Francisco López de Gómara - The pleasant historie of the conquest of the VVeast India, now called new Spayne

Fraunces Hernandes de Cordoua did first discouer Xucatan , going with thrée Shyps for Indians , or else to barter. These Shippes were sette forthe by Christopher Morante , and Lope Ochoa de Saizedo , in Anno .1517. And although he broughte home nothing at that time but stripes, yet he broughte perfect relation, how the Countrey was rich of gold and siluer, and the people of the countrey clothed. Then Iames Velasques Gouernoure of the Iland of Cuba , sent the next yeare following his kinsman, called Iohn de Grijalua , with two hundred Spanyardes in foure Shippes, thinking to obtayne much gold and siluer for his Merchandise at those places, which Fraunces Hernandez had enformed him: So that Iohn de Grijalua wente to Xucatan , and there foughte with the Indians of Champoton , and was hurt. From thēce he entred the riuer of Tauasco , which Grijalua hadde so named, in the whiche place he bartered for things of small value. He had in exchaunge golde, cloth of cotten wooll, and other curious things wrought of feathers. He was also at Saint Iohn de Vlhua , and tooke possession for the King, in the name of Iames Velasques , and there also exchanged his Haberdashe wares, for Golde, and Couerlets of cotten, and feathers: and if he hadde considered his good fortune, he would haue planted habitation in so rich a land, as his company did earnestly request him, and if he had so done, then had he bin as Cortez was. But suche wealth was not for him which knew it not, although he excused himselfe, saying, he went not to inhabite, but to barter onely in traffike of his Marchandise, and to discouer whether that land of Xucatan were an Ilande, or no. And finding it a mayne land, and populous, he left off for very feare. Likewise, some of his company were desirous to returne to Cuba , among whome, was one Pedro de Aluado , who was farre in loue with a woman of that countrey. So they determined to returne, with relation to the Gouernoure of suche things as hadde happened till that day, and sayled homewardes along the coast to Panuco , and so came to Cuba , to the greate griefe of many of hys company. Yea some of them wept, with sorrowe that hée would not abide in that rich countrey. He was fiue monethes vpon his voyage homewarde from land to lande, and eyght monethes till his returne to the Citie. But when he came home, the Gouernoure hauing hearde of his procéedings, would not looke vppon him, whiche was hys iust reward.

Iohn de Grijalua bought of the Indians of Potonchan , Saint Iohn de Vlhua , and other places of that coast, suche thynges as made his fellowes farre in loue with the Countrey, and loth to depart from thēce. The workmāship of many of the things that they bought, was more worth than the thing it selfe, as this Inuentory perticularly doth shew.

A little Idoll of golde hollowe.

A greater of golde, with hornes and heare, with a string of beadestones aboute his necke, and a Flyeflappe in his hand, and a little stone for his nauell.

A péece of golde, like the patent of a Challice, garnished with stones.

A Skull of golde, with two hornes, and blacke heare.

Two and twenty earerings of golde.

Two and twenty péeces of an other fashion.

Foure bracelettes of golde very broade.

A payre of beades of golde, the stones hollowe, wyth a Frogge of golde hanging at the same.

Another paire, with a Lyon of golde.

A great paire of earerings of golde.

Two little Eagles of golde hollowe.

A little Saltseller of golde.

Two earerings of golde with Turkie stones.

A coller to hang aboute a womans necke, of twelue péeces, with four and twenty stones hanging thereat.

A great coller of golde.

Sixe little collers of golde thinne.

Seauen other collers of gold with stones.

Foure earerings of golden leafe.

Twentie fishinghookes of golde.

Twelue graines of gold, waying fiftie Duckets.

A headlace of gold.

Certaine thinne planches of gold.

A Potedge pot of gold.

An Idoll of golde hollowe.

Certaine thinne brouches of gold.

Nine beade stones of gold.

Two payre of gilt beades.

One payre of wodden beades guilt.

A little cuppe of golde, with eighte purple stones, and twentie thrée stones of an other collour.

Foure belles of gold.

A little sauser of gold.

A little boxe of gold.

Certaine smal collers of gold of smal value.

A hollow apple of gold.

Fourtie hatchets of gold mixed with copper, valued in two thousand fiue hundred Duckets.

A whole harneis or furniture for an armed man of gold thinne beaten.

An other whole armour of wood with leaues of golde, garnished with little blacke stones.

A certaine piece made like vnto a feather, of an hyde and gold ioyntly wrought.

Foure pieces of armour of wood made for the knées, and couered with golden leafe.

Two targets couered with feathers of many and fyne colours.

Diuerse other targets of gold and feathers.

A tuffe of feathers of sundry colours, with a little byrd in the middest, very liuely.

A wing of gold and feathers.

Two flyflappes of feathers.

Two little chamberpottes of Allabaster, beset with many trimme stones, and some fyne, & among them there was one esteemed at two thousand Duckets.

Certaine beades of tinne.

Fiue paire of woodden beades rounde and couered wyth a leafe of gold very thinne.

A hundred and thirty hollow bead stones of gold.

Many beades of woodde gilt.

A paire of Sissers of wood gilt.

Two gilt vissors.

A vissor of strange gesture of gold.

Foure vissors of wood guilt.

Foure dishes of wood couered with golden leafe.

A dogges head of gold beset with stones.

An other beastes head garnished with gold.

Fiue paire of rush shooes.

Thrée red hides.

Seuen rasors of flint stone, for to cut vp men that were sacrifised.

Two painted dishes of wood with an Ewer.

A garmēt with halfe sléeues of feathers of excéeding fine colours.

A couerlet of feathers.

Many couerlets of cotten very fine.

Many other couerlets of cotten course.

Two kerchiefs of good cotten.

Many perfumes of sweete odor, much of that countrey fruite.

They also brought newes that there were Amazons women of warre, in certaine Ilandes, and manye gaue credit, being amazed at the things that they had brought bartered for things of a vile price: as here-vnder appeareth the Merchandise that they gaue for al the aforesaid Iewels.

Sixe course shirts.

Thrée paire of Maryners breeches of lynnen.

Fiue paire of womens shoes.

Fiue broad leatherne girdels wrought with coloured thréed, with their purses.

Manye purses of shéepes skinne.

Sixe glasses a little gilt.

Foure brouches of glasse.

Two thousand beadstones of glasse greene.

A hundred paire of beades of diuerse colours.

Twenty wooddencombes.

Sixe paire of Sissers.

Fiftéene kniues great and small.

A thousand taylers nedels.

Two thousand pinnes of sorts.

Eight paire of corded shoes.

A paire of pinsers and a hammer.

Seauen red night cappes.

Thrée coates of colours.

A freese coate with a cap of the same.

An old gréene veluet coate.