AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1596. 



people. For true it is that from the beginning hee 

 was a Lorde of no other then ordinarie power amongst 

 them, untill hee had entered into friendshippe with 

 Berreo : for then the Indians on all sides left some 

 their habitations, and manie their commanders to be- 

 come his subjecteSj that they might have the priviledge 

 to trade with the Spaniardes for hatchets and knives, 

 which are jewels of great price amongst them : that 

 hee nowe sawe no other choise, but that the Indians 

 must, if they will doe well, without farther dissembling 

 of their necessitie, either entertaine us their friendes, or 

 else give place to the Spaniardes their enemies. For 

 the plentie .of golde that is in this countrey, beeing 

 nowe knowen and discovered, there is no possibilitie 

 for them to keepe it : on the one side they coulde feele 

 no greater miserie, nor feare more extremitie, then 

 they were sure to finde, if the Spaniardes prevayled, 

 who perforce doe take all things from them, using 

 them as their slaves, to runne, to rowe, to bee their 

 guides, to cary their burthens, and that which is 

 worst of all, to bee content, for safetie of their lives, 

 to leave their women, if a Spaniard chance but to set 

 his eye on any of them to fancie her : on the other- 

 side they could hope for, nor desire no better state 

 and usage, then her Majesties gracious government, 

 and Princely vertues doe promise, and assure unto 

 them. For, sayde he, the other yeere, when wee fledde 

 into the mountaines, and measured your doings by 

 the Spaniards in like case, we made no other account^ 

 but that your Commander being able, as hee was, would 

 doubtlesse have persecuted us to the uttermost, as the 

 onely maintainers and supporters of your enemies, and 

 would at the least, if hee could not reach us, take our 

 Townes, and make us ransome our wives and children: 

 wee found it farre otherwise, and that none of your 

 well governed companie durst offer any of us wrong 

 or violence, no not by stealth, when unknowne they 

 might have done it. We then beleeving it to bee 



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