A Svmmarie and Trve Discovrse of Sir Frances Drakes VVest Indian Voyage | Page 9

the townes ende, offring to deliuer him
into our hands, but it was thought a more honourable reuenge, to make
them there in our sight, to performe the execution themselues, vvhich
vvas done accordingly.
During our being in this towne, as formerly also at S. IAGO there had
passed iustice vpon the life of one of our owne companie for an odious
matter: so here likewise was there an Irish man hanged, for the
murthering of his Corporall.
In this time also passed manie treaties betweene their Commissioners
and vs, for ransome of their Citie, but vpon disagreements, we still
spent the early mornings in firing the outmost houses; but they being
built verie magnificently of stone, vvith high loftes, gaue vs no small

trauell to ruine them. And albeit for diuers daies together, we ordained
eche morning by day breake, vntill the heat began at nine of the clocke,
that two hundred Mariners did nought else but labour to fier and burne
the said houses vvithout our trenches, vvhilest the souldiers in a like
proportion stood foorth for their gard: yet did we not or could not in
this time consume so much as one third part of the towne, vvhich
Towne is here plainly described and set forth in this Map. And so in the
end, what wearied with firing, and vvhat hastened by some other
respects, we were contented to accept of fiue and twentie thousand
Duckets, of fiue shillings sixe pence the peece, for the ransome of the
rest of the towne.
Amongst other things which happened and were found at S.
DOMINGO, I may not omit to let the world know one very notable
marke and token, of the vnsatiable ambition of the Spanish king & his
nation, vvich was found in the kings house, vvherein the chiefe
Gouernor of that Citie and countrey is appointed alwaies to lodge,
vvhich vvas this: In the comming to the hall or other romes of this
house, you must first ascend vp by a faire large paire of staires, at the
head of vvhich staires is a handsome spatious place to vvalke in,
somewhat like vnto a gallerie, vvherein vpon one of the vvals, right
ouer against you as you enter the said place, so as your eye can not
escape the sight of it, there is described and painted in a very large
Scutchion, the armes of the king of Spaine, and in the lower part of the
said Scutchion, there is likewise described a globe, containing in it the
whole circuite of the sea and the earth, vvhereupon is a horse standing
on his hinder part vvithin the globe, and the other fore part vvithout the
globe, lifted vp as it vvere to leape, vvith a scroll painted in his mouth,
vvherein vvas written these vvordes in Latin Non sufficit orbis: which
is as much to say, as the world suffiseth not, vvhereof the meaning vvas
required to be knowen of some of those of the better sort, that came in
commission to treat vpon the ransome of the tovvne, who would shake
their heades, and turne aside their countenance in some smyling sort,
without answering any thing, as greatly ashamed thereof. For by some
of our companie it vvas told them, that if the Queene of England
vvould resolutely prosecute the warres against the Kinge of Spaine, he
should be forced to lay aside that proude and vnreasonable reaching

vaine of his, for he should finde more then inough to do, to keepe that
vvhich he had alreadie, as by the present example of their lost towne
they might for a beginning perceaue vvell inough.
Now to the satisfying of some men, who maruel greatly that such a
famous and goodly builded Citie so vvell inhabited of gallant people,
very brauely apparelled (vvhereof our souldiers found good store for
their reliefe) should afoord no greater riches then vvas found there,
vvherein it is to be vnderstood that the Indian people, which were the
naturals of this vvhole Island of HISPANIOLA (the same being neare
hand as great as England) were many yeares since cleane consumed by
the tyrannie of the Spaniards, vvhich vvas cause, that for lacke of
people to vvorke in the Mines, the gold and siluer Mines of this Island
are vvholy giuen ouer, and thereby they are faine in this Island to vse
copper money, whereof vvas found verie great quantitie. The chiefe
trade of this place consisteth of Suger and Ginger, which groweth in the
Island, and of hides of oxen and kine, vvhich in this wast countrey of
the Island are bred in infinite numbers, the soile being verie fertile: and
the said beasts are fed vp to a verie large growth, and so killed for
nothing so much, as for their