how this christian came to the land of florida, and who he was: and what conference he had with the gouernour.

iohn ortiz liued 12. yeeres, among the floridians of vcita and moco?o. this christians name was iohn ortiz, and he was borne in siuil, of worshipful parentage. he was 12. yeeres in the hands of the indians. he came into this countrie with pamphilo de naruaez, and returned in the ships to the island of cuba, where the wife of the gouernour pamphilo de naruaez was: and by his commandement with 20. or 30. other in a brigandine returned backe againe to florida: and comming to the port in the sight of the towne, on the shore they saw a cane sticking in the ground, and riuen at the top, and a letter in it: and they beleeued that the gouernour had left it there to giue aduertisement of himselfe, when he resolued to goe vp into the land: and they demanded it of foure or fiue indians, which walked along the sea shore: and they had them by signes to come on shore for it: which against the will of the rest iohn ortiz and another moco?o dwelleth two daies iournie from vcita. did. and assoone as they wereon land, from the houses of the towne issued a great number of indians, which compassed them about, and tooke them in a place where they could not flee: and the other which sought to defend himselfe, they presentlie killed vpon the place, and tooke iohn ortiz aliue, and carried him to vcita their lord. and those of the brigandine sought not to land, but put themselues to sea, and returned to the island of cuba. vcita commaunded to bind iohn ortiz hand and foote vpon foure stakes aloft vpon a raft, and to make a fire vnder him, that there he might bee burned: but a daughter of his desired him that he would not put him to death, alleaging, that one only christian could do him neither hurt nor good, telling him, that it was more for his honor to keepe him as a captiue. and vcita granted her request, and commaunded him to be cured of his wounds: and assoone as he was whole, he gaue him the charge of the keeping of the temple: because that by night the wolues did cary away the dead corpse out of the towne, who commended himselfe to god and tooke vpon him the charge of his temple. one night the wolues gatte from him the corpse of a little child, the sonne of a principal indian: and going after them he threw a darte at one of the wolues and wounde him that carried away the corps, who feeling himselfe wounded, left it, and fell downe dead neere the place: and hee not seeing what he had done, because it was night, went backe againe to the temple: the morning being come, and finding not the bodie of the child, he was very sad. assoone as vcita knew therof, he resolued to put him to death; and sent by the track, which he said the wolues went, and found the bodie of the child and the wolfe dead a little beyond: whereat vcita was much concerned with the christian, and with the watch which hee kept in the temple, and from thence forward esteemed him much. three yeeres after he fell into his hands there came another lord called moco?o, who dwelleth two daies iourney from the port, and burned his towne. vcita fled to another towne that he had in another sea port. thus iohn ortiz lost his office and fauour that he had with him. these people being worshippers of the deuill, are wont to offer vp vnto him the liues and blood of their indians, or of any other people they can come by: and they report, that when he will haue them doe that sacrifice vnto him, he speaketh with them, and telleth them, that he is athirst, and willeth them to sacrifice vnto him. iohn ortiz had notice by the damsell that had deliuered him from the fire, how her father was determined to sacrifice him the day following, who willed him to flee to moco?o: for shee knew that he would vse him wel: for she heard say, that he had asked for him, and said hee would bee glad to see him: and because he knew not the way, she went with him halfe a league out of the towne by night, and set him in the way, and returned, because she would not be discouered. iohn ortiz trauailed all that night, and by the morning came vnto a riuer, which is in the territorie of moco?o: and there he saw two indians fishing; and because they were in war with the people of vcita, and their languages were different, and hee knew not the language of moco?o, he was afraid, because he could not tell them who hee was, nor how hee came thither, nor was able to answer any thing for himselfe, that they would kill him, taking him for one of the indians of vcita; and before they espied him he came to the place where they had laid their weapons: and assoone as they saw him, they fled toward the towne, and although he willed them to stay, because he meant to do them no hurt, yet they vnderstood him not, and ran away as fast as euer they could. and assone as they came to the towne with great outcries, many indians came forth against him, and began to compasse him to shoote at him: iohn ortiz seeing himselfe in so great danger, sheilded himselfe with certaine trees, and began to shreeke out, and crie very loud, and to tell them that he was a christian, and that he was fled from vcita, and was come to see and serue moco?o his lord. it pleased god that at that very instant there came thither an indian that could speake the language and vnderstood him; and pacified the rest; who told them what hee said. then ran from thence three or foure indians to beare the newes to their lord: who came foorth a quarter of a league from the towne to receiue him; and was very glad of him. he caused him presently to sweare according to the custome of the christians, that hee would not run away from him to any other lord: and promised him to entreate him very well; and that if at any time there came any christians into that countrie, he would freely let him goe, and giue him leaue to goe to them: and likewise tooke his oth to performe the same according to the indian custome. moco?o his towne within 2. leagues of the sea. about three yeeres after certaine indians, which were fishing at sea two leagues from the towne, brought newes to moco?o that they had seene ships: and hee called iohn ortiz, and gaue him leaue to go his way: who taking his leaue of him, with all the haste he could came to the sea, and finding no ships, he thought it to be some deceit, and that the cacique had done the same to learne his mind. so he dwelt with moco?o nine yeeres, with small hope of seeing any christians. assoone as our gouernour arriued in florida, it was knowne to moco?o, and straightway he signified to iohn ortiz, that christians were lodged in the towne of vcita: and he thought he had iested with him, as he had done before, and told him, that by this time he had forgotten the christians, and thought of nothing else but to serue him. but he assured him that it was so, and gaue him licence to goe vnto them: saying vnto him, that if hee would not doe it, and if the christians should goe their way, he should not blame him, for hee had fulfilled that which he had promised him. the ioy of iohn ortiz was so great, that he could not beleeue that it was true: notwithstanding he gaue him thankes, and tooke his leaue of him: and moco?o gaue him tenne or eleuen principall indians to beare him companie: and as they went to the port where the gouernour was, they met with baltasar de gallégos, as i haue declared before. paracossi 30. leagues from puerto de spirito santo. assoone as he was come to the campe, the gouernour commanded to giue him a suite of apparell, and very good armour, and a faire horse: and enquired of him, whether hee had notice of any countrie, where there was any gold or siluer: he answered, no, because he neuer went ten leagues compasse from the place where he dwelt: but 30. leagues from thence dwelt an indian lord, which was called parocossi, to whom moco?o and vcita, with al the rest of that coast paied tribute, and that hee peraduenture might haue notice of some good countrie: and that his land was better then that of the sea coast, and more fruitfull and plentifull of maiz. whereof the gouernour receiued great contentment: and said that he desired no more then to finde victuals, that hee might goe into the maine land, for the land of florida, was so large, that in one place or other there could not chuse but bee some rich countrie. the cacique moco?o came to the port to visit the gouernor and made this speech following.

right hie and mightie lord, i being lesser in mine owne conceit for to obey you, then any of those which you haue vnder your command; and greater in desire to doe you greater seruices, doe appeare before your lordship with so much confidence of receiuing fauour, as if in effect this my good will were manifested vnto you in workes: not for the small seruice i did vnto you touching the christian which i had in my power, in giuing him freely his libertie, (for i was bound to doe it to preserue mine honour, and that which i had promised him:) but because it is the part of great men to vse great magnificences: and i am perswaded, that as in bodily perfections, and commanding of good people, you doe exceede all men in the world, so likewise you doe in the parts of the minde, in which you may boast of the bountie of nature. the fauour which i hope for of your lordship is, that you would hold mee for yours, and bethinke your selfe to command me any thing, wherein i may doe you seruice.

the gouernour answereth him, that although in freeing and sending him the christian, he had presented his honour and promise, yet he thanked him, and held it in such esteeme, as it had no comparison; and that hee would alwaies hold him as his brother, and would fauour him in all things to the vtmost of his power. then he commanded a shirt to be giuen him, and other things, where with the cacique being verie well contented, tooke his leaue of him, and departed to his owne towne.