54 A. D. 15 1 8. 



of Frifeland. By this account, there mvift have been in all 80 Hanfe 

 towns in that confederacy ; yet their hiftoriographer Werdenhagen, 

 makes but 64 cities who ever paid annual contributions for the expence 

 of that confederacy. 



The Scottilli parliament pafled an a6l, with proper penalties, againfl 

 thofe who negleded to plant woods, hedges, and fences; though this, like 

 former laws for the fame purpofe, has never been well executed, even 

 to the prefent times: But they are in our days fetting effedlually, though 

 but gradually, about what their owai ftatutes long fince enjoined them 

 to do. 



15 19. — The Spaniards went on with their difcoveries on the continent 

 of America, and particularly on the coaft of what is called Terra Fir- 

 ma, Darien, &c. although (as elfewhere obferved), what with ftorms 

 and fhipwrecks, and the refiftance of the native Indians, it may be 

 thought doubtful whether, upon the whole, they were hitherto really 

 gahiers until after the year 1519 ; when the emperor Charles V, king 

 of Spain, received news of the difcovery and commencement of the 

 conquefl: of the famous Indian empire of Mexico by Hernando Cortesj 

 who failing, in the year 15 18, from the ifle of Cuba, with about 400 

 foot foldiers, 7 fmall cannon, and 15 (fome fay 50 horfemen) laid the 

 foundation of a very great dominion for Spain in America, by the im- 

 menfe treafures which to this day are annually brought from America 

 into Spain, more efpecially after they had from Mexico invaded Peru, 

 Paraguay, and Chili, fouthward, and New Mexico northward. 1 he 

 mention of this particular (lays Mr. Rapin de Thoyras judicioufly, in 

 his hiflory of England) is the more neceffary, as it was the gold and 

 fjlver wherewith the new world farniflied Spain, that contributed moll; 

 to render Charles V fo powerful, as he will hereafter appear ; bcfide, 

 money growing more plenty by the trade carried on by other countries 

 with Spain, th.e reader muft not be furprifed hereafter to find more nu- 

 merous armies, greater magnificence in princes courts, and the doweries 

 of princeflls much larger than before. 



Ferdinand Magellan, who had ferved under Albuquerque, the great 

 Portuguefe commander in Eaft-India, having (through fome difcontent) 

 entered into the fervice of ;>pain, now fignified to the emperor Charles 

 V, King of Spain, that by the imaginary line of divifion or partition, 

 which king John of Portugal had agreed on with King Ferdinand and 

 Queen Ifabella, all the Banda and Molucco illes muft fall to the flwre 

 of Spain ; of which rich ifles he propofed to him to make a complete 

 difcovery, by a bold, and till then unheard-of, navigation weflward. 

 The emperor joyfully embraced his propofal, giving him five fhips and 

 300 men for its execution ; yet, through ftorms, fcarcity of provifions, 

 &c. he did not get through that famous ftrait (to which his name was 

 thereupon given) till November 1520; thence failing by the Ladrones 



