The history of trauayle in the VVest and East Indies, and other countreys lying eyther way, towardes the fruitfull and ryche Moluccaes As Moscouia, Persia, Arabia, Syria, Ægypte, Ethiopia, Guinea, China in Cathayo, and Giapan: vvith a discourse of the Northwest passage. Gathered in parte, and done into Englyshe by Richarde Eden. Newly set in order, augmented, and finished by Richarde VVilles.

An Abridgement of. P. Martyr his .5.6.7. and .8. Decades, and particulerly of Ferd. Cortesius conquest of Mexico, by. R. VV.

THe fyrst foure Decades of. P. Martyr, you haue already seene done into Englyshe by R. Eden, as also certayne parcelles of the foure last. P. Martir made eight decades of the west Indish newes: in lesse labour these may be run ouer, speciall regarde being had vnto that Decade wherein the more princi∣pall matter is expressed: I meane the fyrst, and that chiefly for the famous conquest of the citie Themistitan, in Mexico pro∣uince, yea of all that great region we doe nowe vsually call newe Spaine. As for the sixte Decade, it conteyneth very little matter woorth the rehearsal, except it be certeine reportes of the Spani∣ards, how they found, where they traueyled in the West Indies, plough stuffe of gold: that the prince of Nicoragua with his fami∣ly became christian: that certaine beardles Indians greatly feare suche men as haue beardes: that they vse to sacrifice lyue men vn∣to their Idolles, eyther taken in the warres, or fatted vp at home bountefully for that purpose: that Nicoragua Mere, for the great∣nesse and vnknowen length thereof, for the ebbes and fluddes and many Ilandes therin, myght woorthely be called a freshe water sea. This freshet hath ben thought to run into the Northwesterne streicte, rather of ignorance (the course therof being not through∣ly knowen) than that it so falleth out in deede, as. P. Martyr wry∣teth. Finally in the .9. & .10. bookes of the sixt Decade, newes is sent to Rome of the controuersie betwixt the Spaniardes & Por∣tugales, concernyng the Moluccaes, handled more effectually & in more ample maner, by. R. Eden. Fol. 448. than. P. Martyr in this place penned it. Wherfore it were a needlesse woorke and actum agere in deede to trouble the reader therewith any further, especi∣ally whereas in this volume, mention hath ben made therof, euen by. P. Martyr him selfe, as you haue already seene.

The lyke opinion am I also of, touching the .vii. & .viii. decades, some parcels wherof the Aucthour doth repeate out of his former

writinges as Dec. 7. c. 2. the ruine of the Ilandes Iucaies, out of his fourth Dec. c. 3. Item out of the second Decade. c. 10. the na∣ture of that spring in the Ilande Boiuca, otherwyse called Agna∣neo, the water whereof who so drinketh, by reporte, of an old man becommeth young agayne, is in many woordes repeated by. P. Martyr, Dec. 7. c. 7. the whole summe of whose seconde discourse thereof is expressed in the former place, by. R. Edens addition of this clause (Perhappes with some diet) the which woordes are not in P. Martyr his texte: to be shorte, the two kindes of breade the Indians doe make of the rootes Iucca, and a kynd of graine called Maiz, suffitiently declared. Dec. 1. lib. 1. &. Dec. 3. lib. 5. lib. 9. Dec. 3. be repeated againe, Dec. 8. c. 3. Other parcelles of these aforesayd Decades, wherein the subtelties of theyr Magici∣ans and Coniurers Peaces or Pages are discribed, their Tigres crueltie, their sundry kindes of wylde beastes, foule, & Serpents, their diuers sortes of trees and fruites, partly may you reade of in the breuiarie of Gonzal. Ferd. Ouiedus historie: as of the fountayne of pytch, the stone pellets naturally made for Gunnes. Fol. 224. out of the .7. Decade. c. 7. and the Glowoormes out of the same c. 9. partly in R. Eden his notes of newe Spayne, Peru, Rio de la Plata, Baccaleos, and Florida, set downe in this volume. Fol. 225. as particulerly of the Nutshelles vsed in steede of money, taken out of P. Mart. Dec. 8. c. 4. Partly in Theuetus woorkes of the newe founde worlde, Englished long since, and finally in those bookes which sundry learned Simplicistes haue lately written prin∣cipally to ayde the Phisitians of our tyme.

Some other curiosities there be conteyned in. P. Martyr his two last Decades, namely the Iucaien women, to be so fayre, that for theyr loue other countrey Barbares seeke to inhabite those I∣landes. Dec. 7. c. 1. The Spanyardes well vsed of the Iucaiens, contrary to all curtesie, to haue carried away many of those Ilan∣ders into slauery and misery: Agayne certayne traueylers to haue ben seene there that had tayles lyke fyshe. Dec. 7. c. 2. Fonde fan∣tasies of mens soules departed, Dec. 7. c. 3. wandring first North and than South about the worlde, afterwarde to growe young a∣gayne in iolitie: Agayne, other to imagine that the departed soules rest in Caues, and to be that reflexion of the ayre the which we doe call Eccho. Dec. 8. c. 9. The contention betwixte Garaius

and Cortesius, for ambition, Dec. 7. c. 5. & Dec. 8. cap. 1. & .2. The great Cormorantes that deuoure fishe of fyue pounde weight at one morsel. Dec. 7. c. 9. The shamelesse daunses of naked women at theyr funeralles and obsequies. Dec. 7. c. 10. Theyr woorship∣ping of the crosse in Saltier .x. Or made thus, x vppon theyr newe borne babes to dryue away deuylles, as also in the nyght tyme if they feare any thyng, imagining with that signe the place to be purified. Dec. 8. c. 9. The Chiribikes follies in daun∣sing whole weekes togeather, theyr language full of difficulties for leauyng out some sillables in speech, theyr maner of mariage by clippyng the brydes heare, Dec. 8. c. 8. The dead bodyes of gentlemen to be rosted, & so hanged vp to roofe for buttry goddes, the bones of other that laye buried a whole yeere to be taken vp againe at the .xii. monethes ende, and solempnely buried. Decade 8. c. 9. To conclude, How Captayne Olitus, whom Cortesius feared not a litle, & therefore sent vnder the pretexte of honour as it were to discouer other landes, tooke head him selfe agaynst Cortesius, and miserably was murthered in the end. Dec. 8. c 6 & .10. These with some other the lyke thinges, may the curious reader finde in many woordes, set downe in the aforesayde .7. and .8 Decades, spoken of all for the most parte before in. P. Martyr his other doinges, or mentioned in Ouiedus Summary, or by. R. Eden brief∣ly noted, or not greatly needfull to be set foorth at large in Eng∣lyshe, except they were matters of greater weight. One speciall thing I obserued amongst other in reading ouer these .6 7. and 8. Decades, to wyt, the West Indians not onely to be conquered by the Spaniardes, but also to be theyr slaues and bondmen: the cause why after the conquest made of them, the Spanyardes doe in continuall bondage and slauery keepe them vnder, is expresly brought foorth by. Pe. Martyr. Dec. 7. c. 4. in the spanysh tounge, as it was read at the Indishe counsayle boorde in Spayne, and may thus be Englished.

These be the Indians qualities, in respecte whereof they deserue no libertie.

IN the continent or fyrme lande they eate mans fleshe: they be more gyuen to Sodomye than any other nation of the world: there is no order of iustice among them, they goe naked, they haue neyther loue nor honestie, they bee fooles and furious,

there is no truth in them, except it be for theyr owne profit: incon∣stant, without all discretion, very vnkynde, & louers of nouelties: they delyght to make them selues dronke with wynes made of di∣uers hearbes, fruites, and graine, as ale and sider, & to ouercome their braynes, as wel otherwise with hearbs, as in making drinke thereof, or eating them▪ They are very bruitishe, and doe make it a prayse to wallowe in vyces. No obedience, no reuerence at all sheweth the young man to the olde, the childe to his father. Ney∣ther teaching nor chastning amendeth them: they be traitors, cru∣ell, so full of reuenge that they neuer forgyue any offence, great enemyes vnto our religion. They be slothfull, theeues, of iudge∣ment very grosse and base, without all honestie and good order. Neither doe the men behaue them selues loyally with theyr wy∣ues, nor the wyues with their husbandes: they be superstitiously giuen to soothsaying, as fearful as Hares, filthes, eating lyse, spi∣ders, & woormes, whersoeuer they finde them: they haue no arte, nor good condition of men. Hauing learned any pointes of Chri∣stian religion, they are woont to say that to be good in Spayne, but in India nothing woorth, for that they desire not to alter their maners. They haue no beardes, for they peele and plucke vp the heare as faste as it groweth. They take no pietie on sicke folke, suche as bee very sicke, they gyue ouer to some one kynsman or neighbour of theyrs, or els carry them to the mountaynes to dye there, leauing with them some small portion of bread and water, and so goe theyr way. The elder they waxe, the woorse they bee: vntyll they be .xi. or .xii. yeeres olde, some hope there is that they would prooue ciuil and vertuous, when they grow elder, they be∣come bruit beasts. In conclusion, I say that god neuer created so corrupte a people for vice and beastlinesse, without any mixture of goodnesse and ciuilitie: they are as blockishe as Asses, making no accompt at all to kyll them selues.

In the fyft Decade is written by. P. Martyr, or geathered rather by him out of Ferd. Cortesius relations, the conquest of that portion of the West Indishe continent, that lyeth in the hot zone, neare the Tropike of Cancer, betwyxte our Weste sea and Mar del zur, the chiefe prouince wherein is Mexico, and the principall citie Themistitan. This region, after that it was conquered by Cortesius, beganne to be called Noua Hispania, newe Spayne, for the lykenesse thereof vnto the Spanysh kyng∣dome

in nature of soyle, greatnesse, disposition of the ayre, & other such lyke thynges, as Cortesius him selfe writeth vnto Charles the fifth, humbly desiryng his maiestie to allowe of that name. Some later wryters haue gyuen the particuler name of one shyre vnto the whole, callyng it Mexico, and the generall name of that whole shyre to the head citie therein, calling Themistitan lykewyse Mexico, howbeit in trueth Themistitan is the principal citie in Mexico prouince, Mexico the chiefe prouince in all newe Spaigne. Of this countrey, the commodities it doeth yeelde, the nature of the inhabiters, partly you haue already seene in Gon. Ferd. Ouiedus historie. Fol. 221. and chiefely Fol. 225. The kyng of this countrey bare name Monte Zuma, or Muteezuma, as Cortesius that conquered him writeth▪ in P. Martyr his Decades printed in Spaigne. An. d. 1530. Meteezuma. in his .4▪ Decade, entituled de insul. nuper inuentis to. no. orb. p. 506. Multoxumam, as also in the last edition thereof at Cullen, ioyntly with the three first decades, the which our Printer in the translation hereof, hath fo∣lowed in the discourse of the West Indies Ilandes. Straunge names are many tymes diuersly written, though in effecte they meane all one, Henricus say we, with the Frenchmen Henry, the Almans Henreich, the Italians Arrigo, the Portugales Henrico, as Barros speaking of king Iohn the first his sonne, whom Cadamust called in his Nauigation Huric.

This kyng was so welthie, so mightie, his dominions so large, that the inhabiters knew no other prince in all the worlde, of him Cortesius had intelligence by Montegius and Portucarrerius, and from him certaine rich presentes for his maister Charles Them∣perour, as in the aforesayd discourse of the west Indish Ilands it hath ben sayde. Wherefore the .16. day of August, in the yeere of our Lorde .1520. Ferdinandus Cortesius, with .15. light horsemen, and fyue hundred footemen well appoynted, besides three noble men of the citie Cempoal, named Teuchius, Mamexus, & Tamaius, and .13 hundred men of that countrey, to serue in steede of packe horses, for cariage, after the maner there, began to set forwarde from his Castle Vera crux, towardes Themistitan in Mexico, di∣stant from thence Westwarde a hundred leagues, or thereabout. Cempoal standeth from Vera Crux .4. leagues, eche league in this countrey is .4. Italian miles. Foure dayes iourney from Cempoal Cortesius was enterteined curtuously by the inhabiters of a good∣ly

shyre named Sienchimalen, as also by the citizens of Texuacan, after that he had passed with his army an exceedyng hygh hyll, thicke clad with yse & snow euen in the moneth of August. The like enterteynment was offered him & his companie as hee mar∣ched forward, vntill he came to the Tascaltecans lande, who are so great enemies vnto the Mexicans, that liuyng amyd their domi∣nions, they had rather want their greatest necessaries, to wit salt, and cotton to cloath them, than become subiects in any wise to the Prince of Mexico. With these Tascaltecans, Cortesius had three conflictes passing through their countrey, & in the ende valiantly gaue them the ouerthrow. Tascalteca is a greater citie, more po∣pulous,* 1.1 and better serued than Granata in Spayne was, at what time the Moores yelded: their bread is made of Maiz, that is, In∣dish corne, a very good seat for hauking, hunting, & freshe water fishing, sea fish is scarse, for it standeth from the sea aboue .50. lea∣gues: of pulse good store. This towne wals, & houses in number 20000. built of stone, high, & strong, in respect of the enemy euer at hand: they keepe markets and fayres. The people doth weare hose, and maketh good accompt of Iewels, precious stones, of crestes, & bushes of feathers, to set them foorth in the warres, they garnishe euery thing with gold: wood is brought to be sold to the market on mens shoulders: timber, boordes, bricke, lime, & stone, are vsuall merchandise. Theyr Carpenters, Masons, & Potters, are very skilfull. There is no vessell wrought amongst vs more artificially than theyrs is Medicinable hearbes are solde openly. They vse baths, the nation politike, gouerned in maner of a com∣mon wealth. The whole circuit of this prouince is .90. leagues, full of townes, boroughes, and villages, hils and dales most ••ruit∣full, & well stored of good souldyers, in respecte of their enemyes rounde about them. About one league of this citie encamped Cor∣tesius, & by his spials vnderstanding the citizens not to mistrust or feare any inuasion, tooke the strongest part therof by night: in the morning came the best citizens to offer him all obedience. Cortesi∣us than returning with the victorie & victuals to his campe, found it in a troublesome mutinie for the great distresses & present cala∣mies they thought them selues to be in, so far of from their owne country, in the midst of their enemies This mutinie appeased he with good woords, & comfortable reasons, persuading them their enemies to be weaker, the spreadyng abroade of the gospell to be

now in their hands, them selues to be Spaniardes, who esteeme not death to wyn glory: a most happy death that to be, where life is spent in the conquest of infidelles and barbares, & to lye by the sea side idlely, that were to no purpose.* 1.2 Thus appeased he the re∣bellious myndes of his companyons, and after .20. dayes abode made in this prouince, he led them into an other shire for pastures and riuers the most commodious, for habitation best in all that countrey. The principall citie hath name Churultecal, as great, as faire, as Tascalteca, and so gouerned, vntil the king of Mexico op∣pressed it. Here was Cortesius receyued with songes, musicall in∣struments, and trumpets, by the priestes and children of the citie after their maner, & wel feasted. The end of all this mirth was an vprore of the inhabiters agaynst him, procured by the kyng of Mexico, as it was supposed, whereof Cortesius hauing secrete in∣telligence by a woman of Cempoal that folowed his Campe, sum∣moned a parle with the beste citizens of Churultecal, at his owne lodging. Those citizens first laid he fast by the heles, & than spee∣dely with his army, warned to be in a readinesse for that purpose, set vpon the deceiptful Barbares of a soden, before that they were throughly prouided, and gaue them the ouerthrow. The prince of Mexico acquitted him selfe of this vprore, protesting by his Am∣bassadors to Cortesius, that his disloyall subiectes the Churultecals had bruted that conspiracie vnder his name to doe him iniury, whom they would not willingly obeye. He sent withall rich pre∣sentes, praying Cortesius to come to Themistitan, promising him that he should want nothyng there, notwithstandyng the harde prouision thereof in so barren a place, altogeather in the water. To conducte Cortesius thyther, he sent also certayne Gentlemen for guydes, and other of his nobilitie to receyue him as he came neare. To speake of euery curtesie shewed him in this iourney, and to wryte of euery place he passed, and particulerly to rehearse euery dayes iourney, euery hyll, towne, ryuer, house, and gar∣deyne, by the way, would breede ouermuche tediousnesse. In fewe, the Lordes of the countrey, as he went, vsed him well, e∣specially in Guazucingo prouince, and Chialcho shyre, the one whereof was violently oppressed by the prince of Mexico, the o∣ther willingly subiect vnto him. In the cold mountaynes he wan∣ted no wood, in the townes hee was prouided for, and his

companions, who were of Cempoallens, Tastaltecans, Chu∣rultecans, & G••zucinges, in number .4000. of Spaniards not aboue .300. In this maner, Cortesius accompanyed & folowed, came at the length into a vale, bearing name Colua▪ wherein be two meres, the one salt water of .60. leagues in circuit, the other a freshet. Partly on the land, partly in the salt meere standeth Iz∣tapalapa a fayre towne, from whence to Themistitan, the roy∣all seat of Mexico, there lyeth a way on a stone wall, two speares length broad, built vp in the water by hand with infinite charges, the wall serueth also for a bridge, by this bridge sides stand three fayre townes, Mesicalcingo, Coluacan, & VVichilabusco. The first is supposed to haue .3000. houses, the second .6000. the third .4000. wel built, especially their Towers, & their Temples wherin they doe sacrifice. In these townes great aboundaunce of salt is made, that serueth all such as doe acknowledge the Prince of Mexico for their Lord. Other be denied it, as of the Tascal∣tecans it was sayde. This salte meere rysing doeth flowe into the Freshet, & as it ebbeth the Freshet falleth into the salt meere agayne. The freshe water may serue neuerthelesse for drinke, the salte water becommeth not freshe therewithall. The wall hath many draught bridges for warfare, and sluses for passage, where toll is payde vnto the kyng. Halfe one league before you come to Themistitan, where the lyke bridge or causey from the lande ioyneth with the aforesayde wal, standeth a strong Castle, double walled about, with two strong Towers, not possible to be con∣quered. To this place came a thousande Gentlemen Courtiers foorth of the citie to receyue Cortesius, all apparelled a lyke, sa∣luting him one by one after theyr countrey maner, to wytte, tou∣chyng the ground with theyr finger, and than kyssyng it, in signe of reuerence. After all them came the kyng of Mexico Monte∣zuma him selfe in the middle of the bridge, accompanyed with two hundred of his nobles, orderly two and two, in better attyre then the other aforesayd, but all on their bare feete, though euery body in this countrey otherwise weareth shooes. The kyng as he went, leaued vpon the shoulders of two noble men, the one wher∣of was his brother: not that he needed any such helpe, but for that the kynges of Mexico are woont so to be honoured, as though they were holden vp by the strength of theyr nobilitie.

These two noble men, Cortesius meeting with king Meteezuma, and lyghtyng of his horse to imbrace hym, dyd forbyd hym to touche theyr kyng, as an vnlawful action in that countrey: the rest of the kynges company came orderly to salute Cortesius, after theyr maner. Cortesius presented the kyng with a chayne of Bugle, set with some Diamondes and Rubies, of no great value, but such as pleased the kyng, who rewarded hym agayne with two other chaynes of gold, wrought in maner of sea Crab∣bes, & Snails, & so returned into y^e citie with Cortesius againe, where he, lodgyng hym in the royal pallace, erected therein for hym a throne, and presented hym the seconde tyme with other riche gyftes, and prouision of all thynges necessary for hym and his trayne. All the bridge length, as he went with the kyng, stoode on eche syde certayne great Temples, wherein were sa∣crificed slaues, and chyldren payed for tribute by kyng Metee∣zumaes vassalles. Neere vnto Cortesius throne kyng Me∣teezuma had his clothe of estate, where vnto the Spaniardes, before his nobles there assembled, he spake in this sort.

Noble and valiaunt men of armes in the feelde, and mercyfull Capitanes vnto such as do yeelde them selues, you are welcome into this countrey. Of auncient tyme we haue hearde,* 1.3 and in our old Chronicles we do reade, that neyther I, nor any of this land, be auncient inhabiters hereof, but aliens and forreyners, brought hyther by a great prince, vnto whom we were al subiect. While this prince, leauyng vs heere, went home agayne to see his coun∣trey, our forefathers maried, had issue, buylded vp houses, and erected certayne cities, so that at his returne we neyther woulde go backe agayne with hym, nor acknowledge him for our prince any more: Wherfore we haue been euer of opinion, that his po∣steritie woulde come to recouer this countrey, and make vs his subiectes againe. Consyderyng then the place from whence you say that you do come, and that which you gyue vs to vnderstand of your great and myghtie lorde and kyng that sent you hyther, we be throughly perswaded that he is our true Lorde, so muche the more, for that, as you say, he hath long since knowen that we dwelt heere Assure your selues therfore, that we wyll all yeelde vnto you, and acknowledge you our lordes, in his name that sent you: in this wyll we not fayle, we wyll not deceyue you, all my

dominions shall you rule, for all my subiectes shall obey, com∣maunde all that we haue, for you be nowe in your owne pro∣uince and house. Be ye mery, and refreshe your selues after your long trauayle and many laboures in the warres. I am not ignorant what hath happened vnto you all the way, I doubte not but that the Campoales and Churultecanes haue said euyl of me vnto you, but I pray you geue no credit vnto any mans wordes concernyng me, especially vnto my enimies, some wherof hauing ben my subiectes, at your commyng are gone from me, and do report vntruethes of me, to purchase therewith your fauour. I knowe that they beare you in hande, that my seate, the furniture of my house, the very walles therof, are beaten golde. Further∣more, that I am a God, that I fayne my selfe a God, and suche lyke toyes: but you see all thynges here are made of lyme, stone, and earth. Do you not see that I am made of fleshe and bone, mortall, and corpulent? you see they haue not sayde the trueth. I haue in deede certayne place lefte me by my forefathers,* 1.4 what soeuer I haue it shall be yours, dispose thereof as you thynke good, I wyll nowe departe to other of my houses where I am woont to lye, I wyll see that neyther you, nor your trayne want any thyng: be ye of good cheare, be gladde, for you are in your owne countrey, you be in your owne houses.

Cortesius aunsweared in fewe, and to the purpose, especially concernyng that poynte, the kyng of Spayne to be that prince whom they looked for. After syxe dayes spent there ioyfully, noyse was brought to Cortesius of certaine murthers and iniuries offered vnto the Spanyardes in a towne of Muteezumaes domi∣nions,* 1.5 and that by Muteezuma his consent. This occasion tooke he, throughly to bryng Muteezuma in subiection. And fyrst he caused hym to keepe that house wherein Cortesius laye, then to sende for the malefactors, whom Cortesius openly executed, by whose confession Muteezuma founde gyltie, was for a tyme set by the heeles, but delyuered agayne by and by, confessyng his faulte, and promysyng all loyaltie and dewtie, chose rather to re∣mayne a trew subiect in Cortesius palace, then to lyue abrode at libertie like a kyng, as in effect he shewed, both in sendyng abrod commission to discouer the golde mynes throughout all his do∣minions at Cortesius motion, in geatheryng togeather great

summes of golde and treasure to be presented vnto the Spanyshe kyng, in geuyng both counsayle, and the meanes howe to con∣quer crftelie prince Cacamozin, Muteezumaes vassall, refusyng all obedience vnto the Spanyardes, finally in a publike assem∣bly, exhortyng all his nobles to acknowledge the kyng of Spaine for theyr soueraigne Lorde, and to yeelde vnto hym that obedience and in his name, to Cortesius that duetie, whiche he hym selfe was woont to looke for at theyr handes. The processe was written by publike notaries, confyrmed by the nobles, and a copie thereof delyuered vnto Cortesius. Mexico prouince,* 1.6 enuyronned about with hygh and Alpyshe mountaynes, stan∣deth in a playne countrey in circuit .70. leagues, about the greatest part whereof are two Meres, the one of salt water, the other of freshe. The two lakes go one into the other at a streict, caused by litle hylles that runne amyd all the foresayde playne. This streict is passed by boate out of the one lake into the other, to all the townes standyng on either syde of the aforesayd lakes. Our Indyshe wryters name the boates Canoa, the Indians call them A••caler, troughes as it were, all of one peece. I haue traueyled in the lyke vpon the ryuer Sone, in the edge of France, neere hygh Burgundie. In the mydst of the salte Mere, two leagues euery way from the lande, standeth that ryche and wel∣thy citie Temixtitan or Themistitan,* 1.7 no lesse in quantitie then Siuilia, or Corduba in Spayne. From the land, vnto it lye foure wayes, or walles built vp out of the water two Speares length brode, commodiously for suche as trayuayle thyther by lande, with sundrye draught brydges by the way, to cut of inuasions if neede were. Of these foure wayes, one was that, where Cortesi∣us met with kyng Muteezuma. In one of these walles or brid∣ges, freshe water is brought from the lande into the citie by two gutters, no lesse in quantitie then hoggesheades: the one thereof serueth when y^e other is either stopped, or musty. The streats are streight, many in number, built much after the maner of Uenice, both to go by lande and by water. The brydges ouer the water in this citie be made of woodde, of suche breadth that tenne may passe ouer them togeather, so many in number, that it were a thyng almost infinite to recken them.

The number of houses therein amounteth to .60. thousande. Amongest other one streate is very large, sumptuously buylte, and famous for all sortes of merchaundies, that prouince yeeldeth, wont to be solde there .60. thousande merchauntes, as it is thought dayly haunt that streat. There are solde sun∣dry sortes of mettales iewelles, fruites, foule, hearbes, and all other necessaries seruyng for meates, clothes, warfar, buyldings, and pleasure. For euery speciall kynde of merchaundies, is ap∣poynted a speciall standyng by it selfe. They sell by tale and measure, the vse of weyghtes as yet they haue not. Theyr mony is a kynde of Nutte shels, of the kyrnell it selfe is made theyr drynke. The tree is planted vnder the bowes of some other for defence, vntyl it be growen strong, hable to abyde the heate of the Sunne, then is the fense tree cut downe, and that let to con∣tinue, many Lordes haue thereof great reuenewes in that coun∣trey. Steele and Iron they want, in steede whereof they vse to make theyr instrumentes of a kynde of harde stone, wherewith they woorke golde, syluer, copper, brasse, exellently wel in what fourme or shape so euer they lyste. You can not shewe them any kynde of thyng, but they wyll drawe it, and set it out most lyuely in metall, so cunnyng artificers they be. To the markets all thinges are brought, eyther by water in Canoaes, or on slaues backes. There standeth a goodly palace in the market place for iudgement. There be resydent alwayes .x. or .xii. graue se∣nators, to see good order kept in that streate, to decide controuer∣sies happenyng there, to punyshe offenders. Other see what is to be solde in the market, and what measure is made. Many gorgeous temples be in this citie, many goodly towers buylte where noble men haue ben buryed, with gallant chappelles to theyr Idolles, many princely palaces, for that all the nobilitie of that countrey lyeth some parte of the yeere in the citie, and the best citizens great ryche men. The good order and policie in so barbarous a nation, is wonderfull to beholde. Concernyng their abhominable Idolatry, Cortesius is worthy of great commendati∣on, for the throwyng downe the Idoles where he came, beyng a stranger, though the princes of that prouince and Meteezuma al∣so tooke it not well, principally in the palace, persuadyng them that it was not seemely for a kyng to worshyppe that whiche a

knaue or slaue of his had made. Euery noble man hath, besydes the palaces in the citie, his castle, souldiers, receyuers, & other officers in the countrey: and neere the court gallant houses for recreation, with pleasaunt gardens, orchardes, pondes,* 1.8 & other the lyke delightes. The noble men and Gentlemen of this coun∣trey, can not be fewe in number, whereas dayly the court is fur∣nished with fyue hundred young gentlemen, besydes the multi∣titude of seruyng men that attende on them. And the fashion in this countrey is of all the nobilitie, to sende theyr sonnes for edu∣cation sake vnto the Court, although many of them dwel an hun∣dred and fyftie, or two hundred leagues of. So large & so mygh∣tie is the kyngdome of Mexico, & yet so well gouerned, the kyng so duetyfully obeyed of all his subiectes, aswel absent as present, eche shyre yeeldyng and duely paying vnto hym the commodi∣ties therof, according to theyr custome, that Cortesius thinketh no prince in the world to be more feared & reuerenced of his people. The kyng hath sundry goodly pallaces,* 1.9 and in them many ryche and costly ornamentes, of golde, of syluer, of feathers, so artifi∣cially wrought, that neyther any sort of needle worke, nor kynde of picture, may seeme to make the lyke shewe. Among the rest, three special houses of recreation the kyng hath in his palace. In one of them are a number of moustrous and defourmed persons, [ 1] dwarfes, crookebackes, syngyng men by nature, twoo headed monsters, and others, with theyr keepers. The second house is [ 2] so large, that in it commodiously two kynges may be resident. The place is set foorth with many Alabaster & Marble pyllers, ten goodly pondes therin, well stored with fyshe, and foule, of al sortes that eyther do lyue in the water, or on the lande, with their keepers, and diuersities of meates for theyr diuers natures. In this place kept he also young chyldren, that had whyte heades, & were of fayre complexion, aswel boyes as gyrles. The thyrde house serued for Lions, Tygers, Wolues, Foxes, and other the [ 3] lyke wylde beastes, eche sort in theyr seueral dennes. The least of these three houses is so well buylt, that the kyng at his pleasure may lodge therein, with all his court. The prince is thus ser∣ued. Fyue hundred gentlemen at the least, with theyr folowers, gyue attendaunce at the court al the day long,* 1.10 though they come not alwayes in the kynges syght. These gentlemen syt downe

to dynner when the kyng sytteth, and do fare as well as he, their folowers haue theyr reuersion. The buttrey, cellar, pantry, and other offices neuer shut, come in who wyll, meate & drynke he can not want. The hall wherein the kyng dyneth, is matted vnder foote, his meate is brought vp by .300. young men pen∣sioners, fleshe, fyshe, fruites, salates of all sortes vppon chaffyng dyshes in the wynter to keepe the meates warme. These way∣ters neuer come neere the boord, for the kyng sytteth on a leather cushyng artificially wrought, at a table raylled about, within the precincte whereof standeth his Sewer, to set hym downe those meates he lyketh of best. At his ryght hande syxe olde men syt downe, vnto whom the kyng hym selfe carueth. The kyng wash∣eth before meate and after, he is serued in earthen dyshes, his cuppes be of the same mettall: he shyfteth hym selfe foure tymes a daye. Whatsoeuer he hath once vsed, be it apparell▪ napery, or any other kynde of housholde stuffe, it is neuer brought hym any more to vse, but bestowed by hym vpon his seruauntes or frendes at conuenient tymes. For honour sake eche one commeth into the palace barefoote, in most humble wyse they come before the king, when they are called, bowing downe theyr heads, theyr eies to the ground. It were great presumption to looke the king in the face when he talketh with any of them. A man would thynke they were all dombe in the presence of the kyng, suche is theyr silence. No man dare turne his backe to the kyng, but departyng from hym eche one goeth backewarde. No man dare go out of his place when the kyng passeth by. At his goyng abrode he is fo∣lowed with a great troupe of his nobles and gentelmen, and hath three rods borne before hym, one whereof he taketh in his owne hand when he commeth foorth out of his lytter, wherin common∣ly he is caryed abrode. In conclusion no heathen prince hath so many cerimonies as this kyng of Mexico. Quietly in this citie from the .8. of September the yeere of our lorde .1520. vntyll Maie folowing, remayned Cortesius with al honour, enioying his pictorye, and rulyng so myghty a kyngdome conquered by hym, with al prosperitie. When Velasque a Spanyarde, then Lieuete∣naunt of Cuba, that euer enuied at his good hap, sent Naruaez a lusty young captayne with eyghtene sayle wel appointed to com∣maund Cortesius out of Mexico, and to geue ouer the rule of that

countrey, which he him selfe had paynefully conquered vnto their pleasure, by forged patents from the Spanyshe kyng. Muche a∣mazed at the fyrst was Cortesius with this tydinges, consideryng that if he went agaynst Naruaez, the Mexicanes not yet through∣ly brought in subiection might in the meane time reuolte: againe if he staied, Naruaez might put his conquest in ioperdy, violently forcing y^e countrey euerywhere as he came. The matter was tho∣rowly knowen to the barbares of Themistitan. The king himselfe had brought hym by his vassalles, paynted in a table, the ships, theyr number, artillarye, horsemen and footemen landed. In the ende Cortesius resolued hym selfe to go agaynst Naruaez. Wher∣fore leauyng at Themistitan a Garryson of Spaniardes, the whi∣che he hyghly commended vnto Muteezuma, marched forward with .170 footemen, sendyng other .80. that way before hym. Naruaez lykewyse came on agaynst Cortesius, and had nowe ta∣ken Cempoal, and styrred vp agaynst hym those citizens. Cortesius hauyng intelligence of Naruaez certayne beyng there in an hygh towre garded with .800. souldiers, and .19. Canons set at the steyre foote, thynkyng neuerthelesse nothyng at all of his com∣myng, set vppon Naruaez with .250. men, and there tooke hym on Witsunday night, the rest of his company yelded them selues. In the meane while the citizens of Themistitan reuolted against theyr prince and the Spanyshe gouernement, as by a messenger dispatched thither from Cempoal, to declare Cortesius good hap and Naruaes imprisoment, it was vnderstoode. The castle of The∣mistitan besieged, in many places set a fyre and vndermyned, the Spanyshe Gartyson to be in great ieopardye, the flye boates they made, burnt, the messenger him selfe gree∣uously wounded, Muteezuma the kyng onely to fauoure them, and hym nowe scarsely obeyed, the nobles to choose death rather then to obey suche geastes, that keepe theyr kyng lyke a warde, that dispossesse them of their owne citie, that meyntayne therin theyr enimies the Tascaltecans & Guazuingoes, euen before theyr face at theyr owne charges, to despight them, that deuoure theyr vittaylles harde to come by in that citie so situated in the water, that iniurie them, that lay on tributes, that by hooke a••d by crooke make away from them whatsoeuer good there is to ••e had, that breake downe theyr Idolles, and suppresse theyr aun∣cient rytes and cerimonies.

Cortesius therefore speedily with .70. horses and fyue hundred footemen,* 1.11 and as muche artillery as he could, returneth againe to Themistitan, whyther he came about mydsommer daye. At Cortesius entrie into the citie agayne, the Spanyardes, throughly beaten by the Barbares with dartes and stones from hygh pine∣apple trees, & an hygh tower that was neere, began to take hart, and to hope for good happe after theyr great troubles. The Barbares lykewyse vnderstandyng of Cortesius commyng, grew to be more cruel and fyrce▪ with horrible cryes, shootyng of theyr arrowes, and throwyng an infinite number of dartes and stones, for the company of them was innumerable, that the ayre seemed darke and cloudie therewith. Cortesius sent out a captaine with two hundred to rescue the Spanyardes in the palace. This captayne slue many of the Barbares, but the multitude was so great that he dyd litle good. Foure of his souldyers were slayne, he hym selfe, greeuousely wounded, had much a do to retyre a∣gayne. Cortesius set vppon them at an other syde, litle harme dyd he them likewyse, for that as sone as the Barbares had spent theyr dartes and stones, eche one gat vp into the turrette of his house to saue hym selfe. The fyght helde on fyrcely a good while. Cortesius was forced in the ende to retyre with some daunger, and losse of many of his soldiers. The whiche thyng when the Barbares had espied, they begane to geue a newe assalte on e∣uery syde of the palace, to fyre the gates, and stoutely to con∣tinue batterye, fyghtyng euen vppon theyr felowes dead car∣casses, and wyshyng with them rather to be slayne, then to lyue in bondage vnder the Spanyardes. Thus spent they in armes the whole daye, yeeldyng a newe supply of men (the multitude was so great) foure tymes an houre, and raysyng clamors all the nyght long to the Spanyardes great annoy, that then coulde take no rest after theyr paynefull and daungerous conflycte the daye tyme, fewe in number, fyghtyng from mornyng to nyght without intermission, and .80. of theyr companye wounded. The next day the Barbares set vppon the Spanyardes agayne. Cortesius planteth .xiii. feelde peeces, and furnysheth his van∣garde with harquebuziers and archers, but theyr enimies so litle esteemed death, that seyng at one shoot a dozen of theyr fe∣lowes torne in peeces, all feare set a syde, they supplyed styll the

voyde places. The day folowyng, the Spanyardes wanting vic∣tuals, issued out in open feelde: they slue many Barbares, they o∣uerthrew the houses neare y^e pallace, they tooke certaine draught bridges, but at night they returned with their Generall and 50. of their company wounded, as hungry as they went foorth. Where∣fore they caused warlike engines to be made of boords, in fourme of a fouresquare house, going on wheeles, placing in ech one ther∣of .20. shot, whom many rascall souldiers folowed with pikeaxes and hatchets, to do harme that way in destroying their buildings: but stones & dartes came so mightily & so thicke about the Spa∣niardes eares, that such as went thus foorth, were faine to creepe home againe out of their engines torne in peeces: they that taried at home could not once looke out but they were domaged. Kyng Muteezuma, desirous to dissuade his citizens from the assalt,* 1.12 she∣wyng him selfe vnto them out of the Pallace, had a blowe with a stone, whereof in three dayes he dyed. This Prince was of a ve∣ry good nature, wyse, and very patient, his body the Spaniardes lefte vnto the Mexicans to bury, for that they them selues had lit∣tle other leasure then to thinke how to saue their liues, rather than to bury the dead.

The next day the nobles of the countrey came to a parle with Cortesius,* 1.13 at the same place where Muteezuma tooke his deaths wound. Cortesius exhorted them to peace, otherwise threatning the vtter decay & ruine of that their so famous and noble a citie, with protestation of pietie on them whom once he had taken to be his friendes, promising pardon for that which was done, and settyng downe what befel vnto other nations that refused his friendshyp. The Mexicans making small accompte of his woordes, answe∣red, that they tooke him for no friend, but for their enemy, that he should depart with all his trayne out of their countrey if he would haue peace, otherwise they woulde so long continue theyr siege, vntill by force they had dryuen him out, though for euery Spany∣arde slayne, there dyed a thousande Mexicans, for his friendshyp they cared not, pardon they asked not, most willingly they would all dye, so that they might deliuer their posteritie from the Spa∣nyshe tyranny.

Wherefore Cortesius, waying with him selfe the great daunger that presently might ensue for want of victualles if he stayed, the

Mexicans continuing their assalte, for perill to be stopped at the draught bridges if he departed, so muche the more for that these Barbares were not ignorant of .70. thousand ducates heaped vp togeather by him in that prouince: set vppon them the seconde tyme with the aforesayde engines, but all in vayne. So stoutly their enemyes defended them selues, and so fiercely they resisted the assalte giuen. Chiefly the Spaniardes courage appeared in winnyng of a certayne Tower that alwayes commaunded them, nexte in the ruine of such houses as for the nearenes thereof bred them great incombrance and perill. After many woundes recey∣ued, and great slaughter done on both sides, the principal citizens, counterfectyng a conclusion of peace, promysed obedience vnto Cortesius, so that all deedes past myght be forgotten. Cortesius ly∣kyng well thereof, at their request set free a priest he had of theirs in prison, to deale betwyxt them, and throughly persuaded that no guyle was ment, withdrew his company from skirmishing. But he was no sooner set downe to dynner, after his restlesse afflicti∣ons and continuall labours, but the Mexicans tooke the towne bridges, and voyded the trenches, which Cortesius for passage had caused to be filled vp. Presently therefore he rushed out amongst them agayne with his horsemen, but the iourney went so hardly with the Spanyardes, that Cortesius wounded in the head was scarsly able to retyre agayne, many of his company were slayne, such as escaped were not able to continue in the fielde any longer, wearyed with blowes, worne out with hunger. It remayned on∣ly, that now they eyther presently must peryshe, or els depart out of the countrey. By nyght therefore Cortesius and his souldyers priuely thought to slyp away with Muteezumaies children,* 1.14 and certayne of the Mexican nobles captiues, charging the Spanysh kyng his officers with the fif••h part of his treasure, and takyng the residue thereof with him. But the Barbares hauyng intelli∣gence thereof, oppressed them in the way, tooke theyr goods, slue many of the Spaniards, and with them their captiues: if happely any escaped, they were such as marched in the most, for both the vangarde and rereward were altogeather discomfited and lost, to the number of .150 Spanyardes 42. horses .2000 Tascalte∣cans, and Guazuzings, that ayded them. Thus paynefully, with great daunger and no lesse griefe, Cortesius lefte Themistitan, pur∣sued

by his enemyes that folowed him, nothyng holpen by the way as he repayred home, refreshyng his Campe with a dead horse, after fyue dayes spent with the foode of parched corne, and that in small quantitie before he came to Tascalteca.

The Tascaltecans curtuously enterteyned him and his, with whom he made his abode .20. dayes, to refreshe his wearyed ar∣my: that done, he conquered other cities in that prouince, eyther enemyes vnto the Tascaltecans, as Tepeaca, where he buylte for safetie of passage Segura la Frontera: or suche as for feare of the Mexicans had not yeelded them selues before, to wyt, Guaccachi∣ulla, Izzuca, and other principall townes therabout. Finally, he sendeth for horsemen and shot out of the Ilande Hispaniola, wyn∣neth many Barbares fauour & assistance agaynst the Mexicans, maketh prouision of .13. flye Boates, to annoye by water the citi∣zens of Themistitan. Meteezumaes, Nepheu, Catamazinus, the new kyng of Mexico, fearyng on the other syde the Spanyardes returne, and seeing many of his subiectes to fall from him, wan∣teth not in any wyse to set all thinges in a readinesse for warres, especially pykes, to annoye the horsemen, whom they most drea∣ded. Eightiene leagues from Tascalteca towardes Themistitan,* 1.15 standeth Tazuco, a goodly citie of the Mexicans. Cortesius fyrst of all tooke this citie, & caused his prouision for fly Boates wrought in Tascalteca to be brought thyther. Such was the hatred of the Tascaltecans and Guazuzings agaynst the Mexicans, that they carried the tymber vppon theyr shoulders from Tascalteca to Ta∣zuco, without any grudging, for the prouision aforesayde. From Tazuco Cortesius cut a passage into the salte Mare of Mexico, to bryng his flye Boates to the siege of Themistitan: this trenche, three Englyshe myles long, and foure fathome deepe, was finy∣shed by .8000. pyoners of that countrey in fyftie dayes. This na∣uy annoyed very muche the citizens, in destroying theyr sculles and troughes, and stopping their passage from place to place, be∣sydes the assal••e giuen therewith to the towne it selfe. Cortesius army, euer as it came, destroyed all suche places by the way, that either persecuted him fleeing away before, or presently might do∣mage his returne.

The citie he besieged in three places at once, after that hee had cutte of all the freshe water conductes, and taken the wayes

and bridges, and stopped all passage for any enemy of his into the towne: the number of his souldiers amounted vnto .120000. for out of all the countrey about, the Barbares came with Corte∣sius, some for libertie, some for friendshyp, some for hope of gaine. The siege lasted neuerthelesse ten weekes, in the ende whereof with continuall battry the citie defaced, and more than .100000. citizens worne out partly in fight, and partly wasted with misery and hunger, Cortesius tooke theyr new kyng priuely walkyng in a secret corner of the lake,* 1.16 and subdued throughly with him the ci∣tie Themistitan .14. townes by the lake syde, & all the Mexican re∣alme and prouince, vnto the Spanyshe crowne, in the iurisdiction whereof it doeth presently remayne. The spoyle of the citie, in va∣lue great, Cortesius diuided amongst the Spanyshe souldyers, re∣seruyng the fyfth parte therof, and certayne fine feather woorkes, the whiche he sent into Europe, to be presented vnto Charles the fyfth kyng of Spayne, and Emperour, than in Germanie.

Who lysteth to see this hystorie more at large, may reade Cortesius Nauigations, and Frauncis Lopez woorke thereof writ∣ten in the Spanyshe tongue, made not long since Italian by Lu∣cius Maurus, and if I be not deceyued, nowe a doyng into Eng∣lyshe. An abridgement thereof I promysed, or a commentary, as Caesar termeth suche kynde of wrytynges, to gyue other men oc∣casion to set foorth at large those thinges by leasure, which briefly are noted and signified in fewe vnto some, that willingly woulde not be altogeather ignorant thereof, nor yet stande to long in any such discourses. To set downe particulerly eche Spanyarde and Portugale his doynges in these new discouered landes, to drawe Geographically the places, to wryte all their battelles, victories, and conquestes, to describe the cities rased, the townes erected, to poynte out the Capitaynes personages, to shewe theyr traueyles and good hap, it would requyre an other Homere, an other Thu∣cydides, an other Liuius labour: it would requyre an other Empe∣rour to set students a woorke, as Iustinian dyd his lawe geathe∣rers: the relations of the Indyshe traueylers are so many in num∣ber, theyr reportes so diuers, the volumes written therof so huge, and in so sundry languages.

R.W.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tascalteca.
• * 1.2

  Churultecal.
• * 1.3

  Kyng Metu∣zuma his orati∣on to the Spa∣nyards,
• * 1.4

  A note.
• * 1.5

  A note.
• * 1.6

  Mexico.
• * 1.7

  Themestitan
• * 1.8

  The Courtiers.
• * 1.9

  The kynges houses.
• * 1.10

  The seruice of the kyng.
• * 1.11

  Corte••ius re∣turneth to Themistitan.
• * 1.12

  Muteezuma slayne.
• * 1.13

  A Parle.
• * 1.14

  Cortesius flee∣eth out of The∣mistitan.
• * 1.15

  Cortesius re∣turneth to the siege of The∣mistitan,
• * 1.16

  Themistitan conquered a∣gayne.