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land_n	find_v	great_a	king_n	3,579	5	3.5272	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06339	A report of the kingdome of Congo, a region of Africa And of the countries that border rounde about the same. 1. Wherein is also shewed, that the two zones torrida & frigida, are not onely habitable, but inhabited, and very temperate, contrary to the opinion of the old philosophers. 2. That the blacke colour which is in the skinnes of the Ethiopians and Negroes &c. proceedeth not from the sunne. 3. And that the Riuer Nilus springeth not out of the mountains of the Moone, as hath been heretofore beleeued: together with the true cause of the rising and increasing thereof. 4. Besides the description of diuers plants, fishes and beastes, that are found in those countries. Drawen out of the writinges and discourses of Odoardo Lopez a Portingall, by Philippo Pigafetta. Translated out of Italian by Abraham Hartwell.; Relatione del reame di Congo. English	Lopes, Duarte.; Pigafetta, Filippo, 1533-1604.; Hartwell, Abraham, b. 1553.; Rogers, William, b. ca. 1545, engraver. aut	1597 (1597)	STC 16805; ESTC S108820	127,173	219

planted the christian religion in the Kingdome of Congo and thereupon the king of Congo became a Christian. After which time the Lorde of Angola was alwaies in amitie and as it were a vassall of the forenamed King of Congo and the people of both countries did trafficke together one with another and the Lord of Angola did euery yeare sende some presents to the king of Congo And by licence from the King of Congo there was a great trade betweene the Portingalles and the people of Angola at the hauen of Loanda where they bought slaues and chaunged them for other marchaundises and so transported all into the Isle of Sainte Thomas Whereby it came to passe that the trafficke was heere vnited with the trafficke of S. Thomas so that the shippes did vse first to arriue at that Islande and then afterwarde passed ouer to Loanda And when this trade began in processe of time to increase they dispatched their shippes from Lisbone to Angola of themselues and sent with them a Gouernour called Paulo Diaz of Nouais to whome this busines did as it were of right appertaine in regarde of the good desertes of his auncesters who first discouered this trafficke To this Paulo Diaz did Don Sebastiano King of Portingale graunt leaue and authority to conquere for the space of xxxiij leagues vpwardes along the coast beginning at the Riuer Coanza towards the South and within the lande also whatsoeuer hee coulde get towardes all his charges for him and his heyres With him there went many other shippes that opened and found out a great trade with Angola which notwithstanding was directed to the foresaide hauen of Loanda where the saide shippes did still discharge themselues And so by little little he entred into the firme land made himselfe a house in a certain village called Anzelle within a mile neer to the riuer Coanza because it was the more commodious nigher to the trafficke of Angola When the trade here beganne thus to increase and marchaundises were freely caried by the Portingales the people of Congo to Cabazo a place belonging to the Lorde of Angola and distant from the sea 150. miles there to sell and barter them it pleased his Lordship to giue out order that all the Marchants should be slaine and their goods confiscated alleadging for his defence that they were come thether as spies and to take possession of his estate but in truth it is thought that hee did it onely to gaine all that wealth to himselfe considering that it was a people that did not deale in the habite of warriours but after the manner of Marchants And this fell out in the same yeare that the King Don Sebastiano was discomfited in Barbarie When Paulo Diaz vnderstoode of this course he put himselfe in armes against the King of Angola and with such a troupe of Portingals as he could gather together that were to bee founde in that countrey and with two Gallies and other vessels which he kept in the riuer Coanza he went forwarde on both sides of the riuer conquering and by force subdued many Lords and made them his frendes and subiectes But the king of Angola perceyuing that his vassalles had yeelded to the obedience of Paulo Diaz and that with all prosperous successe he had gayned much land vpon him he assembled a great army to go against him and so vtterly to destroy him Whereupon Paulo Diaz requested the King of Congo that he woulde succour him with some helpe to defende himselfe withall who presently sent vnto him for aid an army of 60 thousand men vnder the conduct of his cosin Don Sebastiano Manibamba and another captayne with 120. Portingale souldiers that were in those countryes and all of his owne pay for the atchieuing of this enterprise This army was to ioyne with Paulo Diaz and so altogether to warre against the King of Angola but arriuing at the shoare where they were to passe ouer the riuer Bengo within 12. miles of Loāda where they shoulde haue met with many barkes to carry the Campe to the other shore partly because the said barks had slacked their cōming partly because much time wold haue been spent in transporting so many men the whole armie tooke their way quite ouer the riuer and so going on forwardes they met with the people of the King of Angola that were ready to stoppe the souldiers of Congo from entering vpon their Countrey The military order of the Mociconghi for by that terme we do call the naturall borne people of the kingdome of Congo as wee call the Spaniardes those that are naturally borne in Spaine and the military order of the people of Angola is almost all one For both of them doo vsually fight on foote and diuide their armie into seuerall troupes fitting themselues according to the situation of the field where they doo incampe aduancing their ensignes and banners in such sort as before is remembrd The remoues of their armie are guided and directed by certaine seuerall soundes and noyses that proceede from the Captayne Generall who goeth into the middest of the Armie and there signifieth what is to bee put in execution that is to say eyther that they shall ioyne battell or els retyre or put on forward or turne to the right hand and to the leaft hand or to performe any other warlick action For by these seueral sounds distinctly deliuered frō one to another they doe all vnderstande the commandementes of their Captayne as we heere among vs doo vnderstande the pleasure of our Generall by the sundrie stroakes of the Drumme and the Captaines soundes of the Trompet Three principall soundes they haue which they vse in warre One which is vttered aloude by great Rattles fastned in certaine woodden cases hollowed out of a tree and couered with leather which they strike with certaine little handles of Iuory Another is made by a certaine kinde of instrument fashioned like a Pyramis turned vpwarde for the lower ende of it is sharpe and endeth as it were in a point and the vpper end waxeth broader broader like the bottom of a Triangle in such sort that beneath they are narrow like an Angle aboue they are large and wide This instrument is made of certayne thinne plates of iron which are hollowe and empty within and very like to a bell turned vp side downe They make them ring by striking them with woodden wandes and oftentimes they do also cracke them to the ende that the sound should be more harsh horrible and warlicke The thirde instrument is framed of Elephants teeth some great and some small hollowe within and blowen at a certaine hole which they make on the side of it in manner of the Fife and not aloft like the Pipe These are tempered by them in such sort that they yeelde as warlicke and harmonious musicke as the Cornet doth and so pleasant and iocund a noyse that it moueth and

marchants shippe the Negroes goe forth with their boates to fetch them and to take the oyle out of them which being mingled with pitch they vse to trimme their vessels withall Vpon the ridges or backes of these creatures there growe many Shelfishes made like Snailes Cockles and Whelkes whereof Signor Odoardo affirmed that hee had seene great store He was also of opinion that Amber commeth not from these fishes For ouer all the coast of Congo where there is an infinite number of them you shal not finde either Ambregriz or any other Amber blacke or white in any place And yet if it should come from these creatures there must haue beene of necessity great store of it founde vpon these Shores The principall hauen of this Island hath his entrance towardes the North and on that side it is halfe a mile broade and of a very great depth Vpon the firme land directly ouer against the Island is a towne called villa di San Paulo altogether inhabited with Portingalles and their wiues which they brought with them out of Spaine and yet it is not fortified All this channell is very full of fish especially of Sardinaes and of Anchioues whereof there is so great store that in the winter time they will of themselues leape vp to land Other kindes of most excellent fishes there are as Soles and Sturgeons and Barbelles and all manner of dainty fish and great Crabbes in straunge aboundance and all very wholesome so that the greatest parte of the people that dwel about the banks there do liue vpon them Into this channell runneth the Riuer called Bengo which is a very great one nauigable vpwardes xxv miles This Riuer with that other of Coanza whereof I tolde you before doe make the Isle of Loanda because when their waters do meete together they leaue their sande and filth behind them and so increase the Island There runneth also into it another great Riuer called Dande which wil receiue vessels of an hundred tunne then another Riuer called Lemba which neither hath Hauen neyther do any Shippes enter into it Very neere vnto this there is also another Riuer called Ozone which issueth out of the same Lake whence Nilus likewise springeth and it hath a hauen Next to Ozone there is another called Loze without any hauen and then another great one with a hauen called Ambriz which runneth within foure leagues neere to the Royall Citty of Congo Last of all is the Riuer Lelunda which signifieth a Trowtfish and watereth the rootes of that great hil wheron the pallace of Congo standeth called by the Portingalles the Oteiro This Riuer Lelunda springeth out of the same Lake from whence Coanza issueth and taketh into it by the way another Riuer that commeth from the great Lake and when it doth not raine then you may passe ouer Lelunda on foote because it hath so little store of water in it Next vnto this is the Zaire a huge Riuer and a large and in deed the greatest in all the kingdome of Congo The original of this Riuer commeth out of three Lakes one is the great Lake from whence Nilus springeth the second is the little Lake aboue mentioned and the third is the second great Lake which Nilus engendreth And certainely when you will consider the aboundance of water that is in this Riuer you will say that there was no nede to haue any fewer or lesser springes to make so huge a streame as this carrieth For in the very mouth of it which is the onely entraunce into it the Riuer is 28. myles broad and when it is in the height of his increase he runneth fresh water 40. or 50. miles into the sea and sometimes 80. so that the passengers doe refresh themselues withal by the troublesomnes of the water they know the place where they are It is nauigable vpwardes with great barkes about 25. miles vntill you come to a certaine straite betweene the rockes where it falleth with such a horrible noise that it may be hearde almost 8. miles And this place is called by the Portingalles Cachiuera that is to say a Fall or a Cataracte like to the Cataractes of Nilus Betweene the mouth of this Riuer and the fall thereof there are diuers great Islands well inhabited with townes and Lordes obedient to the king of Congo which sometimes for the great enmitie that is among them doo warre one against another in certaine boates hollowed out of a stocke of a tree which is of an vnmesurable bignes these boats they call Lungo The greatest boates that they haue are made of a certaine tree called Licondo which is so great that sixe men cannot compasse it with their armes and is in length of proportion aunswerable to the thicknesse so that one of them will carrie about 200. persons They rowe these boates with their oares which are not tyed to any loopes but they holde them at libertie in their handes and moue the water therewith at pleasure Euery man hath his oare and his bowe and when they fight together they lay downe their oare and take their bowe Neyther do they vse any other Rudders to turne and gouerne their boates but onely their oares The first of these Islandes which is but a little one is called the Isle of Horses because there are bredde and brought vp in it great store of those creatures that the Greekes call Hippopotami that is to say Water-horses In a certaine village within this Islande doe the Portingals dwel hauing withdrawen themselues thether for their better securitie They haue their vesselles to transporte them ouer the water to the firme lande vpon the south banke of the Riuer which lande is called the hauen of Pinda where many shippes doe ryde that arriue therein In this Riuer there are liuing diuerse kinds of creatures and namely mighty great Crocodiles which the Countrey people there call Caiman and Water-horses aboue named And another kind of creature that hath as it were two hands and a taile like a Target which is called Ambize Angulo that is to say a Hogge-fishe because it it as fat as a Porke The flesh of it is very good and thereof they make Larde and so keepe it neyther hath it the sauour or taste of a fish although it bee a fishe It neuer goeth out from the fresh water but feedeth vpon the grasse that groweth on the banks hath a mouth like the mozell of an Oxe There are of these fishes that weigh 500. poundes a peece The fishermen vse to take them in their little boates by marking the places where they feed and then with their hookes and forkes striking and wounding them they drawe them dead forth of the water and when they haue cut them in peeces they carry them to the king For who soeuer doth not so encurreth the penaltie of death and so doe they likewise that

take the Trowt and the Tenche and another Fishe called Cacongo which is shaped after the likenes of a Salmon sauing that it is not red but indeed so far it is that it quencheth out the fire whiles it is rosted or broiled Other fishes also there are that are called Fishes Royall which are carried to the king vpon very seuere and rigorous punishmentes by open proclamation to be inflicted on such as shall do the contrary besides other kindes of fishes that are taken in this Riuer the names whereof we thinke it superfluous here to recite Beyonde this Riuer of Congo there commeth downe another Riuer which the Portingalles call La Baia delas Almadias that is to say the Golfe of Barkes because there are great store of them that are made there by reason of the aboundance of woods trees that growe thereabouts which are fit for that vse and wherewith all the Countries round about do furnish themselues At the mouth of this Bay there are three Islandes one great Isle in the middle of the Channell which maketh a conuenient hauen for small vesselles and two other lesse but none of them inhabited A little higher runneth another streame not verye great which is called De las Barreras Rossas of the redde Clay-pittes because it floweth from among certaine Rockes of hils whose earth is died with a redde colour where also there is a very high mountain called by the Portingals La Sierra Gomplida that is to say The long Mountaine And yet going vp a little further there are two Golfes of the sea in the likenesse of a paire of Spectacles wherein is a good heauen called La Baia d' Aluaro Gonzales that is the Golfe of Aluaro Gonzales Beyonde all these are certaine hilles and shoars not worth the remembrance vntill you come to the Promontorie that is called by the Portingalles Capo de Caterina which is the border of the kingdome of Congo towardes the Equinoctiall and is distant from the Equinostiall line two degrees and a halfe which is 150 Italian miles Chap. 5. Of the North coast of the Kingdome of Congo and the confines thereof NOw from Capo de Caterina on the North side beginneth another border or Coast of the kingdome of Congo which Eastwarde stretcheth it selfe to the place where the Riuer Vuniba ioyneth with the Riuer Zaire contayning the space of 600. miles and more Beyonde this coast of Congo towardes the North and vnder the Equinoctiall lyne vpon the sea shoare and about 200. miles within lande comprehending in that reckoning the foresaide Golfe of Lope Gonzales the people called the Bramas doo inhabite in a Countrey that is nowe called the kingdome of Loango and the king thereof Mani-Loango that is to say the King of Loango The Countrey hath great aboundance of Elephantes whose teeth they exchange for iron whereof they make their arrowe heades their kniues and such other instrumentes In this Countrey also they weaue certaine cloath of the leaues of Palme trees in sundry sorts as wee shal tell you in some other place of this narration The king of Loango is in amity with the King of Congo and the report is that in times past he was his vassaile The people are circumcised after the manner of the Hebrues like as also the rest of the nations in those countries vse to be They do traffick together one with another sometimes make war against their neighbors are altogether of the same nature whereof the people of Congo are Their armour are long targets which couer almost all their bodies made of very hard thicke hides of a certaine beast called Empachas somwhat lesse then an Oxe with hornes like the hornes of a Coate this Creature is also bred in Germanie and is called a Dante The hides thereof are transported out of these countreyes and out of the kingdome of Congo into Portingale and from thence into Flanders where they are dressed and then they make ierkens of them as good as breastplates and corselets which they call iackets of Dante Their weapons offensiue are dartes with long and large heads of iron like Partizans or like the auncient Roman Pilum or Iauelin the staues whereof are of proportionable length to cast hauing in the middest of them a certaine peece of wood which they take in their hands and so with greater force and violence discharge their dartes They carry also certaine daggers which are in shape much like to the heads of their dartes Beyond the kingdome of Loango are the people called Anzigues of whom wee shall deliuer vnto you a history which in truth is very strange and almost incredible for the beastly and cruell custome that they vse in eating mans flesh yea and that of the neerest kinsefolkes they haue This countrey towards the sea on the West bordereth vpon the people of Ambus and towardes the North vpon other nations of Africa and the wildernes of Nubia and towardes the East vpon the seconde great Lake from whence the Riuer of Congo springeth in that parte which is called Anzicana and from the kingdome of Congo it is diuided by the Riuer Zaire wherein there are many Islandes as before is tolde you scattered from the lake downewardes some of them belonging to the dominion of the Anzigues by which Riuer also they do trafficke with the people of Congo In this kingdome of the Anzigues there are many Mines of Copper and great quantitie of Sanders both redde and graie the red is called Tauilla and the graie which is the better esteemed is called Chicongo whereof they make a poulder of a verie sweet smell and diuerse medicines They do also mingle it with the oyle of Palme tree and so annoynting all their bodyes ouerwithall they preserue themselues in health But the Portingalles vse it being tempered with Vinegar which they lay vpon their pulses so heale the French Pockes which they call in that language Chitangas Some doe affirme that this gray Sanders is the very Lignum Aquilae that groweth in India and Signor Odoardo affirmed that the Portingals haue proued it for the heade ake by laying it on the coales and taking the smoake of it The pith and innermost parte of the tree is the best but the vtter parte is of no estimation They make great store of linnen of the Palme tree both of sundry sortes and coloures and much cloth of silke whereof we will discourse more hereafter The people are subiect to a king that hath other princes vnder him they are very actiue and warlike They are ready to take armes and doo fight on foote Their weapons are different from the weapons of all other people rounde about them for their bowes are small and short made of wood and wrapped about with serpents skins of diuers colours and so smoothly wrought that you woulde thinke them to be all one with the wood And this they doo both to make the

had receiued the Water of Holy Baptisme and the knowledge of the liuing God Now the King hauing gathered together all these abhominable Images and put them into diuers houses within the Cittie and commanded that to the same place where a little before hee had fought and vanquished his brothers Armie euery man should bring a burthen of woode which grew to be a great heape when they had cast into it all the said Idoles pictures and whatsoeuer els the people afore that time held for a God he caused fire to be set vnto them and so vtterly consumed them When he had thus done he assembled all his people together and in steed of their Idoles which before they had in reuerence hee gaue them Crucifixes and Images of Saintes which the Portingalles had brought with them and enioyned euery Lord that euery one in the Cittie of his owne Gouernment and Regiment shoulde builde a Church and set vp Crosses as he had already shewed vnto them by his owne example And then he tolde them and the rest of his people that hee had dispatched an Embassadour into Portingall to fetch Priestes that should teach them Religion and administer the most holy and holesome Sacraments to euery one of them and bring with them diuers Images of Christ of the Virgin Mother and of other Saintes to distribute among them In the meane while hee willed them to bee of good comfort and to remaine constant in the faith But they had so liuely imprinted the same in their hartes that they neuer more remembred their former beliefe in false and lying Idoles He ordayned moreouer that there shoulde be three Churches builded One in reuerence of our Sauiour to giue him thanks for the victorie which he had granted vnto him wherein the Kinges of Congo doe lye buried and whereof the Cittie Royall tooke the name for as it was tolde you before it is called S. Sauiours The second Church was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin the Mother of God called Our Ladie of Helpe in memory of the succour which he had against his enemies And the thirde was consecrated to S. Iames in honour and remembraunce of the miracle which that Saint had wrought by sighting in the fauour of the Christians shewing himselfe on horsebacke in the heat of the battell Not long after this the shippes arriued from Portingall with many men that were skifull in the holy scriptures and diuers religious Friers of the orders of S. Frauncis and of Saint Dominike and of Saint Austine with sundry other Priestes who with great charitie and feruencie of spirite sowed and dispearsed the Catholike Faith ouer all the Countrey which was presently embraced by all the people of the kingdome who held the said Priests in so high reuerence that they worshipped them like Saintes by kneeling vnto them and kissing their hands and receiuing their blessing as often as they met them in the streetes These Priestes being arriued into their seueral Prouinces did instruct the people in the faith of Christ and taking vnto them certaine of the naturalles of the Countrey they taught them the true heauenly doctrine whereby they might the better declare the same to their owne Countreymen in their owne proper language So that in processe of time the Catholike Faith was rooted ouer all those Countreyes in such sorte as it perseuereth and continueth there euen till this day although it hath endured some small hinderance as in conuenient place we shall shew vnto you Chap. 4. The death of the King Don Alfonso and the succession of Don Piedro How the Islande of Saint Thomas was first inhabited and of the Bishop that was sent thether Other great accidents that happened by occasion of Religion The death of two Kings by the conspiracie of the Portingalles the Lordes of Congo How the Kinges linage was quite extinguished The banishment of the Portingalles WHile these matters were thus in working for the seruice of God that Christianitie was nowe begun and encreased with so happy successe it pleased God to call away to himselfe the King Don Alfonso who at the time of his death yeelded great signes which beautified and exalted his former life For he dyed in great faith declaring that his hower was now come and discoursed of the Christian Religion with so great confidence and charitie as it euidently appeered that the Crosse and Passion the true beliefe in our Sauiour Iesus Christ was imprinted in the roote of his heart To Don Piedro his sonne successour he did especially principally recommend the Christian doctrine which in deed following the example of his father he did maintain and vphold accordingly In his time there began to sayle into these quarters a great number of vessels and the Islande of S. Thomas was inhabited with Portingalles by the Kinges commandment For before those dayes it was all waste and desert within lande and inhabited onely vpon the shore by a few saylers that came from the countries adioyning But when this Islande in processe of time was well peopled with Portingalles and other nations that came thether by licence of the King and became to be of great trafficke and was tilled and sowed the king sent thether a Bishoppe to gouerne the Christians that were in that Islande and those also that were in Congo which the said Bishoppe did accomplish presently vpon his arriuall and afterwardes in Congo where hee tooke possession of his Pastorall charge When he was come into the kingdome of Congo it was a thing incredible to see with howe great ioy hee was entertained by the Kinge and all his people For from the sea side euen vnto the Cittie being the space of a hundred and fiftie miles he caused the streetes to bee made smooth and trimme and to be couered all ouer with Mattes commanding the people that for a certaine space seuerally appointed vnto them they shoulde prepare the wayes in such sort that the Bishoppe shoulde not set his foote vpon any part of the grounde which was not adorned But it was a farre greater wonder to behold all the countrey thereaboutes and all the trees and all the places that were higher then the rest swarming with men and weomen that ran forth to see the Bishop as a man that was holy and sent from God offering vnto him some of them lambes some kiddes some chickins some Partriches some venison and some fish and other kindes of victuailes in such aboundance that hee knew not what to do withall but leaft it behind him whereby he might well know the great zeale and obedience of these new Christians And aboue all other thinges it is to be noted for a memorable matter that the Bishoppe going on his way there met him an innumerable multitude of men weomen and girles and boyes and persons of fourescore yeares of age and aboue that crossed him in the streetes and with singular tokens of true beliefe

vpon him by the hand of God for the punishment of the sinnes which he had committed against Religion had acknowledged his errour and became a good Christian cherishing the Portingals whom he called his Sonnes and doing them all the pleasure hee could Especially and aboue all thinges hee ceased not still to sende new Embassadours into Portingall with earnest request that he might haue moe Priestes and such as were skilful in the holy Scriptures to maintaine the Catholike Faith which was now almost vtterly forgotten in that Realme onely for want of religious persons that shoulde teach the people and administer the Sacramentes and not for any fault of their good willes for they were meruellously well inclined and affected to the Holy Faith After that the aforesaid Captaine was arriued in Portingall and had presented the requestes of the King of Congo to his King who was also but a young man he had none other aunswere from him but wordes and promises that he would haue a care of the matter that was demanded but in the meane while hee prouided neyther Priests nor Diuines to be sent for Congo Wherevpon the King of Congo dispatched againe another principall Embassadour being his kinseman called Don Sebastiano Aluarez together with a Portingall to beare him company and entreate for moe Priestes and withall to redeeme certaine slaues borne in Congo that were in the Isle of S. Thomas and in Portingall and were sold vpon meere necessitie as wee haue tolde you before Some of them woulde needes remaine still in voluntarie seruitude and many were raunsomed and brought home into their Countrey By whose good labour and meanes and especially by the paineful industrie of such as were Lords borne of noble bloud for some there were of that dignitie among them the King of Congo restored the Christian Religion which was almost lost and some of them he vsed for Counsellours and Officers of the Realme as men that were well practised and experienced in the worlde by reason of this their long captiuitie To this Embassadour the King gaue a gracious aunswere and tolde him that hee should bee satisfyed according to his request But yet for all that hee was faine to returne home agayne into Congo without any Priestes or Religious persons to go with him Three yeares after the King Don Sebastiano dispatched a certaine Bishoppe called Don Antonio de gli Oua being a Castilian borne principally to the Islande of S. Thomas but withall he gaue him also a commission to visite the kingdome of Congo who being arriued at S. Thomas fell at iarre with the Captayne there and so sayled into Congo where hee was also persecuted by the saide Captaine and his frendes that hee had there For they informed the King that hee was an ambitious man of a haughtie spirite and very obstinate thereby did vtterly discredite him with the King and all his Court Wherevpon being induced therevnto by these accusations the King forbad him at the first to enter within his Realme but afterwardes he receyued him with great honour and sent his sonne to entertain him and to accompany him to the Cittie There he stayed about eyght monethes and then departed againe somewhat before the King of Portingall passed into Africa and leaft behinde him in Congo two Friars and fower Priestes The Bishoppe being thus gone the King ouerthrowen in Africa there was exalted to the Crowne of Portingall Don Henrico the Cardinall to whome the King of Congo did write with great instaunce and earnest request that he would send him some religious personnes and Preachers but he could obtaine nothing at his handes because the Cardinall liued but a short time in that Gouernement After Don Henrico succeeded Phillip King of Castile who sent aduertisementes to the Captain of Saint Thomas that he was inuested in the Crowne of Portingall and letters also to the King of Congo to the same effect Wherevpon the Captaine did presently dispatch one Sebastiano di Costa that with the title of Embassadour shoulde carry these newes and letters vnto the saide King When these letters were presented and all complementes performed the king of Congo returned him againe to the Court to king Phillip with answere of his letters and therein proffered to discouer vnto him the mettall mines which heretofore had beene concealed from all the other kinges his predecessors and withal sent him diuers trialles of them Beseeching him especially with all affectionate entreatie that as soone as possiblie he could hee woulde furnish him with some store of Priestes declaring also vnto him the miserable state and condition whereinto his people were fallen by reason of the troubles that had happened about the Christian Religion But Costa died by the way the vessell wherein he sayled being cast away vpon the shore of Portingall and euery man drowned that was in it and the naughtie newes were knowen by the contentes of the Letters that were found in a little chest which was driuen on land by the waues of the sea by a briefe note of such Commissions as he had in charge to deliuer to the king When the king of Congo hearde of this accident hee did not cease but still continued and perseuered in his godly purpose woulde not suffer Christianitie to bee vtterly extinguiwed in his Kingdome as it was very likely to be And therefore he determined yet once again to send a new Embassadour of his owne to the King of Spaine But forasmuch as there arose some difficulties and differences among some Lordes of the Court that desired this honour the king because he woulde not displease any of them by preferring one of them before another made choice of one Odoardo Lopez a Portingall borne from whose mouth Pigafetta tooke this present report and put it in writing This man had dwelt now a good time in those Regions and was well experienced in the affaires of the worlde and being by good chaunce at that time in the Court he was thus emploied with the good fauour and countenance of the king who deliuered vnto him in writing very ample instructions for all matters whereof hee was to treate as well with his Catholike Maiestie in Spaine as also with his Holinesse at Rome together with very earnest letters of credence and authoritie and commoditie to them both and safe conductes and exemptions in all liberties both within and without besides his effectuall recommendations of him to all other Christian Princes with all such other priuileges and declarations that might shew how dearly the king esteemed his person as to an Embassadour in such causes appertaineth The summe of his Embassage was this That he should present his Letters to the King Don Phillip and at large discourse vnto him the state wherein the kingdome of Congo stoode touching matter of Religion by the reason of the former warres and scarcitie of Priestes and therevpon request his Maiestie to prouide

trafficke the same marchaundises which we mentioned before But to returne to the voyage of S. Thomas Departing from thence towardes the South wee found the Cape of Lupo Gonzale which standeth in the altitude of one degree beyonde the Equinoctiall towardes the Pole Antarctike a hundred fiue miles distant from the foresaid Isle And from thence they sayle with land winds creeping stil all along the coast and euery day casting ancre in some safe place either behynde some point or else in some hauen vntill they come to the mouth of the greatest Riuer in Congo called in their tongue Zaire which signifieth in Latine Sapio in English I knowe From whence if ye will go through to the hauen of Loanda yee must saile the length of an hundred and fourescore miles These bee the two voyages by sea that bee vsed from the Islande of San Iacomo which is one of those Islandes that before wee tolde you were the Islandes of Capo verde was but a little while ago first begun to be frequented And nowe it is time to intreate of the kingdome of Congo and all the conditions thereof Chap. 2. Of the temperature of the ayre of the kingdome of Congo and whether it bee very colde or hote whether the men be white or blacke whether are more or lesse blacke they that dwell in the hilles or those that dwell in the playnes Of the winds and the raynes and the snowes in those quarters and of what stature and semblaunce the men of that Countrey are THe Kingdome of Congo in the middle part therof is distant from the Equinoctiall towardes the Pole Antarctike iust where the Cittie called Congo doth lie seuen degrees and two thirdes so that it standeth vnder the Region which auncient writers thought to be vnhabitable and called it Zona Torrida that is to say a Cincture or Girdle of the earth which is burnt by the heat of the Sun wherin they are altogether deceiued For the habitation there is exceeding good the ayre beyonde all credite temperate the winter nothing so rough but is rather like Autumne in this Region of Rome The people vse no furres nor chaunge of apparell they come not neere the fire neither is the colde in the toppes of the Mountaines greater then that which is in the plaines but generally in Winter time the ayre is more hote then it is in sommer by reason of their continual raynes and especially about two houres before after Noone so that it can hardely be endured The men are blacke so are the women and some of them also somewhat inclyning to the colour of the wilde Oliue Their hayre is black curled and some also red The stature of the men is of an indifferent bignes and excepting their blacknes they are very like to the Portingalles The apples of their eies are of diuerse colours blacke and of the colour of the sea Their lips are not thicke as the Nubians and other Negroes are and so likewise their countenaunces are some fat some leane and some betweene both as in our countreyes there are and not as the Negroes of Nubia and Guinea which are very deformed Their nights and their daies doo not greatly differ for in all the whole yeare yee shall not discerne the difference betweene them to bee more then a quarter of an houre The Winter in this countrey to speake at large beginneth at the same time that our Spring here beginneth that is to say when the Sun entreth into the Northren signes in the Moneth of March. And at the same time that we haue our winter whē the Sun entreth into the Southern Signs in the moneth of September then beginneth their sommer In their winter it rayneth 5. monethes almost continually that is to say in April May June July August Of faire daies they haue but a few because the raine falleth so greatly the drops of it are so big as it is a wonder to see These waters doe maruellously supple the grounde which is then very drie by reason of the heate of the Sommer past wherein it neuer rayneth for the space of sixe monethes together and after the ground is full and as it were ingorged with water then do the riuers swell beyond all credite and are so replenished with troubled waters that all the countrey is surrounded by them The windes which blow in these Moones through all this region are the very selfe same that Cesar calleth by a Greeke worde Etesij that is to say Ordinary euery yeare whereby are meant those winds that in the Cearde are noted from the North to the West and from the North to the Northeast These windes doo driue the cloudes to the huge and high mountaines whereupon they rush with very great violence and being there staied of their owne nature they are afterwardes melted into water So that when it is likely to raine you shall see the cloudes standing as it were vpon the toppes of their highest hils And hence ariseth the encreasing and augmentation of the riuers that spring in Aethiopia and especially of Nilus and others that discharge themselues into the east and west Ocean And in the kingdome of Congo and Guinea through which runneth the riuer Nigir so called by the auncient writers and by the newe termed Senega you shall see the saide riuer encrease at the very selfe same time that Nilus doth but in deed carrieth his waters towards the west directly against the Islandes of Capo Verde whereas Nilus runneth by the Isle of Meroe in Egipt towardes the North refreshing and watering all those Regions that are full of scorching heates and wildernesses and deserts Now for as much as in the regions of Congo and Aethiopia it is alwaies wont to rayne euery yeare at a certaine set tyme the swelling and ouerflowing of the riuers there is of no great consideration nor any straunge accident to make accompt of But in the Countries that are farre distant and very drie as in Aegypt where it neuer raineth sauing onely in Alexandria and the territories thereof it is accounted a maruellous matter to see euery yeare so great a quantity of thicke troubled water come vppon them from places so remote at a certaine set tyme without missing which water doth quicken the grounde and ministreth foode both to man and beast And therevpon the auncients did sacrifice to that riuer calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good God as Ptolomy noteth in his fourth booke Yea and some of our Christians at this day doo hold it for a miracle So that without these waters they shoulde perish for hunger because their liues do depende vpon this increase of the water as S. Chrysostome saith Thus these windes called by Cesar Etesij and by the Portugalles Generali do blow with vs in Sommer but with them in winter and carry the cloudes vnto the toppes of those huge mountaines which make them to melt into

arrowes and their other weapons as we told you when we spake of the Bramas They make great store of cloth of the Palme trees whereof wee made mention before but these are lesser and yet very fine They haue greate aboundance of Kine and of other cattell before named They are in Religion Pagans their apparell after the fashion of the people of Congo They maintaine warre with their bordering neighbours which are the Anzichi and the inhabitants of Anzicana when they enterprise warre against the Anzichi then they craue aide of the people of Congo and so they remaine halfe in freedome and halfe in daunger of others They worship what they list and hold the Sunne for the greatest God as though it were a man and the Moone next as though it were a woman Otherwise euery man chooseth to himselfe his owne idol and worshippeth it after his owne pleasure These people would easily embrace the Christian Religion For many of them that dwell vpon the borders of Congo haue beene conuerted to Christendome and the rest for want of Priestes and of such as should instruct them in true religion do remaine stil in their blindnes Chap. 11. Of the third Prouince called Sundi THis Prouince of Sundi is the neerest of all to the Citty of Congo called Citta di San-Saluatore the Citty of Saint Sauiours and beginneth about 40. miles distant from it and quite out of the territory thereof and reacheth to the riuer Zaire and so ouer the same to the other side where the Caduta or Fall is which wee mentioned before and then holdeth on vpwardes on both sides towards the North bordering vpon Anzicana and the Anzichi Towardes the South it goeth along the said riuer Zaire vntill you come to the meeting of it with the Riuer Bancare and all along the bankes thereof euen to the rootes of the mountaine of Christall In the bounds of the Prouince of Pango it hath her principall Territory where the Gouernour lyeth who hath his name from the Prouince of Sundi and is seated about a daies iourney neere to the Fall of the Riuer towardes the South This Prouince is the chiefest of all the rest and as it were the Patrimony of all the kingdome of Congo and therefore it is alwaies gouerned by the Kinges eldest Sonne and by those Princes that are to succeede him As it fell out in the time of their first Christian King that was called Don Iohn whose eldest sonne that was Gouernour here succeeded him and was called Don Alfonso And euer sithence the Kinges of Congo haue successiuely continued this custome to consigne this Gouernement to those Princes which are to succeede in the kingdome As did the king that nowe is called Don Aluaro who was in this Gouernment before Don Aluaro the King his father died and was called Mani-Sundi And here by the way you must note that in all the Kingdome of Congo there is not any person that possesseth any proper goodes of his owne whereof hee may dispose and leaue to his heyres but all is the Kinges he distributeth all offices all goodes and all landes to whomsoeuer it pleaseth him Yea and to this law euen the Kinges owne sonnes are subiect So that if any man do not pay his tribute yearely as hee ought the King taketh away his Gouernement from him and giueth it to another As it happened to the king that now liueth who at the time that Signor Odoardo was at the Courte being of his owne nature very liberall and bountifull beyond measure and one that bestowed much vpon his seruants could not discharge those impositions that the king had layed on him Whereupon he was by the king depriued of his reuenews of his gouernement and of his royall fauour that is to say in that language hee was Tombocado as we will declare more at full in the seconde part of this discourse Many Lords there are that are subiect to the Gouernour or Sundi The people do trafficke with their neighbour Countries felling and bartering diuers things As for example falt clothes of sundry colours brought from the Indies and from Portingale and Luma●●●●● to serue for their coine And for these commodities they doo exchaunge cloth of Palme trees and Iuory and the skinnes of Sables and Marternes and certaine girdles wrought of the leaues of Palme trees which are greatly esteemed in those partes There groweth in these countries great store of Christall and diuers kinds of mettall but Iron they loue aboue all the rest saying that the other mettalles are to no vse for with Iron they can make kniues and weapons and hatchers and such like instruments that are necessary and profitable for the vse of mans nature Chap. 12. Of the fourth Prouince called Pango THe Prouince of Pango in auncient time was a free kingdome that was gouerned of it selfe bordereth on the North vppon Sundi on the South vpon Batta on the West vpon the Countie of Congo and on the East vpon the mountaines of the Sunne The principal Territory where the Gouernours dwelling is hath the same name that the Prouince hath viz. Pango It standeth vpon the Westerne side of the Riuer Barbela and in olde time was called Pangue-lungos and in time afterwardes the worde was corrupted and chaunged into Pango Through the middest of this Prouince runneth the riuer Berbela which fetcheth his originall from the great Lake whence the riuer Nilus also taketh his beginning and from another lesser Lake called Achelunda and so dischargeth it selfe into Zaire And although this be the least Countrey of all the rest yet doth it yeeld no lesse tribute then the rest This Prouince was conquered after the Countrey of Sundi and made subiect to the Princes of Congo and is now all one with it both in speech and manners neither is there any difference at all betweene them The present Gouernour thereof is called Don Francesco Mani-Pango and is descended from the most auncient nobilitie of all the Lordes of Congo and in all consultations touching the State he is sent for because he is nowe an olde man and of great wisedome For hee hath remained in the gouernment of this region for the space of fiftie yeares and no man euer complained of him neither did the king at any time take his gouernement from him The trafficke of this Prouince is like the trafficke of Sundi Chap. 13. Of the fift Prouince called Batta THe boundes of this Prouince are towards the North the Countrey of Pango on the East it taketh quite ouer the Riuer Barbela and reacheth to the Mountaines of the Sunne and to the foote of the Mountaines of Sal-Nitre And on the South from the said Mountains by a line passing through the meeting of the riuers Barbela and Cacinga to the mountaine Brusciato that is to say Scorched Within these boundes is Batta contayned and the Principall Cittie where the Prince dwelleth

him a competent number of Confessors and Preachers that might bee sufficient to maintaine the Gospell in those remote Countries being but lately conuerted to Christianitie Moreouer that he should shew vnto him the sundrie trialles of Mettalles which hee had made and many other matters which were worthie to bee knowen and withall that he should proffer vnto him in his name free liberal trafficke of them which heretofore was euer denyed to his Predecessors Touching the Pope That he should likewise on his behalfe kisse his feete deliuer vnto him his letters and recount the miserable trouble and detriment that his people had suffered for the Christian Faith That he shold recōmend those poor soules to his Holines beseech him as the Vniuersal Father of all Christians to haue compassion vpon so many faithful persons who because they had no Priestes to deliuer the holy Faith vnto them and to administer the wholesome Sacramentes were by little and little falling into euerlasting perdition And being thus dispatched he departed from the Court and went about certaine seruices for the King wherein he spent about eyght Monethes So that in Ianuary being then Sommer time in Congo he embarked himselfe in a vessell of a hundred Tunne burthen which was bound with her lading for Lisbone Now as he sayled he came to the sea of the Islands of Cape Verde where the vessell being somewhat olde began to take in much water at a leake that was open in the foreship So that the wind blowing very lustely and strongely before and the Saylers being not able eyther to reach the Islandes aforesaid or to gayne the firme lande of Africa much lesse though they woulde neuer so fayne to follow on their voyage by sayling on with the halfe ship and to straine the vessel that leaked so much the Pilot thought it better to turne his course and taking the wind in the poope to goe saue themselues in the Islandes of Noua Hispania And so after terrible stormes and extreame dangers of drowning and of perishing with hunger for want of all kinde of meate they arriued with much adoo at a little Islande called Cubagoa and situate ouer against the Isle of Saynt Margarete where they fish for Pearles From thence when they had in some haste amended their shippe and somewhat refreshed themselues they sayled with a short cut to the firme lande and tooke hauen in a Porte called Cumana or as it is called by another name The new kingdome of Granado in the West Indies This battered and wetherbeaten vessell was no sooner arriued in this safe harbour but it sunke presently to the bottome but the persons that were in her were all saued although afterwardes they fell sicke to the death by reason of the great griefe which they had endured in hunger in thirst and in want of all other sustenance and chiefly by the horrible stormes of that tempestuous Ocean While the foresaide Embassadour endeauoured in this place to recouer his former health the company of shippes which is called La Flotta that is to say the Fleete and vseth euery yeare to sayle from the coast for Castile departed from thence so that he was constrayned to stay for a new Nauie and so consumed a whole yeare and a halfe without doing any good In this meane time the King of Congo hauing neuer receyued any tydinges of this his Embassadour Odoardo but accounting him for dead and not knowing that he was driuen by tempest into the West Indies continued still constant in his former purpose to procure some remedy for Christianitie in his kingdome And therefore hee sent another Embassadour with the selfe same commandements called Don Piedro Antonio the seconde person in all his Realme and with him one Gasparo Diaz a Portingall borne a principall man and very rich and an auncient inhabitant in that Countrey to the ende that hee shoulde accompany the saide Don Piedro and suffer him to want nothing and in any case ioyne his good helpe to procure that the request which he hoped to obtain of the king of Spaine might be fully effected with a further expresse commandement that if they did meete with the saide Signor Odoardo they should deale in their businesse with his aduise counsell But an infortunate end had this Embassadour for he was taken at sea by Englishmen and his shippe also which being drawen towardes Englande when it was neere vnto the Coast by great misfortune it ranne athwart the shoare ane there Don Piedro Antonio his sonne were both drowned but the Portingal and some fewe others with him escaped and arriued in Spaine at such time as the said Odoardo was come to the Court had entred vppon the charge of his Embassage And therefore this Gasparo wrote to Odoardo that hee was minded to returne home into Congo and not to goe to the Court at all whether it were for the death of the Cardinall or for any other respect I cannot tell but home he returned in deed as he said he would In the time that our Signor Odoardo remained in the West India which is situate vnder the same skie and vnder the same climate and of the same temperature of ayre that Congo is subiect vnto hee noted that the colour of the skinnes of the inhabitants in both countries was farre different For in Congo they are generally and for the most parte blacke and in India almost white that is to say of a middle colour betweene white and blacke which the Spaniardes call Mulato Browne or Darke-Tawney Whereby he would signifie that it is not caused by the Sunne as it hath beene recorded of long time but that it commeth of nature it selfe who worketh it by some secreat reason which neuer yet to this day eyther by auncient Philosopher or new writer hath beene fully set downe or vnderstoode When he had recouered his health he sayled to the Porte of the Cittie of San Domingo in the Island of Hispaniola that there at the first passage he might take some shippe that went towardes Castilia and by good chaunce he found a Portingall vessell among the rest of the Nauie which was minded to ioyne with the Fleete of shippes that passed from the firme lande to Castilia and so to goe in good companie and better safetie All these shippes being thus vnited together they arriued by the helpe of a very good winde at Terzera which is one of the Islandes called Azores that is to say the Sparre-Haukes and from thence to San Lucar di Barameda which is a hauen in the mouth of the Riuer Guadalchibir and so to Siuile from whence he tooke his iourney into Portingall to see his frendes and to furnish himselfe with all thinges necessarie for his businesse and at the last hee rode to the Court which was at that time in Madrill There hee was courteously entertained by his Catholike Maiestie to whom he propounded the contents of