Hiftorie ofthe Indies, lib* i, 



they fhould be thrice as big as the Indians. At this day 

 they report that the Giants came by fea , to make 

 warre with thofe of the Countrie, and that they made 

 goodly buildings, whereof at this day they (hew a 

 well, built with ftones of great price . They fay more 

 over, that thefc men committing abhominable finncs, 

 efpccially againft nature, were confumed by fire from 

 heaven. In like fort the Indians report of Yea, and 

 Arica, that in old time they were wont to faile farrc 

 to the Hands of the Weft, and made their voiages in 

 Scales skinnesblownevp. So as there wants nowitr- 

 neffes., to prove that they failed in the South fea, be 

 fore the Spaniards came thither. Thus we may well 

 coniediire, that the new world began to be inhabited, 

 by men that have been caft vpon that coaft by the vi 

 olence of the Northerne winds , as wee have feenc in 

 our age. So it is, (being a matter verie confiderable) 

 that the workes of nature of greateft importance, for 

 the moft part, have been found out accidentally , and 

 not by the induftrie and diligence of man . The grea 

 teft part of phificall hearbes,of Stones,Phnts,Mettalls, 

 Perlejgold, Adamant, Amber, Diamont, and the moft 

 part of fuch like things, with their properties and ver- 

 tups, hav^ rather come to the knowledge of man by 

 chance, then by art or induftrie , to the end wee may 

 Jmow^that the glorie & praife of fuch wonders, fhould 

 beatributed to theprovidenceofthe Creator>and not 

 to mans vnderftanding : for that which we thinke to 

 happen accidently, proceedes alwaies from the ordi 

 nance and difpofition of God,who does all things with 

 reafon. 



