LOPEZ VAZ A.D. 



1572-87. 

 is brought thither, and it consisteth of about foure 

 hundred houses. The coast running along betweene 

 this city and Nueva Espanna is called Costa rica. Costa rka. 



Next unto Costa rica, which is a mountainous and The province 

 desolate place, lieth the coast of Nicaragua, being in- oflslicaragua. 

 habited by the Spaniards, and having many good ports 

 belonging to it, and is frequented with trade of mar- 

 chandize ; but having no knowledge of the situation 

 thereof, nor of the townes therein contained, 1 sur- 

 cease to speake any more of it. 



A certaine viceroy of Nueva Espanna called Don 

 Luis de Velasco caused certaine ships to be built for 

 the discovery of the Malucos and of the coast of China : 

 which shippes in sayling thitherward found certaine The discovery 

 Islands 80 leagues distant from the maine land, which ^fj^^ Phuip- 

 the Spaniards, according to the name of their king, called ^^^^^^' 

 The Philippinas : and having conquered one of these 

 Islands called Manilla, inhabited with a barbarous kind T^he Isle of 

 of people, they built a fort and a towne thereupon, ^^'^^^i'^^' 

 from whence they have trade with the people of China. 

 Unto these Islands they have foure great ships that 

 usually trade, two of them continually going, and two 

 comming : so that such spices and silkes as the Portugals 

 bring home out of the East Indies, the very same doe 

 the Spaniards bring from these Islands and from China, 

 for Mexico the chiefe citie of Nueva Espanna. The 

 principall port-townes of. the coast of Nueva Espanna 

 are Guatulco, and Acapulco. 



All the viceroyes and governours that the king of 

 Spaine sendeth for Peru and Nueva Espanna have a 

 custome, for the obtaining of his favour, to seeke and 

 discover new countreys. But the greatest and most 

 notable discoverie that hath bene from those parts now 

 of late, was that of the Isles of Salomon, which were The discovery 

 found in maner following. The Licenciate Castro being ^^j ''^ ^ 

 governour of Peru sent foorth a fleete of shippes to 

 discover certaine Islands in the South sea upon the 

 coast of Peru, appointing as Generall of the same fleete 



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