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
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
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
to keepe my stomacke hot to abstaine from eating of fruit and to live soberly with a temperate diet The rule of which government I strove diligently to observe so did I also in all my travells prosecute the like course of a smal diet and was often too small against my will by the meanes whereof praised be God I fell never sicke til my returne to France This City is mightily impoverished since the Trading of Spices that were brought through the red Sea to Aegypt and so over Land to Alezandria its Sea-port Whence the Venetian dispersed them over all Christendome but are now brought home by the backe-side of Affricke by the Portugals English and Flemmings which maketh both Venice and Alezandria fare the worse for want of their former trafficke and commerce in these Southerne parts whence Venice grew the mother nurse to all Europe for these Commodities but now altogether spoyled thereof and decayed by our Westerne Adventures in a longer course for these Indian soyles This City was a place of great Merchandise in the Nycen Councell was ordayned to bee one of the foure Partiarchall seas the other three are Antiochia Ierusalem and Constantinople Here in Alexandria was that famous Library which Ptolomeus Philadelphus filled with 700000 volumes It was hee that also caused the 72 Interpreters to translate the Bible Over against Alexandria in the little Isle Pharos in the which for the commodity of saylers the aforesaide King builded a watch-towre of white Marble being of so marvellous a height that it was accounted one of the seven Wonders of the world the other six being the Pyramides the Tombe Mausolaca which Helicarnassus Queene of Caria caused built in honour of her husband the Temple of Ephesus the Wals of Babylon the Colossus of Rhodes and the Statâ—e of Iupiter Olympicus at Elis in Greece which was made by Phidias an excellent work-master in Gold and Ivory being in height 60 Cubites Expecting fifteene dayes heere in Alexandria for passage great was the heate the French men and I indured in somuch that in the day time we did nought but in a low roome besprinkled the water upon our selves and all the night lie on the top or platforme of the house to have the ayre where at lest bidding good-night to our Greekish Host wee imbarked in a Sclavonian ship belonging to Ragusa and so set our faces North for Christendom in which ship I was kindly used and Christian-like enterteined both for victuals and passage The Winds somewhat at the beginning favouring us wee weighed Anchors and set forward to Sea leaving â—he Coast of Cyrene Westward from us which lieth between Aegypt by the Sea side and Numidia or Kingdome of Tunnis The chief cities therein are Cyrene Arsinâ—a and Barca whence the whole Cyrenian Countrey taketh the modern name Barca Marmorica anciently Penta Politanat The Soyle is barren of Waters and Fruites the people rude and theftâ—ous yet it hath bred the most ingenious spirits as Calimachus the Poet Aristippus the Phylosopher Eratosthenes the Mathematician and Symon of Cyrene whom the Iewes compelled to carry our Saviours Crosse. In this Province which is now reckoned as a part of Aegypt stood the Oracle of Iupiter Hammon in the great Wildernesse confining with Lybia Whither when Alexander travailed he saw for foure dayes 〈◊〉 neither Man Beast Bird Tree nor River Where when arriâ—ed the flattering Priests professed him to be the sonne of Iupiter which afterwards being hurt with an Arrow â—ee found false saying Omnes ne vocant filium Iovis sed 〈◊〉 sagitta me probat esse mortalem West from Cyrene â—ll the Kingdomes of Tunnis Tremisen Algier Fesse â—nd a part of Morocco even to the Gibilterre or fretum Herculeâ—m under a generall name now called Barbary and hardly can be distinguished by the barbarous Moores In the time of this our Navigation for Christendome there dyed seventeene of our Mariners and all our foure French Pilgrimes two of them being gray haired and 60 yeares of age which bred no small griefe and feare to us all thinking that they had died of the plague for it was exceeding rife in Alexandria from whence wee came The French men had onely left unspent among them all threescore and nine Chickeens of Gold which the Master of the Ship medled with and because they were Papists and they and I alwayes adverce to other I could not claime it Their dead Corpes were cast over Board in a boundlesse Grave to feed the fishes and wee then expecting too the like mutation of Life So likewise in our passage wee were five sundry times assailed by the Cursares and Pirats of Tunnis and Biserta yet unprevailing for wee were well provided with good Munition and skilfull Martiall and resolute Ragusans and a Gallant ship Our Ships burthen being sixe hundred Tunnes did carry twenty eight peeces of Ordonance two of them brazen and fourescore strong and strenuous Saylers besides nine Merchants and Passengers The greatnesse of our ship did more terrifie the roguish Runnagates then any violent defence wee made for they durst never set on us unlesse they had beene three together and yet we little reregarded them in respect of our long reaching Ordonance and expert gunners in these circumstances of time I remember almost every day wee should see flockes of flying fishes scudding upon the curling waves so long as their finnes be wet which grow from their backe as feathered wings do from Fowles But when they grow drie they are forced to fall downe and wet them agayne and then fly along Their flight will bee the length of a Cables Rope untouching Water and in this their scudding it is thought the Dolphin is in persuing them who is their onely enemy in devouring and feeding upon them whose bignesse and length are like to Mackrels but greater headed and shouldered Meane-while in these our Courses were we seven weeks crossed with Northernly Windes ever Tackling and boarding from the Affricke Coasts to the Carminian shoare in all which time wee saw no Land except the boisterous billows of glassie Neptune And as Ovid said in the like case crossing the Ionian seas Nil nisi pontus et aer viz. Nothing but Waves I view whereships do floate And dangers lye huge Whales do tumbling play Above my head Heavens star-imbroidred coate Whose vault containes two eyes for night and day Far from the Main or any Marine Coast Twixt Borean blasts and billowes we are tost If Ovid in that strait Ionean deep Was tost so hard much more am I on Seas Of larger bounds where staffe and Compasse Keepe Their strict observance yet in this unease Of tackling Boards we so the way make short That still our course drawes neerer to the Port. Between the streame and silver spangled skie Wee rolling climbe then hurling fall beneath Our way is Serpent like in Meeds which lye That bowes the Grasse but never makes no path But fitter like young maides and youthes together
denied acceptance in England had turned Turke and built there a faire Palace beautifyed with rich Marble and Alaâ—aster stones With whom I found Domestick some fifteene circumcised English Runnagats whose lives and Countenances were both alike even as desperate as disdainfull Yet old Ward their Master was placable and joyned me safely with a passing Land conduct to Algiere yea and diverse times in my ten dayes staying there I dyned and supped with him but lay aboord in the French ship At last having obtained my pasport from the Bassaw there and surety taken for my life and monyes I imbraced the Land way with his Conduct consisting of forty Moores and a hundred Camels loaden with Silkes Dimmeties and other Commodities traversing the afore-said Regions of Abirouh and Arradetz In all which way lying nightly in a Tent I found a pleasant and fruitfull Country abounding in Wine Rye Barly Wheate and all kinde of fruites with innumerable villages and so infinitely peopled that it made me wish there had beene none at all otherwise that they had beene Christians and so more civill The greatest enemy this journey designed mee was the Sunne whose exceeding heate was intollerable to indure being in September Anno 1615. But for provision of Water Wine and Victuals wee had abundance Vpon the seaventh day of our course wee entred in the Countrey of Tremizen formerly Mauritâ—nea Caesarea This Kingdome hath to the West Mauritanea Tingitana containing the Empire of Morocco and Fez. On the South Gotulia or desertuous Numidia On the East with the Rivers of Mulvia and Amphlaga the Marches of Arradetz And on the North the Sea Mediterren opposite to Sardinia The countrey is in length from the East to the West some twenty five of their courses and of our miles above three hundred and of breadth between the Sea and Gotulia no more then thirty English miles This copious Kingdome in all things hath beene oft and ever molested with the Numidian Sarazens or bastard Arabs who falling down from the Mountaines do runne their carriere at randome upon the ground-toyled Moones to satisfie their needy and greedy desires Tremizen or Telensim had of old foure Provinces but now onely two t is own Territory and that of Algier whose capitall Towne being too cognominated Tremizen contayning once eighteene thousand fire houses But in regard of Iosephus King of Fez who besieged it seaven yeares over-mastering it and then subdued by Charles the fifth and likewise the Turkes investion of it and finally because of the long wars twixt the Seriff or King there and the Turke it is become a great deale lesser and almost disinhabited and the most part of that Countrey subject to the authority of the Bassaw of Algier At last upon the twelfth day of our leaving Tunneis having arrived at Algier and abandoning my Conduct with a good respect I stayed in a Spaniards house turned Runnagate who kept a roguish Tavern and a ground planked Hospitall In all this way of twelvescore miles I payed no Tribute neither had I any eminent perrill the Countrey being peaceable though the people uncivill This Towne of Algier was formerly under subjecton to the Kingdome of Tremizen but because of insupportable charges it revolted and rendered to the King of Arradetz or Bugia Afterwards it was under the King of Spaine from whom Barbarossa did take it Anno 1515 being now under the Turke and is situate upon the pendicles of a flat devalling height and standeth triangular The Marine side whereof is strongly fortified with earth back'd walles Bulwarkes and artilley but the semisquared land-walles are of small importance and easily to be surprised and three miles in circuite containing some thirty thousand persons There is a Turkish Bashaw here and a strong Garrison of sixe thousand Ianizaries with two hundred Cursary ships or Pirats who ever preying upon Christian Commercers by their continuall spoiles and prises have made the divelish Town wonderfull rich and become an inveterate enemy of Christendome being now a Kingdome of it selfe and in length from East to West betweene the Townes Terracot and Gâ—argola some sixe score miles It had a long reaching mould in the Sea that maketh a safe harbor for their ships against Northerly windes which on that Coast are deadly dangerous At this time the greatest part of the Towne were fled to the mountaines to shun the parching heate that beateth violently on the Plaines and Sea-shoare so doe all the maritine Townes of Barbary the like every Sommer for the moneths Iuly August and September which then being left halfe naked of defence it were the onely time for Christians to invade or surprise their Towns I found here abundance of slaves most of them Spaniards whom they daily constrain within Towne to beare all manner of burdens here and there and without Towne to drudge in the fields amongst their Vines and Cornes and other toyling labours abusing them still with buffets and bastinadoes as their perverstnesse listeth Neither durst I leave my lodging unlesse I had three or foure Christian slaves to guide me and gard me too from scelerate vulgars who beare no respect to any stranger nor free Franck. Here I remarked a wonderfull policy in the Turkish state concerning these theftuous and rapinous Townes of Barbary who as they are ordained ever to plague and prey upon the Spaniard yet under that colour they licenciate them to make havock seaze upon all other Christian ships goods and persons as they please the French nation excepted And so they doe notwithstanding of our severall Ambassadours lying at Constantinople who rather stay there as Mungrells than absolute Ambassadours for why should Christian Princes mediate for peace and commerce with the Turke when theirs with his subiects the Barbarian Mooâ—es have no safety they being obedient to his lawes and over-ruled by Bassawes as well as these are of Asia and Easterne Europe from which I gather as from all other like examples that there is a more sublime over-mastering policy subtilty and provident foresight in meere naturall men as Turkes be then in our best Grandeurs for all their Sciences schoole studies can either perceive or perform farre lesse prosecute To which avowed dangers if any small ship ruled by rash fellowes should adventure within the straits as too many English doe being unable and unprovided for defence and so are taken and captivated and afterward redeemed by Contributions over the Land I justly affirme it they deserve rather to be punished and remaine therein punishment then any reliefe or redemption to be wrought for them who will nakedly hazard themselves in knowne perrils without Ordonance munition and a burdenable ship But reverting to my purpose the marine Provinces which lye between Aegypt and Sewty over against Gibelterre being the Straits are these Cerene Barca Marmorica Ezzeba the Trypolian Jurisdiction the Kingdomes of Tunneis Abiroh Arradetz Tremizen Algier and a part of Fez extending to two thousand and three hundred maritine
in long breeches and bare Ancles with red or yellow shooes shod with iron on the Heeles and on the Toes with white Home and weare on their bodies long Robes of Linning or Dimmety and silken Wast-coates of divers Colours the behaviour of the Vulgars being far more civill toward Strangers then at Constantinople or else where in all Turkey The Women here go unmasked abroad wearing on their heads broad and round Capes made of Straw or small Reedes to shade their faces from the Sunne and damnable Libidinous being prepared both wayes to satisfie the lust of their Luxurious Villaines neither are they so strictly kept as the Turkish Women marching where they please There are some twelve thousand allowed Brothel-houses in this Town the Curtezâ—ns being neatly kept and weekely well looked to by Physicians but worst of all in the Summer time they openly Lycenciate three thousand common Stewes of Sodomiticall boyes Nay I have seene at mid-day in the very Market places the Moores buggering these filthy Carrions and without shame or punishment go freely away There are severall Seates of Justice heere though none to vindicate beastlinesse occupied by Cedeis and Sanzackes which twice a Weeke heare all differences and complaints their chiefe Seriff or Vicegerent being sent from Morocco is returned hither againe every third yeare The two Hills on both sides the planur'd Citty East and west are over-clad with streetes and Houses of two stories high being beautified also with delicate Gardens and on their extreame devalling parts with numbers of Mosquees and watch-towers On which heights and round about the Towne there stand some three hundred Wind-mils most part whereof pertain to the Mosquees and the two magnifick Colledges erected for education of Children in the Mahometanicall Law One of which Accademies cost the King Habahennor in building of it foure hundred and three score thousand Duckats Iacob sonne to Abdulach the first King of the Families of Meennons divided Fez in three parts â—nd with three severall Walles though now invironed with onely one and that broken down in sundry parts The Citizens here are very modest and zealous at their divine service but great dancers and revellers on their solemne festivall dayes wherein they have Bul-baiting Maskerats singing of rimes and processions of Priests The Moores in times past of Fez and Morocco had divers excellent personages well learned and very civill for amongst the Kings Mahometan one can not praise too much the Kings Almansor Maunon and Hucceph being most excellent men in their superstition In whose times flourished the most famous medicines and Philosophers that were among the Pagans as Aviâ—enne Rasis Albumazar Averroes c. With other great numbers maintained by the King of Morocco that then were Masters of all Barbary and Spaine As in Spaine may be seene yet though now fallen in decay a great number of their Colledges shewing they were great lovers of their Religion and Doctrine and are so to this day save onely in their drinking of Wine forbidden by their Alcoran They were great devisers too of gallant sportings exercise sturnaments and Bul-baiting which Spaine retaineth to this time yea and the Romans did learne and follow many of them Here in Fez there bee a great number of Poets that make Songs on divers subiects especially on Love and Lovers who they openly name in their rimes without rebuke or shame All which Poets once every yeare against Mahomets birth-day make rimes to his praise meane while in the after noone of that festivall day the whole Poets assembling in the market place there is a Desked chayre prepared for them whereon they mount one after an other to receive their verses in audience of all the people and who by them is judged to be best is esteemed all that yeare above the rest having this Epithite the Prince of Poets and is by the Vicegerent and Towne rewarded But in the time of the Maennon Kings the Prince on that day in his owne Pallace did conveine the whole Citizens in whose presence hee made a solemne feast to all the best Poets causing every one of them to recite the praise of Mahomet before his face standing on a high seaffold And to him that was thought to excell the rest the King gave him 100 Sultans of gold a horse a woman slave the long Robe that was about him for the time And to each one of the rest he caused give fifty Sultans so that every one should have some recompense for their paines Indeede a worthy observation and would to God it were now the custome of our Europian Princes to doe the like and especially of this Isle then would bravest wits and quickest braines studdy and strive to show the exquisite ingeniosity of their best stiles and pregnant invention which now is eclipsed and smothered downe because now adayes their is neither regard nor reward for such excellent Pen-men Fez was aunciently named Sylda whose Kingdome hath Atlas to the South the River of Burdraga to the East and Tremizen Morocco to the West And the confines of Guargula and a part of the Sea to the North. Having spent in Fez 17 dayes in all which time wee daily conversed with some Christian Abasines Heragenes or Aethiopian Nigroes some whereof were Merchants and some religious and Monsieur Chattelines businesse not effected seeking Diamonds and precious stones to buy was seriously advised by them to goe for Arracon a great Towne on the Frontiers of the Northerne Aethiopia where he would find abundance of such at an easie rate giving him a perfect direction for his passage hither being 30 daies journey he concluded with their counsell his resolution and perswading me to the same intention I yeeld being over-mastred with the greedy desire of more sights Mean while for our conduct we hire a Dragoman Moore that spoke Italians to be our Interpreter and with him a Tent and two Moorish drudges to guide guard and serve us by the way for fifty eight Sultans of gold eighteene pounds foure shillings English having sixe of their Kinsmen fast bound to a Sansak or Justice for our lives liberties and moneyes Hereupon having provided for our selves with all necessary things and a Mule to carry our Victuals Water and Baggage we discharged our conscionable Hostage at twenty Aspers a day the man being thirty four shillings to each of us and were brought on our way by the aforesaid Christian Heragenes some foure Leagues Where having left them with dutifull thankes wee set forward in our journey and for seven dayes together wee were not violently molested by any thing save intolerable heat finding tented people and scattered Villages all the way The eight day the way being fastidious and Rockey and Chatteline on foote being weary and could not subsist not being used to pedestriall travaile and for our better speed and his reliefe wee mounted him aloft on the top of our baggage At last arriving at Ahetzo where wee reposed being the furthest
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
on Edenbrugh and prosecuting the Tennor of a Regall Commission which partly beeing some-where obeyed and other-where suspended it gave mee a large sight of the whole Kingdome both Continent and Iles. The particular Description whereof in all parts and of all places besides Ports and Rivers I must referre to the owne Volume already perfected Inâ—iâ—ulaâ—ed Litâ—gâ—wes Surueigh of Scotland which this Worke may not Containe nor time suffer to publish till a fiâ—ter â—ccasion Only Commenting a little upon some generalls I hasten to be at Finis Traversing the Westerne Iles whose inhabitants like to as many Bulwarkes are abler and apter to preserve and defend their libertie and precincts from incursive invasions then any neede of Forts or Fortified places they have or can be required there Such is the desperate courage of these awfull Hebridians I arrived I say at the I le of Arrane Anno 1628. where for certayne dayes in the Castle of Braidwicke I was kindly intertayned by the illustrious Lord Iames Marquesse of Hammilton Earle of Arrane and Cambridge c. Whom GGD may strengthen with the liveliest Heart And fearelesse Minde of all ere fac'd that Art For Bohems Queene Heauens prosper His intent With Glorious Successe and a Braue euent That by a King beene Sped for a Kings Sake To helpe a King all Three from Him may take Auspicuous Seruice frienship faithfull Loue Gainst whom and his no time can breach improue Let then great God blest Sparkes of fauour fall On his Designes and Theirs our Friends and All And Angels Guard Him let Thy Mighty hand Partition-like twixt Him and dangers stand That Martiall ends and Victory may Crowne His happie Hopes his Life with Loue Renowne This I le of Arrane is thirty miles long eight in breadâ—h and distant from the Maine twenty foure Miles being sur-clouded with Goatfield Hill which with wide-eyes ouer-looketh our Westerne Continent and the Northerne Countrey of Ireland bringing also to â—ighâ— in a cleare Summers day the I le of Manne and tâ—e higher Coast of Cumberland A larger prospect no Mountaine in the World can show poynting out three Kingdomes at one sight Neither any like Isle or brauer Gentry for good Archers and hill-houering Hunters Hauing againe re-shoared the Maine I coasted Galloway euen to the Mould that butteth into the Sea with a large Promontore being the south-most part of the Kingdome And thence footing all that large Countrey to Dumfreis and so to Carlile I found heere in Galloway in diuerse Rode-way Innes as good Cheare Hospitality and Seruiceable attendance as though I had beene ingrafted in Lombardy or Naples The Wool of which Countrey is nothing inferiour to that in Biscai of Spaine prouiding they had skill to fine Spin Weaue and labour it as they should Nay the Calabrian silke had neuer a better luster and softer gripe then I haue seene and touched this growing wool there â—n sheepes backes the Mutton whereof excelleth in sweetnesse So this Country aboundeth in Bestiall especially in little Horses which for mettall and Riding may rather be tearmed bastard Barbes then Gallowediau Nagges Likewise their Nobility and Gentry are as courteous and euery way generously disposed as either discretion would wish and honour Command that Cunningham being excepted which may be called the Accademy of Religion for a sanctified Clergy and a godly people certainly Galloway is become more ciuill of late then any Maritine Country bordering with the Westerne Sea But now to obserue my former Summary condition the length of the Kingdome lyeth South and North that is betweene Dungsby head in Cathnes and the fore-said Mould of Galloway being distantâ— per rectam liâ—eam which my weary feet â—road ouer from poynt to poynt the way of â—ochreall Carrick Kyle Aire Glasgow Stirueling St. Iohns Towne Stormount the Blair of Athâ—ll the Brâ— of Mar Badeynoh Innernes Rosse Sutherland and so to the North Promontore of Cathnes extending to three hundred twenty miles which I reckâ—n to be foure hundred and fifty English miles Confounding hereby the ignorant presumption of blind Cosmographers whom their Mappes make England longer than Scotland when contrariwise Scotland out-strippeth the other in length a hundred and twenty miles The breadth whereof I grant is narrower than England yet extending betweene the extremities of both Coasts in diuers parts to threescore fourescore and a hundred of our miles But because of the Sea ingulfing the Land and cutting it in so many Angles making great Lakes Bayes and dangerous Firths on both sides of the Kingdome the true breadth thereof cannot iustly be coniectured nor soundly set downe Our chiefest fresh water Lakes are these Lochlomond contayning twenty â—oure Iles and in length as many miles divers whereof are inriched with Woods Deere and other Bestiall The large and long Lake of Loch Tay in Atholl the Mother and Godmother of Head-strong Tay the grâ—atest Riuer in the Kingdome And Lochnes in the higher parts of Murray the Riuer whereof that graceth the pleasant and commodious situation of Innerneâ— no â—rost can freize The propriety of which water wil quickly melt and dissolue any hard congealed lumps of frozen â—ce be it on Man or Beast stone or timâ—er The chiefest Rivers are Clyde Tay Tweed Forth Dee Spay Nith Nesse and Dingwells flood ingorging Lake that confirmeth Porta salutis being all of them where they returne their tributs to their father Ocean portable and as it were resting places for turmoyled seas and ships And the principall Townes are Edenbrough Perth Glasgow Dundie Abirdene St Andrewes Aire Stirveling Lithgow Dumfreis Innernes Elgin Minros Iedburgh Hadington Leith c. and for antiquity old Lanerk c. So the most delicious soiles of the Kingdome are these following first the bounds of Clyde or Cliddisdale betweene Lanerk and Dunbertan distanced twenty sixe miles and thence downeward to Rossay that kisseth the divulgements of the River the beginning whereof is at Arickâ— stone sixeteene miles above Lanerk whose course contendeth for threescore miles All which being the best mixed Country for Cornes Meeds Pastorage Woods Parks Orchards Castles Pallaces divers kinds of Coale and earth-fewell that our included Albion produceth And may justly be surnamed the Paradise of Scotland Besides it is adorned on both borders along with the greatest peeres and Nobility in the Kingdome The Duke of Lennox the Marques of Hammilton the Earle of Angus the Earle of Argile and the Earles of Glencarne Wigton and Abircorn And for Lord Barons Semple Rosse Blantyre and Dalliell The chiefest Gentry whereof are the Knights and Lairds of Luce Skell murelie Blâ—khall Greenock Newwark Houston Pook-maxwell Sir George Elpingston of Blythswood Minto Cambusnethen Calderwood the two Knights of Lieye and Castel-hill Sir Iames Lokharts elder yonger Lamington Westraw his Majesties Gentleman Sewer Blakwood Cobinton Stanebyres and Corhous c. All which in each degree as they illuminat the soile with grandure so the soyle reflecteth on them againe with beauty bounty and riches But least I partiall prove
State of Venice It was of old called Curcura Melena and of some Corcira Nigra but by the Modernes Curzola Continuing our course we passed by the Iles Sabionzello Torquolla and Caâ—za Augusta appertaining to the Republicke of Ragusa They are all three well inhabited and fruitfull yeelding cornes wines and certaine rare kindes of excellent fruits It is dangerous for great Vessells to come neare their Coasts because of the hidden shelfes that lye off in the Sea called Augustini where divers ships have bin cast away in foule weather upon the second day after our loosing from Clissa we arrived at Ragusa Ragusa is a Common-weale governed by Senators and a Senate Counsell it is wonderfull strong and also well guarded being scituate by the Sea side it hath a fine Haven and many goodly ships thereunto belonging The greatest trafficke they have is with the Genueses Their Territory in the firme land is not much in respect of the neighbouring Turkes but they have certaine commodious Ilands which to them are profitable And notwithstanding of the great strength and riches they possesse yet for their better safeguard and liberty they pay a yearely Tributary pension to the great Turke amounting to fourteene thousand Chickens of Gold yea and also they pay yearely a Tributary pension unto the Venetians for the Iles reserved by them in the Adriaticall Gulfe so that both by sea and land they are made tributary Citizens The most part of the civill Magistrates have but the halfe of their heads bare but the vulgar sort are all shaven like to the Turkes This City is the Metropolitan of the Kingdome of Slavonia Slavonia was first called Liburnia next Illiria of Illirio the sonne of Cadmus But lastly named Slavonia of certaine slaves that came from Sarmatia passing the river Danubio in the time of the Emperour Iustininian Croatia lying north-west from hence is the third Province of this ancient Illiria and was formerly called Valeria or Corvatia It hath on the west Istria Carniola on the East and South Dalmatia on the north north-west a part of Carindia quasi Carinthia and Northerly Savus So much as is called Slavonia extendeth from the River Arsa in the West the River Drino in the East on the South bordereth with the Gulfe of Venice and on the North with the Mountaines of Croatia These Mountains divide also Ragusa from Bosna Bosna is bounded on the West with Croatia and on the South with Illiricum or Slavonia on the East with Servia and on the North with the River Savus The next two speciall Cities in that Kingdome are Sabenica and Salona The Slavonians are of a robust nature martiall and marvellous valiant fellowes and a great helpe to maintaine the right and liberty of the Venean State serving them both by sea and land and especially upon their Galleyes and men of warre From Ragusa I imbarked in a Tartareta loaden with Corne and bound to Corfu being three hundred Miles distant In all this way wee found no Iland but sailed along the maine land of the Illirian Shore having passed the Gulfe of Cataro and Capo di Fortuna I saw Castello novo which is a strong Fortresse scituate on the top of a Rocke wherein one Barbarisso the Captaine of Solyman starved to death foure thousand Spaniards Having left Illiria Albania and Valona behind us we sailed by Capo di Palone the large promontore of which extendeth to eight miles in length being the face of a square and maine Rocke This high land is the farthest part of the Gulfe Of Venice and opposite against Capo di 〈◊〉 Maria in Apulia each one in sight of another and foureteen leagues distant Continuing our Navigation we entered into the Sea Ionium and sayled along the Coast of Epire which was the famous Kingdome of the Epiroles and the first beginning of Greece Epirus is environed on the South with the Sea Ionian On the East with Macedon on the West North-west with Albania and on the North with a part of Râ—scia and the huge Hill Haemus Of which Mountaine Stratonicus was wont to say that for eight Moneths in the yeare it was exceeding cold and for the other foure it was Winter This long Mountaine devideth also Greece from Mysâ—a called vulgarly Bulgaria lying on the North of Haemus and on the South of Danibio even Eastward to the Euxine Sea which River parteth Dacia from Misia the superiour the which Dacia being an ancient and famous Country containeth these Provinces Transilvania Moldavia Vallachia Servia and Bosna Here in this Kingdome of Epyre was the â—oble and valiant Pyrhus King who made so great warres upon the Romans and at last by a Woman of Argos was killed with a stone The most valorous Captaine George Gastriot sirnamed Scanderberg the great terrour and scourge unto the Turkes was borne here of whom it is recorded he slew at divers battells with his owne hands above three thousand Turkes obtaining also many fortunate victories against Amurath and Mahomet After whose death and buriall his body was digged up by the Turkes and joyfull was that man could get the least bit of his bones to preserve and carry about with him thinking thereby so long as he kept it he should alwayes be invincible which the Turkes observe to this day and likely to doe it till their last day And more Renoun'd Epire that gave Olimpias life Great Alexanders Mother Phillips wife In this Country are these two Rivers Acheron and Cocytus who for their minerall colours and bitter tastes were surnamed the Rivers of Hell and the sacred Mount Pindus celebrated by Apollo and the Muses so well memorized by Poets is here It is now called Mezzona at the foote of which springeth the River Peneia called modernly Salepiros but more properly Azababa and keeping his extreamest course through the fields of pleasure named by the Ancients Tempi being five miles long and as much large lying betweene the two Hills Osso and Olympus and watering the beautifull plaine the faire Peneian spring or Azababan River disburdeneth it selfe in the Gulfe Thessolonick This is the first kingdome of Greece of a great length consisting between the west most part of Albania as a perpendicular Province annexed to it the Arcadian Alpes which divide Aetolia and Acarnania the East-most regions of it from Sparta Thessaly and the old Mirmidons country of Macedon amounteth to 408. miles lying along by the sea side whose bredth extendeth all the way along Northward to the hill Haemus above 68. miles The chiefe Towne of Epyre where the Kings had their residence was called Ambracia modernly Laerto named of a River running by it And upon the sixt day after our departure from Ragusa we arrived at Corfu Corfu is an Iland no lesse beautifull than invincible It lyeth in the sea Ionian the inhabitants are Greeks and the Governours Venetians This Ile was much honoured by Homer for the pleasant Gardens of Alcino which were in his time This Alcino was the
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
great So alwayes it is no wonder that the nature of this River should so increase when even here and at home the river of Rhine hath the like intercourse and at the same time through the Town of Geneve and so to the Mediterranian Sea Their beginnings being both alike from the impetuosity of raynes and dissolvings of Snow Egypt was first inhabited by Mifraim the sonne of Chus from whom the Arabians name the land Misre in the Hebrew tongue Misoriae It was also named Oceana from Oceanus the second King hereof Thirdly Ostriana from Osiris and now Aegyptus from Aegyptus the surname of Rameses once a King of great puissance It borders with Aethiopia and the Confines of Nubiat on the South On the North with the Sea Mediterrane The chiefest ports whereof are Damieta and Alexandria towards the occident it joyneth with the great Lake Bouchiarah a dangerous Wilderness confining therewith supposed to be a part of Cyrene so full of wilde and venemous beasts which maketh the West part unaccessable And on the East with the Istmus and Confine of Desartuous Arabia and a part of the Red Sea through which the people of Israel passed This Country was gouerned by Kings first and longest of all other Nations From Orisis not reckoning his Regall Ancestors in whose time Abraham went downe to Aegypt hee and his Successours were all called Pharaoes of whom Amasis is onely worthy mention who instituted such politicke Lawes to the ancient Egyptians that he deserueth to be Catalogized as founder of this Kingdome This Race continued till Cambises the second Persian Monarch made Aegypt a member of his Empire and so remained till Darius Nothus the sixt Persian King from whom they Revolted choosing Kings of themselues But in the eighteene yeare of Nectanebos the seventh King thereafter Aegypt was recovered by Ochus the eight Emperour of Persia. In end Darius being vanquished and Alexander King thereof after his Death it fell to the share of Ptolomeus the sonne of Lagi from whom the Kings of Aegypt were for a long time called Ptolomeis of whom Queene Cleopatra was the last after whose selfe murther it was annexed for many yeares to the Roman Empire next to the Constantinopolitan from whose insupportable burden they revolted and became tributaries for a small time to Haumar the third Caliph of Babylon Afterward being oppressed by Almericus King of Ierusalem Noradin a Turkish King of Damascus sent Saracon a valiant Warriour to aide them who made him selfe absolute King of the whole Countrey whose ofspring succeeded of whom Saladine was one the glorious conquerour of the East till Melechsala who was slaine by his owne souldiers the Mamaluks who were the guard of the Suldans as the Ianizaries are to the great Turke who lately Anno 1622 have almost made the like mutation in the Turkish Empire as the Mamaluks did in the Aegyptian They made of themselves Sultans where by the Mamaluke race continued from the year 1250 till the year 1517 wherein Tonembius together with his predecessour Campson Gaurus was overcome by Selimus the first by whom Aegypt was made a Province of the Turkish Empire so continueth as yet The length of his Kingdome is foure hundred and fifty English miles and two hundred broad the principall seat whereof is the great Caire being distant from Ierusalem sixteen days journey or Caravans journalls amounting to 240 of our miles Some hold that the space of earth that lyeth betwene the two branches of Damieta and Roseta was called the lower Aegypt now called Delta under the figure of a Greeke letter triangular The head of this great Delta where Nylus divideth it selfe was called Hoptapolis or Hoptanomia and Delta it selfe was called by the Romans Augustamia Aegypt besides the aforesaid names it had divers Epithites of divers Authours for Appollodorus termed it the Religion of Melampedes because of the fertility of it And Plutarch gave it the name Chimia because of the holy ceremonies of the Aegyptians in worshiping their Gods The Etymology whereof Ortelius condignely remarked deriving it from Cham the sonne of Noah so that some hold the opinion that the Aegyptians had their originall from Misraim for so was Aegypt called the sonne of Chus that proceeded from Cham Noahs sonne The circuit of Delta or the lower Aegypt is thought to be 3000. of their stades which maketh a hundred Spanish leagues In the time of the Ptolomeis the revenewes of this Kingdome were 12000 talents so also in the time of the Mamaluks but now through tyranicall government and discontinuance of traffick through the red sea the Turke receiveth no more than three millions yearly one of the which is free to himselfe the other two are distribuâ—nd to support the charge of his Vicegerent Bassaw and presidiary souldiers being 12000 Ianizaries besides their thousand of Timariots which keep Aegypt from the incursions and tyranny of Arabs In Cayre I stayed twelve dayes and having bid farewell to Monsieur Beauclaire the Consul who courteously entertained me the other foure French Pilgrimes and I imbarked at Boulaeque in a boate And as we went downe the River the chiefe Townes of note we saw where these Salmona Pharesone Fova Abdan I remember our boate was double hooked with forked pikes of iron round about the sides for feare of the Crocodiles who usually leape up on boates and will carry the passenger away headlong in the streame And yet these 〈◊〉 themselves are devouted by a water-Rat of whom they taking great pleasure and play and gaping widely the Rat running into his mouth the other out of joy swalloweth it downe where the Rat for disdain commeth forth at the broad side of his belly leaving the Crocodile dead In these parts there is a stone called Aquiline which hath the vertue to deliuer a woman from her paine in child birth In all this way the greatest pleasure I had was to behold the rare beauty of certaine Birds called by the Turkes Ellock whose feathers being beautified with the diversity of rarest colours yeeld a farre off to the beholder a delectable shew having also this propriety the nearer a man approacheth them the more they loose the beauty of their feathers by reason of the feare they conceive when they see a man Vpon the third day we landed at Rosetta and came over land with a company of Turkes to Alexandria being 50 miles distant Alexandria is the second port in all Turkie It was of old a most renowned City and was built by Alexander the great but now is greately decayed as may appeare by the huge ruines therein It hath two havens the one whereof is strongly fortified with two Castles which defend both it selfe and also Porto vecchio The fields about the Towne are sandy which ingender an infectious ayre especially in the moneth of August and is the reason why strangers fall into bloody fluxes and other heavy sicknesses In my staying here I was advised by a Ragusan Consul
ignorant of the way and their women bee lovely faire going head-covered with black vailes and much inclined to licentiousnesse their beauties being borrowed from helpe more then nature for now it is a common practice amongst decayed beauties banquerouted by time or accidents to hide it from others eyes with Art and from their owne with false glasses But alasse the graces and beauties of the soule ought more to be cared for and to have the first place and honour above these counterfeit or outward showes of the body and the beatuy and lovely proportion of the body should dreferred before the effeminate deckings that the body doth rather carry then enjoy since it often hapneth that a foule and deformed carkasse hath a faire and rich wardrope In this Town of Malta there are many Turkish Moorish slaves very rudely treated yet not answerable to that cruelty the slavish Christians indure upon their Gallies in Barhary or Turkie Tâ—e description of Malta I postpone to the succeeding relations of my second Travels and after twelve daies staying here limbarked in a Frigar with other passengers and arrived at Cicily in the South-east corner of Sicilia being threescore miles distant From thence coasting the shoare fifty miles to Siracusa Irancountred by the way in a clifty Greek close by the sea-side a Moorish Brigantine with twelve oares on each side charged with Moores who had secretly stayed there a night and a day stealing the people away labouring on the fields At which sudden sight and being hard by them I stopped my pace Whereupon about twenty Moores broke out upon me with shables slings But my life and liberty being deare to me my long traced feete became more nimble in twelve score paces than they could follow in eighteene for I behoved to fly backe the same way I came where when freed I hastned to the next Watch-tower marine set and there told the Centinell how a Moorish Brigantine was lying within two miles at an obscure clift and how hardly I escaped their hands where upon he making a fire on the top of the tower and from him all the Watch-towers along gave presently warning to the countey so that in a moment them of the Villages came downe on horse and foot and well armed and demanding me seriously of the truth I brought them with all possible celerity to the very place where forthwith the Horse-men broke upon them wounding divers before they were all taken for some fled to the Rocks and some were in the coverd fields hunting their prey At last they were all seazed upon and fast tyed two and two in iron chaines and sixe Sicilians relieved whom they had stolne and thralled Whence they were carried to Syracusa I went also along with them where by the way the people blessed me and thanked God for mine escape and me for discovering them from Syracusa being condemned to the galleyes upon the third day they were sent to Palermo being 36 in number They gone and I reposing here the Governer of that place for this peece of service and my travels sake did feast mee three dayes and at my departure would have rewarded me with gold so also the friends of them that were relieved which if I tooke or not judge you that best can judge on discretion This City is situate on a Promontory that butteth in the Sea having but one entry was once the capitall seat of the Kingdom though now by old tyrannies late alterations of time it is onely become a private place Yet girded about with the most fragrant fields for dainty fruits delicate Muscatello that all Europe can produce From this place over-trafing other fifty miles to Catagna situate at Aetnaes foot I measured the third fifty miles to Messina Where now I cease to discourse any further of this Island till my returne from Affrick being my second voyage For true it is double experience deeper Knowledge where then punctually in my following order the Reader I hope shall finde his desired satisfaction From Messina I imbarked in a Neapolitan Boat loaded with Passingers whence shoaring along for foure hundred miles the higher and lower Calabrian Coast with a part of the Lavorean lists upon the twelfth day wee landed at Naples Where being disbarked I gave God thankes upon my flexed knees for my safe arrivall in Christendome and meeting there with the Earle of Bothwell and Captaine George Hepburne I embraced the way to Rome being sixe score and ten miles distance where I stole one nights lodging privately and on the morrow earely departing thence and crossing Tyber I visited these Townes in Italy before I courted the Alpes Siena Florence Luca Pisa Genoa Bullogna Parma Pavia Piacenza Mantua Milane and Torine the comendation of which Cities rest revolv'd in these following Verses Illustrat at Saenas patriae facundia Lingua Splendida solertes nutrit Florentia Cives Liberaluca tremit ducibus vicina duobus Flent Pisa amissum dum contemplantur honorem Genua habet portum mercesque domesque superbas Excellit studiis facundo Bononia cunctis Commendant Parmam lac caseus atque butirum Italicos versus prefert Papia Latinis Non caret Hospitiis per pulchra placentia caris Mantua gaudet aquis ortu decorata Maronis Est Mediolanum jucundum nobile magnum Taurinum exornant virtus pietasque fidesque Having passed Torine and its Princely Court whose present Duke might have beene the mirrour of nobility I kept my way through Piemont or Pedemontano the sister of Lombardy and second Garden of Europe and crossing the steepe and Snowy Mountaine of Mont Cola di Tenda the highest Hill of all the Alpes I found on its top that it reserveth alwayes Gradinian mist for a mile of way long stakes set in the Snow each one a Spears length from another to guide the Passinger his dangerous way of the which stoopes if hee faile hee is lost for ever After I had traversed this difficult passage I had two dayes journey in climbing and thwarting the Rockey and intricated hils of Liguria over which Hanibal had so much adoe to conduct his Army to Italy making a way through the Snow with Fire Vineger and Wine When it was said of him Viam aut inveniet Anniball aut faciet Leaving these Mountaines behind me I arrived at Niece in Provance situate on the Mediterran Sea and passing the Townes Antiâ—o and Cana to night at Furges there were three French murderers set upon mee in a theevish Wood twelve miles long one of which had dogged me hither from Niece Where having extreamely given mee a fearefull chase for a long league and not mending themselves they gave me over Well in the midst of the Wood I found an Hostery and in it two Women and three young Childeren with whom I stayed and lodged all night After I had sup'd and going to bed in came these aforesaid Villaines accompained with my Host where when seene they straight accused
the Dragoman at the rate of forty five Sultans of gold to bring mee safely hither This Sabunck Guide to whom I gave five Sultans thirty five shillings brought us through the most Habitable vallies and best cled passages of the Countrey with Tents where every day once wee found Water Bread Garlick and Onions and sometimes Hennes at twenty Aspers the piece two shillings which we would Rost or scorch dry if trueth may have credite at the very face of the Sunne and so eate them Upon the fift day our Guide leaving us in the after-noon well setled among foure hundred Tents of Numidian Moores or bastard Arabians pitched in a pleasant Valley between two sources of Water wee stayed still there Reposing our selves and refreshing our bodies with Victuals some nine dayes Heere among these Tents I saw Smiths Worke out of cold Iron Horse-shooes and Nayles which is onely molified by the vigorous heate and Raies of the Sunne and the hard hammering of hands upon the Anvile So have I seene it also in Asia I could bee more particular here but Time Paper Printing and charges will not suffer mee And now from hence renewing our Guides from place to place and discending from Savage Moores to Civill Moores wee arrived though with great difficulty and danger safely at Tunneis And to conclude this Eight Part there are three Beglerbegships in the higher and lower Barbary The first is at Trypolis which was taken in by Sinan Bassa from the Knights of Mâ—lta 1551 and commandeth under him eight thousand Tymariots besides sixe thousand Ianizaries The second is at Tunneis the Beglerbeg whereof being of great Authority commandeth under him twelve Sanzacks and thirty five thousand Timariots The the third is that of Algier whose Bassa hath under him fourteene Sanzacks and the commandment of forty thousand Tymariots These are all the Beglerbegs the Great Turke retaineth in Affrick except the great Vizier-Bassa of Aegypt Asia-major and minor he commandeth in severall Provinces and Kingdomes thirty Bassaes or Beglerbegs The Ninth Part. TUnneis beene sightlesse left I sought the Isle Of little Malta famous for the stile Of honour'd Knight-hood drawne from great Saint John Whose Order and the Manner I 'e expone Whence Coasting Sicilie a tripled view I tooke of Aetna Time discussing you A miracle of Metall for its Kind Is nurs'd by Raine and suffled up with wind And thwarting Italy the Venice Gulfe Carindia Carneola the stiffe-streamd Dolf Head-strong Danubio Vienne Austriaes Queene And Kinde Moravia set before mine eyne To Hungary I came and Vallechie The Transilvanian Soile and Moldavie Whence sighting Polle and many Scotsmans face I Kiss'd Sigismonds hand at Warsow place Whence Swethland I and Denmark last bewray Norvegia too in my sought London way Where bin arriv'd safe on the brow of Thames To Court I came and homag'd Royall James ANd now my Wish and my arrivall being both desirous for a while setled in Tunneis I dispatched my Dragoman and the other Barbarian hireling with a greater consideration then my two former conditions allowed me Yet being urged to it by Captaine Ward I freely performed his Direction My Conduct gone and I staying heere Captaine Ward sent twice one of his servants with me to see two sundry Ovens drawne being full of young Chickens which are not hatched by their mothers but in the Furnace being thus The Oven is first spred over with warm Camels dung and upon it the Egges closing the Oven Then behind the Oven there is a daily conveyance of heate venting through a passage beneath the dung just answerable to the naturall warmnesse of the Hens belly upon which moderation within twenty dayes they come to naturall perfection The Oven producing at one time three or foure hundred living Chickens and where defection is every sharer beareth a part of the losse for the Hatcher or Curator is onely Recompensed according to the living numbers be delivered Surely this is an usuall thing almost through all Affricke which maketh that the Hennes with them are so innumerable every where And now it was my good fortune after five Weekes attendance for Transportation being about the 14 of February 1616 to meete here with a Holland ship called the Mermaide of Amsterdam being come from Tituana and bound for Venice and Malta touched here by the way In this time of their staying came one Captaine Danser a Fleming who had beene a great Pirate and Commander at Seas and the onely inveterate enemy of the Moores being imployed by the French King in Ambassage to relieve two and twenty French Barkes that were there Captivated done by the policy of the Bashaw to draw Danser hither notwithstanding that he was then Retired and married in Marseilles Well he is come and Anchored in the Roade accompanied with two French Gentlemen Two of which came a shoare and saluted the Bashaw in Dansers behalfe they are made welcome and the next day the Bashaw went franckly aboord of Danser seconded with twelve followers Danser tooke the presence of the Bashaw for a great favour and mainely feasted him with good cheare great quaffing sounding Trumpets and Roaring shots and none more familiar then the dissembling Bashaw and overjoyed Danser that had relieved the Barks for they were all sent to him that morning not wanting any thing After deepe cups the Bassaw invites him to come a shoare the day following and to dine with him in the Fortresse To the which unhappy Danser granted and the time come he landed with twelve Gentlemen and approaching the Castle was met with two Turks to receive him where having past the draw-bridge the gate shut behind him his company was denied entrance where forthwith Danser being brought before the Bassaw was strictly accused of many ships spoiles and great riches he had taken from the Moores and the mercilesse murther of their lives for he never spared any Whereupon he was straight beheaded and his body throwne over the walles in a ditch which done off went the whole Ordnance of the Fort to have sunke Dansers two ships but they cutting their Cables with much adoe escaped but for the other Gentlemen a shoare the Bassaw sent them very courteously and safely aboord of the redeemed Barks whence they hoised Sailes for Marseilles Loe there was a Turkish policy more sublime crafty then the best Europian a live could have performed A litle while thereafter the aforesaid Hollander being readie to go for Sea I bad good night to generous Ward his forward Runnagats where being imbarked with prosperous windes upon the third day we landed at Malta and there leaving my kind Flemings and their negotiation I courted the shoare saluting againe my former hoste The fift day of my staying here I saw a Spanish Souldier a Maltezen boy burnt to ashes for the publick profession of Sodomy and long ere night there were aboue a hundred Bardassoes whorish boyes that fled away to Sicilie in a Galleyot but not one Bugeron
Snow being in Iuly lying on the septentrion sides of the Hill It was here in this upmost Fornace that Empedocles the Phylosopher cast himselfe in to be reputed for a God Deâ—s immortalis haberi Dum cupit Empedocles ardeâ—tem fervidus Aetnam Insiluit To be a god this curious Wretch desires And casts himselfe in the fierce Aetnean sires As we discended on the North-east side we came to the third and lowest fire which is within a short mile of the Mountaines foote over against Rindatza and if it were not for a sulphurat River which divideth the Towne and the Hill it would be in danger to be burned This last and least fire runne downe in a cumbustible flood from the middle above Anno 1614. Iune 25. Where the Sulphure streames before it congealed falling in a bituminous soyle where Wine and Olives grew there seazed and daily augmenteth more and more having quite spoiled the Lands of two Barons in Rindatza But the king of Spaine in recompence of their miserable mishaps did gratifie them with some of his Crowne lands for their maintenance I speake it credibly I have found the Relickes of these Sulphure streames which have burst foâ—th from the upmost tops of Aetna Westward above twenty miles in the plaine The reason of such ardent disgorgements is thus that when the aboundance of Sulphure being put on edge with excessive Raine and the bitumenous substance still increasing which by the chaps â—lits and hollow chinkes of the ground rent partly by the Sunne and by tâ—e forcing flames is blowne by the Wind as by a paire of Bellowes the valt or vast bosome of which ugly Cell not being able to containe such a compositure of combustible matter it impetuously vomiteth out in an outragious Torrent which precipitately devalleth so long as the heate remaineth and growing cold it congealeth in huge and blacke stones resembling Minerall mettall and full of small holes like to the composed Cinders of a Smiths Forge where with the Houses of nine Townes Circumjacent thereunto are builded This is that place which the Poets did report to bee the shop of Vulcan where Cyclops did frame the thunder-bolts for Iupiter Whereof Virgill doth make his Tract called Aetna Under this hill the Poets faine the Giant Enceladus to be buried whose hot breath fireth the Mountain lying on his face and to conclude of Aetna the grosse Papists hold it to be their Purgatory The chiefe Cities therein are Palermo the seate of the Viceroy situate in the North-west part ouer against Sardinia It is a spacious City and well watered with delicate Fountaines having goodly buildings and large streetes whereof Stradoreale is principall being a mile long In which I haâ—e seene in an evening march a long for Recreation above 60 Coaches a paire of Muleâ—s being tyed to every Coach the Gallies of Sicilia which are ten lye here The second is Messina toward the East over against Regio in Calabria being impregnable and graced with a famous haven having three invincible Castles the chiefe whereof is Saint Salvator by the Sea side there be divers other Bulwarkes of the Towne wals that serve for offensive and defensive forts which is the cause in derision of the Turks they never shut their Gates The third is Syracâ—sa standing on the Southeast Coast fifty miles beyond Aetna and halfe way twixt Messina and Malta a renowned Citty and sometimes the Metropolitane Seate It is famous for the Arthusean springs and Archimedes that most ingenious Mathematitian He was the first Author of the Spheere of which instruments he made one of that bignesse and Arâ—e that one standing within might easily perceive the severall motions of every Celestiall Orbe And when the Romans besieged Syracusa he made such burning glasses that set on fire all their Shippes lying in the Road At last he was slaine by a common Souldier in his studdy at the sacke of the Towne to the great griefe of Marcellus the Romau Generall when he was making plots and drawing figures on the ground how to prevet the assaults of the Romans The fourth is Trapundy in the West over against Biserta in Barbary which yealdeth surpassing fine Salt that is transported to Italy Venice Dalmatia and Greece made onely in some certaine Artificiall Salt pooles by the vigorous beating of the scorching Sunne which monthly they empty and fill The marine here excelleth in Ruby Corall which setteth the halfe of the Towne at work and when refined is dispersed over al Christendom This City is in great request amongst the Papists because of the miraculous Lady heere reputed the Islands Protector and sole Governour of these narrow seas for Ships Gallies and Slaves which indeed if an image cut out in wht Marble were so powerfull it might be credible but besides this Idolatrous title they superstitiously there unto annexe a rabble of absurde lies The first is Catagna placed at the Marine foot of Aetna that was so vexed by Dionisius the Tyrant The sixt is Matzara South-west over against the Barbarian Promontory of Lystra the rest be Rindatza Tâ—rranova Eâ—â—â—a where Pluto is said to have stolne Proserpine Malzâ—ra Francavilla Bronzo Terramigna and Argenti once Agrigentum where the Tyrant Phalaris lived who tortured Perillus in the Brazen Bull which he made for the destruction of others The tyrannies which were used in Sicilia wherein times past so famous that they grew unto this poverbe Invidia Siculi non invenire tyranni tormentum majus The elder and younger Dionisius were such odious tyrants and the third Dionisius worst of all that when the people powred out continuall execrations on the last wishing his death onely one old woman prayed for his life This reason she gave since from the grandfather his father and he each succeeding worser and worser and least said shee he dying the divell should come in his place for a worser never lived I wish him to continue still This Kingdome after it was rent from the Romans remaining in subiection under the French till the yeare 1281 in which Peter of Arragon contrived his purpose so close that at the sound of a Bell to the evening vespers all the French men in Sicilia were cruelly massacred since which time it hath ever belonged to the house of Arragon and now of Spaine which exploit masketh under the name of Vesperi Siculi For nobility this Island may compare with Naples their stiles like unto Italy are great but their revenewes wonderous small The Sicilians have a Proverb as having experience of both that the French are wiser then they seeme and the Spaniards seeme wiser then they are And even as the Spaniard is extreame proud in the lowest ebbe of Forune So is the French man exceeding impatient cowardly desperate and quite discouraged in the pinch of sterne calamity The Spaniard and the French man have an absolute opposition and conditionall disagreement in all fashions and in their riding both different and defective For the
Spaniard rideth like a Monkey mounted on a Camell with his knees and heeles alike aside sitting on the sadle like to a halfe ballast ship tottering on top-tempestous waves And the French man hangeth in the stirrop at the full reach of his great toe with such a long-legged ostentation pricking his horse with neck-stropiat spurs and beating the winde with his long waving limbes even as the Turkes usually doe when they are tossed at their Byrham hanging between two high trees reciprocally waving in the ayre from the force of two long bending ropes The women ride here stradling in the saddle and if double the man sitteth behind the woman The women also after the death of their friends keepe a ceremonious mourning twice a day for a moneths space with such yelping howling shouting and clapping of hands as if all Sicilia were surprised by the Moores Yet neither shedding teares nor sorrowfull in heart for they will both hollow and laugh at one time The same custome for the dead the Turkes observe and all the Oriental people of Asia This Island finally is famous for the worthy Schollers shee once produced Archimedes the great Mathematician Empidocles the first inventer of Rhetorick Euclide the textuary Geometrician Diodorus Siculus that renowned Historian and Aeshilus the first Tragedian of fame who being walking in the fields and bald through age by chance an Eagle taking his bald pate for a white rocke let a shel-fish fall on it of that bignesse that it beat out his braides But to proceede in my itinerary relation having twice imbarked at Messina for Italy from Asia and Africke I have choosed the last time double experience deeper knowledge for the discourse of my departure thence After a generall surueigh of this Island and Monto Bello arriving at Messiua Anno 1616 August 20 I encountred with a worshipfull English Gentleman Mr. Stydolffe Esquire of his Maiesties body accompained with my Countrey man Mr. Wood now servant to Iames Earle of Carlile who instantly were both come from Malta the generous affability of which former Gentleman to mee in no small measure was extended meeting also afterward at Naples as in the one place shall be succinctly touched Here I found some 60 Christian Gallies assembled to the Faire of Messina which holdeth every yeare the 17 of August Wherein all sorts of Merchandize are to be sold especially raw Silke in abundance thirty of which Gallies went to scoure the coasts of Greece Messinai foure miles distant from Rhegio in Calabria and two miles from the opposite Maine This Regium was that Towne where Saint Paul arrived after his shipwracke at Malta in his voyage to Rome it was miserably sacked by the Turkish Gallies of Constantinople Anno 1609 but now by the Spaniards it is repared with stronger walls and new fortifications sufficiently able to gaine-stand any such like accidentall invasions In this time of mine abode here their happily arrived from Italy my singular good friend Mr. Mathew Dowglas his Majesties Chirurgion extraordinary being bound also for the Levant in the same voyage of the Christian incursions against the infiedls whose presence to me after so long a sight of Hethnike strangers was exceeding comfortable and did there propine him with this Sonnet which I made on Aetna as the peculiarbadge of my innated love High stands thy top but higher looks mine eye High soares thy smoake but higher my desire High are thy rounds steepe circled as I see But higher far this brest whilest I aspire High mounts the fury of thy burning fire But higher far mine aimes transcend above High bends thy force through midst of Vulcans ire But higher flies my sprite with wings of love High presse thy flames thy Christiall aire to move But higher moves the scope of my engine High lieth the sâ—ow on the proud tops I prove But higher up ascends my brave designe Thy height cannot surpasse this cloudy frame But my poore soule the highest heavens doth claime Meane while with paine I climb to view thy tops Thy hight makes fall from me ten thousand drops Here in Messina I found the somtimes great English Gallant Sir Francis Verny lying sick in a Hospitall whom sixe weekes before I had met in Palermo Who after many misfortunes in exhausting his large patrimony abandoning his Countrey and turning Turk in Tunneis he was taken at Sea by the Sicilian Gallies In one of which he was two yeares a slave whence hee was redeemed by an English Iesuit upon a promise of his conversion to the Christian faith When set at liberty hee turned common Souldier and herein the extreamest calamity of extreame miseries contracted Death Whose dead Corpes I charitably interred in the best manner time could affoord me strength bewailing sorrowfully the miserable mutability of fortune who from so great a Birth had given him so meane a Buriall and truly so may I say Sic transit gloria mundi After sixteene dayes attendance for passage there fortunately accoasted heere twelve Neapolitan Gallies come from Apulia and bound for Naples in the one of which by favour of Marquesse Dell Sancta Cruce the Generall I imbarked and so set forward through the narrow Seas which divide Italy and Sicilia The strait whereof is 24 miles in length in bredth 6 4 and 2 miles This Sea is called the faro of Messina and fretum Siculum at the West end whereof we met with two contrary chopping tides which somewhat rusling like unto broken Seas did choake the Gallies with a strugling force Incidit in Scyllam Cupiens vitare Charibdim Who strive to shunne the hard Calabrian coast On sandy Scilla wrestling they are lost Yet of no such eminent perill or repugnable Currents as be in the fifth of Stronza Westra especially Pentland firth which divideth Katnes from Pemonia the maine Land of Orknay wherein who unskilfully looseth from eyther sides may quickly loose sight both of Life and Land for ever As we entred in the Gulfe of Saint Eufemit we â—etched up the little Isle of Strombolo This Isolet is a round Rock and a mile in Compasse growing to the top like to a Pomo or Pyramide and not much unlike the Isolets of Basse and Elsey through the toppe whereof as through a Chimney arriseth a continuall fire and that so terrible and furiously casting forth great stones flames that neither Galley nor Boate dare Coast or boord it South from hence and in sight thereof on the North Coast of Sicily lie the two Islands Valcan Maior and Minor whereof the lesser perpetually burneth and the greater is long since consumed On the fourth day we touched at Ischa the greatest Isle belonging to Naples and 20 miles in Circuite being strongly begirded with Rockey heights The chiefe Towne is Ischa whither Ferdinando of Naples fled being thrust out of his Kingdome by Charles the eight There is a Fountaine here of that incredible heate that in short time will boile any fish or flesh put
bruised Latine seldome or never expressed unlesse the force of quaffing spew it out forth from their empty Sculs Such I say interclude their Doctrine betweene the Thatch and the Church-wall tops and yet their smallest stipends shall amount to one two three or foure hundred pounds a yeare Whereupon you may demand mee how spend they or how deserve they this I answer their deserts are nought and the fruit thereof as naughtily spent for Sermons and Prayers they never have any neither never preached any nor can preach And although some could as perhaps they seemeing would they shall have no Auditour as they say but bare Walles the plants of their Parishes being the rootes of meere Irish. As concerning their carriage in spending such sacrilegious Fees the course is thus The Alehouse is their Church the Irish Priests their Consorts their Auditors be Fill and Fetch more their Text Spanish Sacke their Prayers carrousing their singing of Psalmes the whiffing of Tobacco their last blessing Aqua vitae and all their Doctrine sound drunkennesse And whensoever these parties meet their paâ—ting is Dane-like from a Dutch Pot and the Minister still Purse-bearer defrayeth all charges for the Priest Arguments of Religion like Podolian Polonians they â—uccumbe their conference onely pleading mutuall forbearance the Minister affraid of the Priests Wood-Carnes and the Priests as fearefull of the Ministers apprehending or denoting them contracting thereby a Gibeonized covenant yea and for more submissions sake hee will give way to the Priest to mumble Masse in his Church where he in all his life made never Prayer nor Sermon Loe there are some of the abuses of our late weak and stragling Ecclesiasticks there and the soule-sunk sorrow of godlesse Epicures and Hypocrites To all which and much more have I beene an occular Testator and sometimes a constrayned consociate to their companionry yet not so much inforced as desirous to know the behaviour and conversation of such mercenary Iebusites Great God amend it for it is great pitty to behold it and if it continue so still as when I saw them last O farre better it were that these ill bestowed Tythes and Church-wall Rents were distributed to the poore and needy than to suffocate the swine-fed bellies of such idle and prophane Parasites And here another generall abuse I observed that whensoever any Irish dye the friends of the defunct besides other fees paying twenty shillings to the English Curat shall get the corpes of the deceased to bee buried within the Church yea often even under the Pulpit foote And for lucre interre in Gods Sanctuary when dead who when alive would never approach one enter the gates of Sion to worship the Lord nor conforme themselves to true Religion Truely such and the like abuses and evill examples of lewd lives having beene the greatest hinderance of that lands conversion for such like wolues have beene from time to time but stumbling blocks before them regarding more their owne sensuall and licentious ends than the glory of God in converting of one foule unto his Church Now as concerning the conscionable carriage of the Hybernian Cleargie aske mee and there my reply As many of them for the most part as are Protestant Ministers have their Wives Children and Servants invested Papists and many of these Church-men at the houre of their death like Dogs returne backe to their former vomit Witnesse the late Vicar of Calin belonging to the late and last Richard Earle of Desmond who being on death-bed and having two hundred pounds a yeare finding himselfe to forsake both life and stipend send straight for a Romish Priest and received the Papall Sacrament Confessing freely in my audience that hee had beene a Roman Catholicke all his life dissembling onely with his Religion for the better maintaining of his wife and children And being brought to his burial place he was interted in the Church with the which he had played the Ruffian all his life being openly carried at mid-day with Jesuites Priests and Friers of his owne Nation and after a contemptible manner in derision of our profession and Laws of the Kingdome Infinite more examples of this kinde could I recite and the like resemblances of some being alive â—ut I respectively suspend wishing a Reformation of such Deformation and so concludeth this Cleargicall corruption there Yet I would not have the Reader to thinke that I condemne all our Cleargie there no God forbid for I know there are many sound and Religious Preachers of both Kingdomes among them who make conscience of their calling and live as Lanthornes to uncapable Ignorants and to those stragling Stoicks I complain of condemnatory Judges for it is a grievous thing to see incapable men to juggle with the high mysteries of mans salvation And now after the fastidious ending of a tempestuous Raine sacking toyle I imbarked at Yoghall in Munster February 27 1620 in a little French Pinke bound for Saint Mallo in Bretagne Where when transported I set face to Paris where I found the Works of two scelerate and perverse Authours the one of which had disdainfully wrote against the life and Reigne of Queene Elizabeth of sempiternall Renowne the other ignominiously upon the death of our late Queene Anne of ever blessed memory The circumstances whereof I will not avouch since Malaga detaineth the notes of their abjured names and perfidiate pains A just reward may I say refounded upon these fond conceits you have of the fantasticke French Especially these superstitious straglers here who when they have sucked the Milke of their self-ends and your lavish Liberalities without desert returne a kicke with their heeles like to the Colt of an Asse in your teeth againe And there your meritorious thankes and their shamefull slanders in acquittance of your vaine Expence Tell mee if you be tied like Apes to imitate their ever-changing humours And can you draw from them in any Art or carriage a greater draught then they draw from the Italian for first they be Imitators next Mutators thirdly Temptators and lastly your Plantators in all the varieties of vanity Have you a desire to learne modestly to Dance skilfully to Fence dexteriously to manage Great Horses view Forraine Sights learn Languages Humane policies and the like conducements Then rather reach the Fountain whence they flow Whence Science Arts and Practice lively grow Than suck the streams of separate distasts He well derives his labour never wasts Fond Fools affect what foolery Fools effect The sequell sight than sense doth more infect Besides these two infamous Authors what hath Edee the Idea of a Knave and Gentleman of the French privy-chamber done who like a Wood-weather-cock and giddy headed Foole full of deficient Vapours hath shamefully stained with his shamelesse pen the light of this Kingdome which now I omit to avouch till a fitter time Thus they fondly Write thus they prattle thus they sing thus they dance thus they brangle thus they dally in capritziate humours and
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
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
verdict for Heauens Ode Ascribd this clause commit thy worke to God O sacred Motto Bishop Sinclairs straine Who turned â—iffes Lord on Scotlands foes agayne Loe here 's the Armes of Cathnes here 's the Stock On which branch'dâ—boughes relye as on a Rocke But further in I foundlike Armes more patent To kinde Sir William and his line as latent The Primier Accade of that noble race Who for his vertue may reclayme the place Whose Armes with tongue and buckle now they make Fast crosse signe ty'd for a faire Leslyes sake The Lyon hunts o're Land the Ship the Sea The ragged Crosse can scale high wals wee see The wing-layd Gally with her factious oares Both Havens and Floods command and circling shoares The featherd Griffon flees O grim limbd beast That winging Sea and Land vpholdâ— this Creist But for the Pelicans life sprung kind Story Makes honour sing Virtute et Amore. Nay not by blood us she her selfe can do But by her paterne feeding younglings too For which this Patrones Crescent stands so stay That neither Spight nor Tempest can shake Maij Whose Cutchions cleave so fast to 〈…〉 Portends to mee his Armes shall ever bide So Murckles Armes are so except the Rose Spred on the Crosse which Bothwels Armes disclose Whose Vtetine blood he is and present Brother To Cathnes Lord all three sprung from one Mother Bothwels prime Heretrix plight to Hepburnes Race From whom Religious Murckles Rose I trace This Countries instant Shrieve whose Vertue rais'd His honourâ—d worth his godly life more prais'd But now to rouze their Rootes and how they Sprung See how Antiquity Times triumph Sung This Scaller worth them blâ—nch'd for endeavour And Service done to Englands Conquerour With whom from France they first to Britaine came Sprung from a Towne St. Claire now turn'd their name Whose Predecessours by their Val'rous hand Wonne endlesse Fame twice in the Holyâ—Land Where in that Christian Warre their blood beene lost They loath'd of Gaule and sought our Aâ—bion Coast. Themselves to Scotland came in Cammoires Raigne With good Queene Mâ—rgret and her English traine The Ship from Oâ—knay sayl'd now rul'd by Charles Whereof they Sinclairs long time had beene Earles Whose Lord then William was by Scotlands King Call'd Robert Second First whence Stewarts Spring Sent with his second Sonne to France cross'd Iames Who eighteene yeares liu'd Captivate at Thames This Prisner last turn'd King call'd Iames the First Who Sinclairs Credit kept in Honours thirst The Galley was the Badge of Cathnes Lords As Malcome Cammoirs raigne at lenght Records Which was to Magnus given for Service done Against Mackbaith vsurper of his Crowne The Lyon came by an Heretrix to passe By Marriage whose Sire was surnam'd Dowglas Where after him the Sinclair now Record Was Shriefe of Dumfreis ' and Nidsdales Lord Whose wife was Neece to good King Iames the Third Who for exchange twixt Wicke and Southerne Nidde Did Lands incambiat whence this Cathnes Soile Stands fast for them the rest their Friends recoile Then Circle-bounded Cathnes Cinclairs ground Which Pentland Firth invirones Orknayes sound Whose top is Dunkanes Bay the Root the Ord Long may it long stand fast for their true Lord And as long too Heavens grant what I require The Race of Maij may in that Stocke aspire Till any Age may last Times glasse be runne For Earths last darke Ecclipse of no more Sunne Forsaking Cathnes I imbraced the trembling Surges at Dungsby of strugling Neptune which ingorgeth Pentland or Pictland Firth with nine contrarious Tides eath Tide over-thwarting another with repugnant courses have such violent streames and combustious waves that if these dangerous Births be not rightly taken in passing over the Passengers shall quickely loose sight of life and land for ever yea and one of these tides so forciâ—le at the backe of Stromaij that it will carry any Vessell back ward in despight of the winds the length of its rapinous current This dreadfull Firth is in breadth betweene the Continent of Cathnes and the I le of South Rannaldshaw in Orknay twelve miles And I devote this credibly in a part of the Northwest end of this Gulfe there is a certaine place of sea where these destracted tydes make their rancountering Randevouze that whirleth ever about cutting in the middle circle a devalling hole with which if either Ship or Boat shall happen to encroach they must quickly either throw over some thing into it as a Barrell a peice of timber and such like or that fatall Euripus shall then suddenly become their swallowing Sepulcher A custome which these bordering Cathenians and Orcadians have ever heretofore observed Arriv'd at South Rannaldshaw an Ile of five miles long and thwarting the I le of Burray I sighted Kirkwall the Metropâ—le of Pomonia the mayne Land of Orknay and the onely Mistresse of all the circumjacent Iles being thirty in number The chiefest whereof besides this tract of ground in length twenty sixe and broad five sixe and seven miles are the Iles of Sanda Westra and Stronza Kirkwall it selfe is adorned with the stately and magnifick Church of St. Magnus built by the Danes whose Signiory with the Iles lately it was but indeed for the time present more beautified with the godly life of a most venerable and religious Bishop Mr. George Grahame whom now I may tearme Soveraignity excepted to be the Father of the Countries government then an Ecclesiasticke Prelat The Inhabitants being left void of a Governour or solid Patron are just become like to a broken battell a scattered people without a head hauing but a Burges-Shreiue to administer Iustice and he also an Aliene to them and a Resider in Edenburgh So that in most differences and questions of importance the Plaintiues are inforced to implore the Bishop for their Iudge and hee the aduerse Party for redresse But the more remote pâ—rts of this auncient little Kingdome as Zetland and the adiacent Iles there haue found such a sting of deâ—ccular gouerment within these few yeares that these once happy Iles Which long agoe my feet traded ouer are Metamorphosed in the Anatomy of succourlesse oppression and the felicity of the Inhabitants reinuolued within the closet of a Cittadinean cluster But now referring the whole particulars and diuidual descriptions of these Septentrion Iles the mayne continent and the Gigantick Hebridian Iles to my aforesayd worke to be published intitulated Lithgows surueigh of Scotland I send this generall verdict to the world Now having seene most part of thy selfe glore Great Kingdomes Ilands stately Courts rich Townes Most gorgeous showes pomp-glory deckt renownes Hearbagious fields the Pelage-beating shoare Propitious Princes Prelats potent Crownes Smoake shadow'd times curst Churles Misers Clownes Impregnate Forts devalling floods and more Earth-gazing heights Vayle curling Plaines in store Court-rasing honours throwne on envies frownes Worme-vestur'd workes Enamild Arts wits lore Masse-marbled Mansions Mineralls coynd Ore State-superficiall showes swift-glyding Moones I â—oath thy sight pale streames staine watry
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