The whole and true discouerye of Terra Florida (englished the florishing lande.) Conteyning as well the wonderfull straunge natures and maners of the people, with the merueylous commodities and treasures of the country: as also the pleasaunt portes, hauens, and wayes therevnto neuer founde out before the last yere 1562. Written in Frenche by Captaine Ribauld the fyrst that whollye discoured the same. And nowe newly set forthe in Englishe the xxx of May. 1563.

The whole and true discouerye of Terra Florida (englished the florishing lande.) Conteyning as well the wonderfull straunge natures and maners of the people, with the merueylous commodities and treasures of the country: as also the pleasaunt portes, hauens, and wayes therevnto neuer founde out before the last yere 1562. Written in Frenche by Captaine Ribauld the fyrst that whollye discoured the same. And nowe newly set forthe in Englishe the xxx of May. 1563. Ribaut, Jean, ca. 1520-1565. 1563 Approx. 46 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 24 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2012-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). A10692 STC 20970 ESTC S103182 99838939 99838939 3331

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A10692) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 3331) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1217:04) The whole and true discouerye of Terra Florida (englished the florishing lande.) Conteyning as well the wonderfull straunge natures and maners of the people, with the merueylous commodities and treasures of the country: as also the pleasaunt portes, hauens, and wayes therevnto neuer founde out before the last yere 1562. Written in Frenche by Captaine Ribauld the fyrst that whollye discoured the same. And nowe newly set forthe in Englishe the xxx of May. 1563. Ribaut, Jean, ca. 1520-1565. [46] p. By Rouland Hall, for Thomas Hacket, Prynted at London : [1563] Signatures: A-C (-C8). Publication date from STC. Printer's device (McKerrow 142) on title page. Running title reads: The discouerie of Terra Florida. A translation of the French original. Some print faded and show-through; some pages marked and stained. Reproduction of the original in the British Library.

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eng Florida -- History -- To 1565 -- Early works to 1800. Florida -- Description and Travel -- Early works to 1800. 2020-09-21 OTA Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2011-02 TCPAssigned for keying and markup 2011-02 SPi GlobalKeyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2011-06 Susie LorandSampled and proofread 2011-06 Susie LorandText and markup reviewed and edited 2012-05 pfsBatch review (QC) and XML conversion

THE VVHOLE AND true diſcouerye of Terra Florida, (engliſhed the Floriſhing lande.) Conteyning aſwell the wonderfull ſtraunge natures and maners of the people, with the merueylous commodities and treaſures of the country: As alſo the pleaſaunt Portes, Hauens, and wayes therevnto Neuer founde out before the laſt yere 1562.

Written in Frenche by Captaine Ribauld the fyrſt that whollye diſcouered the ſame. And nowe newly ſet forthe in Engliſhe the .xxx. of May. 1563.

printer's device: emblem showing a boy with wings on his right arm and with his left hand holding or fastened to a weight; a crowned and bearded figure with outstretched right arm appears in clouds above and to the right

Prynted at London by Rouland Hall, for Thomas Hacket.

The true diſcouerie of terra Florrida.

WHere as in the yere of our Lorde God 1562. it pleaſed God to moue your honour, to chooſe and appoynt vs, to diſcouer and vewe a certaine longe coaſt of the Weſt India, from the head of the land called Laflorida, drawyng toward the N •••• ••• t, vnto the head of Brittons, diſt ••• ••• m the ſayd head of Laflorida 900. leagues, or there aboute: to the ende we might certifie you and make true report of the temperature, fertilitie, Ports, Hauens, Ryuers, and generally of all the commodities that be ſéen and found in that land, and alſo to learne what people were there dwelling, which thing you haue lōg time ago deſired, being ſtirred therevnto by this zeale. That Fraunce might one day through new diſcoueries haue knowledge of ſtraunge countryes and alſo thereof to receyue (by meanes of continuall trafique) riche & ineſtimable commodities, as other nacions haue done by taking in hand ſuch far nauigations, bothe to the honour & proweſſe of their kinges & princes, & alſo to the encreaſe of great profit & vſe to their common wealthes, countreys & dominions, which is moſt of all without cōpariſon to be conſidered & eſtemed. It ſeemeth wel that ye haue bene ſtirred herevnto euen of god aboue, & led to it by the hope and deſiere you haue that a number of brutiſhe people & ignoraunt of Ieſus Chriſt, may by his grace come to ſome knowledge of his holy lawes & ordinances. So therefore it ſeemeth that it hath pleaſed God by his godly prouidence to reſerue the care which he hath had of their ſaluation vntill this tyme, and wil bryng them to our faith, at the time by himſelf alone forſéen & ordeyned. For if it were néedfull to ſhew how many frō tyme to tyme haue gone about to finde out this great lande, & to inhabit there: who neuertheleſſe haue alwayes failed and bene put by from their entention & purpoſe: ſome by fear of ſhipwracks, and ſome by great windes & tempeſts that droue them backe to their merueylous griefe. Of the which there was one a very famous ſtraunger named Sebaſtian Cobote an excellent Pylot ſent thither by king Henry, the yere 1498. & many others, who neuer could attaine to any habitation nor take poſſeſſion there of one only fote of groūd, nor yet approche or enter into theſe parties & faire riuers into the which God hath brought vs. Wherefore, my lord, it may be wel ſayd that the liuing God hath reſerued this greate lande for your poore ſeruauntes and ſubiectes as well to the ende they might be made great ouer thys poore people, and rude nation: as alſo to approue the former affection whyche our Kynges haue hadde vnto thys diſcouerie.

For the late king Fraunces the firſt (of happye memorie) a prince endued with excellent vertues. The yere 1524. ſent a famous & notable man a Florentine, named Meſſire Iehan de Varran, to ſerch & diſcouer the Weſt parts as far as might be: Who departing frō Déepe with two veſſelles litle differing from the making & burden of theſe two Pinnaces of the kinges, which your honour hath ordeyned for this preſent nauigation. In the which land they haue found the eleuation the Pole, an viij. degrées. The countrey (as he writeth) goodly, fruitfull, & ſo good temperature, that it is not poſſible to haue the better: being then as yet of no man ſéene, nor diſcerned. But they being not able to bryng to paſſe at this firſt voyage that whiche he had entended, nor to arriue in anye Port, by reaſon of ſondry inconueniences, which commonly happen, were conſtrained to return into Fraunce: where after his arriuall, he neuer ceaſſed to make ſuite vntill he was ſent thither again, where at laſt he died. The which occaſion gaue ſmall corage to ſend thither againe, & was the cauſe that this laudable enterpriſe was left of, vntyll the yere 1534. at which time his Maieſty (deſiring always to enlarge his kingdome, countreys & dominions, & thaduauncing & caſe of his ſubiects) ſent thither a Pilot of S. Mallowes, a Briton, named Iames Cartiere, wel ſéen in the art & knowledge of nauigation, & eſpecially of the North parts, commonly called the new lande, led by ſome hope to finde paſſage that wayes to the South ſeas: Who being not able at his firſt goyng to bring any thing to paſſe, that he pretended to do: was ſent thither again the yere folowing, & likewiſe le ſyre Hemerall, and as it is wel knowen thei did inhabite & bylde, & plant the kinges armes in the North part a good way in the land, as far as Tauadu & Ochiſaon Wherefore my Lord truſt iuſtly that a thing ſo commendable & worthy to be with good corage attempted that God woulde guyde & kéepe vs, deſiring alwayes to fulfil your commaundement. When we had done your buſines, and made our preparations the .xviij. day of February 1562, through the fauour of God we departed with our two veſſels out of the hauen of Claue de Grace into the road Caur: and the next day hoyſted vp ſayle (the wynde beyng in the Eaſt) whiche laſted ſo fyue dayes, that we coulde not arriue at the nauch that is from betwene the coaſt of Britton and Englande and the Iles of Surlinos and Wiſkam: So that the Wynde blowyng wyth great furye & tempeſt out of the Weſt, and Weſt Southweſt, altogether contrarye to our waye and courſe, & all that we coulde doe was to none effecte, beſydes the great daunger of breakynge of our Maſtes, as alſo to be hyndered in our other labours. Wherefore as well to ſhonne manye other inconueniences, whiche myght folowe to the preiudice & breache of our viage, hauynge regard alſo to the lykely daunger of death, that ſome of our gentlemen & ſouldiours being troubled with feuers & whot ſickenneſſes, might haue fallen into: as alſo for other conſiderations, we thoughte good to fal into the road of Breſt in Britain, to ſet there our ſick folke on land, & ſuffer the tempeſt to paſſe. Frō whence (after we had taried there two dayes) we retourned againe to ſeaward to folow our nauigation, ſo that (my Lorde) albeit the wynde was for a long ſeaſon very much agaynſt vs, & troubleſome: yet at the end (God geuyng vs through his grace & accuſtomed goodnes a méetely fauourable wynde) I determined with al diligence to proue a new courſe which hath not ben yet attempted: trauerſing ye ſeas of Octian 1800 leagues at the leaſt, whyche in déede is the true and ſhorte courſe that hereafter muſte be kepte, to the honour of our nacion, reiectynge the olde conſerued opinion, whyche to longe tyme hathe bene holden as trewe.

Which is, that it was thought a thing impoſſible to haue the wynde at Eaſt, Northeſt, & kéepe the race & courſe we enterpriſed, but that we ſhould be driuen toward the region of Affrica, the Iles of Canaria, Madera, & other lands thereabouts. And the cauſe why we haue bene the more prouoked & aſſured to take this newe race, hath bene becauſe that it ſéemed to euerye one that we might not paſſe nor go in this nauigation without the ſight & touching of the Antillies & Lucaries, & there ſoiourne & take freſhe waters & other neceſſaries, as the Spaniards do in theyr voyage to new Spaine: whereof (thanked be God) we haue had no néed, nor entered the chanell of Roham: whiche hath ben thought impoſſible. Forſeing alſo that it was not expedient for vs to paſſe through the Ilands, as wel to ſhon many inconueniences that might happen in paſſing that waye (whereof ſpringeth nothing but innumerable quarels pleadings, confuſions, & breache of all worthy enterpriſes & godly nauigations, whereof enſueth complaints & odious queſtions betwene the ſubiectes of the kyng & hys frends & alies) as alſo to the ende they might vnderſtande that in the tyme to come (God hauynge ſhewed vs ſuch graces, as theſe his wonderfull benefites firſte ſhewed to the poore people of this ſo goodly newe framing people, of ſo gentle a nature, & a countrey ſo pleaſant & fruitfull, lacking nothyng at all that may ſéeme neceſſary for mans food) we would not haue to do wyth theyr Ilands, & other lands: which (for that they fyrſt diſcouered thē) they kéepe wyth much ieloſye: truſtyng that if God wil ſuffer the king (through your perſuation) to cauſe ſome parte of this incomparable countrey to be peopled & inhabited with ſuch a number of his poore ſubiectes as you ſhall thynke good, there neuer happened in the memorie of man ſo great & good commoditie to Fraunce as thys, & (my Lorde) for manye cauſes, whereof a man is neuer able to ſay or wryte to the full, as vnder the aſſured hope that we haue alwayes had in executing vprightlye that which I had receyued in charge of you, God would bleſſe our wayes & nauigations. After we had conſtantly & wyth diligence in tyme conuenient determined vppon the waye, we ſhoulde haue thought it noyſome & tedious to all our company, if it had before bene knowen vnto any without tourninge or wauering to or fro from their firſt entention. And not withſtanding that Sathan did often what he coulde to ſowe many obſtractes troubles & lettes, accordyng to his accuſtomed ſubtelties, ſo it is come to paſſe, that God by his only goodnes hath geuen vs grace, to make the furtheſt arte & trauars of the ſeas, that euer was made in oure memorie or knowledge, in longitude from the Eaſt to the Weſt: and therefore was it commonly ſayd both in Fraunce & Spaine, & alſo among vs, that it was impoſſible for vs ſafely to arriue thither, whither the Lorde dyd conducte vs. All whiche perſuaded but of ignoraunce & lacke of attempting: whiche we haue not bene afrayde to geue aduenture to proue. Albeit that all Mariners Cardes do ſet the Coaſts with ſhipwracks wythout Ports or Ryuers: whiche we haue founde otherwyſe as it foloweth.

Thurſdaye the laſte of Apryll at the breake of the daye, we diſcouered and clearely perceyued a faire coaſt, ſtretchynge of a great length couered with an infinite number of high & fayre trées, we being not paſt 7 or 8 leagues frō the ſhore, the coūtrey ſéeming vnto vs plain without any ſhewe of hilles, & approching nearer within foure or fyue leagues of the lande, we caſt an Anker at tenne fadome water, the bottome of the Sea beynge playne wyth muche Ocias and faſte holde on the Southe ſyde, as farre as a certayne poynte or Cape ſituate vnder that Latitude of nine & twenty degrées & a half, which we haue named Cape Francois.

We coulde eſpye neyther Ryuer nor Bay, wherefore we ſent our Botes furniſhed wyth men of experience, to ſoūd and knowe the coaſt nere the ſhore: who retournyng to vs about one of the clock at after noone, declared that they had founde among other things .viij. fadom of water at the hard bancke of the ſea. Wherevpon hauing diligently wayed vp our Ankers, & hoyſted vp our ſayles with wynde at wyll we ſayled & vewed the coaſt all alonge with vnſpeakable pleaſure, of the odorours ſmel & beautie of the ſame. And becauſe there appeared vnto vs no ſygne of any Port, about the ſettyng of the Sunne we caſt anker agayne: which done, we did beholde to and fro the goodly order of the Woods wherwith God hath decked euery way the ſayde lande. Then perceyuyng toward the North a leaping & a breaking of the water, as a ſtreame falling out of the land into the ſea. For the which we ſet vp ſayles agayne to double the ſame whyle it was yet day. And as we had ſo done, & paſſed beyond it: there appeared vnto vs a fayre entrye of a fayre Riuer which cauſed vs to caſt Anker agayne there nearer the lande: to the ende the next day we might ſée what it was, and though that the wynde blew for a tyme vehemently to the ſhoreward: yet the holde & ankerage was ſo good, that one cable & one anker held vs faſt, with out daunger or ſlydyng.

The next day in the morning, beyng the firſt of May, we aſſayed to enter this Port, with two new Barges & a Boate well trymmed, fyndyng lytle water Barges whiche might haue aſtonied & cauſed vs retourne backe to ſhipborde, if God had not ſpeedely brought vs in. Where fyndyng .536. fadome water, entered into a goodly and great Ryuer, which as we went founde to encreaſe ſtyll in depth and largenes, boyling and roryng through the multitude of all kynde of fyſhe. This being entered we perceyued a great number of the Indians inhabitantes there, commynge alonge the ſandes & ſea banckes, commyng neare vnto vs, without anye t-akyng of feare or doubt, ſhewynge vnto vs the eaſieſt landyng place: & therevpon we geuyng them alſo on our partes thankes of aſſuraunce & frendlineſſe. Forthwith one of appearaunce, out of the beſt among them, brother vnto one of theyr Kynges, or gouernours, commaunded one of the Indians to enter into the water: and to approche our boates to ſhewe vs the coaſtes landing place. We ſeing this (without any more douting or difficultie) landed, & the meſſenger (after we had rewarded him with ſome lookyng glaſſe, & other pretie things of ſmale value) ranne incontinently towarde his Lorde: Who forth with ſent me hys Gyrdle, in token of aſſuraunce & frendſhip, which Gyrdle was made of red leather, as well couered & coloured as was poſſible: and as I began to go towards him, he ſet forth & came & receyued me gentlye, & reyſed after his maner all his men, folowyng with great ſilence & modeſtie: yea more then our men did. And after we had a whyle with gentle vſage congratulated with him: we fell to the grounde a lytle waye from them, to call vpon the name of God, & to beſeche hym to continue ſtill hys goodnes towards vs, & bring to the knowledge of our Sauiour Chriſt this poore people. Whyle we were thus praying (they ſitting vppon the ground, which was ſtrawed & dreſſed with Baye bowes) behelde & harkened vnto vs, very attentiuelye without either ſpeaking or mouing: & as I made a ſigne vnto their king, lifting vp myne arme, & ſtretching forth one finger, only to make them looke vp to heauenward. He lykewyſe liftinge vp his arme towardes heauen put forth two fingers: whereby it ſéemed that he made vs to vnderſtande, that they worſhipped the Sunne & the Moone for Gods: as afterwards we vnderſtood it ſo. In the mean time their numbers increaſed, & thither came the Kynges brother, that was firſt with vs, their mother, wyues, ſiſters & children, & beyng thus aſſembled, they cauſed a great number of Baye boughes to be cut, & therewith a place to be dreſſed for vs, diſtant from theirs two fadom. For it is their maner to talke & bargaine ſitting: & the chiefe of them to be aparte, from the meaner ſorte, with a ſhewe of great obedience to theyr Kynges, Superiours, & Elders. They be all naked, & of a goodlye ſtature, myghtye, fayre, & as well ſhapen & proporcioned of bodye, as anye people in the worlde: verye gentle, curteyſe, and of a good nature.

The moſte parte of them couer theyr Raynes & priuities with fayre Hartes ſkynnes, paynted moſte commonlye with ſundrye colours: & the fore parte of theyr bodye & armes, be paynted wyth pretye deuiſed workes, of Azure, red, & blacke, ſo well & ſo properly as the beſt Painter of Europe coulde not amende it. The women haue their bodies paynted with a certayne Herbe lyke vnto Moſſe, whereof the Ceder trées, & all other trées be alwayes couered. The men for pleaſure doe alwayes trymme them ſelues therewith, after ſundrye faſhions: They be of Tauney colour, Haulke noſed & of a pleaſaunt countenaunce. The women be well fauoured, & wyll not ſuffer one diſhoneſtly to approche to neare them. But we were not in their houſes for we ſawe none at that tyme.

After we had taried in this North ſyde of the Ryuer the moſt parte of the daye (whiche Riuer we haue called Maye for that we diſcouered the ſame the firſt daye of the Moneth) we congratulated, made aliaunce, & entered into amitie wyth them, and preſented the Kynge and hys brethren wyth Gownes of Blewe clothe garnyſhed wyth Yelowe Flouredeluces. And it ſéemed that they were ſorye for our departure: ſo that the moſte parte of them entered into the water vp to the necke, to ſet our Boates a flote.

Putting into vs ſundrye kynde of fiſhes, which with merueylous ſpéed thei ranne to take in their paks, made in the water with great Réeds, ſo well & conningly ſet together, after the faſhion of a Laberinthe, or Maze, with ſo manye turnes & crokes, as it is impoſſible to do it without much conning & induſtrie.

But deſyring to imploye the reſt of the daye on the other ſyde of this Riuer, to view & knowe thoſe Indians that we ſawe there. We trauerſed thither, & without anye difficultie landed amongeſt them, who receyued vs very gently & with great humanitie: putting vs of their fruits, euen into our Boats, Molberies, Raſpis, & ſuche other fruites, as they founde ready by the way.

Soone after this came thither the king with his brethren & others with bowes & arrowes in their hands, vſing therewithall a goodly & a graue faſhion, with their behauiour right ſouldierlyke, & as warlyke boldnes as may be. Thei were naked & painted as thother, their heare lykewiſe long, & truſſed vp (with a lace made of herbs) to the top of their heads: but they had neither their wiues nor children in their company. After we had a good whyle louynglye entertened & preſented them with lyke giftes of haberſher wares, cutting hokes & hatchets & clothed the king & his brethren with lyke robes, as we had geuen to them on the other ſyde: we entered & viewed the countrey thereabouts, which is the faireſt, fruitfulleſt, & pleaſanteſt of all the worlde, aboundynge in honye, veniſon, wylde foule, foreſtes, woods of al ſorts, Palme trées, Cypres, & Cedres, Bayes the higheſt & greateſt, with alſo the faireſt vines in all the world, with Grapes according, which without naturall arte & without mans helpe or trimming wil growe to toppes of Oks, & other trées that be of a wonderfull greatneſſe and heyght. And the ſyght of the fayre Medowes is a pleaſure not able to be expreſſed wt tongue: full of Hernes, Curlues, Bitters, Mallardes, Egrepths, Wodkockes, & all other kynde of ſmall byrdes: Wyth Hartes, Hyndes, Buckes, wylde Swyne, & all other kyndes wylde beaſtes, as we perceyued well bothe by theyr footyng there, & alſo afterwardes in other places, by theyr crye & rorynge in the nyght.

Alſo there be Connies & Hares: Silke wormes in merueylous number, a great dell fairer & better, then be our ſilk wormes. To be ſhort, it is a thing vnſpeakeable to conſider the thinges that be ſéene there, & ſhalbe founde more & more, in this incomparable lande, whiche neuer yet broken with Ploughe yrons, bringeth forthe all things according to his firſt nature, wherewith the eternall God endewed it. Aboute theyr houſes they labour & tyll the grounde, ſowyng theyr fields with a grayne called Mahis, whereof they make theyr meale: & in theyr Gardens they plant beanes, gourds, cocumbers, citrous, peaſon, & many other fruites & rootes vnknowen vnto vs. Their ſpades & mattocks be made of Wood, ſo well & fitly as is poſſible: whiche they make wyth certayn ſtones, oyſter ſhelles & muſcles, wherewith alſo they make theyr bowes & ſmall launces: & cutte & polyſhe all ſortes of Wood, that they imploye aboute theyr byldings, & neceſſarie vſe: There groweth alſo manye Walnut trees, Haſell trees, Cheritrees, verye fayre and great.

And generally, we haue ſéene there of the ſame Simples and herbes that we haue in Fraunce, & of the lyke goodneſſe, ſauour & taſte. The people be verye good Archers, and of greate ſtrengthe: Theyr bowe ſtrynges are made of Leather, and theyr Arrowes of Réedes whyche they doe head wyth the Téeth of fyſhes. As we nowe demaunded of them concernyng the land called Seuola, whereof ſome haue wrytten not to bee farre from thence, and to be ſituate wythin the lande, & towarde the Sea called the ſouth Sea.

They ſhewed vs by ſignes that whiche we vnderſtood well inough, that they might go thither with their Boates (by Ryuers) in twentye dayes. They that haue written of this kingdome & towne of Seuola, & other townes & kingdoms thereaboutes, ſay that there is great aboundaunce of golde & ſiluer, precious ſtones, & other great riches: & that the people had theyr arrowes headed (inſtéed of yron) with ſharpe poynted Turqueſies. Thus the nyght approchynge, it was conuenient for vs to retourne by daye a ſhypborde. We tooke leaue of them muche to their greief, but more to ours without compariſon, for that we had no meane to enter the ryuers with our ſhyppe. And albeit, it was not theyr cuſtome eyther to eate or drynke frome the Sunne riſing till his goyng downe: yet the king openly would néeds drinke with vs, praying vs very gently to geue him the cuppe where out we had dronk: & ſo makyng him to vnderſtand that we woulde ſée him againe the next day, we retyred to our ſhippes, which lay aboue ſixe leagues from the hauen to the ſea.

The next daye in the morning we retourned to land againe, accompanyed with the Captaines, Gentlemen, and Souldiers, & other of our ſmale trope: carying with vs a Pillour or Columne of harde ſtone, our Kynges armes graued therein, to plant & ſet the ſame in the enterye of the Porte in ſome hygh place, where it might be eaſely ſéene, & being come thither before the Indians were aſſembled, we eſpyed on the ſouth ſyde of the Ryuer a place verye fitte for that purpoſe, vppon a lytle hyll compaſſed with Cypres, Bayes, Paulmes and other trées, with ſwéet ſmellynge & pleaſaunt ſhrubbes. In the middle whereof we planted the firſt bounde or limitte of his Maieſtie. This done perceyuing our firſt Indians aſſembled, not without ſome miſlyking of thoſe on the South parte, where we had ſet the limet, who taryed for vs in the ſame place where they met with vs the daye before, ſeemyng vnto vs that there is ſome enimitie betwene them & the others. But when they perceyued our long tarying on this ſyde, they ranne to ſée what we had done in that place where we landed firſt, & had ſet our limit: which they viewed a great whyle without touching it any waye, or abaſſing, or euer ſpeakinge to vs thereof at any tyme after. Howebeit we coulde ſkant depart but as it were with griefe of minde frō this our firſt alliance, they rowing vnto vs al along the riuer frō al parts & preſenting vs wt ſome of theyr hart ſkyns, painted & vnpainted, meale, litle cakes, freſh water, rootes like vnto Rinbabe which they haue in great eſtimation, & make thereof a potion of medicine: alſo thei brought litle baggs of red colours & ſome ſmall ſpices like vnto Vire, perceyuing amonge them ſelues faire things painted as it had bene with grain of ſcarlet, ſhowing vnto vs by ſignes that thei had in the land gold & ſiluer & copper: wherof we haue brought ſome. Alſo lead like vnto ours which we ſhewed. Alſo turqueſſes & great aboundance of pearles which as they declared vnto vs thei toke out of oyſters, wherof there is takē euer along the riuer ſide, & among the réeds, & in the marches: & ſo merueylous aboundaunce as is ſkant credible: & we haue perceiued that there be as many & as faire pearles founde there as in any countrey of the world. For we ſaw a man of theirs as we entered into our Boates, that had a pearle hangyng at a coller of Golde & Siluer about his necke, as great as an Acorne at the leaſt. This man as he had taken fiſhe in one of their fiſhing packs therby brought ye ſame to our boats, & our men perceiuing the greatnes thereof, one of them putting his finger towarde it, the man drewe backe, & woulde no more come neare the Boat: not for any feare that he had that they woulde haue taken hys Coller & Pearle from hym, for he woulde haue geuen it them, for a lookyng Glaſſe or a Knyfe:

But that he douted leſt thei wold haue pulled him into the Boat, & ſo by force haue caried him away. He was one of the goodlieſt men of all the companye. But for that we had no leaſure to tary anye longer with them, the daye beyng well paſſed, whiche greeued vs, for the commoditie & great riches, which as we vnderſtood & ſaw might be gotten there, deſiring alſo to employe the reſt of the day with our ſeconde aliance the Indians on the Southſyde, as we perceyued them the day before, which ſtyll taryed looking for vs: We paſſed the ryuer to theyr ſhore, where as we found them tarying for vs, quietlye & in good order, wt newe payntings vppon their face, & fethers vppon their heads: the Kyng with hys Bowe & Arrowes lyinge by hym, ſat on the grounde ſtrawed wt boughes betwene hys two brethren, whiche were goodlye men & well ſhapen & of a wonderfull ſhowe of actiuities, hauing vppon their heades, one heere truſſed vpright of heyght, of ſome kynd of wyld beaſt gathered & wrought together wt great connynge, wrethed & faſted after the forme of a Diademe. One of them had hanging aboute his neck a rounde plate of red Copper well polyſhed, with one other leſſer of Siluer in the mideſt of it, & at his eare a lytle plate of Copper wherewith they vſe to ſtrype the ſwete from theyr bodyes. They ſhewed vs that there was great ſtore of this mettell within the countrey, about fiue or ſixe dayes iorney from thence, both in the South ſyde & North ſyde of the ſame Ryuers, & that they went thither in their Boates. Which Boates they make but of one piece of a tree, working it whole ſo conningly & featly, that they put in one of theſe Boates fiftene or twentye perſons, & go their wayes very ſafely. They that rowe ſtande vpright hauyng their ores ſhort after the faſhion of a Péele. Thus beyng among them they preſented vs with meale dreſſed & baked, very good & well taſted, & of good nouriſhment, alſo Beanes, & fiſhe, as Crabbes, Lobſtars, Creuiſes, and many other kynde of good fiſhes, ſhewing vs by ſygnes that their dwellyngs were farre of, & yf theyr prouiſion had bene neare hande, they woulde haue preſented vs with manye other refreſhynges.

The night nowe approchynge, we were fayne to retourne to our ſhyppe, very muche to our griefe: for that we durſte not hazarde to enter wyth our ſhyppe, by reaſon of a Barre of Sande, that was at the enterye of the Porte, howe be it, at a full Sea there is two fadome & a halfe of water at the leaſte, and it is but a leape ouer a ſurge to paſſe this Barre, not paſſynge the length of two Cables. And then forthwith euerye where wythin ſyxe or ſeuen fadome water. So that it maketh a very fayre hauen, & ſhyppes of a mean burden from foure ſcore to a hundred tunnes may enter therein at all floods, yea of a farre greater burthen, yf there were French men dwellyng there that might ſkoure the entrye as they do in France: for there is nothing lacking for ye lyfe of man. The ſituatiō is vnder the eleuation of xxx. degrées, a good climat healthful, & of a good temperature, merueylous pleaſaunt, the people good, & of a good & amiable nature, whiche wyllingly wyll obaye: yea be content to ſerue thoſe that ſhall with gentlenes & humanitie go aboute to allure them, as it is nedefull for thoſe yt be ſent thither hereafter ſo to do, & as I haue charged thoſe yt be left there to do, to thend they may aſke & learne of them where they take their golde, copper, & turqueſſes, & other thynges yet vnknowen vnto vs: by reaſon of the tyme we ſoiourned there. For yf any rude or rigorous meanes ſhoulde be vſed towards thys people, they would flye hither & thither through the Woods & Foreſts, & abandon theyr habitations and countreys.

The next day being the third day of May, deſiring always to finde out harbours to reſt in, we ſet vp ſaile againe: And after we had raunged the coaſt as neare the ſhore as we coulde, there appeared vnto vs about ſeuen leagues of on thys ſyde of the ryuer of May a great opening or Bay of ſome ryuer, whither wt one of our Boates we rowed, & there found one entrie almoſt lyke that of the ryuer of May, & within the ſame as great a depth, & as large a deuidyng it ſelfe into many great ſtreames, great and broade ſtretchinges towardes the high land, with manye other leſſe, that deuide countrey into faire & great lands and great number of ſmale & fayre Medowes. Beynge entered into them about thrée leagues, we foūde in a place very commodious, ſtronge, & pleaſant of ſituation, certaine Indians, who receyued vs very gently: Howe be it, we being ſomewhat neare their houſes, it ſeemed it was ſomewhat againſt their good wylles that we went thither, for at theyr cryes and noyſes they made theyr wyues and chyldren and houſholde ſtuffe to be caryed into the Woods: Howe be it they ſuffered vs to go into their houſes, but they themſelues woulde not accompany vs thither. Their houſes be made of Wod fitly & cloſe, ſet vpright & couered with Réedes: the moſt part of them after the faſhion of a Pauilion. But there was one houſe amongs the reſt very long & broad, with ſettels rounde about made of Réedes trimly couched together, which ſerue them bothe for beddes & ſeates, they be of heyght two foote from the ground, ſet vpon great rounde pyllers painted with red, yelow, & blew, well & trimly poliſhed: ſome ſort of this people perceyuing that we had in no maner wiſe hurted their dwellings nor gardens which thei dreſſed very diligently, they retourned all vnto vs before our inbarking, ſéeming very wel contented by theyr geuing vnto vs water, fruites & Hart ſkyns. It is a place wonderfull fertil, & of ſtrong ſituation, the groūd fat ſo that it is likely yt it would bring forth Wheat & all other corne twiſe a yere, & the commodities for liuelyhode, & the hope of more riches, be lyke vnto thoſe we founde & conſidered vppon the riuer of May, without comming into the ſea: this arme doth deuide, & maketh many other Iles of May, as alſo many other great Ilands: by the which we trauell from one Ilande to another, betwene land & land. And it ſéemeth ye men maye ſayle without daunger through all the countrey, & neuer enter into the great ſea, which were a wonderfull aduantage. This is the land of Cherere wherof ſome haue written, & whiche manye haue gone aboute to fynde, for the great riches they perceyued by ſome Indians to be founde there. It is ſet vnder ſo good a climate, that none of our men (though we were there in the hoteſt tyme of the yere, the Sunne entring into Cancer) were troubled with any ſickeneſſes. The people there lyue longe and in great health & ſtrength, ſo that the aged men go wythout ſtaues, and are able to go & runne lyke the yongeſt of them, who onely are knowen to be olde by the wrinckles in their face, & decay of ſight. We departed from them very frendly, and with theyr contentation. But the nyghte ouertakyng vs, we were conſtrayned to lye in oure ſhyppes all that nyght, tyll it was daye, floting vpon this Riuer which we haue called Sene, becauſe that the enterye of it is as broad as from Hauer degrace vnto Honeſleue. At the breake of the day we eſpyed out of the South ſyde one of the fayreſt, pleaſauntſt, and greateſt medowe grounde that might be ſeene, into the which we went, fyndynge at the verye entrye a longe, fayre, and greate Lake, and an innumerable number of foote ſteppes of greate Hartes and Hyndes of a wonderfull greatneſſe, the ſteppes beynge all freſſhe and newe, and it ſeemeth that the people doe nouryſhe them lyke tame Cattell in great Heardes: for we ſawe the ſteppes of an Indian that folowed them.

The channell & depth of this Riuer of Seyne, is on the ſide of the medow that is in the Ile of May. Being returned to our ſhipps, we ſayled to knowe more & more of this coaſt, goying as nere the ſhore as we could. And as we had ſayled about ſixe or ſeuen leagues, there appeared vnto vs another Bay, where we caſt anker, & tarying ſo all the night, in the morning we went thither, & finding (by our ſounding) at the entrie manye bancks & beatings, we durſt not enter there wt our great ſhip, hauing named ye riuer Somme, which is 8. 9. 10. 11. fadom depth, deuiding it ſelf into many great Ilandes, & ſmall goodly medow groūds & paſtures, & euery where ſuch abundaunce of fiſhe as is incredible, & on the Weſt Northweſt ſide, there is a great Ryuer that commeth from the coūtrey of a great length ouer: & another on the Northeaſt ſide, which retourne into the ſea. So that (my Lord) it is a countrey full of hauens, riuers, & Ilands, of ſuch fruitfulnes as can not with tongue be expreſſed: & where in ſhort time great & precious commodities might be found. And beſides this we diſcouered & found alſo 7. riuers more, as great & as good, cutting & deuiding the land into fayre & great Ilands. The Indiās inhabitants there be like in maners, & the countrey in fertillitie apt & commodious through out to beare & bring forth plentifully all that men woulde plant or ſowe vpon it. There be euery where the higheſt and greateſt Firtrees that can be ſéen, very well ſmelling, & whereout might be gathered (with cutting the onely bark) as much Roſen, Turpentine, & Frankenſence, as men would deſire. And to be ſhort there lacketh nothing. Wherfore being not able to enter & lye wyth our great veſſels there, we coulde make no long abiding, nor enter ſo farre into the ryuers & countreys as we would fayne haue done: for it is well knowen howe many inconueniences haue happened vnto men, not only in attempting of newe diſcoueries, but alſo in all places by leauyng theyr great veſſelles in the ſea, farre from the lande, vnfurniſhed of the heads & beſt men. As for the other riuers we haue geuen them names as foloweth: and vnto the Ilands ioyning vnto them, the ſame name that the next riuer vnto it hath, as you ſhall ſee by the portratures or Cardes that I haue made thereof. As to the fourth name of Loire, to the fifte Charnet, to the ſixte Caron, to the ſeuenth ryuer Belle, to the eyght ryuer Graunde, to the ninth port Royall, and to the tenth Belle Virrir.

Vppon Whitſonday the xxvij. day of May, after we had perceyued & conſidered that there was no remedye, but ts aſſay to finde the meanes to harber our ſhips, as wel to amend & trimme them, as to get vs freſh water, Wood, & other neceſſaries, whereof we hauynge opinion that there was no fayrer or fytter place for the purpoſe, then port Royall. And when we had ſounded the entrye and the Channell (thancked be God) we entered ſafelye therein wyth our ſhyppes, agaynſt the opinion of manye, fyndynge the ſame one of the fayreſt and greateſt Hauens of the worlde.

Howe be it, it muſte be remembered leaſt men approchyng neare it wythin ſeuen leagues of the lande, be abaſhed and affrayde on the Eaſtſyde, drawynge towarde the Southeaſt, the grounde to bee flatte, for neuertheleſſe at a full Sea, there is euerye where foure Fadome water, keepyng the right Channell.

In thys parte there are manye Ryuers of meane bygneſſe and large, where wythoute daunger the greateſt ſhyppes of the worlde myght bee harbered, whyche we founde, no Indian inhabityng thereaboutes. The Porte and Ryuers ſyde is nearer then tenne or twelue leagues vpwardes into the countreys, althoughe it bee one of the goodlyeſt, beſt, and fruitfulleſt countreyes that euer was ſeene, and where nothynge lacketh, and alſo where as good & likely cōmodities be found as in other places thereby. For we founde there a great number of Pepertrees, the Pepper yet gréene, & not ready to be gathered: Alſo the beſt water of the worlde, & ſo many ſorts of fiſhes that ye may take them without net or angle ſo many as ye wyll. Alſo an innumerable ſorte of wylde foule of all ſorts, & in litle Ilandes at the entrye of this hauen, on the Eaſt Northeſt ſyde, there is ſo great number of Egreps that the buſſhes be all whyte & couered with them, ſo that one may take of the yonge ones with his hand as many as he wyll carye away. There be alſo a number of other foules, as Hernes, Bitters, Cuxlues. And to be ſhort, there is ſo many ſmall byrdes that it is a ſtraunge thyng to be ſeene. We founde the Indians there more doubtful & fearfull then the others before. Yet after we had bene in theyr houſes, & congregated with them, and ſhewed curteſey to thoſe that we found to haue abandoned there through boats meale, victuall, and ſmall houſholde ſtuffe, & both in, not takyng awaye or touchyng any part thereof, and in leauing in ye place where they dreſſed theyr meate, Knyues, Loking glaſſes, litle Beades of glaſſe, which they loue and eſteme aboue Golde & Pearles, for to hange them at their eares & necke, and to geue them to their wyues & children; they were ſomewhat emboldened.

For ſome of them came to our Boates, of the which we caried two goodly and ſtrong abourde our ſhyppes, clothyng and vſing them as gently as it was poſſible. But they ſeaſed not day nor night to lament, & at length they eſcaped away. Wherefore albeit, I was willing (according to your commaundement & memoriall) to bringe awaye ſome of them with vs, on the Princes behalfe & yours, I forbare to do ſo for many conſiderations & reaſons that they told me, & for that we were in dout that (leauing ſome of our men there to inhabite) all the countrey, men, women, & children, would not haue ſeaſed to purſue them for to haue theirs agayne: ſeyng they be not able to conſider & waye to what entent we ſhould haue caried them away: and this may be better done to their contentation, when they haue better acquaintaunce of vs, and know that there is no ſuch crueltie in vs, as in other people and nacions, of whome they haue bene beguyled vnder colour of good faith: which doing in the ende tourned to the doers no good. This is the ryuer of Iordain in mine opinion, whereof ſo much hath bene ſpoken, which is verye faire and the countrey good, both for the eaſie habitation, & alſo for many other things, which ſhuld be to long to write.

The .xx. of May we planted another columne or pillor grauen wt the kings armes on the ſouth ſide, in a high place, of thentry of a great riuer, which we called Libourne: where there is a lake of freſh water very good, & on the ſame ſide a litle lower towards thentry of yt hauē is one of ye faireſt foūtains yt a man may drinke of, which falleth by violēce down to ye riuer frō an high place out of a red & ſandy groūd, & yet for all that fruitfull & of good air, wher it ſhuld ſeme yt the Indians haue had ſome faire habitation.

There we ſaw the faireſt & the greateſt vines wt grapes according, & yong trées, & ſmall woods, very wel ſmelling, yt euer were ſéen: wherby it appeareth to be the pleaſanteſt & moſt cōmodious dwelling of al the world. Wherfore (my lord) truſting you will not think it amiſſe (conſidering the cōmodities yt mai be brought thence) if we leaue a number of men there, which may fortifie & prouide thē ſelues of things neceſſary: for in al new diſcoueries it is ye chiefeſt thing yt maye be done, at the beginning to fortifie and people the countrey. I had not ſo ſoone ſet forth this to our company, but many of them affrayed to tary there, yet wyth ſuche a good wyll and iolye corage, that ſuche a number dyd thus offer themſelues, as we had muche to doe to ſtaye theyr importunitie.

And namely of our ſhipmaiſters & principall Pylotes, & ſuche as we coulde not ſpare. How be it, we lefte there but to the number of thirtie in all, gentlemen, ſouldiers & marriners, & that at theyr owne ſuite & prayer, & of theyr own free willes, & by the aduice & deliberation of the gentlemen ſent on the behalfe of the Prince, and yours. And haue lefte vnto the forhead & Rulers (folowynge therein your good wyll) Captayne Albart de la Pierria, a ſouldier of long experience, & the firſt from the beginning dyd offer to tary. And further by theyr aduice, choyſe & wyll, inſkaled & fortified them in an Iland on the Northſide, a place of ſtrong ſituation & commodious, vppon a ryuer whiche we named Chenonceau, & the habitation and Fortreſſe Charlefote.

After we had inſtructed & duly admoniſhed them of that they ſhoulde do (as wel for their maner of proceding, as for the good & louinge behauiour of them) the .xj. day of the moneth of Iune laſt paſt, we departed frō port Royall mynding yet to range & view the coaſt vntill the .xl. degrées of the eleuation: But for as muche as there came vpon vs troubleſome & cloudy weather, very incommodious for our purpoſe, & conſidering alſo amonges many other things, yt we had ſpent our cables & furniture thereof, whiche is the moſte principall thyng that longeth to them that go to diſcouer countreys, where continually bothe night & daye they muſt lye at anker: alſo our victualls being periſhed & ſpylte, our lacke of Boateſwaines to ſet forth our row barges, & leaue our veſſels furniſhed. The declaration made vnto vs of our Pyllots & ſome others that had before bene at ſome of thoſe places, where we purpoſed to ſayle, & haue ben already founde by ſome of the kynges ſubiectes, the daunger alſo and inconueniences that might thereof happen vnto vs: and by reaſon of the great miſtes & fogges whereof the ſeaſon was already come, we perceyued very well where as we were, that we could do no good, & that it was to late, & the good and fit ſeaſon for to vndertake this thing already paſt. All theſe things thus well conſidered and wayed, & alſo for that we thought it méete & neceſſary that your honour ſhould with diligence be aduertiſed (through the helpe of God) to retourne homewardes to make relation vnto you of the effect of our nauigation. Praying God that it may pleaſe hym to kepe you in long health, and proſperitie.

FINIS.

Prynted at London by Rouland Hall, for Thomas Hacket, and are to be ſolde at his ſhoppe.