e Gouernour:
Mightie Lord, with shame and feare of your Lordship, because my subiects
against my will haue done amisse in absenting themselues, I went my way
without your license; and knowing the errour which I haue committed, like
a loyall subiect, I come to yeeld my selfe into your power, to dispose of
mee at your owne pleasure. For my subiects do not obey mee, nor do any
thing but what an Vncle of mine commandeth, which gouerneth this Countrie
for me, vntill I be of a perfect age. If your lordship will pursue them,
and execute on them that, which for their disobedience they deserue, I
will be your guide, since at this present my fortune will not suffer me to
performe any more.
(M627) Presently the Gouernour with 30. horsemen, and as many footmen,
went to seeke the Indians, and by passing by some townes of the principall
Indians which had absented themselues, hee cut and destroyed great fields
of Maiz; and went vp the Riuer, where the Indians were in an Island, where
the horsemen could not come at them. There he sent them word by an Indian
to returne to their towne and feare nothing, and that they should giue him
men to carrie burdens, as al those behind had done; for he would haue no
Indian women, seeing they were so loth to part with them. The Indians
accepted his request, and came to the Gouernour to excuse themselues; and
so all of them returned to their towne. A Cacique of a Prouince called
Coste, came to this towne to visit the Gouernour. (M628) After hee had
offered himselfe, and passed with him some words of tendring his seruice
and curtesie; the Gouernour asking him whether he had notice of any rich
Countrie? he said, yea: to wit, "that toward the North, there was a
Prouince named Chisca: and that there was a melting of copper, and of
another metall of the same colour, saue that it was finer, and of a farre
more perfect colour, and farre better to the sight and that they vsed it
not so much, because it was softer." And the selfe same thing was told the
Gouernour in Cutifa-chiqui; where we saw some little hatchets of copper,
which were said to haue a mixture of gold. (M629) But in that part the
Countrie was not well peopled, and they said there were mountaines, which
the horses could not passe: and for that cause the Gouernour would not goe
from Cutifa-chiqui directly thither: And hee made account, that trauelling
through a peopled Countrie, when his men and horses should be in better
plight, and hee were be
|