The decades of the newe worlde or west India conteynyng the nauigations and conquestes of the Spanyardes, with the particular description of the moste ryche and large landes and ilandes lately founde in the west ocean perteynyng to the inheritaunce of the kinges of Spayne. ... Wrytten in the Latine tounge by Peter Martyr of Angleria, and translated into Englysshe by Rycharde Eden.

¶ The seconde booke of the thyrde Decade.

VAschus by thaduice of kynge Chiapes and Tuma∣cus, determyned to deferre his vyage to the sayde Ilande vntyll the nexte sprynge or summer, at which tyme Chiapes offered hym selfe to accoompany owre men and ayde thē therin all that he myght. In this meane tyme Vaschus had knowleage that these kyn¦ges had nettes and fysshynge places in certeyne stations of that sea nere vnto the shore, where they were accustomed to fyshe for sea musculs in the which perles are engendred: And that for this purpose they had certeyne dyuers or fysshers ex¦ercised frome theyr youthe in swymmynge vnder the water. But they doo this onely at certeyne tymes when the sea is calme, that they may theselyer coome to the place where these shell fyshes are woonte to lye. For the bygger that they are, soo much ly they the deaper and nerer to the bottome But the lesser, as it were dowghters to the other, are nerer the bryme

of the w••ter. Lykewyse the leaste of all, as it were their nie∣ses, are yet nearer to the superficiall parte therof. Too them of the byggeste sorte whiche lye loweste, the fysshers descende the depthe of three mens heyght, and sumtyme foure. But to the doughters or nieses as their succession, they descend one∣lye to the mydde thygh. Sumtymes also, after that the sea hathe byn disquyeted with vehemente tempestes, they fynde a greate multytude of these fysshes on the sandes, beyng dry∣uen to the shore by the vyolence of the water. The perles of these whiche are founde on the sande, are but lytle. The fisshe it selfe, is more pleasaunte in eatynge then are owre oysters as owre men report. But perhappes hunger the sweete cause of all meates, caused owre men soo too thynke. Whether per∣les bee the hartes of sea musculs (as Aristotell supposed) or the byrthe or spaune of there intrals (as Plinye thought) Or whether they cleaue contynually to the rockes, or wander by coompanies in the sea by the guydinge of thelde••e: Whether euerye fysshe brynge foorthe one perle or more, at one byrthe or at dyuers: Also whether theye bee fyled frome the rockes wherunto theye cleaue, or maye bee easylye pulled awaye, or otherwyse faule of by them selues when theye are coomme to there full grouth: Lykewyse whether perles bee harde within the shelle or softe, owre men haue as yet noo certayne experyence. But I truste or it bee longe, too knowe the truth hereof. For owre men are euen nowe in hande with the mat∣ter. Also, as soone as I shall bee aduertysed of the arryuall of Petrus Arias the capytayne of owre men, I wyll desyre hym by my letters to make diligent searche for these thynges, and certifye me therof in all poyntes. I knowe that he wyll not bee slacke or omytte any thynge herein. For he is my verye frende: and one that taketh greate pleasure in consyderynge the woorkes of nature. And surelye it seeme••h vnto me vnde∣cente, that wee shoulde with sylence ouerslyppe so greate a thynge whiche aswell in the owlde tyme as in owre dayes, hathe, & yet doothe, drawe bothe men and women to emmo∣derate desyre of superfluous pleasure. Spayne therefore shal∣be able hereafter with perles to satisfie the gredye appetite of suche as in wanton pleasures are lyke vnto Cleopatra & Asopus So that frome hensforth we shal neyther enuye nor reuerence the nyse frutefulnes of Stoidum, or Taprobana, or the re••de sea.

But lette vs nowe returne to owre purpose. Vaschus therfore determined with the fysshers of Chiapes to proue what myght bee doone in his fyshe pooles or stations of sea muscules. Chiapes to shewe hym selfe obediente to Vaschus his requeste, al∣though the sea were boystyous, coommaunded thirtye of his fysshers to prepare them selfes and to resorte to the fysshinge places. Vaschus sente onelye syxe of his men with them to bee¦holde them frome the sea bankes, but not to coommitte them selues to the daunger of the sea. The fysshynge place was distante frome the palayce of Chiapes aboute tenne myles. They durste not aduenture to dyue to the bottome by reason of the furye of the sea. Yet of the muscules whiche lye hyghest, and of suche as were dryuen to the shore by the vyolence of the water, theye broughte syxe greate farthels in the space of a fewe dayes. The perles of these were but lyttle, aboute the bygnes of smaule fytches: yet verye fayre and bewtyfull, by reason theye were taken newely owte of the fysshe, beinge yet rawe. And that they shulde not bee reproued of lyinge as concerninge the bignes of these sea musculs, they sente many of them into Spayne to the kynge with the perles, the fysshe beynge taken owte. Wee thinke verily that there maye in noo place bygger bee founde. These shelle fysshes therfore beynge thus founde here in soo manye places in that sea, and gold in maner in euerye house, doo argue the ryche treasurye of na∣ture too bee hyd in those coastes, forasmuche as suche greate ryches haue byn founde as it were in the lytle fynger of a gi∣antes hande. What then maye wee thynke of the hole hande of the gyante (for hetherto theye haue onely bynne in hande with the confynes of Vraba) when theye shall haue thorowly searched all the coastes and secreates of the inner partes of all that large lande. But Vaschus contented with these sygnes & ioyfull of his good successe in these enterprises, determined by an other waye to returne to his felowes in Dariena, where also, they haue golde mynes aboute tenne myles from the vil∣lage. He gaue therfore kyng Chiapes leaue to depart, and to fo∣lowe hym noo further: Consailyng hym to continue faythfull to the christian kynge his lorde & maister. Thus embrasinge the one the other, & ioyninge handes, Chiapes departed, with teares declaring the good mynde which he bore to owre men. Vaschus leauing his sicke mē with Chiapes, Went forward on his

iourney with the resydue, hauinge also with him for guydes three of Chiapes maryners. He conueyghed his armye ouer a greate ryuer into the dominion of a certeine kynge cauled Tea¦ocha: who beinge aduertised of the coommyng of owre men, of whose famous actes he had harde muche before, was verye gladde therof and enterteyned them honorably: So that for a token of his frendely affection towarde them, he gaue Vas∣chus twentie poundes weyght of wrought golde after eyght ounces to the pounde: Also twoo hundreth bigge perles: but not fayre, by reason they were taken owt of the musculs after they had byn sodden. After they had ioyned handes, Vaschus recompensed hym with certeyne of owre thynges. Lykewise rewardynge his guydes the seruantes of Chiapes, he dismissed them with commendations to theyr lord. Kyng Teaocha at the departure of owr men from his palaice, dyd not onely appoint them guydes to conduct them in the way, but also gaue them certeyne slaues in the steede of beastes to cary theyr vytayles, bycause they shulde passe throwgh many desertes, baren and rowgh mountaynes and terrible wooddes full of tygers and Lions. He sent also one of his sonnes with these slaues, la∣dynge them with salted and dryed fysh••, and breade of those regions, made of the rootes of Maizium and Iucca. He also commaunded his sonne not to depart from owr men vntyl he were licenced by Vaschus. By theyr conductinge therfore, Vas∣chus came to the dominion of an other kyng whose name was Pacra, a cruell tyranne, fearefull to the other kynges his bor∣therers, and of greater poure then any of them. This tyran, whether it were that his giltie conscience for his mischeuous actes, put him in feare that owre menne woolde reuenge the same, or that he thought hym selfe inferior to resist them, fled at theyr commynge. Vaschus wryteth that in these regions in the mooneth of Nouember he was sore afflicted with greate heate and intollerable thirst, by reason that syde of the moun¦taynes hath lyttle water: In soo muche that they were in daunger to haue perisshed but that certeyne of thinhabitants shewed them of a sprynge which was in the secreate place of a woodde, whither Vaschus with all speade sent twoo quycke and stronge younge men of his coompanions with theyr gour¦des and suche water vesselles as Teaocha his men browghte with them. Of thinhabitantes, there durst none depart from

there coompany bycause the wylde beastes doo soone inuade naked men. For in those mountaynes, and especially in the wooddes neare vnto the springe, they saye that they are sum∣tymes taken owte of there houses in the nyght, excepte they take good heede that the doores bee well sparde. It shall not bee frome my purpose hereto declare a particular chaūce be∣fore I enter any further in this matter. Theye saye therfore that the laste yeare the regyon of Dariena was noolesse infested and trowbeled with a fierse tyger, then was Calidonia in tyme paste with a wylde bore, and Nemea with a horrible lyon. For they affyrme that for the space of syxe hole moonethes there passed not one nyghte withowte summe hurte doone: soo that it kylled nyghtlye eyther a bullocke, a mare, a dogge, or a hogge, sumtimes euen in the highe wayes of the village. For owre men haue nowe greatheardes of cattayle in those regions. They say also that when this tyger had whelpes, noo man myght safelye goo furthe of his doores, bycause shee spared not men if shee mette fyrste with them. But at the len∣geth, necessitye enforced them to inuente a policye howe they myght bee reuenged of suche bludshed. Searchynge therfore dilygently her footesteppes, and folowynge the pathe wher∣bye shee was accustomed in the nyght season to wander owte of her denne to seeke her praye, theye made a greate trenshe or pytte in her walke, coueringe the same with hurdels wher∣vppon theye caste parte of the earthe and dispersed the resy∣due. The dogge tyger chaunsed fyrste into this pitfaul, and fel vppon the poyntes of sharpe stakes and suche other ingens as were of purpose fyxed in the bottome of the trenshe. Be∣ynge thus wounded, he rored soo terrybly, that it grated the bowels of suche as harde hym, and the wooddes and mon∣taynes neare aboute, rebounded the noyse of the horryble crye. When they perceaued that he was layde faste, they re∣sorted to the trenshe and slewe hym with stones, dartes, and pykes. With his teethe and clawes, he broke the dartes in∣to a thousande chyppes, Beynge yet deade, he was fearefull to all suche as behelde hym: what then thinke you he woolde haue doone beynge alyue and loose. One Iohannes Ledisma of Ciuile, a nere frynde to Vaschus and one of the coompanyons of his trauayles, toulde me that he hym selfe dyd eate of the fleshe of that tiger: and that it was nothinge inferyor to biefe

in goodnes. Beynge demaunded howe they knewe hit to bee a tyger forasmuche as none of them had euer seene a tyger, they answered that they knewe hit by the spottes, fiercenes, agilitye, and suche other markes and token wherby the an∣ciente writers haue described the tiger. For sum of them, had before tyme seene other spotted wilde beastes, as lybardes & panthers. The dogge tiger beynge thus kylled, theye folo∣wynge the trase of his steppes towarde the mountaines, came to the denne where the bytche remayned with her twoo younge suckynge whelpes. But shee was not in the denne at there coommynge. Theye fyrste caryed awaye the whelpes with them. But afterwarde fearynge leaste they shulde dye bycause theye were very younge, entendynge when they were bygger to sende them into Spayne, they put cheynes of yren aboute there neckes, and caryed them agayne to there denne: whither returnynge within a fewe dayes after, theye founde the denne emptye and the cheynes not remoued frome there place. Theye suppose that the damme in her furye fore them in pyeces and caryed them awaye, leste anye shulde haue the fruition of them. For theye playnely affirme that it was not possible that they shulde bee loosed frome the chaynes alyue. The skynne of the deade tyger stuffed with drye herbes and strawe, theye sente to Hispaniola to the admyrall and other of the chiefe rulers frome whome the newe landes receyue there lawes and succoure. It shall at this tyme suffyce to haue writ∣ten thus much of the tygers, as I haue lerned by the reporte of them whiche bothe susteyned domage by there rauenynge, and also handeled the skynne of that whiche was slayne. Let vs, nowe therfore returne to kynge Pacra frome whome wee haue disgressed. When Vaschus had entred into the houses for∣saken of Pacra, he sente messengiers to reconcyle hym as he had doone the other kinges. At the first he refused to coomme. But after threatenynges, he came with three other kynges in his coompanye. Vaschus writethe that he neuer sawe a more monstrous and deformed creature: And that nature hath one¦ly gyuen hym humane shape, and otherwyse to bee wor••e thē a brute beaste, with maners accordynge to the linyamentes of his bodye. He abused with moste abhominable lechery the doughters of foure kynges his brotherers frome whome hee had taken them by vyolence. Of the fylthye behauoure of

Pa••ra, of his crueltye and iniuryes doone by hym, many of the other kynges made greuous coomplayntes to Vaschus as vnto a hygh Iudge and iuste reuenger: Moste humblye besechyng hym to see suche thynges punysshed, forasmuche as theye tooke hym for a man sente of god for that purpose. Herevp∣pon Vaschus aswell to wynne their good wylles, as also too shewe an exemple of terroure to suche as vsed lyke fasshions, coommaunded that this monstrous beaste with the other three kynges whiche were subiecte to hym and of lyke condi∣tions, shulde bee geuen for a praye to his feyghtinge dogges, and their torne carkeses to bee burned. Of these dogges whi¦che theye vse in the warres, theye tell maruelous thynges. For theye saye that theye runne vppon thinhabitantes ar∣med after there maner, with noo lesse fiercenes then if theye were hartes or wylde bores, if the Spaniardes doo but one¦ly poynte towarde them with their fyngers: In soo muche that oftentymes they haue had no neede too dryue their ene∣myes too flyght with swoordes or arrowes: But haue doone the same onely with dogges placed in the forefronte of their battayle, and lettynge them slyppe with their watche woorde and priuye token. Wheruppon the barbaryans stry∣ken with feare by reason of the cruell countenaunces of the masties, with their desperate bouldenes and vnaccustomed houlynge and backynge, haue disparcled at the fyrste onsette and broke their arraye. Yet it chaunseth otherwyse when theye haue anye conflicte agaynst the Canibales and the peo∣ple of Caramairi. For these are fyerser, and more warrelyke men: Also so experte arches, that theye can moste certenlye dyrect their venemous arrowes against the dogges with su∣che celeritye as if theye were thunderboltes: By reason wher∣of, they sumtymes kyl many of thē. Thinhabytantes of these montaynes, doo not keepe warre with bowes and arrowes: But vse onelye M••chanis, that is certayne longe and broude swordes made of woodde: Also slynges, longe pykes and dartes hardened at the endes with fyere. Whyle kynge Pacra yet lyued, noo man coulde knowe of hym neyther by fayre meanes nor by foule, where he had the golde whiche was founde in his house. For owre men founde in his iewel house fyftye poundes weyght of golde. Beynge therfore demaun∣ded where he had it, he answered that they whiche gathered

the same in those montaynes in his fathers dayes, were all deade: And that sense he was a chylde, he neuer esteemed golde more then stoones. More then this, theye coulde not gette of hym. By this seuere punyshment executed vppon Pa∣cra, Vaschus concyled vnto hym the myndes of all the other kynges of that prouynce. And by this meanes it came too passe, that when he sente for the sycke men whiche he lefte behynde hym with kynge Chiapes, an other kynge whiche was in the mydde waye (whose name was Bononiama) enter∣teyned them gentellye, and gaue them .xx. pounde weyght of pure wrought golde, besyde great plentye of vyttayles. And not this onely, but also accoompanyed them hym self•• vntyll he had brought them safely frome his palaice into th•• domynyon of Pacra: Where takynge eche of them by the ryghte handes, he delyuered them to Vaschus hym selfe, as a faythefull pledge commytted too his charge, and there∣with spake to Vaschus in this effecte. Mooste myghtye and valyaunte vyctourer, beholde I here delyuer vnto yowe, yowre coompanions in suche plight as I receaued them: wis∣shynge that I had byn aswell able to gyue them healthe, as they were hertely welcoome to suche pore enterteynement as I was able to shewe them. For the fauoure and gentelnesse whiche I haue founde bothe in yowe and them, he shall re∣warde yowe whiche sendeth thunderynge and lyghtelyng to the destruction of myscheuous men, and of his clemencye gi∣ueth vnto good men plentie of Iucca and M••••izium in dewe sea¦son. As he spake these woordes, he lyfted vppe his handes and eyes towarde the soonne whome they honoure for god. Then he spake further to Vaschus, sayinge: In that yowe haue destroyed and slaine owre vyolent and proude enemies, yowe haue browght peace and quyetnesse to vs and owre fa∣melyes, and bounde vs for euer to loue and obeye yowe. Yowe haue soo ouercoome and tamed wylde monsters, that wee thynke yowe to bee sente from heauen for the punyshe∣ment of euell men and defence of innocentes, that vnder the protection of yowre myghtye swoorde, wee maye hereafter leade owre lyues withowte feare, and with more quietne••se gyue thankes to the giuer of all good thinges for h••s mercie shewed vnto vs in this behalfe. When thinterpretoure had toulde Vaschus that kyng Bononiama had sayde the••e woordes,

and suche lyke, Vaschus rendered hym lyke thankes for his humanitye declared towarde owre men, and rewarded hym as he had doone other in whome he founde lyke gentilnesse. Vaschus wryteth that he lerned manye thynges of this kynge as concernynge the greate rychesse of these regions: ••ut that he woolde at this present speake nothynge therof: And rehersethe the same as thynges lyke to haue good successe. What this implicate Hiperbole, or aduauncement meaneth, I doo not well vnderstande. But he playnely seemeth hereby to promysse many greate thynges. And surely it is to be thought that accordynge to his hope, great riches maye bee looked for. For they came in maner into none of thinhabytauntes houses, but that they found in them, eyther bresteplates or curettes of golde, or elles golden ouches, iewels, or gar∣landes to weare aboute there heades, neckes, or armes. I coniecture therfore thus by a symilitude of owre houses: If amonge vs any man of great poure were moued with the de∣syre to haue great plentye of Iron, and woolde enter into I∣talye with a mayne force as dyd the Gothes in tyme paste, what abundaunce of Iron shoulde he haue in their houses: where as he shulde fynde in one place a friyngpan, in an o∣ther a chauldron, here a tryuet, and there a spytte, and these in maner in euery pore mannes house, with suche other innu∣merable: Whereby any man maye coniecture that Iren is plentifully engendred in suche regions where they haue soo greate vse therof. Owre men also perceaued that thinhaby∣tantes of these regions do no more esteeme golde then we do Iren: nor yet soo muche after they sawe to what vse Iren serued vs. Thus muche haue I thoughte good to write too yowre holynesse of suche thynges as I haue gathered owt•• of the letters of Vaschus Nunnez, and learned by woorde of mouthe of such as were his cōpanyons in these affayres. As wee receyue them, so wee gyue them vnto yowe. Tyme which reueleth all secretes, shall hereafter mynyster larger argu∣ment of wrytynge. Theye coulde at this tyme doo no greate thynge in searchynge the golde mynes, forasmuche as of a hundreth fourescore and tenne men whiche Vaschus broughte with hym from Dariena, there remayned onely threescore and ten, or at the most fourescore, whose ayde he nowe vsed in these daungerous aduentures, leauynge euer the crased men

behynd hym in the kinges houses all the waye that he went But they mooste especially fell into sundrye diseases, whiche came lately from Hispaniola. For they were not able to abyde suche calamities as to lyue onely contented with the breade of those regions, and wylde herbes without salte, drinkinge none other then ryuer water, and that oftentimes eyther lac∣kinge or vnholsome, where as before their stomakes had byn vsed to good meates. But the owlde souldiours of Dariena, were hardened to abyde all sorowes, and exceadynge tolle∣rable of labour, heate, hunger, and watchynge: In so muche that merilye they make their booste that they haue obserued a longer and sharper lent then euer yowre holinesse inioyned. For they saye that for the space of foure hole yeares, they eate none other then herbes and frutes, excepte nowe and then perhappes fyshe, and verye seldoome fleshe: Yea, and that sumtime for lacke of al these, they haue not abhorr••d frō mangye dogges and fylt hye toades as wee haue sayde be∣fore. The owlde souldiers of Dariena, I caule those whiche fyrste folowed the capytaynes Nicuesa and Fogeda to inhabyte the lande, of the whiche nowe fewe were lyuynge. But lette vs nowe omytte these thynges, and retourne to Vaschus the victourer of the montaynes.

Notes

• The maner of fysshynge for perles.
• T••••e kindes o•• per••es.
• Dyuers ques∣ti••s as cōcer∣nynge perles
• Petrus arias
• wanton and superfluous pleasures.
• Cleopatra.
• A••opus.
• Stoidum.
• Taprobana,
• The fysshing place of king Chiapes.
• Golde in ma∣ner in euery house.
• The ryche treasurye of nature.
• The golde mynes of Dariena.
• Kynge Teao∣cha entertey∣neth vaschus frende••ye.
• Twentye pounde weight of wroughte golde.
• Desertes full of wylde beastes.
• Dryed fysshe
• Kynge Pacr•• a tyranne.
• Greate heate in the mo∣nethe of No∣uember.
• hurte by wylde bea∣stes.
• A tyger.
• Calydonia is a foreste in Scotlande.
• Nemea is a wodde in Greece.
• Tigers whel∣pes.
• Thus the E∣giptians take Crocodiles.
• The dogge tyger taken. The rorynge of the tyger.
• Tigers flesh eaten.
• The bitche tyger.
• Tigers whel¦pes.
• A straunge thynge.
• kynge Pacr••.
• Naturall ha∣tred of vyce.
• Foure kinges deuo••red of dogges.
• The vse of dogges in warre a∣geinst naked men.
• The Cany∣bales are ex∣perte ar∣chers.
• Swoordes of woodde.
• F••••tie pounde w••••ght of golde.
• kynge Bono∣niama, fr••nde to the christi∣ans.
• wroughte golde.
• The oration of kynge Bonon••ama
• The sparke of the lawe of nature, is the lawe written in the hartes of men.
• Hiperbole.
• Great plenty of golde.
• A symilitude for the profe of plentye of golde.
• Iren more estemed then golde.
• Chaunge of dyet is daun∣gerous.
• Owld•• soul∣diers.
• A longe len••.