Page:A New Survey of the West Indies or The English American his Travel by Sea and Land.djvu/64

Of our Landing at Vera Crux, othermfe St. Johtf de Ulhua, and of our entertainment there. ? UPon the twelfth day of September* we happily arrived in America'm thatfamousTown called Sr. John &eVlhm $ ©therwife VeraCrttx • famous for that ic was the firft begins ning of the famous Gonqueft of that Valiant and ever re- nowned Conqueror Hernando fcortez» Here firft was that Noble and Generous refolution,- that never heard of Policy, to fink the Ships which had brought the firft Spaniards to thac Continent, greater then any of the other three parts of the World to the intent that they mighfthink of nothing but fucB a Conqucft as after followed, being deftitute of the help of their Ships, and without hopes evermore to return to Cuba¿ Y#catan y or any of thofe parts from whence they had cornea Here it was that the firft five hundred Spaniards ftrengthned themfelves againft millions of enemies, and againft the big- geft fourth part of all the World. Here were the firft Magi- strates, Judges, Aldermen, Officers of Juftice named. The proper name of the Town is St. John de Vlht$a y other- wife called Vera Crux from the old Harbour and Haven oí Vera Crux f fix leagues from this, and fo called^ fjr that upon good Friday it was firft discovered. But the old Vera Crux proving too dangerous an Harbour forShipSj by reafon of the violence of the Northern winds ^ it was utterly forfaken by the Spaniards, who removed to St. Johré 4e Vlhaay where their Ships found the firft fafe Road by reafon of a Rock, which is a ftrong defence againft the winds- And becauíe the memory of the work of that good Friday ihouid never be forgotten, to St. John deVlhna they have added the name alio of Vera Crtix, taken front that firft Haven which was difcovered upon good Friday^ hi