or shoulders so hard they strooke against vs as if we had beene beaten with stones and cudgels and in this sort they went towards the sea The men women and children remaining at home were gotten vpon the tops or tarrasses of their houses giuing God thankes that the locusts were going away some afore and others followed In the meane while towardes the sea there arose a great cloude with thunder which met them full in the teeth and continued for the space of three howers with much raine and tempest that filled all the riuers and when the raine ceased it was a fearefull thing to behold the dead Locustes which were more then two yardes in height vpon the bankes of the riuers and in some riuers there were mightie heapes of them so that the morning following there was not one of them found aliue vpon the earth The people of the places adioining hearing this came in great numbers to enquire how this matter was effected many of the inhabitants said these Portugals be holy men and by the power of their God they haue killed and driuen away the locusts others saide especially the priests and friers of those places neere about that we were witches and by power of enchantments had driuen away the saide creatures and that for this cause we feared neither lions nor any other wilde beast Three daies after this effect there came vnto vs a Xuum that is a captaine of a place called Coiberia with men priests and friers to request vs that we woulde for the loue of God helpe them saying that they were in a manner destroied by the locustes and that place was a daies iourney off towards the sea They came to vs about euening and at the same instant I and fower other Portugals departed awaie with them we went all night and came thither an hower within daie where we found that all those of the countrey with many of the other places adioining were assembled togither for they were also molested by the locusts And assoone as we were come we went our procession rounde about the land which was seated vpon an high hill from whence we might discerne manie countries and places all yellow by reason of the multitude of locusts Such inuocatious and ceremonies being ended as we performed in the other place we went to dinner the men that were borderers requested vs to goe with them promising vs great rewardes It pleased god that as soon as we had dined we saw all the earth so cleared that there was not soe much as one locust to be seene The people seeing this and not being satisfied with the fauour and grace receiued they requested vs to goe and blesse their possessions for they were yet afraid least the locusts would returne and so wee departed Of the dommage we sawe done in another prouince by the Locustes in two sundrie places Chap. 33. AN other time also we sawe the Locustes being in a towne called Abuguna Prete Ianni sent vs to this towne which is in the kingdome of Angote and distant from Barua where we continued thirtie daies iourney to the ende that there we might be furnished with victuals Being come 〈◊〉 I went with the ambassadour Zagazabo who came into Portugall and fiue Genoueses towards a certain towne a moūtaine called Aguoan we trauailed fiue daies through places all desert destroied which places were sowen with Maiz hauing stalkes as great as those props which we vse about our vines and we might see them all broken and troden vnderfoote as if there had beene a tempest and this had the locusts done Their wheate barley and Taffo da guza were so eaten as it seemed they neuer had beene either tilled or sowne The trees were without leaues and their barkes all gnawne eaten and there was not so much as a spire of grasse for they had deuoured euery thing and if we had not beene aduised and foreseene the same for when we departed we laded our mules with victuals we and our beastes had died togither for hunger The countrey was couered all ouer with winglesse locustes and they saide that those were the seede of them which had deuoured all and that when they had gotten wings they would go seeke out the rest the number of these was so great as I am loath to report bicause I shoulde not perhaps be credited but this I may well affirme that I sawe men women and children sit as it were amazed amongst these locusts and I saide vnto them why sit you thus halfe dead and doe not kill these creatures and so reuenge your selues of the wrong that their fathers and mothers haue done you or at least that those which you kill may be able to doe you no more harme They answered taht they had not the hart to withstand the scourge of God which hee had sent vpon them for their sins And all the people of this place departed hence so that we found the waies full of men and women on foot with their children in their armes and vpon their heads going into other countries where they might finde victuall and it was great pittie to behold them We being in the saide prouince of Abuguna in a place called Aquate there came such swarmes of locustes as were innumerable which one day began to fall vpon the grounde about nine of the clocke in the morning and ceased not while night where they lighted there they staide and then the next day in the morning went away so that at three of the clocke in the afternoone there was not one of them to be seene and in this short time they left the trees vtterly destitute of leaues On the same day and hower there came an other squadron and these left neither tree nor bough vngnawen and eaten and thus did they for fiue daies one after an other they said that those were yoong ones which went to seeke their fathers and they did the like as those we sawe without wings the space that these locustes tooke vp was nine miles for which circuit there remained neither barke nor leaues vpon the trees the countrey looked not as though it had bin burnt but as though it had snowed thereupon and this was by reason of the whitenes of the trees which were pilled bare by the Locustes and the earth was all swept cleane It was Gods will that the haruest was alreadie in wee coulde not vnderstande which way they afterwards went bicause they came from the sea warde out of the kingdome of 〈◊〉 which belongeth to the Moores who are continually in warre as also we coulde by no meanes knowe the ende of their iourney or course Thus much out of Francis 〈◊〉 Of the minerals And first of miner all salt THe greater part of Africa hath none other salt but such as is digged out of quarries mines after the maner of marble or free stone being of a white red and graie colour Barbarie aboundeth with salt and Numidia is indifferently furnished
christall water falling into a cesterne within the porch at each corner of the saide porch standeth the image of a leopard framed of white marble which is naturally adorned with certaine blacke spots this kinde of particoloured marble is no where to be founde but onely in a certaine place of Atlas which is about an hundreth fiftie miles distant from Maroco Not farre from the garden stands a certaine woode or parke walled round about And here I thinke no kinde of wilde beasts are wanting for heere you may behold elephants lions stagges roes and such like howbeit the lions are separated in a certaine place from other beasts which place euen to this day is called The lions den Wherefore such monuments of antiquity as are yet extant in Maroco albeit they are but few do not withstanding sufficiently argue what a noble citie it was in the time of Mansor At this present al the courts and lodgings before described lie vtterly voide and desolate except perhaps some of the kings ostlery which tend his mules and horses do lie in that court which we saide euen now was to lodge archers and crossebowe-men all the residue are left for the fowles of the aire to nestle in That garden which you might haue named a paradise in olde time is now become a place where the filth and dung of the whole citie is cast foorth Where the faire and stately librarie was of old at this present there is nothing else to be founde but hens dooues and other such like foules which builde their nests there Certaine it is that the foresaid Mansor whom we haue so often mentioned was a most puissant and mightie prince for it is well knowen that his dominion stretched from the towne of Messa to the kingdome of Tripolis in Barbary which is the most excellent region of Africa and so large that a man can hardly trauell the length therof in fourescore ten daies or the bredth in fifteene This Mansor likewise was in times past Lord of all the kingdome of Granada in Spaine Yea his dominion in Spaine extended from Tariffa to Aragon ouer a great part of Castilia and of Portugall Neither did this Iacob surnamed Mansor only possesse the foresaid dominiōs but also his grandfather Abdul Mumen his father Ioseph his sonne Mahumet Enasir who being vanquished in the kingdome of Valençia lost 60000. soldiers horsemen footemen howbeit himselfe escaped returned to Maroco The Christians being encouraged with this victorie refrained not from warre till within 30. yeeres space they had woon all the townes following to wit Valençia Denia Alcauro Murcia Cartagena Cordoua Siuillia Iaen and Vbeda After which vnhappie warre succeeded the decay of Maroco The said Mahumet deceasing left behinde him ten sonnes of a full and perfect age who contended much about the kingdome Hereupon it came to passe while the brethren were at discord and assailed each other with mutuall warres that the people of Fez called Marini and the inhabitants of other regions adiacent began to vsurpe the gouernment The people called Habdulvad enioyed Tremizen expelling the king of Tunis and ordaining some other whom they pleased in his stead Now haue you heard the end of Mansor his progenie and successors The kingdome therefore was translated vnto one Iacob the sonne of Habdulach who was the first king of the familie called Marin And at length the famous citie of Maroco it selfe by reason of the Arabians continuall outrages fell into most extreme calamitie so great is the inconstancie of all earthly things That which we haue here reported as touching Maroco partly we saw with our owne eies partly we read in the historie of one Ibnu 〈◊〉 Malich a most exact chronicler of the affaires of Maroco and partly we borrowed out of that treatise which our selues haue written concerning the law of Mahumet Of the towne of Agmet THE towne of Agmet built of old by the Africans vpon the top of a certaine hill which beginneth almost from Atlas is distant from Maroco about fower and twentie miles In times past when Muachidin was prince thereof it contained moe then sixe thousand families at what time the people were very ciuill and had such plentie and magnificence of all things that many would not sticke to compare this towne with the citie of Maroco It had on all sides most 〈◊〉 gardens and great store of vines whereof 〈◊〉 grew vpon the mountaine it selfe and others on the valley By the foote of this hill runneth a faire riuer which springing foorth of Atlas falleth at length into Tensift The field which lieth neere vnto this riuer is said to be so fruitfull that it yeeldeth euery yeere fiftie fold encrease The water of this riuer looketh alwaies white albeit if a man stedfastly behold the said riuer it may seeme vnto him in colour to resemble the soile of Narnia or the riuer Niger of Vmbria in Italie And 〈◊〉 there are which affirme that the very same riuer runneth vnder ground to Maroco and not to breake foorth of the earth till it come to a certaine place very neere vnto the said citie 〈◊〉 princes in times past being desirous to know the hidden and intricate passages of the said riuer sent certaine persons into the hollow caue who the better to discerne the same carried candles and torches with them But hauing proceeded a little way vnder ground there met them such a flaw of winde that blew out their lights and perforce draue them backe to the great hazard of their liues so that they said they neuer felt the like They affirme likewise that the riuer being full of rocks which the water driueth to and fro and by reason of the manifold chanels and streames their passage was altogether hindred Wherefore that secret remaineth vnknowne euen till this day neither is there any man so hardie as to attempt the same enterprise againe I remember that I read in some histories that king Ioseph which built Maroco being forewarned by the coniecture of a certaine astrologer that the whole region should perpetually be vexed with warre prouided by arte-magique that the passage of this riuer should alwaies bee vnknowen least if any enimie should afterward practise 〈◊〉 he might cut off the course thereof from the saide citie Neere vnto this riuer lies the common high way which crosseth ouer mount Atlas to Guzula aregion of Maroco Howbeit the citie of Agmet which I haue now described vnto you hath at this day no other inhabitants but woolues foxes deere and such other wilde beasts Except onely at my being there I found a certaine Hermite who was attended vpon by an hundred persons of his owne sect all of them were well-horsed and did their best endeuour to become gouernours and commanders but their forces were insufficient With this Hermite I staide as I remember for the space of tenne daies and founde one amongst his followers with whom I had old 〈◊〉 and familiaritie
at the confluence or meeting of the riuer last mentioned and the riuer Luiola with a small number of Portugals ioined to the aide sent him from the king of Congo and from certaine princes of Angola his confederates he gaue the foresaid king notwithstanding his innumerable troupes of Negros diuers sundry ouerthrowes The said riuer Coanza springeth out of the lake of Aquelunda situate westward of the great lake whereour Nilus takes his originall In this kingdome are the mountaines of Cabambe abounding with rich and excellent siluer mines which haue ministred the chiefe occasion of all the foresaid warres This region aboundeth also with other minerals and with cattell of all sorts Most true it is that dogs-flesh is heere accounted of all others the daintiest meate for which cause they bring vp and fatten great plentie of dogs for the shambles Yea it hath beene constantly affirmed that a great dogge accustomed to the bull was sold in exchange of two and twentie slaues the value of whom coulde not amount to much lesse then two hundred and twentie ducats The priests of Angola called Gange are helde in such estimation and account as the people are verily perswaded that they haue in their power abundance and scarcitie life and death For they haue knowledge of medicinable hearbes and of deadly poisons also which they keepe secret vnto themselues and by meanes of their familiaritie with the diuell they often foretell things to come Towards the lake of Aquelunda before mentioned lieth a countrey called Quizama the inhabitants whereof being gouerned after the manner of a common wealth haue shewed themselues very friendly to the Portugals and haue done them speciall good seruice in their warres against the king of Angola Thus hauing briefely pointed at the former three bordering countries let vs now with like breuitie passe through the kingdome of Congo it selfe This kingdome therefore accounting Angola as indeede it is a member thereof beginneth at Bahia das vacas in thirteene and endeth at Cabo da Caterina in two degrees and an halfe of southerly latitude True it is that the coast neere vnto the saide Bay of Cowes is subiect to the king of Congo but the inland is gouerned by him of Angola East and west it stretcheth from the sea in bredth as farre as the lake of Aquelunda for the space of sixe hundred miles and is diuided into sixe prouinces namely the prouince of Pemba situate in the very hart and center of the whole kingdome Batta the most easterly prouince where the ancient writers seeme to haue placed Agisymba Pango which bordereth vpon the Pangelungi Sundi the most Northerly prouince Sogno which stretcheth ouer the mouth of the great riuer Zaire and Bamba which is the principall of all the rest both for extension of ground for riches and for militarie forces In the prouince of Pemba or rather in a seuerall territorie by it selfe standeth the citie of Sant Saluador in former times called Banza being the metropolitan of all Congo and the seate of the king situate an hundred and fiftie miles from the sea vpon a rockie and high mountaine on the verie top whereof is a goodly plaine abounding with fountaines of holesome and sweete water and with all other good things which are requisite either for the sustenance or solace of mankinde and vpon this plaine where Sant Saluador is seated there may inhabite to the number of an hundred thousand persons In this citie the Portugals haue a warde by themselues separate from the rest containing a mile in compasse and about that bignes also is the palace or house of the king The residue of the people dwell for the most part scatteringly in villages It is a place enriched by nature with corne cattell fruits and holesome springs of water in great abundance The principall riuer of all Congo called Zaire taketh his chiefe originall out of the second lake of Nilus lying vnder the Equinoctiall line and albeit this is one of the mightiest riuers of all Africa being eight and twentie miles broad at the mouth yet was it vtterly vnknowen to ancient writers Amongst other riuers it 〈◊〉 Vumba and Barbela which spring out of the first great lake In this countrey are sundry other riuers also which fetch their originall out of the lake of Aquelunda the principall whereof are Coanza which diuideth the kingdome of Congo from that of Angola and the riuer Lelunda which breedeth crocodiles water-horses which the Greeks call Hippopotami of which creatures the isle of horses in the mouth of the riuer Zaire taketh denomination The Hippopotamus or water-horse is somewhat tawnie of the colour of a lion in the night he comes on lande to feed vpon the grasse and keepeth in the water all the day time The Africans tame and manage some of these horses and they prooue exceeding swift but a man must beware how he passe ouer deepe riuers with them for they will sodainly diue vnder water Also in these riuers of Ethiopia are bred a kinde of oxen which liue euery night vpon the lande Here likewise breedeth another strange creature called in the Congonian language Ambize Angulo that is to say a hogge-fish being so exceeding fatte and of such greatnes that some of them weie aboue fiue hundred pound This abūdance of waters togither with the heat of the climate which proceedeth from the neerenes of the sunne causeth the countrey to be most fruitfull of plants herbes fruits and corne much more fertile would it be if nature were helped forward by the industrie of the inhabitants Heere also besides goates sheepe deere Gugelle conies hares ciuet-cats and ostriches are great swarmes of tigres which are very hurtfull both to man and beast The Zebra or Zabra of this countrey being about the bignes of a mule is a beast of incomparable swiftnes straked about the body legges eares and other parts with blacke white and browne circles of three fingers broad which do make a pleasant shew Buffles wilde asses called by the Greekes Onagri and Dante 's of whose hard skins they make all their targets range in heards vp and downe the woods Also here are infinite store of elephants of such monstrous bignes that by the report of sundrie credible persons some of their teeth do weigh two hundred pounds at sixteene ounces the pound vpon the plaines this beast is swifter then any horse by reason of his long steps onely he cannot turne with such celeritie Trees he ouerturneth with the strength of his backe or breaketh them between his teeth or standeth vpright vpon his hinder feete to browse vpon the leaues and tender sprigs The she elephants beare their brood in their wombes two yeeres before they bring foorth yoong ones neither are they great with yoong but onely from seuen yeeres to seuen yeeres This creature is saide to liue 150. yeeres hee is of a gentle disposition and relying vpon his great strength he
there are which as men report the inundation of Niger hath left behinde it Neither are the woods of the said regions altogether destitute of Elephants and other strange beastes whereof we will make relation in their due place What naturall impressions and motions the aire of Africa is subiect vnto and what effects ensue thereupon THroughout the greatest part of Barbarie stormie and cold weather begin commonly about the midst of October But in December and Ianuarie the cold groweth somewhat more sharpe in all places howbeit this happeneth in the morning onely but so gently and remissely that no man careth greatly to warme himselfe by the fire Februarie somewhat mitigateth the cold of winter but that so inconstantly that the weather changeth sometime fiue and sometime sixe times in one day In March the north and west windes vsually blowe which cause the trees to be adorned with blossoms In Aprill all fruits attaine to their proper forme and shape insomuch that cherries are commonly ripe about the end of Aprill and the beginning of May_In the midst of May they gather their figs and in mid-Iune their grapes are ripe in many places Likewise their peares their sweete quinces and their damascens attaine vnto sufficient ripenes in the moneths of Iune and Iulie Their figs of Autumne may be gathered in August howbeit they neuer haue so great plentie of figs and peaches as in September By the midst of August they vsually begin to drie their grapes in the sun where of they make reisins Which if they cannot finish in September by reason of vnseasonable weather of their grapes as then vngathered they vse to make wine and must especially in the prouince of Rifa as we will in due place signifie more at large In the midst of October they take in their honie and gather their pomegranates and quinces In Nouember they gather their oliues not climing vp with ladders nor plucking them with their hands according to the custome of Europe for the trees of Mauritania and Caesarea are so tal that no ladder is long ynongh to reach vnto the fruit And therefore their oliues being full ripe they clime the trees beating them off the boughes with certaine long poles albeit they know this kinde of beating to be most hurtfull vnto the saide trees Sometimes they haue great plentie of oliues in Africa and sometimes as great scarcitie Certaine great oliue-trees there are the oliues whereof are eaten ripe by the inhabitants because they are not so fit for oile No yeere falles out to be so vnseasonable but that they haue three monethes in the spring alwaies temperate They begin their spring vpon the fifteenth day of Februarie accounting the eighteenth of May for the ende thereof all which time they haue most pleasant weather But if from the fiue and twentith of Aprill to the fifth of May they haue no raine fall they take it as a signe of ill lucke And the raine-water which falleth all the time aforesaid they call Naisan that is water blessed of God Some store it vp in vessels most religiously keeping it as an holy thing Their summer lasteth till the sixteenth of August all which time they haue most hot and cleere weather Except perhaps some showers of raine fall in Iuly and August which doe so infect the aire that great plague and most pestilent feuers ensue thereupon with which plague whosoeuer is infected most hardly escapeth death Their Autumne they reckon from the 17. of August to the 16. of Nouember hauing commonly in the moneths of August and September not such extreme heate as before Howbeit all the time betweene the 15. of August and the 15. of September is called by them the furnace of the whole yeere for that it bringeth figs quinces and such kinde of fruits to their full maturitie From the 15. of Nouember they begin their winter-season continuing the same till the 14. day of Februarie So soone as winter commeth they begin to till their ground which lieth in the plaines but vpon the mountaines they goe to plough in October The Africans are most certainly perswaded that euery yeere containeth fortie extreme hot daies beginning vpon the 12. of Iune and againe so many daies extreme colde beginning from the 12. of December Their Aequinoctia are vpon the 16. of March and the 16. of September For their Solstitia they account the 16. of Iune and the 16. of December These rules they doe most strictly obserue as well in husbandrie and nauigation as in searching out the houses and true places of the planets and these instructions with other such like they teach their yoong children first of all Many countrie-people and husbandmen there be in Africa who knowing as they say neuer a letter of the booke will notwithstanding most learnedly dispute of Astrologie alleage most profoūd reasons arguments for themselues But whatsoeuer skill they haue in the art of Astrologie they first learned the same of the Latines yea they giue those very names vnto their moneths which the Latines do Moreouer they haue extāt among them a certaine great booke diuided into three volumes which they call The treasurie or storehouse of husbandrie This booke was then translated out of Latine into their toong when Mansor was Lord of Granada In the said Treasurie are all things contained which may seeme in any wise to concerne husbandrie as namely the changes and varietie of times the maner of sowing with a number of such like particulars which I thinke at this day the Latine toong it selfe whereout these things were first translated doth not containe Whatsoeuer either the Africans or the Mahumetans haue which seemeth to appertaine in any wise to their law or religion they make their computation thereof altogether according to the course of the moone Their yeere is diuided into 354. daies for vnto sixe moneths they allot 30. daies and vnto the other sixe but 29 all which being added into one summe doe produce the number aforesaid wherefore their yeere differeth eleuen daies from the yeere of the Latines They haue at diuers times festiuall daies and fasts About the ende of Autumne for all winter and a great part of the spring they are troubled with boisterous windes with haile with terrible thunder and lightening yea then it snoweth much in some places of Barbarie The easterne southerne and southeasterne windes blowing in May and Iune doe very much hurt there for they spoile the corne and hinder the fruit from comming to ripenes Their corne likewise is greatly appaired by snow especially such as falleth in the day-time when it beginneth to flower Vpon the mountaines of Atlas they diuide the yeere into two parts onely for their winter continueth from October to Aprill and from Aprill to October they account it summer neither is there any day throughout the whole yeere wherein the tops of those mountaines are not couered with snowe In Numidia the yeere runneth away very swiftly for they reape their
in the midst thereof most cleere and coole fountaines This towne is enuironed on all sides with rockes and mightie woods In the said towne are Iewes of all occupations and so me there are which affirme that the first inhabitants of this towne came by naturall descent from King Dauid but so soone as the Mahumetan religion had infected that place their owne lawe and religion ceased Heere are great store of most cunning lawyers which are perfectly well seene in the lawes and constitutions of that nation for I remember that I my selfe sawe a very aged man who could most readily repeate a whole volume written in their language called by them Elmudevuana that is to say the body of the whole lawe The said volume is diuided into three tomes wherein all difficult questions are dissolued together with certaine counsels or commentaries of a famous author which they call 〈◊〉 They haue a kinde of tribunall or iudgement-hall wherein all contentions happening betweene the citizens of this place and their neighbour-cities are presently decided and set through Neither doe the said lawyers deale onely in common-wealth matters but also in cases pertaining to religion albeit in criminall cases the people doe not so greatly credit them for indeede their learning little serueth them for that purpose Being amongst them it was my hap to soiourne in the house of a certaine lawyer who was a man of great learning This lawyer to the end he might giue me more solemne entertainmēt would needs inuite diuers learned men of his owne profession to beare vs companie at supper After supper we had many questions propounded and amongst the residue this was one namely Whether any man might iustly sell that person for a bondflaue who is nourished by any commoditie of the people There was in companie at the same time a certaine aged Sire hauing a graue beard and a reuerend countenance vnto whom each one of them ascribed much honour him they called in their owne language Hegazzare Which name when I had heard thrice or fower times repeated I demanded of some that were in presence what was the true signification thereof They told me that it signified a butcher for say they as a butcher knoweth right well the true anatomy of euery part of a beast euen so can this aged Sire most learnedly dissolue all difficult questions doubts of lawe This people leadeth a most miserable and distressed life their foode is barlie bread oile arganicke and goates-flesh They know no vse of any other graine but barlie Their women are very beautifull and of a louely hue their men be strong and lustie hauing haire growing vpon their brestes and being very liberall and exceeding iealous Of Culeihat Elmuridin that is to say The rocke of disciples a castle of Hea. THis Culeihat Elmuridin is a castle built vpon the top of a certaine high mountaine hauing round about it diuers other mountaines of a like heighth which are enuironed with craggie rocks and huge woods There is no passage vnto this castle but onely a certaine narrow path vpon one side of the mountaine By the one side thereof stands a rocke and vpon the other side the mountaine of Tesegdelt is within halfe a mile and it is distant from Eitdeuet almost eighteene miles This castle was built euen in our time by a certaine apostata or renouncer of the Mahumetan religion called by them Homar Seijef who being first a Mahumetan preacher vnto the people propounded vnto a great number of disciples and sectaries whom he had drawen to be of his opinion certaine new points of religion This fellow seeing that he preuailed so with his disciples that they esteemed him for some petie-god became of a false preacher a most cruell tyrant and his gouernment lasted for twelue yeeres He was the chiefe cause of the destruction and ruine of the whole prouince At length he was slaine by his owne wife because he had vnlawfully lien with her daughter which she had by her former husband And then was his peruerse and lewd dealing laide open vnto all men for he is reported to haue beene vtterly ignorant of the lawes and of all good knowledge Wherefore not long after his decease all the inhabitants of the region gathering their forces togither slew euerie one of his disciples and false sectaries Howbeit the nephew of the said apostata was left aliue who afterward in the same castle endured a whole yeeres siege of his aduersaries and repelled them insomuch that they were constrained to depart Yea euen vntill this day he molesteth the people of Hea and those which inhabite neere vnto him with continuall warre liuing vpon robberie and spoile for which purpose he hath certaine horsemen which are appointed to watch and to pursue trauellers sometimes taking cattel and sometimes men captiues He hath likewise certaine gunners who although trauellers be a good distance off for the common high way standeth almost a mile from the castle will put them in great feare Howbeit all people doe so deadly hate him that they will not suffer him to till one foote of ground or to beare any dominion without the said mountaine This man hath caused his grandfathers body to be honorably buried in his castle suffering him to be adored of his people as if he were a god Passing by that way vpon a certain time I escaped their very bullets narrowly The life religion manners of the foresaid Homar Seijef I perfectly learned by a disciple of his hauing at large declared the same in a certaine briefe treatise which I haue written concerning the Mahumetan religion Of Igilingigil a towne of Hea. MOreouer the Africans in olde time built a certaine towne vpon an hill called by the inhabitants Igilingigil being distant from Eitdeuet about six miles southward and containing almost fower hundred families In this towne are sundry artificers employing themselues onely about things necessarie to the ende they may make their best gaine aduantage thereby Their ground is most fertile for barlie as likewise they haue great abundance of honie and of oile Arganicke The passage or way vnto this citie is very narrow lying onely vpon one side of the hill And it is so hard and difficult that horses cannot without great labour and perill goe vpon it The inhabitants are most valiant people and wel exercised in armes maintaining continuall warre against the Arabians and that for the most part with very prosperous successe by reason of the naturall and strong situation of the 〈◊〉 A more liberall people then this you shall hardly find They generally exercise themselues in making of earthen pots and vessels which I thinke none of their neighhours thereabout can doe Of Tefethne a port and most famous mart-towne of Hea. NEere vnto the Ocean sea standeth a citie most strong both for situation and building commonly called Tefethne being westward of Ingilingigil about fortie miles They say that this towne was built by certaine Africans and that it
which are chosen by lots howbeit their gouernment lasteth for sixteene moneths onely The riuer of Sus is distant three miles from hence Here dwell many Iewes which are most cunning goldsmiths carpenters and such like artificers They haue a verie stately temple and many priests and doctors of the lawe which are maintained at the publike charge Euery munday great numbers of Arabians both of the plaines and of the mountaines come hither to market In the yeere of the Hegeira 920. this citie of their owne accord yeelded themselues into the hands of the Seriffo and here the common councell of the whole region was established Of the citie of Tagauost IN all Sus there is no citie comparable vnto that which is commonly called Tagauost for it containeth aboue eight thousand housholdes the wall thereof is builte of rough stones From the Ocean it is distant about threescore miles and about fiftie miles southward of Atlas and the report is that the Africans built this citie About ten miles from this place lieth the riuer of Sus here are great store of artificers and of shops and the people of Tagauost are diuided into three parts They haue continuall ciuill wars among themselues and one part haue the Arabians alwaies on their side who for better pay will take parte sometime with one side and sometime with the contrarie Of corne and cattell heere is great abundance but their wooll is exceeding course In this citie are made certaine kindes of apparell which are vsually carried for merchandize once a yeere to Tombuto to Gualata and to other places in the lande of Negros Their market is twise euery weeke their attire is somewhat decent and comely their women are beautifull but their men are of a tawnie and swart colour by reason they are descended of blacke fathers and white mothers In this citie such carrie the greatest authoritie and credit as are accounted the richest and the mightiest I my selfe remained heere thirteene daies with the Seriffo his 〈◊〉 chancellour who went thither of purpose to buie certaine 〈◊〉 for his Lord in the yeere of the Hegeira 919. which was in the yeere of our Lord 1510. Of the mountaine of Hanchisa THis mountaine beginneth westward from Atlas and from thence stretcheth almost fortie miles eastward At the foote of this mountaine standeth Messa with the residue of the region of Sus. The inhabitants of this mountaine are such valiant footmen that one of them will encounter two horsemen The soile will yeeld no corne at all but barly 〈◊〉 hony there is in great abundance With snowe they are almost at all times troubled but how patiently and strongly they can endure the colde a man may easily gesse for that the whole yeere throughout they weare one single garment onely This people my Lord the Seriffo attempted often to bring vnder his subiection howbeit he hath not as yet preuailed against them Of the mountaine of Ilalem THis mountaine beginneth westward from the mountaine aforesaid on the east it abutteth vpon the region of Guzula and southward vpon the plaines of Sus. The inhabitants are valiant hauing great store of horses They are at continuall warre among themselues for certaine siluer mines so that those which haue the better hande digge as much siluer as they can and distribute to euery man his portion vntill such time as they be restrained from digging by others The situation and estate of the region of Maroco THis region beginneth westward from the mountaine of Nefisa stretching eastward to the mountaine of Hadimei and northward euen to that place where the most famous riuers of Tensift and Asfinual meete togither that is to say vpon the east border of Hea. This region is in a manner three square being a most pleasant countrey and abounding with many droues and flockes of cattell it is greene euery where and most fertile of all things which serue for foode or which delight the senses of smelling or seeing It is altogither a plaine countrey not much vnlike to Lombardie The mountaines in this region are most colde and barren insomuch that they will bring foorth nought but barly Wherefore according to our former order beginning at the west part of this region we will proceed in our description eastward Of Elgihumuha a towne of Maroco VPon that plaine which is about seuen miles distant from Atlas and not farre from the riuer of Sesseua standeth a towne called by the inhabitants Elgihumuha which was built as they suppose by the Africans A while after it was brought vnder the subiection of certaine Arabians about that verie time when the family of Muachidin aforesaid began to reuolt from the kingdome And at this day the ruines and reliques of this towne can scarce be seene The Arabians which now dwel thereabout do sow so much ground onely as to supply their owne necessities and the residue they let lye vntilled and fruitles Howbeit when the countrey thereabout was in flourishing estate the inhabitants payed yeerely vnto the Prince for tribute 100000. ducates and then this towne contained aboue sixe thousand families Trauelling that way I was most friendly entertained by a certaine Arabian and had good experience of the peoples liberality sauing that I heard of some that they were most trecherous and deceitfull Of the castle of Imegiagen THe castle of Imegiagen is built vpon the top of a certaine hil of Atlas being so fortified by naturall situation that it neither hath nor needeth any wall It standeth southward of Elgihumuha as I take it 25. miles This castle was in times past vnder the iurisdiction of the noble men of that region vntill such time as it was taken by one Homar Essuef an apostata from the Mahumetan religion as we will afterward declare The said Homar vsed such monstrous tyrannie in that place that neither children nor women big with childe could escape his crueltie insomuch that he caused the vnborne infants to bee ripped out of their mothers wombes and to be murthered This was done in the yeere of the Hegeira 900 and so that place remained destitute of inhabitants In the yeere 920. of the Hegeira the said region began to be inhabited anew howbeit now there can but one side of the mountaine onely be tilled for the plaine vnderneath is so dangerous both by reason of the daily incursions of the Arabians and also of the Portugals that no man dare trauell that way Of the towne of Tenessa VPon a certaine hill of Atlas named Ghedmin standeth a towne which was built as some report by the ancient Africans and called by the name of Tenessa being a most strong and defensible place and being distant about eight miles eastward from the riuer of Asifinuall At the foote of the said hill lieth a most excellent plaine which were it not for the lewd 〈◊〉 Arabians would yeeld an incomparable crop And because the inhabitants of Tenessa are depriued of this 〈◊〉 commoditie they till onely that ground which is vpon the side of
the mountaine and which lieth betweene the towne and the riuer Neither doe they enioy that gratis for they yeerely pay vnto the Arabians for tribute the third part of their corne Of the new towne of Delgumuha VPon the top of a certaine high mountaine was built in our time a most large and impregnable forte being enuironed on all sides with diuers other mountaines and called by the inhabitants New Delgumuha Beneath the said mountaine springeth Asifinuall which word signifieth in the African toong the riuer of rumor because that breaking foorth by the side of the hill with a monstrous noise it maketh a most deepe gulfe much like vnto that which the Italians call Inferno di Tivoli The said forte containeth almost a thousand families It was sometime gouerned by a certaine tyrant which came thither out of the king of Maroco his court Here may you finde great store of soldiers both horsemen and fooremen They gather yeerely tribute of the people bordering vpon Atlas to the summe of a thousand crownes They haue alwaies had great league and familiaritie with the Arabians each of whom haue accustomed to salute and gratifie the other with mutuall gifts for which cause they haue oftentimes much prouoked the kings of Maroco against them They haue alwaies beene great louers of ciuilitie and haue worne neat and decent apparell neither shall you find any corner in the whole towne which is not well peopled In this towne are plentie of artificers for it is but fiftie miles from the citie of Maroco Vpon the said mountaine there are great store of gardens and orchards which yeeld the inhabitants abundancè offruit yeerely They reape likewise barlie hempe and cotton and their goates are almost innumerable Likewise they haue many priests and iudges but as touching their mindes they are ignorant froward and exceedingly addicted to ielousie In this towne I aboad certaine daies with a kinsman of mine who while he dwelt at Fez being impouerished with extreme studie of Alchimie was constrained to flee vnto this towne where in processe of time he became Secretarie vnto the gouernour Of the citie of Imizmizi VPon a certaine part of Atlas standeth a citie called Imizmizi Westward it is distant from new Delgumuha about fourteene miles and this citie the Arabians are reported to haue built Neere vnto this citie lieth the common high way to Guzula ouer the mountaines of Atlas being commonly called Burris that is A way strowed with feathers because snow falles often thereupon which a man would thinke rather to be feathers then snow Not far from this towne likewise there is a very faire and large plaine which extendeth for the space of thirtie miles euen to the territorie of Maroco This most fertile plaine yeeldeth such excellent corne as to my remembrance I neuer saw the like Sauing that the Arabians and soldiers of Maroco doe so much molest the said plaine countrie that the greater part thereof is destitute of inhabitants yea I haue heard of many citizens that haue forsaken the citie it selfe thinking it better to depart then to be daily oppressed with so many inconueniences They haue very little money but the scarcitie thereof is recompenced by their abundance of good ground and their plentie of corne In the time of my aboad with them I went vnto a certaine Hermite which they called Sidi Canon which famous and woorthie man gaue me such friendly entertainment as I cannot easily expresse Of the three townes of Tumelgast THese three townes called by the name of Tumelgast are situate vpon a plaine about thirtie miles from Maroco and fourteene miles northward of Atlas being replenished with palme-trees vines and all other trees that beare fruit Their fields are very large and fertill were they not continually wasted by the lewd Arabians So few are the inhabitants of these three townes that I thinke there are not in all aboue fifteene families all which are ioined in affinitie and kinred vnto the foresaid hermite for which cause they are permitted to till some part of that plaine without paying of any tribute vnto the Arabians Saue onely that they entertaine the Arabians when they trauell that way Their lowly and base habitations a man would take rather to be hogs-cotes then dwelling places for men hence it is that they are so continually vexed with fleas gnats and other such vermine Their water is exceeding salt This prouince also I perused in the companie of my deere friend Sidi 〈◊〉 who went thither to gather vp the tribute of the countrie on the behalfe of the king of Portugall This Sidi was appointed gouernour ouer all that circuit which is called by them Azafi Of the towne of Tesrast THis towne is situate vpon the banke of the riuer Asifelmel It standeth westward of Maroco fourteen miles about twētie miles from Atlas Round about this towne they haue diuers gardens enclosures abounding with dates and corne and the chiefe part of the inhabitants earne their liuing with gardening Howbeit sometimes the increase of their riuer is so great that it drowneth all their gardens and corne-fields And they are by so much the more miserable in regard that the Arabians all summer-time doe possesse the whole region deuouring all things which the poore husbandmen by their great care and industrie had prouided With these people I made no longer tarrying but onely till I could haue well baited my horse howbeit in that short time I hardly escaped with life and goods from certain Arabian theeues A most exact description of the great and famous citie of Maroco THis noble citie of Maroco in Africa is accounted to be one of the greatest cities in the whole world It is built vpon a most large field being about fourteene miles distant from Atlas One Ioseph the sonne of Tesfin and king of the tribe or people called Luntuna is reported to haue beene the founder of this citie at that very time when he conducted his troupes into the region of Maroco and setled himselfe not farre from the common high way which stretcheth from Agmet ouer the mountaines of Atlas to those deserts where the foresaid tribe or people doe vsually inhabite Here may you behold most stately and woonderfull workmanship for all their buildings are so cunningly and artificially contriued that a man cannot easily describe the same This huge and mighty citie at such time as it was gouerned by Hali the sonne of king Ioseph contained moe then 100000. families It had fower and twenty gates belonging thereto and a wall of great strength and thicknes which was built of white stone and lime From this citie the riuer of Tensift lieth about sixe miles distant Here may you behold great abundance of temples of colleges of bath-stoues and of innes all framed after the fashion and custome of that region Some were built by the king of the tribe of Luntuna and others by Elmunchidin his successor but the most curious and magnificent temple of all is that
in the midst of the citie which was built by Hali the first king of Maroco and the son of Ioseph aforesaid being commonly called the temple of Hali ben Ioseph Howbeit one Abdul-Mumen which succeeded him to the ende he might vtterly abolish the name of Hali and might make himselfe onely famous with posteritie caused this stately temple of Maroco to be razed and to bee reedified somewhat more sumptuously then before Howbeit he lost not onely his expences but failed of his purpose also for the common people euen till this day doe call the said Temple by the first and auncientest name Likewise in this citie not farre from a certaine rocke was built a Temple by him that was the seconde vsurper ouer the kingdome of Maroco after whose death his nephew Mansor enlarged the saide Temple fiftie cubites on all sides and adorned the same with manye pillars which he commanded to be brought out of Spaine for that purpose Vnder this temple he made a cesterne or vault as bigge as the temple it selfe the roofe of the saide temple he couered with lead and at euery corner he made leaden pipes to conueigh raine water into the cesterne vnderneath the temple The turret or steeple is built of most hard and well framed stone like vnto Vespasian his Amphitheatrum at Rome containing in compasse moe then an hundreth elles and in height exceeding the steeple of Bononia The staires of the said turret or steeple are each of them nine handfuls in bredth the vtmost side of the wall is ten and the thicknes of the turret is fiue The saide turret hath seauen lofts vnto which the staires ascending are very lightsome for there are great store of windowes which to the ende they may giue more light are made broader within then without Vpon the top of this turret is built a certaine spire or pinnacle rising sharpe in forme of a sugar-loafe and containing fiue and twentie elles in compasse but in height being not much more then two speares length the saide spire hath three lofts one aboue another vnto euerie of which they ascend with woodden ladders Likewise on the top of this spire standeth a golden halfe moone vpon a barre of iron with three spheares of golde vnder it which golden spheares are so fastened vnto the saide iron barre that the greatest is lowest and the least highest It woulde make a man giddie to looke downe from the top of the turret for men walking on the grounde be they neuer so tall seeme no bigger then a childe of one yeere old From hence likewise may you plainly escrie the promontorie of Azaphi which notwithstanding is an hundreth and thirtie miles distant But mountaines you will say by reason of their huge bignes may easily be seene a farre off howbeit from this turret a man may in cleere weather most easily see fiftie miles into the plaine countries The inner part of the saide temple is not very beautifull But the roofe is most cunningly and artificially vaulted the timbers being framed and set togither with singular workmanship so that I haue not seene many fairer temples in all Italy And albeit you shall hardly finde any temple in the whole worlde greater then this yet is it very meanly frequented for the people do neuer assemble there but onely vpon fridaies Yea a great part of this citie especially about the foresaid temple lieth so desolate and void of inhabitants that a man cannot without great difficultie passe by reason of the ruines of many houses lying in the way Vnder the porch of this temple it is reported that in old time there were almost an hundreth shops of sale-bookes and as many on the other side ouer against them but at this time I thinke there is not one booke-seller in all the whole citie to be founde And scarcely is the third part of this citie inhabited Within the wals of Maroco are vines palme-trees great gardens and most fruitefull corne-fields for without their wals they can till no ground by reason of the Arabians often inrodes Know yee this for a certaintie that the saide citie is growen to vntimely decay and old age for scarcely fiue hundreth sixe yeeres are past since the first building thereof forasmuch as the foundations thereof were laide in the time of Ioseph the sonne of Tesfin that is to say in the 424. yeere of the Hegeira Which decay I can impute to none other cause but to the iniurie of continuall warres and to the often alterations of magistrates and of the common wealth After king Ioseph succeeded his sonne Hali and the sonne of Hali was ordained gouernour after his fathers decease In whose time sprung vp a factious crue by the meanes of a certaine Mahumetan preacher named Elmaheli being a man both borne brought vp in the mountaines The saide Elmaheli hauing leuied a great army waged warre against Abraham his soueraigne Lord. Whereupon king Abraham conducting another armie against him had marueilous ill successe and after the battaile ended his passage into the citie of Maroco was so stopped and restrained that he was forced with a fewe soldiers which remained yet aliue to flee eastward to the mountains of Atlas But Elmaheli not being satisfied with expelling his true soueraigne out of his owne kingdome commaunded one of his captaines called Abdul Mumen with the one halfe of his armie to pursue the distressed king while himselfe with the other halfe laide siege to Maroco The king with his followers came at length vnto Oran hoping there to haue renued his forces But Abdul Mumen and his great armie pursued the saide king so narrowly that the citizens of Oran told him in plaine termes that they would not hazard themselues for him Wherefore this vnhappie king beeing vtterly driuen to dispayre set his Queene on horsebacke behinde him and so in the night time road foorth of the citie But perceiuing that he was descried and knowen by his enimies he fled foorthwith vnto a certaine rocke standing vpon the sea-shore where setting spurs to his horse-side he cast himselfe his most deere spouse and his horse downe headlong and was within a while after found slaine among the rockes and stones by certaine which dwelt neere vnto the place Wherefore Abdul Mumen hauing gotten the victorie returned in triumphant manner toward Maroco where the foresaide Elmaheli was deceased before his comming in whose place Abdul was chosen King and Mahumetan prelate ouer the fortie disciples and tooke tenne persons to be of his priuie councell which was a new inuention in the law of Mahumet This Abdul Mumen hauing besieged the citie of Maroco for the space of an whole yeere at last ouercame it and killing Isaac the onely sonne of King Abraham with his owne hand he commaunded all the soldiers and a good part of the citizens to be slaine This mans posteritie raigned from the fiue hundred sixteenth to the sixe hundred sixtie eight yeere of the Hegeira and at length they were
and thickets At last being enuironed with the kings forces some of them were drowned in the riuer others were throwne downe headlong from the rocks and the residue were miserably slaine by their enemies And for the space of ten moneths there was such hauock made among the Temesnites that a sillie remnant of them was left aliue But king Ioseph prince of the Luntunes returned foorthwith to Maroco for the repairing of his forces to the end he might bid the king of Fez a battell Howbeit Temesne being bereft of her people was left to be inhabited of wilde beastes Neither had that prouince any new colonie or supply of inhabitants till that about 150. yeeres after king Mansor returning from Tunis brought thence certaine Arabians with him vnto whom he gaue the possession of Temesne And these Arabians enioyed the said prouince for fiftie yeeres till such time as king Mansor himselfe was expelled out of his kingdome and then were they also expolled by the 〈◊〉 and were brought vnto extreme miserie Afterward the kings of the familie of Marin bestowed the said prouince vpon the people of Zenete and Haoara Hence it came to passe that the said people of Zenete and Haoara were alwaies great friends vnto the Marin familie and were thought to haue defended them from the furie of the king of Maroco From which time they haue peaceably enioyed Maroco now they are growne in lesse then an hundred yeeres so mighty that they stand not in feare of the king of Fez. For they are able to bring threescore thousand horsemen to the field and haue two hundred castles at their command My selfe had great familiaritie and acquaintance with them and therefore I will not sticke to record all memorable things which I sawe among them Of Anfa a towne in Temesna THis famous towne was built by the Romans vpon the Ocean sea shore northward of Atlas sixtie eastward of Azamursixtie and westward of Rebat fortie miles The citizens thereof were most ciuill and wealthie people the fields thereto adioyning are exceeding fruitfull for all kinde of graine neither doe I thinke that any towne in all Africa is for pleasant situation comparable thereto The plaine round about it except it be to the sea northward is almost fowerscore miles ouer In olde time it was fraught with stately temples rich ware-houses and shops and beautifull palaces which the monuments as yet remaining doe sufficiently testifie They had also most large and faire gardens out of which they gather great abundance of fruit especially of melons and pome-citrons euen at this day all which are perfectly ripe by mid-Aprill So that the inhabitants vsually carrie their fruits vnto Fez by reason that the fruits of Fez are not so soone ripe Their attire is trim and decent and they haue alwaies had great traffique with the Portugals and the English Likewise they haue many learned men among them Howbeit two reasons are alleaged of the destruction of this towne first because they were too desirous of libertie and secondly for that they maintained certaine gallies or foistes wherewith they daily molested the Island of Cadiz and the Portugals Wherefore at length the king of Portugall sent a strong nauie of fiftie sailes against them the consideration whereof strooke such terrour into the inhabitants that taking such goods as they could carrie fome fled to Rebat and others to Sela and so their towne was left naked to the spoile of the enemie But the Generall of the kings fleete not knowing that they were fled put all his forces into battell-array Howbeit after a while being aduertised how the matter stood he conducted his soldiers into the citie which in one daies space they so defaced burning the houses and laying the walles euen with the ground that vntill this day it hath remained voide of inhabitants My selfe being in this place I coulde scarce refraine from teares when I seriously beheld the miserable ruine of so many faire buildings and temples whereof some monuments are as yet extant The gardens albeit they bring foorth some fruit yet are they more like vnto woods then gardens And now by reason of the king of Fez his weaknes and default this place is fallen into so great desolation as I vtterly despaire that euer it will be inhabited againe Of the citie of Mansora THis towne was built by Mansor the king and Mahumetan patriarke of Maroco vpon a most pleasant field being two miles distant from the Ocean sea fiue and twenty miles from Rebat and fiue and twenty from Anfa it contained in times past almost fower hundred families By this towne runneth a certaine riuer called by the inhabitants Guir on both sides whereof in times past were most beautifull gardens but now there are no fruits at all to be found For vpon the surprize of Anfa the inhabitants of this towne fled vnto Rebat fearing least they also should haue beene assailed by the Portugals Howbeit the wall of this towne remained all whole sauing that the Arabians of Temesne brake it downe in certaine places This towne also I could not but with great sorrow behold for easie it were to repaire it and to furnish it with new inhabitants if but a few houses were saued from ruine but such is the malice of the Arabians thereabout that they will suffer no people to reedifie the same Of the towne of Nuchaila THis little towne called by the inhabitants Nuchaila is built almost in the midst of Temesne It was well peopled in times past and then so long as the foresaid Chemim and his successours bare rule there were fayres yeerely holden whereunto all the inhabitants of Temesne vsually resorted The townesmen were exceeding wealthie for the plaines stretched almost fortie miles right foorth from each side of their towne I red as I remember in a certaine storie that they had in times past such abundance of corne as they would giue a camels burthen thereof for a paire of shooes Howbeit when king Ioseph of Maroco destroied all the region of Temesne this towne was laid waste together with all the townes and cities of the same prouince howbeit at this day certaine fragments thereof are to be seene namely some partes of the towne-wall and one high steeple Here also in the large and pleasant gardens you may see many vines and trees planted which are so olde and sear that they yeeld no fruit at all The husbandmen thereabout hauing finished their daies worke doe lay vp their rakes and other such countrey tooles in the said steeple supposing that by vertue of a certaine holy man which lieth there buried no man dare remooue them out of their place I haue often seene this towne as I trauelled betweene Rebat and Maroco Of the towne of Adendum THis towne was situate among certaine hils almost fifteene miles from mount Atlas and fiue and twenty miles from the towne last named The soile neere vnto it is exceeding fruitfull for corne Not farre from the walles thereof
iurisdictions An hundred and fowerscore yeeres after there fell out great dissension and ciuill warre betweene these two cities which by report continued an hundred yeeres together At length Ioseph king of Maroco of the Luntune-familie conducting an huge armie against both these princes tooke them prisoners carried them home vnto his dominions and put them to a most cruell death And he so vanquished the citizens that there were slaine of them thirtie thousand Then determined king Ioseph to reduce those two townes into firme vnitie and concord for which cause making a bridge ouer the riuer and beating downe the walles of either towne right against it he vnited both into one which afterward he diuided into twelue regions or wardes Now let vs make report of all such memorable things as are there to be seene at this day A most exact description of the citie of Fez. A World it is to see how large how populous how well-fortified and walled this citie is The most part thereof standeth vpon great and little hils neither is there any plaine ground but onely in the midst of the citie The riuer entreth the towne in two places for it is diuided into a double branch one whereof runneth by new Fez that is by the south side of the towne and another commeth in at the west side And so almost infinitely dispersing it selfe into the citie it is deriued by certaine conducts and chanels vnto euery temple college inne hospitall and almost to euery priuate house Vnto the temples are certaine square conducts adioined hauing celles and receptacles round about them each one of which hath a cocke whereby water is conueied through the wall into a trough of marble From whence flowing into the sinks and gutters it carrieth away all the filth of the citie into the riuer In the midst of each square conduct standeth a lowe cesterne being three cubites in depth fower in bredth and twelue in length and the water is conueied by certaine pipes into the foresaid square conducts which are almost an hundred and fiftie in number The most part of the houses are built of fine bricks and stones curiously painted Likewise their bay-windowes and portals are made of partie-coloured bricke like vnto the stones of Majorica The roofes of their houses they adorne with golde azure and other excellent colours which roofes are made of wood and plaine on the top to the end that in summer-time carpets may be spred vpon them for here they vse to lodge by reason of the exceeding heate of that countrie Some houses are of two and some of three stories high whereunto they make fine staires by which they passe from one roome to another vnder the same roofe for the middle part of the house is alwaies open or vncouered hauing some chambers built on the one side and some on the other The chamber-doores are very high and wide which in rich mens houses are framed of excellent and carued wood Each chamber hath a presse curiously painted and varnished belonging thereunto being as long as the chamber it selfe is broad some will haue it very high and others but sixe handfuls in height that they may set it on the tester of a bed All the portals of their houses are supported with bricke-pillers finely plaistered ouer except some which stand vpon pillers of marble The beames and transoms vpholding their chambers are most curiously painted and carued To some houses likewise belong certaine square cesternes containing in bredth sixe or seuen cubites in length ten or twelue and in height but sixe or seuen handfuls being all vncouered and built of bricks trimly plaistered ouer Along the sides of these cesternes are certaine cocks which conuey the water into marbletroughes as I haue seene in many places of Europe When the foresaide conducts are full of water that which floweth ouer runneth by certaine secret pipes and conueiances into the cesternes and that which ouerfloweth the cesternes is carried likewise by other passages into the common sinks and gutters and so into the riuer The said cesternes are alwaies kept sweete and cleane neither are they 〈◊〉 but onely in summer 〈◊〉 when men women and children bathe themselues therein Moreouer on the tops of their houses they vsually build a turret with many pleasant roomes therein whither the women for recreations sake when they are wearie of working retire themselues from whence they may see well-nigh all the citie ouer Of Mahumetan temples and oratories there are almost seuen hundred in this towne fiftie whereof are most stately and sumptuously built hauing their conducts made of marble and other excellent stones vnknowen to the Italians and the chapiters of their pillers be artificially adorned with painting and caruing The tops of these temples after the fashion of Christian churches in Europe are made of ioises and planks but the pauement is couered with mats which are so cunningly sowed together that a man cannot see the bredth of a finger vncouered The walles likewise on the inner side are lined a mans height with such mats Moreouer each temple hath a turret or steeple from whence certaine are appointed with a lowd voice to call the people at their set-time of praier Euery temple hath one onely priest to say seruice therin who hath the bestowing of all reuenues belōging to his owne temple as occasion requireth for thereby are maintained lampes to burne in the night and porters to keepe the doores are paid their wages out of it and so likewise are they that call the people to ordinarie praiers in the night season for those which crie from the said towers in the day-time haue no wages but are onely released from all tributes and exactions The chiefe Mahumetan temple in this towne is called Caruven being of so incredible a bignes that the circuit thereof and of the buildings longing vnto it is a good mile and a halfe about This temple hath one and thirtie gates or portals of a woonderfull greatnes and height The roofe of this temple is in length 150. and in bredth about fowerscore Florentine cubites The turret or steeple from whence they crie amaine to assemble the people togither is exceedingly high the bredth whereof is supported with twentie and the length with thirtie pillers On the east west and north sides it hath certaine walkes or galleries fortie cubites in length and thirtie in bredth Vnder which galleries there is a cell or storehouse wherein oile candles mats and other such necessaries for the temple are laid vp Euery night in this temple are burnt nine hundred lightes for euery arch hath a seuerall lampe especially those which extend through the mid-quire Some arches there are that haue 120. candles apeece there are likewise certaine brasse-candlestickes so great and with so many sockets as they will holde each one fifteene hundred candles and these candlestickes are reported to haue beene made of bels which the king of Fez in times past tooke from Christians About the wals of the
deciding of 〈◊〉 Here is likewise a certaine prison for captiues supported with many pillers and being so large that it will hold as diuers are of opinion three thousand men Neither are there any seuerall roomes in this prison for at Fez one prison serueth for all By this castle runneth a certaine riuer very commodious for the gouernour Of the magistrates the administration of iustice and of the apparell vsed in Fez. IN the citie of Fez are certaine particular iudges and magistrates and there is a gouernour that defineth ciuill controuersies and giueth sentence against malefactors Likewise there is a iudge of the canon law who hath to doe with all matters concerning the Mahumetan religion A third iudge there is also that dealeth about marriages and diuorcements whose authoritie is to heare all witnesses and to giue sentence accordingly Next vnto them is the high aduocate vnto whom they appeale from the sentence of the saide iudges when as they doe either mistake themselues or doe ground their sentence vpon the authoritie of some inferiour doctor The gouernour gaineth a great summe of money by condemning of parties at seuerall times Their manner of proceeding against a malefactor is this hauing giuen him an hundred or two hundred stripes before the gouernour the executioner putteth an iron-chaine about his necke and so leadeth him starke-naked his priuities onely excepted through all partes of the citie after the executioner followes a sergeant declaring vnto all the people what fact the guiltie person hath committed till at length hauing put on his apparell againe they carrie him backe to prison Sometimes it falleth out that many offenders chained together are led about the citie and the gouernour for each malefactor thus punished receiueth one duckat and one fourth part and likewise at their first entrance into the iaile he demaunds of each one a certaine dutie which is paid particularly vnto him by diuers merchants and artificers appointed of purpose And amongst his other liuings he gathereth out of a certaine mountaine seuen thousand duckats of yeerely reuenue so that when occasion serueth he is at his proper costs to finde the king of Fez three hundred horses and to giue them their pay Those which follow the canon-lawe haue neither stipend nor rewarde allowed them for it is forbidden by the law of Mahumet that the iudges of his religion should reape any commoditie or fees by their office but that they shoulde liue onely by reading of lectures and by their priesthood In this facultie are many aduocates and proctors which are extreme idiotes and vtterly voide of all good learning There is a place also in Fez whereinto the iudges vseto cast the citizens for debt or for some light offence In all this citie are fower officers or sergeants onely who from midnight till two a clocke in the morning doe walke about all partes of the citie neither haue they any stipend but a certaine fee of such malefactors as they lead about in chaines according to the qualitie of euery mans crime moreouer they are freely permitted to sell wine and to keepe harlots The saide gouernour hath neither scribes nor notaries but pronounceth all sentences by word of mouth One onely there is that gathereth customes and tributes ouer all the citie who daily paieth to the kings vse thirtie duckats This man appointeth certaine substitutes to watch at euery gate where nothing be it of neuer so small value can passe before some tribute be paid Yea sometime they goe foorth of the citie to meete with the carriers and muliters vpon the high waies to the end they may not conceale nor closely conuey any merchandize into the citie And if they be taken in any deceite they pay double The set order or proportion of their custome is this namely to pay two duckats for the woorth of an hundred for Onix-stones which are brought hither in great plentie they pay one fourth part but for wood corne oxen and hennes they giue nothing at all Neither at the entring of the citie doe they pay any tribute for rammes but at the shambles they giue two Liardos apeece and to the gouernour of the shambles one The said gouernour of the shambles hath alwaies twelue men waiting vpon him and oftentimes he rideth about the citie to examine the weight of bread and finding any bread to faile of the due waight he causeth the baker to be beaten with cudgels and to be led in contempt vp and downe the citie The said office was woont to be allotted vnto men of singular honestie but now adaies euery ignorant and lewd person enioieth it The citizens of Fez goe very ciuilly and decently attired in the spring-time wearing garments made of outlandish cloth ouer these shirtes they weare a iacket or cassocke being narrow and halfe-sleeued whereupon they weare a certaine wide garment close before on the breast Their caps are thinne and single like vnto the night-caps vsed in Italie sauing that they couer not their eares these caps are couered with a certaine skarfe which being twise wreathed about their head and beard hangeth by a knot They weare neither hose nor breeches but in the spring-time when they ride a iourney they put on bootes mary the poorer sort haue onely their cassocke and a mantle ouer that called Barnussi and a most course cap. The doctors and ancient gentlemen weare a certaine garment with wide sleeues somewhat like to the gentlemen of Venice The common sort of people are for the most part clad in a kinde of course white cloth The women are not altogether vnseemely apparelled but in sommer-time they weare nothing saue their smocks onely In winter they weare such a wide sleeued garment being close at the breast as that of the men before mentioned When they goe abroad they put on certaine long breeches wherewith their legs are all couered hauing also after the fashion of Syria a vaile hanging downe from their heads which couereth their whole bodies On their faces likewise they weare a maske with two little holes onely for their eies to peepe out at Their eares they adorne with golden eare-rings with most pretious iewels the meaner sort weare 〈◊〉 of siluer and gilt only Vpon their armes the ladies and gentlewomen weare golden bracelets and the residue siluer as likewise gold or siluer-rings vpon their legs according to each ones estate and abilitie Of their manner of eating and drinking LEt vs now speake somewhat of their victuals and manner of eating The common sort set on the pot with fresh meat twise euery weeke but the gentlemen and richer sort euery day and as often as they list They take three meales a day their breakefast consisteth of certaine fruits and bread or else of a kinde of liquid pap made like vnto frumentie in winter they sup off the broth of sal flesh thickened with course meale To dinner they haue flesh sallets cheese and oliues but in summer they haue greater cheere Their supper is easie
this man they say was elect by god and was made equall in knowledge to him Fourtie there are among them called all by the name of Elauted which signifieth in our language a blocke or stocke of a tree out of this number when their Elcoth deceaseth they create another in his roome namely seuentie persons that haue the authoritie of election committed vnto them There are likewise 765. others whose names I doe not well remember who are chosen into the said electors roomes when any of them decease These 765. being bound thereunto by a certaine canon or rule of their order are constrained alwaies to goe vnknowen and they range almost all the world ouer in a most vile and beggerly habite so that a man would take them for mad men and estranged from all sense of humanitie for these lewd miscreants vnder pretence of their religion run like roagues naked and sauage throughout all Africa hauing so little regarde of honestie or shame that they will like brute beastes rauish women in publike places and yet forsooth the grosse common people reuerence them as men of woonderfull holines Great swarmes of these filthie vagabonds you may see in Tunis but many more in Egypt and especially at Alcair whereas in the market called Bain Elcasrain I saw one of these villaines with mine owne eies in the presence of much people deflowre a most beautifull woman as she was comming foorth of the bath which being done the fond people came flocking about the said woman striuing to touch her garment as a most holie thing saying that the adulterer was a man of great sanctitie and that he did not commit the sinne but onely seemed to commit it which when the sillie cuckold her husband vnderstood he shewed himselfe thankfull to his false god with a solemne banket and with liberall giuing of almes The magistrates of the citie would haue punished the adulterer but they were in hazard to be slaine of the people for their labours who as is before said adore these varlets for saints and men of singular holines Other more villanous actes I saw committed by them which I am ashamed to report Of the Caballistes and certaine other sectes LIkewise there is another sort of men which we may fitly call Caballists These fast most streitly neither doe they eate the flesh of any liuing creature but haue certaine meates and garments allotted vnto them they rehearse likewise certaine set-praiers appointed for euery hower of the day and for the night according to the varietie of daies and monethes and they vse to carrie about certaine square tables with characters and numbers engrauen therein They faine themselues to haue daily conference with the angels of whom they learne they say the knowledge of all things They had once a famous doctor of their sect called 〈◊〉 who was author of their canons praiers and square tables Which when I saw me thought their profession had more affinitie with magique then with Cabala Their arte was diuided into eight partes whereof the first was called Elumha Enormita that is the demonstration of light the which contained praiers and fastings The second called Semsul Meharif that is the sunne of sciences contained the foresaid square tables together with their vse and profit The third part they call 〈◊〉 Lasmei Elchusne this part contained a catalogue of those 99. vertues which they say are contained in the names of God which I remember I saw at Rome in the custodie of a certaine Venetian Iew. They haue also a certaine other rule called Suvach that is the rule of heremites the professors and followers whereof inhabite woods and solitarie places neither haue they any other food but such as those wilde deserts wil affoord the conuersation of these heremites no man is able exactly to describe because they are estranged from all humane societie But if I should take vpon me to describe the varietie of Mahumetan sectes I should digresse too farre from my present purpose He that desireth to know more of this matter let him read ouer the booke of Elefacni who discourseth at large of the sectes belonging to the Mahumetan religion the principall whereof are 72. euery one of which defend their opinions to be true and good and such as a man may attaine saluation by At this day you shall finde but two principall sects onely the one of Leshari being dispersed ouer all Africa Egypt Syria Arabia and Turkie the other of Imamia which is authorized throughout the whole kingdome of Persia and in certaine townes of Corasan and this sect the great Sophi of Persia maintaineth insomuch that all Asia had like to been destroied thereabout For whereas before they followed the sect of Leshari the great Sophi by force of armes established his owne of Imamia and yet one onely sect stretcheth ouer all the Mahumetans dominions Of such as search for treasures in Fez. MOreouer in the citie of Fez there are certaine men called Elcanesin who supposing to finde treasure vnder the foundations of old houses doe perpetually search and delue These grosse fellowes vse to resort vnto certaine dennes and caues without the citie-walles certainly perswading themselues that when the Romans were chased out of Africa and driuen into Baetica or Granada in Spaine they hid great abundance of treasure in the bowels of the earth which they could not carrie with them and so enchanted the same by art-magique that it can by no meanes be attained vnto but by the same arte wherefore they seeke vnto inchanters to teach them the arte of digging vp the said treasures Some of them there are that will stedfastly affirme that they sawe gold in this or that caue others that they saw siluer but could not digge it out by reason that they were destitute of perfumes and enchantments fit for the purpose so that being seduced with this vaine opinion and deepely deluing into the earth they turne vpside downe the foundations of houses and sepulchers and sometimes they proceede in this manner ten or twelue daies iourney from Fez yea so fond they are and so besotted that they esteeme those bookes that professe the arte of digging gold as diuine oracles Before my departure from Fez these fantasticall people had chosen them a consul and getting licence of certaine owners to dig their grounds when they had digged as much as they thought good they paid the said owners for all dammages committed Of the Alchymistes of Fez. IN this citie likewise there are great store of Alchymists which are mightily addicted to that vaine practise they are most base fellowes and contaminate themselues with the steam of Sulphur and other stinking smels In the euening they vse to assemble themselues at the great temple where they dispute of their false opinions They haue of their arte of Alchymie many bookes written by learned men amongst which one Geber is of principall account who liued an hundred yeeres after Mahumet and being a Greeke borne is said to haue renounced his
change the ignominious name of the place which when the king had condescended vnto they caused according to their custome a companie of rams to be slaine and certaine bladders and vessels to be filled with milke to serue for the kings breakfast the morrow after But because the said vessels were very large 〈◊〉 consulted together to put in halfe milke and halfe water hoping that 〈◊〉 king should neuer perceiue it The day following albeit the king was not very hastie of his breakfast yet his seruants vrging him thereunto he perceiued the milke to be halfe water whereat smiling he said Friends that which nature hath giuen no man can 〈◊〉 away And with that saying he departed Now this castle is razed to the ground vtterly destroied but the territorie thereof is occupied by certaine miserable Arabians Of the region of Beni Guariten THe region of Beni Guariten lieth eastward of 〈◊〉 about eighteene miles It is altogether hillie and mountainous abounding with all kind of pulse and with store of good pasture and medow-ground and containing almost two hundred villages Their houses are in all places rudely built and the inhabitants are base people neither haue they any vineyards or gardens nor any tree that beareth fruit This region the king of Fez vsually diuideth among his youngest brothers and sisters The inhabitants haue great store of corne and wooll and albeit they are passing rich yet go they very meanly attired they ride onely vpon asses for which cause they are had in great derision by their neighbours Of the region called Aseis THis region is distant to the west of Fez almost twentie miles and is by the inhabitants called Aseis it consisteth of a perpetuall plaine wherupon some coniecture that it hath had in olde time many villages and castles whereof now there is no mention at all nor so much as a signe of any building onely the names of places yet remaine This region extendeth westward eighteene and southward almost twenty miles The soile is most fertile and bringeth foorth blacke and small graines Wels and fountaines are here very rare It was woont to be subiect vnto certaine Arabian husbandmen but now it is assigned by the king vnto the gouernor of that citie Of mount Togat THis mountaine standeth almost seuen miles westward of Fez being very high and but of small bredth Eastward it extendeth to the riuer Bunafe being about fiue miles distant All that side which looketh towards Fez and the top thereof and that part which lieth ouer against Essich are woonderfully replenished with vines and with all kinde of graine Vpon the top of this mountaine are diuers caues and hollow places where the searchers of treasure suppose that the Romans hid vp their wealth as we haue before signified The said treasure-searchers so soone as the vintage is past vse to take great paines in digging of the rocke and albeit they finde nothing yet will they not giue ouer All the fruits of this mountaine are most vnpleasant both to the 〈◊〉 and to the taste and yet they are sooner ripe then the fruits of other places thereabout Of mount Guraigura THis mountaine being neer vnto Atlas is almost fortie miles distant from Fez. From hence springeth a certaine riuer which running westward falleth into the riuer Bath This mountaine standeth betweene two most large and spatious plaines whereof the one to Fez ward is as we haue before said called Aseis and the other lying southward is named Adecsen Which Adecsen is most fertile both for corne and pasture And they are possessed by certaine Arabians called Zuhair being vassals vnto the king of Fez but the king assigneth for the most part this plaine vnto his brother or some other of his kinsfolkes out of which they yeerely gather ten thousand duckats The foresaid Arabians are continually molested by certaine other Arabians called Elhusein which liue in the deserts for in summer-time they vsually inuade the plaines wherefore the king of Fez for the defence of this region maintaineth a certaine number of horsemen and of crossebowes This plaine is watered with christall-fountaines and pleasant riuers Neere vnto the said plaine are diuers woods and forrests where lions keepe which are so gentle and tame that any man may driue them away with a staffe neither doe they any harme at all Now let vs proceede vnto the description of Azgara A description of Azgara one of the seuen principall regions belonging to the kingdome of Fez. THis region bordereth northward vpon the Ocean-sea westward vpon the riuer of Buragrag eastward vpon the mountaines partly of Gumera partly of Zarhon and partly of Zalag and southward it is inclosed with the riuer of Bunasar This region consisteth altogether of plaine ground being a most fertile soile and in olde time very populous and adorned with many townes and castles which are now so defaced and ruined by reason of wars that small villages onely are left for the inhabitants to hide their heads in The length of this region is about fowerscore and the bredth almost three score miles Through the midst thereof runneth the riuer of Subu The Arabian inhabitants are called Elculoth being descended from the familie of Muntafic they are subiect to the king of Fez and pay vnto him large tributes howbeit they are rich and curious in their apparell and are such valiant soldiers that the king of Fez leuieth his whole armie of them onely when he hath any warres of great moment to atchieue This region abundantly furnisheth not onely Fez but all the mountaines of Gumera with victuals horses and other cattell and here the king of Fez vsually remaineth all winter and the spring by reason of the temperature and holesomnes of the aire Here is great plentie of roes and hares and yet very few woods Of Giumha a towne in Azgara THis towne the Africans built in our time by a riuers side vpon that plaine ouer which the way lieth from Fez to the citie of Harais and it is distant from Fez about thirtie miles It was in times past very populous but now it lieth so desolate by reason of the war of Sahid that it serueth onely for caues and receptacles for the Arabians to lay vp their corne in for the sauegard whereof they pitch certaine tents neere vnto the place Of the towne of Harais THis towne was founded by the ancient Africans vpon the Ocean sea shore neere vnto the mouth of the riuer Luccus one side thereof adioining vpon the said riuer and the other side vpon the maine Ocean When the Moores were lords of Arzilla and Tangia this towne was well inhabited but those two townes being woon by the Christians Harais remained destitute of inhabitants almost twentie yeeres together howbeit afterward the king of Fez his sonne fearing the Portugals inuasion caused it strongly to bee fortified and kept with a perpetuall garrison The passage vnto this towne by the riuers mouth is very dangerous and difficult Likewise the kings sonne caused a castle
extremely cold insomuch that I my selfe knew one who with drinking onely a cup thereof suffered most intolerable gripings and tortures in his bowels for three moneths after Of the towne of Sofroi THis towne being situate at the foote of mount Atlas and standing about fifteene miles southward of Fez almost in the way to Numidia was built by the Africans betweene two riuers on either sides whereof grow great abundance of grapes and all kinde of fruites The towne for fiue miles compasse is enuironed with oliue-trees but the fieldes are apt onely for hempe and barlie The inhabitants are very rich notwithstanding they goe in meane apparell and greazie with oile the occasion whereof is in that they carie oile vnto Fez to sell. There is no memorable thing in all their towne saue onely a certaine temple through the midst whereof runneth a large riuer and at the doores standeth a fountaine of most pure water Howbeit the greatest part of this towne is fallen to decay by the negligence of one of the kings brothers that now raigneth is ruined in many places Of the towne of Mezdaga THis towne being situate likewise at the foote of Atlas and standing about eight miles westward of Sofroi is compassed with a faire wall and albeit the houses thereof are but meane yet euery one hath a fountaine of cleere water belonging vnto it Most of the inhabitants are potters because they haue such abundance of porcellan earth whereof they make great store of earthen vessels and send them to be sold at Fez from whence they are but twelue miles distant southward Their fields are most fruitfull for barlie flaxe and hempe and they gather yeerely great abundance of figs and of other fruits In the forrests about this towne as also about the former are maruellous store of lions being not very hurtfull for any man may driue them away with a little sticke Of the towne of Beni Bahlul THis 〈◊〉 towne standing vpon the side of Atlas towards Fez is distant from Fez about twelue miles not farre from the high way leading to Numidia Through the midst of this towne run certaine little riuers from the next mountaine neither doth it differ much in situation from Mezdaga sauing that the south frontier thereof is ful of woods whereout the inhabitants get timber and fewell and carrie it vnto Fez to be solde They are oppressed with continuall exactions of courtiers and others neither haue they any ciuilitie at all among them Of the towne called Ham Lisnan THis towne built by the Africans vpon a certaine plaine enuironed with mountaines in the way from Sofroi to Numidia borrowed the name thereof from the fountaine of an idoll vpon the occasion following At the same time while the Africans were as yet idolaters they had a temple standing neere vnto this towne whither at certaine times of the yeere resorted in the night great multitudes of people both men and women where hauing ended their sacrifices they vsed to put out their lights and euerie man to commit adulterie with that woman which hee first touched But the women which were present at this abominable sport were forbidden to lie with any man for a yeere after and the children begotten in the saide adulterie were kept and brought vp by the priest of the temple as being dedicated to sacred vses In the same temple there was a fountaine which is to be seene at this day but neither the temple it selfe nor any monument or mention of the towne is remaining because they were vtterly demolished by the Mahumetans Of the towne of Mahdia THis towne being situate vpon a plaine betweene mount Atlas and certaine woods and riuers is about ten miles distant from the former The founder thereof was a certaine Mahumetan preacher of that nation which was borne in the next mountaine and it began to be built at the same time when the familie of Zeneta were lords of the Fessan kingdome But when king Ioseph of the Luntune family got possession of the said kingdom this towne was so wasted and destroyed that the beautifull temple with some part of the towne wall onely was left standing and the inhabitants became tributarie to the king of Fez this was done in the yeere of the Hegeira 515. Of Sahblel Marga that is The plaine of the valiant man THis plaine containeth in longth fortie and in bredth almost thirtie miles neere vnto it are certaine mountains which border vpon mount Atlas and in these mountaines are waste deserts ful of goodly timber here are likewise a great number of cottages inhabited with colliers for the most part who carrie abundance of coales from the said mountaines to 〈◊〉 The lions that are here doe so haunt the poore colliers that sometimes they deuour them From hence likewise are carried to Fez store of excellent and great beames of timber All the plaine is so barren and drie that it will scarce bring foorth any good thing at all Of the plaine called Azgari Camaren THis plaine also is inuironed around with woodie mountaines being a kinde of medowe-medowe-ground for it is couered all ouer with most pleasant herbes and grasse wherfore in the sommer time they vse to keepe their cattell heere and to defend them with high and strong hedges from the fury of the lions Of mount Centopozzi VPon this high mountaine are great store of most ancient buildings neere vnto the which there is a hole or drie pit of so great a depth that the bottome thereof can in no wise be seene Into this pit some mad fellowes will haue themselues let downe by ropes carrying a candle or torch in their hands and beneath they say it is diuided into manie roumes and as it were chambers and last of all they come to a most large place hewen out of the rocke with instruments and compassed about as it were with a wall in which wall are fower doores which lead to other more narrow places where they say that fountaines of springing water are And sometimes it falleth out that some miserably ende their liues here for if their lights chaunce to be blowen out with anie sudden blast of wind they can by no meanes finde the place where the rope hangeth but are there constrained to die for extreme famine It was told me by a certaine nobleman of Fez that there were ten persons who being desirous to see the woonders of this pit and being prepared for the same purpose went first three of them downe who when they were come to the foresaid fower doores two of them went one way and the third went alone another way And being thus diuided after they had proceeded almost a quarter of a mile there came great swarmes of bats flying about their lights insomuch that one light was put out at length being come to the springing fountaines they found there certaine white bones of men and fiue or sixe candles whereof some were new and others were olde and worne with long lying there but hauing found
his streames into the said sea It containeth most beautifull houses and palaces built vpon the shore of Nilus and a faire market-place enuironed on all sides with shops of merchants and artizans with a stately and sumptuous temple also hauing some gates towards the market-place and others toward Nilus and certaine commodious staires to descend into the same riuer Neere vnto the temple there is a certaine harbour for the safetie of ships and barks of burthen that carrie wares vnto Cairo for the citie being vnwalled resembleth a village rather then a citie About this citie stand diuers cottages wherein they vse to thrash rice with certaine wooden instruments to make ready each moneth three thousand bushels thereof A little farther from this citie there is a place like vnto a village wherein great store of hackney-mules and asses are kept for trauellers to ride vpon vnto Alexandria neither neede the trauellers to guide the saide hackneyes but to let them run their ordinarie course for they will goe directly to the same house or inne where they ought to be left and their pace is so good that they will from sunne-rising to sunne-set carrie a man fortie miles they trauell alwaies so neere the sea-shore that sometimes the waues thereof beat vpon the hackneyes feete Neere vnto this citie are many fields of dates and grounds which yeeld aboundance of rice The inhabitants are of a cheerefull disposition and courteous to strangers especially to such as loue to spend their time in iollitie and disport Here is a stately bath-stoue also hauing fountaines both of cold and hot water belonging thereunto the like whereof for stately and commodious building is not to be found in all Egypt besides I my selfe was in this citie when Selim the great Turke returned this way from Alexandria who with his priuate and familiar friends beholding the said bath-stoue seemed to take great delight and contentment therein Of the citie called Anthius THis citie was built vpon the easterne banke of Nilus by the Romans as many Latin inscriptions engrauen in marble and remaining til this present do beare sufficient record It is a beautifull and well-gouerned citie and is furnished with men of all kinde of trades and occupations The fields adiacent abound with great plentie of rice corne and dates The inhabitants are of a cheerefull and gentle disposition and gaine much by rice which they transport vnto Cairo Of the citie of Barnabal THis citie was founded at the same time when the Christian religion began to take place in Egypt vpon the easterne banke of Nilus in a most pleasant and fruitfull place Here is such abundance of rice that in the citie there are more then fower hundred houses for the thrashing and trimming thereof But they that impose this taske vpon the inhabitants are men of forren countries and especially of Barbarie which are so lasciuiously and riotously giuen that almost all the harlots of Egypt resort hither vnto them who shaue off their haires to the very bones without any cizzers or rasors Of the citie of Thebe BY whom this ancient citie of Thebe standing vpon the westerne banke of Nilus should be built our African chroniclers are of sundry opinions Some affirme it to be built by the Egyptians some by the Romans and others by the Grecians because there are as yet to be seene most ancient monuments partly in Latine partly in Greeke and partly in Egyptian characters Howbeit at this present it containeth but three hundred families in all being most of them very stately and sumptuously built It aboundeth with corne rice and sugar and with certaine fruits of a most excellent taste called Muse. It is also furnished with great store of merchants and artificers but the most part of the inhabitants are husbandmen and if a man walke the streetes in the day-time he shall see none but trim and beautifull women The territorie adiacent aboundeth with date-trees which grow so thicke that a man cannot see the citie till he approcheth nigh vnto the walles Here grow likewise store of grapes figs and peaches which are carried in great plentie vnto Cairo Without the citie there are many ancient monuments as namely pillers inscriptions and walles of a great thicknes built of excellent stone and such a number of ruinous places that this citie seemeth in times past to haue beene very large Of the citie of Fuoa THis citie being distant about 45. miles southward from Rosetto was built by the Egyptians on the side of Nilus next vnto Asia The streetes there of are narrow being otherwise a well gouerned and populous citie and abounding with all necessarie commodities Heere are likewise very faire shops of merchants and artificers albeit the inhabitants are much addicted vnto their ease and pleasure The women of this towne liue in so great libertie that they may go whither they will all the day-time returning home at night without any controlement of their husbands The fieldes adiacent abounde greatly with dates and neere vnto them there is a certaine plaine which is very apt for sugar and corne howbeit the sugar canes there bring not foorth perfect sugar but in steede thereof a certaine kinde of honie like sope which they vse throughout all Egypt because there is but little other hony in the whole countrey Of Gezirat Eddeheb that is to say the golden Isle OVer against the foresaid city the riuer of Nilus maketh an Isle which being situate on an high place bringeth forth all kinde of fruitefull trees except Oliues Vpon this Island are many palaces and beautifull buildings which cannot be seene through the thicke and shadie woods The soile of this Island being apt for sugar and rice is manured by most of the inhabitants but the residue are imploied about carrying of their merchandize vnto Cairo Of the citie of Mechella THis citie builte by the Mahumetans in my time vpon the easterne shore of Nilus and enuironed with a lowe wall containeth great store of inhabitants the most part of whom being either weauers or husbandmen are voide of all curtesie and ciuilitie They bring vp great store of geese which they sell at Cairo and their fields bring foorth plentie of corne and flaxe Of the citie of Derotte WHen Egypt was subiect to the Romaine empire this towne was built also vpon the easterne banke of Nilus which as it is very populous so is it adorned with stately buildings and large streets hauing merchants shops on either side of them They haue a most beautifull temple and the citizens are exceeding rich for their grounde yeeldeth such abundance of sugar that they pay yeerely vnto the Soldan an hundred thousande peeces of golde called in their language Saraffi for their libertie of making and refining thereof In this citie standeth a certaine great house like 〈◊〉 a castle wherein are their presses and caldrons for the boiling and preparing of their sugar Neither did I euer in all my life see so many workemen emploied about
ware in this citie vnto the merchants and butchers of Cairo to the end they may auoide the trouble of passing ouer the riuer The temple and other principall buildings of this citie stand vpon the shore of Nilus On all sides of the citie there are gardens and grounds of dates Such as come hither in the morning 〈◊〉 Cairo to buy 〈◊〉 sell vse not to returne home againe till the euening This way they trauell ouer a sandie desert vnto the Pyramides and sepulchers of the ancient Egyptian kings in which place they affirme the stately citie of Memphis to haue stoode in times past And albeit the way thither be very troublesome in regard of the manifold lakes and pits made by the inundation of Nilus yet by the direction of a trustie and expert guide it may easily be trauailed Of the towne of Muhallaca THis little towne built vpon the banke of Nilus by the ancient Egyptians and standing three miles from the olde citie hath a most beautifull temple situate vpon the shore of Nilus and diuers other stately buildings therein It aboundeth with dates and with certaine fruites called Egyptian figs and the inhabitants vse the very same rites and customs that are obserued by the citizens of Cairo Of the citie of Chanca THe great citie of Chanca situate about sixe miles from Cairo at the verie entrance of the desert lying in the way to mount Sinai is replenished with most stately houses temples and colleges All the fields betweene Cairo and this citie abound with great plentie of dates but from Chanca to mount Sinai which is an hundred and fortie miles there are no places of habitation at all The inhabitants are but of meane wealth for when any carouan is to passe into Syria hither resort a company of people from Cairo to prouide things necessarie for their iourney bicause the villages adioining yeeld 〈◊〉 but dates Through this citie lie two maine roade 〈◊〉 the one leading to 〈◊〉 and the other to Arabia This citie hath 〈◊〉 other water but such as remaineth in certaine chanels after the inundation of Nilus which chanels being broken the water runneth foorth into the plaines and there maketh a number of small lakes from whence it is conueighed backe by certaine sluces into the cesterns of the citie Of the citie of Muhaisira THis little citie built vpon the riuer of Nilus miles eastward of Cairo aboundeth greatly with the graine or seed called Sesama and containeth sundrie milles to grinde oile out of the same seede The inhabitants are most of them husbandmen except a fewe that exercise trade of merchandise Of the towne of Benisuaif THis towne being situate on the west side of Nilus is distant from Cairo 120. miles The plaines adiacent abound exceedingly with flaxe and hempe which is so excellent that it is carried from thence as farre as Tunis in Barbarie And this towne furnisheth all Egypt with flaxe whereof they make very fine and strong cloth The fields of the same are continually worne diminished and especially at this present by the inundation of Nilus for now their date-groundes are halfe consumed The inhabitants for the most part are emploied about their flaxe And beyond this towne there are found Crocodiles that will eate mans flesh as we will declare in our historie of liuing creatures Of the citie of Munia VPon the same side of Nilus standeth the faire citie of Munia which was built in the time of the Mahumetans by one Chasib a lieutenant and courtier of the Califa of Bagdet vpon an high place Here are most excellent grapes and abundance of all kinde of fruite which albeit they are carried to Cairo yet can they not come thither fresh and newe by reason that this citie is distant from Cairo an hundred and fower-score miles It is adorned with most stately temples and other buildings and here are to be seene at this present sundry ruines of the ancient Egyptian buildings The inhabitants are rich for they trauaile for their gaine as farre as Gaoga a kingdome of the land of Negros Of the citie of El Fium THis ancient citie was founded by one of the Pharaos vpon a little branch of Nilus and on a high ground at the same time when the Israelites departed out of Egypt whom the said Pharao greatly oppressed with making of bricke and with other seruile occupations In this citie they say that Ioseph the sonne of Iacob was buried and that his bones were digged vp by Moses and the Israelites when they departed Fruits heere grow great plentie and especially oliues which are good to eate but vnprofitable to make oile of It is a well gouerned and populous citie and containeth many artificers especially weauers Of the citie of Manf Loth. THis great and ancient citie was built by the Egyptians destroied by the Romains and reedified by the Mahumetans but not in so stately manner as it was first built At this present there are found certaine huge and high pillers and porches whereon are verses engrauen in the Egyptian toong Neere vnto Nilus stand the ruines of a stately building which seemeth to haue beene a temple in times past among which ruines the citizens finde sometimes coine of siluer sometimes of gold and sometimes of lead hauing on the one side hiely graphick notes and on the other side the pictures of ancient kings The fields adiacent being very fruitefull are extremely scorched by the heate of the sunne and much haunted with Crocodiles which was the occasion as some thinke why the Romaines abandoned this citie The inhabitants are men of indifferent wealth for they exercise traffike in the land of Negros Of the citie of Azioth THis ancient city founded by the Egyptians vpon the banke of Nilus two hundred and fiftie miles from Cairo is most admirable in regard of the hugenes and of the varietie of old buildings and of epitaphes engrauen in Egyptian letters although at this present the greatest part therof lyeth desolate When the Mahumetans were first Lords of this city it was inhabited by honorable personages and continueth as yet famous in regard of the nobilitie and great wealth of the citizens There are in this citie almost an hundred families of christians three or fower churches still remaining and without the citie standeth a monasterie containing mo then an hundred monks who eate neither flesh nor fish but onely herbes bread and oliues And yet haue they daintie cates without any fatte among them This monasterie is very rich and giueth three daies entertainment to all strangers that resort thither for the welcomming of whom they bring vp great store of doues of chickens and of such like commodities Of the citie of Ichmin IChmin being the most ancient citie in all Egypt was built by Ichmin the son of Misraim the sonne of Chus which was the son of Hen vpon the banke of Nilus next vnto Asia and three hundred miles eastwarde from Cairo This citie the Mahumetans
they mooue the vpper iawe onely their neather iawe being ioined vnto their breast-bone Not many yeeres sithens passing vp the riuer of Nilus towards the citie of Cana standing in the vpper part of Egypt fower hundred miles from Cairo on a certaine night whilest wee were in the midst of our iourney the moone being ouershadowed with clouds the marriners and passengers all fast a sleepe and the barke vnder sailes I my selfe studying by candle-light in my cabben was called vpon by a deuout olde man in the barke who bestowed the same night in watching and praier and saide vnto me call I praie you some of your company who may helpe me to drawe vppe this peece of woode floting vpon the water which will serue to morrow for the dressing of our dinner My selfe sir quoth I will come and helpe you rather then wake any of our company in the dead of the night Nay quoth the old man I will trie whether I be able to drawe it vp alone or no. And so when the barke was neere vnto the woode as he supposed holding a rope in his hande to cast into the water he was sodainly intangled with a crocodiles long taile and was in a moment drawen vnder the water Whereupon I making a shoute all the people in the barke arose and striking sailes wee staide for the space of an hower diuers in the meane time leaping into the water to seeke the man but altogither in vaine and therefore all of them affirmed that he was caught by a crocodile As we sailed farther we sawe great numbers of crocodiles vpon the bankes of Islands in the midst of Nilus lie beaking them in the sunne with their iawes wide open whereinto certaine little birdes about the bignes of a thrush entring came flying foorth againe presently after The occasion whereof was tolde me to be this The crocodiles by reason of their continuall deuouring of beasts and fishes haue certaine peeces of flesh sticking fast betweene their 〈◊〉 teeth which flesh being 〈◊〉 breedeth a kind of 〈◊〉 wherewith they are cruelly tormented Wherefore the saide birds flying about and seeing the wormes enter into the crocodiles iawes to satisfie their hunger therewith But the crocodile perceiuing himselfe freed from the wormes of his teeth offereth to shut his mouth and to deuour the little birde that did him so good a turne but being hindred from his vngratefull attempt by a pricke which groweth vpon the birds head he is constrained to open his iawes and to let her depart The shee crocodile laying egges vpon the shore couereth them with sand and so soone as the yoong crocodiles are hatched they crawle into the riuer Those crocodiles that forsake the riuer and haunt the deserts become venemous but such as continue in Nilus are destitute of poison In Egypt there are many that eate the flesh of the crocodile and affirme it to be of an excellent taste His larde or grease is solde very deere at Cairo and is saide to be very medicinable for olde and cankered woundes They take the crocodile in manner following The fishers binding a strong and large rope vnto some tree or poste standing for the nonce vpon the banke of Nilus fasten vnto the end thereof an iron hooke of a cubite long and about the thicknes of a mans finger and vpon the hooke they hang a ramme or a goate by the bleating noise whereof the crocodile being allured commeth foorth of the water and swalloweth vp both the baite and the hooke wherewithal feeling himselfe inwardly wounded he strugleth mightily beateth the ground the fishers in the meane time pulling and slacking the rope till the crocodile falleth down vanquished dead then they thrusthim in with certaine dartes and iauelins vnder the shoulders and flanks where his skin is most tender and so make a quicke dispatch of him His backe is so harde and thicke that an harquebuse or caliuer will scarce pierce it Of these beasts I sawe aboue three hundred heads placed vpon the wals of Cana with their iawes wide open being of so monstrous and incredible a bignes that they were sufficient to haue swallowed vp a whole cowe at once and their teeth were great and sharpe The Egyptian fishers vse to cut off the heads of crocodiles and to set them vpon the wals of their cities and so doe hunters vse the heads of wilde beasts Of the dragon IN the caues of Atlas are founde many huge and monstrous dragons which are heauie and of a slowe motion bicause the midst of their body is grosse but their necks and tailes are slender They are most venemous creatures insomuch that whosoeuer is bitten or touched by them his flesh presently waxeth soft weake neither can he by any meanes escape death Of the Hydra THis serpent being short in proportion of body and hauing a slender taile and necke liueth in the Libyan deserts The poison thereof is most deadly so that if a man be bitten by this beast he hath none other remedie but to cut off the wounded part before the poison disperseth it selfe into the other members Of the creature called Dub. THis creature liuing also in the deserts resembleth in shape a Lizzard sauing that it is somewhat bigger and containeth in length a cubite and in bredth fower fingers It drinketh no water at all and if a man poure any water into the mouth thereof it presently dieth It laieth egges in manner of a tortoise and is destitute of poison The Arabians take it in the deserts and I my selfe cut the throate of one which I tooke but it bled a very little Being flaied and rosted it tasteth somewhat like a frogge In swiftnes it is comparable to a Lizzard and being hunted if it chanceth to thrust the head into an hole it can by no force be drawne out except the hole be digged wider by the hunters Hauing beene slaine three daies togither and then being put to the fire it stirreth it selfe as if it were newelie dead Of the Guaral THis beast is like vnto the former sauing that it is somewhat bigger and hath poison both in the head and taile which two parts being cut off the Arabians will eate it notwithstanding it be of a deformed shape and vgly colour in which respects I loathed alwaies to eate the flesh thereof Of the Camelion THe camelion being of the shape and bignes of a lizzard is a deformed crooked and leane creature hauing a long and slender tayle like a mouse and being of a slowe pace It is nourished by the element of ayer and the sun-beames at the rising wherof it gapeth and turneth it selfe vp and downe It changeth the colour according to the varietie of places where it commeth being sometimes black and sometimes greene as I my selfe haue seen it It is at great enmity with venemous serpents for when it seeth any lie sleeping vnder a tree it presently climeth vp the same tree and looking downe vpon the serpents head it voideth out
Flaccus Africa scarce breathing from bloudie warres an horrible and extraordinarie destruction ensued For whereas now throughout all Africa infinite multitudes of locustes were gathered togither had not only quite deuoured the corne on the grounde and consumed the herbes with part of their rootes and the leaues and tender boughes of the trees but had gnawne also the bitter barke and drie woode being with a violent and sudden winde hoised aloft in mightie swarmes and carried a long time in the aire they were at length drowned in the African sea Whose lothsome and putrified carcases being by the waues of the sea cast vp in huge heapes farre and wide along the shore bred an incredible stinking infectious smell whereupon followed so general a pestilence of al liuing creatures that the corrupt dead bodies of foules cattell and wilde beasts dissolued by the contagion of the aire augmented the furie of the plague But how great and extraordinarie a death of men there was I cannot but tremble to report for in Numidia where Micipsa was then king died fowerscore thousand persons and vpon the sea-coast next adioiningto Carthage and Vtica aboue two hundred thousand are saide to haue perished Yea in the citie of Vtica it selfe were by this meanes swept from the face of the earth thirtie thousand braue soldiers which were appointed to be the garrison for all Africa And the destruction was so sudaine and violent as they report that out of one gate of Vtica in one and the same day were carried aboue fifteene hundred dead corpes of those lustie yoong gallants So that by the grace and fauour of almightie God through whose mercy and in confidence of whom I doe speake these things I may boldly affirme that albeit sometime in our daies the locusts in diuers parts and vsually doe some domage which is tolerable yet neuer befell there in the time of the Christians so insupportable a mischiefe as that this scourge of locusts which being aliue are by no meanes 〈◊〉 should after their death prooue farre more pernicious and which also liuing the fruits of the earth would haue beene quite deuoured it had beene much better they had neuer died to the plague and destruction of all earthly creatures Hitherto Paulus Orosius The second testimonie taken out of the 32. and 33. chapters of the Ethiopian historie of Francis Aluarez which for the satisfaction of euerie Reader I haue put downe with all particularities and circumstances Of the great multitude of Locusts and the infinite domage that they procure in the dominions of Prete Ianni Chap. 32. IN this quarter and throughout all the dominion of Prete Ianni there is an horrible and great plague to wit an innumerable companie of Locustes which eate and consume the corne and trees of fruite and so great is the number of these creatures as it is not credible for with the multitude of them the earth is couered and the aire so ouerspred as one may hardlie discerne the sunne and further I affirme that it is a thing most strange to him who 〈◊〉 not seene it and if the domage they performe were generall through all the prouinces and kingdomes of Prete Ianni his people woulde die with famine neither coulde men possiblie there inhabite But one yeere they destroy one prouince and the next yeere another 〈◊〉 as if for example they waste the kingdome of Portugall or Castile this 〈◊〉 an other yeere they are in the quarters of Lenteio an other in Estremadura an other in Beira or betweene the riuer Dorus and Minius an other on the mountaines an other in old Castilia Aragon or Andaluzia and otherwhiles in two or three of these prouinces at once and wheresoeuer they come the earth is more wasted and destroied by them then if it had beene all ouer consumed with a fire These locusts are as bigge as the greatest grashoppers hauing yellow wings Their comming into the countrie is knowne a day before not for that we can see them but we know it by the sunne who is yellow of colour this being a signe that they draw neere to the countrie as also the earth looketh yellowe by reason of the light which reflecteth from their wings whereupon the people in a manner become presentlie halfe dead saying we are vndone for the Ambati that is to say the locustes are come And I can not forbeare to set downe that which I sawe three sundrie times and first in Barua where we had now beene for the space of three yeeres and heere we often heard it saide that such a countrey and such a realme was destroied by the Locusts and being in this prouince we sawe the sunne and the vpper part of the earth looke all yellow the people being in a manner halfe dead for sorrow But the day following it was an incredible thing to see the number of these creatures that came which to our iudgement couered fower and twentie miles of lande as afterward we were enformed When this scourge and plague was come the priestes of that place came and sought me out requesting me to giue them some remedie for the driuing of them away and I answered that I could tel them nothing but only that they shoulde deuoutly pray vnto God that he woulde driue them out of the countrie And so I went to the Ambassadour and told him that it would be very good to goe on procession beseeching God that hee woulde deliuer the countrie who peraduenture in his great mercie might heare vs. This liked the Ambassadour very well and the day following we gathered togither the people of the land with all the priests and taking the consecrated stone and the crosse according to their custome all we Portugals sung the Letanie and appointed those of the land that they should lift vp their voices aloud as we did saying in their language Zio marina Christos which is as much to say as Lord God haue mercy vpon vs and with this manner of inuocation we went ouer a peece of grounde where there were fieldes of wheate for the space of a mile euen to a little hill and heere I caused many of these locustes to be taken pronouncing ouer them a certaine coniuration which I had about me in writing hauing made it that night requesting admonishing and excommunicating them enioining them within the space of three howers to depart towards the sea or the lande of the Moores or the desert mountaines and to let the Christians alone and they not performing this I summoned and charged the birdes of heauen the beasts of the earth and all sorts of tempests to scatter destroy and eate vp their bodies and to this effect I tooke a quantitie of locusts making this admonition to them present in the behalfe likewise of them absent and so giuing them libertie I suffered them to depart It pleased God to heare vs sinners for in our returne home they came so thicke vpon our backes as it seemed that they woulde haue broken our heads
acknowledge the kings of Fez for soueraigne Princes ouer that citie But on the other side the Xeriffi whose reputation and power daily encreased when the time of paying tribute came sent to certifie this yoong king that being lawfull successors to Mahumet they were not bound to paie tribute to any and that they had more right to Affrica then he so that if he would haue them his friends so it were otherwise if he ment to diuert them from this their warre against the Christians they should not want courage nor power to defend themselues Wherewith the Fessan king being offended proclaimed warre against them and went himselfe in person to the siege of Maroco but at the very first he was driuen to dislodge and afterwards returning with eighteene thousand horse amongst whom were two thousand harquebuziers or bowmen he was vanquished by the Xeriffi who had no more but seuen thousand horse and twelue hundred harquebuziers which were placed on the way at the passage of a riuer By meanes of this victorie the Xeriffi shooke off the tribute of that countrie and passing ouer Atlas they tooke Tafilete an important citie and partly by faire meanes partly by force they brought diuérs people of Numidia to their obedience as also those of the mountaines In the yeere of our Lord 1536. the yoonger Xeriffo who was now called king of Sus hauing gathered togither a mightie armie and much artillerie taken in part from the king of Fez and partly cast by the French Renegados he went to the enterprise of Cabo de Guer a very important fortification held then by the Portugals which was built and fortified sirst at the charge of Lopes Sequeira and afterward knowing their opportunitie from the king Don Emanuel there was fought on both sides a most terrible battell In the end fire taking hold on the munition and vpon this the souldiers being daunted that defended the fortresse the Xeriffo entred thereinto tooke the towne and made the greatest part of the garrison his prisoners By this victorie the Xeriffi brought in a manner all Atlas and the kingdome of Maroco to their obedience those Arabians who serued the crowne of Portugall Whereupon king Iohn the third seeing that his expences farre exceeded the reuenues which came in of his owne accord gaue ouer Safia Azamor Arzilla and Alcazar holds which he had on the coast of Mauritania This 〈◊〉 was an occasion of grieuous discord betwixt the Brothers the issue whereof was that the younger hauing in two battels subdued the elder whereof the second was in the yeere of our Lord 1554 and taken him prisoner he banished him to Tafilet and afterwards turning his armes against the king of Fez after hauing taken him once prisoner and then releasing him he yet the second time because he brake promise got him into his handes againe depriued him of his estate and in the end caused both him and his sonnes to be slaine and by meanes of his owne sonnes he also tooke Tremizen In the meane while Sal Araes viceroy of Algier fearing the Xeriffos prosperous successe gathered together a great army with which he first recouered Tremizen afterwards defeating the Xeriffo conquered Fez and gaue the gouernment thereof to Buasson Prince of Veles but this man ioyning battaile with the Xeriffo lost at one instant both his citie and kingdome In the ende Mahumet going to Tarodant was vpon the way slaine in his pauilion by the treason of some Turkes suborned thereunto by the viceroy of Algier of whom one Assen was the chiefe who together with his companions went into Tarodant and there made hauock of the kinges treasures But in their returne home they were all but fiue slaine by the people in the yeere 1559 and Mullei Abdala the Xeriffos sonne was proclaimed and saluted king Let thus much suffice to haue bin spoken of the Xeriffo whose proceedinges appeare much like to those of Ismael the sophie of Persia. Both of them procured followers by bloud and the cloake of religion both of them subdued in short time many countries both of them grew great by the ruine of their neighbours both of them receiued greeuous checkes by the Turkes and lost a part of their states for Selym tooke from Ismael Cacamit and diuers other cities of Diarbena And the viceroy of Algier did driue the Xeriffo out of Tremizen and his other quarters And euen as Selim won Tauris the head citie of Persia and afterwardes gaue it ouer so Sal Araes tooke Fez the head citie of Mauritania and then after abandoned the same The Xeriffo his reuenues or commings in THe Xeriffo is absolute Lord of all his subiects goods yea and of their persons also For though he charge them with neuer so burdensome tributes and impositions yet dare they not so much as open their mouthes He receiueth from his tributarie vassals the tenthes and first fruits of their corne and cattell True it is that for the first fruits he taketh no more but one for twentie and the whole being aboue twentie he demandeth no more then two though it amount to an hundred For euery dayes tilth of grounde he hath a ducate and a quarter and so much likewise for euerie house as also he hath after the same rate of euerie person aboue fifteene yeers old male or female and when need requireth a greater summe and to the end that the people may the more cheerefullie pay that which is imposed vpon them he alwaies demaundeth halfe as much more as he is to receiue Most true it is that on the mountaines there inhabite certaine fierce and vatamed people who by reason of the steep craggie and inexpugnable situation of their countrie cannot be forced to tributes that which is gotten of them is the tenth of their corne and fruits onely that they may be permitted to haue recourse into the plaines Besides these reuenues the king hath the towles and customes of Fez and of other cities For at the entring of their goods the naturall citizen payeth two in the hundred and the stranger ten He hath further the reuenues of milles and many other thinges the summe whereof is very great for the milles yeelde him little lesse then halfe a royall of plate for euerie Hanega of corne that is ground in Fez where as they say there are aboue foure hūdred mils The moschea of Caruuen had fourescore thousand ducates of rent the colledges and hospitals of Fez had also many thousands Al which the king hath at this present And further he is heire to all the Alcaydes and them that haue pension of him and at their deaths he possesseth their horses armour garments and al their goodes Howbeit if the deceased leaue any sonnes apt for the seruice of the warres he granteth them their fathers prouision but if they be but young he bringeth vp the male children to yeeres of seruice and the daughters till they be married And therefore that he may haue some interest in the goods of
church of Saint Marke amidst the ruines of Alexandria and in that of Suez vpon the red sea they obey the Patriarke of Alexandria and affirme themselues to be of the faith of Prete Ianni In our daies two Popes haue attempted to reduce them to the vnion of the Romish church Pius the fourth and Gregorie the thirteenth Pius the fourth in the yeere 1563. sent two Iesuit-priests for this purpose to Cairo who staied there almost a yeere but to no purpose and with great danger of life for one of them was appointed to the fire from which he escaped by meanes of a merchant who with eight hundred crownes pacified the Turkes and caused the priest sodainly to flie away But Pope Gregorie entred into this enterprise with more hope for Paulo Mariani a famous Christian merchant was at the same time in Cairo who for his wisedome magnificence knowledge of toongs and long practise in the affaires of the world ioined with woonderfull eloquence and presence of bodie was in great esteeme and reputation not onely among the Christians but also with the Turkes who equally loued him for his liberality and honored him for his valour This man had conference with the Patriarke of Alexandria about the reconciling of his people to the Romish church whereunto the 〈◊〉 not shewing himselfe difficult or hard to be entreated was contented to call by his letters into those parts two priests of the same order who were then with the Maronites in mount Libanus In the meane while the Pope who was aduertised of al this busines taking the matter quickly in hand wrote vnto the two priests appointing one of them to go directlie to Cairo and the other to returne back to Rome Wherefore in the yeere 1582 in the moneth of October one of the said priests arriuing at Cairo was courteouslie receiued by Mariani and afterwards conducted to the Patriarke who also made shew of great ioy and consolation One might likewise perceiue a reasonable disposition in others who had any authority among the Cofti He aduertised the Pope of all who sent a certaine other priest with one breefe to the Patriarke and an other to the Iesuites wherein he exhorted them to go forward and to bring the vnion whereof so assured hope was conceiued to good effect The Patriarke receiued the breefe with great reuerence he kissed it and according to their custome laide it vpon his head and afterwards demanded what it comprehended the which with great feeling and contentment hauing vnderstood within fewe daies he instituted a Synod of some bishops and certaine other principall persons of the nation Heere the said priests hauing declared vnto them vpon how little ground they who at the first receiued the faith from Saint Marke were sequestred from the western church by the authoritie of one heretike tooke much paines afterward in making them capable of the difference that is betweene a nature and an Hypostasis or person to their exceeding great admiration bicause they were in a manner destitute of all learning For the Patriarke euen from his youth had led his life in the monasterie of Saint Macarius farre not onely from the studies of learning but also from the conuersation of men neither appeered there any greater knowledge in the bishops They had 〈◊〉 any booke of the ancient fathers and yet those they had were all dustie and eaten with mothes That where of they made chiefest account was an old volume being torne and rent which they called The confession of the Fathers full of diuers dreames and fables whereof notwithstanding and of some other Arabicke bookes the priests made speciall good vse for the conuincing of them in their errors Also hauing framed a compendium of most necessarie doctrine they caused diuers copies of the same to be drawne and gaue them to the learned of the Cofti to be considered of who wondring at the strangenes of the things propounded vnto them and not knowing how to answer the arguments of the priestes demaunded time to search their owne writings and to see what opinion their predecessors had held as concerning that point In the meane while they came often to the priests and inquired of them the doctrine and forme of speech vsed in the Romish church Whereupon they shewed them how greatly the same church had euer detested heresies and how seuerely it had condemned the impietie of Nestorius and contrariwise highly esteemed the authoritie of Cyrillus Alexandrinus and the decrees of the first Ephesine Councell Neither bicause it confesseth two natures in Christ ioined in one person without confusion doth it therefore inferre two hypostasis or persons In that a nature and a person are not the selfe same things The which may cleerely be vnderstoode by the deepe mysterie of the holy Trinitie wherein we acknowledge one nature and three Hypostasis or persons We auer therfore that there are two natures in Christ one diuine which he hath eternally from his Father the other humane which he tooke temporally from the immaculate wombe of his mother both of them ioined in one hypostasis or person By these and other like demonstrations they cleered the vnderstandings and confirmed the mindes of the Cofti Howbeit all this notwithstanding the Synod being againe assembled wherein were present the Patriarke fiue bishops diuers abbots of monasteries and thirtie other principall persons they plainly answered the priests that they had turned ouer their Annales writings were resolued in no wise to depart from the doctrine and faith of their predecessors This vnlooked-for answer though it greatly troubled and displeased the priests yet were they determined still to continue and to proceed further in the enterprise Whereupon declaring vnto them againe how farre they were by Dioscorus meanes estranged from the doctrine taught in the Nicen Constantinopolitan and first Ephesine councels grounded on the authoritie of holy Scripture and the ancient Fathers and that to disallow of two natures in Christ was no other but to denie that he was neither true God nor man a matter abhominable not only to their eares but euen to their very vnderstādings they preuailed so much as that the matter was yet deferred off to an other moneth Being therefore congregated the third time it seemed that God himselfe furthered this affaire more then vsually for first with common consent they abrogated the law of circumcision and withall after a disputation of sixe howers continuance it was decreed that as concerning the truth of this point the priests were to be beleeued that there were two natures in Christ and that the Cofti though they auoided the name and title of two natures yet denied they not but that Christ was true man and true God Onely they were warie of the two natures for feare of falling by litle litle into two hypostases Thus this busines being brought to so good a passe was by the ambition and obstinacie of one man vtterly crossed and hindred This was the Vicar or Suffragan to the
mattresse some of which beds are ten elles in length some more and some lesse yea some you shall finde of twenty elles long but none longer one part of these mattresses they lye vpon insteed of a couch and with the residue they couer their bodies as it were with 〈◊〉 and couerlets In the Spring-time alwaies they lay the hairie side next vnto their bodies because it is somewhat warmer but in Sommer-time not regarding that side they turne the smooth side vpwarde and thereon they rest themselues Likewise of such base and harsh stuffe they make their cushions being much like vnto the stuffe which is brought hither out of Albania and Turkie to serue for horse-cloathes The women of Hea goe commonly with their faces vncouered vsing for their huswifery turned vessels and cups of wood their platters dishes and other their kitchin-vessels be for the most part of earth You may easily discerne which of them is married and who is not for an vnmarried man must alwaies keepe his beard shauen which after hee be once married hee suffereth to grow at length The saide region bringeth foorth no great plentie of horses but those that it doth bring foorth are so nimble and full of mettall that they will climbe like cats ouer the steepe and craggie mountaines These horses are alwaies vnshod and the people of this region vse to till their ground with no other cattell but onely with horses and asses You shall here finde great store of deere of wilde goats and of hares Howbeit the people are no whit delighted in hunting Which is the cause as I thinke why the said beasts do so multiply And it is somwhat strange that so many riuers running through the countrey they should haue such scarsitie of water-mils but the reason is because euerie houshold almost haue a woodden mill of their owne whereat their women vsually grinde with their hands No good learning nor liberall artes are heere to be found except it bee a little skill in the lawes which some few chalenge vnto themselues otherwise you shall finde not so much as any shadow of vertue among them They haue neither Phisition nor Surgeon of any learning or account But if a disease or infirmitie befall any of them they presently seare or cauterize the sicke partie with red hot yrons euen as the Italians vse their horses Howbeit some chirurgians there are among them whose duty and occupation consisteth onely in circumcising of their male children They make no sope in all the countrey but instead thereof they vse to wash with lee made of ashes They are at continuall warre but it is ciuill and among themselues insomuch that they haue no leisure to fight against other nations Whosoeuer will trauell into a 〈◊〉 countrey must take either a harlot or a wife or a religious man of the contrarie part to beare him companie They haue no regard at all of iustice especially in those mountaines which are destitute of gouernours or princes yea euen the principall men of this verie region of Hea which dwell within townes and cities dare scarce prescribe any law or good order vnto the people so great is their insolencie in all places The cities of Hea are few in number but they haue great store of villages townes and most strong castles whereof God willing we will hereafter speake more at large Of Tednest one of the cities of Hea. THE auncient citie of Tednest was built by the Africans vpon a most beautiful and large plaine which they inuironed with a loftie wall built of bricke and lime Likewise a certaine riuer running foorth of the citie serueth to fill vp the wall ditch In this citie are certaine merchants that sell cloath wherein the people of the same place are clad Here is likewise vttered a kinde of cloth which is brought thither out of Portugall howbeit they will admit no artificers but taylors botchers carpenters and a few gold-smithes which are Iewes In this citie there are no innes stoues nor wine-tauerns so that whatsoeuer merchant goes thither must seeke out some of his acquaintance to remaine withall but if he hath no friends 〈◊〉 acquaintance in the town then the principall inhabitants there cast lots who should entertaine the strange merchant insomuch that no stranger be he neuer so meane shall want friendly entertainment but is alwaies sumptuously and honourably accepted of But whosoeuer is receiued as a guest must at his departure bestow some gift vpon his host in token of thankfulnes to the ende he may be more welcome at his next returne Howbeit if the saide stranger bee no merchant he may chuse what great mans house he will to lodge in beeing bound at his departure to no recompence nor gift To be short if any begger or poore pilgrim passé the same way he hath some 〈◊〉 prouided for him in a certaine hospitall which was founded onely for the reliefe of poore people and is maintained at the common charge of the citie In the middest of the citie stands an auncient temple beeing most sumptuously built and of an huge bignes which was thought to bee founded at the verie same time when as the King of Maroco bare rule in those places This temple hath a great cestern standing in the midst thereof and it hath many priests and such kinde of people which giue attendance thereunto and store it with things necessarie In this citie likewise are diuers other temples which 〈◊〉 they are but little yet be they most cleanly and decently kept There are in this citie about an hundred families of Iewes who pay no yeerely tribute at all but only bestow each of them some gratuitie vpon this or that nobleman whom they thinke to fauour them most to the ende they may enioy their fauour still and the greatest part of the said citie is inhabited with Iewes These Iewes haue certaine minting-houses wherein they stampe siluer coine of which 170. Aspers as they call them doe weigh one ounce beeing like vnto the common coine of Hungarie sauing that this Asper is square and the Hungarian coine is round The inhabitants of Tednest are free from al tributes yeerely taxations howbeit if any summe of money be wanting for the erection of a publique building or for any other common vse the people is foorthwith assembled and each man must giue according to his abilitie This citie was left desolate in the yeere 918. of the Hegeira At what time all the citizens thereof fled vnto the mountaines and from thence to Maroco The reason they say was because the inhabitants were informed that their next neighbours the Arabians ioyned in league with the Portugall Captaines who as then held the towne of Azaphi and promised to deliuer Tednest into the hands of the Christians which thing so danted the citizens that they presently sought to saue themselues by flight My selfe I remember sawe this citie vtterly ruined and defaced the walles thereof beeing laide euen with the ground the houses
beeing destitute of inhabitants and nothing at that time to be there seene but onely the nests of rauens and of other birds All this I saw in the 920. yeere of the Hegeira Of Teculeth a towne of Hea. VPon the foote of an hill eighteene miles Eastwarde from Tednest stands a towne called by the Africans Teculeth and containing about one thousand housholdes Hard by this towne runneth a certaine riuer on both sides whereof are most pleasant gardens and all kindes of trees Within the walles of the saide towne are many pits or wels whereout they draw most cleere and pleasant water Here also is to be seene a most stately and beautifull temple as likewise fower hospitals and a monasterie of religious persons The inhabitants of this towne are farre wealthier then they of Tednest for they haue a most famous port vpon the Ocean sea commonly called by merchants Goz. They haue likewise great abundance of corne and pulse which grow in the fruitfull fields adiacent These also of Teculeth send waxe into Portugall to be solde and they are verie curious in their apparell and about the furniture of their 〈◊〉 When I my selfe was at Teculeth I found there a certaine nobleman who was the president or chiefe of their senate this noblemans duety was both to procure tribute which was yeerely to be payed vnto the Arabians and also to make attonement and reconciliation betweene them when they were at ods This man had gathered great riches vnto himselfe which he imployed rather to purchase friends then to fill his coffers most liberall he was vnto the poore most bountifull and fauourable vnto all his citizens insomuch that all men did reuerence and honour vnto him as vnto their father and best protectour Of whose curtesie I my selfe also made triall and being not meanely but verie sumptuously entertained by him I remained with him for a certaine time and read in his house diuers histories of African matters This good man togither with his sonne was slaine in a skirmish against the Portugals which was done according to our computation in the yeere of the Hegeira 923. that is to say in the yeere of our Lord 1514. After which misfortune we heard that the citie was razed that the people were part of them put to flight part lead captiue and the residue 〈◊〉 by the enimy all which particulars we haue declared more at large in that Booke which is now lately printed and published concerning African affaires Of Hadecchis a towne of Hea. THE citie of Hadecchis being situate vpon a plaine standeth eight miles Southward of Teculeth it containeth seauen hundred families and the wals churches and houses throughout this whole citie are all built of free stone Through the midst of the towne runneth a large and faire streame hauing many vines galleries on both sides thereof There be many Iewes artificers in this citie The citizens here go somewhat decently apparelled their horses are good most of them exercise merchandize also they stampe a kinde of coine and they haue certaine yeerely faires or martes whereunto the nations adioining do vsually resort Here is to be sold great store of cattell of butter oyle yron and cloath and their said mart lasteth fifteene dayes Their women are very beautifull white of colour fat comely and trim But the men beare a most sauage minde being so extremely possessed with ielousie that whomsoeuer they finde but talking with their wiues they presently goe about to murther them They haue no iudges nor learned men among them nor any which can assigne vnto the citizens any functions and magistracies according to their worthines so that hee rules like a king that excelleth the residue in wealth For matters of religion they haue certaine Mahumetan priests to administer them Who neither pay tribute nor yeerely custome euen as they whom we last before mentioned Heere I was entertained by a certaine curteous and liberall minded priest who was exceedingly delighted with Arabian Poetrie Wherefore being so louingly entertained I read vnto him a certaine briefe treatise as touching the same argument which he accepted so kindly at my hands that he would not suffer mee to depart without great and bountifull rewards From hence I trauelled vnto Maroco And afterward I heard that this towne also in the yeere of the Hegeira 922. was sacked by the Portugals and that the inhabitants were all fled into the next mountaines and the verie same yeere I returned home to visit my natiue countrey which was in the yeere of our Lord 1513. Of Ileusugaghen a towne of Hea. THis towne is situate vpon the top of a certaine high mountaine which is distant eight miles to the South of Hadecchis it consisteth of about two hundred families and by the foote of the hill runneth a small riuer Heere are no gardens at all nor yet any trees which beare fruit the reason whereof is as I suppose because the inhabitants are such slothfull and grosse people that they regard nothing but their barley and their oyle They are at continuall warre with their next neighbours which is performed with such monstrous bloodshed and manslaughter that they deserue rather the name of beasts then of men They haue neither iudges priests nor lawyers to prescribe any forme of liuing among them or to gouerne their common-wealth wherefore iustice and honestie is quite banished out of their habitations Those mountaines are altogither destitute of fruits howbe it they abound greatly with honie which serueth the inhabitants both for food and for merchandize to sell in the neighbour-countries And because they know not what seruice to put their waxe vnto they cast it foorth togither with the other excrements of honie The saide towne of Ileusugaghen hath a verie small and narrow chappell which will scarce containe a hundred persons whither notwithstanding the people doe so slowly resort that they need not to haue any greater so much do they neglect religion and pietie Whensoeuer they goe abroad they carrie a dagger or a iauelin about with them and you shall often heare of the slaughter of some one or other of their citizens No people vnder heauen can be more wicked trecherous or lewdly addicted then this people is I remember that I my selfe went once thither with a Seriffo or Mahumetan priest who made chalenge vnto the gouernment of Hea to the ende that we might arbitrate certaine strifes and contentions for it were incredible to report what cruell warres partly for murthers and partly for robberies were practised among them But because the Seriffo had brought no lawyers with him nor any iudges to decide controuersies he would needes that I should take that office vpon me Immediately the townsmen come flocking about vs one complaines that his neighbour hath slaine eight of his kinred and family his neighbour on the contrarie alleageth that the former had slaine ten of his familie wherefore according to the auncient custome he demaundeth to haue a summe of money giuen
who bestow liberall and large almes Of the old citie called 〈◊〉 THis citie being the first that was built in Egypt in the time of the Mahumetans was founded by Hamre captaine generall ouer the forces of Homar the second Mahumetan patriarke vpon the banke of Nilus 〈◊〉 a suburb because it is vnwalled and containing to the number of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is adorned especially by the riuer Nilus with 〈◊〉 palaces and houses of noblemen and also with the famous temple of 〈◊〉 being of an huge bignes and most stately built It is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of trades men and 〈◊〉 And here standeth the famous sepulchre of a woman reputed most holy by the 〈◊〉 and called by them Saint Nafissa which was the daughter of one called 〈◊〉 being the sonne of Husein the son of 〈◊〉 who was consin german vnto 〈◊〉 The said 〈◊〉 seeing all of her family to be depriued of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 left Cufa a citie of Arabia Felix and came and dwelt in this citie vnto whom partly because she was of the linage of 〈◊〉 and partly for that she liued an innocent and blamelesse life the people after her death ascribed diuine honours canonizing her for a Saint Wherefore the schismaticall 〈◊〉 of her kinred hauing got the vpper hand in Egypt began to build for Nafissa a most beautifull shrine or 〈◊〉 which they adorned also with siluer-lamps with carpets of 〈◊〉 and such like precious ornaments So great is the renowne of this 〈◊〉 that there commeth no Mahumetan either by sea or land vnto Cairo but hee adoreth this sepulchre and bringeth his offering thereunto as likewise doe all the 〈◊〉 inhabiting there about 〈◊〉 that the yeerely oblations and almes offered at this sepulchre partly for the 〈◊〉 of the poore kinsfolkes of Mahumet and partly for the maintenance of the priests which keepe the saide sepulchre amount vnto 100000. 〈◊〉 which priests by fained and 〈◊〉 miracles do dayly delude the mindes of the simple to the ende they may the more 〈◊〉 thir blinde deuotion and may stirre them to greater liberalitie When 〈◊〉 the great Turke woon the citie of Cairo his Ianizaries rifling this sepulchre found there the summe of 500000. 〈◊〉 in readie money besides the siluer lampes the chaines and carpets but 〈◊〉 tooke away a great part of that treasure from them Such as write the liues of the Mahumetan saints making very honourable mention of this Nafissa say that she was 〈◊〉 of the noble family of Heli and that she was most famous for her vertuous and chast life but the fonde people and the 〈◊〉 of that execrable sepulchre haue deuised many fained and superstitious 〈◊〉 In this suburbe also heere vnto the riuer of Nilus is the customers office for such wares as are brought out of the Prouince of Sahid Without the walled citie stand the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 sepulchres of the Soldans built with admirable and huge arches But in my time a certaine Soldan caused a walke to be built between two high wals from the gate of the citie to the place of the aforesaid sepulchres and at the endes of both wals caused two turrets of an exceeding height to be erected for 〈◊〉 and directions 〈◊〉 such merchants as came thither from the port of mount 〈◊〉 About a 〈◊〉 and an halfe from the saide sepulchres in a certaine 〈◊〉 called 〈◊〉 there is a garden containing the onely balme 〈◊〉 for in the whole world besides there is not any other tree that beareth true balme which balme-tree growing in the midst of a large fountaine and hauing a short stocke or bodie beareth leaues like vnto vine-leaues but that they are not so long and this tree they say would vtterly wither and decay if the water of the fountaine should chance to be deminished The garden is enuironed with a strong wall where into no man may enter without the speciall fauour and licence of the gouernor In the midst of Nilus ouer against the old citie standeth the isle called Michias that is to say The isle of measure in which isle according to the inundation of Nilus they haue a kinde of deuise inuented by the ancient Egyptians whereby they most certainely foresee the plentie or scarcitie of the yeere following thoroughout all the land of Egypt This island is well inhabited and containeth about 1500. families vpon the extreme point or ende where of standeth a most beautifull palace built in my remembrance by a Soldan and a large temple also which is verie pleasant in regard of the coole streames of Nilus Vpon another side of the Island standeth an house alone by it selfe in the midst whereof there is a fouresquare cestern or chanell of eighteene cubits deepe whereinto the water of Nilus is conueied by a certaine sluce vnder the ground And in the midst of the cestern there is erected a certaine piller which is marked and diuided into so many cubits as the cesterne it selfe containeth in depth And vpon the seuenteenth of Iune when Nilus beginneth to ouerflow the water thereof conueied by the said sluce into the chanell increaseth daily sometimes two and sometimes three fingers and sometimes halfe a cubite in height Vnto this place there dayly resort certaine officers appointed by the Senate who viewing and obseruing the increase of Nilus declare vnto certaine children how much it hath increased which children wearing yellow skarffes vpon their heads doe publish the saide increase of Nilus in euerie streete of the citie and the suburbs and receiue gifts euerie day of the merchants artificers and women so long as Nilus increaseth The foresaid deuise or experiment of the increase of Nilus is this that followeth If the water reacheth onely to the fifteenth cubit of the foresaide piller they hope for a fruitfull yeere following but if it stayeth betweene the twelfth cubit and the fifteenth then the increase of the yeere will prooue but meane if it resteth betweene the tenth and twelfth cubits then is it a signe that corne will bee solde tenne ducates the bushell But if it ariseth to the eighteenth cubite there is like to follow great scarcitie in regarde of too much moisture and if the eighteenth cubite be surmounted all Egypt is in danger to be swallowed vp by the inundation of Nilus The officers therefore declare vnto the children the height of the riuer and the children publish the same in all streetes of the citie charging the people to feare God and telling them how high Nilus is increased And the people being astonied at the woonderfull increase of Nilus wholy exercise themselues in praiers and giuing of almes And thus Nilus continueth fortie daies increasing and fortie daies decreasing all which time corne is sold very deere because while the innundation lasteth euery man may sell at his owne pleasure but when the eightith day is once past the clerke of the market appointeth the price of all victuals and especially of corne according as he knoweth by the foresaid experiment that
the high and lowe grounds of Egypt haue receiued either too little or too much or conuenient moisture all which customes and ceremonies being duely performed there followeth so great a solemnitie and such a thundering noise of drums and trumpets throughout all Cairo that a man would suppose the whole citie to be turned vpside downe And then euery familie hath a barge adorned with rich couerings and carpets and with torch-light and furnished with most daintie meates and confections wherewith they solace themselues The Soldan also with all his nobles and courtiers resorteth vnto that sluce or conduct which is called the great conduct and is compassed round about with a wall who taking an axe in his hand breaketh the said wall and so doe his nobles and courtiers likewise insomuch that the same part of the wall being cast downe which stopped the passage of the water the riuer of Nilus is so swiftly and forcibly carried through that conduct and through all other conducts and sluces in the city and the suburbes that Cairo at that time seemeth to be another Venice and then may you rowe ouer all places of the land of Egypt Seuen daies and seuen nights together the foresaide festiuall solemnitie continueth in Cairo during which space the merchants and artificers of the citie may according to the custome of the ancient Egyptians consume spend in torches perfumes confections musique such like iollities al their gaines that they haue gotten the whole yeere past Without the citie of Cairo neere vnto the suburbe of Beb Zuaila standeth the castle of the Soldan vpon the side of the mountaine called Mochattan This castle is enuironed with high and impregnable walles and containeth such stately and beautifull palaces that they can hardly be described Paued they are with excellent marble and on the roofes they are gilt and curiously painted their windowes are adorned with diuers colours like to the windowes in some places of Europe and their gates be artificially carued and beautified with gold and azure Some of these palaces are for the Soldan and his familie others for the familie of his wife and the residue for his concubines his eunuches and his garde Likewise the Soldan had one palace to keepe publique feastes in and another wherein to giue audience vnto forren ambassadours and to exalt himselfe with great pompe and ceremonies and another also for the gouernours and officials of his court But all these are at this present abolished by Selim the great Turke Of the customes rites and fashions of the citizens of Cairo THe inhabitants of Cairo are people of a merrie iocund and cheerefull disposition such as will promise much but performe little They exercise merchandize and mechanicall artes and yet trauell they not out of their owne natiue soile Many students there are of the lawes but very few of other liberall artes and sciences And albeit their colleges are continually full of students yet few of them attaine vnto perfection The citizens in winter are clad in garments of cloth lined with cotton in summer they weare fine shirts ouer which shirts some put on linnen garments curiously wrought with silke and others weare garments of chamblet and vpon their heads they carrie great turbants couered with cloth of India The women goe costly attired adorning their foreheads and necks with frontlets and chaines of pearle and on their heads they weare a sharpe and slender bonet of a span high being very pretious and rich Gownes they weare of woollen cloth with streite sleeues being curiously embrodered with needle-worke ouer which they cast certaine veiles of most excellent fine cloth of India They couer their heads and faces with a kinde of blacke scarfe through which beholding others they cannot be seene themselues Vpon their feet they weare fine shooes and pantofles somewhat after the Turkish fashion These women are so ambitious proud that all of them disdaine either to spin or to play the cookes wherefore their husbands are constrained to buie victuals ready drest at the cookes shops for very few except such as haue a great familie vse to prepare and dresse their victuals in their owne houses Also they vouchsafe great libertie vnto their wiues for the good man being gone to the tauerne or victualling-house his wife tricking vp her selfe in costly apparell and being perfumed with sweet and pretious odours walketh about the citie to solace her selfe and parley with her kinsfolks and friendes They vse to ride vpon asses more then horses which are broken to such a gentle pace that they goe easier then any ambling horse These asses they couer with most costly furniture and let them out vnto women to ride vpon together with a boy to lead the asse and certaine footmen to run by In this citie like as in diuers others great store of people carrie about sundrie kindes of victuals to be sold. Many there are also that sell water which they carrie vp and downe in certaine leather bags vpon the backs of camels for the citie as I said before is two miles distant from Nilus Others carrie about a more fine and handsome vessell with a cocke or spout of brasse vpon it hauing a cup of Myrrhe or christall in their hands and these sell water for men to drinke and for euery draught they take a farthing Others sell yoong chickens and other fowles by measure which they hatch after a woonderfull and strange manner They put great numbers of egges into certaine ouens built vpon sundrie loftes which ouens being moderately het will within seuen daies conuert all the said egges into chickens Their measures are bottomlesse which being put into the basket of the buier and filled full of chickens they lift it vp and so let the chickens fall into the basket Likewise such as buie those chickens hauing kept them a few daies carrie them about to sell againe The cookes shops stand open very late but the shops of other artificers are shut vp before ten of the clocke who then walke abroad for their solace and recreation from one suburbe to another The citizens in their common talke vse ribald and filthie speeches and that I may passe ouer the rest in silence it falleth out often times that the wife will complaine of her husband vnto the iudge that he doth not his dutie nor contenteth her sufficiently in the night season whereupon as it is permitted by the Mahumetan law the women are diuorced and married vnto other husbands Among the artizans whosoeuer is the first inuentour of any new and ingenious deuise is clad in a garment of cloth of gold and carried with a noise of musitians after him as it were in triumph from shop to shop hauing some money giuen him at euery place I my selfe once saw one carried about with solemne musicke and with great pompe and triumph because he had bound a flea in a chaine which lay before him on a peece of paper for all men to behold And if any