shall befaule, no∣thynge can chaunce woorse vnto vs then that which we now suffer. When Abibeiba harde these wordes and such other like, he condecended to doo in al thinges as Abraiba wolde requyre: Where vppon they appoynted a day to brynge theyr conspira∣cie to passe. But the thynge chaunced not accordynge to their desyre. For of those whiche wee sayde to haue passed to the Canibales, there returned by chaunce to Riuus Niger the nyght before the day appoynted to woorke theyr feate, thirtie men to the ayde of theym whiche were lefte there yf anye sedition shulde ryse they suspected.* 1.208 Therfore at the daunyng of the day, the confetherate kynges with fyue hundreth of theyr di∣tionaries armed after theyr maner, beseaged the vyllage with a terrible alarome, knowynge nothynge of the newe menne which came thether the same nyght. Here owre target men

came foorth ageynst them, and fyrst assayled them a farre of with theyr arrowes, then with theyr pykes, and laste with theyr swoordes: But the naked seely sowles, perceauinge a greater number of theyr aduersaries thē they looked for,* 1.209 were soone dryuen to flyght, and slayne for the most parte lyke sca∣terynge sheepe. The kynges escaped, they slewe manye, and tooke many captiues whiche they sente to Dariena where they vse them for labourers to tyll and sowe theyr grounde. These thynges thus happely atchyued, and that prouince quyeted, they returned by the ryuer to Dariena, leauinge theyr thyrtie men for a garryson vnder the gouernance of one Furatado a ca∣pitayne.* 1.210 This Furatado therfore, sente from Riu•• Nigro where he was appoynted gouernoure, twentie of his felowes & one woman, with, xxiiii. captiues to Vaschus and his company, in one of the byggest Canoas of that prouince. As they rowed downe by the ryuer,* 1.211 there came foorth soodenly ouerthwarte the ryuer ageynst them, foure greate Canoas, which ouerthrew theyr boate and slewe as many of them as they coulde coome by, bycause they were vnprepared suspecting noo such thinge. Owre men were all drowned and slayne excepte twoo, which hyd them selues amonge certeyne fagottes that swamme on the water, in the whiche they laye lurkynge, and soo escaped to theyr felowes in Dariena: who by them beinge aduertysed hereof, beganne to caste theyr wyttes what this thyng might meane: beinge no lesse solicitate for them selues, then medita¦tynge in what daunger theyr felowes had byn in Riuo Nigro, excepte by good fortune, those thirtie newe men which were sente to them, had coome to the vyllage the nyght before the conspiracie shulde haue byn wrought. Consultinge therefore what was best to bee doone herein, at the lengthe with dyly∣gent searchynge they had intelligence that fyue kynge, that is to wytte, Abibeiba the inhabitoure of the tree,* 1.212 and Cem••cchus dryuen from his vyllage whiche owre menne nowe possessed, Abraiba also and Abenamacheius, kynsemen, with Dabaiba the king of the fysher men inhabytinge the corner of the goulfe whiche we cauled Culata, were all a••sembled to conspire the Christian mens destruction at a day assigned. Which thynge had surely coome to passe, if it had not byn otherwyse hyndered by gods prouidence. It is therfore ascrybed to a myracle:* 1.213 And trewly not vnwoorthely if wee weye howe chaunce detected and be∣wrayed

wrayed the counsayle of these kynges. And bycause it is wor¦thy to bee harde, I wyll declare it in fewe woordes. Vaschus Nunnez therfore,* 1.214 who rather by poure then by election, vsur∣ped the gouernaunce in Dariena, beinge a master of fence, and rather a rasshe royster then politike capitayne (althowgh for∣tune sumtyme fauoureth fooles) amonge many women which in dyuers of these regions he had taken captyue, had one whi¦che in fauoure and bewtie excelled all other. To this woman her owne brother often tymes resorted,* 1.215 who was also dryuen owte of his contrey with kynge Cemacchus, with whom he was very familier and one of his chiefe gentelmen. Amonge other communication which he had with his syster whom he loued entierly, he vttered these woordes. My deare and welbeloued syster, gyue care to my sayinges, and keepe moste secreatelye that whiche I wyll declare vnto yowe, yf yowe desyre yowre owne wealth and myne, and the prosperitie of owre contrey and kynsefolkes. The insolencie and crueltie of these menne whiche haue dryuen vs owte of owre possessions, is soo intol¦lerable, that the princes of the lande are determyned noo lon∣ger to susteyne theyr oppressions.

By the conductinge therfore of fyue kinges (which he named in order) they haue prepared a hundreth greate Canoas,* 1.216 with fyue thousande men of warre by lande and by sea, with vitai∣les also in the village of Tichiri, sufficient to maintayne such an army. Declaringe further, that the kinges by agremente, had diuided emonge theym the goodes and headdes to owre men:* 1.217 And therfore admony••hed her, at the daye appoynted by sume occasion to conueigh her selfe owte of the way, leste shee shuld bee slayne in the confusion of the bataile. For the souldier victourer, is not woonte to spare any that commethe in his rase. And thus shewinge his syster the daye a••••igned to the slawghter,* 1.218 he departed. But the younge woman (for it is the swoord that women feare and obserue more then the grauitie of Cato,) whether it were for the loue or feare that shee had to Vaschus, forgettinge her parentes, her kynsfolkes, her countrey and all her frendes, ye and all the kinges into whose throtes Vaschus, had thruste his swoorde shee opened all the matter vn∣to hym, and conceled none of those thinges whiche her vndis∣crete broother had declared to her. When Vaschus therfore had hard the matter, he caused Fuluia, (for soo had they named her)

to sende for her brother, who came to her immediatly, was ta¦ken, and enforced to tell the hole circunstances of the matter. Where vppon, he playnely confessed that kinge Cemacchus hys lorde and master, sente those foure canoas to the destruction of owre men, and that these newe conspiraces were attempted by his consaile.* 1.219 Likewise that Cemacchus sowght the destructi∣on of Vaschus hym selfe when he sent hym fortie men vnder pre¦tence of fren••shippe to tyll and sowe his grownd after the ma¦ner of the contrey, gyuinge them in commaundement to sleye Vaschus at Marris, whyther he resorted to comforte his laboures as the maner is of all good husbandes. Yet durste they at noo tyme execute theyr lordes commaundemente vppon hym, by∣cause Vaschus came neuer emonge them afoote or vnarmed,* 1.220 but was accustomed to ryde to theym in harnes with a iauelen in his hande and a swoorde by his syde. Wherfore Cemacchus be∣inge frustrate of his particu••er con••aile, tooke this laste thing in hande to his owne destruction and his neighbours. For the conspiracie beinge detected, Vaschus cauled threescore and tenne souldiers,* 1.221 commaundinge them to folow him, but decla∣red nothing vnto them whether hee wente or what hee enten¦ded to do. He wente forwarde therfore fyrste towarde Cemac∣chus which ley from hym, onely tenne myles. But he had know¦leage that he was fledde to Dabaiba the kinge of the marishes of Culata. Yet searchinge his village, he founde a noble man a ruler vnder hym and also his kinsseman, whome he tooke pri∣soner with many other of his familiers and frendes both men and women. The same houre that he sette forwarde to seeke for Cemacchus, Rodericus Colmenaris rowed vp the ryuer with foure of theyr biggeste Canoas and threescore men by the conduction of the maydes brother who browght hym to the village of ••i∣chiri,* 1.222 in the which we sayd all their vitailes to remayne whiche were prepared for theyr armye. Colmenaris therfore, sacked the village, and possessed all their vitayles and wyne of sundry colours: likewise tooke the gouernoure thereof prisoner, and hanged hym on the tree in whiche he dwelte hym selfe, com∣maundinge hym too bee shotte throwgh with arrowes in the sight of thinhabitantes,* 1.223 and with hym foure other rulers to bee hanged on iebbettes to the exemple of other rebelles. This punysshmente thus executed vppon the conspiratours, s••rooke the hartes of all thinhabitantes of the prouince wych suche

feare, that there is not nowe a man that dare stoore his finger ageynst the wrathe of owre men. They lyue nowe therefore quietly: And the other kinges by theyr exemple doo the glad∣lyer liue in subiection, with lesse offence bearinge the yoke whyche they can by noo meanes shake of.

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.* 1.224 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,* 1.225 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,* 1.226 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,* 1.227 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,* 1.228 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:* 1.229 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,* 1.230 supposed to haue byn fyrme lande. They were sore oppressed with hunger. For it was nowe three moonethes sence they departed from theyr felowes.* 1.231 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?* 1.232 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,* 1.233 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,* 1.234 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,* 1.235 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,* 1.236 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.* 1.237 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* 1.238

remaynynge there, I haue thowght good to aduertyse yowre holynes. Yowe shall therefore vnderstande,* 1.239 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:* 1.240 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,* 1.241 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,* 1.242 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,* 1.243 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,* 1.244 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,* 1.245 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.* 1.246 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,* 1.247 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,* 1.248 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.* 1.249 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,* 1.250 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.* 1.251

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,* 1.252 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,* 1.253 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,* 1.254 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,* 1.255 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,* 1.256 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,* 1.257 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.* 1.258 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,* 1.259 and came to Valladoleto to the kynge, to whom he made greuous complaint of the insolencie of V••schus N••nnes,* 1.260 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.* 1.261 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.

¶ The seuenth booke of the seconde decade of the supposed continente.

FRom Dariena to Hispaniola is eyghte dayes sai∣linge and sumtymes lesse with a prosperous wynde.* 1.262 Yet Quicedus and Colmenaris the procu∣ratoursof Dariena, by reason of tempestes and contrary wyndes, could scarsely saile it in a hundrethe dayes. When they had taryed a fewe dayes in Hispaniola, and had declared the cause of the comminge to the admirall and the other gouer∣nours, they tooke shippinge in two marchante shippes beinge redye furnysshed, which were also accustomed to saile too and froo betwene Spayne and the Ilande of Hispaniola. They departed from Dariena (as we sayde before) the fourthe day of the calendes of nouember in the yeare of Christ .1512, and came not to the courte before the calendes of May in the yeare fo∣lowinge beinge the yeare of Christe .1513.* 1.263 At thyr commynge to the courte, Iohannes Fonseca (to whom at the begynnynge the charge of these affayres was committed, whom also for hys faithful seruice towarde the kinge, yowre holynes created ge∣nerall commissarie in the warres ageynste the moores) recea∣ued them honorably, as men comminge from the newe world, from naked nations, and landes vnknowen to other menne.

¶ By the prefermente therefore of the bysshope of Burges, Quicedus and Colmenaris were brought before the king, and decla¦red theyr legacie in his presence. Suche newes and presentes as they brought, were delectable to the kinge and his noble men, for the newnes and straungnes therof. They also suior∣ned with me often tymes.* 1.264 Theyr countenaunces doo declare the intemperatenes of the ayer and region of Dariena. For they are yelowe lyke vnto them that haue the yelowe gaundies: And also swolne. But they ascrybe the cause hereof, to the hunger which they susteyned in tyme past. I haue byn aduer∣tised of thaffayres of this newe woorlde, not onely by these procuratours of Dariena,* 1.265 and Ancisus, and Zamudius, but also by conference with Ba••••ia the lawier, who ranne ouer a greate parte of those coastes. Likewyse by relation of Vincentius Annex the patrone of the shippes, and Alfonsus Nignus, both being men of greate experience and wel trauayled in those parties, beside

many other, of whom wee haue made mention in other places For there came neuer any from thense to the court, but tooke greate pleasure to certifie mee of al thynges eyther by woorde of mouth or by wrytynge. Of many thynges therfore which I lerned of them, I haue gathered suche as to my Iudgemēt seeme moste worthy to satisfie them that take delyte in hysto∣ries. But let vs nowe declare what folowed after the com∣minge of the procuratours of Dariena. Therfore, before theyr arryuall there was a rumoure spreade in the courte, that the chiefe gouernoures and Lieuetenauntes Nicuesa and Fogeda, al∣so Iohannes De la Gossa (a man of such reputacion that by the kyn∣ges letters patentes he was named the greate master of the kynges shippes) were all peryshed by mischaunce:* 1.266 And that those fewe which yet remayned alyue in Dariena, were at con∣tencion and discorde amonge them selues: So that they ney∣ther endeuoured theyr diligence to allure those simple natiōs to owre faythe, nor yet had regarde to searche the natures of those Regions. In consideration wherof, the kynge was de∣termyned to sende a newe capitayne thyther whiche shulde re∣store and set all thynges in good order, and put them owte of autoritie whiche hadde vsurped thempire of those prouinces withowte the kynges speciall commaundement. To this of∣fice, was one Petrus Arias assigned,* 1.267 a man of greate prowes and a citisen of Segouia. But when the procuratours of Dariena had published in the courte howe greate a matter it was, and of what moment, many laboured ernestly to the kyng, to take the office owte of his handes. But the bysshop of Burges be∣inge the kynges chiefe chaplayne, and one of the commissio∣ners appoynted by hym in these matters, beinge aduertised hereof, came immediatly to the kynge, and spake to hym in this effect.* 1.268 May it please yowre hyghnes to vnderstand (most catholyke Prince) that wheras Petrus Arias a man of valiente corage and greate seruice, hath offered hym selfe to aduenture his lyfe in yowre maiesties affayres, vnder vncerteyne hope of gayne and moste certeyne perels, yet that notwithstandynge sum other haue ambiciously maliced his felicitie and prefermēt labouringe for thoffice whereto he is elected: It maye please yowre grace herein soo to shewe hym yowr fauour and permit hym to enioye his sayde office, as yowre maiestie doo knowe hym to bee a woorthy and meete man for the same, hauyng in

tyme paste had greate experience of his prowesse and valiane¦nesse, aswell in behauinge hym selfe as orderinge his souldi∣ers, as yowr hyghnes may the better consyder if it shal please yowe to caule to remembrance his doinges in the warres of A∣phrica,* 1.269 where he shewed hym selfe bothe a wyse Capitayne, and valient souldier. As concerninge his maners and vsages other wayes, they are not vnknowen to yowre maiestie, vn∣der whose wynge he hath of a chylde byn browght vp in the courte, and euer founde faythfull towarde yowre hyghnesse. Wherfore, to declare my opinion vnder yowre graces fauour (whom it hath pleased to appoynt me a commissioner in these affayres) I thinke it were vngodly that he shuld bee put from his office at the sute of any other, especially beinge thereto moued by ambition and couetousnes: who perchaunce woold proue them selues to be the same men in the office if they shuld obteyne it, as they nowe shewe them selues in the ambitious desirynge of the same. When the bysshoppe had sayde these woordes, the kynge confirmed the election of Petrus Arias in more ample maner then before:* 1.270 wyllynge the byshoppe to ap∣poynt hym a thousande and twoo hundreth souldiers at his charges, makynge hym a warrante to thofficers of his esche∣ker to delyuer hym money in preste for the same purpose. Pe∣trus Arias therfore beinge thus put in office and authorysed by the kynges letters patentes vnder his brode seale,* 1.271 chose a greate number of his souldiers in the court, and soo departed frome Valladoleto aboute the calend••s of October in the yeare 1513: And sayled fyrst to Ciuile beinge a verye ryche citie and well replenyshed with people: where by the kynges magistra∣tes he was furnyshed with men and vytayles and other neces¦saries perteynynge to soo greate a matter. For the king hath in this citie erected a house seruinge only for thaffayres of the Ocean,* 1.272 to the which al they that goo or coome from the newe landes and Ilandes, resorte to gyue accomptes aswell what they cary thyther as what they brynge from thense, that the kynge may bee truly answered of his custome of the fyfte part bothe of golde and other thynges as wee haue sayde before. This house, they caule the house of the Contractes of Indi. Petrus Arias founde in Ciuile aboue twoo thousand younge men which made great sute to goo with hym:* 1.273 lykewyse noo small number of couetous owlde men: of the whiche, many offered

them selues to goo with him of theyr owne charges withowt the kynges stipende.* 1.274 But leste the shippes shulde bee pestered with to great a multitude, or least vytayles shulde fayle them, the libertie of free passage was restraynt. It was also decre∣ed that noo stranger might passe withowt the kynges licence. Wherfore I doo not a lyttle maruaile at Aloisius Cadamustus a ve¦netian and wryter of the Portugales vyages,* 1.275 that he was not a shamed to wryte thus of the Spanyardes nauigations: we went: we sawe: we dyd. Wheras he neuer went, not any Uenetian sawe. But he stoule certeyne annotacions owte of the three first bookes of my fyrst Decade wrytten to Cardinal Ascanius and Arcimboldus, supposinge that I woolde neuer haue publysshed the same. It myght also happen that he came by the copie therof at the hande of sum ambasadoure of Uenice. For I haue graunted the copie to many of them, and was not daungerous to forbyd them to cōmunicate the same to other. Howe so euer it bee, this honeste man Aloisius Cadamustus feared not to chalenge vnto hym the frute of an other mans laboure. Of the inuentions of the Portugales (which surely are woon¦derfull) whether he haue wrytten that whiche he hath seene (as he sayth) or lykewise bereaued other men of the iuste com∣mendations of theyr trauayles,* 1.276 I wyll not iudge, but am con¦tent to let hym lyue after his maner. Emonge the company of these souldiers, there were none embarked but suche as were licenced by the kynge, except a fewe Italians, Genues, who by frendshippe and sute were admitted for the Admirals sake younge Colonus, sonne and heyre to Christophorus Colonus the fyrst fynder of those landes. Petrus Arias therfore tooke shippyng in the ryuer Betis (nowe cauled Guadalqueuir) runnyng by the citie of Ciuile,* 1.277 aboute the beginnynge of the yeare of Christe .1514. But he loosed anker in an euyll houre.* 1.278 For suche a tempeste folowed shortly after his departure, that it rent in pieces two of his shippes, and soo tossed the other that they were enfor∣ced to heaue ouer boorde parte of theyr vytayles to lyghten them. All such as escaped, sayled backe ageyne to the coastes of Spayne: where, beinge newely furnyshed and refreshed, by the kynges officers, they went forwarde on theyr viage. The master pylot of the gouernoures shyppe, was Iohannes Vesputius a Florentine, the neuie of Americus Vesputius,* 1.279 who left hym as it were by discente of inheritance, thexperience of the mariners

facultie, and knowleage of the sea, carde and compasse. But wee were aduertised of late by certeyne which came from His∣paniola, that they had passed the Ocean with more prosperous wynde. For this marchaunt shyppe commynge from Hispaniola founde them landinge at certeyne Ilandes nere there aboute. But in the meane tyme whyle my importunate caulers on, Ga∣leaceus Butrigarius and Iohannes Cursius, men studious by al meanes to gratifie yowre holynes, ceased not to put me in remembe∣rance that they had one in a redines to depart into Italy, and taryed onely to cary with hym vnto yowre holynes these my fayre Nereides althowgh rudely decked, leaste I shulde bestow muche tyme in vayne, I haue let passe many thynges, & wyll reherse onely such as seeme in my iudgement moste woorthye memory, althowgh sumwhat disordered as occasion hath ser¦ued. So it is therfore that this Petrus Arias hath a wyfe named Helisabeth a Boadilla,* 1.280 beinge niese by the broothers syde to the marques of Boadilla, which rendered the citie of Segouia to Fer¦nando and Helisabeth princes of Spayne at such tyme as the Portugales inuaded the kingdome of Castile: by reason wher¦of they were encoraged fy••ste to resyste, and then with open warre to assayle and expulse the Portugales for the great tre∣sure which kynge Henry brother to queene Helisabeth hadde gathered togyther there.* 1.281 This marquesse whyle shee lyued, dyd euer shewe a manly and stoute mynde, bothe in peace and warre, so that by her counsayle manye noble thynges were browght to good effecte in Castile: vnto this noble woman, the wyfe of Petrus Arias was niese by her brothers syde. Shee folowyng the magnanimitie of her aunt, perceauinge her hus∣bande nowe furnyshyng hym selfe to depart to the vnknowen coastes of the newe woorlde, and those large tractes of lande and sea, spake these wordes vnto hym. My moste deare and welbeloued husbande,* 1.282 we owght not nowe to forget that frō owre younge yeares we haue byn ioyned togyther with the yoke of holy matrimonie to thintente that wee sh••lde soo lyue togyther and not a sunder durynge the tyme of owre naturall lyfe. Wherefore for my parte to declare my affection herein, yowe shall vnderstande, that whyther so euer yowre fatal de∣stenye shall dryue yowe, eyther by the furious waues of the greate Ocean, or by the manyfoulde and horrible daungers of the lande, I wyll surely beare yowe coompany. There can no

perell chaunce to me so terrible, nor any kynde of death so cru¦ell, that shal not bee much easyer for me to abyde, then to liue so farre seperate from yowe. It were muche better for me to dye, and eyther to bee cast into the sea to bee deuoured of the fysshes, or on the lande to the Canibales, then with continu∣all mournynge and bewaylinge, to lyue in deathe and dye ly∣uinge, whyle I consume in lookyng rather for my husbandes letters then for hym selfe. This is my full determinacion, not rashely nor presentely excogitate, nor conceaued by the lyght phantasie of womans brayne, but with longe deliberatiō and good aduisement. Nowe therfore choose to whether of these twoo yowe wyll assente: Eyther to thruste yowre swoorde in my throte, or to graunte me my requeste. As for the ch••ldren which god hath giuen vs as pledges of owr inseperable loue, (for they had foure sonnes and as many dowghters) shal not stay me a moment. Let vs leaue vnto them suche gooddes and possessions as haue byn left vs by owre parentes and frendes wherby they may lyue amonge the woorshipful of theyr order. For other thynges I take no care. When this noble matrone of manly vertue had fynisshed these woordes, her husbande seinge the constant mynde of his wyfe, and her in a redynes to doo accordynge to her woordes, had no hart to denye her lo∣uinge peticion: but embrasinge her in his armes, commended her intente and consented to her requeste. Shee folowed hym therfore as dyd Ipsicratea her Mithridates with her heare hange∣inge loose aboute her shulders. For shee loueth her husbande as dyd Halicarnassea of Caria, hers beinge deade, and as dyd Ar∣temisia her Mausolus: We haue also had aduertisemēt sence their departure that she (being browght vp as it were amonge soft fethers) hath with noo lesse stoute corage susteyned the rorin∣ges and rages of the Ocean, then dyd eyther her husband or any of the maryners brought vp euen amonge the sourges of the sea. But to haue sayde thus much hereof, this shal suffice. Let vs nowe speake of other thynges no lesse woorthy memo¦rie. Therfore, whereas in the fyrste Decade we haue made mencion of Vincentius Annez Pinzonus, ye shal vnderstande that he accoompanyed Christophorus Colonus the Admirall in his fyrst vy∣age, and afterwarde made an other vyage of his owne char∣ges with onely one shyppe. Ageyne, the fyrste yeare after the departinge of the Capitaynes Nicuesa and Fogeda, he ran ouer

those coastes from Hispaniola,* 1.283 and searched all the southe syde of Cuba from the Easte to the weste, and sayled rownde about that Ilande which to that day for the greate length thereof, was thowght to haue bin part of the continent or firme land, al thowgh sume other say that they dyd the lyke. Vincentius An∣nez therfore, knowyng nowe by experience that Cuba was an Ilande, sayled on further, and found other landes westward from Cuba,* 1.284 but such as the Admirall had fyrst touched. Wher¦fore, beinge in maner encompased with this newe lande, tur∣ninge his course towarde the lefte hande, and rasing the coa∣stes of that lande by the East, ouerpassinge also the mouthes of the goulfes of Beragua,* 1.285 Vraba,* 1.286 and Cuchibachoa,* 1.287 he arryued at the Region which in the fyrst Decade we cauled Paria and Os Draconis:* 1.288* 1.289 And entered into the greate goulfe of fresshe water, which Colonus discouered, beinge replenished with great abun¦dance of fysshe, and famous by reason of the multitude of I∣landes lyinge in the same, beinge distant Eastwarde from Cu∣riana aboute a hundreth and thirtie myles,* 1.290 in the which tract are the Regions of Cumana and Manacapana,* 1.291* 1.292 whiche also in the syxte booke of the fyrst Decade we sayde to bee Regions of the large prouince of Paria, where many affirme to bee the gre∣teste plentie of the beste pearles,* 1.293 and not in Curiana.

The kinges of these regions (whom they caul Chiacones, as they of Hispaniola caule theym Cacici) beinge certified of the comminge of owre men, sente certeyne spyes to enquire what newe nati∣on was arryued in theyr coastes, what they browght, and what they woolde haue: and in the meane tyme furnysshed a number of theyr Canoas (whiche they caule Chichos) with men armed after their maner. For they were not a lytle astonisshed to beholde owre shippes with the sayles spreade, wheras they vse no sayles, nor can vse but smaule ons if they woolde, by reason of the narownes of theyr canoas. Swarmynge ther∣fore aboute the shippe with theyr canoas (which we may well caule Monoxyla,* 1.294 bycause they are made of one hole tree,) they feared not to shute at owr men beinge yet within their ships and keepinge theym selues vnder the hatches as safely as yf they had byn defended with stone waules. But when owre men had shotte of certeyne pieces of ordinance ageynst theym they were soo discomfited with the noyse and slawghter ther¦of that they droue them selues to flight.* 1.295 Beinge thus dispar∣cled,

owr men chased them with the shippe bote, tooke many, and slewe many. When the kynges harde the noyse of the gunnes, and were certyfied of the losse of their men, they sent ambasadours to Vincentius Agnes to entreate of peace, fearinge the spoyle of theyr goodes and destruction of theyr people, if owre men shuld•• coomme alande in theyr wrathe and furye. They desyred peace therfore,* 1.296 as could bee coniectured by their signes and poyntinges: For owre men vnderstoode not one woorde of theyr language. And for the better proofe that they desired peace, they presented owre men with three thou∣sand of those weights of gold that the Spanyardes caule Cas∣••ellanum Aureum, which they commonly caule Pesum.* 1.297 Also a gre∣ate barell of woodde full of moste excellente masculine fran∣kensence, weighing about two thousande and syxe hundreth poundes weight after eight ounces to the pounde: Whereby they knewe that that lande browght furthe greate plentie of frankensence.* 1.298 For there is noo entercourse of marchaundies betwene thinhabitantes of Paria and the sabeans beinge soo farre distante, wheras also the of Paria knowe nothynge with owte theyr owne coastes.* 1.299 With the golde and frankensence whiche the presented to owre men, they gaue them also a gre∣ate multitude of theyr peacockes,* 1.300 bothe cockes and hennes, deade and alyue, aswell to satisfie theyr present necessitie, as also to cary with theym into Spayne for encrease. Lykewyse certeyne carpettes, coouerlettes, table clothes and hanginges made of gossampine silke fynelye wrought after a straunge di¦uise with plesante & variable colours,* 1.301 hauing golden belles & suche other spangles and pendauntes as the Italians caule Sonaglios, and the Spanyardes Cascaueles, hanging at the purfles therof. They gaue theym furthermore speakinge popingiais of sundry colours as many as they woolde aske.* 1.302 For in Paria, there is no lesse plentie of popingiais, then with vs of dooues or sparous, Thinhabitantes of these Regions both men and women are appareled with vestures made of gossampine cot∣ton,* 1.303 the men to the knees, and the women too the calfe of the legge. The fasshion of theyr apparell, is symple and playne muche like vnto the Turkes. But the mens, is double and quilted like that whiche the Turkes vse in the warres. The princes of Paria, are rulers but for one yeare:* 1.304 But their autoritie is noo lesse emonge the people both in peace and warre, then

is thautoritie of other kynges in those Regions. Theyr villa∣ges are buylded in coompasse,* 1.305 along by the bankes of all that greate goulfe. Fyue of theyr princes came to owre men wyth theyr presentes, whose names I thowght worthy to bee put in this historie in remembrance of soo notable a thinge Chiaco∣nus Chiauaccha, (that is the prince of Chiauaccha, for they caule prin¦ces or kinges Chiaconos) Chiaconus Pintiguanus, Chiaconus Chamailaba, Chiaconus Polomus, and Chiaconus Potto. The goulfe beinge fyrste founde of the admirall Colonus, they caule, Baia Natiuitatis,* 1.306 bycause he entered into the same in the day of the natiuitie of Christe: But at that tyme he only passed by it withowte anye further searching. and Baia in the Spanysshe tong, signifieth a goulfe. When Vincentius had thus made a league with these Princes, folowinge his appoynted course, he founde many regions to∣warde the East,* 1.307 desolate by reason of diuers finddes and ouer flowynges of waters: also many standynge pooles in dyuers places, and those of excedynge largenes. He ceased not to fo¦lowe this tracte vntyll he came to the poynte or cape of that moste longe lande. This poynte semethe as though it woolde inuade the monte Atlas in Aphrica.* 1.308 For it prospectethe towarde that parte of Aphrike, whiche the portugales caule Caput Bonoe Sperantiae. The poyntes or capes of the mount Atlas, are rough and saluage nere vnto the sea. The cape of Bona Speranza, ga∣therethe thirtie and foure degrees of the Southe pole, cauled the pole antartike: But that poynte, onely seuen degrees. I suppose this lande to bee that, which I fynde in owlde wry∣ters of Cosmographie to bee cauled the greate Iland Atlan∣tike,* 1.309 withowt any further declaringe eyther of the sytuation, or of the nature therof.

¶ The eight booke of the seconde decade of the supposed continente.

WHen Iohan the king of portugale lyued which was predicessoure to hym that nowe reigneth,* 1.310 there arose a great contention betwene the Cas¦tilians and Portugales as concerninge the do∣minion of these newe founde landes. The Por∣tugales, bycause they were the firste that durst attempte to searche the Ocan sea sence the memorie of man,

affirmed that all the nauigations of the Ocean, owght to per∣teyne to theym onely. The Castilians argued on the contrarie parte, that what so euer god by the ministratiō of nature hath created on the earth, was at the begynnynge common emong men: And that it is therfore lawfull to euery man to possese suche landes as are voyd of Christian inhabitours. Whyle the matter was thus vncerteynly debated, bothe parties agre¦ed that the controuersie shulde bee decerned by the bysshope of Rome, and plighted faithe to stande to his arbitrimente. The kyngedome of Castile was at that tyme gouerned by that great Queene Helisabeth with her husbande: for the roialme of Castile was her dowerye.* 1.311 Shee also and the kynge of Por∣tugale, were cosyn germaynes of two systers: by reason wher¦of the dissention was more easely pacified. By thassent ther¦fore of both parties, Alexander the bysshop Rome, the .vi. of that name, by thautorite of his leaden bull, drewe a right line from the North to the South a hundreth leaques westwarde withowte the paralelles of those Ilandes whiche are cauled Caput Viride or Cabouerde,* 1.312 Within the compase of this lyne (al∣thowgh soomme denye it) faulethe the poynte of this lande wherof we haue spoken, which they caule Caput Sancti Augustini, otherwyse cauled Promontorium Sancti Augustini, that is, saynt Au∣gustines cape or poynte. And therfore it is not lawful for the Castilians to fasten foote in the beginnynge of that lande. Vin∣centius Annez therfore, departed from thense, beinge aduertised of thinhabitantes, that on the other syde of the hyghe moun∣taynes towarde the South, lyinge before his eyes, there was a Region cauled Ciamba,* 1.313 which browght foorth greate plentie of golde. Of certeyne captiues whiche he too••e in the goulfe of Paria (which certenly perteyneth to the dominion of Castile) he browght sume with hym to Hispaniola, and lefte them with the younge Admirall to lerne owre language. But he hym selfe, repayred to the courte to make ernest sute to the kynge that by his fauoure, he myght bee gouernour of the Iland of Sancti Iohannis (otherwyse cauled Burichena,* 1.314 beinge distante from Hispaniola onely .xxv. leaques) bycause he was the fyrst fynder of golde in that Ilande. Before Vincentius made sute for this office, one Don Christopher a Portugale, the soonne of the countie of Camigna, was gouernoure of the Ilande: whom the Canibales of the other Ilandes slewe, with all the Christian

men that were in the same, excepte the byshop and his famili∣ers, which fledde and shyfted for them selues, forsakynge the church and all the ornamentes thereof. For yowre holynes hath consecrated fyue byshoppes in these Ilandes at the re∣quest of the most catholyke kynge.* 1.315 In Sancto Dominico being the chiefe citie of Hispaniola, Garsia de Padilla, a reguler fryer of the or∣der of saynt Fraunces, is byshop. In the towne of Concepti∣on, doctor Petrus Xuarez of Deza: And in the Ilande of saynte Iohn or Burichena, Alfonsus Mansus a licenciate, beinge bothe ob∣seruantes of thinstitucion of saynt Peter. The fourth, is fryer Barnarde of Mesa, a man of noble parentage, borne in Toledo, a preacher, and byshop of the Ilande of Cuba. The fyfte is Io¦hannes Cabedus, a fryer preacher, whom yowre holynes annoyn∣ted mynister of Christ, to teache the Christian faithe amonge the inhabitantes of Dariena. The Canibales shall shortely re∣pent them, and the bludde of owre men shalbe reuenged: And that the sooner, bycause that shortly after they had committed this abhominable slaughter of owre men, they came ageyne from theyr owne Ilande of Sancta Crux (otherwyse cauled AyAy) to the Ilande of Sancti Iohannis.* 1.316 and slewe a kynge whiche was a frende to owre men, and eate hym and all his famely, vtter∣ly subuertinge his vyllage, vppon this occasion that viola∣tinge the lawe of hostage, he had slayne seuen Canibales whi¦che were lefte with hym by composition to make certeyne ca∣noas, bicause the Iland of Sancti Iohannis beareth greater trees and apter for that purpose, then doth the Ilande of Sancti Crux the chiefe habitacion of the Canibales. These Canibales yet remaynynge in the Ilande, certeine of owre men sayling from Hispaniola, chaunced vppon them. The thynge being vnderstode by thinterpretoures, owre men quarelynge with theym and caulynge them to accompte for that mischeuous deede, they immediatly directed theyr bowes and venemous arrowes a∣geynst them, and with cruell countenaunces threatened thē to bee quyet, least it shulde repent them of theyr commyng thy¦ther. Owre men fearynge theyr venemous arrowes (for they were not prepared to fyght) gaue them signes of peace. Being demaunded why they destroyed the vyllage, and where the kynge was with his famelye, they answered that they rased the vyllage and cutte the kynge with his famelie in peeces & eate them in the reuenge of theyr seuen woorkemen: And that

they had made faggottes of theyr bones to cary theim to the wyues and chyldren of theyr slayne woorkemen, in wytnesse that the bodyes of theyr husbandes and parentes lay not vn∣reuenged: and therewith shewed the faggottes of bones to owre men: who beinge astonyshed at theyr fiercenes and cru∣eltie, were enforced to dissimble the matter and houlde theyr peace, quarelynge noo further with them at tha•• tyme. These and suche other thynges doo dayly c••aunce, the which I doo let passe least I shulde offende the eares of yowr holynes with suche bluddy narrations. Thus haue wee sufficiently digres∣sed from the regions of Beragua and Vraba beinge the chiefeste foundations of owre purpose.* 1.317 Wee wyll nowe therefore en∣treate sumewhat of the largenes and depthe of the ryuers of Vraba:* 1.318 Also declare bothe what they and the landes whiche they runne through doo brynge foorth: lykewise of the great¦nes of the lande from the Easte to the West, and of the bredth therof from the Southe to the North, and what theyr opini∣on and hope is of thynges yet vnknowen in the same. Wee wyll therfore beginne at the newe names wherwith the Spa∣nyardes haue named these prouinces sence they were vnder the dominions of the Christians.

¶ The nynth booke of the seconde Decade, of the supposed Continent.

BEragua therfore, they cauled Castella Aurea, that is golden Castile: And Vraba they named An∣daluzia Noua, that is, newe Andalusia.* 1.319 And lyke as of many Ilandes which they subdu∣ed, they choose Hispaniola for the chiefe place of theyr habitacion, soo in the large tract of Paria, they appoynted theyr coloine or bydyng place in the twoo regions of Vraba and Beragua,* 1.320 that all suche as attempte and vyages in those coastes, may resorte to them as to safe portes to bee refreshed when they are wery or dry∣uen to necessitie. All owre seedes, and plantes,* 1.321 do nowe mar¦uelously encrease in Vraba. Lykewyse blades, settes, slippes, graffes, suger canes, and suche other as are brought from o∣ther places to those regions, as also beastes and foules as we haue sayde before. O maruelous frutefulnes. Twentie dayes

after the seede is sowne, they gather rype cucumers, and such lyke, But colwortes, beetes, Letuse, Borage are rype within the space of ten dayes. Gourdes, melones, and pompones, within the space of .xxviii. dayes. Dariena hathe many natiue trees and frutes of dyuers kyndes with sundry tastes,* 1.322 & hol∣some for the vse of mē:* 1.323 of the which I haue thowght it good to descrybe certeyne of the best. They noorysshe a tree which they caule Guaiana,* 1.324 that beareth a frute much resemblynge the kynde of citrous which are commonly cauled limones, of taste sumwhat sharpe myxt with swetenes. They haue also abun∣dance of nuttes of pynetrees, and great plentie of date trees,* 1.325 whiche beare frutes bygger then the dates that are knowen to vs: but they are not apte to bee eaten for theyr to much so∣wernes. Wylde and baren date trees, growe of them selues in sundry places, the branches wherof they vse for biesommes, and ea••e also the buddes of the same. Guarauana,* 1.326 being higher and bygger then the orange tree, bringeth furth a great frute as bygge as pome citrous.

Ther is an other tree much lyke to a chestnut tree whose frute is lyke to the bygger sort of fygs, beinge holsome & of plesant taste. Mameis,* 1.327 is an other tree that bringeth foorthe frute as bygge as an orange, in taste nothynge inferioure to the beste kyndes of melones. Guananala,* 1.328 beareth a frute lesse then any of the other, but of sweete sauoure lyke spice, and of delectable taste. Houos,* 1.329 is an other tree whose frute bothe in shape and taste, is much lyke to prunes, but sumwhat bygger. They are surely persuaded that this is the Myrobalane-tree.* 1.330 These growe soo abundantely in Hispaniola, that the hogges are fedde with the frute therof as with maste amonge vs. The hogges lyke this kynde of feadynge soo well, that when these frutes wax rype, the swyneherdes can by no meanes keepe them owte of the wooddes of these trees: by reason wherof, a greate mul∣tytude of them are becoome wylde. They also affirme, that in Hispaniola, swynes flesshe is of much better taste and more hol∣some then mutton.* 1.331 For it is not to bee doubted, but that dy∣uers kyndes of meates do engender sundry tastes and quali∣ties in suche as are noryshed therwith. The moste puissaunte prince Ferdinandus, declared that he had eaten of an other frute browght from those landes, beinge full of scales with keyes mu••h lyke a pine apple in forme and coloure, but in tendernes equal to melopepones, and in taste excedyng al garden frutes.

For it is noo tre, but an herbe much lyke vnto an archichoke, or Acantho. The kynge hym selfe, gaue the cheefest commenda¦tion to this. I haue eaten none of these frutes. For of a great number which they browght from thense,* 1.332 only one remayned vncorrupted, the other being putrified by reason of the longe vyage. All suche as haue eaten of theym newely gathered in theyr natyue soyle, doo maruelou••ly commende theyr swete∣nes and pleasaunt taste. They dygge also owte of the ground certeyne rootes growynge of theim selues, whiche they caule Betatas,* 1.333 much lyke vnto the nauie rootes of Mylayne, or the greate puffes or musheroms of the earth. Howe soo euer they bee dressed, eyther fryed or sodde, they gyue place to noo such kynde of meate in pleasant tendernes. The skyn is sumwhat towgher then eyther of nauies or mussheroms, and of earthy coloure: But the inner meate therof, is verye whyte. These are noorysshed in gardens, as we sayde of Iucca in the fyrste Decade. They are also eaten rawe, and haue the taste of rawe chestnuttes, but are sumwhat sweeter. Wee haue spoken suf∣ficiently of trees, herbes, and frutes. Wee wyll nowe there∣fore entreate of thynges sencitiue. The laundes and desolate pastures of these regions, are inhabited and deuoured of wild and terrible beastes, as Lions, Tygers,* 1.334 and such other mon∣sters as we nowe knowe, and haue byn descrybed of owlde au¦toures in tyme past. But there is especially one beast engende¦red here,* 1.335 in which nature hath endeuoured to shewe her cun∣nyng. This beaste is as bygge as an oxe, armed with a longe snoute lyke an Elephant, and yet no Elephant. Of the colour of an oxe and yet noo oxe. With the houfe of a horse, and yet noo horse. With eares also much lyke vnto an Elephant, but not soo open nor soo much hangyng downe: yet much wyder thē the eares of any other beaste. Of the beast which beareth her whelpes about with her in her seconde b••lly as in a purse (beinge knowen to none of the owlde wryters) I haue spokē in the fyrst Decade which I doubte not to haue coome to the handes of yowre holynes. Let vs nowe therfore declare what resteth of the fluddes and ryuers of Vraba.* 1.336 The ryuer of Dariena fauleth into the goulfe of Vraba with a narowe chanel,* 1.337 scarsly able to beare the canoas or lyghters of that prouince, and run¦neth by the vyllage where they chose theyr dwellynge place. But the ryuer in the corner of the goulfe which we sayde that

Vaschus passed by, they found to bee .xxiiii. furlonges in bredth (which they caule a league) and of exceadynge depthe,* 1.338 as of twoo hundreth cubettes, faulynge into the goulfe by dyuers mouthes. They say that this ryuer fauleth into the goulfe of Vraba, lyke as the ryuer Ister (otherwyse cauled Danubius,* 1.339 and Danowe) fauleth into the sea Pontike, and Nilus into the sea of Egypte: wherfore they named it Grandis,* 1.340 that is great: whi¦che also they affirme to nooryshe many and great Crocodyles,* 1.341 as the owld wryters testifie of Nilus, and especially as I haue lerned by experience, hauinge sayled vp and downe the ryuer of Nilus when I was sent ambasadoure to the Soldane of Al¦cayr at the commaundement of the moste catholyke Kynge.

What I may therfore gather owte of the wrytynges of so ma¦ny lerned autours as concerninge the ryuer of Nilus, * 1.342 I knowe not. For they say that nature hath gyuen two riuers of that name to water the lande, whether they wyll them to sprynge owte of the mountaynes of the moone or the soonne,* 1.343 or owte of the toppes of the rowgh mountaines of Ethiopia:* 1.344 Affirming one of the same to faule into the goulfe of Egypte toward the Northe, and the other into the South Ocean sea. What shall wee saye in this place? Of that Nilus in Egypte, there is noo doubte. The Portugales also whiche sayle by the coastes of the Ethiopians cauled Nigritae,* 1.345 and by the kyngedome of Me∣linda passinge vnder the Equinoctiall lyne, amonge theyr m••r¦uelous inuentions haue founde an other towarde the South, and ernestly affirme the same to bee also deriued frō the moun¦taynes of the moone: And that it is an other chanell of Nilus, bycause it bryngeth foorth Crocodyles, whereas it hathe not byn reade before tyme that any other ryuer noorysshed Croco∣dyles sauinge onely Nilus. This ryuer, the Portugales caule Senega.* 1.346 It runneth throwgh the Region of the Nigritas, beinge very frutefull towarde the north shore: but on the southe syde sandie and rowghe. Crocodiles are also engendred herein. What shall wee then say of this thyrde: ye I may wel say the fourth.* 1.347 For I suppose them also to bee Crocodiles which Co¦lonus with his coompany founde armed with scales as harde as shelles in the ryuer cauled Delagartos wherof wee haue made mention before.* 1.348 Shall wee say that these ryuers also of Darien and Vraba, haue theyr originall frome the mountaynes of the moone, wheras they sprynge owte of the nexte mountaynes,

and can by noo meanes haue the same originall with Nilus in Egypte, or that in Nigrita,* 1.349 or els that in the kyngedome of Me¦linda, from whense soo euer they are deryued. Whereas these other (as we haue sayde) springe owt of the next mountaines whiche deuyde an other southe sea with noo greate distaunce from the North Ocean. Wherfore it appeareth by experience of such as haue trauayled the worlde in owre time, that other waters besyde the ryuer of Nilus in Egypte,* 1.350 maye lykewyse brynge foorth Crocodiles. In the marysshes also and fennes of the Regions of Dariena, are founde greate plentie of Phe∣sauntes and peacockes, (but not of variable coloures) with many other kyndes of byrdes and foules vnlyke vnto owres,* 1.351 as well apte to bee eaten, as also to delite the eares of menne with pleasaunt noyse. But owre Spanyardes, bycause they are ignorant in foulynge, take but fewe. Also innumerable po¦pingayes of sundry kindes are found chattering in the groues of those fenny places. Of these there are sume equall to Ca∣pons in byggenes, and sume as lyttle as sparowes. But of the diuersitie of popingayes,* 1.352 we haue spoken sufficientely in the fyrst Decade. For in the rase of this large lande, Colonus hym selfe browght and sent to the courte a greate number of euery kynde,* 1.353 the which it was lawfull for all the people to be¦holde, and are yet dayly browght in lyke maner. There re∣mayneth yet one thynge moste woorthy to bee put in hystorye: The which I had rather to haue chaunced into the handes of Cicero or Liuie, then into myne. For the thynge is soo maruey∣lous in my estimation, that I fynde my wytte more entange∣led in the description hereof, then is sayde of the henne when shee seeth her younge chekyn inwrapped in towe or ••laxe. The breadth of that lande from the North Ocean to the south sea is only syxe dayes iourney by relation of thinhabitantes.* 1.354 The multitude therfore and grea••nes of the ryuers on the one side and on the other syde the narowenes of the lande, brynge me into suche doubte howe it can coome to passe, that in soo little a space of three dayes iourney, measurynge from the hygh top¦pes of those mountaynes, I doo not vnderstande howe soo many and soo great ryuers, may haue recourse into this north sea. For it is to bee thought that as many doo flowe towarde thinhabitantes of the southe. These ryuers of Vraba are but smaule, in comparison of many other in those coastes. For the

Spanyardes say, that in the tyme of Colonus, they founde and passed by an other ryuer after this,* 1.355 whose goulfe faulynge in to the sea, they affirme to bee lyttle lesse then a hundreth my∣les in the fyrste coastes of Paria, as wee haue sayde elsewhere. For they saye that it fauleth from the toppes of hyghe moun∣taynes with soo swyfte and furious a course, that by the vio∣lence and greatnes therof, it dryueth backe the sea althowgh it bee rowghe and enforced with a contrary wynde. They all affirme lykewyse, that in all the large tracte therof, they felt noo sower or salte water, but that all the water was fresshe, sweete, and apte to bee droonke. Thinhabitantes caule this ryuer Maragnonum:* 1.356 And the regions adiacent to the same, Ma∣riatambal,* 1.357 Camamorus,* 1.358 and Paricora.* 1.359 Besyde those ryuers whiche I haue named before, as Darien, Grandis, Dabaiba, Beragua, Sancti Ma∣thei, Boius ga••ti, Delagartos, & Gaira, they which of late haue searched those coastes, haue founde many other. Deliberatinge there∣fore with my selfe, from whense these mountaynes beinge soo narowe and nere vnto the sea on bothe sydes, haue such great holowe caues or dennes of suche capacitie, and from whense they are fylled to cast foorth such abundance of water, hereof also askynge them the opinions of the inhabitantes, they af∣firme them to bee of dyuers iudgementes herein: Alleagynge fyrst the greatnes of the mountaynes to bee the cause, whiche they say to bee very hygh, which thynge also Colonus the first fynder therof affirmeth to bee trewe: Adding there vnto that the Paradise of pleasure is in the toppes of those mountaines whiche appeare from the goulfe of Paria and Os Draconis,* 1.360 as he is fully persuaded. They agree therfore that there is greate caues within these mountaynes: but it resteth to consy••er frō whense they are fylled.* 1.361 If therefore all the ryuers of fresshe waters by thoppinion of manye, do soo flowe owte of the sea as dryuen and compelled throwghe the pa••sages or pores of the earth by the ponderous weyght of the sea it selfe, as wee see them breake furth of the sprynges and directe their course to the sea ageyne,* 1.362 then the thynge is lesse to bee marueyled at here then in other places. For wee haue not redde that in a∣ny other place twoo such seas haue enuironed any lande with soo narowe lymittes. For it hath on the right syde, the great Ocean where the sonne goeth downe on the lefte hande: And an other on the other syde where the sonne ryseth, nothynge

inferioure to the fyrst in greatenes, for they suppose it to bee myxte and ioyned as all one with the sea of East India.

This lande therefore being burdened with so great a weight on the one syde and on the other (yf this opinion bee of anye value) is enforced to swalowe vp such deuoured waters, and ageyne to cast foorth the same in open springes and streames. But if wee shall denye that the earth draweth humours of the sea, and agree that all fountaynes or sprynges are engende∣red of the conuersion or turnynge of ayer into water distilling within the halowe places of the montaynes (as the most part thinke) we wyll gyue place rather to thautoritie of them whi∣che stycke to those reasons, then that owre sense is satisfyed of the full truth therof. Yet doo I not repugne that in sume caues of mountaynes, water is turned into ayer.* 1.363 For I my selfe haue seene, howe in the caues of manye mountaynes in Spayne, in maner showers of rayne doo faule continually: And that the water gathered by this meanes, doth send furth certeyne ryuers by the sydes of the mountaynes, wherwith al suche trees as are planted on the s••iepe or foote of the moun∣taynes, as vines, Oliue trees, and suche other, are watered. And this especially in one place: As the ryght honorable Lo∣douike the Cardinall of Aragonie moste obsequious to yowre holynes, and twoo other byshoppes of Italy, wherof the one is Siluius Pandonus, and the other an Archebysshop (whose name and tytle I doo not remember) can beare me wytnes. For whē wee were togyther at Granata, lately delyuered from the domi∣nion of the Moores, and walked for owre pastyme to certeine pleasaunte hylles (by the whiche there ranne a fayre ryuer) Whyle Cardinall Lodouike occupied hym selfe in shutynge at byrdes whiche were in the bushes nere vnto the ryuer, I and the other twoo bysshops determined to clime the mountaynes to searche thoriginall and springe of the ryuer: for wee were not farre from the toppes thereof. Folowynge therefore the course of the ryuer, wee founde a greate caue in which was a continuall faule of water as it had byn a ••houre of rayne:* 1.364 the water wherof, faulyng into a trenche made with mans hand, encreaseth to a ryuer, and runneth downe by the sydes of the mountaynes. The lyke is also seene in this famous towne of Valladoleto (where we nowe suiorne) in a certeyne greene close, not past a furlonge distant from the waules of the towne. I

graunte therfore that in certeyne places by conuersion of the ayrie dewe into water within the caues of suche mountaynes, many sprynges and ryuers are engendred. But I suppose that nature was not sollicitate to brynge furthe suche greate fluds by this so smaule industry. Twoo reasons therfore, do sound beste to my iudgement: whereof the one is, the often faule of rayne:* 1.365 The other, the continuall autumne or sprynge tyme which is in those regions beinge soo nere vnto the Equinocti∣al that the common people can perceaue no difference betwene the length of the day and the night throwgh owt al the yeare whereas these two seasons are more apte to engender abun∣dance of rayne then eyther extreme wynter or feruent summer An other reason in effect much lyke vnto the fyrst,* 1.366 is this: If the sea bee full of pores, and that by the pores therof beinge opened by the Southe windes,* 1.367 wee shal consent that vapours are lyfted vp wherof the watery cloudes are engendred, this lande must needes bee moysted with moo shoures then anye o∣ther, yf it bee as narowe as they saye, and enuironed with twoo mayne seas collaterally beatinge on the same. Howe so euer it be: I can not but gyue credit to the report of such wor¦thy men as haue recourse to those regions: And can noo lesse then declare the same albeit it may seeme incredible to sume ig¦norant persons not knowynge the poure of nature to whome Plinie was persuaded that nothynge was impossible.* 1.368 Wee haue therfore thought it good to make this discourse by the way of argument, least on the one syde, men of good lernyng and iudgement, and on the other syde, suche as are studious to fynde occasions of quarelynge in other mens wrytynges, shulde iudge vs to bee so vndescreete lyghtly to gyue creditte to euery tale not beinge consonant to reason. But of the force and greate violence of those fresshe waters,* 1.369 which repulsinge the sea make so greate a goulfe (as wee haue sayde) I thinke the cause therof to bee the greate multitude of fluddes and ry¦uers, which beinge gathered togither, make so great a poole: and not one ryuer as they suppose. And for as muche as the mountaynes are excedynge hyghe and stiepe,* 1.370 I thinke the vi∣olence of the faule of the waters to be of such force, that this conflicte betwene the waters, is caused by thimpulsion of the poole that the salte water can not enter into the goulfe. But here perhappes sume wyll marueyle at me why I shulde mar∣ueyle

soo muche hereat, speakynge vnto me scornefully after this maner. Why dothe he soo marueyle at the greate ryuers of these Regions? Hathe not Italye his Eridanus,* 1.371 named the kynge of ryuers of the owlde wryters? Haue not other regi∣ons also the lyke? as wee reede of Tanais,* 1.372 Ganges,* 1.373 and Danubius,* 1.374 which are sayde soo to ouercoome the sea, that freshe water may bee drawne fortie myles within the fame. These menne I woolde satisfie with this answere. The famous ryuer of Padus in Italye (whiche they nowe caule Po,* 1.375 and was of the Greekes cauled Eridanus) hath the greate mountaynes cauled Alpes diuidinge Fraunce,* 1.376 Germanie, and Pannonie from I∣talye, lyinge at the backe therof as it were bulwarges agger, full of moysture: And with a longe tracte receauinge Ticinum with innumerable other great ryuers,* 1.377 fauleth into the sea A∣driatike.* 1.378 The lyke is also to bee vnderstode of the other. But these ryuers (as owre men were enformed by the kynges) faul into the Ocean sea with larger and fuller chanels nere hand. And sume there are which affirme this lande to bee very large in other places althowgh it bee but narowe here. There com¦meth also to my remembrance an other cause: the whiche al∣thowgh it bee of no greate force,* 1.379 yet doo I entende to wryte it. Perhappes therfore the length of the lande reachyng far from the Easte to the weste, if it bee narowe, may bee a helpe hereunto. For as wee reade that the ryuer Alpheus passethe through the holowe places vnder the sea from the citie of Elis in Peloponoso,* 1.380 and breaketh foorth at the fountayne or sprynge Arethusa in the Iland of Sicilia,* 1.381 so is it possible that these moun¦taynes may haue suche longe caues perteynynge vnto theim,* 1.382 that they may be the receptacles of the water passing through the landes beinge farre distante: And that the same waters commynge by soo longe a tracte, may in the way bee greately encreased by the conuersion of ayer into water, as wee haue sayde. Thus muche haue I spoken freely, permittinge bothe to them whiche doo frendely enterprete other mens doinges, and also to the malicious scorners, to take the thynge euen as them lysteth. For hetherto I can make no further declara¦tion hereof. But whē the truth shalbe better knowē, I wyl do my diligence to commit the same to wryting. Nowe therefore, forasmuche as we haue spoken thus muche of the breadth of this land, we entēd to describe the length & forme of the same.

¶ The tenth booke of the seconde Decade, of the supposed Continent.

THat lande reacheth foorth into the sea euen as doth Italy, althowgh not like the legge of a man as it doth.* 1.383 But I nowe compare a Pigmean or a dwarfe to a giant. For that part therof which the Spaniardes haue ouer runne from the sayde Easte poynt which rea∣cheth towarde the sea Atlantike (the ende not beinge yet founde towarde the Weste) is more then eyght tymes longer then Italye.* 1.384 And by what reason I am moued to say eyght tymes, yowre holynes shall vnderstande. From the tyme therefore that I fyrste determined to obeye their re∣questes who wylled me fyrste in yowre name to wryte these thynges in the laten tonge, I dyd my endeuoure that al thin¦ges myght coome foorth with dewe tryall and experience.

Wherupon I repayred to the byshoppe of Burges beinge the chiefe refuge of this nauigation. As wee were therfore secret¦ly togyther in one chamber, we had many instrumentes pertey¦nynge to these affayres as globes and manye of those mappes which are commonly cauled the shipmans cardes, or cardes of the sea.* 1.385 Of the which, one was drawen by the Portugales, wherunto Americus Vesputius is sayde to haue put to his hande, beinge a man moste experte in this facultie and a Florentyne borne:* 1.386 who also vnder the stipende of the Portugales, hadde sayled towarde the south pole many degrees beyond the Equi¦noctiall. In this carde we founde the fyrst front of this land to bee brooder then the kynges of Vraba had persuaded owre men of theyr mountaynes. To an other, Colonus the Admiral whyle he yet lyued and searched those places had gyuen the beginnynge with his owne handes:* 1.387 Wherunto Bartholomeus Co∣lonus his brother and Lieuetenaunt had addid his iudgement, for he also, had sayled aboute those coastes. Of the Spany∣ardes lykewyse, as many as thought them selues to haue any knowleage what perteyned to measure the lande and the sea, drewe certeyne cardes in parchement as concernyng these na∣uigations. Of all other, they most esteeme them which Iohan∣nes de la Cossa the coompanion of Fogeda (whom wee sayde to bee slayne of the people of Caramairi in the hauen Carthago,* 1.388) and an

other expert pylot cauled Andreas Moralis,* 1.389 had set foorth. And this aswell for the greate experience which they bothe hadde (to whom these tractes were as wel knowen as the chambers of theyr owne houses) as also that they were thought to bee cunninger in that parte of Cosmographie which teacheth the description and measuringe of the sea. Conferringe therefore all these cardes togyther, in euery of the whiche was drawen a lyne expressinge, not the myles,* 1.390 but leagues after the maner of the Spanyardes, we tooke owre compases and beganne to measure the sea coastes after this order. From that poynt or fronte which we sayde to bee included within the lyne pertey¦nynge to the Portugales iurisdiction,* 1.391 beinge drawen by the paralelles of the Ilandes of Cabouerde,* 1.392 but a hundreth leagues further towarde the weste (which they haue nowe also sear∣ched on euery syde) we founde three hundreth leagues to the enterance of the ryuer Maragnonum:* 1.393 And from thense to Os Dra¦conis,* 1.394 seuen hundreth leagues: but sumwhat lesse in the descrip¦tion of sume: For they doo not agree in al poyntes exquisite∣ly. The Spanyardes wyll that a league conteyne foure myles by sea and but three by lande.* 1.395 From Os Draconis, to the cape or poynt of Cuchibacoa,* 1.396 which beinge pa••sed, there is a goulfe on the lefte hande, we measured three hundrethe leagues in one carde, and much thereabout in an other. From this poynt of Cuchibacoa, to the region of Caramairi in which is the hauen Car∣thago (which sum caule Carthagena) we found about a hundreth and seuentie leagues.* 1.397* 1.398 From Caramairi to the Ilande Fortis,,* 1.399 fif¦tie leagues. From thense to the goulfes of Vraba amonge the which is the vyllage cauled Sancta Maria Antiqua where the Spa¦nyardes haue apoynted theyr habitacion,* 1.400 only .xxxiii. leagues. From the ryuer of Vraba in the prouince of Dariena to the ry∣uer of Beragua where Nicuesa hadde intended to haue fastened his foote if god hadde not otherwyse decreed,* 1.401 we measured a hundreth and thirtie leagues. Frome Beragua to that ryuer whiche wee sayde of Colonus to bee cauled Sancti Matthei,* 1.402 in the which also Nicuesa loosinge his carauell, wandered in greate calamities, we founde in owre cardes, onely a hundreth and fortie leagues: Yet many other which of late tyme haue coome from these partes, haue descrybed many moo leagues in this tracte frō the ryuer of Sancti Matthei: In which also, they place dyuers ryuers, as Aburema with the Ilande cauled Scutum Cateba* 1.403* 1.404

lyinge before it, whose kynges name is Facies combusta. Lyke∣wise an other ryuer cauled Zobraba:* 1.405 after that, Vrida:* 1.406 and thē Duraba in the which gold is founde.* 1.407 Furthermore, many good¦ly hauens, as Cerabaro and Hiebra,* 1.408* 1.409 soo cauled of thinhabitan∣tes. And thus if yowre holynes wyll conferre these numbers togyther, yowe shall fynde in this accompte, a thousand fiue hundreth twentie and fyue leagues,* 1.410 whiche amounte to f••ue thousande and seuen hundreth myles from the poynt of Sancti Matthei,* 1.411 which they caule Sinum perditorum: that is, the goulfe of the loste men. But we may not leaue here. For after this, one Astar Ouetens••s, otherwyse named Iohannes Dias de Solis,* 1.412 borne in Ne¦brissa (which bringe••h foorth many lerned men) saylinge frome this ryuer towarde the weste, ouer ranne manye coastes & lea∣gues: But the myddeste of that shore, bendethe towarde the North: And is not therfore directly placed in order with the other. Yet may we gather by a diameter or ryght lyne, about three hundreth leagues. Hereby maye yowe gather what is the length of this lande.* 1.413 But of th•• breadth, perhappes wee shall hereafter haue further knowleage. Let vs nowe speake sumwhat of the varietie of the degrees of the eleuation of the pole starres. This lande therfore, althowgh it reache foorth from the East into the Weste, yet is it crooked and hathe the poynt bendynge so toward the south, that it loseth the sight of the North pole,* 1.414 and is extendend beyonde the Equinoctial lyne seuen degrees towarde the South pole. But the poynt herof, perteyneth to the iurisdiction of the Portugales as we haue sayde. Leauinge this poynt and saylinge toward Paria the north starre is seene ageyne,* 1.415 and is so much the more lyf∣ted vp, in howe much the region enclyneth more towarde the Weste. The Spanyardes therfore, haue dyuers degrees of ele¦uations, vntyl they come to Dariena beinge their chiefe station and dwellynge place in those landes.* 1.416 For they haue forsaken Beragua,* 1.417 where they found the North pole eleuate .viii. degrees But from hense the lande doth soo muche bende towarde the North, that it is there in maner equall with the degrees of the strayghtes of Hercules pyllers:* 1.418 especially yf wee measure certeyne landes founde by them towarde the Northe syde of Hispaniola. Emonge the which, there is an Ilande, about three hundreth and .xxv. leagues from Hispaniola, as they say whiche haue searched the same, named Boiuca or Agnaneo, in the which

is a continual sprynge of runnynge water of such maruelous vertue, that the water therof beinge dronk,* 1.419 perhappes with sume dyete, maketh owld men younge ageyne. And here must I make protestacion to yowre holynes, not to thynke this to bee sayde lyghtly or rashely.* 1.420 For they haue soo spredde this rumour for a truth throwghowt all the courte, that not onely all the people, but also many of them whom wisedome or for∣tune hath diuided from the common sort, thinke it to be true. But if yowe shal aske my opinion herein,* 1.421 I wyl answere that I wyll not attribute so greate poure to nature: but that god hath noo lesse reserued this prerogatiue to hym selfe, then to searche the hartes of men, or to gyue substance to priuation, (that is) beinge to noo beinge: Excepte we shall beleue the fa∣ble of Colobis of Eson renouate, to bee as trewe as the wrytin∣ges of Sibylla Erythrea. Albeit perhappes the scoles of phisitians and naturall philosophers wyll not muche stycke to affirme that by thuse of certeyne secreate medecines and dyete,* 1.422 the ac¦cidentes of age (as they caule them) may be longe hydden and deferred, which they wyll to bee vnderstoode, by the renoua∣cion of age. And to haue sayde thus much of the length and breadthe of these Regions, and of the rowghe and hugious mountaynes with theyr watery caues, also of the dyuers de∣grees of that lande, I thinke it sufficient. But I thowght it not good to let passe what chaunced to these miserable men a¦monge theyr generall calamities. I remember that when I was a chylde, mee thowght my bowelles grated and that my spirites were maruelouslye troubeled for verye pitie, when I readde in the poet Uirgyl howe Achemenides was lefte of Vlysses vpon the sea bankes amonge the giantes cauled Cyclopes.* 1.423* 1.424* 1.425 where for the space of many dayes from the departinge of Vlyss••s vn∣tyll the commynge of Encas he eate none other meate but only berryes and hawes. But owre vnfortunate Spanyardes whi¦che folowed Nicuesa to inhabite Beragua,* 1.426 woolde haue estemed hawes and berryes for greate delicates. What shulde I heare speake of the heade of an asse bowght for a greate price, and of such other extremities as men haue suffered in townes be∣seaged?* 1.427 After that Nicuesa hadde determyned to leaue Beragua for the barrennes of the soyle, he attempted to searche Por••um Bellum,* 1.428 and then the coastes of the poynt cauled Marmor,* 1.429 if he myght there fynde a place more fortunate to inhabite. In this

meane tyme, so greuous famen oppressed his souldiers, that they neyther absteyned from eatinge of mangie dogges which they had with them aswell for theyr defence as for huntynge (for in the warre ageynst the naked people,* 1.430 dogges stoode thē in greate steade) nor yet sumtymes from the slayne inhabitan∣tes. Fo•• they founde not there any frutefull trees or plentie of foules as in Dariena, but a barren grounde and not meete to bee inhabited. Here certeyne of the souldiers made a bargein with one of theyr felowes for the price of a leane dogge, who also was almoste deade for hunger:* 1.431 They gaue the owner of the dogge many of those pieces of golde which they caule Pesos or golden Castellans. Thus agreinge of the price, they fleid the dogge to bee eaten, and caste his mangie skynne with the bones of the heade hangynge therto, amonge the bushes. The day folowynge, a certeyne foot••man of theyr company, chaun¦ced to fynde the skynne beinge nowe full of maggottes and stynkynge. He brought it home with hym, sodde it, and eate it. Many resorted to hym with theyr dysshes for the brothe of the sodde skynne,* 1.432 proferinge hym for euerye dysshefull a piece of golde. An other founde twoo toades and sodde them which a sicke man bought of hym for twoo fyne shertes curi∣ously wrought of lynen intermyxt with golde.* 1.433 Certeyn other wanderinge abowte to seeke for vytayles, founde in a pathe∣way in the myddest of a fyelde, a deade man of thinhabitan∣tes whiche had byn slayne of his owne coompanye and was nowe rotten and stynkynge.* 1.434 They drewe hym a syde, dismem¦berde hym secreatly, rosted hym and eate hym, therewith as∣swagynge theyr hunger as yf they had byn fedde with phea∣sauntes. One also, which departinge from his companions in the nyght season, went a fyshyng amonge the reedes of the marysshes, lyued only with slyme or mudde for the space of certeyne dayes, vntyll at the lengthe creepinge and almoste deade, he founde the way to his felowes. And thus these mi∣serable men of Beragua vexed with these and suche other aflic∣tions, were browghe from the number of seuen hundreth thre score & ten souldiers, scarsely to fortie, beinge nowe also ad∣ded to the coompany of them in Dariena. Fewe were slayne of thinhabitantes. But the resydewe consumed by famen, brea∣thed owt theyr wery sowles, openynge a waye to the newe landes for such as shal coome after them, appeasinge the fury

of the barbarous nations, with the price of theyr bludde.* 1.435 Con¦syderinge therfore after these stormes, with what case other men shall ouerrunne and inhabite these landes, in respecte to the calamities that these men haue suffered, they shall seeme to goo to bryde feastes where all thynges are redy prepared a¦geynst their commynge. But where Petrus Arias arryued with the kynges nauie and newe supply of men,* 1.436 to this houre I knowe no certentie. What shall chaunce herafter I wyll make diligente inquisition if I shall vnder∣stande this to bee acceptable to yowre holynes. Thus I byd yowe hartely farewell: from the courte of the mooste Catholyke kynge, the daye beefore the nones of December, in the yeare of Christe, M. D. XIIII.

Notes

• * 1.1

  west Antipo∣des.
• * 1.2

  The ••ncrea••e of the Christi∣an congrega∣tion.
• * 1.3

  Christophorus Colonus.
• * 1.4

  Of landes di∣stante frō the Equinoctiall from fyue de¦grees to ten.
• * 1.5

  The death of Colonus.
• * 1.6

  A generall lycence.
• * 1.7

  The nauigati¦on of Alphon¦sus Fogeda.
• * 1.8

  Portus Cartha¦ginis.
• * 1.9

  The Region of Caramairi▪
• * 1.10

  People of goodly stature
• * 1.11

  Apples whi∣che turne in∣to woo••mes.
• * 1.12

  A tree whose shadowe is hurtfull.
• * 1.13

  Fogeda his autoritie con∣firmed by the kynges let∣ters patents.
• * 1.14

  warlyke people.
• * 1.15

  The Spany¦ardes haue the ou••r¦throwe.
• * 1.16

  Arrowes in∣fected with poyson.
• * 1.17

  The nauigati¦on of Diego Nicuesa.
• * 1.18

  The regions of vraba and ••eragua.
• * 1.19

  The Spany∣ardes reuēge the death of theyr compa∣nyons.
• * 1.20

  A greate slawghter.
• * 1.21

  Canibales.
• * 1.22

  The hunger of golde.
• * 1.23

  The Ilande Fo••tis.
• * 1.24

  wrought gold
• * 1.25

  Caribana.
• * 1.26

  A gold myne.
• * 1.27

  The Spany∣ardes are re∣pulsed.
• * 1.28

  Fogeda i•• wounded.
• * 1.29

  Ransome.
• * 1.30

  Fogeda con∣sumeth by force of the Beragua and Uraba.
• * 1.31

  Nicuesa.
• * 1.32

  The goulfe Coiba.
• * 1.33

  Dyuers lan∣guages.
• * 1.34

  Bergantines or brigāt••nes.
• * 1.35

  Barnardino de 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.36

  Ancisus.
• * 1.37

  Fogeda re∣turneth to hispaniola.
• * 1.38

  Famyne
• * 1.39

  A brigantine drowned with the stroke of a fyshe.
• * 1.40

  The Ilande Fortis.
• * 1.41

  Ancisus.
• * 1.42

  The Region of Cuchiba∣coa.
• * 1.43

  Boiū gatti.
• * 1.44

  Mountaynes couered with snowe.
• * 1.45

  Serra Neuata.
• * 1.46

  Os Draconis.
• * 1.47

  Riche in gold and pore in breade.
• * 1.48

  The Region of Caramairi
• * 1.49

  Feare on both partes.
• * 1.50

  Ship w••ygh∣tes.
• * 1.51

  The vse of targettes a∣genst vene∣mous ar∣rowes.
• * 1.52

  The barbari∣an•• haue res∣pect to iustice
• * 1.53

  Salted fi••he.
• * 1.54

  wyne of fr••t••s and see••es.
• * 1.55

  Vr••••a.
• * 1.56

  Art••ller••e.
• * 1.57

  Ancisus ship w••acke.
• * 1.58

  Meale. chee∣••es, & bysket.
• * 1.59

  A groue of date trees.
• * 1.60

  wylde bores.
• * 1.61

  Apples of a strange kynd
• * 1.62

  Ceders of Libane.
• * 1.63

  Sorbes are cauled in french Cou••••¦er they grow not in Eng∣lande.
• * 1.64

  The frute cauled ••i••i∣pha or Iuiuba Canibales.
• * 1.65

  Men of des∣perat bold∣nes.
• * 1.66

  The goulfe of Uraba.
• * 1.67

  The great ry¦uer of Dariē, fauleth into the goulfe of Uraba.
• * 1.68

  Prayer and vowes.
• * 1.69

  The souldi∣ers make an othe.
• * 1.70

  The barba∣rians are dry¦uen to flight.
• * 1.71

  Chestnuttes.
• * 1.72

  The ryuer of Darien, but viii. degrees from the E¦quinoctial.
• * 1.73

  Golde founde in a thicket of reedes.
• * 1.74

  Sheetes of gossampine.
• * 1.75

  Breste plates of golde.
• * 1.76

  The golden Reg••on•• are for the moste pa••te baren.
• * 1.77

  Fogeda, the Lieuetenaunt of Uraba.
• * 1.78

  Nicuesa the Lieuetenaunt of Beragua.
• * 1.79

  Nicuesa loste his felowes in the night.
• * 1.80

  Lupus Olanus
• * 1.81

  Petrus de vmbria
• * 1.82

  The capitay∣nes consu••te where to find theyr lost go∣uernour.
• * 1.83

  The ryuer Lagartos.
• * 1.84

  The golden ryuer of Be∣ragua.
• * 1.85

  The enter∣prise & death of Petrus de Umbria.
• * 1.86

  The daunge∣rous place of Scilla in the sea of Cicilie.
• * 1.87

  Swymminge
• * 1.88

  The fyssher boate of Ni∣cuesa his ca∣rauele.
• * 1.89

  The misera∣ble case of Nicuesa.
• * 1.90

  The Region of Gratia Dei or Cerabaro.
• * 1.91

  The ryuer of Sancti Mat∣thei.
• * 1.92

  The rigo∣rousnes of Nicuesa.
• * 1.93

  Come wa••eth rype euery fourth month
• * 1.94

  The commen¦dacion of a younge man browght vp with Colonus
• * 1.95

  Portus Bellus.
• * 1.96

  weakenes of hunger.
• * 1.97

  Cap Marmor.
• * 1.98

  Nomen Dei.
• * 1.99

  Nicuesa his men cōsumed
• * 1.100

  Contencion a¦bout the lieue¦tenauntship of Uraba.
• * 1.101

  Ua••chus Nun¦nez moneth sedition.
• * 1.102

  Ancisus lieue¦tenaunt for Fogeda.
• * 1.103

  Nicu••sa.
• * 1.104

  Rodericus Col∣menaris.
• * 1.105

  The nauiga∣tion of Rode∣ricus Colme∣naris.
• * 1.106

  Cuchibacoa.
• * 1.107

  The ryuer Gaira.
• * 1.108

  An exceding hygh moun∣tayne coue∣red with snowe.
• * 1.109

  Appareled men.
• * 1.110

  Seuen and forty Spany∣ardes are s••aine with venemous arrowes.
• * 1.111

  Ierua.
• * 1.112

  A remedy a∣genste vene∣mous arrows
• * 1.113

  Seuen men left behynde.
• * 1.114

  The hauen of Uraba.
• * 1.115

  The gou••fe of Uraba.
• * 1.116

  Dariena.
• * 1.117

  Famen.
• * 1.118

  what became of the conten¦cion of Uraba
• * 1.119

  Beragua.
• * 1.120

  Nicuesa is sought foorth
• * 1.121

  Nicuesa is founde in a miserable case.
• * 1.122

  In••olencie of to much felici¦tie.
• * 1.123

  Nicuesa fau∣leth from one miserie into an other.
• * 1.124

  The greatest part ouercom¦meth the best
• * 1.125

  The death of Nicuesa.
• * 1.126

  Famen enfor∣seth them to faule to spoy∣lynge.
• * 1.127

  Uaschus vsur¦peth thautori¦t••e of the Lieuetenant∣shippe.
• * 1.128

  Careta, k••nge of Coiba.
• * 1.129

  kynge Careta is taken and spoyled.
• * 1.130

  hunger is the best sauce.
• * 1.131

  Wyne & thine the seedes of al mischefe.
• * 1.132

  Ancisus, lieue¦tenaunt for Fogeda is cast in prison.
• * 1.133

  Anci••us ta∣keth his vy∣age to hispa∣niola.
• * 1.134

  The reueng of God.
• * 1.135

  The inconue¦niences of discorde.
• * 1.136

  The sonne & heyr•• of Colo¦nus, is Admi¦rall and vice∣roy of hispa∣niola.
• * 1.137

  Valdiuia.
• * 1.138

  zamudius & Ancisus, take their vyage to Spayne.
• * 1.139

  kinge Pōcha.
• * 1.140

  Swoordes of woodde.
• * 1.141

  kynge Careta conspireth with the Spa¦nyardes a∣genst kynge Poncha.
• * 1.142

  wrought gold
• * 1.143

  The region of Comogra, distant frome Dariena xxx. leaques.
• * 1.144

  kynge Como∣grus.
• * 1.145

  The kynges palaice.
• * 1.146

  wyne & syder
• * 1.147

  Blacke wine.
• * 1.148

  The bo••yes of deade kyn¦ges, religious¦ly honoured.
• * 1.149

  Penat••s.
• * 1.150

  The carcases of men dryed
• * 1.151

  The kynges sonne a yonge man of excel¦lent wytte,
• * 1.152

  Foure thou¦sande vnces of wrought golde.
• * 1.153

  The distribu¦tion of golde.
• * 1.154

  Young Como∣grus his ora∣tion.
• * 1.155

  The hunger of golde.
• * 1.156

  A reg••on flo∣winge wyth golde.
• * 1.157

  kynge Tuma¦nama.
• * 1.158

  Canibales.
• * 1.159

  The golde mynes of the mountaynes.
• * 1.160

  Unwrought golde not este¦med.
• * 1.161

  Exchaunge.
• * 1.162

  Abundance of golde.
• * 1.163

  householde stuffe of gold
• * 1.164

  Naked peo∣ple tormēted with ambitiō
• * 1.165

  A vehement persuasion.
• * 1.166

  A token of hunger.
• * 1.167

  kynge Como∣grus is bapti¦sed with his famely.
• * 1.168

  Ualdiuia re∣turneth from hispaniola.
• * 1.169

  horrible thun¦der and ••ight¦nynge in the moneth of Nouember.
• * 1.170

  Bread of Ma¦izius & hobba
• * 1.171

  Digestion strengthened by owtwarde colde.
• * 1.172

  hunger.
• * 1.173

  A newe sup∣ply of a thou∣sande souldy∣ers.
• * 1.174

  Marcha.
• * 1.175

  Pesus.
• * 1.176

  A thousande and fyue hun¦dreth pounds weyght of wrought gold
• * 1.177

  The goulfe of Uraba.
• * 1.178

  Culata.
• * 1.179

  Uaschus sear¦cheth the goulfe of Ura¦ba.
• * 1.180

  A maruelous great ryuer▪ faulyng into the g••u••fe of Uraba.
• * 1.181

  kynge Daba∣iba and ••he∣macchus, are dryuen to flyght.
• * 1.182

  Marysshe grounde
• * 1.183

  wrought gold wheyghynge vii. thousand Castellane••.
• * 1.184

  Battes as bygge as tur¦tle doue••.
• * 1.185

  Ancisus byt∣ten of a batte
• * 1.186

  Remedies a¦geynst vene∣mous arrows
• * 1.187

  A tempest.
• * 1.188

  Colmenaris taketh his vy¦age towarde the montains
• * 1.189

  kynge Turui.
• * 1.190

  The Iland of Cannafistula.
• * 1.191

  She ryuer or Riuu•• Niger. A to••••e of v. hundreth houses.
• * 1.192

  Th••nhabitan∣tes of the west ••yde of the goulfe.
• * 1.193

  kynge Abena¦machei, is ta∣ken and his arme cut of.
• * 1.194

  Many other ryuers fau∣ling into Ri∣uus Niger.
• * 1.195

  kyng abibei∣ba dwellethe in a tree.
• * 1.196

  Abundance of moyster & heat is cause of byggenes.
• * 1.197

  The rysynge of the Ocean sea.
• * 1.198

  Trees of mar¦uelous height
• * 1.199

  Plinie.
• * 1.200

  Frutefull grounde.
• * 1.201

  Cellers in the grounde.
• * 1.202

  Abibeiba, the kynge of the tree, yeldethe to Uaschus.
• * 1.203

  Gold no more estemed then stones.
• * 1.204

  Canibales.
• * 1.205

  kyng Abraib••
• * 1.206

  Abraiba cau∣seth the kyn∣ges to rebell.
• * 1.207

  Men good enowgh yf they had ••ren
• * 1.208

  The kynges are dryuen to flyght.
• * 1.209

  Captyues.
• * 1.210

  A garyson of xxx. men.
• * 1.211

  xviii. Spany∣ardes slayne and drowned
• * 1.212

  The kinges which conspi¦red the death of the Christi∣ans.
• * 1.213

  A strange chaunce.
• * 1.214

  Vaschus.
• * 1.215

  women can keepe no coun••ayle.
• * 1.216

  An army of C¦••anoas and lyue. W••men
• * 1.217

  Tryu••phe before victory
• * 1.218

  Affection cor∣ru••teth trew iudgement.
• * 1.219

  The con••pi∣r••ti•• of the kynges is de∣tected.
• * 1.220

  kyng Cemac∣chus, con••••••¦reth the o••th of Uaschus.
• * 1.221

  Ua••chus pur¦seweth the kynges with threescore & ten men.
• * 1.222

  Colmenaris ••acketh the vylage of Ci¦chiri.
• * 1.223

  Fyue rulers hanged and shot th••owgh with arrows.
• * 1.224

  The golden region•• on the south side the moun∣taynes.
• * 1.225

  The death of Ualdiuia and zamudius.
• * 1.226

  Iohannes Quiced••s is sent to Spain
• * 1.227

  Chaunge of the ayer is daungerous.
• * 1.228

  Rodericus Colmenaris assist••nt wi•••• Quicedus.
• * 1.229

  A wyfe is a hynderance
• * 1.230

  Cub••.
• * 1.231

  Three moo∣••eth•••• ••rom 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to Cuba, by rea∣••on of tepest••
• * 1.232

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.233

  hurt of la∣uyshenes of the tonge.
• * 1.234

  The calami∣tie & death of Fogeda.
• * 1.235

  Maladies & famen.
• * 1.236

  The prospe∣rous vyage of Ancisus.
• * 1.237

  A kyng of Cu¦ba ••aptised by the name of Commen∣dator.
• * 1.238

  Ancisus
• * 1.239

  A maruelou•• historie howe God wrought miracles by the simple fayth of a maryner.
• * 1.240

  Be not rashe in iudgement
• * 1.241

  Zemes,
• * 1.242

  A chapel buil¦ded to the pic¦ture of the virgin Mary
• * 1.243

  God re••pec∣teth the infan¦cie of fa••the for zeles sake
• * 1.244

  One Religion turned into an other, hol∣deth styl ma∣ny th••nges of the fyrst.
• * 1.245

  A strange fan¦tasie.
• * 1.246

  The effect of godly zeale.
• * 1.247

  A miracle in the tyme of the battayle
• * 1.248

  The virgin Mary▪ is pre∣sent at the battayle.
• * 1.249

  A maruelus experience of fayth
• * 1.250

  Muche lyke vnto this, is redde in. Reg. xviii.
• * 1.251

  The deuil ap¦peareth in his lykenes
• * 1.252

  An other mi∣racle.
• * 1.253

  Math. 14.
• * 1.254

  The deuyl ap¦pereth agein.
• * 1.255

  The Uirgin Mary ouer∣commeth the deuyll.
• * 1.256

  Infidels con¦uerted by mi∣racle▪ and baptised.
• * 1.257

  The preeste & rewarde.
• * 1.258

  Aue Maria.
• * 1.259

  Ancisus vy∣age to Spain
• * 1.260

  Ancisus com∣playneth of Uaschuz.
• * 1.261

  The haruest is grea••, but the labourers are fewe.
• * 1.262

  From Darie∣na to hispani¦ola viii. dayes saylyng.
• * 1.263

  The procura∣tours of Dari¦ena, are hono¦rably recea∣ued at the courte.
• * 1.264

  Their cōplex¦ion is altered
• * 1.265

  Of whom the autour had information
• * 1.266

  The greate master of the kynges ships
• * 1.267

  Petrus arias is e••ected go∣uernour of Dariena.
• * 1.268

  Thoracion of the byshop. of Burges in the def••nce of Pe••••us ari¦as.
• * 1.269

  The warres of Aphrica.
• * 1.270

  Petrus Arias Lieuetenante of Dariena.
• * 1.271

  Petrus Arias hath a thou∣sand & tw••o hundreth mē appoynted at the kynges charges.
• * 1.272

  A house in Ci¦uile appoin∣ted to the af∣fayres of India.
• * 1.273

  Perularia.
• * 1.274

  Many profe them selues to go of they•• owne char∣ges.
• * 1.275

  Aloisius Ca∣damustus i•• reproued.
• * 1.276

  The Port••¦gales inue••¦tions.
• * 1.277

  The nauiga∣tiō of Petrus Arias.
• * 1.278

  A shipwracke
• * 1.279

  Americus Vespu¦tius.
• * 1.280

  A notable ex∣emple of a va¦lient woman.
• * 1.281

  kynge henry.
• * 1.282

  The wyfe of Petrus Arias.
• * 1.283

  The thyrde nauigation of Uincentiu•• Pinzonus.
• * 1.284

  Cuba.
• * 1.285

  Beragua.
• * 1.286

  Vraba.
• * 1.287

  Cuchibacoa.
• * 1.288

  Paria.
• * 1.289

  Os Draconis
• * 1.290

  Curiana,
• * 1.291

  Cumana.
• * 1.292

  Manacapana,
• * 1.293

  Plentie of Pearles.
• * 1.294

  Monoxyla. The Barbari¦ans assayle owre men be¦inge in theyr shyppes.
• * 1.295

  The vse of gunnes.
• * 1.296

  Great abun∣dance of gold and franken∣sence.
• * 1.297

  Olibanum.
• * 1.298

  Sabea, ••is a contrey in A∣rabie, which bringeth forth frankensence
• * 1.299

  Paria.
• * 1.300

  Peacockes which wee cau••e Turkye cockes.
• * 1.301

  ••arpets and couerlett••s fynely wrou∣ght.
• * 1.302

  Popyngayes.
• * 1.303

  Thapparell of the ••••h••bittants o•• paria
• * 1.304

  Rule••s for one yeare.
• * 1.305

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 greate goulfe of Pa∣ria.
• * 1.306

  Baia Natiui∣tatis the gret goulfe of Pa∣••ia.
• * 1.307

  Uincentuis maketh a league with v. princes. of Paria.
• * 1.308

  Mount Atlas in aphrike.
• * 1.309

  The great I∣land atlantike.
• * 1.310

  Contention betwene the Castilians & Portugale•• for the newe landes
• * 1.311

  The bysshop of Rome diui∣deth the land
• * 1.312

  Cabouerde loke decade i. lib. iii
• * 1.313

  The golde•• region of Ci∣amba.
• * 1.314

  The Iland of S. Iohannes
• * 1.315

  Fyue byshop∣pes of the I∣land made by th•• bysshop of Rome.
• * 1.316

  The Caniba∣les of the I∣land of Sanc¦ta Crux.
• * 1.317

  Beragua and Uraba.
• * 1.318

  The ryuers of Uraba.
• * 1.319

  Beragua, cau¦led Castella aurifera, and Uraba, Anda¦luzia noua. Sum caule Peru, Noua Castilia.
• * 1.320

  Beragua and Uraba, regi∣ons of Paria▪
• * 1.321

  The fruteful∣nes of Uraba
• * 1.322

  The frutfu••∣nes of Dari∣ena.
• * 1.323

  Dyuers hol∣somy frutes of ••rees.
• * 1.324

  Guaiana,
• * 1.325

  Pine trees. Date trees.
• * 1.326

  Guarauana
• * 1.327

  Mameis,
• * 1.328

  Guananala.
• * 1.329

  Houos.
• * 1.330

  Mirobalani, Hogges fed with miroba∣lanes
• * 1.331

  Swynes fle••she of bet¦ter tast and more holsum then mutton.
• * 1.332

  Frutes putri∣fyed on the sea.
• * 1.333

  Betatas,
• * 1.334

  Lions and Tygers.
• * 1.335

  A straunge beast.
• * 1.336

  The ryuers of Uraba.
• * 1.337

  The ryuer of Darien fau∣leth into the goulfe of Uraba.
• * 1.338

  A league is xxiiii furlōges
• * 1.339

  Danubius.
• * 1.340

  Grandis or Rio grandis.
• * 1.341

  A crocodile is much lyke an eute, but of excedyng big¦nes.
• * 1.342

  The autoure of this booke was in Egipt The riuer Ni¦lus in Egypte
• * 1.343

  Montes,
• * 1.344

  Lunae.
• * 1.345

  The Portuga¦les nauigaci∣ons.
• * 1.346

  The ryuer Senega▪ an o¦ther chanell of the ryuer of Nilus.
• * 1.347

  Crocodiles. The thyrde & fourth Nilus.
• * 1.348

  Delagartos.
• * 1.349

  The ryuers springe owt of the moun∣taynes
• * 1.350

  Crocodiles en¦gendred in o∣ther ryuers besyde Nilus ••n Egypte.
• * 1.351

  Byrdes and foules.
• * 1.352

  Popingayes.
• * 1.353

  A philosophi∣cal discourse as cūcerning thoriginal of springes and ryuers.
• * 1.354

  The breadth of the ••ande at Uraba frō the North O∣cean to the South sea.
• * 1.355

  A ryuer of maruelous byggenes loke the first decade the ix. boke.
• * 1.356

  The great ry¦uer Maragno¦nus. l••ber. i••. decade i.
• * 1.357

  Mariatambal.
• * 1.358

  Camamorus.
• * 1.359

  Paricora.
• * 1.360

  Paradice. Loke .vi, ••oke fyrst decade.
• * 1.361

  The sea.
• * 1.362

  The land en∣closed with two seas.
• * 1.363

  Conursion of ayer into wa∣ter in the ca∣ues of moun∣tayn••s.
• * 1.364

  Showers of rayne in the caues of mon¦taynes
• * 1.365

  The often fal of ra••ne and cont••nuall sprynge time.
• * 1.366

  The Equinoc¦••iall.
• * 1.367

  The pores of the sea & the South wynd.
• * 1.368

  Nothinge im∣possible to the poure of naure.
• * 1.369

  The cause of the greatnes and force of the goulfe.
• * 1.370

  hygh and stiepe hylles
• * 1.371

  The fludde Eridanus.
• * 1.372

  Tanais.
• * 1.373

  Ganges.
• * 1.374

  Danubius.
• * 1.375

  Padus.
• * 1.376

  Alpes.
• * 1.377

  Ticinum.
• * 1.378

  The sea Adri¦atike, sume caule the go••lfe of Uenes.
• * 1.379

  An other rea∣son
• * 1.380

  The ryuer Alpheus.
• * 1.381

  Arethusa
• * 1.382

  Longe caues in the moun∣taynes.
• * 1.383

  The length and forme of the Iland. Cap. S. Augusti.
• * 1.384

  Eyght tymes bygger t••en Italy besyde that part whi¦che the Por∣tugales po••∣sesse. Italy is in length a thou••and and two hundreth myles, and in breadth foure hundreth and ten.
• * 1.385

  Cardes of the sea.
• * 1.386

  The carde of Americus Uesputius.
• * 1.387

  The carde of Colonus.
• * 1.388

  The carde of Iohannes de la Cossa.
• * 1.389

  The carde of Andreas mo∣ralis.
• * 1.390

  The maner of measuring the cardes.
• * 1.391

  Loke decade i. liber. iii.
• * 1.392

  The Iland of Cabouerde.
• * 1.393

  Maragnonum
• * 1.394

  Os Draconis
• * 1.395

  A league.
• * 1.396

  Cuchibachoa.
• * 1.397

  Caramairi.
• * 1.398

  Carthago.
• * 1.399

  The Iland Fortis.
• * 1.400

  Vraba.
• * 1.401

  Beragua.
• * 1.402

  R. Sancti Mat∣thei .i
• * 1.403

  R. Aburema
• * 1.404

  Scutum Cateba
• * 1.405

  R. Zobroba.
• * 1.406

  Vrid••.
• * 1.407

  Duraba,
• * 1.408

  Cerabaro,
• * 1.409

  Hiebra,
• * 1.410

  Note.
• * 1.411

  R. d•• los perdides
• * 1.412

  The nauigati¦on of I••••an∣nes Dias.
• * 1.413

  The eleuatiō of the pole.
• * 1.414

  The iuri••dic∣tion of the Po••tugales.
• * 1.415

  Paria,
• * 1.416

  Darlena.
• * 1.417

  Beragua.
• * 1.418

  hercules pyl∣lers.
• * 1.419

  The Ilande Boiuca or Agnaneo.
• * 1.420

  A water of maruelous vertue.
• * 1.421

  The renoua∣tion of age.
• * 1.422

  The acciden∣tes of age may bee hyd∣den.
• * 1.423

  Achemenides,
• * 1.424

  Vlyss••s.
• * 1.425

  Encas.
• * 1.426

  Extreme hun¦ger.
• * 1.427

  This was at the ••iege of hieru••alem.
• * 1.428

  Portus B••llus
• * 1.429

  Ma••mo••.
• * 1.430

  Mangy dogs eaten.
• * 1.431

  A mangy dog dere sold.
• * 1.432

  Broth of a mangy dogs skynne.
• * 1.433

  Toades eatē
• * 1.434

  A deade man eaten.
• * 1.435

  Note.
• * 1.436

  Petrus Arias whom the Spanyardes caule Ped••ari¦as.