Island assured us those Insularies eat the dead bodies but we have found the contrary for we have seen them buried they believe that the soules of the deceased enter into other bodies as Pythagoras held and therefore they welcome strangers they raise them brave monuments and tombes of stone and in honour to their bodies accompany them with winde-musick to their graves Parents exceedingly lament and abstain for a time from Areca and Betell They use a pretty recreative manner of fowling Their country abounding in many sorts of fruit which near unto their full ripenesse are easily corrupted by the raines they gather such as are rotten as they may not spoyle the rest and cast them into rivers or into the Sea These fruits being of many sorts as Melons Pumpions Pomegranates and others they are not sooner throwne into the water but great number of birds flock to them and feed upon the fruit the fowler stripping himself and hidden behind a tree with his head in a hollow Pumpion that covers his very shoulders they throw themselves thus into the water with a bagge under their arm the silly birds not discovering the men perch upon those fruits and come so neare to them that with ease they catch them by the legges and ring off their necks and put them in their bagge in this manner they take great store which makes fowl little worth There are birds sometimes too bigge and strong for a man to master and they get away not without a hideous noise thaâ— alarms the rest for that day that they are hard to be caught but the next day hunger banishes their fear and thus they are taken again The Kings of this Isle live in a most miserable condition being daily in danger of being slaine by the first person shall have courage and resolution to undertake it for such a person shall be esteemed a God and by all acknowledged their King crying God save our lawfull prince and naturall Lord. He that raigned at Pedir during our travels was called Arioufar and had been a poor fisherman overcharged with children who used to carry fish to the Kings Pallace and being known had free entrance He having on a time lost his nets came straight to the Pallace towards the King who had reigned many yeares and was very good to his people and finding him alone the guards not mistrusting him because he was beloved of the King and finding free egresse murthered the King and assisted by one of his sons he seized of all the treasure and the people received him for their King saying 't was the will of God The Assassin by force of money having raised a potent Army conquered the whole kingdom of Pedir and most of the other States of this Isle Thus the Kings establish themselves then and to such misfortunes are subject From Sumatra we went to Java the great CHAP. XXIV Of the Isle of Java of the Inhabitants their conditions and of the riches of the Countrey JAva the Great lies Eastward from Sumatra and is distant from her five and fourty miles only and the streight between them is called Sunde whence all those Isles in general take name the Isle is of good compass and unknown containing many Dominions or Kingdomes whereof the chiefest is Bentan or Bantan the Clymate sweet and temperate They say it is 150 l. long the breadth is undiscovered and some think it reaches the Continent Southward runs from East to West and South the Inhabitants are Idolaters grosse and brutish and some are Anthropophager it containes severall Kingdomes as Drasima Dragoyan Lembri Falec Sumara Balambua Bavarucam Passeruan Andrageda Auri Sandacanda Bacani Javara and others The Javanians say they came from China being oppressed with slavery they left that place and planted here they were for a time Tributary to the great Cham of Tartarye the Kingdom of Falec abounds in gold silver spices and all sorts of cattell the capitall Town is Bismari two dayes journey from an Island called Cambahar where is Basma a Town scituate upon the Sea towards the East where are bred Elephants Monkeys and Unicorns Dragoyen produces the Camphire as Borneo the Brasill and all Groceries neer this place are the Isles of Bombe Bacheli and Java the lesse The King of Passeruan is a Mahometan he demanded the daughter of the King of Balambua in Marriage and obtained her and having enjoyed her murthered her and all her train because she was not of his Religion Sandacanda and Bacani afford good store of spices their Kings are Mahometans they were infected with that imposture by a famous Pyrate named Mahomet Chap who left them two of his ships full of men to instruct them there are still some Idolaters amongst them who have not left their old error of strangling their neerest kindred when they think them taken with incurable diseases I was told of one named Basaram being sick and ready to be thus dispatched desired a slave of his to bear him company to death which he durst not deny and being tyed together were both cast into the Sea and the slave a lusty strong fellow striving for his own life drag'd his Master to shore untied him and put him to bed and conspired with another slave to save themselves from the Alerir or Magicians when they should come as the custom was to devour them and indeed as they came to strangle the poore men they cudgelled them so lustily that they left the sport and the man recovering his health lived many years after and thus was discovered the roguerie of those Magitians who thorough an insatiate thirst of blood when a man was the least indisposed made him believe he could not live advising him to hast to their fathers God Then the poore patient with teares in his eyes desired them to cleanse their bones when they should have consumed their flesh believing that their soules would not be at rest til their flesh were wholly consumed that then they would reunite to the body and to remain in peace for all eternity Meanwhile the King understanding what had happened to Basaram and his slave caused him to be brought before him and laughing told him that if he would not devour the Magitian he would put him to death The other most willing replyed he was ready to obey his Prince and that if the Magitian were brought him he would eat him up raw in his very sight The Judges had already condemned him and others for their deceipts and villanies to be banished and he others were fled into the I le of Camorre for safety but was taken brought to Basaram who with his slaves made a plenteous feast of him Thus for the most part live those brutish Islanders and although they have Rubarbe Scammone Agric and many other very Soveraine Medicinall druggs at command yet they seldome use them for when they are sick they wholly pin themselves upon the advice of those Magitians who tyrannize over them and
Pegu they called him the Bramaa of Tangu a great Tyrant and a Potent Prince who by force of Armes joyned many Kingdomes to his Empire as Pram Melintay Calani Bacam Mirandu Aua Martaban and others He afterwards was put to death by a Peguan Lord called Xemin of Zatan who made himself King but was defeated and slain by another called Xemindoo who likewise being made King was not long after defeated and put to death by Chaumigren of near aliance to Bramaa who became one of the most Powerfull Kings hath raigned in Pegu who brought totally under the Empire of the Kingdom of Syan with twelve great Kingdomes more They report that in the War of Syan he led into the field seventeen hundered thousand Combatants and seventeen thousand Elephants whereof nine thousand were for fight the rest for carriage To which the immense Armies brought heretofore by the Persian Kings against the Grecians may induce us to give credit the cause is that in all these Eastern Countreys the greater part of the people go to the wars and that there are not amongst them so many Ecclesiasticks Lawyers Clarks Book-men and idle Persons as are with us The King that raigned in Pegu in our time called the Brama was as I think the son of this Chaumigren afterwards hard enough dealt with by the Kings of Tangu Aracan and Syan as I said before But it is time to advance to the Provinces and Towns of high India subject or confining and neighbours to Pegu as Abdiare Vilep Canarane Cassubi Transiane Tasata Mandranella Tartary and others CHAP. XXXIII Of Abdiare and Vilep Towns of Pegu Fismans Apes Unicornes and other animalls Fotoque an Idol with three Heads PErsevering constantly in our trafick thorough the Towns and Provinces of this great Empire of Pegu and the Countreyes adjacent amongst others in the Town of Abdiare and Vilep a Kingdom in high India subject to the Peguan and having traded with certain Merchants whom we found open and reall treating with the Sensall or factor not by words but by fingers and joynts of the hand the practise of all the Indies to conceale the price of Merchandises We parted from Vilep with good company and within three houres came to the descent of a hill exceeding shady upon the hanging whereof was a pleasant fountain where the whole company stayed for refreshment but we had not been long there when there came about us an extraordinary number of Apes the greater part black as jet some small ones black and white very lepid one of them addressed himself to me as it had been to crave something of that I was eating and thinking to fright him away he was not scared at all as if he were accustomed to passengers I cast a piece of bread to him which he took very modestly and divided with his company and two young ones he had with him presently there came three more which seemed to crave their share I gave them something and they eat very quietly but on a sudden part of our company arose and took their Armes by reason of a heard of Fismans or wilde dogs they discovered making towards us which with one musket shot were all scared away in our sight they fed on grasse like sheep Proceeding on our way we met with abundance of other sorts of strange animalls as likewise of fruits some whereof of growth much to be admired some that bore rosin that smell like Mastick others a red berry wherewith they dye carnation which never fades but dayly becomes more lively Having thus travelled ten or twelve dayes through diversity of soyles meeting with many rivers animalls trees and other things unknown to us amongst others abundance of civit Cats whereof they have some domesticall which you may buy foure for one Pardai but they are stinking and their dung smells like Mans. At length we took to the River Jiame and in three dayes came to the Village called Tanza on the morrow to Canarane a faire Town rich and flourishing as any Town in India the Capitall of a Kingdom bearing the same name confining eastward on the Country of Tazatay south on Carpa and northward on Moantay another great Kingdom The Town is seated betwixt two great rivers Jiame and Pegu it is in circuit about foure leagues magnificently built in customes and conditions the people differ much from those of Pegu for they never go barefoot as the others do Princes and Noble Men weare rich buskins and sandalls set with gold The King of Canarane is Potent and Wealthy in Mines of gold and silver He hath also one of Emerald the finest in the east whence he drawes great profit This Prince was never known to diminish but augment his Treasure Likewise they have Mines of Turkesses When a King dies they interr all his Treasure with him and sweare his Successor not to meddle with it For the first year he and his Court are maintained at the Subjects charge and all the Nobility by obligation come to make their acknowledgment with rich presents and sue to be establisht in their Estates Offices Seniories for the King hath right to sell estates of all sorts then vacant and hereupon all his people high and low are tied with petition in hand and with presents to sue for their offices and vacancies which raises him in this year a marvellous treasure No one can wear shooes rings nor girdles of gold without the Kings license which brings him in a great gabel a share whereof belongs to the King of Pegu as soveraign who granted him the grace because the Countrey is colder than Pegu and I have heard it of Merchants that in the winter here rage certain in windes or Mounsons which come from the North so cold that travellers lose their toes the cold is so sharp and rigorous Their custom is if a Merchant will oblige himself he obliges likewise all his goods wife and children and failing at the day promised the Creditor may seize on all for slaves The usual money is called Canza and all the Peguan is currant there which the King stamps in gold or silver through the Indies called Jamis besides what every particular Prince coins of his own They have another sort of silver money called Pardain and Tazifo They make some likewise of tin mixt with copper which being no coyn royal is lawfull for any man to stamp as also another sort called Bise wherewith they may buy any thing one must be carefull in taking it or he may be deceived The King keeps abundance of slaves for his Elephants and stables In their structures they use ciment mixt with sugar as in Pegu which mixt with calcin'd shels becomes very firm the shels are dear and sold by measure They have many plantations of sugar the canes whereof they give their Elephants who love them exceedingly so as when they commit any fault they deprive them of that food and so easily chastize and instruct
Sequemir as you may say Holy Lord for his goodnesse and clemency because he puts none to death except prisoners of warre but when a person hath committed a crime he keeps him fetter'd in prison during life without debarring him from the sight of the Sunne saying that God hath liberally distributed that light to all persons without exception there have been twenty thousand prisoners in irons at one and the same time His Court is stately and magnificent he hath a great number of men devoted to his service who freely offer up their lives for him at his command believing they go streight to heaven dying for their Prince They relate of a Turkish Emperour returning home from the Persick war through this country desired the sight of the Prince Sequemir and of his Salsidas or Saldridas for so his devotes were called having visited him in his towne of Samacara capital of that country after many Caresses and a Princely entertainment he desired the sight of his Salsidas and a proof of that great love and fidelity they bore unto their Prince Sequemir called some of them in and only spoke these words Amissi Barou and instantly four of them threw themselves out of the window and more of them attempting it were hindred by the Grand Seignior satisfied with the proof he had already made which he held so admirable that he demanded twelve of them to take back into his Country which the Sequemir willingly granted and being asked whether they would have as great an affection for a new Master and if they would as willingly dye for him as for their old Lord one of them made answer to the Turk if our Prince commands us to dye for thee we are from this very instant ready to obey him The Turk told them in time he should have need of them and that he would preserve them and esteem them his best friends and taking them away with him he maintained them handsomely and near his person but after the death of the Turkish Emperour they all returned back to their old Master esteeming it the greatest happinesse and safety to be near unto that Prince They accompany him yearly to Meka upon the three and twentieth of May to celebrate their great feast of Romadan Sequemir wears alwayes a sheeps-skin before and behind in imitation of Saint John Baptist who is there in great respect and honour he travels a foot with his whole Court yet his Courtiers go as they please carrying their wives and other trains upon able and good horses This King is Lord of the Soltania's of Fertac Siligni Dâ—efar and other places he was once Master of the entire happy Arabia but the Turk and the Persian have got several Provinces from him his chief residence is at Almacarama or Samacara a town very strong and impregnable scituate upon the top of a high hill but two wayes leading unto it and those craggy and easily maintained against the foe the town is big and well peopled and full of Nobility and Gentry there he keeps his treasure and his women this Prince cannot be made King but by the consent of the Califf of Bagdet likewise as the Prince of Mefra in pursuance of an ancient Law for that Califf though at present retaines nothing but the bare name yet keeps his ancient and undoubted right to elect and confirm the Kings of Assyria Arabia and others and Soliman himself passing through Babylon for form-sake was installed by his hand Next unto the Sequemir are severall Officers as the Gouvera Armicahir Almiracher the Cayet the Sidibir the Admimia the Bosoldar Amiseriech the Tababait and several others the Tacay Pacou is Master of the house CHAP. VIII Of Babylon the red sea Homerites Aden a strong Town and famous Haven Cameran and other places in the red sea WE travel'd stil through Arabia from town to town venting and trucking our commodities with an earnest desire to reach Persia all the towns of Arabia are fair ones and yield a great revenue to the Sequemir between Zidem and Zibit there are several and well peopled and from thence to Aden many more Zibit is not so near Aden as by some shee is said to be as they relate Dalatia in Aethiopia to be opposite to Meka and they stand three hundred leagues asunder This Arabia joynes to Persia Northward and the way thither lyes through Taeza Sanna Soufar Erit Almacara and other towns Almacara stands upon a hill but Eastward upon Gaza a bigge town and well inhabited where there is weekly a Fair or Market kept by night by reason of the heats and there all sorts of Merchandizes are exposed to sale perfumes especially The Nobility of the Country affect much to eat Ambar Musk and other sweets the Soudan of Aden subject to Sequemir spends yearly six thousand Duccats therein for his self wife and family their kitchins may be taken for perfumers shops so sweet and odoriferous The Red Seas coast towards Aden is thick of good towns and well traded and among the Merchants are many thieves which you must have a care on you see the towns called Ahra Damican Coubita Erit Aridan Magora Rabon Salta and others with many villages subjects to the Sequemir who commands six Soltania's or kingdomes all fill'd with good towns upon the Sea side grow store of reeds or Canes which in time make little Islands rendring the landing difficult and from thence the Hebrewes call that Sea Souf which signifies a reed Caravanes come to a town called Albir or Debir and there load their wares they carry unto Babylon as we found several travelling thither I intreated one of them to furnish me with as many Maps of the chiefest cities he could conveniently for I was very desirous of them and amongst the rest he procured me the Mappe of Babylon or Bagdet printed upon a Cotton which Mappe is made in a kinde of ceremony when the Sequemir receives his Crown and blessing from the Califf of Bagdet as the most ancient of Meka and to instruct him in his way they delineate Samacara from whence he sets forth for Babylon he goes through Byr then in twelve dayes reaches Falouchia in a flat boat from thence to Babylon in one day more As we were making sale of our commodities with intention to visit the East India's amongst other things we got some pieces of Velvet which we had in exchange for our wares I shall by the way advise those who intend to make the voyage of Arabia to store themselves with great horse bits for that is a commodity goes off there at a good rate you may make your own price not exceeding ten Duccats a piece Thus we travelled through Sanna passing through many fine towns as Adimar one of the fairest of all Arabia with intention to passe over into the Isle of Cameran where were three Portugais vessels bound for Calicut but we had so ill a passage that we altered our resolutions and sailed
they make of it a most mournfull repast This done they scrape the bones clean and perfume them with much ceremony and lap them up in linnen cloaths made of Arbeste which wil never consume by fire but grow whiter and cleaner nor rot under ground but will keep for ever I have got of the cloath in my Travels which I have shown to curious persons These Ceremonies ended and the bones laid in the Tombe every one drawes homeward Such is their strange manner of sepulture The Town of Siam stands upon the fair and large river of Mecan that springs from the famous Lake of Chiamay Sian is stately walled and conteines thirty thousand houses with a Castle strongly fortified built upon the water as Penivitan and Venice The Country breeds Elephants Rinocerots Giraffs Tygers Lions Leopards and all sorts of savage beasts the fairest Hermines of the East Camels Dromodaries and some say Unicornes which being very timerous beasts seldom appear in sight Some of them are found about Chyamay lake I will speak of them in another place This Lake is 200. miles about whence many great and famous rivers arise as Ava Caypumo Menan Cosmin and others they overflow like the Nilus This Lake is bounded Eastward with vast forrests and impassible Marshes and Fens and very dangerous prodigious Serpents are bread there with wings like bats which bear them from the ground and carry them with a strange swiftness flying they rest themselves upon the end of their tailes which are sharp they did once so swarm that they made a whole Province desert and desolate and without the juice of fig-leaves which was an antidote against their poison not one had escaped The Prince of those parts having armed his subjects made vast trenches and ditches in that Province and with the help of dogs tigers lions and other savage beasts trained up to hunting young and disguised in other skins he armed many other beasts against them he destroyed an innumerable number of those Serpents that cast themselves headlong into those ditches then he set a prize to be given to those that should kill any of them and by these meanes that breed was soon destroyed Notwithstanding there are some seen still in the forrest and I have seen of them of incredible length they prey upon sheep and other cattell There is another beast in the same Country faced like a man but all wricnkled which appeares by night only and is called Espaulouco This beast gets up upon the top of trees and makes a bewailing noise a purpose to catch something when she lights of no prey she feedes upon earth 'T is a very slow beast and there are of that kind in many places The Kingdom of Siam hath formerly suffered many changes some few yeares before we were there The King a most renowned and victorious Prince was by his own Queen poisoned who after married one of the stewards of her household with whom she had lived in adultery and made him King having likewise put to death her own son that succeeded his father since they were by conjurations both murthered at a feast and the Kingdom subject to continuall revolutions till Bramaa King of Pegu took occasion to besiege Odiaa but leaving his life in the siege hâ—r successor utterly demolished the Town and obtained the white Elephant I spoke of since that Siam hath revenged her self upon Pegu. Thus the Kingdomes of the Indies are very various never remaining long under the same condition or Government CHAP. XXVI Of the Kingdom of Martaban marvellous strength of Macaraou or the flowing of the sea Particularities of Pegu. FRom Siam we came to the Kingdom and Town of Martaban sometime subject to Pegu but since to the King of Syam It buts Westward upon the Gulfe of Bengale Northward upon Pegu Eastward upon Siam and Southward upon Tanasserim and Jangome The Fathers of St. Francis and those of the Society have built them Churches there The soyle is very fertile yielding ordinarily three crops the year there is plenty of Rice and other sorts of grain fruit trees sweet and medicinall hearbes of all sorts mines of all mettalls rubies and other stones and the aire is very wholesom The Capitall Town is Martaban sixteen degrees towards the North hath a good harbor and scituate upon the river Gaypoumo or rather upon an arme of the sea where the tide runs strangely toward Pegu for whereas ordinarily it flowes by degrees with an easie motion without violence here it fills that arme of the Sea or River on a sudden and flowes with such fury and impetuosity as it were mountains rolled up in water and the most rapid torrent in the world doth not parallel this in swiftnesse and by three passages fills the harbor and other receptacles with a most fearefull force and rapidity This arme is by the Indians called Macaroou which signifies beware the Tyger for the vehemence of the waves which I will more amply speak of in another place Martaban joynes to the Territories of Dougon the remotest Town of Pegu. The Inhabitants are given very much to trading and especially in Lacca a kind of gumm they draw out of trees very fine and better then that is made in Dalascia in Aethiopia which I have already spoken of They have many more Droggues as Galingall Turbith or Camomell Rubarb found upon the mountains of Pegu and is called Jubara The leafe is broad and bitter as gall they gather it in May which is the latter end of their winter the root is of a tan'd collour some is yellow purple and red according to the land that bears it Some season their meat therewith and 't is a preservative against many infirmities 't is sold very cheap and is mingled with perfumes there growes wood of Aloes red Sendal and Cittern upon the hills Women burn of all these to make concoctions and use them in their labours and delivered they seek for a black-headed lamb and carry the child to the Temple covered with flowers drugges and perfumes Then they begin their sacrifice delivering their child and lamb into the hands of the Banean or Priest called Satalico the skin head feet and entrals fals to his share this is done in honour of Castigay their Idol All those Flamins are great Magicians They cast the childrens nativities new-borne and set down what shall befall them during their lives This writing is carefully kept by the parents for to prevent the bad accidents For they esteem whatever those Baneans say infallible and when any person is sick they are consulted whether the party will dye or recover and when they have given their opinion 't is believed as Gospel One being once as I may say condemned or sentenced to death by a Wizard and left off was undertaken by one of our company and recovered in nine dayes which made them believe the Christians were more knowing then their Magicians the like
ordained us drinks to all the Princes and loyall Subjects then every one drinks his health the three assistants stand up and salute him then sit down again and the King continually presents plates of meat sometimes to one sometimes to another so that for the feast time there is businesse enough The meat is seasoned with musk and amber At the Feast there are Buffons to delight the King and Company who have a thousand anticks and devices The King having done at Table the Emperour of Siam kissing his buskin as an homage presents him a rich Crown of gold which the King receives with embraces and kisses his cheek in testimony of perpetuall amity Then the rest kissing his buskin lay every one their presents at his feet The Kings bring Crowns the Princes chains and collars the rest present according to their quality all in gracefull order for the kingdoms and provinces march all according to their rank without confusion Then the rest of the people present other things both rare and curious These presents are brought in such quantity that every four hours they are forced to remove them at the coronation which was in my time the presents lasted five dayes from morning till night with unparallel'd wealth and magnificence during this time the people are all provided for at the Kings charge and take up fifteen leagues of land with wonderful regularity The Presents delivered they stay five days for dismission to return Amongst other things the King delights much in Cock-fights for which he hath Cocks from Besistan with beards which beard is properly but a carnosity hanging under the throat very brown growing of a burnt bloud the bird being exceeding hot for sport they match them with the Cocks of Pegu that are not altogether so fiery but more heavy and mortall enemies The King and his Court have this recreation once a week Their pens are close together with mats of palm that cover the windows at which they are fed At the creation which was in my time they had this game and lifting up the mats the Cocks immediately fell to fighting with their bils through the spaces of the lattice but the keepers parted them with switches till they had taken their portions which is of a small black grain they call Versin as big as a grape stone of quality exceeding hot The mats taken away then is the sport to see how they will range themselves in Battalions for the assault frowning with rage and the window once open they fall on in good earnest till they most cruelly tear one another and fill the place with blood for a good hour together then they part them many lying dead in the place which they eat the flesh being reddish like beef but exceeding tender and tastefull CHAP. XXXII Of the Justice and Policy with the Peguans their Sacrifices and horrible dances A lamentable History of two young Princes AS to the revenues of the King of Pegu when peoples ordinary payments are brought in there is Proclamation through the Dominions that no Subject is obliged to pay any Royall right gabell subsidy or impost for a whole year What Handicraftsmen alone pay him amounts to three millions or as they reckon so many Baselins a sort of weight Every house-keeper payes him so much by the year When a new King is elected all Towns and Villages send Deputies to make their acknowledgement with presents of rarities and things extraordinary As to the elect in our time were sent three white Cowes with tayles differing from others like swine hornes growing in their skins only not on the top of the head which they could move as their eares decked bard bridles covered with cloathes of crimson silk and hung over with bells of gold silver and Calin a mettal like silver much used in the Indies This present was very acceptable to him notwithstanding 't was done in derision of another people his Subjects who wear the like bells at their genitories to content their Mistresses with little hooks and rings to take them off when they go to visit them and testifie to them they have satisfaction in nothing but themselves for amongst them there are that are addicted to the unnaturall sin no more prohibited there than amongst the Turks except there be violence used for which there is severe punishment When the first Prince of the kingdom comes to take his leave he embraces him and kisses his cheek then presents him with ten fair white Persian coursers barded with cloth of gold of diverse colours their feet hang'd round with bells of gold to shew the people they are proper onely for beasts to wear These bells so disquieted the horses four or five men could but hold them so unruly they were likewise to the Prince of Siam at his departure he gave a collar of rubies of inestimable value in brief there was neither Prince nor Nobleman that parted without satisfaction 'T was thought the King distributed the best part of the horses in his stable where he had above thirty thousand which are the most magnificent present can be made in that country He gave besides many pieces of scarlet cloth silks of divers colours and other stuffes sufficient to load twenty thousand cammels An Elephant he never bestowes but on the contrary all Princes diligently endevour to get them for him All the horses he gives arise to the advantage of the State for when he hath occasion for them in war the subjects upon the least orders are all ready so well they affect him esteeming them amongst the blessed that dye in his service and for such the Priests never make prayers as being already in the number of the Saints and happy For their justice 't is equally administred to all offices and estates depending on the Kings will who gives them gratis and payes all officers out of his own Coffers which keeps them from doing any thing against Law and Justice for their punishments are very severe Creditours may by right take their Debtors for slaves when they have not wherewithall to pay them and if they will may sell them at the price of their debt and sometimes sell their wives and children by Port-sale till they are fully satisfied The charge of suit amounts to little or nothing They all live in good awe and all apply themselves to labour who hath no meanes of his own betakes himself to Mills Buildings and Mines where the King entertains them so as no one wants a way to live Poor orphans are brought up at the Kings charge There are diverse enclosed places for girles where they are employed in working silk and many other ingenuous arts A stranger passing through the country may be employed if he will or they will give him a passe to another town The King hath four hundred slaves but they are only for the service of the houshold without regard to either Nation or Religion so they are
wife children and all his allies to death to the great content of the people for the hatred he bore to this unfortunate Fratricide Then they imagined an ancient Prophecy which they kept amongst them was accomplished That the Lamb should kill both the Wolfe and his wife She was called Gildada and was drowned But the King of Dafila incensed with the death of his daughter and Son-in-law brought a most cruell warre upon the new King Nahi wherein fell numbers on both sides In the mean while amongst the Princes who had scap'd the truculent hands of their brothers one there was who strayed far off and got into the kingdome of Deli where contenting himself to live meanly as an unknown private person he purchased a small possession for his livelihood and betook himself to labour where taking a wife she brought him a son they called Alfondi who at seven or eight years of age gave the world great hopes of his person for the excellent parts which began to bud in him and which made him amiable to all men in so much that addicting himselfe to the words as yeares encreased his vigour he did wonders in the slaying of Lions Beares Tigars and other furious beasts and in all his actions appeared nothing but what was great and noble insomuch as hearing spoken on day how strenuous a war there raged betwixt Tahachi his unknown great Uncle and the King of Dafila he was transported with emulation to be a Party and being furnished with a good horse and Arms with the society of a Troop of brave young men he hasted to those parts where in the service of Tahachi he soon gave proofe of his Courage and abilities in warr but amongst others on one signall occasion which presented it selfe where with a small party of Souldiers he defeated the much more numerous Enemy and the King of Dafila admiring his Valour endeavoured under-hand to win him to his side by offering a Daughter of his in Marriage with a Province which he had taken from Tahachi To which Afondi seeming to give eare dexterously made use of the opportunity to seize upon the Towne of Amazen a most considerable place which exceedingly pleased Tahachi and heightned his affection to him feeling I know not what secret motion in his soul which pushed him on to this Dearnesse without any apprehension that he was his Nephew but Good blood as they say cannot dissemble At length Alfondi assisted with his Uncles Forces did such Atcheivements and Exploits that within six Months he delivered the Empire Zanzibar from the oppression of the Enemy which obliged Tahachi for recompense to give him one of his Daughters in Marriage without any deeper knowledg of him then his Heroick Actions and Noble Aspect forall the Orientall and Meridionall Princes regard more the Mind and Physiognomy of a Man then they do the extraction or Nobility of Blood Alfondi raised to so high a degree reflects upon his father the honest labourer whom he omitted not to send for who being arrived and having declared who he was begat an unparalleld joy in Tabochi and his whole kingdome every one shedding teares for his discovery rendring praise to God and his just providence for reducing things to so unhoped for a point and after so many years reposing the inheritance on him to whom of right it appertained For this Prince was immediately acknowledged by all even Tahachi himselfe who voluntarily released the Empire which he surrendred into the hands of his Daughter his Son-in-law and Nephew Alfondi who with the consent of the good man his Father to the general joy of all was received and crowned King and governed with so much equity and justice that he gained the hearts and suffrage of his people who adored him as a God nor failed he in rendring to his Father and Uncle while they lived a due honour and respect This Prince had reigned forty seven yeares when he arrived in the countrey Before I conclude my discourse of Tahachi and his condition I shall not omit another story which testifies the singular justice he dispenses with indifferency to all his subjects He had constituted in the Province of Quame one Abdalami a person of high quality his confident a gallant Cavalier and one who had done most signal services in the war with the King of Dafila but being inclined to avarice and hord up wealth he played the Tyrant and sacked the country to satiate his own humour and the desires of some women he gave entertainment to When Tahachi was informed thereof he was much displeased for 't was his rule to maintain equal justice peace and freedome amongst his subjects Notwithstanding he concealed his resentments for a while giving way to his proceedings as well for his great services as for that he had bestowed on him a kinswoman to wife called Abiasinda by whom he had children He admonished him often by letter to bear himselfe more temperately but perceiving his small regard by the constant intrusion of complaints that came to him he sent expresse command that he should repaire immediately to Court to give account of his actions upon pain of death and being proclaimed rebell and guilty of his treason Abdalami understanding his own wealth and power slighted this summons and fortified himself in the holds of his Government Whereupon the King caused his wife and children to be apprehended and brought prisoners to his city royall This Princesse with her best art excused her husband beseeching his Majesties mercy towards him for his former services adding withall that these complaints were but a calumny raised by the malice of his enemies The King covering his resentments mildely answered her that she should only procure her husband to come to Court but she fearing to bring his person in danger thought best only to advise him to send a certain Casket of rings and all sorts of rich jewels for a present to the Queen and by that means work his peace This he did and she having presented it the Queen shewed them to the King who wondred at so great a treasure where amongst others were five hundred pearles each being a Miticale or Crown and half in weight besides many other jewels of value sufficient to buy a kingdome 'T was much affliction to the Prince to see such treasures gotten at the price of his peoples blood and then he commanded the Princesse his kinswoman to bring her husband to Court by a day appointed or he would make feel the weight of his displeasure Poor Abdalami was amazed at the news and fearing not without cause the Kings incensement failed not to come accordingly and without calling on his wife and children went strait to the Palace where having sounded the Trumpet according to the custome as I observed before he unclothed himself and sitting on the ground stark naked only a linnen cloth before his concealed parts he attended in this manner the mercy of the King whereof notice being brought to his Lady
weighed besides such a proportion of diet every day for their livelyhood as in Italy Cardinals Princes and the Nobility use to do CHAP. XIV Of the kingdom and policy of Mongibir of the Mountain Amara where the Abissin Princes are BEcause I have made mention of Mongibir I shall inform you that this Countrey the capitall Town whereof is called Scanfourin is subject to the Negus and neighbour to the Province of Calasen The Natives are of a middle size and olive colour which makes them affect strangers exceedingly esteeming them more beautiful than themselves though very few come amongst them for they are wretched base and timorous beyond imagination trembling at the report of a gun which they say is the Devils handycraft and call him Hocalsic that is a good man who carries none of these fire cudgels Neverthelesse they maintain a continuall war upon the Calasens who are Christians and they Idolaters worshipping the sun the Negus never being able to reconcile them nor introduce Christian religion amongst them Amongst other heresies they believe that after death the soule enters into another body which makes them indulge strangers so highly upon opinion they may be of their alliance yet they hold they cannot enter into the Calasenians nor the Suecans because they are Romarins that is Christians nor delight to inhabit a body of a contrary Religion and so ceremonious and austere as ours is The earth say they was made for our sustenance and 't were indignity to the Maker not to make use of all which it produces When one speaks to them of the kingdom of Heaven they say 't is the mansion of the Gods and Lights and not of men and that God will have no communication with sinners who are unworthy to approach a thing so holy which shews they once had better knowledge of our mysteries though in the whole time of our travaile there we saw not any book or the least record of the true religion They will invite Passengers to lodge with them and command their wives to keep them company while they go to the wood or river for entertainment for their guests their wives caresse them and esteem it a happinesse if they prove with child by a stranger which when they bring into the world they call it Gilchaquillan that is a child of the sun who being grown up the Prince takes him to his service saying this is the way to multiply his Nation with vertuous people And what is more the wife is the better esteemed of her husband and the Prince if it be a male child sends him a little snake of gold or silver in form of an ear-pendant which renders him so qualified that the time may come he may be capable of the charge of Benchaye who is the person next to the King if it be a girle she shall be married to a person of high degree Though they want not mines of baleys rubies and of silver besides other mettals as tin and copper whence they get an earth which makes the most pure violet colour in the world wherewith they make their houses very gracefull to the eye neverthelesse their fancy is to paint their arms and legs specially the nails and hang pieces of old iron in their ears A Portuguese one day shewed them a piece of gold against the sun which charmed them so that they immediately made it known to their king who resolved to have it at any price to hang in his ear as a thing miraculous and sacred and gave for it half a tun-weight of cinamon As concerning the Articles of their Faith they have no Idols in their Temples but on solemn feasts being assembled they dance round and sing hymns in honour of the sun abstaining from sustenance till his setting They acknowledge a place where sinners are tormented after death and some more grievously than others proportionably to their offences Further they have no speculation being Masters neither of literature nor characters a simple people easie to deceive content with a bare sufficiency for livelyhood not studying how to make use of their national commodities to the best advantage besides so kind they give freely to one another whatsoever they are possessed of and so grosse there are many things amongst them they know no name for and are absolute forrainers at a mile distance Their onely traffick is for honied wine which is brought them from Suechan and Calasen in truck for wild beef-hides and Elephants which they sell to Biguen They are of such fidelity in their commerce that they are really ignorant what 't is to lye and keep their promise with religious observation 'T is true the Ingresses to the Countrey are very dangerous by reason of robbers of diverse nations who rendezvous there but the King executes most severe justice on them that are apprehended condemning them to the jawes of wild beasts which he keeps in Parks This Princes court is governed with good policy and is most commonly attended with four hundred tall men at arms drawn out of his Provinces called Marac which on the South confine on the kingdom of Couran small Countries but the Inhabitants have a particular renown for their fidelity Besides he hath constantly near him 400. horsemen well mounted and in his stable a thousand able horses at rest because being generally bare-foot they are apt to batter their hoofs To march before him he hath 50. Cavaliers whom they call the Joarmamir that is the chief Guard cloth'd in cotton cloth with bow and arrow in hand then follow fifty Cavaliers more in cotton Cassocks variously painted with a short silk Cloak not unlike Meca Tapistry wearing on their head a cap in fashion like a Miter at their girdles hang little balls of steel with three pikes wherewith they seldom misse when they strike and at their Saddle bow a sharp'ned iron like the head of a lance These they call the Kings Champions These two troops march in the field about a bow-shoot before the Prince having between them fifty Elephants richly trapp'd with Tapistry of silk each bearing three or four men with strong bows and arrows three ells long Ethiopian bonnets on their head and Alparyates or open shooes on their feet them they call Jourles that is Archers Then 50. Cavaliers mounted on white horses bearing balls of silver richly wrought in white short cloaks with silver buckles on their head a red bonnet hanging over their shoulders like a Chapperoon they term these Gouaique Soumimara that is the Princes Councell of strangers Then a hundred more well mounted stuck with abundance of feathers their horses covered with cases of Beares Lions or other beasts skins fringed with little coloured feathers a bow in a scarfe and a club in their hand of a sufficient length In the last place comes up the troop which is called Mameiteque Ebaulbic or the Guard of the Body armed with long lances pointed with certain stones keen as any razor which next fire-pikes is