ns had no notice of the Christians: they leaped
into a Riuer: some men and women were taken; among which was one that
vnderstood the youth which guided the Gouernour to Yupaha: whereby that
which he had reported was more confirmed. For they passed through
Countries of diuers languages, and some which he vnderstood not. The
Gouernour sent by one of the Indians that were taken to call the Cacique,
which was on the other side of the Riuer. Hee came and made this speech
following:
Right high, right mightie, and excellent Lord, those things which seldome
happen doe cause admiration. What then may the sight of your Lordship, and
your people doe to mee and mine, whom we neuer saw? especially being
mounted on such fierce beasts as your horses are, entring with such
violence and furie into my Countrie, without my knowledge of your comming.
It was a thing so strange, and caused such feare and terrour in our
mindes, that it was not in our power to stay and receiue your Lordship
with the solemnitie due to so high and renowmed a Prince, as your Lordship
is. And trusting in your greatnesse and singular vertues, I doe not onely
hope to be freed from blame, but also to receiue fauours: and the first
which I demand of your Lordship is, that you will vse me, my Countrie, and
subiects as your owne; and the second, that you will tell mee who you are,
and whence you come, and whither you goe, and what you seeke, that I the
better may serue you therein.
The Gouernour answered him that hee thanked him as much for his offer and
good will, as if hee had receiued it, and as if hee had offered him a
great treasure; and told him that he was the sonne of the Sun, and came
from those parts where he dwelt, and trauelled through that Countrie, and
sought the greatest Lord, and richest Prouince that was in it. The Cacique
told him; that farther forward dwelt a great Lord, and that his dominion
was called Ocute. He gaue him a guide, and an interpretour for that
Prouince. The Gouernour commanded his Indians to bee set free, and
trauelled through his Countrie vp a Riuer very well inhabited. He departed
from his towne the first of Aprill; and left a very high crosse of Wood
set vp in the middest of the market place: and because the time gaue no
more leasure, hee declared to him onely, that that crosse was a memorie of
the same, whereon Christ, which was God and man, and created the heauens
and the earth, suffered for our saluation: therefore he exhorted
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