1526.

1527. English voyage. May 20,

Peter Martyr, historiographer to the king of Spain, died at Rome, at the age of 69 years.1

THE scheme for discovering a passage to the East Indies by the northwest being resumed in England, a voyage was made by the advice of Robert Thorne of Bristol, with two ships, furnished out by king Henry VIII; but it proved disastrous. One of the ships was lost in a dangerous gulf between the northern parts of Newfoundland and the country, afterward called by queen foundland, Elizabeth, Meta Incognita. The second ship, after the loss of the first, shaped its course toward Cape Breton and the coast of and Norum- Arambec or Norumbega. The navigators went frequently on shore, and explored those regions, and returned in October to England.3

to New

bega.

Curaçoa.

1528.

of P. de Narvaez to

Florida.

Curaçoa was settled by the emperor Charles V. as a property, upon the house of Juan de Ampues.4

PAMPHILO DE NARVAEZ, having obtained from Charles V. the Expedition indefinite grant of "all the lands lying from the river of Palms to the Cape of Florida," with a commission to conquer and govern the provinces within these limits, sailed in March from Cuba, with five ships, on board of which were 400 foot and 20 horse, for the conquest of that country. Landing at Florida, he marched to Apalache, a village consisting of 40 cottages, where he arrived on the 5th of June. Having lost many of his men by the

April 12.

dise sent by him to T. Tison, an Englishman, who had settled in the West Indies. This," it is remarked, "is the first record of a trade from this city to that quarter of the globe." Bisset [Hist. Eng. i. 25.] says, "Mr. Thorn of Bristol, one of the greatest merchants and boldest adventurers of the age, established a factory at Cuba; and was the first Englishman who set the example of a commercial settlement in the new world."

1 Muñoz, Introd. Pietro Martir, as his name was originally written, was a native of Anghiera, in Milan, which he called in Latin Angleria. He was naturalized in Spain, where he spent the greatest part of his life in the service of the Crown. His principal work is "Novus Orbis," in eight decads. The letters, narratives, and charts, which related to the conduct and adventures of the Spaniards in the New World, were in his possession; and he had many opportunities of conversing with the principal men, who assisted, by their swords or their councils, in the subjugation or government of Spanish America. He himself was at length appointed one of the counsellors of the Tribunal of the Indies. Muñoz. 2 Gulf of St. Lawrence. Brit. Emp. Introd. p. vii.

3 Hakluyt, i. 517; iii. 129. Robertson, b. 9. Forster, 289, 431. Biblioth. Americ. Anno 1527. Hakluyt informs us, that Master Robert Thorne, " a notable member and ornament of his country," exhorted the king with “ very weightie and substantiall reasons, to set forth a discoverie even to the North pole;" that "this his motion took present effect;" and that "a Canon of S. Paul in London, which was a great mathematician, and a man indued with wealth, did much advance the action, and went therein himself in person." The imperfection of the account of that voyage Hakluyt ascribes to "the negligence of the writers of those times, who should have used more care in preserving the memories of the worthie acts of our nation."

4 Alcedo, Art. Curaçoa.

1528.

natives, who harassed the troops on their march, and with whom they had one sharp engagement, he was obliged to direct his course toward the sea. Sailing to the westward, he was lost with many others in a violent storm, about the middle of November; and the enterprise was frustrated. The bay of Pensacola Bay of Pen is said by the Spaniards to have been discovered in this expedi- sacola. tion by Narvaez, who landed there.1

governor of

Francisco Pizarro, having made very extensive discoveries in F. Pizarro Peru, went to Spain, by agreement of the joint adventurers, to ask appointed a commission from Charles V. for the conquest and government Peru. of that country; and, on giving information to the emperor of his discoveries and purposes, and presenting his request, was appointed governor, captain-general, and adelantado of all the country which he had discovered, with supreme authority.

CORTES, having gone to Spain the preceding year, now signed 1529. an instrument, which had also the signature of the empress of Spain, by which he obliged himself to send ships at his own South Sea. expense, for the discovery of countries and lands in the South Sea.3 Santa Ana de Coro was founded by Juan de Ampues.+

1 Purchas, i. 769, 774; v. 1499–1528. By an account in Purchas, it appears, that the cottages at Apalache were "small low cottages, so built by reason of continual tempests." Harris' Voy. i. 799–805. Rogers, Florida, 28. Universal Hist. xl. 381; xli. 469. Herrera, d. 4. lib. 4. c. 4-7. and lib. 5. c. 5. Charlevoix, Nouv. France, i. p. xix. Venegas, California, i. 142. Prince, 1528. Narvaez sailed from St. Lucar, in Spain, to Cuba, 16th June, 1527, with 600 men, but he left more than 140 at St. Domingo. It is computed, that (on the expedition to Florida) from the bay of Santa Cruz, where they landed, to the place of their embarkation on the 22d of September, they marched above 800 miles. Narvaez is supposed to have been lost near the mouth of the Mississippi. His people, with great difficulty, provided a kind of boats to cross the rivers in their way, making their ropes of horse hair, and their sails of the soldiers' shirts. In conclusion, 15 only were left alive, 4 of whom, after suffering almost incredible miseries, arrived 8 years afterward at Mexico.

2 See A. D. 1525. He was absent three years on these discoveries, and returned to Panama about the end of 1527. Herrera, d. 4. lib. 2. c. 7,8. Charlevoix [Nouv. France, i. p. xix.] says, he discovered about 200 leagues of the Peruvian coast, even to the port of Santo beyond the district of Quito. The sickliness of those regions, and the hardships of the adventurers, may be inferred from the extraordinary mortality that prevailed among them. Pizarro carried out 112 men, Almagro 70. In less than nine months 130 of these died. Few fell by the sword; most of them perished by diseases. Robertson, iii. Note 11. Vega, 435. 3 Cortes went to Castile in great pomp, carrying 250,000 marks of gold and silver, and was honourably received by the emperor, who conferred on him the vale of Atrisco in New Spain, with new titles, and extended powers. Herrera, d. 4. lib. 4-6. Harris' Voy. i. 272. Venegas, California, i. 133. Cortes had, in 1527, sent Saavedra with three ships from New Spain, to find a passage that way to the Moluccas. One of the ships arrived safely at these islands, and returned the same way back to Panama this year (1529), laden with spices. This voyage prepared the Spaniards to possess themselves of the Philippine Islands, in the Indian seas, which they hold to this day. Anderson, Hist. Commerce, ii. 51. Harris' Voy. i. 272.

4 Alcedo, Art. CORO. It was plundered by the English in 1567.

Coro.

1530.

WILLIAM HAWKINS of Plymouth having commenced a friendly intercourse with the natives of Brazil, one of the kings of that English in country voluntarily accompanied him to England, where he was introduced to Henry VIII. at Whitehall.1

tercourse with Brazil.

1531. Pizarro returns from Spain.

February.

Peru.

PIZARRO, returning from Spain, landed at Nombre de Dios, marched across the isthmus of Panama; and joining Almagro and Luque, these three enterprising associates, by the utmost efforts of their combined interests, fitted out three small vessels, with 180 soldiers. With this contemptible armament, Pizarro Sails for the sailed to invade a great empire. Landing at the bay of St. invasion of Matthew, he advanced toward the south along the sea coast; and, after various disasters, reached the province of Coaque, and surprised and plundered the principal settlement. Continuing his march along the coast, he attacked the natives with such violence, as compelled them either to retire into the interior country, or to submit to the conqueror; and met with little resistance, until he attacked the island of Puna, in the bay of Guayaquil, whose inhabitants defended themselves with such obstinate valour, that he spent six months in their reduction. He next proceeded to Tumbez, where he remained several months.2

1532. PIZARRO, passing forward to the river Piuro, established near Founds the its mouth the first Spanish colony in Peru, and named it St. first colony Michael. Leaving a garrison at this new town, he began his march, with a very slender and ill accoutred train of followers,*

in Peru.

1 Hakluyt, i. 520. Purchas, v. 1179. "-at the sight of whome," says Hakluyt, "the king and all the nobilitie did not a little marveile, and not without cause for in his cheekes were holes made according to their savage maner, and therein small bones were planted, standing an inche out from the said holes, which in his owne countrey was reputed for a great braverie. He had also another hole in his nether lippe, wherein was set a precious stone about the bignesse of a pease. All his apparell, behaviour, and gesture, were very strange to the beholders." The change of air and diet so affected him, that on his return with Hawkins, he died at sea." I have bene informed," says Hakluyt, by M. Anthony Garrard, an ancient and worshipful marchant of London, that this voyage to Brasil was frequented by Robert Reniger, Thomas Borey, and divers other wealthie marchants of Southampton, about 50 yeeres past, to wit, in the yeere 1540."

2 Herrera, d. 4. lib. 7. c. 10. & lib. 9. c. 1. Robertson, b. 6.

3 Herrera, d. 4. lib. 9. c. 3. & d. 5. lib. 1 c. 1. Robertson, b. 5.

4 It consisted of 62 horse, and 106 foot, among whom were 20 cross-bow men. Herrera. In this dangerous enterprise, Pizarro incited his men to go forward by the singular argument, "that his main design was the propagating of the Catholic faith, without injuring any person." Had he been but ingenuous enough for the Arabian impostor, he would have made an admirable propagator of the Mahometan faith. The sequel will show the justness of Hoornbeck's remark, that the invaders of Atahualpa were more intent upon his treasures, than his conversion; the body, rather than the soul: "Atahualpa incredibilem auri vim secum habebat; cujus magis opibus inhiabant avari et crudeles, quam conversioni; corpori, quam animæ." De Conversione Indorum. lib. 1.

Marches

the Inca.

the Inca.

toward Caxamalca, where Atahualpa, the Inca of Peru, was en- 1532. camped with a considerable body of troops, and soon met an officer, despatched by the Inca with a valuable present, and an Sept. 4 offer of his alliance, with assurances of a friendly reception at toward the Caxamalca. Pizarro, advancing with pretensions of coming as quarters of the ambassador of a very powerful monarch united with professions of friendship, entered the town, and having posted his troops in an advantageous station, despatched Hernando Soto and Sends an his brother Ferdinand to the camp of Atahualpa, which was embassy to about a league distant. He instructed them to renew his assurances of a pacific disposition, and to desire an interview with the Inca, that he might more fully explain the intention of the Spaniards in visiting his country. They were treated with the respectful hospitality, characteristic of the Peruvians; and Atahualpa promised to visit the commander the next day in his quarters. Pizarro now resolved, with equal temerity and perfidy, to seize Resolves to the person of the Inca, in the interview to which he had invited seize him. him. For the execution of his scheme, he divided his cavalry into three small squadrons, under the command of his brother Ferdinand, Soto, and Belcanazar; his infantry were formed in one body, excepting twenty, of most tried courage, whom he kept near his own person, to support him in the dangerous service, which he reserved for himself; and the artillery, consisting of two field pieces, and the cross-bow men, were placed opposite to the avenue by which Atahualpa was to approach.

of the Inca.

Early in the morning, the Peruvian camp was all in motion; and late in the day, the procession, which had been arranged with care to give an impression of splendour and magnificence, began to move. The Inca at length approached. First of all Approach appeared 400 men, in a uniform dress, as harbingers, to clear his way. The Inca himself, sitting on a throne or couch, adorned with plumes, and almost covered with plates of gold and silver, enriched with precious stones, was carried on the shoulders of his principal attendants. Behind him came some chief officers of his court, borne in the same manner. This cavalcade was accompanied by several bands of singers and dancers; and the whole plain was covered with troops, amounting to more than 30,000 men. As the Inca drew near the Spanish quarters, Father Vincent Valverde, chaplain to the ex- Address of the Spanish pedition, advanced with a crucifix in one hand, and a breviary in priest to the other, and in a long discourse proposed to him the doctrines him. of the Christian faith; informed him of the donation made to the king of Castile by pope Alexander, of all the regions in the New World; and required him to embrace Christianity; to acknowledge the supreme jurisdiction of the pope; and to submit to the king of Castile, as his lawful sovereign.

1532.

Most of his harangue, mysterious in its nature, and translated by an unskilful interpreter, was altogether incomprehensible to Atahualpa; and some parts of it, of more obvious meaning, filled His reply. him with astonishment and indignation. His reply, however, was temperate. He asserted his right to his dominions by hereditary succession; and added, that he could not conceive, how a foreign priest should pretend to dispose of territories which did not belong to him; that if such a preposterous grant had been made, he, who was rightful possessor, refused to confirm it; that he had no inclination to renounce the religious institutions of his ancestors; and that, with respect to other matters contained in the discourse, as he did not understand their meaning, he desired to know where the priest had learned things so extraordinary.1 "In this book," answered Valverde, reaching out to him his breviary. The Inca opened it eagerly, and, turning over the leaves, lifted it to his ear: "This is silent, it tells me nothing," said he, and disdainfully threw it to the ground. The enraged monk, running toward his countrymen, cried out, "To arms, Christians, to arms; the Word of God is insulted; avenge this profanation on these impious dogs." Pizarro instantly gave the signal for a general assault. The martial music sounded; the cannon and muskets began to fire; the horse sallied out fiercely to the charge; the infantry rushed on, sword in hand. The astonished Peruvians fled, without attempting resistance. Pizarro, at the head of his chosen band, advanced directly toward the Inca through crowds of his nobles, who fell in numbers at his feet in attempting to cover his person; and seizing the Inca by The Inca is the arm, dragged him to the ground, and carried him as a prisoner to his quarters. The wretched fugitives were pursued and slaughtered with deliberate and unrelenting barbarity, until the close of the day. Above 4000 Peruvians were killed, but not a single Spaniard fell.2

General assault on th Peruvians.

taken.

The Inca, soon discovering the ruling passion of the Spaniards, offered, as his ransom, to fill the apartment in which he was confined, which was 22 feet long and 17 wide, with vessels of gold,

1 Vega, P. 2. lib. 1. c. 22-24, where is the answer of Atahualpa entire. To us it appears noble; but it was insufferable to the soldiers of Pizarro, who, "growing weary of this long and tedious discourse, began to quit their places, and come up close to the Indians, to fight with them and rob them of their jewels of gold and silver and precious stones," with which they had that day decked themselves, that they might solemnly receive the embassy which was sent to them from the monarch of the world-"la Embajada del Monarcha del Uni

2 Robertson, b. 6. Vega says, that 5000 Indians were killed that day, 3500 of whom were slain by the sword; and that the rest were old and infirm men, women, and children, who were trampled under foot; for an innumerable multitude of all ages and sexes were collected, to see the solemnity of this strange and unheard of embassy.