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 thyrde Decade, to the bysshoppe of Rome Leo the tenth.

I Was determyned (moste holye father) to haue closed vp the gates to this newe worlde, sup¦posinge that I had wandered farre enowgh in the coastes therof, while in the meane time newe letters were brought me frome thense, which caused me ageyne to take my penne in hande. For I receaued letters not only from certeyne of myne acquaintaunce there, but also frome Vaschus Nunnez whome we sayde by the confidence of his owne poure with his confetherates, to haue vsurped the gouernaunce of Dariena after the reiecting of Nicues•• and Ane••sus, Lieuetenantes. By his letter wrytten after his warlyke maner, wee vnder∣stand that he hath passed ouer the mountaynes, diuidyng the Ocean knowen to vs, from the other mayne sea on the south syde of this lande hetherto vnknowen. His epistell is greater then that cauled Capreensis de Seiano. But wee haue gathered out of that and other, onely suche thynges as we thowght moste woorthy to bee noted. Vaschus soo behaued hym selfe in these affayres, that he dyd not onely pacifie the kynges displeasure

conceaued ageynst hym, but also made hym so fauorable and gracious good lorde towarde hym, that he rewarded him and his coompanions with many honorable gyftes and priuileges for theyr attemptes. Wherfore I desyre yowre holynes to in¦clyne yowre attentiue cares, and to consyder with a ioyfull mynde what they haue browght to passe in these great enter∣pryses. For this valiante nation (the Spanyardes I meane) haue not onely with greate paynes and innumerable dangers subdued to the Christian empire, infinite hundre••es and legi∣ons, but also myriades of men. Vaschus Nunnez therfore, whe∣ther it were that he was impacient of Idlenes (for a valiente mynde can not rest in one place or bee vnoccupyed) or leaste a∣ny other shulde preuent hym in soo great a matter (suspecting the newe gouernour Petrus Arias) or being moued by both these causes, and especially for that the kynge had taken displea∣sure with hym for such thynges as he had doone before, toke thaduenture vppon hym with a fewe men to brynge that to passe which the sonne of kynge Comogrus thought could hard∣ly haue byn doone with the ayde of a thousande men, wherof Petrus Arias was appoynted capitayne for the same purpose. As∣semblynge therfore certeyne of the owlde souldiers of Dariena, and many of those whiche came lately from Hispaniola, allured by the fame of greater plentie of golde, he gathered an armye of a hundreth fourescore and tenne men. Thus beinge fur∣nysshed and redie to take his vyage by sea, whyle the wynde serued hym, he departed frome Dariena with one brygantine and tenne of theyr boates whiche they caule Canoas as wee haue sayde. Fyrst therfore arryuynge in the dominion of Care¦ta kynge of Coiba and frende to the Christians, and leauynge his shyppe and boates there, he made his deuout prayers to al¦myghtie god, and therwith went forwarde on his iourney by lande toward the mountaynes. Here he fyrst entered into the region of kynge Poncha, who fledde at his commyng as he had doone before. But Vaschus sent messengers to hym by the con¦duct of certeyne of Careta his men, promysinge hym frendsh••p and defence ageynst his enemies, with many other benefites. Poncha thus entysed with the fayre speache and frendely pro∣fers bothe of owre men and of the Caretans, came to owr men gladly and wyllyngely makynge a league of frendshippe with them, Vaschus enterteyned hym very frendely, and persuaded

hym neuer therafter to stande in feare. Thus they ioyned handes, embrased, and gaue greate gyftes the one to the o∣ther to knytte vp the knotte of contin••all amitie. Ponc••a gaue Vaschus a hundreth and ten poundes weyght of golde, of ••hat pounde which the Spanyardes caule Pesum. He had no grea∣ter plentie of golde at this tyme, by reason he was spoyled the yeare before as we haue sayde. Vaschus to recompence one benefyte with an other, gaue hym certeyne of owre thynges, as counterfet rynges, Christal stones, copper cheynes & brase lettes, haukes belles, lokynge glasses, and suche other fyne stuffe. These thynges they set much by and greately esteeme. For suche thynges as are straunge, are euery where counted precious. He gaue also to Poncha certeyne axes to fell trees: which he accepted as a princely gyfte, bycause they lacke I∣ren and all other metals except golde: by reason wherof they are enforced with greate laboure to cut theyr trees to buylde theyr houses, and especially to make theyr boates holowe withowte instrumentes of Iren, with certeyne sharpe stones whiche they fynde in the ryuers. Thus Vaschus leauynge all thynges in safetie behynde hym, marched forwarde with his armye towarde the mountaynes, by the conducte of certeyne guydes and labourers which Poncha had gyuen hym, as well to leade hym the way, as also to cary his baggages and open the straightes through the desolate places and craggy rockes full of the dennes of wylde beastes. For there is seldoome en∣tercourse or byinge and sellynge betwene these naked people, bycause they stand in neede of fewe thynges and haue not the vse of money. But yf at any tyme they exercise any bartering they doo it but nere hande, exchangynge golde for housholde stuffe with theyr confines whiche sumewhat esteeme the same for ornamente when it is wrough••. Other superfluities they vtterly contemne, as hynderances of theyr sweete libertie, for asmuch as they are gyuen only to play and Idelnes. And for this cause, the high wayes which lye betwene theyr regions are not much worne with many iorneys. Yet haue theyr scou¦tes certeyne priuie markes whereby they knowe the waye the one to inuade the others dominions, and spoyle and infeste them selues on bothe sydes with mutual incursions priuilie in the nyght season. By the helpe therfore of theyr guydes and labourers, with owre carpenters, he passed ouer the horrible

mountaynes and many greate ryuers lyinge in the way, ouer the which h•• made brydges eyther with pyles or trunkes of trees. And here doo I let passe manye thynges whiche they su••fered for lacke of necessaries, beinge also in maner ouer∣come with extreme laboure, leaste I shulde bee tedious in re∣hersinge thynges of smaule value. But I haue thought it good not to omitte suche doinges as he had with the kynges by the waye. Therefore or euer he came to the toppes of the hygh mountaynes, he entered into a Region cauled Quarequa, and mette with the kynge thereof cauled by the same name, with a greate hande of men armed after theyr maner, as with bowes and arrowes, longe and brode two handed swordes made of wodde, longe staues hardened at the endes with fy∣er, dartes also and slynges. He came proudely and cruelly a∣geynst owre men, and sent messengers to them to byd theym stande and procede no further: demaundynge whyther they went and what they hadde to doo there. Herewith he came foorth and shewed hym selfe beinge appareled with al his no¦bilitie: but the other were all naked. Then approchinge to∣warde owre men, he thretened thē with a lions countenance to depart from thense except they woolde bee slayne euery mo¦thers sonne. When owre men denyed that they woolde goo backe, he assayled them fiercely. But the battayle was sone fyny••••••ed. For as soone as they harde the noyse of the har∣gabu••••es, they beleued that owre menne caryed thunder and lyghtenynge about with them. Many also beinge slayne and sore wounded with quarels of crossebowes, they turned their backes and fledde. Owre men folowynge them in the chase, hewed them in pieses as the butchers doo flesshe in the sham∣welles, from one an arme, from an other a legge, from hym a buttocke, from an other a shulder, and from sume the necke from the bodye at one stroke. Thus, syxe hundreth of them with theyr kynge, were slayne lyke brute beastes. Vaschus founde the house of this kynge infected with most abhomina¦ble and vnnaturall lechery. For he founde the kynges bro∣ther and many other younge men in womens apparell, smoth & effeminately decked, which by the report of such as dwelte abowte hym, he abused with preposterous venus. Of these abowte the number of fortie, he commaunded to bee gyuē for a pray to his dogges. For (as we haue sayd) the Spaniardes

vs•• he helpe of dogges in their warres ageynst the naked peo∣ple whom they inuade as fiercely and rauenyngely as yf they were wylde boares or hartes. In soo muche that owre Spa∣nyardes haue founde theyr dogges noo lesse faythful to them in all daungiours and enterpryses, then dyd the Colophoni∣ans or Castabalenses which instituted hole armies of dogges soo made to serue in the warres, that beinge accustomed to place them in the fore froonte of the battayles, they neuer shrunke or gaue backe. When the people had harde of the se∣uere punysshement which owr men had excecuted vppon that fylthy kynde of men, they resorted to theim as it had byn to Hercules for refuge, by violence bryngyng with them al such as they knewe to bee infected with that pestilence, spettynge in theyr faces and cryinge owte to owre men to take reuenge of them and rydde them owte of the worlde from amonge mē as contagious beastes. This stinkynge abhomination hadde not yet entered amonge the people, but was exercised onely by the noble men and gentelmen. But the people lyftinge vp theyr handes and eyes toward heauen, gaue tokens that god was greuously offended with such vyle deedes. Affirmynge this to bee the cause of theyr soo many thunderinges, lyght∣nynge, and tempestes wherwith they are soo often troubeled: And of the ouerflowinge of waters which drowne theyr sets and frutes, whereof famenne and dyuers diseases insue, as they simplye and faythfully beleue, although they knowe none other god then the soonne, whom onely they honoure, thinkynge that it dooth bothe gyue and take awaye as it is pleased or offended. Yet are they very docible, and easye to bee allured to owre customes and religion, if they had any tea¦chers. In theyr language there is nothynge vnpleasaunte to the eare or harde to bee pronounced, but that all theyr woordes may bee wrytten with latin letters as wee sayde of thinhabitantes of Hispaniola. It is a warlyke nation, & hath byn euer hetherto molestous to theyr bortherers. But the re∣gion is not fortunate with frutful ground or plentie of gold. Yet is it full of greate barren mountaynes beinge sumewhat colde by reason of theyr heyght. And therfore the noble men and gentelmen are apparelled. But the common people lyue content onely with the benefytes of nature. There is a regi∣on not past two dayes iourney distant from Quarequa, in which

they founde only blacke Moores: and those excedynge fierce and cruell. They suppose that in tyme paste certeyne blacke mores sayled thether owt of Aethiopia to robbe: & that by ••hippewracke or sume other chaunce, they were dryuen to those mountaynes. Thinhabitantes of Quarequa lyue in con∣tinuall warre and debate with these blacke men. Here Vaschus le••uinge in Quarequa many of his souldiers (which by reason they were not yet accustomed to such trauayles and hunger, fell into dyuers diseases) tooke with hym certeyne guydes of the Quarequatans to conduct hym to the toppes of the moun¦taynes. From the palaice of kynge Poncha, to the prospect of the other south sea, is only syxe dayes iorney: the which ne¦uerthelesse by reasō of many hynderances and chaunces, and especially for lacke of vytayles, he coulde accomplyshe in noo le••se then .xxv. dayes. But at the length, the seuenth daye of the calendes of October, he behelde with woonderinge eyes the toppes of the hygh mountaynes shewed vnto hym by the guydes of Quarequa, from the whiche he myght see the other sea soo longe looked for, and neuer seene before of any man commynge owte of owre worlde. Approchinge therefore to the toppes of the mountaynes, he commaunded his armye to stey, and went him selfe alone to the toppe, as it were to take the fyrst possession therof. Where, faulynge prostrate vppon the grounde, and raysinge hym selfe ageyne vpon his knees as is the maner of the Christians to pray, lyftynge vppe his eyes and handes towarde heauen, and directinge his face to¦warde the newe founde south sea, he poored foorth his hum¦ble and deuout prayers before almyghtie God as a spirituall sacrifice with thankes gyuing, that it had pleased his diuine maiestie to reserue vnto that day the victorie and praise of so greate a thynge vnto hym, beinge a man but of smaule witte and knowleage, of lyttle experience and base parentage.

When he had thus made his prayers after his warlike maner he beckened with his hande to his coompanions to coome to hym, shewynge them the greate mayne sea heretofore vnkno∣wen to thinhabitantes of Europe, Aphrike, and Asia. Here ageyne he fell to his prayers as before: desyringe almyghtie God and the blessed virgin to fauour his beginninges, and to gyue hym good successe to subdue those landes to the glorie of his holy name and encrease of his trewe religion. All his

coompanions dyd lykewyse, and praysed god with loude voy¦ces for ioye. Then Vaschus, with no lesse manlye corage then Hanniball of Carthage shewed his souldiers Italye and the promontories of the Alpes, exhorted his men to lyft vp their hartes, and to behoulde the lande euen nowe vnder theyr feete, and the sea before theyr eyes, whiche shulde bee vnto them a full and iust rewarde of theyr great laboures and tra∣uayles nowe ouerpa••sed. When he had sayde these woordes, he commaunded them to raise certeine heapes of stones in the steede of alters for a token of possession. Then descendynge from the toppes of the mountaynes, least such as might come after hym shulde argue hym of lyinge or falshod, he wrote the kynge of Castelles name here and there on the barkes of the trees bothe on the ryght hande and on the lefte: and raysed heapes of stones all the way that he went, vntyll he came to the region of the nexte kynge towarde the south whose name was Chiapes. This kynge c••me foorthe ageynste hym with a greate multitude of men: threateninge and forbyddynge him not onely to passe through his dominions, but also to goo no further. Herevppon, Vaschus set his battayle in array, and exhorted his men (beinge nowe but fewe) fiercely to assayle theyr enemies, and to esteeme theym noo better then dogges meate as they shulde bee shortly. Placeinge therfore the har∣gabusiers and masties in the forefroonte, they saluted kynge Chiapes and his men with su••h a larome, that when they hard the noyse of the gunnes, sawe the flames of fyer, and sme••te the sauour of brymstone (for the wynde blewe towarde them) they droue them selues to flyght with suche feare leaste thun∣derboultes and lyghtnynges folowed theim, that manye fell downe to the grounde: whom owre men pursuinge, fyrst kee¦pinge theyr order, and after breakyng theyr array, slewe but fewe and tooke many captiue. For they determined to vse no extremitie, but to pacifie those Regions as quie••lye as they myght. Enteringe therfore into the palaice of kynge Ch••apes, Vaschus commaunded many of the captiues to bee loo••ed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lynge them to search owte theyr kynge, and to 〈…〉〈…〉 to coome ••hyther: And that in soo doinge, he woolde h••e his frende and profer hym peace, besyde ma••y 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••enefites. But if he refused to coome, it shulde turne to the destruction of hym and his, and vtter subuersion of his contrey. ••nd

that they myght the more assuredly do this message to Chiape•• he sent with them certeyne of the guydes whiche came with hym from Qnnrequa.

Thus Chiapes beinge persuaded aswel by the Quareqans who coulde coniecture to what ende the matter woolde coome by thexperience whiche they had seene in them selues and theyr kynge, as also by the reasons of his owne men to whome Vas¦chus hadde made soo frendely promyses in his behalfe, came foorthe of the caues in the whiche he lurked, and submytted hym selfe to Vaschus, who accepted hym frendelye. They ioy∣ned handes, embrased the one the other, made a perpetuall league of frendeshippe, and gaue greate rewardes on bothe sydes. Chiapes gaue Vaschus foure hundreth poundes weyght of wrought goulde of those poundes whiche they caule Pesos: And Vaschus recompensed hym ageyne with certeyne of owre thynges. Thus beinge made freendes, they remayned togy∣ther a fewe dayes vntyll Vaschus souldiers were coome which he lefte behynde hym in Quarequa. Then caulinge vnto hym the guydes and labourers which came with hym from thense he rewarded them liberallye and dismissed theym with than∣kes. Shortly after, by the conduct of Chiapes hym selfe, and certeyne of his men, departinge from the toppes of the moun¦taynes, he came in the space of foure dayes to the bankes of the newe sea: where assemblynge al his men togyther with the kynges scribes and notaries, they addicted al that maine sea with all the landes adiacent there vnto to the dominion and Empire of Castile. Here he left part of his souldiers with Chiapes that he myght theselier searche those coastes. And ta∣kyng with hym nyne of theyr lyghters made of one hole tree (which they caule Culchas as thinhabitantes of Hispaniola caul them Canoas) and also a bande of fourescore men with certeine of Chiapes men, he passed ouer a greate ryuer and came to the region of a certeyne kynge whose name was Coquera. He at∣tempted to resyste owre men as dyd the other, and with lyke successe: for he was ouercoome and put to flyght. But Vaschus who entended to wynne hym with gentelnes, sente certeyne Chiapeans to him to declare the greate poure of owre menner howe inuincible they were: howe mercifull to such as submit them selues, also cruell and seuere to such as obstinatly with stande them. Promysinge hym furthermore, that by the frēd¦shippe

of owre men, he myght bee well assured by thexemple of other, not onely to lyue in peace and quietnes hym selfe, but also to bee reuenged of thiniuries of his enemies. Wylling hym in conclusion soo to weigh the matter, that if he refused this gentelnes profered vnto hym by soo greate a victourer, he shulde or it were longe, lerne by feelynge to repent him to late of that perel which he myght haue auoyded by hearing. Coquera with these woordes and exemples, shaken with great feare, came gladly with the messengers, bryngyng with him syxe hundreth & .l. Pesos of wrought gold, which he gaue vnto owre men. Vaschus rewarded hym lykewise as we sayd before of Poncha, Coquera beinge thus pacified, they returned to the palaice of Chiapes. Where, visitinge theyr companions, and re¦stynge there a whyle, Vaschus determyned to search the nexte greate goulfe, the which, from the furthest reachynge therof into the lande of theyr countreys, from the enteraunce of the mayne sea, they saye to bee threescore myles. This they na∣med saynt Mychaeld goulfe, which they say to bee full of in∣habited Ilandes ans hugious rockes. Enteringe therefore into the nyne boates or Culchas wherwith he passed ouer the ryuer before, hauinge also with hym the same coompanye of fourescore hole men, he wente forwarde on his purpose, al∣though he were greatly dissuaded by Chiapes, who ernestly de¦syred hym not to attempt that vyage at that tyme, affirming the goulfe to be soo tempestious and stormy three moonethes in the yeare, that the sea was there by noo meanes nauigable: And that he had seene many Culchas deuoured of whirlepoles euen beefore his eyes. But inuincible Vaschus, impaciente of idlenes, and voyde of all feare in goddes cause, aunswered that god and his holy sayntes woolde prosper his enterpry∣ses in this case, forasmuche as the matter touched God and the defence of the Christian religion, for the maynetenaunce wherof it shulde bee necessarie to haue great abundance of ry∣ches & treasure as the synewes of war ageynste the enemies of the faythe. Thus vsinge also thoffice both of an oratoure and preacher, and hauinge persuaded his coompanyons, he lanched from the ••lande. But Chiapes, least Vaschus shulde any thynge doubt of his faythfulnes towarde hym, profered him selfe to goo with hym whither soo euer he went: And wolde by noo meanes assent that Vaschus shulde depart from his pa∣laice,

but that he woolde brynge hym on the waye and take part of his fortune. Therfore as soone as they were nowe en¦tered into the maine sea, such sourges and conflictes of water arose ageynst them that they were at theyr wyttes endes whi¦ther to turne them or where to reste. Thus beinge tossed and amased with feare, the one loked on the other with pale and vncherefull countenaunces. But especially Chiapes and his coompany, who had before tyme with theyr eyes seetle thex∣perience of those ••eoderdies, were greatly discomforted. Yet (as god woolde) they escaped all, and landed at the nexte I∣lande: Where makynge faste theyr boates, they rested there that nyght. Here the water soo encreased, that it almost o∣uerdowed the Iland. They say also that that south sea doth soo in maner boyle and swelle, that when it is at the hyghest it doth couer many greate rockes, which at the faule therof, are seene farre aboue the water. But on the contrary parte, all suche as inhabite the North sea, affirme with one voyce, that hit scarsely riseth at any tyme a cubet aboue the bankes as they also confesse which inhabite the Ilande of Hispanio¦la and other Ilandes situate in the same. The Ilande ther∣fore beinge nowe drye by the faule of the water, they resor∣ted to theyr boates which they founde all ouerwhelmed and full of sande, and sume sore brused, with great ryftes, and almost lost by reason theyr cables were broken. Such as were brused, they tyed fast with theyr gyrdels, with slippes of the barkes of trees, and with tough and longe stalkes of certein herbes of the sea, stopping the ryftes or chynkes with grasse accordynge to the presente necessitie. Thus were they enfor∣ced to returne backe ageyne lyke vnto men that came frome shippewracke, beinge almost consumed with hunger, bycause theyr vytayles were vtterly destroyed by tempeste. Thinhabi¦tantes declared that there is harde all the yeare horrible ro∣rynge of the sea amonge those Ilandes as often as it rysethe or fauleth. But this most especially in those three monethes in the which it is moste boystious as Chiapes towlde Vaschus be¦fore: Meanynge (as they coulde coniecture by his woordes) October, Nouember, and December: for he signifie) the pre¦sent moone and the twoo moones folowynge, countynge the moonethes by the moones, whereas it was nowe October. Here therefore refresshynge hym selfe and his souldiers a

whyle, and passynge by one vnprofitable kynge, he came to an other whose name was Tumaccus, after the name of the re∣gion, beinge situate on that syde of the goulfe. This Tumaccus came foorth ageynste owre men as dyd the other, and with lyke fortune. For he was ouercoome, dryuen to flyght, and many of his men slayne. He hym selfe was also sore woun∣ded, but yet escaped. Vaschus sent certeyne messengers of the Chiapeans to hym to returne, and not to bee afrayde. But he could be nothyng moued nether by promysses nor threatenin¦ges. Yet when the messengers were instant, & ceassed not to threaten death to him and his famely, with the vtter desola∣tion of his kyngedome if he persisted in that obstinacie, at the length he sent his soonne with them: whom Vaschus hono∣rably enterteyninge, apparelinge hym gorgiously and gyuing hym many gyftes, sent hym to his father, wyllynge hym to persuade hym of the puissaunce, munificence, liberalitie, hu¦manitie, and clemencie of owre men. Tumaccus beinge mooued by this gentelnes declared toward his sonne, came with him the thyrde day, bryngynge nothynge with hym at that tyme. But after that he knewe that owre men desyred goulde and pearles, he sent for syxe hundreth and .xiiii. Pesos of golde, and two hundreth and fortie of the biggest and fayrest perles besyde a great number of the smaulest sorte. Owre men mar∣ueyled at the byggenes and fayrenes of these perles although they were not perfectely whyte bycause they take theym not owte of the sea musculs excepte they fyrst rost them, that they may theselyer open them selfe, and also that the fysshe maye haue the better taste, whiche they esteeme for a delicate and princely dysshe, and set more thereby then by the perles them selues. Of these thynges I was enformed of one Arbolantius beinge one of Vaschus coompanions whom he sent to the kyng with manye perles and certeyne of those sea musculs. But when Tum••ccus sawe that owre men soo greatly regarded the bewtie of the perles, he commaunded certeyne of his men to prepare them selues to goo a fysshynge for perles. Who de∣partinge, came ageyne within foure dayes, bringynge with them twelue pounde weight of orient perles after eight oun∣ces to the pounde. Thus reioysinge on bothe parties, they embrased and made a league of continual frendeshippe. Tumac∣cus thought him selfe happie that he had presented owre men

with such thankeful gyftes and was admitted to theyr frend¦shippe: and owre men thinkynge them selues happie and bles¦sed that they had founde suche tokens of great ryches, swa∣lowed downe theyr spettle for thyrste. At all these doinges, kynge Chiapes was present as a wytnes and coompanion. He also reioysed not a lyttle, aswell that by his conductinge he sawe that owre men shulde bee satisfied of theyr desyre, as al¦so that by this meanes he had declared to the next kynge his bortherer and enemie, what frendes he had of owre men, by whose ayde he myght lyue in quyetnes and bee reuenged of his aduersarie if neede shulde soo requyre. For (as wee haue sayde) these naked kynges infeste theim selues with greuous warres onely for ambition and desyre to rule. Vaschus bosteth in his epistell, that he lerned certeyne maruelous secreates of Tumaccus him selfe as concernynge the greate ryches of this lande: wherof (as he sayth) he woold vtter nothyng at this presente, for asmuche as Tumaccus toulde it him in his eare. But he was enformed of bothe the kynges, that there is an Ilande in that goulfe, greater then any of the other, hauing in it but onely one kynge, and hym of soo great poure, that at suche tymes of the yeare as the sea is caulme, he inuadethe theyr dominions with a greate nauie of Culchas, spoyling and caryinge a way for a praye, all that he meeteth. This Iland is distant from these coastes, onely twentie myles: Soo that the promontories or poyntes therof rechyng into the sea, may bee seene from the hylles of this Continent. In the sea nere about this Ilande, sea musculs are engendred of such quanti¦tie, that many of them are as brode as buckelers, In these are perles founde (beinge the hartes of those shell fysshes) of∣ten tymes as bygge as beanes, sumtymes bygger then olyues and such as sumptuous Cleopatra myght haue desyred. Al∣thoughe this Ilande bee soo nere to the shore of this firme lande, yet is the begynnyng therof in the mayne sea without the mouth of the goulfe. Vaschus beinge ioyfull and mery with this rych communication, fantasinge nowe in maner nothing but princes treasures, beganne to speake fierce and cruell woordes ageynst the tyranne of that Ilande, meanyng here∣by too woonne the myndes of the other kynges, and bynde them to hym with a nearer bande of frendeship. Yet therfore raylynge further on hym with spytefull and opprobrious

woordes, he swore great othes that he woolde furthwith in¦uade the Ilande, spoylynge, destroyinge, burnynge, drow∣nynge, and hangynge, sparinge neyther swoorde nor fyre, vntyll he hadde reuenged theyr iniuries: And therwith com∣maunded his Culchas to bee in a redynes. But the twoo kyn∣ges Chiapes and Tumaccus, exhorted hym frendly to deferre this enterprise vntyll a more quiete season, bycause that sea was not nauigable withowte greate daunger, beinge nowe the be¦gynnynge of Nouember. Wherin the kynges seemed to saye trewe. For as Vaschus hym selfe wryteth, great roryng of the sea was harde amonge the Ilandes of the goulfe by reasō of the raginge and conflicte of the water. Great ryuers also des∣cending from the toppes of the mountaynes the same time of the yeare, & ouerflowyng theyr bankes, dryuyng downe with theyr vyolence greate rockes and trees, make a marueylous noyse. Lykewise the furie of the South and Northeast wyn¦des, associate with thunder and lyghtnynge at the same sea∣son, dyd greatly moleste them. Whyle the wether was fayre they were vexed in the night with could: and in the day time, the heate of the sonne troubled them: wherof it is noo mar∣uaile, forasmuche as they were neare vnto the Equinoctiall lyne, although they make noo mention of the eleuation of the pole. For in such regions, in the nyght, the mone and other coulde planettes: but in the daye, the soone and other hotte planettes, doo chiefely exercise theyr influence: Althowghe the antiquitie were of an other opinion, supposinge th•• Equi¦noctiall circle to bee vnhabitable and desolate by reason of the heate of the soonne hauinge his course perpendiculerly or directly ouer the same: except a fewe of the contrary opinion, whose assertions the Portugales haue at these dayes by ex∣perience proued to bee trewe. For they saile yearely to thinha∣bitantes of the south pole, being in maner Antipodes to the peo¦ple cauled Hyperborei vnder the North pole, and exercise mar∣chaundies with them. And here haue I named Antipodes, foras¦much as I am not ignorant that there hath byn men of singu¦lar witte and great lernyng, which haue denyed that there is Antipodes: that is, such as walke feete to feete. But it is most certeyne, that it is not gyuen to anye one man to knowe all thynges. For euen they ••lso were men: whose propertie is to erre and bee deceaued in many thynges. Neuerthelesse, the

Portugales of owre tyme, haue sayled to the fyue and fyftie degree of the south pole: Where, coompasinge abowte the poynt thereof, they myght see throughowte al the heauen a∣bout the same, certeyne shynynge whyte cloudes here & there amonge the starres, lyke vnto theym whiche are seene in the tracte of heauen cauled Lactea via, that is, the mylke whyte waye. They say, there is noo notable starre neare about that pole lyke vnto this of owres which the cōmon people thynke to bee the pole it selfe (cauled of the Italians Tramontana, and of the Spanyardes Nortes) but that the same fauleth benethe the Ocean. When the sonne descendeth from the myddeste of the exiltree of the woorlde frome vs, it rysethe to them, as a payre of balances whose weyght inclynynge from the equall poyse in the myddest towarde eyther of the sydes, causeth the one ende to ryse as much as the other fauleth. When there∣fore it is autumne with vs, it is sprynge tyme with thē: And summer with vs when it is wynter with them. But it su••fi∣seth to haue sayde thus much of strange matters. Let vs now therfore returne to the historie and to owre men.

Notes

• Ua••chus Nun¦n••z, gouernor of Dariena.
• The newe south Ocean.
• ••••mmendati∣•••• of the Spa¦••••ardes.
• •• Ualient mynd can not ••ee ydle.
• •• desperate ••duenture
• Uaschus his v••age toward ••he golden ••ountaynes.
• Careta kynge of Coiba
• kyng Poncha
• A hundreth & x. poundes weyght of golde.
• Strange thin¦ges are coun∣ted precious.
• Lacke of ••ren.
• A stone in the steede of Irē.
• Superflu••∣ties hynder libertie.
• Carpenters.
• Brydges.
• The region of Quarequa.
• kinge Quare∣qua is dryuen to flyght.
• hargabus••es.
• Crossebow••s
• vi. C. Barbari¦ans are s••aine
• Unnatural le∣chery.
• The vse of dogges in the warre agenst the naked Barbarians.
• Naturaul ha∣tred of vnna∣tural sinne.
• Palatini.
• I wolde all men were of this opinion.
• The harue•••• is great & the woorkemen but fewe.
• warre••yke people.
• The hygher the cou••der.
• A region of black moores
• Diseases of change of ayer & dyet.
• The south sea.
• Ua••chus is coome to the fyght of the newe south sea.
• Prayer.
• God rayseth the poore frō the dungehyl
• hanniball of Carthage.
• Uaschus ta∣keth possessi∣on of the mountaynes
• kynge Chia∣pes.
• A battayle.
• Chiapes is d••yuen to f••yght.
• Ua••chus sen∣••••th for k••ng 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Chiapes sub∣mitteth hym selfe to Uas∣chus.
• iiii.C. pounds weyght of wrought gold.
• Uaschus ad∣dicteth the newe land & sea, to the do∣minion of Castile.
• kynge Coque¦ra is dryuen to flygh••.
• Uaschus vseth both gentelnes and rigour.
• vi.C. and .l. poundes weyght of wrought gold
• A goulfe of threescore myles.
• Saynt Mich••¦els goulfe
• The manly corage and godly zeale of Uaschus
• Ryche•• are the synewea of warre
• The faythful¦nes of kynge Chiapes.
• A tempest on the sea.
• The increa∣sing of the South sea.
• The Northe Ocean.
• hard shyft in necessitie.
• The Region Tumacca.
• kynge Tu∣maccus is dri¦uen to flyght.
• Golde and perles,
• Musculs of the sea.
• Fysshyng for perles
• xii pounde weyght of perles.
• The thyrst of golde.
• Ambition a∣monge naked men.
• This Ilande is cauled Margarites Diues, or Di∣tes.
• A kynge of greate poure.
• Biggeperles.
• Cleopatra, queene of E∣gypt resolued a pearle in vineger and drunke it, price.v. thou∣sande pounde of owr mony. thef••rcenes of U••schus.
• Great ryuer•• faulyng from mounta••nes.
• Thunder and lyghtnynge in Nouember.
• Colde in the nyght nere the Equinoc∣tial.
• habitable re∣gions vnder the Equinocti¦all lyne.
• The natiuita∣tions of the Portiugales towarde the southe pole. Antipodes. he meaneth S. Augustine and Lectau∣tius.
• The starres ••b••i••••e the southe pole.
• Lactea via.
• A simyli••ude declarynge Antipodes.