Wherein, Upon
One Of The Walls, Right Over Against You As You Enter The Said Place,
So As Your Eye
Cannot escape the sight of it, there is described and
painted in a very large scutcheon the arms of the
King of Spain; and
in the lower part of the said scutcheon there is likewise described a
globe, containing in it the whole circuit of the sea and the earth,
whereupon is a horse standing on his hinder part within the globe, and
the other forepart without the globe, lifted up as it were to leap,
with a scroll painted in his mouth, wherein was written these words in
Latin, /NON SUFFICIT ORBIS/, which is as much to say as, /The world
sufficeth not/. Whereof the meaning was required to be known of some
of those of the better sort that came in commission to treat upon the
ransom of the town; who would shake their heads and turn aside their
countenance, in some smiling sort, without answering anything, as
greatly ashamed thereof. For by some of our company it was told them,
that if the Queen of England would resolutely prosecute the wars
against the King of Spain, he should be forced to lay aside that proud
and unreasonable reaching vein of his; for he should find more than
enough to do to keep that which he had already, as by the present
example of their lost town they might for a beginning perceive well
enough.
Now to the satisfying of some men, who marvel greatly that such a
famous and goodly-builded city, so well inhabited of gallant people,
very brave in their apparel (whereof our soldiers found good store for
their relief), should afford no greater riches than was found there.
Herein it is to be understood that the Indian people, which were the
natives of this whole island of Hispaniola (the same being near hand
as great as England), were many years since clean consumed by the
tyranny of the Spaniards; which was the cause that, for lack of people
to work in the mines, the gold and silver mines of this island are
wholly given over. And thereby they are fain in this island to use
copper money, whereof was found very great quantity. The chief trade
of this place consisteth of sugar and ginger, which groweth in the
island, and of hides of oxen and kine, which in this waste country of
the island are bred in infinite numbers, the soil being very fertile.
And the said beasts are fed up to a very large growth, and so killed
for nothing so much as for their hides aforesaid. We found here great
store of strong wine, sweet oil, vinegar, olives, and other such-like
provisions, as excellent wheat-meal packed up in wine-pipes and other
cask, and other commodities likewise, as woollen and linen cloth and
some silks; all which provisions are brought out of Spain, and served
us for great relief. There was but a little plate or vessel of silver,
in comparison of the great pride in other things of this town, because
in these hot countries they use much of those earthen dishes finely
painted or varnished, which they call /porcellana/, which is had out
of the East India; and for their drinking they use glasses altogether,
whereof they make excellent good and fair in the same place.
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