cities and townes which are in this newe kingdome of Granada. And the marchants lade the canoas backe againe from thence with great store of siluer and golde which is gotten out of the mines for Cartagena, and there it is shipped for Spaine. And likewise here is great quantity of treasure laden in the sayd canoas which is for the kings custome and other dueties which are paid: But they are but a moneth or three weekes going downe the riuer to Cartagena. These are the richest mines in all Peru. And thus I rest.
From Santa Fee de Bogota in the new kingdome of Granada in Peru the 10 of May 1590.
The Licentiate Iohn de Labera.
A letter of Hieronymo de Nabares to the licenciat Iohn Alonso dwelling in Valladolid, written from Panama to Siuil the 24 day of August 1590. touching the gainefulnes of the trade to the Philippinas, and the extreme feare they haue of the Englishmen.
Not long agone I wrote to your worship from Panama by the
way of Hauana: giuing you to vnderstand of my being here, and
of the state of these countreys. After I departed from Spaine,
in 37. dayes wee arriued at Cartagena: and from thence I tooke
shipping to goe to Nombre de Dios, which is 80. leagues from
Cartagena: and in 4. dayes wee got thither. And from thence I
went to Panama: where I haue remained these 20. dayes, till the
shippes goe for the Philippinas.
The great profite of the trade to the Philippinas. My meaning is to carie my commodities thither: for it is constantly reported, that for euery hundred ducats a man shall get 600. cleerely. Wee must stay here in Panama from August till it be Christmasse. For in August, September, October and Nouember it is winter here, and extreme foule weather vpon this coast of Peru, and not nauigable to goe to the Philippinas, nor to any place else in the South sea. So that at Christmasse the ships begin to set on their voyage for those places: and then in these parts the summer beginneth with very faire weather, and alwayes we shall haue the windes with vs. For in Iuly vntil October here is terrible thundering and lightening with extreme raines, so that it is not possible to go any way in this countrey. Here are
