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

Whilest I abode (right Honorable) in the Isle of Palma, in affaires of merchandize for the vvorshipfull Thomas Locke deceased, and his company, time then permitted me, to haue cōference vvith auncient gentlemen vvhiche had serued in the Conquest of the vveft India, novve called nevve Spaine, vnder the princely Captaine Hernando Cortez . By vvhom as present vvitnesses at many of the actes herein contayned, I vvas credibly informed, that this delectable and vvorthy Historie is a most true and iust reporte of matter paste in effect: vvherefore I did the more vvillingly turne ouer and peruse the same, vvhiche is a Mirrour and an excellent president, for all such as shall take in hande to gouerne nevve Discoueries: for here they shall behold, hovv Glorie, Renovvne, and perfite Felicitie, is not gotten but vvith greate paines, trauaile, perill and daunger of life: here shall they see the vvisedome, curtesie, valour and pollicie of vvorthy Captaynes, yea and the faithfull hartes vvhiche they ought to beare vnto their Princes seruice: here also is described, hovv to vse and correct the stubbern & mutinous persons, & in vvhat order to exalt the good, stoute and vertuous Souldiers, and chiefly, hovv to preserue and keepe that bevvtifull Dame Lady Victorie vvhē she is obtayned. And vvhere it vvas supposed, that the golden mettall had his beginning and place in the East and VVeast India , neare vnto the hote Zoane, (as moste learned vvriters helde opinion) it is novve approued by the venterous trauellour and vvorthy captaine Martin Frobisher Esquire, yea and also through the greate paynes, procurement, and firste inuention of the vvorshipfull Mychaell Locke Merchaunt, that the same golden mettall dothe also lie incorporate in the bovvelles of the Norvveast parties, enuironned vvith admirable Tovvers, Pillers and Pynacles, of Rockes, Stone, and Ise, possessed of a people bothe straunge, & rare in shape, attire and lyuing, yea suche a Countrey and people, as all Europe had forsaken and made no account of, excepte our moste gratious Queene and her subiectes, vvhome vndoubtedly God hath appoynted, not onely to be supreme Princesse ouer them, but also to be a meane that the name of Christ maybe knovven vnto this Heathenish and Sauage generation.

Not long since (right Honorable) I happened to trauayle from the famous Cittie of Tolledo in Spayne , tovvarde highe Castile , and by fortune ouertooke an auncient Gentlemen, vvorshipfully accompanied, vnto vvhō I vvas so bold as to approch, beseching his vvorship to aduertise me of his iourney: vvho (after he had beheld my white head & beard) ansvvered ful gentlely, that his intēt vvas to trauayle vnto the king of Spaynes Court, and vvelcomed me vnto his company. In shorte space that vve had iourneyed togither, and communed of each other his Countrey, it pleased him to say as follovveth: My good friende, if you knevv my sute vnto the Kings maiestie, you vvould iudge that I vvere a mad man, and therefore to shorten oure vvay, I vvill declare my attempted sute vnto you. You shall vnderstande, that I am a Gentleman of lxx. yeares of age, and sometimes I serued in the ciuill vvarres of Pirru , vvhere I vvas vvounded in diuers parts of my body, and am novv thereby lame in one of my legges and shoulder. I haue neyther VVife nor childe, and at this presente (God be praised) I haue in the Contractation house in the Citie of Siuill , in golde and plate, the summe of thirtie thousande Duckates: and I haue also in Pirru in good lands and possessions, the yearely rente of tvvelue thousande Duckates, vvhiche rentes and readye money is sufficiente to mainteyne a poore Gentleman. But al this notvvithstanding, I do novv sue vnto the Kings Maiestie, to haue licence and authoritie to discouer and conquere a certayne parte of India , vvhyche adioyneth vvith Brazile , and is part of the Empire of Pirru , I pray you novve declare what you thinke of my sute. By my troth sir (quoth I) I trust your vvorship vvill pardon a rash and suddaine iudgemēt, which you now demand at my hād: yea truly (quoth he) say vvhat you list. Then (quoth I) my opiniō is, that you are not wel in your wit, for vvhat vvould you haue? vvil not reason suffice you? or else would you now in your old days be an Emperour, considering that your Sepulchre attendeth for you. Novve truly I thanke you (quoth he) for of youre iudgement are most men: but I say vnto you, considering that all flesh must finish, I seeke for no quiet rest in this transitorie life: yea the vvise and Christian Doctors do teach and admonish, that euery true Christian is borne, not for his ovvne priuate vvealth and pleasure, but rather to help and succoure others his poore breethren. Likevvise doe I consider the greate number of Gentlemen, yonger brethren, and other valiāt persons, vvho through vvant of liuing, do fall into many disorders. VVherefore to accomplish my dutie tovvard God and my Prince, and to releeue such poore Gentlemen, do I novv attempte this iourney, vvith the aduenture of my bodye and goodes, and for that purpose I haue in readinesse foure tall Shippes, vvell furnished in the porte of Saint Lucar de Barrameda , hoping assuredlye, that before the life depart from my body, to heare these valiante yong Gentlemen (vvhome novv I meane to haue in my company) say, oh happie day, vvhen olde Zarate (for so is my name) broughte vs from penurie, yea and from a number of perils that vve vvere like to fall into. I hope also, that the royall estate of my Prince shall be by my paynes and poore seruice enlarged: beleeue you me, this is the onely sumptuous Tumbe that I pretende to builde for my poore carkas. But yet I knovv there are some, vnto vvhome I may compare the Bore that lyeth vvallovvyng in his Stye, vvho vvill not lette to saye, vvhat neede vve any other vvorld, honor, or Kingdomes? let vs be contented vvith that vve haue: vvho may easily be aunsvvered, Sir glutton, your paunch is full, and little care you for the glory of God, honor of youre Prince, neyther the neede and necessitie of youre poore neyboures. VVith this conclusion the Gentleman ended his tale, the iudgement vvhereof I leaue to noble Gentlemen his peeres to be determined.

And vvhere oure Captayne Hernando Cortez , of vvhose valiant actes this historie treateth, hathe deserued immortal fame, euē so doubtlesse I hope, that vvithin this happie Realme is novv liuing a Gentleman, vvose zeale of trauayle and valiant beginnings dothe prognosticate greate, maruellous, and happie successe: for perfection of honor and profite is not gotten in one daye, nor in one or tvvo voyages, as the true histories of the East and VVest Conquests by Spanyardes and Portingalles do testifye. And calling to remembrance the greate zeale and good vvill vvhich your honor hath alvvayes extended to good and profitable attemptes, and especially in the proceedings of the nevv discouery, youre honor hath not only vsed liberalitie in your aduētures, but also taken greate paynes in Courte, to aduance and further the voyage, a number I saye of Gentlemen, Marriners, and other artificers, shal haue great cause to pray for your honor. And vvhere I for my parte haue tasted of your honors goodnesse sundrye vvayes, I am novve most humbly to beseech youre honor to accept this poore gifte, the vvhiche I haue translated out of the Spanish tong, not decked vvith gallant couloures, nor yet fyled vvith pleasant phrase of Rhetorike, for these things are not for poore Marchant trauellers, but are reserued to learned VVriters: yet I trust the Author vvill pardon mee, bycause I haue gone as neere the sense of this Historie, as my cunning vvoulde reach vnto. I also craue, that it may please youre honor, vvhen your greate and vvaightie businesse vvill permitte, to beholde this vvorke, and that shall be for me an encouragemente to take in hande the translation of the East India , vvhiche is novve enioyed by the King of Portingall. Thus I ende, beseeching the Almighty to preserue your honorable estate.