Wretch might have conceived his present compared with his former condition an Heaven upon Earth but he did not so though he had to his good Entertainment made for him a Chain of bright Brass an Armour Breast Back and Head-piece with a Buckler of Brass his beloved Metal and which his Countrey-men esteemed far above Gold yet all this contented him not for never any seemed to be more weary of ill usage than he was of Courtesies none ever more desirous to return home to his Countrey than he For when he had learn'd a little of our Language he would daily lye upon the Ground and cry very often thus in broken English Cooree home go Souldania go home go And not long after when he had his desire and was returned home he had no sooner set footing on his own shore but presently he threw away his Clothes his Linnen with all other Covering and got his Sheep-skins upon his back Guts about his neck and his Cow-turd Cap upon his head Thus you see what manner of Life they affect the name of Cleanliness not being known amongst them And for their Religion Cooree being asked by the Minister of the Ship who was their God he lifting up his hands in his bad English said thus England God great God Souldania no God And so much for Souldania Of two famous Virago's the one a French-woman called Joan of Arc or La Pucelle de Dieu the other a Biscainer called Catarina d' Arcuso JOAN of Arc was Daughter to one James of Arc dwelling in Domremy near Vaucaleurs in France in her younger years she tended Sheep under her Father at which time France groaned under the Victorious Arms of the English John Duke of Bedford being then Regent thereof in the minority of our King Henry the sixth who was crowned King of France in Paris the principal City Charles the seventh having little left to him of that spacious Kingdom but only the Title He being at this Exigent this young Maid then about eighteen years of age presented her self unto him at Chinon bidding him not to faint but constantly affirmed that God had sent her to deliver the Realm of France from the English yoak and restore him to the fulness of his Fortunes At first it seems she was not much credited though judged to be set on by the Nobles but when the Wise of both sorts as well Clerks as Souldiers had sifted her with manifold Questions she continuing in her first Speech so stedfastly uttering nothing saith Serres but that which was modest chaste and holy that honour and faith were given to her Sayings An old Woman directed her She soon armed her self like a man and required to have that Sword which hung in St. Katharines Church of Fierebois in Tourain This demand increased their admiration of her for such a Sword was found among the old Donaries or Votive Tokens of that Church Thus warlikely arrayed she rides to Blois where Forces and fresh Victuals lay for the Relief of Orleans then closely besieged and ready to yield unto the English She joyning with the Admiral and Marshal of France they entred the City in despight of the Besiegers This greatly encouraged the fainting French Joan the Maid of God so Superstition had now intitled her having thus fortunately begun writes this Letter to the English General before the City King of England Do reason to the King of Heaven for his Blood-Royal yield up to the Virgin the Keys of all the good Cities which you have forced She is come from Heaven to reclaim the Blood-Royal and is ready to make a Peace if you be ready to do reason Yield therefore and pay what you have taken King of England I am the chief of this War wherefore I encounter your men in France I will chase them will they or no. If they will obey I will take them to mercy The Virgin comes from Heaven to drive you out of France If you will not obey she will cause so great a stir as the like hath not been this thousand years in France And believe certainly that the King of Heaven will send to her and her good men of Arms more force than you can have Go in Gods name into your Countrey be not obstinate for you shall not hold France of the King of Heaven the Son of St. Mary but Charles shall enjoy it the King and lawful Heir to whom God hath given it He shall enter Paris with a goodly Train You William de la Pole Earl of Suffolk John Lord Talbot Thomas Lord Scales Lieutenants to the Duke of Bedford and you Duke of Bedford terming your self Regent of the Realm of France spare innocent Blood and leave Orleans in liberty If you do not reason to them whom you have wronged the French will do the goodliest Exploit that ever was done in Christendom Understand these News of God and the Virgin This Letter was entertained by the English with laughter and Joan reputed no better than a Bedlam or Enchantress Yet however thus disesteemed by her Encouragements and Conduct the English had Orleans pluck'd out of their hopes and with much loss were driven to raise the Siege Joan her self was wounded at one Sally in which she led being shot through the Arm with an Arrow Judge what she esteemed of that hurt when she used these admirable and terrible words This is a Favour let us go on they cannot escape the hand of God nay in all Adventures she was one and fore-most In memory of this admirable Deliverance they of that City erected a Monument where Charles the seventh King of France and Joan the Martial Maid were represented kneeling in Armour elevating their eyes and hands to Heaven in sign of thanks and acknowledgment of so great a benefit Still the Martial Maid goes on victoriously she and the Duke of Alanzon recover Jergeaux from the Earl of Suffolk forcing it by Assault slaying one of the Earl's Brothers and taking the Earl himself Prisoner and having their numbers augmented encounter the Lord Talbot that terrour of France at a Village called Patay whom they discomfit and slew of the English above a thousand The Lords Talbot the glory of the English Scales Hungerford and Sir Thomas Rampestone were taken Prisoners These Losses shook the whole Fabrick of the English greatness in France and caused the Revolt of many Towns to King Charles who encouraged by these Successes marcheth into Champaigne where by composition he taketh the Cities of Troys and Auxerre Chalons and Rheims yield themselves in which last according to the Maids direction he was solemnly crowned King But now our Martial Maids good Fortune having ascended the Meridian began to decline for though by her subtile practises King Charles was possess'd of the Town of St Dennis a neighbour to Paris then in possession of the English she with the Duke of Alanzon going with their Forces to attempt it the English gave them so rough an Encounter that Joan her self was
with Acclamations till thou revenge my stained Blood Beorn who was not used to be welcomed home in such a Dialect much amazed at his Wives Maladies with gentle Words drew from her the Particulars of her inward Grief who revealed as well as Shame Tears and Sobs would suffer the manner of the deed still urging Revenge for the Wrong Beorn touched thus to the Quick to pacifie his distressed Wife did not a little dissemble his Wrath and excusing the Fact with the Power of a Prince that might command and her own Weakness unable to resist the Strength of a man commended much her Love and Constancy and alledging his Wrongs to be equal with hers if not greater in regard of their Sex willed her to set her string to his Tune till fit opportunity would serve to strike but she distasting that sweet Consort wrested her Passion into so high a Strain that nothing could be heard but Revenge and Blood Beorn thus instigated by the continual Cries of his Wife whose Rape already of it self had given sufficient cause of Wrath first consulting with his nearest Friends was offered their Assistance against that wicked and libidious Prince and then repairing to his Court in the presence of them all made known his unsufferable Wrongs resigning into his Hands all such Services and Possessions as he did hold of him and with utter defiance departed threatning his Death This done he took shipping and sailed into Denmark where he had great Friends as having his bringing up there before and is reported to have been allianced unto the Danish Blood so coming to Godorick King of that Country made his Case known instantly desiring his Aid against the Villany of Osbright Goderick glad to have some Quarrel to invade England levied an Army with all speed and preparation made for all things necessary sendeth forth Inguar and Hubba two Brethren to command in chief over an innumerable Multitude of his Danes which two he thought at this time the fittest for the attempt not only for their good Conduct and approved Valour but also for that he knew them to be on particular Motives which usually more affect than doth a common Cause implacably inraged against the English on an occasion unfortunately happening but most lamentably pursued which came to pass in manner as followeth A Danish Noble-man of Royal Extraction named Lothbroke which is in English no other than Leather-Breech the Father to the two Brothers Inguar and Hubba being upon the shore his Hawk in flying the Game fell into the Sea which to recover he entered a little Skiff or Cock-boat nothing fore-seeing the danger that immediately did ensue for a sudden Tempest arising carried the Boat into the Deep and drove him upon the Coast of Norfolk where he came to land at the Port called Rodham but see his Fortune no sooner had he scaped one danger but he fell into another for the People there took him for a Spy and as such a one presently sent him to Edmund then King of that Province but in his Answers he sufficiently cleared that Suspicion and also declaring his Birth and Misfortune was honourably entertained in the Court of that East-Angles King whom Edmund much esteemed for his other good Parts but for his dexterity and expertness in Hawking held him in special regard insomuch that his Faulkner named Berick envying the good parts of Lothbroke as being endued with none himself he therefore conceived such deadly hatred and malice thereat as having him at advantage alone in a Wood he cowardly murthered him and hid his dead Body in a Bush But Lothbroke whose noble Parts had made him eminent was soon miss'd and diligent Inquisition being made could not be found until his Spaniel which would not forsake his dead Master's Corps came fawningly unto the King as seeming to beg Revenge of so bloody an Act which he did more than once and at length being observed and followed by the Trace the dead Body was found and Bericke demonstrated to be the Murtherer and on sufficient Evidence convicted for the same his Judgment being to be put into Lothbroke's Boat and that without either Tackle or Oar as he therein arrived and so left to the Seas Mercy to be saved by Destiny or swallowed up by just desert But behold the Event the Boat returned to the same place and upon the same Coast arrived from whence it had been driven where being known to be Lothbroke's Boat Bericke was laid hands on who to free himself from the punishment of his butcherly Fact added Treason to Murther laying it to the charge of innocent King Edmund saying that the King had put him to death in the Country of Norfolk This was thought sufficiently worthy of Revenge to which Goderick's Quarrel being added did very much inflame the Courages of Inguar and Hubba the two Sons of the murthered Prince who thereupon having their Army in readiness set forth to Sea and first arriving at Holderness burn'd up the Country and without Mercy massacred all before them sparing neither Sex Calling nor Age and surprizing York which Osbright had taken for his Refuge there slew that lustful Prince with all his Forces making thereby good that Saying of the Poet. Those whose Delights are in the Cyprian Game Warming themselves in Lusts alluring Flame And wallowing in that Sin their Lives do spend Do seldom to the Grave in Peace descend Afterwards the two furious Brethren marched with their Army into Norfolk where they sent this Message unto King Edmund That Inguar the most victorious Prince dread both by Sea and Land having subdued divers Countries unto his Subjection and now arrived in those Parts where he meant to Winter charged Edmund to divide with him his Riches and to become his Vassal aend Servant The King being stricken into Astonishment at this strange and unexpected Message consulted with his Counsel what to do therein where one of his Bishops then his Secretary and a principal man used Persuasions to him to yield for preventing greater mischief who notwithstanding returned this Answer Go tell thy Lord that Edmund the Christian King for the love of this temporal Life will not subject himself to a Heathen and Pagan Duke Inguar and Hubba herewith exasperated with the furious Troops of their Danes pursued the King to Thetford and from thence to his Castle of Framingham where he pitying the terrible Slaughter of his People yielded himself to their Persecutions who because he would not deny Christ and the Christian Faith those Pagans first beat him with Bats then scourged him with Whips he still calling upon the name of Jesus for rage whereof they bound him to a Stake and with their Arrows shot him to death and cutting off his Head contemptuously threw it into a Bush Of which Head we have a Monkish Story written by the Author of their English Martyrology for which the Author doth very well deserve the Whet-stone viz. That when St. Edmund was murthered by the Danes the Christians
last of all how he shall come again with Glory and Power to judge both the quick and the dead When the Morning was come Agbarus commanded his Citizens to be gathered together to hear the Sermon of Thaddaeus which being ended he charged that Gold coined and uncoined should be given him but he received it not saying insomuch that we have forsaken our own how can we receive other Mens These things saith Eusebius were done the three and fortieth Year which being translated word for word out of the Syrian Tongue he thought good to publish The Conversion of a Thief by St. John the Apostle related by Clemens and quoted by Eusebius Lib. 3. ch 20. HEAR saith he a Fable and yet not a Fable but a true Report of John the Apostle deliver'd unto us and committed to memory After the decease of the Tyrant when he had returned to Ephesus out of the Isle Patmos being requested he went unto the Countreys adjoyning partly to consecrate Bishops partly to set in order whole Churches and partly to chuse by Lot unto the Ecclesiastical function of them whom the holy Ghost had assigned When he was come unto a certain City not far distant the name whereof divers do express and among other things had recreated the Brethren beholding a young man of a goodly body gracious face and fervent mind he turned his face unto him that was appointed chief over all the Bishops and said I commend this young man unto thy Custody with an earnest desire as Christ and the Church bear me witness When he had received his charge and promised diligence therein he spake and protested unto him the second time in words to the like effect Afterwards he returned to Ephesus But the Elder taking the young man that was delivered unto him brought him up at home and ceased not but cherished him still and in process of time baptized him He came at length to be so diligent and serviceable that he made him a Phylacterie or Livery Garment signed with his master 's Arms. But this young man became very dissolute and perniciously accompanied himself with them of his own years idle dissolute and acquainted with ill behaviour First they bring him to sumptuous Banquets next they guide him in the night to steale and to rob after this they require that he consent to the committing of a greater offence Thus he acquainting himself by little and little through the greatness of his capacity much like a Horse of a hardened mouth fierce strong and hardy forsaking the right way with the biting of the Bridle bringeth himself into a bottomless pit of all misorder and outrage At length despairing of the Salvation that cometh of God being past all hope of Grace he practised no toy nor trifle but once being over shooes he proceeded forward and took the like lot with the rest of his Companions and a rout of Thieves being gathered together he became a most violent Captain over them wholly bent to slaughter murther and extream cruelty In the mean while necessity so constraining the Bishop sent for John He when he had ended and finished the cause of his coming Go to saith he O Bishop restore to us thy Charge which I and Christ have committed unto thy Custody the Church whereof thou art Head bearing witness The Bishop at the first was amazed supposing some deceit to be wrought touching Money which he had not received yet was he not able to answer him for that he had it not neither to mistrust John But when John had said I require the young man and the Soul of our Brother then the Elder looking down with a heavy Countenance sobbing and sighing said He is dead To whom John said How and by what kind of Death He answered He is dead to God for he is become wicked and pernicious and in short a Thief for he keepeth this Mountain over against the Church together with his Associates The Apostle then rending his Garment and beating his Head with great Sorrow said I have left a wise Keeper of our Brother's Soul prepare me a Horse and let me have a Guide He hastened out of the Church and rode in Post being come to the place appointed he is straitway taken of the thievish Watch he neither flyeth nor resisteth but exclaimeth for this purpose came I hither bring me unto your Captain who in the mean space as he was armed beheld him coming But when he saw his Face and knew that it was John he was stricken with Shame and fled away The old man forgetful of his Years with Might pursueth him flying and cryeth My Son why flyest thou from me thy Father unarmed and old Tender my Case O Son be not afraid as yet there remaineth hope of Salvation I will undertake for thee with Christ I will die for thee if need be as Christ died for us I will hazard my Soul for thine trust to me Christ sent me He hearing this first stood still casting his countenance to the Ground next shook off his Armour trembling for Fear and wept bitterly He embraced Saint John and coming unto him answered as well as he could for weeping so that again he seemed to be baptized with Tears the shaking of the Hand onely omitted The Apostle when he had promised and protested to procure for him Pardon of our Saviour and prayed and fallen upon his knees and also kissed his right hand now cleansed through repentance brought him unto the Church again When that also he had poured forth oftentimes prayers for him and strugled with him in continual fastings and mollified his Mind with divers and sundry Sermons and confirmed him departed not before he had fully restored him unto the Church and exhibited a great example of true repentance a great trial of new Birth and a singular token of the visible Resurrection The Conspiracy of Earl Gowry to have murthered King James in Scotland Anno 1600. WIlliam Lord Ruthen Earl Gowry was for Rebellion put to death at Sterlin Anno 1584 yet notwithstanding his eldest Son John not long after was restored in blood and had leave to travel beyond Seas where he carried a cankred Heart against the King for his Father's Death although his Majesty were then but two years old for at Padoua amongst other impressa's in a fencing School he caused a hand and Sword aiming at a Crown for his Device Returning home and too big in his own thoughts to be comprehended with Court observance he retired to his Family accompanied with such of his Creatures that could descend to observe him only a Brother of his named Alexander was designed to play the Courtier to take off the suspition being of the King's Bed-Chamber In the mean time the Earl gets what Confederates he could into his conspiracy and so the Murther of the King was resolved of on this manner The Earl sends his Brother Alexander from Saint Johnstons his House to the King at Faulkland to entice him thither with as
much privacy as could be And over-night the fourth of August 1600. commands one of his servants Andrew Henderson toride with his Brother Alexander and one Andrew Ruthen to Faulkland to the Court the next morning by seven a clock The King putting his foot in the stirrop to hunt Alexander tells him that he had apprehended one lately come from beyond Seas with much Gold coyn and sundry suspicious Letters to Popish Lords advising his Majesty to receive the Mony and Letters and to examin the Person being in safety with his brother at Saint Johnstons but ten miles and this to be done speedily and privately which vvas concluded on and to be done at Noon vvhilst his Train and Attendants should be at dinner Alexander immediately commands Henderson to speed to his Brother finding him in his Chamber vvhere they had communication that the King vvould be there by Noon and that the business took vvell vvith the King for he clipt him about the neck That he vvas accompanied vvith a slender Train the Duke of Lenox Sir Thomas Erskin and about a dozen persons more Well says the Earl get on your plate sleeves for I must take an High-land Robber The King staying longer in his sport of hunting than was expected the Earl at middle of dinner Andrew Ruthen came in haste and signified the King to be neer at hand presently after came Alexander and William Bloire and withdrew themselves to consult sending Henderson for the Earl's Gauntlet and Steel Bonnet at the istant the King comes in is received by the Earl and retires to dinner Alexander bids Henderson to fetch the keys of the Chambers from one William Rynd and presently after Crauston requires Henderson to come to the Earl who commanded him to attend his Brother Alexander and to do what e're he did bid him which was to be locked up within the round Chamber and to stay in silence till his return Neer the end of dinner the King at his Fruit and the Lords and Waiters gone to eat Alexander begs of his majesty in this opportunity to withdraw and to dispatch the business And up he leads him through four or five rooms locking each door behind them till they came into the round Chamber where Henderson stood armed No sooner entred but instantly Alexander clapping on his Hat puls out Henderson's Dagger and holding it to the King's breast with a stern countenance faces the King and says Now Sir you must know I had a Father whose blood calls for revenge and you must die and pointing to the Kings heart with the dagger Henderson tript it out of his hand who afterwards deposed that he did verily believe if Alexander had retained the Dagger so long as one might goe six steps he had killed the King therewith but wanting the Dagger the King gave him gentle Language excusing himself from the Death of Gowry by his then infancy advising him not to lay violent hands on the sacred Person of his anointed Sovereign especially in a cause of his innocency pleading the Laws of God and man and his merits by restoring his Brother in Blood and Honours by breeding his Sister the nearest in the Queens affection and by his reception of his Bed-chamber withall promising Pardon of all that is past which wrought so much upon Alexander for the present that he leaves the King in Custody of Henderson until he returns from his Brother having taken oath of the King nor to stir nor cry out and so locks them in Alexander gone Henderson trembles with reverence of his Soveraign and craves Pardon the King works upon his passion and asks him what he was who answered a servant of the Earls and wilt thou kill me says the King he replyed with an oath himself would sooner die Presently Alexander enters with a Garter in his hand and says Sir there is no remedy by God you must dye and strives to bind the Kings hands who said Nay sall you not I se die a free man and strugling together Alexander got the Kings head under his arm and his hand upon his mouth which the King bit by the thumb and dragging him to the window bade Henderson open it which being done the King cried out into a back Court vvhere the Duke the Earl of Mar and others were in pursuit of him who was rumour'd to be gone out the back way into the Park At this sudden cry of Treason and known to be the Kings voice they hastened to the Chamber where he dined but no entrance was found The while John Ramsey and Sir Thomas Erskin got up by a turn-pike back pair of stairs directed that way by a boy of the House who saw Alexander ascend that way and forcing one door finds them panting Ramsey casts off his Hawk from his Fist draws out his Faulchion and wounds him deadly in the Belly being bid to strike low for the King found him armed with a Male and at that instant comes in Sir Thomas Erskin Doctor Herres and one Wilson and by them was the Body dispatch'd whilst Henderson slipt away But soon they suspected by the noise of unlocking doors that Gowry himself was coming to assail them wherefore they advised the King to withdraw into the Lobby and cast the King's Coat upon the dead Body The Earl soon entred by his double Keys with seven Servants the fore-way and his Case of Rapiers his usual Weapon ready drawn to whom Erskin earnestly said to divert him from his purpose What do you mean my Lord The King is killed and points to his Brothers covered Body bleeding on the ground At the uttering of those Words Gowry stops and abating of his Fury sinks the points of his Weapons when suddenly Herres assails him with his rusty Sword Ramsey steps in and strikes him to the Heart yet not so soon but the Earl thrust him into the Thigh assisted by Crawston who hurt Erskin and Herres in the hand and they run him through his Body who lived only long enough to be hanged and quartered Forthwith came up all the Lords the Court and Townsmen where after thanks to God for this Mercy they surveyed Gowry's Body which did not bleed untill a Parchment was taken out of his Bosom with Characters and these Letters which put together made TETRAGRAMMATON having been told His Blood should not spill whilst he had that Spell Being thus deceived by the Devil he thought he should not die until he had Power and Rule which he had of the King and so suffered by the Sword The Bodies of the two Brothers were sentenced by the Parliament hanged on a Gibbet dismembred and their Heads set upon the Prison House and then ordained the fifth day of August in all Ages to come should be solemnly kept for publick Prayers Thus this Earl by his horrid Treason undid his Family two of his Brothers William and Patrick flying beyond Sea there still remained in Scotland a younger Son being then a Child who was from that time
the House is very long and at twelve of the clock it is full of Noblemen they sit upon Carpets on the ground the House is always full of People till midnight The last King Gembe never used to speak in the day but always in the night but this King speaketh in the day howbeit he spendeth most of the day with his Wives And when the King cometh in he goeth to the upper end of the House where he hath his Seat as it were a Throne and when the King is set they clap their hands and salute him saying in their Language Byam Pemba Ampola Moneya Quesinge On the South side of the Kings Houses he hath a Circuit or Village where his Wives dwell and in this Circuit no man may come on pain of death He hath in this place an hundred and fifty Wives or more and if any man be taken within this Circuit if he be with a Woman or do but speak to her they be both brought into the Market-place and their Heads be cut off their Bodies quartered and lie one day in the Streets The last King Gymbe had four hundred Children by his Women When the King drinketh he hath a Cup of Wine brought and he that bringeth it hath a Bell in his Hand and as soon as he hath delivered the Cup to the King he turneth his Face from him and ringeth the Bell then all that be there fall down upon their Faces and rise not till the King have drunk And this is very dangerous for any Stranger that knoweth not the fashions for if any seeth the King drink he is presently killed whatsoever he be There was a Boy of twelve years old which was the Kings Son this Boy chanced to come unadvisedly when his Father was a drinking presently the King commanded he should be well apparelled and Victuals prepared so the Youth did eat and drink afterwards the King commanded that he should be cut in quarters and carried about the City with Proclamation that he saw the King drink Likewise for the Kings Dyet when it is Dinner-time there is a House on purpose where he always eateth and there his Dyet is set upon a Bensa like a Table then he goeth in and hath the door shut and when he hath eaten he knocketh and cometh out so that none see the King eat nor drink for it is their belief that if he be seen eating or drinking he shall presently die This King is so honoured as though he were a God amongst them and is called Sambe and Pongo that is God and they believe that he can give them Rain when he listeth so once a year when it is time to rain which is in December the People come to beg it and bring their Gifts to the King for none come empty Then he appointeth the day and all the Lords far and near come to that Feast with all their Troops as they go in the Wars and when all the Troops of Men be before the King the greatest Lord cometh forth with his Bow and Arrows and sheweth his skill with his Weapons and then he hath a merry Conceit or Jest that he speaketh before the King and kneeleth at his feet and then the King thanketh him for his Love and in like manner they do all The King sitteth abroad in a great place and hath a Carpet spread upon the ground which is some fifteen Fathoms about of fine Eufacks which are wrought like Velvet and upon the Carpet his Seat which is a Fathom from the ground Then he commandeth his Dembes to strike up which are Drums so great that they cannot carry them He hath also eight Pongos which are his Waits made of the greatest Elephants Teeth and are hollowed and scraped light which play also so that with the Drums and Waits they make a Hellish noise After they have sported and shewed the King pleasure he ariseth and standeth upon his Throne and taking a Bow and Arrows into his Hand shooteth to the Sky and that day there is a great rejoycing because sometimes they have Rain which when it happens is a great Confirmation of their Folly Here is sometimes born in this Country White Children which is very rare among them for their Parents are Negroes and when any of them are born they are presented unto the King and are called Dondoes These are as white as any white man and are made the Kings Witches being brought up in Witchcraft and always wait on the King There is no man that dares meddle with these Dondoes if they go to the Market they may take what they list for all men stand in awe of them the King of Longo hath four of them This King is also a Witch and believeth in two Idols which are in Longo the one is called Mokisso a Longo the other is called Checocke This last is a little black Image and standeth in a little House at a Village that is called Kinga which standeth in the Landing-place of Longo The House of Checocke standeth in the High-way where all that go by clap their hands which is the courtesie of the Country Those that be Craftsmen as Fishermen Hunters and Witches do offer to this Idol that they may have good luck This Checocke doth sometimes in the night come and haunt some of his best beloved sometimes a Man sometimes a Boy or a Woman and then they befrantick for the space of three hours whatsoever the frantick Person speaketh that they think is the will of Checocke making a great Feast and Dancing at his House There is another Mokisso which is also in Ringa and it is called Gomberi it is the name of a Woman and is in an house where an old Witch dwelleth and she is called Ganga Gomberi which is the Priest of Gomberi Here once a year is a Feast made and Ganga Gomberi speaketh under the ground and this is a common thing every year I have asked the Negroes what it was and they told me it is a strong Mokisso that is come to abide with Chacocke There is a place two Leagues from the Town of Longo called Longeri where all their Kings be buried and it is compassed round about with Elephants Teeth pitched in the ground as it were a Pale being ten Roods in compass These People will suffer no white man to be buried in their Land and if any Stranger or Portugal come thither to trade and chance to die he is carried in a Boat two miles from the shore and cast into the Sea There was once a Portugal Gentleman that came to trade with them and had his House on shore thiâ— Gentleman died and was buried four moneths thaâ— year it did not rain so soon as it was wont which beginneth about December so that they lacked Rain some two months Then their Mokisso told them that the Christian which was buried must be taken out of the Earth and cast into the Sea and so he was taken up and cast into the Sea and
that day proved so cold that they could not stir out of their Tent. The same day there came two Ships of Hull into the Sound who knowing that some men had been left there the Year before being very desirous to know whether they were dead or alive the Master manned forth a Shallop to go as near the Shore as they could and so over the Ice to the Tent when these men came near unto it they haled them with the usual Word at Sea crying Hey to which one of them in the Tent answered again Hoe which sudden Answer almost amazed them all but perceiving them to be the very men left there with joyful Hearts they embraced one another and so coming into the Tent they shewed the Hull-men the curtesie of the House giving them some Venison which was roasted four months before and a Cup of cold Water which for Novelty sake they kindly accepted of After a little Discourse these eight men resolved to leave their Tent and to go with them to their Ship where they were welcomed after the heartiest and kindest English manner and so they staid with them till the London Fleet came which was three days after at which time they went aboard the Admiral in which Captain William Goodler was who made them very welcome and gave order that they should have any thing which was in the Ship that might do them good he gave them Apparel also to the value of twenty pounds so that after fourteen days refreshment they grew all perfectly well but when some of them went to their own Master that had left them there he fell foul upon them calling them Run-a-ways with other harsh Terms far enough from the Civility of an honest man Thus they continued in the Fleet until the 20th of August at which time with joyful Hearts they set Sail thorow the foaming Ocean and though sometimes crossed with contrary Winds yet at last they came safely to an Anchor in the River of Thames and the Muscovy Merchants dealt very well by them The Names of those eight Men thus left in Green-land William Fakely Gunner Edward Pelham Gunner's Mate that wrote this Story John Wise and Robert Goodfellow Seamen Thomas Ayers Whale-cutter Henry Bet Cooper John Daws and Richard Kellet Land-men A notable Story of Edgar King of England how he was by his chief Favourite circumvented of the fair Lady Elfrida and how afterwards the King was revenged of him for the same THis Edgar sirnamed the Peaceable the thirtieth Monarch of the English men was a Prince endowed with a great many Vertues and as many Vices and of all Vices most to Lasciviousness of which the Chronicles relate many Examples we shall only instance in one which for the variety of the matter deserveth to be recorded unto Posterity Fames lavish Report of beauteous Elfrida the Paragon of her Sex and Wonder of Nature the only Daughter of Ordgarus Duke of Devonshire sounded so loud in those Western parts that the Eccho thereof was heard into King Edgar's Court and entered his Ears which ever lay open to give his Eyes the Scope of Desire and his wanton thoughts the Reins of Will to try the Truth whereof he secretly sent his Minion or Favourite Earl Ethelwold of East-Anglia who well could judge of Beauty and knew the Dyet of the King with Commission that if the Pearl proved so orient it should be seized for Edgar's own wearing who meant to make her his Queen and Ordgarus the Father of a King Ethelwood a jolly young Gallant posted into Devonshire and guest-wise visited Duke Ordgarus his Court where seeing the Lady surpassing the Report blam'd Fame's over-sight for sounding her Praise in so base and leaden a Trumpet and wholly surprized with her Love himself began to wooe the Virgin yea and with her Father's good liking so as the King would give his Assent Earl Ethelwold returning related that the Maid indeed was fair but yet her Beauty much augmented by babling Reports and neither her Feature or Parts any wise befitting a King Edgar mistrusting no Rival in his Love nor dreaming false Fellowship in Wooing did with a slight Thought pass over Elfrida and pitch'd his Affections the faster another way Earl Ethelwold following the Game now on Foot desired Edgar's Assistance to bring it to a stand pretending not so much for any liking to the Lady as to raise his own Fortunes by being her Father's Heir to which the King yielded and ignorant of what had passed sollicited Ordgarus in the behalf of his Minion Ethelwold The Duke glad to be shrouded under the favour of such a Favourite willingly consented and his Daughters Destiny 's assured to Earl Ethelwold The Marriage solemnized and the Fruits thereof a short time enjoyed the Fame of her Beauty began to be spread and that with a larger Epithet than formerly it had been whereupon Edgar much doubting of double dealing laid his Angle fair to catch this great Gull and bearing no shew of wrong or suspect invited himself to hunt in his Parks and forthwith repairing into those parts did not a little grace his old Servant to the great Joy of Ordgarus the Duke But Ethelwold mistrusting the cause of his coming thought by one Policy to disappoint another and therefore revealing the truth to his Wife how in his Proceedings he had wronged her Beauty and deceived his Sovereign requested her loving assistance to save now his endangered Life which lay in her power and of the means he thus adviseth Like as said he the richest Diamond rough and uncut yields neither sparkle nor esteem of great Price nor the Gold unburnished gives better Lustre than the base Brass so Beauty and Feature clad in mean Aray is either slightly looked at with an unfixed Eye or is wholly unregarded and held of no Worth for according to the Proverb Cloath is the Man and Man is the Wretch then to prevent the thing that I fear and is likely to prove my present Ruine and thy last Wrack conceal thy great Beauty from King Edgar's Eye and give him Entertainment in thy meanest Attires let them I pray thee for a time be the nightly Curtains drawn about our new nuptial Bed and the daily Clouds to hide thy splendant Sun from his sharp and too too piercing sight whose Vigour and Rayes will soon set his waxen Wings on Fire that ready are to melt at a far softer Heat Pitch thou seest defileth the hand and we are forbid to give occasion of Evil veil then thy Fairness with the Scaffs of Deformity from his over-lavish and unmastered Eye for the fairest Face draws ever the Gaze if not the Attempts and Natures Endowments are as the Bush for the Wine which being immoderately taken doth surfeit the Sense and is again cast up with as loathing a Tast Of these Dregs drunk Amnon after his fill of fair Thamer Herod of Miramy and Aeneas of Dido yea and not to seek Examples far off King Edgar's variation in his unstedfast
to satisfie her Revenge Paradine keeping her there company a long time imagining no other but that it was the Mistress of his Affections The Queen who spent all this while in soft whispers and dalliance not using any one word whereby she might be discovered perceiving opportunity so aptly to fit her spake thus unto him Knowest thou Paradine who it is that keepeth thee Company Full well quoth he with my Mistress and then named her Thou lyest false Traytor replyed the Queen I am Rosamond thy Sovereigns Wife whom thou hast dared to abuse in this manner and dye thou must by the just Wrath of Albovine except thou save thy Life by killing him advise thee therefore whether his Life or thine own be dearest unto thee When Paradine considered his dangerous estate without any means or escape he resolved to kill the King and for his better furtherance therein both he the Queen and Hermigilde took counsel together contriving his Murther in this manner The King used to Sleep in the heat of the day when all else avoided the Chamber except the Queen Now he being a King of Courage and high Resolution ever slept like a Souldier with his Sword girded about him which at this intended time of Treason the Queen had tied so fast in the Scabbard as he could by no means help himself therewith Paradine and Hermigilde waiting the hour which was upon the Queens coming forth they entered and for all their treading the King heard them and started from his Bed when he saw two men armed with Weapons a sudden fury possessed his Spirit perceiving their intentions were against him he sought to defend himself with his Weapon which failing him by the aforesaid means of the Queen and they with their Weapons every where striking at him and wounding him he caught up a Stool and therewith defended himself for a Space till in the end they deprived him of Life without any noise heard or any suspition of Murther The King being thus Dead all was carried with a smooth Countenance Hermigilde possessed himself of the Palace intending to make the Queen his Wife as immediately he did But notwitstanding all their close packing the Lombards not long after came to the knowledge of their Kings Death and in what manner he was murthered which so incensed them that they purposed severely to revenge the same This being notified to Rosamond and her complices she packed up most of her Jewels and Royal Treasure and fled away thence carrying with them Alvisinda Daughter to King Albovine by his first Wife and hasted with all the speed they could to Ravenna where then governed a Lieutenant of the Empire named Longinus who kept that place for Tiberius Son to the Emperour Constantine of Constantinople by whom they were courteously entertained Not long had they been there but Longinus became enamoured on Rosamond and therefore partly to enjoy her Love partly to possess that Mess of Money and Jewels which she brought with her and partly by her faction to raise a beneficial War against the Lombards he perswaded her to procure the Death of Hermigilde and take him to her Husband to which he found her very tractable for she having lost all love and fear of God respect of Woman-hood and dreadless of the shame of Men coveting withal to advance the down-faln estate by marrying with the Emperours Lieutenant gave to Hermigilde an empoysoned Potion at his coming forth of his Bath perswading him that it was most Sovereign for his Health by which perswasion he drank a good part thereof but when he found it to afflict his Body so as he plainly perceived himself to be poysoned drawing forth his Sword in extremity of Rage he compelled Rosamond to drink up all the rest that remained in the Cup. So that at one instant time they were both justly requited for the Death of Albovine Tidings hereof being brought to the Lieutenant Longinus he caused the young Lady Alvisinda to be seized on and sent her with all her Jewels and Treasure to the Emperour Tiberius at Constantinople with Paradine also as a Prisoner who for reward of his former Treason to his Sovereign had his eyes pulled forth after which he lived but a while and then dyed most miserably The miseries of inforted Marriage exemplified in a story of a Knight in Warwickshire Murthered by his own Lady IN the days of Queen Mary there lived at Shirford in Warwick-shire one Sr. Walter Smith Knight who being grown an Aged Man at the death of his first Wife considering of a Marriage for Richard his Son and Heir then at Mans Estate to that end made his mind known to Mr. Thomas Chetwyn of Ingestre in Staffordshire a Gentleman of an ancient Family and a fair Estate who entertaining the motion in behalf of Dorothy one of his Daughters was contented to give 500 pound Portion with her But no sooner had the old Knight seen the young Lady then that he became a Suiter for himself being so captivated with her Beauty that he tender'd as much for her besides a good Joynture as he should have received in case the Match had gone on for his Son Which liberal Offer so wrought upon Mr. Chetwyn as that with sparing not for arguments to perswade his Daughter to accept of Sr. Walter for her Husband adding to his perswasions something of Menaces that at length with much unwillingness she consented thereunto Whereupon the Marriage ensued accordingly but with what a tragique Issue will quickly be seen for it was not long ' ere that her affections wandering after younger men she gave entertainment to one Mr. William Robinson then of Drayton-Basset a young Gentleman of twenty two years of age Son to George Robinson a rich Mercer of London and grew so impatient at all Impediments which might hinder her full Enjoyment of him that she rested not till she had contrived a way to be rid of her Husband For which purpose corrupting her waiting Gentlewoman and a Groom of the Stable she resolved by their help and the assistance of Robinson to strangle him in his Bed appointing the time and manner how it should be effected And though Robinson failed in coming on the designed Night perhaps thorough a dismal Apprehension of so horrid a Fact she no whit stagger'd in her Resolutions for watching her Husband till he was fallen asleep she then let in those Assassinates before specified and casting a long Towel about his Neck caused the Groom to lye upon him to keep him from strugling whilst her self and the Maid straining the Towel stop'd his Breath It seems the good old Gentleman little thought that this his Lady had acted therein for when they first cast the Towel about his Neck he cryed out help Doll help but having thus dispatch'd the Work they carried him into another Room where a Close-stool was plac'd upon which they set him and after an hour that the Maid and Groom were silently got away to palliate the business she
of Hungary came thither accompanied with divers Noble-men and Gentlemen who notwithstanding found no deceit therein Thus she continued for the space of almost four years Her Torments seemed to increase more and more upon her At last the chief Magistrate of the City sent for her Parents and asked them whether they desired to have their Daughter delivered from so great Torments by the Physicians making incision into her Belly Her Father being a plain man answered that he was willing to leave his Daughter to God's Providence and to lawful Remedies of Physicians But the Mother being guilty of the Deceit said that she would not have them to attempt any thing to the endangering of her daughters life adding moreover that she would pray that God's Vengeance might light upon them if her Daughter miscarried under their hands Yet some were sent to the Maid to mind her that they had many times craved help of Physicians that now there was a proffer made of their help who by God's assistance might either wholly free her from her Distemper or at least asswage the violence of it But she being instructed of her Mother answered That she with a willing mind would patiently suffer what it should please God to inflict upon her that she desired not any Physick but that as for the space of four years she had undergone the extremity of her Pains so she was still willing to bear the Cross which God had laid upon her till it pleased him to remove it hoping that she should still be as able to bear the violence of her Disease as hitherto she had been But the Magistrate of Elsing being better pleased with her Father's Answer sent a Dr. of Physick with two Chirurgions and a Midwife to search the Maidens Belly by Incision These came to her and searching her Belly found it stuffed with Clouts very cunningly and with Pillows and such like Materials with divers Hoops wherewith her Belly was made round she crying out all the while and when all these were removed they saw the Maiden stark naked with as well a compact and as fair a Body as might be When now the Deceit was discovered the Parents with the Daughter and all they which were accessory with whom in the Night whilst others slept she made good cheer were carried to Prison and afterwards put to the Rack The counterfeit Belly was brought to the Town-house and there shewed to the Burgo-masters and the Maids Mother was found to be a Witch who by the Devils help had caused those strange noises which seemed to proceed out of the Maids Belly and upon strict examination she confessed that she had done all these things by the Devils perswasion and help for Gain-sake all these four years for which she was condemned by the Judge had first her Neck broke and afterwards was openly burned The Daughter had her Cheek burned through with an hot iron and was condemned to perpetual Imprisonment The Father who took his Oath that he was deceived by his Wife and Daughter even till that day wherein this wicked Fact vvas discovered vvas acquitted and freely dismissed the other Accessories vvere banished and some of them that vvere most guilty vvere othervvise punished Of People long-lived who have had their Teeth and Excrements of Hair renewed MR. Purchas in his Pilgrimage relateth that whilst the Portugals were busie in building a Fort in the Kingdom of Decan belonging to Asia that there came a certain Bengalan to the Governour which had lived as he affirmed three hundred thirty five years The old men of the Country testified that they had heard their Ancestors speak of his great Age and himself had a Son fourscore and ten years old and not at all Book-learned yet was a speaking Chronicle of those passed Times His Teeth had sometimes fallen out others growing in their places and his Beard after it had been very hoary by degrees returned into his former blackness About an hundred years before that time he had alter'd his Pagan Religion into the Arabian or Moorish For this his Miraculous age the Sultans of Cambaya had allowed him a Stipend to live on the continuance of which he sought and did obtain of the Portugals Fryar Joano dos Santos tells a Story of one who was alive Anno 1605 of whom the Bishop of Cochin had sent men to inquire who by diligent search found that he was then 380 years old and had married eight times the Father of many Generations They said his Teeth had thrice fallen out and were thrice renewed his hair thrice hoary and as oft black again He could tell of nineteen successive Kings which reigned in Horan his native Country in Bengala He was also born a Gentile and after turned Moor and hoped he said to dye a Christian rejoycing to see a Picture of St Francis saying as the Fryar tells us such a man when he was twenty five years old had foretold him that long life Nic-di Conti saith he saw a Bramane three hundred years old But to come nearer to our home Mr. Morison reporteth of the Irish Countess of Desmond that she lived to the age of a hundred and forty Years being able to go on foot four or five miles to the Market-Town and using weekly so to do in her last Years and not many years before she died she had all her Teeth renewed He also tells of one Jemings a Carpenter in Beverly a Town of Holdernes in England whom the men of those Parts reported to have lived a hundred and twenty years and that he married a young Woman some few years before his death by whom being of good Fame he had four Children and that his eldest Son by his first Wife then living was a hundred years old or thereabouts but was so decrepid as he was rather taken for the Father than the Son King James going a Progress into Hereford-shire the ingenious Serjeant Hoskin gave him an Entertainment where he provided ten aged People to dance the Morrice before him all of them making up more than a thousand years so that what was wanting in one was supplied in another A Nest of Nestors saith Mr. Fuller not to be found in another place In the Year 1634. Thomas Earl of Arundel a great Lover of Antiquities in all kinds brought out of the Country unto King Charles the First an old man named Thomas Parre Son of John Parre born at Alberbury in the Parish of Winnington in Shrop-shire who lived to be above a hundred and fifty Years of Age verifying his Anagram Thomas Parre Most rare hap He was born in the Reign of King Edward the Fourth 1483. and towards his latter end slept away most part of his time being thus character'd by an Eye-witness of him From Head to Heel his Body had all over A quick-set thick-set nat'ral hairy Cover Having been at Westminster about two Months change of Air and Diet better in it self but worse for him with the trouble of many Visitants or
Elionara Sister to the King of Portugal at Bruges in Flanders which was solemnized in the deep of Winter whenas by reason of unseasonable Weather he could neither hawk nor hunt and was now tired with Cards Dice c. and such other domestical Sports or to see Ladies dance with some of his Courtiers he would in the Evening walk disguised all about the Town It so fortuned as he was walking late one Night he found a Country-Fellow dead drunk snorting on a Bulk he caused his Followers to bring him to his Palace and there stripped him of his old Cloaths and attired him after the Court Fashion when he waked he and they were ready to attend upon his Excellency persuading him he was some great Duke The poor Fellow admiring how he came thither was served in state all the day long After Supper he saw them dance heard Musick and the rest of those Court-like Pleasures but late at night when he was well tipled and again fast asleep they put on his old Cloaths and so conveyed him to the place where they first found him Now the Fellow had not made them so good sport the day before as he did when he returned to himself all the Jest was to see how he looked upon it In conclusion after some little Admiration the poor man told his Friends he had seen a Vision constantly believed it would not otherwise be persuaded and so the Jest ended Memorials of Thomas Coriat the famous Odcombian Traveller MR. Thomas Coriat was born at Odcombe nigh Evil in Somerset-shire and bred at Oxford where he attained to admirable fluency in the Greek Tongue he was a Man in his Time Notus nimis omnibus very sufficiently known one who seemed to carry Folly in his Face the shape of his Head being like a Sugar-loaf inverted with the little end before but such as conceived him Fool ad duo and something else ad decem were utterly mistaken for he drave on no Design cared for Coin and Counters alike so contented with what was present that he accounted those men guilty of Superfluity who had more Suits and Shirts than Bodies seldom putting off either till they were ready to go away from him Noble Prince Henry King James his Son allowed him a Pension and kept him for his Servant Sweet-meats and Coriat made up the last Course at all Court-Entertainments indeed he was the Courtiers Anvil to try their Wits upon and sometimes this Anvil returned the Hammers as hard Knocks as it received his Bluntness repaying their Abusiveness He being addicted to travel took a Journey into several places of Europe and at his Return made a Book thereof known by the name of Coriat's Crudities printed about the year 1611. being ushered into the World by very many Copies of excellent Verses made by the Wits of those times which made one to say that the Porch was more worth than the Palace the Preface of other mens mock-commending Verses than the Book it self however they did very much advantage and improve if not enforce the Sale thereof doing themselves much more Honour than him whom they undertook to commend in their several Encomiasticks Now because the Book is very scarce and hard to come by I shall give you a Copy of one of their Encomiums there being about sixty in all by which you may give a guess at the rest To the no less learned than wise and discreet Gentleman Mr. Thomas Coriat in some few Months Travels born and brought up to what you see viz. To be the delight of a world of noble Wits to be a shame to all Authors as the Gout and Quartane Fever have been to all Physicians This plain Song sendeth Christopher Brooke his poor Friend to attend the Descant of his famous Book thorough all Hands Tongues Arts Trades Mysteries and Occupations whatsoever THE subtile Greek Ulysses needs must travel Ten years sorsooth over much Sand and Gravel And many Cities see and Manners know Before there could be writ a Book or two Of his Adventures and he travell'd still Else there are Lyars sore against his Will But this rare English-Latin-Grecian Of Orators and Authors the Black Swan A voluntary Journey undertook Of scarce six Months and yet hath writ a Book Bigger than Homer's and tho' writ in Prose As full of Poetry spite of Homer's Nose If he liv'd now that in Darius Casket Plac'd the poor Iliads he had bought a Basket Of richer stuff t' intomb thy Volume large Which thou O noble Tom at thine own charge Art pleas'd to print but thou need'st not repent Of this thy bitter cost for thy brave Precedent Great Caesar is who penned his own Gests And as some write recited them at Feasts And at 's own Charge had printed them they say If printing had been used at that day The Press hath spent the three for one you got At your Return What 's that Poor thing God wot Manure this Land still with such Books my Friend And you shall be paid for it in the end For I methinks see how men strive to carry This jovial Journal into each Library And we e're long shall well perceive your Wit Grave learned Bodley by your placing it Therefore lanch forth great Book like Ship of Fame Th' Hopewel of Odcombe thou shalt have to name Explicit Christopherus Brook Eboracensis Amongst others that writ mock-commendatory Verses of this Book of Crudities was John Taylor the Water-Poet which though of the same nature with the other yet gave great offence to Mr. Coriat complaining of him therefore to King James The Verses were these What matters for the place I first came from I am no Dunce-comb Cox-comb Odcombe Tom Nor am I like a Wool-pack cramb'd with Greek Venus in Venice minded to go seek And at my back-return to write a Volume In memory of my Wits Gargantua Columne The choicest Wits would never so adore me Nor like so many Lacquies run before me But honest Tom I envy not thy state There 's nothing in thee worthy of my hate Yet I confess thou hast an excellent Wit But that an idle Brain doth harbour it Fool thou it at the Court I on the Thames So farewel Odcombe Tom God bless King James Afterwards Taylor wrote a Book called Laugh and be fat wherein he paraphrased upon all those Gentlemen that had written on Mr. Coriat's Book which Book by the Command of King James he procured to be burnt and afterwards adding more Complaints against Taylor to the King his Majesty was pleased to tell him that when the Lords of his Honourable Privy Council had leisure and nothing else to do then they should hear and determine the Differences betwixt Mr. Coriat the Scholar and John Taylor the Sculler Whereupon Taylor wrote these following Verses to the King Most mighty Monarch of this famous Isle Upon the Knees of my submissive mind I beg thou wilt be graciously inclin'd To read these Lines my rustick Pen compile Know Royal Sir
Gold bound up in a white Napkin telling her that God had now remembred her Husband and sent him his pay for his constant pains taken in his Devotion withall charging her not to send for her Husband for though he had taken such a solemn leave of her that morning yet he would come home again to her that Night and so he departed from her The Woman presently bought in some necessaries for her house for they had eaten up all before and further made some good provision for her Husband against his coming home in the evening for so he did and finding all his Family very chearful and merry his Wife presently told him that there had been such a one there as before described and left so much Gold behind him with that fore-mentioned message delivered with it Her Husband presently replyed that it was the Angel Gabriel sent from God for the Mahometans speak much of that Angel and he further added that himself had nothing to bring home unto her but a little Grett or Sand which he took up in his way homeward and bound it in his Girdle which he presently opening to shew her it was all turn'd into precious Stones which amounted unto a very great value in Money the seventh part of which as of his Gold likewise he presently gave to the poor for say they Musulmen are very charitable and infer that if we do not neglect God God will not forget us but when we stand most in need of help will supply us Unto which conclusion we may all subscribe leaving the Premises which are laid down in this Story unto those that dare believe them Of a strange Murther related by Sanderson in his History of King James IN the Year of our Lord 1618. there lived a man at Perin in Cornwal who had been blessed with an ample Possession and fruitful Issue unhappy only in a younger Son who taking Liberty from his Father's Bounty joyned with a Crew like himself who weary of the Land went roving to Sea and in a small Vessel South-ward made Prize of all whom they could master and so increased in Wealth Number and Strength that in the Streights they adventured upon a Turk's Man of War where they got a great Booty but their Powder by mischance taking Fire our Gallant trusting to his skilful swimming got to shore upon the Isle of Rhodes with the best of his Jewels about him where after a while offering some of them to sale to a Jew he knew them to be the Governour 's of Algier whereupon he was apprehended and for a Pirate condemned to the Gallies amongst other Christians whose miserable Slavery made them use their Wits to recover their former Liberty and accordingly watching their opportunity they slew some of their Officers and valiantly released themselves After which this young man got aboard an English Ship and came safe to London where his former Misery and some skill that he had gotten that way preferred him to be Servant to a Chirurgion who after a while sent him to the East-Indies there by his Diligence and Industry he got Money with which he returned home and longing to see his Native Country Cornwal in a small Ship from London he sailed Westward but e're he attained his Port he was cast away upon that Coast where once more his excellent skill in swimming brought him safe to shore but then having been fifteen years absent he understood that his Father was much decayed in his Estate and had retired himself to live privately in a place not far off being indeed in Debt and Danger His Sister he finds married to a Mercer a meaner Match than her Birth promised to her he at first appeared as a poor Stranger but after a while privately reveals himself to her shewing her what Jewels and Gold he had concealed in a Bow-case about him and concluded that the next day he intended to appear to his Parents yet to keep his Disguise till she and her Husband should come thither to make their common Joy compleat Being come to his Parents his humble Behaviour sutable to his poor Sute of Cloaths melted the old Couple into so much Compassion as to give him shelter from the cold Season under their outward Roof and by degrees his Stories of his Travellings and Sufferings told with much Passion to the aged People made him their Guest so long by the Kitchin Fire that the Husband bad them Good Night and went to Bed and soon after his true Stories working Compassion in the weaker Vessel she wept and so did he but withal he taking pity of her Tears comforted her with a piece of Gold which gave her Assurance that he deserved a Lodging which she afforded him and to which she brought him and being in Bed he shewed her his Wealth which was girded about him a very indiscreet Act for by revealing his Wealth and concealing who he was he wrought his own utter Destruction For the old Woman being tempted with the golden Bait that she had received and greedily thirsting after the enjoyment of the rest she went to her Husband and awaking him presented him with this News and her Contrivance what farther to do and though with horrid Apprehensions he oft refused yet her pewling Eloquence Eve's Enchantments moved him at last to consent and to rise to be Master of all that Wealth by murthering the Owner thereof which accordingly they did and withal covered the Corps with Cloaths till opportunity served for their carrying it away The early Morning hastens the Sister to her Fathers House where with signs of great Joy she enquires for a Sailer that should lodge there the last Night The old Folk at first denyed that they had seen any such till she told them that he was her Brother and lost Brother which she knew assuredly by a Scar upon his Arm cut with a Sword in his Youth and that they were resolved to meet there the next Morning and be merry The Father hearing this hastily run up into the Room and finding the mark as his Daughter had told him with horrid regret of this monstrous Murther of his own Son with the same Knife wherewith he had killed him he cut his own Throat The Mother anon after going up to consult with her Husband what to do in a strange manner beholding them both weltring in Blood wild and agast finding the Instrument at hand readily rips up her own Belly till the Guts tumbled out The Daughter wondering at their delay in returning seeks about for them whom she found out too soon and with the sad sight of this bloody Scene being overcome with sudden Horror and Amazement for this deluge of Destruction she sunk down and died The Names of these Parties were concealed in favour of some Neighbours of Repute and Kin to the Family The Custom of Lapland for the marrying of their Daughters IT is Death in Lapland to marry a Maid without her Parents or Friends Consent wherefore if one
the first thing they did they chopped off his Genitories then his head which they put to stand on a Window and quartered the rest of his Body This being done very sisilently in the morning betimes they sent in the Prince his name for his second Brother to come in all haste who being come the Captain waited on him to his Brother's Chamber where the first object he beheld was Conrado's head upon a Window and his Members quarter'd and strew'd up and down the room Ah! said Cesare Is this the wild Boar you writ of Yes answered the Captain but I writ to you of two so they fell upon him also and made the like Sacrifice of Revenge upon him This being done the Captain barred up the Gates and going upon the Walls of the Castle he sent for the chief of the Town and made a Speech unto them in what slavery they lived under Conrado therefore if ever they desired liberty there was a fair opportunity offered now because he had Conrado in his custody and he could do with him what he pleased But the Citizens would hearken to no such motion but sent speedy word to Alexander the younger Brother who coming with some Country Forces the City joyned with them and beleaguered the Castle The Captain finding his case to be desperate takes his Wife first on a high Turret and hurl'd her down amongst them then his Children and afterwards murthered himself in the Eye of all the City Spanish Pride exemplified in a Story taken out of Sir Thomas Row's Voyage to East-India ABout the Year 1616 there came to the English Factory at Surat where Sir Thomas Row's Chaplain then was a most valiant Portugal if you will believe all what he related to them of himself for he told them he was by birth an Hidalgo which signifies in Spanish the Son of some body or no ordinary man but a Gentleman of Spain and that he came from thence as a Companion to the King of Spain's Vice-Roy sent to Goa and himself was called the Knight of the Golden Rapier though to outward appearance his Person promised little Valour being quantus tantus tantillus saith my Author a very poor little dwarfish man But he told them that suddenly after his coming to Goa he was honourably invited into the Field there to fight a single Combate with a very gallant man of that place but he soon left him there dead and having done so the Vice-Roy prevented him with a Pardon for that Fact before he ask'd it but willing him withal now he had been sufficiently tryed to confine his Rapier to it's Scabbard Then he told them further that he could not long after live quietly there but was provoked again by a Man of high Resolution unto a second Encounter when he had the like Success as before in killing his Adversary The Vice-Roy now was very angry with him but upon much Entreaty as he said pardoned him a second time upon the receipt of which Favour he told them that he was then resolved to throw away his Rapier to get into a Religious House and there to remain the residue of his days a Convertado or Penitent but the Vice-Roy could not be long without his Company and therefore to gain it restored him again into his former Favour but for himself he was still so unhappy the fame of his great Valour being spread abroad as that he could not long enjoy that Peace and Quiet which he now so much desired but received a third Challenge from a very gallant and very valiant man as he describ'd him a man big enough to beat a Goliah and then further told them that his Honour was ever more dear to him than his Life and therefore notwithstanding the loss of the Vice-Roy's Favour and what else might happen he entered the Lists with him and though he found him the stoutest Adversary that ever he opposed yet after a long Conflict this little Knight kill'd that great Gyant and left him dead there likewise which done he not daring to return any more to Goa told them that he came naked out of the Field as they saw him with no Ornaments about him as my Author assures us either fit to make him a Vice-Roy's Companion or any Weapon fit to dub him Knight of the Golden Rapier When this Rhodomantadist had ended his perillous Story it being Dinner-time the Merchants bid him to sit down with them and eat which he did laying about him more valiantly than ever he had done before in the Field giving the Meat many a Cut and eating as if he had been more than half starved This was more savory Victuals than that which his Fellow Rhodomantadist spake of when he said Go to my Cook and tell him it is my Command that he spit me immediately a dozen and half of Demicanon larded with Pikes Musquets and Halberds which I have taken from my Enemies in pitch'd Battels and let there be the Bandileers of a Foot-Company to hang about instead of Sawsages having done this let him put over the Grid-iron and broil me three or four dozen of Carbines with a score or two of Pocket Pistols fryed with Brimstone and Salt-peter Sauce And it seems such kind of Victuals as this was for a good space the Diet of our Spanish Souldier notwithstanding his being an Hidalgo and Knight of the Golden Rapier There he continued with them for some few days but after when his Hunger was well satisfied and his Spirits refreshed he began to take some Exception against his place at the Table because he eat at the lower end thereof saying that the Company there were but Factors Servants but he was a Gentleman and therefore his due place was higher at the Board but then correcting himself he said that it was not to be much considered where he sate for his place made the upper end of the Table where-ever he was placed thus you see according to our English Proverb he had a proud Heart and a Beggar 's Purse but not long after this Don Quixot being weary of his stay with them having a greatmind to ramble further told the Company that he being an Hidalgo it was very dishonourable for him to take Entertainment upon the terms he had it and therefore desired them to make a little Purse for him on which he would live as long as he could and then creep into some desart place and there repent and dye which his Request the Merchants granted and so departed this Knight-Errant being seen half a year after at the Mogol's Court no doubt but when his Money was spent and hunger pinching him put his Wits upon the Tenter-hooks to provide for his Belly which otherwise than by Industry doth but Delude the Throat by swallowing empty Fare And for affected Food devour the Air So dream of Feasts and with an idle Jaw Do with their Teeth fantastically chaw A mirthful Conceit of Philip the Good Duke of Burgundy THIS Duke at the Marriage of