An advertisement to the Reader.
IN this Breviarie, the names onely are comprised of such,
as being led with the generall fame of Guiana
, have
indevoured to discover and possesse it. The whole histories are long and cannot suddenly be translated or
englished at large, as we in these Elegies finde them. It
may perhaps seeme strange and incredible, that so many
cavalleros should all faile in this one attempt, since in
many parts of the Indies, far smaller numbers in shorter
time have performed as great matters, and subdued
mighty kingdomes: I have therefore thought it good here
to alleage those reasons, which by circumstance may bee
gathered to have beene chiefe impediments to the Spaniard
in this intended search and conquest.
The first may bee the remotenesse or distance of their
places of Rendevous, from El Dorado: which appeare
to be foure, Nuevo reyno, the mouth of Amazones or
Orellana, Cubagua or the coast of the Caracas
, and
Trinidad.
1 From Moiobamba, where Orellana hath his headspring, to his mouth, the Spaniards account it 2000.
leagues. Raleana riseth neere the said mountaines in
Moiobamba, & tributeth his waters to the sea, not farre
from the other: Guiana
is environed with these 2 freshwater-seas, where their distance is greatest from their
risings, and is besides guarded with impassable mountaines which inclose and defend it on all parts, excepting
Topiawaries countrey. It is no marvel then, if the vigor,
heart, & life of those Spaniards, who sought it from
Nuevo Reyno, were allayed & spent, before they came
neere to it, in those long, desolate & uncomfortable wayes.
2 From Cubagua to seeke it by sea in vessels of any
burthen, is a worke of far greater labour, then to saile
directly from Spaine. And to passe over land is a matter
of great difficultie, by reason that the Indian nations
inhabiting betweene the coast of The Caracas
and Guiana
,
being wearied and harried with the daily incursions of the
Spaniards, have now turned their abused patience into
furie, refusing to suffer any forces of men to be led
through their countreys. For the Spaniards travelling
in those parts, when they found not gold answerable to
their expectation, overlaid them with cruelties, tyrannie,
and thraldome: forbearing neither men, women, friends,
nor foes. Which maner of dealing, though in some part
it satisfied their desire of present profit; yet hath it otherwise done them much harme, in hardening and driving
those nations to desperate resolutions.
3 From the mouth of Orellana to seeke entrance with
any number of men, & to bore a hole through the mountaines is all one. Neither finde wee, that any seeking it
that way, have at any time boasted of their gaines or
pleasurable journeys.
4 From Trinidad, as the course is shortest, so doeth it
promise best likelyhood of successe. Howbeit, impossible it is with any vessell of ordinarie burthen by that
way to recover the river of Raleana.
The second, The Spaniards have bene so farre from
helping and furthering one another, or admitting partners
or coadjutors in the Guiana-cause, that amongst so many
attemptes, from the beginning to the last, I cannot find
any one, when they were otherwise likeliest to prevaile,
free from discords, mutinies, and cruell murthers amongst
themselves.
Thirdly. The Spaniardes in this place have mist that
advantage, which elsewhere hath steeded themselves in
all their conquestes: namely, the dissentions and mutuall
warres of the Indians. Which of that force it is, may
be gathered by the example Arauco in Chili. For the
Indians of that one province conteining in circuit not
above 20. leagues, have maintained warres above these
30. yeeres against all the Spaniards, and in despight of
them have kept their owne countrey, oftentimes discomfiting their enemies in many set battels, burning and
destroying some of their strongest townes. The chiefe
reason whereof I take to bee, because no Indian nation
was enemie unto them. And howsoever the Spaniards
vaunt of their redoubted exployts in the Indies: yet doe
their owne writings in effect testifie, that without the
ayde of the Indians divided among themselves, Mexico
,
Peru
, and the rest, had never beene Spanish.
Lastly. I can impute it to no cause so rightly, as
immediatly to the divine providence: for by him princes
raigne. And in my beleefe (except we will looke to bee
warned by miracle from heaven) wee neede no further
assurances, then wee already have to perswade our selves,
that it hath pleased God of his infinite goodnesse, in his
will and purpose to appoint and reserve this empire for us.
