ell-armed man:

ASCO Nuñez's meffeng reached the court of Sp

his master's interefts. I

to the arrival of Quicedo and C had brought fuch wonderful news coveries in the Terra Firma, the S ment had refolved to appoint a n And the news brought by the Darien ferved to increase the imp appointment, and greatly to increa of the expedition. As all Spain w excitement at the idea of fishing nets, the appointment of governor much fought after; but, ultimately

Quicedo and Colmenares reached Spain N of Pedrarias's appointment is July 27, 1513, fo bable, especially as Encifo and his complaints of Spain before thefe deputies, that the appoin was quite a fettled thing before they arrived.

Pedrarias

upon the man whom the Bishop of Burgos faGovernor voured, namely Pedrarias de Avila.

appointed

of Darien.

This was an elderly man of rank and high connections, of much repute in war, having served with honour in Africa, but in reality a fecond Bobadilla. From his feats in the tournament, he had got the name of Justador, the jouster.

There is one thing to be faid for the appointment of men of that age and station, which, if it occurred to king Ferdinand, would have been very likely to have great weight with him. It is, that they are pretty nearly fure to be faithful to their fovereign. It is too late for them to form great independent schemes of their own; but then they lack the liffomeness of mind, as well as body, which is neceffary in dealing with such entirely new circumstances as thofe which the Spanish captains in the New World had to encounter. I conjecture Pedrarias to have been a fufpicious, fiery, arbitrary old man. "Furor Domini" was a name given him by the monks in after days; Diaboli might have been well substituted instead of Domini in this cafe.

Comogre's fon had faid that a thousand men would be neceffary to make their way to the sea, and to obtain the riches which were there to be obtained. For greater fafety twelve hundred

was the number affigned to Pedrarias for his armament, and in reality fifteen hundred was the number which went, for it happened that there was a great disbanding of troops at that time, and the men thus fet free were anxious to enter the service of Pedrarias. The victory of Ravenna, gained by the French over the Spaniards, had alarmed king Ferdinand for his Neapolitan poffeffions: he had haftily raised levies which he intended to place under the command of the Great Captain, Gonfalvo de Cordova; but, not finding it necessary to send fuccour to Naples, or being jealous of the Great Captain (which jealousy great urgency had quenched for a time) this expedition was abandoned.

When Pedrarias arrived at Seville, he found no fewer than two thousand young men eager to be enrolled in his forces, and "not a small number "of avaricious old men," many of whom offered to go at their own expenfe. It was neceffary, however, not to overload the ships, and therefore, many of these candidates were rejected. Amongst those chosen were feveral nobles. A Bishop alfo was appointed to the new colony, whose name was Juan de Quevedo. Four principal officers accompanied the governor, namely, a treasurer, a factor, a contador, and a veedor.

ject, that it will be defirable to give an account it. After ftating in few words the discovery the Terra Firma, the document goes on to lare the motives for the expedition.

And, in order that Our Lord may be ferved n the said lands, and His Holy Name made nown, and the inhabitants of the aforefaid country converted to our facred Catholic faith, hat they may be inftructed in it and put in the vay of falvation, and that there may not be loft uch a number of fouls as hitherto have peifhed, and in order that this defign may have he effect which we defire, We have sent to beg our very Sacred Father that he would provide relates who may be ecclefiaftical persons, learnd and of good example, to go and teach and preach to these nations: and, for the fecurity of these persons, it has been neceffary to proide a certain number of people who should go

" and settle in the faid lands, in order that, by the "doctrine of these ecclefiaftics, and by the means “of converfion of the other Christians (that is, by "the communication between the Chriftians and "the Indians) the natives may more quietly, when "converted to our Sacred Faith, remain in it, " until they shall be more capable of receiving « Christian doctrine than it appears they now are.”

Confidering what we know of the proceedings of this and other armaments, the foregoing extract may seem to be a mere pretence; but I do not think that it was so, and it entirely embodies the views of the men of that period. The Indians were to be converted to Christianity and Christian polity, but this could not be done, these Spanish ftatesmen and jurifts thought, by doctrine alone, for it needed alfo, they maintained, the daily intercourse with a civilized people. The Indians were therefore, to have the benefit of the example and conversation of the Chriftians. The particular means, by which this converfion was to be effected, are given in another document of a later date, called the Inftruction to Pedrarias de Avila by the king, in which the utmost kindness and tenderness towards the Indians, are infifted upon. They are to be attached by good works to Christianity. They are to see that the Spa