Hnlorie of the Indies lifx.j.. zz? 



tinued the worke even vnto P links time, which was a- 

 boiu three hundred yeeres. The deapth of this mine 

 was fifteen? hundred pafe, which is a mile and ahalfe: 

 and it was fo rich in the beginning, that it was woorth 

 daily to the maifter thereof three hundred poundes, at 

 twelve ouncest^tl^poujid^But although jhis vyeje a 

 great treafure, it did not approach nccrc to that which 

 in our tune hath bin found in Potofy : for as it appear- 

 ethby the Regifters of the houfe of contraction of that 

 Province, and as many antient men worthy of credite 

 doe teftifie 5 vvhenas jhc licffltiatc /W& governed that 

 Province , the'whlchTvasmany yeercsafter the difco- 

 very of this mountaine , they did every faterday enter 

 a hundred and fifty andtwoo hundred thoufan^pce- 

 ces^whereof the Kings fift amounted to thirty and for- 

 *fy thoufand peeces^ and for every j/eereji millionand 

 ahalfe^jor little lefle. So as according to that computa- ^* 

 tion they didde drawe every day from this mine thirtie 

 thonfond peeces , whereof there came to the King for **'> J 3- 

 his fift^fixe thoufand peeces a day. e"/* 



There is yet another thing to be ipoken of, to (hew 

 the riches of Potty, that the account which hath -been 

 made, was only of iilver that was marked and cuftomed. 

 And it is wcl knowne in Peru, that they have long vfed 

 filver in theft Rcalmes, which they call currant, which 

 was neither marked nor cuftomed . And they holde it 

 for certain which know theft mines, that in theft daies, 

 the greateftparte of filver drawne at Potozt , was not 

 cuftomed, and this had courfeamongeft the Indians, 

 and much amongft the Spaniardes, as I have fcene con- 

 tinued^to my time^fo as it may appeare.,the third part of 

 the riches of ?0/0s/',yca the one halfe came not to light, 

 neither was it cuftomed . There is yet a more notable 



confi- 



i, ' 



