there are which as men report the inundation of Niger hath left behinde it Neither are the woods of the said regions altogether destitute of Elephants and other strange beastes whereof we will make relation in their due place What naturall impressions and motions the aire of Africa is subiect vnto and what effects ensue thereupon THroughout the greatest part of Barbarie stormie and cold weather begin commonly about the midst of October But in December and Ianuarie the cold groweth somewhat more sharpe in all places howbeit this happeneth in the morning onely but so gently and remissely that no man careth greatly to warme himselfe by the fire Februarie somewhat mitigateth the cold of winter but that so inconstantly that the weather changeth sometime fiue and sometime sixe times in one day In March the north and west windes vsually blowe which cause the trees to be adorned with blossoms In Aprill all fruits attaine to their proper forme and shape insomuch that cherries are commonly ripe about the end of Aprill and the beginning of May_In the midst of May they gather their figs and in mid-Iune their grapes are ripe in many places Likewise their peares their sweete quinces and their damascens attaine vnto sufficient ripenes in the moneths of Iune and Iulie Their figs of Autumne may be gathered in August howbeit they neuer haue so great plentie of figs and peaches as in September By the midst of August they vsually begin to drie their grapes in the sun where of they make reisins Which if they cannot finish in September by reason of vnseasonable weather of their grapes as then vngathered they vse to make wine and must especially in the prouince of Rifa as we will in due place signifie more at large In the midst of October they take in their honie and gather their pomegranates and quinces In Nouember they gather their oliues not climing vp with ladders nor plucking them with their hands according to the custome of Europe for the trees of Mauritania and Caesarea are so tal that no ladder is long ynongh to reach vnto the fruit And therefore their oliues being full ripe they clime the trees beating them off the boughes with certaine long poles albeit they know this kinde of beating to be most hurtfull vnto the saide trees Sometimes they haue great plentie of oliues in Africa and sometimes as great scarcitie Certaine great oliue-trees there are the oliues whereof are eaten ripe by the inhabitants because they are not so fit for oile No yeere falles out to be so vnseasonable but that they haue three monethes in the spring alwaies temperate They begin their spring vpon the fifteenth day of Februarie accounting the eighteenth of May for the ende thereof all which time they haue most pleasant weather But if from the fiue and twentith of Aprill to the fifth of May they haue no raine fall they take it as a signe of ill lucke And the raine-water which falleth all the time aforesaid they call Naisan that is water blessed of God Some store it vp in vessels most religiously keeping it as an holy thing Their summer lasteth till the sixteenth of August all which time they haue most hot and cleere weather Except perhaps some showers of raine fall in Iuly and August which doe so infect the aire that great plague and most pestilent feuers ensue thereupon with which plague whosoeuer is infected most hardly escapeth death Their Autumne they reckon from the 17. of August to the 16. of Nouember hauing commonly in the moneths of August and September not such extreme heate as before Howbeit all the time betweene the 15. of August and the 15. of September is called by them the furnace of the whole yeere for that it bringeth figs quinces and such kinde of fruits to their full maturitie From the 15. of Nouember they begin their winter-season continuing the same till the 14. day of Februarie So soone as winter commeth they begin to till their ground which lieth in the plaines but vpon the mountaines they goe to plough in October The Africans are most certainly perswaded that euery yeere containeth fortie extreme hot daies beginning vpon the 12. of Iune and againe so many daies extreme colde beginning from the 12. of December Their Aequinoctia are vpon the 16. of March and the 16. of September For their Solstitia they account the 16. of Iune and the 16. of December These rules they doe most strictly obserue as well in husbandrie and nauigation as in searching out the houses and true places of the planets and these instructions with other such like they teach their yoong children first of all Many countrie-people and husbandmen there be in Africa who knowing as they say neuer a letter of the booke will notwithstanding most learnedly dispute of Astrologie alleage most profoūd reasons arguments for themselues But whatsoeuer skill they haue in the art of Astrologie they first learned the same of the Latines yea they giue those very names vnto their moneths which the Latines do Moreouer they haue extāt among them a certaine great booke diuided into three volumes which they call The treasurie or storehouse of husbandrie This booke was then translated out of Latine into their toong when Mansor was Lord of Granada In the said Treasurie are all things contained which may seeme in any wise to concerne husbandrie as namely the changes and varietie of times the maner of sowing with a number of such like particulars which I thinke at this day the Latine toong it selfe whereout these things were first translated doth not containe Whatsoeuer either the Africans or the Mahumetans haue which seemeth to appertaine in any wise to their law or religion they make their computation thereof altogether according to the course of the moone Their yeere is diuided into 354. daies for vnto sixe moneths they allot 30. daies and vnto the other sixe but 29 all which being added into one summe doe produce the number aforesaid wherefore their yeere differeth eleuen daies from the yeere of the Latines They haue at diuers times festiuall daies and fasts About the ende of Autumne for all winter and a great part of the spring they are troubled with boisterous windes with haile with terrible thunder and lightening yea then it snoweth much in some places of Barbarie The easterne southerne and southeasterne windes blowing in May and Iune doe very much hurt there for they spoile the corne and hinder the fruit from comming to ripenes Their corne likewise is greatly appaired by snow especially such as falleth in the day-time when it beginneth to flower Vpon the mountaines of Atlas they diuide the yeere into two parts onely for their winter continueth from October to Aprill and from Aprill to October they account it summer neither is there any day throughout the whole yeere wherein the tops of those mountaines are not couered with snowe In Numidia the yeere runneth away very swiftly for they reape their
christall water falling into a cesterne within the porch at each corner of the saide porch standeth the image of a leopard framed of white marble which is naturally adorned with certaine blacke spots this kinde of particoloured marble is no where to be founde but onely in a certaine place of Atlas which is about an hundreth fiftie miles distant from Maroco Not farre from the garden stands a certaine woode or parke walled round about And here I thinke no kinde of wilde beasts are wanting for heere you may behold elephants lions stagges roes and such like howbeit the lions are separated in a certaine place from other beasts which place euen to this day is called The lions den Wherefore such monuments of antiquity as are yet extant in Maroco albeit they are but few do not withstanding sufficiently argue what a noble citie it was in the time of Mansor At this present al the courts and lodgings before described lie vtterly voide and desolate except perhaps some of the kings ostlery which tend his mules and horses do lie in that court which we saide euen now was to lodge archers and crossebowe-men all the residue are left for the fowles of the aire to nestle in That garden which you might haue named a paradise in olde time is now become a place where the filth and dung of the whole citie is cast foorth Where the faire and stately librarie was of old at this present there is nothing else to be founde but hens dooues and other such like foules which builde their nests there Certaine it is that the foresaid Mansor whom we haue so often mentioned was a most puissant and mightie prince for it is well knowen that his dominion stretched from the towne of Messa to the kingdome of Tripolis in Barbary which is the most excellent region of Africa and so large that a man can hardly trauell the length therof in fourescore ten daies or the bredth in fifteene This Mansor likewise was in times past Lord of all the kingdome of Granada in Spaine Yea his dominion in Spaine extended from Tariffa to Aragon ouer a great part of Castilia and of Portugall Neither did this Iacob surnamed Mansor only possesse the foresaid dominiōs but also his grandfather Abdul Mumen his father Ioseph his sonne Mahumet Enasir who being vanquished in the kingdome of Valençia lost 60000. soldiers horsemen footemen howbeit himselfe escaped returned to Maroco The Christians being encouraged with this victorie refrained not from warre till within 30. yeeres space they had woon all the townes following to wit Valençia Denia Alcauro Murcia Cartagena Cordoua Siuillia Iaen and Vbeda After which vnhappie warre succeeded the decay of Maroco The said Mahumet deceasing left behinde him ten sonnes of a full and perfect age who contended much about the kingdome Hereupon it came to passe while the brethren were at discord and assailed each other with mutuall warres that the people of Fez called Marini and the inhabitants of other regions adiacent began to vsurpe the gouernment The people called Habdulvad enioyed Tremizen expelling the king of Tunis and ordaining some other whom they pleased in his stead Now haue you heard the end of Mansor his progenie and successors The kingdome therefore was translated vnto one Iacob the sonne of Habdulach who was the first king of the familie called Marin And at length the famous citie of Maroco it selfe by reason of the Arabians continuall outrages fell into most extreme calamitie so great is the inconstancie of all earthly things That which we haue here reported as touching Maroco partly we saw with our owne eies partly we read in the historie of one Ibnu 〈◊〉 Malich a most exact chronicler of the affaires of Maroco and partly we borrowed out of that treatise which our selues haue written concerning the law of Mahumet Of the towne of Agmet THE towne of Agmet built of old by the Africans vpon the top of a certaine hill which beginneth almost from Atlas is distant from Maroco about fower and twentie miles In times past when Muachidin was prince thereof it contained moe then sixe thousand families at what time the people were very ciuill and had such plentie and magnificence of all things that many would not sticke to compare this towne with the citie of Maroco It had on all sides most 〈◊〉 gardens and great store of vines whereof 〈◊〉 grew vpon the mountaine it selfe and others on the valley By the foote of this hill runneth a faire riuer which springing foorth of Atlas falleth at length into Tensift The field which lieth neere vnto this riuer is said to be so fruitfull that it yeeldeth euery yeere fiftie fold encrease The water of this riuer looketh alwaies white albeit if a man stedfastly behold the said riuer it may seeme vnto him in colour to resemble the soile of Narnia or the riuer Niger of Vmbria in Italie And 〈◊〉 there are which affirme that the very same riuer runneth vnder ground to Maroco and not to breake foorth of the earth till it come to a certaine place very neere vnto the said citie 〈◊〉 princes in times past being desirous to know the hidden and intricate passages of the said riuer sent certaine persons into the hollow caue who the better to discerne the same carried candles and torches with them But hauing proceeded a little way vnder ground there met them such a flaw of winde that blew out their lights and perforce draue them backe to the great hazard of their liues so that they said they neuer felt the like They affirme likewise that the riuer being full of rocks which the water driueth to and fro and by reason of the manifold chanels and streames their passage was altogether hindred Wherefore that secret remaineth vnknowne euen till this day neither is there any man so hardie as to attempt the same enterprise againe I remember that I read in some histories that king Ioseph which built Maroco being forewarned by the coniecture of a certaine astrologer that the whole region should perpetually be vexed with warre prouided by arte-magique that the passage of this riuer should alwaies bee vnknowen least if any enimie should afterward practise 〈◊〉 he might cut off the course thereof from the saide citie Neere vnto this riuer lies the common high way which crosseth ouer mount Atlas to Guzula aregion of Maroco Howbeit the citie of Agmet which I haue now described vnto you hath at this day no other inhabitants but woolues foxes deere and such other wilde beasts Except onely at my being there I found a certaine Hermite who was attended vpon by an hundred persons of his owne sect all of them were well-horsed and did their best endeuour to become gouernours and commanders but their forces were insufficient With this Hermite I staide as I remember for the space of tenne daies and founde one amongst his followers with whom I had old 〈◊〉 and familiaritie
the bodie of our Lord vnder a small morsell of bread But such as are growen to yeeres of discretion before they come vnto the Lords holy supper do make confession and receiue absolution of all their sinnes from the priest Then doe they all betimes in the morning both clergie and laytie receiue the whole sacrament of the bodie and true blood of Iesus Christ in their churches Which being receiued they may not vnder paine of grieuous punishment so much as once spit till the going downe of the sunne Popish confirmation and vnction they neither esteeme for sacraments nor vse them The Pope of Rome either in regard of errour and ignorance or to win his fauour they acknowledge to be head of the church and doe pretend a kinde of obedience to the sea of Rome Albeit that the Pope before the Portugals discouerie of the east Indies could neuer communicate any assistance vnto them nor yet since that time by reason of the huge distance almost of fifteene thousand miles For so many miles the ambassadour which was sent out of Portugall to Ethiopia said that he had trauailed It is nothing so long a iourney through Egypt Troglodytica and Barnagasso but that the way through those countries is stopped by the 〈◊〉 of the Turkes Howbeit Queene Helena and after her king Dauid seeme onely to haue sought and desired some coniunction with the Roman church and the Christians of Europe to the end that with their powers and forces vnited they might assaile and vanquish the Mahumetans being most deadly enimies to the Christian name Moreouer these Ethiopick Christians do vse to fast vpon certaine daies of the weeke till sun set as namely vpon Wednesdaies to renue the sadde memorie of the Iewes councell wherein they decreed to crucifie our Redeemer and vpon Fridaies that they may with thankfull mindes acknowledge his most bitter passion and death Likewise the day of Good Fridaie whereon our blessed Sauiour was nailed to the crosse they celebrate with great deuotion especially towards the euening Vnto these they adde a Lent of fortie daies wherein they liue onely by bread and water The feasts both of Christ of the virgine Marie and of certaine Saints they keepe holie vpon which daies meeting in their churches three houres after sunne-rising they read the bookes of the Prophets and emploie themselues in holy exercises They sanctifie the Sabaoth in 〈◊〉 of the Iewes and keepe holy the Lords day according to the apostles institution On both these daies they worship God by performing things holie and eschuing matters prophane Into their churches they may not come but barefoote onely neither is it there lawfull for any man to walke vp and downe nor to talke of worldly affaires nor to spit nor cough The chiefe vse of the law they say is to shew vs our sinnes neither do they thinke any man liuing able to performe the same but onely Iesus Christ who fulfilled it on our behalfe The Saints they loue indeed and reuerence but doe not pray vnto them Vnto the blessed virgine Marie the mother of Christ they ascribe great honour but neither do they adore her nor craue assistance at her hands They haue euery day one masse onely and that a short one in stead of a sacrifice but gaines thereby they make none at all Neither do they eleuate or holde vp the sacrament of the supper as the masse-priests do nor applie the same to redeeme dead mens soules from the paines of purgatorie Howbeit that there is a place of purgatorie they do not denie Wherefore their dead are buried with crosses and supplications and especially with the rehearsall of the beginning of Saint Iohns Gospell Then the day following they offer almes for them and vpon certaine daies after they adde funerall-banquets supposing that vpon Sabaoths and the Lords daies they which died godly are freed from all torments in Purgatorie and at length hauing receiued the full measure of chastisement for their sinnes that then they go into eternall rest For the effecting whereof they do not thinke any indulgences of their 〈◊〉 but onely the meere mercy and grace of God to be auaileable Mariage is no lesse permitted to their clergie and priests then to their laie-people yet so that his first wife being dead a priest cannot marry another without the Patriarkes dispensation Whosoeuer keepeth a concubine is debarred from all sacred administrations And whatsoeuer bishop or clergie-man is found to haue a bastard he is vtterly depriued of holy orders and of all his benefices and spirituall dignities Mariages are often solemnized without the church a bed being placed before the house of the bride and the bridegroome Then come three priests who going thrise about the bridegromes bed sing with a loud voice Halleluiah and other things This done they cut one locke of haire from the bridegroomes head and another from the head of the bride which they wash in wine made of hony and then putting vpon either of their heads the others lock they sprinkle them with a kinde of holy-water and so depart Which being performed the mariage-feast beginneth and holdeth on till the night be far spent At length the bride and bridegroom are brought vnto their owne house out of which neither of them may go forth for the space of an whole moneth after In some places they are maried in the church by the patriarke himselfe Where the mariage-bed standing in manner aforesaid the patriarke with sweet incense and crosses walketh thrise about it and then turning himselfe towards them he layeth his hand vpon the bridegroomes head saying Do that which god hath commanded in his gospel and thinke now that you are not two but one flesh Hauing spoken these words he administreth the communion vnto them and blesseth them Polygamie or many wiues at once are permitted by the emperour and ciuill magistrate vnto the Ethiopians but in their churches there is no place at all for such as haue more wiues then one Neither may any such persons presume to enter into their churches but are held as excommunicate and are not receiued into the congregation before hauing put away all the residue of their wiues they betake themselues to one onely Diuorcements they vse very commonlie and often vpon light occasions except onely the priests who may by no meanes depart from their wiues Whereby it appeareth that their priests approue not that inconstancie in a matter of so great moment The best remedy which they haue to preuent this mischiefe is at the daye of mariage to alotte some great penalty vpon that person which shall first forsake the other Amongst them likewise according to the law of Moses brothers vse to marry their brothers wiues to raise vp seede vnto them Howbeit this abuse of mariage is not practised by all but onely by the mightier sort For the country-people and those of poorer condition being euery one contented with his owne wife do so painefully employ themselues about their labour and the
briefe iournall of his trauels you may see in the end of his eight booke what he writeth for himselfe Wherefore saith he if it shall please God to vouchsafe me longer life I purpose to describe all the regions of Asia which I haue trauelled to wit Arabia Deserta Arabia Petrea Arabia Felix the Asian part of Egypt Armenia and some part of Tartaria all which countries I sawe and passed through in the time of my youth Likewise I will describe my last voiages from Constantinople to Egypt and from thence vnto Italy c. Besides all which places he had also beene at Tauris in Persia and of his owne countrey and other African regions adioining and remote he was so diligent a traueller that there was no kingdome prouince signorie or citie nor scarcelie any towne village mountaine valley riuer or forrest c. which he left vnuisited And so much the more credite and commendation descrueth this woorthy Historie of his in that it is except the antiquities and certaine other incidents nothing else but a large Itinerarium or Iournal of his African voiages neither describeth he almost any one particular place where himselfe had not sometime beene an eie-witnes But not to forget His conuersion to Christianitie amidst all these his busie and dangerous trauels it pleased the diuine prouidence for the discouery and manifestation of Gods woonderfull works and of his dreadfull and iust iudgements performed in Africa which before the time of Iohn Leo were either vtterly concealed or vnperfectly and fabulously reported both by ancient and late writers to deliuer this author of ours and this present Geographicall Historie into the hands of certaine Italian Pirates about the isle of Gerbi situate in the gulfe of Capes betweene the cities of Tunis and Tripolis in Barbarie Being thus taken the Pirates presented him and his Booke vnto Pope Leo the tenth who esteeming of him as of a most rich and inualuable prize greatly reioiced at his arriuall and gaue him most kinde entertainement and liberall maintenance till such time as he had woone him to be baptized in the name of Christ and to be called Iohn Leo after the Popes owne name And so during his abode in Italy learning the Italian toong he translated this booke thereinto being before written in Arabick Thus much of Iohn Leo. Now let vs acquaint you with the Historie it selfe First therefore from so woorthy an author how could an historie proceed but of speciall woorth and consequence For proofe whereof I appeale vnto the translations thereof into Latine Italian Spanish French English and if I be not deceiued into some other languages which argue a generall 〈◊〉 of the same I appeale also to the grand and most iudiciall Cosmographer Master Iohn Baptista Ramusius sometime Secretarie to the state of Venice who in the Preface to his first volume of voiages so highly commendeth it to learned Fracastoro and placeth it euery word in the very forefront of his discourses as the principal most praise-woorthy of thē all And were renoumed Ortelius aliue I would vnder correction report me to him whether his map of Barbarie and Biledulgerid as also in his last Additament that of the kingdomes of Maroco and Fez were not particularly and from point to point framed out of this present relation which he also in two places at the least preferreth farre before all other histories written of Africa But to leaue the testimonies of others and to come neerer to the matter it selfe like as our prime and peerelesse English Antiquarie master William Camden in his learned Britannia 〈◊〉 exactly described England Scotland Ireland and the isles adiacent the which by Leander for 〈◊〉 by Damianus a Goez briefly for Spaine by Belforest for France by Munster for vpper Germanie by Guiccardini for the Netherlandes and by others for other countries hath beene performed so likewise this our author Iohn Leo in the historie ensuing hath so largely particularly and methodically deciphered the countries of Barbarie Numidia Libya The land of Negros and the hither part of Egypt as I take it neuer any writer either before or since his time hath done For if you shall throughly consider him what kingdome prouince citie towne village mountaine vallie riuer yea what temple college hospitall bath-stoue Inne or what other memorable matter doth he omit So doth he most iudicially describe the temperature of the climate and the nature of the soile as also the dispositions manners rites customes and most ancient pedigrees of the inhabitants togither with the alterations of religion and estate the conquests and ouerthrowes of the Romaines Goths and Arabians and other things by the way right woorthie the obseruation So that the Africans may iustly say to him and the English to master Camden as the prince of Roman oratours did vnto Marcus Varro the learnedst of his nation Nos in patria nostra peregrinantes errantesque tanquam hospites tui libri quasi domum deduxerunt vt possemus aliquando qui vbi essemus agnoscere Tuaetatem patriae tu descriptiones temporum tu sacrorum iura tu domesticam tu bellicam disciplinam tu sedem regionum locorum c. Which may thus be rudely 〈◊〉 Wandring vp and downe like Pilgrimes in our owne natiue soile thy bookes haue as it were led vs the right way home that we might at length acknowledge both who and where we are Thou hast reuealed the antiquitie of our nation the order of times the rites of our religion our manner of gouernment both in peace and warre yea thou hast described the situations of countries and places c. Now as concerning the additions before and after this Geographicall Historie hauing had some spare-howers since it came first vnder the presse I thought good both for the Readers satisfaction and that Iohn Leo might not appeere too solitarie vpon the stage to bestowe a part of them in collecting and digesting the same The chiefe scope of this my enterprize is to make a briefe and cursorie description of all those maine lands and isles of Africa which mine author in his nine bookes hath omitted For he in very deed leaueth vntouched all those parts of the African continent which lie to the south of the fifteene kingdomes of Negros and to the east of Nilus For the manifestation whereof I haue as truely as I could coniecture in the mappe adioined to this booke caused a list or border of small prickes to be engrauen which running westward from the mouth of Nilus to The streights of Gibraltar and from thence southward to the coast of Guinie and then eastward to the banks of Nilus and so northward to the place where it began doth with aduantage include all places treated of by Leo and excludeth the residue which by way of Preface we haue described before the beginning of his African historie Likewise at the latter end I haue put downe certaine relations of the great Princes of Africa and of the Christian
interior Mauritania Tingitana the most rich and beautifull couutrey of Africa so named of the citie Tingis which we at this day call Tanger was sometimes also as Plinie witnesseth called Borgundiana moreouer others haue called it by the names of Mauritania Sitiphensis Hispania Transfretana and Hispania Tingitana but Solinus termeth the same Mauritania inferior The inhabitants were of old named by the Graecians Maurusij and by the Romaines Mauri but the Spaniards at this present terme them Alarabes In this part of Africa are now contained two stately kingdomes namely the kingdome of Maroco 〈◊〉 the kingdome of Fez both which are enuironed with the mountaines of Atlas the Ocean and the Mediterran seas and to the east with the riuer of Muluia Mauritania Caesariensis named according to the citie of Caesaria which was so called after the name of Claudius Caesar at this present bearing the name of Tiguident or Tegdemt which worde in the Arabian toong signifieth ancient was by Victor Vticensis termed Mauritania maior by Strabo Massilia and Massaesilia and the inhabitants thereof by Plinie Massaesuli At this present it containeth the kingdome of Tremizen as Dominias Niger and Giraua are of opinion Numidia the ancient called in the time of Ptolomey The new but by the Greekes as Plinie testifieth Metagonitis and the inhabitants thereof Numidae and Nomades is that region which lieth betweene The great riuer and the riuer Megerada ouer which countrey king Masinissa bare rule It containeth now as I coniecture the prouinces of Bugia Constantina Bona and Mezzab Howbeit at this present we vnderstande by Numidia that region which lieth betweene the mountaines of Atlas and the Libyan deserts called by Iohn Leo and Marmolius Biledulgerid or the lande of Dates bicause this is the onely region for plentie of Dates in all Africa Africa propria situate vpon the Mediterran sea betweene the regions of old Numidia and the Cyrene is called by Plinie Zeugitania who diuideth it into the ancient and the new At this present it is the kingdome of Tunis for it containeth Byzacium which by Strabo is accounted a part of Africa propria The head of this prouince in times past was Carthage whereof at this present there are nothing but ruines extant Cyrene or Cyrenaica by Plinie called Pentapolis and by the Hebrews Lebahim is esteemed by Giraua to be at this present called Corene and by Andrew Theuet Assadib but Iohn Leo and Marmolius name it Mesrata Marmarica is called by Plinie Mareotis and Libya howbeit at this present the desert of Barcha described by Iohn Leo in his sixt booke containeth a great part of Cyrenaica and all Marmarica But Libya propria retaineth till this present the name of Libya and is that part which the Arabians call Sarra which worde signifieth a desert Both the ancient Ethiopias are now possessed by the Abassins vnder the dominion of Prete Ianni Egypt retaineth euen till this day the ancient name The best moderne diuision of Africa for these our times is to adde vnto the foure general partes Barbaria Numidia Libya and the land of Negros set downe by Iohn Leo three other generall partes to wit Egypt the inner or the vpper Ethiopia containing Troglodytica Nubia and the empire of Prete Ianni and the lower or the extreme Ethiopia stretching from the said empire along the sea-coast and through the Inland euen to the Cape of Buena Esperança Thus much of Africa in generall Now it remaineth that we briefly describe in particular all the principall maine landes and islands vndescribed by Iohn Leo which thereto belong or adioyne beginning first with the Red sea one of the chiefe limites of Africa and from thence shaping our course along the easterne or farthest quarters thereof through the dominions of Prete Ianni the lande of Zanguebar the empires of Mohenemuge and Monomotapa and the region of Cafraria and then hauing doubled the cape of Buena esperança range we along the westerne partes by the kingdomes of Angola Congo Anzichi Benin Ghinea and by the capes of Sierra Leona Capo verde and the castle of Arguin till we haue brought our selues to finish our course vpon the most southwesterne partes of Barbarie from whence our author Iohn Leo beginneth his A particular description of all the knowne borders coastes and inlands of Africa which Iohn Leo hath left vndescribed collected out of sundry ancient and late writers Of the red sea THe red sea called by others the Arabian gulfe and the streight of Mecha containing in length twelue hundred miles and in bredth but one hundred is deuided into three partitions or chanels the middlemost whereof being called The large or deepe sea is without danger nauigable both day and night because it hath from fiue and twentie to fiftie fathomes water especially from the isle of Camaran euen to Suez stāding at the very bottome of the gulfe the other two partitions which are the easterne and westerne extremities are incumbred with so manie little isles and rockes as it is impossible to saile ouer them but onely by day-light and with most expert pilots which are to be hired at a small island lying ouerthwart the very mouth or entrance of the red sea which the ancient kings of Egypt if the report of Strabo be true barred with a chaine from the African to the Arabian side This sea is very skarce of fish perhaps because there fall no riuers thereinto which with their fresh and sweete waters doe much delight and nourish the fish and the strand or shore thereof is destitute of all greene grasse herbes or weedes The portes and hauens of this sea are for the most part very dangerous and difficult to enter by reason of the manifold windings and turnings which must be made to auoide the rockes At the very head or North end of this gulfe standeth Suez which heretofore seemeth to haue bin called Ciuitas Heroum and in the times of Dauid and Salomon Hazion-Geber from whence the fleetes of those partes were sent to Ophir for golde and other rich commodities Vnder the Egyptian Ptolemeys and the Romans this towne flourished exceedingly by reason of the infinite quantitie of merchandize brought thither from the east Indies and Arabia But now it is nothing so frequented partly in regard of the mighty concurse and traffique which Mecha draweth vnto it selfe and partly by reason of the Portugales conueiance of spices and other Indian commodities about the cape of Buena esperança At this present the great Turke hath there an Arsenale with certaine gallies for feare of the Portugals aforesaid against whome there haue bin dispatched from this place two greate fleetes one for the assailing of 〈◊〉 and another for Ormuz Howbeit because all the countries round about are vtterly destitute of wood it is a matter of infinite charge to furnish foorth a fleete from hence for they are constrained to fetch their timber as far as Caramania partly by sea and partly vpon
of artificers and merchants Vpon this mountaine dwelleth one called Sidi Heli Berrased being lord ouer many mountaines This Sidi Heli brought some ciuilitie into this mountaine rebelled against the king of Fez and maintained continuall warre against the Portugals The inhabitants of the villages of this and the foresaid mountaines are free from all taxation and tribute bicause 〈◊〉 serue vnder their captaine as well for horsemen as for 〈◊〉 Come heere groweth small store but great plentie of flaxe There are 〈◊〉 woods and many fountaines vpon this hill and the inhabitants go all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of mount Beni Gebara THis mountaine is very steepe and of a woonderfull height out of the foote whereof spring certaine riuers Vines and figges here are great store but no corne at all and the inhabitants weare most base attire They haue abundance of goats oxen of so little a stature that a man would take them to be calues of halfe a yeere olde Euery weeke they haue a market being furnished with very few commodities Hither doe the merchants of Fez resort and the muletters or carriers which conueie fruits out of this mountaine vnto Fez. In times past it was subiect vnto a certaine prince of the king of Fez his kinred and there were collected out of this mountaine almost two thousand ducates of yeerely tribute Of mount Beni Ierso THis mountaine in times past was exceedingly well peopled Heere was likewise a faire colledge built wherein the Mahumetan lawe was publikely taught for which cause the inhabitants were freed from all tributes and exactions Afterward a certaine tirant being assisted by the king of Fez made this mountaine to become tributarie vnto him but first he put the inhabitants to flight and then destroied the colledge wherein were founde bookes woorth more then fowre thousand ducates and the learned and famous men he cruelly put to the sword This was done in the 918. yeere of the Hegeira which was in the yeere of our Lord 1509. Of mount Tezarin THis mountaine called by the inhabitants Tezarin standeth neer vnto the foresaid Beni Ierso aboundeth greatly with fountaines deserts vineyards Vpon the top thereof stand diuers ancient buildings which so farre foorth as I can coniecture were erected by the Romains And here as is before signified certaine fond people continually search in caues and holes of the earth for the Romains treasure All the inhabitants of this mountaine are most ignorant people and greatly oppressed with exactions Of mount Beni Busibet THis is a most cold mountaine and therefore it yeeldeth neither corne nor cattell both by reason of the extreme coldnes and the barrennes thereof Moreouer the leaues of the trees are not fit for goates to feede vpon They haue so great plentie of nuts that they abundantly furnish the citie of Fez and all other neighbour cities and townes therewith All their grapes are blacke whereof they make a certaine pleasant meate called Zibibbo They make likewise great store of must and wine They are clad in certaine woollen clokes or mantles such as are vsed in Italy these mantles haue certaine hoods which couer their heads and visages so that you can scarce discerne them to be men and they are particoloured with blacke and white spots In winter the merchants that resort vnto this mountaine to carrie away nuts and raisins vnto Fez can scarce finde any meate to eate for there is neither corne nor flesh but onely onions and certaine salt fishes which are extreme deere They vse likewise to eate sodden must and beanes dressed after their manner and this is the daintiest fare that this mountaine can affoord and their sodden must they eate with much bread Of mount Beni Gualid IT is an exceeding high and steepe hill and the inhabitants are very rich for of their blacke grapes they make the foresaid meate called Zibibbo Almonds figges and oliues they haue in great abundance neither pay they any tribute vnto the king of Fez but onely each family one fourth part of a ducate to the end they may haue free libertie to buie and sell in Fez market And if any citizen of Fez doth them any wrong when they take him or anie of his kinred in their mountaine they will not suffer him to returne home to Fez till sufficient recompence be made These people go decently apparelled and they haue a priuilege granted that whatsoeuer persons are banished out of Fez may freely remaine in their mountaine yea they will bestow their liuing gratìs vpon such banished persons so long as they continue amongst them And doubtles if this mountaine were subiect vnto the king of Fez it would affoord him yeerely for tribute sixe thousand ducates for it containeth mo then sixe hundreth rich families Of mount Merniza THis mountaine standèth iust by the former the inhabitants being endued with the same nobilitie libertie and wealth that the people of the former are endued with The women of this mountaine for any light iniurie offered by their husbands leauing foorthwith their saide husbands and children will depart vnto some other mountaine and seeke them newe paramours fit for their humor For which cause they are at continuall warre one with another neither will they be reconciled till he that is last possessed of the woman pay her former husband all such money as he spent in the solemnizing of her marriage and for this purpose they haue certaine iudges that make their poore clients spend almost all their whole substance Of mount Haugustian IT is an exceeding high and a cold mountaine containing great store of springs and abundance of vines bearing blacke grapes togither with plentie of figs of honie and of quinces howbeit the sweetest and fairest quinces grow vpon a plaine at the foote of the hill Likewise they are well stored with oile and are free from all tribute and yet there is not one of them but in token of a thankefull minde will sende great gifts vnto the king of Fez hence it is that they may freely and securely traffique with the people of Fez of whom they buie great store of corne wooll and cloth They are most ciuilly and decently apparelled especially such as dwell vpon the principall part of this mountaine who are most of them either merchants or artificers and a great many of them gentlemen Of Mount Beni Iedir THis is a great and well peopled mountaine but it yeeldeth nought but grapes whereof they vse to make the foresaid Zibibbo and wines The inhabitants were in times past free from all tribute howbeit in regard of their daily robberies and outrages committed against other people the gouernour of Bedis being aided with some souldiers of Fez subdued them all and depriued them of their libertie in this mountaine there are about fiftie farmes or granges which scarcely pay fower hundred ducates for tribute Of Mount Lucai THis mountaine is of a wonderfull height and verie difficult to ascend The inhabitants are exceeding rich hauing great abundance of raisins figs almonds oyle
vnto Tunis standeth another high and colde mountaine called Zagoan inhabitants heere are none at all but a fewe that tende the Bee-hiues and gather some quantitie of barly Vpon the toppe of this mountaine the Romaines built certaine forts the ruines whereof are yet to be seene hauing 〈◊〉 engrauen vpon them in Latine letters From this mountaine vnto Carthage water is conueighed by certaine passages vnder the ground Of the mountaines of Beni Tefren and Nufusa THese high and colde mountaines are distant from the desert from Gerbi and from Asfacus almost thirtie miles and yeelde very small store of barly The inhabitants being valiant and renouncing the law of Mahumet do follow the doctrine of the patriarke of Cairaoan in most points neither is there any other nation among the Arabians that obserue the same doctrine In Tunis and other cities these people earne their liuing by most base occupations neither dare they openly professe their religion Of mount Garian THis high and cold mountaine containing in length fortie in bredth fifteene miles and being separated from other mountaines by a sandie desert is distant from Tripolis almost fiftie miles It yeeldeth great plentie of barly and of dates which vnlesse they be spent while they are new will soone prooue rotten Heere are likewise abundance of oliues Wherefore from this mountaine vnto Alexandria and other cities there is much oile conueighed There is not better saffron to be found in any part of the worlde besides which in regard of the goodnesse is solde very deere For yeerely tribute there is gathered out of this mountaine threescore thousand ducates and as much saffron as fifteene mules can carrie They are continually oppressed with the exactions of the Arabians and of the king of Tunis They haue certaine base villages vpon this mountaine Of mount Beni Guarid THis mountaine being almost an hundred miles distant from Tripolis is inhabited with most valiant stout people which liue at their owne libertie and are at continual war with the people of the next mountaines of the Numidian desert Of the castle called Casr Acmed THis castle builte vpon the Mediterran sea by a captaine which came with an armie into Africa standeth not farre from Tripolis and was at the last laide waste by the Arabians Of the castle of 〈◊〉 THe castle of Subeica erected about the same time when the Mahumetans came into Africa was in times past wel furnished with inhabitants being afterward destroied by the Arabians and nowe it 〈◊〉 a fewe fishers onely Of the Castle called Casr Hessin THis castle was founded by the Mahumetans vpon the Mediterran sea and was afterward destroyed by the Arabians Here endeth the fifth booke IOHN LEO HIS SIXTH BOOKE OF the Historie of Africa and of the memorable things contained therein Of the village called Gar. HAuing hitherto intreated of the mountaines it now remaineth that we say somewhat as touching 〈◊〉 villages hamlets and territories and afterward we will describe in order the cities of Numidia And first the village of Gar situate vpon the Mediterran sea and abounding with dates offereth it selfe the fields thereto belonging are drie and barren and yet bring they foorth some quantitie of barley for the sustenance of the inhabitants Of Garell Gare. IT is a certaine little territorie or Grange containing caues of a maruellous depth whence they say the stones were taken wherewith olde Tripolis was built because it is not far distant from that citie Of the village of Sarman THis large village standing not farre from old Tripolis aboundeth with dates but no corne will grow there Of the village called Zauiat Ben Iarbuh THis village being situate neer vnto the Mediterran sea yeeldeth great plentie of dates but no corne at all and is inhabited by certaine religious persons Of the village of Zanzor THis village also standing neere vnto the Mediterran sea within twelue miles of Tripolis is inhabited by sundrie artificers and aboundeth with great store of dates pomegranats and peaches The inhabitants haue beene verie miserable euer since Tripolis was taken by the Christians and yet they traffique with the citizens of Tripolis and carrie dates thither to sell. Of the village of Hamrozo IT standeth sixe miles from Tripolis and the gardens there of bring forth great plentie of dates and of all other kinde of fruits Of the plaine of Taiora THis plaine standing two miles eastward of Tripolis containeth many granges exceedingly replenished with dates and other fruits The surprise of Tripolis was verie profitable for this place for then many principall citizens fled hither for refuge The inhabitants being ignorant and rude people and altogither addicted to theft and robberie build their cottages with the boughes of palme-trees Their food is barley bread and Bezin before described all round about are subiect vnto the king of Tunis and the Arabians saue those onely that inhabit vpon this plaine Of the Prouince of Mesellata THis Prouince standing vpon the Mediterran sea about fiue and thirtie miles from Tripolis and being fraught with rich villages castles and inhabitants aboundeth also with great plentie of oliues and dates The inhabitants being free from all forren authoritie haue a Captaine among themselues which gouerneth their common-wealth and fighteth their battles against the Arabians and the soldiers of this Prouince are about 5000. Of the Prouince of Mesrata THis Prouince being situate also vpon the Mediterran sea about an hundreth miles from Tripolis hath manie villages both vpon the plaines and mountaines The inhabitants are rich and pay no tribute at all and exercise traffique with the Venetians resorting to this Prouince with their galleies carrying the Venetian wares to Numidia and there exchanging the same for slaues muske and ciuet which is brought thither out of Ethiopia Of the desert of Barca THis desert beginning at the vtmost frontire of Mesrata and extending eastward as farre as the confines of Alexandria containeth in length a thousand and three hundreth and in bredth about 200. miles It is a rough and vnpleasant place being almost vtterly destitute of water and corne Before the Arabians inuaded Africa this region was void of inhabitants but now certaine Arabians lead here a miserable and hungrie life being a great way distant from all places of habitation neither haue they any corne growing at all But corne and other necessaries are brought vnto them by sea from Sicilia which that euerie of them may purchase they are constrained to lay their sonnes to gage and then goe rob and rifle trauellers to redeeme them againe Neuer did you heare of more cruell and bloodie theeues for after they haue robbed merchants of all their goods and apparell they powre warme milke downe their throats hanging them vp by the heeles vpon some tree and forcing them to cast their gorge wherein the lewd varlets search diligently for gold suspecting that the merchants swallowed vp all their crownes before they entred that dangerous desert Of the citie of Tesset in Numidia IN the
greeue at nothing but you Christians who haue abandoned me In that the knights of Malta onely sent him small succour of powder and shot These Morabites affirme to declare some of their fooleries that when Allé fought he killed ten thousand Christians with one blow of a sworde and that this sword was an hundred cubits long Then there is the foolish and 〈◊〉 sect of Cobtini One of these shewed himselfe not many yeeres sithence in the market places and quarters of Algier mounted on a reed with a bridle and raines of leather giuing the multitude to vnderstand that vpon that horse in one night he rid an hundred leagues and he was for this greatly honored and reuerenced In tract of time there grew amongst the Mahumetans through the vanitie of their law and the incredible variety and difference of opinions great disorders For their sect being not onely wicked and treacherous as we haue declared but also grosse and foolish those that made profession thereof to defend and maintaine it were enforced to make a thousand interpretations and constructions far sometimes from reason and otherwhiles from the expresse words of Mahumet him selfe The Califas endeuoured mightily to reforme this but their prouisions of greatest importance were two For first Moauia this man florished about the yeere of our Lord 770 called an assembly of learned and iudiciall men to establish that which in their sect should be beleeued and to this end he caused all the bookes of Mahumet and his successors to be gathered together But they not agreeing amongst themselues he chose out of them sixe of the most learned and shutting them within an house with the said writings he commaunded them that euery one should make choise of that which seemed best vnto him These men reduced the Mahumetan doctrine into sixe books setting downe the pennaltie of losse of life to them that should otherwise speake or write of the law But because the Arabians gaue their mindes to Philosophie in the vniuersities of Bagdet Fez Maroco and Cordoua and being of piercing and subtile wits they could not but looke into the fopperies of their sect There was added vnto this another prouiso which was a statute that forbad them the studie of Philosophie by meanes of which statute their Vniuersities before most flourishing haue within these fower hundred yeeres daily declined At this day the sects of Mahumetan impietie are distinguished more through the might and power of those nations that follow them then of themselues and the principall nations are fower that is to say Arabians Persians Tartars and Turks The Arabians are most superstitious and zealous The Persians stand more vpon reason and nature The Tartars hold much gentilisine and simplicitie and the Turkes especially in Europe are most of them Libertines and Martialistes The Arabians as they that esteeme it for great glorie that Mahumet was of their nation and buried in Mecca or as others thinke in Medina Talnabi haue laboured with all arte and yet procure to spread their sect ouer the whole world In India they first preuailed with preaching and afterwards with armes Considering that seuen hundred yeeres sithence king Perimal reigning in Malabar they began there to sow this cockle and to bring the Gentiles more easily within their net they tooke and at this daie take their daughters to wife a matter greatly esteemed of them by reason of these mens wealth By this policie and the traffike of spices which yeelded them infinite profite they quickly set foote and fastned it in India They built townes and planted colonies and the first place where they grew to a bodie was Calicut which of a small thing by their concourse and traffike became a mightie citie They drew king Perimal to their sect who at their perswasion resolued to go and end his daies at Mecca and for that purpose he put himselfe onward on the voiage with certaine ships laden with pepper and other precious commodities but a terrible tempest met him in the midst of his course and drowned him in the sea They inhabite in Malabar where two sorts of Arabians or Moores as we may terme them haue more exceedingly increased and preuailed then in any other part of the Indies one is of strangers that arriue there by reason of the traffike of Arabia Cambaia and Persia and the other be those that dayly are borne of a 〈◊〉 father and a mother Gentile or both of father and mother Moores and these who are called Nateani and differ from the other people in person customes and habit make as it were a fourth part of the inhabitants of that countrey From Malabar they went to the Maldiue and Zeilan Here they began to take vpon them the managing of the customs and impositions of cities and townes and by making them greater then in times past they attained to the grace and fauour of the Princes and Lords together with great reputation and authority yea preeminence and superiority ouer the common people and fauouring those who embraced their sect daylie preached and diuulged by the Papassi but holding their hands heauie ouer such as shewed themselues repugnant they incredibly aduanced mahumetisme Afterwards perceiuing themselues strong and mightie both in richesse and followers they seazed on the townes and cities So that at this day they commaund a good part of the Maldiuae and the ports of the most noble iland of Zeilan except that of Columbo where the Portugals haue a fortresse By like stratagem are they become masters of the west part of 〈◊〉 within little 〈◊〉 then these two hundred yeeres first preuailing by trade and commerce then by marriage and affinitie and last of all by armes From hence going forwarde they haue taken into their hands the greatest part of the ports of that large Archipelago of the Luçones Malucos Iauas c. They are Lords of the citie of Sunda in the greater Iaua they enioy the greatest part of the Ilands of Banda and Maluco they raigne in Burneo Gilolo They came once as far as Luçon a most noble Iland and one of the Philippinas had planted therein three colonies On the other side they conquered vpon the firme land first the rich kingdome of Cambaia there established their sect as they did the like in all the places adioining from hence they went to Bengala and became Lords thereof They cut off by little and little from the crowne of Siam the state of Malaca which the Portugals holde at this day as likewise those of Ior and Pam and more then two hundred leagues along the coast Finallie they are entred into the most ample kingdome of China and haue built Moscheas in the same and if the Portugals in India and the Malucos and afterwards the Spaniards in the Philippinas had not met them on the way and with the gospell and armes interrupted their course they would at this instant haue possessed infinite kingdomes of the east yea in this they are so industrious and bould to
church of Saint Marke amidst the ruines of Alexandria and in that of Suez vpon the red sea they obey the Patriarke of Alexandria and affirme themselues to be of the faith of Prete Ianni In our daies two Popes haue attempted to reduce them to the vnion of the Romish church Pius the fourth and Gregorie the thirteenth Pius the fourth in the yeere 1563. sent two Iesuit-priests for this purpose to Cairo who staied there almost a yeere but to no purpose and with great danger of life for one of them was appointed to the fire from which he escaped by meanes of a merchant who with eight hundred crownes pacified the Turkes and caused the priest sodainly to flie away But Pope Gregorie entred into this enterprise with more hope for Paulo Mariani a famous Christian merchant was at the same time in Cairo who for his wisedome magnificence knowledge of toongs and long practise in the affaires of the world ioined with woonderfull eloquence and presence of bodie was in great esteeme and reputation not onely among the Christians but also with the Turkes who equally loued him for his liberality and honored him for his valour This man had conference with the Patriarke of Alexandria about the reconciling of his people to the Romish church whereunto the 〈◊〉 not shewing himselfe difficult or hard to be entreated was contented to call by his letters into those parts two priests of the same order who were then with the Maronites in mount Libanus In the meane while the Pope who was aduertised of al this busines taking the matter quickly in hand wrote vnto the two priests appointing one of them to go directlie to Cairo and the other to returne back to Rome Wherefore in the yeere 1582 in the moneth of October one of the said priests arriuing at Cairo was courteouslie receiued by Mariani and afterwards conducted to the Patriarke who also made shew of great ioy and consolation One might likewise perceiue a reasonable disposition in others who had any authority among the Cofti He aduertised the Pope of all who sent a certaine other priest with one breefe to the Patriarke and an other to the Iesuites wherein he exhorted them to go forward and to bring the vnion whereof so assured hope was conceiued to good effect The Patriarke receiued the breefe with great reuerence he kissed it and according to their custome laide it vpon his head and afterwards demanded what it comprehended the which with great feeling and contentment hauing vnderstood within fewe daies he instituted a Synod of some bishops and certaine other principall persons of the nation Heere the said priests hauing declared vnto them vpon how little ground they who at the first receiued the faith from Saint Marke were sequestred from the western church by the authoritie of one heretike tooke much paines afterward in making them capable of the difference that is betweene a nature and an Hypostasis or person to their exceeding great admiration bicause they were in a manner destitute of all learning For the Patriarke euen from his youth had led his life in the monasterie of Saint Macarius farre not onely from the studies of learning but also from the conuersation of men neither appeered there any greater knowledge in the bishops They had 〈◊〉 any booke of the ancient fathers and yet those they had were all dustie and eaten with mothes That where of they made chiefest account was an old volume being torne and rent which they called The confession of the Fathers full of diuers dreames and fables whereof notwithstanding and of some other Arabicke bookes the priests made speciall good vse for the conuincing of them in their errors Also hauing framed a compendium of most necessarie doctrine they caused diuers copies of the same to be drawne and gaue them to the learned of the Cofti to be considered of who wondring at the strangenes of the things propounded vnto them and not knowing how to answer the arguments of the priestes demaunded time to search their owne writings and to see what opinion their predecessors had held as concerning that point In the meane while they came often to the priests and inquired of them the doctrine and forme of speech vsed in the Romish church Whereupon they shewed them how greatly the same church had euer detested heresies and how seuerely it had condemned the impietie of Nestorius and contrariwise highly esteemed the authoritie of Cyrillus Alexandrinus and the decrees of the first Ephesine Councell Neither bicause it confesseth two natures in Christ ioined in one person without confusion doth it therefore inferre two hypostasis or persons In that a nature and a person are not the selfe same things The which may cleerely be vnderstoode by the deepe mysterie of the holy Trinitie wherein we acknowledge one nature and three Hypostasis or persons We auer therfore that there are two natures in Christ one diuine which he hath eternally from his Father the other humane which he tooke temporally from the immaculate wombe of his mother both of them ioined in one hypostasis or person By these and other like demonstrations they cleered the vnderstandings and confirmed the mindes of the Cofti Howbeit all this notwithstanding the Synod being againe assembled wherein were present the Patriarke fiue bishops diuers abbots of monasteries and thirtie other principall persons they plainly answered the priests that they had turned ouer their Annales writings were resolued in no wise to depart from the doctrine and faith of their predecessors This vnlooked-for answer though it greatly troubled and displeased the priests yet were they determined still to continue and to proceed further in the enterprise Whereupon declaring vnto them againe how farre they were by Dioscorus meanes estranged from the doctrine taught in the Nicen Constantinopolitan and first Ephesine councels grounded on the authoritie of holy Scripture and the ancient Fathers and that to disallow of two natures in Christ was no other but to denie that he was neither true God nor man a matter abhominable not only to their eares but euen to their very vnderstādings they preuailed so much as that the matter was yet deferred off to an other moneth Being therefore congregated the third time it seemed that God himselfe furthered this affaire more then vsually for first with common consent they abrogated the law of circumcision and withall after a disputation of sixe howers continuance it was decreed that as concerning the truth of this point the priests were to be beleeued that there were two natures in Christ and that the Cofti though they auoided the name and title of two natures yet denied they not but that Christ was true man and true God Onely they were warie of the two natures for feare of falling by litle litle into two hypostases Thus this busines being brought to so good a passe was by the ambition and obstinacie of one man vtterly crossed and hindred This was the Vicar or Suffragan to the
riuer springing out of the great lake which being so they must quite separate Monomotapa from the same lake * This place both in regard of the name and situation may seeme to haue been Agysimba mentioned by Ptolemey * Mine author here setteth downe too great a number G. B. B. Rel. vn dell Afr. Part. 1. lib. 2. Os Picos fragosos The kingdome of Matama Angola The siluer-mines of Cabambe Quizama Bahia das 〈◊〉 or the baye of Cowes The six prouinces of Congo S. Saluador the chiefe citie of Congo The great 〈◊〉 of Zaire Crocodiles Water-horses The Zabra The elephant The isle and hauen of Loanda Loango Anzichi Of this long pepper read Ramusius vol. 1. fol. 115. pag. 2. The prouinces of Temian Dauma and 〈◊〉 Grana Paradisi The 〈◊〉 of Mina * Pliny calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sierra 〈◊〉 A factorie of the Portugals The isle of elephants A mightie cataract or fall of Senaga 〈◊〉 vol. 1. fol. 99. 〈◊〉 The isle of Camaran Dalaqua Mua 〈◊〉 The isle hauen and citie of Suaquen * Or vermillion Two townes of the Portugales in Socotora The two sisters Isles which are not inhabited Concerning the isles of Mōbaça Quiloa Moçambique read more at large in the discourse of Zanguebar before set downe whereas 〈◊〉 thought it 〈◊〉 to intreat of them being as it were certaine fragments of the maine hauing large territories therof subiect vnto them Plentie of Ambergrise The isles of Ascension * Concerning this isle read more at large in the description of Congo * Or perhaps Pouaçaon which as I coniecture may be all one with Poblacion in Spanish which signifieth a Colonie or towne Seuentie Ingenios in San Tomé This towne was taken by sir Francis Drake 1585. and by sir 〈◊〉 Sherley 1596. * This isle with the principall towne and castles was sacked by the Hollanders in 〈◊〉 Anno 1599. The Pike of Tenerif Madera in Spanish signifieth wood or timber Puerto santo the principall 〈◊〉 whereof was taken by sir Amias Preston 1596. The 〈◊〉 increase of one shee 〈◊〉 * Others diuide it from Asia by the red sea * Non. * 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of Niger * Aethiopia * Habat * Chauz * Tremizen * Iohn 〈◊〉 ouer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of Negros * Cairo * About the yeere 1526. * Fortè Asia minor * Genesis the 10. v. the 6. Mezraim is accounted the 〈◊〉 of Chus * Gen. 10. 7. * Guadalhabit Tremizen called by the ancient Cosmographers Caesaria or Mauritania Caesariensis Who were the founders of Maroco Aquel Amarig * 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 * Cairaoan * Tunis * 〈◊〉 * The Moores of Granada * A 〈◊〉 patriarke Gehoar a slaue by condition conquered all Barbarie Numidia Egypt and Syria Gehoar the first 〈◊〉 of Cairo Ten tribes of Arabians 〈◊〉 Africa 〈◊〉 Rachu a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1526. * 〈◊〉 Traffique to Tombuto * Alger * The Arabians called 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 descended from Ismael the base sonne of Abraham The Arabians called 〈◊〉 descended of Saba The people of Numidia Wooll growing vpon the Palme tree 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 vsed 〈◊〉 victuals Where the Barbarie horses are bred Arabian poems and verses The Arabians offer themselues slaues to any that would releeue their extreme hunger The Arabians of Barca lay their sonnes to pawne vnto the Sicilians for corne The 〈◊〉 and death of the Ring of Tunis his sonne * Trenizen * Maroco and Fez A booke written by Iohn Leo concerning the Mahumetan religion The Africans vsed in times past none other kind of letters but the Roman letters * Perhaps he meaneth the histories of Salust 〈◊〉 Liuius and others The Mahumetan Calisas caused all the bookes of the Persians to be burned The mountaines of Atlas exceeding cold Most woonderfull and terrible snowes The extreme danger of snow which Iohn Leo himselfe escaped * Agadez A strange remedie vsed by the African merchants to quench their thirst A merchant constrained by extreme thirst gaue ten thousand duckats for a cup of water The fruit called Goron Cocos 〈◊〉 Onions The oliues of Africa Raine signifying plentie or 〈◊〉 The pesants and vnlearned people of Africa cunning in Astrologie The yeere of the Arabians and Africans The yeere diuided into two seasons onély vpon the mounain es of Atlas The increase of the riuers of Niger Nilu The French disease When and by what meanes the French 〈◊〉 was brought into Africa Hernia or the disease called 〈◊〉 or the rupture Earth of 〈◊〉 The Moores are a people of great fidelitie The author of this worke his Apologie for the former relation The fruit 〈◊〉 Arga. 〈◊〉 Cauterizing Their manner of entertaining strangers at Tednest Tednest left desolate 〈◊〉 Teculeth destroyed by the Portugals 1514. Hadecchis sacked by the Portugals 1513. Teijeut destroyed by the Portugals The curtesie of the citizens of Tesegdelt towards strangers 〈◊〉 A pestiferous Mahumetan preacher A treatise written by 〈◊〉 Leo concerning the Mahumetan religion A punishment of murther 〈◊〉 of yron Dates which will last but one yeere Great store of whales A whales rib of incredible greatnes Amber Store of sugar Cordouan leather of Maroco Good sale for cloth Gartguessem surprised by the Portugals Store of sugar and of woad Mines of siluer The 〈◊〉 of Homar Essuef * Sidi signifieth a Saint in the Arabian toong The first founder of Maroco Maroco in times past contained aboue 100000. families Mansor the king of Maroco * Obscurum Great store of bookes in olde time to be sold in Maroco The miserable death of Abraham king of Maroco and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Three golden sphears A great college Excellent spotted marble This king called Mansor was he vnto whom Rasis that famous 〈◊〉 dedicated his Booke The huge dominions of king Mansor The Christians happie 〈◊〉 against the Moores Ibnu Abdul Abdul Malich Ariuer running vnder the ground to Maroco The desolation of Agmet Iohn Leo student at Fez. The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Iohn Leo constrained to play the iudge * Or Elmaheli 〈◊〉 and copper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Free entertainment for merchants The occasion of the prince of Azafilin his death The prince of Azafi slaine as he was hearing of a Mahumetan sermon 〈◊〉 woon by the Portugals Iohn Leo ten yeeres old at the winning of 〈◊〉 The citie of Tit tributarie vnto the King of Portugall Elmedina left desolate Corne preserued 100. yeers * Or 〈◊〉 Azamur woon by the Portugals The fruit called by the Italians Frutto Africano Great plentic of fish Iohn Leo sent ambassadour from the King of Fez vnto Maroco By what means the townes of Elmadin and 〈◊〉 became subiect vnto the King of Fez. Grapes of maruellous bignes White honey The vncle of 〈◊〉 Leo sent ambassadour to the king of Tombuto The excellent wit towardlinesse of Iohn Leo at 16. yeers of age A most stately and rich present * Read of this Abraham before in the description of the citie of Maroco Ilbernus A notable and effectuall practise to wring more money out of