auriti decem being the perfit mirrour and lively Portraicture of true understanding excelling farre all inventions whatsoever either Poeticke or Theorick And now to shunne Ingratitude which I disdain as Hell I thought it best to exhibit the profit of my painfull Travailes to the desirous World for two respects for as my dangerous adventures have beene wrought out from the infinite variety of variable Sights innumerable toyles pleasures and inevitable sorrowes so doth it also best simpathize with reason and most fitting that I should generally dispose of the same to the temperate iudgements of the better sort the sound and absolute opinions of the Judicious and to the variable censures of calumniâ—us Criticks who run at randon in the fields of other mens Labour but can not find the home-bred way in their owne close grounds and therefore the different disposition of the good and bad doe best concurre with the interchangeable occurrences of the matter Neverthelesse for thy more easier understanding I have divided this History into ten Parts and they also into three Bookes which being seriously perused doubtlesse thy Labour shall receive both profit and pleasure Accept them therefore with the same love that I offer them to thee since they cost thee nothing but the Reading how deare soever they are to me But understand me better I scorne to draw my Pen to the ignorant Foole for I contemne both To the Wise I know it will be welcome to the profound Historian yeeld Knowledge Contemplation and direction and to the understanding Gentleman insight instruction and recreation and to the true bred Poet fraternall love both in meane and manner Now as touching the hissing of snakish Papists a tush for that snarling Crew for as this Worke being fensed with experience and garnished with trueth is more then able to batter downe the stinging venome of their despightfull Waspishnes so also they may clearely see therein as in a Mirrour their owne blindnes and the damnable errours of their blind Guiders Deceiuers and Idolaters And aboue all the cruell infliction imposed vpon me by the mercilesse Inquisition of their profession in Malaga which for Christs sake I constantly suffered in Tortures Torments and Hunger And lastly they may perceive Gods miraculous Mercy in discovering and delivering me from such a concealed and inhumane murther And now referring the well set Reader to the History it selfe where satisfaction lyeth ready to receive him and expectation desirous of deserved thankes I come to talke talke with the scelerate Companion If thou beest a Villain a Ruffian a Momus a Knave a Câ—rper a Critick a Bubo a Buffon a stupid Asse and a gnawing Worme with envious Lips I bequeath thee to a Carnificiall reward where a hempen Rope will soone dispatch thy snarling slander and free my toylesome Travailes and now painefull Labours from the deadly poyson of thy sharpe edged calumnies and so goe hang thy selfe for I neither will respect thy Love nor regard thy Malice and shall ever and alwayes remaine To the Courteous still Observant And to the Criticall Knave as he deserveth William Lithgow To his singular friend Mr. William Lithgow THe double travaile Lithgow thou hast tane One of thy Feet the other of thy Braine Thee with thy selfe do make for to contend Whether the Earth thou 'st better pac'd or pend Would Malagaes sweet liquor had thee crown'd And not its trcachery made thy ioynts unsound For Christ King Country what thou there induâ—'d Not them alone but therein all injur'd Their tort'ring Rack arresting of thy pace Hath barr'd our hope of the worlds other face Who is it sees this side so well exprest That with desire doth not long for the rest Thy travail'd Countries so described be As Readers thinke they doe each Region see Thy well compacted matter ornat Stile Doth them oft in quicke sliding Time beguile Like as a Maide wandring in Floraes Bowers Confin'd to small time of few flitting howers Rapt with delight of her eye-pleasing treasure Now culling this now that Flower takes such pleasure That the strict time whereto she was confin'd Is all expir'd whiles she thought halfe behind Or more remain'd So each attracting Line Makes them forget the time they do not tine But since sweet future travaile is cut short Yet loose no time now with the Muses sport That reading of Thee after times may tell In Travaile Prose and Verse thou didst excell Patrick Hannay TO THE HIGH and mighty Monarch CHARLES By the Grace of GOD King of Great Brittaine France and Ireland c. Gracious SIR IF Loyall Duty may be counted presumption then doubtlesse the beâ—t of my meanest worth must begge pardon for claiming so Royall a Patronage Yet to whom should I prostrate my Pen and Pilgrimage if not unto your Sacred Majesty Nay none so able to Receive it none so powerfull to Protect it and none so justly to claime it as your Soveraigne Selfe The subject treateth of my tedious and curious Travailes in the best and worst parts of the world which being begunne in Your hopefull Infancy are now finally accomplished in the fulnesse of Your thrice blessed Majority The generall Discourse it selfe is most fixed upon the Lawes Religion Manners Policies and Gouernment of Kings Kingdomes People Principalities and Powers and therefore so much the more sit for your Majesty The defect resting onely in me the worthlesse Author in handling rare and plentifull Subject with a homely and familiar Stile no wayes fit for Soueraignty to peruse Yet Royall Sir vouchsafe to remember how thankefully Alexander received a small Cup of water and what a high Value was set upon the Widowes Mite If I have made vse of my poore Talent the profit redoundeth unto my Country which being shadowed vnder your auspicuous Fauour shall leaue a greater stampe to the worke and a deeper impression of future-knowledge to the curious Vnderstanders And how often wont your ever blessed Father graciously to peruse Lines of mine of far lesser note then these be Yea and viva voce the punctuall Discourse of all my three voyages which are now layd open to the Vulgar world and therefore I dare humbly expect a greater favour for a larger and more serious Taske So likewise your owne Princely adventures beyond Seas in measuring large Kingdoms the glassie face of the great Ocean have invited me to lay prostrate my painefull peregrinations at your Sacred feete Humbly beseeching your Regall goodnesse to remarke the matter and manner of this Worke howsoever the Gift the Giver be deficient And questionlesse as the Bee gathereth sweetest Hony out of sowrest Flowers your Royall vnderstanding may finde something to underprop the Defects of my nothing and my soule to exult in the smallest sparke of your Gracious Clemency And lastly the grievous Sufferings tortures and torments I sustayned in Malaga being taken as a Spye for your Late Fathers Fleete exposed against Algier and condemned to death by their bloody Inquisition for the Gospells sake These
clothed him in a female habite and sent him out before mee conducted by the Greekish woman and when securely past both Guard and Gate I followed carrying with mee his cloathes where when accoasting him by a field of Olives and the other returned backe we speedily crossed the Vale of Suda and interchanging his apparrell I directed him the way over the Mountaines to a Greekish convent on the South side of the land a place of safe-guard called commonly the Monastery of refuge where hee would kindly bee entertained till either the Gallyes or men of Warre of Malta arrived It being a custome at their going or comming from the Levante to touch heere to releeve and carry away distressed men This is a place whereunto Bandits men-slayers and robbers repaire for reliefe And now many joyfull thankes from him redounded I returned keeping the high way where incontinent I encountred two English Souldiers Iohn Smith and Thomas Hargrave comming of purpose to informe me of an Iminent danger shewing me that all the Officers of the Gallyes with a number of Souldiers were in searching the City and hunting all over the fields for me after which relation consulting with them what way I could come to the Italian Monastery Saint Salvator for there I say the vulgar Towne affording neither lodging nor beds They answered me they would venture their lives for my liberty and I should enter at the Easterne the least frequented Gate of the City where three other English men lay that day on Guard for so there were five of them here in Garison where when wee came the other English accompanied with eight French souldiers their familiars came along with us also And having past the Market place and neare my lodging foure officers and sixe Gally souldiers runne to lay hold on mee whereat the English and French unsheathing their swords valiantly resisted their fury and deadly wounded two of the Officers Meane while fresh supply comming from the Gallyes Iohn Smith runne along with me to the Monastery leaving the rest at pell mell to intercept their following At the last the Captaines of the Garrison approaching the tumult relieved their owne Souldiars and drove backe the other to the Gallyes A little thereafter the Generall of the Gallyes came to the Monastary and examined mee concerning the fugitive but I clearing my selfe so and quenching the least suspition hee might conceive notwithstanding of my accusers hee could lay nothing to my charge howsoever it was hee seemed somewhat favourable partly because I had the Duke of Venice his Pasport partly because of my intended voyage to Ierusalem partly because he was a great favourer of the French Nation and partly because hee could not mend himselfe in regard of my shelter and the Governours favour yet neverthelesse I detained my selfe under safeguard of the Cloyster untill the Gallyes were gone Being here disappoynted of transportation to Archipelago I advised to visit Candy and in my way I past by the large Haven of Suda which hath no Towne or Village save onely a Castle scituated on a Rock in the Sea at the entry of the Bay the bounds of that harbour may receive at one time above two thousand Ships and Gallyes and is the onely Key of the Iland for the which place the King of Spaine hath oft offered an infinite deale of money to the Venetians whereby his Navâ— which sometimes resort in the Levante might have accesse and reliefe but they would never grant him his request which policy of his was onely to have surprized the Kingdome South-west from this famous harbour lyeth a pleasant plaine sirnamed the Vally of Suda It is twenty Italian Miles long and two of breadth And I remember as I descended to crosse the Valley and passe the Haven me thought the whole planure resembled to me a green sea and that was onely by reason of infinite Olive trees grew there whose boughes and leaves over-top all other fructiferous trees in that plaine The Villages for losse of ground are all built on the skirts of Rocks upon the South-side of the Valley yea and so difficult to climbe them so dangerous to dwell in them that me thought their lives were in like perill as he who was adjoyned to sit under the point of a two-handed sword and it hanging by the haire of a horse taile Trust me I told along these Rocks at one time and within my sight some 67. Villages but when I entred the Valley I could not finde a foote of ground unmanured save a narrow passing way wherein I was The Olives Pomgranets Dates Figges Orenges Lemmons and Pomi del Adamo growing all through other And at the rootes of which trees grew Wheat Maluasie Muscadine Leaticke Wines Grenadiers Carnobiers Mellones and all other sorts of â—ruits and Herbes the earth can yeeld to man that for beauty pleasure and profit it may easily bee sirnamed the garden of the whole Vniverse being the goodliest plot the Diamond sparke and the Honey spot of all Candi There is no land more temperate for ayre for it hath a double spring-tide no soyle more fertile and therefore it is called the Combate of Bacus and Ceres nor Region or Valley more hospitable in regard of the Sea having such a noble Haven cut through its bosome being as it were the very resting place of Neptune Upon the third dayes journey from Canea I came to Rethimos this City is somewhat ruinous and unwalled but the Citizens have newly builded a strong Fortresse but rather done by the State of Venice which defendeth them from the invasion of Pyrats It standeth by the sea side and in the yeare 1597. it was miserably sacked and burned with Turkes Continuing this voyage I passed along the skirts of Mount Ida accompanied with Greeks who could speake the Italian tongue on which first they shewed me the Cave of King Minos but some hold it to be the Sepulcher of Iupiter That Groto was of length eighty paces and eight large This Minos was said to bee the brother of Radamanthus and Sarpedon who after their succession to the Kingdome established such aequitable Lawes that by Poets they are feigned with Aeacus to bee the Judges of Hell I saw also there the place where Iupiter as they say was nourished by Amalthes which by Greekes is recited as well as Latine Poets Thirdly they shewed mee the Temple of Saturne which is a worke to be admired of such Antiquity and as yet undecayed who say they was the first King that inhabited there and Father to Iupiter And neare to it is the demolished Temple of Matelia having this superscription above the doore yet to bee seene Make cleane your feete wash your hands and enter Fourthly I saw the entry into the Laborinth of Dedalus which I would gladly have better viewed but because we had no Candle-light wee durst not enter for there are many hollow places within it so that if a man stumble or fall he can hardly
standeth the hill Olympus on which Hercules did institute the Olympian games which institution was of long time the Grecian Epoche from whence they reckoned their time Macedon is now called by the Turkes Calethiros signifying a mighty warlike Nation Macedonia containing Thessaly Achaia and Myrmidon lieth as a center to them having Achaia to the East Thessalia to the South Mirmidonia bordering with Aetolia to the West And a part of Hoemus whence it was called Haemonia and some of â—isia superior to the North it was also called Amathia from Amathus once King thereof and then Macedonia from the King Macedo The chiefe Cities are Andorista Andesso Sydra Sederaspen where the mines of gold and silver be which enrich the Turk so monthly receiving thence sometimes 18000 24000 30000 Ducats And Pellia where Alexander the Great was born Bajazet the first wonne this Country from the Constantinopolitans About this City of Salonica is the most fertile and populous Country in all Greece Greece of all Kingdomes in Europe hath been most famous and highly renowned for many noble respects yet most subject to the vicissitude of Fortune than any other who changing Gold for Brasse and loathing their owne Princes suffered many Tyrants to rule over them scourging their folly with their fall and curing a festered soare with a poysoned playster whence succeeded a dismall discord which beginning when the State of Greece was at the highest did not expire till it fell to the lowest ebbe sticking fast in the hands of a grievous desolation which former times if a man would retrospectively measure he might easily finde and not without admiration how the mighty power of the divine Majesty doth sway the moments of things and sorteth them in peremptory manner to strange and unlooked for effects making reason blinde policie astonished strength feeble valour dastardly turning love into hatred fear into fury boldnesse into trembling and in the circuit of one minute making the Conquerour a conquered person Greece now tearmed by the Turks Rum Ili the Roman Country was first called Helles next Grecia of Grecus who was once King thereof The Greekes of all other Gentiles were the first converted Christians and are wonderfull devout in their professed Religion The Priests weare the haire of their heads hanging over their shoulders These that be the most sincere religious men abstain always from eating of flesh or fish contenting themselves with water herbs and bread They differ much in Ceremonies and principles of Religion from the Papists and the computation of their Kalender is as ours They have foure Patriarks who governe the affaires of their Church and also any civill dissentions which happen amongst them viz. one in Constantinople another in Antiochia the third in Alexandria and the fourth in Ierusalem It is not needfull for me to penetrate further in the condition of their estate because it is no part of my intent in this Treatise In a word they are wholy degenerate from their Ancestors in valour vertue and learning Universities they have none and civill behaviour is quite lost formerly in derision they tearmed all other Nations Barbarians A name now most fit for themselves being the greatest dissembling lyers inconstant and uncivill people of all other Christians in the world By the way I must give the Kings Kingdomes a caveat here concerning vagabonding Greeks and their counterfeit Testimonials True it is there is no such matter as these lying Rascals report unto you concerning their Fathers their Wives and Children taken Captives by the Turke O damnable invention How can the Turke prey upon his owne Subjects under whom they have as great Liberiy save only the use of Bels as we have under our Princes the tithe of their Male children being absolutely abrogated by Achmet this Amuraths Father and the halfe also of their Female Dowry at Marriges And farre lesse for Religion can they be banished or deprived of their Benefices as some false and dissembling fellowes under the Title of Bishops make you beleeve There being a free Liberty of Conscience for all kinds of Religion through all his Dominions as well for us free borne Frankes as for them and much more them the Greeks Armenians Syriacks Amoronits Copties Georgians or any other Orientall sort of Christians And therefore look to it that you be no more gulled golding them so fast as you have done lest for your paines you prove greater Asses than they do Knaves In Salonica I found a Germo bound for Tenedos in which I imbarked As we sayled along the Thessalonian 〈◊〉 I saw the two topped hill Pernassus which is of a wondrous height whose tops even kisse the Clâ—uds Mons hic cervicibus petit arduus astraduobus Nomine Pernassus super at que cacumine montes Through thickest clouds Pernassus bends his hight Whose double tops do kisse the Stars so bright Here it was said the nine Muses haunted but as for the Fountain Helicon I leave that to be searched and seen by the imagination of Poets for if it had beene objected to my sight like an insatiable Drunkard I should have drunk up the streams of Poësie to have enlarged my dry poeticall Sun scorch'd vein The Mountaine it selfe is somewhat steepe and sterile especially the two tops the one whereof is dry and sandy signifying that Poets are alwayes poore and needie The other top is barren and rockie resembling the ingratitude of wretched and niggardly Patrons the vale between the tops is pleasant and profitable denoting the fruitfull and delightfull soile which painfull Poets the Muses Plow-men so industriously manure A little more Eastward as we fetcht up the coast of Achaia the Master of the Vessell shewed mee a ruinous Village and Castle where hee said the admired Citie of Thebes had been Whose former glory who can truly write of for as the earth when shee is disrobed of her budding and fructifying trees and of her amiable verdure which is her onely grace and garment royall is like a naked table wherein nothing is painted even so is Thebes and her past Triumph defac'd and bereft of her lusty and young Gentlemen as if the spring-tide had been taken from the yeare But what shall I say to know the cause of such like things they are so secret and mysticall being the most remote objects to which our understanding may aspire that wee may easily be deceived by disguised and pretended reasons whilst we seek for the true and essentiall causes for to report things that are done is easie because the eie and the tongue may dispatch it but to discover and unfold the causes of things requireth braine soul and the best progresse of Nature And as there is no evill without excuse nor no pretence without some colour of reason nor wiles wanting to malicious and wrangling wits Even so was there occasion sought for what from Athens and what from Greece whereby the peace and happinesse of Thebes might be dissolved and discord raised to
and inresolute defence could resist Here in this Country of Cilicia was Saint Paul borne in the now decayed Town of Tharsus who for antiquity will not succumbe to any City of Natolia being as yet the Mistris of that Province though neither for worth nor wealth All ancient things by Time revolve in nought As if their Founders had no founding wrought But thoâ— torn Tharsus brooks a glorious name For that great Saint who in thee had his frame So may Cilicians joy the Christian sort That from their bounds rose such a mighty Fort. Twelve dayes was I between Rhodes and Limisso in Cyprus where arrived I received more gracious demonstrations from the Islanders then I could hope for or wish being far beyond my merit or expectation onely contenting my curiosity with a quiet minde I red ounded thanks for my imbraced courtesies The people are generally strong and nimble of great civility hospitality to their neighbours and exceedingly affectionated to strangers The second day after my arrivall I took with me an Interpreter and went to see Nicosia which is placed in the midst of the Kingdome But in my journy thither extream was the heat and thirst I endured both in respect of the season and also want of water And although I had with me sufficiencie of wine yet durst I drinke none thereof being so strong and withall had a taste of pitch and that is because they have no Barrels but great Jars made of earth wherein their Wine is put And these Jars are all inclosed within the ground save onely their mouthes which stand alwayes open like to a Source or Cistern whose insides are all interlarded with pitch to preserve the earthen Vessels unbroke asunder in regard of the forcible Wine yet making the taste thereof unpleasant to liquorous lips and turneth the Wine too heady for the brain in digestion which for health groweth difficult to strangers and to themselves a swallowing up of diseases To cherish life and blood the health of Man Give me a Tâ—ast plung'd in a double Kan And spic'd with Ginger for the wrestling Grape Makes Man become from Man a sottish Ape Nicosia is the principall City of Cyprus and is invironed with Mountains like unto Florence in Aetruria wherein the Beglerbeg remaineth The second is Famogusta the chief strength and Sea-port in it Seliâ—a Lemisso Paphos and Fontana Morosa are the other foure speciall Towns in the Island This Isle of Cyprus was of old called Achametide Amatusa and by some Marchara that is happy It is of length extending from East to West 210 large 60 and of circuit 600 miles It yieldeth infinite canes of Sugar Cotton-wooll Oile Honey Cornes Turpentine Allom Verdegreece Grograms store of Metals and Salt besides all other sorts of fruit and commodities in abundance It was also named Cerastis because it butted toward the East with one horn and lastly Cyprus from the abundance of Cypresse trees there growing This Island was consecrated to Venus wherein Paphos shee was greatly honoured termed hence Dea Cypri Festa dies Veneris tota celeberrima Cypro Venerat ipsa suis aderat Venus au reâ— festis Venus feast day through Cyprus hallowed came Whose feasts her presence dignified the same Cyprus lyeth in the Gulfe betweene Cilicia and Syria having Aegypt to the West Syria to the South Cilicia to the East and the Pamphylian Sea to the North It hath foure chief Capes or Head-lands first Westward the Promontory of Acanias modernly Capo di santo Epifanio to the South the Promontory Phaeâ—ria now Capo Bianco to the East Pedasia modernly Capo di Graeco to the North the high foreland Cramenion now Capo di Cormathita these foure are the chiefest Promontores of the Island and Cape di S. Andrea in the furthest point Eastward toward Cilicia Diodore and Pliny say that anciently it contained nine Kingdomes and fifteene good Townes Ceraâ—â—a now Selina was built by Cyrus who subdued the nine petty Kings of this Isle Nicosia is situate in the bottome or plain of Massara and thirty foure miles from Famogusta and the Towne of Famogusta was formerly named Salamus I was informed by some of sound experience here that this Kingdome containeth about eight hundred and forty Villages besides the sixe capitall Towns two whereof are nothing inferiour for greatnesse and populosity to the best Townes in Candy Sycily or Greece The chiefest and highest mountaines in this Isle is by the Cypriots called Trohodos it is of height eight and of compasse forty eight miles whereon there are a number of Religious Monasteries the people whereof are called Colieros and live under the order of Saint Basile There is aboundance here of Coriander seede with medicinable Rubarbe and Turpentine Here are also mines of Gold in it of Chrysocole of Calthante of Allome Iron and exceeding good Copper And besides these mines there are divers precious stones found in this Isle as Emeraulds Diamonds Christall Corall red and white and the admirable stone Amiante whereof they make Linnen cloth that will not burne being cast into the fire but serveth to make it neate and white The greatest imperfection of this Isle is scarcity of water and too much plenty of scorching heat and fabulous grounds The inhabitants are very civill courteous and affable and notwithstanding of their delicious and delicate fare they are much subject to Melancholy of a Robust Nature and good Warriours if they might carry Armes It is recorded that in the time of Constantine the Great this Isle was all utterly abandoned of the Inhatants and that because it did not raine for the space of sixe and thirty yeares After which time and to replant this Region againe the chiefest Colonies came from Aegypt Iudea Syria Cilicia Pamphylia Thracia and certaine Territories of Greece And it is thought in the yeares 1163 after that Guy of Lusingham the last Christian King of Ierusalem had lost the Holy Land a number of French men stayed and inhabited here of whom sprung the greatest Race of the Cyprian Gentility and so from them are descended the greatest Families of the Phoenician Sydonians modernely Drusians though ill divided and worse declined yet they are sprung both from one Originall the distraction arising from Conscience of Religion the one a Christian the other a Turke The three Isles of Cyprus Candy and Sicily are the onely Monarchall Queenes of the Mediterranean Seas and semblable to other in fertilitie length breadth and circuit save onely Candy that is somewhat more narrow then the other two and also more Hilly and sassinous yet for Oiles and Wines she is the Mother of both the other Sicily being for Grain and Silks the Empresse of all and Cyprus for Sugar and Cotton-wooll a darling sister to both onely Sicily being the most civill Isle and nobly Gentilitate the Cypriots indifferently good and the Candiots the most ruvid of all The chiefe Rivers are Teneo and Pedesco Cyprus was first by Teucer made a
passage it is most undoubtedly a very theevish way for as we travelled in the night there were many of us forced to carry burning lights in our hands our souldiers had their Harquebuzes ready to discharge all to affray the blood-thirsty Arabians who in holes caves and bushes lie obscured waiting for the advantage upon Travellers not unlike unto the Lawlesse Wood-Karnes in Ireland This part of Arabia is called Petrosa because it is so rockie and some thinke of Petra the chiefe Towne It was anciently divided into regions Nabathia and Agara possessed first by the Hagarens discended of Abraham and Hagar It is also thought to be the land of the Midianites whither Moses fled to and kept sheep and Mount Horeb is here whereon the Lord did shew him the land of Promise Divers of the Petrean Arabs converse and dwell amongst the Turks whom we tearm in respect of the other civill Arabs South from hence lieth Arabia Foelix bordering with the Indian Sea which is the most fruitfull and pleasant soyle in all Asia abounding with Balsome Myrrhe and Frankincense Gold and Pearls especially about Medina the second City to Meccha The other Towns of note are Horan the chiefe Port of the South Ocean And Alteroch the only Towne where Christians are in greatest number in that Country Truly with much difficulty and greater danger passed we these Petrean journeys Here I remarked a singular quality and rare perfection in the carefull conduction of our Captaine who would when wee came to any dangerous place give the watâ—h-word of S. Ioanne meaning as much thereby that none should speak or whisper after that warning under the pain of a Harquebusado And no more wee durst unlesse hee had stretcht out his hand making us a signe when occasion served of liberty lest by our tumultuous noise in the night our enemies should have the foreknowledge of our comming and knowing also that the nature of a multitude bred all times confused effects without some severe punishment Himself rode still in the Vangard upon a lusty Gelding with two Ianizaries and forty Souldiers and the other foure Ianizaries and sixtie Souldiers were appointed to be the backgard for feare of sudden assaults Thus most dexteriously discharged he the function of his calling not with insolencie but with prudent and magnanimous virility for my part I must needs say the diligent care of that benigne Caravan extended over mee was such that whensoever I remember it I am not able to sacrifice congratulations sufficiently to his wel-deserving minde yet in the meane while my Purse bountifully rewarded his earnest endevours and notwithstanding of this high conceived regard yet in some frivolous things and for a small trifle he privatly wronged me which I misknew as unwilling knowing his disposition and that my life hung in his hands to be too forward too seek a redresse For often times an inconvenience is most convenient and as the great corrupter of youth is pleasure and the violent enemy of age is griefe even so are the inordinate desires of inconscionable strangers toward Travellers who preferring avarice above honesty care onely for that part of a man which is his fortune whose friendship beginning onely in an outward show must end in the midst of a mans money as who would say such like were rather employed as their employments rewarded and therefore in unlawfull things they must suck the honey of their owne preposterous ends And thus it fared with him at the paying of my Tributes by the way for my head he caused mee oft to pay more then reason to the Moores Turks and civill Arabs receiving secretly back from them the overplus which my Turkish Servant perceiving made my Trenchman tell me that I might be before seene therein But such is the covetous nature of man that with his covenant hee cannot be contented unlesse hee seeke otherwise by all unlawfull meanes to purchase himselfe an unjust gaine But the high respect I had of his other perfections made mee oversee and winke at that imperfection of avaritiousnesse in him and especially remembring my selfe to be under his protection I always endevoured my aymes so that in his sight I wonne extraordinary favour insomuch that in danger or securitie he would euer have me neere by him which I also craved and strove to observe the points of his will and my owne safety The obligation of my bounden duety taught me to no other end then ever to respect the benevolence of his his affection and to suppresse my own weake judgement which could never mount to the true acquittance of his condigne merit But to proceed in my Pilgrimage on the aforesaid third day in the after-noone we entred in Galilee passing along a faire Bridge that is over the River Iordain which divideth a part of this stony Arabia from Galilee This Bridge by the Armenians is called Iacobs Bridge and not farre hence they shewed me the place where Iacob wrestled with the Angell and where Esau met his brother Iacob to have killed him being upon the East side of the River Iordain is scarcely known by the name in this place but afterward I saw his greater growth ending in Sodome whereof in the owne place I shall more simply discourse between Iacobs Bridge and Ierusalem we had sixe dayes journey five whereof were more pleasant than profitable in regard of the great tributes I payd by the way for my head that at sundry places aâ—d into one day I have payd for my freedome in passage twelâ—e Chickens of gold amounting to five pounds eight shillings of English money A journall tribute more fit for a Prince to pay than a Pilgrime the admiration onely resting upon this how I was furnished with these great moneyes I dayly disbursed Aprill the eighteene day according to the computation of the Roman Callender and by ours March the eight and twenty I entred in Gallilee a Province of Canaan this Country was first called Canaan from Canan the sonne of Cham secondly the Land of Promise because it was promised by the Lord to Abraham and his seed to possesse Thirdly the land of Israel of the Israelites so called from Iacob who was sirnamed Israel Fourthly Iudea from the Iews or the people of the Tribe of Iudah Fifthly Palestine quasi Philistim the land of the Philistims And now sixtly terra sancta the holy Land because herein was wrought many wonderfull miracles but especially the work of our salvation It is in length 180 and in breadth 60 miles yet of that salubrity of aire and fertility of soile flowing with Milke and Honey that before the comming of the Israelites it maintained thirty Kings with their people and afterward the two potent Kingdomes of Israel and Iudah in which David numbred one million and three hundred thousand fighting men besides them of the Tribe of Benjamin and Levi It is most certain that by the goodnesse of the climate and soile especially by the blessing of God
Walls which were built by Sultan Selim So that thereby the difference of the situation is not so great though a part thereof be removed but a man may boldly affirme that the most part of this City is builded on that place where the first Ierusalem was as may truly appeare and is made manifest by these Mountains mentioned in the Scriptures whereupon Ierusalem is both situate and environed about who reserve their names to this day and are still seene and knowne by the same as Mount Syon Mount Calvary Mount Moriah and Mount Olivet The forme of the situation of Ierusalem is now like to a Hart or Triangle the one point whereof looketh East extending downward almost to the Valley of Iehosaphat which divideth Ierusalem and Mount Olivet The second head or point bendeth out South-west upon Syon bordering neere to the Valley of Gehinnon The third corner lieth on Mount Moriah toward the North and by West having its prospect to the buriall place of the Kings of Israel The Walles are high and strongly builded with Saxo quadrato which adorne Ierusalem more then any thing within it the Holy Grave excepted It is of circuit about three miles and a halfe of our measure As touching the former glory of this City I will not meddle withall nor yet describe sith the Scriptures so amply manifest the same concerning the lamentable destruction of it I refer that to the famous Historiographer Iosephus who largely discourâ—eth of many hundred thousands famished and put to the Sword within this multipotent City by Vespasian and Titus his sonne being the messengers of Gods just judgements which by his computation did amount beyond the number of eleven hundred thousands But it is to be understood they were all at one time in Ierusalem but came up by turns and times from the circumjacent Countries about by thousands and as they were cut off so their numbers were aye renewed againe as necessity required This City hath oft bin conquered by enemies First by Nabuchodanezzar the Assirian King Secondly by the Greekes and Alexander the Great and also marvellously afflicted by Antiochus Thirdly it was taken in by Pompeius Fourthly destroyed by Vespatian and Titus Fiftly it was re-edified by Adrian the Emperour and wonne againe by Gosdroes the Persian King Sixtly it was overcome by Homor Califf the successour of Mahomet Seventhly by the great Souldan of Aegypt and by Godfrey du Bulloine a Christian Prince Eightly by Saladine the Caliph of Aegypt and Damascus Anno 1187. who reserved successively the Signiory thereof for a long time And lastly it was surprized by Sultan Selim or Solyman the Emperour of the Turkes Anno 1517. joyning the Holy Land together with Aegypt to his Empire who fortified the same being by Infidels detained to this day and by likely-hood shall keep it to the consummation of the world unlesse God of his mercy deale otherwise then the hopes of mans weake judgement can expect Whence truely I may say that when fortune would change friendship she dis-leagueth conditionall amity with the senslesse litargy of foule ingratitude This City is now governed by a Sanzack or Subbassaw being placed there by the Bassaw of Damaseus whose Deputy hee is the other being chiefe Ruler under the Grand Signior over all the Holy Land and the halfe of Syria There is a strong Garrison kept alwayes in Ierusalem to withstand the Arabish invasions consisting of eight hundred Souldiers Turkes and Moores who are vigilant in the night and circumspect in the day time so that none can enter the Towne without their knowledge nor yet goe forth without their triall This is a memorable note and worthy of observation that at that time when the Cities of Ierusalem and Antiochia were recovered from the Pagans by the meanes of Godfrey of Bolloigne the Pope of Rome that then was was called Vrbanus the Patriarch of Ierusalem Heraclius and the Roman Emperour Fredericke And at the same time and long thereafter when Ierusalem was re-inthralled and seized upon by Saladine the Popes name was Vrbanus the Patriarch of Ierusalem Heraclius and the Roman Emperour Fredericke After Herod the Idumean sonne to Antipater in whose time Christ was born Archelaus Agrippa Herod who imprisoned Peter and Iames and was eaten of vermine in whose time Christ suffered and Agrippaminor before whom Paul pleaded the last King of the Iews had raigned being strange Kings in the last Kings time Ierusalem was overthrowne and the Kingdome made a Province of the Roman Empire Anno 37. After which desolation the Iews were over all the World dispersed but afterward in a zealous consideration were banished from the most part of the Christian Kingdomes out of France they were rejected by Philip the Faire Anno 1307. out of Spain by Ferdinand the Catholicke 1492. out of Portugale by Emanuell 1497. out of England by Edward the fifth 1290. out of Naples and Sycilia by Charles the fifth 1539. Yet they are found in great numbers in divers parts of Germany Poland and in some Cities of Italy as Venice and her Territories Florence and the jurisdiction thereof the principalities of Parma Mantua Modena Vrbino and their extending limits and finally Rome besides her Ecclesiasticall papacie wherein there are no lesse than twenty thousand of them They are also innumerable over all the Turkish Dominions who so misregard and hate them for the crucifying of Christ that they use to say in detestation of any thing I would I might die a Iew neither will they permit a Iew to turn Turk unlesse hee first be baptized And yet live where they will the most part of them are the wealthiest people in the world having subtile and sublime spirits Now for the severall Kings and Rulers of Iudah and Israel beginning at Moses the Judges of the Iews were 16 of whom Samuel was the last at which time the people desired to have a King like unto other Nations The Kings of the Iews were three Saul David and Salomon And the Kings of Iudah were twenty Zedechias being last in whose time Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Ierusalem Of the Kings of Israel there were seventeene of whom Oseas was the last in whose time the Israelites were carried captives into Assyria by King Salmanasser The Dukes or Governours of Iewry were fifteene of which Ioannes Hircanius was the last Governour of Iudea which descended from the stock of David During the government of which Captains after the Babylonian captivity the Jewish Kingdome was plagued on both sides by the Kings of Aegypt and Syria who slaughtered their people ransacked their Cities made havock of their goods and compelled them to eat forbidden flesh and sacrifice to Idols To reforme which enormities Matathias and his five sonnes valiantly resisted and overcame the impetuous fury of Antiochus Epiphanes and his Syrians Whereupon the Iews chose Iudas sirnamed Machabeus for their Captaine one of the Worlds nine Worthies who thought not of the line of David was yet of the
Arabicus whose length is 1600 miles This Sea is famous for the miraculous passage of the Israelites through it and the drowning of Pharaoh and his people and because of Spices that were brought from India and Arabia to Alexandria from whence the Venetians dispersed the same through all Europe and the Mediterran Coasts of Asia and Affricke But this Navigation is now discontinued by the Portugals English and Dutch which bring such Wares to their severall homes by the back side of Affricke So that the Trafficke of Alexandria is almost decayed and the Riches of the Venetians much diminished so is the vertue of the Spices much impaired by too much moysture contracted with the long and tedious carriage thereof This aforesaid Saleack is thought to be seated on the lower and Eastmost end of Gozan consisting of eight hundred dwelling Houses being walled and fencible against the Arabs and defended also with a Castle and ten troups of Horsmen being Ianizaries Here we rested and refreshed our selves two nights providing us fresh victuals for Grand Cayro being foure days journey distant and at our leaving of Saleack I saluted this new seen Countrey with a greedy conceit of more curiosities The seventh Part. NOw well met Egypt so our fate allots For we have appetite for thy Flesh-pots But ah the Season is too hot to eat Of any viand Kid Mutton or such meat Yet for thy Coffâ— made of Coave seed Wee 'l kindly drâ—â—k it feed upon thy bread And fat our selves with thy best herbs and fruits For like to our faint stomacks best besuits Then mighty Kingdom once the Royall Land Where Kings were first erect'd did longest stand And letters Hyrogliphicks Magick Art Astrology had first inventions part For wonders the Piramydes Balm more good The weeping Crocadile Nylus swelling flood Deaths funerall Mommeis the Sea-horse bred At Damieta the Sphynx with grandure cled And where base Fortune play'd the errant whoor In making mean men great and great men poor In thee I 'le dive though deep is thine old ground And further far then I can search or sound Yet when men shoot O all the mark do eie But seldom touch't enough if they come nie Even so must I for neerer ile not claim The best director may mistake his aime But as the land is now I hope I shall Cleer hardest doubts and give content to all Thence sought I Malta Aetnaes burning flame And stately Sicile Gibels greatest fame Whence passing Italy the Alps I crost And courting France told Time how I was tost DEparting from Saleack and having past one of their courses which is our twelve miles wee re-encountred with infinite Villages on both hands and in our high Way all builded upon artificiall Channels drawne from Nylus and these Fabricks onely made up of Wood or Brick being one or two stories high The Captain in divers parts at our mid-dayes reposing was constrained to buy water from the Egyptians to satisfie the Company yea and that same night the first of fâ—ure ere we came to Cayre at the Village of Bianstare he payed five Sultans of gold for Watering all us and the Beasts amounting to thirty five shillings sterling The next day journying towards a goodly Town named Saliabsteck wee travailed through a fruitfull plain fraught full of Fruit Trees and abounding in Wheate Rie and Barley being new cut downe May 14. For this was their first Harvest the Land yielding twice a yeare Corns and the latter is in our December recoiled This Land hath as it were a continuall Summer and notwithstanding of the burning heat it produceth alwayes abundance of Fruits and Herbs for all the Seasons of the yeare So that the whole Kingdome is but a Garden having ever one Fruit ready to be plucked downe and another comming forwards or like to the best sort of Lemmon Trees that as some are ripe some are growing greene others budding forth and some still in the flourish Even so is the beauty and fertility of all the lower Aegypt which although the Country be not often troubled with Rain yet the ranke serene or dew of the night in the Summer refresheth all kinds of growing things between Saliabsteck and Cayre being two days journey Wee Franks bad farwell to water and drunk daily of Coffa made of a seed Coava which being taken hot and is ever kept boyling within Furnaces in earthen pots it expelleth the crudity of Fruits and Herbs so much there frequented Arriving at last in this little World the great Cairâ— and biding farewel to our Caravan the three Germans and I lodged with one Signior Marco Antonio a Consul there for Venice the other four Frenchmen going to their own Consul a Marsellian born and there stayed Here with this Venetian for three days the Dutchmen and I had great chear but they farre greater a daily swallowing downe of strong Cyprus Wine without mixture of water which still I intreated them to forbear but they would not be requested The season being cruell hot and their stomacks surfeited with burning Wine upon the fourth day long ere noon the three Dutchmen were all dead and yet mee thought they had no sicknesse the red of their faces staying pleasant their eyes staring always on mine and their tongues were perfit even to the last of their breath He who dyed lâ—st and lived longest was William Dilerganck who left mee all his owne gold and what the former five had left him delivering me the keyes of their three cloak bags before the Consul declared by his mouth that he left mee absolute heire to intromet with all and whatsoever they had there But eftsoons the treacherous Consul knowing that I was a stranger to them and by accident met together at Ierusalem and that they were Gentlemen and well provided with gold forg'd a reason to himselfe and for his owne benefit that hee would meddle with all they left behind them under this excuse that he would be answerable to their friends for it at his returne to Venice Well I am left to bury them and with great difficulty bought one grave for them all three in a Copties Chappell where I interred them paying to the Aegyptian Christians for that eight foot of ground ten Sultans of Gold besides sixe Piasters for carrying their corps hither being two miles in the City distant from the Consuls house Whence ere I had returned the Venetian Factor seased upon all and shutting his gate upon my face sent me out my own budget Whereupon I addressed my selfe to the French Consul Monsieur Beauclair who kindly received me and having told him all the manner how I was greatly wronged and oppressed by the other Consul he straight sent for a Iewish Phisician his familiar Oracle Where having consulted together the next day early we went all three and their so lowers to the Beglerbeg or Governour of the City wee soon complained and were as soone heard the Venetian Consul is sent for and he commeth where facing
passages formerly of my Countrey so exquisitely that I was astonished at their relations so agreeable with the trueth and times past The Parlament of Sicily hath a wonderfull great authority in so much that the Viceroy cannot have the free gift as they call it which is every third yeare nor no extraordinary thing nor the renewing of any matter concerning the common-wealth without the generall consent of the whole Kingdome The generall Counsell whereof is composed of three branches called by them the armes of the Kingdome viz. first the Prelats and inferiour Clergy men named the arme Ecclesiastick secondly of Barons called the arme Military and the third the Commissioners of Cities and Townes intitulated the arme Signioriall The Crowne-rent of this Kingdome amounteth to a million and a halfe of Duccats yearely which being disbursed euer for intertaining of Captaines Garrisons and of Gallies and cursary ships the Badgeloes and servants for the fields the maintaining of Towers and watches about the coasts the reparations of Colledges high-wayes Lords pensions and other defrayings there rests little or nothing at all to the King I remember in my twice being in this Kingdome especially the second time wherein I compassed the whole Island and thrise traversed the middle parts thereof from Sea to Sea I never saw any of that selfe Nation to begge bread or seeke almes so great is the beatitude of their plenty And I dare avow it experience taught mee that the poorest creature in Sicily eateth as good bread as the best Prince in Christendome doth The people are very humane ingenious eloquent and pleasant their language in many words is neerer the Latine then the Italian which they promiscuously pronounce somewhat talkative they are and effeminate but generally wonderfull kind to strangers In the moneths of Iuly and August all the Marine Townes every yeare are strictly and strongly guarded with them of the inland Villages and Bourges both on foote and horse-backe who are compelled to lie there at their owne charges so long as this season lasteth in which they feare the incursions of the Turks but the rest of the yeare these Sea-coast Townes are left to the vigilant custodie of the Indwellers This Countrey was ever sore oppressed with Rebells and Bandits untill such time that the military Duke of Sona came to rule there as Viceroy Anno 1611. where in the first yeare he brought in five hundred some whereof were hanged some pardoned and some committed to the Gallies So that within two yeares of his foure yeares government there was not a Bandit left at random in all Sicilia the like before was never seene in this Region nor one in whom Astreas worth was more honoured infortitude of mind and execution of true Justice that this Duke before whose face the silly ones did shine and the proud stiffe-necked oppressors did tremble And in a word he has no suppressor of the subjects as many now be to satisfie either licentious humours or to inrich light-headed flatterers but serving Justice he made Justice serve him for the equity of Justice of it selfe can affond none neither of any will it be offended unlesse the corrupt tongue and hand of the mercenary Judge suffer sound judgment to perish for temporary respects which this noble Governour could never doe neither suffer any inferiour Magistrate to doe the like under him As it well appeared by his 〈◊〉 proceedings against thy Iesuits of Paleâ—â—o and his authority upon them imposed in spight of their ambition The circumstances whereof were very plausible if time did not slaughter my good wil and yet my patience could performe my paines with pleasure And likewise against a Seminary Gallant a Parochiall Priest of that same City who had killed a Knights servant in a Brothel house the brother of a Shoomaker which fellow the Viceroy caused to Pistoll the Priest in spight of the Cardinall and there upon absolved him for the dead This Cardinall having onely for the Priests fact discharged him to say Masse for a yeare without satisfaction for the mans life so the Duke inhibited the Shoomaker to make shooes for a yeare and neverthelesse allowed him two shillings a day to maintaine him for that time Many singular observations have I of his government the which to recite would prove prolixious though worthy of note to the intellective man hee was afterward Viceroy of Naples and now lately deceased in Spain It is dangerous to travell by the Marine of the Sea-coasts Creekes in the West parts especially in the mornings least hee finde a Moorish Frigoâ— lodged all night under colour of a Fisher boat to give him a slavish break-fast for so they steale labouring people of the fields carrying them away captives to Barbary notwithstanding of the strong Watch towers which are in every one sight of another round about the whole Island There arrivalls are usually in the night and if in day time they are soone discovered the Towers giving notice to the Villages the Sea-coast is quickly clad with numbers of men on foot and horse-backe And oftentimes they advantagiously sease on the Moores lying in obscure clifts and bayes All the Christian Isles in the Mediterranean Sea and the Coast of Italy and Spaine inclining to Barbary are thus chargeably guarded with watch Towers The chiefest remarkeable thing in this Isle from all Antiquity is the burning hill of Aetna called now Maâ—â—e Bello or Gibello signifying a faire Mountaine so it is being of height toward Catagna from the Sea side fifteene Sicilian miles and in Circuite sixty The North side toward Rindatza at the Roote being unpassable steepe yet gathering on all parts so narrow to the top as if it had been industriously squared having a large prospect in the Sea about the lower parts whereof grow exceeding good Wines Cornes and Olives And now in my second Travails and returning from Affricke I not being satisfied with the former sight the kind Bishop of Rindatza courteously sent a Guide with me on his owne charges to view the Mountaine more strictly Ascending on the east and passable part with tedious toile and curious climbing wee approached neare to the second fire being twelve miles high which is the greatest of the three now burning in Aetna whose vast mouth or gulfe is twice twelve-score long and wide lying in a strait valley between a perpendiculur height and the main Mountaine whose terrible flames and cracking smoak is monstous fearefull to behold Having viewed and reviewed this as neare as my Guide durst adventure the ground meane while whereon wee stood warming our feete and is dangerous for holes without a perfect Guide wee ascended three miles higher to the maine top of Cima from which the other two fires had their beginning Where when come wee found it no way answerable to the greatnesse of the middle fire the other two drawing from it the substance wherewith it hath beene anciently furnished yet between them two upper fires I found abundance of
commencement of all our best Merchants wealth or at the least mosâ— part of them And now ceasing to peramble through any more particulars of this familiar Nation to us I was kindly transported from Warsow upon a Waggon to Dansicke being fifty Leagues distant with a generous young Merchant William Bailey my kinde Country-man to whose courtesies I still rest thankfull Here in Dansickâ— I fell deadly sicke for three Weeks space insomuch that my grave and Tombe was prepared by my Country-men there Neverthelesse in end it pleased Almighty God I recovered my health and then imbarked for Alseynure in Denmarke where being better convalessed I recoursed backe in a Flemish Pink to Stockhollem where after five or sixe dayes being there and finding my sicknesse like to returne againe and fearing the worst I made haste for England At last finding the opportunity of an English ship belonging to Ratcliffe we hoysed saile set forward through the Sound or Beltick Sea for Alseynvere againe Whence after three dayes abode bidding farewell to that Town and Castle we coasted the scurrile and rocky face of Norway at two severall parts but not without great stormes and contrary winds yea and once finally indangered with a threatning Shipwracke which with good luck we happily escaped These tempestuous dangers past upon the seventh day the windes favouring us we safely arrived at London from whence I first began this Voyage and there ended my second Peregrination Magnum virtutis principiumest ut dixit paulatim exercitatus animus visibilia tranâ—itoria primum Commutare ut post-modum possit derelinquere Delicatus ille est adhue cui patria dulcis est fortis autem jam cui omne solum patria est perfectus verâ— cui mundus exilium est The end of the Second Booke of my Second Travailes The Tenth Part. Containing the third Booke of my Third Travailes NOw swolne ambition bred from curious toile Invites my feet to tread parch'd Aethiops Soile To sight great Prester Iâ—han and his Empire That mighty King their Prince their Priest their Sire Their Lawes Religion Manners Life and frame And Amais mount-rais'd Library of â—ame Well I am sped bids Englands Court adiew And by the way the Hiberne boâ—nds I view In whose defects the truth like razor sharpe Shall sadly tune my new string'd Irish Harpe Then sound I France and cross'd the Pythenâ—ise At the Columbian heights which tâ—reat the skies And coasting Pampelon I 〈◊〉 all Spaine From Beâ—obia to Jubile Taure againe Then rest'd at Malaga where I was shent And taken for a Spie crush'd rackt and rent Where ah when Treason tride by false position They wrest'd on me their lawlesse Inquiâ—ition Which after Tortures Hunger Veâ—mine 〈◊〉 Condemn'd me quicke stake-bound to burne in ashes Gods providence comes in and I 'me discovered By Merchants meanes by Aston last delivered Where noble Maunsell Generall of that Fleet That I was rack'd for did kind Haulkins greet With strict command to send me home for Court To shew King James my torments pangs and tort Loe I am come to Bath I 'me sent and more Mine hoplesse life made Worlds my sight deplore Which here I le sing in Tragicke tune to all That love the Truth and looke for Babels fall BUt now having finished the two Discriptions of my first and second Adventures it rest nâ—w most necessary to relate the Meritorious designe and miserable effect of my third Voyage After I had I say by the great providence of God escaped infinite dangers by Seas suffering thrice shipwrack by Land in Woods and on Mountaines often invaded by ravenous Beasts crawling and venemous Wormes daily incombred by home-bred Robbers and remote Savages five times strip'd to the skin excessive fastidiousnesse unspeakable adversities parching heats scorching drouth intollerable distresses of hunger imprisonments and cold yet all these almost incredible sufferings past could never abate the flame of mine austiere affection conceived but ambitious curiosity exposing me to a third Voyage I may say as Aeneâ—s did in his penetentiall Mood O socij neque eniâ—i ignari sumus ante malorum O passi graviora dabit Deus his quoque finem O Socials we 're not ignorant of losses O suffrings sad God too will end these â—rosses But to observe a methodicall order I thinke it best to shew the unacquainted Reader a reasonable satisfaction for undertaking the third and almost invincible attempt First the most speciall and urgent cause proceeded from a necessary good the necessity of knowledge in the requisite perfection of Europes full and spacious sight the ancient Tierce and now most Christian world wanting former no part thereof unseene as well under the Turke as Christian except Ireland and the haâ—fe of Spaine The second cause was moved from a more inâ—atiate content that when I had and having compassed all Europe my resolution was to borrow a larger dimmense of ground in Affricke than formerly I had done in twice before even to Aethiopia Prester Iehans Dominions For the same effect and a great impression to my Resolution I set pen to paper drawing from the distaffe of the retractable Muses a Poeticall pamphlet Dedicated to themselves to their profound Apollo his then hopefull Heire and divers Noble Peeres of both Kingdomes And having from a Royall favour obtained his Majesties Letters and Seales of safe Conduct and Regall recommendation to all Kings Princes and Dukes c. I in all obsequious humility bad farewel to this sequestrate and most auspicuous Monarchy and arriving at Dublin in Ireland the two and twentieth of August one thousand sixe hundred and nineteene I saluted the right Honourable Sir Oliver St. Iohns late Lord Grandison and then Lord Deputy there from whom for regard and singular courtesies I was greatly obliged So was I also to many of the English Nobilitie and Knighthood there who through the whole Countrey where ever I came entertained mee kindly sending Guides with mee from place to place yea and sometimes safe-guards also beside in their houses great good cheere and welcome But in speciall a dutifull remembrance I owe to the memory of that sometimes judicious and religious Lord Arthuâ— late Lord Chichester Baron of Belfast c. Who in his time for Vertue Wisdome and Valour wore the Diademe of Love and Garland of true Noblenesse Of whom and for whose losse if I should more praise and longer lament my inke would turn to brinish teares and I to helplesse sorrow But leaving him who lived in goodnesse here and now in glorie for ever I celebrate these Lines to his eternall Fame If ever Bountie shin'd in loyall brest If ever Iudgment flow'd from generous mouth If ever Vice-roy rul'd this Kingdome best If ever Valour honour'd hopefull youth If ever Wisdome Astrea's worth possest If ever Vertue was inclin'd to ruth If ever Iustice enormities redrest If ever Patron paterne was of truth Then noble Chichester the Heavens assigne These gifts thy honour'd parts were truly thine And now after
thus they vary in the fleering conceit of sa sa sa sa sa far beyond the incâ—nstancie of all female inconstancies But to conclude this Epitome of France three things I wish Way-faring man to prevent there First the eating of Victuals and drinking of Wine without price making lest when hee hath done for the stridour of his teeth his charges be redoubled Next to choose his Lodging if it fall out in any way-standing Tavern far from palludiat Ditches lest the vehemency of chirking Frogs vexe the wished for Repose of his fatigated body and cast him in a vigilant perplexity And lastly unlesse early he would arise I never wish him to lye neere the fore-streetes of a Towne because of the disturbant clamours of the Peasant samboies or nayle woodden shoes whose noyse like an aequivox resembleth the clashing armour of Armies or the clangour of the Vlyssen-tumbling Horse to fatall Troy But now to my purpose leaving Paris behinde mee I arrived at Pau in Bearne This Province is a principality of it selfe anciently annexed to the Kingdom of Navarre lying between the higher Gascony of Guyan and the Pyrhenei Mountaines of Baske bordering with the North parts of Navarre Both of which belongeth to the French King except a little of Baske toward the Columbian Alpes and that the Spaniard commandeth Pau is the Justice seate of Bearne having a goodly Castle situate on an artificiall Rock and in this place was that Martiall Henry du Burbone la Quatriesme borne then King of Navarre Here be the finest Gardens in Christendome the Gardens of Pretolino 5 miles from Florence only excepted Yet for faire Arbors spacious over-siling walkes and incorporate Trees interchanging growths it surpasseth Pretolino but the other for the variety of fructiferous Trees rare and admirable ponds artificiall fountaines Diana and her Allablaster Nymphly-portrayed traine the counter-banding force of Aguadotti and the exquisite banqueting roome contrived among sounding unseen waters in forme of Gargantus body it much excelleth Pau. Hence I discended the River of Orthes to Baion and crossing the River Behobia which divideth France and Spaine I entred in Biscai Iune 29 1620. This is a Mountainous and invincible Countrey of which Victonia is the chiefe City being a barren and almost unprofitable Soile the speciall commodities whereof are Sheepe Wooll as soft as silk Goats and excellent good Iron cornes they have none or little at all neither wine but what is brought from Navarre in Pelagoes or swineskins carried on Mulets backs Leaving Biscai I entred Navarre and came to Pampelona its Metropolitan City Heere I founde the poorest Viceroy nomen sinere with the least meanes to maintaine him that ever the World affoorded such a stile Navarre is but a little Kingdome amounting in length with the South Pendicles of the high Perhenese to twenty three leagues that is between Porto di St. Ioanne in Baske and Grono upon the River Hebro dividing the old Castilia and Navarre In breadth it extendeth to seventeene Leagues that is between Varen in Biscai and Terrafranâ— in Arragon The soyle is indifferent fertile of Corns and Wines From thence I set Eastward to Syragusa the capitall Seat of Arragon Arragon hath Navarre to the West South Valents Kingdome East and South-East Catalogna and on the North the Alpes Pyrhenese It is an ancient and famous Kingdome under whose Jurisdiction were both the perty Kingdome of Valentia and Barselona And not long ago traduced to the Castilian King by marriage For although Castilia hath the language they have the lineall dissent of the Romans the inhabitants whereof being instinctively endued with all humane affabilities From thence returning from the old Castilia or Kingdome of Burgos in the way to St. Iago of Compostella in Galitia It was my fortune as St. Domingo to enter the Towne Church accompanied with two French Puppies mindfull to shew mee a miraculous matter Where when come I espied over my head opposit to the great altar two milke white Henns enraveled in an iron Cage on the inner side of the Porches Promontore And demanding why they were kept Or what they signified Certaine Spaniards replyed come along with us and you shall see the Storie and being brought to the Choro it was drawne thereon as followeth The father and the sonne two Burboneons of France going in Pilgrimage to St. Iames it was their lot to lodg here in an Inne Where supper ended and reckoning payed the Host perceiving their denariat charge hee entred their Chamber when they were a sleepe and in bed conveyiâ—g his owne purse in the young mans Budget On the morrow early the two innocent Pilgrims Footing the hard brusing way were quickly over hied by the Justice where the Host making search for his purse found it in the Sonnes bagge Whereupon instantly and in the same place hee was hanged and left hanging there seasing on their money by a sententiall forfeiture The sorrowfull Father notwithstanding continued his pilgrimage to Compostella where when come and devotion made our Lady of mount Serata appeared to him saying Thy Prayers are heard and thy groanes have pearced my heart arise and returne to Saint Domingo for thy Sonne liveth And hee accordingly returned found it so and the Sonne-hanged Monster after 30 dayes absence spoke thus from the Gallowes Father go to our Host and shew him I live then speedily returne By which direction the old man entred the Towne and finding the Host at Table in breaking up of two roasted Pullets told him and said My sonne liveth come and see To which the smiling Host replyed he is as surely alive on the Gallows as these two pullets be alive in the dish At which protestation the two fire-scorched fowles leapt out suddenly alive with heads wings feathers and feete and cakling took flight thrice about the Table The which amazing sight made the astonished Host to confesse his guiltines and the other relieved from the rope he was hung up in his place allotting his house for an Hospitality to Pilgrimes for ever There are still two Henns reserved here in memory of this miracle and are changed as they grow fat for the Priests chops being freely given to the place And I dare swearing say these Priests eate fatter Henns than Don Philippo himselfe they being fed by the peoples devotion at their enterance to the morning and evening sacrifices and are tearmed holy Henns Infinite paper could I blot with relating the like absurdities and miraculous lies of the Roman Church but leaving them till a fitter occasion I proceed From thence traversing a great part of the higher Asturia I entred in Galitia and found the Country so barren the people so poore and victuals so scarce that this impoitunate inforcement withdrew me from S. Iacques to Portugale Where I found little better or lesser reliefe their soyles being absolute sterile desartuous and mountainous Portugale was formerly called Lusitania and Hispania ulteriora It is in length 320 miles large 68
and sometimes under In the Moorish domination it was divided in two Kingdoms the one reserveth the name of all the other was called Agarbas A word Arabick that signifieth the part Occidentall And were divided with the River Guadion and the two Castles Odebera and Alcotino Agarbas was toward the South and Portugale Northward Portugale is now confined on the South and South-east with Andolusia West and South-west the maine Ocean Galitia to the North And Eastward the old and new Castilia After twenty days fastidious climbing in this Kingdome I returned to Salamancha in Castilia Vecchia the Sacerdotall Universitie of Spaine whence springeth these Flocks of Students that over-swarme the whole Land with Rogueries Robberies and Begging From thence traversing the Alps of Siera de Caderama which divide the two Castiliaes I descended the South side of the Mountains and arrived at the Escurial where then late King Philip the third had his Residence This Palace standeth alone and founded upon the skirt of a perpendicular â—ill of Caderama squared out from a devalling steepnesse having a large prospect Southwardly towards the Evenise Mountaines beyond Toledo This palatiate Cloyster is quadrangled foure stories high the uppermost whereof is window-set in the blew tecture The stone worke below having three Ranks of larger windows incircling the whole quadrangles and French like high rigged At every spacious squadrate corner there is an high Turret erected above the coverture whose tops beare each of them a golden Globe In the middle Court standeth a round incorporate Church arising outward in a rotundo with a wide Leaden top and on each side thereof a squadrat Steeple higher then the round making a goodly shew It hath neither outward Walls nor Gates but the two selfe Doores of the eleven incloysterd petty Courts save onely some Office houses without and they stand alone by the Hill broken side I may rather tearme it a Monastery then a Kingly Palace having a hundred and fifty Monks Carthusians of Saint Hieronimoes Order living within it the King onely remayning in a private corner at his comming thither Nay at that instant he was so private that before I saw his face I could not believe that the Patron of so great a Monarchie could be so quiet yea as quiet as a Countrey Baron is with us and had lived so nine weeks before The house it selfe I confesse excelleth in beauty that Constantinopolitan Seralia of the great Turk though not in divisions and ground distances yet for a maine incorporate house and was builded by King Philip the second standing seven leagues from Madrile to which I arrived Here is the residence of the Court though formerly at Valladoly Madrid or Madrile is the Center or middle part of Spaine situate in the Kingdome of Toledo the new Castella And distant from Lisbone in Portugale Westward one hundred leagues From Sevilia in Andoluzia ninety leagues From Grenada Southward sixty eight leagues Barselona in Catalogna East South-eastward one hundred leagues From Valentia fifty leagues From Siragusa in Arragon Eastward fifty three leagues From Saint Sebastian in Biscai North-westward seventy leagues And from Pampelona in Navarre North eastward forty nine leagues Spaine generally is a masse of Mountaines a barren ill manured soyle neither well inhabited nor populous Yea so desartuous that in the very heart of Spaine I have gone eighteene leagues two dayes journy unseeing house or village except two Ventas or Taverns and commonly eight leagues without aâ—y house Villages be so farre distant the Rockie Seraes or Alpes so innumerable It is miserable travelling lesse profitable in these ten Provinces or petty Kingdomes hard lodging and poore great scarcity of beds and deare And no ready drest diet unlesse you buy it raw and cause it to be dressed or dresse it your selfe buying first in one place your fire your meat from the Butcher your bread from the Baker your Wine from the Taverne your Fruits Oile and Hearbes from the Botega carrying all to the last place your bed-lodging Thus must the weary Stranger toile or else fast And in infinite places for Gold nor money can have no victuals but restrained to a relenting jejunation The high-minded Spaniard and their high-topped Mountains have an infused contention together The one through arrogant ambition would invade the whole Earth to enlarge his Dominions The other by a steepe swolne height seeme to threaten the Heavens to pull downe Iupiter from his Throne And as I take it the Spaniard being of a low stature borroweth his high-minded breast from the high-topped Mountains for the one in quality and the other in quantitie be extraordinarily infounded Certain it is as the Spaniard in all things standeth maynly upon his Reputatiâ—n but never to avouch it with single Combat so hee vaunteth not a little of his antiquitie deriving his pedigree from Tubal the Nephew of Noe. But especially as they draw it how often hath the Line of Tubal beene bastarded degenerated and quite expelled by invasions of Phoenicians oppressions of the Greeks incursions of the Carthaginians the Conquest and planting of Provinces and Colonies of the Romans the generall deluge of the Gothes Hunnes and Vandales and lastly by the long and intolerable Tyranny of the Moores whose slavish yoake and bondage in eight hundred yeares hee could scarely shake off his owne Histories beare sufficient testimony and Record Then it is manifest that this mixture of Nations must of necessity make a compounded Nature such as hauing affinitie with many have no perfection in any one Their Manners are conformable to their discent and their conditionall Vertues semblable to their last and longest Conquerours of whom they retaine the truest stampe The most penurious Peasants in the world be heere whose Quotidian moanes might draw teares from stones There Villages stand as wast like as the Sabunck Garamont or Arabian Pavillions wanting Gardens Hedges Closses Barnes or Backe-sides This sluggish and idle husbandry being a naturall instinct of their neighbour or paternall Moores As for industrious Artes inventions and Vertues they are as dull thereof as their late predecessors and truly I confesse for the Spanish Nun shee is more holy then the Italian the former are onely reserved to the Friers and Priests the latter being more noble have most affinity with Gentle-men The Spaniard is of a spare dyet and temperate if at his owne cost hee spend but if given Gratis he hath the longest Tusks that ever stroke at Table After a doubtfull and dangerous departure from Madrid as Sir Walter Aston his Majesties Ambassadour can testifie with his followers as some of his people have already here done the same being the drift of my owne Country-men I came to Toledo twelve Leagues distant from thence This Citie is situate on a ragged Rocke upon the River Tagus being an Archbishops seat the Primate and Metropolitan See of all Spaine Yet a miserably impoverished and deformed place And although the Spaniard of all Townes in
because my breath First sprung from Lanerk so my Christian faith Where thence O natall place my soule did coyle Blood sprit and sense flesh birth life love and soyle I 'le leave Clydes fragrant fields resplendant banks Bedeckt with Silvans stately beauteous ranks Of Pandedalian sparks which lend the sight Of variable colours best Natures light And close these silver shades that dazeling bloome Mongst thickest Groves with many braue-fac'd broome Strict in the records of eternall fame For sight for gaine for birth for noble name And now the second soile for pleasure is the platformd Carse of Gowry twelve miles long Wheat Rye Cornes Fruit yards being its onely commodity which I may tearme for its levell'd face to be the Garden of Angus yea the Diamond-plot of Tay or rather the youngest Sister of matchlesse Piemont The Inhabitants being onely defective in affablenesse and communicating courtesses of naturall things whence sprung this proverbe The kearlles of the Carse The third and beautifull soyle is the delectable planure of Murray thirty miles long and sixe in breadth whose comely grounds inriched with Cornes plantings pastorage stately dwellings overfaced with a generous Octavian Gentrye and topped with a Noble Earle its chiefest Patrone it may be furstyled a second Lombardy or pleasant Meaddow of the North. Neither may I abandoning eye-pleasing grounds seclude here that Iudaick bottome reaching thirty miles twixt Perth and Minâ—os involuing the halfe of Angus within a fruitfull populous and nobilitat planure the heart wherof saluting Glames kisseth Cowper So likewise as thrice divided Louthiane is a girnell of grayne for forriane Nations and Fiffe twixt Carraill and Largo the Ceren trenches of a royall Camp the incircling Coast a nest of Corporations and Meandring Forth from tip toed Snadoun the prospicuous mirrour for matchlesse Maiesty euen so is melting Tweed and weeping Tiuiot the Egyptian Strands that irrignâ—t the fertile fields which imbolster both bosomes sending their bordering breath of dayly necessaries to strengthen the life of Barwick Now as for the Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdome certainely as they are generous manly and full of courage so are they courteous discreet learned Schollers well read in best Histories delicate linguists the most part of them being brought vp in France or Italy That for a general compleat worthinesse I neuer found their matches amongst the best people of forrane Nations being also good house keepers affable to strangers and full of Hospitality And in a word the Seas of Scotland and the Iles abound plentifully in all kinde of fishes the Riuers are ingorged with Salmond the high-landish mountaines ouercled with Firre-trees infinite Deere and all sorts of other Bestiall the Valleyes full of pasture and Wild fowle the low layd playnes inriched with beds of grayne Iustice all where administred Lawes obeyed malefactors punished Oppressors curbed the Clergy religious the people sincere professors the Country peaceable to all men The chiefest commodities whereof transported beyond sea are these Wheat Cornes Hides Skins Tallow Yearn Linnen Salt Coale Herrings Salmond Wool Keilling Ling 〈…〉 And last and worst all the Gold of the Kingdome is dailyâ— Transported away with superfluous posting for Court Whence they never returne any thing â—ave Spend all End all then farwell Fortune So that numbers 〈…〉 and Gentry now become with idle projects downe drawers of destruction vpon their owne neckes their children and their estates and posting 〈◊〉 by dissolute courses to inrich Strangers 〈◊〉 themselves deservingly desolate of Lands Meanes and Honesty for ever Doing even with their former Vertue long continuance and memory of their noble Ancestors as M. Knoxe did with our glorious Churches of Abbâ—cies and Monasteries which were the greatest beauty of the kingdome knocking all down to desolation leaving nought to be seene of admirable Edifices but like to the Ruines of Troy Tyrus and Thebes lumpes of Wals and heapes of stones So do our ignoble Gallants though nobly borne swallow vp the honour of their famous Predecessours with posting foolery boy winding Horâ—es cormandizing Gluttony Lust and vaine Apparrell making a Transmigration of perpetuity to their present Belly and Backe O lashiviâ—us eâ—ds which I have condâ—gnely sifted in my last Worke Intitulated Scotlands weâ—come to King Charles with all the abuses and grievances of the whole Kingdome besides But now leaving Prodigalls to their Purgatâ—riall Pâ—stings I come to Trace through Rosse Sutherland and Cathnes So iles so abundant in all things â—it to illustrate greatnesse Resplendout Gentry and succour Commons that their fâ—rtile goodnesse far exceeding my expectation and the affability of the better sort my deservings beeing all of them the best and most bountifull Christmasse keepers the Greekes excepted that euer I saw in the Christian World Whose continuall incorporate Feastings one with another beginning at Saint Andrewes day never end till Shrouetide which Rauished me to behold such great and daily cheare familiar fellow-ship and iouiall chearefulnesse that me thought the whole Winter there seemed to me but the Iubilee of one day And now beeing arrived at Maij to imbarke for Orknay sight time and duty command me to celebrate these following Lines to gratifie the kindnesse of that noble Lord George Earle of Cathnes with his Honourable Cousin and first Accadent of his house the Right worshipful Sir William Sinclair of Catholl Knight Liard of Maij. Sir sighting now thy Selfe and Pallace Faire I finde a novelty and that most rare The time though cold and stormy sharper Sun And far to Summer scarce the Spring begun Yet with good lucke in Februar Saturnes prey Haue I not sought and found out fruitfull May Flank'd with the Marine Coast prospectiue stands Right opposite to the Orcade Iles and Lands Where I for floures ingorg'd strong grapes of Spaine And liquor'd French both Red and white amaine Which Pallace doth contain two foure-squard Courts Graft with braue works where th' Art drawne pensile sports On Hals high Chambers Galleries office Bowres Cells Rooms and Turrets Plat-formes stately Towers Where greene-fac'd gardens set at Floraes feet Make Natures beauty quicke Appelles greet All which surueigh'd at last the mid-most gate Design'd to me the Armes of that great state The Earles of Cathnes to whose praise inbag'd My Muse must mount and here 's my pen incadg'd First then their Armes a Crosse did me produce Limbdlike a Scallet trac'd with fleur du Luce The Lyon red and rag'd two times divided From coyne to coyne as Heraulds have decyded The third joynd stavnce denotes to me a Galley That on their sea-rapt â—oes dare make assailley The fourth a gallant Ship puâ—t with taunt saile Gainst them their Ocean dare or Coast assaile On whose bent Creist a Pelican doth sit An Embleme for like loue drawne wondrous fit Who as shee feeds her young with her heart blood Denotes these Lords to theirs like kind like good Whose best Supporters guard both Sea and Land Two sterne drawne Griffons in their strength to stand Their Dictum beares this
and Gentiles He was in proportion of meane stature lively faced big-headed eloquent in language of a sanguinicall complexion and a couragious stomacke in all attempts exceeding desperate he was also deceitfull variant and fraudulent as may appeare in his Satanicall Fables expressed in his Alcoran where oft one saying contradicteth another both in words and effect About this time there was one Sergius an Italian born binished from Constantinopole because he allowed of the Arrian sect who afterward came to Palestina and frequenting the house of Abdeminoples fell in acquaintance with the young man Mahomet and this Frier perceiving the aspiring quicknes of his braine bore a great affection to his naturall perfections Shortly after this his Master dying without heires and his Mistresse injoying many rich possessions she for these his extraordinary quallities from the degree of a Servant advanced him to be her own Husband That unhappy match was no sooner done but she repented it with teares for he being subject to the falling sicknesse would often fall flat on the ground before her staring gaping and foaming at the mouth so that his company became loathsome and detestable The which begot contempt in his bed-fellow being to him manifested he strove under the shadow of invented lies to mitigate the fury of her hatefull disdaine faining and attesting that when he fell to the ground it was the great God spoke with him before whose face saith hee I am not able to stand such is the soliciting of me with words of terrour and Majesty to reforme the wayes of the degenerate people with fire and sword sith Moses and Christ notwithstanding of their miracles have beene rejected by the world The old Trot believing all these flattering speeches was not only appeased of her former conceit but also loving him more then a husband reverenced him for a divine Prophet imparting the same unto her neighbours and gossips After they had lived two yeares together the bewitched Matron dying left all her possessions to Mahomet both because she accounted him to be a Prophet and next for that loving regard she had of his render body being but 30 yeares of age He being thus left with great riches was puft up in pride and hauty desires striving by all inordinary meanes to bring his new devised plots to perfection For the better performance whereof he consulted with this Sergius a Nestorian Monk and Atodala another Thalmudist a diverted Iew hereupon these two helhounds the other perverst Runnagate patchedup a most monstrous and divellish Religion to themselves and to their miscreant beleevers partly composed of the Iudaicall law partly of Arrianisme partly intermixed with some points of Christianity and partly of other fantasticall fopperies which his owne invention suggested unto him The Booke of this Religion is named the Alcoran the whole body of which is but an exposition and glosse on the eight commandements he affixed whereupon dependeth the whole Mahomet anicall Law First every one ought to beleeve that God is a great God and onely God and Mahomet is his Prophet Secondly every man must marry to encrease the Sectaries of Mahomet Thirdly every one must give of his his wealth to the poore Fourthly every one must make his prayers seven times a day Fiftly every one must keep a Lent one moneth in the yeare this Lent is called Byrham or Ramazan Sixtly Be obedient to thy Parents which Law is so neglected that never any children were or are more unnaturall then the Turkish be Seventhly thou shalt not kill which they inviolable keepe amongst themselves but the poore Christians feele the smart thereof Last and eightly Doe unto others as thou wouldst be done unto thyselfe the performers of which have large Sophisticall promises ascribed them This new coyned doctrine was no sooner wrapt up in his execrable Alooran but he began to spit forth his abhominable and blasphenious heresies Affirming that Christ was not the sonne of the most high nor that Messias looked for denying also the Trinity with many other prophane blasphemies The worke concluded for the better advancement of his purpose he married the daughter of the chiefe Prince of his own tribe By which new affinity he not onely seduced his Father in law but also the whole linage of that family by whose acceptance and convertion he also consederated with other associates and waxed daily stronger Contending continually to divulgate his name aye more and more he assembled his new Alcoranist exhorting them to assist him in the besieging of Mecha which Citizens had in derision rebuked his law and absolutely disdained his Mahometicall illusions and promised to them in such a well deserving attempt both eternall felicity and the spoyles of these his contradictors perswasively assuring them that God would deliver all the gaine-sayers of his Alcoran into his hands By which allurements they being moved rose to the number of 3000 in Armes and menaced Mecha but the Citizens put him to flight and so was he thrice served till in the end he wonne their City wherein after his death he was intombed in an Iron Coffin Which betwene two Adamants hangeth to this day as I have been informed of sundry Turkes who saw it which confirmed in them a solid beliefe of his erronious doctrine But now of late the Turkes growing more circumspect then they were and understanding the derision of Christians concerning their hanging Tombe and because the Turkish Pilgrimes were often suffocated to death with a fabulous desert in going to Mecha they have transported Mahomets Tombe now to Medina which is a great deale nearer to Damascus and at the entry of Arabia foelix in a glorious Mosquee where the Tombe being close ground set and richly covered with a golden Cannopy they have inhibited that any Christian shall come neare to it by two courses to wiâ— twenty foure miles under the paine of death which indeed they keep more strictly in execution then Princely Proclamations are obeyed observed or regarded with us either for Regall Statutes or generall benefits of Common-wealth their continuance being but like the miracle of nine dayes wonder return again from whence they came frustrate of power and robbed of obedience From this time that he vanquished Mecha casting out the Greek Officers for then all Arabia was under the Constantinoplitan Empire the Sarazens began their computation of yeares as we from Christs Nativity which they call Hegira and begun about the yeare of our Redemption 617. Concerning which time that Mahomet compiled his devillish Alcoran beginning his Empire nigh about the sametime it is observed that Boniface the third begun his Empire and Antichristian Title for Phocas having killed the Emperour Mauritius his wife and children To secure himself of Italy ready to revolt from such a Tyrant made Boniface universall Bishop and Head of the Church This Boniface was the threescore and fourth Bishop and first Pope of Rome which was immediatly thereafter confirmed by Pippin the French King who also
had murdered his Master and Prince and lastly was ratified by Paleologus whose some Constantine about 14 yeares thereafter had his head stâ—uck off his Wife and Daughters put to cruell death his Empire quite subverted in the losse of twelve Kingdomes and 200 Cities being the just judgements of God upon the some for the fathers sake who assigned such an ambitious charge unto that perverst Papalitie After which predominant Titles and falsified power what long controversies and disputes were between the Pope and the Councels of Carthage Chalcedon Ephesus Alexandria and Nice This Papall prerogative begun with bloud and murder continueth in bloud and massacres and doubtlesse in the end shall perish and be confounded with bloud and abominable destruction And what great debate was of old by the Roman Emperours in abolishing out of their Churches the Images and Idols of Stone Iron and Timber c. that for ma ny hundred years they were not suffered to be seen And at the beginning of the Papality and a long time after the Emperours prohibit them and divers Popes have confirmed and approved the same Yet succeeding Popes and the Empire being divided in East and West introducted again the dregs of their old Heathenish and Roman Idolatry and yet they will not be content with the bare name of Images but they impose a sirname or epithite of sanctitie termimg them holy Images Truly I may say if it were not for these Images and superstitious Idolatries they assigne to them the Turks had long ago beene converted to the Christian Faith I have seen somtimes 2000 Turks travelling to Mecha in Pilgrimage which is in Arabia foelix where many in a superstitious devotion having seen the Tombe of Mahomet are never desirous to see the vanities of the World again For in a frantick piety they cause a Smith to pull forth their eys And these men are called afterward Hoggeis that is Holy-men whom the Turks much honour and regard and are always led about from Towne to Towne by mens hands and fed and regarded like unto Princes or like the Capuchins that scourge themselves on good Friday met and homaged at every passing street with prayers gifts and adorations Some write that Mahomet in his youth was a Souldier under the conduct of Heraclins who implâ—ying certâ—ine Arabians in an expedition to Persla not onely denied them their wages but told them that that was not to be given for Dogs which was provided for the Roman Souldiers Hence some mutinies arising in the Army he with certaine Arabians his Cuntry men by faction seperated themselves and revolted Whereupon Mahomet encouraging them in their defection was chosen their Captain and so for a certaine time they continued rebellious Runnagates Theeves and Robbers of all people The subtlety of this dissembler was admirable who knowing that he was destitute of heavenly gifts to work miracles feign'd that God sent him with the sword He also promised at the end of a thousand yeares to returne and bring them to Paradice but he hath falsified his promise for the time is expired fortie yares agoe And they imagining that he is either diseased or become lame in his journey have ascribed to him another thousand yeares to come But long may their wicked and faithlesse generation gape before he come untill such time that in a generall convocation they be partakers of his endlesse damnation in Hell unlesse it please the Lord in his mercy to convert them before that time Mahomet chiefly prohibiteth in his Alcoran the eating of Swines flesh and drinking of Wine which indeed the best sort do but the baser kind are daily drunkards Their common drinke is Sherpet composed of water Honey and Sugar which is exceeding delectable in the taste And the usuall courtesie they bestow on their friends who visit them is a Cup of Coffa made of a kind of seed called Coava and of a blackish colour which they drinke so hot as possible they can and it is good to expell the crudity of raw meates and hearbes so much by them frequented And that those cannot attain to this liquour must be contented with the cooling streames of water It is incident to Turkes which have not the generosity of mind to temper felicity to be glutted with the superfluous fruites of doubtfull prosperity Neither have they a patient resolution to withstand adversity nor hope to expect the better alteration of time But by an infused malice in their wicked spirits when they are any way calamited will with importunate compulsion cause the poor slavish subiected Christians surrender all they have the halfe or so forth somtimes with strokes menacings and somtimes death it selfe which plainly doth demonstrate their excessive cruelty and the poore Christians inevitable misery And yea being complained upon they are severely punished or else put to death for committing of such unallowed Ryots being expresly against the Imperiall Law of the Turke concerning the quietnesse and liberty of the Christians I have often heard Turkes brawle one with another most vilely but I never saw or heard that they either in private or publicke quarrels durst strike one another neither dare they for feare of severe punishment imposed to such quarrellers But they will injure and strike Christians who dare not say it is a misse or strike again It is a common thing with them to kill their seruants for a very small offence and when they have done throw them like Dogs in a Ditch And oftentimes if not so will lay them downe on their backes hoysing up their heeles bind their feete together and fasten them to a post and with a cudgell give them three or foure hundred blows on the soles of their feete whereupon peraduenture some ever go lame after Their servants are bought and sold like bruit beasts in Markets neither can these miserable drudges ever recover liberty except they buy themselves free either by one means or other Their wives are not far from the like servitude for the men by the Alcoran are admitted to marry as many women as they will or their ability can keep And if it shall happen that any one of these women I mean either Wife or Concubine proftituteth her selfe to an other man besides her Husband then may he by authority binde her hands and feet hang a stone about her neck and cast her into a River which by them is usually done in the night But when these Infidels please to abuse poore Christian women against their Husbands will they little regard the transgression of the Christian Law who as well defloure their Daughters as their Wives yet the devout Mahometans never meddle with them accounting themselves damned to copulate as they think with the off-spring of Dogs The Turks generally when they commit any copulation with Christians or their owne sexe they wash themselves in a South running Fountaine before the Sun rising thinking thereby to wash away their sins If a Turke should happen to kill another