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AMERICA admits of all variety almost, either of plenty or want; Admirable for the fertility of soyl, then again as barren, here tem∣perate, there scorching hot, elsewhere as extream cold; Some Regions watered with dainty Rivers, others again infested with perpetual Drowth▪ Some Plains, some Hills, some Woods, some Mines, and what not in some tract or other, yet nothing almost common to the whole, but Barbarism of Manners, I∣dolatry in Religion, and Sottish Igno∣rance,
such as hardly distinguisheth them from Bruits, else they would not have taken reasonable Men to be immortal Gods, as at first they did, yet what ei∣ther God was, or Immortality, they knew no more than instinct of Nature gave them; they had heard of some place or other (God knows where) be∣hind some Hill, where the blessed resi∣ded after death: And from thence they supposed the Spaniard came at their first Arrival, but it was not long before the Tyrants cudgelled their simplicity, and by their cruelty appeared to them rather Devils from Hell, than Saints from Hea∣ven.
Yet still the Inland-Countryes retain for the most part their Inbred blindness, and worship the Sun, Moon and Stars, and they have their other Spirits, which they call their Zemes, and Adore them in Images made of Cotton-Wool, which oft-times by the delusion of Satan seem to move, and utter an hide∣ous noise, that works in these poor
Idolaters a great awe, least they should harm them.
The rest of their Customs are answer∣able to their Religion, beastly; they go naked, and are very lustful people without distinction of Sex; In many places they are Anthropophagy, and prey upon each other like Wolves, they la∣bour not much to sustain themselves, but are rather content to take what the Earth can yield without Tillage.
Nova Hispania, or Mexicana propria is the largest Province; It was first pos∣sessed by the Spaniard 1518. But it cost them much blood to intitle their Kings Hispaniarum reges. It is an excellent Country, full of all variety almost in e∣very kinde usual with us, and exceeds in rarities full of wonder. There is one Tree which they dress like our Vine, and order it so, that it yields them al∣most all useful necessaries. The leaves serve them instead of Paper, and of the Vine-bark, they make Flax Mantles, Matts, Shoes, Girdle and Cordage.
Peninsula Peruviana, is the South tract of America, from North to South there runs a continued course of high Mountains, whose tops the very Fowls of the Air cannot reach by flight; And from thence descend many admirable Rivers, among which Maragn•• and Ar∣genteus are most famous, the one for his extent, and the other for his plenty of Silver, The Country is exceeding rich, but the people differ not much from the worst of Beasts; They devour Mans flesh, filthy worms, and what else comes in their way.
Near to the North-west of Peru, was an admirable atchievment performed by our valiant Country-man John Ox∣enham, who by the direction of Moors skilled in the Country, went to the Land of Pearls, and took from the Spa∣niards an incredible weight of Gold and Silver.
Cartagena a fruitful Countrey which did yield (when time was) to our still Renowned Sr. Francis Drake, store of
prize, and 240. pieces of Ordinance.
Peru a very rich Countrey, abound∣eth with Gold and Silver, little esteem∣ed among the Inhabitants: For by re∣port the Spaniard ordinarily shoed their Horses with Gold. The Inhabitants are strange Idolaters, and worship a black Sheep, Serpents, and other ugly Crea∣tures.
Brasile. The Inhabitants are rude, live for the most part in the bodies of Trees, the people are covered with natural hair, cruel lascivious, false and what not; In this Region is an hearb called Viva, which if you touch it, it will shut up, as a Daisie in the Night, and will not open till the party that injured it be out of sight.
Chile, on the North of Peru; it is there extream cold, insomuch that many are frozen to death, and harden∣ed like Marble; The Rivers are fed with Snow that falls from the tops of the high Mountains.