from him and safely accomplish my intended journey Thus we took our way for Zibit accompanied with severall Christians and other Merchants we Inn'd the first night at a little village called Ferragous where we were but ill accommodated the next day we came to Outor a Castle noted by some travellers not far remote from the red Sea There is a deep well whence they draw water with a wheel turned round by a yoke of Bulls the water was sharp and hard but nothing brackish necessity made us like it at two leagues from Outor we left the most part of our company they took the right hand the ready way to Ziden and we followed our tract for the Happy Arabia and reached a Town called Gaza and thence to Zibit Thus we left the desert to enter the Happy Arabia which is a Peninsula between the red and the Persick Sea scituate under the Tropick Cancer her length is from the Soltania of Sanna towards the red Sea unto Agior towards the Persick gulf or the Elcatif Sea so called by the Arabians I have often travelled there for trade sake and have visited most of her Towns this Arabia is of large extent divided into fair Provinces and Kingdoms We arrived at Zibit a Town of Soltania in the Company of a Jewish Merchant native of Alibenali a great Province of Arabia and married at Zibit he lodg'd us in his own house finding he could make a gain of us accompanying us where ever we would go carrying with him on horse-back things to refresh us being a man versed in the customs of the Countrey and some reason he had to be kind to us for I am sure my camarade was so to his wife she advised her husband to be thus familiarly assistant to us and he offered me a Daughter of his in marriage beleeving my Camarade to be my Father Zibit is five leagues from the red sea there is a Haven where ships are laden and unladen and from this place commodities are transported from the India's to Ziden Suez and other places From Ziden we went to Aden from thence thorough all the Provinces of Arabia trading and visiting the chiefest and fairest Townes and Kingdomes Although there be but one great Prince named Sequemir or Sechemir chief Commander of the fairest Provinces of the Happy Arabia yet there are severall Lords that acknowledge some the Persian others the Turke The King of Bacharin or Bescharin the nearest to Persia was not many yeares since subdued by the Sophy and was likely to have given Lawes unto Elcatif had not the Inhabitants of Erit and other Neighbours opposed him with a considerable Army composed of the people of Massa or Maffa Fartac Mascalat Amazarit Jurmalamam Gubelaemam Machyra or Macyra Suza and others This army had for their General the Sultan of Sanna that commanded the Van the Sultan of Elcatif the rear and gave a notable blow to the Persian with whom since they have made a peace and have thus preserved themselves The Soltania of Tabubari is not now governed by the Sechemir but by the Turk that subdued it in the last warre against the Persian this countries sand is very different from that I have seen in other places being as black as a coale and not so troublesome to travellers being something heavier and firmer upon this countries hills you find great store of Frankincense of Storax and Beniamin growing upon trees and other sweet gummes and persons are purposely appointed to gather them all this country is properly called Sabaea so famous in ancient times There growes great store of Olive trees Myrrhe Aloes Cinnamon and Cassia trees in abundance Falcons Sparhawkes and other birds feede thereupon and an innumerable company of flies bred out of the corruption of the Cassia causes so great an inconvenience as the Arabians are forced to burne part of it and in some other places they gather it not because being remote from the sea the Portage would stand them in more then the value of the Commodity though in many great Towns they use much of it where by reason of their greate heats they distill or melt the juice out of the canes and drink it I observed that the inhabitants of Arcora Ara Teza Samacara and of other Townes and places delighted much in this kinde of drinke which not only refreshed them but loosened them also and in the Townes of Andrivara Lagi and Dante it is the ordinary drinke used the summer time The fruite of this tree being ripe hath an unsavory sweet tast Apes and Squirells flock to it to feed and another beast called Masari those of Fez call it Chicali not much unlike a Fox a beast that unburies the dead to feed upon their carcasses they creepe up the trees shake down the fruit and make a great spoyle it is that sweetnesse that engenders those flyes we have already mentioned which were no small trouble to us passing by This Arabia is full of faire great Townes whether by reason of Traffick Merchants come from all parts as are Taesa Cana Asigni and Kada where is kept the Sequemirs principall Magazine or store house The chiefest haven and the nearest to this side of the Countrey is Pecher in the Soltania of Fartac whither those of Bangale Baticala Dabul Cambaye and Malabar bring their commodities to Bartar for Aromatick Drugges which in that Countrey are most excellent but the Jewes that inhabit those places are such cheates they sophisticate all that comes thorough their hands it is a particular trade to gather the Frankinsence Storax Benjamin and Mastick that harvest is got in July during the dog-dayes for then the trees are in their perfect ripenesse they gather some in other seasons but by a different manner making an incision in the tree towards spring from those holes runs forth a licquor or gumme which thickens of it selfe and is of a reddish colour but not so strong nor good as the other nor of so great a value the gumme that issues from the young trees is whiter then that is gathered from the old ones they have Myrrhe trees too but what of that is brought in to our parts is compounded and falsified all the Myrrhe that the Kingdom of Ciussimi or Elcatif affords is for the Sequemirs own use being the most perfect and the purest what the Prince uses not he sells and is therefore called Sequemir Pure and is sold at Naban Quesibi Naziri Carmon Liva-Orba Lanua-Orba Costague Manabon Batan Caybir Jague Aloron and in other places in the furthest parts of Arabia in the kingdom of Anna through which runs the river Cosan or Cosara very swift and loses her self in the Persick sea near the mouth of Euphrates CHAP. VII Of the state of Sequemir Prince of the Happy Arabia of his Salsidas and of the Califf of Bagdet SEquemir whom we have spoken of is supreme Lord of almost the whole Arabia Felix and is called
sought for by the Great Ones studded and garnished with gold and silver jewells ivory and hart's-horn which they hold to be an antidote against poyson which I have experienced in many other diseases as the green sicknesse in women taken in the juyce of a reddish cich pea boyled with harts-horn poudred mingled with steel the weight of half a Crown with the double quantity of sugar taken every morning for twelve or fifteen dayes together This is an approved and infallible remedy against the green-sickness and jaundize yellow or black they have a beastly custome to betray the virginity of their young daughters to any strangers that are not tawny be they Christians or Mahometans but not to Gentiles nor Idolaters the women burn themselves after the decease of their husbands From Fernassery we passed to Ausly a Town upon the North of Narsingue on the east of Bengale and lyes southward to the main sea Governed by a Mahometan Prince Potent by sea and Land and sworn enemy to the Portuguese with whom they make Warr. The Town is provided with all necessaries for Warr and hath a large Harbor of capacity to contain a good Fleet the mouth thereof Southward which is chained in in case of necessity He is Master of another Town called Quelba since Maturane strong and well furnished with shipping and small Frigates wherewith they scowr that sea to the damage of the Portuguese they often fight on both sides reduced to streights This Kings Treasure chiefly consists in three Diamond Rubies and Jacynth mines besides all sorts of Groceries and Spices Their frigats or Busses are caulked with a certain hearb and Mastick is used in stead of Pitch They are built in such a manner they can hardly sink and saile with much security The Vice-Roy of Indies being upon a time informed of that Kings intentions to send his fleet to the Grand Jave to wait for the Spice fleet he set forth two great men of warr with two more St. Maloes men who drawing towards that Haven feigned an escape from shipwrack and the better to play their game tore all their sayles in peeces hiding their Canon and Soldiers under Deck They met with those Busses loaden and returning home desired their assistance to hale and tow them along unto Maturane that there they might mend their sayles and they promis'd a reward for their service the Mahometans enemies to the Christians resolved to conduct them thither and there to use them at will and having tow'd them two nights and a day to that Haven suddenly the others plaid with their Canon and seizing unawares of the place made great slaughter amongst those miserable creatures burnt their fleet sack't the Town and full fraught with rich plunder they retired The two French ships not satisfied with the pillage let the Town all on fire which was easie to effect as I have said of other places the houses were all thatched with palme returning homeward not victualled sufficiently for so much company their thoughts having been wholly taken up with Treasure they cast the men over Decks and landed the women in an Isle The mean time two Portuguais ships sayling by and seeing the Town a fire the Inhabitants fled seized of the Haven plundered the rest of the Town at leisure and loaden with rich prises they found in a Magazine untouched They retired with their booty ignorant of the cause and manner of the destruction of the Town such are the good and bad fortunes of sea-faring men Leaving the Coast of Coromandell we came to the Kingdom of Bengale the chiefe Town whereof beares the name or at least so called by the Portuguese and other Nations by the Natives Batacouta one of the greatest antiquity in the Indies Some would have it to be old Ganges a Royall Town upon the River Ganges This Kingdom of Bengale was 300 years since subdued by the great Cham of Tartary freed her selfe since and after that conquerred by the Parthians or Patates and is at last and remains stil subjected to the great Mogull Prince of Tartary and Supreme Lord of all Indostan and yet there remaine some Lords in that Countrey that are Soveraignes and obey the Mogull in a Noble manner This Kingdom reaches 200. leagues upon the sea side and containes the Kingdomes of Sirapu Chandecan Bacal Aracan or Mogor and others The Inhabitants of Bengale are Idolaters Mahometans and some Christians for there are Portuguaises and Fathers of the Society The Town is scituate upon one of the mouthes of Ganges whereof there are two Principall in regard that river as some persons believe with what reason judge ye is one of the four rivers of the Terrestriall Paradice called Whiton or Giho The opinions of the Antient and modern Authors do not agree whether 't is the true Ganges of the Antients or whether old Ganges be not rather a Canton in China or some more Eastern then this is I leave to be decided by the most curious and shall only say that the Portuguese take this for the true one relying chiefly upon the name Guenga or Gangen which she retaines to this day and 't is confirmed by many relations from the great Kingdom of Tebet or Tibet and Cathay and the Fathers of the Society say they have followed that River a great way since their leaving of Lahir The Moors and Gentills hold there is much holiness and vertue in that River-water and wash themselves therein thorough Ceremony and Superstition as you shall hear hereafter They say 't is the best and the wholesomest water in the World and sent for 500. leagues off Forty or fifty thousand persons bathe themselves therein at a time and many Kings come disguised thither her head springs out of the great hill Inde not far from Indus the Natives think she springs out of the Terrestriall Paradise at the mouth of the River is the Gulfe Gangetick or Bengale 500. leagues in circumference containing the Coasts of the Kingdomes of Narsingue Orixa Ternessari Bengale Pegu Sian and others unto Malaca I have been told that a Frenchman named Malherbe Breton a great traveller had taken a particular view of this River and had gone 400. leagues up the River and that she hath three Mouths or places she disgorges her self into the sea the one toward Pegu the second in the middle that makes some Islands and the third in the Country of Chingara and each eight or ten leagues over That at Labas a Royall Town of Mogor and fourty dayes journey from Bengale towards the North This River is a league over her mouth towards Bengale is in the three and twentieth degree The Kingdom of Bengale borders Northward upon Tartary or Mogor and is bounded by the River Hieropec sometime Hyphasis that looses her self in the Indus the bounds of Alexander the great 's Conquest 's in the East Eastward is the Province Edaspa that joynes to the Kingdom of Aracan on an other side is the Province of Mien
pepper and ginger bruised together They compound an admirable drink with Areca mingled with the confection of the leaves of Bettel they preserve Tamur which is a sort of palm called Tamarindi myrabolans or plums the roots of a certain Bul-rush Clove Gillyflower tops or buds another root called Cucuma and many others They are of complexion more fair than black their cloathings are stuffs of cotton silk damask satin and velvet Their breeches cassocks or coats are almost of the Italian mode especially when they visit Ladies as at Ormus Their chiefest drink is milk with Sugar and Cinamon they make it of three sorts Sugar and Cinamon are still added and sometimes pepper Durions Mancoustan and Bananes The Banane tree is fifteen handfull high the trunk juycy and covered with a bark and leaves growing like the scales of fish two foot large and five foot long of a light green her root growing in the ground casts out sprouts that in time grow up to trees when this tree is come to full growth she puts forth from the middle of her stock a flower of a reddish colour about the bignesse and shape of an artichoke whence springs a bough hung with fruit to the number of a hundred each a handfull in length and four fingers large and bears but once a year which is held a wonder From incisions made into the tree there flowes good store of juyce or water very pleasant and gustfull in some places of the Indies they are called Masa in others Pican and say 't is the tree that bears the fruit of life In that Country Partridges are all white and bigger than ours there is plenty of all other fowle We went from Bengale in the company of many Merchants to trade at Castigan where were arrived some Portuguese ships and in those meetings much is got by the trade of gold and silver and in the exchange of our own commodities Castigan or Catigan belongs to the kingdom of Bengale which reaches over 400. leagues of land and the Lordship of Aracan a Kingdom between Bengale and Pegu stronger by Sea than land and wages often war with Pegu and some years since they say hath swallowed up Pegu but ruined by neighbours and therefore the King is called King of Aracan Tiparat Chacomas Bengale and Pegu. This King hath entertained the Fathers of the society at Chandecan his Royal Town and his whole state is strangely altered on a suddain as all the East is subject to innovations and changes the strongest still overcomming the weaker Catigan is a good Haven Town in the Mogor or Mogull's Country a great Kingdom and rich in all sorts of cattle in fish rice white and black spices especially pepper myrabolans and ginger which they candy and preserve and is better than any grows at Cananor the Prince of this Town called Banastarin his Son Achamu was converted by the Fathers of the society and obtained leave of the King his father to have a Church built for them he married the Princesse Cassubi a Christian Lady newly baptized he followed herein the advice of those holy Fathers for otherwise he intended to have ended his dayes in Celibat They relate many miracles of him amongst others that the first night they were bedded offering both their prayers to God upon their knees they were suddenly enlightned by a glorious light and smelt many sweet perfumes whereupon they mutually resolved to abstain from enjoyment and dedicate the remainder of their lives to chastity and sanctity He left his kingdom to his Brother Agazima desiring justice might be preserved in his Kingdom and that he would follow the advice of Father Philip of the society Agazima promis'd a performance but those Princes are all so jealous of our religion holding that the Christians adore one God great above the rest that wil not suffer any others disdaining to communicate himself to any and that he sets a greater esteem and value upon innocent poor and simple people then upon the rich Kings and Princes and that Princes had need to preserve to themselves the affections and obedience of their subjects to reign with more ease these were the seeming reasons Agazima offered his Brother and 't is those poor abused creatures ordinary discourse and opinion and the difficulty they find in our religion ignorant of the true and pure grounds thereof that teach subjects their obedience and subjection to their temporall Kings and Princes above all others Of Cassubi or Chasubi subject to Aracan I will hereafter speak In the kingdom of Bengale is the Town of Sartagan or Sartogan scituate upon a River that runs and loses her self in Ganges where the Portuguese have a fort There are great plenty of rice fine linnen cloaths sugar myrabolans and many other drugs The people are Gentils and in their Temples adore many Idols strangely and horridly shap'd others adore the first they meet my Camarade and I being lodg'd at a Brokers house who was happy in a sweet disposition'd a modest wife as we accompanied her one day from the market some of those Idolaters prostrated themselves at our feet and begun to make their prayers to us and were extreamly incensed when they saw we only endeavored to disabuse them and to laugh them out of their fopperies and idolatries they answered they were thus instructed by their parents and therefore thought it just and equitable They told me they were not of the Guzerates religion but were absolutely opposite to Mahometanism They esteem it a happiness to be near the Ganges believing that water purifies them from all filth and sin and therefore are carried thither both in health and sickness some leave orders that after their deaths their bodies may be burnt and their ashes cast therein that so they may go strait to heaven others hold the same of Euphrates and for this reason the Portuguese and other Christians abominate these rivers and never make anyuse of the water but of force and necessity which is a little superstitious on the other side the water of Ganges being the sweetest the wholsomest in the world and many drinking of it have been cured of great paines of the stomach which hardly afforded them any rest before 't is soveraign against many other pains aches and diseases The Indian Priests sing in their Temples from break of day to noon and after dinner they have other prayers which last till night when they hear this service they wash their hands feet and faces then walk barefoot upon stone laid on purpose to the Temple which is matted and there they stand upright without the least motion and after awhile they sit crosse-legged like Taylors There are two Altars one for the rising the other for the setting Sun and so they turn their faces ever to the Sunne They bury their dead in their Churches as we do and maintain women to lament and weep over the dead according to the ancient Roman fashion These
with a prodigious History of Serpents LEaving all those Isles to return into the Continent over against Sumatra Northward stands the Town and Kingdom of Malaca where is that so famous a spot of land with her Cape and Streight called Sicapura at one degree northward Malaca is a potent kingdom formerly the golden Chersonese as some yet hold and the Ophir of Salomon because much gold is found in many places of Sumatra contiguous to the other the Ancients believed her joyned to the Continent as you have heard already This Country obeyed the King of Siam untill a Lord of Java subjected her and by the assistance of some fishermen and Pyrates built the Town of Malaca Since the Malacans became Mahometans trading with the Persians and Guzerates and at last Alphonsus Albukerke surprized the Town for the King of Portugall it is the center of the East for trade and the mart for all Merchandizes of the East-Indies which improves her in grandeur treasure and power The language is esteemed the smoothest most elegant and copious of the Indies as the mother of all their other tongues which they diligently study they are much addicted to Poetry Amours and other Gallantries Malaca is scituate upon a pleasant river called Crisorant alluding to Chrise or land of gold which others rather believe to be China and Japan this river is not altogether so big as the Thames and divides the Town in two parts coupled by fair bridges stately built as is the rest of the Town The people are very civill of a good stature but a little tann'd the Country abounds in fruit subject to the King Siam though the Town belongs to the Portuguese where they have a strong Fort and a Haven that brings in great Revenues by reason of the customes imposed upon the infinite number of Merchandizes are imported from forreign parts Those imposts or customes were formerly paid to the King of Siam The Captain hath two good ships well rigged and man'd with which he scowres those seas and sailes into China loaden with wedges of gold and silver cloves pepper cinamon linnen and woollen cloth scarlets saffron corrall mercury vermillion and all other exquisite commodities of the Indies and brings back from thence silks purcelaines satins damask harts-horn musk rubarbe pearles salt-peter iron ivory boxes and fanns These two places are eight hundred l. distant and a great river upon which they say ships are drawn by Elephants to Quinsay capitall of Tabin or China where the ships arriving salute the King with three peeces of Canon and the Town with one if they think good then the Captain setting foot on land is sworn upon the Kings Picture that he comes Bona Fide to negotiate and then he is admitted The ayre of Malaca is not very wholesom to strangers nor natives From Malaca we went to the Kingdom of Siam very potent formerly containing many Kingdomes Their neighbour the King of Pegu got many of them in a Warr he maintained against Siam for a white Elephant which the Peguans adore and ever since the Kingdom of Siam hath been weak and divided into many Provinces or Dominions where the King is hardly acknowledged formerly it contained sixteen or seventeen Kingdomes or Principalityes and did reach from Tanansterin or Tarnatsery unto Champaa above 700. leagues from Coast to Coast between Malaca the Isles Pacanes Passiloco Capimper Chiammay the Lahos and Guttâ—s 'T is called the Empire of Sornao the King Prechau Saleu who kept his Court at the great Town of Odiva whither the Kings were tied to come yearly to acknowledge the Princes and pay their tribute kissing the Cimiter at his side Then by reason of the great distance and the many Rivers which lengthen their journeys and render them difficult he remitted this kind of acknowledgment to be made to a Lieutenant or Vice-Roy in the Town of Lugor neerer and more commodious This Country confines upon Pegu westward northward upon Chiammay southward towards the Province of Caburi and the main sea and eastward upon the Gulfe of Cambaye 't is one of the plentifullest and best Isles in the world abounding in all fruits victualls silver mines iron lead pewter salt-peter sulphure silkes honey wax sugars sweet-woods benjamin cottons rubies saphyres ivory and great plenty of all spices and other commodities imported from other parts The inhabitants are not warlike The women are very lovely and well disposed they are richly adorned with Jewells their coates tuck 't up to their knees their feet and legs bare to shew how they are decked and loaded with gemms they weare jewells upon their armes also their haire is platted and covered therewith in imitation of the Peguans They are carried in chariots richly covered their gownes open before discover their naked breasts their smocks being likewise slit when they walke they hold both their hands before them to hide their nakedness and yet so as t is plainly seen They say that custom was first brought up by Queen Tirada the wisest of her time and her bones are to this day kept with great reverence perceiving her Subjects to be besotted or violently addicted to Sodomie she thought by such charming allurements to withdraw them from that bestiality as indeed they are since wholly taken off from that abominahle sensuality and in truth that Countrey women are very faire and well shaped they play upon certain Musicall instruments which they are diligently instructed in from their infancy the men may marry two wives but they pay double customes for the second and most of them therefore are contented with one the women are very tractable humble and discreet their greatest care is to be beloved of their husbands They cruelly sacrifice Virgins and their manner of burying the dead is as inhumane for as soone as one of their alliance is deceased they erect him a Monument in the fields according to their conditions and abilities then they shave their whole body in signe of mourning Women cast off their jewels and are cloathed in white the doleful colour there all the deceased's friends and alliance are invited solemnly to attend the Corps to the Interment The Corps is clothed in a rich habit exposed upon a Chariot in a bed of state and drawn by six of his nearest kindred of the best of his family and six more of his best friends covered with an ash-colour canopy and of the same colour his Relations are cloathed before the Corpes go six flutes who with two kettle drums or tabors make so lamentable a noise that it drawes teares from the Assistants The slutes are hired and discharged by the Publick drawing neer to the buriall place they throw perfumes upon the Chariot This done they all retire the parents and kindred only excepted who strip the body and make it clean multiplying their cries and lamentations then roast it with their sweet woods gather round about it and with many sad groanes
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
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
dresse in several manners the fruits excell and chiefly the Melons called there Dormous admirable in taste which they eat not but in Summer because they are excessive cooling and as it were freeze the stomack being neverthelesse not ill of digestion or causing chollicks what quantity soever one eats They are for the most part Idolaters except some Mahometans who dissemble their Religion for which cause the Prince hath but a sinister look for them This Prince hath a high veneration from his people who subjugate their shoulders for his support burn perfumes to him when he appeares in publick as they do likewise for all Princes or Potentates who come to visit them But indeed this Prince is most laudable in this particular that he himself will take cognizance of whatsoever is acted by his Governours and Magistrates and if any one impleads other before him it behoves him on the price of his head to be assured of the fact When a complaint is made to him immediately he sends for the party accused If he be a Noble man when he arrives at the Palace gate he gives notice to the Officers of his presencce by the sound of a Cornet who cause him to ascend single before the Prince who with great patience hears hoth parties in presence of his Council If â—oth are found culpable the inferiour is remitted to the ordinary Justice who punisheth him with stripes of cudgell the Grandee is punished by fine But if the Noble-man prove only guilty the King leads him to his chamber where being disrobed prostrate on the ground craving pardon he receives from the Kings own hand certain stripes with a cudgell more or fewer in proportion to the crime and services he hath done Which done he revests kisses the Kings feet and with all humility thanks him for the favour received Then without further shew of any thing attends the King to his Hall who in presence of all the Court gives him a dismission and recommends â—o him administration of Justice to his people causes him to be accompanied out of town with ordinary ceremony so as what hath passed is not perceived by any and this Grandee returns as well content as if he had received a rich treasure The charges of suit are defrayed out of the Kings Coffers or if he please by the criminall without the knowledge of any one When as this King who by his subjects is esteemed a Saint makes a progresse into the Country he is mounted on a horse richly trapp'd and going out of his Palace passes over a new kill'd heifer where the people raise a loud outcry and instantly go view the entrails of the beast to judge by sorcery if this voyage shall be successeful or no. When he makes entrance into any town all the fairest Ladies walk before him with censers of perfumes burning in their hands some singing his encomiums others melodiously playing on Basons with fine nods endeavouring to render themselves as complaisant as possibly they can To conclude their territories confine upon the country of Zangueliac and Ethiopia Aquiloa is a Kingdome with an Isle and a Town of the same appellation where the Portugals have a Fort the Governour whereof drives a main trade by means of the vessels he sends for the Indies The King of Quiloa was Lord heretofore of Mozambique All these are countries of Zanguebar or Zanzibar which comprehends that large extent of ground which lyes between the Oriental and Occidental seas of the people called Cafres Zanzibar properly speaking is an Island which faces directly Monbaze but the country I intend to speak of is Zanguebar named so by the Arabians because in their language this word Zangue signifies black and this country for the greatest part is inhabited by Blacks Mark Pol esteems it an Island of above a thousand leagues in circuit being water'd with many rivers making as it were an Island Concerning the Town of Quiloa 't was built as Tradition sayes above six hundred years past by one Hali son of Hocen King of Siras in Persia who came to live there Women here go exceeding well arrayed richly adorned with Jewels and Ivory bracelets quaintly wrought which upon death of husband and allies they break in signe of sorrow as the men forbear to eat and shave their hair as I before recounted of the East Indies CHAP. V. Of Mozambique the nature of the Inhabitants Cefala Mines of gold in Ophir Belugara HAving passed by Viada where the people for the best part dwell upon the river Dumes or Humes since the vast inundation of this and other rivers in the country upon the day of Saint Abiblicane we entered the kingdome of Mozambique this River runs towards the East passing by the foot of the Mountain Zet out of which issues one of the heads of Nile the other from the Mount Betzoan which ancients called the Mountains of the Moon streaming towards the points Maestro and Tramontanus The branch which runs Southward is divided not far from the head by a rock into two streams the one watering the land of Sefala the other running to disgorge it self in the sea right over against the Isle of Saint Laurence Mozambique is a small Island hard upon the firm land with a Haven and a Fort of the Portugals within fifteen degrees of the Line 'T was subject to the King of Quiloa till the Portugals became Masters where now in their voyages from Portugal to the Indies is one of their securest harbours to rest and refresh themselves The greatest part of the Inhabitants who are all Blacks professe Mahometisme the rest Idolatry They upon the firm land are absolute brutes going stark naked their privities only covered with a cotten cloth Adorers of the Sun like them of Sephala speaking the same language as they their traffick is Gold Ivory and Ebony their chief food the flesh of Elephants They delight much to parget their bodies with a reddish earth perswading themselves that so dawb'd the world shewes not finer men The better sort paint themselves with a certain Folliage which to make azure they use Indico and other compounds There are amongst them who bore their lips like the Americans enchasing some delicate stone Some say this countâ—y in times past depended upon Ethiopia and and 't was hither Salomon sent his Fleets for gold and that the Queen of Saba stil'd her self likewise Queen of Mozambique and Melindo moreover that their speech resembles in some sort that of Senega Though to speak truth 't is more likelihood Salomon fetched his gold from the mines of Sefala which are not farre thence or may be from the East Indies Touching the country of Cefala or Sefala and Zinguebar which takes up in a sort the whole breadth of that end of Africa even to the Cape of Bona Esperanza which coast is inhabited with Blacks called Cafares or Cafres they appertain to the great Empire of Monomotapa of which we are to speak presently In particular
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
of more then three moneths travell True it is he is not at instant of such power as heretofore by reason the neighbouring Mahometans and amongst others the King of Adel with the Zeilan by a continual war have deprived him of many territories even of the best part of the towns and havens he held about the red Sea the chief whereof are Zuachim Manzua anâ— Ercoco So as at present this Empire is much diminished both in extent strength and dominion only that by the assistance of the Portugues of the East he hath regained some places of late years And though at this day he is very ample so must we not give credit to many things of Grandeur and Magnificence we finde in Spanish Authours tasting somewhat of the fable published in a Romantick way which are sufficiently refuted by the Fathers of the society in their more authentick works extracted from the very notes of those who were and are constantly in person there from whom we have exact information both for the spiritual and for the temporal The countrey of the Abissins was known to our Ancestours by the name of Ethiope under Egypt afterwards the lesser India This Ethiopia is divided into the Eastern the Western and the middle The bounds at this day are the red Sea on the East Egypt on the North the Mountains along Nile Maniconge the Black River and Nubia on the West and Southward the Mountains of the Moone and the Lakes where the Nile rises or rather the borders of the Empire of Monopotapa Some afford it fifty kingdomes and more others are satisfied with five and thirty or lesse For absurdly some would make this Empire greater then all our Europe and that it should hold out from Egypt to the Promontory of Guardasu and to Babelmandel and Mogadoxo and of another side to the Southern or Ethiopian Ocean the Cape of Good Hope allowing for Tributaries many Moorish Kings to Monomotapa it selfe with the S. Laurence Islanders though at this day he hath his hands full to defend himself against the Mahometans the Gales or Galois and the Agays a people that are Blacks by whom for these threescore years he hath been rudely jostled till the Prince was constrained to supplicate the aid of the Portugals who brought effectuall assistance and by degrees have restored him to a recovering condition As you go from the red Sea Westward lye these Kingdomes Tigrai Dancaly Angote Xoa Amara Leca Baga Midai Dambea Datali Fatigar Ambra Anogotera Bernagas Belinganza Damure Edear Guiame there are the Cataracts of Nile Vangui Masmude Cafates Gilama and others some whereof Christians inhabit the rest Mahometans and Gentiles The people of these kingdomes when they bring their Gibre or tribute to the Prince They have wound a rope about their head and proclaim with a loud voice The Revenue of such a Province My Lord I am here present Then doth the Negar distribute this Gibre or revenue to three uses the first to relieve the poor of the Nation and support the Church a second for pay and maintenance of his army and the third to his Coffers for the exhibition of his houshold Now is the Revenue small for they have trees of which we finde many growing upon the high ways loaded with silk not by the work of art but nature whereof the gatherers pay a fift to the Prince as they do of their gold and silver mines where they employ their slaves as sometimes they do the children of them who have not paid the King dues for their harvest of silk Of Benjamin Storax and other Aromaticks 't is the same thing for the gathering whereof they make choyce of young lads as concerning their smell to be more exquisit and more firm and indeed the Merchants have a speciall regard for these gatherers and the younger the more they give them They who get Safron pay the same rates but they observe not the like niceness in the gathering The Farmers of these customes have a set day to bring it in to the Prince himself who receives it in person who so much delights in odours that whatsoever used in Court even to the Flambeaus is perfumed But when these are brought in they are attended with Drums Hoboyes with other instruments and consorts of musick which the towns are by duty to provide The same Prince hath likewise his fift out of the souldiers booty in time of warre as the Spanish King hath out of the Merchants mines but that he exacts an impost from thieves or Curtizans is a mistake This State was known to all Antiquity but upon uncertainty enough till about 120. years since the Portuguese gave us a better information of it and specially since these last threescore years that the Fathers of the society came thither The soyle in some part is exceeding fertile in others not It abounds in mines of gold silver brasse lead sulphure fruits of all sorts as citrons oranges but vines are scarce The air is temperate enough though under the torrid Zone the people there are black for the greater part and of long life Their principall traffick is salt which they carry very deep into the Provinces and sell dear making it serve as 't were for their money trucking it for all sorts of commodities whereof they have square pieces of severall proper weights as we have gold and silver In the sacred History the land of Ethiope is called Chuz or Phut from the two sons of Cham. who lived there 'T is said the name of Abassie or Abissine came from the Arabians who called them Elbabassi and Abex Others say 't was given by the Egyptians who by this name understand all such as inhabit a Countrey encircled with deserts as we find this is But the Ancients made ordinarily two Ethiopes the one East on the other side the red sea in Sabia or Arabia the happy the other west on this side or under Egypt And indeed the Homerists a people of Arabia along the coast of the red sea are called Ethiopians and there is some evidence that heretofore Kings of Ethiopia reigned on both sides the Gulph also some do opinion the Queen of Saba came from Arabia others from the true Ethiopia The west Ethiopia was either the lower from Egypt to Meroe or the high from Meroe to the Mountains of the Moon Some there are again who confound the Eastern with the Abissins place the Western towards the Atlantique sea then will have tho interiour towards Zanzibar Some hold the Ethiopians to have been the first Idolaters as descending from Chus the son of Cham and that they first received Judaisme and circumcision upon the Queen of Saba's voyage to Salomon and after Chritianisme by the Queen Candace's Ennuch Times past the Ethiopian Kings were very potent and brought under yoke Egypt it self and being by Semiramis and Cambyses assaulted defeated their armies nor durst Hercules and Bacchus those famous Victors invade them The Poets had this land
souldiers Some say the Bishop of Conimbria dreamed the night before that the battel was lost and that they were all slaves as it came to passe and that upon this alone he sent his treasure and all things he had of value to Arzille which served for his ransom afterwards Malouco the same day about eleven in the fore-noon left his Littar and mounted on horse-back vested in a rich robe of cloth of gold wrought with a folliage a Cimeterre at his side his saddle set over with precious stones and thus went from rank to rank encouraging his men to combat His Army marched in good order like a half-cressent drums of the Morisco very small beat and the Fifes founded a shriller sound then the Trumpet 'T was thought the battels should have been given on Sunday the third but 't was defer'd to the fourth and Sebastian and Mahomet were advised to stay battel till the approach of night because the Arabians promised to come over to them and leave Malouco which proved false and they were so disappointed King Sebastian was armed as the day before in green Armes upon a white horse one of the best in Portugal The Moores Army was rampar'd on the left hand with the River Sebastian thought himself sure of the Arabians assistance and specially of Melouco's Van-guard which was all of Arabians and for this reason stayed till night that they might not be perceived 'T was in a field of above two large leagues every way without either tree or stone Before the Van-guard marched the Light-horse-men mounted on the Arabians horses composing the point of the Cressent and were wholly cut off with the Cannon The Arabians seeing this rout thought good to do the like but not perceiving a man of the other Battalia's fall they set a good face on it by force Muley Hammet being at hand to instigate them The battail at length grew hot and the Arabians performed nothing of what they had promised Molouco employed the remaining houres of his life in giving order for victory The King of Portugal and the Moor remained on the ground as well as Molouco the one slain the other drowned and the third dead of infirmity in his Littar Hamet remaining only victorious and heire of all Don Sebastian did wonders in his own person but overpowred with number he hung his handkercher on the point of a lance in token of yeilding but the rascally Moores ignorant of this practice run upon him and those that stood with him and put them all to the Sword The slaughter was great but chiefly of those who went along with the baggage who were as many or more then all the Army There were some mingled themselves amongst the dead to save their lives 'T was sad to see 200. sucking children and above 800. women boyes and girles who followed father and mother thinking to inhabit this country who had loaded chains and cords to fetter the Moores and served for the Christians themselves of whom there are 17. thousand prisoners the two hundred infants and the eight hundred women not reckon'd As to the kingdom of Fez or Marocca heretofore Mauritania or Tingitania 't is of vast extent and amongst others hath the two potent towns of Fez and Marocca Fez is the Capitall of the kingdom strong in scite and people seated on two great hills being able upon occasion to raise sixty thousand horse of sumptuous edifice of the Persian building embellished with Folliages of gold and azure their walls strong streets cleanly kept being a Captain for every one with strong gates at the ends for their security and crossed with chaines a fair river called also Fez passes through the middle This River is divided into two channels one towards the South which waters Fez the new the other towards the West watering Fez the old besides divers fountains which creep through Subterranean channels The houses for the greatest part are of brick with Towres and Tarrasses where the women prune themselves in the evening for they seldom stirr abroad There are Mosquees of fair building with their Marabouts for their service the Principall called Cairimen is of as large circumference as the Town of Arles with 31. principall gates sustained by 38. large Arches in length and 20. in breadth every night 900. lamps are lighted and on festivall dayes as in their Romadan the feast of S. John the Nativity of our Lord more Lamps without number upon brasse candlesticks where after Mid-night they sing Mattens Sixty leagues from hence is Marocca chief of all other kingdomes under that Empire as Hea Ducalea Gusula Hascora and Trelle as Fez hath under it Tesmenia Asgar Flabat Errif Garet Escaus c. This Town was built or rather augmented by a Prince called Mansor in the year 1024. scituate in a Plain invironed with Date-trees He built there a Magnificent Mosquee there is the high tower with three Spires on which stand three balls of gold of twenty thousand Miticales or two hundred and twenty five pounds weight a piece Muley Malouco would have had them for his warres but the Inhabitants would not permit him whereupon the Janissaries that came from Constantinople to assist Malouco made some Musquet shot and pierced them in divers places He promised them that after a time he would set the like there again but the others answered if he should dye all was lost as his great Grand-father who sold the foundation rents of the Hospitall of Fez and dyed before he could restore them so as 't was lost to the poor CHAP. XXIII Of the Kingdome of Marocca and Fez. MArocca stretches it selfe very farre and the parts Northward joyn upon the countrey of Asgar crossing the Mountaines of Gouraigoura thirty leagues from Fez whence there flowes a lovely River which runnes Westward and joynes with the River Bar where there are vast Plaines and Pastures without stone like the Camargue of Arles The Arabians call this countrey Suambiz a countrey abounding in Cattell and fronts upon another Nation of the Arabians called Aluzar and betwixt these two people there is ever a mortall warre and hatred The People of Asgar confine Northward on the Ocean Westward on the River Buragray which cuts through Forests full of Celoquintida and Oranges rendring a most pleasant odour Southward on the River Bonazar inhabited by those wealthy Arabians called Alalur whence come a brave company of Cavaliers Here there are many faire Townes as Argac Larais and Casar Alcahir or Elcabir that is the Grand Palace built by the great Mansor upon an encounter hee had being lost a hunting and Northward the countrey of Habar The Region of Habat or Elbabat ends also on this side the Ocean beginning from the South to the River Gonarga or Orga and Suerga and from the East to the Straight The Principall City is Azaget or Ezageu which stands upon the hanging of a Hill neare to the River Gourga and hath many other good Townes as Agla Tonser Merga Omar and others upon the
of valour and rewarded them very amply by which means they were so well served in their wars and got so many victories Their weapons were clubs with keen stones lances pikes a sort of javelins at the throwing whereof they were exceeding dextrous bows arrows little targets and a head-piece with a plume of feathers coats of Lions Bears Tigers and other beasts-skins great runners and wrastlers The King of Montezuma in his Militia had an order of Knights that from the Crown had their hair tyed with carnation ribbons rich feathers and a scarf of the same colour who for every gallant atchievement they have done have so many waves fastened and hanging over their shoulders This King was of that order as he is to be seen represented in his statue at Chapultapes This habit was very stately enriched with plumes of all colours and makes the Spaniards deck themselves with feathers in imitation and adorn their horses with them another order of Knights there was called Agourlas clad in another manner and with other differences then there were the Ataroncos the Tigers the Blacks armed from head to foot in fight the others half armed Their cloaths of Combi cotton and other things these had license to eat in gold and silver vessels a thing not allowed to others who were apparelled with courser cloathes called Nequen These first Knights lodge in the Kings Palace and have their apartments amply accommodated whom I cannot compare better than to the Mayl'd Knights at Malta distinguished in divers companies by the Titles of Princes Eagles Tigers and Blacks The rest of his Valiant Militia lodged in other divisions apart assigned them by the Council and upon pain of death could not change their lodging This Militia was so well ordered and disciplined that they stroke terrour in the neighbouring people And what was most to be admired that they could keep so many different Nations in concord for the perfection of the Country drew people from all parts thither There is one sort of people amongst them called Chalcas that is men of the streight which argues them to be a people come from the streight others called Souchimilcos that is field men others Tapaneras men of the bridge others Alcapousalcas Couluas crookback'd Tsaluicas mountain-men All these Nations are come to inhabit and feed on Mexica to build Towns and Burroughs and that as their Characters shew above seven or eight hundred years since The Tlascaltecaes never agreed with the Mexicans but assisted the Spaniards against them and in compensation are eased of tributes and have many priviledges and possesse the room the Chichimeras who fled from their homes at the approach of the Spaniards so much they were astonished with that new way of war esteeming them children of the Sun The Tsalcaltecaes used a stragatem to dispossesse the Chichimecaes who made good resistance at first for under colour of a feast of amity while these were drinking the others stole away their arms and so got their ends The History whereof stands at this day painted in the Countrey The original people were Gyants as appears by bones of dead men and teeth as big as pullets eggs They who remained by little and little conformed themselves to the others The Mexicans had a most truculent custom to sacrifice their prisoners of war and enemies to their gods and in want of them their own natural children The Priests or Papas performed the sacrifice opening the breast of the miserable victim and with the heart sprinkled the Idol to appease it and watered the stairs and the temple with his blood In Peru they made the like sacrifice of children from four to ten years old with such madnesse that they would slaughter 200. at a time and this for the health and prosperity of their Ingas or Kings and the like of maids drawn out of their Monasteries To gain their Childrens consent they tell them they shall be immediately made Saints and go straight to heaven amongst the gods At Peru at decease of their Kings they slaughter a number of his servants to attend and wait upon him in the other world This custom of bloody sacrifices was common through all the parts and Islands of the new world What is admirable in Coluacane as also in Jacatan Vraba and Dariena there are many circumcised whence arises a question whether they came from the ten Tribes sent to Tarty and Arsarach The Mexicans chief god or wooden Idol was Vitzilipatzli whom the Toucouacans or Teâ—calhuacans the first civilizers of Mexico brought with them in a Tabernacle of Sea-reeds who promised to make them Lords of this vaste Countrey shewed them the way to it and how to keep it which at this day is to be seen in historical paintings as I have often my self observed In prosecution they built lofty Temples and instituted their Feasts and bloudy Sacrifices whereof I spoke before The Devil that Ape of the Almighty would imitate what we read of the Ark in the old Testament conducting the children of Israel and other mysteries the stile this Seducer uses to gain credit and adoration from these abused people And the Indians in memory of this Ark to this day place a case of reeds upon the Altar Being in the Kingdome of Tabin and passing on to the Countrey of Sâ—iton we visited the Lord of the Territories Palace where amongst divers figures of Princes there was one of a King with an emerald hanging in his nose whom we were informed was King of Mexico and how after the decease of Montezuma one Tlacaeler a person of high valour was elected King or Lord of the Countrey who neverthelesse waved the offer saying he had charge enough in the ordering his own dominions The Mexicans perceiving his resolution requested he would name them a King and then he elected Ticociâ— son of the King deceased who being young was constantly assisted with the counsel of Tlacaeler This King had his nose pierced and an Emerald hang'd in it and hence in their books and monuments this King is figured with his nose pierced In the Temples of Peru they set the Image of Pachacamas with a Monde under his Feet who they said had a Spirit that he sent upon earth to execute his will that being a potent crowned King he went naked for their example and that in his hand he bore a dart to exterminate those of bad lives and called him Chinnequil that is the Ghost of the Great Creatour Letters they had none onely a sort of significant Characters figures and draughts like Hieroglyphicks which they continue still to expresse the mysteries of Christianisme They will form all their words and discourses in these figures and paintings as when they would say I confesse me to Almighty God they draw a Priest sitting a man at his feet upon his knees and over them three faces in one signifying the Trinity and something lower the image of the Virgin with her infant c. and pictures of