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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	father_n	great_a	lord_n	3,626	5	3.5504	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48869	A short relation of the river Nile of its sourse and current, of its overflowing the Campagnia of Ægypt, till it runs into the Mediterranean, and of other curiosities / written by an eye-witnesse, who lived many years in the chief kingdoms of the Abyssine empire.; Itinerário. English. Selections	Lobo, Jerónimo, 1596?-1678.; Wyche, Peter, Sir, 1628-1699?	1669 (1669)	Wing L2733; ESTC R12438	30,643	112

families which are ordinarily great among the Pagans increased by their wives multiplied proportionable to the Cows they keep allowing to ten Cows one woman What is most admirable in those subterraneous Caves or Caverns is that they receive not onely their Goods and Cattle which are their whole Estates personal and real they living little on their crop but they ordinarily find in them water sufficient to serve them the summer months when onely they are assaulted and are without apprehensions of being conquered though with smoak by fire made at the mouth of the Cave having Vents by which they receive sufficient light and can conveigh the smoak if attempted by fire In this Territory of Toncua is the known head and sourse of the River Nile by the natives called Abani i.e. the Father of Waters from the great collection it makes in the Kingdoms and Provinces through which it passeth for the greatest part of Ethiopia being mountanous and the Torrents swel'd in the winter the mountains so transmit them as to increas the Rivers which falling into the Nile make no little addition to its greatness causing it to run with such a stock of water as overflows the plain of Egypt this is the River the Scripture in Genesis 2. calleth Gihon which encompassed the land of Ethiopia so doth Nile with its turnings and Meanders The Head rises in the most pleasant Recesse of the Territory having two Springs called Eyes each about the bigness of a Coach-wheel distant twenty paces The Pagan Inhabitants adore as an Idol the biggest offering to it many Sacrifices of Cows which they kill there flinging the head into the spring eat the flesh as holy lay the bones together in a place designed for that purpose which at present make a considerable Hill and would make it much bigger if carnivorous Beasts and Birds of Prey did not by picking them lessen and scatter them These two springs rise in a little field covered over with green and thick wood Travellers especially Horsemen are easily convinc'd that this ground stands in the water from the trembling and hollow sound this field is lost in a Lake where 't is under water * Provincia ubi Nylus Oritur Vocatur Agaos Vicina regno Gojam Terra vocatur Sagela in apice montis in plano arboribus undiq circundate Athan Kercheri Oed. Aegypt Tom. 1. Cap. 7. p. 57. Fons Nyli situs in summitate unius Vallis qua assimulatur ingenti campo jugis montium undique circundato ibi This Plain is on the top of a high mountain overlooking many spacious Vallies and from this hight insensibly descends from the midle of this Descent is seen near a Trench entangled with shrubs the bigger of these springs whose bottom is not to be reached with a Lance of five and twenty palmes which by the way meets with as is gues'd the roots of the Neighbouring shrubs so hinder'd further passage the other spring is to be fathom'd at sixteen Palmes From the biggest spring runs in a streight line a green and pleasant Wood seeming to follow the course of the water which though under ground leaves the veine to be track'd by its re-appearing at the distance of little more than an hundred paces at this appearance the quantity of water is so inconsiderable as onely to make a very little Rivulet which grows presently bigger by the assistance of other springs bringing in their water At little more than three dayes journey from the Head the River is large deep enough for Vessels to sail in and so broad that I doubt whether a strong arm can throw a stone over it A little above a hundred paces from this place this River so conveys it self betwixt rocks as in the year 1629. I passed it without wetting my foot in my journey from the Kingdom of Gojama to the Province of Dambeha when the Passengers being many and the Boats but few which I will anon describe I with my companions going along the banks of the River and engaged among many little Rivulets leaping from stone to stone got dry to the other side the same did immediately many others naming it the Passage of Father Jeronimo I being the first who discovered or attempted it This is the ordinary passage over the Nile most frequented by Travellers who come from the Court and Province of Dambeha for the Kingdom of Gojama the Territory called Bed the passage over in Boats with head and Sterne made of grosse and thick * Navigatio hic nulla nisi cymbis papyraceis quas ipsi Tancoas appellant Vossius de Origine Nili Cap. 16. p. 55. Conficitur bibulâ Memphitis Cymba papyro Lucan matt strongly joyned and put together yet not secure from falling in pieces which often happens and the Passengers left in the water they are rowed with long round poles being without the use or knowledge of any other Oars are capable of receiving about ten persons with some baggage many swim over so do all the beasts and both man and beast go in danger of some mortall accident from the Sea-horses and Crocodiles both bred in the Nile and infesting the passages From this place the Nile grows crooked making almost a semicircle Two dayes journey from this passage it runs by a point of land into a Lake of fresh water called by the Natives Dambeha abounding with wild-foul some there is but little fish the reason conceived that the Sea-Horses fright and the Crocodiles devour them this Sea is in length twenty five leagues fifteen over at the largest place about the middle are divers Islands of different bignesse full of Wood some inhabited others desart The biggest called Dec two leagues long but narrow hither are banished condemned persons sent for security whereas the Boats not being many and pain of death to any who without leave go to the Island all means of escape is desperate swimming is lesse inviting the Lake being full of Sea-horses and Crocodiles which to meet is certain death The point of this Lake is with so much violence broken by the Nile that the current is divided in the water and Mud till it forceth a passage at another place The Nile is for about a quarter of a league detained in this Lake leaving that it makes a beautifull and large Tour so great as to contain in the circumference a Kingdome call'd Gojama about the bignesse of Portugal and a great part of another call'd Damotes By this circuit the Nile returns again within lesse than two dayes journey of its head hence taking a south east course running through many Kingdoms and Provinces it falls into Egypt by the way in diverse places are made those so canazing and stupendious Cataracts so famous for their noyse when the water falling with its whole Body sinks and hollows the Abysse which receives it Yet doth not the greatnesse of the noyse deafen the neighbouring Inhabitants as some fabulously write if so the populousnesse of the adjacent places would swarm with deaf

Novemb. 1668. At a meeting of the Council of the Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledg Ordered That these Discourses viz. A short Relation of the River Nile c. Of the Unicorne Why the Abyssine Emperour is called Prester John of the Indyes A tract of the Red Sea Of Palme trees Translated out of a Portuguese Manuscript at the desire of the Royal Society by Sr. Peter Wyche Kt. fellow of the same be printed by their Printer BROUNKER Pres A short RELATION Of the RIVER NILE Of its Sourse and Current Of its Overflowing the Campagnia of AEGYPT till it runs into the MEDITERRANEAN And of other Curiosities Written by an Eye-witnesse who lived many years in the chief Kingdoms of the ABYSSINE EMPIRE LONDON Printed for John Martyn Printer to the Royal Society and are to be Sold at the Sign of the Bell without Temple Bar 1669. To the Right Honourable HENRY L d. ARLINGTON one of the Lords of his MAJESTIES most Honourable Privie Councill AND Principall Secretary of State My Lord THE thoughtfull provision for my Journey into Russia whither his Majesty hath been pleased to send me hindered me from a more solemne Dedication of these Discourses to Your Lordship They were by Curious S ir Robert Southwell procured from an inquisitive and observing Jesuite at Lisbon who had lived many years in Aethiopia and the Indies so writ as to seem a candid Relation of matter of Fact contai● a more precize and minut● account of some Historica● and Naturall Curiosities then is in any one Tract extant and give the Portuguese their just and undoubted Title of Discovering daily to the West the Wonders and Mysteries of the East The Royal Society commanded me to Translate them and ordered the Impression My Lord Your benigne and encouraging Patronage for all subtile and nice Enquiries Your peculiar province to get intelligence from the South and my particular obligations countenance this Dedication which were I not in procinctu the copious argument of Your Lordships virtues and perfections would justly make much larger now it must only excuse the faults of the Translation and publish my zeal of being esteemed My Lord Your Lordships most devoted Kinsman and humble Servant Peter Wyche A short Relation Of the RIVER NILE c. THe Abyssine Emperour vulgarly though falsly called Presbyter John of the Indies is Lord of the most ancient and largest Dominions of those many Kingdoms and Provinces into which Africa is divided This Empire is the most Easterly part of all Africa called Ethiopia above Egypt not without reason all Egypt lying below it and the same Situation have to it most of the bordering Kingdoms The Red Sea bounds it on the East Egypt on the North On the West the Island of Africa and on the South the Indian-Sea with this difference that Eastward this Kingdom reacheth the Red Sea though at present the Turks courtaile its greatnesse by keeping the whole Shore of that Sea with two Forts in the Islands of Suaguem and Massuba and one upon the main Land called Arquico which serves for no other use than the defence of the Water drunck in the Island of Massuba drawn out of Wells called Cacimbas sunk near the head of a River dry in the summer full in the Winter fetch'd daily in Boats called Geluas The Island of Massuba and fort of Arquico are too leagues distant This the onely Port where is imported what Ethiopia wants and whence the natural Commodities are exported that in circuit about twelve hundred fathoms shap'd like a mans foot hath a convenient Haven little or no defence though Garison'd by near sixty Turks white and black The Customhouse is inhabited by the Basha's Lieutenant called Caqua and other Officers The Island of Suaguem with the third Fort is lesse but better defended by Art and Nature incompassed with many Shoals inhabited by an hundred Turks being the residence of the Basha out of the limits of the Empire and of natural right belonging to a powerfull and warlike King whose Kingdom is called Ballow anciently Negran the Inhabitants are Moors the Men Horses and Sheep the fairest I have any where seen the water-mellons the most delicious I have ever tasted Toward the North between Egypt and this Empire lies the famous Desart of Thebaide so renowned for the ancient Ancorets where begins the Kingdom of Ballow above mentioned This Empire reacheth Westward so far into the main Land that the Kingdom of Congo was its tributary as the great Historian John de Barros affirmed in his first decade At present it extends not further than the Kingdom of Naire whose Inhabitants are neither Abyssines nor Ethiopians yet not defective in policy garbe or government The soyle is rich in Gold-mines of the same quality of those of Sofalla lying under the same parallel and not far distant they pay a Tax yearly tribute of their Gold to the Abyssine Emperour the Coyne called Miloqueas the value ten thousand pieces of Eight The Greatnesse of this Empire is toward the South more restrain'd there lying betwixt it and the Sea divers Nations of Moors and Pagans barbarous to extremity which never did nor do acknowledg themselves Vassals to the Emperour who live in tents like the mountanous Africans The chief amongst them is elected every Eight year with the Title of Caraye Primeyro afterwards called Luba The Moors bordering on the Sea-coast have Kings the greatest of them called Macheda This Empire anciently commanded many Kingdoms and Provinces their own Annals and some Historians count above twenty with almost as many Provinces What at present passeth for current is that its Greatness was notorious though now limited to five Kingdoms each about the bigness of Portugal and to six Provinces every one little different from * Two Provinces in Portugal Beyra or Alenteyo One of these and among the biggest is called Agaos the Inhabitants of the same name whether these bestowed their Name or took it from the Province This is divided into Diverse Territories the most famous called Tuncua deservedly glorious in two respects being the Country of the famous Vnicorne of which I shall speak in this discourse and onely now say t is not the Abbada rightly taken by Authors for the Rhinoceros being in shape a quite different Animal and having in it the so long sought for Head of Nile concealed so many Age discovered by the industrious Portuguees The higher part of this Province is mountanous and woody yet not without Vallyes and Groves of Cedars for goodness and scent not inferiour to those of Mount Lebanus their thickness is a great inconvenience to Travellers but suites with the inclination of the native Agoas who being professedly Pagans and so of little faith or loyalty live commonly in Rebellion thereto invited not more by their own natural disposition than the convenience of certain caves into which in time of warr they retire these Caverns have but one entrance are capable of one or two

painted the colour inclining to white they live in close woods and Thickers sometimes venture into the Champian not often seen being timerous are not many and those concealed in the Woods The most barbarous and salvage people the world hath enjoy them and probably feed upon them as upon other Beasts A Father my Companion who spent some time in this Province upon notice that this so famous Animal was there used all possible diligence to procure one the Natives brought him a very young Colt so tender as in few dayes it died A Portuguese Captain a person of years and credit respected by all his acquaintance and of great esteem with some Princes of that Empire under whom he had served gave me this relation of the great ones He told me that returning once from the Army whither he usually went every Summer with the Emperour Malac-Segued with twenty other Portuguese souldiers in company they one morning rested in a little valley encompassed with thick woods designing to breakfast while their horses grazed on the good grasse which plentifully grew there scarce were they sate down when from the thickest part of the wood lightly sprang a perfect horse of the same colour hair and shape before described his carrier was so brisk and wanton that he took no notice of those new inmates till ingaged amongst them then as frighted at what he had seen suddenly started back again yet left the spectators sufficient time to see and observe at their pleasure The particular survey of his parts seised them with delight and Admiration one of his singularities was a beautifull streight horne on his forehead like that above mentioned he appear'd to run about with Eyes full of fear our horses seem'd to allow him for one of the same brood curveted and made towards him the Souldiers observing him in lesse than Musket shot not able to shoot their muskets being unfixt endeavoured to encompasse him out of an assurance that that was the famous Vnicorne so often spoken of but he prevented them for perceiving them with the same violent carrier he recovered the wood leaving the Portuguese satisfied in the truth of such an Animal discontented at the losse of their Prize My knowledge of this Captain makes the truth with me undoubted In another Place of the same Province the most remote craggy and mountanous part call'd Nanina the same Beast hath been often seen grazing amongst others of different kinds This place is in the furthest recesse of the Province therefore the ordinary place of banishment for those the Emperour intends to keep securely it ends in high mountains which overlook great and vast Plains and Forrests inhabited by several sorts of wild beasts To this place of banishment a Tyrannical Emperour named Adamas-Segued sent without any cause divers Portugueses who from the top of these mountains saw the Vnicornes graze in the Plains below the distance not greater than allowed them so distinct an Observation as they knew him like a beautifull Gennet with a fair horne in his forehead These testimonies particularly that of the good old man John Gabriel with what the Father my Companion affirmed of his own knowledge confirmes me that this so celebrated Vnicorne is in this Province there foaled and bred The Reason why the Abyssine Emperour is called Prester John of the Indies THat there was anciently in the East-Indies a puissant Christian Prince Lord of many Kingdoms and large Territories is out of question being grounded on the authentick authority of good Historians and Authors as undoubted is it that at present there is no such Prince his memory perished many ages since leaving the extent of his Empire undecided Both these Assertions are proved by the famous Historian John de Barros in his Decads And the advance made by the Portuguese into the Indies assures us that at present no such Prince is known in those many Kingdoms and Provinces of the East by them discovered This being out of controversy yet the Emperour of Ethiopia in the opinion of many passeth for that famous Presbyter John of the Indies by this name commonly though falsly called by those who pretend much but have little knowledg of him There have not been wanting some late Authors who upon small grounds and lesse truth would maintain this opinion and report proving by divers Etymologies and interpretations of the word that the Abyssine Emperour was properly Prester John But this affirmation being without any appearance of truth excuseth me from shewing how little it hath I onely say that those who have spent some time in Ethiopia know all reported on this subject to be a meer fable never any Prince of this Empire had that Title neither is the word known in the whole extent of those Dominions That some Probability spread this report through the world That this Emperour was the famous Presbyter John of the Indies is undeniable First his Kingdom being in the Eastern parts thence without Examination if his Empire were properly in the Indies onely lying betwixt the River Indus and Ganges the opinion first settled on this Bassis Secondly The ancient Presbyter John professing himself a Christian having for the Embleme of his faith a Crosse in a hand and when he went forth or a Journey a Crosse carried before him being beside a Priest all which or the greatest part suites with the Abyssine Emperour for that he was by ancient custome a Priest is reported of him by tradition and their own Annals for the Crosse in particular he often carrieth it in his hand and all there have it in peculiar reverence and devotion gave apparently this Errour a second rise Thirdly Ignorant in what part of India his Empire was having often heard of the Christianity of this King and his Subjects and without any records of the ancient Presbyter John uninquisitive men concluded him the Abyssine Emperour Thus mistakes are commonly guilded over with the appearance of truth We who lived in Ethiopia reflecting on this and often discoursing by way of Inquiry what might most probably beget this opinion derived it from what I shall here offer If a thing so obsolete admits any conviction or what is maintained by common opinion is to be refuted Ethiopia hath an ancient and usual Custome for slaves to petition their Masters and subjects their Soveraigne either in their Ear with an humble and submissive voyce or at a distance from some eminent place to tell their grievances and demand justice against their Oppressors so placing themselves as to be most conveniently heard every one crys as loud as his voyce can reach in the language of his own Province or Nation The Portuguese frequent here cry Senhor Senhor Senhor not desisting till their businesse be dispatcht The Moor crys Acid Acid Acid which signifies the same The Boor of the Kingdom of Tigere sayes Adaric Adaric Adaric The Courtier and those more civilized Abeto Abeto Abeto intimating the same Others bark like Dogs howle like Wolves and