Part of Du Bartas English and French, and in his owne kinde of verse, so neare the French Englished, as may teach an English-man French, or a French-man English. With the commentary of S.G. S. By William L'Isle of Wilburgham, Esquier for the Kings body.

40 But all this other world. This is the first of the foresaid questions: how it came to passe that the new world, discouered in these latter times, could be so replenished with people, as the Spaniards (who haue thereof written very much) did finde it. He speaketh of the West India, which is called another world, or the new world, for the hugenesse thereof; being more then 9300. leagues about, as Gomara saith in his Indian Historie 1. book. 12. chap. it is lon∣ger then all the other three parts of the world: and two or three waies as broad as Asia and Europe laid together. This quarter, so great and full of kingdomes and people, if it haue been long agone inhabited, how hap (saith our Poet) the Perstans, Greeks, and Remans, who vndertooke so many far voya∣ges came neuer there, nor once heard thereof? For Ptolomee, Strabo, Mela, and other ancient writers make no mention of it: and if it were peopled but of late yeares, he asketh, how came so many people there, so many great Ci∣ties and stately monuments, as Gomara, Benzo, Cieque, Ouiede, Cortes, and o∣thers write of. Benzo and Barthelemi de las Casas doe report, that, in that lit∣tle the Spaniards haue there gotten within these thirtie or fortie yeares, they haue slaine aboue twentie millions of people, vndone and brought to great distresse as many or more, and wasted and vnpeopled twice as much ground as is contained in Europe, and a part of Asia to that. Neuerthelesse in many places, and euen in Mexico, New Spaine and Peru, where they haue vsed all

the crueltie, wickednesse and villanie that mans heart or the deuils rage could imagine, there are yet liuing many thousand Indians. Concerning the ancient Monuments of this new world, I will reckon at this time but one of them, taken out of the fourth booke and 194. chapter of Gomara: There are (saith he) in Peru two great high-wayes, ••eaching the one tho∣row the hilles, the other ouer the plaines, from Quito to Cusco, which is a∣boue fiue hundred leagues out-right, a worke so great and chargeable, that it is well worthy noting: that ouer the plaines, is 25. foot broad, and wal∣led on either side, and hath little brookes running along in it, with store of the trees called Molli planted on the bankes. The other is of like breadth, cutting thorow the rockes, and filling vp the lower grounds with stone worke: for they are both of them leuell without mounting or descending any hill, and straight without stopping at any lake or poole. In a word, whosoeuer hath seene either of them, will say it is a worke farre surpassing all the great buildings and paued causies of the Romanes, or the walles of Ba∣bylon built by Queene Semyramis, or those most wonderfull Pyramides of Ae∣gypt. Guaynacapa, a certaine King of the Indians (who liued about an hun∣dred yeares agoe) caused these waies to be repaired and enlarged; but he was not the first beginner of them, as some would make vs beleeue: for he could not haue finished them in all his life-time, and the stone-worke

semes to be much more ancient. There are built vpon them a daies iour∣ney asunder, many goodly Pallaces, called Tambos, wherein the Court and armies of the Princes wont to lodge. But, Gomara saith, our Spanyards haue by their ciuill warres vtterly destroyed these causies, and cut them asunder in many places, that they might not come one to another: yea the Indians themselues haue broke off and seuered their parts in time of warre. Now let vs heare the Poets answer.

41 What then alas? belike. His first answer is, that the people of the West-Indies fell not out of the ayre, as many little frogs doe in a warme shower, framed, by the vertue of the Sunne, of the dust or vapours arising out of the earth: nor that they grew not out of the ground, like roots or plants: nor by any strange or vaine inchantment, as of the Serpents teeth sowne by Cadmus, the Poets faine, grew souldiers in compleat harnesse. But these they are men well-featured, stout, and long-liuing, chiefly in the North and South-parts of the Country, where both men and women in stature, strength, and continuance, farre excell the people of Europe, Asia, and Af∣fricke. The commodities they haue for health, their meat, drinke and dwel∣ling, their ceremonies, ciuill gouernment and other properties, duly noted by the Historians, make very good proofe of the Poets saying.

42 Indeed this mightie ground. This new-found world is called America, of the name of Americus Vespusius, a certaine famous Pilot of Florence, one of the first discouerers of the Countrey, not much more than an hundred yeares agoe. His second answer is, that this part of the world could not be so soone inhabited as the other three: because it is discoasted further from the plaine of Sennaar, for in Asia the plaine it selfe was. And Arabia being peopled, Affrick was very neare at hand, and Europe from the lesser Asia is parted but with a narrow Phare: whereas America is farre beyong all these, which way soeuer we coast. He calleth Europe a learned Soyle, tower-bearing, louing-right, for the number of learned men and cunning Artisans, of King∣domes and States well gouerned, and Fortresses that are there, That after Iupiter his deare-beloued hight, lo wit, Europa, that was the daughter of Agenor, King of Phaenicia. For the prophane Poets faine their great god, being in loue with her, to haue taken the shape of a Bull, and on his backe to haue carried her ouer Hellespont, and therefore the place, where he first landed her, was called by her name. From this fable seemes to be drawne the name of Besphore: which is as much to say as Bull-ferry. Perhaps this Iupiter was some notable Pirate or Tyrant there-about raigning, who in a Ship called the Bull, stole away some young Lady, and fled for safetie into Europe. These words (which from cold Bosphors head Doth reach the pearly dow of Tithons saffron bed) set downe the length of Asia, that is, from the Bosphere of Thrace vnto the East-Ocean. The Castile armes and lore: that is, the Spanish Religion and forces, which Christopher Columbus brought first into America, and there planted in the name of the Spanish King.

43 But there the buildings. The third answer is, that the stately buildings, infinite treasures, and diuers gouernments that are there, will witnesse that the country hath beene long inhabited, although hard it is to learne how.

I haue already spoke of the great Causeyes of Peru. Now the sumptuousnesse of Themixtetan, the great Citie of the Kingdome of Mexico, and the Kings Pallaces of Peru (such they are described by the Spaniards) make further proofe of the Poets saying. As for the vncountable wealth of the Indies it plainly appeares, that aboue ten thousand millions of gold haue beene brought thence into Europe, beside heapes of Rubies, Emerauds and Pearle, much wracked in the sea, and much brought for a yearely tribute into Spaine. Whereunto I will adde what Franciscus Lopes de Gomara saith concer∣ning the vnualuable riches of Guainacapa, (the name signifieth young and rich) the father of Antibalippa, last King of Peru, whom the Spaniards put to death. All the furniture of his house, table and kitchin (saith he in the 120. chapter of his fourth booke) were of gold and siluer, and the meanest of siluer somewhat embased with copper for the more strength. He had in his Wardrop Giant∣like Images of gold liuely featured; as also all kinde of beasts, fowles, trees, herbes, and flowers that the Land there beareth; and all kinde of fishes, that either the Sea there, or any fresh water of his Kingdome breedeth, in the said mettals well and pro∣portianably resembled, not so much as cords, paniers, troughes, billets, and other such implements, but were so; to conclude, there was nothing in his Kingdome, whereof he had not the counfeit in gold or siluer. It is also said that the Kings of Pe∣ru, called Ingaes, haue a garden in a certaine Isle neare Puna, where they delight themselues when they list take the Sea, that hath in gold and siluer all herbes, slowers and trees, and other things whatsoeuer meet for a pleasant garden: such a sumptuous deuice, as neuer was heard-of, or seene elsewhere. Besides all this, that King, last but one, had gathered into Cusco huge masses of gold and siluer vnfined: which the Indians hid so secretly, as the Spaniards could neuer come by it, there was also in and about Cusco great store of picture-tables and tombes all of sine siluer, worth some thir∣tie, some fiftie, some threescore thousand Ducats a peece: also dining-tables, vessels, and Images a great number, all of fine gold. The Spaniards at the taking of Antiba∣lippa, found as good as 252000. pounds of siluer, and of gold 1300265. pezoes, euery pezo valued at a Ducat and a halse. Besides the great golden table of Antiba∣lippa, worth nigh 40000. Crownes. Now for all this great spoile that the Spani∣ards got, and hauock that they made, as well in Peru, as other the Prouinces there-about, yet the Indians (as Benzo reports, who stayed there with the Spaniards fourteene yeares, and wrote in three bookes, worthy reading, that whole story) they sticke not to say, they haue yet more remaining than all that the Spaniards euer had. And to make their meaning plainer, they will take out of a great vessel ful of wheat one grain betwixt their singers, & say: See you this? the Viracochie (so they call the Spaniards) haue taken, as it were, this one graine away: but thus much (say they, pointing to the rest in the ves∣sell) thus much and more haue they left behinde them. Now the word Viraco∣chie, because it comes thus in my way, Benzo himselfe in his third booke saith, it signifies the froth or scumme of the Sea: and that the Peruvians so call the Spaniards for deepe hatred and abomination of them; saying also some∣times one to another in their language: The wind beares downe houses and trees, and the fire burnes them, but these Viracochie they doe worse than wind and fire. They waste all, they eat all, they turne the earth and all vpside downe: they

turne the course of Riuers: they are neuer at quiet: they neuer cease ranging vp and downe to seeke gold and siluer: and all they finde is too little for them. When they haue it, what doe they? They take their pleasure, they warre one with another, rob one another, kill one another: they are euer giuen to lying, blaspheming, and deny∣ing the same God whom they professe: and these men haue cruelly slame without cause our fathers, our children and kinsfolkes, taken from vs, contrary to all right, our goods, our libertie and countrie. Hauing thus commended the Spaniards, they cause the Sea for vomiting on the Earth so cruell and wicked a people, and often haue vpbraided the Spaniards themselues with this notorious re∣proach: that Gold was the Christians God. O how shall this people in the latter day condemne that euer greedy couetousnesse, for which Europe now adaies heareth so ill, and is by the selfe-people thereof so wasted and vnpeopled! But concerning the diuers gouernments of the West-In∣dies, seeing they are set downe so well at large by Lopes, Ou••ede, Benzo and o∣thers, it is too great a matter for me to handle in this discourse, which is (I feare me) growne too long already: therefore will I draw to an end. The Poet at the 413. verse begins to shew some likely opinions how this new∣found world was pleopled: and first in generall, that the people of countries inhabited, exercising their ordinary traffick one with another, might some∣times be cast by force of tempest vpon the West-Indian shore, and so be con∣strained (their ships being broken) to remaine still there. Others by plague, war, or famine were driuen to leaue their countries, and seeke some quiet∣ter dwelling farre off, and so haue lighted on these new Countries. Or per∣haps some great man of authority, or cunning Pilot, by ventring made a discouery thereof, and led the ouer-creases of some people thither. As the Poet sheweth more particularly in the verses following.

44 Nay could not long agoe. He guesseth in speciall (and most likely) that the inhabitants of the furthest Northeast shore of Asia, to wit, the men of Quinsay, and other places there, might haue emptied their ouer-peopled Ci∣ties, by passing the Anien Straight (a part of Sea no broader (as he saith) then the Phare of Gallipoli, Gibraltare, or Messine) and so from the East In∣dies might they haue stored first the land of Tolguage (which Theues, in his map of the new world, placeth betwixt the Realmes of Anián, Tolm, and Quiuir, within 15 degrees of the North-pole:) then the rest as followeth.

45 So from the Wastes of Tolm and Quiuir. In all this huge Northren part of America, few people there are, especially toward the coast ouer a∣gainst Quinsay and the other East countries. There are therefore great Waste-lands (as the later Card-men haue noted) about the kingdomes or countries of Anian, Tolguage, Quiuir and Tolm, about 12000 leagues compasse.

So then the Poet holds opinion that some of Sems posteritie, hauing once passed from the farthest East-point of Asia ouer to the West-Indian Coast, thrust their of-spring farther into the land. The Countries here named by the Poet, are to be found in the Sea-cards and Land-maps betwixt Now-Spaine and Estotilant: as if he meant that the North-part of America was first inhabited: concerning the properties and particular descriptions of

these places, reade the third volume of the Spanish Nauigations, the second Booke of the generall historie of Lopez de Gomara, chap. 37. &c. the Historie of Florida, Benzo, the Reports of Johannes Verazzanus, laques Cartier, and other French Captaines, concerning their discouering of the Land of La∣bour (where the Sea is frozen) Baccalos, New France, Canada, Hochilega, and other lands thereabouts. Reade Thenet also, and the later Card men. For the French Calienza I haue translated Caliquas, according as I finde it writ∣ted both in others and in Ortellus; who also hath for Mechi Terlichi-mechi; and therefore I translate it Terlichi.

46 They sow'd at'nother side. Xalisco, now called Noua Gallicia, is descri∣bed by Gomara in the 21. chapter of his fift booke. It is a land very fruitfull, and rich in honey, waxe and siluer: and the people there are Idolaters and Men-eaters. Nunnius Gusmannus, who seized the country for the King of Spaine in the yeare 1530. hath written a discourse thereof, and it is to be read in the third volume of the Spanish Nauigations The Prouince of Me∣chuacan (from whence not far lyeth Cusule) is about 40 leagues lower south∣ward then Xalisco: that also the said Gusmannus conquered, after he had most cruelly and traiterously put to death the Prince and Peeres of the country, as Gomara sheweth in his booke and chapter aboue quoted. Mexico (which some account all one with Themixtetan) is the mother-Citie of that kingdome, now called Hispania Nona: wonderfull rich it is and strong, and of high renoume: built, farre more curiously then Venice, vpon a lake salt on the north-side, because it is there of a Sea-like breadth, and on the south∣side fresh, because of a Riuer that empties there into it. Greater is the Ci∣tie thought to be, then Seuille in Spaine, the streets are passing well set, and their channels in such manner cast, as cannot be mended. Diuers places there are to buy and sell-in the needfull and ordinarie wares, but one there is greater then the rest, with many walkes and galleries round about it, where euery day may be seene aboue threescore thousand Chapmen. There is the Iudgement Hall for common Pleas: and were also many temples and shrines of Idols before the comming of Ferdinando Cortez, who made thereof the first conquest for the king of Spaine, exercising most horrible cruelties vpon all both young and old in the Citie, as Barthelemi delas Casas, a Monke and Bi∣shop of Spaine, reports in his historie of the Indies, where he stayed a long time. Looke the description of Mexico in the third volume of the Spanish Nauigations, fol. 300. See also Benzo of Millaine his historie of the new world, the second booke and 13. Chapter. Now from these parts aboue∣named, (after report of some wonders of many there seene, and worthy a larger discourse by themselues) the Poet drawes his Colonies downe further towards Peru, by the Land-straight of Panama, which parts the South-sea from the Ocean, and thereabout is hardly 20. leagues in breadth. The fiery mountaine of Nicaragua is by Gomara described in his fist booke, chap. 203. so are the other wonders, which the Poet here notes, in his fourth booke, chap. 194.

47 Then Chili they possest. Gomara, in his fourth booke, chap. 131. holds opinion that the men of Chili are the right Antipodes or Counter-walkers vnto Spaine,

and that the country there is of the same temper with Andaluzie. This Chili lyeth on the shore of el Mar Pacisico, so also doth Quintete (which I haue put for Chinca) both neere the Panagones or Giants, whose country is full of people, and hath certaine riuers that runne by day and stand by night, some thinke because of the snowes which in the day time are melted by the Sunne, and frozen by the Moone in the night: but I take it rather to be some great secret and miracle of nature. The cause, why here I made ex∣change of Chinca, was first for that the Poet had spoke before of the springs of Chink, which I take for the same; then because it is so diuerfly placed of the Card-men: for Ortelius, in his Map of the New World, sets it aboue, and Theuet beside Chili, in either place it stands well to be taken for the Chink a∣forenamed: but Mercator placeth it a great deale lower, and on the contarry coast, neere the riuer of Plata, where indeed is a country called Chica, that perhaps hath bred this error. Lastly, Quintete stands so right in way, which the Poet followes, from Chili to the Patagones, that I thought it not amisse to take the same rather then the doubtfull Chinca. By the somie Brack of Magel∣lanus, he meanes the Sea and Straight of Magellan close by terra Australis. Gomara describeth it well in the beginning of the third booke of his Portugall Historie. The Poet hath already shewed how people came first on the North-America from the kingdome of Anian ouer the maine land to the Atlantick sea shore, then on all the further coasts from Quiuir to the Magellan Straight, along the Archipelago de San Lazaro, Mar del Zur, & Pacifico: and now hee takes the higher side on the left hand from the Land-Straight of Panama to the riuer of Plata, which is not farre from the Magellan: noting by the way the most note-worthy places of all this huge reach of ground, represented, as it is, by our late writers in their generall and particular Maps of the New∣found world. Huo is a great sweat-water streame arising at Quillacingas, (that lieth vnder the Equator) and running athwart the country called Caribage into the Sea at Garra. Vraba is the country that lieth betwixt that riuer and Carthagene. Concerning Zenu, marke what Gomara saith thereof in his se∣cond booke and 69. chapter. It is the name of a Riuer and Citie both, and of a Hauen very large and sure. The Citie is some 8. leagues from the Sea. There is a great Mart for Salt and Fish. Gold the inhabitants gather all a∣bout; and when they set themselues to get much, they lay sine-wrought nets in the riuer of Zenu and others, and oftentimes they draw-vp graines of pure gold as big as eggs. This country is not farre from the Straight of Darien. In the said second booke, chap. 72. He describes also Noua Grenada, and the Mount of Emeraudes: which is very high, bare, and peeld, without any herbe or tree thereon growing, and lyeth some fiue degrees on this side the Equator. The Indians, when they goe-about to get the stones, first vse many enchauntments to know where the best veine is. The first time the Spani∣ards came there, they drew thence great and little 1800. very faire and of great price: but for this commoditie, the country is so barren that the peo∣ple were faine to feed on Pismers: till of late the Spanish couetousnesse hath made them know the value of their Mountaine. Cumana is described in the foresaid booke, chap. 79. in the end whereof Gomara saith, the vapours

of the riuer Cumana engender a certaine little mist or slime vpon mens eyes, so as the people there are very pore-blind. Parie is described in the 84, chap∣ter of the said second booke. Maragnon, a Riuer, which (as Gomara saith, 2 booke, 87 chapter) is threescore miles ouer. It emprieth at the Cape of Alinde, three degrees beyond the Aequator: but springeth a great way fur∣ther South, by Tarama in Peru; thence running Eastward, it casteth only an Arme into the Amazon about Picora. Which hath caused many the first wri∣ters of America to count from that place both but one riuer. So also doth our Poet here: otherwise he would haue msntioned first how the people passed the Amezon, that other great streame now knowne by the name of Orenoque; which riseth about Carangui, and emptieth (as Theuet saith) 104. leagues a∣boue the mouth of Maragnon. Bresile, which the Spaniard discouered in the yeare 1504. is surnamed fierce, because of the Canibales, Caribes, and other man-eating people there. I. de Leri hath written very fully all the historie of his aduenture in part of the country, where dwell the people called Toupi∣namboes. The riuer of Plata the Indians call Paranagacuc, which word impor∣teth as much as a great water. Gomara speaking thereof in the 89. chapter of his second booke, saith, In this riuer is found siluer, pearles, and other things of great price. It containes in breadth 25. leagues, making many Islands and swels like Nilus, and about the selfe-same time. It springeth first out of the mountaines of Peru, and is after increased by the infall of many riuers: for the country thereabout is leuell, or slat, whereof it seemes to haue receiued the name of Plate.

Thus the Poet guesseth at the manner of this new-found worlds empeo∣pling by the coast of Asia. Whereunto I will adde what Arias Mont that lear∣ned Spaniard hath written thereof in his booke entituled Phaleg. He saith Ioktan the double pety-sonne of Sem, (that is, whose double grandfather Sem was) had thirteene sonnes, which are named by Moses in the 10. of Genesis, and some of them peopled the West Indies from the East. That which Moses saith, Genesis 10. chap. 30. vers. concerning Se∣phar a mountaine of the East, Arias applies to the great hills of Peru, which the Spaniards call Andes: they reach out further in length then any other in the world, and neere them stands an anci∣ent towne called Iuktan. Moreouer, there lies higher a neere-Isle, betwixt Cuba and Mexico, called Iukatas: which may bee thought to resemble still the name of him that first brought people into the coun∣try. To Ophir, one of the sonnes of Ioktan, Arias allots the land of Peru: for as much as in the third chapter, and six verse of the second booke of Chron. there is mention made of the gold of Paruaim. To Iobab the country of Paria, which is neere the Straight of Panama, very ••i••h also in gold and pearle. I haue said else-where that Arias Montanus tooke Asia to be all one main-land with America, and knew no Anian Straight. If that be true, sure the race of Sem peopled those quarters. But others considering the horrible ignorance and brutishnesse of the West-Indians so lately discouered, and the rather to excuse their outra∣gious cruelty exercised vpon the poore people, cannot thinke but that

they are some relikes of the race of Cham. This opinion hath but a weake ground, as he may well perceiue that will duly examine the circumstances. For strange it is not that the race of Sem, after so many generations, and in so farre discoasted Countries, should at length be thus corrupted. Besides, the West-Indies in diuers places liue still after the manner of the East. But for better answering sundry obiections, that make to proue them Chamites, reade the Preface to the New-found world of Benzo, Frenched by M. Vr∣bain Chauueton.

48 Morcouer one may say. This is another guesse of the Poet; as that the West-India was peopled from the North by some Iaphethites, who ventu∣red ouer the Straight of Grotland. Indeed these Northerne countries haue euer swarmed with people: and well it may be, that some thence by others driuen, or by necessity, or of their owne heads, haue sought that way other

places more to their liking. As also that the coasts of Bresile and Plata (which I thinke the Poet meanes by the Shore of Corican) were peopled by some Chamites from Terminan, Tombut, and Melli, Countries lying in the West of Affricke, about the fall of Niger. For vnlikery it were, seeing Almightie God gaue the whole earth to Noe and his three sonnes, (Gen 9.) that the race of any one of them should engrosse all this New-found world, beside his part in the other. Thus rather doubtlesse, as the Poet guesseth, and I am further bold to gather, by little and little, at sundrie times and places, did all the three Families of Noe possesse those quarters as the rest: that the will of God might be fulfilled, and the light of his glory appeare, in so equall parting and ouer-peopling the whole earth: howsoeuer all that huge reach of ground that lieth vnder the South-pole, and is thought the fist and grea∣test part (if it all be habitable) is as yet vnknowne, or very little discouered.