Selected quad for the lemma: father_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
father_n	king_n	prince_n	son_n	18,335	5	5.4465	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06339	A report of the kingdome of Congo, a region of Africa And of the countries that border rounde about the same. 1. Wherein is also shewed, that the two zones torrida & frigida, are not onely habitable, but inhabited, and very temperate, contrary to the opinion of the old philosophers. 2. That the blacke colour which is in the skinnes of the Ethiopians and Negroes &c. proceedeth not from the sunne. 3. And that the Riuer Nilus springeth not out of the mountains of the Moone, as hath been heretofore beleeued: together with the true cause of the rising and increasing thereof. 4. Besides the description of diuers plants, fishes and beastes, that are found in those countries. Drawen out of the writinges and discourses of Odoardo Lopez a Portingall, by Philippo Pigafetta. Translated out of Italian by Abraham Hartwell.; Relatione del reame di Congo. English	Lopes, Duarte.; Pigafetta, Filippo, 1533-1604.; Hartwell, Abraham, b. 1553.; Rogers, William, b. ca. 1545, engraver. aut	1597 (1597)	STC 16805; ESTC S108820	127,173	219

arrowes and their other weapons as we told you when we spake of the Bramas They make great store of cloth of the Palme trees whereof wee made mention before but these are lesser and yet very fine They haue greate aboundance of Kine and of other cattell before named They are in Religion Pagans their apparell after the fashion of the people of Congo They maintaine warre with their bordering neighbours which are the Anzichi and the inhabitants of Anzicana when they enterprise warre against the Anzichi then they craue aide of the people of Congo and so they remaine halfe in freedome and halfe in daunger of others They worship what they list and hold the Sunne for the greatest God as though it were a man and the Moone next as though it were a woman Otherwise euery man chooseth to himselfe his owne idol and worshippeth it after his owne pleasure These people would easily embrace the Christian Religion For many of them that dwell vpon the borders of Congo haue beene conuerted to Christendome and the rest for want of Priestes and of such as should instruct them in true religion do remaine stil in their blindnes Chap. 11. Of the third Prouince called Sundi THis Prouince of Sundi is the neerest of all to the Citty of Congo called Citta di San-Saluatore the Citty of Saint Sauiours and beginneth about 40. miles distant from it and quite out of the territory thereof and reacheth to the riuer Zaire and so ouer the same to the other side where the Caduta or Fall is which wee mentioned before and then holdeth on vpwardes on both sides towards the North bordering vpon Anzicana and the Anzichi Towardes the South it goeth along the said riuer Zaire vntill you come to the meeting of it with the Riuer Bancare and all along the bankes thereof euen to the rootes of the mountaine of Christall In the bounds of the Prouince of Pango it hath her principall Territory where the Gouernour lyeth who hath his name from the Prouince of Sundi and is seated about a daies iourney neere to the Fall of the Riuer towardes the South This Prouince is the chiefest of all the rest and as it were the Patrimony of all the kingdome of Congo and therefore it is alwaies gouerned by the Kinges eldest Sonne and by those Princes that are to succeede him As it fell out in the time of their first Christian King that was called Don Iohn whose eldest sonne that was Gouernour here succeeded him and was called Don Alfonso And euer sithence the Kinges of Congo haue successiuely continued this custome to consigne this Gouernement to those Princes which are to succeede in the kingdome As did the king that nowe is called Don Aluaro who was in this Gouernment before Don Aluaro the King his father died and was called Mani-Sundi And here by the way you must note that in all the Kingdome of Congo there is not any person that possesseth any proper goodes of his owne whereof hee may dispose and leaue to his heyres but all is the Kinges he distributeth all offices all goodes and all landes to whomsoeuer it pleaseth him Yea and to this law euen the Kinges owne sonnes are subiect So that if any man do not pay his tribute yearely as hee ought the King taketh away his Gouernement from him and giueth it to another As it happened to the king that now liueth who at the time that Signor Odoardo was at the Courte being of his owne nature very liberall and bountifull beyond measure and one that bestowed much vpon his seruants could not discharge those impositions that the king had layed on him Whereupon he was by the king depriued of his reuenews of his gouernement and of his royall fauour that is to say in that language hee was Tombocado as we will declare more at full in the seconde part of this discourse Many Lords there are that are subiect to the Gouernour or Sundi The people do trafficke with their neighbour Countries felling and bartering diuers things As for example falt clothes of sundry colours brought from the Indies and from Portingale and Luma●●●●● to serue for their coine And for these commodities they doo exchaunge cloth of Palme trees and Iuory and the skinnes of Sables and Marternes and certaine girdles wrought of the leaues of Palme trees which are greatly esteemed in those partes There groweth in these countries great store of Christall and diuers kinds of mettall but Iron they loue aboue all the rest saying that the other mettalles are to no vse for with Iron they can make kniues and weapons and hatchers and such like instruments that are necessary and profitable for the vse of mans nature Chap. 12. Of the fourth Prouince called Pango THe Prouince of Pango in auncient time was a free kingdome that was gouerned of it selfe bordereth on the North vppon Sundi on the South vpon Batta on the West vpon the Countie of Congo and on the East vpon the mountaines of the Sunne The principal Territory where the Gouernours dwelling is hath the same name that the Prouince hath viz. Pango It standeth vpon the Westerne side of the Riuer Barbela and in olde time was called Pangue-lungos and in time afterwardes the worde was corrupted and chaunged into Pango Through the middest of this Prouince runneth the riuer Berbela which fetcheth his originall from the great Lake whence the riuer Nilus also taketh his beginning and from another lesser Lake called Achelunda and so dischargeth it selfe into Zaire And although this be the least Countrey of all the rest yet doth it yeeld no lesse tribute then the rest This Prouince was conquered after the Countrey of Sundi and made subiect to the Princes of Congo and is now all one with it both in speech and manners neither is there any difference at all betweene them The present Gouernour thereof is called Don Francesco Mani-Pango and is descended from the most auncient nobilitie of all the Lordes of Congo and in all consultations touching the State he is sent for because he is nowe an olde man and of great wisedome For hee hath remained in the gouernment of this region for the space of fiftie yeares and no man euer complained of him neither did the king at any time take his gouernement from him The trafficke of this Prouince is like the trafficke of Sundi Chap. 13. Of the fift Prouince called Batta THe boundes of this Prouince are towards the North the Countrey of Pango on the East it taketh quite ouer the Riuer Barbela and reacheth to the Mountaines of the Sunne and to the foote of the Mountaines of Sal-Nitre And on the South from the said Mountains by a line passing through the meeting of the riuers Barbela and Cacinga to the mountaine Brusciato that is to say Scorched Within these boundes is Batta contayned and the Principall Cittie where the Prince dwelleth

the Lorde of Batta already fighting with a formall Armie But at the arriual of the king the enemies yeelded and submitted themselues to the obedience which before they performed and so he returned in triumph to the Cittie of Congo and the Prince his son with him who presently was desirous to become a Christian and was christened by the name of the first Prince of Portingall called Alfonso and with him also were christened many gentlemen and Caualieros and other of his seruantes that came with him out of his Prouince But see the Deuill once againe the vtter enemy of Christian Religion howe hee prosecuted his former intent to hinder Christianitie among these people For when hee perceyued that hee preuayled nothing by these wars he incensed the mind of the Kings second Son that hee woulde not agree to receiue the new Keligion which his Father his Mother his Brother so many other Lords had imbraced sowing his Cockle Darnel not onely in him but also in many other Lordes that fauoured him who being addicted rather to the sensualitie of the flesh then the puritie of the minde resisted the Gospel which beganne now to be preached especially in that Commaundement wherein it is forbidden that a man should haue any mo wiues but one A matter that among them was more harde and difficult to be receyued then any other Commandement whatsoeuer because they were vsed to take as many wiues as they would And thus the two brethren being diuided betweene themselues eyther of them did stiffly maintaine his seuerall opinion The eldest brother Don Alfonso did with great feruencie defende Christianitie burned all the Idoles that were within his Prouince The second brother called Mani-Pango because he was Gouernour of the Countrey of Pango did resist it mightely and had gotten the greatest part of the principall Lordes of Pango to bee on his side For there were diuers of the newe christned Lordes whose Ladies seeing themselues seperated and forlorne of their Husbande-Lordes by force of the Christian Lawe did take it as a great iniury and scorne done vnto them and blasphemed and cursed this new Religion beyond all measure These Lords vnited themselues together with others and began to plot treachery against Don Alfonso hoping that if they could ridde him out of the world the Christian Faith would vtterly cease of it selfe And therefore Mani-Pango and his complices gaue intelligence to his Father that the Prince Don Alfonso fauoured the Christian faction onely to the end that vnder the colour of his countenance and fauour they might rayse an insurrection and rebellion against him and so driue him out of his kingdome The king gaue credite to their informations and depriued his sonne of the Gouernement wherein hee was placed But the prouidence of God which reserued him for a greater matter did relieue him by the good mediation and counsell of his frendes who entreated the King his Father that he would not be moued to anger before he had examined the answeres reasons of the Prince his sonne Wherein the Kinge was especially perswaded by Mani-Sogno who as we tolde you was before christened and called Don Emanuel and by good happe was in Court at that present This man being the auncientest Courtier and Lorde of that time singularly well beloued of the king and all his people did with sound reasons and dexterity of wit procure the king to reuoke the sentence that was giuen against the Prince Don Alfonso so that the Kinge being afterwardes throughly informed both of the honest mind and actions of his sonne perceiued that the accusations plotted against him were false and malicious and therevpon restored him againe to his former gouernement with a speciall charge that hee shoulde not proceed with such rigour against the Gentiles for the propagation exaltation of the christian Religion But he being full of feruent charity and godly spirit ceased not for all that to aduance the faith of the Gospell and to put the commandements of God in execution Chap. 3. Don Iohn the first Christian King being dead Don Alfonso his sonne succeeded Of his warres against his Brother Of certaine miracles that were wrought and of the Conuersion of those people NOw together with the death of the king there was also published the succession to the Crowne of Don Alfonso being then present who in his owne person did accompanie the corps of his deade Father to the buriall withall the Lords of the Court and all the Christian Portingalles which was solemnised after the manner of Christendome with seruice and prayers for the dead and all this with such funerall pompe as was neuer seene before among those people But they which heretofore were aduersaries to this newe King doubting of their owne safetie if they should remaine in the Court vnited themselues with Mani-Pango who was nowe departed into the Prouince of his owne Gouernment and while his father liued was wholly employed in fighting against the Mozombi and certaine other people that had rebelled against him When he heard of the death of his Father and vnderstoode that his brother was already placed in the Seate Royall he tooke truce with his enemies and gathering together a great armie beganne to go in armes against his Brother and lead with him almost all the whole Realme which in deed fauoured him to the number of two hundred thousande men King Alfonso awaited his comming at the Royall Cittie with a very small number sauing that he was directed aduised and assisted by the good auncient Lord Mani-Sogno who vniting himselfe vnto him in the strength and vertue of the holy Christian Faith and making a list of all those armed frends that he had to defend him against so great an enemy found by computation that they did not amount to the number of ten thousand among which there were but about one hundred Christians naturall of that Countrey besides some few Portingalles which by chance arriued there at that time All these people were indeed too few for such an encounter and therefore not very resolute to abide any attempt but became very doubtfull and timorous by reason of the great power that Mani-Pango brought with him But the king trusting confidently in his strong faith and in the Celestiall aide and assistance comforted and strengthened his souldiers by all the meanes he could and so did the good olde Lorde his vncle who ceased not both night and day with words and deeds to encourage that smal number which they had to expect and endure the assaults of their aduersaries with all manhoode and courage assuring them that God would bee their helpe and succour Thus while they attended the procedinges of their enemies Mani-Pango and his forces set forwardes to the besieging of the Cittie with so great a noise of warlicke instrumentes and cries and shoutinges and terrible threatninges that the poore fewe which were in the Cittie aswel Christians as others fainted in

is likewise called Batta In auncient time it was called Aghirimba but afterwardes the word was corrupted and it is now called Batta It was in old time a very strong and a great Kingdome voluntarily of it selfe without any war it ioyned it selfe with the kingdome of Congo peraduenture because there was some dissention among their Lords and therefore it hath more preheminence then the rest of the Prouinces of the kingdome of Congo in priuiledges and liberties For the Gouernment of Batta is alwaies assigned to one that is of the bloode of the Kings of that countrey at their choise and pleasure hauing no more respect to one then to another so that he be of the stocke and bloud Royall neyther to the eldest sonne nor to the second Neither yet goeth this Gouernement by inheritaunce but the king of Congo as is told you before doth dispose it at his own pleasure to whō he thinketh best to the end they shold not vsurpe it by way of succession or by rebellion Hee dwelleth neerer the king then any other Gouernour or Lorde of the kingdom of Congo is the secōd person therin neither may any man gainsay his arguments reasons as they may any of the rest for it is so decreede among them Nowe if the line of the king of Congo should chaunce to faile so that there were none of that blood to succeed the succession shall fall vpon the gouernour of Batta Hee that now gouerneth there is called Don Pedro Mani-Batta Sometimes he eateth at the kinges owne table but yet in a baser seat then the kinges seat is and that also not sitting but standing which is not graunted to any other Lord of Congo no nor to the sons of the king himselfe His Court and his traine is little lesse then the Court traine of the king of Congo For he hath Trompets and Drummes and other instrumentes going before him as becommeth a Prince and by the Portingalles he is commonly called the Prince of Batta because as it is said if the succession shoulde faile in the bloode of the kinges of Congo the empire of the whole kingdome must light vpon some one of this stocke Hee doth holde continuall warres with the Pagans that border vpon him and hee is able to gather together about 70. or 80. thousand fighting men And because hee doth still mayntaine warre with the people that are next him he hath liberty graunted vnto him to entertaine Arcubusiers that shall bee of his owne naturall subiectes For the king of Congo will not suffer any other Gouernour of any other Prouinces nor any of their children to haue any Arcubusiers that are borne within their Countrey but onely the Portingalles Signor Odoardo demaunding once of the King why he did not giue leaue to his other Gouernours to retaine shot about them the King aunswered that if peraduenture they should rebell against him with a thousand or two thousande Arcubusiers he should not haue any possibility to make them resistance And forasmuch as wee haue told you that the King hath graunted licence onely to the prince of Batta to entertaine Arcubusiers in his owne countrey it is fitte you should vnderstand that hee doth it vpon very necessary occasion For towardes the East of Batta beyond the mountaines of the Sunne and of Sal-Nitre vpon the bankes of the East and West of the riuer Nilus in the borders of the Empire of Mohenhe-Muge there liueth a nation which by the people of Congo are called Giaquas but in their own language they are called Agag Very fierce they are and warlicke much giuen to fight and pillage and make continuall inroades into the Countries neere adioyning and sometimes among the rest into the Prouince of Batta So that this Countrey must needes be in continuall Armes and stande vpon good guarde and maintaine Arcubusiers to defende themselues from them The Prince of Batta hath many Lordes vnder him and the naturall people of this Prouince are called Monsobos and their language is well vnderstoode by the inhabitants of Congo They are farre more rude and rusticall then the Moci-Conghi and the slaues that are brought from thence doo proue more obstinate and stubborne then those that come from other Countries Their trafficke is the same that the trafficke of the other countreyes are whereof we haue last intreated And the profite which the king receyueth from Batta amounteth to double asmuch as he receiueth out of any two of the other Prouinces before mentioned Chap. 14. Of the sixt and last Prouince called Pemba THe Prouince of Pemba is seated in the heart and middle of the Kingdome of Congo compassed and comprised within the boundes before described whose Goueruernour is called Don Antonio Mani-Pemba seconde sonne to King Don Aluaro that dead is and brother to the king that raygneth at this present And forasmuch as his father did loue him dearely he assigned vnto him this Gouernement because he knew not what better thing to giue him sauing the Realme it selfe which in deed he would willingly haue bestowed on him for that he was more like vnto him in quality nature then his eldest son was But it would not be by reason of the lawe of the Kingdome which wold not haue yeelded therevnto This countrey is the very Center and middest of all the state of Congo and the originall of all the auncient Kings and the Territorie where they were borne and the chiefe and principall seat of all the other Prouinces and Principalities And therefore the chiefe and royall Citty of all that Empire is assigned to this Prouince whereof we will heareafter deliuer you a full information The Gouernour of Pemba dwelleth in a Territorie of the same name situate at the foote of the Scorched Mountaine along the Riuer Loze which riseth out of the Lake and runneth through the Region of Bamba into the sea The Courtiers and Lordes and seruitors belonging to the king of Congo haue their goods and possessions and reuenewes in this Prouince because it is neerest to the Court very conuenient for the conueighing of their victuailes and their other stuffe vnto the Court Some of these Lordes in that parte specially that bordereth vpon the aforesaid Prouince of Bamba haue much a doo to keep fight and defende themselues from the people of Quizama because they are neerest vnto them For this people as wee tolde you did rebell against the king of Congo and reuolted from him and doe professe that they will bee at libertie and gouerned of themselues And here will we end the first booke which consisteth of the description of the kingdome of Congo in generall and of his borders and in particular of all the sixe Prouinces thereof Now it remayneth that wee proceede forwarde to the second booke Wherein we will treate of the situation of the Cittie of Congo and of the Territorie therevnto belonging of the first christening of the king

no mans life so that hauing diuided themselues into seuerall armies they ruled and gouerned sometimes in one Prouince and sometimes in another ouer all the kingdome With this persecution did God generally afflict and chastize all the inhabitantes of the saide Kingdome of Congo the King himselfe the Lordes the people the Portingalles and their Clergie euery one in their degree and calling As for the poore people they went wandring like vagabondes ouer all the Countrey and perished for hunger and want of necessaries And for the Kinge with those that followed him and had saued themselues in the Islande they also because the Isle was very little and the multitude great were oppressed with so terrible a scarsitie of victuailes that the most part of them dyed by famine and pestilence For this dearth so increased and meate arose to so excessiue a rate that for a very small pittance God wot they were faine to giue the price of a slaue whome they were wont to sell for tenne Crownes at the least So that the Father was of necessitie constrayned to sell his owne sonne and the brother his brother and so euery man to prouide his victuailes by all manner of wickednesse The persons that were solde for the satisfying of other mens hunger were bought by the Portingal Marchants that came from S. Thomas with their ships laden with victuailes Those that sold them said they were slaues and those that were solde iustified and confirmed the same because they were desirous to be ridde of their greedie torment And by this occasion there was no small quantity of slaues that were borne in Congo solde vpon this necessitie and sent to the Isle of S. Thomas to Portingall among whome there were some of the bloud Royall and some others principall Lordes By this affliction the King did manifestly learne know that all these great miseries and aduersities abounded for his misdeedes and although he was not much punished with hunger because hee was a King yet he did not escape the cruel infirmitie of the Dropsie that made his legges to swell exceedingly which disease was engendred partely by the ayre and very ill diet and partely by the moystnesse of the Islande and so it accompanied him euen vntill his death But in the meane while being stricken to the hart with these misfortunes and calamities he conuerted and turned to God requiring pardon for his offences and doing pennance for his sinnes and then was counselled and aduised by the Portingalles that he shoulde sende to request succours of the King of Portingall by certayne Embassadours that might recount vnto him all the mischiefes which had lighted vpon him This Embassage was accordingly performed at the same time that the K. Don Sebastiano began his raign who with great speed and kindnesse sent him succours by a Captaine called Francesco di Gouea a man well exercised in diuers wars both in India and also in Africa who lead with him sixe hundred Souldiers and many Gentlemen Aduenturers that did accompany him Chap. 6. The King of Portingall sendeth aide and an Embassadour to the King of Congo The knowledge of the Mettall mines which abound in Congo is denyed the King of Portingall At the same time the King of Congo dispatcheth Embassadours to the King of Spaine to request Priestes of him what befell vnto them He sendeth diuers proofes of the Mettalles The vow of Odoardo Lopes THis Captayne Francesco di Gouea carried with him a commandement from his Kinge that the Islande of Saint Thomas shoulde prouide him ships and victuails and whatsoeuer els was requisite for this enterprise And with this prouision hee arriued at the last in the Isle of Horse where the King of Congo was resident In whose company the Portingalles departing from thence gathering together all the men of warre in that Countrey with all speed possible put themselues onwardes against their aduersaries and fought with them sundry times in plaine battell so that at the ende of one yeare and a halfe they restored the King into his former estate Which victory they atchieued in deede by the noyse and force of their Arcubuses for the Giachi are exceedingly afraid of that weapon rather then by the valour and strength of their souldiers And so they were in spight of their teeth driuen out of the Realme of Congo but few of them there were that returned home againe to see their frendes But the Portingall Captaine stayed there for the space of foure yeares to settle the King in his Kingdome and then returned into Portingall with letters of request to his King that hee woulde sende ouer some moe Priestes to vpholde and maintaine the Christian Religion Howbeit a number of Portingalles that came by shippe with him remained behinde him in these Countries and are at this daye become very rich and wealthie men And the King being thus established in his former degree and the Kingdome all in quyet and peace became a very good Christian and married the Ladie Catarina who is yet aliue by whom he had fower daughters and by certaine Maide-seruants which he kept two sonnes and one daughter And because in those regions the weomen doe not succeede there remayned as heyre of his kingdome his elder sonne called also Don Aluaro who liueth at this day During the time that the foresaide Captaine stayed in Congo the King of Portingall Don Sebastiano vnderstanding that there were in that Kingdome diuers Caues and Mines of Siluer of Golde other Mettalles sent thether two persons that were cunning and skilful in that Arte for therein they had serued the Castilians in the West to make search for them and to drawe some profite thereof But the King of Congo was by a certaine Portingall called Francesco Barbuto that was his Confessour and great familiar perswaded to the contrary that he should not in any case suffer those Mines to be discouered signifying vnto him that thereby peraduenture the free enioying and possession of his Kingdome might by little and little be taken quite from him and therefore aduised him that he woulde cause these skilfull Maisters to bee ledde and guided by some other wayes where hee knewe there were no Mettall-Mynes to be founde which he did accordingly But assuredly it grew afterwardes to a great mischiefe that the King would not suffer this Arte of digging and melting of mettalles so greatly esteemed ouer all Europe to be exercised in Congo For therevpon beganne the great trade and trafficke in that Countrey to cease and the Portingall Marchants did not greatly care for venturing thether or dwelling there any more and so consequently very few Priestes resorted among them So that aswell vpon these occasions as also for other such causes afore rehearsed the Christian Religion waxed so colde in Congo that it wanted verye little of being vtterly extinguished But the King Don Aluaro as it hath beene tolde you after all these mighty afflictions laid

the Ocean From the mouth of this riuer all along the sea coast stretcheth the kingdome of Sofala vnto the Riuer Cuama which is so called of a certaine castel or fortresse that carryeth the same name and is possessed by Mahometans and Pagans but the Portingalles call it The mouthes of Cuama because at the entry into the sea this riuer diuideth it self into seauen mouthes where there are fiue speciall Islandes besides diuerse others that lie vp the riuer all very full and wel peopled with Pagans This Cuama commeth out of the same Lake and from the same springs from whence Nilus floweth And thus the Kingdome of Sofala is comprised within the saide two Riuers Magnice and Cuama vpon the sea coast It is but a smal Kingdome and hath but few howses or townes in it The chiefe and principall head whereof is an Islande that lyeth in the riuer called Sofala which giueth the name to all the whole Countrey It is inhabited by Mahometans and the King himselfe is of the same secte and yeeldeth obedience to the Crowne of Portingall because he will not be subiecte to the Empire of Monomotapa And therevpon the Portingalles there doo keepe a Forte in the mouth of the riuer Cuama and doo trade in those Countryes for Golde and Iuory and Amber which is founde vppon that Coast and good store of slaues and in steede thereof they leaue behinde them Cotton-Cloth and Silkes that are brought from Cambaia and is the common apparell of those people The Mahometans that at this present do inhabite those Countries are not naturally borne there but before the Portingals came into those quarters they trafficked thether in small barkes from the Coast of Arabia Foelix And when the Portingalles had conquered that Realme the Mahometans stayed there still and nowe they are become neyther vtter Pagans nor holding of the secte of Mahomet From the shoars and Coast that lyeth betweene the two foresaide riuers of Magnice and Cuama within the land spreadeth the Empire of Monomotapa where there is verye great store of Mines of Golde which is carryed from thence into all the regions thereaboutes and into Sofala and into the other partes of Africa And some there be that wil say that Salomons Golde which he had for the Temple of Ierusalem was brought by sea out of these Countreyes A thing in truth not very vnlikely For in the Countries of Monomotapa there doe remain to this day many ancient buildings of great worke and singular Architecture of Stone of Lime and of Timber the like whereof are not to be seene in all the Prouinces adioyning The Empire of Monomotapa is very great and for people infinite They are Gentiles and Pagans of colour blacke very couragious in warre of a middle stature and swift of foote There are many Kinges that are vassalles and subiectes to Monomotapa who doe oftentimes rebell and make warre against him Their weapons are bowes and arrowes and light dartes This Emperour maintayneth many Armies in seuerall Prouinces deuided into Legions according to the vse and custome of the Romanes For being so great a Lord as he is he must of necessitie be in continuall warre for the maintenance of his estate And among all the rest of his souldiers the most valorous in name are his Legions of women whom he esteemeth very highly and accounteth them as the very sinewes and strength of his military forces These women do burne their leaft pappes with fire because they should bee no hinderaunce vnto them in their shooting after the vse and manner of the auncient Amazones that are so greatly celebrated by the Historiographers of former prophane memories For their weapons they practise bowes and arrowes They are very quicke and swift liuely and couragious very cunning in shooting but especially and aboue all venturous and constant in fight In their battelles they vse a warlike kind of craft and subtiltie For they haue a custome to make a shew that they would flie and runne away as though they were vanquished and discomfited but they wil diuers times turne themselues backe and vexe their enemies mightely with the shot of their arrowes And when they see their aduersaries so greedie of the victory that they beginne to dispearse and scatter themselues then will they suddenly turne againe vpon them and with great courage and fiercenes make a cruell slaughter of them So that partely with their swiftnes and partely with their deceitful wiles and other cunning shifts of warre they are greatly feared in all those partes They doo inioy by the Kinges good fauour certayne Countries where they dwell alone by themselues and sometimes they choose certaine men at their owne pleasure with whom they doo keepe company for generations sake So that if they doo bring forth Male-children they sende them home to their fathers housen but if they be female they reserue them to themselues and breed them in the exercise of warfare The Empire of this Monomotapa lyeth as it were in an Islande which is made by the Sea-coast by the Riuer Magnice by a peece of the Lake from whence Magnice floweth and by the Riuer Cuama It bordereth towardes the South vpon the Lordes of the Cape of Good-Hope before mentioned and Northwarde vpon the Empire of Moenemugi as by and by shall be shewed vnto you But now returning to our former purpose that is to say to runne forwardes vpon the sea-coast after you haue passed ouer some parte of the Riuer Cuama there is a certaine little Kingdom vpon the sea called Angoscia which taketh the name of certaine Islandes there so called and lie directly against it It is inhabited with the like people both Mahometans and Gentiles as the Kingdome of Sofala is Marchaunts they are and in small vesselles doo trafficke along that coast with the same wares and commodities wherewith the people of Sofala doo trade A little beyonde suddenly starteth vp in sight the Kingdome of Mozambique situate in fourteene degrees and a halfe towardes the South and taketh his name of three Islands that lie in the mouth of the Riuer Meghincate where there is a great hauen and a safe and able to receiue all manner of shippes The Realme is but small and yet aboundeth in all kind of victuailes It is the common landing place for all vesselles that sayle from Portingall and from India into that Countrey In one of these Isles which is the chiefe and principall called Mozambique and giueth name to all the rest as also to the whole kingdome and the hauen aforesaide wherein there is erected a Fortresse guarded with a garrison of Portingalles wherevpon all the other Fortresses that are on that Coast doo depende and from whence they fetch all their prouision all the Armadas and Fleetes that sayle from Portingall to the Indies if they cannot finish and performe their voyage will go and winter I say in this Island of Mozambique and those that

their harts and failed in their courage and came and presented themselues before the king saying that hee had not power enough to resist so power-full an enemie and therefore they thought it better for him to growe to some concorde and composition and to abandon the new Religion which hee had lately begun to professe to the ende hee might not fall into the handes of his cruell aduersaries But the king being resolute and full of religious constancie reproued their cowardise and called them dastardes and base people and willed them if they had any mind or desire to forsake him go to the enemie that they should so doe As for himselfe and those few that would follow him hee did not doubt but assuredly trust though not with the possibilitie or strength of man yet with the fauour of God to vanquish and ouercome that innumerable multitude And therefore he would not request them eyther to ioyne with him or to put their liues in hazarde against his aduersaries for his sake but onely they might rest themselues and expect the issue that shoulde followe thereon But they for all this speech became neuer a whit the more couragious but rather waxed more timorous were vtterly determined to forsake the king and to saue themselues Now they were scarse out of the Cittie and on their way homewardes when by great good fortune they met with the good old Lord Mani-Sogno who with some few of his followers had beene abroade to surueigh the enemies Campe and to make prouision for such thinges as were necessary in such an action To him they declared all that they had before declared to the King That they thought it to bee a point of expresse madnesse to put their liues and goods in daunger with so fewe people against an infinite multitude and that without all doubt it were a safer way to compounde with the enemie and so saue themselues The good Lorde with great pietie and Christian valour aunswered them that they should not so quickly fall into dispaire but as the king had tould them before they should looke vpon Iesus Christ the Sauiour of the worlde whose faith and religion they had so lately and with so great zeale gayned and purchased who also most assuredly and vndoubtedly would succour and defend those that were his And so entreated them that they woulde not like rash headed people chaunge their mindes from that holy doctrine which they had with such feruency of late receyued adding moreouer that they had not to fight with a straunge nation nor with a people that came from farre Countries but with their owne kinsmen and countreymen so that they might alwaies haue opportunity if need so require to yeelde themselues and in all frendship and kindnesse to bee embraced Behold I pray you saith Mani-Sogno mine age now arriued to a hundred yeares and yet I beare armes for the zeale and defence of the Religion that I haue entred and for the homage and honour that I owe to my king And you that are in the flower of your yeares do you shew your selues to be so base and feareful and vnfaithfull to your owne narurall king If algates you be not minded to fight your selues yet incourage your vassals and subiects and doo not dismay them Let vs expect the first encounter of the enemie and therevpon we shall not want fit occasion to take some other course and prouide for our safetie With these comfortable wordes the Lords recouered their spirites that were quailed and returned backe with him to seeke the king who was in the Church at his prayers beseeching God to sende him helpe and succour They waited for him vntill he came forth and then kneeled downe vpon their knees before him requesting pardon for their fault and want of dutie which they had shewed vnto him being their Prince in that they would haue forsaken him when he was in this extreame daunger and promising that they would put on a new and constant courage for the defence of him and of the law and religion which they had receyued and that they would fight for the same euen vntill death But the king who perceyued well that this comfort and helpe came from God himselfe first gaue him hartie thanks secretly from the bottome of his hart and vowed that he would sacrifice himselfe for the maintenance of his faith and Gospell And then with a cheerefull countenance he saide I doe beleeue Lord that thy greatnes is infinite and that thou canst doo all thinges and canst make of little much and of much little whensoeuer it pleaseth thee Neyther do I any thing doubt but that thou wilt yeeld aide to this my weakenes and assist the same with thine inuincible force so that through thy gracious fauour with these few and weake persons I shall become the conquerour not onely of this armie but also of a farre greater if it should come against me And I promise thee O my God besides that which I haue already spoken that I will all the dayes of my life promote and exalt thy true faith thy holy name and thy most holesome doctrine In testimony and memory of which his confession he did presently cause a Crosse to bee planted erected in the middest of the market place right against the Church which his father had builded This Crosse was of a wonderful length for it was fourescore span long and the Crosse-barre in proportion aunswerable therevnto Nowe the eternall God who knew the faith from whence this vow of the good king did proceed vouchsafed to comfort him with a celestiall vision which was a very cleere and admirable light At the shining whereof hee cast himselfe vpon his knees and wept and lifted vp his handes and eyes to heauen but spake not a word for that hee was ouercome with teares and sighes and wholly rauished in spirite But that which he himselfe saw was seene of no body els neyther woulde hee euer publish the same to any man All those that were in his company did euen as he did and for a while lost the sight of their eyes and by reason of that miraculous light remayned in a traunce At the last euery man lifted vp his eyes and perceyued that there were imprinted on him fiue Swordes very bright and cleere which for the space almost of an houre continued vnmoueable as it were in a circle but all they could neyther vnderstand nor expounde what was the meaning thereof The fiue Swordes the King tooke for his armes as is to be seene in his Signet Royall which hath beene vsed euer sithence that time yea euen by the Kinge that nowe liueth and raigneth The Crosse also that was thus planted by vowe is to be seene in the same place wherein it was erected at the front of the Church which Church was called Saint Crosses of the Crosse there planted and of the miracle that there appeared This Crosse the last King that

dead is Don Aluaro father to the King that now is renewed and made another of the same bignes that the first was of in remembraunce of such a miracle For the old Crosse was in time decaied and consumed and quite fallen downe The aforesaid vision did greatly confirme the minds of the Cittizens which before were quailed and did wonderfully appall and fully terrifie the enemies when they vnderstood the news thereof Notwithstanding Mani-Pango sent vnto the King signified vnto him and to all the rest that were with him that if they did not incontinently yeelde themselues and deliuer the Cittie vnto him and create and sweare him for their King and withall abandon and relinquish their newe Christian Religion he would put them all to the edge of the sworde but if they would so do hee woulde freely pardon them Herevnto the Lordes that stood on the Kinges parte answered that they were most ready to die in defence of their Prince and of the Christian Faith But in particular the King sent him this message that he nothing feared his terrible threates but rather as his kind brother was very sory euen from his hart to see that he walked in darkenes and strayed out of the way of light that the kingdome did by law belong vnto him and was not fraudulently vsurped by him And that the Religion which he had receyued was assuredly deliuered him from God who no doubt woulde protect and maintaine him therein And withall besought him that he would estraunge himselfe from his false beliefe and worshipping of the Deuill wherein he had beene nourished and brought vp and that he wold be baptized for so hee shoulde become the childe of God and mertie the Glorie Celestiall Then the King sent to fetch his iewelles and other rich ornamentes of housholde which he had at home and the better to encourage these Lordes that tooke his part hee most graciously distributed them amongst them all wherewith they remayned very greatly satisfied and bounde themselues to prosecute his enterprise and to followe his ensigne with a most ardent courage This being done the very same night the one halfe almost of the base people that were in armes being surprised with a very great feare did secretly flie into the Campe of Pango and hauing thus reuolted gaue Mani-Pango to vnderstand that the King and all the rest of his retinue were vtterly dismaied and discouraged that euery man was deuising with himselfe how he might escape that they had none other meane to saue themselues but onely by taking the lane that leadeth downe to the Riuer which as wee haue tolde you was distant from the Cittie about the space of a mile At the end of which lane betweene the Riuer and the hill there was a little Moore about two foot deepe on the right hande and on the left hand were the mountaines and the garrisons of Pango that had besieged beset the hill so that there was none other issue for them to escape but onely by passing ouer the Moore which was in length as farre as the shotte of an Arcubuse could reach and as much in bredth and then to come to the Riuer Mani-Pango beleeuing all this that they had related vnto him sent presently to stop that passage with planting sharpe stakes in the bottome of the Moore which were couered with water to the ende that if his enemies shoulde flie in the darke of the night because they would not be seene they shoulde be all staked and taken therein All that night he with all his armie remayned in great ioy and awaited the fresh morning that he might giue the assault vpon the Cittie bethinking himselfe in the meane while what course might be most easie and conuenient for him to attempt the same But Don Alfonso on the other side hauing confessed himselfe and consulted with all the most faithful and loyall frendes that hee had expected his enemie who assuring himselfe of the victorie and hauing now granted all the Cittizens goodes and all the states and Gouernementes of the kingdome to his great Lords about him very earely in the morning with a furious violence gaue assault to the Cittie on that side which is towardes the North where the great and wide plaine restrayning it selfe into a narrow straite entreth as it were into a rounde circle naturally compassed about with certaine hilles and then maketh a large way as broade as a man maye shoote with a Gunne vntill you come to the site or place where the Cittie standeth which is a little plaine of two miles compasse wherein as it hath beene tolde you the Cittie and the Church and the Lordes houses and the kings court are situate In this place did Don Alfonso with those few that he had with him settle himselfe against the Pagans and against his Enemie Brother who before hee coulde confront the Kinge was vtterly discomfited dispearsed and put to flight Wherevppon the king perceyuing that he was ouerthrowne and driuen to runne away was wonderfully amazed not knowing himselfe how this matter came to passe seeing that he had not ioyned battel nor fought with his enemies and therefore must needes thinke that it so fell out by some hidden and secreate meanes to him vnknowne Notwithstanding the day following Mani-Pango returned to the assault in the same place but hee was in the same manner once again discomfited and constrained to flie whereby hee knew assuredly that this his losse and ouerthrow was not occasioned by the valour of his enemies but onely by some miracle So that the people of the Cittie mocking and scorning those Idolaters and taking stomacke vnto them for these two victories thus happened beganne nowe to make no reconing of them and woulde with all violence haue runne vpon them To whome their aduersaries made this aunswere Tush you are not the men that haue thus vanquished vs but it was a certaine faire Lady all in white which with her admirable brightnesse had blindeded vs and a Knight riding vppon a white palfrey that had a redde Crosse vppon his breast and hee it was that fought against vs and turned vs to flight Which when the King vnderstoode he sent to tell his brother that of those two the one was a Virgin the Mother of Christ whose faith he had embraced and the other was S. Iames who both were sent from God to succour and relieue him and that if he also would become a Christian they would likewise shew great grace and fauour vnto him But Mani-Pango would not accept of this message but all the night following did put himselfe in a readinesse to besiege the Cittie vpon both sides at once the one with one part of his Armie at the straite aboue mentioned and the other with another parte of his people himselfe in his owne person compassing about by the lane that ascendeth from the riuer and so in a place vtterly vnprouided of eyther watch or ward he