The first beginning of the Portugall Discoueries.

THe Chronicles of Portugall haue this record, That af­ter the incarnation of Christ 1415. king Iohn the first of that name king of Portugall, departed from the citie of Lisbon with the Prince Don Duarte or Edward, The first con­quest of the Portugals in Barbarie 1415. and Don Peter, and Don Henry his sonnes, with other Lords, and no­bles of his realme, and sailed into Africa, where he tooke the great citie of Ceuta, This victorie was gotten by the helpe of the English as Wal­singham writeth. standing on the north side thereof be­twéene 35. and 36. degrees in latitude: which was one of the principall causes of the enlarging of the dominions of Por­tugall.

When they were come from thence, Henry the kings third sonne, desirous to enlarge the kingdome & to discouer strange & vnknowne countreyes, being then in Algarbe, gaue dire­ction for the discouery of the coast of Mauritania. Iohn de Barros Asiae decad. 1. lib 1. cap. 2. For in those daies none of the Portugals had euer passed the Cape de [Page 21] Non, standing in 29. degrées of latitude. Cape de Non. And for the better ac­complishing of this discouerie, the aforesaid Don Henry pre­pared a fléete, & gaue commandement to the chiefe captaines to procéede in discouerie from the aforesaide Cape forward: Which they did. But when they came to another Cape na­med Bojador, Cape Bojador. there was not one of them, that durst goe far­ther or beyond it: at which fearefull and cowardly faintnes of theirs the Prince was excéedingly displeased.

In the yéere 1417. king Iohn the second reigning in Ca­stile, and his mother Ladie Katharine then vsing the gouern­ment, one Monsieur Ruben of Bracamonte which was then Admirall of France craued the conquest of the Islands of the Canaries, with the title to be king of them, for a kinsman of his called Monsieur Iohn Betancourt: which being granted him by the Quéene, and farther also partly furnished out, he departed from Siuill with a good armie: But the chiefe or principall cause that mooued him to enter into this action, was to discouer and perfectly to take a view of the Island of Madera, whereof Macham before had giuen so much infor­mation. But for all that he went vnto the Canaries, and car­ried with him a Friar called Mendo to be as Bishop thereof, admitted by Pope Martine the fift. When they were landed they wonne Lancerota, The Canarie Islands con­quered. Forteuentura, Gomera, and Ferro: from whence they sent into Spaine many slaues, honie, waxe, Camfora, or Camfire, hides, Orchall, figs, Sanguis Draconis, and other marchandises, whereof they made good profit: And this armie also as they report, Porto Santo. discouered Porto Santo. The Island that they inhabited was Lancerota, where they built in it a castle of stone for their better defence and securitie.

In the yéere 1418. one Iohn Gonzales Zarco, Iohn de Barros decad. 1. lib. 1. cap. 2. and Tristam Vaz Teixera, housholde gentlemen vnto Don Henry the kings third sonne, perceiuing the desire that their master had to discouer new countreyes, and willing in that course to doe him some seruice, craued of him a barke, and licence to vnder­take the action: which they obtained, and sailed to the coast of Africa: where they were ouertaken with a terrible tem­pest; but they were succoured by falling with the land, and entring into an hauen called Santo, where they landed, and remained two yéeres.

In the yéere 1420. they discouered the Island of Madera, [Page 22] where they founde the chappell and the stone and tombe, Ba [...]os decad. 1. lib. 1. cap. 3. whereupon the foresaide Macham had grauen his name. The chappell built by Ma­cham found in Madera. There are others that write that a certaine Castillian percei­uing the desire and fauour to nauigation which Don Henry had, told him that they had found the Island of Porto Santo; which being but a small thing they made no reckoning of it. Don Henry sent Bartholomew Perestrello, Iohn Conzales Zarco, Tristam Vaz Teixera, and by the signes and likely­hoods that they had receiued, Porto Santo. they went to Porto Santo, and there remained two yéeres: and after that, namely in the yéere 1420. they sailed also to the Island of Madera, where they found the memoriall and monument of the aforesaide Macham the English man.

As for Monsieur Betancourt, who entred into the con­quest of the Canaries as is aboue mentioned, he was slaine in the middest of the action, and left behind him for his heire a kinseman of his called Monsieur Menante, The Canarie Islands sold ouer to a Spanyard. who after that sold the said Islands of the Canaries vnto one Peter Barba of Siuill. There are other which speake otherwise, and say that Monsieur Iohn Betancourt went into France to prepare a new armie about this conquest, and left there a nephew of his; who because he heard no more of his vncle, and sawe that he could not maintaine the warres any longer, he solde the Canaries to Don Henry the king of Portugals third sonne, for a certaine thing that he gaue him in the Island of Madera.

In the yéere 1424. they write that the saide Don Henry prepared a nauie and armie to conquer these Islands, Barros decad. 1. lib. 1. cap. 12. where­in there went as captaine generall, one Don Fernando de Castro; and by reason of the valiantnes and warlike behaui­our of the people they had the repulse: whereupon Don Fer­dinando, considering the great charge, and little or no good successe, he gaue ouer the action, and returned backe againe. After this Don Henry resigned ouer these Islandes to the crowne of Castile, in consideration of the aides which Betan­cou [...]t had receiued. But the Castillians agrée not vnto this report. For they say, that neither the kings of Portugall, nor Don Henry would render the Islands, till they came in que­stion before Pope Eugenius the fourth; The Canaries came to the crowne of Spaine in the yeere 1431 who fully vnderstan­ding the matter, gaue the conquest of the Islands by order of iudgement vnto the king of Castile in the yéere 1431. where­upon [Page 23] this contention ceased touching the title of the Canaries betwéen [...] the kings of Portugall and of Castile.

These Islands being in number seuen, were called by the name of Fortunatae, standing in 28. degrées to the north: where the longest day is but 13. howers, and the longest night as much, lying distant from Spaine 200. leagues, and from the coast of Africa 18. leagues. The ancient ma­ners of the Ca­narians. The people were idola­ters, and did eate their flesh raw for want of fire: they had no iron, and sowed without any toole: they tilled and raised the ground with oxe hornes, and goats hornes. Euery Island did speake a seuerall language. They tooke many wiues, and knew them not carnally vntill they had deliuered them to the superiours. They had diuers other Paganish customes: but now the Christian faith is planted among them.

The commodities of these Islands are wheate, The commodi­ties of the Ca­naries. barley, su­gar, wine, and certaine birdes, called Canarie birdes, much esteemed in Spaine and other places.

In the Island of Ferro they haue none other water, but that which procéedeth in the night from a trée, A tree yeelding abundance of water in Ferro. compassed with a cloud, whence water issueth, seruing the whole Island both men and cattell, a thing notorious and knowne to very many.

In the yéere 1428. it is written that Don Peter the king of Portugals eldest sonne was a great traueller. He went into England, France, Almaine, and from thence into the Holy land, and to other places; and came home by Italie, taking Rome & Venice in his way: from whence he brought a map of the world, A most rare and excellent map of the world. which had all the parts of the world and earth described. The streight of Magelan was called in it The Dra­gons taile: The Cape of Bona Sperança, The forefront of Afrike, A great helpe to Don Henry in his discoue­ries. and so foorth of other places: by which map Don Hen­ry the kings third sonne was much helped and furthered in his discoueries.

It was tolde me by Francis de Sosa Tauares, that in the yéere 1528. Don Fernando the kings sonne and heire did shew him a map, which was found in the studie of Alcobaza, which had béene made 120. yéeres before, which map did set foorth all the nauigation of the East Indies, As much disco­uered in ancient time as now is. with the Cape of Bona Sperança, according as our later maps haue described it. Whereby it appéereth, that in ancient time there was as [Page 24] much or more discouered, Barros decad. 1. lib. 1. cap. 4. then now there is. Notwithstan­ding all the trauaile, paines and expences in this action of Don Henry, yet he was neuer wearie of his purposed disco­ueries. At length there was a seruant of his called Gilianes that first passed the Cape Bojador, Cape Bojador first passed. Anno 1132. a place before terrible to all men: and he brought word that it was not so dangerous, as it was reported: for on the other side of it he went on land, and in maner of taking possession, set in the ground a crosse of wood, to be as a marke and token afterwards of his discouery so farre.

In the yéere 1433. in the moneth of August Don Iohn died, The death of Don Iohn the first of Por­tugall. and his sonne Don Duarte or Edward succéeded him in the kingdome.

In the yéere 1434. Don Henry set out one Alfonso Gonsa­les Baldaia, Barros decad. 1. lib. 1. cap. 5. and Gilianes aforesaid, and they went to another Cape, which was beyond the former, and going on land per­ceiued the countrey to be inhabited: and because they were desirous to satisfie Don Henry with as much relation and knowledge as they could get, they continued their voiage, and went forward, till they came to a certaine point of land, from whence they turned backe againe.

In the yéere 1438. king Edward, The death of Don Duarte king of Por­tugall. whom the Portugals call Don Duarte died, and Don Alphonso the prince being yoong, Don Peter his vncle gouerned the kingdome.

In the yéere 1441. Don Henry sent out two ships, Barros decad. 1. lib. 1. cap. 6. and the captaines were in the one Tristan, and Antonie Gonsales in the other Being put to sea they tooke a prise vpon the coast, and sailed on to Cape Blanco, Cape Blanco. that is the White Cape, stan­ding in 20. degrées, and informed Don Henry of the state of that coūtrey by the Moores which they brought from thence. Whereupon he sent one Fernan Lopez de Sauado to giue knowledge thereof to Pope Martine, trusting to make these things commodious to Holy Church. Vpon which know­ledge the Pope granted indulgences and euerlasting pardon, I [...]dulgences [...]anted to en­courage to this enterprise. and all other things demanded of him, vnto those which should die in this enterprise.

After this, Barros decad. 1. lib. 1. cap. 7. in the yéere 1443. Don Henry commanded Antonie Gonsales to carrie backe the slaues which he had brought, and to ransome them in their countrey: Which he did, and the Moores gaue them in trucke for them againe [Page 25] blacke Moores with curled haire, and some gold; so that now that place is called Rio de Oro, Rio de Oro, why so called. that is, the Golden Riuer; whereby the desire of the discouerie might be the more in­creased.

Not long after he sent out another named Nunnez Tristan, who came vnto the Islands of Arguin, The Islands of Arguin. where he tooke more slaues, and brought them to Portugall in the yéere 1444.

Hereupon also one Lansarote, a groome of Don Gilians chamber, with others associated with him, armed out cer­taine ships, The Islands of Garze. which went coasting til they came to the Islands of Garze, where they tooke two hundred slaues: which were the first that were brought from thence to Portugall.

In the yéere 1445. there went as captaine of a barke one Gonsalo de Syntra, Barros decad. 1. lib. 1. cap. 9. an esquire belonging to Don Henry into those parts; and he went on land, where he was taken with sixe or seuen more of his company, which place was therefore called after his name, Angra de Gon­saluo de Syntra. Angra de Gonsaluo de Syntra. This was the first losse, which the Portugals receiued in their dis­coueries.

In the yéere following Don Henry sent out thrée carauels, wherein went as captaines Antonie Gonsales, Diego Aloi­zio, and Gomes Perez, who had their direction, not to enter into Rio de Oro, nor to beare themselues disorderly, but to trauaile in peace, and to conuert as many infidels as they could to Christianitie. But none of these things were perfor­med by them; for they returned without doing any memo­rable act.

In the same yéere 1446. another esquire belonging to the king of Portugall called Denis Fernandes of the citie of Lis­bon, Barros decad. 1. lib. 1. cap. 9. & cap. 13. entred into these discoueries, more to winne fame then to reape commoditie by them. And he being in his voiage came to the riuer of Sanaga, The riuer of Sanaga. standing betwéene 15. and 16. degrées of latitude towards the north, where he tooke cer­taine Negroes; and not contented therewith, he went for­ward and discouered Cape Verde, Cape Verde. standing in 14. degrees on the same side; and there he set vp vpon the land a crosse of wood, and then returned with great contentation.

In the yéere 1447. one Nunnez Tristan went foorth to dis­couer in a carauell, Barros decad. 1. lib. 1. cap. 14. and he passed the aforesaid Cape Verde, and Rio Grande, Rio Grande. and went past it vnto another standing be­yond [Page 26] it in 12. degrées, where he was also taken with 18. Por­tugals more: but the ship came home againe in safetie, condu­cted by fower or fiue which escaped the hands of the Negroes.

In this yéere also 1447. it happened that there came a Por­tugall ship through the streight of Gibraltar; and being taken with a great tempest, was forced to runne westwards more then willingly the men would, and at last they fell vpon an Island which had seuen cities, The Island of seuen cities. and the people spake the Por­tugall toong, and they demanded if the Moores did yet trouble Spaine, whence they had fled for the losse which they receiued by the death of the king of Spaine, Don Roderigo.

The boateswaine of the ship brought home a little of the sand, and sold it vnto a goldsmith of Lisbon, out of the which he had a good quantitie of gold.

Don Pedro vnderstanding this, being then gouernour of the realme, caused all the things thus brought home, and made knowne, to be recorded in the house of Iustice.

There be some that thinke, that those Islands whereunto the Portugals were thus driuen, were the Antiles, or Newe Spaine, alleaging good reasons for their opinion, which here I omit, because they serue not to my purpose. But all their rea­sons séeme to agrée, that they should be that countrey, which is called Noua Spagna.

In the yéere 1449. the king Don Alfonso gaue licence vn­to his vncle Don Henry to inhabit the Islands of the Açores, Don Alfonso king of Portugall come to age. which were long before discouered. Barros decad. 1. lib. 2. cap 1.

And in the yéere 1458. this king went into Africa, The Açores first inhabited. and there he tooke the towne called Alcaçer.

And in the yéere 1461. he commanded Signior Mendez a gentleman of his house to build the castle of Arguin, Alcaçer taken. whereof he gaue vnto him the gouernment, The castle of Arguin builded. as to his lieutenant. Ibidem.

In the yéere 1462. there came into the realme of Portugall thrée Genowais of good parentage, Barros decad. 1. lib. 2. cap. 1. the chiefe of whom was called Antonie de Noli, and of the other two, the one was his brother, the other was his nep [...]ew, and each of these had his seuerall ship, crauing libertie of Don Henry to discouer the Islands of Cape Verde, which was granted them. Others say, The Isles of Cape Verde dis­c [...]uered by three Genowais. that the places which they discouered, were those which Antiquitie called the Gorgades, Hesperides, and Dorcades: but they named them Mayo, Sainct Iago, and Sainct Philip, [Page 27] because they discouered them on those Saints daies: but they are also called by some the Islands of Antonio.

In the yéere following 1463. this good noble man Don Henry died, The death of Don Henry 1463. leaning from Cape De Non discouered vnto the mountaine called Sierra Leona, Sierra Leona. standing on this side the line in 8. degrées of latitude, where no man had béene before that time.

In the yéere 1469. the king of Portugall did let out for yéerely rent the trade of Guiney vnto one called Fernan Go­mez, Barros decad. 1. lib. 2 cap. 2. which countrey afterwards was called The Mine. The countrey of Guiney let out to farme. He let it out for fiue yéeres, for two hundred thousand Reyes by the yéere (which is of our English money 138. l. 17. [...]. 9. d. ob.) and added vnto his lease this condition, that euery yéere he should discouer an hundred leagues.

In the yéere following, Ibidem. which was 1470. this king went into Africa with his sonne Prince Iohn, where they tooke the towne of Arzila, Arzila taken. and the people of the citie of Tanger fled out for feare, Tanger taken. and that he tooke also. It séemeth that good fortune followeth a couragious attempt.

In the yéere 1471. Fernan Gomes gaue commandement that the coast should be discouered as it lay. Ibidem. Which was vn­dertaken by Iohn de S. Aren, and Iohn de Scouar; La Mina. and they went and found the Mine in 5. degrées of latitude.

And the next yéere, Ibidem. which was 1472. one Fernando da Poo discouered the Island now called after his name. The Isle de Fer­nan de Poo. Also about this time the Islands of Sainct Thomas, Sainct Thome. Rha del Prin­cipe. and Del Principe were discouered, standing vnder the line, with the firme land also, Benin. wherein is the kingdome of Benin, Cape de Santa Catarina. reaching to the Cape de Santa Catarina, standing on the south side of the line in 3. degrées. The man that made this discouerie was a seruant of the kings, and his name was Sequeira.

Many suppose, that than also there were those places, countreyes and Islands discouered, which before were neuer knowne to vs since the flood.

In the yéere 1480. the valiant king Don Alphonso died, Don Iohn the second. and left many things woorthy of memorie behinde him; Barros decad. 1. lib. 3 cap. 2. and his sonne Don Iohn the second succéeded him. Castell de Mina. built. Who in the yéere 1481. gaue direction for the building of the castle De Mina to one Diego d'Azambuxa; who did so, and was made captaine of it.

[Page 28] In the yéere 1484. the foresaid king Iohn sent out one Die­go Caon a knight of his Court to discouer: Barros decad. 1. lib. 3. cap. 3. and he went to the Riuer of Congo, Rio de Congo. standing on the south side in 7. or 8. de­grées of latitude; where he erected a pillar of stone with the royall armes and letters of Portugall, wherein he wrote the commandement that he had receiued from the king, with the time and day of his being there. From thence he went vnto a riuer néere the Tropicke of Capricorne, Discouerie neere vnto the Tropick of Capricorne. setting still vp pil­lars of stone where he thought it conuenient, and so came backe againe vnto Congo, An ambassadour from the king of Congo. and to the king of that countrey: who thereupon sent an ambassadour and men of credite into Portugall.

In the next yéere or the second following, one Iohn Alonso d'Aueiro came from the kingdome of Benin, and brought home pepper with a taile: Pepper of Benin. which was the first of that kinde séene in Portugall.

In the yéere 1487. king Iohn sent to discouer India ouer land. Barros decad. 1. lib. 3. cap. 5. Pedro de Couil­lan and Alfonso de Pavua sent to discouer India. In which iourney went one Pedro de Couillan a ser­uant of the kings, and Alfonso de Payua, because they could speake the Arabian toong. They went out in the moneth of May, and the same yeere they tooke shipping at Naples, and arriued in the Isle of Rhodes, and lodged in the house that was prouided for the Portugall knights of that order: from thence they went to Alexandria, Alexandria. and so to Cayro, and thence to the hauen of Toro in the companie of the Carauans or carriers which were Moores. Cairo. There they tooke shipping, Toro. and being on the Red sea they arriued at the citie of Aden, Aden. and there they separated themselues: for Alfonso de Payua went towards Aethiopia, and Pedro de Couillan into India. Who came vnto the cities of Cananor and Calicut, Cananor. and came backe vnto Goa: Calicut. where he tooke shipping vnto Sofala, Goa. being on the coast of Africa in the southerne latitude of 20. degrées, Sofala. to sée the mines that were of so great name. Mosambique. From Sofala he turned backe to Mosambique, Quiloa. and vnto the cities of Quiloa, Mom­baza, Mombaza. and Melinde, Melinde. till he came backe againe vnto the citie of Aden: where he and Alfonso de Payua deuided themselues: and thence he sailed againe through the Red sea vnto the citie of Cayro, where he thought to haue met with his companion: but there he heard that he was dead by the letters that he receiued from king Iohn his master; in which letters he was [Page 29] farther commanded to trauaile into the countrey and domi­nions of Presbyter Iohn.

Vpon this commandement he prouided for his farther iourney, The voiage of Pedro de Co­uillan vnto the countrey of Prete Ianni. and from Cairo went backe againe to the hauen of Toro, and from thence to Aden, where he had béen twise be­fore: and there hearing of the fame of the citie of Ormuz, he determined to goe thither; and therefore went along the coast of Arabia vnto the Cape Razalgate standing vnder the Tropicke of Cancer, Cape Razalgate. and from thence he went to Ormuz, Ormuz. standing in 27. degrées on that side. There he learned and vn­derstood of the streigth of Persia, and of that countrey: and entred there into the Red sea, and passed ouer to the realme of the Abassini, Abassini. which commonly is called Presbyter Iohns countrey or Aethiopia: Pedro de Co­uillan the first Portugall that came into the East India and Aethiopia by the Red sea. and there he was detained till the yéere 1520. when there came thither the ambassadour Don Roderigo de Lima: This Pedro de Couillan was the first Portugall that euer knew and saw the Indias and those seas, and other places adioyning thereunto.

In the yéere 1490. the king sent vnto Congo one Gonzalo de Sosa a gentleman with thrée ships, Barros decad. 1. lib. 3. cap 9. and in them sent home the ambassadour of Congo, which was sent into Portu­gall, whom Diego Caon had brought from thence: who at his being in Portugall was baptised both himselfe and others of his companie.

The aforesaid Gonzalo de Sosa died in that iourney by the way, and in his roome they chose his nephew Ruy de So­sa for their captaine; and so being come vnto Congo, the king was very glad of their comming, and yéelded himselfe, and the greater part of his realme to be baptized: A great part of the kingdome of Congo baptized. whereof the Portugals had good cause to reioice, séeing by them so many Infidels were conuerted from gentilitie and paganisme to Christianitie.

The first beginning of the Discoueries of the Spanyards, with the continuation of the Discoueries of the Portugals.

IN the yéere 1492. in the time of Don Ferdinando king of Castile, he being at the siege of Granada, dispatched one Christopher Columbus a Genoway with three ships to goe [Page 30] and discouer Noua Spagna: who first had offered his seruice for a westerne discouerie vnto king Iohn of Portugall; but he would not entertaine him.

He being sufficiently furnished for this enterprise departed from the towne of Palos the third day of August, hauing with him as captaines and pilots Martin Alfonso Pinzon, Francis Martinez Pinzon, Vincent Yannes Pinzon, and Bartholomew Columbus his brother, with 120. persons more in his compa­nie: The first that in sailing are thought to haue obserued lati­tud [...]s. and some affirme that they were the first that sailed by latitudes. They tooke the Canaries in their way, and there refreshed themselues; taking their course thence towards Ci­pango: but finding the sea by the way full of wéeds they were amazed, and with great feare arriued at the Antiles the tenth day of October, and the first Island that they descried was called Guanahany: The Isle of Gua­nahany first dis­couered. where they went on land, and tooke pos­session of it, and named it San Saluador. This Island stan­deth in 25. degrées of northerly latitude. And after that they found many Islands, which they called the Princes because they were the first that they had discouered.

The Sauages of those parts call these Islands by the name of Lucaios, Lucaios Islands. hauing in déede seuerall names for them. And they doe stand on the north side almost vnder the Tropicke of Can­cer. As for the Island of S. Iames or Iamaica, it standeth be­twéene 16. and 17. degrées.

Thence they went to the Island which the naturals of the countrey call Cuba, Cuba. and the Spanyards call it Ferdinandina, bicause their kings name was Ferdinando, standing in 22. degrées: from whence the Indians conducted them vnto ano­ther Island, which they call Hayti, and the Spanyards called it Isabella, in the memorie of the Quéene of Castile, which was so called, Hispaniola. and they named it also Hispaniola. In that Island the Admirall ship of Columbus was cast away: of the timber and planks whereof they made a forte, wherein they left 38 men, and a captaine called Roderigo de Arana, to learne the language and customes of the countrey. They brought from thence musters and shewes of gold, pearles, and other things, which that countrey yéelded; and ten Indians also, whereof sixe died, the rest were brought home and bap­tized.

Hereupon there grewe such a common desire of trauaile [Page 31] among the Spanyards, that they were ready to leape into the sea to swim, if it had béen possible, into those new found parts. The aforesaid company of Columbus at their comming home tooke in their way the Isles of the Açores, and the 4. day of March in the yéere 1493. they entred into the bar of Lisbon: Contention be­tweene the kings of Spaine and Portugall. which discouerie pleased not the king of Portugall. Where­upon rose a contention betwéene those two kings.

Christopher Columbus being arriued went presently into Castile with the newes of all things, and acquainted the king Fernando, with the discontentednes of the king of Portugall: whereupon he and the Quéene Isabella his wife sent streight word thereof vnto Pope Alexander the 6. whereat he and the Italians were in great admiration, The bull of donation. maruailing that there was any more land besides that which was vnder the Ro­manes. But the end of this matter was this: Alexander the Pope gaue these countreies by his iudgement vnto the king­domes of Leon and Castile; with this condition, That they should labour to extirpate idolatrie, and plant the Holy faith in those countreyes.

Fernando the king hauing receiued this answere, was glad of it, and sent Christopher Columbus againe on the for­mer voiage, Gomara historiae general. lib. 1. cap. 17. hauing made him Admirall, and giuen him other honors, with particular armes, and a posie written about his armes to this effect.

In the yéere 1493. the 25. of the moneth of October Chri­stopher Columbus went backe vnto the Antiles, Columbus se­cond voiage. and frō Cadiz he tooke his course, hauing in his companie 17. ships, and 1500. men in them, with his brethren Bartholomew Colum­bus, and Diego Columbus, with other knights, gentlemen, men of law, and religious men, with chalices, crosses, rich ornaments, and with great power and dignitie from Pope Alexander; & the 10. day after their setting foorth, they arriued at the Canaries; & from thence in 25. or 30. daies they sailed vnto the Antiles; & the first Island that they saw standeth in 14. degrées towards the north, due west from Cape Verde on the coast of Africa. They say that the distance from thence to the Canaries is 800. leagues. Deseada dis­couered. The name they gaue it was Deseada, that is the Desired or wished Island, for the great [Page 32] desire which the companie had to come to sight of land. After that they discouered many more which they named the Vir­gines, Caribas. which the naturals of the countrey call the Caribas, for that the men of that countrey are good warriers, and shoote well in bowes. They poison their arrowes with an herbe, whereof he that is hurt dieth, biting himselfe like as a mad dog doth.

From these Islands and others they went vnto the prin­cipall Island there, which they of the countrey doe call Bori­quen, Boriquen of S. Iohn de porto riceo. and the Spanyards call it S. Iohn, and thence to Hispa­niola or Isabella, where they found all the men dead which there they had left. Here the Admirall left the most part of the people to plant it, and appointed his brethren to be gouer­nours there: and so tooke two ships, and went to discouer the other side of the Island of Cuba, Iamaica. and from thence to Iamaica. All these Islands stand from 16. vnto 20. degrées of northerly latitude. In the meane time that the Admiral [...] sailed about, his brethren and they that were left with them were much troubled, because the Sauages did rise against them. So that Christopher Colon went backe againe into Spaine, to tell the king and Quéene of his aduentures.

In the yéere 1494. and in the moneth of Ianuarie there was an agréement made of the differences which were be­twéene the two kings of Spaine and Portugall. For the which agréement there were sent out of Portugall Ruy de So [...]a, and Don Iohn his sonne, and the Doctor Ayres de Almada: and for the king of Spaine there were Don Henry Henriques, Don Iohn de Cardenas, and the Doctor Maldonado. All these met in the towne of Tordesillas, and they deuided the world frō the north to the south by a meridian which standeth west from the Islands of Cape Verde 300. leagues: The first line of partition. so that the one halfe which lay vnto the east should belong vnto Portugall, and that which lay to the west to the king of Spaine, where­by notwithstanding libertie to trauell was left equall vnto both.

In the yéere following 1495. Iohn king of Portugall died, The death of Don Iohn the second. and Emmanuel his cosen began to reigne.

In the yéere 1496. there was a Venetian in England cal­led Iohn Cabota, The great dis­couerie of Iohn Cabota and the English. who hauing knowledge of such a new disco­uerie as this was, and perceiuing by the globe, that the [Page 33] Islands before spoken of stood almost in the same latitude with his countrey, and much néerer to England then to Por­tugall, or to Castile, he acquainted king Henrie the seuenth then king of England with the same, wherewith the saide king was greatly pleased, and furnished him out with two ships and thrée hundred men: which departed and set saile in the spring of the yéere, and they sailed westward til they came in sight of land in 45. degrées of latitude towards the north, and then went straight northwards till they came into 60. degrées of latitude, where the day is 18. howers long, and the night is very cléere and bright. There they found the aire cold, and great Islands of ice, but no ground in an hundred fathoms sounding: and so from thence finding the land to turne eastwards they trended along by it discouering all the Bay and riuer named Deseado, to see if it passed on the other side: Then they sailed backe againe till they came to 38. de­grées towards the Equinoctiall line, This is to the south of the Chese [...]ian Bay. and from thence returned into England. There he others which say, that he went as far as the Cape of Florida, which standeth in 25. degrées.

In the yéere 1497. The king of Spaine Don Fernando sent out Christopher Columbus with sixe ships, Columbus third voiage. and he himselfe prouided two ships at his owne cost, Gomara historiae general. lib. 2. cap. 21. and sending his brother before, he made saile from the Bay of Cadiz, carrying with him his sonne Don Diego Colon▪ It was then reported that he went to take the Island of Madera, because he mistrusted the French men, and therefore sent thither thrée ships: others say it was to the Canaries. But howsoeuer it was, this is true, that he and thrée more went vnto the Islands of Cape Verde, and ran along by the line finding great calmes and raine, and the first land which they came vnto of the Antiles was an Island standing in 9. degrées of latitude towards the north ioining fast vnto the maine land, which they called La Trinidada; Trinidada. and so he entred into the Gulfe of Paria, and came out of the mouth which they name Bocca de Dragone, or the Dragons mouth: and they tooke their course hard by the coast, where they found thrée small Islands, which they named Los Testigos, Testigos. that is to say, Cubagua. The Witnesses, beyond which stan­deth the Island of Cubagua, where is great fishing of muscle pearles: where also, as they say, there springeth a Well of aile: and beyond that Island they came to the Isles of Frailes, [Page 34] Roques, Frailes, Roques, Aruba, Caraçao, &c. Aruba, and Curaçao, with other small ones all along the Bay: and they came to the point of Cabo de Vela, and discouered along the coast almost 200. leagues, Cabo de Vela. from whence they crossed ouer to Hispaniola, hauing had also sight of the Island called Beata. Beata.

In this same yéere 1497. on the 20. day of the moneth of Iune one Vasques de Gama sailed from Lisbon by the king Emmanuels commandement to India with 3. ships, Barros decad. 1. lib 4 cap. 2. and to the end of the 11. chapter. wherein there went for captaines Vasques de Gama, Paulus de Gama his brother, and Nicolas Coello with 120. men; with whom also there went one ship laden only with vittailes, and in 14. daies they came vnto Cape Verde, vnto the Island of Saint Iago, where they refreshed themselues, and from thence they went along the coast beyond the Cape of Bona Sperança, The Cape of Bona Sperança. whereupon they erected certaine pillers of stone, and so came vnto Mosambique standing in 15. degrées to the south of the line, Mosambique. where they staied not long, but went from thence to Mombaza, Mombaza. Melinde. and vnto Melinde: where the king of that place gaue them pilots, which conducted them into India, in which discouerie they found out Los Baxos do Padua, Los Baxos de Padua. that is to say, the flats of Padua.

In the yéere 1498. in the moneth of May they came to an anker before the citie of Calicut, Calicut. and Panana, where they re­mained all the winter: and the first day of September they set saile towards the north discouering the coast all along till they came to the Island of Angediua, which standeth on that side in 15. degrées of latitude, where they came to an anker in the beginning of October, and so they departed from Ange­diua in Februarie in the yéere 1499. and came in sight of the coast of Africa about Melinde towards the north 3. or 4. de­grées, & from thence they sailed vnto the said citie, and so vnto Mosambique againe, and to the Cape of Bona Sperança, sai­ling along by the coast, and then they came to the Islands of Cape Verde, and last of al to the citie of Lisbon in the moneth of September, Gomara historiae general lib. hauing béene in the voiage 26. monethes.

In the yéere 1499 on the 13. day of the moneth of Nouem­ber there departed frō Palos one Vincent Yannez Pinson and his nephew Aries Pinson with fower ships well appointed at their owne coast and charges, to discouer the new world vnder the licence of the king of Castile, and with commandement [Page 35] not to touch there, where the Admirall Columbus had béene. And so they went to the Islands of Cape Verde, and passed the line to the southward, The Cape of S. Augustine. and discouered the Cape of Saint Augustine standing on that side in 8. degrées of latitude, and there they wrote on the rindes of pine trées the names of the king and of the Quéene, also the yéere and day when they ar­riued there. They fought with the people of Brasil, but got nothing, Rio de Maria Tambal. they tooke their course all along the coast towards the west vnto the riuer Maria Tambal, and at that time they had taken thirty and odde prisoners. Angla de San Lucas. The chiefe places where they touched were the Cape of S. Augustine, and the angle or point of S. Luke, The riuers of Marannon, A­mazones and Rio Dolce. and Tierra de los Humos, the Riuers of Ma­rannon, and of the Amazones, and Rio dolce, or the Swéete riuer, and other places along the coast: and they came to ten degrées of latitude on the north side, where they lost two ships and their companie, and remained in that voiage of discouery ten moneths, and 15. daies.

In the yéere 1500. and in the moneth of March one Pedro Aluarez Cabral sailed out of Lisbon with 13. ships, Barros decad. 1. lib. 5 cap. 2. with com­mandement not to come néere the coast of Africa to shorten his way; and he losing the sight of one of his ships, went to séeke her, and in séeking of her lost his course, and sailed till he came within sight of the land. The Generall was so long in séeking his ship, that the companie were wearie of it, and en­treated him to leaue his enterprise. The next day they fell in sight of the coast of Brasil: whereupon the Generall comman­ded a barke to goe to land and séeke an hauen: which they did, Puerto Seguro in Brasil. and found a good and safe hauen, and they named it Puer­to Seguro, that is to say, The Safe hauen, standing on the south side in 17. degrées of latitude. From thence they sailed towardes the Cape of Bona Sperança, and Melinde, and crossed ouer to the riuer of Cochin, which before was not knowne, where they laded themselues with pepper, and at their returne Sancho de Thouar discouered the citie of Sofala vpon the coast of Africa. Sofala.

In this same yéere 1500. it is reported that Gaspar Corte­real craued a generall licence of the king Emmanuel to disco­uer the New found land. He went from the Island Terçera with two ships well appointed at his owne cost, and he sai­led vnto that climate which standeth vnder the north in 50. [Page 36] degrées of latitude, which is a land nowe called after his name; Terra Corte­realis. and he came home in safetie vnto the citie of Lisbon: And making another time this voiage, the ship was lost wherein he went, and the other came backe into Portugall. Wherefore his brother Michael Cortereal went to séeke him with thrée ships well appointed at his owne cost; and when they came vnto that coast, and found so many entrances of riuers, Many entrances of riuers in the northwest. and hauens, euery ship went into her seuerall riuer, with this rule and order, that they all thrée should meete againe the 20. day of August. The two other ships did so, and they séeing that Michael Cortereal was not come at the day appointed, nor yet afterwards in a certaine time, returned backe into the realme of Portugall, and neuer heard any more newes of him, nor yet any other memorie. But that countrey is called The land of Cortereall vnto this day.

In the yéere 1501. in the moneth of March Iohn de Noua departed from the citie of Lisbon with fower ships, Barros decad. 1. lib. 5. cap. 10. and passed the line on the south side into 8. degrees of latitude, and he dis­couered an Island, I [...]ha de Ascen­sion. which he called the Isle de Ascension: And he went vnto Mosambique, and to Melinde, and from thence he crossed ouer vnto the other side, where they tooke lading, and so came back and doubled the Cape, and found an Island called Santa Helena, The Isle of Santa Helena. being but a small thing, but yet of great importance in respect of the situation thereof.

In this same yéere 1501. and in the moneth of May there departed out of Lisbon thrée ships vpon the commandement of Emmanuel the king to discouer the coast of Brasil: and they sailed in the sight of the Canaries, and from thence to Cape Verde, Bezequiche. where they refreshed themselues in the towne of Be­zequiche, and passed from thence beyond the line southward and fell with the land of Brasill in fiue degrées of latitude, Brasil discouered to 32. degrees. and so went forward till they came in 32. degrées little more or lesse, according as they accounted it, and from thence they came backe in the moneth of Aprill, because it was there at that time cold and tempestuous. They were in that voiage fifteene monethes, and came to Lisbon againe in the begin­ning of September 1502.

In the y [...]ere 1502. one Alfonso Hoieda went to discouer Terra firma, Gomara historiae general. lib. 2. and followed his course till he came to his pro­uince of Vraba. Vraba.

[Page 37] The next yéere following also one Roderigo Bastidas of Siuill went out with two carauels at his owne cost, and the first land of the Antiles that he saw was an Island which he named Isla Verde, that is, the Gréene Island, standing fast by the Island of Guadalupe, towards the land: and from thence they tooke their course towards the west to Santa Martha, and Cape De la Vela, and to Rio Grande, or the Great riuer, and they discouered the hauen of Zamba, the Coradas, Carthage­na, and the Islands of S. Barnard, of Baru, and Islas de Arenas, and went forward vnto Isla fuerte, and to the point of Cari­bana standing at the end of the Gulfe of Vraba, where they had sight of the Farrallones standing on the other side hard by the riuer of Darien, and from Cape De la Vela vnto this place are two hundred leagues: and it standeth in 9. degrées and two parts of latitude. From thence they crossed ouer vnto the Island of Iamaica, where they refreshed themselues. In Hispaniola they graued their ships because of the holes which certaine wormes of the water had eaten in the planks. In that countrey they got fower hundred markes of golde, al­though the people there be more warlike then in Noua Spa­nia: for they poison their arrowes which they shoote.

In this same yéere 1502. Christopher Columbus entred the fourth time into his discouerie with fower ships at the com­mandement of Don Fernando to séeke the Streight, The fourth voi­age of Colum­bus. which as they said did diuide the land from the other side, Gomara historiae general. l [...]b. 1. cap. 24. and he carried with him Ferdinando his sonne. They went first to the Island of Hispaniola, to Iamaica, to the riuer Azua, to the Cape of Higueras, Cabo de Hi­gueras. and vnto the Islands Gamares, and to the Cape of Hunduras, Cabo de Hun­duras. that is to say, the Cape of the Depthes: from thence they sailed towards the east vnto the Cape Gra­cias a Dios, Cabo Gracias a Dios. and discouered the prouince and riuer of Veragua, and Rio Grande, Veragua. and others, which the Indians call Hienra. And from thence he went to the riuer of Crocodiles, which now is called Rio de Chagres, Rio de Chagres. which hath his springs néere the South Sea, within fower leagues of Panama, and run­neth into the North Sea: and so he went vnto the Island which he called Isla de Bastimentos, Isla de Basti­mentos. that is the Isle of Vic­tuailes, Puerto Bello. and then to Puerto Bello, that is the Faire hauen, and so vnto Nombre de Dios, Nombre de Dios. and to Rio Francisco, and so to the hauen of Retrete, and then to the Gulfe of Cabesa Cattiua, [Page 38] and to the Islands of Caperosa, The Cape of marble. and lastly to the Cape of Mar­ble, which is two hundred leagues vpon the coast: from whence they began to turne againe vnto the Island of Cuba, and from thence to Iamaica, where he grounded his ships be­ing much spoiled and eaten with wormes.

In this yéere also 1502 Don Vasques de Gama being now Admirall went againe into India with 19. or 20. Carauels. Barros decad. 1. lib. 6. cap. 2. He departed from Lisbon the tenth day of Februarie, and by the last day of that moneth he came to an anker at Cape Ver­de, The Island of Mosambique. and from thence he went vnto Mosambique, and was the first that crost from that Island into India: and he discouered another in 4. degrées of latitude, which he called the Island of the Admirall, and there he tooke his lading of pepper and drugs, and left there one Vincent Sodre to kéepe the coast of India with fiue ships.

These were the first Portugals, that with an armie did run along the coast of Arabia Foelix. It is there so barren, that their cattell and camels are onely maintained with drie fish brought from the sea; Cattell and ca­mels led with dried fish. whereof there is such plenty and abun­dance, that the cats of the countrey doe vse to take them.

In the yeere following, as it is reported, one Antonie de Saldanta discouered the Island which in old time was called Coradis, Socotora. and now Socotora, and the Cape of Guardafu, which adioineth vnto that countrey. Cape de Guar­dafu.

In the yéere 1504. Roderigo de Bastidas obtained licence of king Ferdinando, and by the meanes of Iohn de Lodesma and others of Siuill armed and furnished out two ships, ha­uing for his pilot one Iohn de Cosa of Saint Marie Port, and he went to discouer that part of Tierra firma where now stan­deth Carthagena, Carthagena. being in ten degrées and a halfe of norther­ly latitude. And it is said that they found the captaine Luis de la Guerra; Codego. and they together tooke land in the Isle of Codego, where they tooke sixe hundred persons of the Sauages: And going farther along the coast they entred into the Gulfe of Vraba, where they found sand mingled with gold, being the first that was brought to the king Don Ferdinando: from thence they returned to the citie of Santo Domingo laden with slaues without victuailes, because they of the countrey would not bargaine with them, which grew to their great trouble and griefe.

[Page 39] In the later end of this yéere died Ladie Isabella Quéene of Castile: The death of Queene Isabella 150 [...]. Which Quéene while she liued would not suffer any man of Arragon, Catalunia, Valencia, nor any borne in the countrey of Don Fernando her husband to enter into these discoueries, saue those which were their seruants, or by speci­all commandement, but only the Castillians, Biscaines, & those which were of her owne Signiories, by whom all the lands aforesaid were discouered.

In the yéere 1505. vpon our Lady day in March Francisco de Almeida Viceroy of India tooke his course with 22. sailes towards India as now is accustomed. Barros decad. 1. lib. 8. cap. 3. He came vnto the citie of Quiloa, A fort built in Quiloa. where he built a fort, appointing one Peter Fereira to be captaine thereof: and beyond Melinde he trauersed to the Island of Angediua, Angediua pos­sessed. where he placed as captaine one Em­manuell Passauia. Forts builded in Cananor and in Cochin. In Cananor also he built another fort, gi­uing the captainship of it to Laurence de Brito. In Cochin he did the like, where Don Alfonso de Noronia was made cap­taine. A fort builded in Sofala. This yéere one Peter de Anhaya did build the fortresse of Sofala, whereof also himselfe was made captaine.

In the later end of this yéere the Viceroy commanded his sonne, whose name was Don Laurenço to make some entrie vpon the Islands of Maldiua, and with contrarie weather he arriued at the Islands, which of ancient time were called Traganae, but the Moores called them Ytterubenero, and we call them Ceilan: Ceilan. where he went on land, and made peace with the people there, and afterward came backe vnto Co­chin, sailing along the coast and fully discouering it. In the middest of this Island there stands a rocke of stone very high hauing the signe of the foote of a man vpon the top of it, which they say to be the footestep of Adam, when he went vp into the heauens, and the Indians haue it in great reuerence.

In the yéere 1506. after the death of the Quéene of Spaine, king Philip and Quéene Ioan his wife came into Spaine to take possession thereof, and king Don Fernando went into Arragon being his owne patrimonie. The death of Philip the first king of Spaine 1506. In this same yeere the said king Philip died, and then Fernando came againe to go­uerne Spaine, and he gaue licence vnto all Spanyards to goe vnto the New land, and to the A [...]tiles, but not to the Portu­gals. The death of Christopher Columbus. In this yéere and in the moneth of May Christopher Columbus died, and his sonne Don Diego Columbus succee­ded [Page 40] in his roome.

In the yéere 1506. and entring into the moneth of March Tristan de Acunna and Alfonso de Albuquerque went into India with 14. ships in their companie, Barros decad. 2. lib. 1. cap. 1. and sailed till they came to an anker at the towne of Bezequiche, Bezequiche is by Cape Verde. where they refreshed themselues: and before they came to the Cape of Bona Sperança in 37. degrées they found certaine Islands, which now are named the Isles of Tristan de Acunna, The Isles of Tristan de Acunna in 37. degrees. where they had such a tempest that therewithall the fléete was dis­persed. Tristan de Acun̄a and Alfonso de Albuquerque went vnto Mosambique, and Aluaro Telez ran so far that he came to the Island of Samatra, Samatra disco­uered. and so backe againe vnto the Cape of Guardatu; hauing discouered many Islands, sea, and land neuer séene before that time of any Portugall. Emmanuel Te­lez de Meneses was also driuen without the great Island of S. Laurence, and he ran along the coast thereof, and arriued at last at Mosambique, and there met with Tristan de Acun̄a, who was the first captaine that wintred there; and by them it was told, that in this Island was much Ginger, Cloues, and siluer: The Inland of S. Laurence discouered. whereupon he went and discouered much of it within the land; but finding nothing he came backe againe vnto Mosambique; from whence he sailed vnto Melinde, and ran along that coast and entred into Braua, Braua. and from thence they crost ouer to the Island of Socotora, A fortresse buil­ded in Soc [...]tora. where they built a fortresse, Barros decad. 2. lib. 2. cap. 1. and made one Don Antonio de Noronia captaine thereof.

In the yéere 1507. in the moneth of August Tristan de A­cun̄a tooke shipping for India, and Alfonso de Albuquerque remained there with fiue or sixe ships to kéepe the coast and entrie of the Streight; but being not therewith satisfied he tooke his course ouer vnto Arabia, and running along that coast he doubled the Cape of Rosalgate standing vnder the Tropicke of Cancer. The Cape of Rosalgate.

In the yeere 1509. one Diego Lopez de Sequeira went out of Lisbon with fower sailes vnto the Island of Saint Lau­rence, Barros decad. 2. lib. 1. cap. 3. and continued in his voiage almost a yéere, The Isle of S. Laurence. and in the moneth of May the same yéere he arriued in Cochin, where the Viceroy gaue him one ship more: and in the beginning of the moneth of September he tooke his course vnto Malacca passing betwéene the Islands of Nicubar, The Islands of Nicubar. and many others: [Page 41] He went also to the land of Samatra to the cities of Pedir and Pacem, Samatra. and all along by all that coast vnto the Island of A Poluoreira, The Isle of A Poluoreira. and the flats of Capacia: and from thence he went ouer vnto Malacca standing in 2. degrées of latitude towards the north: The flats of Capacia. but in that citie the people killed and tooke as prisoners some of his men: Malacca. and thereupon he turned backe againe into India, hauing discouered in this voiage fiue hun­dred leagues. Rarities in Samatra. This Island of Samatra is the first land where­in we knew mans flesh to be eaten by certaine people which liue in the mountaines called Bacas, who vse to gilde their téeth. They hold opinion that the flesh of the blacke people is swéeter then the flesh of the white. In Samatra buffes, kine, and hennes haue flesh as blacke as inke. The buffes, kine, and hennes which are in that countrey are in their flesh as blacke as any inke. They say that there are certaine people there called Daraqui Dara, People hauing tailes like sheepe. which haue tailes like vnto shéepe; and some of their welles yéeld oile.

The king of Pedir is reported to haue a riuer in his land running with oile: which is a thing not to be maruelled at, séeing it is found written, that in Bactria there is also a well of oile: it is farther said that there groweth here a trée, the iuice whereof is strong poison, and if it touch the blood of a man, he dieth immediately: but if a man doe drinke of it, it is a soueraigne remedie against poison, so seruing both for life and death. Gold coined in Samatra. Here also they doe coine péeces of gold, which they call Drachmas, brought into the land as they say by the Romanes: which séemeth to haue some resemblance of truth: because that from that place forward there is no coined gold: but that which is thus coined doth run currant in the buying of marchandise and other things.

In the yéere 1508. one Alfonso de Hoieda with the fauour of Don Fernando purposed to goe vnto Tierra firma to con­quer the prouince of Darien. Gomara historiae general. lib. 3. cap. 7. He went foorth at his owne char­ges, & discouered The Firme land, where it is called Vraba, which he named Castilia del Oro, Castilia del oro. that is Golden Castilia, bicause of the gold which they found among the sand along the coast: And they were the first Spanyards that did this. Alfonso de Hoieda went first from the Island of Hispaniola and the citie of San Domingo with fower ships and thrée hundred soldiers, The booke of the Bachiler Anciso of these discoueries. leauing behinde him the bachiler Anciso, who afterwards compiled a booke of these discoueries. And [Page 42] after him there went also one ship with victuals, munition, and 150. Spanyards. He went on land at Carthagena: but there the people of the countrey tooke, slew and eate 70. of his soldiers, whereupon he grew very weake.

In this yéere 1508. one Drego de Niquesa prepared seuen ships in the port of Beata to goe vnto Veragua, Beata is a pro­uince in the west part of H [...]pa­niola. and carried in them almost 800. men. When he came to Carthagena he found there Alfonso de Hoieda sore spoiled with his former losse: but then they both ioined together, and went on land and auenged themselues of the people. And in this voiage Diego de Niquesa went and discouered the coast called Nom­bre de Dios, and went vnto the sound of Darien, and called it Puerto de Misas, Gomara gen. hist. lib. 3. cap. 6. which is vpon the riuer of Pito. When they were come vnto Veragua, he went on shore with his armie, his soldiers being out of hope to returne to Hispaniola. Alfon­so de Hoieda began a fortresse in Caribana against the Cari­bes; which was the first towne that the Spanyards builded in the Firme land: Nuestra Sennora de la antigua builded. and in Nombre de Dios they built ano­ther, and called it Nuestra Sennora de la Antigua. They buil­ded also the towne of Vraba. And there they left for their cap­taine and lieutenant one Francis Pisarro, who was there much troubled. They builded other towns also, whose names I here omit. But these captaines had not that good successe which they hoped for.

In the yéere 1509. the second Admirall Don Diego Co­lumbus went into the Island of Hispaniola with his wife and houshold: Many gentlewo­men went to dwell in Hispa­niola. And she being a gentlewoman carried with her many other women of good families, which were there mar­ried, and so the Spanyards and Castillians began to people the countrey: for Don Fernando the king had giuen them licence to discouer and people the townes of Hispaniola; so that the same place grew to be famous and much frequented. The foresaid. Admirall also gaue order to people the Island of Cuba, Cuba peopled. which is very great and large, and placed there as his lieutenant one Diego Velasques, who went with his father in the second voiage.

In the yéere 1511. in the moneth of Aprill Alfonso de Al­buquerque went from the citie of Cochin vnto Malaeca. Barros decad. 2. lib. 5 cap 10. & lib. 6. cap. 2. In which yéere and moneth the Chineans went from Malaeca into their owne countrey, Barros decad. 2. lib. 6. cap. 5. and Alfonso sent with them for [Page 43] master a Portugall called Duarte Fernandes, with letters also and order vnto the king of the Mantias, which now is called Sian standing in the South. The Streight of Cincapura. They passed through the streight of Cincapura, and sailed towards the north, went along the coast of Patane vnto the citie of Cuy, Odia the chiefe citie of Sian. and from thence to Odia which is the chiefe citie of the kingdome, standing in 14. de­grées of northerly latitude. The king greatly honoured and welcomed Duarte Fernandes, being the first Portugall that he had séene, and with him he sent backe ambassadours to Al­buquerque. They passed ouer land towards the west vnto the citie of Tanaçerim standing vpon the sea on the other side in 12. degrées, Tanaçerim. where they imbarked themselues in two ships, and sailed along the coast vnto the citie of Malacca, leauing it all discouered.

The people of this countrey of Sian are people that eate of all kinde of beastes, M. Ralph Fitch which had beene in this countrey brought diuers of these bels into England. or vermine. They haue a delight to carrie round bels within the skin of their priuie members: which is forbidden to the king and the religious people. It is said that of all other people of those parts they be most vertuous and honest. They commend themselues much for their cha­stitie and pouertie. They bring no heunes nor doues vp in their houses. This kingdome hath in length 250. leagues, and in bredth 80. Of this only kingdome the king may bring foorth into the field thirtie thousand elephants, when he go­eth to warre, besides those which remaine in the cities for the garde of them. The king much estéemeth a white elephant, and a red one also, that hath eies like vnto flaming fire.

There is in this countrey a certaine small vermine, which vseth to cleaue fast to the trunke of the elephant, and draweth the blood of the elephant, and so he dieth thereof. The skull of this vermine is so hard, that the shot of an handgun cannot enter it: they haue in their liuers the figures of men and wo­men, which they call Toke [...]a, and are much like vnto a man­drake. The liuer of a little beast good against any wo [...]d of iron. And they affirme that he which hath one of them about him cannot die with the stroke of any iron. They haue also wilde kine in this countrey, in the heads of whome they finde stones, which are of vertue to bring good hap and for­tune to marchants.

After that Duarte Fernandes had béen with the Mantales or people of Sian, Alfonso de Albuquerque sent thither a knight [Page 44] called Ruy Nunnez de Acunna with letters and ambassage vnto the king of the Seguies, Pegu. which we call Pegu. He went in a Iunco of the countrey in sight of the Cape Rachado, and from thence went vnto the citie of Pera which standeth fast by the riuer Salano, Pera. and many other villages standing all along this riuer, where Duarte Fernandes had béene before, vnto the cities of Tanaçerim and of Martauan, standing in 15. degrées toward the north, and the citie of Pegu standeth in 17. This was the first Portugall, which trauailed in that kingdome: Master Ralph Fitch saw this in Pegu also. and he gaue good information of that countrey, and of the people, which vse to were bels in their priuities euen as the Mantales doe.

In the end of this yeere 1511. Barros decad 2. lib 6. cap. 7. Alfonso de Albuquerque sent thrée ships to the Islands of Banda, The Isles of Ban­da and Maluco. and Maluco. And there went as Generall of them one Antonio de Breu, and with him also went one Francis Serrano: and in these ships there were 120. persons. They passed through the Streight of Saban, and along the Island of Samatra, and others, lea­uing them on the left hand, towards the east: and they called them the Salites. The Salites. They went also to the Islands of Palinibam and La Suparam; from whence they sailed by the noble Island of Iaua, Iaua. and they ran their course east, sailing betweene it and the Island of Madura. Madura. The people of this Island are very warlike and strong, and doe little regard their liues. The wo­men also are there hired for the warres: and they fall out of­ten together, and kill one another, as the Mocos doe, deligh­ting onely in shedding of blood.

Beyond the Island of Iaua they sailed along by another called Bali: Bali. and then came also vnto others called Aujaue, çambaba, Solor, Or Guliam. Galao, Mallua, Vitara, Rosalangum, & Or Aru. Arus, from whence are brought delicate birds, which are of great estimation because of their feathers: they came also to other Islands lying in the same parallele on the south side in 7. or 8. degrées of latitude. And they be so nere the one to the other, that they séeme at the first to be one entire and maine land. The course by these Islands is aboue fiue hundred leagues. The ancient Cosmographers call all these Islands by the name Iauos: but late experience hath found their names to be very diuers, as you see. Beyonde these there are other Islands toward the north, which are inhabited with whiter [Page 45] people going arraied in shirts, The people of the Isles of Ma­luco weare such apparell. doublets and slops like vnto the Portugals, hauing also money of siluer. The gouernours among them doe carrie in their hands red staues, Gouernours car­rying red staues like those of China. whereby they séeme to haue some affinitie with the people of China. There are other Islands and people about this place, which are redde; and it is reported that they are of the people of China.

Antonie de Breu and those that went with him tooke their course toward the north, where is a smal Island called Gum­nape or Ternate, Ternate. from the highest place whereof there fall continually into the sea flakes or streames like vnto fire; which is a woonderfull thing to behold. Burro. From thence they went to the Islands of Burro and Amboino, Amboino. and came to an anker in an hauen of it called Guliguli, Guliguli. where they went on land and tooke a village standing by the riuer, where they found dead men hanging in the houses; for the people there are eaters of mans flesh. Here the Portugals burnt the ship wherein Francis Serrano was, for she was old and rotten. They went to a place on the other side standing in 8. degrées toward the south, Cloues, nutmegs, and mace in 8. degrees toward the south. where they laded cloues, nutmegs, and mace in a Iunco or barke which Francis Serrano bought here.

They say that not farre from the Islands of Banda there is an Island, where there bréedeth nothing else but snakes, and the most are in one caue in the middest of the land. This is a thing not much to be woondred at; for as much as in the Le­uant sea hard by the Isles of Maiorca and Minorca there is another Island of old named Ophi [...]sa, and now Formentera, wherein there is great abundance of these vermine: and in the rest of the Islands lying by it there are none.

In the yéere 1512. they departed from Banda toward Ma­lacea, and on the baxos or flats of Luçapinho Francis Ser­rano perished in his Iunke or barke, from whence escaped vnto the Isle of Mindanao nine or ten Portugals which were with him, Mindanao. and the kings of Maluco sent for them. Maluco. These were the first Portugals that came to the Islands of Cloues, which stand from the Equinoctiall line towardes the north in one degrée, where they liued seuen or eight yeeres.

The Island of Gumnape now called Ternate is much to be admired, for that it casteth out fire. There were some [Page 46] princes of the Moores and couragious Portugals which de­termined to goe néere to the firie place to sée what it was; but they could neuer come néere it. But Antonie Galuano hea­ring of it, vndertooke to goe vp to it, and did so, and found a ri­uer so extreme cold, that he could not suffer his hand in it, nor yet put any of the water in his mouth: And yet this place standeth vnder the line, where the sunne continually burneth. In these Islands of Maluco there is a kinde of men that haue spurres on their ankles like vnto cocks. Monstrous men. And it was told me by the king of Tydore, Batochina. that in the Islands of Batochina there were people that had tailes, and had a thing like vnto a dug betwéen their cods, out of the which there came milke. There are smal hennes also which lay their egges vnder the ground aboue a fathome and an halfe, and the egges are bigger then ducks egges, and many of these hennes are blacke in their flesh. There are hogs also with hornes, and parats which prattle much, which they call Noris. There is also a riuer of water so hot, that whatsoeuer liuing creature cōmeth into it, their skins will come off, and yet fish bréede in it. There are crabs which be very swéete, and so strong in their clawes, that they will breake the iron of a pik [...]axe. There be others also in the sea little and hairie, but whosoeuer eateth of them dieth immediately. There be likewise certaine oisters, which they doe call Bras, the shels whereof haue so large a compasse, that they doe Christen in them. In the sea also there are liuely stones, which doe grow and increase like vnto fish, whereof very good lime is made: and if they let it lie when it is taken out of the water, it looseth the strength, and it neuer burneth after. The flowers of Xistus and Arbor [...] are such. There is also a certaine trée, which beareth flowers at the sunne set, which fall downe as soone as they be growne. There is a fruit also, as they say, whereof if a woman that is conceaued of childe eateth, the childe by & by mooueth. There is further a kinde of herbe there growing, which followeth the sunne, and remooueth after it, which is a very strange and maruailous thing.

In the yéere 1512. in the moneth of Ianuarie Alfonsus de Albuquerque went backe from Malaca vnto Goa, Barros decad 2. lib. 7. cap. 1. and the ship wherein he went was lost, and the rest went from his companie. The Isles of Maldiua. Simon de Andrada, and a few Portugals were dri­uen vnto the Islands of Maldiua being many & full of palme [Page 47] trées: and they stand lowe by the water: which staied there till they knew what was become of their gouernour. These were the first Portugals that had séene those Islands, wherein there growe Cocos, which are very good against all kinde of poison.

In this yéere 1512. there went out of Castile one Iohn de Solis borne in Lisbon, Iohn de Solis. and chiefe pilot vnto Don Fernando. And he hauing licence went to discouer the coast of Brasill. He tooke the like course that the Pinsons had done: he went also to the Cape of S. Augustine, and went forwards to the south, coasting the shore and land, and he came vnto The Port De Lagoa: and in 35. degrées of southerly latitude he found a riuer which they of Brasill call Parana-guaçu, that is, The great Water. He sawe there signes of siluer, and there­fore called it Rio de Plata, Rio de Plata. that is, The Riuer of siluer. And it is said that at that time he went farther because he liked the countrey well: but he returned backe againe into Spaine, and made account of all things to Don Fernando, demaun­ding of the king the gouernment thereof, which the king granted him. Pet. Martyr. decad. 3 cap. 10. Whereupon he prouided thrée ships and with them in the yéere 1515. he went againe into that king­dome; but he was there slaine. These Solisses were great dis­couerers in those partes, and spent therein their liues and goods.

In the same yéere 1512. Iohn Ponce of Leon, which had béene goueruour of the Isle of S. Iohn armed two ships and went to séeke the Isle of Boyuca, where the naturals of the countrey reported to be a Wel, Pet. Martyr. decad. 2 cap 10. which maketh old men yoong. Whereupon he laboured to finde it out, Gomara historiae general. lib. 2. cap. 10. and was in searching of it the space of sixe monethes, but could finde no such thing. He entred into the Isle of Bimini; Bimini Islands. and discouered a point of the firme land standing in 25. degrées towards the north vp­on Easter day, Florida. and therefore he named it Florida. And because the land séemed to yeeld gold and siluer and great riches, Martyr. decad. 3. cap. 10. he begged it of the king Don Fernando, but he died in the disco­uerie of it, as many more haue done.

In the yéere 1513. Vasco Nunnes de Valboa hearing spéech and newes of The south sea, Pet Mart [...]r. de [...]ad. 3. cap. 1. determined to goe thither, although his companie dissuaded him from that action. But being a man of good valure with those soldiers that he had, [Page 48] being 290. he resolued to put himselfe into that ieoperdie. He went therefore from Dariene the first day of September, car­rying some Indians of the countrey with him to be his guides, and he marched ouerthwart the land sometimes quietly, sometimes in war: and in a certaine place called Careca he found Negroes captiues with curled haire. The South sea dis [...]o [...]ered. This Valboa came to the sight of the South Sea on the 25. day of the said moneth, and on Saint Michaels day came vnto it: where he imbarked himselfe against the will of Chiapes, who was the Lord of that coast, who wished him not to doe so, because it was very dangerous for him. But he desirous to haue it knowne, that he had béene vpon those seas, went forwards, and came backe againe to land in safetie, and with great con­tentment, bringing with him good store of gold, siluer, and pearles, which there they tooke. For which good seruice of his Don Ferdinando the king greatly fauoured and honoured him.

This yéere 1513. in the moneth of Februarie Alfonsus de Albuquerque went frō the citie of Goa towards the streight of Mecha with twenty ships. Barro [...] decad. 2. lib. 7 cap. 7. They arriued at the citie of Aden and battered it, The streight of Mecha or of the Red sea disco­uered. and passed forward and entred into the Streight. They say that they saw a crosse in the element and worshipped it. The Isle of Ca­maran. They wintered in the Island of Camaran▪ This was the first Portugall captaine that gaue information of those seas, and of that of Persia, being things in the world of great account.

In the yéere 1514. and in the moneth of May there went out of Saint Lu [...]ar one Pedro Arias de Auila at the comman­dement of Don Ferdinando. Pet. Martyr. decad. 3. cap. 5. He was the fourth gouernour of Castillia del Oro or Golden Castile: for so they named the countreyes of Dariene, Carthagena, and Vraba, and that countrey which was newly conquered. He carried with him his wife the Lady Elizabeth and 1500. men in seuen ships; and the king appointed Vasco Nunnez de Valboa gouernour of the South Sea and of that coast.

In the beginning of the yéere 1515. the gouernour Pedro Arias de Auila sent one Gaspar Morales with 150. men vnto the Gulfe of S. Michael to discouer the Islands of Tararequi, Chiapes, and Tumaccus. There was a Casique Valboas friend which gaue him many Canoas or boates made of one trée to [Page 49] rowe in, The Island of Tararequi or of pearles in the South sea. wherein they passed vnto The Island of pearles: the Lord whereof resisted them at their comming on land. But Chiapes and Tumaccus did pacifie him in such order, that the captaine of the Isle had them home vnto his house, Martyr. decad. 3. cap. 10. and made much of them, Gomara historia [...] general. lib. [...]. cap. 2. and receiued baptisme at their hands, naming him Pedro Arias after the gouernours name, and he gaue vn­to them for this a basket full of pearles waying 110. pounds, whereof some were as big as hasell nuts of 20. 25. 26. or 31. carats: & euery carat is fower graines. There was giuen for one of them 1200. ducats. This Island of Tararequi standeth in 5. degrées of latitude towards the north.

In this yéere 1515. in the moneth of March the gouernour sent one Gonsaluo de Badaios with 80. soldiers to discouer new lands, and they went from Dariene to Nombre de Dios, where came vnto them one Lewis de Mercado with fiftie men more, which the gouernour sent to aide him. They deter­mined to discouer toward the South, Pet. Martyr. decad. 3. cap. 1 [...]. saying that that coun­trey was the richest. They tooke with them Indians to be their guides, and going along the coast they found slaues marked with irons as the Portugals doe vse; and hauing marched a good way through the countreyes with great trauaile they gathered together much golde and fortie slaues to doe them seruice: but one Casique named Pariza did set vpon them and slue and tooke the most part of them.

The gouernour hearing of these newes, the same yéere 1515. sent foorth his sonne Iohn Arias de Auila to be reuenged and to discouer also by sea and by land: They went west­ward to Cape De Guerra standing in little more then sixe degrées towards the north, Cape de Guerra. and from thence vnto Punta de Borica, Punta de Borica. and to Cape Blanco or the White Cape standing in 8. degrées and an halfe: Cape Blanco. they discouered 250. leagues as they affirme, Panama peopled. and peopled the citie of Panama.

In this very yéere 1515. in the moneth of May Alfonsus de Albuquerque gouernour of India sent from the citie of Or­muz one Fernando Gomes de Lemos as ambassadour vnto Xec or Shaugh Ismael king of Persia: Barros decad. 2. lib. 10. cap. 5. and it is declared that they trauailed in it 300. leagues, Osorius lib. 10. pag 277. and that it is a pleasant countrey like vnto France. An ambassage to [...] Ismael king of Persia. This Xe [...] or Shaugh Ismael went on hunting and fishing for troutes, whereof there are many. And there be the fairest women in all the world. And so [Page 50] Alexander the great affirmed, when he called them The wo­men with golden eies. And this yéere this woorthy Viceroy Alfonsus de Albuquerque died.

In the yéere 1416. and one hundred yéeres after the taking of Ceuta in Barba [...]ie, Lopez Suares being gouernour of India, there was a dispatch made by the commandement of the kings highnes vnto one Fernando Perez de Andrada to passe to the great countrey and kingdome of China. He went from the citie of Cochin in the moneth of Aprill. They receiued pepper, Pepper a princi­pall ma [...]chandise in China. being the principal marchandise to be sold in all China of any value: And he was farther commanded by the king Don Emmanuel to goe also to Bengala with his letter and dispatch to a knight called Iohn Coelo. This was the first Portugall as farre as I know, which drunke of the water of the riuer Ganges.

This yéere 1516. died Don Fernando king of Spaine. The death of Fernando king of Spaine.

In the yéere 1517. this Fernando Perez went vnto the citie of Malacha, Osorius lib. 11. fol. 312. and in the moneth of Iune he departed from thence towards China with eight sailes fower Portugals and the others Malayans. China discoue­red. He arriued in China: And because he could not come on land without an ambassage, there was one Thomas Perez which had order for it: and he went from the citie of Canton, Canton. where they came to an anker: They went by land fower hundred leagues, and came vnto the citie of Or Pakin. Pe­kin, where the king was for this prouince and countrey is the biggest that is in the worlde. It beginneth at Sailana in twentie degrées of latitude towards the north, and it en­deth almost in 50. degrées. Which must be 500. leagues in length: and they say that it containeth 300. leagues in bredth. Fernando Perez was 14. moneths in the Isle Da Veniaga, [...] da Veniaga or Tama accor­ding to Osorius. learning as much as he could of the countrey, according as the king his master had commanded him. And although one Raphael Perestrello had beene there in a Iunke or barke of certaine marchants of Malaca, yet vnto Fernando Perez there ought to be giuen the praise of this discouerie: as well for that he had commandement from the king, as in discoue­ring so much with Thomas Perez by land, and George Mas­carenhas by sea, Foquiem. and for coasting vnto the citie of Foquiem standing in 24. degrees of latitude.

In this same yéere 1517. Charles, which afterward was [Page 51] Emperour, The comming of Charles the fift into Spaine. came into Spaine, and tooke possession thereof. And in the same yéere Francis Fernandes de Cordoua, Chri­stopher Morantes, Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 3. cap. 2. and Lopez Ochoa armed thrée ships at their owne proper charges from the Island of Cuba. They had also with them a barke of Diego Velasques, who then was gouernour: Iucatan. They came on land in Iucatan standing in 20. degrées of latitude at a point which they called Punta de las Duennas, that is to say, The point of Ladies, which was the first place wherein they had séen Temples and buildings of lime and stone. The people here goe better apparelled then in any other place. They haue crosses which they worship, setting them vpon their tombes when they be buried. Wher­by it séemeth that in times past they had in that place the faith of Christ among them. And some say that thereabouts were The seuen Cities. The Seuen cities. They went round about it towards the north which is on the right hand: from whence they tur­ned backe vnto the Island of Cuba with some examples of gold, and men which they had taken. And this was the first beginning of the discouerie of New Spaine.

In the yéere 1518. Lopez Suares commanded Don Iohn de Silueira to goe to the Islands of Maldiua: Castagneda lib. 4. cap. 36. and 37. and he made peace with them: Osorius lib. 11. fol. 315. pag. 2. and from thence he went to the citie of Chatigam situated on the mouth of the riuer Ganges vnder the Tropicke of Cancer. Chatigam in Bengala. For this riuer, and the riuer Indus, which standeth an hundred leagues beyond the citie of Diu, and that of Canton in China doe all fall int the sea vnder one parallele or latitude. And although before that time Fernan Perez had béen commanded to goe to Bengala, yet notwith­standing Iohn de Silueira ought to beare away the commen­dation of this discouerie: because he went as captaine gene­rall, and remained there longest, learning the commodities of the countrey, and maners of the people.

In the said yéere 1518. the first day of May Diego Velas­ques gouernour of the Island of Cuba sent his nephew Iohn de Grisalua with fower ships & two hundred soldiers to dis­couer the land of Iucatan. Pet. Martyr. decad. 4. cap. 3.Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 2▪ cap. 14. & cap. 17. And they founde in their way the Island of Or Acuzamil. Cosumel standing towards the north in 19. de­grées, and named it Santa Cruz, because they came to it the third of May. The Isle of As­cension. They coasted the land lying vpon the left hand of the Gulfe, and came to an Island called Ascension, because [Page 52] they came vnto it vpon Ascension day▪ The Bay of Hunduras. They went vnto the end of it standing in 16. degrées of latitude: from whence they came backe because they could finde no place to goe out at: and from hence they went round about it to another riuer, which they called The riuer of Grisalua standing in 17. de­grées of latitude: [...]io de Grisalua. the people thereabout troubled them sore, yet notwithstanding they brought from thence some gold, siluer, and feathers, being there in great estimation, and so they turned backe againe to the Island of Cuba.

In the same yéere 1518. one Francis Garay armed thrée ships in the Isle of Iamaica at his owne charges, Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 12. & 61 and went towards the point of Florida standing in 25. degrées towards the north, séeming to them to be an Island most pleasant, thinking it better to people Islands then the firme land, be­cause they could best conquere them and kéepe them. They went there on land, but the people of Florida killed many of them, so that they durst not inhabite it. So they sailed along the coast, Panuco. and came vnto the riuer of Panuco, standing 500. leagues from the point of Florida in sailing along the coast; but the people resisted them in euery place. Many of them also were killed in Chila, whom the Sauages flaied and eate, hanging vp their skinnes in their Temples in memoriall of their valiantnes. Notwithstanding all thi [...] Francis de Garay went thither the next yéere and begged the gouernment of that countrey of the Emperour, because he sawe in it some shew of gold and siluer.

In the yeere 1519. in the moneth of Februarie Fernando Cortes went from the Island of Cuba to the land which is called Noua Spania with 11. ships and 550. Spanyards in them. Pet. Martyr. decad. 4. cap. 6. The first place where he went on land was the Island of Cosumel; where they immediately destroied all the Idols, and set crosses on the altars and the images of the virgine Marie. Gomar. hist. gen lib. 2. cap. 18. &c. From this Island they went and arriued on the firme land of Iucatan, at the point De las Duen [...]as, or the point of Ladies, Tauasco. and went thence to the riuer of Tauasco, and set vp­on a citie fast by called Potoncian inuironed with wood, Potoncian now called Victoria. and the houses were built with lime and stone, and couered with tile: they fought there egarly; and there appeered vnto them S. Iames on horsebacke, which increased their courage. They called that citie Victoria: and they were the first people [Page 53] which were subdued to the Spanyards obedience in all Newe Spaine. From hence they went discouering the coast till they came vnto a place named S. Iohn de Vllhua, S. Iohn de Vllhua distant as they said from Mexico where the king Muteçuma was, 60. or 70. leagues: and there was a seruant of his that gouerned that prouince, named Tendilli, which gaue them good entertain­ment, although they vnderstood not one another. But Cortes had 20. women, whereof one was called Marine borne in tha [...] countrey: They were the first that were baptized in New Spaine. And from that time forward Marine and Aguilar serued as interpreters. Tendilli presently gaue knowledge of this vnto Muteçuma, that a kinde of bearded people were arriued in his countrey: for so they called the Castillians. But he was troubled vpon that newes: for his Gods, (which are to be thought to be diuels) had told him, that such people as the Spanyards were should destroy his law and countrey, and be Lords thereof. And therefore he sent gifts vnto Cortes, in value 20. thousand ducats, but would not come to him.

Because S. Iohn de Vllhua was then no place for a nauie to ride in, Cortes sent Francis de Mont [...]io, and the pilot Anto­nie Alaminos in two brigandines to discouer that coast; who came to a place where they might ride without danger. They came to Panuco standing in 23. degrées northward: Gomara historiae general. lib. 2. cap. 21. 22. 23▪ 24. from whence they came backe vpon an agreement to goe vn­to Culuacan being an hauen of more safetie. They set saile, but Cortes went by land westward with the most part of his men on horsebacke, Zempoallan. and they came vnto a citie called Zem­poallan; where they were well receiued. And from thence he went to another towne called Chiauitztlan: Chiauitztlan. with the Lord of which towne as with all the countrey besides he made league to be against Muteçuma. And when he knew that his ships were come, he went vnto them, and there builded a towne, Villa rica de la vera Cruz. and called it Villa rica de la vera cruz. From whence he sent vnto Charles the Emperour a present, and made re­port of all that he had done, and how he determined to goe to Mexico, and to visite Muteçuma: and besought the Empe­rour to giue him the gouernment of that countrey. And be­cause his people should not rise in mutinie, as they began, he destroied all his ships.

Cortes presently went from Villa rica de la vera Cruz, lea­uing [Page 54] there 150. Spanish horsemen, and many Indians to serue them; and the villages round about became his friends. He went vnto the citie of Zempoallan: Gomara historiae general. lib. 2. cap. 61. there he heard newes that Francis Garay was on the coast with fower ships to come on land: And by subtiltie he got nine of his men; of whom he vnderstood, that Garay had béene in Florida, and came vnto the riuer Panuco, where he got some golde, deter­mining to stay there in a towne which is now called Almeria.

Cortos ouerthrew the idols in Zempoallan, Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 25. & the tombes of their kings, whome they worshipped as Gods, and tolde them that they were to worship the true God. From thence he went toward Mexico the 16. day of August 1519. and tra­uailed thrée daies iourney, Zalapan. and came to the citie of Zalapan, and to another beyond it named Sicuchimatl, Sicuchimatl. where they were well receiued, and offered to be conducted to Mexico, because Muteçuma had giuen such commandement. Be­yond this place he passed with his companie a certaine hill of thrée leagues high, wherein there were vines. In another place they found aboue a thousand loades of wood ready cut; and beyond they met with a plaine countrey, and in going through the same, he named it Nombre de Dios. At the bot­tome of the mountaine he rested in a towne called Te [...]hixua­can, and from thence they went through a desolate countrey, and so came to another mountaine that was very colde and full of snow, Zaclotan. and they lay in a towne named Zaclotan: And so from towne to towne they were well receiued and feasted till they came into another realme named Tlaxcallan, Tlaxcallan. which waged warre against Muteçuma, and being valiant they skirmished with Cortes; but in the end they agréed and en­tred into league with him against the Mexicans; and so they went from countrey to countrey till they came within fight of Mexico. The king Muteçuma fearing them, gaue them good entertainment with lodging and all things necessarie: and they were with this for a time contented: but mistrusting that he and his should be slaine, Muteçuma prisoner. he tooke Muteçuma prisoner and brought him to his lodging with good garde. Cortes de­manded how farre his realme did extend, and sought to know the mines of gold and siluer that were in it, and how many kings neighbours to Muteçuma dwelled therein, requiring certaine Indians to be informed thereof, whereof he had eight [Page 55] prouided: and he ioined to them eight Spanyards, and sent them two and two into fower countreyes, Zuçolla. namely into Zu­çolla, Malinaltepec. Malinaltepec, Zenich. Tenich, Tututepec. & Tututepec. They which went vnto Zuçolla went 80. leagues: for so much it was from Mexico thither: They which went to Mahnaltepec, went 70. leagues, séeing goodly countries, and brought examples of gold, which the naturals of the countrey tooke out of great ri­uers: and all this prouince belonged vnto Muteçuma.

The countrey of Tenich and vp the riuer were not subiect to Muteçuma, but had warre with him, and would not suf­fe [...] the Mexicans to enter into their territorie. They sent am­bassadors vnto Cortes with presents, offering him their estate, and amitie; whereof Muteçuma was nothing glad. They which went to Tututepec standing néere the South sea did also bring with them examples of gold, and praised the pleasantnes of the countrey, and the multitude of good har­bours vpon that coast, shewing to Cortes a cloth of cotton wooll all wouen with goodly workes, wherein all the coast with the hauens and créekes were set foorth. Gomara hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 48. But this thing then could not be prosecuted by reason of the comming of Pamphilus de Naruaez into the countrey, Pamphilus de Narua [...]z. who set all the king­dome of Mexico in an vprore.

In this yéere 1519. the tenth day of August one Fernande de Magallanes departed from Siuill with fiue ships toward the Islands of Maluco: Gomara hist. gen. lib. [...] ▪ cap. 2. he went along the coast of Brasill till he came vnto the riuer of Plate, which the Castillians had be­fore discouered. The discouerie of Magallanes from the riuer of Plate forward. From thence therefore he began his discoue­rie, and came vnto an hauen which he called The Porte of Saint Iulian standing in 49. degrées, and there he entred and wintred: they endured much cold by reason of snow and ice: the people of that countrey they found to be of great stature, and of great strength, taking men by the legs and renting them in the middest as easily as one of vs will rent an hen: they liue by fruits and hunting. Patagones. They called them Patagones, but the Brasilians doe call them Morcas.

In the yéere 1520. in the beginning of the moneth of Sep­tember growing then somewhat temperate they went out of the port and riuer of Saint Iulian, hauing lost in it one of their ships, and with the other f [...]wer he came vnto the Streights named after the name of Mag [...]llanes standing in 52. degrées [Page 56] and a halfe. From thence one of the ships returned backe vn­to Castile, whereof was captaine and pilot one Stephen de Porto a Portugall, and the other thrée went forward, entring into a mightie sea called Pacificum, without séeing any inha­bited land till they came in 13. degrées towards the north of the Equinoctiall: in which latitude they came vnto Islands which they called Los Iardines; Los Iardines. and from thence they sailed to the Archipelagus of S. Lazarus, and in one of the Islands cal­led Matan Magallanes was slaine, Gomara hist gen. lib. 4 cap. 3. and his ship was burnt, and the other two went vnto Borneo, and so from place to place they went backe vntill they came to the Islands of Mal [...]cos, Pet. Martyr. decad 5. cap. 7. leauing many others discouered, which I rehearse not, because I finde not this voiage exactly written.

About this time Pope Leo the tenth sent one Paulus Cen­turio as ambassadour to the greot Duke of Moscouie to wish him to send into India an armie along the coast of Tartarie. Gomar. lib. 4. cap. 17. And by the reasons of this ambassadour the said Duke was almost persuaded vnto that action, Ramusius 1. vol. fol. 374. if other inconueniences had not letted him.

In this same yéere 1520. in Februarie Diego Lopes de Sequeira gouernour of India went towards the Streight of Mecha and carried with him the ambassadour of Presbyter Iohn, and Roderigo de Lima who also went as ambassadour to him. Maçua. They came vnto the Island of Maçua standing in the Red sea on the side of Africa in 17. degrées towards the north: where he set the ambassadours on land, with the Por­tugals that should goe with them. Peter de Couillan had béene there before, Ramusius 1. vol. fol. 190. being sent thither by king Iohn the second of Portugall: but yet Francis Aluarez gaue principall light and knowledge of that countrey.

In the yeere 1520. the licenciate Lucas Vasques de Aillon and other inhabitants of S. Domingo furnished two ships, Gomara hist gen. lib 2. cap. 7. and sent them to the Isles of Lucayos to get slaues, and fin­ding none they passed along by the firme land beyond Florida vnto certaine countreyes called Chicora and Gualdapé, Chicora. vnto the riuer Iordan and the Cape of Saint Helena standing in 32. degrées toward the north. Gualdapé. They of the countrey came downe to the sea side to see the ships, as hauing neuer before séene the like: The Spanyards went on land where they receiued good entertainment, and had giuen vnto them such things as they [Page 57] lacked. But they brought many of them into their ships and then set saile and brought them away for slaues: but in the way one of their ships sunke, and the other was also in great hazard. By this newes the Licentiate Aillon knowing the wealth of the countrey, begged the gouernment thereof of the Emperour, and it was giuen him: whither he went to get money to pay his debt.

About this time Diego Velasques gouernour of Cuba hearing the good successe of Cortes, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 48. and that he had begged the gouernment of New Spaine, which he held to be his, he furnished out thither against Cortes 18. ships with 1000. men and 80. horses, whereof he sent as Generall one Pam­philus de Naruaez. He came vnto the towne called Villa rica de la vera Cruz, where he tooke land, and commanded those of the countrey to receiue him as gouernour thereof: But they tooke his messenger prisoner, and sent him to Mexico where Cortes was. Which thing being knowne of Cortes, he wrote letters vnto Naruaez not to raise any vprore in the countrey which he had discouered, offering him obedience if he had any commission from the Emperour; but he corrupted the people of the countrey with money: Whereupon Cortes went from Mexico and tooke Naruaez prisoner in the towne of Zampo­allan, and put out one of his eies.

Naruaez being thus taken prisoner, his armie submitted themselues to Cortes, and obeied him. Whereupon presently he dispatched 200. soldiers vnto the riuer of Garay, and he sent Iohn Vasquez de Leon with other two hundred vnto Cosaalco, and withall sent a Spanyard with the newes of his victorie vnto Mexico. The reuolt of the Mexicans in ab­sence of Cortes. But the Indians being in the meane time risen, hurt the messenger. Which being knowne to Cor­tes, he mustered his men, and found a thousand footemen and two hundred horsemen, with the which he went towards Mexico, where he found Peter de Aluarado, and the rest which he had left there aliue & in safetie, wherewith he was greatly pleased, and Muteçuma made much of him. But yet the Mexicans ceased not but made warre against him: and the warre grew so hot that they killed their king Muteçuma with a stone, Muteçuma slaine. and then there rose vp another king such an one as pleased them, till such time as they might put the Spany­ards out of the citie, being no more then 504. footemen, and [Page 58] fortie horsemen. Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 50. The Spanyards with great losse being dri­uen out of Mexico, retired themselues with much adoe to Tlaxcallan, where they were well receiued: and so they ga­thered together 900. Spanyards, 80. horsemen, and two hun­dred thousand Indians, their friends▪ and allies: and so they went backe againe to take Mexico in the moneth of August in the yéere 1521.

Cortes obtaining still more and more victories defermined to sée further within the countrey: Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 2. cap 60. and for this purpose in the yéere 1521. and in October he sent out one Gonsalo de San­doual with 200. footemen and 35▪ horsemen, and cortaine In­dians his friends vnto Tochtepec and Coazacoalco, Tochtepec. which had rebelled, Coazacoalco. but at length yéelded. And they discouered the countrey, and built a towne 120. leagues from Mexico, and named it Medelin, and another towne they made naming it Santo Spirito fewer leagues from the sea vpon a riuer; and these two townes kept the whole countrey in obedience.

This yéere 1521. in December Emmanuell king of Por­tugall died, Emmanuels death. and after him his sonne king Iohn the 3. reigned. Osorius lib. 12. fol. 366.

In the yéere 1521. there went from Maluco one of Ma­gellans ships laden with cl [...]ues: Gomara historiae general. lib. 4. cap. 8. they victualed themselues in the Island of Burro, and from thence went to Timor which standeth in 11. degrées of southerly latitude. Burro. Beyond this Island one hundred leagues they discouered certaine Islands and one named Eude, Timor. finding the places from thence forward peopled. Eude. Afterward passing without Samatra they met with no land till they fell with the Cape of Bona Sperança, where they tooke in fresh water and wood: So they came by the Islands of Cape Verde, and from thence to Siuill, where they were notably receiued, as well for the cloues that they brought, as that they had compassed about the world.

In the yéere 1522. in Ianuarie one Gilgonzales armed fower ships in the Island of Tararequi standing in the South sea with intent to discouer the coast of Nicarag [...]a, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 6. cap. 4. and espe­cially a streight or passage from the South sea into the North sea. And sailing along the coast he came vnto an hauen called S. Vincent, and there landed with 100. Spanyards and cer­taine horsemen, and went within the land 200. leagues▪ and he brought with him 200. pesoes of gold, and so came backe againe to S. Vincent: where he found his pilot Andrew Nigno, [Page 59] who was as far as Tecoantepec in 16. degrées to the north, Tecoantepec. and had sailed thrée hundred leagues: Gomara histori [...] general. lib. 6. cap. 12. from whence they re­turned to Panama, and so ouer land to Hispaniola.

In the same yéere 1522. in the moneth of Aprill the other ship of Magallanes called The Trinitie went from the Island of Tidoré, Castagneda Hi­storia delle In­die Orientali lib. 6. cap. 41. wherein was captaine Gonzalo Gomez de Espi­nosa, Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 4. cap. 8. & 12. shaping their course toward Noua Spania: and because winde was scant they stirred toward the northeast into 16. degrées, Two Islands in 16. degrees of northerly lati­tude. where they found two Islands, and named them the Isles of Saint Iohn, and in that course they came to another Island in 20. degrées, which they named La Griega, where the simple people came into their ships, of whom they kept some to shew them in Noua Spania: They were in this course fower monethes, 42. degrees of northerly la­titude. vntill they came into 42. degrées of nor­therly latitude, where they did sée sea fishes called Seales and Tunies. And the climate séemed vnto them comming newly out of the heat, to be so cold and vntemperate, that they could not well abide it, and therefore they turned backe againe to Tidore, being thereunto enforced also by contrarie windes. These were the first Spanyards which had béene in so high a latitude toward the north. And there they found one Antonie de Bri [...]to building a fortresse, which tooke from them their goods, and sent 48. of them prisoners to Malaca.

In this yéere 1522. Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 6. cap. 12. Cortes desirous to haue some hauens on the South sea, and to discouer the coast of [...]oua Spania on that side, whereof he had knowledge in Muteçuma his time, (bicause he thought by that way to bring the drugs from Ma­luco and Banda, and the spiceris from Iaua, with lesse trauaile and danger) he sent fewer Spaniards with their guides to Tecoantepec, Qua [...]utemallan, and other hauens: where they were wel receiued, and brought some of the people with them to Mexico: The South sea first searched by Cortes [...]is pilots. And Cortes made much of them; and afterwards sent ten pilots thither to search the seas there about. They went 70. leagues in the sea but found no hauen. One Casique or Lord called Cuchataquir vsed them well, & sent with them to Cortes 200. of his men with a present of gold and siluer, and other things of the countrey: Tecoentepec. and they of Tecoantepec did the like: and not long after, this Casique sent for aide to Cortes against his neighbours which did warre against him.

In the yéere 1523. Cortes sent vnto him for his aide Peter [Page 60] de Aluarado, Gomara hist gen. lib. 6. cap. 12. with two hundred soldiers footemen, and fortie horsemen, and the Caciques of Tecoantepec▪ and Quahute­mallan asked them for the monsters of the sea which came thither the yéere past, meaning the ships of Gil Gonsales de Auila, being greatly amazed at the sight of them, and woon­dring much more when they heard, that Cortes had bigger then those: A wittie stra­tageme. and they painted vnto them a mightie Carake with sixe masts, and sailes and shroudes, and men armed on horsebacke. This Aluarado went through the countrey and builded there the city of Sant Iago or Saint Iames, Sant Iago built. and a towne which he called Segura leauing certaine of his people in it. Castagneda hist. delle Indie Ori­entali lib. 6. c 42.

In the same yeere 1523. in the moneth of May Antonie de Britto being captaine of the Isles of Maluco sent his cosen Simon de Breu to learne the way by the Isle of Borneo to Malaca: Manada. They came in sight of the Islands of Manada and Panguensara: Panguensara. They went through the straight of Treminao and Taguy: The Islands of S. Michael. and to the Islands of Saint Michael standing in 7. degrées, Borneo. and from thence discouered the Islands of Borneo, and had sight of Pedra branca or the White stone, Pedra branca. and passed through the straight of Cincapura, & so to the citie of Malaca.

In this same yéere 1523. Cortes went with 300. footemen and 150. horsemen and 40000. Mexicans to Panuco both to discouer it better, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 61. and also to inhabite it, and withall to be re­uenged vpon them which had killed and eaten the soldiers of Francis Garay. They of Panuco resisted him, but Cortes in the end ouerthrew them, and conquered the countrey: And hard by Chila vpon the riuer he built a towne and named it Santo Stephano del puerto, Santo Stephano del puerto. leauing in it 100. footemen, and thirtie horsemen and one Peter de Vall [...]io for lieutenant. This iour­ney cost him 76. thousand Castillians, besides the Spanyards, horses, and Maxicans which died there.

In this yéere 1523. Francis de Garay made nine ships and two brigandines to goe to Panuco and to Rio de las Palmas to be there as gouernour: Gomara hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 61. & en la Conquista de Mexico. for that the Emperour had granted vnto him from the coast of Florida vnto Panuco, in regard of the charges, which he had béene at in that discouerie. He car­ried with him 850. soldiers, and 140. horses, and some men out of the Island of Iamaica, where he furnished his fléet with munition for the warre: and he went vnto Xagua an hauen in the Island of Cuba, where he vnderstood that Cortes had [Page 61] peopled the coast of Panuco: and that it might not happen vnto him as it did to Pamphilus de Naruaez, he determined to take another companion with him, and desired the Doctor Zuazo to goe to Mexico and procure some agréement be­twéene Cortes and him. And they departed from Xagua each one about his busines. Zuazo came in great ieoperdie, and Garay went not cléere without. Rio de las Pal­mas. Garay arriued in Rio de las Palmas on S. Iames his day, and then he sent vp the riuer one Gonsaluo de Ocampo, who at his returne declared that it was an euill and desert countrey: but notwithstanding Ga­ray went there on land with 400. footemen and some horse­men; and he commanded one Iohn de Grijalua to search the coast, and he himselfe marched by land towards Panuco, and passed a riuer which he named Rio montalco; Rio Montalco. he entred into a great towne where they found many hennes, wherewith they refreshed themselues, and he tooke some of the people of Chila which he vsed for messengers to certaine places: Chila. And after great trauaile comming to Panuco they found no vic­tuailes there by reason of the warres of Cortes and the spoile of the soldiers. Garay then sent one Gonçalo de Ocampo to Sant Isteuan del puerto to know whether they would receiue him or no. They had a good answere. But Cortes his men pri­uily by an ambushment tooke 40. of Garayes horsemen, allea­ging that they came to vsurpe the gouernment of another: and besides this misfortune he lost fower of his ships: where­upon he left off to procéede any farther.

While Cortes was preparing to set forward to Panuco▪ Francis de las Casas, and Roderigo de la Paz arriued at Mexi­co with letters patents, Gomar. en la Conquesta de Mexico fol. 226. wherein the Emperour gaue the go­uernment of Nueua Spagna and all the countrey which Cor­tes had conquered to Cortes, and namely Panuco. Whereup­on he staied his iourney. But he sent Diego de Ocampo with the said letters patents, and Pedro de Aluarado with store of footemen and horsemen. Garay knowing this thought it best to yéeld himselfe vnto Cortes his hands, and to go to Mexico; which thing he did hauing discouered a great tract of land.

In this yéere 1523. Gil Gonçales de Auila made a disco­uerie, Gomara en la Conquista de Mex [...]co fol 242. and peopled a towne called San Gil de buena vista stan­ding in 14. degrées toward the north, San Gil de buena Vista in the Bay of Honduras. and almost in the bot­tome of the Bay called the Ascension or the Honduras. He [Page 62] began to conquere it because he best knew the secrets thereof, and that it was a very rich countrey.

In this yéere 1523. the sixt day of December Peter de Al­uarado went from the citie of Mexico by Cortes his com­mandement to discouer & conquere Quahutemallan, Gomara en la Conquista de Mexico fol. 229. & in sequentibus. Vtlatlan, Chiapa, Xochnuxco, and other townes toward the South sea. He had with him thrée hundred soldiers, 170. horsemen, foure field péeces, and some noble men of Mexico, with people of the countrey to aide him as well in the warre, as by the way being long. He went by Tecoantepec to Xochnuxco, and other places aboue said with great trauaile and losse of his men: but he discouered and subdued all the countrey. There are in those parts certaine hils that haue Alume in them, Oile distilling out of hils. and out of which distilleth a certaine liquor like vnto oile, and sul­phur or brimstone, whereof the Spanyards made excellent gunpowder. Ibidem fol. 230. He trauailed 400. leagues in this voiage, and passed certaine riuers which were so hot, that they could not well endure to wade through them. He builded a citie calling it Sant Iago de Quahutemallan. Sant Iago de Quahutemallan. Peter de Aluarado begged the gouernment of this countrey, and the report is that it was giuen him.

In the yeere 1523. the 8. day of December Cortes sent Diego de Godoy with 100. footemen and 30. horsemen, Gomara en la Conquista de Mexico fol. 233. two field péeces, and many of his friends Indians vnto the towne Del Espiritu santo: Villa del Espiritu santo. He ioined himselfe with the captaine of that towne, Chamolla. and they went to Chamolla the head citie of that prouince, and that being taken all the countrey grew quiet.

In the yéere 1524. in Februarie Cortes sent one Roderigo Rangel with 150. Spaniards and many of the Tlaxcallans and Mexicans against the Zapoteeas and Nixticas and vnto other prouinces and countreyes not so well discouered: Gomara en la Conquista de Mexico fol. 234. they were resisted at the first, but quickly put the people to the woorst, and kept them for euer after in subiection.

In this same yéere 1524. one Roderigo de Bastidas was sent to discouer, Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 3. cap. 21. people, and gouerne the countrey of Santa Martha: where he lost his life because he would not suffer the soldiers to take the spoile of a certaine towne. They ioined with Peter Villa-forte, and he being sometimes his entire friend did helpe to kill him with daggers lying in his bed. Afterward Don Pedro de Lugo, and Don Alfonso his sonne [Page 63] were gouernours of that place, which vsed themselues like couetous tyrants; whereof grew much trouble.

In this same yéere also 1524. after that the Licenciate Lu­cas Vasques de Aillon had obtained of the Emperour the go­uernment of Chicora, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 7. he armed for that purpose certaine ships from the citie of Santo Domingo and went to discouer the countrey, and to inhabite it: but he was lost with all his companie, leauing nothing done woorthy of memorie. And I cannot tell how it commeth to passe, except it be by the iust iudgement of God, that of so much gold and precious stones as haue béene gotten in the Antiles by so many Spaniards, lit­tle or none remaineth, but the most part is spent and consu­med, and no good thing done.

In this yéere 1524. Cortes sent one Christopher de Olid with a fléete to the Island of Cuba to receiue the vitailes and munition which Alonso de Contreras had prepared and to discouer and people the countrey about Cape De Higueras and the Honduras; Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 65. & en la Conquista de Mexico fol. 243. and to send Diego Hurtado de Mendoça by sea, to search the coast from thence euen to Darien to finde out the Streight which was thought to run into the South sea, as the Emperour had commanded. He sent also two ships from Panuco to search along the coast vnto Florida. He com­manded also certaine brigandines to search the coast from Zacatullan vnto Panama. This Christopher de Olid came to the Island of Cuba, and made a league with Diego Velasquez against Cortes, and so set saile and went on land hard by Puerto de Cauallos standing in 10. degrées to the north, and built a towne which he called Triumpho de la Cruz. He tooke Gil Gonzales de Auila prisoner, and killed his nephew and the Spaniards that were with him all sauing one childe, and shewed himselfe an enimie to Cortes, who had spent in that expedition thirty thousand Castellans of gold to doe him plea­sure withall.

Cortes vnderstanding hereof the same yéere 1524. and in the moneth of October he went out of the citie of Mexico to seeke Christopher de Olid to be reuenged of him, Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 66. & en la Conqu [...]sta de Mexico fol. 246. & 251. and also to discouer, carrying with him thrée hundred Spanish footemen and horsemen, and Quahutimoc king of Mexico, and other great Lords of the same citie. And comming to the towne cal­led La villa del Espiritu santo, he required guides of the Lords [Page 64] of Tauasco and Xicalanco: and they sent him ten of their prin­cipall men for guides: who gaue him also a map of cotton wooll, An excellent large map of cotton wooll. wherein was painted the situation of the whole coun­trey from Xicalanco vnto Naco, and Nito, and euen as farre as Nicaragua, with their mountaines, hils, fields, meadowes, vallies, riuers, cities and townes. And Cortes in the meane time sent for thrée ships which were at the hauen of Medellin to follow him along the coast.

In this yeere 1524. they came to the citie of Izancanac, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 67. & 68 & en la Conqui­sta [...]ie Mexico fol. 257. where he vnderstood that the king Quahutimoc and the Me­xicans that were in his companie were conspired against him and the Spanyards: for the which he hanged the king and two others of the chiefe: Mazatlan. and so came to the citie of Ma­zaclan, Tiaca. and after that to Tiaca the head citie of a prouince so called standing in the middest of a lake: and here about they began to finde the traine of the Spanyards, which they went to seeke, Zuzullin. and so they went to Zuzullin, and at length came to the towne of Nito: from Nito Cortes with his owne com­panie and all the Spanyards that he found there departed to the shore or strand called La Ba [...]a de Sant Andres, Gomar. in the Conquest of Mexico fol. 268. and finding there a good hauen he builded a towne in that place and called it Natividad de nuestra Sen̄ora. Natiuidad de Nuestra Sennora.

From hence Cortes went to the towne of Truxillo stan­ding in the hauen of the Honduras, Truxillo. where the Spanyards dwelling there did entertaine him well: Honduras. and while he was there, there arriued a ship which brought newes of the stirre in Mexico in Cortes his absence: whereupon he sent word to Gonsalo de Sandoual to march with his companie from Naco to Mexico by land toward the South sea vnto Quahutemal­lan, Gomara in the Conquest of Mexico fol. 170. & 273. because that is the vsuall plaine and safest way, and he left as captaine in Truxillo Fernando de Saavedra his cosen: and he himselfe went by sea along the coast of Iucatan to Chalchicoeca now called Sant Iuan de Vllhua, and so to Me­dellin, and from thence to Mexico, where he was well recei­ued, hauing béene from thence 18. monethes, and had gone fiue hundred leagues trauailing often out of his way, and en­during much hardnes.

In the yéere 1525. Francis Pizarro and Diego de Alma­gro went from Panama to discouer Peru standing beyond the line towarde the South, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 5. cap. 1. & 2. which they called Nueua Castillia. Peru. [Page 65] The gouernour Pedro Arias would not entermeddle with this expedition, because of the euill newes which his captaine Francis Vezerra had brought.

Francis Pizarro went first in a ship hauing with him 124. soldiers, and Almagro went after him in another ship with 70. men. He came to Rio de San Iuan standing in thrée degrées where he got two thousand pesoes of gold; and not finding Pizarro, he went to séeke him, repenting his doings by reason of a mishap that he had. But he went first to an Island called Isla del Gorgona, Isla del Gorgona. and afterward to another called Isla del Gallo, Isla del Gallo. and to the riuer called Rio del Peru standing in two degrées northward, Rio del Peru. whereof so many famous countreyes take their name. From thence they went to Rio de San Fran­cisco, Cabo de Passaos. and to Cabo de Passaos, where they passed the Equino­ctiall line, Puerto vejo. and came to Puerto Vejo standing in one degrée to the south of the line: from whence they sailed to the riuers of Chinapanpa, Tumbez. Tumbez, Payta. and Payta standing in 4. or. 5. de­grées, where they had knowledge of king Atabalipa and of the exceeding wealth and riches of his palace. Which newes mooued Pizarro spéedily to returne home againe to Panama, and so into Spaine, and to request the gouernment of that countrey of the Emperour: which he also obtained. He had spent aboue thrée yéeres before in this discouerie not without enduring great trauaile and perils.

In the same yéere 1525. there was sent out of Spaine a fléete of seuen ships, Pet. Martyr. decad. 8. cap. 9. whereof was captaine generall Don Garsia de Loaisa to the Islands of Maluco. Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 4. cap. [...]2. They went from the citie of the Groine and passed by the Islands of the Cana­ries, and went to Brasill, where they found an Island in two degrées, The Isle of S. Mathew. and named it. S. Matthew: and it seemed to be inha­bited, because they found in it orenge trées, hogs, and hennes in caues, and vpon the rindes of most of the trées there were grauen Portugall letters, shewing that the Portugals had béene there 17. yéeres before that time. Gomara in the Conquest of Mexico pag. 28 [...]. A patache or pinnesse of theirs passed the streight of Magellane hauing in her one Iohn de Resaga, and ran all along the coast of Peru and Noua Spagna: They declared all their successe vnto Cortes, and told him, that frier Garsia de Loaisa was passed to the islands of cloues. But of this fléete the Admirall onely came thither, wherein was captaine one Martine Mingues de Car [...]houa: [Page 66] for Loaisa and the other captaines died by the way. All the Moores of Maluco were found well affectioned to the Spani­ards.

In the same yéere 1525. the pilot Stephen Gomes went from the port of the Groine toward the north to discouer the streight vnto the Malucos by the north, Pet. Martyr. decad 8 pag 601. to whom they would giue no charge in the fléete of frier Garsia de Loaisa. Gomara historiae general. lib. 1. cap. 5. But yet the Earle Don Fernando de Andrada, and the Doctor Bel­tram, and the marchant Christopher de Sarro furnished a gal­lion for him, and he went from the Groine in Galicia to the Island of Cuba, and to the point of Florida, sailing by day be­cause he knew not the land. He passed the bay Angra, and the riuer Enseada, and so went ouer to the other side. It is also reported that he came to Cape Razo in 46. degrées to the north: from whence he came backe againe to the Groine la­den with slaues. The newes hereof ran by and by through Spaine, that he was come home laden with cloues as mista­king the word: and it was carried to the Court of Spaine: but when the truth was knowne it turned to a pleasant iest. In this voiage Gomes was ten monethes.

In this yéere 1525. Don George de Meneses captaine of Maluco, and with him Don Garcia Henriques sent a foyst to discouer land towards the north, wherein went as captaine one Diego de Rocha, and Gomes de Sequeira for pilot. In 9. or 10. degrées they found certaine Islands standing close to­gether, The Isle of Ba­tochina by Gi­lolo. and they called them the Islands of Gomes de Se­queira, he being the first pilot that discouered them. And they came backe againe by the Island of Batochina.

In the yéere 1526. there went out of Siuill one Sebastian Cabota a Venetian by his father, Gomara historiae general. lib. 3. cap. 39. but borne at Bristol in Eng­land, being chiefe pilote to the Emperour, with fower ships toward Maluco. They came to Pernambuco, and staied there thrée monethes for a winde to double the Cape of Saint Au­gustine. In the Bay of Patos or of ducks the Admirall ship perished; and being without hope to get to the Isles of Ma­luco they there made a pinnesse to enter vp the riuer of Plate, and to search it. They ran 60. leagues vp before they came to the barre: where they left their great ships, and with their small pinnesses passed vp the riuer Parana, [...] Parana. which the inha­bitants count to be the principall riuer. Hauing rowed vp [Page 67] 120. leagues, they made a fortresse and staied there aboue a yéere: and then rowed further till they came to the mouth of another riuer called Paragioa, Rio Paragioa. and perceiuing that the coun­trey yéelded gold and siluer they kept on their course, and sent a brigandine before; but those of the countrey tooke it: and Cabote vnderstanding of it thought it best to turne backe vn­to their forte, and there tooke in his men which he had left there, and so went downe the riuer where his ships did ride, and from thence he sailed home to Siuill in the yéere 1530. leauing discouered about two hundred leagues within this riuer, The fountaine of the Riuer of Plata. reporting it to be very nauigable, and that it springeth out of a lake named Bombo. It standeth in the firme land of the kingdome of Peru, running through the vallies of Xauxa, and méeteth with the riuers Parso, Bulcasban, Cay, Parima, Hiucax, with others which make it very broad and great. It is said also, that out of this lake runneth the riuer called Rio de San Francesco; and by this meane the riuers come to be so great. The biggest ri­uers proceede from lakes. For the riuers that come out of lakes are bigger then those which procéede from a spring.

In the yéere 1517. one Pamphilus de Naruaez went out of S. Lucar de Barameda to be generall of the coast and land of Florida as farre as Rio de las Palmas, Ramusius 3. vol. fol. 310. and had with him fiue ships, 600. soldiers, 100. horses, besides a great summe and quantitie of victuailes, armour, clothing and other things. He could not goe on land where his desire was, but went on land somewhat néere to Florida with thrée hundred of his companie, some horses, and some victuailes, commanding the ships to goe to Rio de las Palmas; in which voiage they were almost all lost: The Isle of Xamo or Malhada. and those which escaped passed great dangers, hunger and thirst in an Island called Xamo and by the Spani­ards Malhada being very drie and barren, where the Spani­ards killed one another, and the people also of the countrey did the like. Naruaez and those which went with him sawe some golde with certaine Indians, and he demanded of them where they gathered it: and they answered that they had it at Apalachen. Apalachen. They therefore searched this gold, and in sear­ching came to the said towne, where they found no gold nor siluer: they saw many Bay trées, and almost all other kinde of trées with beasts, birds, and such like. The men and wo­men of this place are high and strong, very light and so swift [Page 68] runners, that they will take déere at their pleasure, and will not grow wearie though they run a whole day. From Apala­chen they went to a towne called Aute; Aute. and from thence to Xamo a poore countrey with small sustinance. Xamo. These people bring vp their children very tenderly, and make great lamen­tation when any of them dieth; they neither wéepe nor la­ment at the death of any olde bodie. Here the people desired the Spanyards to cure their sicke folks, for they had many dis­eased: and certaine of the Spanyards being in extreme pouer­tie assaied it, and vsed praier, and it pleased God that they did indéede recouer as well those that were hurt, as those which were otherwise diseased; in so much, that one which was thought verily to be dead, was by them restored to life, as they themselues reporte. They affirme that they passed through many countreies and many strange people differing in language, apparell, and customes. And because they plaied the physitions, they were as they passed greatly estéemed and held for Gods, and the people did no hurt vnto them, but would giue them part of such things as they had. Therefore they passed quietly, and trauailed so farre till they came to a people, that vse continually to liue in heards with their cattel as the Arabians doe. They be poore, and eate snakes, lisards, spiders, ants, and al kinde of vermine, and herewith they liue so well contented that commonly they sing and dance. They buie the women of their enimies, and kill their daughters, because they would not haue them marrie with them, where­by they might increase. They trauailed through certaine pla­ces, where the women gaue sucke vnto their children til they were ten or twelue yéeres of age; and where certaine men being Hermaphrodites doe marrie one another. These Spa­niards trauailed aboue 800. leagues; and there escaped aliue in this iourney not aboue seuen or eight of them. They came vpon the coast of the South sea vnto a citie called Saint Mi­chael of Culuacan standing in 23. degrées and vpward to­ward the north.

This yéere 1527. when Cortes vnderstood by the pinnesse aforesaide that Don Garcia de Loaisa was passed by the Streight of Magelan toward the Islands of cloues, Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 72. and in the Conquest of Mexico fol. 28 [...]. he proui­ded thrée ships to goe séeke him, and to discouer by that way of New Spaine as farre as the Isles of Maluco. There went [Page 69] as gouernour in those ships one Aluaro de Saavedra Ceron, cosen vnto Cortes, a man fit for that purpose. He made saile from Ciuatlanejo, now named S. Christopher standing in 20. degrées toward the north on All Saints day. They arriued at the Islands which Magelan named The Pleasures; and from thence sailed to the Islands, which Gomes de Sequeira had discouered, Islas de los Reyes. & not knowing thereof, they named thē Islas de los Reyes, that is to say, The Isles of the kings, because they came vnto them on Twelfe day. In the way Saavedra lost two ships of his company, of which they neuer after heard newes. But from Island to Island he still sailed and came to the Island of Candiga, Candiga. where he bought two Spanyards for 70. ducats, which had béene of the companie of Frier Loaisa, who was lost thereabout.

In the yéere 1528. in March Saavedra arriued at the I­slands of Maluco, and came to an anker before the Isle of Gilolo: he found the sea calme and winde at will, without any tempests: and he tooke the distance from thence to Noua Spagna to be 2050. leagues. At this time Martin Yn̄iguez de Carquiçano died, and Fernando de la Torre was chosen their Generall, who then was in the citie of Tidore, who had there erected a gallows and had fierce warre with Don George de Meneses captaine of the Portugals: and in a fight which they had the fourth day of May Saavedra tooke from him a gali­otte and slew the captaine thereof called Fernando de Bal­daya, and in Iune he returned towards New Spaine, hauing with him one Simon de Brito Patalin and other Portugals, and hauing béene certaine monethes at sea, he was forced backe vnto Tidore, where Patalin was beheaded and quar­tered, and his companions hanged.

In this yéere 1528. Cortes sent two hundred footemen and 60. horsemen, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 73. and many Mexicans to discouer and plant the countrey of the Chichimecas, for that it was reported to be rich of gold. This being done he shipped himselfe, and came into Castile with great pompe, & brought with him 250000. marks of gold and siluer: and being come to Toledo where the Emperour then lay, he was entertained according to his deserts, and the Emperour made him Marques Del Valle, and married him to the Lady Iane de Zuniga daughter vnto the Earle de Aguilar, and then the Emperour sent him backe [Page 70] againe to be Generall of New Spaine.

In the yéere 1529. in May Saavedra returned back againe towards New Spaine, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 72. and he had sight of a land toward the South in two degrées, and he ran East along by it aboue fiue hundred leagues till the end of August. The coast was cleane and of good ankerage, Noua Guinea. but the people blacke and of curled haire; from the girdle downward they did weare a certaine thing plaited to couer their lower parts. The people of Ma­luco call them Papuas, Os Papuas are blacke people with frisled haire. because they be blacke and friseled in their haire: and so also doe the Portugals call them.

Saavedra hauing sailed 4. or 5. degrées to the South of the line, returned vnto it, and passed the Equinoctiall towards the north, and discouered an Island which he called Isla de los Pintados, Isla de los Pin­tados. that is to say, The Isle of painted people: for the people thereof be white, and all of them marked with an iron: and by the signes which they gaue he conceaued that they were of China. There came vnto them from the shore a kinde of boate full of these men, making tokens of threatnings to the Spanyards; who séeing that the Spanyards would not obey them, they began to skirmish with slinging of stones, but Saavedra would suffer no shot to be shot at them, because their stones were of no strength, and did no harme.

A little beyond this Island in 10. or 12. degrées they found many small low Islands full of palme trées and grasse, which they called Los Iardines, Los Iardines. and they came to an anker in the middest of them, where they taried certaine daies. The peo­ple séemed to descend from them of China, but by reason of their long continuance there they are become so brutish, that they haue neither law, nor yet giue themselues to any honest labour. They were white clothing which they make of grasse. They stand in maruailous feare of fire, because they neuer saw any. They eate Cocos in stéede of bread, breaking them before they be ripe, and putting them vnder the sand, and then after certaine daies they take them out and lay them in the sunne, and then they will open. They eate fish which they take in a kinde of boate called a Parao, which they make of pine wood, [...] wood. which is driuen thither at certaine times of the yéere, they know not how, nor from whence, and the tooles wherewith they make their boates are of shels.

Saavedra perceiuing that the time and weather was then [Page 71] somewhat better for his purpose, made saile towards the firme land and citie of Panama, where he might vnlade the cloues and marchandise which he had, that so in cartes it might be carried fower leagues to the riuer of Chagre, which they say is nauigable running out into the North sea not far from Nombre de Dios, where the ships ride, which come out of Spaine: by which way all kinde of goods might be brought vnto them in shorter time, and with lesse danger, then to saile about the Cape of Bona Sperança. For from Maluco vnto Panama they saile continually betwéene the Tropickes and the line: but they neuer found winde to serue that course, and therefore they came backe againe to Maluco very sad, be­cause Saavedra died by the way: who if he had liued meant to haue opened the land of Gastillia del Oro and New Spaine from sea to sea. Fower narrow passages from sea to sea in the West Indies. Which might haue béene done in fower pla­ces: namely from the Gulfe of S. Michael to Vraba, which is 25. leagues, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 4. cap. 14. or from Panama to Nombre de Dios being 17. leagues distance: or through Xaquator a riuer of Nicaragua, which springeth out of a lake thrée or fower leagues from the South sea, and falleth into the North sea; whereupon doe saile great barks and crayers. The other place is from Teco­antepee through a riuer to Verdadera Cruz in the Bay of the Honduras, which also might be opened in a streight. Which if it were done, then they might saile from the Canaries vnto the Malucos vnder the climate of the Zodiake in lesse time and with much lesse danger, then to saile about the Cape de Bona Sperança, or by the streight of Magelan, or by the Northwest. The northwest passage very beneficiall. And yet if there might be found a streight there to saile into the sea of China, as it hath béene sought, it would doe much good.

In this yéere 1529, one Damian de Goes a Portugal being in Flanders, after that he had trauailed ouer all Spaine, was yet desirous to sée more countreyes, and fashions, and diuer­sities of people; and therefore went ouer into England and Scotland, and was in the courts of the kings of those parts: and after that came againe into Flanders, and then trauailed through Zealand, Holland, Brabant, Luxenburge, Suitzer­land, and so through the cities of Colen, Spyres, Argentine, Basill, and other parts of Alemaine, & then came backe againe into Flanders: and from thence he went into France through [Page 72] Picardie, Normandie, Champaine, Burgundie, the dukedome of Borbon, Gascoigne, Languedoc, Daulphinie, the dukedome of Sauoy, and passed into Italy into the dukedome of Millaine, Ferrara, Lombardie, and so to Venice, and turned backe againe to the territorie of Genoa, and the dukedome of Flo­rence through all Tuscane: and he was in the citie of Rome, and in the kingdome of Naples from the one side to the other.

From thence he went into Germanie to Vlmes, and other places of the Empire, to the dukedome of Sueuia and of Ba­uier, and the Archdukedome of Austrich, the kingdome of Boeme, the dukedome of Morania, and the kingdome of Hun­garie, and so to the confines of Graecia. From thence he went to the kingdome of Poland, Prussia, and the dukedome of Liuonia, and so came into the great dukedome of Moscouia. From whence he came backe into High Alemayne, and through the countreyes of the Lantzgraue, the dukedome of Saxonie, the countreyes of Denmarke, Gotland, and Norway, trauailing so farre, that he found himselfe in 70. degrées of latitude towards the North. He did sée, speake and was con­uersant with all the kings, princes, nobles and chiefe cities of all Christendome in the space of 22. yéeres: So that by reason of the greatnes of his trauell, I thought him a man woorthie to be here remembred.

In the yéere 1529. or 1530. one Melchior de Sofa Tauarez went from the citie of Ormuz vnto Balfera and the Islands of Gissara with certaine ships of warre, and passed vp as farre as the place, where the riuers Tygris and Euphrates méete one with the other. And although other Portugals had disco­uered and sailed through that streight, yet neuer any of them sailed so farre vpon the fresh water till that time, when he dis­couered that riuer from the one side to the other, wherein he saw many things which the Portugals knew not.

Not long after this one Ferdinando Coutinho a Portugall came vnto Ormuz, and being desirous to sée the world, he determined to goe into Portugall from thence ouer land to sée Asia and Europe; And to doe this the better he went into Arabia, Persia, and vpwards the riuer Euphrates the space of a moneth; and saw many kingdomes and countreies, which in our time had not béene séene by the Portugals: He was taken prisoner in Damasco, and afterward crost ouer the pro­uince [Page 73] of Syria, and came vnto the citie of Alepo. He had béene at the holy Sepulchre in Ierusalem, and in the citie of Cayro, and at Constantinople with the Great Turke; and hauing séene his court he passed ouer vnto Venice, and from thence into Italie, France, Spaine, and so came againe to Lisbon. So that he and Damian de Goes were in our time the most noble Portugals, that had discouered and séene most countreyes and realmes of their owne affections.

In the same yéere 1530. little more or lesse, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 5. cap. 3. one Francis Pisarro, which had béene in Spaine to obtaine the gouernment of Peru, turned backe againe to the citie of Panama with all things that he desired: he brought with him fower brethren, Ferdinand, Iohn, Gonzaluo, and Francis Martines de Alcan­tara: They were not well receiued by Diego de Almagro, and his friends; for that Pisarro had not so much commended him to the Emperour as he looked for, but omitted the disco­uerie, wherein he had lost one of his eies, and spent much: yet in the end they agreed, and Diegro de Almagro gaue vnto Pisarro 700. pezoes of golde, victuailes and munition, where­with he prepared himselfe the better for his iourney.

Not long after this agréement Francis Pisarro and his bre­thren went in two ships with the most of their soldiers and horses; but he could not arriue at Tumbez as he was min­ded, and so they went on land in the riuer of Peru; and went along the coast with great paines, because there were many b [...]gs and riuers in their way, wherein some of his men were drowned: They came to the towne of Coaché, where they rested, Much gold and emeraulds. where they found much gold and emeraulds, of which they brake some to sée if they were perfect. From thence Pi­sarro sent to Diego de Almagro twentie thousand pezoes of gold to send him men, horses, munition, and victuailes; and so he went on his iourney to the hauen named Porto Viejo: and thither came vnto him one Sebastian de Benalcazar, with all such things as had sent for, which pleased and pleasured him very much.

In the yéere 1531. he hauing this aide, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 5. cap. 4. passed ouer into a rich Island called Puna, The Isle of Puna. where he was well receiued of the gouernour: yet at last he conspired to kill him and all his men: but Pisarro preuented him, and tooke many of the Indians, and bound them with chaines of gold and siluer. The gouernour [Page 74] caused those that kept his wines to haue their noses, armes, and priuie members to be cut off, so iealous was he. Here Pi­sarro found aboue sixe hundred men prisoners belonging to the king Attabalipa, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 5. cap. 5. who waged warre against his eldest brother Guascar to winne reputation. These he set at libertie and sent them to the citie of Tombez, who promised to be a meane that he should be well receiued in those partes. But when they saw themselues out of bondage, they forgat their promise, and incited the people against the Spaniards. Then Pisarro sent thrée Spaniards to Tombez to treate for peace, whome they tooke and slew and sacrificed, and their priestes wept not for pitie but of custome. Pisarro hearing of this cruell fact, passed ouer to the maine, and set vpon the citie one night suddenly and killed many of them, so that they presen­ted him with gifts of gold and siluer and other riches, and so became friends. This done, he builded a towne vpon the ri­uer of Cira, S. Michael of Tangarara. and called it Saint Michael of Tangarara, which was the first towne inhabited by Christians in those partes; whereof Sebastian de Benalcazar was appointed captaine. Payta an excel­lent harbour in 5. degrees to the South of the line. Then he searched out a good and sure hauen for his ships, and found that of Payta to be an excellent harbour.

In this same yéere 1531. there went one Diego de Ordas to be gouernour in the riuer of Maragnon, Gomara historiae general. lib. 3. cap. 17. with thrée ships, sixe hundred soldiers, and 35. horses. He died by the way, so that the intention came to none effect. After that in the yéere 1534. there was sent thither one Hierome Artal with 130. soldiers, The famous riuer Maragnon. yet he came not to the riuer, but peopled Saint Mi­chael de Neueri, and other places in Paria. Also there went vnto this riuer Maragnon a Portugall gentleman named A­ries Dacugna, and he had with him ten ships, nine hundred Portugals, and 130. horses. He spent much, but he that lost most was one Iohn de Barros. Iohn de Barros factor of the house of India. This riuer standeth in thrée degrées toward the South, hauing at the entrance of it 15. leagues of breadth and many Islands inhabited, wherein grow trées that beare incence of a greater bignes then in Arabia, gold, rich stones, and one emeraud was found there as big as the palme of a mans hand. The people of the coun­trey make their drinke of a kinde of dates, which are as big as quinces.

In the yéere 1531. one Nunnez de Gusman went from the [Page 75] citie of Mexico towards the northwest to discouer and con­quer the countreies of Xalisco, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 6. cap. 16. Ceintiliquipac, Ciametlan, To­ualla, Cnixco, Ciamolla, Culhuacan, and other places. And to doe this he caried with him 250. horses, and fiue hundred sol­diers. He went through the countrey of Mechuacan, where he had much gold, ten thousand marks of siluer, and 6000. Indi­ans to carrie burdens. Nueua Galicia. He conquered many countreyes, called that of Xalisco Nueua Galicia, because it is a ragged countrey, and the people strong. He builded a citie which he called Compostella, Compostella. and another named Guadalajara, because he was borne in the citie of Guadalajara in Spaine. Guadalaira. He likewise builded the townes de Santo Espirito, Santo Espirito. de la Conception, De la conception. and de San Miguel standing in 24. degrées of northerly latitude. San Miguel.

In the yéere 1532. Ferdinando Cortes sent one Diego Hurtado de Mendoça vnto Acapulco 70. leagues from Me­xico, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 74. where he had prepared a small fléete to discouer the coast of the South sea as he had promised the Emperour. And fin­ding two ships readie, he went into them, and sailed to the hauen of Xalisco, where he would haue taken in water and wood: but Nunnez de Gusman caused him to be resisted, and so he went forward: but some of his men mutined against him, and he put them all into one of the ships, and sent them backe into New Spaine. They wanted water, and going to take some in the bay of the Vanderas, the Indians killed them. But Diego Hurtado sailed 200. leagues along the coast, yet did nothing woorth the writing.

In the yéere 1533. Francis Pisarro went from the citie of Tumbes to Caxamalca, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 5. cap. 6. 7. 8. 9. where he tooke the king Attabalipa, who promised for his ransome much gold and siluer: and to accomplish it there went to the citie of Cusco standing in 17. degrées on the South side Peter de Varco, and Ferdinando de Sotto, who discouered that iourney being 200. leagues all causies of stone, and bridges was made of it, and from one iourney to another, lodgings made for the Yngas: for so they call their kings. Their armies are very great and monstrous. For they bring aboue an hundred thousand fighting men to the field. They lodge vpon these causies; and haue there pro­uision sufficient and necessarie, after the vse and custome of Chi [...], as it is said. Ferdinando Pisarro with some horsemen went vnto Paciacama 100. leagues from Caxamalca, and [Page 76] discouered that prouince: And comming backe he vnderstood how Guascar brother to Attabalipa was by his commande­ment killed, Guascar slaine. and how that his captaine Ruminaguy rose vp in armes with the citie of Quito. Gomar. hist. gen. lib 5 cap. 11. After this Attabalipa was by the commandement of Pisarro strangled. Attabalipa strangied.

In the yéere 1534. Francis Pisarro séeing that the two kings were goue, began to enlarge himselfe in his signiories, and to build cities, forts, and townes to haue them more in subiecti­on. Gomara historiae general. lib. 5. cap. [...]8. Likewise he sent Sebastian de Banalcazar the captaine of S. Michael of Tangarara against Ruminaguy vnto Quito. He had with him two hundred footemen and 80. horsemen: He went discouering and conquering 120. leagues from the one citie to the other east not farre from the Equinoctiall line: Cruell snowe vnder the line. where Peter Aluarado found mountaines full of snow, Gomara historiae general. lib. 5. cap. 19. and so cold, that 70. of his men were frosen to death. When he came vnto Quito, he began to inhabite it, and named it S. Francis. In this countrey there is plentie of wheate, barlie, cattell and plants of Spaine, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 5. cap. 16. which is very strange. Pisarro went straight to the citie of Cusco, and found by the way the captaine Quis­quiz risen in armes, whome shortly he defeated. About this time there came vnto him a brother of Attabalipa named Mango, whom he made Ynga or king of the countrey. Thus marching forward on his iourney after certaine skirmishes he tooke that excéeding rich and wealthie citie of Culco. Casco taken.

In this same yéere 1534. a Briton called Iaques Cartier with thrée ships went to the land of Corterealis, and the Bay of Sain [...] Laurence, The Bay of S. Laurence disco­uered. otherwise called Golfo Quadrato, and fell in 48. degrées and an halfe towards the north; and so he sai­led till he came vnto 51. degrees hoping to haue passed that way to China, and to bring thence drugs and other marchan­dise into France. The next yéere after he made another voiage into those partes, and found the countrey abounding with victuailes, houses and good habitations, with many and great riuers. He sailed in one riuer toward the southwest 300. leagues, and named the countrey thereabout Noua Francia: at length finding the water fresh he perceiued he could not passe through to the South sea, and hauing wintered in those parts, the next yéere following he returned into France.

In the yéere 1535. or in the beginning of the yéere 1536. Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 2. cap. 74. & lib. 2. cap. 98. Don Antonie de Mendoça came vnto the citie of Mexico as [Page 77] Viceroy of New Spaine. In the meane while Cortes was gone for more men to continue his discouerie, which imme­diately he set in hand sending foorth two ships from Tecoan­tepec which he had made readie. There went as captaines in them Fernando de Grijalua, and Diego Bezerra de Men­doça, and for pilots there went a Portugal named Acosta, and the other Fortunio Ximenez a Biscaine. The first night they deuided themselues. Fortunio Ximenez killed his captaine Bezerra and hurt many of his confederacie: and then he went on land to take water and wood in the Bay of Santa Cruz, Plaia de Santa Cruz. but the Indians there slue him, and aboue 20. of his companie. Two mariners which were in the boate escaped, and went vnto Xalisco, and told Nunnes de Gusman that they had found tokens of pearles: he went into the ship, and so went to séeke the pearles, he discouered along the coast aboue 150. leagues. They said that Ferdinando de Grijalua sailed thrée hundred leagues from Tecoantepec without seeing any land, The Isle of S. Thomas. but onely one Island which he named The Isle of Saint Thomas, because he came vnto it on that Saints day: it stan­deth in 20. degrées of latitude.

In this yéere 1535. Pisarro builded the citie de los Reyes vpon the riuer of Lima. Lima builded. The inhabitants of Xauxa went to dwell there, Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 4. cap. 23. because it was a better countrey, standing in 12. degrées of southerly latitude. In this same yéere of 1535. he caused the citie of Truxillo to be builded on a riuers side vpon a fruitfull soile, Lib. 5. cap. 22. Truxillo. standing in 8. degrées on that side. He built also the citie of Saint Iago in Porto Viejo: S. Iago de Porto v [...]ejo. besides many others along the sea coast and within the land: where there bréede many horses, asses, mules, kine, hogs, goates, shéepe, and other beasts; also trées and plants, but principally rose­mary, oranges, limons, citrons, and other sower fruits, vines, wheate, barlie, and other graines, radishes and other kinde of herbage and fruits brought out of Spaine thither to be sowne and planted.

In the same yéere 1535. one Diego de Almagro went from the citie of Culco to the prouinces of Arequipa and Chili, Go [...]ara hist. gen. lib. 5. cap. 24. Chili. rea­ching beyond Cusco towards the South vnto 30. degrées. This voiage was long, and he discouered much land, suffe­ring great hunger, cold, and other extremities, by reason of the abundance of ice, which stoppeth the running of the ri­uers; [Page 78] so that men and horses die in those parts of the colde. About this time Ferdinando Pilarro came out of Spaine to the citie de los Reyes, and brought with him the title of Marqui­sate of Atanillos for his brother Francis Pisarro, & vnto Diego de Almagro he brought the gouernment of 100. leagues ouer and besides that which was discouered, Lib. 5. cap. 25. and named it The New kingdome of Toledo. Ferdinando Pilarro went straight to the citie of Cusco: and one Iohn de Rada went to Almagro into Chili with the Emperours patents.

Diego de Almagro hauing receiued the letters patents which the Emperour had sent him, Lib. 5. cap. 27. went straight from Chili vnto Cusco, to haue it, séeing it did appertaine vnto him. Which was the cause of a ciuill warre. They were mightily oppressed with want of victuailes and other things in this their returne, and were enforced to eate the horses, which had died fower moneths and a halfe before, when they passed that way.

In this same yéere 1535. Nunnez Dacun̄a being gouer­nour of India, The fortresse of Diu. while he was making a fortresse at the citie of Diu, he sent a fleete to the riuer of Indus, being frō thence 90. or 100. leagues towards y ^e north vnder the Tropicke of Can­cer. The captaines name was Vasques Perez de San Paio: also he sent another armie against Badu the king of Cambaia, Badu king of Cambaia. the captaine whereof was Cosesofar a renegado. They came to the barre of that mighty riuer in the moneth of December, of the water whereof they found such trial as Quintus Curtius writeth of it, when Alexander came thither.

In this yeere 1535. one Simon de Alcazaua went from Si­uill with two ships and 240. Gomara hist. gen. lib. 4. cap. 13. Spaniards in them. Some say they went to New Spaine, others that they went to Maluco, but others also say to China; where they had béene with Fer­dinando Perez de Andrada. Howsoeuer it was, they went first vnto the Canaries, and from thence to the streight of Ma­gelan, without touching at the land of Brasill or any part at all of that coast. They entred into the streight in the moneth of December with contrarie windes and cold weather. The soldiers would ha [...] had him turne backe againe, but he would not. He went into an hauen on the South side in 53. degrées: There the captaine Simon of Alcazaua commanded Roderigo de Isla with 60. Spanyards to goe and discouer land: [Page 79] but they rose vp against him and killed him, and appointed such captaines and officers as pleased them, and returned. Comming thwart of Brasil they lost one of their ships vpon the coast, and the Spanyards that escaped drowning were eaten by the Sauages. The other ship went to Saint Iago in Hispaniola, and from thence to Siuill in Spaine.

In this same yéere 1535. Gomara historiae general. lib. 3. cap. 39. Don Pedro de Mendoça went from Cadiz towards the riuer of Plate with twelue ships, and had with him two thousand men: which was the greatest number of ships and men, that euer any captaine carried into the Indies. He died by the way returning homewards. The most part of his men remained in that riuer, and builded a great towne containing now two thousand houses, wherein great store of Indians dwell with the Spanyards. They disco­uered and conquered the countrey till they came to the mines of Potossi and to the towne La Plata, The riuer of Pla­ta runneth vp to Potossi. which is 500. leagues distant from them.

In the yéere 1536. Cortes vnderstanding that his ship wherein Fortunio Ximenez was pilote was seased on by Nunnez de Guzman, Gomara hist gen. lib. 2. cap 74 & 98 he sent foorth thrée ships to the place where Guzman was, and he himselfe went by land well ac­companied, and found the ship which he sought all spoiled and rifled. When his thrée other ships were come about, he went aboord himselfe with the most part of his men and horses, leauing for captaine of those which remained on land one Andrew de Tapia. Saint Iago Isle. So he set saile, and comming to a point the first day of May he called it Saint Philip, and an Island that lieth fast by it he called Sant Iago. Within three daies after he came into the bay where the pilot Fortunio Ximenez was killed, La plaia de San­ta Cruz. which he called La plaia de Santa Cruz, where he went on land, and commanded Andrew de Tapia to discouer, Cortes tooke shipping againe and came to the riuer now cal­led Rio de San Pedro y San Paulo, Rio de S. Pedro y San Paulo. where by a tempest the ships were separated, one was driuen to the bay de Santa Cruz, Guajaual Rio. another to the riuer of Guajaual, and the third was dri­uen on shore hard by Xalisco, and the men thereof went by land to Mexico.

Cortes long expected his two ships that he wanted: but they not comming he hoised saile & entred into the Gulfe now called Mar de Cortes, Mar Vermejo or the Gulfe of California. Mar Vermejo, or the Gulfe of Cali­fornia, [Page 80] and shot himselfe 50. leagues within it: where he espied a ship at anker & sailing towards her he had béene lost, if that ship had not succored him. Gomara in the conquest of Mexico folio 290. 291. 292. But hauing graued his ship, he departed with both the ships from thence. Hée bought victuals at a déere rate at Saint Michael of Culhuacan; and from thence he went to the hauen of Santa Cruz, where hée heard that Don Antonio de Mendoça was come out of Spaine to be Viceroy. He therefore left to be captaine of his men one Francis de Vlloa, to send him certaine ships to disco­uer that coast. While he was at Acapulco messengers came vnto him from Don Antonio de Mendoça the Viceroy, to certifie him of his arriuall: and also he sent him the coppie of a letter, wherein Francis Pisarro wrote, that Mango Ynga was risen against him, and was come to the citie of Cusco with an hundred thousand fighting men, and that they had killed his brother Iohn Pisarro, and aboue 400. Spaniards and 200. horses, and he himselfe was in danger, so that he de­manded succour and aide. Cortes being informed of the state of Pisarro, and of the arriuall of Don Antonio de Mendoça, because he would not as yet be at obediēce; First he determi­ned to sende to Maluco to discouer that way a long vnder the Equinoctial line, because The Islands of Cloues stand vnder that paralele: And for that purpose he prepared 2. ships with prouision, victuals & men, besides all other things necessarie. He gaue the charge of one of these ships to Ferdinando de Grijalua, and of the other vnto one Aluarado a Gentleman. They went first to Saint Michael de Tangarara in Peru to succour Francis Pisarro, and from thence to Maluco all along néere the line as they were commanded. And it is declared that they sailed aboue a thousand leagues without fight of land, on she one side nor yet on the other of the Equinoctiall. And in two degrées toward the north they discouered one Island named Asea, Asea Island. which séemeth to be one of the Islands of Cloues: 500. leagues little more or lesse as they sailed, Isla de los Pes­cadores. they came to the sight of another which they named Isla de los Pescadores. Going still in this course they sawe another Island called Hayme towards the south, Hayme Island. and another named Apia: Apia Island. and then they came to the fight of Seri: Seri. turning to­wards the north one degrée, they came to anker at another Island named Coroa, Coroa. and from thence they came to another [Page 81] vnder the liue [...] and from thence vnto Bufu standing in the same course. [...] Bufu.

The people of all these Islands are blacke, and haue their haire frisled, Os papuas. whom the people of Maluco do call Papuas. The most of them eate mans flesh, and are witches, so giuen to diuilishnes, that the diuels walk among them as cōpanions. If these wicked spirits do finde one alone, they kill him with cruell blowes or smoother him. Therefore they vse not to goe, but when two or thrée may be in a companie. These seeme to be like Ostri­ches. There is héere a bird as bigge as a Crane: he flieth not, nor hath any wings wherewith to flée, he runneth on the ground like a Déere: of their small feathers they do make haire for their idols. There is also an herbe, which being washed in warme water, if the leafe thereof be laide on any member and licked with the toong, it will draw out all the blood of a mans body: and with this leafe they vse to let themselues blood.

From these Islands they came vnto others named the Guelles standing one degree towards the north, Guelles Islands. east, and west from the Isle Terenate, Terenate. wherein the Portugals haue a for­tresse: these men are haired like the people of the Malucoes. These Islands stande 124. leagues from the Island named Moro; Moro. and from Terenate betwéene 40. and 50. From whence they went to the Isle of Moro, Moluccae. & the Islāds of Cloues, going from the one vnto the other. But the people of the coun­trey would not suffer them to come on lande, saying vnto them: Antonie Galua­no, the author of this booke. Go vnto the fortresse where the captain Antonie Gal­uano is, and we will receiue you with a good will: for they would not suffer them to come on land without his licence: for he was factor of the countrey, as they named him. A thing woorthie to be noted, that those of the countrey were so af­fectioned to the Portugals, The case now is much altered. that they would venter for them their liues, wiues, children and goods.

In the yéere 1537. the licenciate Iohn de Vadillo gouer­nour of Cartagena, Pedro de Cieça parte primera de la Cl [...]onica del Peru cap 9. & cap. 107. went out with a good armie from a porte of Vraba called Saint Sebastian de buena Vista, being in the gulfe of Vraba, and from thence to Rio verde, & from thence by land without knowing any way, nor yet hauing any car­riages, they went to the end of the countrey of Peru, and to the towne La plata, La Pla [...]a. by the space of 1200. leagues: a thing woorthie of memorie. For from this riuer to the mountaines [Page 82] of Abibe the countrey is full of hils, The mountaines of Abibe thicke forests of trées, and many riuers: and for lacke of a beaten way, they had pierced sides. The mountaines of Abibe as it is recorded haue 20. leagues in bredth. They must be passed ouer in Ia­nuarie, Februarie, March, and Aprill. And from that time forward it raineth much, and the riuers will be so greatly en­creased, that you cannot passe for them. There are in those mountaines many heards of swine, many dantes, lyons, ty­gers, beares, ounses, and great cats, and monkeis, and migh­tie snakes and other such vermine. Also there be in these mountaines abundance of partridges, quailes, turtle doues, pigeons, and other birdes and foules of sundrie sorts. Like­wise in the riuers is such plentie of fish, that they did kill of them with their staues: and carrying canes and nets they affirme that a great army might be sustained that way with­out being distressed for want of victuals. Moreouer they de­clared the diuersities of the people, toongs, and apparell that they obserued in the countries, kingdomes, and prouinces which they went through, and the great trauels and dangers that they were in till they came to the towne called Villa de la Plata, Villa de la Plata. and vnto the sea there unto adioyning. This was the greatest discouerie that hath béene heard of by land, and in so short a time. And if it had not béene done in our daies, the credite thereof would haue béene doubtfull.

In the yéere 1538. there went out of Mexico certaine fri­ers of the order of Saint Francis towards the north to preach to the Indians the Catholicke faith. Ramusius 3. vol. fol. 356. He that went farthest was one frier Marke de Nizza, Frier Marke de Nizza. who passed through Cul [...]a­can, Sibola. and came to the prouince of Sibola, where he found seuen cities: and the farther he went, the richer he found the coun­trie of gold, siluer, precious stones, and shéepe bearing very fine wool. Vpon the fame of this welth the viceroy don Anto­nio de Mendoça, and Cortes, determined to send a power thi­ther. But when they could not agrée thereupon Cortes went ouer into Spaine in the yéere 1540. where afterward he died.

In this yéere 1538. began the ciuil warre betweene Pisar­ro and Alonagro, wherein at the last Alinagro was taken and beheaded.

In the same yéere 1538. Antonie Galuano being chiefe captaine in the isles of Maluco sent a ship towards the north, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 5. cap. 34. [Page 83] whereof one Francis de Castro was captaine, Antonie Galua­no chiefe cap­taine of Maluco author of this worke. hauing com­mandement to conuert as many as he could to the faith. He himselfe christened many, as the lords of the Celebes, Maca­sares, Amboynos, Moros, Moratax, and diuers other places, When Francis de Gastro arriued at the Island of Mindanao, sixe kings receiued the water of Baptisme, with their wiues, children and subiects: and the most of them Antonie Galuano gaue commandement to be called by the name of Iohn, in re­membrance that king Iohn the third raigned then in Por­tugall.

The Portugals and Spaniards which haue béene in these Islands affirme, that there be certaine hogs in them, which besides the téeth which they haue in their mouthes, haue other two growing out of their snouts, and as many behinde their eares of a large span and an halfe in length. Likewise they say there is a tree, the one halfe whereof, which standeth towards the east is a good medicine against all poyson, & the other side of the trée which standeth toward the west is very poison; and the fruite on that side is like a bigge pease; and there is made of it the strongest poyson that is in all the world. Also they report that there is there another trée, the fruite whereof whosoeuer doth eate, shall be twelue houres besides himselfe, and when he commeth againe vnto himselfe he shall not remember what he did in the time of his mad­nes. Moreouer there are certaine crabs of the land, whereof whosoeuer doth eate shall be a certaine space out of his wits. Likewise the countrey people declare that there is a stone in these Islands whereon whosoeuer sitteth shall be broken in his bodie. It is farther to be noted, that the people of these Islands do gild their téeth.

In the yéere 1539. Cortes sent thrée ships with Francis Vlloa to discouer the coast of Coludean northward. Gomara hist gen. lib. 2. cap. 74. &. Ramusius 3. vol. fol. 339. They vient from Acapulco, The bottome of the gulfe of California dis­couered. and touched at S. Iago de buqna spe­rança, and entred into the gulfe that Cortes had discouered, and sailed till they came in 32. degrées, which is almost the farthest end of that gulfe, which place they named Ancon de Sane Andres, because they came thither on that saints daie: Then they came out a long the coast on the other side, California dou­bled. and doubled the point of California and entred in betwéene cer­taine Islands and the point, and so sailed along by it, till they [Page 84] came to 32. degrées, Cabo del En­ganno. from whence they returned to newe Spaine, enforced thereunto by contrarie windes and want of victuals; hauing béene out about a yéere. Cortes according to his account, spent 200000. ducates in these discoueries.

From Cabo del Enganno to another cape called Cabo de Liampo in China there are 1000. or 1200. leagues sayling. The distance be­tweene America and China in 32. degrees is 1000 leagues Gomar. hist. gen. lib. 6. cap. 17. Cortes and his captaines discouered new Spaine, from 12. degrées to 32. from south to the north, being 700. leagues, finding it more warme then cold, although snow do lie vpon certaine mountaines most part of the yéere. In new Spaine there be many trées, flowers and fruits of diuers sorts and profitable for many things. The principall trée is named Metl. Metl an excel­lent tree. It groweth not very high nor thicke. They plant and dresse it as we do our vines. They say it hath fortie kinde of leaues like wouen clothes, which serue for many vses. When they be tender they make conserues of them, paper, and a thing like vnto flaxe: they make of it mantles, mats, shooes, girdles, and cordage. These trées haue certaine prickles so strong and sharpe, that they sewe with them. The roots make fire and ashes, which ashes make excellent good lie. They open the earth from the roote and scrape it, and the iuice which commeth out is like a sirrupe. If you do féeth it, it will become honie; if you purifie it it will be sugar. Also you may make wine and vineger thereof. It beareth the Coco. The rinde rosted and crushed vpon sores and hurts healeth and cureth. The iuice of the tops and roots mingled with incense are good against poyson, and the biting of a viper. For these manifold benefits it is the most profitable trée knowne to growe in those parts.

Also there be there certaine small birds named Vicmalim. Their bill is small and long. They liue of the dewe, and the iuice of flowers and roses. Their feathers be verie small and of diuers colours. They be greatly estéemed to worke golde with. They die or sléepe euerie yéere in the moneth of Octo­ber fitting vpon a little bough in a warme and close place: they reuiue or wake againe in the moneth of Aprill after that the flowers be sprung, The reuiued birds. and therefore they call them the reui­ued birds.

Likewise there be snakes in these parts, which sound as though they had bels when they créepe. There be other which [Page 85] engender at the mouth, euen as they report of the viper. There be hogges which haue a nauell on the ridge of their backs, which assoone as they be killed and cut out, will by and by corrupt and stinke.

Besides these there be certaine fishes which make a noyse like vnto hogs, Snorting fishes. and will snort, for which cause they be named snorters.

In the yéere 1538. and 1539. after that Diego de Almagro was beheaded, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 5. cap. 35. the Marques Francis Pisarro was not idle. For he sent straight one Peter de Baldiuia with a good com­panie of men to discouer and conquere the countrey of Chili. Chili. He was wel receiued of those of the countrey, but afterwards they rose against him and would haue killed him by treason. Yet for all the warre that he had with them, he discouered much land, and the coast of the sea toward the southeast, till he came into 40. degrées and more in latitude. While he was in these discoueries he heard newes of a king called Leucen­golma, This might be the temple in the lake of Ti­ticaca. which commonly brought to the field two hundred thousand fighting men against another king his neighbour, and that this Leucengolma had an Island, and a temple therein with two thousand priestes: Cieça cap. 103. and that beyond them were the Amazones, whose Quéene was called Guanomilla, that is to say, The goldeu heauen. But as yet there are none of these things discouered. About this time Gomez de Alua­rado went to conquer the prouince of Guanuco: and Francis de Chauez went to subdue the Conchincos, which troubled the towne of Truxillo, and the countreyes adioyning. Peter de Vergara went to the Bracamores, a people dwelling to­ward the north from Quito. Iohn Perez de Vergara went against the Ciaciapoians: Alfonsus de Mercadiglio went vn­to Mulubamba. Ferdinando and Gonzaluo Pisarros went to subdue Collao, a countrey very rich in gold. Peter de Candia went to the lower part of Collao. Peranzures also went to conquer the said countrey. And thus the Spanyards disper­sed themselues, and conquered aboue seuen hundred leagues of countrey in a very short space, though not without great trauailes and losse of men.

The countreyes of Brasill and Peru stand east and west almost 800. leagues distant. The néerest is from the Cape of Saint Augustine vnto the hauen of Truxillo: for they stand [Page 86] both almost in one parallele and latitude. And the farthest is 950. leagues, reckoning from the riuer of Peru to the streits of Magellan, which places lie directly north & south, through which countrey passe certaine mountaines named the An­des, The mountaines of Andes. which diuide Brasill from the empire of the Ingas. After this maner the mountaines of Taurus and Imaus diuide Asia into two parts: which mountaines begin in 36. and 37. de­grées of northerly latitude at the end of the Mediterran sea ouer against the Isles of Rhodes and Cyprus, running still towards the East vnto the sea of China. And so likewise the mountaines of Atlas in Africa diuide the tawnie Moores from the blacke Moores which haue frisled haire, beginning at mount Me [...]es about the desert of Barca, and running along vnder the Tropicke of Cancer vnto the Atlanticke Ocean.

The mountains of the Andes be high, ragged, and in some places barren without trées or grasse, whereon it raineth and snoweth most commonly. Vpon them are windes and sud­den blastes; there is likewise such scarcitie of wood, that they make fire of turffes, Earth of diuers colours good to dy withall. as they do in Flanders. In some pla­ces of these mountaines and countries the earth is of diuers colours, as blacke, white, red, gréene, blew, yellow, and vio­let, wherewith they die colours without any other mixture. From the bottomes of these mountaines spring many small and great riuers, principally from the east side, as appéereth by the riuers of the Amazones, of S. Francis, of Plata, and ma­ny others which runne through the countrey of Brasil, being larger then those of Peru, or those of Castilia del oro. There grow on these mountaines many turneps, rapes, and other such like rootes and herbes. One there is like vnto Aipo or Rue which beareth a yellow flower, and healeth all kinde of rotten sores, and if you apply it vnto whole and cleane flesh it will eate it vnto the bone: so that it is good for the vnsound and naught for the whole.

They say there be in these mountains tigers, lions, beares, woolues, wilde cats, foxes, Dantes, Ounces, hogs and déere: birdes as well rauenous as others, and the most part of them are blacke, as vnder the North both beasts & birdes be white. Also there be great & terrible snakes which destroied a whole armie of the Ingas passing that way, yet they say that an olde woman did inchant them in such sort that they became so [Page 87] gentle, that a man might sit vpon one of them. The countrey of Peru adioining vnto the mountaines of Andes westward toward the sea, and containing 15. or 20. leagues in bredth is all of very hot sand, yet fresh, bringing foorth many good trées and fruites because it is well watered: where there growe abundance of flags, rushes, herbes, and trées so slender and loose, that laying your hands vpon them the leaues will fall off. And among these herbes and fresh flowers the men and women liue and abide without any houses or bedding, euen as the cattell doe in the fields: and some of them haue tailes. They be grosse, and weare long haire. They haue no beards, yet haue they diuers languages.

Those which liue on the tops of these mountains of Andes betwéene the cold and the heate for the most part be blinde of one eie, and some altogether blinde, and scarce you shall finde two men of them together, but one of them is halfe blinde. Also there groweth in these fields, notwithstanding the great heate of the sand good Maiz, and Potatos, and an herbe which they name Coca, which they carrie continually in their mouthes (as in the East India they vse another herbe named Betele) which also (they say) satisfieth both hunger and thirst. An herbe named Coca which sa­tisfieth hunger and thirst. Also there are other kindes of graines and rootes whereon they féede. Moreouer there is plentie of wheate, barly, millet, vines, and fruitful trées, which are brought out of Spaine and planted there. For all these things prooue well in this coun­trey, because it is so commodiously watered.

Also they sow much cotton wooll, which of nature is white, red, blacke, gréene, yellow, orange tawnie, and of diuers other colours.

Likewise they affirme, that from Tumbez southward it doth neither raine, thunder, nor lighten, for the space of fiue hundred leagues of land: but at some times there falleth some little shower. Also it is reported, that from Tumbez to Chili there breede no peacocks, hennes, cocks, nor eagles, falcons, haukes, kites, nor any other kinde of rauening fowles, and yet there are of them in all other regions and countreies: but there are many duckes; géese, herous, pigeons, partriges, quailes, and many other kindes of birdes. There are also a certaine kinde of fowle like vnto a ducke which hath no wings to flie withall, but it hath fine thinne feathers which [Page 88] all the body. Likewise there are bitters that make war with the seale or sea wolfe: for finding them out of the water they will labour to picke out their eies, that they may not sée to get to the water againe, and then they doe kill them. They say it is a pleasant sight to behold the fight betwéene the said bitters and seales. With the beards of these seales men make cleane their téeth, because they be wholesome for the toothach. There are certaine beastes which those of the countrey call Xacos, Xacos a kinde of great sheepe that men ride vpon. and the Spanyards shéepe because they beare wooll like vnto a shéepe, but are made much like vnto a déere, hauing a a saddle backe like vnto a camell. They will carrie the bur­teen of 100. weight. The Spanyards ride vpon them, and when they be wearie they will turne their heads backward, and void out of their mouthes a woonderful stinking water.

From the riuer of Plata and Lima southward there bréede no crocodiles nor lizards, no snakes, nor any kinde of vene mous vermine, but great store of good fishes bréede in those riuers. On the coast of Saint Michael in The South sea there are many rocks of salt couered with egges. On the point of Saint Helena are certaine Well springs which cast foorth a liquor, that serueth in stead of pitch and tarre. They say that in Chili there is a fountaine, the water whereof will conuert wood into stone. In the hauen of Truxillo there is a lake of fresh water, and the bottome thereof is of good hard salt. In the Andes beyond Xauxa there is a riuer of fresh water, in the bottome whereof there lieth white salt. Also they affirme by the report of those of the countrey, that there haue dwelt gi­ants in Peru, of whose statures they found in Porto viejo, and in the hauen of Truxillo, bones and iawes with téeth, which were thrée and fower fingers long.

In the yeere 1540. the captaine Ferdinando Alorchon went by the commandement of the Viceroy Don Antonio de Mendoça with two ships to discouer the bottome of the gulfe of California, Ramusius 3 vol. fol. 303. and diuers other countries.

In this yeere 1540. Gonsaluo Pisarro went out of the citie of Quito to discouer the countrey of Canell or Cinamome, a thing of great fame in that countrey. He had with him two hundred Spanyards horsemen and footemen, and thrée hun­dred Indians to carrie burthens. Gomara hist. gen. lib. 5. cap. [...]. He went forward til he came to Guixos, which is the farthest place gouerned by the Ingas: [Page 89] where there happened a great earthquake with raine and lightning, which sunke 70. houses. They passed ouer cold and snowie hils, where they found many Indians frozen to death, maruelling much of the great snowe that they found vnder the Equinoctiall line. From hence they went to a prouince called Cumaco, Cumaco. where they tarried two monethes because it rained continually. And beyond they sawe the Cinamome-trées, Cinamom trees which be very great, the leaues thereof resembling bay leeues, both leaues, branches, rootes, and all tasting of Cina­mome. The rootes haue the whole taste of Cinamome. But the best are certaine knops like vnto Alcornoques or acornes, which are good marchandise. Wild. Cinamom in the Islands of Iaua. It appéereth to be wilde Cina­mome, and there is much of it in the East Indies, and in the Islands of Iaoa or Iaua.

From hence they went to the prouince and citie of Coca, Coca. where they rested fifty daies. From that place forwards they trauailed along by a riuers side being 60. leagues long, with­out finding of any bridge, nor yet any foorde to passe ouer to the other side. They found one place of this riuer, where it had a fall of 200. fathoms déepe, El pongo. a mighty fall of a riuer. where the water made such a noise, that it would make a man almost deafe to stand by it. And not far beneath this fall, they say they found a cha­nell of stone very smooth, of two hundred foote broad, and the riuer runneth by: and there they made a bridge to passe ouer on the other side, Guema. where they went to a countrey called Gue­ma, which was so poore, that they could get nothing to eate but onely fruits and herbes. From that place forward they found a people of some reason, wearing certaine clothing made of cotton wooll, where they made a brigandine, & there they found also certaine Canoas, wherein they put their sicke men, and their treasure and best apparell, giuing the charge of them to one Francis de Orellana: and Gonsaluo Pizarro went by land with the rest of the companie along by the ri­uers side, and at night went into the boates, and they trauai­led in this order two hundred leagues as it appeereth. When Pizarro came to the place where he thought to finde the bri­gandine and Canoas, and could haue no sight of them nor yet heare of them, he thought himselfe out of all hope, because he was in a strange countrey without victuales, clothing, or any thing else: wherefore they were faine to eate their horses, [Page 90] yea and dogs also, because the countrey was poore and bar­ren, and the iourney long, to goe to Quito. Yet notwithstan­ding taking a good hart to themselues they went on for­wards in their iourney, trauailing continually 18. monethes and it is reported, that they went almost 5. hundred leagues, wherein they did neither sée sunne nor any thing else where­by they might be comforted, wherefore of two hundred men which went foorth at the first, there returned not backe past ten vnto Quito, and these so weake, ragged, and disfigured that they knew them not. Orellana went fiue hundred or sixe hundred leagues downe the riuer, séeing diuers countreyes and people on both sides thereof, among whom he affirmed some to be Amazones. He came into Castile, excusing him­selfe, that the water and streames draue him downe perforce. This riuer is named The riuer of Orellana, Rio de Orellana. & other name it the riuer of the Amazones, because there be women there which liue like vnto them.

In the yéere 1540. Cortes went with his wife into Spaine where he died of a disease seuen yéeres after.

In the yéere 1541. it is recorded that Don Stephan de Ga­ma gouernour of India sailed toward the streit of Mecca. He came with al his fléete vnto an anker in the Island of Maçua, Maçua. and from thence vpwards in small shipping he went along the coast of the Abassins and Ethiopia, till he came to the Island of Suachen, Suachen. standing in 20. degrées towardes the north, Cossir. and from thence to the hauen of Cos [...]ir, standing in 27. degrées, Toro. and so he crossed ouer to the citie of Toro standing on the shore of Arabia, Suez. and along by it he went vnto Suez, which is the farthest ende of the streit, and so he turned backe the same way, leauing that countrey and coast discouered so far as neuer any other Portugall captaine had done, although Lopez Suarez gouernour of India went to the hauen of Iuda, and the hauen of Mecca standing on the coast of Arabia in 23. degrées of latitude, and 150. leagues from the mouth of the streit. Don Stephan de Gama crossing ouer from Cos [...]ir to the citie of Toro, An Island of brimstone in the Red sea. as it is reported found an Island of Brim­stone, which was dispeopled by the hand of Mahumet, where­in many crabs doe bréede, which increase nature: where­fore they be greatly esteemed of such as are vnchaste. Also they say that there are in this streit many roses which open [Page 91] when women are in their labour.

Iohn Leo writeth in the very end of his Geographie which he made of Africa, that there is in the mountaines of Atlas a roote called Surnag, ouer which if a maid chance to make wa­ter shée shall léese her virginitie.

In the same yéere 1541. Don Diego de Almagro killed the Marques Francis Pizarro, and his brother Francis Martinez of Alcantara in the citie de los Reyes, otherwise called Lima, and made himselfe gouernour of that countrey.

In the yéere 1540. the Viceroy Don Antony de Mendoza sent one Francis Vasquez de Coronado by land vnto the pro­uince of Sibola with an armie of Spaniards and Indians. Gomara hist. gen. lib. 6. cap. 17. They went out of Mexico, Sibola. and came to Culuacan, and from thence to Sibola, which standeth in 30. degrées of latitude. They required peace with the people and some victuals, being thereof destitute. But they answered that they vsed not to giue any thing to those that came vnto them in war­like manner. So the Spaniards assalted the towne and tooke it, and called it Nueua Granada, because the generall himselfe was borne in Granada. The soldiers found themselues de­ceiued by the words of the Friers, which had béene in those parts before; and because they woulde not returne backe to Mexico againe with emptie hands, they went to the towne of Acuco, Acuco. where they had knowledge of Axa and Quiuira, where there was a king very rich, that did worship a crosse of golde, and the picture of the quéene of Heauen. They in­dured many extremities in this iourney, and the Indians fled away from them, and in one morning they found thirtie of their horses dead. Circuie. From Cicuie they went to Quiuira, which was two hundred leagues off, Quiuira. according to their account, passing all through a plaine countrey, and making by the way certaine hillocks of cowe dung, because thereby they might not loose their way in their returne. They had there haile-stones as bigge as Oranges. Now when they were come to Quiuira, they found the king called Tatarrax, which they sought for, with a iewell of copper hanging about his necke, which was all his riches. They saw neither any crosse, nor any image of the quéene of Heauen, nor any other token of Christian religion. Gomara hist. gen. lib. 6. cap. 18. & 19. It is written of this countrey that it is but smally inhabited, principally in the plaine and champion [Page 92] places, because the men and women goe in herds with their cattell, whereof they haue great plentie, euen as the Arabians do in Barbarie, and they remooue from place to place, euen as the season serueth, Sheepe as big as horses. and the pastures to féede their cattle. In these parts are certaine beasts almost as bigge as horses, they haue very great hornes, and they beare wooll like vnto shéepe, and so the Spaniards call them. They haue abundance of oxen verie monstrous, being camel-backed, and hauing long beards, and on their necke long manes like vnto horses. They liue with eating of these oxen and drinking of their blood, and apparell themselues with the skins of the same. The most part of the flesh that they do eate is rawe, or euill rosted, for they lacke pots to séeth it in. They cut their meat with certaine kniues made of flint stone. Their fruite are damsons, hasel-nuts, walnuts, melons, grapes, pines, and mulberies. Dogs carying 50. pound waight on their backs. There be dogges so bigge, that one of them alone will hold a bull, though he be neuer so wilde. When they re­mooue, these dogs do carrie their children, wiues, and stuffe vpon their backes, and they are able to carrie fiftie pound waight. I passe ouer many things, because the order which I follow will not permit me to be long.

In the yéere of our Lord 1542. one Diego de Freitas being in the realme of Siam, and in citie of Dodra as captaine of a ship, there fled from him thrée Portugals in a Iunco (which is a kind of ship) towards China. Their names were Antony de Mota, Francis Zeimoro, and Antony Pexoto, directing their course to the citie of Liampo, standing in 30. and odde degrées of latitude. There fell vpon their sterne such a storme, that it set them off the land, and in fewe daies they sawe an Island towards the east standing in 32. degrées, which they do name Iapan, Iapan discoue­red by chance. which seemeth to be the Isle of Zipangri, whereof Paulus Venetus maketh mention, and of the riches thereof. And this Island of Iapan hath gold, siluer, and other riches.

In this yéere 1542. Don Antonio de Mendoça Viceroy of Nueua Spagna, sent his captaines and pilots to discouer the coast of Cape del Enganno, where a fléete of Cortez had been before. They sailed till they came to a place called Sierras Ne­uadas, or The snowie mountaines, standing in 40. degrées toward the north, where they saw ships with merchandises, [Page 93] which carried on [...] the images of certaine birdes called Alcatra [...]zi, and had the yards of their sailes gilded, and their prowesse laid ouer with siluer. Gomara hist. gen. lib. 6. cap. 18. They séemed to be of the Isles of Iapan, or of China; for they said that it was not aboue thirtie daies sailing vnto their countrey.

In the same yéere 1542. Don Antony de Mendoça sent vn­to the Islands of Mindanao a fléete of sixe ships with fower hundred soldiers, Gomara hist. gen. lib. 4. cap. 13. and as many Indians of the countrey, the generall whereof was one Rui Lopez de villa Lobos, Ramusius 1. vol. fol. 375. pag. 1. being his brother in law and a man in great estimation. They set saile from the hauen of Natiuidad standing in 20. degrées to­wards the north, vpon All Saints éeue, and shaped their course towards the west. Saint Thomas. They had sight of the Island of S. Thomas, which Hernando de Grijalua had discouered, and beyond in 17. degrées they had sight of another Island which they na­med La Nublada, La Nublada. that is, The cloudie Island. From thence they went to another Island named Roca partida, Roca Partida. that is, The clouen Rocke. The 3. of December they found certaine Baxos or states of sixe or seuen fathoms déepe. Baxo [...]. The 15. of the same moneth they had sight of the Islands, which Diego de Roca, and Gomez de Sequeira, and Aluaro de Saauedra had discouered, Los Reyes. and named them Los Reyes, because they came vnto them on Twelfe day. And beyond them they found other Islands in 10. degrées all standing round, and in the midst of them they came to an anker, where they tooke fresh water and wood.

In the same yéere 1542. Don Diego de Almagro was slaine in Peru by the hands of one Don Vaca de Castro.

In the yéere 1543. in Ianuarie they departed from the foresaid Islands with all the fléete, and had sight of certaine Islands, out of which there came vnto them men in a cer­taine kinde of boats, and they brought in their hands crosses, and saluted the Spaniards in the Spanish toong saying, Bue­nas dias, Matelotes, that is to say, Good morrow, compani­ons; whereat the Spaniards much marueiled, being then so farre out of Spaine, to sée the men of that countrey with cros­ses, and to be saluted by them in the Spanish toong, and they séemed in their behauiour to incline somewhat to our Catho­lique faith. The Spaniards not knowing, that many there­about had béene Christened by Francis de Castro, at the com­mandement [Page 94] of Antony Galuano, some of them named these Islands, [...]he Isles of Matelates. Islas de las cruzes, and others named them Islas de los Matelotes.

In the same yéere 1543. the first of February Rui Lopez had sight of that noble Island Mindanao standing in 9. de­grées: Mindanao. they could not double it nor yet come to an ancre as they would, because the christened kings and people resisted them, hauing giuen their obedience to Antonie Galuano, whom they had in great estimation, and there were fiue or sixe kings that had receiued baptisme, who by no meanes would incurre his displeasure. Rui Lopez perceiuing this, and hauing a contrary winde, sailed along the coast to finde some aide; Sarangam. and in 4. or 5. degrées he found a small Island which they of the countrey call Sarangam, which they tooke per­force, and in memory of the vizeroy who had sent them thi­ther they named it Antonia, where they remained a whole yéere, in which time there fell out things worthie to be writ­ten; but because there are more histories that intreat of the same I leaue them, meaning to medle with the discoueries onely.

In the same yéere 1543. and in the moneth of August the generall Rui Lopez sent ane Bartholmew de la torre in a smal ship into new Spaine, to acquaint the vizeroy don Antonio de Mendoça with all things. The relation of Iohn Ga [...]etan in the first vol. of Ramusu [...] fol. 376. They went to the Islands of Siria, Gaonata, Bisaia, and many others, standing in 11. and 12. de­grées towards the north, where Magellan had béene, and Francis de Castro also, who there baptized many, and the spaniards called thē the Philippinas in memory of the prince of Spaine. The Philippinas. Here they tooke victuals and wood, and hoised sailes, they sailed for certaine daies with a fore-winde, till it came upon the skanting, and came right vnder the tropique of Cancer. The 25. of september they had sight of certaine Is­lands, Malabrigos. which they named Malabrigos, that is to say, The euil roads. Las dos Her­manas. Beyond them they discouered Las dos Hermanas, that is The two sisters. And beyond them also they saw 4. islands more, Los Volcanes. which they called los Volcanes. The second of October they had sight of Farsana, La Farsana. beyond which there standeth an high pointed rock, which casteth out fire at 5. places. So say­ling in 16. degrées of northerly latitude, from whence they had come, as it seemeth wanting winde, they arriued againe [Page 95] at the Islands of the Philippinas. Sixe or [...] Islands more. They had sight of 6. or 7. Islands more, but they ankered not at them. An Archipelagus of Islands. They found also an Archipelagus of Islands well inhabited with people, lying in 15. or 16. degrées: the people be white, and the weomen well proportioned, and more beautifull and better arraied then in any other place of those parts, hauing many iewels of gold, which was a token, that there was some of that me­tal in the same countrie. Here were also barkes of 43. cubits in length, and 2. fathomes and a halfe in bredth, and the plankes 5. inches thicke, which barkes were rowed with [...]ares. They told the Spaniards, that they vsed to saile in them to China, Pilots for China. and that if they would go thither they should haue pilots to conduct them, the countrie not being aboue 5. or 6. daies sayling from thence. There came vnto them also cer­taine barkes or boates handsomely decked, wherein the Ma­ster and principall men sate on high, and vnderneath were very blacke moores with frizled haire: and being demanded where they had these black moores, they answered, that they had them from certaine Islands standing fast by Sebut, where there were many of them, a thing that the Spaniards much maruailed at, because from thence it was aboue 300. leagues to the places where the black people were. There­fore it seemed, that they were not naturally borne in that cli­mate, but that they be in certaine places scattered ouer the whole circuite of the world. For euen so they be in the Islands of Nicobar and Andeman, which stand in the gulfe of Benga­la, and from thence by the space of 500. leagues we doe not know of any blacke people. Also Vasco Nunez de Valboa declareth that as he went to discouer The South sea, in a cer­taine land named Quareca he found black people with frizled haire, whereas there were neuer any other found either in Noua Spagna, or in Castilia del Oro, or in Peru.

In the yéere 1544. Don Gutierre de Vargas bishop of Pla­cenza sent a fléet from the city of Siuil vnto the streits of Ma­gellan: Gomara hist. gen. lib. 4. cap. 14. which is reported to haue béene done by the counsel of the vizeroy Don Antonie de Mendoça his cousin. Some suspe [...]ed that they went to Maluco, others to China, others, that they went onely to discouer the land betwixt the streite and the land of Peru on the other side of Chili, because it was reported to be very rich in gold and siluer. But this fléete by [Page] reason of contrary windes could not passeth [...] streit, yet one small barke passed the same, and sailed along the coast, and discouered all the land, till he came vnto Chirimai, and Are­quipa, which was aboue 500. leagues, for the rest was alrea­die discouered by Diego de Almagro, and Francis Pizarro, and their captaines and people at diuers times. By this it appée­reth, that from The streit to the Equinoctial line on both sides is wholy discouered.

In the yéere 1545. & in the moneth of Ianuarie Rui Lopez de villa Lobos, and Giraldo with the Castilians came to the Island of Moro, The Isle of Moro. and the citie of Camafo, where they were well receiued of the kings of Gilolo and Tidore, and of the people of the countrey (because Antony Galuano was gone) and put the captaine Don George de Castro to great trouble, Antonie Galua­ [...]o gon out of [...]he Malucas. as appéered by those things which passed betwéene him and the Portugals, and the great expences whereunto he put the fortresse.

In the same yéere 1545. Rui Lopez de villa Lobos sent from the Island of Tidore another ship towards New Spaine by the south side of the line, wherein was captaine one Inigo Ortez de Rotha, and for pilot one Iaspar Rico. They sailed to the coast of Os Papuas, Os Papuas. and ranged all along the same, and because they knew not that Saauedra had béene there before, they chalenged the honor and same of that discouerie. And be­cause the people there were blacke and had frisled haire, Nueua Guinea. they named it Nueua Guinea. For the memorie of Saauedra as then was almost lost, as all things else do fall into obliuion, which are not recorded, and illustrated by writing.

In this yéere 1545. and in the moneth of Iune, there went a Iunk from the citie of Borneo, wherein went a Por­tugall called Peter Fidalgo, and by contrary windes he was driuen towards the north; where he founde an Island stan­ding in 9. or 10. degrées, that stretched it selfe to 22. degrées of latitude, The Isle of Lu­ [...]ones. which is called The Isle of the Luçones, because the inhabitants thereof were so named. It may haue some other name and harborowes, which as yet we know not: it run­neth from the north vnto the southwest, and standeth be­twéene Mindanao and China. They say they sailed along by it 250. leagues, where the land was fruitfull and well coue­red, and they affirme, that there they will giue two Pezos of [Page] gold for one of siluer: [...] gold. and yet it standeth not farre from the countrey of China.

In the yéere 1553. there went out of England certaine shipping, and as it appéered they sailed northward along the coast of Norway and Finmark, Moscouie disco­uered by sea, by the English. and from thence east, till they came betwéene 70. and 80. degrées vnto Moscouie, for so far one of the ships went: but I know not what became of the rest: & this was the last discouery made vntil this time. From this lande of Moscouie eastward you faile vnto Tartary, and at the farther end of it standeth the countrey and pro­uince of China. It is said that betwéene China and Tartary there is a wall aboue 200. leagues in length, standing néere vnto 50. degrées of latitude.

Now I gather by all the precedent discoueries, that the whole earth is in circuite 360. degrées according to the Geo­metrie thereof: and to euery degrée the ancient writers al­low 17. leagues & a halfe, which amount vnto 6300. leagues yet I take it that euerie degrée is iust 17. leagues. Howso­euer it be, all is discouered and sailed from the east vnto the west almost euen as the sunne compasseth it: but from the south to the north there is great difference; for towardes the north pole there is found discouered no more then 77. or 78. degrées, which come to 1326. leagues: and towards the south pole there is discouered from the Equinoctiall to 52. or 53. degrées, that is, to the streit which Magellan passed through, which amounteth to about 900. leagues; and put­ting both these saide maine sums togither, they amount to 2226. leagues. Now take so many out of 6300. leagues, there remaineth as yet vndiscouered north and south aboue the space of 4000. leagues.