1551. Valdivia and Rica Villa. B. de las 1552. Bishop of Isle of Sa ble. 1553. 1555. Valdivia, a city and capital of the province and government of this name, in the kingdom of Chili, and Rica Villa, a city in the same kingdom, were founded by Pedro de Valdivia. This founder of the first cities of Chili was made prisoner, and killed by the Indians.1 Bartholomew de las Casas, having zealously laboured 50 years for the liberty, comfort, and salvation of the Natives of America, returned discouraged to Spain, at the age of 77 years. THE rich mines of New Spain were discovered.3 2 D. Pedro Fernandez Sardinha arrived at Brazil, as bishop, bringing with him priests, and dignitaries, and church ornaments of every kind for his cathedral.4 The Portuguese, about this time, put cattle and swine for breed on the Isle of Sable.5 BRAZIL was erected into a Jesuit province. The city of Mexico suffered a great inundation.7 THE French renewed their attempts to make settlements in Project of America. The illustrious statesman admiral Coligny thus early Coligny to formed a project of sending over a colony of Protestants, to secure for them an asylum, and to promote the interests of his nation. Two ships, furnished by Henry II. of France, were sent out under the command of the chevalier de Villagagnon, who settle protestants at Brazil. 1 Herrera, d. 8. lib. 7. c. 4. Alcedo, Art. CHILE & Tr. and Art. VILLA RICA. Pedro de Valdivia was despatched by an old ulman, while pleading for his life in an assembly of ulmens. The title of ulmen is equivalent to that of cazique. 2 Encyclop. Methodique, Art. CASAS. He wrote his Narrative of the Destruction of the Indians by the Spaniards, in the year 1542, at which time he asserted, "that of three millions of people that were in Hispaniola of the natural inhabitants, there scarce remain 300; "and now," adds Purchas," as Alexandro Ursino reporteth, none at all: only two and twenty thousand negroes and some Spanish reside there." Pilg. v. 1567—1603; lib. 8. c. 5. where is an English translation of the Narrative. 3 Robertson, ii. 388. 4 Alcedo, Art. BRAZIL. 5 Hakluyt, iii. 155. Report of Sir Humphrey Gilbert's Voyage in 1583, written by M. Edward Haies, a gentleman who accompanied Gilbert. Haies says, "Sablon lieth to the seaward of Cape Breton about 25 leagues, whither we were determined to goe upon intelligence we had of a Portugal, during our abode in S. John's, who was himselfe present, when the Portugals (above thirty yeeres past) did put into the same Island both Neat and Swine to breede, which were since exceedingly multiplied." 6 Southey, Brazil, i. c. 9. 7 Humboldt, ii. 72. It has since had four great inundations-in the years 1580, 1604, 1607, 1629. 8 The admiral is sometimes called Chatillon. "La maison de Coligny possedoit Châtillon-sur Loing, et en a quelque fois pris le nom de Chatillon." Encyclop. Methodique, Hist. Art. CHATILLON. "One of the admiral's principal cares was to increase the navigation and the trade of France, chiefly in those countries of the other hemisphere, as well for the credit of his office, as to plant colonies there of his own religion." Mezeray, Hist. France, 700. sailed from Franciscople [Havre de Grace] in May, and arrived 1555. on the South American coast in September. Landing within a bay, called by the natives Ganabara, he attempted to make a fortification; but it was soon demolished by the sea.1 In the expectation of a successful establishment in Brazil, the Ministers admiral took care to provide ministers for the French Protestant provided. colony, as soon as it should be settled there; and for that purpose had invited some from Geneva. In a synod, convened this year, of which the celebrated Calvin was president, the Church of Geneva determined to send two ministers to Brazil.2 The culture of grapes had already succeeded in Chili. They were first planted in Cuzco by Bartholomew de Terrças, one of the first conquerors of Peru. This year, from a vineyard in the country, he sent 30 Indians, loaded with excellent grapes, to his friend Garcilaso de la Vega, father of the historian.3 1 Ganabara is the Janeiro-" la riviere de Ganabara, autrement de Janaire." Thevet. For Ganabara, Alcedo refers to JANEIRO; and there observes: "Within the bay, and opposite the mouth of the bar, in the island of Villagagnon, thus called by Nicolas Villagagnon, a Frenchman, is another fort of the same name [Janeiro], with the dedicatory title of San Sebastian, founded by the governor, general Mendo de Sa, after the second time that the French were routed from that bay, in 1561." Villagagnon was a knight of Malta: "Nicolaum Durantium, equitem Melitensem, cui cognomen additum erat Villagno." Biblioth. Hist. "Nicolas Durand de Villegagnon, chevalier de Malta." Fleury, Hist. Eccles. xxi. 38. Thevet, c. 1. -Lery, referring to Villagagnon's attempted fortification at Janeiro, says-" vi tamen undarum inde pulsus est." The fortification was named for Coligny : "quam Villagagno nuncupavit Collignium in Gallia erectum Antarctica. Id autem ab eo factum est, ut Gaspari Collignio Galliæ Thelessiarchæ gratuletur. Nunquam enim sine illius favore, ac ope, cùm iter illud agere, tum ullam in Brasilia munitionem exædificare potuisset."-Navigatio in Brasiliam Americæ, à Joanne Lerio Bergundo, in Theod. de Bry, P. 3. c. 1-21. Ogilby says, "Fort Coligni was built on the Rock Island, in the Haven Januario." America, 104. Southey says, the island which Villagagnon fortified, lies near the entrance of the harbour; that in the centre of the island he fixed his own residence upon a rock about 50 feet high, in which he excavated a magazine; and that he named this strong hold Fort Coligny, in honour of his patron. Hist. Brazil, i. c.0. 2 Lescarbot, liv. 2. c. 2. The vet, Les Singularitez de la France Antarct. c. 1. 25. Cardenas, Introd. Hist. Florida. Thuanus, lib. 16. 500, 501. Fleury, Eccles. Hist. lib. 151. § 44-48. Thuanus says, the two persons chosen out of the elders were Petrus Richerius, of 50, and Gulielmus Quadrigarius, of 30 years of age, who, at the request of Villagagnon and Coligny, undertook the voyage. Fleury writes the names in French, Pierre Richer, and Guillaume Chartier." An old English writer, whose object was to have a similar provision for Virginia, refers to this example. In reply to an objection, he says: "The Church of Geneva in the yeere 1555, determined in a Synode, whereof Calvin was president, to send Peter Richier and William Quadrigarius, under a French captain to Brasilia, who although they were supplanted, by the comming of the Cardinall of Loraine, and the treacherie of their double hearted leader, yet would not the Church of Geneva (after a Synodicall consultation) have sent their ministers to such an adventure, had not all scruple (in their judgment) been cleared by the light of Scripture." A True Declaration of Virginia 1610—a rare tract in the Ebeling Library at Cambridge. 3 Vega, P. 1. lib. 9. c. 25. "For my part," says Vega, "I partook of those grapes; for my father having made me the messenger to carry them, attended by two pages, I delivered to every principal house two large bunches of them.”— lleve à cada Casa principal dos fuentes delles. 1556. Missionaries sent to Brazil. 1557. Failure of the mission to Brazil. Chiquitos. THE Church of Geneva, prosecuting its design of forwarding missionaries to the French Protestant colony that was expected to be established at Brazil, sent 14 missionaries "to plant the Christian faith in the lately discovered regions of America."1 THREE ships, which had been fitted out from France, at the royal expense, in December the preceding year, arrived in March on the Brazilian coast; but the design of the expedition was frustrated by the oppression and abuse received by the adventurers from their leader. Villagagnon was regarded as a man of merit; and, having embraced the Reformed religion, he had no objections to be employed in an undertaking, which had for its object the acquisition of a part of Brazil to the crown of France, as well as to secure a place of refuge to the Protestants. He had now abandoned the Reformed religion, and returned to the bosom of the Catholic church; and his defection occasioned the ruin of the whole colony. The adventurers, abusively treated by him, and suffering great hardships, generally returned, the following year, to France.2 The country of the Chiquitos, a numerous and warlike nation of Indians of Peru, was first entered by Nuflo de Chaves; and, upon an attempt to reduce it to the dominion of Spain, the ininhabitants maintained a long and bloody conflict against the Spaniards.3 Civdad Real, in Paraguay, was founded by Rui Diaz Milgarego, on the bank of the river Piquiri, three leagues from Parana.4 1 Lescarbot, Nouv. France, lib. 2. c. 2. Pictetus, Oratio de Trophæis Christi ; Fabricius, Lux Salutaris Evangelii toti orbi exoriens; Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. Cent. 16. § 2. Brown's History of the Propagation of Christianity, i. c. 3. Charlevoix, Hist. Nouv. France, i. 22. The names of these first Protestant missionaries to America deserve to be recorded. They were (though variously written) Philip Corguiller, Peter Richer, William Charters, Peter Bordoune, Matthew Verneville, John Bordele, Andrew Font, Nicolas Dionysius, John Gardienne, Martin David, Nicolas Ravequet, James Rufus, Nicolas Carmille, and John James Lerius. 2 De Bry, P. 3. John Lery, one of the adventurers, wrote an account of this voyage, first in French, and afterwards in Latin. He calls the commander of the three ships, "Boisius Villagagnonis nepos." Biblioth. Hist. Lips. 1788, iii. P. 2. c. 53. Mezeray, Hist. France, 100. Purchas, v. lib. 7. c. 3. On board of the three ships were embarked 290 men, 6 boys who were to learn the language of the natives, and 5 young women under a matron's orders. Bois le Conte, the nephew of Villagagnon, commanded the expedition. Southey, i. c. 9. This late historian of Brazil says, "it is impossible to peruse Jean de Lery's book without feeling great respect for the writer." 3 Alcedo, Art. CHIQUITOS. The conflict lasted until 1690, when, by the preaching of the Jesuits, they embraced the Catholic faith. Their country extended from 16° to 20° south. 4 Alcedo, Art. CIVDAD REAL: A FEW Frenchmen remained in Brazil, to keep possession. 1558. The Portuguese who were already settled there, alarmed at the preference shown by the natives for the French, took ad- French at vantage of the division which the return of the vice admiral to Brazil murthe Romish faith produced among the colonists, and cruelly murdered most of them who continued in the country. Such was the disastrous termination of the attempted French settlement in Brazil.1 dered. The last expedition of the Spaniards to that part of Florida Expedition called Carolana, which borders upon the Gulf of Mexico, was to Florida. made this year by order of Don Luys de Velasco, viceroy of Mexico; but the Spaniards, after their arrival, falling into great feuds, returned without making any settlement.2 The Inca of Peru and his wife were baptized at Cuzco. The Inca bapinhabitants of the city honoured the day of the baptism with the tized. sport of bulls, and throwing darts, and other signals of joy.3 THE town of Durango was founded under the administration 1559. of the second viceroy of Spain, Velasco el Primero. It was, at Durango. this time, a military post against the incursions of the Chichimec Indians.4 Rica Villa, in Chili, was taken and sacked by the Araucanos Indians.5 THE Portuguese permitted the French colony to remain at 1560. Brazil four years unmolested; and, but for the treachery of Villagagnon, it might have been permanently settled there. It was now entirely broken up. The Portuguese government sent an expedition against the few that remained, and obliged them 1 Charlevoix, Nouv. France, i. 35. Lescarbot, lib. 2. Alcedo, Art. JANEIRO. Brown, Hist. Propagat, Christianity, i. 3. Some historians say, all were murdered; but it appears, there were some still left. See A. D. 1560. This, however, was the fatal blow to the colony. The French made repeated attempts afterwards to effect a settlement on the Brazilian coast, but without success. In 1584, they established themselves in Parayba, the Rio Grande, and Canabata; whence they were driven out by the Portuguese in 1600. In 1612, they returned, and constructed a fortress in the island of Marinon, with the name of San Luis, which was taken by the Dutch, and afterwards by the Portuguese in 1646. From that time the kingdom of Brazil has belonged to the crown of Portugal, and has given title to the heir apparent, who is called Prince of Brazil. Alcedo, Art. BRAZIL. Univ. Hist. xxxix. 221. Encyclop. Methodique, Art. MARAGNON. Southey, i. c. 9. 2 Coxe's Carolana, 115. 3 Vega, P. 2. lib. 8. c. 11. The historian of Peru, who was present at this Christian exhibition, says, they appeared "in rich attire and costly liveries." 4 Humboldt, New Spain. In 1808, the population of this town was 12,000. Ib. Alcedo, Art. MEXICO, NEUVO. 1560. to abandon their posts, destroyed all their works, and carried off all their artillery and stores.1 Protestants. 1 Don Antonio de Ribera carried from Seville several olive plants, and planted them in los Reyes, whence one of them was conveyed by stealth to Chili; and from this time the olive flourished in Chili and Peru.2 1561. THE king of France had, the last year, called an assembly at Coligny's Fontainbleau; when admiral Coligny, in the name of the Calvinpetition for ists in Normandy, presented to his majesty a petition for the free the French exercise of their religion. This year, the king published an edict, purporting, that ecclesiastics should be judges of heresy; that whoever were convicted of it should be delivered over to the secular arm; but that they should be condemned to no higher penalty than banishment until such time as the General or National council should determine.3 This edict must have seriously affected the Protestants, who were soon after compelled to seek an asylum in America. Janeiro, 1562. Voyage of Ribault to The French made a second, but unsuccessful attempt for the conquest of Janeiro.4 A CIVIL war having been recently kindled between the Protestant and Catholic parties in France, the project for settling a colony of Protestants in America was revived. Admiral Coligny, with the permission of Charles IX, who was anxious to get rid of his Huguenots, fitted out two ships; and, giving the command of them to John Ribault, sent him with a colony of Protestants to Florida. Ribault sailed from France in February, and the first land that he discovered on the coast of Florida was in the 30th degree, north latitude, which he called Cape François.5 Coasting thence toward the north, he discovered a large and beautiful river, which, from the month of the year, he called 1 Southey, Brazil, i. c. 9. Had not Villagagnon been faithless and treacherous, Rio de Janeiro would probably have been at this day the capital of a French colony. A body of Flemish adventurers were ready to embark for Brazil, waiting only for the report of the ship-captain who carried Lery home; and 10,000 Frenchmen would have emigrated, if the object of Coligny had not thus wickedly been betrayed. Id. ibid. 2 Vega, P. 1. lib. 9. c. 27. 3 Fleury, Hist. Eccles. xxi. lib. 154. § 89, 90. Du Pin, Eccles. Hist. (Abr.) iv. 94. 4 Alcedo, Art. JANEIRO. 5 Mezeray, referring to the admiral's failure by Villagagnon, says, "he afterwards, in the year 1562, despatched John Ribaud thither with two ships, who, sailing a quite different course from that which the Spaniards had been wont to take, most happily landed in Florida." Thuanus says, Ribault was of Dieppe"eique [classi] præfecit Jo. Ribaldum Dieppensem, strenuum ducem et rei maritimæ apprime peritum, ac Protestantium partibus, quod caput erat, addictum." |