AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1583-91. 



[II. i. 260.] his guard. These people do eate roots, herbs, leaves, 

 dogs, cats, rats, serpents, and snakes ; they refuse almost 

 nothing. When the king rideth abroad, he rideth with 

 a great guard, and many noblemen, oftentimes upon an 

 elephant with a fine castle upon him very fairely gilded 

 with gold ; and sometimes upon a great frame like an 

 horsliter, which hath a little house upon it covered 

 over head, but open on the sides, which is all gilded 

 with golde, & set with many rubies & saphires, whereof 

 he hath infinite store in his country, and is caried upon 

 This nianer of sixteene or eighteene mens shoulders. This coach in 

 'menFshZlders ^^^^^ language is called Serrion. Very great feasting 

 is used in ^^^d triumphing is many times before the king both of 

 Peru, and in men and women. This king hath little force by Sea, 

 Florida. because hee hath but very few ships. He hath houses 



full of golde and silver, and bringeth in often, but 

 spendeth very little, and hath the mines of rubies and 

 saphires, and spinelles. Neere unto the palace of the 

 king, there is a treasure woonderfull rich ; the which 

 because it is so neere, he doth not account of it : and 

 it standeth open for all men to see in a great walled 

 court with two gates, which be alwayes open. There 

 are foure houses gilded very richly, and covered with 

 leade : in every one of them are Pagodes or images of 

 huge stature and great value. In the first is the picture 

 of a king in golde with a crowne of golde on his head 

 full of great rubies and saphires, and about him there 

 stand foure children of golde. In the second house is 

 the picture of a man in silver woonderfull great, as 

 high as an house ; his foot is as long as a man, and 

 hf is made sitting, with la crowne on his head very rich 

 with stones. In the third house is the picture of a man 

 greater then the other, made of brasse, with a rich crowne 

 on his head. In the fourth and last house doth stand 

 another, made of brasse, greater then the other, with a 

 crowne also on his head very rich with stones. In 

 another court not farre from this stand foure other 

 Pagodes or idoles, marvellous great, of copper, made in 



490 



