We therefore asked the cause of this answered it was that in euery citie there is a great circuit wherein be many houses for poore people for blinde lame old folke not able to traueyle for age nor hauyng any other meanes to lyue These folke haue in the aforesayde houses euer plentie of rice duryng theyr lyues but nothyng els Such as be receyued into these houses come in after this maner Whan one is sicke blinde or lame he maketh a supplication to the Ponchiassi and prouyng that to be true he wryteth he remayneth in the aforesayde great lodgyng as long as he lyueth besides this they keepe in these places Swyne and Hennes whereby the poore be releeued without goyng a beggyng I sayd before that China was full of ryuers but now I mynde to confyrme the same anewe for the farther we went into the countrey the greater we found the ryuers Sometymes we were so farre of from the sea that where we came no sea fyshe had been seene and salt was there very deere of freshe water fyshe yet was there great aboundance that fysh very good they keepe it good after this maner Where the ryuers doe meete and so passe into the sea there lyeth great store of Boates specially where no salte water commeth and that in Marche and Apryll These Boates are so many that it seemeth wonderfull ne serue they for other than to take small fyshe By the ryuers sydes they make leyres of fine and strong nettes that lye three handfulles vnder water and one aboue to keepe and nourysh their fyshe in vntyll suche tyme as other fyshers doe come with Boates bryngyng for that purpose certayne great chestes lyned with paper able to holde water wherein they carry theyr fyshe vp and downe the ryuer euery day renuyng the chest with freshe water and sellyng theyr fyshe in euery citie towne and village where they passe vnto the people as they neede it most of them haue nette leyres to keepe fyshe in alwayes for theyr prouision Where the greater Boates can not passe any farther forwarde they take lesser and bycause the whole countrey is very well watred there is so great plentie of dyuers sortes of fyshe that it is wonderfull to see assuredly we were amazed to beholde the maner of their prouision Theyr fyshe is chiefly nourished with the dung of Bufles and Oxen that greatly fatteth it Although I sayde theyr fyshyng to be in March and Aprill at what tyme we sawe them doe it neuerthelesse they tolde vs that they fyshed at all tymes for that vsually they doe feede on fyshe wherfore it behoueth them to make theyr prouision continually Whan we had passed Fuquien wee went into Quicin shyre where the fine claye vessell is made as I sayde before and we came to a citie the one syde whereof is built vppon the foote of a hyll wherby passeth a ryuer nauigable there we tooke Boate and went by water towarde the sea on ech syde of the ryuer we found many cities townes and villages wherein we sawe great store of marchandyse but specially of fine clay there dyd wee lande by the way to buye victualles and other necessaryes Goyng downe this ryuer Southwarde we were glad that we drewe neare vnto a warmer countrey from whence wee had been farre distant this countrey we passed through in eyght dayes for our iourney laye downe the streame Before that I doe say any thyng of that shyre we came into I will fyrst speake of the great citie of Quicin wherin alwayes remaineth a Tutan that is a gouernour as you haue seene though some Tutans doe gouerne two or three shyres That Tutan that was condempned for our cause of whom I spake before was borne in this countrey but he gouerned Foquien shyre nothing it auayled him to bee so great an officer This countrey is so great that in many places where we went there had ben as yet no talke of his death although he were executed a whole yeere before At the citie Quanche whyther we came the riuer was so great that it seemed a sea though it were so litle where we tooke water that we needed smal boates One day about .ix. of y e clocke beginning to row neare the walles with the streame we came at noone to a bridge made of many barges ouerlinked all togeather with two mighty cheyns There stayed we vntil it was late but we saw not one go either vp theron or downe except two Louteas y t about the going downe of y e sun came set them downe there the one in one side the other in the other side Than was the bridge opened in many places barges both great smal to the number of .600 began to passe those that went vp the streame at one place such as came downe at an other Whā al had thus shot the bridge than was it shut vp againe We heare say that euery day they take this order in all principall places of merchandyse for paying of y e custome vnto the king specially for salt wherof the greatest reuenews are made that the king hath in this countrey The passages of the bridge where it is opened bee so neare the shore that nothing can passe without touching the same To stay the barges at their pleasure that they go no farther forward are vsed certayne yron instrumentes The bridge consisteth of .112 barges there stayed wee vntyll the euenyng that they were opened lothesomely oppressed by the multitude of people that came to see vs so many in number that we were enforced to goe asyde from the banke vntyl such tyme as the bridge was opened howbeit we were neuerthelesse thronged about w t many boates full of people And though in other cities and places where wee went the people came so importunate vpon vs that it was needfull to withdraw our selues yet were we heere much more molested for the number of people and this bridge the principal way out of the citie vnto an other place so well inhabited that were it walled about it myght bee compared to the citie Whan we had shot the bridge we kept along the citie vntill that it was nyght than met we with an other ryuer that ioyned with this we rowed vp that by the walles vntyll we came to an other bridge gallantly made of barges but lesser a great deale than that other bridge ouer the greater streame heere stayed we that nyght and other two dayes with more quiet being out of the prease of the people These riuers do meet without at one corner point of the citie In either of them were so many barges great and small that we all thought them at the least to be aboue three thousande the greater number therof was in the lesser ryuer where we were Amongst the rest here lay certayne greater vessels called in their language Parai that serue for the Tutan whan he taketh his voyage by other ryuers that ioyne with this towards Pachin where the king maketh
Paulus Centurio a citizen of Genua with letters whereby you doe exhort vs to ioyne in power counsayle with you other Princes of Christendome against the enemies of the christian fayth that a free passage redy way may bee opened for both your Ambassadours ours to come go to fro wherby by mutual dutie and indeuour on both parties we may haue knowledge of the state of thinges parteynyng to the wealth of vs both VVe certes as we haue hytherto happely by the ayde and helpe of almightie God constantly and earnestly resisted the cruell wicked enemies of the christian faith so are we determined to doe hereafter and are likewise redy to consent with other christian princes to graunt free passage into our dominions In consideration wherof we haue sent vnto you our faithful seruant Demetrius Erasmus with these our letters with him haue remitted Paulus Centurio desiring you also shortly to dismisse Demetrius with safegard and indemnitie vnto the borders of our dominions And we wil likewise do the same if you send your Ambassadour with Demetrius whereby both by communication and letters we may be better certified of thorder and administration of such things as you require so that being aduertised of the mindes and intent of all other christian princes we may also consult what is best to be done herein Thus fare ye wel Giuen in our dominioÌ„ in our citie of Moscouia in the yeere from the creation of the world .vii. thousand and .300 the third day of Aprill But Demetrius as he is experte in diuine and humane thinges and especially of holy scripture seemed to haue secrete commaundement of greater matters whiche we thinke he will shortly declare to the senate in priuate consultations For he is now deliuered of the feuer into the which he fell by change of ayre and hath so recouered his strength natiue colour that being a man of .lx. yeeres of age he was not only present at the Popes masse celebrated with great solemnitie in the honour of S. Cosmus Damian but came also into the Senate at such tyme as Cardinal Campegius commyng first from the legacie of Pannonia was receiued of the Pope all the nobilitie of the court And furthermore also viewed the Temples of the holy citie with the ruines of the Romane magnificence and with woondring eyes beheld the lamentable decay of the auncient buildinges So that we thinke that shortly after he hath declared his message he shal return to Moscouia with the byshop of Scarense the Popes legate not vnrecompensed with iust rewardes at the handes of his holinesse The name of the Moscouites is nowe newe although the Poete Lucane maketh mention of the Moschos confynyng with the Sarmatians and Plinie also placeth the Moschos at the sprynges of the great ryuer of Phasis in the region of Colchos aboue the sea Euxinus towarde the East Theyr region hath very large boundes and is extended from the Aultars of great Alexander about the sprynges of Tanais to the extreme landes and North Ocean in maner vnder the North starres called charles wayne or the great Beare beyng for the most parte playne of fruitfull pasture but in sommer in many places full of marishes For whereas all that lande is replenyshed with many and great ryuers which are greatly increased by the wynter snowe and I se resolued by the heate of the sunne the playnes and fieldes are thereby ouerflowen with marishes and all iourneys incombred with continuall waters and myrie slabbynesse vntyll by the benefite of the newe wynter the ryuers and marishes be frosen agayne and giue safe passage to the sleades that are accustomed to iourney by the same The wood or forest of Hercynia and not Hyrcania as is red in some false copies occupyeth a great parte of Moscouia and is heere and there inhabited with houses builded therein and so made thinner by the long labour of men that it doeth not now shewe that horrour of thicke impenetrable woods and landes as many thinke it to haue But beyng replenished with many wylde beastes is so far extended through Moscouia with a continuall tract betweene the East and the North towarde the Scythian Ocean that by the infinite greatnesse thereof it hath deluded the hope of suche as haue curiously searched the ende of the same In that parte that reacheth towarde Prussia are founde the great and fierce beastes called Vri or Bisontes of the kynde of Buâ—les Also Alces lyke vnto Hartes which the Moscouites call Lozzi and are called of the Germaynes Helenes On the East syde of Moscouia are the Scythians which are at this day called Tartars a wandryng nation and at all ages famous in warres In the stead of houses they vse wagons couered with beastes hydes whereby they were in olde tyme called Amaxouii For cities and townes they vse great tentes and pauilions not defended with trenches or walles of tymber or stone but inclosed with an innumerable multitude of archers on horsbacke The Tartars are diuided by companyes which they call Hordas which worde in theyr tongue signifieth a consentyng company of people geathered together in forme of a citie Euery Horda is gouerned by an Emperour whom eyther his parentage or warlyke prowes hath promoted to that dignitie For they oftentimes keepe warre with theyr borderers and contende ambiciously and fiercely for dominion It doeth hereby appeare that they consist of innumerable Hordas in that the Tartars possesse the most large desartes euen vnto the famous citie of Cathay in the furdest Ocean in the East They also that are nearest to the Moscouites are knowen by theyr trade of marchaundies and often incursions In Europe neare vnto the place called Dromon Achillis in Taurica Chersoneso are the Tartars called Precopites the daughter of whose prince Selymus the Emperour of the Turkes tooke to wyfe These are most infest to the Polones and waste the regions on euery syde betweene the ryuers of Boristhenes and Tanais They that in the same Taurica possesse Caffam a colonie of the Ligurians called in olde tyme Theodosia doe both in religion and all other thinges agree with the Turkes But the Tartars that inhabite the regions of Asia betweene Tanais and Volga are subiect to Basilius the kyng of the Moscouites and choose them a gouernour at his assignement Among these the Cremii afflicted with ciuile seditions where as heeretofore they were ryche and of great power haue of late yeeres lost theyr dominion and dignitie The Tartars that are beyonde the riuer of Volga do religiously obserue the frendship of the Moscouites and professe them selues to be theyr subiectes Beyond the Cassanites towarde the North are the Sciambani rych in heardes of cattaylle and consistyng of a great multitude of men After these are Nogai whiche obteyne at this day the chiefe fame of ryches and warly affayres Theyr Horda although it
Emperours and defaced the citie of Rome He answered that both the nation of the Gothes of the name of king Totilaâ— theyr chiefe captayne was of famous memorie among them And that dyuers nations of the North regions conspired to that expedition and especially the Moscouites Also that that armie increased of the confluence of the Barbarous Liuons and wandryng Tartars But that they were all called Gothes forasmuche as the Gothes that inhabited Scondania and Iselande were the auctours of that inuasion And with these boundes are the Moscouites inclosed on euery syde whom we thynke to be those people that Ptolome called Modocas but haue doubtlesse at this day theyr name of the ryuer Mosco which runneth through the cheefe citie Mosca named also after the same This is the most famous citie in Moscouia aswell for the situation thereof beyng in maner in the myddest of the region as also for the commodious oportunitie of riuers multitude of houses and strong fence of so fayre and goodly a Castell For the citie is extended with a long tract of buildynges by the bankes of the ryuer for the space of fyue myles The houses are made all of tymber and are diuided into Parlours Chambers and Rytchyns of large roomes yet neyther of vnseemely heyght or to lowe but of decent measure and proportion For they haue great trees apt for the purpose brought from the forest of Hercinia Of the which made perfectly round lyke y e mastes of shyps and so layd one vpon an other that they ioyne at the endes in ryght angles where beyng made very fast and sure they frame theyr houses therof of meruaylous strength with smal charges and in verye short tyme. In maner all the houses haue pryuate gardens aswel for pleasure as commoditie of hearbes wherby the circuite of the dispersed citie appeareth very great Al the wardes or quarters of the citie haue their peculiar Chappels But in the cheefest and highest place therof is the Church of our Lady of ample and goodly workemanshyppe whiche Aristoteles of Bononie a man of singular knowledge and experience in Architecture builded more then threescore yeeres since At the very head of the citie a litle ryuer called Neglinia which dryueth many corne mylles entereth into the ryuer Moscus and maketh almost an Ilande in whose end is the Castel with many strong towers and bulwarkes builded very fayre by the deuice of Italian Architecturs that are the maisters of the kynges woorkes In the fieldes about the citie is an incredible multitude of Hares and Roe Buckes the which it is lawful for no man to chase or pursue with dogges or nettes except only certayne of the kyngs familiars and straunge Ambassadours to whom he geueth licence by speciall commaundement Almost three partes of the citie is inuironed with two riuers and the residue with a large Mote that receiueth plentie of water from the sayde ryuers The citie is also defended on the other syde with an other ryuer named Iausa whiche falleth also into Moscus a litle beneath the citie Furthermore Moscus runnyng towards the South falleth into the riuer Ocha or Occa muche greater then it selfe at the towne Columna and not very farre from thence Ocha it selfe encreased with other ryueâ—s vnladeth his streames in the famous ryuer Volga where at the place where they ioyne is situate the citie of Nouogradia the lesse so named in respect of the greater citie of that name from whence was brought the fyrst colonie of the lesse citie Volga called in olde tyme Rha hath his originall of the great marishes named the whyte Lakes These are aboue Moscouia betweene the North and the West and send foorth from them almost all the ryuers that are dispersed into diuers regions on euery syde as we see of the Alpes from whose toppes and sprynges descend the waters of whose concourse the ryuers of Rhene Po and Rodanum haue theyr encrease For these maryshes in the steade of mountaines full of sprynges minister abundant moysture forasmuche as no mountaynes are yet founde in that region by the long trauayles of men insomuche that many that haue been studious of the old Cosmographie suppose the Riphean and Hiperborean mountaines so often mentioned of the auncient wryters to be fabulous From these maryshes therfore the riuers of Duina Ocha Moscus Volga Tanais and Boristhenes haue theyr oryginall The Tartares call Volga Edel Tanais they call Don And Boristehenes is at this tyme called Neper This a litle beneath Taurica runneth into the sea Euxinus Tanais is receyued of the maryshes of Meotis at the noble Marte Towne Azoum But Volga leauyng the citie of Mosca towardes the South and runnyng with a large circuite and great Wyndynges and Creekes fyrst towardes the East then to the West and lastlye to the South falleth with a full streame into the Caspian or Hircan sea Aboue the mouth of this is a citie of the Tartars called Citrachan whiche some call Astrachan where Martes are kept by the Merchauntes of Media Armenia and Persia. On the further bancke of Volga there is a towne of the Tartars called Casan of the whiche the Horda of the Casanite Tartars tooke theyr name It is distant from the mouth of Volga and the Caspian sea .500 myles Aboue Casan .150 myles at the entraunce of the ryuer Sura Basilius that now reigneth buylded a towne called Surcium to thintent that in those desartes the marchantes and traueylers which certifie the gouernours of the marches of the doinges of the Tartars and the maners of that vnquiet nation may haue a â—afe mansion among theyr customers The Emperours of Moscouia at dyuers tymes eyther moued thereto by occasion of thinges present or for the desyre they had to nobilitate newe and obscure places haue kepte the seat of theyr court and Empyre in dyuers cities For Nouogrodia which lyeth toward the West and the Lyuon sea not many yeeres past was the head citie of Moscouia and obteyned euer the chiefe dignitie by reason of the incredible number of houses and edifies with the oportunitie of the large lake replenyshed with fyshe and also for the fame of the most auncient venerable Temple which more then foure hundred yeeres since was dedicated to Sancta Sophia Christ the sonne of God accordyng to the custome of the Emperours of Bizantium nowe called Constantinople Nouogrodia is oppressed in maner with continuall wynter and darkenesse of long nyghtes For it hath the pole Artike eleuate aboue the Horizon threescore and foure degrees and is further from the Equinoctiall then Moscouia by almost six degrees By which dyfference of heauen it is sayde that at the sommer steye of the Sunne it is burnt with continuall heate by reason of the shorte nyghtes The citie also of Volodemaria beyng more then twoo hundred myles distant from Mosca towarde the Easte had the name of the chiefe citie and kynges towne whyther
exceedyng hygh mountaynes reachyng euen vnto the bankes whose rydges or toppes by reason of continuall wyndes are in maner vtterly barren without grasse or fruites And although in diuers places they haue diuers names yet are they commonlye called Cingulus mundi that is the worlde In these mountaynes doo Ierfalcons breede whereof I haue spoken before There growe also Cedar trees among the whiche are founde the best and blackest kynde of Sables and onely these mountaynes are seene in all the dominions of the prince of Moscouia whiche perhappes are the same that the olde wryters call Rhipheos or Hyperboreos so named of the Greeke woorde Hyper that is Under and Boreas that is the North for by reason they are couered with continual snowe and frost they can not without great difficultie be trauayled and reache so farre into the North that they make the vnknowen land of Engreonland The Duke of Moscouia Basilius the sonne of Iohn sent on a tyme two of his captaynes named Simeon Pheodorowitz Kurbski and Knes Peter Vschatoi to searche the places beyonde these mountaynes and to subdue the nations thereabout Kurbski was yet alyue at my beyng in Moscouia and declared vnto mee that he spent .xvii. dayes in ascending the mountayne and yet could not come to the toppe therof which in theyr tongue is called Stolp that is a pyller This mountayne is extended into the Ocean vnto the mouthes of the ryuers of Dwina and Petzora But now hauyng spoken thus much of the sayde iourney I will returne to the dominions of Moscouia with other regions lying Eastwarde and South from the same toward the myghtie Empyre of Cathay But I will fyrst speake somewhat briefly of the prouince of Rezan and the famous ryuer of Tanais The prouince of Rezan situate betweene the ryuers of Occa and Tanais hath a citie buylded of wood not far from the banke of Occa there was in it a Castle named Iaroslaw whereof there now remayneth nothing but tokens of the olde ruine Not farre from that citie the ryuer Occa maketh an Ilande named Strub which was somtyme a great Dukedome whose prince was subiecte to none other This prouince of Rezan is more fruitful then any other of the prouinces of Moscouia Insomuche that in this as they say euery grayne of wheate bringeth foorth twoo and sometymes more eares whose stalkes or strawes grow so thicke that horses can scarsly goe through them or Quayles flee out of them There is great plentie of hony fyshes foules byrdes and wylde beastes The fruites also doe farre exceede the fruites of Moscouia The people are bolde and warlyke men Of the famous ryuer of Tanais FRom Moscouia vnto the Castle of Iaroslaw and beyonde for the space of almost xxiiii leagues runneth the ryuer of Tanais at a place called Donco where the marchauntes that trade to Asoph Capha and Constantinople fraight theyr shyppes and this for the most parte in Autumpe beyng a rayney tyme of the yeere For Tanais heere at other tymes of the yeere doeth not so abounde with water as to beare shyppes of any burden This famous ryuer of Tanais dyuydeth Europe from Asia and hath his orygynall or sprynges almost .viii. leagues from the citie of Tulla towarde the South inclynyng somewhat towarde the East and not out of the Riphean mountaynes as some haue writen But out of a great lake named Iwanwosero that is the lake of Iohn beyng in length and bredth about .1500 Werstes in a wood which some call Okonitzkilles and other name it Iepipbanoulies And out of this lake spryng the two great ryuers of Schat and Tanais Schat towarde the West receyuyng into it the ryuer of Vppa runneth into the riuer of Occa betwene the West and the North But Tanais at the fyrst runneth directly East and continueth his course betwene the kyngdomes of Casan and Astrachan within syxe or seuen leagues of Volga and from thence bendyng towarde the South maketh the fennes or maryshes of Meotis Furthermore nexte vnto his sprynges is the citie of Tulla and vppon the banke of the ryuer almost three leagues aboue the mouthes of the same is the citie of Asoph whiche was fyrst called Tanais Foure dayes iorney aboue this is a towne called Achas situate harde by the same ryuer whiche the Moscouites call Don. I can not sufficiently prayse this ryuer for the exceedyng abundaunce of good fyshes and fayrenesse of the regions on both sydes the bankes with plentie of holesome hearbes and sweete rootes besyde dyuers and many fruitefull trees growyng in suche coomly order as though they had been set of purpose in gardens or orchardes There is also in maner euery where such plentie of wylde beastes that they may easely be slayne with arrowes Insomuch that such as trauaile by those regions shall stande in neede of none other thyng to mayntayne theyr lyfe but only fyre and salte In these partes is no obseruation of myles but of dayes iorneys But as farre as I coulde coniecture from the fountaynes or sprynges of Tanais vnto the mouthes of the same iorneying by lande are almost fourescore leagues And sayling from Donco from whence I sayde that Tanais was fyrst nauigable in scarsely .xx. dayes voyage they come to the citie of Asoph tributarie to the Turkes which is as they say fyue dayes iorney from the streight of Taurica otherwyse called Precop In this citie is a famous marte towne vnto the whiche resort many merchauntes of dyuers nations and from dyuers partes of the worlde For that all nations may the gladlyer haue recourse thyther free lybertie of bying and sellyng is graunted vnto all and that without the citie euery man may freely vse his owne and accustomed maner of lyuyng without punyshement Of the alters of great Alexander and Iulius Cesar whiche many wryters make mention of in this place or of theyr ruines I coulde haue no certayne knoweledge of thinhabitauntes or any other that had oftentymes trayuayled these places Furthermore the souldyers whiche the prince of Moscouia mayntayneth there yeerely to oppresse thincursions of the Tartars being of me demaunded herof answeared y t they neuer saw or heard of any such thing Neuerthelesse they said that about y e mouths of Tanais the lesse foure dayes iorney from Asoph neere vnto a place called Sewerski by the holy mountaynes they sawe certayne images of stone and marble Tanais the lesse hath his springes in the Dukedome of Sewerski whereof it is called Donetz Sewerski and falleth into Tanais three dayes iorney aboue Asoph But such as iorney from Moscouia to Asoph by lande they passyng ouer Tanais about the olde and ruinate towne of Donco do somwhat turne from the South to the East In the which place if a ryght line be drawne from the mouthes of Tanais to the sprynges of the same Moscouia shal be founde to be in Asia and not in Europe More directly from
that we wyll with lyke humanitie accept your seruantes if at any tyme they shall come to our kyngdomes where they shall as frendly and gently be entertayned as if they were borne in our dominions that we may hereby recompence the fauour and benignitie which you haue shewed to our men Thus after we haue desired you Kynges and Princes c. With all humanitie and fauour to entertayne our welbeloued seruantes we wyll pray our almyghtie God to graunt you long lyfe peace which neuer shall haue end Wrytten in London whiche is the cheefe citie of our kyngdome in the yeere from the creation of the worlde 5515. in the moneth of Iiar the fourteene day of the moneth and seuenth yeere of our reigne This letter was wrytten also in Greeke and diuers other languages The voyages of Persia traueiled by the merchauntes of London of the company and felowshyp of Moscouia In the yeeres .1561 1567. 1568. IT shall not heere be needefull to wryte any thyng of the way from hence to Moscouia by sea vnto the porte of Saincte Nicolas where our merchantes haue a house of their trafique for as muche as the same is alredy well knowen And therefore it shall suffice for the description of this voyage to shewe the way from Sainct Nicolas in Moscouia vnto Persia as our men traueyled by the regions of Moscouia vnto the Caspian sea and by that sea into Media and Persia vnto the courte of the great Sophie Kyng of Persia and many other realmes and kyngdomes subiecte vnto the same as heereafter shall bee more particularly declared with suche breuitie as the tyme and matter now requireth Forasmuch as many thinges myght bee written touchyng this voyage and the merchauntes trafique in these regions whiche for many great considerations ought not to be publyshed or put in prynt and therefore touchyng only those thinges it shall suffice to the reader to vnderstande the description of the regions with the maners and customes of the people of those countreys after the maner of a Geographicall historie partely to delight and content the desyre of suche as take pleasure in the knowledge of straunge thinges and countreys whereby the mynde of man increaseth in wisedome and knowledge both in humane affayres and also of the marueylous and manyfolde workes of god nature that thereby God may be glorified and sanctified in all his workes in the spirites of all good and vertuous men which delight in the same And wheras in the description of this voyage I may seeme to haue kepte no due order of wrytyng I shal desire the reader to haue me excused for that I coulde not orderly haue any information of them that came from Persia but was fayne to geather certayne notes only by communication and conference with them at sundrye tymes with fewe woordes as occasion serued But now to enter into the voyage From the merchauntes house at the porte of Sainct Nicolas in Moscouia they traueyle vp the ryuers of Duina and Sachana vntyll they come vnto the citie of Vologda where also the merchantes haue an other house a thousande werstes or Rus myles or myles of Russia whiche may bee about seuen hundred Englyshe myles Then from Vologda ouerlande to the citie of Yeraslaue which lyeth on the ryuer Volga a hundred and fourescore Rus myles At this citie of Yeraslaue the merchantes lande theyr goods for Persia and buylded theyr shyppes there vppon the sayde ryuer at a place named Vstwicki Zelesnoy about a hundred myles from Yeraslaue So traueylyng from thence downe the ryuer Volga vntyll they come to Astracan a forte of the Emperour of Moscouia lying threescore myles from the Caspian sea Uppon Volga lyeth a great towne of merchaundies named Costrum and beyonde that a strong Castell of bricke named His Nouogorod standyng vppon a hyll And from thence vppon an arme of the same ryuer lyeth a great fortresse named Cazan which the Moscouite woon from the Tartars Nogais being their chiefe and principall holde and therewith conquered the whole countrey of Cazan or the Tartars Cazamites conteynyng two thousande myles From Cazan vpon the sayde ryuer the Moscouite hath in his subiection the one syde of the ryuer and the Tartars called Crimes haue the other syde But they dare not passe ouer the ryuer by reason that the Moscouite keepeth many Garisons on the ryuer and in certayne Ilandes of the ryuer from place to place as occasion serueth So that the ryuer is kept quietly notwithstandyng the conflicte that happened to Banister outward by reason of the Turkes souldiers that would haue spoyled his shyppes which neuerthelesse defended them selues manfully and slue two hundred of the Turkes For the Turke sent thyther an arme of .xl. thousande Turkes and Tartars to recouer Astracan from the Moscouite but they were enforced to breake vp theyr Campe for lacke of victualles and other necessaries especially bycause the wynter drue neare and the Moscouite prepared a great army against them From Astracan downe the sayde ryuer to the Caspian sea is the distance of threscore myles From the enterance into the Caspian sea in two or three dayes saylyng with a good wynde crosse ouer that sea from the North to the South they come to the realme of Media arryuing at a porte named Bilbil enteryng into a small ryuer that falleth into the Caspian sea and passing from thence by lande with Camels in three dayes iourney they come to a citie of Sharuan or Media named Shamaki And from thence in .xviii. dayes iourney by Camelles they come to the great and famous citie of Tauris or Teueris being the greatest citie of Persia for trade of merchandies This citie is esteemed almost twyse as byg as London and for the most parte is buylded of rawe brickes not burnt but only dryed and hardened in the sunne the doores of the houses be very lowe and litle The Sophie in tyme paste remayned chiefly in this citie But after that the region about this citie was inuaded by the Turkes he went further into the countrey and buylded a towne named Casbin which before .xx. yeeres was but a village where he now keepeth his courte being .xiii. dayes iourney from Shamaki by horse and .xx. dayes by Camelles Note that neare vnto this syde of the Caspian sea dwell the Tartars called Nogais and Shalcauis Also certayne Arabians and Christians named Armenians The Caspian sea is otherwise called Mare de Baccan and may seeme so to be called by reason of a towne by the sea syde named Bacco Certayne extractes of the voyage of maister Antony Ienkinson into Persia in the yeere .1561 IN the yeere .1561 maister Antonie Ienkinson was sent as Ambassadour into Persia with the Queenes maiesties letters in the Latine Italian and Hebrue tongue to the great Sophie or kyng of Persia to entreate of commodities of merchaundies whiche myght bee betweene her maiesties merchantes and them vppon certayne priuileges and free passage to bee graunted vnto her merchauntes both
memorable but only an olde place ruinate where they say that Sainct George deliuered the kynges daughter from a cruell Dragon whiche he slue and restored her to her father Departyng from hence we sayled to Tripoli This is a citie of Sâ—ria Eastwarde from Berynto two dayes saylyng The inhabitauntes are subiecte to the Lieuetenant or gouernour of Syria and are Mahumetans The soile is very fertile and for the great trafique of merchaundies incredibly aboundeth with all thinges Departyng from thence we came to the citie Comagen of Syria commonly called Alepo and named of our men Antioch It is a goodly citie situate vnder the mount Taurus and is subiecte to the Lieuetenant or Soltan of Babilon There be the scales or ladders for so they call them of the Turkes and Syrians for it is neare the mount of Olympus It is a famous marte towne of the Azamians and Persians The Azamians are people of Mesopotamia neare vnto the Persians of the religion of Mahumet From thence is the iourney to the Turkes and Syrians and especially of them that come from the part of Mesopotamia named Azamia Of the cities of Aman and Menin Cap. 4. DEpartyng from thence we came to Damasco in ten dayes iourney But before you come there in the myd way is a citie named Aman where is great aboundaunce of gossampine or cotton wooll and all maner of pleasant fruites Goyng a little from Damasco the space of sixe myles is a citie named Menin situate on the declinyng of a mountayne It is inhabited of Christians of the Greeke profession who also obaye to the gouernour of Damasco There are seene two fayre Temples which as the inhabitantes reporte were builded by Helena the mother of the Emperour Constantine There are all kyndes of fruites and goodly Grapes and Gardens watered with continuall sprynges Departyng from thence we came to the citie of Damasco Of the citie of Damasco Chap. 5. IT is in maner incredible and passeth all beleefe to thinke howe fayre the citie of Damasco is and how fertile is the soyle And therefore allured by the marueilous beautie of the citie I remayned there many dayes that learnyng theyr language I myght knowe the maners of the people The inhabitants are Mahumetans and Mamalukes with also many Christians lyuyng after the maner of the Greekes By the way it shall not be from my purpose to speake of theyr Hexarchatus the whiche as we haue sayde is subiect to the Lieuetenaunt viceroye or gouernoure of Syria whiche some call Sorya There is a very stronge fortresse or Castell whiche a certayne Ethruscan borne in the citie of Florence buylded at his owne charges while he was there y e chiefe Hexarchatus or gouernour as appeareth by the flower of a Lilie there grauen in marble beyng the armes of the citie of Florence The citie is compassed with a deepe fosse or diche with foure goodly high towres They passe the dyche with a hangyng brydge whiche is lyfted vp or lette downe at theyr pleasure There is all kynde of great artillerie and munition with also a garde of fyftie Mamalukes whiche dayly assyste the gouernoure or captayne of the castell and receyue theyr stipende of the gouernoure or viceroye of Syria Fortune seemed to geue the Hexarchatus or principate to the sayde Florentine whiche we wyll declare as we haue hearde of thinhabitauntes They saye that poyson was once geuen to the Soltan of Syria and when he sought for remedie he chaunced to be healed by the sayde Florentine whiche was one of the companye of the Mamalukes After whiche good fortune he grewe dayely in fauoure with the sayde Prince who for rewarde gaue hym that citie where also the sayde Florentine buylded a Castel and dyed whom to this daye the Citisens honour for a sainte for sauyng the lyfe of theyr prince after whose death the gouerment returned to the Syrians They saye furthermore that the Soltan is well beloued of his lordes and princes for that he easely graunteth them principates and gouernementes yet with condition to paye yeerely many thousandes of those peeces of gold which they call Saraphos They that denye to paye the summe agreed of arâ— in daunger of imminent death Of the chiefe noble men or gouernoures .x. or .xii. euer assiste the Prince And when it pleaseth hym to extorte a certayne summe of golde of his noble men or merchauntes for they vse great tyrannye and oppression by the iniuries and thefte of the Mamalukes agaynst the Mahumetans the Prince geueth two letters to the captaine of the Castell In the one is contayned that with an oration he inuite to the Castell suche as pleaseth hym In the other is declared the mynde of the Prynce what he demaundeth of his subiectes When the letters be read withal expedition they accomplishe his commaundement be it ryght or wrong without respecte This meanes the Prynce inuented to extorte mony Yet sometymes it commeth to passe that the noble men are of suche strength that they wyll not come when they are commaunded knowyng that the tyrant wyl offer them violence And therefore oftentymes when they knowe that the captayne of the Castell wyll call them they flee into the dominions of the Turke This haue we geathered as touchyng theyr maners we haue also obserued that the watchemen in the towres do not geue warnyng to the garde with lyuely voyce but with drommes the one answearyng the other by course But if any of the watchemen be so sleepye that in the moment of an houre he aunsweare not to the sounde of the watche he is immediatly committed to prison for one whole yeere Of suche thynges as are seene in the citie of Damasco Cap. 6. AFter that I haue declared the maners of the Princes of Damasco it seemeth agreeable to speake of some suche thynges as I haue seene there And therefore to speake fyrst of the excellencie and beautie of the citie it is certaynely marueylously wel peopled and greatly frequented and also marueylous ryche It is of goodly buildyng and exceedeth in abundance and fruitfulnesse of all thynges and especiallye of all kynde of victuales flesh corne and fruites as freshe damesenne grapes all the whole yeere also Pomegranets Oranges Lymons and excellent Olyue trees Lykewyse Roses both white and red the fayrest that euer I sawe and all kyndes of sweete apples yet peares and peaches very vnsauery The cause wherof they say to be to much moysture A goodly and cleare riuer runneth about the citie therfore in maner in euery house are seene fountaynes of curious worke embossed and grauen Theyr houses outwardly are not very beautyfull but inwardly marueylously adourned with variable woorkes of the stone called Ophis or serpentine Marble Within the towne are many temples or churches which they call Moscheas But that which is most beautyfull of all other is buylded after the maner of Sainct Peters church in Rome if you respect the
I entered into the citie I went to their Temple or Meschita where I sawe a great multitude of poore people as about the number of .xxv. thousande attendyng a certayne Pilot who should bryng them into their countrey Heere I suffered muche trouble and affliction beyng enforced to hyde my selfe among these poore folkes faynyng my selfe very sicke to the ende that none should be inquisityue what I was whence I came or whyther I would The Lord of this citie is the Soltan of Babylon brother to the Soltan of Mecha who is his subiecte The inhabitauntes are Mahumetans The soyle is vnfruitfull and lacketh freshe water The sea beateth agaynst the towne There is neuerthelesse aboundance of all thinges but brought thyther from other places as from Babylon of Nilus Arabia Foelix and dyuers other places The heate is here so great that men are in maner dryed vp therewith And therefore there is euer a great number of sicke folkes The citie conteyneth about fyue hundred houses After fyftiene dayes were past I couenaunted with a pilot who was ready to departe from thence into Persia and agreed of the price to goe with him There laye at Anker in the hauen almost a hundred Brigantines and Foistes with diuers boates and barkes of sundry sortes both with Ores and without Ores Therefore after three dayes gyuyng wynde to our sayles we entred into the redde sea otherwyse named Mare Erythraeum Of the red sea and why it can not be sayled in the nyght Cap. 21. IT is well knowen to wyse men that this sea is not red as some haue imagined but is of the colour of other seas We continued therefore our vyage vntyll the goyng downe of the Sunne For this sea is nauigable only in the day tyme and therefore in the nightes the maryners rest them vntyll they come to the Ilande named Chameran from whence they proceede forwarde more safely Why this sea can not be sayled in the nyght they say the cause to be that there are many daungerous sandes rockes and shelues and therefore that it is needefull of diligent and long prospecte from the toppe Castell of the shyppe to foresee the dangerous places The seconde booke entreating of Arabia Foelix That is the happie or blessed Arabia Of the citie of Gezan and the fruitfulnesse thereof Cap. 1. FOrasmuche as hytherto wee haue spoken somewhat of the maners of the people and cities of Arabia Foelix it may nowe seeme conuenient to finishe the reste of our vyage with such thinges as we haue seene in the sayde countrey of Arabia Therefore after sixe dayes saylyng we came to a citie named Gezan It hath a commodious porte and very fayre where we found about fourtie and fyue Brigantines and Foistes of dyuers regions The citie is harde by the sea syde and the Prince thereof is a Mahumetan The soile is fruitful lyke vnto Italie It beareth Pomegranates Quinses Peaches Apples of Assyria Pepons Melons Oranges Gourdes and dyuers other fruites Also Roses and sundry sortes of floures the fayrest that euer I sawe It seemeth an earthly Paradyse The moste parte of the inhabitauntes go naked â–ª In other thinges they lyue after the maner of the Mahumetans There is also great abundance of fleshe wheate barley the grayne of whyte Millet or Hirse whiche they call Dora whereof they make very sweete bread Of certayne people named Banduin Cap. 2. DEparting from the citie of Gezan the space of .v. dayes sayling towarde the lefte hande hauyng euer the coast of the lande in sight we came to the sight of certayne houses where about .xiiii. of vs went alande hopyng to haue had some victuals of the inhabitans But we lost our labour for in the steede of victuals they cast stones at vs with stinges They were about a hundred that fought with our men for the space of an houre Of them were slayne .xxiiii. The rest were dryuen to flyght they were naked and had none other weapons then slynges After theyr flyght we brought away with vs certayne hens and Calues very good Shortly after a great multitude of the inhabitauntes shewed them selues to the number of fyue or syxe hundred but we departed with our praye and returned to the shyppes Of an Ilande of the red sea named Camaran Cap. 3. THe same day saylyng forwarde we came to an Iland named Camaran which conteyneth ten myles in circuite In it is a towne of two hundred houses the inhabitantes are Mahumetans it hath aboundaunce of freshe water and fleshe and the fayrest salte that euer I sawe The porte is eight myles from the continent it is subiecte to the Soltan of Amanian of Arabia Foelix After we had remayned here two dayes we tooke our way towarde the mouth of the red sea in the space of two dayes saylyng This sea may here be sayled both day and nyght For as we haue sayde before from this Ilande vnto the porte of Zida the red sea is not safely nauigable by nyght When we came to the mouth of the sea we seemed to be in maner inclosed for that the mouth of the sea is there very streyght and no more then three myles ouer Towarde the right hande the continent lande is seene of the heyght of ten pases the soile seemeth rude and not cultured At the lefte hande of the sayde mouth ryseth a very hygh hyll of stone In the myddest of the mouth is a litle Ilande vnhabited named Bebmendo and is towarde the lefte hande to them that sayle to Zeila But they that goe to Aden must keepe the way to the lefte hande All this way we had euer the lande in our sight from Bebmendo to Aden in the space of two dayes and a halfe Of the citie of Aden and of their maners and customes towarde straungers Cap. 4. I Doe not remember that I haue seene any citie better fortified then this It standeth on a soyle not much vnequall it is walled on two sydes The reste is inclosed with mountaynes hauyng on them fyue fortresses The citie conteyneth sixe thousande houses Theyr exercise of bying and sellyng begynneth the seconde houre of the nyght by reason of extreeme heate in the day tyme. A stone cast from the citie is a mountayne hauyng on it a fortresse The shyppes lye neare the foote of the mountayne it is certaynely a very goodly citie and the fayrest of all the cities of Arabia Foelix To this as to the chiefe marte the merchauntes of India Ethiopia and Persia haue recourse by sea and they also that resorte to Mecha Assoone as our Brigantines came into the hauen immediately the customers and searchers came aborde demaundyng what we were from whence we came what merchaundies we brought and howe many men were in euery Brigantine Beyng aduertised of these thinges immediately they tooke away our maste sayles and other tackelynges of our shyppes that we should not departe without paying of custome The day after our arryuyng there the Mahumetans tooke mee and put shackles on
of the wyndowes to see me more for a secrete loue she bore me then for the pleasure she tooke in my follyes as afterwarde appeared Therefore on a tyme when some of them muche madder then I played the knaues with me in the syght of the queene whose secrete fauour towardes me I somewhat perceyued that my maddenesse myght seeme more manifest I cast of my shyrt and went to the place before the wyndowes where the queene myght see me all naked wherein I perceyued she tooke great pleasure For she euer founde some occasion that I myght not goe out of her syght and would sometymes with all her damoselles waytyng on her spende almost the whole daye in beholdyng me and in the meane season diuers tymes sent me secretlye muche good meate by her maydens and when she saw the boyes or other do me any hurt she badde me kyll them and spare not reuylyng them also and callyng them dogges and beastes In the pallace was nouryshed a great fatt sheepe for there are some of such exceedyng bygnesse that only the tayle wayeth .xi. or .xii. pounde weyght Under the coloure of madnesse I layd hand on this sheepe saying Leila illala Mahumet resullala which wordes the Soltan before when I was brought to his presence wyllyd me to say to proue whether I were a Mahumetan or a professed Mamaluke But the beast answeryng nothyng I asked hym yf he were a Mahumetan Iewe or Christian. And wyllyng to make hym a Mahumetan I rehearsed agayne the sayde woordes Leila illala Mahumet resullala that is to saye there is one God and Mahumet his cheefe Prophet whiche are the wordes which they speake in professyng theyr fayth But when the beast yet answered nothyng I broke his legges with a staffe The queene tooke great pleasure in these my madde follyes and commaunded the fleshe of the sheepe to be geuen me to eate I neuer ate meate with more pleasure or better appetite Also three dayes after I lykewyse kylled an Asse that was wont to bryng water into the pallace because he refused to be a Mahumetan and to say those woordes The same tyme also I handeled a Iewe so euyll that I had almost kylled hym one in the meane tyme callyng me Christian dogge dogge borne With which words beyng very angry I cast many stones at him but he againe hurlyng at me gaue me a stroke on the brest and an other on the syde which greeued me very sore And because I coulde not folowe hym by reason of my shackles I returned to the pryson and stopped the doore with a heape of stones and there lyued in great payne for the space of two daies without meate or drynke And therefore the queene and other thought me to be dead but the doore was opened by the queenes commaundement Then these dogges derydyng me gaue me stones in the steede of bread and peeces of whyte marble saying that it was suger other gaue me clusters of Grapes full of sand But partly that they should not suspect that I counterfeyted madnesse I ate the Grapes as they gaue me them When the bruite was spred that I lyued two dayes nyghtes without meate and drynke some began to suspect that I was a holy man and some that I was starke madde And thus being diuided into diuers opinions they consulted to send for certayne men of whom they haue such opinion of holynesse as we haue of Heremytes these dwell in the mountaynes and leade a contemplatyue lyfe When they came vnto me to geue theyr iudgement what maner of man I was certayne merchantes asked them yf I were a holy man or a madde man These were also of diuers opinions some affyrmyng one thyng and some another Whyle they were yet debatyng this matter for the space of an houre I pyssed in my handes and hurlde it in theyr faces whereby they agreed that I was no Sainct but a mad man The queene seyng all this at the wyndowe laughed well thereat among her maydens and sayd thus to them By the goodnesse of God and by the head of Mahumet this is a good man The day folowyng when in the mornyng I founde hym a sleepe that had so sore hurt me with stones I tooke hym by the heare of the head with both handes and with my knee so pounched hym on the stomacke and battered his face that I left hym all blooddy and half dead Which thyng the queene seeing cryed vnto me saying kyll the beast kyll the dogge wherupon he ran his way and came no more in syght When the President of the citie heard that the queene fauoured me toke pleasure in my mad sport thynkyng also that I was not mad commaunded that I shoulde goe at lybertie within the pallace only wearyng my shackles Yet euery nyght was I put in an other pryson in the lower part of the pallace and so remayned styl in the courte for the space of .xx. dayes In the meane tyme the queene wylled me to go a huntyng with her whiche I refused not and at my returne I fained me to be sicke for weerinesse So continuyng for the space of eyght dayes vnder the coloure of sickenes the queene often sent to me to know how I did After this fyndyng oportunitie I declared to the queene that I had made a vow to God and Mahumet to visite a certaine holy man in the citie of Aden and desyred her to geue me leaue to go thyther Whereunto she consented and commaunded immediatly a Cammell and .xxv. Sarraphes of golde to be delyuered me Therfore y e day folowyng I tooke my iorney and in the space of eyght dayes came to the citie of Aden and shortly after my commyng vysited the man of whom was so great reporte of holynesse and whom the people honoured for a saint And this onely because he had euer lyued in great pouertie and without the company of women And heare are seene many other such But doubtlesse all suche lose theyr laboure beyng out of the fayth of Christ. When I had perfourmed my vowe I fayned that I had recouered health by myracle of that holy man and certified the queene thereof desyryng that I myght tarye there a whyle to visyte lykewise certayne other men in that countrey of whom was the lyke fame of holynesse whiche excuse I deuised because the fleete of India woulde not yet depart from thence for the space of a moneth In the meane tyme I secretly agreed with a certayne captayne of that nauie to goe with hym into India and made hym many fayre promisses to rewarde hym largly He answeared that he woulde not go into India before he had fyrst ben in Persia wherunto I agreed Of the cities of Lagi and Aiaz in Arabia Felix And of the martes of Aiaz and the towne of Dante Cap. 7. THe daye folowyng mountyng vppon a Camell and makyng a iorney of .xxv. myles I came to a certayne citie mamed Lagi situate in a great playne
thus stayed as it were with weyght and balance an other appoynted to that purpose casteth into the sea a corde with a stone hangyng at it In the myddest of the Boate an other hauing a sacke hangyng on his shoulder before and behynde and a stone hangyng at his feete hurleth him selfe into the sea and swimmeth vnder the water euen vnto the bottome of the sea for the deapth of fyftiene pases or more and there remayneth vntyll he haue geathered the pearle Muscles which he putteth in his sacke then he casteth away the stone that weyghed him downe and commeth vp by the corde There are seene sometyme almost three hundred shyppes and other kynde of vessels which come thyther from many places and countreys The Soltan of the citie is a Mahumetan There are aboue foure hundred merchauntes and factours remaynyng here continually for the trafike of merchandies whiche come from diuers other regions as silke pearles precious stones spices and suche lyke They lyue with Ryse for the moste parte for they haue none other corne Of the citie named Eri in Chorazani a region of Persia and of the riches therof Also of Reubarbarum Cap. 3. DEpartyng from Ormus I went into Persia And after ten dayes iourney I came to a certayne citie named Eri. The name of the region is Chorazani by which signification we may also name it Flaminia The Kyng of the region dwelleth in the citie It is fruitefull and plentifull almost of all thinges There is seene so great aboundaunce of sylke that you may in one daye bye as muche as may suffice to lade three thousande Cameles Corne is there neuer deare by reason of the great abundaunce There is great plentie of Rubarbe as I geather by this coniecture that syxe pounde of Rubarbe after our pounde of .xii. vnces to the pounde are solde for one croune of golde The citie conteyneth in circuite about seuen thousande houses They are of the secte of Mahumet Departyng from hence twentie dayes iorney I obserued that the continent region or firme lande farre from the sea syde is very well inhabited with many good townes and vyllages Of the ryuer thought to be Euphrates And of Castoreum Cap. 4. IN this iorney I came to a certayne great ryuer whiche in the inhabitantes language euen at this daye is named Eufra which I veryly thynke to be Euphrates consideryng also the large capacitie thereof Proceedyng therefore on my iorney by the ryuer towarde the left hande I came in the space of three dayes to an other citie named Schyra This hath onely one prynce and he a Persian Mahumetan and subiecte to none other Here are founde all sortes of precious stones and especially the stone Eranon whiche delyuereth men from witchecraftes madnesse and fearefulnesse proceedyng of melancolie It is the stone commonly called the Turquesse They are brought in great abundaunce from a citie named Balascam where is also great plentie of Castoreum and sundrye kyndes of coloures And heere I notifie vnto you why there is found litle true Castoreum among vs because it is adulcerate by the Persians before it come to our handes for these people are greatly geuen to the counterfettyng of suche thynges as I saw by experience before myne eyes for willyng on a time to proue the odoriferous strength of pure Castoreum I sawe certayne that had experience hereof do in this maner They tooke the bladder of Castoreum and foure of them one after an other put it to their noses to smell The fauour of it was so strong that it made theyr noses bleede and by this profe they knew it to be pure Castoreum not counterfect I asked the Persian whether Castoreum as other the lyke vngments or drugges would sone loose his strength He answered that the strength of that sauour myght be preserued the space of ten yerees yf it were not counterfect The Persians are very courteous and gentle people lyberall and gratious one to an other and fauorable to strangers and this I speake as I haue founde and seene by experyence Duryng the tyme that I was there I founde a certayne Persian merchant who the yeere before knewe me in the citie of Mecha he was borne in the citie of Eri in Corozain As soone as he saw me he spake to me in this maner Lodouicke what God or fortune hath sent thee into these countreyes Art not thou he whom not long sence I knewe in Mecha To whom I answered I am certaynely the same and am now come hyther for the great desire that I haue to see the worlde Praysed be God sayd he that I haue nowe found a companion of my iorney that is taken with the same desire that I haue and therfore for the space of fyfteene dayes we remayned togeather in a citie named Squilaz He exhorted me not to depart from hym but that we should togeather by his guydyng trauayle the cheefe partes of the world Enteryng therefore on our iorney we came fyrst to a place named Sainct Bragant Of the citie of Sainct Bragant bygger then Babylon And of the kyng of Persia named the Sophie Cap. 5. THey saye that the citie of Sainct Bragant is bygger then Babylon the kyng of the citie is a Mahumetan The merchantes saye that when it pleaseth hym he assembleth an armie of threescore thousande Horsemen The people are of colour enclinyng to whytenesse and verye warrelyke men This we say only by enformation of other for we coulde not safely passe anye further by reason of the great warres which the Sophie then made agaynst those Mahumetans which are of the sect and religon of Bubachar Othomar Omar â–ª These were the felowes of Mahumet as we haue written before of Mahumet and his felowes The Persians abhorre these as heretikes and false doctours although they them selues also be Mahumetans of an other secte whiche is of Mahumet and Hali whose doctrine they embrace and esteeme for most perfect and true religion Here therefore the sayde Persian my good friende and ioyfull companion of my iourney sayde thus vnto mee That thou mayest vnderstande Lodouike the vnfayned good will that I beare thee and the desyre I haue that our friendshyp may be knyt with indissoluble bandes and thereby to assure thee that I will not fayle thee in thy necessitie I haue a Nyese named Samis whom I wil gyue thee to wyfe Samis in theyr tongue signifieth the Sunne for shee deserued so to be called for her singuler beautie and sayde furthermore that he dyd not trauayle the worlde for lacke of any thyng but only for his pleasure and desyre of knowledge And therefore passyng no further by reason of the warres as we haue sayde we returned to the citie of Eri where he enterteyned mee in his house honourably and shewyng mee his Nyese instauntly desyred mee to take her to wyfe But I hauyng my mynde otherwyse destinate would not
maner al kyndes of beastes as wylde Bores Harts Wolues Lions sundry kinds of birdes and foules vnlike vnto ours Pecockes also and Parrottes It hath innumerable Kyne of shynyng yelowe coloure also sheepe exceedyng fatte There is so great abundaunce of flowers and Roses that they fayle not in wynter There can not be a more temperate ayre and therfore they lyue muche longer then we do Not far from this citie is an other citie named Mangolor from whence about the number of .lx. shyppes departe yeerely laded with Ryse The inhabitantes are partly Idolaters and partly Mahumetans Their maner of lyuing and apparell is as we haue sayd before Of Canonor and Narsinga great cities of India Cap. 7. DEpartyng from hence we directed our iorney toward the citie of Canonor beyng a very goodly citie Heere the kyng of Portugale hath a very strong towne The kyng of the citie is an Idolater and no great frend to the kyng of Portugale The citie hath a porte whyther are brought the horses of Persia but the custome for horses is exceedyng great Departyng from hence and entryng further into the lande we came to the citie of Narsinga where many Mahumetan merchauntes do dwel The soyle beareth neyther wheate nor vynes or fewe other fruites except Oranges and Gourdes They eate no breade but lyue with ryse fyshe and suche walnuttes as the countrey beareth In maners and Idolatrye they are lyke vnto them of Calecut of whiche we wyll speake heareafter There is founde plentie of spyces as Ginger Pepper Myrobalans Cardanum Cassia and dyuers suche other Also many and dyuers kindes of fruites vnlyke vnto ours and muche sweeter The region is in maner inaccessible for many dennes and diches made by force The kyng hath an army of fyftie thousande gentelmen whiche they call Heros In the warres they vse swoordes rounde Targettes or Buklers Lances Dartes Bowes Slynges and begyn nowe also to vse Gunnes They go naked coueryng onely their priuities except when they go to the warres They vse no horses Mules Asses or those Camels whiche we commonly call Dromedaries They vse onely Elephantes yet not to fyght in the battayle Great merchaundise is vsed in the citie for thyther resorte from dyuers countres two hundred shyppes yeerely Departyng from the kyngdome of Narsinga in .xv. dayes iorney towarde the East we came at the length to a citie named Bisinagar Of the fruiteful citie of Bisinagar in the kyngdome of Narsinga Cap. 8. THe citie of Bisinager is vnder the dominion of the kyng of Narsinga and subiect to hym The citie is very large and well walled situate on the syde of a hyll and eyght myles in circuite It is compassed with a triple wall and is a famous mart of all sortes of ryche merchaundise The soyle is marueylous fruitefull and hath whatsoeuer pertayneth to delicates and pleasures There is no lande more commodious for haukyng and huntyng for it hath large playnes and goodly woods a man would saye it were an earthly Paradyse The kyng and people are Idolaters He is a Prince of great power he hath an army of foure thousande horsemen And yet is it to be noted the price of a good horse there to be no lesse then foure or fyue hundred of those peeces of golde whiche they call Pardais And sometyme it so chaunceth that a horse is solde for eight hundred of those peeces of golde The cause of which great price is that they are brought out of other countreys and that they haue no Mares being forbydden by the commaundement of the kynges streightly chargyng the portes to be kepte least any Mares should be brought into the countrey Hee hath also foure hundred Elephantes to serue in the warres and likewyse as many Camelles of the kynde of those swyfte runnyng Camelles which be commonly called Dromadarii And here me seemeth good oportunitie to say somewhat of the docilitie agilitie and wyt of Elephantes as we haue promised Of the docilitie agilitie and wit of Elephantes Cap. 9. THe Elephant of all foure footed beastes and nexte vnto man is most wittie and docible and not farre from humane sence and surmounteth all other beasts in strength When the Indians bring them to the warres they put great packesaddelles on their backes suche as in Italie they vse for the great Mules These packesaddelles they gyrde vnder theyr bellyes with two chaynes of Iron Uppon the saddelles they place on euery syde a litle house or if you will rather call them Turrettes or Cagies made of wood euery Turret conteyneth three men Betweene the two Turrettes sitteth an Indian on the backe of the beast and speaketh to him in his owne language whiche the beast vnderstandeth and obeyeth for it is certaine that no other beast approcheth so neare to the vnderstandyng of man Seuen men therefore are thus placed vppon one Elephant when they goe to the wars and all armed with coates of fence Targets Bowes Launces Dartes and Slynges Also the trunke or snoute of the Elephant which of the Latines is called Promuscis or Proboscis and of some the hande of the Elephant is armed and hath a swoord fastened to it of the length of two cubites very strong and of a handfull in breadth And thus furnished they proceede to the battayle When it is requisite to goe forewarde or backewarde the gouernour sittyng aboue gyueth them an instruction with such voyces as they are accustomed vnto for sometyme he sayth thus to the beast Stryke here stryke there forbeare here goe forewarde there turne this way and that way All which woordes he vnderstandeth and obeyeth without spurre or brydell But where it so chaunceth that by casting of fyre they are with feare dryuen to flyght they can by no meanes be stayed And therfore these people haue many subtile deuises howe they may feare them with fyre which this beast by the sense of nature feareth aboue all thinges and therefore flyeth in maner at the sight of fyre And to speake somewhat of theyr strength as I haue seene by experience I remember that when I was in the citie of Canonor certayne Mahumetans drue a shyp aland turnyng the shyp after the maner of the Christians with the fore ende towarde the lande and laying vnder it three rowling beames Then three Elephantes commodiously applied drawyng with great force and bendyng downe theyr heades to the ground brought the shyp to lande But many haue thought that the Elephantes haue no ioyntes in theyr legges and that therefore they could not bende theyr legges which thyng doubtlesse is false for they haue ioyntes as haue other beastes but in the lowest parte of theyr legges The Females are more fierce then the Males and much stronger to beare burdens Sometime they are taken with furie or madnesse and testifie the same by disordinate runnyng here and there One Elephant exceedeth the bygnesse of three Bufles
at the same place where Muteezuma tooke his deaths wound Cortesius exhorted them to peace otherwise threatning the vtter decay ruine of that their so famous and noble a citie with protestation of pietie on them whom once he had taken to be his friendes promising pardon for that which was done and settyng downe what befel vnto other nations that refused his friendshyp The Mexicans making small accompte of his woordes answered that they tooke him for no friend but for their enemy that he should depart with all his trayne out of their countrey if he would haue peace otherwise they woulde so long continue theyr siege vntill by force they had dryuen him out though for euery Spanyarde slayne there dyed a thousande Mexicans for his friendshyp they cared not pardon they asked not most willingly they would all dye so that they might deliuer their posteritie from the Spanyshe tyranny Wherefore Cortesius waying with him selfe the great daunger that presently might ensue for want of victualles if he stayed the Mexicans continuing their assalte for perill to be stopped at the draught bridges if he departed so muche the more for that these Barbares were not ignorant of .70 thousand ducates heaped vp togeather by him in that prouince set vppon them the seconde tyme with the aforesayde engines but all in vayne So stoutly their enemyes defended them selues and so fiercely they resisted the assalte giuen Chiefly the Spaniardes courage appeared in winnyng of a certayne Tower that alwayes commaunded them nexte in the ruine of such houses as for the nearenes thereof bred them great incombrance and perill After many woundes receyued and great slaughter done on both sides the principal citizens counterfectyng a conclusion of peace promysed obedience vnto Cortesius so that all deedes past myght be forgotten Cortesius lykyng well thereof at their request set free a priest he had of theirs in prison to deale betwyxt them and throughly persuaded that no guyle was ment withdrew his company from skirmishing But he was no sooner set downe to dynner after his restlesse afflictions and continuall labours but the Mexicans tooke the towne bridges and voyded the trenches which Cortesius for passage had caused to be filled vp Presently therefore he rushed out amongst them agayne with his horsemen but the iourney went so hardly with the Spanyardes that Cortesius wounded in the head was scarsly able to retyre agayne many of his company were slayne such as escaped were not able to continue in the fielde any longer wearyed with blowes worne out with hunger It remayned only that now they eyther presently must peryshe or els depart out of the countrey By nyght therefore Cortesius and his souldyers priuely thought to slyp away with Muteezumaies children and certayne of the Mexican nobles captiues charging the Spanysh kyng his officers with the fifâ—h part of his treasure and takyng the residue thereof with him But the Barbares hauyng intelligence thereof oppressed them in the way tooke theyr goods slue many of the Spaniards and with them their captiues if happely any escaped they were such as marched in the most for both the vangarde and rereward were altogeather discomfited and lost to the number of .150 Spanyardes 42. horses .2000 Tascaltecans and Guazuzings that ayded them Thus paynefully with great daunger and no lesse griefe Cortesius lefte Themistitan pursued by his enemyes that folowed him nothyng holpen by the way as he repayred home refreshyng his Campe with a dead horse after fyue dayes spent with the foode of parched corne and that in small quantitie before he came to Tascalteca The Tascaltecans curtuously enterteyned him and his with whom he made his abode .20 dayes to refreshe his wearyed army that done he conquered other cities in that prouince eyther enemyes vnto the Tascaltecans as Tepeaca where he buylte for safetie of passage Segura la Frontera or suche as for feare of the Mexicans had not yeelded them selues before to wyt Guaccachiulla Izzuca and other principall townes therabout Finally he sendeth for horsemen and shot out of the Ilande Hispaniola wynneth many Barbares fauour assistance agaynst the Mexicans maketh prouision of .13 flye Boates to annoye by water the citizens of Themistitan Meteezumaes Nepheu Catamazinus the new kyng of Mexico fearyng on the other syde the Spanyardes returne and seeing many of his subiectes to fall from him wanteth not in any wyse to set all thinges in a readinesse for warres especially pykes to annoye the horsemen whom they most dreaded Eightiene leagues from Tascalteca towardes Themistitan standeth Tazuco a goodly citie of the Mexicans Cortesius fyrst of all tooke this citie caused his prouision for fly Boates wrought in Tascalteca to be brought thyther Such was the hatred of the Tascaltecans and Guazuzings agaynst the Mexicans that they carried the tymber vppon theyr shoulders from Tascalteca to Tazuco without any grudging for the prouision aforesayde From Tazuco Cortesius cut a passage into the salte Mare of Mexico to bryng his flye Boates to the siege of Themistitan this trenche three Englyshe myles long and foure fathome deepe was finyshed by .8000 pyoners of that countrey in fyftie dayes This nauy annoyed very muche the citizens in destroying theyr sculles and troughes and stopping their passage from place to place besydes the assalâ—e giuen therewith to the towne it selfe Cortesius army euer as it came destroyed all suche places by the way that either persecuted him fleeing away before or presently might domage his returne The citie he besieged in three places at once after that hee had cutte of all the freshe water conductes and taken the wayes and bridges and stopped all passage for any enemy of his into the towne the number of his souldiers amounted vnto .120000 for out of all the countrey about the Barbares came with Cortesius some for libertie some for friendshyp some for hope of gaine The siege lasted neuerthelesse ten weekes in the ende whereof with continuall battry the citie defaced and more than .100000 citizens worne out partly in fight and partly wasted with misery and hunger Cortesius tooke theyr new kyng priuely walkyng in a secret corner of the lake and subdued throughly with him the citie Themistitan .14 townes by the lake syde all the Mexican realme and prouince vnto the Spanyshe crowne in the iurisdiction whereof it doeth presently remayne The spoyle of the citie in value great Cortesius diuided amongst the Spanyshe souldyers reseruyng the fyfth parte therof and certayne fine feather woorkes the whiche he sent into Europe to be presented vnto Charles the fyfth kyng of Spayne and Emperour than in Germanie Who lysteth to see this hystorie more at large may reade Cortesius Nauigations and Frauncis Lopez woorke thereof written in the Spanyshe tongue made not long since Italian by Lucius Maurus and if I be not deceyued nowe a doyng into Englyshe An abridgement thereof I promysed or a commentary as Caesar termeth suche kynde of wrytynges to gyue other men occasion to
Ilande This is the summe of those thynges whiche olde Critia sayde he had vnderstoode of Solon And certaynely these wordes of Plato of the said Iland haue caused great contention among many great Philosophers which haue written commentaries vpon the sayde Dialogue of Timeus composed by Plato Insomuche that the same in those dayes being vtterly vnknowen many haue taken this narration of Solon for an allegorical fable and haue interpreted the same in diuers senses and meanynges But it may nowe well appeare the true meanyng hereof to be this that Plato intendyng to wryte of the vniuersall frame of the worlde the whiche he knewe to be made an habitation for the diuine best man and also beholdyng therin the great ornament and beautie of the heauen and starres whereby man myght knowe his God and creatour it myght seeme to hym a thyng to farre from reason that only two partes thereof shoulde be inhabited and the other part desolate and depriued of men and that the Sunne and starres might seeme to shewe theyr lyght only halfe theyr course without profite shining only vpon the sea and desolate places destitute of man and other liuing creatures And therefore Plato had in great admiration the hystorie of the sayde Egyptian priest makyng mention of an other part of the worlde besyde Asia Europa and Africa and thought it woorthy to be rehearsed in the beginning of his diuine Dialogue aforesayde We ought therefore certainely to thinke our selues most bounde vnto God that in these our tymes it hath pleased hym to reueale and discouer this secrete in the fyndyng of this newe worlde whereby we are certaynely assured that vnder our Pole starre and vnder the Equinoctial line are most goodlye and ample regions as well and commodiously inhabited as are other partes of the worlde best knowen vnto vs. The testimonie of the Poet Seneca in his Tragedie De Medea where by the spirite of Poetical furie he sayth Venient annis Secula seris quibus Oceanus Vincula rerum laxet et ingens Pateat tellus Typhisque nouos Detegat Orbes Nec sit terris vltima Thyle Whiche may be thus Englished In late yeeres newe worldes shal be founde And newe landes shal then appeare on the grounde When Typhis Nauigation newe worldes shal fynde out Then shal not Thyle for last be left out For then shal the Ocean dissolue his large bandes And shewe foorth newe worldes regions and landes ⧠To the moste noble prince and catholike kynge Charles Peter Martyr of Angleria wisheth perpetual felicitie THe diuine prouidence from the time that he fyrst created the worlde hath reserued vnto this day the knowledge of the great and large Ocean sea In the whiche tyme he hath opened the same chiefely vnto you moste mightie Prince by the good fourtune and happie successe of your grandfather by your mother syde The same prouidence I knowe not by what destenie hath brought me out of my natiue countrey of Milane and out of the citie of Rome where I continued almost .x. yeeres into Spaine that I myght particularlye collecte these marueilous and newe thinges which shoulde otherwyse perhappes haue lien drowned in the whirlepoole of obliuion forasmuche as the Spanyardes men worthy great commendation had only care to the generall inuentions of these thinges Notwithstanding I do not chalenge vnto me only the thankes of the trauaile bestowed herein whereas the chiefe rewarde therof is due to Ascanius vicount Cardinal who perceauyng that I was wylling to departe out of the citie to be present at the warres of Granatum disswaded me from my purpose But seeing that I was fully resolued to departe exhorted required me to write vnto him suche newes as were famous in Spaine worthy to be noted I toke therfore my iourney into Spayne chiefely for the desyre I had to see thexpedition whiche was prepared agaynst the enimies of the fayth forasmuche as in Italye by reason of the dissention among the Princes I coulde fynde nothyng wherewith I myght feede my wytte beyng a younge man desyrous of knowledge and experience of thynges I was therefore presente at the warres from whence I writte to Cardinal Ascanius and by sundry epistles certifyed hym of such thinges as I thought most woorthye to be put in memorie But when I perceiued that his fortune was turned from a naturall mother to a stepdame I ceassed from wrytyng Yet after I sawe that by thouerthrowe of the enimies of our fayth Spayne was pourged of the Moores as of an euil weede plucked vp by the rootes leste I shoulde bestowe my slippery yeares in vnprofitable idlenesse I was mynded to returne to Italie But the singuler benignitie of both the Catholyke kyng and queene nowe departed and theyr large promises towarde me vpon my returne from my legacie of Babylon deteyned me from my purpose Yet doth it not repent me that I drew backe my foote aswel for that I see in no other place of the world at this tyme the lyke woorthy thinges to be done as also that in maner throughout all Italie by reason of the discorde of Christian Princes I perceiued all thynges to runne headlong into ruine the countreys to be destroyed and made fatte with humane blood the cities sacked virgins and matrones with theyr goods and possessions caried away as captiues and miserable innocentes without offence to be slayne vnarmed within theyr owne houses Of the whiche calamities I dyd not onely heare the lamentable outcryes but dyd also feele the same For euen the blood of myne owne kinsfolkes and frendes was not free from that crueltie As I was therefore musyng with my selfe of these thynges the Cardinal of Arragone after that he had seene the two fyrst bookes of my Decades wrytten to Ascanius required me in the name of kyng Frederike his vncle to put foorth the other eyght epistle bookes In the meane tyme also whyle I was voyde of al care as touching the matters of the Ocean the Apostolicall messengers of the byshop of Rome Leo the tenth by whose holsome counsayle and aucthoritie we trust the calamities of Italy shal be fynished raysed me as it were from sleepe encoraged me to proceede as I had begun To his holynesse I wrytte two Decades comprysed in short bookes after the maner of epistles and added them to the fyrst which was printed without mine aduise as shal further appeare by the preface folowyng But nowe I returne to you most noble Prince from whom I haue somwhat digressed Therfore wheras your grandfather by your mothers side haue subdued al Spaine vnder your dominion except only one corner of the same and haue also lefte you the kingdome of Naples with the fruteful Ilands of our seas it is surely a great thing and worthy to be noted in our cronacles But not offendyng the reuerence due to our predecessours whatsoeuer from the begynnyng of the worlde hath been doone or wrytten to this day to my iudgement seemeth but lyttle yf we
Christians vse in tyllyng of their grounde and geatheryng of golde as we haue sayde These places appointed vnto them they keepe as long as them lyst and if they perceyue tokens of little golde they requyre an other plot of grounde of twelue pases to be assigned them leauyng the first in common And this is thorder which the Spaniardes inhabiting Dariena obserue in geatheryng of golde I suppose also that they vse the lyke order in other places Howbeit I haue not yet enquired so farre It hath been prooued that these twelue pases of grounde haue yelded to their choosers the summe of fourescore Castellanes of golde And thus leade they theyr lyues in fulfillyng the holy hunger of golde But the more they fyll their handes with fyndyng the more increaseth theyr couetous desyre The more woodde is layde to the fyre the more furiously rageth the flame Unsaciable couetousnesse is no more diminished with increase of rychesse then is the drinesse of the dropsye satisfyed with drynke I let passe many thinges whereof I intende to wryte more largely in tyme conuenient if I shall in the meane season vnderstande these to bee acceptable vnto your holynesse my duetie and obseruaunce to whose aucthoritie hath caused mee the gladlier to take this labour in hande The prouidence of the eternall creatour of all thinges graunt your holynesse many prosperous yeeres Here endeth the three bookes of the Decades Of Cuba Hispaniola and other Ilands in the VVest Indies seas and of the maners of the inhabitauntes of the same I Haue partlye declared before in my Decades howe certaine fugitiues which came out of the large West landes arriued in the confines of Dariena and howe that marueiling at the bookes of our men they declared that they sometime dwelt in regions whose inhabitantes vsed such instruments were ruled by politike lawes Also that they had cities fortified with walles and faire pallaces with streates well paued common places whither marchauntes resorte as to the burse or streate These landes our men haue now founde Therefore who were thauctors hereof or what successe they had herein who so desireth to knowe with the conditions of straunge regions and the maners of the people let him giue diligent attendaunce to suche thinges as folow Of the Ilande of Cuba now called Fernandina lying next vnto Hispaniola on the West syde and yet somewhat so bending towarde the North that the circle called Propicus Cancri diuideth it in the myddest whereas Hispaniola is distant from the Tropike and declinyng certayne degrees towarde the Equinoctiall line we haue spoken somewhat before In this Iland of Fernandina there are now sixe townes erected wherof the chiefe is named Sanstiago of S. Iames the patrone of the Spaniards In this there is natiue gold found both in y e mountaines and ryuers by reason wherof they are dayly occupied in geathering digging the same But shortly after that I had finished my sayd bookes three Spaniards y t were the most auncient citizens of Cuba as Franciscus Fernandes of Corduba Lupus Ocho Christophorus Morantes determined to seeke new lands as the myndes of the Spaniards are euer vnquiet giuen to attempt great enterprises They furnished at their owne charges three of those shyppes which they call Carauels and hauing first lycence of Diegus Velasquen the gouernour of the Ilande they departed with a hundred and ten men from the West angle of Cuba For this angle is most commodious to relieue shippes to make prouision for freshe water fuell Thus they sayled continually sixe dayes and a halfe betwene the west the South contented onely with the sight of the heauen the water during which tyme they suppose that they sayled not past threescore and sixe myles For they lay at anker all nyght wheresoeuer the fallyng of the Sunne tooke the day lyght from them least by wanderyng in vnknowen seas they myght chaunce to bee cast vppâ—â— rockes or sandes But at the length they chaunced vppon a great Ilande named Iucatana whose beginnyng thinhabitauntâ—â— call Eccampi Our men went to the citie standyng on the sea syde the which for the bygnesse thereof they named Cayrus or Alcair thinhabitauntes wherof enterteined them very friendly When they were entred into the citie they marueyled to beholde the houses buylded lyke Towres magnificall temples streates well paued and great exercise of bying and sellyng by exchaunge of ware for ware Their houses are either built of stone or of bricke and lyme and artificially wrought To the first porches of theyr houses and fyrst habitations they ascend by ten or twelue stayres they are couered either with tyles slates reades or stalkes of certayne hearbes they gratified the one the other with mutuall gyftes The Barbarians gaue our men many brooches and iewelles of golde very fayre and of cunnyng workemanshyp our men recompensed them with vestures of sylke and wooll counterfeyte stones of coloured glasse and chrystall Haukes belles of laton and suche other rewardes whiche they greatly esteemed for the straungenesse of the same they set nought by lookyng glasses bycause they haue certayne stones muche bryghter This nation is apparelled after a thousande fashions with vestures made of gossampyne cotton or bombage of dyuers coloures The women are couered from the girdle to the heele hauyng dyuers fasshions of vailes about their heades and brestes with great cautell least any part of their legges or feete be seene they resorte muche to their temples vnto the whiche the chiefe rulers haue the wayes paued from their owne houses they are Idolatours and circumcised they occupie their maner of exchaunging with muche fidelitie they vse to adourne the heares of their heades Being demaunded by thinperpretours of whom they receyued theyr circumcision they answered that there once passed an exceedyng fayre man by their coastes who left them that in token to remember him Other say that a man brighter then the Sunne went among them and executed that offyce but there is no certayntie heereof When our men had remayned there certayne dayes they seemed to bee molestous to thinhabitantes accordyng to the common saying The longer a ghest taryeth the worse is his entertaynement The which thyng our men perceyuyng they made the more hast away Being therefore prouided of all thinges necessary they tooke theyr viage directly towarde the West by the prouince which thinhabitauntes call Comi and Maiam They ouerpassed these regions takyng onely freshe water and fuell in the same The Barbarians both men women and children flocked to the sea syde astonysshed greatly to beholde the huge bygnesse of the shyppes Our men marueyled in maner no lesse to view their buyldinges and especially their temples situate neare vnto the sea and erected after the maner of towres Thus at the length hauyng sayled about a hundred and ten myles they thought it good to lay Anker in a prouince named Campechium whose chiefe towne
the whole passage lieth how long it is what breadth it carieth how perilous how prosperous the iorney is and what commodities the paynfull trauayler can reape therby what gaine the venterous marchant may looke for what wealth what honour what fame wyll to our Englyshe nation thereof ensue Thus muche right honorable my verye good Lady of your question concernyng your seruantes voyage If not so skylfully as I would and was desirous fully to do at the least as I could leasure suffered me for the litle knowledge God hath lent me yf it be any at all in Cosmographie and Philosophie and the small experience I haue in trauaile Chosing rather in the cleare iudgement of your Ho. mynde to appeare rude and ignorant and so to be seene vnto the multitude then to be founde vnthankefull and carelesse in any thing your Ho. shoulde commaunde me God preserue your Honour At the Court the .xx. of Marche Your Ho. most humbly at commaundement Richard Willes To the right worshipfull my singuler good Mystres M. Elizabeth Morisyn OVr Indian readinges our Asian lectures our Geographical description of the whole world wyll I end with certayne reportes of the prouince China in Cathayo and some intelligences of the worthy Ilands lying therby in the East Ocean The relation whereof though at the first myght seeme briefly to be passed ouer and in a fewe substantiall poyntes only to be touched as in the rest of our discourses concernyng this facultie we haue done Yet the worthynesse of matter herein conteyned the order of ciuile gouerment the maners fashions of the inhabiters the discription of that countrey so wel gathered the noueltie thereof in our language haue effectually moued me to doo the whole discourse into Englysh Needlesse I graunt the labour is for you that perfectly in so few Monethes so few weekes so fewe dayes learned the Italian tongue out of the whiche language this translation is made The singular care you euer haue had of my well dooyng and the speciall fauour I haue founde among your Honorable frendes for your sake vvoulde not only not let me to play the negligent Poete in the fift Act but compelled me to handle euen the last Scene more abundantly aswel to acknowledge your good skill both in Cosmographie and in forreine languages as also to testifie vnto the world the great benefites the which I haue receyued for vschering as it were herein so good so wyse so vertuous so worshipfull a mystres Nowe after all these learned exercises of your younger yeeres God Almyghtie send you great good successe in your present affaires with encrease of prosperitie and muche honour as you dayly shall grow elder At London the 21. of Feburary 1576. Your seruaunt euer R. Willes Reportes of the prouince China Certayne reportes of the prouince China learned through the Portugalles there imprisoned and chiefly by the relation of Galeotto Perera a gentleman of good credit that lay prisoner in that countrey many yeeres Done out of Italian into Englyshe by R. W. THis land of China is parted into .13 shyres the which sometymes were eche one a kyngdome by it selfe but these many yeeres they haue been all subiect vnto one Kyng Fuquien is made by the Portugalles the first shyre bycause there their troubles began and had occasion thereby to know the rest In this shyre be viii cities but one principally more famous than others called Fuquieo the other seuen are reasonably great the best knowen wherof vnto the Portugalles is Cinceo in respect of a certayne hauen ioyning thervnto whyther in tyme past they were wont for merchandyse to resort Cantan is the second shyre not so great in quantitie as well accoumpted of both by the Kyng thereof and also by the Portugalles for that it lyeth nearer vnto Malacca than any other part of China and was fyrst discryed by the Portugalles before any other shyre in that prouince this shyre hath in it seuen cities Chequeam is the third shyre the chiefest citie therein is Donchion therein also standeth Liampo with other thirtiene or fourtiene Boroughes countrey townes therein to to many to be spoken of The fourth shyre is called Xutiamfu the principall citie therof is great Pachin where the Kyng is alwayes resident In it are fyftiene other very great cities of other townes therein and Boroughes well walled and trenched about I will say nothing The fyft shyre hath name Chelim the great citie Nanquin chiefe of other fyftiene cities was herein of auncient tyme the royall seate of the Chinish kynges From this shyre and from that aforesayde Chequeam forwarde bare rule the other kynges vntyll the whole region became one kyngdome The sixt shyre beareth name Quianci as also the principall citie thereof wherein the fine claye to make vesselles is wrought The Portugalles beyng ignorant of this countrey and fyndyng great aboundaunce of that fine claye to be solde at Liampo and that very good cheape thought at the first that it had been made there howbeit in fine they perceiued that the standing of Quinzi more neare vnto Liampo than to Cinceo or Cantan was the cause of so muche fine claye at Liampo within the compasse of Quinci shyre be other .12 cities The seuenth shyre is Quicin the eight Quansi the nienth Confu the tenth Vrnan the eleuenth Sichiua In the first hereof there be .16 cities in the next fyftiene howe many townes the other three haue we are ignorant as yet as also of the proper names of the .12 and .13 shyres and the townes therein This finally may be generally sayde heereof that the greater shyres in China prouince may be compared with mightie kyngdomes In eche one of these shyres be set Ponchiassini and Anchiassini before whom are handled the matters of other cities There is also placed in eche one a Tutan as you would say a gouernor and a Chian that is a visiter as it were whose office is to goe in circuit and to see iustice exactly done By these meanes so vpryghtly thinges are ordered there that it may bee worthely accompted one of the best gouerned prouinces in all the world The Kyng maketh alwayes his abode in the great citie Pachin as muche to say in our language as by the name thereof I am aduertised the towne of the kyngdome This kyngdome is so large that vnder fyue monethes you are not able to traueyle from the townes by the sea syde to the Court and backe agayne no not vnder three monethes in poste at your vrgent businesse The Posthorses in this countrey are litle of bodie but swyfte of foote Many doe traueyle the greater parte of this iourney by water in certayne lyght barkes for the multitude of ryuers commodious for passage from one citie to an other The kyng notwithstandyng the hugenesse of his kyngdome hath such a care thereof that euery Moone by the Moones they recken their monethes he is aduertised fully of whatsoeuer thing happeneth therein
by these meanes folowyng The whole prouince beyng diuided into shyres and eche shyre hauyng in it one chiefe and principall citie wherevnto the matters of all the other cities townes and Boroughes are brought there are drawen in euery chiefe citie aforesayde intelligences of suche thinges as doe monethly fall out and be sent in writing to the Court. If happely in one moneth euery post is not able to goe so long a way yet doeth there notwithstandyng once euery moneth arryue one poste out of the shyre Who so commeth before the newe-Moone stayeth for the deliuery of his letters vntyll the Moone be chaunged Then lykewyse are dispatched other postes backe into all the .13 shyres agayne Before that we doe come to Cinceo we haue to passe through many places and some of great importance For this countrey is so well inhabited neare the sea syde that you can not go one myle but you shall see some towne Borough or Hostry the which are so abundantly prouided of all thinges that in the cities townes they liue ciuily Neuertheles such as dwel abrode are very poore for the multitude of them euery where so great that out of a tree you shal see many tymes swarme a number of children where a man would not haue thought to haue founde any one at all From these places in number infinite you shall come vnto two cities very populose and beyng compared with Cinceo not possibly to be discerned which is the greater of them These cities are as well walled as any cities in all the worlde As you come in to eyther of them standeth so great and mightie a brydge that the lyke thereof I haue neuer seene in Portugall nor els where I heard one of my felowes say that he told in one bridge .40 arches The occasion wherfore these bridges are made so great is for that the countrey is toward the sea very plaine and low ouerwhelmed euer as y e sea water encreaseth The breadth of the bridges although it bee well proportioned vnto the length therof yet are they equally buylt no higher in the middle than at eyther end in such wyse that you may directly see from y e one end to the other the sydes are wonderfully well engraueâ— after the maner of Rome workes But that wee did most marueyle at was therwithall the hugenesse of y e stones the lyke wherof as we came in to the citie we dyd see many set vp in places dishabited by the way to no small charges of theyrs howbeit to litle purpose whereas no body seeth them but such as doe come bye The arches are not made after our fashion vauted with sundry stones set togeather but paued as it were whole stones reaching from one piller to an other in suche wyse that they lye both for the arches heades and galantly serue also for the hygh waye I haue been astunned to beholde the hugenesse of these aforesayde stones some of them are .xii. pases long and vpwarde the least a .xi. good pases long and an halfe The wayes echewhere are galantly paued with fouresquare stone except it be where for want of stone they vse to laye bricke in this voyage wee traueyled ouer certayne hilles where the wayes were pitched and in many places no worse paued than in the playne grounde This causeth vs to thinke that in all the worlde there be no better workemen for buildinges than the ininhabitantes of China The countrey is so well inhabited that no one foote of ground is left vntilled small store of cattell haue we seene this way we sawe onely certayne Oxen wherewithall the countrymen doe plough theyr grounde One Oxe draweth the plough alone not onely in this shyre but in other places also wherein is greater store of cattell These countrymen by arte doe that in tyllage which we are constrayned to doe by force Here be solde the voydinges of close stooles although there wanteth not the dunge of beastes the excrements of man are good marchandise throughout all China The dungfermers seeke in euery streete by exchaunge to buye this durtie ware for hearbes and wood The custome is very good for keepyng the citie cleane There is great aboundance of Hennes Geese Duckes Swyne and Goates Wethers haue they none the Hennes are solde by weight and so are all other thinges Two pounde of Hennes fleshe Goose or Ducke is woorth two Foi of their money that is d. ob sterling Swines fleshe is solde at a peny the pounde Beefe beareth the same pryce for the scarcitie thereof howbeit Northwarde from Fuquieo farther of from the sea coast there is Beefe more plentie and solde better cheape Beefe onely excepted great aboundance of all these viandes we haue had in all the cities we passed through And if this countrey were lyke vnto India the inhabitantes whereof eate neyther Henne beefe nor porke but keepe that onely for the Portugalles and Moores they would be solde here for nothyng But it so fallyng out that the Chineans are the greatest eaters in all the world they doe feede vppon all thinges specially on porke the fatter that is vnto them the lesse lothsome The highest price of these thinges aforesayde I haue set downe better cheape shall you sometymes buye them for the great plentie thereof in this countrey Frogges are solde at the same price that is made of Hennes and are good meate amongst them as also Dogges Cattes Rattes Snakes and all other vncleane meates The cities be very gallant specially neare vnto the gates the which are marueylously great couered with Iron The gate-houses buylt on hygh with Towers the lower parte thereof is made of bricke and stone proportionally with the walles from the walles vpward the buyldyng is of tymber and many stories in it one aboue the other The strength of theyr townes is in the mightie walles and ditches artillerie haue they none The streetes in Cinceo and in all the rest of the cities we haue seene are very fayre so large and so streight that it is wonderfull to beholde Theyr houses are buylte with tymber the foundations onely excepted the which are layde with stone in eche syde of the streetes are paynteses or continuall porches for the marchantes to walke vnder the breadth of the streete is neuerthelesse suche that in them .xv. men may ryde commodiously syde by side As they ryde they must needes passe vnder many hygh arches of triumph that crosse ouer the streetes made of tymber and carued diuersely couered with tyle of fine claye vnder these arches the Mercers doe vtter theyr smaller wares and such as lyst to stande there are defensed from rayne and the heate of the Sunne The greater gentlemen haue these arches at their doores although some of them be not so myghtyly buylt as the rest I shall haue occasion to speake of a certayne order of gentlemen that are called Loutea I will first therefore expounde what this worde signifieth Loutea is as muche to say in our language as Syr and
whan any of them calleth his name he answereth Syr and as we doe say that the kyng hath made some gentleman so say they that there is made a Loutea And for that amongest them the degrees are diuers both in name and office I will tell you onely of some principalles beyng not able to aduertise you of all The maner howe gentlemen are created Louteas and doe come to that honour and title is by the gyuyng of a broad gyrdle not like to the rest a cap at the commaundement of the kyng The name Loutea is more generall and common vnto moe than equalitie of honour therby signified agreeth withall Such Louteas that doe serue their prince in weightie matters for iustice are created after triall made of their learning but the other whiche serue in smaller affayres as Capitaynes Constables Sergeantes by lande and sea Receyuers and such lyke wherof there be in euery citie as also in this very many are made for fauour the chiefe Louteas are serued kneelyng The whole prouince China is diuided as I haue sayde into thirtiene shyres in euery shyre at the least is one gouernour called there Tutan in some shyres there be two Chiefe in office nexte vnto them be certayne other named Chians that is hygh Commissioners as you would say or visiters with full aucthoritie in suche wyse that they doe call vnto an accompt the Tutanes them selues but their aucthoritie lasteth not in any shyre longer than one yeere Neuerthelesse in euery shyre beyng at the least seuen cities yea in some of them fyftiene or sixtiene beside other Boroughes townes not well to be numbred these visiters where they come are so honoured and feared as though they were some great princes At the yeeres ende their circuit done they come vnto that citie which is chiefe of others in the shyre to doe iustice there finally busiyng them selues in the searchyng out of such as are to receyue the order of Louteas whereof more shall be sayde in an other place Ouer and besydes these officers in the chiefe citie of eche one of these aforesayde thirtiene prouinces is resident one Ponchiassi Capitayne thereof and Treasurer of all the kynges reuenues This Magistrate maketh his abode in one of the foure greatest houses that be in all these head cities And although the principall parte of his function be to be Capitayne to be Treasurer of the reuenues in that prouince to sende these reuenues at appoynted tymes to the Court yet hath he notwithstandyng by his office also to meddle with matters apperteynyng vnto iustyce In the seconde great house dwelleth an other Magistrate called Anchiassi a great offycer also for he hath dealynges in all matters of iustice Who although hee bee somewhat inferior in dignitie vnto the Ponchiassi yet for his great dealynges and generall charge of iustice whosoeuer seeth the affayres of the one house and the other myght iudge this Anchiassi to be the greater Tuzi an other officer so called lyeth in the thyrd house a magistrate of importance specially in thinges belongyng vnto warfare for thereof hath he charge There is resident in the fourth house a fourth officer bearyng name Taissu In this house is the principall pryson of all the citie Eche one of these Magistrates aforesayde may both laye euyll doers in pryson and deliuer them out agayne except the facte be heynous and of importance in suche a case they can doe nothing except they doe meete altogeather And if the deede deserue death all they togeather can not determine thereof without recourse made vnto the Chian wheresoeuer he bee or to the Tutan and eftsones it falleth out that the case be referred vnto hygher power In all cities not onely chiefe in eche shyre but in the rest also are meanes founde to make Louteas Many of them doe studie at the prince his charges wherfore at the yeeres ende they resort vnto the head cities whyther the Chians doe come as it hath been earst sayde as well to gyue these degrees as to sit in iudgement ouer the prysoners The Chians goe in circuit euery yeere but suche as are to be chosen to the greatest offices meete not but from three yeeres to three yeeres and that in certayne large halles appoynted for them to be examined in Many thynges are asked them wherevnto if they doe aunswere accordingly and be found sufficient to take their degree the Chian by and by graunteth it them but the Cappe gyrdle wherby they are knowen to be Louteas they weare not before that they be confirmed by the kyng Theyr examination done and tryall made of them such as haue taken their degree wont to be giuen them with all cerimonies vse to banket and feast many dayes together as the Chineans fashion is to end all their pleasures with eatyng and drinkyng and so remayne chosen to doe the kyng seruice in matters of learnyng The other examinates founde insufficient to proceede are sent backe to their studie againe Whose ignoraunce is perceiued to come of negligence default such a one is whipped and sometymes sent to pryson where wee lying that yeere whan this kynde of acte was we found many thus punished and demaundyng the cause therof they sayde it was for that they knew not howe to answere vnto certayne thinges asked them It is a worlde to see howe these Louteas are serued and feared in suche wise that in publyke assemblies at one shryke they gyue all the seruitors belongyng vnto iustice tremble thereat At their being in these places whan they lyst to moue be it but euen to the gate these seruitors do take them vp and carry them in seates of beaten golde After this sort are they borne whan they goe in the citie eyther for their owne businesse abrode or to see eche other at home For the dignitie they haue and office they doe beare they be al accompanyed the very meanest of them all that goeth in these seates is vshered by two men at the least that cry vnto the people to gyue place howbeit they neede it not for that reuerence the common people hath vnto them They haue also in theyr company certayne Sergeantes with their Maces eyther siluered or altogeather siluer some two some foure other six other eight conueniently for eche one his degree The more principall and chiefe Louteas haue going orderly before these Sergeantes many other with staues and a great many catchpoules with roddes of Indishe canes dragged on the grounde so that the streetes beyng paued you may heare a farre of as well the noyse of the roddes as the voyce of the cryers These felowes serue also to apprehende others and the better to be knowen they weare liuery redde girdles and in their cappes Pecockes feathers Behynde these Louteas come such as doe beare certayne tables hanged at staues endes wherein is written in siluer letters the name degree and office of that Loutea whom they folowe In lyke maner they
tofore it hath been sayde in it therefore the Gouernours and Rulers muche lyke vnto our Shyryffes be so appoynted sodenly and speedely discharged agayne that they haue no tyme to growe naught Furthermore to keepe the state in more securitie the Louteas that gouerne one shyre are chosen out of some other shyre distaunt farre of where they must leaue theyr wyues chyldren and goodes carryeng nothyng with them but them selues True it is that at theyr commyng thyther they do fynde in a redinesse all thynges necessarie theyr house furniture seruantes and all other thynges in suche perfection and plentie that they want nothyng Thus the kyng is well serued without all feare of treason In the principall cities of the shyres be foure cheefe Louteas before whom are brought all matters of the inferiour townes throughout the whole realme Diuers other Louteas haue the maneagyng of iustice and receyuyng of rentes bounde to yeeld an accompte thereof vnto the greater officers Other doo see that there be no euyll rule keept in the citie eache one as it behoueth hym Generally al these do impryson malefactours cause them to be whypped racked hoysing them vp downe by the armes with a corde a thyng very vsuall there and accompted no shame These Louteas do vse great diligence in y e apprehending of theeues so that it is a wonder to see a theefe escape away in any towne citie or village Upon the sea neere vnto the shore many are taken and looke euen as they are taken so be they fyrst whypped and afterward layd in prison where shortly after they all dye for hunger and colde At that tyme when we were in pryson there died of them aboue threscore and ten Yf happely any one hauyng the meanes to geat foode do escape he is set with the condemned persones and prouided for as they be by the kyng in such wyse as hereafter it shal be sayde Theyr whyps be certayne peeces of canes cleft in the middle in such sort that they seeme rather playne then sharpe He that is to be whipped lieth grouelong on the ground Upon his thighes the Hangman layeth on blowes myghtely with these canes that the standers by tremble at theyr crueltie Ten sâ—rypes drawe a great deale of blood twentie or thyrtie spoyle the fleshe altogeather fyftie or threescore wyll require long tyme to be healed and yf they come to the number of one hundred then are they incurable The Louteas obserue moreouer this when any man is brought before them to be examined they aske hym openly in the hearing of as many as be present be y e offence neuer so great Thus did they also behaue them selues with vs. For this cause amongst them can there be no false witnes as dayly amongst vs it falleth out This good commeth therof that many being alwaies about the iudge to heare the euidence and beare witnesse the processe can not be falsifyed as it happeneth sometymes with vs. The Mores Gentiles Iewes haue al their sundry othes y e Mores doo sweare by theyr Mossafos the Brachmans by theyr Fili the rest likewise by the thynges they do worshyppe The Chineans though they be wonte to sweare by heauen by the Moone by the Sunne and by all theyr Idolles in iudgement neuerthelesse they sweare not at all If for some offence an othe be vsed of any one by and by with the least euidence he is tormented so be the wytnesses he bryngeth if they tell not the truth or do in any poynt disagree except they be men of worshyppe and credyte who are beleeued without any farther matter the rest are made to confesse the trueth by force of tormentes and whyppes Besydes this order obserued of them in examinations they do feare so muche theyr kyng and he where he maketh his abode keepeth them so lowe that they dare not once styrre Agayne these Louteas as great as they be notwithstanding the multitude of Notaries they haue not trusting any others do write al great processes and matters of importance them selues Moreouer one vertue they haue worthy of great prayse and that is being men so well regarded and accompted of as though they were princes they be patient aboue measure in geuyng audience We poore straungers brought before them myght saye what we woulde as all to be lyes and falaces that they dyd wryte ne dyd we stande before them with the vsuall cerimonies of that countrey yet dyd they beare with vs so patiently that they caused vs to wonder knowyng specially howe litle any aduocate or iudge is wonte in our countrey to beare with vs. For where so euer in any towne of Christendome shoulde be accused vnknowen men as we were I knowe not what ende the very innocentes cause woulde haue but we in a Heathen countrey hauyng our great ennimies two of the chiefest men in a whole towne wantyng an interpreter ignorant of that countrey language dyd in the ende see our great aduersaryes cast into pryson for our sake and depriued of theyr offices and honoure for not doyng iustice yea not to escape death for as the rumor goeth they shal be beheadded Somewhat is nowe to be sayde of the lawes that I haue been hable to knowe in this countrey and fyrst no thefte or murther is at any tyme pardoned adulterers are put in pryson and the facte once proued condemned to dye the womans husbande must accuse them this order is keapt with men and women found in that fault but theeues and murtherers are inprisoned as I haue sayd where they shortly dye for hunger and colde If any one happely escape by brybyng the gayler to geue hym meate his processe goeth farther and commeth to the courte where he is condemned to dye Sentence beyng geuen the prysoner is brought in publyke with a terrible bande of men that laye hym in Irons hande and foote with a boorde at his necke one handefull broade in length reachyng downe to his knees clefte in two partes and with a hole one handefull downewarde in the table fyt for his necke the whiche they enclose vp therein naylyng the boorde fast togeather one handefull of the boorde standeth vp behynde in the necke the sentence and cause wherefore the fellon was condemned to dye is wryten in that parte of the table that standeth before This cerimonie ended he is laid in a great prison in the companie of some other condemned persons the which are found by the king as long as they do liue The boord aforsaid so made tormenteth the prysoners very much keeping them both from rest eke lettyng them to eate commodyously theyr handes beyng manecled in Irons vnder that bord so y t in fine there is no remedy but death In y e chiefe cities of euery shire as we haue erst said there be foure principal houses in ech of them a prison but in one of them where the Taissu maketh his abode there is a greater a more principal prison theÌ„ in any of y e rest although
we laye in prison at Fuquieo we came many tymes abrode and were brought to the pallaces of noble men to be seene of them and theyr wyues for that they had neuer seene any Portugall before Many thinges they asked vs of our countrey and our fashions and dyd wryte euery thyng for they be curious in nouelties aboue measure The gentlemen shewe great curtesie vnto straungers and so dyd we finde at their handes and bycause that many tymes we were brought abrode into the citie somewhat will I say of such thinges as I dyd see therein beyng a gallant citie and chiefe in one of the thirtiene shyres aforesayde The citie Fuquieo is very great and mightily walled with square stone both within and without and as it may seeme by the breadth thereof filled vp in the middle with earth layde ouer with bricke and couered with tyle after the maner of porches or galeryes that one myght dwell therein The steyers they vse are so easily made that one may go them vp and down a horsebacke as eftsoones they doe the streetes are paued as already it hath been sayde there be a great number of Merchantes euery one hath written in a great table at his doore such thinges as he hath to sell. In lyke maner euery artisane paynteth out his craft the market places be large great aboundance of all thinges there be to be solde The citie standeth vppon water many streames run through it the bankes pitched and so broade that they serue for streetes to the cities vse Ouer the streames are sundry brydges both of tymber stone that beyng made leuell with the streetes hynder not the passage of the Barges to and fro the chanelles are so deepe Where the streames come in and goe out of the citie bee certayne arches in the wall there goe in and out theyr Parai that is a kynde of Barges they haue and this onely the day tyme at nyght these arches are closed vp with gates so doe they shut vp all the gates of the citie These streames and Barges doe ennoblyshe very muche the citie and make it as it were to seeme an other Uenice The buyldinges are euen well made hygh not lofted except it be some wherein merchandise is layde It is a worlde to see howe great these cities are and the cause is for that the houses are buylt euen as I haue sayde and doe take a great deale of roome One thyng we sawe in this citie that made vs all to wonder and is woorthy to bee noted Namely ouer a porche at the commyng in to one of the aforesayde foure houses the whiche the kyng hath in euery shyre for his gouernours as I haue erst sayde standeth a Towre buylt vppon fourtie pyllers eche one whereof is but one stone eche one fourtie handfulles or spannes long in breadth or compasse twelue as many of vs dyd measure them Besydes this theyr greatnesse suche in one peece that it myght seeme impossible to worke them they bee moreouer cornerde and in colour length and breadth so lyke that the one nothyng dyffereth from the other This thyng made vs all to wonder verye muche Wee are wont to call this countrey China and the people Chineans but as long as we were prisoners not hearing amongst them at any tyme that name I determined to learne howe they were called and asked sometymes by them thereof for that they vnderstoode vs not whan wee called them Chineans I answered them that all the inhabitantes of India named them Chineans wherefore I prayed them that they would tell mee for what occasion they are so called whether peraduenture any citie of theyrs bare that name Heerevnto they alwayes answered mee to haue no suche name nor euer to haue had Than dyd I aske them what name the whole countrey beareth and what they would answere beyng asked of other nations what countrymen they were It was tolde me that of auncient tyme in this countrey had been many kynges and though presently it were all vnder one eche kyngdome neuerthelesse enioyed that name it fyrst had these kyngdomes are the prouinces I spake of before In conclusion they sayde that the whole countrey is called Tamen and the inhabitantes Tamegines so that this name China or Chineans is not hearde of in that countrey I doe thinke that the nearenesse of an other prouince thereabout called Cochinchina and the inhabitantes thereof Cochinesses fyrst discouered before that China was lying not farre from Malacca dyd gyue occasion both to the one nation and to the other of that name Chineans as also the whole countrey to be named China But their proper name is that aforesayde I haue hearde moreouer that in the citie Nanquim remayneth a table of golde and in it written a kyng his name as a memory of that residence the kyngs were wont to keepe there This table standeth in a great pallace couered alwayes except it bee in some of theyr festiuall dayes at what tyme they are wont to let it be seene couered neuerthelesse as it is all the nobilitie of the citie goeth of duetie to doe it euery day reuerence The lyke is done in the head cities of all the other shyres in the pallaces of the Ponchiassini wherein these aforesayde tables doe stande with the kyng his name written in them although no reuerence be done thervnto but in solempne feastes I haue lykewyse vnderstoode that the citie Pachin where the kyng maketh his abode is so great that to goe from one syde to the other besydes the Subarbes the which are greater than the citie it selfe it requyreth one whole day a horsebacke going hackney pase In the Subarbes be many wealthy marchantes of all sortes They tolde me furthermore that it was Moted about and in the Motes great store of fyshe wherof the kyng maketh great gaynes It was also tolde mee that the kyng of China had no kyng to wage battayle withall besides the Tartares with whom he had concluded a peace more than fourescore yeeres agoe Neuerthelesse theyr friendshyp was not so great that the one nation might marry with the other And demaunding with whom they married they sayde that in olde tyme the Chinish kynges whan they would marry theyr daughters accustomed to make a solempne feast whervnto came all sorts of men The daughter that was to be marryed stoode in a place where shee myght see them all and looke whom shee lyked best him did shee chuse to husbande and if happely he were of a base condition hee became by and by a gentleman but this custome hath been left long since Nowe a dayes the kyng marryeth his daughters at his owne pleasure with great men of the same kyngdome the lyke order he obserueth in the maryage of his sonnes They haue moreouer one thing very good and that whiche made vs all to marueyle at them beyng Gentiles namely that there be hospitalles in all theyr cities alwayes full of people we neuer sawe any poore body begge
be most ample yet hath it no Emperour but is gouerned by the wysedome and vertue of the most auncient valiant men after the maner of the common wealth of Uenece Beyonde the Nogais somewhat towarde the South the Caspian sea the noblest nation of the Tartars called Zagathai inhabite townes buylded of stone and haue an exceedyng great and fayre citie called Samarcanda whiche Iaxartes the great ryuer of Sogdiana runneth through and passyng from thence about a hundred myles falleth into the Caspian sea With these people in our dayes Ismael the Sophi and kyng of Persia hath oftentymes kepte warre with doubtfull successe Insomuche that fearyng the greatnesse of theyr power whiche he resysted with all that he myght he lefte Armenia and Taurisium the chiefe citie of the kyngdome for a praye to Selimus the victourer of one wyng of the battayle From the citie of Samarcanda descended Tamburlanes the myghty Emperour of the Tartars whom some call Tanberlanis But Demetrius sayth that he shoulde be called Themircuthlu This is he that about the yeere of Christ M.CCC.xcviii subdued almost all the Easte partes of the worlde And lastly with an innumerable multitude of men inuaded the Turkes dominions with whom Baiasetes Ottomanus theyr kyng and father to the great grandfather of this Solyman that nowe lyueth meetyng at Ancira in the confines or marches of Galatia and Bythinia gaue hym a sore battayle in the whiche fell on the Turkes part .20000 men and Baiasetes hym selfe was taken prisoner whom Tamburlanes caused to be locked in an Iron cage and so caryed hym about with hym through all Asia which he also conquered with a terryble army He conquered all the landes betwene Tanais and Nilus and in fine vanquished in battayle the great Soltane of Egypte whom he chased beyonde Nilus and tooke also the citie of Damascus From the region of these Tartars called Zagathei is brought great plentie of sylken apparell to the Moscouites But the Tartares that inhabite the mydlande or inner regions bryng none other wares then trucks or droues of swift runnyng horses and clokes made of whyte feltes also hales or tentes to withstande the iniuries of colde and rayne These they make very artificially apt for the purpose Thei receiue againe of the Moscouites coates of cloth and Syluer monie conteynyng all other bodyly ornamentes and the furnyture of superfluous housholde stuffe For beyng defended agaynst the violence of wether and tempestes onely with such apparel and couerture wherof we haue spoken they trust onely to theyr arrowes which they shoote aswell backwarde flying as when they assayle theyr enimies face to face Albeit when they determined to inuade Europe theyr princes and captaynes had helmets coates of fence and hooked swoordes whiche they bought of the Persians Towarde the South the boundes of Moscouia are termined by the same Tartars whiche possesse the playne regions neere vnto the Caspian sea aboue the maryshes of Meotis in Asia and about the ryuers of Boristhenes and Tanais in part of Europe The people called Roxolani Gete and Bastarne inhabited these regions in olde tyme of whom I thynke the name of Russia tooke originall For they call part of Lituania Russia the lower wheras Moscouia it selfe is called whyte Russia Lituania therefore lyeth on the Northwest syde of Moscouia But toward the full West the mayne landes of Prussia and Liuonia are ioyned to the confines or marches of Moscouia wher the Sarmatian sea breakyng foorth of the streightes of Câ—mbrica Chersonesus nowe called Denmarke is bended with a crooked gulfe towarde the North. But in the furthest bankes of that Ocean where the large kyngdomes of Norway and Suecia are ioyned to the continent and almost enuironed with the sea are the people called Lapones a nation exceedyng rude suspitious and fearefull flying and astonyshed at the syght of all straungers and shyppes They knowe neyther fruites nor apples nor yet any benignitie eyther of heauen or earth They prouide them meate onely with shootyng and are appareled with skynnes of wylde beastes They dwell in caues fylled with drye leaues and in holow trees cnosumed within eyther by fyre or rotten for age Such as dwell neare the sea syde fyshe more luckelye then cunnyngly and in the stead of fruites reserue in store fyshes dryed with smoke They are of small stature of bodie with flat visagies pale and wannie coloure and very swyft of foote Theyr wyttes or dispositions are not knowen to the Moscouites theyr borderers who thynke it therefore a madnesse to assayle them with a smal power and iudge it neyther profitable nor glorious with great armies to inuade a poore beggerly nation They exchange the most white furres which we cal Armelines for other wares of diuers sortes Yet so that they flye the syght and companie of all merchantes For comparyng and laying theyr wares togeather and leauyng theyr furres in a mydde place they bargayne with simple fayth with absent and vnknowen men Some men of great credite and aucthoritie do testifie that in a region beyond the Lapones betwene the West and the North oppressed with perpetuall darknesse is the nation of the people called Pigmei who being growen to theyr ful grought do scarcely excede the stature of our chyldren of ten yeeres of age It is a fearefull kynde of men and expresse theyr wordes in suche chatteryng sort that they seeme to be so muche the more lyke vnto Apes in howe muche they differ in sense and stature from men of iust heyght Toward the North innumerable people are subiect to the Empire of the Moscouites Theyr regions extend to the Scythian Ocean for the space of almost three monethes iorney Next vnto Moscouia is the region of Colmogora aboundyng with fruites Through this runneth the ryuer of Diuidna beyng one of the greatest that is knowen in the North partes and gaue the name to an other lesse ryuer which breaketh foorth into the sea Baltheum This encreasyng at certayne tymes of the yeere as dooth the ryuer Nilus ouerfloweth the feeldes and playnes and with his fatte and nourishyng moysture doth marueylouslye resist the iniuries of heauen and the sharp blastes of the North wynde When it riseth by reason of molten snow and great showres of rayne it falleth into the Ocean by vnknowen nations and with so large a Trenche lyke vnto a great sea that it can not be sayled ouer in one day with a prosperous wynde But when the waters are fallen they leaue here and there large and fruitfull Ilands For corne there cast on the grounde groweth without anye helpe of the Plowe and with meruaylous celeritie of hasting nature fearyng the newe iniurie of the proude ryuer doth both spryng and rype in short space Into the riuer Diuidna runneth the ryuer Iuga and in the corner where they ioyne togeather is the famous Marte Towne called Vstiuga distant from the cheefe citie Mosca .vi. hundred myles Note
are furnyshed for a small pryce with all suche kyndes of meates as may bee desyred of suche as are gyuen to most excessiue gluttony Hennes and Duckes are bought for litle syluer pence the peece There is incredible plentie of beastes and cattayle both great and small The fleshe of beefe that is kylled in the myddest of wynter is so coniealed and frosen that it putrifieth not for the space of two monethes Theyr best and most delicate dyshes are gotten by huntyng and haukyng as with vs For they take all sortes of wylde beastes with Houndes and dyuers kyndes of nettes And with Faulcons and Erens or Eagles of a marueylous kynde which the region of Pecerra bryngeth foorth vnto them they take not onely Fesantes and wylde Duckes but also Cranes and wylde Swannes They take also a foule of darke colour about the bygnesse of a Goose with redde ouerbrowes whose fleshe in taste passeth the pleasauntnesse of Phesauntes These in the Moscouites tongue are called Tetrao whiche I suppose to be the same that Plinie calleth Erythratao knowen to the people of the Alpes and especially to the Rhetians which inhabite the landes about the sprynges of the ryuer Abdua The ryuer of Volga ministreth vnto them great fyshes and of pleasaunt taste especially Sturgions or rather a kynde of fyshe lyke vnto Sturgions which in the wynter season beyng inclosed in Ise are long reserued freshe and vncorrupte Of other kyndes of fyshes they take in maner an incredible multitude in the whyte lakes whereof we haue spoken before And whereas they vtterly lacke natyue wynes they vse such as are brought from other places And this only in certeyne feastes and holy mysteryes especially the pleasaunt Maluasies of the Ilande of Creta now called Candy are had in most honour and vsed eyther as medicines or for a shewe of excessiue aboundaunce forasmuch as it is in maner a miracle that wines brought from Candy by the streightes of Hercules pyllers and the Ilandes of Gades and tossed with such fluddes of the inclosed Ocean should be droonke among the Scythian snowes in theyr natiue puritie and pleasauntnesse The common people drinke meade made of hony hoppes sodden togeather whiche they keepe long in pitched barrelles where the goodnesse increaseth with age They vse also beere and ale as doe the Germanes and Polones They are accustomed for delicatenesse in sommer to coole theyr beere and meade with putting Ise therein which the noble men reserue in theyr sellars in great quantitie for the same purpose Some there are that delight greatly in the iuise that is pressed out of Cherries before they be full rype which they affyrme to haue the colour of cleare and ruddy wyne with a very pleasaunt taste Theyr wyues women are not with them in such honour as they are in other nations for they vse them in maner in the place of seruants The noble women gentelwomen do diligently obserue their walkes and haue an eye to their chastitie They are sildome bydden foorth to any feastes neyther are permitted to resorte to churches farre of or to walke abrode without some great consideration But the common sorte of women are easily and for a small price allured to lechery euen of straungers by reason whereof the Gentlemen doe litle or nothyng esteeme them Iohn the father of kyng Basilius dyed more then .xx. yeeres since He maryed Sophia the daughter of Thomas Paleologus who reigned far in Peloponnesus now called Morea was brother to Themperour of Constantinople She was then at Rome when Thomas her father was driuen out of Grecia by the Turks Of her were fiue children borne as Basilius him selfe George Demetrius Symeon and Andreas Basilius tooke to wife Salomonia the daughter of George Soborouius a man of singuler fidelitie wisedome and one of his counsayle the excellent vertues of whiche woman only barennesse obscured When the Princes of Moscouia deliberate to marry their custome is to haue choyse of all the vyrgins in the realme and to cause suche as are of most fayre and beautifull vysage and personage with maners and vertues accordyng to bee brought before them Whiche afterwarde they commyt to certayne faythfull men and graue matrones to be further viewed insomuche that they leaue no parte of them vnsearched Of these shee whom the Prince most lyketh is pronounced woorthie to bee his wyfe not without great and carefull expectation of theyr parentes lyuyng for that tyme betweene hope and feare The other virgins also whiche stoode in election and contended in beautie and integritie of maners are oftentymes the same day to gratifie the Prince marryed to his noble men Gentelmen and Captaynes wherby it sometymes commeth to passe that whyle the Princes contemne the lynage of royall descent suche as are borne of humble parentage are exalted to the degree of princely estate in lyke maner as the Emperours of the Turkes were accustomed to be chosen by comelynesse of personage and warly prowesse Basilius was vnder the age of fourtie and seuen yeeres of comly personage singular vertue princely qualities by all meanes studious for the prosperitie commodities of his subiectes furthermore in beneuolence liberalitie and good successe in his doinges to be preferred before his progenitours For when he had vi yeeres kepte warre with the Lyuons that moued .lxxii. confetherate cities to the cause of that warre he obteyned the victorie departed w t few conditions of peace rather giuen then accepted Also at the beginning of his reigne he put the Polones to flight and tooke prisoner Constantine the Captayne of the Ruthens whom he brought to Moscouia tyed in chaynes But shortly after at the ryuer of Boristhenes aboue the citie of Orsa he him selfe was ouercome in a great battayle by the same Constantine whom he had dismissed Yet so that the towne of Smolenzko which the Moscouites possessed before and was newe woon by the Polones should styll parteyne to the dominions of Basilius But agaynst the Tartars and especially the Tartars of Europe called the Precopites the Moscouites haue oftentymes kepte warre with good successe in reuenge of the iniuryes done to them by theyr incursions Basilius is accustomed to bryng to the fielde more then a hundred and fiftie thousande horsemen deuided into three bandes and folowyng the banners or ensignes of theyr Captaynes in order of battayle On the banner of the kynges wyng is figured the Image of Iosue the Captayne of the Hebrues at whose prayer the Sunne prolonged the day and stayed his course as witnesse the hystories of holy scripture Armies of footemen are in maner to no vse in those great wyldernesses aswell for theyr apparel being loose and long as also for the custome of theyr enemies who in their warres trust rather to the swyftnesse of their light horses then to trye the matter in a pyght fielde Theyr horses are of lesse then meane stature but
hungrye he eateth all alone and the seruauntes are sometymes enforced to fast for the space of two or three dayes And if the maister intende to fare somewhat more delycately then he addeth thereto a litle portion of Swynes fleshe I speake not this of the best of them but of such as are of the meane sort The gouernours and captaynes of the armie do sometymes bydde the poorer sorte to theyr tables where they feede them selues so well that they fast two or three dayes after When they haue fruites Garlyke and Onyons they can well forbeare all other meates Proceedyng forwarde to the battayle they put more confidence in theyr multitude and with what great armies they assayle theyr enimies then eyther in the strength and valyauntnesse of theyr souldiers or in well instructyng theyr armie and fight better a farre of then at hand and therfore study howe to circumuent or inclose theyr enimies and to assayle them on the backe halfe They haue many trumpetters the which while they blow al at once after theyr maner make a maruelous straunge noyse They haue also another kynde of instrumentes which they call Szurna these they blow without ceassyng for the space of an houre togeather so temperyng the same and holdyng in the wynde whyle they draw more that the noyse seemeth continually without intermission They vse all one maner of apparell as longe coates without pleyghtes and with narrowe sleeues after the maner of the Hungarians These the Christians vse to butten on the ryght syde and the Tartars vseyng the lyke butten them on the lefte syde They weare redde and short buskyns that reache not to theyr knees and haue the soles thereof defended with plates of Iron In maner all theyr shyrtes are wrought with diuers coloures about the necke and haue the Collars and Ruffes beset with litle round Baules like Beades of Syluer or gylted Copper and some tyme Pearles also They gyrd them selues beneath the bellie euen as low as theyr pryuie members that they may seeme more burlye which they greatly esteeme as doo at this daye the Spanyardes Italians and Almanes The prouince of Moscouia is neyther very large nor fruitful forasmuch as the fertilitie is hindred with sandye ground which either with to much drynesse or moysture killeth the corne Furthermore immoderate and sharpe vntemperatenesse of the ayre whyle the colde of the wynter ouercommeth the heate of the Sunne sometymes doth not suffer the corne to rype For the colde is there sometymes so extreame that lyke as with vs in somer by reason of heate euen so there by extreame cold the earth hath many great chinckes or breaches Water also cast into the ayre and spytle fallyng from ones mouth are frosen before they touche the grounde I my selfe when I came thither in the yeere 1526. sawe the braunches of fruitfull trees wythered by the colde of the wynter be fore whiche was so extreame that many of theyr wagoners and carriers whom they call Gonecz were found frosen to death in theyr sleades There were some that at the same tyme leadyng and dryuing theyr cattayle from the next villages to Moscouia died by the way with their beastes through the extremitie of the colde Furthermore the same yeere many players that were accustomed to wander about the countrey with daunsing Beares were found dead in the high wayes Wilde Beares also enforced therto by famine left the woods and ran here and there into diuers villages and houses at whose commyng whyle the men of the countrey forsooke theyr houses and fledde into the fieldes many of them peryshed through the vehemencie of the cold Agayne it sometymes so chaunceth that in Sommer the heate is as extreame as in the yeere .1525 in the whiche almost all kyndes of pulse and grayne were scorched and burnt and suche a dâ—arth of corne folowed that drought that that which before was bought for three Dengas was afterward solde for twentie or thyrtie Furthermore also many villages woods and stackes of corne were set on fyre by the extreame heate the smoke wherof so fylled the region that the eyes of many were sore hurt therby There arose also as it were a darke and thycke myst without smoke whiche so molested the eyes that many lost theyr syght therby They sow and nouryshe the seedes of Melons with great diligence in certayne raysed beddes myxt with doung wherby they fynde a remedie both agaynst extreame cold and heat For if the heat exceede they make certayne ryftes in the beds as it were breathyng places lest the seedes shoulde be suffocate with to much heate And if the cold be extreame it is tempered with the heate of the mucke or doung Theyr beastes are much lesse then ours yet not all without hornes as one hath wrytten For I haue there seene Oxen Kine Goates and Rammes al with hornes Not farre from the citie of Mosca are certayne monasteries whiche a farre of seeme lyke vnto a citie They say that in this citie is an incredible number of houses and that the syxt yeere before my commyng thyther the prince caused them to be numbred and found them to be more then one and fourtie thousand fyue hundred houses The citie is very large and wyde and also very slabby and myrye by reason wherof it hath many bridges and causeyes The ayre of the region is so holsome that beyond the spryngs of Tanais especially towards the North and a great part also towards the East the pestilence hath not been hearde of synce the memorye of man Yet haue they sometymes a disease in theyr bowelles and heades not much vnlyke vnto the pestilence This disease they call a heate wherwith such as are taken dye within fewe dayes Some write that Iohn the Duke of Moscouia and Sonne of Basilius vnder the pretence of religion sacked spoyled the citie of Nouogradia and caried with hym from thence to Moscouia three hundred sleades laden with gold syluer and precious stones of the gooddes of the Archbishop the merchauntes citisins and strangers Solowki is an Ilande situate in the North sea eyght leagues from the continent betweene Duina and the prouince of Corela Howe farre it is distaunt from Moscouia can not be well knowen by reason of many Fennes Marishes wooddes and desolate places lying in the way Albeit some say that it is not three hundred leagues from Moscouia and twoo hundred from Bieloiesero In this Ilande is made great plentie of salte and it hath in it a monasterie into the which it is not lawfull for any woman or virgin to enter There is also great fyshyng for herryng They say that heere the Sunne at the sommer Equinoctiall shyneth continually except two houres Demetriowe is a citie with a Castell distante from Moscouia xii leagues declinyng from the West somewhat towarde the north By this runneth the riuer Lachroma that runneth into the ryuer of Sest Sest also receyueth the ryuer Dubna which vnladeth it selfe
Moscouia to Cathay THe great and large prouince of Permia is distant from Moscouia two hundred and fyftie or as some sai three hundred leagues directly betwene the East and North and hath a citie of the same name by the ryuer Vischora which runneth .x. leagues beneth Camam The iorney by land can scarsely be trauailed thither but in winter by reasō of mani riuers marishes ▪ and fens But in sommer this iorney is dispatched with more facilitie in boates or smal ships by Vuolochda Vstiug and the ryuer Vitzechda which runneth into Duina .xii. leagues from Vstiug But they that go from Permia to Vstiug must sayle vp the ryuer Vischora agaynst the course of the streame and passyng ouer certayne ryuers sometymes also conueying theyr boates into other ryuers by land they come at the length to Vstiug three hundred leagues distant from the citie of Permia There is smal vse of bread in this prouince For theyr yeerely tribute they pay to the Prince furres and horses They haue a priuate language and letters of theyr owne which one Stephen a Byshop who confirmed them yet waueryng in the fayth did inuent For before beyng yet infantes in the faith of Christ they slewe and fleyde an other Byshop that was appoynted to instruct them This Stephen afterward when Demetrius the sonne of Iohn reygned was taken for a Sainct among the Ruhens Of these people there yet remayne many Idolatours here and there in the woods whom the Munkes and Heremites that go thyther do not cease to conuert from theyr vaine errour In the winter they iorney to Artach as they do in many places of Russia Artach are certaine long patentes of wood of almost six handfulles in length which they make fast to theyr feete with Latchets and therwith perfourme theyr iorneis with great celeritie They vse for this purpose great Dogges in the steade of other beastes with the which they carry theyr fardels on sleades as other do with Hartes in other places as we wyl further declare hereafter They say that the prouince toward the East confineth with the prouince called Tumen parteining to the Tartars The situation of the prouince of Iugaria is apparent by that which we haue sayd before The Moscouites call it Iuhra with an aspiration and call the people Iuhrici This is that Iugaria from whence the Hungarians came in tyme past possessed Pannonia and vnder the conduct of Attila subdued many prouinces of Europe wherein the Moscouites doo greatly glorye that a nation subiect to them inuaded and wasted a great part of Europe Georgius Paruus a Greeke borne and a man of reputation with the Prince of Moscouia wyllyng to ascribe to the ryght of his Prince the great Dukedome of Lithuania and the kyngdome of Polonie ▪ with certayne other Dominions tolde me that the Iuhgarici or Iuhgarie beyng subiects to the great Duke of Moscouia came foorth of theyr owne countrey and fyrst inhabited the regions about the Fennes of Meotis and then Pannonie which was afterward called Hungarie by the ryuer of Danubius Also that in fine they possessed the region of Morauia so named of the ryuer and lykewyse Pollonie so called of Polle whiche signifieth a playne Furthermore that Buda was so called after the name of the brother of Attila They say also that the Iuhgarie vse the same tongue that do the Hungarians the whiche whether it be true or not I do not know For although I haue made diligent inquisition to knowe the trueth hereof yet could I fynde no man of that region with whom my seruaunt beyng expert in the Hungarian tongue might speake They also pay furres for theyr tributes to the Prince of Moscouia And albeit that pearles and precious stones are brought from thence to Moscouia yet are they not geathered in theyr Ocean but in other places especially about the coast of the Ocean neare vnto the mouthes of Duina The prouince of Sibier confineth with Permia and Vuiathka the whiche whether it haue anye castels or cities I do not yet certaynely knowe In this the ryuer Iaick hath his originall and falleth into the Caspian sea They say that this region is desart because it lyeth so neare the Tartars or that yf it be in any part inhabited the same to be possessed of the Tartar Schichmamai Thinhabitantes haue a peculiar language and haue theyr cheefe gaynes by the furres of Marternes whiche in fairnesse and greatnesse excel al the furres of that kynd that are found in any other prouinces Yet could I haue no greate plentie of them in Moscouia at my beyng there Note that long after the wrytyng of this historie at Richard Chaunceler his fyrst bryng in Moscouia Duke Iohn Vasiliuiche that nowe reygneth subdued all the Tartars with theyr regions and prouinces euen vnto the great citie and mart towne of Astrachan the Caspian sea At the same tyme also there was in the Dukes Court an ambassadour that came from this prouince of Sibier who declared that his father had been sent Ambassadour to the great Chan of Cathay and that the great citie of Cambalu where the great Chan kepeth his Court in wynter was in maner distroyed by Nigromancie and Magicall Artes wherein the Cathyans are very expert as wryteth Marcus Paulus Venetus There was also at the same tyme thambassadour of the kyng of Pertia called the great Sophie This Ambassadour was apparelled al in Scarlet and spake muche to the Duke in the behalfe of our men of whose kyngdome and trade he was not ignorant The people called Czeremisse dwell in the wooddes beneth Nouogradia the lower They haue a peculiar language and are of the secte of Machumet They were sometyme subiecte to the kyng of Casan but the greater part of them are nowe subiecte to the prince of Moscouia Many of them at my beyng there were brought to Moscouia as suspected of rebellion This nation doth inhabite a large region without houses from Vuiathka and Vuolochda to the ryuer of Rama All the nation aswell women as men are very swifte of foote and expert archers wherin they so delyght that theyr bowes are in maner neuer out of their handes and geue theyr chyldren no meate vntyll they hyt the marke they shoote at Two leagues distaunt from Nouogradia the lower were many houses to the similitud of a citie or towne where they were accustomed to make salte These a fewe yeeres since beyng burnt of the Tartars were restored by the commaundement of the prince Mordwa are people inhabytyng by the ryuer of Volga on the south banke beneth Nouogradia the lower and are in al thinges lyke vnto the Czeremisses but that they haue more houses And here endeth Thempire of the Moscouites Note here that Matthias of Michou in his booke of Sarmatia Asiatica writeth that the dominion of the Duke of Moscouia reacheth from the northwest to the southeast fyue hundred myles of Germanie
dismissed So that the murderer by the losse of a vyle Horse or a Bowe is discharged of the Iudge with these woordes Get thee hence and goe about thy businesse They haue no vse of gold and syluer except only a few merchauntes but exercyse exchaunge of ware for ware And yf it so chaunce that by sellyng of suche thynges as they haue stolne they get anye money of theyr borderers they bye therewith certayne apparrell and other necessaries of the Moscouites The regions of theyr habitations the feelde Tartars I meane are not lymitted with any boundes or borders There was on a tyme a certayne fatte Tarter taken prysoner of the Moscouites to whom when the Prince sayde howe art thou so fat thou dogge syth thou hast not to eate the Tartar aunswered Why should not I haue to eate syth I possesse so large a lande from the East to the West whereby I may be abundantly nouryshed But thou mayest rather seeme to lacke syth thou inhabytest so small a portion of the woorlde and dooest dayly stryue for the same Casan is a kyngdome also a citie and a castle of the same name scituate by the riuer Volga on the further banke almoste threescore and tenne leagues beneath Nouogradia the lower Along by the course of Volga towarde the East and South it is termined with desart feeldes towarde the Sommer East it confineth with the Tartars called Schibanski â–ª and Kosatzki The kyng of this prouince is able to make an armie of thyrtie thousande men especially footmen of the which the Czeremisse and Czubaschi are moste expert Archers The Czubaschi are also cunnyng Mariners The citie of Casan is threescore leagues distant from the principall castle Vuiathka Furthermore Casan in the Tartars language signifieth a brasen pot boylyng These Tartars are more ciuill then the other for they dwell in houses tyl the grounde and exercise the trade of marchandies They were of late subdued by Basilius the great Duke of Moscouia â–ª and had their Kyng assigned them at his arbitrement But shortlye after they rebelled agayne and associate with other Tartars inuaded the region of Moscouia spoyled and wasted many cities and townes and ledde away innumerable captiues euen from the citie of Moscouia which they possessed for a tyme and had vtterly destroyed the same yf it had not been for the valeauntnesse of the Almaine Gunnners whiche kept the castle with great ordinaunce They also put Duke Basilius to flyght and caused hym to make a letter of his owne hand to Machmetgirei theyr Kyng to acknowledge hym selfe for a perpetuall tributarie to them wherevpon they dissolued the siege and gaue the Moscouites free libertie to redeeme their captiues goods and so departed But Basilius not long able to abyde this contumelie and dishonour after that he had put to death suche as by flying at the first encountryng were the cause of this ouerthrow assembled an armie of an hundred and fourescore thousande men shortly after in the yeere .1523 and sent forwarde his armie vnder the conduct of his Lieuetenant and therewith an Heralde at armes to bydde battell to Machmetgirei the Kyng of Casan with woordes in this effecte The last yeere lyke a theefe and robber without byddyng of battel thou dyddest priuily oppresse mee wherefore I nowe chalenge thee once agayne to proue the fortune of warre if thou mystruste not thyne owne power To this the Kyng answered that there were manye wayes open for him to inuade Moscouia and that the warres haue no lesse respecte to the commoditie of tyme and place then of armure or strength and that hee would take the aduauntage thereof when and where it should seeme best to him and not to other With whiche woordes Basilius beyng greatly accensed and burnyng with desyre of reuenge inuaded the kingdome of Casan whose Kyng beyng stryken with sodayne feare at the approche of so terrible an army assigned the gouernaunce of his kyngdome to the yong Kyng of Taurica his Nâ—uie whyle he him selfe went to requyre ayde of the Emperour of the Turkes But in â—ine the Kyng of Casan submytted him selfe vppon certayne conditions of peace which the Moscouites dyd the gladlyer accept for that tyme because their victualles fayled them to mayneteyne so great a multitude But whereas Duke Basilius him selfe was not present at this last expedition hee greatly suspected Palitzki the Lieuetenant of the army to bee corrupted with brybes to proceede no further In this meane tyme the Kyng of Casan sent Ambassadours to Basilius to intreate of peace whom I sawe in the Dukes courte at my beyng there but I coulde perceyue no hope of peace to be betweene them For euen then Basilius to endomage the Casans translated the marte to Nouogradia whiche before was accustomed to be kepte in the Ilande of marchauntes neare vnto the citie of Casan Commaunding also vnder payne of greeuous punyshement that none of his subiectes shoulde resorte to the Ilande of marchauntes thynkyng that this translation of the marte shoulde greatly haue endomaged the Casans and that only by takyng away their trade of salte which they were accustomed to buye of the Moscouites at that marte they should haue been compelled to submyssion But the Moscouites them selues felte no lesse inconuenience heereby then dyd the Casans by reason of the dearth and scarsenesse that folowed heereof of all suche thinges as the Tartars were accustomed to bryng thyther by the ryuer of Volga from the Caspian sea the kyngdomes of Persia and Armenia and the marte towne of Astrachan especially the great number of most excellent fyshes that are taken in Volga both on the hyther and further syde of Casan But hauyng sayde thus muche of the warres betweene the prince of Moscouia and the Tartars of Casan we will nowe proceede to speake somewhat of the other Tartars inhabiting the regions towarde the Southeast and the Caspian sea Next beyond the Tartars of Casan are the Tartars called Nagai or Nogai which inhabite the regions beyonde Volga about the Caspian sea at the ryuer Iaick runnyng out of the prouince of Sibier These haue no kynges but Dukes In our tyme three brethren deuydyng the prouinces equally betweene them possessed those Dukedomes The first of them named Schidack possesseth the citie of Scharaitzick beyonde the ryuer of Rha or Volga toward the East with the region confinyng with the ryuer Iaick The seconde called Cossum enioyeth all the lande that lyeth betweene the ryuers of Kaman Iaick and Volga The third brother named Schichmamai possesseth parte of the prouince of Sibier and all the region about the same Schichmamai is as much to say by interpretation as holy or myghtie And in maner all these regions are ful of woods except that that lieth toward Scharaitz which consisteth of playnes and fieldes Betweene the riuers of Volga and Iaick about the Caspian sea there sometimes inhabited the kinges called Sawolhenses Demetrius Danielis a man among
of that countrey is rawe silke and the greatest plentie thereof is at a towne three dayes iourney from Shamaki called Arashe and within three dayes iourney of Arashe is a countrey named Groysine whose inhabitauntes are Christians are thought to be they which are otherwise called Georgians there is also much silke to be solde The chiefe towne of that countrey is called Zeghaui from whence is carryed yeerely into Persia an incredible quantitie of hasell Nuttes all of one sorte and goodnesse and as good and thyn shaled as are our Fylberdes Of these are caryed yeerely the quantitie of 4000. Camelles laden Of the name of the Sophie of Persia and why he is called the Shaugh and of other customes THe Kyng of Persia whom here we call the great Sophi is not there so called but is called the Shaugh It were there daungerous to call him by the name of Sophi bycause that Sophi in the Persian tongue is a begger and it were as much as to call him the great begger He lyeth at a towne called Casbin whiche is situat in a goodly fertile valley of three or foure dayes iorney in length The towne is but euyll buylded and for the most part all of brycke not hardened with fyre but onely dryed at the Sunne as is the most part of the buyldyng of all Persia. The kyng hath not come out of the compasse of his owne house in .xxxiii. or .xxxiiii. yeeres whereof the cause is not knowen but as they saye it is vppon a superstition of certayne prophesies to whiche they are greatly addicted he is nowe about fourescore yeeres of age and very lustie And to keepe hym the more lustye he hath foure wyues alwayes and about three hundred concubynes And once in the yeere he hath all the fayre maydens and wyues that may bee founde a great way about brought vnto hym whom he diligently peruseth feelyng them in all partes takyng suche as he lyketh and puttyng away some of them which he hath kept before And with them that he putteth away he gratifieth some suche as hath doone hym the best seruice And if he chaunce to take any mans wyfe her husbande is very glad thereof and in recompence of her oftentymes he geueth the husbande one of his olde store whom he thankfully receyueth If any straunger beyng a Christian shall come before hym he must put on a newe payre of showes made in that countrey and from the place where he entereth there is dygged as it were a causye all the way vntyll he come to the place where he shall talke with the kyng who standeth alwayes aboue in a gallerye when he talketh with any strangers and when the stranger is departed then is the causye cast downe and the grounde made euen agayne Of the religion of the Persians THeyr religion is all one with the Turkes sauyng that they dyffer who was the ryght successor of Mahumet The Turkes saye that it was one Homer and his sonne Vsman But the Persians saye that it was one Mortus Ali whiche they woulde proue in this maner They say there was a counsayle called to decide the matter who shoulde be the successour and after they had called vppon Mahumet to reuele vnto them his wyll and pleasure therein there came among them a litle lizarde who declared that it was Mahumetes pleasure that Mortus Ali should be his successour This Martus Ali was a valiant man and slewe Homer the Turkes prophet He had a swoorde that he fought withall with the whiche he conquered all his enimies and kylled as many as he stroake When Mortus Ali dyed there came a holy prophet who gaue them warnyng that shortly there woulde come a whyte Camell vppon the which he charged them to lay the body and swoorde of Mortus Ali and to suffer the Camell to carye it whether he woulde The whiche beyng perfourmed the sayde whyte Camell caryed the swoorde and body of Mortus Ali vnto the sea syde and the Camell goyng a good way into the sea was with the swoorde and bodye of Mortus Ali taken vp into heauen for whose returne they haue long looked for in Persia. And for this cause the kyng alwayes keepeth a horse redye sadled for hym and also of late kepte for hym one of his owne daughters to be his wyfe but she dyed in the yeere of our Lorde .1573 And saye furthermore that yf he come not shortly they shal be of our beleefe much lyke the Iewes lookyng for theyr Messias to come and reigne among them lyke a worldly kyng for euer and deliuer them from the captiuitie which they are nowe in among the Christians Turkes and Gentyles The Saugh or Kyng of Persia is nothyng in strength and power comparable vnto the Turke for although he hath a great Dominion yet is it nothyng to be compared with the Turkes neyther hath he any great Ordinaunce of Gunnes or Harkebuses Notwithstandyng his eldest sonne Ismael about twentie and fyue yeeres past fought a great battayle with the Turke and sleue of his armye about an hundred thousande men who after his returne was by his father cast into pryson and there continueth vntyl this daye for his father the Shaugh had hym in suspition that he would haue put hym downe and haue taken the regiment vppon hym selfe Theyr opinion of Christ is that he was an holy man and a great Prophet but not lyke vnto Mahumet saying that Mahumet was the last Prophet by whom all thynges were finished and was therefore the greatest To proue that Christ was not Goddes sonne they saye that God had neuer wyfe and therefore coulde haue no sonne or chyldren They goe on pylgrymage from the furthest part of Persia vnto Mecha in Arabia and by the way they visite also the sepulchre of Christ at Ierusalem whiche they nowe call Couche Kalye The most part of Spyces whiche commeth into Persia is brought from the Iland of Ormus situate in the gulfe of Persia called Sinus Persicus betweene the mayne lande of Persia and Arabia c. The Portugales touche at Ormus both in theyr viage to East India and homewarde agayne and from thence bryng all suche Spyces as is occupied in Persia and the regions there about for of Pepper they bryng verye small quantitie and that at a verye deare pryse The Turkes oftentymes bryng Pepper from Mecha in Arabia whiche they sell as good cheape as that which is brought from Ormus Sylkes are brought from noo place but are wrought all in theyr owne countrey Ormus is within two myles of the mayne lande of Persia and the Portugales fetche theyr freshe water there for the whiche they paye trybute to the Shaugh or kyng of Persia. Within Persia they haue neyther golde nor syluer mynes yet haue they coyned money both of golde and syluer and also other small moneys of Copper There is brought into Persia an incredible summe of Duche Dolours which for the most part is there
or rather against the charitie that ought to be among Christian men that such as violentlye inuade the dominions of other shoulde not permit other frendly to vse the trade of merchandies in places neerer or seldome frequented of them whereby theyr trade is not hyndred in such places where they them selues haue at theyr owne election appointed the martes of theyr trafficke But forasmuch as at this present it is not my entent to accuse or defend approue or improue I wil ceasse to speake any further hereof proceade to the discription of the first viage as breefely and faithfully as I was aduertised of the same by the information of such credible persons as made diligent inquisition to know the trueth hereof as much as shal be requisite omittyng to speake of many partiticuler thinges not greatly necessarie to bee knowen whiche neuerthelesse with also the exacte course of the nauigation shall be more fully declared in the seconde vyage And if herein fauour or friendshyp shall perhappes cause some to thynke that some haue been sharpely touched let them laye a parte fauour and friendshyp and gyue place to trueth that honest men may receyue prayse for well doyng and lende persons reproche as the iust stipende of theyr euyll desartes whereby other may bee deterred to doe the lyke and vertuous men encouraged to proceede in honest attemptes But that these vyages may be more playnely vnderstoode of all men I haue thought good for this purpose before I intreate hereof to make a breefe description of Affrica beyng that great parte of the worlde on whose Weste syde begynneth the coaste of Guinea at Cabo Verde about the twelue degrees in latitude on this syde the Equinoctiall line and two degrees in longitude from the measuryng lyne so runnyng from the North to the South and by East in some places within v.iiii and .iii. degrees and a halfe within the Equinoctiall and so foorth in maner direcly East and by North for the space of xxxvi degrees or there about in longitude from the West to the East as shall more playnely appeare in the description of the seconde vyage A breefe description of Affrike IN Affrica the lesse are these kyngdomes the kingdome of Tunes Constantina which is at this day vnder Tunes and also the region of Bugia Tripoli and Ezzah This part of Afrike is very baren by reason of the great desartes as the desartes of Numidia Barcha The principall portes of the kingdome of Tunes are these Goletta Bizerta Potofarnia Boua and Stora The chiefe cities of Tunes are Constantina and Boua with diuers other Under this kyngdome are many Ilands as Zerbi Lampadola Pantalarea Limoso Beit Gamelaro and Malta where at this present is the great maister of the Rodes Under the South of this kyngdome are the great desartes of Libia All the nations in this Africa the lesse are of the secte of Mahumet a rusticall people lyuyng scattered in villages The best of this parte of Afrike is Barbaria lying on the coast of the sea Mediterraneum Mauritania now called Barbaria is diuided into two partes as Mauritania Tingitania and Cesariensis Mauritania Tingitania is nowe called the kyngdome of Fes and the kyngdome of Marrocko The principall citie of Fes is called Fessa and the chiefe citie of Marrocko is named Marrocko Mauritania Cesariensis is at this daye called the kyngdome of Tremisen with also the citie called Tremisen or Telensin This region is full of desartes and reacheth to the sea Mediterraneum to the citie of Oram with the porte of Massaquiber The kyngdome of Fes reacheth vnto the Ocean sea from the West to the citie of Argilla and the porte of the sayde kyngdome is called Salla The kyngdome of Marrocko is also extended aboue the Ocean sea vnto the citie of Azamor and Azafi which are aboue the Ocean sea towarde the West of the sayde kyngdome In Mauritania Tingitania that is to say in the two kyngdomes of Fes and Marrocko are in the sea the Ilandes of Canarie called in olde tyme the fortunate Ilandes Towarde the South of this region is the kyngdome of Guinea with Senega Iaiofo Gambra and many other regions of the blacke Moores called Ethiopians or Negros all whiche are watered with the ryuer Negro called in olde tyme Niger In the sayde regions are no cities but only certayne lowe cotages made of boughes of trees plastered with chauke and couered with strawe In these regions are also very great desartes The kyngdome of Marrocko hath vnder it these seuen kyngdoms Hea Sus Guzula the territory of Marrocko Duchala Hazchora and Telde The kyngdome of Fes hath as many as Fes Temesne Azgar Elabath Errifi Garet and Elcauz The kyngdome of Tremisen hath these regions Tremisen Tenez and Elgazaet all which are Machometistes But all the regions of Guinea are pure Gentyles and Idolatours without profession of any religion or other knowledge of God then by the lawe of nature Africa the great is one of the three partes of the worlde knowen in olde tyme and seuered from Asia on the East by the ryuer Nilus on the West from Europe by the pillers of Hercules The hyther parte is now called Barbarie and the people Moores The inner parte is called Libia and Ethiopia Afrike the lesse is in this wyse bounded On the West it hath Numidia On the East Cyrenaica On the North the sea called Mediterraneum In this countrey was the noble citie of Carthage In the East side of Africke beneath the redde sea dwelleth the great and myghtie Emperour and Christian kyng Prester Iohn well knowen to the Portugales in theyr vyages to Calicut His dominions reache very farre on euery syde and hath vnder hym many other kynges both Chrystian and heathen that pay hym tribute This mightie prince is called Dauid Themperour of Ethiopia Some wryte that the kyng of Portugale sendeth hym yeerely .viii. shyppes laden with marchaundies His kingdome confineth with the redde sea and reacheth farre into Afrike toward Egypte and Barbarie Southwarde it confineth with the sea towarde the cape de Buona Speranza and on the other syde with the sea of sande called Mare de Sabione a very dangerous sea lying betweene the great citie of Alcayer or Cairo in Egypt and the countrey of Ethiopia In the whiche way are many vnhabitable desarts cōtinuing for the space of fiue dayes iorney And they affirme that if the sayd Christian Emperour were not hyndered by those desartes in the whiche is great lacke of victualles and especially of water he woulde or nowe haue inuaded the kingdome of Egypt and the citie of Alcayer The cheefe citie of Ethiopia where this great Emperour is resident is called Amacaiz being a faire citie whose inhabitantes are of the colour of an Olyue There are also many other cities as the citie of Saua vpon the ryuer of Nilus
maner rounde It is of largenesse from syde to syde .lx. Italian myles that is to say one degree The horizontall line of the Ilande passeth by the two poles Artike and Antartike and hath euer the day equall with the nyght without any sensible difference whether the Sunne be in Cancer or in Capricorne The starre of the pole Artike is there inuisible but the wardens are seene somewhat to moue about the starres called the Crosse are seene very hygh Of this Ilande with the other landes and Ilandes lying betweene Portugale and the same a certeyne pylotte of Portugale hath written a goodly vyage to Conte Rimondo FINIS The Nauigation and vyages of Lewes Vertomannus Gentelman of the citie of Rome to the regions of Arabia Egypte Persia Syria Ethiopia and East India both within and without the ryuer of Ganges c. In the yeere of our Lorde .1503 Conteynyng many notable and straunge thinges both hystoricall and naturall Translated out of Latine into Englyshe by Richarde Eden In the yeere of our Lord .1576 The Preface of the Authour THere haue ben many before me who to know the miracles of the worlde haue with diligent studie read dyuers Authours which haue written of such thinges But other giuing more credite to the lyuely voyce haue been more desirous to know the same by relation of such as haue traueyled in those countreys seene such thinges whereof they make relation for that in many bookes geathered of vncertaine aucthoritie are myxt false thinges with true Other there are so greatly desirous to know the trueth of these thinges that they can in no wyse be satisfied vntyll by theyr owne experience they haue founde the trueth by voyages and peregrinations into straunge countreys and people to know theyr maners fashions and customes with dyuers thinges there to be seene wherein the only readyng of bookes could not satisfie their thirst of suche knowledge but rather increased the same in so much that they feared not with losse of goods and daunger of lyfe to attempte great vyages to dyuers countreys with witnesse of theyr eyes to see that they so greatly desired to knowe The whiche thyng among other chaunced vnto me also For as often as in the bookes of hystories and Cosmographie I read of such marueylous thinges whereof they make mention especially of thinges in the East partes of the world there was nothyng that coulde pacifie my vnquiet mynde vntyll I had with myne eyes seene the trueth thereof I knowe that some there are indued with hygh knowledge mountyng vnto the heauens whiche will contempne these our writinges as base and humble bycause we doe not here after their maner with high and subtile inquisition intreate of the motions and dispositions of the starres and gyue reason of theyr woorkyng on the earth with their motions retrogradations directions mutations epicicles reuolutions inclinations diuinations reflexions and suche other parteynyng to the science of Astrologie which certeynely we doe not condempne but greatly prayse But measuryng vs with our owne foote we will leaue that heauie burden of heauen to the strong shoulders of Atlas and Hercules and only creepyng vppon the earth in our owne person beholde the situations of landes and regions with the maners and customes of men and variable fourmes shapes natures and propriettes of beastes fruites and trees especially suche as are among the Arabians Persians Indians and Ethiopians And whereas in the searchyng of these thinges we haue thanked be God satisfied our desire we thinke neuerthelesse that we haue done little excepte we should communicate to other such thinges as we haue seene and had experience of that they lykewyse by the readyng thereof may take pleasure for whose sakes we haue written this long and dangerous discourse of thinges which we haue seene in dyuers regions and sectes of men desiryng nothyng more then that the trueth may be knowen to them that desyre the same But what incommodities and troubles chaunced vnto me in these viages as hunger thirst colde heate warres captiuitie terrours and dyuers other suche daungers I will declare by the way in theyr due places The first Chapter of the nauigation from Venice to Alexandria in Egypte IF any man shall demaunde of me the cause of this my vyage certeynely I can shewe no better reason then is the ardent desire of knowledge which hath moued many other to see the worlde and miracles of God therin And forasmuch as other knowen partes of the world haue heretofore ben sufficiently traueyled of other I was determyned to visite and describe suche partes as here before haue not been sufficiently knowen and therefore with the grace of God and callyng vppon his holy name to prosper our enterprise departyng from Uenice with prosperous wyndes in fewe dayes we arryued at the citie of Alexandria in Egypte where the desyre we had to knowe thinges more straunge and further of would not permit vs to tarrie long And therefore departyng from thence and saylyng vp the ryuer of Nilus we came to the citie of new Babylon commonly called Cayrus or Alcayr Of the citie named Babylon or Alcayr a citie of Nilus in Egypt Cap. 2. WHen we arryued there I marueyled more then I am able to say yet when I approched so neare the citie that I myght wel see into it it seemed to me much inferior to the reporte and fame that was thereof for the greatnesse thereof seemed nothyng agreeable to the bruite and appeared no more in circuite then the citie of Rome although muche more peopled and better inhabited But the large fieldes of the suburbes haue deceyued many beyng dispersed with in maner innumerable villages whiche some haue thought to haue been part of the citie whiche is nothyng so For those villages and dispersed houses are two or three myles from the citie and round about it on euery syde Neyther is it here needefull to spende muche tyme in declaryng of theyr maners or religion forasmuch as it is well knowen that all the inhabitantes of those regions are Mahumetans and Mamalukes whiche are suche Christians as haue forsaken theyr fayth to serue the Mahumetans and Turkes Although commonly they that serued the Soltan of Babylon in tyme past before the Soltan was ouercome by the Turke were called Mamaluchi as they that serue the Turke are called Ienetzari But these Mamaluke Mahumetans are subiecte to the Soltan of Syria Of the cities of Berynto Tripoli and Antioch Cap. 3. THe riches fayrenesse and magnificence of Babylon aforesayde and the straunge souldiers Mamalukes as things knowen we will now pretermit Therfore departyng from Babylon and returnyng to Alexandria where we agayne entered into our sea we came to Berynto a citie on the sea coast of Syria Phoenicia where we spent many dayes This is inhabited of Mahumetans and plentifull of all thinges The sea beateth on the walles of the towne it is not compassed with walles but on the West syde towarde the sea Here founde we nothyng
toppe or rydge thereof is a denne and the entrie into it is by an Iron gate Some fayne that in that place Mahumet lyued in contemplation Here we heard a certayne horrible noyse and crye for passyng the sayde mountayne we were in so great daunger that we thought neuer to haue escaped Departyng therefore from the fountayne we continued our iorney for the space of .x. dayes And twyse in the way fought with fyftie thousande Arabians and so at the length came to the citie of Mecha where al thinges were troubled by reason of the warres betweene two brethren contendyng whiche of them shoulde possesse the kyngedome of Mecha Of the fourme and situation of the citie of Mecha and why the Mahumetans resort thyther Cap. 15. NOwe the tyme requireth to speake somewhat of the famous citie of Mecha or Mecca what it is howe it is situate and by whom it is gouerned The citie is very fayre and well inhabited and contayneth in rounde fourme syxe thousande houses as well buylded as ours and some that cost three or foure thousande peeces of golde it hath no walles About two furlongs from the citie is a mount where the way is cutte out whiche leadeth to a playne beneath It is on euery syde fortified with mountains in the stead of walles or bulwarks and hath foure entries The gouernour is a Soltan and one of the foure brethren of the progenie of Mahumet and is subiect to the Soltan of Babylon of whom we haue spoken before His other three brethren be at continuall warre with hym The xviii daye of Maye we entred into the citie by the north syde then by a declynyng way we came into a playne On the south syde are two mountaynes the one very neere the other distant onely by a litle valley which is the way that leadeth to the gate of Mecha On the east syde is an open place betweene two mountaynes lyke vnto a valley and is the waye to the mountayne where they sacrifice to the Patriarkes Abraham Isaac This mountayne is from the citie about .x. or xii myles and of the heyght of three stones cast it is of stone as harde as marble yet no marble In the toppe of the mountaine is a Temple or Meschita made after their fashion and hath three wayes to enter into it At the foote of the mountayne are two cesterns which conserue waters without corruption of these the one is reserued to minister water to the Camels of the Carauana of Babylon or Alcayr and the other for them of Damasco It is rayne water and is deriued far of But to returne to speake of the citie for as touchyng the maner of sacrifice which they vse at the foote of the mountayne wee wyll speake hereafter Entryng therefore into the citie wee founde there the Carauana of Memphis or Babylon which preuented vs eyght dayes and came not the waye that wee came This Carauana conteyned threescore and foure thousande Camelles and a hundred Mamalukes to guyde them And here ought you to consyder that by the opinion of all men this citie is greatly cursed of God as appeareth by the great barrennesse thereof for it is destitute of all maner of fruites and corne It is scorched with drynesse for lacke of water and therefore the water is there growen to suche pryce that you can not for twelue pence buye as muche water as wyll satysfie your thyrst for one day Nowe therefore I wyll declare what prouision they haue for victuales The most part is brought them from the citie of Babylon otherwyse named Memphis Cayrus or Alcayr a citie of the ryuer of Nilus in Egypt as we haue sayde before and is brought by the red sea called Mare Erythreum from a certayne port named Gida distaunt from Mecha fourtie myles The rest of theyr prouisions is brought from Arabia Faelix that is the happye or blessed Arabia so named for the fruitfulnesse thereof in respect of the other two Arabiaes called Petrea Diserta that is stonye and desart They haue also muche corne from Ethyopia Here we found a marueylous number of straungers and peregrynes or Pylgryms Of the whiche some came from Syria some from Persia and other from both the East Indiaes that is to say both India within the ryuer of Ganges and also the other India without the same ryuer I neuer sawe in anye place greater abundaunce and frequentation of people forasmuche as I could perceyue by tarrying there the space of .xx. dayes These people resort thyther for diuers causes as some for merchandies some to obserue theyr vowe of Pylgrymage and other to haue pardon for theyr sinnes as touchyng the whiche we wyll speake more hereafter Of the merchandies of Mecha Cap. 16. FRom India the greater which is both within without the ryuer of Ganges they haue pearles precious stones and plentie of spyces and especially from that citie of the greater India which is named Bangella they haue muche gossampyne cloth and sylke They haue also spyces from Ethiopia and therefore we must needes confesse that this citie is a famous mart of many ryche thynges whereof there is great plentie Of the Pardons or Indulgences of Mecha Cap. 17. LEt vs now returne to speake of the pardons of pilgryms for the which so many strange nations resort thither In the myddest of the citie is a Temple in fashyon lyke vnto the Collossus of Rome the Amphitheatrum I meane lyke vnto a stage yet not of marble or hewed stones but of burnt bryckes For this temple lyke vnto an Amphitheater hath fourescore and ten or an hundred gates and is vaulted The entrance is by a discent of twelue stayers or degrees on euery part in the church porche are solde only iewels and precious stones In the entry the gylted walles shyne on euery syde with imcomparable splendour In the lower part of the temple that is vnder the vaulted places is seene a marueylous multitude of men For there are fyue or syxe thousand men that sell none other thyng then sweete oyntmentes and especially a certayne odoriferous and most sweete pouder wherewith dead bodyes are embalmed And from hence all maner of sweete sauours are carried in maner into the countreys of all the Mahumetans It passeth all beleefe to thynke of the exceedyng sweetenesse of these sauours farre surmounting the shoppes of the Apothecaries The .xxiii. daye of Maye the pardones began to be graunted in the Temple and in what maner we wyll nowe declare The Temple in the myddest is open without any inclosyng and in the myddest also therof is a Turret of the largnesse of syxe pases in cercuitie and inuolued or hanged with cloth or tapestry of sylke and passeth not the heyght of a man They enter into the turret by a gate of syluer and is on euery syde besette with vesselles full of balme On the day of Pentecost licence is graunted to al men to
slender lyke a fawne or hynde the hoofes of the fore feete are diuided in two much like the feete of a Goat the outwarde part of the hynder feete is very full of heare This beast doubtlesse seemeth wylde and fierce yet tempereth that fiercenesse with a certaine comelinesse These Unicornes one gaue to the Soltan of Mecha â–ª as a most precious and rare gyfte They were sent hym out of Ethiope by a kyng of that countrey who desired by that present to gratifie the Soltan of Mecha Of diuers thynges which chaunced to me in Mecha And of Zida a port of Mecha Cap. 20. IT may seeme good here to make mention of certayne thynges in the which is seene sharpenesse of witte in case of vrgent necessitie which hath no lawe as sayeth the prouerbe for I was dryuen to the poynt howe I myght priuely escape from Mecha Therefore whereas my Captayne gaue me charge to buy certaine thyngs as I was in the market place a certayne Mamaluke knewe me to be a Christian. And therefore in his owne language spake vnto me these woordes Inte mename That is whence arte thou To whom I answered that I was a Mahumetan But he sayde Thou sayest not truely I sayde agayne By the head of Mahumet I am a Mahumetan Then he sayde agayne Come home to my house I folowed him willingly When we were there he began to speake to me in the Italian tongue and asked me agayne from whence I was affyrmyng that he knewe me and that I was no Mahumetan Also that he had been sometyme in Genua and Venice And that his woordes myght be the better beleeued rehearsed many thinges whiche testified that he sayde trueth When I vnderstoode this I confessed freely that I was a Romane but professed to the fayth of Mahumet in the citie of Babylon and there made one of the Mamalukes Whereof he seemed greatly to reioyce and therefore vsed me honourably But because my desyre was yet to goe further I asked the Mahumetan whether that citie of Mecha was so famous as all the world spake of it and inquired of him where was the great aboundaunce of pearles precious stones spices and other rich merchandies that the bruite went of to be in that citie And all my talke was to the ende to grope the mynde of the Mahumetan that I might know the cause why such thinges were not brought thyther as in tyme paste But to auoyde all suspition I durst here make no mention of the dominion which the Kyng of Portugale had in the most parte of that Ocean and of the gulfes of the redde sea and Persia. Then he began with more attentyue mynde in order to declare vnto me the cause why that marte was not so greatly frequented as it had been before and layde the only faulte therof in the kyng of Portugale But when he had made mention of the Kyng I began of purpose to detracte his fame least the Mahumetan might thinke that I reioyced that the Christians came thyther for merchandies When he perceyued that I was of profession an enemy to the Christians he had me yet in greater estimation and proceeded to tell me many thynges more When I was well instructed in all thinges I spake vnto him friendly these woordes in the Mahumets language Menaha Menalhabi That is to say I pray you assist mee He asked me wherein To helpe me sayde I howe I may secretly departe hence Confirmyng by great othes that I would goe to those Kinges that were most enemies to the Christians Affirmyng furthermore that I knewe certayne secretes greatly to be esteemed whiche if they were knowen to the sayde kynges I doubted not but that in shorte tyme I shoulde bee sent for from Mecha Astonyshed at these woordes he sayde vnto mee I pray you what arte or secrete doe you knowe I answered that I would gyue place to no man in makyng of all maner of Gunnes and artillerie Then sayde hee Praysed be Mahumet who sent thee hyther to do him and his Saintes good seruice and willed me to remayne secretly in his house with his wyfe and requyred me earnestly to obtayne leaue of our Captayne that vnder his name he myght leade from Mecha fiftiene Camelles laden with spices without paying any custome for they ordinarily paye to the Soltan thirtie Saraphes of golde for transportyng of such merchandies for the charge of so many Camelles I put him in good hope of his request although he would aske for a hundred affyrmyng that that myght easily be obteyned by the priuileges of the Mamalukes and therefore desired him that I myght safely remayne in his house Then nothyng doubtyng to obtayne his request he greatly reioyced and talkyng with me yet more freely gaue me further instructions and counsayled me to repayre to a certayne Kyng of the greater India in the kyngdome and realme of Decham whereof we will speake hereafter Therfore the day before the Carauana departed from Mecha he willed me to lye hydde in the most secrete parte of his house The day folowyng early in the mornyng the trumpetter of the Carauana gaue warning to all the Mamalukes to make readie their horses to directe their iourney toward Syria with proclamation of death to all that shoulde refuse so to doe When I hearde the sounde of the Trumpet and was aduertised of the streight commaundement I was marueylously troubled in mynde and with heauy countenaunce desired the Mahumetans wyfe not to bewraye me and with earnest prayer committed myselfe to the mercie of God On the Tuesday folowyng our Carauana departed from Mecha and I remayned in the Mahumetans house with his wyfe but he folowed the Carauana Yet before he departed he gaue commaundement to his wyfe to bryng me to the Carauana which should departe from Zida the porte of Mecha to goe into India This porte is distant from Mecha .xl miles Whilest I laye thus hyd in the Mahumetans house I can not expresse how friendly his wife vsed me This also furthered my good interteynement that there was in the house a fayre young mayde the Niese of the Mahumetan who was greatly in loue with me But at that tyme in the myddest of those troubles and feare the fyre of Uenus was almost extincte in mee and therefore with daliaunce of fayre woordes and promises I styll kepte my selfe in her fauour Therefore the Fryday folowyng about noone tyde I departed folowyng the Carauana of India And about mydnyght we came to a certayne village of the Arabians and there remayned the rest of that nyght and the nexte day tyll noone From hence we went forwarde on our iourney towarde Zida and came thyther in the silence of the nyght This citie hath no walles yet fayre houses somewhat after the buyldyng of Italie Heere is great aboundaunce of all kynde of merchandies by reason of resorte in maner of all nations thyther excepte Iewes and Christians to whom it is not lawfull to come thyther Assoone as
well peopled hauyng abundaunce of Oliues and fleshe with also great plentie of corne after our maner but no vines and great scarsenesse of woodde The inhabitauntes are vnciuile and rusticall people of the nation of vagabunde and feelde Arabians and therfore but poore Departing frō hence one dai◠iorney I came to an other citie named Aiaz situate vppon two hylles with a great plaine betweene them and hath in it a notable fountayne therfore diuers nations resort thither as to a famous mart The inhabitauntes are Mahumetans and yet greatly differyng in opinion of theyr religion insomuche that therefore they be at great enimitie one agaynst the other and keepe sore warre The cause whereof they saye to be this That the people of the north mountayne maynteyne the fayth and secte of Mahumet and his felowes of whom we haue spoken before but the other of the South mountayne affyrme that fayth shoulde be geuen onely to Mahumet and Haly saying the other to be false prophetes But let vs nowe returne to the marte Almost all maner of spices are brought hyther The region bryngeth foorth sylke and bombassine also diuers goodly fruites and vynes On the toppe of both the hylles are very strong fortresses two dayes iorney from thence is the citie of Dante well fortified both by arte and nature situate in the toppe of a very great mountaine Of Almacharan a citie of Arabia Faelix and of the fruitefulnesse thereof Cap. 8. DEpartyng from Dantè we came to the citie of Almacharan in two dayes iorney This is situate on a very hygh mountayne and declynyng and difficulte to ascende as of the heyght of seuen myles and the way so narow that onely two men can passe togeather In the toppe is a playne of incredible largenesse very fruiteful with plentie of all thynges to the vse of man And therefore I thynke it to be inexpugnable inaccessible hauyng also so great abundaunce of water that one fountaine may suffice for a hundred thousand men And therfore they saye that the Soltan here hydeth his treasure because he was borne in this citie Here also euer remayneth one of his wyues The ayre is marueylous temperate and holsome and the citie seconde to none in all respectes the colour of the inhabitantes is rather enclynyng to whyte then any other colour And to speake that I haue seene the Soltan reserueth here as much golde as wyll lade a hundred Camels Of Reame a citie of Arabia Faelix and the temperatenesse thereof Cap. 9. THis citie is distaunt two dayes iorney from Almacaran The colour of the inhabitantes is enclinyng to blacke they are great merchantes The soyle is fruitfull of all thynges sauyng wood it conteyneth in circuite two thousande houses on the one syde is a mountayne hauyng on it a very strong fortresse Here I saw a certayne kinde of sheepe hauyng theyr tayles of fortie and foure pounde weyght and are without hornes and also so marueylous fat that they can scarcely goe for fatnesse There be lykewyse certayne grapes without graynes the sweetest that euer I eate and al maner of suche fruites as I haue spoken of before It is of marueylous temperatenesse as witnesseth the long lyfe of men for I haue spoken with many of them that haue passed the age of a hundred and fyue and twentie yeeres yet verye lusty and wel complexioned They goe for the most part naked wearyng only shyrts or other loose and thynne apparell lyke Mantelles puttyng out one Arme all bare Almoste all the Arabians make them Hornes with wreathyng of theyr owne heare and that they thynke very comely Of Sana a citie of Arabia Faelix Cap. 10. DEpartyng from thence three dayes iorney I came to a citie named Sana situate vppon a verye hyghe mountayne verye strong by Arte and Nature The Soltan besyeged this with a great armye of fourescore thousande men for the space of three monethes but coulde neuer wynne it Yet it was at the last rendered by composition The walles are of eyghteene cubites heyght and twentie in breadth insomuch that eyght Camels in order may wel marche vpon them The region is very fruitefull and muche lyke vnto ours and hath plentie of water A Soltan is Lorde of the citie hee hath twelue sonnes of the whiche one is named Mahumet who by a certayne naturall tyrannye and madnesse delyteth to eate mans fleeshe and therfore secretly kylleth many to eate them He is of large and strong body of foure cubites hygh and of the coloure inclinyng to ashes The soyle beareth certayne spyces not farre from the citie It conteyneth about foure thousand houses The houses are of fayre buyldyng and geue no place to ours The citie is so large that it conteyneth within the walles fieldes gardens and medowes Of Taessa Zibith and Damar great cities of Arabia Eaelix Cap. 11. AFter three dayes iorney I came to a citie named Taessa sytuate vppon a mountayne and verye fayre to syght it hath plentie of all delices and especially of marueylous fayre Roses whereof they make Rose water It is an auncient citie and hath in it a Temple buylded after the fashion of the churche of Sancta Maria Rotunda in Rome The houses are very fayre and shewe yet the monumentes of antiquitie innumerable merchantes resort hyther for the trafficke of sundry merchandies In apparrell they are lyke vnto other and of darkyshe ashe coloure of skynne enclynyng to blacke Three dayes iorney from thence I came to an other citie named Zibith very fayre and good distaunt from the redde sea onlye halfe a dayes iorney there is great abundance of merchandies by reason of the nearenesse of the sea It aboundeth with many goodly thynges and especially with most white Suger and sundrye kyndes of pleasant fruites It is sytuate in a very large playne within two mountaynes it lacketh walles and is one of the cheefest martes for all sortes of spyces The inhabitants are of the colour of them aforesaide From hence in one dayes iorney I came to the citie of Damar it is in a fruitefull soyle and hath great exercise of merchandise The inhabitants are Mahumetans in apparrell and colourlyke vnto the other Of the Soltan of the aforesayde cities and why he is named Sechamir Cap. 12. THese cities whereof we haue spoken here a litle before are subiect to a Soltan of Arabia Faelix named Sechamir Secha by interpretation signifieth holy and Amir a Prince named the holy Prince because he abhorreth sheddyng of mans blood At the tyme of my beyng there in pryson he nouryshed syxteene thousand poore men and captiues in pryson condemned to death allowyng to euery of them dayly for theyr diet syxe of theyr pence of the smallest valure and at home in his pallace entertayneth as many blacke slaues Of Monkeys and Marmasettes and other beastes noysome to men Cap. 13. DEpartyng from hence I returned to the citie of Aden in three dayes iorney
in the midde waye I founde an exceedyng hygh and large mountayne where is great pentie of wylde beastes and especially of Monkeys whiche runne about the mountayne euery where There are also many Lions very noysome to men and therefore it is not safe to iorney that way but when a multitude of men goe togeather at the least to the number of a hundred I passed this way with a great companie and yet were we in daunger of the Lions and other wylde beastes which folowed vs for we were sometimes constrayned to fyght with them with dartes slyngs and bowes vsyng also the helpe of dogges and yet escaped hardly When I came to the citie I fayned my selfe sicke and in the day tyme lurked in the temple and went foorth only in the night to speake with the pilot of the shyp of whom I haue made mention before and obteyned of hym a foist or barke to depart thence secretly Of certayne places of Ethiopia Cap. 14. IN the syxt chapter here before I haue made mention howe departing from the queene I went to the citie of Aden where I couenaunted with a certayne pilot to goe with hym into India and that he woulde not go thyther before he had fyrst made a viage into Persia and that at my fyrst beyng in the citie of Aden he coulde not yet for the space of a moneth depart from thence Duryng whiche tyme I traueyled the regions and cityes whereof I haue spoken vnto this my returne to Aden Nowe therfore accordyng to our agreement to trauayle diuers countreys and regions committing our selues to the sea we were by inconstant fortune and sundry tempestes deterred from that viage for whereas we were nowe syxe dayes sailyng on our waye to Persia a sodayne contrary tempeste droue vs out of our waye and cast vs on the coast of Ethiope Our barkes were laden with rubricke that is a certayne redde earth which is vsed to dye cloth for yeerely from the citie of Aden departe fyfteene or twentie shyps laden with rubricke which is brought out of Arabia Faelix Beyng therefore thus tossed with stormes we were dryuen into a port named Zeila where we remayned fyue dayes to see the citie and tarrye vntyll the sea were more quiet Of the citie Zeila in Ethiopia and the great fruitfulnesse therof and of certayne straunge beastes seene there Cap. 15. IN this citie is great freequentation of merchandies as in a most famous mart There is marueylous abundance of gold and Iuerye and an innumerable number of blacke slaues solde for a small pryce these are taken in warre by the Mahumetan Mores out of Ethyopia of the kyngdome of Presbiter Iohannes or Preciosus Iohannes whiche some also call the kyng of Iacobins or Abyssins beyng a Christian and are caried away from thence into Persia Arabia Faelix Babylonia of Nilus or Alcair and Mecha In this citie iustice and good lawes are obserued the soyle beareth Wheate and hath abundaunce of flesh and diuers other commodious thynges It hath also Oyle not of Olyues but of some other thyng I knowe not what There is also plentie of Hony and Waxe there are lykewyse certayne sheepe hauyng theyr tayles of the weyght of syxeteene pounde and exceedyng fatte the head and necke are blacke and all the rest whyte There are also sheepe altogeather whyte hauyng tayles of a cubite long hangyng downe lyke a great cluster of grapes and haue also great lappes of skynne hangyng from theyr throtes as haue Bulles and Oxen hangyng downe almost to the grounde There are also certaine Kyne with hornes lyke vnto Hartes hornes these are wylde and when they bee taken are geuen to the Soltan of that citie as a kyngly present I sawe there also certayne Kyne hauyng only one horne in the middest of the forehead as hath the Unicorne and about a spanne of length but the horne bendeth backwarde they are of bryght shynyng red colour But they that haue Hartes hornes are enclynyng to blacke colour Conye is there good cheepe The citie hath an innumerable multitude of merchants the walles are greatly decayed and the hauen rude and despicable The kyng or Soltan of the citie is a Mahumetan and entertayneth in wages a great multitude of foote men and horsemen They are greatly geuen to warres and weare onlye one loose syngle vesture as we haue sayde before of other They are of darke ashye colour enclining to blacke In the warres they are vnarmed and are of the sect of Mahumet Of Barbara an Ilande of Ethiope Cap. 16. AFter that the tempestes were appeased wee gaue wynde to our sayles and in shorte tyme arryued at an Ilande named Barbara the Prince whereof is a Mahumetan The Ilande is not great but fruitfull and well peopled it hath abundance of flesh The inhabitants are of colour enclynyng to blacke Al theyr ryches is in heardes of cattayle We remayned here but one day and departyng from hence sayled into Persia. The thyrde booke entreateth of Persia and of certayne townes and partes of Persia. Cap. 1. WHen we had sayled the space of twelue dayes we aryued at a citie called Diuobanderrumi that is to say the holy porte of Turkes It is but a litle way from the continent when the sea ryseth with hye tydes it is an Iland enuironed with water but at a lowe fludde or decrease of the sea one may go thyther by land it is subiect to the Soltan of Cambaia The Gouernour is named Menacheas It is a marte of great merchandies There dwell about it foure hundred merchants of Turky it is well walled round about and defended with al sorts of engins They haue barkes and brygantines somewhat lesse then ours we remained here two daies Departyng from hence we came to an other citie named Goa in the space of three dayes iorney this also aboundeth with merchandies and is a mart greatly frequented The soyle is fruitefull with plentie of all thynges necessary the inhabitantes are Mahumetans Neare vnto this are two other fayre cities and portes named Giulfar and Meschet Of the Iland and citie of Ormus or Armusium and of an Iland of Persia where pearles are found Cap. 2. PRoceedyng on our viage we came to a citie named Ormus verye fayre This is seconde to none in goodlye situation and plentie of pearles it is in an Ilande dystaunt from the continent twelue myles It hathe great scarcenesse of freshe water and corne From other regions is brought thyther all victualles that nouryshe the inhabitauntes Three dayes saylyng from thence are geathered those muscles which bryng foorth the fayrest and byggest pearles they are taken as I will nowe declare There are certayne men that get theyr lyuing by fyshyng These hauing small Boates cast into the sea a great stone fastened to a corde and this on both sydes of the Boate to make it as stedfast and immoueable as a shyppe lying at an Anker The Boate
about theyr neckes and therefore when they come to any citie they blowe theyr hornes all at once to make the inhabitantes afrayde as do they that with vs keepe Crowes or Rookes out of the corne Then commyng to talke with the citizens they demaund victuales and what soeuer other thynges they stande in neede of Whyle the kyng any tyme resteth a whyle in one place almost all the whole armye gardyng his person about his pauylion fyue or syxe hundred in the meane tyme raunge abroade togeather to geat what they can They tarry not past three dayes in one place but are euer wanderyng after the maner of the vagabunde Egyptians Arabians Tartars The region is not fruiteful but rough with craggie mountaines The houses of the citie are despicable the citie is also without walles This kyng is enemie to the Soltan of Machamir vexeth hym greatly with diuers incursions Of the citie of Ceull and the maner of the people Cap. 3. DEpartyng from Cambia in twelue dayes iorney I came to a citie named Ceull the land that lieth betweene them both is called Guzerat The kyng of this citie is an Idolatour they are of darke yealowe colour or Lion tawnye some were suche slender apparrell as they whom wee haue spoken of before other are naked coueryng onlye theyr pryuyties They are prompt to the warres and vse swordes bowes dartes slynges and rounde targettes They haue engines to beat downe walles to make great slaughter in an armie the citie hath walles and is distant from the sea but three myles A fayre ryuer runneth by the citie by the whiche much merchandies is brought thyther The soyle beareth almost all maner of fruites except Uynes Walnuttes and Chestnuttes It hath also Wheate Barlie and other kyndes of corne Here is made great plentie of Bombasyne cloth They are such Idolatours as are they of Calecut of whom we wyl speake hereafter yet are there in the citie many merchants Mahumetans They exercise iustice The kyng entertayneth but a small armie There are many horses and kyne Two dayes iorney from hence is a citie named Dabuly hauyng a great ryuer runnyng by it It hath walles after the maner of ours The soyle is fruiteful and the citie beautifull There are innumerable merchauntes Mahumetans The kyng is an Idolater and hath an armye of .xxx. thousande men They are in maners lyke vnto the other and of the same colour Of Goga an Ilande of India Cap. 4. DEpartyng from hence I came to the Iland of Goga not past a myle destant from the continent This payeth yeerely trybute to the kyng of Dechan a thousand peeces of golde of the value of the Saraphes of Babylon hauyng on the one syde the Image of the dyuell and on the other syde certayne vnknowen caractes Uppon the sea coaste of one syde of this Ilande is a towne buylded after the maners of ours The gouernour is a certayne Captayne of soldiers named Sauain he hath in his regiment foure hundred Mamalukes and is also a Mamaluke hym selfe and therefore when he fyndeth any whyte men he entertayneth them frendly and geueth them stypende of twentie Saraphes of golde euery moneth But he fyrst maketh profe of their strength and valiantnesse by wrestlyng and if they be not founde meete for the warres he putteth them to handy craftes This Captayne with onely his foure hundred Mamalukes greatly vexeth the kyng of Narsinga Departyng from hence in eyght dayes iorney by lande I came to the citie of Dechan Of Dechan a very fayre citie of India Cap. 5. THe kyng or Soltan of Dechan is a Mahumetan of whom the foresayde captayne Mamaluke is entred in wages This citie is beautifull in syght and the soyle very fruitefull and plentifull in maner of all thynges necessarie The kyng is accompted a Mamaluke and with hym .xxxv. thousande men of his dominion of horsemen and footemen The citie is beautified with a marueylous fayre pallace and the pallace adourned with many fayre roomes for before you come to the kynges chamber you must passe by .xliiii. other chambers for the sollers of the chambers are so orderly disposed that one chamber styll geueth entrye into an other vntyll you come to the last The citie is compassed with a wal after the maner of the Christians The houses are not vncomely The kyng vseth incredible pompe and regal magnificence They that wayte vppon his person weare vppon theyr shooes or starpins Rubies and Diamondes and such other precious stones What ouches and iewelles they weare in theyr earynges and Condalijs Carkenettes colours let wittie men iudge comparyng the feete to the more noble partes of the bodie Sixe miles from the citie is a mountayne where Diamondes are digged It is compassed with a wall and kept with a Garrison The region hath plentie of all thynges The people are Mahumetans Theyr apparel for the most part is of sylke or at the least the sherte or inmost vesture They weare also thyne buskynnes and hose lyke gregascos or maryners slops Theyr women after the maner of the women of Damasco haue theyr faces couered The kyng keepeth in maner continual war with y e king of Narsinga The most part of his souldiers are strangers enterteyned for wages They are white men but the inhabitantes of the coloure of the other Indians The kyng is marueylous ryche and liberall He hath also a great nauie of shyps He hateth the Christians as much as any other Thus hauyng traueled this part of the region I toke my iorney towarde a citie named Bathacala fyue dayes iorney from Dechan The inhabitantes are Idolaters except certayne Mahumetan merchaunts which resort thither for marchandise It hath abundaunce of Ryse Sugar Fygges Walnuttes Wheate Corne and many other fruites and rootes vnknowen to vs. They haues Beeues Kyne Bulfes Sheepe Goates and dyuers other beastes but no Horses Mules or Asses Of certayne other goodly cities of India Cap. 6. DEpartyng from hence I tooke my iorney towarde a citie named Centacola one dayes iorney from Bathacala The prince of this citie is no lord of great richesse There is neuerthelesse abundaunce of fleshe Ryse and other suche fruites as growe in India many Mahumetans resort hyther for merchaundies The kyng is an Idolater and of Lion tawny colour They go starke naked and weare nothyng on theyr heades This prince is subiecte to the kyng of Barthacal Departyng from hence two dayes iorney I came to an Ilande named Onor whose kyng is an Idolater and serueth the deuyll and is subiect to the kyng of Narsinga He is very gentle and familier he maynteyneth eyght foystes which make excursions and lyue by rouyng and pyracie He is in great frendshyppe with the kyng of Portugale The inhabitantes couer their priuities with a sindone and are besyde all naked The soyle beareth plentie of Ryse as in other partes of India There are in
not vnlyke of heare They haue eyes lyke swyne the snout or trunke very long wherwith they put meate and drinke into their mouth and therefore may it well be called the hande of the Elephant The mouth is vnder the throte much lyke the mouth of a Sowe and the trunke is holowe and can therwith holde fast stickes or slaues and them rule as it were with a hande I sawe also the trunke of a tree ouerthrowen by an Elephant which xxiiii men attempting could not doe The two great teeth or tuskes are placed in the highest iawe Ech of their eares are two handfuls byg whether the beast be of the bygger or lesse kinde The feete are like vnto such round thicke trenchers of wood as he commonly vsed The foote conteineth fyue hoofes in roundnesse like vnto great Oysters The tayle is lyke to the tayle of a Bufle foure handfull long and of thyn heare The Females are also bigger then the Males they are of sundry bignes for some are of .xiii. handfuls high and other of .xiiii. handfuls and some also haue been seene of sixtiene handfuls They goe slowly and walowing and therfore some that haue not ben vsed to them are moued to vomite euen as it were on the sea Yet is it a pleasure to ryde on the young Elephantes bicause they goe softly like ambeling Mules When you mount on them they stoope bend their knees that you may easily ascende They are neuer brydeled neyther vse theyr keepers any halters to gouerne them Of the ingendering of Elephantes and of the magnificence riches of the king of Narsinga Cap. 10. WHen they ingender they resorte to the medowes or woods for by a certaine naturall shamefastnesse they doe it not but in secrete places Although some Aucthours haue written that Elephants engender backward Some take it for a great present to giue the king the member or pissell of an Elephant whiche perhappes they doe for the exceedyng great price of Elephantes For some are solde there for fyue hundred peeces of golde and some as they say for two thousande which peraduenture is not for theyr greatnesses of bodie but rather for certayne properties wyt docilitie wherein some farre exceede other euen as among men And I dare well say that I haue seene some men much inferior to Elephants in wyt and sense Therefore the kyng of Narsinga in riches and dominion farre exceedeth all kynges that euer I haue seene or hearde of The citie in situation and fayrenesse representeth the citie of Milane except only that it is in a declining place and lesse equal Other kingdoms which are subiect to this lye round about it as the kyngdome of Ausonia Venice lye about Milane Their Bramini so are the priestes named tolde me y t the king receiueth dayly of that citie for tribute or reuenue the summe of twelue thousandes of those peeces of golde whiche they call Pardios He maynteyneth an army of many thousandes of men for he liueth in continuall warre with his borderers He is an Idolatour and honoureth the deuyl euen as doth the kyng of Calecut They that are of the rychest sorte vse a slender inwarde apparell or peticote not very long and bynde theyr heades with a phillet or broade bande of sundry colours after the maner of the Mahumetans The common sorte couer only theyr priuities and are besyde all naked The kyng weareth a Cappe of cloth of golde of two handfulles long when he goeth to warre he weareth a vesture of bombasine and thereon a cloke adourned with plates of gold hauyng the borderer garde besette with all sortes of precious stones and Iewelles His horse with the furniture is esteemed to bee woorth as muche as one of our cities by reason of innumerable Iewelles of great price When he goeth a huntyng three other kynges beare him company whose office is to be euer neare him and guyde him When he maketh any iourney or rydeth abrode he is accompanyed with six thousand horsemen And therefore it is manifeste that not only for these thynges whereof we haue spoken but also for dyuers other of lyke magnificence hee is one of the greatest Kynges in the worlde He coyneth money and peeces of golde named Pardios Also other siluer money of lesse value whiche they call Fano conteynyng the value of sixtiene of the smallest money of copper Traueylers may here goe safely through all his dominions if they can auoyde the daunger of the Lions Of theyr dyet and order of lyuyng I will speake more largely where occasion shall serue to wryte of Calecut This kyng of Narsinga is a great friende to the Christians and is in great amitie with the kyng of Portugale and besyde him hee knoweth none other Christian Prince and therefore the Portugales are here friendly and honourably vsed When I had remayned in this citie many dayes I returned to the citie of Canonor And after I had remayned there three dayes I entered further into the lande and came to a citie named Trompata about twelue myles from Canonor The inhabitauntes are Idolatours It is neare vnto the sea and therefore there are seene many merchantes Mahumetans They lyue moderately haue in maner none other ryches then nuttes of India but there are very fayre trees to make shyppes There are in the citie aboue fiftiene thousande Mahumetans although the Kyng be an Idolatour Departyng from hence I came to the citie of Pandara and from thence passyng by the citie of Capagot I came at the length to the famous citie of Calecut And to be breefe I haue here ouerpassed to speake largely of many other people and kyngdomes as are these Chianul Dabul Bathecalo Onouè Bangolor Cauonor Cuchin Cacilon and Calonue which I haue done to the ende that I may entreat more largely of Calecut as the chiefest and as it were the head and metropolitane of all the cities of India For it is certayne that the Kyng of Calecut in royall maiestie exceedeth all the kynges of the East and is therefore in theyr language called Samory that is to say God on the earth The fyfth booke of East India and fyrst of the famous citie of Calecut Cap. 1. THe citie of Calecut is situate vppon the continent or firme lande and the sea beateth vppon the houses of the citie There is no porte but on the South syde about a myle from the citie is a ryuer which runneth into the Ocean sea by a narow mouth This runneth by many braunches into the playne feeldes and is of the inhabitantes by diuers trenches dispearsed to water the grounde It is not past the depth of three or foure foote of water The course of it bendeth towarde the citie and runneth into it The citie is not compassed with walles but conteyneth in circuite sixe thousande houses not adherent or ioynyng togeather after the maner of ours but by a
theyr spices and Iewelles by weyght Of the inhabitantes of Poliar and Hiraua and how they nourysh their children Cap. 19. THe women weane theyr children when they come to the age of three monethes and afterward nourysh them with Goates milke and when in the morning they haue giuen them milke they tomble them in the sandes all foule filthie where they let them lye all the day and are so scorched of the Sunne that farre of they seeme like Bufles Calues I neuer sawe more deformed or filthie creatures at euenyng theyr mothers gyue them milke agayne By this kinde of wylde bringing vp they become men of marueylous dexteritie in swiftnesse of runnyng and other thinges of great agilitie as to walke vppon ropes swymmyng leapyng vaultyng and such lyke Of foure footed beastes foules and birdes of Calecut Cap. 20. THere are many beastes and kyndes of birdes as Lions wilde Bores Hartes Hyndes Bufles Kyne Goates and Elephantes yet not all engendred there but brought thyther partly from other places There are also parottes of sundry colours as greene purple other mixte colours There is such multitude of them that there are men appointed to keepe them from the Ryse in the fieldes as we vse to keepe Crowes from the corne They are marueylous crying and chattering and of small price as one solde for two pense or halfe a souse There are many other birdes much vnlyke to ours which euery mornyng and euenyng make so great a noyse sweete singing that nothing can be more pleasant or delectable to heare and therfore the inhabitantes lyue in great pleasure and in maner as it were in an earthly Paradyse in continuall spryng and florishyng of floures hearbes trees all the yeere long besyde also the goodly and holsome temperatenesse of the ayre being neither extreme hotte nor colde but in maner in temperature of continuall spring tyme. That region hath also Monkeys which are there of small price These are very hurtfull to husbandmen and such as liue by tillage of the grounde for they clyme the trees of those goodly Indian Nuts precious fruite wherof we haue spoken here before of the which they make wyne which these beastes do spill and cast downe the vesselles that are made faste there to receyue the sayde liquor of wyne Of certayne Serpentes which are seene in Calecut Cap. 21. THere are certayne Serpentes of suche bignesse that they are equal to swine theyr heads are much greater then the heads of Bores they are foure footed and of the length of foure cubites and are engendred in marishes The inhabitantes say that they are without poison and doe not otherwyse hurt then by byting There are furthermore three kindes of Serpentes of the which some are of so strong poison that if they drawe neuer so litle blood present death foloweth whiche thing chaunced oftentymes whilest I was there Of these kindes of serpentes some are of the bignesse of an Aspe many much bigger Of these there are a very great number The cause wherof they say is this That the kyng of Calecut of a certaine foolishe superstition maketh so great accompt of these Serpentes that he causeth litle houses or cottages to be made for them beleeuyng that they haue vertue against ouer much raine ouerflowing of riuers and therfore if a man kill any of them he is punished with death as though he had killed a man and the like punishment is also for him that killeth a cowe They greatly esteeme these Serpents bicause as they say they came from heauen and therfore they take them for heauenly spirites which they affirme for that only with touching they bring present death And this is y e cause that there are many serpentes being thus permitted by the commaundement of the king These serpents know the Idolaters inhabitants from Mahumetans or other strangers and wil sooner venture vppon them When I was there I came into a house where eight men laye dead and greatly swolne whiche the day before were killed by these serpents yet doe they esteeme it for good lucke when going abrode they meete with any of them Of the lightes and Lampes which are seene in the Pallace of the kyng of Calecut Cap. 22. IN the kynges Courte or Pallace are diuers mansions and very many chambers and therefore in the euenyng when it waxeth darke there are seene innumerable burning Lampes In the hall of the pallace are seene ten or twelue candelstickes of laton very fayre and of cunnyng workemanshyp muche lyke vnto goodly fountaynes and of the heyght of a man In eche of them are dyuers vesselles and in euery vessel three candels light of two spannes length and great plentie of oyle In the first vessell are many Lampes made of cordes of bombasine cotten In the myddle part is seene a narower vessel also full of lampes and lightes In the lowest vessell also the like number of lightes But in an other vessel in the toppe of all the candelsticke are in maner innumerable lightes mainteyned with oyle and haue matches of bombasine cotton At the angles or corners of these candelsticks are the Images of deuils whiche also holde the lightes that are in the kinges presence When any of the kinges blood dyeth hee sendeth for all the Bramini or priestes of his realme commaund them to mourne for the space of a yeere At theyr commyng hee banqueteth them three dayes togeather and at theyr departyng giueth eche of them fyue peeces of golde Of the great multitude of Idolaters which resort to Calecut for pardon of their sinnes Cap. 23. NOt farre from the citie of Calecut is a certayne churche or Temple compassed about with water lyke an Iland builded after an auncient fashion hauing a double order of pillars much lyke the Temple of sainct Iohn De Fonte in the citie of Rome In the middest of the Temple is an Altar of stone where the people sacrifice to Idolles Betweene the pillars on hygh is a Boate of the length of two pases and full of oyle Also rounde about the Temple are many trees with an innumerable multitude of Lampes lightes hanging on them The temple also it selfe is as ful of lyghtes The .xxv. day of December resorteth thyther an infinite multitude of people from all partes euen for the distance of .xv. dayes iorney and especially of the priestes to whom parteyneth the order of sacrificeyng But they do not sacrifice vnto theyr Idolles before they washe them selues in the water whiche is about the Temple When the priestes assende to the place whereas is the boate fylled with oyle as we haue said they spryncle the people with the sayd oile but annoynte onely their heads Who beyng so annoynted may then proceede to the sacrifice On the one syde of the altar where they sacrifice is seene a most horrible fourme of a deuyl to whom the people prostrate
on the grounde praye vnto and then depart to theyr houses and countreys By this meanes they beleeue that all theyr synnes are quite forgeuen them and therefore for the space of three dayes they lyue there in safegarde as if it were in Sanctuarie and for that tyme is it not lawfull for any man to arrest or trouble an other for what so euer quarell Certainely I neuer saw in any place a greater multitude of people assembled except in the citie of Mecha The syxt booke contaynyng the voyage of India Of the Cities of Caicolon and Colon. Cap. 1. MY faythfull companyon Cociazenor the Persian of whom I haue made mention here before consyderyng that by the meanes of warres and imminent daungers there was nowe no place for merchaundies especially for that the Portugales had made sore warres and great slaughter in the citie of Calecut by occasion that the inhabitantes of the citie had conspired with the Mahumetans for the murther of eight and fourtie Portugales whiche was done at my beyng there I thought it best in tyme to depart from thence This facte so greatly moued the kyng of Portugale to reuenge that he hath since that tyme kepte hostile warres agaynst them and greatly consumed them and defaced their citie We therfore departyng from thence by a very fayre ryuer came to a citie named Caicolon distaunte from the citie of Calecut fiftie leagues the inhabitantes are idolaters There is great aboundaunce of merchaundies and great frequentation of merchauntes the soyle beareth plentie of the best kynde of pepper The kyng of the citie is not very rych In apparel and maners they differ litle from them of Calecut Heere we founde certayne merchantes Christians named of the profession of saint Thomas the Apostle They obserue the fastyng of fourtie dayes as we do and beleeue in the death and resurrection of Christ as we do and therfore celebrate Easter after our maner and obserue other solemnities of our religion after the maner of the Greekes They are commonly named by the names of Iohn Iames Matthias and Thomas Departyng from thence in the space of three dayes iorney we came to an other citie named Colon about twentie myles distant from the aforesayde The kyng is an idolater and a prince of great power hauyng euer an armie of twentie thousande horsemen there is a very fayre port Neare to the sea syde the soyle beareth no corne yet great aboundance of fruite and pepper as in the citie of Calecut but by reason of the warres we remayned no longer heere Not farre from hence we sawe men fyshe for pearles in maner as we haue sayde before of the citie and Ilande of Ormus Of Cyromandel a citie of India Cap. 2. THe citie of Cyromandel is by the sea syde and distant from the citie of Colon seuen dayes saylyng The citie is very large but without walles it is subiecte to the kyng of Narsinga and is within the syght of the Iland of Zaylon After that you are past the poynt of Comerin the soyle beareth plentie of Ryse This citie is in the way to diuers great regions and cities It is inhabited with innumerable Mahumetan merchantes resortyng thyther from many countreys There are no spyces but aboundaunce of fruite as in Calecut I founde there certayne Christians who affyrme that the bodye of saint Thomas the Apostle is there in a certayne place about twelue myles from this citie and also that there are certayne Christians whiche relygiously obserue the holy body and that the Christians are euyll vsed because of the warres whiche the kyng of Portugall hath made agaynst the people of these countreys Also that the Christians are sometyme murthered secretly lest it shoulde be knowen to the kyng of Narsinga who is in amitie and frendshyppe with the kyng of Portugall and greatly fauoureth the Christians The cause whereof as they saye is also partly by reason of a certayne myracle whiche was this The Christians on a tyme had a great conflicte with the Mahumetans where one of the Christians beyng sore wounded on his arme resorted incontinent to the sepulchre of saint Thomas where makyng his prayers touchyng the holy place his arme was immediatly healed Whereupon as they saye the kyng of Narsinga euer after greatly fauoured the Christians Here my companion solde muche of his wares But by reason of the warres betweene the kynges of Narsinga and Ternaseri we determined to depart from hence And therefore saylyng ouer a gulfe of .xx. leagues with great daunger we arriued at an Iland named Zailon very large as containing in circuite a thousande myles Of the Ilande of Zailon and the precious stones founde there Cap. 3 IN this Ilande are foure kynges of great dominion by reason of the largenesse of the Ilande But because of the warres among them at my beyng there I coulde not tarye long to haue particular knowledge of the region and maners of the people There are in the Ilande many Elephantes There is also a very long mountayne at the foote whereof are founde many precious stones named Piropi commonly called Rubines or Rubies The merchauntes iewelers come by them by this meanes Fyrst goyng to the kyng they bye of hym a certayne measure of that grounde where suche stones are founde of the largenesse of a cubite euery way The price of this is fyue pieeces of gold yet with suche condition that in dyggyng the grounde there is euer one present for the kyng to the ende that if in dyggyng be founde any of those precious stones exceedyng the weyght of x. Caractes the same to be reserued for the kyng And the rest that are founde vnder that wayght to apparteyne to the merchaunt Not farre from the sayde mountayne are founde diuers other sortes of precious stones as Iasynthes Saphires Topases and suche lyke Harde by the mountayne runneth a great ryuer The soyle bryngeth foorth the sweetest fruites that euer I sawe especially cloues and apples of Assiria of exceedyng sweetnesse and all other as in Calecut Of the tree of Cinamome in the Iland of Zaylon Cap. 4. THe tree of Cinamome is not much vnlike a Baye tree especially the leaues it beareth berryes as doth the Baye tree but lesse and whyte It is doubtlesse therefore none other then the barke of a tree and is geathered in this maner Euery thyrde yeere they cutte the branches of the tree Of this is great plentie in the sayde Ilande When it is fyrste geathered it is not yet so sweete but a moneth after when it waxeth drye A certayne Mahumetan merchaunt of the Ilande tolde my companyon that there in the top of a hygh mountayne is a certayne denne whyther the inhabitantes of the countrey resort to praye in memorye of our fyrst father Adam who they saye after he had synned by breakyng the commaundement of God lyued in that place in continuall penitence Whiche thing they
affyrme by this coniecture that there is yet seene the print of the steppes of his feete of the length of almost two spannes The inhabitants are subiect to the kyng of Narsinga and paye hym tribute The region is of temperate ayre although it be situate in maner vnder the Equinoctiall lyne The people are of darke tawny colour Theyr apparell are certayne single clokes of bombasine cloth whiche they weare bearyng euer the ryght arme out all naked as is the maner of all the Indians They are no warrelyke men neyther haue they the vse of Iron Here my companyon solde to the kyng muche Saffran and Coralles Of Paleachet a citie of India Cap. 5. DEpartyng from the Ilande of Zailon in three dayes saylyng we came to a citie named Paleachet subiecte to the kyng of Narsinga It is a famous marte of ryche merchaundies and especially of iewels and precious stones brought thyther from Zailon and Pego. There is also great plentie of spices There dwell in the citie many Mahumetan merchauntes where we beyng receiued in one of theyr houses tolde hym from whence we came and what merchaundies we brought as Saffran and Coralles whereof he was very glad The citie hath great scarsnesse of corne but plentie of Ryse and in other fruitefulnesse of the soyle and maner of the people much lyke vnto Calecut But because they were at dissention with the kyng of Tarnassari and prepared warres agaynst hym we departed from thence and in .xiii. dayes saylyng arryued at the citie of Tarnassari a hundred myles distant Of Tarnassari a citie of India Cap. 6. THis citie is not farre from the sea and situate on a meetly equall grounde well walled hauyng also a famous porte and a very fayre ryuer runnyng on the North syde of the citie The kyng is an Idolatour and a prince of great power He keepeth continuall warre with the kyngs of Narsinga and Bangella He bryngeth to the feelde a hundred Elephantes of the fayrest and byggest that euer I sawe He hath an armie of an hundred thousand pencionarie footmen as many horsemen Theyr weapons are swoordes rounde targettes peltes bowes dartes and iauelins of great and long reedes They are also armed with iackes made of bombasine cotton wrought very harde and closely couched Theyr houses are walled and continent in order as ours are The region bryngeth foorth wheate bombasine sylke of sundrye kindes of colours Brasile and sundrye kyndes of fruites muche lyke vnto ours Also apples of Assiria Oranges Limons Citrons Gourdes Cucumbers c. Of the wylde and tame beastes of the citie of Tarnassary Cap. 7. THis region bryngeth foorth many beastes both wyld and tame The tame beastes are Oxen Kyne Sheepe Gotes Hogges Hartes and Hyndes The wylde beastes are Lions Wolues Cattes of the mountayne and also Muskecattes In the feeldes are many Peacockes and those kynde of Egles whiche we call Falcons Popingays also or Parrottes marueylous fayre of the which some are white and other of seuen colours There is lykewyse great plentie of Hares and Partriges and diuers other sortes of great byrdes liuyng by praye muche bygger then Eagles for of the vpper parte of their beckes they make hafâ—es for swoordes The becke is of yelowe colour distincte with crimsine very fayre and beautifull to be seene But the byrde is blacke and purple with certayne whyte feathers intermyxt There are also the byggest Hennes and Cockes that euer I sawe and therefore thinhabitants and Mahumetans which dwell there take muche pleasure in Cockefyght and laye great wagers in that kynde of sporte I haue seene them fyghte for the space of syxe houres and yet sometymes they kyll one an other at the fyrst stroke There are certayne Gotes farre exceedyng ours in byggenesse and muche fayrer these are so fruitefull that at one byrth they bryng forth foure young kyddes There is so great abundaunce of beastes that twelue weathers are sold for one peece of golde to the value of a crowne or pistoleâ— There are also certayne weathers or rammes with hornes lyke vnto buckes hornes and are muche bygger and fyercer then ours Theyr Buffles are not so fayre as ours The region hath also abundaunce of fyshe very bygge and good and of small price These people eate all maner of beastes excepte Kyne They eate on the grounde without carpet or other cloth yet haue they vessells of woodde artificially made Theyr drynke is water and suger theyr beddes are raysed from the grounde after the maner of ours Theyr couche is of bombasine cotton and the couerynges of sylke Theyr apparell is a cloke or mantell of bombasine or sylke with one arme out all bare But some of the merchauntes weare inner vestures or shirtes of sylke or bombasine cloth They go all barefooted except the priestes whiche weare on theyr heads certayne rayles or crestes of two spannes long with a knotte on the crowne lyke vnto an Acorne and sparkled with golde They delyght also in earinges but weare neyther rynges nor braslettes The colour of the inhabitantes inclyneth to whyte for the temperature of the climate or ayre is colder then at Calecut Theyr maner of tyllage and geatheryng of fruite is lyke vnto ours Of the maner which the kyng of Tarnassarie vseth when he permitteth his wyfe to be defloured of white men Cap. 8. THis kyng vseth not to geue his wyfe to the priestes to be defloured as doth the kyng of Calecut but committeth this facte to whyte men as to the Christians or Mahumetans for he wyll not suffer the Idolaters to do this The inhabitantes lykewyse haue not to do carnally with theyr wyues before some whyte man of what so euer nation haue fyrst the breakyng of them The maner of burnyng dead bodyes in the citie of Tarnassary Cap. 9. WHen the kyng or any of the priestes or gentlemen dye their bodies are burnt in a great fyre made of a pile of wood then all the whyle they sacrifice vnto the deuyll Their asshes are reserued in certayne pottes of the earth of Samos and buryed in theyr houses They sacrifice in y e shadows of trees as do they of Calecut Whilst the bodyes are burnyng they cast in the fyre all maner of sweete sauoures as Aloes Myrre Frankensence Storax Sandals Corall and innumerable suche other sweete gummes spices and trees These make the fyre muche greater encreasyng the flame by reason of theyr gummositie in the meane tyme also they neuer ceasse to make a great noyse with Trumpettes Pipes Drummes Tambarells and suche other instruments not muche vnlyke the ceremonies which in olde tyme were vsed among the gentiles in canonisyng theyr saintes Furthermore duryng these funeralls there are .xv. or .xx. disguised lyke deuyls whiche continually walke rounde about the fyre with many strange gesticulations after the maner of reioycyng The wyfe also of the burned kyng or priest standeth by the tyre alone without the companye of any other woman lamentyng and beatyng her
breast These ceremonies are done the seconde watche of the nyght Within fyfteene dayes after the wyfe biddeth to a banquette all her husbandes kynsfolkes and when they come at a daye appoynted they go al to the place where her husbande was burnt and at the same houre of the nyght then commeth foorth the wyfe garnyshed with all her iewells and best apparell vsyng therein the helpe of all her kynsfolkes In the same place is made a pytte no deeper then may serue to receiue the woman This pytte is sette about with reedes and the reedes are couered with a cloth of sylke that the pytte may not be seene In the meane tyme also a fyre is made in the pyt with sundry sorts of sweet woods the wife after that her gestes haue well banqueted eateth very muche of a certayne meate whiche they call Betola whiche troubleth her mynde as though she were halfe madde or drunken In the meane whyle a great company of suche theyr musitions as we haue spoken of before apparelled like deuyls with burnyng stickes in theyr mouthes daunce fyrst about the pytte and then make sacrifice to the great deuyl Deumo The wyfe also in y e meane season runneth vp and downe lyke a madde body with countenaunces of dauncyng and reioycyng Then turnyng her to them that are disguised lyke deuyls she commendeth her selfe to theyr deuoute prayers desiryng them for her to make intercession to the great Deumo that after this transitorie lyfe it may please him to receyue her into the company of his Angelles After the ceremonies are fynished shee taketh her leaue of all her kynsfolkes whiche stande rounde about her and neare vnto the pitte then with sodaine outrage and a loude crye liftyng vp her handes she hurleth her selfe into the burnyng pit which done her kynsfolkes standing neare vnto the fyre couer her with litle fagottes of sweete wood hurlyng also thereon much pitche that the bodie may the sooner be consumed and except the wyfe shoulde doe this after the death of her husbande she should euer after be esteemed an euyll woman be hated of all men and in fine in danger to be slayne both of her owne kynsfolkes and her husbandes and therefore shee goeth to it the more willingly The kyng him selfe is present at these pompes which are not commonly vsed for all men but only for the kynges priestes and noble men Of the iustice which the inhabitantes of Tarnassari obserue Cap. 10. IF any kyll a man he is adiudged to death as in the citie of Calecut Of giuyng and receyuyng iustice is ministred as proofe may be made by writing or witnesse They wryte in parchement lyke vnto ours and not in barkes of trees as doe they of Calecut When they contende for any thyng they resorte to the gouernour of the citie to whom the kyng hath giuen full aucthoritie of iurisdiction and if any merchaunt straunger dye there without children he may make no inheritour but all his goods is due to the kyng when the kyng is dead his chyldren succeede in the kyngdome When the inhabitantes dye theyr goods are equally diuided among theyr children Howe the Mahumetans are buried in the citie of Tarnassari Cap. 11. WHen any of the Mahumetan merchantes dye they are embaulmed with many spices and sweete gummes and theyr bodies put in Coffins of wood with chiefe regarde that theyr heades lye towarde the citie of Mecha which is from thence Northwarde Of the dyuers sortes of theyr shyppes or other vesselles Cap. 12. THey haue Brigantines very shalowe and with flatte bottoms which drawe but small depth of water Some also vse Foistes hauyng two or double forepartes and two Mastes and are open without any couerture There is an other kynde of shyppes of burden Of the which some beare the burden of a thousande tunnes In these they carry Botes and other smaller vesselles to the citie of Melacha when they goe for spices Of Bangella a great and riche citie of India and of the great power of the kyng Cap. 13. IT is now tyme to speake further of our viage and of our proceedyng therein Therefore packyng vp our wares and commityng vs to the sea we came in twelue dayes saylyng to a citie named Bangella distant from Tarnassari seuen hundred myles This citie in fruitfulnesse and plentifulnesse of all thinges may in maner contende with any citie in the worlde The kyngdome and dominion of this citie is exceedyng large The kyng hath an army of two hundred thousande footemen and horsemen Mahumetans and is of so great power that he keepeth sore warres with the kyng of Narsinga The region is so plentifull in all thynges that there lacketh nothyng that may serue to the necessarie vses or pleasures of men for there are in maner all sortes of beastes good and holesome fruites and plentie of corne Spices also of all sortes Lykewyse of bombasine and silke so exceedyng great aboundance that in these thinges I thinke there is none other region comparable with this and therefore here are very many riche merchantes For euery yeere departe from hence fyftie shyppes laden with clothe of bombasine and silke into the cities and countreys of Turchia Syria Arabia Persia Ethiopia and India There are also many merchaunt straungers whiche buye precious stones of the inhabitauntes Of certayne Christian merchauntes which exercise merchandies there Cap. 14. HEre we founde many Christian merchantes which were borne in the citie of Sarnau as they tolde vs. They resorte thyther as to a great marte with cloth of silke and wood of Aloes Laser which yeldeth the sweete gumme named Laserpitium commonly called Belzoi beyng a kynde of myrre They bryng also Castoreum and diuers other sweete sauours The sayde Christians tolde vs also that there be in that kyngdome many Christian Princes subiect to the great Cham of the citie of Cathai The apparell of these Christians was Chamlet loose and very full of pleytes and lyned with bombasine cloth On theyr heads they weare certayne coppen or sharpe poynted cappes of two handfull hygh of scarlet colour They are white men They acknowledge one God in Trinitie are baptised after our maner They beleeue the doctrine of the Apostles and Euangelistes They wryte backewarde after the maner of the Armenians They celebrate the birth and buriall of Christ and obserue fastyng the fourtie dayes of Lent as we doe They celebrate also certayne sainctes dayes They vse no shooes but weare loose hose of silke garnished with dyuers Iewels On theyr fingers they weare Ringes with stones of incomparable splendour At meate they vse no table but eate lying on the grounde and feede of all sortes of fleshe They affyrmed also that there are certayne Christian kynges whiche they call Rumi of great power confinyng or borderyng on the dominions of the great Turke When these Christians had seene the precious merchaundies of my companion and
him Take these I pray thee for thou shalt not refuse them He gaue also to eche of the Christians two Rubies whiche were woorth a thousand crownes to be solde but those which he gaue the Persian were esteemed woorth a hundred thousand crownes This kyng therefore doubtlesse in munificence passeth all the kynges of the worlde and in maner no lesse in richesse for he receyueth yeerely of his subiectes two hundred thousand peeces of golde This region bryngeth foorth all sortes of colours and great plentie of bombasine and silke but these great riches the kyng consumeth on his souldiers Not long after newes were brought that the kyng of Aua was commyng with a myghtie force whom the kyng in maner with an innumerable army went to resist Here also in certayne places we sawe women burned aftâ—r the maner of Tarnassari Of the citie of Melacha and the great ryuer of Gaza Cap. 17. VVIthin two dayes after taking ship we sailed westwarde towarde the citie of Melacha and arryued there in eight dayes saylyng Not farre from this citie is a famous ryuer named Gaza the largest that euer I sawe conteynyng xxv myles in breadth On the other syde is seene a very great Ilande whiche they call Sumetra and is of olde writers named Traprobana The inhabitauntes say that it conteyneth in circuite fyue hundred myles When wee came to the citie of Melacha which some call Melcha we were incontinent commaunded to come to the Soltan being a Mahumetan and subiecte to the great Soltan of Chini and payeth him tribute Of whiche tribute they say the cause is that more then fourescore yeeres past that citie was buylded by the kyng of Chini for none other cause then only for the commoditie of the hauen being doubtlesse one of the fayrest in that Ocean and therefore it is lykely that many shyppes should resorte thyther for merchandies The region is not euery where fruitefull yet hath it sufficient of wheate and fleshe and but little wood They haue plentie of foules as in Calecut but the Popingays are much fayrer There is also founde Sandalum and Tynne Lykewyse Elephantes horses sheepe kyne Pardalles Bufles Peacockes and many other beastes and foules They haue but fewe fruites and therefore there is no merchandies to be solde but spices and silke The people are of blackyshe ashe colour Theyr apparell is like to the Mahumetans of the citie Memphis otherwise named Cayr Alchayr or Babylon of Nilus They haue very large foreheades rounde eyes and flatte noses It is dangerous there to goe abrode in the night the inhabitantes are so giuen to murder and robbery for they kill one another lyke dogges and therefore the merchantes remayne in their shyppes all the nyght The people are fierce of euyll condition and vnruly for they will obey to no gouernour being altogeather giuen to sedition and rebellion and therefore say vnto theyr gouernours that they will forsake the countrey if they stryue to bynde them to order whiche they say the more boldly bycause they are neare vnto the sea and may easily departe into other places For these causes we spent no long tyme here but hyring a Brigantine we sayled to the Ilande of Sumatra where in fewe dayes saylyng we arryued at a citie of the Ilande named Pyder distaunt about fourescore myles from the continent or firme lande Of the Ilande of Sumatra or Taprobana Cap. 18. WE haue sayd here before that the Ilande of Sumatra conteyneth in circuite fyue hundred myles The citie where we fyrst arryued in the Iland is named Pider hauyng a very fayre port I beleeue veryly this Ilande to be Taprobana as also most autours do agree It is gouerned by foure kynges and all Idolaters in fashions apparell and maner of lyuyng not muche differyng from the kyng of Tarnassari The women burne them selues after the death of theyr husbandes as do they of whom we haue spoken before They are of whityshe coloure with large forheades rounde eyes and of brasyll colour They weare theyr heare long and haue very brode and flatte noses and are of despicable stature Iustice is there well obserued Their mony is of golde syluer and tynne The golde coyne hath on the one syde the grauen head of a deuyl and on the other syde a wagon or charrette drawen with Elephantes The syluer mony hath the lyke coyne tenne of these are valued for one of golde But of the tynne coyne .xxv. make the value of one of golde Here are seene more Elephantes bygger and fayrer then in any other place that I haue been This people hath no experience of warres but are geuen altogeather to gaynes and merchandies They are hospitable and enterteyne strangers frendly Of an other kynde of Pepper Also of sylke and the precious gumme called Laserpitium or Belzoe Cap. 19. IN the sayde Iland is a kynde of long Pepper in great abundance Pepper in theyr language is called Molaga is much longer whiter then that which is brought hither yet lighter hotter it is sold there not by weight but bi measure as wheat with vs. It is there in so great abundaunce that there is caryed from hence yeerely twentie shyppes laden with Pepper This is caryed to Cathay and is there well solde by reason of the coldnesse of the region The tree that beareth this kynde of pepper hath a greater body and larger and fatter leaues then the pepper tree of Calecut This Ilande beareth also plentie of sylke whiche for the most parte is made after our maner There is an other sorte which the trees bryng foorth of them selues in the wooddes and feeldes without menage or dressyng but this is woorse then the other Here also groweth the Laser tree whiche bryngeth forth the precious gumme named Laserpitium or Belzoe as the inhabitantes and merchauntes tolde vs but because I haue not seene it I wyll speake no more of it Of three sortes of the tree of Aloes Cap. 20. FOrasmuch as varietie delighteth and the wel disposed mind can neuer be satiate with contemplation of the marueylous and sundry woorkes of God in nature therfore that the reader may take the more pleasure or at the least feele lesse tediousnesse in the reading of these thyngs I haue thought good to wryte somewhat more of suche thynges as I haue seene You shall therefore vnderstande that there is no great plentie of true Aloes or Laserpitium brought to vs because it is brought hyther from the furthest partes of the worlde Understande furthermore that there are three kyndes or sortes of Aloes greatly differyng in goodnesse The perfectest they call Calampat whiche the aforesaide Ilande bryngeth not forth But it is brought from the citie of Sarnau not farre from the place where the sayde Aloes Calampat is engendred as the Christian merchauntes or companions tolde vs. There is an other kynde of Aloes named Iuba or Luba brought hyther by this ryuer
a thyng is a giltie conscience and called to remembraunce the saying of the Poet. Multa malè timeo quia feci multa proteruè That is I feare muche euyll bycause I haue done muche euyll For they had not only made many suche peeces of artillerie for the infidelles to the great domage of Christians and contempte of the holy name of Christ and his religion but had also taught the Idolatours both the makyng and vse of them And at my beyng there I sawe them gyue a modell or moulde to certayne Idolatours whereby they myght make brasen peeces of suche bygnesse that one may receyue the charge of a hundred and fyue Tankardes Cantaros of pouder At the same tyme also there was a Iewe which had made a very fayre Brigantine and foure great peeces of artillerie of Iron But god shortly after gaue him his due reward for when he went to washe him in the ryuer he was drowned But to returne to our sayde Christians God is my witnesse howe earnestly I persuaded them neuer thereafter to make any more artillerie or Gunnes to the great contempt and indignation of God and detriment of our holy fayth When I had sayde these woordes the teares fell from the eyes of Peter Antonie But Iohn Maria who perhappes had not so great desire to returne to his countrey said that it was all one to him to dye there or in the citie of Rome and that God knewe what he had decreed of him Within two dayes after I returned to my companion who marueyled where I had been fearing lest I had ben eyther sicke or departed I tolde him that I was all nyght in the Temple lest he should suspecte my great familiaritie with the Christians Of the commyng of the Portugale shippes to the citie of Canonor Cap. 32. VVHyle I remayned here in the lodging of my companion there came to him two Persian merchants from the citie of Canonor saying that they had som euyll newes to tell him wherwith seemyng to be somewhat troubled he asked what was the matter There are come sayde they twelue shyppes of Portugale which we haue seene with our eyes Then sayde he What maner of men are those They are sayd the Persians Christians armed with harnesse of shining Iron and haue builded an inexpugnable fortresse in the citie of Canonor My companion hearyng those woordes turned to me and sayde Lodouicke what maner of men are the Portugales To whom I answered that they were a nation of mischeeuous people gyuen to none other thyng then piracie and robbyng on the sea He was not so sorie to heare this as I was glad of theyr commyng How I playde the Phisitian and counterfect holinesse lest by my colour I should be taken for a spye for the Portugales before I could come to their ships Cap. 33. AFter the rumor was spred of the Portugales arryuyng I began to thinke what was best to be done and thought nothyng more safe and easie among this people then to geat some opinion of holinesse by hipocrisie and therefore all the day tyme I lurked in the Temple liuyng without meate as all the people thought but in the nyght I ate fleshe in the house of Peter Antonie and Iohn Maria. And by this meanes none had other opinion of me but that I was a Sainct and therfore might after a fewe dayes goe abrode in the citie without suspition and to helpe the matter withall it chaunced in the meane tyme that a certaine rich Mahumetan of the citie of Calecut was very sicke ▪ hauing his belly so bounde that he could not 〈…〉 of nature And bycause he was a 〈…〉 my companion and his disease 〈◊〉 he asked me if I had any skyll in phisicke I sayde that my father was a Phisitian and that I had learned many things of him by experience Then I pray you sayd he do what you can to helpe this my friend We went therfore togeather to the sicke man whom my companion asked where he felt him selfe most greeued In my head sayde he and my stomake hauyng also my belly so sore bounde that I can not goe to the stoole Then my companion agayne in his presence desired me to consider his infirmitie and take vpon me to minister vnto him some medicine My companion had tolde me before that he was a great eater and drinker Therefore takyng him by the hande and feelyng his pulse I sayde that his stomacke and bowelles were full of choler by reason of surfetyng and therefore that it shoulde be good for him to take a glister Then sayde the sicke man Doe what you wil I wil abyde your order Then made I a glister of egges salt and suger adding also butter and certayne hearbes such as came first to my memorie vpon the sodayne and in the space of a day and nyght I gaue him fyue glisters but all in vayne for besyde the paynes which he endured he was rather woorse then better insomuche that it repented me of myne enterprise But it was nowe best to set a good face on the matter and attempte an other way but the laste errour was woorse then the first Yet still putting him in good hope I vsed him thus I made him lye grouelyng on his belly then tying cordes on his feete I raysed vp the hynder partes of his body so that he rested only vppon his brest and handes and as he laye ministred a glyster vnto him and let him so hang for the space of hallfe an houre My companion beholding this straunge kynde of practise sayde vnto me Lodouike is this the maner of mynistring to sicke folkes in your countrey It is sayde I yet neuer but in case of extremitie Then smylyng he sayde I beleeue it will heale him one way or an other In the meane tyme the miserable man cryed saying in his language It is enough it is enough for my soule now departeth We comforted him desiryng him to haue patience yet a whyle In maner immediately after his belly was losed and auoyded matter as if it had been out of a gutter Then when wee had let downe his bodie hee auoyded as muche as myght almost fyll a payle and shortly after the payne of his head and stomake and also the feuer ceassed whereof we were all very glad And by this aduenturous cure I began to bee in great credite among them by the meanes also of my counterfect holinesse and therefore whereas he would haue giuen me tenne peeces of golde I would take but only two and gaue them also incontinent to the poore These sely soules beleeued so much in my hypocrisie which I shewed no lesse in countenaunce and grauitie forbearyng also openly to eate fleshe that well was he that myght haue me in his house or kysse my handes and feete The reporte also of my companion affyrmyng that he mette with me first at Mecha where I was to see the bodie of the holy Prophet
theyr maner of the same colour lyned with sylke wearyng also on theyr armes many bracelettes and on theyr handes hadde gloues embrodered garnyshed with diuers kyndes of workes for weapons they had Turky bowes swoordes launces peltes and all sortes of gunnes after our maner When we sawe theyr Nauie proceedyng in order and well instructed it seemed farre of lyke a wood the mastes presentyng the similitude of trees Whiche thyng seemed so litle to deterre vs that we were in sure beleefe that our God and Christe woulde geue vs the victorie agaynst the blasphemers of his holy name the Idolatours and Sarasens old enemies of our religion And therfore the valiant knight and gouernour the sonne of the honorable lord Don Francisco Dalmeda viceroy of India who had there the supreame gouernement of twelue shippes with the assistaunce of the Admirall of the Nauie when he sawe the great force of the enemie myndfull of his accustomed vertue with sounde of trumpet assembled all the souldiers and spake to them in this maner My deare frendes and brethren in one God and one fayth of Iesus Christe nowe is the tyme come when you ought to remember that as Iesus Christe spared not neyther feared to gyue his precious body to death for our sakes euen so except we wyl shewe our selues most vnkynde and vnworthy so great grace of God it shal be our dueties to spende our liues in the defence of his glorie and our holy fayth assuring our selues of the victorie against these dogges hateful to God progenie of the deuyl Now therfore fyghtyng in his name vnder the banner of his holy crosse shew your selues manfull valiant for nowe is in you the powwer to geat eternal fame in mainteyning the quarel of our sauiour Therefore with me lyftyng vp your hartes to God your armes with force courage let vs gyue the onset on these dogs When the gouernour had sayd these wordes the priest went vp to the hyghest part of the ship holdyng in his hand y e picture of Christ nayled on the crosse shewed it vnto the souldiers exhortyng them to remember the commaundementes of God and the holy fayth and baptisme whereby they were consecrated to God puttyng no doubt in the forgeuenesse of theyr sinnes dying in so godly a quarell and then blessyng them with inuocation of the name of God he pronounced the sentence of absolution and forgeuenesse of theyr sinnes The exhortation of the priest so moued the hartes of all men that the teares ranne from our eyes for ioy great desire we had to die in y e quarel In the meane time the nauye of the Mahumetans made sayle towarde vs. The same daye our Admirall with two Foystes made towarde them passyng betweene two of theyr greatest shyps discharged his ordinance on both sydes whiche the Admyrall dyd to proue the strength of those shyppes which they chiefely esteeme and trust most vnto But this daye was nothyng done woorth y e memorye The day folowyng the Mahumetans with full sayles drewe neare the citie of Canonor and sent vs woorde by a messenger that if we woulde permytte them to go whither they woulde they woulde not haue to do with vs. Our Admirall answeared that the Christians coulde not so forgette the periurie of the Mahumetans in violatyng theyr faith and promyse made by common consent when they woulde not suffer the Christians to passe that way but contrary to theyr fayth and promyse slue .xlvii. Christians and robbed them of foure thousande peeces of golde and therefore badde them passe further if they durst and they shoulde well knowe of what reputation and spirite the Christians are Then sayde the Mahumetans Mahumet wyll defende vs and confounde the Christians and with those woordes assaulted vs all at once with incredible furie thynkyng to haue passed through hauyng no further to sayle then .x. myles from the shore But our Admiral of purpose suffered the enimies to come nearer vntyl they were ryght oueragainst y e citie of Canonor meanyng there to set on them with all his force that the kyng of Canonor beholdyng the conflicte myght be witnesse of the valiantnesse of the Christians Then when the trumpetter of the Admirals ship sounded the battayle and gaue the signe incontinent he assaulted two of theyr greatest shyppes Heere I am not able to expresse the exceedyng noyse of theyr Drummes Trumpets Tambarels and other such innumerable which they vse in this case The Admiral hym selfe in maner contemnyng all theyr meane shippes passed through theyr nauie and inuaded one of theyr greatest shippes castyng theron chaynes and grasples to fyght with them at hande strokes but they cast of the chaynes thryse yet the fourth tyme the chaynes tooke such holde that the Christians entred into the ship where they made such hauocke and slaughter that all the Mahumetans of that shippe which were sixe hundred in number were slayne insomuche that there was not one left alyue to tell newes The Admirall encouraged by this victorie inuaded another of theyr great shippes whiche had chayned it selfe with a Foyst of the Christians where was also a great conflict in the whiche were slayne aboue fyue hundred Mahumetans and theyr ship sunke The Mahumetans discouraged by this defeate assaulted our twelue Foystes with al theyr force and caryed them away But heere the manhood and valiantnesse of Iohn Seranus the captaine of the Galley shewed itselfe who only with one Gally made suche a slaughter among the Mahumetans that it may seeme incredible for he so fiercely inuaded them that had caryed away the Foystes that he recouered them all sunke two other of the Mahumetan shippes In these warres God of his grace so prospered the Christians that few of them were slayne but many wounded The conflict continued from mornyng vntyl the darkenesse of the nyght made an ende of the battayle I may not heere forgeat to speake of the marueylous aduenture and Godly zeale of Simon Martin captayne of one of our shippes For it so chaunced that the Brigantine in the which I was departyng somewhat from our nauie gaue occasion to our enemies to pursue vs for incontinent foure of the Mahumetan shippes assayled vs and put vs to much trouble insomuch that .xv. Mahumetans had nowe entred into our Brigantine and we were constrayned to flee to the Poupe as to the safest place But the valiant captayne Simon Martin seyng the daunger that we were in and that the Mahumetans were entred into our Brigantine leapt into it fiercely and callyng vpon the name of Iesus Christ fought so valiauntly that he slue sixe of the Mahumetans wherby we beyng incouraged assisted hym in such sort that the Mahumetans cast them selues into the sea where some were drowned som escaped by swimmyng Therfore when the Mahumetans knewe y t the Christians had the victorie they sent .iiii. other Foistes to helpe the first But when the captayne of our
that our men had been wel enterteyned there and would therfore not only absteine from doing them any hurt or displeasure but also helpe to ayde them against their enemies and that therefore it shoulde be requisite to erect that crosse vppon the toppe of the hyghest mountayne that myght be seene from the sea on euery syde also to pray vnto it reuerently and that in so doyng they should not be hurt with thunder lyghtnyng and tempestes When the kynges hearde these wordes they gaue the captaine great thankes promisyng gladly to obserue and fulfyl al such thynges as he required Then the Captaine demaunded whether they were Moores or Gentiles They aunswered that they had none other kinde of religion but that lyftyng vp theyr handes ioyned togeather and theyr faces towarde heauen they called vpon theyr God Abba Which aunswere lyked the Captayne very well because the Gentiles are sooned perswaded to our fayth then the Moores Departyng from hence they came to the Ilandes of Zeilon Zubut Messana and Calaghan by the conduct of certayne Pilots of the sayde kynges Of these Zubut is the best and hath the trade of best trafique In the Ilande of Messana they founde Dogges Cattes Hogges Hennes Goates Ryse Gynger Cocus Myll Panicke Barly Fygges Oranges Waxe and Golde in great quantitie This Ilande is aboue the Equinoctial towarde our pole niene degrees two thirde partes and 162. degrees from the place from whence they departed They remayned in this Ilande for the space of eyght dayes and then directed their viage toward the Northwest and passed betweene these fyue Ilandes Zeilon Bohol Canghu Barbai and Catighan In this Iland of Catighan are certayne great Battes as bygge as Eagles of the whiche they tooke one they are good to be eaten and of taste much lyke a Henne There are also Stocke Doues Turtle Doues Popingays certaine fowles as big as Hennes these fowles haue litle hornes lay great egges whiche they couer a cubit deapth in the sand by the heate wherof vertue of the Sonne they are hatched the young birdes crepe out of the sand by themselues From the Iland of Messana to Catinghan are 20. leagues saylyng toward the West And because the kyng of Messana coulde not folowe the shippes they taryed for him about the Ilandes of Polo Ticobon and Fozon where the Captayne toke hym into his shippe with certayne of his principal men and so folowed theyr viage toward the Ilande of Zubut which is about fyftie leagues distant from Catighan The seuenth day of Apryll about noone they entred into the port of Zubut And passing by many villages and habitations in trees they came to the citie where the Captayne gaue commaundement to the maryners to stryke theyr sayles and to set them selues in order in maner of battayle raye causyng all the ordinaunce to be shotte of wherewith all the people were put in great feare After this the Captayne sent an ambassadour with thinterpretoure to the kyng of Zubut When they approched neere to the citie they found the kyng with a great company of men sore astonyed at the noyse of the gunnes But thinterpretour aduertised them that it was the custome of our men in all suche places where they come to discharge theyr ordinaunce in token of frendshyppe and to honour the lord of the citie With which wordes the kyng and his companye were well quieted After this the interpretour declared that his master was the Captayne of the shyppes of the greatest Prince in the worlde and that they went to discouer the Ilandes of Molucca And further that hearyng of his good name and fame by the report of the kyng of Messana they determyned to visite him to haue vittailes for exchange of their merchaundies The kyng answered that he was wel content therewith and that they were hartyly welcome Neuerthelesse that it was a custom in that place that al such shyps as entered into that hauen should pay tribute And that there were not many dayes past sence a shyp laden with golde and slaues dyd so paye In token whereof he caused to come before hym certayne merchauntes of that company which yet remayned with hym To this thinterpretour answeared that forasmuche as his lorde was the Captayne of so myghtie a Prince he neuer payde tribute to any kyng in the worlde and would not nowe begyn Wyllyng hym to take this for a resolute answeare that if he woulde accepte the peace that was profered him he shoulde enioy it and if he rather desyred warre he should haue his handes ful When thinterpretour had sayde these woordes one of the sayde merchauntes who was a Moore spake to the kyng in this maner Catacaia Chitae that is Take heede syr For these men are they that haue conquered Calecut Malacha and all the greater India and are of suche power that if you intreate them otherwyse then wel you may to late knowe what they are able to do more then they haue done at Calecut and Malaca When thinterpretoure hearde these woordes he sayde that the kyng his Lorde was of much greater puissaunce and more dominions and lorde of more shyppes then was the kyng of Portugale declaryng further that he was kyng of Spayne and Emperour of all Christendome Addyng hereunto that if he woulde not be his frende he woulde hereafter sende thyther suche a power of armed men as shoulde destroy his countrey The Moore conferred al these woordes with the king who sayde that he woulde further deliberate with his counsayle and geue them a full aunsweare the daye folowyng In the meane tyme he sent them certayne vyttayles and wyne When all these thynges were declared to the kyng of Messana who was the chiefest thereabout next vnto him and lord of many Ilandes he went a lande and repayred to the kyng of Zubut and declared vnto hym the great humanitie and curtesie of the generall Captayne Shortly after the Captayne sente certayne of his men with thinterpretour to the kyng of Zubut to knowe his pleasure and what aunsweare he woulde make them As they went towarde the courte they met the kyng commyng in the streate accompanyed with many of his chiefe men He caused our men to syt downe by hym and demaunded of them if there were any more then one Captayne in theyr companie and whether it were theyr request that he should paye tribute to Themperour They aunsweared that they desyred none other thyng but that they myght exercise merchaundies with them and to barter ware for ware The kyng made aunsweare that he was well content therewith wyllyng the Captayne in token of frendshyp to sende hym a litle blood of his ryght arme affyrmyng that he woulde do the lyke c. After this the kyng of Messana with the kyng of Zubut his neuie who was the prince and certayne other of his gentelmen came to the shippes and brought the Captayne many goodly presentes They entred into great amitie
Cerabaro Decade iii.li.iiii The South sea A league contayneth foure myles by sea and but three by lande The golden region Coiba Dites Sande myxt with golde Howe theyr slaues are marked in the face Golde A fruitefull region left desolate by ciuile discorde Syxe thousand Castellans of golde kyng Taracuru Foure thousand pesos of gold Salte Theyr maner of warre Gonsalus Badaiocius hath the ouerthrowe and is spoiled of great riches of gold The inconstancie of fortune The expedition of Fraunces Bezarra aganst the Canibales Gunnes Valleius repulsed of his enemies The Ilands of the South sea In this sea lye the Ilandes of Mollucca most fruitfull of spyces Collacutea Cochinus and Camemorus from whence the Portugales haue their spyces He meaneth by the streight of Magellanus Howe they take Hartes and wylde Bores Stocke doues Theyr maner of foulyng Popingiayes are easily taken A straunge kynde of foulyng Fyshes and worms engendred of slyme Foules Gourdes of the tree Later opinions of the swyft course of the Ocean toward the West The continent or fyrme lande The vyages of Diegus Colonus The viage from the new lands to Spain The contrary course of waters The poynt of the pole starre The golde mynes of Dariena and the maner of geatheryng golde Our inclosers would leaue no such commens Auri sacra Fames The dropsie of couetousnesse Looke Decade 3. Liber 10. Cities fortifyed with walles The Ilande of Cuba or Fernandina The Spaniards of Cuba attempt new vyages The West angle of Cuba Note The Ilande of Iucatana A great citie well buylded Temples Humane people Cunnyng artifycers Apparelled people Circumcised Idolaters Campechium A towne of three thousand houses Plentie of beastes and foules Theyr Idoles and Idolatry Houses of lime and stone The prouince Aquanil Mosco The Spanyardes are put to flyght and many slayne An other expedition The Ilande of Cozumella Sweete sauoures A fruitefull Ilande Towres and temples Cozumella named Scancta Crux Idles lyke Beares Idolatry Gentle people Iucanata but fyue myles from Cozumella The Barbarians make resistance A conflict The length of Iucatana The region of Caluacam or Oloan. The riuer Grisalua 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 Armur of gold Expert artificers Fyshe hokes of golde The Ilandes of Sacrifice Chyldren sacrificed to Idols Theyr Idoles of marble Golde and precious stones A stone of great price Ilandes of women Golde Houses lyke Towres .xv. great townes in the prouince of Coluacana Townes of .xx. thousand houses The region of Palmaria A token of frendshyp Priestes Chastitie The punishment of adulterie Mariage is honoured Fasting Kyng Ouandus Idoles iewels and ouches of golde Gold in mountaynes and riuers Theyr maner of geathering golde Sweete sauours A stone of great price Other viages from Cuba oâ— Fernandina Many Ilands betweene Cuba and the fyrme lande Sanctiago the chiefe citie of Cuba The Barbarians slep the Spaniardes with theyr own weapons The chiefe citie of the supposed continent The Spanyardes are slaine againe with their owne weapons The Barbarians are slayne and put to flyght A multitude of Ilandes Archipelagus â–ª An other viage xxvi Ilandes about Hispaniola Cuba Images of golde Rasers of stone Instruments and tooles Landes lyke vnto the earthly Paradyse An other vyage of ten Carauels and fyue hundred men Horses and mares Fernando Cortesius The Ilande of Cozumella Carpettes and sheetes Innumerable bookes Circumcised Idolaters They Sacrifyce Children The Ilandes of Destam and Sestam The sacrifice of dogges They are soone perswaded to our religion This people leauing one kynde of Idolatry be taught another An other viage Aquillaris .vii. yeeres captiue in the Ilande of Iucatana Valdiuia The shipwrack of Valdiuia The quicke sandes called vypers The course of the sea toward the West Valdiuia is sacrificed to Idoles How Aquillaris escaped Kyng Taxmarus The mouth of a ryuer stopped with sande Turky Hens A conflicte The Barbarians arâ— put to flyght The great towne of Potanchana or Victoria A towne of xxv thousande houses Gunnes and horses The men and the horse â–ª thought to be one beast Palaces of maruelous bygnes and well buylded They receyue our religion A towne of a thousand and fyue hundred houses Another voiage of two brigantines and fyftie men Where the sea runneth swyftly from the East to the West A conflict betweene the waters comming from the West and from the South A dangerous and payneful vyage The lande of Coluacana The lande of Baccalaos oâ— Baccalearum Rych presentes of golde and pretious stones A newe colonie This Cortesius hath written a booke of these thynges They weare rynges and plates at theyr lyppes The dyuers phantasies of men Syluer Note where golde and syluer are engendred I thinke this Laton to be some kynde of pure Copper or els Copper that holdeth golde For Laton is an artificial metall and hath no natural myne Theyr bookes Theyr letters What is conteyned in theyr bookes Temples richely adourned Prayer They sacrifice children and captiues A wrong way to heauen Bloody gods Villa Ricca Siuilla Noua The force of an old errour Theyr priests lyue chast Faggotes of bones A figure of baptisme The presentes sent into Spayne to the kyng Two Images of golde and siluer Two cheynes of golde marueylously beset with precious stones and iewelles Buskyns Myters How can we then call them beastly or Barbarous If they had chaunged theyr golde for our Iron â–ª they had not so soone been subdued Quylles Helmets A byrd Speares A scepter A braselet Shooes Glasses Bâ—â—ds foules and fyshes of golde A crowne of golde Images of beastes Sheetes Cloth of Arras A souldyers cloake Registers of th affayres of India Thaucthoritie of the Lieuetenaunt The Spanyardes of Dariena Sansta Maria Antiqua Petrus Arias whom the Spanyardes name Pediarias This sea the Spanyardes call Mardelser Contention betweene Vaschus and Petrus Arias Petrus Arias commaundeth that Vaschus be put to death Vaschus is accused Vaschus is put to death Petrus Arias Lupus Sosa The great ryuer of Dabaiba or Grandis The gulfe of Vraba The ryche mountaynes of Dabaiba Fierce waclyke people Dartes Swoordes of heauy wood Hispaniola Ouiedus wryteth that there are now fyue monasteries Newe and straunge diseases The suger of Hispaniola Suger of Valentia A token of marueylous fruitfulnes Wheat Vines Cassia Fistula Brasyle Myrobalanes Cap. 5. August A marke is a pounde of viii ounces summa xvi.li weyght .viii. ounces after xii ounces to the .li. Of this reade more largely in the decades By the computation of Venice foure granes make a Caract Doctrine not worthy for a christian man Vipers Adders Dragons Spiders Crabbes Serpentes called Iuanni Beâ—res Antes â–ª A strange beast which seemeth a kind of Cameleon Foules and byrdes Alcatraz Panama Passere sempie Picuti Folyshe sparowes Cazzuole Pintadelli Great foules Cocus I haue seene one of these fruites opened the whiche when it was whole if it were shaken the water was harde shogge therein as it were in a bottle but in tyme it consumed and was partly congeled into a saâ—te
Abyssins Iustice good lawes Sheepe with great tayles Palearia Kyne with Hartes hornes Kyne with only one horne â–ª Diuobanderrumi The Soltan of Cambaia Goa Giulfar Meschet Ormus Pearles Fyshyng for Pearles Dyuers vnder the water Chorazani or Chorashan Great abundaunce of silke Plentie of corne Rubarbe of smal price The riuen Euphrates Schira Precious stons The stone Eranon â–ª A Turques Balascam Castoreum The profe of true CastoreuÌ„ Comendation of the Persians Squilaâ— Sainct Bragant An armie of threescore thousand horsemen War betweene the Sophieâ— of Persia and the Turke for their religion The Turkes holde of Mahumet and his felowes The Persians hold of Mahumet and Hali or Mortus Hali. A sure friend in necessitie Cheo The ryuer Indus The citie of Cambaia Note the increse of ryuers contrarye to ours xl shippes ladeÌ„ with sylke and bombasine Pithagorici Good people They may see me the successours of Darius and Poâ—us The great pompe of the kyng of Cambaia Elephantes Monstruos great lyppes A straunge historie of a kyng accustomed to eate poyson A venomus kyng Belyke he getteth no chyldren Great fruitfulnesse abundance of merchandies Plentie of sylke The kyng of Ioga an Idolatour Continuall progresse Wyues and concubines The colour of the Indians Hornes Wanderyng nations Feelde men Guzerat Idolatours Dabuly Idolaters Tribute Coyne Mamalukes white men A fayre palace Great pompe and magnificence Where Diamuntes are founde Womens faces couered White men The kyng of Decham hateth the Christians The citie Bathacala Centacola Idolatars Barthacal The Ilande of Onor A kyng a pirate Naked men Ryse Beastes Byrdes and foules Flowers all the yeere longe â–ª Longe lyfe Myngolor Ryse Afterwarde he became frende to the Portugales 〈…〉 â—ranges Ryse Spyces Straunge fruites An army of fyftie thousand gentelmen Gunnes Dromedares Elephantes A triple wall Hawkyng and huntyng An army of foure thousand horsemen Horses of great price Foure hundred Elephantes Dromedary Camelles Howe the Elephantes are prepared to the warres Seuen men fyght vpon one Elephant Howe the Elephant is armed The Elephant vnderstandeth the voyce of his keeper The Elephant can not abyde fyre The strength of the Elephant The Elephants haue ioyntes in their legges The hande of the Elephant The teeth of the Elephant is Iuery The bygnesse of the Elephant The naturall shamefastnesse of Elephantes The pissell of an Elephant Men of lesse vnderstandyng then Elephantes The riches of the kyng of Narsinga A great tribute by the day Idolaters A riche cloke The magnificence of the kyng of Narsinga Coyne of golde and siluer Daunger of Lyons The kyng of Narsinga friend to the kyng of Portugale The citie of Trompata Mahumetans Pandara Capagot Calecut The kyng of Calecut a God on the earth The citie of Calecut Houses diuided Uery lowe houses Houses of small price Idolatry and seruyng of the deuyll One God Pseudoplatonici The deuyll Prince of this worlde Deumo quasi Daemon The Chapell of the deuyll The deuyls chayre of maiestie Difference betweene the Popes crowne and the deuylles A well fauoured Prince The deuylles ordinary dyet and deâ—tie meate Bramini Brachmani The maner of sacrifice to the deuyll Gallus Esculapio A goodly priest the deuylles Chaplen A counterfeete Aaron Offeryng of wheate The deuyll is serued before the Kyng Chaplens of honour I thinke the Priestes take parte with the Crowes Crowes esteemed holy The priestes euer prouide for them selues A goodly office for a byshop Priestes and gentelmen Poore men haue no soules They are not troubled with garderobes or makyng them redye mornyng and euenyng The kynges children succeed not to inherite the kyngdome What paynes the priestes take for theyr liuyng and what seruice they do the kyng Bastordes Moornyng for the death of the kyng Chastitie and abstinence Meates that moue to echerie Great frendshyppe Diogenistae The punyshement of murtherers Beatyng A straunge maner to demauÌ„d debte Death for debte Outward clenlynesse 〈…〉 Clenly women Maisters of fence The kynges army Their weapons The kynges ensigne The priestes â–ª are haroldes A chalenge to cumbatte A great battayle and litle bloodshed â–ª Minstrells Blacke teeth The dead gentelmen are burnt but the poore men are buryed Coyned mony Merchauntes resorte to Calecut Mahumetans of Calecut Theyr shippes Ankers of marble on euery syde two Seasons of the yeere contrarie to ours Dyuers fashions of shippes and other vessells A goodly palaice Images of the deuyll to garnysh the kinges palaice The ryche iewels which the king weareth The kyng of Portugales warres agaynst the kyng of Calecut The frenche Poxe among precious iewells Unestimable treasure Pepper The pepper tree Clusters of pepper Genger Fruites vnlyke ours A philosophical consideration of the difference of thinges of one kynde A great fruite growyng out of the body of the tree Rype fruites in December A fruite of sundry tastes One fruite within an other A tree with very brode leaues A very goodly fruite Two hundred fruites on euery slyppe A tree that neuer beareth fruit but once Fruites and floures geathered at all tymes of the yeere This tree in the west India is called Coccus Ten commodities of one tree Nux Indica They are as big as a mans fyâ—t and some bygger Very sweete and cleare water within a Nutte Oile made of water Wyne of cutte branches of a tree A tree that beareth fruite continually all the whole yeere Oile Ploughing of the grounde A daunce of deuylles Solem suum oriri facit super bonos et malos c. The deuyll a Phisitian Such a Phisitian such phisicke A remedie 〈◊〉 surfetyng Fyne weightes and balances A straunge experiment to know the fyne golde from base Proxeneta A superstitious maner of buying and selling Litle payne or cost for noursing of children Funambuli Popingayes or Parottes A great noyse of birdes An earthly Paradyse Continuall spring and temperate ayre Monkeys doe much hurte Crocodiles without poison Three kyndes of Serpentes Serpentes superstitiously kepte and nourished Death for kyllyng a Serpent or a Cowe Bycause they goe naked Superstition Goodly candelstickes of laton Polyxines et Polychni Innumerable lyghtes and Lampes The deuyll serueth in the kynges chamber Mourning the space of a yeere The Temple of sacrifyce to Idolles Trees behanged with Lampes Washyng before sacrifice Holy oyle in the steade of holy water Sacrifice to the deuyll for forgeuenesse of synnes Sanctuary Large is the way that leadeth to perdition c. The kyng of Portugals warres in the citie of Calecut Caicolon Pepper Christians of the profession of saint Thomas Colon. An armie of .xx. thousande horsmen Pearles Zeilon Comerin The bodie of Thomas the Apostle The kyng of Narsinga frende to the Portugalls A miracle at the sepulchre of S. Thomas Foure kynges in one Iland Elephantes Rubie stones Precious stones Howe Cinamome is geathered A denne where Adam lyued in penance Temperate regions vnder the Equinoctiall lyne Saffran and Corall Elephants An armie of a hundred thousende footmen Fruites Wylde beastes Peacockes Falcons Popingayes A great and fayre foule Cocke
yet was not discouraged or despaired of the hope of his good aduenture which he afterwarde founde This doone he tooke shyppyng at Lisburne and came to Palos of Moguer where he communed with Martin Alonso Pinzon an expert Pilot who offered hym selfe vnto hym After this disclosyng the whole secretes of his mynd to Iohn Perez of Marchena a fryer of thorder of saint Frances in Rabida well learned in Cosmographie and declaryng vnto hym howe by folowyng the course of the Sunne by a temperate voyage rych and great landes myght be founde the fryer greatly commended his interpryse and gaue him counsayle to breake the matter to the Duke of Medina Sidonia Don Enrique of Guzman a great lorde and very rych and also to Don Luis of Cerda the Duke of Medina Celi who at that time had great prouision of shyps wel furnyshed in his hauen of Santa Maria. But whereas both these Dukes tooke the matter for a dreame and as a thyng deuised of an Italian deceyuer who as they thought had before with lyke pretence deluded the kynges of Englande and Portugale the fryer gaue hym courage to go to the courte of the Catholyke princes Don Ferdinando and lady Isabell princes of Castyle affyrmyng that they woulde be ioyful of suche newes And for his better furtherance herein wrote â—etters by hym to fryer Ferdinando of Talauera the queenes confessor Christopher Colon therefore repayred to the courte of the Catholyke princes in the yeere .1486 and delyuered vnto theyr handes the petition of his request as concernyng the discoueryng of the new Indies But they beyng more careful and applying al theyr mynde howe they myght dryue the Moores out of the kyngdome of Granada whiche greate enterprise they had alredy taken in hande dyd lyttle or nothyng esteeme the matter But Colon not thus discouraged founde the meanes to declare his sute to suche as had sometymes priuate communication with the kyng Yet because he was a straunger and went but in simple apparell nor otherwyse credited then by the letter of a gray frier they beleeued hym not neyther gaue eare to his woordes whereby he was greatly tormented in his imagination Onely Alonso of Quintanilia the kynges chiefe auditour gaue hym meate and drynke at his owne charges and hearde gladly such thynges as he declared of the landes not then founde desyryng hym in the meane tyme to be content with that poore enterteynment and not to despayre of his enterpryse puttyng hym also in good conforte that he should at one tyme or other come to the speache of the Catholyke princes And thus shortly after by the meanes of Alonso of Quintanilia Colon was brought to the presence and audience of the Cardinall Don Pero Gonzales of Mendoza archbishop of Toledo a man of great reuenues and authoritie with the kyng and queene who brought hym before them after that he well perceiued and examined his intent And by this meanes was his sute hearde of the Catholyke princes who also redde the booke of his memorials whiche he presented vnto them And although at the fyrst they tooke it for vayne and false that he promysed neuerthelesse they put hym in good hope that he shoulde be well dispatched when they had fynyshed the warres of Granada whiche they had nowe in hande With which answere Colon began to reuyue his spirites with hope to be better esteemed and more fauorably to be hearde among the gentelmen noble men of the courte who before tooke hym onely for a craftie felowe and deceyuer and was nothyng dismayde or discouraged when soeuer he debated the matter with them although many iudged hym phantasticall as is the maner of ignorant men to cal all suche as attempt any thyng beyonde theyr reache and the compasse of theyr knowledge thynkyng the worlde to be no bygger then the cagies wherein they are brought vp and lyue But to returne to Colon. So hotte and vrgente was the siege of Granada that they presentely graunted hym his demaunde to seeke the newe landes and to bryng from thence golde syluer pearles precious stones spices and suche other ryche thynges They gaue hym also the tenth part of all the reuenues and customes due vnto the kyng of all such landes as he shoulde discouer not doyng preiudice in any thyng to the kyng of Portugale The particulars of this agreement were made in the towne called Sancta Fe and the priuiledge of the rewarde in Granada the .xxx. daye of Apryll the same yeere that the citie was woonne And whereas the sayde Catholyke princes had not mony presently to dispatch Colon Luis of S. Angel the kynges secretary of accomtes lent them syxe Quentes of Maraz whiche in a grosse summe make .xvi. thousande ducades In the scutcheon of armes geuen to Columbus by Don Ferdinando and queene Isabella these verses were written Por Castella y por Leon. Nueuo mondo hallo Colon. For Castile and for Leon. A newe worlde founde was by Colon. VVhy they were called Indies SOme thynke that the people of the newe world were called Indians bycause they are of the colour of the east Indians And although as it semmeth to me they dyffer much in colour and fashions yet is it true that of India they were called Indians India is properly called that great prouince of Asia in the whiche great Alexander kepte his warres and was so named of the ryuer Indus and is diuided into many kyngdomes confinyng with the same From this great India called the East India came great companyes of men as wrytteth Herodotus and inhabited that part of Ethiopia that lyeth betweene the sea Bermeia otherwyse called the red sea or y e gulfe of Arabia and the ryuer of Nilus all whiche regions that great Christian prince Prester Iohn doth nowe possesse The said Indians preuayled so muche that they vtterly chaunged the customes and name of that lande and called it India by reason whereof Ethiopia also hath of long tyme ben called India And hereupon came it that Aristotle Seneca and certayne other olde authours sayd that India was not farre from Spayne After this also of later dayes our west India was so called of the sayde India of Prester Iohn where the Portugales had theyr trade For the Pilot of the Carauell that was fyrst dryuen by forcible wynde to an vnknowen lande in the west Ocean called the same India because the Portugales so called such landes as they had lately discouered eastward Christophor Colon also after the sayd Pilot called the west landes by the same name Albeit some that take Colonus for an expert Cosmographer thynke that he so named them of the East India as to be the furthest and vnknowen ende thereof reachyng into the West vnder the other hemispherie or halfe globe of the earth beneath vs affirming that when he fyrste attempted to discouer the Indies he went chiefly to seeke the ryche Ilande of Cipango whiche falleth on the part of great China or Cathay as wryteth Marcus Paulus Venetus and other And that he shoulde
Cuba by the same way whiche he came Here a multitude of thinhabitantes as well women as men resorted to hym with cheerefull countenances and with feare bringyng with them popingayes bread water and cunnyes but especially stocke doues much bygger then ours which he affirmeth in sauour and taste to be muche more pleasaunt then our partryches Wherefore where as in eating of them he perceiued a certayne sauoure of spyce to proceede from them he commaunded the croppe to be opened of suche as were newely kylled and founde the same full of sweete spyces whiche he argued to be the cause of theyr strange taste For it standeth with good reason that the fleshe of beastes shoulde drawe the nature and qualitie of theyr accustomed nouryshment As the Admirall harde masse on the shore there came towarde hym a certayne gouernoure a man of foure score yeeres of age and of great grauitie although he were naked sauing his pryuie partes He had a great trayne of men wayting on hym All the whyle the prieste was at masse he shewed him selfe very humble and gaue reuerent attendance with graue and demure countenaunce When the masse was ended he presented to the Admirall a baskette of the fruites of his countrey delyuering the same with his owne handes When the Admirall had gentelly entertayned him desyring leaue to speake he made an oration in the presence of Didacus the interpreter to this effect I haue byn aduertised most mighty prince that you haue of late with great power subdued many lands and Regions hytherto vnknowen to you and haue brought no litle feare vppon all the people and inhabitauntes of the same the whiche your good fortune you shal beare with lesse insolencie if you remember that the soules of men haue two iourneyes after they are departed from this body The one foule and darke prepared for suche as are iniurious and cruell to mankynde the other pleasaunt and delectable ordeyned for them which in theyr lyfe tyme loued peace and quietnes If therfore you acknowledge your selfe to be mortall and consider that euery man shal receiue condigne rewarde or punyshement for suche thynges as he hath done in this life you wyl wrongfully hurte no man When he had saide these wordes and other lyke which were declared to the Admirall by the interpreter he marueyling at the iudgement of the naked olde man answeared that he was gladde to heare his opinion as touching the sundry iourneys and rewardes of soules departed from theyr bodyes supposing that nother he or any other of thinhabitantes of those Regions had had any knowledge thereof declaring further that the chiefe cause of his comming thither was to instruct them in such godly knowledge and true religion and that he was sent into those countreyes by the Christian kyng of Spayne his lord and maister for the same purpose and specially to subdue and punyshe the Canibales and suche other mischeuous people and to defend innocentes against the violence of euyl dooers wyllyng hym and al other suche as imbraced vertue in no case to be afrayde but rather to open his mynde vnto hym yf eyther he or any other suche quiet men as he was had susteyned any wrong of theyr neyghbours and that he woulde see the same reuenged These comfortable words of the Admirall so pleased the olde man that notwithstandyng his extreme age he woulde gladly haue gone with the Admiral as he had done in deede yf his wyfe and chyldren had not hyndered hym of his purpose but he marueyled not a lytle that the Admiral was vnder the dominion of another and much more when the interpretour tolde hym of the glorye magnificence pompe great power and furnimentes of warre of our kinges and of the multitudes of cities and townes whiche were vnder theyr dominions Intendyng therefore to haue gone with the Admirall his wyfe and chyldren fell prostrate at his feete with teares desyring him not to forsake them and leaue them desolate at whose pitiful requestes the woorthy olde man beyng mooâ—ed remayned at home to the comfort of his people and familie satisfiyng rather them then hym selfe for not yet ceassyng to woonder and of heauie countenance because he myght not depart he demaunded oftentymes yf that lande were not heauen whiche brought foorth suche a kynde of men For it is certaine that among them the lande is as common as the sunne and water and that Myne and Thyne the seedes of all myscheefe haue no place with them They are content with so lytle that in so large a countrey they haue rather superfluitie then scarcenesse so that as we haue sayde before they seeme to lyue in the golden worlde without toyle lyuyng in open gardens not intrenched with dyches diuided with hedges or defended with walles they deale truely one with another without lawes without bookes and without iudges they take hym for an euyl and myscheuous man whiche taketh pleasure in dooyng hurt to other And albeit that they delyte not in superfluities yet make they prouision for the increase of suche rootes whereof they make theyr bread as Maizium Iucca and Ages contented with suche symple dyet whereby health is preserued and diseases auoyded The Amirall therefore departyng from thence and myndyng to returne agayne shortly after chaunced to come agayne to the Ilande of Iamaica beyng on the south syde thereof and coasted all along by the shore of the same from the West to the East from whose last corner on the East syde when he sawe towarde the North syde on his left hande certayne hygh mountaynes he knewe at the length that it was the south syde of the Ilande of Hispaniola whiche he had not yet passed by Wherefore at the Calendes of September entryng into the hauen of the same Ilande called saint Nicholas hauen he repayred his shyppes to the intent that he might agayne waste and spoyle the Ilandes of the Canibales and burne all theyr Canoas that those rauenyng wolues might no longer persecute and deuoure the innocent sheepe but he was at this tyme hyndered of his purpose by reason of a disease which he had gotten by to much watching Thus beyng feeblâ— aâ—d weake he was ledde of the Maryners to the citie of Isâ—â—ella where with his two brethren whiche were there and other of his familiars he recouered his health in shorte space yet coulde he not at this tyme assayle the Canibales by reason of sedition that was risen of late among the Spanyardes whiche he had left in Hispaniola whereof we wyll speake more hereafter Thus fare ye well The fourth booke of the first Decade to Lodouike Cardinal of Aragonie COlonus the Admiral of the Ocean returning as he supposed from the continent or fyrme lande of East India had aduertisment that his brother Boilus and one Peter Margarita an olde familiar of the kynges and a noble man with diuers other of those to whom he had left the gouernment of the Ilande were of corrupted
mynde agaynst hym departed into Spayne Wherefore aswel to purge hym selfe of suche crimes as they should lay to his charge as also to make a supply of other men in the place of them whiche were returned and especiallye to prouide for vyttualles as wheate wine oyle and suche other whiche the Spanyardes are accustomed to eate because they coulde not yet well agree with such meates as they founde in the Ilandes determined shortly to take his voyage into Spayne but what he dyd before his departure I wyll breefely rehearse The kynges of the Ilandes which had hytherto lyued quietly and content with theyr lytle whiche they thought aboundant wheras they nowe perceiued that our men began to fasten foote within theyr regions to beare rule among them they toke the matter so greeuously that they thought nothyng els but by what meanes they myght vtterlye destroy them and for euer abolyshe the memory of theyr name for that kinde of men the Spanyardes I meane which folowed the Admiral in that nauigation were for the moste part vnruly regarding nothyng but idlenesse play and libertie and woulde by no meanes absteyne from iniuries rauishing of the women of the Ilandes before the faces of their husbandes fathers and brethren by which theyr abominable mysdemeanour they disquieted the myndes of all the inhabitantes insomuche that wheresoeuer they founde any of our men vnprepared they slue them with such fiercenesse and gladnesse as though they had offered sacrifice to God Intendyng therfore to pacifie theyr troubled myndes and to punyshe them that slue his men before he departed from thence he sent for the king of that vale whiche in the booke before we described to be at the foote of the mountaynes of the region of Cibana this kynges name was Guarionexius who the more strayghtly to concyle vnto hym the frendshyp of the Admirall gaue his syster to wyfe to Didacus a man from his chyldes age brought vp with the Admirall whom he vsed for his interpreter in the prouinces of Cuba After this he sent for Caunaboa called the lorde of the house of golde that is of the mountaynes of Cibana For this Caunaboa he sent one Captayne Hoieda whom the ditionaries of Caunaboa had enforced to keepe his holde besieging for the space of thirtie dayes the fortresse of saint Thomas in the whiche Hoieda with his fyftie souldiers stoode at theyr defence vntyll the comming of the Admirall Whyle Hoieda remayned with Caunaboa manye ambassadours of the kynges of diuers regions were sent to Caunaboa perswading him in no condition to permit the Christians to inhabite the Ilande except he had rather serue then rule On the other partie Hoieda aduertised Caunaboa to goe to the Admiral and to make a league of frendshyp with hym but the ambassadours on the contrary part threatned hym that if he woulde so doo the other kynges woulde inuade his region But Hoieda aunswered them agayne that whereas they conspired to maynteyne theyr libertie they should by that meanes be brought to seruitude destruction if they entended to resist or kepe warre against the Christians Thus Caunaboa on the one side and the other beyng troubled as it were a rocke in the sea beaten with contrary flooddes and muche more vexed with the stormes of his gyltie conscience for that he had priuily slayne .xx. of our men vnder pretence of peace feared to come to the Admirall but at the length hauyng excogitated his deceyt to haue slayne the Admirall and his companye vnder the colour of frendshyp yf oportunitie would so haue serued he repayred to y e Admiral with his whole familie and many other wayting on him armed after theyr manner Beyng demaunded why he brought so great a rout of men with him he aunswered that it was not decent for so great a prince as he was to goe out of his house without suche a bande of men but the thyng chaunced muche otherwyse then he looked for for he fell into the snares whiche he had prepared for other for whereas by the way he began to repent hym that he came foorth of his house Hoieda with many fayre woordes promises brought him to the Admiral at whose commaundement he was immediatly taken and put in prison so that the soules of our men were not long from theyr bodyes vnreuenged Thus Caunaboa with al his familie beyng taken the Admirall was determined to runne ouer the Ilande but he was certified that there was suche famine among the inhabitauntes that there was alredy fyftie thousande men dead thereof and that they dyed yet dayly as it were rotten sheepe the cause whereof was wel knowen to be theyr owne obstinacie and frowardnesse for wheras they sawe that our men entended to choose them a dwelling place in the Ilande supposing that they myght haue dryuen them from thence if the vittualles of the Ilande should fayle they determined with them selues not only to leaue sowyng and plantyng but also to destroy and plucke vp by the rootes euery man in his owne region that whiche they had alredy sowen of both kyndes of bread whereof we made mention in the firste booke but especially among the mountaynes of Cibana otherwyse called Cipanga forasmuche as they had knowledge that the golde whiche aboundeth in that region was the chiefe cause that deteyned our men in the Iland In the meane tyme he sent foorth a Captayne with a bande of men to searche the South syde of the Ilande who at his returne reported that throughout all the regions that he trauayled there was suche scarcenesse of bread that for the space of .xvi. dayes he ate nothyng but the rootes of hearbes and of young date trees or the fruites of other wylde trees but Guarionexius the kyng of the vale lying beneath the mountaynes of Cibana whose kyngdome was not so wasted as the other gaue our men certayne vyttualles Within a fewe dayes after both that the iourneys myght be the shorter and also that our men myght haue more safe places of refuge if the inhabitauntes shoulde hereafter rebell in lyke manner he buylded another fortresse whiche he called the Towre of Conception betweene the Citie of Isabella and Saint Thomas fortresse in the marches of the kyngdome of this Guarionexius within the precincte of Cibana vpon the syde of a hyll hauyng a fayre riuer of holsome water runnyng harde by the same Thus when the inhabitantes sawe newe buyldinges to be dayly erected and our shippes lying in the hauen rotten and halfe broken they began to dispayre of any hope of libertie and wandred vp and downe with heauie cheare From the Towre of Conception searchyng diligentlye the inner partes of the mountaynes of Cibana there was a certayne kyng whiche gaue them a masse of rude golde as bigge as a mans fyst weighing .xx. ounces this golde was not founde in the banke of that riuer but in a heape of drye earth and was lyke vnto the stone called Tophus whiche is soone
them with the young Admirall to learne our language but he hym selfe repayred to the court to make earnest suite to the kyng that by his fauour he myght be gouernour of the Iland of Sancti Iohannis otherwise called Burichena being distant from Hispaniola only .xxv. leagues because he was the fyrst finder of golde in that Ilande Before Vincentius made suite for this office one Don Christopher a Portugale the sonne of the countie of Camigna was gouernour of the Iland whom the Canibales of the other Ilandes slue with al the Christian men that were in the same except the Bishop and his familiers whiche fled and shyfted for them selues forsakyng the churche and al the ornamentes thereof for your holynesse hath consecrated fiue byshops in these Ilands at the request of the most catholique king In Sancto Dominico the chiefe citie of Hispaniola Garsia de Padilla a reguler Fryer of the order of saint Frauncis is byshop In the towne of Conception doctor Petrus Xuares of Deza and in the Ilande of saint Iohn or Burichena Alphonsus Mansus a licenciate being both obseruantes of the institution of saint Peter The fourth is Fryer Barnarde of Mesa a man of noble parentage borne in Toledo a preacher bishop of the Ilande of Cuba The fift is Iohannes Cabedus a fryer preacher whom your holynesse annoynted minister of Christe to teache the Christian fayth among the inhabitantes of Dariena The Canibales shal shortlye repent them and the blood of our men shal be reuenged and that the sooner because that shortly after they had commytted this abominable slaughter of our men they came agayne from theyr owne Ilande of Sancta crux otherwise called Ay Ay to the Ilande of Sancti Iohannis and slue a kyng whiche was a freende to our men and ate hym and al his family vtterly subuertyng his village vpon this occasion that violating the law of hostage he had slayne seuen Canibales whiche were left with hym by composition to make certayne Canoas because the Ilande of Sancti Iohannis beareth greater trees and apter for that purpose then doth the Iland of Sancti crux the cheefe habitatiō of the Canibales These Canibales yet remaynyng in the Iland certaine of our men saylyng from Hispaniola chaunced vpon them The thyng beyng vnderstoode by the interpretours our men quarelling with them and calling them to accompt for that mischeuous deede they immediatly directed theyr bowes and venemous arrowes against them and with cruell countenances threatned them to be quiet lest it shoulde repent them of theyr commyng thyther Our men fearyng theyr venemous arrowes for they were not prepared to fyght gaue them signes of peace Beyng demaunded why they destroyed the vyllage and where the king was with his familie they answered that they rased the vyllage and cut the kyng with his familie in peeces and ate them in the reuenge of theyr seuen woorkmen and that they had made faggottes of theyr bones to cary them to the wiues and children of theyr slayne woorkemen in wytnesse that the bodyes of theyr husbandes and parentes lay not vnreuenged and therewith shewed the faggottes of bones to our men who beyng astonyshed at theyr fiercenesse and crueltie were enforced to dissemble the matter and holde theyr peace quarellyng no further with them at that tyme. These and suche other thynges doo dayly chaunce the whiche I do let passe lest I should offende the eares of your holynesse with such blooddy narrations Thus haue we sufficiently digressed from the regions of Beragua and Vraba beyng the cheefest fundations of our purpose We wyll now therfore entreate somewhat of the largenesse and deapth of the ryuers of Vraba also declare both what they and the landes which they runne through do bryng foorth lykewyse of the greatnesse of the lande from the East to the West and of the breadth thereof from the South to the North and what theyr opinion and hope is of thynges yet vnknowen in the same We wil therefore begyn at the newe names wherwith the Spanyardes haue named these prouinces synce they were vnder the dominions of the Christians The nienth booke of the second Decade of the supposed continent BEragua therfore they called Castella Aure◠▪ that is golden Castile and Vraba they named Andalusia noua that is newe Andalusia And lyke as of many Ilandes whiche they subdued they chose Hispaniola for the cheefe place of theyr habitation so in the large tracte of Paria they appoynted theyr colonie or biding place in the two regions of Vraba and Beragua ▪ that al suche as attempt any voyages in those coastes may resort to them as to safe portes to be refreshed when they are weerie or dryuen to necessitie Al our seedes and plantes do now marueylously encrease in Vraba lykewyse blades settes slippes graffes suger canes and suche other as are brought from other places to those regions as also beastes and foules as we haue sayd before O marueylous fruitefulnesse Twentie dayes after the seede is sowen they geather rype cucumbers and such lyke but Colwoortes Beetes Lettuse Borage are rype within the space often dayes Gourdes Melones and Pompions within the space of .xxviii. dayes Dariena hath many natiue trees and fruites of diuers kinds with sundry tastes holsome for the vse of men of the which I haue thought it good to describe certaine of the best They nouryshe a tree whiche they call Guaiana that beareth a fruite muche resemblyng the kinde of Citrones which are commonly called Limones of taste somwhat sharpe myxt with sweetenes They haue also abundance of nuts of pinetrees and great plentie of Date trees which beare fruites bigger then the Dates that are knowen to vs but they are not apt to be eaten for theyr to much sowrenesse Wilde barren Date trees grow of them selues in sundry places the branches wherof they vse for beesomes and eate also the buddes of the same Guarauana being hygher and bygger then the orange tree bryngeth foorth a great fruite as bygge as pome Citrons There is another tree much like to a chestnut tree whose fruite is like to the bigger sorte of fygs beyng holsome and of pleasant taste Mameis is another tree that bringeth forth fruite as bygge as an orange in taste nothing inferior to the best kindes of Melones Guananala beareth a fruite lesse then any of the other but of sweete sauour like spice and of dilectable taste Houos is another tree whose fruite both in shape and taste is muche lyke to prunes but somewhat bygger they are surely perswaded that this is the Myrobalane tree These growe so abundantly in Hispaniola that the hogges are fedde with the fruite therof as with mast among vs. The hogges like this kynde of feedyng so wel that when these fruites waxe ripe the swineheards can by no meanes keepe them out of the woods of these trees by reason whereof a great multitude of them are become wilde They also affirme that in Hispaniola swines flesh is
of the habitable regions vnder the Equinoctiall and of the ryche golde mynes of the Ilande of Cuba Of the Gumme called Animae Album and of the Canibales also wherby it was thought that there were Ilandes of women Of hony founde in trees and rockes and of the generation of great Tortoyses and of theyr egges The contentes of the tenth booke Fol. 146. OF the expedition agaynst the kyng of the Ilande Dites in the South sea and howe after foure conflictes submitting hym selfe he gaue our men an hundred ten pounde weyght of great pearles also howe he agreed to paye yeerely a hundred pounde weyght of pearles for a tribute Howe axes and hatchettes are more esteemed then golde or pearles and of great plentie of Hartes and Cunnies also howe the kyng of Dites and his familie were baptised Of pearles of great pryse and howe Paule the Bishop of Rome bought a pearle for foure and fortie thousand ducades Diuers opinions of the generation of pearles and of a hundred pearles founde in one shel fyshe also of the birth of pearles Of the regions of the East syde of the gulfe of Vraba and of the originall of the Canibales Of certayne circumcised people which haue the knoweledge of letters and vse of bookes and what chaunced of the captaynes which Petrus Arias sent foorth diuers wayes also howe Iohn Solisius was slayne of the Canibales and of theyr fiercenesse Howe Iohn Pontius was repulsed of the Canibales and of the lewde behauiour of Iohn Aiora Of the variable fortune of Gonsalus Badaiocius and howe after he had geathered great ryches of gold he had the ouerthrow and was spoyled of all Of the golden region of Coiba Dites and how theyr slaues are marked in the face Of the Ilandes of the South sea and of the regions from whence the Portingales fetche theyr spyces Of a straunge kynde of fowlyng and of the trees that beare Gourdes Of the later opinions as touching the swift course of the Ocean towarde the West and of the continent or fyrme lande also of the viage from the newe landes to Spayne Of the golde mynes of Dariena and of the maner of geatheryng of golde in the same also of the dropsie of couetousnesse which is not satisfied with ryches For the contentes of the booke of the Ilandes of the West Indies seas reade the margent notes of the same FINIS ⧠Gonzalus Ferdinandus Ouiedus of the west Indies R. E. To the Reader ALthough among dyuers which haue written of the Ocean and VVest Indies there is none to be compared to Peter Martyr of Angleria in declaryng by philosophicall discourses the secrete causes of naturall affectes both as touchyng the lande the sea the starres and other straunge workes of nature yet forasmuch as of later dayes those countreys haue been better knowne and searched and dyuers such particuler and notable thinges founde as are conteyned in the histories of later writers among the number of whom Conzalus Ferdinandus Ouiedus whom learned Cardanus compareth to the ancient writers is doubtlesse the chiefe I haue therefore thought good to ioyne to the Decades of Peter Martyr certayne notable thinges which I haue geathered out of his booke intituled the Summarie or abridgement of his generall hystorie of the west Indies written in the firme lande of the same in the citie of Sancti Maria Antiqua in Dariena where he dwelt was gouernor many yeeres and dedicated to Themperours maiestie as may appeare by the Epistle folowyng To the most hygh and myghtie prince Charles the fyft o◠that name Emperor of Rome Kyng of Spaine of the two Cicilies of both the sydes of the streyght of Faro Kyng of Hierusalem and Hungarie Duke of Burgonie and Earle of Flaunders Lord and inheritour of the firme lande and Ilandes of the VVest Ocean c. Gonzalus Ferdinandus Ouiedus his most humble seruaunt wysheth health and perpetuall felicitie THe thinges which principally preserue and mayntayne the workes of nature in the memories of men are hystories and bookes composed of the same among the whiche certes those are esteemed most true and autentyke which haue been wrytten by wyttie and expert men well traueyled in the world as faythfull witnesses of such thinges as they haue partly seene and been partly informed by credible persons Of this mynde and opinion was Plinie who better then any other aucthor hath written in .xxxvii. bookes all that parteyneth to the naturall historie conteyned all in one volume dedicated to Vespasian Themperour Wherin as a prudent historiographer he declareth such thinges as hee had heard attributing the second authoritie to such as he had redde in aucthours that wrote before him And thyrdly ioyned to the same hystorie such thinges as he him selfe had seene as most certayne testimonie Whose example I folowyng will in this my breefe summarie reduce and represent to your maiesties memorie such thinges as I haue seene in your Empyre of the West Indies aswell in the Ilandes as in the firme lande of the Ocean sea where I haue serued now more then twelue yeeres in the place of surueyer of the golde mynes by the commaundement of the Catholyke kyng Don Fernando the fyft of that name and graundfather vnto your maiestie to whom God gaue great fame and glorie Since whose death also I haue lykewyse serued and trust whyle the rest of my lyfe yet remayneth to serue your maiestie as shall please you to commaunde As touchyng whiche thinges and suche other lyke I haue more largely written in an hystorie begun assoone as my age was rype to take such matters in hande Wherein furthermore I haue made mention of suche thinges as haue chaunced in Spayne from the yeere .1494 vnto this tyme addyng also therevnto suche thinges woorthy memorie as I haue obserued in other realmes and prouinces where I haue trauayled and haue lykewyse particulerly wrytten the lyues and worthy actes of the catholyke Princes of famous memorie Don Ferdinando and Lady Elizabeth his wyfe to theyr last dayes After whose fruition of heauenly Paradyse I haue noted such thinges as haue chaunced in your most fortunate succession not omittyng particulerly to wryte a large booke of suche thinges as haue seemed most woorthy to bee noted as touchyng your maiesties Indies But forasmuch as that volume remayneth in the citie of San. Dominico in the Ilande of Hispaniola where I dwell and am placed in housholde with wyfe chyldren and famylie I haue brought no more with me of that my writyng then I beare in memorie determynyng notwithstandyng for your maiesties recreation to make a breefe rehearsall of certayne notable thinges wherof I haue more largely entreated in my sayd generall historie and such as may seeme most woorthy to be redde of your maiestie Of the which although a great parte haue been written by other who haue also seene the same yet perhappes they are not so exactly and particulerly described as of mee forasmuche as in maner all that trauayle into these Indies haue
way of Commendator of Aysa captayne vnder your maiestie who this present yeere attempted a viage to the place of the sayd spyces and not only the way is thus muche shortned but also a thyrd parte of the tyme is abbreuiate To conclude therefore if any had hytherto attempted this viage by the sea of Sur to seeke the Ilandes of spyces I am of firme opinion that they shoulde haue been founde long since as doubtlesse they may bee by the reasons of Cosmographie Howe thinges that are of one kynde dyffer in fourme and qualitie accordyng to the nature of the place where they are engendred or grow and of the beastes called Tygers IN the firme lande are founde many terrible beastes which some thinke to bee Tygers Whiche thing neuerthelesse I dare not affirme considering what aucthours do wryte of the lyghtnesse and agilitie of the Tyger wheras this beast being otherwyse in shape very like vnto a Tiger is notwithstandyng very slowe Yet true it is that according to the marueiles of the worlde and differences which naturall thinges haue in dyuers regions vnder heauen and dyuers constellations of the same vnder the which they are created we see that some suche plantes and hearbes as are hurtfull in one countrey are harmelesse and holsome in other regions And byrdes whiche in one prouince are of good taste are in other so vnsauery that they may not bee eaten Men lykewyse whiche in some countreys are blacke are in other places whyte and yet are both these and they men Euen so may it bee that Tygers are lyght in some region as they wryte and may neuerthelesse be slow and heauy in these Indies of your maiestie wherof we speake The sheepe of Arabie drawe their tayles long and bigge on the ground and the Bulles of Egypt haue theyr heare growyng towarde theyr heades yet are those sheepe and these bulles Men in some countreys are hardy and of good courage and in other naturally fearefull and bruityshe All these thinges and many more whiche may bee sayde to this purpose are easie to bee proued and woorthy to bee beleeued of suche as haue read of the lyke in aucthours or traueyled the worlde whereby theyr owne sight may teache them the experience of these thinges whereof I speake It is also manifest that Iucca whereof they make theyr bread in the Ilande of Hispaniola is deadly poyson if it bee eaten greene with the iuâ—se and yet hath it no such propertie in the firme lande where I haue eaten it many times and found it to be a good fruit The Bats of Spaine although they bite yet are they not venomous but in the firme land many dye that are bytten of them And in this fourme may so many thinges be sayd that tyme shall not suffice to write whereas my intent is only to prooue that this beast may bee a Tyger or of y e kynd of Tygers although it be not of such lightnesse and swiftnesse as are they wherof Plinie other aucthours speake discrybyng it to bee one of the swyftest beastes of the lande and that the ryuer of Tigris for the swyft course thereof was called by that name The fyrst Spanyardes whiche sawe this Tyger in the firme lande dyd so name it Of the kynde of these was that which Don Diego Columbo the Admirall sent your maiestie out of newe Spayne to Toledo Theyr heades are lyke to the heades of Lions or Lionesses but greater the rest of all theyr bodyes and theyr legges are full of blacke spottes one neere vnto an other and diuided with a circumference or fryndge of redde colour shewyng as it were a fayre woorke and correspondent picture about their croopes or hynder partes they haue these spottes byggest and lesse and lesse towarde theyr bellies legges and heades That which was brought to Toledo was young and but litle and by my estimation of the age of three yeeres but in the firme lande there are many founde of greater quantitie for I haue seene some of three spans in height and more then fiue in length They are beastes of great force with strong legges and well armed with nayles and fanges which wee call dogge teeth they are so fierce that in my iudgement no reall Lion of the byggest sort is so strong or fierce Of these there are many found in the firme lande which deuour many of the Indians doe much hurt otherwyse but since the comming of the Christians many haue been kyld with Crossebowes after this maner Assoone as the archer hath knowledge of the haunt of any of these Tigers he goeth searching their trase with his crossebow with a litle hound or begle and not with a greyhounde because this beast would soone kyll any dog that would venter on him When the hounde hath founde the Tyger he runneth about him baying continually and approcheth so neare him snappyng and grynnyng with so quycke fleeyng and returnyng that he heereby so molesteth this fierce beast that hee driueth him to take the next tree at the foote wherof he remaineth styll baying and the Tyger grynnyng and shewyng his teethe whyle in the meane tyme the archer commeth neare and .xii. or xiiii pases of stryketh him with the querell of his crossebowe in the brest and fleeth incontinent leauyng the Tyger in his trauayle for lyfe and death bytyng the tree and eatyng earth for fiercenesse then within the space of two or three houres or the day folowyng the archer returneth thyther and with his dogge fyndeth the place where he lyeth dead In the yeere .1522 I with the other rulers and magistrates of the citie of Sancta Maria Antiqua in Dariena tooke order in our counsayle a rewarde of foure or fyue peeces of golde to bee giuen to euery man that kylled any of these Tygers by reason whereof many were kyld in shorte space both with crossebowes and also with dyuers snares and ingens But to conclude I will not obstinately stand in opinion whether these beastes be Tygers or Panthers or of the number of any other suche beastes of spotted heare or also peraduenture some other newe beast vnknowen to the olde wryters as were many other whereof I haue spoken in this booke Of whiche thyng I doe not greatly marueyle forasmuche as vnto our tyme this great part of the worlde was vnknowen to the antiquitie insomuche that none of the wryters of that age nor yet Pcolome in his Cosmographie or any other since him haue made any mention heereof vntyll the fyrst Admyrall Don Christopher Colonus discouered the same A thing doubtlesse without comparyson muche greater then that which is sayde of Hercules that he fyrst gaue the entrance of the sea Mediterraneum into the Ocean whiche the Grekes coulde neuer doe before him And heereof ryseth the fable that the mountaynes of Calpe and Abila whiche are directly one agaynst an other in the strayght of Gibilterra the one beyng in Spayne and the
throughout al the valley within the earth as in a mine whiche they dygge and take out suche as they neede of al sortes The other marueylous thyng of this Ilande is this That farre from the sea there ishueth out of a mountayne a certayne lycour muche lyke the Cley of Babylon called Bitumen or lyke vnto pytche in great quantitie and suche as is very commodious for the calkyng of shyppes this falleth continually from the rocke and runneth into sea in suche aboundaunce that it is seene flotyng aboue the water on euerye syde of the sea there about as it is dryuen from place to place by the wynde or course of the water Quintus Cursius wryteth in his historie that great Alexander came to the citie of Memi where is a great Caue or Denne in the whiche is a spryng or fountayne that contynually auoydeth a great quantitie of Bitumen in suche sort that it is an easy thyng to beleeue that the stones of the walles of Babylon might be laid therewith according as the said auctour writeth I haue seene this myne of Bitumen not only in the Iland of Cuba but also such an other in new Spaine whiche was founde of late in the prouince of Panuco where it is much better then the other of Cuba as I haue seene by experience in calkyng of shyppes Of the lande of Baccalaos called Terra Baccalearum situate on the North syde of the firme lande SHortly after that your maiestie came to the citie of Toledo there arriued in the moneth of Nouember Steuen Gomes the pilot who the yeere before of .1524 by the commaundement of your maiestie sailed to y e North partes and founde a great part of lande continuate from that which is called Baccalaos discoursyng toward the West to the .xl. and .xli. degree from whence he brought certayne Indians for so call we all the nations of the newe found landes of the which he brought some with him from thence who are yet in Toledo at this present and of greater stature then other of the firme lande as they are commonly theyr coloure is muche lyke the other of the firme lande they are great archers and go couered with the skinnes of diuers beastes both wylde and tame In this lande are many excellent furres as Marterns Sables and such other ryche furres of the which the sayd pilot brought some with him into Spayne they haue syluer and copper certayne other metals they are Idolaters and honour the Sonne and Moone and are seduced with such superstition and errours as are they of the firme And to haue wryten thus much it may suffice of suche thynges as haue seemed to me most worthy to be noted in the Summarie of Gonzalus Ferdinandus wrytten to Themperours maiestie Particularly of newe Spayne called Noua Hispania or Mexico NEwe Spayne is that part of the continent or firme lande that lyeth West and South from the land of Florida this was subdued to thempire of Castile by the ryght noble gentelman Ferdinando Cortese y e marquesse of the vale of Quaraca In this lande are many prouinces conteynyng in them in maner innumerable cities among which that is the chiefe whiche the Indians cal Mexico or Temixtitan consystyng of more then fiue hundred thousand inhabitauntes It standeth in the middest of a lake of salte water as doth Uenece in the sea the lake conteyneth fourtie Persian miles called Parasange euery one consysting of .xxx. furlonges and more as some say In these regions is found great plentie of gold syluer pretious stones with innumerable other thynges both necessary for the lyfe of man pleasant as Silke Bombasine cotton Alame Safferne Woad with diuers other thinges wherwith cloth and Silke is dyed There is also such abundaunce of suger that certaine Spanishe shippes are yeerely fraighted therwith and bring the same into Smile from whence it is caryed in maner to al partes of Christendome Thinhabitantes of Mexico are subtile people and vse much craft in theyr bargaining they haue not the vse of gold and syluer mony but vse in the steade thereof the halfe shelles of Almonds which kind of Barbarous mony they cal Cacoa or Cacanguate In maner al kinds of corne are there very good cheape especially barly and wheate They haue great plentie of Hartes wylde Bores Lions Leopardes and Tigers whiche beastes wander in maner in euery place The region is most commodious for haukyng and huntyng for the great abundaunce it hath of beastes and foules But the people exercise al theyr cunnyng in makyng the images of their idolatry and in painting Theyr women are valiant and sumptuous in theyr apparell and other tyrementes for they so rychely frynge and beset the same with pearles precious stones and golde that nothyng can be more excellent they haue a kynde of paper greatly differyng from ours in this they expresse their mindes by certayne figures for they haue not otherwyse thuse of letters The nation is desyrous of warre and doth not long keepe the conditions of peace vnuiolated but delyteth rather in ciuile and most cruell battayle among them selues then to liue in peace and quietnesse Such as in the warres fal by any meanes into the handes of theyr enimies eyther by submyssion or otherwyse are partly sacryfised to the Idoles and the resydue geuen to the souldiers to be eaten in lyke maner as we rewarde dogges and haukes with part of theyr pray They haue innumerable Idoles whiche euery one maketh for his particuler god after the phantasie of his owne brayne and geueth therto diuine honour albeit at this day they do by litle and litle leaue of theyr barbarous fyercenesse with our religion imbrace better maners For they nowe professe the fayth of Christ and in his name pray vnto God the Father Of Peru. THe prouince called Peru was also named Noua Castilia by them that fyrst founde it This region is the West part of America and is situate in the longitude of .290 degrees proceeding from the West to the East and Southward begynneth fyue degrees beyonde the Equinoctiall line and is extended very farre into the South This is taken to be the rychest land in golde siluer pearles precious stones and spices that euer was founde yet to this day For gold is there in suche plentie that they make pyspots therof and other vessels applied to fylthy vses But this is more to be marueyled at that in a citie called Collâ—o was founde a house al couered with massie plates of gold In theyr warres also theyr harnesse is of gold and siluer Theyr weapons are bowes arrowes slyngs dartes and pykes The inhabitauntes are warrelyke people and of great agilitie They haue cities defended with lawes and armes The region is exceeding fruitfull and yeldeth corne twyse in the yeere It is so floryshyng with many fayre woods mountaynes ryuers and other both pleasaunt necessarie
his abode For as many tymes I haue erst sayd all this countrey is full of riuers Desirous to see those Parai we got into some of them where we found some chambers set foorth with gilded beds very richly other furnished with tables and seates all other thinges so neate and in perfection that it was wonderfull Quiacim shyre as farre as I can perceiue lyeth vpon the south On that syde we kept at our first entry thereinto traueyling not far from the high mountaynes we saw there Asking what people dwelleth beyond those mountaynes it was told me that they be theeues men of a strange language And bycause that vnto sundry places neare this riuer y e mountaynes do approch whence the people issuing downe do many tymes great harme this order is taken at y e entry into Quiacim shyre To gard this riuer wheron continually go to fro Parai great small fraught with salt fish poudred with pepper and other necessaries for that countrey they do lay in diuers places certain Parai great barges armed wherin watch warde is kept day night in both sides of the riuer for the safetie of the passage securitie of suche Parai as doe remayne there though the traueylers neuer go but many in company In euery rode there be at the least thirtie in some two hundred men as the passage requyreth This garde is kept vsually vntyll you come to the citie Onchio where continually the Tutan of this shyre and eke of Cantan maketh his abode From that citie vpwarde where the ryuer waxeth more narrow and the passage more daungerous there be alwayes armed one hundred and fiftie Parai to accompany other vesselles fraught with marchandyse and all this at the king his charges This seemed vnto me one of the strangest thinges I dyd see in this countrey Whan we laye at Fuquien we dyd see certayne Moores who knewe so litle of theyr secte that they could say nothyng els but that Machomet was a Moore my father was a Moore and I am a Moore with some other wordes of theyr Alcorane wherewithall in abstinence from Swynes fleshe they lyue vntyll the deuyll take them all This whan I sawe beyng sure that in many Chinish cities the reliques of Machomet are kept as soone as we came to the citie where these felowes be I enfourmed my selfe of them and learned the trueth These Moores as they tolde me in tymes past came in great shippes fraught with marchandise from Pachin ward to a Porte graunted vnto them by the kyng as hee is wont to all them that traffike into this countrey where they beyng arriued at a litle towne standyng in the hauens mouth in tyme conuerted vnto their secte the greatest Loutea there Whan that Loutea with all his family was become Moorysh the rest began lykewyse to doe the same In this part of China the people be at libertie euery one to worshyp and folow what him lyketh best Wherefore no body tooke heede thereto vntyll such tyme as the Moores perceyuyng that many folowed them in superstition and that the Loutea fauoured them they began to forbyd wholy the eatyng of Swines flesh But all this countrymen and women chosing rather to forsake father and mother than to leaue of eatyng of porke by no meanes would yelde to that proclamation For besides the great desyre they all haue to eate that kynde of meate many of them doe lyue thereby and therefore the people complayned vnto the Magistrates accusing the Moores of a conspiracy pretended betwixt them and the Loutea agaynst theyr kyng In this countrey as no suspicion no not one trayterous worde is long borne withall so was the kyng speedily aduertised thereof who gaue comcommaundement out of hande that the aforesayde Loutea should be put to death and with hym the Moores of most importance the other to be layde fyrst in pryson and afterwarde to be sent abrode into certayne cities where they remayned perpetuall slaues vnto the kyng To this citie came by happe men and women threescore and odde who at this day are brought to fiue men and foure women for it is nowe twentie yeeres agoe this happened Theyr ofspryng passeth the number of .200 and they in this citie as the rest in other cities whyther they were sent haue theyr Moscheas wherunto they al resorte euery fryday to kepe theyr holydaye But as I thynke that wyll no longer endure then whiles they do lyue that came from thence for theyr posteritie is so confused that they haue nothing of a Moore in them but abstinence from Swynes fleshe and yet many of them do eate thereof priuilie They tell me that theyr natiue countrey hath name Camarian a fyrme lande wherein be many kynges and the Indishe countrey well knowen vnto them It may so be for as sone as they dyd see our seruauntes our seruauntes were Preuzaretes they iudged them to be Indians many of theyr woordes sounded vppon the Persike tongue but none of vs coulde vnderstand them I asked them whether they conuerted any of the Chinishe nation vnto theyr secte they answeared me that with much a do they conuerted the women with whom they do marry yeldyng me no other cause thereof but the difficultie they find in them to be brought from eating swines fleshe and drynking of wine I am perswaded therfore that if this countrey were in league with vs forbyddyng them neyther of both it would be an easy matter to draw them to our religion from theyr superstition wherat they them selues do laugth when they do their Idolatrie I haue learned moreouer that the sea wherby these Moores that came to China were woont to trauaile is a very great gulfe that falleth into this countrey out from Tartaria and Persia leauing on the other syde all the countrey of China and lande of the Mogorites drawyng alwayes towarde the south and of all lykelyhood it is euen so because that these Moores the whiche we haue seene be rather browne then white wherby they shewe them selues to come from some warmer countrey then China is neere to Pachin where the ryuers are frosen in the wynter for colde and many of them so vehemently that cartes may passe ouer them We dyd see in this citie many Tartares Mogorites Bremes and Laoynes both men women The Tartares are men very white good horsemen and archers confinyng with China on that side where Pachin standeth separated from thence by great mountaines that are betwyxt these kingdomes Ouer them be certaine wayes to passe and for both sydes Castelles continually keapte with souldiers in tyme past the Tartares were woont alwayes to haue warrs with the Chineans but these fourescore yeeres past they were quiete vntyll the seconde yeere of our imprysonment The Mogorites be in lyke maner whyte and heathen we are aduertised that of one syde they border vppon these Tartares and confine with the Persike Tartares on the other syde whereof we sawe in them some tokens
these aforesayde causes is sufficient to put hym to death Theyr thyrd cheefe officer is a Iudge his office is to take vp to end matters in controuersie to determine of warres peace that which he thynketh ryght to punyshe rebelles wherein he may commaunde the noble men to assist hym vpon paine of forfettyng theyr goodes neuerthelesse at all tymes he is not obeyed for that many matters are ended rather by might and armes than determined by law Other controuersies are decided either in the Temporal Court as it seemeth good vnto the Princes or in the Spiritual consistorie before the Tundi Rebelles are executed in this maner especially yf they be noble men or officers The kyng looke what daye he geueth sentence agaynst any one the same day the partie wheresoeuer he be is aduertised thereof and the day tolde him of his execution The condempned person asketh of the messenger where that it may be lawfull for him to kyll him selfe the which thing whan the kyng doeth graunt the partie takyng it for an honour putteth on his best apparell and launcyng his body a crosse from the brest downe all the belly murdreth him selfe This kynde of death they take to be without infamy ne doe their children for theyr fathers crime so punished lose theyr goods But if the king reserue them to be executed by the Hangman than flocketh hee togeather his children his seruantes and friendes home to his house to preserue his lyfe by force The kyng committeth the fetchyng of him out vnto his chiefe Iudge who first setteth vppon him with bow and arrowes afterward with pykes swoords vntyll the rebell and all his family be slayne to theyr perpetuall ignominie and shame The Indyshe wryters make mention of sundry great cities in this Iland as Cangoxima a Hauen towne in the South parte therof and Meaco distant from thence .300 leagues northward the royall seat of the kyng and most wealthy of all other townes in that Ilande The people thereabout is very noble and theyr language the best Iaponishe In Meaco are sayde to be nienetie thousande houses inhabited and vpwarde a famous Uniuersitie and in it fyue principall Colledges besydes closes and cloysters of Bonzi Leguixil and Hamacata that is Priestes Monkes and Nunnes Other fyue notable Uniuersities there be in Giapan namely Coia Negru Homi Frenoi and Bandu The fyrst foure haue in them at the least .3500 schollers in the fyft are many moe For Bandu prouince is very great and possessed by sixe princes fyue whereof are vassalles vnto the sixt yet he him selfe subiecte vnto the Iaponish kyng vsually called the great king of Meaco lesser scholes there be many in diuers places of this Ilande And thus muche specially concernyng this glorious Ilande among so many barbarous nations and rude regions haue I geathered together in one summe out of sundry letters written from thence into Europe by no lesse faithful reporters thā famous traueylers For confirmation whereof as also for the knowledge of other thinges not conteyned in the premisses the curious readers may peruse these foure volumes of Indishe matters written long agoe in Italian and of late compendiously made latin by Petrus Maffeius my olde acquaynted friend entitulyng the same De rebus Iaponicis One whole letter out of the fyft booke thereof specially entreatyng of that countrey haue I done into Englyshe word for word in suche wyse as foloweth Aloisius Froes ▪ to his companyons in Iesus Christ that remayne in China and Indie THe last yeere deare brethren I wrote vnto you from Firando howe Cosmus Turrianus had appoynted me to traueyle to Meaco to help Gaspar Vilela for that there the haruest was great the labourers fewe and that I should haue for my companyon in that iourney Aloisius Almeida It seemeth now my parte hauing by the helpe of God ended so long a voyage to signifie vnto you by letter suche thinges specially as I myght thinke you woulde most delyght to knowe And because at the begynnyng Almeida and I so parted the whole labour of wrytyng letters betwixt vs that he should speake of our voyage and suche thinges as happened therein I should make relation of the Meachians estate and wryte what I could well learne of the Giapans maners and conditions settyng asyde all discourses of our voyage that whiche standeth me vppon I wil discharge in this Epistle that you consideryng howe artificially how cunningly vnder the pretexte of religion that craftie aduersary of mankynde leadeth and draweth vnto perdition the Giaponish myndes blynded with many superstitions and cerimonies may the more pitie this nation The inhabiters of Giapan as men that neuer had greatly to doe with other nations in their Geography diuided the whole world into three partes Giapan Sian and China And albeit the Giapans receyued out of Sian and China their superstitions and cerimonies yet doe they neuerthelesse contemne all other nations in comparison of them selues standyng in their owne conceite doe far preferre them selues before all other sortes of people in wisedome and policie Touching the situation of the countrey nature of the soyle vnto the thinges eftsones erft written this one thing wil I adde in these Ilandes the sommer to be most hot the winter extreame colde In the kyngdome of Canga as we call it falleth so muche snow that the houses being buried in it y e inhabiters keepe within doores certaine moneths of the yeere hauing no way to come foorth except they breake vp the tiles Whirlewyndes most vehement Earthquakes so common that the Giapans dreade suche kinde of feares litle or nothing at all The countrey is full of siluer mines otherwyse barren not so much by fault of nature as through the slouthfulnes of the inhabiters howebeit Oxen they keepe that for tillage sake onely The ayre is wholsome y e waters good the people very fayre well bodied bare headed commonly they go procuring baldnes with sorow teares eftsoones rooting vp w t pinsars al the heare of their heads as it groweth except it be a litle behind the which they knot and keepe with al diligence Euen from their chyldehood they weare daggers and swoords the which they vse to lay vnder their pillows whan they goe to bedde in shew curteous and affable in deede haughty and proude They delight most in warlyke affayres and their greatest studie is armes Mennes apparell dyuersly coloured is worne downe halfe the legges and to the elbowes womens attyre made hansomely lyke vnto a vayle is somewhat longer all maner of dysyng and theft they doe eschue The merchant although he bee wealthie is not accompted of Gentlemen be they neuer so poore retayne theyr place most precysely they stande vppon theyr honour and woorthynesse cerimoniously stryuyng among them selues in curtesies and fayre speaches Wherein if any one happely bee lesse carefull than hee should bee euen for a trifle many tymes hee getteth euyll will Want though it trouble most of them so muche they doe deteste that
and halfe deade with knockes They walke sometymes on two feete and spoyle trees backewarde Sometyme also they inuade Bulles and so hang on them with all theyr feete that they weerye them with weight The Beare as sayeth Plinie bringeth foorth her byrth the thirtie day and often tymes two Theyr birth is a certaine white masse of flesh without fourme and litle bigger then a mouse without eyes and without heare with only the nayles or clawes commyng foorth but the damme with continuall lyckyng by litle and litle figureth the informe byrth When she entreth into the denne which shee hath chosen shee creepeth thyther with her belly vpwarde least the place should be founde by the steppes of her feete And beyng there deliuered of her byrth remaineth in the same place for the space of .xiiii. dayes immoueable as wryteth Aristotle They lyue without meat .xl. dayes and for that tyme susteyne them selues only by lyckyng and suckyng theyr ryght foote At the length chaunsing to finde meate they fyll them selues so full that they remedy that surfeyte by vomyte which they prouoke by eatyng of Antes Theyr byrth is oppressed with so heauy a sleepe for the space of .xiiii. dayes that it can not be raysed eyther with prickyng or woundes and in the meane tyme growe exceedyng fatte After fourtiene dayes they wake from sleepe and begyn to lycke and sucke the soles of theyr fore feete and lyue thereby for a space Nor yet is it apparent that they lyue by any other meate vntyll the spring tyme of the yeere At whiche tyme begynnyng to runne abrode they feede of the tender buddes and young sprygges or braunches of trees and other hearbes correspondent to theyr lyppes Before fiue hundred yeeres the Moscouites honoured the Goddes of the Gentyles And then fyrst receyued the Christian fayth when the Byshoppes of Grecia began to discent from the church of the Latines and therefore receyued the rites of the Greekes They minister the sacrament with fermented breade vnder both kyndes And thinke that the soules of dead men are not helped with the suffragies of priestes nor yet by the deuotion of theyr friendes or kynsfolke Also that the place of Purgatorie is a fable In the tyme of the diuine seruice the hystorie of the myracles of Christ and the Epistles of sainct Paule are rehearsed out of the Pulpitte Beyonde Moscouia are many people which they call Scythians and are partely subiecte to the Prince of Moscouia These are they which Duke Iuan subdued as are the people of Perm Baskird Cezriremissa Iuhra Corela and Permska These people were Idolatours before the Duke compelled them to baptisme appointed a byshop ouer them named Steuen whom the Barbarians after the departure of the Duke flayed alyue and slue But the Duke returnyng shortly after afflicted them sore and assigned them a newe byshop It is here also to be noted that the olde Cosmographers fayned that in these regions towarde the North pole there should be certayne great mountaynes which they called Ripheos and Hyperboreos which neuerthelesse are not founde in nature It is also a fable that the ryuers of Tanais Volham doe spring out of hygh mountaynes whereas it is apparent that both these ryuers and many other haue theyr originall in the playnes Next to Moscouia is the fruitful region of Colmogora through the whiche runneth the ryuer of Diuidna beyng the greatest that is knowen in the North partes of the worlde This ryuer increaseth at certayne tymes of the yeere as doeth the ryuer of Nilus in Egypt ouerfloweth the fieldes rounde about and with aboundaunce of fatte moysture resisteth the coldnesse of the ayre Wheate sowne in the grounde groweth aboundauntly without ploughyng and fearyng the newe iniurie of the proude ryuer springeth groweth and rypeth with wonderfull celeritie of hastyng nature Into the ryuer of Diuidna runneth the ryuer of Iuga And in the very angle or corner where they meete is a famous marte towne named Vstiuga beyng a hundred and fyftie myles distant from the chiefe citie of Mosca To this marte towne from the higher countreis are sent the precious furres of Marternes Sables Woolues such other which are exchaunged for dyuers other kyndes of wares marchandies Hytherto Munsterus And forasmuche as many doe marueyle that such plentie of hony should bee in so coole a countrey I haue thought good to declare the reason and naturall cause heereof It is therefore to be considered that lyke as spices gums and odoriferous fruites are engendred in hotte regions by continuall heate duryng all the whole yeere without impression of the mortifying qualitie of colde whereby all thynges are constrayned as they are dilated by heate euen so in colde and moyst regions whose moysture is thynner and more wateryshe then in hot regions are floures engendred more aboundauntly as caused by impression of lesse and faynter heate woorkyng in thynne matter of wateryshe moysture lesse concocte then the matter of gummes and spyces and other vncâ—uous fruites and trees growyng in hot regions For although as Munster sayeth here before the region of Moscoâ—â—a beareth neyther vines or Oliues or any other fruitee of sweete sauour by reason of the coldnesse thereof neuerthelesse forasmuch as floures wherof hony is chiefly geathered may in sommer season growe aboundantly in the playnes maryshes woode not onely on the ground but also on trees in colde regions it is agreeable to good reason that great plentie of hony should be in suche regions as abounde with floures which are brought foorth with the fyrst degree of heate and fyrst approche of the sunne as appeareth in the spryng tyme not only by the spryngyng of floures in fieldes and Gardeynes but also of blossomes of trees spryngyng before the leaues or fruite as the lyghter and thynner matter fyrst drawne out with the lowest and least degree of heate as the lyke is seene in the arte of styllyng whereby all thynne and lyght moystures are lyfted vp by the fyrst degree of the fyre and the heauyest and thyckest moystures are drawne out with more vehement fyre As we may therefore in this case compare the generation of floures to the heat of May the generation of gummes to the heat of Iune and spyces to the heate of Iuly Euen so in suche colde regions whose summer agreeth rather with the temperate heate moysture of May then with thextreme heate of the other monethes that heate is more apte to bring foorth aboundance of floures as thinges caused by moderate heate as playnly appeareth by their tast and sauour in which is no sharpe qualitie of heate eyther byting the tongue or offendyng the head as is in spices gums and fruites of hotte regions And as in colde and playne regions moderate heate with aboundance of moisture are causes of the generation of floures as I haue sayde so lykewyse the length of the dayes and shortnesse and warmenesse of the
three Ilands is called Muscostrom that is boyling At the flowing of the sea it is swalowed into the Caues and is blowne out agayne at the reflowing with no lesse violence then the streames of ryuers fall from mountaines This sea is nauigable vntyl it be lower then the mouthes of the rockes Such as chaunce into it out of due time are caried headlong into Whyrpooles The fragmentes of the lost shyps are seldome cast vp agayne But when they are cast vp they are so brused and fretted against the rockes that they seeme to be ouergrowne with hoare This is the power of nature passing the fabilous Simpleiades the fearful Malea with the dangerous places of Silla and Caribdis and all other miracles that nature hath wrought in any other sea hytherto knowen to man The Ilands about Norway are of such fruitful pasture that they bryng not theyr beastes into the stables before the moneth of Nouember and do in many places wynter them abrode Suecia or Suethlande SVecia is a kyngdome ryche in Golde Syluer Copper Leade Iron fruite cattayle and exceedyng increase of fyshe of the ryuers lakes and the sea and hath no lesse plentie of such wylde beastes as are taken with huntyng Towarde the West it is ended with the mountaynes of Norway from the Castel of Wardhus vnto th ende .51.63.40 Towarde the South with the line from this ende vnto the degrees 53.30.61 And from thence vnto the degrees 61.60.30 Aboue the gulfe of Suecia towarde the north with the south end of Lapponia from the castel of Wardhus vnto the ende .62.70 Towarde the East it is ended with the line from this ende vnto the degree .63.69 c. Stokholme the chiefe citie .64.61 This is the chiefe mart towne of Suecia and is strongly defended by art and nature It is situate in maryshes after the maner of Uenice and was therfore called Stokholme forasmuch as beyng placed in the water the fundation is fortified with stockes or piles The sea entreth inâ—o it with two armes or branches of such largenesse and depth that shyps of great burden and with maine sayles may enter by the same with theyr ful fraight This suffered of late yeeres greeuous spoile and destruction to the singular exemple of cruel hostilitie and such as the lyke hath not been lyghtly shewed to any other citie receiued by league and composion In al the tract from Stokholme to the lake aboue the ryuer of Dalekarle whiche is in the degree .56 30 63 50. are mountaynes fruiteful of good syluer copper and lead They get great ryches by the salmons and plentie of other fyshes whiche they take in certayne great lakes The dukedome of Agermannia occupieth the north syde to the confines of Laponia This tract is ful of wods in the which they hunt the beastes called Vros or Bisontes which in theyr tongue they call Elg that is wylde Asses These are of such heyght that the hyghest part of theyr backes are equal with the measure of a man holdyng vp his armes as hygh as he may reach c. Vpsalia the chiefe citie .62.62.30 here is buryed the body of saint Henricus kyng and martyr Copperdalia that is the copper valley is a Dukedome southwarde from the Dukedom of Iemptia Under this is the valyant nation of the people called Dalekarly Oplandia is a Dukedome and the nauil or myddest of Scondia The citie of Pircho on the North syde of the lake of Meler â–ª was once a great citie and able to arme .xiiii. thousande men to the warres but is nowe brought to a vyllage All the tracte of Oplandia hath mynes of Syluer Copper and Steele Of the Ilandes and rockes that lye about Suecia the myddest is .67.30.61.30 These were called of the olde writers Done the reason of which name remayneth vnto this daye For there are in these innumerable multitudes of byrdes insomuch that thinhabitauntes of the next coast sayle thyther in the moneth of May whyle the byrdes syt on theyr egges which they steale and reserue them in salt for a long tyme. Bothnia BOthnia is so named of the pretious furres of all sortes that are caryed from thence into foraigne regions For by these and theyr fyshyng they haue great commoditie Salmons of the best sort are taken in these seas are great riches among these nations Bothnia is diuided into two partes as Northbothnia South Bothnia called Ostrobothhia Northbothnia is termined with the South ende of the Lapones vnto the ende .78.30.69 Towarde the East it is termined with this ende and vnto the degree .78.30.68.20 Towarde the West with the line terminyng the East syde of Suecia And towarde the South with the residue of the gulfe of Suecia from th ende that hath degrees .63.69 Ostrobothnia towarde the East is termined from the sayde ende of the most East coast And towarde the South with a line extended by the mountaynes from this ende vnto the degree .71 66 Towarde the North and West with part of the gulfe of Suecia c. Gothia or Gothlande GOthia is by interpretation good For the holy name of God is in the Germane tongue Goth that is Good At what tyme the Gothes vpon a generall consent sent foorth theyr ofspring or sucession to seeke new seates or countreys to inhabite and when they possessed the coastes of Meotis and Asia none of the olde wryters haue made mention as farre as I know But they haue been knowen since the tyme that the Romanes dilated theyr Empire by Illirium now called Slauonie vnto the ryuer of Danubius and were also famous from the time of Cesar Dictator and Octauianus Augustus by reason of their great warres at Danubius being the vtermost bound of Thempire Neuerthelesse in that renowme what Gothia was vnder what part of heauen it was scituate or of whom the Gothes tooke their original it hath been vnknowen almost to this age This is termined toward the North with the South ende of Suetia and towarde the West with the other mountaynes of Norway whiche continue from the boundes of Suetia to the mouthes of the ryuers of Trolheta c. It hath many goodly Townes Cities Castles Mines c. The citie of Visba being in the degree .61.30.54.15 was an ancient and famous mart Towne as is Genua in Italie at this day but afterward being afflicted by y e incursions of the Pirates of the Danes and Moscouites it was left desolate There remayne to this day certayne ruines whiche testifie the auncient nobilitie In this place were the firste stations of the Gothes that possessed Meotis It is at this day of fruiteful soyle and famous by many goodly and strong Castles Monasteries There is among other a Monasterie of the order of Saint Benedict in the whiche is a librarie of about two thousande bookes of old auctors About the yeere of Christe fourescore and eyght the Gothes vnto whom resorted
a great multitude of other people of these North partes of the worlde as from Liâ—onia Prusia Russia and Tartaria with diuers other countreyes makyng them diuers Kynges and Captaynes dyd depopulate and bryng in subiection the more part of Europe inuaded Italie destroied Rome inhabited that parte of Italie nowe called Lumbardie and lykewyse subdued the Realmes of Castile and Aragonie Their warres continued aboue three hundred yeeres Finland and Eningia FInlandia is as much to saye as a fayre land or fyne lande so named for the fertilitie of the grounde Plinie seemeth to call it Finnonia for he saieth that about the coastes of Finland â–ª are many Ilands without names of the which there lyeth one before Scithia called Pannonia The gulfe called Sinus Finnonicus â–ª is so named at this day of the land of Finnonia Finnonia confineth with Scithia and runneth without all Tanais that is to say without the lymittes of Europe to the confines of Asia But that the name of Einlande seemeth not to agree hereunto the cause is that this place of Plinie is corrupted as are many other in this aucthour So that from the name of Finnonia or Phinnonia it was a lykely errour to call it Pannonia forasmuche as these wordes doo not greatly differ in wrytyng and sounde so that the counterfect name was soone put in the place of the true name by hym that knew Pannonia and read that name before beyng also ignorant of Phinnonia Eningia had in olde tyme the tytle of a kyngdome it is of such largenesse but hath now only the title of an inferiour gouernour beyng vnder the dominion of the Slauons â–ª and vsyng the same tongue In religion it obserued the rytes of the Greekes of late yeeres when it was vnder the gouernance of the Moscouites But it is at this present vnder the kyng of Suecia obserueth thinstitutions of the Occidentall churche Spanyshe wynes are brought thither in great plentie which the people vse meryly and cheerefully It is termined on the North side by the South lyne of Ostrobothnia and is extended by the mountaynes Toward the West it is termined with the sea of Finnonia accordyng to this description and hath degrees .71 66. c. Of the difference of regions and causes of great cities after the description of Hieronimus Cardanus Liber .xi. De Subtilitate THere is an other difference of regions caused of cold and heate For suche as are neare vnto the poles are vexed with to muche colde and suche as are vnder the line where the Sunne is of greatest force are oppressed with heate Suche as are in the middest betweene both are nearest vnto temperatenesse Under the pole it is impossible that there should be populous cities bycause the lande is barren and the caryage or conueyaunce of fruites victualles and other necessaryes is incommodious By reason whereof it is necessarie that the inhabitauntes of such regions lyue euer in continuall wanderyng from place to place or els in small vyllages Suche as inhabite temperate regions haue meane cities aswell for that they haue more commodious conueyaunce for necessaryes as also that they may dwel better and more safely togeather then in vyllages by reason of fortifying their townes with walles and exercising of artes and occupations wherby the one may the better helpe the other Yet that olde Rome beyng in a temperate region was of such incredible bygnesse the cause was that it obteyned the Empyre of the worlde by reason whereof all nations had confluence thyther and not the greatnesse of the walles But it is necessarie that the greatest cities be in hotte regions fyrst for that in such regions part of the soile is either barren if it lacke water or els most fruitfull if it abounde with water And for this inequalitie when they fynde any place meete to susteyne a multitude it foloweth of necessitie that great cities be builded in such places by reason of great concourse of people resortyng to the same An other great cause is that whereas in such regions marchauntes come very farre to such commodious places they passe through many desarte and perillous regions So that it shal be necessary for theyr better securitie to come in great companyes as it were great armies And therefore whereas such a societie is once knyt togeather in a commodious place it should bee great hynderance aswell to the inhabitants as to marchauntes if they should wander in incommodious places And by this confluence both of such as dwell neare to such places and also of strangers and such as dwell farre of it is necessary that in continuaunce of tyme small townes become great cities as are these Quinsai Singui Cambalu Memphis Cairus or Alcair otherwyse called Babilon in Egypt But if here any will obiecte Constantinople in olde tyme called Bizantium beyng in a temperate region although it be not to be compared to such cities as are more then lx myles in circuite yet doe we answere herevnto that the Turkes Empyre is the cause of the greatnesse hereof as we sayde before of Rome The historie written in the latine tongue by Paulus Ionius byshop of Nuceria in Italie of the legation or ambassade of great Basilius Prince of Moscouia to Pope Clement the .vij. of that name In which is conteyned the description of Moscouia with the regions confinyng about the same euen vnto the great and rych Empire of Cathay I Intend first briefly to describe the situation of the region which we plainely see to haue ben litle knowen to Strabo Ptoleme then to proceede in rehearsing the maners customes religion of the people and this in maner in the like simple stile and phrase of speach as the same was declared vnto vs by Demetrius the Ambassadour a man not ignorant in the latin tongue as from his youth brought vp in Liuonia where he learned the first rudiments of letters and being growne to mans age executed thoffice of an Ambassadour into diuers Christian prouinces For whereas by reason of his approued faithfulnesse industrie he had before ben sent as Oratour to the kynges of Suecia and Denmarke the great maister of Prussia hee was at the last sent to Themperour Maximilian in whose court being replenyshed with all sortes of men while he was câ—nuersant if any thing of barbarous maners yet remayned in so docible quiet a nature the same was put away by frâ—ming him selfe to better ciuilitie The cause of his legacie or ambassade was giuen by Paulus Centurio a Genuese who when he had receiued letters commendatory of pope Leo the tenth came to Moscouia for the trade of marchaundies of his owne mynde conferred with the familiars of Duke Basilius as touching the conformation of the rites of both churches He furthermore of great magnanimitie and in maner outragious desire sought â—ow by a new and incredible viage spices might be brought from India For while before hee had exercised the trade of marchandies in
that whereas Paulus Iouius wryteth here that the ryuer of Diuidna otherwyse called Duina runneth through the region of Colmogor it is to bee vnderstood that there are two ryuers of that name the one on the Northeast side of Moscouia toward the frosen sea the other on the Southwest syde fallyng into the sea Baltheum or the gulfe of Finnonia by the citie of Riga in Liuonia And forasmuche as the true knowledge of these and certayne other is very necessarie for all such as shal trade into Moscouia or other regions in those coastes by the North sea I haue thought good to make further declaration hereof as I haue founde in the historie of Moscouia most faythfully and largly wrytten by Sigismundus Liberus who was twyse sent Embassadour into Moscouia as fyrst by Maximilian the Emperour and then agayne by Ferdinando kyng of Hungarie and Boheme This haue I done the rather for that in al the mappes that I haue seene of Moscouia there is no mention made of the riuer of Duina that runneth through the region of Colmogor and by the citie of the same name although the prouince of Duina be in all cardes placed Northwarde from the ryuer of Vstiug or Succana which is the same Duina wherof we now speake and whereof Paulus Iouius wryteth although it be not so named but from the angle or corner where ioynyng with the ryuer of Iug and Succana it runneth Northwarde towards the citie of Colmogor and from thence falleth into the North or frosen sea as shall hereafter more playnely appeare by the wordes of Sigismundus that the one of these be not taken for the other beyng so farre distant that great errour myght ensue by mistaking the same especially because this whereof Paulus Iouius writeth is not by name expressed in the cardes but only in the other wherby the errour myght be the greater Of that therfore that runneth by the confines of Liuonia and the citie of Riga Sigismundus writeth in this maner The Lake of Duina is distant from the sprynges of Boristhenes almost ten myles and as many from the marishe of Fronovvo From it a ryuer of the same name towarde the West distant from Vuilna twentie myles runneth from thence toward the North where by Riga the cheefe citie of Liuonia it falleth into the Germane sea whiche the Moscouites call Vuareâ—zkoie morie It runneth by Vuitepso Polotzo and Dunenburg and not by Plescouia as one hath wrytten This riuer beyng for the moste part nauigable the Liuons call Duna Of the other Duina whereof Poulus Iouious speaketh he wrytteth as foloweth The prouince of Duina and the ryuer of the same name is so named from the place where the ryuers of Suchana and Iug meetyng togeather make one ryuer so called For Duina in the Moscouites tongue signifieth two This ryuer by the space of two hundred myles entreth into the North Ocean on that part where the sayde sea runneth by the coastes of Suecia and Norway and diuideth Engreonland from the vnknowen lande This prouince situate in the full North perteyned in tyme past to the segniorie of Nouogorode From Moscouia to the mouthes of Duina are numbred CCC myles Albeit as I haue sayde in the regions that are beyonde Volga the accompt of the iourney can not be wel obserued by reason of many maryshes ryuers and very great wooddes that lye in the way Yet are we led by coniecture to thynke it to be scarsely two hundred myles forasmuch as from Moscouia to Vuolochda from Vuolochda to Vstiug somewhat into thâ— East and laste of al from Vstiug by the ryuer Duina is the ryght passage to the North sea This region besyde the Castel of Colmogor and the citie of Duina situate almost in the mydde way betwene the sprynges and mouthes of the ryuer and the Castell of Piâ—nega standyng in the very mouthes of Duina is vtterly without townes and Castels Yet hath it many vyllages which are farre in sunder by reason of the barennesse of the soyle c. In an other place he wryteth that Suchana and Iug after they are ioyned togeather in one loose theyr fyrst names and make the ryuer Duina c. But let vs nowe returne to the hystorie of Paulus Iouius Unto Vstiuga from the Permians Pecerrians Inugrians Vgolicans and Pinnegians people inhabytyng the North and Northest prouinces are brought the precious furres of Marterns and Sables also the cases of Woulfes and Foxes both whyte and blacke And lykewyse the skynnes of the beastes called Ceruariâ— Lupi that is harte Woolfes beyng engendred eyther of a Woolfe and a Hynde or a Hart and a bitch Woolfe These furres and skynnes they eâ—chaunge for dyuers other wares The best kynde of Sables and of the â—inest heare wherewith nowe the vestures of princes are lyued and the tender neckes of delicate dames are couered with the expresse similitude of the lyuyng beast are brought by the Permians and Pecerrians whiche they them selues also receyue at the handes of other that inhabite the regions neere vnto the North Ocean The Permians and Pecerrians a litle before our tyme dyd sacrifice to Iâ—ols after the maner of the Gentyles but do nowe acknoweledge Christe theyr God The passage to the Inugrians and Vgolicans is by certayne rough mountaynes whiche perhappes are they that in olde tyme were called Hiperborei In the toppes of these are founde the best kyndes of Falcons whereof one kynde called Herodium is white with spotted fethers There are also Ierfalcons Sakers and Peregrines whiche were vnknowen to the ancient princes in theyr excessiue and nise pleasures Beyonde those people whom I last named beyng all trybutaries to the kynges of Moscouia are other nations the last of men not knowen by any voyages of the Moscouites forasmuche as none of them haue passed to the Ocean and are therefore knowen onely by the fabulous narrations of merchauntes Yet it is apparante that the ryuer Diuidna or Duina draweyng with it innumerable other ryuers runnneth with a vehement course towarde the North and that the sea is there exceedyng large so that saylyng by the coaste of the ryght hande shyppes may haue passage from thence to Cathay as it is thought by most lykely coniecture except there lye some lande in the way For the region of Cathay perteyneth to thextreme and furthest partes of the Easte situate almost in the paralel of Thracia and knowen to the Portugales in India when they sayled neere thereunto by the regions of Sinara and Malacha to Aurea Chersonesus and brought from thence certayne vestures made of Sables skynnes by whiche onely argument it is apparente that the citie of Cathay is not farre from the coastes of Scithia But when Demetrius was demaunded whether eyther by the monuments of letters or by fame lefte them of theyr predicessours they had any knowledge of the Gothes who nowe more then a thousande yeeres since subuerted Thempire of the Romane
very strong and swyfte Theyr horsemen are armed with pykes Ryuettes Mases of yron and arrowes Fewe haue hooked swoordes Theyr bodyes are defended with rounde Targets after the maner of the Turkes of Asia or with bendyng and cornarde Targettes after the maner of the Greekes Also with coates of mayle Brygantines and sharpe Helmets Basilius dyd furthermore instytute a bande of Hargabusiers on horsebacke and caused many great brasen peeces to be made by the workemanshyp of certayne Italians and the same with theyr stockes and wheeles to be placed in the Castle of Mosca The kyng him selfe with princely magnificence and singular familiaritie wherwith neuerthelesse no parte of the maiestie of a kyng is violate is accustomed to dyne openly with his noble men strange Ambassadours in his owne chamber of presence where is seene a marueylous quantitie of siluer gylt plate standyng vpon two great and high cubbardes in the same chamber He hath not about him any other garde for the custody of his person sauing only his accustomed familie For watch and warde is diligently kept of the faithful multitude of the citizens Insomuch that euery warde or quarter of the citie is inclosed with gates rayles and barres neyther is it lawfull for any man rashely to walke in the citie in the nyght or without lyght All the courâ—e consisteth of noble men Gentlemen and choyse souldyers which are called out of euery region by theyr townes and vyllages and commaunded to wayte course by course at certayne monethes appoynted Furthermore when warre is proclaymed all the armie is collected both of the olde souldyers and by musteryng of newe in all prouinces For the Lieuetenantes and Captaynes of the army are accustomed in al cities to muster the youth to admyt to the order of souldyers such as they thinke able to serue the turne Theyr wages is payde them of the common treasury of euery prouince whiche is geathered and partly payde also in the tyme of peace although it be but litle But such as are assigned to the warres are free from all tributes and inioye certayne other priuilegies whereby they may the more gladly and cheerfully serue theyr kyng and defende theyr countrey For in the tyme of warre occasion is mynistred to shewe true vertue and manhood where in so great and necessarie an institution euery man accordyng to his approued actiuitie and ingenious forwardenesse may obtayne the fortune eyther of perpetuall honour or ignominie Vix olim vlla fides referrentibus horrida regna Moschorum Ponti res glacialis erat Nunc Iouio autore illa oculis lustramus et vrbes Et nemora et montes cernimus et fluuios Moschouiam monumenta Ioui tua culta reuoluens Caepi alios mundos credere Democriti Other notable thinges as concernyng Moscouia geathered out of the bookes of Sigismundus Liberus Note that when he sayth myles he meaneth leagues FRom whence Russia had the name there are dyuers opinions Some thynke that it was so named of one Russus the sonne or neuiew of Lech the kyng of the Polons Other affirme that it was so called of a certayne olde towne named Russus not farre from Nouogoroda or Nouogradia the more Some also thynke that it was so called of the browne coloure of the nation But the Moscouians confute all these opinions as vntrue affirmyng that this nation was in olde tyme called Rosseia as a nation dispersed as the name it selfe doth declare For Rosseia in the Ruthens tongue doth signifie dispersed or scattered The whiche thyng to be true dyuers other people commyxt with thinhabitauntes and dyuers prouinces lying here and there betwene diuers parts of Russia do plainly declare But whence soeuer they tooke theyr name doubtlesse all the people that vse the Slauon tongue and professe the fayth of Christ after the maner of the Greekes called in theyr common language Russi and in the Latin tongue Rutheni are increased to such a multitude that they haue eyther expulsed all the nations that lye betwene them or drawne them to theyr maner of lyuing in somuche that they are nowe called all Rutheni by one common name Furthermore the Slauon tongue whiche at this daye is somewhat corruptly called Sclauon runneth exceedyng farre as vsed of the Dalmates Bossuenser Croatians Istrians and by along tracte of the sea Adriatike vnto Forum Iulij Of the Caruians also whom the Venetians call Charsos and lykewyse of the Carniolans and Carinthians vnto the ryuer Drauus Furthermore of the Stirians within Gretzium and by Muera vnto Danubius and from thence of the Misians Seruians Bulgarians and other inhabityng euen vnto Constantinople Furthermore of the Bohemians Lusacians Silesians Morauians and thinhabitauntes neere vnto the ryuer Vagus in the kyngdome of Hungarie The Polones also and the Ruthenians whose Empire reacheth very farre lykewyse the Circasians and Quinquemontanians vnto Pontus and is from thence vsed in the North partes of Germanie among the remnant of the Vandales inhabityng here and there All whiche nations although they acknowledge them selues to bee Sclauons yet the Germans takyng the denomination onely of the Vandales call all them that vse the Slauon tongue Vuenden or Vuinden or Vuindysh Of the Princes that nowe reigne in Russia the chiefe is the great Duke of Moscouia who possesseth the greatest part thereof The seconde is the great Duke of Lithuania and the thyrde the kyng of Polonie who nowe obteyneth the dominion of Polonie and Lithuania In aucthoritie and dominion ouer his subiectes the prince of Moscouie passeth all the monarkes of the worlde For he depriueth all his noble men and gentelmen of all theyr holdes and munitions at his pleasure He trusteth not his owne brethren but oppresseth all with lyke seruitude Insomuch that whom so euer he commaundeth either to remaine with him in the courte or to go to the warres or sendeth on ambassage they are compelled to be at theyr owne charges except the young gentelmen the sonnes of the Boiarons that is the noble men of the lowest degree He vsurpeth this aucthoritie aswell ouer the spiritualtie as the temporaltie constituting what him listeth of the goods and lyfe of all men Of his counsellers there is not one that dare dissent from hym in any thyng They openly confesse that the wyl of theyr prince is the will of God and therfore call hym the key bearer and chamberlen of God beleeue hym to be the executor of Gods will By reason wherof the prince hym selfe when any peticion is made to hym for the deliuerie of any captiue is acaccustomed to answere when God commaundeth he shal be deliuered Lykewyse when any asketh a question of an vncertaine or doubtful thyng theyr custome is to answere thus God knoweth and the great Prince It is vncertayne whether the crueltie and fyrcenesse of the nation do require so tyrannous a Prince or whether by the tiranny of the Prince the nation is made so fierce
whiche are more then leagues For they affirme that a German myle is more then three Englishe myles Of the Tartars WE will nowe adde hereunto somewhat of the people confinyng with the Moscouites towarde the East of the which the Tartars of Casan are the fyrst But before we speake of them perticularly we will fyrst rehearse somewhat of theyr maners and customes in general The Tartars are diuided into companies which they cal Hordas of the whiche the Horda of the Sauolhenses is the chiefe in fame and multitude For it is sayde that the other Hordas had theyr ofspring and originall of this And albeit that euery Horda hath his peculiar name as the Sauolhenses Precropenses and Nahais with dyuers other beyng all Machumetans yet do they take it euyll and count it reproche to be called Turkes but wyll them selues to be called Besermani by the which name also the Turkes desyre to be called And as the Tartares inhabite many prouinces reachyng far on euery syde euen so in maners and order of lyuyng do they not agree in all thynges They are men of meane stature with brode and fatte faces holowe eyde with rough and thycke beardes and poulde heades Onely the noble men haue long heare and that exceedyng blacke whiche they wreath on both sydes theyr eares They are strong of body and stoute of mind prone to leacherye and that vnnaturall They eate the fleshe of Horses Camelles and other beastes except Hogges from whiche they absteyne by a lawe They can so abyde fasting and hunger that they sometyme forbeare meate and sleepe for the space of foure dayes occupied neuerthelesse about their necessary affayres Agayne when they get any thyng to deuoure they ingorge them selues beyonde measure and with that surfect in maner recompence theyr former abstinence And beyng thus oppressed with laboure and meate they sleepe continually for the space of three or foure dayes without doyng any maner of worke or laboure duryng which tyme the Liuons and Moscouites into whose dominions they are accustomed to make their incursions assayle them vnwares thus oppressed with meate and sleepe lying scattered here and there out of order without watch or ward Also if when they ryde they be molested with hunger and thyrst they vse to lette theyr horses blood and with drynkyng the same satisfye theyr present necessitie and affirme theyr horses to be the better thereby And because they all wander in vnknowen places they vse to dyrect theyr iorneys by thaspect of the starres and especially of the pole starre which in theyr tongue they call Selesnikoll that is an Iron nayle They greatly delyght in Mares mylke and beleeue that it maketh men strong and fatte They eate hearbes very much and especyally such as growe about Tanais Fewe of them vse salt When theyr kynges distribute any vytayles among them they are accustomed to geue one horse or cowe to fourtie men Of the slayne beaste the bowells and tripes are reserued for the chiefe men and captains These they heate at the fyre vntil they may shake out the doong and then deuoure them gredyly They sucke and lycke not only theyr fingers imbrued with fat but also theyr kniues styckes wherwith they scrape the doong from the guttes The heades of horses are counted delicate dyshes with them as are Boores heades with vs and are reserued only for the cheef men Theyr horses whereof they haue great aboundance are but small and with short necks but very strong and such as can well away with labour and hunger These they feede with the braunches and barkes or ryndes of trees and the rootes of hearbes and weedes wherby they accustome them to hard feedyng and exercyse them to contynuall labour by reason whereof as say the Moscouites theyr horses are swyfter and more durable then any other these kynde of horses they call Pachmat They haue none other saddels and styrrops then of wood except such as they eyther bye of the Christians or take from them by violence Lest theyr horse backes shoulde be hurt with theyr saddelles they vnderlay them with grasse and leaues of trees They also passe ouer riuers on horsbacke But yf when they flee they feare the pursuyng of theyr enemies then castyng awaye theyr saddels apparrell and all other impedimentes reseruyng only theyr armour and weapons they flee amayne and with great celeritie Their women vse the same kinde of apparrel that do the men without any difference except that they couer theyr heades with lynnen vayles vse lynnen hose much like vnto mariners slops When theyr queenes come a brode they are accustomed to couer theyr faces The other multitude of the common sort that lyueth here and there in the fieldes haue theyr apparrell made of sheepes skynnes which they change not vntyll they be worne torne in fytters They tarrye not long in one place iudgyng it a great miserie so to do Insomuch that when they are angry with their chyldren the greatest curse that they can geue them is that they may remayne perpetually in one place drawe the styntch of theyr owne fylthynesse as do the Christians When they haue consumed the pasture in one place they go to an other with their droues of cattaile and theyr wiues and chyldren whom they euer carry about with them in Wagons albeit the Tartars that dwell in cities and townes vse an other order of lyuyng If they be inclosed with any daungerous warre they place theyr wyues chyldren and olde folkes in the sauest places There is no Iustice among them For yf any man stande in neede of any thyng he may without punishement take it a waye from an other If any complayne to the Iudge of the violence and wrong doone vnto hym the offender denieth not the crime but sayeth that he coulde not lacke that thyng Then the Iudge is wont to geue this sentence If thou also shalt haue neade of any thyng do the lyke to other Some say they do not steale But whether they steale or not let other iudge They are surely a theeuyshe kynde of people and very poore lyuyng only by robbyng of other and stealyng away other mens cattayle and violently also carrying away the men them selues whom eyther they sell to the Turkes or proffer them to be redeemed by ransome reseruyng only the young wenches They seldome assault cities or castels but burne and waste townes and villages Insomuch that they so please them selues herein that they thynke they haue so muche the more enlarged theyr Empire in howe muche they haue wasted and made desolate many prouinces And although they be most impacient of rest and quietnesse yet do they not kyll or destroy one an other except theyr kynges be at dissention betweene them selues If any man be slayne in any fray or quarrell and the autchours of the mischefe be taken only theyr horse harnesse weapons and apparrell are taken from them and they
swalowing gulfe is such that it draweth into it inuolueth and swaloweth vp shyppes all other thinges that come neare it and that they were neuer in greater danger For the whirlepoole so sodeynely and violently drue vnto it the shyp or barke wherein they were carryed that with the helpe of Ores and great labour they hardly escaped When they had thus ouerpassed the holy nose they came to a certayne stony mountaine which they should needes compasse about but being there stayed with contrary windes for the space of certaine dayes the pylot of the shyp spake vnto them in this effect This stone sayeth he that you see is called Semes the whiche except wee please with some gyfte we shall not passe by without great danger But the Pylot beyng reproued of Istoma for his vayne superstition helde his peace And when they had ben deteined there by tempest for the space of foure dayes at the length the tempest ceassed and they went forward on theyr viage with a prosperous wynde Then the pylot spake vnto them agayne saying You despised my admonition of pleasing the Semes and scorned the same as vayne and superstitious but if I had not priuilie in the night ascended a rocke and pleased the Semes we should surely haue had no passage Being demaunded what he offered to the Semes hee sayde that he poured butter myxt with otemeale vpon the stone which we sawe reach foorth into the sea As they sayled further they came to an other cape named Motka whiche was almost enuironed with the sea lyke an Ilande in whose extreme pointe is situate the Castel of Barthus which some call Wardhus that is a house of defence or fortresse For the kynges of Norway haue there a garrison of men to defend theyr marches He sayde furthermore that that cape reacheth so farre into the sea that they could scarsely compasse it in eyght dayes By which tarying leaste they should be hyndered they caryed on theyr shoulders with great labour theyr barkes and fardelles ouer a streyght of lande conteynyng halfe a league in breadth From hence they sayled to the region of the wylde Lappones called Dikillappones to a place named Dront beyng .200 leagues distant from Dwina toward the North. And thus far as he sayth doth the prince of Moscouia exacte tribute Furthermore leauing their Barkes here they furnyshed the residue of their iourney on Sleades He further declared that there were heards of Hartes as are with vs of Oxen which in the Noruegians tongue are called Rhâ—n beyng somewhat bygger then our Hartes These the Lappones vse in this maner They ioyne them to Sleades made lyke fysher Boates as we put horses to the Cart the man in the Sleade is tyed fast by the feete lest he fal out by the swift course of the Hartes In his leaft hande he holdeth a coller or reigne wherewith he moderateth the course of the Hartes and in the ryght hand a pyked staffe wherwith he may susteyne the Sleade from fallyng yf it chaunce to decline too muche on anye parte And he tolde me that by this meanes he trauayled .xx. leagues in one day and then dismyssed the Hart who by hym selfe returned to his owne maister and accustomed stable This iourney thus finished they came to Berges a citie of Noruegia or Norway situate directlye towarde the North betweene the mountaynes and went from thence to Denmarke on horsbacke At Dront and Berges the day is sayde to be .xxii. houres long in the Sommer Equinoctial Blasius an other of the prince of Moscouia his Interpreters who a fewe yeeres before was sent of his prynce into Spayne to the Emperour declared vnto vs an other and shorter way of his iourney for he sayde that when he was sent from Moscouia to Iohn the kyng of Denmarke he came firste on foote vnto Rostowe and takyng shyppe there came to Pereaslaw and from Pereaslaw by the riuer Volga to Castromow and that from thence goyng seuen werstes by lande he came to a litle ryuer saylyng by the whiche when firste he came to Vuolochda then to Suchana and Dwina and in fiue to the citie of Berges in Norway ouerpassyng in this viage al the perylles and labours that Istoma rehearsed before he came at length to Hafnia the cheefe citie of Denmarke whiche the Germanes call Koppenhagen but in their returnyng home they both confesse that they came to Moscouia by Liuonia and that they were a yeere in this viage albeit Georgius Istoma sayde that halfe the parte of that tyme he was hyndered by tempestes and inforced to carrye long in manye places by the way yet they both lykewyse constantly affyrme that in this iourney eyther of them trauayled a thousande threescore and ten werstes that is three hundred and fourtie leagues Furthermore also Demetrius who of late was sent ambassadour from the prince of Moscouia to the Byshop of Rome by whose relation also Paulus Iouius wrote his description of Moscouia confirmed all these thynges to be true All they beyng demaunded of me of the congeled or frosen sea made none other answere but that in places neere vnto that sea they sawe many and great ryuers by whose vehemente course and abundant flowyng the seas are dryuen farre from the shore and that the sayde water of the ryuers is frosen with the sea a good space from the lande as in Liuonia and other partes of Suecia For although by the vehemencie of the wyndes the Ise is broken in the sea yet doth this chaunce seldome or neuer in ryuers except by some innundation or fluode the Ise geathered togeather be lyfted vp and broken For the flakes or pieces of Ise caryed into the sea by force of the ryuers do flote aboue the water in maner all the whole yeere and are agayne so vehemently frosen togeather that a man may there sometymes see great heapes of the Ise of manie yeeres as doth appeare by suche pieces as are dryuen to the shore by the wynde I haue also been credybly informed by faythfull men that the sea Baltheum otherwyse called the gulfe of Liuonia is oftentymes frosen in many places They say furthermore that in that region whiche is inhabited of the wylde Lappones the Sunne in the sommer Equinoctiall doth not fall for the space of .xl. dayes yet that the body thereof is so hydden with a darke myste or cloude three houres that the beames do not appeare neuerthelesse to geue such light during that time that the darknesse hyndereth not theyr woorke The Moscouites make theyr boste that these wylde Lappones are tributaries to theyr prynce Whereat I do not greatly marueyle forasmuch as they haue none other neere vnto them that may demaund tribute of them Theyr tribute is onely furres and fyshe hauyng in maner none other thyng greatly commodious And albeit they lacke bread salte and other intysementes of gluttony and lyue onely with fyshe and
by the Emperour of Moscouia and the Sophi of Persia as hereafter shall appeare where we will wryte of the sayde priuileges Maister Ienkinson at his first commyng founde some difficultie to obtayne the Emperours licence to goe into Persia but at the length by friendshyp made hee gaue him both licence to goe and also gaue him letters commendatorie vnto the Sophie and committed also to him certayne affayres of his to doe there And after certayne banquettes and honourable enterteynment accompanied him with an Ambassadour of Persia who had been long in his Courte Therefore saylyng ouer the Caspian sea they arryued on the West syde thereof Not farre from thence is a towne named Darbent where is a very strong Castell of stone made by Alexander Magnus and a wall of the length of thirtiene dayes iourney whicâ—e he made when he kepte warres agaynst the Persians and Medians that the inhabitauntes of that countrey then newly conquered shoulde neyther lyghtly flee nor his enemyes inuade them This Darbent is now vnder the dominion of the Sophie and in the latitude of .41 degrees From Darbent to Bilbec or Bilbil the porte and harborowe where they discharge theyr goods is halfe a dayes saylyng And from thence to Sharuan is ten dayes iourney This towne standeth in a valley is in the countrey of Media in the whiche towne also remayneth the Soltan or gouernour of Media vnder the Sophie In the meane tyme the Kyng of Media named Abdalica cosen vnto the Sophie came thyther and honourably enterteyned maister Ienkinson and the Englyshe merchauntes which were with him and made them a great banquet causyng maister Ienkinson who was then rychely apparelled in silke veluet and scarlet as became an Ambassadour for the Queenes maiestie to sit downe somewhat farre from him The Kyng him selfe dyd sitte in a very ryche Pauilion wrought with silke and golde of the length of sixtiene fatham or thereabout placed on a hylles syde hauyng before him a goodly fountayne of fayre running water wherof he and his nobilitie dronke He was rychly apparelled with long garments of silke and cloth of golde brodered with pearle and pretious stones Uppon his head he had a Cappe with a sharpe ende of halfe a yarde long standyng vpryght of ryche cloth of golde wrapped about with a piece of Indian silke of twentie yardes long wrought with golde On the lefte syde of his Tollepan so is the cappe called was a plume of feathers set in a troonke of golde rychly inameled and set with precious stones At his eares he wore earerynges with pendantes of golde and stones a handful long with two great Rubies of great value in the endes therof All the grounde within his Pauilion was couered with Carpettes and vnder him selfe was spred a square Carpet wrought with siluer and golde and therevppon were layde two sutable Cussions Thus the kyng and his noble men satte in his Pauilion with theyr legges acrosse as doe Taylers Yet commaunded stooles to be gyuen to our men bycause they coulde not sitte so then caused meate to be sette before them and made them a banquet of a hundred dyshes of meate and as many of fruites and conserues After the banquet he caused them to goe with him a huntyng and hauking in the which they killed certayne beastes and Cranes Maister Ienkinson founde so much fauour with this kyng that at his departyng he commended him to the Sophie with his letters and also wrote in his fauour to his sonne being then in the Sophies courte So that after his commyng thyther by his meanes he came at the length to the presence and speache of the Sophie whiche otherwyse he should haue done very hardly by reason of the Turkes Ambassadours which then were there and resisted his affayres with many persuasions to the Sophie and other of his nobilitie agaynst the Christians as mortall enemies both to the Turkes and Persians and theyr religion And whereas a whyle before a perpetuall peace and amitie was concluded betweene the Turke and the Sophie the Ambassadours woulde persuade him that his friendshyp with the Christians or contracte with them touchyng any affaires and especially suche as myght be preiudiciall to the Turke or any of his subiectes myght engender newe suspitions and occasions of breache of the laâ—e concluded peace with many suche other surmised accusations Wherevppon the Sophie stayde and prolonged the tyme before he woulde admit maister Ienkinson to his speache At the length when by the friendshyp and fauour of Kyng Abdalaca and his sonne with other friendes made in the courte the tyme was appoynted that maister Ienkinson shoulde be heaâ—de there was one that came to him without the courte gate before he lyght from his horse on the ground and gaue him a payre of shooes sent from the Sophie suche as he him selfe was wonte to weare in the nyght when he ryseth to pray willyng him to put them on his feete for that it was not otherwyse lawfull for him beyng a Gawar or Caffer that is a mysbeleeuer to treade vppon that holy grounde When hee came to his presence he demaunded of him of what countrey of Frankes he was meanyng by Frankes Christians For they call all Christians Frankes that is Frenche men as we commonly call all Mahumetans Turkes although there bee many Mahumetans of other nations besyde Turkes He answered that he was a Christian of the best Frankes of the countrey of Englande declaryng further vnto him the cause of his commyng thyther to be for the great commoditie of him and his subiectes by the way of merchandies as myght further appeare by the letters directed vnto his maiestie from the Queene of Englande his Prince and the Emperour of Moscouia Muche more talke had he with maister Ienkinson not here to be written but by reason of the Turkes Ambassadours at this present was no great thyng done heerein to the preferment of the merchantes affayres Yet he commaunded that maister Ienkinson shoulde be honourably vsed and sent him certayne ryche apparell At this tyme was also in the Sophies courte the sonne of the Kyng of the Georgians a Christian Sismatike as they are nowe called The same tyme also a sonne of the Turkes who had before attempted somewhat agaynst his father and fledde to the Sophie was by him at the Turkes request deteyned in prison And vppon the late conclusion of peace the Turke required the Sophie to send him his head which hee graunted and sent it him by the sayd Ambassadours This voyage of maister Ienkinson was in the yeere .1561 Here foloweth such informations as was gyuen mee by maister Geferie Ducate principall Agent of the merchanteâ— for the last voyage into Persia in the yeere of our Lord â–ª 1568. beginning in the dominion of the Sophie at the citie of Shamaki in Media bycause the beginning of the voyage from Moscouia hytherto is declared heere before SHamaki is the fayrest towne in all Media and the chiefest commoditie
was Teueris of the chiefe citie of Persia. He asked hym many thynges more as of the realme of Englande marueylyng that it shoulde be an Iland of so great rychesse and power as Edwardes declared vnto hym of the ryches and abundaunce of our merchaundies as he further vnderstode by our trafique in Moscouia and other countreys He demaunded also many thynges of the Queenes maiestie and of the customes and lawes of the realme saying oftentymes in his owne language Bara colla that is to saye wel said He asked also many thinges of kyng Philip and of his warres agaynst the Turke at Malta Then demaunded of hym what was the chiefe cause of his resorte into his realme And beyng certified that it was for the trade of merchaundies he asked what kynde of merchaundies he coulde bryng thyther Such sayde he as the Venetian merchauntes which dwellyng in our countrey in the citie of Londro sende to Uenes and from thence into Turkie by Halepo and Tripoli in Sorya from whence as by the seconde and thyrde handes with great charges of many customes and other thynges thereunto parteyning they are at the length brought into your countrey and cities of Persia. What merchaundies are those sayd the Sophie Edwardes answeared that they were great abundaunce of fine carseis of brode clothes of all sortes and coloures as scarlettes violettes and other of the fynest cloth of all the worlde Also that the Venetians brought out of Englande not onely such clothes redie made but furthermore great plentie of fyne wool to myngle with their wools of the which they coulde not otherwise make fyne cloth Affirming that there went out of Englande yeerely that wayes aboue two hundred thousande carseis and as manye brode clothes besyde fine wool and other merchaundies besyde also the great abundaunce of like clothes y t which were caried into Spaine Barbarie and diuers other countreys The Sophie then asked hym by what meanes such merchaundies myght be brought into Persia. Ryght well Sir sayde he by the way of Moscouia with more safetie and in much shorter tyme then the Venetians can bryng them fyrst from Englande to Uenes and from thence into Persia by the way of Turkye And therefore if it shall please your maiestie to graunt vs free passage into al your dominions with such priuileges as may apperteyne to the safegard of our lyues goodes and merchandies we wyl furnysh your countreys with al such merchandies other commodities in shorter tyme and better cheape then you may haue the same at the Turkes handes This talke and muche more was between the Sophie and Edwardes for the space of two houres all whiche thynges lyked hym so well that shortly after he graunted to the sayde Arthur Edwardes two other priuileges for the trade of merchandies into Presia all wrytten in Azure and golde letters and deliuered vnto the lorde keeper of the Sophie his great seale The lorde keeper was named Coche Califaye who sayde that when the Shaughe that is the kyng or prince dyd sytte to seale any letters that priuilege shoulde be sealed and deliuered to Laurence Chapman In this priuilege is one principal article for seruantes or merchantes That yf the Agent do perceyue that vpon theyr naughtie doynges they woulde become Busor men that then the Agent whersoeuer he shall fynde anye such seruant or seruantes to take them and put them in pryson and no person to keepe them or maynteyne them This article was graunted in respect of a custome among the Persians being Mahumetanes whose maner is frendly to receyue and wel entertayne both with giftes lyuyng all suche Christians as forsakyng theyr religion wyl become of the religion of the Persians Insomuch that before this priuilege was graunted there was great occasion of naughtie seruantes to deceyue and robbe theyr maisters that vnder the coloure of professyng that religion they might liue among them in such safetie that you might haue no law agaynst them eyther to punysh them or to recouer your goodes at theyr handes or els where For before the Sophie whom they say to be a marueylous wyse and gracious prince seemed to fauour our nation and to graunt them such priuileges the people abused them very much and so hated them that they would not touche them but reuiled them callyng them Cafars Gawars which is infydels or misbeleeuers But after they saw how greatly the prince fauoured them they had them afterward in great reuerence and would kysse theyr handes and vse them very frendly For before they tooke it for no wrong to rob them defraud them beare false witnesse against them such merchandies as they had bought or sold make them take it againe and chaunge it as often as them listed And yf any straunger by chaunce had kylled one of them they woulde haue the lyfe of two for one slayne and for the debtes of any straunger woulde take the goodes of any other of the same nation with many other such lyke abuses in maner vnknowen to the Prince before the complayntes of our men made vnto hym for reformation of such abuses which were the cause that no merchant strangers of contrary religion durst come into his dominions with theyr commodities which myght be greatly to the profite of hym and his subiectes The Articles 10 Item that the merchantes haue free lybertye as in theyr fyrst priuilege to go vnto Gylian and all other places of his dominions now or hereafter when occasion shal be geuen 11 Item yf by misfortune any of theyr ships should breake or fal vpon any part of his dominions on the sea coast his subiectes to help with al speede to saue the goodes to be deliuered to any of the sayd merchants that liueth or otherwyse to be kept in safetie vntyl any of them come to demaund them 12 Item yf any of the sayd merchants depart this lyfe in any citie or towne or on the hygh way his gouernours there to see theyr goodes safely kept and to be deliuered to any other of them that shal demaund them 13 Item the sayde merchants to take such camell men as they them selues wyl beyng countrey people and that no Kyssell Bayshe do let or hynder them And the sayde owners of the camels to be bounde to answere them such goodes as they shall receyue at theyr handes and the camell men to stande to the losses of theyr camels or horses 14 Item more that the sayde carryars do demaunde no more of them then theyr agreement was to pay them 15 Item more if they be at a pryce with any carryours and geuen earnest the Camell men to see they keepe theyr promesse 16 Item if any of the sayd merchauntes be in feare to trauaile to geue them one or more to go with them and see them in saftie with theyr goods to the place they wyll go vnto 17 Item in all places to say in all cities townes or villages on the hygh way his subiectes to geue them
honest rooume and vittayles for theyr mony 18 Item the sayde merchauntes may in any place where they shall thynke best buylde or bye any house or houses to theyr owne vses And no person to molest or trouble them and to stande in any Carauan where they wyll or shal thinke good THe commodities whiche the merchauntes may haue by this trade into Persia are thought to be great and may in tyme perhappes be greater then the Portugalles trade into the East Indies forasmuch as by the way of Persia into Englande the returne may be made euery yeere once wheras the Portugalles make the returne from Calecut but once in two yeeres by a long and daungerous vyage all by sea for whereas the citie and Ilande of Ormus lying in the goulfe of Persia is the most famous marte towne of all East India whyther all the merchaundies of India are brought the same may in shorter time and more safely be brought by land ryuers through Persia euen vnto the Caspian sea and from thence by the countreys of Russia or Moscouia by ryuers euen vnto the citie of Yeraslaue and from thence by lande a hundred and fourescore myles to Vologda and from thence agayne al by water euen vnto England The merchaundies whiche be had out of Persia for the returne of wares are sylke of all sortes and colours both rawe and wrought Also all maner of spices and drugges Pearles and precious stones likewyse carpettes of dyuers sortes with diuers other ryche merchaundies whereof you may reade more here before in the Chapter entituled Of the trafique of Persia with other countreys It was tolde me of them that came last from Persia that there is more sylke brought into some one citie of Persia then is of cloth brought into the citie of London Also that one village of Armenia named Gilgat doth carie yeerely fyue hundred and sometyme a thousande mules laden with sylke to Halepo in Sorya of Turkye beyng foure dayes iorney of Tripoli where the Uenetians haue their continuall abidyng and send from thence sylkes which they returne for English carses and other clothes into al partes of Christendome The maner howe the Christians become Busor men and forsake their religion I Haue noted here before that if any Christian wyll become a Busor man that is one that hath forsaken his fayth and be a Mahumetan of their religion they geue him many giftes and somtyme also a liuyng The maner is that when the deuil is entred into his hart to forsake his fayth he resorteth to the Soltan or gouernoure of the towne to whom he maketh protestation of his diuilyshe purpose The gouernoure appoynteth hym a horse and one to ryde before hym on an other horse bearyng a swoorde in his hande and the Busor man bearyng an arowe in his hand and rydeth in the citie cursyng his father and mother and if euer after he returne to his owne religion he is giltie of death as is signified by the swoorde borne before hym A young man a seruaunt of one of our merchauntes because he woulde not abyde the correction of his maister for his faultes was mynded to forsake his fayth But as God woulde he fell sodaynely sicke and dyed before he gaue hym selfe to the deuil If he had become a Busor man he had greatly troubled the merchauntes for if he woulde then haue sayd that halfe their goods had ben his they would haue geuen credite vnto hym For the auoydyng of whiche inconuenience it was graunted in the priuileges that no Busor man c. as there appeareth In Persia in diuers places oxen and kine beare the tentes and housholde stuffe of the poore men of the countrey which haue neither Camelles nor horses Of the tree whiche beareth Bombasine cotton or Gossampine IN Persia is great abundance of Bombasine cotton and very fyne this groweth on a certayne litle tree or bryer not past the height of a mans waste or litle more the tree hath a slender stalk like vnto a brier or to a carnation gyleflour with very many braunches bearyng on euery braunch a fruite or rather a codde growyng in round fourme conteynyng in it the cotton and when this budde or codde commeth to the bygnesse of a wallnut it openeth and sheweth foorth the cotton which groweth styll in bygnesse vntyll it be lyke a fleece of wooll as byg as a mans fyst and beginneth to be loose and then they geather it as it were the rype fruite The seedes of these trees are as byg as peason and are blacke and somewhat flatte and not rounde they sowe them in plowed grounde where they growe in the fieldes in great aboundance in many countreys in Persia and diuers other regions The writing of the Persians ARthur Edwardes shewed me a letter of the Sophie written in theyr letters backward subsigned with the handes both of the Sophie his secretarye The Sophies subscription was only one word his name I suppose of Shaugh wrytten in golden letters vpon red paper The whole letter was also wrytten on the same peece of red paper beyng long and narrowe about the length of a foote and not past three inches brode The priuate signet of the Sophie was a rounde prynted marke about the byggenesse of a Ryall only prynted vpon the same paper without any waxe or other seale the letters seeme so myshapen and disordered that a man woulde thynke it were somewhat scribled in maner at aduentures Yet they say that almost euery letter with his pricke or circumflexe signifieth a whole worde Insomuch that in a peece of paper as bygge as a mans hand theyr wryting doth conteyne as much as doth ours almost in a sheete of paper ¶ The two viages made out of Englande into Guinea in Affricke at the charges of certayne merchantes aduenturers of the citie of London in the yeere of our Lord ▪ 1553. BEing desired by certayne of my freendes to make some mention of these viages that some memory thereof myght remayne to our posteritie yf eyther iniquitie of tyme consumyng all thynges or ignoranuce creepyng in by barbarousnesse and contempt of knowledge shoulde hereafter bury in obliuion so worthy attempts so much the greatlyer to be esteemed as before neuer enterprysed by Englyshe men or at the least so frequented as at this present they are and may be to the great commoditie of our merchantes yf the same be not hyndred by the ambition of such as for the conquesting of fourtie or fyftie myles here there and erectyng of certayne fortresses or rather blockehouses among naked people thynke them selues worthy to be lordes of halfe the world enuying that other shoulde enioy the commodities which they them selues can not wholy possesse And although suche as haue been at charges in the discoueryng and conquestyng of suche landes ought by good reason to haue certayne priuileges preheminences and tributes for the same yet to speake vnder correction it may seeme somewhat rigorous and agaynst good reason and conscience
the prince of Ierusalem al at once In the tyme of haruest and geatheryng of fruites he is geuen wholy to praye and robbyng and with great subtiltie deceyueth the Arabians for when they thynke hym to be a myle or two of he is with them sodenly betymes in the mornyng and inuadyng theyr landes carryeth away theyr fruites Wheate and Barlye euen as he fyndeth it in the sackes and so lyueth contynually day and nyght with suche incursions When his Mares be weeried with continuall runnyng he resteth a whyle and to refreshe them geueth them Camelles mylke to drynke to coole them after theyr great labour Those Mares are of such marueylous swyftnesse that when I presently sawe them they seemed rather to flee then to runne Note also that these Arabians ryde on horses only couered with certayne clothes or mattes and weare none other vesture then only an inwarde coate or peticoate for weapon they vse a certayne long Dart of Reedes of the length of ten or twelue cubites poynted with Iron after the maner of Iauelyns and frynged with sylke When they attempt any incursyons they marche in suche order that they seeme to go in troupes they are of despicable and litle stature and of coloure betweene yealowe and blacke which some call Oliuastro They haue the voyces of women and the heare of theyr head long and blacke and layde out at large They are of greater multitude then a man woulde beleeue and are among them selues at contynuall stryfe and warre They inhabite the mountaynes and haue certayne tymes appoynted to robberye for this purpose they obserue especially the tyme when they are certayne of the passage of the Pylgryms and other that iorney that way to Mecha then lyke theeues they lye in the way and robbe them When they make these theeuysh inuasions they bryng with them theyr wyues chyldren families and all the goodes they haue Theyr houses they put vpon the Camelles for other houses haue they none but lyue onlye in tentes and pauylyons as do our Souldiers Suche tabernacles are made of blacke wooll and that rough and fylthy But to returne to our viage The eleuenth day of April departed from Mezaris a company of Camels which companie they call the Carauana to the number of .xxxv. thousand with fourtie thousand men But we were no more then threescore persons of whom the Mamalukes had taken the charge to guyde and garde vs and the Carauana of our companie whiche the Mamalukes diuided into three partes as some in the fronte other in the myddest of the army and other in a wyng after the maner of a halfe Moone inclosyng the whole armie for in this order march the peregrines which iorney in these regions as hereafter we wyll further declare But you shall fyrst vnderstand that Damasco is from Mecha fourtie dayes and fourtie nyghtes iorney Departyng therefore from Mezaris we continued our iorney that day vntyll the .xxii. houre of the day Then our Captayne and guide Agmirus after he had geuen the watch woorde and signe commaunded that euerye man shoulde rest and remayne in the place where the signe shoulde be geuen them Therefore as soone as they hearde the signe by the sound of a Trumpet they stayed and after they had vnburdened theyr Camels spent there two houres to victual them selues and theyr beastes then the Captayne geuyng a newe signe chargyng theyr Camelles agayne they departed speedyly from thence Euery Camell hath at one feedyng fyue Barly loaues rawe and not baked as bygge as a Pomegranate Takyng Horse they continued that iorney the daye and nyght folowyng vntyll xxii houres of the day and at that houre they obserue the order whiche we haue spoken of herebefore Euery eyght daye they drawe water by dyggyng the grounde or sande by the way neuerthelesse somewhere are founde Welles and Sesternes Also euery eyght daye they rest theyr Camelles two dayes to recouer theyr strength The Camelles are laden with incredible Burdens and double charge that is to meane the burden of two great Mules They drynke but once in three dayes Of the strength and valiantnesse of the Mamalukes Cap. 9. WHen they tary and rest them at the waters aforesayde they are euer enforced to conflict with a great multitude of the Arabians but the battayle is for the most parte without bloodshed For although we haue often tymes fought with them yet was there only one man slayne on our parte for these Arabians are so weake and feeble that threescore Mamalukes haue often put to the worst fyftie thousande Arabians For these feelde Arabians whiche are called Pagani are not in strength or force of armes to be compared to the Mamalukes of whose actiuitie I haue seene great experience among the whiche this is one A certayne Mamaluke layde an Apple vppon the head of his seruant at the distance of about .xii. or .xiiii. pases stroke it of from his head I sawe lykewyse an other who ryding on a sadled horse with full course for they vse saddles as we doe tooke of the saddle from the horse styll runnyng and for a space bearyng it on his head put it agayne on the horse styll continuing his full course Of the cities of Sodoma and Gomorrha Cap. 10. PAssyng the iourney of twelue dayes we came to the playne or valley of Sodoma and Gomorrha where we founde it to be true that is written in holy scripture for there yet remayne the ruynes of the destroyed citie as witnesse of Gods wrath We may affyrme that there are three cities and eche of them situate on the declining of three hylles and the ruines doe appeare about the heyght of three or foure cubites There is yet seene I wotte neare what lyke blood or rather lyke redde waxe myxte with earth It is easie to beleeue that those men were infected with most horrible vices as testifieth the baren drye filthie and vnholsome region vtterly without water Those people were once fedde with Manna but when they abused the gyft of God they were sore plagued Departyng twentie myles from these cities about thirtie of our company peryshed for lacke of water and dyuers other were ouerwhelmed with sande Goyng somewhat further forewarde we founde a little mountayne at the foote whereof we founde water and therefore made our abode there The day folowyng early in the mornyng came vnto vs xxiiii â–ª thousande Arabians askyng money for the water which we had taken We answered that we would paye nothyng bycause it was gyuen vs by the goodnesse of God Immediatly we came to hand strokes We geatheryng our selues togeather on the sayde mountayne as in the safest place vsed our Camelles in the steede of a bulwarke and placed the merchauntes in the myddest of the army that is in the myddest of the Camelles whyle we fought manfully on euery syde The battayle continued so long that water fayled both vs and our enemies in the space
of two dayes The Arabians compassed about the mountayne crying and threatenyng that they would breake in among the Camelles at the length to make an ende of the conflicte our Captayne assemblyng the merchauntes commaunded a thousande and two hundred peeces of golde to be giuen to the Arabians who when they had receyued the money sayde that the summe of ten thousande peeces of golde should not satisfie them for the water which we had drawen Whereby we perceyued that they began further to quarell with vs and to demaunde some other thing then money Wherevppon incontinent our Captayne gaue commaundement that whosoeuer in all our companie were able to beare armes should not mount vppon the Camelles but should with all expedition prepare them selues to fyght The day folowyng in the mornyng sendyng the Camelles before and inclosyng our army beyng about three hundred in number we met with the enemies and gaue the onset In this conflicte we lost only a man and a woman and had none other domage we slue of the Arabians a thousande and fyue hundred Whereof you neede not marueyle if you consyder that they are vnarmed and weare only a thynne loose vesture and are besyde almost naked theyr horses also beyng as euyll furnished and without saddles or other furniture Of a mountayne inhabited with Iewes and of the citie of Medinathalhabi where Mahumet was buried Cap. 11. IN the space of eyght dayes we came to a mountayne whiche conteyneth in circuite ten or twelue myles This is inhabited with Iewes to the number of fyue thousande or thereabout They are of very little stature as of the heyght of fyue or sixe spannes and some muche lesse They haue small voyces lyke women and of blacke colour yet some blacker then other They feede of none other meate then Goates fleshe They are circumcised and deny not them selues to bee Iewes If by chaunce any Mahumetan come into their handes they slay him alyue At the foote of the mountayne we founde a certayne hole out of the whiche flowed aboundaunce of water By fyndyng this oportunitie we laded sixtiene thousand Camels which thyng greatly offended the Iewes They wandred in that mountayne scattered lyke wylde Goates or Prickettes yet durst they not come downe partly for feare and partly for hatred agaynst the Mahumetans Beneath the mountayne are seene seuen or eyght thorne trees very fayre and in them we founde a payre of Turtle Doues which seemed to vs in maner a miracle hauyng before made so long iourneyes and sawe neyther beast nor foule Then proceedyng two dayes iourney we came to a certayne citie named Medinathalhabi foure myles from the sayd citie we founde a well Heere the Carauana that is the whole hearde of the Camelles rested And remayning here one day we washed our selues and chaunged our shertes the more freshely to enter into the citie it is well peopled and conteyneth about three hundred houses the walles are lyke bulwarkes of earth and the houses both of stone and bricke The soile about the citie is vtterly barren except that about two myles from the citie are seene about fyftie palme trees that beare Dates There by a certayne garden runneth a course of water fallyng into a lower playne where also passingers are accustomed to water theyr Camelles And heere oportunitie nowe serueth to confute the opinion of them whiche thynke that the Arke or Toombe of wicked Mahumet in Mecha to hang in the ayre not borne vp with any thyng As touchyng which thyng I am vtterly of an other opinion and affirme this neyther to be true nor to haue any lykenesse of trueth as I presently behelde these thynges and sawe the place where Mahumet is buried in the sayde citie of Medinathalhabi for we taryed there three dayes to come to the true knowledge of all these thynges When wee were desirous to enter into theyr Temple which they call Meschita and all other churches by the same name we coulde not be suffered to enter without a companion little or great They takyng vs by the hande brought vs to the place where they saye Mahumet is buried Of the Temple or Chapell and Sepulchre of Mahumet and of his felowes Cap. 12. HIs Temple is vaulted and is a hundred pases in length and fourescore in breadth the entry into it is by two gates from the sydes it is couered with three vaultes it is borne vp with iiii hundred columnes or pillers of white brick there are seene hanging lampes about the number of .3 thousande From the other part of the Temple in the first place of the Meschita is seene a Tower of the circuite of fyue pases vaulted on euery syde and couered with a cloth of silke and is borne vp with a grate of copper curiously wrought and distant from it two pases and of them that goe thyther is seene as it were through a lattesse Towarde the lefte hande is the way to the Tower and when you come thyther you must enter by a narower gate On euery side of those gates or doores are seene many bookes in maner of a Librarie on the one syde .xx. and on the other syde xxv These contayne the filthie traditions and lyfe of Mahumet and his fellowes within the sayde gate is seene a Sepulchre that is a digged place where they say Mahumet is buried and his felowes which are these Nabi Bubacar Othomar Aumar and Fatoma But Mahumet was theyr chiefe Captayne and an Arabian borne Hali was sonne in lawe to Mahumet for he tooke to wyfe his daughter Fatoma Bubacar is he who they say was exalted to the dignitie of a chiefe counseller and great gouernour although he came not to the hygh degree of an Apostle or prophet as dyd Mahumet Othomar and Aumar were chiefe Captaynes of the army of Mahumet Euery of these haue their proper bookes of theyr factes and traditions And hereof proceedeth the great dissention and discorde of religion and maners among this kynde of filthie men whyle some confirme one doctrine and some an other by reason of theyr diuers sectes of patrons Doctours and saintes as they call them By this meanes are they marueylously diuided among them selues and lyke beastes kyll them selues for such quarelles of dyuers opinions and all false This also is the chiefe cause of warre betweene the Sophie of Persia and the great Turke beyng neuerthelesse both Mahumetans and lyue in mortall hatred one agaynst the other for the mayntenaunce of theyr sectes Sainctes and Apostles whyle euery of them thynketh theyr owne to bee best Of the Secte of Mahumet Cap. 13. NOw will we speake of the maners and sect of Mahumet Understande therefore that in the highest part of the Tower aforesayd is an open rounde place Now shall you vnderstande what crafte they vsed to deceyue our Carauana The first euenyng that we came thyther to see the Sepulchre of Mahumet our Captaine sent for the chiefe priest of the Temple to come to him and
when he came declared vnto him that the only cause of his commyng thyther was to visite the Sepulchre and bodie of Nabi by which woord is signified the Prophet Mahumet and that he vnderstoode that the price to be admitted to the sight of these mysteries should be foure thousande Saraphes of golde Also that he had no parentes neyther brothers sisters kinsefolkes chyldren or wyues neyther that he came thyther to buye merchaundies as spices or Baccar or Nardus or any maner of precious Iewelles but only for very zeale of religion and saluation of his soule and was therefore greatly desirous to see the bodie of the Prophet To whom the priest of the Temple they call them Side with countenance lyke one that were distraught made aunswere in this maner Darest thou with those eyes with the which thou hast committed so many horrible sinnes desyre to see him by whose sight God hath created heauen and earth To whom agayne our Captayne aunswered thus My Lorde you haue sayde truely neuerthelesse I pray you that I may fynde so much fauour with you that I may see the Prophet whom when I haue seene I will immediately thrust out myne eyes The Side aunswered O Prince I will open all thynges vnto thee So it is that no man can denye but that our Prophet dyed heere who if he would myght haue dyed at Mecha But to shewe in him selfe a token of humilitie and thereby to gyue vs example to folowe him was willyng rather heere then elsewhere to departe out of this worlde and was incontinent of Angelles borne into heauen and there receyued as equall with them Then our Captayne sayde to him Where is Iesus Christus the sonne of Marie To whom the Side answered At the feete of Mahumet Then sayde our Captayne agayne It suffyceth it suffyceth I will knowe no more After this our Captayne commyng out of the Temple and turnyng him to vs sayd See I pray you for what goodly stuffe I would haue payde three thousande Saraphes of golde The same daye at euenyng at almost three a clocke of the nyght ten or twelue of the Elders of the secte of Mahumet entred into our Carauana whiche remayned not paste a stone cast from the gate of the citie These ranne hyther and thyther crying lyke madde men with these wordes Mahumet the messenger and Apostle of God shall ryse agayne O Prophet O God Mahumet shall ryse agayne haue mercy on vs God Our Captayne and we all raysed with this crye tooke weapon with all expedition suspectyng that the Arabians were come to robbe our Carauana We asked what was the cause of that exclamation and what they cryed for they cryed as doe the Christians when sodeynly any marueylous thyng chaunceth The Elders answered Sawe you not the lyghtnyng whiche shone out of the Sepulchre of the Prophet Mahumet Our Captayne answered that he sawe nothyng and we also beyng demaunded answered in lyke maner Then sayde one of the olde men Are you slaues That is to say bought men meanyng thereby Mamalukes Then sayde our Captayne We are in deede Mamalukes Then agayne the olde man sayde Yâ—u my Lordes can not see heauenly thinges as beyng Neophiti that is newly come to the fayth and not yet confirmed in our religion To this our Captayne answered agayne O you madde and insensaâ—e beastes I had thought to haue giuen you three thousande peeces of golde but now O you dogges and progenie of dogges I will gyue you nothyng It is therefore to bee vnderstoode that none other shynyng came out of the Sepulchre then a certayne flame which the priests caused to come out of the open place of the Towre spoken of here before whereby they would haue deceyued vs. And therfore our Captaine commaunded that thereafter none of vs should enter into the Temple Of this also we haue most true experience and most certaynely assure you that there is neyther Iron or steele or the Magnes stone that should so make the toombe of Mahumet to hange in the ayre as some haue falsely imagined neyther is there any mountayne nearer then foure myles we remayned here three dayes to refreshe our company To this citie victualles and all kynde of corne is brought from Arabia Foelix and Babylon or Alcayr and also from Ethiope by the redde sea whiche is from this citie but foure dayes iourney The iourney to Mecha Cap. 14. AFter that we were satisfied or rather wearyed with the filthinesse and lothesomenesse of the trumperyes deceites trifles and hypocrises of the religion of Mahumet we determyned to goe forward on our iourney and that by guiding of a pylot who myght directe our course with the mariners boxe or compasse with also the carde of the sea euen as is vsed in saylyng on the sea And thus bendyng our iourney to the West we founde a very fayre well or fountayne from the which flowed great aboundance of water The inhabitantes affyrme that Sainct Marke the Euangelist was the aucthour of this fountayne by a miracle of God when that region was in maner burned with incredible drynesse Here we and our beastes were satisfied with drynke I may not here omit to speake of the sea of sande and of the daungers thereof This was founde of vs before we came to the mountayne of the Iewes In this sea of sand we traueiled the iourney of three dayes and nightes this is a great brode plaine all couered with white sande in maner as small as floure If by euyll fortune it so chaunce that anye trauaile that way southward if in the meane time the wind come to the north they are ouerwhelmed with sande And although they shoulde haue prosperous wynde yet are they so inuolued with sande that they scatter out of the way and can scarsely see the one the other .x. pases of And therefore thinhabitans trauaylyng this way are inclosed in cages of woodde borne with Camels and lyue in them so passyng the iorney guided by pilots with maryners compasse and card euen as on the sea as we haue sayde In this iorney also many peryshe for thirst and many for drynkyng to muche when they fynde suche good waters In these sandes is founde Momia whiche is the fleshe of such men as are drowned in these sandes and there dryed by the heate of the Sunne So that those bodyes are preserued from putrifaction by the drynesse of the sand and therefore that drye fleshe is esteemed medicinable Albeit there is an other kynde of more pretious Momia which is y e dryed and embalmed bodies of kynges and princes whiche of long tyme haue been preserued drye without corruption When the wynde bloweth from the northeast theÌ„ the sand riseth is driuen against a certaine mountayne which is an arme of the mount Sinai There we found certayne pyllers artificially wrought whiche they call Ianuan On the lefte hande of the sayde mountayne in the
my legges whiche came by occasion of a certayne Idolatour who cryed after mee saying O Christian Dogge borne of Dogges When the Mahumetans hearde the name of a Christian incontinent they layde handes on mee and brought mee to the Lieuetenaunt of the Soltan of that place who assemblyng his counsayle asked their opinion if I should bee put to death as a spye of the Christians The Soltan him selfe was out of the citie and therefore his Lieuetenaunt who had yet neuer adiudged any man to death thought it not good to gyue sentence agaynst mee before the Soltan should be aduertised hereof And therefore I escaped this present daunger and remayned in custodie fiftie and fyue dayes with an Iron of eightiene pounde weyght hangyng at my feete The seconde day after I was taken many Mahumetans in great rage resorted to him whose office was to make inquisition of treason These a fewe dayes before by swymmyng hardly escaped the handes of the Portugales with the losse of theyr Foistes and Barkes and therefore desired greatly to bee reuenged of the Christians affyrmyng with outragious crye that I was a spye of the Portugales But God fayled not to assyst me For the maister of the prison perceyuing the outrage of the Mahumetans and fearyng that they would offer me violence made fast the gates of the prison After that fyue and fiftie dayes were paste the Soltan commaunded that I should be brought before him and so set vppon a Camel with my shackles I came in eight dayes iourney to the place where the Soltan laye and was brought to his presence in a citie named Rhada for there the Soltan had assembled an army of thirtie thousande men to make warre agaynst the Soltan of the citie of Sana whiche is three dayes iourney from Rhada and situate partly on the declining of a hyll and partly in a playne very fayre to be seene well peopled and hauyng plentie of all thinges When I came before the Soltan he began to aske me what I was I answered that I was a Roman professed a Mamaluke in Babylon of Alcayr and that of religious mynd to discharge my conscience of a vowe whiche I had made to see the bodie of Nabi the holy Prophet I came to the citie of Medinathalhabi where they say he is buried and that in all cities and countreys by the way I hearde honourable reporte of his greatnesse wisedome and singuler vertue and therefore ceassed not vntyll I entred his dominions moste desirous to see his face yeldyng thankes to God and Nabi that it was nowe my chaunce to be presented before him trustyng that the equitie of his wisedome would thereby consyder that I was no spye of the Christians but a true Mahumetan and his seruant and slaue Then sayde the Soltan Saye Leila illala Mahumet resullala whiche woordes I coulde neuer well pronounce eyther that it pleased not God or that for feare and scruple of conscience I durst not Therefore when hee sawe mee holde my peace he committed me agayne to pryson commaundyng that I shoulde be straightly looked vnto where .xvi. men of the citie were appoynted euery daye foure to watche me by course So that for the space of thre monethes I had not y e fruition of heauē during which miserable time me diet was euery day a lofe of myllet so litle that seuen of them woulde not haue satisfyed my hunger for one daye But if I myght haue had my fyll of water I woulde haue thought my selfe happie Within three dayes after the Soltan marched with his army of thyrtie thousande footemen as we haue sayde and three thousande horsemen to beseege the citie of Sana These horsemen were borne of Christian parentes and blacke like the Ethiopians and whyle they were yet very young were bought in the kyngdome of Prester Iohn named in Latine Presbyter Iohannes or rather Preciosus Iohannes These Christian Ethiopians are also named Abbyssini They are brought vp in discipline of warre as are the Mamalukes and Ienetzares of the Turkes This Soltan hath them in great estimation for they are the gard of his owne person and therefore haue greater wages and are in number fourescore thousande They couer theyr bodie with a sindon like vnto a cloke or cape putting out onely one arme and are besyde naked without any other apparell In the warres they vse rounde targettes made of bufles hydes with certayne litle barres of Iron to strengthen them These targets are paynted very fayre with sundrye colours and very commodious to resyste dartes and are in largenesse as muche as the mouth of a barell the handle is made of woodde as bygge as they may well holde in theyr handes and made fast with nayles They vse dartes and shorte brode swoordes At other tymes they vse also vestures of lynnen cloth of sundry coloures Also of gossampine or Xylon otherwyse also named bombasine In the warres euery man beareth with hym a slyng which he casteth fyrst shakyng it often about his head When they come to .xl. or .l. yeeres of age they make them hornes by wreathyng y e heare of their heds so bearyng two hornes lyke young Gotes When they procede to the warres fyue thousande Camels folowe the army all laden with ropes of bombasine How the women of Arabia are greatly in loue with whyte men Cap. 5. AFter the army was departed I was incontinent commytted to pryson as I haue sayde Harde by the prysone was a long entrie in maner of a cloyster where somtyme we were permitted to walke Ye shall further vnderstande that in the Soltans place remayned one of his three wyues with twelue young maydes to wayte vppon her very fayre and comely after theyr maner and of coloure inclinyng to blacke The fauoure that they bore me helped me very much for I with two other beyng in the same pryson agreed that one of vs should counterfytte him selfe to be mad that by this deuice one of vs myght helpe an other In fine it was my lotte to take vppon me the mad mans part and therefore stoode me in hande to do suche follies as pertayne to madnesse Also the opinion whiche they haue of mad folkes made greatly for my purpose for they take mad men to be holy and therefore suffered me to run more at large vntyll the Eremites had geuen iudgement whether I weare holy or ragyng mad as appeareth heareafter But the fyrst three dayes in which I began to shew my madnesse weryed me so muche that I was neuer so tyred with laboure or greeued with payne for the boyes and rascall people sometyme to the number of .xl. or .l. hurled stones at me almost without ceassing while in the meane time againe I paid some of them home with lyke wages The boyes cryed euer after me callyng me mad man And to shewe it the more I caryed alwayes stones with me in my shyrt for other apparel had I none The queene hearyng of my follies looked oftentymes out
seeme to contemne his so friendly a profer but deferred it to a more conuenient tyme. Therefore departyng from thence within eight dayes after we returned to Ormus and sayled from thence into India arryuing there at a certayne porte named Cheo Here foloweth the fourth booke which entreateth of India and of the cities and other notable thynges seene there Of the citie of Cambaia in India most fruitefull in maner of all thinges Cap. 1. FOrasmuche as in the begynnyng of this woorke we promised that we would declare all thynges briefely we intende nowe heere to speake onely of thynges whiche may seeme most woorthye to be knowen Entryng therefore into India we came to a certaine porte which the great and famous ryuer Indus passeth by and is not far from the citie of Cambaia It is situate three myles within the lande towarde the South The Brigantines or Foystes can haue no accesse to it excepte the fludde ryse hygher then commonly it is woont to do which sometymes ouerfloweth the lande the space of foure myles But heere the fluddes haue contrarye courses of increasyng for heere they increase in the wane of the Moone but with vs in the full Moone The citie is walled after our maner and aboundeth with al necessarie thynges especially with wheate and al sorts of holesome and pleasaunt fruites There are also certayne kyndes of spyces the names whereof I knowe not It hath also abundaunce of gossampine or bombassine cotton Merchaunts bryng from thence yeerely so much bombassine and silke that somtime they lade fourtie or fyftie shyps to cary into other countreys In this region is also a mountayne where the Onyx stone commonly called Corneola is founde and not farre from thence also an other mountaine where the Calcedony and Diamant are found The maners of the people of the citie of Cambaia and of the Soltan thereof Cap. 2. THe Soltan of Cambaia at my beyng there was named Macamut and had raygned fourtie yeeres after he had expulsed the kyng of Gugerat They thynke it not lawefull to kyll any lyuyng beaste to eate or to eate fleshe They are no Mahumetans neyther Idolaters and therefore I beleeue that if they were baptised they were not far from the way of saluation for they obserue the exquisite rule of iustice doyng no worse to other then they woulde to be done to them As touchyng theyr apparell some of them go naked and other couer onely theyr priuities On theyr heades they weare fyllettes of purple colour They them selues are of darke yelowe coloure commonly called Leonell coloure This Soltan maynteyneth an army of .xx. thousande horsemen Euery mornyng resort to his pallace fyftie men syttyng on Elephantes Their office is with all reuerence to salute the king or Soltan the Elephantes also kneelyng downe In the mornyng assoone as the kyng waketh is hearde a great noyse of Drummes Tambartes Tymbrelles Waytes and also Trumpettes with dyuers other musicall instruments in reioycyng that the kyng lyueth The lyke do they whyle he is at dinner and then also the men sytting on the Elephantes make hym the lyke reuerence as before We wyll in due place speake of the wytte customes and docilitie of these beastes The Soltan of this citie hath his vpper lyppe so grosse that it is a monstrous thyng to beholde Insomuche that sometyme he beareth it vp with a fillet as women do the heare of theyr heades his bearde is whyte and long euen vnto the nauell He is so accustomed to poyson from his infancie that he dayly eateth some to keepe it in vse And although he hym selfe feele no hurte thereof by reason of custome yet doth he thereby so impoyson hym selfe that he is poyson to other for when he is disposed to put any of his noble men to death he causeth hym to be brought to his presence and to stande naked before hym Incontinentâ— he eateth certayne fruites whiche they call Chofolos lyke vnto Nuttemegges and eateth also the leaues of certayne hearbes whiche they call Tambolos addyng also thereto the pouder of beaten oyster shelles And a whyle chawyng al these togeather in his mouth he spitteth it vpon hym whom he desyreth to kyll who being sparkled therwith dyeth by force of the poyson within the space of halfe an houre He entertaineth about foure thousand concubines for when soeuer he hath lyue with any of them shee with whom he hath lyen dyeth the daye folowing beyng by hym impoysoned And therefore when he changeth his shyrt or other apparrel no man dare weare it and for this cause he hath great change of apparrell My companion enquired diligently of the merchants by what meanes he was of so venomous nature They answered that the Soltan his father brought him so vp of a childe with poison by litle and litle with preseruatiues so accustomyng hym thereto But let vs nowe returne to speake of the maners of the people For the most part they weare but only one syngle vesture and are very warrelyke men also greatly geuen to merchandies The fruitfulnesse and plentifulnesse of the region can not be spoken It is frequented almost of al nations Therfore from this citie and from an other wherof we wyll speake hereafter diuers and innumerable sortes of merchandies are transported to almost all the regions of the worlde and especially to the Turkes Syrians Arabians Indians also to diuers regions of Affricke and Ethiopia principally exceedyng abundance of sylke and Bombasyne and therefore is this Soltan marueylous rych He keepeth in maner contynuall warre with the kyng of Ioga whose realme is fyfteene dayes iorney from Cambaia and reacheth very farre euery waye This kyng mayntayneth an armie of .xxx. thousand fyghtyng men he and all his people are Idolatours He lyueth in contynual progresse with a mightie trayne at the charges of the people and contynually carrieth about with hym foure thousand tentes and pauilions also his wyfe chyldren concubines slaues furthermore foure or fiue of most couragious horses likewyse muskattes moonkeys Parrottes Leopardes haukes And in this order he walketh almost ouer all India The kynges apparell is a double gotes skinne one coueryng his brest and the other his backe with the hearysyde outward he is of wesel colour enclining to blackenesse as are the most part of these Indians beyng in maner scorched with heate of the Sunne They weare al earerings precious stones and iewels of sundry forts some couer theyr body with a single light thinne vesture puttyng out one arme naked The kyng and certaine of his noble men paynt their faces with certaine sweete gommes spices and some also other partes of their bodies They are ledde with many vayne superstitions for some professe neuer to lye on the grounde some to lyue in continual silence as though they were speechelesse hauing two or three appointed by signes to serue them meate and drynke They haue all hornes hangyng
of the sayd Ilande they I meane which feede of fleshe when they see theyr parentes so feeble by age that they serue for no vse but are tedious both to them selues and other they bryng them to the market or fayre and sell them to the Anthropophagi which vse to eate mans fleshe They that buye them kyll them out of hande eate them Likewyse when any young person among them falleth into any suche sickenesse that by the iudgement of theyr wyse men he can not escape to the ende that he should not vnprofitably lynger in paynes his brethren and kyns folkes sell hym to the Anthropophagi When my companion beyng deterted with these cruell maners shewed in countenance that he detested this horrible inhumanitie a certayne merchaunt of the inhabitantes sayde thus vnto hym O Persians no sacrifice can redeeme your sinnes in that you giue so fayre fleshe to the woormes to be eaten Therfore abhorryng these beastly maners we returned to our shyppe not intendyng any longer to tarry there Of the strange course of the sunne in the Iland of Gyaua Cap. 29. WHyle we remayned here the Christian merchantes euer desirous to shewe vs new and strange thinges whiche we myght declare at our returne into our countreys sayde thus vnto vs My friendes make reporte in your countrey of a straunge thyng whiche I will nowe shewe you Beholde sayde they the place of the Sunne in the South at hygh noone and thereby consider howe farre this region is from your countrey We then behelde the Sunne to runne toward the ryght hand and agayne to shewe or marke a sphere about two handfuls brode towarde the lefte hand which doubtlesse seemed to vs very straunge And this as they saye is euer seene in the moneth of Iuly But I nowe scarsely beare this in mynd for I there forgot euen the names of our monthes But this is certayne that in this region the tymes and seasons of the yeeres are lyke vnto ours and of lyke temperature of heat and colde Here my companion bought two fayre Emeraldes for a thousande peeces of golde and also two gelded children for two hundred peeces of golde for heere are certayne merchantes that buy none other ware then such gelded children Of our returne from the Ilande of Gyaua Cap. 30. AFter that we had remayned heere fyftiene dayes wery of the maners of the inhabitantes and of the coldnesse of the countrey that tyme of the yeere we determyned to proceede no further for this cause also that there remayned in maner none other region woorthie to be seene and therefore hyring a lyght shyp we departed from thence sayling Eastwarde for the space of fyftiene dayes and came at the length to the citie of Melacha where remayning three dayes we tooke our leaue of our companions the Christian merchauntes with friendly embrasinges and sorowfull myndes Which departure I take God to witnesse greeued me so sore that if I had been a single man without wyfe and children I would neuer haue forsaken suche friendly men We therefore departed and they remayned there saying that they would shortly returne to the citie of Sana and we takyng a Foist returned to the citie of Cyromandel By the way the gouernour of the shyp tolde vs that about the Ilandes of Gyaua and Taprobana there are aboue seuen thousande little Ilandes When we arryued at Melacha â–ª my companion bought as muche spices sweete sauours and silke as cost him fyue thousande peeces of golde But we came not to the citie of Gyromandel in lesse space then fyftiene dayes saylyng There we vnladed our Foist and after we had remayned there twentie dayes hyring an other Foist we came at the length to the citie of Colon where we founde .xxii. Christians of the realme of Portugale And fearyng that they would take me for some espion I began to imagine howe I myght depart from thence But seeyng that they were so fewe in number I chaunged my purpose especially for that there were many merchaunt Mahumetans whiche knewe that I had been at Mecha to see the bodie of Mahumet But within the space of twelue dayes we came to Calecut by the ryuer Agayne of the citie of Calecut after our returne thyther Cap. 31. AFter so many long and daungerous peregrinations and viages in the whiche we haue been partly satisfied of our desyre and partly weeryed by many suche occasions of inconueniences as chaunce in the way as they can well consider that haue been vsed to suche long iourneyes we determyned to proceede no further but to thynke only of our safe returne into our natiue countrey and therefore I will breefely declare what chaunced to me in the way the rather that other men takyng example by my traueyles may knowe the better howe to gouerne them selues in the lyke if lyke ardent affection shal moue them to take suche viages in hande as I am sure noble spirites of many valiant men will moue them thereto Therefore enteryng into the citie of Calecut we founde there two Christians borne in the citie of Milan the one named Iohn Maria and the other Peter Antonie These were Iewellers and came from Portugale with the kinges licence to buye precious stones When I had founde these men I reioyced more then I am able to expresse for we went naked after the maner of the inhabitantes At our fyrst meetyng seeyng them to bee whyte men I asked them if they were Christians They sayde yea Then sayde I that I was also a Christian by the grace of God Then takyng me by the hande they brought me to theyr house where for ioye of our meetyng we could scarsely satisfie our selues with teares embrasynges and kyssyng for it seemed nowe to mee a straunge thyng to heare men speake myne owne language or to speake it my selfe Shortly after I asked them if they were in fauour with the kyng of Calecut We are sayde they in great fauour with him and very familier Then againe I asked them what they were mynded to doe We desyre sayde they to returne to our countrey but we knowe not the meanes howe Then sayde I Returne the same way that you came Naye sayde they that may not bee for we are fledde from the Portugales bycause we haue made many peeces of great ordinaunce and other Gunnes for the Kyng of Calecut and therefore we haue good cause to feare and nowe especially for that the nauie of Portugale will shortly be heere I answered that if I myght escape to the citie of Canonor I doubted not but that I would geat theyr pardon of the gouernour of the Nauie There is small hope thereof sayde they we are so famous and well knowen to many other kynges in the way whiche fauour the Portugales and laye wayte to take vs for wee haue made more then foure hundred Gunnes little and great and therefore wee are out of all hope to escape that way In whiche theyr talke I perceyued howe fearefull
Mahumet encreased greatly and specially among the Mahumetans the opinion they had conceiued of my holinesse But in the meane tyme secretly in the darke nyght I resorted priuily to the aforesayde Christians by whom beyng aduertised that twelue of the Portugale shyppes were nowe arryued at Canonor I considered that nowe woulde bee good oportunitie to escape And therefore remaynyng there yet seuen dayes I learned all that I coulde of the preparations which the kyng of Calecut and his people made against the Portugales both touching his army artillerie and other thinges parteynyng to the warres But before I come to speake of my maner of departing it wil here not be from the purpose to declare howe the Mahumetans call the people to theyr churches and of theyr maner of praying Howe the Mahumetan priestes call the people to theyr Churches Cap. 34. THeyr priestes and other ministers of the Temple of the which there is a great number obserue this maner to call the people to the church Certayne of these ascende to the highest Tower of the Temple where first blowing three or foure brasen Trumpets in the steede of belles they crye to the people with a loude voyce to resorte to the Temple to prayers Then stopping one eare with their finger they say in theyr owne language these woordes Alla u eccubar That is to say God is great And againe God is great Come to the Temple of the great God Come to pray to the great God God is great God is great God was God is Mahumet the messenger of God shal ryse They inuited me also to the Temple and desired me to pray to God for the Mahumetans whiche I dyd outwardly but of much other meanyng then they dyd Of the maner of praying among the Mahumetans Cap. 35. THey haue certaine dayly and vsuall prayers as we haue in the which they call God their father and vouchsafe to name the virgin Marie full of grace They pray not before they haue ben washed Then standing in order after the priest hath prayed they pray also in their own language Here to my companion I fayned my selfe sicke founde diuers other occasions to depart from thence and to go to Canonor Well sayd he It shall not be long ere I come thyther to you in the meane tyme with my letters I will commend you there to a friend and countrey man of myne a riche merchant who for my sake shall giue you good intertaynement VVhat subtiltie I vsed to depart from Calecut to go to the Portugales Cap. 36. THe daye before I departed from thence I made the sayd Christians priuie of my intente In the meane tyme my companyon ioyned me in company with two other Persian merchauntes whiche were mynded also to go to Canonor for there was in the citie of Calecut many merchauntes of Persia Syria and Turchia Therefore the fyrst day of December I with the other two Persians hyryng a lyght shyppe gaue wynde to our sayles to proceede on our voyage But see what chaunced suddenly we had scarsely sayled as farre as a man may shoote an arrowe but foure of the inhabitantes of the order of them whiche they call Naeros of whom we haue spoken before cryed to the gouernour of the shyp to drawe neare the lande in the kynges name When they vnderstode who we were they asked why they caryed me away without makyng the kyng priuie thereto Then sayde the Persians This Mahumetan that is heere with vs is a holy man and goeth in our company to the citie of Canonor They aunsweared that they knewe me to be a man that had wrought myracles Neuerthelesse that because I could speake the language of y e Portugalles it was to be suspected least I should bewraye theyr secretes to them and tell them of the nauie and armye whiche the kyng prepared agaynst the Portugales and therefore commaunded the gouernour of the shyppe to cary vs no further He obeyed theyr commaundement and left vs on the shore Then sayde one of the Persians Let vs returne to Calecut To whom I aunsweared Take heede what you do for so shall you be in danger to loose all your sylkes if it be knowen that you haue payde no custome to the kyng Then sayde the other Persian What then by your aduise is it best for vs to do I aunswered that it was best for vs to go somewhat further by the shore vntyl we myght fynde some barke whereunto they agreed Therfore we and our slaues laden with our fardells went so .xii. myles along by the shore But what feare I was in in the meane season I commytte to wyse men to iudge But as God would we founde there a poore fysher man with a boate with whom we agreed to bryng vs to Canonor where we arryued late in the euenyng Incontinent we went to the merchaunt Persian to whom I had letters of commendation from my companyon The tenour of the letters was that he shoulde receyue me into his house and enterteyne me frendly vntil his commyng Also that whatsoeuer frendeshyp he shewed vnto me he woulde asscribe it to be done vnto hym selfe Furthermore that I was a holy man and ioyned with hym in neere amitie and frendeshyp When the merchaunt had redde the letters he layde his hand on his head and sayde vnto me By this head you are welcome to me and shall be here in safetie and caused a good supper to be prepared for vs. After supper the Persians sayde vnto me Lette vs go walke to the sea syde I agreed and in short tyme we came to the place where the Portugales shyps laye at anker I am not able to expresse the secrete ioye whiche I felte in my selfe at the syght of these shyppes In the way I marked well the place where the Portugales had buylded their fortresse determynyng to come thyther the nexte daye Howe I fledde to the Portugales from the citie of Canonor Cap. 37. THe daye folowing when I sawe best oportunitie I went towarde the fortresse of the Portugales and by the way meetyng with two Portugales in the Spanyshe tongue I asked them where was the fortresse of the Portugales Then sayde they to me Art thou a Christian I am sayde I by the grace of God Then sayde they agayne From whence commest thou From the citie of Calecut sayde I. Then come with vs sayde they for we wyll bryng thee to the gouernour This gouernour was one maister Laurentius sonne to the Uiceroye So I went with them to the fortresse whiche is not past foure furlonges from the citie At the tyme of our commyng the gouernour had not yet dined When I came to his presence I fel downe on my knees and prayed hym with al humilitie for Christes sake to whom I was consecrated by baptisme to haue compassion vpon me and to delyuer me from the hands of those infidell dogges When it was nowe noysed in the citie that I was escaped to the Christians there
beganne a sturre and mutinie in maner of a tumulte Whiche when the gouernour vnderstoode commauÌ„ded al his Captaines souldiers other officers to plaâ—â— their artilerie order all thynges in redynesse least the 〈◊〉 sudden rage should attempte any thing agaynst the 〈…〉 al thynges were pacified in shorte tyme. Then 〈…〉 takyng me by the hande brought me into 〈…〉 and there demaunded of me what the kyng 〈…〉 of Calecut imagined or deuised to do 〈…〉 I infourmed hym of all thynges as 〈…〉 hauyng diligently searched to vnderstand all 〈…〉 When the gouernour was thus by me 〈…〉 secretes he appoynted a galley to bryng 〈…〉 who was then in the citie of Cusin The 〈…〉 the gallie was named Iohannes Seranus â–ª When 〈…〉 saw me he receiued me very fauourably I 〈…〉 also of al thynges Saying furthermore vnto hym 〈◊〉 myght by his fauoure obteyne pardon and assurance for 〈◊〉 sayde two Italians Peter Antonie and Iohn Maria which 〈…〉 made artillarie for the infidel princes I woulde procure that they shoulde returne to the Christians and do them ryght good seruice and that I was well assured that they dyd that by constraint Also y t they desyred none other thing then safe conduct and mony for theyr charges He was glad of this and graunted my request Whereuppon within three dayes after he sent me with letters to his sonne the gouernour in the citie of Canonor with commaundement to deliuer me as muche mony as shoulde suffice for the charges of the Christian exploratours or espions of the citie of Calecut I went therefore incontinent to Canonor where I agreed with one of the idolatours who for pouertie had gaged his wife children to cary letters to Calecut to Iohn Maria and Peter Antonie The content of which letters was that the Uiceroye had graunted them pardon and safe conducte and also mony for theyr charges Aduertisyng them to make none priuie of this thyng and especially to beware least it shoulde be knowen to theyr slaues or concubines For eche of them had a concubine a child a slaue Furthermore to leaue al their goods behynd them except thynges of great price as mony iewelles For they had a very fayre Diamond of the weyght of .xxxii. caractes esteemed to be woorth .xxxv. thousande crownes They had also a pearle of the weyght of .xxiiii. caractes Furthermore 〈◊〉 thousande rubies of the whiche some were of the weyght 〈…〉 and some of one and a halfe They had also .lxiiii. 〈…〉 garnyshed with many iewelles lykewyse in redye 〈…〉 and fyue hundred peeces of golde But see 〈…〉 much couetousnesse Whyle they thought to haue 〈…〉 all and theyr lyues therewith For not contentyng 〈…〉 with the aforesayde ryches they woulde needes also 〈…〉 notwithstandyng the aduertisement we had geuen 〈…〉 Gunnes three Munkeis two Muskecattes and two of 〈…〉 wherwith precious stones are polyshed All whiche 〈…〉 the onely cause of theyr death For whereas so many 〈…〉 not be secretly conueyed one of theyr slaues 〈…〉 〈…〉 of Calecut heereof who at the fyrst woulde scarsely 〈…〉 〈…〉 for the good opinion he had conceyued of them Yet sent foure 〈◊〉 his garde of them whiche are called Naery to 〈…〉 true But the slaue perceyuyng that the kyng woulde 〈◊〉 fauourably with them went to the hygh priest or Bishop of the fayth of the Mahumetans whom they call Cady and tolde hym all that before he had tolde the kyng of Calecut Addyng moreouer that the sayde Christians had disclosed theyr secretes to the Portugales When the Bishop vnderstode these thynges he called a counsayle of all the Mahumetan merchauntes wyllyng them of the common treasurie to geue a hundred peeces of golde to the kyng of Gioghi who was then at Calecut and to speake to hym in this maner It is not vnknowen to you most noble prince howe a fewe yeeres past when your maiestie came hither we receiued you with more honorable enterteinement then we are nowe able to do The cause whereof is no lacke of good wyl or knowledge of our deuetie towarde your hyghnesse but rather the great and manyfolde iniuries and oppressions whiche we haue susteyned and do dayely susteyne by our mortal enimies the Christians whereof we haue at this present example of two Christian traytors of this citie whiche haue disclosed to the Portugales al our secretes and therefore we make most humble petition vnto you to take of vs a hundred peeces of golde to commaund them to be slayne When the kyng of Gioghi hearde these woords he consented to theyr petition and forthwith appoynted two hundred men to commyt the murder And that they might be the lesse suspected of the Christians meanyng soddenly to kyll them in theyr house came by tenne and tenne as though they came to demaunde theyr accustomed rewarde But when the Christians sawe so great a company assembled about theyr house they suspected that they sought somewhat elles then theyr rewarde or offeryng and therefore incontinent takyng theyr weapons they fought so manfully at the wyndowes and doores of theyr house that they slue syxe men and woounded fourtie But at the length some of y e Gioghi shot at them certaine iron arrowes out of crosse bowes with the which they were both slayne the one beyng sore wounded in the head the other in the bodie As soone as they sawe them fall downe they cutte theyr throtes and takyng the hotte blood in the palmes of theyr handes drunke it vp with contumelious woordes agaynst the Christians After this murder the concubine of Iohn Maria came to Canonor with her young sonne whom I bought of her for eyght peeces of golde and causyng hym to be baptysed named hym Laurence because it was saint Laurence daye But within a yeere after he dyed of the frenche poxe whiche disease had then dispersed almost through all the worlde For I haue seene many infected with it foure hundred myles beyonde Calecut They call it Pua And they affyrme that this disease was neuer seene there past xvii yeeres before It is there more greeuous and outragious then with vs. Of the Nauie of the citie of Calecut and of the memorable conflicte betwene the Christians and Mahumetans In the whiche the Portugales with incredible valiantnesse gaue theyr enimies the ouerthrowe And howe the kyng of Canonor reioyced at their victorie Cap. 38. IN the yeere of our Lorde .1506 the fourth daye of March woorde was brought vs of the death of the sayde Christians The same daye from the cities of Calecut Pauan Capagot Pandaram Trompatam departed a great nauie of two hundred and eyght shippes of the whiche fourescore and foure were great shippes or shippes of burden and the rest were dryuen with Ores after the maner of Foystes whiche they call Parao The Nauie was manned with in maner innumerable Mahumetans shewyng themselues very braue in apparel of purple sylke and Bombasine with also theyr hygh and sharpe cappes after
warres who in theyr language sayde thus vnto me Are you our friende Yea sayde I. Then we pray you in the way of friendship shewe vs that Christian which is muche hygher and stronger then any other of the Christians and kylled in maner euery day about twentie of the Mahumetans and resisted the dartes of fiftie Naeros these are of the garde and escaped without hurte I answered that that Christian was not nowe in the citie but was gone to Cucin to the Uiceroye But when I better considered the matter I sayde thus vnto them Are you my friendes Yea we are sayde they Then sayde I That souldier that fought so valiauntly in the battayle was no Portugale Then sayde they Of what countrey was he then I answered agayne that he was the God of the Portugales and the great God of all the world Then sayde they Uerily you speake the trueth For we heard the Mahumetans say that it was not the Portugales but the Portugales God that gaue them the ouerthrowe and therefore we thynke your God to bee better then theyrs although we know him not And by this meanes it was bruiâ—ed ouer all the countrey that the Mahumetans were ouercome rather by the assistaunce of God then by the strength of men For these people are very simple and ignoraunt and astonyshed in maner at euery thyng For some when they sawe one of our company hauyng a little bell in his hande and hearde the noyse of the bell when he moued his hand and no noyse when he set it downe they tooke it for a myracle saying one to an other doubtlesse theyr God is the greatest God for when they touche the bell it speaketh and when they touche it not it sayeth nothyng They tooke pleasure and admiration to beholde the solemnities of the Masse And when the priest lyfted vp the holy bread or host I sayde vnto them beholde here the God of the Portugales and of all the worlde Then sayde they You say truly but we can not perceyue it This haue I sayde that you may hereby knowe what simple and ignorant people these are yet are they very great inchaunters and can inchaunte Serpentes whose poyson is so strong that they kyll only with touchyng They are also of incredible agilitie and therefore excell in vautyng leapyng runnyng swymmyng tumblyng walkyng on ropes and such other exercises of lyghtnesse and agilitie The seuenth booke entreating of the viage or Nauigation of Ethiopia Cap. 1. THey that will take vppon them to wryte any hystorie had neede to beare well in memorie what they haue promysed and taken in hande lest for theyr paynes and well meanyng they be rewarde with shame and rebuke and therfore whereas in the beginnyng of this booke I promysed to wryte of the Nauigation of Ethiope I will with the description of this viage make an ende of my long traueyle and speake of such thinges as I sawe there by the way in my returne from India into my long desired countrey in the company of the Portugales Of diuers and many Ilandes of Ethiope Cap. 2. THerefore the seuenth day of December we directed our iourney towarde Ethiope trauersing fyrst the great gulfe and saylyng foure hundred myles came to an Ilande named Monzambrich vnder the dominion of the kyng of Portugale But before we arryued there we sawe by the way many townes parteining to the Portugales and also many strong fortresses in the kyngdomes of Melinda and Mombaza The kyng of Portugale hath also certayne fortresses in Monzambrich and Zaphala But if I should here speake of the memorable factes of the valiant knyght Tristan dè Cugna at his returne from India I should take in hande a thyng farre aboue my reache beyng suche as deserue rather the commendations of Homer Uirgil for he inuaded and subdued the great cities of Gogia Pati and Craua with also the goodly Ilande of Sacutara where the kyng of Portugale hath erected certayne fortresses and omit also to speake of many other Ilandes whiche we sawe in the way as the Ilande of Cumeris and sixe other which beare plentie of ginger suger dyuers other goodly fruites and abundance of fleshe also the most fruitfull Iland of Pende likewise subiect to the kyng of Portugale Of the Ilande of Monzambrich and the inhabitantes thereof Cap. 3. THis Ilande as we haue sayde is subiecte to the kyng of Portugale as is also Zaphala From the Ilande of Monzambrich is brought much golde and oyle but is brought thyther from the firme lande The Ilande is not byg and is inhabited with blacke Mahumetans lyuyng in maner in necessitie of all thinges yet hath it a commodious porte They haue no corne but that is brought from the continent where also we went alande to see the countrey where we sawe nothyng but a vagabunde and rascall kynde of blacke men coueryng only theyr priuities with leaues of trees and are besyde naked and the women in lyke maner Theyr lyppes are two fingers thicke theyr foreheades very large theyr teeth great and as white as snow They are fearefull at the sight of euery thyng and especially when they see armed men Therefore seeing theyr fearefulnesse knowing them to be without weapons that can doe any great hurte only sixe of vs well armed â–ª bearyng also with vs Hargabuses and hauyng in our companie a blacke slaue that somewhat knewe the countrey we began to enter further into the lande and when we had gone forwarde one dayes iourney we founde many heardes of Elephantes Here the slaue that was our guyde gaue vs counsayle to take fyrebrandes in our handes bycause these beastes feare fyre aboue all thinges But we once chaunced to fynde three Female Elephants which had very lately brought foorth theyr Calues and therefore feared not the fyre but without all feare folowed vs so farre that we were fayne to flee to a mountayne to saue vs from the beastes When we had entred about tenne myles into the land we found a certayne denne on the syde of a mountayne where some of the blacke inhabitauntes lurked These spake so confoundedly and chatteringly lyke Apes that I am not able to expresse theyr maner of speeche Yet to goe the nearest thereto that I can theyr speach is lykest to the euyll fauored voyce which the Muleters of Sicilia vse when they dryue theyr Mules and suche maner of blabberyng vse these people in theyr speache Heere the Pilot of the shyppe asked vs if wee woulde buye any kyne saying that here we should haue them good cheape But we thinking that eyther he had mocked vs or that agreeing with the inhabitauntes whom he knewe before he woulde haue deceyued vs of our money and wares sayde that we had no money Then sayde he vnto vs These people desire nothyng lesse then money hauyng muche more plentie of golde then we haue which is founde not farre hence
Then sayde we to him What desyre they then They loue sayde he despicable thynges and of small value as pynnes knyues sysers lookyng Glasses Haukes belles bagges or boxes to keepe theyr golde in copper Rynges iangelinges to hang at theyr Tymberelles bosses laces broches copper chaynes carkenettes braselettes and suche other tryfles to trymme theyr wyues and children We aunswered that we were content to gyue them suche wares for theyr kyne if they woulde bryng them to the nexte mountayne Then sayde our Pilot agayne They will bryng them with vs to the mountayne but no further in any condition Therefore speake what you will gyue Then one of our companions sayde that he had a bosse of grauen copper and also a little bell But I bycause I had no suche merchaundies yet beyng desirous to eate fleshe sayde that I woulde sell one of my shertes for kyne Then sayde the Pilot Let mee alone with the matter Then callyng vnto him fyue or sixe of the Inhabitauntes he shewed them our goodly Iewelles and demaunded for them three hundred kyne But the inhabitantes not muche differyng from beastes made signes that they would gyue only fyftiene In fyne we agreed yet suspectyng some deceite neuerthelesse they kept theyr promyse and sent vs fyftiene kyne by two of theyr companions We were scarsely departed but we hearde a noyse and tumulte in theyr dennes and were partly afrayde lest these Troglodites woulde folowe vs and therefore leauyng our kyne we tooke vs to our weapons But they made signes vnto vs to feare nothyng Then our pilot tolde vs that their tumulte was only which of them should haue the bosse of copper Then recouering our kyne we droue them forward to the toppe of the mountaine and there dismissed the two blacke slaues that came with them Whyle wee were thus driuyng our kyne by the syde of a little wood we met agayne with the Elephantes whereof beyng in great feare we forsooke our kyne and trusted to our feete Therefore departyng from hence we returned to the Ilande where makyng prouision for our vyage we sayled towarde the Cape called Caput Bonae Spei passyng the Ilande of Saincte Laurence otherwyse named Madagascar beyng fourescore leagues distant from the nearest continent or firme land I suppose that in shorte tyme the kyng of Portugale will be Lorde of this Ilande For hauyng nowe burned and destroyed many villages and townes of the Ilande his name is fearefull among them And as farre as I can coniecture by my peregrinations of the worlde especially of India and Ethiopia I thynke that the kyng of Portugale if hee continue as he hath begunne is lyke to bee the rychest kyng in the worlde and doubtlesse not vnwoorthily for the dignitie and godly zeale of so noble a prince as by whose meanes the Christian fayth is dayly greatly increased For it is certayne that in India and especially in the citie of Cucin where the Uiceroye remayneth euery holy day tenne or twelue Idolaters or Mahumetans are professed to our religion whereby we may conceyue good hope that in tyme our fayth shall there bee greatly enlarged by the grace of God who hath there gyuen suche supernaturall victories to the Christians and therefore all professers of Christes holy name ought to pray to almyghtie God to assyst hym in so godly an enterprise Of the Cape called Caput Boneae Spei That is the Cape of good hope Cap. 4. DEpartyng from the Cape named Caput Bonae Spei when we had nowe sayled aboute two hundred myles there rose suddenly a tempest with contrarye wynde The cause whereof was that we had on the lefte hande the Ilande of Saint Laurence and many other litle Ilandes from whence bloweth for the most part a great gale of wynde And therefore for the space of seuen dayes beyng here daungerously tossed to and fro by the rages of the sea and wynde at the length we escaped by the grace of God But proceedyng about two hundred leagues a newe tempest rysyng so scattred our shyppes in the space of syxe dayes that we mette not togeather agayne vntyll we arryued at Luxburne in Portugale I was in the shyppe of Barthelmewe a Florentine citizen of Luxburne The shyppe was named Saint Uincent a vessell of exceedyng capacitie laden with seuen thousande tonnes of all sortes of spyces In the way we passed also by an other Iland named the Iland of saint Helen where we sawe certayne fyshes of suche enorme and monstrous byggenesse that one of them was as bygge as a great house When they ryse aboue the water they yane or gape so wyde that y e vpper iawe couereth al the forehead as it were a souldier in shynyng harnesse Agayne when they swymme on the brymme of the water the forhead is seene the breadth of three great paces And when they swymme in the sea they so trouble the water and come so neare the shyps that we were fayne to discharge al our artillarye to dryue them away Shortly after we founde an Ilande named the Ilande of Ascention where we sawe many fowles about the byggnesse of our Duckes so symple without suspicion or feare that we tooke them with our handes but shortly after they were taken they shewed an incredible fiercenesse I thynke veryly that they neuer sawe any man before they so behelde vs before they were taken and were as styll as if they had ben astonyshed For in that Ilande we sawe no lyuyng creature saue onely innumerable fyshes and the sayd byrdes After we had passed this Ilande many dayes sayling as though we were nowe come to our owne worlde the North starre and guardions of our maryners appeared vnto vs. And here oportunitie serueth well to confute the opinion of them that thynke that men maye not sayle in regions subiect to the pole Antartike or south pole by the guide of the north starre For it is certayne that the Portugales sayle by the guyde of the north starres although they be vtterly out of syght by the eleuation of the pole Antartike Yet do they sometymes refreshe the vertue of the needle with the stone whiche euer naturally respecteth the north pole A fewe dayes after we arryued at the fayre region where are seene many Ilandes named the Ilandes of Astures so named for the multitude of those Egles whiche we commonly call Astures These Ilandes are diuersely named for some are named Pici Martij some Dè Coruo also De Floribus Sancti Georgij Gratiosa and Feial Departyng from hence we came to the Ilande of Tertiera where we remayned two dayes All these Ilandes are marueylous fruitefull and haue plentie of all thynges necessary for mans lyfe Departyng from hence in seuen dayes saylyng we came to y e goodly citie of Luxburne or Vlisbona in Portugale A◠my commyng thyther I was brought to the kynges presence whose handes kissing with most humble reuerence I thanked his maiestie for the great fauour I had
and carrie it in stone pottes from Martabani to bee solde in the countrey of Malabar and is woorth the Farazuola which is .xxii. poundes and sixe vnces after the rate of xiiii.xv or .xvi. Fanans That that is freshe and made in conserues is woorth in Calecut .xxv. Fanans the farazuola bycause Suger is deare there Greene Ginger to put in conserues is woorth in Calecut three quarters of one Fanan the farazuola which is about two pounds for one Marchetto Of the Apothecaries drugges and of what price they are in Calecut and Malabar LAcca of Martabani if it be of the beste is woorth the farazuola which is .xxii. pounde weyght and sixe ounces of Portugale after sixtiene ounces the pound which is about fourtie pound weight of the subtile pounde of Uenice and is in value eightiene Fanans which are eightiene Marcels of siluer For one Fanan is in value about one Marcell of siluer Lacca of the countrey is woorth the farazuola Fanan 12 Borace that is good and in great peeces is woorth the farazuola Fanan .30 to .40 50. Camphire that is grosse in cakes is woorth the farazuola Fanan .70 to .80 Camphire to annoynt Idoles *** Camphire for theyr children to eate is woorth the Mytigall Fanan .3 Aguila is woorth the farazuola Fanan .300 to .400 Lignum aloe blacke heauy and fine is woorth Fanan .1000 Muske of the best is woorth the ounce Fanan .36 Beniamin of the best is woorth the farazuola Fanan .65 Tamarindi being new are woorth the faraz. Fanan .4 Calamus Aromaticus the farazuola Fanan .12 Endego to dye silke true and good the farazuola Fanan .30 Mirre the farazuola Fanan .18 to .20 Frankensense good and in graynes is woorth the farazuola Fanan .15 Frankensense in paste of the basest sorte the faraz. Fanan .3 Ambracan or Amber grease that is good is woorth the Metigall Fanan .2 to .3 Mirabolanes in conserue of suger the faraz. Fanan .16 to .25 Cassia freshe and good the farazuola Fanan one and a halfe Redde Sanders the farazuola Fanan .5 to .6 Whyte Sanders and Citrine whiche growe in the Ilande of Timor the farazuola Fanan .40 to .60 Spikenarde freshe and good the faraz. Fanan .30 to 40. Nuttemegges whiche come from the Ilande of Bandan where the Bahar is woorth from .viii. to ten Fanans whiche importe vi poundes weyght to the Marchetto are woorth in Calecut the faraz. Fanan .10 to .12 Mace which is brought from the Ilande of Bandan where the Bahar is woorth fyftiene Fanans which import about one Marchetto the pounde are woorth in Calecut the farazuola Fanan .25 to .30 Turbithes are woorth the farazuola Fanan .13 Woormeseede of the best kynde called Semenzana is woorth the farazuola Fanan .18 Zerumba the farazuola Fanan .2 Zedoaria the farazuola Fanan .1 Gumme Serapine the farazuola Fanan .20 Aloe Cicotrine the farazuola Fanan .18 Cardamome in graynes the farazuola Fanan .20 Reubarbe groweth abundantly in the countrey of Malabar and that whiche commeth from China by Malacha is woorth the farazuola Fanan 40. to .50 Mirabolani Emblici the farazuola Fanan .2 Mirabolani Belirici the farazuola Fanan one a halfe Mirabolani citrini Chebuli which are all of one sorte Fanan .2 Mirabolani Indi which are of the same Citrine trees Fanan .3 Tutia the farazuola Fanan .30 Cububes which growe in the Ilande of Iaua or Giaua are there of small price and solde by measure without weyght Opium which is brought from the citie of Aden where it is made is woorth in Calecut the faraz. Fanan .280 to 320. Opium of an other sorte whiche is made in Cambaia is woorth the farazuola Fanan .200 to .250 Of the weyghtes of Portugale and India And howe they agreee THe pounde of the olde weight conteyneth .xiiii. vnces The pounde of the newe weyght conteyneth .xvi. vnces Eight Cantares of the olde weyght make .vii. of the newe And euery newe Cantare is of C.xxviii poundes after xvi vnces to the pounde Euery olde Cantare conteyneth thre quarters and an halfe of the newe Cantare And is of C.xxviii poundes after .xiiii. vnces the pounde One Farazuoles is .xxii. poundes of .xiiii. vnces and .vi. vnces more with two fyfte partes Twentie Farazuoles are one Bahar One Bahar is .iiii. Cantares of the olde weight of Portugale All the Spices and drugges and al suche other thynges as come from India are solde in Portugale by the olde weyght and all the rest by the newe weyght Herby maie we wel consider that as we ought to reioyce and geue God thankes for the abundaunce of all these thinges which he causeth the earth so plentifully to bryng foorth to our vse so maye we lament the abuse of men whose couetousnesse causeth great dearth and scarsenesse in the myddest of abundaunce herein no lesse offendyng the lawe of nature then do such as by witchcrafte do entermingle poyson with thynges created for the health of man or by inchauntment corrupt the seedes in the grounde yea rather as the vnnaturall mother who destroyeth the chylde whom she hath long nuryshed Of the voyage made by the Spanyardes round about the world THe voyage made by the Spanyardes rounde about the worlde is one of the greatest and most marueylous thynges that haue ben knowen to our tyme. And although in many thynges we excel our ancient predecessours in this especially we so far exceed al their inuentions that y e like hath not heretofore ben knowen to this day This viage was written particulerly by Don Peter Martyr of Angleria being one of y e counsaile of themperours Indies to whom also was commytted y e writing of the hystorie examination of al such as returned from thence into Spaine to y e citie of Siuile in the yeere .1522 But sendyng it to Rome to be printed in that miserable tyme when the citie was sacked it was lost and not founde vnto this daye or any memorie remaynyng thereof sauyng such as some that read the same haue borne in mynde And among other notable thynges by hym wrytten as touchyng that voyage that is one that the Spanyardes hauyng sayled about three yeeres and one moneth and the most of them notyng the dayes daye by daye as is the maner of al them that sayle by the Ocean they found when they were returned to Spaine y t they had lost one daye So that at theyr arryuall at the porte of Siuile beyng the seuenth daye of September was by theyr accompt but the syxte daye And whereas Don Peter Martyr declared y e strange effect of this thyng to a certayne excellent man who for his singuler learnyng was greatly aduaunced to honour in his common wealth and made Themperours ambassadour this woorthy gentleman who was also a great Philosopher Astronomer answered that it coulde not otherwyse chaunce vnto them hauyng sayled three yeeres continually euer folowyng the Sunne towarde the West and sayde furthermore that they of olde tyme obserued that all suche
as sayled behynd the Sunne towarde the West dyd greatly lengthen the daye And albeit that the sayde booke of Peter Martyr is peryshed yet hath not fortune permytted that the memorie of so woorthy and marueylous an enterpryse shoulde vtterly be extincte forasmuche as a certayne noble gentelman of the citie of Vincenza in Italie called master Antonie Pigafetta who beyng one of the companie of that voyage and after his returne into Spayne in the shyppe Victoria was made knyght of the Rhodes wrote a particular and large booke thereof whiche he gaue to Themperours Maiestie and sent a copie of the same into Fraunce to the lady Regent mother vnto the French king who committed it to an excellent philosopher called master Iacobus Faber hauing long studied in Italy wyllyng hym to translate it into the Frenche tongue This booke therefore was printed fyrst in the Frenche tongue and then in the Italian with also an epistle to the Cardinall of Salsepurge as touchyng the same voyage written by Maximilian Transiluane secretarie to Themperours Maiestie in the yeere 1522. And doubtlesse among all the cities of Italie the citie of Vincenza may herein muche glorie that besyde the auncient nobilitie and many excellent and rare wyttes whiche it hath brought foorth aswell in learnyng as discipline of warre it hath also had so woorthy and valiaunt a gentleman as was the sayde master Antonie Pigafetta who hauyng compassed about the ball or globe of the worlde hath lykewyse described that voyage particularly For the whiche his so noble and wonderfull an enterprise so happily atchiued if the same had ben done in the olde tyme when Th empyre of the Greekes and Romans floryshed he shoulde doubtlesse haue ben rewarded with an Image of marble or gold erected in a place of honour in perpetuall memorie and for a singular example of his vertue to the posteritie In fine this may we boldly affyrme that the antiquitie had neuer such knowledge of the worlde whiche the Sunne compasseth about in .xxiiii. houres as we haue at this present by the industrie of men of this our age But before I speake any thyng of the vyage I haue thought it good fyrst to adde hereunto the Epistle of Maximilian Transiluane which he wrote to the Cardinall of Salsepurge as a preface to his sayde booke ¶ The Epistle of Maximilian Transiluane secretarie to the Emperours Maiestie written to the ryght honorable and reuerende lorde the lord Cardinal of Salepurge of the marueylous and woonderfull nauigation made by the Spanyardes rounde about the worlde in the yeere of Christ M.D.xix. IN these dayes my most honorable and reuerend lord returned one of those fiue ships whiche the yeere before Themperours beyng at Saragosa in Spaine were at his maiesties commaundement sent to the newe worlde heretofore vnknowen vnto vs to seeke the Ilandes of spices For albeit the Portugales bryng vs great quantitie of Spyces from that part of East India whiche in olde tyme was called Aurea Chersonesus where is nowe thought to be the great rych citie of Malaccha yet in East India growe none of those Spyces except Pepper For other Spyces as Sinamome Cloues Nuttemegs and Mase whiche is the huske that couereth the shell of the Nut are brought from other farre countreys and from Ilandes scarsely knowen by theyr names from the whiche Ilandes they are brought in shyppes or barkes made without any Iron tooles and tyed togeather with cordes of Date trees with rounde sayles lykewyse made of the small twigges of the branches of Date trees weaued togeather These barkes they call Giuâ—che with the whiche barkes and sayles they make theyr viage with only one wynde in the stearne or contrarywyse Neyther yet is it a thyng greatly to be marueiled at that these Ilands where the Spices growe haue ben vnknowen so many worlde 's past vnto our tyme forasmuch as all suche thynges as vnto this daye haue ben wrytten of old autours of the places where spices growe are all fabulous and false Insomuch that the countreys where they affyrme them to growe are nowe certaynely founde to be further from the place where they growe in deede then we are from them For lettyng passe many other thynges that are wrytten I wyll speake more of this which Herodotus otherwise a famous auctoure affirmeth that Sinamome is founde in the toppes of the nestes of certayne byrdes and foules that bryng it from farre countreys and especially the Phenyx the whiche I knowe no man that euer hath seene But Plinie who might more certaynely affyrme thinges by reason that before his tyme many thynges were knowen and discouered by the nauigations of great Alexander and other sayth that Sinamome groweth in that part of Ethiope which the people inhabit called Trogloditi Neuerthelesse it is now found that Sinamome groweth very far from all Ethiope now much further from the Trogloditi which dwel in caues vnder the ground But to our men which are now returned from those partes and the Ilandes of spices hauyng also good knowledge of Ethiope it was necessarie to passe far beyond Ethiope before they come to these Ilands and to compasse about the whole worlde and many tymes vnder the greatest circumference of heauen The which nauigations made by them beyng the most marueylous thyng that euer was done by man vppon the earth sence the fyrst creation of the worlde and neuer founde before or knowen or attempted by any other I haue deliberated faythfully to wryte to your honorable lordeshyppe and to declare the whole successe thereof As touchyng which matter I haue with all diligence made inquisition to knowe the trueth aswell by relation of the Captayne of that shyppe as also by conference with euery of the maryners that returned with hym All whiche gaue the seâ—fe same information both to Themperours Maiestie and diuers other And this with such faythfulnesse and sinceritie that not onely they are iudged of all men to haue declared the trueth in all thynges but haue thereby also geuen vs certaine knowledge that al that hath hitherto ben sayd or wrytten of olde autours as touchyng these thynges are false and fabulous For who wyl beleeue that men are founde with onely one legge Or with suche feete whose shadowe couereth theyr bodyes Or men of a cubite heyght and other suche lyke beyng rather monsters then men Of the whiche neyther the Spanyardes who in our tyme saylyng by the Ocean sea haue discouered all the costes of the lande towarde the West both vnder and aboue the Equinoctiall nor the Portugales who compassyng about all Affryke hath passed by all the East and lykewyse discouered all those costes vnto the great gulfe called Sinus Magnus nor yet the Spaniardes in this theyr last nauigation in the which they compassed about the whole earth dyd neuer in any of theyr viages wryte of such monsters which doubtlesse they would not haue omytted if they myght haue had certayne
Ilande of Tidore there is an other great Ilande named Gilolo inhabited of Moores and Gentiles The Moores haue two Kynges of the whiche one hath sixe hundred chyldren and the other sixe hundred and fyftie The Gentyles keepe not so many women as doe the Moores nor yet lyue in suche superstitions They pray to the first thyng that they meete in the mornyng when they goe foorth of theyr houses and honour that as theyr God for that day The Kyng of the Gentyles is very ryche in golde In the sayde Ilande of Gilolo are Reedes as byg as a mans legge and full of cleare water holsome to be drunke The .xii. day of Nouember the kyng of Tidore appoynted our men a warehouse in the citie where they myght sell theyr merchaundies Theyr maner of exchaunge was in this sorte For tenne yardes of good redde cloth they had one Babar of Cloues which amounteth to foure Cantari and six pound weight And one Cantar is a hundred pounde weyght For .xv. yardes of cloth somewhat woorse then the other they receyued in Cambie one Bahar For .xxxv. drynkyng cuppes of glasse they had one Bahar For .xvii. Cathyls of quicke siluer one Bahar They came dayly to the shyppes with many of theyr Barkes full of Goates Hennes fygges of a spanne long also the fruite called Cocus with dyuers other kyndes of victualles in suche quantitie that it was a marueylous thyng to beholde They furnyshed also theyr shyppes with freshe water which is hotte as it issueth out of the spryng but is very colde when it hath stoode a whyle in an other place It spryngeth from the mountaynes on the which the cloue trees growe They sawe a cloude ryse in maner dayly whiche compasseth about the sayde mountaynes The kyng of the Ilande of Bacchian sent the kyng of Spaine two dead byrdes of straunge fourme They were of the bygnesse of Turtle Dooues with little heades and long bylles also long and small legges and no wynges but in the steede thereof certayne long feathers of diuers colours and tayles lyke Turtle Dooues all the other feathers are of one colour much lyke vnto tawny excepte those of the wynges they flee not but when the wynde bloweth These Moores are of opinion that these byrdes come from the heauenly Paradyse and therefore call them Manuccodiata that is the byrdes of God When they were determyned to departe from the Ilandes of Molucca certayne kynges of the Ilandes accompanied them with theyr Canoas and conducted them to an Ilande called Mare where they refreshed theyr shyppes with freshe water and fuell The kynges sent the Emperours maiestie many presentes and embrasing our men departed with the teares in theyr eyes and our men for theyr laste farewell shot of all their ordinance When in the Ilande of Mare they perceyued that one of theyr shyppes leaked and tooke water very sore wherby they were inforced to tarrie there three dayes But seeyng that they coulde fynde no remedie for the same but in long tyme they determined to leaue it gyuyng order that if afterwarde it coulde bee repayred they should returne into Spayne as well as they could In all the Ilandes of Molucca is founde Cloues Ginger bread of the roote of Sagu Ryse Goates sheepe Hennes Figges Almondes sweete Pomegranates and sowre Oranges Lemondes and hony which is made of certayne flyes lesse then Antes Also canes of suger oyle of Cocus Mellons Gourdes and a marueylous colde fruite whiche they name Camulicai and dyuers other fruites Furthermore whyte and red Popingayes and other of variable colours It is not paste fiftie yeeres since the Moores fyrst inhabited any of these Ilandes whiche were before inhabited only with Gentiles The Ilande of Tidore is aboue the Equinoctiall line toward our pole about .27 minutes and in longitude from the place from whence they departed .171 degrees and from the Archipelagus in the which is the Ilande of Zamal whiche our men named the Ilande of theeues .ix. degrees and a halfe and runneth to the quarter of South Southwest and North Northeast Terenate is vnder the Equinoctiall lyne foure minutes vnder the pole Antartike Mutir is directly vnder the Equinoctiall lyne Macchian is .xv. minutes towarde the pole Antartike and Bacchian one degree These Ilands are lyke iiii sharpe mountaines except Macchian which is not sharpe The biggest of all these is Bacchian Departyng from the Ilande of Mare and directyng theyr course toward the Southwest with only .xlvi. men in theyr shyppe and .xiii. Indians they passed by the Ilandes of Chacouan Lagoma Sico Gioghi Caphi Sulacho Lumatola Tenâ—tum Buâ—u Ambon Budia Celaruri Benaia Ambalao Bandon Zorobua Zolot Noceuamor Galian and Mallua with dyuers other Ilands both great and small of Moores Gentiles and Canibales Our men remayned .xv. dayes in the Ilande of Mallua to repayre theyr shyppe in certayne places where it tooke water All the feeldes of this Ilande is full of long and rounde Pepper and is situate towarde the pole Antartike vnder the Equinoctial line .viii. degrees and a halfe and is in the longitude of .169 degrees and .40 minutes The Pilot whiche our men brought out of the Ilandes of Molucca tolde them that not farre from thence was an Ilande named Arucetto in the whiche are men and women not past a cubite in heyght hauyng eares of suche byggenesse that they lye vppon one and couer them with the other But our men would not sayle thyther both because the wynde and course of the sea was agaynst them and also for that they gaue no credite to his reporte The .xxv. daye of Ianuarie in the yeere .1522 they departed from Mallua and the day folowyng arryued at a great Ilande named Timor beyng fyue leagues distant from Mallua betweene the south and southwest In this Ilande is found the wood of whyte Saunders and Gynger and dyuers kyndes of fruites Also sundry kyndes of beastes and plentie of vittaile and golde They of the Ilandes of Giaua Molucca and Lozon resorte to this Iland for Saunders The inhabitantes are gentyles They saye that when they go to cutte the wood of Saunders the deuyl appeareth to them in dyuers fourmes and asketh them what they haue neede of And that after this vision many of them are long sicke In al y e Ilands of this Archipelagus rayneth the disease of saint Iob whiche we call the frenche poxe more then in any other place in the worlde Farre from this Ilande betweene the west and northwest they came to an Ilande named Eude in the whiche groweth great plentie of Sinamome In this tracte are founde many Ilandes lying in order as it were one directly behynde an other euen vnto the Iland of the greater Giaua named Giaua maior and vnto the cape of Malacha beyng in East India Giaua the lesse is as bygge as the Ilande of Madera and is but halfe a league
soules rest in Caues and to be that reflexion of the ayre the which we doe call Eccho Dec. 8. c. 9. The contention betwixte Garaius and Cortesius for ambition Dec. 7. c. 5. Dec. 8. cap. 1. .2 The great Cormorantes that deuoure fishe of fyue pounde weight at one morsel Dec. 7. c. 9. The shamelesse daunses of naked women at theyr funeralles and obsequies Dec. 7. c. 10. Theyr woorshipping of the crosse in Saltier .x. Or made thus x vppon theyr newe borne babes to dryue away deuylles as also in the nyght tyme if they feare any thyng imagining with that signe the place to be purified Dec. 8. c. 9. The Chiribikes follies in daunsing whole weekes togeather theyr language full of difficulties for leauyng out some sillables in speech theyr maner of mariage by clippyng the brydes heare Dec. 8. c. 8. The dead bodyes of gentlemen to be rosted so hanged vp to roofe for buttry goddes the bones of other that laye buried a whole yeere to be taken vp againe at the .xii. monethes ende and solempnely buried Decade 8. c. 9. To conclude How Captayne Olitus whom Cortesius feared not a litle therefore sent vnder the pretexte of honour as it were to discouer other landes tooke head him selfe agaynst Cortesius and miserably was murthered in the end Dec. 8. c 6 .10 These with some other the lyke thinges may the curious reader finde in many woordes set downe in the aforesayde .7 and .8 Decades spoken of all for the most parte before in P. Martyr his other doinges or mentioned in Ouiedus Summary or by R. Eden briefly noted or not greatly needfull to be set foorth at large in Englyshe except they were matters of greater weight One speciall thing I obserued amongst other in reading ouer these .6 7. and 8. Decades to wyt the West Indians not onely to be conquered by the Spaniardes but also to be theyr slaues and bondmen the cause why after the conquest made of them the Spanyardes doe in continuall bondage and slauery keepe them vnder is expresly brought foorth by Pe. Martyr Dec. 7. c. 4. in the spanysh tounge as it was read at the Indishe counsayle boorde in Spayne and may thus be Englished These be the Indians qualities in respecte whereof they deserue no libertie IN the continent or fyrme lande they eate mans fleshe they be more gyuen to Sodomye than any other nation of the world there is no order of iustice among them they goe naked they haue neyther loue nor honestie they bee fooles and furious there is no truth in them except it be for theyr owne profit inconstant without all discretion very vnkynde louers of nouelties they delyght to make them selues dronke with wynes made of diuers hearbes fruites and graine as ale and sider to ouercome their braynes as wel otherwise with hearbs as in making drinke thereof or eating them â–ª They are very bruitishe and doe make it a prayse to wallowe in vyces No obedience no reuerence at all sheweth the young man to the olde the childe to his father Neyther teaching nor chastning amendeth them they be traitors cruell so full of reuenge that they neuer forgyue any offence great enemyes vnto our religion They be slothfull theeues of iudgement very grosse and base without all honestie and good order Neither doe the men behaue them selues loyally with theyr wyues nor the wyues with their husbandes they be superstitiously giuen to soothsaying as fearful as Hares filthes eating lyse spiders woormes whersoeuer they finde them they haue no arte nor good condition of men Hauing learned any pointes of Christian religion they are woont to say that to be good in Spayne but in India nothing woorth for that they desire not to alter their maners They haue no beardes for they peele and plucke vp the heare as faste as it groweth They take no pietie on sicke folke suche as bee very sicke they gyue ouer to some one kynsman or neighbour of theyrs or els carry them to the mountaynes to dye there leauing with them some small portion of bread and water and so goe theyr way The elder they waxe the woorse they bee vntyll they be .xi. or .xii. yeeres olde some hope there is that they would prooue ciuil and vertuous when they grow elder they become bruit beasts In conclusion I say that god neuer created so corrupte a people for vice and beastlinesse without any mixture of goodnesse and ciuilitie they are as blockishe as Asses making no accompt at all to kyll them selues In the fyft Decade is written by P. Martyr or geathered rather by him out of Ferd. Cortesius relations the conquest of that portion of the West Indishe continent that lyeth in the hot zone neare the Tropike of Cancer betwyxte our Weste sea and Mar del zur the chiefe prouince wherein is Mexico and the principall citie Themistitan This region after that it was conquered by Cortesius beganne to be called Noua Hispania newe Spayne for the lykenesse thereof vnto the Spanysh kyngdome in nature of soyle greatnesse disposition of the ayre other such lyke thynges as Cortesius him selfe writeth vnto Charles the fifth humbly desiryng his maiestie to allowe of that name Some later wryters haue gyuen the particuler name of one shyre vnto the whole callyng it Mexico and the generall name of that whole shyre to the head citie therein calling Themistitan lykewyse Mexico howbeit in trueth Themistitan is the principal citie in Mexico prouince Mexico the chiefe prouince in all newe Spaigne Of this countrey the commodities it doeth yeelde the nature of the inhabiters partly you haue already seene in Gon. Ferd. Ouiedus historie Fol. 221. and chiefely Fol. 225. The kyng of this countrey bare name Monte Zuma or Muteezuma as Cortesius that conquered him writeth â–ª in P. Martyr his Decades printed in Spaigne An. d. 1530. Meteezuma in his .4 â–ª Decade entituled de insul nuper inuentis to no. orb p. 506. Multoxumam as also in the last edition thereof at Cullen ioyntly with the three first decades the which our Printer in the translation hereof hath folowed in the discourse of the West Indies Ilandes Straunge names are many tymes diuersly written though in effecte they meane all one Henricus say we with the Frenchmen Henry the Almans Henreich the Italians Arrigo the Portugales Henrico as Barros speaking of king Iohn the first his sonne whom Cadamust called in his Nauigation Huric This kyng was so welthie so mightie his dominions so large that the inhabiters knew no other prince in all the worlde of him Cortesius had intelligence by Montegius and Portucarrerius and from him certaine rich presentes for his maister Charles Themperour as in the aforesayd discourse of the west Indish Ilands it hath ben sayde Wherefore the .16 day of August in the yeere of our Lorde .1520 Ferdinandus Cortesius with .15 light horsemen and fyue hundred footemen well appoynted besides three noble men of the citie Cempoal named Teuchius Mamexus
Tamaius and .13 hundred men of that countrey to serue in steede of packe horses for cariage after the maner there began to set forwarde from his Castle Vera crux towardes Themistitan in Mexico distant from thence Westwarde a hundred leagues or thereabout Cempoal standeth from Vera Crux .4 leagues eche league in this countrey is .4 Italian miles Foure dayes iourney from Cempoal Cortesius was enterteined curtuously by the inhabiters of a goodly shyre named Sienchimalen as also by the citizens of Texuacan after that he had passed with his army an exceedyng hygh hyll thicke clad with yse snow euen in the moneth of August The like enterteynment was offered him his companie as hee marched forward vntill he came to the Tascaltecans lande who are so great enemies vnto the Mexicans that liuyng amyd their dominions they had rather want their greatest necessaries to wit salt and cotton to cloath them than become subiects in any wise to the Prince of Mexico With these Tascaltecans Cortesius had three conflictes passing through their countrey in the ende valiantly gaue them the ouerthrow Tascalteca is a greater citie more populous and better serued than Granata in Spayne was at what time the Moores yelded their bread is made of Maiz that is Indish corne a very good seat for hauking hunting freshe water fishing sea fish is scarse for it standeth from the sea aboue .50 leagues of pulse good store This towne wals houses in number 20000. built of stone high strong in respect of the enemy euer at hand they keepe markets and fayres The people doth weare hose and maketh good accompt of Iewels precious stones of crestes bushes of feathers to set them foorth in the warres they garnishe euery thing with gold wood is brought to be sold to the market on mens shoulders timber boordes bricke lime stone are vsuall merchandise Theyr Carpenters Masons Potters are very skilfull There is no vessell wrought amongst vs more artificially than theyrs is Medicinable hearbes are solde openly They vse baths the nation politike gouerned in maner of a common wealth The whole circuit of this prouince is .90 leagues full of townes boroughes and villages hils and dales most â—ruitfull well stored of good souldyers in respecte of their enemyes rounde about them About one league of this citie encamped Cortesius by his spials vnderstanding the citizens not to mistrust or feare any inuasion tooke the strongest part therof by night in the morning came the best citizens to offer him all obedience Cortesius than returning with the victorie victuals to his campe found it in a troublesome mutinie for the great distresses present calamies they thought them selues to be in so far of from their owne country in the midst of their enemies This mutinie appeased he with good woords comfortable reasons persuading them their enemies to be weaker the spreadyng abroade of the gospell to be now in their hands them selues to be Spaniardes who esteeme not death to wyn glory a most happy death that to be where life is spent in the conquest of infidelles and barbares to lye by the sea side idlely that were to no purpose Thus appeased he the rebellious myndes of his companyons and after .20 dayes abode made in this prouince he led them into an other shire for pastures and riuers the most commodious for habitation best in all that countrey The principall citie hath name Churultecal as great as faire as Tascalteca and so gouerned vntil the king of Mexico oppressed it Here was Cortesius receyued with songes musicall instruments and trumpets by the priestes and children of the citie after their maner wel feasted The end of all this mirth was an vprore of the inhabiters agaynst him procured by the kyng of Mexico as it was supposed whereof Cortesius hauing secrete intelligence by a woman of Cempoal that folowed his Campe summoned a parle with the beste citizens of Churultecal at his owne lodging Those citizens first laid he fast by the heles than speedely with his army warned to be in a readinesse for that purpose set vpon the deceiptful Barbares of a soden before that they were throughly prouided and gaue them the ouerthrow The prince of Mexico acquitted him selfe of this vprore protesting by his Ambassadors to Cortesius that his disloyall subiectes the Churultecals had bruted that conspiracie vnder his name to doe him iniury whom they would not willingly obeye He sent withall rich presentes praying Cortesius to come to Themistitan promising him that he should want nothyng there notwithstandyng the harde prouision thereof in so barren a place altogeather in the water To conducte Cortesius thyther he sent also certayne Gentlemen for guydes and other of his nobilitie to receyue him as he came neare To speake of euery curtesie shewed him in this iourney and to wryte of euery place he passed and particulerly to rehearse euery dayes iourney euery hyll towne ryuer house and gardeyne by the way would breede ouermuche tediousnesse In fewe the Lordes of the countrey as he went vsed him well especially in Guazucingo prouince and Chialcho shyre the one whereof was violently oppressed by the prince of Mexico the other willingly subiect vnto him In the cold mountaynes he wanted no wood in the townes hee was prouided for and his companions who were of Cempoallens Tastaltecans Churultecans Gâ—zucinges in number .4000 of Spaniards not aboue .300 In this maner Cortesius accompanyed folowed came at the length into a vale bearing name Colua â–ª wherein be two meres the one salt water of .60 leagues in circuit the other a freshet Partly on the land partly in the salt meere standeth Iztapalapa a fayre towne from whence to Themistitan the royall seat of Mexico there lyeth a way on a stone wall two speares length broad built vp in the water by hand with infinite charges the wall serueth also for a bridge by this bridge sides stand three fayre townes Mesicalcingo Coluacan VVichilabusco The first is supposed to haue .3000 houses the second .6000 the third .4000 wel built especially their Towers their Temples wherin they doe sacrifice In these townes great aboundaunce of salt is made that serueth all such as doe acknowledge the Prince of Mexico for their Lord. Other be denied it as of the Tascaltecans it was sayde This salte meere rysing doeth flowe into the Freshet as it ebbeth the Freshet falleth into the salt meere agayne The freshe water may serue neuerthelesse for drinke the salte water becommeth not freshe therewithall The wall hath many draught bridges for warfare and sluses for passage where toll is payde vnto the kyng Halfe one league before you come to Themistitan where the lyke bridge or causey from the lande ioyneth with the aforesayde wal standeth a strong Castle double walled about with two strong Towers not possible to be conquered To this place came a thousande Gentlemen Courtiers foorth of the citie
A man would thynke they were all dombe in the presence of the kyng suche is theyr silence No man dare turne his backe to the kyng but departyng from hym eche one goeth backewarde No man dare go out of his place when the kyng passeth by At his goyng abrode he is folowed with a great troupe of his nobles and gentelmen and hath three rods borne before hym one whereof he taketh in his owne hand when he commeth foorth out of his lytter wherin commonly he is caryed abrode In conclusion no heathen prince hath so many cerimonies as this kyng of Mexico Quietly in this citie from the .8 of September the yeere of our lorde .1520 vntyll Maie folowing remayned Cortesius with al honour enioying his pictorye and rulyng so myghty a kyngdome conquered by hym with al prosperitie When Velasque a Spanyarde then Lieuetenaunt of Cuba that euer enuied at his good hap sent Naruaez a lusty young captayne with eyghtene sayle wel appointed to commaund Cortesius out of Mexico and to geue ouer the rule of that countrey which he him selfe had paynefully conquered vnto their pleasure by forged patents from the Spanyshe kyng Muche amazed at the fyrst was Cortesius with this tydinges consideryng that if he went agaynst Naruaez the Mexicanes not yet throughly brought in subiection might in the meane time reuolte againe if he staied Naruaez might put his conquest in ioperdy violently forcing y e countrey euerywhere as he came The matter was thorowly knowen to the barbares of Themistitan The king himselfe had brought hym by his vassalles paynted in a table the ships theyr number artillarye horsemen and footemen landed In the ende Cortesius resolued hym selfe to go agaynst Naruaez Wherfore leauyng at Themistitan a Garryson of Spaniardes the whiche he hyghly commended vnto Muteezuma marched forward with .170 footemen sendyng other .80 that way before hym Naruaez lykewyse came on agaynst Cortesius and had nowe taken Cempoal and styrred vp agaynst hym those citizens Cortesius hauyng intelligence of Naruaez certayne beyng there in an hygh towre garded with .800 souldiers and .19 Canons set at the steyre foote thynkyng neuerthelesse nothyng at all of his commyng set vppon Naruaez with .250 men and there tooke hym on Witsunday night the rest of his company yelded them selues In the meane while the citizens of Themistitan reuolted against theyr prince and the Spanyshe gouernement as by a messenger dispatched thither from Cempoal to declare Cortesius good hap and Naruaes imprisoment it was vnderstoode The castle of Themistitan besieged in many places set a fyre and vndermyned the Spanyshe Gartyson to be in great ieopardye the flye boates they made burnt the messenger him selfe greeuously wounded Muteezuma the kyng onely to fauoure them and hym nowe scarsely obeyed the nobles to choose death rather then to obey suche geastes that keepe theyr kyng lyke a warde that dispossesse them of their owne citie that meyntayne therin theyr enimies the Tascaltecans Guazuingoes euen before theyr face at theyr owne charges to despight them that deuoure theyr vittaylles harde to come by in that citie so situated in the water that iniurie them that lay on tributes that by hooke aâ—d by crooke make away from them whatsoeuer good there is to â—e had that breake downe theyr Idolles and suppresse theyr auncient rytes and cerimonies Cortesius therefore speedily with .70 horses and fyue hundred footemen and as muche artillery as he could returneth againe to Themistitan whyther he came about mydsommer daye At Cortesius entrie into the citie agayne the Spanyardes throughly beaten by the Barbares with dartes and stones from hygh pine-apple trees an hygh tower that was neere began to take hart and to hope for good happe after theyr great troubles The Barbares lykewyse vnderstandyng of Cortesius commyng grew to be more cruel and fyrce â–ª with horrible cryes shootyng of theyr arrowes and throwyng an infinite number of dartes and stones for the company of them was innumerable that the ayre seemed darke and cloudie therewith Cortesius sent out a captaine with two hundred to rescue the Spanyardes in the palace This captayne slue many of the Barbares but the multitude was so great that he dyd litle good Foure of his souldyers were slayne he hym selfe greeuousely wounded had much a do to retyre agayne Cortesius set vppon them at an other syde litle harme dyd he them likewyse for that as sone as the Barbares had spent theyr dartes and stones eche one gat vp into the turrette of his house to saue hym selfe The fyght helde on fyrcely a good while Cortesius was forced in the ende to retyre with some daunger and losse of many of his soldiers The whiche thyng when the Barbares had espied they begane to geue a newe assalte on euery syde of the palace to fyre the gates and stoutely to continue batterye fyghtyng euen vppon theyr felowes dead carcasses and wyshyng with them rather to be slayne then to lyue in bondage vnder the Spanyardes Thus spent they in armes the whole daye yeeldyng a newe supply of men the multitude was so great foure tymes an houre and raysyng clamors all the nyght long to the Spanyardes great annoy that then coulde take no rest after theyr paynefull and daungerous conflycte the daye tyme fewe in number fyghtyng from mornyng to nyght without intermission and .80 of theyr companye wounded The next day the Barbares set vppon the Spanyardes agayne Cortesius planteth .xiii. feelde peeces and furnysheth his vangarde with harquebuziers and archers but theyr enimies so litle esteemed death that seyng at one shoot a dozen of theyr felowes torne in peeces all feare set a syde they supplyed styll the voyde places The day folowyng the Spanyardes wanting victuals issued out in open feelde they slue many Barbares they ouerthrew the houses neare y e pallace they tooke certaine draught bridges but at night they returned with their Generall and 50. of their company wounded as hungry as they went foorth Wherefore they caused warlike engines to be made of boords in fourme of a fouresquare house going on wheeles placing in ech one therof .20 shot whom many rascall souldiers folowed with pikeaxes and hatchets to do harme that way in destroying their buildings but stones dartes came so mightily so thicke about the Spaniardes eares that such as went thus foorth were faine to creepe home againe out of their engines torne in peeces they that taried at home could not once looke out but they were domaged Kyng Muteezuma desirous to dissuade his citizens from the assalt shewyng him selfe vnto them out of the Pallace had a blowe with a stone whereof in three dayes he dyed This Prince was of a very good nature wyse and very patient his body the Spaniardes lefte vnto the Mexicans to bury for that they them selues had little other leasure then to thinke how to saue their liues rather than to bury the dead The next day the nobles of the countrey came to a parle with Cortesius
set foorth at large those thinges by leasure which briefly are noted and signified in fewe vnto some that willingly woulde not be altogeather ignorant thereof nor yet stande to long in any such discourses To set downe particulerly eche Spanyarde and Portugale his doynges in these new discouered landes to drawe Geographically the places to wryte all their battelles victories and conquestes to describe the cities rased the townes erected to poynte out the Capitaynes personages to shewe theyr traueyles and good hap it would requyre an other Homere an other Thucydides an other Liuius labour it would requyre an other Emperour to set students a woorke as Iustinian dyd his lawe geatherers the relations of the Indyshe traueylers are so many in number theyr reportes so diuers the volumes written therof so huge and in so sundry languages R.W. FINIS R. VVilles Speciall aduises to be obserued in readyng ouer this woorke Fol. 6. De Medea put out De. Fol. 7. Of my Decades reade of my fyrst Decade For as the two fyrst bookes of the first Decade were by P.M. dedicated vnto Ascanio Visconte than Cardinall and Uicechaunceller of Rome so are the eight bookes folowing in the same Decade written to the Cardinall of Aragonia Fol. 54. Euery Decade hath ten bookes or Chapters whereof it hath according to the Greeke woord that name Fol. 20 A. and. O. c. His meanyng is that this selfe same poynte is extreme West in respect of one halfe of the worlde and extreme East in respecte of the other halfe or hemisphere beneath vs. Fol. 31. Iuga de Canias Reade Iuego de Canas Fol. 35. Barramedabas Reade Barrameda Fol. 39. To be part of the continent This was then spoken for want of further knowledge as in other writynges folowyng it will appeare Fol. 45. The gold whereof they are made is natiue c. This place should be thus Englished Their golde is lyke vnto that golde in Germany wherof the Florenes are made The nexte sentence likewise is not without some falte of the translator for the latin goeth thus Alibi in eo tractu intra vaginam mentularem neruum reducunt funicuio que praeputium alligant Fol. 47. Gorgodes Meducias Reade Medusaeas Fol 49. Being demaunded of me This place should you reade thus Being demaunded of me afterwarde were it not a sea separating two landes they answered the water there of to be fresh sweete the further they went vp against the streame it to be so much the more freshe sweete to be full of Ilandes and holesome fishe They dare aduouche the breadth thereof to be more than .30 leagues and the ryuer very swiftly to fall into the sea yeeldyng vnto the fury of the freshe water Fol. 49. Beyond the citie of Cathayo They supposed it according to theyr skyll in vnknowen places Fol. 50. Animae album Reade Animen Item You shall now therfore This sentence is not in P.M. But an other of the same length wherin he abaseth his own knowledge in respecte of T. Liuius and auoucheth the fantasiâ—s folowing to be better than Lucianus tales for that Lucianus â—â—â—ned his fables but these follyes to be truly suche in deede Fol 51. But nowe most noble Prince Three other vaine tales are here left out of the beginning of the sea and the original of woman kynde all Greece could neuer haue imagined more vayne more scornefull more shamefull fables and so are they lefte to such as lyst to reade them in that language wherin P. Martyr dyd wryte them with the prayse of suche Barbarous ministers as doe preache them Fol. 57 The yeere of Christ .1520 Reade .1502 Fol. 83. Pezulana Reade Petrus Arias Fol. 89. Or that in Niogita Reade or that in the blacke burnt Moores countrey or kyngdome of Melinde Fol. 90. Water is turned into ayre Reade ayre is turned into water Fol. 98. The niene Boates of Culchas Reade or Culchas Fol. 153. Coâ—lacutea Reade Calecut Cochin Comorin Fol. 164. Etesti Reade Etesiae Fol. 169. â—emobal Reade Cempoal Fol. 186. The generations of nations Reade of metalles Fol. 231. Eight Reade eighteth Item 36. Reade 63. Fol. 232 The West Ocean Reade South Ocean namely Mar del zur Fol. 234. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the margine should haue place in the texte before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reade the Greeke verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fol. 252. P. 231. In the margine put it out Fol. 253. Peruse these foure volumes Read the foure volumes Fol. 260. Santlianum Reade Santianum Fol. 265. Obo alias Oba and Obi Fol. 268. Fladimer al Volodimer Item Smolne al Smolensko Fol. 269. Impreignable Reade inexpugnable Fol. 270. Nicene Reade Nice And of theyr fayth more lykely hereafter fol 273 although fol. 302. the former opininion be recited againe Fol. 274. Prohibit Reade prohibited Fol. 283 â–ª Volham Reade Volgha Item Diuidna al Duina Item Vistiuga Reade eche where Vstinga Fol. 279. Schondia for these countreys folowing see Ortelius 45. table in his first edition de reg Septentional Fol. 280. Sigismundus liberus Reade liber for he was Baron of Harbestein the Deutche Barons are called frey heren wherof in latin also his title was written Liber Baro ab Herbestein out of his woorkes is that discourse taken Fol. 301. Fol. 281. Wardhus Castle .54 the one rowe of figures here signifieth the longitude the other sheweth the Latitâ—de The reader for his assuraunce herein shall doe well to conferre all the figures so set with the Mappes lest he be deceyued Fol. 294. By vnknowen nations Reade motions Fol. 297. The ryuer Clesma al. Desma Item Marouians Reade Morauians Fol. 298. This tongue is spred further Read agayne of the Sclauon tongue at large Fol. 301. Fol. 304. Bengas Of theyr money and also of all other nations coynes shall you haue a speciall discourse heereafter if God sende vs lyfe Fol. 308. Tumen It should seeme to be that Tamen spoken of before Fol. 246. Fol. 310. To Artach Reade in Artachs Fol. 311. Besermanni What they be Reade Fol. 335. Fol. 312. As do the Christians imagining so of vs for that many Christians to wyt the meaner sorte dwel commonly euer in one place Fol. 316. Seuen werstes to wyt seuen Moscouian myles that is fyue Englyshe myles and somewhat more Fol. 321. It shall suffice to the reader put out to Item Sachana al. Sughaua Hisnouogrod Reade Nisnouogrod Tartars Nogaies pointe it thus Tartars Nogais Bilbil al Bilbek Casbin Reade Casmin Baccho al Bachu Fol. 323. Sharuan al Chirua and Seruan Tollepan Reade Torbante Fol. 324. Arash al. Exesch Fol. 326. Unto Mecha in Arabia to honour Mahumets tombe whereof you shall reade in Lewes Vartomannus Nauigations Item Ardaxuil Reade Ardouil Item Fol. 320. for Ardeuelim Fol. 327. Ought to be beloued Reade beleeued Fol. 329. Tulibante Reade Torbante Fol. 329. The Persians to wyt the Gentlemen of Persia. Esteeming artes and sciences for silkes and furnitures of horses Fol. 326. 330. Fol. 330.
ryuer Tanais Fol. 308 The way out of Moscouia to Cathayo Fol. 309 Of the Tartars Fol. 311 The nauigation by the frostye sea Fol. 315 K. Edwarde the .6 letters to the northeasterne princes by Sir Hugh wylloughbye in latine and Englyshe Fol. 318 Our Englyshe merchauntes voyage into Persia. Fol. 321 Of maister Ienkensons voyage into Persia. Fol. 322 Of the last vyage into Persia in the yeere of our lorde 1568. Fol. 324 Of the kyng of Persia his name Fol. 330. Of the Persians religione and other their fashions Fol. 325 Of the Persian Empire and the originall thereof Fol. 329 Of Persia out of M. P Uenetus Fol. 329 Of the Persian kyngdome out of Haytthon Fol. 330 Of Ormius kyngdome ioynyng vnto Persia. Fol. 331 Of the Sophi or kyng of Persia accordyng to the late writers Fol. 331 The trafique of Persia with other countreys Fol. 332 Of the Persian gulfe Fol. 332 The preuileages graunted by the Sophi to our merchauntes Fol. 332 Arthur Edwardes vyage into Persia with the continuance of the former priuileages Fol. 333 The commodities that Engglyshe merchauntes may haue by the trade into Persia. Fol. 335 The maner howe Christians become Busormen Fol. 335 Of the Bombasine or Cotton tree Fol. 336 The writyng of the Persians Fol. 336 Of two voyages made out of Englande into Guinea in Afrike Fol. 336. A briefe description of Afrike Fol. 337. The fyrst voyage to Guinea Fol. 338. Pinteado his letters patentes made hym by the kyng of Portugale his maister for his returne Fol. 341. The seconde voyage to Guinea with a more full description of Africa Ethiopia and the blacke Moores countrey Fol. 342. The Doues of the Ilande Madera Fol. 353. Of S. Thomas Ilande vnder the Equinoctiall line Fol. 353. Lewes Uertomannus nauigation into Arabia Egypte Persia Syria Ethiopia and East India Fol. 354. The contentes of the whiche voyages are these folowyng The contentes of the .vii. bookes of nauigations and voyages of Lodovicus Vartomannus to the regions of Arabia Egypte Persia Siria east India and Ethiopia The contentes of the fyrst booke The fyrst Chaptere is of the nauigation from Uenice to Alexandria in Egypte Fol. 355. Of the citie named Cayrus Alcayr Memphis or Babylon in Egypte vppon the ryuer of Nilus Cap. 2. Fol. 355. Of the cities of Beryntho Tripoli and Antioch Cap. 3. Fol. 356. Of the cities of Aman and Menin Cap. 4. Fol. 356. Of the citie of Damasco Cap. 5. Fol. 357. Of such thinges as are seene in the citie of Damasco Cap. 6. Fol. 358. Of the Mamalukes of Damasco Cap. 7. Fol. 358. The iorney from Damasco to Mecha And of the maners of the Arabians Cap. 8. Fol. 359. Of the strength and valiantnesse of the Mamalukes Cap. 9. Fol. 361. Of the cities of Sodoma and Gomorrha Cap. 10. Fol. 361. Of a mountayne inhabited with Iewes And of the citie named Medinathalhabi where Mahumet was buryed Cap. 11. Fol. 362. Of the Temple or Chapell and Sepulchre of Mahumet and his felowes Cap. 12. Fol. 362. Of the Secte of Mahumet Cap. 13. Fol. 363. The iorney to Mecha Cap. 14. Fol. 364. The fourme and situation of the citie of Mecha And why the Mahumetans resort thyther Cap. 15. Fol. 365. Of the Merchaundies of Mecha Cap. 16. Fol. 366. The pardons and Indulgenses of Mecha Cap. 17. Fol. 366. The maner of Sacrificyng in Mecha Cap. 18. Fol. 367. Of the Unicornes of the Temple of Mecha whiche are not seene in any other place Cap. 19. Fol. 368. Of dyuers thynges whiche chaunced to the autour in Mecha Cap. 20. Fol. 368. Of the red sea and why it can not be sayled in the nyght Cap. 21. Fol 370. The contentes of the secounde booke Of the citie Gezan in Arabia Foelix That is the blessed or happie Arabia Cap. 1. Fol. 371 Of certayne people named Banduin Cap. 2. Fol. 371 Of an Ilande of the red sea named Camaran Cap. 3. Fol. 371 Of the citie of Aden and theyr maners and customes towarde straungers Cap. 4. Fol. 372 Howe the women of Arabia are greatly in loue with white men Cap. 5. Fol. 373 Of the liberalitie of the queene toward the autour Cap. 6. Fol. 375 Of the cities of Lagi and Aiaz in Arabia Foelyx And of the towne of Dante Cap. 7. Fol. 375 Of Almacharan a citie of Arabia Foelyx And of the fruitefulnesse thereof Cap. 8. Fol. 375 Of Reame a citie of Arabia Foelyr And the Temperatenesse thereof Cap. 9. Fol. 376 Of Sana a citie of Arabia Foelyx Cap. 10. Fol. 376 Of Taessa Zibith and Damar great cities of Arabia Foelyx Cap. 11. Fol. 376 Of the Soltan of the forsayde cities And why he is named Sechamir Cap. 12. Fol. 377 Of Monkeys and Marmasettes and other beastes noysome to men Cap. 13. Fol. 377 Of certayne places of Ethiope Cap. 14 Fol. 377 Of the citie of Zoila in Ethiope And the great fruitefelnesse thereof And of certayne straunge beastes seene there Cap. 15. Fol. 377 Of Barbara an Ilande of Ethiope Cap. 16. Fol. 378 Of Ethiope reade more in the last nauigation in the ende of the booke The contentes of the thyrde booke Of Persia and of certayne townes and portes of Persia. Cap. 1. Fol. 378 Of the Ilande and citie of Ormus or Armusium And of an Iland of Persia where pearles are founde Cap. 2. Fol. 378 Of the citie named Eri in Corozani a region of Persia and of the ryches thereof Also of Reubarbarum Cap. 3. Fol. 379 Of a ryuer thought to be Euphrates and of Castoreum Cap. 4. Fol. 379 Of the citie of Saint Bragant bygger then Babylon And of the kyng of Persia named the Sophi Cap. 5. Fol. 380 The contentes of the fourth booke Of India and of the cities and notable thynges seene there And fyrst of the citie of Cambaia most fruitefull Cap. 1. Fol. 381 The maners of the people of Cambaia And of the Soltan of that citie Cap. 2. Fol. 381 Of the citie of Ceul and the maners of thinhabitantes Cap. 3. Fol. 382 Of Goga an Ilande of India Cap. 4. Fol. 383 Of Decham a very fayre citie of India Cap. 5. Fol. 383 Of certayne other goodly cities of India Cap. 6. Fol. 384 Of Canonor and Narsinga great cities of India Cap. 7. Fol. 384 Of the fruiteful citie of Bisinagar in the kyngdome of Narsinga Cap. 8. Fol. 384 Of the Docilitie agilitie and wytte of Elephantes Cap. 9. Fol. 385 Of the ingendryng of Elephantes And of the magnificence and ryches of the kyng of Narsinga Cap. 10. Fol. 386 The contentes of the fyfth booke Of the famous and ryche citie of Calecut Cap. 1. Fol. 387 Of the kyng of Calecut And of theyr Idolatrye Cap. 2. Fol. 387 Of the maner whiche the kyng vseth at his meate Cap. 3. Fol. 388 Of the Priestes of Calecut named Bramini Cap. 4. Fol. 388 Of the diuers sectes of Idolatours in the citie of Calecut Cap. 5. Fol. 398 The apparell of the kyng queene and
Artawischa Sibut Lepin Sossa Obi. Kitaisko Vuogolici Irtische Ierom. Tumen Grustina Kitai Blacke men without speech Serponow Lucomorya Men that yeerely dye and reuyue A straunge trade of marchaundies Obi. Calami Ryuers â–ª Aurea Anus Obdora Cossin Cassima Tachnin People of moÌ„strous shape A fyshe lyke a man Plinie writeth of the lyke fysh Mountaynes The great Chane of Cathay Lucomoria Tumen Petzora Papin Hygh mountaynes supposed to be Hyperborei and Rhiphei Engreonland Stolp Cathay The fruitfull prouince of Rezan Iaroslaw Hony Donco Asoph Capha Constantinople Tanais diuideth Europe from Asia The sprynges of Tanais A great lake The ryuer Schat Casan Astrachan Meotis Tulla Achas Fruitefull regions about Tanais Plentie of wyld beastes Fyre and salt Where Tanais is fyrst nauigable Asoph The marte of Asoph Libertie allureth straungers The altars of Alexander and Cesar. The holy mountaynes Tanais the lesse From Moscouia to Asoph Moscouia in Asia and not in Europe The prouince of Permia Maryshes in sommer Duina Vstiug Tribute Furres and Horses Munkes and Heremites Patentes Marcus Panlus wryteth that these doggs are almost as byg as Asses that they vse six to one sleade Iugaria Hungaria Pannonia Attila The hygher or 〈…〉 called Auâ—tria Polonie Buda Furres Pearles precious stones Sibier Aspreolos I thynke to bee Marternes yet some thinke them to be Squirels Gesnerus wryteth that the kinges of the Tartars haue their tentes couered without with the skimes of Lions within with the skynnes of Sables and Ermines Czeremisse Habitation without houses Salte The Tartars of Casan Horda Besermani The stature of the Tartars They absteine from hogges fleshe Abstinence Voracitie So do the Turkes Iorneing by the pole starre Mares milke Horse fleshe eaten Clenly Horse heades deyntie meates The Tartars horses Saddels and styrrops of wood The Tartars women The Tartars curse No iustice among the Tartars The Tartas are theeues and poore They reioyce in spoylyng The feelde Tartars A meery tale Casan The kynge of Casan Archers Waryners The towne Tartars Moscouia inuaded by the Tartars The prince of Moscouia tributary to the Tartars Duke Basilius army agaynst the Tartars The kyng of Casan submitteth hym selfe The Iland of marchauntes The Caspian sea Persia. Armenia Astrachan The Tartars neare to the Caspian sea Nogai The possession of three bretherne The kynges called Sawolhenses A maruelous frute lyke a lambe Wandeuile Barnacles of the Orkeneys Barack Soltan Cathay Nouogradia Suecia vnder the kyng of Denmarke Dwina Potiwlo Hygh mountaynes neare the north Ocean Finlappia The wylde Lappians The region of Nortpoden The cape called the holy nose A whyrlpoole oâ— swalowing goulfe Such whyrlepooles are cauled vipers The stone called Semes Superstition Sacrifice to the stone Semes The cape Motka The castel of wardhus The region of the wylde Lappones Dront Iourneying on Sleades How the Harts draw Sleades Twentye leagues in one day The citie of Berges in Norway A shorter iourney Rostowe Pereaslaw Castromow Vuolochda Sucâ—ana Dwina Hafnia Koppenhagen Liuonia Werst is almost an Italian myle Paulus Iouius Ryuers fallyng into the frosen sea wynde Ise. I se of many yâ—eres The sea Baltheum Where the Sunne falleth not in .xl. days The wyld Lappones are tributares to the Moscouites Furres and fyshe Expert archers Good felowshyp Necessarie wares No vse of mony Theyr cotages Mountaynes continually burnyng The ryuer Petzora The beast called Mors. The prouidence of nature The frosen sea Engreonland or greonland Iiar I would reade Mair that is in the Sarasen language mixt of Turkish Egiptian February interpreted by them the moneth to set shyps to the sea A werst is theyr myle and is three quarters of an Englyshe myle Media nowe called Sharuan Armenians Christians A marueylous long wall builded by great Alexander The magnificence of Abdalaca kyng of Media Haukyng and huntyng The Turkes Ambassadours resist maister Ienkinson Great holinesse in shooes Christians called Frankes The Turkes sonne beheaded Christians Georgians Hasell Nuttes Casbin The kynges Concubines How straungers are vsed Haly A goodly and well grounded religion Theyr opinion of Christ. Theyr money Theyr bookes and learnyng Such was the lawe of the Macedons for Treason Dissention for religion Shauing Theyr pryestes and preaching Theyr Lent Abstinence froÌ„ wyne but not from drunkennes Theyr saintes and holy men Pilgrimage Theyr prayer and worshiping of God and Mahumet Washyng and outward clenlenesse Their swearing The kynges magnificence Pursiuantes The kynges companie with his wyues and concubines A very Sardanapalus The succession of the kyngdome Mariage Circumcisâ—on Theyr houses maner of eateyng Bond men bond women Women bougth solde and let to hire Abundance of Oyle ishuing out of the ground Oleum Petroleum Two sortes of Kyne Foxes in great plentie Abraham Oâ—tilius Tamerlanes Thamurlanes Tamburlanes or Tamurthlam Georgians Christians Contention for religion betweene Turkes and Persians Persians Turkes Anno. do 1280. Phison is thought to be Ganges Sarasins that is Mahumetans Abraham Ortelius Babilon of Chaldea and not of Egypt Tauris or Teueris Ismael they pronounce Smael Mortus Ali. Enukes or gelded men Londro London The Venetians trafique in England English cloths carses fyne wool Busor men be they that forsake theyr faith and receyue the religion of Mahumet Kyssell Bashe are the gentlemen that weare red cappes The commoditie which Englishe merchants may haue by the trade into Persia. Oxen and kyne beare burdens Ambision Africa The coast of Guinea Tunes Bugia Tripoli Numidia Ilandes of Tunes Malta The desartes of Libia Barbarie Mauritania The kinkdoms of Fes and marrocko Tremisen Oram Massaquiber Salla Azamor The Ilandes of Canarie Guinea Ethiopians Marrocko Fes Tremisen Guinea Africa the great Affricke the leasse Carthage Prester Iohn Cape de Buona Speranza The sea of sande Alcair From whence the queene of Saba came Manicongni The earthly Paradice The trees of the Sunne and Moone The Primrose The Lion The Moone Pinteado Brasile Guinea The flatteryng of fortune The Ilandes of Madera A galeon of the kyng of Portugale The Castell of Mina The Ilandes of Canarie The Ilande of S. Nicolas Guinea The ryuer of Sesto Graynes The thirst of golde The Castell of Mina The quantitie of golde Benin Pepper Furie admitteth no counsayle The Rossia Rottyng heate Scorchyng heate Benin Francisco Nicolas Lamberte The kyng of Banin his courte Reuerence towarde the kyng The communication betweene the kyng of Benin and our men Pepper The kynges gentelnesse towarde our men The disorder and death of our men The death of wyndan Pinteado euyll vsed of the maryners This Lambart was a LoÌ„dener borne whose father had been Lorde mayre of London and this Lambart sometyme a knyght of the rodes one as he was vnmaried so he liued in the feare of God and was the fyrst of that order that forsoke the Pope and claâ—e to Gods holy worde The death of Pinteado Seuen hundred reis are .x. s. Alcayre is halfe a bushell The I le of Madera The I le of palmes Teneriffa The Canaries From Madera